to the Adoption of Children now according to them we are no otherwise adopted to be Sons but as we our selves by our well-doing make our selves Sons We are elected after we have persevered in Faith and well-doing to the end Rom. 8.39 Whom he hath predestinated are not these Persons spoke of the Romans in distinction from others when the Apostle saith in the 28th Verse All things work together for good to them that are the called according to his purpose here is a Purpose of God spoke of that hath determined some Persons that they shall receive Profit and Good by all Afflictions that shall befal them there it cannot be as they would have it spoke of all Men. Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained unto Eternal Life believed This Scripture speakes of Ordination unto Eternal Life something that was done before believing no Man can dispose himself as some would have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read and understood for Eternal Life before Faith this ordaining to Eternal Life is an Act of God not any Act of ours and it is spoken of Persons in distinction from others for the words are brought in to give a Reason why some Men did believe the Doctrine preached by Paul and others contradicted they that were ordained there believed the Doctrine as Christ saith in another place Joh. 10.26 Ye believe not because you are not of my Sheep None can believe but those that are elected Rom. 9.18 He hath Mercy on whom he will this having Mercy is God's Election unto Eternal Life making a Man a Vessel of Mercy now are not here Persons spoke of To put it out of doubt there are Persons named in the 9th of the Romans Isaac and Jacob now he speaks of them not as Persons who came to their Estate of Election through any Conditions for he saith they were elected before they had done any good Object They will say these two were only Types of such a sort of Men as are elected upon Faith not Works Answ They were not only Types but they are Examples also The Conception of Isaac was not typically only but a thing that was done so also is the difference that God put between him and Ishmael at his Conception and the declaring of his Love concerning him but if they were Types only which is not so for it was verified as to their own Persons being elected yet not of such as upon believing come to be elected for God it 's said loved Jacob before he had done any good so that he was not considered by the Lord as one that did believe or was to believe and seek Salvation by Christ in the way of Faith and not for his Works for then he should be considered as one who had exercised Faith which the Scripture denieth Rom. 9. that Similitude of the Potter shews that God makes a distinction of Persons The Potter of the same Matter forms one Vessel to Honour another to Dishonour so God makes one Person to be an elect Person and therefore puts him into an Estate differing from all others which are not so Rom. 11.7 the Election i. e. Persons elected have obtained it the rest were hardened what were those rest but Persons those that are elected they are such Persons as are severed and plucked out from the rest 3. The Scripture that speaks of Election speaks also of Means and tells us we are ordained to all Means which lead unto Eternal Life Whatever are the Condition or Conditions of Salvation we are elected to the fulfilling of them Election carries with it a Power to enable us to fulfil what is required of us as well as signifies the Love of God who by the Means will give Eternal Life Ephes 1.3 Who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ if with all then with Faith and Perseverance for they are Blessings and spiritual ones then are they given to us in Christ chosen in him the Head ver 4. chosen that we should be holy and without Blame why then we have Holiness by Election Ephes 5.25 26 27. Christ gave himself for the Church Now this giving of himself an Offering it was according to the Will of God Gal. 1.4 which Will of God is Election Now wherefore was it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without Blemish So then it so be that the Persons that be elected be distinguished from others in that Act then God doth not first chuse a Condition because in that they are alike with others Again if so be God do undertake the Condition then Election lieth not upon their fulfilling of it Thus much from the plain Scripture it self now secondly Reasons and Arguments from the Scriptures that Persons are elected not Conditions or Persons upon Conditions if they believe and repent c. 1. There is but one Election of Head and Members now the electing of the Human Nature into Personal Union is the Pattern of God's electing us to have Communion with himself the Human Nature of Christ was elected unto personal Union with the Divine and unto Grace and Glory Mat. 12.18 Isa 42.1 Mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World he speaks of the Human Nature of Christ for he saith there he was manifested in these last Times Now the Human Nature of Christ was not chosen of God to be united upon any Condition he required not the Human Nature to do any thing that it might be united thiâ— is impossible for the Human Nature of Christ had no Subsistence of it self out of the Divine so then it could not do any Action for then it must be a Person and united before it was united which is a Contradiction God took the Human Nature into Union before it was in an Estate of doing any thing or acting any thing then the Argument lieth thuâ— so as the Head is elected so are the Members so as Christ is predestinated so are all those which are considered by God the Fathâ—r in hâ—m but he was not predestinated or came out to his Election by fulfilling of any Condition 2. Reason The Scripture doth plainly hold out that Infantâ— that die as soon as they be born or those that die in the Womb or before they come of Years if any of them be saved as who dare deny that then they are elected of such the Scripture saith is the Kingdom of God he means such Children as were brought to him whom he blessed Children of Disciples that followed him and believed on him The Branches are holy Rom. 11. and in the same Chapter the Jews are said to be be beloved with the Love of Election for their Fathers sake Children are elected if any are saved none are saved but the Elect
their own Hands God works in Conversion because the Will works saith Bellarmine but we answer by querying Whether we should judg of the Church's Doctrine by her Collect and Catechism or by her Articles of Religion surely by the latter Again Are we to pray for Turks Jews and Infidels Conversion without this addition if it be the Will of God to convert them I think not This Term all Mankind so general no more is signified thereby than Christ died for Mankind in Opposition to Angels kind and we say the same The ground for praying for Turks Jews and Infidels ariseth from the Scripture prophesying of the Jews Conversion and bringing in of the Fulness of the Gentiles which is plainly notified in the 11th of the Romans But that Christ died for all and every one with his own and Father's Intent to save them we deny and offer those Arguments drawn up lately by that Learned and Reverend Brother Mr. Isaac Chauncey in his late Book entituled The Doctrine which is according to Godliness there cannot be better Arguments produced The Preface swells else I would have transcribed them all take but one sutable to the following Subject and I will bid the Reader farewel It is not fit Christ should die for all seeing his Father elected not all and gave not all to him For Christ to redeem more were to disobey his Father's Will and not to do it If any say God elected all it is most absurd to talk of chusing some from among many others when a Man takes the whole Number this is no Election Or if any say Election is conditional provided if a Man will this also is no Election for if Election be upon the Condition of Man's Free-will neither one nor another is chosen but all have equal pervious Designation to the end and so there is no Election at all Farewel EPHES. 1.5 Having predestinated us to the Adoption c. THis Text speaks this Truth viz. That particular Persons are decreed unto Eternal Life and the Means thereof are decreed in their effectual working Some singular Persons are the immediate Objects of Election the word us denotes it it speaks Persons still All the Adversaries grant Persons are elected but here is the difference some think that Persons are in God's Eye first and his Love was first cast upon them as soon as he thought of glorifying himself out of himself among the Sons of Men and whatever Means some calls them Conditions by which they may come to this Salvation they are chosen to they shall have Strength from God to perform The other think that Persons are elected but out of fore-sight that they do fulfil such Conditions and those Conditions are first of all ordained and Persons so far as they come under them Some of them say that the Object of Election is Man dying past the use of Reason who in all probability will not return and live to enjoy the Means wherein they may use the Power of their Will to take or leave Some will say a Man is not elected while he is a Man of this World Therefore this Order they that are of this Opinion make of God's Decrees 1. God decrees to send his Son into the World that he dying his Justice might be satisfied he might be free upon what Terms he would save Men. The second Decree that Men shall have no other Terms for Salvation but Perseverance in believing on him who hath died for them Third Decree to give fit Means to make them believe 4. God picks out particular Persons as his chosen ones as they fulfil the Conditions at the Point of Death Or thus God considered all the ways possible that may bring to Salvation and of all pitch'd upon the way of Faith this they call Predestination unto Life 2. Then there is a particular Decree of this Man or the other to Life according as he hath fulfilled that Condition By what hath been said you may see the difference This is not God's Election to say if Men believe and persevere in believing then they shall be elected and saved then I will pitch upon you rather than others to Life but this is God's Election I do take thee and therefore will enable thee and not others to do all the things I require of thee I will call thee and I will not depart from thee till thou art partaker of Eternal Life the Question then is great about the Cause of God's Election what makes a compleat Act of God's electing God chuses particular singular Persons John Peter Paul these are those God immediately pitcheth upon not Conditions first and then Persons as they fall under these but Persons first and appoints them to all the Means I prove this 1. By Scripture 2. By Reason 3. I will show the danger of the other Opinion The Scripture saith that the very Hairs of our Head are numbred Mat. 10.30 Acts 27.34 not one falls without your Heavenly Father 2 Sam. 14.11 Much more surely hath God a Care of all the Heirs of Salvation of all that shall be made partakers of that Inheritance in Glory things that are numbred are that they may not perish If superfluous things are taken care of by the Providence of God and it reaches to minute things as Hairs of the Head doth it not extend think you to the Persons of them that are saved The Proofs of Scripture for this are three 1. That the Scripture is silent about any such way as the Adversaries speak of now the Scripture is the Light that is given to know the Mind of God by in this matter The Silence of the Scripture in this thing speaks aloud what it saith nothing of is not to be believed For in this lieth the very Nature and Essence of a Rule that what is not according to it is not right nor authentick not to be supposed in the Scripture are all the Truths that are to be received and view it throughout and there is not a word of this viz. That there are Conditions made of Election if we believe and repent and persevere indeed of Salvation there are Conditions the Scripture speaks of taking Conditions in a general sense as they signify Means to a thing or a Connexion betwixt one thing and another but Salvation is much differing from Election as much as the Effect from the Cause and the End from the Means we are saved by Grace therefore in the use of Means but Election gives that Grace Some Scriptures seem to be for them but of them I shall speak afterwards 2. The Scripture speaks of particular Persons singular Persons elected where-ever it speaks of Election or Predestination in this of the first of the Ephesians predestinated us i.e. the Ephesians in distinction from others In the second Chapter he saith they were Children of Wrath by Nature as others till God made known his Purpose to them by calling of them It must have been instead of this word us all Men predestinated all Men
be elected there needs no Election of particular Persons afterwards 4. It will not sute the Government of God to have his Will depend upon Man's frail fickle Will and that in the highest Things that concern his Glory to wait upon Man's Will to lacky it after Man's Will and be determined by it 5. It 's against the Nature of a Decree the Decree of Election is a severing some from others as it 's said in Scripture many are called few chosen Mat. 20.16 the Election obtains it the rest are hardened Rom. 11. See here they are distinct from others but now it belongs to all to be under a Condition viz. if you believe 6. This will follow upon it then those that are elected may be damned and those that are for the present Reprobate and do not fulfil the Condition may afterward fulfil the Condition and be elected and saved which is ridiculous and clean contrary to the whole Current of Scripture 7. If God chuses Conditions and not Persons until such time as they fulfil those Conditions then Christ is made a King without a Kingdom a Shepherd without a Flock a Husband without a Spouse a Head without Members a Saviour without a Body a Prophet tho he reveals not God's Will to any a Priest tho none be reconciled for it is possible none of these Conditions may be fulfilled 8. Yea this supposeth a Power in Man as to his own Conversion that it lies in him whether he will turn or no be converted or not be converted tho God hath done what is fitting for him and tho he hath done what he can do according to the Rule which he hath appointed to work by 9. It supposeth a Falling from Grace 10. It supposeth plainly Justification by Works for if a Man is elected if he continues in Faith and Obedience then is he also justified by Works The Consequence is easy Object 1. John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth should not perish c. Now they form the Objection thus there is a Love of God common to all the World that upon Condition they do believe they may be saved therefore no difference of Persons only as they believe or not believe This they say it proves that God gives Christ for this End that every one might be elected if he would believe 1. The first Answer might be as to the word World here it is the Elect of God and this word is so used in other places God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself 2 Cor. 5. John 17. that the World may believe that thou hast sent me 2. Doth not the Text speak of our fallen Estate for it speaks of perishing but surely God did not then begin to elect when Man was fallen no the Fall of Man was decreed as a Means unto the Accomplishment of the Election what was done against the second Adam Christ was done by the determined Counsel of God Acts 4.28 so as to the first Adam all was decreed God who is infinitely wise and governs to accomplish his own End would not let Sin be in the World but that he knew how to make Grace abound thereby Grace began to appear at the Fall broke out was manifested thereby but Grace was given us in Christ before the World began 2 Tim. 1.9 therefore before God did consider or think of any thing or had any thing in his eye of what was done in the World by us 3. This Scripture tells you that what God did he did out of Love God so loved the World Now this Love of God must either be natural Affection in him or else it must be a Decree Natural it was not for then it must extend to all to the Devil and his Angels as well as to Men those that conceive that there is naturally in God an Affection unto those that are in Misery must needs conceive that Affection to be as well to the Devil and his Angels which were in greater Misery than Men as well as unto Men themselves no it cannot be that for those Affections that are in Men are to be ruled by Reason and their Will so are God's Affections likewise So that the Love spoke of here is God's Electing Love Love in his Decree Love with Choice 4. So loved It is the greatest highest Love God could show to us nothing able to parallel it nothing that can go beyond it so it is said Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his Love to us in that Christ was sent to die for us i. e. he could not have set out his Love more to us In this was manifested the Love of God to us because that God sent his only begotten Son that we might live through him 1 John 4.9 This Love is made equal to that Love that he gave Eternal Life by therefore it must be electing Love the highest Love now to elect upon Conditions is not the highest Love it 's greater Love to elect without a Condition than to elect after the Condition is fulfilled Object 2. If particular Persons be elected then they shall certainly be saved their Salvation is necessary and if it be necessary what need any Endeavours what need Men use the Means who shall be saved and it cannot be otherwise but Election makes it necessary that those Persons be saved and so takes away Endeavours we may live as we list Answ There is a double Necessity 1st Of Nature as a Stone that goeth downward and a Necessity of Compulsion when things are made to act against their own Nature as Stones to move upwards to ascend this Necessity takes away all Endeavours 2d There is a Necessity of Infallibity or Unchangeableness and this stands with Freedom As for Example the Apostle Paul said he must go to Jerusalem and yet he went freely Christ ought to suffer it 's said the things he was appointed to and yet he did suffer very freely he laid down his Life very willingly When things are ordained to some End they are so ordained that that End shall certainly be accomplished So when God saith we shall obtain eternal Life through Holiness we shall be holy that we may attain thereunto Look into Scripture and ye shall find that notwithstanding the Salvation of the Saints hath been certain this hath been so far from taking them off Endeavours that it hath been as a great Weight upon the Wheel to make them very obedient their Obedience and Holiness hath not been slackned at all but increased by this viz. that God hath taken so much care of them in his Election that they should not come short of Glory but certainly obtain it Paul said Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect and who shall condemn and who shall separate Rom. 8.33 34. And yet who more diligent than he abounding in Goodness and stirring up others thereunto his Spirit too big to be enticed with the Pleasures that are in Sin to sin against