such as Election is in the supreme degree is distinctive of persons for this is decretive of certain blessings and unless the persons to whom those blessings shall be given be designed also the Decree is very imperfect and this is decretive of certain blessings out of supreme and sovereign liberty and to this as a flower of its Crown it appertains to define all persons as well as blessings Wherefore in Election not only Grace and Glory but the very individual persons who shall have and receive the same are punctually designed In Heaven there are many Mansions and the Elect Vessels must fill them up or else there might be a Vacuum in that blessed place Wherefore those Elect Vessels are all numbred in God's Decree 2. These certain individual persons are considered as lying in the Mass of perdition this as I conceive is most congruous to Scripture There Election is stiled Voluntas miserendi a will of shewing mercy Rom. ◠18. and the Elect are called vessels of mercy Rom. 9. 23. there we are said to be chosen in Christ and chosen that we should be holy Eph. 1. 4. there we are said to be appointed to obtain salvation and that in and by Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 5. 9. But if God electing did not consider men as sinners lying in the corrupt mass what need was there of Mercy where there was no misery What room for a Christ a Mediator where there was no Transgressor Why should Holiness be designed which was yet in being and unforfeited Why should Salvation be appointed when as yet there was none lost or in the state of perdition Wherefore I conceive that in Election Men are considered as sinners lying in an undone condition such only are objects capable for Mercy to embrace Christ to redeem Holiness to sanctifie and Salvation to crown The Remonstrants assert that Men in Election are considered not merely as Sinners but as Believers but the Scripture doth pregnantly contradict them for Predestination is set before Vocation Rom. 8. 30. and yet Vocation goes before Faith Christ calls the Elect his sheep before their bringing home Joh. 10. 16. and yet that bringing goes before believing Again Christ tells us Thine they were and thou gavest them me Joh. 17. 6. which passage if compared with that other All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Joh. 6. 37. doth evidently point out to us the true Method of these things Election imported in that phrase thine they were is antecedent to giving and giving to coming or believing Whence it appears clearly that Faith is not antecedent to Election as a Condition prerequisite in its object but consequent thereunto as a stream flowing out of its fountain Wherefore I conclude that in Election men are considered not as Believers but as Sinners 4. What is the impulsive Cause of Election I answer There is no other impulsive Cause but his own good pleasure It was the saying of Plato That the first Mover moves himself God in the volition of himself doth as it were move himself the divine Essence as volent being ravished with it self as infinite Goodness But in other volitions he moves other things himself remaining unmoveable Learned Bradwardine distinguishes the objects of God's Will into Volita priora posteriora priora ut Deum esse posteriora ut Mundum esse Volita priora sunt aliqua causa divinae volitionis volita autem posteriora nonsunt causa ejus Voluntas Dei cst causa omnium posteriorum si ergo aliquid esset causa Volitionis divinae illud esset causa sui ipsius But to speak in particular the Decree of Election hath no other Cause but the divine pleasure only This is evident in Scripture we are predestinated according to the good pleasure of his will Eph. 1. Ver. 5. To the praise of the glory of his grace Ver. 6. According to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will Ver. 11. If we ask why God will call a Church out of the common Mass Samuel will tell us It hath pleased the Lord to make him a people 1 Sam. 12. 22. But if we ask why it pleased him so to do Moses will tell us God loves his people because he loves them Deut. 7. 8. When God will set forth the Self-beingness of his Essence he stiles himself by that wonderful Name I am that I am When he will magnifie the Self-movingness of his Grace he gives a wonderful Reason I love because I love God is an immense Sea of Being and Love let the Elect vessels sail by the Plerophories of Faith and holy Contemplation as far as they can still there will be a boundless Sea of Being and Love before them He that will presume to spie out the Cause of either of these must first pass over Immensity and through Eternity When Moses desired to see God's Glory God proclaims the absolute sovereignty of his Will I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious Methinks these words I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious import a perfect Absoluteness and Incausability in Gods Will even as that Name I am that I am imports a perfect absoluteness and Incausability in God's Essence Some have grounded Election on good Works foreseen but this is utterly exploded by the Apostle who tells us that God hath saved and called us not according to our works but his own purpose 2 Tim. 1. 9. and that there is a remnant according to the election of grace and if it be by grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace Rom. 11. 5. Canaan the land of Promise and type of Glory was divided by Lot and suitably the Apostle saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we inherit by lot Eph. 1. 11. Now in the disposal of a Lot what reason or cause can be assigned exparte creaturae Is not the whole disposing thereof of the Lord Prov. 16. 33 Can any thing in the World hang more purely on the Will of God than a Lot Why have such and such Worms a lot in light and not in utter darkness The Apostle answers in that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Predestination lots them in the Lord shews whom he hath chosen by giving Grace and Glory according to his good pleasure When Ahasuerus could not rest he calls for the Records and reading there of Mordecai's service he thereupon resolves to honour him Esth. 6. this was done like a man But it is not so with God who doth not honour after the manner of men 2 Sam. 7. 19. but in a way becoming his glorious sovereignty and bounty he purposes in himself Eph. 1. 9. Perinde valet saith Calvin ac si diceretur nihil extra se considerâsse cujus rationem in decernendo haberet he rests in his love Zeph. 3. 17. and unless that complacential rest which he takes in his own Will could be broken we cannot imagine that he should fall a searching
God before he loved us contrary to that of the Apostle 1 Joh. 4. 19. To love as moved by the attractive goodness of the Object is to love like a man but to love Blackamores then give them beauty to love enemies and then overcome them with love is to love like God whose Grace is pure Grace whose Love is all from himself which is emphatically implied in that remarkable reduplication Mark 13. 20. The elect whom he hath chosen as if our Saviour should have said In Election there is nothing but pure Election like that speech of God I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious in which there is nothing but Will and Grace Will and Grace doubled as the only reason of it self But if all the rest might consist yet where is the Efficacy of it If Election be founded on foreseen Faith and Perseverance then it affords no help at all to any man in the way to Heaven How can that saith a Learned Bishop be the cause leading infallibly in the way to Eternal Life which cometh not so much as into consideration untill a man have run out his race in Faith and Godliness and be arrived at Heavens Gates Such a falsly named Predestination might more truly be called Postdestination but call it as they please it enacteth only per modum legis that men thus living and dying shall be received into Heaven but it doth not per modum decreti operantis infallibly work those Graces whereby men are brought unto Heaven If Election take its rise from the last gasp of persevering Faith and Holiness then how came the poor Church by the Chain of Graces on her neck the Bracelets on her hands the Crown of Gold on her head Whence had she her fine Linnen Wedding-garment Gold tried in the fire These are not Natures Riches but Pearls of Grace common Providence gives no such gifts wherefore they are the love-tokens of Election sent indeed in time unto the Church but prepared for her in Eternity O how much better were it that the Sun should be snatched out of the World than that the Influences of electing Love should be suspended from the Church All her light and life holiness and comfort comes down from God in these precious Beams But the Remonstrants instead of these heavenly influences have framed such an Election as hath no more influence on the Faith and Holiness of the Church than a Sun set up at Domesday would have upon the World that was before it it is so far from working that it presupposes all the Faith and Holiness of the Church even to the last minute of Perseverance 2. 'T is evident from the Predestination of Jesus Christ who was God's chosen servant Matth. 12. 18. The Lamb foreordained 1 Pet. 1. 20. and as St. Austin stiles him Praeolarissimum lumen praedestinationis gratiae he was as man predestinated unto the superlative glory of the Hypostatical Union and this high Predestination was not out of any foreseen holiness in his Humane nature for all that did flow out of the Hypostatical Union but it was ex mera gratia Respondeatur quaeso saith the same Father ille homo ut à Verbo patri coaeterno in unitatem personae assumptus silius Dei unigenitus esset unde hoc meruerit quid egit ante quid credidit quid petivit ut ad hanc ineffabilem excellentiam perveniret Nonne faciente suscipiente verbo ipse homo ex quo esse coepit silius Dei unicus esse coepit Nonne filium Dei unicum foemina illa gratiâ plena concepit Nonne de Spiritu sancto virgine Mariâ Dei filius unicus natus non carnis cupidine sed singulari Dei munere Respondeat hic homo Deo si audeat dicat Cur non ego si audierit O homo tu quis es qui respondeas Deo nec sic cohibeat sed augeat impudentiam dicat Quomodo audio tu quis es O homo cùm sim quod audio id est homo quod est ille de quo ago cur non sim quod ille At enim gratiâ ille talis tantus est cur diversa est gratia ubi natura communisest Certè non est acceptio personarum apud Deum Quis non dico Christianus sed insanus haec dicat Apparuit it aque nobis in nostro capite ipse fons gratiae unde secundùm uninscujusque mensuram se per cuncta ejus membra diffundit sicut est praedestinatus ille unus ut caput nostrum esset it a multi praedestinati sumus ut membra ejus essemus Humana hîc merita conticescant quae perierunt per Adam regnet quae regnat Dei gratia per Jesum Christum Surely the Members must not be set above the Head The Members were not elected to the beatifical vision out of foreseen Faith and Perseverance when the Head was elected to the Hypostatical Union out of mere Grace The elect Stones in Zion were not laid for their orient lustre and beauty when the precious Corner-stone who bears up all the building was laid with a Behold in a wonder of Grace and Love 3. 'T is utterly impossible that Faith and Perseverance should be the causes or antecedents to Election when these are the fruits and effects thereof If we search the Scripture for the Well-head of these we shall find it to be in the Decree of Election Therefore when the Apostle blesses God for the work of Faith in the Thessalonians he elevates his praises as high as Election it self knowing brethren beloved your Election of God 1 Thess. 1. 4. And in the very same strain of praise blessing God for blessing the Ephesians with all spiritual blessings in Christ amongst which Faith cannot but be a prime blessing he sets forth the eternal Rule of dispensing them he hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according as he hath chosen us Eph. 1. 3 and 4. Where it is plain that those whom God blesseth with Faith and Perseverance he chuseth unto Faith and Perseverance because he blesses according as he chuses The Remonstrants strangely interpret these words he hath chosen us in Christ that is say they being in him in the divine Prescience But this Interpretation cannot stand the Apostle saith not he hath chosen us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he hath chosen us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him that is in Christ now where in all the Scripture do the words in Christ import our being in Christ in the divine Prescience The words in Christ in such Scriptures as relate to Justification or Adoption do import our being in Christ by actual Faith but in such Scriptures as relate to Election they do import that all the Grace and Glory prepared in Election is conferred in and through Christ this appears in that famous place 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saved us
spiritually dead to take in the Word of God as from a divine Impression in that the words of Christ entred not at all into the naturally dead in this the Word of God enters into the spiritually dead even intimately into his very heart in that the words of Christ were transient and passed away in this the Word of God though it may pass away as to its sounds and syllables yet as to its substance it lives and abides for ever in the new Creature Wherefore these differences considered I conclude That Christ's words were only declarative in that Resurrection but God's Word is operative also in this The manner how God works gracious Principles in and by his Word as an Instrument is a Secret which I dare not pry into only for a little more illustration of the Words Efficacy in the production of gracious Principles there are two Instants or Moments to be distinctly considered 1. The first Instant or Moment is that wherein there is a close Application and intimate Inning of the Word in the Heart in common Auditors the Word is upon the Heart but here it is in it in temporary Believers the Word is in some degree in the heart but here it is in it intimately This close Application is excellently set out in Scripture 't is a nail fastned Eccles. 12. 11. 't is a word engrafted Jam. 1. 21. 't is instruction sealed Joh 33. 16. 't is the Law put and written in the heart Heb. 8. 10. 't is wisdom entring into the heart Prov. 2. 10. 't is the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or entrance into his auditors 1 Thess. 2. 1. 't is the word having a place in us Joh. 8. 37. and such a place as to root in our hearts thus Joh says of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the root of the word is found in me Joh 19. 28. and this Root is such as will abide in us and become the incorruptible seed of the new Creature This close Application is a glorious work of God and the Word is not altogether passive therein but in the hand of the Spirit 't is quick and powerful as a sharp Sword piercing and cutting its way into the heart Heb. 4. 12. and as a mighty Engine casting down imaginations and high things there 2 Cor. 10. 5. that it self may have a place and Throne in the same 2. The second Instant or Moment is that wherein God in and by the Word so intimately inned in the Heart doth produce the Principles of Grace there in the first Moment the indwelling Word makes the Heart a spiritual Bethlehem a House of Bread in the second Christ is spiritually born there in the first Moment the incorruptible Seed is sown in the Heart in the second it springs up into a new Creature The Scripture seems to me to hold out this Method very clearly the engrafted word is able to save the soul Jam. 1. 21. the Word saves the Soul but not merely as outwardly expressed but as inwardly engrafted Faith comes by hearing the word Rom. 10. 17. but is that a mere outward hearing No surely there is a hearing of the Father and so a coming to Christ Joh. 6. 45. There is the powerful and intimate demonstration of the Spirit and so faith stands in the power of God 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. that is to say in that power of God which intimately demonstrates and closely applies the Word unto the Heart as its true Cause and Foundation When the Apostle speaks of the Thessalonians Faith and Love 1 Thess. 1. 3. he there opens the causes thereof viz. the fontal Cause God's Election Ver. 4. and the instrumental Cause the Gospel Ver. 5. but how could the Gospel be an Instrument The Apostle tells us that it came to them not in word only but in power and in the holy Ghost it was strongly and sweetly set home upon the Heart and from that Impress came Faith and Love The Wise Man would have the Word kept in the midst of the heart and his Reason is because it is life Prov. 4. 21 22. The Word in the Ear only is but a transient 〈◊〉 but the Word in the midst of the Heart is Spirit and Life Job proves the truth of his Grace thus The root of the word is in me Joh 19. 28. The Word as shining on the Head lights up Notions but as rooted in the Heart springs up in Graces St. John tells the Young Men that they are strong and for a â—eason adds this the word of God abides in them 1 Joh. 2. 14. St. Paul first speaks of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or entrance into his auditors and then of their turn to the living and true God 1 Thess. 1. 9. The entrance of the word into the Understanding giveth light Psal. 119. 130. and when it passeth from the Understanding to the Will 't is spiritually a word upon the wheels and inwardly becomes free-making truth Joh. 8. 32. ennobling the Will with true Liberty in the ways of God Epaphras was in an Agony of Prayer for the Colossians that they might be filled in all the will of God Col. 4. 12. the more filling with God's Will the more true Liberty in ours St. Peter clearly asserts that we are born again of the incorruptible seed of the word 1 Pet. 1. 23. In which words his plain meaning is that the Word being intimately sown in the Heart doth under the warming influences of the hoâ—â— spirit spring up into the new Creature and to make this the plainer he adds that the word lives and abides for ever speaking as I take it not of the Words living and abiding in it self but of its living and abiding in the new Creature As it is with natural Seed or Grain sown the Husk or outward part passes away but the lively or substantial part springs up into the Stalk Blade and Ear so it is with the Seed of the Word the letters and syllables the noise and sound of words pass away but the lively and substantial Truth springs up into the new Creature and in it lives and abides for ever God made two great Promises of Regeneration the one That he would write the Law in the heart and the other That he would give a new heart and the latter he fulfils by the former In these two Instants distinguishable at least in Nature doth God by his Word bring forth the Principles of Grace Now here I would conclude this point but that I am obviated by two Objections The one absolutely against the Words Instrumentality The other against the Method proposed in the two Instants 1. Object That against the Words Instrumentality is this The Production of gracious Principles is a Creation and in Creation there can be no Instrument at all and therefore the Word cannot be an Instrument in that Production In answer to which Objection founded on Philosophical Principles I think it were enough to say with the Psalmist Thy testimonies are wonderful Psal.
How could God foreknow that is fore-love them who loved him before If they loved first the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must out it is not Pre-dilection but Post-dilection It remains then that they did believe and love consequently to God's Election and by a divine influence from thence But to go on What is the Predestination here but to a Conformity to the Image of Christ And are Sufferings all the Image of Christ Are and Glory no part thereof What Divine will not blush to say so And how then is not Predestination to these But if Sufferings were all Christ's Image yet are all Sufferings his Image What if they be mere Sufferings such as have no tincture of Faith and Holiness upon them Are these his Image also If not the Predestination to his Image must include in it a Predestination to Faith and Holiness And what is the Calling following upon Predestination Is it a Calling to Sufferings Such a Calling uses to be particularly expressed Hereunto were you called saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 2. 21. and We are appointed hereunto saith S. Paul 1 Thess. 3. 3. But where in all the Scripture doth the word Calling being put absolutely and without such addition ever signifie a Call to Sufferings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we meet with therein but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore the Calling is to Faith and Holiness And what is the Justification which hangs upon Calling If the Calling be to Sufferings are they not justified before that Calling No doubt they are in the instant of believing and how then is Calling set first and Justification last You 'l say this place speaks not of the Justification of their persons but of the Approbation of their cause And where in all this Epistle is the word justifie so taken And why so here Lastly the Called are Justified and the Justified Glorified saith the Apostle And are all those which are called to Sufferings Justified and Glorified The experience of thousands denies it You 'l say they are all justified and glorified if they bear the Cross with Faith and Patience But who dares add an it to Gods Word and in this Text to the two links and not to the former The Apostle faith expresly whom he did Predestinate them he also Called and whom he Called them he also Justified and whom he Justified them he also Glorified In the Original the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fasten every link to its precedent and that with appropriation to the very same persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fastens Calling to Predestination and Justification to Calling and Glorification to Justification and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appropriates all throughout the whole chain to the same persons If therefore any person predestinated or called within this Text be not also justified and glorified the chain is broken and the truth of the Text cannot for ought I see be salved Wherefore I conclude that this Text doth not treat of Predestination and Calling to Sufferings notwithstanding which many fall short of Justification and Glorification but of Predestination and Calling to Grace and Glory such as doth infallibly bring them to Justification and Glorification God's Electing mercy towards his chosen ones is sure and unfailable before they had any being free Grace embraced them in an Eternal Decree and laid them in its bosom and when they left the Common Nullity and in the first moment of their Being lay in the blood of their natural enmity and iniquity free Grace would not pass them by but there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Sept. hath it Ezek. 16. 8. a time for love to let out and dissolve it self in gracious operations to cast its skirt over them wash them in the blood of the Covenant anoint them with the holy Spirit and put a Chain of Graces about their necks And after all this when their Faith wavers like a Wave of the Sea his Faithfulness is as a Mountain of Brass when their Love cools and slacks his Love is ever the same and inflames theirs afresh when their Holiness is full of Creature-weakness and impersection there are with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy Mercies and Compassions which never fail when they sin and go on frowardly in the way of their hearts yet he will see their way and heal them as the Expression is Isai. 57. 18. How many millions of times after their Conversion might he have seen their way and damned them but because of his unchangeable Love he will see their way and heal them His Covenant is as the Waters of Noah Isai. 54. 9. When they sin again and again yet his pardoning Mercy and healing Grace will never suffer them to lie under water nor the deluge of sin to overwhelm them for ever In a word his Electing Love never leaves off till it hath lodged them safe in Heaven Thus the Foundation of God standeth sure and the Election infallibly obteineth Grace and Glory 3. To whom are these things designed I answer in two things 1. These are designed to some certain individual persons 2. These certain individual persons are considered as lying in the Mass of perdition 1. These are designed to some certain individual persons The Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. Their names are all down in the Book of life Phil. 4. ◠he called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by name Joh. 10. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith God to Ananias this individual persons this very Paul who but now was breathing out blood against tho Church this is a vessel of Election Acts 9. 15. The Elect are a determinate number What else were the 7000. which bowed not to Baal 1 Kings 19. 18 What the 144000. which were sealed in their foreheads Rev. 7. 4 If there were no set number why are they called a remnant according to the election of Grace Rom. 11. 5 What remnant can there be unless made up of individual persons What Election but of such A chusing or singling out if not of individuals is no chusing or singling out at all And this is one remarkable difference between the Will of God's Complacence and the Will of his Benevolence the Will of his Complacence is properly respective of Graces and that where-ever those Graces are without any distinction of persons in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him saith St. Peter Act. 10. 35. If Cain do well shall he not be accepted If a Judas believe shall he not be justified Without any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteousness of God is upon all them that believe Rom. 3. 22. His pleasure is in them that fear him Psal. 147. 11. A good man where-ever he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 draws out favour or complacence from the Lord Prov. 12. 2. And the reason is because this Will of Complacence issuing out of his perfect Sanctity cannot but embrace his Image where-ever he finds it but the Will of Benevolence