GOD, in the Death of Chrift, did not fhew his Hatred to Sin, unless it was to the Sin of others, which is not the Belief of a Socinian, but the very Thing we are contending for, that Chrift fell a Sacrifice, in order to be a Propitiation for our Sins.

I COME now to the second Thing proposed, which was, to confider the Extent of this Propitiation; and here I am to flate the Meaning of its Univerfality, to confirm the fame, and guard it against Mifapplication.

WHEN I fay, that the Propitiation by Christ was univerfal, I mean, as the Nature of Univerfality implies, that it extends, in fome fort, to all MANKIND, at all TIMES, and in all PLACES; but not abfolutely, and unconditionally. It is not limited to People of any particular Nation, Religion, Time, or Place, upon the bare Confideration, that any of human Race are of fuch a Nation, Religion, or lived at fuch a Time, or in fuch a Place. So far as this I maintain the Propitiation by Chrift to be univerfal, and to extend itself in due Proportion: but not indifcriminately to all Perfons, or without any Regard whether they have acted well or ill, according to the Dif penfation under which they lived.

THE

THE former of these Opinions I fhall confirm as a Truth. The latter I fhall guard against as an Error, and Mifapplication of our prefent Doctrine, and endeavour to refute it.

UNIVERSALITY, in the former Sense, as it takes in People of all Nations and Religions, is, in the first Place, evidently the Doctrine of the Text. He is a Propitiation not for our Hins only, but for the Sins of the whole World. By the Word ours, St. John means the Chriftian Church, himself, and Brethren-but the Propitiation is not for them only. For whom befide, therefore? Why, for the whole World; not for one, but every fort of People.

THE Apostle himself, and Brethren, were confeffedly Chriftians, but the Propitiation is not for them alone; it is not, therefore, for Chriftians only; it must be then for fome that are not Chriftians, for Sheep from other Folds, for Strangers of every Nation under Heaven ; conditionally, for the World in general. This is the Meaning of the Text, and this is clearly the Voice of REASON.

IMAGINE

IMAGINE what you will to have been the Caufe of the great Work of your Redemption, either as the Impulfe or the End, and you will find that both the Thing impelling, and the End propofed, do equally require us to believe, that all are, in fome fort, concluded in Redemp

tion.

Was it the Love of GOD to Man, that defigned a Propitiation ? Upon what Relation of us to him was that Affection founded? Is it not upon this? that we are his Offspring.. But are we not all his Offspring? If this be a Reason why he fhould provide for the Redemption of one Man, it is as ftrong a Reason why he should provide for the Redemption of another. He is the GOD and Father of us all, and, as far as Sonship can require his Love, all Mankind have the fame Demand upon him,

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AGAIN, was the Sin of Man, and its Guilt, by us inexpiable, a Motive to the Work of our Redemption? Why all Men are Sinners, and all Men are equally unable, when they have finned, to alter the Nature of their Sin, and to make themfelves innocent. Upon this Footing, likewife, the Propitiation by Christ ought to be univerfal.

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LASTLY,

LASTLY, as to the End propofed. If the chief Occafion of Chrift's being made a Propitiation, was because we could not otherwife, confiftently with the Juftice of GOD, become pardonable. This, alfo, must be an Argument for the Univerfality of Christ's Propitiation. For, fince all have finned and come fhort of the Glory of GoD, and fince Sin is by Man inexpiable, and yet must be expiated, it follows, from the Confideration of GOD'S Justice, that no one, more than another, without this Propitiation, can become capable of Pardon.

IF then, upon the Whole, the Love of GOD to Man, as far forth as we are his Creatures, must extend itself equally to all human Race. If all Mankind have finned, and come short of what they ought to be; if none, confiftently with the Justice of GOD, can become pardonable without a Propitiation. Then do both the Motives to the Work of our Redemption, and the End of it, require as ftrongly that the Benefit fhould extend to all, as that it should extend to any, and that the Propitiation by Christ our Lord should be applicable to all the Sons of Adam, notwithstanding any Difference

that

that may arife amongst them, from being of this Sect or Nation, Age or Country. This is the Universality which we maintain; an Univerfality, that is not limited by our being Inhabitants in this or that Part of the World, Followers of any particular Sect, or because we lived fooner, or because we lived later.

I KNOW of but two Objections that can be made to this Doctrine. The firft of which

may poffibly be proposed thus.

IF the Propitiation by Christ be thus univerfal, probably some good Men may be faved who lived not under the Gofpel-Difpenfation; and will not this be a Difparagement to the Christian Religion?

THIS Objection is founded upon the erroneous Notion, which fome People entertain of the Happiness of a future State. They look upon the bleffed as all bleffed alike: whereas, our Saviour hath taught us, that *, in his Father's House are many Manfions. It is one Thing to be faved, another Thing to be faved as a CHRISTIAN: and thus St. Paul diftinguifhes. He is the Saviour of all Men, efpecially of them that believe. The Christian has

*John xiv. 2.

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† 1 Tim. iv. 10.

the