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this is a juft ground of resentment to him, which refentment may be removed, either by our fuffering equal to the demerit of our crimes, or by our rendering our felves the objects of his mercy; but then, this is a cafe in which fatisfaction is quite out of the queftion. Again, if we admit the abfurdity of fatisfaction, it will involve us in another abfurdity. For, fuppofing full fatisfaction be made to God for the fins of mankind; then, this would be fo far from making way for the exercise of God's mercy, that, on the contrary, it would fuperfede it and fet it quite afide. Mercy and justice, in the prefent case, are incompatible. If juftice takes place, mercy cannot. Juftice confifts in paying the full debt, or in punishing equal to the demerit of the crime; and when that is done there can be no place for mercy, because mercy confifts in remitting that very punishment. Again, if mercy takes place, then juftice cannot. Mercy confifts in the remitting of punishment, (as was faid before) and when that is done there can be no place for the execution of justice, because juftice confifts in the inflicting that very punishment which is fuppofed to be remitted. I have already obferved, that the execution of justice is only commendable when it stands. opposed to, and takes place of criminal injuftice; and that when it comes in competition with, and takes place of mercy, then it becomes blameable, provided the perfon on whom it is exercifed be the proper object. of mercy.

So

So that were the Deity to execute juftice upon fuch an offender as has rendered himself the proper object of mercy, this would not be a perfection, but an imperfection in him. It would be endless were I to go about to unravel and expofe all that abfurdity and nonfenfe that this fubject is incumbred with; and therefore, I fhall not attempt it.

I will only farther obferve, that as our Lord Jefus Chrift is called our Redeemer: So this title is grounded on the language of the New Teftament, in which Chrift is faid to have redeemed his people to God by his blood, and that they have redemption through his blood, and the like. Here the question will be, whether the redemption applied to Chrift be literal, or only figurative. By a literal redemption, I apprehend, the purchafing the freedom of a captive, by paying down a price or valu able confideration, to the captive's master, for his liberty; which valuable confideration is called the price of that redemption. So that in a literal redemption there must be a literal flave, and a literal mafter, and a literal price paid down to that mafter, for the purchafing a literal freedom, to that literal flave; but none of these take place in the redemption applied to Chrift, and therefore, that redemption cannot be literal, but only figurative, and confequently, all the expreffions and paffages in the New Teftament relating thereto, muft of neceffity be understood not in a literal but in a figurative fenfe. If it should be asked,

how

how is all that figurative language to be understood? Anfwer, it is a queftion that I am not particularly concerned in. And as the entering into it would of course introduce an endless wrangling controverfy; fo that is a fufficient reafon to me not to meddle with it. It is fufficient to my purpose that all the expreffions and passages referred to are plainly and evidently figures of speech, and as fuch they are not proper foundations to build doctrines of importance upon, (as I have already obferved) especially if thofe doctrines are plainly repugnant to the eternal reafon and truth of things, which is the prefent cafe. But then, if the redemption wrought out by Christ be not literal, but only figurative, the question will be, how, or in what way, is it that Chrift has been a Saviour and a Redeemer to mankind? Answer, this point is largely and fully confidered in my book entitled The true Gospel of Jefus Chrift afferted, (already published) to which I refer my reader for fatisfaction.

Thus I have gone through what I propofed, and have, I think, plainly fhewed that religion is founded in nature; that is, there is a right and wrong, a true and falfe religion in nature; and that nature or reafon affords fome plain and obvious principles by which a man may diftinguish thefe, and form a proper judgment in the prefent cafe; and which an honeft upright man may fafely and fecurely ftay his mind upon. I have, at the beginning of this work. obferved, that the various

and

and different characters of men are in part occafioned by religion, as religion has a great influence upon their affections and actions; and confequently, not only their future, but alfo their prefent happiness and mifery is greatly affected thereby. For, as the practice of true religion lays a fure foundation for a bleffed eternity; fo it is the best and fafeft way to happiness now. And, as falfe religion will disappoint mans hopes with refpect to another world; fo, in a multitude of cafes, it contributes greatly to their unhappiness in this. It is therefore a matter of great concern that men should have just and true notions of religion; because their prefent and future well being greatly depends upon it. I have contributed my mite towards this work, and, I truft, it has not altogether been in vain. And, though religion has been, and ftill is greatly controverted in the world; yet, I think, men may come to a certainty with refpect to it. Religion is not an arbitrary institution, founded on foveraign pleafure; but it is grounded on the eternal reafon and truth of things, as I have largely fhewn in the precedent enquiry; and therefore, it admits of equal certainty with every thing of like kind. True religion has no dependance upon language; that is, upon the ufe and fenfe and derivation of words. For, as religion is what every individual of our fpecies is greatly interested in, whether he be high or low, rich or poor, learned or unlearned; fo it muft, in reafon

and

and equity, be level to the capacities of all; and therefore, cannot depend upon niceties and trifles. Learning indeed has it's use to men of leifure and abilities; but then, it generally does more mischief than good with relation to religion, because it serves to darken and perplex that which is in itself plain and clear, and which ought fo to be preserved to the people. If a religion is at any time promulged, under a divine character; and if what is delivered concerning it, be put into writing; then, the language it first appeared in gives great men a fair occafion and opportunity to fhew their learning and abilities, and to make their advantages upon it. This is plainly the cafe of what is ufually called the Chriftian Revelation, and the Chriftian Religion, or, to fpeak more properly, that promulgation of the original and primary law of nature, which was made to mankind by the miniftry of Jefus Chrift. The language which this revelation first appeared in, like all other languages, has given great and learned men an opportunity of fhewing their dexterity, by turning what was firft promulged to mankind into any and every Shape. Thefe men make Christianity to be Popery, and to be Proteftantifm; to be this thing and that thing; to be any thing and to be every thing. And indeed this must be the cafe of all traditionary religion, whether in it's original promulgation it were true, or falfe. A religion grounded on revelation, if it is to be propagated, of course introduces

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