QIJESTIONXIII. 3531 vary to it, to be the purchase of the death of Christ, since the death of so glorious a person has such an exuberant value in it, and such all-sufficient merit; and especially since it is allowed to superabound so far as to purchase the continuance of the world, and commonblessings of life for mankind ? Here let it be observed, that when the remonstrants assert that Christ died for all mankind, merely to purchase conditional salvation for them, and when those v` who profess to be the strictest Calvinists, assert Christ diedonly and merely to procure absolute and effectual pardon and salvation for the elect, it is not because the whole scripture every where expressly or plainly reveals or asserts the particular sentiments of either of these sects, with an exclusion of the other ; but the reason of these different assertions of men is this, that the holywriters in differ- ent texts, pursuingdifferent subjects, and speaking to different persons, sometimes seem to favour each of these two opinionst, and men being at a loss to reconcile them by any medium, run into different extremes, and entirely follow one of these tracks of thought, and neglect the other. But surely, if there can be a way fgund to reconcile these two doctrines of the absolute salva- tion of the elect, by the obedience, righteousness and death of Christ procuring it for them, with all things necessary to the possession of it, and also of the conditional salvation provided for all mankind, and offered to them in the gospel, through the all-sufficient and overflowing value of the obedience and suffer- ings of Christ this will be the most fair, natural and easy way of reconciling these different texts of scripture, without any strain or torture put upon any of them. Nor indeed can I conceive why the remonstrant should be uneasy to have pardon and salvation absolutely provided for the elect, since all the rest of mankind, especially such as hear the gospel, have the same conditional salvation which they contend for, sincerely proposed to their acceptance ; nor can I see any reason why the strictest Calvinist should be angry, that the all- sufficient merit of Christ should overflow so far in its influence, as to provide conditional salvation for all mankind, since the elect of God have that certain and absolute salvation which they con- tend for, secured to them by the same merit ; and especially since that great and admirable reformer, John Calvin, whose I say, those who profess to be the strictest Calvinists; not that they do really come nearest to Calvin's sentiments and langu.,ge; for Calvin himself has frequently intimated in his comments on scripttire, that Christ did in some sense die forall men. See the end of this filth consideration. t This is a most evident truth, that scripture, in differentparts of it, seems by itsexpressions to favour each of these opinions; otherwise it could never bet that the writers of the different partes shouldeach of them bring so many texts to support and vindicate their own sentiments, and which plainly give so much difficulty and perplexity to the writers of the opposite side to answer them. VOL, IV, Z
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