Fourthly, I shall now proceed to another head. Says the dear Mr. _Wesley_, page 15, paragraph 16, “How uncomfortable a thought is this, that thousands and millions of men, without any preceding offence or fault of theirs, were unchangeably doomed to everlasting burnings?”
But who ever asserted, that thousands and millions of men, without any preceding offence or fault of theirs, were unchangeably doomed to everlasting burnings? Do not they who believe GOD’s dooming men to everlasting burnings, also believe, that GOD looked upon them as men fallen in _Adam_? And that the decree which ordained the punishment, first regarded the crime by which it was deserved? How then are they doomed without any preceding fault? Surely Mr. _Wesley_ will own GOD’s justice, in imputing _Adam_’s sin to his posterity; and also, that after _Adam_ fell, and his posterity in him, GOD might justly have passed them ALL by, without sending his own Son to be a saviour for any one. Unless you heartily agree to both these points, you do not believe original sin aright. If you do own them, then you must acknowledge the doctrine of election and reprobation to be highly just and reasonable. For if GOD might justly impute _Adam_’s sin to all, and afterwards have passed by all, then he might justly pass by SOME. Turn on the right hand, or on the left, you are reduced to an inextricable dilemma. And, if you would be consistent, you must either give up the doctrine of the imputation of _Adam_’s sin, or receive the amiable doctrine of election, with a holy and righteous reprobation as its consequent. For whether you can believe it or no, the word of GOD abides faithful. “The election has obtained it, and the rest were blinded.”
Your 17th paragraph, page 16, I pass over. What has been said on paragraph the 9th and 10th, with a little alteration will answer it. I shall only say, it is the doctrine of election that mostly presses me to abound in good works. I am made willing to suffer all things for the elect’s sake. This makes me to preach with comfort, because I know salvation does not depend on man’s free will, but the LORD makes willing in the day of his power, and can make use of me to bring some of his elect home, when and where he pleases. But,
Fifthly, You say, paragraph 18, page 17, “This doctrine has a direct manifest tendency to overthrow the whole christian religion. For, say you, supposing that eternal unchangeable decree, one part of mankind must be saved, though the christian revelation were not in being.”
But, dear Sir, how does that follow? Since it is only by the christian revelation that we are acquainted with GOD’s design of saving his church by the death of his Son. Yea, it is settled in the everlasting covenant, that this salvation shall be applied to the elect through the knowledge and faith of him. As the prophet says, _Isaiah_ liii. 11. “By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.” How then has the doctrine of election a direct tendency to overthrow the whole christian revelation? Who ever thought, that GOD’s declaration to _Noah_, that seed-time and harvest should never cease, could afford an argument for the neglect of plowing or sowing? Or that the unchangeable purpose of GOD, that harvest should not fail, rendered the heat of the sun, or the influence of the heavenly bodies unnecessary to produce it? No more does GOD’s absolute purpose of saving his chosen, preclude the necessity of the gospel revelation, or the use of any of the means through which he has determined the decree shall take effect. Nor will the right understanding, or the reverent belief of GOD’s decree, ever allow or suffer a christian in any case to separate the means from the end, or the end from the means. And since we are taught by the revelation itself, that this was intended and given by GOD as a means of bringing home his elect, we therefore receive it with joy, prize it highly, use it in faith, and endeavour to spread it through all the world, in the full assurance, that wherever GOD sends it, sooner or later, it shall be savingly useful to all the elect within its call. How then, in holding this doctrine, do we join with modern unbelievers, in making the christian revelation unnecessary? No, dear Sir, you mistake. Infidels of all kinds are on your side of the question. Deists, Arians, Socinians, arraign GOD’s sovereignty, and stand up for universal redemption. I pray GOD, that dear Mr. _Wesley_’s sermon, as it has grieved the hearts of many of GOD’s children, may not also strengthen the hands of many of his most avowed enemies! Here I could almost lie down and weep. “O tell it not in _Gath_! Publish it not in the streets of ♦_Ascalon_, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice, lest the sons of unbelief should triumph!”
♦ “Askelon” replaced with “Ascalon”