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by his death, must have done more for the elect, than for those who were not elected; while yet our opponents declare that, in the passing of the decree, that Christ should die, and which decree appointed and defined the objects of his death, God respected all men equally. Thus, in whatever light we examine this hypothesis, contradictions and absurdities grow out of it. As faith has been equally procured for all, but all will not be made partakers of it; or if it has not been procured for all, how vain and delusive is the procurement of that salvation, which is only procured on the condition of faith, which he, who procured the salvation, knew it was morally impossible for the sinner to exercise, without special grace, and yet God, who alone can give it, has refused to give it. Hence then, we arrive at this conclusion: either faith is completely in the power of the natural man, as Pelagius held; or it must have been procured by Christ in the atonement, and in consequence thereof given us by the Father.

To free themselves from all these difficulties, our adver saries sometimes attempt to illustrate their view of the sub ject, by a comparison instituted between Christ, and a prince who pays the price of redemption for all his subjects, who are taken captive by the enemy; though he does not effect by it the liberation of all; because some of them are unwilling to be set free. This comparison fails in one all-important circumstance. The prince is not able to give to those captives, who choose to remain in bondage, the will, to avail themselves of the price of redemption, which has been paid. Christ gives the will. Were there a prince, who could not only pay the ransom for his captive subjects, but could also give them the will to avail themselves of it; nay, farther, suppose that the prince knew that they had not, and that they could not have this will unless he bestowed it upon them, which he yet would not do; could any one say, that he seriously wished them to be liberated, and had paid the ransom with a serious intention to emancipate them? Again, if this comparison be urged, its force may be easily retorted. As the corporeal liberation of a captive cannot be effected by the mere payment of a ransom; the chains and fetters which bind him in the

prison must be broken asunder, otherwise the payment of the ransom will be ineffectual. In the same manner, in order to emancipate the soul, from the spiritual bondage of sin, it is not enough that a ransom is paid to justice, the chains of sin and unbelief, which bind the prisoner, so that he is both unable and unwilling to enjoy his liberty, must be burst asunder by the hand of the Almighty.

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Again I reason thus in behalf of limited atonement; if Christ died for all, then he made expiation for all their sins. Christ then, must have made atonement for the sins of unbelief and final impenitence, which prevent man from applying to himself that redemption, which has been provided for him; and thus they will no longer stand in the way of such an application; for on the supposition of satisfaction having been made for them, they must be pardoned. To this it cannot rationally be objected, that the blessings will be applied, if the condition on which redemption has been procured be complied with. It implies a contradiction to talk of the condition's being complied with, when the unbelief and impenitence are supposed to be final. It is as absurd to pretend that Christ died to atone for man's unbelief, provided he would not be unbelieving, but be. lieve; as to say I have found out an infallible remedy for the healing of a blind or leprous man which shall be applied on this condition, that he will not be blind, nor leprous. Farther, a failure in fulfilling the condition cannot prevent the application of redemption to unbelievers; for it is supposed that Christ by his death has made atonement for unbelief, and thus has atoned for the want of complying with the condition. But, since every one must see that this cannot be affirmed of those who will not be saved, or of the reprobate; the conclusion is irresistible, that Christ did not die for them.

6. The last topic of argumentation, to which I resort on this subject, is, the absurdities, that flow from the doctrine of universal atonement. If Christ died for all men universally, it will follow:-1. That he died, on condition they would believe, for multitudes innumerable, to whom his

death has never been made known; and hence it was impossible that they could believe. 2. That he died for those whom he knew to be children of perdition, whom God had passed by, resolving never to save them, and who would not, to all eternity, enjoy any of the fruits of his death; and so exercised ineffable love towards those, whom both he and the Father will eternally cause to suffer under the effects of their wrath and avenging justice. 3. That he died for those, who previously to his death, were actually condemned without all hope of reprieve, and were in hell suffering his avenging wrath, and that as their surety he suffered punishment in the place of those who were suffering punishment for themselves, and must suffer it without end. 4. That Christ is the Saviour and Redeemer of those who never will be saved or redeemed, and who by an eternal decree of the Father were passed by, and no redemption appointed for them. Or otherwise he must be an imperfect Saviour, having obtained a salvation which he never applies; for he indeed cannot be properly called a Saviour of any but those whom he makes to be partakers of salvation, and who will actually be saved.

I shall now proceed to answer objections. Christ is no where in scripture said to have died for all, unless some limitation is added; from which it may be inferred that these scriptures, in which he is said to have died for all, do not teach that he suffered for all men of all nations, but that the object of his death is restricted, to a limited number only. Sometimes it is limited to the multitude of the elect, which has an universality peculiar to itself. When it is said 2 Cor. v. 15, “ that Christ died for all," it is not to be understood of all those "who are dead," in sin; for the object of the apostle, in this chapter, is not to demonstrate the general depravity of men, but to shew how great the obligations are which bind believers to the performance of duty, both on account of their justification through the imputation of the merits of Christ's death, which delivers them from all obligations to suffer for their sins, a fully as if they had made satisfaction in their own

persons; and an account of their sanctification through the crucifixion of the old man with his affections and lusts, by the efficacy of the cross of Christ. Those are understood, who no more live unto themselves, but unto Christ; those for whom Christ not only died, but also rose again; and those whom the love of Christ constraineth. All these characters limit the all of the apostle. As if the apostle had said Christ died for all who are described by these characteristics. They agree to none but the elect, who will be actually saved; to whom alone it belongs to die in Christ, as to the old covenant, and to die with him, as the apostle elsewhere declares.* When the apostle in the 19th verse of this chapter, says, "that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them," he must be understood as treating of the world of those actually reconciled, "to whom he does not impute their sins." It is plain that this agrees to none but to the elect. To all others he does impute the sins, which they commit. The psalmist says,f they are blessed to whom the Lord does not impute sin. Surely this cannot be affirmed of those who will never be saved. In the sense in which the psalmist speaks, and in which the apostle speaks in Rom. vi. we are to understand the words of the apostle Rom. v. 18, 19. "By the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life; for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners: so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." The all men who receive "justification of life," are those," who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness;" and they can be none other than those who are actually justified. Who are they that actually obtain justification? They are believers, and believers alone; the elect, and the elect alone, who pertain to the community of the body of Christ, which is composed of all its members, and are the all of which the apostle speaks. As Adam is opposed to Christ, Head to Head; as sin and death have passed upon all † Psal. xxxi. 1.

*Rom. vi. 6. 8.

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who descend from Adam; in like manner, all who pertain to Christ the second Adam obtain justification and life. The apostle elsewhere expresses this by the phrases dying, and being made alive.*" As in Adam all die;" that is all who die, die in Adam, and on account of his sin; so in Christ shall all be made alive;" that is all who will be "made alive," in grace and glory will be made alive in Christ, and on his account. All those for whom Christ is said to have "tasted death," are sons, who are either brought, or to be brought to glory, the captain of whose salvation is Christ; whom Christ calls brethren, and whom God has given him. Will any one say that all these things can be affirmed of the reprobate? When the objector is prepared to say so, then, and not till then, let him quote this text, in proof of universal atonement.

Sometimes, the sacred writers use the word all, to exclude all distinctions of nations, age, sex, conditions, quaities, and other varieties, by which men are distinguished from one another; and not with a view to comprehend every individual. To this purpose speaks the apostle of the Gentiles." For the scripture saith whosoever believeth on him, shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him." To the same effect he speaks elsewhere.‡ In him thereis neither Jew nor Greek, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all." As if the apostle should say, no difference of nations, or conditions, either promotes or hinders salvation; but Christ bestows all things necessary for salvation, which he applies in all who believe, without any regard to nation or condition. This is explained by John in the Apocalypse,§" and they sung a new song, saying thou art worthy to take the book, and open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and peo

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