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
Candlestick out of his place Luke 14. 24. None of those men which were bidden shall tast of my supper Luke 13. 34. with chap. 19 42. How often would I and ye would not But now are they hidden from thine eyes Matth. 13. 12 13 14 15. But whosoever hath not made good use of preventing grace from him shall be taken away even that he hath Therefore speak I to them in parables because they seeing see not And in them is fulfilled the prophesie of Isaias by hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand for their eyes have they closed lest at any times they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them See Acts 28 26. c. Rom. 1. 18. 21 24 25 28. Who hold the truth in unrighteousness and turn it into a lie for this cause God gave them up to vile affections 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God gave them up Prov. 1. 24. c. Because I have called and ye refused Ye also shall call and I will not answer you I will laugh at your calamities James 4. 6. God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble See the Texts cited against Absolute Reprobation 1 Chron 28. 9. 2 Chron. 15. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. Zach. 9 15. with 17. I will love them no more because they did not hearken IV. They do utterly denie that God is simply unwilling that a man should do 1. more good than he doth or 2. omit more evil than he omitteth or that he hath precisely decreed from Eternitie that both Good and Evil should be so done as they are The Reason 1. His command Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy minde and with all thy soul and with all thy strength 1 Thes 5. 22. Abstain from all appearance kinde of evil Ephes 5. 11. Have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness Mich. 6. 3. See Phil. 3. 12 13 14 15. Wherein have I wearied thee Mat. 11. 29. Myyoak is easie 2 Cor. 6. 1. Receive not the grace of God in vain 2 Pet. 3. 18. Grow in grace Luke 19. 12 13. c. Negotiamini dum venio Trade till I come Verse 20. c. Wherefore hast thou kept my talent in a napkin and gavest it not into the bank that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury c. Cast that unprofitable servant c. Gal 5. 7. Ye did run well who drive you back 2. Jude Epist verse 10. But what they know naturally as bruit beasts in those things they corrupt themselves Eccles 8. 11. Their heart is fully set in them to do evil Mich. 2. 1. They devise iniquity upon their beds Job 24. 13. They rebel against the light Consider verse 15 16 17. See Rom. 1. 32. and Isa 30. 8 9 10 11. See the proofs of the Affirmative in the sixt Assertion V. They do utterly denie that God doth outwardly call some whom he is unwilling inwardly to call and truly to convert and that before they have rejected the grace of conversion The Reason 1. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Luke 19. 10. This is a faithful saying that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners Mat. 9. 13. To call sinners to repentance Rom. 16. 25 26. To call them to the obedience of faith 1 Thes 4. 7. Vnto holiness 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ephes 1. 12. Out of darkness into his marvelous light that we might set forth his praise Why should he not be serious in all this seeing 't is according to his purpose and grace 2 Tim. 1. 9. 2. And the motive of it is his Compassion 2 Chron. 36. 15. The Lord sent to them by his messengers because he had compassion on his people But they mocked the messengers c. See 2 Chron. 24. 19. Mark 12. 6 7. Rom. 1. 7. Isa 63. 7 8 9 10. Beloved and called I will mention the loving kindness of the Lord He was their Saviour in all their afflictions he was afflicted in his love and in his pity he redeemed them But they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit With this affection the Lord calls such as are finally disobedient See 1 Pet. 3. 19. with chapter 4. 6. Till they provoke him to wrath that there be no remedy left 2 Chron. 36. 16. This affection is testified by options and intreaties by expostulations and increpations by his lamentations and oath See the proofes of the seventh Affirmative 3. His charge Acts 20. 28. Ezek. 33. 7. Son of man I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth and warn them from mee When I say unto the wicked O wicked man thou shalt surely die if thou doest not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall die in his iniquitie but his blood will I require at thine hand 4. His expectation 1 Pet. 3. 20. Isa 5. 2. He looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wilde grapes 5. His appeal to our own judgement in the cases Isa 5. 3 4. Judge I pray you betwixt me and my vineyard What could have been done more to my vineyard dare any man alledge the want of a serious inward call That I have not done in it Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wilde grapes Luke 14. 21. He was angry at their refusal Ezek. 18. 29. c. O house of Israel are not my waye equal Are not your wayes unequal 6. He charges their non-conversion as was proved above upon their own refractariness and punisheth them for it Jer. 25. 4. cha 35. 15. 1 Sam. 2. 30. 1. with desertion Rom. 1. 28. 2 Chron. 36. 16. 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12 2. with destruction 2 Thes 1. 8. See the proofes of the seventh Affirmative VI. They do utterly denie that there is a secret will in God so contrary to his will revealed in his word that according to his secret will he nilleth the conversion and salvation of the greatest part of those whom by the word of his Gospel and revealed will he seriously calleth and inviteth to faith and salvation so as there should be acknowledged in God a holy simulation and a double person The Reason 1. He calls us out of compassion and according to his purpose and grace See 2 Chron. 24. 19. Mark 12. 6. 2 Chron. 36. 15. 2 Tim. 1. 9. 2. He is a God of truth and adds his oath for confirmation of our faith in this particular He cannot lic nor denie himself Numb 23. 19. Titus 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 13. 3. He condemneth a double heart and punisheth dissemblers and Hypocrites no less then unbelievers Mat. 24. 51. Luke 12. 46. 4. And besides our conversion sanctification
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
deny that God hath destined Reprobates as they are called to infidelity impiety and sins as means and causes of their damnation The Reason 1. God himself hath stigmatized Jeroboam with this Character as a brand of infamy 2 King 23. 15. Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin And Hab. 2. 15. Wo unto him that giveth his neighbour drink that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunken also that thou mayest look on their nakedness 2. If a Prince should make a decree to take away the life of his subject and then necessitate him by force or winde him in by subtlety to be instrumental and subservient to his own ends in the perpetration of an act which the said Prince himself hath made to be criminal that the execution of his said subject might appear to be just this argues cleerly that his first decree against him even by the verdict of his own conscience was unjust and so is his execution also 3. It is accounted an act of horrid tyranny in Tiberius who because it was unlawful to strangle Virgins He caused the hangman first to defloure a virgin and afterward to strangle her See also the Reason of the next XI They do utterly deny that God is the Author of sin The Reason 1. Because He is Holy and a pattern of holiness Lev. 11. 44. ch 19. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. 2. His wayes are right and equal and he can do no iniquity Ezek. 18. 25 29. Hos 14. 19. Psal 45. 7. 92. 16. Zeph. 3. 5. Deut. 32. 4. 3. He hates sin Psal 5. 4 5. 45. 7. Prov. 11. 20. Isa 59. 2. Deut. 12. 31. Isa 61. 8. Zee 8. 17. Am. 6. 8. Ier. 44. 4. Hab. 1. 13. 4. 'T is a burden to him Isa 7. 13. ch 43. 24. 5. He forbids sin Exod. 20. 1. c. Iob 36. 21. Ezek. 45. 9. Rom. 6. 12. 1 Cor. 15. 34. 6. He cannot be tempted with evil Jam. 1. 13 14 15. 7. He is provoked to anger by it Isa 3. 8. Hos 12. 14. Exod. 23. 21. Mark 3. 5. 8. 'T is enmity to him Rom. 8. 7. 9. 'T is the work of the Devil Ioh. 8. 44. Gen. 3. 1. 10. He sent his Son to destroy it 1 Iohn 3. 8. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18. 11. He doth revenge it and punish the sinner for it Jer. 5. 25 29. Deut. 18. 12 13. Rom. 1. 18. Eph. 5. 6. Psal 11. 5 6. 12. Mans destruction is from himself Hos 13. 9. Prov. 5. 22. XII They do utterly deny that election of particular persons is made without consideration of faith and perseverance therein as the condition prerequired in him that is to be chosen unto glory The Reason Ps 103. 17 18. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him considered as such Ps 3. 3. The Lord hath set apart the man that is godly for himself Ps 50. ult To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Rev. 3. 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Isa 48. 10. I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction Jam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Heb. 6. 12. Who through faith and patience inher it the promise See Heb. 10. 36. Rev. 7. 14 15. See also the proofes of the 2 and 4 affirmatives XIII They do utterly deny that particular men are reprobated from eternal life without consideration had of sin and infidelity and perseverance therein as going before The Reason Exod. 32. 33. Whosoever sinneth Him will I blot out See the 2 4 Affirmative Rev. 22. 15. Without are doggs 1 Cor. 6. 9. The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God See 2 Thess 2. 12. Luke 14. 17 21 with 24. verse A general reason of both the former Negatives The execution of Gods decree sheweth what the decree it selfe was for God worketh in time all things according to the counsel of his own will from eternity Eph. 1. 11. So that man must be considered in the decree as he is considered in the execution of it otherwise the act decreeing and the act executing should have respect to different Objects and Consequently this act could not properly be called the execution of that Decree Ex. Gr. If a decree be past against T B as a Malefactor and R S doth arrest T B being clear and innocent this action cannot be said to be the execution of the former decree which was made against T B the Malefactor though R S pretends to do it in persuance of the same So in other Cases But in the execution of the divine decree of Election and Reprobation We see men are looked upon according to their several qualifications Mat. 25. 31. 41. Then shall the King say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat Goe ye Cursed For I was c. Rom. 2. 6 7 8 9. He shall render to every man according to his works To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Rom. 8. 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live See Psal 11. 5. To the end an Emphatical place Concerning Children They hold That all the children of the faithful are sanctified in Christ so as none of them departing this life before they come to the use of reason can perish Proofs out of Scripture Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head This seed which is Christ was promised before ever any seed of mankinde was conceived Mat. 18. 11. Luke 19. 10. See Mat. 18. 11 12. Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost 1 John 3. 8. He came to destroy the works of the Devil Rom. 5. 12 18. As by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life Hebrews 2. 14 15 17. For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver and make reconciliation c. Consider 1 John 2. 12. with Mat. 19. 14. Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdome of God See Psal 127. 3. Concerning Children What they do utterly deny I. They do utterly deny that some
and salvation is according to his secret acceptable and perfect will Ephes 1. 9. 1 Thes 4. 3. Rom. 12. 2. See the proofs of the seventh affirmative see 1 Tim. 2. 3 4. VII They do utterly denie that God calleth Reprobates for these ends viz. that he may harden them the more make them unexcusable punish them the more grievously manifest their weakness and not for this end that they may be converted believe and be saved The Reason See it in the Reasons of the 5. and 6. Negatives immediately foregoing to which adde Ephes 4. 1. I therefore the prisoner See 2. Chron. 24. 19. His design is to reduce them Mark 12. 6. Rom. 1. 7. Beloved and called of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called And what answer doth such a call deserve as is given to no other end then those now mentioned But God calleth us with an holy calling 2 Tim. 1. 9. And he saith unto me write Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the lamb And he saith unto me these are the true sayings of God Rev. 19. 9. Luke 10. 24. Mat. 16. 17. 2. He upbraids such as make no better use of his calls then to aggravate their own damnation Deut. 29. 2 3 4 5 6. Ezek. 2. 5. John 15. 22 24. John 5. 34 40. These things I say that ye might be saved And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Rom. 2. 4 5. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath Se proofes of the 7. Affirm VIII They do utterly deny that by the force and efficacy of the secret will and decree of God not onely good things but evill do necessarily come to pass The Reason 1. 'T is mans duty to eschew evil and doe good Psal 34. 13. 1 Pet. 3. 11. See 2 Sam. 24. 12 13. 1 Sam. 23. 11 12. good being commanded upon promise of life and evill forbidden under peril of damnation Matth. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments Rom. 1. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness See verse 32. 2. The good and evil which men do are matters of choice See John 19. 11. Ios 24. 15 22. Isa 1. 19 20. If ye be willing and obedient c. But if ye refuse and rebel c. Ezek. 2. 5. Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear c. See Ier. 36. 6 7. Mic. 2. 1. Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because it is in the power of their hand Mat. 17. 12. 1 Cor. 7. 36. Let him do what he will See Deut 30. 19. 3. Gods exprobration Ier. 5. 22 23. under different lawes 4. Good and evil are attended with praise and dispraise which such actions deserve not as come to pass Necessarily The wise shall inherit glory but shame shall be the promotion of fools Prov. Phil. 4. 8. Rom. 2. last Rom. 13. 3. Doe that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same 1 Cor. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 19 20. This is thank-worthy with God Well done good and faithful servant Luke 19. See Gal. 6. 4. Who seek for glory and honour and immortality Rom. 2. 7. 5. God propounds examples to our imitation 6. That is omitted which God loves and that comes to pass which He hateth See Ier. 44. 4 5. Isa 65. 12. 66. 4. They did evil before mine eyes and did choose that wherein I delighted not Zech. 8. 17. All these are things that I hate See Ier. 44. 4 5. 1 King 20. 42. 7. Lastly God is sometimes said to expect that which doth not come to pass See Mark 12. 6. Ezek. 22. 30. 1 Pet. 3. 20. When once the long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah Isa 5. 2 4. He looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wilde grapes See the places cited for Gods hatred of sin and against Absolute antecedent decrees The state of the Controversie touching the work of grace in the Conversion of man Whether a man when God seriously wills that he believe and be converted can nill to believe and convert The Fifth Article Controverted is touching Perseverance What the Remonstrants hold I. THey hold that God doth furnish the true believer with supernatural power of grace as according to his infinite wisdome he judgeth sufficient for their perseverance and conquest over the temptations of the Devill the flesh and the world and that he is never the cause why they persevere not Proofes out of holy Scripture Sufficient for their perseverance 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God See Ioh. 4. 14. ch 6. 53. shall never thirst 2 Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee Phil. 4. 13. I am able to doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Matth. 11. 30. 1 Iohn 5. 3. My yoke is easie and my burden light And conquest over temptations Ioh. 10. 28 29. They shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able Luke 22. 32. John 17. 11. Holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me And he said unto me My grace is sufficient for thee Rom. 8. 35. c. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ 1 John 5. 4 5. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world 1 John 2. 13. 14. I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one 1 Joh. 4. 4. Because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world He is never the cause why they persevere not c. 1 Cor. 1. 8. Phil. 1. 6. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it untill the day of Jesus Christ See 1 Thes 5. 23 24. 2 Thes 3. 3. The Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from evill Jude ver 24. Now to him that is able to keep you from falling 1 Cor. 15. 57. Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ II. They