see that I am herein mistaken and out of the way Secondly As touching my Judgment herein I do affirm and that in truth God knows I lye not I honestly and fairly acquainted my now Reproachers what I was in my Judgment as to this very Point when they first discovered an Inclination to call me to take the Pastoral Charge of their Souls About this they and I had several occasional Discourses Pro. and Con. for and against it and in conclusion they with the rest of the Covenanters with God in a Church way did own themselves fully convinc'd that the Congregational way of Church Government was most certainly the way of the Gospel and as such they freely closed with me If what I have now asserted be deny'd I shall by Authentique Testimonies make the same good to their Faces I come to the second Branch of the Charge viz. My being a great Enemy to Mr. Baxter c. In answer whereto I possitively affirm that I never in my Life had any Prejudice against Mr. Baxter save only to dislike and caution my Flock against some Notions of his wherein I conceived him to be Heterodox in the Foundation Principle of Justification I told my Auditory as plainly as I could speak that in mentioning Mr. Baxter's Name my design was not to meddle in Judging him as touching his Eternal State only what of Corruption I found in his Books I judg'd it my Duty to take notice thereof and to caution my Hearers who had his Books to beware of such Notions And what I did herein I did it God and my Conscience knows in Faithfulness to Christ and the Souls of those committed to my Pastoral Charge by the Great Shepherd of the Sheep But to say that Mr. Baxter was Damn'd in Hell I abhor the very hearing or thoughts of such a thing neither dares any one living except a cauteriz'd and brazen fac'd Sinner to charge such a Slander on me so far was I from uttering such an uncharitable I may say Infernal Expression that I plainly spoke the contrary as my Judgment of him declaring that I hoped Mr. Baxter was with Christ in Glory and that I dare to think no otherwise As for what of Corruption which is mixt with his Writings I told my Auditory I lookt on that as a part of the Wood Hay and Stubble intended by the Apostle in 1 Cor. 3.12 of which Mr. Baxter will I doubt not suffer the Loss in the Great day though he himself be saved he holding Christ the Foundation firm and stedfast to the end as in Charity I hope he did The third Branch of the charge is that I affirmed that Christ had but two or three right Gospel Ministers who Preach Christ truly in and about London To this I answer in the Negative viz. That I never thought or spoke such a thing either in or out of the Pulpit in all my Life The occasion of this Slander was this I was in a Sermon bewailing the small number of right Gospel Preachers at which time and on which occasion I said that a great many Preach'd up the Pope That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Man of Sin Others said I Preach up the National Hierarchy and its Interest instead of the Kingdom of Christ Others there be said I who Preach up Moses and obedience to his do and live in the room of Christs Mediatorial spotless Righteousness for Justification and Life so that in comparison it is undeniably true that Christ hath but few who Preach him and his immaculate Righteousness as the only Meritorious and procuring cause of Justification and Salvation This is what I said then and truly I see but small reason to think or say otherwise I question not but the Orthodox in and about London will readily Harmonize with me herein But that I did limit the true Ministers of Christ to any certain definite number or that I mentioned any Ministers Names by way of distinction I utterly deny And I have very good reason to judge it no breach of the Law of Charity to believe that the secret design of the Reporters hereof was to incense and provoke the Spirits of Godly Ministers and their respective Congregations against me And hereby to prepare them for a more facil and ready reception of the other black and scandalous Reproaches which were to be brought on the Stage on purpose to do my business as one of their Confederates was heard to say he would do I come to the fourth Branch of the Charge which is That I should bid a publick challenge to Mr. Williams and the rest of Mr. Baxters followers to Dispute certain Positions held and asserted by Mr. Baxter and those who go his way To which I reply That this is as true as the rest and did I am very sure proceed from the same lying Spirit which Coined and Forged their other lying Stories against me the design whereof was not only to corroborate that their Design in its Foundation but also to draw over Mr. Williams and others whom they knew to be impatient to hear any Opposition given to any Notions of Mr. Baxters to them to help and encourage them to break that Church whereof themselves were an Essential part and to force my flight from my Station in C. to which their own Electing Voice called me The occasion of this Slander was thus I did one day in Preaching lay down this Position viz. That an Elect Sinner is in effectual Calling freely justified from all charge of Sin both Original and Actual by the alone Mediatorial Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ freely imputed by God and that without any regard had to any Conditions performed by or Qualifications inhering in the Person of the Sinner as con Causes with Christ in Justification This said I is a truth so clearly laid down and asserted in the Gospel and so back'd with the witness of Gods Spirit in the Hearts of all assured Believers that all the Disputers in the World who oppose the same will never be able to overthrow it be their Wit and Parts never so sharp and admired And whether I be mistaken herein I freely appeal to the Judgment and Determination of all Orthodox Protestants who in the point of Justification are not more or less tainted with the Ropish Arminian Leaven of Free Will and General Redemption But to bid a challenge to Mr. Williams or any others to dispute matters of Controversie in Religion I do most solemnly profess I never spake such a thing either in or out of the Pulpit The fifth and last Branch of the black Charge brought in against me was That I am an Universal Docryer of all Religious Duties in the Life and Conversation of a Christian Crying out in the Pulpit away with your Holiness c. The design of my Accusers in this was to represent and expose me as a rank Antinamian and so I should prove were the Accusation true But to let all who read this see
THE Doctrine of Particular Unconditionate ELECTION Before Time Asserted and Prov'd by God's Word against the Quakers Papists and Arminians In Answer to a Challenge given the Author by the Quakers to make good by the Scriptures of Truth the abovesaid Doctrine Wherein is evidently discovered I. That the abovesaid Doctrine rightly understood and believ'd with Application to ones self is the great Enemy of Sin both in the Heart and Life of a true Believer and that which keeps the Believer from Despair in the deepest Desertion and Temptation II. That the Doctrine of Free-will and General Redemption c. is an Inlet to and an Encourager of Sin and which leads in the end to horrid Despair under powerful Awakenings in the natural Conscience of an Unregenerate Man For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great Signs and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect Mat. 24.24 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure c. 2 Pet. 1.10 By Ja. Barry an unworthy Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed for the Author 1700. TO THE Impartial READER Courteous Reader I Am to inform thee that in the time of the Popish Government when Popery and Quakerism smil'd so amicably on each other as the two Religions if I might so call them which are nearest of Kin of all the Religions visibly profess'd in these Kingdoms the People called Quakers sent me a Thrasonical Challenge in Writing which was afterwards published in Print to prove from the Scriptures of Truth the Four Doctrines here following 1. The Doctrine of the Resurrection of this fleshly Body which Dies and turns to Duft 2. The Doctrine of Justification by the alone Righteousness of Jesus Christ freely imputed 3. The Doctrine of Imperfection in Sanctification in the most Mortified Believer while in this World 4. The Doctrine of Particular Unconditionate Election before Time All which the Quakers do stiffly and peremptorily deny as by their Printed Book against me doth evidently appear Their Challenge I was resolv'd to answer in Print to let the World see what Heterodox and Heretical Principles that deluded and seduced People do hold and teach for true Religion Besides my Resolution herein I oblig'd my self by promise to my Congregation that I would in the Strength of Christ prick the Bladder of their Blasphemous Pride by proving and making good by the Scriptures of Truth the abovesaid Doctrines For my Encouragement wherein my Congregation did unanimously stand by me resolving I should be at no other Charge hereabout but the Studying part Paper was Bought the Printer agreed with and just as the Press was ready to begin the Storm came so suddenly on the Protestants in Dublin that we were soon scattered asunder The Providence of God calling on us to secure our Lives instead of Printing Books The reason why I have been so long silent in this Cause is the want of that help I had from my Flock in Dublin If any generous noble Spirited Christians who love Christ's Cause better than they do the Mammon of this World will step in to my Encouragement in supplying the room of my absent Friends they shall in a very short time see the Four Doctrines above-mention'd clear'd up and made good from God's Word Maugre all the Jesuitical Craft and Subtilty whereof that People seem to be Masters The reason why I have singled out the last of the four Doctrines rather than any of the other three to discover and confute the Quakers pernicious Heterodoxy in the foundation Principles of true Christianity is twofold First because that in denying and opposing the Doctrine of particular unconditionate Election before time they do manifestly Rob God of his Soveraignty and Praise Secondly because of the Natural tendency which the denial of this Doctrine of a particular unconditionate Election before time and the holding and propagating its contrary viz. The Doctrine of Free Will to good in every Man of General Redemption and a Temporary Conditional Election with falling from Grace hath to encourage Men in Living a licentious loose Life and to necessitate Mens final despair of Salvation when the Naural Conscience in Vnregenerate Men comes to be under powerful Awakenings for Sin committed against the Law of God That I do the Quakers no wrong in charging them with Robbing God and encouraging Men to Live in Sin as also their laying a Foundation for Mens despair of ever being saved in their way of Conditional and Temporary Election will evidently appear to him who reads and compares with Gods revealed Will what is discovered in this small Tract And in case any noble Spirited Christians will but encourage the Work as already hinted I do not so much as doubt but that the Spirit of God will enable me to demonstrate from Gods own Word that the Quakers in denying the Resurrection of the Body and the Justification of a Sinner by the alone Righteousness of the Son of God freely imputed without any regard had to any Qualifications inhering in the Person of the Sinner Justified do deny all sound and saving Religion And as touching their Sinless Perfection attainable in this Life whereof they make such Brags it shall be made plain that herein they both belye the Spirit of God and contradict the experience of all saved Believers both in Heaven and Earth CHAP. I. Of Election before Time GOD did before all Time by his unchangeable Counsel most freely unchangeably and from all Eternity elect and choose unto himself out of Lapsed Adam's fallen Posterity a certain number of Persons which can neither be lessened nor encreased to partake of his special saving Grace to Salvation by Jesus Christ his Son to the Praise of the Glory of his own Grace What I have now asserted for truth if God enables me to demonstrate and make good by Scripture as I doubt not he will then will it unavoidably follow all the Wit and Malice of Men and Devils cannot overthrow it that God hath passed by and Reprobated others In the Proposition now laid down there are three things to be considered in order to a clearing up and making good the Point in Dispute First The Act of God and the Objects thereof which are both held forth and intended in the Scriptures following Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him Jo. 15.19 I have chosen you c. 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you c. In the Scriptures now quoted we have God Electing or Choosing and then the Objects of his Election or Choice viz. Particular Persons on whom that Election of God fixeth viz. Some particular Persons That God's Act of Election hath fixt on some particular Persons not on all in general as the Enemies of Election would fain have it the following Arguments will evince Arg. 1. If God hath made a Promise of Life and Salvation to some particular Persons only then hath he elected and chosen
give countenance to the point in hand He doth not say that all are called but many In which Text there are three sorts of Men offered to consideration First some who are not called at all Secondly some who are called with a common or external Call but not Elected And thirdly some who are called not only with the common and external Call but also with the internal efficacious Call of the Spirit and that because Elected and Chosen to Life and Salvation Now that these three sorts of People were equally Beloved of God and their Salvation equally intended who but Children of Darkness and Deceit dare to affirm or believe That of Paul also Acts 14.16 God who in times past suffered the Gentiles to walk in their own way Backs and confirms the present Truth And doth not the Account we have by Travellers who correspond with the most parts of the World inform us that the greatest part of the Nations have not so much as the Name of Jesus Christ among them and even in these Kingdoms where Popery Arminianism and Quakerism prevail Doth not sad experience teach us how deplorable a Condition the generality of the Kingdoms is in as touching the saving Knowledge of Jesus Christ or the proper means appointed by God for the saving Discovery of his justifying Righteousness to the Souls of Men such as the pure and unmixed Word of Truth Read and powerfully Preached to them for calling them out of Darkness into the marvellous Light of the Knowledge of God in Christ For want of an Orthodox Teaching Ministry these Kingdoms especially England and Ireland are near to a Harvest ripeness ready for the Sickle of Gods Judgments through the affected Ignorance of the Lord Jesus Christ which reigns in the Minds and Hearts of the greatest part even of Englands and Irelands Professors with the Occult and Spiritual Idolatry of Mens Souls whereby the Son of God and his pure Gospal Worship are shut out of Mens Hearts and Affections that the Statutes of Omri and their Carnal secular Interests might bear the sway To which I will add that Deluge of open Debauchery and Atheistical Oppression and Prophaness which like a Land Flood over runs the Nations the which if not very speedily prevented by those who have the Reforming Power put into their Hands by God will pull down from Heaven such sore and desolating Judgments as will make England with her Hypocritical formal Professors an abhorring to all Nations More might be offered to consideration from Gods Word to the same purpose as the sad and deplorable Condition the Ephesians Philippians and other Countries were in before the Apostles were sent among them The Ancestors and Forefathers of whom God suffered to Live and Die like Bruits and worse serving Dumb Idols those Teachers of Lyes serving divers Lusts Atheists without the knowledge or hope of God in the World Ephes 2.1 2 3. To them God sent no Prophet or Apostle no Law or Gospel which should be a means of Salvation to them till God sent Paul to their Off-spring Now can it in truth be said that God did equally love and will or design the Salvation of both the Fathers and their Postery seeing the means of Salvation were deny'd to the Fathers and freely given to their Posterity As touching the Learned or rather Silly and Impertinent Question wherein the Quakers desire to be resolv'd viz. What Gospel of glad Tidings it is which I and others who hold the Doctrine of Particular Election have to Preach to those for whom Christ Died not Answ This silly Question is grounded on a false Supposition that Faith is required of all Men the which I never taught neither do I now own to be true For I do not think or believe that such as never heard of Christ or who never had the means of knowing him are required to believe that Christ Died to Redeem them Secondly They are grossly if not wilfully mistaken in thinking and saying that I press on all I Preach to that it is their Duty to believe that Jesus Christ Died for them all without any Limitation or Restriction I do not believe that those People to whom the glad Tidings of the Gospel is Preached are any of them required absolutely and without Restriction to believe that Christ Died to Redeem them All who ever attended on my Ministry and who are able to give a Judgement they will witness for me that the scope and drift of my Preaching is to convince and awaken Sinners out of their natural State by opening up to them from God's Word the happy sinless State wherein God Created them in Adam their natural and faederal Representative how they came to fall from that Happy State and what the sad and wretched Effects of that Fall was to Adam the Head and now is to all his Children in their unrenewed State This I do instrumentally by opening up to Sinners the Sense and Design of the Moral Law which is to discover Sin and to Damn the Transgressors of it before God to let Sinners know how spotless that Obedience and Righteousness must be which answers its own Demand in order to its justifying them at the Bar of a Holy God As also how weak and unable it is to help a Lapsed Transgressor It points out and requires Duty but can afford no Ability or Strength to do that Duty And all this in order to bring Dead Sinners to a sight and sense of their need of a Redeemer I labour to make them sensible that out of Christ no Life or Salvation is ever to be expected and that until Christ the Son of God be received by a true Faith they themselves with all their threadbare polluted Morality and all those Advantages wherein they bless and count themselves Happy are all under the Curse of God and Living and Dying so they must as certainly as God is Just and his Law Holy look to be eternally separated from God and Christ for ever and ever No Civility goodness of natural Temper no Morality no Zeal for that which they take to be the best Religion no learning or shining Parts whether natural or acquired no Riches or Greatness in this World will ever avail to keep them back from being by the Laws powerful Sentence sent down to Hell When I find and perceive that the Spirit of God hath by the Law set home on the Conscience brought the Sinner with the Prodigal to a sense of his undone Condition when I hear him cry out not in a rotary and formal customary way which God knows is too much in use and fashion in this sleepy Hypocritical Age in the bitterness of his Soul Mon and Brethren what shall I do to be Saved I then open up as God's Messenger the Mystery of God's Covenant of Grace held forth in the Gospel wherein is discovered the Incomprehensible All-sufficiency of the Lord Jesus Christ to save and reconcile to God the greatest and vilest of Sinners I presently fall