Free and Impartial Thoughts, on the Sovereignty of God, The Doctrines of Election, Reprobation, and Original Sin: Humbly Addressed To all who Believe and Profess those Doctrines.Finch, Richard
Religion
Free and Impartial Thoughts, on the Sovereignty of God, The Doctrines of Election, Reprobation, and Original Sin: Humbly Addressed To all who Believe and Profess those Doctrines.
Finch, Richard
Theology, Doctrinal -- Early works to 1800
As I have hitherto troubled the Reader with little Quotation, and it
being now so necessary to let us into the _true Spirit_ of the
Doctor's Belief, notwithstanding any seeming Appearance to the
contrary, I hope to be pardoned. You perceive here, that all are
called, but the _greatest Part_, in such a weak and imperfect
Manner, that is out of _their Power_ to embrace the Call, and so
they perish as _unavoidably_ and _unjustly_, as though no such Call
were extended. The Distinction, which is here made between moral and
natural Necessity, the Doctor thinks sufficient to silence all
Objections, _Page_ 285. I have endeavour'd to shew the contrary, and
I hope with better Success. Again, what the Doctor observes, _Page_
245, is worthy of Notice,--"Though there must be a _very good
Sense_, in which _Christ_ may be said to die for all Men, because
the Scripture uses this Language; yet it does not follow, that the
Doctrine of Universal Redemption is found there: I cannot find that
Scripture once asserts that _Christ_ redeemed all Men, or _died_ to
redeem them all."
This is, I think, manifestly a _Contradiction_, and the Doctor, it
seems, believes it, only because the Scripture, as he thinks,
reveals it. Where is the Difference between _dying to save all Men_,
and, _dying to redeem all Men?_ And yet _Jesus Christ_, it seems,
did the one, but not the other. According to him (the Doctor) the
Scripture assures us, that is, the Word of God assures us, both that
_Christ did_, and that he _did not_ die to redeem all Mankind; which
is a flat Contradiction. In what good Sense, I should be glad to
know, could _Christ_ be said to _die_ for _all Men_, when God
purposely, and peremptorily, _with-holds_ proper Assistances to
restore the _greatest Part?_ If this be to die for _all Men_, it is
certainly not in a good, but in a very bad Sense. But, perhaps, the
_Doctor_ means, _that Man, consider'd in his primitive Rectitude,
has Power sufficient to obey the Gospel as proposed to Sinners, and
that_ Adam's _Posterity, consider'd as fallen in him, are under the
same Obligation to keep the Law, as_ Adam _was_. But of this I have
already taken due Notice, and therefore I need only put the Doctor
in mind of a few Words of his, drop'd _Page_ 340, in his
_Consideration of the State of dying Infants_. He thinks, "it would
be by no Means agreeable, to have them condemned to a wretched
Resurrection and eternal Misery, only because they were born of
_Adam_, the original Transgressor." This is a rational Sentiment,
and I wish it were well improved; for it is better to suppose them
entering on a new State of Trial, or downright Annihilation to be
their Portion: But what Havock does this Concession make with the
Doctor's other Doctrines, of _Christ's dying for all Men in a good
Sense, of considering us in point of Obligation to keep the Law
inviolable, the same as Adam was before his Fall;_ of God's either
granting _no Aids_ to enable us to _do this_, or such _as are too
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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