BY a benevolent affection to you and others you now aſſociate yourſelf with to attend the miniſtrations of the Stranger lately come into your Town, and from a ſerious concern for the cauſe of Chriſt and glory of God, I am moved to write a few things, which, I pray you and others concerned to take under proper conſideration, viz.

I. That all men are naturally in a ſinful, condemned, and periſhing ſtate.—Sinful, for there is none that doth good, no not one—ſo then they that are in the fleſh (as oppoſed to a being in the ſpirit) cannot pleaſe God.—Servants of ſin—under the power of ſatan, who worketh in the hearts of the children of diſobedience.—Condemned and periſhing, for he that believeth not, is condemned already—by the offence of one, judgment is come upon all men unto condemnation—under the curſe—guilty before God, and the wrath of God abideth on them, which is revealed from heaven againſt all ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs of men.

II. That it is abſolutely neceſſary that we be born of the Spirit—have repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.

— Born of the Spirit, for except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot ſee the kingdom of God; he cannot enter the kingdom of God; Chriſt ſays, Marvel not, that I ſaid unto you, ye muſt be born again. The unrighteous ſhall not inherit the kingdom of God; he muſt be waſhed and ſanctified.—Without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord with comfort; hence we muſt be renewed in the ſpirit of our mind.—We muſt be created after God in righteouſneſs and true holineſs.—None will receive Chriſt, or believe on his name, but ſuch as are born of God.—The natural man diſcerneth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſs unto him; neither CAN he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned.—No man CAN come to Chriſt, except the Father draw him.—None will or can love God or man with ſuch a love as God requires in his commands, without being born of God; he that loveth is born of God and knoweth God.—True ſaints are God's workmanſhip, created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works.—Such as are paſſed from death unto life love the brethren—love them, not in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth:—And this is love, that we keep God's commandments and Chriſt's ſayings. They do their Lord's will. They do not live in the practice of what they know their Lord forbids, nor in the neglect of what they know he commands. We muſt have repentance toward God and faith toward Chriſt our Lord and Saviour; for except ſinners repent they muſt periſh—they muſt repent and be converted that their ſins MAY be blotted out.—God now commands all men every where (where the goſpel comes) to repent.—Such as are not moved to repentance by the goodneſs, long-ſuffering, and forbearance of God, are, after their hardneſs and the impenitency of their hearts, treaſuring up wrath againſt the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.—Wo unto Chorazin and Bethſaida, that repented not! It ſhall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for them;—they that repent not, are the children of their father the devil, and the luſts of their father they will do.—They are the enemies of God and Chriſt, they will not be reconciled to God, nor have Chriſt to reign over them.—Impenitent ſinners, dying ſuch, muſt be damned; conſider this, ſays God, ye that forget God, leſt I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver: It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, who has ſaid, Vengeance is mine, I will repay it—and will by no means clear the guilty.—If the ſinner turn not, God will whet his ſword, he hath bent his bow and made it ready, and yet calls to ſinners ſaying, Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?— We muſt turn to God with weeping and mourning, with a broken heart and a contrite ſpirit, loathing ourſelves for all our abominations, and abhorring ourſelves in duſt and aſhes before God, lying low, infinitely low, in the deepeſt humility at his feet.—But we muſt repent and turn to God by faith in Chriſt, for no man can come to God but by Chriſt, or by faith in Chriſt; Chriſt is the only way to the Father; it is by faith we ſee the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt.—If our goſpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loſt, (as all unbelivers are) in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, leſt the light of the glorious goſpel of Chriſt, who is the image of God ſhould ſhine unto them.

Faith toward our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt is expreſſed by receiving Chriſt, the gift of God; coming to Chriſt; eating his fleſh and drinking his blood; believing in him with all the heart; coming after Chriſt; denying ourſelves, ſelling all we have, or leaving all and following Chriſt; by being in Chriſt.—abiding in him as the branch in the vine, rejoicing in Chriſt Jeſus without any confidence in the fleſh; counting all things as loſs and dung, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt, to win Chriſt and be found in him.—Fleeing for refuge to lay hold on the hope ſet before us.—All which variety of expreſſion of faith in Chriſt neceſſarily implies, that in true faith, there is application to Chriſt, union to Chriſt and a change of our ſtate.—We are in Chriſt, and no longer out of Chriſt, or with out Chriſt.—We are members of his body, of his fleſh, and of his bones.—Old things are done away with ſuch. Behold all things are become new! There is no condemnation to ſuch—they ſhall be ſaved:— They have peace with God:—They are juſtified, Chriſt is the end of the law for righteouſneſs to them:—They are God's adopted children! They have power or right to become the Sons of God.—They have the Spirit of Chriſt, and are led by his Spirit.—Walk in it, walk after it, and live to Him that died for them—in newneſs of life—in righteouſneſs and holineſs.—Their delight is in the law of God after the inner man.—Their faith works by love to God, by love to ſaints, and by love of benevolence to the perſons of wicked men and to perſonal enemies, for they pray heartily for them.—Theſe belive to the ſaving of their ſouls, are kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation and ſhall receive the end of their faith the ſalvation of their ſouls, they ſhall be glorified.

III. That all ſuch as die out of Chriſt, neglecting ſo great ſalvation, cannot eſcape damnation in hell forever: It is Chriſt that ſays, He that beliveth not ſhall be damned.—Except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh.—Whoſoever ſhall be aſhamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and ſinful generation, of him will the Son of Man be aſhamed, when he cometh in the glory of the Father with the holy angels.—Wo unto you that laugh now, for ye ſhall weep—ſhall be caſt into outer darkneſs, where there is wailing and gnaſhing of teeth. Blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt ſhall not be forgiven unto men, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.—And in the day of judgment, Chriſt will ſay to the wicked, depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.— The wicked ſhall go away into everlaſting puniſhment.— There is a great gulf fixed between heaven and hell, or the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect in heaven and the damned in hell-torments, ſo that there will be no paſſing from heaven to hell, nor from hell to heaven.—But wide is the gate and broad is the way, which leadeth (from us on earth) to deſtruction in hell, and many there be that go in thereat; becauſe ſtrait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leads from us on earth, to life, in heaven, and few there be that find it.—And as to what the inſpired Apoſtles ſay of this matter, time would fail me to relate—it is enough to obſerve, that ſuch profeſſors of religion as draw back, draw back to perdition;—that there remains no more ſacrifice for ſin, for ſuch as ſin wilfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth, but a fearful looking for of judgment and firy indignation.— That it is impoſſible to renew ſuch again unto repentance, who fall away and crucify to themſelves the Son of God afreſh and put him to an open ſhame, after they have been once enlightened and taſted of the good word of God, &c. That the heavens and the earth which are now, by the word of God are kept in ſtore, reſerved unto fire againſt the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.—That Chriſt will be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, whom he will puniſh with an everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord and the glory of his power.—Behold the Lord cometh with ten thouſands of his ſaints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of, &c.—We muſt all ſtand before the judgment-ſeat of Chriſt, that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.—Unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteouſneſs, the righteous Judge will render in that day, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguiſh of ſoul. And the ſmoke of their torment will aſcend up forever and ever. From the whole it appears as evident as inſpired language can make it.

1. That the time of life here on earth is our only probation-time for eternity. Behold now is the accepted time! Behold now is the day of ſalvation! God is now in Chriſt Jeſus reconciling the world unto himſelf—he is now on a throne of grace, but after death is the judgment; after death, they that are filthy will be filthy ſtill; and they that are holy will be holy ſtill.—When Chriſt cometh to judgment then cometh the end, when he ſhall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the Father—that God may be all in all.—And

2. That after death unto the final judgment, while our bodies are in the grave our ſouls will be in a fixed ſtate of happineſs or miſery, according to the ſtate we were in when we gave up the ghoſt;— if in Chriſt, of happineſs; if out of Chriſt—of miſery, and after the reſurrection and final judgment the wicked will be in a ſtate of puniſhment in ſoul and body forever and ever.

Now if all mankind will finally be ſaved and happy, Why did Chriſt and his inſpired Penmen of holy ſcripture ſpeak of the damnation and puniſhment of wicked men, dying in their impenitence and unbelief, as being, after the day of judgment, fixed for an eternal duration? Or why do they, when ſpeaking of the miſery and puniſhment of wicked men in hell, always make uſe of ſuch terms and expreſſions, as are the moſt emphatical to impreſs our minds with an apprehenſion of their eternal, or endleſs and neverceaſing duration; without the leaſt hint, in other terms or expreſſions, that the damned ſhall finally be releaſed from the puniſhments of hell, and be tranſlated to the regions of eternal bleſſedneſs? What end could Chriſt and his inſpired Writers have in view, in uſing ſuch words in ſuch a manner, upon this awful ſubject of the damnation of hell, as they knew all men of common ſenſe muſt and would underſtand to import endleſs, neverceaſing duration; if they knew at the ſame time the puniſhment of wicked men in hell will not be eternal, but have an end? Yea, What reaſon can be given why Chriſt did not tell his hearers, that no man would be finally loſt, but every individual of mankind ſhould finally be ſaved, eſpecially when one of his hearers made it almoſt neceſſary, by putting this queſtion to him. Are there few that be ſaved? Chriſt did not anſwer him ſaying, "You are under a groſs error or miſtake by means of the damning doctrine of your Teachers, who are proclaiming every where through the country, that wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be that go in thereat; becauſe ſtrait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few there be that find it."—No, No; but he ſaid unto them, "Strive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, for many I ſay unto you will ſeek to enter in and ſhall not be able, when once the maſter of the houſe is riſen up and hath ſhut to the door, and you begin to ſtand without and to knock at the door, ſaying, Lord, Lord, open to us, &c."—Which anſwer plainly teaches, That none will be ſaved but ſuch as enter the ſtrait gate which opens into the narrow way that leads to life eternal.—That many of thoſe that ſhall ſeek to enter therein ſhall not be able and hence ſhall not be ſaved, and that the reaſon why they ſhall not be able to enter the ſtrait gate is, becauſe they will not begin to ſeek, or to ſtand at the door and to knock until after the maſter of the houſe is riſen up and hath ſhut to the door, until after their probation-time is at an end.

But if, notwithſtanding what Chriſt and his inſpired Penmen ſay to the contrary, the damned, after ſuffering in hell a certain finite or limited duration, ſhall be tranſlated to heaven: Before we can receive this as an article of faith, we muſt be able to produce in the ſcriptures of truth, a thus ſaith the Lord for it; but where will you find the divine teſtimony in the book of God, that the wicked in hell will in ſome future period, either before, at or after the day of judgment, be delivered from the pains of hell and made bleſſed in heaven forever? And where is it ſaid in the bible, that though Chriſt and the inſpired Writers ſpeak of hell-puniſhment as everlaſting, eternal, forever and ever, &c. Yet it muſt not be underſtood, that they taught, it would be properly everlaſting, eternal, forever and ever, or to an endleſs durarion? Or where is it ſaid in the word of God, that the words eternal, everlaſting, forever, The original word (in the Greek) is but one for all theſe in Engliſh. ſignify endleſs, neverceaſing duration, when joined with life and bleſſedneſs in heaven; but never ſo when joined with deſtruction, puniſhment, or miſery in hell?

Beſides, if the wicked in hell ſhall ever, hereafter, come out of hell and be bleſſed in heaven, they muſt firſt pay the very laſt farthing or mite of the debt of ten thouſand talents, for which they were caſt into the priſon of hell; for they ſhall not come out thence, until they have paid the very laſt farthing or mite, is the teſtimony of Chriſt; that is, they muſt ſuffer in hell as much and as long as they deſerve to ſuffer at the hands of juſtice for the infinite evil of ſin, as it is a violation of infinite obligation to love and obey God!

Now it is poſſible for a finite Being to ſuffer as much as he deſerves to ſuffer for his ſins, in a limited duration of time, or it is not: If it is poſſible, then we did not ſtand in abſolute need of Chriſt, as an infinite Perſon to become our ſurety, and to make atonement for our ſins by ſuffering for us, the juſt for the unjuſt, in order to deliver us from the wrath that is to come. For after perſons have ſuffered as much as they deſerve to ſuffer for their ſins, they muſt be immediately delivered from a ſtate of ſuffering; it will be no act of juſtice to hold them under puniſhment any longer: But ſuch as are delivered from hell on account of their own ſuffering, will not join with the redeemed in heaven in aſcribing their redemption to Chriſt, as having redeemed them unto God by his blood:—But it is not poſſible for ſinners in their own perſons to ſuffer, in a limited duration of time, all that they deſerve to ſuffer for ſin at the hands of juſtice, becauſe ſin is an infinite evil, which God infinitely hates, and therefore an infinite puniſhment in duration is what the ſinner deſerves to ſuffer for it at the hands of divine juſtice.

But ſuppoſing it poſſible to ſuffer in hell as much s we deſerve for our ſins, ſo as to be releaſed from a ſtate of puniſhment, this would not qualify the ſinner for the enjoyment of heaven; the inflicting puniſhment on men or devils in hell has no tendency to take away their enmity againſt God, and to make them his cordial friends; but this is abſolutely neceſſary to our enjoying heaven, if we do not love God for his own ſake, if we do not love him ſupremely, yea, if we do not love him in all his moral character as the heaven of heaven, heaven will be no heaven to us!

But we are ſure from the moſt ſure word of propheſy, unto which we do well to take heed, that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the kingdom of God—and that ſuch are all we, by nature as fallen creatures, and by practice ſinners, and therefore, that none of us will inherit the kingdom of God, but ſuch as are waſhed and ſanctified and juſtified in the name of the Lord Jeſus and by the Spirit of our God.

4. That the holy ſcriptures abundantly call upon us to watch and pray that we enter not into temptation—to examine ourſelves whether we be real chriſtians—to watch our own hearts—to ſee that we receive the love of the truth, becauſe ſuch as do not receive it are in danger of being given up to ſtrong deluſions to believe a lie that they may be damned—to be vigilant and ſober, becauſe the devil, our adverſary is going about ſeeking whom he may devour, as a roaring lion.—To beware of ſatan's miniſters—wolves in ſheep's clothing, who transform themſelves into the miniſters of Chriſt: We muſt not believe every ſpirit, but try the ſpirits whether they be of God, becauſe there are many falſe prophets gone out into the world, who will privily bring in damnable hereſies, by means of whoſe pernicious ways, the way of truth ſhall be evil ſpoken of; and becauſe, by all deceivableneſs and by good words and fair ſpeeches they will deceive the hearts of the ſimple, and uſe ſuch cunning craftineſs to corrupt the minds of people from the ſimplicity in Chriſt, that if it were poſſible, they would deceive the very elect, we muſt not go after them, but let them alone—for they are blind leaders of the blind—their words eat as doth a canker—their doctrine like leaven will ſpread and infect, or like a faſcination or charm, captivate the reaſon and bewitch the ſenſes or minds of people. "O fooliſh Galatians who hath bewitched you, that you ſhould not obey the truth, &c.—Ye did run well, who hath hindered you? I bear you record, if it had been poſſible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and have given them to me. Am I therefore become your enemy, becauſe I tell you the truth?"

Ah, ah, you will ſay, falſe Teachers and their doctrines are to be avoided: But who are theſe falſe Teachers? I will anſwer.

1. Falſe Teachers (wolves in ſheep's clothing) are ungodly men; ſenſual not having the ſpirit of Chriſt; they may have the form of godlineſs, yet they always deny the power thereof.—They are of the world.—They have never been convinced, by the Holy Ghoſt, of ſin, of righteouſneſs, and of judgment.—Have never been ſlain by the law; never through the law become dead to the law—that they might live to God.—Never had their mouths ſtopped and become ſenſibly guilty before God, as juſtly condemned.—Never ſeen themſelves cut off for their parts and brought to the feet of ſovereign mercy with a God be merciful to me a ſinner.—Never brought to juſtify God, ſhould judgment proceed againſt them in their everlaſting puniſhment.—Never had the eyes of their underſtandings opened in the knowledge of Chriſt to ſee him in his true character, as the Son of God and Savior of men, as having all fulneſs in him, as being altogether lovely, ſo as to forſake all things, in affection for him, and to have every imagination and high thing which exalteth itſelf againſt the knowledge of God, caſt down, and every thought brought into captivity unto the obedience of Chriſt. And to worſhip God in the ſpirit and rejoice in Chriſt Jeſus without any confidence in the fleſh:—Never been formed into ſuch a temper of mind, as to delight in the moral law after the inner-man, as being juſt, holy, and good—to love God's glory for its own ſake, as an ultimate good, and to live to the Lord, and glorify him in their body and in their ſpirit which are his—to eſteem God's precepts concerning all things to be right, and to hate every falſe way—to repent and turn from every evil way, and to abhor themſelves and repent in duſt and aſhes.— And to exerciſe a truly benevolent affection towards all men, friends and enemies.—It is true, they may have had awakenings and illuminations, and joys and comforts, and great confidence of their good eſtate before God, and great gifts of knowledge and utterance, ſpeak with the tongue of men and angels, &c. and yet have no charity, no love to God, no genuine benevolence to men, no friendly affection to Jeſus Chriſt and his kingdom; but be wolves, dogs, conciſion, wholly wrapt up in a baſe, contracted, ſelfiſh ſpirit, inimical to God, Jeſus Chriſt, and mankind.—And you may be ſure, that Teacher is a wolf in ſheep's cloathing, is deſtitute of true love to Chriſt, who lives in the neglect of family religion, and teaches others to do ſo, at leaſt by his practice, and makes light of Chriſt's ordinances, inſtitutions, and ſacramental ſeals of the covenant of grace.

2. Falſe teachers are hirelings, whoſe own the ſheep are not, they do not naturally care for the good of the flock, the things which be Jeſus Chriſt's.— They do not travel in birth of ſouls until Chriſt be formed in them; they do not wreſtle in prayer with God for the outpouring of his Spirit on ſinners to convince them of ſin, to regenerate and effectually call them unto the fellowſhip of the Father and of his Son Chriſt Jeſus.—And ſuch are falſe teachers, and manifeſt they have no true care for ſouls, that neglect to preſs ſinners to ſpeedy repentance—to a ſpeedy flight by faith to Chriſt for refuge—neglect to pray and beſeech them in Chriſt's ſtead to be reconciled to God, to be at peace with him, and to live a life of univerſal obedience to all the revealed will of God; and neglect to do it on principle! John ſaid, "The ax is laid to the root of the trees, every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and caſt into the fire:"—Chriſt ſaid, "Except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh."—That ſuch as will not cut off a right hand, or put off the old man that is corrupt, muſt go to hell with all their luſts, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched; and wept over hardened Jeruſalem ſaying, "How often would I have gathered thy children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings and ye would not."—"Behold," &c.—The Apoſtles called on ſinners to "repent and be converted that their ſins might be blotted out."—Prayed ſouls and beſeeched them in Chriſt's ſtead to be reconciled to God, and knowing the terrors of the Lord perſuaded men, ſaying, "How can ye eſcape if ye neglect ſo great ſalvation!—Awake thou that ſleepeſt and ariſe from the dead and Chriſt ſhall give you light:—But while ye cry peace and ſafety to yourſelves, ſudden deſtruction ſhall come upon you, &c."

Such do not care for the flock, that neglect from time to time to urge profeſſors of religion to give all diligence to add to their faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, &c. And to give diligence to make their calling and election ſure;—neglect to urge them to be holy in all manner of converſation and godlineſs, and to give diligence to be found of the Lord in peace without ſpot and blameleſs, from a conſideration, "that the heaven and the earth which now are, by the word of God are kept in ſtore, reſerved unto fire againſt the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men:"—Neglect to urge them to believe to the ſaving of their ſouls from a conſideration, that ſuch as draw back, draw back unto perdition, and God's ſoul has no pleaſure in them, and he will ſwear in his wrath that they ſhall not enter into the reſt which remains for the people of God, as he ſwore unbelieving Iſrael ſhould not enter into the promiſed land of Canaan.—The Apoſtle Paul ſays, "I have kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, teſtifying both to the Jews and alſo unto the Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not ſhunned to declare unto you all the counſel of God."— And again, "Whom (Chriſt) we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wiſdom, that we may preſent every man perfect in Chriſt Jeſus."

3. Such are falſe teachers, who privily bring in damnable hereſies.—Privily under ſheep's cloathing— under a cloak of zeal for our good, they zealouſly affect you but not well.—Wrap them up in good words and fair ſpeeches to deceive the hearts of the ſimple. They corrupt the word of God, retain hidden things of diſhoneſty—walk in craftineſs, and handle the word of God deceitfully—wreſt the ſcriptures by their forced interpretations to ſpeak what the Holy Ghoſt never intended, yea, what is contrary to the letter and ſpirit of the written word of God.—The Apoſtle Paul ſays, "That we henceforth be no more children toſſed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the ſlight of men and cunning craftineſs, whereby they lye in wait to deceive."

And here it may be affirmed without the leaſt heſitation, that ſuch a perſon is a falſe teacher, who advances certain leading principles or tenets in religion, which have a tendency to produce very fatal conſequences to the ſouls of men, if embraced, to maintain and ſupport which, he is forced to contradict the common ſenſe of mankind, the common ſentiments of the whole Proteſtant Church, and the plain and obvious meaning of Chriſt and the inſpired Penmen of ſacred ſcripture:—Such is the doctrine of univerſal ſalvation as advanced by the Stranger, his doctrine of purgatory or intermediate ſtate, and of no application of Chriſt, or effectual calling, converſion, or believing in Chriſt as neceſſary in order to our being pardoned by God, juſtified as righteous in his ſight, received into his favor, and made heirs of eternal ſalvation through Chriſt's name.

It may alſo be affirmed to be an infallible mark of a falſe teacher, if at his firſt coming into a ſtrange place, it is his practice to make uſe of ſuch language only, or forms of ſpeech as he underſtands convey to them orthodox ſentiments until he has gained their affections, and then by little and little, as he finds it will bear, to devulge his corrupt tenets in language directly contrary to what he uſed at firſt▪—That is, more open and leſs equivocal; thus the ſerpent beguiled Eve through his ſubtilty—and thus the Apoſtle feared the minds of the Corinthians would be corrupted from the ſimplicity that is in Chriſt, by thoſe Miniſters of ſatan, who transformed themſelves into the apoſtles of Chriſt, or as the miniſters of righteouſneſs, even as "ſatan himſelf is transformed into an angel of light."

4. As falſe teachers are of the world, they ſpeak of the world and the world heareth them; but the Apoſtle ſays, "We are of God, he that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us; hereby know we the ſpirit of truth and the ſpirit of error." And Chriſt ſays to the Jews, "I am come in my Father's name and ye receive me not; if another ſhall come in his own name, him ye will receive."— Again, "Why do ye not underſtand my ſpeech? Even becauſe ye cannot hear my words—and becauſe I tell you the truth ye believe me not.—He that is of God heareth God's words, ye therefore hear them not, becauſe ye are not of God.—Many therefore of his diſciples when they heard—ſaid this is a hard ſaying, who can hear it?—From that time many of his diſciples went back and no more walked with him." Theſe were only nominal, that is to ſay, not diſciples indeed.—Now as none can cordially acquieſce in the doctrine of Chriſt, but ſuch as are born of God, becauſe it is directly contrary to the ſinful inclinations of our hearts, and we muſt deny ourſelves in complying with it; we muſt conclude, ſuch teachers come not with the doctrine of Chriſt, nor in his name, but in their own name and with the ſpirit of the world; if wicked and carnal men find no difficulty in complying with their doctrine ariſing from their own corrupt and ſinful inclinations, and that they would gladly become their diſciples, but are kept back by the objections from common ſenſe, the light of their reaſon and conſcience, and a rational belief of the contrary truths.—Let us illuſtrate this a little.

Chriſt preaches, that we muſt believe in him, repent and be converted and become as little children, muſt deny ourſelves and take up our croſs daily and follow him—muſt forſake all that we have and love him above father, mother, wife, children, houſe, land, and even our own life, yea muſt cut off a right hand and pluck out a right eye that offends, or otherwiſe we muſt be damned, we muſt go to hell with both hands and both eyes, even into a ſtate of everlaſting puniſhment, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.

But ſuppoſing a Stranger comes into Glouceſter in A. D. 1775, and teaches, "That Chriſt, by making complete atonement for ſin by the ſacrifice of himſelf, has made up the breach between God and fallen men, ſo that all men are now pardoned, all are juſtified, and all will finally be ſaved; Chriſt has bound up the broken in heart; my bible ſays he has done it. Some, indeed, ſpeak of application to Chriſt as neceſſary, but my bible knows of no ſuch application as neceſſary to our being pardoned, juſtified, or ſaved eternally; no, we are ſaved by grace, and juſtified freely through the redemption of Chriſt; all mankind were in Chriſt before the foundation of the world; all men were choſen in him in contradiſtinction to the fallen angels.—Chriſt having given himſelf a ranſom for all to be teſtified in due time, he has made peace by the blood of his croſs for all, and God is now reconciled to the world, not imputing to them their treſpaſſes, and Chriſt is made of God unto all men wiſdom, righteouſneſs, ſanctification, and redemption.—As we are in Chriſt before we believe, ſo we are pardoned and juſtified before we believe, and our ſanctification is not in ourſelves, but in Chriſt as our juſtification is in him.—God ſees no iniquity in men, all men are the children of God.—No man is a child of the devil.—The children of the devil, or of the wicked one, are the tares, which the enemy or devil ſowed in the world. Did the devil ſend men into this world? No, no; but ſin is of the devil and there are doctrines of devils.— Theſe ſins and errors are the tares, the hay, wood, and ſtubble, which ſhall, in the end of the world be bound in bundles and ſent away into that everlaſting fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels.

"That all mankind will finally be ſaved and made eternally happy, appears from the declaration of the divine goodneſs and his will relative to this matter: As I live, ſaith the Lord God, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked; and the Apoſtle Peter ſays, The Lord is long-ſuffering, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance, and the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaking of God our Saviour, ſays, Who will have all men to be ſaved and come to the knowledge of the truth—nay, is it not expreſſly ſaid, "As by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even ſo, by the righteouſneſs of one the free gift came upon all men unto juſtification of life.—For as in Adam all die, ſo in Chriſt ſhall all be made alive.— Chriſt gave himſelf a ranſom for all to be teſtified in due time.—He taſted death for every man.—Chriſt is a propitiation for the ſins of the whole world, and will draw all men unto him.

"You muſt be ſenſible, beloved, that preaching this doctrine of univerſal ſalvation, and that all are beloved of God, and intereſted in Chriſt, &c. is preaching the goſpel, that is, glad tidings of ſalvation unto all people.—For how can miniſters preach the goſpel unto every creature, if every creature has not an intereſt in Chriſt? Yea, How can God ſincerely offer ſalvation to all, if all are not to be ſaved? And how can any perſon believe; yea, how can all be required to believe, if all are not to be ſaved?

"It is true, he that believeth not ſhall be damned, but you know that the words damned and condemned are uſed as ſynonimous, as for inſtance, he that doubteth is damned if he eateth; and the word damnation ſignifies ſome temporal loſs, judgment, or calamity, when it is ſaid, he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himſelf, for which cauſe ſome are ſickly, &c. Therefore, he that believeth not ſhall be damned, muſt ſignify no more than this, he ſhall be condemned in his own mind, and ſuffer the loſs or want of that comfort, which ſuch enjoy, as believe; it doth not mean that he ſhall be damned forever; yea though ſuch as die in unbelief may go to hell, or to an intermediate ſtate, where Judas went, when he went to his own place, which may be a ſtate of inquietude, or perplexity, yet they ſhall in due time be finally releaſed from that ſtate and be bleſſed in heaven forever; for mark the words, Chriſt gave himſelf a ranſom for all, to be teſtified in due time, But To Marturio • kairois idiois, as theſe words in other places are tranſlated, would literally be read thus in Engliſh, viz. A teſtimony or witneſs in his times, or in proper times ▪—Chriſt's giving himſelf a ranſom for all, was a teſtimony of God's grace, and of his being himſelf the one Mediator between God and men; and this he did in the proper time fixed upon in the counſel of God's will, or in his determinate counſel and foreknowledge.—And there is alſo a proper time for calling in the elect by the preaching of the goſpel, called the teſtimony of Chriſt: And it is to be preached to all nations for a witneſs or teſtimony, and in every age to the end of the world, but to none after the end cometh—for the Maſter of the houſe will ſhut to the door and Chriſt will deliver up the kingdom to God even the Father, &c.—Nor to any after they give up the ghoſt, becauſe the ſouls of wicked men are immediately in hell, and good men in heaven, and a gulf is fixed between them, &c. and Judas himſelf ſhall hereafter, as well as the reſt of the twelve apoſtles, ſit on a throne judging the twelve tribes of Iſrael.

"And as to faith, or believing, which pretended divines and miniſters of Chriſt have wrote loads of volumes to define, that ſerve only to confound and perplex the minds of the people; it is in no ſenſe at all a condition or mean of our intereſt in Chriſt, of our pardon, juſtification, or ſalvation; for otherwiſe how are we ſaved by grace and juſtified FREELY? And beſides;, is it poſſible for our believing, to make a change in our real ſtate, or to give us a real intereſt in Chriſt?But whom ſhall we believe, the Bible or this Stranger? The bible ſays, he that believeth not is condemned already:—By whom is he condemned? By God.—Again, that there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus:—And he that believeth on Chriſt hath everlaſting life and ſhall not come into condemnation; but is paſſed from death unto life.—That all, while in a ſtate of unbelief, are without Chriſt, having no hope, and without God in the world, ſtrangers to the covenant of promiſe, and children of wrath;—but when they believe in Chriſt, Chriſt dwells in their hearts by faith, they are made nigh by his blood— are no longer ſtrangers afar off, but fellow-citizens with the ſaints and of the houſhold of God, they are all the children of God by faith in Chriſt; if children then heirs—heirs of God and joint-heirs with Chriſt Jeſus.—A rich gift may be offered freely to a poor man, which, if he receives, will make him rich; the free offer gives him a warrant to receive it and uſe it as his own; but if he does not receive it, it is neither his own, nor has he any grounds to expect any benefit by it:— Bread is offered to a poor man periſhing with hunger, but if he refuſes to receive and to eat it, he has neither intereſt in it as his own, nor is ſaved from periſhing by it.—The king's ſon, heir apparent of the crown, offers himſelf in marriage to a poor woman, with the full approbation of the king, with a promiſe upon her accepting, that ſhe ſhall be received into the royal palace and conſidered as a joint-heir with her dignified huſband. In this caſe her accepting will make a great change in her ſtate, and by refuſing ſhe not only remains poor and low but is guilty of making light of the moſt condeſcending offer!—No, it is only a believing the goſpel, theſe glad tidings, which I preach, that all men are intereſted in Chriſt.—That God is reconciled to all.—That all men ſhall be finally happy, &c. And hence that God is reconciled to me in particular, that my ſins are pardoned, &c. In believing thus our hearts are filled with all joy and peace, and this faith works by love to God, we love him becauſe we believe he loved us firſt.— We love Chriſt becauſe we believe he loved us and gave himſelf for us.—Hence, my Brethren, away with all the damning doctrine inculcated by all the preachers in theſe American Colonies, except one or two at moſt.—You do not hear me inſiſt upon the nature and neceſſity of regeneration, nor upon repentance toward God and faith toward Chriſt as neceſſary to our being intereſted in Chriſt, pardoned, juſtified, or ſaved; nor on our being new creatures—holy as God is holy in all manner of converſation and godlineſs—on our keeping Chriſt's ſayings, attending on the adminiſtration of goſpel-ſacraments, and praying always with all prayer in ſecret, in family, and public worſhip as neceſſary to evidence to ourſelves and before men, that we are in Chriſt, that our faith is not a dead faith, but that we are ſuch as are or ſhall be ſaved.—And much leſs do ye hear me telling the drunkard, the profane ſwearer, the whoremonger, &c. that they muſt repent and be converted now while they have a ſpace to repent and the long-ſuffering of God is waiting on them, or elſe they muſt hereafter lift up their eyes in torments, in an unalterable ſtate of miſery, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched and the ſmoke of their torments ſhall aſcend up forever and ever! No, no; I do not chuſe to offend the ears of my hearers with ſuch diſagreable ſounds, but rather, leaving this to the preachers of this land, I chuſe to entertain my auditory with noble ſpeculations in divinity and explications of deep myſteries in ſacred ſcripture, ſuch, for inſtance, as the man's going down from Jeruſalem to Jericho, &c. that this ſignifies Adam's gradually falling—fall-ing—fall-ing until he quite fell among thieves, even death and the devil, which, it ſeems, after ſtripping him of his raiment and wounding him, departed from him and left him but half dead. Mark, my hearers, Adam was but half dead, he had a life hid in Chriſt, which the eye of that vulture, the devil, did not diſcern!" &c. And would it not be as juſt and full as conſiſtent with Chriſt's ſcope in the parable, to remark, that the thieves were departed from the wounded man, before the Samaritan came to him!

Now, my Friend, is it neceſſary to aſk the queſtion, which of theſe two ſorts of doctrine and preaching is the moſt agreable to corrupt nature, to our ſinful inclinations, and the ſelfiſh ſpirit of the world— ſuch as Chriſt and his apoſtles preached, as ſpecified in the foregoing pages—or ſuch as has been juſt ſpecified above, and which your Stranger may be ſuppoſed to preach quite conſiſtently with his leading principles? You muſt know, Sir, that drunkards, profane ſwearers, whoremongers, and the moſt abandoned ſinners, feel no oppoſition to, no quarrelling in their ſinful inclinations, affections, and luſts, with ſuch doctrine and preaching as the latter.—They do not ſay, it is a hard ſaying who can hear it? No, for it encourages them to bleſs themſelves in their hearts, ſaying, we ſhall have peace, though we walk in the imaginations of our hearts to add drunkenneſs to thirſt! And the little boys in your ſtreets are already caught in the ſnare and ſay, "We may ſwear and curſe and lie and quarrel and do what we will that is bad without any danger of going to the devil in everlaſting burnings; for Mr. M— preaches that all men will be ſaved and be happy forever."

This new ſcheme of religion is totally deſtitute of divinity, ſelf-denial, and true holineſs—it is Antinominiaſm itſelf—contrary to all divine law of religion and holineſs.—The carnal mind, which is enmity againſt God, it being not ſubject to the law of God, nor indeed can be, is cordially pleaſed with this new ſcheme!—This carnal mind is a mere ſelfiſh ſpirit—a ſelfiſh ſpirit is the very ſoul or ſpirit of wickedneſs, iniquity, or ſin;—if a ſelfiſh ſpirit reigns in us, ſin reigns in us, and we are the ſervants of ſin and under the power of the devil, and hate the Father and hate Chriſt, and are enemies to both:— And ſuch perſons will not come to Chriſt—will not believe in him—will not have him to reign over them as Lord of their conſcience, faith, and obedience: They muſt be drawn of the Father—they muſt be born of God in order to believe in Chriſt; and muſt deny themſelves and forſake all they have, in the act of believing:—But what is there in this new ſcheme, that a perſon wholly under the power of ſin, a ſelfiſh ſpirit, or the carnal mind, could not heartily ſubſcribe to? What need is there of being born of God, in order either to believe, or to love God and Chriſt as required in this ſcheme? If there is no application to Chriſt—no application of Chriſt to ourſelves—no uniting to Chriſt in believing, an unregenerate perſon will be as able to believe as one that is born of God:—And if wicked men love ſuch perſons, as they believe love them, and an apprehenſion that others love them, is the only motive of their love to the others; then wicked men may love God and Chriſt with juſt ſuch a love as is taught in this ſcheme, to be the fruit of the faith deſcribed therein.—The love which wicked men, who were never born of God, have to God, to Chriſt, and to mankind, is wholly ſelfiſh—founded in ſelf, even in the carnal mind, which is enmity againſt God; and hence is not in the leaſt degree holy, but altogether ſinful.

Neither does this new ſcheme require godly ſorrow for ſin—deep humiliation and repenting as in duſt and aſhes—watching and praying—keeping under the body and crucifying the fleſh with the affections and luſts and the like, leſt otherwiſe we die—we become caſtaways as urged by Chriſt and his apoſtles! But on the contrary teaches, that God ſees no iniquity in us, let us live as we liſt, and that ſtrait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth to deſtruction and few there be, none at all, that find it; becauſe wide is the gate and broad is the way which leadeth to life and many there be, even all mankind, go in thereat! What is the broad way to deſtruction, ſpoken of by Chriſt, but error and ſin? And what is the narrow way to life, but faith or truth as it is in Jeſus, and holineſs?

This new ſcheme is a compound of hereſies founded in a wrong application, a miſinterpretation, a perverſion, and a wreſting of the holy ſcriptures. The written word of God contains a perfectly conſiſtent ſyſtem of religion, yet every perſon of common ſenſe, who reads the ſame with careful attention will find many words uſed which have not in every place preciſely the ſame meaning, as for inſtance damned, ſaved, or damnation and ſalvation—the will of God—all men, &c.—And the meaning may in general be known by the context and parallel texts, or by the general analogy of ſacred ſcripture.

What if the word damned may be uſed in ſome place to ſignify the ſame as condemned, or the word damnation, the ſame as judgment, even a temporal judgment; will it be agreable to common ſenſe, from thence to conclude, that the damnation of hell, reſurrection to damnation, and eternal damnation ſignify no more than a temporal judgment!—And wont it be juſt as ſenſible and reaſonable to conclude, that if the word ſaved or ſalvation may be uſed in ſome places to ſignify only temporal deliverance from ſome judgment, eminent danger or diſtreſs; that ſalvation from wrath to come, eternal ſalvation, and a being ſaved as oppoſed to a being damned, ſignify no more than a temporal deliverance from ſome temporal judgment? Chriſt ſays, he that believeth—ſhall be ſaved and he that believeth not ſhall be damned; if damnation here is temporal, why not the ſalvation too? Follow this ſcheme but a little farther and you will deny a future ſtate of reward as well as puniſhment, and then join iſſue with the atheiſtical and ſwiniſh Epicures, ſaying, Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. q. d. When we die there will be an end of us; we ſhall ceaſe forever to know either pleaſure or pain, happineſs or miſery.

And what if the word God's will in ſome places is uſed to ſignify God's abſolute and ſovereign decree, the purpoſe which he purpoſed in himſelf, called his determinate counſel and the counſel of his will, after which he worketh all things and which none can reſiſt, for who hath reſiſted his will? Will you from thence affirm that this word is never uſed to ſignify ſomething elſe? Or can you deny that God's will in ſome places is uſed to ſignify the moral law, and in ſome other places the goſpel of ſalvation? The moral law is God's will, as our moral governor and lawgiver and judge of all the earth, pointing out what we muſt do to pleaſe him and what we muſt forbear to do on pain of ſuffering his infinite diſpleaſure.—It is the will of God in the moral law that we be holy as God is holy, perfect as he is perfect: But this will of God is not done on earth as it is in heaven by any mere man; it is totally reſiſted and rebelled againſt by multitudes; many that know their Lord's will, yet do not do according to it.— And it is the will of God, as a righteous judge, in the ſentence of condemnation, paſſed upon all men to ſuffer that puniſhment, which is the juſt demerit of ſin, that all men ſhall be damned; or the ſentence of condemnation, as it is a binding the condemned over to ſuffer damnation, is God's willing as a righteous judge, that all ſuch be damned.—A judge's condemning a criminal to ſuffer death by hanging until he is dead, is his willing as judge that the criminal ſhall thus ſuffer.

The goſpel of ſalvation is the will of God conſidered as the God of grace and on the throne of grace, God reveals to us in the goſpel, that a door of ſalvation is opened for periſhing men, that through the redemption of Chriſt he can juſtify us freely, yea be both juſt and the juſtifier of him that believes in Jeſus:— That he is willing to be reconciled to us, to pardon, juſtify, and ſave all that will come to him by Chriſt, and his commanding his ambaſſadors to go into all the world and preach the goſpel to every creature, praying all in Chriſt's ſtead to be reconciled to God, as though God by his miniſters did beſeech them, and his commanding all men every where by the goſpel to repent, believe on Chriſt and to take the water of life freely and thus be ſaved, is his not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance, or his willing that all men be ſaved and come to the knowledge of the truth as the means or way of ſalvation.—Even as a king's iſſuing out an act of grace to pardon all ſuch rebels as will throw down their arms, ſubmit to his government, and accept of the offered pardon, is his not willing that any of theſe rebels ſhould periſh as rebels, but that all ſhould come to repentance and receive a pardon.—But there are many that reſiſt the will of God in the goſpel, make light of God's gracious calls and invitations—neglect ſo great ſalvation—and will not come to Chriſt that they may have life—will not repent and be converted that their ſins may be blotted out, but go their ways, provoking the holy one of Iſrael to anger until he ſwears in his wrath, that they ſhall not enter in his reſt, and in the great day will ſay to them, becauſe I have called and ye refuſed; I have ſtretched out my hand and no man regarded; but ye have ſet at naught all my counſel and would none of my reproof. I alſo will laugh at your calamity, &c.

As to all men, a careful reader will obſerve, that it ſignifies ſometimes all mankind, Adam with all his poſterity coming into the world by ordinary generation, as when it is ſaid, by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation.—In Adam all die.—By the deeds of the law no fleſh living can be juſtified in his ſight.—We muſt all ſtand before the judgment-ſeat of Chriſt; though when it is ſaid, it is appointed unto all men once to die—there is an exception not only of Enoch and Elijah, but of many millions who ſhall remain alive upon earth at the coming of Chriſt—we ſhall not all ſleep but we ſhall be changed.—Sometimes all ſorts of men, as, that— ſupplications, prayers, interceſſions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority.—We are not required in the word of God to pray for thoſe that are in heaven; nor for thoſe in hell, or in your STRANGER's intermediate ſtate, his purgatory; nor for ſuch on earth as have ſinned the ſin unto death; nor for the eternal ſalvation of the non-elect.—And ſometimes all men ſignify all that the Father gave Chriſt out of the world of mankind—all that the Father choſe in Chriſt before the foundation of the world, that they might be holy, &c. All that were predeſtinated to the adoption of ſons by Jeſus Chriſt—all that Chriſt calls his ſheep for whom he laid down his life with a ſpecial deſign to ſave;—all called his ſeed, for whoſe ſins Chriſt made his ſoul an offering;—all foreordained to be Chriſt's church, which he loved and gave himſelf for that &c.—foreordained to be members of his body, and he to be their head as the ſecond public man; the ſecond Adam:—As the firſt man—the firſt Adam had his body to which he ſtood related as head, ſo the ſecond man—the ſecond Adam has his body to which he ſtands related as head; and as the body, or all men of the firſt Adam were his natural ſeed by natural generation and birth, ſo the body, or all men of the ſecond Adam are his ſpiritual ſeed by a ſpiritual birth, by regeneration—created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works;—hence, when it is ſaid, by the righteouſneſs of one the free gift came upon all men to juſtification of life—in Chriſt ſhall all be made alive— who gave himſelf a ranſom for all.—Taſted death for every man—there is no difficulty in underſtanding all men—all and every man—to mean, all that were choſen in Chriſt—choſen to ſalvation through ſanctification of the ſpirit and belief of the truth—all given to the Son by the Father that ſhall come to him, and whom Chriſt will in no wiſe caſt out.—We muſt either underſtand it thus, or elſe that by the righteouſneſs of one the free gift came upon all mankind unto juſtification of life, and all mankind ſhall be made alive in Chriſt, and that Chriſt gave himſelf a ranſom for all mankind with an abſolute deſign to ſave the whole and every man in particular.—But this latter we know is falſe, becauſe multitudes die in their ſins, will be raiſed up at the laſt day to damnation, and be puniſhed with an everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord and the glory of his power!

Yet as Chriſt took on him that human nature, which is common to all men, whether conſidered as elect or not; as he brought in an everlaſting righteouſneſs for the juſtification of men—by his obedience to that law, which is the law of righteouſneſs unto all men.—And obtained redemption for men, by ſuffering, the juſt for the unjuſt, to the full ſatisfaction of divine juſtice, that penalty which all mankind ſtood bound by the ſentence of condemnation to ſuffer; it follows, that his righteouſneſs and atonement are as ſufficient for the juſtification, pardon and ſalvation of one ſinner among men as another, and for every ſinner of mankind individually conſidered; and that God can, as conſiſtently with the honor of his moral law and government, on Chriſt's account, pardon, juſtify, and ſave one as another, and every one equally that ſhall accept of his gracious offer.

And as God's method of addreſſing himſelf to men in the miniſtry of reconciliation, by ſetting before them life and death, a bleſſing and a curſe, yea, by holding out to them pardon, juſtification, and eternal life as a free-gift, and inviting, beſeeching, and praying them by his ambaſſadors to accept of the ſame, or otherwiſe they muſt eternally periſh, is a treating men as men, as reaſonable creatures, drawing them with the cords of a man.—And as he addreſſes himſelf to men in the miniſtry of reconciliation, not immediately, but through the inſtrumentality of his ambaſſadors who know not the hearts of men, nor whether all to whom they are ſent to preach are elect or not—one has as good a warrant to belive in Chriſt the Saviour as another, to whom Chriſt is preached:—And as every one is to blame for not believing in Chriſt, it is his own fault that he doth not, becauſe he either ſinfully neglects, voluntarily makes light of, or wickedly treads under foot the offer, and will not come to Chriſt that he might have life; it follows, that it is the duty of one ſinner as much as of another and of every one alike under the goſpel, to repent, to come to Chriſt, or believe in him: And as God knows none can, none ever will come to Chriſt and be ſaved, except he draws them by his efficacious grace, and yet when drawn they actually come—beliving in Chriſt as ſet before us in that goſpel which is committed unto his ambaſſadors to preach to every human creature, and commonly are drawn, and do come while hearing the bleſſed goſpel preached, for faith comes by hearing, &c. And as they come to that Chriſt that all are invited to come to, beliving no one propoſition but what all are required to believe and cordially accepting of that offer only which is made to all in the goſpel:—It follows, that ſuch as are ſaved, are ſaved wholly by grace in a way that excludes all boaſting from themſelves. And that ſuch as periſh under the goſpel are wholly inexcuſable for their neglect and will be puniſhed for not believing on the name of the Son of God.— And as Chriſt's righteouſneſs and atonement are ſufficient for the ſalvation of the whole world; and as all mankind in general, by virtue of Chriſt's mediation and merits, have a temporary ſalvation—a day of God's forbearance—a ſpace to repent, or a time of probation.—And as God is in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelf—Chriſt may be called the Saviour of all men—the Saviour of the world—and a propitiation for the ſins of the whole world, ſo far, that whoſoever, in all the world, believeth in him, ſhall be ſaved;—yea, that if the whole world would repent and believe in Chriſt, as God commands them to do in the goſpel, they ſhould be ſaved.—And yet ſuch as will not believe in him, ſhall be damned.— In an army there is one inſtituted to be a Surgeon-General to the whole army—all the ſick and wounded in the army have a right, by virtue of his being a Surgeon-General, to apply to him; yet ſuch as will not apply, or do refuſe the uſe of his means, will receive no benefit by him:—Chriſt is by office the Saviour, and only Saviour of the world—there is none other name given under heaven whereby men muſt be ſaved—all are called upon to come to him, where the goſpel comes.—Whoſoever believeth in him, ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life—and him that cometh to Chriſt, he will in no wiſe caſt out; but ſuch as will not come unto Chriſt that they may have life, abide in death, and the wrath of God abideth on them:—Yet all that the Father giveth Chriſt ſhall come.—God has engaged, in the covenant of redemption, on condition of Chriſt's making his ſoul an offering for ſin, and his bearing the ſins of many, that he ſhall ſee his ſeed and by his knowledge juſtify them.—Hence from the conſiderations above, it appears, that God may as ſincerely offer ſalvation to ſuch as he knows will never accept of it, as to ſuch as he is determined to make willing to accept of it in the day of his power, for God may ſincerely treat men as men or as reaſonable creatures.—It alſo appears, that ſuch as do believe in Chriſt, in the act of believing, do not believe any one propoſition but what ſuch are called upon to believe as finally periſh in unbelief; nor accept of any thing but what is offered to all alike in the goſpel. Hence ſaving faith is not a believing that I am in Chriſt, that God is reconciled to me, and ſees no iniquity in me.—That my ſins are pardoned, that I was never a child of the devil, &c.—But it is a ſeeing the Son as the true God and only and alſufficient Saviour of men, and a believing in him, truſting in him alone for ſalvation—a fleeing to Chriſt for refuge from purſuing vengeance to lay hold on him as the hope ſet before us—a coming to Chriſt weary and heavy-laden with the burden of ſin and guilt for reſt—a coming to Chriſt, ſenſibly periſhing with hunger and thirſt, as to a feaſt, eating his fleſh and drinking his blood, as meat indeed and drink indeed:—A bowing the knee at the name of Jeſus, cordially ſubmitting to him as Prince and Saviour, Lord and Chriſt, counting all our own righteouſneſs as loſs and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt, &c.

But as to your ſtrange notion, that all mankind were choſen in Chriſt before the foundation of the world, in contradiſtinction to fallen angels, I do not know of one text of ſcripture that can be forced, even by miſinterpretation, to ſhew the leaſt countenance to it.—Let us conſider it in relation to a few texts where election is mentioned, viz. Many are called but few are choſen. Have the fallen angels ever been called? Chriſt ſays, "I lay down my life for the ſheep—my Father gave them me—but ye believe not, becauſe ye are not of my ſheep." Were theſe fallen angels that were not of Chriſt's ſheep?— Again, "I have manifeſted thy name unto the men which thou gaveſt me out of the world; thine they were and thou gaveſt them me—I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them, which thou haſt given me; for they are thine: "Doth the world here ſignify fallen angels?—Again, "And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." Were all thoſe fallen angels who did not believe? For it is certain there were multitudes who did not believe ſo much as the devils did! Jeſus I know and Paul I know, but who are ye? ſaid the evil ſpirit.—Again, "Though the number of the children of Iſrael be as the ſand of the ſea, a remnant ſhall be ſaved—even ſo then at this preſent time alſo there is a remnant according to the election of grace.—The election hath obtained it, and the reſt were blinded."—Were the reſt and all beſide the remnant, (the election) fallen angels?—Once more, "Give diligence to make your calling and election ſure." Doth it mean that we are to give deligence to make ſure that we are men and not fallen angels?

And as to your notion that the tares, explained to be the children of the wicked one, the devil, ſignify, not wicked men, not heretics, but ſins and hereſies, which ſhall be gathered together bound in bundles and burnt in the end of the world, it is too ſenſeleſs to be maintained by any perſon in his right mind and profeſſing to be guided by the ſcriptures of truth! Chriſt expreſſly ſays, he means, by the tares, the children of the wicked one, the devil, and by the children of the wicked one he means, them that do iniquity, and that theſe ſhall be caſt into a furnace of fire, not to purify, but to torment them, where their torment is expreſſed by wailing and gnaſhing of teeth.—Are ſins and hereſies ſubjects capable of pain and torment!!! But to wicked men Chriſt will ſay, in the judgment, "Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire—I was hungry and ye gave me no meat," &c. Chriſt is ſpeaking to wicked men, when he ſays, Ye are of your father the devil and the luſts of your father ye will do.—Paul calls Elymas the ſorcerer a child of the devil—becauſe he was full of ſubtilty and all miſchief—an enemy of all righteouſneſs: And the apoſtle John ſays, Such men as commit ſin are of the devil, that is, who are workers of ſin—live in ſin, and theſe he expreſſly calls the children of the devil as oppoſed to the children of God, who are born of God, do not commit ſin but do righteouſneſs, and are righteous even as their Father is righteous.—Their ſanctification is not out of themſelves, for they are created in Chriſt unto good works—are renewed in the ſpirit of their mind—created after God in righteouſneſs and true holineſs, are new creatures—have crucified the fleſh with the affections and luſts and have put on the new-man, and as the elect of God, holy and beloved, have put on bowels of mercies, kindneſs, gentleneſs, humbleneſs of mind, &c.

Dear Sir, time will fail me to ſay all that I want to ſay, to recover you out of the ſnare of the devil. The ſcriptures ſpeak of falſe teachers bringing in privily damnable hereſies, and of ſome being given up to a ſtrong deluſion to believe a lie that they might be damned, and this as a puniſhment for not receiving the love of the truth that they might be ſaved! I am ſure that the leading doctrines in this new ſcheme are damnable hereſies, becauſe they are falſe doctrines, alſo when embraced for truth will effectually keep perſons eaſy and ſecure in an unconverted, Chriſtleſs ſtate.—And how is it poſſible for a godly man, an experienced chriſtian, who has received the love of the truth to be carried away with ſuch groſs errors, ſo contrary to the plain letter of the word, and common ſenſe, and gracious experience of all the godly?—Chriſt ſays, if it were poſſible they would deceive the very elect: Perſons muſt be infatuated or bewitched by a ſpirit of deluſion, as the fooliſh Galatians were, to be captivated into a belief of ſuch palpable errors!

Once I did hope that you was a good man, that you had received the love of the truth—you did run well, who hath hindered you? But if you was ever truly converted to God through faith in Chriſt the Mediator, you was convinced of ſin—that it rendered you obnoxious to the wrath and curſe of God—you ſaw yourſelf in a condemned ſtate, in danger of eternal damnation in hell—the wrath of God revealed from heaven againſt you—your feet ſtanding in ſlippery places—you was pricked in your heart, and with the three thouſand, cried, What muſt I do? Or, with the publican, God be merciful to me a ſinner! You ſaw yourſelf condemned by the juſt judgment of God, ſo that your mouth was ſtopped and you felt yourſelf guilty before God.— You found alſo, your heart was a heart of ſtone, contrary to that which is good—full of enmity againſt God—that you ſtood in abſolute need of a new heart and a right ſpirit:—You was alſo convinced, if you was ever ſaved, it muſt be in the way of free, ſovereign grace!—And if you are truly converted, you was alſo convinced of righteouſneſs and judgment; Chriſt is the end of the law for righteouſneſs to every one that believeth—that by his obedience and death has brought in an everlaſting righteouſneſs and made complete atonement for ſin. You ſaw Chriſt in his perſon and offices to be altogether lovely, deſirable, precious, and ſuitable, ſo that your whole ſoul united to him and counted all things as loſs and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt, to win Chriſt and be found in him.—You now began to find peace with God, began to delight in God and his holy law, and to wage war againſt ſin, all ſin, and to feel a benevolent affection towards all men, deſiring that all might have repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, that their ſins might be pardoned and their ſouls made happy in the favor, friendſhip, and fellowſhip of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, in walking in the light of truth and holineſs as God is in the light.—Now a change of this importance every true chriſtian is experimentally acquainted with: And Chriſt's miniſters are travelling in birth of their people that Chriſt may thus be formed in them; and if you have experienced a change of ſuch importance, how unaccountable is it, that you ſhould be carried away after one, whoſe avowed principles neceſſarily teach, That ſuch a change is needleſs, and that all convictions of danger of eternal puniſhment and wrath to come, which move ſinners to ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate—to preſs into the kingdom, (whereby the kingdom of heaven ſuffers violence and the violent take it by force) and to flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope ſet before them, are a meer deluſion! Pray conſider theſe things—and the Lord give you underſtanding in all things:—It is no light matter to be deceived in ſuch matters as theſe—or to be turned aſide by a deceived heart, ſo as not to be able to ſay, Is there not a lye in my right hand?—Chriſt ſays, "If any man will do God's will, he ſhall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I ſpeak of myſelf—and every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice."

To conclude, if you, Sir, or any other perſon, ſhall maintain for ſcripture-truth, that the whole race of Adam, or all mankind will finally be ſaved and happy; and that application or union to Chriſt by faith is not neceſſary to our enjoying any ſaving benefit of Chriſt, or the like, I am as ſure that you, or ſuch an one, is under a ſtrong deluſion to believe a lye, as I am that the bible is a book of divine revelation, or that there is ſalvation in Chriſt for men! adieu.—I am your hearty welwiſher,

THAT cannot be true chriſtian doctrine, which naturally tends to turn the grace of God into laſciviouſneſs: But ſuch is the doctrine of univerſal ſalvation, at taught by this Stranger, for nothing can have a greater tendency that way than to teach, that all men ſhall be finally happy, even though they live and die Pagans, Mahometans, worſhippers of the Antichriſtian-Beaſt, open enemies to the croſs of Chriſt, whoremongers, adulterers, blaſphemers, murderers, &c.

That cannot be true chriſtian doctrine, which is agreable to corrupt nature, or to that mere ſelfiſh ſpirit the carnal mind which is enmity againſt God: But ſuch is the doctrine of univerſal ſalvation; for nothing can be more agreable to carnal and wicked perſons than this doctrine, that they ſhall have peace and be finally happy, though they walk all their days in the imagination or ſtubbornneſs of their own evil hearts, adding drunkenneſs to thirſt, or the like.

That cannot be true chriſtian doctrine, which teaches, that it is no matter, as to our future well-being, what our religion is in this world, whether the chriſtian or the pagan! Or whom we worſhip, the true God, or idols! Or whom we ſerve and obey, Chriſt, or the devil! But ſuch is this doctrine of univerſal ſalvation; and hence it will not be at all ſtrange, for thoſe who embrace it, to live, by and by, in the entire neglect of the inſtituted worſhip of God as commanded by Chriſt, of family religion, and become openly, after awhile, as their conſciences grow more and more feared by reſiſting the light, downright practical Atheiſts.

That cannot be true chriſtian doctrine, which tends to make all, who embrace it, Deiſts or Infidels: But ſuch is this doctrine of univerſal ſalvation; for ſuch as embrace it, cannot embrace it, becauſe it appears more evidently to common ſenſe to be ſcripture-doctrine than that of the everlaſting puniſhment of impenitent ſinners in hell; nor becauſe they can interpret what the holy ſcriptures ſay of the eternal damnation of the wicked, ſo as to make the ſame conſiſtent with the doctrine of univerſal ſalvation, without doing the greateſt violence to the common ſenſe, or meaning of words and language.—What boldneſs and violence too, to ſay, the chaff or tares, which ſhall be burnt in unquenchable fire, ſignify, not men, but the ſins and error of men, when they cannot but know, that Chriſt ſays, They are the children of the wicked one, and they that do iniquity! — Alſo, to ſay, the goats, on the left hand of the Judge, ſignify not men, but either the ſins of men, or devils themſelves, when they cannot but know Chriſt ſays, the ſheep and goats are the righteous and wicked of all nations, and that as the righteous ſhall go away into life eternal, ſo the wicked ſhall into everlaſting puniſhment, repreſented by fire unquenchable or everlaſting!—Now he that will do ſuch violence to the meaning of ſome paſſages of ſacred ſcripture to eſtabliſh a particular tenet, would do violence to every paſſage to ſerve a turn, and thereby proves himſelf to be an infidel, and hence that he never embraced this doctrine of univerſal ſalvation from a conviction of divine authority for it, but becauſe it was agreable to corrupt nature: Men that do not like to deny themſelves and take up their croſs daily in following Chriſt— that do not chuſe to have Chriſt to reign over them, nor to keep his commandments, would be glad to perſuade themſelves of enjoying happineſs hereafter without paſſing the ſtrait gate into the narrow way of holineſs and ſelf-denial, even in the broad way that the multitude goes in to do evil; for what wicked man is there that would not heartily like to ſerve the devil all his days, or the deſires of the fleſh and of the mind, and would not do it, if he could perſuade himſelf that he ſhould be happy for all this, or ſhould not ſuffer for it in the coming world?—And they that have fallen in with this perſuaſion, commonly advance this argument for it; "That God is a merciful Being" and therefore for him to damn any of mankind forever would be inconſiſtent with the goodneſs of his nature, and imply that he made creatures to damn them, which is a thought they cannot entertain of ſo good a Being:—Which neceſſarily ſuppoſes ſeveral things, viz.

1. That devils will either be finally happy, or elſe, as they are creatures as much as ſinful men, God created them to damn them forever: By the way, God made angels and men for his glory; but fallen angels and fallen men have fitted themſelves for deſtruction.

2. That there was no need of the ſacrifice or atonement of Chriſt, in order for our diſcharge from condemnation; for if it was inconſiſtent with the nature of divine goodneſs to puniſh us with everlaſting deſtruction for our ſins, what need could there be of Chriſt's dying for us to redeem us from the curſe of the la •• , and deliver us from the wrath which is to come, that we were condemned unto? Yea, how came God to condemn us to everlaſting puniſhment, if it was inconſiſtent with the nature of his goodneſs to inflict it upon us? Or if it was not an everlaſting puniſhment that Chriſt died to redeem us from, what was it?—Only a temporal puniſhment, which would have had an end, though he had not died for us! Then Chriſt died in vain, and the Deiſts are right, and the bible is a book of non-ſenſe!—If I were to embrace this new doctrine I would be ſo honeſt and conſiſtent with myſelf, as at the ſame time to fling away the bible, for it is impoſſible to reconcile it with the bible-religion, let common ſenſe be judge.

3. That thoſe perſons, who plead the above argument, have no proper conviction and ſenſe of the moral rectitude of God, his moral law and government—of the nature, evil, and demerit of ſin—of the nature of the remiſſion of ſin and of ſalvation from it, nor of the nature and neceſſity of the atonement by Chriſt in order to the ſame.

In a word, that cannot be true chriſtian doctrine, but damnable hereſy, which makes ſad the hearts of the godly, as it encourages wicked and vicious perſons to live without fear of eternal puniſhment, in the neglect of repentance—of their own ſalvation—of religion and virtue, in the practice of every vice.

The following anecdote was communicated to me by a perſon of reputation, who aſſured me that there was good authority for the truth of it, viz.

Turning to a part of his audience, where a number of privateers-men were ſwearing at one another, ſaid, "Well, you may go on and drink and ſwear and damn your fellow-men and blaſpheme your Maker and think to diſhonor him; but you do not diſhonor him at all; you only magnify his grace and diſplay the merits of Chriſt ſo much the more."— Huzza! Good doctrine for privateers-men! cried out a certain C— of a privateer.

It would not be acting out of character in the leaſt for that perſon to addreſs vicious perſons in ſuch a manner, who aſſerts and endeavors to propagate, that all men ſhall finally be happy, and that the moſt vicious and criminal perſons are beloved of God, if not as much beloved of God, while in the practice of ſin, as after they become penitent and virtuous.— Query 1. Whether ſuch a teacher is not a miniſter of ſatan, an encourager of vice and irreligion, and an enemy to virtue and pure religion? Query 2. Whether ſuch a teacher ought not to be taken care of by authority as an enemy to mankind and a bane to civil ſociety? "Righteouſneſs exalteth a nation, but ſin is a reproach to any people;—one ſinner deſtroyeth much good—Let not an evil ſpeaker be eſtabliſhed in the earth."—God ſaw, in certain pretended prophets of Jeruſalem, "an horrible thing; they commit adultery, and walk in lies; they ſtrengthen alſo the hands of evil-doers that none doth return from his wickedneſs; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore, thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts concerning (thoſe) prophets, Behold, I will feed them with wormwood and make them drink the water of gall; for from (theſe) prophets of Jeruſalem is PROFANENESS gone forth into all the land.—Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts, hearken not unto the words of (theſe) prophets, that propheſy unto you; THEY MAKE YOU VAIN; they ſpeak a viſion of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord; they ſay ſtill unto them that deſpiſe me, the Lord hath ſaid, YE SHALL HAVE PEACE; and they ſay unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, NO EVIL SHALL COME UPON YOU." Jer. xxiii. 14, 17.