maintains the Sovereignty of God that he might do so for his own Glory That this is the Apostle's Scope appears from Ver. 11 12 13. Eor the Children not being yet born neither having done Good or Evil that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth it was said unto her The Elder shall serve the Younger As it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated As if the Apostle had said You may see a Type of Election and Reprobation in Jacob and Esau that before they were born and consequently from Eternity God had determined their Eternal Estate for his own Glory as it pleased him Let Men cavil what they please God will be God and do whatever he will Yea but some may say How doth Paul make out this from what was spoken to Rebekah The Elder shall serve the Younger I answer The Apostle knew by the Spirit of God that there was a Mystery in these Words not only that two Nations were to come out of Jacob and Esau but that which was primarily intended was that the Person of Jacob was loved and chosen to Eternal Life and not Esau Yea but how came the Apostle to mention what is written in Malachy concerning Jacob and Esau's Posterity I answer The Apostle brings what is written there by way of Accommodation and Allusion thus That as God made a great Difference as to Jacob's and Esau's Posterities so much more as to Jacob 's and Esau 's Persons Some of Jacob's Posterity were afflicted in Egypt and at other times as well as Esau's and Jacob personally did never get Dominion over Esau as to outward Things but the Apostle sheweth that the Person of Jacob was from Eternity elected of God and not Esau If we cannot see how the Apostle could collect this from that place in Genesis and that in Malachy yet I pray let us reverence and believe the Scriptures and not quarrel with the Pen-men who were infallibly inspired I have heard indeed of an Arminian Preacher that wished that Paul had never writ any thing and especially not Rom. 9. that Chapter will confute all the Arminians in the World Now that the Apostle speaks here of God's Eternal Decree and Purpose concerning Jacob and Esau doth evidently appear by what followeth Is there Vnrighteousness with God That is in not purposing to bestow his Grace upon some Job 36.3 but passing them by the Apostle saith God forbid Surely we should ascribe Righteousness to our Maker Ver. 14. And Ver. 15 16. For he saith to Moses I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy and I will have Compassion on whom I will have Compassion So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth Mercy As if he had said There is no Unrighteousness with God it is infinite Mercy that he saveth any for he might glorifie his Justice in the Damnation of all for their Sins And that God should shew Mercy to one and not to another who shall dare to question God about this I will do saith God what I will I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy Ver. 17. The â—postle sheweth that God raised up Pharaoh for that very purpose to manifest his own Glory made him a Man a King gave him Power over the Children of Israel left him to the Corruption of his own Heart for the same purpose to manifest his Glory in his Confusion and Destruction If any contend with God about his Soveraignty I pray God give him Repentance here or else they will be confounded before his terrible Majesty hereafter The Apostle goeth on Ver. 18. Therefore he hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardneth Yea but then if all be as God wills as God will have it Ver. 19. Thou wilt say then to me Why doth he yet find fault For who hath resisted his Will The Doctrine of God's Soveraignty cannot go down with unhumbled Men that never were made truly sensible of their own Meanness and Sinfulness and of the Infinite Majesty of God therefore Ver. 20 21. Nay but O Man who art thou that repliest against God That must be challenging and disputing and quarrelling with God Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus Hath not the Potter power over his Clay of the same Lump to make one Vessel unto Honour and another unto Dishonour And as he sheweth in the following Verses What if God willing to shew his Wrath and to make his Power known endured with much Long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to Destruction And that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory God is from Everlasting he was infinitely happy in himself that he made Angels and Men was merely from the pleasure of his Will He could have made all the Angels and all the Posterity of Adam Eternal and Immutable Vessels of Honour if so it had pleased him But what if God the great and glorious God who is to be adored and feared of all What if God pleased to make Angels and Men for the Manifestation of his own Glory one way or other Who shall say unto him Why did God make Angels and Men at all of whom so many shall be so miserable that it had been good for them that they had never had a Being But what if the great and glorious God willing to shew his Wrath and holy Justice and to make his Power known did decree to leave some to themselves and to their Sins and to glorifie his Justice upon them Yea but may some say As to the Children of Men they were all left to fall in Adam and are alike by Nature But what if God have afore prepared some to Glory by his Eternal Election and redeems them by the Blood of his Son and calls them in due time by his Grace and Spirit as those whom he hath chosen to be Vessels of Mercy who shall question God for what he doth They that perish perish for Sin the Throne of the Holy God is guiltless for ever They that are saved are saved by the exceeding Riches of his Grace and Kindness towards them through Christ Jesus Thus I have answered the Author's Six Queries he sent me in a Letter Now I come to his Seventh and last Query Qu. 7. Because saith he I preach God's Love to Mankind to be such that he gave his Son to be the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World this you call Arminianism the Life and Soul of Popery I answer This is utterly false that ever I said so Let him look upon my Letter and see how he hath wronged me in print I wrote to him in my second Letter that Arminianism was the Root of Quakerism and that a good Divine saith that it is the Life and Soul of Popery But as
so as to get Execution against them in Hell seeing they are God's Elect and Christ hath died for them Men know not what they do when they set their Wits on work to deny that God hath set his free and unchangeable Love upon some from Eternity whereby he will certainly and infallibly bring them to Grace here and Eternal Glory hereafter through our Lord Jesus Christ For observe Take away Election and you take away Redemption for Redemption is grounded upon Election Joh. 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me Thine they were by Election and therefore thou gavest them me to redeem and bring to Glory Take away God's Eternal Election of a certain number of Persons to Grace and Glory and you take away Effectual Calling and Conversion For if God of his mere Grace and good Pleasure had not so elected them there had never been any Person effectually called 'T is God alone that doth inwardly and effectually call any so as that they are savingly converted and if he had not freely predestinated and elected them he had never called and converted them Whom he hath predestinated them he hath also called Rom. 8.30 Take away God's Eternal Special and Unchangeable Love to a certain Number that he will set them before his Face for ever and if we were in Heaven we could not be sure to continue there What a Multitude of Angels sinned and were thrust down to Hell It was Election that setled the Angels that see God's Face for ever The Angels that stand are called the Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.15 God decreed from Eternity to determine and fix their Wills unto himself for ever It is from this Eternal and Unchangeable Love of God in Election that the Angels and Saints in Heaven are upheld in Love and Praise unto God for ever It hath been an old Objection of Arminians and revived by this Author pag. 26. That many have despaired of Mercy and have laid violent hands upon themselves and many he saith in this City He mentions it that they fall into this Despair because they are told Christ died but for a few 1. I answer This Objection useth to be brought too against Election For my part I do not remember that ever I knew any in my whole Life that laid violent hands upon themselves because they heard that Christ did not die for all Adam's Posterity or that they were not elected The truth is those that make away themselves may sometimes get such things into their Thoughts as that they have committed the Sin against the Holy Ghost and that they are not elected and Christ did not die for them But the true cause of their laying violent hands upon themselves is some extraordinary worldly Sorrow which worketh Death in that sense or Excess of Melancholy whereby they are so distracted that they are not themselves 2. As to Despair of Mercy If God give up a Man to Satan and his own Heart how easily may any Man fall into it though he hold Universal Redemption and deny Election For our Saviour saith plainly Matth. 7.14 Few there be that find the strait Gate and narrow Way Yea I will maintain that the Doctrine of Eternal Redemption and of Christ's dying only for the Elect and that the Elect whom Christ died for shall certainly and infallibly be saved is an Antidote against Despair if the Lord please to put in with it And that the denying of Election and holding Universal Redemption is the way to bring those that have a deep Sense of their own Sinfulness and Unworthiness is the way to bring such to utter Despair of Mercy I make it out thus Take a Person that is throughly convinced of Sin that sees and is sensible that he hath a Depth of Sin in his Nature that sees himself vile and abominable by reason of the universal Corruption of his Nature as well as actual Sins more than the Hairs of his Head which cannot be numbred You come to this humbled convinced Person with your Arminian Doctrine and tell him that God did not decree any Person to Salvation from Eternity of mere Grace to give them infallibly both Grace and Glory but that Christ died for all Adam's Posterity Saith the convinced humbled Sinner Shall all be infallibly saved that Christ died for You must tell him according to the tenour of your Doctrine No there were many of them in Hell when he died and never shall be set at liberty from their Everlasting Chains of Darkness Yea you can tell them according to your Doctrine that notwithstanding Christ's Death there might not one Man or Woman in the World have been saved Truly this Doctrine is enough to drive Men into Despair Ay but you can tell them that whosoever believeth shall be saved Ay and so can others tell them as well as you though they hold Election and that Christ died only for the Elect For if God gives Faith that is a certain sign of Election and that Christ died for that Person Well Now let us see what those that hold Election and that Christ died only for the Elect can say in a Ministerial and Doctrinal Way to keep a convinced humbled Sinner from Despair of Mercy I say in a Ministerial Doctrinal Way for it is God alone that can do it inwardly and effectually Now therefore our Doctrine can say to such a convinced humbled Sinner that is ready to despair God hath from Eternity decreed of his mere Grace in Christ to give Grace and Glory to certain Persons and some of these Persons that God intended to make everlasting Monuments of his Free Grace are not only by Nature Children of Wrath as well as others but in time are Monsters in respect of Actual Sin as Manasseh the Thief upon the Cross and Paul for persecuting the Church of God but being elected to Life and Christ dying for them they are converted and saved And who knows but that you are of that number There is a May be that you are an Object of this Special Grace and 't is certain if that you being convinced of Sin do venture and trust in God's free Mercy in Christ you shall be saved All that the Father giveth unto Christ to redeem and save shall come to him and he that cometh unto him he will in no wise cast out And if the humbled Sinner says If I should put my Trust in Christ the Arminian tells me that I may be a Child of God to Day and a Child of the Devil to Morrow Therefore why should I that know what a vile Heart I have ever think of any Hope of Salvation but sink in utter Despair Our Doctrine assures them if the Lord be pleased once to unite them to Christ by a true and lively Faith the Lord will give them from time to time such Influences and Supplies of his Spirit as that they shall be kept in the state of Grace until they come to the state of Glory Therefore let all that are wise
Scriptures concerning Abraham may give much light into this Controversy 1. Terah the Father of Abraham and Abraham himself were at first Idolaters and served other Gods Joshua 24.2 3. Yet Abraham being a person that God had chosen to Salvation from Eternity he was called and converted in the Lords appointed time though he was such an unlikely person to obtain Mercy 2. As the Lord had from Eternity chosen Abraham to be a Vessel of Mercy so he had also made appointed and decreed from Eternity that he should be a Father of many Nations and that of him as concerning the flesh Christ should come and nothing could hinder Gods purpose being fulfilled in its Season because God is Omnipotent he quickens the dead and calleth things that are not as if they were From whence we may gather that whatsoever God hath graciously purposed to do for any he will certainly and infallibly perform it against all Natural and Moral Impossibilities for he quickneth the Dead and calleth things that are not as if they were When he pleases to call any thing to exist and be by the word of his power it doth certainly and infallibly exist Another Text that this Author bringeth to prove that a thing may be said to be done when it is not done is Rev. 13.8 and all that dwell upon the Earth shall Worship him the Beast whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World Vpon which he saith Christ is called the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World tho' he was not slain many thousand years after I answer Christ was slain in God's Decree and Purpose from Eternity he was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World to be Mediator 1 Pet. 1.20 fore-ordained to be crucified and slain as the Sacrifice for the Sins of the Elect 1 Cor. 2.7 But we speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Mystery which God ordained before the World unto our Glory This manifold Wisdom of God and the exceeding Riches of his Grace in saving the Elect by the Blood of his Son was ordained before the World was made and consequently from Eternity Prov. 8.23 I was set up from Everlasting from the Beginning or ever the Earth was V. 30 31. Then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his Delight rejoycing always before him rejoycing in the habitable parts of his Earth and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. In these Words Christ the Essential Wisdom of God doth declare not only that he was from Everlasting as the Son of God but that he was also set up from Everlasting as Mediator that he was appointed to be incarnate to take upon him Humane Nature in Time and to be slain for the Redemption of his People that were given unto him of the Father and upon the prospect of this he saith his delight was with the Sons of Men He rejoyced in the Thoughts of his redeeming the Children that were given him It was upon the account of the Decree that Christ was to take upon him Humane Nature and die for his Church that as soon as ever Man fell it was declared that there should come one that should bruise the Serpent's Head Gen. 3.15 And upon the account of this Decree it was that Believers under the Old Testament did really partake of the Vertue of Christ's Death as if he had been slain and to encourage their Faith Christ was typically slain in their bloody Sacrifices before he came in the Flesh So that this Text is nothing to this Author's purpose but if it be rightly understood gives much light against the Arminian Doctrine It shews that God decreed Christ's Death from Eternity Ay It was not only decreed from Eternity that the Son of God should take upon him the Nature of Man in Time but it was decreed from Eternity that he should take that particular Body and not another that holy Thing that was conceived miraculously in the Womb of the blessed Virgin that That holy Thing should be taken into personal Vnion with his Godhead and that at the set Time which God's Council from Eternity had determined it should be done he should then be crucified and slain to make an end of Sin and bring in Everlasting Righteousness This Author should learn to distinguish between God's Decrees and the Execution of them All God's Decrees and Purposes what he would do in making the World Angels and Men and disposing of things for his own Glory were from Eternity The Execution of his Decrees are in Time The Arminians holding that Christ died for all Adam's Posterity are wonderfully confounded with this Objection If Christ died for all Adam's Posterity then surely God would so order it in his Providence that all Adam's Posterity should have Christ preached to them and have the outward Means to come to the Knowledge of him To this Objection some of them say that the Sun Moon and Stars and other Works of Creation preach Christ though but darkly I answer that the Sun Moon and Stars and other Works of Creation declare no more now Man is fallen than whilst Adam stood that is they declare the Glory of God as a Creator they declare his Eternal Power and Godhead but they declare not a Word of God manifest in the Flesh and Redemption by the Blood of his Cross Ay but this Author saith pag. 10. All that worship any thing for a God do by that acknowledge that there is a God and all that do offer Sacrifice to a God do thereby confess there is a God offended and that he is reconcileable by a Sacrifice I answer These Words tend to the Subversion of true Religion The Heathens by Tradition from the Jews took up a way of Sacrifices but the Apostle Paul saith 1 Cor. 10.20 The things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Devils and not to God What though the Gentiles do know there is a God and this leaves them without Excuse for their gross Idolatry in changing the Glory of the incorruptible God into the Image of corruptible Man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping Things Rom. 1.20 21 22 23. What if the Heathen by natural Conscience do think that God is offended And what if they have by Tradition from the Jews taken up a way of offering Sacrifices to appease a Deity Still they have no sufficient Light and Means of Salvation because they do not know Christ the Mediator the only true Sacrifice for Sin All the Sacrifices they offer are an Abomination to the Lord and make them more abominable unto him That which I have written in answer to Mr. Grantham may stand for an Answer to Mr. Haggar's Book Why should I trouble my self and the Reader with so many impertinent things yea unsavoury to good Christians as are in that Author's Book That which I aimed at in this Vndertaking was not so much to deal with
in the following words answereth to the beginning of the 19th Verse Why doth he yet find fault The Apostle doth not answer as you have done but O vain Man O proud Clay shall not the Potter have power over the Clay to make of the same lump one Vessel to honour and another to dishonour So confirming what he had said that God hath mercy upon whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Vers 18. If then the latter part of the 19th Verse be the words of a Caviller or Objector against God's Sovereignty in giving or denying his Grace to whom he will the Apostle acknowledges that to be a truth Who hath resisted his Will In his everlasting Decrees and Purposes But to take the meaning of the words as you do who hath resisted his Will I say taking it for the Will of God in respect of his Precepts and Commands to Men Every one knows they had resisted God's Will in that sense that is broken his Commands and if that were the meaning of Who hath resisted his Will the Apostle would have made answer all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and not O man who art thou that repliest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus He asserts the Sovereignty Lordship and Dominion of God over the Creatures and so he goes on Vers 22 23. The Apostle by the Spirit of God knew how to answer him that finds fault with God about his Decrees He shews the absolute Power and Lordship of God that he may save one by his Grace and condemn another for his Sins as he pleases and that it is not for Man to dispute and contend with God as many do Again you say to the Doctor you seem to hold that God cannot affect an end I suppose you mean he cannot convert a Sinner without a willing the utmost of his power to effect it But you cannot give an instance where he ever did exert or put forth his power to the utmost in any thing that ever he did We must take heed lest we limit the power of the Almighty lest whilst we accuse others we our selves be found most ignorant of Gods Omnipotency I Answer all this is against your self for seeing Gods power is infinite and his greatness is unsearchable Therefore he doth effect and bring to pass whatsoever he wills and pleases to do in the conversion of any Man he pleases to Convert or in any other thing that it is his Will and Pleasure to effect and do When the Doctor saith when God affects an end that is purposes to bring a thing to pass he must needs put forth the utmost of his power to effect it The plain meaning is not that God in any Act of his puts forth all his power But so much power as to effect and bring to pass infallibly what he purposed and intended to do And that when it is the Lords Gracious purpose and intention to Convert a Soul he doth exert and put forth his power so as that the Soul shall certainly and infallibly be Converted And whereas you say you cannot give an instance where God did ever exert and put forth his power to the utmost in any thing that ever he did this makes for the Doctors position for it supposes if there were a thousand thousand times more opposition and difficulty in the Converting of a Man or in any other thing that he pleases to do yet nothing is too hard Yea all is easy for God to do if it pleases him to do it I think you have been over-ruled by the All-governing hand of God to justifie the Doctor and to confute your self with your own pen. Your fourth Paragraph runs all upon the old mistake that you do not distinguish between the will of God in respect of his precepts which he commands us as our Duty and his purpose and intention what he will do That which the Doctor puts you to prove is this that God willed within himself the Conversion of the old World the Jews and Pharisees that never were Converted That is whether God decreed purposed and intended to Convert those of the old World those of the Jews and Phriasees or any other person that never are Converted You endeavour to prove that God did so will and purpose in himself 1. You say as to the old World that God was so serious and inwardly concerned that he strove with them by his Spirit and it grieved him at the Heart that they were Disobedient and he gave them an hundred years to repent in and this shews he inwardly willed their Repentance I am sure that if they had Repented God would not have destroyed them for he hath taught us so to judge of his threatnings to a Sinful Nation I Answer 1. God is said to strive with the old World How did he strive with those that perished The Lord did reprove them by the preaching of Noah for their Sins and by Convictions of Conscience but is this enough to Convert men if God had purposed and intended to save them surely he would have done more for them He would have given them a new Heart and a new Spirit he would have taken away the Heart of Stone and given them an Heart of Flesh This expression of Gods striving with Man must not be strained Surely God is greater than Man and can prevail over the most Stubborn and Rebellious Heart in the World and give it a saving turn in one Moment 2. You say it grieved God at his Heart that they were Disobedient It is said indeed Gen. 6.6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man and it grieved him at his Heart This is spoken by a Figure called Anthropopathia In another place it is said God is not as Man that he should repent When God is said to repent or grieve 't is spoken by a Figure and must not be properly taken and so likewise when God is said to have Eyes Hands Face if we be not careful to understand these things aright we shall mightily dishonour God So that these things are spoken after the manner of Men in condescention to us Poor Weak Shallow Creatures but must be careful to understand them so as to consist with the immutability and perfection of God We must not have such low thoughts of the Majesty of God as to think that God ever had or can have Perturbation or Sorrow at any thing for that is inconsistent with his insinite Happiness and Perfection But this expression of Gods repenting that he had made Man and that it grieved him at the Heart is only to set forth the extream extraordinary wickedness of the old World not the least perturbation and sorrow in God for he is infinitely above such things Ah! What need of Humility and Prayer to God for guidance for the understanding of the Scripture 3. You say that God gave them a Preacher of
to the End Salvation them he hath chosen to the Means to make them partakers of special Grace to be infallibly bestowed upon them Rom. 8.29 30. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first-born amongst many Brethren Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified 1. There are some that God did in an especial manner foreknow God did from Eternity foreknow all Persons and Things Ay but God is said to foreknow some in an especial manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a foreknowing with Love and Favour and special Regard He also did Predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son to make them Holy like Christ in their measure he shews that that Fore-knowledge that Free-love was the cause of predestinating them to Grace and Glory 2. To make it plainer he saith that whom he hath predestinated them he hath also called those whom God did Predestinate to Life from Eternity them he calls in time They are called according to his purpose v. 28. Observe God did not predestinate Species or Kinds or Qualities but Persons not predestinate Men that he foresaw would believe in Christ but he predestinated them to be savingly certainly and effectually called and this God effects in all that he hath predestinated to Life There is not one whom the Lord hath prededestinated to Life from Eternity but he calls him effectually in his own time Rom. 11.5 6 7. Even so at this present time also there is an Election of Grace and if by Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more Grace otherwise Work is no more Work What then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded The Body of the People of the Jews they were cast of they were left to their own unbelief and blindness of Heart Now lest any should wonder at this the Apostle saith God hath not cast off his people whom he foreknew that is whom he had Elected unto Life God never fails of Converting and Saving them and shews that as in the great defection in the time of Elias God had a Remnant a few that did cleave unto him even so now at this present time also there is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace tho' the generality of the Jews do not believe in Christ yet there are some do believe the Elect do He lets them know that there is an Election and that of Grace of meer Grace and that tho' others do not believe in Christ yet the Remnant the few that God of his Grace had Elected they believed and were saved And v. 6. he shews that both Election Vocation and Justification are of meer Grace in Christ and not of Works and Worthiness in the Creature at all that those that are elected and do believe in Christ when others are not elected and so never have it given them to come to Christ it was purely from the free Grace of God to them and so concludes The Election that is those who are elected to Salvation they obtain Grace and Glory and the rest of Men and Women then and so likewise in all Ages they are blinded they are left to themselves and to their Sins I might mention many other Scriptures but these may suffice Ay but saith this Author in that 27th page No Man that is an unregenerate Sinner is actually elected till he turns from Sin and accepts God's Mercy by Faith Revel 17.14 These shall make War with the Lamb. and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are Called and Chosen and Faithful To say that no Man is actually elected till he turns from his Sin and accepts of God's Mercy by Faith is to confound the immanent Acts of God with his transient Acts. Election is an immanent Act of God 't is the Purpose of God towards Persons from Eternity Conversion is a transient Act of God in time wherein he puts forth his Power and Converts according to his Eternal Purpose and Grace and for that only Text this Author brings it seems plainly to be meant of those that shall destroy the Whore of Babylon who may be said to be called and chosen and faithful in that Work tho' they were never called to be Saints never elected to Salvation never truly faithful As Cyrus of old was called God's Anointed and his Servant in being an Instrument of God's taking Vengeance tho' he was a Heathen Carnal-man But take it for Effectual Calling being chosen to Salvation and faithful in Christ it signifieth nothing at all to your purpose I hope that they that are chosen from Eternity may be said to be chosen to all Eternity Once chosen of God and ever chosen It may be said here in this Life and a thousand of Years hence and to all Eternity that they are the chosen of God for he abides by his choice for ever Then you say that none are actually Reprobated till they depart from God or reject his Mercy and Goodness which he graciously holds forth to them Rom. 1.28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge God gave them over to a Reprobate Mind to do those things which are not convenient The Scope of the Apostle is to shew that the Gentiles that he speaks of had so much knowledge of God as to leave them without excuse v. 20. so have all that perish But those Gentiles that the Apostle there speaks of had not so much as sufficient outward means to bring them to know God in Christ but they so grosly prevaricated against the Light of Nature to change the Glory of the Incorruptible-God into an Image of Corruptible-Man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things that God in his Righteous Judgment gave them up to vile Affections they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge that is they did not walk according to that Knowledge of God they had by the Light of Nature for knowledg of God in Christ which alone can bring Men to Eternal Life they had none therefore God gave them over to a Reprobate Mind They had a Reprobate Mind by Nature and so have all Men that is a Mind void of Judgment and Understanding till God takes it away God's Decree to deny his Grace to Persons from Eternity is one thing and a Reprobate Mind a Mind void of Understanding is another thing and is more or less as God gives up Men to themselves and this saith he is so clear that those who are our Adversaries are forced to allow it for thus they speak chap. 11. of their Confession of Faith God did from all Eternity decree to justifie
the Elect notwithstanding they are not justified till the Holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ to them I answer that when the Assembly of Divines say that God did from all Eternity Decree to justifie the Elect yet they are not justified till the Holy Spirit doth actually apply Christ You seem to have quite forgotten what you were treating of and so instead of casting a slur upon the Assembly of Divines you cast a great slur upon your self as if you did not at all understand what you write of for observe you are writing of Election and you bring a passage of the Assembly about Justification you would prove if you could that none are actually Elected until they believe and say that the Assembly are forced to allow that none are actually justified till they do believe Surely that grave Assembly of Divines was never so abused as by you they knew well enough what they said I would you had the thousandth part of the Knowledge they had The Assembly say well that God decreed to justifie the Elect from Eternity and so he decreed to Sanctifie them from Eternity but they are neither actually Justified nor Sanctified until the Holy Spirit do call them Election is one thing Justification is another Election is an Immanent Act of God and from Eternity Justification is a transient Act of God towards the Elect in time Ay but this Author will make this matter evident to every considerate Reader viz. that none are actually Elected until they be Converted Saith he All that are actually elected have an Inheritance in the Kingdom of God and none can lay any thing to their charge 1 Pet. 1.2 3 4. Rom. 8.33 But no unbelieving Drunkard Whoremonger hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Eph. 5.5 And these Impieties may be laid to their charge therefore no unbelieving Drunkard Whoremonger or Idolater is actually Elected 1. To explain this 1. There is an Eternal Predestinating some Persons to the Heavenly Inheritance by the meer good pleasure of God's Will Ephes 1.11 In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the Counsel of his own Will Here the Apostle shews that whether they be Jews who first trusted in Christ or Gentiles who were brought to trust in Christ after the Jews v. 12 13. yet whatsoever they are Jews or Gentiles that truly trust in Christ they have obtained a right to the Heavenly Inheritance Then he shews how they come to be partakers of this Grace to have Christ given for them and given to them and this he shews in these words Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the Counsel of his own Will He would have them know that all that God doth for them in time is because he had predestinated them and chosen them from Eternity to Grace and Glory So let that be well observed that all that God hath predestinated to Life have the Heavenly Inheritance allotted and appointed to them it is theirs by Predestination by Election 2. There is a Title to the Heavenly Inheritance by the purchase of Christ the Mediator 3. There is an actual right to the Heavenly Inheritance by Regeneration and Adoption These three things considered the Answer to this Author is That all that are saved had a Title to the Heavenly Inheritance from Eternity by Election by the Gracious Decree of God the Kingdom of God was prepared for them to Eternity Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World As if our Saviour had said You that are saved look to the first cause of it you were Blessed of my Father he elected you from Eternity he gave me to die for you he called you in due season and made you a peculiar People zealous of good Works and thus you come to inherit the Kingdom Again The Elect before Conversion have Right in Christ their Head to the heavenly Inheritance before they be called because Christ hath purchased it for them Yea Eternal Life was promised to Christ for them as their Head in the Covenant of Redemption before the World began Tit. 1.12 But when the Apostle saith that no wicked Man hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of God Ephes 5.5 the meaning is only that though God may have purposed in his Eternal Counsel to give the Heavenly Inheritance to a Man that for the present is ungodly and Christ the Mediator may have purchased the Heavenly Inheritance yet this is a secret thing known only to God himself But for what appears yet to the unregenerate Man himself or to others he hath no Part nor Lot in that Heavenly Inheritance As for those Words Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect The Apostle had said Ver. 30. Whom he predestinated them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified The Apostle seems in this place to answer to two Objections that some might make 1. That it is long before some that are predestinated are called and if they be not called they cannot be justified and so if they should die before they are called What will become of them The Apostle shews that though God hath not yet called them he will call them and though there might be a Charge of innumerable Sins against an elect Person before he be converted yet Who shall lay them to the Charge of God's Elect to damn them in Hell They are Elect and God's Election stops any Arrest of an Elect Person so as that he cannot be thrown into Hell The Elect have a Reprieve in order to their Pardon in God's Time 2. It might be objected That whereas the Apostle had said Ver. 30. Whom he hath called them he also justified Have not the Elect after they are called if they live any long time after their Conversion committed many Sins that might be laid to their Charge They did not sin only before they were called but sin much after they are called How then are they justified The Apostle answers Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect with effect so as to bring them to Damnation in Hell Though every Sin they commit doth deserve Eternal Damnation yet 't is God with whom they have to do and seeing he will not take Vengeance but glorifie his Free Grace in Christ to them who hath to do with it God that may do it he justifies them Yea the Apostle goes on and shews v. 34. that the Elect are secured from Eternal Damnation in Hell not only by Election but by Redemption That though they have deserved it as well as others yet saith the Apostle who shall condemn that is the Elect eventually and eternally Indeed they are condemned by the Law till they be in Christ But who shall condemn them
doth not own that he was the Person intended in that Book I saw so I desire however that the Reader of my Letter would wholly wave that part of the charge against him Well in my first Letter to him I did not directly Answer to his queries but it seems I must do it but I would be very brief in it for I have spoken of Election and Reprobation already It seems that in a Sermon which I Preacht twenty four years since from this Text 2 Cor. 13 14. I had two passages that do not please this Author it being so long time since it was with Difficulty that I got the Sermon The passage pag. 13. opening that Scripture the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you I shewed that the meaning of the Apostle is amongst other things That these Believers might always have the Sence and Comfort of the Love of God in choosing them before the Foundation of the World to be Vessels of Mercy it is as if the Apostle had said Oh! That you may always see the special and distinguishing Love of God the Father towards you that when he had so many Millions of Souls in his Eye that he should choose you to everlasting Life and pass by so many that you should be Jacobs whom he hath loved and not Esaus whom he hath hated that he hath not appointed you to wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ the Sence and Comfort and Assurance of this Unspeakable Love of God be with you This is the first passage in that Sermon that offended this Author Now upon this saith this Author both sorts being supposed to be living when you wrote thus Qu. Wherefore did the Lord pass by the Millions And after what manner did he hate them Did he afford them no Means that they might be saved I answer 1. This Author saith both sorts being supposed to be living when you wrote thus How impertinent is this Did I write 2 Cor. 13 14. did not the Apostle Paul write it to the Church at Corinth and Prayeth that the love of God may be with them as I have opened it in some measure no doubt there are of the Elect and of those that are passed by now living on the Earth both in the Sence that I hold Election and in the Sence that he holds Election but that which I said was to open the meaning of the Apostle Paul's Benediction or Prayer for the Church at Corinth not mentioning the persons to whom I spake whether they were Elected or not Elected 2. But for the Query wherefore did the Lord pass by the Millions and after what manner did he hate them did he afford no means that they might be saved I Answer that the Apostle speaking of the Love of God in the Text I opened which to be sure must be understood of the special Love of God it seems that because Paul is not now alive for you to quarrel with therefore you must send Queries to me about God's Especial Love and wherefore God had not the same Love for all Adam's Posterity and you must know of me how God hated those whom he did not choose to Salvation It is sufficient to tell you that he did not Love them to Elect them to Salvation to Grace and Glory but Decreed to leave them to their Sins and to glorifie his Justice upon them for their Sins and who are you that shall say unto God What dost thou must God give you an Account He saith I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardens Yea but you say did he afford no means whereby they might be saved I Answer 1. The fallen Angels that were far more glorious Creatures than the Children of Men never had any means that they might be saved 2. As for the Children of Men the greatest part of Mankind never had so much as the Outward means of Salvation and none but the Elect have inward sufficient Means of Salvation there is nothing short of God's giving actually a new Heart and infusing Grace so as to make dead Souls live is sufficient to Unite the Soul to Christ indeed the Quakers hold and they grow upon the Root of Arminianism that all Men have a sufficient Light within to bring them to Salvation if they would but heed it but if the Light in us be Darkness how great is that Darkness Q. 2. What are the People to whom you write better than other Men and why do you call them Jacobs I pray who did I write to I only opened what Paul wrote to the Corinthians and if you ask what were they better than other Men The Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11 12. they to whom he wrote had been some of them much worse than many other Natural Men but through the Exceeding Riches of God's grace in Christ they were washed they were Justified they were Sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God And this was a Fruit and Effect of Gods free and eternal Love to them This Author adds Or did you mean it of the Dead Truly all the Corinthians are dead to whom Paul wrote concerning this special Love of God but no doubt there are many now living that are partakers of the same grace and as to those that are not Elected I suppose you do not question but there are Millions who are so passed by as that they are now in the Prison of Hell Q. 3. You take your self for a Jacob and me for an Esau as I suppose I Answer Truly Sir I am sorry you should thus disgrace your self If you had not written your Name to the Queries you sent me I should have thought they had been sent me by some Impertinent Woman rather than by a Man Why do you say that you suppose I take you for an Esau You may be Elected to Salvation for any thing I know Our Doctrine doth not allow us to say of any particular Man yet living that God hath appointed him to Wrath except we had grounds to think that he hath committed the sin against the Holy Ghost which is a sin that is very rarely committed and I never knew that person in my whole Life that I was so uncharitable to as to think that person had Committed that sin But you say that you are mine Ancient Acquaintance and Neighbour and now a Stranger in this City and I never had the Humanity to invite you to my House had a Neighbor's Dog come to you out of Lincoln-shire would you not have been more kind to him than you have been to me I answer That those that do not know things may think that you and I have been great Acquaintance in Lincolnshire and that we lived very near together either in the same Town or within a few miles one of