19 20 21. It pleased the father by him to reconcile all things to himself Tit. 3. 4. After that the kindness and pity of God our Saviour towards man appeared Iohn 12. 47. For I came not to judge the world but to save the world Iohn 15. 13. Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friend Rev. 1. 5. He loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. The love of Christ Constraineth us c. II. They hold that Christ by the merit of his death hath so far forth reconciled God the Father to all mankinde that the Father by reason of his Sons merit both could and would and did enter and establish a new and gracious Covenant with sinful man liable to Condemnation Proofes out of Holy Scripture 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them Col. 1. 21 22. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death Isa 49. 8. I will give thee for a Covenant of the people i. e. A mediator and foundation of the Covenant of grace Deodat Annot Isa 53. per tot verse 10 11 12. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin He shall see his seed and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Act. 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins See Ier. 31. 31 33 34. ch 33. 8. Mich. 7. 18 19 20. with Hebr. 8. 6. c. He is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises viz. I will put my lawes into their minde and I will be mercifull to their unrighteousness c. Hebr. 9. 14 15. c. How much more shall the blood of Christ and for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance See chap. 10. per totum chap. 7. 22. chap. 12. 24 25. III. They hold that though Christ hath merited reconciliation with God and pardon of sins for all and every man yet according to the tenour of the new and gracious Covenant none is indeed made partaker of the benefits purchased by the death of Christ otherwise then by faith nor are a mans sins pardoned before he actually believes in Christ Proofes out of holy Scripture None made partakers otherwise then by faith Romans 3. 24 25. Being 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 bloud Heb. 11. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please God Romans 9. 33. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded 1 Timothy 4. 10. He is the Saviour specially of those that believe Col. 1. 19. to the 23. For it pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things unto himself And you hath he now reconciled to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight If ye continue in the faith c. Heb. 3. 6 14. We are made partakers of Christ if we hold fast c. Heb. 9. 15. He is the Mediator that by means of death they which are called Cum Eventu might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Iohn 1. 12. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name See Gal. 3. 22. Nor are a mans sins pardoned before he believes Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins See Acts 26. 18. Chapter 13. 39. See John 3. 36. Rom. 3. 21 22. The righteousness of God without the law is manifested even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Romans 4 3 24. Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness and it shall be imputed to us also if we believe See the whole Chapter Gal. 2 26. We have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ Gal. 3. 11. See Gal. 3. 22. The just shall live by faith Romans 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God See Acts 2. 38. Isa 53. 11. IV. They hold that only they for whom Christ died are bound to believe that Christ died for them and if there were any for whom Christ died not they should not be bound to believe he died for them or condemned for not believing yea if there were any such Reprobates they should rather be bound to believe that he died not for them Proofs out of Scripture Only they bound to believe c. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. with 21. ye were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ who was manifest for you who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God Iohn 14. 1 2 3. Believe also in me Why I goe to prepare a place for you and I will receive you to my selfe See 1 Cor. 15. 2 3. with the 14 verse Whence it followes that they for whose sins Christ died not and for whose justification he rose not again to them preaching is vain and their faith is vain for they do but believe an untruth and lean upon the staffe of a broken reed Accordingly as was alleaged above Maccovius saith A man must first believe Christ to be his Saviour which he cannot be unless he hath died for him and that must be the reason why he placeth his faith in him Rather believe that he died not for them For Deut. 29. 29. Those things which are revealed belong to us And Luke 24. 25. O fooles and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken If it be a revealed truth that Christ died not for the Reprobates then are they bound to believe he died not for them But if it be not a truth revealed why is it then preached and urged as an Article of faith What they doe not hold touching Christs death I. They do utterly deny that the price of Redemption which Christ tendered unto God his Father was not according to the decree will and grace of God the Father paid for all and every man that so the greatest part of mankinde should by an absolute and antecedent decree of God be precisely shut out from the participation of the benefits of Christs death The Reason 1. Mat. 18. 11. Luke 19. 10. Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was
God Rom. 5. 1. Tilenus Tentatus Sir I know these are excellent Cordialls to the soul that is perswaded she hath a reall interest in them but they are designed onely for a very small number as the doctrine of the Synod hath determined For those Divines tell us that Almighty God did by an absolute decree elect certain particular persons to salvation neither considering the death of his Son nor the faith of those elect in that decree but then decreed to give his Son to die for them and irresistibly to work in them a saving faith to lay hold upon that his Son and actually to apply all the said benefits to themselves for whose salvation only they were all prepared and designed Now all the promises of salvation in Christ how universally soever propounded being by your Doctrine restrained onely to these Elect amongst whom that I should reckon my self neither any particular mention of me in Scripture nor any revelation by Angel or Prophet out of it doth assure me and the number of them according to your computation being so small in proportion to the Reprobates there is so much odds against me that I have reason to be afraid that I am inlisted under the greater multitude When Christ said to his Apostles One of you shall betray me though the odds were eleven to one on the Innocent parties side yet it raised so much scruple and suspition in all their bosomes as made them very anxious and inquisitive Matth. 26. 22. Master is it I Were the number of the Reprobates for whom you say Christ died not far more disproportionable to the elect yet the sad apprehension of those eternal torments fatally link'd to the end of that horrible decree would prompt me to entertain fears jealousies more than enough lest I should be filed upon that chain having no assurance to the Contrary How much more should fearfullness and trembing surprize me when I consider how few the Elect are even amongst the vast multitudes of such as are called Mr. Simulans Seeing it hath pleased the wisdom of Almighty God to keep his immutable Decrees as well that of Reprobation as that of Election locked up in the secret Cabinet of his own unsearchable Counsell we are to govern our judgment by the rule of Charity which beleeveth all things and hopeth all things 1 Cor. 13 Tilenus Tentatus I confesse the judgement of Charitie is a try'd and equall beame in many Cases but if you extend it generally and apply it unto all particulars it must needs be very false and I am confident you dare not avouch the trueth of it in such a latitude or if you dare you are no more able to maintaine it than I can beleeve these two contrary propositions at once that Jesus Christ died for all and yet that he died for a very small number 2. It is not the judgement of my Charity but the certaintie of my faith that must give me assurance and comfort in this particular 3. Charitable judgement is a fair standard to measure the doubtfull actions of our neighbour by and commands us to cover his infirmities and stifle the too light conception of suspitions and sinister opinions touching him but bindes us not to preach falshood to him to induce him against his own reason to foster too good an opinion of himself When I see a man present himself to the Holy Sacrament the judgement of Charity perswades mee knowing nothing to the contrary that he addresses himself to it with that preparation of heart that becomes a good Christian But that such as are rightly prepared and qualified do partake thereof to their salvation this I beleeve by the judgement of faith which admâ—tteth nothing that is or can be false So when I see a sick man render his soul up with much devotion and resignation into the hands of Christ I beleeve charitably that he dies as becomes a faithfull Christian But that God communicateth his salvation to such as die in the profession and obedience of the right faith this I beleeve by the certainty of faith wherein it is impossible I should be deceived though the judgment of Charity deceives us very often In a word the judgment of charity is a good standing measure betwixt man and man but it is not current betwixt man and his own Conscience much lesse betwixt him and God I know I am not to be relieved but by such succours as are levied upon the divine promises and those promises having their foundation and infallibilitie in the undeceivable truth of God they require such a certaintie of faith as will admit no mixture of any thing false or doubtfull Besides when I do inquire which act of faith hath the prioritie viz. to beleeve in Christ or to beleeve Christ to be my Saviour in particular I am taught by some of your Divines Maccovius by name that I must in the first place beleeve that Christ is my Saviour and that is the cause of the other act or the reason why I place my faith in him Now if Christ died only for a few particular persons and all the promises made in him belong to those few onely unlesse I could find some mention of my name amongst them or receive some revelation from heaven to that effect how can I with any certainty or assurance build my faith upon it that I am one of them Mr. Tako'trust We are bound to think every one is of the number of the Elect till it appears to the contary Tilen Tentatus This is but singing the old note ever again This is still your judgement of Charity which though it suppresseth all suspicion in you towards me yet can it not cure those feares and jealousies which I have but with too great reason conceived of my self As for your appearances to the contrary I cannot understand them much lesse set any value upon them for by such outward things the Synod is ready to tell us we can never perceive any thing of what belongs to the state of Election or Reprobation I am beholding to you that waving the severity of your reason you will make use of a charitable supposition to flatter me into an opinion that I am one of that little Flock for which Christ dyed But there is nothing can secure and comfort me but a full and certain perswasion that I am one of them which you will never be able to work in me denying that Christ died for all unlesse you can find some particular and undeniable evidence of my interest in him Mr. Indefectible You should reflect upon your former experience of God's gratious work in you That spirit of adoption sent out into the hearts of Gods Elect to bear witness to their spirits though he may become silent and not speak peace to them in such an audible language of comfort as is alwayes apprehended by them yet he abides with them for ever Spiritual injoyments are different from these outward and carnal ones we
may lose their taste and relish as to sensible refreshment but not their real presence as influencing to Salvation Tilenus Tentatus Some comfortable apprehensions might be awakened and kindled in those bosomes that have been warmed with such sweet and heavenly experiences if they were not all overcast and darkned again by other black and dismal clouds which the observation of some of your greatest Divines have spread over them For Mr. Calvin himself Instit 1. 3. c. 2. § 10 11. saith The heart of man hath so many starting holes and secret corners of vanitie and lying and is cloathed with so many colours of guileful bypocrisie that it oftentimes deceiveth it self and besides experience sheweth that the Reprobates are sometimes moved with the same feelings that the Elect are so that in their own judgement they nothing differ from the Elect. See Heb. 6. 4 5. But the truth is though I have lived a good moral life hitherto and in a way of duty have had a comfortable dependence upon the mercy of God in Christ Jesus yet I am now affraid I have had none of those extraordinary snavities and refreshments of Gods spirit and consequently have no assurance of the presence of that comforter who is promised shall abide with us for ever Mr. Knowlittle You are to consider that all the Elect are not called at the same hour Tilenus Tentatus I should not stand upon the hour I could be content that God may take his own time to call me if you could in order to my present comfort insure me that I shall be called though it be but at the hour of death but this is that I am afraid you have no grounds for Mr. Take o'trust You may be confident that Christ is dead for you and that you have an interest in him so you can believe it Tilenus Tentatus I would desire to ask but these two questions 1. Whether this comfort be applicable to all and every sick and afflicted persons and 2. whether it be grounded upon the truth For if it be not to be applied unto all I may be amongst the excepted persons and so am not concerned in it or if it be not grounded upon the truth you offer me a delusion instead of comfort Mr. Take o'trust It is applicable unto all and every one and grounded upon the unquestionable truth of the Holy Gospel Tilenus Tentatus If it be applicable to all and every one as you affirm and grounded upon the truth that is as I conceive a rruth anâ—ecedent to their believing then it follows undeniably that Christ died for all in general and for every one in speciall else how can the comfort of this doctrin be so applied to them as you would have it But if your meaning be that it will become true to me or any other person that Christ died for us by that Act of faith which you would have me or any such other person give unto your speeches then you run into a manifest absurditie maintaining that the object of faith or the thing proposed to be believed doth receive its truth from the act of the believer and depend upon his consent whose faith and approbation can no more make true that which in it self is false then make false by his unbelief that which in it self is true Well may the Infidel deprive himself of the fruit of Christ's death but he cannot bring to pass by his unbelief that he hath not suffered it as a proofe of his love to mankinde On the other side the believer may receive benefit from the death of Christ but his act of faith doth not effect but necessarily suppose that death as suffered for him before it can be exercised about it or lay hold upon it Nay my believing is so far from procuring Christs death for me that on the contrary our great Divines do maintain quod nemo unquam fidem habeat nisi morte meritis Christi procuratam that I cannot have faith unless it be procured for me by the merits and death of Christ And because I cannot finde this faith in me I may conclude he hath not procured it for me and consequently that he hath not died for me neither and this you know is the ground of all my trouble Dr. Dubius Sir I wish you to take heed of that evil heart of unbelief as the Apostle calls it Heb. 3. and to that end remember the words of our Saviour John 3. ult He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Tilenus Tentatus Sir instead of lending me a clew to guide me out of that Maze of difficulties into which the prodigious Divinity of the Synod hath led me you intangle me much more in it For whereas the Apostle saith that God sends strong delusions to such as will not receive the love of the truth that they may be saved 2 Thes 2. You governing your discourse by those principles would first perswade men to believe a false proposition when you exhort every man to believe that Christ died for him which is false according to that Doctrin and then having believed this falshood they are punished by the spirit of errour to believe a lie I beseech you which way would you have me turn my self to get out of these perplexities Having instructed me to believe a doctrin that turns my obedience into punishment and makes my following the truth according to that Calculation the sure way to aggravate my damnation For if the Synod saith true and Christ be not dead for them that believe not in him how do they deserve to be punished for not believing that which is false And those that do obey the Commandement and believe in his death though but for a time why suffer they the punishment due only to the refractory and incredulous which is to believe a lie Mr. Knowlittle Sir you must not think to beguile us with your vain Philosophie we are too well established in these saving truths to be perverted by such Sophistrie Tilenus If you have no better Cordials for afflicted Consciences nor firmer props to support the necessitie of your ministerie than what the doctrins of the Synod will afford you I am afraid the most vulgar capacities will finde Logick enough to conclude from the premises that your office is altogether useless and impertinent Laying aside therefore the person of the Infidel Carnal Tepid and Afflicted whose parts I have hitherto acted to make a practical trial of the efficacie of your ministery upon them according to the tenour and consequences of those doctrins I beseech you sadly to reflect upon what hath already pass'd betwixt and consider further what a vertiginous spirit presided in that Synod that led those Divines Maugre all the reason to the contrary to denie some things which the Scripture expresly doth affirm and to affirm other things which the Scripture doth as
expresly denie They denie the universalitie of the merits of Christ's death which the Scripture abundantly proclaimeth and yet they do exhort and injoyn all men upon peril of damnation to believe in him as if the Author of all truth did not only allow but also command some men to believe falshood They exhort and command every one to believe that he is elected to salvation though indeed he be a very Reprobate and that he cannot lose faith and grace once received which the Scripture in express terms denieth And as the denial of Christ's universal redemption takes away all the solid ground of comfort so the asserting the Saint's indefectibilitie overthrows the necessitie of exhortation with the usefulness of promises and threatnings to inforce it for who will valew such admonitions Harden not your hearts take heed lest ye fall receive not the grace of God in vain When he is instructed to believe that he can never be so far wanting to the grace of God nor harden his heart nor fall from his standing so far as to indanger his salvation and who will denie himself upon the assault of a gallant temptation especially the present satisfaction of his lusts and passions for the reversion of a Kingdome who is perswaded there are several decrees past in Heaven as well to necessitate as secure him in the Succedaneous injoyment of them both And who will be frighted from the pleasures of sin with the threatned danger of damnation unless a fit of Melancholy transports him into that folly which believes it is no more possible to happen to him then for God to lie or his immutable decrees to be rescinded In brief when we consider the consequences of that doctrin that the absolute decrees of Heaven do not only over-rule but also predetermine every individual action of mankinde so that 't is impossible for the indeavours and wit of man to make any one of them happen at any other time or after any other manner then they do may we not as far as that doctrin can warrant us conclude that it is God's only fault that so many men prove Infidels and Profane Lukewarm and desperate because it is he that doth withhold that grace which is absolutely necessary to work an effectual alteration and change in them And resolve that it were therefore fit that all preachers forbearing to importune the weak creature to attempt any of those mere impossibilities to which he hath at most but a passive power should direct their admonitions to God alone that he would perform what is his own work onely in the hearts of men that is to Convert Correct provoke and comfort them by such an invincible arme of efficiency as cannot be resisted The benefit of the word preached being thus totally evacuated by these doctrines we shall find no more use or comfort in the Sacraments but so far forth as we can observe the very same Ministers in the very administration of them to overthrow their own unhappy doctrin for to every one they baptize they apply the promises of the Covenant of grace contrary to their own Tenet which that they belong nothing at all to the Reprobates Likewise the Lord's Supper is given to all with the assurance Christ died for all them that receive it though their own Tenet is that he no way died for them who receive it unworthily and to their condemnation whose number is not small among our Reformed Congregations even by their own Confession What more The very exercises of praier wherein the Pastour and the flock are joynt petitioners shall be found of no use or comfort unto either since they all either Elect or Reprobate for the Elect obtaine no new thing by this means if God hath written them as the â—ynod saies from all Eternitie in the Book of life without any relation to or consideration of their faith and prayers and that it is impossible they should be blotted out of it And the Reprobates can never cause themselves to be inrolâ—ed therein by any exercises of faith or prayers no more than they are able to disanull the immutable Decree of God Gentlemen I begg your pardon and shall trouble you no further but onely to desire you to ponder those many prejudices that lie against such a Religion as is rather repugnant than operative to the Conversion of an Infidel and the correction of the carnall and the quickning of the careless and the consolation of the afflicted And if the doctrine maintained and delivered by the Divines of that Synod and their Adherents doth frustrate and nullifie the preaching of the word and the use of the Sacraments and the exercise of prayer it overthrowes the sacred function of the Ministery which consist's in the faithfull administration of wholsome Doctrine and good Discipline and gives such a totall defeat to the whole designe of the Divine Ordinances I hope you will out of your great Pietie and Prudence not think it reasonable to make the profession of such faith or Doctrine your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Shiboleth Judg. 12. 6. to discerne your Examinats and passe them in the account of the Godly Ministers Dr. Absolute Withdraw withdraw withdraw Mr. Fatality Withdraw withdraw withdraw Mr. Frie-babe Withdraw withdraw withdraw Dr. Absolute Brethren what think you of this man now you have heard him discover himself so fully Mr. Fatality The man hath a competent measure of your ordinary unsanctified learning But you may say he hath studied the Ancient Fathers more than our Modern Divines such as Mr. Calvin and Mr. Perkins and alas they threw away their enjoyments and their lives too some of them for they knew not what they understood little or nothing of the Divine Decrees or the power of Grace and Godlinesse This great light was reserved for the honor of after-ages to be held forth and displayed in Mr. Efficax He may be an honest Morall man but I cannot perceive that he hath been much acquainted with sinne nor very sensible of the nature of Repentance I confesse for my own part I was never much taken with these Obadiah's that cry I thy servant feare the Lord from my youth 1 King 18. 12. give me your experimentall Divines The burnt childe will dread the fire and as Jude adviseth will have compassion upon their brethren having been tempted themselves and will save them with fear using a holy violence to pluck them out of the burning I remember Mr. Calvin confesfeth in an Epistle to Bucer that he had a great conflict with that wilde beast of impatience that raged in him and that it was not yet tamed He would frequently reproach his brethren especially if they dissented from him in the matter of predestination c. by the name of Knave and Dogg and Satan And he so vexed the Spirit of Bucer that he provoked the good mild man to write thus to him Judicas prout amas vel odisti amas autem vel odisti prout libet That his
whereby he would bring some unto life and disappoint others of the benefit thereof according to such decree The reason hereof in the several branches is to be collected from the proof of the foregoing and following articles yet that it may further appear 1. That God did not create c. Consider that He made man after his own image Gen. 1. 27. 2. Gave him the tree of life Gen. 2. 9. 3. That he hates sin Psalm 5. 4 5. Hab. 1. 13. 4. And cannot be tempted with evil James 1. 13 14 15 17. 5. And desireth not the death of a sinner Ezek. 18. 31. c. 33. 11. 6. That sin was from the suggestion of the Devil Gen. 3. 1. 7. And mans voluntary compliance with him Eccles 7. 29. 2. That he procureth not the Gospel c. Consider 1. He is merciful to all Psalm 145. 8 9. Acts 14. 16 17. Chapter 17. 26 27. Would not that any should perish Ezek. 18. 23 31. Cha. 33. 11. See John 3. 17. 2 Chron. 24. 19. But that all should come to faith and repentance 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 9. And 2. Christ having died for all 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. Heb. 2. 9. He invites all Mat. 11. 28. And upbraids such as wilfully refuse to embrace his offered grace and salvation Iohn 5. 34 40. IV. They do utterly denie that Christ the Mediator is only the executor of the decree of Election and not the foundation thereof The places cited above in proof of the affirmative is sufficient reason hereof And note here once for all that whensoever the Affirmative is sufficiently proved the Negative is thereby utterly overthrown because both parts of a contradiction can never be true V. They do utterly deny that the cause why some are effectually called justified persevere in faith and are glorified is because they are absolutely elected to eternal life The Reason Acts 10. 34 35. See Gen. 4. 6 7. God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Rom. 10. 11 12. For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him See Jam. 2. 5. 2 Thes 2. 13. and all the rest of those places cited above for the affirmative conditional Election VI. They do utterly deny that the cause why others are left in the lapse and Christ not given to them and that they are not at all or uneffectually called and so hardened and damned is because they are reprobated from eternal life by an antecedent decree The Reason Prov. 5. 22. See Mic. 7. 18. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin Isa 59. 2. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you See the places cited above for the affirmative viz. for respective reprobation Also the Texts cited for Christs satisfaction and the administration of necessary and sufficient means unto salvation VII They do utterly deny that God did decree without respect unto actual sins coming between to leave in the fall of Adam the far greater part of mankinde shut out of all hope of salvation The Reason Gen. 3. 15. ch 9. 8 9. Isa 49. 8. Christ is promised and given for a Covenant and means of restauration Gen. 22. 16 18. See Rom. 1. 18. chap. 2. 8. Deut. 24. 16. 2 King 14. 6. Eph. 5. 7 11. See the Texts cited for his satisfaction Ezek. 18. 2 3 4. What mean ye that ye use this proverb The Fathers have eaten sowr grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge As I live saith the Lord God ye shall not haâ—e occasion any more to use this Proverb Behold all souls are mine as the soul of the father so also the soul of the son is mine the soul that sinneth it shall die Ier. 31. 29 30. They shall say no more The fathers have eaten a sowr grape and the childrens teeth are set on edge But every one shall die for his own iniquity every man that eateth the sowr grape his teeth shall be set on edge See Isa 27. 11. It is a people without understanding therefore he that made them will have no pity on them Gen. 4. 6 7. Eph. 5. 5 6. The wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience Prov. 1. 24. c. Because I have called and ye refused c. 1 Cor. 9. 27. I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my selfe should be a cast-away See Prov. 5. 22. Isa 59. 2. VIII They do utterly deny that God did destin by an absolute decree to give Christ a Mediator only to the Elect and to give faith to them alone by an effectual calling to justifie and continue them in the faith and glorifie them alone The reason of this appears in the Texts cited above for Christs satisfaction and those which follow for the universality of his merit in the Second Article or Question To which nothing is needful to be added IX They do utterly deny that many even all the reprobates are rejected from eternal life and means lufficient thereunto by an absolute and antecedent decree so as neither the merit of Christ nor vocation nor any gift of the spirit can or do avail unto their Salvation The Reason Because God created man after his own image and approved him to be very good Gen. 1. 27 31. and to the judge of all the earth the righteous are not dealt with as the wicked Gen. 18. 25. For he is good to all and his tender mercy is over all his works Psal 145. 8 9. He will not the death of a sinner Ezek. 18. ch 33. almost throughout See Iob 34. 23. 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Mans destruction is of himself Hos 13. 9. Rom 6. 23. ch 1. 32. for he despiseth mercy Rom. 2. 4 5. Luk. 7. 30. Acts 13. 46. See Mat. 22. 2. to the 15. Luke 14. 24. Hebr 10. 26. c. Iohn 3. 19. See 2 Chron. 24. 19. and 36. 15 16. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather then light because their deeds are evill Ezek. 24. 13. In filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. See Prov. 1. 29 30 31. Rom. 2. 8. c. 1. 18. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness See likewise all the places cited for the affirmative viz. respective reprobation X. They do utterly
in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe Isa 53. 6. He laid upon him the iniquity of us all And Christ died for all for every man for the world for the whole world for the unjust and disobedient finally such 1 Pet. 3. 18 with the 20. for the ungodly for sinners for his enemies as was said above 2. Also for as many as died in Adam Rom. 5. 12 18. 1 Cor. 15. 22. As by the offence of one man c. 2 Cor. 5. 14. 3. For as many as are bound to believe in him as was declared above 4. For as many as are bound to adore and serve him 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your c. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. with Rom. 14. 9. We thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that he might be Lord of all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them See Eph. 1. 12. 5. For as many as we are bound to pray for in Christs name 1 Tim. 2. 1 5 6. I exhort that supplications be made for all men For there is one Mediator who gave himselfe a ransome for all 6. For such as crucifie him a fresh to themselves Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. c. 10. 29. For such as deny him and finally do perish 2 Pet. 2. 1. See Rom. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 8. 11. II. They do utterly deny that the immediate fruit of the death of Christ is the actual pardon of sins or which is the same in effect that sins are pardoned unto sinners before they do actually believe in Christ The Reason Rom. 10. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness See Gal. 3. 22. Heb. 11. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please God Marke 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned Iohn 3. 18 36. He is condemnâ—d already the wrath of God abideth on him See proofes for the affirm III. They do utterly deny that Reprobates as some call them for whom Christ died not if there were any such are bound notwithstanding to believe in him and to believe that they are elected unto glory and that therefore those that believe not shall be condemned justly yea shall therefore be punished with more grievous torments by Almighty God The Reason 1. Iob 13. 7. Will ye speak wickedly for God And talk deceitfully for him Ier. 10. 1â— He is the God of truth Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. that cannot lye All his Commandements are truth righteousness and faithfulnesse Psal 119. 86 151 172. And Rom. 15. 8. Christ was a Minister for the truth of God and no lie is of the truth 1 Iohn 2. 21. 2. If we meet with false Prophets and dissemblers for all their fair speeches he bid us Believe them not Ier. 12. 6. Mat. 24. 23. Prov. 26. 25. 3. He denounceth grievous judgments against such Prophets as go about to induce the people to trust in a lye Ier. 28. 25. chap. 29. 31. 4. It is a sore judgement inflicted only upon the obstinate and refractory and therefore certainly no duty of them that are not such to be given up to such Errours 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness So that the God of truth and righteousness doth not binde men as a part of their duty to believe falshood much less punish them with more grievous torments for not believing it 5. Iob 8. 3. Doeth God pervert judgement or doth the Almighty pervert justice Ioâ— 34. 10 12. Yea surely God will not doe wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert judgement and ver 23. He will not lay upon man more then is right that he should enter into judgment with God The state of the Controversie touching the Universality of Christs death Whether Christ Jesus out of a serious and gratious purpose and decree of God the Father suffered that most bitter and shameful death that he might bring into favour with God onely some few and those formerly and in particular chosen to eternal life by an absolute decree or that he might merit and obtain reconciliation with God for all and every sinner without difference by doing and suffering those things which divine justice by sin offended did require to be done and suffered before he would enter a new gracious Covenant with sinners and open the door of salvation to them The decision is conteined in the former Assertions and Negations The Third and Fourth Articles Controverted which are touching the grace of God in the Conversion of Man What the Remonstrants hold I. THey hold that a man hath not saving faith of himselfe nor from the power of his own free will seeing while he is in the state of sin he cannot of himselfe nor by himselfe think or will or do any saving good in which kinde faith in Christ is eminent but must needs by God in Christ through the power of the Holy Ghost be regenerated and renewed in his minde affections will and all his powers that he may aright understand will and meditate and do that which is savingly good Proofs out of Holy Scripture Not faith or any saving good of himself c. Ephes 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darkness Rom. 7. 5. When we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded all in unbelief Ephes 2. 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Phil. 1. 8 9. To you it is given to believe 1 Cor. 12. 3. None can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost who is therefore called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God Rom. 5. 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly Iohn 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing Iohn 6. 44 45 65. No man can come to me except the Father draw him Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Must needs be regenerated c. John 3. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and this I say brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15. Iohn 3. 3 5. Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Tit. 3. 4 5 6. Not