God who will have all Men to be saved and to come to the Knowledg of the Truth 1 Tim. 2.1 4. And that the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared unto all Men Tit. 2.11 That Christ is a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World 1 Joh. 2.2 That he gave himself a Ranson for all 1 Tim. 2.6 That he tasted Death for every Man Heb. 2.9 And that as by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free Gift came upon all Men to Justification of Life Rom. 5.18 Now from thes plain Scriptures 't is evident that no particular Man's Damnation is unavoidably decreed by Go If Men die the Death eternal their Destruction is from themselves and not from him When he made the Generations of Men to dwell upon the Face of the Earth he made them free Agents that is to say he gave them a Power either to do or not to do what he did intend to command them but withal he let them know that if they did disobey they should be punished for their so doing and that if they did obey they should for ever be blessed It was not his purpose therefore to damn any Man absolutely but conditionally in case he should so far abuse the Powers he had given him as wilfully to commit Sin when he might as well have forborn it Now the Truth of this is evident from many plain and undeniable Testimonies For eternal Punishments are only denounc'd against Men in Case of Wickedness God's Decrees are that the Soul that sins shall die Ezek. 18.4 And that all should be damned who believe not the Truth but had Pleasure in Vnrighteousness 2 Thess 2.12 And that if Men live after the Flesh they shall die but if on the contrary they through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body they shall live Rom. 8.13 And therefore he faith Whosoever sinneth against me him will I blot out of my Book Exod. 32.33 By the Sins and Wickednesses then which Men commit they make themselves Reprobates 't is because of these things says S. Paul that the Wrath of God cometh upon the Children of Disobedience Eph. 5.3 6. God hathsworn that some shall notenter into his Rest But to whom swear he that they should not enter into his Rest but to them that believe not Heb. 3.18 All which shews that God reprobates none but suh as by Sin are the Authors of their own Damnation and therefore 't is said of the wicked Jews O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Hos 13.9 To say therefore that God is the chief and principal or main Cause of Man's eternal Destruction is a Notion you see which is contrary to Scripture and is therefore an Error 'T is also an Error because 't is built upon such a Sense of Scripture as we have all the reason in the World to disbelieve for that can never be the true Sense of God's Word which naturally tends to debase the Glory of the Justice and Righteousness of God but this those Notions do which these Men do build on these mistaken Senses of Scripture for they tell us that as God has decreed the End of those whom he has resolv'd to reprobate so he has also decreed the Means which shall bring them to that End that is to say he has decreed that they shall unavoidably be Sinners that so he may manifest the Rigour of his Justice in punishing them for being wicked But were this true it would be so far from exalting that it would plainly debase the Glory of the Justice of God among Men for according to all the Notions which we have of Justice nothing can be more unjust and cruel than first to lay an unavoidable Necessity upon a Man to do ill that so with a seeming Justice he may be tormented for being wicked Should one Man do so to another we should count him unjust in the highest and shall Man be more just than God Job 4.17 Then and then only is the Justice of God glorious when he punishes Men for wilfully refusing to do that which he has made them sufficiently able by one means or other to perform This Reprobating Notion of theirs does make the Gospel a meer piece of Nonsense for the Gospel tells us that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in Christ's Name to all Nations Luke 24.47 And that God does command all Men every where to repent Acts 17.30 But all this the Predestinarian Doctrine opposes as an impossible Thing a useless Precept for it declares that none of them whom God has decreed to reprobate can repent and become good Men for he has decreed they say that those Men shall be Sinners that so he may bring on them in a way of Justice that eternal Death to which he has foreappointed and designed them all which say they no Endeavours sof theirs can prevent for the most profound Repentance which they can perform will never reverse what God has thus doom'd them to by an eternal and irreversible Decree Which Doctrines are a plain Contradiction to that express Command of God that all should repent They have been also the dreadful Occasion of all that Horror and Despair which has been found in a great Number of men who have been afflicted with doubting and troubled Minds and has occasioned others to entertain in themselves very hard Thoughts of God for such Notions as these do make God seem worse to some Men than the Devil for the Devil they know can force no Man to sin he can only tempt and endeavour to perswade but God according to these Notions of the Predestinarians does force and compel Men to sin by an absolute Decree that so the Damnation he has design'd them to may appear more Just All which are the occasion of very hard and evil Thoughts concerning God in those who under Despair are apt to think themselves of the Number of those whom he thus has reprobated which evil and wicked Surmises concerning God had for ever been prevented had not these Doctrines been taught in the World On the contrary 't is evident beyond Contradiction that the opposite Doctrine does much more advance God's Honour because it teaches that 't is possible for all Men to repent and become good Men and herein saith Christ is my Father glorified that ye bear much Fruit John 15.8 It likewise tends more to advance the Interest of Religion which consists in every Man 's being perswaded to live a sober righteous and godly Life and it is also a Doctrine which is every way more truly conducive to the good of Souls because it declares that all Men may be happy if they will but diligently improve that Talent of Grace that God has given them in order to the working out of their own Salvation and the making their own Calling and Election sure 'T is plain to every common Man's Understanding that those Doctrines which teach
that if through the Spirit which is given to every Man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 we do mortify the Deeds of the Body we shall live Rom. 8.13 If a Man purge himself from these he shall be a Vessel unto Honour sanctified and meet for the Master's use 2 Tim. 2.21 Thus 't is evident that in God's Choosing or Electing he only has respect to them who by the due Use and Improvement of their common Talent have made themselves fit for those Joys which he has promised to them that will heartily and sincerely serve him the Favours of Election or Choosing to the Happiness of Salvation are conferr'd on none but those that have a Right to the Tree of Life Rev. 22.14 by Virtue of those Conditional Promises which God out of his free Grace and Mercy has made to Men. His Mercy is only on them that fear him throughout all Generations Luke 1.50 If we confess our Sins so as to forsake them he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins according to his Promise and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness 1 Joh. 1.9 Hence 't is plain that all the well-grounded Hope that Men can have in God's Mercy does wholly depend upon the Assurance of their having to the utmost of their Power performed those Conditions upon the Performance of which God has promised to be merciful to Mankind It plainly appears from the most general Scope of the Scriptures that God in his Electing and Chusing is no Respecter of Persons but of Qualifications neither does he reprobate any Man meerly because he will do so but because they do wilfully commit Sin and Wickedness That God decrees to elect some and reprobate others is a most undoubted Truth and these his Decrees are unalterable in themselves but yet conditional in respect of them on whom they take place it being the standing Law of Heaven that if Men live after the Felsh they shall die or that Damnation shall be inflicted in case Men will commit Sin but if through the Spirit they mortify the Deeds of the Body they shall live Rom. 8.13 Here the Terms and Conditions of Happiness or Misery are plainly exprest these are the Reasons of God's different way of dealing with Mankind 't is for this Reason that he loves one Man and hates another that is to say he always loves good Men and hates the Wicked If thou dost well saith he to Cain shalt thou not be accepted and if thou dost not well Sin lieth at thy Door Gen. 4.7 These things well considered are a clear Proof that the Calvinist Notion concerning Election is an Error and that the contrary Doctrine is the undoubted Truth of God For certain I am that no Man can prove it a Dishonour to God to say that in his Electing or Choosing he does not respect the meer Person of any Man but the fitness or meetness of Men for the Master's Vse and that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him or that he sets apart the Man that is Godly for himself Neither is the Advancement of Religion any ways hindred by declaring that God would have all Men to be saved and come to the Knowledg of the Truth and that all Men may be saved if they will but give diligence to make their own Calling and Election sure and be careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit or in other Words not to receive the Grace of God in vain Nor can it be any ways injurious to the Good of Souls to tell Men as Christ hath done that if they will enter into Life they must keep the Commandments and that God commands all Men every where to repent and having repented to be stedfast and unmoveable in their Resolutions of keeping God's Commands for the future and that they study how to abound more and more in the Work of the Lord forasmuch as they know that their Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 This Doctrine is much more sutable to the great End and Design of the Gospel which was to advance among Men the Practice of true Piety and Godliness than the contrary Doctrine which teaches that Vertue and Piety do not recommend us to God who 't is said does first decree to save and then does irresistibly sanctify Righteousness not being as the Predestinarians say the Means of Mens being elected or chosen but that Election is the Means or Cause of their being made righteous by God If Men are elected say they God will then sanctify them without their own Endeavours that so the Glory thereof may redound wholly to himself which they think could not be should God make Men capable of doing any thing towards the saving of themselves So that the Result of this Opinion is tht if God have elected any Man he shall but not by any Endeavour of his own be made a good Man before he dies and that if he be not elected all the Endeavours he can use shall never reverse that Decree to the saving of his Soul which plainly is no other than a Doctrine proper to encourage a licentious Carelesness in great numbers of unthinking Men and take others off from that holy Care and Caution which is absolutely necessary to the Attainment of Life eternal and doubtless this is that which encourages the looser Sort who are of this Perswasion to do many unjustifiable things upon Presumption that no Sin can damn the Elect. And 't is worth observing here that all do think themselves among the Number of the Elect that do believe this Doctrine and this makes great Numbers of them so remiss and careless as they are for they are perswaded that before they die God will some way or other without their own Endeavours irresistibly sanctify them hence it is that so many of them go on with so much Confidence and Comfort in a Course of Wickedness than which nothing can be more unsafe and unsecure Of Vniversal Redemption The Predestinarians teach that as God did not intend the Salvation of all Men so neither did Christ die for all so as to put all Men into a Capacity of obtaining Life eternal but this Notion is contrary to Scripture and for that Reason is undoubtedly false The Scripture tells us plainly that the Redemption by Jesus Christ was universal that he gave his Life a Ransom for all 1 Tim. 2.6 that by the Grace of God he tasted Death for every Man Heb. 2.9 that he is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World 1 Joh. 2.2 that as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.22 that as by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation so by the Righteousness of one the free Gift came upon all Men to Justification of Life Rom. 5.18 And 't is evident that the Design of God in his sending of Christ was the Salvation of all for God so loved the World that
a Doctrine proper to give Men Peace and Comfort in a Course of Wickedness and for that Reason ought to be rejected by all good Men. In the first place then the Scripture plainly forewarns good Men of the Danger which shews that 't is possible for good Men to fall from a State of saving Grace Beware saith the Scripture lest ye also being led away with the Error of the Wicked fall from your own Stedfastness 2 Pet. 3.17 Let us not be weary in well-doing for in due time we shall reap if we faint not Gal. 6.9 And you that were alienated and Enemies in your Minds by wicked Works yet now hath he reconciled to present you blameless if ye continue in the Faith grounded and settled and be not moved away from the Hope of the Gospel Col. 1.21 22 23. If a Man abide not in me he is cast forth as a Branch and is withered Joh. 15.6 Now the Just shall live by Faith but if any Man draw back my Soul shall have no Pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 Let him therefore that thinks he standeth so fast as that no Sin shall move him take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Ye did run well saith St. Paul to the Galatians who did hinder you that ye should not obey the Truth Gal. 5.7 Secondly the Scripture expresly declares that righteous Men may become wicked and die in their Sins for 't is said thus that when the Righteous turneth away from his Righteousness and committeth Iniquity shall he live all the Righteousness he hath done shall not be mentioned in his Trespass that he hath trespassed and in his Sin that he hath sinned in them he shall die Ezek. 18.24 When a righteous Man turneth away from his Righteousness and committeth Iniquity and dieth in them for his Iniquity that he hath done he shall die Ezek. 18.26 And agreeable hereunto are the Words of David to his Son Solomon And thou Solomon my Son saith he know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect Heart and with a willing Mind if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever 1 Chron. 28.9 It is impossible saith the Author to the Hebrews for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the holy Ghost and the Powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again to Repentance Heb. 6.4 5 6. Hence 't is said of the younger Widows that were wanton that they have Damnation because they have cast off their first Faith 1 Tim. 5.12 Now these and such-like Scripture-Evidences are a plain and undeniable Proof that righteous Men may fall from a State of Salvation and die in their Sins and therefore the Doctrine which asserts the contrary is certainly an Error Yea 't is a foul Error because it gives Encouragement to Sin and Wickedness since it asserts that no Sin can provoke God to withdraw his saving Grace from them that are once Saints but such Presumption has doubtless ruined more Souls than deep Despair for how are bad Men as there are many of this Perswasion as well as of others hereby encouraged to do ill things when they shall be perswaded that no Sin can deprive them of God's Favour who are once inroll'd in the Book of Life And 't is evident that the Generality of both Good and Bad who believe this Doctrine are so foolish as to think that they are all certainly of this Number meerly because they profess themselves Predestinarians and therefore they comfort up themselves with this Consideration that tho they are guilty of some gross Sins yet their Salvation is still safe because their Names are written as they think in the Book of Life than which no Doctrine in the World can be more proper to encourage Wickedness nor can any thing be more contrary to Scripture which expresly affirms thus Whosoever sinneth against me him will I blot out of my Book Exod. 32.33 Which shews that a Man may be in God's Book and yet he may afterwards commit such Sins as shall blot him out of it 'T is not to be supposed that Men will much boggle at any Matter of worldly Advantage when they are really perswaded that good Works are not concern'd in Justification for they think that Justification is only the Fruit of Election and not the Fruit of Obedience to God's Law and that being elected they are by Consequence justified before they are sanctified or in a State of Grace before they are converted unto God none being converted they say but those who are before in God's Love by virtue of his Decree of eternal Election and that after Conversion which does only manifest their being elected if they do happen to sin and fall very foully as David did yet God still loves them as much under this their Relapse as he did before their first Conversion and tho such Sins may bring upon them temporal Miseries yet they shall never deprive them of eternal Glory for they shall not die till by an unresistible Power God has raised them up again by Repentance They confess they may fall for a time but their Fall shall not be final nor end in Death eternal Men I say that believe all this and believe withal that they themselves are of the Number of these elected Ones as great Numbers do who have no other ground for their so doing but Self-confidence and an erroneous Perswasion that so it is these I say have a great deal of Encouragement not to boggle at such Opportunities and Actions as others who really believe the contrary dare not either take or do for fear lest God should cut them off in their Sins and damn their Souls 't is plain that such have not those Advantages of doing ill afforded them from their Faith as the others have because they dare not do an ill thing lest they should lose the Favour of God they may sin by surprise but they dare not sin presumptuously But the other believes that there 's no eternal Danger in it because those whom God once loves he loves to the end and he will not so see Sin in his Elect as to damn them for it and this they call a Doctrine full of Comfort and Consolation and indeed it does in this respect equal that of the Papist for as a Papist's Sins do not much terrify him because he believes the Priest can forgive him upon Confession so neither can the other's because he believes God will not take away his Life till he has brought him to Repentance That there are wicked Men among those who believe contrary to these Predestinarian Doctrines I readily grant but they have no Encouragement to be wicked from any natural Consequences that may be drawn from the Doctrines they believe they are plainly self-condemned by their own Principles in all the Evils which they do allow themselves in Some