her Child and she sees this simple Child running into a fire that would burn it to Death and the Mother could prevent it and pull the Child back but she suffers it to go on and Perish who will say that such a Mother had such a true and tender Love to the Child So said this Preacher If God have such great and tender Love to all Adams Posterity and sees them through their folly inadvertency and corruption of their Hearts running into Hell-fire and he could stop them and save them and doth not where is his Love and Desire to save them Though I cannot remember the very words yet it was to this purpose that he brought in an Objection he urged it very strongly I think over-ruled by God to confute himself I wondred how he would answer the Objection his Answer was this what saith he if I say God cannot that is that God could not Convert them and so left it To such Absurdities and Blasphemies doth Arminianism lead 2. Others of them say that God indeed can change the Rebellious Will of Man but they alledge two things 1. They say it is Dishonourable to God to go any further for the Conversion of a Sinner than to set before him Arguments Threatnings and Promises and urge these Arguments by inward Convictions but they say it is not for the Honour of God to put forth such irresistible power as shall infallibly change and turn the Heart to God I answer that God hath promised to some absolutely promised to the Elect that which Divines call the first Grace Jer. 31. Heb. 8. I will put my fear in their Hearts I will write my Law in their Hearts Ezek. 36.26 27. A new Heart also will I give you a new Spirit I will put within you and I will take away the Heart of Stone that is take away the stubbornness and rebellion of your Wills and Affections and I will give you a Heart of Flesh that is I will give you a penitent soft plyable Will towards me and my Precepts this God of his infinite Grace hath promised to his Elect without which not one Man or Woman in the World had ever been Converted and Saved and dare any say that 't is Dishonourable to God to shew this Grace and Favour Is it come to this that where God hath a gracious Respect to a person that though the person be ignorant foolish and desperate that it should be Dishonourable to the Physician of Heaven to cure the Man of his Spiritual Phrensy and bring him to a right mind Surely this is so far from being Dishonourable to God that the Elect and Ransomed People shall Adore him and praise him for ever for this great free and undeserved Grace to them 2. They say it is Dishonourable to the Will of Man yea impossible for the Will of Man to be forced therefore they say that all that God doth towards the Conversion of any is by Moral swasion and urging Arguments to this great Queen the Will of Man but she her self must not be touched I answer if God did not touch yea by an Omnipotent sweetness change and turn the Will of Man to himself there had never been any one Converted in this World God works upon the Will in Conversion to make it of unwilling willing and to make it as willing to turn to God as ever it was unwilling before God touched and changed the Will Indeed this Author saith you present Christ not serious because he will not save Men whether they will or no page 22. I say this is a very ignorant Speech and shews the Author to be little acquainted with the Scripture or the corruption of his own Heart for though Men when they hear of Hell and Damnation would be saved from Misery yet there is not any one that would be saved in the way that God hath appointed until God by his immediate Hand do secretly touch and change his Will i. e. that though all would be saved from Hell under the Notion of a State of Misery yet till God give special grace a new Heart put a new bent upon the Will and Affections there is no Man would be saved in Gods way in the Gospel way that is 1. To be made so poor in Spirit as to be taken off from all standing upon Terms with God but acknowledge his Soveraignty and his Righteousness that he might take Vengeance upon us for ever 2. To acknowledge that we have not the least Worthiness and Righteousness but to creep under the Robe of Christs Righteousness 3. To be willing to part with Sins that are as dear to corrupt Nature as Right Hands and Right Eyes to be willing to take up the Cross and follow Christ to be willing to walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord so far as he shall please to make known his mind to us Ay it were well if in stead of this blustering about these things that all of us did examine whether we our selves have been so graciously wrought upon by the Spirit of God as that we are willing to be saved in Gods way in the Gospel way Alass Men are of this Opinion and the other and like the Pharisees are industrious to make Proselytes to their Opinions and yet know nothing of the new Birth of the work of Grace upon their own Souls Therefore let us all be much in self Examination and proving what work of Faith in Christ what work of Repentance for Sin what love to God and to his people and ways is begun in us by the Holy Spirit that so we may not think our selves something when we are nothing deceiving our own Hearts 2. Arminians turn the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of works they quite mistake the reason why God doth work Faith and Sanctification in those whom he bringeth to Eternal Life it is not to be the Righteousness in which they are to stand Righteous before God for their Justification at Gods Bar for we are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood Rom. 3.24 25. So that the Righteousness by which we stand Righteous at Gods Bar is a Righteousness imputed to us neither Faith as in act or work nor our Sanctification and good works are our Righteousness in the Covenant of Grace as Obedience to the Law was to be our Righteousness to justifie under the Covenant of works but Faith is wrought â—n those that are saved as a passive instrument whereby they receive and embrace Christ 〈◊〉 o be the Lord their Righteousness and so are tâ—ught to know and adore the way whereby they are saved and Sanctification is wrought is to se that are saved that they may have the first fruits of Holiness here that they may in some measure walk with God and glorifie God heâ—e and be preparing for perfect Holiness and â—ommunion with God in Heaven
Cross despising the Shame The Joy that was set before Christ as Mediator when he endured the Cross when he died upon the Cross was not only the Glory that should follow to his Humane Nature but the Glory that the manifold Wisdom infinite Grace and the holy Justice of God should have to Eternity by saving the Elect in such a wonderful way by his Cross and likewise this was part of the Joy set before Christ when he died upon the Cross that all that he died for should be eternally saved and stand before the Throne as his Redeemed People Thus I have endeavoured for the Honour of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for the Comfort of those that believe on him to maintain that he hath not failed in the Work of Redemption but for all that he undertook to die as their Surety and Mediator he will bring them to Eternal Blessedness Now to the Father that sent him to the Son that was willing to take our poor Humane Nature upon him and die for our Sins and to the Holy Ghost that doth certainly and infallibly apply this glorious Redemption that Christ hath wrought to all for whom he died be Glory for ever and ever Amen And for those that catch at a few Words and Phrases in the Scripture to make this Redemption by the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ to be ineffectual to any for whom he died I bow my Knees and pray to God for them that he may please to give them Light and Understanding that they may be taken off from their erroneous Conceits concerning our Saviour and the for ever to be adored Redemption by him which standeth sure for ever But to remove what Doubts and Temptation may arise in the thoughts of some upon two places of Scripture It is said Rom. 14.15 But if thy Brother be grieved with thy Meat now walkest thou not charitably destroy not him with thy Meat for whom Christ died and through thy Knowledge shall thy weak Brother perish for whom Christ died 1 Cor. 8.11 from these two places some maintain that those that Christ died for may be damned in Hell Now for the understanding of these two Texts observe that some walked very uncharitably towards those that were fellow Members with them they pretended more Light and that they saw their Liberty further than those which they counted weak Brethren did about eating of some Meats which others scrupled Now saith the Apostle to those that accounted themselves strong Destroy not him with thy Meat for whom Christ died Those that are fellow Members in the Church you ought to judge of them with a Judgment of Charity that they are the Elect of God and such as Christ died for therefore don't do that which tends to their destroying and ruin and thro' thy Knowledge thy pretence of having more Knowledge and to have a greater Latitude shall thy weak Brother perish for whom Christ died if without Light and Satisfaction in his own Conscience he should be emboldened to do those things by your Example you draw him to sin which deserves Damnation but that eventually any shall perish for whom Christ really died cannot be collected from these Scriptures or any others those that we in Charity think are such as Christ died for may perish we ought to think in Charity that all that are Members with us in the Church are partakers of the Heavenly Calling and such as Christ died for tho' in foro dei in the sight of God who knoweth infallibly who are his they are such as Christ never died for our Judgment of Men that Christ died for them is but a Judgment of Charity not a Judgment of Infallibility But can any one think that if Christ God-man did really die for a Person had such inconceiveable Love to him and had endured so much for his Salvation in his Agony in the Garden and upon the Cross that he would not take such care that this poor Soul should not eternally perish and be destroyed by the uncharitable carriage of some proud giddy Professor yea if Christ really died for any Person all the Wiles and Devices and fiery Darts of all the Devils in Hell shall never be able to destroy and ruin such an one tho' other Professors be uncharitable and hard-hearted to give offence to the weak and shake them and endanger them yet Christ the Meek the Pitiful and Merciful and Almighty High-Priest will not suffer a bruised Reed to be broken nor smoking Flax to be quenched but tho they may fall yet shall they rise again Christ saith to the Sheep that he laid down his Life for that they shall never perish and that none whether Men or Devils shall pluck them out of his Hand John 10.27 28. CHAP. V. Of Election and Reprobation THis Author in his Dialogue with the Presbyterian Pag. 17. doth cite a passage in the Confession of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster By the Decree of God for the manifestation of his Glory some Men and Angels are Predestinated unto everlasting life and others fore-ordain'd to everlasting destruction and those Angels thus Predestinated and fore-ordained are particularly and unchangeably designed and their number so certain and definite that it cannot be either encreased or diminished 'T is either for want of acquaintance with Books or want of Ingenuity that this Author falls upon the Presbyterians as if they only were of this Opinion The Assembly of Divines at Westminster published their Confession of Faith but about 46 years ago But first I shall shew that the Episcopal Divines long before them printed and published the same Doctrine 2. Consider of the Doctrine it self 1. Whereas this Author would suggest as if the Presbyterians only held this Doctrine and so cast an odium upon them I shall shew that the Episcopal Divines did publish the same Doctrine long before 1. The Articles of the Church of England in the Year 1552 say Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the Foundation of the World was laid he hath constantly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from Curse and Damnation those whom he hath chosen out of Mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting Salvation as Vessels made to Honour Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through Grace be justified freely they be made the Sons of God by Adoption they be made like to the Image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good Works and at length by God's Mercy they attain to everlasting Felicity Article 17. Here is plainly asserted that there is an Eternal Election of certain Persons that they shall be certainly and infallibly called to Grace and Glory by Jesus Christ And as for the 31th Article which this Author mentioneth tho' he did not think fit to meddle with the 17th Christ is a
perfect Redemption Propitiation and Satisfaction for all the Sins of the whole World both Original and Actual They having before asserted the Doctrine of God's Eternal Election of some this Article may fairly be interpreted that Christ is a perfect Redemption Propitiation and Satisfaction for all the Sins of the whole World of the Elect or of all the Elect in all Ages and of all Nations throughout the whole World and for them only and their words being well considered will constrain such an Interpretation To be sure they did not hold that all Mankind should be saved and therefore saying that Christ is a perfect Redemption Propitiation and Satisfaction for all the Sins of the whole World they cannot be understood to mean any more than this that there is no other name under Heaven by which Men can be saved but the name of Jesus Christ there is not Salvation in any other It is he alone that is a Perfect Redemption Propitiation and Satisfaction for Sin so that whoever are saved in any Age or Place throughout the whole World are saved by him only 2. The first Articles of the Church of England being not so explicit and plain about Predestination and Arminianism being broached there was a meeting at Lambeth-house on the 20th Day of November 1595. now almost an hundred Years since There was John Archbishop of Canterbury Richard Bishop of London Richard Elect Bishop of Bangor Dr. Tindal Dean of Ely Dr. Whitaker Professor of Divinity in Cambridge and sundry other Reverend and Learned Divines there present with the concurrent Approbation of of the Right Reverend and Learned Prelate Matthew Archbishop of York for the determining certain Arminian Points of Controversie they composed agreed upon and published these Nine Assertions following 1. Deus ab aeterno praedestinavit quosdam ad vitam quosdam reprobavit ad mortem 1. God from Eternity hath predestinated certain Men to Life he hath reprobated some unto Death 2. Causa movens aut efficiens Praedestinationis ad vitam non est praevisio fidei aut bonorum operum aut ullius rei quae insit in personis praedestinatis sed sola voluntas beneplaciti Dei 2. The moving or efficient cause of predestination unto Life is not the foresight of Faith or of good Works or of any thing that is in the persons predestinated but only the good Will and Pleasure of God 3. Praedestinatorum praefinitus certus est numerus qui nec augeri nec minui possit 3. There is a predetermined and certain number of the predestinated which can neither be augmented nor diminished 4. Qui non sunt praedestinati ad salutem necessario propter peccata sua damnabuntur 4. Those that are not predestinated to Salvation shall be necessarily damned for their Sins 5. Vera viva ac justificans fides Spiritus Dei justificantis non extinguitur non excidit non evanescet in electis aut finaliter aut totaliter 5. A true living and justifying Faith is not extinguished it fails not it vanisheth not away in the Elect either finally or totally 6. Homo vere fidelis id est fide justificante praeditus certus est plerophoria fidei de remissione peccatorum suorum salute sempiterna sua per Christum 6. A true believer that is such a one as is endued with a justifying Faith is certain with the full assurance of Faith of the pardon of his Sins and of his Everlasting Salvation by Christ I suppose they did not mean that a true Believer may not have doubts and fears whether he be in Christ or no but that he may have a full assurance of his Justification without such extraordinary Revelation as the Papists speak of This Article is directed especially against the Papists whose Doctrine is that no Believer can attain a full assurance of his Salvation in this Life except he have an extraordinary Revelation from God 7. Gratia Salutaris non tribuitur non communicatur non conceditur universis hominibus qua Servari possint si velint 7 Saving Grace is not given is not communicated is not granted to all Men by which they may be saved if they will 8. Nemo potest venire ad Christum nisi datum ei fuerit nisi pater eum traxerit Et omnes homines non trahuntur a Patre ut veniant ad filium 8. No Man can come unto Christ unless it shall be given unto him and unless the Father shall draw him and all Men are not drawn of the Father that they may come unto the Son 9. Non est positum in arbitrio aut potestate unius cujusque hominis servari 9. It is not in the Will and Power of every one to be saved 3. I come to the Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Archbishops Bishops and the rest of the Clergy of Ireland in the Convocation holden at Dublin 16.5 Article 11. God from all Eternity did by his unchangeable Counsel ordain whatsoever in time should come to pass yet so as no Violence is offered to the Wills of the Reasonable Creatures and neither the Liberty nor the Contingency of second causes is taken away but rather Established Article 12. By the same Eternal Counsel God hath predestinated some unto life and reprobated some unto Death of both which there is a certain number known only to God which can neither be encreased nor diminished Article 13. Predestination unto Life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the Foundations of the World were laid he hath constantly Decreed in his Secret Counsel to deliver from Curse and Condemnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of Mankind and to bring them by Christ unto everlasting Salvation as Vessels made to Honour Article 14. The cause moving God to Predestinate unto Life is not the foreseeing of Faith or Perseverance or of good works or of any thing which is in the person Predestinated but only the good pleasure of God himself For all things being ordained for the manifestation of his glory and his glory being to appear both in the works of his mercy and of his justice It seemed good to his Heavenly Wisdom to choose out a certain number towards whom he would extend his undeserved Mercy leaving the rest to be spectacles of his Justice Article 15. such as are predestinated unto Life be called according to Gods purpose his Spirit working in due Season and through Grace they obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by Adoption they be made like the Image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk Religiously in good Works and at length by Gods Mercy they attain to everlasting felicity but such as are not predestinated to Salvation shall finally be condemned for their Sins Article 25. The condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to Faith and calling upon God wherefore we
Saviour in that Parable is that some are affected with the Word and after a sort believe and yet never have the Root of the Matter a New Heart To explain this further John 2.23 24. It is said many believed on him when they saw the Miracles but Jesus would not commit himself to them for he knew all Men he knew what is in Man the meaning is that though they believed after a sort yet he would not commit himself to them and trust them as true Disciples and true Friends to him for he knew all Men he knew they were not sound Believers he knew they had not that precious Faith of Gods Elect. And so it 's said of Simon Magus Acts 8.13 That he believed and was Baptized and yet Peter tells him That his Heart was not right in the sight of God but was in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of Iniquity Men may be enlightened and convinced and after a sort be Believers and yet never be truly humbled for Sin as Sin never be taken off from all Confidence in their own Righteousness never rely upon Christ alone for Justification never have that Faith that worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 Those that fall away have but an Historical Notional Faith such as the Apostle James calls Faith without Works a dead Faith Saving Justifying Faith differs not only in degree but in its Kind and Nature from this Faith that they have that falls away 1 Jo. 2.19 They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us no doubt they would have continued with us but they went out from us that they might be made manifest they were not all of us that is that those who were Professors and Believers after a sort they went out from us they fell away because they were not of us they were not of the Elect and Ransomed People they were not partakers of like precious Justifying Faith with us for if they had been so no doubt the Apostle puts a no doubt upon it they would have continued with us and never have fallen to Judaism or Heathenism again but they went out from us fell off from their Profession and common enlightning that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us but he tells them that had true Justifying Faith they have an anointing from the Holy one v. 21. and v. 27. the anointing which ye have received abideth in you v. 27. Every one the least as well as the strongest that have justifying Faith they have The Spirit of God dwelling in them they have another manner of work of the Spirit upon them than any that fall away they are new Creatures they are partakers of the Divine Nature and this Anointing with the Spirit of Grace and with the Graces of the Spirit abideth in them against all opposition from the remainders of Corruption against all opposition from Men or Devils The Lord to humble them and to shew them that it is of his meer Grace in Christ that they are saved may leave them in part to themselves at times and they may be as a Tree cut down but yet there is the Root of the Matter the Root of Grace always in them and through the scent of the Water of Life thro' new Influences Supplies and quickenings of the Spirit they shall put forth Buds and Blossoms of Grace again God hath promised to every true Believer that he will never leave him nor forsake him Heb. 13.5 i. e. he will never leave him nor forsake him totally or finally and 't is God's not leaving or forsaking them that keeps them from not leaving or forsaking of him Let it be well observed that we all by our fall in Adam have forsaken God the Fountain of Living Waters we have left God and God hath left us as to any help by a Covenant of Works that Covenant was Mutable and Conditional God would not leave and forsake Man upon condition that Man did not leave and forsake him as to exact and perfect Obedience but Adam and all of us in him did presently leave and forsake God Rom. 5.12 and so God hath left and forsaken all Adam's Posterity as to Blessing them upon the terms of the Covenant of Works But Blessed be God for a Covenant of Grace and Jesus the Mediator whom ever the Lord takes internally into this Covenant he will never leave them nor forsake them and hath himself undertkaen to keep them that they shall never totally and finally leave nor forsake him Jer. 32.40 Hos 14.4 5. Isai 54.9.10 Isai 55.3 2. The Assembly say in their Confession of Faith That the purest Churches under Heaven are subject to Mixture and Error and have been so degenerated as to become no Churches of Christ but Synagogues of Satan Upon which this Author saith surely the purest Churches are True Believers and if these purest Churches may become Synagogues of Satan it is too much to prove the point I answer That the Point in hand is whether one whom the Lord hath endued with a lively Justifying Faith shall not be actually and infallibly kept by the Grace and Power of God unto Salvation Now this Position of the Assembly doth consist very well with that point of Doctrine which they maintained about the perseverance of the Saints The Assembly of Divines are not speaking of the Invisible Mystical Church who are inseparably united to Christ but of particular Churches and Congregations of those that are Professors of the Gospel and they say rightly 1. That the purest of these Churches of Professors are subject to mixture i. e. that there may be in the purest Churches unsound Professors that never had a Saving Work of Grace wrought in their Hearts 2. That the purest Churches are subject to Error as to lesser Errors the purest Churches in the World may be guilty before God Christ may not only have a few things but many things against the best Churches either for Errors in Doctrine or Worship or failings in Conversation in Ministers and People who can understand his Errors all his Errors the purest Churches had need to be very Humble and not boast of their Purity but pray continually that God would pardon and reform what he sees amiss in them 3. The purest Church may so degenerate as to be no Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Satan All that the Assembly of Divines here say is very true and no contradiction at all to themselves in their maintaining the certain perseverance of particular Saints for tho' the purest Church may so degenerate in time as to be no true Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Satan yet if there be any True Believers in a Church they are kept notwithstanding the Apostacy of the Church whereof they were Members tho' the Church doth so degenerate as to lose their Church state yet if there were any one sound Christian in that Church he shall hold his spiritual Estate and Vnion with
Christ for all that If Christ have a few names in a Church that degenerates those shall be safe whatsoever becomes of the rest as to their Church Estate and Eternal-state Revel 3.4 Thou hast a few Names even in Sardis which have not defiled their Garments and they shall walk with me in white i. e. they shall walk with Christ in the white of Grace here to their lives end and in the white of Glory for ever Tho' the Lord do remove the Candlestick the Church-Estate and will not own a People any longer to be a True Church yet if there be any sound Christians amongst them they shall never be cast off Therefore how vainly doth this Author say from this passage of the Assemblies Confession of Faith here is too much to prove the Point when there is not the least shadow of any thing they say to prove that any True Believer may fall totally and finally Tho' those that were Professors of the Gospel and were in Churches may so degenerate as to lose their Church-estate yet if there were any in those Churches that were True Believers the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against them A Degenerate Church may Excommunicate the Sound Members may prosecute them to Death but can never separate them from the Love of Christ The truth is when a Church doth so wofully degenerate as to be accounted no longer a Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Satan the Lord is pleased many times to stir up those that are Sound Christians amongst them that they are more Lively and Spiritual than ever they were and love not their Lives unto the Death in bearing witness to the Truth Now let us hear this Author declare what his Opinion is about the Saints Perseverance Saith he Pag. 20. For my part tho' I doubt not but there is a State attainable in this Life from which by the Grace of God Christians shall not fall yet I hold it a vanity for any Man to affirm of himself or of any other person in particular that it is impossible for him to fall I hold it far better for the best as well as others to take heed lest they fall I answer This passage is very dark and ambiguous wherein this Author rather hides than declares his Judgment about the Point in hand The word Christian may be taken largely for those that are Christians by Profession only no doubt but they may fall from their Profession or the word Christian may be taken strictly for those who are Christians inwardly in the Heart and in the Spirit as well as outwardly by Profession Now this we maintain from the Scripture as hath been declared before that all such have attained such an Estate by their Vnion with Christ by their Justification Adoption and Regeneration that they shall never fall totally or finally This Author must intend some new Notion if he understand himself which must be that though every one that is Really and Spiritually in Christ is not in such an Estate as that he shall certainly persevere in Grace yet he who hath attained an extraordinary degree of Grace or to an absolute Perfection such as the Quakers talk of may by the Grace of God keep his standing This is a wondrous dark Passage and I shall leave the Author in his Clouds but we maintain 1. That none attain to an absolute perfection in this life Rom. 7. Gal. 5.17 Eccles 7.20 2. That the strongest Saints in the World cannot keep themselves one day but are upheld by the secret Influences and Supplies of the Spirit Phil. 1.13 1 John 5.5 2 Cor. 3.5 3. That the Lord who keeps strong Believers keepeth also the weakest True Believer most certainly and infallibly Phil 1.6 where he hath begun the good work of Special Saving Grace he will perform it to the day of Jesus Christ that the weakest of Christ's Sheep and Lambs shall have Eternal Life and shall never perish John 10.27 28. that Christ will not break nor suffer to be broken the bruised Reed nor quench the smoking Flax Matth. 12.20 that is where there is but a little Special Grace that can but smoke though it cannot flame Christ will keep it that it shall never be quenched but shall at last flame out in Love and Praise and singing in Heaven to all Eternity God keeps True Believers in a state of Grace till they come to Glory not because they are strong but because they are his Elect because they are redeemed by the Blood of his Son and at their effectual Calling adopted to be his Children and saith the Apostle If Children then Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 The least Babe in Christ is God's Child as well as the Eldest and strongest Believer and shall infallibly be an Heir of God and joint Heir with Christ For as many as believed to them he gave power to become the Sons of God John 1.12 The same Day and Hour that a Soul truly receiveth Christ the Lord doth actually adopt that Soul though it be a secret thing to the Soul yet it is as if God should say I did predestinate thee to the Adoption of my Child by Christ and now I do adopt thee to be my Child to be an Heir of Eternal Life and such shall certainly be preserved to the Heavenly Kingdom 1 Pet. 1.4 5. The Inheritance is reserved in Heaven for all that are begotten again to a lively Hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and they are kept whilst they are in this World by the Power of God through Faith till they come to the Heavenly Inheritance 2. This Author saith I hold it a Vanity for any Man to say of himself it is impossible for him to fall I answer 1. It is a Vanity indeed for any Man to say of himself it is impossible for him to fall taking it for falling into Sin at all for there is no Man that liveth and sinneth not yea it would be Vanity Pride and Presumption for the best Saint on Earth to say it is impossible for him to fall into gross Sins seeing David and Peter fell so foully though they were graciously recovered again 2. It would be great Vanity for the best Saint on Earth to say in any the least Confidence in his own Strength that it is impossible for him to fall away totally and finally for indeed if they were left to themselves it is impossible that they should stand in a state of Grace one day if everlasting Arms were not underneath them if they were not kept by the Power of God If Christ did not hold them fast it were impossible that any of the Saints should stand 3. I say That it is no Vanity but a Triumph of Faith and Thankfulness to the God of all Grace for a True Christian when God sheds abroad his Love in his Heart by the Holy Spirit to say Who shall separate me from the Love of Christ Was it Vanity in David to say Surely
have no power to do good works pleasing and acceptable unto God without the Grace of God preventing us that we may have a good Will and working with us when we have that good Will Article 32. None can come to Christ unless it be given to him and unless the Father draw him and all Men are not so drawn by the Father that they may come unto the Son neither is there such a sufficient measure of Grace vouchsafed unto every Man whereby he is enabled to come unto everlasting Life Article 33. All Gods Elect are in their time inseparably united unto Christ by the effectual and vital influence of the Holy Ghost derived from him as from the Head unto every true Member of his Mystical Body and being thus made one with Christ they are truly regenerated and made partakers of him and all his benefits Article 38. A True Lively Justifying Faith and the Sanctifying Spirit of God is not extinguished nor vanisheth away in the Regenerate either finally or totally I have cited these Articles to shew this Author and others of his mind that there is no cause for any to fly out against the Assembly of Divines or any Presbyterians for what they hold about Election and Reprobation and such points as if it had been some new Doctrine that they had broached but every one may now see that next to the Scriptures they learnt this Doctrine of the Episcopal Divines that were before them 2. Let us consider the Doctrine it self 1. Concerning the Doctrine of Election let us see what this Author saith page 27. 1. That God did choose in Christ unto Salvation all that part of the fallen race of Mankind that dye in their Innocency or accept of his Mercy and Grace according to the means he gives them and this Decree proceeds from his own goodness and is not built upon any goodness in the Creature 1. He saith that God did choose in Christ to Salvation all that part of the fallen Race of Adam that dye in their Innocency 1. I Answer 1. This Author quotes not one Scripture for this strange Assertion 2. I wonder who they are of the fallen Race of Mankind that can dye in their Innocency I suppose he means young Infants those that dye in their Infancy But though those be called Innocent comparatively yet besides the guilt of Adams Sin which is upon every one of his Posterity by Nature as a consequent of it all have lost the Image of God in Holiness and Righteousness and have contracted by Adams fall such an Universal Depravedness that they have the Root the Spawn and Seed of all Sin in them Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me This Corruption of Nature is inherent in every one that comes by Adam in a way of ordinary Generation So that not one is born without it It comes by propagation from Adam and if a Child dye the first day it is born into the World it doth not dye in Innocency but if it be saved it is washed and made white in the Blood of the Lamb and hath the habit and principle of Grace infused into it though without outward means God that formeth the Spirit the Rational Soul that the Infant hath can form Grace in the Soul of the Child as he pleases can Sanctifie it in the Womb or as soon as it is born if he be graciously pleased so to do But how doth the Infant dye in Innocency Alas there is an Universal depravedness in the Soul of an Infant which if it live to be capable to express it will discover it self A young Cub of a Fox or Wolf doth not presently discover its ravenous Nature but it is inherent in it bred with it and Men kill those young Cubs though they never yet did any mischief because it is their Nature to be Ravenous and Mischievous An Infant hath the same reasonable Soul that it hath if it live to be a Man though it doth not express it self as it doth when it lives to Age. So an Infant hath the Seed of all Sin a corrupt Nature though it doth not Act as it doth when Age comes on and I say that God may for the Guilt of Adams Sin and because there is such Enmity Rebellion and Wickedness in Mans Nature against him he may if he please glorifie his Justice upon them though they dye in their Infancy they are far from dying in Innocency I do not think God would have destroyed the old World and called them the World of the Ungodly amongst whom no doubt there were many Infants and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and made them suffer the Vengeance of Eternal Fire amongst whom no doubt there were many Infants if every Infant were Innocent I will not meddle to determine the Eternal Estate of those that dye in Infancy to be sure you go too far to assert what you do you are not the Soveraign Lord and Judge of all 3. You say that God did choose those that accept of his Grace and Mercy according to the means he gives them 1. I hope you mean his Grace and Mercy in Christ that they know him and believe in him for else there is no Salvation If the Gospel be hid if Christ as Mediator be not some ways made known to Men they are lost for ever 2 Cor. 4.3 He that believeth on the Son hath Life and he that believeth not on the Son hath not Life But you seem to hold that 't is not of necessity to Salvation to know Christ and him Crucified as Mediator but to have some general Notions of Universal Grace and Mercy in the Divine Essence which Men do own and accept of and truly you say that few knew the Mediator by the Name of Jesus Christ till he was born of the Virgin page 21. That is nothing to the purpose all that were saved knew the Mediator as the Seed of the Woman that was to break the Serpents Head Gen. 3.15 As he that was to offer himself a Sacrifice for Sin and therefore God taught them to offer Sacrifices presently after the fall by which they looked to Christ that was to come Jacob called him Shiloah the Saviour the Peace-maker that was to come Job called him his Redeemer All that ever were saved before Christ came were saved not by meer believing that God was Mercifull and Gracious But that he would send his Son to dye to be a Sacrifice for Sin And they embraced the promise of Christ the only Mediator and Sacrifice for Sin that was to come And all that are saved since our Saviours coming do in some measure know and believe in Jesus Christ that dyed without the Gate of Jerusalem You will leave us a strange Creed if you leave out the promised Messiah and that it is not necessary to believe in him to everlasting Lise Ay but you say the Turks themselves begin almost every Chapter in their Alcoran with these words In
so as to get Execution against them in Hell seeing they are God's Elect and Christ hath died for them Men know not what they do when they set their Wits on work to deny that God hath set his free and unchangeable Love upon some from Eternity whereby he will certainly and infallibly bring them to Grace here and Eternal Glory hereafter through our Lord Jesus Christ For observe Take away Election and you take away Redemption for Redemption is grounded upon Election Joh. 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me Thine they were by Election and therefore thou gavest them me to redeem and bring to Glory Take away God's Eternal Election of a certain number of Persons to Grace and Glory and you take away Effectual Calling and Conversion For if God of his mere Grace and good Pleasure had not so elected them there had never been any Person effectually called 'T is God alone that doth inwardly and effectually call any so as that they are savingly converted and if he had not freely predestinated and elected them he had never called and converted them Whom he hath predestinated them he hath also called Rom. 8.30 Take away God's Eternal Special and Unchangeable Love to a certain Number that he will set them before his Face for ever and if we were in Heaven we could not be sure to continue there What a Multitude of Angels sinned and were thrust down to Hell It was Election that setled the Angels that see God's Face for ever The Angels that stand are called the Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.15 God decreed from Eternity to determine and fix their Wills unto himself for ever It is from this Eternal and Unchangeable Love of God in Election that the Angels and Saints in Heaven are upheld in Love and Praise unto God for ever It hath been an old Objection of Arminians and revived by this Author pag. 26. That many have despaired of Mercy and have laid violent hands upon themselves and many he saith in this City He mentions it that they fall into this Despair because they are told Christ died but for a few 1. I answer This Objection useth to be brought too against Election For my part I do not remember that ever I knew any in my whole Life that laid violent hands upon themselves because they heard that Christ did not die for all Adam's Posterity or that they were not elected The truth is those that make away themselves may sometimes get such things into their Thoughts as that they have committed the Sin against the Holy Ghost and that they are not elected and Christ did not die for them But the true cause of their laying violent hands upon themselves is some extraordinary worldly Sorrow which worketh Death in that sense or Excess of Melancholy whereby they are so distracted that they are not themselves 2. As to Despair of Mercy If God give up a Man to Satan and his own Heart how easily may any Man fall into it though he hold Universal Redemption and deny Election For our Saviour saith plainly Matth. 7.14 Few there be that find the strait Gate and narrow Way Yea I will maintain that the Doctrine of Eternal Redemption and of Christ's dying only for the Elect and that the Elect whom Christ died for shall certainly and infallibly be saved is an Antidote against Despair if the Lord please to put in with it And that the denying of Election and holding Universal Redemption is the way to bring those that have a deep Sense of their own Sinfulness and Unworthiness is the way to bring such to utter Despair of Mercy I make it out thus Take a Person that is throughly convinced of Sin that sees and is sensible that he hath a Depth of Sin in his Nature that sees himself vile and abominable by reason of the universal Corruption of his Nature as well as actual Sins more than the Hairs of his Head which cannot be numbred You come to this humbled convinced Person with your Arminian Doctrine and tell him that God did not decree any Person to Salvation from Eternity of mere Grace to give them infallibly both Grace and Glory but that Christ died for all Adam's Posterity Saith the convinced humbled Sinner Shall all be infallibly saved that Christ died for You must tell him according to the tenour of your Doctrine No there were many of them in Hell when he died and never shall be set at liberty from their Everlasting Chains of Darkness Yea you can tell them according to your Doctrine that notwithstanding Christ's Death there might not one Man or Woman in the World have been saved Truly this Doctrine is enough to drive Men into Despair Ay but you can tell them that whosoever believeth shall be saved Ay and so can others tell them as well as you though they hold Election and that Christ died only for the Elect For if God gives Faith that is a certain sign of Election and that Christ died for that Person Well Now let us see what those that hold Election and that Christ died only for the Elect can say in a Ministerial and Doctrinal Way to keep a convinced humbled Sinner from Despair of Mercy I say in a Ministerial Doctrinal Way for it is God alone that can do it inwardly and effectually Now therefore our Doctrine can say to such a convinced humbled Sinner that is ready to despair God hath from Eternity decreed of his mere Grace in Christ to give Grace and Glory to certain Persons and some of these Persons that God intended to make everlasting Monuments of his Free Grace are not only by Nature Children of Wrath as well as others but in time are Monsters in respect of Actual Sin as Manasseh the Thief upon the Cross and Paul for persecuting the Church of God but being elected to Life and Christ dying for them they are converted and saved And who knows but that you are of that number There is a May be that you are an Object of this Special Grace and 't is certain if that you being convinced of Sin do venture and trust in God's free Mercy in Christ you shall be saved All that the Father giveth unto Christ to redeem and save shall come to him and he that cometh unto him he will in no wise cast out And if the humbled Sinner says If I should put my Trust in Christ the Arminian tells me that I may be a Child of God to Day and a Child of the Devil to Morrow Therefore why should I that know what a vile Heart I have ever think of any Hope of Salvation but sink in utter Despair Our Doctrine assures them if the Lord be pleased once to unite them to Christ by a true and lively Faith the Lord will give them from time to time such Influences and Supplies of his Spirit as that they shall be kept in the state of Grace until they come to the state of Glory Therefore let all that are wise
But this lie at the bottom of Arminianism that there is Merit the Popish Merit of Condignity or hâ—w ever of congruity in our Holiness and good Works and upon Discourse with a Minister â— great Note in the Arminian way I found him to be as unsound in the Doctrine of Justification as any Popish writer I had ever met with 3. Arminians make Conversion an easy â—ork a small matter t is true t is easie to Godâ— work in any easier than for us to speak a woâ—â— but in it self it is a great work and impossâ—â—le for any to believe and Repent except Goâ— give them a new Heart and infuse this habit and principle of Grace into them Indeed they say that the Lord doth require easie Terms upon which Men may have Eternal Life but they don't know what they say for us that are universally blinded and corrupted by the fall of Adam for us to go out if our selves to Christ for us to mourn for Sin is it's an offence to God for us to desire and endeavour after Vniversal Holiness is ten thousand times harder work than for Adam to have coninued obedient to the Law for which he had a Cncreated Principle a Habit of Holiness infused â—nto him by Creation only it was mutable and left to the Managing of his own free Will 1. Bâ—t let it be observed that the way of Salvatiâ—n by Christ seems to be Foolishness to a Naturaâ— Man that we should look to be saved bâ— one that dyed himself Paul saith this is to them that Perish Foolishness it is a great work of God upon our understandings to enlighteâ— us and convince us that this way of Salvaon is the only way and that it is a glorious â—ay that the manifold Wisdom of God the exeeding Riches of his Grace and his Revenging Justice against Sin will shine to Eterny in this way of saving Sinners by a Crucied Christ 2. â—et it be observed that when a Sinner is covinced and humbled indeed and sees what Majesty he hath offended by his Sins it is no easie thing to set his hope in Christ whoâ— he never saw but that the Holy Ghost doth ecretly and inwardly reveal him to the Soul as the only and all-sufficient Mediator and unites the Heart to him to trust and rely upon him for Salvation 3. It is no easie thing for one that hath such a corrupt Nature and hath delighted in Sin to be willing that Christ should Reign over him to desire that Christ would put down all the Rule and Authority of Sin that he might be for Christ and not for another When Christ saith his Yoak is easy and when the Apostle saith his Commandments are not grievous the meaning is not that Christs Yoak is easy to the Flesh and corrupt Nature but easy and sweet when God gives a principle of grace a new Heart and Spirit so far as we are renewed and are led by the Spirit so far Christs Yoak is easie and his ways pleasant to our Souls The truth is many take up opinions and wrangle and dispute but 't is to be feared that few have experience of a Saving work of Conversion upon their Souls they do not seem to have a Spiritual Savour in their Discourses but of these things God will Judge CHAP. VIII Concerning the Saints Perseverance as being kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation THis Author hath something about this point page 19. He saith some may depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits I answer none ever doubted but Men may fall from the Doctrine of Faith from the profession of Faith and from an Historical Notional Faith from common Grace from common Enlightning But the Doctrine maintained by the Assembly of Divines and as I have shewed by the Lambeth Articles and by the Articles of Ireland is that none that are truly regenerated that have saving justifying Faith shall be so left to themselves as to fall totally and finally but shall be preserved unto the Heavenly Kingdom Believers may be left to themselves at times as David Hezekiah Peter and others that they may fall foully to the Dishonour of God and to the wounding of their own Souls but God will graciously recover them again Grace is in a swoun in them but not dead The Doctrine of the Saints perseverance is grounded 1. Vpon the free and Eternal Vnchangeable love of God to the Elect. 2. Vpon the perfect and eternal Redemption Christ hath wrought for them and his praying as Mediator that they may be kept and that their Faith fail not 3. The Inhabitation of the Spirit who abideth in them for ever 4. The promises of God to them that they shall not depart from him the Nature of the Covenant of Grace which they are brought under is that God will guide them by his Counsels and afterwards bring them to his glory But I shall not enlarge upon these things but let us attend upon what this Author saith upon this point Truly though the Assembly of Divines had positively declared for the Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance yet according to the faculty of the Man to catch at something he saith nor need any Man say more concerning falling away than they do for as they deny not but there are Temporary Believers and truly such are all that fall away so they plainly tell us that the purest Churches in Heaven are subject to mixture and Error and some have so degenerated as to become no Churches of Christ but Synagogues of Satan Now saith he surely the purest Churches under Heaven are true Believers and if these may become Synagogues of Satan it is too much to prove the point Truly either this Author is more Ignorant than I took him to be before I saw his Book or else which is far worse hath not an honest Mind but is resolved to wrest Mens words contrary to what he knows they intended as we shall see 1. He saith the Assembly deny not but there are Temporary Believers I answer what Ignorance or worse is this When Divines speak of Temporaries or Temporary Believers they call them so to Distinguish them from true Believers those that have a true lively justifying Faith I suppose the phrase was taken up from the Parable of the four sorts of grounds Luke 18.13 Our Saviour there compares some Hearers of the Word to the High-way-side that the Word doth not affect them at all a second sort to the Stony Ground that hear the Word with Joy but they have no Root of grace in them Ay and if such do abide to their Lives end with no other but such a kind of Faith as they have they could not be saved but they often especially if Persecution come lose that Historical Notional Faith and common enlightning they had the Hearts of these were never made good ground they were never ploughed up and sown with the Seed of special Grace to bring forth Fruit unto God The Scope of our
well that it is one part of the Corruption of our Nature by the fall to quarrel with the Great and Holy God concerning his Dispensations Gen. 3.12 Adam discovered this Temper when once his Nature was Corrupted The Woman which thou gavest me she gave me of the Tree this was nothing but quarrelling with God and Eve she said the Serpent beguiled me as if she had said why didst thou permit the Devil to tempt me Ah let there be an Holy Trembling and if the Lord do not for one as for another should Men quarrel with the Lord Luke 4.23 to 30. When our Saviour told the People that none could come to him except it were given unto him of the Father John 6.65 from that time many of his Disciples went back and walkt no more with him V. 66. In stead of being humbled at their own Impotency and Inability to come to Christ and looking to God to give them Faith by special Grace they quarrel with this Doctrine of the Effectual Grace of God and fall off We may conceive it to be the temper of the Damned in Hell to quarrel with the Holy Soveraignty of God as why did God suffer the Devil to tempt our first Parents which was the first inlet to all our Misery seeing he could have hindered it Why did God make our first Parents mutable in their Estate of Holiness and Happiness when as he fixt the Elect Angels in their Holiness and Happiness Why did God suffer the Devil and false Teachers to draw us to Errours of Judgment and Sins of Life which encrease our Condemnation when he knew how prone we were to Sin Why did God choose the other Company in Heaven and leave us to our selves Why had he not the same Love for us Why did he not give his Son to be an absolute and compleat Redemption for us and send his Spirit to turn us Effectually and Infallibly as he could have done and hath done for some as bad or worse than we by practice till the Lord turned them I say we may conceive that the Damned in Hell do thus quarrel with the Soveraignty of God in his Dispensations which should make us on Earth to have a care of all things that tend to a quarrelling with God's Dispensations for it is the Spirit and Frame of the Devils and Damned in Hell Therefore the way we are to take for our Salvation is to lay to Heart the Soveraignty and Greatness and Holiness of him with whom we have to do to be sensible of the Heinousness of Sin and to acknowledge that God is Righteous though he should take Vengeance on us to hearken to the Report of the Gospel that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners and that he that believes on him shall be sa ved and to pray and wait upon God to work upon our Hearts by an Invincible overcoming Power of his Spirit to believe that Jesus is the Son of God to rely on and trust in his Mediation and Righteousness and to give up our selves to be governed and sanctified by him 7. Consider that the Vniversal Common sufficient Grace to all Mankind which Men cry up though the Preachers of it may do it in the Simplicity of their Hearts and think they advanced the Glory of God by it yet it is Satans design thereby to rob God of the Glory of the Salvation of those that shall inherit everlasting Life and to make them their own Saviors for if notwithstanding what the Father did for any in Election the Son in Redemption the Holy Spirit in working upon their Hearts they might have perisht for ever then the chief praise must be to themselves to their ingenuity towardliness and care for themselves 8. Consider that if there were no other Election Redemption and Power of the Spirit for Conversion than Arminians speak of there had never any of the Children of Men been saved or would be 9. Consider that though the Lord do Condescend to speak after the manner of Men as for Instance Psal 81.13 Deut. 32.29 Yet all such Expressions must be understood so as to comport with the Immutability and Omnipotency of God 10. Consider that the true State of the Question between us and the Arminians is whether Christ dyed for any For whilst the Arminians make a great Noise of Christs dying for every Man and Woman of the Race of Adam they do indeed deny that he dyed for any in a Scripture Sense that is absolutely to make satisfaction for all their Sins absolutely to purchase Converting and Keeping Grace for them to be infallibly bestowed on them in the Lord 's appointed time and so indeed they make but a mock of that glorious Redemption by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they make it an insignificant thing they make little or rather nothing of it Sir I perceive you take it ill that I do not seek Acquaintance and Familiarity with you truly it is my Natural Temper to love Retirement and not to have much Acquaintance but as to your self I confess I do not desire intimacy with you because I told you the first time I ever spake with you about fifteen years since that one of your own Judgment about Baptism had charged you in Print that you set the Houses of God on fire where ever you came and that you pretended to be an Arch-bishop and to have Jurisdiction over other Churches or words to that purpose and since you came to live at Norwich you have been so quarrelsom with those of your own perswasion about Baptism and likewise with my worthy Friend Dr. Collings that I would observe the Counsel of the Scripture Prov. 22.24 make no Friendship with an angry Man and with a furious Man thou shalt not go If any of my Friends have spoken so rudely and harshly of you as you write I am sorry for it it doth not become Christians Tit. 3.23 and if you or any other that differ from me are Instruments of Real good to any I do therein rejoyce if you draw any to Error and make the weak to stumble I pray God to Convert them from the Error of their way I love all Men I hope the best of them that differ in Judgment I hope many hold some Errors but notionally and that in their dealing with God about their Eternal Conditions they make use of better Principles than they profess You find fault with Preachers having Curled Periwigs truly I am not for Preachers having frizled Periwigs or Plush Capes upon their Coats I like them not some are for a greater Latitude in these things than I am but I Love and Honour Godly Men though they can do some things that I durst not do my self Sir I pray do not trouble me with more Letters I have something else to do than to spend my time in vain janglings The God of Love and Peace be with you Your Affectionate Friend M. F. After this I Received an Answer to mine wherein he
to the End Salvation them he hath chosen to the Means to make them partakers of special Grace to be infallibly bestowed upon them Rom. 8.29 30. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first-born amongst many Brethren Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified 1. There are some that God did in an especial manner foreknow God did from Eternity foreknow all Persons and Things Ay but God is said to foreknow some in an especial manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a foreknowing with Love and Favour and special Regard He also did Predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son to make them Holy like Christ in their measure he shews that that Fore-knowledge that Free-love was the cause of predestinating them to Grace and Glory 2. To make it plainer he saith that whom he hath predestinated them he hath also called those whom God did Predestinate to Life from Eternity them he calls in time They are called according to his purpose v. 28. Observe God did not predestinate Species or Kinds or Qualities but Persons not predestinate Men that he foresaw would believe in Christ but he predestinated them to be savingly certainly and effectually called and this God effects in all that he hath predestinated to Life There is not one whom the Lord hath prededestinated to Life from Eternity but he calls him effectually in his own time Rom. 11.5 6 7. Even so at this present time also there is an Election of Grace and if by Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more Grace otherwise Work is no more Work What then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded The Body of the People of the Jews they were cast of they were left to their own unbelief and blindness of Heart Now lest any should wonder at this the Apostle saith God hath not cast off his people whom he foreknew that is whom he had Elected unto Life God never fails of Converting and Saving them and shews that as in the great defection in the time of Elias God had a Remnant a few that did cleave unto him even so now at this present time also there is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace tho' the generality of the Jews do not believe in Christ yet there are some do believe the Elect do He lets them know that there is an Election and that of Grace of meer Grace and that tho' others do not believe in Christ yet the Remnant the few that God of his Grace had Elected they believed and were saved And v. 6. he shews that both Election Vocation and Justification are of meer Grace in Christ and not of Works and Worthiness in the Creature at all that those that are elected and do believe in Christ when others are not elected and so never have it given them to come to Christ it was purely from the free Grace of God to them and so concludes The Election that is those who are elected to Salvation they obtain Grace and Glory and the rest of Men and Women then and so likewise in all Ages they are blinded they are left to themselves and to their Sins I might mention many other Scriptures but these may suffice Ay but saith this Author in that 27th page No Man that is an unregenerate Sinner is actually elected till he turns from Sin and accepts God's Mercy by Faith Revel 17.14 These shall make War with the Lamb. and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are Called and Chosen and Faithful To say that no Man is actually elected till he turns from his Sin and accepts of God's Mercy by Faith is to confound the immanent Acts of God with his transient Acts. Election is an immanent Act of God 't is the Purpose of God towards Persons from Eternity Conversion is a transient Act of God in time wherein he puts forth his Power and Converts according to his Eternal Purpose and Grace and for that only Text this Author brings it seems plainly to be meant of those that shall destroy the Whore of Babylon who may be said to be called and chosen and faithful in that Work tho' they were never called to be Saints never elected to Salvation never truly faithful As Cyrus of old was called God's Anointed and his Servant in being an Instrument of God's taking Vengeance tho' he was a Heathen Carnal-man But take it for Effectual Calling being chosen to Salvation and faithful in Christ it signifieth nothing at all to your purpose I hope that they that are chosen from Eternity may be said to be chosen to all Eternity Once chosen of God and ever chosen It may be said here in this Life and a thousand of Years hence and to all Eternity that they are the chosen of God for he abides by his choice for ever Then you say that none are actually Reprobated till they depart from God or reject his Mercy and Goodness which he graciously holds forth to them Rom. 1.28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge God gave them over to a Reprobate Mind to do those things which are not convenient The Scope of the Apostle is to shew that the Gentiles that he speaks of had so much knowledge of God as to leave them without excuse v. 20. so have all that perish But those Gentiles that the Apostle there speaks of had not so much as sufficient outward means to bring them to know God in Christ but they so grosly prevaricated against the Light of Nature to change the Glory of the Incorruptible-God into an Image of Corruptible-Man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things that God in his Righteous Judgment gave them up to vile Affections they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge that is they did not walk according to that Knowledge of God they had by the Light of Nature for knowledg of God in Christ which alone can bring Men to Eternal Life they had none therefore God gave them over to a Reprobate Mind They had a Reprobate Mind by Nature and so have all Men that is a Mind void of Judgment and Understanding till God takes it away God's Decree to deny his Grace to Persons from Eternity is one thing and a Reprobate Mind a Mind void of Understanding is another thing and is more or less as God gives up Men to themselves and this saith he is so clear that those who are our Adversaries are forced to allow it for thus they speak chap. 11. of their Confession of Faith God did from all Eternity decree to justifie
the Elect notwithstanding they are not justified till the Holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ to them I answer that when the Assembly of Divines say that God did from all Eternity Decree to justifie the Elect yet they are not justified till the Holy Spirit doth actually apply Christ You seem to have quite forgotten what you were treating of and so instead of casting a slur upon the Assembly of Divines you cast a great slur upon your self as if you did not at all understand what you write of for observe you are writing of Election and you bring a passage of the Assembly about Justification you would prove if you could that none are actually Elected until they believe and say that the Assembly are forced to allow that none are actually justified till they do believe Surely that grave Assembly of Divines was never so abused as by you they knew well enough what they said I would you had the thousandth part of the Knowledge they had The Assembly say well that God decreed to justifie the Elect from Eternity and so he decreed to Sanctifie them from Eternity but they are neither actually Justified nor Sanctified until the Holy Spirit do call them Election is one thing Justification is another Election is an Immanent Act of God and from Eternity Justification is a transient Act of God towards the Elect in time Ay but this Author will make this matter evident to every considerate Reader viz. that none are actually Elected until they be Converted Saith he All that are actually elected have an Inheritance in the Kingdom of God and none can lay any thing to their charge 1 Pet. 1.2 3 4. Rom. 8.33 But no unbelieving Drunkard Whoremonger hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Eph. 5.5 And these Impieties may be laid to their charge therefore no unbelieving Drunkard Whoremonger or Idolater is actually Elected 1. To explain this 1. There is an Eternal Predestinating some Persons to the Heavenly Inheritance by the meer good pleasure of God's Will Ephes 1.11 In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the Counsel of his own Will Here the Apostle shews that whether they be Jews who first trusted in Christ or Gentiles who were brought to trust in Christ after the Jews v. 12 13. yet whatsoever they are Jews or Gentiles that truly trust in Christ they have obtained a right to the Heavenly Inheritance Then he shews how they come to be partakers of this Grace to have Christ given for them and given to them and this he shews in these words Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the Counsel of his own Will He would have them know that all that God doth for them in time is because he had predestinated them and chosen them from Eternity to Grace and Glory So let that be well observed that all that God hath predestinated to Life have the Heavenly Inheritance allotted and appointed to them it is theirs by Predestination by Election 2. There is a Title to the Heavenly Inheritance by the purchase of Christ the Mediator 3. There is an actual right to the Heavenly Inheritance by Regeneration and Adoption These three things considered the Answer to this Author is That all that are saved had a Title to the Heavenly Inheritance from Eternity by Election by the Gracious Decree of God the Kingdom of God was prepared for them to Eternity Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World As if our Saviour had said You that are saved look to the first cause of it you were Blessed of my Father he elected you from Eternity he gave me to die for you he called you in due season and made you a peculiar People zealous of good Works and thus you come to inherit the Kingdom Again The Elect before Conversion have Right in Christ their Head to the heavenly Inheritance before they be called because Christ hath purchased it for them Yea Eternal Life was promised to Christ for them as their Head in the Covenant of Redemption before the World began Tit. 1.12 But when the Apostle saith that no wicked Man hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of God Ephes 5.5 the meaning is only that though God may have purposed in his Eternal Counsel to give the Heavenly Inheritance to a Man that for the present is ungodly and Christ the Mediator may have purchased the Heavenly Inheritance yet this is a secret thing known only to God himself But for what appears yet to the unregenerate Man himself or to others he hath no Part nor Lot in that Heavenly Inheritance As for those Words Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect The Apostle had said Ver. 30. Whom he predestinated them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified The Apostle seems in this place to answer to two Objections that some might make 1. That it is long before some that are predestinated are called and if they be not called they cannot be justified and so if they should die before they are called What will become of them The Apostle shews that though God hath not yet called them he will call them and though there might be a Charge of innumerable Sins against an elect Person before he be converted yet Who shall lay them to the Charge of God's Elect to damn them in Hell They are Elect and God's Election stops any Arrest of an Elect Person so as that he cannot be thrown into Hell The Elect have a Reprieve in order to their Pardon in God's Time 2. It might be objected That whereas the Apostle had said Ver. 30. Whom he hath called them he also justified Have not the Elect after they are called if they live any long time after their Conversion committed many Sins that might be laid to their Charge They did not sin only before they were called but sin much after they are called How then are they justified The Apostle answers Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect with effect so as to bring them to Damnation in Hell Though every Sin they commit doth deserve Eternal Damnation yet 't is God with whom they have to do and seeing he will not take Vengeance but glorifie his Free Grace in Christ to them who hath to do with it God that may do it he justifies them Yea the Apostle goes on and shews v. 34. that the Elect are secured from Eternal Damnation in Hell not only by Election but by Redemption That though they have deserved it as well as others yet saith the Apostle who shall condemn that is the Elect eventually and eternally Indeed they are condemned by the Law till they be in Christ But who shall condemn them