,^^ (^, ^u^\-2>^^y^ n^~7^ '^ PRINCETON, N. J. "*" ' fb H.T Diviiii'ii Sfclion Shelf Number SC0URSE C O N C E R N I N G#pWf I. TKe true Import of the Words EleBion and Reprobation J and the Things fignified by them in the Holy Scripture. ' II. The Extent of Chrift's Redemption. illl. The Grace of God ; where it is enquired. Whether it be vouchfafed fufficiently to thofe who improve it not, and irrefiftibly to thofe who do improve it; and whether Men be wholly paflive in the Work of their Rege- neration ? IV. The Liberty of the Will in a State of Trial and Probation. V, The Perfeverance or Defedtibility of the Saints; with fome Refledions on the State of Heathens, the Providence and Prefcience of God. By Daniel "Whitby, D. D. and late Chantor of the Cathedral Church oi^arum. The Second Edition Corredled. L O N D O N, Printed for A a r on W a r d, at the Ki?2g*s Arms in Little Britain, and Richard Hett, at the Bible and Croivn in the Poultry. MDCCXXXV. ^"•n. !♦ ««4i ^^ \ m t hri X.H E PREFACE TO THE READER. I'^HEY who have known my Education may re- member, that I was bred up feven Years in the w Univerfity under Men of the Cahinijlical Per- fuafion, and fo could hear no other Dodrine, or re- ceive no other Inftrudlions from the Men of thofe Times, and therefore had once firmly entertained all their Do- ftrlnes. Now that which firft moved m.e to fearch into the Foundation of thefe Doctrines, viz. I^he Imputation vf Adam'i Sift to all his PoJierity,w2is the ftrange Confe- quences of it -, this made me fearch the more exadtly into that matter, and by reading Jfi/hua Placa-us^ with the Anfwerto him, and others on^at Subjedl, I fobn found Caufe to judge that there was no Truth in it. § L After fome Years Study I met with one who feemed to be a Deijl^ and telling him that there were Arguments fuflficienc to prove the Truth of Chriftian Faith, and of the Holy Scriptures^ he Icorn fully re- plied, v>.r J And yon will prove your Dooirine of the Imputation cf OrigD.al Sin from the fame Saifture ; in- timating that he thought that Doctrine, if contained in it, fufficient to invalidate the Truth and the Autho- rity of the Scripture, And by a little Refledion I A found ij ^^^.jmF^ihe PREFACE %^ found the Strength of his Argument ran thus : That the Truth of Holy Scripture could no otherwife be proved to any Man that doubted of it, but by reduc- ing him to fome Abfurdity, or the Denial of fome a- vowed Principle of Reafon. Now this ^*iputation of Adam*% Sin to his Poftcrity, fo as to renaer them ob- noxious to God's Wrath, and to Eternal Damnation, only becaufe they were born of the Race of Adamy feemed to him as con trad idory to the common Reafon of Mankind, as any liiing could be, and fo contained as ftrong an Argument againft the Truth of Scripture^ if that Dodlrine was contained in it, as any could be offer'd for it. And upon this Account I again fearch'd into the Places ullially alledgcd to confirm that Do- ctrine, and found them fairly capable of other Inter- pretations. One doubt remained (till, whether Anti- quity did not give Sutirnge for this Doftrine ; and here I found the Words of Poffius very pofitive, that Ecclg- fia Catholica fic femper judicavity the Catbolick Church always fo judged ; which he endeavours to prove by Teftimonies from Ignatius to St. Aujiin. This fet mc on the laborious Task of ptrufing the Writings of An- tiquity till that Time, and upon an impartial Search, I found that all the Paflliges he had colle^ed were im- pertinent, or at Itaft infuflicient to prove the Point ; yea, I found Evidence fufficient of the Truth of that which Peter du Momin plainly owns, that from the Time of the Apoflles to St. Auftin'j "lime^ all the Ecclefiaflical Writers fecm to write incautioufly of this Matter, and to enclme to what he calls Pelagjanifm. And of this hav- ing made a CoUcdion, I finifhed a Treatife of Ori- ginal Sin, in Latin^ which hath been compofed about Twenty Years, tho I have not thought it advifeablc to publilh it. Another time I difcourfed with a Phyfician, who faid, There was fome Caufe to doubt the Truth of Scripture ; for, (liith he, it feems plainly to hold forth the Do- ftrine of Abfolute Eledion and Reprobation, in the 9th '" ♦ totheKEADE R. .*** iii 9th Chapter to the Romans^ which is attended with more evident Abfurdities than can be charged on them who queftion the Truth of Scripture: And alfo feemeth as reousnant to the common Notion which Mankind have received of Divine Juftice, Goodnefs, and Sin- cerity, as'es^n the Lying diat God confidering Man, in mafTa perdita, as lojl in Adam y may delude him with falfe Miracles, feemeth repugnant to his Truth. And reading in (a) Mr. JOothuell, th^x bold Stroke, that St. Pa.il being bred a Pharifee fpake there, and is to be interpreted, ex mente fharifseorum, according to the Do'^rine of the PDarifees concerning Fate^ which the^j had borrowed from the Stoicks ; I fet myfelf to make the bed and the exadted Search I could into the Senfe of the Apojlle in that Chapter, and the beft Help I had to attain to the Senfe of that Chapter which I have given in my Paraphrafe, [ received from a Manufcript of Dr. Patrick^ the late worthy Bifhop of Ely^ on that Subjed. Thence I went on to examine all that was urged in Favour of thefe Dodlrines from the Holy Scripture^ and this produced one confiderable Part of thefe Difcourfes. And it was no fmall Confirmation of the Senfe both of the Places here produced againft and refcued from the falfe Interpretations of the Ad- verfaries of this DoClrine, (iff.) that I found I ftill failed with the Stream of Antiquity^ feeing only, one, St. Aufli}^ with his two Boat/wains, Pro/per and ful^r gentius, tugging hard againft it, and often driven back into it by the ftrong Current of Scripture^ Reafon, and of common Senfe. § II. idly. I alfo found that the Hereticks of Old, ufed many of the fame Texts of Scripture^ to the lame Purpofes, as the Patrons of thefe Do6lrines do at prefent -, as hath been oft obferved in thefe Difcourfes. {a) Proleg, dd J. Siearn de obfti'a. $41. p. 147. A 2 ^dly. iv • The PREFACE *• 3^/)'. That the Valentmans, Marcionitei^ BafttUidnSy Manichees^ Prijcillianifls, and other Heretic ks v/ere con- demned by the antient Champions of the Church upon the ilime Accounts, and from the fame Scri/'-iures, and Reafons, which we now ufe againft theftj Decr'etaUJls y and the Principles on which they founded all their Con- futations of them, were thefe. 17?. That it is not our Nature, but our Will, and Choice of that from which we might abftain wiiich was the Root and Founcain ot all onr Wickednefs ; for otherwife, fiy they, T8 fcoiv^fravTog vjv iyahmiXj that God who is the Author of our i*>Iacure, muLt be the Author of our Sin ; this Doctrine they unanimoufly teach from Jiijlin Mariyr, and Iren^ew, to St. Auftu:^ who declares, (b) natura malas animas nullo modo effe polfe, that it is ijnpolfible^ according to th^ D fimtions he had given of Siiiy that Souls jhould be ez'il by Nature. idly. That wc do not b'. come Sinners by our Birth, and that they who lay we are by Nature Children of lVraih\n the hnoft dreadful Senfe, make God the Au- thor of our Sin, it being God who hath cftablifhed the Order, in the Generation of Mankind, which neither he that begets, nor he that is begotten can corrfft, and . by whofe Ben'rdidion Mankind en- crcaf'" -xnd. multiply. An Infiint therefore cannot, fay the • b" ' '^inn^^r bv ''is Father's Fault, (r) %ciig yup VTcS T8 TXTpog 8 J/Jwffz Ji'xjjV ; far a Child doth not jujfcr Pu...j,j. k.i: ,0: .';/"um}btd for the Sin of his Pu^e:!C;>^ fay Chryfoftom, CyrJl of Alexandria, Ifi- dore Pelufiota and Theophyla6l, this being, faith Thc- ophylad, 8 J/xa/ov, >il:1 jujt. And this they prove from "Dcut, 24. 10. A2c'/(-. Chap. 10. & 33. 'X\\e Marcionites (i) Lib de duab. Anim. c. 12. (c) In Johan. 9. 2. \d) In Johan. j/. z. Ifid. L. 2. Epift. 272. ^ivj #i>^^ READER. if and Cerdonians endeavoured to prove that the God of the Old ^eftament^ tho he were juft, could not be good, becaufe he threatned to pumjh the Sins of the. Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth Generation, (e) Origin Anfwers, iThat it was as little confifient with juflict as with Goodnef^^ that one Man finning^ another Jhould he punifhed. (J) St. Jerom owns, 'That there is Matter of Scandal in the Second Commandment^ it being tinjufi to punifh one for the Sin of another ; but that whirh followSy faith he, folves the Difficulty, it bdng only the Generation of ihofe that hate God, as their Fathers did, and who were Copartners with them in their Iniquity, who ore thus threat- ned. (g) ThcodoTet faith it would be, Zvffcretaeg, a wicked ^Thiffg to adhere to the Letter, God himfelf having fro- flounced that the Son- fhoidd not die for the Iniquity of the Father ; but every one fboidd die for his own Sins. And {h) Cyril of Alexandria faith, This Funifhment would much exceed, tov T8 5fH«j8 fiea-jxoVj the Law of Juffice. And hence they both agree in this Senfe of the Command- ment, That tho God long deferred the Parentis Puni^j?nenty yet would he do it in the third and fourth Generation. C«) Solent nos H&ret'ici fugUlare, quod non (it bont Dei fermo, qui ■pro peccat'ts aherius aliutn plecti dieat, fed fecundum ipforum rationem qui dum legis mandatum, licet non horum, jujium lamen dicunt, nt tpfi quidejn pojfunt cffendere qucmodo fecundum fen f 4m fuum jufiittA fu& con-venire viJetur, fi alius, alio peccante, puniatur, Horn. 8. in Exod, f. ) JtoV* ftovov, u.'Kljk 'Axi roif i^ ineivm /5£§A«<7>]/o'(r;, but on thofe alfo wo proceeded from their Loins : 7'he Falh rs wlio ge- nerally held that the Punifhmeni: of that Sin was only Mortality, and the Want of that which Adavi having lofl, could not derive on his Pofterity, declare that God fubjecl.^d them to this Mortality, not out of An- ger, but out of "Wifjom and Clemency, to beget in them an H.fed of Sin, and th.it Sin might not be eternal in them. Againft the Do6lrine of the Fal^n- tifiinn and Bafdidian Hereticks that feme Men ivere ^wst fuvhoi, evil by Nature, or that Matrimony was evil, be- caufe it produceth Seed polluted, in yewiryi^, from the Birth, we have produced the Teftimonies.ot (^k) Irencius, .'c bfiu'"ni;b \ n Lnf . , Clemens ■ ■" *•* fHw n^'UsD^in a;^. . ., *. obn^'b ^W 0 TTttVCT^of. Theodorer. in Gen. qu. 3-". (Jt) Ejeett e.-'.m d* Paradtfo, cj' a lignt viu long); tranjlulit, non invidtns ti li^nutn vin, quemadmadum ofutdam dicti>Jt, fed mtferans ejus, ut non perfevtrartit jemptr tranfirtffor neq\ immortalt e(ftt quod tffiit circa cutn peccatuni, t/ malum intenninabile, c injanabile, pre- hikuit auttm tjtti tranfgrefjhnem, interponens morterr, v ceffare fa- eiens peccalum. Iren, 1. 3. c. 37. 'O^eo< ^ityixrw tvi^yitrrctv m^i^ ru *i'9p«Vy 70 ^ iiAi/^vaj civnv di r dtuyt, iydfJUL^Ti^ "ovrtt- The- opbyl* tt> the KV. AD ERi vU Clemens of Attxandria, and others: To which add. That theDoflrine which taught that Men were Sinners from the Birth, is exprefly condemned by {I) Chryfty- Ji-om, Cyril of Alexandria^ and Tbeophyla^, in their Commentaries on the 9th Chapter of St. John*% Gof- pel. where they teach, (i/.) That the Queftion of the Difciulcs, Whether he that was horn blind had finned^ was, ffiUT&rtf ivovToc XKi ia3 Sj*/ d(/.afrdvovloi srifu mkUC'-^ai vriefiV* irti e? tot* AxptfAiv, i^KiivoS'uffvjAiy, on 'V^^ yAnuf iiiAetsny, tSc^ip iv ei'TTtiip #7/ ^rixloi ^f/(*fTgF K ul. T conclude then wirh (o) Onqen^ That that Sentence, cdfji^ccrog yixrxdmviv i^ imports the Condemnation not of the Hold but of the Body only. 2dly. When he adds, Thiz Adam finning, gefiit per- fonam generis humani ex Deidecreto, fufiained the Per- fon of all Mankind by the Decree of God ; as he cites this from the Schoolmen, lb the plain Import of it is. That all Mankind were made Sinners, not by any Ac- tion of their own, but purely by God's Decree. ^dly. When he adds from the hm^ School-men, That the Poferity of Adam are gidlty of hisfrji Sin, Ex Ar- bitrario Dei Decreto, by the Arbitrary Decree of God, but not of his other Sins, nor were they interefted in his Repentance, becaufe God*s Decree extended not to thofe Sins, or that Repentance: He in eftecl affirms that his Pofterity, who had no more hand in his firfl, than in his following Sins, were by God's Arbitrary Decree made guilty of thatjSin alone, from which they would otherwife have been as free as from his other Sins -, and who then was the Author of that Sin, fince Adam was only Perfonally the Author of his own Sin, and 'twas (n) Gen. i6. 2. Ex. 2. 12, 15, 16, 17,20. Ley. 2. j, 10, ii, 13* 15- I Sam. 14. 24. (o) Dial, contra Marcion. p. 51. a God*s X Tibe PREFACE God's Decree only which made him the Author of our Sin, or rather us the Author of his Sin. And, 4thly. From the fame Schoolmen he adds, That an Infant may he properly guilty of Sin^ and fo obnoxious to Damnation^ hecaufe Voluntas Adami, quodammodo eft voluntas parvuli ex Dei Decreto, The IVill of Adam is in fome fort the Will of the Infant by virtue of God's De^ tree ; and fo the poor Innocent is fent to Hell by the Arbitrary Decree of God alone which made Adan-^% Will his Will, when otherwife yUam might have finned on to the Day of his Death, and the poor Child might have died as he was born an Innocent. That the School- men are his only Warrant for all thefe fond and hor- rible Imaginations, you may fee in the Places cited. The 5th of the Remans^ v. 12, 19. being fo far from proving any of thefe Notions, that they are evidently confuted by it, as you may fee in the Notes there ; nor was any fuch Inference from thofe Words owned by any of the Fathers till St. yiu/lin's Time, as you may learn from the Commentaries of Origen, St. Chry- foJlo?n, and Tbeodoret upon the Place. As for their other Patrons, St. Auflin^ Profper^ and Fulgeulius^ it mud be granted they were good Latin Scholars^ but yet they wanted Skill both in the Hebrew and the Greek Tongues, and fo it was not to be ex- pe(5led that we fliould learn the true Senfe of the 6"^- ptorc" from them. Some there be who tell us that thefe Decrees and Difpenfations of God in reference to Mens Eternal State are Myfi cries ; and truly as j:hey are managed and aflerted by them, I fear they ma^ be fo in the worft Senfe. And if they underftand the Word as it feemeth to be dill ufed by St. Paul^ for a Doftrine not yec revealed, fee the Note on i Cor. 2. 7. they grant that which I chiefly have endeavour'd in thefe Difcourfes to make good, viz. that their Dodrine is not taught in Holy Scripture. Others to the READER* 3ti Others perhaps may fay that fome Things here af- ferted are Pelagianifm, and others Sefnipelagianifm, it being ufual for Men hard prefs'd to fall to Railing ; but the Firft Chapter of the 'Third Difcourfe will be fufficicnt to convince them they cannot juftly faften ei- ther of thefe Names upon me, tho' Se?nipelagianifm ne- ver was condemned by the Church of God, and they who in St. Aiifiin^ Time maintain'd it, were by him owned as good Catholicks and Chrifiian Brethren, as you may fee in Vojjtus, Hijlor. Pelag. 1. 6. Th. iS. p. 621, § IV. Laftly, If any Man fay I contradidl the Do- ctrine of the Church of England couching thefe Points, iie will condemn almoft the whole Body of that Churchy it being certain that, after the Reftoration, almofl all the ' Bifhops^ and the great Body of the Clergy^ who were eminent for Learning, were of my Opinion con- cerning thefe Five Points, and ftlll, I believe, are (o. He therefore out of Reverence both to the living and the dead, ought rather to affirm only that I expound fome of her Articles otherwife than he would do, or thinks they ought to be expounded. It hath been ufually faid that the Church of En^and contrived her Articles in fuch a Latitude as to leave Place for Men of contrary Judgments to fubfcribe them ; and if it be confidered that in her Catechifm IM declares that fhe learns from her Greedy to believe in God the Son who hath redeemed me and all Mankind: That in her Prayer ac the Confecration of the Sacrament fhe declares. That Jefus Chrijl by his own Oblation of himfelf upon the Crop, hath made a full ^ perfect ^ and fujficient Sacrifice ^ Oblation and Satisfa3ion for the Sins of the whole World. And in her Third Collet on Good-Friday Ihe prays. That all Jews^ ^urks^ Infidels and Hereticks may be .faved among the Number of true Ifraelites \ and that the other Do- d:rines here pleaded for, do follow from that of Uni- vcrfal Redemption, as hath been fhewed in the Clofc of that Difcourfe, there will be fufficient Rcafon to be of this »i J^ff PREFACE this Opinion -, but of this more in the Bijhcpx>^ Sanwi's excellent Difcourle upon that Article, p. i68, 169. In fine, the Church of England by (p) Canon doth enjoyn all Preachers efpecially to take Care that they never teach any thing to their People^ as religioujiy to be believed and held^ which is not agreeable to the Doolrine of the Old and new 'Teftament^ and that which the Catholick Fa- thers, and the Ancient BiJJjops gathered from that [very Dooirine. That this Rule hath been carefully obferved by us, and is as conftantly tranfgrefled by them who do maintain the contrary Dodrines to be Articles of Chri- fiian Faith^ I hope hath fully been demonftrated in thefe Papers, which are fubmicted to the Judgment of the Learned Reader, (/)) Imprimis vera virhbunt nequid unquam doceant pro condone qu$d a populo religiipe teneri C credi velint, nifi quod confentaneum fit doc- ilrinA Veteris aut Novi Teftamenti, quodq-^ ex ilia ipfit doifrina Ca- tholici Patrts e?* vttens Epifcopi eolleger'mt. Sparrow's CoUeftion, p. 238. By his Friend, and Servant in the Gofpel, D. w. CONTENTS O F T H E PREFACE. 1 "^ HIS \PrefaceJbe--wSy firjlyhoiv the Author^ vobobad bis Educatio?i under Mcri o//Z'^Calviniflical ^er- ^ pwajion^ came to doiiht. oj\ and afteyjcards to rejc6i tbofe ^o^nnes, ^. r. 1'be_ Affinity they hear to many 'Do6irines of the Hereticks condetmied hy the Church of God from the fame Principles and Arguments here ztfed againfi them^ viz. the Herefiesof the^di\tx\K\vi\zxi^^ the Mar- cionites, Bafilidians, the Cerdonians, the Manichees aiid the Prifcillians, and the little Difference there is betwixt their Sentiffzents, §. z. T'hat thefe Opinions were derived^ not from the Scriptures^ or from the Do^irijie of Antiqui- ty y -which is plainly contrary to them in every ''Point ^ hut from St. Auftin and the Schools^ §.3. "That they may he re]eBed without any ContradiBion to the 2)o£irine of the Church of England, §. 4. D 1 S C O U R S E I. Concerning Election and Reprobation. CHAP. I. n^ H Al" the Word dJ^KiiJioi bath no Relatiofi to any De- ■*• cree of Reprobation ^ hut only to God's difapproving of the Corruption of Mens Faith or Alanners^ §. i. This pretended Decree of Reprobation is not proved Ojl,^ fro?n tbofe Words 0/ Solomon, "That God made all things for himfelf even the wicked for the Day of Wrathy Prov. 1^.4. §. a. Nor (^dly,) from thofe Words of b 'Sr CON TENTS. St. John 12. 38. therefore they coidd )2or believe lecattfe Efaiasy??///, He bath blinded rheirEyes, ^c. $. 3. Nor ("^dly,) From thofe Words, They (lumble at the Word being diiobedicnt, whereunto alfo they were appointed, I ^€t. 2. 7, 8. §. 4. Kor {\thlyy) from thofe 'u-ordSt Men oT old ordained to this Condemnation, ^lide 4. ^.5. Ail J/jfver to fo7ne other '/"exts produced by 1)r. Twifs in favour of this ^otlrinCy §. 6. C H A P. II. T'his !Dc6friue is cojitrary to the ^erfe^iom of the 2)ivine Nature, viz. iji, to his natural Deftrey that all Men JJjould love, fear, and obey hi}H, $. i. 24?/y, to the Si7i- cerity and JVifdom of God ^ §. z. CHAP. III. iVhat AbfoluteEleBion doth i?nport 5 and that the EleElion mention'' din Scripture, ij?, is not of particular I' erfonSy hut of ivhole Churches and Nations, idly^ 'That it imports rather an ElcBion to enjoy the Means of Grace tfndred in the Go\^g\, than to a Certainty of Salvation by thofe Af cans, ^dly. That it is a Conditional Ele6lion to be made fure by good ivorks, i. r . This is proved, ifiy frora the Import of the ivord throughout the 'whole Old Tellamenr, §. 2, 2^ly, From the places li'here /he ivord is tifed in the New Teftamenr, $. 3. The Import of the nvords, tv^yvuffif, Tre^'^-soTf, tT(yKexry.oi, and that they do not prove an abfolnte ElcBion^ ^>. 4. An Anfiner to all the other places produced to prove ity as v. g. jjh All that the Father giveth me fhall come to me, ^o^jn 6. 37f 59»§« 5' 2(i'/y, As many as were ordained to eternal life believed, A&s 13. 48. f. cT. ^^ly. That all that love God are called according to his purpofe, jurtified and glorified, Rom. 8. 28,29, 30. 5.7. 4fWr, That God knoweth who are his, $. 8. C H A P. IV. Th^ 2)odri7ie of Abfolute Eledlion confuted, iJl. From God's IViU, that all toivhom the Gofpel is. revealed fhould repent andjbeiieve to the Salvation of the Soul^ and yield finccre, Obedience to the Will ofGod;-%. t. The An fiver to this Argument^ is confuted-, \\>\^. zdlyy From the FnfJjood op theFntindatiQu of if^ y'u. tht Imputation of . ■ ' the CONTENTS. ih Sin of Adam hy God's Jrhitrary Will to his 'Pojle- rity^ $. a. ^his hnpitation is 7iot proved from thofe WordSy In whom aJl have finned, ajtd hy the Difobedi- ence of one many were made Sinners, thid. ^dly, From the Faljhood of this Tiecree^ as to the Tarts of it^ Ah- folute EleBion and Reprohation^ attd as to the End of it ^ the Manifejiaiioii of God's Glory in his J£ls of Grace, Mercy, and of jfujlicey $. 3. 'The immanent jiEis of God's Will way have refpeCl unto the ABions of Men hy ^xay of Motive or Conditio7i, ibid. CHAP. V. ^hat the 'DoBrine of Ahfolute EleSiion and Reprohation is contrary to the Sentiments of the Fathers, is proved^ ifl, Fro/u their unanimotts i)eclarations, that God hath left it in our poiuer to he good or had, Vejfels of Honour or liifhonour. Wrath or Mercy, &c. §. i. idly. From the E^ojition they all gave hefore St. Auftin,^. o/" the 8th and 9th Chapters of the Romans, 5. 2. 3^/jV, pro7n their 2)eclaratio?is that God predeftinates men to Life or 'Death from a Trefcience of ivhat they 'would he, §. 3. j^tbly, From the Confe£ion of Profper, that all the Antient Fathers ijoere againjl the 2)o6irine of St. Au- fiin, §. 4. DISCOURSE II. Concerning the jExtent of Chrift's Redemption. CHAP. I. nnHE Scripture frequently and exprejly faith Chriji '^ died for all, and never faith any thing to the contrary ^ not 'when it faith. He gave himfclf a Ranfom for many, and he laid down his Life for his Sheep, ^c. $. i. *this is proved, ifi. From thofe Words, As by the Offenfe of 9ne Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation, ^P by (bf Iligbte9urners of one the Free Gift came b 2 upon CONTENTS. upon all Men to Juftification of Life, Ro?n. 5. 16. ^. 2. idly, Fn'?n thefe IVords, He died for all, that they wlio live iTiight not henceforth live to themfeJves, 2 Cor, 5. 15. ". 5. '^dly, God 'vcouldhave all Men to he favedy C'^nfl {rave himjclf a Ranjomfor all, ^ 4. i^-thly^ From ihoje I'Fords, The faving (3^race of God hath appeared to all Men, 77/. 2. 11, 12. §. 5. ^tbly, From thofe iVords, Chrift was made a little lower thsn the Angels, thar by the Grace of God he might tatte Death for every Man, Hih. 2. 9. ^.6. 6thly^ From tbefe Words., God is long fuffcring to usward, not being willing that any fiiould perifh, ^c. 2 'Pet. 5. 10. where the ufual Anfiters to all thofe 'Places are ccn/idered and confu- ted. § 7. CHAP. IT. T'be Second General Argument for this Exte7it of Cbrijl's Salutary 'Pafjion is taken from all the Places "where Cbrift IS reprefented as the Saviour of the World, §. i. y7.v Ahfii) dity of the RefiriEiions commonly put upon thofe 'Texts, % 2. 5. c n A p. III. This TioBrive is farther proved, jji, Secaufe he died for ttem that pen jJj, %. i. idly. For them ivho being fanSti- ficd by the Wood of the New Covejiant, did after count .it as an unholy thing, and did defpite to the Spirit of Grofe, C 2. 5^/j/, Secaufe he bought them who dejiied htm\ §. 3. C TI A P. IV. This 2)c5}rine is confirmed^ jjly From the Obligation of ■ ail -to iihom the Gofpel was Preach'd to believe in Chrift, §. I. All the places produced by the Synod of Dort againjl this 'Do6lrine are plain Confirraations of it. C H A P.. V. This Chapter contains an Anfwer to the Argtuncnts pro- duced from Scripture to prove Chrifl died not for all. ifi., Secaufe rtl^y fir whom Chrifl died jnay fay., Who fti^U condemn us, Rem. 8. 54: winch yet all Alcn can- no; dOy <}.,j. , zd/y,: Seccwfe to all for 'Whora God deli- , , vered C O N T E N T S. verecl up his Son he will freely give all things, Ro?}2. 8, 32. ivhich yet he ivill not give to ally ^. 2. l^ly-, 'Be- caiife they ijcho by Chrifi's iieath are reconciled to Gody fhall be faved by his Life, Rc77Z. 5. 9. ivhich yet all Men^/Jjnll not be, ^. 3. 42^%, 'Becaiife thofe for ivhom Chrift diedy he loved wirh the greatcit Love, jfjhii 1 5. 13. biitfo he loved not all Meuy %. 4. CHAP. VL I'h'n ScBion offers Arguments, from Reafon for the Uni- verfality of Chrift's Redemptiony i/?, Secatife othcy- ivife he never intended Salvation to any by the Gofpel ^ifpe72fation but the BlcB^ the Jihfnrdities of ivhich Affertio7i are difcovercd, fi. i. zdly. Hence it folloivs that Chrift never died with an Intention to do any good to the Souls of other Sy ivhich contra di Sis his own fre- quent Words, ^. 2. ^dly, "That ncne biit the BleB arc ' obliged to believe inChrifi, (). ^ And /^thlyy 'That none can he at laft\onde?7in'^d for Unbelief and Impenitency^ %. 4. "ythly, That neither the Ele^y or Non-FJe5i can ^ be exhorted to believe. 6thly, That many who live un- d^r the preaching oj the Gofpel have not means fiijficient to obtain Salvatioiiy the manifold Abfurdities of that Affermn fjjew'd, 5. 6. The Abfiirdity of that Bva- fion. That we had Strength fufficient given us in Adam to believe and repent y largely fhewd, ^.7. And is far- ther evident from our Lord^s Words and Actions, <\. 8. The unworthy Reflexions which this 'DoBrine snakes iipon our Gracious God and Merciful Redeemer y is de- monflrated in Five Particulars, 6-. 9. It alfo is ob- firu£iive of Chriflian ^iety and Virtue y §. 10. Ob- ^eBions Ar.fwer'd, § 11. Two Corollaries hence, ifiy God cannot have made a peremptory jDecree of avy Ab- jbliite FAeBion of fomefew to Salvation. And, zdiyy cannot be wanting to afford Grace fufficient to Salva- tion to any i, for then Chrift, as to theniy muft le dead in vainy §. 1 2. The T>oBrine of Univerfal Re- demption hath the Suffrage of all Antiquity. CHAP. VII. This SeBion cojitains an Anfwer to Six ObjeEtions from Reafon againfl the 2>dBrine of Univerfal Redemption^ b 3 V. g. jfi , CONTENTS. ▼. g. ijly 7'hat it is not reafciahleto conceive that Chrijl JJjould dieijivaui ivitb refpeEi to any^ §. i. zdlyy T'bat a Ge?2eral Will that all Men Jhould he faved^ carries fo'me Marks of hnperfeBion in it as reprefenting God mcifhing fotne-ivhaty Kvhtch he "joould not accomplijhy §. a. 5^/jC. "^fhat if Chrift died for all^ a?2d all are not favedy the Wifdom of God mujl he defeBive and irnperfeB 5 for to fall fhort of our Inte7itions fhe'-jcs a 'Deficiency in ■poivt cf Wifdo772y §.3!. ^*hlyy 'That then God is not om- nipotenty §. 4. \thly, 'That then the great Love (^ God in fending his Son thus to die, is ufelef and unprQ- fit^ihle to many, §. 5. 6thlyy "That then Chrijl paid a Prjce of Redetnption for them 'who ivill never he the hot- ter for ity § 6. All ivhich Ohjedions are fully au' fwered i?i the faid Se6liom* DISCOURSE III. Of Sufficient and EfFedual, Common and Spe- cial Grace. The State of the Quefciom CHAP. I. rHE true Import of the Word Gr^ct in Script ure^ §. i. zdly, That he/tdes theVouchfafernentoftheGofpel asa. Rule of Life y it feems neceffary to affert that God vouch- fafes fome in'xard Operations and Affiftances of his Holy Spirit to encline tis to what is goody and to nrork Converfion in us j this is proved hy many Argument Sy ', From thofe Scriptures which fay, 'That God gives Faith and Re- pentance, and C'^^cneth the Heart, §. 4. Ofthly, From thofe which fay God circumcifes, gives a New Heart and Spirit that we may fear hi?n, and writes his Law in cur Hearts, §.5. "jthly, 7' hat he wcrketh in us to will and to do, %. ^. 6tbly, I'hat according to this TtoQrine, ijl, one Alan makes himfelfto differ from another, §. 7. 2%, Man will have cai'fe of boaftiJig, §. 8. 7,dly^ 'I'hc Glory of our Converjton will not he of God alone, ibid. ^thly. It will be uncertain whether any one will be con- "jertcd or not. DISCOURSE IV. Of the Freedom of the Will of Man. The State of the Queflion. CHAP. I. ^HAT the State of Man in this World is a Stnte of •^ '/'rial and ^Prcbaticv, is proved by Froe A gumntSy § I. And hence it fclhws, that th^- Liberty belonging to CONTENTS. to this ^lejlion is only that of a Lapfed Jlfafi 172 the State of -Trialy Probation and 'Temptation 5 fo that ail the Arguments taken from the Freedom of God^ of good or evil Angels^ or of Chrffi, to prove that Li- berty or Freedo?n may confijl '■^ith a Neceffity^ or a 7)e- termination to Good or Evil mufl be impertinent^ they heing not in a State of Trials § 2. 'This Freedom of ■ the PVill, in a State of Tnal^ cannot confifl ixith a 'De- termination to One^ Kvhether it be to Good or livil^ § 3. The free Will of Man being a Faculty cr'Fo^xer^ which hath for its ObjeEi in moral Actions fomethir,g morally^ in fpiritiial A£iions fometbing fpiritually Good or Evil to be chofen or avoided 5 that which difables a Man fro??z chufing ■■what is f/iorally or fpiritually Good^ or re fifing ivhat is thus Evil^ mujl alfu take away his Liberty to chufe the Good or refufe the' Evil ABion^ § 4. • It is ab- ■ furd to fay that Men thus difabled may dcferve Tuniflj- ment for what they do^ tho they cannot do otherwife^ be- catife they difobey willingly ^ and chufe to dofo,^ 5. Or to fay that Men under an zinfruflrable Operation are - fiill free^ hecaufe what they are moved thus to do they will to dc^ and do it with Co??zplacency, § 6. That O- pinion which teacheth that Aian by the Fall hath con- traBed fuch difability^ that he not only can do nothing which is truly Good^ hut alfo lies under that Setvitiide to Sin which makes it neceffary for hira to be flill doing Evil, hath no Foundation in the Holy Scriptures, with an Anfrer to all the Scriptures alledged to that ^urpofe^ § 7. 277^/ tbefe new Notions of Liberty are repugnant to the Senfe and common Reafon of A'lankindy § 8. CHAP. II. The Holy Scripture declares that the Liberty of the Will ■ even in Chnfian Virtues of tije hig<:e(l Nature is cp- pofite not only to Co-aBion, but Neccfjity^ § i. Hence appears the Falfehood and Hypccrify of all the. Tenders of the Gofpel to their fuppofcd Reprobates^ as they are expounded by Men of the contrary 'Pcrfuafion^ §2. ■ ' Five farther Arguments from Scripture to prove the Li- berty contended for, §.5. Thcfe Arguments fir ongly confirmed from the concurrent Suffrage, and the ex- prefs and frequent 'Declarations of the Ancient Fa- thers. € 4. . . CHAP. CONTENTS. CHAP. iir. 27^ Freedom of the Willi in a Statg of Trial from ttecef fity is argued, rft, From God's Method in dealing 'with Men hy 'Perftiaftons and moral Inducemcms, § i, zdly^ From the received lfe Hea- thens who maintained it, induced the Chrijiians to re- je£iit when it -was taught by r/v Colobarfians, Prifcillia- nifts, and other Hereticks, § 3. C H A P. V. The judgment of all Antiquity for that Freedom of the Will we contend for is evinced from the fe Confi derations : I ft. That they place the Freedom of the Uillfmn Necef- fity among the 7)oBrines delivered to the Church by the Preaching of the Apoflles, and by Eccle/iaftical Tradi- tion, § I. zdly. From what St. Auftin lays down in Confutation of the Manichees, viz,, (ijl.) That no Alait is blame-worthy for doing that Evil which he was not 4ble to refijl. idly. That no Souls offend in not being fuch as they cannot be. ^dly. That no Man is worthy of tDifpraife or ^itnifbment for not doing that which he cannot do. ^thly. That no Man is gttilty for not having that which he hath not received. $thly. That this is the True Definition of Sin, that it is the Will to do that from which we have the Liberty to abflain. 6thly. That it is folly to command him who hnth not the Tower to »bey. ithly. That is is not the Duty of him to repent who cannot do Good. Sthly. That the Denial of this Liberty CO NTENTS. iiherty is contrary to Scripture^ and deflroys the Equi- ty of 2)ivine judgments ; in all which T'hmgs he hath the general Suffrage of the Greek and Latin Fathers^ § 2. "The Arguments hy ivhich the Fathers do confute the ^oBrine of Origen are as Jirong againjl this Opi- nion^ § 3 . The Replies which Auftin makes to fome of his own Arguments are infu^cicnt^ § 4. DISCOURSE V. Concerning the Perfevetance of Saints. The State of the Queftion. CHAP. I. TtJi*ZJ/'E Cbtn (jfi.) that they who are preferred from falling are fo preferved hy the Tower of God thro" Faith ; hut know of no Tromife that all true Re- lievers Jhall he fo preferved. zdly. That God hath en- gaged to preferve them who do not wickedly depart from him^ from being forced from him hy the Malice^ Stihtilty or 'Power of their Adverfaries ; hut not from falling from their own Stedfajltiefs. •i,dly. That he hath pro- viijed 'Perfeverance to all that ufe tl^e Aieans^ hit not that all Jhall do fo who were once true Relievers^ % i. What our Adverfaries grant deflroys mojl of their Ar- gument Sy § 2. C H A jP. II. The Arguments againji the 7)o&rine of 'Perfevei'^ance of all tru^ Selievers to the End are taken^ ijl, Fro7h God^s exprefs declaration to the contrary ^ Ez. i8,24,i(J. 33.13. § I. xdly. From thefe Words. Heb.;p.tKi, Concerning Election and Reprobation. The State of the ^lejtion concerning Gods ahfolute decrees of Election and Reprobation. L I. "Tgf ET it be obferved from (n) Blrtiop Dave- Jiant, " Thar no Medium can be afTigned, ••' either on God's Part, betwixt the De- " crees of Predeftinating fome Men, ** and not Predeftinating fome others •, or on Mens Part, " betwixt Men abfolutely Predeftinated to the Attain- *' ment of Life Eternal, and abfolutely pretermitted, " and left infallibly to fail of the Obtainment of *' Eternal Life ; which we call Abfolute Reprobation. *' As for Example : Let us fuppofe the Number of " Mankind to be two Millions of Men, if out of *' thefe, one Million only, by the Decree of Ele. Z9, 30. B 3 therefore 6 Concerning Ek6iion therefore God in it fpeaks to Peier thus. Except thou repent ihou Jhalt periJJj ; pafs therefore the iirns of thy fojournlng here in fear ; work out thy Salvation with fea>' and trembling •, continue in the Faith, for if thou draweft back^ m'j Soul fJj all have no pkafurein th?e \ yea, ^:i;f all diligence to make thy Calling and Ekuiion fure. 2. Abfolute Reprobation is an abfoliite, infallible De- cree, That V. g. ]\.]d.\sjhall unavoidably fail of obtaining Life eternal ; that this Event fhall be fo certain, that he Jhall never fail to run him f elf Wilfully upon his Da??ination. The Evangelical Conditional Decree is this, That // Judas will repent, believe arid perfcvere, he fhall be faved; and in Purfuance of this Decree, God lovingly invites and calls upon him to believe and repent, ex- horts, and even entreats him by his AmbaiTadors, to be reconciled to him, to turn from his evil ways and live, alluring him to do fo by the hopes of Pardon and Salvation, if he will hearken to God's Calls, and perfwading him by the Miferies which he will then incur, not to negle5i fo great Salvation, expof}:ulating the Cafe with him, why after all thefe Methods to prevent his ruin, he will dye and not live ? Why he will not be purged and made clean, and how Icng it will be ere he will hearken to his Invitations •, declaring that he doth all this, beeaiife he hath compajpcn on him, and is long-fuffcring to him, becaufe he is tiot willing he fJoould perijh, but fhould c' me unto Repentance-, tho his Decree of Reprobation hath rendred his Damnation a certain and infallible Event. idly. Obfcrve, That tho the greatefl Part of them who adcrt an abfolute Eiedlion and Reprobation, or Preterition, make the Objed: of them not Man as Man, but as fallen, and therefore fmful Man •, yet is the diitcrx:nce bcLwixc them, and thofe who are called Supralaifinan:, very little; iox \\\^ Sublapfvrians, fay, God decreed that Adam (houki be the Head of all Maiv and Reprohatm, > Mankind, and therefore to impute his firft Sin, and that only to his Polterity, and not to impute to them his Repentance tor it, tho there was equal Rea- fon to do both, or neither j and forfeeing chat he would fall, and render his Poftericy obnoxious to his eternal Difpleafure, he defigned to glorify his Free Grace and Mercy in faving fome of them, and fo in beftowing on them infallibly that Grace which fiiall unfruftrably bring them to Salvation : Others he ab- folutely decrees to pais by, and not beftow that Grace upon them without which they cannot obtain Salvation, or avoid Eternal Mifery. Now 17?. Seeing it is certain from the Event, That God abfolutely decreed to bring all Men out of the Loins of Adam^ and that they therefore become the Pofierity of fallen Adam, and fo are born Sinners and Cnildren of Wrath, purely by being born, and fo by abfolute Neceffity proceeding from this Decree of God, who could have made them otherwife, and brought them into the World from another Head. Again, idly. Seeing nothing makes the Connexion betwixt the Perfonal Sin of Adam and the Fall of all Men in him, or their Guilt by realbn of his Fall, but God's Arbitrary Imputation of it to them ; their being then' in his Loins, or his Pofterity, making them no more guilty of his firft than of all the other Sins committed by him before they had a Being, and of which 'tis confefTed they are not guilty ; nothing can make this Connexion betwixt their being born Men and Sinners, Children of Adam, and Children of Wrath., but thefe arbitrary and inevitable Decrees. And 3 J/y. Adam being as much in Nature our com- mon Head and Root, and we being as much in his Loins when he repented to Salvation, as when he finn'd to Condemnation, there is no other Reafon, be- B 4 fides 8 Concerning the 7)ecree fides God's Arbitrary Will, can be afTlgne'^, why God fliould impute his Sin to us 'o Condemnation, and not impute unto us his Re] entance to Salvation, or for the Pardon of it ; for if his Perfon was our Perfon, his Will our Will in firming;, vvhy were they not fo alfo in repenting ? If then according to this Hy- pothefis, there is no poffiblc Difference betwixt being a Man and a Sinner, and God's Decrees alone have made this necefiary Connexion •, why might he not as equitably have paiTed thefe Dec/ees upon Men as Men, as upon Men made Sinners by his meer arbitrary De- crees ? efpecially if we confider that the Sins of nil Men, befides Adanz^ are as inevitable, and as much decreed by this H^fothefis, as by the other. CHAP. I. Concerning the decree of Reprobation. I Shall endeavour to make it appear, ly?. That it hath no Foundation in the Holy Scriptures. idh. That it is contrary to the plain Declarations of the Scripture. § I. And I ft I obferve that the Word dHMy-a, which we render Reprchatr, but might have as well been render'd difapproved, hath no relation in Scripture to any Decree, either abfolutc concerning the Damnation of Men as the End, and confequently denying or with-holding from them the means by which alone they can efcape that Damnation, or of doing this on the Account of the Sin of Aimn; but only doth denote fuch Actions of Men corrupted, as to Faith and Man- ners, which being done, will certainly be difapproved by God and Man. Thus thofe JewSy who, thro* the Pre- of Reprohation. 9 Prejudices and Corruption of their Minds were indif- pofed to receive, and therefore did refift the Truth of the Gofpel, as Jatmes and Jambres did of" old God's MefFige by his Servant Mofes^ are ftiled aZUi" fioi t>j vuc^ncvru, things not agreeable to Na'iir^, or to Reafon. Thus tliofe Jews wbofe M-nds and CcnCdences were defiled, are ftyJed Re-robates, be- caufe (c) tho in words they profefi'd to knew God^ yet in works they denyed him, beincr ohominable, difo- b'^dlent, and to ever-)p«S^j but {this hath happened) that the Word -zl ■ / -n m their haw might be fulfilled, I John 3. 19. rtAA'iVtf (pKvepwfiv), but (they went out from us) that it might appear they were not all of us. And this Expofition is confirmed by the Holy Ghofi^ who Mat, 13. 13, 14. faith from the Mouth of Chrif^ Therefore Ifpeak to them in Parables^ becaufe they feeing fee not^ &C. and when it is faid, ver. 40. He hath blinded their eyes., &c. obferve that the Word He., is nor in the O'-isiinpl, which only faith thus, T£TUf?iw;{£v aorwy T'&s c^Stf^/xgff, and may be rend red. Malice., or Wickedmfs bath upiuded their eyes., as we read W^ifd. 2. 21. Or, 2dly. the Perfonal Verb is put for the Imperfonal, the Adive for the PalTive, i. e. He hath blinded their Eyes, and hardened their Hearts, for, their Eyes are blinded and their Hearts hardened. To give you a plain Inftance of this Nature, Ifa. 44. 18". in our Tranflation we read thus. He hath fhut their Eyes that they cannot fee., and their Hearts that they cannot underfiand j and yet both the Greek and Chaldee Pa- raphrafi 1 6 Coneermng the T^ecree raphrajl VQdid chem chu axj^/AaupwaviTav, itjeir E-^ei the-j have Jhut^ and darkihd Uji th.^ joouid fee \ and that this is the true Import of the Prophet\ Words, not that God, but that Satan, and their own evil Difpofi- tions had done this, is evident from this Confideration, That this is fpwken to the Shame of them who made and worfhipp'd fcnflefs Images, ver. 9, 11. and to convince them of their warit of Confideration, vei-. 19. And that this mult a]fo be the Senfe here, we learn not only from the Seftuagint^ the Syia(\ and the Arabick, which render thcfe Words of Ifaiah thus, the heart of the people is waxed grofs^ and their ears have they doled, left they fJjould fee Zoith their eyes ; but alfo from our Bhffc-d Saviour and St. Paid, aflifted by the Holy Ghofi, who both exactly follow this Tranf- lation of the Words, the one Mat. 13. 13, 15. the other AiHs 28. 27. Ohj. But in St. Luke this is plainly given as the Rea- fon why Cbnfl fpake to them without in Parables, that feeing they may not Jee, and hearing they may not underfland, Anfw. To take Oil' this Pretenflon, it is fufiicient to obferve that the Words in St. Mark and St. huke are only an Abbreviation of what St. Matthew laith. was fpoken by our Lord more fully *, for Chrifi might fay what St. Mark and St. Luke relate, and yet lay more than they relate, as St. Matthezv doth aflure us he did •, but then St. Matthew could not have given us his Difcourfe more fully, unlefs our Lord had fpoken it more fully than it is related by St. Mark and St. Luke-, whence it muft follow, that the Relation of St. Mark and St. Luke mud be defi- cient ; that is, that they do not contain all that our Saviour faid on this occafion, and therefore muft be filled up, or rendred entire by the Addition of the "Words recorded in St. Matthew. Since then St. Mat- thew doth exprefly t?ll us from the Mouth of Chnfl^ He of Reprobation. 17 He therefo>'e fpake to them in. jarablcs<, hecaufe they feeing ivould /wt, or did not fee^ and hearifig did not under/land; and chat they therefore did not lee, hear and underrtand, becaufe their heart was ivaxed grofs, and their ears heavy^ and they had ciofed their eyes led they JJjould fee ; it feemeth evident that the words of St. Mark and St. Luke muft be filled up, or made intire thus -, to others (of the Jews^ who will not own my Docflrine, or believe in me, as you my Di/ciples do) fpeak I in parables, becaufe they feeing fee not^ and hearing do not U7iderjiand, for their hearts are waxed grofs, and their cars heavy, and their eyes have they ciofed, that fee- ing they 7nay fe and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not wnderftand. Thefe Words are therefore nothing to the purpofe for which they are produced, they faying nothing of God's "Decree, or Purpofe, antecedently to their Being, to deny them Grace fuf- ficient to fee, or underftand their Duty taught them by our Lord in plain Words as well as Parables ; for why then doth Chrift ask with fuch feeming Indig- nation, (x) IVhy is it that you do not underjtand my Saying ? fit only is) hecaufe ye cannot (endure to) hear my Word', i. e. becaufe your Prejudices and Lufts will not permit you to receive it : this, doubtlefs, was the great Sin of the Jews^ and fo they wanted not either Natural Power or Aid fufficient on God*s Part fo tg do, but only a Moral Power or a Mind well difpo- fed to obey his Word ; it being only of the Wickednefs and Perverfenefs of the Jews, who would not fee, or come unto the light lejl their deeds fhculd be reproved ; that they loved darknefs more than light ; that they were even unwilling to be healed, or converted from their evil ways •, and this will ftill appear more evident, if it be further noted. That, thefe Words, 'They feeing fee not, and hearing do not hear, or underftand, are a Proverbial Expref- {x) John 8. 4J, C fion 1.8 Concerning the fDecree fion concerning Men fo wicked and fo Qothful,"that either they attend not to, or will not follow the clear- eft Intimations and Convictions of their Duty. .Thus to a revolting and rebellious People which had caft off the Fear of God, the Prophet Jeretny faith, (}) Hear now this, O foolijh people, and without underjland- ingy which have eyes and fee not^ ivhich have ears and hear not -, and God fpeaks to Ez 'kiel thus, {z) Son of man, thou dwellefi in the midjl cf a rebellious hoiife, which have eyes to fee and fee 'not, they have ears to hear and hear not, for they are a rebellious houfe. This is a frequent Form of Speech in (a) Philo, who faith of Men addided to Wine and Scnfual Pleafures, opmreg gjt opmi^ ntct un^ovreg 8K cMiiiiffi, that they feeing fee not, and hearing do not hear, and fj) Demojlhenes men- tions this as a Proverb ; thefe Words do manifeftly therefore fhew. That 'twas the Wickednefs and Per- verfencfs of the Jews that indifpofcd them to receive Profit by Chrift's plain Difcourfes, which caufed him thus to fpeak to them in Parables. Laftlj, Obferve that they thus fliut their Eyes, and made their Hearts grols, faith God and Chrift, left they fhould be converted and I jhould heal them ; fo that the Defign of God in fending of his Son was their Converfion, and the Remiflion of their Sins ; and hence St. Fctcr faith to them, (t) repent ^ AKVOvjat fM AKu'eiV* Or at. in Ar'tllog. § 1*3. (f) Afts 3. 19, 26. the of Reprobation i ty the natural rcriilc of their (hutting their eyes againft the light, it htly is afcribed to them, as when the Pro- phet Hofca fiiitii, (d) of their Silver and Gold have they made them Idols, that they might he cut off\ and the Pro- phet Micah, [e) 'The Statutes' of Omri are kep!^ and all the fVorks of the houfe of Ahah, and ye walk in their Coimfels, that I Jhould make thee a Defolation. Thele Words ate therefore fo far from eftablifhing, that they do evidently deftroy the Doctrine they were produced to confirm: In fine, let it Vie noted, That thefe were the very Texts produced by the Hereticks of old to deftroy Human Liberty, and to prove that there were fome Natures that could not be faved, and others which could not perifh ; as you may fee in Origen's Philocal. C. 21. p. 60. & JrspJ ap;^. L. 3. C. i, F. 140. § 4. A Third Text ufed to this Purpofe are the "Words of St. Peter, (f) To you that believe he is pre- cious: hut to them zvhich he difobedient, the Jlone which the builders refufed is made the head of the corner ^ and a Jlone of fumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them who fumble at the word, being difobedient, whereunto alfo they were appointed; from which laft Words they argue, that fome of the Jews, even all that believed not in Chrift, this Corner Stoae, were appointed by God to be difobedient, Anfw. The Meaning of thefe Words, faith Dr. Ham^ niond^ is this, That they who difobey the Gofpel, Handing out obftinately againft it, were appointed by God to ftumble and fall at that Stone j that is, to be bruifed by it, and by • that means to be d'e- llroy'd among the Crucifiers of the Meffiah, ad con- demn'd with them hereafter ; it being juil with God that they who will not reform and amend at the {€) Chap. 8.4. (0 Chapr. 6* U, (f) i Pet. 1.7, 8- C 2 Preach- %o Concerning the T)ecree Preaching of the Golpd, and To receive Bentfic by it, fhojld by their Gbdinacy be condemned, and fo the v/orfc for it, Chrill being ftt (/; for the fallings as v/cll as the r'lfing of many in Ifrael i and the Gofpel being a (g) favour of d^aih to them that perijh^ and they being thofc whom (h) God bath apfonited for wrath \ and to be furc it cannot (Ignify that God ab- folutely ordained the unbelieving jtix^s^ eig ofxei^etuVj to difobed.encc\ whtn as yet they were not, and mere- fore were not difobcdicnt •, for then their future Dilo- bedience was purely a Compliance with the Divine Ordinance, or Will, and fo could not deferve the Name of Difobedience, becaufe it could not be both a Coiupliancc wi.h, and Difobedience to the Will of God -, nor could this Difobedience be objected to them as their crime, unlefs compliance with the Will of God be fo, and it be a Fault to be fuch as God by his immutable Council and Decree hath ordained we fhould be, or it Ihould render Men criminal and ob- noxious to Funifliment that they have not made void God's abfolute Decree, or have done what that made it necelTary for them to do : wherefore this Paffage can- not fignify that the unbelieving Jtws were appointed to difobedience, but only that being difobedient to the Gofpel fo clearly revealed, and by fo many Mira- cles and Diilributions of the Holy Ghoft confirm'd to them, they were appointed, as the Punifhment of that Difobedience, to fill and pcrifh -, for fo the Hebrew word Chajal^ and the Greek •j^fio^rAoiif^ct and cneivdcthov import, viz. the Ruin and the tall ot them who Hum- ble at this Stone. See the Note on Rom. 14. i;^. Or, idly. The Words will fairly bear this Senfe, To you that believe bslongs *} t/jx*j ths Honour (of being built upon this corner Stone into a fpirirual Houfe •■,) but to them that are difobedient ('belongs that of Pf 118. 22.) the Stone mbich the builders refufed, &c. and (alfo to (/) Luke 1. 54. (i) 2 Cor. 2. 15, 16. {h) i ThcfT. 5. 6. them of RcpYohatmi. i i them He isj a Stone of Siumblnig^ and a Rock of Offence, gi-i-:n fn .V' .7 ih.^t 'flvjnbls dt thc WovS.^ hi'ing dlfcb::dienty iig 0 y.cii £T£9v|3-«v, for which alfo th'^fe Stones were laid or pur, tiic corner Stone for die bull ling up of B^-lievers, the Scene of Stumbling for the Difobedient to ftumble at i for to both thefe Scones belongs this Preuice, Bfhold I id'j in Sion a Stone ; to the corner Scone elect and precious here, and to the Sioie of Stumbtivg^ Rom. 9. 33. and fo this agrees with the Words of Simeon^ Be- hold this Child is placed for the fall and r'fmg of many in Ifrael^ Luke 2. 34. In either of ihefe Senfes t'ne Words afford no countenance to this Doftrine of Re- probation. Note, ^df^ That, as Orcumenius pliinly fhews, this was the old EcclefiailicaMnterpretaiion of thefe Words -, fo doth he as apparently rejedl the Senfe this Ar:!;ument puts uoon them, in thefe Words, f /f 5 k«J fTeGv^siaiv. 8>t UfTici uzuKsiug 'jrupoi ts Tcdvrug uv^puzsg ^ihovrog ao^mtii ^(^atevsrui, »hXx roTg iuvrsg crxevvi opyvig aeirviprmoci ncct i] arst&sict fVv^xoAaOvjCTf, auj iig v|v Trapatrketiacav ectvrig Tuh"^ ire^v[(TU)i. Puie reU^ua. § 5. A. FoL-rth Scripture fpeaks of Men Qf) before ordained to this Condemnation! ; here tTierefore feems to be an Appointment of Men to Damnation, of old plainly aiTcrted, of which God only can be deemed the Author. A'lfw. The Verfe in the Greek runs thus, Some un- goldly Men turning the Grace of God into laf-:vicurn"fs hav^ ^nire.d into (the Church) ol itahui 'jrpoyeyiiety.iiivot iig TOVTO TO yipTfiXf i.e. of who?n it was before written that this jhould be their Sentence or Fun fhment. ; or as it is in the parallel Place of St. Peter, olg to upTfj^ei inTuKctt m ccpysT^ (b) to whom the Sentence of Old ponounced doth za C) 2. Pet. i. 4. C 3 n^t ti Concernhig the 7)ecree mt Irger. Now that this cannot be meant of any Di' vine Ordination or Appointment of them to eternal Damnation before they had a Being, is evident, i//, becaufe it cannot be thought without horror that He, who is the Lover of Souls, H-iould appoint any, much lefs the greater Part of them, to inevitable Perdition before they had a Being. 2i^/v, The Word Jtpr/JLfi: re- lates not to Sin but Puniflim.ent, the Fmic of Sin ; fo Mark 12, 40. tBe'j Jhall receive 'Kt^itrcorsfov Kpr|x«, fcrer Puiiijhmcri!, -, Rom. 2. 3. thinkejl tbouihis, O Man^ who doejl the fame 'Thing, that thou fJ.yid efcape, to iipT(j^et, the Judgment of God ; now God ordaineth none to Punifli- ment but Sinners and ungodly Men, and fuch, by the Text, thefe Perfons are here ftiled : and 3<^/v, Thefe were Men of whom it \n?.s before written ov prcjhefied^ that they fhould be condemned for their Ungodlinefs •, for J^noch iroyhefied before to^ or of^ thefe ungodh Men, fT-v^ t'l-^r ij^Qrj^ cometh with thoifnnds of hii-^ Sai^:tSy <^oi^(7cit vtp/ff/v, to d'j Judgment u^on. all that are tingodlf (^(j-f^grff, -u^r. 4.) and to convbice them cf- all the : kard Speecoc's -lohicb. ungodly Sinners hape^ fpoken agqinjl him v (which anfwers to the Denyers of the Lord that, ^bought them, ver. 4) and in the parallel Place of St. Peter their Punifliment is ftiled, (e) the Punijhment long ago denounced' ngainji the?ny viz. that thex fhould be referved to the Day of Judgment to he pumfJj\i^ ver. 9. that they fhould perijh in their Corruption^ ver. i ?. they being Men for whom the blacknefs cf darknefs was referved for ever^ ver. 13. and this is the very Thing that St. Pe- ter, from Verfe the 4th to the 13th, and St. Jude ^ron\ this to the i6th Verfe, fet themfelves to prove; and this alfo is the Import of the Word Tpoe/paipvi, viz. forewritten of : fo Rom. xv. 4. ^cu Trpoeyp^f^j, wba-tfoever things were before written, were liritun for our Inflruc- pon: Gal, iii. t. before their Eyes, wpoeypafvi, J efts Chrift crucified was written of or fet forth in the Old Tefta- (c) 2 Vet. 2. 7. pient of Reprobation. 23 mcnt as crucified. See this Stn^c given by Oecumenius on the Place. § 6. Anfwer to Hord^ Part i. pag. 4. Dr. 'Twlfs con- feffcth, that the Scriptures fpeak fully of Ek5iion^ fpa- ringly of Reprobation in moid: places, }'(?/ yo/^zd* Pajfages ■ ive have^ faith he, which give light and evidence to both alike ; fcr like as it is /aid Ads 2. the lafb, that God added to the Church fuch -as Jhould be faved, fo 2 Cor. 4. 3. it is faid, If our Gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that he loft ; and as it is fignified Matth. 24. 24. that */y impojjible feducers JJjould prevail over the Eleof, fo 2 Theff. 2. both as much is ftgnified y&c. 13. and alfo exprejpd ver. 10, 11. that they JJj all prevail among them that perijh ; and i Cor. i. 18. we are given to under- fland jointly that the Gofpel is to them that perijh foolijh- nefs., but to us who are faved it is the Power of God ; and Rofn. 9. 18. that as God hath Mercy on whom he Will have Mercy., fo zvhom he will he hardeneth. And like as A^s 13. 48. we read, that as many believed as were ordained to eternal Life, which Phrafe of being ordain- ed to eternal Life, I conceive to be all one with writing our Names in Heaven, Luke i. 20. -and writiiig us in Pleaven, Heb. 12. 23. and this Phrafe I take to be all one with the writing of us in the Book of Life-, fo on the other fide, (d) we read that they whofe Narnes were not 'written in the Book of Life from the Founda- tion of the World, Jhould wonder when they beheld the Be aft, and not fo only, but worjlnp him alfo, Anfw. Now to all thefe Citations, nioft of which are palpably impertinent, I anfwer in the general, that they fignify no more than thofe Words of Chrift, {e) He that believeth Jhall be faved, he that heliewth not Jh all be damned-, and (f) except ye repent ye Jhall all perijh (for that Exceptive contains this Propofition, {d) Rev. 13. 8. 17. %. (0 Mark 16. 16. (f) Luke i j. 3, ^. C 4 He 24 Concerning the decree HfJ that repcnirih Jhall not penjb) and thele Words of the Biptift: [g) He that believelh in the Son halh ever- lading Life ; he that believeth not tl. e Son, Jhal ft t fee Life -, but the Wrath of God abidelh on him. For thofe that are loft, 2 Cor. 4. 3. are Ver. 4. thofe that believe net : and that not becauJe of any antecedent Decree of God that they fhould be loft •, but becaufe the God of this PForld, i. e. the Devil, had blinded their Eyts, i^c. and thofe who perifjj^ 2 Theff. 2. 10. are thofe who believe not the Truth, Ver. 12. who received not the Truth worthy to be beloved and e7nbraced, Ver. 10, See the None there. Thsy who peri fh, i Cor. i. 18. are the unbelieving jtws and Gentiles, Ver 21, 22, 23. they who are hardened, Rom. 9. 18. are the Vejfds of Wrath fitted for Deftrutfion by their own Wickednefs, com- pleted by their Infidelity or Want of Faith, which made Chrift preached to them a Stone of Stumbling, Ver. 32, 33. To proceed to thofe Places which may feem to require a more particular Noiice. ifi. The Phrafe of being written in the Book of Life is Jewifh, nnd doth not fignify the abfolute EleijSi_Pln!vfQph)yiui ril^q'roO avfipaVg, ana th^e Prrf^tlion of Human Nahre^ conluts m being like to- God ;• and- that We then beft glorify him when we refemble him in th^fe Per- fe(5lions -, that it ought rn br^ his chief Care ffu^vfv, lo live the JJfp of God, ffVixjcKiTevsa^ut '-• coi'verfe f!iu with h.jn, dliom^^mt to be like lo bim^ ana o(/^oyvco(iovii(Tai to be of the jamt 'z^^, JVill and Affeulions to him^ and, laftly, to be fleofopsjxgvo/ i'Ojfftf'd and a5fed by him. He therefore can- not have decreed, that is, have willed, that the greatefl; Part of Men (hould be for ever left under an inca- pacity of loving, fearing and obeying him ; and feeing He muft earneftly defire that all Men fhould be holy, righteous, kind and merciful. He cannot have ordained they fhould be otherwife for want of any thing on his Part requifite to make them fo ; much lefs can he command them under the Penalty of his fev^re Difpleafure fo to be, and 'yet leave them under an Incapacity of being fo. And does he think worthily of God, who knowing that all the lapfed Sons of Adam were equally the Obje(R:s of his Pity and Com- miferation, equally capable of his Mercy, and equally his Offspring, and fo no more unworthy of it than the reft, believes that his Decrees of governing and difpofing of them are wholly founded on fuch an Abfolute Will as no rational or wife Man afts by •, (o that he determines of the cverlafting fate of the Souls he daily doth create after the Fall of Adam^ without refpe(5l to any Good or Evil done by them, and fo without refpecl to any Reafon why he puts this Dif- ference, or any Condition on their Parts \ and yet afterwards in all his Revelations made in order to the > of Reprobation. , 29 the regulating of their lives, fufpends that everlafting State upon Conditions ; or that he hath placed the far greareft part cf them under an abfolute Decree of K eprobacion, which leaves them uncapable of Salvation, and then not only bids ihtm fave them/elves^ invites, encourages, and fends Mefilngersto entreat them to be reconciled, knowing he doth all this in vain, when he does no more, and then eternally torments them for neglefting that Salvation, tho* he knows they never can do otherwife without that Grace which he hath abfolutely purpofed for ever to deny to, or with-hold from them ? Surely he thinks more worthily of the God of Love and Mercy, who looks upon him as an Univerfal Lover of the Souls of Men, who therefore ivoidd have all men to be faved, and gives them all things nrci'Jfary unto life and godlinefs-, draws them to him with the cords of a 7nan^ the cords of love, and by the moft alluring Promifes, and by the drivings of his holy Spirit; fwears to them that he zvould not they Jljoidd pen/Jo ; warns them of, and conjures them to avoid the Things which tend to their eternal Ruin ; diredls them to the Means by which they may moft certainly efcape it ; rejoyceth more at the Conver- fion of one Sinner, than at theRighteoufnefsof ninety nine Perfons who need no Repentance -, and when all the Methods of his Grace are loft upon them, breaks forth into compafTionate and melting Wilbes, that they had known the 'Things which do belong to their eternal Peace. Again, Confider whether he conceives more truly and honourably of God, who thinks he chufes his Favourites without Reafon and rewards them without any Qualifications, but thofe he irre- (iftibly works in them -, or he wh© looks upon him as one who dealeth with all Men not according to his but their own Works, as they are willing and obe- dient, as they render themfelves fit Objects of his Love, and rewards them as they ufe duly, or receive his Grace in vain, as they improve the Talents he hath fb Concerning the decree hach gnrcn them, or hiac them in a Napkin ? Whe- ther, Laftly, he teprefents God honourably, who be- lieves that God by his revealed Will hath declared he would have all Men to be Javed^ and yet by an an- tecedent fecret Will would have the greatcft Part of them to periili •, that he hath impofed a Law upon them which he requires them to obey on Penalty of his eternal Difpleafure, tho he knows they cannot do it without his irrefiftible Grace, and yet is abfo- lutely relolved to with-hold this Grace from them, and then to punifh them eternally for what they could not do without it -, and after all enquires, Wh'j will you die ? how long will it he ere thii People ohe-j me ? when . wilt thou be made clean ? what could I have done more for their IVelfare which I have not done ? Or he who believes it more agreeable to the Truth, and the Sincerity of the Divine Nature, to deal plainly with his Creatures, and mean what he fays \ and therefore not to feem very defirous they ihould do, or avoid, what he knows they never could do or avoid, and he will not enable them to do or avoid, and then complains that they have not done it, and enquires what was wanting on his Part to enable them to do it ? § 2. 2^/)', This will be further evident from thofe Scriptures which declare God is long-fuffering to us- ward^ not being willing that any JJjoidd perifi, but that all fljotdd come to Repentance; and that he fent his Prophets to prevent their Ruin, becaufe he had Com- paffion on them : That he commands his Prophets on peril of contrading the Guilt of their Blood, to warn his People, that without Repentance and Reformation they muft die, and to let them know, that as fure as he lives he would not the Death of him that dies, but rather would have him turn and live ; and that there- fore they could have no Reafon to fay his P^ays zvere not of Reprobatian. ^t not equals or that they fuhercd for their Fathers Sins. For, 17?, Doth it become the Wifdom of God to ufe, or to appoint thofe Means for the eiTe6ling what he would have done, which he knows to be no Means, becaufe no Ways fufficient to produce the afligned end •, and to with-hold, yea, to decree to with-hold that which alone could make them fo? And yet if he ufed only his long-fiifferirtg to lead Men to Repen- tance, fent only Prophets and Mejfengers to warn them to turn from the Evil of their Ways ; and this long- fuffering^ and thefe Warnings muft be inefFe6lual to thefe Ends, where that unfrujlrahle Grace which he did not vouchfafe is wanting -, he ufed only Means which he knew never could produce thefe Ends, and with- held that which could alone produce them. 2^/)i, Do(h it becoipe the Sincerity and W^ifdom of God to declare he did thefe Things* out of Compajfion to his People, till they fo far defpifed his Meflfen- gers, and rejeded their Warnings and Admonitions, that there was no further Remedy tor them, no healing of them, faith the Hebrew, when he himfelf beheld them in their Eutopian majfa perdita, without the leafl: Companion, never defignlng them any Remedy -, or, which is in Event the fame, not any that could be eflfedual, but even then decreeing to with-hold fronx them that Grace, without which there could be no healing by any Miffenger or Prophet fent unto them ? Does it become either his Wifdom or Sincerity to quar- rel with his People for faying the Fathers had eaten four Grapes and the Childrens Teeth were fet on edge\ or that they died for the Sins of th-ir Fore-Fathers, or for enquiring thus, if our 'Tranfgreffions and our Sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, can we then live? when his Decree had made it the, fad doom, not of them only, but even of the greateft Part of Mankind, to die eternally for the Sin of their Fore-father Adaniy and the Apple he had eaten io long ago, fet all his Chil- drens Teeth on edge, and made fo many precious Souls to J 2 Concerning the Decree to pine away in that Iniquity, fo rliat they could not Jive? Or could he hope to manifeft the Equity of his "Ways by faying, all Souls are mine^ if he was not only like the Ojlncb to the greatcil Part of them, (a) hard- ning himjelf againji his oizn Ojffpring^ made after his own Image, as if they were not bis, but even making the moft of them, after the Fall of Ada7n^ under that previous A61 of Preterition, which rendred their Dam- nation unavoidable ? Is he fo concerned to juftify the Equity of his Proceedings by declaring that the Son Jhall not die a temj'oral Death for the Iniquity of his Fa- ther^ but the Soul that pcrfonally fennetb he Jhad die \ when this more obvious Exception lay againft the Equity of his Proceedings with the Sons of Men, that moll of the Sons of Aaam lay under Death Eternal by his peremptory Decree for the Sin of their Fore- father^ committed long before they had a Being, and fo before they were in a Capacity of any Pcrfonal Oii'ence ? Does it become his Sincerity to fe;:m fo ear- neft in his Calls to them to repent, and turn them- felves from their TranfgreiTions, and to enquire with fo much feeming Concern (h) Why will you die? and to Ifrengthen his Invitation with an Oath and folemn Declaration, {j:) 1 have no pleafure in the Death of him that dieth^ therefore turn your fehes and live ye j and an Enquiry, Halo Kaphatiti Be/Jjah^ am I not much delighted in that that the firmer turneth from his evil wa\s^ and livetb, when he himfelf hath pafl: that A61 of Preterition on them, which renders it impofTible for them to repent, or turn from the Evil of their Ways, and therefore impofllble that they fhould live? To fay that God is ferious, fincere, and in good earneft in thefe Declarations and Enquiries, although (d) revera decrevit Gratiam necefjariam ad ilia pr^s^ Jlanda eis non indulgere, & eos ad perniciem prcefcripfu^ («)Job39.itf. (^) Ezek. 18. JO, 31, 52. (c) Vcr. aj. (ft) Maref.contr. Socin. To. I. p. 669. He of Reprobation. jj He hath decreed not to vouchfafe thetn Grace neceJJ'ary to -perform the fe Thbigs^ and hath appointed them for De- jtrubllon-^ only becaule die thing commanded, tho if be impofTible to be done by them, would be grateful ro him if it were done, and therefore may be fiid to be willed by him, volv.ntate fimpluis complacentiiB^ by a Will of Co?nplacency •, is moll apparently to put a Force upon the Text, to delude Men with vain Vv^ords, and to make the great and^good God fpeak fo to his People in the Concerns of their Salvation, as a wife, ho- ned: and fincere Man would be afhamed to fpeak to his Neighbour. And iji. it puts a manifeft Force upon the Text % for in what Propriety of Speech can he be faid to be more defirous that lapfed Sinners fhould return from the Evil of their Ways and live, than that they fl^ould continue in their Sins and die, who feeing them under an ablblute Neceflity of dying without Grace necef- fary to avoid it, leaves them under that fad Neceflity ? and who feeing them under an equal Incapacity of living without the fame Grace, degrees that they fliall never have it, and therefore in effed faith, they (hail die and not live ? Surely when that which they fay would be grateful to God, is by him left under a known Impoflibility of being done, he can't properly be faid to will it at all, becaufe voluntas non eji impojji- hilium^ a true Will only refpe^s things pcjfihk ; much lefs can he be faid to will it, rather than that Death, which by his own Decree, /'. e. his Will and Rule of Ading, he hath made impoflible to be avoided. Again ; doth he not delude Men with vain Words, who teacheth that a God of Truth and Sincerity, and of great Goodnefs, doth with much feeming Ar- dency and Compafiion, enquire of Perfons abfolutely doom'd to Death by his own Prefcription, Why will you die ? and faith unto them with fuch Symptortis of a paflionate Concern, turn ye, turn ye from your evil ivays, why will you die ? repent^ and he converted D from J 4 Concerning the decree from all your T'ranfgrti/Jwns, Jb. Iniquity Jhall not he your ruin •, when he himfelf had from Eternity appointed them to Ruin, and purpoftd to vv'ith-hold from them that Grace without which, 'twas impofTible they fhould repent or be converted? and that he calls upon them to cajt aiuay from them all their ^L'ranf^rcjfions whereby they have traiifgreffedy and make themjchci a new Hearty and a new Spirit^ for I have no pleafure in their death \ when he himfelf only propounds the way of life unto them upon impoflible Conditions? Did ever any honed Man fincerely thus attempt to engage another to that which he beforehand knew was impoiTible for him to do, without that Help he had determined to deny him ? or enquire why he would do what he well knew he never cou'd avoid ? Did ever any wife Phyfician, Oculift or Chirurgeon fay to the blind, the deaf, and lame, I am not willing you fhould ftijl continue under thefe Diftempers, put away therefore your Blindnefs, Deafnefs and Lanie- . nefs, and it fhall be well with* you ; when they well knew it was impofTible for them to do it v/ithout their Arr, and that they were refolved it fl;'Ould af- ford them no AfBlUnee in lb doing ? If then the Cafe be perfediy the fame, in reference to all to whom God hath decreed not to alTord fufficient Grace to enable 'em to repent, and turn to him, or to obtain a new Heart and Spirit^ and more efpecially to them, quos ad perdi^ tiomm p- a: [crip fit ^ whom he hath ordained to die eternally » who can imagine a God of Wifdom and Sincerity, not to fay Goodnefs, fhould fo deal with the Genera- lity of Upfed Men, as no good, wife, honcll, or true hearted Man, could have tlie face to deal with one like himfelf? Infinite are the Demonllrations which might be produced againfl this tremendous De- cree, but I fhall wave them all at prcfent, intending in the Se<5lion containing Arguments againft an Ab- fplut^ jEleftion, to confute both thele Decrees together. CHAP. of EleSiion, jj CHAP. III. Concerning Predeftination, or the Ab- folute Election of fome particular ^er- fans to eternal Life, § I. r~|nH IS with refped to the End, is an Abfo- \, lute Decree and Purpofe of bringing a cer- tain Number of Perlbns to Eternal Life, without re- fpeft to their forefeen Faith or Perfeverance. 2dlj. As it refpeds the Means, it is an Eternal De- cree and Purpofe of giving to thefe Men, and thefe alone, that effectual Grace which fhall infallibly, and infruftrably, produce in them Faith, Sanflification and Perfeverance to the end. And here note. That this Ele5lion or Predeflination confidereth all Men in the fame Condition, alike mi- ferable and damnable, alike impotent, and wanting Effectual Grace, and alike meet to be the Objeds of his Eternal Love, and Partakers of Effectual Grace ; fo that as in two Apples of equal Goodnefs, no rea- fon can be given why I fhould chufe one, rather than the other, fo neither can any reafon be alTigned why all or any of thefe Perfons are thus elected to Salva- tion, rather than all, or any that are not eleded. In oppofition to this Doctrine I alTert, ift. That the Eledion mentioned in the Hol'j Scrip" tures is not that of particular Perfons, but only of Churches and Nations. idl'j. That this Eleftion doth import rather their being chofen to the Enjoyment of the means of Grace, than to a Certainty of being faved by thofe means ; that it is only that which puts them in a Capacity of having all the Privileges and Bleflings which God bath promifed to his Church and People^ rather than D 2 ' under 3 6 Concerning the Decree under any abfolute Affurance of their Salvation, or of any fuch Grace as fhall infallibly, and without any Poflibility of Fruftration, procure their Salvation. 3^//)'. That the Eledion to Salvation mention'd in the Holy Scriptures is only thro' Faith joined with Holinef«, according to thofe Words of S, Paul, [a) God hath eletled \ou (Thefialonians) to Salvation^ iv etyi- «(r/x^, by the SaiicTific alien of the Spirit^ and the Belief of ihe 'Truth. That it is only a conditional F.lt'dion upon our Perfeverance in a Life of Holinefs, and is to be made Aire unto us by good fVorks, according to that Exhortation of St. Peter., ( b) give dili(if}ice to make ymr Calling and Elccticn [ure^ J/« twv xaAwy ipyuv^ by good fVorks, as both the Fathers, the Synae, the Vulgar, the JEthiopick, and many ancient Copies read, and as the Text requires, the Words immediately fol- lowing being thsfe (c) for if you do thcfe things you fhall never fall ; plainly declaring, that both the ma- king of their Calling and Eleftion fure, depended on their doing of thofe Works of Virtue, Godiinefs, Tem- perance, Patience, brotherly Kindnefs and Charity, men- tioned ver. 5, 6, J. of that Chapter. Now that the whole Society, or all the Members of the Church of God, and Chrill, are in the ^tvSt of Scripture, the Chofen and Ele(5t of God ; or that the Eledion mention'd in the Holy Scriptures is not an Abfolute Eledlion of particular Perfons to Salvation, but rather of whole Nations and Societies to be his Church, and his peculiar People, will be made fully evident from an impartial View of all thofe places of the Old and the New Teilament, where this Phrafe frequently occurs. And, § 2. I ft. In the Old Tefi anient it is mofl evident, that not the righteous and obedient Perfons only are ftiled the EIe£l, but the whole Nation of the Jcui's, {•) 2 TiicfHa. 13. {h) 2 Pet. I. 10. (0 Ver. 11. good of Ele6t'ion, 37 good and bad, were the Elect of God •, for in the Books of Mofes this Phrafe is dill applied to the whole Nition of the Jews^ as in thefe Words, (d) be- caitfe he loved -th^ Fathers^ therefore eiehiiuro to cxip^et dvTUv, He chofe their feed after theniy and brought them out of Egypt by his mighty power \ where it is evi- dent that the whole feed of Abraham, • Ifaac and Jacob, even all that came out of Egypt, are the EleSt. Again, [e) Jehovah thy God hath chofen thee to be a peculiar people to himfelf above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not fet his love upon you, and chiife you, becatife you were more in number than any people : But becaufe the Lord loved you, and becaiife he zvould keep the Oath which he had fworn to your Fathers.^ hath he brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the Houfe of Bond-meny from the Hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt -, where alfo evident it is, ift. That their being chofen before other Nations, to be God's peculiar People, is their Ele6tion. idly. That all who were brought out of Egypt, were thus beloved and eleded. "^dly. That to his beloved and elected People, God only promifeth to keep Cove- nant and Mercy, provided they would love him, and obey his Precepts •, and that he threatneth to deftroy them, and to repay them to their Face, if they neg- leded fo to do. In the loth Chapter, he fpeaks thus, (/") The Lord had a delight in thy Fathers to love them, v.tu iiehiiaro, and be e levied ycu their Seed after them above all People ; circumcife therefore the fore- skin of '^our Hearts, and be no more fliff- necked. Where again evident it is, that the whole Seed of Abraham by Ifaac^ even the ftiff-necked of them, were the E- ]e<5l of God. Chap. 14. he faith to all to whom the following Precepts did belong, and therefore doubt- lefs to all Ifrael, (g) thou art an holy People to the Lord thy God, vlu) ce ileKeiaro 0 nvptog, and the Lord (d) Deut.4. 37- («) (TfTrfo^Kcilo )y rrpoiKi^itlo, Deut. 7. ^>7,8- (/) Ver. 15.1J. U) Vcr. i. D :? hath g8 Concerning the decree hath chofen thee cut to be a peculiar People to himfelf above all Nations. And with this Notion of the Words accords the conftant Ufe of the fame Phrafe in all the Prophets and Sacred Writers of the Old 'Tejlament. Thus Solo- mon faitli, fh) Thy Servant is in the inidjl of th\ Peo- people, Sv iiehiluf which thou haft elected., a great Peo- ple that cannot he munbred., nor counted for Multitude, In the Book of Pfalms the Je^'s in general are (tiled (ij the feed of Ifrael his Servant^ the Children of Jacob,, fjtXexToJ «ut5, /. ij ele3 •, there it is faid, tow 'l«Mcd€ eatir^ *He^€$«TO, {k) the Lord hath chofen Jacob for himfelf^ and Ifrael for his own Inheritance •, that the (l) Lord brought forth his People wit hr joy, zui ro^g iyihBHro^i olvtov, and bis eleti with gladnefs ; there he defires of God to fee the good, twv cJiXeKTwv, of his ele£f, and to rejoyce in the gladnefs of his Nation, and with his Inheritance : So that throughout the Book of Pfalms God's People, his Servants, his Nation, his Inheritance, and his Ele5i are the fame Perfons. In the Evangelical Prophet we find God fpeaking of Jacob, ov £$e^£^«|x^)V, (?n) w/jow, faith he, I have chofen, and Ifrael whom I have loved ; and to whom he fpeaks thus, («) thou art my Child whom I have chofen : there God declares he will make IVaters in the PFildernefs, and rivers in the defart, 'XorCcui to yg'vof ^t^oyj to tnAeXTov, {o) to give Drink to my chofen generation, my People zvhom I have chofen to fet forth my Praife \ there we read of (/O Jacob wv Servant, and Ifrael mine Ele5f, and of a Mountain which his Eleol fhall inherit, and in which his Servants fhall ckveU. In the Prophet Jere?ny we find God is difplcafed with them who faid, {q) the two fajnilies iriT 'WH whom the Lord hath chofen he hath even caft them off. (h) I Kings ^ 8. (0 Pf. 105. e no Argument to Chrijlians in the general to pray always and not faint, ver. I. Moreover, that enquiry, "djhen the Son of Man (omcth p.'till he fnd Faith on the Earth, ver. 8. Qiews m that of EkSiion. 4;. that even the Faith of many of thefe Ele^ would fail. ^he Ele^ion according to Grace mention'd Ro7n. 11. 5. doth in like manner fignify the whole Body of the JeiviJJj Converts, even all that did embrace the Chrijli- an Faith, and were not hardned in or blinded by their Prejudices and Infidelitv ; as is apparent from the fol- lowing Words, ver.y. i) ^e i^hQyvi HiTVx^v the Election hath obtained^ hut the reji were blinded ; and as it is not eafy to conceive how the Apojlle fhould know how all the Jeivip Converts fhould be abfolutely eledled to Salvation, fo is it evident from the Epijiles that he and others of the Apofiles knew the contrary ; for they contain plain Intimations and frequent Declarations that a great Number of thefe Jewijh Converts turn*d afterwards Apojtates and renounc'd the Chriftian Faith : that St. Paul was afraid that fome of thefe Ele^ would afterwards draw back unto Perdition^ and never doubted but they might do fo, is evident from all thofe Exhor- tations he dire6leth to them in his Epiftle to the He- brews^ not to do fo^ and from the direful Judgments he threatneth to as many of them as (hould apojtatize ; for thus he fpeaks, {a) See to it. Brethren, lejl there bs in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another day by day that none of you be hardened thro* the Deceit fulnefs of Sin ; for we are made Partakers of Chnfi, only on this con- dition that we hold the beginning of our Confidence ft edfaji to the End. Again, (b) feeing there remains a Reft for the People of God, let us labour to enter into that Reft, left any Man fall after the fame Example of Unbeliefs for ic) it is impoffible to renew them to Repentance who have been once enlightened, and have tafted of the fpiritual Gift, and have been Partakers of the Holy Ghoft, and have tafted the good IVord of God, and the Powers of the {a) Heb. j. 12, 13^ 14. {b) Heb. 4, 9, it, (f) Heb. 6. 4, 5, 6. JVorld 44 Concerning the Decree World to come, and yet fall away *, {d) look therefore di- ligently, left any Man fall from the Grace of God, left there be any Root of Bitternefs fpringing up among you tvhereby many be defiled ; {e) caft not .therefore away your Confidence which hath great Reco?npence of Reward; for the Juft Jhall live by Faith, but if any Man draw hack, my Soul, Taith God, J/jall have no pleafure in him. Moreover that many of • them would do fo, our Saviour prophefied, faying, ( f) becaufe Iniquity jhall abound, the Love of many will %vax cold ; even that Love which was once fervent, and in which, enduring to the End, they would be faved : and that many of them did thus Apoftatize, or fall away to Perdition, hath been fully proved, Note on 2 'Thejf. 2. 3. From all which things it is exrreamly evident that the Apoftle neither did nor could fpeak of this Remnant according to the EleBion of Grace, as perfons abfolutely eleded to Salvation. Ihe Purpofe of God according to Election, mention*d Kom. 9. II. refpedleth not the Perfons of Jacob and E(au, but their whole Nation and Pofterity, according to the Note of Jrcsneui, {g) par turn Rebeccce prophetiam fidjfe duorum populorum. This is plain, \ft. From the Words of God to Rebecca, Two Na- tions are in thy Womb, and Two Manner of People //jail he feparatedfrom thy Loim, and the one People jhall be Wronger than the other, and the Elder fJjall ferve the Touhger. 2dly. From this obfervation, that as to the Perfons of Efau and Jacob this was never true, that the Elder did ferve the Younger, but only as to their Poller ity ; when the Edomitei became tributaries to David, 2 Sam. 8. 14. And, T^dly. Becaufe what is here offered as a Proof or Con- firmation of this, is cited from the Prophet Malachi, who prophefied long after Jacob and Efau were dead {A) Heb. 12. 15. (0 Heb. lo. 35» 58- (/) Mark 24. 12,13. (f)L. 4. C.38. per- of Election. 45 perfonaDy, and fpeaks exprefly of the Nation of the Edomiles. Now hence it clearly follows that the Apojlle cannot here difcourfe of any perfonal Eledion of them to eter- nal Life, or any abfolute Love or Hatred of them with refped' to their eternal Interefts ; for if fo, feeing He manifeftly fpeaks of the whole Nation of Ifraelj they n'iuft, according to this Opinion, be all elefted to eter- nal Life ; whereas the Apoftle informs us, that God was not well pleafed with i?iany of them^ and the whole Jewi/h Hiftory (hews the contrary. Again, then muft the whole Pofterit-y of Efau be the Objeds of God's Hatred and his Reprobation ; which is fo far from be- ing true, that holy Job and all his Friends appear to have been of the Pofterity of Efau. 'Tis therefore certain, that the Apoftle here only fpeaks of the Elec- tion of one Seed and Nation before another, to be ac- counted and treated by him a.s the Seed of Abraham^ or owned for his peculiar People. And whereas the Apoftle alfo fpeaks of Vejfels of Mer- cy prepared for Glory ; as they were thus prepared by their Faith, fo were they Veffels of Mercy, even both Jews and Gentiles by being called, ver, 24. and by their being made his People, his beloved, ver. 25. When then the fame Apoftle faith, Who Jh all lay any thing to the Charge of God's Eli^ ; here again the Eled: and true Believers are the fame ; and God having jufti- fied them thro' Faith in him that died for them, who can charge them with Guilt in order to their Condem- nation. And fuitable to this Notion of the word Eledion, where it refpeds the Jewifh Nation, or the Jewifh Con- verts, is the import of it in thofe Epiftles ; where whole Nations, Communities or Churches are ftiled the Eled. Thus, V. g. all the faithful Brethren in Colojfe, are ftyled the Eled of God {h\ and yet to thefe Eled (A) Chap, 3, 12. he J{6 Concerning the decree he promifeLh the Bleedings of Chrijiianity^ only if they continued (i) ronted and grouvded in the Failb, and were not moved away fr on the Hole of the G of pel •■, {k) and he cxpreflfcth both his Care ahd Fe;ir, left they fhould be deceived and robb'd of their Reward, and calls upon them to {I) mortify their fleflily Lufts, as being things which would pull down the Wrath of God upon them. The fame Jpofile faith to the whole Church of *TheJfalofiica^ ftiled the Chirch in God the Father^ and in our Lord Jefus Chrifi (m), I knozv your Eleolion of God. Now he knew well that God defigned them to be his Church and People, and therefore gives this Reafon of his Knowledge, for our Gofpel came not to you in Word onl\^ hut in Power -, but *tis not eafy to imagine how he fliould know that all the Members of that Church (hould be abfolutely elefted to Salvation without a fpecial Revelation: and that he did not know this he fufficiently declares by exprefTing afterwards his Fears (n) left Satan fhoutd have tempted thcm^ and hh Labour fjjould have been in ■vain. In his fecond Epiflle (o) he faith, IVe ought to give thanks for you^ that God hath cleSfed you from the Beginning to Salvation^ by San^if cation of the Spirit^ and Belief of the Truth ; and yet he there calls upon them (/) to depart from every Brother who walked dif- orderly, and tiot according to the Tradition he had re- ceived ; and not to {q) mix tbemfehes with them who would not obey the Words of the Atoflle. In his fecond Epiflle to Timothy he iaith, (r} He fuffers all things for the Elccl\s fake \ but then if' you compare this with the parallel Place of the fame Apo- Jlle, in his Epiftle to the Colo//: an', (s) you will find (;) Col. I. 23. ((•) Chap. 2. 4, 8, 18. (/) Chap. 3. 5,7,8. (w) I Thefl: I. 4. (») I Theff. 3.5. (0) z Thefl: 2. 13, (p) 2 Thefl; 3. 6, I u (^) Vcr. 14. (r) 2 Tim. 2. 10. (j) Coloir. 1. 24, 25. the of Ekciion. 47 the Eie^ to be no other than the whole Church of Cbrijl ', of which he was a Minijter. In his Epiftle to 'Titus he ftiles himfelf (t) an Apojlle according to the Faith of God^s EleB : but having proved that all Chrijlians arc fly led the Eled, we may well interpret this of the Faith of Chriftians in the general, he being an Apojile in reference to them all, even to them to whom his Gofpel was a (//) Savour of Death, as well as te them to whom it was a Savour of Life. Lajliy, Whereas the Strength of their Do6lrine feems to be placed in thofe Words of the Apojiky [w) He hath hlejfed us with allfpiritUAl Blejfings in Chriji Jejus, according as he hath chofen us in bi?n from the Foundation of the World \ thefe Words are plainly fpoken of and to all the Saints in Ephejus, and to the Faithful in Chrifi Jefus, who were all chofen out of the World to be God's Church and People; but doubtlefs were not all infallibly predeftinated to Salva- tion •, but only to the Adoption of Children, ver. 5. which is the immediate Fruit of Faith, we being all the Children of God thro* Faith in Chrifi Jefus. This is ex- ceeding evident, ijl. From this very Epiftle, in which he exhorts them (x) that tke'j henceforth walk not as other Gentiles in the Vanity of their Mind, and cautions them that no Man deceive them into the Commiflion of thofe things (y) for which the Wrath of God cometh upon the Children of Difobedience, and bids theni (z) take to them' fdlves the whole Armour of God, that they may be able to Jland in the evil Day -, and having done all tofland. idly. From his Predidtion, that after his departure grievous Wolves fhotdd enter in not fparingthe Flock, and that ajnong themjelves Men Jhould arifefpeaking perverfe (r) Tit. 1. 1. (») 2 Cor. 2. 16. (w) Epb. 1, j, 4. (x) Chap, 4. 17. (y) Chap, 5. 6. ' (*) Chap. 6. 13. Things 4? Concerning the Decree things to draw away Difcijles after tbe7n^ Ai5ls 20. 29, 30. And, 3^/)i. From his Advertifement to Timothy^ that (a) all in Afia had turned away from h'mi -, that Hymenceus and Philetus had overthrown the Faith of fo?ne ; that the time would come when they would not endure found Do^rine^ hut would turn their Ears from the Truth •, that Tome {b) having put away a good Ccnfcience con- cerning Faith had made Shipwrack ; that fo7ne were turned afule after Satan^ and had erred from the Faith \ all which are inconfiftent with the Character of the Eledt, that is ot Perfons infalhbly predeltinated to Salvation. § 4. The other Words by which it is conceived fuch an Eledion may be taught and fignified in the I^ew Teilament are thefe three, zpoyvucig the Fore-knowledge ; vpo^ecig the Purpofe ; Tpocip<(7|xof the Fore- appointment of God •, of all which let it be noted, I/?. That none of them relate to particular or in- dividual Perfons (fave only when they are ufed of our Bleded Lord and his Sufferings for usj but only to Churches and Nations in the general : To the whole Church of believing Jews and Lrentiles whom God had chofen, ^^oopicug^ fore-appointurg thetn to Adoption bv fe- fus Chrijt, iiph. 5.1. in whom alfo, faith he, txAiipwflvijxsv ive were' niadc his Portion or peculiar People, 'JcpoopKr^ivreg M«Ta 'jrpo&eo'kv, being fore-appointed fo to be according to his Purjofe^ ver. 1 1, God having purpofed and fore- appointed that this (hould be the Portion of Believers, and the Confequence of Faith in Chrift, by which we become the Sons of God : To all the converted Jews throughout their Difperfion, they being eleded yccrk xpofisc/v, according to the Purpofe of God the Father, I Pet. I. 2. And, laftly, of the Pofterity of Jacob and (a) 1 Tim, i, iS. 2. J 8. 3, 5, 4. C^) I Tim. i. 19. 5. 15. 6. zi. Efau ; of Ele6tion. 49 Efail ; of whom, that ^ VLxra. ivLhoyi^v r« 6£ow Tpodf ar/;, /^^ Purpofe of God according to JcLuctiun m.g^.Jt jiu^d^ :c waS laid when Rebecca bore them, //:?f Elder /ball Jerve the Tounger^ Rom 9. 11. 2(3'/)!. That this Fore-knowledge, Purpofe and Ap- pointment is only that of calling Men to the Know- ledge of Salvation by Chrijl Jejus j tiius the Apojlle teacheth, that he was appointed to preach to the Gentiles the unfearchable Riches of Chrift, according to the antient Purpofe which Gid had ?nade in Chnfl Je- fus our Lord, Eph. 3. 11. and that accordmg to his Purpofe before AgeSy he called lis ivith an holy Callings 2 Tim. 1. 9. ^dly. This Calling is by God defigned ii:) tstw, that they who are thus called^ 7night obtain Sa.vaiion thro* San^if cation of the Spirit^ and Belief of the 'Truths 2 Their. 2. 13. thro* Sanotifi cation of the Spirit to Obedi- ence, and thro* the Sprinkling of the Bleed of Jefus ; all Chrijlians being chofen to this End, that they might be holy and unblameable before God m Love, Eph. i. 4. But hence it cannot reafonably be argued, that this Elec- tion is no larger than the Holinefs defigned to be pro- duced by it j for the Riches of God's Goodnefs, Pa- tience and Long-fuffering was certainly defign'd to lead all thofe to whom it was vouchfafed to Repentance ; but can it be hence argued, that this Goodnefs, Pati- ence and Long-fuffering is exercifed to none but thofe who truly do repent .'' why then doth the Apojlle com- plain of thofe who defpiftd thefe Means, and after the Vouchfifemenf of them ftill continued {c) to trea- fare up Wrath againfl the Day of Wrath ? The Miflion of the Baptipt was {d) to turn the Hearts of the Fathers to the Children, and to make ready a People prepared for the Lord', but it was far from having thisEffedt on all to whom he preach'd. The End of the Meffiah'^ com- ing to the Jews was that he might fave his People from (0 Rom. 2. 4. (J) Luke 1.17, 76, 77, 79. E their JO Concerning the decree their Sins, and mighc engage them (e) toferve him in Holinefs and Righteoufncjs all the Days of their Life ; but it was far from having that Effect upon them. The faving Grace of God appeared to all Men to teach them, denying all Ungodlincfs and worldly Lufis, to live right eouftry, foberly and godly in this jrefent World \ but 'tis too liidly evident it hath not this good effedl on all to whom it doth appear. 4,thly, As Men were appointed to be called from the beginning, and the Gofpel is the fVifdom of God thro' Faith to Salvation, and was that, i?v TpowpiCfiv, which God had fore-appointed to he preached to them for that end, I Cor. 2. 7. the Word of God giving the Hope of that Salvation ivhich he had promifed before all Ages -, fo by Virtue o^ this Purpofe and Fore-appointment Men were in time Called by the Gofpel to the Faith in Chrift : whence they, who were thus called, are faid to he cal- led according to the Purpofe of God, Rom. 8. 28. and (f) according to his Purpofe and Grace given us in Chrifl Je- fus: The Knowledge and Purpofe from the Foundation of the World, of fending Chrift to die for theRemif- fion of Sins, being the Ground of this Calling ; whence he is faid to be given up to the Death according to the Fore-knowledge of God, and his fore-appointed Counfel, A(fts 2. 23. and they who flew him are faid to have done only what his Counfd had fore-appointed to be done, A(5ls 4. 28. And tho' thefe Obfervations will direft us how to anfv\Tr what is argued from thefe and fuch like Places in Favour of this abfolute Eledion, I fhall pro- ceed to a particular Confideration of what is farther offered to that Purpofe. And, § 5. ifl. It is faid. If all that God giveth to Chrifl /hall come to him, then thofe who do not come to him are not given to him by the Father *, i. e. are not eled- ed to Salvation by Chrift 5 but Chrift exprefly faith, (0 Luke I. 74, (/) I Pet. I. £9* All of Election] yf All that the Father givetb me Jh all come to {j.e, believe m) me, John 6. 37, 39. Ergo. Now to this Argument I anfwer, (iji.) That to be given of the Father cannot fignify to be abfolutely cho- itn by God to eternal L.ife ; for then the yeiv> could not be reafcnably accufed for not coming to Chriil, or not believing on him, much lefs could it be imputed to them as their great Crime, ihdXthey would ?iot come unto h'lm^ or believe on him : feeing, upon this Suppofition, that only they whom God had chofen to eternal Life could come unto him, they could not come unto him who were not thus elefbed, and fo'it could not be im- puted to them as their CrimxC, that they did not that which it was never in their Power to do *, whereas, *tis certain, that our Saviour reprefents it as their great Sin, that (g) in hm 'whom the Father had fent ihe-j be^ lieved not -, and thai they would not come unto hhn that they might have Life; telling them, that (h) the Spirit would convince them of Sin, becaufe they believed not in him ; and that (i) they had 'no exciife for that Sin i whereas what better excufe could be made for them thaa this, that they could not come to him, as being not by God ele6ted unto that Life he offer'd to induce them fo to do ? (2/3;.) Hence it muft follow, that Chrift could not reafonably have invited them to come to him, or called them to believe in him, who were not given him of the Father : for this was to invite them to come to him that they might live; whom he well knew, could never come, as being never chofen to obtain that Life; much lefs could he have told them ik) this was the Work which God required them to do ; or that the Father had given them this Bread from Heaven : this being to require them, according to this Suppofition, to believe a Lye, viz. that Chrift was fent to be the Bread of Life and a Saviour to them, for whom the Father never {g) John 5. 38, 40. {h) John. 16.9. (i) Chap. 15. Xij24. {k) John. 6. »7, 29, 32. £ 2 44'4 5i Concerning the Decree did intend Salvation by hitn -, and yet Chrift mani- feftly fays to them, who feeing him did not beheve, and therefore were not given to him by the Father^ labour for thai Meat which nourijheth to Life eternal^ ivhich the Son of Man fhallgive to -jou^ ver. 27. And that this is the Work, ^ e. Command of God, that '^e be- lieve in him that he hath fen t -, and my Father giveth you the true Bread that cometh dozvn from Heaven, and gi- veth Life to the World, ver. 32, 33. and therefore not only to the ele(5l. I therefore here enquire thus, Was our Lord truly willing that they to whom he fpake fhould have Life ? If not, why doth he fay {y) thefe thi?7g5 I /peak to you that ye might be faved ? If fo. Why did he Hiy that he would do nothing but what he faw his Father doing ; that (z) he did akvays thofe ' things which pleafed him j feeing it was not the Fa- iher*s Will that they Hiould be faved, or come unto him that they might have Life, whom he had not given to him, that is, had not eledled to Salvation. And, ('^dly.) Were thisfo, the Jezvs muft have had juft Occafion to complain of Chrift, and of his Dodlrine, as being that which revealed to them their eternal, and inevitable Reprobation, and made it be not only necelTary, but even equitable to rejecft him, becaufe the Bleffings which he tcndred belong'd not to them in general, but only tofome tew who by the Father fhould be given to him. (^tbly.) Obferve, that Chrijl here gives a Reafon why they believed not, viz. ye have fe en, and believe not, hecaufe ye are not given to me of my Father ; now it is reafonable to conceive this Reafon fhould a- gree with all the other Reafons afligned of their Infide- lity, which yet are manifeltly founded, not on any thing wanting on the Part of God, but on fomething wanting in themfclves, that they might do fo, viz. ifi. That they came not to the Light, (a) becaufe their Works were evil, and being fo they bated the Light, (y) John 5. 34. (z) John 8. 29. {a) John j. 19, 20. 3 ^"^ of Election. 5 J and wouU not come to it ; that they believed not in him hecauje he /pake that truth which was diftaftful to them, John 8. 45. 2dly. Becaufe [b) they had not the JVord of God ahidhig in them, nor believed God bearing Witnefs to him, nor Mofes ipeaking of him, and ^o being taught o\. God they would not learn. ^dly. Becaufe they were not of God, (r) Te therefore do not hear the Word becaufe ye are not oj God ; and be- caufe they had -not the hoi) e of God in them, John 5. 40, 42. j\thly. Becaufe they prefered the Praife of Men be- fore the Praife of God, not feeking the Glory which Cometh of God only, John 5, 44. c,thly. Becaufe they were not of his Sh,'ep, not docile, or difpofed to hear his Voice : ye therefore believe not, be- caufe ye arc not of my Sheep, John 10. 26. 6thly. Becaufe, thro' the Perverfenefs of their Hearts, they could not hear his Word, (d) JVhy do ye not know my Speech? even becaufe ye cannot hear ?ny JVord: and this they could not do becaufe they were of their Father the Dfvil, and his JVorks they would do. To aflign there- fore the true Import of this Phrafe, Obfcrve, That to be given of the Father, doth not fignify their adlual Faith who were thus given, but only that they were prepared and qualified to believe ; for of them it is faid, they fh all come to him., i. e. they fhall believe: firft.they are given, and afterwards they do believe ; as being by that A61 prepared fo to do. And therefore to be given of the Father, is, ifl. To be convinced by the Miracles which God had wrought by him to teftify the Truth of his Mif- fion, and thereby to fet his Seal to him, that he was the Mejfias, and the Son of God, and to be willing upon thefe Teftimonies to own him as fuch ; laying afide all thole Prejudices and Carnal Affedlions which obltruded their coming to him. This appears, (*) John 5. 38,46. (c) John 8.47. {d.y John. 8. 4 j. E 3 ' i/. "54 Concerning the decree ijl. From the Defcription which Chrifl gives of the Perfons the Father had given to him, viz. {e) they were thine^ and thou gavcjt them to me^ and they know that I came from the Father., and they have believed that thou haft fent me ; for this is fpok-en of Chrijl's Difci- ples, of whom it is fo often faid, (f) they faw his Mi- racles and believed on him. By them they therefore knew that he came forth from God, and fo they are faid to be given of God, becaufe he wrought thofc Mi- racles which convinced them of the Truth, and made them to believe in him. idly. This we may learn from a like Expreffion in the Book of Deuteronomy,, Te have feen all the Lord did before your Eyes in the Land of Egypt, the great 'Temptations, Signs, and Mira- cles which there he wrought, i<^1 and the Lord hath not given, or hath not the Lord given you an Heart to perceive, and Eyes to fee, and Ears to hear unto this Day ? For here it is manifeft, that the way of God*s giving them an Heart to perceive, was by work- ing thofe Signs and Miracles before their PLyes, which might induce them fo to do ; and yet for want of the Improvement of them to this End, it is ad- mired that the Lord hath not given them this Heart, or is imputed as their great Fault, that he had not given it ; i. e. that after all he had done to produce it in them they had it not. So ^^^ j^*?*! fhall not Amnon go with us.'' 2 Sam. 13. 26. HU-'V "^HX X'?^ and hath he not made one ? Mai. 2. 15. n^n O*? N*? went not my Heart with thee ? 2 Kings 5. 26. J^*? 73p3 fliall we not receive evil? Job 2. 10. idh. Chrifl: being fent by God the Father, that the World thrc* him migot be faved -, and to propound to tl^em that eternal Life which was with the Father, and by him was manifefied to us, and to fhew them the Terms on which this Life might be attained, as he (*) John 17. 89 (/)John2. iJ, doih of EleSiion. yy doth throughout this Chapter ; that is faid to be God's Record, that he hath given us eternal life, and that life is in his Son, i John 5. ii. And here 'tis faid, that the Father had given them the true bread from heaven that giveth life to the world ; and they who were fo convinced of the Truth of this Pro* mife by our Saviour's Miracles, as to expetft to re- ceive it by Faith in him, and Obedience to his Doftrine, and were fo affeded with it as to cfteem it above all other things, and fo were* willing to apply themfelves to the Performance of thofe Du- ties by which this Life might be acquired, and to rejeft and quit thofe things which might oblliuft them in the Profecution of it, are faid to be given to him of the Father, becaufe he wrought thofe Mi- racles which gave them this Convidion, ('thus is the Father faid to have revealed to St. Peter that Jefus %vas the Chrijl, becaufe he revealed the Do6lrine which he taught, and confirmed it by the Miracles he wrought, as hath been proved. Note on Mat. 16. ly.) and be- caufe he gave this Promife of Eternal Life, and fent his Son to reveal it to the World •, and therefore when he faith to his Apojiles whom the Father had given him, will ye alfo go away ? St. Peter anfwers, Lord to whom Jhoidd we go, thou hajl the JVords of eternal Life ; and we believe, and know that thou art the Chrifi, the Son of the living God, Now it is evident that they who have this ftrong Conviftion that our Saviour came from God, and this Concernment for that eter- nal Life he promifed as their Encouragement to come to him, will believe on him, becaufe fuch Perfons can neither want affurance that they ought to do fo, nor the mod prevalent Motives fo to do, as having that eternal Life before their Eyes, which they more value than all worldly Things, and for which they are willing, and prepared to quit all their lower Inte- refts. For a Conclufion of this Anfwer, .let it be noted E 4 from 5 6 Concerning the fDecree fr'^m Cbr\foiloin ( " ) on rhe Plac \ T^roig iirnvi^uci M«v/%aio/ hiyovrfg or/ gSiv i(p i]ix,Tu aeTrui, lod MuHitiJees ujed ibeje h ords lo dejtro) Man's Jrree-'will\ and there- fore he, and St. Cyril^ Euthymhis, and ThmthylP here note, rhar Chrift fpeaks thefe Words, 8K auTfEaciov a^ai^uv, u%aye, not taking away our Free-WJl; far be it fioiu usfo to thinks for Chnlt intends no more by the g'.vin^ii; I'f ""hr F'^t'-^-r^ but his R'vlatinn from abcve^ yect '^vx'^v ivyju^o^jccg 5e%o/x£Vviv Ti^v axoM«Xu^^/v, /o rt Soul tvell ' " ed lo receive .i \ tiiat thib is the Girt of God, ToXg uitQig, *r Prrrnm fitted for it \ and that the Father draws ra; x«t« rpouipsfftv ixiT^^eioTvirx exovrag, the?n who by their mi nauom have a ptnejs to come to Chrijl ; with many Things of ahke Nature. See alfo St. Au- jlin there. §6. Arg. 2. If all that believe are ordained to eter- nal Life, then do none believe but they who are thus ordained. But the firft feems to be aflerted in thefe "Words, as many are were ordained to eternal Life believed^ ACIS13.48. Ergo. Anfw, I anfvver, that thefe Words cannot fignify that there is a fixed Number of Perfons abfolutely by God ordained to eternal Life, fo that they, and they only fhall obtain it, and all others be excluded from it, as upon this Suppofition they muft be : as will be evident from thefe Confiderations. ijt. That if the Reafon why thefe Men believed were only this, that they were Men ordained to eter- nal Life, the Reafon why the refl: believed not, can be this only, that they were not by God ordained to eternal Life •, and if fo, what Neceflity could there be, that the Word of God Jhould be firfl preached to them? as we read ver. 46. Was it only that their Damnation might be the greater ? This feems to charge (2) Tom* i. Horn. 46. p. 744, the of El€5iion» 57 the Lover of Souls, whofe lender Meroies are over all bis IVorks^ with the grcateft Cruelty ; feeing it makes him determine, not only that lb many Souls, as ca- pable of Salvation as any other, (hall perifh everlaft- ingly \ but alfo to determine that the Difpenlations of his Providence fhall be fuch towards them as necef- farily tends to the Aggravation of their Condemnation : and what could even their moIi: malicious and enra- ged Enemy do more ? What is it that the very Devil aims at by all his Temptations but this very End ? •viz. the Aggravation of our future Punifhment. And therefore to afTert that God had determined that his Word fhould be fpoken to thefe Jews for that very End, is to make God as inftrumental to their Ruin as the very Devil. idl'^. The Apojlle gives this Reafon why he turned from the Jews to the Gentiles., becaufe the Jews had thruji away the Word of God from them., and judged themfelves tinvjorthy of eternal Life ; ver. 46. whereas, according to this Suppofition, that could be no fufH- cient Reafon of his going from them to the Gentiles: for it was only they among the Jews whom God had not ordained to eternal Life who thus refufed to believe, and to obey the Word of God j and as many among the Gentiles as were not thus ordained to eter- nal Life muft neceffarily do the fame ; and fo there couid be no fufficient Caufe why he (hould turn from the Jews to the Gottiles upon that Account. And, ^dly. Were this the Reafon why the Jews believed not, that they were not by God ordained to eternal Life, why doth St. Paul., by God's Commiffion, fpeak here to them thus. Be it knotvn to you Brethren., that by this J ejus is declared to you Remijfion of Sins ? why doth he add, and by him every one that helieveth ts jujtified., &c. Why doth he vehemently exhort them to beware, left that faying of the Prophet {h) fiahakknk (/&) Vcr. 38—41. Jkould 58 Concerning the decree Jhoiild he verified oj them, you zviU not believe tho one declare it to )ou ? for could God have determined that thefe very Peribns fhould not believe to Life eter- nal, and yet commifllorjate his Apojlles to tell them, that Remijfion of Sins, and Jujiification to Life, was pro- pofed to them ? Could it be revealed to St. Paid, that they could not believe to Life eternal, as being not by God ordained to it, and yet would he fo pafTio- nately exhort them to that Faith in Jefus, which he well knew, by Virtue of this Revelation, belong'd not to them, nor could they pofTibly exert? Thefe Things feem clearly to evince this cannot be the proper Im- port of the Words -, but they will very well admit of thefe two Senfes. ijl. As many as were difpofed for eternal Life, be- lieved ; for the Word rerayiiivog, which we here ren- der ordained, is ufed in this very Book to fignify a Man not outwardly ordainM, but inwardly difpofed, or one determined, not by God, but by his own In- clinations, to do fuch a Thing; as when 'jis faid, (i) St. Paul zvent on Foot from AJfos, arw y^^ mv liartz- TuyiJiivog, for fo he was difpofed:, the Son ot {k) Siraeh fays, that the Conduft, or Government of a wife Man is rereiyiiiv^, not ordain'd by God, but well or- dered or diipuJtd by himfelf. Thus (I) Philo faith to Cain^ thou nredejl not fear being kiil'd by them who are, iv er^ Tsrttyfxivoi (ru/x|xa%/'^, rank'd on thy Side, or of the lame Difpolicions anci Inclinations with thee ; and he faith to thofe Children who having had vicious Pa- rents, were themf^lves virtuoufly inclined, that they are (7/1) ot^eiva^ r£r^yiJ.ivoi roiisi, placed in a better Rank y and fpeaking of Jijau and Jacob, he reprefents Efau us fierce, fubjedt to Anger and other PafTions, and govcrn'd by his brutilh part, bu: Jacob, as a Lover of Virtue and Truth •, and fo («) *v ^ehrtovi rBTttyiii" (i) Afts 2©. 13. (k) Ch. 10. 1. (0 L. tjuod deter, p. 144. '/-?>) De Nebilit. p. 702. C. (») De pramiii c? ^amis. p. 712. B. of EleSthn. 5^ vov Tulstf placed in a better Rank, or of a better Tem- per and Difpofition ; and adds, that («?) Samuel was reruyiJ^ivos t^ Set?, well difpofed towards God. So (/=) Sim- plicius interprets this Word ; for when Epioleliis had faid, If thou defirejl to be a Philofopher, fo retain the Things that feem beft to thee^ ug C%o 0f a Terayi/^ivog Big t«u- TijV Tjjv ruhvj as being by God placed in ti:ai L\'y •, that is, faith he, {q) ug v%d Ges ^pfiTpexo/xevoc i^i t«Ct«, as being by God incited to thefe '•Things : and to this Senfe the Context leads ; the Perfons oppofite to thofe dif- pofed for eternal Life, being thofe who thro' their In- difpofition to embrace the Offer of it, were imworthj of eternal Life. 2. The fecond Senfe of which thefe Words are capa* ble is this. That as many as were well difpofed, (r) be- lieved to eternal Life ; accordingly we are faid to believe in Chriil to eternal Life, and (f) to the favtng of the fold, bccaufe we by believing do obtain a full right to that Life of which we cannot fail, but by departing from the Faith, or fuffering it to become unfruitful in thofe Works of Righteoufnefs which make us meet to be Partakers of eternal Life. § 7. Arg. 3. If all that love God are called accor- ding to his Purpofe, then hath he no Purpofe of cal- ling them that do not love him : If they who are fore-known are predeflinaled to be conformed to this Image of his Son, they who are not conformed to it are not fore-known : If they who are called (effedlually) are jujiified, and glorified, then all that are not juftified, and will not be glorified, are not called according to his Purpofe, or effedually. Anfw. This Text exprefly fpeaks of thofe who aflu- ally love God, not of thofe whom God hath loved CO 2>e Tew«/. p. 103. C, (p) Enchir.C,7$, (q) Simp. p. 139. (r) 2Tiin. i.i5. (/) Heb. lo. 39. with 66 Coyicernmg the Decree with this fuppolcd difcriininating Love ; and to love Gnd and to be called according; to his Purpofe, are Words put by way of Appofition, to fhcw they are both of the fame Import ; that which God purpofed in calling us by ChriR, being that we anight be holy, and uiiblameahle before him in love, Eph. 1..4, 9. So that the whole of this Argument may be granted ; they who by God are permanently juftified, and v/ho will be glorified, being fuch only who do love God, and are conformed to the Image of his Son, and who are called according to his purpofe of making them holy before him in Icve, and called effectually, i. e. fo as that God's Calling hath its defign'd Efreft upon them. And let it farther be obferved, that when the Apoftle faith, on s; rpOEyvu, for whom he fore- knew ; the Particle ort is conneclive, and this Verfe giving the Reafon or Confirmation of what was fpoken in the former, it feems necellary to interpret thefe Words thus, Whom he fore-knew to be Perfons called accord- ing to his purpofe, and therefore qualified for this Adoption, ver. 23, them he predeftinated to be con- formed to the Image of his Son. And it deferves to be confidered, that all Antiquity, till the Time of St, Aiiffin, do with one Confent concur in the Inter- pretation of the Pfiid. Ambrcfius on the Place, q^iios frcBfcivit Jtbt fore devctos, irfos elegit ad p'omiffa frcB- mia •, thofe whom he fore-knew would be devoted to his Service, he chofe to the R-ward Proniifed tn thern : thofe whom he fore-knew t(^ be T8? «E''aj tJj; xA^ifrewf , worthy to be called^ fo T'heodoret and Toeophylatt. Some of them in their Defcants on thefe Words, ror? k«t« Tpofle- ffiv HAvjTorg , called according lo purpofe, expound them of the Purpofe or Free- Will of Man, declaring that a Man is called by God, (/) "mttrk yw^v^t i^to/ Tpoa/peff/v, according to his CoifnfA., or- Election; {u) on 8K v) y^Kv^cig /xovov, u'h'Ka. Y-cci v| -x^o&iffig rwv KcXgjxgvwv cuTv\piav iipyua-UTO, {t) Oecttm, («) Chryfnfl, for of Ekciion. 6i for it is not the Calling onh^ but the Piirpofc of thofe that are called^ which laorks Salvation -, for who^ faith (x) Origen^ fhould h" ■•" / ■' '•? Jiift'f,caf''o^\ hut thofe God loves, and thv' tv^-j Tsi(p viii.Tv clmM ^u^iqviffi tv^ ir^a" U(T£Ui M«i Tvjj Tpoyvwfl-ewff, ihc Apoitie {hews, that the Fret-id^ ill oj Man i^as w.e Caufe of God's Ptrpofe^ and Fore-hiov^'lcdge^ by faying, we knew that all fbin^s work together for good to them ihat love God^ cV/ «H/o/ h God glorified him ^ Ads 3. it,. And when God wrought Signs by Mojes^ idoiacsv uvtov. He glorified him, Eccluf 45. 3. See Luke 4. 15. John 8. 54. II. 4. 13. 31, 32. 16. 14. I Cor. 12. 26. And in favour of thefe Interpretations, let it be no- ted, that when the Apoftle fpeaks of our final Glori- fication in this Chapter, he ftill fpeaks of it as a Thing future, faying we Jhall he glorified with hirn^ ver. 17, 18, 21. whereas here he fpeaks of it as a Thing paft, faying, Whom he hath juftified, them he hath alfo glorified. Anfw. 2. Another very probable Interpretation of thefe Words is this ; thofe whom God fore-knew, i. ihat the Refurre£iion is ^aji already, and have overthrown the Faith of fome, ver. 19. But the Foundation of God jlandeth fure, hav- ing this Seal, the Lord knoweth who are his, and let every one that nameth the Name of Chrijl depart from Iniquity. Where obferve, ifl. That by the Foundation of God, we are to un- derftand the Dodlrine of the Refurredion which is the Foundation of the Church, it being built upon this Promife, that the Gates ef Hell /halt not prevail againfl it, or that the living Members of Chrift*s'Body fhall after Death obtain an happy Refurreftion ; this alfo is the Foundation of our Faith and Hope, i Cor. 15. 19. I Thejf.j^. 13, 14. and therefore it is fliled a Founda- tion in thefe Words, let us fiot lay again, to ^efxiKiov, the Foundation of the Do5irine of the Refurre^io7i, Heb. 6. 1,2. This is the faithful Saying mention*d, ver. 12. By denying of it, the Chrijlian Faith, faith the Apoftle, is overturned, ver. 18. Now to this Funda- jmental Do(5lrine God, faith he, hath fet this Seal, for Confirmation and AiTurance of it, viz. the Lord know- eth who are his, that is (ifl.) he loveth and approveth of them, and kindly ftands affecT:ed to them \ fo God knew his People Ifrael, Deut. 2. 7. Amos 3. i. and fo if any Man love God, he is known of God, 2 Cor. 8. 3. 2dly. To reward them *, fo God knoweth the Way of the Righteous, Pfal. i. 6. and fo Chrifi knows his Sheep, John 10. 14, 27. as to give unto them Life eternal, {a) Ver. 1 2. ver. of EtedmU 6f ver. 28. {o that tho* they die they fhall not peridi, but he will ralfe them up at the laft D^v, John 6. 39, 40, 54. And in this Senfe thcfe Words are commonly taken, as promifing a Reward to all goodChriJiiam at the Refurredion. But, idiy. It is obfervable that thefe Words are taken from Numb. 16. 5. where Corah, Dathan and Ablram rife up againft MoJ,^s and Aaron, declaring the-y took too much upon than, the one to be their Prophet and God*s Vice- gerent over them ; the other to be their Hi^ -Pn'i?/?, whom God had confecrated to his peculiar Service, above all others, of the Houfe of Levi. Now to this Imputation, faith the Sepiuagint, Mofes replies, tym i ^eo{ T8S ovTCig «VT8, God knoijueth who are his, and by him feparated to his Service, and will maintain their Caufe and Calling againft all Oppofers, as in that In- ftance he did in a wonderful Manner, caufmg the Earth to open and fwallow them up ; fo alfo will God own us his Apojlles and Minijters, againft Hyjiientzus and Philetus, againft all that fet up againft us and our Doc- trine : as therefore Mofes faid then to the Ifraelites, de* -part -y^ froin the 'Tents of thefe Men, and be ye feparated^ au) i fincerely to. believe in Chrift, to come to Repentance, and yield fincere Obedience lo his Will revealed to them, hath not prepared this Hi- ving Grace, only for feme few Chrijhans^ leaving the reft under a Neceflicy of perifliing for the want of it -, . for to all fuch Peribns he hath promifed that they fliall not. perifh, faying, He that believetb in ?ne fiali never ■perljh i Repent and turn yourfehesfroju all your Imq^idty^ fo Imquiiy /hall not be your Ruin \ 'To him who by patient Continuance in well'^doingfeeks for Glory and Imrnorialityy ihdXl'h^ eternal Life. Thefe are the Means by him ap- pointed for the Rcmiflion of their Sins, and their Sal- vation, as in thefe Words, repent, :!ind be converted that your Sins may be blotted cut •, believe to the Salvation ■ of your Souls ; blejfed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have Right to the Tree of Life : and he who wills that they fliould ufe the Means, carl never be unwilling, at the fime Time, they fiiould obtain the End, Salvation and Exempdon from eternal Ruin. Now that God ferioufly wills that all to whom the Gofpel is vouchfafed fhould repent, believe and yield fincere Obedience to his Laws, is evident beyond all Poflibility of doubting. For, 17?. The Scripture very frequently, and moft ex- prefly hath declared the doing of thefe Things to be the doing of the Will of God, and the neglefting of them to be the neglecting, and even refilling of his Will. It is his Will they (hould believe, becaufe {a) this is his Commandment, That ive believe in the Name of the Son of God: it is his Will they Ihould repent, be- caufe he hath commanded (b) all Men every zvhere to repent ; it is his Vv^'ill they fliouId obey him, if that be neceflary to be proved, becaufe that is in Scripture ililed, the doing of the IVill of our Father which is in (4) John. 6, 29. (b) Afts 17, 30. F ^ Heaven, fo Coiicermng the T)ecree Heaven. And feeing the Apojlles were fent to preach Salvation to every Creature that believed, to call all Men to repent for the RemifTion of Sins, and to bring forth Fruiis meet for Repentance, that they might cfcape the Wrath of God ; how can we reafonably think that the fame Words fpoken to all that heard them as God*s Mefiage to them, and as if God did hefeech them by their Mouth, Qiould not be look*d upon as God's Commands to all to whom they fpoke» 7. e. to the whole World, to every rational Creature? and why elfe do they fay {c) he that defpifeth us^ thus fpcaking, defpifeth not Man^ hut God? Doth not the whole Cbriftian World agree in this, that 'tis the Will of God that they (hould do what he commands? Do they not look upon his Precepts as a fufficient In- dication of his Will and Pleafure ? Are not all Men obliged to believe God would have them do what he requires of them ? And can they be obliged to believe this if it be not true ? Do not all Nations conclude from the Commands of their Superiours, that what they require they would have done, and what they forbid they would not have done ? And fhall it only be.otherwife in the Commands of the Great Ruler of the World ? Deny this to be any certain Declaration of God's Will, and you can never ihew that even the Eled can know it is God*s Will they (hould repent, believe and obey him ; fince they can never know they belong to the Eledlion of God, but from their Faith, Repentance and Obedience, ff then by doing of thefe Things, the Wicked would perform the Will of God, muil it not follow that he is willing they Hiouid believe, repent and obey? Would not God approve their doing of thefe Things, or can he be fuppofed to approve what he would f>ot have done ? Doth he not fay exprefly concerning iiSie Wicked and Impenitent, that they {d) do the things If^ I Tbefn J. t. , (d) Jfa. 65. 12. 66. 4. zvbicb of EIe£iion. yt zvbicb be would mt have done ? And why are they io oft fa id to fet at nought and reje^ God's Counfel, Will and good Intentions toward them, if it were not his Will they fhould believe and ) ^"' 4°* Men of Eleltion. 75 Men whatfoever, without Diftindlion of Perfons -, and this is the Will called Voluntas fimplicis Complacentics, or a JVill of Co7?iplacency. And that when the Apojlle faith, God will have all Men to be faved^ the Meaning only is, if all Men fJoall believe in Chrift ; and that to believe in Chrifl is an A61 fo agreeable, and fo well pleafing to his Will, that whereibever it is found, it will be rewarded. I fay it feemeth flrange to me; that any Man fhould think this a fufEcient Anfwer to this Argument. For, i/. How incongruous is it to afcribe fuch a "Will to God as this ? viz. Holinefs is a Thing fo agreeable to my Nature, and my effential Attributes of Purity and Righteoufnefs, that it is abfolutely neceffary for me to like and be wellpleafed with the Holinefs, and Perfe- verance of all Men in it, and therefore to reward them for it with the Enjoyment of myfelf; but yet I abfo- lutely purpofe not to afford to the greateft Part of Mankind, that Aid which I fee to be abfolutely necef- fary to enable them to be holy, or to perfevere in it : And my Will is to leave them, tho* they equally want, and equally are capable of it, and equally fit to be the Objedis of my Grace and Favour, under an abfolute Incapacity of being holy, and by my Decree of Repro- bation make their want of Holinefs an Event unfruftra- ble. No Man -can think that Man hath a true Love for Holinefs, who will do nothing which is in his Pow- er to make others fo, as far as he is able, and it is fit for him to do it. Can then that God, whofe Love to Holinefs doth infinitely tranfcend the Love which the moft holy Mar^ bears to it, and who commands us to be holy., as he his holy., have pafled a Decree from all Eternity, which renders the want of Holinefs in moft Men an unfruftrable Event ? 2dly, If this be all intended by thofe Words, God would have all Men to he faved^ Why may it not be firid, he would have all the fallen Angels to be faved? Becaufe Faith and Holinefs^ were it found in the??i, would be 74 Co7icerning the Decree be an A^ fo vjgll pleajing^ and fo agreeable to God*s JVill^ that whcrefoever it is found it ivill be rewarded by him', but yet becaufe they, fince their Fall, are in no Capacity of believing, or of being holy, no Man hath ever dared to fay, (a) God would have all the fallen Angels to be faved. If then the abfolute Decree of God, not to give Faith, Repentance, and Eternal Life to any that are not elefted, is, as he faith, that which they underhand by Reprobation ; and this A(5l renders all thofe fallen Men, who are the Obje6ls of that black Decree, as incapable of having Faith and HoHnefs as the very Devils, Why is it faid, he would have thefe fallen Men, rather than fallen Angels, to be faved ? 3 J/)'. Be it, as he faith, That the final Obdiiration and hnpejiitency of Reprobates is not a forefeen antece- dent Condition, but a following Event of Negative Re- probation ', yet if that Event follows neceflkrily upon that Eternal Ad of God, to what End doth he after it command all Men every where to repent, or exercife the Riches of hisGoodnefs, Patience, and Forbearance towards them {b) to lead the?n to Repentance, or fay (c) he IS long-fuffering towards the?n, becaufe he is not ^Lvilling they fhvuld pcrijh, hut fhould come to Repentance : when this Decree of not giving that Repentance which can alone refcue them from perifliing, hath left them in that utter Incapacity of repenting which no Long- fuflering of God can, or ever was intended to remove ? Why doth he fend his AmbalTadors to {d) befeech them to be reconciled to him, becaufe he hath made his Son to be a Sacrifice for Sin, that they might be made righte- ous with the Righteoufnefs of God in him ? Why doth he call thein to repent, that their Sins may he blotted out, and encourage them to do fo by this gracious Pro- mife. That (f) the,i all their Iniquities Jhall not be re- viembred againjt them any more? Why doth God, as he (4) Pag. 227. ib) Rom. 2. 4. (i) z Pet. 3. s>. {d) 2 Cor. 5. 80,21. (*) Ezek. xS. 22. fays. of Election. 75 fays, (f) patiently expe^i their Converjion, when he hath decreed to deny them thofe Means which can alone effedl it, or ufe thofe Means and Methods to that End which he before knows not only that they will fruftrate, but alfo that they muft fruftrate ? To fay God ferioufly requires them who are not ele<5ked to make their Calling and Eledlion fure, is what we call a Bull. To fay God ferioufly invites, exhorts, and re- quires all Men to (g) work out their Salvation^ and yec by his Decree of Reprobation hath rendred that EvenC to the mod of them impoflible ; that he requires all Men to repent that they may not perifh, and yet by his Decree, or fecret Will, hath rendred that Event to moft of them to whom he fpeaketh in his Word impof- fible ; is to make the ) Ifa. 5. 4. (.q) Ezek. 14. 13. (r) Luke 13. 34. (,;) Jer.,.4..|,4. i"- 2:"- . (0 D«ut. 5. 29, («) Pfal. 81. 13. (tf) ^Bz/Z-i)^ DavcnantV Anitsadverf. p. 244. rity fity Jhould he either univerfally tainted with original Sin* or iiablc to Denib^ hut .that hoth thefe depended a libero Dei decreto, /rcw the free Decree or Compa^f of God ; that if AdatH perfvered in his Righleoufnefs^ he Jfjould tranfinit it to his Po/ii-rity ; if he rebelled , be Jhoidd jnake his Pojierity liable both to the Corruption of Sin., and Dan- ger of Pumjhment : For if it be asked, {w) How it comes to pajs that the Sin of Adam^ fo. unavoidably and generally layeth hold upon all the Sons of Adam? _ They .are driven to confefs, that this dependeth upon, a fr.ee Con- fiitiiticn or Decree Qf the Divine IVill, bee a^ufe natural Propagation would not . have ftripped Adam^s Pofierity of any habitual Righteoufnsfs which God had beJlow'*d upon him \ [x] or charged them- with the Guilt of. any .Sin Per- fonally committed by him^ had not God ena^ed and con- flUuted a Decree that fo it fJoould be, when it flood in his Power and Pleafure to have ordered it oiherwife. They add, that (31) therefore are we not guilty of any other Sin of Aclam^ becaufe., tho naturcd Propagation be the Means of conveying Adani's- Sin to us, yet it would ?wt have, done fo had there noj. been a free Decree ejiablifli*d by God to thatPurpofe\ and therefore Adam^s Sin can no farther concern his Pofierity^ than it is regulated b^' God him- felf Now the Divine Decree, or Confliiiition, did; not fo order it^ that any Sin of Adam fljoidd he imputable ta all that were .virtut^lly -in his , Loins, but that his firfi Sin only in . which he did, fullinere Perfonam Ge- neris humani, fuflaln the Perfon of all Mankind fjjould be imputed. And again, (z) Ada??i's frfl Sin co?nf?utted in the Stale of Pnnocency, wherein, by God's Appoint- ment, he bore the Perfon of all AJankind^ was every Man's Pcrfonal Sir, and was confented to by every Mar^s Perfo- nal IVill, becaufe in Adam there was not only the Will of onefingular Man, hit the UniverfalWillof all Mankind^ and of every fingjiilar Perfon. Now, {w) Pa^, 245. (x} Pag, 246. (^y) Pag. 249. (x) P<»g. 196.. . . ^ '. I/. 7$ Concerning the Decree ift. The Holy Scripture is perfedly filent in every Part and Tittle of this School Divimty -, it hath not one Word of this Free Decree, or this difmal Compa6t of God with Adam, or I know not who ; not one Iota of our Propagation from the Loins of Adam more than from the Womb of our Mother Eve, (a) the Mother of all living •, or that he bore the Perfon of all Mankind, more than fhe bore the Perfon of all Womankind •, or of any Decree that Adam^^ Pofterity fhould be charged with the Guilt of any Sin Perfonally committed by him, rather than the Women with the Sin of Eve-, or that they fhould be charged only with his firft, not with his following Tranfgreflions ; or that his Guilt fhould rather be imputed to them, than his Repentance : Nor, Laflly, is there one Shadow of a Proof from Scripture of that Self-Contradi(5tion, that Adam^% Perfonal Sin was every Man's Perfonal Sin, when he only was a Perfon, and they were not ; and was confented to by every Man's Will, before any Man elfe had a Will ; or that the Univerfal Will of all Mankind fwhich is no better than an Univerfal Fig-treej and of every fingle Perfon, was in Adam. 2dly. It cannot truly be affirmed that Adam^% Sin was ever'j Marfs perfonal Sin, and was confented to by every Man*s perfonal fVill, and therefore all Men were made Sinners by it ; for then it was not (b) by the Difobedience of one, but of all, that many were made Sinners, whereas the Apoftle plainly aflerts the con- trary, exprcfly faying, that by the Sin of one many died : that the Sentence was from one, and by one Mar^s finning to Condemnation ; and that by the Sin of one. Death reigned by one \ therefore the Apoftle doth ex- prefly teach, that this Death, this Condemnation to it, came not upon us for the Sin of all, but for the Sin of one, /. e, of one Adam, in whom all Men die, i Cor. 15.22. {a) Gen. 3. Z9. {}) Rom. $. I5» 16, 17, iS- 2dly. of Ekliion, 7p idly. Then all Men mud have finned after the Si- 7mlitude of jidam*s Tranfgrejfwn \ for if he bore our Perfon, and the Confcnt of his Will was the Perfonal Confent of ours, then the fame Perfon by an Ad of the fame Will finn'd againft the fame Law % and fure- ly they that thus fin muft fin after the Similitude of Adam*s Tranfgreflion : for what Difiimilitude can there be in Sin committed by the fame A<5t, of the fame Will, of the fame Perfon, againft the fame Law, But of the Pofterity of Jdavi the Apoftle faith ex- prefly, {c) they finned not after the Similitude of A- datr^s Tranfgreffion ; therefore they were not Sinners by the fame Act, and Will, of the fame Perfon againft the fame Law. IVIoreovera if all the Pofterity of Adajn finned in Adam^ they fmn*d againft a Law given to them, for Sin is the Tranf^ejfion of Law^ and where there is no Law there is no 'TranfgreJJion \ where there is no Law given to me, there can be no Tranfgreflion therefore by me. Now they could fin in Adam fo as to deferve Death for that Sin, only by finning againft the Law requiring Adam not to eat of the forbidden Fruit ; for Adam himklf became guilty of Death on- ly by tranfgrefling that Law : but all the Pofterity of Adam cannot be faid to have finned againft that Law, becaufe it was not given to them, but to Adam and Eve only ; unlefs they will feign another Decree, that the Law given to Adam Perfonally, ftiould be the Law given to all Mankind. And Lajiljy If we finned formally in Adam, we finn*d by the fame Nu- merical Sin which he committed, or only by the fame Sin in kind ; i. e. by a Sin lUce to his. We could not fin by the fame Numerical Sin, for all Mankind being not the fame in Number, but in Specie, or Kind only ; and having not the fame Numerical Will, but the fame in Kind only, he could no otherwife bear the Perfon, or confent with the Will of all Mankind, than by bearing (0 Ver- 14. 8o Concerning Jhe ^Decree a Perfon, and having a Will common to him with: all Mankind, which he had not numerically, but fpe- cifically. Again : we could only fm in him, in or by the Nature we derived from him, which is not- the fame with his, numerically, but fpecifically only : And yet if we finned by the fame Ad, of the fame Will, of the fame Numerical Perfon, we muft be guilty of the fame Numerical Tranfgreflion. ^dly. It cannot truly be affirmed that we all finn*d in Adam^ and by his Difobedience were made Sinners 5 hecaiife^ his Sin and Difobedience was by God*s Arbi^ trary IVill impuied to us : for iji. The Scripture no where maketh mention of any Thing of another's im- puted to any Man for Reward, or Guilt, but only of fome perfonal Thing or A6lion of his own, as hath been fully proved. Note on Rom. 5.13. 2dly. Either this Imputation makes the Sin of Adam truly ours, or it doth not : If it doth not, how can we be made Sinners by it ? If it doth, then Death came upon us for our Siny and fo not for the Sin of one, but for the Sin of all : which is the Thing difprov*d already. ^dly. I ask. Whether this Imputation made the Po- fterity of AdamS'mnzvs} Or, Whether it found them fo before ? If it found them fo before, it was plainly needlefs, for they might have been condemn'd to Death without it : If it made them fo, then fince this Imputation is the Act of God and not of Man, it plainly follows that God muft be the Author of this Sin i becaufe this Imputation flows immediately from him, without the Intervention of any Adion of any of thofe Men to whom it is imputed. More- over, then the Imputation mull be falfe, as charging them with Sin whom he did not find Sinners, but only by his Arbitrary Decree and Imputation made them fo: now rfar be it from any Chriftian to alTert, that God can falfly impute Sin to any Man. In a Word, Xoy/^eo-flfl!/, and imjmtare, is to reckon, or to account a Thing to any Man, or to charge hifrt* with of Eleciwn. 8 1 it, or lay the Charge of it upon him ; this A(n:ion :herefore on God's Part muft iLippofe in the very Na- :ure of it, fome Adlion done by the Pofterity of Ada?n which is blame- worthy, and may be juftly :harg'd upon them, before there can be any Ground for Imputation of it ; and this fliews that it is im- poffibie that the Imputation fliould be the very Thing tiiat renders them blame-worthy, or Perfons worthy to be charg'd with Guilt ; and yet, if the Sin of Adam becomes ours only by Imputation, it rnuft be ours only becaufe it is by God imputed to us, and not im- puted becaufe it is ours -, that is, God by this Impura- :ion muft make us Sinners, and not find us fuch ; for :his Imputation is the Aftion of the Judge, and not of the fuppofed Criminal ; remove, or take away this Adion, and no Crime can be charged upon him. In [ine; if the Sin of Adam becomes ours only by Im- putation, it deferves Condemnation only by the fame Imputation, that is, by the A^'Hiion of God ; that there- fore we deferve Condemnation for it, is to .be afcribed direftly to the Adion of God, and only by acci- dent to the Adion of Ada??i : whence then, according to this Opinion, is our Deftrudion, but of that God who makes us v/orthy of Condemnation, by imputing to us that Sin, v/hich by his Imputation only we ftand guilty of? ^thly. We are not guilty of any other Sin of Adim ; therefore we are not guilty of the Firft Sin of Adam. For Anfwer to this, 'Tbe^j are driven to confefs^ faith BiJJjop Davenant, that this depends on the free Conjiitu- tion of the D ruin e Will \ for (virtual Inckifion in, or) natural Propagation (from the Loins of Adam) zvoidd not have charged us with the Guilt of arifSin perfonally cominitted by him, had not God enacted and conjlituted a Decree that it JJjould he fo, zvhen it flood in his Power and Pleafure to have ordered it ofherwife : therefore this Sin of Adam is not ours becaufe he committed it •■> but becaufe God of mere Will decreed and conftituted it . G mould '8 1 Concerning the T^ecree fliould be fo, Ivav;. .." ■i„^,<, ^.,v order 'd it othertvife \ and fo there is nothing that makes this Sin ours, but the mere W;j1 q\ God -, and furtly then God muft be the Auchor of it, becaufc it is the Will of God alone which mukes the Firll Sin of Adam ours, more than the SeconJ, of which it is confcfsM we are not guilty : nor is there any oukt Realon why we are more guilty of it, than of his other Sins, but this Will of God. As then we become Sinners in our own Perfons only by willing that Aftion which is evil, fiiould be ours, fo we become Sinners in the Pcrfon of Adain^ only by the "Will of God, that his evil Adion Ihould be ours -, and had it not been his Plcafure fo to will, it had not been ours. To make this ftill more evident, let it be noted that in every Sin of Com mi (Hon, there is required not only the Will of the Creator forbidding that Adion, but alfo the Will of the Creature chufing to do what is for- bidden •, but in this fuppofed Original Sin, there is no Will of ours chufing this forbidden A6lion more than any other Sin of Adam -, it was not therefore upon that Account our Sin: it remains then that it was only fo by the Will of the Creator. If it be replied, that che Aiftion and Will of Adam was ours alfo, I ask whether it was fo by its own Nature, or only by the free Decree snd Will of God ? If only by the latter, it clearly fol- lows that his Adlions are made and accounted ours by the mere Will of God, and fo that only renders it our Sin ; if from its own Nature, then all his other finful Wills and Adions muft be ours alfo-, for what agrees to the Will and A6lions of Adam, from the Nature of them, mull agree to every Will and Adlion of Adam at all Times : now this being confefTedly falfe, it remains that it is folely from the arbitrary Will of God that we are guilty of this, and not of any other Sin of Adam. Lafil)\ The Compad: they have forged betwixt God ^nd Adam, to juftify this Imputation of his Sin to his Pofterity, and the Dtxrees enfuing upon that Imputa- tion, as it is forged out of their own Brain, fo it is a Compad of Ele5iton. 8 J Compa6l exceeding crue], and plainly inconfiftent with the Juftice, Wifdom, and Goodnels of our gracious God. For furely, a good God, in all his Compads with the Sons of Men defigns their Good, or their Advantage ; for fo it is with all the other Compa6ls God ever made with Man ; but God could not defign the Good of Man by that Compad upon the forefeen Event, of which he had before made his abfolute De- crees of Ele6lion and Reprobation. 2dly. As for the other Part of this Compad, that yJdam continuing innocent, fhould have begot Chil- dren in his own Likenefs, that is, Partakers of his o-ivn original Righteoiifnefs^ that could produce no proporti- onable Advantage to his Pofterity -■, for his Righteoul- nefs being defectible, he could have only derived upoa them a defeclible Righteoufnefs, which muft have left them ftill as liable to fall as he himfelf was j and then their Pofterity muft have been in the fame fad Cafe in which Ada>n\ Fall had placed his Pofterity. And, 2dly. his Sin, had he flillen after he had begotten ten Children, muft have involved all the reft in this fad Doom j lb that his whole righteous Life could have only procured to his Pofterity a defedible Righteouf- nefs, liable continually to Interruption by the Sin of any one of his Pofterity ; and that throughout all Times and Ages of the World: whereas, one fingle TranfgrefTion ot his, was, by this Compact, to render his whole Race obnoxious to eternal Mifery, and by this eternal Decree of Reprobation, upon this forefeen Fall, to render the fir greateft Part of them inevitably Tub- jed to that Mifery. Again, this Compa(5t plainly feems to have been in- vented to excufc God from Cruelty, in fubjeCling Myri- ads of Men and Infants to the moft direful and laftirg Torments-, which without this imaginary Pact, he could nor with the leaft Pretence of Juftice do. More- over, did not God know, before rhisCompad:, it would only tend by the Fall of Adcun to the unavoidable G 2 Ruin 84 Concermng the decree Ruin of Myriads of Souls, whicli otheiwife would have contracted no fuch Guilt, and therefore would have been obnoxious to no fuch Mifery, had not this Com- pa6t and Decree been made ? what therefore did he, by making this Decree, but fubjed: fo many precious Souls to an inevitable Ruin ! How therefore could he contrive and make fuch a Decree and Compaft, with- out being willing that fo many Men and Infants fhould be for ever miferable by it ? Since he who wills the Caufe, •wills alfo the Etfed, which certain- ly and inevitably, without their Adion, follows from it. If in favour of thefe Imaginations it be faid, that the Scnpure exprefly teacheth, that in Adam all have finned •, and by the Difcbedience of one^ many were made Svnners : To this I have given a fufficient Anfwer in the Note upon thole Words, fhewing chat thefe Words may and muft have a metonymical Senfe, becaufe of the Abfurdities which follow from the formal Accepta- tion of them. And, idly. Becaufe the Comparifon made betwixt the Firft Jda?fi, and the Effeds of his Difobedience, and the Second Adam, and the Effeds of his Obedience to the Death, require it •, the Holy Ghoft Hill fpeaking of his lufi^Ting for our Sins in this meto- nymical Senfe ; as it is, ijl. When he is faid to hear our SinSy only becaufe he bore the Punifhment due to them. idly. When he is faid to be made Sin for us ; he being made Sin for us, not by contrading the Guiit of it, but only fuifcring PuniQiment l"or it in our fiend, ^dly. When he is laid (a) to appear a fecond Tune %t£i^\qa,[KxpTicigt luilhoul Sin, i.e. without another Sacri- lice, in whicn he was to fuffer for it ; and (b) that by Sin, i.e. by what he fuifer'd when he made himfelf a Sacrifice for it, He conde??in*d Sin in the Flejh. And 4thly. When he is faid to be (d) made a Curfc for us ; he being only fo by fuffering that Death which the {a) 1 Cor. 5. 10. Hcb. 9. %%. ' (^) Rom. 8. i. 'J) Gal. 3. 13. ■ ' Law of Ele^iion. 8j Law flyled accurfed, and not, as being fo, in the Sight of God. And, 3^/)?. bccaiife the oppofice Phrafe, linum yiUTctqct^v^covrcii, requir*d that the Words a(j.a^Tu- hoi HXTec;MviaeiV, j/jould he ufed in this Smfe ; for when the Aj^oa-c laich, By the Obedience of one /hail many be made Righteous, it is evident in itfelf, and proved by- Three Arguments, that he fpeaks not of Chrift's Adive, but of his PalTive Obedience, or fuffering Death for us ; now by this Pafllve Obedience, we cannot be made formally righteous, but only metonymically, by being made Partakers of that Freedom from Condemnatioa and the Guilt of Sin, and the Reconciliation which Chrijl purchafed by his meritorious Death and PafTion. § 3. y/r^. 3. Q,dh. This Decree is fUfe both in the Parts, and the End of it. The Parts of it are thefe Two: ijl. That God hath from Eternity ele^ed a certain Number of Perfo7is to Salvation^ leaving the refi under an abfolute Decree of Reprobation or Pretention^ and that of this EUolion or Reprobation there can he no other Caufe but God^s own Free-JVdl •, for PredeJIination, iky ' they, being an immanent A5i of the Divine Underfiand- ing cannot be conceived as dependent upon any forefeen A5fs of Mail's Will, and therefore his forefeen Fa'ith^ Repentance and Prefeverance cannot, in any good Senfe^ be imagined antecedent Caiifes, Conditions or Motives to the Divine Predefiination •,■ and that is Metaph\ficks, and the Jargon of the School Men, intirely ignorant of the true Senfe of Scripture, made to countenance a Decree refleding fo unworthily upon the Honour of our gra- cious God, that 'tis not eaf^ to conceive what could more vifibly tend to the Diflionour of his glorious Name and Attributes. idly. That in order to the accoinplifjjing the Salvation of his Ele^, he hath decreed to afford them that Grace, which Jh all infallibly and infrujlrably bring them to Salva- G 3 tio1^ i 86 Concemtng the T)ecree tmi •, whereas they who are comprifed under the Decree oi Reprobation^ are left^ fay they, infallibly to fail of eler' vttl Life^ and fo are left to fail of Means which may bring them to eternal Life, or to efcape everlafting Death j for they can only infallibly fliil of the End, by failing of the Means which may produce it: for fince he that hath Means by which he may be faved, may be faved ; and he that hath Means by which he may efcape Dam- nation, may efcape Damnation -, he who by God's Decree of Reprobation, is left infallibly to fail of Sal- vation, and confequently to be damned, mull as in- fallibly be left without the Means by which he may obtain Salvation or efcape Damnation. 3(//). In the abfolute Elecflion of thofc whom God hath thus appointed to Salvation, he decreed (e) fay they, to glorify his Mercy ; and in the Reprobation and the Preterition of the reft, he decreed to glorify his Sovereignty and Juftice in their Damnation ; the Manifcftation, therefore, of his Grace and Mercy in the Salvation of the one, and of his Juftice and So- vereignty in the Damnation of the other, muft be the two great Ends of God in thefe Decrees. Now the Falfhood of thefe two Decrees, touching the abfolute Eledion of fome Perfons to Salvation, is fufficiently argued in the fifth Difcourfe, ifl. From God's Command to all Chriftians to make their Calling and FJedion fure. idly. From his frequent Exhorta- tions directed to them to continue fiedfajt in the Faiiby and to hep themfehes in the Love of God, and to work cut their Salvation ivith fear and tre7nbling. ^dly. From the Cautions direded to good Chriftians, not to fall from Grace, or from their own Stedfafinefs. ^thly. From Threats denounced againft the righteous Man who turneth away from his Righteoulhefs, and the juft Man who living by F'aith drawethback. (c) Bifjo^ Davcnant, p. 27, r 8. idly. As of Ek6iion. 87 idl)K As they refpedl thofe that are fuppofed to lie under an abfolute JDecree of Reprobation ; the Falf- hood of them hath been fully proved in the fecond Difcourfe^ iji. From God's ferious and earnefl In- vitations of them to Repenrance. 2dly. From his ve- hement Defires of their Reformation and Obedience. Q^dly. From his Declarations that he had done for them what was fufficient to produce it. ^.thly. From his Promifes to excite them to it; his Long-fulTering de- figned for that very end ; and from his dreadful Threats intended to deter them from perfitling in their evil ways. And, laftly, from the manifold Dcmonflrations he hath afforded us in Holj Scripture^ that he doth not look upon wicked Men as under an utter Difability of being reformed by his Judgments, or his Mercies, or of hearkening to his Calls and Invitations to return and live. And, idly, fuch a Decree as this being a Secret of God's Counfel, no Man can know that God hath made it, but from the exprefs, and the clear Revelation of the Holy Scripture ; and fo no Perfon can have any reafon to alTert it on any other account. Now as I have fhown already, that the Scripture hath faid no- thing of thefe Decrees ; fo will this be more evident by a Refleflion on every Part of them. ijt. The Decree of EIe6lion, fay they, is ahfolute^ and without refpe5i to Ma>*s Faith ^ Re pent a rice or Per- feverance. Now the Scripture faith exprefiV, (f) He that believeth Jhall be faved-, (g) He that efiduretb to the End Jhall he faved -, {h) Repent^ and he converted^ and your Sins JJjall be blotted out ; (i) to them zvho by pa- tient continuance in well-doings look for Glory^ God will give eternal Life, So that they who fpeak thus, fpeak the conftant Language of the Holy Scriptures ; whereas they who affirm that he hath abfoluteiy decreed Eternal Life to any, without refpcd to any Acl of Mark's IVili^ (/) Mark 16. 16. {g) Matth. 24. 13. Qo) ACts 3. 19, (i) Rom. 2. 7. G 4 or 88 Concerning the decree or any Condition to be pretormed on liis part, fpeak that whicii hath not the lead Foundation in the Word of God. Chrijl faith indeed, That {k) it is his Fa- iber^s good PJeafure to give the Kingdom to his little Flock ', but then this Flock confifteth only of Belie- vers, v/hohdve gAre^dy beard Chrijl's Foice, andfollcwed bim, and p^ thofe (/) who7n the Father bad given to him ; but then he informs us. That {?n') Judas^ a Son of Perdition^ was one of them. He faith again, iji) All that the Father giveth me Jhall come unto me^ but fpeaks not one word of their being given to him by an abfo- lute Eternal Decree oi" Election to Salvation, without refpe6t to any thing to be in time performed by them. 2(i/)'. The Scripture hath not one Syllable to prove that the Objed: of this Eleftion is a certain nu?nber of fingular Perfons. Thofe words, the Lord kncweth who are bis^ do no more prove this, than thofe words of Chrifl:, I k?2ozv }?iy Sheep ; and thofe of the Plalmill, The Lord knoiveth the way of the Righteous^ prove that there is a certain Number of fingular Perfons who are CbrijVs Sheep, and who only can be righteous. The Scripture often fpeaketh, as hath been fully fliew'd, of Churches, and Nations eledled to be his Church and People, but nothing of any fingle Perfon elected from Eternity to Salvation, much lefs of any certain Number of them. ^dly. That God hath abfolutely ordained one fingle Perfon to Faith^ Repentance and Perfeverance to the end, is no where written. And hence it clearly follows, tliar'there can be no fuch abfolute Reprobation reveal- ed in the Scriptures, as thefe Decrees hold forth ; for as EleUio non ejl fine Reprcbatione^ there is no Elec- tion without a Reprobation of the Non-eletled, fo can there be no Reprobation where there is no previous Election. Again^ To fay that Eleftion or Predeftination being an immanent, eternal Ad of God's Underftanding, or (*) Luke 12. 32. Q) John 17. 6. (w) Vcr. 12. in) John 6. 57* rather of Eh£iion, 89 rather of his Will, for that; alone decrees, can have no Dependance on, or Refpect to any Aft of Man's Will by way of Motive or Condition, is to fay things con- * trary to Scripture and to common Senfe. For, ifi. Did not God decree from all Eternity, to par- don the Penitent, to juftify him that belie'veth in Jefus^ to fave the Obedient, and that they who fuffer for, and with Chrijl, fhall be glorified together with him ; and mull not thefe immanent, eternal A6us have Refpe<5t to the temporal Faith, Repentance, Obedience, and patient Sufferings of Men ? 2 J/31. Did not God, from all Eternity, decree to judge all Men according to their Works, and that all Men fliouid receive Rewards and Puniihments accord- ing as their Works fhall be ; and is not this Decree an immanent, eternal Ad: of God, refpeding the Ads or Men's Will as the Condition of, or Motive to it ? Yea, did he not decree from all Eternity to offer to Man a new Covenant of Grace, promifing Pardon and Sal- vation to him upon condition of his Faith, Repentance, and fincere Obedience -, and do not thefe Decrees ren- der the pretended Decrees of abfolute Eledion and Re- probation needlefs ? Yea, are not thefe things incon- fiftent with each other, viz, the abfolute Eledion of Man to Salvation, and the D^-cree to offer and fufpend the fame Salvation upon thefe Conditions? For in all conditional Pr'cmifes. betwixt Man and Man, the thing promifed is fufpended on the Performance of the Con- didon, and the Enjoyment of it is uncertain, till the Condition be performed ; and if it be not fo alfo in refped to the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace, what mean the Exhortations direded to Men in" ge- neral, to (a) fear lejt a Pro7?iife beir.'g made of entring into Reft, any cf them f}joiild fall jhort Qf it ? The Cau- tions to them that (land by Faith, to take heed left they fall under the Severity of God for not (b) con- ( Concerning the decree fron:i his Great Majefty, it we conceive he can be tick- led with Applaufe, and aim> at Reputation from us in his Glorious Defign ; that therefore fuch as we fhould think well of him, or have due Apprehenfions of thofe Attributes, by the Acknowledgment of which we are faid to glorify him, can be no farther his Concern than as it ferves the noble Ends of his great Goodnefs, viz. That thefe Conceptions may engage us to that Affedion, to that Imitation of him, and that Obedience to him, which tends to the Promotion of our Happinefs. God therefore afteth for his Glory when he difco- vers to the World thofe Excellencies and Perfeftions of his Nature which are juft Motives to the Performance of that Duty which we owe unto him ; or when he doth difplay before us his imitable Perfedions, that we may be like him, defigning ftill the Benefit and Happinefs of Man in thefe Difcoveries. For when he difcovers all thofe Attributes which reprefent him good and merciful, kind and obliging to the Sons of Men, he doth it v^ith Defign, and in a manner very proper to lay the higheft Obligations on us to Returns of Love and Gratitude, and to engage us to that Imitation of his Goodnefs and Mercy to our Fellow-Creatures, which renders us Partakers of the Divine Nature, and helpful to others in all their Exigencies. When he gives fignal Demonftrations of his Almighty Power, and of his Great Wifdom, he defigns by this to teach us that he is able to forefee and to divert thofe Evils which may at any time befal us ; to refcue us from all • our Miferics, and to confer the greatell Bleffings on his Servants, that fo he may encourage us to place our Truft in him at all times, to repair by humble Suppli- cations to the Throne of Grace, and to ferve him faithfully, in Expeclation of his Favour and Protedion. When he manifefts himfelf to be a God of Truth and Faithfulnefs, one who will punflually perform his Pro- miles to, and execute his Threats upon us, he doth this chiefly to affright us from thofe Sins which make 3 it of Ele6iion» ^j it necefifary for his Juftice to be fevere upon us, and to provoke us to the Performance of thofe Duties to which he hath annexed the grea':eft Blefllngs. When he informs us that his Holinefs and Juftice cannot permit the wicked to efcape his Vengeance, or any upright Soul to want the tokens of his Love, or the Reward of his fincere Obedience ; his great Defign in all this is, that Sin, which is the Rife of all our Mi- feries, may be avoided j and Holinefs, which is the true Advancement and befl Accompliihment of Hu- man Nature, may be more earneftly purfued by us. So that God*s acting for his Glory is indeed his adling for the Good of his moft Noble Creatures, and only recommending of himfelf to their Good-liking and Af- fedion, that fo he may the more effedually promote their Happinefs. It is indeed in our Tranflacion faid, God hath made all things for himfelf^ even the wicked for the Day of Wrath^ Prov. i6. 4. but in the Hebrew the Word is Lamaanhy from nJJ7, and fo the Words may be thus rendred, 'The Lord hath made all th:?igs to aiijwcr to themfelveSy or aptly to refer to one another^ even the wic- ked for the Day of Wrath ; according to thefe v,^ords of Grotii/s, fingula Deus ordinat ad id quad Jingu lis covipe- tit^ ordinat impum ad die?n ealamitojiim, I'he Eifliop of Ely renders them thus. The Lord difpofeth all things according to his Will^ even the Wicked for the Day of Wrath, i. e. to he then the Executioners of it. And whereas thefe Men tell us, that God elected a certain Number to be faved for the ManifcllaLion of the Glory of his Grace, [i/.J According to this Hypo- thefis, the Glory of his Grace muft confift in elcdling fo many to Salvation and no more; for if the Decree to fave more would more have tended to the Manifefta- tion of his Glory, the fame Mocive muft have induced him to fave more. Now to affirm tiuit 'tis for the Glory of his Mercy to fave the Eled only, and no more, feems contrary to common Senfe j for the more p4 Concernhig the Decree are benefited, the greater is the Glory of the Benefac- tor j if it then tcndeth to the Glory of his Mercy ab- folutely to decree to fave fome no more fitted to be the Objtrds of his Mercy than the reft, it muftbe more for the Glory of his Mercy to decree thus to fave more, and moft of all to decree to fave all. Again, If it be for the Glory of his Grace to pre- pare faving Grace for any, and to give them that Af- Cftance which will unfruftrably procure their Salva- tion ; would it not be more for the Glory of the fame Grace to prepare it for, and afford it to more, and to leave none under a NecefTity of perifliing for want of Grace fufficient to work out their Salvation ? Is Grace the more magnified for being reftrained to fome few, when all do equally need, and all are equally capable of it? Nor is there any Reafon in the Ob- jects of it, why it fhould not equally be vouchfafed to them. The other black Part of this Decree, which faith God left the greatefl Part of Mankind in a State in which they mull infallibly fail of ohtainuig Salvation, or the Means of SalvatioHy Faith and Perfcjerance, they being the Confeqiients and Fruits of that Eleofion, put of which they are excluded, is (till more horrible in its immediate Confrquences ; For, ijl. It makes God to create innumerable Souls after the Fall of jidaw-, to be inevitably damned without the leafl Compaffion for them, or Will to afford them Means fufficient to exempt them from that dreadful Doom ; for if Faith and Perfeverance be the Confeqiients and Fmits of God's FJedion, then they who are not cleded cannot have them -, if they miiji fail of ob- taining Salvation, they muff, inevitably incur Damna- tion. 2dly. It makes him, in Profccucion of this end, having created them pure and innocent as they came out of his Hands, to put them into Bodies, that fo they may be made or deem'd the Offfpring of Adajn, and by being fo may be fit Gbjeds of his eternal Wrath ; of Ek5iion. 95 Wrath •, which they could never be by his Creation of them, did he not thus unite them to the Bodies gene- rated by the Pofterity of Adam. CHAP. V. I Should now for a Clofe, demonftrate the Conira- diftion which this Do6lrine of Abfoluce Eledion and Reprobation bears to the Sentiments of the An- cient Fathers i but this is fo evident, that {a) Calvin^ Beza, and many other Patrons of the contrary Doc- trine do partly confefs it. I therefore flTal! concent myfelf with three or four plain Demonftration's of this Truth, viz. § I. ijl. That they unanimouflv declare, that God hath left in the Power of Man, «V' Si.^.'-• 7^, Th^t our Happinefs or Pumjhment^ «x rs i(p j^ju-rw vfprvjT*/, depends en ovr own choue\ that 'tis in our oijun cbo.c<-\ vj cr%i^(i» uym etvai^^TO ivaVTibv, to he an holySeed^ or the convrary, to in'' \nlo H • . or enwy the Kingdom ; i(p e^Tv iqtv y\ vuJt- TOf, v^v\[J^i^ciQ vi^g yi])zc^ui^ '' b^ ('h'ldr n of' '' Ni>;bt, or cf / ( Vuj ; VI 6£8 Tf Kv« 5' apsriig, v\ tS uvTineiiiivii diic yumag, by Virtue to be God's, cr by f4^kkednejs the DcvWs Cbaaren -, fo ('/;) Cyril of Jerufalem^ {q) St. Baftly (r) Chryfqfto7n, and Gregory NyJ/en, L. 2. contra Eu- nom. p. gs. That Unufqairq; ex feipfo caufas & occa- fiones prceftitit conditori, thai every one gives cccafion to his Milk r to render him a Vcjjel of -Honour or Dijhonour ; Et pro meritis Tuis unufquifq; a Deo vel honoris vas efficicur, vel contumelins, Gcd having given Man power to make bimfelf a V^JJci of Eleclion^ or of Wrath -, that we nre VefTels of Wrath, or of Mercy, 0.1:0 Tpoa/peVew; oiy.eicig. fr^vi our ow>' C'-'rice^ everv on% x«T«(rKeu«^w',; ka.VTO'J casvog opyi^g, aa^cizsp Kdi ffMVog , becaufe tbey have rendred t/jemjetves fit for Mere). bo'(/} Origen, Macarius, (t) Chr\fo/fom,CEcu- 7nemus and 'Thtopbylaof. And this, faith Origen., is, Jiifta fententia, & cum omni pietate concordans, ut ex prn^ccdentibus caufis unumquodq-, vas vel ad honorem vel ad contumeliam pra."paretur, a jujl Sentence^ and in all things agreable to Piet\, that every one fiouldfrom pre- ceding caiifc,s he made a Veffel of Honcuror Dif]oonow\ Peri Arch. L, 3. F. 14T. And fure thefe things muft be fufficicnt to convince us, that thefe Fathers believed nothing of the Docflrine of Abfolute Election or Re- probation i which will be further evident, C«) Alv. Grtc. Serm. 5. To. 4. p. ^\->>. {0) Centra ^ul. 1. j. p. 79. (p) Catech. 4- p. 31. (?) -f" ^4 Ef,To.2. p. 259. (r) To. -. H. 14. in i Cor. p. l^^. if)• (/) Ho. 1$. p. 35. cr /?; Roin. 9. V. 22, 2> of Election. ^f § 2. 2dly. From the Expofition they all, before St. Anftin, give of the 8th and 9 th Chapters to the Roma/is. Thus I have fliewed that all the {x) Fathers interpret thefe Words of the Apoftle, thofe that are called according to his purpofe^ zvhojn he fore-knew, of thofe whom he fore-knew to have good purpofes. Et quos pr^fcivit fibi fore devotos, and ivhom he fore- knezv to be devoted to his fervice, them he prededinated. So Origen, and all the Ancient Fathers in their Com- mentaries on this Place ; which Expofition is as an- cient as (-j) Clemens of A!rx'andria, who faith exprefly, that 8? rpou(ii(TBV 0 ^eos di'Axmg ic'OiJ.'SVSg Tpo H(ir^.tohvig ri jtoV/xs iyvuniigy He fore-appointed them, knowtng before the foundation of the world the-j would be righteous. 2dly. Upon thofe Words, Chap. 9. 13. Jacob have I loved, and Efau have I hated-, they defcant thus, / have hated Efau becaufe he was evil, and loved Ja- cob becaiife he was good. He made him, faith Orlgen, a Vejfel of Mercy, pro puritate, .& fimplicitate anim£, for the Purity and Sincerity of his Soul; but feeing this wanting in the Soul of Efau, him ex eadem mafia fecit vas contumelise, cut of the fame Mafs he made a Vejfd of DiJIjonottr \ for God, faith (z) Chryfojlom, doth not wait as a Man doth^ to the End, to fee who will V" yood, or not \ dhh^ 'Aui Trpo T8T«v ol^s Tig f^sv 0 irovvipog, T^g ^e 0 iiif TOisTOg, but fi'S before, who ziJiU'h'' bad., arul 'zvi-o will not', and feeing chinp;s future a?. G->fi, 7rpcft:v£(pfoyecre v.td T8T8 TJjv apsTJ^v, M«*/teiv8 'r\\g yvwjxvjj tj^u |jLO%Gv)p/fJV ; He foretold btjore bis /iriue, and ujc r.-jd MduI of the other. And St. Jeroi^ on the fime Words in Malachi, faith, Dile(5lio & Odium Dei ex Prci^'cientia nafcirur future-' rum, this Love and Hatred of God arifeih from Li' Prcfiencf of things future. Hilary the Deacon fiith that, Sciendci quid unufquifq; illorum futurus effet, knouing what (x) Cb. 3 . Arg. 3. (y) 5/ro. 7. p. 7^5 B. {z) H(?;». 51. /« Gen. H ' ea.h ^ Concerning the 2)ecree each of them would be, that he would be worthy who was the lefs, and the elder would be unworthy ; Unum elegit Prnsfcicntia, & alterum fprevit, He chofe one and rejcotdd the other by his Prefcience. He did this, f lith 'thecdoret^ forefeeing their purpofes ; 8 yap «Jmof v^ dAhoyvi, «^^« ry crpofieVfi twv avfipwTwv cvfjutuiv^cu, for Goa's ElcLiiun is not nnjujl, but accords icith the jurpofe of Man ; Eleoiion^ faith Fhotius, being only t«v diKfspovTwv, of things that differ or excel. And therefore to the Queftion ; Why doth he fay, he chofe one before the ether y when they had done neither good or evil ? He an- fwers, that 6s/^ wpoyvucet t«v jxeXAovrwv 'jroh.ha diufipei, in the divine Fore-knowledge they differed very much. ^dly. On f^er. 15. I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy -, they all truly note, that this was laid of the Jews, after they had all committed the Capi- tal Sin of Idolatry, in worfhipping the golden Calf, and that fome of them were punilhed for it, and fome not ; this was done, faith Hilary, Quia Deus fcit cujus debeat mifereri, becaufe God knew who were fit Obje^s nf his Mercy ; becaufe he knew, riveguiioi aur^pius v.ct) an «E'fi', ''^ho were worthy of Prefervation, and who were not. So Chryfoflom and Oecujnenius. ^thly. On P'er. 16. they defcant thus, It is not of him that wills, or runs onl\, but of God that fJjeweth JV/. rc\, and crozvns the Work by his AJfifiance \ for other- wife, fay they, it cannot be our Duty, eichcr to will or run. So Origen, Chr^foftoin, Oecumenius, and The- ophylatl ', fee this, and their Anfwer to the Objecflion of St. Auflin againft this Expofition, in the Note upon that Verfe. Sthly. On thefe Words, Ver. 18. He hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and whom he will he hard- neth, Origen dcfcants thus •, that which he fays is this, that we are good or evil, depends upon our Will -, but what Stripes the wicked Man Jhall fuffer, and zvhat Glcry the gr)rd Man is defiqned for, depends upon the Will of God ; ':ov uJiiov iheiTa-^cn sKsei, He hath Mercy on him who is ft for of EleSiion. 99 for Mercy, rov ds u%£i^yi crnhepov shut cMyx^ptt, hut he permits the difohedient to be hardened. Moreover they all note, that the Apojlle here fpeaks of Pharaoh, and that him God hardened, not by laying on him any Neceffity fo to be, but only by his Patience and Lenity, in withdrawing his Plagues which fhould have led him to Repentance -, as a kind Mailer makes his Ser- vant worfe by his Lenity : and 'tis obferved by Vojfius^ that before St. Aujlin wrote againft Pelagius, he agreed with them in moft of thefe Expofitions. Vide Hifior^ Pelag.ls. Thef. 8. p. 545. 6thly. On Fer, 2 1 . Hath not the Potter Power over the Clay, &c. l^heo-phylaEl notes. That as it is not the Mafs it/elf that 7nakes one Vejjel to Honour, and another to Dijhonour, hut the Life of it, 8% >i (pvirig rsf |xgv iroieT aO" h»7euQ uiisgt T85 ^f qefccycjVj «AA' 1^ Tpoxi'i^effts, Jo is it not the Nature, but the Choice of Men that makes fome worthy of Pumjljment^ and others of Reward. God makes fome VeiTels of Honour, others of Difhonour, faith Chr'^fo- fto7n, becaufe he knows, r/g jxev uitog, t/j $s /xi^ roiovrog, who is worthy fo to be, and who is not. He jujtly punifheth Simiers, faith 'J'heodoret.^ wg yvcdfjn] toOto %oi6T)J roKyLUvrcctt as daring wittingly to do thus ; and his Philanthropy confers Mercy^ receiving crpof«(7/v 5r«p' i^fi-wv, an occafion from us to do fo. Laftly, I have fliewed, that in their Notes on Ver. 22, 23. they fay, that Man is made a VeiTel of Wratlij or Mercy^ from -his own Choice. § 3. '^dly. (a) Vojjius declares. That all the Fathers before St. Aujlin*?, time, think that God predcRina- ted Men to Life from a Prefcience that they v,ould live pioufly, or would believe and perfevere to ih'^^ end; and this, from what hath been difcourfed, £.p- peareth to have been the Do(Strine of all the Com- mentators upon the 8th and 9th Chapters to the Ro. mans, till St. Aujtm^s time, and of the Greek Co;n- (4) Hijl. L. 5. Th. 8. II 2 menraic-r . 1 oo Concerning the 2)ecree mcntators aiter Oiis tiine ; to whom "you may add' from h'mi the Teftunony of {b) Irencsus, that fome coming to the Lights and others refufmg Jo to do, Deus omnia prrefciens utrifq-, aptas prseparavit habitati- on es, God ivho forejeetb all ti.wgs^ prepared ft Habita- tions for them both : Of (c) Chryfofom introducing Chrift flying. Inherit the Kingdom f rev ared for '^ou be- fore you were horn, szeidii viSeiv roi^iTSg vix,ag ico(xivBft be- caufe I knevj 'jou would be fucb : Ot {d) Hilar-j fay- ing, many are called but few chofen. Quia in invitatis de judicii merito probitatis elecStio eft, becaufe among tbofe that are called, God of his juft Judgment, chufeth thofe that are honefl : Of (e) St. Ambrofe, faying, God wh'j is no Refpe5ier of Perfons, gives not to our Petitions hut our -Merits, according to that of the Apofile, whom he fore-kneiv, he alfo did fredcjimate, Non enim ante- prx- d'jllinaref, quam pr^efciret, fed quorum merita pras- fcivit eorum prsemia prgedeftinavit, for God did not predefinate firfi, and then fore-know, hut predefiinated tkemM.i^dmards,wkGin he fare-knew to he worthy of them: Of (f) St. Jerom, faying, Non gentes ehguntur, fed homJxium voluntates, Men ar'e. not chofen for their Na- tions, but for their Wills, (g) Pie purpofing to fave by Faith alone, ^quo's 'pra^fcivit crcdituros, thofe whom he fore-hwJj would believe: And laftly of i^o) 'Theophylacl, fayin<:.T, Mnt^'^ are called, hut fc-iv are faved, becaufe fe^ut^ arp^ uiioi T8 r/.T^oyvivai, wort'o\ to he chofn by God ; sc^t p.h G£8 TO x*:Asrv, TO le iyihewzovg y/v£ff6«; v\ jxilf i^jxerfpcv iqif Jor It is oj God that we are called, but oj ourjelves i/jdt we are chofen, or not. And § 4. 4///)'. Profpcr confelTes, That even they who condemned ,Pelagius, rejedled St. Aufni's Doctrine of (in abfolute Decree of Salvation, as a meer Novelty ', for^ faith he, (i) many of the Servants of Chrill in the City (b) L. 4. C. -f. (c) Horn. 80. in Mat. To. 2. (d) U Mat. 22. (e) L. 5. De ?iAi, C. 1. (/) In Hedib. {£) ;» Rom. >. 2?. Kh) ;«M.-i. (.') Eb.ad Atigujl,^. 873. of Ek6im. 1 o I i)f Miirfeilksy contrarium putant Patrum Opinioni, &: Ecclefiaftico Senfui quicquid de Vocatione Elcdoruni fecuiidum propofTtum difputafti, judge that zvbicl) you difpute of the Calling of the EleB according to piirpofe^ to he cont7'ary to the Opinion of the Fathers^ and the Scnfe of'~the Church, {k) T^hey defend their Obftinacj, fiiith he, "V«tuftate^ by Antiquity ; affirming, T'hat the things you gather from St. Paul'j Epifde to the Romans^ a nullo un- quam EcclefiafticorLim ita effe inte}Ie<5ta, 'were never fo under flood by any of the Ecclefiaftical Men. .And he prays him to inftru6t him, how he may anfzvcr this Ohjeotion. He adds, that, (/) RetraiSlatis priorum de hac Opinionibus, pene omnium par invenitur & una Sententia, quas Propofitum & Prsdeltinationem Dcifer- cundum Pr^fcientiam receperunt, ut ob hoc Deus alios vafa honoris, alios contumelies fecerit^quia finem unius- cujufq-, prsvideritj- having revifed the Opinions of thofe that writ before of this matter^ He found almofi all of them to be of one and the fame Judgment \ that the Pur- pofe and Predeftination of God was according to hts Pre- fcience^ and that he therefore ifiade foyne VcffcU of Honour, others of Dijhonour^ becaufe he fore f aw the End of every one^ and what would be their U'^ill and Auiions under the Divine AJffance. So truly did (/«) Melan^lbon fiiy, Scriptores veteres omnes, prjecer unum Auguilinum, ponunt aliquam caufam Eleiflionis in nobis elie. All the Ancients, except St. Aullin, ajfcrted, tba' there ivas fome Caufe of our EkPiion in ourfelvcs. {k) P. 88i, (/) P. 886. (w) m Rom. 9. II 3 DI ( toi ) DISCOURSE II. Concerning the Extent of Chrift's Redemption. The State of the ^tejlion. To ftate this Matter aright, I fhall endea- vour to (hew, ijl. What Limitations or Reflridions of our Lord's general Redemption lean- not admit of. idl'j. In what Senfe they who maintain that Dodrine do afifert it. And, ijl. I rejedb that Diftinftion as abfurd, which faith Chrifl died fujficiently for all ; hut intentionally only for the Ele5f : This being to delude Men with vain Words, and in efFed to fay he died no more for thofe who are not the Eled:, i. e. who will not actu- ally be faved by him, than for the very Devils^ fee- ing he died for them fufficiently ; that is, his Death, had it been defigned for that End, would have been of fufficient Virtue to procure the Pardon of their SinS. 2dly. It leaves all Men,' the Ele<5l only excepted, un- (der an Impofllbiiity of Pardon and Salvation ; that Pardon and Salvation being to be obtained only by them lo whom the Benefit of ChriiVs Death belongs. It Concerning the Estentj &c. loj It therefore leaves all other Men under an ImpofTibi- licy of believing, repenting and obeying the Gofpel j for thefe being the Conditions of the New Covenant, eflablifli'd in his Blood, they who are in a capacity of performing thefe Conditions, muft be in a capacity of enjoying the Benefits of that Covenant, and fo of having an Intereft in his Death ; and therefore they who can have no Intereft in his Death, can be in no capacity of performing the Conditions of that Cove- nant, ^dly. It follows hence that it cannot be the Duty of any, befides the Eled, to believe in Chrid, or in his Blood fhed for the Remiflion of Sins, or to blefs God for fending his Son into the World -, for this no Man can reasonably do, becaufe Chrifl's Blood was fufficient to procure his Pardon, had it been intended for that end -, but becaufe it aftually was defigned for that end. Remove this Suppofition, and to fay Chrift's Death was fufficient for their Pardon and Salvation, is only to fay Chrift could have procured their Salvation if he would j but he v/ould not, or God was not wil- ling that he fhould : and who can blefs him upon that account? ^.ibly. Plence it is evident that all who are not ele6led cannot believe in a Saviour that died for them, but only in one whole Death would have been fufficient to procure their Pardon, had it been intended for that end, as it was not -, and what Connfort can this adminifter to any ? Surely no more Comfort than it would yield to a condemned Malefadlor to know his Prince could have pardoned him, but he would nor. Nor, 2dly. Can I approve of their Dodrine who fay, Chrijt died fo far for all as to procure for them Pardon and Salvation if they will believe and repetjt ; but that he died moreover to procure for the Klecl Faith and Repen- tance. For (i//.) there is no Ground at all in Scrip- ture for this Diftinftion ; for that faith often that Chrift died /or the IVorld -, for all; for every Alan ; but! never faith he died for one Part of Mankind more than n 4 for 1 04 Concerning the Extent for another. 2dly. They who make this Diftinclion pofitivcly affert, that none can repent and believe for whom Chrilt died not to procure Faith and Repentance -, feeing then the Effed: of our Lord's Salutary PafTion is already paft, and what he died not to procure for any, can nev^er be obtained -, it Chrift died only to procure Faiih and Repentance for the Elccl, the reft can never have them ; and fo this is as much as to fay Chrift never died for them at all. Wherefore to force thefe Men to come over to ns, or to lay afide thefe vain Pre- tences, and mere Difguifes of their real Sentiments, I demand, ^dly. When they fay Chrift died for all, fo far as to procure Pardon and Salvation for them if they will believe and repent -, whether he died to procure Pardon and Salvation on a Condition, which it was poflible upon that Afliftance which he would vouch- fafc them to perform ^ or only upon a Condition which to them was impofTiblc, for want of Grace fufiicient for them to perform ? If the latter only, it is certain that he died not at all for them-, for what is only done on an impoftible Suppofition, is not done at all. It being the fame thing not to die at all for their Be- nefit, as to do it only on a Condition they cannot pof- fibly perform. If he died to procure Pardon and Salvation for them on a Condition, which by that Grace, which he was ready to vouchfafe to them, as well as to the Eledt, they might be able to perform, he died intentionally, and on his part efi'edually, to procure Pardon and Salvation to them as well as to the Ele£t, and fo all Mankind may be faved ; and then Chrift muft have died for the Salvation of them all. Thefe are the Limitations and Reftridions of the Ex- tent of our Lord's Death, which I rejed. I add po- fitively, i/?. When I fay Chrift died for all, I mean that he died equally for all. This will be evident if we confi- der, jji. That he o(Tered the fame Sacrifice ; fuffered one and the fame Death i Ihed the f^me Blood for all for of Chriji's Redemption* toj for whom he died. This Sacrifice muft therefore be offered equally for all, if indeed it were offered for all j becaufe it is the fame Oblation, the fame Body- crucified, and the fame Blood flicd for all : and hence that Scripture, which faith exprefly, that Chrift died for ally affords not the leaft Intimation that he fuffer'd more, or (hed more of his Blood for one than for ano- ther. Moreover, 2r//v. It is certain that the Suffer- ings of Chrift and his Blood flied, cannot be diftribu- ted into Parts, fo that one fhould have one Share of it, another a Second, and another a Third ; but who- foever hath an Intereft in them, hath a Title to the whole Benefit procured by them, and he who hath no Title to the whole, hath no Share at all in the Benefit of his Sufferings, ^dly. His Blood was ilied to efta- blifh the Ne-w Covenant •, now that is equally efta- blidied to all who perform the Conditions of it, Faith, Repentance, and fincere Obedience, and belongs to none who never do perform them. It hath been reprefented as a great Abfurdity to think that Chrifl died equally for ^Jiidas^ and for Feter \ but without any fhew of Reafon that I can diicern : For did not the Soul of Judas as much pro- ceed from the Father of Spirits, as the Soul of Peter ? Was it not equally made after God's Image? Did ic come out of his Hands more unworthy of Mercy than the Soul of Peter ? Were not both born in equal Circumffances as to God's Favour, in equal Need of a Saviour, and equally capable of Redemption ? Why therefore, antecedently to any Good or Evil they had done, fhould this S:iviour die more, or rather for the one, than for the other ? 2^/)'. When we fay Chrijl died for all, we do not mean that he died for all, or any ahfobtely^ or with- out any Conditions* to be performed on their part to interefl them in the Bleffingsof his Paffion -, but only that he died for all conditionalh, or fo as that th.'jy ihould be made Partakers of the BlefTings of his Salu- tary 1 06 Concerning the Extent tary PafTion upon condition of their Faith, Repentance, and fmcere (Jbcdicnce to the Laws of the New Cove- hant i to all fuch he hath promiled they Jhall never -pc- rijh. Thefe are the Means he hath appointed to pre- vent their Ruin, and render them Partakers of that Pardon and Salvation which he hath purchafed by his precious Blood : and he that wills that they fiiould ufc the Means by him appointed for thefe Ends, can ne- ver be unwilling they fhould obtain thefe Ends. And as lie died for ail conditionally, fo is it certain that he died for none otherwife, ;. e. he died not with Inten-. tion to contcr the Blefiings of his Salutary Paflion on any but true Believers, true Penitents, and fuch as would obey the Laws of his New Covenant : it being impolTible in the Nature of the thing, that he fliould die to fave the Unbeliever, i. e. the Perfon who will not ov/n him as his Saviour, or to reconcile God to the Impenitent and the Unbeliever, /'. e. to them who Hill continue in their Sins, and their Rebellions againlt God •, to deny this is to fay, he died to confer the Bkflings of his Salutary Paflion on the Unbeliever, the impenitent and Dilobedient, when of thefirllhe laith, {(i) He jhail not fee Life, but fj condemned already, of liie Impentinent, That (b) He Jhall fur ely perifh -, and (c) He will come in faming Fire to take Vengeance of ail that obey not his Gofj-el. And therefore, ^dly. When we fay Chrijt died for all, we do not mean that he hath purchafed adtual Pardon, or Recon- ciliation, or Life fur all ; this being in effeft to fay, that he procured an aiSlual Remiflion of Sins to Unbe- lievers, and adually reconciled God to the Impenitent and Difobedient ; which is impoflible. For what Chrilt hath adually purchafed for all, all may juftly claim, and God cannot equitably deny them -, whereas he both can, and will deny Pardon to the Unbeliever, and ne- ver will, or can be reconciled to the Impenitent and Difobedient, whilft they continue fo to be. Fie only (a) John J. 18, 36. n?) Luke 13. 3, 5. (0 2Theff. i. 8. by o/ Chrifi's Redemption, i o/ by his Death harh put all Men in a Capacity of being juftified and pardoned, and fo of being reconciled to, and having Peace with God, upon their turning to God, and having Faith in our Lord Jefus Chrift ; the Death of Chriji having rendred it confident with the Juftice and the Wifdom of God, with the Honour of his Majefty, and with the Ends of Government, to pardon the penitent Believer. Hence the Apojlles were fent both to Jew and Gentile^ [d) to preach Repentance towards God, and Faith in our Lord Jefus Chrifi \ {e) that they might receive RewJjfion of Sins, and an Inheri- tance among thofe that are fanofijied thro* Faith in him. To illuftrate this by a plain Similitude : Suppofe a Prince whofe Subje(5ls had rebelled againft him, and fo Jay under the Sentence of Condemnation, fhould thro' the Interceflion of his beloved Son, promife Pardon to as many of them as would profefs a Sorrow for their Guilt, ask Pardon in his Son's Name, and promife to be obedient Subjeds for the future : Would this procure' an adual Pardon to any of them, till they had perform- ed thefe Conditions? Or would it ever do it for them who wilfully refufed, or even negleded to perform them? So here Chrifl, by his Death, obtained of his Father a Neiv Covenant, in which he promifes to par- don and be reconciled to all upon their Faith and Re-*- pentance, and Salvation upon their Perleverance in well-doing : But he hath not, by his Death, procured an a<5tual Pardon, Reconciliation, or Salvation to any who have not performed thefe Conditions •, nor caa they lay any jufb Claim unto them by Virtue of ChrijVs dying for them. And yet upon this grofs Millake are founded many of the Arguments produced by the i-Va- nod of Dort, againft this general Extent of our Lord's Death, and fo they need no farther Anlwer. And Lajlly, They who lay that Chrift, by offering up himfelf to the Death, procured to the Eled at leait {^d} Afts 20. 21. (e) Afts IS. \2, not loS Concerning the Tii) Rom. 3. 23,24. I 2 Freedom x\6 Concerning the Extent Freedom from Condemnation, iaying, (q) That as by Sin the "Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation ; fo by the Right eoufmfs of one^ the Grace of God came upon all Men to Jiijiificaiion of Life ; that as Sin reigned unto Death, fo Grace might reign by Jujlification to eter- nal Life thro'* Jefus Chrift our Lord. Now the Grace of this Comparifon is wholly loft, if Sin reigned over all Men without Exception to Death and Condemnation, but Grace reigned only over a few to procure for them the Means of Juftification to Life thro' Jefus Cbrifi ; but if the Comparifon be of things equal as to Extent, Chrijl mull have died for the Juftification of all Men. § 3. 2dly. When the Apojlle farther adds (r) The Love of Chrif conftrains us (thus to perfuade Men to believe in Chrift, and live to him) hecaufc 'Lve thus judge, that if (or (j) Jince) one died for all, then were all dead •, the Words, all were dead, muft certainly be taken in their grea^eft Latitude ; wherefore the Words preceding, if or fince Chrift died for all, from which they are an Inference, ought alfo to be taken in the fame Extent. Whrn he goes on to fay. He died for all, that they who live might not henceforth live to themfclves, hut to him that died for them \ this fure muft be tlie Duty of all Chriftians in particular (unlcfs there be any Chriftians not obliged to live to Chrift, but ra- ther at Liberty to live to themfelvesj and fo that Death which is the Motive to it, muft be intended for them all. To fay here that Chrift died for fome only of all Nations, Jeivs and Geyitiles, is to exempt all others of thofe Nations from living to Chrift upon this Account ; and to fay he died for ail the Ele(5t, (^) Rom. «?. 18, 2r. (r) zCor, <;. iq. i^s) T/jis Hebrew DN is tranjlated fince, Jer. 23. j8. Ezek. 3$. 6. And the Greek, «', probably fo fignifits, Afts 4.9. Rom. B. 31. and here', for from a Supp$fiti0n of that which is not, no fuch Jofertnce (4!i it made. that of Chriji's Redemption, 11/ that they ot them who Jive might not Jive to them - feJves, is to fuppole that Ibme of the EJed: might live not to Chrift but to themlelvcs ; which cannot truly be imagin'd of the Elecfl of God. Moreover he declares that the Senfe of this Love of Chrift prevailed upon them to perfuade Men to believe in him ; now this Perfuafion they ufed to every Man to whom they preach'd, and therefore they perfuaded all Men to be- lieve that Chrift died for them ; for (l) we^ faith he, preach this Chrift who i^ to vo s Gentiles the hope of Glory ', admoni/Inng^ TavT« «vfip«7rov, every Man, and teaching every Man m all irVijaom^ that ive tnay prefent every Man perfetl in Chriji Jefm. See another falfe Interpretation of thefe Words confuted, Note on 2 Cor. 5. 15. §4. ^dly. When the Apoftle faith, (^^) /fA'^cr/ //^^r^- fore (in purfuance of the Defign of Chrift's coming to fave Sinners, Chap. i. 15,) Firji^ that Supplications and Prayers, and Interceffions, and giving of 'Thanks be fnade for all Men (particularly) for Kings, and all that are in Authority, &c. he muft exhort them not only to pray for fome Men, fome Kings, and fome in Au- thority in all Nations ; for then we could not know how to obferve this Precept, becaufe we could not know what Men or Rulers we were to pray for, and what not. When then he adds by Way of Reafon, for this is good and acceptable in the Sight of God, who will have all Men to be faved\ this Reafon why we are to pray for all Men in general, and for all Rulers in particular, muft either be a lalle and unconcluding Reafon, or muft import thus much: He would have all Men, and all Rulers to be faved, whom he would have us pray for. Now the Dodrine and Prad-ice of the whole Chriftian World attefts that they were all Men, and Rulers in particular, as we learn from the if) €ol. 1.27,28. («) I Tim. 2.1: I 3 cxprefs i 1 8 Concerning the Extent exprefs Teftimonies of (w) Profper^ and of the Au- thor {x) de Vocatune Gentium. Moreover, that God would have all Men to be faved the Apojlle proves, ijl. Becaufe he is the God of ail^ the common Father and Creator of all Men, ver. 4. Eph. 4. 6. Now thus he is the God of all Men in particular, and fo this Argument muft fhew he would have all Men in parti- cular to be faved. And as the Apojlle argues for God's Readinefs to juftify the Gentiles by Faith, as freely as the Jews by afking-, (}*) Is he the God of the Jews on- ly ? Is he not alfo of the Gentiles ? And by anfwering that there is, as to this, no difference betwixt them ; the fame God being rich unto all that call upon him : for whofoever Jhall call upon the Name of the Lord fJoall be faved \ fo may we argue in this Cafe by a like En- quiry, Is he the God of a f nail Remnant of the Jews and Gentiles only ? Is he not the Saz'iour of them all ? Chap. 4. 10. • idly. He would have all Men to be faved, faith the Apofle ; for there is one Mediator betwixt God and Man, the Man Chrijl Jefus, zvho _^gave himfelf a Rarifom for all. Now if the Argument from one God was defign'd to prove he was the God of ail Men in particular, as hath been fhew'd already, the Argument from one Me- diator muft alfo prove Chrift the Mediator of all Men (iy) Sincer'iJJime credendum atq; profitendum eft, Deuvj velle, ut em- nes homines faLvi fiaytt , Jiquidsm Apoftolus, cujus ijia fentent'ta eft^folici- t'tJfiTni pr^cipit, quad in omnibus Ecclefiis piijftme cufioditury ut Deo pr» omnibus homlnibus fuppitcetur. Profp. Refp. ad Objed. 2. Vinceiif, Pracepit Aptftolus, immo per Apcftolum. (x) Domtnus vult fieri obfecratioties, CT' poftuUfioms, cr grjitiarum a.6lionei pro omnihtis hominibus, pro Regibus, c?- pro his qui in fubli- mitate [nnt : (^am legem fupplicationis, ita cmntum facer datum, ^ tmnium fidelium devotio concorditer tenet ut nulla pars mundi jit in. qua hujufmodi orationes non celebretztur a populis Chriftianis. Suppli- cat ergo ubiq. Ecclefia Deo non folttm pro fantTts, O" Chnfto jam re- generatis, fed ettam pro omnibus jnfidelibms, cr inimicis crtitti Chri' fit, crc. de Vocat. Gent. 1, i. c. 4. (j) Rona. 3» 30. in of Chr'tjt's Redemption. \ i ^ in particular, and coiikquencly that he gave himfelf a Ranfom for all Men in particular. Hence is he fo em- phatically ftiled, the Man Cbriji Jcfus^ to intimate to us, that having taken upon himfelf the Nature com- mon to us all to fit him for this Office, he muft defign it for the Good of all who were Partakers of that Na- ture i for as he was a Man, he furely was endued with the bed of human Affedions, iimverfal Chanty, which would excite him to promote the Wi.lfare of all ; as he was a Man, he wasfubject to the common Law of Hu- manity •, which obliges us to endeavour the common Benefit of Men ; and that Good-will which he requires us to bear to all Men indifferently Good and Bad, Friends and Enemies, he queftionlcfs did bear himfelf in the higheft Degree, and to the utmoft Extent, and therefore doubtlefs in his Siifferings for Men, which are acknowledged to be fufEcient for ail, he had regard to the Good of all. § 5. ^thly. When the fame Apoftle faith, {a) the faving Grace of God hath appeared to all Men, teaching them, denying tfngodlinefs and worldly Lujls, to live righte^ oujiy, and foherly, and godly in this prefent World, Sec, He plainly feemeth to ilrengthen this Affertion : For here it is obfervable, ij'l. That the Grace here men- tion'd, is the Grace of God, even of that God who (b) Jpared not his Son, hut freeh gave him up for us. idly. That it is ftyled, ^ ;^«'p's ^ ffurvipiof^ faving Grace ; as being apt in its Nature, and by tne God- of all Grace defigned, for the Salvation of them for whotn it was vouchfafed. ':^dly. This Grace, faith the Apo- ftle, hath appeared to all Men ; and if the Apoftles did in their Preaching tender it to ail without Ex- ception, they either tendered it to them to whom by God's Intention it did not belong, and fo exceeded their Commiflion ; or elfe it did belong to all Men: and fince it only could belong to them by virtue (4) Tit. ^, 1 1, 12. (Jb) Rom. 8. 32. I 4 , oS I 20 Concerning the Extent of Chrift's Paflion, ic follows that the Benefit of his PalTion muft belong to all. ^thly. This Grace ap- peared to all Men to teach them, denywg all Ungodli- nefs and worldly Lujis, to live r:ghteouJly, foberly and godly in this frejent World -, and therefore to teach them that which will moft certainly conduce to their Salvation, fince all who learn this Leflbn will un- doubtedly be laved ; and that by virtue of our Lord^s Salutary Paflion : fince, as it follows, they may ex.pe5l the ble£'ed Hope and glorious Appearance of our Lord J e- fus Cbrijl^ who gave hitiifelf for them. In a Word, Either all Men are obliged on the Account of this Grace of God, and thefeSulferings of Chrift for them, to deny Ungodlincfs, &c. and to live righteoufly, fo- berly and godly in this prefent World -, and then this Grace, and thefe Sufferings muft be intended for their Salvation •, or it muft be faid, that there are fome, yea, the greateft Fart of Chrijiians, who are not on the Account of this Grace appearing to them, or of thefe Sufferings, obliged to the Performance of thefe Duties. § 6. p,thly. When the fame Apoflle informs us that Chrift was {c) made a little lower than the Angels^ for the Suffering of Death, that He by the Grace of God^ .might tajle Death for every Man; he clearly doth ex- prefs the fame Afllertion ; for here is no reftraint at all, nor any feeming Limitation of that comprehen- five Phrafe, He tafted Death irspi ^hrog, for every Man, diftributively taken ('for diolum de cmni, fiy the Lo- gicians, diftributes the Subjedl.) But there is fomething which doth feem to ftrengthen the general Intendment of the Phrafe ; for this is faid to magnify the Grace of God in fending his Son to die for Man : Now lure the Grace of God will be more magnified by this ge- neral Extent of our Saviour's Death, than by contradl- (0 Heb. 2.9. inor of Chrijl's Re^mptlon. 121 ing the Intendment of it to a few i for if the Grace of God be great in fending his Son to die for a few chofcn Perfons, it muft be greater in fending him to die for many, and greater ilili in giving him up to die for us all ; and this would be more fenfibly per- ceived by all Men, were it their own Cafe ; for were they in the Number of condemn'd Rebels by their Pririce, who only fliould afford an Aft of Grace and Indemnity to others, but leave them under Condem- nation, they would aflliredly conceive his Grace and Favour would be greater, were it extended to them alfo, and would not think his Grace was magnified the more for being To difcriminating, as to exclude them from any Share or Portion in ic, § 7. Sthly. The Apoftle St. Peter faith, (J) God is long-ftiffering fo usward^ not being zvilling that any Jhotdd perijjj^ but that nil Jhould com; to Repentance \ /xvj (Ja- ^'/xgves t/v«s «7roA£(r6«/, aAA« ^oivTug eig (/.srecvoieiv xu^vflcii. Now Tiveff thus opofed to 'xuvrsg is a Diftributive of all, and therefore fignifies God is not willing that any one of the whole rank of Men fnould perifh. Moreover, when it is faid, God would have all Men come to Repentayice, 'tis certain that this Will refers to all to whom the Preaching of the Gofpel is vouch- fafed, yea to all whom in the Times of Ignorance God winked at ; for fo the Scripture fpeaketh, faying, {e) the times of Ignorance God wiiiked at^ but, now he com- mandeth all Men every where to repent. When there- fore it is fiid, He is not willing any one fhould perifh, but come to Repentance, he mufl be fuppofed at leafl to mean, He would have no Man perifh to whom the Gofpel is vouchfafed. To fay with EJtiuSy by way of Anfwer to this Argument, ^rg. I. " God would have none to perifh, becaufe " He gives to all fome general Means of Converfion id) 2 Pet. 3, 9, (t) Afts 17. 30. " to 12 2 Concerning the Extent *' to God, tho they be not fuiHcient to that end with- *' out thofe fpecial Aids he will not give them i" is to delude us with vain Words. Repl. For 'tis felf-evident, that He who wills not the Means neceflary to bring them to Repentance, wills not that they fliould come to Repentance j and that He who determines to with-hold the Means, which being with-held they muft perifh, wills they Ihould perifh. Arg. 2. When he faith thefe general Words are to be rellrained to theEled, and only fignify God would not that any of them fhould perifh, becaufe the JjjO' file in his Firft Epiftle writes to the Ele£l, Repl. I. I Anfwer ift. That the Jpo/Ile by the Eleo'i doth not here mean Men abfolutely defigned for Eter- nal Happinels, but only Men profefling Chriltianity, or fuch as were vifible Members of the Church of Chri/i^ as will be evident from thefe Confiderations ; ifi. That He calls upon them to (f) make their Call- ing and Eleoiion fure, that they may not jail (from it ',) fo}\ faith he, if ye do thefe Things ye JJjall never fall'. plainly declaring that the making their Eledtion fure depended on their {£) adding to their Faith^ Virtue, Knowledge^ Temperance., Patience., brotherly Kifidnefs, Charity ; and fo was only a conditional Election upon their Ferfeverance in a Life of Holinefs. 2dly. He ex- horts them to (h) he fober and vigilant., becaufe their Adverfary the Devil goes about feeking whom he may devour ; and to *(/) bezvare lefl being led away by the error of the Wicked they fijould fcdl jrom their own fled- faftnefs \ whereas it cannot be fuppofed of Ferfons thus abfolutely clcded to Salvation, that they fhould be devoured by Satan., or fall from their fledfaflnels. (f) 1 Per. I. 30. (f ) ver. 5, 6, 7. {b) i Pet. 5. 8, (0 2 Pet. 3. 17. Yea, of Chriji's Redemption, 1 2 j Yea, S^^h^ ^^ "^^ ^^h fp'^'iks of lome of them who had (k) for fa ken the right wa'j^ and turned with the Dog to his Vomit -, but alfo prophefies, that ihofefalfe 'Teachers who brought in datnnahle Do^rines^ even denying the Lord that bought thefn^ JJjculd tnake Merchandije of fofne of the'm^ which they could never do of Perfons abfolutely elefted to Salvation. Ji^thly. The Apojlle affirmeth the fame Thing of the whole Church of Babylon, faying, (/) The Church which is at Babylon ffwerihenTvi, ele^ed to- gether with you, faluteth you* Now that all the Mem- bers, either of the Eaftern or the Weftern Babylon^ were chofen out of the World to the ProfefHon of Chrijlianity, He who was with them could not be ig- norant ; but that they all were abfolutely ? lecfted to Salvation, was more than he could know, and there- fore more than he would fay. Repl, 2. idly. Tho both this and the former Epi- file were written to them who were defied thro* Sanc- tification to Obedience, and to them who had obtaiiied p-ecious Faith, and fo to them who were already come unto Repentance ; thefe Words cannot refpefl the fame Perfons, becaufe they fpeak of Perfons to whom God exercifed L.ong-'fuffering, that they might come to Re- 'pentance, and might not penjh under their prefenc want of it : and fo they are directed to the unconverted • Jevjs, to whom St. P<2^//fpeaks thus, {m) Defpifefi thou the Riches of the Goodnefs, Patience, and Long-fuffering of God, not knowing that the Goodnefs of God leadeth thee to Repentance ? And to whom this ^/^y//-? fpeaketh, ver. 15. faying. Count the Long-fuffering of our Lord Salvation. Now fure, it is not reafonable to conceive thofe Jezvs, who lay then under a Spirit of Slumber, were abfolutely chofen to Salvation. {k) 2 Pet.z. 3, 15, 22. (0 1 P«t. ^. 13, (w) Rom. 1.4. CHAP. 1 24 Concerning the Evstent CHAP. 11. § I. A Second General Argument for this Extent of j[\^ our Lord's Salutary Paflion, arifes from thofe Scriptures which reprefent him as the Saviour of the whole World ; as, when the Baptift ilyles him, {a) The Lamb of God that taketb away the Sins of the IVorld •, yf\\(tn\.\'i& Sa?naritans id.y^ {b) IVe have heard^ and know this is the Chrifl^ the Saviour of the World •■, when he himfelf faith, (c) He is the Bread of God vjhich came down from Heaven^ and giveth Life to the IVorld ; and that this Bread is his Fle/Ij which he will give for the Life of the IVorld: when St. John faith, (d) We have feen and do tefiify^ that God hath Jent his Son to be the Saviour of the World. If all thefe General ExprefTions feem not fo fully to confirm this Truth, 'tis done be- yond Exception by thofe Texts which fay, {e) So God loved the World, that he fent his only begotten Son into the World, that whofoever bdieveth in him might not perijh^ hut have everlajting Life •, for God fent not his Son into the World to condemn the World, hut that the World by him miiht be faved ; and introduce Chrifl; making this Declaration, (f) I came not to condemn the World, hut that I might fave the World', and by the Apoftle P<3z^/, faying, [g) God was in Chrijl, reconciling the World unto himfLlf, not imputing to them their Sins : And Laflly, by St. John, faying to Believers, of this Advocate with the Father Jifus Chri/l the Righteous, that (h) He is the Propitiation not only for our Sins, but for the Sins of the whole World. Now in the General obferve, ijl. That all thefe Places, fave one, are cited from the Writings of Sr. John, and fo the Senfe which the World beareth in St. Johyt's Gofpel and EpijHes, rnuft (a) John i.2g. (b) John. 4. 41. (0 Chap. 6. 33, 51. (d) I John 4. 14. {e) John 3. 16, 17. (/) Chap. 12.47- (i) 2 Cor. 5. 19. (h) I John 2. 2. be of Chrl/s Rife'mpt'to^-' V»f be efteem'd in reafon the proper Import of the word. Now this Term occurs almoft a hundred Times in St. John's Writings, twice fignifying the Multitude, and frequently the habitable World, in which laft Senfe 'tis certain that Chrift died not for it ; but moftly the Mei? of the World, and then it fignifies, 1. That World which knew not Cbrijl, John i. lo. and would not know his Servants, i John ^. i. 2. That Worid which hated the Apoflles^ John 15. t8, 19. and would afflidl them, John 16. o^'^. 17. 14. and good Men, i John 3.13. 3. That World of which the wicked Jcu^s were a part, Ch, 8. 23. i jQhn 4. 5. of which Satan was the Prince, Cb. 12.31. 14.30. 16. 11. which was to be judged and convinced by the Holy Ghoft, John 12. 31. 16. 8. and of which Chrijl and his Apoftles were no part, Ch. 8.23. 15.19. 17. 16. that World which /i(?5 in V/ukednefs, i John 5. 19. and which cannot receive the Spirit, Ch. 14. 17. . And. yet, 4. That World of which Chrift was the Lt^:}t, Ch. 3. 19. 9, 5. 12.^6. and which he prayed might believe thofe Apoft:le5 he was fending to them, and might know him to be the Prophet and Mcjfiah fent by God, Ch. 17. 21, 23. Now when the World is fo conftantly ufed in the ill Senfe, in all thofe other Places where it fignifies the Men of the World, can it be reafonably thought, that in all thefe Places it fliould fignify the EUoi, that is, Men that are not of the World, but called out of it ; that when elfewhere it fignifies fo oft the Servants of Satan., the Enemies of Chrift and Chriftiam^ the wicked of the World, and Men uncapable of receiving the Spirit^ it fhould in all the Places mentioned in this Ar- gument fignify the Servants of Chrift, the true Lovers of Chrft and Cbriftians, and thofe in whom the Spirit dwells ? Seeing then the whole World is divided into good and bad Men, and 'tis on all hands granted, that Chrift died for good Men, and here fo often faid that he died alfo for that World which ftands in Oppofition to ii6 ^^^ce'rn}^ *^^ ^yitent ^o them •, is it nor reaionable to conclude hence, that he died both for the Evil and the Good? Ohj. But doth notChriJf fay, (i) I pray ml for the Worlds but: for them that thou hafi ginen me out of the PForld ; and would he die for them, for whom he would not pray ? Anfxv. This Objedlion is contrary both to Reafon and the Holy Scripture : To Reafon, for can it rationally be imagined, that he who was perfed in Charity, fiiould be wanting in this higheft A61 of Charity ? That the Beloved Son of God fhould charge this on us as our Duty to pray for our Enemies, that we may be the Sons of our heavenly Father^ and he himfelf negleft to do it? Moreover, How often doth he lay of the Je-ws, Te are of the IVorld, and of his Apollles chofen out of them, that they were chofen out of the IVorld? And yet he fdth to them, ei tyvue, (k) How do I ivijij that ihou hadji known in this thy Day^ the Things which do be- long to thy Peace ! And hanging on the Crofs he faid, (/) Father^ forgiie thrni^ they know not '-jjhat they dg. Thus did he make Interceffion for the 'Tranfgyeffors^ Ifa. 53. 12. Now this Prayer and Interceffion for them implies the PolTibility of their receiving Forgivenefs, and fuch a Poffibility doth prefappofe in God a Difpo- fition to grant it, and confequently a Satisfaiflion pro- vided i fuch as God will accept, and fuch as will avail to their Benefit, provided they do their Parts towards the Obtainment of it. idly. Our Lord fays not this abfoiutely, but only in refpe nor is there any thing in this whole Prayer which is not pro- per to Believers only, i. e. to Perfons called out of the World. And, '^dly. This very Prayer for them, and other Apofto- , liml Preachers of the Word, was made for the fake of the World, and with refpedt to their faving Faith, i.e. that the TVo7'ld might believe and know that the Father hadfent hiia, ver 2g. (o that Chriji prayed for his Apo- ftks for this very End, that the World by their Meant /night believe^ and believing might have Life thro' his Name : *Tis therefore plain he made this very Prayer, in which he faith, I pray riot for the IVorld, out of that Affeflion to the World, and with defign that the Preach- ing of the Apofiles to them might be more effedtual for their Converfion and Salvation. § 2. A fecond general Confideration, (hewing the Abfurdity of reftraining this Word to the Eledt, is this ; That if the World in all thefe Places, were to be re- ftrained to fome few People, fome little Remnant of the World alone, it might with greater Truth and Rea- fon have been faid, That God fo hated, or caji off" the World, that befent not his Son to fave the World, but to condemn it •, for if thofe he intended to five by fending his Son, be but a little Remnant in Comparifon of thofe to whom he intended no fuch Benefit by his Son's Advent, the Reafon for afferting that he was fent into the World to fave it, is very little, when compared to the Reafon to affert he was not fent into the World for fuch an End. If his coming into the World with Light, and with a Tender of Salvation to them, is the Con- demnation of the unbelieving and the wicked World, and God intended abfolutely to with-hold that Grace which could alone enable the greateft Part of the World to embrace that Tender, or walk according to that Light, it feems more reafonableto fay, God fent not his ixS Concerning the Ei) i John 2. 2. K tiofi I JO Concerning the Extent tionfor our Shis^ and not for ours onl^^ but for the Sins of the ivhole IVorld \ thefe Words will noc admit of the reftrained Senlls which others put upon them -, for when he faith. He is the Propitiation for our Sins, fure he intends this Comfort to them all to whom he fpeaks, and not only that Chrif was the Advocate, and the Pro- pitiation for the Sins of fome of them only ; for this would have left them all under Perplexities and Doubts whether this Advocate and this Propitiation did belong to them, but would have comforted none of them : When therefore he adds, he is the Propitiation not for the Sins of all us only, but for the Sins of the whole World i he, in like manner, mull extend the Phrafe to all Men in the World. Again, when he faith, He is the Propitiation for cur Sins, he doth not mean that he is fo fufficiently only but not intentionally •, for what Comfort would it afibrd them, thatC/^/zy/'s Death was .Sufficient to procure the Pardon of their Sins, had God defign'd it for that End, unlefs they alfo knew that he intended it for the procuring their Propitiation ? When therefore he proceeds to fay, and 72ot for ours only, but for the Sins of the ivhole IVorld, he muft mean alfo that he was the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World, not only fufficiently, but in his gracious Inten- tion alfo. Moreover, were this all that was intended by this Phrafe, it is as true, and might as properly have been faid of fallen Angels, and the whole Hoft of Devils, that Chriii is the Propitiation for their Sins, as for the Sins of thole who are not eleded, feeing had God defign'd it for that End, Chris's Death, by rea- fon of its intrinfick Value, might have been fufficient to procure Atonement for the Sins of fallen Angels. Nor is it lefs abfurd to fay the Import of thefe Words is this, he died for, or he is the Propitiation for the Sins of the Eledt of the whole World. For, i/7. I have already Ihew'd that in the Scripture^ and more efpecially in the Writings of St. John, the World, or the whole World, doth never fignify the Eled of Chriji's KedempUon. i j » EJeft only in Oppofuion to the wicked of the World, but (till the wicked of the World, in Oppofition to the faithful Chniiian. idly. Would it not be ftrange, and alien from the Mind of Scripture^ to fay the vyhole World is eledted to Salvation? The whole World fhall bejuftified by Faith in CbrisJ, and truly fandlified by his Spirit; the Spirit of God dwells in the whole World, and the whole World fhall be raifed by ChriiJ to Eternal Hap- pinefs ? and yet all this is certainly true of the whole World of the EIj^ : Why therefore is it not equally affirm'd of the whole World, if they be Words of equal Latitude and Truth ? § 5. And having fo fully evidenced that the World in thefe three places fignifies not only the Ele<5l, but the whole World, we are fufficiently aflured that the fame Word in the fame Evangeliff bears the fame Senfe in all the other Places mention'd, v. g. When the Bapliji faith (a) Behold the Lanib of God, who taketb away the Sins of the World \ Doth he noc fpeak this in Allufion to the Lambs daily offer'd up for the Sins of the whole Jewifh Nation, and therefore intimate that as they were offer'd up to expiate the Sins of the whole Nation^ fo was- this Lamb of God offer'd to expiate the Sins of the whole World in ge- neral ? When Chrhl faith, (b) He is that Bread which came down from Heaven to give Life unto the World, and then tells the unbelieving y^f^j, who were of the World, and fo continued, My Father giveth you this Bread from Heaven -, and that this was the Work God required of them to believe in him ; is it not evident that thefe Un- believers, thefe Men of the World, in oppofition to the Ele6t out of the World, mult alfo be the Mea («) John 1.29. Q)) John 6. 33. K 2 whom x 3 2 ConceYn'ing the E: h Chrijl ; for he hath made him (a Sacrifice forj Sm for us that we might be made the Righteoufnefs of God (i. e. might by God be accounted righteous thro' Faith) in him. This being fo, they who were fent to {in) preach the Gofpel (/) i Cor. 5. 19. {g) Afts 2. 38. (h) Ads 3. 19. (i) Aas 13. J 8, 39. (*) Afts26. 18,20. (/) See tbi Nett then, (tn) Mark 16. 15. K 3 'is I j4 Concerning the Extent to ever'j human Creature^ and in purfuance of this CommifTion {n) warned evc^j Man, and taught ever-j Man^ in all PVildom, that the\ might ircfent every Man ■perfe5t in Chrifi Jefus, praying all Men to be reconciled to God thro' Chrift, becaufe he had made Chrift a Sacri- fice for their Sins, &c. they, I fay, who preached thus, and yet did not exceed their CommilTion, mud believe that God was ready to be reconciled to every Man tliro' Chrifi ; and therefore that his Sacrifice was offer'd to procure Reconciliation for all Mankind, As therefore Chrifi is fly led the Lainb of God that taketh awa-j the Sins of the IVorld^ and faid to be the Propitia- tion for the Sins of the whole JVorldy not by adually removing the Guilt of all Men, or rendring God acflu- ally reconciled to them, but by dying to procure thefe Bleffings for all that would believe in him ; fo God is faid to be in Chrfi, reconciling the World to himfelf^ &c. not becaufe he a6bually did fo, but becaufe by thefe Ambafladors he oHer'd Reconciliation and RemifTion of Sins thro' Faith in Chrift to all that would believe in him, CHAP. III. A Third Head of Arguments, to confirm the Ge^ nerality of Chrifi's Redemption, arifeth from thole Places which either exprcdy fay, or by plain Confequence afiert, Chrifi died for them that perifli ; for hence the Argument runs thus : § 1. If Chrift died for them that perilh, and for them that do not perifh, he died for all ; but Chrifi died for them that perilli, and for them that do not perifh. Ergo, he died for all Men. That he died for them that do not perifh, is confcfTed by all, and if he died for. ln\ ColoiT. I, 2S, any of Chrlfi's Redemption. 135 any that may or Hial] perifh, there is rhe fame Realbn to affirm he died for all that do fo. Now that he died for fuch, the Scripture faith exprefly in thefe Words, {0) And thro* thy Knowledge /hall thy weak Brother pe- rijh for whom Chriji died ; and it doth intimate as much in this Injundlion, (p) Dejlroy not him with thy Meaty for whom ChriJI died. In both which Places the Apoftle exhorts thofe to whom he writes, not to fcandalize their weak Brethren, by an^;Argument taken from the irre- parable Mifchief they might do to them, vi'z. the eter- nal Ruin they might bring upon them by fo doing. Now if the Apojile knew and taught that none could be deftroy'd or perifh for whom ChriJI died, they to whom thefe Exhortations are direfled, mud be fuppofed to know and to believe it -, and then St. Paul mud, in thefe Places, exhort them to avoid the fcandalizing of their Brother, by faying that cffedl might follow from their Scandal which he before had told them was impof- fible. Now is it reafonable to believe that one afTitled by the Holy Ghojl, fhould ferioufly and folemnly admo- nifh them not to deftroy thofe Souls for whom Chriji died j who by his Do(5trine were obliged to believe that they for whom C/:?ri/? died could never be dellroy'd? Anfw. I. Some anfwer, that the Offence confifls in this, that tho the Perfon who thus perifheth cannot be one for whom Chriji died, he may be one for whom they were in Charity to believe he might die. Reply. But this Anfwer cuts off the whole Strength of the Apojlle^s Argument or Motive to abflain from fcandalizing a weak Brother, fince if I know this ne- ver can be done, I know I am fecure from ever run- ning fuch an Hazard ; for, if I really deftroy or give Occafion to his Ruin, I muft be fure on that Account Cbrijl died not for him, and that he fuffers nothing ((?) I Cor, 8. 1 1, (/)) Rom. 14. 15. K 4 by \]6 Concerning the Extent by my Acftion, but that; without: it his Ruin was in- evitable : but if my Judgment of Charity concerning him was true, I know I cannot do what the Apoftlc here enjoins me to be carcfu! to avoid. *Tis there- fore certain from this Doctrine, that they muft either be afTured this Judgment of Charity muft be falfe, and then they could not be obliged to afl by it •, or that their Brother could not peridi, and then they could not rationally be moved by this impolTible Sup- pofition to abftairi from fcandalizing him. Aiifw. 2. Others anfwer, that they may be faid to deftroy or caufe him to perifh for whom Chrift died, tho his DeftruCtion doth not follow ; becaufe they do that which in its own Nature tends to his Deftrudlion, and might have that Effefl, had not God determined to preferve all for v/hom Chrift died, from perifhing. Reply. Should this be granted, the Force of the Apoflle^s Argument will ftill betaken off; for if I am infallibly affured, God will prevent this Iffue in all for whom Chriji died, the fear that they fhould adual- ly die, can be no proper Motive to abftain from the CommilTion of that Action which may fcandalize them ; thus, tho an Arrow (hot out of a Bow might kill my Father^ yet if I am afllired he ftandeth where my Ar- row cannot hit him, it would be folly to exhort me not to fhoot, left I jfhould kill my Father. If then I am as certainly aflured that none for whom Chriji died can perifh, it muft be as unreafonable to exhort me not to fcandalize them left by that Adion they fhould perifh. Moreover, the Apoflte adds, that by thus oftending our weak Brother, zve fin againjl Chrijf, ;. e. by caufing them to perifh whom he had pur- chafed with his Blood, and died to fave. Deny this In- tent of Chrift's Death, and you can never fliew how ^y offending them who never did or could belong to of Chrijt's Redemption. t j/ to Cbrift as Members of his Body myftical, we are injurious to Chriji. § 2. A like Argument arifesfrom the Defign of the Apofle in the Epijlle to the Hebrews^ who to deter the Jjws from neglefting the great Salvation offer'd to them by Chrij}^ and from apoftatizing; from the Faith they had received, £iith, {q) That if they JJjould fin wilfully after they had received the Knowledge of the Truth, there would remain no more Sacrifice for their Si??, feeing they would be guilty of trampling under foot the Son of God, and counting the Blood of the Cove- jiantb^i which they were fantJified an unholy Thing, Now in what tolerable Senfe can it be faid, That no farther Sacrifice for Sin remains to them for whom no Sacri-> fice v/as ever offer'd or intended ? And who were by God's own Decree excluded from any intereft in Cbrift*^ Death before they came into the World? How were ih^y fancfified by the Blood of that Covenant from which they were inevitably excluded from the Beginning of the World ? Or how do they negkoi this great Salvation for whom it never was intended ? To ftrengthen this Argument, let it be confider'd, ifi. That it is evidently ^the fame Perfon who tram- ples under foot the Son of God, and doth defpite to the Holy Ghoff, who is here faid to have been fianoJified by the Blood of the Covenant •, for this Paragraph lies be- twixt the other Two, and is conne6ted to both by the Copulative x«/ and, which (hews that thefe three Things belong to the fame Perfon : and this deltroys the Sub- terfuge of them who refer this PaiTage to Chriff fandli- fying himfelf, or offering himfelf as a piacular Vidim for us. Moreover tho' Chriff is faid to fandify him- felf, John 17. 19. yet is he never faid to be fandlified, and much lefs to he fanciified by his own Blood ; but on- ly ayicil^siv tov huov to fanofify the People by his own Blood, Chap. 13. 12. ifl) Heb. 10.26, 29. 2dly. -1 3 8 Concerning the Estent 2dly. Obferve, that to fandtify, and to be fandified, in this Epiflle, doth never fignity to be purified from the Power and Dominion of Sin by inward Holinefs, but always to be purged from the Guile of Sin by the Oblation of a Sacrifice, as appears from Chap. 2. ii. fee the Note there \ and from this verv Chapter where it is faid ver. 10. that we are^ i\yici,c^evott fa/ioli- fied by the Oblation of the Body (or as it li iii otner Co- pies, by the Blood) of Chri^l. See the Note on ver. 14. and on Chap. 9. 13. idly. Becaufe he is here faid to have httn fan^ified by the Blood of the New Covenant which was fhed for the RemifTion of Sins, and in which God promifes to be 7nercijul to our Iniquities, and remember our Sins no more. Chap. 8. 12. 10. 17. In fine, this Argument begins thus, having then Boldnefs (or Li- berty) to enter into the HoUefi by the Blood of Jefus^ ver. 19. let us hold fafl our Profejjion without wavering ; for if we apoffatize from it, there remains no more Sa- crifice to expiate our Sin. 'Tis therefore evident, that even thofe Perfons who by their Apoilafy from the Faith became obnoxious to the foreft Punilliment, had once, by Virtue of their Faith, obtained a Remiffion of their Sins, and loft it by making Shipwreck of Faith, and drawing back from that Faith, by which they once lived, to Perdition, ver. 38,39. § 3. Moreover, St. Feter informs us of fome falfe Teachers who fhould {r) bring in damnable Herefies, {i. e. fuch as would render thofe who abetted and em- braced them, obnoxious to Damnation) even denying the Lord that bought them. Now to thefe Words the Anfwers are fo many, and fo extravagant, that 'tis as eafy to confute as to recite them. One faith, Chrifl in- deed bought thefe Perfons, but that he only bought them to be Slaves -, and then for any Thing I can fee to the contrary, they might have Realbn to deny him. (r) 2 Pet. 2. 1. Another, of Chrtji's Redemption. ij^ Another, That he died ro refcue them from temporal, but not from eternal Punirtiments : Now where doth Holy Scripture intimate that Cbrijl died to refcue any one from temporal Judgment whom he referved to eter- nal, efpecially if they were fuch as by denying of him did bring upon themfelves fwift Dejlni^icn? A third tells us that he died for them, becaufe, he gave a Price fufficient for them \ as if the giving a Price fufficient to redeem fix Captives, without the lead Intention of redeeming any more than two, were the Redemption of the fix. A Fourth faith, That they de- nied that Lord whom they profeffed to have bought them. And a Fifth, That they denied him who in the Judgment of other Men had bought them i but where is the Offence of this, if that Profefllon was their own Miftake, and lb was that which they (hould rather have denied than profeifed, and if that Judg- ment of others was not according to the Truth ? In fine, the plain Intent of the Apoftle is to aggravate the Sin of thefe falfe Teacliers, that he whom they deny'd had bought, or died for them. Now if He did this really out of Good- Will to them, and with Intent to free them from the Mifery ro which tliey were ob- noxious by Sin, upon the Terms on which this Fa- vour is propounded in the Gofpel to any others, the Words are of great force to Ihew the horrible Ingra- titude and Impiety of thefe falfe Teachers; but if it be fuppofed that He intended not to buy them, or to do any Thing to free them from their Miiery, but in the Covenant with his Father eftablillied in his Blood, excluded them from any Intereft in his Death, and did that only which might occafion others thro' Miftake to think He died for them ; this manifcftly tends to leiTen, if not juftify their Denial oi" him who had before denied them any Benefit from his Redemp- tion, and therefore plainly is repugnant to the Scope of the Apojlle. * CHAP. »40 Concerning the Extent CHAP. IV. § I. A Farther Enforcement of this Extent of the XjL Death of Chrijl arifeth from the Obligation, which is and always was upon all Perfons to whom the Gofpel is, or was revealed, to believe in Cbrift : for if it be the Duty not only of fome few of every fort, but even of all and fingular to whom the Gofpel is revealed, to believe in Cbriji, i. e. to own him as their Saviour^ or as ih^it Je/us who came to fave them from their Sins •, it muft be true that he came into the World to be the Saviour of all Men, and to be the Propiti- ation for the Sins of the whole World, as Holy Scrip- ture doth exprefly teach. Now that it is the Duty of all to whom the Gofpel is revealed thus to believe, is evident : For thus Chrijl fpeaks to the unbelieving Jews^ (a) This is the IFork (i. e. the Will) of God that you JJjould believe in him whom He hatbfenti for {b) if you believe not that I am //) ——.8. 12. (2) I John i. 7. (r) Gal. g. 26. to of Chrijfs Redemption* 'j 4 f to them all, then aii to whom the Gofpel is revealed may receive Remiflion of Sins thro* Faith in Chrift ; and fo Chrift muft have died for them all. If only upon an impoflible Condition, then is it in the Mouth of all God's Prophets, a Pretence of the Kindnefs to the mofl he never intended they (hould have ; for then he would not have fufpended it on an impofli- ble Condition. Yea then. Is it a Promife only in Name and Shew, but in reality none at all ? for the Civilians tell us, with the higheft Reafon, that an im- poflible Condition is as none at all. And here ob- ferve, that it is the fame thing as to the future Stare of all Men j whether the Condition be naturally im- poflible, or thro* lapfed Nature j whether it be fimply impoflible, or to corrupted Nature: for feeing God, by whofe Benedidion we all come into the World, hath given us no other Nature j feeing our Parents, from whom our Nature is derived, have imparted to us no other Nature, it is naturally impoflible we fhould come into the World with any other Nature than what is lapfed and corrupted : and fo 'tis evi- dently the fame as to the future State of all Men thus corrupted, to promife any good Thing to them upon a Condition Amply impoflible, and to promife it on a Condition impoflible to lapfed and corrupted Nature. Moreover, we learn from St. Paul^ that this (5) iVord of Salvation was fent to the whole Nation of the Jews, to all them who were Children of thofe Fa- thers to whom the Promfe of the Mejfiah wasfirfi made ; that to all them this Remiflion of Sins, by him was profer'd, and therefore he muft die for the Sins of that whole Nation, of which thofe that obtained Ju- ftification by him were only a fmall Remnant, the reft continuing in their Unbelief, and perifliing, faith the Apoftle, tor their Unbelief, ver. 41. Now could they perifli for not believing that Rt^mifllon of Sins 0} Afts I J. 1^,32, 58. L which 14^ Concerning the Extent which was preached by che Apoftles to them thra him, if he never died to procure it for them ? Surely upon this Suppofition it muft rather follow, that the Apoftles in this Declaration were falfe Witnefles con- cerning him, and that they who perirtied for not be- lieving this, muft perilh for not believing an Un- truth. In the third Chapter of the Epiftle to the Romans, the Anoftle fairh, (/) "Jije have before proved^ 'IsJ^/af re v.tt\ *EAAiiv«5 'KoivTCig, that all the Jews and Gentiles isjere iim'.e' (the Guilt ofj Sin. Now here I fuppofe it will not be denied that every fingle Perfon of them were Sinners •, when therefore he proceeds to fays that, ^ 5iif«/0ffuVvj 6e8, the Righteoufnefs, or J iijVifi cation^ which IS of God^ tbro' Faith in Jefus, is upon all, and to all that ■ believe, a yofp f'T' ^'«CO?vii, for there is no Diflin^ion, mull he not intend that this Juftification of God thro' Faith ill Jefus Chrifl, was offered to and intended for ail that were Sinners, whether Jews or Gentiles ? why elfe doch he add, that (ii) all were Sinners, and had fallen Jhort of the Glory of God, and fo were (to be) jiijt if ed freely by his Grace thro* the Rede??iption that was in Jefus ? In the tenth Chapter having told us that {w) Chrifl is the End of the Law for Rfghleoufnefs to every one that believes, he adds this Proof of that Aflertion, {x) For the Scripture faith, every one that believeth in bim Jball not be afhamed, for there is no DiJlin£lion of Jew nor Gentile -, for the fame Lord of all is rich unto all that call upon him: For whofoever fhall call upon- the Name of the Lord fhall be faved. Now is not this God the Lord of all Men in particular? When therefore it is faid, that, He is rich to all that call upon hi?n. Doth not this fuppofe that all who have the Know- ledge of him may thus call upon him •, and that upon their doing fo, they may be faved thro' Chrift ? and (;) Rom. 3.0. (;;) Ver. 23,?'4, 25. (if) Ver. 4., (x) Ver. II, 12, 13. then of Chrijt's RedempttQn, 147 then mufl he not have died for ch.ir Salvation ? More- over the ApoiUe faith not, there is no Diiiindlion iii this Matter betwixt the Eled of Jews or Gentiles, but betwixt Jew and Gentile in general ; now limic this to a fmall Remnant both of Jews and Gentiles, who only are in a Capacity of being juftified by Faith in Chrijl^ and calling upon him fo as to be faved, whilfb all the Refidue o'i Jews and Gentiles^ to whom the fame Remifllon of Sins is preach'd, are left incapable of this Jullification and Salvation by that Jefus v/ho never died for them -, is there not as d;:plorable a Didindlion made betwixt them as to their Eternal Inuerefts, even by him who is the fime Lord of all, as can be well imagined? I conclude therefore with Oecum^^nius, that the Apoftle here, to %uci aomv ry^g xx^irog umayi^iVTrsfj^ declares ibis is Grace cuaunon to ail. ♦ CHAP. V. Contains an ^nfwer to the preteiided Arguments from Scnptiire^ aga'tnfi the doctrine of Unherfal Redemp" tion, THE Arguments again ft this Do61rine of Univer- fal Redemption righdy dated, founded upon pre- tence of Scripture, are fcarce any, not one Place being offer'd againft thofe many which in exprefs Terms afieri: it -, faying either exprefly, or by plain and immediate Confequcnce, that Chriil: died not for all. Thofe Texts which have the faireft Shew of an Argument have been both fully anfwered and retorted ;- and for the reft: even a fliort Anfwer is more than they deferve, they being rather a begging of the Queflion, than proving it from Sc?-iptLrre. L 2 § I. 148 Concerning the Extent § I. Olj. I. They for whom Chrifl: died may fay. Who /halt condemn us ? Rom. 8, ^4. but all Men cannot fay this ; ergo^ Chrill died not for all. Now, ylufiv. I. Is it not evident that this Argument fup« pofeth thar Clyrijl ditr-d for none who fhall hereafter be condemned? And muft it not hence follow, that none of the unbelieving Jcx':^ among whom C<&ri/? preached, Ihall be condemned for not believing in him, fince they can never be obliged to do fo for whom he never died, and fo will never be the better for believing in him ? Now is not this contrary to the whole Tenor of the Gofp.l, efpecially to the Gofpel of St. John, wherein Cbrijl tells them, that God having fent his Son into the fForld that whofoever helieveth in him Jhould not -pe- nJJj^ but have everlafting Life ; He adds, {z) He that helieveth not the Son is condemned already, becaufe he bdlievetb not in the only begotten Son of God. 2dly^ Will it not hence follow, that none of the unbelieving World, to whom the Apojiles preached, fhall be condemned for not believing in him ^ For feeing they preached Remif- fion of Sins to be obtained thro' his Name, how can they jallly be condemned for not believing in him to this End for whom he never died } And why then did our Lord fay to his Difciples, when he fent them thro' the World to preach the Gofpel to every Crea- ture, He that helieveth not fhall be damned ; or that hig Spirit; fliould convince the World of Sin, becaufe thej relieved not in him ? Anfuo. 2. There is no fuch Propofition in the Scrip* ture as this, That all for whom Chrift died may fay, JVho fhall condetnn them ? But only that the Perfons there fpo- ken cf might fiy this. Now they were the Sons of God, vcr. 1 4. who hid received the Spirit of Adoption, ver. 15, ■16. TCYvc- Hars of God, joint Heirs ivith Chrifl, vcr. 17. {i.) John 3, iP, who of Chr'tjfs Redemption. 149 who had receivt-d ihe rvji-fruits of the Spirit ^ ver. 23. who i.'5lually loved God^ ver. 28. and were jujlified by him, ver. 33, 'i'hefe Eledl of God, faith rhe Apojllc, may fay. Who /ball condemn us ? fto lie ft ill under the Power of Death by Virtue of that Law which thrcat- neth Dc^ath to the Sinner) it is Chrijl that died (to re- deem us from Death, and from the Condemnation of the Law) fo that there is no Condemnatio?i to th^m who are (thus) in Chrijl Jefus^ i. e. vjho ivalk not after the Flefh, but after the Spirit^ ver. 1,2. In a word, all for whom Chrijl died may fay fo upon that Faith and Repentance which intereft:s them in Chrijl J ejus -, but none for whom Chrijl died, not the Eled themfelves, can fay fo, till they have believed and repented. § 2. Obj. 7, idly. From the 3 2d Verfe of the flime Chapter they argue thus, To all thofe for whom God delivered up his Son, he together with him will freely give all Things; but there are many thoufands in the World to whom God will not give all Things : ergo, for none of thefe did God deliver up his Son. AnfiV. ifl. Here 'tis obfervable again, that the ma- jor Propofition is a dired AfTcrtion i\\-xiChnfi died only for thofe who fhaV. be faved, or the Eledt only, becaufe to them alone he will give all Things -, and fo 'tis liable to all the Abfurdities mention*d in Anfwer to the firft Objecflion, and aifo to thefe following, viz. li?. That God could not equitably require all Men every where io repent^ or fend his Apojllcs to call the Jews in general {d) to repent and he baptized^ in the Name of Jefus for the Reniifjion of Si?is, or that their Sins might be blotted out, or to preach to all the Gen- tiles (b) Repentance and Remijjion of Sins thro* his Name ; for what Good could this Repentance do them i* What Remiflion of Sins could it procure for all thofe (4) Afts 2i $8. {h) Luke 24. 47. L 3 for I JO Concerning the Eyite^it for whom Chrijl d\(:d not? Yea, hence ic follows, that no impenitent Perfon can juftly be condemned for dy- ing in his impenitent Ellace : For on this Suppofition he may fiirly plead that Cbrift not dying for him, his Repentance, had he been ever fo careful to perform it, null have been in vain, fmce it could not procure the RemiiTion of his Sins, If here you fay it is an impof- fible Suppofition, that any one for whom Cbrifi died not fliould repent, you only ftrengthen this his Plea, enabling him to lay he is condemn'd and perifheth for want of that Repentance, which from his Birth to his dying Day it was impofTible for him to perform. 2dly. Hence it mull follow, that God could not equi- tably require of them for whom Cbrifi died not, Obe- dience to the Laws of Cbrifi^ fmce that Obedience, could they be never fo willing, or fo indullrious toper- form it, could not avail for the Remifiion of their Sins, it being only an Intereft in the Blood of Cbrifi^ which cleanlcth even the Righteous from all Sin -, they there- fore cannot be condemned for loving Darknefs more tban Liobt^ I, e. than Cbrift the true Light, feeing he never could be truly offered to them who never died for them ; nor can that rationally be faid to be defpifedby any, or poftpon'd to any other Thing, which never v/as propofed to them as their Option, and which it ne- ver was in their Power to chufe, or to embrace ; they therefore cannot reafonably be damned for net receiving tbe Truth in the Love of it, that they might he faved\ who never had a Saviour dying for them ; and there- fore never were in a Capacity of receiving the Truth, fo as that they might be faved by it. Anfiv. 2. 2r//v. There is no fuch Propofition In Scrip- ture as this, to all thrfie for 'u:bom Gcd delivered up 'bis Son, he "d^ili give all ibrngs ; the Scripture cited refpefts only us\ i. e. thofe who are the adopted Som of Gcd, who have the Spirit dwelling in them, and who truly love O'xl •, to fuch God wiH give all Things, i.e. all the BlelTings of Chriji's Redemption, 151 Blefllngs of the New Covenant, becaufe they have per- formed the Conditions of that Covenant. § 3. Obj. 3, They who by the Death of Cbrift are reconciled to God, /Jjnll be faved by his Life, Rom. 5. 9. If therefore all Men are reconciled to God by the Death of ChriJI^, all mud be faved by his Life ; but all will not be faved by him. Ergo. Anfw. I. This Objedion doth again fuppofe, that Cbri/i died to reconcile no Man to God loho jball not be faved ; whence it muft follow, that no Man can be condemned at the laft Day for negle6ting the great Salvation tendred to, or piirchafed for him, Cbnjt ha- ving neither purchafed for, or offer'd to them any Sal- vation, unlefs he offered to them that Salvation which he never died to purchafe for them. ^dU. Hence it muft follow, that all who are not faved never had any Saviour or Redeemer, fince he who died not for them could be no Saviour or Redeemer to them, and fo they never were in a Capacity to fin againft a Saviour ; nor can their Sins be aggravated by this Confideration,, that they are committed againft Redeeming Love : Both which are palpable Abfurdities confuted by the whole Tenor of the Gofpel, and almoft by every Sermon that we preach. Anfiv, 2. idly. The Conclufion of this Argument, all that are reconciled to Cbrijl Jhall be faved, may be true ; but 'tis not true that all for whom Cbrijl died are reconciled to God, but only that Cbrijl died for them when Sinners, unjuft, ungodly, that he might bring them to God, and to engage and to encourage them to believe in him that they might be juftified. Hence the Apofile fpeaks firft of Chrill\ dying /cr the Ungodly, when they were yet without Strenoth, and for Sinners, not yet juftified ; and then adds. That if God were fo.kind as to fend his Son to die for us in this L 4 State," 152 Concerning the Estent State, much more bei?7g jujiified ( by Faith, 'ver. i.) in his Bloody we fh^l^ hs faved by him from the Wrath of Gody bI yk^ isc^poi ovreq, for if being before at Enmity with God, we cave been reconciled to God by the Death of his Son^ much tnore Jhall ive be faved by bis Life. By the Death of his Son, i. e. by that Faith in it by which we being juftified have Peace with God, and fo have J^ccefs by Faith in him to the Grace and Favour of God j and this Expofition is certain from this Confideration, that God never juftifies any but thro* Faith in Chrifl ; nor is he ever reconciled to any whom he did not juf- tify. *Tis therefore certain, that he never fent his Son to purchafe aflual Reconciliation for any, but condi- tionally, if, and when they believed. He that believeth r,ot in him is condemned already^ becaufe he believeth not in th" Sen of God; 'tis therefore certain he died for the Unbeliever, and yet he is not a6lually reconciled to God or juftified, becaufe, 'tis only by Faith that we are juftified, and being juftified, have Peace with God. §. 4. Obj. 4. Thofe for whom Chrijl died he loved with the greateft {c) Love, this being a Teftimony of the greateft Love ; but thus he Joved not all, for he applies not the falutary EfteAs of his Death to all : ergo, he died not for all. Jnfw. I. Here again it is plainly fuppofed, that Chrift died for none who (hall not aflually enjoy the fa- lutary Fruits of his Death, i. e. who fhall not aftually be faved ; whence it muft follow, that only the Ele(5t are, or can be guilty of finning againft the Love of God in Chrifi Jefus, Anfw, 2. There is no fuch Aflertion in the flol-j Scripture^ that thofe for ivhom Chriji died he loved with the greatefi Love •, Chrifi o.nly faifh. That one Man <0 John 15. 13. fiiew§ of Chriji's Redemption. i j j fiiews no greater Love than this co another, than chat of laying down his Life for him, and this Man never cjoth but for his Friend: But this he neither did, nor could fay of the Love of the {d) Father^ in fending his Son to die for Mankind, nor of himfelf in dying for them ; for {e) God commended his Love to us in that when we were Sinners Chrift died for us \ he died (f) for the Ungodl-j^ the Jufl for the Unjufl : this Text is there- fore nothing to the Purpofe. Add to this, ^nfw. 3. That God the Father, in fending of his Son into ths World, that the World thro' Faith ia him might be faved, (hewed the greateft: Love of Be- nevolence to all Mankind, as C hrijl expvtdy teacheth, John 2- 16, 17. and the Apojile in thefe Words, {g) Herein is Love^ not that we loved God^ but that he loved us firjl^ and fent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins ; and fo did Chrijl in dying for us all {h) when dead: fo that ail Unbflievers, all wicked and impeni- tent Perfons, continue in their Sins againfl the Riches of God*s Love and Mercy to them in Chrifi Jefus : but then God's Love of Beneficence, and the falutary Effects of Chrift^s Death, or God*s Love of Friend fhip to us, depends on our Repentance, or Converfion to him, our Faith in Chrifi by whom alone we have Accefs to God, and who is our Peace, and our Obedience to the Laws of Chrift^ we being then (f) his Friends when we do that which he commands us\ and fo they only can be the proper Objctfls of this Love of Friend fhip, or en- joy the Bleffings of the New Covenant which Chvill hath purchafed by his Death, who perform the Condi- tions of that Covenant. *Tis therefore granted, that Chrifi fhewed the greateft Love of Benevolence to all for whom he died i but then *tis added, that he Ihews his Love of Friendfhip and Beneficence only to thofe C, and give us an In- herit ajice among thofe that are fanofified : (s) 'Thefaving Grace of God which hath appeared to all Men ; thofe Scriptures which are able to make us wife unto Salvation ; that Gofpel which was written that we might believe that Jejus is the Chrif, and believing might have Life thro* his Name, John 20. 30. idly. If Men have not fufficient Means to be laved by the Covenant of Grace, then have they only Means given them to increafe their Condemnation, yea, fuch Means which they cannot but ufe to their greater and more heavy Punifliment •, fmce {t) he who knows his Majter*s- JVill, as all to whom the Gofpel is revealed may do, and doth it «y the firfl Man : yea, 'tis to do this under Pretence of Love and kind Atfedion, and a vehement Dcfire and Concern that they fhould efcape the Mifery that very Sin had brought upon them, and recover the Felicity they had loil by it, by thofe very Means he doth prefcribe ; and yet to leave them under an utter Incapacity to perform thofe Means : which to conceive and to affert of our moft Gracious God, is highly to diflionour and b'afpheme his Sacred Majefty, and re- prcfent him fo unto the World, as even the worft of Men would not endure to be reprefented. § 8. We find our Bleffed Saviour marvelling at the Unbelief of his own People •, for {u) he marvelled at their Unbelief. Now, can he who knows they could not believe by reafon of the Difability they had con- trafted by the Sin of Adam, wonder that they did not what 'twas impofTible for them to do ? Again, When lie heard the AnUver of the Centurion, {w) He ?na>^ veiled, faying. Verily I have not found fo great Faith, no iktin Ifrael \ but if this Faith, whenever it is wrought in any, is the cffed: of an Almighty Power, What Reafon could he have to marvel, that it was found where that Almighty Power was exerted, or that it was not found v/here the fiime Power was with-held? To clear this by fomc few Inftances from Scripture. («) ^lark 6. 6. (sv) M^tih. 8. lo. of Chriji's Redemption. 1 6^ ijl. St. Matthew informs us thac Chri ft upbraided the Cities in which mod of his -mighty Works were done, becaufe they repented not, faying, {■s) Wo unto ye, Cborazin and Bcthfaida, and to tbee^ Capernaum^ who (halt he brought down to Hell : it Jljall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, Tyre arid Sidon, in the Day of Judgment than for you ; for if thefe mighty Works had been done in thefn, they would have repented in Sackcloth and AJhes, and have retnain^d to this Day. Now not to difpute whether the Repentance of 6' o^/ow and Gomorrah, Tyre and Sidon, would have been fincere, or only Ex- ternal and Hypocritical ^though 'tis not reafonable to conceive that fuch Repentance would have caufed them to remain to that Day, or that Chrift would upbraid them for want of a fmcere Repentance produc'd in them by thofe mighty Works, which doubclels he re- quired by faying to thefe very Peribns, (z) Repent you^ for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand) by an Example of an Hypocritical Repentance which only would have been produced in others by the fame Works, (I fay not to infift on this) Why fhould our Lor^i denounce thefe Woes upon them, and declare their Future Punifnment more intolerable in the Day of Judgment than that of thofe unnatural Sinners, and moft vile Idolaters, for want of that Repentance which notwithftanding all the mighty Works which he had done among them he knew it was impolTible for them to perform ? He might, according to the vain Hypothefis confuted, have faid to them, Wo to you that the Sin of Adam hath difabled you from repenting •, but coukl not with any fliew of Juftice pronounce fuch dreadful Woes and Judgments on them for not doing that then, which they fo long ago were rendered wholly unable to per- form, and that upon a Reafon which did not in the lead remove the Difability. (y) Mattli. 11.20,24. (z) Mark 1. 1 4, 15. idix. I To Concerning the Exteni; 2dly. (a) The Mm of Nmeveb, laith Chrid, Jball rife up w Judqment with this Generation, and fhall condemn it {fox its Impenitence j for the^^ repented, at the f reach- ^X? ^f J'^>^'^~^ Cthough he did no Miracle among themj and behold {\}.\oxii^) a ^eater than Jonas is here Ccallingyou to Repentance, you do not repent.) Now if the Men cf Nineveh only repented by Virtue of that Divine Afiiftance, which God would not vouchfafe to the Jew'i \ if notwithflanding all Chrift^s Exhorta- tions to Repentance, it was impoflible they fhould re- pent for want of like Affiftance ; Why Ihould they be condemn'd at all, orwhy for want of that Repentance, which -iVi/z^^;6 only perform'd by that Afliftance which they could not have ? ' • ( ^dly. Oar Lord upbraids the Scribes: and Pharifees for not repentiiig, and entring into the Kingdom of God as the very PuhUc-ans zv\&- Harlots had done before their Eyes, faying, (J?) Verily I fay untia -jrn^ that th^ Publicans and Harlots go. into the Kijigdoni of God before ■you : For John came to you (to inftrudt you) in theWa^ of Righteoufnefs, nnd ye believed him not ^ -.but the Pub- licans and Harlots believed him ; arid ye^when^ ye have- fecni (them do)//, repented- mt after'vuards that ye might be^ lieve him. Now is it matttfr of Reproach and Shame to any Perfon that they do not what another doth, un- lefs it be fuppofed that they have, or at leail might have had the like Power and Abilities to do it •, this Paflage therefore iTiews {ift.) That the Scribes and Phanfies, and other Jews, iri'ght and ought to have been moved by the Admonirionsof the^j/^///, and the Example- of the Publican^, to Repentance and Faith ; for why el fe doth C^r//? here upbraid them that they afterivards repented not, that the\ might believe ? idly. That therefore an internal, irrefiftible Force or Power cannot be necelTary to produce this Repentance and this Faith i for if the Publicans and Harlots were thus {a) Matth. i2. |i. {b) Matth. 21. 31, 5c. moved of Chrlji's Redemption. \y\ moved to repent, What Wonder is it that they went before the Scribes and Pharifees, who having no fuch Impulfe, were left under an ImpofTibility of repenting that they might believe? Why is itreprefented as their Crime, that they repented not at the preaching of yo^;?, or did not follow the Example of the Publica^js, fince ithe Event fliews that no fuch irrefiftible Motive to Re- pentance was contained either in the Preaching of the BaptiJl,ov the Example of the P//Z'/?V^;/j .^ js^.thl-j. In the Parable of Perfons invited to. the Wed- ding Supper, we find, that {c) he whp came, ript ha- ving on a Wedding Garment was fpeechlefs, as. being felf-condemned, tw yap y.vilh i'%e^v xyreixeTv xccrin^ivtv ftfUTov, for having nothing to fay againft the Sentence to •be pafs'd upon him, he condemn'd himfelf, faith Chrxfojlom •, but why fhould he be fpeechlefs, if he could have pleaded with Truth and a good Confcience, that he never had or could have means to procure fuch a Garment, and therefore ought not to be call out into outer Darknefs, for that which he could never help. ^thly. In the Parableof the 212/^;;/^, he who impro- ved not his fingle Talent is declared to be {d) a Jloih- fid, and a wicked Servant^ an^ that becaufe he did not .what he ought to have done. Noxv there can be noOb- ligation to Impofllbihties, no Iniquity in. not doing what he could not do, and no Pwnifhmentdue on that account, this being to punifh him. becaufe he did not ,an Impoffibility •, andCbrift by faying to all who had received Talenls, (e) negotiate till I cofne^ demonflirates Jie conceived they all had Power foto do. -- ' § 9' 7^'%» That which doth render this Doclrinc moft worthy to be rejeded by all who truly love their God and Saviour, is this Confideration ; that it urt wor- thily refleds upon our Good and Gracious God, our BlelTed Lord, and Merciful High Prieji, who is in (0 Match. 22. 13. (d) Matth. 25. 26, 27. (^e) Luke 19. 13. Scripture 'i/x Concerning the Extent Scripture often f-iid, but by this Doiflrine is denied, to be the Saviour of the World. For ifl. It in effeft declares, that he who is in Scri- pture ftyled Love^ hath from Eternity hated the great- eft Portionof Manlcind, fo far as to leave them under, and even condemn them to, a State of everJafting and inevitable Mifery. For, if he himfelf faith, (f) Jacob have I loved ^ and Efau have I hated^ only becaufe he laid the Mmntains and Heritage of Efau wajle. Is there not greater reafon to fay, he hated all thofe Souls whom he hath utterly excluded from any Intereft in that Je- fus whtf alone delivers from the Wrath to come? If he is faid to (g) hate his Brother in his Heart, who fuffers him to go on in his Sin without Reproof, Muft not he hate thofe Souls much more, who by his Decree of Preterition concerning them, when he was defigning the great Work of Man's Redemption, hath laid them under a fad neceJfTity of finning, fo as to be obnoxious to ftill greater Mifery ? Our Lord makes it the parti- cular Cafe of Judas, that (b) it had been better for him he had not been born j whereas this Do6lrine makes it the Cafe of all, fave only the Eled:. Now can we imagine, that that God who will require the Blood of Souls from every Watchman who doth not warn the Sinner to turn from his Iniquity that he die not, fhould himfelf leave them inevitably to perifh in it ? So that w'hat he doth threaten to him only, (/) ijvho hein^ often reproved hardneth his Heart, Ihould be the State and Cafe of almoft all Men before .they came into the World, viz. to be dejlroyed without RemecU. 2dly. It reprefcnts that God, who is continually de- clared in Scripture to be a God rich in Goodnefs, plen- teous in Mercy, and of great Pity towards all his Crea- tures, as having no Bowels of CompafTion, no Drop of (/J Mai. 1.2, 3. (;)Lev. 19. 17. (^J Matth. 2^, 24. (;) PiOV. 2^;. I. Mercy, of Chrifl's Redemption. 17} Mercy, no Inclination to do Good to tiie Generality of his moll noble Creatures, obnoxious to Death and end- lefs Mifery, and therefore as proper Objcdls of his Mercy and Compaflioa, as thofe whom in bis Love and Pity he redeemed -., but rather an un moveable Refolu- tion befoi^e thsy had a Being, to with-hold from them his Loving-kindnefs and Mercy, and to fhut his Bow- els of Companion up againfl: them. And is not this to reprefent our God and Saviour more uncompalTionate to the Souls of Men, than were that Priefi and Lsvite to their Brother's Body, who feeing him ready to pe- riih by his Wounds, (k) paffed unconcerned by another way ? When this Great Lord faith to his Servant, to whom he had forgiven the great Debt, (/) Oughteji not thou to have had Cojnpaffion on thy Felloiv-fervant^ even as I had Pity upon thee ? Would not this Doctrine teach him toanfwer, Lord^ I have chofen to deal with him as thou dealeft with the greateft part of Mankind, to whom thou never intendeft to forgive the leaft Mite, and on whom thou wilt never have the leaft Compaf- fion ? And when the Apojlle enquires, {m) If any Man fee his Brother in need, and fhutteth up his Bowels of Cojnpaffion from him^ how dwelleth the Love of God in him ? Would not this Dodlrine teach him to reply. Even as it dwells in God himfelf towards the Genera- lity of Mankind ? To make this more apparent, let us confider thefe four Things ; 17?, That God by fending his Son to be the Saviour of the World, or in giving him up to the Death, had no other primary End than the glorifying himfelf in the Salvation of Men ; (n) He fent his Son to be the Propi- tiation for our Sins, that we might live through him ; ((?) that the World through him might be favsd : had therefore he defigned his Death for the Salvation of all Men upon Conditions poflible to be performed by them, {k) Luke 10. 31, 32. (/) Matth. i8. 35. {nt) 1 John 3. 17. (n) I John 4. 9, lo. (0) John 3. 17. he 174 Concerning the Extent he mufl have glorified himrdf more, than by reftrain- ing the Dcfign of ic only to the Salvation. of a few. 2^/)'. That the Death of Chrift was a fufficient Sa- crifice for the Sins of the whole World, and fo might have procured a conditional Pardon for all Men as well as for the ElecSt, had God been pleafed to give him up to the Death for us all. 7,dl^. That it could be no ways more diOionourable to God, or more inconfiltent with hisjuftice, Wifdom, Hatred of Sin, or any other of his Attributes, to have' defign*d Chrijl^s Death for the Salvation of all Men, than to intend it only for the Salvation of thofe few whom they ftyle the Eled-. 4/;^/)'. That they who are fuppofed to be excluded by God from any Benefit by Chrijl^s Death, were as much the Offspring of the Father of Spirits , and the Souls that he had ??iade, as much Partakers of the fame Nature in which our Saviour fuffered, and every whit as miferable, and as much wanting an Interell in our Lord's Salutary Pafllon, as they who are fup- pofed to be the O.bjeds of the Pardon and Salvation purchafed by our Saviour^s Blood. Can it be then con- fident with the Grace, Goodncfs, and Mercy of the Divine Nature, and of the Lover of Souls, and the Relation which this Father of Spirits beareth to them, to confign the Death of Chrtjl to procure Pardon and Salvation only to a few, and to fuffer the far greater part of Souls which were equally his Offspring, as ca- pable of Salvation by the very fame means, as mifera- ble, and fo in the fame need of Pardon and Salvation with the reft ; to remain inevitably miferable only for want of God's defigning the fame Sacrifice for the pro- curing Mercy to them as v^rell as others ? If it be laid God doth this to declare his Sove- reignty, or Prerogative over his Creatures, in fliewing and denying Mercy to whom he pleafeth : I anfwer, Godnever exercilethaiiy Sovereignty, or Prerogative over iiis Creatures, which is repugnant to 3 his of Chr tit's Redemption. \ 7 j his rich Grace, Goodneis, Love, Mercy, and Com- paflion to the Souls which he hath made ; and there- fore never fo as to leave the greateft Part of them ob- noxious to eternal and inf viuible Ruin, when he hath a Remedy provided fufficient to prevent it, if he did not arbitrarily exclude them from it. Wu.n under the Roman and the Grecian Government the Father had an abfolute Power over his Children, and in the Eajlern Na- tion's the Prince had abfolute Power over hii; Spbjcds ; Would this Prerogative and Sovereignty excufe them from a Severity and Rigour unworthy of a Father or ix Sovereign, in leaving molt of their Subjeds and their Children under the extremeft Mifery, when by th& very fame mednS that a few of them have been refcued from it, they might all have been fo ? And {liali we then impute that Rigour, want of natural Aiicdlion and CompafTion to the Lover of Souls, and the benign Government of our Fleavenly Father, which we could not but condemn and abhor in Earthly Governours, and in the Fathers of our Flejh ? And '^dly. This Opinion renders the God of Truth and of Sincerity, and who hath magnified his 'Truth ahove all his Name, fo full of Guile, Deceit, and Infin- cerity, DilTimulation and Hypocrify, that he who doth conceive God may addrefs himf^lf to his Crea- tures without Diftindlion, as in the Scripture he con- tinually doth, and yet hath left them deftitute of a Capacity of Mercy, and of all Ability to help them- felves, may doubt of his Sincerity and Truth in all the Declarations contained in his Sacred Word. For ifi. It reprefents that God who declares exprefly and affirmatively. That he would have all Men to he faved, all Men to come to Repentance, and fwears that the Con- verfion of a Sinner from that Iniquity in which he may die would be highly pleafing to him -, and negatively, that he ivoidd not that a?iv one fiooidd ^erifi, that he de- lighteth not in, would not the Death of him that dies ; denying to fend his Son to die for their Salvation, or to \y6 Concerning the Extent to vouchfafe them means llifficient: to repent and turn to him -, and fo rendering it impoffible they lliould re- pent, or avoid perifhing in their Iniquity. 2dly k rcprefents him who declares. He would have purged tbt'in who would not be purged^ he would have ga- thered them who would not be gathered ; and enquires what could he have done more to enable them to brins forth good Grapes, who only brought forth lower Grapes j denying them any Intereft in the Blood of cleanfing, or any fufficient Means to enable them to bring forth good Grapes. Q^dly. It introduceth that God, who, according to the whole Tenor of the Scripture^ calls upon Men without Exception to repent and be converted, that their Sins may be blotted out, and they may not die in them, fending all his Prophets to reduce his People from their finful Courfes, heeaufe he had Comfajfion on the^n^ en- quiring of them, Why v/ill you die ? Will -jou tiot be made clean ? IVhen JJjallit once be P Yea, waiting that he might be gracious^ and ftretching out his Hand all the Day long to a rebellious People^ and exercifing the Riches of his Goodnefs, Patience, and Long-fufferiHg, to bring them to Repentance ; denying to the mod of them to whom he thus atfedionately fpeaks, any Pof- fibility of being made clean, of turning to him, or re- penting, or efcaping Death. ^thi\. It reprefents him who faith with the great- eft Paffion, {a) Oh that they were wife, that they would confider their latter end ! (b) Oh that my People had bearkned to me^ and Ifrael had walked in my way I (c) Ob that thou hadft hearkned to my Commandments I {d) Oh that thou hadft known in this thy Day the Things which belong to thy Peace •, and enquireth in the moll affeding manner, CO How JJj all I give //j^^w;),Ephraim.? Howjball I deliver thee, Ifrael ? HowJ}jall I make thee as [a) D-uf. 5.29, {b) Pf-1. 81. 13. (0 ira.48.18. (^ made for all Men. ISow if, as there we read, God ivoiild have all Mm to he faved, and Chrift hath given himfelf « Ratifom for all \ *tis cafy to dif- <^^rn""h6vv wemay pray in Faith for all thefe Bleflings to all Men -, but if, according to the Do6trine main- tained in cxprefs con tradition to thefe Words, Chrift ) i TheCj. 12. 4.9. (c) Eph. 4. 32. (fl?) Matt. 18.35. N 4 did 184 Concerning the Extent did and fuffered was only defigned for the Good of a fmall Remnant of Mankind, to imitate this God would be, for any thing I can difcern to the contrary, to pretend Kirtdnefs to Mankind, in General, but only to intend it to fome few ; whereas if God is truly willing to have Mercy upon all, if he deliver'd up his Son for us all, our Love and Mercy, would we be Imitators of him, muft be truly General. Anf-jo. Nor is it a fufficient Anfwer to this Argu- ment to fay that God is kind to all in Temporals, by (>) g:vv!g unto all Mm fruilful Seajons^ (/) caufing his Sun to Jh'ine^ and bis Rain to fa!! upon the Evil and the Good. For Reply, jft. If all thefe Temporal Enjoyments, without tliat Grace and Intercfl in Chrift which is de- nied them, can only be abufed to the Aggravation of their Guilt and Punifhment, what Kindnefs is it to enjoy th?m ? 2dly. This is a farther Confirmation of our Docftrine ; for if God be fo bountiful to all Men in things Tem- poral, if he preferves their Life from Deftruclion, if he freely oPcneth his Hand, and filleth all 'Things living iviih tlenteouftief ; Can we think that he fliould alto- gether neglett their Spiritual Eftate, and leave their Souls to ftarve and perifh everlaftingly without ufing any Means fof their recovery ? Doth God take care for Oxen more than Men, faith the Apoftle ? Doth he, I fay, who takes fuch care of human Bodies, make no Pro- vilion for their Souls? Me that giveth to all Men Life, Breathy ar.nall T'nngs^ will he with-hold from any the Beft of Gifts, and moft worthy of him to give, that Grace by which alone they are enabled toferveand glorify hmi, and do what is well-plcafing in his fight ? {f) h^s 14, ! 7. (f) Matt 5.45- {g)ney of Chrtfl's Redemption. 1 8 y- {g) Tbey think unworthiiy of God, laith the P.'igan Phi" lofopher^ who ret^refcnt him liberal i>i giviiiz^ ^^Jft^r mat^ iers, '^poi Se rit H^eirru axopoVj but fparmg in the Gifts of Piety and Virtue^ elpecially feeing he hach declared that he confers thefe temporal Enjoyments on them on purpofe to engage them to feek and ferve him, an4 to be thankful to him, expecting they fliould have thefe fpiritual Effeds upon them, (h) that they Jhould fear the Lord their God who giveth them Rain, the former and the latter in his Seafon, and referveth to them the appointed Weeks of Harveji ; and (i) to inftru5l them that they Jhould feek the Lord fo as to find hi?n •, where to feek the Lord is fo to feek after him that they might truly know and worfhip him as God. To find him is to obtain his Grace and Favour, and to find him good and propitious to them, and a Rewarder of them who diligently feek him ; as hath been largely proved. Note on yf^j !?• 27. and on ^^s 14. 17. ythly. This Truth adminifters jufl Ground of Com- fort to the greateft Sinner, when thro' the Terror of God's Threats, and the Convictions of his Confcience, he is forc'd to cry out, O ?niferable Man that I am I It is indeed but little Comfort that we can adminifter to him upon this Suppofition, that Chrift only died for, and that God will only give fjfficient Grace to, a fmall Remnant of Mankind •, fince then it is great odds againfl: him, that he is not of that little Number, and fo his Hope can be but little ; but if we can aflure him that Chrift tajted Death for every Man, and inter- cedeth now in Heaven for every penitent Believer, and that God will gracioufly admit of the Return of every Prodigal to him, that he delights to fee it, that he ex- ceedingly rejoiceth at the return of every loft Sheep, that he has told us, as be lives^ he takes the greateft Pleafure in it, and that he hath been thus long-hjfier- {») M.Tyrius, Dijfert.zz^. 216. (h) Jcr, 5. 24. (0 Afts 17.25,27. 1 8 (J Concerning the E^tenf ing to him in particular, bxaufe he is not zoilling hi Jhoulcl per'ijh^ hut rather JJoould come unto Repentance ; He can have no juft realbn to continue in a defpond- ing State, but thankfully admiring the Greatnefs of his Patience, to refolve now to be led bj it to Repen- tance^ and to fet chearfully upon the Means prefcribed for his Reformation, as knowing that the Lord will bs with him. La/lly, This Dodrine gives Life and Energy to all our Exhortations to the Sinner to return and live •, whereas the contrary Perfuafion robs them of their Strength and Virtue. For were not God willing chat ail Men Jhould he faved and come to Repentance^ or had not Chrift died for them, our Exhortations to our whole Congregation to believe and repent would be vain and finful ; for then we fhould exhort the greateft Part of them to do that which God was not willing they fhould do, and fhould inform them that he wills what he doth not. We know not how to put the Qi.ie(lion to them ferioufly, IVhy they will die ? It we know nothing to the contrary but that it is the Will, and the Decree of God that they (hould die *, or to en- quire, hotv they will efcape^ if they neglccl fo great Sal- vation ? If it might never be deligned for them, or if they had no power to help it : But wc may brifkly put the Qiieftion, How Jloall we efcape^. if we neqlcui that Qreat Salivation which is freely tendred to, and was certainly defigned for us, and which we cannot mifs of but by our vile Negle6l of Grace, vouchfafed on pur- pofe that we might obtain it. We may enquire bold- ly. Why dcfpifefl then the Riches of that Goodnefs which was vouchfafed on purpofe to lead thee to Repentance ? and that Long-fuffering which was defigned to pre- vent thy Ruin ? Wh) will you dic^ when God is fo unwilling you Oiould perifh, and is fo paffionately de-. firous you fhould, be for ever happy? Why, after all his great CompafTions for you, will you have no pity on yourfelves? Why will you chufe to be the Ob- je6ls of Chvtji's Redemption, \ 87 je(5ls of his Wrath, when there is nothing wanting on his part to make you Objefls of his everlafting Love? If fo, muft not our Mouths eternally be ftop'd wher| God iliall plead in fury with us, or only opened tQ contcfs 'u;e have dejirofd oiirfehes, when of him ivould have been our fafety ? § II. Now from thefe Confiderations we fliall dif- cern an eafy Anfwer to an Objedion levell'd againft the Force of them, viz. that after all our quarrelling about this Affair, we feem both at lafl: to fay the fame thing ; the one that Chrift will five none but the Eleft j the other that he will only fave thofe who per- form the Conditions of tlie New Covenant. Now thefe are the fame Men both for Number and Quality. And the aftual Salvation of Men being not inlargcd by this Doflrine, it feems not to be much more wor- thy of God, or to reprefent him more a Lover of Souls, or more concerned for their Welfare than the other, To this I anfwer, Anfiv. That tho the Perfons faved, be eventually the fame, yet the Doftrine is by no means the fame ; nor is the Honour of God as much confulted, or his Love to Souls as much demonftrated by the one as by the other. For, ijl. Is it the fame thing to fay Salvation was by- God's gracious Purpofe intended even for them that pcrifh, lb that they could not have mifs'd of it, but by faftidious Contempt of God's rich Grace vouchfaf^ x,'d to prevent their Ruin, and by ading in plain Con- rradiflion to the Reafon, Confcience, and natural De- fires of Mankind •, and being deaf to all thofe power- ful Motives to repent and live, the Gofpel offers ; and to fay that no Salvation ever was by God defigned for them, nor any Grace afforded which, could make it pofTiblc for them not to periHi? ^ idl^. Is 1 8 8 Concerning the Eyitent 2nly. Is it ot the fame import to fay the grcdtefl: Part of the World cannot be faved, becaiife that God, of 'whom Cometh Salvation^ defigned no Salvation for them, and the Siviour of Men died not for them ; and fo if they are damn'd for Unbelief, they mult be damn'd for what they neither could do, nor were by any Law of God obliged to do, that is for no I'ranfgreflion ? And to fay they cannot be faved be- caufe they would not come to that Jefus who died for them that they might have Life-, they would not obey the Commands of that God, who, out of Love to them, fent his Son into the Worlds that the World by him ?mght be faved ? No, not when he condefcended to befeech them to be reconciled to him, and gave them all the neceflary Means of Salvation, and all the En- citements that could be ofrer'd to reafonable Creatures to improve them to that End. 3^/}'. Is it all one to fay Men are not faved be- caufe they want fufficient Means on God's Part to ^ render their Salvation pofTible ? And to fay, .they only are not laved, becaufe when they have Salvation freely tendered to them, and Means fufficient to obtain it, and the moll powerful Inducements to ufe them to that ^'nd, they ftnbbornly refufe, they wilfully dcfpifc, and wickedly nogleifl: this great Salvation ? ,j\thly. Is it a Thing as worthy of God to reprefent tK- God of Love as an Hater of the greateft part of Mankind, as to fay he truly loves them, and paflio- nately dcfires their Salvation ? Or that God, who is hch in Goodnefi^ plenteous in Mercy^ and of great Pity "to Men, as one who hath determined, before he made "them, to with- hold from the greateft part of Men, his faving Goodnefs, Mercy and CompafTion •, as it is ^o reprefent him extending his rich Goodnefs, Mercy and CompafTion to all the Souls that he hath made? Is it all one to r-^prelVnt the God of Truth and Sin- cerity, full of Guiic, Deceif, Dilfimulationand Hypo- crify J and to reprefent hiirj truly declaring He would have of Chrifl's Redemptwn, 1 8p have all Men to be faved^ and fincerely promifing Sal- vation to them upon terms pofTible and reafonable, and which can only be refufed by Men who wilfully de- fpife, and wickedly neglect that Salvation which they might obtain ? And, Loj^ly, Is it the fame Thing to advance a Do6lrine which is vifibly deftrudive of all the A6ts of Piety and Virtue, Faith and Repentance; of all Encourage- ments to pray to God, to praife him for his Mercies ; to love, to fear, to ferve, to glorify him, and to imi- tate his Exemplary Perfe6lions ; as to afiert a Doflrine which plainly doth encourage and lay the highefb Ob- ligations on Men to the Performance of thefe Duties ? If not, then tho' the Perfons eventually faved will be the fame, the Doftrine which is cloy'd with all thefe Abfurdities, can never be the fame with that which is entirely free from them. Obj. 2. And whereas it is further faid, That God is no Debtor to any Man ; he was at perfedl Freedom whether he would Ihew Mercy to any, or make Pro- vifion for the Salvation of the fmaHeft Number ; and fo he could not be term'd unmerciful, had he made no Provifion for the Salvation of any, much lefs in not making Provifion for the Salvation of all. To this I Anfwer, i/l. That God is no Debtor to the Righteous, they being only (a) unprofitable Servants when ihey have done their be/t, and therefore not thank- worthy, faith our Lord ; but is it therefore confident with his Love to Righteoufnefs, to call Men to the greateft Self-de- nial and Sufferings for his fake, and not reward their Conftancy to him ? Why then doth the Apojlle fay, {b) It is a righteous 'Thing with God to recompence to you that are troubled Rejl with uSy fince otherwife they would be obliged to Perfeverance to the End, and to be faithful to the Death without the Profped of a (a) Luke 17. 10. {l>) 2 Their, i. 6, See the Net e there. Re- ipo Concernhig the Extent Recompence, and fo without fufficient Motive fotodo* Or is it confident with his Truth to promife them a Reward, and not perform it ? Why then doth the Apojlle {liy, his Promife gives ( c) jtrorig confolat'wn, becaufe // is impojfible for God to iye. He doth not owc them that Afliftance he aitbrds them under thele Suiferings, and yet the Apojtle faith, {d) God is faith- ful^ who 'ujlll not fitffcr you to he tcmjjtcd above what \ou are ahh\ &ic. Again, God is no Debtor to the Sinner, the he is fo to God ', but is he therefore not obliged by his Hatred of Sin, and by his Threats, and by that Juf- tice which inclines him to deal with all Men according to their IVorks^ to puniOi the Offender ? So in like manner God is no Debtor to any Man ; but yet he is mod certainly obliged by the Perfedlion of his own Nature to a6t fuitably to his Attributes : His Juftice therefore binds him not to command on the fevered Penalties what he knows his Servants were by him made and fent into the World unable to perform \ or to forbid, on Pain of his Eternal Wrath, what they were never able to avoid ; and his Sincerity and Truth oblige him not to encourage them to do that which he knows they cannot do •, and yet in all thefe Cafes he is antecedently refolv'd not to enable them to do, or to avoid. God's Grace they fay is free, and he is not obliged to give it. I anfvvcr, this is true, if he doth not require that which cannot be perform'd with- out it j but to cxad: what I can never do without it under the moll dreadful Penalties, and yet deny that Grace, is to a6l like thofe Egyptian Task-Majlers^ who called for Brick, when they allowed uo S:r.rx\ Anfw. 2. 2^//y. I verily believe, that If a good and gracious God will give Being to any Man, he is obli- ged by his Goodnefs to render that Being capable of (0 Heb. 6. 1 8. (./) 1 Cor. fo. 13. enjoying of Chriji's Redemption, 19 1 enjoying the natural Defires he hath implanted in it, or at lead not to make it fo as that it ihould be better it had never been •, or that it unavoidably fhould be fubjed: to fuch Miferies as render its Condition worfc than not being. And idiy. That if he would make a Creature under an Obligation to ferve him, he muft prefcribe Laws by which he will be ferved, and annex Rewards to his Obedience, and Penalties to his Refu- fal of Obedience to them, according to thofe Words of the Apoflle, (e) He that cometh to God mufi believs that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of thetn that dili- gently feek him ; for what Engagement, what Motive can he have to ferve him, who neither can expedl Ad- vantage by his Obedience, or Difadvantage by neg- lecting it ? And certain it is. That God never made any Man otherwife ; God therefore is fo much a Deb- tor to his own Wifdom, Juftice and Goodnefs, that we may be fure he never could make any Man to be inevitably miferable, or under a worfe State than Non- exiftence ; and never made a Man to ferve him with- out Ability, or a fufficient Motive fo to do. Now the Corollaries, or Inferences, which follow neceflarily from this Doctrine, are two. § 12. ifi. That God hath pafled no abfolute De- cree of Reprobation upon the greateft Part of Man- kind -, that is, He hath not abfokitely Decreed to ex- clude the greateft Part of them from faving Mercy ^ and then by an immediate Cbnfequence it follows^ that there is no abfolute Decree of Elecflion of a cer- tain Number of particular Perfons to Salvation : For, as (f) Tertulltan truly faith, Prselatio unius fine ai- terius contumelia effe non poteft, nee ulla Eledio non reprobatione componitur, there can be no Election of fome, wlthuut the Preteritlon of the rejl, (e) Heb. II. 6, (f) ApsU c. ix, ai Nat, c. lo. 2^/v. That ijpi Concerning the Esitent idly. That he hath not made it abfolutely necef- fary to the Salvation of all Men to do thofe Things which they, without the AfTirtance of his fpecial Grace, can never do, and yet haih peremptorily determined not to vouchfate that Grace to many of them ; this being in efred an Abfolute Decree of Reprobation, or that which leaves thefe Men under an abfolute Ex- clufion from Salvation, and fo under a fad NecefTity of fuffering the Wrath to come, And can any reafona- ble Man imagine that God fhould be unwilling any Man fhould periCh -, yea, that he Ihould fend his Son into the World, that zvbo/oever believe: h in bun fhould 7iot perijh •, and yet himfelf Decree, that they fhould perifh, or be externally excluded from his faving Mer- cy ? That He Ihould truly be defirous chat allJJjould come v.nto repentance^ and not be willing to vouchfafe that Grace without which they cannot repent ? After thofe folemn Declarations God hath made, that he would not the 'Death of him that dies, but would have all Men to be faved : After his Sacred Oath by his own L/ife, that he delights ?iot in the death of Sinners, but would they Jhoidd return and live : After all his lerious Commands, his frequent Calls and Invitations of ail Men to Repentance that they may not perilh : After his Enquiries and Expoltulations, {g) Why "jinll xou die, zvill you not be 7nade clean, 'uuhen Jhall U onci be? and his Complaints of the Impenitent,- that they would not turn and feek God ; they would not come t>o him that they might have life \ after fuch Pathetical De- fires as thefe, Ob that there were fuch a Heart in theni that they would fear me always ! Oh that they had biowri the Things which did belong to their Peace ! After he hath declared to all his Readinefs to pardon, his Delight in fliewing Mercy, and that the Riches of his Goodnefs and Long-fuffering is defign'd to lead them lo Re- pentance i after his frequent Declarations that He would {g) Jer. 13.27 bai'S of Chrlfi's Redemption: TjF J have gathered them who would not be gathered. He would have purged them who were not purged •, and that he had done all that could be reafonably expelled from him for that End ; after his expfefs Declarati^'rt, That he fent not his Son into the World to condemn the Worlds hut that the World thro* him ntigk be fdved: I fay, aftcff all thefe Things, to dream of any abfolute Decree of God excluding moft of them he fpeaks of, or thus ad* drelTes himfelf to, from a Poffibility of repenting that they might be faved, or doubt his Willingnefjl to af- ford theril Grace fufficlent to perform this Dutjr, is t6 caft an horrible reproach Upon the Truth and the Sinl- cerity of God, and in Effed: to fay he only tenders Salvation to the moft upod inlpoffible Conditions^ and only doth delude them with vain Hopes, .§ 13. Ifhduld now proceed to the Confirmation df th's Dodlrine from the Suffrage of all Antiquity ; but this is fufficiehtly done by {h) VoJJiiis^ in his Hiftoria Pelagiand, where he affef ts and proves^ 17?. That Veterls hsec Ecclefise fententia fuit, velle Deum converfionem & falutem omnium ; the Do5Irine of the ancient Church was this^ that God would have all Men to be converted and fdved. ... idly. That (/) Veteris Ecclefise Judicium fuit, Chri- ilum pro culpa univerfali hominibus providifle & Re- medio Univerfali, folvendo At^rpow infiniti pretii, ne ejus defedu periret cjuifquam ; this was the Judgment of the Ancient Chunh, that Chriji had provided for the Fault cf all Men by an univerfdl Remedy;^ viz. by paying a Price of infinite value, left any one fhould perifh thro* tht BefeBofil. idly. This is more copioufly ddne by {k) Mr. Dallf; by producing the Teftimorlies of the Ancients from the (*) Lib. 7. Thef. 2. from p. 633 to p. 65^. (i) L. 7. Tb. 3^ » p. ^56. ad p. ^70. (p8 Concerning the Extent tations to Repentance, Holinefs, Obedience, that any Perfon fhould repent, be holy, or obedient, who is not a6lually fo •, and why then doth Fje blame, or punjfh them for that Iniquity he never did intend they fhould ^vgid, or for the Want of that Repentance and Obe- dience he never did intend they fhould perform j* Like to this is a, § 4, Ohj. 4. Fourth Objeflion, which faith, if Chrifl; died for all Men, and all Men are not faved, then is not God omnipotent, fince he could not apply to them that Benefit which he was willing (liouid be procured for them. Anfw. ift. When it is faid in Scripture that God could not do this or that, this doth not fignify a want of Power in him to do ir, but a want of Will and a Per- verfenefs or evil Difpofition in others obftrudling his kind Influences on, or Intentions towards them. A? when God enquires, {s) What could I have done more for my Vineyard which I have not done? When he faith, '(/) 7'ho Mofes and Samuel flood hefore-ine^ my Mind could not be toward^' this People ; and the Prophet, that (u) the Lord could no longer forbear^ becaufe of their Abominations ; as then Chrift {w) could do no 7nighty Works ip \\\s own Country, becaufe of their Unbelief; fo here the Benefit which by the Death of Chrift is procured for all who do believe in him, cannot by God be applied to Men obftinately rejefting Chrift, and re- fufing to own him as their Saviour, bcgaufe of their P^fibelief. Anfiv. 2dly. According to this Way of arguing, it follows, that if all Men do not adually enjoy what Qod is willing they ihould have, or be Partakers of all (s) Ifa, <;. 4. (;) Jer. 15. i. («) Chap. 44. 22. Civ) Maik 6. 5,6. the of Chriji's Redempfmu i ^p che Benefits conditionally intended by him, or by hts* Son procured for them, he cannot be Omnipotent i and- why then doth he fay, (x) IVe zvould have healed Baby- lon, and Jhg would not be healed; (y) I would have purged Jerufa.em, hut Jhe would not he purged ? Why doth^ Chrift fay unto the fame Jerufalem, How oft would I have gathered thy 'Children as a Hen gathereth her Chkke?ii under her JVtngs, and ye would not ? In a Word, Do alJ Men adually enjoy thofe Bleflings Temporal, Spiri- tual, or Eternal, which God conditionally hath, or did ever promife to them ? Or is it for want of Ability in God that they do not enjoy them, or want of Will in- God that they fhould have what he thus promifeth ?• Or is it not wholly from the Unwillingnefs oi Men, to perforni the Conditions upon which only they are promifed ? How oft doth God declare, that (z) he fent to them all 'his Servants the Prophets ^ fifing ^P et^rly, and fending them, faying. Return ye now every Manfro?n his evil Way, and amend your doings, and go not after other Godsy and you Jhall dwell in the Land which I have giveri you, and I will do you no hurt ? This he did, i. {a) Be* caufe he had Compaffwn on his People, and was very un- willing they fhould perifh in their Sins. ^dly. This he did with the greateft Solicitude and Care, to prevent their Ruin, as that. Phrafe, He fent bis Prophets, ri- ftng up early, and fending them, plainly imports ; 3^/y. The Reafon why all thefe Exhortations of God by his Prophets became ineffeflua], and had not the defircd EfFe(5l, was this ; becaufe they inclined not the Ear, and hearkned not to his JVord, but faid, (h) IVe will walk af- ter our own Devices, and we will every one do the Ima- gination of his evil Heart, ^.thly. Obferve that therefore the Wrath of God arofe againji his People, fo that there was no Remedy, Heb, ?io healing ; not fare becaufe an Omnipotent God was nC" able to heal them, or a good (x) Jer. 5J.9. (V) Ezek. 24. 13, (z) Jer. 55. 15; Chaj). 15. 5,6. (4) 2 Chron. 36. 15, i6. f&) jf.:, 18. i.*. O4 God >oo Concerning t/pe E^tmt God, who out of Compaflion to them, and Solicitude for their Welfare fent all his Prophets to reclaim them, would not heal them -, but becaufe they defpifed his Words, and would not be healed, but would every one i^o the Imagination of his evil Heart. % 5- ^^i- 5- The Fifth Objedlon is but the Firji in Other Words, viz. That if Chrift died for all Men, and all Men come not to be favcd ; then the great Love pf God in giving his Son to Men is ufelefs and un« profitable For to what Pnrpofe, or of what ufe is the Love of God, and the Gift of his Son to Men, if Jie doth not withal give them Faith jn his Son ? yinfw. As if all God?s Adts of Qrace and Favour to Men, which are not effedlual, through Mens Ferverfe- pefs and the Stubbornnefs of their Wjlls, po obtain his jGracjoijs Purppfes, mud be vain and fruitlefs on his Part, if he alfo giveth not that Grace which will make them effedtual to his Ends •, and we might reafonably enquire, to what purpofe was f hat Riches of God*s Good- tiefsy Patience and Long-fuffering to the Jews, which did not lead fhem to Repentance ? Or of what ufe was it, if he ^id not give them Repentance unto Ljfe ? Tq what purpofe was it that the Grace of God^ -which brings Salvation^ hath appeared to all Men^ if all Men were not ^ually taught and engaged by it, denying all Ungod- linefs and IVorldly Lujls^ to live righteou/ly, foberly, and godly in this prefcnt World ? To what purppfe are all ■pod's prphibicipns and Revelations frorn Heaven cg^/;// iill Unrighteoufnefs and Ungodlinefs, if he dofh pot by his prace effedually reftrain them from thefe Things I iDr pf what ufe are his Commands, if he doth not by his Grace conftrain Men to obey them ; or all his Grar ^ious Calls, if he doth i?ot effeftually engage Men tq »nf',yer them ? f 6 vf Chviffs Redemption, 'xpi § 6. Ohj. 6. No Man wittingly pays a Price of Rcr demptipn for a Captive, whicii he certainly knows thi§ miferable Maq will never be the better for ; Chrift therefore paid no Price of Redemption for any Man^ who will never be the better for it. jiftfw. ift. To fhew phe Abfurdity of this Objeflion^ let it be confidered, that if depends^entirely on thi? Foundation, that God and Ckrift ne'ver did, or could do that to any Perfofis zvhifh they knew they would never he the better for \ which that it is extremely falfe, all his Difp'enfation$ from the Beginning of the World do te- fiify. For, Did he not fend his. Spirit to flrl'De with the old World? pidhe riotallow them the fpace of an hundrecl. 4nd twenty Years to repent in, though he knew they would not be the better for it ? Did he not fend to the Jeivs his ProphetSy rifing up early y and fending them toadmonifh them to turn from their evil Way, that they might not be carried away captive ? Did he not chaftife them when theyrefufedto receive Gorre^iion ? Did he not ufe the greateft Dili- gence to make his Vineyard bring forth good Grapes, when it brought forth only fowre Grapes ? Did he not ufe Means to purge thepi when they would not be purged ? Were not all his Promifes made to encourage ihem tothe Performance of their Duty, that it might be well with them, and all his Threats to deter them from their Iniquity ? and fhall we deny that God did thefe Things to thefe Ends, becaufe hjs Wildom knew they would.not have thefe Salutary Eftetfts upon them i* Again, Doth not God reveal his Gofpel, offer his Grace, and fend his Ambajliidors to call them to Faith iind Repentance, v/hom he knew would never be the better for thefe Things ? Did not Chrift come to hi5 own, who received him nqt f Did he not fpeak to them ihat they might be faved, who woqld not come to him ^6i Concerning the Estent, 8cc: that they might have Lite ? Did he not fay to them, who would not be gathered, How oft would I have gathered sou? &c. And did he not know what would be the If- fue of his coming, his fpeaking to, and his Endeavours to do them good ? Wherefore in all Exhortations and Perfuafions, and all Moral Means whofe EfFeft depends upon the Will of Man^ it is fufBcient that they are pro- per Means for producing the defigned End; and that God knows they may be, and if they ad according to that Realbn and Difcretion he hath given them, they will be better for them : Otherwife we may argue, as this Objedtion doth, no good Man would put ano- ther into a State in which he knows he will be mifera- ble,and therefore a good God would never make thofe Men he knows will finally be fo. No , good Prince would have any Subjeftshe fhould be forced to cut off; and therefore a good God would not give being to thofe Men of the old World, which his vindiflive Juftice forc*d him to deftroy. Anfw. 1. 2dlj. I anfwer, that this Gbjeftion is builtf upon a falfe Suppofition, viz. That Chrift paid no fuch Price for them that perifh, as for them that will be faved ; the Price for both was one and the fame, his Sufferings on theCrofs, hisBloodfhedfortheRemiffion of Sins : and thus he equally muflfiave fufferedfor the Redemption of any Sinner from Death, as for the Re- demption of all, as under the old Law the fame Sacri- fice was offered to make Atonement for a fingle Perfon, and for the whole Nation of the Jews -, that any re- ceive RemifTion of Sins by virtue of his Death, is, be- caufe they, through Faith in his Blood, are juftified, and fo have Peace with God -, ^qd that all do not fo, is not for want of an Atonement made for them by the flime Blood, but for want of that Faith and thofe Conditi- ons of the New Covenant, whickcan alone give them jtn lotercft in that Atonement. PIS' ( 20V J 4^'A DISCOURSE •^ tK- Of Sufficient and Effec3:ual,Cottj^ mon and Special Grace^ The State of the ^ejlhn^ C HAP, h F O R the right dating of this Queftion it will be requifite to fhew. I. What is the Scripture Import of the Word Grace. II. What is the Manner of the Operation of this Grace upon the Soul, to convert, or to difpofe it to \yhnc is fprritually Good. HI, What renders it efficacious in fome, and not in others to produce Faith, Repentance and Conyerfion of the Soul to God, and what is the Account the Scrip- ture^ and our Blejfed Saviour giveth of this Matter. § I. To begin with the firfl Particular, Grace in the Scripture^ when it is ftiled tbs Grace of, God imports his Favour, and his kind Affeftion to us, as hath been largely provied in the Note on 2 Cor.£: i* Accordingly, • . ^ i/.The 5 04 Of Sufficient and EffeEttiaty iji. The Gofpcl preached co Jtw and Gentile^ Is (lyled {a) the Grace of God which brings Salvation ; {b) the Word of his Grace which is able to build us tip^ ««#tj»-^ and to give us an Inheritance among them that are fanElified, This alfo muft be the Import of the Word when it is faid, (r) That the Law came by Mo- {{:s, but Grace and Truth by Jefus Chrijl : When the jipofiles exhort their Converts to (d) continue in the Grace of God : When they fay that God cofifirm*d the Word of his Grace by doing Sigfjs and Wonders : When the Gofpel is fliled (e) the Word of Grace^ and the Gofpel of Grace, And this is probat)ly the Import of the Word in many other Places cited by Dr. //«;?»- inond,'Nott6nHeb. 13.9. where, faith he, they that believed '//jr^?* Grace\ jfh's 18.27. are they that believ- ed thro^ the Preaching of the Gofpel : and in this Senfe the Grace of God is abfoluce ; there ^eing nothing ei- ther in Jew or Gentile' which made them worthy of this Revelation, nor any Condition required on their -Part that it might be preached to them. idk. Thi« Grace which thus appeared to all Men, be- ing ^ %<^P'5 14 ipieff, i. e. in its Defign, and in its In- fluence Cwhere it was not obftruded by Men*s Infide- lity, and I^ove of Darknefs more than Light) faving Grace^ the Calling of Men by the Preaching of it to the Faith, is fometimes faid to be the Calling them hy Grace \ and when they embrace that Call, the fa- ving them by GracCy as when it is faid, (/) We are fa- 'ved by the Grace of the Lord Jefus Chrifl ; by Grace ye are favedy not of Works. For feeing this is fpoken to Men yet alive, and fo obliged (g) to work cut their Salvation with fear and trembling •, it cannot mean that they were actually faved, but only that they were called to a State of Salvation, enjoy'd the Means and (4) Tit. i. 11. (^) A^sio. 51. (f) Job. r. 17. {dj Afts 13. 43— 14- 3. («> Afts 20. 32. 24. If) Afts 15. 1 \» ^) Eph. 2. 8, p, were Common and Special Grace, lof \itrt put in the Way of Salvation by Grace (of which- Import of the word Saved^ fee the Note on Eph. 2.8.) Hence the y//o/?/ 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. God dommon and Special Grace. 1 1 j God of this World had blinded their Eyes, or the Con- ceptions of their Minds, that the Light of the Gofpel might mtjhine into them. Beit that there is in us alfo a Renitency to the Good we are to chufe, that only- can indifpofe us to believe it is, and to approve it as our chiefeft Good. Be it that we are prone to the Evil that we fhould decline, that only can render it the more difficult for us to believe it is the worft of Evils v but yet what we do really believe to be our chiefeft Good, will ftill be chofen, and what we apprehend to be the worft of Evils, will, whilft we do continue un- der that Conviction, be refufed by us : It therefore can be only requifite, in order to thefe Ends, that the Good Spirit fhould fo illuminate our Underftandings, thatwe attending to, and confidering what lies before us, fhould apprehend, and be convinced of our Duty \ and that the Bleflings of the Gofpel fhould be fo pro- pounded to us, as that we may difcern them to be our chiefeft Good, and the Miferies it threatneth, fo as we may be convinced they are the worft of Evils, that we may chufe the one, and refufe the other. Now to con- fider in order to Approbation and Convidion, to chufe in order tp our Good, and to refufe that we may avoid Mifery, muft be the A<51:ions, not of God but Man, tho* the Light that doth convince, and the. Motives which engage him thus to chufe, and to refufe, are certainly from God. § 4. To illuftrate this by a familiar Inftance taken from ourfeives, or our Deportment towards others j when a Man in Words plain and intelligible fpeaks to another, if He will hearken to what He fays, He muft underftand his Mind •, for by that very Impreflion the Words make upon his Brain, He immediately per- ceives his Mind: and cannot the Divine Impreflion on the Mind, which is God's fpeaking inwardly to Man, do the fame Thing ? This Adtion is indeed fo necef- fary, that, as it is not virtuous or praife-worthy in any P 3 Man 1 \ 4 Of Snfficknt and BffeStua}^ Man to iinderft-and the Mind of him that fpeaks to him, fo neither leemeth it praile-worthy in U3 to underftand the Mind of God thus fpeaking to us. Again, thefe "Words of Man contain fomctimes an Exhortation to another to do what He delires He would do, taken from the Propofal of fome Advantage, or thePromife of fome Good He fliall receive by complying with his Exhortation ; or they contain fome Dehortation from doing what He would not have another do, becaufe it will be hurtful to him, or will be certainly attended with fome evil Confequences : Is not this the Method iifed by all the World in dealing with one another ? And do they not all do this with Hopes and Expectation of Succefs ? And is it not a great Difparagemcnt to the Word of God to fay, or think that all his Per- fwafions. Admonitions, Exhoftations, Promifes, and Threats, fhould be infufficient to prevail with us to turn from our finful Courfes, and turn to him, when Men who ufe thefe Methods towards their Children, Servants, Friends or Relations, do it in hopes that they fhall be fuccefsful by thefe Means ? Moreover, if the Perfon they addrefs to, be flow of Underftanding, do they not hope to overcome that Difficulty by the Clear- nefs of their Difcourfe, and by re-iterating the fame thing in fuch. Variety of Expreflions as Pie is bell able to perceive ? If he be avcrfe from doing that which is defircd, do they not hope to overcome that Averfenefs by repeated Exhortations and vigorous Impreflions of thoie Encouragements they tender, to prevail upon him to comply with their Defire? If heflrongly be inclined ro that from which they vehemently dehort him, do ihev not endeavour to turn the Bent and Current of his Inclinations by the like repeated P-xhortations and live- ly Reprcfentations of the Evils He will be certainly ex- pofed to by fo doing ? All Men are therefore of this Opinion in their Pra6tice, that ading with Men by convincing Reafon, and by Motives and Perfuafions, is a<5ting with them fuitably to their Faculties, and 3 , fo Common and Special Grace. 2 1 y To as that they may prevail. And is not God him- felf of the fame Mind ? Hath he not revealed his Will on Purpofe that we may know it ? Hath He not diredted his Letters, and Eptjlles to us, that by reading we may underftand them, and know the 'Things -which do belong to our Peace ? Did not our Saviour utter all his Pifcourfes to the fame End ? Why elfe doth he en- quire, (c) Why is it you do not underjiand my Speech ? (d) How is It that you do not underftand ? Why doth He preface them with this Inftrudlion, (e) hear atid underjiand? Doth not God call upon us to {f) conft- der of ourlVays^ and lay to Heart his Sayings and his Difpenfations ? Doth he not prefcribe this as a Reme- dy to prevent his Judgments, when He fays, {g) Oh confider this, ye that forget God ; and of being wife, by faying, {h) Oh that they were Wife, that they would con- fider their latter End ? Doth He not reprefent this as the Source of all the Wickednefs and Idolatry of his own People, (f) That they would not confider in their Heart ? Doth He not make Con verfion the EfFett of thisConfideration, when He faith, {k) Becaufe He con- fidereth and turneth away from all the Tranfgreffions that He hath committed. He flmll furely live ? Yea, Doth He not reprefent this as a juft ground of Hope, that even the mod Ilubborn Sinners may be reformed, when He faith to the Prophet, (/) Remove by Day in their Sight, it may he they will confider thd* they be a Re- bellious People ? Does not God require his People to {m) chufe Life, pronouncing aBlefling upon them who (n) chufc the Things that pleafe him, and threatning De- ftru61:ion to them who {o) would not chufe the Pear of the Lord, but f/)) chofe the Things in which He delighted not ? Now doth he any Thing more to prevail with {c) John 8. 43. (d) Marks. 2u {e) Mat; 15. 10. (/) Hag. 1. ^,7. {g) Pfal. ^o. 21. {h) Deut. 3Z. 29. (<) Ifa. I. J. 44. 19. {k) Ezek. 18. 29, Pfal. 119. 59, (/) Ezek. 12. 3. (w) Deut, jo. 19. (») Ifa. 56.4. \o) Prov, I. 20. (}) Ifa. 55. 4. 4 P 4 them 2x6 Of Stiffictent and EjfeSfualy them who do not chafe the Fear of the Lord, and dp not do the Things that pleafe him, to engage them fp to do, or not to do the contrary, bat teach them his Ways, and perfuade them to wallc in them ? Muft ic not then be certain that either He tranfafts with therri as Men, who, notwithftanding any Ads of Preterition on his Parr, or any Difabihty or Corruption of Will on their Part, might by thefe Things be induced to chufe to fear him, and do the Things that pTeafe' him, and might abftain froni the contrary -, or threatneth to deilroy them for not chufing what they could not chufe, for doing what they had not means fufficient to avoid, and for not doing what it was not pofTible for Men fo vitiated and fo defcrtcd, to perform ? Again, doth not God exhort the Je'ws to be (g) willujg and obedient^ pro- mifing a full Pardon and aBleffing to them that do fo ? Doth not Chrijl refolve the Deftruftjon of the Jews into this, (r) ^~ou 'unll not come unto me that 'sou might have Life? declaring this to be the Reafon why they were not gathered, becaufe He often C/) ixjoidd have gathered them^ hut they would not be gathered ; becaufe be- ing fo gracioufly invited to the Marriage, (/) they would not come. Now what did He to engage them to come to him, to gather them, or prevail on them to come to the Marriage-Feaft, but fliew them the Way of Life, exhort and invite them to come to that Feaft:.'' Either then He tranfa(fted with them as one who knew this was fufficient to thefe Ends ; and that thefe Things might have prevailed with them, notwithftand- ing any Decrees of God's Preterition, or any Difabi- lity through the Corruption of their Wills, to be wil- ling and obedient to his Invitation ; or elfe He refolved on their Exclufion from the Marriage-Feaft, and their not tafting his Supper.^ for not doing what, in that State, they could not do : and condenm*d them for not coming ((]) Ift. t. 18, 15. (f) John 5. ijo. (/) ^ukc 13. 34. (4) Mat. 22, %. tq Common and Special Grace. 217 to him when they could not come, becaufe («) the Fa- ther did not draw them^ or give them to him j and for not being gathered, when he would not do that for them without which they could not be gathered. Doth not God earneftly exhort and perfuade Men to repent and turn from the Evil of their Ways ? Doth he not fay, {w) Ob that my People woidd have hearkened to me^ that Ifrael would have walked in my Ways ! (x) O that the"^ were wife^ that they would under fland this ! (y) O yerufakm, wilt not thou he made clean^ when /hall it once be ? (z) O that thou hadfi known in this thy Day^ the Things that belong to thy Peace ! Now either in thefe Exhortations and Perfuafions made to Men, vitiated not only by original, but many actual Corruptions, God dealt with them fuitably to their Faculties, thatisf Abilities, exhorting them to do, and pathetically wifh- ing they had done, what he faw they might have done, tho they, for want of due Attention, Confideration, and Refledlion, did it not ; or called them to repent that they had not done what they never could do, or that they did not avoid what it was not pofTible under their Circumftances they fliould avoid j and ferioufly and pafTionately wifhed they themfelves would have done, what if it ever had been done, muft have been done by himfelf, and therefore was not done, becaufe He did not unfruftrably work the Change in them ; that is, he paflionately wifhed they had been of the Number of his Eled, when he himfelf by an abfolute Decree from all Eternity had excluded them out of that Number. In fine. Doth not God encourage Men to repent and believe, to be willing and obedient, by great and preci- ous Promifes of the moft excellent and lading BlefTings ? Hath he not threatned {a) eternal Damnation to them («) John 6, 37, 44. («») Pfal. 81. 13. (x) Deut. 51.29. li) Jer, 13. 27. (^) Luke 19.42. (4) Mark 16, 18. that ^ 1 8 Of Sufficient and Effectual, that do noc believe ? Hath not he told us that {a) Chrift will come in flaming Fire, taking Vengeance on all. that obey not bis Go/pel P And muft not all thefe Things fufficiently convince us, that God a6ts with Men as one who doth indeed fuppofe that Men may hearken to his Exhortations, and comply with his Perfuafions to be- lieve, and to obey his Gofpel, may be prev;iird on by his Promifes to the Performance of their Duty, and terrified by his Judgment threatned, from their Difobe- dience ? Why elfe is it faid that God hath given us thefe {b) great and precious Projnifes, that by them ive may be made Partakers of a divine Nature ? Why are we ex- horted, {c) having thefe Pronvfes^ to cleanfe our [elves from all Filthinefs of Flefb and Spini, perfe5ling Halinefs in the Fear of God ? Or why doth the Apoflle fay, {d) Knoijoing then the 'Terror of the Lord we perfiade Men ? If beyond all this, there be fome Phyfical and Unfruftrable Ope- ration on God's Part requifite to make Men know, and knowing, choofe the Good and refufe the Evil ; this being not vouchfafed to, or wrought in them who' are not born anew, why is the Want of this new Birth> and this fpiritual Regeneration fo often imputed to the voluntary Want of their Confideration, and their ((?) not laying to Heart the Things propounded to them ? to their not applying their Heart to IVtfdom^ not ap- plying their Minds to Under (landing, and their (f) not framing their Doings to turn to the Lord? Admit that defperate Refuge which the Aflertors of the contrary Doftrine are here forced to fly to, viz. that thefe Ex- hortations and Perfuafions may be yet^made to us, tho tve are utterly unable to comply with them, and by God's A6t of Preterition, are left under that Difability, becaufe we once had Grace and Strength fufficient to perform them, tho we iiave.lofb it by the Fall. What is this to the Import of all the Exhortations, Perfua- (4) 2 ThcfT. I. 7. {h) 2 Pet. 1. 4. (O 2 Cor. 7. i^ {d) 2 Cor. S'^^' i^) Pfo^' J' '^^•^l'^* (J) iio^ 5* 4' fions. Common and Special Grace^ 1 19 fions, and Motives contained in the Gofpel^ which are all dire(fced to fallen Man -, and fo, if God be ferious in them, declare his great Unwillingnefs that fallen Man fhould perifh, and his PafTionate Defire that he fhould be faved •, and if he fpeaketh in them fuitably to the Capacities and Faculties of fallen Man, plainly fup- po*es him in a Capacity, by the Afliftances v^^hich God is ready to afford him, and by the Confideration of the Motives which he offers to him, to undcrftand his Duty, and to chufe the Good and refufe the Evil. § 5. Wherefore, to give to outward Means, and in- ward AfTiftances, their due refpedive Energy ; ifi. That Honour muft be due to God, and to his Word, as to aflert that the Motives there offered, muft be fufEcient in the Way of Motives to produce the Ends for which they were defigned. Seeing then the Motives contained in the Scripture to engage fallen Man to turn from the evil of his Ways, were certainly defigned for that End, either they muft be fufficient to engage him to turn fronn the Evil of his Ways, or elfe the higheft Motives that can be offer*d muft be infufficient for that End, all other Motives to deter us from any Aclion as difadvantageous and pernicious to us, being as nothing when compared to that, Depart from me^ ye wicked^ into everlajling Fire ; all Evils we can fuffer from the Hand of Man, be- ing little in refped: of that we muft have caufe to fear from him who can dejlroy both Soul a?td Body in Hell-fire. Seeing, again, the Promifes of Eternal Happinefs recorded in the fame Scriptures, as the Re-- ward of our Obedience, were certainly defigned to render us obedient, either they muft be fufficient to engage us to yield that Obedience to the Good and Holy Will of God, or no Inducements can be fufficient for that End i feeing this Motive eminendy contains all other Motives in it, there being in thoie few 2 20 Of Sufficient and EffeSiual^ few Words the Enjo-jviant of God and Everlafting Hap^ t'inefs^ more than Kingdoms and Treafures, and all that can exprefs the good Things of this World im- port; and therefore a more vehement conftraining Power in them to the Performance of our Duty, than in the united Strength ot worldly Greatnefs, Honours, Pleafures ; and that which reprefenteth to our Defires, and Hopes what far exceedeth all we can hope for, or defire befides. But then, 2dly. Becaufe the Bleflings and Miferies of another World are Things invifible, and are difcerned only by the Eye of Faith, they being Mora] and Spiritual Mo- tives, which only work upon us as they are prefent to our Minds by adlual Confideration and Refleftion on them, which naturally we are not inclined to do ; fee- ing they are not always prefent with us, when the Temptations of the Devil, the World, and the Fleih, by fenfual Objefts which we much affeft, are thus pre- fent with us i 'tis therefore necefiary, that at all times when they are not thus prefent with us, and therefore cannot operate upon us, the holy Spirit fhould, either by reprefenting to us from the Scriptures thole Divine Truths with which our Undcrftandings have not been fufficiently cnlightned or inftrufted, or elfe by reviving and inculcating on our Spirits thofc Motives and In- ducements to refill thofe Temptations, and to perform thofe Duties of which we are convinced by the Word, aflift us fo to do. I therefore humbly conceive, that inward Operation of the Holy Spirit to confiil in thefe two Things : ijl. In reprefenting the Divine Truths which Holy Scriptures do contain, and prefs upon us, more clearly to our Undcrftandings, that we may have a fuller Evi- dence, ftronger Conviftion, and Aflurance of them ; {a) 'The E)es of our Underfianding being thus enlightued to know what is the Hope of our Callings ami the Glorious {a) Eph. I. 1 8. Riches Common and Special Grace* iii Riches of the Inheritance of the Saifits ; and this is (tiled the Illumination of the Mind. 2 J/v, In bringing thefe Truths to our Remembrance, that ib they may be prefent with us when this is re- quifite to enable us to refirt Temptations, and to en- courage us to the Performance of our Duty ; and upon Suppofition of thefe two Things, that God acts with us fuitably to the Nature of our Facuities, on our Un- derftandings by reprefenting the Light to it, and on our Wills by Motives to chufe the Good and refufe the Evil -, and that the higheft Motives and Inducements poflible offered to us in the Name of the great God of Heaven, when firmly believed and prefent to the Mind, mufl be fufficient to produce their Ends ; it can i be only requifite to our Converfion and (incere Obe- dience, that the Good Spirit fhould alTift us in this [ Work by that Illumination which is fufficient to pro- duce in us this ftrong Convidion, and fhould prefent thefe Motives to our Memories, and make a deep Im- prefilon of them there -, which being prefent, will be fufFicient to move our Wills and our Affections topro- fecute the Ends for which they are defigned. § 6. I knov/ there be many who, beyond all this, require a Phy/ical and Irrefiitible Motion of the Holy Spirit y in which we are wholly pafTive, to the Conver- fion of a Sinner, which AiTercion fhall be afterwards confidered ; at prefent I only fliiall endeavour fairly to compound and Itate this Matter. jji. Then, I fiy, that it muft be granted, that in raifmg an Idea in my Brain by the Holy Spirit^ and the ImprefTion made upon it there, the A(5tion is truly Pby- Jical. '2.dly. That in thofe Actions I am wholy pafllve ; that is, I myfelf do nothing formally to produce thefe Ideasy but the Good Spirit, without my Operation, doth produce them in me. And, 3J/_y. That iiz Of Stiffident and EffeStudJ^ p,(i'\\ That thefcj Operations muit be irrefiftible in their Production, becaufe they are immediately pro- duced in us without- our Knowledge of them, and without our Will, and lb widiout thofe Faculties by which we are enabled to aft. But then I add, That as far as they are fo, they can- not be imputed to us •, that is, it cannot be Pralfe- woFthy in us, or rewardable, that we have fuch Ideas '. railed in us, but only that when they are thus railed in us we attend to them, comply with them, and im- Iprove them to the Ends for which they were defigned by the Holy Spirit. To make this evident by an Example, it is generally granted, that Satan can lb work upon the Brain as to raife up in it impure and \\\q Ideas-, but then it is as generally held, that the Thoughts they immediately produce, will never be imputed to us as our Sins, nor will God be difpleafcd with us for them, if we do not after fhew any good liking to them, or content to them, but manfully re- fift: and rife up in Deteftation and Abhorrence of them, and that becaufe the raifing thefe Ideas is the Ddvtl's A(5tion, not our own •, and we are purely palTive in them till we confent to, or fhew fome liking of them -, and they are alio inevitable and irrefiftible, it being in the Power of no Man to help them, to prevent their being raifed in his Brain, or any Ways to fupprefs them, till he perceives them raifed there. And there- in fore for the fame reafons thofe Ideas which are objec- 1 tively good, being thus raifed in us, cannot be im- \puted to us for Reward, nor can God be well pleafed jwith us for them till we co-operate with them, becaufe the raifing of them is properly God*s, not our own Action, and we are purely pafllve in it, nor is it in lour Power to prevent or refift them; but then God ;j having planted in us a Principle of Reafon andDifcre- ;\tion, -we can attend to them when they are raifed in ijus, and fo improve them to the Illumination of our ' Underltandings, and to the Approbation of them in our Common and Special Grace • 2 1 J our Minds : He alfo havmg given us a Will to chufe the Good, and to refufe the Evil, we may confent to the good Suggeftions and purfuc the good Motions thus raifcd in us •, tor to what other F.nds can they be raifed . in us by the- Holy Spirit'^ As therefore our Attending ( and Confenc to the Suggeftions of the Evil Spirit being ' free, and avoidable, is culpable, fo our Attendance to and Compliance with thefe Motions of the Holy Spirit^ being Things in which we are tree and active, and that upon Deliberation, and fo in them we do perform the free and proper Adions of a Man, doing that willingly which we ought to do, and refufing to do that which we have both Power and Temptations to perform, thefe Things muft be Praife-worthy, and acceptable in the Sight of God. I alfo add. That thefe Ideas being thus raifed up in us by God alone, and even the Power of attending and confenting to them being, together with our Nature, entirely derived from him, and all the Inducements which we have to attend to them, and comply with them, being properly of Divine External Revelation, or fuch Divine Internal Operations, as if they had not intervened, we fhould have had none of thefe good EfFefts produced in us •, thefe Effe6ts are properly to be afcribed to God, and all the Praife and Glory of them muft be due to him alone, becaufe the Principle of ading, and the Inducement fo to a6l, is folely from him. Moreover, (i.) As thefe Lkas raifed in us are pow- erful Inducements to the Performance of our Duty^ as alfo all the other Motives contained in the Gofpel Revelation are, and as they all proceed from the free Grace of God, they may be properly ca.]\ed excitwg Grace. idly. As they tend to reftrain us from that Sin to which we naturally are too much inclined, and to baffle thofe Temptations which the World, Satan^ and our own evil Hearts fuggeft unto us, they are as fitly ftiled rejlraining Grace, V ^dly. As i'^J 114 0/ Sufficient and Ejfe^ual^ '^dly. Aschey are given before we defired them, anil thefe Ideas are often raifed up in us when we think not of them, they are properly preventijjg Grace. ^ibly. As they help uS in the Confidenuion or, and our Endeavours and Inclinations to perform our Duty and refill Temptations, they may be ftiled aJJiUing Grace. And £)thh. As they continue to do this more and more, even after the firft turn of the Heart from Sin to God, and after fome prevailing Difpofitions to love, fearj and ferve God with Sincerity of Heart, they may be called iht fuhfequent Grace of God. 6ibl\. The Diflindion of Grace into fufficient and efficacious Grace is not, as Petavius well obferves, Ge- 7ieris in fpecies^ fed ejufdcDi fpcciei fecundaivi accidens di- ftin^io^ a Diltinftion of Grace into different Kinds or Species, but only a Dittindion of the fame Kind of Grace, according to its accidentally different Ene(5ts,- all efficacious Grace being fufficient, and all fufficient Grace being fuch as would be efficacious, did not the Indifpofition of the Patient hinder the Effed: of it. And, Lafll)\ The DiRindion of Grace into common and fpecial may be underftood two Ways, viz. that Grace which is afforded without any Condition required on our Part, as the Vouchfafement of the Knowledge of the Goipel, and the calling Men by it to the Faith, may be called common Gract\ becauie it is common to all who live under the Sound of the Gofpel ; but that Grace which is fufpendcd upon a Condition, as the re-** ceiving the Affiftance of the Holy Spirit upon our aflc- ing, feeking, knocking for him, our receiving more upon the due Improvement of the "Talents received, the Remiffion of Sins upon our Faith and Repentance, may be lliled fpecial Gracc^ becaufe it only is vouch- lafed to them who perform the Condition •, and fo it is the lame with Grace abfolute and conditional : or elfe that may be ftiled common Grace by which we are led to Common and Special Grace. 225 to the Faith of Chriji, and To it includes all thofe good Defires which are excited in us, and all thofe good Dif- pofitions which are produced in the Minds of Men be- fore they believe, all this Grace being common to Men before they are admitted into the ISIew Covenant ; and that will be /fecial Grace which is given to Believers only, for the ftrengthning of their Faith, the encrea- fmg of their good Defires, and the enabling them to live according to the Go/pel. §. 7. That any Supernatural Habits muft be infufed into us in an Inftant, and not produced by frequent Actions, or that any other Supernatural Aid is requi- fite to the Converfion of a Sinner, befides the foremen- tioned Illumination of the Holy Spirit, and the Impref- fion which he makes upon our Hearts by the Ideas which he raifes in us, is that which my Hypothejis by no means will allow *, which Ideas, tho they are raifed by a Phyjical Operation, yet are they Moral in their Operations : Even as a Man's Tongue in fpeaking to perfuade, or to diflfuade another, performs a Pbyfical Operation, tho* the effect of it is only Moral. Some Remonftrants, by granting this Neceflity of Supernatural and Infufed Habits, feem to have run themfelves into this Dilemma, that either thefe Super- natural Habits, viz. of Faith and Charity, may be wrought in Men, and yet they may not be converted ; orelfethat all who are not converted, are therefore not converted, becaufe God's Spirit hath not wrought thefe Habits in them, which is the very Abfurdity they la*, bour to avoid. Q^ CHAP. 2i6 Of Sufficient ani EffeCiiialy CHAP. 11. ^ropofing the Avguments ^h'tch feem to o'verthronjv this Ajjert'ion^ of an hire-^ Jiji'tbk or Unfrujirahh Grace ^ 7iecep fary to the Con'verjion of a Sinner, A ND this I (hall begin with fome General Confi- derations, as v. g. §. I. I. That which is fufficient to caufe any Man to diftruft, if not entirely to reje<5l this Dodlrine, is this. That the Defenders of it are forced by the Evidence of Truth, to grant what is inconfiftent with their Doc- trine, and to ail'ert an Univerfal Grace, which to all, excepting the eleft, is really no Grace, as v. g. jfi. They grant, " That preventing Grace, as it is *' given irrefiftibly, fo likewife is it given univerfally ^' to Men, and that this initial and exciting Grace be- ?' ing once granted, is never taken away by God from *' any Man, unlefs he fir ft of his own accord rejedls it i" and yet they rdblve the Non-converfion, or not be- lieving of all thofe who are not effeflually converted into the want of Means fufficient for their Salvation, or, which is the fame thing, into God's Derelidion of them in that State of Difability into which AdaiJih Fall had caft them : And what Grace is it then, to have that initial and exciting Grace which they cannot but rcjedl, and which can pever work Faith and Re- |3entance in them for want of that f^irther and efTedlu- nl Grace which God will not vouchfafe to them, or thnt they have a Talent put into their hands which they Common and Special Grace, 227 they cannot but abufe to their greater Condemnation, for want of farther Talents which he is refolved to with-hold from them ? idl'j^ They grant, ** That there are certain inward " Workings and Effefts wrought by the Word and '' Spirit of God preceding Converfion and Regenera- " tion in the Hearts of perfons not yet juftified, which " God ceafeth not to promote and carry on towards " Converfion, till he be forfaken of them by their vo- *' luntary Negligence, and his Grace be repelled by " them ; and yet that he intends to reftrain his fav- ing Grace to his ele6t, and to aiford Means fufiicienC for falvation to them only •, and why again then are thefe inward workings and effeds wrought in them by the Word and Spirit, from whom God intendeth to reftrain his faving and converting Grace, without which they cannot but neglect and repel his former Grace ? Or hoW can he properly be faid to carry on this Work towards the Converfion of them, whom he hath decreed to leave in an utter difability of being convert- ed, or recovered from their undone Condition ? 3^/)/, That God doth very ferioufly and in earneft in- vite and call all thofe to Faith and Repentance, and Con- verfion, in whom by his Word and Spirit he works a Knowledge of the Divine will, a Senfe of Sin, a Dread of Punifhment, fome Hopes of Pardon •, and yet that all thefe Men, excepting the Eledl, are not converted thro' a Defedivenefs in the Grace of God to do it, or for want of Means fufficient for their Converfion or Salvation ; and becaufe God never intended by thefe Means Salvation to any but the eleft, he having palt a Decree of Preterition on the reft of Mankind, whom therefore he hath left under a neceftity of pe- rilhing, jince idem eft praetermitti ac dimitti, ^tis the fame thing to he omitted out of the D'^cree of Ele&iony and to be left to perifjj -, and who then can conceive how his v/ord or Spirit ftiould work in any other a Hope of Pardon ? Or how can God be ferious and in good ear- 0^2 ncft 2 1 8 Of Sufficient and EffeituaJ, neft in calling rh^ai to Faith and repentance, and yet ferious and in good earned in his Decree to deny them that Grace without which they neither can be- lieve or repent ; to call them ferioufly to Faith and Repentance, being to call them to Salvation by Faith, and to repent that they may not perilh ; and to pafs antecedently a Decree of Prcterition on them, is feri- oufly to will they fliould inevitably perifh. To think to falve all this by laying God is ferious and in good earned in inviting thefe Men to believe that they may be faved, and to repent that they may not perifh, be- caufe he would fave them if they would believe ; he would preferve them from perifhing if they would repent, is vain. For if Faith be the Gift of God, if he ^ives Repehtance to Lift\ and hath reftrained both thefe Gifts to his Elefl, and hath left all the Reft of Man- kind under a neceffity to peridi for want of an Abi- lity to believe arid repent, bccaufe this Ability was Joft to them by the fall of Ada?n, then muft not all thefe Invitations made to them to believe that they might be faved, and repent that they might not perifh, be only an invitation to efcape perifhing, and to , obtain Salvation upon a Condition which his Deree of Prcterition hath rendred it impofTible for them to per- ibrm •, and can he then be ferious and in good earneft who only doth invite them to ufe things on a Condi- tion which he himfelf hath decreed to leave them un- der an utter inability to perform ? Thefe are fuch evident Abfurdities and contradi H' {h) Eph. 4f ?2. (0 \ ?ct. 2* I, ?, Now Common and Special Grace, i j j Now Obedience is one thihg, and Knowledge ano- ther ; therefore Knowledge is not the only end of God's Precepts and Exhortations, and fo the only end of them is not to declare to us v;hat we ought to do. More- over that is to be deemed the principal End of the Law, and of Exhortations grounded on it, without which all other Ends of the Law being attained, do not profit, but do rather hurt. Now thus it is with refpe<^ to Knowledge of what we do not -, (k) for he that knoweth his Majhr's JVill and doth it not^ Jhall he he at en with many Jlripes ; (/) and he that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is Sin •, therefore Obe- dience, and not Knowledge, is the principal End of thefe things. Moreover would not God have all Men to obey his Commands? Are they not Declarations of his Will concerning what he would have them do, or leave undone ? Would he not have us to comply with his Exhortations, and hearken to the Voice of his Word ? Is not Obedience to them ftyled the doing of his Will ? Do not all the World conclude that they fhould do what he commands ? Do they not look upon his Precepts as a fufficient Indication of his Will and Pleafure ? Are not all Men obliged to believe God would have them do what he requires of them? And can they be obliged to believe this if it be not true? Can any Perfon rationally think that an upright God in whom is no Hyfocrify or Guile, fhould feri- oufly command that which he is not willing Men fhould do, efpecially when his Commands are fo agree- able to his Nature, and fo beneficial to the Souls of Men, as the Commands of Faith, Repentance, and Obedience are. The only Inftance produced to the contrary from God's Command to Abraham, to offer up his only Son, is both impertinent and inconclufive ; it is not pertinent, becaufe it is not parallcl'd to the Cafe in (t) Luke 12. 47. (/) Jam. 4. 17. hand; 1J4 Of Sufficient and Ejfe5iuaty hand ; had indeed God after thefe Precepts given a con- trary Command to the Sinner not to repent and obey him, as in this Cafe he did ro Abraham \ had he com- plain'd o^ Abraham, as he doth of them, for not obey- ing his Command ; had he threatned to, and executed his Judgments on him, on that account, as he doth on them, then, and then only, would the Cafe have been parallel. 2dly, It is inconclufive-, for as Precepts of this Nature are never made but to private Perfons, fo nei- ther are they made concerning things which have a real Goodnefs and Suitablenefs to Reafon in them, as the fore-mention'd Precepts have ; for then they would be no tempaliom : Add to this that Abraham obey'd upon thjs very Principle, that God would have him do what he commanded, and ceafed to continue in, and to com pleat this Aft, only by virtue of a contrary Command •, we therefore mud, even by this Exam- ple fo much urged, conclude we muft repent and obey jfiis Precepts till he is pleafed to give us a Command to the contrary. Now it being thus evident that Obedience is the End of God's Precepts, Laws and Exhortations, it is alfo evident that thofe Precepts which are impofllble IX) be performed, even as impoflible as for the Dead to raife themfelves, are vain and ludicrous, and they are yet more fo when they are back'd with Promifes and Threats ; for where the thing required is impolfible, it is as vain to Hope or Fear, as to think of doing it. But mod of all are thofe Exhortations ludicrous which are grounded on the Law, if the matter be utterly impofli- ble ; for Exhortations carry the Appearance of a feri- ous and cliaritable Intention, and fome hope of pre- vailing ; whence God fo frequently declares he prefles them upon his People for their good^ and that it may be ^£?// 'ivilh them •, but nothing of this nature can re- ally be implied in an Exhortation to another to do that which he knows he never can do, and therefore in fuch Cafes Common and Special Grace^ 2 j 5 Cafes his Exhortations can be nothing better than Hy- pocrify and Mockery. 2dly^ According to this Hypothefts, vain aHb are all the Threats denounced in the Scripture againft them who goon without Amendment in their evil ways, and who perfifl in their Impenitency and Unbelief, as 'V, g. that of the Pfalmifi, {m) the Lord is angry with the wicked, if he turn not he will whet his /word. He hath prepared for him the injlruments of death. That of the Prophet in God's Name, {n) I will deflroy my people fith they return not from their ways. And again, {p) Behold I frame evil againjl you, and devife a device againft you ; return ye therefore from your evil ways^ and make your ways and doings good ; and thofe of C/?n7? himfelf, {p) If you repent not, you fh all all likewife perifh, {q) If you believe not that I am he^ you Jljall die in your fins. For either thofe Threats are proper to move the Eled to Faith, Repentance, and Obedience •, And then, ift. they may move them fo to do, and then an unfruftrable Aflion cannot be neceflary to their Converfion. Then, idly. Seeing Threats only move by exciting Fear of the Evil threatned, they may be moved, and God muft de- fign to move them by the Fears of perifhing and dying in their Sins ; that is, God muft defign tQ move them by a falfe and an impofllble Suppofition- ' Or, idly, they are proper to move thofe who are not elefted ; but this they cannot be, becaufe then they muft be moved to endeavour to believe, repentj, g,nd turn from the evil of their ways by the hopes of avoiding this Death and Ruin threatned by fo do- ing ; whereas feeing it is the fame thing to have God*s Decree of Preterition paft upon them, and to be left inevitably to perifii, they muft, by virtue of it, be left without hopes that they may not perifh. {m) Pfal 7. II, 12, I-. («) Jer. i^. i. {o) Chap. l8. IIo U) Luke 13. 5, 5. {' are affrighted from it by the Fears of fuffering -, and' Affirmatively, that it becometh fruitful by being r^- 1| ceiv'd into a good and bonfji Heart. And furc the Devils muft be a Fool, according to this Doctrine, when he comes to take away the Word out of Mem Hearts^ led they Jhoiild believe and he faved ; if that Word could have no Influence upon Men to Salvation, when it was not attended with an unfruftrable Afllftance, and where it was fo, all his Attempts to hinder the believing of it to Salvation, muft be vain. Arg, 8. 2 54 ^f S^iffici^nt and Effe[hal^ Arg. 8. § lo. Were fuch an irrefiftible Power necef- fary to the Converfion of a Sinner, no Man could be converted fooner than he is, becaufe before this irrefi- ftible A6tioncame upon him he could not be converted, and when it came upon him he could not chufe but be converted ; and therefore no Man could reafonably be blamed that he lived fo long in his impenitent, or unconverted State : And then God muft unreafonably make thefe Enquiries, [q) How 'ong refufe y to keep m'^ Commandments ? (r) How long will this People provoke me ? How long will it be ere they believe me ? (.) How longy ye fimple ones^ will ye love Simplicity^ and the Scor- Tiers delight in /corning, and the Fools hate Kno'^'ldge ? 0) ^ Jerufalem, wajh thyfelf from IVickednefs that thou mayji be faved ? How long Jh all thy vain Thoughts lodge within thee ? And again, (u) 0 Jerufalem^ wilt thou not be made clean, whenjhall it once be ? Seeing none of thefe Changes could bevvrought within them, till he was pleafed to afford the irrefiftible Impulfe : And then it would not be Praife-worthy in them, or any other Per- fon, that they were then converted, it being not in their Power then to be otherwife, fince an unfruftrable Operation is that which no Man can fruftrate. Arg. 9.§. II. The Scripture charges Mens Wicked- nefs not upon their Impotency and Difability, but up- on their Wilfulnefs, which therefore doubtlefs is the true Account of the Matter. It might have reafona- bly been expedled, that if the Difability we had con- trafted by the Fall of Ada?n had been the true Source of all that Impotency that is in the Sinner to hear- ken to all, or any of the Motives ofier'd by God in the Old or the ISJew Tejiamen', the Hdv Scriptur fliould fomewheTC or other have given u? fome txrref? Decla- ration of it, and not have conftantly af^r^oed u- • Im- (^) Exod. 1(5. 1 8. (0 Numb. 14. ii, (0 P^ov. 1.22. (OJer. 4. 14. («) Chap. 13.27, potency Common and Special Grace, 2 5 potency to other Caufes acquired by, and not born with us ; whereas I verily believe, that the whole Scri-' pture 3.^ovdtth not one Sentence, or ExprefTion, which in the true Importance of it bears this Senfe, or which either in Terms, or by juft Confequence avers, That Man is fo difabled by the Fall, as that he cannot be re~ ; formed by any Ai'gu?nents or Motives offered by God for \ ' his Recovery^ or by the Grace offered to all Men in the \ Gofpel, but that they mujl entirely be frujlratcd^ offered I j and fpent in vain upon him, unlefs God add unto themp, an unfrufir able Operation of the Holy Ghofl. The Scripture is indeed very copious in reprefenting the Ignorance and Darknefs of the Heathen World, given up to grofs Ido- latry^ and lying under the Dominion of the Prince of .Darknefs ; declaring, that their foolifJj Hearts were darkned^ and that they were alienated from the Life of God throng:) the Ignorance that 'was in the?n -, that thro* the evil Habits they had contrafted, the whole Hea- then World lay in fVickednefs, were filled with it, and were even dead in Trefpaffes and Sins, and thro* the cuftomary Practice of Sin were become infenfible of their own Vilenefs : but nothing of this nature do I find charg'd on Mankind in general, by reafon of the Fall of Jdam. Whereas there is not any Thing more fre-, quent or corhmon throughout the whole Book of 6'6-n-i pture, than the Complaints of God and all his Prophets^ of Chrif and his Apojlles, of the Perverfenefs, Obftina-, cy. Rebellion, the Inconfideration, Folly, and Stupi-i dity of them with whom they had to do, and only of their Indifpoficion and Difability to hearken to their* Counfels, and do good, by reafon of thofe Evil Difpo-] fitions, Cuftoms, Prejudices, Hardnefs of Heart, or Blindnefs which they had wilfully contrafted. Now it is reafonable to conclude the Fault lies chiefly there where the Scripture chargeth it, and not where it is wholly filent in the Cafe. Now of all thefe Things I have already given Inflances fufiicienc i to which may be 2^6 Of Sufficient and Ejfe^tiaJ^ be added the Words of Ifaiah^ (x) "Thus jaith the Lord ^ in Returning and Reft Jh all "je befaved, and in ^lietnefs and Confidence JJjall be -jour Strength^ and ye zuculd not. And again, They would not walk in his Ways^ neither ivere they obedient to his Laws. And of the Prophec Jeremiah^ (y) 'Thus faith the Lord, ajk for the old Paths, where is the good Way, and walk therein ; and they faid we will not walk therein ; they hold f aft Deceit, they refufe to return. I fent to the?n by my Servants the Prophets rifing up early, and fendingthem, but they would 7iot hear^ faith the Lord. And faith the Prophet Ho- fea, (z) They will not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord.- Now, is it to be wondred, is itjuft Matter of Complaint, that Men who were difibled by the Fall of Adam, from doing any of thefe Things, did not per- form them? Were they not rather Objects of Divine Pity, than of Wrath ? And was it not worthy of the Divine Goodnefs to help their unavoidable Infirmity, rather than to punifli them fo feverely for what they could not help, and to impute that to the Spirit of Whoredom in them, which was the natural Refult of the Whoredom of their Mother Eve ? Moreover Chrift charges the Impenitency and Un- belief of the Jews upon this account, faying ye will not come unto me that you may have Life. New if they could not have the Will, their Condemnation would not be juO: ; if indeed it had once been pofllble for them to be willing to come, or fuppofing their Will good, it had been pofiTible for them to come without being irrcfiftibly made to come, the Fault might have been imputed to themfelves ; but if it were impoflible for them to be willing, how fliould they come ? Or if it were impoflible for them to come if willing, to what end Ihould they be willing ? (x) Ifa. jc. 15. Chap. 42. 2> ()f) Jer, 6. i6. Chap. 8. 5, Chap. 29. 14. (4} Hofca 5.4. To Common and Special Grace, 257 To fay, as fome do, than God's Exhorrations to Men thus unable to return and yield Obedience to him, and his Piomifes to pardon and to fave them if they will retdrn, are very ierious j becaufe he will pardon and fave them if they do thefe Things, and only doth not do this becaufe they will not turn unto him ; is as if I fhould fay a Man is ferious, when he exhorts a Blind or a Deaf Man, who had contraded thefe Difabilities by their own Fault, to fee and hear, and promifes them the higheft Advantages if they would do fo, becaufe he will give them thefe Advantages if they do fee and hear, and only doth not give them becaufe they do not do fo ; for if you fay that thefe Men cannot fee and hear, and therefore will not, fo is it with every Lapfed Man according to this Docflrine. Moreover it is certain, that what I know I cannot do if I would, I cannot rationally Will to do, becaufe I cannot ra- tionally Will in vain; if therefore God hath taughc. the Sinner that he cannot turn to him, or hearken to his Exhortations to repent and believe were he nev^er fo willing -, he hath alio taught him that he cannot ra- tionally Will to do fo, and therefore that he muft be innocent in not having fuch a Will. j^rg. 10. §. 12. And Lqfily, Our Opinion tendeth' much more to the Glory of God, than doth the con- trary Opinion ; For feeing God is chiefly glorified by the Acknovvledgment and Difcovery of his Excellen- cies, and more particularly of thofe Attributes which do inform us of our Duty, and are propofed for our Imitation, that Dodlrine which tends mod to the Ac- knowledgment of thofe Attributes, muft moil: diredly tend to the Advancement of God's Glory. Now, i/, The Wifdoni of God is mofc glorified by that Opinion which fuppofeth he ads with Man in ail his Precepts, Exhortations, Invitations, Promifes and Threats, fuitably to thofe Faculties that he haih given us, and doth not attempt by them " to engage us to S '' Im- Z 5 8 Of Sufficient and Effectual^ *' Imponibiliries \ ioi is it not a toui liiipucation upon ** the Divine WitUom to fuppofe chat he ufes and ap- ** pointeth Means for the Recovery oi" Mankind, v^hich " he knows cannot in the leaft Degree be ierviceable " to that End?" But- fuch is the Confequence of that Opinion which niakts it as impofiible for the Sinner to he converted, as for the Deaci to be raifed by any of' thofe Arguments or Motives deliver'd by him in the Scripture to engage us to repent and tnrn unto him : For, according to this Hypoihrfis^ he might as well fend Mlnifters to preach to Stones, and perfjade them to be converted into Men ; for his Om,nipotency can^ upon their preaching, produce this Change in thofe Scones : and according to this Opinion, the Converfion of a Sinner cannot be effected without a like Acl of the Divine Omnipotency. 2^ faith he, the Maker ff all tb'ras ci\iroyifiC(Tv\ rov fijvOpwxov eivci /ia^era/ nut AeAvj/xaffi i^ioig 'e^^IuKih^ug^ui %pog to. %puv.Tacc, will have Man to have Power over his own felf\ and be governed /;y his o-wn fVi/l^ i'l what he doth., it fnned Gnod to our S^vio?0\ '^ei^oT jxaXXov ncc) svt avayxv]? ixviprv\ix,s\Jv\g uttuX- hccTTsa^cii jX£v Twv u^x^m «vO£%£(70«/ la i/.Sihhov TO. uix^eivw ■that Man Jbould be withdrawn Jrom what is bad, and drazvn to what is better, rather by Perfuafion than by a Necejjity laid upon him \ [or if having invincible Power he had commanded ^H /\p>i /^ b'di^'V-\ •7rX]^poimi 'KBpirpoTCuTg uvayAuiuig y,x.] oIov ri!Ti'!:hsovs^i'ciig atpvATOig, to necejjiirj lurn:, (to v^ijc or /irca. y and di- nio:dab^e Concujjifcence or hufiingi^ Hoiv can he be freed from blame ? CHAP. III. Anfweftng the Arguments produced to prove^ id, that Man is purely pap Jive in the Work of Converjion, and that it is done by an irrejijtihle or tinfrujlrahle A6i of God. THESE Arg^nent?, for Method-fake, maybe reduced to Four Heads. I;'?, Argaments ^ taken from the Na- tore of the Work itfeif ; as, V. g. it being reprefentea*^ by fuch A6ls in v/hich v/e are con- fefledly paffive. 2c'//)., Arguments T taken from the State | As, -i;. r. that he is dead, and fa and Dilability of chc<( unable to move tOvvards a [s'cvv By a Refurreflion, Eph. i. 19, 20. A Creation, 2 Cor. ^.ij. Gal. 6. i o. Eph. 2. JO. A New Birth, John 3. 5. Perfon to be con- verted Lite, Eph. 2. i. Col. 2. 1 S3 I. To 26i Of Sufficient and Effe6tual^ From his Diuibi- lity, '" I . To difcern the Things of God, I Cor. 2. 14. 2. To think any thing, as of him- felf, 2 Cor. 3. 5, 3. To do any thing till he be firft in Chrift, John 15. 5. 4. To come to Chrift till he be drawn by God, John 6. 44. 5. To bring forth good Fruit, be- ing an evil Tree, A-Iat. 7. 18. 6. To be fubje(5l to the Law of , God, Rem. 8. 7. 3J/3?, Such as re- rGiving Faith, Eph. 2. 8. fpcd God himfelfjj Giving Repentance to Life, ^cls he being reprefent-j 11. 18. ed either, ijf, as ^Opening the Heart, ^^^s 16. 14. ri. TocircumcifetheHeart, DeiiL 30. 6. 2. To give a New Heart and Spi- rit, j£Z'i'. 1 1. 19. 36. 26. mifin Or "^ ulv as Dro- ' .*. * y'O' P ' " f' * "< 3. To write his Law in our Hearts, &> Jer. J. '3' 4. To give us one Heart, and one Way that we may fear him for . .ever, Jer. 32. 39. ^i. Who workcth in us both to Or, 3(^//}', as do will and to do, Philip. 2. 13. ing this work ir-( Hr?br. 13. 21. us, it being God, I 2. Who turns us to himfelf, J^r, 31. 18. Or, Common and Special Grace, 16-^ Or, /\.thl-j^ fuch as prove the Abfur- dity of the contra- ry Aflertion, that Man Co - operate^^ with God in this<^ 3 Work, and is no: converred v^'ithou: the free Con fen t of 4. his own WJIJ ; for if fo ic follows. That one Man makes himfelf to ditfer from another, which is contrary to i Cor. 4. 7. That Man would have caufe of boafting ; which is denied, i Cor. I. 29, 31. Eph. 2. 9. That the whole Glory of our Converfion would not be due to God. Becaufe, if Grace be refiflible by the Will of Man, it mult be uncertain whether any Man will be converted by it, or not. §. I. Now before I come to a particular Anfwcr to thefe Arguments, I think it proper to pri^mife Three Things. \ ifly That it feems unreafonable to apply all thofe Sayings of the Scripture which concern Heathen Nati- ons lying under the moll grofs Idolatry^ and under great Darknefs and Confufion, into which the corrupt Cuf- toms of the Heathens., and the Subtilty of Satan had reduced them, to prove Vv'hat is the Natural Eflate of all Men, even of thofe who have the Knowledge of the true God, and the Lig^ of the Gofpel : For to place them under the fame Difability with.Pcrfons funk into the Dregs of Heathenifm^ feems a very great Abfurdity j it being in eifeCL to fay, that Men acquainted v^ith alj the Inducements, Arguments and Motives which Chri- Jlianity affords to produce Faith, Repentance and Con- verfion in them, have no more Advantages towards Repentance and Converfion than the worll: of Heathens^ v/ho to be fure cannot do lefs than nothing towards their Converfion, and would as certainly be converted by an irrcfiftible Act of God, and by unfruflrabJe Grace, as they who have attained to the exaftefi; Know. S 4 Iedg« 264 Of Sufficient and EffeSiuaiy ^edge of God, and of the DocStrinc o^ Chrijhanity ; and yet it is certain that Tome of thofe Arguments depnd upon fuch Pafiiiges as only reprefent the State o^ Hea- thens lying in Darknefs and grofs Idolatry, and led by Salan cai live to his Will, idl% It feemeth alfo" certain that thofe Promifes, and Scripture's which refpeft whole Nations, Churches, and Chrijlians, without diftindion or refpeft of Perfons, can afford no juft Arguments to prove flich Operati- ons fhall be wrought upon them which are peculiar to the Eled ; the Reafon 1% hecaufe all the Members of any C lurch. Nation, or Publick Society, are not of the Number of the Eleft, but fome few of them only, and therefore the Promifes made to the whole Body of them muft either be conditional, and fo require fomething to be done by them in order to the Enjoyment of the Bleffmgs promifed, and then they cannot be purely paflive, or if they be abfolute, they cannot be Promi- les peculiar to the Ele6t, as being made to many which are not of that Number : and yet that this is the Nature of many of the Promifes produced in this Affair, will be evident. And, 3^/)', It fecms very impertinent to produce thofe Places of Scripthre which evidently fpeak of Men who have already believed and repented, and upon whom the Work of Regeneration hath been .wrought already, to prove that Men are purely paffive in the Work of Faith, Repentance and Regeneration: the Reafon is, becaufe fuch Places cannot concern the Work of Faith, Repentance and Regeneration yet to be wrought upon them. If it bj faid the Argument is good, a fortiori, viz. if after all thefe Works have been done upon them.. Men areflill purely paflive in all the Good they do, much rnore mud tht^y be i'o before thefe Works are wrought within them : I anfwer that the Argument, were the Cafe truly fo, would be very Good •, but the Suppofition that Men are ftill as unable after fuch Grace received, as before, to do any Good, is intoler^- Common and Special Grace, 2 <5 j bly abfurd, fince were it {o^ Men would not be one whit the better for their Converfion, and the new Na- ture wrought within them, their Faith could not be fruitful in good Works, their Mind could be no more enabled to approve the Things which are of God, nor their Wills to chufe them, nor their Affedions to de- fire them, nor their executive Faculties to perform them : feeing then fuch Places cannot be underftood of God's Working in them without any Co-operation of their own; it is evident they cannot pertinently be alledged to prove fuch Operation upon other Men. To come now to a particular Confideration of thefe Arauments. o' § 2. OVj. I. When the ^/(J/?/:^ prays that his 5/;^f/?^?H may know ()' the Cords of Lcve^ Hofea 1 1. 4. who yet were bent to hackjlidwg from him, ver. 7. and Men are faid to be (a) drawn ajide by their ozvnLuJis', for trahit fua quemq; vcluptai, every Man's Pleafure drav/s him to a Compliance with it : See the Note there. And that we are only faid to be drawn thus by the Father to Chrift, viz. by his Miracles and Divine Inftrudioris, is evident from the words follow- ing -, as a Proof of this, // is written they JJ.iaU all be tau^Jt of God, he therefore that hath heard (thefe things from) the Father Cthere is God's teaching) and learned i. e. perceived that it is even he that fpeaks and does thefe mighty things by me (there is Man's Duty and his Aiflion) he cometh to me. Without this drawing none can come to Chrifl ; for God alone can give this Pro- mife of Eternal Life to encourage us to do fo, and no Power but that of God could work thofe Miracles which confirmed this Promife, and the CommifTion of our Lord. The c/'' and ic^'^ Obje<5lions are in efFed the fiime, and fo will admit of the fame Anfwer, viz. Thatwhilft a Man is an evil T^ree, he can do nothing that is good, Mattb. 7. 18. and that the carnal Mind is not fiibjeol to the Law of God, nor indeed can be fo ; whence the In- ference is this, That this evil Tree muft be fir ft made good, this carnal Mind muft be firft made Spiritual, before he can do any thing towards his Converlion. Anfw. I. Now (iff.) the Abfurdity of thefe Objec- tions is vifible in this, that this Expofition of them (a) Jam .1. 14. 2 renders Common and Special Grace, 17 j renders all God's Exhortations to the wicked to turn froiTi the Evil of their Ways, all his Promifes of Par- don and Salvation if they turn from them, all his Threats of Death and Deftrudion if they do not turn from them, all his Complaints againft them that they would not be converted, they would not come to him, vain and abfurd ; as being Exhortations and Commands to do what he knew they could not, and he only could do without them ; Promifes of Pardon and Salvation, if he himfelf would do what they could not, and Threats of Damnation if he himfelf did it not, and in efie6l Complaints againft him ; for he that complains againft me for not doing what he himfelf alone can make me do, lays the whole Guik of not doing it upon himfelf. Anfw. 2. It is faid in the fame place. That a good ^ree cannot bring forth evil Fruit ; and elfewhere. That he that is born of God cannot Jin. Nov/ if we cannoc truly hence infer that a Good Man, or a Spiritual Per- fon, can never do an evil or a finful AsSlion, neither can we from the words cited infer, that an Evil or a Carnal Man can never do a good Adion ; for if fo. Why doth God fay to him, Ceafe to do Evil, learn to do well ? but only that they cannot do it till they will ufe the Faculties which God hath given them, to con- fider and lay to Heart the Inducements which the Gof- pel tenders to engage them to amend their Ways. Hence our Lord faith to thefe bad Trees, Make the 1'ree goody thai the Fruit may be good \ which fhews, he knew they could and ought to have done fomething towards that good Effed. And the Apojlle, by his frequent Exhortations to carnal Men, to mortify the Deeds of the Fiejb, to crucify the Flejh with its Affeolions and Lujls, to put of^ the old Man with his Deeds ; by his Threats, That if they live after the FleJJj they jlmll die^ and by his Promife, That if through the Spirit they do mortify the Deeds of the Flefh they jlmll live, plainly T*/? demon- 1/6 Of Sufficient and Effe£inaJy demonftrates noc only that they can, but that they mult be atlive, if ever this Change be wrought upon them. §, 4. To the 1 nh and i2''» Obje6lions the fame Ge- neral Anfwers may be given, they both depending on the fame Phrafe, and making thus one Argument : "What God gives we only receive, and fo are only paf- five; but God gives Faith and Repentance, yi^s 11. 18. EjA 2. 8. Anfw. T. To fhew the Vanity of fuch Objedions, I fhall confront them thus, What God commands we muft do, and therefore muft be aclive in it ; but God com' mandeth all Men every where to repent, A6ls 17. 30. and this is his Commandment that zve believe in the Name bf the Son of God, i John 3. 23. therefore we muft be adlive in the Works of Faith, John 6. 29. and of Re- pentance. Yea, by this way of arguing, all that Hardnefs of Heart the Jews con traded muft be (e^unev d 0eof) afcribcd to God, and they muft have been pure- ly pafTive in it, God having given them a Spirit of Slmjiber ', Rom. 11. 8. Ahahh falfe Prophets muft be purely paftive -, for, faith Michajah, (b) The Lord hath given a lying Spirit in the Mouth of all thy Prophets : The Enemies of God's Church muft be pafTive in all the Evils they do to her, God having {c) given them to take Peace from the Earth, 3.nd to flay fome -, and in the Blafphemies they utter againft him, God having given to the Beajl to fpeak Blafphemies, Rev. 13. 5. Jnfj:). 2. In anfvi'er to all the Sayings of like nature to thefe, I lay down this as a general and certain Rule, That ivhere God is faid to give any thing, the Exercife of that Fdiulty is fill fuppofed which he hath given us al- ready, and God is only faid to give it by giving us Qi) I Kings 22. 23. (f) Rev. 6. 4, 8, thofc Common and Special Qrace, 277 thofe Faculties by which we are enabled to obtain ir, and the Means and Motives which are fufficient to ex- cite thofe Faculties to the Performance of their proper Adions 5 I fay, the Exercife of thofe Faculties is al- ways prefuppofed, when God is faid to give that which *tis our Duty to perform, and which will turn to our Advantage and Reward. And, lit. Thus is it always with refpecl to natural Gifts -, for thus God giveth Riches^ Ecclef. 5. 19. 6. 2. becaufe \\Q. giveth Power to get JVealth^ Deut. 8. 18. but yet it is the diligent Hand, and the BlefTing of God upon our Labours //j)*^/ maketh rich^ Prov. 10, 4, 22. \ri,t giveth as our daily Bread, yea, he (d) giveth Food to all Flejh, and yet we muft eat it (^lyy Are the Philippians ex- horted to do this much more in St. Paulas Abfence than- in his Prefence ? If when he was prefent God wrought in them irrefiftibly to will and do, and could do no more in his Abfence, furely no Reafon can be given of thefe Words but this ; That whereas he being prefenc ftirr'd them up by hisCounfels and Exhortations to do what was according to the Mind of God, they in his Abfence were immediately excited to thofe Things by the Suggeftions of the Hoh S/-int, 2dly. That the Word iv^pyBtv doth not require this Senfe is evident, becaufe in Scri:,ture it occurs very often, where it muft be underftood not of a phyfical, but onlv of a moral Optration ; as when Satan is faid, ivspysTv, (a) to work in the Children of Difobediencey and the iviy Itery of Iniquity to work. 2dly, When it 2s attributed to thofc Caufes which produce not their (a) Eph. 2. 2. 2 ThefT. 2, 7. EfTeds 1 8 8 Of Sufficient and Effetiuatj Effefls by a Phyjical, but only by a Moral Operation $ as when the Word is faid to be, ivspyvn {b) powerful -^ the Word o ivepyeTraij (c) ivbich works ejfeSfiiaUy in them that believe; when it is faid that (d) Faith worketb by Love ; that (e) Chanty is, ivspyvig, effe^ual ; and of Concupifcence, that, ivepyeTro, it worketb in our mem- bers. Qi^l'-:. When it is alcribed to God fending upon Men, ivepyeiuv %\oivn;, the Efficacy of Deceit ; for fureJy 'God woiRc^th no evil phyfically. 3 ///v. Both tht'fe Places fpeak of Men already be- lieving and converted, and therefore, by the Third General Rule, muft be impertinently alledged to prove Men muit be purely pafiive in the Work of Conver- fion. ♦ § 7. Obj. 22. If Man doth any thing towards his Converfion, which another neglcdling to do is not con- verted, he makes himfelf to diflTer from that other, which yet feems not confifienf with St. PauPs Enquiry, JVbo made thse to differ from another? 1 Cor. 4.. 7. Anfw. The Apoflle manifeftly fpeaks here of thofe extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit, the Gifts of Tongues, and Prophecy, i^c. on the Account of which they were puffed up for one againft another, counting one a Man of better Gifts than another. Now thefe Gifts being immediately infufed without Humane Induilry, and conferr'd upon Chriftians without any fuch Co-opera- tion of their Faculties, as is required to the Exercife of any Cbriflian Duty, or Moral Virtue, it cannot, with lik^. Reafon, be enquired of thefe Duties, as it may be of thofe Gifts, Who made thee to differ from another in them ? Nor can it from them be ducly in- ferr'd, that no Man doth any thing to make himfelf differ from another in any Virtue, or pious Dilpofi- {b) Heb. 4. 12. (0 I ThefT. 2. 13. {d) Gal. 5.6. (e) Philem. b. tions ; Common and. Special Grace. 2 8 p dons •, for to what purpofe are Men continually ex- horted and ftirred up by Powerful Motives to all Chrifiian Duties, and particularly to excel in Virtue, if thefe Exhortations and Motives be not propofed to engage them to exercife thefe Chrijlian Virtues, to chufe the Good and reftifc the Evil? And if one Man, upon Confideration of thofe Motives, doth chufe to live a pious Life, whereas another will not be per- fuaded fo to do, doth he not ditfer from that other by Virtue of that Choice ? and tho the Grace of God by way of Excitation worketh in us thus to will, yet fince our Faculties do lirft deliberate upon, and then comply, and chufe to do the thing to which this Grace excites us ; if to confider, be to differ from him than doth not confider, and to comply with and to em- brace the Call of God, be to differ from hini that difobeys the fame Call, it muft be certain, that as God's Grace preventing and exciting, fo my Facul- ties co-operating tend to* make me differ from ano- ther. And doth not God himfelf declare, that Men do fomewhat to make themfslves differ from others, by praifing them who did what others neglected to do ; as in the Cafe of- the (f) Ber^dans, the Elder and the younger Son, the Publicans and Harlots compar'd with the Scribes and Pharifees, the Penitent Publican and the Proud Pharifee ? To the Qi.ieftion then, when two are equally called, and one converted, V/ho is it that -puts .the 'Difference? the Anfwer grounded upon God's own Righteous Judgment will be this. That Man puts the Difference, and not God only ; becaufe God judgeth not his own Acls, but the Ads of Men, dealing with every Man according to his own Works ; and becaufe every Righteous Judge finds a Difference, 2.nd doth not make it, where the Sentence is fo vaftly different. (/) Afts 17. 10, II. 2po Of Sufficient and EffeSimJy § 8. Obj. 23, 24. That by this Doflrine wc adhiini- fler occafion of boafting to all that are converted and fa- ved, by attributing their Converfion and Salvation part- ly to their Works ; whereas the Apojtle faith, by Grace we are favedy not of Works, lejl any Man Jhrndd be aft : and moreover, according to the fame Dodtrine, the whole Glory of Converfion will not be due to God, becaufe Man co-operates with him ; whereas the Di- vine Wifdomhath fo contrived theBufinefs of our Sal- vation, that )70 Fle/h JJjould glory in his Sights i Cor. i. 29. Jnfw. To the firfl: Part of the Objedion taken from E])h. 2. 8, 9. I have already given a full An- fwer, by fhewing that thefe Words, we are fav'd by Grace thro* Faith, bear this Senfe, That thro* the fa- ying Grace of God appearing to us by the Preach- ing of the Gofpel, and believed by us, we are put into a State of Salvation j and that all this is done to any Church or Nation, thro* the Free Grace and Mercy of God, without any thing done by them an- tecedently to this Grace ; and more efpecially by fhew- ing, that tho our adtual Salvation depend upon good Works, or on fmcere Obedience to be performed afcer Faith, yet is all Boafting utterly excluded upon feve- ral Accounts ; ift. Becaufe that Revelation which con- tains the Matters of our Faith, and all the Powerful Motives to embrace it, and all thofe Miracles which ren- dred that Revelation highly credible, and fo engaged us to believe it, is the Free Gift of God. 2dly. Be- caufe tlie Good Works we do, proceed not from our- felves, but are the Fruits of that Faith, which, in the Senfe now mentioned, is the Gift of God, and from that Word and Spirit of God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good Pleafure. As therefore the Apofile faith of the Gift of Tongues and Prophecy, What ("Gift) haji thou, which thou haft not received \ and if thou haft received it, wherefore doft ihou Common and special Grace. 291 thou hoaji as if thou hadjl not recewed it ? fo may we here \ What Faculty of believing, or willing what is o-ood, haft thou which thou haft not receiv*d ? Whac Motive thus to will, or to believe, which hath not been vouchfafed by the Free Grace of God ? What good Work doft thou when this Grace hath made thee wil- ling, but in the Strength of God, and by the Aid of that good Spirit by whom we d^vt Jlrcngthened with i/iight in the inward Man to do his I'Vill F and it thou haft re- ceived Strength from God for the Performance of them, wherefore doft thou boaft ? this being the Jpojiie's Rule, that we can hoaji of nothing hut that which we have not received. 2dly. Tho God is pleafed to require of us to be vi'il- ling, yea to (g) ceafe to do Evil, and to learn to do well\ to qualify us for his Mercy in the Pardon of our Sins, to make our Faith the Condition of Juftification, and our good Works the Condition of Salvation ; yet is all Boafting utterly excluded, becaufe it is ftiil of Grace that any of thefe things do find Acceptance. It is of preventing and exciting Grace that v;e thus will, chufe and refufe ; of affifting Grace that we are enabled to perform that Will, and perfift in this Choice, or Re- fufal ; and of true Mercy, that the Pardon of all our Crimfon Sins is annexed to fo doing ; it is of Grace that Faith is imputed to Juftification, it being of Faith, tvx yuTct. %ap'V, that it jnight he of Grace, Rom. 4. 16. it alfo is ol" Grace that our imperfed Works are ac- counted good, and are at all rewarded by God. Now upon what Account can any of us boaft of doing that which in itfelf deferves Condemnation, tho thro' Grace it finds Acceptance .? Boafting, fiith the Apoftk, is not excluded hy the Law of Works, Rom. 3. 27. becaufe to him that workeih the Reward is not reckoned cf Grace hut of Debt, Rom. 4. 4. Grace, and Works that deferve Juftification and Salvation, being perfc6lly oppofite one to another -, but it is, faith he, excluded hy the (g) lh.u 16, 17, 1 8, U 2 Liza 2^1 Of Sufficient and Effe6iiialy Law of Faith : where therefore the Acceptance of the Aft to fuch a Purpofe is of Free Grace -, where the Reward is ftill of Grace, and not of Debt ; where it is given on the Account of Works imperfeft, and de- ferving nothing from God, there Boafting is excluded. 2,dly. Obferve, that the Scripture plainly grants that there is nuvzm^tif or matter of glorying^ in things done by the Afliltance of the Grace of God, and it is for the Glory of a Man to do them : St. Paul faith, it, were better for him to die, than that an'j Man Jhould make void^ to y.civxyil^a, his Boafting, in preaching the GofpsI without Charge, i Cor. q. 15, 16. Yea, he fwears that no Man Jhould flop^ rviv v.cL\)%vf\>i «ut5, his hoafiing in that kind, 1 Cor. 11. 10. And in behalf of all his Fellow- workers, or Apoftles, he faith, this is i] K«o%v](r/j, our hoafling, or rejoicing, in the 'Tejtii'nony of our Confcience, 2 Cor. i. 12. and this Advice he gives to all Chrijliam, Let every Man approve his own work fto his own ConfcienceJ and then JJjall he have, to j(«i/- X^l^ci, hoajling^ or rejoicing, inhimfelf andnotin at'ctber, (jal, 6. 4. The glorying therefore, or the to j(«u%ii(x«f, which the Apoftle elfewhere doth rejeft and exclude, Js only that of the Merit of our Works, or their Suf- ficiency to procure the Juftification of a Sinner, Ro7n. -rj. 27. 4. 2. or that which doth exclude the Help, and the AlTiftance of the Grace of God in Cbriji, I Cor. I. 20,31. To proceed then to the Second Pare of this Obje6lion, That by our Doftrine the Glo- ry of our Converfion will not be wholly due to God, hccaufe Man co-operates with him -, this will be fuf- ficiencly accounted for by obferving, that the Princi- ple by which Man co-ojperatcs with him in this Work is deriv'd from him, and all the Motives which excite this'Principle to ad, arife purely from God's preventing and cxciii.'ig Grace: Now where both the Principle of ailing, and the fole Motives to a<5t are from God nlone, tliere the whole Glory of the Aflion muft be ) :c Lo him alone. Thus the Wealth is the Fruit of InduHrv, Vofnfhon and special Grace. 29 j Induftry, and 'tis the diligent Hand that maketh rich ; yet becaufe God gives the Power to get IVealth^ and .'tis his Bleffing on our Enterprizes which maketh rich, the Glory of it is due to God alone;, and vye muft fliy with David, (b) Riches and Honour come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee ; all this fiore comcth of th^ Hand, and it is all thine own. After all our Induftry to find out Wifdom, and to fearch for her as for hid Treafure, we muft give the. All- wife God the Glory of all the Wifdom we attain to, as knowing that the Lord giveth lVifdo7n, cut of his Mouth Cometh Under ft anding. Thus St. Faid fiith, (0 ^ la- hour''d more abundantly than they all', and yet alcribes all to the Grace of God that was in him : and tho* Paul did plant, and ApoUos water, yet becaufe God gave the Increafe ; {k) neither, faith he, is Paul or Ai-cllos to be deemed any thing, but all muft be afcribed to God that giveth the Increaf. So when the Apofile faith, (/) It is not of him that willcth, nor of him that runneth, hut of God that fkeweth Mercy, moft of the Fathers de- fcant thus upon thofe Words, // is net of him that wil- leth, nor of him that runneth only, hut of God that fhew- eth Mercy, and crowns the Work hy his Jjfiftance ; for otherwife, fay they, it cannot be our Duty either to will or run, provided we can neicher by willing, or by running, do any thing to encline God to fhew Mer- cy j and why then doth God blame us for not willing, Maltb. 23. 0^"]. John 5. 40. and require u's, fo to run that zve may obtain? i Cor. 9. 24. Heb. ^2. i. And whereas againft this it is objeded, that according to this Inter- pretation it might be faid, // is not of God that fJoeweth Mercy only, but of Man who wills and runs ; Origcn, St. Chryfcjtom, and Theopbylacl anfwer. That this fol- lows not, becaufe Man's willing and running would not avail without the Divine Aid to enable him to ruq, {h) I Chron. 29 n, 14., 16. (/) i Cor. 15. 10. (Ji) I Cor, 4. 6, 7. (/) Rom. 9. 13. U 5 and ^94 0/ Stiffictent an^ Effe^uatj and his Grace and Mercy to accept his running ; and therefore according to the Cuftom of the Scripture^ the Effe6t is to be afcribed to the chief Agent only, as when 'tis faid. Except the Lord build the Houfe^ the-j labour in vain that build it, Pfal. 127. i. tdh. Our Lord and his Apojl-les often commend the good Adlions of Men, and Chrijl will at laft fay to the Righteous Man, IVelt done ihou good and faithjul Ser- vant •, therefore he that turns from his evil Ways, and doth that which is right in the Sight of God, is com- mendable, and doth that which is Praife-worthy : For God doth not judge of Things, or Perfons, otherwife than they are. If then this be the Conf^^quence charg*d upon our Opinion, that it makes fome Praife belong to the Convert and the BeJiever, God himfelf owns the Truth of it, by requiring us to do what is honourable and Praife-worth\\ Philip. 4.. 8. to fuffer for Confcience towards God, tsto yap %ap/j, for this is Thank-zcorth'j^ I Pet. I. 19, 20. and faying. That our Faith ivill be found to our Praife, Honour and Glory at the Revelation of Chrifl Jefus, i Pet. i. 9, 10. The contrary Doctrine is liable to this juft Exception, that it doth confequen- tially aflert, that no Thanks are due for any Kindnefs received, if he to whom it is done be not merely paf- five, and if he that receivech a Kindnefs be but fo much as adive in receiving or accepting it, the Glory of it redounds to him rather than to the Benefifl"or ; fo that we muft not expecfl from Chrifi the Praife and Glory of feeding his hungry Members, unlefs we put the Meat into their Mouths ; or of cloathing them -when na- ked, unlefs we put the Clothes upon them -, or of re- ceiving them into our Houfes, tho' we do invite and open the Door for them, unlefs we force them in : That he who gives a Prifoner Money fufficient to pay off his Debt, is not to have the Glory of his Releafe, if he require the Prifoner to tell out, and deliver the Money to the Creditor; and that the Prince /who par- dons his condemned Subjeft, upon Condition that he will Common and Special Cirac^: zpj will plead his Pardon, is not to have the fole Glory of that pardoning Mercy : and the true Confequence from this is, faith Dr. Claget^ that the Glory of God's Grace wholly depends upon the Sullennefs and Obili- nacy of Men, and that the only way to advance it, is by a flout Oppofition and fpiteful Refiftance of it. Part 2. p. 208. § 9. Obj. 25. Laftly, It is obje<5led, That the Opi- nion which makes the Grace of God refiflible, leaves it uncertain whether any one will be converted by it, or not. Anfw. I. To this I anfwer: (i/?.) That it leaves it as uncertain whether any one will be unconverted, or not ; and furely, that Opinion which affords this En- couragement to all, that God, notwithllanding their Fall, will afford Means fufficient to convert them, if they do not negleft and refufe to ufe them, is much to be prefer'd before that which tells them he hath from Eternity pafs'd an Ad of Preterition on them, and by that excluded them out of the Number of the Eledt, i. e. of them who only fhall be faved. Anfw. 1. idly. A Man may, notwithflanding this Opinion, be infallibly certain, otherwife, that many will be found true Converts at the lafl, becaufe he knows that many have already died in the Fear of God, and in the Faith of Cbrifi, and becaufe the Holy Scriptures do affure us that fo7ne /hall ar'ife to everlafting Life^ and receive the end of their Faith in the Salvation of their Souls. Anfj}.. 3. '^dl'j. To fay that It is barely poffible in the Nature of the Thing that none may be converted hath no Inconvenience in it, becaufe it tends not to hinder any Man's Endeavours after his Converfion, any more than the like PofTibility, that no Man may U 4 thrive lp(J Of Sufficient and Effe£lna}^ &cc, thrive by his Indultry, or grow rich by his Trading, or have a fafe Voyage at Sea, or a plentiful Crop by fowing, or Health by taking Phyfick, hinders Men from doing any of thefe A6lions. It is no Imputation upon Divine Wifdom, that God himfelf complains he had given his Law to the Jews in vain -, nor did St. Paul conceive it any Defed in the Grace of G6d, that it might be received in vain by the Churches of Corinth^ 2 Cor. 6. I. of G alalia^ Chap. 3. 4. and of Tbeffalo- mca, i ThefiC 3. 5. and by Parity of Reafon by all other Churches. It is poffible, that no one Subjcft may obey the Laws of his Superior, becaufe they have Free Will, and may do Evil under the flrongeft Obligations to do well •, but (hould the World be left therefore without Human Laws, or be governed by irrefiftible Force, or not at all ? Nay, rather that Freedom which includes a bare Poflibility that all may difobey, proves the Wifdom and Juftice of governing Mankind by Laws attended with Moral Inducements to Obedience: Whereas if we fuppofe Men to be under a NecefTity either of doing what is required, or of doing the con- trary, it is very hard to underftand how governing them by Moral Means fhould be wife in the former Cafe, or juft in the latter. DIS. ^9^ DISCOURSE IV. Of the Freedom of the Will of Man. The State of the ^ejiion. C H A P. I. F OR the due flating of this Qiieftion concern- ing the Liberty, or Freedom of the Will of Man, let it be noted. § I. iji. That the State of Man, in this World, is a State of Trial or Probation ; as will be evident, 17?. From all thofe Places in which God is faid. to exercife his Difpenfations towards his People, to provir them whether they would walk in his PFays^ or not ; as in thofe Words, / will rain Bread from Heaven^ to prove them whether they will walk in my Ways, or not^ Exod, 16. 4. i, e. Whether the conftant ProvifionsI make for them, will induce them to continue ftedfaft in my Service. When they were terrified at the dreadful Sights, and the Voice they heard at the giving of the Law, Mofes fpeaks to them thus. Fear not^ for God is come to prove you. Chap. 20. 20. (?'. e. to try whether you will be true to the Promife made Chap. 19. 8. viz. ail that the Lord i 9 8 Of the 'Freedom Lord hath fpoken we will do) ajid that his Fear viay hs before your Faces that you fin not. And fo in many other "Places, which will hereafter be confider'd. 2dly, From all thofe Places in which God is faid to try- Men. Thus St. Paul fpeaks of the Trial of Mens IVorks hy Fire, i Cor. 3. 13. of the I'rial of die Macedonians *by Afflictions, 2 Cor. 8. 7. St". James faith, that the Trial of our Faith^ by Temptations, worketh Patience, Chap. I . ■;. St. Peter, that the Trial of our Faith, (by manifold Temptations, if we continue fledfaft in it) will he found to our Praife, Honour and Glory at the ap~ fearing of Jefus Chrifl, i Pet. 1. 7. and fpeaketh of a fiery Trial which was come to try them.. Chap. 4. 12. Our Bleffed Lord faith to the Church of Smyrna, Behold the Devil will cajl fome ef you into Prifon that he may try you. Rev. 2. 10. and propheiiesof an Hour of Temp- tation, which jhall come upon all the IVorld to try them that dwell upon the Earth ; to omit many Places of like nature in the OldTeflament, viz. Pfal, 66. 12. fer, 9.7. T)an. 11.35. 12.10. Zfif/^. 13. 9. ^ Ojdly. From all the Promifes and Threats recorded in the Scripture, to engage all Men to repent and turn to God •, for no fuch Thing is, or can reafonably be of- fer*d to them who are already in a fixed State either of Happincfs or Mifery ; and it is contrary even to the Nature of thofe Motives to be offer*d to them, who neither can be induced by the Hopes of Promifes, or Fears of Sufferings, to change their prefent State. \thly. From all the Exhortations of the Holy Scrip- ture to Men, to watch and pray that they enter not in- to Temptation, and to pray they may not be led into Temftation \ from the Suppofition that Men in the Time of Temptation m^y fall a-^ay, Luke 8. 13. and that