of the world If any man refuse to receive with the belief of the heart or to speak with the confession of his mouth if before the last day of this present life he doth not cast off the stubbornness of his error whereby he rebelleth against the true and the living God it is plain he doth not belong to the number of those whom God hath freely chosen in Christ and predestinated before the foundation of the world There is a two fold predestination saith one (c) Isidor Hispalensis either of the Elect unto rest or of the reprobate unto death both are done by the Judgment of God So that he ever causeth the Elect to follow heavenly and inward things and by forsaking the reprobate he suffereth him to follow earthly and outward things Another speaks thus (a) Anselm de cencor praesâ— praedest Predestination is not only of good but it may also be said of evil as God is said to do the evil he doth not because he permits it for he is said to harden a man when he doth not soften him and to lead into temptation when he doth not deliver therefore it is not unfit that he should thus predestinate whilst he doth not amend evil men nor their evil deeds but yet he is said more specially to fore-know good things because in them he makes that they be and that they be good But in evil things he makes but their being not the evil of their being The same Author saith farther in another place to this purpose (b) In Rom. 9. God did not therefore take mercy on Jacob because he willed and runned but therefore Jacob willed and runned because God had mercy on him Let it be enough for thee who yet livest by Faith and not seeing perfectly but knowing only in part to know and believe that God doth save none but by free mercy nor damn none but by most righteous justice But why he saveth or saveth not this man rather than that man Let him search who will look into the great depths of God's judgments but withall let him take heed that he doth not fall down headlong But to come to lower times let us hear what saith Bernard a good and famous Writer (c) Bernard in Cant. Serm. 14. My right is the will of the Judge what more just for merit What more rich for reward May not he do what he will Mercy indeed is shewed to me but to thee is done no injury take that which is thine and go thy way If he hath decreed to save me also why wilt thou destroy me take what thou wilt of thy merits extol thy labours the mercy of God is better than life If we descend to the School-men we can hear them speak at the same rate first the Master of Sentences (d) Pet. Lombard lib. 1. dist 41. lit d. God elected whom he pleased by free mercy not because they would be faithful but that they might be faithful and he gave them grace not because they were faithful but that they might be for the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. I obtained mercy that I might be faithful He saith not because I was faithful grace is indeed given to the faithful but it is also given first that he might be faithful So also he reprobated whom he pleased not for any future merits yet by a most true justice though hidden from our eyes The next saith (a) Thom. Aquin. part 1. quaest 23 Art 5. It is manifest that grace is an effect of predestination and that cannot be put as a cause of predestination which is shut up under predestination God would shew his goodness on some whom he predestinated in sparing them by way of mercy and on those whom he reprobateth in punishing by way of justice and this is the reason why he chuseth some and reprobateth others but why he chuseth these unto glory and reprobateth those there is no reason to be given but the will of God Another speaketh thus (b) Bradward de causa dei lib. 1. cap. 39. There is no such cause either forbidding the will of God or causing it by which an answer may be given why he loved this man or hated that man Two or three more I shall add then I have done with this He concludes out of St. Paul (c) Gorran in Rom. 9. That both Election and Reprobation depend on Gods good-pleasure saying therefore he hath mercy on whom he will because he hath freely loved Jacob and rejected Esau he hath mercy on whom he will by giving grace and he hardeneth whom he will not by imparting wickedness but by not giving grace whereupon St. Austin as the Sun in departing far from the earth doth harden Ice not by imparting coldness but by not giving heat The next saith I (d) Thom. Campensis de imit Christ lib. 2. cap. 63. am he that made all Saints I gave them grace I bestowed glory I knew all their good works I prevented them in the blessings of my sweetness I fore-knew my beloved before all ages I elected them out of the world and they did not pre-elect me I called them by grace I drew them by mercy I led them thorough many temptations I poured into them glorious consolations I gave them perseverance c. I am to be blessed and honoured in them all whom I have so highly glorified and predestinated without any foregoing good works of their own The last is one whom some of our Adversaries do set a high value upon his words are these (e) Cassand consult art 18. The grace of predestination is so greatly commended in the word of God and Ecclesiastical writers that those who are endued with faith in Christ and with good works springing from that faith may not ascribe these things to themselves but unto God and to the grace of his divine predestination and election and so may glory in the Lord and not in themselves Surely all these men were Calvinians Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 24. ad 38. ad lib. 3.33 Hiliar in Psal 48. Pet diacon de incarn grat Christ Gregr. mag moral in Job lib. 29. cap. 15. Beda in Rom. 9. and may be by a Metempsycosis he had the Soul of some of them transmitted into his body if so that of Austin was the likeliest for both were great asserters of these truths yet Dr. Taylor saith Austin is the first that stirred the mudd if instead of Austin he had named Pelagius he had spoken the truth but 't is usual for the Wolf to say the Lamb hath troubled the waters However 't is but an idle notion but withall spiteful and malicious to give these Doctrines the name of Calvinism But we have with us men of all Ages and they very considerable To the same purpose we could bring in others whom for brevities sake we quote in the Margin and if I went about to make use of more quotations on this point I should weary my self
in a little corner of Germany and upon occasion only of Indulgences at first how suddenly upon new inquiries and new discoveries notwithstanding the rage and craftiness of those that held it in unrighteousness did it spread abroad almost all Europe over So that the Lilly though amongst Thorns by the dew from Heaven the heat of the Sun of righteousness and the fatness of the Soil watered with the Blood of so many thousands of Martys became extraordinary fruitful Germany Bohemia Hungary Sweden Denmark Poland England Scotland Ireland the Low Countries France Swisserland generally and for the most part and some Persons in Italy received it But since whilest the Protestant Reformed Churches though in some of their Members lying under Persecution from Worldly Powers were undisturbed amongst themselves and agreed upon these Points the Enemy again sowed Tares which out of Flanders spread into Holland whence not just presently but soon after that Poyson crept over hither where it was opposed and condemned as contrary to the professed Doctrine of the Church as by the Grace of God I shall clearly make it appear Though upon these Matters several Books have been written in Defence of Truth yet 't is long since so that many of them are almost out of Print and those that remain do not fall into every one's hands wherefore it will not be amiss sometimes and upon occasion for some to publish their thoughts to assert and vindicate Matters of God's Grace and Providence in opposition to what Adversaries do write or say against it in their Discourses and in the Pulpits and upon that same account I now do bring in my Evidence That which chiefly engages me upon this present Design is to hear upon all occasions these unsound Doctrines ring out of the Pulpits which for the most part they have been in possession of for several years they having taken effectual care to keep those that are for the Truth from going up to such publick Places so that they would create a belief in People that what they teach is the Doctrine of the Gospel received by the Church and by those means infuse into common capacities those evil Principles which do puff up Men with the Opinion of their Natural Strength which must needs produce dangerous practises We teach how God from Eternity hath freely Decreed our Salvation in the fulness of time Christ purchas'd it and in time 't is promised and offered us in the Word and thereby we are called to come in to Christ upon his own terms Sacraments do seal it the Holy Ghost applieth it Faith receives it and Holiness with other good Works do bear Witness to it In few Words out of the whole corrupt lump of Mankind God hath freely chosen some to be Objects of his Mercy and hath elected them to eternal life through Faith in Christ our Lord which Faith and other necessary means to come to Glory in execution of his Decree he doth in time give us till at last through these means of Grace we are brought into eternal life and all this meerly out of his Mercy and only through his free Grace the rest of Mankind he leaves in their Natural corruption at last to have his Justice executed upon them We attribute our whole Salvation to God's free Grace and they to Natural Strength and Free-will which is clearly made out But a further reason to engage me upon this Design is the great affinity between Socinians and Arminians for in some things they border so near one upon the other and in others are so united that specially they agreeing with Papists in most of those Points wherein they differ from us I am afraid of the production of some new Monstrous Opinion now when Socinians increase come fast upon us and even in Print without any check grow bolder every day God knows what the effect of such an Vnion may prove and how pernicious to the Souls of many as some of them formerly turned Papists so now others may happen to become rank Socinians Once Arminianism had very near brought in Popery and now 't is a-pace ushering in Socinianism these are great Judgments though most Men seem not to be sensible thereat which at last may happen to deprive us of the light of the Gospel all this danger and evil if it doth befal us we do and shall owe to Arminianism Here we have a large Field to bring in the Evidence and Authority of several of the Ancient Fathers of the Church engaged in the Defence of the same Cause with us which have spoken clearly fully and to the purpose but because the Rule I mean the Word of God is so clear I think it were needless to borrow the Authority of Man which we may believe no farther than it agrees with Scripture after God hath declared his Holy Will and Mind neither are there such difficulties as do need the interpretation of most or many Ancient Doctors Besides it would be tedious for common capacities which I desire to make these Matters intelligible to as mach as I can and the subject will admit to run over several passages of the Fathers for 't is not material chiefly for a kind of Readers to know what Austin Hilary Prosper Fulgentius Hierom and so many others with Bertram Bernard c. have written upon the matter as what the Word of God saith about it wherefore for Proofs we shall stick chiefly to the Law and to the Testimony The Church like the Ship in the (a) Marth 8.24 25 26. Gospel is tossed up and down with Winds and Waves exposed to Rocks Sands and many other Dangers in such a case what 's to be done In Storm time like the Disciples we must go to the Lord Jesus with Cries and Prayers awake him and say Lord save us we perish for our Comfort we must not go far he is in the Ship and though he be asleep and to make us call the louder seems to be so for (b) Psal 121.4 he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep yet in good time he will awake arise and rebuke the Winds and the Sea and there shall be a great Calm may the Lord do so in his due time Yet sometime some Jonah who is the cause of the Tempest must be cast over-board some are by Christ (c) Rev. 3.16 spued out of his Mouth and (d) 1 Tim. 1.2 delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme This is the end of many a disturber of the Peace of the Church which we are sure cannot miscarry but shall at last come to a good Harbor for though sometimes the Body be under Water as long as its Head is above it there is no danger of being drowned TO THE READER THE following Sheets I once intended to Dedicate to my Lord Carteret thereby to shew my singular esteem for his Piety Virtue and Merits But God By a late untimely Death and much to be lamented having taken him to
persevere unto the end though they sometimes fall through infirmity into grievous sins yet they never fall totally or finally from the habits seeds and state of Grace They say that true justifying Faith is neither a true special fruit of Election Arm. IV. nor yet proper to the Elect alone that 't is often found in Reprobates And that the very Elect by falling into sin may and often do fall totally and finally from the very habit seeds and state of Grace We say that Christ's death is of sufficient intrinsecal merit in it self Orth. V. though not in God's intention or his holy Spirit 's application to redeem and save all mankind wherefore he died really and effectually for none but the Elect for whom alone he actually and effectually hath obtained remission of sins and everlasting life They say Jesus Christ died effectually alike for all men whatsoever Arm. V. whether Elect or Reprobates without any special intent to save the Elect alone or any particular persons more than others With a general purpose to save all men alike upon condition of their believing and applying of his death which dependeth principally upon every man's own actual will and powers not of Christ's actual application of it to them by his Spirit To this one thing more I shall add against one of their Opinions Orth. VI. We say there is not any such Free-will any such universal and sufficient Grace communicated unto all men whereby they may Repent believe and be Saved if they will themselves They say there is an universal sufficient Grace derived upon all men since the fall of Adam Arm. VI. by vertue of which they may all Repent Believe and be Saved if they will themselves These and several other things of that kind as namely the important point of Justification which they so highly have corrupted of Providence and others which by the grace of God in due time we shall have occasion to speak of are the matters we do differ about yet to what we already said of their adhering to Pelagians Massilienses and Semipelagians we may add how some of them own Socinus's and Worstius his Blasphemies against the Trinity of the Divine Persons the simplicity of divine Nature it self c. as King James charges them with it and well so he might for after Arminius's Death they were so desirous to be headed by Worstins that they used all their endeavours to have had him to succeed the other in his place of Professor of Divinity at Leyden Hence it is that they openly declared they had nothing against Worstius nor had found any thing in his Writings contrary to Truth and Piety and that it would be most profitable for Church and Commonwealth if his calling should go on This account we have in the Preface of the Acts of the Synod of Dort And it is well known how King James opposed effectually that man's promotion to that place and whose Book De Deo Attributis was here burnt by the hand of the Hangman according to King James's special Order and by advice of the Archbishop of Canterbury But because it is not enough to affirm things without proofs therefore now before I proceed I must bring in evidence for the Articles I set down Scripture which in this is Judge and Rule affordeth us a great cloud of Witnesses And to begin with our first Article clearly proved out of that excellent place of (a) Ephes 1.4 c. St. Paul which hereafter I shall have occasion to make use of but for the present omit to prove first the Eternity of God's Decree out of another Text of the same Apostle God who (b) 2 Tim. 1.9 hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began This Text is very comprehensive here is the Decree under the name of his own purpose out of which are excluded any thing of our own not according to our works but attributed only to his Free-grace according to his own purpose and grace The eternity of this Decree is thus expressed before the world began this Decree of Election is the ground of our Salvation God who hath saved us the next effect is our Vocation and called us with an holy that is an effectual calling We want not other places of God's word to prove the Eternity of his Decree but afterwards we shall have occasion to make use of them for often one and the same Text doth prove several things As for the Immutability of God's Decree of Predestination we have clear and undeniable proofs (c) Psal 33.11 David saith The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations As positive as this is what he saith in another place (d) Psal 89.28 33.34 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore and my covenant shall stand fast with him And a little below nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Here we see how the Counsel of the Lord and the thoughts of his heart which are his Decree shall stand that is are unchangeable so are his mercies his loving-kindness his faithfulness which the Decree of Election is grounded upon as to his Covenant called the thing that is gone out of his mouth it shall not be broken nor alter'd but it shall stand All this is for its immutability And the prophet saith (e) Isai 14.24 The Lord of hosts hath sworn saying surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass and as I have purposed so shall it stand Vers. 7 We have not only God's Word but his Oath for his Truth which must needs convince us of what a high concernment it is yet as if 't was not enough three verses lower 't is added For the Lord of hosts hath purposed and who shall disanul and his hand is stretched and who shall turn it back This makes good the immutability of a Decree both of Election and Reprobation so it doth the final unrefistibility of Grace and of the works of his Providence St. Paul that great Preacher of Free-grace out of a sense of the great mercy God had shewed him doth almost every where batter down Works Free-will and all pretences of man's strength to set up the Grace and Power of God specially in his Epistle to the Romans but above all in the 9th chap. which before we have done we shall often have occasion to make use of for it seems to have been written to condemn Arminianism In a place there the Apostle saith (a) Rom. 9.11 For the Children being not yet born neither having done any good or any evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him
act of their Conversion (l) Psal 115.3 For our God is in the heavens he hath done whatsoever he pleased The same in another place we have with enlargement (m) Psal 13.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth in the seas and all deep places No deeper places than Man's Heart which no humane power can dive into much less to frame and govern it but God can and doth even those hearts that are the most unsearchable and past finding out the hearts of Kings full of turnings and windings of humane Policy (n) Prov. 21.1 Yet the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turneth it whithersoever he will Ver. 2. he makes nothing of it and the Lord pondereth the hearts Now in matter of Conversion the greatest opposition lies in the heart but God can remove it as it pleases him Therefore let it be never so stubborn it must fall when God will have it and it can never finally resist Grace (o) Isa 45.23 I have sworn by my self saith the Lord that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear yea and every heart too shall vow and swear Who can resist the power of God when he hath a mind effectually to work (a) Chap. 43.13 I will work and who shall let it What miserable wretches are those that dare assert the Contrary Our 4th Article saith True justifying Faith is peculiar to God's Elect St. Paul indeed calls it (b) Tit. 1.1 the faith of God's elect and it must be proper to them because it is an effect and consequence of Election (c) Rom. 11.7 Israel hath not obtained that which he secketh for saith Paul what is it Righteousness and Justification they were seeking to be justified by the works of the Law which is not the way Faith is the only instrument of justification before God and as true Faith is an infallible effect and consequence of Election for they that are predestinated are also called and justified as appeareth (d) Rom. 8.30 by the link of Salvation so election hath obtained it Justification is only for the Elect and the rest were blinded saith the Apostle in the same verse We also in the same Article do affirm that the true regenerate and believers never fall totally but persevere in the Faith we have God's word for it the blessed and good man saith David (e) Psal 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down the reason is in the latter-end of the verse and a good one two for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand and in another place speaking of the same sort of men he saith (f) Psal 145.14 The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all those that be bowed down Our 5th Article is that Christ effectually died not for all because Scripture speaking of the extent of his death reduceth it to many Our Saviour saith (g) Matth. 20.28 The Son of Man came to give his life a ransom for many the same word he used when he instituted his holy Supper (h) Chap. 26.28 For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many not for all for the remission of sins none could know the design of his death and whom he died for better than himself St. Paul makes use of the same word when he saith (i) Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many long before his time a great Prophet had said so or rather God by his mouth (k) Isai 53.11 12. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many only those whom he died for are justified for justification is the fruit of his death and in the following verse 't is joyned to his Death and Satisfaction for sin And he bare the sin of many Who these many are Scripture explains it in other places they are called his people the Angel said to Joseph (a) Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins In another place they are named his sheep I (b) 1 John 10.15 lay down my live for my sheep saith the Lord Jesus St. Paul calls them his Church (c) Acts 20.28 Have a care to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood So elsewhere he saith (d) Ephes 5. â—5 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it Our 6th Article saith there is not in any one such free-will such universal sufficient grace whereby to be saved if they will let a man never so much consult in his affairs yet God hath the governing part (*) Prov. 16.9 For though a man's heart deviseth his way yet the Lord directeth his steps And although (e) Chap. 19.21 there are many devices in a man's heart nevertheless the council of the Lord that shall stand And if (*) Chap. 20.24 man's goings are of the Lord as certainly they be How can a man then understand his own way How can he be free to chuse specially in those things that concern his Spiritual and Eternal wellfare If we have free-will How is it (f) Isai 26.12 that God hath wrought all our works in us With free-will we could do it our selves and if in every one there be a sufficient universal grace how can it be true That (g) Jerm 10.21 the Pastors are become brutish and have not forght the Lord therefore they shall not prosper and all their flocks shall be scattered Wherein is the grace here and where the sufficiency But we must come closer to the point (h) John 6.44 No man can come to me except the father which hath sent me draw him Where is here our free-will and our sufficient grace Our Saviour to beat us out of this conceit saith (i) Chap 15.5 6. Without me ye can do nothing it is not said far from me for then we being near him might happen to do something of our own but without me we must have him or we can do nothing at all not so much as to think a good thought which is least of all for St. Paul saith (k) 2 Cor. 3.5 not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves take notice of the double exclusion given to our selves but our sufficiency is of God there we must look for it and expect it from Our Saviour to make us the more sensible how without him we can do nothing strengthned that saying with a similitude very proper in the next verse If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered a branch of a Vine or any other Tree that is broken or cut off from the Tree and Root is thereby deprived of the Sap and nourishment thence convey'd to it so it cannot live but is withered and cast into the fire to be burned no sign or hopes of life in
of sticking to the Rule and Word of God To such we may put St. Paul's question (e) Rom. 11.34 35. Who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counsellour Hast thou known his mind or hast thou been his Counsellour Or who hath first given to him hast thou then it shall be recompensed to thee again Thou hast chosen him to be thy God before he predestinated thee to the adoption of Children thou hast believed in him before he elected thee to believe in Christ since thou makest God as accomptable to thee be sure if he owes any thing he will pay it but one should know that (a) Job 33.13 there is no striving against God and that he giveth not account of any of his matters For (b) Prov. 21 30. there is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. As to the question whether or not the decree of Election be absolute I say 't is not in some respect and in some other it is 't is not absolute in relation to the means conducing to the obtaining of Salvation which are included in the decree whereof the merits of Christ and Faith are the chief though I must say that the Use and Application of those means is the work of grace God saith Job (c) Job 23 1â— performeth the thing that is appointed for me And St. Paul by the grace of God I am what I am ... Yet not I but the grace of God that was with me 1 Cor. 15.10 And I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Philip. 4.13 It is absolute in relation to any impulsive or instrumental cause or any condition which the decree should depend upon which is the question between Arminians and us In the execution of the decree Faith is the instrument and hand whereby we receive and apply Christ's merits unto us but it is under no such Notion in the making of the decree What I said before I repeat here that there are not two decrees one for the end another for the means but one and the same for both because God willeth together end and means where one can do two are superfluous Now God doth nothing in vain Let us now speak of the matter of Election or who are those whom God elected unto eternal life They are Men fallen in Adam and for sin in the sight of God guilty of eternal death yet God hath not chosen all men sinners but only some few of every sort especially of those which are low and contemptible in this world As to the first they are Men fallen in Adam We think this to be the order of God's decrees about Men First to Create Man for the glory of his Name Secondly to permit they should fall from the integrity wherein they were created and so become guilty of eternal death Thirdly Out of that whole lost lump of mankind to restore some to everlasting life thereby to shew his mercy and leave the rest in the state of Perdition and Damnation for their sins to manifest his Justice Our reasons why God hath chosen men in that state are First Because he hath (a) Ephes 1.4 elected us that we should be holy and without blame Therefore he lookt upon such as unholy and sinners Secondly Scripture calleth Election (b) Rom. 9.15.23 a will to shew mercy and a little lower the Elect are called vessels of mercy therefore considered as in misery for misery is the Object of Pity and Mercy We say in the second place all men are not elected only some out of all sorts on which Scripture is positive (c) Matth. 20.16 few are chosen Neither doth God give eternal life to all for some are Damned therefore he decreed not to do 't for God doth nothing in time but what from eternity he decreed to be done God hath not mercy upon all but (d) Rom. 9.18 he hardneth some neither doth he give the means of Salvation as calling by the word Faith in Christ Repentance Justification by Faith to all but only to some so that we may say they who are not elected to the means are not elected to the end for God will not bestow the end but through the means the very name of Election signifieth a choice of some out of many he cannot be said to chuse who taketh all promiscuously The Adversaries we are now disputing against to prove that God decreed from eternity with an antecedent will to save in time all and every Man do argue thus (e) 1 Tim. 2.4 God will have all men to be saved therefore he decreed to save them all but the consequence is not good for in the Text the Apostle doth not mean every particular Man but men of all sorts as Princes and Subjects which is the scope of the place For there he exhorteth to have prayers made for all men for Kings and all in authority Rich and Poor Old and Young Men and Women great Men and of low degree that is of all Ages Sexes Quality Nation and People c. The particle all is distributive as School-men say into the genders of singulars not into the singulars of genders we do not our selves give that sence but 't is Scripture interpretation The four Beasts and twenty four Elders said to the Lamb (a) Rev. 5.9 chap. 7.9 and chap. 11.9 chap. 13.6 chap. 14.6 chap. 19.18 Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Which is repeated in several other places of the same book as are quoted in the Margin to shew this is the true meaning of the Spirit of God And the Reader may peruse them with that of Colos 3.4 Again they object (b) 2 Pet. 3.9 God will have none to perish but all that should come to repentance But there the Apostle speaketh not indifferently of all Men but only of the Elect as appeareth in the same verse God is patient or long suffering to us ward so he is not willing that any of us should perish and who those are whom he speaks to they are the same he writes his Epistle to and them he nameth in the first verse of the first Chap. To them that have obtained like precious faith with us thorough the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ He will have none of these to perish but that they all come to repentance and certainly they will Thus the word all is taken for the Elect in the two following places (c) 1 Tim. 2.6 Christ gave himself a ransome for all and (d) 2 Cor. 5.15 Christ died for all and not for every Man whether Believer or Reprobate as it will be proved in its place by the grace of God What St. Paul saith that (e) Rom. 11.32 God hath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all is not to be understood of every particular Man but
of Jews and Gentiles indefinitely to whom he gives hopes of Salvation through Faith in Christ for that is the scope of that whole Chapter so the sence is this God hath concluded under sin Jews and Gentiles to have mercy on both in Christ apprehended with Faith so that Jews and Gentiles may ascribe their Salvation only to God's mercy This Text compared with another (f) Gal 3.22 Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe doth clear the point this last interpreting the other for as it appeareth that all are concluded under sin so it sheweth how special mercy reacheth only those who through the grace of God do believe and through Faith are elected to everlasting life To say that God hath from Eternity decreed to save all and every Man under this condition if they believe in Christ not only they find in Scripture nothing to ground it upon but withall intangle themselves in two very great difficulties First to God they attribute a vain and imprudent Decree for if from Eternity God hath foreseen that the condition of Faith in Christ shall not be performed by many to what purpose to make such a Decree of Salvation to depend upon such a condition Such a Decree doth not become the wisdom of any Man much less of God The Second inconveniency is this they submit and make faith a free gift of God to depend upon the free-will of man dead in trespasses and sins that it is in the power of Man to believe or not believe which is meer Pelagianism and wholly contrary to Scripture These considerations have so wrought upon some that they wave off the fore-sight of Faith but betake themselves to the fore-sight of the right use which Men would make of outward means of Conversion and Salvation as the serious saving hearing reading and meditation of the word of God receiving of the Sacrament frequenting of Churches c. But alas the first of these is the fruit of the Spirit not of corrupt Nature the saving hearing of the Word as well as Faith proceedeth from our Election For (a) 2 Cor. 2.15 16. the word is a Saviour of life unto life to none but the Elect but to others that perish it is the Saviour of death unto death And if going to Church and every hearing of the word of God could make a difference between chosen and reprobates and was necessarily joyned with Election all those that perform those duties would be Elect which we know to be false Experience teacheth us how sometimes the worst of Men most averse from hearing of the Word or walking in the way of Salvation are converted to God others who seemed better and fitter for the Kingdom of God being passed by and left so calling is sometimes for those who seemed the worst not for those who appeared the best Farther this opinion makes the rejecting of the grace of the Gospel outwardly offered the only cause of reprobation What then shall we say of those who from the beginning of the world to the birth of our Saviour were damned whereof the thousandth part never heard a word of Christ Now we proceed and say in the third place the lesser part òf sinners is elected and the greatest part left in their state of Damnation which Scripture clearly affirmeth (a) Rom. 9.29 Chap. 11.5 4. Except the Lord of Sabbath had lest us a seed 't is but a Seed a remnant a little one seven thousand amongst all the people of Israel our Blessed Saviour who knew it very well saith though (b) Matth. 20.16 Chap. 7.13.14 many are called yet few are chosen and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat But strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it They are called the little Flock whereof the Members at certain times are so few as thereby invisible to man's eye some times in God's not one Fourthly Kings 19.14 Ezek. 22.30 We say that these few ones are chiefly chosen out of those that are low and contemptible in the world for which we have that famous Text (c) 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. For ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak to confound the mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen c. Hence we learn two considerable things First Not to judge of the love of God or his special grace out of humane Wisdom Power or Nobleness The Second patiently to bear the lowness meanness weakness and despicableness before the world for they are signs rather of Grace than of Wrath. To that purpose also is that passage in the Gospel (d) John 7.48 49. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed These learned and wise High-priests and Pharisees in their own conceit would not go into Heaven nor suffer others to enter into it Ver. 47 not only they called the people cursed but also the Officers they had sent deceived are ye also deceived But upon occasion our Saviour plainly tells them the truth ye who think your selves so wise and righteous are fools in comparison of those whom you despise For (e) Matth. 21.31 Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you As every wise Agent proposeth an end to himself in every thing he doth so likewise the only wise God in our Election purposed the manifestation of his mercy in his gracious Salvation of some sinners this St. Paul speaks of when after having said (a) Ephes 1.4.6 We are elected in Christ he addeth to the praise of the glory of his Grace Hence it is that the Elect be called (b) Rom. 9.23 Vessels of mercy Which mercy when God gives us grace to depend upon then we are grounded on the rock of Eternity but Man's Pride makes him desire to be loose from the Rock and stand on his own bottom which is meer quick Sand and Mud. So at last he must needs sink into it if God leaves him Now two things belong to the Decree of Election and are inseparable from it which do afford us matter of unspeakable comfort they are Eternity and Immutability for our Election is eternal and unchangeable First Eternal (c) Ephes 1.4 chap. 3.9 God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world which in the same Epistle is called the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God And in another place (d) 2 Tim. 1.9 Grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began And in another the same Epistle calls it (e) Rom. 16.25
and eternal life are called the Kingdom by way of Excellency which Kingdom is not any purchase of ours but the gift of God to give you to the Elect to the little Flock and to no others upon no other motive than God's Will and meer Good-pleasure for it is your fathers good-pleasure 't is not said your God which is also true but your Father is a more tender word to express love for in a special manner he is Father to the Elect whom God hath chosen and adopted in Christ Jesus our Lord who himself is the Author of these words and did speak them upon sure grounds and out of his certain knowledge thus he saith elsewhere I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me Luke 22 29. All done by way of preordination and fore-appointment But before I conclude this matter of our Election I must speak of the Effects and Consequences thereof which are the means whereby to attain unto the end for as we said before the most wise God hath not ordained us to Glory and everlasting Happiness and left us to seek how to come there but also he hath appointed the way that every thing belonging to Salvation the grounds and beginning the progress and end may all be of his own so that we may be sure of it to the praise of the riches of his Grace Hence it is that our Blessed Saviour is called not only (a) Heb. 2.10 Chap. 5.9 the captain of our Salvation and the author of eternal Salvation unto all that obey him but also the author and finisher of our Faith which is the way and means conducing to it The most Holy and Blessed Trinity did purpose and resolve it In the execution Christ is the Captain and Leader and he will finish it for he will never give over till (b) Joh. 17.24.11 those whom the Father hath given him his elect be with him where he is that they may behold his glory and that they may be one as the Father and he are Now the means appointed for the execution in time of the Decree of Election are our Vocation to and in the Church thorough the ministry of the Word our Conversion Regeneration Faith in Christ Justification Sanctification which are all grounded upon our Lord and Mediator Jesus Christ These means that are between our Election and Glorification are as the Chain that links it together and spoken of by St. Paul in the place already quoted (c) Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified No danger of breaking or miscarrying it is so sure that he speaketh of it not as a thing to come but as passed and already done The Consideration of these means is part of the Decree of Election as well as Glory and Salvation for 't is but one single and individual act of Election to Glory by the means of Grace for neither Glory was decreed without relation to Grace nor Grace without relation to Glory Another fruit and effect of our Election is the certainty we have of it within us whereby (a) This affirmed in Rogers Analysis Pag. 76. we know and are sure we are elected to everlasting life This certitude ariseth out of the sence and feeling we have of the means appointed to execute Election every Elect after his Conversion having faith in Christ may certainly know whether he be elected If upon examination of himself he may say I by the word of God am called to the Church and to eternal life I have the gift of Faith in Jesus Christ that is I believe my sins are forgiven me for the merits of Christ the Mediator God and Man Furthermore with a real and sincere desire and endeavour I worship God according to the rule of his word and I love my Neighbour out of this he may conclude I am elected to life everlasting All this depends upon a true examination and the Consequence is drawn à posteriori where are fruits there is a Tree when we find heat and motion in a Man we safely conclude there is Life Now all this examination is grounded upon that Text of Rom. 8.30 which I quoted but a little before but the calling is inward proper to Believers that answer and obey the call which our Saviour speaks of (b) John 5.25 the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live for they were dead in their sins the call is inward and spiritual whereby the blind mind is enlightened by the Word applyed by the Spirit and the obstinate and perverse will is brought under to obedience they who make Faith and Justification common to Believers and Reprobates cannot have this certitude of Election but others can according to St. Paul (c) 1 Thes 1.4 Knowing brethren beloved your election of God Hence we conclude it may be known This certitude and assurance of Election and so of Salvation for if I can but make my Election sure then I am sure of my Salvation is no motive to softness neglect and carelessness he who is sure of Salvation is sure to perform the Condition Salvation is the end of Election and Repentance Faith Holiness perseverance are the effects thereof Grace is the way to Glory God promising to save the Elect promised also to preserve them in that without which is no Salvation and when sometimes Believers do so much forget and are so senseless to themselves as to sin offend and leave Gods ways God wants no Scourges or other means to bring them in again This certitude of our unchangeable Election doth not as our Adversaries would have it breed in us Prophaneness and carnal Security on the contrary as we already said 't is the greatest motive and incentive we have to Piety for which St. Peter is my Witness (a) 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure For if ye do these things ye shall never fall If it were not possible to attain unto it it were in vain for the Apostle to exhort us thereunto When once Men have that assurance they will endeavour to answer it in the study and practice of holiness and become worthy of it with their upright walking knowing they are elected and called thereunto For (b) Tit. 3.8 they which have believed in God must be careful to maintain good works And they will take care of their ways so that they can never fall finally For (c) Psal 37.24 God upholdeth them with his hand St. Paul saith the same with St. Peter For (d) Rom. 8.14 15 16 17. as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father
all this they make two Objections first 't is against the Justice of God to reprobate Men who have done no evil though Scripture saith clearly it is so to father injustice upon God is certainly a great impity God is most just in every thing he doth though we cannot fathom into the particular causes yet his justice is a general one the consideration whereof ought to stop the mouth of every Creature What shall we say to the case of the Flood which was a great judgment whereby the whole World eight persons excepted perished in the Waters 'T is true the wickedness of Men was raised to an utmost degree but withall it must be owned that there were many Infants new born Babes yea several quick in the Womb who had committed no actual sins yet were involved in that general destruction Death saith Rom. 5.14 Paul reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression Adam's sin was an actual sin eating the fruit of the Forbiden-tree it could not be Original for he was created in Innocency but seeing (a) Chap. 6.23 death is the wages of sin and that those Infants who had committed no actual sin dyed in the Flood we must find another sin not after the similitude of Adam's transgression and that is Original-sin Now I say that as Original-sin was a just cause of the natural Death of those Babes so the same sin when it pleases God to leave them in it is a just cause of Eternal Death in those whom he punisheth with it for Eternal Death as well as Natural is the wages of Original as of Actual-sin And though sin be not the cause to move to pass sentence upon any yet that sentence is passed upon none but what are sinners Hence I conclude that as God was just in inflicting by the Flood Natural Death upon those Children that were unborn or newly born before they had done any evil so this holds for Election as for Reprobation in relation to Faith as to Unbelief according to that famous place of Romans about Jacob and Esau It is to be observed how St. Peter calls (b) Pet. 2.5 the world of the ungodly that world which the Flood drowned without any exception at all of Infants or others What hath been said of the Flood may be spoken to the same purpose of that terrible judgment upon Sodom and Gomorah and the Cities about them where no doubt were also Infants new born Babes and some quick in the Womb which as (c) Jud. 7. St. Jude saith suffered the vengeance of eternal fire and are set forth for an example Yet in all those things no exception against God's justice for he is most just in all his ways For if we must believe David the Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Psal 15.17 What shall we say as to the case of Achan his sin was personal he alone had committed it yet that same sin his Sons and Daughters nay the very Beasts as his Oxen Asses Sheep as well as he were by God's immediate command stonned to death and burned with fire Though in the eyes of Men they seemed innocent yet were guilty in the Lords eyes Josh 7.24 25. So in the particular case I before quoted of the Man that was blind from his birth our Saviour saith that neither the Man had sinned nor his Parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him This was a sufficient answer to the disciples they put no more questions about it But Arminians will impeach God's justice for denying sight to one who had not actually sinned Do not they do so in calling the equity of God's Decrees touching Men into question Can any thing in Scripture be plainer than this (a) Rom. 9.18 22 23. Ephes 1.11 that God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth that he hath appointed some to be vessels of mercy to the praise of the glory of his grace and some to be vessels of wrath to make his power to be known and that he maketh all things after the counsel of his own willâ— Yet what more usual than to dispute how this can agree with justice And with what reason God may punish that sin which by vertue of a Decree is unavoidable 'T is strange yet too true how peremptory sawcy and blasphemous speeches some in their Cups and others sometimes upon other occasions break into upon this subject and would reduce God to such terms of reason as they fancied to themselves After such declarations about these things which God hath given in his word were it not better to give him Glory and with David say O Lord thou art just when thou speakest and pure when thou judgest And if they cannot conceive how this should stand with equity rather than to call to question God's justice were it not better to own their weakness And with David say this is my infirmity For wo unto him that striveth with his Maker according to Solomon (b) Eccles 8.4 't is prudence not to controll an earthly King's actions who may say unto him what dost thou And O man who art thou that repliest against God and if in reference to Politicks of Government and Mysteries of State the same (c) Prov. 25.2 Solomon saith the heart of a King is unsearchable there is some secret reasons which many cannot dive into In God's matters as his Decrees and wise dispensation of his Providence much more we must think it to be so for in the same Chapter the wise Man saith it is the glory of God to conceal a thing The second Objection they make and which we already have given a hint to is this if I be reprobate and 't is God's pleasure I should go to Hell it is not in my power to help it so their Damnation they father upon God's pleasure This is too much like our first Parents to lay the fault upon others to excuse themselves Gen. 3.12.13 The woman whom thou givest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did eat He throws it on the Woman and she upon the Serpent the serpent begiuiled me If God had not given him the Woman then he would not have sinned nor the Woman if God had not created a Serpent so if God had not reprobated us say some we had not been damned But this is no more able to excuse them then the fig-leaves were to cover their nakedness though never so cunningly sewed together The Apostle lays open the case how God directeth and turneth all for his glory even the worst of things For our unrighteousness doth commend the righteousness of God and thorough our lie the truth of God hath more abounded unto his glory Rom. 3.5 6 7. Yet for all this though these evil things are turned to the greatest good that is the glory of God we are nevertheless
guilty and not excuseable when God judgeth us as sinners and takes vengeance of our unrighteousness The Doctrine then is this that the sins of Men serve to the glory of God for as skillful Physicians make poisons to be ingredients into their best Cordials so the wise God makes Man's greatest sins to be subservient unto his glory and draweth good out of evil Yet for that those poisons are poisons in themselves those sins in themselves are sins and God doth punish them without any injury either to his mercy or to his justice But because 't is natural with Man to raise questions to find out excuse for himself here the Apostle doth propose one which carnal sence and reason are apt to make against this Doctrine and therefore to qualifie the objection and shew he doth not approve of it he saith I speak as a man Well what doth Man say if my sin commends the righteousness of God and becomes an instrument of his glory then God is unrighteouss to take vengeance of me and punish me as a sinner besides that I cannot avoyd sinning being a reprobate But the Apostle saith God forbid though things be so yet there is no unrighteousness in God thou art in the wrong to think and to say so and he gives a reason For then how shall God judge the world and as Abraham said Shall not the judge of all the earth do right Gen. 14.15 This is a true Doctrine which by some was misconstrued and that makes St. Paul complain they slanderously reported of him We have the same ground to complain against Arminians and for the like slander Let this Text be compared with that of Rom. 9.14.15 To what hath been said we shall add that the Decree of reprobation is the sentence and Damnation the execution of it Sin is not the cause of reprobation but sin is the cause of Damnation God as Judge hath passed sentence yet there is a reprieve but the last day shall be Execution-day then actual sins shall be laid to the charge of reprobates they shall have nothing to say for themselves why sentence should not be pronounced against them For the sins of the Elect they shall solemnly be declared to be forgiven in and through the Lord Jesus and though Grace be the means appointed for us to come to glory yet reprobates are not appointed to sin though it be the way to eternal misery for there is a different reason of means conducing to Salvation and those to Damnation God is the Author of the first which are good because he puts into the Elect that which was not in them namely his Grace Faith Repentance Holiness c. But as to the last he infuseth nothing into reprobates he finds in them that which is evil namely sin and there he leaves it he is not bound to take it away Mercy is free and God is the Author of Grace which is the way to Salvation but not of sin which is the way to Damnation These two several ways all the world will go some one way and some another wherefore that Exhortation of St. Paul is very necessary (a) 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whither you be in the Faith prove your selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates The reasons of God's election and reprobation differ as much as Mercy doth from from Justice His ordaining means for one doth not conclude his ordaining means in like manner for the other Against the Text about Jacob and Esau which strikes home upon them they say two things first concerning the signification of the word hated Secondly That t is spoken of temporal advantages and not of spiritual things As to the first God loved Jacob and hated Esau mean's nothing else but that God loved Esau less than Jacob which interpretation they ground upon that place where 't is said that Leah was hated that is as in the foregoing verse less loved than Rachel Gen. 29.31 We know how in Holy Scripture one and the same word hath sometimes a different signification but the true one is always to be deduced out of the scope of the place and the Analogy of Faith How often doth the word of God mention his Hatred Anger Indignation and Wrath against the wicked whom he is said to abhor and they are said to be abomination unto the Lord when God speaks of evil men in opposition to the good whom he is said to love as to hate the others must we understand that hatred of his love only with this difference of a lesser and lower degree this were to overthrow the whole Scripture and the intent of God's Spirit therein Certainly the sence of that Scripture by them quoted doth not at all reach our case or come within our present purpose There it is spoken of the passion of a Husband who having two Wives that Affection of his had two several Objects but St. Paul mentioneth the love and hatred of God towards his Creatures which in verse 18. of the same Chap. is represented by his shewing mercy to one and hardning the other Let the signification of a word be what it will yet all must agree how there ought to be a vast difference in the meaning in relation to the carriage of a Husband towards two Wives whereof he loves one more than the other and that of God of a great and a just Judge towards two persons whereof he hath chosen the one and rejected the other as may be seen in the case of David and Saul As in that of Abel unto whom and to his Offering the Lord had respect Gen. 45 5. and of Cain unto whom and to his Offering God had no respect The like may be said of Isaac that was the Son of the Promise and Ishmael of the Flesh and so here God loved Isaac and hated Esau Besides love and hatred are humane Passions not really in God though improperly attributed unto him after our manner of conceiving and to condescend to the weakness of our Nature they are not affections in but effects from God when God bestowes favours he is said to love and when he inflicteth punishments to hate By love and hatred of God are meant the Mercies or Blessings and Curses of God Come ye blessed depart ye cursed 'T is called the wrath of God which abideth on him that is the unbeliever Reprobation is called hatred John 3.36 as Election love Rom. 9.11 Now we must come to the other part of their exception how here the Apostle speaks of temporal advantages and not of spiritual blessings To say that love and hatred here relate only to temporal things is not enough those words are taken out of Malachy 1.2 3 4. and there is in it also something of the worldly concernment when God said he laid his Mountains and his Heritage wast for the Dragons of the Wilderness which yet is a Metaphorical expression whereby things of another nature
shineth upon and stirreth Filth and Corruption upon Earth and draweth it but is not thereby in the least defiled the Corruption and Sin lay in the Subject The wicked is like the Spider which is wholly venomous in it self and turneth into Poyson every thing it eateth contrary to the Bee which makes Honey out of every Flower However skilful Apothecaries make Vipers and other such things Ingredients of their best Cordials Thus God's Wisdom draweth good out of evil and light out of darkness He makes use of the Malice and Wickedness of Men to bring his Purposes to pass and to execute his Judgments ever remaining as he is most Pure and a most Holy God Absolom's Incest as it is a Sin we attribute to Absolom and to Achitophel as 't is a punishment for David's sin of Adultery we attribute it to God The numbering of a people as a sin we attribute to Satan and as a punishment to God as a just Judge of the whole Earth Thus by several causes concurring to produce one and the same effect one may be pure and just and the other impure and unjust according to the different motives and ends of acting so an act in one relation and under one notion may be good yet be evil in and under another The ways of God are rather humbly to be adored than presumptuously searched into only we ought not to neglect as much as he hath been pleased to reveal in his word When Men will measure God's proceedings with the line of weak and shallow humane reason (a) Rom. 1.22 Professing themselves to be wise they became fools But if we hearken unto and follow the Word which is the Wisdom of God then we have a sure and certain rule (b) 2 Tim. 3.15 which is able to make us wise unto salvation and will bring (c) Gal. 6.16 peace to those who walk according to it It teaches us how God dealeth not only as a gracious Father but also sometimes in spiritual as in temporal matters doth act the part of a just Judge which quality I hope none will dare to deny him as a gracious Father he doth pardon and shew mercy as a just Judge he doth condemn and punish in those ways that are best suitable with his Wisdom and Holy Will Ezech. 16.50 God saith I took them away the people of Sodom as I saw good There are Spiritual Judgments as well as Temporal There is (d) Amos 8 1â— a famine not only of bread but also of the word As a Judge God sometimes punishes one sin by another (e) Hos 8.11 because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin altars shall be unto him to sin He delivereth them up to themselves and their corrupt affections become the executioners of God's Judgments Ephraim is joyned to idols Chap. 4.17 let him alone And not only one Judgment is the effect of another for David saith (f) Psal 69.27 add iniquity to their iniquity a very strong expression to shew how far God sometimes worketh upon the wicked but also his very mercies are to them turned into Judgment for except common graces be attended with a special Blessing to sanctifie them they are Curses and shall one day be brought in as Evidences to condemn the unthankfulness and want of a right use made of them if what God gives us to supply our necessary occasions and relieve the wants of others we bestow it upon our Lusts and sinful Pleasures we become guilty of the abuse of such things and without pardon of sins shall be called to give an account of those Talents We have David for a witness of this truth in the very same Psal we quoted last Vers 22 Let their table become a snare before them which St. Paul doth enlarge upon thus (a) Rom. 11.9 Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompence unto them Nay (b) Psal 109.7 let his prayer become sin He suffereth them to go on and gives them time to fill up their Measure and this not only for private persons and particular men but also for whole Nations there is a famous Instance of it (c) Gen. 15.16 For the iniquity of the Amorites saith God to Abraham is not yet full and when it was destruction came upon them by the Hands of the Children of Israel To this purpose our Saviour speaketh to the Jews (d) Matth. 23 32. Fill ye up the measure of your Fathers In a word God when he pleases (e) Deut. 28.28 doth smite with madness and blindness and astonishment of heart And all this in a way of Judgment and is there any one to prescribe or advise to other ways the Judge of the whole Earth God saith it is so and may any one question his Truth God doth so may any one question his Justice or his Wisdom God in the act concurring with Men and Satan is pure and undefiled whilst Men and Satan are guilty and impure The same thing is to them night and darkness to God is day and light (f) Psal 139.12 The darkness and the light are both alike to thee And as in outward and temporal things we depend upon the Will and Providence of God as we see it in the success of Abraham's Servant about a Wife for Isaac Gen. 24.50 the thing proceeded from the Lord So in inward and spiritual the same effect is to be attributed to the same cause God openeth and shuteth the eyes of Man's understanding he softneth and hardeneth the hearts either to yield obedience or to disobey his commands and also those of bad Men to be favourable unto his people thus (g) Psal 106. he made them Israel to be pitied of all those that carried them captives Yea restraineth and curbeth them as he did (a) Gen. 31.24 Laban in relation to Jacob. The same command he hath and exercises over all good or bad in the good actings of bad Men and in the bad actions of good Men. Thus as (b) Esra 1.1 he stirred up the heart of Cyrus to build the Temple of Jerusalem so (c) 2 Sam. 24.1 he moved David to number the people This was after the Adultery and Murther and for what we know a punishment for it after so many that went before Arminians would have it to be Satan that moved him but except the Lord and Satan be the same the Text affords them no ground at all for what they say for there is not one word of Satan in the whole Chapter nor in many before The third person he is related to the Lord expressed before in the same verse We know what ground they go upon in another place 't is said (d) 1 Chron. 21.1 Satan provoked David to number Israel but God made use of Satan as in the case of Job and of Judas so of Herod and Pilate instruments in God's hands against our Blessed Saviour Acts 4.26 27. but
Man shot at a venture the Arrow was guided to the place where it did wound him The Blood ran out of the Wound into the Chariot wherein he was carried dead to Samaria The Chariot is washed in the Pool of Samaria and whilst it was a washing and his Armour the Dogs licked up his Blood according to God's Word by Elisha in the same place where they had licked up the Blood of Naboth How what remained of God's Judgments was afterward executed upon Jezabel and the rest of Ahab's whole Family Scripture makes a large mention of and therein God's Providence is visible and wonderful One thing more to be observed is that there is no other account given of the success of the Fight as if that part of the Chapter had been written only to relate Ahab's Death the manner of it and nothing else Because at that time the chief work upon the Wheel of Providence was the beginning of execution of God's Judgments upon Ahab's person which were next to follow upon his Son Ahaziah who died of a fall Jehoram was killed by Jehu who destroyed the whole Family All Dispensations of God's Providence are attended with Wisdom Power Holiness and Immutability Every thing that happeneth doth so according to the same wonderful Providence God from eternity having unchangeably decreed to do or to permit every thing that happeneth in time and whatsoever he hath decreed and appointed shall infallibly be For if it were not so God would be mistaken in his Prescience Divine Providence cannot be hindered seeing there is nothing more potent than God for who hath resisted his will or who can resist it he being Almighty Rom. 9.19 That makes him put a Question with Defiance Is there any thing too hard for me Jer. 32 27. which in that same Chapter 10. verse before the Prophet answers in the negative there is nothing too hard for thee ver 17 God for the things he purposeth to himself hath appointed fit sufficient and effectual means to obtain the same or else he could be frustrated of his ends which is contrary to his wisdom and power Some deny this immutability of providence under pretence that it takes away Contingency and Liberty but it doth not for in the disposition of providence many things are done by Causes which God would have in themselves to be Contingent and Free for such he made and preserveth them whence their effects are well called Contingent that is happened by Chance and Accident as to Second Causes though in relation to Divine Providence they be unchangeably done And 't is much to be observed how this Contingency is wholly and only on the side of near Second and particular Causes for in relation to the first and Universal nothing is Contingent but all necessary not of a necessity of the Cause but of the immutability Against this 't is objected if all things be out of an unavoidable necessity of God's Providence then Counsels Precepts and Prayers of godly Men are of no use for Counsels are taken to obtain a good success of our undertakings and avoid bad ones prayers are made to get good things and avoid evil ones but if all things be done by an unchangeable Providence these are in vain which we deny for this reason that Counsels and Prayers are means subordinate to God's Providence whence God granteth prosperous success to prudent Counsels and pious prayers God in his word bindeth us to these means thus the forgiveness of sins is an Article of our Creed 't is matter of Faith for we believe it yet in the Lord's Prayer we are commanded to pray God to forgive our trespasses And if sometimes he doth not hear us yet our Counsels and Prayers are not altogether in vain for they who use the means which God hath prescribed do perform their duty and serve God not without benefit one way or other and the same thing we pray for though not granted for the present yet often 't is so in God's due time (a) Dan. 9.2 3 and Rev. 22.17 20. Saints pray for those things which they know will be infallibly They which use this argument against prayers dispute like those who deny the world shall be consumed with Fire because by an unchangeable Decree it is to be consumed Now these Counsels and Prayers are not made use of as lets thereby to change the Decrees and stop the course of Providence but to the end that yielding obedience to God's law and following the usual course of providence we may obtain a good Conscience and be filled with good hope leaving the success of what we pray for to the most wise God A last Objection is this if God's actual Providence be immutable then none of God's precepts or promises are conditional for a condition doth imply a possibility of change to the contrary according to the performance or no performance of the condition but it doth not follow neither is the proof universally true but false in particular as to the condition of God's precepts or promises it is uncertain only on Man's side for on God's side it is most certainly decreed and determined Though already we sufficiently declared we ought not to separate the means from the end yet because about these disputes it is a fundamental truth I cannot forbear for confirmation of it here to insert two Instances one out of the Old Testament the other out of the New The first is concerning King (b) 2 Kings 20. Hezekiah after God had sent him word by the Prophet Isaiah to prepare for Death and here by the by take notice how the last message differed from the first given him a Reprieve for fifteen years though without any means God might have cured him yet he is pleased to make use of some and the remedy prescribed was proper for the Disease for a lump of Figs which are a great drawer is laid upon the Boile which thereupon broke and so the malignant humour came out The other instance out of the New Testament is very remarkable (c) Acts 27. Amidst the great danger of Shipwrack which Paul and other Men in the Ship were under God promised him not only his life but also of all them that were with him in the Ship which made him assure them there should be no loss of any Man's life though 276 were in it Yet after so positive a promise though God could have saved them all to shew how means must be used when he saw the Seamen under a pretence of casting Anchors were about to flee out of the Ship Paul said to the Centurion and to the Souldiers Except these abide in the Ship Vers 31 ye cannot be saved Now all that remaineth for me to say upon this whole matter is to observe how many a good use may be made of the Doctrine of Divine Providence and so conclude with it And first out of the administration of all things we must own the infinite Power Wisdom and goodness
so that the inward grace is not bestowed in vain upon any of them To the third I answer if they to whom God spread out his hands be not converted the hands of God were not spread for their Conversion and this spreading out of hands is nothing else but the outward calling which true converting grace is not always joyned with so that the end of it is not the Conversion of Reprobates but their Conviction and to leave them without excuse out of another place of Scripture they object how God made use (d) Isai 5.1 2 3 4. of all necessary helps towards the Conversion of the Jews yet they were not converted As to Reprobates amongst those Jews 't is false that all necessary helps to Conversion were afforded them but say they if all such means had not been afforded how could God have said what could have been done to my Vineyard that I have not done in it But all this is said only as to outward means which if the Vineyard had not been bad might have been sufficient to make her bear fruit God compareth himself to the Husbandman who hath performed his part when he hath taken all the outward care that belongeth to him but again say they for I am willing to give their arguments their whole strength looked that it should bring forth Grapes which is a sign he manured it in hopes to have fruit by it but a looking for and expectation are improperly said of God so that here that expression signifieth only that God required of the Vineyard to have done her part and performed her duty this is just as if one should say God hoped for that to be which shall never be which is to father ignorance or great imprudence upon God for he that hopeth for that to be which shall not be either he cannot foresee that which is to come or if he knoweth that shall not be he is not wise to hope for it In few words to conclude this a general rule to answer most or all objections is that all means afforded Men for their Conversion if they be not effectual are only outward means never intended of God for their Conversion for else God had applyed the inward means without which the outward are uneffectual and so they had been converted We must answer an objection more of theirs and endeavour by the grace of God to beat them out of their strong hold as they take it to be but are mistaken in the meaning of the place and so misapply it The words are these Chap. 18.31 33.11 why will ye die O house of Israel contained in Ezechiel whence they would conclude if they will 'tis in their own power not to die whereby their Life and Salvation is lodged in their own hand and wholly depends upon their will In order to an answer we are in our way to take notice of several truths conducing to the point asserted by the Prophet As first that God punisheth not one Man for the sins of another according to a common proverb among them The fathers have eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge but God declareth positively against it when he saith The soul that sinneth it shall die The people as all Men are apt to do would have excused themselves as if they had born the iniquities of their Fathers but God in most part of the Chapter doth vindicate his dealings how he neither absolves the Guilty nor punishes the Innocent a most infallible truth and effect of God's Justice which yet some apt to wrest Scripture would gainsay out of the 4th Commandment God visiteth the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children Exod. 20.5 Which our Blessed Saviour explains thus when Children commit and continue in their sins and fill up the measure of their Fathers fill ye up the measure of your fathers This I point at Matth. 23.32 to shew how cautious we ought to be in the Exposition of Scripture not to go against the Analogy of Faith and make the word of God contradict it self which our Adversaries become guilty of in this place A Second truth which is a Conclusion from the first here asserted is this The Lord's way is equal but the people's ways are unequal Thus God must be owned to be just in all his ways and every Man and People guilty in theirs wherefore let every mouth be stopped before God A Third truth is this As the Father shall not suffer for the sin of the Son nor the Son for that of the Father so to encourage Men to repentance both Son and Father or any one else that leaves his wickedness and truely repents God will pardon his former transgressions and they shall not be imputed So likewise they who for a time have morally and seemingly lived well and avoided sin if they fall into wickedness and follow evil courses they shall be punished for the same without any regard to their former behaviour Here before I proceed I must remove a difficulty arising out of the words righteous and righteousness upon which the Adversaries would ground one of their Errors as if a truly righteous Man that is elected and justified could fall from true saving grace and be damned which is against Scripture as I clearly demonstrate it in a Charpter of this Discourse of mine however some few words I must say in relation to this Text. The word righteous hath in Scripture two different sences First When one is really and truly such as whensoever the name is given to the Lord Jesus Isai 53.11 1 John 2.1 my righteous servant and Jesus Christ the righteous But here the question being about men of so many places we shall produce but one to our purpose if the righteous be scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4.18 where shall the ungodly and sinner appear The truly righteous Man is meant here and therefore opposed to the ungodly But Scripture sometimes calls those righteous who are such only in shew and appearance and that 's the signification of the word in this place for a truly righteous man doth not finally turn from his righteousness nor do according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth And for a farther confirmation of what I say it cannot be denyed that a legal righteousness is here spoken of as verse 19.21 to keep all my statutes But the question between us is about Evangelical righteousness which is through Faith and not by Works and this legal righteousness here spoken of must be owned to be unpossible and not to be found in any Man Now that it is the stile of God's word to call righteous and righteousness that which is not really but only seemingly so it 's clear thus our Saviour saith in the Gospel Luke 5.32 I eame not to call the righteous that are such in their own opinion but sinners to repentance Matth. 23.28 And to the Pharisees he saith Ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men but
can know it to be so then they must be sure of their faith that is have a certitude of it In the case of the two blind men (d) Matth. 9.28 our Saviour asked them believe ye that I am able to do this they said unto him yea Lord. When believers are seriously asked whether they have faith They may well and do confess it in conscience to the Lord himself which must arise out of a certitude of it Then (e) 1 Cor. 2.11.12 the spirit a man which is in him knoweth the things of a man and in the next verse he addeth we have received the spirit of which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God And we can distinctly perceive the proper acts of faith as when one out of a sincere and pious affection findeth himself ready to deny the world and himself to serve and obey God according to his holy will To the question how can a man know when he is elected And how see he hath Faith I say Election is evidenced by effectual calling by Faith and Repentance so is Faith by the fruits and effects thereof as are good works as certainly-as one may conclude where a fire is there is heat and when the Sun shineth it is day-light Thus the cause is proved by the effect and the effect by the cause Where is motion either natural or spiritual we may confidently assirm there is life accordingly Thus we need not to go up to Heaven to dive into the secret Council of God nor to turn the leaves of the Book of Life to see whether our names be written in it but to search into our own souls and examine our own Thoughts Affections and Actings if there be holiness love and other fruits of the spirit Now they object that this certitude must be expressed or implyed in the word and thence drawen by a consequence but we say it doth not arise out of the letter of the word but out of the inward testimony of our understanding being enlightened by the holy Ghost which beareth witness to our spirit that we are the Children of God and consequently that we have true faith This is not written in the Book of Scripture but in the Book of our Heart with the very finger of the Holy Ghost hence it is that we do not believe we do believe but we feel and perceive it as we do not believe we think of God when we do 't but we know and feel it in our minds One thing here I must take notice of upon the matter in relation to that Exhertation of St. Paul to the Corinthians to examine themselves that it is a great deal of pity that many I dare say good people do not set themselves upon that tryal but do either wholly or in part neglect it but if they be of God's Elect at one time or other they must come to 't the sooner the better and the more often to known what progress they made in faith what degrees of strength it hath gotten and for neglecting this so necessary a duty they thereby deprive themselves of much comfort which would accrue to them To make an end of this matter I shall add that this certitude is very much improved when we can clearly make out we have an interest in Christ and are Christ's For saith the Apostle (a) 1 Cor. 3.22 Ye are Christ's and Christ is God's To know whether we be Christ's we have a certain rule to know it by that is if the spirit of Christ be in us (b) Rom. 8.9 For if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his How then to know whether the spirit be in us St. Paul giveth a rule by (c) Gal. 5.22 23. the fruits of the spirit as love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith c. Now we are come to a great question why of so many that hear the word of God there are so few that believe What may be the cause of it at the same word and under the same Ministery so different and contrary effect is produced some like Wax at the fire are softned and melted when others at the same time like Clay and Dirt are hardened whilst some believe others continue in unbelief and harden themselves some are the better others the worse for it Like (d) Joh. 13.27 Judas into whom the Devil entred after our Saviour had given him the sop The word is a wholesome Physick to some and as deadly poyson to others the Lord Jesus is a (e) 1 Cor. 23. 2 Pet. 2 8. stumbling-block and a rock of offence and foolishmess to some and the (f) 1 Cor. 2.6 7. wisdom of God in a mystery to others so that this word and they that preach it are unto some those that are saved (g) 2 Cor. 2.15.16 a Savour of life unto life and to others to them that perish a Savour of death unto death All this is truth Scripture teaches and Experience confirms how all that hear the word of God do no believe for all men have not Faith 2 Thess 3.2 Now we are to inquire into the reasons of it First 'T is not for any Dignity Merit Natural Capacity or any other quality in the hearer seeing the (h) 1 Cor. 2.14 natural man such we are all by nature receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them Which the same Apostle doth confirm in another place (a) Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Neither is it for any depth of knowledge learning eloquence or other abilities in the Minister who preacheth the word (b) 1 Cor 3.6 Paul may plant Apollos may water but neither of them can give the increase (c) 2 Cor. 2. 2 Cor. 4.7 Who is sufficient for these things For saith he in another place this treasure we have in earthen vessels that the excellency be of God and not of us The most fervent and excellent Servants of God commonly complain of the hardness and impenitency of their hearers and let Isaiah speak for all (d) Isai 53.1 16. Who hath believed our report And our Blessed Saviour should if any have had cause to expect a good success of his outward teaching yet how often doth he complain of the hardness stubbornness impenitency and unbelief of his hearers How few of the great multitudes he taught were converted to him So that we must not seek in the dispensers of the word for the cause why some believe and others do not The cause why all do not believe is not as the Adversaries would have it because they do not all they can and do not make use of all the power remaining in them out of their natural corruption that they do not go to Church do not hear nor read
taken John 12.19 the word the whole world as in the other all the world The Church which is thereby meant is a world by it self Hence it is called Catholick or Universal having a King and Laws by herself but because this would engage me too far I turn again short upon our Text whereof the words confirm what we say for 't is said that Christ is the Advocate and the Propitiation not only for the sins of the Believers he writes to for the word our sins imports thus much but also for that whole world of Believers for Christ may not be called the Advocate and Propitiation for the wicked So that if the Lord Jesus be equally Advocate of Elect and Reprobates and Propitiation for the sins of both sorts we must conclude that either the Elect shall be damned or the Reprobates saved for all whom Christ hath undertaken for shall certainly be saved so that in consequence of this opinion there shall be but one place all Heaven or all Hell Cyril of Alexandria Beda and other Antient Orthodox Authors give the same interpretation of the place as we do by the whole world of Believers Now I come to the other branch of their objection which runs upon the word all but before I give a particular answer to the several places of Scripture to prove that Christ died for all I must say something in general towards the clearing of the point No man can deny but divers Scriptures which are conceived in universal terms must be expounded with restrictions as when 't is said They shall all be taught of God I will pour my spirit on all flesh * Jerem. 31 34. When I am risen I will draw all men unto me God is (a) Joel 2.28 Joh. 12.32 all in all they shall all know me from the highest to the lowest (b) Matth. 3 5. All Judea went to John All men seek for thee Mark 1.37 Surely not every man in the world Children are commanded to obey their parents and servants their masters in all things Certainly in all these and many more which I could quote there may and must be a restriction as in this last just and lawful things for Children and Servants if bidden to Kill to Steal c. must not obey This truth being so clear that it may admit of no difficulty in all the foregoing Texts there is the same reason for those which they object against us We say then Christ died for all that is the (c) Colos 3.20.22 brethren of whom he is the first born (d) Rom. 8.29 For those whom he begat with the word of truth (e) Jam. 1.38 For the seed of Abraham according to the promise The chosen (f) Rom. 9.8 9. Gal. 3.29 generation a Royal Priest hood and Holy Nation a peculiar People 1 Pet. 2.9 All these are usually stiled Saints Believers God's People c. But he died not for the (g) Matth. 13.25 Tares (h) Math. 3.12 the Chaff (i) Matth. 25.33 the Goats (l) Psal 119.119 the Thorns the Stones (k) Matth 13.20.22 the Dross (m) 2 Sam. 23.6 the sons of Belial (n) John 17.1.12 the son of Perdition (o) Matth. 7.6 the Dogs and Swine Now we come in particular to answer some of the Texts they bring against us with the word all (p) Pet. 3.9 God is not willing any should perish but that all should come to repentance Here the Apostle speaks of the Elect the occasion is in the latter days some shall come questioning the promise of Christ's coming because things continue as from the beginning but saith he The Lord is not slack concerning his promise but is long suffering to us ward That is to us Believers and towards us he is patient allowing them time of repentance for he is not willing that any of us Believers should perish but that all should come to repentance Certainly by the word us he means himself and those he doth write to and who are they See the 1. verse of the 1 Chapter Them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ but those who have not that precious faith c. Neither doth God stay for their repentance nor did Christ die for them the long patience of God is towards the Elect and God staies till their number be filled up Rev. 6.11 for the world subsists only for their sake when all are come in it will presently come to an end but God doth not wait for the repentance of wicked for he knows they shall never come to it for he hath decreed not to give it As to the Elect it is not the will of your father that any one of those little ones should perish Matth. 18.14 Another place is this (b) 1 Tim 2.6 Christ gave himself a ransom for all and (c) Heb. 2.9 10. he tasted death for every man therefore he died for all the word all is meant for all Elect and Believers and those that are saved as Verse 10. or brought unto glory And to shew it is not our own Exposition but of the spirit of God we read it (d) Rev. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nations And Nations which is confirmed chap. 7.9 agreat multitude which no man could number of all Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb c. And on the contrary side I mean of the wicked by the word all or every one are understood the several ranks and qualities as we read Rev. 6.15 16. thus and the Kings of the earth and the Great men and the Rich men and the chief Captains and the Mighty Men and every bond-man and every free-man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks c. In the same sence it is expressed Chap. 13.7 and power was given him the beast over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations And again the Angel had the everlasting Gospel to preach to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People Rev. 14.6 So that in relation to good or bad by the words all and every one we must not understand all and every individual person So that we must not understand every individual person in the world but men out of every Quality Sex Age and Nation as Rich and Poor Great and Low Men and Women Old and Young and in this sence with Scripture we own Christ dyed for all not singula generum as Schoolmen say but genera singulorum This same interpretation is of St. Austin (a) De correp gratia cap. 14. whose words I shall here turn into English By all men saith he we understand all kinds of men divided by whatsoever distinctions Kings or private persons Noble or Ignohle High or Low Learned or Vnlearned Whole or Sick Wise or Simple Foolish Rich Poor
in the Prayer in time of War and Tumult amongst the Thanksgivings that we may in Heart and Mind ascend into the Heavens Surely 't is to deny those Prayers if one denieth the effectual Power of God on the Will of Man In another place Almighty God c. whose power no Creature is able to resist in Spirituals as in Temporals But I must not much longer stand upon this for the Stream runs strong that way only few places more I shall quote as that wherein we own (k) Collect on 4th Sunday after Trinity God to be our Ruler and Guide and beseech him to be so In another we say (l) Collect on 6th Sunday after Trinity and Collect on 7th Sunday after Trinity Pour into our Hearts such Love towards thee And we pray (m) Collect on 14th Sunday after Trinity for increase of Faith Hope and Charity And almost in every Collect we pray to God to rule our Hearts and in one place to work upon and move our Wills in these Words (n) Collect on 25th Sunday Stir up we beseech thee O Lord the Wills of thy People They are not free nay they are asleep and dead to every good thing except thou be pleased to stir them up The Question is about the Will and here the Will is named God may well rule the Heart for (o) 2d Collect on Good Friday by his Spirit the whole Body of the Church is governed In the Church-Prayers we own he ruleth the Hearts of Kings (p) 1st and 2d Collect on the Communnion Rule the Heart of thy Servant the King The Hearts of Kings are in thy Rule and Governance and thou dost dispose and turn them as it seemeth best to thy godly Wisdom We humbly beseech thee to dispose and govern the Heart of thy Servant our King that in all his Thoughts Words and Works he may ever seek thy Honour and Glory If Men have free-Will and Power to do those things as to purifie themselves why do we pray for them 'T is in vain for us to pray to God to do for us that which we can do our selves But if therein we want his Assistance then we must need want that Power I shall conclude with two or three places out of the Litany where 't is prayed for the King That his Heart may be ruled in the Faith Fear and Love of God In another place That the Church may be called and universally governed in the right way and That God would bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived Here the Church doth plainly acknowledge the Efficacy of God's Grace on the Wills and Hearts of Men for when we pray that God's Grace may work such Effects 't is owned such Effects to be the proper Works of God's Grace One thing more I shall take notice of and it is this In a Prayer are these Words We beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of Men that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them Hence we see how Men cannot of themselves know God's Ways but it is God that makes them known unto them therefore we therein beseech God to do it Which if it were not proper for God alone the Prayer would be in vain Hence we also learn the Sense of the Church as to the signification of the word all used in Scripture as it ought to be the Object of our Prayers and then by a consequence apply it to those for whom Christ died against an universal Redemption in their way for in the Collect it is not said for every single and individual Man but for all sorts and conditions of Men. Now to proceed We should bring something out of the Book of Homilies and of the authorised Catechism of Edward the 6th As to the first take notice of the following places out of the Edition quoted in the Margin London 1623. Part. 1. pag. 8. Ephes 2. St. Paul in many places painteth us out in our own Colours calling us the Children of the Wrath of God when we were born Saying also that we cannot think a good Thought of our selves much less can we we say or do well of our selves c. And we be of our selves of such Earth Pag. 10. as can bring forth nothing but Weeds Nettles Brambles Bryars Cockle and Darnel we have neither Faith Charity Hope Patience Chastity nor any thing else that good is but of God and therefore these Vertues are called there the Fruits of the Holy Ghost and not the Fruits of Man In another place Of our selves and by our selves we have no Goodness part 1. p. 11. and Part 2. p. 181 182 183. Help nor Salvation but contrariwise Sin Damnation and Death everlasting Our Salvation comes only by Christ We are all become unclean but are not able to cleanse our selves nor to make one another of us clean We are by nature Children of God's Wrath but we are not able to make our selves the Children and Inheritors of God's Glory c. He is the God who of his own Mercy saveth us and setteth out his Charity and exceeding Love towards us in that of his own voluntary Goodness when we perished he saved us and provided an everlasting Kingdom for us And all these Heavenly Treasures are given us not for our Desert Merit or good Deeds which of our selves we have none but of his meer Mercy freely Doth not this wholly and only attribute our Salvation to the free Grace of God in Christ and consequently excludeth any thing in or from us to move God to be so gracious to us As to the great point of our Justification before God in the Sermon of the Salvation of Mankind by only Christ our Saviour from Sin and Death everlasting are these Words But our Justification doth come freely by the Mercy of God of so great and free Mercy that whereas all the World was not able of themselves to pay any part towards their Ransom it pleased our heavenly Father of his infinite Mercy without any our Deserts to prepare for us the most precious Jewels of Christ's Body and Blood c. And further to shew there is nothing of ours Part 2. p. 172. it is said elsewhere It is of the free Grace and Mercy of God by the Mediation of the Blood of his Son Jesus Christ without Merit or Deserving on our part Part 2. p. 81 82. that our Sins are forgiven us that we are reconciled and brought again into his Favour and made Heirs of his Heavenly Kingdom And as to the Certainty and Immutability of our Election it is said in another place Let us by such Virtues as ought to spring out of Faith shew our Election to be sure and stable Part 1. p. 28.29 c. And elsewhere we read this The holy Man Simon saith Part 2. p. 152. that Christ is set forth for the fall and rising again of many in Israel As Christ
we should look only into that rotten part of it we might well say of it with the Prophet (i) Isa 1.21 How is the faithful City become an Harlot and apply to it what is spoken of the Church of Sardis I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die Thou hast the name of the Church of England but thou art not as to that thou art dead thou art such only in a Shew Soundness in Matters of Grace is one of the Vitals of true Religion and of a true Church There are some things remaining in thee thou art not altogether Pelagian thou art not a thorough-paced Papist thou mincest the Matter and ownest something of Grace but have a care Rev. 3.1 2. for those things are ready to die if they be not strengthned Though the Corruption in these points of Grace be very Epidemical and too far spread amongst those who pretend to be the Sons of the Church Yet Thanks be to God all are not infected all along there have been and still are some who receive the Mother's Counsel and follow her Directions in the same sense and meaning thereof and continue obedient Children which others do not For by what I already said it doth appear how Arminianism far from being the Doctrine of the Church as constituted in the beginning of Reformation and long after is contrary to and condemned by it One thing more I shall add to shew as I said but just now that for all the great and general Corruption crept amongst the Members in those and late Days There are and have been some eminent Members of the Church not ashamed of the Truth nor afraid to own it And for the truth of this I appeal to the Author Anonymus and nameless of the Book called Several Conferences between a Romish Priest a Fanatick Chaplain and a Divine of the Church of England His Evidence must be the more received that he is no favourer of Dissenters but declares himself an Enemy to them and to Puritans in that he most undecently traduces the Chaplain for a Fool and doth ridicule him to such a height as if he wanted common Sense and Reason and could speak nothing but Nonsence for himself Well he saith thus P. D. for he makes himself the Protestant Divine (a) Pag. 76. at the latter end Very wonderful Proofs as though many of our Church against the Puritan Party had not been inclined to Calvinism in the point of Predestination specially in that moderate way wherein R. Abbot asserted it as though it were not possible for Men to be zealous for our Liturgy and Ceremonies if they held the Doctrine of Election and Perseverance But we do not want those of the highest Order in our Church at this day who are eminent for Learning and Piety and Zeal for the Church who would take it very ill from T. G. upon the account of those Opinions to be thought Enemies of the Church of England as the Puritans were So that although that Truth of late Years was much opposed and abused God never left it without Witnesses Here besides the eminent Doctors and Prelates we named before Amongst those that have succesfully taken great pains in Latin to vindicate this Truth we must reckon Dr. Ames and Dr. Twysse and beyond Sea Peter Molienaus in his Anatome Arminianismi Wedelius's Arcana Arminianismi with the Acts of the Synod of Dort c. All which as to matter of Fact as of right do give impartial and reasonable Readers a full satisfaction In the mean time seeing Matters of Grace are Fundamental to our Salvation we are highly concerned to mind them Let this Question be put to any or to every Man Would you go into Heaven or into Hell I think there is none so desperately wicked but that if the thing depended upon a Wish without wavering he would answer Into Heaven Then if he hath the least sparkle of Reason he must grant he cannot go without a Way and a Guide to lead him thorough for the Way is thorny and full of Difficulties In the choice of a Guide let him come to this Dilemma chuse either God or Man Surely he may easily determine I had rather to trust to God than to Man About Means and Ways the Arminian saith if you have a mind you can go to Heaven you have within you a sufficient Grace and Light to carry you thither you have a free Will you can go if you please for you can repent believe make a good use of Means and persevere if you will But on the other side let us hear what God saith Thou canst not see for thou art blind thou canst not hear for thou art deaf thou canst not speak for thou art dumb thou canst not walk for thou art impotent and lame thou canst not move because thou art dead In prosecuting of this Argument I shall not do as Arminians who frame in their Heads some pretty and pleasant Notions and deliver them in as plausible a manner as they can and take us to be so credulous as to take their bare Word for it without any Scripture Proofs But first in general we say in matters of temporal Deliverance or Salvation much more as to eternal Salvation God reserveth it only to himself For (a) Psal 3.8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord and (b) Jon. 2.9 Salvation is of the Lord and (c) Isa 26.1 Salvation will God appoint for (d) Luk. 1.69 he hath raised up an Horn of Salvation for us We know who said (e) Psal 37.39 The Salvation of the Righteous is of the Lord and (f) Rom. 6.23 the Gift of God is eternal Life which is the same with Salvaion That is a Gift of God not a Word of Man in it God is the only Physician of the Soul that is his Right and Property which no Man may invade or encroach upon without making himself liable to the Curse of God But let us come to Particulars I need not to prove a thing granted that there is Blindness Darkness and Ignorance in the Mind Hardness Stubbornness and Deadness in the Heart with Perverseness and Rebelliousness in the Affections But I am to shew how to cure these is the proper Work of God (g) Psal 119.125 God and no Man gives us understanding to know his Testimonies and when he is pleased to (h) v. 144. give us understanding we shall live Thus Christ (i) Luk. 24.45 opened the understanding of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures 'T is (k) Psal 146.8 the Lord and none else that openeth the Eyes of the blind and raiseth them that are bowed down Here also he upholdeth and strengthneth the weak (l) Isa 35.5 The eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped Here is a Promise and a Remedy for the deaf