Page:Man of Dunse.pdf/15

Rh on Men believing what is no where revealed in the Scripture: Namely, that Christ made an Atonement for all the Hearers of the Gospel. They might as well have taken in all the World, and given all an equal Chance, and been as near the Truth. If all who hear the Gospel have a Right to say Christ loved me, and died for me: This must certainly be true, and all who hear the Gospel must be eventualy saved, otherwise Christ must have made an Atonement for them in vain, and the Privilege be as good as nothing, when it is not inseparably connected with Salvation. Such an Appropriation seems not to have been known in the Apostolic Times; for none of the Apostles required any such Faith of their Converts. They required their Confession in Behalf of the Character of Jesus, of his Death and Resurrection, but make no Mention of their believing that Christ died for them in particular, as a Condition in their Justification. They were called to believe the Record of God that there was eternal Life in his Son, but not to believe a Falshood, viz. that Christ died for all who hear the Gospel. Some have had the Effrontery to tell us, that though all the Hearers of the Gospel are called to believe that Christ died for them, yet this is not true till they believe it; which is in so many Words to declare that believing a Falshood makes it become true. But may it not be soberly asked, whether are not the Grounds of Faith true before we believe them, and do we not credit the Report which is given concerning Christ because we are per-