them might have hope, no man can certainly, yea, probably infer, that he is in the number of those few, the contrary being ten thousand to one more likely); what other clear passages of Scripture have you, which shew, that God, in sending Christ, and proposing the gospel, aimed not at the salvation of a certain elect number, but of men in general?

'A. John iii. 16, 17. vi. 33. iv. 42. 1 John iv. 14. John xii. 46, 47. Mark xvi. 15, 16. Col. i. 22. i. 18. 1 Tim. ii. 1 -3. 2 Pet. iii. 9. 2 Cor. v. 19. 1 John ii. 1, 2.'

1. That God is good to all men, and bountiful, being a wise, powerful, liberal provider for the works of his hands, in and by innumerable dispensations, and various communications of his goodness to them; and may in that regard, be said to have a universal love for them all, is granted. But that God loveth all, and every man alike, with that eternal love, which is the fountain of his giving Christ for them, and to them, and all good things with him, is not in the least intimated by any of those places of Scripture, where they are expressed for whom Christ died; as elsewhere hath been abundantly manifested.

2. It is confessed, that this is a point of the greatest importance (that is, of very great), without the knowledge and belief whereof we cannot have any true and solid ground of coming unto God; namely, of the love of God in Christ; but that to know the universality of his love is of such importance, cannot be proved, unless that can be numbered which is wanting, and that weighed in the balance which is not.

3. We say not, that God from all eternity intended good only to a few, &c. He intended much good to all, and every man in the world, and accordingly in abundance of variety accomplisheth that his intention towards them; to some in a greater, to some in a lesser measure, according as seems good to his infinite wisdom and pleasure, for which all things were made and created;' Rev. iv. 11. And for that particular eminent good of salvation by Jesus Christ, for the praise of his glorious grace, we do not say that he intended that from eternity, for a few absolutely considered; for these will appear in the issue to be a 'great multitude, which no man can number;' Rev. vii. 9. but that in comparison of them who shall everlastingly come short of his glory, we say that they are but a little flock,' yea, 'few they

are that are chosen,' as our Saviour expressly affirms, whatever Mr. B. be pleased to tell us to the contrary.

4. That the granting that they are but few that are chosen (though many be called), and that 'before the foundation of the world' some are chosen to be holy and unblameable in love through Christ, having their names written in the book of life,' is a discouragement to any to come to God, Mr. B. shall persuade us, when he can evince that the secret and eternal purpose of God's discriminating between persons, as to their eternal conditions, is the great ground and bottom of our approach unto God; and not the truth and faithfulness of the promises which he hath given, with his holy and righteous commands. The issue that lies before them who are commanded to draw nigh to God is, not whether they are elected or no, but whether they will believe or no, God having given them eternal and unchangeable rules; He that believes shall be saved, and he that belives not, shall be damned;' though no man's name be written in the Scripture, he that believes hath the faith of God's veracity, to assure him that he shall be saved. It is a most vain surmisal, that as to that obedience which God requires of us, there is any obstruction laid by this consideration, that they are but few which are chosen.

5. This is indeed the only true and solid ground of coming unto God by Christ, that God hath infallibly conjoined faith and salvation, so that whosoever believes shall be saved; neither doth the granting of the pretended universality of God's love, afford any other ground whatever; and this is not in the least shaken or impaired by the effectual love and purpose of God for the salvation of some. And if Mr. B. hath any other true and solid ground of encouraging men to come to God by Christ, besides and beyond this which may not on one account or other, be educed from it or resolved into it (I mean of God's command and promise), I do here beg of him to acquaint me with it, and I shall give him more thanks for it, if I live to see it done, than as yet I can persuade myself to do on the account of all his other labours which I have seen.

6. We say, though God hath chosen some only to salvation by Christ, yet that the names of those some are not expressed in Scripture; the doing whereof would have been

destructive to the main end of the word, the nature of faith, and all the ordinances of the gospel; yet God having declared that whosoever believeth shall be saved, there is sufficient ground for all and every man in the world, to whom the gospel is preached, to come to God by Christ, and other ground there is none, nor can be offered by the assertors of the pretended universality of God's love. Nor is this proposition, he that believes shall be saved,' founded on the universality of love pleaded for, but the sufficiency of the means for the accomplishment of what is therein asserted: namely, the blood of Christ, who is believed on.

Now because Mr. B. expresseth, that the end of his asserting this universality of God's love, is to decry his eternal purpose of election; it being confessed that between these two, there is an inconsistency: without entering far into that controversy, I shall briefly shew what the Scripture speaks to the latter, and how remote the places mentioned by Mr. B. are, from giving countenance to the former in the sense wherein by him who asserts it it is understood.

For the first, methinks a little respect and reverence to that testimony of our Saviour, many are called, but few are chosen,' might have detained this gentleman from asserting with so much confidence, that the persuasion of God's choosing but a few, is an obstruction of men's coming unto God. Though he looks upon our blessed Saviour as a mere man, yet I hope, he takes him for a true man, and one that taught the way of God aright. But a little farther to clear this matter.

1. Some are chosen from eternity, and are under the purpose of God, as to the good mentioned. 2. Those some, are some only, not all; and therefore as to the good intended, there is not a universal love in God, us to the objects of it, but such a distinguishing one as is spoken against. Eph. i. 4, 5. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.' Here are some chosen, and consequently an intention of God concerning them, expressed; and this from eternity, or before the foundation of the world; and this to the good of holiness, adoption, salvation;

and this is only of some, and not of all the world, as the whole tenor of the discourse being referred to believers, doth abundantly manifest.

Rom. viii. 28-30. And we know, that all things work together for good, to them that are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn amongst many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.'. The good here intended is glory, that the apostle closes withal; 'whom he justified, them he also glorified.' The means of that end, consists in vocation and justification: the persons to be made partakers of this end, are not all the world, but the called according to his purpose; the designation of them so distinguished, to the end expressed, is from the purpose, foreknowledge, and predestination of God, that is, his everlasting intention. Were it another man, with whom we have to do, I should wonder that it came into his mind, to deny this eternal intention of God towards some for good; but nothing is strange from the gentlemen of our present contest. They are but some which are ordained to eternal life;' Acts xiii. 48. but some, that are given to Christ;' John xvii. 6. ‘A remnant according to election;' Rom. xi. 5. one being chosen, when another was rejected, before they were born, or had done either good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election might stand;' Rom. ix. 11, 12. and those who attain salvation, are 'chosen thereunto, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth;' 2 Thess. ii. 13. All that is intended by them, whom Mr. B. thinketh to load with the opinion he rejects, is but what in these and many other places of Scripture, is abundantly revealed. God from all eternity, according to the purpose of his own will, or the purpose which is according to election, hath chosen some, and appointed them to the obtaining of life and salvation by Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace. For the number of these, be they few or more, in comparison of the rest of the world, the event doth manifest.

Yet farther to evidence that this purpose of God, or intention spoken of, is peculiar and distinguishing, there is ex

press mention of another sort of men, who are not thus chosen, but lie under the purpose of God, as to a contrary lot and condition. The Lord hath made all things for himself; yea, even the wicked for the day of evil;' Prov. xvi. 4. They are persons, whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life;' Rev. xiii. 8. Being of old ordained to condemnation;' Jude iv. being as 'natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed;' 2 Pet. ii. 12. And therefore, the apostle distinguisheth all men into those who are appointed to wrath,' and, those who are appointed to the obtaining of life by Jesus Christ; 1 Thess. v. 9. An instance of which eternally discriminating purpose of God, is given in Jacob and Esau, Rom. ix. 11, 12. which way and procedure therein of God, the apostle vindicates from all appearance of unrighteousness, and stops the mouths of all repiners against it, from the sovereignty and absolute liberty of his will, in dealing with all the sons of men as he pleaseth; ver. 14-21. Concluding that in opposition to them, whom God hath made vessels of mercy, prepared unto glory;' there are also vessels of wrath fitted to destruction;' ver. 22, 23.

Moreover, in all eminent effects and fruits of love, in all the issues and ways of it, for the good of, and towards the sons of men, God abundantly manifests, that his eternal love, that regards the everlasting good of men, as it was before described, is peculiar, and not universally comprehensive of all, and every one of mankind.

In the pursuit of that love, he gave his Son to die; 'For God commendeth his love to us, in that whilst we were yet sinners, Christ died for us;' Rom. v. 8. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins;' 1 John iv. 10. Now though he died not for the Jews only, but for all, for the whole world, or men throughout the whole world, yet that he died for some only of all sorts throughout the world, even those who are so chosen, as is before-mentioned, and not for them who are rejected, as was above declared, himself testifies; John xvii. 9. 'I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, thine they were, and thou gavest them me;' ver. 6. And for their sakes I sanctify myself;' ver. 17. Even as he had said before, that he