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generation is the infusion of divine life into a dead soul, whereby it becomes a new creature, and by which all its faculties are renewed after the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. A believer, therefore, is alive from the dead with Christ; he is a partaker of that new life which Jesus received at his resurrection from the dead; and hence the regeneration of the redeemed arises out of the resurrection of Christ, and is according to it, Rom. vi. 11. Eph. i. 19, 20.; and hence the death of Christ ascertains the new birth of all for whom he died, Rom. v. 6.; for we are naturally without strength, not only in a judicial sense as it respects our condemnation, but spiritually also, being by nature dead in trespasses and sins.

It is truly a sorrowful fact, that some of the most pernicious errors that Satan has ever introduced into the Christian church, have of late years been revived amongst Protestant Dissenters. The sun of gospel light is rapidly declining; the labourers are almost all gone home, and grievous wolves are prowling abroad. These are the tokens of approaching night. Many of our own ministers, especially the younger part, it is much to be feared, have never been truly converted to God. The readiness with which too many embrace error; their vanity, pride, and vain-glory; their minding earthly things; their having men's persons in admiration; and their utter contempt of faithful men,-shew only too plainly what manner of spirit they are of. By their fruits are they known. The churches, also, are dreaming that they are rich, and stand in need of nothing; and know not that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. All these things, together with the scoffing Atheism which is abroad in the world, are manifest tokens that the second advent of the Lord is drawing nigh. And O, how does it become the remnant of the woman's seed to watch and pray, in the lively hope of that great event, and so much the more as they see it approaching. "Behold I come as a thief," Rev. xvi. 15. "He who testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly." Let our response be, "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

LETTER III.

HAVING in my last letter compared Mr. Fuller's sentiments with themselves, I shall occupy the present with a careful examination of his peculiar views of the GREAT ATONEMENT, by bringing them to the test of the word of God. And I entreat your attention the more earnestly to this part of the subject, because it is my intention to prove that the principles I am opposing are subversive of nearly all the great and fundamental doctrines connected with redemption through the blood of Jesus. When I first began this investigation, was not aware that the evidence in support of this serious charge was so abundant; but the more I study the subject the deeper is my conviction, that the difference is not in words but in things; and in things too, which are essential to the gospel, and constitute the very foundation of a sinner's hope. This charge I proceed to prove in the following manner.

FIRST. The first thing which strikes the mind on a close examination of Mr. Fuller's views relative to the atonement is, that upon his principles the death of Christ is not vicarious. By vicarious I mean for, or in the stead of, others. Both Arminians and Calvinists hold that the death of Christ is vicarious, but Mr. F., by endeavouring to go between them, virtually denies it. When we assert that Christ laid

down his life for his sheep, or that he died in the stead of his elect, we thereby assert that his death is vicarious; or should we affirm, with Dr. Whitby, that Christ died equally for the whole race of Adam, we should still assert that his death is vicarious. But Mr. Fuller agrees with neither of these: he neither teaches that Christ died for his elect only, nor does he affirm that he died for the whole race of Adam, but he maintains that Christ made an atonement for sin indefinitely, for sin in general, in such a way as that God might pardon some men if he pleased, or all men if he pleased. Thus Mr. Fuller denies that the death of Christ is vicarious.

This will perhaps appear still clearer by the following dilemma. If Christ died, he died for, or in the stead of, all men, or in the stead of some men, or in the stead of no man. Now let any person of Mr. Fuller's views take whichsoever of these he pleases, for one of them must be true. If he take the first, and affirm with the Arminians that Christ died for all men, he changes his ground: if he take the second, and assert, that Christ died only for his elect, he gives up the argument by uniting with his opponents; and if he take the last, he denies that Christ died for any of the human race! And this Mr. F. has virtually done by his doctrine of indefinite atonement. The truth of this has often been confirmed in conversation with persons of Mr. Fuller's views. Such a dialogue as the following has frequently occurred.

Question. "What is your view of the efficacy and extent of the death of Christ?

Answer. I consider the atonement as a divine extra

ordinary expedient, for the exercise of mercy consistently with justice; and that therein such satisfaction is made for sin, as to afford ground for sinners to believe and be saved."

Ques. "Good; but I wish to know whether you believe that Christ died for all men, or only for his elect?

Ans. I consider that he died for sin.”

Ques. "Truly he did; but he also died for sinners, and I wish to know whether you believe he died for all sinners, or only for some sinners?

Ans. I consider that if one sinner only had been saved consistently with justice, it required to be by the same all-perfect obedience unto death; and this being yielded is itself equally adapted to save a world as an individual, provided a world believed in it."

Ques. "I understand you, but you have not answered my question. You have not said whether he died for an individual or for a world.

Ans. I believe there is a fulness in the atonement of Christ sufficient for the salvation of the whole world, were the whole world to believe in him."

Ques. "You still evade my question: I wish you to say whether Christ died for all sinners or only for some?

Ans. If by this you mean to ask whom Christ's atonement is sufficient for, I answer the whole world, but if you refer to the purpose of God respecting its application, I answer for some men only."

Ques. "Here you have artfully confounded several things; for a man may believe in the sovereign purpose of God, respecting the application of the atone

ment, and yet maintain universal redemption. But I asked nothing about the purpose of God, nor the ap plication of the atonement, but I asked a plain ques tion, to which I expected an ingenuous answer, but in vain. Let me intreat you to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, and walk no more in craftiness. Acknowledge boldly, either that Christ died for all men, or that he died only for some men, or else that he died for no man. To say that he died for sin merely, is to deny that his death is vicarious."

I am aware that Mr. Fuller sometimes departs from his peculiar sentiments, and speaks of Christ dying for his sheep, his church, &c.; but this proves nothing, but the inconsistency of error. Every erroneous man is avloxaтanpitos, condemned of himself. It is Mr. F.'s peculiar view of the atonement which I am opposing, and not the truth which he sometimes acknowledges. His peculiar view is simply this: "The death of Christ (he considers) was a satisfaction to justice, God having hereby expressed his displeasure against sin. This satisfaction being yielded, and this displeasure expressed, a way is opened whereby an individual may be saved, or the whole world, according to the sovereign pleasure of God." All particularity in the atonement itself he denies, but, acknowledges the sovereign purpose of God with regard to its application. In short, he neither avows universal redemption with the Arminians, nor particular redemption with the Calvinists, but asserts what may be very properly termed indefinite redemption; and how con

Titus iii. 11.

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