Eternity and will bring us to eternal Life infallibly The Angels they are particularly elected and how full of Zeal are they in their Obedience for God they are said to be Flames of Fire sent out to minister Flames for Zeal and Delight in their Service The Apostles and Prophets they had the Love of God revealed to them and that their Names were written in Heaven and how full of Holiness and Zeal suffering any thing for Christ Jesus and rejoiced in their Sufferings Ephes 1.4 he speaks of Love before the Foundation of the World to their Persons in Christ and what would this do that we might be holy and without Blame before him in Love John 15. I have chosen you out of the World saith Christ What then ver 16 and ordained that you should bring forth Fruit and that your Fruit should remain be constant in it therefore is this Argument Col. 3.12 Put on therefore as the Elect of God Bowels of Mercy Kindness Humbleness Object But who will labour to be holy and to walk in Holiness and good Works if God chuseth without the Consideration of these hath no respect to these and so elects that nothing can make it void Answ Tho Election be free and without Consideration of Faith or good Works as going before Election yet none are elected but to that Salvation which is obtained through Faith and good Works we are ordained to walk in them to Glory Faith and Works are the Means of obtaining Salvation tho they be not the Cause of Election there is a great difference betwixt Salvation and Election two Scriptures for this 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the fore-knowledg of God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience 2 Thess 2.13 Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth 6. The Doctrine of God's electing particular Persons is a Ground to try themselves upon whether they be elected or not and so find upon themselves the Marks of Election This is that the Apostle doth intend in Rom. 8. in giving Calling Justification as the Effects of God's Predestination that even as a Tree is known by its Fruits and the Cause by the Effects so they may come to know themselves to be predestinated The Apostle speaks expresly of the Predestination of particular Persons for he saith these and these and none but these Whereas on the other side if God only elect Conditions then a Man cannot know himself to be elected in this World there is no sign of Election upon him nothing is to be found in him but what he may perish with it is his Perseverance when he is past all Temptation that God doth crown with Election To conclude this with that Apostle in Gal. 1.8 when some among them had preached Justification by Works this is that which should be noted to you it is another Gospel for any to look for Justification or Election by Works Exod. 33.19 God saith I will shew Mercy on whom I will shew Mercy he speaks it of pardoning The Apostle doth expresly use these words concerning Election Rom. 9.15 whence I gather it is another Gospel and so a Curse pronounced against them that bring it to look for Election from Works and so by Works as for a Man to look for Justification and not by Grace The Apostle saith it is another Gospel Why doth he say so because whatever way of Salvation we make that will not reveal God's Love nor comfort the Heart nor be a Provocation to Holiness nor fill the Heart with Love again to God it is another Gospel in that it will not have the Effect of the Gospel of that Gospel that sheweth Salvation to be only by Grace Vse of Trial. Try now whether you be one of these Persons for God chuseth Persons To stir you up to the Trial 1. You may safely do it no danger either of Despair or Presumption Satan hinders this as much as may be 1st He tells us if we do it there will be no end of our Doubts but we shall come forth of this Enquiry more scared and amazed 2dly Sometimes tells the Soul God's Love is equal to all 3dly Sometimes gives a false Ballance to weigh the Soul by some crooked Rule or other 4thly Sometimes he puzzles the Soul with many Objections it is dangerous he casts in this to go about it 't will make one cast off Holiness make one presumptuous if he can attain it and despair if he attains it not that it is a Secret belongs to God and that none can come to know it c. yet we say it is very safe to enquire into that which God revealeth that we may believe it Yet 1. It is modestly humbly and warily to be looked into our Heads will be dazled if we alone look into this Depth as he that looks down a steep Place tumbleth with the Giddiness that is wrought in him thereby Many have fallen because they have not looked aright into this Doctrine if we follow the Light of the Scripture there is no danger It is a Secret as is said as to the Cause of it why one is chosen and not another but as to the Persons it is not a Secret for it is revealed Rom. 8. Those that are called and justified as to Persons that are adult these very Persons and none else besides them are predestinated and shall be glorified those whose Afflictions make them more conformable to Christ ver 29. those that trust in him for Justification ver 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect The Levites might look into the Ark and none else so those that are called may reflect upon Election from whence this proceeds 2. Take this Caution In the Enquiry you are so to seek it as to advance the Grace of God in the seeking of it without hindring the Work of Sanctification sâ— that Holiness may not be hindered Some do so look after this that they never mind the other yet so to look after Sanctification that the Love of God may not be lessened The Works of God's Grace in thee are not so to be insisted on as to think that for them thou hast God's Grace of Election neither is God's Election so to be thought on as that it will save thee without Grace in thee Grace inherent is the Messenger of Election a Stream from the Fountain an Effect of it where there is Heat there is Fire But why God should work this in thee rather than another it is his Free-Love and the Reason why he loves thee and not another was not thy Grace that was in thee Vse II. Much Profit comes by knowing our Election 1. Hereby we shall answer that great Question that is in the Mind of a Believer viz. Whether Christ be in him 2 Cor. 13.5 Know you not he speaks of something known to all Believers know you not i. e. you do know that Christ is in
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
or other it may be thou wilt not commit it but thou wilt salute it it may be it hath not actual but it hath contemplative Commission the whole Act is in thy Thoughts tho not in thy Practice there is a constant breaking out of Corruption upon all Occasions Now 1 Joh. 1.6 If we say we have Fellowship with him and walk in Darkness we lie and do not the Truth i. e. as when Mens Consciences tell them that when they lie they speak not the Truth so when a Man goes about to lay hold on Assurance his Conscience tells him he cannot be assured of his Election who walks not sincerely with the Lord. A corrupt unprofitable Word will grieve the Spirit by which ye are to be sealed Ephes 4.30 3. We want it because we are not sollicitous to grow and encrease in all Graces but only in some one we neglect some Graces while we follow after others we do some Duties not others or all we know If we would make our Election sure 2 Pet. 1.5 the Apostle tells us We are to give all Diligence to add to Faith Vertue c. He reckons upon all the Cardinal Graces and Vertues of a Christian which comprehend all the rest in which our Diligence is to be not one but all We have prayed for it no question but never joined Fasting to Praying we have done both but only alone never in Company of the Saints that understand the Voice of God it may be we have done this but yet never waited upon the Lord in the Use of those Ordinances which he hath appointed his People to walk through and as Trunks by which he speaks and conveighs himself It may be thou art given to Anger Passion Frowardness and strivest against it but then art led and not a little by a covetous Worldly Spirit it may be thou art against this yet there is in thee a vain foolish Spirit following the Customs and Fashions of the Times that the World may know thou hast a Liberty I do not say that those that do such things cannot have assurance but that the allowing a Man's self in any one Sin or the neglecting of any one known Duty is the Cause many times that Assurance is not given 4. Suppose that be not the Case yet it may be thou takest not the Hints and Opportunities God gives when he would speak his Mind to thee or thou withdrawest when he hath spoken a word or two thou hast made nothing of it yet such there have been upon thy Spirit and thou hast not regarded them every Touch of God upon the Heart every Intimation is like a Character which is but a little Dash but it contains a whole Word or like some Hieroglyphicks of the Heathen a whole Story was comprehended in one Sign or Image So if thou hast been able to have construed or expounded that Touch of God upon thy Heart it would have told thee the Love of God from Eternity and would have shewed how it hath waited on thee and done thee good in several Estates as in the knowledg of Duty And if a Man would know his Duty he must take the least Motion and Intimation of it and the least Light must be made much of if he will grow up to know the Mind of God fully So it is also in the knowledg of our State thou must begin with Principles to know thy Duty thou must begin with Intimations to get Assurance God begins after that manner with his People whereas Presumption is all at once and comes by Violence Lastly If that be not the Case it may be thou dost not go on with the Trial of thy self it may be when thou art sick or in imminent danger or to do some hazardous Duty then thou goest about it diligently else desistest Now Suits in Law hang long come not to an end because they are not followed As he that would have a true understanding of any Science must traverse the Principles clean through so he that would have Assurance must go on the next day where he left off before Thou dost not make it the Work of every Grace and every Prayer to search into thy Heart nor the Work of every Day but now and then when thou art in some imminent danger or special Service Let us know this to encourage us there is nothing God takes more Pleasure to reveal than his electing Love tho it pass thy Knowledg yet as the Apostle saith Ephes 3. Christ and the Spirit dwelling in thy Heart by Faith will make you see into all the Heights and Depths Lengths and Breadths that pass Knowledg And tho it be the Weakness of a Christian to analise and go from the Effect to the Cause yet unto this Men should endeavour and labour that they come to know the Cause and Fountain whence all their Good comes and God hath given you two Lights in this Firmament for the revealing of it 1. Your Faith 2. Your Love As the Sun doth sometimes make another Sun in the Firmament so doth the Love of God work in us a Love of electing him again That you may read all the whole Heart and Frame of God's Intentions towards you in the Reflection of your Heart towards him make it your Work to make your Election sure He is a happy Man that knows the Causes of things and he is the wise Man that doth know things by their Causes There is nothing more pleasant and delightful than for you to drink of the Fountain a little of the Knowledg of God's electing Love will be like the Spirit of Wine like a Spring within you like a strong Motion The Saints do much by the Power of Grace but much more by the Power of Love and aspecially by that Love that hath ordained all those things to be given so freely to them even the Love of Election And if it were for nothing but for this that you may come to know your Estate abhor Conditional Election which puts you to work but gives you no Certainty nor Security of your Condition but only by your Walkings as they say themselves which are changeable and that Doctrine will bear it that he that lived forty or fifty Years in a holy way and all things ready to go to Heaven yet hath his Will so changeable and slippery that in one moment he may turn off from God and lose all he hath done and never be remembred but perish eternally were there nothing but this to make a Man stand at a distance from that Doctrine it should do it However it may seem to the Flesh to keep a Man cautious and wary in what he doth yet notwithstanding a Man can have no Knowledg in this World how it shall be with him to Eternity whereas our Doctrine calls up to the Mount and bids us there sit down and read our Names in the Book as they are made known by the effectual workings of the Spirit If you would know whether you be
the Grace that so much abounded towards him Vse I. If this be true that there are Persons particular Persons elected unto such Conditions then do not say because thou canst not find the Condition as yet that thou art not in the Election Election doth not depend upon the having of Faith It is an Act of God and it is manifested and declared when he makes thee believe this is not the Method of God Go and do thus much and when you have done thus much I will elect you and bring you to Glory but this I have passed the Sentence that you are mine and shall be mine and I will fill you with my Spirit and enable you to Obedience and bring you to Glory But suppose we find it not so we have no Faith Holiness Obedience yet say not ye are not in the Election for it depends not upon these things They are not the Causes of it and you may be in the Election for all that tho you cannot know it but by Faith You know Paul ran an ill Course in Sin he persecuted the Saints thought he ought to do so with Zeal yet saith God he is a chosen Vessel unto me Acts 9.15 yea he was in the Election then so it 's said in Acts 18.10 I have much People in this City God calls them his People before Conversion and in John 10.16 Other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold them also I must bring They are called Sheep before they are brought in And of the Jews it 's said that they were very refractory would not receive the Gospel because the Gentiles did thinking it a Breach of Promise Rom. 11.28 As concerning the Gospel they are Enemies for your sake but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Father's sake Enemies and yet beloved Now say not because thou hast nothing written in thy Heart that therefore thy Name is not written in the Book of Life thou hast no ground to exempt thy self tho thou canst not know it till Faith come thou canst not be worse than those Jews to be angry with God because he is merciful to others Who knows but God may yet give Faith to thee if thou wert to bring Faith with thee thou wert in an ill Case on a splitting Rock thou wouldst never get off But seeing thou art to have Faith as an Effect of Election it is the Gift of God he gives it to the Persons he sets his Love upon be silent then conclude nothing against they self Vse II. Doth not Election depend upon Conditions to be fulfilled then measure not God's Love to thee according to the Grace thou findest in thy self judg not of his Purpose according to the Purpose thou hast of serving him Without Faith we cannot know that we are chosen of God but by a little we may come to know it 1 Thess 1.4 5. The Apostle he knew the Thessalonians Election because the Word came unto them in Power i. e. it did prevail with them and overcome their Hearts Yet they were but newly converted and in divers Errors Signs and Tokens are to be taken from the least Degrees of Grace Altho then our Faith be low and scanty we are not received according to the Measure of our Gifts but according to his Purpose his Purpose to do thee Good is compleat tho yet thou hast by little Good in thee He worketh all things according to the Counsel of his own Will Ephes 1.11 He worketh to will and to do of his own good Pleasure Phil. 2. He doth not work a Will because we have had a Will before gives the first good Will to them that had none before to any Spiritual Good he gives a Will to do great things to work out their own Salvation If Election were upon Conditions of Grace then you might measure God's Chusing of you loving of you to eternal Life to be according to your Grace there is this practical Error in us or this Error in us practically that we hang God's Electing Love upon Conditions here is the Root and Bottom and first Seed of many Doubts and Troubles in the Saints that their Eyes are not only upon Qualifications as desirable or the things they should labour after but they are upon Qualifications as the Movers of God's first Love of Election they think because of their Sin God will repent and hath no purpose of any Good to them this wrongs the Grace of God When he took us at first his Love was not for any thing he saw in us or for any thing he knew would be in us he was resolved to make us lovely but he will so do it as you shall acknowledg his free Love and Grace Our Loveliness is not the cause of his Love tho it makes you a sutable Object to his Love And when his Love at first was pitched upon thee what a Case wast thou in then Ezek. 16. Thou wast in thy Blood cast out loathsom no Eye pitied thee When God did call thee to consider of eternal Life thou wast minding nothing but Ways of eternal Death thou wast found of him when thou soughtest not after him Did God pitch his Love upon thee at first he doth not alter in his Love his Love is fixed on thy Person still thou alterest but he changeth not thou art the same Object for him to do Good to tho thou art not the same it may be in regard of Disposition of Spirit Consider but this you that are in Christ you are loved not because you are fruitful as Leah thought and said now will my Husband love me Gen. 29.32 We are not loved because we are beautiful but loved that we may be holy and this should make us cleanse our selves and walk answerably to the Love of God Judg thy self condemn thy self for every Sin but do not think God cannot be good because thou art not good for his Love is not upon Conditions Vse III. If God hath given thee any Knowledge of thy Election rejoice with exceeding Joy So the Lord bad his Disciples above all things Rejoice that their Names were written in Heaven Luke 11.20 The Elect are a peculiar People that he hath severed from all other his Heart is to you in a singular Manner as the Heart of a chaste Husband to his Spouse forsaking Father and Mother and all else in Comparison in regard of that Relation When the King picks out from the rest one for his Favourite or one for a Pardon out of many Offenders how should it rejoice his Heart that he had not only his Pardon but the King 's special Love Know this for thy Comfort thou shalt certainly be saved the Love of God will be to thee as when we love the Person of any our Love holds and continues because upon thy Person If a Man marries for an Estate when Poverty comes his Love his gone if for Beauty when Sickness comes to blast it then no Love but if Love be to the Person