the Name of God Gracious and Merciful page 21. And what then are the Turks in a State of Salvation who deny the Trinity deny Christ to be God deny Christ to have dyed but one in his Room and put up Mahomet an Impostor as the great Prophet Indeed your Friend Servetus Conversed much with the Turks and would have had a Reconciliation of the Turkish and Christian Religion It may be this Author doth not understand the danger of these Opinions but they tend to the Subverting of the Christian Religion What if the Turks have a Notion that God is Merciful and Gracious They and all others will find that except they come to God by Christ the Mediator the Sacrifice for Sin they will find God to be a consuming fire to them This Authors mentioning of the Turks puts me in mind of a Discourse I once had with a Quaker one of the most knowing Men that ever I knew of that way and he said the Turks were as good Saints as any were in England Indeed the Arminians and Quakers they run all upon this that there is a sufficient light that God gives to all Mankind that if they do but heed that Light it will bring them to Salvation Ay and so our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the Knowledge of him and Faith in him must be but an indifferent thing and not absolutely necessary that they may maintain their Opinion of Universal Grace What darkness is coming upon this Land that the blind lead the blind after this manner 2. Well then set that question aside for the present what that Mercy and Goodness of God is that if Men accept God from the beginning chose them to Salvation in Christ What is this the Election the Scripture speaks of Here is not a Syllable of Gods purposing of his meer Grace infallibly to give them a new Heart to give them Faith and Repentance and so they must thank themselves if they be saved The Arminians will allow God only to decree that all shall be saved that are so wise and careful as to believe in Christ by improving that common and universal Grace that is afforded to them that are damned as well as those that are saved They will not allow that God hath elected any Persons from Eternity so as that he will certainly call them and that they shall obey that Calling that those Persons from God's special and distinguishing Grace shall be infallibly saved thro' our Lord Jesus Christ If there were no other Election but this there might not one Man or Woman in the World have been saved but blessed be the Name of God for ever God hath from Eternity chosen particular persons to Salvation chosen them so as to give Christ for them and certainly and infallibly to give Christ with all his Benefits to them Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed they were not ordained to Eternal Life because they believed but they believed because they were ordained to Eternal Life there were some of the Hearers that God had from Eternity ordained to Eternal Life that were now to be savingly called and to them God gave a new Heart Faith and Repentance when others contradicted and blasphemed Ephes 1.3 4 5 6. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly places in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be Holy and without blame before him in Love having predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will to the praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved 1. Here we see that those that God blesseth with Spiritual Blessings Justification Sanctification Adoption Grace and Glory it is by Jesus Christ all is communicated through him 2. Those that God doth in time Justifie and Sanctifie he purposeth to do it for those very persons before all Time even from Eternity 't is according as he had chosen them before the Foundation of the World was laid God from Eternity chose Christ to be their Mediator and Head and chose them to be the Members of his Mystical Body He did not choose them upon any foresight of Holiness in them but chose them to make them Holy and without Blame before him in Love 3. If any ask the Question Why God chose those individual persons and not others the Apostle shews that it was the good pleasure of his Will v. 5. to the praise of the Glory of his Grace v. 6. to the praise of the Glory of his Discriminating Distinguishing Grace who will be gracious to whom he will be gracious and will have compassion on whom he will have compassion whatsoever Men and Devils say against it Revel 13.8 And all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him that is the Beast whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World As Christ the Mediator was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World to be Mediator and was slain in the Decree and Purpose of God from Eternity so there were the Names of those he should be slain for in time written in the Book of Life not that God uses Books and Writing as Men do but the Persons of those that were Elected from Eternity were as certain so many and no more as if they had been written in a Book And because they were thus Elected God will not suffer them to be finally deceived to worship the Beast 1 Thessal 1.4 5. Knowing Brethren beloved your Election of God for our Gospel came not to you in Word only but in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much Assurance So far as we can know that the Gospel comes with Saving Power upon the Hearts of any so far we know their Election before the Foundation of the World Men are not elected when or because the Gospel comes with saving Power upon their Hearts but because God had elected them to Life from Eternity therefore he sets home the Gospel in due season with Saving Power upon their Hearts 2 Thess 2.13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you Brethren that God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth 1. God's choosing from the beginning unto Salvation is meant of his choosing them from Eternity to the End viz. to Eternal Salvation 2. Through Sanctification and belief of the Truth shews the way by which God eternally intended to bring them to Salvation 3. The Apostle shews that God did in his eternal choosing of them freely purpose to bring them into this Grace wherein they stood that is he decreed to give them that Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth which he had now actually bestowed upon them Those whom God hath chosen
for God's giving his Son to be a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World it is a Scripture-Truth 1 Joh. 2.2 And the meaning of that Phrase as I have made it evident when I opened that Text in this present Book is only this That Christ died for the Elect not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles throughout the whole World But I maintain that Arminians deny that God gave his Son to be a Propitiation in a true Scripture-Sense for the Sins of any one Man or Woman in the World Whilst they pretend to hold Universal Redemption they hold not Redemption at all but do acknowledge that notwithstanding any Propitiation Christ made there might not one Man or Woman in the World ever have been saved I said in that Letter though he did not think fit to mention it that Arminianism was the Root of Quakerism which I shall now demonstrate thus Arminians hold that Men have sufficient Grace to bring them to Salvation if they improve their Talent that is Nature and what Helps they have as they should do Hence the first Quakers being Arminians formed this into other Words but the same for substance That there is a sufficient Light in all Men that if they do but heed it will bring them to Salvation And so Arminianism is the Fundamental Point of that Sect. I said also in my second Letter that a good Divine I did not name him but it was Mr. L. said that Arminianism is the Life and Soul of Popery Upon which he saith Sure you do not know what Popery is I will maintain what this Divine said thus Though the Papists hold many other Errours yet the Life and Soul of Popery is their Doctrine of Man's Merits either by way of Condignity or Congruity the Generality of them being ignorant of Christ's being an absolute Propitiation and Purgation for Sin by his Death They look to be reconciled and purged by their own Merits and thinking that Faith alone in that Propitiation and Purgation by the Blood of Christ is not sufficient to justifie them that come unto God by him therefore they trust to the Merit of their own Works and thinking that such good Works as are appointed in the Word are not sufficiently meritorious they have invented many superstitions Observations and then lest all should fail they count upon a Purgatory after this Life where they shall be purified from their Sins by their suffering the Pains thereof So that Arminianism which makes the Dving of Christ for a Person such a low insignificant thing makes them look out for better Helps as they think than from Christ the only Mediator And I suppose that upon such grounds that Divine called Arminianism the Life and Soul of Popery As for what he adds Whether your conceit that God hated so many millions before there was any cause of hatred in them yea before they had a Being yea before the World was yea from Eternity be not the life and Soul of Calvinism I answer God from Eternity had all in his Eye knew them as really as if they had then had a Being and loved and chose to Salvation through Christ whom he pleased and for the rest let it be observed that God is not said properly to hate any no not the Devils and damned in Hell all that we say is that he never purposed to bestow that Grace upon them that perish which of his good Pleasure he purposed to bestow upon others but to leave them to their Sins and to Condemnation for their Sins And whereas he speaks of the Life and Soul of Calvinism as I had done of the Life and Soul of Popery it should seem as if he made Calvinism as ill as Popery yea it may be he thinks it much worse It puts me in mind of what I have often heard that some of this Author's Judgment should say That truly if they were to change they would turn Papists rather than to any other Perswasion in the Land I speak this by the way not that I charge this Author with any thing more than he will freely own himself But to shew what Promoters the Papists are of Anminianism I would have two things remembred and taken notice of 1. A Letter dated March 1628 from a Jesuit to the Rector of Bruxels wherein there are these words Whilst King James lived you know he was very violent against Arminianism and interrupted with his pestilent Wit and deep Learning our Designs Now we have planted that Sovereign Drug Arminianism which we hope will purge the Protestants from their Heresie and it flourisheth and will bear Fruit in due season This Letter was long since Printed 2. In the Year 1653 Pope Innocent the Tenth by a solemn Bull or Papal Consistorial Determination in the Case of Jansenius Bishop of Ypres declared for the Pelagian Tenets Now the Arminians follow the Pelagians I have set down these things that Protestants may take notice that Pelagianism and Arminianism are more suited to the Popish than to the Protestant Religion It came into my Mind upon this Author 's talking of Calvinism to set down these two Passages which it may be few have been acquainted with Now I have done with this Author and do appeal to any Sober Judicious Person Whether this Author hath in his Queries dealt like a modest man yea like a fair honest moral man He hath put me to a great deal of pains to Answer his Book considering my Age and what bad Eyes I have had some years whereby both â—eading and Writing are made hard to me If he write again I do not intend to meddle with him any more I know in some measure all the Sophistry Cavils and Evasions of the Arminians and whatsoever he can write will be but a meer shew and shadow of an Answer a quarrelling at some by-expressions I know that what I have written already will stand as an Answer to all that he can write hereafter I bow my Head and worship the Father of Lights who hath so far enabled me to clear up these Points that I hope the Faithful shall understand them and be rooted and grounded in the Truth All the Weakness and Imperfection in handling these things is mine all that is good to the use of Edifying the Church in my Labours is from God to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS
effectually for all those for whom he dyed that he will certainly and infallibly bring them to Grace and Glory have no cause to be ashamed of their Doctrine Those that maintain that no man can come to Christ except the Father draw him and that with such a drawing as that they shall freely and yet most certainly and infallibly come to Christ and be eternally saved have truth on their side And all the Sophistry Cavils and Evasions of Arminians are as nothing to overthrow this Doctrine Whosoever shall observe the Book that I answer will find that this Author doth scarce attempt to argue and prove any thing except it be in a very few places but only raises outcries against others Therefore what I have written is only occasioned by this Author to clear up these points rather than to answer any Arguments he hath produced for his opinions but that little Argument he hath used I have taken into consideration If any Reader thinks that I have now and then used too much sharpness against this Author he may be pleased to take notice that those that know me can testifie that I have a greater Latitude as to any rigid judging of men as to their Eternal Estates because they hold many erroneous opinions than some others have Those that are truly built upon Christ upon his Merits and Righteousness as their Foundation though they may in their Superstructure have much Hay and Stubble yet God will graciously pardon them in Christ But when this Author tramples not only upon the Assembly of Divines but upon Calvin Zuinglius Beza and many other Divines of the Reformed Churches and extolls Michael Servetus one of the greatest Blasphemers of the Sacred Trinity that ever was in the World It may be some Readers will think I have not been sharp enough against such a confident Boysterous person There is printed with this Authours a Book of Mr. Haggars I never heard of the person or of his Book before though it seems it hath been printed five times It may be it hath been answered or none have thought it worth the answering The Book is almost nothing but Errours and Mistakes I do not remember that ever I read a Book more confused or where the Author sheweth himself more ignorant of the true meaning of the Scriptures he makes use of except it were in some Books of the Quakers The Apostle Paul saith Ephes 1.3 4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in heavenly places in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World was laid The Apostle there sheweth 1. That there are Spiritual Blessings bestowed upon some These Spiritual Blessings are effectual Calling Justification Adoption Perseverance in Grace and the Heavenly inheritance 2. He shews that all these Spiritual Blessings are conferred upon us through the Lord Jesus Christ the Mediator as the Meritorious cause God purposed to do all for the Heirs of Salvation in and through him 3. He shews the Eternal Designation of the persons that shall in due time partake of these Spiritual Blessings he saith they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World 4. He shews that they were not chosen upon any foresight of their Holiness by improving those common helps they had equal with others but that God chose them that they might be Holy that is he would in due time give them Faith and Holiness And this is yet more evident from v. 5. having predestinated that is fore-ordained us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his Will So that it is most manifest that those whom God chose he chose them so as that he would himself make them holy and that the moving cause was not any worthiness or towardliness in them which God foresaw But the Apostle saith it was the good pleasure of Gods will his especial undeserved free Love and good will to their persons that was the moving cause of their Election Now let the Reader observe what this Author saith to this Scripture Though God calleth men elect from the Foundation of the World yet they are not elect until the very day of their Conversion and turning from Sin to God for God calleth things that are not as if they were From whence it is evident they were not elected though so called page 2. What a strange passage is this As much as to say though the Scripture saith it was so yet it was not so well but saith this Author it is said of Abraham Rom. 4.17 As it is written I have made thee a Father of many Nations before him whom he believed even God who quickens the dead and calleth things that are not as if they were Now saith this Author Abraham was not yet a Father of many Nations but it was so before God who calleth things that are not as if they were For the understanding of this Scripture 1. Observe that though it was but at that time spoken of and declared to Abraham Gen. 17.4 5. that he should be a Father of many Nations yet God hath made and appointed him so to be from Eternity Tho' Gods Decrees and Intentions what he will do are manifested to men in time yet they are all from Eternity 2. Observe that when God did declare to Abraham his Eternal Counsel that he should be a Father of many Nations Abrahams Body was dead as to Masculine Vigour But the Apostle shews that nothing can hinder Gods Purposes and Decrees for God quickneth the Dead dead Souls and dead Bodies when he pleases and calleth things that are not as if they were that is calleth for what he pleaseth and it is done As in the Creation God did but say Let there be Light and there was Light The Apostle is shewing Gods Omnipotency That God having appointed Abraham to be a Father of many Nations nothing can hinder his eternal purpose for saith the Apostle he quickens the dead and calleth things that are not as if they were Ut majorem ejus rei facilitatem in deo declaret to shew the great facility of this Work to God to whom it is as easy to make any thing to be as it is for us to call for a thing and easier too as one Expositor notes well upon the place So that this Author quite mistakes the meaning of the place for God did not tell Abraham that he was a Father of many Nations when he was not But God told him that he had made him that is appointed him so to be which should be performed in the appointed Time and Season by his Omnipotency against all natural impossibilities because he is the Almighty God that quickneth the dead and calleth things that are not as if they were When he calleth for any thing to be done to be effected according to his purpose it exists the same moment The Context in Rom. 4. with other
Cross despising the Shame The Joy that was set before Christ as Mediator when he endured the Cross when he died upon the Cross was not only the Glory that should follow to his Humane Nature but the Glory that the manifold Wisdom infinite Grace and the holy Justice of God should have to Eternity by saving the Elect in such a wonderful way by his Cross and likewise this was part of the Joy set before Christ when he died upon the Cross that all that he died for should be eternally saved and stand before the Throne as his Redeemed People Thus I have endeavoured for the Honour of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for the Comfort of those that believe on him to maintain that he hath not failed in the Work of Redemption but for all that he undertook to die as their Surety and Mediator he will bring them to Eternal Blessedness Now to the Father that sent him to the Son that was willing to take our poor Humane Nature upon him and die for our Sins and to the Holy Ghost that doth certainly and infallibly apply this glorious Redemption that Christ hath wrought to all for whom he died be Glory for ever and ever Amen And for those that catch at a few Words and Phrases in the Scripture to make this Redemption by the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ to be ineffectual to any for whom he died I bow my Knees and pray to God for them that he may please to give them Light and Understanding that they may be taken off from their erroneous Conceits concerning our Saviour and the for ever to be adored Redemption by him which standeth sure for ever But to remove what Doubts and Temptation may arise in the thoughts of some upon two places of Scripture It is said Rom. 14.15 But if thy Brother be grieved with thy Meat now walkest thou not charitably destroy not him with thy Meat for whom Christ died and through thy Knowledge shall thy weak Brother perish for whom Christ died 1 Cor. 8.11 from these two places some maintain that those that Christ died for may be damned in Hell Now for the understanding of these two Texts observe that some walked very uncharitably towards those that were fellow Members with them they pretended more Light and that they saw their Liberty further than those which they counted weak Brethren did about eating of some Meats which others scrupled Now saith the Apostle to those that accounted themselves strong Destroy not him with thy Meat for whom Christ died Those that are fellow Members in the Church you ought to judge of them with a Judgment of Charity that they are the Elect of God and such as Christ died for therefore don't do that which tends to their destroying and ruin and thro' thy Knowledge thy pretence of having more Knowledge and to have a greater Latitude shall thy weak Brother perish for whom Christ died if without Light and Satisfaction in his own Conscience he should be emboldened to do those things by your Example you draw him to sin which deserves Damnation but that eventually any shall perish for whom Christ really died cannot be collected from these Scriptures or any others those that we in Charity think are such as Christ died for may perish we ought to think in Charity that all that are Members with us in the Church are partakers of the Heavenly Calling and such as Christ died for tho' in foro dei in the sight of God who knoweth infallibly who are his they are such as Christ never died for our Judgment of Men that Christ died for them is but a Judgment of Charity not a Judgment of Infallibility But can any one think that if Christ God-man did really die for a Person had such inconceiveable Love to him and had endured so much for his Salvation in his Agony in the Garden and upon the Cross that he would not take such care that this poor Soul should not eternally perish and be destroyed by the uncharitable carriage of some proud giddy Professor yea if Christ really died for any Person all the Wiles and Devices and fiery Darts of all the Devils in Hell shall never be able to destroy and ruin such an one tho' other Professors be uncharitable and hard-hearted to give offence to the weak and shake them and endanger them yet Christ the Meek the Pitiful and Merciful and Almighty High-Priest will not suffer a bruised Reed to be broken nor smoking Flax to be quenched but tho they may fall yet shall they rise again Christ saith to the Sheep that he laid down his Life for that they shall never perish and that none whether Men or Devils shall pluck them out of his Hand John 10.27 28. CHAP. V. Of Election and Reprobation THis Author in his Dialogue with the Presbyterian Pag. 17. doth cite a passage in the Confession of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster By the Decree of God for the manifestation of his Glory some Men and Angels are Predestinated unto everlasting life and others fore-ordain'd to everlasting destruction and those Angels thus Predestinated and fore-ordained are particularly and unchangeably designed and their number so certain and definite that it cannot be either encreased or diminished 'T is either for want of acquaintance with Books or want of Ingenuity that this Author falls upon the Presbyterians as if they only were of this Opinion The Assembly of Divines at Westminster published their Confession of Faith but about 46 years ago But first I shall shew that the Episcopal Divines long before them printed and published the same Doctrine 2. Consider of the Doctrine it self 1. Whereas this Author would suggest as if the Presbyterians only held this Doctrine and so cast an odium upon them I shall shew that the Episcopal Divines did publish the same Doctrine long before 1. The Articles of the Church of England in the Year 1552 say Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the Foundation of the World was laid he hath constantly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from Curse and Damnation those whom he hath chosen out of Mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting Salvation as Vessels made to Honour Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through Grace be justified freely they be made the Sons of God by Adoption they be made like to the Image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good Works and at length by God's Mercy they attain to everlasting Felicity Article 17. Here is plainly asserted that there is an Eternal Election of certain Persons that they shall be certainly and infallibly called to Grace and Glory by Jesus Christ And as for the 31th Article which this Author mentioneth tho' he did not think fit to meddle with the 17th Christ is a
go When Job's Substance was stolen by the Sabeans and Chaldeans and his Servants slain Job worshipped and said The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away Chap. 1.20 21. Concerning God's All-governing Providence it is said Eccles 3.14 I know that what God doth it shall be for ever nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it And God doth it that Men should fear before him Concerning the Assyrian the great Enemy and Spoiler of Israel it is said Isa 10.5 O Assyrian the Rod of mine Anger and the Staff in their Hand is my Indignation I will send him against an hypocritical Nation Isa 13.16 17. Their Children also shall be dashed in pieces before their Eyes their Houses shall be spoiled and their Wives ravished Behold I will stir up the Medes against them Psal 105.25 He turned their Heart to hate his People and to deal subtilly with his Servants Matth. 6.13 And lead us not into Temptation Prov. 16.4 He hath made all things for himself and the Wicked for the Day of Evil. When Shimei cursed David 2 Sam. 16.10 he said The Lord hath said unto him Curse David Rom. 1.24 God gave them up to Vncleanness through the Lusts of their own Hearts Ver. 26. God gave them up unto vile Affections 2 Thes 2.11 12. And for this Cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness Though God had a glorious Design in the Death of Christ yet they were wicked Hands that crucified him God's Decrees do not justifie Men's Sins It was a most horrid Act of the Jews to crucifie the Lord of Glory yet Peter saith Act. 1.23 Him being delivered by the determinate Counsel and Fore-knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked Hands have crucified and slain Act. 4.27 28. For of a truth against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate and the People of Israel were gathered together to do whatsoever thy Hand and thy Counsel determined before to be done The Hand and Counsel of God determined before even from Eternity that Christ should at that very time die as Mediator for his Church and the Jews by their wicked Hands to satisfie their Malice did crucifie him as if he had been a Malefactor O the depth of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out But of all the Reformed Divines this Author shews most Wrath and Indignation against Calvin who in his Time was a glorious Light in the Church Mr. Richard Hooker that wrote against him about Church-Discipline yet confesseth him to be the wisest Man that ever the Church of France bred And another Episcopal Divine saith He never heard any good Man speak of him without Honour But this Author makes scurrilous Verses of him and directs them too to Calvin himself though he hath been so long dead and compares Calvin to Cain and Michael Servetus to Abel Let us enquire what this Servetus was This Author is much mistaken to think that he was put to death for being of this Author's Judgment about Baptism it was for Blasphemy against the Blessed and Holy Trinity Indeed this Author saith he was a learned and worthy Man though perhaps mistaken in some things pag. 27. Ah Do you put a Perhaps he was mistaken in some things when he denied and blasphemed the Holy Trinity Waving what Sleidan Ross and others say of him let us hear what Dr. Owen in his Answer to the Antitrinitarians and Socinians saith of this Servetus pag. 44. Servetus stuffed all his Discourses with horrid Blasphemies Beza tells us he called the Trinity Tricipitem Cerberum Words not fit to be Englished they are so full of Blasphemy and wrote that Moses was a ridiculous Impostor Beza Epist 1. And there are Passages cited out of his Book of the Trinity which I have not seen that seem to have as much of the Devil in them as ever yet was written or spoken by any of the Sons of Men. If saith he Christ be the Son of God Debuissent ergo dicere quod Deus habebat uxorem quandam spiritualem vel quod solus ipse Masculo-faemineus aut Hermaphroditus simul erat pater mater nam ratio vocabuli non patitur ut quis dicatur sine matre pater Et si Logos Filius erat natus ex patre sine matre dic mihi quomodo peperit eum per ventrem aut per latus To this heighth of Atheism and Blasphemy had Satan wrought up the Man so that I must needs say he is the only Person in the World that I ever heard or read of that ever died upon the Account of Religion in reference to whom the Zeal of them that put him to death may be acquitted Thus he Although this Author thinks that God doth not for the Manifestation of his own Glory over-rule the Children of Men yet it is mamnifest that God hath given him a Spirit of Slumber as a Check and Punishment to him that he should be left of God to desame such a Man as Calvin and extol Servetus an Antitrinitarian and one of the greatest Blasphemers of the for ever Blessed Trinity that ever was in the World By this you have lost all Credit and Esteem with all wise and knowing Christians that Worship the Holy Trinity God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost three Persons and one God to whom be glory for ever CHAP. VII Of the Lords Drawing and Vniting of the Elect to Christ in effectual calling 1. VVHen Arminians have made great flourishes of Gods having the same love of good will to all Adams Posterity they are exceedingly grated with this Objection that follows If God have the same love of good will to all the Children of Adam why are but some saved and not all why doth not God convert all 1. Some of them are ready to say that God cannot Convert them they are so stubborn and rebellious though he desires to do it but this is down-right Blasphemy to say that God cannot convert those whom he purposeth intendeth and desireth to Convert he that made the Heart can change the Heart can turn it as the Rivers of Water which way soever he pleaseth with the greatest facility easilier then we can stir a finger I heard above forty years since an Arminian Preach Mr. H.D. a Man of as great Learning and Ability as most of that way in England this Man was inveighing against Election and special Grace at last he came to answer an Objection to this purpose You will say Is not this a meer beating of the Air a meer flourish of words to tell you that God hath such a Love to all Adams Posterity that he would have them all saved and yet they are not saved suppose saith he that a Mother should say that she had a great Love for
maintains the Sovereignty of God that he might do so for his own Glory That this is the Apostle's Scope appears from Ver. 11 12 13. Eor the Children not being yet born neither having done Good or Evil that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth it was said unto her The Elder shall serve the Younger As it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated As if the Apostle had said You may see a Type of Election and Reprobation in Jacob and Esau that before they were born and consequently from Eternity God had determined their Eternal Estate for his own Glory as it pleased him Let Men cavil what they please God will be God and do whatever he will Yea but some may say How doth Paul make out this from what was spoken to Rebekah The Elder shall serve the Younger I answer The Apostle knew by the Spirit of God that there was a Mystery in these Words not only that two Nations were to come out of Jacob and Esau but that which was primarily intended was that the Person of Jacob was loved and chosen to Eternal Life and not Esau Yea but how came the Apostle to mention what is written in Malachy concerning Jacob and Esau's Posterity I answer The Apostle brings what is written there by way of Accommodation and Allusion thus That as God made a great Difference as to Jacob's and Esau's Posterities so much more as to Jacob 's and Esau 's Persons Some of Jacob's Posterity were afflicted in Egypt and at other times as well as Esau's and Jacob personally did never get Dominion over Esau as to outward Things but the Apostle sheweth that the Person of Jacob was from Eternity elected of God and not Esau If we cannot see how the Apostle could collect this from that place in Genesis and that in Malachy yet I pray let us reverence and believe the Scriptures and not quarrel with the Pen-men who were infallibly inspired I have heard indeed of an Arminian Preacher that wished that Paul had never writ any thing and especially not Rom. 9. that Chapter will confute all the Arminians in the World Now that the Apostle speaks here of God's Eternal Decree and Purpose concerning Jacob and Esau doth evidently appear by what followeth Is there Vnrighteousness with God That is in not purposing to bestow his Grace upon some Job 36.3 but passing them by the Apostle saith God forbid Surely we should ascribe Righteousness to our Maker Ver. 14. And Ver. 15 16. For he saith to Moses I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy and I will have Compassion on whom I will have Compassion So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth Mercy As if he had said There is no Unrighteousness with God it is infinite Mercy that he saveth any for he might glorifie his Justice in the Damnation of all for their Sins And that God should shew Mercy to one and not to another who shall dare to question God about this I will do saith God what I will I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy Ver. 17. The â—postle sheweth that God raised up Pharaoh for that very purpose to manifest his own Glory made him a Man a King gave him Power over the Children of Israel left him to the Corruption of his own Heart for the same purpose to manifest his Glory in his Confusion and Destruction If any contend with God about his Soveraignty I pray God give him Repentance here or else they will be confounded before his terrible Majesty hereafter The Apostle goeth on Ver. 18. Therefore he hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardneth Yea but then if all be as God wills as God will have it Ver. 19. Thou wilt say then to me Why doth he yet find fault For who hath resisted his Will The Doctrine of God's Soveraignty cannot go down with unhumbled Men that never were made truly sensible of their own Meanness and Sinfulness and of the Infinite Majesty of God therefore Ver. 20 21. Nay but O Man who art thou that repliest against God That must be challenging and disputing and quarrelling with God Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus Hath not the Potter power over his Clay of the same Lump to make one Vessel unto Honour and another unto Dishonour And as he sheweth in the following Verses What if God willing to shew his Wrath and to make his Power known endured with much Long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to Destruction And that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory God is from Everlasting he was infinitely happy in himself that he made Angels and Men was merely from the pleasure of his Will He could have made all the Angels and all the Posterity of Adam Eternal and Immutable Vessels of Honour if so it had pleased him But what if God the great and glorious God who is to be adored and feared of all What if God pleased to make Angels and Men for the Manifestation of his own Glory one way or other Who shall say unto him Why did God make Angels and Men at all of whom so many shall be so miserable that it had been good for them that they had never had a Being But what if the great and glorious God willing to shew his Wrath and holy Justice and to make his Power known did decree to leave some to themselves and to their Sins and to glorifie his Justice upon them Yea but may some say As to the Children of Men they were all left to fall in Adam and are alike by Nature But what if God have afore prepared some to Glory by his Eternal Election and redeems them by the Blood of his Son and calls them in due time by his Grace and Spirit as those whom he hath chosen to be Vessels of Mercy who shall question God for what he doth They that perish perish for Sin the Throne of the Holy God is guiltless for ever They that are saved are saved by the exceeding Riches of his Grace and Kindness towards them through Christ Jesus Thus I have answered the Author's Six Queries he sent me in a Letter Now I come to his Seventh and last Query Qu. 7. Because saith he I preach God's Love to Mankind to be such that he gave his Son to be the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World this you call Arminianism the Life and Soul of Popery I answer This is utterly false that ever I said so Let him look upon my Letter and see how he hath wronged me in print I wrote to him in my second Letter that Arminianism was the Root of Quakerism and that a good Divine saith that it is the Life and Soul of Popery But as