wee are Predestinated according to the Good Pleasure of his Will Eph. 1. 5. But the Condition in their Predestination is fore-seen Faith and Works Tenendum ex Scripturis veram Conversionem praestationemque bonorum operum esse conditiones praerequisitas ante Justificationem That is we hold true Conversion and Good Works to be Conditions required before Justification so saith Arminius in that Epistle before his Discourse on Rom. 7. And Nic. Grevincho is of the same minde he seekes to prove it out of the words of S. Paul I have fought a good fight c. But if Good works be Conditions required before Justification then it follows they are required before Election there is one and the same Cause of both Thus they even out God Almighty from having any hand in his own Decree and put all into the power of foreseen Faith and Workes whereas the Scriptures say that we are not Predestinated for Faith but to Faith and Good Workes as I shall prove afterward The fifth thing in this Decree of theirs is the Foundation that they say is Christ and so do we but in this we differ they call Christ the externall Cause moving God to make this Decree of Election whereas we say the Will of God onely was the Cause why Christ became our Mediator and Redeemer the Mediation or Redemption of Christ was not the Cause of the Will of God Thus the Controtroversie betwixt the Remonstrants or Universallists and the Reformed Protestant Churches about Election was stated at the Synod of Dort The second Thesis of the Remonstrants or such as hold Universall Redemption at the same time which they would have defended against the Reformed was this Proinde Jesus Christus pro omnibus singulis mortâ—us est atque id ita quidem ut omnibus per mortem crucis reconciliationem peccatorum remissionem impetravit ea tamen conditione ut nemo illa peccatorum remissione fruatur praeter hominem fidelem Ames de Redemp pag. 116. That is the Remonstrants or Universalists furthermore affirme that Jesus Christ died for all and every one and that so as he obtayned Reconciliation and Remission of Sins for all but on this Condition that none obtain this Remission or Reconciliation but the Faithfull I might open this Thesis of Redemption as I did that other of Election but it is so plaine I need not the Sum of the Controversie betwixt the Protestant Churches and Remonstrants or as wee call them Universalists came to this or to these three Heads 1. whether by the Death of Christ there was an Impetration which had no Application 2. whether this Impetration did equally belong to All 3. that none had this Impetration of Christ certainly applied or to be applied to them in the Eternall Counsell of God but God had Destinated his Son to death before hee had Destinated any to be saved by his Death and this Grace of Christs Redemption was as it were spread abroad in the ayre indetermined to any every man might catch it that could by Faith These men seem to feign to themselves a Grace as it were some garment hanging in the ayre which every man may put on that will but these be the devices of mans wisedome the holy Scriptures speake otherwise Pet. Mart. part 3. pag. 51. as translated by Ant. Marten These things the Remonstrants or Universalists affirmed and all these the Reformed Protestant party denied Now from these Opinions that Predestination was not the Decree of God to Elect some and passe by others that God had certainly Elected none but upon Condition That Christ died for all and every one c. I say from these Absurdities it followes Absurd 1. First that God would have All men that is every particular man to be saved contrary to the Scriptures for if God will have all to be saved wherefore are they not saved Will God have all to be saved and can he not have his Will This Opinion is against the Omnipotency of God by it Gods absolute Will the Will of his good Pleasure may be defeated and not accomplished which is a desperate shift contrary to the truth flat opposite to the word of God which saith our God hath done whatsoever pleased him in Heaven and Earth Psal 135. 6. who hath resisted his Will Rom. 9. 19. God is in one minde who can turn him and what his soule desireth that he doth Job 23. 13. Indeed the Declarative or Revealed Will of God is not alwaies fulfilled but his Absolute Will and Good Pleasure is alwaies fullfilled a Christian Catechised in the Principles of Religion cannot make the Impotency of mans will to prevaile against the Omnipotency of God or conceive his purpose may be disappointed or his Absolute Will frustrated by any thing in us Absurd 2. Secondly it follows from these Opinions that there is an Universall Election of all and every man a witlesse conceit for if all men Universally be appointed to Grace then there is no Election or Choosing of some he cannot be said to Elect that Chooseth all and if onely some bee appointed to Grace as it must needs be in Election then is not Grace Universall it is flat against the word of God for Christ avoucheth plainly that fewer are chosen then called Mat. 22. 14. He saith moreover that all which are given him shall be one with him and have life everlasting John 17. 2. 11. But all men shall not be one with him and have life everlasting therefore all are not given to Christ of God the Father all mens names are not written in the Booke of life Apoc. 20. 15. the Kingdome of Heaven is not prepared for all Mat. 25. 35. Christ never knew some Mat. 7. 23. And whereas they build Universall Election upon the largenesse of the Promise if they believe upon the like ground they may as well make an Universall Decree of Reprobation whereby God Decrees all men to bee damned indefinitely if they doe not believe Absurd 3. Thirdly it followes that there is an Universall Vocation for Universall Grace hath these three parts Universall Election Universall Redemption and Universall Vocation which is quite opposite to the word of God for from the Creation till Christ one part of the world was a People and received into the Covenant the other and that the greatest part of the world was no People and out of the Covenant The Church at first was shut up in the Families of the Patriarchs and in the Family of Abraham it was entailde on Isaac the world afterward was divided into the Jew a Church and the Gentile no Church till the comming of Christ therefore it is that the Prophet Isaiah called the Gentiles Prisoners Isa 49. 9. Hosea calls the Gentiles a People that had obtained no mercy at all Hos 2. 23. Peter saith that in times past the Gentiles were not esteemed a People 1 Pet. 2. 10. Christ denied the woman of Canaan the Request for her Daughter upon this distinction
Charity and thus the Ministers may and doe apply Christs death and Redemption to All. There are many Objections of lesser Consequence but why should I teach my Adversaries who are as wilfull as they would be wicked the greatest comfort I have is that if I cannot convert them which I hope yet a vessell can hold no more then it is able to contain I conclude this Poynt therefore with that of Aquinas Christs merit according to the sufficiency thereof carrieth it self indifferently to all but not according to the Efficacy which comes to passe partly by Gods Election through which the effect of Christs merits is mercifully bestowed on some and partly by the just Judgements of Gods withholding his Grace from other some Now to fortifie rivet all this Building by yet more impregnable Reasons I will prove it no cruelty in God to doe with his Creature what he pleaseth that God may elect or reject whom he list and that there is no other cause of Gods Decree of Election but his owne Will The fancies of our Universalists I will confute by these Theses following I assert therefore That Predestination is an eternall Decree of God in time causing effectuall Grace in all those whom he hath chosen and by this effectuall Grace bringing them infallibly to Glory Now this Election or Dilection of some supposeth a passing by of others and a leaving them to their owne selves the cause of both is nothing else but the Will of God The Parts of this Decree are two Election and Reprobation the first Gods absolute Decree of preparing that Grace for some which will preserve them the second Gods absolute Decree of not preparing for others that Grace which would preserve them Now these Decrees are not founded upon any different foreseene Acts of men but upon the alone Will of God which is the most absolute supreame and soveraigne Cause of all things that are having nothing either above it selfe or out of it selfe to be any impulsive Cause to move or incline it Indeed mens Wils are moved and disposed by externall Causes out of themselves because they are to be ruled by Equity and Reason and a mans bare Will without a Reason is nothing but Gods Will is not ruled by another Will or Rule of Reason or Justice but it selfe is an absolute Rule both of Justice and Reason A thing is not first of all reasonable and just and afterward willed by God but it is first of all willed by God and thereupon it becomes reasonable and just Volitiones purè conditionales sunt alienae a sapientia divina Decrees meerly Conditionall agree not with the perfection of the Divine Nature such Volitions or Decrees are for us who have neither Knowledge whether the condition will be performed nor power to worke the condition upon which the future Act of our Will was suspended But in God who knoweth what every man will or will not do and hath power to make men do the good he will these Conditionall Decrees are not purely but mixtly Conditionall that is grounded on some absolute revealed Decree of God to the performance whereof he hath tied himselfe And we ought to observe that Reprobation and Damnation differ exceedingly much Reprobation is a bare passing by Damnation a punishment Ineptè faciunt qui Reprobationis decretum cum Damnatione confundunt cum hujus causa manifestà sit nempe peccatum illius vero sola Dei Voluntas Beza They are very simple that seen ot the difference twixt Reprobation and Damnation Gods Will is Cause of the first sinne of the last Peccatum non est Causa Rejectionis sed est Causa Damnationis Zanchy sinne is not the Cause of Reprobation but of Damnation Reprobation is not a deniall of sufficient Grace but a deniall of such speciall Grace as God knoweth would infallibly bring men to Glory and this Decree doth not shut up any man under a necessity of sinning or of being damned but it permitteth men volunâ—arily and freely to run into damnable sinnes and through their voluntary impenitency to incurre eternall damnation for the Sentence of Damnation lays not hold on men quà non electi sed quà impii not as non-elect but as wicked It is contrary to Gods nature causelesly and cruelly to destroy his creatures but it is not contrary to his nature to decree out of his mercy to bestow Grace and Mercy on some and to Decree out of the liberty of his Will to permit others through their owne voluntary default by abusing the meanes of Grace that is given them to fall into eternal misery he hath mercy on whom he will Exo. 33. 19. If man had been created Wicked or Evill then God had not had just occasion to punish the wickednesse whereof he himselfe was the Authour and Maker but being created good and having given him power to stand hee may justly punish him if he fall From this Decree of Preterition or Reprobation it well followeth Judas is reprobated therefore he will not use the meanes that God offereth for his salvation but it is not a good Consequence to say therefore God hath not given him sufficient meanes or remedies to escape damnation were not his owne wicked Will the onely hinderance These two Propositions may stand together I will that if Judas repent and believe he shall have remission and salvation I will not give unto Judas the gift of Repentance or Faith that he may attaine salvation As it is sencelesse to say Gods Decree of giving Faith to Peter was suspended till Peters Faith and Repentance so it is as sencelesse to say Gods permitting Judas to dye in Unbeliefe and Impenitency was grounded upon his Unbeliefe and Impenitency It 's true the Fathers were sparing in this Poynt till that Monster Pelagianisme was Midwifed into the World and yet Deus in negotio Predestinationis non egreditur extra se and the Cause of Predestination is sola Dei Voluntas so sayd all the Fathers and so say the best Reformed Churches for I say the Lutherans are yet defective in their Omnipresence and fore-seene Faith then how can there be any consideration of fore-seene Faith and Workes God goes out of himselfe if he have regard to Faith Perseverance or any thing that is not intrà se is it not non-sence to say the Decree of Predestination is intrà se if God have respect to any thing extra se And if any object that God doth nothing therefore not Reprobate without a Reason I say his Will is Reason sufficient doe we say and pray thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven and yet deny it in Predestination the Psalmist doth prove it true in despite of proud man Our God hath done whatsoever pleased him in Heaven and Earth Psal 135. 6. He did worke and he doth worke all things after the Councell of his owne Will Ephes 1. 5. Rom. 9. 19. Suppose that I with others come for entertainment to such a Gentlemans
that God from all Eternity before the world was made hath not onely fore-seene all things that could be or should be by his appointment or permission but also by an unchangeable Decree hath fore-ordained all things and persons to certaine determinate ends for his owne Glory and that neither the Saints were elected in Christ to infallible and persevering Grace and eternall Glory for their fore-seene righteousnesse nor the Reprobates refused or non-elected for their fore-seene wickednesse but both the one and the other were Predestinated to those their severall Estates according to the Councel of Gods owne Will which was not mooved by any thing hee foresaw in the parties but hee most freely Decreed according to his own pleasure absolute dominion that he hath over the Creature And this Decree of Gods Will is the first mover of all other wills and things in the creatures whereupon the smallest and most contingent or casuall things that fall out depend as upon their Universall Cause whose influence into the second causes directeth produceth inclineth and ordinateth them to their effects not by enforcing them by any constraint but by enclining them to worke according to their owne condition so as the sayd effects proceed out of them according to their own natures a contingent effect of a contingent cause and a free effect out of a voluntary and free cause This is the sum of that Doctrine which the Reformed Protestant Churches hold touching Predestination They place the Decree of God to order all things for his own glory as it is Pro. 16. 4. which is the end before the meanes that is before Creation the Fall Redemption c. but the Pelagians Papists Arminians Universalists place the means before the end as for example these say Mediatio Christi est Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or externe movens respectu volitionis divinae in Electionis actu that is the mediation of Christ is the externall cause moving the will of God in the act of Election whereas the Reformed Churches say that the will of God is the sole cause of the mediation of Christ Christ is not subordinate to the very Decree it selfe of Election he is to the Execution thereof as it appears 1 Pet. 1. 20. Thus in the distribution of the causes of Salvation and Damnation our Adversaries turne them upside downe for they feigue a generall decree in God 1. To create man 2. To give a Law to his Creature with condition of life and death 3. To permit the fall 4. To redeeme all mankinde in Christ hence Universall Election 5. To call all mankinde so redeemed hence Universall Vocation 6. Upon their Faith or Infidelity he fixeth his Decree First say they God propounded equally to himselfe Jacob and Esau and loved the one no more then the other secondly he purposed to save him of the two that should do well and damn him of the two that should do ill thirdly he Decreed to give them both sufficient means of salvation whereby Esau may as well be saved as Jacob fourthly he Decreed to leave them both to the liberty of their owne Free-will to use or not to use the means fiftly he foresaw Jacob would Esau would not use the means sixthly hereupon he pronounced the Decree of Election to Jacob and of Reprobation to Esau thus Pelagians Papists Arminians Universalists These two last Remonstrants so the Germans call them and the name offends them not for this Sect pester'd them parts first and gave occasion to the States of the United Provinces to assemble that Synod at Dort whither at their instance came religious and learned men from other Reformed Churches as out of England Bishop Carleton Doctor Davenant Doctor Ward Doctour Goade Doctor Belcanquell c. I say these Remonstrants that oppose our Doctrine of Predestination being of the same minde with them that defend Universal Redemption they say thus I 'le use their owne words Deum Amesius de Elect. pag. 11. aeterno immutabili decreto in Jesu Christo filio suo ante jactum mundi fundamentum statuisse ex lapso peccatis obnoxio humano genere illâ—s in Christo propter Christum per Christum servare qui Spiritus Sancti gratia in eundem Filium ejus credunt in ea fide fideique obedientia per eandem gratiam usque ad finem perseverant that is God in his eternall and immutable Decree in Jesus Christ his Son before the foundation of the world did determine out of lapsed mankinde to save those in Christ for Christ and by Christ who by the spirit did believe in that his Sonne and persevere in that faith and obedience of faith by grace unto their lives end Now in this Thesis of theirs are these five things 1. The Act or Decree it selfe 2. the Object 3. the End 4. the Condition 5. the Foundation First the Act or Decree it selfe and that they say is two fold 1. Generall by which God Decreed to save all that would believe and persevere the 2. Particular by which hee did Decree to save certaine persons whom he foresaw would certainly beleeve and persevere unto the end some of them call these two Gods Antecedent Consequent Will or generale particulare pronuntiatum Thus they make you may see two Wills in God against the Spirit of God which saith God is in one mind Job 23. 23. The second thing considerable in their Thesis is the Object of this Decree which they are forced to confesse all the members of Christ are not they cannot tell how to include Infants because they want faith and perseverance nay they include in the Object of this Decree onely such as have lived and persevered all other are excluded that are yet alive untill they persevere to the end so that by this Opinion they must first have Faith and Perseverance before God can fix his Decree which is a fearfull thing to affirme for so they are not Pre-destinated but Post-destinated they are forc'd therefore to a further absurdity that is to distinguish betwixt an incompleat which they say is common to all the faithfull and a compleat Election which is proper only to such as persevere The third thing to be considered in their Thesis is the End of this Decree and that they say is salvation and glory contrary to the expresse words of Scripture which saith not we are Predestinated to Glory onely but also to Holinesse or a godly life and to the Grace of Adoption before we can attain to Glory as it is plaine Eph. 1. 4. 5. He hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be Holy c. In the Decree of Predestination there is first What 2. by What 3. to What the first Man the 2. Grace the 3. a Godly Life and after it is ended Eternall Glory The 4. thing is the Condition required in this Decree of theirs wee say it is the Good Pleasure or the Will of God without any Condition
it is not meet to take the Childrens bread and cast it to Dogs Mat. 15. 26. If any object that the Gentiles fell away from the Covenant I answer grant that of the Fathers yet their Children never heard of the Covenant therefore it is that the Prophet Isaiah saith of the Gentiles that neither God knew them nor did they know God Isay 55. 5. Universalist I pray thee speake in earnest how could the Americans Canibals and other Savadges have any Call No Pelagian it is not Nature No Semi-Pelagian it is not Grace and Nature we cannot so much as thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. I conclude hence no Universall Call Absurd 4. Fourthly it followes from this Opinion of Universall Redemption c. that God is all Mercy and nothing else whereas the soveraigne end of all Gods Actions is answerable to his Nature which is not Mercy and Love alone but Justice also and therefore the right End of mans Creation is the manifestation of Gods Glory both in Justice and Mercy search the Scriptures and see if Justice also be not an Attribute of our God Absurd 5. Fiftly hence it followes that Predestination is for fore-seene Faith and Workes unlesse Gods Prescience discover something his Predestination Decrees nothing but after the fore-sight of Faith and Perseverance and the former Gift of Predestination to Glory must depend upon a later Gift of Faith quite contrary to the Word of God for either it is Gods will the Elect shall have Grace and the Reprobates no Grace given them or else they believe or not believe of their own Free Will this later is grosse Pelagianisme making Nature the beginning of Grace and if the former be granted that God fore-sees no Grace but what himselfe Predestinates to give nor no sin but what upon the witholding of his Grace the Reprobate will freely worke then it followes that God will and doth give Grace because first he hath elected and will give no Grace because he hath reprobated and there is no cause of either but Gods owne Will no fore-seen Faith or Workes Againe I reason thus the End is alwayes in intention before the Meanes primus intentione ultimus executione but Gods Will to elect men to Glory is the End therefore Gods Will to elect men to Glory goes before his Will to give them Faith and Grace therefore he Elects not after or upon the fore-sight of Faith and Grace therefore before he see Faith or Grace in Jacob which he will give him he purposes to give him Life Eternall But these men will give God their Faith and Good Workes in lieu of their Redemption by Christ against Isay 52. 3. Rom. 11. 35. I know they distinguish 'twixt the Antecedent and Consequent Wil of God Gods Antecedent Will to save every man although considering the sinnes of men he hath a Consequent Will to condemne some But this distinction makes the matter more absurd and salves it not for God is immutable his Will is one as he is one whatsoever he fore saw in any that himselfe purposed to worke if he foresaw Grace and the good use of Free Will in Jacob he purposed to worke it by infusing it what have we that we have not received 1 Cor. 4. 7. Every good and every perfect gift is from above James 1. 17. If he foresaw Sinne and the ill use of Free Will in Esau he purposed to worke it also Rom. 9. 13. 18. by witholding Grace and hardening and he not onely purposed to Worke that which he foresaw but to Worke and Effect it as the Means and as a subordinate Second Cause to bring man to the End apoynted from hence it follows that Faith Workes c. are onely Meanes ordained by God to bring us to the End not Causes of our Election I cannot tell how they can avoid the Papists Meritum è congruo and plaine Pelagianisme that maintaine foreseen Faith and Works for thus saith Pelagius Licet non secundum merita bonorum Operum tamensecundum merita bonae voluntatis datur gratia ratio Pelagii est alioqui Deus esset Acceptor personarum si sine ullis praecedentibus meritis cujus vult miseretur That is though Grace bee not given according to the Merit of our Good Workes yet it is given according to the Merit of our Good Will the Reason Pelagius renders is this else God should be a Respecter of Persons if he have mercy on whom he will without regard of foregoing Merits so that they are Cozens not far off if they be not neare Cozens to Papists and Pelagians that defend foreseen Faith and Workes all of them answer one another even as the Eccho doth the Voyce and they will wash away these blots when the Blackmore changeth his skin Pelagius Redivivus is now no newes Absurd 6. Sixtly hence followes Free Will I know they say that Gods Grace must goe along with our Will but this excuse is onely a Vaile or Vizard which hides their Pelagian faces that the ignorant People might not see them so that as Augustine said of the like words used by the Pelagians we would receive them without scruple but that they speak them whose meaning is well enough known unto us Initium Fidei Conversionis desiderium est ex nobis incrementum a Gratia the beginning of Faith and the desire of Conversion is of our selves the increase of Grace Aâ—bitrium est ad hoc liberum ut velit vel nolit admittere medicinam the Will is free to will or nill the admission of the Medicine so say the Pelagians and the Arminians and our Universalists say Gods Grace must go along with our Free Will he hath a good wit that can distinguish betwixt these two I have read of one Melitides a naturall foole who could not tell whether his Mother or his Father brought him forth so these men cannot tell whether God begets them to himselfe or their owne Free Will begets them unto God I say therefore that God determines mans Will and yet it is Free still Gods Will is above ours flowes into it and moves it and yet the Will followes the dictate of its owne Intellect is freed onely from Constraint not from Necessity from which the Will of Angels is not free for they can do no evill they can doe nothing but that which is good And as a man by a device should let Birds flye and yet cause them all to goe to such a place as himselfe would so doth God rule the Will The Spirit of God at first findes nothing in the Will to helpe his Grace in the Conversion of a Sinner First Grace gives life to the dead Will and then the Will being revived becomes an Instrument of God both to apprehend his Grace offered and to worke forward with it but this by the Seede of Grace and New Life that God hath put into it not by the Nature of mans Will and as my Paper whereon I am writing retaines
persevere to the end whilest they are yet alive The Minor is true for they are the words of S. Luke and S. John ut suprà and I could prove it out of a hundred places therefore the Conclusion cannot be false Perseverance can be no condition in the Object of Election They even all of them Universalists Papists Arminians defend falling away from Grace and they prove it de facto by a fearfull Argument for they themselves have faln from the Faith and the Reformed Churches Arg. 2. They who were given to Christ antecedenter ad Fidem that they might be Faithfull they were Elect antecedenter ad Fidem that they might have Faith and Perseveranee not because they were such but some are given to Christ that they might have Faith and Perseverance therefore they were elect that they might be Faithfull not for their Faith the Major none can deny and the Minor may be proved out of Ephes 1. 4. Hee hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that wee should bee holy and without blame before him not because we were holy the Apostle saith the same Ephes 2. 10. Faith is the fruit not the tree the Effect not the Cause of Election we are elected to faith not for faith antecedenter ad fidem as I said not propter fidem there is no other Cause of our Election but only the Will of God Nay more the mediation of Christ is not the Cause of Gods Decree but Gods Decree è contra is the Cause of Christs mediation he Predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his owne will Ephes 1. 5. The Jewes were rejected for their unbeliefe the Gentiles were not elected for their Faith but they stood by Faith Rom. 11. 20. We never read that any People or particular Nation was elected for their Faith the contrary we often read as Deut. 7. 7. 8. Ezek. 16. First the Lord saith this is my People before the People can say the Lord is our God Zach. 13. 9. Vera Electio non invenit sed facit fideles true Election finds us not but makes us faithfull Qui enim de mundo mundum eligi fecit quod eligeret non invenit saith Augustin in Joh. 15. God chose a World out of the World for nothing that was in the World Indeed Arminius stands to it stoutly that Faith in Gods Decree of Election doth in order goe before not follow Election But yet that old Axiome is and will be truth when Heresies and Hereticks are dead with the Devill their Father Deus in negotio Predestinationis non egreditur extrà se God in Predestination goes not out of himselfe Arg. 3. The Scriptures teach us that on some God will shew Mercy on others his Justice Exod. 33. 19. Rom. 9. 22. 23. of his owne Free Will or good pleasure which proves that Election is neither for Faith nor of all Of the same Clay the Potter maketh both the Vessels that serve for cleane uses and likewise also such as serve to the contrary but what is the use of either sort the Potter himselfe is the Judge Wisedome 15. 7. O house of Israel can not I doe with you as the Potter saith the Lord Behold as the clay is in the Potters hand so are ye in mine O house of Israel Jer. 18. 6. And if any man will strive against God for doing with us as he pleaseth the Prophet Isaiah pronounceth a woe against such an one Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker Let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth shall the Clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou Woe unto him that saith to his Father what begettest thou c. Isa 45. 9. 10. God hath got the upper ground doe not contend against him Arg. 4. Christ saith hee had sheep among the Gentiles Other sheep I have that are not of this fold John 10. 16 Therefore God had much people among them that had not heard of him now this cannot be by Election or in the Decree and Eternall Counsell of God therefore there is a singular Election even of such as never had Faith Arg. 5. Our Adversaries might remember Christ sayth But many are called and fewer chosen Matt. 20. 16. 22. 14. From which words it followes there is neither an universall Vocation nor an universall Election but I touched these things before and shall heereafter when I come to prove Gods absolute Decree Their Universall Vocation is of the same stampe with their Universall Election as counterfet coyne I proved it before and I may adde further This Opinion necessarily implies that God gives grace and means sufficient for salvation to all men and supposes that there is no mortall man old or yong Christian or Pagan from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof but God reveales to him the means of salvation and at least in some instant of his life he sets him in such a state that he may enjoy the means if he will and be saved the Consequence is thus proved because if God will onely save such as use the means of salvation well and damn such as use them ill and that consequently because they use them well or ill then he must in justice reveale and exhibit these means unto them because no man by himselfe can recover them and hee must reveale and exhibite them to man when he is in such a state that he hath the use of his Free Will as a King that wills the safety of his Subjects on condition that they keep his Lawes is bound to publish and make his Lawes known unto them else if he execute any of them it must be upon a new point and not upon their not keeping his Lawes so also it is impossible that God should reprobate any for the ill use of his grace and contempt of the means of salvation that never had those meanes nor ever heard of his grace as many millions of people in all Ages have beene and now are The first sort whereof are Infants that either die in the womb or unbaptized or reach not to years of discretion and the use of reason and Free Will now Predestination is of no other reason in Infants then in Old folke but upon the same grounds and in the same maner that God wills the salvation of the one he wills the salvation of the other then let the Universalist tell me how the means of salvation is applied to Infants or how they can make use of the means The second sort that never had or heard of the means of salvation are Idiots such as are born Naturalls without the use of Reason of whom the same may be sayd that is of Infants that for want of Reason and the use of Free Will they cannot be said to have sufficient means for to the sufficiency of the meanes must concurre not only the perfection of the helpe revealed but also the ability of
their Friends being infected no they conclude it contrary to all reason that any good or evill can bee prevented seeing every thing is pre-ordayned of God But wee Christians are taught better things that we should not so foolishly examine the secret Counsells of God as to make them altogether agreeable to our blockish Reason I might enlarge my selfe on this Subject I want not matter to stop the widest mouth among my neighbors but I will draw towards a Conclusion Reader I pray thee seriously consider if both the Supra-lapsarian and the Sub-lapsarian may not meete and sweetly set forth the Mercy and Justice of God the Supra-lapsarians say that in the first Act of Reprobation God doth all for himself only in the second that is Damnation he does all for sin in this last the Supra-lapsarian and the Sub-lapsarian say that God doth the second for Sin I see not why he may not say hee doth the first for Himselfe and so be in that a Supra-lapsarian but foreseene Faith and Works in the first Act of God clashes ex Diametro against the Word of God I know in God there is no first or last prius or posterius but yet for our better understanding wee may conceive the Decrees of Election and Preterition in order of priority antecedent to the permission of sin and therefore much more to the prevision I conceive the Question is not whether God foresaw what Good and Bad would doe who dares doubt of that but whether the Different Actions of Men foreseen caused the Different Decrees of their Election and Preterition indeed it is impossible but that God should see all things at once therefore he could not Predestinate or Reprobate without prevision and permission of sin but even Originall sin alone though foreseene could not bee Cause why Peter was Predestinated and Judas not seeing it was foreseen in both and made both ex aequo Reprobabiles therefore it was Gods will that made a difference and not any Originall sin God determined to permit the Apostasie of Men and Angels to damne some of Men all the Apostate Angells yet God might have Elected Cain or Judas unto Glory without injustice and passed by Peter God forbid we should say the Divine Will was determined and could not doe otherwise yet Cain Judas and Peter were equally guilty of Originall sin Wee grant not that by this absolute Reprobation God Decreeth that Men not Predestinated should unavoydably sinne that so they may certainly be damned but we grant that God foreknoweth persons not elected will voluntarily commit those sinnes for which hee intends to damne them but Negative Reprobation neither procureth nor supposeth any sinne as damnation doth The Decrees of excluding men out of Heaven and tormenting them in Hell are different I say then that even Judas notwithstanding his Reprobation might have been saved had hee not continued voluntarily impenitent if any say he could not yea but I say he would not there was by Gods Act of Reprobation no necessity of coaction imposed on his will And now if any object that the salvation of all were more for Gods glory To this I answer God is not to learne of us what makes most for his Glory hee could have upheld the Angels Adam saved all and every particular but he did not he doth not therefore this absolute Decree to bring but some to salvation and permit others infallibly to fall doth make most for his glory Indeed Alphonsus K. of Castile sayd God might have made his Works and done many things much better then he did but it was Blasphemy take you heed Mr. T. I must not omit how that the 39. Articles agreed upon by the whole Clergie of England anno 1562. for establishing of Consent touching true Religion are flat opposite to these Opinions of our Universalists they are against the 10. Article which sayth That man since the fall of Adam hath no Free Will or Power to doe any thing pleasant and acceptable unto God they are against the 11. Article which saith Justification is not for any of our own works or deservings they are against the 12. Article which sayth Good works are onely fruits of Faith and follow after Justification and by Consequence Election they are against the 17. Article which calls Predestination to life the everlasting Purpose of God wherely before the Foundations of the World were layd he hath constantly Decreed by his Counsell secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom hee hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation as vessels made to honour c. So then the Foundation of Predestination to life is the purpose of God and his Counsell not foreseene Faith whereby hee hath constantly Decreed Predestination is immutable to deliver from Curse those only whom he had chosen in Christ hee had no purpose to save all and they are called Vessels made to honour which implies other Vessels made to dishonour If Mr. T. be a Minister then hee might remember that hee once consented to the truth of these Articles Indeed Arminius in his Declaration to the States of Holland and West-Frisland endeavoureth to prove by 20. Arg. That God hath not Decreed absolutely to save certaine particulars And Bertius his Scholar saith This absolute Decree openeth a gate on this side to a dissolute life on that side to desperation They say further That the Opinion of precise Election without respect of foreseene Faith in the Elect overthroneth all Religion But Reader thou mayst remember that these two are much like those Artists that found out the Trade they professed they are not the Children of our Mother both Arminians and our Universalists make a desperate use of this Doctrine but the Doctrine it self is no desperate Doctrine or Doctrine of desperation but of Heavenly consolation as wee read in our 17. Article the words are these The godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feele in themselves the working of the spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing up their mindes to high and heavenly things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirme the Faith of eternall Salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God c. They that draw desperate Conclusions because of Gods Decree are condemned in that Article and I am sure our Doctrine of Predestination is a savour of life unto life if it prove a savour of death unto death it is onely to such as pervert the Doctrine of Holy Scriptures to their owne destruction 2. Pet. 3. 16. But the Doctrine of the Arminians and our Vniversalists which makes Gods Election depend upon the Will of man which may totally and finally fall from Grace is a most desperate Doctrine and deprives a Christian of all comfort both in life and