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
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
their own Hands God works in Conversion because the Will works saith Bellarmine but we answer by querying Whether we should judg of the Church's Doctrine by her Collect and Catechism or by her Articles of Religion surely by the latter Again Are we to pray for Turks Jews and Infidels Conversion without this addition if it be the Will of God to convert them I think not This Term all Mankind so general no more is signified thereby than Christ died for Mankind in Opposition to Angels kind and we say the same The ground for praying for Turks Jews and Infidels ariseth from the Scripture prophesying of the Jews Conversion and bringing in of the Fulness of the Gentiles which is plainly notified in the 11th of the Romans But that Christ died for all and every one with his own and Father's Intent to save them we deny and offer those Arguments drawn up lately by that Learned and Reverend Brother Mr. Isaac Chauncey in his late Book entituled The Doctrine which is according to Godliness there cannot be better Arguments produced The Preface swells else I would have transcribed them all take but one sutable to the following Subject and I will bid the Reader farewel It is not fit Christ should die for all seeing his Father elected not all and gave not all to him For Christ to redeem more were to disobey his Father's Will and not to do it If any say God elected all it is most absurd to talk of chusing some from among many others when a Man takes the whole Number this is no Election Or if any say Election is conditional provided if a Man will this also is no Election for if Election be upon the Condition of Man's Free-will neither one nor another is chosen but all have equal pervious Designation to the end and so there is no Election at all Farewel EPHES. 1.5 Having predestinated us to the Adoption c. THis Text speaks this Truth viz. That particular Persons are decreed unto Eternal Life and the Means thereof are decreed in their effectual working Some singular Persons are the immediate Objects of Election the word us denotes it it speaks Persons still All the Adversaries grant Persons are elected but here is the difference some think that Persons are in God's Eye first and his Love was first cast upon them as soon as he thought of glorifying himself out of himself among the Sons of Men and whatever Means some calls them Conditions by which they may come to this Salvation they are chosen to they shall have Strength from God to perform The other think that Persons are elected but out of fore-sight that they do fulfil such Conditions and those Conditions are first of all ordained and Persons so far as they come under them Some of them say that the Object of Election is Man dying past the use of Reason who in all probability will not return and live to enjoy the Means wherein they may use the Power of their Will to take or leave Some will say a Man is not elected while he is a Man of this World Therefore this Order they that are of this Opinion make of God's Decrees 1. God decrees to send his Son into the World that he dying his Justice might be satisfied he might be free upon what Terms he would save Men. The second Decree that Men shall have no other Terms for Salvation but Perseverance in believing on him who hath died for them Third Decree to give fit Means to make them believe 4. God picks out particular Persons as his chosen ones as they fulfil the Conditions at the Point of Death Or thus God considered all the ways possible that may bring to Salvation and of all pitch'd upon the way of Faith this they call Predestination unto Life 2. Then there is a particular Decree of this Man or the other to Life according as he hath fulfilled that Condition By what hath been said you may see the difference This is not God's Election to say if Men believe and persevere in believing then they shall be elected and saved then I will pitch upon you rather than others to Life but this is God's Election I do take thee and therefore will enable thee and not others to do all the things I require of thee I will call thee and I will not depart from thee till thou art partaker of Eternal Life the Question then is great about the Cause of God's Election what makes a compleat Act of God's electing God chuses particular singular Persons John Peter Paul these are those God immediately pitcheth upon not Conditions first and then Persons as they fall under these but Persons first and appoints them to all the Means I prove this 1. By Scripture 2. By Reason 3. I will show the danger of the other Opinion The Scripture saith that the very Hairs of our Head are numbred Mat. 10.30 Acts 27.34 not one falls without your Heavenly Father 2 Sam. 14.11 Much more surely hath God a Care of all the Heirs of Salvation of all that shall be made partakers of that Inheritance in Glory things that are numbred are that they may not perish If superfluous things are taken care of by the Providence of God and it reaches to minute things as Hairs of the Head doth it not extend think you to the Persons of them that are saved The Proofs of Scripture for this are three 1. That the Scripture is silent about any such way as the Adversaries speak of now the Scripture is the Light that is given to know the Mind of God by in this matter The Silence of the Scripture in this thing speaks aloud what it saith nothing of is not to be believed For in this lieth the very Nature and Essence of a Rule that what is not according to it is not right nor authentick not to be supposed in the Scripture are all the Truths that are to be received and view it throughout and there is not a word of this viz. That there are Conditions made of Election if we believe and repent and persevere indeed of Salvation there are Conditions the Scripture speaks of taking Conditions in a general sense as they signify Means to a thing or a Connexion betwixt one thing and another but Salvation is much differing from Election as much as the Effect from the Cause and the End from the Means we are saved by Grace therefore in the use of Means but Election gives that Grace Some Scriptures seem to be for them but of them I shall speak afterwards 2. The Scripture speaks of particular Persons singular Persons elected where-ever it speaks of Election or Predestination in this of the first of the Ephesians predestinated us i.e. the Ephesians in distinction from others In the second Chapter he saith they were Children of Wrath by Nature as others till God made known his Purpose to them by calling of them It must have been instead of this word us all Men predestinated all Men