Peter names him, the chief Leader unto eternal life,) ¿exnyòs Tiσrews, (the Captain of our Faith ;' he that hath revealed that saving doctrine, which is the power of God to salvation :) and these titles we have conjoined by St. Peter in the Acts; Him hath God exalted, åpɣnyòv kai σwripa, as a Captain and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel, and remission of sins.' This he is to us several ways, by direction both instructive and exemplary; by his protection and governance; by his mating and quelling the enemies of man's salvation; which things more specially and completely he hath performed in respect to faithful Christians, yet in a manner also he hath truly done them for and toward all men ; as we shall distinctly consider.

6. Jesus is the Saviour of all men,' we say, as having perfectly discovered and demonstrated the way and means of salvation; the gracious purposes of God concerning it; the duties required by God in order to it; the great helps and encouragements to seek it; the mighty determents from neglecting it; the whole will of God, and concernment of man in relation thereto; briefly, all saving truths he hath revealed unto all men: mysteries of truth, which were hidden from ages and generations,' which no fancy of man could invent, no understanding could reach, no reason could by discussion clear, (concerning the nature, providence, will, and purpose of God; the nature, original, and state of man; concerning the laws and rules of practice, the helps thereto, the rewards thereof, whatever is important for us to know in order to happiness,) he did plainly discover, and bring to light; he did with valid sorts of demonstration assert and confirm. The doing which (as having so much efficacy toward salvation, and being ordinarily so necessary thereto,) is often called 'saving;' as particularly by St. James; when he saith, He that turns a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death.' And by St. Paul; Take heed to thy word and doctrine; for so doing thou shalt seve thyself, and thy hearers.' That our Lord hath thus (according to his design, and according to reasonable esteem,) 'saved all men,' we are authorised by the holy Scripture to say; for he is there represented to be the light of the world;' the true light that enlighteneth every man coming into the world' the day-spring from on high, which hath visited us,

to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet in the way of peace.' By him the saving grace of God hath appeared unto all men.' By him (as Isaiah prophesied, and St. John the Baptist applied it) 'all flesh did see the salvation of God.' Of him it was also foretold, as St. Paul teacheth us, I have set thee for the light of the nations, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.' Coming he preached peace тois μaкρȧν kai • τοῖς μακρὰν καὶ Tois éyyus (longe lateque) to them that were far, and them that were near,' that is, to all men every where.' While I am

in the world,' said he, 'I am the light of the world;' shining, like the sun, indifferently unto all; and when he withdrew his corporal presence, he farther virtually diffused his light, for he sent his messengers with a general commission and command to teach all men concerning the benefits procured for them, and the duties required from them; Going into the world, make all nations disciples, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.' Going into the world, preach the gospel unto every creature,' (or, 'to the whole creation :' so it ought to be.) That in his name should be preached repentance and remission of sins unto all nations.' And such was the tenor cí the apostolical commission; Thou shalt be witness for him toward all men,' said Ananias to St. Paul. Accordingly, in compliance with those orders, did the Apostles, in God's name, instruct and admonish all men, plainly teaching, seriously inviting to, strongly persuading, and earnestly intreating all men to embrace the truth, and enjoy the benefits of the gospel, and consequently to be saved: The times of ignorance,' saith St. Paul, God having winked at, doth now invite all men every where to repent:' and, We are ambassadors for Christ; as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God.'- We pray you,' you as members of that world, which God was in Christ reconciling to himself; and, We preach Christ--warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,' (or, 'render every man a good Christian.') Thus was the gospel, according to our Saviour's intent and order, preached, as St. Paul saith of it, év áoŋ Tỷ KriσEL Tỷ væò ròν ovρavòv, ' in the whole creation under heaven;' thus did

God show that he would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowlege of the truth;' whence our Lord (in regard to the nature and design of his performance in this kind) is the common Saviour, as the common master of truth, and enlightener of the world, and proclaimer of God's will to mankind.

objected; why then is not the How comes it to pass, that no glimpse of this heavenly light,

7. If now it be inquired or gospel revealed unto all men? sound of this saving word, no doth arrive to many nations? How can so general and large intention consist with so particular and sparing execution? What benefit can we imagine them capable to receive from this performance of our Saviour, who still do sit in total ignorance of the gospel, in darkness, and the shadow of death? How can they call on him in whom they believe not? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?' To this suggestion I answer,

1. That God's intentions are not to be interpreted, nor his performances estimated by events, depending on the contingency of human actions, but by his own declarations and precepts, together with the ordinary provision of competent means, in their own nature sufficient to produce those effects which he declares himself to intend or to perform. What he reveals himself to design, he doth really design it; what he says, that he performeth; he (according to moral esteem, that is, so far as to ground duties of gratitude and honor, proceedings of justice and reward) doth perform, although the thing on other accounts be not effected.

Thus, for instance, God would have all men to live together here in peace, in order, in health, conveniently, comfortably, cheerfully; according to reason, with virtue and justice; and in the best state toward happiness: for these purposes he hath endued them with reasonable faculties, he hath engraven on their minds a natural law, he hath furnished them with all sorts of instruments and helps conducible to those ends; he promoteth them by dispensations of providence, and probably, by internal influences of grace: yet often all those means, by the perverseness and stupidity of men, do prove ineffectual, so that wars, disorders, diseases, vices, iniquities and oppressions;

troubles and miseries, do commonly abound in the world. Likewise God desires that in his church knowlege and piety, peace and charity, and good order should grow and flourish; to which purposes he hath appointed teachers to instruct, and governors to watch over his people: he hath obliged each man to advise and admonish his brother; he hath declared holy precepts and rules of practice; he hath propounded vast encouragements and rewards, and threatened dreadful punishments; ⚫ he hath promised and doth afford requisite assistances; being himself always present and ready to promote those ends by his grace yet notwithstanding, by the voluntary neglect or abuse of these means, (the guides being blind, negligent, unfaithful; or the people being indocile, sluggish, refractory; or both perverted with bad affections,) often ignorance, error, and impiety prevail, love is cool and dead, schisms and factions are rife in the church. Which events are not to be conceived derogatory to God's good-will and good intentions, or to his kind and careful providence toward men; but we are notwithstanding to esteem and acknowlege him the author and donor of those good: things; in respect to them no less blessing and praising him, than if they were really accomplished by man's concurrence and compliance; he having done his part in that due measure and manner which wisdom prompts; having indeed done the same, as when they are effected. So God having expressly declared that he would have all men to know and embrace the gospel, having made a universal promulgation thereof, having sent forth apostles to disseminate it every where, having obliged every man to confer his best endeavor toward the propagation thereof; if by the want of fidelity, zeal, or industry in them, to whom this care is intrusted, or on whom this duty is incumbent ; or if by the carelessness and stupidity of those, who do not regard what is done in the world; or if by men's voluntary shutting their eyes, or stopping their ears, (as the Jews did of old to the prophetical instructions and admonitions,) God's heavenly truth becometh not universally known, it is not reasonable to impute this defailance to God, or to conceive him therefore not universally to desire and design men's instruction and salvation consequent thereon. Let me, for the illustration of this matter, put a case, or propound a similitude.

Suppose a great kingdom, consisting of several provinces, should have revolted from their sovereign; disclaiming his authority, neglecting and disobeying his laws; that the good prince, out of his goodness and pity toward them, (and on other good considerations moving him thereto, suppose the mediation of his own son,) instead of prosecuting them with deserved vengeance, should grant a general pardon and amnesty, in these terms, or on these conditions; that whoever of those rebels willingly should come in, acknowlege his fault, and promise future loyalty, or obedience to his laws declared to them, should be received into favor, have impunity, enjoy protection, and obtain rewards from him. Farther, for the effectuating this gracious intent, suppose that he should appoint and commissionate messengers, empowering and charging them to divulge the purport of this act of grace to all the people of that kingdom. Admit now, that these messengers should go forth and seat themselves only in some provinces of that kingdom, proclaiming this universal pardon (universal as to the design, and as to the tenor thereof) only in those, neglecting others; or that striving to propagate it farther, they should be rejected and repelled; or that from any the like cause the knowlege thereof should not reach to some remoter provinces; it is plain that indeed the effect of that pardon would be obstructed by such a carriage of the affair; but the tenor of that act would not thereby be altered; nor would the failure in execution (consequent on the ministers' or the people's misbehavior) detract from the real amplitude of the prince's intent; no more than the wilful incredulity, refusal, or non-compliance of some persons, where the business is promulged and notified, would prejudice the same. It is plain the prince meant favorably toward all, and provided carefully for them; although by accident (not imputable to him) the designed favors and benefits do not reach all. The case so plainly suits our purpose, that I need not make any application. The holy fathers do by several like similitudes endeavor to illustrate this matter, and somewhat to assoil the difficulty. They compare our Saviour to the sun, who shines indifferently to all the world, although there be some private corners and secret caves, to which his light doth not come; although some shut their windows or