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a facrifice for fin, was really fubordinate to his action in granting the remiffion of fins, as it certainly is; yet it will not follow, that his giving Chrift to be a facrifice for fins, was a reason with him, for granting the remiffion of fins: on the contrary, it will follow, that his granting, or his intention to grant, the remiffion of fins, was a reafon with him, for giving Chrift to be a facrifice for fins. For if this is not allowed, the subordination of the action of giving Christ to be a facrifice for fins, to the action of granting the remiffion of fins, will be deftroyed.If any perfon, in order to preserve this fubordination, should allow that the granting the remiffion of fins was a reason with God, for giving Chrift to be a facrifice for fins; and, at the fame time, affirm, that the facrifice of Chrift was a reason with him, for granting the remiffion of fins; this is only going round in a fhameful circle, by affigning one thing as the reason of another thing, and then affigning that other thing as the reafon of that which is the reafon of itfelf; which every body knows, is a grofs abfurdity in reasoning; the very fame, as it would be, to make any effect the cause of itself, that is, no effect at all.-The only reason with an intelligent mind, for performing one fubordinate action preferably to any other, is, because he thinks it has a greater tendency or fitness than any other, to fubferve

his intention in the performance of the principal action to which it is fubordinate action, though chofen, for the reafon mentioned, preferably to any other fubordinate action, is no reafon at all with the agent, for the performance of the principal action to which it is fubordinate. The reafon, therefore, for the performance of any principal action, and the reafon for the performance of any action which is fubordinate to it, are, in all cafes, two different things. The former is always antecedent to the latter in the order and train of the mind's thoughts: for if the reasons for the performance of principal actions did not first exift, and affect the mind, there never would, never could, be any reafon at all for the performance of any subordinate action whatsoever. If fo, no fubordinate action is, or can be, a reason with any intelligent mind, for the performance of the principal action to which it is fubordinate: confequently, God's giving Chrift to be a facrifice for fins, which is a fubordinate action, neither is, nor can be, a reason with him, for granting the remiffion of fins, to which action the former is fubordi

nate.

§. 15. INDEED, impotency, or a defect of power to perform the fubordinate action is, in many cafes, a reafon with intelligent minds, for the omiffion or non-performance of the principal action to which it is fubordinate,

But

But then, though inability to perform the fubordinate action, is frequently a reafon for the omiffion of the principal action yet a bare ability to perform the fubordinate action is, in no case, a reason with any intelligent mind, for performing the principal action confequently, the Deity's ability to give Chrift to be a facrifice for fins, could be no reason with him, to grant the remiffion of fins. And even fuppofing, (contrary to all reafon,) that this had really been a reason with God for granting the remiffion of fins, yet it would be nothing to the Dr's purpose, because, in this cafe, the reason with God for granting the remiffion of fins, would not be the facrifice of Chrift; but his own power, or ability, to give him to be a facrifice for fins.

§. 16. FROM the whole, (when the reafons of action have been confidered in their whole extent, and in every poffible view, in relation to the fubject under confideration,) 'tis manifeft, I think, that the facrifice of Jefus Chrift neither is, not can be, a reafon of any kind with God, for granting the remiffion of fins. He, indeed gave his own dear fon to be a facrifice for fins. But this he did not do, with an intention that this facrifice might furnish him with a new reafon, which he had not before, for granting the remiffion of fins; but only with this view, that that facrifice might be a

mean

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mean of rendering the conveyance or grant of this favour confiftent with the end and rectitude of his moral government over mankind, or, which amounts to the fame thing, conducive, upon the whole, to the happiness of our fpecies. The mean, in this cafe, as in all others, was chofen for the fake of the end; and not the end, for the fake of the mean. The defire of the end was a reason with God, for choofing the mean; but the defire of the mean was no reason with him, for choofing and profecuting the end. The mean, because it was chosen by infinite wisdom, must, in all refpects, be proper, and adequate to the end intended: but ftill it was only the mean by which, and not the reason for which, the end was profecuted. This way of thinking fupplies us with confiftent and noble ideas of the attributes of Deity, particularly, of his goodness and mercy to finners: it is good common-fense; and, if I am not mistaken, the only fcheme of thoughts that is conformable to, and confiftent with, the doctrines of revelation.

The Conclufion.

I have now finished this part of my defign. And in the execution of it, have fhewn, I think, that the Dr's notion of the facrifice of Chrift, as being the perfect obe

dience

dience and goodness of his whole life, has no fupport from these texts and facts in fcripture, which he has produced as proofs and illuftrations of it: that, though his notion of the facrifice of Chrift was a true and just one, yet this facrifice, as it ftands, and is circumstanced, in his scheme, has no tendency to render finners penitent and obedient; but a direct and very strong one, to encourage and harden them in fin and impenitency, and to corrupt them more and more: and, finally, that the facrifice of Chrift, either in the Dr's notion of it, or in any other notion of it, neither is, nor can be, any reafon with God, for granting the remiffion of fins: confequently, that the Dr's notion of the facrifice of Chrift is unfupported by any evidence; and that his whole scheme of man's redemption, by that facrifice, is a contradiction to fcripture, and to reafon and common-sense.- In examining the Dr's fcripture-evidence, I have followed the dictates of common fenfe, and observed the rules of juft and fober criticism, with the utmost candour and impartiality : nor have I overlooked or concealed any thing that appeared to me to be favourable to his fentiments; but have endeavoured, as far as I was able, to go to the very bottom of things, with a pure and difin-, terested view to the difcovery of truth. And whether I have done juftice to the subject,

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