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PRESENTED TO THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
 C.I 
 
 BY 
 
 JVIps. Alcj^ander Proudfit. 
 
 I 
 
 .'•rl*' ■ 
 
 
cr_'tis. 
 
CALVINISM IMPROVED y 
 
 O R, 
 
 THE GOSPEL ILLUSTRATED 
 
 AS A SYSTEM 
 
 OF REAL GRACE, 
 
 ISSUING IN THE 
 
 SALVATION 
 
 OF 
 
 A L L M E N- 
 
 A Pofthumous Work of the late R.everen.1 
 JOSEPH HUNTINGTON, D. D. 
 
 Minifter of the Firft Church hi Coventry, (Connec^Liciit.) 
 
 «< Wko will have all men to be saved, and to come UNXd 
 
 THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. FoK THERE IS ONE GoD, AND 
 8NE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GoD AND MAN, THE MAN CHRIST JF.- 
 
 sus, WHO GAVE HIMSELF A RANSOM FOR ALL, TO BE 
 TESTIFIED IN DUE TIME." Apostle PAVL, 
 
 Printed at NEW-LONDON, (CONNECTICUT.) 
 jBy SAMUEL GREEN. 
 
 — A»if«|>.«t.i, t |ii. ^ 
 >JjDC CjXC VI. 
 
 ..,(i.i'.iV.; 
 
cntercu as tije act ttiucts. 
 
s./ftr^iOmi&vjojf. 
 
 •mm\ >*> '*« ■»-* ^ »* t <.^«^^t t »'-» t » ^ >^i 
 
 The Author, to all his Fellow-Sinners, 
 
 Partakers in cOiMMON with him 
 
 IN Guilt and Woe. 
 
 O 
 
 U R great and common Parent hath 
 been pleafed to give us a place among his 
 rational, and immortal creatures, and made us 
 capable of great and everla-fting happincfs or 
 mifery. Which of thefe fliall be our lot to sll 
 eternity, depends on his good, holy, and fove- 
 reign will alone. Not many of us are ordina- 
 rily much attentive to either, except in rcpard 
 to the preient life and vv^orld ; yet were we 
 ■wife, our main concern and attention would be 
 eonvcrfunt with our intereft in a future ftate, 
 &nd we fliould make the prefent life wholly fub- 
 fervient to that intereft. 
 
 But however inattentive mofi: are to thcfe 
 things, there are in the world, and alwajs have 
 ^pcen, many iudisiduals fcattered here and thprt. 
 
Iv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 whofe minds have been deeply imprefTed with a 
 feiife of eternal tilings. They of this defcrip- 
 tJon and no other, will pay much attention to 
 what I here oft'er. 
 
 The author has often been too precipitate 
 and haftr in many things ; but in no wife fo 
 in embracing the doctrine here advanced. He 
 is now pafling the meridian of life ; and this 
 opinion of the way of falvation is the refult of 
 liis moft careful enquiry from the days of his 
 early youth. 
 
 His firft idea of the way of falvation, wris 
 this, viz. That by the grace of God, and by a. 
 diligent ufe of means, he mufl; obtain fome v^/- 
 iiabli d'tjlinclion between himfclf and other fm- 
 ners. That when Cod faw this , his heart would 
 be moved thereby, to give him regenerating and 
 converting grace, and then would be holden 
 thereby in a way of vicre grac:, by gofpel cou- 
 ftitution, to confer eternal falvation. 
 
 Upon this plan he labored much in early 
 life, but the rciliit was not as he expefted ; it 
 ended in total defpalr. For, the more he la- 
 bored for a good hope in this way, the more 
 he was convinced of his awful deftitntion of all 
 fuch diftinctions and qualifications. He was then 
 led to take refuge, and found great relief in 
 that grace, which he faw to be abfolutcly fovc- 
 reign, flowing out of the very nature of God, 
 through Chrift ; not moved by any diftin..^ions 
 ^r previous qualifications in fmners ; but from 
 
INTRODUCTION. fv 
 
 the nature of God, wholly felf-moved, according 
 to the free ekfting love of God. A view of 
 which might bring a joyful fenfe of falvation to 
 the moft vicious, ftupid, hardened finner, as well 
 as to himfelf. Yet ftill he had no idea of any 
 falvation beyond the more common, and much It- 
 mitid idea of God's election and falvation. 
 
 Being much difpofed to a ftudious life, and 
 always delighting greatly in books, he fpent much 
 ©f his time in reading and enquiry, in the early 
 periods of life. Amidfl: all the vanities and fol- 
 lies of youth, yet acquainting his heart with wif- 
 dom, even while he too much laid hold on folly. 
 Being alfo much favored, by a kind Providence, 
 with reo-ard to the beft means of inftruftion, 
 and a pious example from his parents in his early 
 days, and afterwards with a more public educa- 
 tion ; the difpofition of his heart inclined him, in 
 great preference to all other employments, to 
 the ftudy of divinity, and to become a preacher 
 of the gofpel. 
 
 He was now in thofe principles which we 
 call Cah'wijlic ; and met with feme acceptance 
 in his public performances, and foon took the 
 paftoral charge of a kind and refpectable people, 
 from whom he has ever fince received as many 
 kindneffes as moft of his brethren in the miniftry 
 have. Living in a feries of harmony and love, 
 excepting only with refpecl to a very few indi- 
 viduals, at one time and another, who yet have 
 mven him. no great trouble. 
 
n INTRODUCTION. 
 
 He, for feveral years, underftood the way of 
 falvation taught in the word of Cjiod, (which he 
 ahvavs rep;ardeil as the only declfive rale of 
 faith and life,) agreeably, in all eflential mat- 
 ters, to the explanations of Mr. Cuhh:, Dr. O-^- 
 e«, Mr. W'lllardy Prefident E.iwjirJs, and the great 
 body of puritan divines fince the reformation 
 from por)ery. Not as yet thinking of any ex- 
 tent of the divine decrees, or God's eternal pur- 
 pofes of love to a loft world, beyond the com- 
 mon orthodoxy of his country ; or what, for 
 want of a more figniicant word, he would call 
 ihf Ih/iitarian plan. By degrees, he began to be 
 prcfTcd more and more in his own mind, with 
 regard to the full confiftency of it. 
 
 Ke preached, as did other divines, the atone^ 
 inent of <"hrirt, a full and complete facrifire for 
 the redemption of every finner in the world ; 
 and the divine law wliolly fatisfied in the obe- 
 dience of Clnift unto death ; that every finner 
 on earth, was alike invited, and moft lolemnly 
 commanded to believe on C hrift to the faring of 
 his foul ; that it was the grcateft of all fm and 
 rebellion againfl God, not to believe unto falva- 
 tion, and alike fo, in every finner that heard 
 the gofpel ; and, that Paving faith did not cn.itSy 
 or ill the leaft chaw^t the obje^^l or foundation 
 of it, but was wholly grounded on an object 
 and foundation forever immutable. 
 
 Thefc do(5lrlnes he urged, from tUe nature 
 and attributes of God ; the covenant of redemp- 
 tion ; and the dying Jove of Chriil, as difplaycd 
 
INTRODUCTION. vii 
 
 !n the book of divine reTcIation. And, on the 
 fame principles, always enforced holinefs and vir- 
 tue, as a native and genuine confequence of a 
 cordial belief of tbein ; and alfo as being raofi: 
 reafonable ahd happifying in the very nature of 
 things. Meanwhile often denouncing the dread- 
 ful vrrath of God, revealed from heaven againft 
 all ungodtinefs, and unrighteoufnefs of men. His 
 preaching was of this tenor, with all the ufes of 
 it, and inferences that might be drawn from it ; 
 on the idea of a limited decree, and a iiinited 
 fcheme of redemption and falvation. 
 
 The author holds all thefe docirines of gi-acs 
 and of dutyy more firmly now, if poffible, than 
 ever before ; except only with regard to the 
 limitation of the covenant of redemption, as not 
 according to the eternal purpofe of God. 
 
 What has lain on his mind with increafing 
 preffure is this. When he had exhibited to his 
 audience the infinite fulnefs and all-fufficiency of 
 Chrift to fave fmners, both by price and by pow- 
 er ; and the great duty of every fmner to believe 
 it to the falvation of his foul, then to tell them ; 
 *' Many fmners^ many alas ! are bft out of the 
 *' covenant of redemption ; vtany for whom Chrift 
 *^ never died. A part only are comprehended, a 
 '* very fe\V in comparifon, as we have reafoa 
 " to believe, or at leaQ: to fear. Low many we 
 " cannot fay, nor who they are. God will cer- 
 ** tainly make fuch as are elected, to believe, 
 <* by his own almighty power and grace ; and 
 " he will mod certainly leave all the reft to 
 
▼iii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 *' eternal damnation as their fins juftly defcrve • 
 *' for they were never comprehended in the de- 
 *' cree of God or tlie covenant of redemption suid 
 *' falvation." 1 have been more and more preftcd 
 and perplexed in my own mind, with regard 
 to the confiftency of this mMin?r of preaching 
 with itfelf, or with the word of Cod. I have 
 often taken up the objeflions that have been 
 brought againll it, and have attempted to re- 
 move thera in the common way, and done it 
 to as general fatisfadion, perhaps, as othcf' 
 preachers. 
 
 The arguments ufed to filence thcfe objeftion* 
 are fo trite and familiar with every one, that I 
 need" only hint at them now. I have told my au- 
 dience that we all juAly defcrve to be eternally 
 miferablc ; that God was not obliged to fave any ; 
 that he is a juft, abfolute fovereign : the repro- 
 bate, or non-eletft have no caufe to impeach 
 God of any injuftice ; they fliall receive only the 
 due reward of their deeds ; that they may believe 
 if they will ; that it is the wickednefs of their 
 hearts, their wills, and difpofitions that hinders 
 them ; the heart at enmity with God ; and that 
 this 13 fo far from being their reafonable excufe, 
 that it is their juft, and moft awful condemnation > 
 that they have no bufmefs with God's fccret, 
 eternal decree, or the extent of the covenant 
 of redemption, and the number given to Chrift 
 therein, and for whom alone he died ; that they 
 muft attend only to what God has revealed ; that 
 he will have all men to be faved ; that he 
 taketh no pleafurc in the death of him that dieth. 
 
INTRODUCTION, I* 
 
 i\ii that he would turn and live ; that he plain- 
 ly commandeth all men every where to repent, 
 hnd believe to the faving cf their fouls ; that; 
 the fecret decree of God can have no influence 
 on their wills, and ought to have none on their 
 Bonducl, So I have gone through with all the 
 common arguments as other minifters of the gof- 
 pel have fo often done. Thefe the reader has 
 all by heart, if he has paid any tolerable at- 
 tention to the common preaching of caiviniilie 
 Jdivines. 
 
 My audience have generally aimofl: to a mad 
 fet down fatisfied. Yet, at evening, much per- 
 plexity hath invaded my own mind ; thoughts 
 have thus returned upon me. I have this 
 day told my audience, making no difference, 
 and without the exception of a iingle perfon, 
 that if we do not believe that God hath given 
 to us eternal life in his Soil, ^ve make him a 
 liar ; and quoted the evangeliil John in fupport 
 of it. I have told them, that they have, every 
 one alike, all the v/arrant, that the God of 
 truth can give them, to believe to eternal life ; 
 and that it is the greateft of all fin not thus 
 to believe. I have tcld them that their acting 
 this faith on the Son of God, can lay no foun- 
 dation at all, but is wholly built on an eter- 
 nal foundation already laid, the immutable truth, 
 of God in his Son. I have told them they 
 tnufl: fo believe; they have right to, they ought 
 to do it; ajjd then every one of theift ikali b« 
 M 
 
* INTRODUCTION. 
 
 faverl, Mn>en upon the IhnUar'ian plan, I k.n!>\r 
 not that one tenth part of them, or even one 
 of them was ever included in the covenant of 
 redemption, or given to Chrill, or that he ever 
 died for one foul of them. 
 
 Ought I not to have known for whom among 
 tlicm Chrill did indeed die, before I gave out this 
 doctrine ; and then to have addrelled the fame 
 to tlicm only ? or oi^giit 1 not, at leart, to have 
 Spoken hypotheticaily and faid ; if you an of ihe 
 7iu7/ibcr of th: eied, you have full warrant and 
 ground to hclieve to falvation. Otherwife there 
 is no foundation- laid in Chrill for your faith ; but, 
 on tiie contrary, you will make God a liar in fd 
 belic'iing, as you will belie vC what he knows is 
 not true, viz. that every foul that hears the gof- 
 pel has a foundation for his faving faith, laid ill 
 Chrill ? 
 
 I have told my audience that the namber* 
 given to Chrift, and for whom he died, is a fecrct 
 that belongs to God only, and not at all to them. 
 .And, that it is their great duty to make theii* 
 calling and election furc. I have quieted theii* 
 minds, but not my own. Kor 1 connot avoid ma- 
 ny thougiitii which have never occurred to their 
 minds, on the liimtarian plan. I cannot help fee- 
 ing, that although, on th'n plan, the number and 
 the names are a fccret with God alone ; )et the 
 prliuinles are what I have been preaching. I 
 have atlcrted them as revealed in the word ot 
 God, I liuve proclaimed tlicm aloud, as the will 
 ofCjod; and now how, alai ! iliaU I reconcile tbeui 
 In harmonious truth ? 
 
I N T r». O D U C T I O N. xi 
 
 I can very willingly let alone the number 
 and the names ; that fits ealy on my mind. But 
 what fliall 1 do with tlie principles 1 have advan- 
 ced, as things revealed and belonging to every 
 finner in the world \ ITow can I, oil thefe princi- 
 ples, thefe revealed doftrhies, invite and com- 
 mand every finner to believe to falvation, and, in 
 the name of Chrift too, tell ei^cry one, without 
 exception, that Chrift has laid a foundation tor 
 this univerfal faith and falvation ; when I believe 
 he did, ia his death, lay a foundation only for a 
 part ; that only a part are given to him, and that 
 *' other foundation can no man lay than that 
 which is laid, which is Jefus Chrift?" Fany fim- 
 ilar thoughts have unavoidably prefixed into my 
 mind, after 1 have been preaching the gcfpel m 
 the limitarian line. 
 
 The learned reader will readily recollccl the 
 way that fcveral learned and pious divines have 
 taken to free thenifelves from this perplexity. 
 They aficrt, that all finners are commanded to 
 believe rhnt which has wo truth in it, antecedent 
 to their believing it ; and that in the devout and 
 obedient ejcercife of their minds in bciicvins:, that 
 is turned into a glorious, faving truth, which had 
 no truth in it wiien their raindij firft bezan to 
 "work upon it. This they fay is a moft incuncei-va- 
 hl^y ajioiilflnug if:y<iery. I think fo too, and can 
 get no relief to my- own mind in tJ.at way. If 
 I could believe without previous truth, and make 
 truth by believing, I fhould believe mjfeJf into 
 the enjoyment of many agreeable things^ tern* 
 |)oriil Hb vvell as fpirilual : let even men of ao 
 
%n INTRODUCTION. 
 
 lefs worth than, Mellrs. Bofton, JMarJJyall, Hervey^ 
 and others 1 might name, have taken that refuge ; 
 and merely, no doubt, becaufc they could not 
 poJIibly reconcile the ihnitariaii doctrines of lal» 
 vatjoii in any other way. 
 
 Thefe cmbarrallments in my mind, have in- 
 fjuced me to look, mpft attentively, into all 
 opinions that have ever been found among all fedls 
 thaf embrace divine revelation ; and cfpccially 
 the ntouowiati and the ann'tman tenets. JBut, oij 
 the mcft thorough invelligation, I find thefe incon- 
 iiftent with divine ;*cvclation. and the necelTary at- 
 tributes of God ; alfo with the relation of man to 
 his Maker ; and with his entire, abfolute, and 
 cverjafting dependence on God, Still, the eviden- 
 ces, and even Jemonftrations of the truth, an^ 
 divinity of the f^icrcd oracles are fo clear, that I 
 can never renounce my firm faith in them. I 
 aifo find, in reading all books of divinity tha^ 
 ever | faw, that the main, leading fentiments \x\ 
 them, will mq(t inevitably infer tlie fame exten- 
 live doctrine of grace and falvation that is here 
 advanced: were all jufl and neccffary confequences 
 drawn fro^i thofe foundation princi])les which all 
 unite in. But, few jud confequences have been 
 drawn, and many things faid by iitfiitariaus, of all 
 denominations, in full and plain oppofition to the 
 foundation principles which they hold. 
 
 After all refearches, I have recurred to the 
 word of God alone. There I find a molt glorious, 
 pnd aftonilhing fyftcm, and exibitions of divine 
 wifdom, power and love ; molt harmonioully con- 
 rJX^v.t with itfelf, aud with all the diviiie atu^j,- 
 
INTRODUCTION. xiii 
 
 liatcs, with pure reafon, and with God's condu£t ii| 
 the univerfe ; and in a mod blefled way, accommo- 
 dated and adapted to guilty, miferable man, in all 
 tlie depth of his entire h?ipotency and guilt : A com- 
 plete Savior undertaking to deliver him alike from 
 both ; and that in fuch a merciful and glorious 
 extent, that I can in the name of Chrift, com- 
 mand every human creature, under heaven, to 
 telieve in fuch a Savior, and promife him, 09 
 the fimc authority, he fliall be fayed by him. 
 
 I can now preach the gofpel to every crests 
 tiire ; i. e. I can tell every human creature un- 
 der heaven. Good riews to him. I can tell CTery 
 lereature of a Savior as complete to give hit/t 
 the qualification, as to make the atonement ; tQ 
 give repentance as well as forgivenefs of fins, 
 alike engaging and enfuring both, by covenant with 
 his Father, A blefled Savior, that hath made hi^ 
 felvation fure, before loft finners ever thought any 
 thing about it ; and that did all the work alone 
 without their doing any thing. That, by the pow- 
 er of his own fpirit, he fetteth finners to work 
 out their own falvation with fear and trembling : 
 jjot at all to muke it pore fure, than he hag 
 made it in the covenant of redemption, and the 
 atonement ; but only, to communicate the know- 
 ledge, and comfort of it to them, and to ap- 
 ply the benefit, by working in them a mora^ 
 capacity to enjoy it. 
 
 . Hence I can bid them, in the name of 
 thrift, to work out their own falvation with 
 
itW INTRODUCTION. 
 
 fbar and trembling : for it is God that work* 
 cth in tlicm both to will and to do, of his own 
 good pleufure. I can tell them that the grace 
 of God, alone, brings falvation to their fight 
 and truft ; and that this, in • a way of native 
 eoripquoicCy teaches them to deny ungodlintfs and 
 every worldly luft, and to live foberly, righte- 
 oufly, and godly in this prefent world. Becaufe 
 this is God's way, and the only fit way in which 
 God brings them to the final, heavenly inherit- 
 ance, and niakes them meet to be partakers of 
 it. Alfo, becaufj? it is moft reafonable, and an 
 exceeding great pleafure and delight to them 
 ■while on the way : And as in all refpefts it is 
 moft agreeable to the natures God has given 
 them ; to their moral agency ; and to the honor 
 «f his own name, to bring them to the enjoy- 
 ment of all the fure benefits of redeeming love 
 and grace in fuch a way. 
 
 On this ground, I can aflure them that God 
 hath given to us fallen nun eternal life, and this 
 life is ill his Son ; and he that believeth not this 
 record, whofoevcr he be, hath made God a liar. 
 So 1 can charge any unbeliever with the greateft 
 Llame, for not believing immediately to the fiiving 
 of his foul, i. c. to a fcnfe and enjoyment of 
 gofpel falvation. And I can pronounce every 
 i^nbelieving fmner damned, i. e. moft juftly and 
 awfully condemned while in unbelief. But on 
 the limitarian plan, I can charge no fmner with 
 any thing amifs, for not believing to his own 
 falvation ; uulcfs I firft kiioW; th.at he is oiie 
 
INTRODUCTION. xv 
 
 that is comprehended in their partial and much 
 limited covenant of redemption ; or one of the 
 few, or the party, be it more or lefs, for whofe 
 eternal falvation Chrift died. 
 
 The more I have thought on thefe things, 
 the more I am convinced of the utter inconfift- 
 cncy of the general preaching of proteftant di- 
 vines, on any other ground than this. Chriji died 
 alike for all. And all jnanktnd are alike included 
 m the vioji glorious and merciful covenant of rtU 
 demption, 
 
 I fuppofe, at the fame time, that it is not 
 txpedient that gofpel preachers fliould dwell much 
 on this point, viz. proving that God will in- 
 deed bring all the fallen race, in his own time, 
 out of their blindnefs, guilt, and mifery, to th6 
 knowledge and enjoyment of falvation ; or that 
 Chrift will in his own way and time, draw 
 all men unto him, in the plaineft fenfe of the 
 words. But rather to dwell much, and mainly, 
 on the nature and charafter of God, and that 
 of fallen man, and the way of falvation for fuc!i 
 a miferabie race ; with all the duties, and obli- 
 gations, hopes, and expeftations refulcing from 
 thefe thoughts. 
 
 The great things we want to know, are wha£ 
 God is; and wliat we are; and how we may 
 pleafe God ; and in what way we may be fav- 
 ed. Merely to know how many, or how fe\T, 
 fhall be brought to glory is no part of our 
 faving knowledge. 13ut ta know the ^xaj in 
 
«Yi INTRODUCTION. 
 
 lieaven, by faving expef-icnce, is the great thing- 
 "Wc all need. This is jiift the fame in my view 
 of falvation ; as on that of the proteftant world 
 an general, ever fmce the reformation from po- 
 pery. Ivior flioiild I think it expedient to pub- 
 lifh the following flieets, at lead at this time, 
 were it not that 1 lind I cannot vindicate di- 
 vine revelation on any other plan. I likewife 
 find many inquifitive minds, deeply concerned 
 about things of eternal confequence, prefled vritli 
 the fame embarrafluient. 
 
 I am well aware, that fuch an open ad- 
 vancing ftep to pour light into the minds of 
 men ; though it is no other, in the nature of 
 it, than what has been many times done, may, 
 as in former times, in all probability, be an oc- 
 cafion of great alarms in tlie minds of many 
 pious, good people. Among the reft, (which is 
 to me mod difagreeable in profpecl) fevcral of 
 my deareft and mod valuable friends and con- 
 nexions will probably be more wounded by 
 this publication, or at Icafc more aggrieved, than 
 any other perfons on my account. 
 
 But there is a wonderful force in important 
 truth, prelied home on the human mind with lull 
 conviction. When liE who ruleth the fpirits 
 t)f all men, is determined to make it appear 
 to the world, he always makes the truth prefs 
 fo hard on the human mind as to fmd vent. 
 Witnefs the cafe of El'ihu, JcrcwiU:, Paul, and 
 inany others. Job, qa. Jer. 20. Acls, 18. The 
 Hioll of'thofc, ^-vhoni God has made iullrumentr; 
 
I I^T t R O D U C T I O N. xvii 
 
 to give additional light and guidance to his 
 church and to the world^ have felt much reluctance 
 on the part of human nature and worldly con- 
 fiderations^ from the days of Mofes to the pre- 
 fent day. But almighty God always finds an 
 effeclual way to draw out of their fouls_, what- 
 ever he is pleafed to pour in with fpecial de- 
 fign for the benefit of mankind. It is doubtlefs 
 bv connexion and acquaintance with the people 
 of God^ that the gentiles, in every part of the 
 world, got this idea of their prophets, fybiis, 
 and augurs, in all ages. The celebrated Roman 
 poet, as the learned will recoliecl, paints tiiis 
 thought moft beautifully in the caie of his pro- 
 phetefs, in the fixth book of his ^'Eneid. And I 
 apprehend, we may well maintain the doctrine of 
 fuch a forcible energy on the mind, in thefvi 
 cafes, without giving any countenance to en- 
 thufiafm, in the more common acceptation of the 
 word. 
 
 What now appears, is a fmall part of a sys- 
 tem of DIVINITY, which the author has been 
 meditating more than twenty years. A critical 
 view of the religion of the covenant people of 
 God, in every age, and in every part of ths 
 world, where divine revelation has been em- 
 braced ; and alfo of tlie mythology of all the 
 nations of the earth that have not been fav- 
 ored with the facred oracles, fell naturally ia 
 the way of his contemplations, as he was pro- 
 ceeding on a very extenfive fcale. What he un- 
 C 
 
xvlii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 dertook was with no other view, than for hi? 
 own improvement ; as he has ever found the 
 life of the pen of very fpecial fervice to his own 
 mind. 
 
 Innumerable criticifms on the orimnal lan- 
 
 o 
 
 gnages in which the facred oracles were firft writ- 
 ten, are left out in this publication. Becaufe our 
 Englifh bible is fo well done, in the laft tranfla- 
 tion, that there is not one verfe, or fentence in 
 it, that will mifgaidc any common, Englifli reader, 
 in any nuaerial thought. And becaufe, on the 
 contrary, the author did, and does lUU fuppofe, 
 that fuch a number of criticifms, as he found his 
 own thoughts naturally led into, would, if in- 
 fertcd, much bewilder the minds of mod of his 
 readers. And laflly, this would nnich fwell the 
 volume, and cmbarrafs any printer in this coun- 
 try, for want of proper types, and practice. 
 
 The folloNving treatise is not divided" into 
 chapters and feclions according to the more com- 
 nion way in- later times ; but is on the plan of the 
 more ancient compofitions. Moreover, the rea- 
 der will find in many places, that a particular 
 thought, or argument, is taken up and purfued 
 TiS fur as the prcfcnt coanetilion retjuircd ; then 
 laid afide for ths prefent, and rtfumed again, 
 in anollier connection, and enlarged upon in fe- 
 paratc pai-ts of the voluuie, wllh dilHncl views, 
 and in vai-ious connections. This is no more re- 
 petitious^ than if each thought, or argumen!: 
 hv'.d becii wholly finiflicsi in one place by it- 
 
INTRODUCTION. xix 
 
 felf. This method, was cholen becaufe the 
 author's defire was to help the reader, as much 
 as pofiible, to carry along in his mind to the 
 end of the whole, every material idea, without 
 the lofs of any. 
 
 The author is quite beyond a doubt, in his 
 own mind, with regard to the folid truth of his 
 leading principles and arguments ; though he 
 fuppofes that inaccuracies may be difcerned by 
 the more critical part of his readers. With 
 refpetl to the due ihne of advancing this flep 
 forward, and fo explicitly pouring in this ad- 
 ditional light, iie is not fo pofitive. 
 
 There are, however, fcveral confiderations 
 that have weight in my mind, to make the pub- 
 lication without further delay ; fuch as thefe. 
 I have fpent more than twenty years in the mod 
 careful reading and attention to every thing 
 relating to this fubjeft ; and, I think, with a. 
 fingle eye, and ardent delire to know the truth, 
 and to avoid all falfe rcafoning, and everv 
 groundlefs conclufion. 7 havi no inicrefl but in 
 the truth. I am in the fame predicament, v> ith 
 regard to the due thve of publication, that all 
 men fince the days of infpiration have been. 
 Any author may misjudge, after his great ell poffi- 
 ble exercife of judgment in the niattcr. Some 
 have done it, as the great and learned U:;fs, 
 who was one century before the due tih-jc, in 
 attempting to pour in a flood of light upon the 
 world. He oiicrcd nothing to the public but w-liat 
 
acr. INTRODUCTION. 
 
 vras advciiiced In the next century by Lifther^ Cdhiiij, 
 and others with glorious fuccefs. I confidcr 
 that if all ftudents v/ill refrain publication, in 
 advancement of light and knowledge, until they 
 are ijuite certain the mod: proper time is come ; 
 every thing of this kind muft be at an end. 
 Alfo that when God's own time is come, for 
 new acqnifitions of knowledge, even then, it 
 is his wife and holy pleafure, that truth fliould 
 beat its way through very confiderable oppofi- 
 tion, and that the leaders in it fliould meet 
 ^ith little thanks, and no comfortable reward;, 
 from the world in o-eneral. 
 
 JBefidcs all this, I regard the marvellous hand 
 of divine providence, fince my own day of ob- 
 fervation, as leading into new acquifitions of 
 every kind more rapidly than in any former 
 period of time. A fpirit of cv.quiry, of light 
 and liheityy does M'onderfully incrcaie. And it 
 hath been my ilcadfaft opinion, with the vene- 
 rable Edwards and others, who, as I apprehend, 
 ha\ e written beft on the prophecies, relating to 
 the latter day glory, that the glorious millen- 
 nium is now dawning, and hath been ever fince 
 the reformation from popery ; and that when 
 fix thoufand years from the creation of the 
 >vorld are compleated, the fun will fairly arlfe, 
 even tl-.e fun of righteoufncfs in all his divine 
 glory. That time now draws near. The fecond 
 or third generation from us may, {i»mc of them, 
 behold th»t blcilcd day. 
 
INTRODUCTION. xxi 
 
 I am further fully perfuaded, that the glo- 
 rious and univerfal revival, and power of true 
 reUo-ion in that day, will not be brought on fo 
 muci by the awful thundcrings of divine wrath, 
 and threatnings of hell and damnation, as by 
 leading the blind fearful minds and guilty fouls 
 of men to fee and know the true charafter of 
 God, and the Savior. When the world fhall 
 know the living and true God and Jefus Chnft 
 whom he hath fent ; then a fenfe and enjoy- 
 ment of life eternal will abound, and the cords 
 of love will effeaually draw dead fmners to 
 holinefs and virtue. 
 
 The reader may naturally expeft that I 
 fhould take notice of feveral writers of late, 
 and fome former writers, on the fubjeft of the 
 univerfal redempfmi and final fahatwn of the 
 human kind ; both in fnpport of the fentiment, 
 and in oppofition thereto. I fuppofe I havo read 
 them all, from the great Augujlvie (who ad-^ 
 vanced the foundation argmnents in fupport ot 
 this doftrine, with greater ftrength of mind, 
 than any have done fince) down to the pre- 
 fent day. Several learned men have written oa 
 the fubjea, in Europe and America ; fome on 
 ' one fide of the ci^ieltion and fome on the other. 
 I have purpofcly omitted any particular remark, 
 on either : principally becaufe it appears to me, 
 that none of them ever fufficiently attended to 
 the fabjeft to write with full pertinency upon 
 it Though, at the f^me time, the author rc^ 
 
KxSl INTRODUCTION. 
 
 gards them as much greater and better men 
 than hhnfelf^ and would think himfelf honored 
 to fet at their feet, to receive inftruclion in any 
 matters they have fulij/ attended to. 
 
 The leading thoughts, on which the fol- 
 lowing TREATISE is built, may be divided into 
 the following particulars. The attributes of God. 
 Jiis own fixed eternal furpofcs. His covenant of 
 redemption ivith the Son of his love. The full 
 /iiid proper contrajl between the firfly and fccond 
 foedcral head of mankind. The doflrine of a true 
 ar.d proper imputation of guilt and right eoufnefs. 
 The co-extenfive offices of Chrifly as prophet, priefl, 
 *ind king. The jufi defcrt of fin. The voice of 
 Ccd's holy la-Wy and that of the gofpely founding 
 throughout the 'iohcle of divine revelation. The law 
 wholly fatisfied in Chrift. The gospel announcing 
 thcfe GLAD TIDINGS. The nature and office of 
 regenerationy faving faithy and repentance unto 
 life. The indifpenfible neceffity of internal hoUnefs, 
 The awful datnnation of all while unregeuerate. 
 The only wayy in which Cod will fave finners, 
 and the infinite reafonablencfs of it. The great 
 power of a real acquaintance with the falvation oj 
 Cod, to move the heart to all holinefs and virtue ; 
 and to regulate the whole life. The abfoiute, and 
 everlafiing dependance of all the human race on 
 him that made thfin. And the everlajling glory 
 that will redound to Cod alone, Fathery Son, and 
 
 Holy Chofiy in this great falvation. 
 
 » 
 The above are the principal, leading thoughts, 
 
INTRODUCTION. xxili 
 
 illuftrated by a variety of arguments ; Tvhich are 
 indeed but a very fmall part of all thofe that 
 might have been adduced, with equal force, 
 from the nature of God and from his word. 
 
 The author has one requeft to make to all 
 that may fee, or hear of this book. He ailiS 
 that none would either approve or ct7ifitre it, 
 until after a careful reading. And that ail, who 
 may have read it with attention, and then fpeak 
 freely their own opinion concerning it, as every 
 one in that cafe has good right to do, would 
 alfo communicate this humble requeft from the 
 author, to all fuch as have knowledge of it 
 only by report. This is a juft claim, which 
 every man has on his fellow-men ; and which every 
 humane, candid mind will readily grant. The 
 author is the more emboldened to make it, as 
 he never could endure to violate the fame prin- 
 ciple himfelf, with regard to any writings he 
 has ever feen or heard of. Having intimated thefe 
 things as introduftory, the reader is now led to 
 a direct and immediate conlideration of the fubjedt. 
 
TREATISE 
 
 O N 
 
 UNIVEPvSAL SALVATION* 
 
 ^ I s 
 
 X HE facred fcriptures, or thfe tv:0 
 teflaments, are certainly the very di6late5 
 of God to men, on the moft intereflin^ 
 matters. God hath fpoken as became him- 
 felf to fpeak, things mofl irtiportant to the 
 human kind ; and things in the moft per- 
 fe6l confiftericy, through the whole of di- 
 vine revelation. The great defign of it 
 is, that the divine Being and chara6ter may 
 be manifefted, in the cleareft pofTible man- 
 ner, for the difplay of his own glory ; and 
 mankind guided thereby to the true end of 
 their exiftence, even the knowledge and 
 enjoyment of God the fupreme and con- 
 fummate good. The duty and happinefs 
 of man are infeparably united in the iacred 
 oracles. 
 
 It is of the utmofl importance to the 
 D 
 
o6 TREATISE ON 
 
 comfort of man, to have his mind open, 
 and unbialTcd with regard to the truth, 
 heartily cn^^aged to find the very truth, 
 and embrace it with fupreme love, for its 
 own fake. This is " a good and honeft 
 hearL" This is " reccivin^:; tnith in the 
 love of it." Alas ; how hard an attainment 
 lor man in his prefent ftate ! 
 
 Now anv man that can read the word of 
 God with open candor, will fee, that there 
 are two capital points of infti"u6lion run- 
 ning throujih the whole of it, as thini^s to- 
 be believed ; and that every where virtue, 
 or holinefs of heart and life is enjoined up- 
 on us, as matter of praftice, enforced with 
 the flrongcfl reafons and motives. 
 
 The two great doftrines We are taught to 
 believe, are, FirJ}, What rt is juft and 
 right for God to do wMth us, confidcred in 
 our own perfonal charaftcr, and defert. 
 This I fhall call the pure voice of juft ice to 
 man, without regard to an atonement, or a 
 mediator. Secondly, What God will in faH 
 do with mankind, as united to a mediator, 
 ;md one with him by divine conftitution, in 
 a fftderal fcnfc : Or how, in vqyj deed. 
 (*T0d hath promifed to deal with man. in 
 that union with the fecond Adam : What 
 Jiis condition flinll certainly be, in this life, 
 and the life to come. This I call pure gol- 
 pel ; or tidings from God, which never 
 could liave been knbwn but by his own re- 
 velation. • 
 
 It will alfo appear that ♦h'fe two capital 
 points are, throughout the whole bible, kept 
 
UNIVERSAL S A L -V A T I O N. 
 
 27 
 
 in conftant view, running fide by fide, in. 
 open fight, from the beginning to the cloie 
 of the I'acred oracles. Thefe points <':rc 
 very different from each other, yea direftly 
 .oppofite, except only as harmonizing in 
 Chrift, which is the mod wonderful myftery 
 of the gofpel, and the grand diflinguilliing 
 doctrine of divine revelation. 
 
 Take a few inftances of this dire6l oppo- 
 fition of fentircent, if literally underftood, 
 in an immediate and dire£l import, without 
 any regard to a mediator, an atonement, or 
 a foederal conftitution. — " In the day thou 
 eateft thereof thou Tnalt furely die." '' And 
 all the days that Adam lived were nine 
 hundred and thirty years." " Evpry man 
 fliall die for his own fins." "Chrift died for 
 our fins according to the liciiptures." '• God 
 will by no means clear the guilty." " I, 
 even I am he that blotteth out your fins, 
 for mine own lake." The reader that is 
 well acquainted with the book of divine re- 
 velation, will think of thouiands of plain 
 aifertions, as much to the purpofc as thefe ; 
 and every fair reaioner will own that words 
 and ideas cannot be let in more full oppofi- 
 tion, if taken in one and the fame, plain, 
 immediate, literal fenie. Yet we find not 
 the lead difficulty in reconciling all thefe 
 with each other, and with the truth, when 
 we bring them into one proper anaioo^v : 
 We eafily fee one harmonious, peife6lly con- 
 fiftent icheme, running through the whole. 
 
 But, it will abundantly appear in the 
 fequel, that ^ve mult keep our ear open tQ 
 
 / 
 
0%; TREATISE OW 
 
 the voice of pure juftice to man, as he dc- 
 ferves out of Chrift ; alfo to the voice an- 
 nouncing what fhall in very deed, through 
 infinite grace, take place with refpecl to 
 man in Chrift : Or it will be wholly in vain 
 for all the wit, and art in the world, to make 
 *ny thing better of the holy fcriptures, than 
 a long, iolemn, feries of the moft palpable 
 contraditlions. I have, with the utmoft 
 caution, and deepeft attention, long confult- 
 ed the facred oracles ; and, perhaps, all of 
 effential confequence, that has been written 
 on them, lince the chriftian jcra, in various 
 languages ; and I freely confefs that, with- 
 out the clue, jufl named, I mufl fet down 
 ;n dciim : But, with it, the whole book of 
 God, hovjtrue / how beautiful ! how glorious ! 
 
 The whole word of God, centers in 
 Chrift, and is fealed in his blood ; the law, 
 and gofpel, otherwife oppofitc, are brought 
 into pcrFeft urjion ; righteouincfs and peace 
 embrace each other; and thi^ difplay ftiines, 
 in perpetual and glorious fymmctry, through 
 the old and new te{tan;ents. 
 
 But no^v, to refume the cat)ital ar^u- 
 
 i. O 
 
 ment already alluded to. 
 
 We begin with the lirft threatening ever 
 denounced againft man, on condition of 
 his rebellion, Gen. ii. " In the day that 
 thou eateft thereof, thou ftialt furely die/' 
 I believe the more common conilru£l:ion of 
 thi.s com][nination, by proteftant divines, is 
 right, viz. that total death, tciTiporal and 
 fpiritual, was to take place on all human 
 nature, on that very day ; and eternal death 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. jq 
 
 then begin, and be confirmed and made fure 
 to all human nature, without the leaft in- 
 timation of remedy or relief, to endlefs du- 
 ration. I fully believe this conftru6lion is 
 juft, and abundantly fupported in the holy 
 fcriptures. 
 
 However, as I am acquainted with many 
 learned, and ingenious criticifms on the 
 words, needlefs here to remark upon, I will 
 take a conftruftion in which all agree as 
 far as it extends ; and which will anfwer 
 what I am now aiming at, as well as that 
 which is more agreeable to my own mind. 
 It is certainly true, as far as it goes; though 
 I fuppofe it does not contain the whole 
 truth. " In the day thou eateft thereof, thou 
 ihalt furely die." Let the fenfe be allowed 
 as in the paraphrafe : viz. " In the day thou 
 eateft of the forbidden fruit, thou ihalt be- 
 come mortal, even thou Adam, and all 
 human nature now in thee. Thy foul alfo, 
 ihall fuftain great damage and unhappinefs, 
 that is, fpiritual death, in fome awful de- 
 gree, without the leaft ground of hope that 
 the cafe (hall ever become any better with 
 thee, (with the human kind,) to endlefs du« 
 ration. Be alfured of no felicity for thee ; 
 nothing better than forrow and woe ; or, 
 at the utmoft, no greater relief than ex- 
 tinftion of being.'" 1 grant this explanation 
 of the v/ords, at prefent, for two reaions ; 
 the one is, it is certainly true as far as ic 
 extends ; though it by no means compre- 
 hends the whole : And the other is, becaufe 
 all that regard tjie y^prd of God, will ac- 
 
A^ TREATISE ON 
 
 quiefcc in it thus far, while moll will carry 
 it much further. It will plainly appear, 
 that whether this, or the more common idea 
 be taken from the words, it will have one 
 and the fame alpcft, in lupport of the fol- 
 lowing argument : Inalnmch as iliert can 
 be nothing plainer than that the threatening 
 never did fully take place, on mere man. in 
 his own perlon, and never will ; and that 
 God never defigned it as the voice of certain 
 jaE, on mere m^in ; but as the yoice of 
 pure jufticjc iilonc. 
 
 I HOPE, that I cannot be mifunderflood 
 in the ^xfe of thclc phrafes, " the voice of 
 jujlice," and '' the voice of fact ;" or, " Ian- 
 gnage of law, and language of gofpel," with 
 Tcfpecl to man : Or, " what ought in jufticc 
 ■to be done, and ivhat, in God's fovereign mercy, 
 harmonizing with jvflice,fhall be done." I can 
 think of no terms more accurate, and I find 
 the diftinftion frequent amony; civilians and 
 divines, viz. " De jure, and de faclo," which 
 diflin(?lion has been tound nccelfary in many 
 cafes ; and i;;, as will appear Lhroughuut the 
 whole of this elfay, quite eilential to a 
 right underllanding of divine revelation, or 
 even maintaining it with any polliblc con- 
 fill en cy. 
 
 Now if any will fay, that the threaten! n.^ 
 did take place on the day of the rebellion, 
 in full, according to the plain fenfe in which 
 God made Adam to underftaiid him, when 
 he uttered the words ; or agreeable to pure 
 jullice in the law alone, or ever will take 
 place, on mere mankind perfonally, or jull 
 
tJ N I V E RSAL SALVATION. 
 
 5i 
 
 is Adam cxpecled ; their fninds are, at pre- 
 fer) t. not in a condition to be reafoned with. 
 God had a moft glorious and merciful re- 
 fervc in his own mind, on the preconcerted 
 plan of eternal, redeeming wifdom and 
 k)ve. which he did not communicate to 
 man when he placed him under his holy 
 law : and which he did beoin to intimate 
 ** in the cool of the day/' at the very time 
 when Adam expected the full threatening 
 would have taken place. There was no 
 other poJGTible way for God to have fuf- 
 pended the immediate execution of it, con- 
 fiftent with his own moft holy nature and 
 character. He had provided a way, in 
 which all he had faid, might and certainly 
 would be verified on man in a vicar, 3. fub~ 
 Jiitutr, a Jecond Adam, or covenant head, in 
 dvx time to be dignified by perfonal union 
 with the eternal Logo:;, or Word. That, 
 on him. the whole weight of the curfe 
 &ould fall, vindicating the truth of Deitv 
 in threatening, though never executed on 
 mere man as Adam expecled, and as the 
 plain voice of jujlice denounced ; which A- 
 dam then thought was infeparable from the 
 voice of fact ; having not the leafl intima- 
 tion, when he was placed under the holy 
 law. that there could ever be any feparation 
 of pure jufice, from very fact, with regard to 
 man : Nor would any man, or any angel 
 ever have thought of fuch a diftinclion ; or 
 any poffible way to make it, confiftent with 
 the immutable truth of God, if God him-- 
 fclf had not contrived and revealed it. Here 
 
/ 
 
 4>i TREATISE ON 
 
 we have the two grand pillars of divine 
 revelation. God dilplayed in an abfohite 
 chara^ltr, withoiit any intimation of a me- 
 diator ; this is moral law and all-glorious. 
 And God difplayed to man in a mediator .:; 
 this is gofpcl, pure gojpd, and exceedeth 
 in glory. 
 
 In a right underftanding of thefe grand 
 points, we are led into a harmonious, and 
 confident view of the whole v.^ord of God. 
 We find the law and the gofpel difplayed 
 fide by fide, through the whole. The law 
 every where founds with awful terror in ac- 
 cents of pure juftice, towards man, without 
 a Savior. The gofpel is all mere news, and 
 good news, glad tidings, through a medi- 
 ator, which man would never have heard or 
 thought of, if God had not made the pro- 
 clamation. The moral law every where 
 fpeaks to man in his own perfonal charafter; 
 the gofpel in that of the Mefliah. The law 
 tells what man in juflice delencs, in his 
 own perfonal charafter ; the golpel, what 
 the Son of man, the Son of God defeh-es, 
 and that he is by divine conftitution " a 
 covenant for the people, and God's falvation 
 to the ends ol the earth ;" and that the head 
 of every riiaii is Chrift. This intimation be- 
 gan on the day of the rebellion, and at that 
 time was but dark, and for wife reafonSi 
 which will appear in the fequcl. 
 
 The divine law enjoining perfeft obe- 
 dience, on pain of cndlefs miicry, runs 
 through the whole of divine revelation from 
 beginning to end ; and fo docs the gofpel, 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. gg 
 
 exhibiting a falvation fully tantamount, 
 there is as much of the gofpel in the old 
 teftament as in the new ; and as much of 
 the law in the new teftament as in the old. 
 The latter difpenfation hath the whole fub- 
 ftance of the former, and nothing fOr the 
 matter of it ne\^ : The former hath, in like 
 manner, the whole of the latter, and nothing 
 for fubftance has ever been done away, or 
 ever will be, until the myftery of God Ihall 
 be finiftied. The new teftament is Only a 
 new edition of the old, in much greater 
 
 clearnefs. ^ 
 
 Four things are obvious in the grand 
 ilefign of divine revelation, viz. To mam- 
 feft, and hold clearly in our view the ab- 
 folute and reaoral charaaer of God. The 
 charaaer of fallen man. His duty. And 
 God's eternal, fixed and gracious purpofe 
 concerning him, through the whole of his 
 interminable exiftence. the three former 
 of thefe pertain to the law of God ; the 
 laft to the gofpel ; and is all pure gofpel, 
 or good news. 
 
 In the law we fee God's all-glorious, 
 and infinitely perfeft charafter as law giver ; 
 as alfo the infinitely hateful, and moft abo- 
 minable moral character of fallen man ; and 
 the reafonable duty of man to be wholly 
 conformed to the moral image of God, and 
 keep his whole law, without any deficiency ; 
 and what he deferves, and what the voicg 
 of iuftice is concerning him, if he is found 
 wanting in the leaft. '' Curfed is every one 
 E 
 
34 TREATISE' ON 
 
 thfjt continucth not in all things written irt 
 the book of the law to do them," is the in-- 
 variable fentencC of the law every where. 
 
 Now this manifellation of God, and of 
 mans duty, and his guilt, runs through the 
 whole bible, old and new teflament; jufl as 
 much in the one as in the other ; but much 
 more conipicuous, for the vmnner of difco- 
 vtry\ in the latter. 
 
 Oi the other hand, the gofpel begins \vk 
 the third chapter of divine revelation, (as 
 the law does in the fecond.) and runs- 
 through all the old teflament, in types-, 
 figures, prophecies, &c. The gofpel is all 
 mtre nefos, and good news ; and it tells what 
 man never would have thought of, if he 
 had not been told it ; nor believed, when? 
 told of it, had it not come with fufficicnt 
 authority. The gofpel is pure, tidings* ; and 
 more, it is good tidings.f Whatever is law, 
 in any part of facred wrirt, is founded on 
 the ri-itiire and charader of God, adapted 
 to man's nature, and his relation to (iod. 
 Whatever is gofpel, in any part of ll>e bible, 
 is founded wlioljy on |cfus- Chrlfl. his cha- 
 ra61er and olfices, and adapted to the con- 
 dition of man, in all kis guilt nyid viifcrv, 
 and in ail his defpevnte iuipniency. 
 
 It has pleafed iithnite wiluom, always 
 to make out his promifes- to mankind in a 
 covenant way, or under a focderal head, 
 or repre feur ativc. 
 
 Thus it was in the firfl; man, and thus in 
 
 # > 
 
 AyfeXt'oi, J E'vufye X;o». 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 
 
 35 
 
 his contraftcd anti-type jefus Chrifl, as is 
 nrtoft evident from Rom. chap. 5, and many 
 other parts of facred fcripture. Thus it 
 was in Noah, Gen. chap. 9, and with /Abra- 
 ham, Gen. 17. And with David as a type 
 of Chrift, Pfal. 89. Never, fince the fall, 
 can any individual take hold of any promife 
 of fpiritual good, but in a foederal way ; 
 and certainly the grand curfe including in 
 it virtually all other c-urfes, came in this 
 way : As the reader will fee to full demon- 
 ftation in its proper place. 
 
 It has been obferved before, that Gad 
 keeps up the language of juftice towards 
 man in his awful guilt. He keeps the voice 
 of llritl; juftice founding in his ears, through 
 the- whole book of divine revelation, and 
 that, no doubt, that man may know and feel 
 what he is, and have an heart to receive tlie 
 voice of grace, as grace ; or feeling himfelf 
 infinitely vile, may bid a becoming welcome 
 to mere, fovcreign mercy. The law fpeaks 
 in righteoninefs ; every where denounces 
 what is ]i(Jl and gqual towards man. It 
 thunders aloud the true defertof man. But 
 it fpeaks not what fhall in fact take place 
 on man, and his iurety both ; or on man at 
 all, in faith and union with Chrift ; or 
 any othcrwii'e than in his furety ; any more 
 than the original cui'fe did. in the garden 
 of Eden, which was noticed before. Yet 
 it is raanifeft, that the wifdom of God faw 
 fit, for a time, to leave man in fuch igno- 
 rance and darknets of m.ind, that he fliould 
 iliiftake that which was fpokcn only as the 
 
55 TREATISE ON 
 
 voice of jujlice, for a declaration of very faB^ 
 which fhould inevitably come upon himfelf. 
 Man mofl naturally fell into this mifundcr- 
 flanding, from the inward fcnie of horrible 
 guilt, in his own foul, and fo was exercifed 
 with great torment, in a way of fervile fear. 
 Great fenfe of guilt will make an objeft of 
 fear which hath no other exiftence ; " the 
 wicked fear where no fear is." 
 
 It is not for man to account for all the 
 reafons of the divine condu£l, though it is 
 ■well for us, with humble adoration, to go 
 as far in this way as we can. It is a certain 
 faft, however, that God hath chofen to give 
 light and comfort to miferable, blind fm- 
 ners of mankind, by flow degrees. 
 
 There was fome light, fome comfort, 
 derived to our firft parents from what they 
 heard God fay to the ferpent, relative to the 
 oppofite feed, and the vidlory announced. 
 The law, and the gofpel were both promul- 
 gated in paradife. The voice of law then 
 founded much the loudeft ; but it has been 
 the manifefl will of heaven, that the found 
 of the gofpel Ihould gradually gain upon 
 that of the law, from that day to the finifh- 
 ing of the myftcry of God. 
 
 By the inftiturion and import of facri- 
 fices in paradife, and cloathing the naked, 
 fhameful, pair in their fkins ; and by the la- 
 crificcs continued down to the flood j and 
 by the preaching of Enoch and Noah ; and 
 by oral inftrutlions, <!i:c. the light and com- 
 fort of divine grace had lome gradual in- 
 crcafe, while the law, as we know, iliU 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. nj 
 
 founded very terrible. See the epiftle of 
 Jude. 
 
 By the type of the ark ; the falvatiou 
 of the church therein ; the covenant made 
 with all mankind in Noah ; and by the 
 Tainbow as a token fcaling the whole, the 
 good report was confiderably louder and 
 clearer than ever before. 
 
 In the covenant made with Abraham, 
 the light of the gofpei increafed. For all, 
 of this nature, was very gofpei from the firft ; 
 in nature the fame with that preached atter 
 the defcent of the Holy Ghoft at pentecoft, 
 only much more obfcure, in manner and de^ 
 ^ree, God's promife of a fon to that patri- 
 arch, to be given in fuch a wonderful way ; 
 and of the church, a numerous feed, through 
 him ; the promife of the land of Canaan, 
 Sec, all gave further iuftruftion, with re- 
 gard to that mod interefting concern of man, 
 the redemption and falvation of the guilty 
 foul. 
 
 At the giving of the law on mount Sinai, 
 and the inftitution of ail the i;ites and facri- 
 fices of the mofaic ceconomy, ..both law a^nd 
 gofpei were made much plainer than before ; 
 the mora.1 law, or ten commandments, to 
 enlighten and awaken God's people, teach 
 them their duty, convince them of their 
 awful deficiency, the juflice of their con- 
 demnation, and their utter impotency and 
 abfolute dependance on God : And the ce- 
 remonial law, all the ntuals, facrifices, types 
 and fh^dows, pointing to Chrift, the great 
 ianti-type, "the end of the law for righteouf- 
 
ftg TREATISEON 
 
 nels, to every one that believeth/' This 
 exhibited the golpel. or doftrine of atones 
 merit and free grace, with incrcaling perlpi- 
 cuity ; and is well called " a Ichooi-mafler 
 to bring us to Chrift." 
 
 From this time down to the fulnefs of 
 time, in which Chrift came, God fent amonn 
 his people a great number of prophets, 
 every one of whom caft fome light on the 
 law, and gave fome further knowledge of 
 the gofpel. Among thefe, David, Il'aiah, 
 and Daniel, were very eminent. The light 
 of divine revelation, both law and gofpel, 
 was much augmented, by John the harbin- 
 ger of Chrift. The Meftiah in his own pcr- 
 fon, do61:rines. deeds, and fuffierings, made 
 the whole will of God. relating to a guilty 
 world, the methods of his grace, and all the 
 purpofes of his love, ftill far more confpi- 
 cuous ; fo clearly cxprcflivc, that '' his name 
 is well called the word of God." 
 
 Tut. light of the fame gofpel which had 
 been, by degrees, exhibited from the days of 
 paradife, was much increafed in the npof- 
 tolic times, by the more abundant cftuiion 
 of the holy fpirit ; by the preaching of the 
 apoftles, far and wide ; by their writings, 
 filling up the facred canon. So that th.c 
 leaft teacher under this nczu difpcnjation, was 
 better inftru6led than the greatcft under the 
 eld; and underftood the dottrines of the 
 kingdom of heaven, better than John the 
 promifcd Elias. Matt. xi. 
 
 And, when the gofpel door was fet open 
 to all nations of the earth, as well as to the 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^« 
 
 'jc:i)S, the do6lrine was fo flrange, fo far be- 
 yond all the notions of grace and falvation, 
 ever entertained among the covenant people 
 of God ; and fo exceedingly mortifying to 
 the pride of their hearts, that it was ab- 
 horred and rejefted. Jufl as it now would 
 be, ftiould one alTert in the moft obvious 
 and plainell fenfe, that " God will have all 
 men to be favcd, and to come unto the 
 knowledge of the truth :" Or, as if a mo- 
 dern believer fhould affert without any con- 
 ftru61ion of his own, and with all the fim- 
 plicity of an old patriarch, that Chrill died, 
 "' not for our fins only, but alfo for the fms of 
 the WHOLE WORLD." Indeed, when Jelus 
 firft gave this intimation, they who had juft 
 been gazing at him with pleafing wonder^ 
 were fo chagrined at the idea that a whole 
 world of heathen dogs fhould be fet on a 
 footing, as refpedable as themfelves, that 
 thty wiihed-him nothing better than inilant 
 death. Luke iv. Thev could not bear the 
 thought ot lofmg their fancied monopoly, 
 on which they fo much valued themlelves. 
 The motive, why the Jews were more 
 malicious perfecurors of Chrill, and the 
 primitive chriftians, than other men, was 
 quite natural to ail mankind. It was not 
 bccaufe they were worfe than other men, or 
 more malicious by nature; but they had 
 been ib long honored of God, and diHin- 
 iguiilied by peculiar privileges, that they felt 
 them iu their hearts as a monopoly : Even 
 as a man defcended from an ancient, noble 
 iamily, has no idea that it is lit, in th« 
 
4« 
 
 TJl«ATISE ON 
 
 courfe of providence, that the children of 
 beggars immemorial, {hould ever become as 
 rich and noble as himfelf and his pofterity. 
 This is human nature in every age. Any 
 doftrine, that will place poor, ftiamcful 
 creatures, who have in time pad been mofl 
 neglefted of God, in the holy, lovereign 
 dilpenfation of his providence, on a level 
 with us, with regard to grace and favor yet 
 to come ; and would break down all bar- 
 riers which inclofe us in the palaces of dif- 
 tinftion and honor, will fet on our hearts, 
 juft as like doftrines did on the hearts of 
 the favored children of Abraham, in days 
 of yore. 
 
 It has pleafed infinite wifdom, however, 
 to caufe the liglit of falvation to increafe, 
 down to the prefent day ; though not in eve- 
 ry age, or every period of time alike. There 
 have been remarkable seras, in which fome- 
 thing like a flood of light has poured into 
 the world, and, at certain times, darknefs 
 and ignorance have rather gained ground. 
 But, on an average, light hath been growing, 
 in all fciences ; and the light of the gofpel, 
 the light of falvation in particular. 
 
 I HAVE already obferved remarkable pe- 
 riods and difpenfations, down to the clofe 
 of the facred canon. After that, there was a 
 gradual increalc of knowledge tor about 
 three hundred years. Then, for a time, the 
 darknefs in general, ffcined to gain upon 
 the light ; and fometimc^ grofs darkncis 
 feemed as il it would OAcrfpread the world. 
 Vet (iod kept up, in his church, fomc lumi- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^j 
 
 naries at all times. There never pafTed one 
 century, without fome great, godly, learned 
 man, who, perhaps advanced iomewhat fur- 
 ther than his fathers ; witnefs the Wal- 
 denfes, and Albigenfes, in the darkeft pe- 
 riod ; alfo, Hitfs, Luther, Calvin, Sec. And, 
 Cnce the days of thefe eminent luminaries,, 
 there has been an unremitting advancement 
 of knowledge. I believe I may fay, not 
 one year has elapfed without fome increafe 
 of gofpel light, as well as of every other 
 fcience. " JVIany fhall run to and fro, and 
 knowledge fhall be increafed." 
 
 The laft, and prefent centuries have 
 been produ6tive of many great and learned 
 inquirers after tmth, who have been happily 
 fuccefsful. At the head of them we may 
 place, in Europe, the incomparable O'jjcn, 
 and, in America, the immortal Edcoards ; 
 men of the fame turn of mind, and much 
 the fame channel of thinking. Thefe men 
 grafped the whole circle of fcience in a re- 
 markable manner. And, by the way, every 
 careful reader will fee, that they held all the 
 foundation principles of falvation, on which 
 this treatife is fupported, jufl as I do ; 
 though they drew not the fame confequen- 
 ces, however fully and fairly implied : And 
 like all others, that have advanced forward 
 and beat the way, they met with vaft oppo- 
 fition. For the moral world is like the 
 natural ; he that breaks up new ground, 
 meets with great refiftance from the hard 
 bound, ftubborn foil ; after a few years 
 cultivation, the plough runs eafy. 
 F 
 
i2 TREATISEON 
 
 I MAY now further confider the law, and 
 the gofpel. They were firll promulgated, as 
 I have laid, veiy near together, in the gar- 
 den of Eden, and they run through all the 
 facrcd orsLcles, fide hy fide. God keeps them 
 both, every where, in full view ; yet they 
 are as diflinft in their natures ai any two 
 things in the univerle. 
 
 Whatever is law, wherefoever found in 
 facrcd fcripture, is a rule of abfolnte per-' 
 fe6lion, as high as the natures of moral a- 
 gcnts can rile, in heart and conducl ; on 
 luppofition they are wholly v/ithout any 
 moral diforder, any want of perfeft holinels, 
 in tlie temper of their minds. This law 
 every where denounces the infinite and ever- 
 lallin<r wrath of God, and endlels miicry ta 
 man, in cafe of the leaft failure. The law 
 knows nothing of mercy, or of mitigation. 
 This is law, and it is " holy, juil, and 
 good.." 
 
 The gofpel, on whatever page of facrcd 
 writ it is found, either ni the old teflament 
 or new ; whether in types, facrifices, pro- 
 phecies, epillles, or any other way ; knows' 
 nothing at all of mifcry, or torment, or the' 
 punifhment of any crc^iture under heaven ^ 
 I fliould hare faid, any mere creature, it; 
 Ipeaks much of the difl refs, forrow, paiiiy 
 and pumlh'mont, of Jefus Chrift, God-man; 
 bv ihe appointment of the Father, and his 
 own tree confcnt, let apart to iuffcr and die 
 for ehe fins of thtwhok world ; the anti-type 
 of all the types' -in the ancient church; 
 " the lauih ifain from the foLindaiion ol the 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. >r% 
 
 world !" " The Lamb of God that taketh 
 away the fin of the world." On this one 
 head, the gofpel tells us of juft as much 
 " indignation and wrath, tribulation and 
 anguifti," as the whole law of God does from 
 the beginning to the end of the bible. But, 
 as to any mere man, the gofpel fiys not one 
 uncomfortable word ; quite the reverfe. 
 Every word is a word of comfort, it is every 
 where ''glad tidings of great joy, which fhall 
 be to all people." So J.elus as the prince of 
 peace, and as the great preacher of it, and 
 as mediator between God and fmners, fays, 
 " do not think that I will accufe vou to the 
 Father; there is. one that accufethyou, even 
 Mofes in whom ve truft." 
 
 The voice of the whole law, and the voice 
 of the goipel, are exceedingly diflinft, and 
 diametrically oppofite. The law demands 
 perfection ; curfcs for want of it ; amd cries 
 vengeance. The gospel points out perfeclion$ 
 highly approves oj it, and the imputation of it ; 
 and PROCLAIMS salvation. The law fays 
 do well, and thou fhalt live. The gofpel 
 fays thou. fhalt live, becaufe Ch^il lives, and 
 fhalt do well. The moral law is no new.s 
 at all ; it is what our reafon ditlates and 
 approves. The gpfpel is all news. We 
 never ftiould have thought of it, had it not 
 come in a way .of tidings from heaven. It is 
 ail good news ; and tliere is not one word of 
 had 7iezvs in it.* It is all good news to fm- 
 
 AyjeXi cCy jj^^y he had at lue'l as good ; hut 
 E DcclyB XicVf can/ict /'- hd. 
 
4| TH E A T I S E O N 
 
 ners, to creatures that might never have ex- 
 pe6led a word of that kind. It is wholly 
 glad tidings to hell deferving rebels, who 
 ' could expeft from God no tidings but very 
 bad ; even as bad as their nature and ways, 
 and as horrible ac all their guilt. 
 
 Hence it appears, that, when we are told 
 of a gofpel law, the meaning (to make any 
 fenfe of it) muft be the law Ipoken of in 
 Jer. xxxi. 31, &c. and afterwards quoted by 
 the apoftle, Heb. viii. Even a living prin- 
 ciple of obedience, wrought and excited by 
 underflanding and believing the gofpel ; 
 which will ever be the cafe, as will appear in 
 the fequel. But, in a drift and proper fenfe 
 of the phrafe, (which is however not found 
 in the bible) a gofpel law fignifies the con- 
 demning power 0/ good news: Which, at belt, 
 carries an odd found with it. 
 
 The gofpel tells us of the moft important 
 fafts ; things of infinite weight and cverlaft- 
 ing importance; and things, in all reipetls, 
 as independent of us, as any things we ever 
 heard of tranfafted in Afui. The news that 
 comes from heaven, is as independent of us, 
 as if we fhould this day hear iome new;j 
 from the planet Saturn, well atteficd. All 
 news makes its way into our minds, and 
 commands our belief ; not according to our 
 choice, but, by the weight of its own evi- 
 dence. Thus it is with this emphatically, 
 good news. God brings it to our fouls with 
 evidence enough when he pleafes. and it has 
 its efFecl, according to its nature and im- 
 l^ortance, as all other information hap : The 
 
UNIVERSAJ. SALVATION. 
 
 u 
 
 heart being firft prepared by almighty 
 power. 
 
 It appears fit and worthy of God, to 
 keep his law every where in our fight, in 
 his revealed will ; that we may fee the true 
 character of Jehovah ; and our own char- 
 after ; and our whole duty ; with the juft 
 confequences of departing from it, even 
 endlefs mifery, as great as our natures are 
 capable of. Rebellion againfl fuch a God, 
 violation of fuch obligations, juftly merits 
 tkis, or nothing. 
 
 If our obligations to obedience, are not 
 infinite ; God is not a Being of infinite 
 perfe6lion and worthinefs. To affert which, 
 is equal to atheifm ; for if there is not fuch 
 a God, there is none. Our fin can be an, 
 infinite evil only in one fenfe ; as oppofed 
 to a Being of infinite perfeftion : For finite 
 natures are not capable of difpofitions, or 
 deeds infinite in thernfelves. Our punifh- 
 ment can be infinite only in one fenfe, viz. 
 endlefs duration : For finite natures are 
 not capable of infinite pain, in any given 
 time. 
 
 Thus, endlefs duration of torment, ap- 
 pears obviouily juft ; no more than we de- 
 ferve ; and not in the lead cruel for God to 
 infiift. Should we, in JaB, fall under it, 
 every mouth would be flopped, and every 
 foul would be convinced of iuch guilt be- 
 fore God, as to render this punifhment equal, 
 in reafon and juftice. And this muft have 
 been our doom, if another had not, by 
 divine appointment, come in our place. 
 
^6 TREATISE ON 
 
 Now, as I liinted before, it is ncc^fTary that 
 we know and feel this convitlion, deep in 
 our own fouls, that we may receive grace as 
 grace ; and have proper impredions afFedtincr 
 all the power? of our fouls, in the reception 
 of mere, fovercign, injinite mercy. 
 
 To argue, as fome do, that it is not jvjl 
 for God to punifh us eternally, for tranficnt 
 fins in this world, is the perfeftion of ab- 
 fuidity ; and arifcs from a total ignorance 
 of God and ourfelves, in the true character 
 and relation of each. 
 
 We proceed now to confult the word of 
 God a little more attentively : Not what 
 we imagine God ought to have faid ; but 
 what he hath verily faid. The facred ora- 
 cles came from God, and he hath faid in 
 them a great many things, which we Ihould 
 not have put in, had wc made a bible. 
 Many things in it appear, not only above 
 my realon, but as oppofite to it, as my 
 command docs to my little children when 
 1 tell them not to eat a certain fruit, whicJi 
 to them appears exceedingly pleaiant, and 
 greatly excites their appetites, and they 
 have no fenfe of any harm in it, though I 
 know it is poifon. Or, when I bid them 
 go to fchool, and not play, when, to all 
 their jenjc and underjianding, play is tai more 
 eligible. 
 
 They, who read facred fcriplure, only 
 with a ^ iew to make it fpeak what they 
 judge it ought to fpeak, and that, after they 
 have owned that it came from God. ieem 
 to me rather wanting iw common fenfc, or 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. "i- 
 
 47 
 
 honefty. I am quite fatisfied Tvi'th what 
 God has faid, in its plaineft meaning ; and 
 as well fatisfied with it, if it is quite above 
 my reafon, as if it is otherwife. Yea, if 
 wholly oppofite to my beft reafonings, I 
 only thence infer my own ignorance and 
 weaknefs, and fully believe and obey my 
 God : even as I will have my little children 
 believe what I tell them, and do what I 
 bid them, though extremely contrary to 
 their puerile ignorance and perverfenefs* 
 There never was uttered a fentiment more 
 juft than this, *' The foolijhnefs of God z'i 
 wifer than men." 
 
 Now, does the bible plainly fay thae 
 iinners of mankind fhall be damned to in- 
 terminahh funijhment ? It Certainly does ; 
 as plainly as language can exprefs, or any 
 man, or even God himfelf can Ipeak. It is 
 quite ftrange to me, that fome who believe 
 that all mankind ftiall in the end be faved, 
 will trifle as they do with a few words, and 
 mofl of all with the original word, and 
 its derivatives, tranflated forever, &c.* AU 
 the learned know that this word, i-n the 
 greek, fignifies an age, a long period, or inter- 
 minable duration, according as the connefted 
 fenfe requires. This word, with all its repe- 
 titions, fometimes fignifies no more than a 
 long, limited time ; ages of ages ; and fome- 
 times, endlefs duration, when applied to 
 the exiftencc of Jehovah.t But there is 
 
 * AfxiN. 
 
A^ TREATISE Olf 
 
 not the lead need of any criticifm on thia 
 word, or any other jfinglc word, or phrafe, 
 in the bible. 
 
 There are exprefs proportions and af- 
 fertions enough, in the word of God, to 
 exclude any pofTible termination of the 
 mifcry of the damned, as well as to affure 
 us, in the plaineft manner, that mankind 
 Ihall be damned. Matt. v. Luke xii. Mark 
 IX. In which chapters we are plainly taught, 
 that fmners* fhall abide in hell until they 
 can pay the debt they owe to divine juftice ; 
 which we know is forever impoflible ; and 
 that the fire (hall never be quenched. Plain 
 affertions of this tenor, are almoll innume- 
 rable. They, therefore, who would deny 
 that the endlefs damnation of finners, is 
 fully alferted in the word of God, are unfair 
 in their reafonings and criticifms. Befide, 
 all common fenfc indicates that if finners 
 deferve any punifhment, they deferve an 
 endlefs one. Their mifery will be as evcr- 
 lafling a? the happinefs of ttie faints, and is 
 exprelfed in the fame words. Matt. xxv. 
 Here it is plainly declared, that when final 
 judgment is doled, they fhall then " go 
 away mto everlalling punifiimcnt." 
 
 Again ; does the bible plainly tell us 
 that all the human race Jhall certainly he javcdy 
 and be happy forever, through the merits, 
 power, and taiihfuhiefs of the Son of God ? 
 It dcs ; as fully and plainly, as it is pojfthlefor 
 any language to exprejs ; and that in fcveral 
 places. John i. 29. " Behold the Lamb of 
 God, which takcth away the fin of the 
 
tjNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^^, 
 
 world." John iii. 17. " For Godfent riot his 
 Son into the world to condemn the world ; 
 
 BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH Hlla 
 
 MIGHT BE SAVED." John iv. 42. " the 
 
 Chrift, the Savior of the world." John vi. 
 33. " For the bread of God is he which 
 Cometh down from heaven, and giveth life 
 unto the world." John xii. 47. " And if 
 any man hear my words and believe not, I 
 judge him not : For I came not to judge 
 the v/orld, but to fave the world." 1. John 
 ii. 2. " And he is the propitiation for our 
 fms : And not tor ours only, but alfo for 
 
 the SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD." 1- JOilll 
 
 iv. 14. " And we have feen and do teftify, 
 that the Father fent the Son to be the 
 Savior of the world." All thefe are taken 
 from only one of the facred writers. It is 
 certain, neither he, nor any other man could 
 have fpoken plainer, on fuppofition his only 
 intention was, to alfert the final falvation of 
 every human creature. And never any per- 
 fon m the world, would have thought of 
 putting a different conftru6tion on any of 
 thefe palliiges, had it not been for a previous 
 opinion, fully fettled, that fmners of the 
 human race ftiall perfonally, not vicarioufl/ 
 be damned to all eternity. They build on. 
 as plain fcripture affertions as are in the 
 power of language, in cafe a vicar or fubjli^ 
 tute be excluded. But perfonal mifery being 
 a truth not in the lead to be examined or 
 fcrupled by them ; they have put a con- 
 ftruaion on whatever is exprefsly oppofite, ' 
 G 
 
50 
 
 TREATISE OI>J 
 
 as foreign to plain, common underflandlng, 
 as the power ot" Tophi flry can invent. Noc 
 knowing any other way to make the whole 
 of the bible true : It being referred by in- 
 finite wifdom to later times ; at leaft to be 
 uttered with lets relerve than in former times. 
 
 Bksides plain alfertions, as dire£t and 
 brict as words are capable of, the doftrine of 
 the perfonal falvation ot all men is clearly 
 taught more at large, and quite as fully, in 
 many parts of divine revelation ; if we will 
 only attend to them with a fi^ir unbialTed 
 mind. 
 
 We fhould be likely to conclude, that if 
 the people of Sodom, are finally faved, all 
 finners will be ; but their final falvation is: 
 lully alferted, though not as the ancient peo- 
 ple of God underllood the covenant of re- 
 demption and grace. Ezck. xvi. 53. "When 
 I fhall bring again their captivity, the capti- 
 ^'ity of Sodon? and her daughters, and the 
 captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then 
 will I bring again the captivity ot thy cap- 
 lives in the midil of them." Ver. Go, to the 
 end of the chapter. '• Nevevthelefs, 1 will 
 remember rny covenant with thee in the 
 days of thy youth, and I will eilablifh unto 
 thee an everlatling covenant. Then thou 
 /halt remember thy ways, and be aihamed, 
 wlien fhovi thalt receive thy fillers, thine el- 
 der and thy younger : And I will give them 
 untoihcc lor daughters; but not by thy cov- 
 enant. And 1 will cdablilh my covenant 
 witli rbee ; and thou shai.t know that I an^ 
 rlii. LaRi>: Th.ii thou niaycil remember and 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. r^ 
 
 be confounded, and never open thy mouth 
 any more becaufe of thy Ihame, when I am 
 pacified toward thee for all that thou haft 
 ■done, faith the Lord God." 
 
 And thou'jh, in the true fenfe of di- 
 rine revelation they fufler the vengeance of 
 eternal fire, as all finners muft ; yet in this 
 chapter it is plain enough, without any 
 comment, that infinite, Ibvereign power and 
 grace will finally triumph over the utmof! 
 guilt and wretchednefs of Sodom. Not as 
 2nan had thought ; not as the Jews had ever 
 underflood the covenant of redeeming love. 
 ''Not by thy covenant." 
 
 In the prophet Ilaiah, falvation is fairly 
 «"xtended as far as the human race extend. 
 Read chap. xi. and his prophecy at large. 
 So it is in feveral paifages in the other pro- 
 phets. The point msiy be fairly inferred 
 from the prophet, where God exprefsly tells 
 as his will and dilpofition is the damnation 
 of none, but the falvation of all : Since 
 we know that by his own Son £very obflacle, 
 every claim of juflice, every poffibility of 
 flaining his own chara£|:er^ by fa^'ing whom 
 he will, is wholly removed out oi' the way. 
 Ezek. xxxiii. ii. " Say unto them, as I 
 liv-e, faith the Lord God, I have no plea- 
 sure in the death of the wicked, but that 
 the wicked turn from his way and live : 
 Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways ; for 
 why will ye die O houfe of Ifrael ?" 
 
 What would I have more, to fecurc mv 
 falvation, than the infinite power, infinite 
 benevolence, and exprcfs will of God : Be- 
 
1^ 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 ingaflured, by the fame God, that he can 
 fave me if he will, fully confiftent with his 
 own honor, and glory ; or that the way is 
 clear and open, in and through Chrift, for 
 his infinite good will and all his attributes 
 natural and moral, to be exerted and dif- 
 played to the higheft advantage in my fal- 
 vation ? I take this reafoning from Paul. 
 When he would engage us in the great duty 
 of prayer, for the falvation of all men, 
 heathen perfecuting kings, and all men in 
 authority, though many of their hands were 
 daily ftained with the blood of the faints ; 
 he tells the church, they had a good founda- 
 tion to pray for the final falvation of fuch 
 men, and every vile finner, on the face of 
 the earth. It is that which is the only foun- 
 dation of all our faith, and all our prayer ; 
 the exprefs will of Gcd. i. Tim. ii. at the 
 beginning. Paul in the fixth verlc tells us, 
 that the time infinite wifdom had appointed 
 lor a free preaching, and a general under- 
 flanding of this glorious dodrine, was future. 
 ^' To he t(jtijied in due time." 
 
 He weilundcrliood God's wife method of 
 gradation, in giving light and comfort to 
 iuch milerable finncrs. In the caie of a 
 poor, diltrellcd criminal, condemned to die, 
 and fhuddering at his impending fate ; if 
 there is a pardon for him. througji the mer- 
 cy of the Judge, it is kind to open to him ihe 
 good news gradually ; kU the hidden fhock 
 be too mighty for him, Paul had no dine- 
 tion from his mafler to fpeak out clearly all 
 he knew to be true; therefore he ordinarily 
 
VNIVERSAI, SALVATION. ^5 
 
 nfed milk, and not flrong meat ; though he 
 had great (lore of it. 
 
 In the fifth chapter to the Romans, Paul 
 fets up Adam and Chrift, each as a foederal 
 head of the human kind, as plainly as words 
 can exprefs ; and repeatedly declares, that 
 falvation by Chrift; Ihall be quite as exten- 
 live, as ruin by Adam. No man in the 
 world would ever have thought of any 
 other conflruftion of that chapter, had it 
 not been for an antecedent, fettled preju- 
 dice, that moft of the human race fhail cer- 
 tainly be damned in their own perfons. Any 
 one that will read the chapter, divefied of 
 fuch a prejudice of mind, will acknowledge 
 the above reprefentation is indifputabie. 
 But what will not a firm, fixed prejudice 
 do ? It will even make us fay, that " all 
 men," fignifies a Jew 7nen ; and that " much 
 more," means much lefs. Or it will lead us 
 to read the 21ft verle thus, " That as fin 
 hath reigned unto death, even fo might 
 grace not reign, through righteouinefs, unto 
 eternal life, by Jefus Chrift our Lord." 
 
 1 HAVE no idea that Paul could have 
 fpoken plainer than he did, 2. Cor. v. On 
 luppofition his defign had been to announce 
 the final falvation of all men, through the 
 almighty power, and grace of God, and the 
 infinite merits of Chrift. 2. Cor. v. verfe 
 ^8, to the end. " And all things are of 
 God, who hath reconciled us to himfelf 
 by jeius Chrifl, and hath given to us 
 the miniflry of reconciliation ; to wit, 
 that God was in Chnit, reconciling the 
 
- * TREATISE ON 
 
 WORLD UNTO HIMSELF, NOT IMPUTING- 
 
 THEIR Ti'.Esi'AssES UNTO THEM ; and hath 
 committed unto us the word of reconcilia- 
 tion. Now then we are ambafladors for 
 Chrifl, as though God did befeech you by 
 us : We pray you in Chrift's flead, be ye 
 reconciled to God. For he hath made him 
 to be fin for us, who knew no fin ; that we 
 might be made the righteoufnefs of God ia 
 him." No man can make a comment on 
 this ; for no words can make the pafT^ige 
 plainer. Here is the all-iufficient atone- 
 ment ; here is the infinite love of God, 
 and his grace and mercy infinitely free ; his 
 purpofe fixed, and his power wholly irre- 
 fiftible ; and all fo of God, that no crea- 
 ture, nothing found in any creature, can in 
 the lead fet afide his immutable decree. 
 
 I HAVE dilcourfed with feveral that be- 
 lieved in the fovereign grace of God, in the 
 wideft extent ; but never faw one that was 
 able to exprefs the idea with fo much pre- 
 cifion, perfpicuity and majelfy, as Paul 
 docs. Cololf. i. 19, Sec. " P'or it pleafed 
 the Father, that in him fhould all fulnefs 
 dwell ; and (having made peace through 
 the blood of his crofs) by him to reconcile 
 ALL THINGS unto himiclf ; by him, I fay, 
 whether they be things in earth, or things 
 in heaven. And you that were fometimc 
 alienated, and enemies in your mind by 
 wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 
 in the body of his flefti through death, to 
 prefcnt you holy and unblameable, and un- 
 reproveuble in his fight : If ye continue in 
 
UNlVfcRSAL SALVATION. rft 
 
 the faith grounded and fettled, and be not 
 moved away from the hope of the gofpel, 
 which ye have heard, and which was 
 preached to every creature which is under 
 heaven ; whereof I Paul am made a mmi- 
 fter.'* Perfeverance is necelfary to falva- 
 tion ; that we know. God will take care of 
 that. Left there fhould be a poffible idea 
 of limitation, Paul affures us, that this gof- 
 pel " was preached to every creature which 
 is under heaven," i. e. to all mankind ; 
 every other creature receiving as much ad- 
 vantage by their falvation, as difadvantage 
 by their apoftacy. And this is explanatory 
 of Rom. viii. 19, — 23. where the whole 
 lower creation appears groaning under the 
 total lapfe of human nature, and obtaining 
 full deliverance, in the univerfal reiloration 
 of the human kind. 
 
 It is exceedingly clear, that all who hear 
 the goi'pel, are commanded to believe it ; 
 that all who believe it, have life eternal, 
 and have a witnefs of their title thereunto, 
 on their believing; that their believing, does 
 not make the foundation of their faith and 
 falvation more true than it was before ; but 
 their faith is built on previous truth. This 
 is the foundation, which neither faith nor 
 infidelity in man, had any hand in laying, 
 or can have any power to remove. For " if 
 we believe not, yet he abideth faithful ; he 
 <;annot deny himfelf." 2. Tim. ii. 13. 
 
 If we do not believe that to be true, the 
 belief of which centers in a furc title to 
 
*j5 *fREATISEOM 
 
 falvation, we make God a liar. Any mari 
 in the world does this, that does not be- 
 lieve. But if God had not laid a fure 
 foundation, for the fure eternal life of all ; 
 fome would make him true in not believing ; 
 and a liar in believing it. John lets us 
 know, that he that believeth not a record, 
 or teftimony, which, if believed, would 
 give him a witnefs, make him fure of eter- 
 nal life, maketh God a liar. Now, if faith 
 does not create its own object, or lay its 
 own foundation, what can be plainer, than 
 that God hath made falvation as fure to 
 fmners, in the objeB and decree, before they 
 believe, as afterwards ? But I cannot fpcak 
 plainer than one divinely infpired. See i. 
 John, v. lo, — 13. " He that believeth on 
 the Son of God, hath the witnefs in himfelf : 
 he that believeth not God, hath made him 
 a liar ; becaufe he believeth 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. He that hath the Son hath life ; and 
 he that hath not the Son of God, hath not 
 iife. Thefe things have I written unto you 
 that believe on the name of the Son of God; 
 that ye may know that ye have eternal life, 
 and that ye may believe on the name of the 
 Son ot God." The apollle here ailuies us, 
 that we cannot have the ienle, comfort and 
 enjoyment of life, until we have the Son of 
 God, in our fouJs, the object of our faith, 
 and fountain of our life. 
 
 But, it ib clear that neither our faith 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. gy 
 
 or hope, can have any influence on the pre-- 
 vious o^jea of our faith, or foundation oi 
 our hope ; both thefe are immutable and 
 eternal. Let the Rate of our minds, at 
 prefent, be whatever it may, " neverthelefs 
 the foundation of God flandeth fure, havmg 
 this feal, the Lord knovveth them that are 
 his." And v/hen we come to know the 
 truth, then will follow, as a fruit and con^ 
 feque'nce, all holinefs and virtue. " And let 
 every one that nameth the name of Chriil, 
 depart from iniquity." 
 
 The apollles, m all their preachirtg, com- 
 manded every one of their hearers to be- 
 lieve faving truth, oil pain of damnation* 
 knowing, at the fame time, that their belief, 
 or unbelief, would not in the leafl alter that 
 truth. Yet their comfort in the truth, de- 
 pended on their acquaintance with it, and 
 belief of it ; and without belief they muft 
 be damned. But Chrift has engaged for 
 their knowledge and belief of the truth, in. 
 his own time, as furely as he hath laid the 
 foundation for it, or becom.e the objea of 
 it. For his three great offices apply to every 
 poor fmner alike. To whomioever he is a 
 prieft, to him alfo he will be a prophet and 
 a king. Illumination, regeneration, fanfti- 
 fication and perfeverance to eternal life, 
 are as abjohuly from God as the^^ atone- 
 mtnt was. " All things are of God." " Of 
 him, and through him, and to him, are all 
 things, to whom be glory forever, Amen.' 
 The°Redeemer of firiners, Jo fallen as vjc are, 
 H 
 
58 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 faith it not in vain, " I am Alpha and 
 Omega, the beginning and the ending, the 
 firft and the laft. " Let him that is athirfl 
 come: And whofoever will, let him take 
 the water of life freely." He hath engaged 
 to give the appetite, as well as its objeft : 
 " Him hath God exalted, with his right 
 hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, for to 
 give repentance to Ijrael cind forgiven ffs of fins, 
 i, e. to all oiven to Chrifl in covenant, all 
 families of the earth in Abraham. Repen- 
 tance and pardon, faith and juftification, 
 holinels and heavenly filorv, are all alike 
 the gift of the Son of God, arid alike within 
 his divine commiffion and engagement. 
 
 HtKE the reader may wifh to fee the ex- 
 tent of the covenant, or engagement be- 
 tween the Father and the Son ; whether it 
 extends to all mankind, or only to a part. 
 This fliall be mod carefully, and impartially 
 attended to, in a properplace ; as I would, 
 at prefent, continue my chain of thought, 
 on the apoftolic manner of preaching, as 
 well as the matter ot it. 
 
 Thk whole which the apofllcs preached, 
 as golpel, was the atonement of Chrifl, 
 and its whole import ; with all things con- 
 nefted with it, and all the fruits and confe- 
 quences of it. Indeed they kept the law 
 every where in view, in all their preaching. 
 The defi<jn of this was. that the hearts of 
 
 o 
 
 men might be well difpofcd to receive and 
 obey the gt)fpel. 
 
 "J'jiK |1urc gofpel which they preached, 
 was jufl wlult I hav*; now mentioned; 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. -q 
 
 *' nothing but Jefus Chrift and him crucifi- 
 ed," i. e. the charafter and offices of Chrift, 
 with his obedience unto death, and the 
 whole import of it. The)' held up Chriil 
 as a compleat Savior, in whom God Incws 
 mercy to lingers. They excluded every 
 thing in man, from ha\'nig any, the remotcjl 
 fhare in the matter of his juflification, or 
 reconciliation to God : Every thing, I fay, 
 good as well as bad ; i^race after the im- 
 plantation of it, as well as enmity before. 
 They confidered juilification and acceptance 
 wnih God, not as any real change in the 
 fmner, but a change wholly relative. " To 
 him that worketh not, but believeth on bim 
 that juftifieth the ungodly, his fajth is counted 
 for righteouhief^." 
 
 Faith is, m the nature of things, necella- 
 ry to an experience and enjoyment of the 
 benefit, as well as by cxpreis divine appoint- 
 ment. But faith does not create the bene- 
 fit ; or change the divine purpole ; or make 
 any alteration in the previous certainty of 
 any thing in th.e univei fe : As my hearing 
 ,. any piece of news from afar, well attefted, 
 and believing it, makes no alteration a-s to 
 the iafct, which is the objeft o^ my belief. 
 
 Suppose, my kinfman in Judca died ten 
 years ago, and left me all his large eilatc, 
 by will, well authenticated. Inevierheard 
 of his death or y^ood will to me. until two 
 years ago, and then I did not believe it. 
 The evidence I tiien had did not command 
 my aifent. Ten da^s ago, the intelligence 
 came with fuch dcnionllr.ilion and weight 
 
gQ TREATISE ON 
 
 of evidence, that I could not help believing 
 it, and was much affecled with the wondcr- 
 lul luvi; and ricPi kindnefs oi my good kinf- 
 man. P'or I knew I had always been a mod 
 injurious, unj^rateful wretch to him ; and 
 had always diihonorcd him as much as was 
 in my power ; and would have killed him, 
 many a time, had I been able. I was cer- 
 tain that he knew all this. Which, by the 
 way, was the grand reafon why I could not 
 bclore bojieve the ;.^ood news, on former re- 
 ports ; and continued to wander about 
 ftarving, in rags, beggary and fhame. But 
 the evidence, at laft, was attended with fuch 
 light of truth, and the power of demonllra- 
 tion, that it commanded my entire belief. 
 
 I NOV/ enjoy the comfort of a rich inherit- 
 ance, and my whole foul is much moved with 
 the kindnefs of my abufed kinfman. I think 
 of him and all his goodnefs. and of mylclt, 
 and all my horrid wickcdnefs, very diOeient- 
 ly from what I did in th( days of my vile 
 tnmijy and malice againfl my beft hicnd ; 
 and it alletls all my condud. 'Yet the in- 
 heritance was as lurely nunc two, or ten 
 years ago, or even at the moment of my 
 kinfman's death, as it is now, or ever will 
 be. 
 
 Before I believed this news, I was con- 
 dcimufl, or damned to beggary and infamy, 
 and Ihould have been lb all my days, had I 
 not heard and believed it ; but now I am 
 rich, anJ abound in all things, through my 
 hie f/rd, good bcne^SiGtnr, and in full oppoliiion 
 to all my deferts. I have no heart, now, to 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. gj 
 
 feel towards him, or fpeak of him as I once 
 did. So " the grace of God that bringeth 
 falvation, hath appeared to all men ; teaching 
 us that denying ungodlinefs and worldly 
 lufts, we fhould live fobcriy, rightcoufly and 
 godly, in this prcfent world; looking fer that 
 blejjed hope, and the glorious appearing of 
 the great God and our Savior jetus Chrift : 
 Who gave himlclf for us, that he might re- 
 deem lis from all iniquity, and purify unto 
 himfelf a peculiar people, zealous of good 
 works." Titus ii. 
 
 The apoftles every where preached, (ZSj&Mrc 
 gofpel, God wholly reconciled, but fmners not. 
 Rom. V. 2. Cor. v. Coloif. i. Ileb. ii. 17. 
 In preaching the pure gojpcl, they always af- 
 firmed, that God hath nothing, nothing at all, 
 againfl any finner, in the world, to elFett 
 his Jinal condemnation ; that all he ever had 
 againft them, was fully fatisfied by their 
 furety ; that he had borne all their lins, in 
 his own body on the tree ; that " he was 
 bruifed for their iniquities, and wounded 
 for their tranfgrcfiions ; that the chaflife- 
 ment of their peace was upon him, and that 
 by his ftripes they are lieaied;" " that Mcf- 
 fiah was cut otf ; but not for himfelf." 
 Many a glorious hour they founded the 
 gofpel in this very llrain ; but then, as a 
 proper introduftion of it as a rneilage of 
 grace to the hearts of men, they always fea- 
 foned it with the fiery and dreadful law. 
 Yet this was no part of the gofpel ; but 
 quite the counterpart. 
 
 Taus, the preaching of all the prophets, 
 
52 TREATISE ON 
 
 that of Chrifl and nil tlie apoliles, was 
 mixed preachinJ^^ The law and gofpel 
 were carried along tagcther. though diftintl, 
 and even oppofite in their natures. Thu?; 
 all llciUul preachers do, in thcle days, and 
 will to the end of the world. 'iJie pro- 
 priety of it is very great, for the reaion I 
 have mentioned. Yea, I lay fur-thjer, that 
 the fame thing will be kept in view in hea- 
 ven to all eternity ; the law and the gofpel, 
 both in full life and vigor, on the minds of 
 all the redeemed of mankind. This will be 
 neceflary to keep up their emotions of gra- 
 titude, and their warmefl ienfe of the infi- 
 nite obligations they are under lo their God 
 and their Redeemer. They will often name 
 their Redeemer in their anthems and haJle- 
 lujahs ; but cannot call him by that name, 
 without calling to mind what they once 
 were, and what they were redei'med from. 
 Their fong will be in this divine fliain, 
 " Thou art worthy ; for thou wall (lain, 
 and haft redeemed us to God by thy blood.' 
 Rev. V. g. 
 
 Saints in heaven, to all eternity, will feel 
 themfelves in themfelvcs, as Avorthy ot dam- 
 nation, as the devils in hell. They will 
 know that they themfelves have made no 
 amends to juJlice, btcmfe infinite power and 
 grace halh made them holy. They will lee, 
 and feel, that Jeparate from their head, the 
 loweft hell is their juft due : They will Jce 
 and Jeel this, deep in their fouls forexer more ; 
 and in this fenfe " the fmoke of their tor- 
 ment will afcend up forever and ever." And 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION* (Jg 
 
 this view of the damned, in the glafs of jujlicc, 
 will give them the keeneil relilh of grace, 
 free grace, mere mercy, fovereign mercy, and 
 forever animate the body of Chrifl, with 
 raptures of love unutterable. 
 
 The apoftles, in what they preached as 
 gofpel, good news, glad tidings, to all people ; 
 never made any the leaft diftinftion between 
 the certain falvation of one fmner and ano- 
 ther. They, every where, mixed in the law ; 
 and ^/u5 again made no diftmaion: For every 
 word of k damned the preacher, and all his 
 hearers. It condemned every thing Ihort of 
 abfolute perfedion. With one jull and aw- 
 ful voice, it always damned all human nO'tiire ;^ 
 and even the hximan nature of the Son of 
 God, in a way of furetiihip, or imputation. 
 " He who knew no fm was made fm for us, 
 that we might be made the righteoufnefs of 
 God in him." 
 
 But, the apoftles always made a great 
 and clear diftindion, between one fmner and 
 another, as to prefent privileges and enjoy- 
 ment, and alfo with regard to the degree of 
 future bleffednefs. The penitent, believing 
 finner, they declared juftified, pardoned, 
 entitled to eternal life, and a blelled degree 
 ofcom.fort, even now. The im^penitent fm- 
 ner, and the unbeliever, they pronounced 
 ■unpardoned, unjuftified, condemned already; 
 and affirmed t,U;a the wrath of God did abide 
 on him. 
 
 TfihY eyei-y where afferted, that early pie- 
 tv, and eminent holinefs in this life, would 
 haK'e a g re iil: advantage over a long lite ot 
 
I^k TREATISE ON 
 
 fin, or later piety, or lefs holinefs and ufe- 
 tulnefs : Not only in regard to peace and 
 tranquility, comfort and delight of foul, in 
 this world ; but eicn with refpeft to the 
 weioht of glory in the world to come. Yet, 
 they always, as gofpcl, affirmed the final fal- 
 Vation of all mankind alike. Paul, and his 
 brethren were indeed very earneft on this 
 head; and ready to labor this point effefclu- 
 ally ; and to fuffer anv reproach they might 
 meet ivith, on the account of this glorious 
 do6lrine. i. Tim. iv. lo. " For therefore 
 we both labor and fufFer reproach, becaufe 
 we truft in the living God, who is the Savior 
 cj all men, fpecially of thofe that believe ; 
 thcfe things command and teach ;" i. e. 
 build on this principle, with fuch degree of 
 explanation as the divine ipirit may direft, 
 at the prefent period of time : It being the 
 will of God that light fliall yet increafe. 
 The difference beforementioned, is very 
 Jpccial, very great indeed, between thofe 
 who now believe, and repent, and obey the 
 gofpel, and delight their fouls in all the con- 
 folatjons of it : And thofe who are now in 
 unbelief under the damnable power of im- 
 penitence, and every hateful lull. Chrift is 
 the Savior of the former ejpccially,, but, if 
 Paul is net miflakcn, he is the Savior of 
 ALL MEN, at laft. 
 
 The interfperfion of the law with the gof- 
 pcl, is exceedingly manifcil, through the 
 "whole word of God. This confideration i.-i 
 necelFary. to vindicate the holy fcriptuies 
 Bgainfl the charge of contradiclion. There 
 
UNI V £ RSAt SALVATION. gi 
 
 U no t)ther poffible way to do this ; nei- 
 ther is their need of any other v-^ay. It is 
 fo common every where, that it is fcarcely 
 expedient to (ingle out any paffages in par- 
 ticular. I will refer, however, to one or two, 
 as a general fpecimen. Ifai. xliii. 21, Sec. 
 *' This people have I formed for myfelf ; 
 they fliall Ihew forth my praife. But thou 
 haft not called upon me, O Jacob ; but thou 
 haft been weary of me, O Ilrael. Thou haft 
 not brought me the frrtall cattle of thy burnt- 
 offerings, neither haft thou honored mc with 
 thy facrifices. 1 have not caufed thee to 
 ferv^e with an offering, iior wearied thee with 
 increafe. Thou haft brought me no fweet 
 cane with money, neither haft thou filled me 
 tvith the fat of thy facrifices ; but thou haft 
 made me to ferve with thy fins, thou haft 
 wearied trie with thine iniquities; I, even 
 I, am he that blotteth Out thy tranfgreflions 
 FOR MINE OWN SAKE, and will not remem- 
 ber thy fms. Put me in remembrarice : leC 
 us plead together : declare thou that thou 
 mayeft be juftified." See aifd, Ifai. Ivii. 
 13, to the end. Ifai. Ixiii. throughout. 
 
 Indeed, all the prophets abundantly life 
 this method of keeping law and gofpel in 
 view ; and would be gtiilty of the groffeft 
 contradictions in the world, upon any other 
 fuppofition. The apoftles do the like. The 
 fame well connetled fcheme riihs on to the 
 final judgment, with an afpeft to endlefs 
 eternity. For, when judgment is clofcd^ 
 and the myftery of God, in this world fin- 
 
55 TREATISE ON 
 
 ifhed, this fame thought extends into eter- 
 nity, and, as I faid before, fhall forever be 
 kept ill full view. " Thefe fhall go away 
 into everlafting puniftiment ; but the right- 
 eous into life eternal." Matt. xxv. i. e. The 
 voice of law and juflice is everlajling punijh- 
 merit to finful men, confidered in their pcr- 
 Jonal character ; but in the righteous charaHer 
 of their atoning Sponfor, the gofpel pro- 
 claims life eternal- Two different char- 
 afters are the very things here in view. 
 And this is not at all uncommon in laws 
 and rules, divine and human. The charac- 
 ter is often named, and the perfon omitted, 
 though fome perfon always Hands connedled 
 with the chara6ler, and is underflood in 
 that connexion. 
 
 Mankind, in the paffage juft quoted, are 
 confidered in txoo characlen : In their own 
 perjonally ; and then the voice of the right- 
 eous law is, " thefe fhall go away into ever- 
 falling punilhment :" And, in Chrtjl, the 
 righteous, by union of faith, (and all Ihall 
 certainly have this before the judgment day, 
 as will appear in its proper place,) and, in 
 this charadler, the gofpel fpeaks, and the law^ 
 alfo, as fatisHed in the atonement : " But 
 the righteous into life eternal." I'he perfon 
 is defignated by the characlcr, which is fre- 
 quent 111 the common language of mankind, 
 as wh<;n we fa)'', the ruler, the judge, the fiLb- 
 ■jtH, the king, thc' creditor, the debtor, Sec. fome 
 perfon is always underflood, to whom the 
 charatler applies. 
 
 I KNOW that a charaftcr c.innot fuIFei 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. g^ 
 
 pain, or enjoy happinefs, feparate from the 
 perfon ; and an obje6lor may here fay, " this 
 deflroys the force of the argument." But I 
 think it does not at all : For the perfon 
 defignated by the charader, can enjoy, or 
 fufFer. All mankind will fuflain both of 
 thefe charaders, at the day of judgment ; 
 that of the wicked in them/elves perfonally ; 
 and that of the righteous, in the Son of God, 
 by union and imputation. 
 
 The .obje^lor may fay, " this do6lrine as 
 much proves that all fhali go to hell, as that 
 all Ihall go to heaven ; or, that all (hall go 
 away into everlafting punifliment, and alio 
 into life eternal, which is impoffible ; for 
 the perfon can go but one way." It is true, 
 the perfon can go but one way, and the 
 perfon only can fuffer, or enjoy ; but the 
 wicked charaUer is capable of remaiaing au 
 everlafting objeft of wrath, (hame. contempt, 
 and damnation, or condemnation, and will 
 fo, in the view of God, and all holy iii- 
 ielligencies. The righteous character will 
 remain an eternal object of approbation, 
 worthy of life eternal. 
 
 But which way fhali the perfons of man- 
 kind go ? They are delignated both wayh, 
 and oppofite ways, by their oppofite char- 
 afters, and ihey can go but one, and they 
 are all, you lay, to go together ; by the 
 voice of the law and juflice to hell ; by the 
 voice of redeeming love in Chrift, to heaven. 
 IVhich way fhall they all go ? Which fhali 
 get the vi61ory ? The fentence of perfon a 1 
 Uifiice ; or the declaration of grace through 
 
5g TREATISE ON 
 
 the atonement ? Which voice, or fcntencq 
 fliall triumph ? Which fhall reign ? It is a 
 Tveightv, all important queftion ; the man 
 of infpiration fhall decide it. *' But where 
 fin abounded grace did much more abound : 
 that as fin hath reigned unto death, even fo 
 
 might GRACE REIGN THRCTuGH RIGHTEOUS- 
 NESS TO ETERNAL LIFE. BY JeSUS ChRIST 
 
 OUR Lord." Rom. v. 2O; 21. 
 
 Whoever will, with a mind entirely un- 
 biaffed, read the whole chapter with due 
 attention, will fee this grand point fairly 
 ftated, fully difculTed, and as fairly decided, 
 as the power of language can exprefs. 
 There the firft and fecond Adam, each a 
 foederal head to all men, are fet in full con- 
 trail : Juflice and grace, the law and gofpel, 
 death and life, condemnation and juftifica- 
 tion, obedience and difobedience. The ap- 
 proved term has all along a " much more" 
 affixed to it ; and every where triumphs 
 over its oppofite. Chrift and the gofpel, 
 grace and liFe, juflification and obedience, 
 every where abound, reign, and triumph, 
 over all the rebellion and guilt of the firft 
 Adam, and that of all his race, even, in the 
 decpcfl colors, mofl awful malignity, and 
 widejl extent of it. 
 
 And the general tenor of divine revela- 
 tion, bears this uniform afpeft ; exhibiting 
 and afcertaining the univcrlal vidory of the 
 feed of the woman, over that of the ferpent. 
 *' As I live faith the Lord, every knee fhall 
 bow to me, and every tongue fhall confeis to 
 God." " Look unto me and be ye faved, all 
 
UNIVERSAL SAX.VATION. ^^ 
 
 the ends of the earth ; for I am God and there 
 U none elfe. I have fworn by myfelf, th^ 
 word is gone out of my mouth in right-' 
 «oufnefs, and fhall not return; that unto 
 me every knee fliall bow, every tongue ftiall 
 fwear. Surely (hall one fay, in the Lord 
 have I righteoufnefs and ftrength ; even to 
 Jiim fhall merj come, and all that are in- 
 cenfed againft him fhall be alhamed." Ifai, 
 xlv. 22, Sec. " Being found in faihion as 
 a man, he humbled himfelf, and became 
 fobedient unto death, even the death of the 
 Crofs. Wherefore, God alfo hath highly 
 exalted him, and given him a name which 
 is above every name ; that, at the name of 
 Jefus, every knee fhould bow ; of things in 
 heaven, and things in earth, and things un- 
 der the earth ; and that every tongue fhould 
 confefs, that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the 
 glory of God the Father." Phil. ii. 8, &c. 
 Whenever the apoftles preached to a 
 inixed multitude, as they often did, they 
 commanded them by divine authority tq 
 believe, every one the feif fame truth. And 
 it was the duty pf every one to believe the 
 fame, and a great fin for any one rSiOt tq 
 believe. The warrant of taith was the fame 
 to ail ; the objeU, the foundation the fame, as 
 prefented to all. They, who believed, refted 
 on fure falvation ; yet their faith made no- 
 thing true that was not true before, as to 
 the foundation on which their whole de- 
 pendance refled. Had they not believed, 
 at that time, "■ uevcrthelefs the foundation 
 of God would hav^ flood equally fare, an(| 
 
70 
 
 T R E A T 1 S E ON 
 
 with the fame feal." *' And what if fome did 
 not believe ? fhall their unbelief make the 
 faitli (faithfulncjs) of God without efFeft ? 
 God forbid : yea let God be true and every 
 man a liar." Rom. iii. 3, &c. 
 
 Now reader, turn to the bible and read 
 that chapter to the end. You will fee the 
 falvation of all the human kind alike fecured, 
 in the firm decree, and fovereign love of 
 God, and in the atonement, power, and 
 faithfulnefs of his Son ; and all diftinftions 
 among men removed out of the way, as 
 fully as words can poflibly exprefs. The 
 preaching is mixed, as ufual ; the law, in 
 all its infinite purity and amazing terror, 
 condemning all mankind alike ; and the gof- 
 pel, in all its triumphant glory with the 
 fame afpeft of Jure falvation to every child 
 of Adam. This idea being every where 
 attended to by the infpired writers, viz. 
 that faith alone gives every poor, apoflatc 
 fmner, fenfe, enjoyment, and final aflurance 
 of falvation, in his own foul. The law is 
 eftablifhed, and the gofpel triumphant in 
 the final redemption of human nature. 
 
 It is manifefl enough, that all could not 
 take the benefit, in cafe they did believe, 
 unlefs there was a previous, fure foundation, 
 alike for every one. No one lays the loun- 
 dation by his faith ; but all build upon it. 
 " Other foundation can no man lay, than 
 that which is laid, which is Jcfus Chrift." 
 Faith, agreeably to every jufl idea we can 
 form of it, never had, never can have, any 
 other province ihaa this; to give us fenlc 
 
BNIVERSAt SALVATION. yl 
 
 and enjoyment of an nnalteraWe fafl or 
 obiea, ¥ comfortable ; or diftrefs if he 
 reverfe. Oppofite objeOs are equally the 
 objeas of our belief. Two men are deftmed 
 to certain death, by an enraged band of fu- 
 rious affaffins, in clofe purfu.t. The o«can 
 fee and hear well, and knows he mull die 
 immediately, and is in^awiul terror^; the 
 other is totally blind and deaf. Is not the 
 death of the latter as furely impending as 
 that of his fellow ? The o« hath fc«fi, the 
 ether not ; but the dreadful decree is alike 
 fure to both, 
 
 1 PROCEED now to confider the decrees 
 of God or doarine of ekaion, according 
 to reafon and. divine revelation. It mani- 
 
 feftly ftandeth thus. 
 
 There was a period in eternal duration, 
 which God inhabits, or filleth up, (as m 
 fcripture phrale he is faid to inhabit eter- 
 nitv) in which there was no exiftence but 
 God only, and when deity had m lull view 
 all poffible exiftence. Out of which infinite 
 comprehenhon, or view of all things, he 
 inight create what he pleafed. He faw what 
 wa? beft to be brought into aaual exiftence, 
 and what not ; or what would form the 
 wiicft, beft, moft perfea, and inoft benev- 
 olent fyfteni of creation. This his wifdom 
 and aoodnefs moved him to determine t& 
 briniTinto aaual exiftence, in the fitteft time 
 and manner. On this choice his know- 
 kdoe of all aaual, future exiftence was 
 founded, according to our beft. manner of 
 
ry:^ TREATISE d N 
 
 conception. He determined tvhat (hould 
 be, when he tnight as well have determined 
 othcrvvifc, if he had feen it bell ; and, in 
 that cafe, would haA-e otherwife decreed. 
 Then the fyftem would have been different 
 from what it now is, or ever will be ; alfo, 
 he would have foreknown it as a different 
 fyftem- But, feeing as he did, with infinite 
 wifdom and goodnels, what would be beft, 
 he eternally determined what fhould. in due 
 time, take place in the fcale of exigence. 
 
 On this, according to all the rational 
 conceptions of man, was founded his certain 
 foreknowledge of all real, future being, or 
 cxiftence, in the univerfal fyftem ; I lay his 
 foreknowledge of evny thing, without the 
 leaft exception, from the greateft world and 
 highcft creature that ever he did, or will 
 create, to the very leaft and loweft ; from the 
 higheft angel to the minutcll reptile or in- 
 feft ; and from the greateft world to the! 
 leaft particle or atom of duft ; including 
 every thing of a moral nature, every thought, 
 volition or inclination of all moral agents, 
 that ftiould ever come into being ; all their 
 different mcafures, capacities, powers, tal- 
 ents, motives and dilpolitions ; and the uni- 
 verfal conneftion and refult of the whole, 
 as well as every fmgle and particular ope- 
 ration. In a word, he eternally foreknew 
 ill adual, future exiftence, moral and natu- 
 ral, without a poftibility of miftake. 
 
 This knowledge was founded in his own 
 infinitely wife choice, and unalterable deter- 
 triination or decree : Or, if you plealc, his 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. „ry 
 
 irtfinitely wife and good eledlion. And 
 every thing moral and natural, every being 
 and mode of being, every circumftance, 
 every connexion and confequence through- 
 Out the whole fcale or IVftcm of being, did 
 originally, abfolutely depend on the choice, 
 eleftioft, decree, or predeftination of the 
 eternal, immutable Jehovah. ^ And aii 
 things; in aftual being, have now the fame 
 entire, abfolute depend-ance,. and ever will 
 have to all eternity. ' '.' ; . t.'.. > ; . : 
 
 I CAN conceive of rwof'^od'at all, but in 
 the above view. If I recede in the leaft • 
 from this idea, I fall into complete atheifm. 
 Divine revelation is plain upon tins fubjeft. 
 *' Of him, and through him, and to him, are . 
 all things." " He is of one^mind and who- 
 can change him ? and what his foul defireth 
 that he doth." " Of whom. took, he counfel?" 
 "He doeth according to; his will, in the 
 army of heaven, and among the inhabitants 
 of the earth ; and none can flay his hand, 
 or fay unto him, what doeil: thou ?" I might 
 recite a thoufand fentences' full to the fame: 
 purpofe ; but it is neediefs. Read the whole 
 book of Job, and you will lee every argu- 
 ment there founded on the doftrine of the 
 divine determinations, and the infiiftrabie 
 accompliftiment of them all: and the infinite 
 iitnefs it fhould be fo. Indeed there can be 
 nothitig more confpicuous every where, 
 through the %vhole bible. And in the rea- 
 fonings of man, there can be no flep be- 
 tween this idea of God, and atheifm. 
 
^^ T R E A T I S E ^ N 
 
 I HAVE faid, that God's predeftination, 
 forel^nowledge, eleftion, choice, decrees, (or 
 whatever name by which you indicate the 
 fame thought) are alike concerned with all 
 exiflence, and all modes of exiftence, both 
 natural and moral, to all extent of fpace, 
 and to all endlefs duration. This is indeed 
 true, and thus far gives us a becoming view 
 of God. But I am now to apply this grand 
 truth to the concerns of our falvation alone, 
 according to the plain word of God. Therein 
 the do6lrine of Gad's fixed eleftion, or 
 choice; his determinate counfel and fore- 
 knowledge ; his fure, unfailing predeftina- 
 tion ; his purpofes in him (elf before creation 
 began, are expreifed as plainly as any thing 
 can be expreifed, and exactly agreeable to 
 all our rational ideas of a Supreme Being. 
 
 In divine revelation, we find the election, 
 decree, predeftination, or appointment of 
 God. with refpe6l to fcveral objefts : but in 
 every cafe alike fixed and certain. It may 
 fuflBce to confider tlie doHrine only in four 
 refpefts ; from whence we may eafily make 
 application to every other cale. In regard, 
 Firjl ; To particular, men. Secondly.; To 
 fome particular events.' Thirdly ; To par- 
 ticular communities of men. ■ Fourthly; To 
 the eternal lalvation of men. 
 
 In God's revealed will, his elcdion, or pre- 
 d;eIlination hath iometimes Ipecial regard 
 to fome parti culflr men, in difiinftion from 
 others ; and is always fovertign, and be- 
 coming God, whenever cau forelee any 
 dill uicl ions among creatures, but what, from. 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ,j.f> 
 
 all eternity, he was determined himfelf to 
 make. 
 
 Thus, he elected Abraham to be a fa- 
 Vorite of his, the father of his covenant 
 people, rather than Nahor. Thus, for wife 
 and holy ends, he chofe that Pharaoh liiould 
 be an example of great obftinacy, rather than 
 Mofes. Rom. ix. Thus he eleded Jacob to 
 many bleflfmgs rather than Efau ; David, 
 rather than Shimei, or Saul ; Cyrus, rather 
 than Nebuchadnezzar ; Paul to know and 
 epjoy the confolations of the gofpel, in early 
 life, and, for a happy feafon in this world, 
 rather than Pilate. It is needlefs to mul- 
 tiply particular inflances. In a word ; it is 
 founded on God's eleftion, choice, or pre- 
 deftination, that any man in the world, is, 
 in- this life, in circumflances more eligible 
 than his neighbor, or any other man. All 
 thefe things are wholly of God, and of his 
 eternal purpofe, however they may be el- 
 fefled by the inftrumentality, or different 
 conduct of moral agents : For even all their 
 different condu£l, and every different incli- 
 nation in the univerie, has an equal and 
 abfolute dependance on the eternal, hxed 
 purpofe and plan that was unalterable, in 
 the mind of Jehovah, before creation began. 
 This may ferve as a fpecimen of what is in- 
 tended by ele6lion, or the choice of God, as 
 to all diftin£lions amona men in this world. 
 - With regard to God's eternal eleftion, 
 t)r choice relative to all events that take place 
 Iti time, predeftination h of the fame gen- 
 triil eorifidewtion. 
 
76 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 Thus, it was predeftinated that the deli- 
 verance of IlVael, and the overthrow of their 
 enemies, fhould be at the time, and in the 
 manner it was at the red fea, rather than at 
 a different time, and in another manner: 
 That the deliverance of God's people from 
 their captivity in Babylon, fhould be in all 
 circumftanccs as it was, when it might have 
 been effected with a thouland different cir- 
 cumflances, had Jehovah feen fit, and fo 
 determined. There was the choice and 
 election of God in all this. Ifai. xlv. and 
 xlvi. So with regard to the crucifixion of 
 Chrift, the time, manner, and whole inflru- 
 mentality, was eternally fixed, in the divine 
 purpofe. A6ls ii. 23. " Him, being deliv- 
 ered b}' the determinate counfcl and fore- 
 knowledge of God, ye have taken, and by 
 wicked hands have crucified and flain." It 
 is jult fo with all events, from the greatefl 
 to the leaf}, and all dillinftions among them. 
 The fame realoning applicvs with regard 
 to all communities of mankind in the world, 
 and all their dillinclions. The eternal choice 
 or elc6tion of God, before there was any 
 creature, eflablilhed the future certainty of 
 all thefe things ; and thereupon was God's 
 foreknowledge of all thele ihtii future events 
 founded. 
 
 Thus the Jews were elefted to enjoy the 
 fpccial privileges of divine revelation, for a 
 Jong feafon, in diflin£lion from all their 
 fellow- men befide. Alio, a it\v among them 
 were elefted to .know and enjoy inward 
 laving confolation, in this world; in dillnic- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 
 
 77 
 
 tion from. the great majority of that nation. 
 So the Greeks and Romans, in ancient times, 
 TV ere elefted to enjoy the many bleflings of 
 civilization, learning, and extenfive empire, 
 in diflindion from the ignorant and bar- 
 barous nations of the world. Thus alfo, 
 many particular perfons of thofe learned 
 and polite nations, were predeftinated to 
 fpecial acquirements and bleflings of know- 
 ledge and ufefulnefs, in diftinftion from the 
 body of thofe nations. Innumerable in- 
 ftances of the like kind, in a greater or lefs 
 degree, have been found among men, and 
 bodies or communities of men, wherein the 
 eternal predeftination of God, has, in due 
 time, appeared. 
 
 Not only all particular perfons that are 
 wife and virtuous, holy and good, in this 
 life ; but alfo all churches or holy commu- 
 nities, that, asfuch, fuftain the chara6ler now 
 mentioned, enjoy alfo, all the privileges and 
 comforts connefted with fuch ^ charafter, in 
 this life, in confequence of the eternal elec- 
 tion, or free, fovereign choice of God. And 
 they are, in this proper and very important 
 fenfe, the ekci ; in contradiflindion from 
 thofe that yet live in blindnefs, and are tor- 
 mented by the cruel power of unfanftified 
 nature, and diftreffed in the awful flavery of 
 iin. They likewife, as holy, virtuous and ujefid 
 coinwiumties, are elefted to a fuperior and 
 diftinfiuifhed reward of grace in the world 
 to come. 
 
 In this view, they fland diflinguiflied 
 fvom thofe that } et live in ignorance of God 
 
h^ T il E A T I ^ E ' t> 'S* 
 
 and faWation, and without ufefulnefs in the 
 world ; thofe that are yet haters of God, and 
 oppored to the higheft good of his creatures. 
 From all iuch, I lay, thole who now know 
 God, love and ferve him, and ferve their 
 generation by his will, are greatly diflin- 
 guifhed, by the eleftion of God. This is 
 abundantly taken notice of in the word of 
 God ; for a fpccimen, read Ephef. i. 
 
 Whenever ele6lion, or predeftination, in 
 facred fcripture, dotli dijlingu'jh one per/on, or 
 cne community, or dejcription of perjons, from 
 another, it never hath the lead regard to any 
 thing beyond the grave ; excepting a difference 
 in degree of felicity. 
 
 In the laft place, the doftrine of predefti- 
 nation hath, in the facred oracles, great 
 and frequent refpe6l to our everlafting fal- 
 vation after death. 
 
 It is a miftaken apprehenfion, in fomc, 
 that elcBion, decree, predejlination, &c. nccel- 
 farily implies diftin6lion between fome and 
 others of mankind. The words do not nc- 
 cejfarily, or even naturally, imply any fuch 
 thing. It may, or may not be included in 
 the idea, or fignificd by any of thofe terms, 
 with equal propriety. This diftinftion is 
 figniiied, as I have fhewn, as to advantages 
 and difadvantages inthis world, and degrees 
 of happincfs in the world to come. But, the 
 ivords, decree, prcdeflination, clcftion, and 
 the like, might be ufcd with equal propriety, 
 were there never any diftinftion at all to be 
 made between one man and another, either 
 jn this world or that to come. All words 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. „q. 
 
 of this import, only fignify a firm and fixed 
 purpofe ; an immutable determination of 
 God ; an eftablifliment irreverfib.k ; an un- 
 alterable plan of conduft, laying out what 
 fliall take place and wlmt not. 
 
 If God had chofen, decreed, or predejiinated 
 that never any evil Ihould exifl;, either moral 
 or natural ; the whole plan would have 
 flood upon God's ele6lion, predeilination, 
 or decree, as much as it does now. It is 
 therefore wholly a miftake, to fuppofe the 
 words carry in them naturally any idea of 
 diftinftion. If all the other planets in the 
 folar fyflem, are full of rational inhabitants, 
 as is very probable, and if they are all 
 holy and happy, which may be the cafe ; 
 yet their condition is founded on the 
 eternal choice, decree, and predeflinatioa 
 of the Creator as much as ours. The eter- 
 nal plan, whatever it be, whether more fim- 
 ple or mixed, is alike built on God's elec- 
 tion, decree or predeilination. On any fup- 
 pofition, it is juft what God determined it 
 fhould be, in every relation and circum- 
 flance. 
 
 To know what the decree* of God are, ox 
 
 \vhat his eleflion, choice, or predeftination 
 
 is, in regard to mankind after this life, we 
 
 mull confult what he hath told us, and abide 
 
 only by w^hat he hath revealed to us in his 
 
 word. I have before faid, that there is noc 
 
 one thought of diftin£lion between one man. 
 
 • • • t 
 
 and another, intimated to us m the v/holc 
 
 bible, with regard to their certain falvatmi^ 
 
 ia the life to come • though^ as to the differ^ 
 
gQ TREATISEON 
 
 ent ^fgree of happinefs, the diftinftidn is 
 inanifeft. 
 
 The divine will, puprofe, cleftion, decree, 
 predeftination, or by whatever term you 
 would fignity the eternal, immutable plan, 
 of Jehovah, does, every where in his word, 
 fully fe cure the certain happinrjs of all the hu^ 
 man race, after death. This aflertion is bold, 
 the reader may fay ; I therefore now appeal 
 to God's own word for the truth of it. 
 
 The words, decree, predefination, purpofe, 
 and ekHion (which, the learned will bear me 
 witnefs, are terms promifcuoufly ufed in 
 tranflatingthe fame onoxri'Ahehrew and greek) 
 with their derivatives, are brought to our' 
 view one hundred and twenty four tirnes, in.' 
 the old and new teftament. They mollly 
 refer to things of a temporal kind ; and in 
 this fenfe, a diftinftion between one man; or 
 one body of men and another is generally 
 clear enough. Some are elected to privi- 
 leges and enjoyments, in this world, either 
 civil or religious, and others omitted. Thi5f, 
 is frequent, as to temporal matters, or enjov- 
 ments during this life, or any period of ■ 
 time pointed out. Of this dcfcription is 
 the cafe of Efau and Jacob ; in which noth- 
 ing at all is included but what is of a tem- 
 poral nature with regard to them and their 
 poflerity : Alfo, that of Abraliam and his 
 leed ; in which nothing after death is made 
 peculiar to them, only, as Abi-aham and 
 his feed were typical of Chrifl and the 
 church univerfal. In this view, all mariui 
 kind fliare alike in the election of that pa- - 
 
UNIVElTRSAL SALVATION. gl^ 
 
 triarch, and that people, as will foon air- 
 pear. So in the eleftion of Cyrus, for great 
 purpofes in this world; and almoft every- 
 where in the facred oracles, thefe terms de- 
 note only what wa*s to begin and end in a 
 certain period of time. And, it is always 
 fo, when any di{lin6lion is riiade between 
 one man, or one defcription of men and 
 another, excepting the decrees of future hap- 
 pinefs. 
 
 We now further attend to the divine 
 purpofe, or ele£tion, only as it refpefts the 
 eternal falvation of mankind, after this life. 
 Here, every reader, that hath that rare at- 
 tainment of reading and thinking wholly 
 without previous bias of mind, will fee 
 there is no diftinftion at all, as to the cer^ 
 tain falvation of the human kind. In this 
 view, God has one eleB head and no more - 
 and one elect body and no more. The eleB 
 head is Ben-Adam, the Son of man, in equal 
 connexion with all human nature. The 
 eleB body is all human nature. 
 
 The forgetful reader may here cry out, 
 where then is the diftinftion which elcftion. 
 implies ? But have I not fufhciently ftiewn, 
 that the term implies no fuch thing neceffa- 
 rily, or even naturally. There may be a 
 diftindion, or there may not, confiflent 
 with the natural meaning of this word, or 
 any other word of like meaning, as predefti- 
 nation, purpofe, decree, determinate coun- 
 fel, &c. All thefe phrafes import a certain, 
 fixed, unalterable plan of Deitv ; whether thaJ- 
 
 L 
 
82 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 plan contains many diflin6lions, or none af 
 all. The reader will pardon this fuddeu 
 repetition, as the idea is of elTential impor- 
 tance. 
 
 I NOW fay again, that clc6tion, or pre- 
 deltination, as it refpects mankind, after 
 death, centres in one head, Christ the Son of 
 God. the Son of man, the only mediator between 
 .God and man ; and all human kind, as his 
 kindred body. This head is in a like natural 
 SLiidfaedcral connection with the whole body 
 of human nature. Hence wc find the Mefli- 
 ah never calling himleif the Son of Abraham, 
 or the Son ej David, (thou^Ljh others might 
 fometimcs call him io) but Ben-Adam the 
 Son of man. We find iome of the prophets 
 frequently fo called of God, as types of 
 Chrift. The mediator, in his perfon and 
 in his types, is pointed out by this epithet, 
 about one hundred and fifty times, m the 
 prophets and in the new tcfiament ; and 
 almoft every time he fpcaks of himfelf, he 
 ufes this term. I do not rccollcft that he 
 ever called himfelf the Son of Abraham, or 
 of Noah, or the Son of David, or of any 
 man that ever was, except the firfl Adam. 
 
 The reader will remember, as I have in- 
 timated, (and the learned all know it well) 
 that the Son of man is in the hebrcw, lite- 
 rally the Son of Adam, and the mcanin^i; the 
 j'ame in the original greek. Thh is the 
 phrafc our Sa\ior generally ui'cth, when 
 Ipeaking of himfelf ; and manifeflly for no 
 piher reafon, thr.n to keep in our view hi* 
 relation to. and coniie6lion with human na~ 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. gj' 
 
 iure, in the univerfd extent of ii, without any 
 diflinclion, or any more connexion with 
 one man, or one defcription of men, than 
 with another. 
 
 It is true, he is pointed out fometimes 
 by the prophets, as the Teed of Abraham; 
 the branch of Jeffe ; the fon of David, &c. 
 But thefe defcriptions of him are oniy t-o 
 direft the church or people of God. and all 
 that waited for the Mcihah, how to know- 
 when the true Meffiah did indeed come. 
 And the tribe of Jadaii. and town of Bethle- 
 hem are mention'jd for the fame end, v*'ith 
 many other defcriptions, that we may know 
 the true Mefiiah, and be guarded againfl all 
 impoftors. But Chrift, in his human na- 
 ture, never had anjMnore intimate connexion 
 with Abraham, Judah, or David, in con::ra- 
 diftinftion from human nature in general, 
 than he had with Judea, or Bethlehem, 
 in contradiftin6lion from any other coun- 
 try, or town in the world. We know he 
 had none with thofe places, that made him 
 a peculiar Savior to them, in diflinclion 
 from other parts of the world ; though he 
 was born in that country, and in that town. 
 
 In'deed, human nature is identically one 
 now, juft as much as it was, when all were 
 in Adam. Eve was of him, and all human na- 
 ture isfo. The fliootingoutofmany branches, 
 does not, in the lead, alter the nature of 
 the tree. We have had no intermarriages 
 
 o 
 
 with any other fpecies to divide or alienate 
 the blood. AH human flefh. is called '• thv 
 6wnficjh," Ail human blood is one blood. 
 
g^ TREATISEON 
 
 *' God hath made of one blood all nations to 
 dwell upon the face of the earth." Hence, 
 with me, there is no doubt, that the fecond 
 man, the Lord from heaven hath chofen this 
 epithet, when i'ptaking of hirafclf fo many- 
 times, both typically and perfonally, to im- 
 prels on our minds a lenle of his common, 
 equal union and connc.fl.ion with all human 
 nature, as our Gael, or kinfman Redeemer. 
 Now, I fay this Son of man is God's 
 only objeft, as an cle6l head in regard to 
 our eternal falvation ; and all human nature 
 is his one entire elcEl objeB, in union witU 
 Chrifl:, as a-'body with a head. The Savior 
 cxprefsly fays " he came to leek and to fave, 
 not lome pt thofe that were left : but" that 
 xvhich was loji, that humanity ; that nature ; 
 that ccmpkx body ; which he fo often by the 
 fpirit of infpiration calls the world; the whole 
 •world; alhnen ; all nations ; all people. " Glad 
 tidings of great joy fhall be unto all people." 
 But I may fpeak more of the clc6l body, af- 
 ter I have further attended to the cle6l head. 
 The lecond man, or the Son of man is often 
 called Gcd's eleft, or chofen, by way of em- 
 phafis ; and the fountam of life to all men ; 
 and a fubftitute, or furety in the place of a 
 whole fallen world; or covenant head of all 
 human nature. 
 
 No believer, I think, ever will doubt but 
 that the Son of man, the Savior of the world 
 is fpoken of, under the type of David. Pfal. 
 Ixxxix. 1, — 37. There we find him God's 
 eleCf, or cholen, connefted with all the 
 world, byway of command and fubjugation. 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. g* 
 
 This all allow, in Chrijl, denotes fpiritual 
 conqueft and viftory. There we find God 
 has entered into covenant with him,, as one 
 he has chofen out of the people. The Father 
 fpeaks to bim as Son of man ; and fpeaks 
 to him fome things peculiar to the divine 
 nature, and many things to him as media- 
 tor and redeemer. Particularly, that the 
 heavens fhall praife his wonders ; that none 
 in heaven or among the fons of the mighty 
 can be compared with him ; that the heavens 
 are his, the earth alfo and the fulnefs of it ; 
 that the people are bleffed, who become ac- 
 quainted with him, or know the joyful found 
 of his grace and love. God gives him full 
 dominion to the utmofl: extent of the earth ; 
 to every lea and every river; and makes 
 ^very mountain to rejoice in his ftrength, 
 i. e. the power of his falvation ; attributes to 
 him a redeeming power, equal andextenfive 
 as his creative power. Here is God's eleft 
 head of mankind, God's chofen, and here is 
 defcribed the extent of his dominion in the 
 world. In the fecond pfalm, he is fet up 
 with like eleftive appointment, and exten- 
 five dominion ; with pov,'er to break and 
 dafti effe6tually, until all bow to him, from 
 the loftieft king, to the moft obfcure peafant 
 in the uttermoil parts of the earth. 
 
 In the Ixxii. plalm it is declared that his 
 faving power Ihali be extended over the whole 
 earth. All nations, the greater with the 
 iefs, it is faid, fhall partake of his peace and 
 rigl^teoufneis, and bring forth the fruit of 
 the fame. " The mountains fhall bring 
 
85 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 peace to the people and the little hills by 
 righteoufnefs." " They (hall fear him, as 
 long as the lun and moon endure, through- 
 out all generations." " He fliall have do- 
 minion from Tea to fea, and from thif river 
 to the cndi of the earth;" including the mofl 
 barbarous and obfcurc inliabitants of the 
 world. " They that dwell m tli« wildernefs 
 fhall bow before him ; ail fhall be fubdued 
 to him," " his enemies fhall lick the dufl." 
 All rulers and potentates ; all diftant princes 
 fhall bring him tributes of praifc and obe- 
 dience. " His name fhall endure forever, 
 be continued as loag as the lun, and men 
 fliall be blefled in him ; all nations (hall call 
 him bkffed." It is declared that from a very 
 fmall beginning, like the confined difcovc- 
 riesof redeeming love, then among the jews, 
 its blelTmgsfhould be, in due time, extended 
 as the grafvS of the earth, and th-e fruit be 
 copious and aftonifliing. In metaphor thus 
 exprefled, "there IhiJl be an handful of 
 corn in the earth, upon the top of the 
 mountains ; the fruit thereof ihall Ihake like 
 Lebanon, and they of the city (i. e. the city 
 or people of God, extended all over the 
 world) fliall flourifh as the gvafs of the 
 earth." Read the whole Pialm and view 
 the cleft head and ele6l body. 
 
 I KNOW, that in all declarations of God's 
 eternal decree, the idea of dillinftion and 
 limitation among the elc6l body, is kept up : 
 Some Ihall fooner become acquainted with 
 thcie things, and fome later : Some in a 
 higher, and i'omc in a lower degree : Some 
 
r K I V E R S A L SALVATION. g« 
 
 more happily afFefted than others, and 
 bring forth more fruits of holinefs, and en- 
 joy more confolation in conlequence there- 
 of. But all thele diflinftions and limita- 
 tions are confined to the prefent world ; 
 iione reach beyond. 
 
 The Son of man faith, "all that the Father 
 hath given me fhall come unto me, 8cc." The 
 queflion is, how many ? The anfwer is " Ha 
 fliall give thee the heathen for thine inheri- 
 tance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth 
 for thy poffefFion." i. e. To be in due time 
 fubdued and conquered, by the king anoint- 
 ed on the holy hill of Zion ; and made to 
 ferve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with 
 trembling, and to kifs the Son. Here aUo, 
 the idea of the holy and dreadful wrath of 
 God is difplayed, and the voice of juilice 
 announcing terrible deflruftion. 
 
 I WISH the reader cautioufly to keep in 
 mind what I have obferved before-, that the 
 whole of divine revelation is every where 
 mixed from beginning to end, law and gofpel 
 fide by fide ; the voice of juftice and that of 
 grace ; and that the latter, by the fure de- 
 cree of heaven, and by the merit and power 
 of the Son of God, is feo get the final victory. 
 " Grace ftiall reign through righteouinefs 
 unto eternal life, by Jefus Chrifl our Lord." 
 This eie6l head is fully equal to his great 
 work of laving all men, taking away the 
 fins of the world. As he died, not only for 
 our fins, who are now diftiiiLjuiflied from 
 others by an early fenfe of his grace, and 
 i-arly manifellations of his fulnels ; but al- 
 
fo for the fins of the whole world. He can 
 and will extend, in due time, his all effi- 
 cacious offices, and exertions of prophet and 
 king, co-extenfive with his work as a prieft. 
 He will leek and fave that lojl thing. The 
 utmoil pervericnefs of human nature will be 
 overcome, until " the earth ffiall be full of 
 the knowledge of the Lord as the waters 
 cover the fea." This ele6t head of human 
 liature " ffiall fland for an enfign of the 
 people, to it ffiall the Gentiles feek, and his 
 reft ffiall be glorious ;" read Ifai. xi. 
 
 Again, the ele6l of God in whom his foul 
 delighteth, ffiall maniiefl; to all nations the 
 judgment of the law, or juftice of God, 
 vrhoUy fatisfied in him. All, that his obe- 
 dience unto death hath merited, his power 
 and faithfulnefs will apply to the human 
 kind, in the mofl diftant times and regions. 
 In fpite of all oppofition he will not fail nor 
 be difcouragcd, until the moft diftant illands 
 in the world have bowed to the all command- 
 ing power of his grace, the almighty energy 
 of his fpirit ; fo that they ffiall fmg to the 
 Lord a new fong, and his praife from the 
 end of the earth. The wildcrncfs and the 
 cities thereof ffiall lift up their voice; the 
 inhabitants of the rock ffiall fing, and they 
 ffiall ffiout from the top of the mountains. 
 Read Ifai. xlii. from the bcoinninf? to the 
 i6th vcrfe. 
 
 This glorious head and the elc6l body are 
 one, in the prcdcllmation of God. '• I will 
 bring forth a feed out of Jacob, (i. c. Chrift) 
 and out of Judah an inheritor of my moun- 
 
UhTlvkiSAL SAtVATION. 
 
 89 
 
 tains, and mine ele6l (that is, the body of 
 Chrift) lliall inherit it, and my fervants ihall 
 dwell there." Ifai. Ixv. g. " For thus faith 
 the Lord I will extend peace to her like 
 a river, and the glorj of the gentiles like a 
 flowing ftream," it is again faid in the pro- 
 phet " as the days of a tree are the days of 
 my people, and mine elc6l fhall long enjoj/ 
 the work of their hands." " The Lord Ihall 
 / be king over all the earth ; in that day fhall 
 there be one Lord and his name one :" i. e. 
 All people Ihall be united in his characler. 
 We niight compile a volume of citations 
 from the prophets, all of the fame tenor, as 
 pure gofpd ; and, at the fame time lee man)/- 
 limitations anddiflin6tions among mankind, 
 of a prefent different charafter, and the voice 
 of juftice every where intermixed, and 
 crying aloud for vengeance ; but the voice 
 of grace and the blood of Chrift fpeaking 
 better things. " Lo the lion of the tribe of 
 Judah, the root and offspring of David hath 
 prevailed." 
 
 I COULD wifh that every reader might 
 attend to Paul's difcourfe on the do6trme 
 of eleftion, efpecially in the nmih, tenth 
 and eleventh chapters of his cpiitie to the 
 Romans. There we find an eternal, fixed 
 plan of Deity, infuring the final falvadon of 
 all the literal, or natural {cq6. of Abraham, all 
 the Jews. Yet, in the courfe or this life, 
 in the courfe of time, and God's difpenfa- 
 tions on earth, with that nation, the apoflle 
 takes notice of as great and iovereign dif- 
 M 
 
Q(3 theatiseom 
 
 tindions, as between Jacob and Efau, in 
 temporal matters ; and makes the latter an 
 emblem to illuftrate the former. 
 
 He bewails, from his own former bitter 
 experience, hardnels of heart, and enmity^ 
 againll Chrift ; the miferable cafe of that 
 nation as a body. They wifhed themfeives 
 at the greateft diflance from Chrift and all 
 his offered grace, as he once did, or could 
 do, in his blindnefs and enmity. He could 
 fympathize with them, and greatly pity 
 them, from his own experience. He faw 
 but a very few of them reconciled to their 
 Melfiali, or in the knowledge and enjoyment 
 of the benefit; only a remnant poflefling the 
 knowledge, fenfe, and comfort of falvation. 
 
 Many more gentiles had come to the 
 knowledg-e and comfort of eternal falvation 
 than of the jews ; though they were very 
 zealous, and followed after riohteoufnefs in 
 their own blind way. They reje tied an all- 
 fuHicient atonement, and eternal life, on the 
 fame footing that any publican might have 
 it, or any poor, icandalous, filthy dog of 
 the gentile world. For they gave other na- 
 tions no better epithet. They did not at 
 all underfland how, m Chrijl (the only cha- 
 racler that God hath the leaft rcfpctl unto, 
 m the final falvation of all men, or anynxjdi) 
 «very valley was filled, and every moun- 
 tain and hill made low, and all crookt:d 
 things llraight, and all rough things plan:, 
 ynd the Lord alone exalted: How all boaft- 
 ing was cut olF, and God would ftain the: 
 pride of all glory. Thefc things they did 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. gf 
 
 not underftand ; therefore they fought fal- 
 vation bv ways of diftinaion, or as it is ex- 
 preffedby the works of the law." They 
 fuppofed that they muft, fome how, be 
 marked different from other men ; before, 
 any thing God had ever done, would be a 
 /lire foundation and a file foundation of then- 
 hope. 
 
 The apoftle tells them that this was a molt 
 miferable ftate of mind to be in, and a moft 
 comfortlefs condition ; that they were aw- 
 fully blind, as to all prefent knowledge, 
 love, and fervice of God, or confolation ; 
 and that the prefent temper of their hearts 
 involved in it wickednefs, injufice, demand- 
 ing eternal damnation, in their own perfons. 
 He labors with the utmoft concern, to bring 
 them to know better, to enjoy the comfort of 
 hope, and to love and ferve God in confe- 
 quence of it. Yet he fully affcrts that God 
 had fecured, and, in his own time, would cer- 
 tainly effect the final falvation of every Jew 
 that ever had exillence. He declares that 
 although their blindnefs was fo awful at pre- 
 fect; yet it fliouldnot finally prevent their 
 falvation. 
 
 After ail he fays againft their moll 
 abominable obl'li^acy, and'the doleful effeds 
 of It, in this zuorld ; he alferts that the final 
 falvation of his whole kindred nation, ilood 
 on a foundation very different from any 
 thing in them, or in any creature. " And fo 
 all Ifrael fhall be faved : As it is written, 
 there fliall come out of Zion a deliverer, and 
 avail turn away ungodlinefs from Jacob ; 
 
»f 
 
 TREATISE O 14 
 
 For this is my covenant unto them, when I 
 Ihail take away their fins. As concerning 
 thegolpcl, thcv are enemies for your fakes;" 
 i. c.lhey arc lett in awful blindnefs, for the 
 jjrefent, and will be, for a feafon, that the 
 golpel may have a greater fpread among you 
 Gentiles, "' but, as touchmg the eleftion, 
 they are Ijcloved for the fathers' fakes." i. e. 
 Their falvation is fecured in the eleft body 
 of Chriil, together with, and as fully as thai 
 of their fathers, the patriarchs and prophets, 
 who walked ever fo humbly and uprightly 
 before God, and enjoyed great confolation : 
 •' For the gifts and calling of God are with- 
 out repentance." Rom, xi. 25. 
 
 God never refled one atom of his eternal 
 plan and fixed purpofe, on any creature, or 
 any thing that ibould ever, at any particu^ 
 lar time, be found in creatures. They all 
 yather fubferve th^ accomplifhment of it, 
 Indeed,. they can by no means iruftrate " the 
 determinate counfcl and foreknowledge of 
 God," in 2ii\y oneinftance. 
 
 Go p cuts off all mankind, 7^holly,in every 
 vie.zu, but in his ow?} Son, Jtws and Gentiles 
 ^like, and ihere is not the leafl difference, 
 lie concludes, or fhuts all mankind up to- 
 gfther, in total wickcdnefs, and unbelief ^ 
 ;i^d even in that very predicament, afccr- 
 tains their falvation, and that ot all alike. 
 *• For God hath concluded them all in un- 
 belief, that he might have mercy upon all." 
 PvOm. xi. 32. This is mofi aftoniihing ; 
 but, I wifli men would not cavil about it, 
 an,4 quarrel with it as they do. l.et thcin 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^ 
 
 rather feci in their hearts, towards the great 
 God and his iovereign will, wifdom, and 
 grace, as Paul did ; and fay, with him : 
 *' O the depth of the riches, both of the wif- 
 dom and knowledge of God ! how unfearch- 
 able are his judgments (i. e. decrees) and his 
 ways paft finding out ! For of him7 and 
 through him, and to him, are all things : 
 To whom be glory forever, Amen. I wifh 
 the reader carefully to attend to the Epif- 
 ties to the Romans and Galatians, in par- 
 ticular, although all the writings of Paul, 
 and the whole facred fcripture centre in 
 the fame great point ; Chriji, and the falva- 
 tion of his myjlic body. 
 
 In a word; the dodlrine of God's elec- 
 tion, or eternal, fixed choice, decrees, pre- 
 deftination, by what name foever you are 
 pleafed to call it, as it refpe6|s his grace to 
 the human kind in this world, and their 
 falvation in the world to come, Hands ex- 
 a6lly thus, in all the reafon we are capable 
 of, and in all the facred oracles. AH is 
 fixed and immutable, in the mind of Jehov- 
 ah, from eternity to eternity ; involving in- 
 numerable diftin^tions among men, com- 
 munities, and nations of men ; and, as ma- 
 ny in regard to privileges, light, comfort, 
 influence and effe6l, in the prefent woi'ld ; 
 s,nd great, and innumerable dillinftions and 
 differences in the life and world to come, in 
 legard to different degrees of happinefs, dig- 
 nity, and glory. Yet the divine purpoTe 
 ^like fecures all men in ChriJI alone ; in hi^ 
 fi,nipn with, and covenant tor human natu^r^, 
 
94 
 
 TAEATlSE OM 
 
 as a cnvmavi for the people, and Gods falva- 
 tion to the cndf, of the earth ; and by the 
 exertion of his oflBce of prieft, prophet, and 
 king, in equal extent with each other. In 
 this way, I fay, alike fecures every part of 
 human nature, from any pain or forrow in 
 the world to come : And alike fecures real 
 happinefs and glory to every one, in that 
 proportion of grace, which infinite wifdom 
 and goodnefs hath appointed. 
 
 We now look into the atonement, the 
 fource of all hope to guilty man. Some 
 have, in late years, imbibed a fentiment 
 concerning the atonement, exceedingly dif- 
 ferent from that of the prophets and apoflles, 
 that of the primitive fathers in the chriftian 
 church, or that of our chriftian fathers in 
 later times, fuch as Ltithe?-, Calvin, Owen, 
 Flavfl, Watts, Hooker, Edwards, and indeed 
 every man in Europe and America, that has 
 paft under the denomination of a calvinift, 
 jince the reformation. 
 
 Their idea is, that the atonement is 
 nothing of a vicarious nature. They ad- 
 mit nothing like a fubftitute ; nothing like 
 a legal transfer of guilt and righteoufnefs, 
 hy divine conftitution and appointment ; 
 nothmg like a bondfman paying for an 
 original debtor ; nothing like a redeem«?r, 
 under the Jewifh law, ftepping into the 
 place of his kinfman, and redeeming by 
 price his forfeited inheritance ; nothing like 
 ^ good charafter prefented and accepted, in 
 hwy in the room and ftead of a bad onf j 
 
UNIVIRSAL SALVATION. or 
 
 ii,c. Sec. But thefe have been uniformly, 
 the fentiments of thofe I before mentioned, 
 fince the chriftian aera ; and the uniform 
 fenfe of the Jewifh church, with refpe6l to 
 the great atonement pointed out by all the 
 facrifices, fubftitutes, propitiations, and a- 
 tonements of that oeconomy ; and have, ever 
 been the invariable fentiments of all nations 
 ©f the earth, fo far as they have made ufe of 
 propitiations and atonements. 
 
 Those ideas, and indeed, the idea of any 
 proper atonement, or legal transfer of guilt 
 and righteoufncfs, is now wholly difcarded 
 by fome. They have, to the great aftonifhr 
 ment of many, boldly alferted that all the 
 oblations and facrifices of the ancient 
 church, had no direft meaning in them ; 
 but that thev are a vague and indefinite 
 kind of premonition, that a Mefliah ftiould, 
 in due time, fuffer, not however, as an ob" 
 lation, vicar, or fubjlitute, for any man. 
 Hence according to them, he did not bear 
 any man's fins in his own body on the tree, 
 in any direct; and proper fenfe ; was not 
 wounded for our tranfgreflions, or bruifed 
 for our iniquities ; the chaftifement of our 
 peace, was not upon him, nor are we healed 
 by his ftripes : Only as in a mere metaphor- 
 ical, indireft, and improper fenfe. 
 
 Having denied the transfer, and every 
 thing of the nature of a dire6i; and proper 
 imputation, they explain the whole import 
 of Chrift's obedience unto death, in the fol- 
 lowing manner. " That God being in his 
 free fovereign goodnefs, determined to fave 
 
^5 T R E A T I S E O N 
 
 finners, of his own mere mercy, was yefe 
 equally determined to vindicate his la\v, 
 and give the highell poflible teflimony of 
 his everlafling approbation of it, to all in- 
 telligent creatures. Therefore, with the free 
 content of his own Son, brought him under 
 this fame law, in human nature, and then ex- 
 a6led the whole demand of it. Hereby (hew- 
 ing, that God fo highly efteemed the law, as 
 to honor it, at the greatefl poffible expencc ; 
 and that he was willing to do nothing, but 
 as he would be done by. But in the like 
 predicament, he was willing his Son fhould 
 fuffer jull as his law demands of man : 
 And halving given this greatefl demon- 
 ftration of the infinite excellency of his 
 law, he now pardons and favcs whom he 
 pleafes, of his own fovereign grace and 
 mere mercy." This they call the atone- 
 ment ; though in full oppofition to all pro- 
 priety of language, as will fully appear. 
 
 TiiF.y have no idea of letting this atone- 
 ment to the account of man ; or laying the 
 iniquities of men on Chrift, by any legal 
 transfer, or any vicarious covenant of 
 redemption, or any thing like imputa- 
 tions on cither fide. They only fay, that 
 the door is now wide open for God to favc 
 finners, and fully maintain all the honors 
 of jullice, and that God now a£ls, accord- 
 ing to the free propcnfity ol his own nature, 
 in this great affair. 
 
 Tnisdo6lrine, if true, would, at firft fight 
 fhcw us that the eternal happinefs of all 
 fijjners i:» made furc. For what will not 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. gy 
 
 infinite love (God is love) joined with 
 infinite power do, when there remains not 
 the leaft claim of juftice, or any othfer di- 
 vine attribute in the way ? We may fafely 
 abide by what God hath fo often, and fo 
 clearly told iis ; that nothing but the claim 
 of juftice can ftand in the way of our hap- 
 pinefs. All his moral attributes are on the 
 iide of our happinefs, this only excepted. 
 All his natural attributes are ready to carry 
 into effeQ: all that his infinite grace, mercy, 
 and love point out ; favmg only that the 
 honor of his law, the copy of his infinite 
 holinefs and juftice, ftands in the way. 
 
 That the moral nature of God is infinite 
 love, is moft certain : That this love pleads 
 infinitely for fparing every finner from 
 eternal death, he hath often faid, and con- 
 firmed by folemn oath, Ezek, xviii, and 
 through the whole tenor of his word. Now 
 what can any defire more, to inlure their 
 own falvation, than the declaration and oath 
 of God, that his whole difpofition is infi- 
 nitely oppofed to the final deftruclion of 
 any man : being alfo aftiired, that every at- 
 tribute of his nature, may appear infinitely 
 glorious and honorable, in the falvation 
 of all ; and that infinite, uncontroulable 
 wifdom and power, are ever ready to ac- 
 complifti all the divine will ? 
 
 I THEREFORE fay again, that, if the afore- 
 mentioned, new notion of the atonement 
 were juft, the final falvation of all man- 
 kind would be as lure, as infinite love and 
 N 
 
q3 treatiseon 
 
 power can make it ; and therc would need 
 no more to be faid on the Tubjeft'. But I 
 would not avail myfelf, at all, of this prin- 
 ciple : For it is entirely oppofttc to all rea- 
 ion, and the whole word of God. 
 
 The true doctrine of the atone- 
 ment is in very deed this. A direEi, true, 
 TiTid proper fitiing all cur guilt to the account of 
 Chrijl, as curjadcral head and Jponjor : And 
 a like placing his obedience unto death, to our 
 account. In the covenant of redemption 
 and divine conllitution, God regards both 
 parties, jull as though the Son of man had 
 perfonally done all, man hath done ; and 
 man had don-e and fuffercd all that ih^Jecond 
 man hath himfelf done and fufFered. Rom. 
 viii. 3, 4. " For what the laiv could not do, 
 in that it was weak through the fleih, God 
 lending his own Son in the likenefs of finful 
 llefli, and for fm condemned fm in the 
 flefh : That the rightcoulncfs of the law 
 might be fuHilled in us, who walk not 
 after the flelh, but after the fpirit." In 
 the atonement, | f. h o v a h looked on 
 liis Son, in the glafs of foederal ftipula- 
 tion, in the very charatlcr of finful man, 
 and, for Lim a tuie. and proper Jubjluute, and 
 treated hmi in jullice as fuch ; and took 
 complete fatisfa6tion of him, for all fmful 
 man deicrvcd. This being done, he lot)ks 
 on linful man in the true and proper charaEicr 
 of his fubllitutc or vi( ar, even the Son of 
 man, and will be fure to treat him accord- 
 ingly. The alfertion is mofh allonifliing. 
 and' far fiom what man or angels would 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 
 
 99 
 
 ever have thought of, had it not been re- 
 vealed by God himfelf. This, agreeably to 
 the divine oracles, is a conftant mark of the 
 truth- 
 
 HfREfome may cry out and fay, guilt 
 and righteoufnefs is of a perfonal nature, 
 and cannot be transferred. But I now pro- 
 mife, that in its proper place, I will fully 
 demonftrate, that although both thefe are 
 perfonal, they may be transferred, fully ac- 
 cording to reafon and common fenfe, as well 
 as ao-reeably to the divine conftitution. 
 But firft, I muft adduce my evidences to 
 (hew that the fcripture do6lrine of atone- 
 ment is exaftly as I have dated. 
 
 Here are four englilh terms, frequent in 
 the bible, which promifcuoufly convey the 
 fame idea, viz. aiomment, ravjcm, propitiation, 
 Si-aA redemption. The learned will bearme wit- 
 nefs,that the fame original hebrew and greek 
 words, with all their compounds and deriv- 
 atives, are promifcuoufly tranflated by thefe 
 englifh words, with the derivatives and com- 
 pounds of the fame. The fubftantives are 
 nitd. fcventy two times in the old and new 
 teftament, in the original, and alfo in the 
 tranflation. They, every where, either di- 
 reftly import, or fairly allude unto a true 
 and proper transfer, or fetting the doings or 
 fufferings of one, to the true and proper ac- 
 count of another ; or dealing with one, not 
 in his perfonal charafter, but in the perfon- 
 al chara£ler of another, hy him ajfuvied. 
 
 I MIGHT nil many ff#:)S, ftiould I bring 
 up to view diflinftly. ever)' palTagc m fcrip- 
 
lOO 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 ture that is to the purpofe, and make only 
 a brief commciH on each. I fhall only ad- 
 duce a few, and leave the reader to add ma- 
 ny more, at liis lei lure, if he pleafe. The 
 plain import of all the facrifices and obla- 
 tions, which God appointed by Moles, firfl; 
 meet our a iew. Their whole meaning cen- 
 ters in the antitype, which all, that pay any 
 regard to revelation, allow to be Chrift. 
 T here is no figure no metaphor in a type^ 
 any more than m the mod plain and fim- 
 pie propofition. All types only fpeak in 
 the mofl direft manner to the eye, what the 
 mofl fmiple propofition does to the eye, if 
 read, or to the ear if pronounced. Our 
 mouths Ipeak words ; types Ipeak things 
 more direClly, and admit no metaphor. 
 
 The term is firfl uled, to give us the tine 
 and proper idea of a propitiation, ranfom, 
 ^c. in Exodus xxi. 30. " If there be laid 
 on him a fum of money, then he fhall give 
 tor the RANSOM of his life whatloever is laid 
 upon him." Here the money mentioned, 
 comes direftly and properly into the place 
 of the man's life ; one or the other mufl be 
 Jaid down. Again Exodus xxx. 12, 16. 
 *• And thou fhalt take the atonement-money 
 of the children of lirael, and fhalt appoint 
 3t for the lervice of the tabernacle of the 
 congregation ; that it may be a memorial 
 unto the children of Ifracl before the Lord, 
 to make an atonement for your fouls." An 
 atonement is called aioniment-moncy, the 
 whole idea of which is negotiable, or 
 iranslerable. In the cafe of the rcdemp- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. j^^ 
 
 tion of an inheritance that has been a- 
 lienated, the word is often ufed to fi^ify 
 a proper price. Levit. xxv. 23, 24, 25. 
 Paul, with the plaineft allufion to this 
 chapter, comments upon it, applying it to 
 the redemption by Chrift. Ephef. i. 14. 
 " Which is the earnefl of our inheritance, 
 until the redemption of the purchafed pof- 
 i'effion, unto the praife of his glory." How 
 direftly is the vi6lim put in the place of 
 Ifaac ? See Gen. xxii. No language can 
 poffibly Ipeak plainer than the type of the 
 two goats, Levit. xvi. The high prieft killed 
 one goat for the people ; fhewing that they 
 all deferved to die, and that the antitype 
 fhould indeed die for them,. Then, by a 
 plain fignal, with full confcffion of all their 
 fins, laid them on the head of the icape goat, 
 to be carried away into cverlading oblivion, 
 as to any punifhment that fhould come on 
 them in another world, for thtir fins ; though 
 the very fymbol, fo often repeated, would 
 keep them in perpetual remembrance, for 
 a proper efFe6l on their own minds. 
 
 David applies the direft and proper im- 
 port of all thefe types, to redemption by 
 Chrift, and makes ufe of the lame words, 
 Pfaim xlix. 7, 8. " None of them can by 
 any means redeem his brother, nor give to 
 God a ranfom for bim : For the redemption 
 of their foul is precious, and it ceaieth for- 
 ever." Solomon ucnderftands the fame term 
 to mean one thing direftly far- another, Prov. 
 xiii. 8- '' The ranfom of a man's life are 
 his riches." Read Paul's comment on the 
 
102 TREATISE ON 
 
 import of all tlicfe terms/centering in Chrift, 
 Rom. iii. 21. lo the end. The apoflle here 
 and every where, notices the abundance of 
 grace conneded with our juftification ; and 
 alfo fhews us that there is much more of 
 grace and mercy conncded with our jufti- 
 fication, by a true and proper imputation, than 
 could be in any other way, which 1 fhall 
 fully confirm in its proper place. 
 
 In the fifth chapter of theepiftle to the Ro- 
 mans, Paul confiders the atonement in this 
 view: That Jefus paid the whole price for us, 
 or exhibited his own charafter to God in the 
 room and ftead of ours, when wc were in 
 our worft ftate, without repentance, with- 
 out faith, in all our enmity, and in every 
 view moft unworthy : That he did jullify 
 us, not as penitent ; but as impenitent ; not 
 as believers, but as unbelievers ; tor penitence 
 and faith are exercifes of a new heart, and 
 godlinefs ; not as godly, in the leafl degree ; 
 but as wholly ungodly : And then brings 
 the knowledge and comfort of this previous 
 tranfa6tion to our fouls, bv izivintr us a heart 
 prepared to have light and full evidence 
 operate properly upon ; alfo. communica- 
 ting to us full evidence of what he hath 
 done, lo that wc receive a previous atone- 
 ment, and " know the things that are freely 
 given us of God." 
 
 John tells us, if any man, any of the 
 human kind fin, we have* an advocate with 
 the P^ather, Jefus Chrift; the righteous : that 
 they who at prejcnt are convinced of this, 
 have prrfcnt Jpecial cornfort in it ; but that 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. jq^ 
 
 the propitiation and the advocate would 
 furely extend to all, in due time. For he de- 
 clares that this advocate for any man, "is the 
 propitiation for our fins, and not for ours 
 only, but alfo for the fins of the whole 
 WORLD." He alfo declares, that a man 
 muft have a good and obedient heart given 
 him, in order to take this comfort- " And 
 hereby we do know that we know him, if 
 we keep his commandments." i. John, 
 
 ii. 1, 2, 3. ^ , , 
 
 Jesus tells us. Matt. xx. 28. and Mark 
 X. 45. Vkrhat the end of his death was ; " to 
 jrive his life a ranfom for many." He does 
 not, in thefe places, tell us how many. The 
 word many, may comprehend a part, or all 
 of the human race. In John i. 29. the ex- 
 tent of the ranfom is declared. " John feeth 
 Jefus coming unto him, and faith. Behold 
 the Lamb of God, which taketh away the 
 SIN OF THE WORLD." Paul undeiftaiids this 
 ranfom for many, to fignify juil as many as 
 there fnall ever exift of the human kind, 
 and fo calls it " a ranjom for all." 1. Tim. 
 ii, 6. 
 
 The fame apoftle fpeaketh of the ex- 
 ceeding comfort refulting from predeftina- 
 tion and adoption, as firil communicated to 
 prefent believers, and equally fure in God's 
 time, to extend to all the children of men. 
 Ephef. i. 4, — 14. " According as he hath 
 chofen us in him, before the foundation oi 
 the world, that we fliould be holy, and with- 
 out blame before him in love : Having pre-- 
 dellinatcd us unto the adoption of children, 
 
104 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 by Jefus Chrift to himfclf, according to the 
 good pleafurc of his will, to the pr.iile of 
 the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made 
 us accepted in the Beloved : In whom wc 
 have redemption through his biood, the for- 
 givenefs of fms, according to the riches of 
 his grace ; wherein he hath abounded to- 
 ward us in all wildom and prudence, having 
 made known unto us the myftery of his will, 
 accordmg to his good plealure, which he 
 hath purpofed in himfclf : That in the dif- 
 penfation of the fulnefs of times, he might 
 gather together in one all things in Chrift, 
 both which are in heaven, and which arc on 
 earth, even in him : In whom alfo we have 
 obtained an inheritance, being prcdeftinated 
 according to the purpofe of him who work- 
 eth all things after the counfel of his own 
 will : That we fhould be to the praife of his 
 glory, who firft trufted in Chrift. In whom 
 ye alfo trufted after that ye heard the word 
 of truth, THE gospkl of your salvation : 
 in whom alfo, after that yc believed, ye were 
 iealed with that holy Spirit of promife." 
 
 The whole book of divine revelation gives 
 us the fame idea of the propitiation, atone- 
 ment, ranfom, redemption ; by whatever 
 term is imported our meritorious juftification, 
 alcertaining our final ialvation. Meritorious, 
 I fay ; for never was there a clearer diftinc- 
 lion in the word of God, than the three 
 difterent lignifications of the term jujliji- 
 cation : ift. By the atonement mentor loufly : 
 •>. B)' faiih inflrv.mentally, for comtoit and 
 enjoyment : 3. By works, dcdarativdy^ or 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. j-jr 
 
 as evidence of our juflification. If the 
 reader reads as he ought on fuch a fub- 
 jeft, he will certainly have his bible be- 
 fore him : I will therefore only further re- 
 fer to a few paffages, which he may confult 
 and comment upon for himfelf. John i. 
 29. — iii. 16, 17. — iv. 42. — vi. 33, 51. — viii* 
 12. — xii. 47. — xvii. 21, 23. Rom. iv. 13. 
 - — xi. 12, 15. 2. Cor. v. 18, to the end, 
 compare Pfal. Ixiv. 9, with John xii. 32. 
 Ephef. iii. Titus iv. 
 
 In thefe lail two chapters referred to, the 
 infinite, iovereign, all conquering grace and 
 power of God appear moil ailonifhing. 
 Here the apoftle confiders the whole preach- 
 ing of the golpel, and faith wrought in the 
 foul, as having no other concern with their 
 glorious obje6*ts ; but only by comfort in. 
 them, and perional improvement: Not at all 
 altering God's purpofe and grace, or Chrift's 
 merits, or his fure determination to apply 
 them to iinners ; but only giving them an 
 apprehenfion and fenfibility of all thefe 
 things, and io laying a foundation for meet 
 fruits. 
 
 Paul fpeaks of the Vhole as completed 
 by God, inChrifl, and nothing more remain- 
 ing to be done, but the communication of it 
 to Iinners by regeneration, repentance, faith^ 
 and every grace ; which are all, wholly the 
 gift of God. " Unto me who am lefs than 
 the leall of all faints, is this grace givea, 
 that I fhould preach among the Gentiles the 
 tinfearchable riche:^ of Chrill ; and to inake 
 
 O 
 
jQg TREATISE ON 
 
 all men fee, what is the fellowfliip of tlic 
 myfleiy, which from the beginning of the 
 world, hath been hid in God, who created 
 all things by jcfus Chrift." " That Chrifl 
 may dwell in your hearts, by faith ; that ye 
 being rooted and grounded in love, may be 
 able to comprehend with all faints what is 
 the breadth and length, and depth, and 
 height ; and to know the love o/^ Chrift, which 
 paifeth knowledge, (i. e. far beyond all that 
 mankind have hitherto conceived, othenvife 
 there would be a flat contradiftion) that ye 
 may be filled with all the fulnefs of God." 
 Ephei. -in. " For the grace of God that 
 bringeth falvation, hath appeared to all 
 men, (i. c, prefents one and the fame afpe6t 
 to all the human kind, and the influence 
 when known rs alike on the hearts, and in 
 the lives of all) viz. teaching us that, deny- 
 ing ungodlinels and worldly lufls, we fliould 
 live fobcrly, righteoufly, and godly, in 
 this prefcnt world ; looking for that blefled 
 hope, and the glorious appearing of the 
 great God, and our Saviour Jefus Chrift: : 
 Who gave himfcif lor us, (with as fixed a 
 purpofe of clfcftual application, ar ever he 
 had of meritorious impetration) that he mig'ht 
 redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to 
 hipifcif a peculiar people (ftanding in luch 
 a relation to him, as neither angels, nor any 
 other creatures do) zealous of good works ;" 
 i. e. as grace appears, and lahation is 
 l>rought to the foul by evidence of faith, a 
 zeal for good works does follow. Alio thole 
 men wh(i, ha\c nianifellations of this tjracc 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^qj 
 
 and falvation, are diftinguiflied from thofe 
 who are not as yet acquainted with it, '' a pe- 
 culiar people zealous of good works," Titus ii. 
 11. Sec. 
 
 It has been often faid, that guilt and 
 righteoufnefs being of a perfonal nature can- 
 not be transferred ; and that the word of 
 God confirms this, in that it is faid, '.' the 
 foul that fmneth it (hall die." 
 
 It has been with wonder and aftonifh- 
 ment, that I have heard fome very fenfible 
 men make this remark. Guilt and right- 
 eoufnefs are of a perfonal nature, we all al- 
 low ; but the confequence does by no means 
 follow, that they cannot be transferred by or- 
 der of Jehovah. Nor can there lie one argTi- 
 ment againft fuch a transfer, but what will lie 
 with equal force againft any transfer of pro- 
 perty , ever made in this world. What gives my 
 neighbor aright to transfer his goods to me 
 for money, or fome other valuable confider- 
 ation ? certainly nothing but this, viz. the 
 goods were his property, and the money 
 mine. God gives us the whole warrant 
 and right of contratl, transfer, and dilpoial, 
 and it is the fame in every^ cafe. The clifpof- 
 tr rauji he the proprietor, fo far as the difpolal 
 is made ; this ' will make it warrantable in 
 every cafe in the univerfe, and nothing elfe 
 can. " May I not do what I will with mine 
 own ?" 
 
 Now a creature cannot be an abfolute 
 proprietor in any thing : This is peculiar to 
 God. Yet creatures have delegated proper- 
 ty, within God's limitations. They have 
 
103 TREATISE QN 
 
 no property in oppofition to the claim of 
 the Creator ; yet they have in oppofition 
 tp the claims of their tcilow creatures. Thus, 
 this paper is mine, and not my neighbor's : 
 Eut I cannot lay it is mine, and not my 
 Maker's. This applies to all that ever can 
 te called the property of ^ny creature. All 
 pur property, all that wc are owners of, is 
 ouis onl)', in oppulition to the ciaim of our 
 fellow crcaiurcs. God is ftill as much the 
 f3wncr and proprietor ot all things, as if he 
 Jiad never given any property to any crea- 
 ture, under any dirctlions or linutations 
 whatever. 
 
 1 nAv:: a right to dilpofe of my horfe, my 
 labor, my land, &c. and my neighbor has 
 no right to controul me. Yet herein, and 
 in all my conducl:, I am bound to obey the 
 ^vill, and attend to the orders of the great, 
 and abfolute Proprietor of all things. Un- 
 der this limitation, fo far as any thing is my 
 own, I may transfer or dilpofe of it as I 
 pleafe ; and fo may every creature of God, 
 in like manner. Has not God himfelf the 
 fame right without limitation of a fuperior ? 
 TTioft certainly. It is only then to fliew that 
 God has as real property in all things, mo- 
 ral and natural, temporal and eternal, as I 
 have m the pen I now hold in my hand ; 
 and this will prove he has an equal right of 
 difpofal. by transfer or any other way. I 
 can eafily demonOrate this and much more. 
 
 TiiFKK arc ievcial ways, in which man- 
 kind acquire property, in the limited fcnfc 
 aforefaid, or fuch property as we are capa- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 
 
 109 
 
 ble of ; particularly by difcovery and occu- 
 pancy, by purchai'e, labor, free gift, &c. 
 In thefe ways we have a right of difpofal and 
 transfer, under the direction of the great and 
 abfolutc Owner of all things. 
 
 But we fee in a moment, that no proper- 
 ty or right we claim, in any of thofe ways, 
 is in any meafure equal to the right arifmg 
 from creation, or the right of one who gives 
 -whole, intire being to what he claims. God 
 has this right in every thing without poffi- 
 bility of exception ; in every exiftence na- 
 tural and moral ; in all creatures, and in all 
 done by creatures ; and in every diipofi- 
 tion found in creatures, evil as well as good. 
 All guilt and all righteoufnefs are the abfo- 
 lute property of the great God. He is the 
 origin and fountain of all holinefs, goodneis, 
 righteoufnefs ; " there is none good but 
 one, that is God." As all creatures are his 
 abfolute property, fo are all their difpofi- 
 tions and actions. Whether good or evil, 
 it alters not the cafe. 
 
 In this view of God, as being the abfolute 
 proprietor, and having the fole right of abfo- 
 lute difpofal ; the devil with all that per- 
 tains to him, moral and natural, are as whol- 
 ly and intirely God's property as Gabriel 
 is. A man may be owner of bad property 
 as well as good, and fo may God. 
 
 You have two Ions in their minority, the 
 one the bell, and the other the vilell in the 
 world. They are both alike yours, and at 
 your difpofal. One of your hands is wound-. 
 cd And iu extreme pain, the other perfeftly 
 
11^ TREATISE OM 
 
 well ; yet thev are both alike your own. 
 You have a flock of flieep in your paflure, 
 and there is alfo a den of ferpcnts on your 
 land, which you bought with all its appur- 
 tenances. You are the owner and proprie- 
 tor of thofe venemous ierpents, as much as 
 of your ftiecp, and have an equal right to 
 kill them both ; the one for the fupply of 
 your table ; the other for the fake of being 
 out of danger from their poifon. You have 
 an equ:al right to transfer them both. Some 
 eminent phylician may appear, who knows 
 well how he can turn that den of venemous 
 ferpcnts to more advantage, and greater good 
 to mankind, than he can all the fheep you 
 poficls. They are yours ; and you may 
 transfer them to him. 
 
 So far as man is owner and proprietor of 
 any thing, whether that thing be good or 
 evil, it alters not the right of difpofal in the 
 lead. If I could exercife true benevolence 
 to my fellow men, in healing them, and in 
 furnifliing them with fure antidotes againil 
 mortal poifon, by keeping a den of the moll 
 deadly ferpents, under proper reftraint ; I 
 would do it. No man would fay I did 
 wrong : Or that 1 was not the proprietor of 
 them, and had no right to transfer them ; 
 becaufe they are fuch evil, hateful creatures. 
 Thus, the most high turns his whole cave 
 of devils to good account, and to the greateft 
 perfettion of benevolence, in a fyflem re- 
 plete with love. And fo he docs all the 
 moral evil in the univerfe. He makes ufe of 
 creatures and things of the moral kind, which 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^^^ 
 
 are infinitely hateful to him, in their nature, 
 to anfwer great and good ends, in tlie whole 
 fyftem. 
 
 But God never made fin. Who did ? 
 The devil and wicked men. Be it fo. Yet 
 this devil and all his afTociates, and all wick- 
 ed men, are God's property, ahfolutely and 
 wholly fo ; and of conlequence all their do- 
 ings are equally his property, Sin is a pro- 
 perty infinitely hateful in its nature ; but it 
 is not therefore the lefs at God's difpofal, 
 as his own property, by transfer, or any other 
 way he pleafes. God is an abfolute fove- 
 reign in difpofmg of it jufl as he pleafes. 
 '' May I not do what I will with mine own ?" 
 
 On the other hand. As to all righteouf- 
 nefs ; God is the original fountain of the 
 whole, that ever did, or can exift in himfelf, 
 and in all creatures. It is all abfolutely his 
 own property, as much after communication 
 as before. And all the creatures to whom it 
 is communicated, are in like manner his 
 own. All the holinefs found in their tem- 
 per, charafter and conduft is fo in everv 
 view ; and Ghrift, as mediator and favior of 
 the world, is as abfolutely his, as any crea- 
 ture he ever made. " Chrijt is God's." 
 
 Now, in the name of reaion and common 
 fenfe, what hinders a transfer, if God plea- 
 fes ? does he meddle with any thing but his 
 own abfolute property ; to which no other 
 Being in the univerfe has any oppofite claim, 
 any more that I have now a right to claim 
 Godhead, as my own ? Shew me, that Je- 
 hovah is dealing in fomething that is not 
 
112 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 his abfolute property ; and I will then, and 
 not till then, deny that he hath a right to 
 transfer guilt and righteoufnefs, ut his plea- 
 fure. 
 
 But if God is fuch a fovereiCTn as this 
 
 o 
 
 comes to, where is the fafety of creatures ? 
 where is the fafety of man ? Be patient, kind 
 reader, I will open to you a glorious foun- 
 dation of fafety, in its proper place. Take 
 only this hint for the prefent. AH the fafety, 
 hope, and happinefs of man, and of the 
 whole, intelligent fyflem, lies in the nature, 
 moral charaBcr, eternal decrees, and fovtreign 
 will of Jehovah alone. But this is a di- 
 greffion, to be relumed in its proper place. 
 
 It is expedient here, that I fhew what it is 
 that ever induced any man, that hnth ac- 
 knowledged divine revelation, to draw a con- 
 fequence fo palpably erfoneous, from a po- 
 rtion that is very true. " Guilt and rightc- 
 mifnefi, lay ^hey, ore of a perfonal nature : 
 Certainly, there^'re, God himfelf has no right fo 
 transfer them" ! I ! That is to fay, God has 
 no more pre pert v in the moral iyflem than I 
 have ! Jehovah has no more right to give 
 law to his creatures, than anv one man has to 
 another. The most high has no right to 
 covenant for his creatures, his own abfolule 
 property ; though I have a good right to 
 covenant tor my children in many things, 
 and etFeftually bind them to abide by what 
 I have donCi 
 
 Ir is true, a man has no right to covenant 
 for his own children, in matters of a moral 
 vatiDC, matters of f^uilt and riHiteouJnfJi-, 
 
tTNIVERSAL SALVATION*. 
 
 il3 
 
 What is the reafon that he may not do this, 
 as well as in pecuniary matters ? It is only 
 becaufe God has given him his limits. Man 
 is an abfolute proprietor of nothing. He 
 has a /miiJ^i property, v/ithin certain bounds, 
 and that under divine regulation ; and thus 
 far he may plead the general warrant of dif- 
 pofal, " 7nay I not do what I will zviUimy ozun ?" 
 Beyond this he may not preiume. The 
 lame may be faid of the higheil angel ; but 
 not of God. He is wholly without limita- 
 tion, v/ith regard to his own abfolute pro- 
 perty, in ail things moral, as well as ail 
 things natural. And in regard to rightecuf- 
 ncfs and gialt, they are in ail realon, and by 
 every dictate of revelation, as abfoiutely, and 
 juftlyat his difpofal, as a fparrow, orafingle 
 hair of your head. 
 
 If any ftiould here fay, This makes 
 God a guilty being, and his nature like the 
 nature of fin. The cavil would be worthy 
 of no other anfwer than this ; If you owii 
 a very wicked fervant, whofe temper and 
 conduft is hateful to you every day ; you. 
 are certainly as wicked as he. 
 
 We now conclude, that God may accord- 
 ing to reafon and common fenfe, transfer and 
 impute CTuilt and righteoufnefs. His word 
 declares abundantly that he hath this right, 
 and that he hath exercifed it, to the mofi; be- 
 nevolent and glorious purp'ofe. This is the 
 grand diftinguifliing doctrine of divine reve- 
 lation, which Paul confidcred as compre- 
 hending the whole. This, with its glorious 
 P 
 
114 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 corre6lions and co-nfequcnces, claimed his 
 whole attention. " For I determined not 
 to know any thing iimong you, lave JeluS 
 Chrifl and him ci-ucified." " God forbid 
 that 1 fhould glory, fave in the crofs of our 
 Lord jefus Chrilt, by whom the world is 
 Crucified unto me and I unto the world." 
 " God hath laid upon him the iniquity of 
 us all." " He was wounded for our iniqui- 
 tits, he was bruiled for our tranfgreflions, 
 the chaQifcment ot our peace was upon him, 
 and by his fin pes we are healed." " Chnfl: 
 our paffover is facrificed for us." " He who 
 knew no fin was made fin for us, that we 
 might be made the rightcoufnefs of God in 
 him." " Thou fhalt make his foul an of- 
 fering for fm." 
 
 Reason doth mofl fully warrant or fup- 
 port a falvation by a proper vicar, by jul-Jii' 
 tution, transfer, imputation of guilt and 
 rightcoufnefs-. Not a lingle reafon can be 
 ofl-'cred againft it, but what will lie, even 
 with greater apparent force, againil your 
 right of transferring one fliillingfor a fupper ; 
 or redeeming your own brother out of 
 prifon, by the vicarions transfer oi one pound. 
 Reafon, I fay, tells us in the cleareft, 
 poflible manner, that God may fo redeem 
 man, if he pleafcs. But we are wholly in- 
 debted to divine revelation, to know that he 
 hath fo done. If he hath not there told us 
 lb ; it is utterly beyond all the power of 
 language evtr to communicate that idea. 
 Give up this do6lrine, and wo may flil^ 
 reck(;n ihc bible among good books, and 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATJON. ^^r- 
 
 .even call it the bed on the whole- Yet 
 there will be nothing left, to diftinguifh it 
 from the works of Plato, Cicero, Seneca, 
 &c. othcrwife than as any one good writer 
 may fomewhat excel another. If all man- 
 kind would abufc all words as they do fo7ne 
 terms, who deny that the ialvation of fmners 
 is founded on a proper juhjlitution ; all ufe 
 and benefit of language would be forever at 
 an end. 
 
 The reafon why any run fo wild in this 
 matter, is, becaule they have not a true 
 knowledge of Jehovah. They reafon about 
 '' the poifeffor of heaven and earth," who is 
 under no limitation, " and who worketh 
 all thinos according to the counfel of his own 
 
 O O 
 
 will ;" jufl as they would about the conduct 
 of creatures, who have no ablolute property, 
 and are capable of none. 
 
 Here, many have found fault with that 
 moft clear dodrine of divine revelation, 
 that God conftituted Adam a fcederal head 
 for all his race; in language like this. " / 
 ■ivas not prefent ;" '' I knew nothing about it ;" 
 '' / did not agree to it ;"' therefore it is unjuft 
 that I ftiould be holden by it." Unthink- 
 ing man ! Do you not fo far as you have 
 property, make bargains and covenants to 
 bind your heirs and fuccefl'ors, and thofe 
 unborn too ? Will you not hold fa ft a 
 privilege acquired in a covenant way, by 
 your great grandfather, or any predeceffor 
 at the diftance of many generations, and 
 defcending to you by right of heirfliip- ? \\[h£it 
 ;i your neighbor ftiould come and claU^ 
 
•2i6 TREATISE ON 
 
 your farm, and fay, this was my grandfa- 
 ther's ; and he fold it ; and I was not pr^fent. 
 I never gave my confent ; and I will not be 
 holdcn by what he did. I will have the 
 farm. Would you not tell him that his 
 predeceiTor did nothing but what he had a 
 right to do ; and bid defiance to his claim ? 
 
 But God hath a better right to the difpo- 
 fal of all things, moral and natural, than ever 
 any man had to that of his land. Befides, 
 he covenanted only for his own children, his 
 bzcn cf spring. In this view, all mankind 
 Hand in a much nearer relation to the com- 
 mon Parent of all, than ever any child did to 
 an earthly parent. And we can no more 
 diholve this relation by all our fins, than 
 the wickednefs of your fon, can make him 
 ceale to he. your fon. Moreover, the cove- 
 nant God made with Adi^m, was infinitely 
 better than we could have made for our- 
 lelves, had we been prefent ; as will abund- 
 antly appear in the iequel. However, God 
 had full right to make It, -avA conprmit, and 
 that on both fides too, upon the ground of 
 abfolutc and univcrfal property. 
 
 When you covenant with your neighbor 
 it is proper for you to fay, / will if you zuill : 
 I propole, and wait for your conlent. Other- 
 wife there" can be nothing binding. You 
 make one part of the covenant, your neigh- 
 bor the other : for you are equals. It is not 
 fo with you, and that Being, '' of whom, and 
 through whom, and to whom, are all things." 
 He eveVy where makes both parts of the co- 
 venant, and would dtTcend infinitely be- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^^„ 
 
 iieath his right and dignity if he did not. 
 His language to man is, I will, andyouJJiall; 
 and never leaves it at the eleftion of man, to 
 comply with his covenant, or rciufe with 
 impunity. 
 
 But, fome have imagined that this idea of 
 jullification, by a true and proper atonement, 
 
 fiihjlitiition, or ranfom, is inconfiftent with 
 free jullification by grace, or free ialvatioii 
 by mere mercy, fo often ipoken of in fcrip- 
 ture. This is fo far from being a juH re- 
 mark, that I am bold to affirm, that free 
 grace and merp mercy abound to fmners in 
 this way, more than could be poihble m any 
 other way. It is all grace, dilplayed and 
 communicated to fmners, m the moji gracious 
 •way. Was it not infinite, fovereign grace 
 and mercy in God that firil moved in this 
 grand affair ? in the Father, to give the 
 Son of his love to fufFer and die for finners, 
 and in the Son to confcnt, and undertake ? 
 Is not the whole purchafe, all of mere, fo- 
 vereign grace and mercy as it refpefts fm- 
 ners, in all their guilt and enmity againft 
 
 / God ? " While we were without ftrengtb, 
 in due time, Chrifh died for the ungodly." 
 '' God commcndeth his love, i.e. difplays 
 it to the very bell advanta;^c, in that while 
 we' were yet Jinners, Chrifl died for us." 
 Hence the apoille argues the certainty of the 
 application of the ialvation thus purchafed 
 for fmners, while in their very tuorjl condition. 
 Becaufc they were even then ]uft/Jied, by the, 
 blood of Cnnil, before they knew any thing 
 ot it; before repent?.nce, or faith, or regene-^ 
 
Il8 TREATISE ON 
 
 ration, or any change in their hearts towards 
 Cod : Jullificd, I lay, by Chrift their furety 
 and Redeemer, in the prefencc of God, long 
 before they had any knowledge of it by 
 failh ; or any comfort in the great work tliat 
 the fecond man had finiflied. What can be 
 plainer than the following words ? " Much 
 more then, being now juftified by his blood, 
 we fhall be faved from wrath through him. 
 For if, when we were enemies, we were recon^ 
 cilcd to God, hy the death of his Son ; much 
 more being reconciled, we Ihall be faved by 
 his life." Rom. v. 8, &c. Thus the a- 
 tonement is fo far from any thing inconfifl- 
 ent with free grace and mere mercy, that 
 God thereby difplays and communicates it 
 to the utmoft advantage, " coonmendeth his 
 love." 
 
 Men often greatly derogate from tlie free 
 grace which they bellow, by the manner in 
 which they communicate it. Your neighbor 
 received from his father, as good an inheri- 
 tance as you did from yours ; and in both 
 cafes, the gilt was of mere parental love, or 
 free grace. Whenever he petitioned his fa- 
 ther with regard to the expeftcd plantation, 
 he Was anlv/trcd with frowns, and kept much 
 in fufpenfe, for forty years. His father uf- 
 ed often to tell him ; '- Son, I will have you 
 to know, that I will make )'OU fure of noth- 
 ing ; I will keep you doubtful, and will do 
 as I pleafe." After forty years, his father, 
 at his death, left him the ettate; but he might 
 rather thank death for the comfort of hi^ 
 fortune, than his father. 
 
UNIVERSAL SAIvATION. Hg 
 
 Your father gave you juft as much, of 
 his free grace likewife ; but in a different 
 mode. When you was twenty two years of 
 age, he called you to him, and with a pa- 
 ternal complacency in his countenance, ad- 
 dreffed you thus. " My fon, you are fenfi=' 
 blc God has bleffed mc with a plentiful 
 eftate, for which I wiih ever to be thankiul. 
 One half of my eftate is more than I can ufe 
 to any advantage, otherwile than to com- 
 municate comfort to others. You, my child, 
 are in the bloom of youth, and I wifli to 
 make you as ufeful and happy as I can, in 
 early life, and all your days ; I have there- 
 fore given and confirmed to you my houfe 
 in the nejct ftreet, and the five hundred acres 
 of land adjoining. The dsed was executed 
 la ft year ; and that you may have the com- 
 fort of your eftate, and every encourage^ 
 ment and motive to induftry and ufeiulnels, 
 I now eive you the deed, by which I have 
 made the whole fure to you." Then he gave 
 you the inftrument under his hand and leal, 
 well executed: Adding; "paternal affec- 
 tion is a mighty principle in the human 
 foul ; I wifti divine Providence may give 
 you experience of it ere long, in domeftic 
 connettion." You went immediately into 
 the polltflion of your fine eftate ; and have 
 had great comfort in it thele forty years. 
 
 Your neighbor is now at laft, as wealthy 
 as you are ; but he has been in doleful lui- 
 pcnle and anxiety this forty years, often lur- 
 mizing he ftiould die a beggar. He hath not 
 enjoyed the comforts ©f life as you have ; 
 
i20 TREATISE OJ> 
 
 nor had thofe encouragements and motives 
 toinduftry; nor loved his father half fo 
 well as you have yours. True, atlaft, when 
 covered with gray hairs, he has received the 
 fame free grace from his father that you 
 have from yours ; but in a manner very dif- 
 ferent. You had a title, by firm covenant 
 in early lile, founded on mere grace : He 
 was kept a.t fovcreign mercy, in diftreffing iuf- 
 penfe until he v/as an old man, and then 
 was made rich hy free grace likewife. Now, 
 my reader, is there not as much grace in the 
 conduft of your father towards you, as 
 your neighbor has experienced from his fa- 
 ther ? Was not the manner of communica- 
 tion as gracious, and much more lo ? Juft 
 fo, our heavenly Father not only makes uu 
 rich by 7nere grace ; but in the mofl gracioiii 
 manner, giving us all pofTible fenle of his in- 
 hnilc good will ; and all pollible comfort 
 in the enjoyment ; and every motive to gra- 
 titude and uielulnefs. And, the exercife 
 of goodnels through his own Sen, infcederal 
 capacity, doth much enhance and coiamend 
 this grace. 
 
 No pcrlbn of ingenuity, will cavil at a 
 fimilitude; becaulc it is not in all rcfpefts a 
 rcfcmblance. None are fo. If they il- 
 luUrate the point aimed at, it is enough. 
 The above is intended only to illuflrate ihi i 
 truth, viz. Much of mere grac^ lies in th 
 manner ot beilowm.ent. 
 
 In the great affair of our juRification ; 
 though it is legally due Jrom the Father >S 
 the Sen, in conlidcration of the atonement he 
 
UNIVERSAL S A L V A T I O N. j,.'2Y'. 
 
 has- made ; yet the grace conne6{:cd with it, 
 is, in every view, infinite, and difpiayed in a 
 manner gracious iri the highell degree. It 
 is grace, tree, Ibvereign grace, in the eternal 
 counfels of heaven : Ail grace in the decree : 
 Crace- in the gift, and in the undertaknig : 
 Infinite grace in allGhrift has done and 
 fuffcred, as" it refpe6ls finners : Sovereign 
 •-'race in their regeneration, convcrfion, the' 
 gift of repentance, faith, holinefs, conlola- 
 tion, perfeverance, eternal glory : All grace, 
 tVee grace, fovcreign grace, unfearchable 
 riches of ^ grace, from God to man; though 
 the Son hath a claim of righteoufnefs on 
 the Father, and pleads for the unjujl and the 
 ungodly, on the ground of the covenant. 
 From the foundation to the top ftone there- 
 of, all, is " brought forth with fhoutmg; 
 cryin;^ orace ! Grace ! unto it." 
 
 If we attend to the threefold office of our 
 Savior, as Prtejl-, King, and Prophet ; we 
 Ihall find the final falvation of every human 
 creature made lure in him. 
 
 That Chrill doth fuftaui thefe three dif- 
 tinft offices, as our Redeemer, I iuppole, 
 none will deny ; fince he is e^prelsly dc- 
 fignatcd by each of thefe appellations, in la- 
 cred fcripture, 'in a great many places ; and 
 fince kings, priefts, and prophets, as types 
 of Chrill,'Ypcak of his doings and fufferings 
 as their own. " They pierced my hands 
 and my feet." " They (hall look on ^/?« 
 Vs'hom they have pierced, »nd fiiall mourn 
 
 Q 
 
122 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 far him." " A priefl forever, after the order 
 of Melchifedec." " Give thy judgments to 
 the King." " A King {hall reign in right- 
 coufnefs." " King of Kings." But I fup- 
 pofe it wliolly needlcfs to adduce proof of 
 this matter, and would only exhibit the de- 
 rnonfiration arifing from the character of 
 Chrill, as prophet, priefl, and king. It is 
 manifeft that all tJicJe offices arc equal, as to 
 their extent and operation. Chrift is jull 
 as far, and as extenfively a King over man- 
 kind, as he is a Priefl and a Prophet ; and 
 as far as he doth exercifc thefe offices at all, 
 among the human kind, he doth exercife, 
 liud engage to excrcile them all unto per- 
 fection. 
 
 Now, it is univerfally allowed that Chrifl 
 i.>> a Prophet, Prieft and King, in fomc re- 
 fpeft, and in fonie degree, to al/ mankind : 
 that the world enjoys many common favors 
 through his atonement, and government, of 
 the world ; and that all the light, know- 
 ledge, and inllruftic>n mankind cn]oy. is 
 thiough him. as his gift. But then, the /mi- 
 itariaJis would make one office of Chrift. 
 much lefs extenfn e than another. " His 
 atonement, fay they, is abundantly fufficient 
 for all. As a Prieil, he. w.cars an cqueLi.' 
 afpeft to all, prcfcnting his infinite atone- 
 ment to every mau alike. As a King, he 
 governs and will govern all Creatures, by 
 his almighty power, with uncontrouled et- 
 fc6l, according to his own will ; cither to 
 make them dutiful fubjeds, or to punifh 
 thoin as rebels. lie will difpole of all men, 
 
U N I V fi R S A L S A L V A T t O N. , o^ 
 
 and all things with an irrefiftible arm • faving 
 only, that the moral difpofttions of moft ot 
 the children of men (hall be exempt from 
 his' kingly government, and remain uncon- 
 quered. He will llibdue fo7ne things, but 
 not all things, to himfelf. He will make fomc 
 knees to bow, but not every knee. He will 
 bring down fome high thoughts, but not every 
 high thought." Thus they extend tiie Jaccr-^ 
 dotal far beyond the regal office of Chrift. 
 
 As to his prophetic office, they reilrain and 
 limit that very much indeed. They allow- 
 that he oives common lioht and knowledo^e 
 to mankind in general ; but not that favina 
 light which is, by way of diflm6tion, called 
 the tnic light. They allow that he is the 
 common light, but not the " true light, that 
 lighteth every man that cometh into the 
 world." They will make a great diftinftion, 
 or limitation, where the inlpired Evan,trelift 
 makes none at all. They will not ailoiv that 
 *' in him was life ; and the life was the light 
 of men," without a word of limitation, johrt 
 i. 4. But make the three offices of Chrift 
 at(!)rementioned, quite unequal, as to their 
 extent and efficacy. 
 
 Paul reprefents the offices of Chrift as 
 co-extcnfive. EfFeCfual calling is by virtue 
 of the prophetic and kingly office of Chrift : 
 Juftification pertains to the facerdotal, or 
 prieftly office, by the atonement : The fanc- 
 tification, perseverance, and glorification of 
 iinners, refult from all the offices of Chrift 
 alike. This apoftle tells us that where one 
 of thefe offices is excrcifed, the other two are. 
 
1.^4 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 in eveiy inflance. Rom. viii. '• Whom h^ 
 did predeliinntc, thrm he alio called : and 
 whom he Cjiljcd, ihem he alfo jullified : and 
 whom he juliihed, them he alio glorified. 
 -What fhali •vvc then lay to thefe thinji;s ? If 
 God be lor us, who can be againil us ? He 
 %h'dt Iparcd n(.)t his own Son, but delivered 
 him up tor us ALL, how fhali he nofwith 
 him alio ireely give us ail thino« ?'' - _ - . 
 - - " I or 1 am periuadcd that neither death, 
 yjor lite, nor angels, nor principalities, nor 
 powers, nor tlhngs prefent, nor things to 
 come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other 
 creature, fliali be able to leparate us from 
 the love ot God which is in Chrilt Jelusour 
 J^Ord." As I'o the extent ot this love, wc 
 are left at no lofs, being told' that " God lo 
 loved the world, that he gave his only begot- 
 ten Son, that whol'oevcr believeth in him 
 fliould not periih, but have everlafljng life. " 
 Ji you would l^now how many fliali believe 
 apd bcf laved, Jefus tells you in the next 
 ivords : " j'or God lent not his Son into the 
 iuvrld to cojid(:\i)n the ivorld, h\.\t\\v<\i tliezuorld 
 ihrouoh him might be faved. John iii. 16, 
 37. Would you know how- far the light of 
 Clirift. and Jus prophetic olTice to mankind, 
 /ball finally extend, lee John i. 7. "The lame 
 fame for a witneis, to bear vitnels of the 
 light, that all men through him might k- 
 lifve :" The fame is afliimed ]c)hn xvii. 21. 
 *' That tlie %uorld may believe that thou liafl; 
 lent me," 
 
 1 1IAVI-. ]Kr<,'}< ihrwn ilLit tiio Cir;,,al de- 
 
UNI V-E RSAL SALVATION. jg^ 
 
 cree of Jehovah, the firm predeflination of 
 heaven, or the infinitely merciful eleflion of 
 God, as it reipeQ;s rnankind after death, 
 comprehends all alike. 
 
 It appears that '' the head of tvtry man is 
 Chrift," 1. Cor. xi. 3. and that in the cove- 
 nant of redemption, all ma.nkind were given 
 to the Second Adavi, as they were once inclu- 
 ded in the Firfi ; that he undertook to re- 
 dfeem them by price, by pother, and by appli- 
 cation o{ the atonement he engaged to make ; 
 and which, in the fulne.fs of time, he did 
 make : That nothing can rcfifl his power as 
 King eternal, immortal, invifible : That our 
 whole lalvation is committed to him, in ev- 
 ery view, and in every part of it, as Alpha 
 and Omega, the beginning and the ending, 
 the firil and the lait : That " other founda- 
 tion, can no man lay than that which is laid, 
 which is Jefus Chrifl :" That he is of one 
 mind, and who can turn him ? and what 
 his ioul defireth, that he doeth : That of 
 him, and through him, and to him, arc all 
 things : That he hath placed himfelf on the 
 mountain ot his holmels and flrength, and 
 that, in his own time, he will take away the 
 veil of darknefs, and coverimj of ignorance, 
 that hath been fpread over all the nations 
 ot the. earth ; and will lliew them that death, 
 jpiriiual and eternal, is fwallowcd up in vic- 
 tory ; and exhibit the golpel lealh of joy 
 and glory to all the world. 
 
 Thus, as on a glorious and holy moun- 
 tain, doth he take his ftation, and, ni divine 
 majelly and love, proclaim aloud, laying. 
 
^' In this mountain, fhall the L^^riif of hofe 
 niak^ unto all people a feaft of l>.t: things, a 
 fea^t ol wines on the Ices, oi fat things tull 
 of marrow, of wines oh -the lefes-^'W(^lJ:'^fe- 
 fined : and he will deftroy,- in thiis moun- 
 tain, the lace of the covering cail over all 
 people, and the v«il that is Ipreadover all 
 natioii.s. He will 1 wallow np death in vifto- 
 ry ; and the Lord God will wipe away tears 
 frioTO' ^ff dll faces ; and the rebuke of' hi.<? 
 people fhall he take away, ' from ■£)fF all tfit 
 fdrih : ior the Lord hath Ipoken it. And it 
 Ihall be "laid in that day, lo, this is^ our God, 
 we have waited for him, and he will fave 
 us ; this is the Lord ; we have waited for 
 hitn ; we will be glad and rejoice in his 
 falvation ; for in this monntani ihall the 
 hand of the Lord refl." Ifai.xxv. 6, &c. 
 This wellagrees Vith what has beeii faid of 
 the progrcflive nianiteflations of grace and 
 falvation to men. Infinite wifdom hath feeri 
 feefl't6 keep a veil and a covering over all 
 patiOns, in a greater or lels degree ; and to 
 draw it afidc a little, by flow gradations, 
 until the glorious removal of it, in full dil- 
 play, on the miOuhtain of the Lord. 
 
 The certain falvatibn of the human kind, 
 may be argued from the do61rine of repent- 
 ance, as preached by Chrift and his apoiUes. 
 '. 'ALi.will allow that repentance is certainly 
 connecled with pardon' and ialvation. Now, 
 wherein dors this certain connection coniifl ? 
 Does it merit pardon ? No : Does it at all 
 change the eternal, immoveable purpofc of 
 
UNIVERSAL SAL YATION. jgi 
 
 God ? No : Does repentance fave us. as ai 
 meritorious good work, or good dilpofitiorii. 
 in the (oul ? No : How then is repentance 
 furely conneft^d with pardon and life ? As 
 God's ordinance, and as a fit temper o£ 
 mind, without which, in the very nature 
 of things, pardon and heaven itfclf eouid 
 be no bieffing. This is, indeed, the true, 
 anfwer. 
 
 No.vv, who gives repentance to finners ? 
 Who makes this gofpel qualification fure to 
 them, before, they go to heaven ? Does it 
 depend- in the leaft on themfelves ? So far 
 from this, their whole fouls oppofe it with 
 ail their might. Can any creature give it 
 to another ? No : Do linners ever before 
 they arc penitent, do any thing to render it 
 reafonabie that God fhould give to them re- 
 pentance rather, than to others ? No. Re- 
 pentance is a free, fovereign gift of God in 
 Chrift, who will have mercy on whom he 
 will have mercy, for his own name's fake, 
 and for his own praife. And Jefus is ex- 
 alted to grant this grace, juft as much as the 
 remilTion of {ins, in confequencc of it. He 
 gives the former, only as the necelfary chan- 
 nel, or medium by which pardon and fal- 
 vation can come to the foul. The gift of 
 this grace is juft as much within his com- 
 miffion, as Mediator and Savior of the world, 
 Savior of all men., as is the beftowm.ent of 
 pardon and heaven. " Him hath God ex- 
 alted, with h.is right hand, to be a Prince 
 and a Savior, for lo give repentance to IJrael, 
 (all axe^j(o, in union with Chrift, by human 
 
128 TREATISEOM 
 
 nature, and by covenant) and forgivancfs of 
 lins." A6ls V. 31. 
 
 The prayer tJt Chrift is efBcacious. " Hun 
 the Father hcare4^h alway." i'Hc has prayed 
 for the pardon ot thofe that you would ex- 
 clude, if you exclude any ot the human 
 kind ; even Judas, and PilaU, and Herod, 
 and the malicious chief Pricfls, and mur- 
 derous, bloody band of foldiers, and all that 
 mocked and derided him, on the day when 
 he finifhed the great ^vork. For all thcfe he 
 furely poured out an e{fe6lual, fervent pray- 
 er ; '' Father forgive them, for they know 
 not what they do," In this prayer which 
 the Father certainly heard, (as he does alway 
 without a fmgle exception) Jefus compre- 
 hended every fmner in the world ; for every 
 iin doth crucify the Son of God. By this, 
 and his other cffettual intercefhons, he en- 
 dured the promiied grace, to take hold of 
 their hearts in his own time. *' They fhall 
 look on him whom they have pierced .aid 
 inourn." 
 
 The gift of repentance as well as of faith, 
 and c\ ery other grace, is only tliat the lure 
 pardon and ialvation may be known and 
 f.wjoyid by the foul, in God's chofen way, and 
 in the only proper,^ or even pojJihU way. 
 Thus, as ptculiar io the <roJpel, all men every 
 where are commanded to repent." Ads xvii. 
 30. " And the times of this ignorance God 
 Vvinkcd at ; but now commandktii ali, mkn 
 J.vr.KY WHERE to rcDeut." ReDev.tance is 
 preached for the remillion of lins, which 
 rcmillioii was made as certain before as. after- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. -gQ 
 
 ivard. It was by the atonement of Chrill 
 ^fcertained, in it/elf; but by way of repent- 
 ance it is made fenfible to fniners. 
 
 Certainly; repentance, as an exercife iri 
 the human foul, does not create its own ob- 
 je6t, or lay its own founda.tion, any more 
 than faith does, or love, or hope, or joy, or 
 any grace whatever. They all agree m this, 
 that they are all built on a firm foundation 
 which they had no hand in layiiig. This 
 foundation of God flandeth as fure, when 
 thefe graces are not in exercife, as when they 
 are, and before their implantation as after 
 their utmofl perfeftion. The foundation of 
 God hath the feal, not of alterations m crca- 
 tures, but of his own eternal decree, and his 
 knowledge of our falvation founded thereon. 
 Let the mind of man, ai prejent, be in what 
 Hate it may, " neverthekfs the foundation 
 of God ftaijdeth fure, having this feal, the 
 Lord knoweth therti that are his." 
 
 When all men are commanded every 
 where to repent, no doubt, laving, evangel- 
 ical repentance, is the thing commanded, 
 and this, we know, is^he exercife of a new- 
 heart, and implies union with Chrift by re- 
 generation, or a new creation in him. The 
 Very command implies, that this is made 
 fure, and all the benefits connected with it, 
 as what- Chrift has laid a foundation for. 
 The dodrine preached is only a piece of 
 good news, founded in truth and certainly, a& 
 all other gofpel dotlrines are. The dofitnnc. 
 is an obje6l of faith, as all other gofpel doc- 
 
100 Treatise on 
 
 trines are. It has a reafonablc duty con- 
 nefted with it ; which is common to all 
 gofpel doctrines. 
 
 WiiF.N the doftrine of repentance is 
 preached for the remilfion of fins, this rc- 
 miflion is always confidcrcd as fure in Chrift. 
 Repentance as a fit temper of mind to re- 
 ceive it and enjoy the benefit, is alfo en- 
 gaged by him, who orders the doclrine to be 
 preached. Chrill confidcrs all nations of 
 the earth, and every human creature as re- 
 conciled to God, by his blood, and God to 
 them. What remains, in the preaching of 
 the gofpel, is that they be brought to the 
 knowledge, fenfe, and enjoyment of it, that 
 it may have proper influence on their hearts. 
 
 Before Peter thus underflood the matter, 
 he had an oJ)je6lion againft preaching the 
 doftrincs of faith, rej^cntance, and Hilvation 
 to the gentiles. He had no idea they had 
 any right, fccnrcd in Chrijl, to thefe favors ; 
 therefore he had no news of ihat kind to tell 
 them. His objeftion would have been 
 lourKlcd in all the realon in the world, had 
 the pofition been true, that the gentiles were 
 not cicanjed in Chriji, and reconciled to God 
 by him, and God to them. Had this been 
 the cafe, Peter ought not to have preached 
 to them the gofpel of repentance and recon- 
 ciliation. But Chrift tells him, that his fun- 
 damental principle in this matter was not 
 true, forbidding him' to allert it a^ain : 
 " What God hath cteanfed that call not thou 
 r.onmion ;" i. e. unckan, or unfnn^ijird in 
 Cli.'ilt; or unar.rrpfc^d of God, in hvm. See 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. j^^ 
 
 the vifion of the ftieet and its explanation, 
 A6ls X. and xi. 
 
 Hence it appears that all mankind, 
 ^' even tuhile enemies, are reconciled to God, 
 by the death of his Son, and much more, 
 being reconciled, fhall be faved by his life :" 
 i. e. becaufe he lives at the Father's right 
 hand, to make effeftual application of his 
 atonement, which he does by fending his 
 Spirit into the hearts of men, to renew 
 them ; and by conveying to them in his own 
 time, the do6lrines of repentance, faith, and 
 eVery grace and virtue ; and making thcfe 
 doftrincs take efiPefl. We are after recon- 
 ciliation favcd by his life, much viore, i. e, 
 raoll evidently and certainly, as he lives an 
 almighty and faithful Savior, exalted with 
 God's ric^ht hand, a Prince and Savior, to 
 make application of the benefits of redemp- 
 tion, to give repentance to his redeemed 
 (ciilied his Ifrael) and forgivenefs of hns. 
 
 Regeneration, repentance, faith, love, 
 hope, joy, every virtue, and every good 
 work wrought in us, or exercifed by us, all 
 agree in this, viz. "fhey are all fo many lit 
 and necelTary Iteps, which the almighty Re- 
 deemer takes with human fouls, to acquaint 
 them with his meritorious impetration, give 
 them comfort in it, and afFe61: them fuitably 
 by it in their hearts and lives. There is no 
 llri6l propriety in preaching any of thcfo 
 do£lrines as gojpel, i. c. as wqw}. toundcd irv 
 fafts, that ought to be believed ; uiilefs all 
 is made true and lure in Chriit before we 
 l^ave any acquaintance with the tidings, o;: 
 
132 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 any operation from them. The whole 
 preaching of the gofpel, in every article dt 
 it, is only the announcing of immutable 
 truth, not created or altered by our hearing 
 of it. Which truth it is good for us to 
 3cnow, and hath a good tffc6l and con- 
 f::quence. 
 
 In hearing the do6lrine of repentance, 
 we learn the nature of it; (he good efltft 
 o{ it in our great comfort and ufefulnels ; 
 the meet fruits of it, which are all very 
 ^ood ; and alfo that Chnlf is exalted by 
 God's right hand, to give it to the world, 
 whofe fuis he died to take away. Thus the 
 pardon comes, to their convitlion and com- 
 ion, by the doflrine of repentance for the 
 jemidion of fms. 
 
 Tnt-Y, who would make repentance, faith, 
 .regeneration, or any other grace, means ne- 
 reilary to our falvation, fay right. But they 
 who make them terms of dillinclion in 2iS, 
 to give us a lure title to falvation, put our 
 jatcty now on the fame footing or ground, 
 on which Adam flood at hrft, as to the ge- 
 neral nature and reafon of it. Adam nmil 
 have had a good heart and a good life, and 
 then he would have been fafe ; yet ^// would 
 have been of God's grace, or Irce gift, as 
 everybody will allow: For his whole being 
 was lb. Now, fay they, we mull ha\ e good, 
 ftnitcnt. hdieving, holy hearts, in a good de- 
 gree, all of Gcd's grace, and then we have 
 a title to his favor, and not othcrwifc. We 
 iieed not be qui(e fo good as Adam nuift: 
 3]ave Lcvjn ; but our fufetv Hands on the 
 
PNIVERSAL SALVATIOl^. 
 
 133 
 
 fame general ground, and in a good degree 
 too. The degree alters not the nature or 
 ground of our fafety : The general reafon is 
 wholly the fame. Both ftand on perfonal 
 qualifications. 
 
 But the truth is, Adam flood wholly on 
 his perfonal qualifications : We ftand wholly 
 pn thofe of Chrift ; and enjoy the comfort 
 and operation of them, by regeneration, 
 faith, repentance, and every virtue. To fup? 
 pofe otherwife, is, at beft, falling into the 
 nconomian fcheme. The retainers of which, 
 fay, that the terms of our acceptance with 
 God, are much lowered fmce the fall of 
 Adam, the conditions much mitigated ; but 
 that we ftand upon perfonal qualifications, 
 fuch as they be, in the gofpd dtmandy a$ 
 much as Adam did, on the higher qualifica- 
 tions of the firft covenant. 
 
 Any impartial mind, with proper atten- 
 tion, will fee, that we fall into the felf fame 
 doftrine, as to the general and real nature 
 of it, if we infift on any kind or degree of 
 qualifications in creatures, as terms of ac- 
 ceptance with God ; or, otherwife than as 
 the work of God's almighty power, and free 
 grace in us, in order to give us the know- 
 ledge of our previous acceptance with God 
 in Chrift alone ; and to form and attemper 
 pur fouls to the enjoyment of life and eter- 
 nal falvation, made fure by the covenant of 
 redemption, and the faithful engagement of 
 the Son of God, and fealed on his crofs. 
 If we depart from this plan of hope, it is 
 indifferent whether v/e call curfelves papijls 
 
134 T H E A T I S R ON 
 
 or protejlants, arminians or calvinijls, ncono-' 
 inicins, antinoviians, new divinity men, or qua- 
 kers ; inafmuch as we fliall all agree in the 
 grand principle, the cardinal point : viz. 
 That cur acceptance with God, and our certain 
 Jalvation, does rejl on valuable qualifications, 
 whereby we are dijlinpiijlied from other men. 
 Yet all agreeing in this, even that God by 
 his mere mercy and free grace, hath made 
 the faving diilinftion. Thus we all, in our 
 hearts, join with him of old in pleafmg de- 
 votion ; " God I thank thee that I am not 
 as other men." He acknowledged the free 
 grace of God, as much as any limitarian 
 tvcr did. 
 
 It is a further fymptom that the way of 
 life I am pleading for, is agreeable to the 
 gofpel ; that believing in it will certainly 
 make us hate all fin, all ungodlinefs. Or to 
 fpcak with more accurate propriety, where 
 this faith is, there certainly will be a bitter 
 hatred and avcrfion to all ungodlinefs. The 
 very difcovery of God which I am fpeaking 
 of, that view of the Redeemer, that exhibi- 
 tion of the divine chaia6ler, neccffarily in- 
 '^'olves in it a perception and fenfe of infi- 
 nite amiablenefs, beauty and glory. The 
 infinite lovelinefs of God, and lalvation by 
 grace "tlirough [efus Chrift, arc the cilcntial 
 objetis of the faith I maintain. This wholly 
 agrees with the old calviniflic doftrinc of 
 iaving faith. No acquaintance with God or 
 divine truth, without a feeling imprefTion of 
 the divine lovclinefs on our louis. ^\Ms ever- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. igC 
 
 thought to be faving faith, by Calvin, Oxven, 
 or any eminent promoters of the proteftant 
 caufe. Their objeft of faith is exaftly the 
 fame which I contend for ; and the manner 
 ef communication and operation is the fame, 
 as wrought by the power of God, workinjr 
 by love, and purifying the heart, even as 
 God is pure. 
 
 We do not confider affurance of our fal- 
 vation to be of the effence of faving faith ; 
 but merely confequential, even as hath been 
 ufual with proteftants. The faith we con- 
 tend for, has nothing immediately and di- 
 re£lly to do with ourfelves, but with the 
 object of our faith. When this faith is 
 wrought in us, by the power and grace of 
 God, and proper fruits enfue ; thence we 
 argue our own fafe eftate by way of confe- 
 quence, and fo make our calling and elec- 
 tion fure. We unite with the orthodox in 
 all ages, in faying, that hatred of all \\n is 
 the fruit of faith ; or that faving knowledge 
 and fupremc love of God are through faith. 
 
 The univerfal extent of Chrifl's faving 
 power and grace, is further taught us by 
 metaphors and emblems, which the divine 
 Spirit hath made ufe of in the word. As 
 that of the deWy the tvind, the rain, &c. 
 which are known to be of imiverfal extent: 
 over the whole earth, at fuch various times 
 and in fuch manner as God is pleafed to 
 direct. Perhaps no emblem is more fignifi- 
 cant than that of a fun, often made ulc ot m 
 the fcriptures. as -Pfahn Ixxxiv. it. " Fov 
 
jog TKEATISE ON 
 
 the Lord God is a fun and a fhield : the 
 Lord will give grace and glory : no good 
 thing will he withhold from them that walk 
 Uprightly." Mai. iv. 2. and in other places. 
 
 Similitude^ do not quadrate in all rc- 
 fpefts with the things illuftrated by them ; 
 but wherein they do, we may argue with 
 fafety. Take the fimilitudes now referred 
 to, and we Ihall find univerfal extent and 
 operation, to be principal ideas fuggefled. 
 A comment might be made on each of them, 
 perhaps, with equal propriety. Omitting 
 the relf , take that of a fun. It very well 
 prefents to our view the Sun of righteouf- 
 nefs, the great Redeemer, in the extent, and 
 benign efficacy of his mediatorial charafter. 
 
 The futi is an objeft highly exalted above 
 the world : So is Chrift highly exalted. 
 The fun is the fountain of \\^A\t to the 
 world : So is Chrilt the brightnefs of his 
 Father's glory and the exprels image of his 
 perfon. The natural fun revives, quickens, 
 gives life to all things in the natural world : 
 So doth Chrifl with regard to the whole fpi- 
 ritual world. The fun hath various times 
 and feaions of fpecial influence, and does 
 dilpenle his favors variouily to various parts 
 ©f the world, at difiPercnt times, fcafons, and 
 periods : So it is with the Sun of righteouf- 
 nefs, in the fpiritual world. Under the 
 influence of the fun in the firmament, there 
 is the vernal and the autumnal feafon. the 
 lummcrandthe winter, the darkncls and the 
 light, in various degrees, and the heat and 
 cold in pc.rpjtLi-tl variation : So it b with 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 
 
 isr 
 
 the various difplays and difpenfations of 
 the great Redeemer, the Sun of righteouf- 
 nefs. Something of this has been taken 
 notice of before in the gradual progreffion 
 of gofpel light ; and in the decrees of God, 
 making niany and great diftin6tions among 
 mankind in this world, both of an outward 
 and of a fpiritual nature, and alfo in the 
 world to come, with refpect to degrees of 
 exaltation and glory ; though none as to 
 the certainty of future falvation, to the body 
 of Chrift, who is the '' head of every man." 
 
 The natural fun is certainly and greatly 
 beneficial to the whole world ; though not 
 to every part in the fame manner and de- 
 gree. The frigid zones feem leaft of all to 
 feel the bleffmgs of that glorious luminary ; 
 though they have their day, and a long one, 
 and many other benefits derived from the 
 fun. The torrid zone is, on the whole, fa- 
 vored far beyond thofe lall mentioned, in 
 many refpefts ; yet the inhabitants of thofe 
 climates have riot near fo many benefits front 
 the fun as the regions included in the tem- 
 perate zones. Moreover, each of thofe parts 
 of the earth, is more bleffed with the benign 
 influences of the fun at one time than at 
 another ; and all of them more in the day 
 time than in the nicrht ; more in the ferene 
 and clear day than in the dark and gloomy 
 day. Many other remarks of this kind, will 
 iiaturally occur to the mind of the reader. 
 
 It is to be obferved, in general, that 
 there is no feafon of the year, no period of 
 S 
 
1^8 TREATISE ON 
 
 time, no liour in the ftormy day, or mid- 
 night darkncTs, in which any part of the 
 world is kft wholly without any benefit, or 
 even confidtrable benefit from the fun. 
 Even in dead of wi^Aer, the fun is a great 
 blelfing to men : So even at the darkefl or 
 coldeft midnight, it is neither fo dark nor 
 io cold as it would be if there were no fun. 
 When any particular climate fuflFers mofl in 
 the abfence of the fun, yet the inhabitants 
 of that particular climate, have fuch a con- 
 nexion with the world in general, and with 
 thofe parts of the world where, at the fame 
 time, the influence of the fun is mofl replete 
 with blcflings, that they receive great ben- 
 efit, though in a mediate and direft way. 
 Each part of the world has at fome times, 
 the immediate and dirc6l beams of the fun ; 
 at other times his indireft and refle6led in- 
 fluence, by the moon and ftars. And, even 
 when thele appear not, ftill many and great 
 benefits are derived to them ; without which 
 they would be far more mifcrable than they 
 ever yet were, in their mod torpid or be- 
 nighted circumdanccs. They always have 
 fome " precious things hrcvght forth hy the 
 fun." Juft fo with regard to the *' true 
 light which enlightcncth every man that 
 cometh into the world." The Lord is o[Ood 
 to all ; and his tender mercies are over all 
 his Works. All the human kind are at all 
 times much the better for Chrift. *He hath 
 always a defire to the work of his hands. 
 
 Thk covenant people of God, under every 
 diipcniation, may be compared to thofe cU- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. jqq 
 
 niates and regions moft peculiarly under the 
 blellings of the natural fun. Different dif- 
 penfations among them compare with dif- 
 ferent feafons of the year. Special provi- 
 dences, propitious or adverfe, are like the 
 interchange of calm funlhine and angry 
 ftorms. The firfl openings of divine rev- 
 elation are fimilar to the firft ftreaks of 
 dawning day : Increahng light is like the 
 gray of the morning. The jewifh difpen- 
 fation was, at firft, like the horizontal beams 
 of the rifing fun. As light was added, under 
 that difpenfation, tlie fun advanced towards 
 the meridian. Chrift and the infpired apof- 
 tles, with the light at that time poured in 
 upon the world, may compare with the fun 
 in his ftrength. " His countenance was as 
 the fun fhineth in his ftrength." " I am 
 come a light into the world." And " ye are 
 the light of the world." There is much in 
 facred writ to lupport this analogy. 
 
 As it is demon ftratcd concerning the fun 
 in the firmament, that his influence is more 
 intenfe fome time after the meridian is paft, 
 than before ; fo the bleffings of the great 
 Redeemer have been increafing, fince ht was 
 on earth in the form of man, fince " he af- 
 cendcd up on high, led captivity captive, 
 and received gifts for men ; yea /or the re- 
 bellious alfo, that the Lord God might 
 dwell amvong them." Pfahii ixviii, i8. 
 
 Every part of the pagan world, all na- 
 tions of the earth unacquainted with divine 
 revelation diredtiy or immediately, have in- 
 ^ireQly fomething valuable of the fame 
 
5 40 T R E A T I S E O N 
 
 light and knowledge, in various degrees and 
 ■tncafurcs, by connedtion wiih the people of 
 God-, nioie or lefs, by tradition, communi- 
 cation, Sec. Even as every part of the 
 earth, has always, both in winter and fum- 
 mc.r, in every feafon of the year, by day 
 and by night, lome benefit more or lels 
 from the fun ; if not by his dirett beams, 
 yet by the refle£ted or retraced. There are 
 no people in the world, but what have fome 
 religion. Yet probably there never would 
 have been any in the world, had there been 
 no revelation from God. Yea, perhaps, 
 the exilic nee of n God would never have 
 been thought of, had he made no fort of 
 revelation more than in the works of nature 
 and providence. It has been the opinion 
 of fume of the greatelt of men, that tlYe lirft 
 intimation of a Supreme Being, was owing 
 to divine revelation : Although, when the 
 hint wiis thus given, the nations of the earth, 
 with this leading thought, could demonflrate 
 his exiflence from the works of nature. 
 However this may be, there is no nation on 
 earth, which is not enlightened by Chrift, 
 in lome degree or other, by his word, fpirit 
 and providence, in fuch manner as infinite 
 wildom and goodnefs hath fecn bell. In 
 ths fcnfe is the apoflie to be undcrflood, 
 w hen he fays, " the gofpcl was preached to 
 every creature under heaven." For this never 
 had been done by expreis revelation, or di- 
 re6l: commiMiication of the knowledge of 
 Chrifl. 
 
 All mankind have fome religion, which 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. j^j' 
 
 came to them through Chrift ; though many 
 have neverheard of his name. All psopleknow 
 the truth, in fome degree. All are orthodox 
 in fome points, and right in fome meafure. 
 God manifefls himfelf, and gives knowledge 
 and inftniclion of all kinds, to the inhabi- 
 tants of this world, and indeed to all intel- 
 ligent creatures, only in and through Chrift. 
 All common fenfe, all extraordinary endow- 
 rnents of mind, ail Icience and learning, all 
 new inventions of every kind, all acquaint- 
 ance with moral and fpiritual things, are by 
 Chrift. Hence he is called the word of God; 
 becaufe as men convey knowledge and in- 
 ftru6Hon by their words, lb doth God by 
 the Mediator. 
 
 When man fell, he was then immediately 
 in total darknefs, as to any impreflions on 
 his mind, or mental exercifes that miffht 
 profit him. The mediation of Chrift began 
 that very moment. The guilty pair were 
 imm.ediately put in better circumftances, by 
 the Son of God, than otherwife they would 
 have been. And it 'is the general opinion 
 of divines, I think, with good reafon, that 
 they were loon regenerated and brought 
 back to the laving knowledge of God, in a 
 way of fpecial illumination, repentance, and 
 faith. There was. however, a bieffed des^ree 
 of the power and influence of the Mediator 
 on their minds, immediately after their fall ; 
 and there ever has been on the minds and. 
 difpofitions of all their children. None have 
 ever been nearly lo bad, as if there had been 
 sio Mediator. Common grace, as we term. 
 
J, 12 TREATISE ON 
 
 it, having always been an unfpcakable favor 
 to all the fallen race. And this is as truly 
 and really by and through Chrift, as eternal 
 falvation is. 
 
 The influence of the Second Adam, the 
 Lord from heaven, on the hearts of men, 
 has always been fovercign, and very various ; 
 as much fo as the li^ht and influence of the 
 fun on the earth has been in the various 
 parts of it, and in the various feafons of the 
 year : Yet all are much the better for the 
 Sun of righteoufnefs. It is a univerfal pro- 
 pofition and every where true, that " the 
 people that walked in darknefs have feen a 
 great light ;" i. e. with a vificn more or lefs 
 peifc'6l ; with fome degree of illumination ; 
 *• and they that dwell in the land ot the fha- 
 dow of death, upon them hath the light 
 jfliined." So in Ifaiah li. when God fpeaks 
 of his fixed determination to fave finners, 
 hiseftablifhedpurpofe and judgment in that 
 matter, he faith, " I will make my judgment 
 to reft; for a light to the people, my right- 
 eoufnefs is near , my lalvation is gone forth, 
 and mine arms fhali judge the people. The 
 illes fhall wait upon me, and on mine arms 
 fhall they trufl." '* My falvation fliall be 
 forever : and my righteoufnefs fhall not 
 be abolifhed." ''' My righteoufnefs fhall be 
 forever, and my falvation from generation 
 to generation." 
 
 The Most High fpeaks of the light of 
 Chriil, as a growing and fprcading light, 
 until, in the end, all the world Ihall behold 
 his glorious beams, and feel his faving 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. i^^ 
 
 power. Ifaiah Ix. " Arife fliine * for thy 
 light is come, and the glory of the Lord 
 is rifen upon thee." *' And the gentiles fhall 
 come to thy light, and kings to the bright- 
 nefs of thy rifmg." "•'The abundance of the 
 fea fhall be converted unto thee ; the forces 
 of the gentiles fhall come unto thee." "Who 
 are thefe that fly as a cloud, and as the doves 
 to their windows ? Surely the ifles fhall 
 wait for me, and the fhips of Tarfhifh firft, 
 to bring thy fons from far." And it is ob- 
 fervable, as God is fpeaking of his covenant 
 mercies in Chrift to the ends of the earth, it 
 is fubjoined towards the clofe of the chap- 
 ter, *' Thy Sun fhall no more go down, 
 neither fhall thy moon withdraw itfelf : for 
 the Lord fhall be thine everlafling light, 
 and the days of thy mourning fhall be 
 ended." And to the fame purpofc it is faid,. 
 " The earth fhall be filled with the know- 
 ledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the 
 fea." 
 
 In all this provilion, and difPufion of 
 faving light and grace to men, God is as 
 free and fovereign as in creating the fun in 
 the firmament, and in dilpofmg of all his 
 benefits. And as " he maketh his fun to 
 rife on the evil and on the good," fo like- 
 wife hath he no regard to any diftinftion 
 feen in the human kind, in the beflowment 
 of faving mercy. Many differences is he 
 pleafed to make in this world, and that as 
 becometh his holy foyereignty ; but none, 
 none at all, as to the final extent of falvation, 
 ©r the efficacy of the Sun of righteoufneli-. 
 
Hi 
 
 TREATISE O V 
 
 The doctrine or the total depravity 
 OF HUMAN NATURE, is foplain a IcHpture 
 doftrine, that we cannot deny it, without ic- 
 jefting the whole authority of divine reve- 
 lation. 
 
 The doftrine is this : That the whole hu- 
 man nature, included in the firft man, was» 
 hy the fall, left totally deftitute of any 
 moral or fpiritual good ; and that fallen marl 
 became as bad in a moral view, as fallen 
 angels, at their firll apoflacy, according to 
 their inferior natural capacity. 
 
 The angels who had fallen fometime be-* 
 fore man, had increafed their wickcdnefs, by 
 the exercifes of it ; and man was in the like 
 fure way tu increafe his, and by the fame 
 caufe. Every power, every faculty of the 
 foul, was left without any, the leaft degree 
 of moral good ; all dreadfully polluted ; 
 ** every imagination of the thought of man's 
 heart was evil only, and that continually.'* 
 The depravity was total. And there was 
 nothing left in the foul of man, of a moral 
 kind, but enmity againfl God. I fhould 
 here take up the dcnionflration of this at 
 large, were it not fo fully done already, by 
 the moll able divines, in a way of the plain- 
 eft fcripture reafoning. 
 
 I HAVE faid, and I Iiere repeat it, the 
 mediation of Chrift, in favor ot all human 
 nature, be^an the moment after the fall. 
 In Adam and Eve was all human na- 
 ture included, or, in Adam alone : For 
 the woman was from him. Chrift, by hiss 
 mercilul energy, begun immediately to with- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION; j^r 
 
 Hand the force of man's depravity, and has 
 done fo ever fince, in a greater or lefs de- 
 gree, in all human nature, in every child of 
 Adam. Ocherwife, mankind would all be as 
 bad as the devils, according to their mea- 
 fure of being ; but we know they are not. 
 The Mediator was a fovereign in the meafure 
 of good influence he granted at firft to the 
 fallen pair, and in all additional mealures of 
 grace of what kind foever ; and is fo llill, 
 and always will be, as it highly becomes his 
 charafter always, aad in every thing, to 
 keep up a view of his holy fovereignty. At 
 what time he regenerated the fouls of our 
 firft parents, we cannot fay, or what meafurtfs 
 of grace he was pleafed to give them while 
 they lived. 
 
 He now gives unto fome, rtiucli more of 
 his kind influence from their infancy, than 
 others ; and to fome incrcafing favors of 
 this kind, all their days. Some have lefs 
 and lefs of it all their days, and fo grow 
 worfe and worfe. But none, in this life, are 
 ever found without fome degree oi" grace or 
 favor from the Mediator ; fuch as preventing 
 goodneft, reftraining grace, lome checks of 
 confcience, fome humanity and kindnefs to 
 their fellow men. Be it granted that all 
 this is from merely felfifli motives, and def- 
 titute of all moral good, and that there is 
 fin worthy of damnation, in regard to defi- 
 ciencv, in all then- honor and honefty, in alJ 
 their induftry and the public good they do, 
 3nd in all th'i benefits they communicate. 
 T 
 
145 
 
 tREATISE ON 
 
 Grantallthis, which indeed is true ; ytt there 
 is much of the grace of the Mediator in hin- 
 dering their being and doing worfe. Chrifl, 
 by his providence and fpirit, mercifully 
 and powerfully refifts the awful force of 
 their depravity, at all times, even though 
 he has not yet renewed them in a faving 
 manner. 
 
 To illuflrate the above remarks. God 
 fays to Abimelech, " I with-held thee from 
 fmning againfl me." Though he was guilty 
 of great fin in all he did, even in difmilTing 
 the wife of the patriarch, not doing even 
 that in faith and from a principle of fiiend- 
 fliip to God ; yet a blelfed degree of God's 
 grace was granted him. God in his pro- 
 vidence, and, it fhouldfeem, by fome fpecial 
 influence on his mind and inclinations, kept 
 him from a great fm. There never was any 
 man on earth left to the whole force of his 
 natural depravity : No, not Cain, or Ahab, 
 or Jezebel, or Judas himfelf. If otherwifc, 
 Cain would have killed his parents as well 
 as his brother; Ahab would have murdered 
 many befides Naboth. thoufands more than 
 ever he did. Jezebel's whoredoms and witch- 
 crafts were many ; but they would have been 
 manv more, had not the Mediator's grace 
 refilled. And, were it not for this grace, 
 Judis would have been a much greater 
 thief and murderer than he was. It was 
 tliis that made him repent, and bear his lafl 
 tcfiimony in favor of the Redeemer. And 
 €\itn this good almighty government of 
 Chrift lo ordered, that he hanged himfelf. 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^^y 
 
 before he had further added to his wicked- 
 nefs ; though this was done by the inftru- 
 mentality of fatan, as the immediate agent. 
 
 The reader may now want I ftiould Ihew, 
 if I can, that Judas did not go to an eternal 
 hell. I will take notice of this, in its proper 
 place, and fo of every thing elfe that he 
 may think of, as he goes along, as impatient 
 to have at that moment difcuiled. 
 
 But, not to digrefs further, I would add 
 eoncerning the grace which the Mediator 
 afforded even Judas, in his higheft pitch of 
 wickednefs. Had it not been for the <ira- 
 cious, refitting power of Chrill, he would 
 have boafted of his treafon ; ftren^thened 
 his malice ; been foremoft, with his own 
 hands, in nailing jefus to the crofs ; been 
 the loudell to mock and deride his dyinc^ 
 agonies ; and then gone on to murder all 
 the difciples of Chrifl: : And where would 
 he have made a fland ? Surely not until he 
 had hanged himfelf, which he v/ould have 
 done at laft. The fame may be faid of the 
 moft horrid monfters of wickednefs that ever 
 have been in the world ; Herod, Nero, 
 Alexander, Richard Illd. or Britain, Beadle^ 
 BcncdiH Arnold, &c. Not one of ihefe, or 
 any other on earth, were ever, in any mea- 
 fure, fo horribly wicked as they would have 
 been, had all reitraints been taken off. And ail 
 the reflraints that ever Vv^cre kept upon the 
 wicked, are by the grace and power of the 
 Mediator, and the purchafe of his blood. 
 The mercy, power, pity, and grace of the 
 Rtdicmer is great and vronderful, even. 
 
i^8 TREATISE OM 
 
 where fouls are not rcncis'cd. " The Lor4 
 is good unto all ; and his tender mercies 
 arc over ail his works." 
 
 I READILY grant there is a differences 
 kJTid, 2. JpecifiC difference between common, 
 and faving grace ; or that grace which the 
 renewed have, and that which is common to 
 men. But in thele particulars they do in- 
 deed agree ; t>oth are free : Both are good, 
 and valuable in their nature : Both from 
 God only through Chrift : Both wholly un- 
 merited by finners : Both bellowed on fm- 
 ners who havQ equal dependence on God : 
 Both are the fruit of the Mediator's under- 
 taking for a guilty world, beftowed in God's 
 own time and manner. So that the great 
 excellenc)' oi one above the other, does not, 
 in the leaf!:, militate againll the prcfent ar- 
 gument, to prove a real connexion of the 
 Mcifiah in a iqpderal way with all mankind ; 
 but docs fully confirm this do£irine, even as 
 fully as if there was no fpccific difference 
 between them. 
 
 There are innumerable good things of c^ 
 nature fpecihcally different, that are equally 
 the gift and grace of the Mediator, as wif- 
 dom and v.-ealth ; health and a good name; 
 ;ill the five lenfes : All thefe are good, and 
 all alike from the Son of God, as Creator 
 and Governor of the world. Man could 
 liave enjoyed no good at all, had not a Me- 
 diator liucrpofcd ; but the furfe, in its mofl 
 literal, plaineff meaning. woMld have been 
 executed. God was able to make A- 
 dam and Eve underfland what he laid to 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^aq 
 
 them. They knew what was meant by the 
 word day ; and God was able to make them 
 underftand what was meant by the word die^ 
 or death. Otherwife he did, in efFe6l, fay 
 nothing to them. If he did not make them 
 underftand him, there was no threatening at 
 all, as to them, in what he faid. They knew 
 the day meant twenty-four hours, or a diur- 
 nal, appan-ent revolution of the fun. God 
 made them to underftand, that to die, figni- 
 fied, with refpcft to the body, a total ceffa- 
 tion of all vital functions, all fenfibility ; 
 and, with refpeft to the foul, the total lofs 
 of his moral image, and his favor forever 
 more, with the miferies conne6led therewith, 
 and the eternal pains due to the tranfgreifion. 
 pi his holy and good lav/. 
 
 When they had linned, they really ex- 
 pefted that, within that very day, as now 
 defcribed, their bodies v/ould fo die ; and 
 that, as they found their fouls deprived of 
 the moral image of God, they would for- 
 ever remain fo, with all the anguilh and 
 forrow, pain and diftrefs, contained in the 
 maledi6iion. to all eternity; even a duration 
 abfolutely interminable. This appeared in 
 their fearful condu6t, when " they heard the 
 voice of the Lord God. walking in the gar- 
 den in the cool of the day," i. e. in the latter 
 part of that very day on which they rebelled. 
 
 No doubt, they thought he was come to 
 execute the fentence upon them, juft as he 
 had Ipoken, and as they plainly underftood. 
 And they knew that this was juft and right- 
 eous. But, to their great and joyful furpnze. 
 
icb TREATISE ON 
 
 tijcy found it quite otherwifc. A dark inti- 
 mation was given them, in an indireft man- 
 r.er, of the ground God proceeded upon, to 
 avoid the violation of his honor and truth, 
 viz. a fubftitute, a vicar, an atonement, one 
 in their place and ftead, the feed of the 
 Avoman. The Mediator began to officiate 
 that moment for all the human kind. They 
 were all prefent, all in the firft pair. And 
 "he has conftantly officiated for all the human 
 kind ever fince, and v^^ill until the curfe is 
 wholly wiped away. Sin reigned unto death, 
 even then immediately upon the fall ; and 
 grace began its operation on the fame day, 
 and ffiall reign with an overcoming, pre- 
 vailing triumph, to the end of the world, 
 and to all eternity. " That as fin hath 
 reigned unto death, even fo might grace reign 
 through righteoufnefs, unto eternal life, by 
 Jefus Chrill our Lord." Rom. v. 21. 
 
 At what time our firfl parents were re- 
 newed, is immaterial to the prefent argu- 
 ment ; but it is certain the Melfiah on that 
 very day, operated, in a blelTed and merciful 
 decree. He fpared their lives. They did 
 not die an immediate and remedilefs death, 
 as thev deferved, and expected from God's 
 own mouth. On that day, they were gra- 
 cioufly pointed to an atonement. The great 
 high Prieft exhibited an oblation befere 
 their eyes ; the import of which was, that: 
 one of their feed fhould be divinely qualified 
 for a full atonement, and his death ffiould 
 Hand for theirs. Then he took the ikins of 
 thofc beads which \v'a:c flain, and clothed 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 
 
 ^5* 
 
 them. Which denoted that they were ac 
 cepted, not in their own fig leaves, a garment 
 of their own preparing, their own vile char- 
 after ; but in the charafter of the future Mei- 
 liah, the cloathing or garments of his all per- 
 feft righteoufnefs. Much grace and mercy was 
 granted them on that very day ; and more 
 added, as a gracious Sovereign faw proper. 
 So it is with all their poor, loft children. 
 They have always much mercy and grace 
 from Chrift ; and he goes on to the conium- 
 mation of it as a gracious Sovereign. 
 
 All this is only in a goipel way ; and fo 
 *' the gofpel was preached to every creature 
 under heaven," even from the fall of man, 
 i. e. Gofpel grace was always manifefted, or 
 held forth, to all human creatures, in lome 
 degree or other. And where Chrift begins 
 a good work, as Mediator, he will perfeft it, 
 in his own wav and time. It will iifue in 
 perfeftion at the great day. " Being confi- 
 dent of this very thing, that he which hath 
 begun a good work in you, will perform it 
 until the day of Jefus Chrift." Phil, i, 6. 
 
 It is moreover evidential that this is the 
 d©6lrine of grace and laivation ; becaufe 
 this, and this only, excludes all boafting. 
 Good dijiinclions are the only things that meii 
 boaft of, or at leaft, what they value as good. 
 If they come in a way of mere grace, with- 
 out any hand of theirs in them, ihey always 
 feel move pride in them, than if they came 
 hy their own good efforts. How proud arc 
 mankind of cxquifite beauty ; noble birth .; 
 
^(.^ TREATISE OJJ 
 
 a grand eflatc defccndcd down from an an- 
 cient and dignified family ? Every body 
 knows that good things of this nature are 
 all of mere favor or grace, pure gifts of God, 
 in the way of nature and providence. 
 
 Say of a man, that he is defcended of 
 the mod honorable family in the nation ; 
 that he has naturally the greatcft powers of 
 mind of any man in it ; that he carries the 
 greatefl majefly, dignity and beauty in his 
 countenance, and in all his geflures, together 
 with the mofl unafFefted, winning behavior; 
 that in vigor and activity, he exceeds all : 
 Add that he was made fo, he was born v/ith 
 all this greatnefs and excellence in his very 
 nature ; and is indeed the completefl work 
 of God to be found within a thoufand miles. 
 You can fay nothing that will take hold of 
 the human heart, to make a man feci proud- 
 er ; though you have not faid one word, but 
 what is an exprcHion of free, foverei gn 
 grace, as the man himfelf will acknowledge. 
 Indeed, he is much the prouder, on this 
 very confideration, that fo great a Being as 
 God himfelf, has taken fuch peculiar notice 
 of him, and fmgled him out as a fpecial 
 favorite.. 
 
 Let another man hear it faid of him, that 
 he was in every view mean and contenipLi- 
 blc by nature ; delpicable in foul and body 
 throughout ; of a fcandalous family from 
 generation to generation ; but he has taken 
 io much pains to become Ibmething, that he 
 is really now, a man that ought to be re- 
 IpcQcd, indeed a xcry worthy m.an. He 
 
tjNIV^RSAL SALVATIOK. j^^ 
 
 will hardly thank you for the compliment ; 
 though you attribute the whole of his virtue 
 and worth to himi'elf. 
 
 Very great diHinfilion from others, in 
 honor and happinefs, is what men moll 
 pride themfelves in ; and if this be owmg 
 to the peculiar notice of fome great perfon- 
 age, it really adds to their gratification. 
 Men are naturally proud of being peculiar 
 favorites of the great. Mr. Pope, the cele- 
 brated poet, was a man illorc tree tioni 
 vanity, than moft men ; but he betrayed 
 much on an occafion, and at a time when 
 it was leaft to be expefted. In writing his 
 laft will, V/heh his thoughts v/cre full of ap- 
 proaching death and another world, his pride 
 is apparently moved by a matter of free, to- 
 verei^m grace, a peculiar mark 6i' diftin6lion 
 from\ kilig. In the bequeft of a valuable 
 ring, which might have been quite as 
 wefl defcribed without telling how he canle^ 
 by it, he fays, " the ring which the king of 
 Sardinia gave inc." All the poets ufed to 
 fpeak in like manner, and they expreffed 
 human nature. If they had received only 
 a pipe, or any otKer fmall matter of a re^ 
 iiowned poet, or any man of great note, as 
 a free gift • they would be fure to take no- 
 tice of the manner in v/hich it came to them, 
 
 valuing themfelves on the mere gracious 
 
 dillindion of a renowned man. Such is 
 
 human nature. 
 
 Tell a man that he is bad, how ready is 
 
 he to keep himfelf in countenance, by enu- 
 U 
 
^r^ T 11 E A T I S K O N 
 
 mcrating many that do as he does ! If he 
 thought himfelf diftinguifhed from moft 
 othera in wickednefs, he would be far more 
 afhamed. Whether it refpefts pride or 
 fhame, peculiar diJlniHion is the grand thing ; 
 and if that diilin6lion come in a fovereign 
 way, from a great perfonage, it is not the 
 lefs, but the more flattering. To be mean, 
 dcfpicable, and contemptible by birth and 
 nature, or to be eflcemed fo, mortifies human, 
 pride, more than to be lo in any other way. 
 Hence men are more mortified to be called 
 fools, than knaves or cunning rogues. It i-s 
 indeed, diflinOion from others in a way of 
 excellence, real or fuppofed, that is in every 
 cafe, a ftrong temptation ta pride, in what- 
 ever way that diftinftion is made. 
 
 The I'eader may then fay, that there will 
 be this temptation to pride among the faints 
 in heaven, to all eternity : P^or there will be 
 in heaven, great and cverlafling diftinClions 
 of free grace. But this objedion will vanilh 
 in a motnent, when you confider that all fuel 
 for pride to kindle, wiU be forever taken 
 away in that world ; as no corruption at all 
 will be admitted there ; no moral capacity 
 of pride. 
 
 You will then fay, that from this view of 
 things, eminent advances in grace and favor 
 in this life are firong incentives of pride, in 
 the moft exalted faints on earth. They are 
 fo. They always were, and always will be, 
 fo long as any mOral depravity remains, or 
 any principle of pride in their hearts. Paul 
 found it fu ivhfn Ccd, of his free grace, fct 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^ rp 
 
 him at a great diftance from others, by fpe- 
 cial difcoveries and divine raptures. 2 Cor, 
 xii. Saints in heaven, will find the fame 
 thing operating in a way of the deepeft hu- 
 mility, which now ta:kes hold of their cor- 
 rupt part, as an incentive to pride and felf 
 exaltation. On earth, fpiritual pride hath 
 always been a very dangerous and trouble- 
 fome enemy to the comfort of eminent 
 faints, indeed to all good people. 
 
 If you enquire, how did holy angels find 
 pride originating or moving in them ? I an- 
 Iwer; this is a queflion that never was fol- 
 ved, nor ever can be, by man. It is a faft ; 
 but wholly incomprehenfible by us, as in- 
 numerable other fatts are. This, however, 
 may be faid, faints in heaven are fecured by 
 Chrift ; the fallen angels were not. 
 
 In a word, the moll exalted faints in hea- 
 ven, will be as much before others in hu- 
 mility, as in any other part of their holy 
 attainments ; and will bow as much lower 
 before the throne of God, as they are exalted 
 higher. Thus I am advocating the only 
 rational, gofpel doftrine, that will exclude 
 all boaftinsx. In heaven, it will be confirm- 
 ed, when they will view the matter Oi their 
 juftification, the righteoufnefs of Chrift. " to 
 all and upon all, without any difFerence." 
 
 This gofpel dofilrine tends greatly to the 
 promotion of pra6lical holinefs and virtue. 
 
 The bands of love and gratitude ever 
 were, and ever will be, the proper bands of 
 a man. Fear and terror, never yet had ^.ny 
 
jrg TREATISEON 
 
 diieft tendency to holinefs and a good life. 
 I mean common, legal icar. For it always 
 carries in it, not only terror, but even odium 
 ot its objeQ. It never attra6ts the foul to 
 the objctl of terror, but quite the reverfe. 
 Love, or a lente of goodiiels, amiablenefs, 
 kindnefs, or benevolence, always attra6ls 
 And aflimilatcs the i'oul to n$ objetl. As. 
 God hath copllhuted immortal fouls and 
 their objefts, it cannot be other\yife. This 
 is not only the clear doftrine of reafon and 
 fcripture ; bat alio the doftrine of all called, 
 orthodox, fuicc the days of the apofUes ; 
 lemarkably lo, lince the retormation from 
 poperv. 
 
 It is true, papiRr, and arniinians have of- 
 ten told 14s that the do6lrine tends to liccn- 
 tioutnels : and that, if they believed the in- 
 hnite ftedfait, immutable loA-e of God, and 
 Jaithfulnels of Chrift, as we do, in relpeft to 
 our lalvation, the certain perleverence ol be- 
 lievers and the like, ihcy would indulge 
 thcmJelves in all manner of fmful lulls and. 
 pieafures. While their heart:; are unrenew- 
 ed, ai:id v^hile they believe not this glorious. , 
 do6lrine, th(?y may tliink as they fay. But 
 did thiCy believe, and led (he power of it, 
 tjpey would; knp.w better, as <;:alviiiiils havtj 
 alw<iys told them. They would find the 
 coids of iuch love very diljerent l>ands Irom 
 v.'h.tt they imagine, while in ignorance of 
 Cod and the power of his lo\'e. 
 
 What i-reat (hinizs has flavifli fear or ter- 
 ror ever done to make men holy ? It will 
 keep them from many open and daring 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^m,j 
 
 crimes, in the fight of man, it is true : But 
 ^t the fame time they will be juft as guilty 
 in the fight of God, as if they had no iuch 
 fear. In their very fouls, they will wifh and 
 long to commit them, as much as ever. In 
 this wiih, and longing defire of the foul, lies 
 all the fm, in the fight of God, 
 
 Principles of fear are managed to good 
 advantage, by the laws and government of 
 ynen. And without taking this great and 
 good advantage of a principle of (lavifti, un- 
 fanftified fear, in man, we could not live in. 
 Jiuman fociety. But the vile, hardened 
 wretch, who is retrained in his overt aftions, 
 only by fear of the whip and the gallows, is, 
 as greatly guilty in the fight of God, as if 
 thefe fearful rellraints h-vd never been upon 
 him. The civil magiftrate has much to do, 
 with this principle of fear in man. All 
 human laws make great ufe of it ; and this 
 is wife, and good for the end nronofed. But 
 alas ! how little doth this avail as to things 
 jnvifible and eternal ? How little with the 
 habituated drunkard ? How little with the 
 inveterate thief and robber ? Take away the 
 lear of vifible, temporal puniflmient, and 
 does it at all appear that the tenors of eter- 
 nal damnation have any influence on their 
 condu6l ? Although they profefs to believe, 
 the doftrine, and aUude to it in almofl all 
 their converlation, their mouths being per- 
 petually full of hell and damnation. Verily 
 it is a i'cni'c. of the goodncfs of God tha| 
 leadeth to repentance, a true fenfe of God^ 
 as Icvc, that meliorates tli? heart, v/i,th a di- 
 
i^'S TREATISE ON 
 
 vine pou'cr on the life and condu6l. " If 
 ye love me keep my commandments." 
 *' Walk in love." " The love of Chrill con- 
 llraineth us." 
 
 I NEVER yet heard any man pray or 
 preach to any congregation, \vithout build- 
 ing on principles, which, by juft, inevitable 
 confcqucnce, would infer the lure faivation 
 of all the human kind, at lajl. 
 
 We all agree in thefe particulars. We pray 
 for the faivation of all. We, in the name 
 of Chrift, offer I'alvation to all on the pur- 
 chafe of his blood. In the name of Chrifl, 
 we command all^to believe. We tell all 
 men that they have a good waiTant to be- 
 lieve : That a iufiicient foundation is laid 
 ior them all to believe ; and that if they do 
 believe they fhall certainly be faved ; and 
 that not at all on the merit of their faith, 
 but the merit of Chnfl : That their repent- 
 ance and faith and ^vhatever good may be 
 jn them, docs not in the leafl alter the 
 foundation, or objcft of their faith. We 
 tell them that it is the greatefl lin not to he- 
 hcve ; that it maketh God a liar, as far as 
 I hey are able. In the name of Chrift, we 
 promile them full pardon and life eternal, 
 when they repent, and believe, and obey 
 the gofpel ; and this, not in the leafl. for 
 their repentance, faith, and obedience. What 
 then, do we make of all thefe graces in man, 
 but only means leading to the enjoyment 
 of an end, not dependent on thefe means, but 
 they dependent on that : Not an end whicl^ 
 
l^NIVERSAL SALVATION. icg' 
 
 thefe means do eftablifh ; but eflablifhed be- 
 forehand, as an immutable foundation, on 
 which alone is built the propriety, ufe and 
 neceflity of all thefe means ? 
 
 I HAVE often heard much inconfiftency, 
 and contradi6lion in the prayers and preach- 
 ing of gOf)d men ; but never heard one per- 
 forming thefe duties, who did not adopt 
 many fentiments, which, by juft conie- 
 quence, would infertile falvationof all man- 
 kind, made previoully fure in the purpofe 
 of God, and the foundation he hath laid 
 in Zion. This is confident. Otherwife, 
 the faivation of man is dependent on hir,i^ 
 felf, if any Thing can be on a creature. He 
 depends on his qualifications and exercifes 
 of mind, as the foundation of all his hope. 
 What God hath done is juil nothmg, or 
 worfe than nothing to him, without thefe 
 di{lin6lions in himfclf, or before he hath them. 
 All God hath done gives him no fecurity. 
 As if one ftiould fay, that the will and 
 teflament of his father- was not his fe- 
 curity for the legacy ; but his opening 
 and reading of the will, after his father's 
 death, was the only thing that fecured 
 him. Would you not tell^iuch an one that 
 he did not fpeak with propriety ; that his 
 whole fecuritv was in the will and teflament 
 of his father ; and that his opening and read- 
 ing it only gave him knowledge of it and 
 com! or t in it. , 
 
 We uiually pray to God, juft as Paul 
 direfted, and on the fame ground which he 
 has eftablilhed. We pray for the faivation 
 
1 5o T n n A T I s E o Ji 
 
 bf all men. This we ought not to do withi 
 
 out a foundation in the word of God. If 
 
 God has decided the point in his word, that 
 
 many fhall be damned eternally, in their 
 
 own perlons, we have no warrant to pray as 
 
 we do. But the apoftlc bids us pray for 
 
 the falvation of all men, even fudi wicked 
 
 kings and magiftrates as Nero, and the 
 
 bloody, perfecutmg magillrates in thofe days, 
 
 for all the cruel pcrfecutors of the church, 
 
 and for every body elfe, Avithout a fmcrle 
 
 exception ; and then gives this as our vvar- 
 
 tant, " God will have all men to be favcd 
 
 and to come unto the knowledge of the 
 
 truth." He alfo enjoins it upon us to give 
 
 thanks for all men, on the fame ground ; 
 
 becaufe " Chrift gave himfelf a ranibm for 
 
 all." At the fame time, he plainly intimates, 
 
 that the time was tiot then come to pour in 
 
 all the light that God had defigned in after 
 
 ages ; that a progrcffion of light would 
 
 continue as it had begun, and proceeded 
 
 thus far ; and that the glorious do6lrine 
 
 would be more fully manifefl in due time. 
 
 Read 1. Tim. ii. i, — 6. 
 
 The moR literal tranflation that can pof- 
 fibly be given of thofe words which I have 
 more than once alluded to, is this ; a tejli- 
 tnony for times proper.* In the Englifh bible 
 it (lands, '■' to be tejlijicd in due time." How- 
 ever, it is fcarce worth while, in any place, 
 to corrcft our lafl Fnolifli tranflation of the 
 bible : For every man that is well Ikillcd in 
 
 TO fJLU^TVOlOV XUlOoi^ iJiOt^, 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. i5i 
 
 rfie original languages, who is alfo a man off 
 candor, will bear me witnefs, that tliere is 
 Jbarcely a fingle fentence in the tranflation, 
 but what will bear, without marring the 
 true lenle any wife eflentially. 
 
 If it is certain, that the word of God, his 
 juftice and his glory, do afcertain the eter- 
 nal, perfonal damnation of many ; we ought 
 to pray for that awtul event, as explicitly 
 as for any thing elic. " Thy zoill he done," 
 ought to run through all our prayers. But 
 how would it ftrike the minds of any con- 
 gregation in the world, to hear him that 
 leads in prayer, crying mightily to God, 
 that many, or moft of his fellow men, might 
 be the miferable vi6lims of his eternal ven- 
 geance perfonaUy, in hell to all eternity. 
 Many men difcern premifes well, but do 
 liot fee.the juft coniequence. We have al- 
 ways feen it a clear gofpel duty, founded 
 on golpel warrant, to pray for the falvation, 
 of all men, and give thanks for all men, on 
 the foundation laid in Chrill. If a great 
 inany have not dilcerned the confequence 
 of fuch premifes, it is no more than what 
 happens in many other cafes every day. 
 
 I AM far enough from being an entliu- 
 fiatt, and believe I was never thought io by 
 any perfon , but rather the reverse : How- 
 ever, J think it is good and found reafoning, 
 to argue from our own experience, and froim 
 ■What other honeft people affirm to us from 
 their exoerience. Having; had the fpecial 
 V 
 
f 52 TREATISE ON 
 
 care of fouls, maiiy years, and been happy 
 in my charge, I hate often converled with 
 pcrfons under ipecial awakenings, and great 
 concern about their fouls. I have always 
 kept up the holy law in their view, with all 
 fts infinite purity and ftrittnels, and tremen- 
 dous terrors to the enemies of God ; have 
 always told the difhreffed that they could in 
 no TL'ife help themfelves, or make^ any dif- 
 tinftion in themfelves ; charged them to 
 make no dependence on their pra3'ers, tears, 
 reformations, or any thing they feel within 
 themfelves, but on the lovereign grace of 
 God, through the atonement of his Son, 
 totally cxcluiive of every thing cHe in the 
 univerfe ; always pointing them to Chrift 
 as the end of the law, in the fleadof finners. 
 ' I ITAVE found numbers that have been by 
 the Spirit of God, brought to this fenfe of 
 the way of falvation, and have refted in it 
 as a fate way. They have found it attended 
 with evangelical repentjmce and gieeat com- 
 fort. And hence haVe invited the ^ileft of 
 finners to come to Chriil, and truft i-n him, 
 without one mom'erit's delay ; telling them 
 there was enough itI Chrrft' for- t^heiv falva- 
 tion, vile as they now are ; thi\l the atonement 
 iVa^ fafficient to Tefebmmend them' to God in 
 thH/'very xvorfi condition of J'mif end hft; and 
 that.Vhey never could obtain any qualihca- 
 tiorr;' within or wrthdut, that would -move 
 rhc heart of God towards them ; biit that 
 all things on God's part, are ready. 
 " i^it-EY have told jTre,'that4heynev6p' fo^und 
 themfelves fo unqu^ified, as whcu thtir 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. j^jj 
 
 relief and comfort broke in upon them in. 
 a way of mere faith ; and that they looked 
 far from themielves, even as far as Mount 
 Calvary, for all their hope ; and that they 
 faw all God had done to relieve their dii- 
 treffed fouls, was done, fure andcertain, long 
 before they were born. And that they could 
 make no foundation of hope in all that God 
 had wrought on their fouls, but praife his 
 glorious name that he has been pleafed, in 
 mere, fovercign mercy, to work thus efFe6lu- 
 ally on them, only in order to lead them to 
 the fenfe and comfort of what was immUf 
 table truth before, viz. The all-fufficiqncy 
 of, Chriil for the chief of fmners. Thefe 
 perfons have generally brought forth fruits 
 meet for repentance, and Vv-alked as real 
 chriftians. 
 
 The obfei-vation of my fathers and bre- 
 thren in the gofpel minillry, as many of 
 them have told me, is the very fame in their 
 concerns with fouls, with what I have now 
 mentioned. They have' alfo told mc, it is 
 their true experience with refpe6l to iheif 
 own fouls, and all their comfort ; and.I am 
 certain it is mine. It is well known that all 
 pious proteftant minifters have taken this 
 very method in guiding fouls to Chrifl;. 
 And all the fuccefs they have found, has 
 been by thus cutting off finners every way, 
 as much as poflible, from every dependence, 
 but on Chrifl alone. God has granted his 
 peculiar blefling on this (ioQrine, and this 
 way of guiding poor, niiierable finhers to 
 a Savior. No miuiii.cr of the gofpel in thii" 
 
3 04 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 land was ever more blelTed of God in his , 
 labors, perhaps, than the renowned bilhop 
 Stoddard, of Northampton. Every one that 
 is acquainted with his charafter and wri- 
 tings mufl be fenfible that this was his 
 method. 
 
 Many, no doubt, were brought to know 
 Chrift, in that remarkable period, in the 
 year 1740, and a few lucceeding years, not- 
 withftanding the great frailty and diflraftion 
 of human nature appeared much in thofe 
 days. All, fo far as I can learn, who be- 
 came true followers of Chrifl, in thofe times, 
 built firmly on this very doftrine ; that Chrift 
 alone is the complcat Savior of the chief of 
 fanners, exclufive of every diflinftion in 
 themfelves, previoufly moving the heart of 
 God towards them, or, in any wife, fitting 
 them for mercy ; that all that maketh them 
 to differ from the moft abandoned of the 
 human race, flows wholly from a previous 
 iource, alike open to all, and built on a 
 foundation as independent of man, as God 
 was in creating him at lirft. It is well 
 known that the moft fuccelsful preachers in 
 thofe days, dwelt mainly on thele very doc- 
 trines. 
 
 This doGrine of faving;, universal n^ace, 
 is perje^ly cnnfijlent rvith the mojl plain and 
 pojltive declarations of the -word of God. that 
 the pains of hell fJiatl he endkf ; and that the 
 rvickcd fnall go away into evcrlafling punijh- 
 ment, m all the houndlefs extent of thcfe words, 
 and many ethers that convey the fame idea of the 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^^e 
 
 endkfs punijhment of fmners, and that in the 
 " flainejl pojjible manner of exprejfion. 
 
 In their Surety, Vicar, or Subflitute, i. e. ia 
 Chrift, " the head of every man," they go away 
 into everlafing pimfhment, in a tiTie gofpel 
 fenfe. In him they fufFer infinite punifh- 
 ment, i. e. he fufFers for them, in their room 
 and Head. But how fo ? The divine nature 
 never fufFered, and the human nature was 
 not infinite, nor capable of infinite fufFer- 
 ings ; yet by union in perfon with infinite 
 Deity, the gofpel, the divine conftitution 
 does account the atonement infinite. The 
 obeying, and the lufFering human nature 
 was as much united to all the attributes of 
 Deity, as to any one of them ; to Deity 
 in all his infinite perfeftions ; to the eter- 
 nity of Deity as much as to his omnifcience, 
 almightinels, or any other attribute. And 
 the fufferings of Chrifl are eternal fafferings, 
 juft in the lame way of reafoning that they 
 are infinite. The fame ineffable, hypoflatic 
 union of human and divine natures, which 
 connects infinity with manhood in one per- 
 fon, does equally unite eternity with the 
 fame. There is the fame gofpel propriety 
 in calling them eternal fufferings, as infinite 
 fufferings. It is only by perfonal union 
 with Deity, that either term will bear. 
 
 The apoftle gives us this idea, as plainly 
 as any other, to lead us to eftimate the atone- 
 ment complete for the fins of the world, 
 and in the gofpel account, an eternal pun- 
 ilhment. lie confiders the gift of falvatior^ 
 by Chrifl, under the idea of a will or tefta-' 
 
J 65 T R E A T I S E O N 
 
 ment, that makes the legacy fuve ; as fare 
 before the ^gatee knows any thing about it, 
 or has an)^comfort in it, as . afterwards. 
 And, as in all his writings, he exhibits the 
 'atonement complete in every other view, fo 
 he does in the eternity of it, in tlic divine 
 account ; that none may imagine himfelf to 
 be expofed to perfonal puniinmcnt in hell 
 to ail eternity, for want of an eternal atone- 
 ment, any more than for want of an infinite 
 one. He telis us that a fenfe of this, will 
 free the conlcicnce from every bond that 
 might hold the poor fmner under obligation 
 to fufter ; and will alio become a fpring of 
 holy gratitude and living facrifice to God. 
 " How much more fhall the blood of Chrift, 
 who, through the eternal Spirit, offered him- 
 felf without fpot to God, purge your con- 
 fcience from dead works to lerve the living 
 God ?" Heb. ix. No perfon of judgment 
 will fay that the phrafe, through the eternal 
 Spirit, here fignifies, that the eternal Spirit 
 of God fupported Chrift in his luffcrings : 
 For he was then whollv forfaken in this fenfe, 
 and left, in his expiring moments, without 
 any fupport at all, as much as ever a vidim 
 was, when bound and blccdincr on the altar. 
 It was then he cried out, " My God, my 
 God, why haft thou forfaken me !" 
 
 We cannot make the atonement fufficient 
 for our redemption in any fenfe ; unlefs we 
 conhder the human nature infinitely digni- 
 fied, by perfonal union with Deity, with 
 fcvery attribute of Deity, one as much as 
 another. On this very ground it is, that 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. jg^ 
 
 the merit of the atonement took place, and 
 was efBcacious long before Chrifl came in 
 the fleih. Yea, from eternity, it was effica- 
 cious, on our behalf, in the mind and decree 
 6i God. And it was, from eternity, regarded 
 in the gracious purpofe of the Moft High ; 
 as he always determined to fave linners in 
 this way and no other. " Then was I by 
 him, as one brought up with him ; and i 
 was daily his delight, rejoicing always be- 
 fore him ; rejoicing in the habitable parts 
 of the earth, and my delights were with the 
 fons of men." Prov. viii. 
 
 The atonement of the Lamb of God, 
 which taketh away the fin of the world, was 
 prcfent in God's view from ail eternity ; 
 and will be fo to all eternity, as much as 
 when he was a6luaily bleeding on the crofs, 
 in- all his amazing ?gonies. Thus he is " the 
 Lamb flain from the foundation of the 
 world." Or, if you put the adjeftive before 
 the fubflantive, as a late writer docs, and as 
 it ftands.in the original, the idea is the lame ; 
 '• the llain Lamb from the foundation of 
 the world." 
 
 Thus, at the great and lolemn day, cha- 
 racters fhall be feparated one from another, 
 as a ihepherd divideth the fheep from the 
 goats. God will ftiew infinite approbation 
 to the ckaracler of his own Son, the Son of 
 man, as fcederal head in union with his re- 
 deemicd creatures, placing it at his right 
 hand ; a phra(e denoting approbation and 
 honor. And he will manifeft infinite wrath, 
 indignatioin and venoeance ag^ainfi the real 
 
l68 TREATISE ON 
 
 charafterof man, placing it at his left hand i 
 ■tvhich denotes the utmoft deteftation and 
 abhorrence. The place of his Son will, on 
 that day, be at his right hand, as it always 
 tvas, and always will be, and " where I am," 
 fays Jefus, " there fhall my fei-vants be." 
 The charafter of (inners, the real charafter 
 of all men fincc the fall, was always at 
 God's left hand, and always will be. God 
 never abhorred man as his creature, never 
 hated, and never will hate any thing in man, 
 but his bad charafter. In Chrift, he has 
 no bad charafter. bd^t one infinitely good. 
 And God v/ill bid all that fullain it, wel- 
 come to all the joys and glories ot heaven j 
 even all ^vhofe fins the Lamb of God came 
 to take away. 
 
 AVhkn the great [udge fhall give final 
 fenterice, and thus dilplay his wondrous 
 love to his cleft head, and his eleft body of 
 human nature, alio his tremendous abhor- 
 rence of the charafter of finners, it will 
 make all human nature tremble. But they 
 will rejoice with trembling. Their amazing 
 lenfe of the holy indignation of God againll 
 fin, will not allay their holy joy, which 
 will be in God alone, on that day, and to 
 all eternity. They will fee their perfonal 
 deferts in the eternal fvjfcrings ot their Head: 
 For in gofpel account they arc fo ; though 
 in time endured once for all on the crois. 
 They will, I fay, then, and foiever-morc, 
 fee their danmable character and deferts in 
 themfelves ; and will go away into everlaft- 
 iiag punilhment, in this ienfe. This is the 
 
trklVfiitSAL SAI.VATION. x^(* 
 
 tru€, and only fenfe of the gofpel conllitu- 
 tion ; which is well called a wonderful inyf- 
 tery, claiming the admiration and aflonifli- 
 ment of angels and faints, now and forever. 
 
 To behold the redeemed furrounded with 
 the moft formidable difplays of the wrath 
 of God forever, againft their real perional 
 fehara6ler while in this world, and with his aw- 
 ful indignation forever, as a burning flame, a- 
 gainft all ungodlinefs and unrighteouinefs 
 of men ; and to behold tile very perlons to 
 whom this real charatler did perronally per* 
 tain, made perfeftiy innocent in a iubfli* 
 tuted charafler, their robes all Waflled and 
 made white in the blocd of the Lamb, v/itli 
 clean hands and a pure heart, dwelling in. 
 this devouring fire, and inhabiting thelc 
 everlafting burnings, in dilpiays of rigiiteous 
 and holy Dsity ; and yet perfe6i;ly bleffed, 
 and even the more blelTed, tor this their fit- 
 tiation ; in the midft of ail tiiefe awful dif- 
 plays, dwelling on high, and having their 
 place of defence the munition of rocks, bread 
 given them and their Waters fure : This is 
 indeed a wonder of love worthy of the wif- 
 dom of God only wife, Ifa. xxxiii. 
 
 All this glory and terror of divine holi- 
 nefs and juftice, we fee, arid forever IhalL 
 fee, in the fufFerings of the Son of God for 
 finners. And there is no more need of the 
 eternal perfonal damnation, of any of the 
 human race further to difplay and illuf- 
 trate the glory of God's juftice, and his in- 
 finite holy anger againft fin y than there is 
 X 
 
lyO TREATI3EON 
 
 need of the dim light of a candle, to help 
 us to behold the beautiful face of the earth 
 in tin; vernal fcafon, when the lun fhines in* 
 the meridian, with all his glorious -fplendor 
 and in his full ftrength. Even to fuppofe 
 otherwife, is in full oppofition to the fole 
 glory of God and Chrift in the atonement. 
 The gofpel is, with great propriety, called a 
 '' rninillration of righteoulnels." i.e. right- 
 eoufnefs difplayed, imparted, and applied, 
 even as the miniftration of healing medi- 
 cines, imparted and applied for the recovery 
 of the fick. 
 
 It is, moreover, evidential of the truth of 
 this doftrine of free fovereign grace, as 
 now illuflrated, that there is no pcjfiblc danger 
 in believing, and living according to the genuine 
 dictates of it. 
 
 It will certainly ha\'e the fame influence 
 on the heart and life, which the common 
 proteftant do£trine of grace always had ; but 
 only much more powerful in its blefTed 
 operations and effe£ls. It is the ielf lame 
 do6lrine, in all points but this : It extends 
 the lame eternal good will of God to all poor 
 linners of mankind ; which we have been 
 taught, by puritan divines, is confined only 
 to a part ; and it may be to a very fmall 
 part indeed, agreeably to the more natural 
 afpc6l of their doftrine. It differs no more 
 from the doftrine of Calvin, Oicen, and Ed^ 
 "wards, and the great body of protcftants, 
 than a circle as large as the periphery of 
 the earth, difl'crs from a circle of llie diain.' 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 
 
 171 
 
 eter of one cubit. Both have all the fame 
 properties, and every demonftration may be 
 built on the one, that may on the other ; 
 but only one is much larger than the other. 
 
 In this cafe, we hold the great diftinguifh- 
 ing doftrines of divine revelation exaftly as 
 they have always been taught, by thofe cal- 
 led orthodox. Particularly ; the firft Adam 
 a federal, as well as natural head, for all 
 human nature : Our fall, guilt and mifery 
 in and by him : The kind decrees, and im- 
 mutable purpofes of the Moft High to fave 
 linners : The covenant of redemption with 
 the fecond federal head, even Chrift, the fe- 
 cond man, the Lord from heaven : The all 
 fufficiency of his atonement, and his obedi- 
 ence unto death, in the room and ftead of 
 finners : The necelTity of regeneration by 
 the almighty power, and free grace of God : 
 The neceility of repentance, faith, and fanc- 
 tification, a holy mind, perfeverance to the 
 end, all through Chriil, and by the power 
 of his fpirit and gra;.e. Yet, we think the 
 do6lrines of divine love, redeeming love and 
 grace, include a greater number of poor, 
 wretched fmners, all alike unworthy of mer- 
 cy ; than good people have, in time pad 
 imagined. This is the only point of differ- 
 ence. 
 
 I BELIEVE, God will have all men to be 
 Caved : That the Lamb of God hath taken 
 away the fm of the world : Died for the lins 
 of the whole world : That as fm hath reign- 
 ed unto death, much more fhall grace reign 
 through righteoufnefs to eternal life, hy Je- 
 
jy2 rTRIiATISEON 
 
 fus Cli^ifl our Lord. I believe all this, ia 
 the common, plain, natural icnfe of lan- 
 guage ; and io I do a thoufand other plain 
 affcrtions in the bible as full and direfcl: to 
 the lame purpofe as thefe arc. Yet, I have 
 every motive, even with additional force, to 
 feek the kingdom of God and his righteouf- 
 ilefs ; to prels into the kingdom of God ; to 
 make my calling and eie6tion fure ; that 
 fver VMS yet urged iiom the word of God : 
 And lO has every man in the world. 
 
 We iniifl; on the tame qualifications and:« 
 the fame -way ; as do they who are called or- 
 thodox. W^ know that while we believe not 
 wirii an holy heart, we fhall be damned. Wc 
 know that except we are born agam, we cannot 
 fee the kingdom of God. arc condemned al- 
 ready ; and that the wrath of God abideth 
 pn us, unlefs we are united to Chrill by re- 
 generation and faving huih ; and that except 
 we repent we fliali ail alfuredly perilh. We 
 infill on every medium, every qualification 
 for heaven that ever was infilled on, by any 
 pure golpel preacher. We have every mo- 
 tive to avoid all the ways of wickednefs, 
 snd ule all the means of grace and falvation 
 that ever the renowned Cahin had. He be- 
 lieved that all the cleft Ihould infallibly be 
 favcd, and no more ; fo do I. Pie believed, 
 God hath fixed and ellabljflicd the certain 
 number, from all eternity, as immutably as 
 his own being ; fo do 1. And let men cavil 
 as much as they plcafc ; there i& but juft 
 one way to get rid of this do6trine ; and 
 that is to deny divine revelation, and the 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. i«„ 
 
 peceffary attributes of God. Calvin believed 
 |:hat Chrift had undertaken to prepare all the 
 cleft for heaven, and would moft certainly 
 fee the work done, in his own time and 
 way ; fo do I. He infilled on the necefiity 
 of the means of grace and falvation, and 
 great propriety of them, and adduced the 
 word of God, and all the reafpn and nature 
 of things, to demonftrate that as a truth ; 
 which he did beyond all rational contra- 
 didion ; fo do I. His idea of heaven and 
 hell was the felf fame as mine, as to the na- 
 ture of the happinefs and mifery of each. I 
 mention Mr. Calvin ; becaiife his name and 
 charafter are much known. I might unite 
 with him, the great body of chriftian teach- 
 ers fince his day. 
 
 Now where is the diflPercnce between us, 
 in the doftrine I plead for ? This, indeed 
 gives a greater difpiay, a more aftonifhing 
 manifeftation of the goodnefs of the great 
 Father of all, than we have before admitted. 
 The eternal, rich, free, fovercign love of the 
 immenfe eternal lource of love, breaks 
 forth to our view, in more copious, and 
 amazing floods. The triumph of grace is 
 more glorious than heretofore, in cur fenfc of 
 it ; and gives our fouls a mod furprizing, 
 i^doring, rapturous fhock, enough to make 
 us break forth, " O the depth of the riches, 
 both of the wifdom and knowledge of God ! 
 how unfearchable are his determinations,*; 
 and his ways paft finding out !" " For of him^ 
 
jy^ TR-EATISEON 
 
 and through him, and to him are all things z 
 to whom be glory forever. Amen." 
 
 EvKRY judicious reader will fee, that the 
 ufe of means cannot alter the cafe as to the 
 falvation of the eleft, any more on the com- 
 mon do6lrine of predeflination, than on this 
 I plead for ; yet there is the greatefl propri- 
 ety in the ufe of appointed means. On 
 both principles, the means and the end are 
 inleparably connefted, in the eternal gra- 
 cious purpofe of God. 
 
 UxN THIN KING, uureafonablc men have al- 
 ways been wont to tell thofe who were 
 founded on the pure doftrines of free, fove- 
 reign grace, and who trufled all to God and 
 nothing to themfelves, and were thence led 
 into pure and holy lives, lives of prayer, 
 felf denial, watchfulnefs, dying to the world, 
 and all the vanities and carnal deliiihts of 
 it ; that if they themfelves had fuch a belief 
 of God's character, decrees and dealings with 
 men, they would plunge into all manner of 
 finful pleafures, and would gratify every 
 lull, in the highcfl degree. However, they 
 who have indeed received this grace of God, 
 have conflantly affirmed that the greater 
 fenfe they had of the infinite, eternal, immu- 
 table love of God to them, the more they 
 loved him and all his holy laws: And the 
 greater affurance they had that Chrift died 
 lor them, the more they hated and abhorred 
 all their fmfulnefs of nature and life, which 
 ijailed fo dear a Savior to the crofs : The 
 more they realized their abfolute fafcty in 
 God alone, and the certainty of their pcrfe» 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^jg 
 
 verance to the end, through the promife*- 
 grace, and faithfulnefs of Chrift, the more 
 they felt their hearts weaned from the world: 
 The more fpiritual and heavenly was the 
 frame and temper of their minds, as they 
 faw more of the vanity of themfelves and of 
 all creatures, and that God was all in all. 
 
 The children of God have always fpoken 
 the truth in all this. And we can fay the 
 fame, in anfwer to the fame cavils of a 
 blind world at enmity with God, and.igno - 
 rant of his. nature, which is love. Only 
 we may add, that as we have more extenfive 
 views of the love of God, and the glorious 
 harmony of all his attributes, in gathering 
 together in one all things in Chrift; fo, we 
 truft, it has a more powerful influence ou 
 our fouls, of the fame kind. 
 
 If we really miftake concerning the ex- 
 tent of the merits, and falvation of the Savior 
 of all men ; it is at the fartheft remove from 
 a miftake, that affefts the effentials of reli- 
 gion. It is only a wrong conjefturc as to the 
 number whom Chrift will lave, in one and 
 the fame way. There always have been dif- 
 ferent opinions among good people in this 
 article. Some have been far more charita- 
 t>ie than others, on this fubjeft. 
 
 Some, at this day, expe6t a millennium of 
 three hundred and fixty five thoufand years, 
 i. e. a thoufand prophetic years ; in which 
 long period almoil all on earth ftiall be ho- 
 ly and happy. I was ever in this fentiment; 
 and am full in it now. Yet many good peo- 
 
ayG TREATISE OH 
 
 pie, at the prefent day and for ages palt^ 
 have faid that they could find nothing in the 
 tvord of God, but that the day of judgment 
 might be in their day ; having no expecta- 
 tion at all of fuch a latter-day glory. Now, 
 there is an almofl infinite difference between 
 the belief of thefe two, as to the extent of 
 falvation ; yet both are in the fame fure 
 Way to heaven, and on the fame effential 
 foundation. There is a much greater differ- 
 ence between thofe that have faith in a mil- 
 lennium, and thofe who have not, as to the 
 number that fhall be faved ; than there is 
 between the advocates for the falvation of 
 all men, and the former ; at leafl as to thofe 
 that have already lived on the earth. 
 
 Suppose you hear three pious chriflians 
 difcourfing on the doctrines of grace, and 
 the way of falvation ; all in perfect agree- 
 tnent. At the clofe of the converfation, 
 each gives his opinion with regard to the 
 number, to be faved. One fays, the way 
 appears to him fo exceeding flrait, that he 
 believes not more than one hundred thou- 
 fand of all the human race, will ever get to 
 heaven. Another fays, he believes there 
 will be more than one hundred thoufand 
 faved, but he is confident not a million. 
 The third, having great iaith in a millenni- 
 um, and naturally fomewhat unhappy in 
 his talent at computation, is perfuadtd that 
 there will be more of the human race laved, 
 than there are finiile atoms of matter in this 
 whole globe of earth. You would not im- 
 agine that either was in an error, in any 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 1/7 
 
 thing that concerned his own falvation. 
 From a good acquaintance with human na- 
 ture, you would only infer, that the firft 
 was naturally a man of a narrow foul and 
 ftingy temper of mind ; that the fecond 
 was, in thefe refpefts, not fo unhappy ; and 
 that the laft was rather inattentive in his 
 computations ; but that they might be all 
 in the fame way to heaven. And, indeed, if 
 a. great fenfe of the fret, fovereign grace of 
 God, leads men into vice and immorality, 
 how coines it to pafs, as always appears to be 
 fa6l, that they who have the highejl fenfe of 
 this, have ever been men of the purefl lives ? 
 
 If I underftand the gofpel to be glad 
 tidings of great joy, which ftiall be to ail 
 people, in the common natural fenfe of lan- 
 guage ; and another underftands the fame 
 words to mean glad tidings to a few people 
 of all forts, and very fad tidings to the bulk 
 of mankind, as being a fure occafioh of en- 
 hancing their eternal mifery in an awtul 
 degree : Yet, if I have gofpel qualifications 
 to relifh and enjoy heaven, I fhall go there ; 
 and fo will he in the fame way. For we 
 both agree in the neceflity of the fame work 
 on our fouls, without which there is no fal- 
 Vation for any. I infifh on thefe qualifi- 
 cations, as flowing from a previous all- 
 fufficient atonement made for all finners of 
 the human race, and as neceffary to give me 
 fenfe and enjoyment of the benefit of that 
 atonement, to which Chrift has given miC a 
 previous title. He infills on thefe qualifi- 
 Y 
 
lyS TREATISE ON 
 
 cations to make out his title for him, infteae^ 
 of taking it folely from Chrift, and as fealed 
 in his blood alone. I believe that, while 
 we were yet enemies, Chrift died for the 
 ungodly, and fccured them for life eternal, 
 as a Pried ; and then goes on, as a Prophet 
 and King, to enlighten and fubdue them, 
 and make them know the things freely given 
 them of God. I put the atonement at the 
 bottom, the death of Chrift as the chief 
 corner ftone, and build all upon that. He 
 i'uppoi'cs the facrificc of Ghrift not to be the 
 foundation of all our hope ; but when we 
 have got good previous qualifications, then 
 we may make great advantage of it, and 
 bring it in fomewhere in the building, though 
 not at the bottom of all, Chrill the only 
 Joundation. Both of us agree in this, that 
 the greater fenfe and experience of God's 
 free ^lacc we have, the more we (hall love 
 and fer^^e God ; and that the love of God, 
 or God in his charaeler, which is love, is 
 the only principle that conftraincth us ta 
 love 'God, and live an holy life, or that 
 the goodnefs of God Icadeth to repentance. 
 
 The general afpe£l of tlie liiHitarian prir." 
 ciples, is, that a very few, in comparilon 
 with the whole of mankind, fhall ever be 
 faved ; and, indeed, that but a very fmall 
 part,- even of thofe people that enjoy divine 
 revelation, will elcape eternal, perlonal 
 damnation ; and a far lefs number, in pro- 
 portion, among all heathen nations. On 
 this principle, the gofpel is by no mc?w2 
 
U l-J I V E R S A L SALVATION. 1 79 
 
 glad tidings of great joy which (hall be unto 
 all people, in any common, natural ienfe of 
 language : But to people and nations, as 
 fuoh, it is very bad news, doleful tidings to 
 any nation or people, in a colle6live view, 
 as they are plainly addrelTed in the text, to 
 which I allude. 
 
 Take, for example, the inhabitants of the 
 United States, as a people. More than nine 
 tenths of them, the limitarians fuppofe, arc, 
 at the prefent day, going to eternal deftruc- 
 tion ; and that a very great majority of all 
 that ever lived here, are now in the intole- 
 rable flames of an eternal hell, v\rith tor- 
 ments aggravated more than ten thoufand- 
 fold beyond v/hat they would have been, 
 had they never heard the gofp(;l. How then 
 are the tidings glad tidings to the people, 
 as fuch ? They are plainly declared as fucli 
 every where in the voice of the gofpel. Yet 
 upon this plan, the people will be far more 
 niiferabie than, if they had never heard the 
 gofpel. Suppofe one out of an hundred is 
 iaved, which is as many as the general afpefi 
 of the hrintartan doftrinc will admit ; or, if 
 you pleafe, fuppofe ten among a hundred, 
 which is going quite beyond the charity of 
 the 4o6;rme : You mutt ilill allow that all 
 the feft are ten thoufand times more miie- 
 r^ible, and will be fo to all eternity, than if 
 they had never heard the gofpel. So that 
 the people, as luch, and as they are plainly 
 addreffrd with nood news, glad tidings, 
 will be found tar more milerable than if 
 they had never heard thefe tidings. Thus 
 
^83 
 
 TREATISE QN 
 
 the gofpel becomes glad tidings only to «j. 
 very few individuals ; but dreadful tidings 
 to any people, or all people, as fuch. 
 
 A SOVEREIGN prince has a colony con- 
 fiding of one million fubjefts. All much 
 on a level, laboring under the toils and 
 burdens which attend a people, that eat 
 their bread in the fweat of their face, ftrug;- 
 gling hard for a comfortable provifion for 
 themfelves and families. The common lot 
 in this evil world. The king fends an her- 
 ald to allemble them all together, and to 
 addrefs them in the following words : 
 
 " Behold I bring you glad tidings of 
 great joy, which fhall be to all this people. 
 1* or it is the immutable decree of your iove- 
 leign, that a few of you fhall be delivered 
 trom all your toils and labors, and fliall be 
 exceedingly rich and happy all their days, 
 abounding in every pofhble p'eafure and 
 delight. And that all the reft of you fhall 
 be inexpreffibly more miferable and dif- 
 treffed all their days, than ever they have 
 been. Their labcns, toils and vexation fhall 
 be increafed more than a thoufand fold. 
 Your lovercign will mark the happy few 
 ivith a diftinftion, winch his own hand and 
 no other can fct upon them ; and the mul- 
 titude, not fo marked, fnall forever find their 
 woes amazinoly auimic.nted." 
 
 Would not the colony, the people, be 
 tilled with horror at the tidings, and think 
 the news exceedingly forrowtul ? Would 
 it not be much happier for that colony, 
 as a people, to live as they did before ; 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. l8( 
 
 though many toils and troubles attended 
 them ? 
 
 Now, Ihould the herald proceed to name 
 the happy few, perhaps one in a thoufand ; 
 and the multitude of their brethren (hould 
 fee them rejoicing and triumphing in the 
 fovereign diftinftion, by the free grace of 
 their prince ; v/ouid they not fay that this 
 very joy and triumph was all founded in 
 pride and felfifhnefs, and a total want of 
 benevolence to the communitv ? And fliould 
 thofe favorites cry out glad tidings ! alad 
 tidings ! would not the wailing multitude 
 anfwer, " To you glad tidings they may be. ; 
 but not to the people. The colony is ruined ; the 
 people are undone, undone forever J" And if 
 thefe few favorites of their foverei'm had 
 tjbat amiable fpirit of benevolence, whicl> 
 adorns human nature, and is one of the 
 glories of the gofpel, would they not rather 
 chufe to return to a level with their brethren, 
 and partake with them in common, in all 
 troubles and calamities as before, than to 
 be thus fmgled out for dignity, glory, and 
 pleafure, when neceilarily connctled v/ith 
 fuch augmented woe and mifery to the 
 people ? 
 
 The cafe now ftatcd, applies to the gofpel 
 tidings, on the limitarian plan. A few, very 
 few that hear them, are made happy. All 
 the refl are much more dreadfully miferable 
 on account of Chrift and the gofpel. This 
 is fixed by the immutable purpofe of heavei:i, 
 v/ith all tne means, and every flep leadmg 
 to Jhe confummation of it. 
 
l82 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 I HOLD to the do6lrine of predeftinaticn 
 as tully as any man in the world ever did, 
 and that in the iupra-laplarian fenfe, which 
 is the only confident fenfe. The abfoiutc 
 fovcreii^nry of |ehovah I maintain, in the 
 hi>;hefl pofiible conception of it. But, it 
 will abundantly appear, in its proper place, 
 that JEHuVAH is not a God whofe attributes 
 and lovereign will can admit of fuch a pre- 
 deftination as that ; fuch decrees as I have 
 alluded to. God is love, infinite love, fove- 
 yei -n love ; and fuch love admits of no fuch 
 limitari'jn decrees ; and the word of God 
 abhors them, as you (hall fee in the iequel. 
 
 It is an e idence of the true gofpel, that 
 there is no t :ntradi6lion in it. Every fen- 
 timent in it. is in full concord with the 
 whole. 
 
 A SERMON is not made up of contradic- 
 tory parts, if it be wholly a gofpel fermon. 
 Now, the dodrine I plead for, is the only 
 plan that ever was exhibited, as confident 
 with itfelf. The arminian fcheme is full of 
 inconfidencies. See what the late prefident 
 Edwards has made of it ; and he has de- 
 monflration on his fide. Many other great 
 men have oppofcd it with the fame force. 
 The calviniftic fcheme, in the limitarian 
 fenfe, is every whit as full of contradichon 
 and abfurdity ; as hath often been objcfted, 
 with arguments that admit of no confuta- 
 tion, 'rhe fame may be faid of all the reft 
 that ever have been advanced in the world, 
 except this alone. Bat this his nrc thi 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 183' 
 
 fhadow of inconfiflency with itfelf. If it be 
 a mere hypothecs, it is a felf-conliftent cne. 
 
 On this plan, you may hold up to rkw 
 the true nature and character of God : That 
 of man in innocency : That of man fallen : 
 The firft and fecond covenant: Give Jeho- 
 vah his proper place, and man his place : 
 Speak of a work of God on the iouls of fin- 
 ners, as neceffary to their falvation : Shew 
 them that without this work they are damned, 
 condemned already, and the wrath of God 
 abideth on them : Tell them what Chrift 
 hath engaged, what he hath done and fuf- 
 fered, and for what end ; and what he will 
 certainly do : Command all fmners to be- 
 lieve it, on pain of abiding damnation : Tell 
 them the warrant and ground of their faith : 
 That they are not commanded to create 
 truth, or in the leaft alter it, by all the 
 changes and exercifes of their own minds ; 
 but that eternal, imn?.utable truth is ready to 
 their hands, and, by mere faith, they mull 
 take hold of it and be faved : That this is 
 the way, in Chrifl, fure as Godhead can 
 make it : That Chrift is the way, the truth, 
 and the life, Sec. 8cc. 
 
 As this doftrine relates to pra6lice, yoii 
 may urge every moral duty, with infinite 
 force, from motives truly evangelical ; hold- 
 ing up the pains of fin, and the beauties and 
 rewards of holinefs, all in moft glxjrious 
 harm.'Ony. 
 
 The dcftrine we have generally heard 
 from our beft preachers, fmce the reforma- 
 tion, hath been of this tenor, viz. " God 
 
i$4 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 " hath elefted to eternal life a part of man- 
 *' kind, and Chrift made an atonement for 
 *' that part only." And they have commonly- 
 Conveyed the idea of a very fmall part, in 
 proportion to the whole. " Which part are 
 *' eleded to the end. and to all the neceffary 
 *' means and qualifications ; which God will 
 *' infallibly bcflow upon them in his own 
 *' way and time. Aii the reft of mankind 
 *' fhall as certainly perilh, and that juftly, 
 *' the fault being all thtir own. Now we 
 *' invite, and command every one to believe 
 *' in Chrill to lalvaiion, every one alike : 
 *' For in him tlicre is a fulneis tor all." A 
 thouland arc,uments ha\'e been advanced to 
 prove there is no inconfiftcncy, no kind of 
 equivocation, or lUufion in this way of 
 preaching ; but ihat it is the pure fimplicity 
 of the golpel : While it hath always been 
 clear demonftrati<.n. on the other hand, that 
 there is great duplicity and illufion in it. 
 Yet thi;; preaching is exa6lly right, in every 
 point but this one ; the extent of predeJiLJiation. 
 Only extend it to all the human kind. Only 
 define the decree in the words of the apoftle; 
 *' God -will have all vien to be faved." " As Jm 
 hath reigned unto death. Jo Jhall grace reig}i 
 through rightecufnefs, unto eternal life, by JeftCi, 
 Chrijl our Lord." Many other expreis de- 
 clarations of divine revelation, of the fame 
 import, are as fin)ple and expreis to the fame 
 purpofe. as any language will admit. I lay, 
 thus explain the decrees of God ; and all 
 their preaching would be as free from incon- 
 iiitency as any mathematical dcmonClration; 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 185 
 
 Only begin thus, in the plain, Cmple 
 fenfe of the words ; " Chrift came that all 
 men through him might he faved." Tell peo- 
 ple that this is the eternal fixed predellina- 
 tion of the Moft High ; and that all means 
 and qualifications are connedled with it, in 
 the fame decree, and made as fure as the 
 end, to take place in his own way and time - 
 yet fo as to have the free will and adions 
 of his eleft, concerned in them, as moral 
 agents and caufes by counfel ; which is 
 the only poITible way of connecting the in- 
 termediate fteps with the end. Tell your 
 audience fo, I fay, and then in all the reft, 
 you may preach law and gofpel juft as Cal' 
 vin or Owen did, or any other calviniflic 
 divine. Then you may indeed proclaim 
 Glad tidings of great joy to all people ; and 
 may urge every golpel do6trine, duty and 
 motive, juft as we have been wont to 
 hear, without the ftiadow of contradiction . 
 Then you may call upon all poor, mifera- 
 ble fmners as Paul did. He told them all, 
 that Chrift had began his operation in their 
 fouls, as Mediator, and would perfect the 
 whole work unto eternal life ; dealing with 
 moral agents as fuch, in which the will and 
 aftivity fhould have their proper exercife. 
 " Work out your own falvation with fear 
 and trembling. For it is God who worketh 
 in you, both to will and to do of his good 
 pleafure." On this plan the gofpel is plain 
 and clear : And the ufual preaching of it, i3 
 confiftent with itfelf and with common fenfe„ 
 Z 
 
«i86 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 If any fay here, that the ufe of raeass iff 
 of no confidciation, if the end is fixed and 
 certain ; t}icy fpcak in dircfl oppofition to 
 this idea of the decrees of God, and the whole 
 fcripture account of thcra, which ever unites 
 the means and end, in one and the fame de- 
 cree ; and againll all the common fcnfe and 
 common pratlicc of mankind. Every one 
 that owns the being of God, allows that he 
 certainly kntw every thing that ever did or 
 fhall take place ; and that every future event 
 fhall certainly be juft as God always knew 
 it would be. But this never hinders their 
 ufing means, in common life. Nothing can 
 be more certain, than that which God always 
 knew would be, is certain. Whatever dif- 
 tin£lion there is between the foreknowledge 
 and decrees of God ; every one {ces, there 
 can be none in the obje6l, the infallible cer- 
 tainty of the event. Yet there is full room 
 left for all moral agency to operate, with 
 all the liberty that any creature can pollibly 
 be made capable of. 
 
 If any fay, there can be no moral agency 
 at all in creatures ; this is a flat contradic- 
 tion to all the conamon fenfe and feeling of 
 man. We all knO*w our perfedl freedom of 
 will and a6lion ; not by any reafoning or 
 Jemonflration : For it is too plain to admit 
 of any. It is a prime, immediate perception 
 of foul, which we always have, and con- 
 flantly feci, and cannot poflibly divefl our- 
 felvcs of : Even as I feel heat or cold ; or 
 perceive that paper is white, and ink black ; 
 or that whatever is, is ; or that a thing can- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^8/ 
 
 »ot exift and exift at the fame time So 
 that I have ever imagined that fuch a lenle- 
 lefs cavil is %vorthy of no notice at all. 
 
 But to return. The gofpel, on the ground 
 I maintain, is all confiftent with itfelf, with 
 common fenfe and reafon, and with univer- 
 fal experience, and with the beft reafomng 
 and praaice of ail mankind in every other 
 matter. We always unite the proper means 
 with the end, in all other cafes ; and there 
 is no other way for moral agents to be treat- 
 ed, as fuch, and to ad in proper character. 
 Creatures are creatures, although God is 
 God. 
 
 There is a fentiment, or impreffion, on 
 the hearts of all men, concerning the dead, 
 that univerfally favors the argument here 
 advanced. 
 
 WHEi>J the vileft finner in the world is taken 
 out of it, by the mofl fudden death, we dare 
 not fay, and it would wound ©ur hearts to 
 hear any one fay, '' that per/on is certainly 
 gone to an eternal hell, to Juffer there m per/on 
 forever." Who dare fay of the moft aban- 
 doned failor, having his head taken off with 
 a cannon ball, with an horrid oath in his 
 mouth, " / aril certain that manfnall burn for- 
 ever in hell ?" Yet we might fay fo, with great 
 coiifi'dehce, on the principle I oppofe. Had 
 you, my reader, a fon of this charaftsr, thus 
 taken out of the world, would you be fq 
 deeply affefted, in regard to his eternal 
 doom, as if you certainly knew he was in 
 Jiell ?' Or had you a fon very dear to yoU; 
 
l88 TREATISE ON 
 
 even as Abfalom was to his father, and oi 
 a charnfter to the lafl moment no better, 
 taken out of the world by the hand of juf- 
 tice ; would not the circumflances of hh 
 death ft i ike your mind deeper, than any 
 certain knowledge you have of his future 
 ftate ? You may fay the future ftate of men 
 is iinifible, and we have no bufmefs with it. 
 Be it To. Yet, would it be in the power of 
 any man to avoid ihe moft dreadful anguifti 
 of foul, in fuch a cafe, but from a latefiC 
 hcpt m bis heart, ariling from the power and 
 mercy of God ? Would not any man in the 
 world, feel more anguifh of heart to fee his 
 ion hanged as a criminal, than what he ever 
 can feel with refpe£l to his future ftate, fcp- 
 arate from the circumflances of his death ? 
 If we have no buuneis with the invilible 
 world in fuch a cafe, yet this does not alter 
 the ncccllary and unavoidable feelings of 
 human nature. 
 
 I AM perfuaded that any man, who has 
 buried a dear child, in a cafe which is 
 thought the moft hopelcfs of all, will find, 
 if he is critical to oblcrve the feelings of his 
 own heart, fome latent affuaging of his grief, 
 in thinking of the ^nlcarchable riches of 
 Chrift, and the almighty power and infinite 
 mercy of God. Have we not often obferved 
 much of this nature, in mourning tor the 
 dead, even in cafes that would admit of 
 nothing but abfolute dcfperation, on the km- 
 ifarian plan ? Defpair, in this calc, never 
 takes place. There is lomething in the louj 
 6f Uian that will not admit of it. What 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 189 
 
 but the hand of Deity has fixed in the hearts 
 of all mankind this latent hope, in every 
 death ? 
 
 All the pungent pangs of David for the 
 death of Abfalom, may be fully accounted 
 for, on the principles of natural affeftion, 
 without any confideration of his future ftate. 
 Any tender parent would feel as he did, in 
 the like cafe, without looking into futurity. 
 
 It is exceedingly flrange, on the limitarian 
 plan, that the fcriptures have never afferted 
 that any particular perfon went to an eter- 
 nal hell. 
 
 The ftate of no one, perhaps, is more 
 hopelefs than that of Judas, who betrayed 
 Chrift the Savior of all men ; yet not a word 
 is faid of him but what may confift with his 
 falvation after death. He is called the fon 
 of perdition ; and it is faid that he went to 
 his own place. All this is but juft what we 
 may fay of every fmner, in kind, though of 
 Judas in a very aggravated degree. Every 
 man is a fon of perdition until new born, 
 damned until regenerated. Judas was a 
 notable fon of perdition, fignally fo, a moll 
 miferable, loft, condemned fmner, until his 
 death ; in perdition until that moment, even 
 until foul and body were feparated ; until 
 then a fon of perdition in an extraordinary 
 degree. Paul was fo in a woful meafure 
 until he died, " a wreiched man," with a 
 " body of death." Every man is fo, in a fad 
 degree, until the union of foul and body, 
 which firft contaminated the foul, is dilTol- 
 
tgO TREATISE ON 
 
 ved ; fome in a greater, and fome in a lefs 
 degree, according as the Head of every man, 
 i. e. the Mediator, has been pleafed to ad- 
 vance, or reftrain his prophetic and kingly- 
 power and grace upon the foul. 
 
 Judas went to his own place, to a very 
 liorrible and ignominious death, in awful 
 anguifh and utter dcfpair, in his own mind. 
 liis foul went, perhaps, to the lowefl feat 
 provided for the eleft human race, by him 
 who died for the fms of the whole world ; to 
 the loweft place among all given to Chrift. 
 Judas being one given to Chrift, as is ex- 
 prefsly declared. Judas was lofl in an awful 
 manner ; he was lo-fl; as an apoftle of Chrift ; 
 loft as to all fervice in this world ; loft with 
 regard to all his comfort on earth : loft as to 
 any hope to fupport his own foul here ; 
 loft with rcfpeft to the proper (eat of one of 
 the twelve apoftles in the world to come, 
 and with refpeft to that dignified lot, in this 
 world, which Matthias took in his place. 
 He was, in fine, fo loft, fuch a Ion of per- 
 dition, and in fuch wife went to his own 
 place, as fully to fupport and juftify the 
 moft plain and natural import of all the 
 awful things laid in the word of God con- 
 cerning him ; without any confideration of 
 pofitive mifery, after death. The fame may 
 be faid of Ahitophel his type. 
 
 With regard to the parable of the rich 
 man, in the gofpel, who lift up his eyes in 
 hell, being in torments. It implies no per- 
 fonal mifery there ; but is one of the many 
 ftfiking difplays of ;purc jijjlice, the fan6lio» 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. I9I 
 
 of the law, in awful terror. Such difplays 
 will remain forever, as I have faid before, in 
 the full view of all the faints in heaven to 
 all eternity. In the glafs of pure juftice, 
 they will forever fee, not only this Dives, 
 but tbemfelves alfo lifting up their eyes in 
 torments unutterable. And, in this fenfe, 
 will dwell with devouring fire, and inhabit 
 everlafting burnings. Though in their fure- 
 ty, they fhall perfonally find a place of de- 
 fence, a munition of rocks, the bread and 
 fure waters of eternal confolation. 
 
 I READILY grant, if this diftinftion, which 
 I would every where keep in view, between 
 the voice of juftice, and that of mercy, the 
 difplay of law and that of gofpel, running 
 through the whole word of God, is without 
 foundation, my whole argument falls to the 
 ground. So does the whole of divine reve- 
 lation, for ought I can poffibly difcern, after 
 a moft careful inquiry, for many years. And 
 (with awful reverence I would Ipeak it.) I 
 am not able, without this diftin6lion, to vin- 
 dicate the holy bible from many more flat 
 contradiftions, than any other book I have 
 ever read. But this diftinftion is the pecu- 
 liar glory and myftery of divine revelation. 
 
 We are exprefsly told, that even a brother 
 for whom Chriil died, may ptrijh. 1. Cor. 
 viii. 11. This is a term uled for eternal 
 mifcry, by the liviitarians themfelves, as much, 
 as the word dam7wtion. The meaning is cer- 
 tainly no more than this : He may fall into 
 fnares of infidelity, into many doubts and 
 lorrows in this world ; may lofe all gofpel 
 
1^2 TREATISE ON 
 
 confolation, and become a miferablc crea- 
 ture, all his days on earth. 
 
 Moreover, what our Savior hath faid 
 concerning children, greatly confirms the 
 opinion, that he^ave his life " a ranfom for 
 all," in the moft natural fenfe of thefe words 
 of the apoftle. , 
 
 The greater'part of departed human fouls 
 haVe left the body, having never arrived at 
 the age of maturity. Chrift tells us, " of 
 fuch is the kingdom of heaven." Plainly 
 fignifying, that a great proportion for whom 
 he died, are of this defcription. And he docs 
 not at all limit his words to the children of 
 his peculiar people, in prefent knowledge of 
 his covenant, and prefent enjoyment of the 
 privileges and comforts of it. This fhews 
 that he is the Mediator between God and 
 man, in general, without any exception or 
 diftinftion as to final falvation. 
 
 The pafTage I -have alluded to, may alfo 
 carry in it this idea, viz. That all who enjoy 
 heaven, have a meek, humble, dependent, 
 child-like fpirit given them. This may be 
 one thing fignified thereby ; but this mili- 
 tates not in the leafl aG[ain(l the conllruftion 
 I have given, as the main import of the 
 words of Chrift ; but is compatible there- 
 with, and the rather confirms it. We hope 
 for the falvation of children of the covenant, 
 dedicated to God by his I'pecial feal. The 
 fame merits of Chrifl, and the fame power 
 of fanditying grace, arc as adequate to the 
 falvation of ail the little ones in the world. 
 
UI^IVERSAL SALVATION, igj 
 
 We all fell in our fiift federal head, with- 
 out our knowledge or a6t in tha cafe ; and 
 all mankind are reftored in the fecond foed- 
 eral head in like manner. Otherwile grace 
 does not abound much more ; but indeed 
 much lefs. This idea of the kind Parent of 
 all, gives us a father's confolation when we 
 follow to the grave our dear children, who 
 are often fwept away by death in iuch mul- 
 titudes. Read Jeremiah xxxi. 15, ^5, 17. 
 We can yet fay, " the Lord is good unto ail, 
 and his tender mercies are over all." No 
 infant in the world was ever exempt frorri 
 the mediatorial love of him, who took Uttlz 
 children in his arms and blejfed ihenu 
 
 Much is faid about being fit to die. 
 There is one fitnefs and but one, and that is 
 by no means ' perfonal ; but in the perfe61: 
 charafter of a Covenant Head, a Vicar, or 
 Surety, in the full atonement, and all per- 
 fe61: worthinefs of Jefus. Whatever diifer- 
 ence progreflive grace may make between 
 mankind in this life, (and great is the blef- 
 fmg of all thofe who are eletted to fpecial 
 attainments of grace in this world) yet every 
 one without diflinftion, is left utterly unfit 
 for heaven, fo long as the foul is in the body, 
 an awful unclean thing. No unclean thin.T 
 Ihall enter into that world. On the fepa- 
 ration, and not before, is any foul in its 
 Own temper and qualifications fit ; but in a 
 relative view, all for whom Chrift died, are 
 fo. Their garments are all alike wafhed and 
 made white in the blood of the Lamb. 
 A a 
 
194 TREATISE OH 
 
 What was done for David, Daniel and Paul, 
 at the moitient of feparation, that they might 
 enter pavadife with fpotlefs purity, was of 
 the felf-fame nature, and not twice fo much 
 in degree, as might quality Pharaoh, Ahab, 
 and Judas for the fame world : For no man 
 on earth, to his lafl breath, was ever yet fanc- 
 tificd to the one half, or ever made progrefs 
 in holinefs one half way from a ftate of total 
 depravity, to a flate of complete holinefs. 
 
 My reader if you are left as you are found 
 at your lafl breath, you muft know that 
 your foul will be too unclean for heaven, or 
 clfe you know very little of yourfelf. In 
 Chrift, all things are ready for all, and 
 equally ready at all times, without any ccm.- 
 iideration in the univerfe, but what is drawn 
 from God alone in a glorious, all fufficient 
 Mediator. God is all in all, and Chrifl is 
 all in all. Thus the primitive preachers of 
 Chrift %vamcd every man, and taught every 
 man, in all wifdom : lliat they might prc- 
 fent every man perfeft in Chriil Jefus. Col. 
 i. And I am bold to. fay, that any child of 
 Adam that trulls to any diflinftion in his 
 own heart or life, in the leaft to lupport the 
 heart in a dying hour, or to any thing but 
 Jefus Chrifl alone and him crucified, Jhall 
 be all his life time fiihjcH to bondage through 
 fear of death ; and, thus abiding, fhall find 
 no relief, until the departed fpirit is taught 
 better, in the arms of him who has the keys 
 of hell and of death. The notion of fome 
 fltncfs in a {inner for heaven, whether a pe- 
 »itent or an ijaipenitent finner. is utterly re- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATIOl^. ' ^95 
 
 pugnant to the whole word of God. It is 
 built wholly on a legal ipirit, and on our 
 attachment to the old covenant of works- 
 It wars againft. every evangelical motive of 
 comfort in our fouls, and obedience in our 
 lives. It ftands in oppofuion to an intire 
 dependancc on God in Chrift, and to every 
 mor^l virtue. Hence we do not allow God 
 his proper character and place, nor take our 
 own : " We obferve lying vanities and for- 
 fake our own mercies." 
 
 It is an evidence of the true gofpel : That 
 when it is impreffcd on the heart, it makes 
 men better in their morals than before. 
 
 The limitarians urae this argument againft 
 all the cavils raifed from the doflrines of 
 God's decrees, of free fovereign grace, and 
 of the certain perfeverance of believers. 
 And they have ever v^^ell maintained their 
 ground, by dint of reafon, experience and 
 divine revelation. The dotlrine I plead for, 
 takes full advaritage of every argument they 
 adduce, and enforces them all with vaft ad- 
 ditional flrength. They fay, and that tru- 
 ly, that the difplays of God's mercy and 
 love, always draw the heart to love God, 
 and to keep his commandments. How much 
 more fhall thefe more glorious and exten- 
 five difplays of the love and mercy of God, 
 in the felf fame way, melt the whole foul in- 
 to the obedience ol love, and produce everv 
 moral virtue in the life of man ? 
 
 The queftion is not, what will be the in- 
 fluence of this dodrine pn ihofe who do not 
 
i9^ TREATISE ON 
 
 believe it, but on thofc who do ? We know 
 that every gofpcl doQrine is turned to bad 
 account, by impenitent, unbelieving men. 
 They all turn the grace of God into wan- 
 tonnefs ; while true believers are purified by 
 their faith, and led into all holinefs of life. 
 There is not one obje6lion of licentioufnefs 
 againfl this doftrine, which does not lie, in 
 full force, and much greater force, againfl 
 every liviitarian doftrine of free, Jovereign 
 grace. 
 
 Thfv who have built on the highefl prin- 
 ciples of fovercign grace, and have mofl of 
 all fet at nought all fitnefs in men for falva- 
 tion, but in Chrifl alone, have ever been the 
 mofl; moriil and virtuous in their lives : 
 While, on the other hand, they who could 
 not endure a thought of the abfolute decrees 
 and fovereignty of God, and falvation by 
 mere mercy in Chrifl:, explufive from every 
 qualification in man, to move the heart of 
 God towards him ; and have plead for power 
 and merit and free will of their own creat- 
 ino, have too often been a diiiolute, a- 
 fcandoncd part of mankind. The higher 
 thoughts men have of God, and the lower of 
 themfelves ; the better their morahs always 
 have been, and always will be. Therefore, 
 as this do6lrine, which I am fupporting, car- 
 ries thcfe fcntiments to a much greater ex- 
 tent than anv luuitarian doftrine : So it will, 
 if cordially believed, produce much better 
 morals. 
 
 Tilt [car of jmmjliment after death, nevcv 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. I97 
 
 yet had any power to reftrain an hardened 
 inner from fin ; much lefs to make him 
 love virtue. 
 
 The moll abandoned in wickednefs, in 
 all ages, have believed in the doftrine of 
 hell torments, as much as a hardened finner 
 can believe any thing of the invifiblp world. 
 They have always been wont to allude to 
 thefe torments, in their common converfa- 
 tion, as a matter indifputable. They have 
 hell and damnation in their mouths, all the 
 day long. But did all this ever, in the leaft, 
 prevent their fteaiing, curfing, fwearing, 
 committing adultery, fighting with one ano- 
 ther, or any horrid blafphemy they were 
 addifted to ? Never in the leaft. Now if 
 any imagine the moft extenlive doftrines of 
 divine goodnefs will make hardened fmners 
 worle than they now arc ; they have yet to 
 lludy human nature, and the common ways 
 of the world. 
 
 Give an old, veteran, profane failor, a 
 guinea in fome fpecial diftrefs he is in, and 
 he will not ufe a bad word if he knows it 
 will offend you. But threaten him wMth 
 eternal damnation for his fin, and tell him 
 his prefent diftrefs is juft upon him, and he 
 will curfe you to your face. Men ou^ht in- 
 deed, to be deterred from fm by fear of 
 hell : For hell in an awful degree and the 
 pains of it attend all fm ; and the eternity 
 of hell torments can be avoided in no 
 way, but by forfaking fin, no more on my 
 plan than any other. But ought is one thing, 
 and fa^ is another. Whatever hardened 
 
19^. TREATIS-E ON 
 
 finncrs ought to do, and from whatever nio* 
 tives ; I lay, it is faft in all ages, the world 
 throughout, that they never did mend their 
 ways, horn a fear of any thing in the invili- 
 ble world. It has ever been fa6t, that when 
 they have had mofl of hell and damnation 
 in their mouths, they have gone on moll 
 daringly in their wickedncfs. 
 
 It is readily granted, that awakened fm- 
 ners, with whom the fpirit of God is on his 
 ufual way to bring them to a lenfe of the 
 falvatiun of God, will be much rtftrained 
 from all immorality, under fuch fpecial a- 
 wakenings ; yet all thefc will not bring them 
 into the love and prattice of holinefs and 
 virtue, as will a fenle of the love of God's 
 redeeming love. Under all thefe legal a- 
 wakenings and reftraints from open vice, 
 they will only change their mode of finning, un- 
 til the grace of God that hrin^dh Jalvaiicn, 
 appears to their fouls : Which alone will 
 effeflually teach them to deny all ungodli- 
 nels and every worldly lull. But then, let 
 it be well noted that the do6trine I plead 
 for, fccures every advantage and reftraint of 
 awakening grace, as fully as any liviitanari 
 do6lnne ever did, or can. I maintain the 
 fame doclrine in the true liRture of it ; tlie 
 fame necefiity of convidlion and converfion, 
 that they do. We diflFer not a fingle atom, 
 as to the way and manner of application ; 
 but only in this, I extend the glorious work 
 of God, and every good influence ot it, much 
 further than they do. 
 
 From vifible, fenfible fhame and punifli- 
 
I) ^ 1 X' E ^ S A 1 SALVATION. fg^ 
 
 jnent, in this world, the hardened and moft 
 abandoned are laid under very great re- 
 Ilraints, without which they would be whol- 
 ly intolerable ; but nofie, none at all, from 
 all you can tell them of an eternal hell. As 
 for thefe vifible reftraints, none can plead 
 for them more than I ; as will appear in its 
 proper place. It may however be obferved, 
 that all the condu6l of fmners, under the ut- 
 moft power of their reftraints, is wholly def- 
 titute of any holinefs, or real virtue in the 
 fight of God. Their open fm in the fight 
 of the world, is much lels than before ; and 
 there is a good token, that the fpirit of God 
 is on his ufual way to bring them to faving 
 good. There are rcafons enough in oppo- 
 fition to ftupid fecurity and open wicked- 
 nefs : Yet, fiill the foul of one unregenerate 
 fmner is no more recommended in itfelf 
 to the mercy of God, than that of another. 
 This mercy is " unto all, and upon all them 
 that believe ; for there is no difference." 
 Rom. iii. 22. Antecedently there is not a 
 dilpofition, or thought of the heart, or aclion 
 in the life, but what is not of faith ; and con- 
 fequently fm. 
 
 The viev/ of divine love, of Chrift and 
 falvation, as is here reprefented, is the true 
 and only fource of gofpd charity, fo much re- 
 commended in the word cf God. 
 
 We are taught to love all mankind, and 
 to pray for the ialvation of all, and to do all 
 we can to promote the falvation of every 
 human .creature ; as the gofpel hath ever 
 
2O0 TREATISE ON 
 
 been, is, and ever will be preached to every^ 
 creature under heaven, in a more dire£l and 
 clear, or in a more indireft and obfcure 
 manner, as I have flievvn before. But how 
 can you pray for the falvation of all, if you 
 believe it is the fixed will of that God, whofc 
 attributes and will are infinitely dear to you, 
 thatmoft of mankind fhall go to eternal, per- 
 fonal mifery ? You love God better than 
 men, and his will more than all the hap- 
 pinefs of creatures ; how can you feel any 
 difpofition to have all men faved ? And how- 
 can you pray in oppofition to the defire of 
 your heart ? Or how can you love all man- 
 kind when you believe that molt are infinite- 
 ly hateful to God and Chrifl, and always 
 fhall be ? How do your will and affeftions 
 correfpond with the will and afFeftions of 
 Chrift in fuch a cafe ? 
 
 You are flriclly charged to hate nothing 
 in any man, but his finfulnefs ; to love ikt 
 perjon and happinefs of every one. You may 
 hate the wicked with perfect hatred, only as 
 God does, and as David did, accounting 
 them the enemies of God, i. e. fo far as they 
 are fo. And thus far. and in this fenfe, you 
 may hale all prefent believers, and even 
 your father and mother, wife and children, 
 brethren and fillers, yea and your own fclf 
 alfo. This is confident with a lincere love 
 to your own falvation, and that of all man- 
 kind. But, how can you defire that bleHed- 
 nels and extent of falvation, which the 
 higheft objeft of your love oppofeth. with 
 an ctcinal, immutable, holy, and good pur- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 2Dt 
 
 pofe of mind ? I fee no way to warrant fuch 
 dejfires, exertions and prayers of ovirs in all 
 this extent, but the warrant Paul hath men- 
 tioned, viz. God will have all men to bcfaved, 
 and, firft or laft, in his own way and time, 
 to come to the knowledge of the truth ; and 
 becaufe Chrift gave himfdf a ranforri for all : 
 A glorious truth to be communicated to the 
 world by degrees, as infinite wifdom fees 
 fit : A teftimony to be exhibited in proper 
 times and meafures. On this warrant, the 
 way is open and clear, to love all ; to pray 
 for all ; to feek the falvation of all ; to ex- 
 ercife kind and tender affe6tion for ail poor 
 linners in the world ; becaufe God hath fo 
 loved the world, and Chrifl hath fo loved 
 the \vt)rld. 
 
 The love of God will make us love all as 
 he does, according to our m.eafure of love, 
 and to be co-workers together with God. 
 A principle of this nature m.oves tender af- 
 fe6lion in all other cafes. You have a very 
 dear, earthly friend, that is abfent afar off, 
 who has left a little child with vou. The re- 
 membrance of your friend, and how he let 
 his afFeclions on that diild, and what tender 
 concern he continually has for the child, will 
 affeft your heart with tendernefs, pity and 
 loxe, every time you look on the little 
 helplefs creature ; even though it be, a per- 
 verfe child. The love of your moft dear 
 friend, will make you always exceeding kind 
 to his child, as an objeft of his love. Your 
 care will extend to his other property, lefs 
 B b 
 
202 TREATISE© N 
 
 valuable, which you have any concern with, 
 or knowledge of. So, in the prefent calc, 
 when you fee any poor, perverfe {inners on. 
 earth, your love to God and Chrift will 
 caule your heart, on the true gofpel princi- 
 ple, to fay, " My God made them in his 
 love ; and in his' great love and pity he pre- 
 ferves them. My dear Savior died for them, 
 in the greatnefs of his love. God hath a de- 
 fire to thefc works of his hands. The heart 
 of mv beil beloved even bleeds with com- 
 pafTion, love and pity to thefe poor creatures. 
 My love to my Savior makes me feel towards 
 thete unworthy, milerable objefts, as he doth. 
 He is exceedmgly good to thefe evil, un- 
 thankful creatures ; and the love of God 
 conflraincth me to feel towards them, as God 
 and Chrift do towards them and me." There 
 is verily no other fountain of gofpel charity 
 but this : No other principle that can make 
 us feel towards the vileft of finners, as God 
 commands us. But this " charity bclievcth 
 all tlungs, and hopeth all things," certainly 
 not excluding the capital point. This cha- 
 rity is the radical grace in the foul of man, 
 and *' the bond of pcrfc6hxe(s." 
 
 Some, who have been full in the opinion, 
 that Chrift the Savior of the world, will fi- 
 nally triumph over all the power of fatan, 
 and all the lins and miferics of mankind, 
 wholly deftroying all the works of the devil, 
 leeking and laving; that human nature which 
 was loft ; have yet fuppoled, that pain and 
 mifery may attend many of the human race, 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 20$ 
 
 a long duration after death ; even for ages of 
 a^es.* This they fuppofe neceffary, to 
 purge, humble, and fubdue fome fmners ; 
 and make them fit for a pure fpotlefs heaven, 
 a pure flate of confummate happinefs. 
 
 The above fentiment is without any rea- 
 fon, or any thing in divine revelation to 
 warrant the iuppofition. All want purgation, 
 at the moment of death, as really as any 
 ®ne. Sanftification is far, very far from be- 
 ing complete, while the finner breathes, 
 whether a penitent or impenitent finner. In 
 both there is much unholinets, while life re- 
 mains. No unclean thing fhail enter hea- 
 ven ; and, of certain coniequence, not the 
 befl faint, not any mere man that ever lived, 
 as he was in the lall moment of his life. 
 
 Whatever is done before, for usmifera- 
 ble fmners, it is certain, the moll ot all will 
 be done in the parting moment, to feparate 
 us from pollution, and fit us for glory. 
 All then mull go into purgation, if any : 
 Though it were p ranted that a fhorter period, 
 would iuSiC'c for fome than for others ; 
 which is not true, as will foon appear- 
 Hence the papifls are quite confiflent with 
 themfelves, though not with the golpel, in 
 fending all to purgatory ; without a decree 
 of exemption, which, they lay, is the par- 
 don of the prieft. 
 
 A SPECIAL work of Chrifl there certainly 
 mull be in death ; or never one of the mere 
 kuman kind can get to heaven : For the ve- 
 
 . .'^. , £ ig TUg ex, icovccg tuv o!,ttx,v^v> 
 
204 TREATISE ON 
 
 ly moment before w^e expire, the befl do jull- 
 ]j cry out, O wretched inen that we are ; wc 
 have a body of: death, and who Ihall dehvcr 
 us from it ! We Ihall all be poor, wretched 
 iinncrs in that moment, whenever it comes, 
 and under greater guilt then, than ever before, 
 in ourfelves coniidered : For we (hall con- 
 tinually add many (ins, and atone for none. 
 The lame infinite mercy, power, and faith- 
 fulncfs, which can then feparate one foul 
 from all its unfitnels for heaven, can another, 
 Chrift does but a Imall part of his glorious 
 work on any foul in this life. He gracioufly 
 begins earlier with forac than others ; but he 
 finifhes v.'ith all alike, even at death. " The 
 lafl enemy that fhall be deflroyed is death. 
 I will make this iafl even as thee." 
 
 We are very plainly taught in the word of 
 God, that every foul goes immediately after 
 death, into an eternal, fixed ftate ; which 
 never more admits of anv alteration, but in 
 progrelTive degree ; the fame in kind, un- 
 changeable to endlefs duration. The fpc- 
 cial manner in which Enoch and Elijah went 
 out of the world, does not make them differ 
 from that of all mankind in this refpeft ; 
 viz. That they were both fo far from perfeft 
 holinefs, the moment before their tranflation, 
 as to be utterly unlit lor the pure glories of 
 heaven. Yea, they were much more fit for 
 bell, 171 them/elves, as neither they, nor any 
 other man had ever arrived half way to lin- 
 lefs pcrfeftion while in the ]>ody. Yet, it is 
 furc, they both went direct to heaven. The 
 thief on the trofs was mifcrably unprepared 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATIOlT. 20$ 
 
 for paradife, as long as he was dying ; but 
 when dead, he went there, with the human 
 foul of Jefus. Lazarus went as direftly to 
 that world when he died, as the rich man 
 went, in the voice of the law, to hell, and as all 
 go there, when they die, in the fame holy fenii- 
 mentof the law. Paul defired to depart, not 
 for fome ages of purgation and humiliation, 
 but to be with Chrift ; although he groaned 
 •under his body of death, more than under 
 the dying pangs of his body. And there is 
 every reaion to prove, that aii the redeemed 
 finners, for whom Chrift gave himfelf a ran- 
 fom, fliall go there as immediately after 
 death, as the poor, hateful thief. 
 
 We are taught the fame truth, from the 
 early periods of divine revelation. All the 
 xmcieannefies mentioned in the mofaic infti- 
 tution, and all the purgations there, repre- 
 fent, as all allow, our moral or fpiritual 
 pollutions, and our moral or fpiritual cieanf- 
 ing. A day there denotes oftentimes the 
 day or feafon of life, and the evening, death, 
 or the clofe of life. How many times is it 
 repeated, that the polluted and the unclean, 
 in a ceremonial fenfe, though they wafh their 
 cloaths and bathe themfelves in water, (de- 
 noting all the means of grace and ianfiihca- 
 tion in this life) yet fhall b-e unclean until 
 the even ? But it is faid of all fowing feeds, 
 in like cafes, that they Ihali be clean. Levit. 
 xi. And in many other places, needlcfs 
 here to quote. Seed fown and fpringing up 
 again, is a well known fimile, denoting our 
 death and refurreQioji. *' It is fown a natu- 
 
206 
 
 TRE ATIS EON 
 
 lal body, it is raifed a fpiritual body." So 
 in the type alluded to, we die moft dread- 
 fully unclean ; yet no unfafe confequence 
 (hall follow, any more than it was unfafe to 
 fow polluted feed, for fear the pollution 
 would not be taken out in the ground, and 
 that the rifing crop would be all unclean. 
 
 The human body goes into the grave an 
 awfully polluted thing ; but does not arife 
 fo. It is fown in difhonor and weaknefs, it 
 is raifed in honor and glory. Our bones will 
 be full of the fin of our youth, which will 
 be buried together with us in the dull ; but 
 will not arife with us, except in the holy 
 voice of law : And in that fenfe all mankind 
 fhall awake to fhame and everlafting con- 
 tempt, and abide fo forever ; but in gofpel 
 language and certain fJf(B, all fhall awake to 
 everlafling life. Sin lies down, but does not 
 arife. " His bones are full of the fm of 
 his youth, which fhall lie down with him in 
 the dufl." Job xx. Sin and its attendants 
 fhall vex and diftrefs the wicked as lonij as 
 they live ; and hurry them on in all its 
 dreadful rage and malignity while they live. 
 It fhall even drive them to death, " to the 
 king of terrors ;" but no further. 
 
 The utmoft torment, for a long period, 
 even for ages of ages, could have no more 
 effect in humbling fmners of the human, 
 than of the angelic nature. The devils are 
 no better, for their lonjj continued anouifh 
 and pain. Afflictions in this world, do not 
 make fmners any better; but arc invariably, 
 only an occafion of their growing worfe and 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 20/ 
 
 worfe, if the fpecid, almighty energy of the 
 divine Spirit does not attend them. There 
 is not the leaft intimation of the operation 
 of the Spirit of God, or of any means of 
 grace in hell ; in whatever fenfe any under- 
 ftand that awful ftate, whether as a ftate of 
 real, perfonal fufFering, or as the pure voice 
 or difplay of juflice. The devils have been 
 under thefe perfonal fufferings, for a long 
 time, and are no more humble than ever, no 
 more fit for heaven. And had it been the 
 decree of God, that all mankind fhould be 
 there in perfon with them, ever fo long, they 
 would grow worfe and worfe, through all 
 ages of ages ; for ought that their intolerable 
 torments would do for tliem. Almighty 
 power could create their hearts anew, even 
 in hell, as eafily as on earth. God has 
 power enough to change the natures of all 
 the devils there ; but, he hr.s not told 
 us he ever will do it, and we know of 
 no favior provided for them, or that ever 
 will be. 
 
 Unto us a Savior is born ; unto us God's 
 own Son is given ; and he has been pleafed 
 to make known to us his decrees of infinite, 
 love and mercy. The love and kindnefs of 
 God to man hath appeared, not by works 
 of righteoufnefs which we ha\'e done, or 
 can do ; but by his mere mercy he faves 
 man, by the wafhing of regeneration, and 
 the renewing of the Holy Ghoft, v/hich he 
 hath fhed on us, on all mankind abund- 
 antly ; though on different perfons and peo- 
 ple, and in different ages and periods of 
 
2o8 
 
 TREATISE OM 
 
 time, in a A'ery different degree, as the great 
 and holy Sovereign hath feen fit. 
 
 Upon the true, gofpel dodrine, that God 
 will have all men to be favcd, and to come 
 to the knowledge of the truth : That the 
 Lamb of God hath taken away the fin of 
 rhe whole world : That Chrill is inverted 
 Tvith regal power, as Mediator, to gather to- 
 gether in one all things in himfelf : That ajs 
 far as fin hath reigned unto death, grace 
 Ihall reicrn through ritjhteournefs to eternal 
 life bv Jefus Chrift our Lord : And that the 
 laft enemy he will deftroy is death, crying 
 in exalted triumph, O death ! I will be thy 
 plague : O grave ! I will be thy deftrudlion : 
 On this plain gofpel doftrine, I fay, it is 
 wholly without reafdfi or fcripture. to fup- 
 pofe that the miferies of man (hall reach 
 beyond death. 
 
 The conteft between the Mediator and 
 his grand adverfary, or the two. oppofitc 
 feeds, is very often, and very juftly rcpre- 
 fented under the fmiilitude of a long war, 
 or a long, obflinatc battle. It is every where 
 affirmed that the Savior of the human race 
 fhall obtain the vi£lory, and a full complete 
 vi61:ory too. The adverfary fhall lucceed no 
 lurther than tobruife the heel ; wl^ch is not 
 a wound that fhall terminate in that death, 
 cvcrlajlin^, perfonal death, which he aimed at. 
 It flKill admit of a cure. But the feed of 
 the woman fhall bruife the head of the ad- 
 verfary ; give a fatal ftroke, where a bruife 
 by almighty flrcngth is certain d'ath ; and 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 2O9 
 
 fo far as we know, it will admit of no cure. 
 Such will be the vidory of Chrift over the 
 ferpent. 
 
 When two armies go to battle, if the one, 
 only with the lofs of an hundred men, flay 
 ten thoufand of the adverfe party and take al- 
 moft all the reft prifoners with great fpoil ; we 
 fay there is a great and triumphant; viftory 
 gained ; yea, we are ready to call it a com- 
 plete triumph, even though the viftors lofe 
 a few men in battle, and a few more are 
 taken captives by the retreating foe. Jult 
 fuch will be the vi6lory of fatan, upon the 
 limitarian plan. The refcued of the Lord 
 will be only a very few, amidft the general 
 overthrow of mankind. Satan will obtain 
 a great and awful viftory, though not fo in- 
 tire and complete as he could have wifhed : 
 Not wholly without lofs ; but almoft fo. 
 Now is this like the reprefentation of the 
 rencounter, the great conteft, in which the 
 Almighty Son of God hath engaged againft 
 his adverfary, and the grand adverfary of his 
 dear offspring of the human kind ? 
 
 The point fatan aimed at, was to involve 
 us all in death, temporal, fpiritual, and eter- 
 nal. Chrift fet himfelf in full oppofition to 
 the whole purpofe of fatan, that no evil, 
 none at all on the whole, ihould accrue to 
 man from all the malice, and all the deadly 
 works of the devil. Chrift's aim was as ex- 
 tenlive as fatan's ; as good as the devil's was 
 bad. He undertook vvith as Kucii 
 
 BENEVOLENCKj AS SATAN DID WITH MA- 
 
 C c 
 
210 TREATISE ON 
 
 LICE. He aimed at no partial vicloiy, muc^ 
 l^fs at a refcuc of a very few, leaving the 
 field and a triumphant vi6lory to his adver- 
 fary. 
 
 The Mediator, the Head of every man a- 
 "bnndantly affures us, that his viflory fliall 
 be complete. " I will ranfom them from 
 the power of the grave ; I will redeem 
 them from death : O death ! I will be thy 
 plagues ; O grave ! I will be thy dcilruc- 
 t'ion : Repentance fhall be hid from mine 
 eyes." Hof. xiii. 14. So in Heb. ii. we 
 find the union of Chrift with human nature, 
 rath tvery man, as fully allerted as words can 
 exprels ; together with the end of his under- 
 taking, and of all his fuffcrings. " That he 
 by the grace of God fhould tafle death for 
 every man ;" and " that through death he 
 might dcflroy him that had the power of 
 death, that is the devil ;" and " thiit he 
 might deliver them (without any exception. 
 TYieritioned) who, through fear of death, were 
 all their life time iubje6t to bondage :" 
 "Which is mod of all the cafe of poor, dillref- 
 fed fmners, who under convi6lion, feel them- 
 felves, of all mankind, the leafl: qualified 
 for heaven, and the mod fit for hell : Indeed, 
 all other fnniers alio, tremble at a realiz- 
 ing thought of death. The great Redeemer 
 fpeaks without any, the leafl exception, when 
 he fays, " fhall tke prey be taken from the 
 mighty, or the lawful captive delivered ? 
 J-jut thus faith the Lord, even the captives of 
 the mighty fhall be taken away, and the prey 
 of the terrible Ihall be delivered ; for I \yilt 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 211 
 
 tontend with him that contendeth with thee, 
 and I will lave thy children." Itai. xlix. 24, 
 
 25- 
 Th E Holy Ghoft fpeaks of man without 
 any diilinftion, in words like thefe : " His 
 foul draweth near unto the grave, and his 
 life to the deftroyers ; if there be a melTenger 
 with him, an interpreter, one among a thou- 
 fand, to Ihew unto man his uprightnels : 
 Then he is gracious unto him, and faith, de- 
 liver him from going down to the pit, I 
 have found a ranfom." Job xxxiii. Here 
 it is moll plain, that the difcovery, interpre- 
 tation, or difplay of the Mediator's own 
 righteoujnefs is the fole relief of the guilty, 
 without any the leaft qualiiication or diflinc- 
 tion in the fmful creature. 
 
 The holy Icriptures every where abound 
 with thoughts correfpondent to the palfagesf 
 now cited. There is nothing that looks like 
 a viftory of fatan over the Son of man, in 
 any part or degree; though it is well known, 
 the whole human kind are the prize con- 
 tended for. All is quite the reverie. Chriil 
 lideth forth conquering and to conquer, 
 "^ He hath led captivity captive, and receiv- 
 ed gifts for men, yea for the rebellious alfo, 
 that the Lord our God might dwell among 
 them." Pfalm Ixviii. " For it pleafed the 
 Father, that in him fhould all fulnefs dwell; 
 and (having made peace, through the blood 
 of his crofs) by him, to reconcile ail things to 
 hi mfelf, by him, I fay, whether they be things 
 in earth, or things in heaven." " For m 
 la-imdweileth all the fulnefs of the God-head 
 
^12 TREATISE ON 
 
 bodily ; and ye are complete in him, %vho 
 h the head of all principality and power/' 
 " Blotting out the hand writing of ordinan- 
 ces, which was againfl us, and took it out 
 of the way, nailing it to his crofs ; and hav- 
 ing fpoiled principalities and powers, he 
 jnade a fliew of them openly, triumphing 
 over them in it." Col. i. and ii. The holy 
 fcriptures every where announce, not only 
 fomc benefit to mankind by Chrill, a fmall, 
 partial refcue from mifcry ; fome valuable 
 laving to the human kind; but a redemption, 
 a viftory over faia7i, death, and rnijery, iull, 
 COMPLETE, and eternal. 
 
 It is, utterj)' impertinent for any one to 
 fa)/^, that this vi6lory may be fo' complete, 
 and yet mod of the human race, or indeed 
 any of them, may be in perfonal mifcry to 
 endlcfs duration : And that God may have 
 his own full glory, and the moil bene\olent 
 i}ftem m<iy be eliablilhed, notwithilanding. 
 AVc mull attend to the very thing contended 
 lor by fatan, on the one part, and by the Son 
 of God on the otlier. On ilic part of the ad-- 
 vcriary, the matter contended for, is the in- 
 tlre, complete, eternal, univerhd mifery of 
 all mankind : The Son of God does flatly, 
 and fully oppofe fatan, in this very thing. 
 Otherwife there is no war between them. i. e. 
 if the devil is driving at one thing, and the 
 Savior oppofmg another. But the oppofi- 
 tion is dire6l and full ; as above dated. 
 
 Suppose iatan to fay, " I will have the 
 human kind miferable with me to all et«rni- 
 ty :" And Chrill to fay, '' So you Ihall, 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 21 g 
 
 xnofl of them ; but I will have my glory in 
 it." Here is concurrence in the main. The 
 variance and oppofition is very imall. But 
 we know, that the feed of the woman does 
 oppofe fatan, in full ; and will not let him 
 gain that very point he aimed at, either in 
 whole, or in any part : Hence, he makes 
 even the pains of this life, and natural death, 
 not only to turn to his own glory, but to 
 the real advantage and happinefs of man. 
 Satan never fo much as hoped, or in the leail 
 aimed to obftruft the happinefs or glory of 
 God; for he always knew it was utterly im^ 
 poflible for him to do it, in the leaft degree. 
 The complete, eternal mifery of ail man- 
 kind was tlie fole point he aimed at ; and 
 this is the plain fcripture reprefentation of 
 the matter. The Savior fully and flatly op- 
 pofed him in that very point ; and this alone 
 can make a proper war, a true and direO: 
 contention. The MefTiah did not fay to fa- 
 tan, " You {hall have your will in the main, 
 and I will have mine too :" But " you fhall 
 not have your will at all, and I will have 
 mine wholly." " I will overcome and con- 
 quer you, on yourchofen ground, on which 
 you contend to make all the human kind ior- 
 ever miferable. The human kind fiiail be 
 as happy, as univerfally io, and even more 
 comipletely fo, than if you had never deter- 
 mined on their ruin." This is a proper op- 
 pofition ; and in this the Almighty Savior 
 will be vi6»;orious. 
 
 But alas ! the limitarian plan gives fatan 
 ji grand vi£lory and triumph, in all he had 
 
2*4 TREATISE ON 
 
 in view, or ever had any hope to accomplifh. 
 It confidcrs Chrifl as concurring with him, 
 m the main, in all that he delired ; though, 
 in another way, getting glory to hiinfelf, 
 and making the vi6lory and triumph of fa- 
 tan only an occafion of it. Here is very 
 little oppofition. The devil has got his will 
 in one thing, and the Savior in another, 
 tiatan expefted, in his moft fanguine hopes, 
 little more than what he will obtain ; and 
 Chrifl never meant to make any great oppo- 
 Jition to the devil, while feeking whom he 
 may devour ; though in another way he 
 would fecure his own glory. Confult the 
 facred oracles throughout, and let common 
 Icnfe fay, whether there is any thing in all 
 this, that bears the mofl diflant likenefs to 
 the dire6l and full oppofition, between the 
 feed of the woman and the lerpent contend- 
 ing for one and the fame thing, even hu- 
 man happinefs. 
 
 Satan fhall not finally have his will in 
 the leaft part, or degree ; though for a fea- 
 Ibn he may be gratified : For divine wifdom 
 and goodnefs have ordained, that there Ihall _ 
 be a long contention, and the war not foon 
 over. Yet, in the end, fatan fhall be wholly 
 overcome and difappointed in every view, 
 and in every hope that he has entertained. 
 The prize in contell may be divided for a 
 time ; and fatan may feem to have the grea- 
 ter Ihare of it. It has indeed been fo ever 
 fmce the fall, to this day ; and may be lo to 
 the end of this prcfent world. But in the 
 refult, fatan fliall Jofe all ; and the Son of 
 
UNIVERSAL SAtVATIOliJ. Sl| 
 
 Cod gain all, even the whole prize in dif- 
 putc, and even deftioy him that for a time, 
 a long feafon, has the power of death. His 
 viGory fhall be complete ; though for a long 
 time God divides him a portion with the 
 great (adverfary) and he divides the fpoii 
 with the flrong. Since he hath poured out 
 his foul unto death, and fince God hath 
 laid upon him the iniquity of 2^5 ail, and 
 he hath been numbered with tranfgreffors, 
 and bare the fin of many, i. e. as many as 
 thofe, whofe iniquities were laid upon him, 
 even "us all," all the human kind; he 
 will, in his own way and time, make the ap- 
 plication fure. He will make interceflion 
 for the tranfgreffors. Ifai. liii. Not a word 
 of exception or limitation is mentioned in. 
 the paffages now alluded to. 
 
 The word many, is often ufed in fcripture 
 to fignify all the human kind. The refur- 
 reftion of all the dead is exprelled in the 
 fame manner. Dan. xii. Alfo the apoflacy 
 of the hum-an race : "By one man's difobe- 
 dien'ce many were made fmners." Rom. v. 
 Indeed it is the common language of fcrip- 
 ture. The reader will multiply quotations 
 as many as he pleafes. The word many lb 
 ufed, is often explained by the fynonimous 
 term all ; and often the plain fenle and con- 
 ne6lion of the context fo explains it. So in 
 the paffage above cited out of the prophet 
 Ifaiah, God laid on Chrifl the iniquity of us 
 all, and he bare the fm of 7}2any, i. e. the fame 
 .Jiumber, the whole number of tranfgreffors; 
 
21b TREATISE ON 
 
 and his efFeftual interceflion fhall be for juft 
 lo many, in the final refult. 
 
 The kingdom of Jefus,in this world, hath 
 ever appeared feeble, like a bruifed reed and 
 like fmoaking flax ; and the kingdom of fa- 
 tan hath appeared in pomp and power ; but 
 tkis will not forbid a complete vi6lory on^ 
 the part of the Mediator in the end. " He 
 Ihall not fail nor be difcouraged, until he 
 have fet judgment in the earth : And the 
 Iflcs fhall wait for his law :" He will, in 
 his own time, " open blind eyes and bring 
 out the priibners from theprifon, and them 
 that fit in -darknefs out of the prifon-houfe. 
 1 am the Lord, that is my name, and my 
 glory will I not give to another, neither my 
 praiCe to graven images." Ifa. xlii. i. — 16. 
 Satan halh long led away mofl of the na- 
 tions after images, and into various kinds of 
 idolatry ; but Clirifl will finally reclaim as 
 many as fatan hath deluded. *' God will 
 gather together in one all things in Chrift." 
 Yea, wherever " fin hath abounded, grace 
 fhall much more abound." The mat- 
 ter immediately in contefl is the weal or woe 
 of the human kind. 
 
 *' What can awake thee unawak'd by this, 
 *' Expended Deity on human weal !" 
 
 It is, moreover, worthy of our fpecial no- 
 tice that throughout the books of Mofes, and 
 indeed through the whole of the old tefla- 
 mcnt, there is very little laid of bleffrngs, or 
 of curfes, of happinefs, or of milery, but 
 what is temporal and pertains to this prefent 
 life, as cvrrv attentive reader of the iacrcd 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 21/ 
 
 books will immediately recolleft. And 
 when the word hell is mentioned any where 
 in the old teftament, it very leldom, perhaps 
 never, fignifies any other than the grave, or 
 ftate of the dead in general. The curies on 
 the difobedient are every where mainly fuch 
 as take place in this world, or terminate in 
 the grave ; lb are the bleffings promiled to 
 the obedient. Citations from the fcripture 
 would be almofl endlefs, the reader has them 
 in his own memory without number. How 
 ftiall we account tor this, but upon the lup- 
 pofitioh that no dillin6lion fhail remain be- 
 yond death, except a diftintlion in degree 
 of happinefsj by the glorious Savior ot all 
 men ? 
 
 Sin is an infinite evil in its own nature; 
 and nothing at all ought, or can be faid in 
 excufe for it on our part : Yet, at the fame 
 time, it is not amils for us to know that we 
 do not, cannct hurt God by it, or in the leall 
 infringe upon his uninterrupted and infinite 
 happinels, or add in the leall thereunto bv 
 all our holinefs and virtue. , We do much 
 baim to our fellow men and to ourfeives by 
 our wickednels, and much good by our vir- 
 tues : But the effential glory and happinefs 
 of God is untouched by both. " If thou 
 fmneft, what doeft thou againfl him, or if 
 thy tranfgrefTions be multiplied, what doeft 
 thou unto him ? if thou be righteous, what 
 givefl thou him, or what receiveth he of 
 thine hand ? thy wickednels may hurt a man 
 Dd 
 
liS TREATISEON 
 
 a.1 thou art, and thy righteoufn«fs may pro- 
 fit the fon of man." job xxxv. 6, 7, 8. 
 
 With regard to God Mofl High, his eter- 
 nal, fixed will and choice was never yet 
 fruftratcd in any Tingle inflance, and never 
 will be. This by no means cxcufcs fm on 
 our part. The mere nature of it is infinite 
 guilt m us, in the firll inflance. Yet it is 
 certain that every thing, every event in the 
 natural and moral fyftem, does take place 
 ivifl, exadtly, as God chofe and fixed in his 
 immutable plan, before any creature had 
 exiftence. Saint Paul grants this, when the 
 Jhought is fuggcfted even with a view to a 
 bad improvement of it. The apoftle gives 
 I he proper character of God, as abfolute pro- 
 prietor, abfolute fovercign of all things, and 
 lets up his abfolute decrees and immutable 
 plan, agreeably to the nature and perfeftions 
 t>f fuch a God. The objeftor then fleps in 
 and fays, " why then doth he yet find fault, 
 for who hath refifled his will ?" Upon this 
 doBrine how can finners be worthy o[ blame ? 
 Pnul d<")cs not take back a fingle wordhe had 
 laid, but moft lolemnly reprimands the bold 
 objcflor, who would on this ground jufiify 
 his fm ; by holding up to his view the holy 
 nature and charader of Jehovah, as ahjolvte 
 j)rnpri€tor and ahfoluU Jovereign of all things ; 
 and he flill maintains the principle he had 
 laid down, without th« lead recantaiion. 
 Rom. ix. 
 
 Much has beer^ faid againfl this true and 
 proper charafter of God, as fixing his own 
 immutable plan, both in the natural and in 
 
univ'er.sal SALVATIOM. 21^ 
 
 the moral fyflem, and feeing it executed 
 through all the fcenCvS of providence, from 
 beginning to end, without the lead poffible 
 variation. But all is in vain. We never 
 can get rid of it. unlefs we will ridourfelves 
 of the word of God, and of the plain light 
 of nature, with all our juft natural notions of 
 the Supreme Beinig. We may even as well 
 rejeO; God himfelf, his very being, as to de- 
 ny that all events were by him fixed and 
 certain, in his own eternal, infinite mind, 
 before creation began ; or that God had in- 
 finite right fo to eftablifh his own plan of 
 operation. Paul maintains this poiat, and 
 pleads only this, to filence efFe6i;ually every 
 objeSor, who would on this ground, juftify 
 the nature of fin, when it is immediately 
 known and plainly felt in the foul, to be, in 
 its own nature, dirc^lly oppofite to the nature 
 and attributes of God. As though he had 
 faid, '* you finner, have not fruftrated the 
 eternal plan of the Moft High, it is true, and 
 you never can ; but it is enough for you to 
 know that your will and heart has been itt 
 to do it. This very thing is your guilt, and 
 there can be no guilt, no blame worthinels 
 in the univerie, m any thing elfe; but in the 
 evil will and difpofition, in its nature and 
 operations. You therefore have merited 
 unutterable puniljiment. But I will main- 
 tain the character of my God ; if I relin- 
 quilh this idea of Jehovah, I can find no 
 Supreme Being." 
 
 I WOULD add : However wicked and un- 
 rpafopable it is to abui'e this juft idea of God, 
 
220 TREATISE ON 
 
 to indulge in fin ; yet we may and ought to 
 make a A^ery comfortable ule of it in another 
 way. We ought not once to imagine that 
 we have hurt the most high in the leafl, 
 by all our'odious fins, as we hurt our felJow 
 men and our own fouls by them. God is 
 infinitely happy in every thing that is done, 
 tvery event, both in the natural and moral 
 fyflem. The whole is jufl what infinite wif- 
 dom and love decreed, and the whole forms 
 the rnoft lovely and benevolent fyftcm, of 
 all poflible fyllems that were in the eternal, 
 infinite view of Deity. 
 
 The nature of fin is, inthejirjl injlance, apt 
 objeft of forrow in our hearts ; but its exiji- 
 ence, connexions, and, all its cjfccts and confc- 
 quaices pertain to the pure and holy, wife 
 and good gqvernmpnt of the mofl high God; 
 all whofc ways are holy, jufl, and good. 
 Cod need not punifh poor finners, to re- 
 trieve anv harm they have done him, any 
 <^amagc, any infringement on his happinefs. 
 Cod is, and ever has been, and ever will be, 
 jud as happy as his foul hath chofen to be, 
 i. e. infinitely fo. With infinite plealurehe 
 ices the operation of his own eternal plan, 
 ifi every part and every movement of it. 
 And mankind, in God's own time and way, 
 ^yill behold it as God docs, and delight in it 
 as Qod does, according to their capacity. 
 V/e arc in guilt and ignorance and iorrow 
 for a lime, and all i,'» jufi : For the will 
 of God cannot be otherwifc. But, as the 
 nature, of God is love, he wijl bring us 
 ^11, "in due time," to fee jnd approve of 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 221 
 
 qhh infinite wifdom and love, in all his coun- 
 .fels, and in all his works. " What I do 
 thou knowell not now, but-thou Ihalt know 
 hereafter." " In the latter end ye ihall con- 
 sider it perfe6lly." 
 
 There have.heen, no doubt, many godly 
 perfons that never could endure the doftrine 
 of the divine decrees, in' the limitarian fenfc. 
 The hearts of good people do not rejeft the 
 abfolute predeflination and decrees of God, 
 Xipr ever did, firnply confidered, or juftly 
 confidered. What our hearts revolt at, is 
 the attributing fuch decrees to God, as are 
 contrary to his nature. *' God is love." 
 Attribute no decrees to God but thofe of in- 
 finite love, in harmony with all the perfefti- 
 ons of Deity, and they v/ili fet eafy on our 
 minds. Charge hjm \/ith no decrees that 
 are contrary to his nature, and they will all 
 fippear beautiful. But, when we conceive of 
 a God exhibiting a nature and difpofition 
 oppofite to that of the great Jehovah ; a God 
 of iome love and of great malevolence ; and 
 then conceive of fuch decrees as fuch a God 
 would make, our hearts fhudder at them. 
 But decrees flowing from the true nature of 
 %he. living and true God, are all lovely. All 
 our hopes of happinefs are founded on the 
 nature, attributes, and fovereign will of th*^ 
 living and true God. His infinitely good 
 dilpofition fecures us. His paternal love 
 and goodnefs makes us fafe ; as all his natu- 
 ral perfeftions are exerted under the direc- 
 tion of his wildom and love. 
 .' Could we fuppofe, I even iliudder tc^ 
 
*22 T R E A T I S E O N 
 
 name the fuppofition, that Jehovah was in 
 all things elk as he now is ; but only had a 
 difpofition to infinite malevolence, as he now 
 hath to infinite love and benevolence ; poor 
 fuflcrin;^ creatures could not even then im- 
 peach his jufticc, fimply confidcred : P'or 
 their whole beings, and all the comfort, and 
 all the pain that could ever affeft them, 
 would be God's own abfolute property, to 
 dilpofe of, as he pleafed. Their very feel- 
 ings, of every kind and degree would be his 
 abfolute property ; fmcc their whole being is 
 io. But, alas^ ! he would certainly aft out 
 his difpofition, and propagate mifery far 
 and wide, and that to all eternity. My 
 j-cader, js this your God ? Have you learned 
 that he hath indeed fuch a difpofition of 
 heart, from his works or from his word ? Is 
 iliis the Son of God that you have heard 
 and thought fo much about, that fo loved 
 the world as to die for the fins of the whole 
 world ? Have you fo learned Chrift ? To 
 diipute of mtutfi and tiiii7}i, mine and thine, 
 with Deity is utterly abfurd ; but to hope 
 and trull in the nature, attributes, will and 
 word of fuch an infinitely good fovereign, 
 through the atonement of his own dear Son, 
 is unlpeakably comfortable to miferable, 
 dying finucrs. 
 
 We are taught, in the word of God, that 
 all our backwardnefs in believing to the fal- 
 yation of our fouls, lies in the enmity of 
 our hearts ; at lealt, that if this was all re- 
 u:ovcd, we fhould, under gofpcl li^ht, ica- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. r:!23 
 
 dily |)elieve. The underflanding, and all 
 the powers of our fouls would aft in a faring 
 manner towards God and Chrifl, if the tem~ 
 per and difpofition of our fouls were right. 
 This is certainly tnxe. But our hearts are 
 exceedingly oppofed to God who is lox'e. 
 Therefore, until this enmity is removed, we 
 cannot believe the doftrines of God's fove- 
 reign, felf-moved love, pity, mercy, to fuch 
 horrible finners as We are. 
 
 When we hear the pure doQrines of free 
 grace, our hearts fay, " this is too good news 
 to be true." Mankind, in a flate of nature, 
 find no fuch difpofition in themfelves, nof 
 in other men like themfelves ; and they do, 
 and will imagine that God is, in this regard, 
 " altogether fuch an one as themfelves :" and 
 fo cannot believe there is any fuch felf-mov- 
 ed love and mercy in God. They cannot 
 forgive their enemies before they repent, and 
 reform, and become their friends, and make 
 all the reflitution in their poxver; and hard- 
 ly then. They will maintain fome grudge 
 after all. Therefore, they will not believe 
 " that while they were yet enemies, in due 
 time, Chrill died for them," and paid their 
 Tvhole debt, while they were in all their en- 
 mity againft God : And juflified them, as 
 to the law of God, while they were ungodly, 
 working not in any manner acceptable to 
 God, but wholly in enmity againll him : 
 And that " being juftified by his death, they 
 Ihall much more be faved by his life." i. e. 
 By his almighty all gracious mediation, ap- 
 plying the benefit of purchafed pardon and 
 
2-^4: TREATISE ON 
 
 falvation, by giving them repentance, faitfj, 
 holinefs, and fulfilling in them all the con- 
 ditions, in his own way and time. They 
 cannot believe, that " God hath exalted 
 him a Prince and a Savior, to give repen- 
 tance as well as remifhon of fins :" That 
 '• he that 1 pared not his own Son, but freely 
 delivered him up for us all, all finners, will 
 much more with him freely give them all 
 things." They have no fuch difpofition 
 themi'elves ; but quite the reverfe : and they 
 cannot believe that God has, when he fays^ 
 " I, even I, am he that blotteth out yOuf 
 fm for mine own fake." They cannot re- 
 ^ ceive this faying ; becaufe, all they know 
 of the temper of their own hearts, and of 
 other men is dire6lly oppofite to fuch free 
 love and ielf-moved mercy. 
 
 A Sense of divine love, or charity, is ne- 
 ver imf>re fifed On the hearts of finful men, 
 but in an almighty work of regeneration, 
 making them feel, in fomc degree, the fame 
 temper and fpirit. When they can forgive 
 their mod malicious enemies, and love 
 them, and ilneerely wifh them all gOod, 
 and pray for them, before they become any- 
 better, or a(k any pardon at all, as Chrift 
 did, and as Stephen did ; then they can be- 
 lieve that there is fuch an heart in God as 
 his word does teftify. 
 
 A YOUNG man that has been brought up 
 in ihe family of a nobleman of vaft wealth, 
 who has always been a great benefactor to 
 him, and whom he always loved moft fin- 
 cerelv; and fcrvcd moil faithfully, giving 
 
UNlVfeRSAL SALVATION. 225 
 
 ev«ry teflimony of love, fidelity and obedi- 
 ence, during his minority ; v/ell knowing 
 that his benefaftor always had the kindeft 
 fenfe of his filial love, duty, and obedience, 
 will, when he comes of age, eafily believe 
 the report, if it be told him, that the noble^. 
 man has given him a valuable legacy, in his 
 lafl will and teftament. But, a young man 
 that was under the like advantages, who 
 yet always hated his benefa6lor, rebelled a- 
 gainft him continually, mocked him every 
 day, reviled him in all his converfation, did 
 all he could to kill him more than a thou- 
 fand times, and finally purloined all his 
 goods that he could lay hands on, and ran 
 away from him, and continues to hate him. 
 worfe than ever; would by no means believe 
 the report, ftiould the (lory pafs, that the 
 faid nobleman had given him a fine eftate. 
 His own fenfe of guilt, enmity, and ingrati- 
 tude, would repel any idea that the news 
 could be true. Juft io, the glorious tefli- 
 monials of God's infinitely free love and 
 mercy, come to finful men. The blefled 
 gofpel is oppofed by them, on every ground 
 and motive of enmity and unbelief, which 
 can arife from a confcioufnefs of the utmofb 
 difafFeftion in their hearts to an holy God, 
 and the moft awful rebellion of their whole 
 lives againft him. 
 
 This do£lrine of infinite, univerfal, fove- 
 leign grace, flowing wholly out of the na- 
 ture and difpofition of God to mankind, is 
 E e 
 
226 TREATISE ON 
 
 wholly confiflciu with his rewarding c\'cry 
 nun according to his works ; and is the on- 
 ly do6lrine of falvation that is fo. 
 
 TiiK hmitarians themfclves, have always 
 imderllood this doctrine as relating, not on- 
 ly to the different degrees of happinefs a- 
 moni^ the laved, and the different decrees of 
 inilery among the damned ; but alfo^nTza- 
 pally to the great difference in the eternal 
 world, between all who are faved, and all 
 who are damned : Each dclcription being 
 compared with the other, or the faved com- 
 pared with the damned. And" this is cer- 
 tainly the true gofpcl fenfe of the declara- 
 tion, fo frequent in the word of God. But 
 then we ought to underftand the word of 
 God aright, as to the true meaning of falva- 
 tion and damnation. Which cannot be, in 
 any other fenfe than what I plead for, con- 
 liftent with that proportion of reward which 
 1^ afferted. 
 
 No limitarian on earth will prefume to 
 fay, that believers in this world are as much 
 better than other finners, as heaven is better 
 than hell : Or that there is, or ever was, fo 
 gieat a diiferencein moral charafter, between 
 Z(ny two men on earth, as there is between 
 heaven and hell. There is not a man on 
 earth, nor ever was fmce the fall, that can 
 juflly claim a better character than that of a 
 believing, penitent, abominable fmner. We do 
 not fuppole that the befl on earth have got 
 half way from the worfl charader they ever 
 had, before converfion, to that character 
 which famts in heaven fullain. It is certain 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 22^ 
 
 that Job, David, and Paul, did not think 
 they had. " I abhor my felf, and repent in 
 du(>|and afhes." " There is no foundnefs in 
 my flefli, becaufe of thine anger, neither is 
 there any reft in my bones, becaufe of my 
 fin." " My \vounds ftink and are corrupt 
 becaufe of my foolifhnefs." " I am carnal 
 fold under fm." "O wretched man that I am, 
 who fhall deliver me from the body of this 
 death !" " Not as though I had already attain- 
 ed, either were already perfect. " Thus Ipake 
 thefe men,diftingui(hed by the mofl eminent 
 attainments in this world ; and that without 
 any compliment at all. They fpake the truth, 
 as they felt the real weight of it in their own 
 fouls. Thefe are true fpecimens of the bell men, 
 and beft moral characters that ever were,, 
 or will be, on this fide death. Now let thefe 
 three men j^o into the infinite and everlaftin^ 
 •j03-s of heaven, (and no doubt they are there) 
 and contrafl with them the three vilefl mo- 
 ral charafters, that ever exifted fince tlie 
 xv'orld began, gone away into the infinite 
 and endlefs torments of hell, in the liviitari- 
 an fenfe ; and then fay, my reader, is there 
 not a greater difference between the reward 
 of thefe, than there was between their works 
 in tkis world ? All may be in heaven, and 
 yet the difference of reward be as great there 
 as that of character here. In no other pofli- 
 ble way can the proportion take place accord- 
 ing to fcripture. 
 
 *Ir believers, in this life, v/ere as holy as 
 they are in heaven, and unbelievers altogeth- 
 er as bad as the devil : vet even then, there 
 
228 
 
 TREATISE OM 
 
 would be no proportion of reward to their 
 
 works, on the limitarian plan, unlefs they 
 had been one eternity a parte ante (as the lan-f 
 guage of the fchools is) before they went in- 
 to another eternity a parte pcjl. The time 
 of works, or of exhibiting a moral charatler 
 in this life, bears no proportion to eternity. 
 Duration, or long continuance in good or 
 bad works, no doubt, hath its due confide- 
 ration in the reward; but temporal, momen- 
 tary works bear no proportion to an eternal 
 reward either of happinefs or mifery. Do 
 not mifunderftand me here. I mean not in 
 the leall, to countenance the idle notion of 
 thofe who fay, " becaule fm is but tempora- 
 ry in this world ; therefore it is not flriftly 
 jufl tha-t its punifhment fhould be eternal." 
 1 have before exploded this idea. I am now 
 ipeaking only ol the proportion mentioned in 
 the gofpel, between the rewards of mankind 
 in a future flate ; not of the juft demerit of 
 fm. I fay, it feems exceeding plain, on the 
 limitarian plan, there can be no proportion 
 at all between the rewards of the cledt, and 
 reprobate, as mealure<i by their different 
 works in this life. All in themfclves deferve 
 an eternal hell, no doubt; but God has been 
 gracioufly pleafed to allure us, that the flate 
 of each man in the world to come, fliall be 
 in proportion to his works here. This never 
 can be, if fome great hnnevs, who finned all 
 their lives here, yet believing fmncrs, are in 
 the next life confummately and eternally 
 happy ; and other poor, miferable finners, 
 that IS, unbelieving finners, are made con- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION, S?2gi 
 
 fummately and eternally nrifeable. Both 
 defeive it. But we are now availing our- 
 felves of God's own declaration of fovereign 
 goodnefs in the golpel. I know, and I have 
 already faid it again and again; that the 
 law thunders eternal, certain damnation to 
 pinners, and it is the awfui voice of juftice 
 throughout the facred oracles from begin- 
 ning to end ; but there is not one word of 
 gofpel, glad tidings, or good news to fmners 
 inaiithis : It is all law, purt laiv. glorious 
 law, denouncing what, in pure jvjlice, ought 
 to be. There is not a fingle word of the 
 gofpel in the whole of this, in all thefe dread- 
 ful thunders. The gofpel mildly and fweetly 
 announces that all theie dreadful things have 
 taken place in Chrill, the head of every mail. 
 And now he hath full power and commilhon 
 to apply his own redemption, to all tiiole 
 of whom he is the head, and for whom he 
 died; and that in his own time and way. 
 
 We all kn^ow there will be different re- 
 v/ards in heaven, according to different cha- 
 rafters and works in this life. None will be 
 rewarded for their works ; but according to 
 ihem. Jt will be fo with all mankind that 
 ever lived or fhall live. They will, every 
 one of them, bear a proportion to each other, 
 as to their flate in the eternal world, as they did 
 in their refpcftive charaBcrs and works here. 
 This never can be, without the univerfal tri- 
 umph of Chrift over fin. death and hell, and 
 all the condemning power of the holy law, 
 in tailing death for every man. We could 
 e^fjly fee all this to be the true fpirit of the 
 
©3^ TREATISE OX 
 
 gofpel; if we only knew and felt within our 
 own fouls, that the great Parent of the 
 univerfe, as much exceeds any human pa- 
 rent, in love to his offspring, as he is a grea- 
 ter being than man ; and that this is the 
 real nature of God. 
 
 This blcffed, gofpel doftrine gives us an 
 admiring view of the wifdom and poodnefs 
 of God, in the appomtment and ordmation 
 of his civil miniflers in the prefcnt world, to 
 make this life tolerable, by the fupprefhon 
 of vice and immorality : Efpecially as fe- 
 cure, hardened finners are not at all rcflrain- 
 ed by the threatnings of eternal damnation, 
 even though they deny not the awful doc- 
 trines tliey hear ; but allude to the truth of 
 them, by moft profane and horrid impre- 
 cations, in their common converfation. Prc- 
 fent, vifible punifhmcnts ftrikc them with 
 dread, and greatly reftrain them. A fine, 
 a prifon, a whip, and a gibbet have great in- 
 fluence to fupprefs their enormities. 
 
 God has, in his infinite wifdom and good- 
 refs, appointed his civil miniflers for good. 
 Thefe powers are ordained of God, for this 
 great and benevolent purpofe, to be a terror 
 to evil doers, and the fupporters of thofe 
 that do well. It will give an exalted fenfe 
 of God to thofe that know his falvation, to 
 fee all thofe miniflers he has ordained for the 
 good of mankind, executing their rclpec- 
 tive ojfhces well, for the glory of his great 
 name and the good of human fociety, in 
 punifhing all tranfgreffors with the utmoft 
 faithfulnefs and impartiality, according to 
 
UNIVi?K.SAL SALVATION. 23! 
 
 good and wholefome laws ; and in encoura- 
 ging all the virtuous and regular in the com- 
 munity. We ought to rejoice that they who 
 do all in their power to make their fellow- 
 men happy, fhould partake largely of that 
 good, which they fo much ftrive to promote 
 and communicate ; and that they, who war 
 againft the happinefs of mankind, ihould 
 feel in a proper degree, that mifery, which, 
 by their wickednefs, they would bring upon 
 all. God's glorious decrees of fovereign, 
 rich, felf-moved mercy to them at laft, do 
 not in the leaft, excufe them from the due 
 reward of their deeds here ; no, nor even 
 thofe that have already believed to the faving 
 of their fouls, when they backflide and do 
 the deeds of the wicked. 
 
 There are a great variety of juft and ter- 
 rible punifhments from the hand of God's 
 civil minifters, that do, and ought to meei: 
 and oppofe flagrant tranfgreffors, in all their 
 open wickednefs in this world. Thofe in- 
 deed have their vilible and fenfible effeft. 
 The fcourge and the gibbet are very terrible 
 to thofe that are wholly unmoved by every 
 confideration which does not apply to their 
 fenfes : And how wretched are daring Tin- 
 ners in this world, by the juft rebukes of 
 heaven in this way ! While they are harden- 
 ed in vice, all confolation ariling from the 
 final mercy of God is wholly fhut out of 
 their fouls, juft as much on the plan I 
 plead' for, as on any more limited doftrine 
 whatever. The moft glorious truth, without 
 an heart-feit convidlion of it, can give na 
 
S3* TR^ATISfiOhJ 
 
 comfort. Thefe poor, miferable creatures 
 are jufl as we have been wont to fay the 
 cleft are, antecedent to their converfion ; noC 
 at all the more comfortable for their eleftion, 
 until they are brought to know the things 
 freely given them of God. How miferable 
 in this life, are thieves, drunkards, traitors, 
 murderers, and fuchlike ! Every good law, 
 and every good magiftrate, and all good peo- 
 ple oppofe them with all their might, witli 
 one awful punifhment after another, until 
 many of them end their lives of fear, tremb- 
 ling and horror on a gibbet, awful fpe6lacles 
 of fhame and reproach, and without any 
 comfort in their own fouls, from the bleffed 
 truth I maintain. For it will fully appear, 
 that no man of the vile character I have beea 
 defcribing, while with fuch an heart, can de- 
 rive any comfort from this plan of falvation ; 
 any more than any of the eleft of God, on 
 any luppofition whatever, could have in- 
 ward divine confolation, while in a ftate of 
 nature, of unbelief, and utter impenitency. 
 I fay, how miferable are fuch poor creatures 
 in this world! How full of fhame and horror, 
 when taken away by the arm of juftice ! And 
 why ihould we grudge them the mercy and 
 pity of the Father of their fpirits, on whole 
 lovereitrn <irace alone we ourlelves are de- 
 pendent for better condud, and better cir- 
 cumftnnces in this life ; if he is plealed. in 
 his infinite goodnefs, through the all-luffici- 
 ent atonement of him who died, not for our 
 lins only, bat alfo for the fins of the whole 
 world, to give relief, cvcrlallinij relief, to 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 233 
 
 Ihefe poor, trembling fpirits, his own ofF- 
 fpring at laft, even at the time when the 
 foul, with infinite anguifti and the moft hor- 
 l-ible expedations, is feparating from that 
 body, from a union with which, it deriv- 
 ed ail its awful depravity. 
 
 If we have been more favoured in this 
 life, by the fovereign, diftinguilhing good- 
 nefs of the common Parent of all, let us be 
 exceedinp thankful. We fhould do well to 
 remember, that, confidering all the fuperior 
 degrees of God's free grace granted to us, 
 againft which we have alfo finned every day, 
 and every moment, w-e may be as guilty in 
 the fight of God, as our poor unhappy 
 brethren, that never have been blelTed with 
 that prudent forefight, and thofe rellraints 
 wherewith God has been pleafed to favor us. 
 We may well acquiefce in all the difplays 
 of divine juftice which we fee in this world, 
 even in thole that are condemned to flee to 
 the pit, and our hand ftiould not ftay tjiem. 
 But, I think, we can give no reafon why the 
 blood of jefus Chrift, which ckanjuhjrom all 
 fin, fhould not fave them in another world ^ 
 which will not lie Jull Jtrong againft every 
 hope of our own ialvation. If their fins go 
 beforehand to judgment, ours may follow 
 alter. An earthly tribunal affords but a 
 miierable decifion to determine who are 
 deepeft in guilt, in the eye of the Omnifci- 
 €nt Judge. 
 
 We have exceeding ftrong motives to reji- 
 gion and all moral virtue, drawn from views 
 F i 
 
234 TREATISE OM 
 
 of honor and profperity, pleafure and joy 
 ill this life ; and to deter us from the ways 
 of wickedneft;, from the oppolite confidera- 
 tion. Ca'teris paribus, a man is always 
 happy in this world, in proportion to that 
 degree of true godlinefs and virtue which 
 forms his real chnra6ter ; and mifcrable in 
 proportion to tlie degree of wickednefs that 
 governs him. Alfo great, very great will 
 be the diflin£lion between fuch different: 
 chara£lcrs to all eternity. Their reward will 
 be as different, as their works have been. 
 And this may be ; yet both of them be in 
 the fame world there, as well as here. No- 
 man in this v/orld, fmce the fall, ever had 
 any heart but a bad one, really and truly 
 fu. *' There is none good but one, that 
 is God." No man ever did one good deed, 
 iin the flricl i'tiuie of the divine law. " They 
 are all gone out of the way ; there is none 
 that docth good, no not one." 
 
 When we fpeak of the good heart of be- 
 ^lievers, and of their good and holy lives ; 
 And when we find thefe epithets in fcripture, 
 rhcy are never to be undtrflood in JlriB pro- . 
 prieiy of fpeech, but only in a comparative 
 fenje, i. e. lejs wicked, in the exercifcs of 
 their hearts, as to the real matter of thefe ex- 
 ercifes, than unbelievers are, or than they 
 themfelves were, in a Rate of unregcneracy. 
 It is the fame with regard to their good and 
 holy lives: i.e. they arc much Icfs -ar'ckrd/ 
 as to the matter of thtir rondw6l, than once 
 thcv were, or than unbelievers ordinarily 
 are.' P*ut it i« certain; tliat. in propriety v.nd 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 235 
 
 JlrlBnefs of Ipeech, no pofitive goodnefs be- 
 longs to any human charaSei" on earth ; nor 
 can this poflibly obtain, uniel's Ibmething 
 be found as pure in all refpeO;s as the law of 
 God, which is the only meafure of pofitive 
 moral goodneGo. 
 
 In real propriety of language, ail men 
 are great finners without exception, and 
 fome, as to the matter of their charafter and 
 condu£l, much greater finners than others. 
 I fay, as to the matttr ; for I Ihall confider 
 obligations, motives, aggravations, &:c. in. 
 the fequel. But in this ail men on earth do 
 now, and ever did agree, viz. " the heart 
 and character of every man, in the fight of God^ 
 is an awful, unfptakahly had, heart and charac- 
 ter." And there will be no reward to any 
 in the next world, but a reward of free, fo- 
 vereign grace, through the atonement and 
 mediation of God's eleft Savior, the elect 
 head of every man. Ail may be in heaven: 
 together in God's ov/n time, brought there 
 in his own way, with as great a diftin6lion of 
 reward ther€, as of chara£ter here. But if 
 fome are perfonally in hell, and others ia 
 heaven, to interminable duration ; the dif- 
 ference of reward will be infinitely greater 
 .than that of chara8;er and works ever was. 
 
 All believers are abfolutely, pofitively, 
 and perfetily holy, in a relative f 7ft, i. e. m 
 Chrift. But this hath no concern with their 
 real chara6ier ; and their works have no 
 hand in all this. Their own perfonal cha- 
 rafter, and their works are juft as far from 
 having any confideration in their juftifying 
 
236 TREATISE ON 
 
 righteoufiiefs, as the chara6lcr and works of 
 thofe who never heard of a Savior. They 
 are juflified as ungodly, by that righteoulneis 
 made known to the loul, by the medium of 
 faith, which is unto all and upon all them 
 that believe, for there is no difference. 
 There is no difference, none at all, but what 
 exifts while the medium of faith and the 
 means of application are fulpended : None 
 as to the covenant of redemption : None as 
 to the undertaking of Chnll : None with 
 regard to the purchafe or faithfulnefs and 
 promife of him, who came into the world, 
 jiot to condemn the world ; but that the 
 world through him might be favcd : None as 
 to merit on the part of man, or ajiy motion 
 towards God in the heart of one man more 
 than another : None, as to the eternal good 
 purpole of God : In this, and every other 
 ienle he is no refpedler of perfons. The 
 language of a God oi infinite, fovereign 
 mercy, to his children partakers of flelb and 
 blood, and for the lake of uiuon with vvhorn, 
 his own Son took part of the fame, is this, 
 without any diftintlion ; " I, even I am he 
 that biotteth out your fin, for mine own 
 fake." 
 
 Verily there are all the diflindlions a^ 
 inong mankind, in this, and a future world, 
 xvhich the holy fcriptures know any thing 
 of, without our making any dillinftion, in- 
 Aentcd by the blindnels of the human mind, 
 nnd (he great want of benevolence that is 
 jiatuval to man. Pride, and love of pre- 
 eminence which is fo dear to huinan nature, 
 
rNIVERSAL SALVATION. 237 
 
 rjwrill not let us reft eafy, but in a felf-exalt- 
 ing profpe6l that a very few of us ftiall have 
 the pleafure, in the next world, to look 
 down on the great body of mankind infinite- 
 ly beneath us, and feeling our own happinefs 
 much heightened, and our own glory much 
 augmented, by thecontraft of their extreme 
 milery and fham.e. Do you feel this fpirit, 
 my reader ? You had need take care, left, 
 on your plan of limiting the Holy One of 
 Ifrael, yourfelf may take the inferior rank 
 among thofe, whom you now view in prof- 
 peft with a- future unutterable contempt. 
 
 Whatever difference, or fpecijic diffe^ 
 rence, if any prefer thefe terms, there may be 
 between the grace given to one and another, 
 in this life, the charafter, temper and ways 
 of all the human race agree in many things 
 more than they differ ! *' As in v.ater face 
 anfwereth to face, fo doth the heart of man 
 to man." Bring all the human race together, 
 and their difTimilitude will be very fmall, in 
 comparifon of their general agreement. A 
 prefent believer hath indeed fojnething, 
 which a prefent unbeliever hath not ; and 
 God knows what a little fotnething it is. His 
 omnifcient eye fees how awfully we all a- 
 gree. He never yet faw a realon, or found 
 a motive out of himjclf, to fave any of us all. 
 Had all mankind right thoughts of God, a 
 real true knowledge of that glorious fountain 
 pf love, this would make falvation appear 
 common falvation, as it did of old. Judc iii. 
 And none would deny it, or even fo much 
 gg wifh the doftnne were not truv;. If that 
 
S3^ trleatise on 
 
 knowledge of God, which all men are comi 
 jnandcd to feek after above all things, 
 would eftablifh us in this blclTed truth, is 
 not the foundation of it real, folid, and true ? 
 Or does our difcovery and knowledge of 
 things lo glorious, give being to their own 
 objcfts ? 
 
 If mankind were wife enough to know in 
 what way to find their greatefl intereft, joy, 
 plealure, and delight, even in this prcfent 
 life, they would certainly fcek it and find it 
 only in the ways of real piety and virtue, 
 in the ways of true wifdom. *' Her ways 
 are ways of pleafantnefs, and all her paths 
 are peace. She is a tree of life to all that 
 lay hold on her ; and happy is every one 
 that retaineth her." All tlie happinefs of 
 heaven confifis in true religion, in the higheft. 
 perfection of it. If it is not happinefs as 
 far as we have it, in the prefent world, it will 
 not be in a future : For the nature of it is 
 the very fame, in whatever part of God's 
 vafl dominions we are. The nature, tenden- 
 cy, and concomitants of fin are juft the re- 
 verfe. If fin is happifying in this world, 
 it will be in the next ; if it gives real joy 
 and pleafure here, it will there. The hell 
 that the devils are in, and that all mankind 
 deferve, and are condemned to, by the law 
 of God, is nothing but perfeftion of fin, 
 with its infeparable connetlions and conle- 
 quences. Thefe remarks being admitted, 
 we are prepared to refume the thought before 
 fuggeiled ; comparing one finner of the hu- 
 mankind with another, I have intimate^ 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 2S^ 
 
 fchat there is a vaft difference, in many re/4 
 ptcls, and yet in one grand refpeB none at ail. 
 
 With regard to this prelent life, and our 
 connexion with human fociety ; and with 
 Tefpe£l to our own comfort or mifery here, 
 there is very great difference between thofe 
 we call the befl, and the worfl of men. The 
 former do much good, and inwardly feel 
 much comfort and real, folid pleafure ; and 
 are, in the general courfe of the divine go- 
 vernment, of all men moft beloved, honor- 
 ed, and promoted. I fay, in the general 
 courfe of providence ; for fpecial times of per- 
 fecution and the like, I now leave out of 
 the queflion. In faying this, I fay jufl what 
 the word of God, in the general tenor of it, 
 abundantly alferts, and what the general ex- 
 perience of all nations of the earth does a- 
 bundantly confirm. 
 
 Even, in days of the moft bloody perfe- 
 cution, the real happinefs and joy of the 
 godly is much greater than that of any other 
 men. Whatever a blind, carnal world may 
 imagine, there is in very deed a great, and 
 moft blefl'ed reward of hoiinefs and piety, in 
 the prefent life. " Thou wilt keep him in 
 perfe6l peace, whofe mind is flayed on thee^ 
 becaufe he trufteth in thee." " In keepine 
 thy commandments there is great reward." 
 " And who is he that will harm you, if ye 
 be followers of that which is good ?" " If 
 ye obey and ferve him, ye ftiail fpend your 
 days in profperity, and your years in plea- 
 fure." No outward circumftances, or ad- 
 veric difpenfations can poffibly fiuftrate this 
 
&^0 TREATISE ON 
 
 exceeding, real, inward delight and joy irt 
 the mind, in the foul, the feat of all ration-- 
 al and fpiritual pleafure. " As forrowful, 
 yet always rejoicing : As having nothing, 
 yet poflelfing all things." The real, fubllan- 
 tial, lolid pleafures of believing, godly fouls, 
 have a balls very different from all the emo- 
 tions of the hearts of God's enemies, which 
 deluded fouls call pleafure. Th^y are al- 
 ways " like the troubled fea, which cannot 
 rell, whofe waters call up mire and dirt." 
 Whatever falfe fhew of happinefs they may 
 make, in the eyes of the world, yet " there, 
 is no peace, faith God. to the wicked." There 
 is truly as great a difference in the real, in- 
 ward reward of the virtuous and vicious, the 
 godly and ungodly, in this life, as there is 
 in the different temper of their minds, and 
 in the different ways in which they walk. 
 
 But now let u.s compare their defert of 
 punifhmcnt, in another world, yy/e/y as it ref- 
 J)eBs the lazo of God, the great and only un- 
 erring and decifivc rule. We all agree in 
 the following ratio of efcimating the deme- 
 rit of fin in the fight of God. We confi- 
 der the matter of it as one thing, i. e. how 
 far our hearts and lives deviate from the law 
 of God ; and the obligations agaiiifl which 
 we fin, as another. We compare thtfe two 
 together, and thence judge ot tlte veal cri- 
 minality of a finner in the fight of God. 
 '1 his is a'jreeable to veafon and the word of 
 God. 
 
 Let us fet up two men, and try their 
 guilt in ibd; fighr of God. or in the eye of 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 24* 
 
 his holy law, by the above rule. Pharaoh 
 fhall be one, and Paul the other. The for- 
 iner was a moft horrible finner, in the eyes 
 of all good people; the latter was one of the 
 beft of men, in the fame vicxv. Pharaoh did 
 all the harm in his power, and his whole 
 heart was in it. Paul, after his converfion, 
 did much good, with a fmcere and t)ious 
 heart. Thus far the diflPerence of chara6ter 
 is exceeding great, while we attend only to 
 the matter of it. Next bring in the obliga- 
 tions. Pharaoh was, perhaps, leafl of all 
 mankind favored with tenderriefs of confci- 
 enee, or reftraining grace. He was in all 
 the grofs darknefs ef paganifm, and God 
 did indeed harden his heart, in a moft fignal 
 manner, and that in a way confiftent with 
 his own holinefs and purity. It is here 
 quite foreign to the argument, to enquire in- 
 to the manner how. Whether only by per- 
 miihon, or otherwifc, it is certain God did it. 
 He was left under the leail obligations and 
 motives to keep him from fin, wc will fup- 
 pofe, of any m.an that ever lived ; and we 
 tvill alfo fuppofe, and gfant, that the matter 
 of his fm, in heart and life, was the greatefl 
 of any man on earth. Paul, after his con- 
 verfion, was bleffed with the greateft divine 
 light (we will fuppofe) of any man on earth. 
 His natural powers and education were ex- 
 ceeding good, with moft eminent degrees of 
 faving grace in his foul, abundance of fanc- 
 tifying grace, and an equal degree of divine 
 joy and confolation. And he ferved God 
 ^ g 
 
242 TREATISE ON 
 
 in a mofl; eminent manner. Yet he always 
 linned in fome degree, in his heart and in 
 his hfe ; he was never peiieft one iingle mo- 
 ment ; far, very far from it, if we may be- 
 lieve his own infpired teftimony of himfelf. 
 Now, did not Paul's oblinarians and mo- 
 tives to holinefs, as far exceed Pharaoh's, as 
 the matter of his chamflcr was better ? 
 What made him better, but his motives and 
 obligations, arifing from the light, grace, and 
 Ipirit, freely given him of God ? Yet his 
 character was always very inadequate to the 
 purity of God's holy law. All that made 
 him lefs finful in heart, and life, was mere 
 obligation from God. All light and grace, 
 and every thing that hath this efFeti, is fo. 
 Multiply the degree of his remaining fm- 
 fulnefs, as to the matter of it, into the de- 
 gree of obligation and motive to which it 
 w.is oppofed, and what lefs will be the total 
 amount, in the fight of God, than that oL 
 Pharaoh ? This abominable prince had ob- 
 ligations, againft which he finned, mam 
 and great ; as every man in the world ha;>. 
 But compare them with all that a fovereigti 
 God did for the apoQle, all his light and 
 grace ; the dilference is exceeding great. 
 God did as much more lor Paul, as hi'- 
 heart and life were better than Pharaoh .>. 
 All he did for that eminent apoUle \va^ 
 mere obligation on him, and the law jufih 
 required perfetiion of him : But he u,<s ,]l- 
 ways very far from it. Obligalions on Ph.i • 
 raoh, i. e. light and grace, were as far with- 
 lield from liim. bv a boh lovcrciqii God, as 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 243, 
 
 his heart and life was more finful than that 
 of Paul. Perhaps my reader has not much 
 attended to this thought in time pafl ; but I 
 think it worthy of folemn attention. I am 
 fure it runs through the whole word of God. 
 This will account for thofe moft abominable 
 defcriptions, which Job, David and Paul give 
 of themfelves, even in their highefl attain- 
 ments in grace, and after all their pious w^alk 
 with God, and all the great good they had 
 done in the ivorld. 
 
 Descriptions of this tenor, which the 
 bed of man give of their hearts and lives in 
 holy writ, and which I have always heard 
 the moft eminent chriftians give of them- 
 felves, in their folemn and devout prayers, 
 xvert furprizing to me, in the days of my 
 early youth. I once underftood them as 
 humble and meek compliments, which they 
 were difpoled to make to the Deity, or ex- 
 prelfions entirely hyperbolical. When I fo 
 often heard the moft godly minifters, and 
 other eminent chriftians defcribe their hearts 
 and lives, in the prefence of God, bad enough 
 for the vileft and moft notorious finners in 
 the world, I uied to wonder how they 
 dared thus to compliment with an heart- 
 fearchingGod, who, I fuppofed, muft know 
 they did not fpeak the ftrifl truth, and that 
 they knew it themfelves. I did not fo much 
 wonder to hear a rich man own his poverty; 
 or a delicate lady defpife a fine entertain- 
 ment, an excellent dinner, or fupper fiie 
 had provided, in the prefence of her guefts. 
 Such compliments 1 thought might bear 
 
844 TREATISE ON 
 
 having countenance from frequent cuflom, 
 and an appearance of humility and deli- 
 pacy. But, 1 thouglit it quite amifs to fay 
 that to the great, hcart-fearching God, which 
 both the Ipeaker and the objeft of pray«r 
 knev/ v/as far from drift and plain truth. 
 
 After long attention to the law of God, 
 and the hearts and lives of men, and the ob- 
 ligations we are under to God, very efpeci- 
 ally for every degree of divine light and fav- 
 ing grace ; I am at laft very fenfiblc of the 
 propriety of all fuch confeflions before God, 
 and that they are wholly without a compli- 
 ment. The pharifee in the parable was, no 
 doubt, a man of pure and amiable charafter 
 in the eyes of the world, and deferved great 
 honor and reipeft from man, for the 
 good he had done in the community, by 
 his ftiining virtues. But, when he was 
 tranfaftiniT the Qreat concerns of his foul 
 with his Maker, he might have prayed 
 juft as the fcandalous, intamous publican 
 did, and with good acceptance too. 
 
 Let beneficent, fhinmg chara£lers, the 
 eminent benefaftors of mankind receive great 
 honor and refpeft from rheir fellow-men. 
 Let them ftand far diftinguifhed from the 
 common people, and farther flill from all 
 the vicious and immoral : But as they ftand 
 related to that holy law which confiders ev- 
 ery obligation men are under to perfect 
 holinefs, as well as the matter of their con- 
 duct, 1 fay, in this view, let every high 
 thought and towring imagination be levelled 
 with the duft. Let everv mountain and hill 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 24§ 
 
 3be brought down, and the Lord alone exalt- 
 
 Mankind have a fpirit of monopoly. 
 Nothing is more natural to them. If they 
 have great advantages and honors in the eyes 
 of others in this world, they are apt to infift 
 on thofe diftinftions before God, as an argu- 
 ment for eternal continuance. But, " the 
 laft fhall be firft, and the firft Ihall be 
 iaft." 
 
 That which is highly efleemed among men, 
 even all that men call good, in the human 
 charafter, is fo far from bearing the teft of 
 God's holy law, that it is, in that relative 
 fenfe, abomination in the fight of God. Let 
 the beft man on earth plead the beft of his 
 heart and his life, as a ground of acceptance 
 with God ; and he fhall find it an utter abo- 
 mination. The atonement ftands by itfelf 
 alone and unmixed : " The Lion of the tribe 
 of Judah, the root and offspring of David, 
 and he alone hath prevailed." This glori- 
 ous truth hath ever been deeply impreffed 
 on the hearts of the friends of God, in this 
 world, and will be to all eternity. The blind, 
 proud notions of mankind will have no place 
 in heaven, as they have here. There they 
 will know and feel thai; " the former things 
 are paffed away." 
 
 The do£lrine which I plead for, has a great 
 tendency to afford believers adoring and fub- 
 miffive exercifes of mind, in view of all the 
 fin and calamity they find in the world. 
 
 They fee that God has done nothing- in- 
 
24^ TRTATISE ON 
 
 confiftent with his infinile love, and his a- 
 vowed character in his word, by introducing, 
 in his holy providence, or permitting, if you 
 pleafe, all the moral evil that is in the world. 
 It will all have a glorious ilTuc, conducive 
 tothc greater manifeftation of his infinite love, 
 and all his amiable attributes, in the wonders 
 of redeeming love. And in a view of all na- 
 tural and penal evil conncfted in juftice with 
 the evil of fin, the foul adores God and falls 
 in lowly fubmiffion underallhis holy rebukes. 
 So, when we fee fo many mifcrable creatures 
 of our own kind ftruggling with pain and ca- 
 lamity, through life, we behold them as fe- 
 fus does, who died to favc them from wrath 
 to come ; and our fouls are filled with hum- 
 ble fubmiflion, and all the aftonifhment of 
 devout love. 
 
 When we read of all the dreadful {laugh- 
 ters of the ancient inhabitants of the land of 
 Canaan, and many millions more of God's 
 own offspring like ourfelves, under all the 
 horrors of malfacre, by the exprefs command 
 of I he Father of their fpirits, we fiiall yet fay 
 *' God is love." He hath, in all thefe thin"s 
 given a due teflimony of his juftice, and his 
 abhorrence of fin. Yet it is not "the rod of 
 an enemy, or the chaflifement of a cruel 
 one :" God hath not forgotten that he is their 
 own Father, by creation, and that creation 
 is a dear child of his love. On this plan, 
 we do not flumble at anv thing he docs ; but 
 feel thefe his words with believing joy, " as 
 I live, faith the Lord, I have no plealure in 
 the death of him that dicth." When we 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 2^/ 
 
 think of all the awful and terrible judgments 
 that ha\c fallen on the trembling children 
 cf men, our own flelh and blood, it is well 
 for us to remember what he hath faid, who 
 died for the fms of the whole world, " and 
 I, if I be lifted up from th© earth, will draw 
 ALL men unto me." 
 
 Let it not be imagined here, that I would 
 fo much as intimate, that God is under any 
 obligation to fare men finally ; becaufe that, 
 in the difpenfations of his government, they 
 have been very miferable in this world : Or 
 that thofe who have been mofl fo, have in 
 jvjlice, any claim of reparation on their Ma- 
 ker. I mean no fuch thing. I argue only 
 from the nature and attributes of Jehovah, 
 as they appear in his word and works. Ht; 
 is worthy to be God fupreme, by his own in- 
 finite worth, by virtue of his own infinitely 
 glorious and lovely pcrteftions. He is by 
 nature God, as fome have well exprefled it. 
 
 My hope is founded entirely on his vcture 
 and difpcjition, through his own Sou made 
 maniteit. In^thismaniteftation, God is lovs. 
 His moral difpofition is infinitely amiable 
 and inviting. It is the fupreme joy of all 
 holy, wife, intelligent beings, that there is 
 luch a God. His nature is the bafis of all 
 happinefs, and the foundation of all hope. 
 It is the fource of all our comfort, that there is 
 fuch a God over all, blciTed forevermore ; 
 that he is Creator, Proprietor, and abfolulc: 
 Dilpoier of ail things, abfolutely fovereign 
 and uncontroulcd ; and that he workelh all 
 things. aqcording to the counfel of hi^i own 
 
6^9 TREATISE ON 
 
 will. Por his will flows from a nature inji* 
 nitely glorious and lovely. 
 
 We have no claim of juflice on him who 
 gave ns our whole being, whofe ablolute 
 property we are. Whatever he does with 
 tis, he meddles with nothing but his own. 
 Hence, I argue only from the immutable na- 
 ture of God, infinitely perfect and good, 
 and from his plain word and all his manifeft- 
 atioris. I fay, thefe do afcertain the final 
 redemption of a whole guilty world, or, that 
 he will have all men to be faved. 
 
 Had there been an eternal, Supreme Be- 
 ing, Creator and ablolute Proprietor of all 
 things, as Jehovah is; who in his r)ioral dif" 
 ^fition, his moral nature, had been juft the 
 reverie from what he really is. Horrible 
 fuppofition ! but lawful in the view I make 
 it. Hiid he created innumerable myriads of 
 rational creatures more than ever yet had ex- 
 iflence ; and made them all conlummatcly 
 finhil and miferable ; and had we our place in 
 that wofu'l fcale of beings, doomed to end- 
 leis fm, lorrow, and pain unuttgrable : Even 
 on this fuppofition, we could have no claim 
 otjullice, on our Maker, as we have upon 
 ourfcUow creatures who injure us, and bring 
 pain and mifery upon us. They take hold 
 of property not their own, but ours, in op- 
 pofition to their claim; and therclore we 
 may in juftice demand reparation of them. 
 Not fo is it with regard to the fuprcme Foun- 
 tain of all bcin^j-, who is the Creator and ab- 
 lolute Proprietor of all things, including 
 all the feelings and fufferings of creatures. 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 249 
 
 Their very pains and all their afFe£lions are 
 his property : For their whole being is fo. 
 
 In fuch an awful, lamentable cafe, asa- 
 bove iuppofed, we could never aecufe our 
 Maker of injuftice, with any kind df pro- 
 priety. All we could lay would be to howl, 
 in doleful accents, to all eternity ; "Me 5"^- 
 preme reigneth, let all creatures mourn ; let the 
 multitude of beings lament and bezuail ! woe ! 
 woe ! woe ! to miierable creatures, that 
 fuch is the nature and difpofition of hkn 
 that ruleth over all." I cannot think we 
 do any honor to the bleffed Jehovah, in af- 
 cribing to him a moral nature, in any wife 
 limilar to this. One as oppofite thereto as 
 we can poffibiy conceive of, is indeed the 
 very nature of that bleffed Being whom we 
 adore. God's will cannot poffibiy, in the 
 nature of things, be unjuft; and by his own 
 immutable nature, it is infinitely good, and 
 the fpring of all bleffednefs and joy. Dif- 
 fulion of beino; and bleffednefs flows from 
 the nature of God. This doftrine exhibits 
 Jehovah, as the true God, whom angels 
 and faints adore, " Alpha and Omega, the 
 beginning and the ending, the firll and the 
 laft." 
 
 If we carefully attend to the holy fcrip- 
 tures, we do not find any holy men infift- 
 ing upon terms of limitation with God, as 
 though they thought there could ever be in 
 the difpofition, or will of God any poffibi- 
 lity of doing wrong to them. They all ap- 
 pear to choofe God fhould be juft as he is, 
 H h 
 
25© TREATISE ON 
 
 or as his own nature docs difpofe and incline 
 him ; and they know he ever will be ("o dif- 
 polcd towards them. This is their happi- 
 neis ; and in this they put all their confi- 
 dence. All their hopes arife from this ; al- 
 though they have ever looked on themfelves 
 as ht obje6ls of eternal milcry, as any crea- 
 tures that ever God made. His charaftcr is 
 oken, and with great propriety, called his 
 name. Poor, penitent, believing fmners re- 
 pair to nothing cU'e, nothing but his charac- 
 ter and dilpofition as manifclled in a Savior, 
 in whom only they are righteous. " The 
 name of the Lord is a flrong tower : The 
 righteous runneth into it and are lafe." 
 
 It is truly for the honor of Jehovah, that 
 we fhould all know, that he alone is the ab- 
 i'olute fource of all being and bleirednel's : 
 That he is ablolute, lovereign, and uncon- 
 trouled, in every view, no foreign influence 
 of any kind or degree ever acting on him : 
 That his creatures never can nor ihall have 
 any thing ell'e to tbund their hopes upon, 
 but his own glorious nature and fovereign 
 will : That his manifeftations are all glori- 
 ous and comtortable to e^'ery human foul, 
 that underllands and believes them : And 
 that it is not the undcrilanding and belief 
 of a (inner that makes tliem lb, but thry 
 are fo in their own nature. 
 
 No finner of mankind does God any hon- 
 or, by believing (hat all his own hopes of 
 pardon and ialvation, depend as much on 
 himlelf, as it is pollible any thing can depend 
 on a creature, viz. on fome difpofiLion cr 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATI6N. 25* 
 
 qualification in himfelf. This denies God 
 Us proper charader, in his relation to nnful 
 man. But to believe the bleffed God has 
 rriven cualifications as fure to unworthy 
 fmners, in his o^vn way and time, as he hath 
 provided an all-fufficient Savior for a guilty 
 i-vorld, is afcribing to God all his glorious 
 attributes, " working all things (without the 
 ]-eaft exception) according to the counfel of 
 his own will." 
 
 If the livutarians could be difpofcd to 
 think, Hudy and read as much on this point, 
 ns the writer hath done for many years pift, 
 v.'ith an ardent dcfire to find nothing but the. 
 truth to reft in ; they would fee that it does 
 no honor to the great and glorious God to 
 make eternal falvation, in the leaft, depend 
 on any creature, as to the certain event of 
 it. Indeed, all the powers of the foul are 
 fitly exercifed by a lovereign God, in his 
 own v.-ay, in the application and enjoyment 
 of all that flows out of the mere goodnefs of 
 his own nature, in a way honorable to him- 
 felf, by the fubftitutixDn and mediation of the 
 fecond nian, the Lord from heaven. 
 
 I CAN find no plan of religion but this, that 
 can ever warrant the great charity, and u- 
 nion among men, which is fo much recom- 
 mended in the facred oracles. If we confi- 
 der ourfelves as diflinguiQied from moft of 
 our fellow men, in the eternal purpofes 
 and views of God : That we are defiined to 
 his infinite, everlafling love, and mioft others 
 to his hatred, v/rath and vengeance forever- 
 
252 TREATISE ON 
 
 more ; we (hall hardly find it in our hearts 
 to exercile that pity, and tendernefs, iove 
 and good will to them, that the gofpel re- 
 quires. If we think our God will be their 
 eternal enemy, and delight himielf in their 
 eternal deflruftion ; we Ihall hardly feeL 
 ourfelves friendly to our God, in loving and 
 pitying all mankind, and flriving all in our 
 power for their falvation. You cannot: 
 more dilpleafc your fellow men, than by 
 manifefling great love and tendernefs to their 
 enemies. 
 
 AeAiN ; In converfation, or in hearing 
 the word preached, or in rsading the mul- 
 titude of good authors that have written on 
 our moft important concerns, we cannot up- 
 on any other plan, maintain golpcl candor. 
 We fliall find the light and communications 
 of God to men fo various ; and their chan- 
 nel of preaching or writing, in many ref- 
 pe6ls, lo devious from one another ; that 
 wc fhali be ready to fcruple whether there is 
 any truth in the do6trine of a fpecial revela- 
 tion from heaven. We fhall fall away, at 
 Icaft, as far as Deifm. But, on the plan, 
 for which I am pleading, the whole difficul- 
 ty is obviated : As every writer uninfpired, 
 every preachermay be wrong in many things, 
 and fome in many more than others ; yet 
 all be effentially right. By them God com- 
 municates light and truth to the world, in 
 various mealures and degrees. Perhaps, it 
 has not as yet been fit, in the fight of God, 
 in the former, or pre fen t gradations of di- 
 vine communication, to enlighten any au- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^51 
 
 thor, or preacher fo, but that all have been 
 involved in more darknefs than they have 
 feen of the true light. Hence arifes great 
 bitternefs of fpirit towards many, or uni~ 
 verfal fcepticifm. But on the gracious prin- 
 ciples I am fupporting, wc can refl contented, 
 that the infinitely wife Being fhould caufe 
 the light to dawn and increafe juft as faft as 
 his own wifdom and goodnefs didate. And 
 we can love one another as the gofpcl re- 
 quires ; though under various degrees of in- 
 ftrudion, and under various modes of think- 
 ing. 
 
 Thus, if I read an author, or hear a fer- 
 mon which I look upon one half according 
 to truth, and the other half not fo ; that 
 part which is good, ought to fet as well on 
 my mind as if the whole was fo, and I ought 
 to love the writer, or the preacher, and blefs 
 God that they are enlightened fo far as they 
 are. This I take to be a gofpel fpirit, and if 
 fo, it is according to the truth of the golpel. 
 It is for want of fuch a fpirit, that many 
 will reje6l all that is good m an author or 
 preacher, becaufe of the many miftakes, or 
 fuppofed miftakes found in both. But, in 
 good truth, if we will be inftrutled and edi- 
 fied by none, but thofe who are right in all 
 things, wc deprive ourfelves of the whole 
 benefit of inftruaion, or edification from 
 any man uninfpired. 
 
 The do£irinc I am pleading for, is much 
 in favor of goIpel love and charity, hainio- 
 ny and peace. This is one mark of the truth 
 of it. Th€ true tendency of this principle li 
 
254 TREATISE OM 
 
 fo far from difpoHng thofe who believe it, td 
 contend and quarrel with the teachers and 
 minillers of the chrillian churches, where- 
 with they are now furnifhed, that it will in- 
 duce them to love them more than ever, and 
 to treat tbem with all poihble kindnels. At 
 the fame time, we fhall wifh and pray, that 
 it may pleafe God to lead them furrhcr into 
 thole glorious truths,, which they underfland 
 but in part. Thus it will have that quiet, 
 and peaceful influence among miniflers and 
 people, which fo much adorns the gofpel. 
 
 The true import of the initiating feal 
 among God's covenant people, both in tha 
 former and prefent oeconomy, confirms tho 
 doftrine which I am advocating. 
 
 The whole Jewifli church, and the great 
 body of chriflians, who praftife the initia-* 
 ting feal in infancy, have ever underftood 
 it to be a feal of the covenant of grace, to 
 which even the infant feed of covenant pa- 
 rents, have a right, and are thereby fealed 
 in the covenant of grace and falvation ; even 
 though they have always allowed, that fuch 
 children are perfonally no better than the 
 infants of heathen. An infant among the 
 Jews, at eight days old, was fuppofcd to be 
 no better^ perfonally, than any children of 
 other nations ; vet they were fealed by cir- 
 cumcifion in the covenant of grace and fal- 
 vation; even as they are now by baptifm. 
 
 The church of God and the ordinances 
 of it, from the days of Abraham to this day^ 
 were defigned and inftituted as a light or 
 
' UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 255 
 
 iamp "which God holds up in the world, to 
 beam forth by degrees, and fully manifeft, in 
 due time, his purpofes of mercy and falva- 
 tion to a guilty world, through that Mediator 
 which he appointed to take away the fin of 
 the whole world. Hence God hath com- 
 manded that all the infants of covenant pa- 
 rents fhould be fealed, though pcrfonallyin 
 the fame unregenerate flate with the world in 
 general, as a teftimony that all were pur- 
 chafed by the common Redeemer of Cnners, 
 and fhould be brought to adual enjoyment 
 of falvation, in the time and manner moil 
 fit in the eyes of infinite wifdom and good- 
 nefs. Hence any child of a pagan has right 
 to the feal, if its lot is providentially a- 
 mong God's covenant people, and under 
 proper circumftances to be trained up in the 
 nurture and admonition of the Lord. 
 
 Accordingly, the commiffion given t& 
 the apollles, was, to go fortia and teach ail 
 nations, and to command tlaem to believe 
 that divine truth which bringeth falvation, 
 and to baptize all nations to whom they 
 preached, both parents and children, (if they 
 would fubmit to it) as a feal oi the common 
 falvation. This was not a taken that they 
 had done, or ever could do any thing to- 
 ward their own falvation ; but, that Al- 
 mighty God, Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, 
 had engaged to accomplilh the falvation of 
 a guilty world, and had made all fure, and 
 would feal it by baptifm. 
 
 We can, upon no other principle, make 
 life of the feals and fpecial ordi »ance3 with 
 
25^ TREATISE ON 
 
 any confiftcncy. How fhall we feal, in the 
 covenant of grace and falvation, perfons de- 
 ftined and decreed to eternal perlonal dam- 
 nation ? How fhall we admit thofe to the 
 holy fupper, a feal of our eating and drink- 
 ing with Chrift, at his table, in his heavenly 
 kingdom, who may be, for ought we know, 
 not only in an unrenewed (late at prefent, 
 but alfo under an irreverfiblc decree of eter- 
 nal rcproba-tion ? Would the Moft High, in 
 any wife, allow his fcals to be fo ufed ? God 
 never would have fet fuch blind creatures as 
 we are, about the work of admitting into the 
 church, andexercifing difcipline. or to handle 
 the feals of grace and falvation, had his own 
 plan been a limitarian plan, or had he fent his 
 Son into the world on any other errand than 
 
 ihat the world throuf^h him mii^ht be faved. 
 • 
 Discipline mufl indeed be kept up in 
 
 the church ; and the body elected to fuch 
 
 fpecial and glorious privileges, out of a. 
 
 world, as yet buried in darknefs, mufl be 
 
 kept vilibly pure, as bearing a proper, vi- 
 
 fiblc refemblancc to its pure and holy head. 
 
 Thofe mcmbtrs that do not bear this vifible 
 
 refemblance, mull be delivered to Satan, 
 
 yet only "/or the deJlruBion of the Jlcjh." 
 
 A dreadful thing it is, to be in a flate of 
 
 excommunication from the privileges and 
 
 ccmlolations of the people of God in the 
 
 world ; but there is nothing in it that alFcfts 
 
 the certainty of eternal falvation at the great 
 
 day : For the exprcfs end of every final 
 
 cenfure on earth, is, " that the fpirit may be 
 
 faved in the day of our Lord Jefus." i . Cor. 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 257 
 
 V. 5. Whatfoever is thus bound on earth, 
 fhall be bound in heaven, both as to its 
 propriety and good tendency in this world, 
 and its glorious iffue in the world to come, 
 even the falvation of the foul in the day of 
 the Lord. Hence an excommunica4:ed per- 
 fon is ftill a brother, and not to be " treated 
 as an enemy ; but admonifhed as a brother." 
 
 Many iouls for whom Chrift died, have 
 juftly experienced the awful fentence of ex- 
 communication from his church on earth : 
 Even Mofes and Paul were willing to fuf- 
 fer the fame, if it might redound to the 
 glory of God and the falvation of fouls. 
 i, e. As mofl have underftood them. Yet 
 this doth by no means fruftrate the irrevcr- 
 fible and extcnfive plan of redeeming love, 
 to gather together in one all things in Chrift, 
 and to make all men, in due time, fee the 
 glory of this myflery, which for many ages 
 and generations lay hid in great oblcurity. 
 
 God's church on earth, his vilible cove- 
 nant people were always defigned, in his 
 infinite wildom and goodnefs, as a lamp, a 
 light to the world, a city fet on an hill, to 
 manifeft and hold forth to a loft world what 
 God hath done for them, and what he would 
 do. The church is a prefent, vifible repre- 
 fentation of divine love and mercy to fmners, 
 to a loft world. The church holds forth to 
 the world the glorious God with all his di- 
 vine attributes and blelTed purpofes, and the 
 Savior of all men, in all his glorious offices, 
 and the Holy Spirit, in all bis infinite and 
 I i 
 
2QS treatise on 
 
 almighty energy. " By the church is made 
 known the manifold wiidom of God." Eph. 
 iii. lo. The church was not fet up in the 
 world, to fhew us how much better fome 
 men are than others, or what a refpefter of 
 perions God is, in his purpoles and opera- 
 tions ; but rather to witneis that God hath 
 concluded all under fin, that he might have 
 mercy upon all. Not to hold forth the 
 worth and riches of any community of poor 
 finners ; but rather, the unfearchable nches 
 of Chnll. 
 
 Another argument againft the limitarian 
 fcheme. is this : No vian, on their principles, 
 can do his duty ; even if his zvhole heart and dij- 
 pofUion were perfectly right. 
 
 It is our duty to acquiefce in God's will 
 in every event. But an holy heart cannot 
 do this in fuch an event as his own eternal 
 damnation, or that of any of his fellow men. 
 The principal mifery of that eternal damna- 
 tion they plead for, lies in an eternal, fixed 
 and growing oppofidon of heart to an holy 
 God, and the horrible rebellion proceeding 
 from fuch an heart. It is certain an holy and 
 right heart, which is full of love to God, 
 cannot feel willing to be thus at enmity with 
 God. and hate and rebel againfl him to all 
 eternity. It is equally certain, that an holy 
 man, that loves his neighbor as himfelf, and 
 values his neighbor's happinels as his own, 
 and is exccedmgly averl'e to any difhonoi- 
 -done to God, any oppofition againfl him, 
 as much if it be in hii> neighbor as in him- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 259 
 
 felf, cannot be willing that his neighbor 
 ihoLild thus hate and fin againfl God to all 
 eternity. If we do not fo love our neigh- 
 bors in all things as ourfelves, we fall fno^t 
 of that perfe6l benevolence required ©1 us. 
 
 Besides, the nature of this oppofition to 
 God is infinitely evil and odious, whether 
 in ourfelves, or in any of the humankind* 
 Hence if our hearts are rioht, we fliall feel a 
 great oppofition to it, and can never be 
 pleafed with it, or reconciled to it. We 
 muft be exceedingly wicked, to be reconcil- 
 ed to fuch great and eternal wickednefs. 
 
 It is true, the redeemed will in the true 
 gofpel fenfe fee the fmoke of their torment 
 afcend up forever and ever, and ftiout Alle- 
 luia in the view of it ; but this will be in the 
 manner I have before taken notice of, only 
 in theglafs of pure jujl ice, in the glafs of thu 
 divine law. Thus they will eternally fee 
 all the human race, and themfelves as well 
 as others, forever dwelling with devouring 
 fire and evcrlalling burnings ; while, in ve- 
 ry faci and in perfon, they ihall from their 
 munition of rocks fliout Alleluia, finding the 
 bread of life fuflaining their happy fouls, 
 and the waters of everlafting confolatioij 
 made fure. o 
 
 It never can be found in a holy heart to 
 take any more fatisfaftion in the rebellion 
 of others againfl; God than in his own ; both 
 are infinitely hateful to a foul obedient to 
 God. ■ The limitarian plan, if fully confidcr- 
 ed, and realized ferioufly in the foul, (which 
 '\s very little doue) can never meet with tlie 
 
26o 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 approbation of the friends of God. They 
 will feel their hearts inclined like the infinite- 
 ly benevolent heart of God, who will have 
 all men to be faved, and to come to the 
 knowledge of the truth. They will pray for 
 the falvation of all, and plead this warrant 
 fo to do, viz. It is the will of God and 
 our Savior, who gave hiinfelf a ranfom for 
 all, to be teftified in due time. 
 
 Further, the charitable hope and defirc 
 of good people, fuch as the gofpel requires, 
 is certainly agreeable to the word of God. 
 Now fuppofe all the race of mankind that 
 ever have lived in the world, or ever fhall 
 be in it, were to pafs before any godly man, 
 individually in fuccefTion. Alk that good 
 man, as he views them paffing before his 
 eyes one after another, with regard to each 
 in particular, " Do you hope anddefire that 
 in the infinite mercy of God through Chrift, 
 that man may be faved ?" He would fay yeSy 
 zuith afi7ny luart. So he would fay of the 
 firfl that palled before him, and fo of the 
 fecond, and the fame of every one. To an- 
 fwer othcrwife, would indicate a fpirit not 
 rc;iulated bv the v/ord of God, i. e. not ac- 
 cording to truth. But thus to exprefs our 
 dcfire and hope of each individual of the 
 human race, would certainly include the 
 "whole. Yet a man deflitute of fuch defires, 
 hopes and prayers, we fhould not look up- 
 on as polTcfring a golpel fpirit, or fuch a 
 friend to fouls as the gofpel requires. What 
 fliould we think of a man that would fay, I 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 2€l 
 
 defire moft of thefe may be in the gveatcft 
 mifery to all eternity ? 
 
 The prayers of good men for their moft 
 malicious enemies, for the vilell creatures in 
 the world ; fuch as the prayers of David, 
 and that of Stephen when he Was dying, 
 imder a fhower of malice from his enemies 
 and the enemies of God ; thefe prayers, I 
 fay, were not without faith, and a good 
 foundation of faith ; and of confequcnce, 
 were heard and anfwered of God. Yet, if 
 any are to be eternally damned in their owr^ 
 perfons, we fhould imagine that fuch mali- 
 cious perfecutors, and murderers would cer- 
 tainly be found among them. We ihould 
 think that the murderers of Chrifl, at leafl 
 fpme of the many thoufands combined in 
 that moft malicious of all (ins, would be ob- 
 jetts of God's eternal wrath ; but it is as 
 certain they were all forgiven, as it is that 
 the prayers of Chrift were always anfwered, 
 and all his petitions granted at all times, 
 *' And I knew that thou hearejl tne. ahaays : 
 John xi. 42. 
 
 If it were poflible for people to diveft 
 themfelves of the long, deep, and rooted 
 prejudices arifing from the limitarian fcheme, 
 every man would moft. clearly lee that wc 
 have no foundation or warrant, in rcafou or 
 fcripture, to pray as good people ever have 
 done, or as Chrift did for the vileft of men, 
 for their pardon and eternal falvation, but a 
 warrant of this nature, viz. It is the will of 
 God and our Savior, it is his will, without 
 any equivocation or coilufion, that all men 
 
2^2 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 fliall be faved. and, in his own way and time, 
 come to the knowledge of the truth ; and 
 that confiftent with his truth, holinefs and 
 greateft honor, by a proper atonement ; as 
 Chrifl: gave himfelf a ranlom for all to be 
 teflified iii due times, or fit fcafons. i. 
 Tim. ii. 
 
 If we were to Cngle out any one of the 
 multitude combined in the murder of jefus, 
 as being the word of all, perhaps we fhould 
 pitch upon Judas to be the man. And he 
 indeed met with an awful aad aggravated 
 damnation, in the highell fenfe of the term, 
 in the true fcripture meaning of it, as it re- 
 lates to any mere man pcrTonally. What 
 this his damnation or perdition was, I have 
 before fhewn. But it is juft as certain that 
 he was forgiven of God, in his ow-n time, and 
 all the reft of the horrible, blind, malicious 
 multitude, as that Jefus cried to his Father 
 with his dying breath, *' Father Jorgivt 
 ihtm ; Jot they know not what they do." 
 
 Christ never made but one conditional 
 prayer, and that he made for this fpecial rea- 
 lon, to leave an cverlafting teftimony to the 
 world, tfeat fin, whether adual or imputed, 
 could never be difcharged without a full fa- 
 tisiaftion to the divine law. That prayer 
 related to his own fulFerings, and was intro- 
 duced with an hypothefis, and clofcd with 
 full fubmiffion to the will of God. See 
 ATat. xxvi. and other parallel records in the 
 evangelifls. All the relt of his prayers were 
 peremptory, without any condition. On 
 the ground of his atonement^ all having the 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^63 
 
 force of a jull and abfolute demand. *' Faih-^ 
 tr I will" is the tenor of all the prayers that 
 ever Chrift made for guilty men. 
 
 It is proper for us further to confider, 
 that God will accomplifti the higheft glory 
 of his own attributes; and that it is certain, 
 they are all more glorified in the falvation, 
 than in the perfonal damnation of any fm- 
 ner, or every fmner on earth. 
 
 In the falvation of fuch vile, guilty crea- 
 tures as we are, every divine attribute doth 
 Ihine moil glorioufly, and all in perfe6l har- 
 mony. No attributes are more glorious than 
 the infinite pity and mercy of God to fin- 
 ners, with his power and good will to fave 
 them freely. This moR bleffed part of the 
 divine charader is not feen, it makes no dif- 
 covery of itfelf with regard to many millions, 
 on the limiiarian fcheme. Neither can the 
 holinefs and juftice of God, ever fhine fo 
 glorioufly bright in the perfonal damnation 
 of any fmner, or of all the poor finners in 
 the world, as in the great atonement, exaO;- 
 ing full fatisfa£lion of a perfonage infinitely 
 greater and dearer to God than any mere 
 man, or all the mere human race. If you 
 leave room, in the glorious plan of our re- 
 demption, for all to be perfonaily damned^ 
 you take away all the glory of it : And you 
 derogate from this glory, injuft proportion, 
 as you hold, that any number (hall be per- 
 fonaily damned, be that number more or 
 lefs. 
 
i04 TREATISE O U 
 
 That doftrine which reprefents all (in, 
 all moral evil, in the mofl: odious and abo- 
 minable afpeft, has thence, one evidence of 
 being a true do6lrine. 
 
 There is no other underftanding of the 
 word, nature, and chara6^er of God, that 
 makes oppofition to him and rebellion a- 
 gainll him, appear fo full of mifchief, and 
 ingratitude, as this I am pleading for. To 
 oppofe fuch a God, as I confider Jehovah 
 to be, on this plan of creating, governing 
 and redeeming the world ; how abomina- 
 ble ! All the glorious attributes of God 
 tvould be efFeftually obftrufted, in their 
 difplays and operations ; and the whole 
 creation, that wonderful child of divine love, 
 would fuflFer the moft barbarous murder, if 
 iinners might have their perverfe wills gra- 
 tified, in all their neceflfary confequences. 
 The infinite, eternal fountain of love, being 
 and bleflednefs, would be wholly dried up ; 
 and rebellion againft fuch a charafter, would 
 leave nothing but confummate woe and 
 Tnifcry in the univerfc. To rebel againft 
 infinite power and knowledge, if united with 
 a difpofition oppofite to that of infinite love, 
 (could fuch a being exift) would not be like 
 rebelling againft our infinitely kmd and 
 merciful, heavenly Father. To rebel againft 
 the crueleft tyrant that ever w^s cloathed 
 with defpotic power, might be a perilous 
 thing ; but not like rebelling againft the 
 kindeft, moft compaftionate and loving ru- 
 ler that a happy people "/as ever blcffed 
 wkh. 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 265 
 
 , Will not every man on earth agree with 
 me in this one point, at leaft, that no other 
 doftrine ever advanced, can make fm againft 
 God, hatred of God and oppolition to him, 
 look and feel fo horribly as the doftrine I 
 maintain ? For furely the nature and native 
 tendency of lin is wholly to overthrow a 
 God, fo infinitely glorious and amiable as 
 Jehovah, in this view appears, and to ftifle 
 in the birth all his emanations of being and 
 felicity. This is the nature of all fm, and 
 not the lefs odious and abominable, becaufa: 
 God counterafts the w^hole by his almighty 
 power and love ; but the odioufnefs of 
 fin is rather enhanced and aggravated for 
 this very reafon. The real nature and dif- 
 pofition of our God is, to emanate being 
 and bleffednefs far and wide, and that for- 
 evermore. The nature of fin is to obftruti; 
 all this, and therefore no words can exprefs 
 the odioufnefs of it. For lin is to be infi- 
 nitely hated only for its nature. Merely as 
 an event, it belongs to the pure and holy 
 plan, and good government of Deity : Who, 
 even in infinite love and goodnefs, faw fit 
 not to hinder the exiftence of it, however 
 infinitely hateful; and will certainly turn it 
 all to good account, (even contrary to its na- 
 ture) to the greatefl happinefs of his crea- 
 tures. Thus the whole fyftem of being ftiall, 
 in the refult of ail, be the perfection of love 
 and happinefs. 
 
 But, were the moral difpofition of a Su- 
 preme Being fuch as to propagate fomc hap^ 
 K k 
 
266 
 
 TREATISE O ^ 
 
 pinefs and abundance of niifery, and that 
 eternal, though, in regard to his ablolute 
 property in ail things (vviiich I have ofteii 
 mentioned) we might not accufe him of in- 
 judice ; yet mod of his creatures could do 
 no other than lament their fate in bitter 
 howli»ngs and deeped agonies of foul, be- 
 czmle being and mifery had been forced up- 
 on them. Our glory and bleiledncfs lies ia 
 this, that Jehovah is what he is. " I am 
 THAT I AM." To be dirfaffeded to fuch a 
 God, oh, how criminal ! 
 
 Moreover, that falvation is cnfured to 
 finncrs, by the death of Chrift, without the 
 leaft dependence on any qualifications in 
 them ; but, on the contrary, that all the 
 qualitications neceifary to their enjoyment of 
 the benefit are infured by his death, is man- 
 ifcfl cxprelsly from Heb. ix. as well as from 
 the whole tenor of the gofpel. A teftator 
 infures the legacy, at his death, without any 
 regard at all to the prefent difpofition, or 
 even the knowledge of any one of the lega- 
 tees. He has made the tellament, and, when 
 he dies, it becomes unalterable, and the heirs 
 take the benefit, whenever it comes to their 
 knowledge. This is the idea of the apoflle 
 to the Hebrews, on this point. To the fame 
 purpofc he writes Titus iii. 4, 5, 6. " Affcr 
 that the love and kindnefs of God toward.^ 
 man appeared, not by works of righteouf- 
 nels, which ive have done ; but according; 
 to his mercy he fa^^ed us, by the waihingot 
 regeneration and the renewing ot the Holy 
 
UNJIVERSAL SALVATION. 267 
 
 Ghpll ; which he fhcd on us abundantly 
 through Jefus Chrift our Savior." So it 
 every where appears from the holy fcrip- 
 tures, that the atonement, in all cafes, in- 
 fures qualifications, or the application of the 
 whole benefit ; and not that cur qualijicationi 
 injure an atonement, in our behalf ; that the 
 undertaking and purchafe of Chrift is at the 
 bottom of all, leads in the whole of the fal- 
 vation of Tinners, makes all fure ; and that 
 the whole application and all qualifications 
 are but conlequences, through the kingly 
 and prophetic offices of Chnlt, co-extcnfive 
 with his prieftly impetration. 
 
 No man on earth can ever obtain affur- 
 ance of his fafe ellate, or any good hope to- 
 wards God, on any other foundation than 
 th« real and univerfal grace of God. For, 
 while believing, penitent finners are labor- 
 ing to -build any hope at all, on good diftinc- 
 tions, and good qualifications in tkemlclves, 
 they can find nothing but what points them 
 out for eternal deftruftion. And they 
 will fink deeper and deeper in defpair, in 
 this way, as they look deeper and deeper in- 
 to thei/ hearts and lives for a\iy ground of 
 hope. God, and he alone is " the hope of Is- 
 rael and Savior thereof, in the day of trouble." 
 " Other foundation can fto man lay than that 
 which is laid, which is Jefus Chriil." In fuch 
 a God and fuch a Savior, the vileft finner on 
 earth may find comfort and falvation. 
 " Look unto mc and b? ye faved all the 
 ends of the earth ; for I am God and no^ 
 jnan, the Holy One in the midft of thee," 
 
ia68 TREATISE ON 
 
 We may add, that this underflanding of 
 divine revelation, not only leaves the holy 
 bible free from all contradiftions and incon- 
 liflencies ; but alio takes away the main 
 ground of all deiftical fcruples and doubts. 
 
 Many are inclined to deifm, under the 
 light of divine revelation, becaufe they fee 
 nich an infinite variety of opinions among 
 revelationifls, innumerable different fc6ls 
 among thofe, who in common, hold the ia- 
 cred bible for their rule of faith. They are 
 all alike concerned in the great things con- 
 tained therein, and alike fincere and honeft 
 in what they profefs to believe ; yet, there 
 is fuch variety of opinion, and fuch oppo- 
 fition of fentiment, in many points, ma- 
 ny are thence inclined to doubt whether 
 the doftrine of fuch a fpccial reyelation is 
 not wholly gioundlefs ; and fo fall away in- 
 to infidelity. 
 
 On my pica, all this inducement to de- 
 ifm is removed. We confider the all-wife 
 and fovereign God, as enlightening man- 
 kind in various meafures and degrees, in his 
 own time, way and manner. AH are right 
 in fome dcgrc<\ more or lels, and none but 
 •what have much darkncfs mixed with the 
 befl light they have. All agree in one, as 
 far as light is given to each refpcftivcly. 
 They differ not, on the account of their 
 knowledge of the bible, fo far as they un- 
 derffand it ; but only for want of more 
 knowledge of it, ajid a better underflanding 
 of its true meaning. Thus all fe6ls m the 
 world, all opinionifls, however diverfe ia 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 269 
 
 inany things, do indeed confpire and unite 
 in confirming the truth of the facred bi- 
 jblc. 
 
 When I hear all that pdpijls fay of reli- 
 gion, though I perceive great ignorance and 
 darknefs in them ; yet I have thence great 
 confirmation that there is indeed a fpecial 
 revelation from God, and that the fame is 
 contained in the old and new teflanietits. 
 When I find mahomctans defendnig the old 
 tellament, though they deny the new, I am 
 by them confirmed in the truth of both. 
 Yea, when I hear any pagans in the world, ^ 
 talk about their own religion, (for none are 
 Tvithout religion) I eafily fee fomething they 
 have derived from the bible, in fome indi- 
 reft.way or other : Even as we have light 
 from the fun by way of the moon, and many 
 other media of reflexion : all witneirinir 
 
 o 
 
 alike that there is a fun. So every leO; of 
 pagans on earth coniinn me in my faith. I 
 find they are all taught of God, as the bible 
 teaches, fo far as they are tjiught at all. 
 Their many errors are all owin,- to neorative 
 co»fiderations. i. e. Where light extends ni> 
 further, darknefs will remain on then* minds. 
 So far as God has been pieafcd to lead them 
 to the knowledge of tiuth, they are right ; 
 and in all befide they muft be wrong. So 
 when I take a view of the great variety of 
 opinions ^xnol\g prGtcJlants,\</hom\ lookup- 
 on more enlightened than any other people 
 in the v/orld ; they all confirm me in the 
 belief that the bible is from God : though 
 they greatly vary in many things, and op- 
 
270 TREATISE ON 
 
 pofe one another in points almoft cndlefs to 
 name. 
 
 If I am right in my undcrftanding of 
 God's defi^jn and method, his merciful and 
 wife plan of operation to fave a guilty 
 world by his dear Son; then my faith is 
 juilly confirmed by all thefe things, which, 
 on any other principles, will tend greatly to 
 confound the mind. On any other Scheme 
 of falvation, a very few there be, but what 
 are deftined to eternal, unutterable torments. 
 Who alas ! are thofe few that fhall efcape ? 
 All arc damned by each other ; and I think with 
 equal authority. But, bleifed be God, the 
 great judge is the Savior, of all mem, 
 and liath taken away the fin of the whole 
 world. 
 
 I AM edified, and comforted by every fe- 
 rious, honefl man, that I hear talk upon his 
 religion, whatever degrees of light God hath 
 been pleafed to give him, be they more or 
 lefs. I am mofl edified where there is moft 
 light : but truly the light is fweet, even in 
 the leaft degrees of it, I find fomcthing 
 from God given to every fe6f , and party ; 
 and that gives me delight. So it is with rae, 
 and fo it muft be with all that receive di- 
 ■vine revelation in this light. Which, I 
 think, is one mark that it is the true light, 
 in which we ought to underlland it ; as it 
 bears the flamp of its divine Author, who 
 *' is the true light, which lighteth every 
 MAN that Cometh into the world." Andoh! 
 what charity, love, and mutual friendfhip 
 fpufl flow from fuch a view of God and h^ 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. Sjl 
 
 Ways ! This is that chanty which is the bond 
 of peifednefs* 
 
 There is no other doflrine of grace, that 
 will fo encourage the ufe of all the means of 
 grace and falvation, and fo enforce upon 
 our minds the fitnefs and propriety of ali 
 the inftitutions of the gofpel. 
 
 I CONSIDER the whole divine plan con- 
 ne6ted indiffolubly : All made fure ; not in 
 any diftinftion of means and end ; but all 
 in one indiflbluble chain. So that it is as 
 true and proper to fay, that none can be 
 faved without regeneration, repentance, faith, 
 and holinefs, ars to fay that the extreme link 
 in any chain cannot be drawn forward, by 
 an hand at the oppofite end of the chain, 
 unlefs every link in the fame chain is moved. 
 It is always true, and always will be, that he 
 that believeth not Ihall be damned, and is 
 indeed damned perfonally, fo long as he re- 
 main in that Hate. " He is condemned al- 
 ready ;" " the wrath of God abideth on 
 him," and will fo abide, until he is brought 
 out of .that ftate of infidelity and impeni- 
 tence. 
 
 The greater our hope is in the ufe of 
 means to obtain any important end, the 
 greater will be our exertions in every cafe, 
 without exception. Full aifurance of fuc- 
 eels will excite the greatefl; exertions of all, 
 provided wc know that fure fuccefs is only 
 in this way. So, when Paul told the failors, 
 from the mouth of an anfjel, that not one of 
 their lives fliould be'loll by the fhipwreck. 
 
272 TREATISE ON 
 
 Ads xxvii. they exerted themfelves mucli 
 the more vigoroufly to obey his diredions 
 afterwards, in ufing the means, as he told 
 them it was the only way in which they 
 could be laved. Every careful oblerver of 
 human nature, and of the force of motives, 
 well knows it is fo in every cafe. If the 
 end is very important in our view, and there 
 is but juft one way to attain it ; yet, if 
 fucccfs in that wav is altogether dubious, 
 and moft likely our labors and efforts will 
 be all in vain, we might probably exert our- 
 ielvcs in fome degree, though with a faint 
 heart. But, let us know alfuredly we fhall 
 attain our important end, if we will exert 
 ourfelves with all our might, and that this 
 is the only way ; this will animate all the 
 powers we have, and we fliall engage to pur- 
 pofe. The cafe is juH the fame in this mat- 
 ter of infinite weight, as in other cafes of a 
 temporal concern ; excepting only that our 
 exertions are excited with much greater 
 force. 
 
 Moreover., the infinite reafonable:jefs of 
 religion and the fervice of God; the un- 
 fpeakahlc pleafureof it, and the luperior re- 
 ward in heaven, in proportio-ii to our fignal 
 obedience and piety in this ftate ot proba- 
 tion ; the great and good inflnence of religion 
 and virtue, as relative to the fpiritual, and 
 even temporal good of our fellow-men. and 
 many other confiderations, too many now to 
 Ipecify, all recommend the careful ufe of 
 the mear^s of grace and falvation, and a life 
 of piety and virtue in this world. In this 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 273 
 
 ©f piety and virtue in this world. In this 
 way of faving fmners, God manifefts his 
 infinite wifdom and goodnefs in laying out 
 for rational creatures and moral agents, 
 work adapted to their rational, moral na- 
 tures, and full of comfort, pleafure,, and 
 joy. Salvation, however, was not appoint- 
 ed for the means of it ; but the means, for 
 eternal falvation, which was eternally made 
 fure, in the covenant of redemption, to that 
 race of beings whole fin the Lamb of God 
 came to take away. 
 
 It has ever been the fenfe of the moil en- 
 lightened part of chriftians, that the dotlrine 
 of ele6tion, and of the certain perfeverance 
 of believers, were doftrines tending to en- 
 gage them the more in the ufe of means. 
 The do6trine of eleftion, as I have defined 
 it, hath a greater influence of the fame kind, 
 as it difplays a more extcnfive love of God 
 to men, and gives us more enlarged views of 
 free grace, and makes poor finhers more 
 dependent on God in every view. 
 
 If this do6frine does indeed take hold of 
 our fouls, oh ! what a facrifice of love fhall 
 we offer to God, even our whole fouls and 
 bodies ! How fliall we love God and all his 
 creatures for his fake ! How fhall we love 
 our dear Savior, and all for whom he died, 
 for his fake, whether to us friends or enemies, 
 known or unknown, Jews or gentiles, bar- 
 barians, Scythians, bond or free! Jefus hath 
 died for them all ; he loves them all; and 
 he will bring; them all into his kinsdom. 
 He will reconcile the world to himielf, 
 L 1 
 
274 TREATISE O n 
 
 r.ot imputing iniquity. The ends of th^ 
 earth lliali look unto him and be faved. 
 
 It is aiiother token of true gofpcl faith, 
 and truly evangelical principles, that, in the 
 excrcifc of them, good people find thcm- 
 fclvcs happy in their own lot, and are not 
 uncafy or envious towards others. 
 
 Whoevf.r has that fenfe of the word of 
 God, which I maintain, will enjoy this hap- 
 pincfs. They are quite willing that all 
 mankind fliould enjoy every favor and bleff- 
 ing God is pleafed to bcdow. They delight 
 in the gracious communications of God, 
 every where. If the friends of God have 
 many bleffings, they delight therein ; and 
 if they that at prefent know not God, a- 
 bound in outward good things, they delight 
 m God's'mcrcy thus far towards them. They 
 would by no means exchange their own en- 
 {oyments, whatever their circumftanccs may 
 be in worldly things, for all the enjoyments 
 of thofe in a ftate of darkncls, and igno- 
 rance of the great falvation. They well 
 kno'v that their real happincfs is as much 
 greater than that of the unrenewed, as arc 
 the manifeflations of divine light and love 
 to their fouls. They feel thcmfclvcs hap- 
 py in the knowledge of God and Jefus Chrill. 
 This is life and heaven to their fouls. Their 
 ncqiiaintancc wuh God is peafetk peace. 
 Their fenfe of the lure, final mercy of (iod 
 to all men, whom indeed they ardently love, 
 docs much add to their conlolation. Ont^ 
 that loves and pities all finncrs, as the gof- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 2^^ 
 
 pel requires, and as all that have a gofpel 
 fpirit do, cannot feel fo happy in a perlua- 
 fion that mofl of them will be e tern ally 
 damned, as they do, who believe that '• God 
 will have all men to be faved." 
 
 They who have that fenfc of God and fai- 
 vation which I plead lor, are exceeding 
 happy at all times, in fucli a God and fuch 
 a falvation. Indeed their fouls defire no 
 more. " Whom have I in heaven but thee? 
 and there is none upon earth that I delire 
 befides thee." Such well know that godli- 
 neis carries ils own comfort along wiih it, 
 even in the prefent v/orld, having promiie 
 of the life that now is, as well as that which 
 is to come. I am very confideot in ai- 
 firming, that they v^^ho know God and his 
 ialvation, in the light I have reprefented, 
 wull be filled with exceeding joy, and vs^ill 
 Q.nvy no pcrion on earth ; but will rejoice 
 in all the good that any enjoy. If this be 
 the erfeti of thefe doctrines wrought in the 
 heart, they are doubtlefs according to god- 
 linefs. 
 
 I AM very fenfible no maan will, or cvci'' 
 can fully and cordially believe in iuch a cha- 
 racter of God, and fuch a falvation, with- 
 out the fpecial energy of divine power and 
 grace, which is fitly called regener^ition 
 Others may have a dgdlrinal belief of th^^i^ 
 things, in iome fenfe ; but to feel the reahc;.- 
 of thsXe glorious truths in the foul, require : 
 a fupernatural work on hearts io difai^cied 
 to God as ours are in a natural flate, y^<" 
 judge of God's feelings towards us, by 0!iv> 
 
2^6 TREATISE ON 
 
 towards him, as all natural men do. There- 
 fore, none but new creatures, can believe 
 fuch glorious, aflonifhing truths as thefe, with 
 all their hearts, without hefitation, and wiih 
 joy and peace in believing. No man can be 
 fully latisfied with this doftrine. until God 
 has created in his foul a friendfhip towards 
 himfclf. When he knows by experience 
 that he loves Cod, he will believe that God 
 can love finners freely. They that truly 
 know God, have a very different fenfe of the 
 love of God, from that of a blind world, 
 whofe eyes are fail clofed in infidelity. 
 
 The6E thoughts, moreover, lead us to 
 fee the grimt duty, and propriety of fupport- 
 ing, and maintaining gofpel ordinances and 
 inditutions in the world, and giving all due 
 encouragement to the bell inftrutlors in the 
 way of lalvation, that we can obtain, whe- 
 ther God hath been pleafedto enlighten them 
 more or lels. The blelfmg of luch inftruc- 
 tion and ordinances is great in every view, 
 temporal and fpiritual. This is God's wife 
 and merciful way to make us know the 
 things freely giv<;n us of God, and to give us 
 great prefent comfort in thefe things, and 
 glorious hopes of eternal, conlummate hap- 
 pinefs i\i the life to come. No other plan 
 of religion can ever fo much animate a peo- 
 ple, to attend the worlhip and ordinances of 
 God, to hallow his fabbaths, and reverence 
 his fan£luary, and to love their fpiritual 
 guides mod cordially, and account them 
 worthy of double honor, for their works 
 fake, efpecially thofc who labor in word and 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 277 
 
 doftrlne. In a word, thefe principles, if 
 they really take hold of the heart, will have 
 every happy effc6l that the gofpel requires of 
 us. 
 
 Again ; It is an evidence of true, gof- 
 pel do6lrine, if, when cordially believed, it 
 will make us willing and joyful that God 
 fhould be at the head of the univerfe, ol- 
 'mighty, ahjolutc Sovereign in all things, God 
 over all, hkjfcd foreverniore ; alfo if it make 
 creatures willing to keep their own proper 
 place, at the feet of Jehovah, and rejoice 
 to be abfolutely dependent on fuch a God, 
 and at his abfolute, fovereigu difpofal for- 
 ever and ever. 
 
 This idea of God, and this underftand- 
 ing of his word, will have fuch a blefl'ed ef- 
 fect on every believing foul. We fhall fee 
 clearly, that Jehovah is by nature God, and 
 worthy to be God over all ; and we fliall 
 exceedingly rejoice that we, and all crea- 
 tures are in his hands, as the clay in the 
 hands of the potter. We can truft him with 
 as much joy, as fafety. And we fee, that all 
 the world may v/ell rejoice in his abloiute, 
 fovereign laile. Then we fhall break out in 
 raptures of holy joy, " The Lord reigneth, 
 let the earth rejoice, let the multitude of the 
 ifles be glad thereof." Then we ihall cry 
 out with unfeigned lips, '' Praife the 
 Lord all his works, in ail places of his do- 
 minion : Blefs the Lord, O inv foul.'" 
 When Gol hath given fouls this under- 
 flanding to know the truth, they will t.z-* 
 
27^ TREATIsfc ON 
 
 ceedinglv rejoice that God is what He is, and 
 that they are his creatures, in the proper 
 relation of creatures ; that is, in a ftate of 
 intire, abfolute, and everlafting dependence 
 on fuch a being as Jehovah. 
 
 The limitarian fcheme never can have this 
 operation on our fouls. God himfelf has 
 fixed his own laws, "in our fouls, that abfo- 
 lutely forbid it. The law of nature is as re- 
 ally and truly the. law of God, as the written 
 word. Thofe narural and inevitable feel- 
 ings, which are common to all rational crea- 
 tures, whether holy or linful, whether an- 
 gels or men, or of whatever rank or def- 
 cription, are indeed the laws of God. The 
 whole law of nature is the law of Jehovah, 
 the Author of nature ; and a pure law too. 
 liy this law of God, he has made it forever 
 abfolutely impoffible that any creature 
 fliould cordially, without any averlion of 
 foul, freely confcnt to be forever and ever in 
 the mod inexpreflible pain and torment. 
 God's law of nature cries out again ft it, 
 with all the authority of the divine Being 
 himfelf. Much lets can any holy foul be 
 willing to be an eternal finner, an everlaft- 
 ing enemy to God, which is the grand, clTen- 
 tiai thing in that hell the Unitarians plead 
 for. 
 
 God docs not fet his own laws in oppofi- 
 lion to one another. He does not, by one 
 Jaw, call upon us to avoid pain and mifery 
 as much as we can, and by another bid us 
 be plcafed with it. Much lefs does he, by 
 one lawj command us to be holy and love 
 
UNIVfiRSAL SALVATION. 279 
 
 him fupremely, and ferve him in all holy 
 and perfe6l obedience, and, by another law, 
 command us to be quite willing to hate and 
 rebel againft him to all eternity. For us to 
 obey two laws direflly oppofite, is as im- 
 poffible as to fcrve two oppofite maftcrs. 
 But on the plan which I fupport, we may, 
 if our hearts are right, keep all the laws 
 of God in glorious harmony, and find 
 that, in keeping them there is great re- 
 ward. 
 
 The limitarians do indeed tell us, that 
 all, under their eternal decree of reproba- 
 tion, ought finally to be willing to be dam- 
 ned. Many of them fay, that every mau 
 muft be brought to this willingnefs, before 
 he can be faved ! ! God grant them further 
 light, that they may better underftand his 
 nature, chara6l«r, and wife, harmoniou.s 
 laws. 
 
 On the prefent plan, I can will all that 
 God wills, and do all that God bids me, 
 if my heart is right, and that with great 
 alacrity and joy. I am willing to keep my 
 0W71 place, as a creature of God, and I re- 
 joice that my God will forever keep his, 
 that Jehovapi will fit on the throne of ab- 
 folutc, univerfal government to all eternity. 
 I rejoice that he doeth hispleafure in the ar- 
 mies of heaven and among the inhabitants 
 of the world, that none can flay his hand, 
 neither may any fay unto him what doeil 
 thou ? I want no fecurity but what I have 
 in the nature and character of God, as dif- 
 played in his works and word, through his 
 
280 
 
 TREATISE OH 
 
 own Son, the brightnefs of his glory, and 
 the exprefs image of his perfon. 
 
 I THINK thofe principles cannot be wrong 
 that have this native efFeft on the foul ; nor 
 thofe right, which require of us oppohte 
 things and abfolute impoffibilities. 
 
 I HAVE before obferved, that perfonal 
 damnation in hell, is not once afferted in the' 
 bible, of any particular perfon ; nor a word 
 of that nature faid, but what, agreeable to 
 the whole genius and tenor of divine reve- 
 lation, points to a fubflitute. I add, in this 
 place, tiiat no fuch thing is faid even of 
 Judas himfelf ; though, as the englifh words 
 fland, in our tranflation, there is more that 
 feems to favor fuch a tenet, than in any 
 other paifage of facred writ. 
 
 In our englifh bible we have the words 
 thus, " It had been good for that man if he 
 had not been born." Mat. xxvi. 24. and, 
 in Mark xiv. 21. " Good were it for that 
 man if he had never been born." Now if 
 this tranflation were ever focxa6l and literal, 
 it would by no means overthrow the ge- 
 neral tenor of reaioning from the nature and 
 word of God, which we have been led into. 
 It might, without any unreafonablc flrain- 
 ing of words, be underflood, only as one 
 of the many awful denunciations we have 
 of the voice of juRice, all filenced and fa- 
 tisfied in the great furety. I appeal, how- 
 ever, to every learned reader, that the 
 franflation of thefe words is not juU, nor 
 grammatical. The following words are ex- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 28l" 
 
 aftly literal and grammatical. ^' Goodxverc 
 it for him, if he had not been born that 
 man," or fuch a man.* Much better in- 
 deed, had it been for Judas if he had not 
 been born fuch a prodigy of wickednefs. 
 So much the di\^ine fpirit fays. But 
 by no means, fays that Judas, or any other 
 man, fhali be a iofer by exiftence, on the 
 whole. This I notice by the way as jufly 
 though not ciTential to the grand argument. 
 
 It is alfo evident that we have a right 
 underftanding of the chai-a6ter of God and 
 his word, if we are thence affeQed with holy 
 fear and trembling, mixed with holy joy 
 and engagednefs of heart to ferve God. 
 
 This fenfe of God and falvation, now 
 maintained, hath certainly fuch an eiTeft on 
 the foul. To think of fuch a God, whofe 
 abfolute property we are : To confider 
 what fmners we indeed are, and how juRly 
 deferving of his awful wrath and vengeance 
 to all eternity: And that we can do nothing 
 to help ourfelves, and no creature can help 
 us : That all our hope originates from the 
 nature and fovereign purpofe, and decree of 
 God, utterly contrary to all our deferts r 
 To think what we muft be to all 'eternity, if 
 juftice fhould only take place upon us, (and 
 let God do what he will with us, we can never 
 M m 
 
 * ^^ "^ ' ' • ' 'a ' " 
 
 ^ ytOcXoV XV OCUTCa, Bi itK £y£VV71<JVl uv 
 
28 a 
 
 TREATISE ON 
 
 open our mouths with any charge of injuf- 
 tice on the abfolute Proprietor of all thing?) 
 this will fill our whole fouls with fear and 
 trembling. Alfo, to find the nature and 
 difpofition of the great and terrible God fo 
 difplayed in his word, as to fee that this, 
 and A-'i-j alone, is our full and everlafting 
 fccurity : That our everlafting fafety lies in 
 the nature of the great God, and no where 
 elfe : This I fay, will fill us with exceeding 
 joy, and engage us carneftly in all the 
 means of falvation, which luch a great and 
 glorious God hath appointed. Knowing 
 that this awful and endearing Jehovak 
 faveSjOn^ in his own way; how thankful fhall 
 we be that he has told us the way, and mar- 
 ked out the path ! Moft certamly, this will 
 make us work out our own falvation with 
 fear and trembling. We (hall indeed ferv'e 
 the Lord with fear, and rejoice with tremb- 
 ling- 
 
 Xo view we can have of the way of fal- 
 vation, but this, will aflPeft us with that un- 
 diflenxbled, unfeigned humility, which the 
 gofpcl requires. But this will make us ef- 
 tcom others better than ourfelves, and that 
 without any'compliment at all ; not only 
 fomc others, but, in the natural fcnfe of 
 the phrale, others in the general view. 
 
 Every man that feels the truth and force 
 of this doftrine, will really feel and know 
 that he is worfc than other men, yea, than 
 any other m.in that ever had exiflence ; be- 
 cauic he knows fo much more of himfelf 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 283 
 
 than of any other man ; alfo, becaufe the 
 belief of this doftrinc is attended with real, 
 gofpel charity towards all men, even that 
 charity which hopeth all things. Such a 
 fenle of God and falvation, and fuch a view 
 of himfelf, will make any man cry out, in 
 the utmoft fincerity, and without fo much 
 as the fhadow of a compliment, furely I am 
 more biiitifh than any man : I have not the 
 underflanding of a man : I neither learned 
 wifdom. nor have the knowledge of the holy : 
 I abhor myfelf and repent in duft and afhes. 
 
 Such indeed is the very nature of all 
 mankind, that, while they build their confi- 
 dence of God's eternal favor, on good marks, 
 and good diftinftions in themlelves ; and 
 thence conclude they fhall be faved and 
 moft others damned, it will feed their 
 pride, and puEF their fouls up with haughti- 
 nefs. They may fay what they pleafe, of 
 *' mere grace," " oner e favor," ''free grace," 
 ^^ free favor :" Not the lefs proud will they 
 be for all this ; but quite the reverfe. 
 
 Nothing in the univerfe hath a more 
 powerful operation on human fouls, to 
 make them proud, than that great, exalted, 
 renowned perfonages have fingled them 
 out AS fpecial favorites. A full confi- 
 dence that the infinitely exalted Jeho- 
 vah hath done it, wall make every man, 
 while in this world, feel juil as the phari- 
 fee did, when moved by the fame inward 
 fentiment. Merely a lenfe of the greateft 
 favors will make no man proud ; but bring 
 in the idea of comparifon and diftinQion, 
 
284 TREATISE ON 
 
 and it will make every man fo, while under 
 the moral infirmities of nature which attend 
 us in the prefcnt world. But on my plea, 
 every valley is filled, and every mountain 
 and hill is brought low, and the cooked is 
 made flrait, and the rough places plain, and 
 the Lord alone is exalted. This will bring 
 down every high thought and imagination, 
 that exaltcth itlelf againft the knowledge of 
 Chrift, and bring all into iubjc6lion to the 
 obedience of faith. 
 
 It is very natural for many to make infe- 
 rences, and draw confequences from what 
 is faid concernincf the falvation of mankind, 
 and apply the fame to other ranks and 01- 
 ders of beings, which we know little, or 
 nothing about. 
 
 Thus, they apply thefe doftrines to the 
 cafe of the mifcrable, fallen angels. I think 
 we proceed upon very uncertam ground, in 
 all fuch rcafonings and applications. God 
 has been plcaied to acquaint us a little, and 
 but a very little, with any other ijitelligent 
 creatures, whether holy or unholy, but thofe 
 of our own rank and order, our fellow 
 men. Yet, as it does, in certain rcipefts, 
 concern our duty and praftice in this 
 tvorld, to know iomething of holy angels, 
 and alfo of evil angels, we are made lo far 
 acquainted with then- refpeftive dilpofitions 
 and circumflanccs as relates to our pra6licc, 
 and no farther. 
 
 We are taught, that many of the angels 
 have been very (inful and very miferablc a 
 
UKIVERSAL SALVATION. 285 
 
 great while, and that they are very affidu- 
 ous, crafty, and malicious to oppofe the 
 happinefs of the human race, and promote 
 all the lin and miiery they can. We are 
 told that the holy angels are of a direft con- 
 trary difpofition and chara6ler. And we 
 are taught, in the word of God, how to con- 
 duct ourfelves relative to both. This is as 
 much as God hath feen fit to reveal to us on 
 this fubjecl. I have often thought, that 
 the immodefty of mankind is as much dil- 
 covered in many pofitive affertions about 
 the angels, as in any one thing. 
 
 This, however, I fuppofe we may fay 
 concerning the miferable, condemned an- 
 gels, that they are as great fmners, as we 
 hy nature are, in proportion to the quantity 
 of being they poffels ; and greater finners 
 than we are by nature, only in confideration 
 that they are of an higher rank than we, 
 and hai'e a greater meafure of exiRence ; 
 but lefs finners than we in one very capital 
 view. For they have not finned againil a 
 Kinsman Redeemepv, and the procia.ma.- 
 tions of fuch a gofpel as we have defpiied. 
 
 We may alio fay, that even to this day 
 (for ought we know) they have as much 
 caufe of eternal defpair as the human kind 
 once had, during the fpace between the mo- 
 ment of our original rebellion, and the firfl 
 intimation of a Savior : That they juPJy 
 deferve endlefs damnation, by the very na- 
 ture Oi their criminality, as well as we : 
 And that thev will certainly be eternally 
 damned, in the voice of juilice, and we 
 
/ 
 
 ^86 TREATISE ON 
 
 know of no declaration of grace that relates 
 to them, any more than the human kind 
 once did, with regard to miferable, damned, 
 or condemned finners, of our own order. 
 
 We may further fay, that God can cer- 
 tainly do them no wrong, any more than he 
 can us. If their mifery is endlefs, or if ours 
 had been fo ; the will of God is ncceflarily 
 'juft, and the only llandard of all juflice 
 and right€Oufnefs, for this grand, all im- 
 portant reafon, which I would not (o often 
 repeat, were it not of the utmoilconkquence 
 that it Ihould fink deep into our louls and 
 never be unthought of, viz. his abfolute, 
 underivcd. univerlal, and everlafting pro- 
 perty in all things. 
 
 If we fay more than the above, I appre- 
 hend, we do no honor thereby to our protef- 
 fion of gofpel humility : Or rather, that we 
 tranfgrefs in exercihng ourfelves in great 
 matters, or thin'^^s too hioh for us, that we 
 know not ; and darken counfel by words 
 without knowledge. Who can fay that the 
 fame God who found a way for our recove- 
 ry, can find none for theirs, throughout an 
 interminable eternity ? Or who can lay, 
 that even our own all-fufficicnt Savior will 
 not, in fomc way. unknown to us at pre- 
 fent, be found hereafter the Head of all 
 principalities and powers, in a more graci- 
 ous fenfe than we have imagined, even in 
 an infinitely merciful fcnfe to the father, the 
 devil, as well as to his children ? W'ho 
 can fay that a Savior, of fuch unfcarchable 
 n-hcs of grace, fuch boundlels wifdoni and 
 
UNITE P^ SAL SALVATION. 287 
 
 power, will not, in his own way and time, 
 make every knee bow to him, in one and the 
 fame fenfe, and every tongue confels, from 
 one and the fame fpirit, that he is Lord of 
 all to the glory of God the Father ? Who 
 can fay that God will not, in fome future 
 period of endlefs duration, gather together in 
 ON.tt, ALL things in Chrijl, both in heaven and 
 en earth and under the tarth, in the moft 
 plain and fimple underftanding of ihe tenns ? 
 Who can fay, that he will never wholly con- 
 quer death, though it be the lall enemy, 
 and ftiall furvive every other conquefh of 
 his J even death, in the moft common, fcrip- 
 ture fenfe of the word, including fpiritual 
 death, which includes all fmfulnels, as well 
 as natural death ? 
 
 Who can fay, that the greateft fulTerers, 
 and thofe who are thrown into the greatefl 
 diftrefs and horror, fave one, fliail be on 
 the whole lofers by their having been cal- 
 led into being, by the almighty power of 
 God, who is love ? Since it is certain that 
 the greateft of all fufferers, and he who, in a 
 legal view, was juftly charged with the 
 greateft guilt, is the greateft gainer of all 
 creatures by his exiftence. I here Ipeak 
 juft as our moft enlightened, and moft or- 
 thodox divines have always fpoken. They 
 all agree in the perfe6l holinefs and purity 
 of the man Chrifl Jefus, in a perfonal fenfe; 
 vet, in a vicarious fenfe. and as bv the co- 
 venant of redemption he ftood related to 
 the divine law, they all agree, he was juft- 
 ly charged with the gvealeft guilt of any 
 
1i88 TREATISE ON 
 
 creature that ever God made, even the fins 
 of the whole world. As he flood related to 
 jDain and punilhment he never had an equal. 
 And this is the great, effential, capital doc- 
 trine of divine revelation, whereby the bible 
 is moft of all diflinguifhed from all other 
 books. I fay fince this greateft of all fuf- 
 fcrers, on account oi fm, is the greatefl 
 gainer of all the creatures of God by his 
 cxiftence, on the whole, who can fay God 
 cannot deal m a fimilar way wuth all who 
 fuffer on account of fin ? For whether you 
 arc an original debtor, or a furety, there 
 is no difference as to your jufl. obligation to 
 l-.ay the debt. 
 
 Are we not rather immodefl and arro- 
 gant, when we pofitively affirm, that we 
 certainly know, God has called into exifl- 
 encc innumerable myriads of intelligent 
 creatures to be extremely miferable, to end- 
 li-fs duration, under his own fixed eternal 
 decree ? God indeed law it be ft, on the 
 whole, that much evil fhould take place, 
 both moral and natural ; otherwife he certain- 
 ly would have hindered it. But who can 
 fay that God himfelf, with all his wifdom, 
 power and love, is not able to anfwer all 
 the wife, gt)od, and glorious purpofes he 
 defipnedj by the exiftence of all evil, moral 
 and natural ; yet fo as to leave not one of 
 his offspiing a lofer by exiftence ? 
 
 As to tile man Jefus Chrifl, he had ten 
 thoufand times more guilt to anfwer for. 
 than arr^' other man in the world, and no 
 doubt more than anvnafeiable, fallen angel. 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 289 
 
 And he was jufl as much obligated to fufFer 
 pain, mifery, and puniOiment, as if it had 
 been perfonal ; yet that man Chrift Jefus 
 is, on the whole, the moil dignified and 
 happy creature that ever God made. " Be- 
 ing found in fafhion as a, man, he humbled 
 himfelf and became obedient to death, even 
 the death of the crofs ; wherefore God alfo 
 hath highly exalted him, and given him a 
 name which is above every name : That at 
 the name of Jeius, every knee fhould bow, 
 of things in heaVen and things in the earth j 
 and things under the earth ; and that every 
 tongue fliould confefs, that Jefus Chrill is 
 Lord, to the glory of God the Father." 
 Phili. ii. 8, &c. *' For the joy fet befoi»e 
 him, he endured the crofs, defpifmg the 
 fliame, and is fet down at the right hand of 
 the throne of God." 
 
 Do v/e know enough about the extent of 
 divine wifdom, power and love, to affirm 
 that moft, or even any of God's own otF- 
 fpring fhall be infinite lofers by exiftence ir- 
 refiftibly forced upon them, by the infinite- 
 ly kind Fountain of all being and blelTed- 
 nefs ? When we get fo far beyond our line 
 in reafoning, we tread on very uncertain 
 ground. Let us then let the fallen angels 
 alone. But if any of us mufl needs en- 
 quire more about the eternal fate of the 
 angels that fell ; it is v/ell for us to remem- 
 ber that they are our fuperiors, in the fcalc 
 of creation, and fland related to us as the 
 offspring of the great, common Fountain of 
 N n 
 
290 TREATISE ON 
 
 beinsj ; and are no worfe than we in thei7 
 temper and difpofition, only as no mediator 
 hath operated on their minds, as upon ours, 
 in a way of rcflraint, or by any kind, or 
 gracious operation, as upon the human 
 kind ever ftnce the fall. 
 
 CiiiLDRtN are to hate their father the devil, 
 only as they are to hate their tiatural parents 
 and all their fellow men, and even themfelves. 
 Not with perjcnal hatred ; not with feelings of 
 malevolence ; not as creatures of God ; but all in 
 them morally evil in its own nature, all that 
 is oppofite to the moral nature or charafter 
 of the common Fountain of being. Thus 
 we are to hate father and mother, wife and 
 children, brethren and fillers, yea, and our 
 own life alfo ; and thus, and in no other 
 way, we ought to hate every thing in which 
 moral evil appears. But if we feel any ma- 
 levolence towards the devil, as a creature of 
 God, or wifh him evil ; we feel towards him 
 as he does towards us, and fhew his moral 
 likenefs in this our malevolence, as might 
 be expelled from devils only. If we vvifti 
 the fallen angels may all remain eter- 
 nally damned, and that the comman Parent 
 of all may never difplay and glorify his 
 great name in their deliverance, from enmi- 
 ty, lin and pain, even if he is able to do it ; 
 if we heartily wifh they may be the objcds 
 of almighty vengeance to endlefs duration, 
 then, we feel towards them, as they do towards 
 us. 
 
 If our natural parents are very wicked, 
 and, by neccd'ary confequcnces, very mile- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. SQl 
 
 rable, we do well to wilh, that God, of his 
 infinite power and grace, would make them 
 better and happier. We know he can do it, 
 if he plea fes. And fince we know not, but 
 that infinite wifdom, power, and mercy can, 
 if God pleafe, take hold of our infernal pa- 
 rents ; we fhew a fpirit too much like theirs, 
 in wilhing they may continue to endlefs du- 
 ration, in all their fms and in all their tor- 
 ments. It is certain the great Jehovah 
 may, in pure juftice, leave them io forever ; 
 the very nature of their fmfulnefs does 
 merit this, by every rule of pure righteouf- 
 nefs, without any confideration in the uni- 
 verfe feparatc from the very nature of fm. 
 And God might have left us in like manner, 
 and in the like pure juftice. But, for my 
 part, I am quite willing God fhould make 
 me holy and happy, for the glory of his own 
 name, and all my fellow fmners without ex- 
 ception, if he pleafe. I am willing the 
 Lord fhould be thus " good unto all," and 
 his tender mercies thus be over all his works, 
 which are capable of holinefs and happinefs. 
 If we knew ourfelves better than we do, 
 we fhould not look upon ourfelves, by na- 
 ture, fo unlike to the fallen angels as we are 
 apt to imagine. I think it, however, our wil- 
 dom to enquire no more about any order of 
 beint^s, than we have fome data, lome means 
 of knowledge to affift our enquiries ; and no 
 more about the devils than may concern our 
 praftice, that we may not bear their image, 
 and may guard againft their malice and evil 
 influence. 
 
292 TREATISE OM 
 
 And now'', to take up another thought, 
 I apprehend that the way of falvation I am 
 defending, has this further mark of truth. 
 Jt exhibits God to our yiew, ai conducling the 
 affairs oj our falvation analogous to all his other 
 conduct. 
 
 The all-wife and good God docs influ- 
 ence, move, and govern all his creatures, in 
 a way fuitable to the natures and faculties he 
 hath given them. This is to be feen every 
 where, and in every thing. With regard to 
 all our temporal enjoyments, though they 
 are the objctls of his eternal decree, made 
 eternally fure in his ali-glorious. immutable 
 plan ; yet he gives us ail thefe things, in a 
 way luitable to our natures, as rational crea- 
 tures and free moral agents, by the excrcife 
 of our minds and bodies, that we may have, 
 at all times, proper excrcife ; for this is 
 wholly nece0ary to our felicitv. This is 
 all the reafon why God does not give us all 
 our food immediately fit for eating, and all 
 our i;iimcnt ready to put on : If he did fo, 
 v/e iiiould be without that exertion and em- 
 ployment fuited to our natures as atlive 
 creatures, and necelTary to our comfort. 
 Therefore, though our exertions are requir- 
 ed, it is not to ma^ce thefe enjoyments more 
 fure to us, than he could have oiherwife 
 made them, or than even his eternal decree 
 made them. It is jufh fo with regard to our 
 falvation. The means ave all laid out for us, 
 and cnjomed u}X)n us, and conneftcd with 
 the end, juft as much as in all temporal 
 things, only bccai^fe this gives proper cxer- 
 
UNIVIRSAL SALVATION. 293 
 
 cifc to the immortal foul, attended with un^ 
 fp'eakable pleafure and delight ; and is 
 fuited to our rational natures, and the rela- 
 tion we ftand in to God. Our working out 
 our own falvation, is only a reasonable du- 
 ty, not preceding the certainty of it, in 
 God's view ; but following as a fit and hap- 
 py confequmce, in his eternal plan, and in the 
 order ot his communication of blefiednefs 
 made fure before the foundation of the 
 "world. 
 
 So there is every reafon, and all manner 
 of fitnefs, that we ftiould inculcate upon 
 all mankind, the ufe of the means of grace 
 and falvation, that can poffibly be in any 
 cafe in the univerfe. It is our reafonabie, 
 fit, and happy fcrvice, and not only with re- 
 gard to all the powers of our fouls, but of 
 tlie whole man, even our bodies aifo. Hence 
 did Paul fay, " I befeech you therefore, 
 brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye 
 prefcnt your bodies a living facrifice, holy, 
 acceptable to God, which is your reafona- 
 bie fervice." Rom. xii. 
 
 It is proper to fay, in every cafe in the 
 univerfe, and in every cafe alike true, that 
 the aftions and exertions of creatures nevei^ 
 altet the previous and eternal certaintv of 
 any thing ; neither did God defign them 
 for any fuch end, or with any fucii view. 
 God has ordered and commanded all the 
 duties that are to be done by all his crea- 
 tures, to carry into eifeft, and to accomplifh 
 his own fixed, good and merciful decrees, in 
 the only fit way, that is, in a way fuited i^. 
 
294 TREATISE ON 
 
 the natures he has given them, and in cer- 
 tain connexion with the end. All thefe 
 are in the immutable univerfal fyftem, as 
 much as the end. Hence we lee the areat 
 propriety of God's encouragements and pro- 
 miles to the virtuous and obedient ; and of 
 his threatnings to the vicious and rebellious. 
 They are all luited to the nature of man. 
 And hence we fee how fit it is, that obedi- 
 ence and virtue fhould be attended with de- 
 light and joy, as it always is ; and that all 
 fm fhould be attended, or rebuked with pain 
 and forrow, which never fails to be the 
 cafe. 
 
 They, whom God has fet up in this 
 world to rule and govern mankind, fliould, 
 under him, enaft good and wholefome laws, 
 in favor of all virtue, and good condufi ; 
 and in terrible oppofition to all wickednefs, 
 all that oppofeth the nature of God, and the 
 good and happinefs of the creatures of God. 
 This is exceeding fit and proper among men, 
 wifely adapted to their natures. The Mofl 
 High, no doubt, could fupprefs vice and in- 
 iquity in fome other way ; but none appears 
 to us fo well adapted to the natures of men. 
 Hence there is every realbn for rulers and 
 ruled, to unite in the mofl vigorous efforts 
 tor the beft poflible civil government. 
 
 Tins view of the way of God, and this 
 underflanding of his revealed will, is fup- 
 portcd, in that it opens to our fight another 
 grand do6lrine of revelation. Which is, 
 the amazing unreajonablencfs of fin, and fm" 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. ^g§ 
 
 tiers ; and how they will pervert all truth and 
 reafon, to the vilejl purpojes. 
 
 Many will lay, if all thefe things are fo, 
 if all things, all events, are eternally made 
 certain j men and devils are not to blame 
 for their fins : Juft as though the blame of 
 fin did not lie in the nature of it. Many 
 will fay, if falvation is finally fecured, as 
 here reprefented, then it is very eligible for 
 men to indulge all their lulls in this world, 
 and live in all manner of vice, as they 
 pleafc : Juft as though vice and wickednels 
 were attended with happinefs : Not con- 
 fidering, that perfeftion of wickednefs, with 
 its inleparable conneftions, docs in very 
 deed, make the whole hell that the limitari- 
 ans plead for ; or that reditude and virtue 
 in its perfe6lion, does, in very deed, make 
 the heavenly happinefs we hope for. They 
 are io blind and unreafonable, as not to lee 
 that if finfulnefs, or hell, which are for fub- 
 flance the fame thing, are not hateful and 
 horrible in this world, they cannot be here- 
 after; and that if virtue, holinefs, or heaven, 
 which are effentially the fame thing, are not 
 defirable in this world, they cannot be in 
 the world to come. 
 
 This plan, moreover, helps us to the befl 
 poflibje folutioii of the queftion, which fo 
 often ariles among men. Why did Gcd ever 
 bring moral evil into his eternal plan, or fuffer 
 It to exijl ? For, upon this plan, we fee that: 
 God doth fo difpiay and exercife his own 
 perfeftionSj in oppcfing the nature of fin 
 
£9^ TREATISE OM 
 
 and its effects, as we cannot fee he othcrwife 
 might have done. And we alfo find many 
 exercifes of mind ; many employments and 
 efforts laid out for his rational creatures, in 
 oppofmg fin and its awful attendants and 
 confcquences, in obedience to God ; and 
 much exercife of humility, and thankfulnefs. 
 and all graces which we can fee no room for 
 had God's eternal plan been otherwife. 
 
 This doflrine is further fupported, by the 
 doftrine of God's unlimited wifdom and 
 power. 
 
 All will allow, that if all the good ends 
 could have been anfwered and accomplifhed, 
 without the eternal mifery of a multitude 
 of mankind, then it had been better, arid 
 then God would have chofen it ; bccaufe alj^ 
 grant, that fuch mifery is, in its nature, a 
 great evil, and very undefirable, yea very 
 horrible. To fuppofe that God could noc 
 have anfwered all thefe glorious ends, with- 
 out this eternal mifery of fo many creatures, 
 is to fuppofe that he was limited by the very 
 nature of things ; or that it could not, in 
 the nature of things have been otherwife. 
 But, pray, what is the nature of things ? 
 And whence does the nature of thin;'S orioi- 
 nate ? Certainly from God and his attributes 
 Only. For in that period of duration when 
 there was nothing exiflcitit btit God. where 
 Was the nature of things, or the neccffity of 
 nature, but in God only ? 
 
 To fuppole there was any limitation up- 
 on the eternal Being, when no other bein^ 
 
UNIV.ERSAL SALVATION. 297 
 
 did exift, is to fuppofe that his own infinite, 
 unlimited attributes did limit, and fet 
 bounds to his conduct, or to the emanations 
 of his infinite love and benevolence. It is 
 to fay, that God would have done better if he 
 could ; but that he could not : He a6led out 
 himfelf with as much kindnefs as he could, 
 and wiftied to have been more kind, had 
 it been poflible, in the nature of tilings ; 
 that is, in the nature of his own perfeciions, 
 which give nature to all things elfe : That 
 his infinite wifdom, power and love, could 
 do no better than to exhibit a fyftem glori- 
 ous in the main ; but at the expence of the 
 unutterable, endlefs mifery of countlefs 
 myriads of his own offspring. This lays a 
 limitation on the Moft High, arifing from 
 ^is own attributes ; becaufe thence flows the 
 whole nature of things, as their nature can- 
 not flow from non-entity. 
 
 But, a jufl; idea of the great God is this, 
 lie can indeed do all that the infinite good- 
 nefs of his heart is difpofed to do ; and he 
 never gave a nature to things to obftru6t 
 the emanations of his love. " What his foul 
 dfjircth even that he doeth." 
 
 The limitariam fuppofe God hath formed 
 a fyftem as full of happinefs as was poflible, 
 and a glorious fyftem on the whole. That 
 he would have kept out of this fyftem the 
 eternal mifery of any creature, if he had 
 been able ; but was not able, through the 
 neceflity of his own attributes, fo to do ; 
 therefore formed the beft fyftem he could. 
 O o 
 
^9^ "tAKATlSE OJT 
 
 A fyftem rrmch better than none, and even 
 good on the whole, in a high degree. How 
 does this corrcfpond with juft conceptions 
 of Jehovah, God x\lmighty, all- wife, and 
 infinite love ? 
 
 It is in vain to fay here, that this argu- 
 ment would equally exclude out of the fyf- 
 tem, all the moral and penal evil that ever 
 did exill, or ever will. Becaufe, on the gof- 
 f el plan, according to my fenfe of it, all the 
 evil of every kind Ihat hath exiftcd, or fhall 
 exifl, is real good in the whole connexion ; 
 not only to ihtfyfiem tn general, but to every 
 individual in it, capable of rational happinefs. 
 No one Oiall be lefs happy, on the whole, 
 than if no evil had ever taken place. Moral 
 and natural evil never did, or (hall exifl, at 
 the expence (if I may fo fpeak) of any one 
 of the creatures of love, or of God who is 
 love. Eternity is long enough, to make 
 every creature as happy on the whole, as if 
 there had never been any experience of evil 
 of any kind ; at leaft, we can by no means 
 prove the contrary. That fentiment of the 
 poet has ever been admired — - 
 
 *' The bleft to day, is as compleatly fcy 
 As who began a thoufand years ago." 
 
 Creatures may fufferevil a great while, 
 yet have as long duration Ix^fe^re them to be 
 happy in, as if they had nevertafled of evil. 
 To lay that any duration of evil, or any de- 
 gree ol it, certainly, makes lome d<jdu6lion, 
 and a proportionable deduction from our 
 quantity of happinefs, though k may after- 
 
UNiySRSAL SALVATION. 29^ 
 
 wards commence and be cndlefs thenceforth, 
 is to fay more than any creature can know ; 
 unlefs we can find a creature who compre- 
 hends eternity and all things belonging to it. 
 It is alfo faying, what ftands in lull oppoii- 
 tion to the common fenfe, and faith of the 
 proteftant world, in feveral other cafes. 
 Take only the following well known in- 
 stance inllead of many. 
 
 We ail believe that the faint that laft goes 
 to heaven, fhall have as great a reward of 
 free grace, as the faint that firll went thither ; 
 provided their moral chara6lers are equal 
 in this life. Of this we doubt not, and the 
 fcripture is full to the purpofe. We alfo 
 agree in the opinion of the eternal, progref- 
 five happinefs of the faints in heaven, and 
 that they who went there feveral thoufand 
 years ago, are far advanced in glory and 
 bleffednefs beyond thofe who go there at 
 this day ; and further ftill before thofe, who 
 may go to heaven thoufands of years hence. 
 AH this we believe, alfo, that all equal cha- 
 rafters fliali have an equal reward of glory 
 ill heaven, whether they live and die fooner 
 or later. " I will give unto this laft even 
 as unto thee :" " The lirll fliall be laft and 
 the laft fhall be firft :" i. e. all equal on 
 the whole, if their moral chara6lers and 
 fervices have been fo in this world. Theie 
 are points not controverted among proteft- 
 ants. Yet it iseafy to fee, that the fame ob- 
 jeftion, if any, lies againft this doftrinc, 
 as againft what I have afterted, viz. that ex- 
 perience of eviij for a given tiip„e, may be 
 
300 TREATISE ON 
 
 confiftcnt with the fame quantity of happi- 
 nefs in endlefs duration, as if the evil had 
 never been fuflercd.* 
 
 I WOULD, indeed, never be pofitive, when 
 I reafon about infinity and eternity, which 
 are inconiprchenfible to all beings, but God 
 himfelf. And I only mention this inftance, 
 
 * Siippofe a rational creature to cxift any given period of 
 time, more or le(s, in great mifery, and then, at the end of 
 that certain period, to cxift juft as much longer in as great 
 pleafurc and happinefs, fo as exaftJy to counterbalance all 
 his former pain and make him even on the whole, neither a 
 gainer or loler by his exiftence thus far. Then juppofc it to 
 be the good will of his Maker, to continue him in being to 
 endlefs duration, in a ftate of progrcffive happuiefs. Sup- 
 pofe alio, that it is the pleafure of the Moft High to create 
 another, of equal capacity, at the moment when the I'ormer 
 has arrived at the end of the fecond period aforementioned, 
 viz. at that moment when he is jult as well off, awd no better 
 than il" he had never been created. Let thefe two beings ex- 
 ift thenceforward to endlefs duration, in equal degrees ef 
 progreifive happinefs, and it is eafy to fee that both, on the 
 whole, fliall be juft alike happy, i. e. the former will be, at 
 the moment of his counterbalance, in the felf fame predica- 
 ment, in this refpei^, as if he had been created that very 
 moment. So that it is evident enough, that if our imcon- 
 troverted opinion, thai: all equal charac^ters in this world ftiall 
 have equal happinefs in the eternal world, whether they are 
 born looner or later, be true ; then it is true, that a rational 
 creature may luffer great pains, for any given period of time, 
 and yet be fo far from being a lofer by exiftence, that he 
 may be juft as great a gainer thereby, on the whole, as any 
 other creature of equal capacity who never tafted of any evil 
 at all, and who halh his bcginnmg of exiftence in a later 
 period of duration. I beg none would imagine from this re- 
 mark, that I think the great Jkhovah bound in juftice to re- 
 pay any of his creatures for their pains, by an equal balance 
 of happinefs. I have no idea of any i'uch demand of the clay 
 on the great Potter, or of any creature on his Maker. The 
 •will of Jehovah is ncceflarily juft, and the only criterion, 
 rule and ftandard of all righteoufnefs. Let men or angels be 
 in whatever predicament they may, it is the will of God that 
 hath placed thcni there, and they may not impeach their 
 Maker of injuftice, or by any means make on liim a claim of 
 jcward. I only take refuge in the infinite ibxereignty of 
 tht divine will, flowing out ot' the infinite goodniss of the 
 r>i\ TNE KATi Kf. To know what this is, I turn to all his works, 
 and to his revealed will. 
 
UNIVERSAL iSALVATlON. g(S 
 
 as I might many more, to fhew, that the ob- 
 jeftion I am refuting, is built on no certain 
 foundation ; and that in the fair application 
 of it, it mull overthrow many articles of 
 faith in which we are all well agreed, and 
 bring into confufion the limitarian fcheme as 
 well as any other adopted by chriftians. 
 
 But it is plain, at firft view, that, if in- 
 numerable of the offspring of God, rational 
 creatures which he hath called into beino-, or 
 even. any number of them, are in extreme 
 fufferings to endlefs duration, in that cafe, 
 they muft be infinite lofers by that exift- 
 ence, which the God of love forced upon 
 them. Yet even on this fuppofition wc 
 might not impeach the jiijl.ice and righteouf- 
 nefs of the abfolute, fovereign Proprietor of 
 all things. But, I would afk my reader, is 
 this your idea of the true charafter of the 
 God of love, God who is love, even in 
 the abflradl ; or of Chrift, who fo loved 
 the world, that he gave himfelf a ranfom 
 for all ? 
 
 It may here be added. On the limitarian 
 plan, they who are faved will be faved by 
 their own works, being juftified by their own 
 works, in Paul's fenle of juflification by 
 works, or in any other poffible fenfe in 
 which we can conceive of any fuch juftifica- 
 tion. Yea, they are faved by their own merits 
 Jo far as vje. can have any notion of merit in a 
 creature. 
 
 All tile idea we can pofTibly have of me- 
 rit in creatures, or claim on the Deity by 
 
gOe TREAT r.SEOW 
 
 any good works, is the following : That 
 there is fomethini^ good in the creature, 
 which God confidcrs as a condition of his 
 falvation ; and which in the order of nature, 
 precedes his fecurity of eternal life. The 
 queftion is not, whether we are wholly de- 
 pendent on the free grace of God for all this 
 good in us. and all thefe conditions and 
 terms of juflification and falvation ? We all 
 agree, that every creature is abfolutely and 
 (entirely dependent on God, for all good of 
 every kind, both inherent and external. If 
 we confider any good in us, whether faith, 
 repentance, holinefs, or any thing elfe, as a- 
 term or condition, previous to which, as q 
 condition in God's view, he hath not made 
 eternal life fure to us ; we arrogate to our- 
 felves all the claim of merit that can pofli- 
 bly enter into the proud heart of a fmner, 
 and all that Paul fo much oppofeth ; we 
 claim to ourfelves every thing that man can 
 poflTibly boaft of, unlefs we claim entire in- 
 dependency of God, which no man ever 
 pretended to. 
 
 To fay we have, indeed, certain good qua- 
 lifications, and certain good diftinftions, 
 through grace, which give us claim to falva- 
 tion ; is to fay all that the proud pharifces 
 ever did lay, and all that the proudeft man 
 on earth ever did, or can fay ; even though 
 we are ever fo ready to own, that God freely 
 gave us all thefe good qualifications and dil- 
 tinttions. But the feelings of a foul are ex- 
 ceedingly different, who confiders falvation 
 made fure to him, by God in Chrifl, under 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 3©^ 
 
 the idea of a moft ungodly wretch, and 
 without any diftindion of good in him more 
 than in any man on earth, or any fallen an* 
 gel in hell ; that God juftified him in Chriil 
 as ungodly, wholly fo, and then lent him all 
 the dillmftions, all the qualifications of re- 
 pentance, faith, &c. merely in a way of ap- 
 plication of that falvation which, with God> 
 Was made fure to him before the world be- 
 gan. 
 
 It is certain w^ can form no other idea of 
 falvation by works, or merit in a creature, 
 than this, viz. That God, by his own free 
 grace, hath made fome good and valuable 
 diftinftions in that creature, hath freely be- 
 llowed fome good qualifications, making 
 that creature better than fome others ; and 
 then that God on that confideration, bellows 
 eternal life ; and that the good he hath al- 
 ready beflowed is a condition that binds 
 him fo to do. 
 
 Every one who thinks he has got hold of 
 a diftinguifhing, or fpecial piomife made 
 under a condition, will readily acknowledge 
 that it was wholly owing to the grace of God, 
 that ever he come up to the condition. 
 Faith, repentance, holinefs, and all thofe 
 things that are called terms and conditions 
 of falvation, are wholly of the free grace of 
 God, as we all grant. Yet, all thefe are 
 good works in the creature ; yea, the chief, 
 the capital of good works. Now, to fay 
 that we m.ay plead our title to falvation, as 
 grounded on any of thefe, or all thefe, is 
 only to offer the plainefl and greated plea of 
 
3^4 CREATISEON 
 
 merit in us, or of our own works, that a«y 
 man ever did offer or rejy upon. To own 
 we had our qualifications, which wc plead 
 as conditions of the promifes, from God, 
 only in a way of mere grace, does not mi- 
 litate in the leaft againft all the pride and 
 confidence of our own merit ; but does ra- 
 ther enhance it, as I have fhewn before. 
 The more diftinguifhing notice we imagine 
 God has taken of us, to make us better than 
 other men, the more we ftiall feel like the 
 pharifee in the temple. Indeed there is no 
 lalvation, on the limitarian plan ; but the 
 fame that was fo pleafmg to that devout 
 pharifee. 
 
 But, on the gospel plan, the idea, and 
 the feelings of the heart are quite different. 
 Chrill alone is our iecurity for eternal life, 
 wholly diflinft from all conditions or qua- 
 lifications in us. Our hope is laid up in 
 heaven. Jefus Chrift is our life. He hath 
 taken away the fin of the world, even before 
 we knew any thing about it : And now, by 
 his holy fpirit, fends to us the means of fal- 
 vation, and makes them operate effeftually 
 on our fouls, to make us meet to be parta- 
 kers of the inheritance of the faints in light. 
 He firfl infures falvation, and then makes 
 the application of the benefit, in his ^vfvi 
 way ; which is the only reafonable and pro- 
 per way, the only way adapted to the ra- 
 tional natures he has given us. God looks 
 on no terms, no conditions in poor finners, 
 however believing and penitent they are ; 
 nor on their inward holinels, otherwile thaa 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 3^5 
 
 as fit gradations he himfelf is taking, to ap- 
 ply to them that eternal falvation which, 
 with him, was equally fure to them in their 
 very word eftate. " If while we were ene- 
 mies we were reconciled to God by the 
 death of his Son : Much more, being recon- 
 ciled, we fhall be faved by his life." Rom. 
 V- lo. He that gave himfelf a ranfom for 
 all, will take his own way and time to make 
 the application ; but the day , Ihall come 
 when without a fingle exception, " the ran- 
 fomedof the Lord fliall return and come 
 with fongs to Zion, andeverlafting joy ihall 
 be upon their heads ; they fnall obtain joy 
 and gladnefs, and forrow and mourning 
 Ihall flee away." 
 
 It is a certain truth, that good qualifica- 
 tions and valuable diftinftions, conferred by 
 a fovereign God on his rational creatures, 
 will always operate in ti way of pride and 
 haughrinefs, if they confider thefe as terms 
 and conditions obliging God to confer great 
 things on them in future ; how much foever 
 they may acknowledge free grace in ail thefe 
 excellent endowments. It is equally certain, 
 that all thefe graces will operate in a way of 
 meeknefs and humility, if confidered only 
 as God's (it and proper means, or gradations 
 to confer benefits, founded on Chrift as 
 the only condition, and his atonement as the 
 only foundation to make them fure. Thus, 
 although there will be great diftin6lions of 
 grace and glory in heaven to all eternity, 
 among the redeemed race, they who have 
 
306 TREATISE ON 
 
 moft glory there, will excel others as much 
 in the grace of heavenly meekncls, as in any 
 thing elle. They will call down the bright- 
 til crowns ; and in doing this, will bow, 
 with the moll lowly reverence, before the 
 throne of the great and glorious Sovereign 
 of all. 
 
 It may not be amifs here to rcfume a 
 thought before fuggefled, with fome addi- 
 tion. I have laid that, on the limitarian 
 plan of falvation, the old covenant with 
 Adam, and the new covenant in the gofpel 
 are entirely one and the fame, in every 
 thing eifential or material ; the diflPerence is 
 only in words, not in reality. 
 
 Are we, under the goipel, wholly depen- 
 dent on God for every good qualilication ? 
 So was Adam before the fiill. Was real 
 goodnefs, holinels, or virtue required of him 
 as a previous condition of eternal life ? The 
 fame things, in kind, are required of us on 
 the limitarian plan in the fame view, only not 
 in lo high a degree : For an holy heart is at- 
 the bottom of all the conditional accom- 
 plifhments they plead for, as making out 
 our claim, in the light of God, to his eter- 
 nal favor. Did God fay to Adam you fhall 
 produce or fliew your qualifications in heart 
 and life, or elfe there is no toundation ot 
 hope from the conftitution you arc under ? 
 Jull fo the limitarian preacher lays to us un- 
 der the gofpel. So in all other refpetls, the 
 old and new conftitutions are, in 'their nature, 
 Juhjl ant tally the fame. 
 
 Jju T, there is one difference to be taken 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 3O7 
 
 notice of, which makes the new covenant 
 much more difficult to obtain eternal life by, 
 than the old. It is this ; the terms and con- 
 ditions God required of Adam were fuch, as, 
 at the time they were made, Adam had both 
 natural and moral power to comply with : 
 Whereas we now have only the natural pow- 
 er, but no moral power within our fouls. 
 Though moral impotency is very far from 
 excufing us from guilt ; yet, neverthelefs, 
 this fliews us that they who now hear the 
 gofpel, are, on limitarian principles, in a far 
 more perilous condition than man was, when 
 placed under the hrft covenant ; or that 
 jefiis Chrift preached in all his infinite fui- 
 nefs, is not fo good a foundation to rely up- 
 on, as the covenant of works was. And is 
 this the account God hath given us of the 
 foundation he hath laid in Zion ? You may 
 a;ifwer and fay, Chrift hath undertaken and 
 engaged for fmners, to work all things in and 
 for them. This is indeed a glorious truth. 
 Yet upon the limitarian fchcmc, arc not the 
 great multitude of mankind left out of fJiis 
 enfrafiement, and under an eternal decree of 
 reprobation too ? And not every one of 
 them commanded to believe and repent and 
 become a new creature, and that upon pam 
 of damnation rnofl dreadfully ag;gvavated ? 
 And is this good news to all people ? Is this 
 gofpel, or good news to every creature un- 
 der heaven ? Is not this ground of hope to 
 a loft world, much more perilous, than to 
 man under the firft covenant, which yet 
 faved him, not from total ruin ? 
 
308 TREATISE ON 
 
 I MUST freely confefs, that, after a very 
 long and very critical confideration of this 
 matter, I cannot fee but thv^t, it any obtain, 
 eternal life on the Umitarian plan, they do it 
 elTentially in the fame way, in which Adam 
 was to m;ike it fure by the firil covenant, i.e. 
 by their own qualifications. Thefe are no 
 more of free grace than his mfufi have been. 
 Nor can I fee, but that the foundation of 
 hope laid in Chrift for man, fmce the fall, 
 is iar more perilous than hi< ground of hope 
 by the firft covenant : But, bicfled be God, 
 Jefus Chrift is preached in the true 005- 
 VEL, as a fure foundation and fountain of 
 life to every guilty finner, and to all alike ; 
 and every finner is alike commanded to be- 
 lieve on him. " This is a faitliful faying 
 and worthy of all acceptation (the accepta- 
 tion of all fmners witliout a lingle excep- 
 tion) that Jeliis Chrift came into the world 
 to lave fmners ; of whom I am chief." 1. 
 Tim. i. 15. And, I nevcryet could pray or 
 preach according to the gofpel, to fatisfy 
 my own conlcience, without laying thole 
 things which, by unavoidable covfcquence, do 
 plainly infer, that Gx)d will have all men to 
 be faved in the end ; and th?it Chrift is the 
 Savior of all men, in the full, direct and inojl 
 natural meaning of the words ; though he is 
 eipecially fo to thofe who now believe, as I 
 have before noticed. Nor, did I ever yet 
 hear an evangelical fermon f-iom any man, 
 or a devout prayer, without prcmi fes from 
 whicfi the fame confequence is inevitable. 
 
 I AM very fcnfible that it has been com- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 30gf 
 
 mon for great and good preachers to mix 
 much of the old and new covenant together ; 
 though they never yet could make them u- 
 nite in one. So far as the new covenant has 
 been attended to with clearnefs, as pure gof- 
 fel, they have always faid thofe things which 
 cannot poflibly be true ; unlefs, Chrift hath 
 given his life a ranfom for all ; and died for 
 the fins of the whole world ; and will have 
 all men to be faved ; d^ndi will dravv^ all men 
 unto him, in the -plain, fimpk ftnfe of lan- 
 guage, without any comment at all. Every 
 lentence and exhibition of pure gofpel, from 
 the firfl to the laft page in the book of God, 
 does fully announce or imply the fame ; 
 though the defert of *an, on the covenant 
 of works, is all along Kept in our vievv, i\'ith 
 all the dreadful thunders of a broken law, 
 and the tremendous wrath of Deitv againft 
 fin every where difplayed as a flaming lire. 
 The gofpel and the law over againft each 
 other, even as in their ancient types, mount 
 Gerizim and m.ount Ebal. 
 
 It is my very humble, though very firm 
 conclufion, after all pofTible attention to the 
 nature of things, and to the word of God, 
 that whatfoever mifcrable hnnerof the hu- 
 man kind is difpoied to collect the leafi: ray 
 of hope from any diflin^tions, or qualificu- 
 tions in his heart, or in his lite, however he 
 may come by them, to embolden him to de- 
 pendon eternallife,aspromiledin confcqucna: 
 of thele things ; but not injured in the Me- 
 diator previous to all, or any of thefe quali- 
 fications, and that mofl iibfolutelj- in the 
 
glO TREATISEOK 
 
 covenant of redemption ; that man, i fay, 
 dees flill virtually defire to be under the 
 ]aiv'. And he lliall hear the law too, until 
 the fpirit of God^fhall be plcafed to furnifli 
 him with a more honorable fenfe of the true 
 God. and Jefus Chrift whom he hath fent ; 
 and more exalted views of the glory of Je- 
 hovah, in the manifeftations of infinite, eter- 
 nal, felf-moved love, and in his diiplays of 
 fovereign mercy to a lofl world. 
 
 I WOULD now refume and illuftrate a 
 thought which I have before introduced. 
 It is a common thing among men, that a 
 man is condemned in one charafter, and 
 juflified in another, even the fame man. A 
 judge may be likewiie general of an army. 
 He may appear exceeding well in one of 
 thefe charadlcrs, and very bad in the other. 
 He may be juftly damned or condemned as 
 a general, having ruined his country in his 
 military character ; and yet be much ap- 
 proved or juflified as a civilian. He may 
 be juflly amerced to the amount often times 
 the value of his eftatc, and cad into prifon 
 for life ; yet be AvhoUy juflified in the latter 
 charafter. A fponfor may ftcp in and re- 
 deem him, and he may after that enjoy the 
 bleffings of his good charaftcr ; although his 
 bad one will remain forever condemned, and 
 not the lefs fo becaufe he is redeemed from 
 the penalty of it. 
 
 No fair, candid reader will cavil at this 
 fimile, becaufe it does not quadrate in all ref- 
 pe6ls : Since it does intirely in the point dc- 
 ligned to be illuftrated by it, which is, that 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 31^ 
 
 we may be forever condemned in one cha- 
 ra6ler ; yet juftified in another, and alfo 
 may be delivered from all the pains and pe- 
 nalties juflly due to our condemned charac- 
 ter and condu6l. To fay that both charac- 
 ters in this fimilitude are perfonal ; whereas, 
 in the way of our falvation, one is only im- 
 putative, is nothing at all to the purpofe. 
 For the imputed chara6ler is, in the account 
 of our great Judge, and by the covenant of 
 redemption, juft the fame as to our redemp- 
 tion from the pains of hell, and our title to 
 heaven, as if it were perfonal. 
 
 The common fenfe and pra6lice of man- 
 kind, in many cafes in common life, ap- 
 proves of the condemnation and juftihcation 
 of the fame perfons, in different relations 
 and connexions ; and of the indemnity of 
 men mod juflly condemned, in a real cha- 
 rafter, which they have perfonally fuitained. 
 And though men cannot be happy and mife- 
 rable at the fame time; yet they may be hap- 
 py, in their perfons and real enjoyments, 
 while forever confcious they have merited 
 nothing but forrow and woe. 
 
 It is further an evidence of true gofpel 
 faith and hope ; that they work' by love, and 
 purify the heart and lite. Faith operates 
 in a way of love to God and man ; *• and 
 every man that hath this hope in him puri- 
 fieth himfelf even as he is pure." 
 
 I HAVE already obferved, that the faith 
 and hope for which I am pleading, ahv^ays 
 have fuch an effeft, and, in the very nature 
 
%ii Y H E A T I S E O N 
 
 of things, always will, while men and moral 
 agents remain what God has made them. 
 Alfo my own experience does indeed witnefs 
 to this truth. I luppofc that my own loul 
 is formed on the general, the univerfal plan 
 of human nature : And I am certain that 
 luch a view of God and the way of falvation 
 as I am pleading for ; fuch a view of man, 
 and of all creatures, and of their entire, ab- 
 iolute, and everlafling dependence on God ; 
 iuch a fenfe of the guilt and mifery of man 
 by nature, and the exalted glory of Chrift, 
 and of infinite, free, and iovereign grace, 
 has, of all things, the moil powerful efFeft 
 on my own heart to lead to repentance, 
 odiiim of all fm, the mortification of every 
 inordinate defire, and every worldly luft, 
 joyful refignation to the will of God in all 
 things, in all afflictions, however painful to 
 nature, and to make me feel towards God 
 and all his creatures, in imitation of the 
 feelings of the blelfed Redeemer. I am 
 certain that if I have, in any degree, the 
 fame mind which was alfo in Chrift Jefus, 
 I hare it in this way. When I have the 
 decpcfl: fenfc of thefe things, the world and 
 creatures appear to me as nothing, yea, lefs 
 than nothing and vanity, and God all in all. 
 Therefore, if other iiaman fouls are like 
 mine. 1 have not the leall fear that under- 
 flanding the way of falvation as I do, will 
 fio any harm to any child of Adam ; but 
 fjuite (he reverie. 
 
 I CANNOT contraft my views of the great 
 falvaliod, the common falvation, withm nar- 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. S^3 
 
 rower limits, without limiting the Holy One 
 of liVacl, even as to the capital glory of all 
 his ways. Yet after all, I am happy in this, 
 that if my dear kindred of the human kind, 
 or many of them cannot, at prefent, extend 
 their faith beyond the 7iarrow bounds of the 
 limitarian plan ; yet they are ftill in the fure 
 ivay to eternal falvation, if they fall not 
 fhort of their own underftanding of the way 
 of life ; that is to fay, if they have that re- 
 pentance, faith, and holinefs which they 
 hold nccelfary ; which is exaftly the fame 
 as that which I maintain neceifary, and 
 in a way of free grace only. I well 
 know that every man is at prefeiit, in the 
 way that leadeth to deftrudion, who hatli 
 not thefe graces. If many fuppofe, that 
 the great Mediator hath never engaged, 
 in his own way and time, to give thefe 
 graces, except to a few of the human 
 kind ; let them fee to it that they be 
 found among thofe few. If they do this, 
 they fhall never fail. 
 
 Their faith falls fhort in bo effential 
 point : Their unhappinefs lies only in this, 
 that they do not draw all the bleifed con- 
 fequences and comforts they might draw, 
 from premifes truly evangelical and lav- 
 ing. The premifes are not unfafe, as far as 
 they go. If inwrought into the foul, 
 they ftiall lead to fafety. We ought, 
 however, to iatisfy ourfelves in the inqui- 
 ry, WHAT IS TRUTH ? Yct it is not oui* 
 believing, or not believing, that there 
 
3*4 TREATISE ON 
 
 are many or few who fhall arrive at glo- 
 ry, which will fave or ruin any of us. Be- 
 lieving the great, effential doctrines of 
 grace, and living agreeably to the power of 
 them ; believing on the Lord Jel'us Chrrft 
 to the favmg of our fouls, and following 
 him in the regeneration, whether that 
 work be done for us fooner or later, 
 thefe, as God's means, will end in glo- 
 ry. No man fhall fee the Lord in glory, 
 without holinefs, and that in a far more 
 perfeft degree than ever any man had in 
 this world fmce the fall, or ever will have 
 while breath remains, or the foul is in uni- 
 on with this mortal body. Mod blclTed 
 however, are thofe eleft of God, chofen 
 in Chrift to early converfion, piety, and 
 holinefs, and to a life of faith, godlinefs, 
 and divine pleafure all their days. 
 
 Let thofe who believe,, that, in the mofl 
 plain and literal fenfe, Chrift is God's fal- 
 vation to the ends of the earth : That as fin 
 hath reigned unto death, much more, fliall 
 grace reign through righteoufncfs to eter- 
 nal life, by jefus Chnll our Lord : And 
 that as, by one man, judgment came upon 
 all men unto condemnation ; fo, by the 
 righteoufnefs of one, the free gift came 
 upo-n all men unto juflification of life: 
 I fay, let all fuch fee to it, without de- 
 lay, that they become new creatures. Such 
 0iould be immediately reconciled to that 
 God, in the actual temper of their fouls, 
 who is tru^y reconciled to them, in the 
 covenant of redemption, and the atonement 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 3I5 
 
 of his dear Son ; and they fhould walk 
 worthy of him, who hath called them to 
 his kingdom and glory. For, in very 
 deed, there is the fame neceflity of all this, 
 in order that we may be happy in the 
 world to come, on the doftrine here ad- 
 vanced, as on any limited plan of falva- 
 tion, that ever entered into the minds of 
 saiy of the loft human race. 
 
 The great bufinefs of the preachers of 
 righteoufnefs is little concerned, in tell- 
 iog, horv many Jhall be faved ; but rather, 
 how guilty, miierable fouls fhall be faved. 
 They are to hold up to the view of all men, 
 the true charafter of Jehovah, and of 
 fallen man : And the relation in which 
 man ftands to his Maker and his Tud'e, 
 his Redeemer, and the Sanftifier of the poU 
 luted human foul : What Chrift hath done 
 to lay the fole foundation of all his hopes : 
 What muft be done on his foul to brincr 
 
 o 
 
 him to the fruition of that bleilednefs 
 which alone can happify his immortal foul : 
 What man muft be and do, asmdifpenfably 
 neceffary, in its due place, to give him 
 rrue comfort in this world, and introduce 
 liim lO the inheritance and enjoyment of a 
 kingdom prepared for the ele£f body of 
 Chrift, and, with God, made abfoliitely 
 fure to that whole body, before the world 
 b?gan : And to point out and inforce all 
 relative duties, and every moral virtue, 
 agreeably to the reafon and nature of things, 
 aijd the word of God, 
 
3^^ TREATISE ON 
 
 They are alfo to fhew the horrible 
 nature of all fin, vice, and immorality ; 
 that it is even death, hell, and damnation, 
 fo long as the foul continues impenitent 
 in the ways of it. They are to difTuade from 
 i::, by every gofpci motive, and by every 
 motive from God's pure, holy, and infinitely 
 amiable law. They are to give hope and re- 
 lief to the finking, defpairing foul, in Chriji 
 alone, and comfoit to the children of God in 
 hi7}i only : To lead in the holy and joyful fo- 
 lemnities of divine worihip. in the high prai- 
 fes of God and the Lamb : To preach the 
 uufearchabk riches of Clinji : And to mani- 
 fell their folemn fenfe of all thefe things, 
 by a pure and holy life and example. Yet 
 when prefTed with arguments againll that 
 glorious, divine revelation God hath made 
 to a \o{i world, which never can be fully 
 and fairly anfwered on any more limited 
 plan, I think it a duty, and highly expe- 
 dient to take refuge in that -very gojpel which, 
 for ages and generations, has lain in great 
 part, hidden from men, in all the extent 
 and olorv of it. In which all the infinite 
 honors of Deity are fecured, and alfo the 
 iinal recovery of a loft world. Thus, they 
 are to open the word of God as fully as pol- 
 lible in that trtie fenfc, againfl which there 
 ran lie no folid charge of inconfiflency. 
 Thus It will forever appear in the utmoil 
 divine beauty, and in glorious harmony, 
 from beginning to end. 
 
 Could I pofTibly conceive of any way. 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVA-riON. 317 
 
 in which the great and holy God might 
 be more glorified in the eternal perfcnal 
 darnnation of many, or moft of mankind, 
 than in extending final redemption to them 
 all ; I certainly ought to acquiefce in fuch 
 a fearful event, yea, even to wifh for it. 
 But as it really appears to me, from the 
 nature of God, from his word, and from 
 all his works, and above all, from the 
 charafter, atonement and commiflion of 
 his dear Son, and from the covenant of 
 redemption and of grace, that the mofl 
 high and holy God cannot leave one hu- 
 man foul forever, under the power of 
 fpiritual and eternal death, confiilent with 
 his own higheft declarative honor, and 
 glory ; I ought net, I cannot believe he ever 
 will. ' 
 
 "My reafon is weak, very weak indeed ; 
 yet it is my duty to keep clofe to the 
 di£lates of it, under the all-facred autho- 
 rity of divine revelation. I cannot pof- 
 libly fee, but that, in the eternal, per- 
 fonal damnation of one human foul, the 
 Moft High would call a great re[lecl.ioii 
 on the full and complete atonement of 
 the Son of his love, and alfo on the Fa- 
 ther himfelf, as the Son is the brightnefs 
 of his Father's glory, and the exprelit i- 
 mage of his perfon. The diflionorable 
 rcfleflion appears to me would con fill in 
 this ; it would fully imply and indicate, 
 either, that the atonement of Chrifl was 
 not infinite, nor his power and' faithfulne fs ; 
 ©r that the love, pity, mercy, and grace of 
 
3lS TREATISE ON 
 
 God, was not infinite ; or that the fatif- 
 fadion of Chrift could not be adequate 
 to the divine law. 
 
 To imi.;;ine there is any need of the 
 (ternal pcrjonal torment of any finner of the 
 human race, in order further to illuftrate 
 the holinefs and juftice of God, the infi- 
 nite evil of (in ; or further to imprefs 
 the minds of the intelligent fyftem with 
 a fenfe of the infinite odioufnefs of fin, 
 and the infinite purity of God, and his 
 infinite hatred of all fin, is plainly ' to 
 fuppofe that the great work of the Son 
 of God can admit of fome amendment ; 
 that in very deed it is not a finiflied 
 work. For any man to think this necef- 
 fary or expedient, or any fuch thing, is 
 an amazinir refleftion on him who faid 
 *' IT IS FINISHED," wlicn hc bowed his 
 head and gave up the ghoft. It is infi- 
 nitely more abfurd than it woiald be for 
 a nobleman, v/hofe galleries are adorned 
 with the inimitable performances of a 
 Raphael or a Titian, afterwards to employ 
 the moll contemptible of all painters, to 
 come and retouch them, in order to their 
 greater embclliflimcnt ! God is a rock, his 
 -work is per fed. The ^vork of redemption 
 is mod emphatically fo. Of all that per- 
 tains to this work, mull it be faid, *' What- 
 focver God doth, it fliall be forever : No- 
 thing can be put to it, nor any thing ta- 
 ken from it ; and God doth it that man 
 ihould fear before him." 
 
 In good truth, I can learn nothing from 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. Z^9 
 
 the nature, charafter, word, or works of 
 God ; nothing from the emanations he has 
 been pleafed to make of himfelf, that leads 
 me to a fingle idea that the moft holy God, 
 fmce what hath been done and fufFered by 
 the Son of his love, can derive any glo- 
 ry to himfelf, or communicate any in- 
 ftru6lion, any good to the intelligent fyf- 
 tem, from the eternal, perfonal damnation 
 of any poor, miferable, guilty finner of the 
 human kind ; or that fuch a thing can be 
 without manifeft oppofition to the bleffed 
 nature of God, who is infinite love, and to 
 the glorious and merciful covenant of re- 
 demption, and all the moft glorious and tre- 
 mendous work of the^ Son of God, "which 
 he finiflied on the crofs. I cannot fee, but 
 that the nature of God is now open, (if I 
 may fo fpeak) the nature of eternal, infi- 
 nite, unlimited, boundlefs love, is now free 
 to take its fpontaneons courfe, without the 
 Icaft obftacle, from any oppcfmg claims of 
 juftice, ftanding in the way of the final fal- 
 vation of a whole guilty world. If it 
 be fo, do we in any wife, difpleafe God in 
 afcribing fuch " falvation to our God who 
 fitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb? 
 Saying, Amen : Bleffing, and glory, and wif- 
 dom, and thankfgiving, and honor, and 
 power, and might, be unto our God for- 
 ever and ever. Amen." Rev. vii. 
 
 I AM conftrained to think, that it is this 
 very plan of redeeming wifdom, power, and 
 love, that tbe four and twenty elders, the 
 rcprefcntatives of all the redeemed on high, 
 
820 TREATISE ON 
 
 hold in rapturous contemplation; and alfo 
 a.11 the blefled in heaven, when they fall 
 down before him that fitteth on the throne, 
 and worfhip him that liveth forever and 
 fever, and caft their crowns before the 
 throne, faying, thou art worthy, O Lord, to 
 receive glory, and honor, and power : for 
 thou haft created all things, and for thy 
 pJeafure they are and were created." Thy 
 pkajurs, mofl emphatically, as all things 
 were made for, and refult in the glories of 
 redecrning love. Rev. iv. Nor can I, on 
 any li'niitarian plan, or on any in the uni- 
 vcrfc, but that I am pleading for, account 
 for that glorious difplay. Rev. v. '' And 
 I beheld, and I heard the voice of many 
 angels round about the throne, and the liv- 
 ing creatures,* and the elders ; and the 
 number of them was ten thoufand times ten 
 thoufand, and thoufands of thoufands ; 
 laying, with a loud voice, worthy is the 
 I.amb that was flain, to receive power, and 
 riches, and wifdom, and Ihength, and ho- 
 tior, and glory, and blelling. And every 
 creature which is in heaven, and on the 
 earth, and under the earth, and fuch as 
 are in the lea, and all that are in them, 
 heard I, faying, biefling, and honor, and 
 glory, and power, be unto hiin that fitteth 
 upon the throne, i?.nd unto the Lamb for- 
 ever and ever. And the four living crea- 
 tures laid, Amen. And the four and 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 321 
 
 twenty elders fell down, and worfliipped 
 him that liveth forever and ever-" 
 
 If we attend only to the voice of the 
 holy law of God, as it founds every where 
 through the bible, we muft forever defpair, 
 not only of the falvation of this loft wurldy 
 but of any one of the fallen race ; unlefs 
 we confider this law, in all its maleditli- 
 ons, arki in ail its holy demands, zuholly 
 fatisfied in the fecond man, the Loid from 
 heaven. This indeed, is pure golpel truth. 
 When wc fo conlider it, the door of fal- 
 vation is wide open for all, and open a- 
 like for every child of Adam. The whole 
 debt is paid, and why ftiould not ail the 
 prifoners be difcharged ? Chriil paid ic 
 not for himfelf, but for them, and that 
 according to divine ftipulation, and the 
 entire good pleafure of the Father. " Mei- 
 fiah fhall be cut oiF, but not for him- 
 felf." 
 
 He has as much power and love, as he 
 has of merit ; and his kingly and prophet^ 
 ical abilities are equal to hi« pricjlly. All 
 power is given to him, in hcuven and in 
 earth. Shall the infinite love, that brought 
 him to the crofs to die for the fms of 
 the whole world, flop at the crofs ? Will 
 he not make the application, finallv, as 
 extenfive as the merits of the purchafe ? 
 If not, it cannot be for want of power, 
 it muft be only for want of will and mer- 
 ciful difpofition of foul. Is it any honor 
 R r 
 
3^2 TREATISEON 
 
 to Chrifl, tliivt we re fl vain the bowels of his 
 love in onv own minds ? Or is it agreeable 
 to his word ? Yc are not ftraitencd in him ; 
 but yc are ftraitencd in your own boweh. 
 Certciinly we fliould more honor and pleafe 
 God, and the Son of his love, it we had 
 not I'uch narrow, limited thoughts of di- 
 vine LOVE. 
 
 You, my reader, know, in your own 
 ioul, that you finccrcly and cordially love 
 your neighbor, and daily give him every 
 pohible proof of it ; yet he fo hates you, 
 that he cannot, he will not believe that 
 you love him, and is ever complaining of 
 you as the moft bitter, cniel enemy he 
 has in the world. Does he not abufe and 
 difhonor you ? But what proof did you 
 ever give to any man on earth, that you 
 loved him and wifhcd well to him, in any 
 meafure comparable to the teflimonies of 
 love, mercy, pity, and real good will 
 which the Redeemer does daily produce, 
 to prove his real, wonderful love, mer- 
 cy, and pity toward every child of A- 
 dam ? He bellows more real kindnefs on 
 the vilell fmner in the world, in one day, 
 than ever you bellowed on any pcrion on 
 earth, in your Avhole life. 
 
 After all this, for us to fay, that it is 
 his will and dilpofition to damn moll of 
 mankind in perlon, to all eternity, appears 
 to me not honorable to the true charac- 
 ter of Chrill, or agreeable to his word. To 
 I'ly, he is willing to favc every finncr, that 
 he Kikcth no pit afurc in the death of him 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 3^3 
 
 that dieth, but that he would turn nrxd 
 live ; and yet that God Almighty will not 
 fee that efFefted in his own way and 
 tune, in which h« fo much delights, and //w/, 
 after' every obftacle is removed by his Son, 
 which ever flood in the way of man's fah a- 
 tion, I think, is very far from doing honor 
 to the charaaer of the living and true God. 
 Our heavenly Father would have us argue 
 his love, and that of his Son towards un- 
 worthy linners, from all the manifeftations 
 of love, kindnefs and mercy he hath made 
 to them, in all the paths of his providence, 
 and, above 'all, in the wonders of redeem- 
 ing love. It is our great blame that we 
 do not know that the goodnefs of God lead- 
 eth to repentance, and that repentance 
 takes hold of a fenfe of pardon and eternal 
 life. 
 
 For my own part, T feel afraid to fpeak, 
 or even think of my heavenly Father, m ihs 
 limitarian view of him ; left I fhould awful- 
 ly abufe that charader which claims my 
 higheft reverence and love. If my own 
 clnldren will think and fay, that, for, my 
 o-cvn plcajurc, I will make them as miferabie 
 as I can, after all the fruits of kiiidncis in 
 my power, which I have conferred upon 
 them with an unremitting hand ; I Tnould 
 think them very wicked, a flicune to their 
 father, and bitternefs to her that bare 
 t:\tm. Why fhould we imagine, that cur 
 heavenly Father is pleafed to have us en- 
 tertain fimiiar thoughts of him ? " If ye 
 then beinff evil, know how to give good 
 
324 TREATISEON 
 
 gift<; unto your children, how much more 
 flial) youi Father who is in heaven, give good 
 things to tiicni that aflc him ?" Matt. vii. ii. 
 
 The work of Chrift is 7^ fuiijhed work. 
 The covenant of redemption is iulfilled on 
 his part, in every iota of it. 
 
 The blood of Jefus Chrift clcanfeth from 
 all fin, from impenitence, hardnejs oj heart, 
 and blindnefs of mind, as well as pra6lical 
 iins. Indeed, if it did not, it could cleanfc 
 Irom no fin at all : For thefe are the foun- 
 tain of all other fms and the greateft of 
 all. All fins are alike forgiven to men, and 
 done away in the atonement ; and rege- 
 neration, repentance and faith, are commu- 
 nicated on the lame ground, and their of- 
 fice is to make us " knozo the things freely giv- 
 en us of God." God fent his beloved Son into 
 the world, that the world, throuph him might 
 be favcd ; and he *' tailed death for every 
 man." The prophet torefaw this, and he 
 1 peaks of the bleflcd confcquence, without: 
 a word or thought of limitation. He con- 
 fiders a Jolt world all alike prifoners of 
 jullice, and cad into one and the fame 
 dokful pit together ; yet proclaims aloud, 
 " l>y the blood of thy covenant, I have 
 fent forth thv prifoners out of the pit 
 wherein is no v.ater-" Zcch. ix. ii. Nor 
 had Ifaiah any thought of limitation, when 
 he fpcaks of the anointing of the Son of 
 God, " to proclaim libeily to the captives, 
 and the opening of the prilon to them that 
 are bound; to comfort all that mourn.'* 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 325 
 
 ifai. Ixi. " That thou mayeft fay to the 
 prifoners, go forth ; and to them that are in 
 darknefs, fhew yourfelves." Ifai. xlix. o. 
 And it is worthy of our notice, that when the 
 Savior was commenting on thefe paffages, 
 he immediately took occafion to open the 
 extent of his falvation to the audience. 
 Luke iv. This was as much to their furprife 
 and offence, as the moft extenfive doctrine 
 of the falvation of finners now is to the moft 
 tenacious retainer of the do6lrine of a par- 
 tial falvation. 
 
 As I have already hinted, whatever doc- 
 trinal perfuafion may be in the mind of 
 any unregenerate man, that the way of fal- 
 vation, and the extent of it, according to the 
 nature and word of God, is fuch as I main- 
 tain, this do6lrine will never quiet an alarm- 
 ing, polluted confcience, and fet the foul at 
 reft from awful fears and terrors ; until it is 
 acquainted with God and reconciled to him. 
 
 While total enmity to God remains in the 
 foul, there will be diftreffing fears in fpafons 
 of refleftion. Nor is it pofTible in the nature 
 of things, that creatures that hate God as 
 we do, in our natural ftate, (hould have that 
 exalted fenfe of his love, which is maniiefl- 
 ed in the gofpel, and is indeed the glory of 
 it. Blind, unrenewed fmners will meafure 
 the love of God, and the motives on which 
 they luppofe God a6ts, much by their own. 
 
 Wfi muft indeed know the living and true 
 God, and jeius Chrift whom he hath lent, 
 in order to have a feeling apprehcnuon ol; 
 
^26 TREATISE ON 
 
 our ctcrnai life, as manifefl in the gof- 
 pcl ; whether we have a more confined, 
 or a more cxtenfive undcrflanding of it. 
 Never can we have comfort in the reconcili- 
 etion of a friend, to us ; until our hearts 
 meet with him in that reconciliation. If our 
 enmity remains, it will exclude us from 
 comfort in his friendship. How impor- 
 tant then is an immediate reconciliation 
 to God, by a new creation in Chrift Je- 
 fus, and by repentance and faith in his 
 blood ! 
 
 The infinite importance of immediate 
 reconciliation to God, is even more for- 
 cibly urged on the doftrine I have ad- 
 vanced, than on any more limited prin- 
 ciples. The great apoftle Paul hath in a 
 few words, virtually faid all I have been 
 pleading for ; and from prcmifcs arifmg 
 from the mod extenfive view of the a- 
 tonement of Chrifl, he does mofl forcibly 
 inculcate the immediate reconciliation of 
 fmners to God. *' For the love of Chrift 
 conftraineth us, becaufe we thus judge, that 
 if one died for all, then were all dead ; 
 and that he died for all, that tliey which 
 live, fhould not henceforth live unto 
 themfelves, but unto him who died for 
 them, and rofe again. Atid all things 
 are of God, who hatli reconciled us to 
 himfelf by jefus Chrift, cind hath given 
 to us the miniiiry of reconciliation; to 
 wit, that God was in Chrift reconciling 
 the world unto lumfelf, not imputing their 
 trefpaftes unto them ; and hath comniitc'd 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. S27 
 
 unto US the word of reconciliation. Now* 
 then we are ambaffadors for Chrift, as 
 though God did befeech you by us : We 
 pray you in Chrift's ftead, be ye recon- 
 ciled to God. For he hath made him 
 to be fin for us, who knew no fm ; that 
 we might be made the righteoufnefs of 
 God in him." 2. Cor. v. 
 
 Although this apoflle did alfo preach 
 the law abundantly, and found the voice 
 of pure juflice in all its tremendous ter- 
 rors ; yet he never preached or wrote one 
 word inconfiftent with what I have jufl 
 quoted. Whenever in his preaching or 
 writing, he held up the gofpel to view, 
 it was of the fame tenor. The fame 
 may be faid of all the other apcftles, and of 
 all the prophets. They learned it from 
 Jefus Chrift himfelf, in whom the only 
 foundation was laid, and who announced 
 the fame glorious tidings. 
 
 And, truly, as I have before hinted, 
 I never read or heard any difcourfes of 
 eminent and pious proteftant divines, but 
 what were built on premifes and argu- 
 ments which fully infer that glorious, final 
 extent of falvation, which I m.aintain, how- 
 ever inconfiftent they may have been, in 
 fome parts of their writings or fermons. 
 Indeed, ail I have now written, is nothing 
 more or lefs than the common, genuine, 
 proteftant doftrine of grace, fet free from 
 all the contradiftions and inconfiftencics 
 that have fo long been intermixed with 
 itj and the genuine and glorious confe- 
 
^2B TREATISE ON 
 
 quences of it more openly and explicit- 
 ly difplaycd. And thus I read thofe 
 writings ftill, and ever fhall, with great 
 edification and pleafure. And the incon- 
 liflencies I find intermixed with luch pure 
 and glorious truths, give me no more 
 offence, than the bones I find in deli- 
 cious fifli or fowl at my table. 
 
 To clofe the whole, as a confiftent im- 
 TROVEMENT of this dodrinc of falvation. 
 
 HOW fhould we love, fear, adore, and 
 obey fuch a God, whofe nature and cha- 
 rafter is fuch as here exhibited to our 
 view ! How ought we to fubmit to him in 
 all things, and rejoice in him evermore ! 
 What a foundation is here laid for the 
 relief of the moll guilty, even the chief 
 of finners ! What high and honorable 
 thoughts of God fhould we ever enter- 
 tain, and what fhould we think of Chri(l 
 his Son ! What comfort and even joy 
 does this doftriiie afford us in all fccnes 
 of divine providence, in the whole govern- 
 ment of liich a God ! 
 
 Hi-NCE how are we taught to love one 
 another, to love, pity and pray for all 
 our fellow finners ! How will the firm be- 
 lief of this doftrine lead us to prize the 
 word and ordinances of God, and to de- 
 light in his wojftiip, and to call on all 
 creatures to prail'e the Lord, whufc mercy 
 ciiduieih forever, and to hale all fin, all 
 that ii oppofitc tu the nature and comi'. 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 32§v 
 
 tnands of fuch a God ! How will thefe 
 principles, if really in the heart, produce a 
 feeling fenfe that all fm, vice and immo- 
 ralityris no other than death, helL and 
 damnation ; and that holinefs and vinuc is 
 heaven and divine glory ! How will they 
 lead us to live religion, for the love and 
 pleafure of it ; and to mourn for, and 
 ihun all difobedienee to God, all moral 
 evil as hateful beyond all expreffion, in 
 its own nature, and as that which coft 
 our beft Friend, our bleffed R.edeemer lb 
 dear ! How will thefe truths, if really 
 believed and wrought into the foul, pro- 
 mote love, union, and harmony among 
 all the miniflers of Chrift, and every branch 
 of his church redeemed by his own blood, 
 of whatever denomination they are ! 
 
 These principles cannot make thofe 
 who do not believe them., either worfc or 
 better : For they can have no effea upon 
 them. And as for all thole who do real- 
 ly in their hearts believe in this lalva- 
 tion, I am certain the eflFe6c will be very 
 great and good. Their hearts will be en- 
 larged, and they will run in the way of 
 God's commandments. Our mifery confifts 
 very much in the want of high and honora- 
 ble thoughts of God and of Chrift. And 
 we fall ftiort in nothing more than m our 
 ideas of the divine love. There is not a 
 mifcrable finner on earth, and never was, 
 who would not truft in God, if he had a 
 knowledge of his true charaaer. " They 
 
 o 
 
 ^ S 
 
33^ TREATISE ON 
 
 that know thy name will put their trufl; 
 in thee." Pfal. ix. lo. But all that know 
 not God, are in a ftate of condemnation. 
 There never can be any danger of our 
 having too exalted and enlarged thoughts 
 of any of the attributes of God, no not 
 of his love : For God is love. And to 
 keep ourlelvcs in the love of God, in all 
 the infinire extent of it, can never bring us 
 into condemnation. 
 
 You, my dear reader, as well as the 
 writer, mufl foon die, and appear at the 
 awful bar of an omnifcient and holy Judge. 
 We mufl foon make trial of the foundation 
 of the hope upon which we build. Our 
 diftinftions from other lofl finners, will 
 probably be no greater then, than at this 
 very moment ; and where fhall we look 
 for fupport then ? To things within our- 
 felves, or to Jeius Chrift ? To our good 
 qualifications, or to God alone ? Will you, 
 my friend, venture into the eternal world with 
 any hope, or any mixture of hope, but what 
 IS built on JeHovah alone, as nanifefl in his 
 beloved Son ? 
 
 Whatever men may plead, in days of 
 health, in favor of marks and diftinttions 
 in themfches, to feed their vanity, or iupport 
 their hope ; I never yet dilcourfed with 
 any dyin^j man in the exercile of his rati- 
 onal powers, who did not entirely let at 
 nought every iuch ground of hope. I 
 havtr invariably found every ore who felt 
 Within his loul in that awful, trying hour, 
 
UNIVERSAL SALVATION. 331' 
 
 any hope at all, has fixed it wholly on the 
 glorious nature and attributes of God, as 
 difplayed in the great Redeemer. And 
 whatever our refuge rnay be now, you 
 and I, my dear friend, muft make this our 
 laft refuge. Death is too terrible, and the 
 tribunal of the great Judge too awful, 
 to admit of any confidence but in Chrift 
 alone. 
 
 We fliall not feel ourfelves fo mtich bet- 
 ter than others, when death and the judg- 
 ment flaie us in the face, as we are apt to 
 do, in days of worldly profperity and piea- 
 fure. Whatever we imagine now, we fhall 
 then be fully convinced that a fole, un- 
 mixed dependence on God in Chrift can 
 alone fupport our trembling fouls ; and 
 that every other refuge is but a refuge of 
 lies. We fhall then find our need of 
 Chrift for wifdom, righteoufnefs, fanftifi- 
 cation, and ccmpleat redemption in every 
 view, and in every part of it, for Alpha 
 and Omega, the beginning and the ending, 
 the firft and the laft. God, in his Son, will 
 be all in all. And m that trying hour, 
 we {hall all find, that it is cur fole re- 
 fuge and only confolation, that, of him, 
 
 AND THROUGH HIM, AND TO HIM ARE ALL 
 THINGS, TO WHOM BE GLORY lOREVER. 
 
 AMEN. 
 
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