it 's said Rom. 11.7 the Election hath obtaiâ—… but now what Conditions did these Infants fulfil of obeying and perâ—â—â—â—ing when as they were cut off before they were capable of doing any thing or using any Means and God had decreed and determined them unto Death in their Infancy Remember now that elect Infants dying in Infancy make but one Body together with us of those that shall be saved Here are some elected without Conditions 3. Reason The Number of those that shall be saved is certain the Number can neither be increased or decreased added to or taken from there is a Book of Life spoke of in Scripture Rev. 20.15 it is a figurative Speech borrowed from Men it signifies the unchangeable Purpose of God in giving Salvation to some now as it is among Men Names are written in Books so the Names of them that shall be saved are in God's Mind and known to him certain as if they were written in a Book now this Book is so kept that none that are written here can be blotted out nor any written that are not already written from Eternity ther fore this is given as a Reason why some Men stood and persevered in Apostaâ—izing Times when others fell it was this their Names were written in this Book i. e. God had chosen them they must stand their Names could not be blotted out Rev. 13.8 All that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him and whose Names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World Rev. 21. ult None shall enter into the City new Jerusalem but they that are written in the Lamb's Book of Life that Number written there and none but that Number shall be saved Rev. 20.15 And whosoever was not found written in the Book was cast into the Lake of Fire All went to Hell but they not any added to them the Number is definite Mat. 24.24 it 's said if it were possible the very Elect But if it were upon Condition that Men are elected this could not be for thâ—s â— are tendered to aâ—l Men and sufficient Means to believe and they have Power to believe or not then the Number must increase or decrease as they believe or not persevere or fall off to day there are more tomorrow less more again â—nd â—ess again as Men will hold on or not the Election of a definite certain Number to which not one can be added nor taken from doth diametrically oppose the Election of Conditions which all must be under equally and no onâ—â—eparated from the rest 4. If Election was upon Conditions if we believe and repent and persevere then would he have given Means to all to have known those Conditions else vâ—r little Love in God to set Terms upon which all Men may be saved and yet not to let all Men know these Terms now it is clear from Scripture that none knows the way to Eternal Life but those that have the preaching of the Gospel or the reading of the Scripture Rom. 1.16 it 's said of the Gospel it is the Power of God to Salvation to every one that believes for therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith here is the Reason he tells after what the Gentiles could attain to by their Helps it was only to know there was a Godhead full of Power and Wisdom but they could not reach this to understand the Righteousness of God and how the Just should live by Faith and depend upon another for Salvation and receive the Righteousness of God 1 Cor. 1.21 it 's said the World by Wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe Acts 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life This was when the Apostles came among them and preached to them till then notwithstanding all their Helps they were in Darkness and in the shadow of Death 5. To elect upon Conditions is to turn the Grace of God into a Covenant of Works and to put us into that Covenant This makes a Covenant of Works viz. That there is a Condition of Life given to us and it lies upon our Hands to do it we are to perform it be it what it will if we are to do it for Life the Condition to Adam was Do this and live but now it is Believe and live but it is all one as if he had said Do and live in case that our Election depends upon it The Article is changed only or the Act to be done but the Obligation and manner of Treaty is the same it lies upon us to do it otherwise we shall not have the Election of God or Salvation Object But we have Faith given us Answ This makes not a difference this alters it not to say we have Power given us or the Grace of Faith to believe for so had Adam Power given him to do whatever God should command or did command this Power he had given him before he sinned all his Abilities were given him with his Being from God so that they did not arise as some think I say his Abilities whereby he was to walk upon Terms of Justice did not arise from his natural Principle Thirdly Now hear the Inconveniences that follow upon their Doctrine that seems so plausible if you believe and persevere then God chuses you if you perform the Conditions he elects them first then Persons as they fall under them 1. This is against the Perfection of God for to will upon a Condition is but an imperfect Act of the Will it is but a Velleity a wishing or woulding because whatever is willed upon a Condition is willed disjunctively either I will do or I will not do it Now to say God doth imperfectly will is not becoming God who can do what he will do it only saves God's Credit however it falls out but it sutes not his Greatness and Goodness to wish a thing that is never accomplished 2. It doth not sute the Wisdom of God to proceed from Generals to Specials first he wills Conditions and then Men as they fall under these Conditions particular Persons as they fulfil them This argues Weakness in God's Knowledg as if he knew not who they should be before-hand 3. It makes void all Election of Persons thus their Election runs viz. He that believes shall be saved what needs any more except God's Fidelity be suspected If a Prince should say all Rebels that come in shall be pardoned what need any more mentioning of Persons except you will not give Credit to the Prince there needs no Act of Pardon to be granted when they do come in all that do come in enjoy their Pardon and it is not given them by any new Act except there be cause to suspect the Prince's or Magistrate's Fidelity There is no cause at all to suspect that God will not keep his Word and make it good for he hath said whosoever believes shall
Men not because they had Faith but because they said they had Faith and made Profession of it That is the Language of the Holy Ghost in Scripture James 2.14 Tho a Man say he hath Faith according to that Phrase if thy Brother sin and say it repents him i.e. professeth his Repentance so Men say they have Faith and yet it is but a dead Faith for the Life of Faith is immortal and passeth not away Object But I doubt whether I have Faith Answ By this thou mayst know it if the Gospel hath come to thee in Power not in Word only 1 Thess 1.4 i.e. when thou camest to hear the glad Tidings of Salvation by Christ which is the Gospel-Doctrine when thou camest to hear of the Love of God that is so free and large and the Spring of all Good from God and of Holiness in thee these things thou didst not give a bare hearing to but they came pressing on thee as the things that must be believed that were necessary to thee and commanded thy Spirit When thou camest to be in Affliction thou couldst truly say if thou mightst have thy Wish it would not be to be freed from Trouble but to honour Christ in Trouble thou carest not what Trouble thou hast so thou mayst but get more hold on him Tho thy lazy Spirit begins to be weary in toiling in the use of Means or Suffering for Christ thou countest thy self vile and unworthy because of it This Work will prove thy Election to be true Object But I have but little Faith if any Answ 1. It is not the degree but true Faith that argues Election 2. Love also is a Sign of Election as well as Faith Faith is our chusing of God so it is a sign of God's chusing us thus our Love to God is a sign that God loves us As the Sun in the Firmament by its Reflection upon a Cloud makes another Sun the Seal leaves it self upon the Wax when impressed A Father begets a Child in his own Likeness so Love in us is the very Image of Election Love is but a Reflection of God's Love upon us We love him because he first loved us I Joh. 4.19 How may we know that we love God 1. God by electing us wills us Good so we by Love will Good and Honour unto God We say O that his Name may be glorified and his Will done on Earth as it is in Heaven he longs for this prays for this acts for this desires nothing more than God's Glory to be set up on Earth that all might honour him 2. God by Election takes Pleasure in us we by Love take Pleasure in God above all things he saith as in Psal 73. Whom have I in Heaven but thee whom on Earth besides thee He prefers him to all things God is his Portion and Treasure all things are Dung in comparison 3. God loves us in Election because he loves us he cannot but love us so we cannot but love God The Love of God lays a Law upon himself Love puts a Law upon us The Love of God is said to constrain 2 Cor. 5. 4. God's electing is free there is no Motive so our Love to God is free Love Benefits indeed to us are Motives but Love is pitched chiefly upon himself on his Holiness Goodness Truth which are his Nature Benefits are Motives and they be the first in Order but not in Strength and Worth We come to love him at length more than his Gifts A word of Caution in the Close That tho by these two you may know you are elected yet one may be elected in whom these are not yet wrought Election is known by Grace inherent but Grace is not wrought in every one that is elected until God's time is come Election is an Act of God concerning the Creature not upon the Creature as Sanctification is and therefore makes a real and present Change A Man may have a purpose to build a House a long while before he lays one Stone towards it so God purposes to give Grace long before he gives it God purposed to create us that are now long before the World was So God purposed to create his Image in some Men whom he le ts go on a great while in their Sins Let not then the want of Grace make you conclude against your Election Election it 's true is to Qualifications and cannot be known but by the working of them in us but we may be elected and have no present Qualifications The Signs of Election are given that you may comfort them that do believe already but you must not conclude that you shall never believe that do not now believe the Scripture gives not Signs for any such end as that It 's true it 's said in Joh. 12.39 40. They could not believe for God had hardened their Hearts and blinded their Eyes c. That is dreadful but mark that you may not be discouraged These Persons to whom God doth declare they are not elected they were not Persons that only lived in Sin for so do all the the Elect till they be converted Nor 2. such only who had the Means and yet not wrought upon by the Means for God calls at the eleventh Hour in the Parable Mat. 20. i.e. when they have stood out obstinately to the very last of their Days going out of the World 3. Nor such as despise the Means the Word and Gospel Acts 13.41 Behold ye Despisers he calls to them there is Hope In Rom. 10. they sought him not never minded him never prayed to him yet he was found of them 4. Nor those that hate Christ and Holiness for all of us do so by Nature Rom. 1.30 Haters of God yet some of those were elected and converted It is impossible we being sinful by Nature but that we should strive and make all the Resistance we can till it be overcome by the Power of God Resist so as to overcome converting Grace we cannot for we strive with one that is stronger than we but to resist so as to oppose the Offers of Grace that we cannot but do by Nature Who that is evil can take Pleasure in any thing that is good All these may stand with Election that I have named I conceive in this 12th of John he speaks of them that had sinned unto Death and therefore given up of God they had sinned in Malice against God and his Word and God in Justice revenged their Malice in giving them up Therefore do not conclude against your selves that you are not elected but use the Means altho the Means cannot bring you to Election the Means show to you your Election they are things by which you read your Names written in the Book tho they are not the Ink and Pen by which they are written in the Book of God Faith may come to the worst of you that are now in your Sins and then you may know your Names are certainly written in the Book of Life from Eternity FINIS
ABSOLUTE Election of Persons Not upon foreseen Conditions STATED and MAINTAINED In some Sermons preach'd at Hartford With some ANIMADVERSIONS on some Pelagian Passages in a Book entituled Vulgar Erros in Divinity removed written by Mr. Ralph Battell present Minister at St. Alhallows in Hartford By WILL. HAWORTH Servant of Jesus Christ in the Ministry of his Gospel Rom. 11.6 If it be of Works it is no more of Grace if Grace no more Works c. LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be sold at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1694. THE PREFACE TO THE READER THE Lord who hath determined the Bounds of our Habitation Acts 17.26 having cast my Lot at Hartford where I have continued in the Ministry of the Gospel above twenty Years yet not without Interruption and having from the time of my Conversion received in the Doctrine of Election much sweet and pleasant Comfort to my Soul as the Church of England's Phrase is speaking of it in the 17th Article I have been a constant Preacher of it and not without various Effects to several Hearers it hath been as the Apostles speak of their Doctrine 2 Cor. 2.16 A Savour of Life unto Life to others a Savour of Death unto Death Some that at first through Novelty stumbled at it now rejoice to hear it preached Others have so stumbled at it through Ignorance Conceitedness and Prejudice that to this day they have not recovered themselves Some forsook our Meetings and turned Quakers upon hearing of this Doctrine the now George Keith a chief Preacher among them owns the Doctrine of Election of a definite Number of Persons that shall infallibly be saved The Church-of England-Professors in Hartford are as far as I can learn most-what prejudiced against it tho it is owned so plainly in their Articles of Religion and no wonder when one of their Teachers is such an Enemy to it witness his slender Book entituled Vulgar Errors in Divinity removed printed 1683. wherein he doth with Bullets of Glass batter the Brazen Mountains of the absolute Decrees of the Supreme Soveraign Zech. 6.1 Who giveth not an account of any of his matters Job 33.13 but this Man impudently disputes with God contrary to that in Rom. 9.20 and arraigns his Creator saying Why hast thou made me thus and yet P. 8. confesseth God might have made him as to his Temporal Being a Dog a Hog or poisonous Serpent and bethinks himself and modestly in his Preface faith If his Superiours think he is in an Error he will disown it I am confident the late Reverend Bishop Barlow of Lincoln would have branded the Book had the read it as fulsome Pelagianism In the fifth Page he writes And what he saith to Moses is most equal I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy Thanks be to the Gentleman for that ingenous Judgment upon Jehovah's Dealings But now hear his own Comment that is It belongs to me to appoint upon what Terms I will shew Mercy and justify Men whether by the Law of Faith or by Works For as he that builds an Hospital hath an equitable Right to appoint the Qualifications of the Persons that shall partake in this Gift whether poor Children or Widows aged Persons or the like so it belongs to God to appoint upon what Terms he will justify me it should be Elect for of that he is treating whether by the Law of Works or Faith It is evident by this that the Author is for Election upon Conditional Terms and Qualifications and that it is a vulgar Error viz. Free Election of Persons unto Qualifications The Phrase shewing Mercy in this Paragraph can be no otherwise interpreted but of Election tho he adds the word justify to it Foreseen Faith according to this Author is the Cause of God's Election and that Faith must surely be accompanied all a Man's days with good Works else it is not true Faith so that Election is upon Works as much as Faith and there is no Election but at the utmost Period of a Man's Life Against this Arminian vulgar Error do I militate in the following Sheers wherein the Reader will I question not find sufficient Armoury against it As for absolute Reprobation no wonder the Author is against that whenas he is against absolute Election But that God of his own Will and Pleasure and for no other Cause should decree to damn any which this Author upbraids us withal was never asserted by any Divines that ever I read but they constanâ—â—y uno Ore affirm That God hath from Eternity determined to condemn Man of Sin persisting therein to the end of his days in Unbelief 2. They are all in one Mind That no Man whoever but sins freely when he sins notwithstanding the Decree to permit Sin Now it is no Injustice in God to condemn Man for final sinning and Impenitency therein nor to decree so to do from Eternity tho withal we say the desert of Sin is not the Cause of the Purpose and Decree it self And let them quarrel with us for that Thomas Aquinas a great School-man shall answer for us long since he writ viz. He is mad that saith there can be any Cause of the Divine Will that which is in Time cannot be the Cause of that which is eternal the Cause must exist before the Effect The foresight of the future Sin of Man in time before it hath Existence cannot have a causal Influence upon the eternal Will of God Neither can God fore-see any thing future before he had will'd it to be There could have been no Evil in the World if he had not decreed to permit it That the Decree of Damnation should precede the Decree of permitting Sin our Divines do not say but one of them saith This is the Order which God takes in his Decrees Dr. Twiss in his Answer to Hoard Book 2. p. 30. God at once decrees both to create Men and suffer them to fall in Adam and to bring them forth in their several Generations into the World and to bestow the Grace of Faith and Repentance upon one sort and so to save them and to deny the same Grace unto others permitting them to go on finally in their sinful Courses and so to condemn them for Sin and all to manifest the Glory of Mercy in one and the Glory of Justice on the other yea and his Soveraignty too But wherein not in rewarding the one with Salvation and inflicting Damnation on the other but only in giving Grace to the one and not to the other What fault can be found in this Order of God's Decrees Why should this Author exclaim and say that we make God to ruine the Innocent and make him like the Devil Pag. 8. to be a Murderer from the beginning These are but old cankered Pelagian Cavils against the Cause of God that will have Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardens and yet is righteous How do we make God to
Doctrine 2. This Doctrine of Election rightly stated keeps one humble very humble all his days Election doth not take away Free-will we have Free-will but then being called it is to what is good but it takes away glorying in it Not of him that willeth Rom. 9.16 Rom. 11.35 Who hath first given to him c. He gives to will Not a Thought that is good but from him Joh. 15. Without me ye can do nothing As to our natural Being in him we do move So in the Spiritual Being he knits himself to us he is in us as a Principle then we act We cannot pray to him for his Grace but by Grace What hast thou that thou hast not received 1 Cor. 4.7 Will not this make us humble Object But they will say that their Doctrine of God's electing upon Faith will keep a Man humble because Faith is opposed to Works Answ These Men need not bring this for they hold that Faith as a Work of it self not because of the Object it receiveth justifies a Man Faith is not opposed to Works in Election in Justification it is but it is of no use in Election Christ's Righteousness is not accepted to make us elected Election goeth before our Faith or laying hold on Jesus Christ Object Yea but Faith is the Gift of God we should be humble then Answ Is it such a Gift as he that hath it offered cannot but receive it and because of the way and manner of God's working in him is he effectually brought to believe yet his Free-will preserved then we have the Cause as we would God elects Persons and works all the Conditions for them which he requireth of them to Eternal Life But if there be any thing of us required at our Hand that must cast the Scale then we have to glory 3. Assurance and Certainty of Salvation springs from Election When the Scripture would comfort Believers with the Assurance of their Salvation that they should not perish but go to Heaven certainly it fetches the Comfort from the Fountain The Decree of God taking their Persons the Constancy of the Decree of God makes that Assurance which could never be by God's giving Conditions for Election because the fulfilling of them depends upon our own changeable and mutable Will What Assurance can a Man have that is chosen under a Condition For when he hath attained to the best degree of Grace in the use of Means yet then may he say this is no more than what may be done by him that shall perish For it is not the doing this tho great but the continuing to do this upon which Election is grounded and I may fall as others and lose this before Death no Assurance this way But in the other as we have stated Election there is to take off the Fears of the Saints when they saw the Jews fall he brings this and comforts them that they should not fall Rom. 11. God hath not cast away his People whom he fore-knew Ver. 7. What then Israel hath not obtained that which he sought after but the Election obtained it and the rest are hardened He tells you none fell that were elected Psal 33.11 12. The Counsel of the Lord that shall stand and his Thoughts to all Generations then it follows Blessed is the People whom he hath chosen for his Inheritance Isa 54. With everlasting Kindness will I have Mercy on thee He comforts them with the Decree no assurance the other way For it must be either from God or a Man's self from God it cannot be he elects none but after all is fulfilled not of himself for his Will is changeable every moment 4. The Doctrine of Election is a mighty Comfort in times of Sorrow and Grief There are two things that are apt to trouble us especially 1. The Apostacy of Professors 2. The Trials and Temptations that we meet with in the World viz. Poverty Sickness Disappointment Death of Relations c. Now in both these cases Election comforts 1. Election of Persons As for Apostacy when they say If such Cedars fall what will become of such a Shrub as I Dan. 12. he speaking of the last Times how bad they should be yet adds and at that time thy People shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the Book Mat. 24.22 he speaks of such perilous Times that no Flesh should be saved but for the Elects sake those days should be shortned In Rom. 9. 11. the Apostle removes this Stumbling-block out of the way when the Jews fell and tells the Saints none fell but those that were ordained thereunto not one whom God fore-knew when Hymeneus and Philetus fell he comforts them with this 2 Tim. 2.18 The Foundation of God stands sure he knoweth who are his 2. As for Afflictions of what sort soever there is Comfort in them from the Doctrine of Election the Apostle in Rom. 8.28 comforts the Saints with this viz. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them that are called according to his Purpose Calling here is Conversion and that Power that worketh it not any particular Obedience of ours following Faith Whom he predestinates them he calls his Purpose here is not the Object of Obedience which God hath purposed that Men should do for the Apostle brings it to shew that the Call is not in our selves but in his Purpose they that are called are not called by any Obedience or Free-will of theirs but according to his Purpose But on their Doctrine what Comfort can a Man have when he seeth another fall that he shall stand by his own Might and when he meets with Afflictions that he shall be the better by them when many stronger than he have turned aside and grown worse some of as much Light and Parts as he that were just at Land have sunk that were at the very Borders have miscarried He must say tho I be now in a good State yet what I may be is uncertain Temptations have prevailed upon others and they have fallen I am not sure till I have done all and that is not till I go out of the World But the other can be comforted that receive our Doctrine God hath chosen my Person for better for worse and tho I be weak he will enable me to do what he requires and work in me all the Conditions Faith and Perseverance therein will keep me by his Power to his Kingdom he was moved by nothing to love me and do me good nothing therefore that shall separate from his Love shall be done by me he hath ordained me to be conformed to his Image therefore all my Afflictions shall tend to this to plant his Image in me which he loves Afflictions shall be as an Axe to cut off that which is superfluous in me and that Unanswerableness to his Image 5. Nothing so much quickneth a Soul to Obedience as the Knowledg that God hath loved our Persons from