§ 
 
 -f 
 
 - i? 
 
 From the Rev. W. B. SPRAGUE, D.D. Sept. 1839. ^ 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 JSheological ^cminavy, 
 
 PRINCETON. N.^L 
 
 TvT r' Division 
 
 No. Case,- 
 
 No. Shelf, ii@GLi^ 
 
 No. Book,-• 
 
 _____________ 
 
 Sprague Collection . Vol . T" 
 

 
 
 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2017 with funding from 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 https://archive.org/details/doctrineofabsoluOOzanc_O 
 
I 
 
 it O \ ti. \“Y\ t> Am. t 
 
 T H J 
 
 O C T R I N E 
 
 O F 
 
 Abfolute Predestination 
 
 STATED and ASSERTED: 
 
 • ^ 2 • "o 
 
 W I T H 
 
 A PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE 
 
 On the DIVINE ATTRIBUTES* 
 
 TRANSLATED, IN GREAT MEASURE, 
 
 From the Latin of JEROM ZANCHIUS.. 
 
 By AUGUSTUS TOPLADY, A. B. 
 
 Vi car of Broad Hemeury, Devon ; and Chap¬ 
 lain to the Right Hon. Lord Holland. 
 
 S^uam’vis ad infimac Cavtas Plaujum facile ambiant \Jn\- 
 verfalis Gratiae AJJertores ; et ex Ambone , hoc Argu- 
 mentum multis Phaleris fplendide adornari pnjjlt ; tamen , 
 nil pcnitius excnt’tur , Argutiae omnes evanefcunt , el 
 afcendcndum , tandem , ad Deum difcrimlnantem , acterno 
 Dccrcto fub , Hominem ab Homine : qno , z'« aliquibus , 
 Gratiae /«<?(’; in aids, Justitiae fuae ; in atrip, 
 qne, Gloriae fuae polupoikiles, exfiet Documentum . 
 
 Spanhem. Syntagm. Difp. P. 236. 
 
 N E IF - r o R K: 
 Printed by HODGE and S HO B E II, 
 For. SAMUEL LOUDON, on Hunter’s Key, 
 
 M.D CC.L XXIII 
 

 / 
 
 . V 
 
 f 
 
 V 
 
^ -2 yp H E N I confider the ab folu’te indepen- 
 
 A -^.'oooas.■{§}*•» Jency of GOD, and the necefiary, to- 
 |s? 1 w I ta ^ dependence of all created things on 
 X X ^ Him their firft caufe; I cannot help 
 t v Handing aftoniihed at the pride of impo- 
 
 '^dStvSsr 3 ' ^ tent, degenerate man, who is fo prone 
 to coniider him Self as a being poffefied' of fove'reign 
 freedom, and inverted with a power of felf-falvation : 
 able, he imagines,' to counter aB the defigns'even of Infinite' 
 Wjfdom, and to defeat the agency ol Omnipotence itfelfl 
 Tejball Feas gods, laid the tempter to Eve, in Paradife ; 
 and Ye are as gods; fays the fame tempter, now, to her 
 apoftate fons.—One would be apt to think* that a fug- 
 geftion, fo de.nonrtrably falfe and flattering, a fuggef- 
 tion, the very reverfe of what we feel to be cur Hate; 
 a fuggeftion, alike contrary to feripfure and rcafon, t<r 
 fall and experience ; could never meet with the fmaileft 
 degree cf credit. And yet, becauie it fo exactly coin¬ 
 cides with the natural haughtinefs of the human heart, 
 men not only admit, but even reliih the deception,- 
 and fondly incline to believe, that-the father of lies 
 does, in this inftance at ieart, fpeak truth. 
 
 The feripture doctrine or predetermination, lays tire 
 axe to the very root ot this potent delufion. It allures 
 us, that All things are cf God. 1 hat All our times, and 
 Ad. events, are in his hand; confequently, that man’s 
 b blinds below is, chief/_y, to fill up the departments, 
 and to difcharge the fever.il offices aligned him, in 
 God’s purpole, from everlafting ; and that, having lived 
 A 3 h:s 
 
[ ir ] 
 
 his appointed time , and finilhed his allotted courfe of action 
 and luffering, he, that moment, quits the flage of ter- 
 teArial life, and removes to the invilible Aate. 
 
 The iate defervedly celebrated Dr. Young, tho’ be 
 affected great oppofition to fome of the doftrines called 
 Calvin fie ; was yet compelled, by the force of truth, 
 to acknowledge, that ‘ There is not a Fly, but has 
 
 * had Infinite V. ifdom concerned, not only in its firuc- 
 
 * ture, but in its defiinaticn Nor did the late learn¬ 
 ed and excellent Bifhop Hopkins go a jot too far, in 
 aliening as follows : ‘ A lparrovv, whole price is but 
 
 * mean, two of them valued at a farthing (which fome 
 
 * make to be the ioth part of a Roman penny, and was 
 
 * certainly one of their lenll coins) and whofe life, there- 
 
 * tore, is but contemptible, and whofe flight leems gid- 
 ‘ dy and at random ; yet it falls not to the ground, nei- 
 4 ther lights any where, without your Father. His all- 
 4 wife providence hath before appointed what bough it 
 
 * fliall pitch on ; what grains it lhall pick up ; where it 
 4 lhall lodge, and Where it fhall build; on what it fhall 
 ‘ line, and when it fhall die .—Our Saviour adds, The 
 
 * very hairs of your head are all numbered. God keeps an 
 4 account, even of that ftringy excrefcence.—Do you fee 
 4 a thoufand little motes and atoms wandering up and 
 4 down in a fun-beam l It it God that fo peoples it, and 
 4 he guides their innumerable and irregular Arayings. 
 
 * Not a duf flies in a beaten road, but God raifeth it, 
 4 conduits its uncertain motion, and, by his particular 
 4 ca e, conveys it to the certain place he had before ap¬ 
 pointed for it: nor lhall the moA fierce and tempeftu- 
 ‘ ou3 wind hurry it any 1 rther.— jNothing comes to 
 4 pal's, but God hath his ends in it, and will certa.nly 
 4 make his own ends out of it. Tho’ the world feem to 
 4 run at random, and affairs to be huddled together in 
 4 blind confuflon and rude diforder ; yet God fees and 
 4 knows the concatenation of all caufes and ejjedts , and fo 
 4 governs them, that he makes a perfeTl harmony out of 
 4 all thofe feeming jarrings and uilccrds.-—It is moll 
 4 neceffary, that we fhoul J have our hearts well eflablifr.- 
 4 ed in the firm and unwavering belief ot this truth ; 
 
 4 That 
 
 * Cc iMur n ot Fab. Letter II. 
 
C v ] 
 
 { That vjhatfoever comes to pafs, be it good or evil , wet 
 ‘ may look up to the hand and difpofal of all, to God— 
 
 * In refpeft of God, there is nothing eafual, nor con- 
 ‘ tingent, in the world. If a matter lhould lend a fervent 
 ‘ to a certain place, and command him to flay there tilt 
 ‘ fuch a time ; and prefently after, Should fend another 
 ‘ fervant to the fame [place] ; the meeting of thefs 
 ‘ two is wholly eafual, in refpeff of themfelves, but or- 
 ‘ dained and forefeen by the matter who fent them. So it 
 
 * is in all fortuitous events here below. They fall out 
 
 * unexpectedly as to us ; but not fo as to God. He fore- 
 ‘ fees, and he appoints, all the viciilitudes of things*.’ 
 
 To illuftrate this momentous doibrine, efpeci'ally l'o 
 far as God’s foverfeign diftributton of grace and glory is 
 concerned, was the chief motive that determined me to- 
 the prefent publication. In perilling the works of that 
 matt learned and evangelical Divine, one ofwhofe per¬ 
 formances now appears in an Englifh d'refs ; i was par¬ 
 ticularly taken with that part of his ConfelTion of Faith 
 (prefented A. D. 1562, to the Senate of Strafburgh), 
 which relates to predeftination. It is, from beginning 
 to end, a regular chain of folid argument, deduced from 
 the unerring word of Divine Revelation, and confirm¬ 
 ed by the coincident teftiraonies of iome ot the greateft 
 lights that ever (hone in the Chriftian church. Such 
 Were Auftin, Luther, Bucer, MelamSjfhon. Names, 
 that will be precious and venerable, as long as true re¬ 
 ligion has a friend remaining upon earth. 
 
 Excellent as Zanchy’s original piece is, I yet have 
 occalionally ventured, both to retrench and to enlarge 
 it in the tranfiation. To this libs' ty I was induced, by 
 a defire of rendering it as complete a treadle on the 
 fubjeff, as the allotted compafs would allow. I have 
 endeavoured rather to enter into thz fpirii of the admi¬ 
 rable author, than, with a fcrnpulous exadfnsfs, to re¬ 
 tail his very words. By which means, the performance’ 
 will prove, I humbly truft, the more fatisfa&ory to the 
 Englifh reader; add, for the learned one, he can at any 
 time, if he pleafes, by comparing the following Verlion 
 with the original Latin, both perceive wherein I have 
 A 3 prefumed 
 
 * Sermon upon Providence, f»om x, 29, 30, 
 
[ vi ] 
 
 prefumed fo vary from it; and judge for himfeF, whe¬ 
 ther my omiflions, variations, and enlargements are ui'e- 
 iul and juft. 
 
 The Arminians, ( T know not, whether thro’ igno- 
 rance, or to ferre a turn) afFeCt, at prefenr, to give out. 
 That Luther and Calvin were not agreed in the article 
 of Predejt-ination. A more palpable miftake was never 
 advanced. So far is it from being true, that Luther 
 (as I can ealily prove it called to it) went as heartily 
 into that doctrine as Calvin himfelf. He even allerted 
 it with much more warmth, and proceeded to much 
 hiirjbcr lengths in defending it, than Calvin ever did, or 
 any other writer 1 have met with of that age.—In the 
 following performance, I have, for the mod part, care¬ 
 fully retained Zanchy’s quotations from Luther, that 
 the reader from the fainple, there given, might form a 
 juft idea of Luther’s real fentiments concerning the 
 points in queftion. 
 
 Never was a publication of this kind more feafonabIc than 
 at prefent. Arminianifin is the grand religious evil of this 
 age and country. It has, more or lefs infected every Pro- 
 teftant denomination ainon gft us, and bids fair for leaving 
 us in a fnort time, not fo much as the very profejjion of 
 godlinefs. The/><?iiwofChriftianity has, for the inoftpart 
 taken its flight long ago ; and even the form of it ieems 
 to beon the point of bidding us farewell. Time has been, 
 when the Calviniftic dodtrines were conftdered and de¬ 
 fended as the Palladium of our Eftabliihed Church, by 
 her Bilhops and Clergv; by the Univerftties and the 
 whole body of the Laity. It was (during the reigns of 
 Edward VI. Queen Elizabeth, James Land the greater 
 part of Charles I.) as difficult to meet with a Clergy¬ 
 man, who did not preach the doctrines of the Church 
 of England as it is now to find one who does.-—We have 
 generally forfaken the principles of the Reformation ; 
 and Icbahod. , or, Thy glory is departed , has been written 
 on mod: of our pulpiis and church-doors ever lince. 
 
 “ Thou, Q God, haft brought a vine out of 
 “ Egy t; thou caft out the heathen, and planted it. 
 
 " Thou preparedft room before it, and didlt caufe it 
 “ to take deep root j and it filled the laud. 
 
 *' The 
 
“ The hills were covered with the fhadow of it, and 
 “ the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. 
 
 “ She lent out her boughs to the lea, and her branches 
 “ unto the river. 
 
 “ Why half thou then broken down her hedges, fo 
 “ that all they, who pafs by the way, do pluck her? 
 
 “ The boar, out of the wood, doth wafte it ; and the 
 “ wild bead: of the field doth devour it. 
 
 “ Return we befeech thee, O God of hods! Look 
 “ down from heaven, and behold and vilit this vine ; 
 
 “ And the vineyard, which thy right hand hath plant” 
 “ ed; and the branch that thou madeftftrong Jor thyfelf! 
 
 “ So will we not go back from thee : quicken us, and 
 “ vve lhall call upon thy name. 
 
 “ Turn us again, O Lord God of hods! caufe thy 
 “ face to Ihine, and we lhall yet be laved.” Pfalm lxxx. 
 
 Never was defcription more drikingly expreliivc 
 of the date our national church is, at prefent, ill ! 
 Never was /application more pertinently adapted to th@ 
 lips of her genuine Jons ! 
 
 In vain do we lament the progrefs of Popery; in vain 
 do we Ihut up a few private mafs-houfes; while our 
 prejfes teem, and our pulpits ring, with the Romijh 
 dodtrines of Merit and Free-will : dodtrines whole 
 native and inevitable tendency is, to frriooth the paf- 
 fage for our fuller coalition with Antichrijl. If we are 
 really delirous, to limn committing l'piritual Adultery 
 with the mother of harlots and abominations ; we mull 
 withdraw our feet from the way that leadetb to her houfi. 
 
 Blefled be God, the doctrines of grace are again be¬ 
 ginning to lift up their heads amongd us: a ben, it it 
 to be hoped, that the Holy Spirit hath not quite for- 
 faken us ; and that our redemption , from the prevailing 
 errors of the day, drawetb near. Now, if ever, is the 
 time, for all who love our church and nation in lin- 
 cerity, to lend an helping hand to the Ark , and con¬ 
 tribute, though ever fo little to its return. 
 
 The grand objection, ufitally made to that impor¬ 
 tant truth, which is the main fubjedt of the enduing 
 Iheets ; proceeds on a l’uppoiition of partially in God, 
 Should the Caiviniilic doctrine be admitted.—If this 
 
 coufequence 
 
[ 1 
 
 confequence did really follow, I fee not how it would 
 authorize man to arraign the conduct of Deity. Should 
 an earthly friend make me a prefent of 10,0001. would 
 it not be unrcafonable , ungrateful , and prefumptuous in 
 me, to refuje the gitt, and revile the giver, only bc- 
 caufe it might not be his pleafure to confer the fame 
 favour on my next-door neighbour ?—In other oaf s, 
 the value of a privilege, or of a pofieffion, is enhanced , 
 by its fcarcenefs. A virtuofo , fets but little efeein on 
 a medal, a ifatue, or a vafe, fo common, that every 
 man, who pleafes, may have one of the fame kind : 
 he prizes that alone, as a rarity, which really is fuch; 
 and which is not only intrinfically valuable, but which 
 lies in few hands.—Were all men, here upon earth, 
 qualified and enabled to appear as Kings ; the crown, 
 the feeptre, the robe of fate, and other enfigns of Ma- 
 jefly, would prefently fink into things hardly notice¬ 
 able. The difiinguifhing grandeurs of Royalty, by 
 ceaiing to be uncommon, would quickly ceafe to be 
 augujl and friking. Upon this principle it was, that 
 Henry IV. of Franc?, i'aidon his birth-day, ‘I was born 
 ‘ as on this day ; and, no doubt, taking the world 
 ‘ through, thoufands were born on the fame day with 
 ‘ me : yet, out of all thofe thoufands, I am, perhaps, 
 
 * the only one whom God hath made a King. How 
 ‘ fignally am I indebted to the peculiar bounty ot his 
 
 * Providence !’-—Similar are the reflections and the 
 acknowledgment ot fuch perfons, as are favoured with 
 the lenfe of their Elehlion in Chrift to hoiinefs and 
 heaven. 
 
 1 But v.'hat lecomes of the non-elett ?’ You have no¬ 
 thing to do with fuch a qucllion, if you find yourfelf 
 embarrafled and diftrefied with the conlideration of it. 
 Blefs God for his electing love : and leave him to aft 
 as he pleafes by them that are without. S-imply ac- 
 quiefee in the plain Scripture-account, and with tQ 
 fee no‘fa r ther, than Revelation holds the lamp. ’ 'Pis 
 enough for you to know, That the Judge of the whole 
 earth will do right.— Yet, will you reap much improve¬ 
 ment from th? view of predefiination, in its full ex¬ 
 tent, if your eyes ..re able ftedfaftly to look at all 
 
 which. 
 
[ « 3 
 
 which God hath made known concerning it. But, if 
 your Spiritual light is weak, forego the enquiry, fo far 
 as reprobation is concerned ; and be con ten- to know 
 but in part , till death tranfmits you to that perfect: date, 
 where you (hall know even as you are known. Say not, 
 therefore, as the oppofers of thefe dodirines did in St. 
 Paul’s days ; JVby doth God find fault with the wicked? 
 For who hath refifteil his will ? ‘If he, who only can 
 ‘ convert them, refrains from doing it; what room is 
 ‘ there for blaming them that perilh, feeing it is im- 
 ‘ pollible to reiift the will of the Almighty ?’ Be Satis¬ 
 fied with St. Paul’s anfwer : “ Nay, but who art thou 
 “ O man, that replied againd God?” TheApodle hin¬ 
 ges the matter entirely on God’s abfolute fovereignty % 
 There he reds it; and there w ought to leave it. * 
 Were the whole of mankind equally loved of God, 
 end promifaioufiy redeemed by Chrid; the Jong , which 
 believers are directed to ling, would hardly run in thefe 
 admiring drains : “ To him that hath loved us, and 
 “ walked us from our tins in his own blood, and hath 
 “ made us Kings and Prieds unto God, Sic.” Rev. 
 i. 6. An hymn of praife, like this, feems evident¬ 
 ly to proceed on the hypothefis of peculiar Election, on 
 the part of God ; and of a limited redemption , on the 
 part of Chrid : which we find dill more explicitly de¬ 
 clared, Rev. v. 9. where we have a tranfcript of that 
 
 * Some of the more conliderate Heathens treated 
 God’s hidden will, with an adoring reverence, which 
 many of our modern Arminians would do well to imi¬ 
 tate. Thus Biou (Kleod. Murs. 10.) 
 
 ‘ ’Tis not for man to fit iri judgment on the actions 
 « of God.’ 
 
 So Theognis (Guam, iqr, 142.) 
 
 ‘ We men are foolifii in our imaginations and know 
 ‘ nothing: 
 
 4 But the Gods accomplilli all things according to 
 ‘ their own mind.’ 
 
 And again, (iin. 687, 688.) 
 
 ‘ ’Tis not lawful for mortals, to enter the lids with 
 ‘ the Gods, nor to bring in an accufation againd them.’ 
 
[ X ] 
 
 forig, which the fbirits of juft men. made perfeft are ncfv 
 iinging before the Throne, and before the Lamb: 
 “ Thou* waft llain, and haft redeemed us unto God, by 
 “ thy blood, out of every kindred, anft tongue, and 
 “ people, and nation.” Whence the eleft are laid to 
 have been redeemed from among men. Rev. xiv. 
 
 In fhort there is no fuch thing as cajualty or accident , 
 even in things of temporal concern: much lei's, in mat¬ 
 ters fpiritual and ever lading. If the univerfe had a 
 Maker , it muft have a Governor : and, if it has a Go¬ 
 vernor, his will and providence muft extend to all thing 's, 
 without exception. For my own part, I can difeern 
 no medium between ablolute Predeftin.ition, and blank 
 Atheifm. 
 
 Mr. Roll in, if I offtake not, has, fomewhere, a 
 fine obfervation, to this efteft: That ‘ It is ufual, 
 
 ‘ with God, fo carefully to conceal himfelf, and to 
 ‘ hide the Agency of his Providence behind fecond 
 ‘ caufes ; as to render That, very often, undil'ce ; nable, 
 ‘and indiftraguifhable from The/ef Which wifdom of 
 conduct, and gentlenel's of operation (not lei's efficacious, 
 becaufe gentle and invifible) inftead of exciting the ad¬ 
 miration t.\ey deferve; have, on the contrary, given 
 occafion to the letting up of that unreal idol of the 
 brain, called chance< Whereas, to ufe the lovely lines 
 of our great moral poet, 
 
 Ail Nature is hut Art unknovm to thee; 
 
 All Chance, Direction which thou canjl not fee. 
 
 Words are' only lo far valuable, as they are the ve¬ 
 hicles of meaning. And meaning, or ideas , derive 
 their whole value from .their having fome foundation 
 in reafon , reality and fiiH. Was I, therefore, to be 
 concerned in drawing up an JLxpurgatory Index to lan¬ 
 guage ; I would, without mercy, cashier and proferibe 
 fuch words, as chance , fortune , luck, cajualty, contin¬ 
 gency, i and mijhap. Nor unjuftly. For, they are voces, 
 (Apraeterea nihil. Mere terms , without ideas. Ablolute 
 expletives, which import nothing. Unmeaning cyphers, 
 either proudly, or facrihgioufy invented to hide man’s 
 ignorance of real caufes, or to rob the Dei i y of the 
 honours due to his Wifdom, Providence, and Power. 
 
 Reafon 
 
t s i ] 
 
 Reafcn and revelation are perfect unifons, in 
 alluring us, That God is the Supreme, Independent 
 Furfi Caufe ; of Whom, all fecondary and inferior caufes 
 are no more than the effeSls. Elfe, proper originali¬ 
 ty and abfolute wifdom, unlimited fupremacy, and al¬ 
 mighty power, ceafe to be attributes of Deity.-—I re¬ 
 member to have heard.an interefting anecdote of King 
 William, and Biihop Burnet. The Arminian prelate 
 affected to wonder, ‘ How -a perfon, of his Majefiy’s 
 4 piety and good fenfe, could fo rootedly believe the 
 4 dodtrine of Abfolute Predef{nation The Royal Cal- 
 vinift replied ; ‘ Did I not believe abfolute Predesti- 
 4 nation, I could not believe a Providence. For, 
 4 it would be molt abfurd to fuppofe, that a Being of 
 4 infinite wifdom would act without a Plan: for 
 4 which plan Predeftination is only another name.’ 
 
 What, indeed, is Predeftination , but God’s deter,- 
 w.nate flan of adiion ? and what is Providence, but 
 the evolution . of that pla?i ? In his decree , God refolved, 
 within hunfelf, what he would do, and what he would 
 permit to be done : By his providence, this -effective 
 and permimve will palfes into external afl, and has its 
 pofitive accomplilhinent. So that the purpofe ol God, 
 as it were, draws the out-lines ; and Providence lays 
 on the colours. What that defigned, this completes: what 
 * that ordained, this executes. Predeffinaticn is analo¬ 
 gous to the mind and intention ; Providence, to the hand 
 and agency of the artificer. Hence, we are told, 
 That God worketh [there’s hisPnoy idence] all things 
 after the counfcl of bis own will ^[there’s -his Decree] 
 Eph. i. ii. And again, “He doth according to hi* 
 “will in the army of heaven and among the inhabi- 
 “ tants of the earth : and none can fiay his band [/, e. 
 hi,s will and the execution of it irrefillible] “ nor fay 
 “ unto him, what doll thou ?” i. e. his purpoie and 
 Providence are fovereign, and for which he will not 
 be accountable to his creatures. Dan. iv. 
 
 According, therefore, to the Scripture reprelentation, 
 Providence neither adls vaguely and at random , like a 
 blind archer, who (hoots uncertainly in the dark, as 
 well as he can ; nor yet pro re nata, or as the unlore - 
 
 feen 
 
t ] 
 
 feen exigence of affairs may require : like fome blun¬ 
 dering ftatefman, who plunges (it may be) his country 
 and himfelf into difficulties, and then is forced to un¬ 
 ravel his cobweb, and reverfe his plan of op. rations, 
 as the beft remedy for thofe difaftcrs, which the court- 
 fpider had not the wifdom to forefee. But fhall we fay 
 this of God ? ’Twere blal'phemy. He that dwcllcth in 
 heaven laughcth all th'efe miferableafter-thoughts to/corn. 
 GoD,w'ho can neither be over-reached nor over-pow'er- 
 ed, has all thele poff-expedients in deriffon. He is in¬ 
 capable of miffake. He knows no levity of will. He 
 cannot befurprizedwith any unforeleen inconveniences. 
 “ His throne is in heaven, and his kingdom ruleth 
 “ over alb” Whatever, therefore, comes topafs, come* 
 to pais as a part of the original flan : and is the off- 
 fpring of that prolific feries of caufes and effects, which 
 owes its birth to the ordaining and permillive will of 
 him, in whom “ we all live, and move, and have our 
 “ being.” Providence, in time, is the hand that deli¬ 
 vers God’s purpofe, of thofe beings and events, with 
 which that purpofe was pregnant from everl^ffing. The 
 doctrine of equivocal generation is not more ablurd in 
 philofophy, than the doctrine of unprcdcjlinated events 
 is in theology. 
 
 Thus, the long train of things is, tho’ 
 
 ‘ Almighty maze, yet not without a plan.’ 
 
 God’s Sovereign Will is the firft link ; his Unalterable 
 Decree is the fecond ; and his all-adtive Providence the 
 third in the great chain of caufes. What his will deter¬ 
 mined, that his decree eftablifhed, and his providence ei¬ 
 ther mediately or immediately ej/efls. His will was the 
 adorable fpring of all : His decree mark’d out the chan¬ 
 nel, and his providence directs the flream.—If fo, it 
 may be objected, ’twill follow, ‘ That w hatever is, is 
 ‘ right.’ Confequences can’t be helped. No doubt, 
 God, who does nothing in vain ; who cannot do any 
 thing to no purpofe , and flill lefs to a bad one ; who both 
 ails and permits with defign, and who weighs the paths 
 of men ; has, in the unfathomable abyfs of-his ccunfel, 
 very important (tho’ to us lecret) reaiens, tor perrnit- 
 ting the firft eotrar.ee of moral evil, and for flittering 
 
 both 
 
[ xiii ] 
 
 both moral and natural evil ftill to reign over fo great 
 a part ot the creation. Unfearcbable arc bis judgments 
 [decrees] and his ways [the methods and dd'peniations 
 or his Providence] pafifinding out. l ' Who hath known 
 “ the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his coun- 
 “ iellorr For or - him, and through him, and to him, 
 “ are all things.” Rom. ii. 33, 34, 36.—As to my- 
 felf, I can through grace mod heartily adopt the 
 maxim ot Bengelius, Non plus fumere , non minus ac- 
 cipere*: I neither wi(h to kno-ui more than God has re¬ 
 vealed', nor to remain ignorant oj-what be has ; weal¬ 
 ed, . I delire to advance, and to halt, juft when and 
 where the pillar ot God’s written word Hays, cr gees 
 forward. I am content, that the impenetrable veil, di¬ 
 vinely interpos’d between bis purpofes and my com- 
 preheniion, be not drawn afide, ’till faith is loft in 
 light, and my fpirit returns to him who gave it.—But 
 ot this 1 am allured, that echo does not reverberate 
 found fo punctually, as the actual difpojal of things an- 
 fwers to God’s predetermination concerning them. This 
 cannot be denied, without dethroning Providence, as 
 far as in us lies, and letting up fortune in its room. 
 There is no alternative. I dely all the fophiftry cf 
 man to ftrike out a middle way. He that made ail 
 things, either direjls all things he has made, or has 
 conligned them over to chance. But what is chance ? 
 a name for nothing. 
 
 I grant, that the twin doctrines of predeftination and 
 providence, are not without their diiftculties. But the 
 denial of them is attended with ten thoufand times mo, e 
 and greater. The difficulties, on one fide, are but as 
 dull upon the balance : thofe on the other as moun¬ 
 tains in the l’cale. To imagine, that a Being cf 
 boundiefs wildom, power, and goodnefs, would er a e 
 the ttniverji, and not fi- at the helm afterwards, bu tu 11 
 us adrift, to ffiiit -or ourfelves, like an huge vefel with¬ 
 out a pilot ; is a fuppohfon, that iui.verts every no¬ 
 tion of Deity, gives the lie to every p <_e in the Bible, 
 contradicts our daily experience, and infults the com¬ 
 mon leafon of mankind. 
 
 B _ Safifi 
 
 * Orao TcmpovuX) cap, viin p. 302. 
 
{ xiv ] 
 
 Saff thou the courfe of nature governs all ? 
 
 c fhe cowfe of nature is the art of God# 
 
 The whole creation, from the feraph down to the 
 Jndivilible atom, miniders to the fupreme will, and is 
 Wilder the fpecial obfervation, government, and direc¬ 
 tion ol the Omnipotent Mind: who fees all, himfelf 
 unfeen : who upholds all, himfelf unfudained ; who 
 guides ail, himfelf guided by none ; and who changes 
 'ail, himfelf unchang’d. 
 
 • But does not this do/trine tend to the edablilhment 
 of fatality f* Suppofing it even did, were it not let¬ 
 ter to be a chriftian fatqlif, than to avow a fet of loofe, 
 Arminian principles, which, if pulhed to their full ex¬ 
 tent, will inevitably terminate in the ranked: atheifm ? 
 For, without predeftination, there can be no provi¬ 
 dence ; and, without providence, no God.—After all, 
 what do you mean by fate ? If you mean a regularfuc- 
 rcjfon of determined events , horn the beginning to the 
 .end of tipie ; an uninterrupted chain , without a fingle 
 chafm ; all depending on the eternal will and continued 
 1 if tience of the Great First Cause : if this is fate, 
 it mud be owned, that it and the Scripture predefir 
 nation are, at mod, very thinly divided; or rather, 
 entirely co-elffee.— But if, by fate, is meant, either a 
 confituticn of things antecedent to the will o f God ; by 
 which he himfelr was hound, ah origine ; and which 
 goes on, of if if, to multiply caufes and effcfis to the 
 exclulion of the all-pervading power and unintermit¬ 
 ting agency of an intelligent, perpetual, and particu¬ 
 lar providence: neither reafon nor chrf ianity allows 
 of any fuch fate as this. Fate, thus coniidered, is jud 
 fuch an extreme, on cne hand, as chance is, on the 
 .other. Bojh are alike, unexifable. 
 
 It having been not unufual, with the Arminian. 
 •writers, to tax us with adopting the fate of the ancient 
 Stoics ; I thought it might not be unacceptable to the 
 I'.ngliih reader, to fubjoin a brief view of what thnfe 
 yhilofophers generally held (for they were not all exatlly 
 of a mind) as to this particular. It will appear, to 
 /every competent reader, from what is there given, hom 
 ff- (he doctrine of fats, as believed and taught by 
 
[ xv ] 
 
 the Stoics nlay be admitted, upon chriftian principlef# 
 Having large materials by me, for fuch a work, it 
 would have been very eafy for me to have annexed a 
 diflertation, ot rriyoWn, upon the fubjecl: but I chofe 
 to confine myfdf to a fmall extraff from the citations 
 and remarks of the learned Lipfius ; who feems, in 
 his Phyjiologia Stoicorum , to have almoft exhaufted the 
 fubftance ot the argument, with a penetration and pre- 
 cifion, which leave little room either tor addition or 
 amendment. In a caufe, therefore, where the in* 
 terefl: of truth is fo eminently concerned, I would 
 rather retain the able Id counfel, when it can be had, 
 than venture to be, myfdf, her i'ole advocate. 
 
 For my own particular part, I frankly conte'fs, that 
 as far as the analogy, between the fate of the Stoics, 
 and th epredefthtation of the Bible* holds good; I lee 
 
 * ' Now I am in fome meafure enlightened,’ (fays 
 a learned and amiable divine, foil living) ‘ I can eafily 
 perceive, that it is in the adjuflment and concurrence 
 of feemingly fortuitous circutnfomces, that the ruling 
 power ana wifdom of God are mod evidently difpiay- 
 ed in human affairs. Flow many fuch cafual events 
 may we remark in the hiftory of Jofepb, which had 
 each a neceffary influence in his enfuing promotion ! 
 --If the Midianites had palled by a day i'ooner, or a 
 day later ; —If they had fold him to any perfon, but 
 Potiphar; If his miflrefs had been a better woman a--~ 
 If Pharaoh’s officers had not difpleafed their Lord : 
 or, if any, or all thefe things had fallen out in any 
 other manner , or time, than they did ; ail that fol¬ 
 lowed, had been prevented : the promifes and 
 purpofes of God concerning Ifrael, their bond¬ 
 age, deliverances, polity, and i'ettlement, mufl have 
 failed : and, as all thefe things, tended to and -centered 
 in Christ, the promifed Saviour; the defat of all 
 nations would not have appeared. Mankind had 
 been foil in their fins, without hope ; and the coun- 
 fels of God’s eternal love, in favour of finneis, de¬ 
 feated. Thus we may lee a Connection between 
 B 2 Jofeph’s 
 
( xvi ) 
 
 no reifon, why wc fhould be afhamed to acknowledge 
 it. St. Aulbn, and many other greac and excellent men, 
 have not fcrupled to admit both the word and the thing, 
 properly underitood f. I am quite of Lipiius’s mind: 
 Jit vero non avcrfabor Stoici nomen ; fid Stoici Chrilti- 
 ani : 1 I h we no objection to being called a Stoic , fo 
 
 t you but prefix the word Chrfilinu to it.’j 
 
 •g —■■— ' ■=2- 
 
 * Jolhph’s firft dream, and the death of our Lord 
 
 * Christ, with all its glorious confcquences. So 
 
 * ftrong, though fecret, in the concatenation be- 
 ‘ ween the great e/1 and the fualkf events !—What a 
 ‘comfortable thought is this to a believer, to know 
 ‘ that amid It allthe various, interfering deiigns of men; 
 
 ‘ th” Lord has one conflant deiign, which he cannot, 
 
 ‘ will not mil's : namely, his own glory, in ihecom- 
 ‘ plete falvation of his people ! and that he is wife, 
 
 * and ftrong, and f;.i:hful, to make even thofe things, 
 
 ‘ which feem contrary to this defign, fubfervient to pro- 
 
 * mote it!’ See p. <;6. 8r leq. ot a molt entertaining and 
 inltrudtive piece, entitled, An Authentic Narrative of 
 feme ran (triable a»l Interefuig particulars in the life of 
 
 *-**•*#, in a [erics--of letters, i/bij. 
 
 + Fora fample, the learned reader may perufe the ju- 
 rlicious chapter, De Fato , in Abp. Bradwardin’s irnmor¬ 
 tal ,book, De Claufa Dei, lib. i. cap. 28. 
 j Oper. T. i. fief Pof hitm. cap. in p. 118. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS 
 
 
OBSERYATIO 
 
 ON THE 
 
 ivine Attributes 
 
 NECESSARY to EE PREMISED, 
 
 In order to our better tmderftanclmg the 
 Dodtrine of Predestination. 
 
 ^^fLTHO- the great and everblefied 
 
 
 ; « a .. 
 
 a' 
 
 and 
 
 , „ xi 
 
 ffxMx I 
 
 God is a being abfolutely fimple , 
 infinitely remote from all Ihab-'-.v or 
 compofition \ he is, neverthelefs, in 
 condefcenfion to our weak and con¬ 
 tracted faculties, reprefented in Scrip¬ 
 ture, as poffefled of diners properties 
 or attributes, which, though feemingly different from 
 his ejjince, are, in reality, effential to him, and edeui- 
 tutive of his very nature. 
 
 Or thefe attributes, thofe on which we {hall now 
 particularly defcant (as being more immediately con¬ 
 cerned in the enfuing fubjeft) are the following ones : 
 i. Rif eternal wifdom and forekntnvkJge. 2. The abso¬ 
 lute freeiom and liberty of his will. 3. The perpetuity 
 
 cbiingcablencfi- 
 
 both ot himielf 
 
 M 
 
 and his decrees. 
 
 and un 
 
 4. Kis omnipotence. 4. ITs jnjlice. 6. His. mercy. 
 
 Without an explication ot thefe. the cta&rine ot pre- 
 deftination cannot be fo well un-sk r flood ; we fla b, 
 therefore, britliy confider them, by way of preliminary 
 to the main fubjedc, 
 
 3 j I. With 
 
[ i* j 
 
 T. With refpeft to the divine wifdom and forelnow - 
 ledge, 1 fhaii lay down the followi ng pajltions. 
 
 Pof. i. God is, and always was l'o perfectly wife, 
 that nothing ever did, or does, or can elude his know¬ 
 ledge. He knew, from all eternity, not only what he 
 himfelf intended to do, but all'o what lie would incline 
 and permit others to do. Adis. xv. ill. “ Known unto 
 
 God are all his works, from eternity.” 
 
 Pof. 2. Confequently, God knows nothing now, nor 
 will know any thing hereafter, which he did not know 
 and forefee from everlaFing; his foreknowledge being 
 co-eternal with himfelf, and extending to every thing 
 that is or fhall be done. Heb. iv. 13. u All things,” 
 which comprizes pall, prelent ana future, “ are naked 
 “ and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to 
 “ do.” 
 
 Pof. 3. This foreknowledge of God is not conjedlu- 
 ral and uncertain, (for then it would not be foreknow¬ 
 ledge) but moll fure and infallible; fo that whatever 
 he loreknows to be future, fhall neceifarily and un¬ 
 doubtedly come to pals. For, his knowledge can no 
 more be iruftrated, or his wildom be deceived, than he 
 can ccale to be God. Nay, could either of thefe be 
 the cafe, he actually would ceafe to be God ; all mif- 
 <ake and difappointment being abfolutely incompatible 
 with the divine nature. 
 
 Pof. 4. The influence which the divine foreknow¬ 
 ledge has 011 the certain futurition of the things fore- 
 kno.vn, does not render the intervention ol fecond 
 caufes needlels, nor deftroy the nature of the things 
 themfelves. 
 
 My meaning is, that the prefcience of God does not 
 lay any coercive necellity on the wills of beings natu¬ 
 rally free. For inilance, man, even in his fallen Fate, 
 is endued with a natural freedom of will; yet he adls, 
 from the firtl to the laid moment of his life, in abfolute 
 fubferviency (though, perhaps, he does not know it nor 
 defign it) to the purpofes and decrees of God concern¬ 
 ing him ; notwithFanding which, he is fenfible of no 
 compulffon , but afts as freely and voluntarily, as if he 
 was jui juris, fubjedt to no controul, and abfolutely 
 
 lord 
 
[ i9 3 
 
 lord of liimfelf. This made Luther *, after he had 
 Ihewn how all things necedarily and inevitably come to 
 pais, in confequence of the fovereign will and infallible 
 foreknowledge of God, fay, that ‘ We fhould carefully 
 ‘ diftinguilh between a neceffity of infallibility, and ane- 
 ‘ ceility of coadlion ; lince both good and evil men, tho’ 
 * by their actions they fulfil the decree and appoint- 
 ‘ ment of God, yet are not forcibly conftrained to do 
 ‘ any thing, but adt willingly' 
 
 Pof. 5. God’s foreknowledge, taken abftradtedly, is 
 not the 1'ole caufe of beings and events ; but his will 
 and foreknowledge together. Hence we find, Adds ii. 
 2 j. that his determinate counfel and foreknowledge add in 
 concert ; the latter rel'ulting from, and being lounded 
 on the former. 
 
 We pafs on, 
 
 II. To coniider the will of God : with regard to 
 which we afiert as follows. 
 
 Pof. i. The Deity is poflefled not only of infinite 
 knowledge, but likewife of abfolute liberty of will ; fo 
 that whatever he does, or permits to be done, he does 
 and permits freely , and of his own good pleafure. 
 
 Confequently, ’tis bis tree pleafure to permit fn ; 
 fince, without his pennilfion, neither men nor devils 
 can do any thing. Now, to permit , is at leaf the fame 
 as not to hinder , tho’ it be in our power to hinder if we 
 pleafe; and this permifiion, or non-hindrance, is cer¬ 
 tainly an add ot the divine will. Hence Auftin -j- fays, 
 
 ‘ Thofe things which feemingly thwart the divine will, 
 
 ‘ are, neverthslefs agreeable to it; for, it God did not 
 4 permit them, they could not be done ; and whatever 
 4 God permits, he permits freely and willingly. He 
 4 does nothing, neither luffers any thing to be done 
 4 again.fi: his own will.’ And Luther j obf.rves, that 
 4 God permitted Adam to fall into lin, becaufe he 
 4 willed that he fhculd fo fall.’ 
 
 Pof. 2. Although the will ot God, conndered in it- 
 felf, is limply one and the fame ; yet, in condefceniion 
 
 to 
 
 * De Serv. Arb. cap. 44, -j- Enchir, cap. 100, 
 
 t. De Serv. Arb. c. 153. 
 
to the prefent capacities of men, the divine will is very 
 properly diftingtlifhed inform?/ and revealed. Thus it 
 was his revealed will, that Pharaoh lhould let the lfra- 
 elites go; that Abraham fhould facrif.ce his fon ; and 
 that Peter fhoulu not deny Chrift : but, as was proved 
 by the event, that it was his fecrct will that Pharaoh 
 lhould not let Ifrael go, Exod. iv. 21. that Abraham 
 lhould not facrifice Ifaac, Gen. xxii. 12. and that Peter 
 J!)ould deny his Lord, Matth. xxvi. 34. 
 
 Pof. 3. The will of God, relpecting the falvation and 
 condemnation of men, is never contrary to itfelf; he 
 immutably wills the falvation of the elect, and vice verfa : 
 nor can he ever vary or deviate from his own will in 
 any infiance whatever, fo as that that lhould be done 
 which he willeth not; or that not be brought to pafs 
 which he willeth. Ifai. xlvi. 10. “ My counfel fhall 
 “ Hand, and I v.'ill do all my pleafure.” Pfalm xxxiii. 
 11. “ The counfel of the Lord ftandeth for ever, and 
 “ the thoughts ot his heart to all generations.” Job 
 xxiii. 13, 14. “ He is in one mind, whocan turn him? 
 “ and what his foul defireth, even that he doth ; for 
 “ he performeth the thing that is appointed for me; 
 “ and many fuch things are with him.” Eph. i. ir. 
 “ Being p;edeflinated, according to the purpofe of 
 “ him, who worketh all things after the counfel of 
 “ his own will.” 
 
 Thus, for infiance, Hophni and Phlneas “ hearkened 
 “ not to the voice of their father,” who reproved them 
 for their wickedness, “ becaufe the Lord would flay 
 “ them.” 1 Sam. it. 2:. and Sihon, King of Heil bon, 
 would not receive the peaceable meffage lent him by 
 Moles, becartfe “ the Lotd God bardned hisfpiiir, and 
 “ made his heart obf.inate, that he might deliver him 
 “ into the hand 01 Ifraei.” Dent. ii. 26, 30. Thus alio, 
 to add no mere, we find that there have been, and ever 
 will be fotne, whole eyes God blindeth, and whole 
 hearts he hardneth, /. e. whom God permits to conti¬ 
 nue blind and hardned, on purpofe to prevent their 
 feeing with their eyes, and undertbanding with their 
 hearts, and to hinder their converliori to God, and lpi- 
 ritual hearing bv him, Ifai, vi. 9. John xii. 30, 40. 
 
[ 21 ] 
 
 Pof. 4. Eecanfe God’s will of precept may, in feme 
 inllances, appear to thwart his will of determination ; 
 it does not follow, either, 1. That he mocks his crea¬ 
 tures ; or, 2. That they are exculable tor neglecting to 
 obierve his will of command. 
 
 (1.) He does not hereby mock his creatures ; for, if 
 men do not believe his word, nor obferve his precepts, 
 the fault is not in him, but in themfelves t their unbe¬ 
 lief and dilobedience are not owing to any ill infufed 
 into them by God, but to the vitiofty of their depraved 
 nature, and the perverfenefs of their own wills. Now,- 
 if God invited all men to come to him, and then fhut 
 the door of mercy againfl any who were defirous of en¬ 
 tering, his invitation would be a mockery,- and unwor¬ 
 thy of himfelf; but we inlift on it, that he does not in¬ 
 vite all men to come to him in a faving way, and that 
 every individualperfo'n , who-is, through His gracious in¬ 
 fluence on his heart, made willing to come to him, 
 fhall, looner or later, he furely faved by him, and that 
 with an everlafting falvation. (2.) Man is not excu- 
 fable for negleffing God’s., will of command. Pharaoh 
 was faulty, and therefore juftiy punithable, for not 
 obeying God’s revealed will, though God’s fecret will 
 rendered that obedience impoffible. Abraham would 
 have committed fin, had he refufed to facrifice Il'aac ; 
 and, in looking to God’s fecret w ill, would have ached 
 counter to his revealed ohe. So Herod, Pontius Pilate, 
 and the reprobate jews, were juftiy condemned for put¬ 
 ting Chrill to death, inafmuch as it was a mod notori¬ 
 ous breach of God’s revealed will, “ Thou lhalt do no 
 “ murder yet, in flaying the Meffiah, they did no 
 more than God’s hand and his counfcl , i. e. his fecret, 
 ordaining will, determined before f-ouldbe done. Acts iv. 
 27, 28. and Judas is juftiy puniihed for perfidioufly and 
 wickedly betraying Chrift, though his perfidy and wick- 
 tdnefs were (but not with his delign) fublervient to the 
 accompliihiTient of the decree and word of God. 
 
 The brief of the matter is this ; fecret things be¬ 
 long to God, and thofe that are revealed belong to us : 
 therefore, when we meet with a plain precept, we 
 fl.ould Amply endeavour to obey it, without tarrying to 
 
 enquire 
 
[ 22 ] 
 
 enquire into God’s hidden purpofe. Venerable Bitter,, 
 after taking notice how God hardened Pharaoh's heart, 
 and making fome oblervations on the A po file’s iimile 
 of a potter ana his clay ; adds, * that ‘ Though God 
 ‘ has at lead the fame right over his creatures, and is 
 
 * at liberty to make them what he will, and dtreifl them 
 ‘ to the end that pleafeth himfelt, according to his fo- 
 ‘ vereign and fecret determination ; yet it by no means 
 ‘ follows, that they do not aft freely and fpontaneoully, 
 ‘ or that the evil they commit is to be charged on God.’ 
 
 Pof. 4. God’s hidden will is peremptory and abfolute : 
 and therefore cannot be hindred from taking elled. 
 
 God’s will is nothing elfe than God himfelf willing : 
 confequently, it is omnipotent and unfruftrable. Hence 
 w.e find it termed, by Auftin and the fchoolmen, volun¬ 
 tas omnipotentijjima ; becaufe, whatever God Wills, can¬ 
 not fail of being effected. This made Auftin fay, f 
 ‘ Evil men do tnany things contrary to God’s revealed 
 
 * will ; but fo great is his wifdorn, and fo inviolable his 
 ‘ truth, that he dircdls all things into thofe channels 
 ‘ which he foreknew.’ And again, | ‘ No freewill of 
 
 * the creature can refill the will of God ; for man can- 
 
 * not fo will, or nill, as to obllruff the divine determi- 
 
 * nation, or overcome the divine power.’ Once more, || 
 
 ‘ It c.mnot be queftioned, blit God does all things, and 
 
 * ever did, according to his own purpofe ; the human 
 ‘ will cannot refill him, fo as to.make him do more or 
 ‘ lefs than it is his pleafure to do ; quandoquidem etiani 
 ‘ de ipjis hominum voluntatibus quod vult facit , fince he 
 ‘ does what he pleafes even with the wills of men.’ 
 
 Pof. 6. Whatever comes to pals, comes to pafs by vir¬ 
 tue ot this abfolute, omnipotent will of God, which is 
 the primary and iupreme caufe of all things. Rev. iv, 
 
 11. “ Thou hall created all things, and for thy plea- 
 “ fure they are and were created.” Pfalm cxv. 3. “ Our 
 “ God is in the heavens; he hath done whatloever he 
 “ pleafed.” Dan. iv. 3r. “ He doth according to his 
 “ will, in the army of heaven, and among the inhabi- 
 “ tants of the earth ; and none can Hay his hand, or 
 
 “ fa y 
 
 * Bucer ad Rom. ix. -f- De Civ. Dei. 1 . 22. c. 1. 
 
 £ De Coir. & Grat. c. 14. |j Ibid. 
 
[ s 3 ] 
 
 u fay unto him, What dofl thou ?” Pfalm c xsxv. 6. 
 “ V/hatfoever the Lord pleafed, that did he in heaven, 
 4 ‘ and in earth, in the feas, and all deep places.” Mat. 
 2. 29. “ Are not two fparrovvs fold lor a farthing? and 
 “ one of them (hall not fall to the ground, without your 
 ■“ father.” To all .which, Ault’n iubfcribes, when he 
 fays, * ‘ Nothing is done, Jbut what the Almighty 
 c wills Ihould be done, either efficiently or permiffively. 5 
 As does Luther, whofe words are thefe, -j- ‘ This there- 
 ‘ fore muft hand ; to wit, the tinfearchable will of 
 4 God, without which nothing exifts or adds.’ And 
 again, c. 160. ‘ God would not be luch, if he was not 
 ‘ almighty, and if any thing could be done without 
 
 * him.’ And elfewhere, c. 138,. he quotes thefe words 
 of Erafmus : ‘ Suppoling there was an earthly Prince 
 4 who could do whatever he would, and none were able 
 4 to refill him; we might fafely lay of fuch an one, that 
 4 he would certainly fulfil his own delire : in like man- 
 
 * ner, the will of God, which is the firft caufe of all 
 4 things, fhould feem to lay .3 kind of neceffity upon 
 4 our wills.’ This Luther approves of, and fubjoins, 
 
 ‘ Thanks be to God, for this orthodox paflage in Eraf- 
 4 mus’s difcourfe ! But, if this be true, what becomes 
 ® of his doffrine of'free-will, which be, at other times, 
 4 fo llrenuoufly contends for ?’ 
 
 Pof. 7. The will of God is fo the caufe of all things., 
 as to be, itfelf, without caufe : for nothing can be the 
 caufe of that, which is the caufe o.f every thing. 
 
 So that the divine will is the ne plus ultra of all our 
 enquiries : when we afcend to that, we can go no far¬ 
 ther. Hence we find every matter refolved, ultimately, 
 into the mere fo-vereign pleafure of God , as the fpring and 
 occafion of whatfoever is dope in heaven and earth. 
 Mat. xi. 2$. “ Thou haft hid thefe things from the 
 •“ wife and prudent, and halt revealed them unto babes: 
 “ even fo, Father, for fo it leemed good in thy fight.” 
 Luke xii. 32. “ It is your Father’s good pl$afure to 
 
 give you the kingdom.” Mat. viii. 3. “ I will : be 
 “ thou clean.” Mark iii. 13. “ He went up into a 
 “ mountain, and called unto him whom he would.’* 
 
 Jmh. 
 
 * Tom. 3. in Enchir. f De SefV, Arb. c. 143. 
 
 
In) 
 
 Jnm. i. 18. “ Of his own will begat he us, with the 
 “ word of truth.” John i. 13. “ Which were born, 
 “ net of blood, nor of the will of the flelh, nor of the 
 “ will of man, but ot God.” Rom. ix. i£, 18. “ I will 
 “ have mercy on whom I will 1 ave mercy, and I will 
 “ have compaffion on -/horn I will have companion. 
 “ Therefore, he hath mercy on whom he will have 
 “ mercy, and whom he will he hardneth.” And no 
 wonder that the will of God ibould be the main fpring 
 that lets all inferior wheels in motion, and Ihould like- 
 wile be the rule by which he goes in all his dealings 
 with his creatures; lince nothing out of God, i. e. ex¬ 
 terior to himfelf, can pollibly induce him to will or nill 
 one thing, rather than another. Deny this, and you at 
 one ib'oke, deftroy his immutability and independency: 
 lince he can never be independent, who adds pro re nata y 
 as emergency requires, and whole will is l'ulpended on 
 that of others ; nor unchangeable, whofe purpofes vary 
 and take all fhapes, according as the perfbn and things 
 vary, who are the objedls ot thofe purpofes. The only 
 realbn, then, that can be affigned, Why the Deity does 
 this, or omits that, is, lecaufe it is bis own free plcafure. 
 Luther, * in anlvver to that queltion, ‘ Whence it was 
 ‘ that Adam was permitted to fall, and corrupt his whole 
 ‘ polferity ; when God could have prevented his fall- 
 ‘ ing,’ &c. fays, ‘ God is a being, whofe will acknow- 
 ‘ ledges no caufe ; neither is it for us to preferibe rules 
 ‘ to his fovereign pleafure, or call him to account for 
 ‘what he does. Pie has neither fuperior nor equal : 
 
 ‘ and his will is the rule of all things. He did not 
 ‘ therefore will fuch and fuch things, becaufe they 
 ‘ were in themfelves right, and he was bonrir to will them; 
 
 ‘ but they are therefore equitable and right, becaufe 
 ‘ he wills them. The will of man, indeed may be in- 
 * fiuenced and moved ; but God’s will never can. To 
 ‘ afiert the contrary, is to unfeijy him.’ Eucer likewile 
 obferves,-;- ‘ God has no other motive for w hat he does, 
 
 ‘ than ipfa voluntas, his own mere will, which will is fo 
 ‘ far trorn being unrighteous, that it is juflice itfelf.’ 
 Tof. 8. Since, as was lately obferved, the determin¬ 
 ing 
 
 * De Serv. Arb. c. 153. t Ad Rom. ix. 
 
C 25 1 
 
 Srsg will of'God, being omnipotent, cannot be obftrueL 
 ed or made void ; it follows, that he never did, nor does 
 he now will that every individual of mankind fnould be 
 laved. 
 
 If this was his will, not one Angle foul could ever be 
 loft ; (for who hath refitted his will ?) and he would 
 lurely afford all men thofe effectual'means of falvation, 
 without which it cannot be had. Now, God could af¬ 
 ford thefe means as eafily to all mankind, as to fome 
 only : but experience proves that he does not-, and the 
 reafon is equally plain, namely, that he nulll not ; for, 
 “ whatfoever the Ldrd pleafeth, that does he in hea- 
 44 ven and on earth.” ’Tis laid indeed by the Apoftle, 
 
 1 that 44 God would have all men laved, and come to the 
 “ knowledge of the truth i e. as Auftin, * coniift- 
 ently with other fcriptures, explains the palfage, ‘ God 
 4 will fave fome out of the whole race of mankind/ 
 that is, perfons of all nations, kindreds and tongues. 
 Nay, he will lave all men, /. e. as the lame father ob- 
 ferves, ‘ every kind of men, or men of every kind,’ 
 namely, the whole election oF grace, be they bond or 
 free, noble or ignoble, rich or poor, male or female. 
 Add to this, that it evidently militates againft the moje- 
 fty, omnipotence and fupremacy of God, to fuppoie 
 that he can either will -any thing in vain, or that any 
 thing can take'effatt -agalnfl bis will; therefore, Bucer 
 obferves, very rightly, ad Rom. ix. ‘ God doth not will 
 4 the falvation of reprobates; feeing he hath not chofen 
 4 them, neither created them to that,end.’ Confonant 
 to which are thofe words of Luther, f ‘ This mightily 
 ( offends our rational nature, that God fhould, of his 
 4 own mere unbiased will, leave fome men to them- 
 ‘ felves, harden them, and then condemn them ; but 
 ‘ he has given abundant demonftrafion, and does con- 
 4 tinually, that this is really the cafe ; namely, that the 
 4 foie-ca ufe, why fome are faved and others perifn, pfo- 
 4 ceeds from his willing the falvation of the former, and 
 4 the perdition of the latter, according to that of Paul/ 
 C “ He 
 
 * Enchir. c. 103, oc de Corr. Si Gr, c. 14. 
 f De Serv. Arb. c. 161. 
 
C 2.6 ] 
 
 ■f He hath mercy on w hom he vviii have mercy, and 
 ■ ‘ whom he will he hardneth.” 
 
 FoJ'% 9. As God doth not will that each individual of 
 mankind frould he faved ; fo neither did" he w ill that 
 Chrift fhould properly and immediately die tor each 
 Individual of mankind : w hence it follows, that though 
 the blood of Chrili^from its own intrinlic dignity, was 
 fofficiait for the redemption of all men ; yet, in confe- 
 quence of his Father’s appointment, he feed it intention¬ 
 ally, and therefore ef'cFiiiatly and immediately for the elect 
 only. 
 
 This is felf-evident. God, as ;ve have before prov¬ 
 ed, wills not the falvation of etcry man ; but he gavp 
 his Fon to die for them whofe lalvation he willed; 
 therefore, his Son did not die for every man. AH 
 thofe, tor whom Chilli died, are faved ; and the divine 
 juftice inchlpenfabl}' requires, that to them the benefits 
 of his death Should be imparted : but only the eh <51 are 
 laved; they only partake of thofe benefits; confie- 
 quently, for them only he died and intercedes. The 
 /rpoftle, Kern. viii. afksji “ Who •.hall lay any thing to 
 *■ the charge of God’s eledl ? it is God that jufiifies,” 
 z, e. l.is elcdt, exclufively of others : “ Who is he that 
 *• condemr.eth ? It is Chrifi that died” for them, ex¬ 
 clufively of others. The plain meaning of the paf- 
 fage is, that thofe whom God jufiifies, and for whom 
 Ghrift died (jiiflification and redemption being of ex- 
 t.flly the fame extent) cannot be condemned. Thefe 
 privileges are exprefsly re ft rained to the el eft ; there- 
 iore Gcd jufiifies and Chrill died for them ,alone. 
 
 In the fame chapter, Paul afks ;■ “ lie that fpared 
 “ not his own Son, but delivered him up for 11s all,” 
 [/. e. for all us‘ekdl perfor.s] “ how fl ail he not, with 
 '• him, alio freely give us all things f” /. c. falvation, 
 end till things necefiary to it. Now, ’tis certain, that 
 t qcie are not given to every individual ; and yet, if 
 Paul fays true,’ they are given to all thofe for whom 
 (. brill was dilivercd to death ; ccnfequently, he was 
 ret delivered to death for every individual. To the 
 W.r e jurpefe St. Aufiin argues, in Jcban, trcFl. 4p 
 
 col. 
 
[ n i 
 
 col. 334. lienee that faying of Airibrofe, * 1 Si M'.t 
 
 * creJis non tillpajftus eft, L e. if you are an unbeliever, 
 ‘ Chrifi did not die tor you. 5 Meaning, that whoever 
 is left under the power of final Unbelief, is thereby evi¬ 
 denced to be one of thole tor whom Chriit did not die ; 
 but that all, tor whom he buffered, (hall be, in this life, 
 fooner or later, endued with faith. The church of 
 Smyrna, in their letter to the dlccefes of Pdntus, infi't 
 every where on the d offline' of tpecial redemption f. 
 Bucer, in all parts of his works, obferves, that 1 Chriit 
 
 * died refiruffively for the eleeff only j but tor them uni- 
 ‘ vcrfally. 5 
 
 Fof. io. From what has been laid down, it follows, 
 that Auftin, Luther, Bucer, the fcholaftie divines, and 
 other learned writers, are not to be blamed lor alien¬ 
 ing, that ‘ God may, in foine feme be faid to-will the 
 ‘ being and commiifioa of fin.’ Fo r , was this contra! .<■ 
 t > his determining will of perniiifion, either he won .1 
 not be omnipotent, or fin could have no place in the 
 world : but he is omnipotent, and fin has piece in tied 
 World : which it could not have if God willed other- 
 wife ; lor, “ Who hath refitted his will r” Rom. ir. 
 No one can deny that God permits fin : but he neither 
 permits it ignorantly nor • unwillingly ; therefore, 
 knowingly and willingly. Gib. 7 . Aulb. Ench’r. c. g6» 
 Luther ftedfaffly maintains this in -his book, De Scrv. 
 Arbitr. and Bucer, in Rom. i. However, it Ihquld bo 
 carefully noticed, (i.) That God’s permilfion off i 
 does not arife from his taking dclhht in it : on the cor.- 
 trary, fin, as fin, is the abominable thing that his foul 
 hateth : and his efficacious permilfion of it is for wife 
 and good purpofes. Whence that obfervation of Aaftin, 
 l ( God, who is no lefs omnipotent, than he is fu- 
 ‘ preinely and perfectly holy, would never have pe. - 
 ‘ initted evil to enter among his works, but in order 
 4 that he might do good even with that evil, 5 i. e. over¬ 
 rule it for good in the end. (2.) That God’s" free and 
 voluntary permilfion of fin lays no man under any fo. - 
 able or compulfive necelfity ol committing it : confc- 
 C 2 quently, 
 
 * Ambrof. tom. 2. de fid. ad Grat. 1. 4. c. i. 
 t Vid. Eufcb. hilt, 1. 4. c. 10. j Eavhir, c, 11. 
 
[ =8 ] 
 
 /fluently, the Deity can by no means be termed the au¬ 
 thor of moral evil; to which he is not, in the proper 
 fenfe of the word, accefiary, but only remotely or ne¬ 
 gatively fo, inafmuch as lie could, if he plealed, abfo- 
 lutely prevent it. 
 
 V\ e fhould, therefore, be careful not to give up the 
 omnipotence of God, under a pretence of exalting his 
 hoiineis: he is infinite in both, and therefore neither 
 Gould be let alide or obfcurecf. To fay that God .• fo - 
 lutely nills the being and commiif on of fin, while expe¬ 
 rience convinces us that fin is adfed every day ; is to 
 represent the Deity as a weak, impotent being, who 
 would fain have tfrings go otherwise then they do, but 
 cannot accomplilh his defire. On the other hand, to 
 Jay that he wiileth fin, doth not in the lealb detracf from 
 the hoiineis and reblitudc of his nature, becaufe, 
 whatever God wills, as well as whatever he does, can¬ 
 not be eventually evil : materially evil it may be; bnt v 
 as was juft faid, it mult ultimately be diredted to fome 
 wife and juft end, otherwile he could not will it : for 
 his will is righteous and gocd, and the foie rule of tight 
 and wrong, as is often obferved by r Aufiin, Luther, 
 and others. 
 
 Pof 11. In confequence of God’s immutable will 
 and infallible foreknowledge, whatever things come to- 
 pals, come to pafs neccfarily ; though, with refpect to 
 fecond caufes, and us men, many things are contingent: 
 i. e. unexpc&ecl , and fccwingly accidental. 
 
 That this was the dc&rine of Luther, none can de¬ 
 le-, who are in any meafure acquainted with his works: 
 particularly with his treatife, De Servo Arlitrio-, or,. 
 Free-will aJlave : the main drift cf which book is, to 
 prove, that the. will of man is by nature enfiaved to evil 
 ' only, and, becaufe it is fond of that flavery, is therefore 
 laid to be free. Among other matters, he proves there, 
 that 4 Whatever man does, he does ncerfdrily, though 
 ‘ not with sny T feniible eompulfion : and that w e'can only 
 ‘ do H'hat God from eternity w'illed and foreknew we 
 ‘ f iiSJ; which w ill of God muft be efiectual, and his 
 4 (brefight muft be certain.’ Hence we find him faying,* 
 
 4 It 
 
 - Cap. 17. in Refp. ad Praef. 
 
C 2 9 ] 
 
 8 It is moll neeelTary and falutary tor a Chrifoan to be 
 8 allured, that God foreknows nothing uncertainly ; but 
 8 that he determines, and forefees, and affs, in all things 
 8 according to his own etern al, immutable, and infallible 
 8 willadding, 8 Hereby, as with a thunderbolt, is 
 8 man’s free-will thrown down and deflroyed.’ A little 
 after, he (hews in what fenle he took the word nceejjitj ; 
 
 8 By it,’ fays he, 8 I do not mean that the will hitlers 
 8 any forcible conjlraint , or co-acbion ; but the infallible 
 8 accomplishment of thole things, which the immutable 
 8 Go 1 decreed and foreknew concerning us.’ H; goes 
 on : 8 Neither the divine nor human will does any 
 8 thing by confoaint: but, whatever man does, be it 
 8 good or bad, he does with as much appetite and wil- 
 6 lingnefs, as if his will was really free. But, after all, 
 
 8 the will of God is certain and unalterable, and is the 
 8 governefs of ours.’ Exactly eon ion ant to all which 
 are thole words of Luther’s friend and fellow labourer, 
 Melandihon : * 8 All things turn out according to di- 
 8 vine predefonatioii; not only the Works wc do out- 
 8 wardiy, but even the thoughts we think inwardly 
 adding, in the fame place, 8 There is no fuch thing as 
 8 chance or fortune; nor is there a readier way to gain 
 8 the fear of God, and to put our whole tru'd in him, 
 
 8 than to be thoroughly verfed in the dobtrine or Pre- 
 8 defoliation.’ I could cite to the fame purpofe, Aullin, 
 Aquinas, and many other learned men; but, for bre¬ 
 vity’s fake, forbear. That this is the doctrine of Scrip¬ 
 ture, every adept in thofe facred books cart not ■but ac¬ 
 knowledge. See, particularly, Pfalm cxxxv. 6. Mafth. 
 x. 29. Prov. xvi. 1. Matth. xxvi. ^4. Luke xxii. 2;. 
 Abts iv. 28. Eph. i. ir. Ifai. xlvi. 10. 
 
 Pof 12. As God knows nothing now, which he 
 did not know from all eternity; fo he wills nothing 
 now, which he did not will from everlafong. 
 
 This polition needs no explanation nor enforcement; 
 it being felf-evident, that, if any thing can accede to 
 God de novo , i, e. if he can at any time be wifer than 
 he always was, or will that at one time, which he did 
 not will from all eternity ; thefe dreadful conlcquences 
 C 3 mu ft 
 
 * In Eph. 1. 
 
[ 30 1 
 
 jiniu rnfue, (i.) That the knowledge of God is not 
 peri-eft, farce what is absolutely perfeCf non recipittnagis 
 & minus, cannot admit either of addition , or detraction. 
 It I add to any thing, it is from a fuppofal that that 
 thing was not complete before ; ill detra ti from it, it 
 is fuppofed that that detraction renders it lefs perfect 
 than it was. But the knowledge of God being infinitely 
 perfect, cannot, conliltently with that perfection, be 
 either increafed or leilened. (2.) That the will of God 
 is fluctuating, mutable and unfteady ; confequently, that 
 God himfelf is fo, his will coinciding with his eifence : 
 contrary to the avowed affurances of Scripture, and the 
 ftrongeft dictates of reafon, as we frail prefently (hew, 
 ’.then we come to treat of the divine immutability. 
 
 Pof. 13. The abfolute will of God is the original 
 Spring and efficient caufe of Ids peoples’falvation. 
 
 I fay, the original and efficient; for, fenfu complex0, 
 there are other intermediate caufes of their falvation, 
 winch however, all refirit from, and are fubfervient to 
 this primary one, the •vdll of God. Such arc his ever- 
 lafting choice of them to eternal life ; the eternal cove¬ 
 nant of grace, entered into by the Trinity, in behalf of 
 the cleCf ; the incarnation, obedience, death and inter- 
 ceition of Chrift for them ; all which are fo many links 
 in the great chain of caufes : and not one of thefe can 
 betaken away, without marring and fubverting the 
 whole gofpel plan of falvation by Jeftts Chrifr. We fee 
 then, that the free, unbiased, fovereign will of God is 
 the root of this tree of life, which bears fo many glori¬ 
 ous branches, and yields fueh falutary fruits: He there¬ 
 fore loved the eleCf, and ordained them’ to life, beeaufe 
 lie would ; according to that of the Apoftle, “ having 
 “ predeltinafed us—according to the good pleafure of 
 “ his will.” Eph. i. £. Then, next after God’s covenant 
 ihrhis people, and promiles to them, comes in the infinite 
 merit of Ch rift’s righteoufnefs and atonement: for we 
 were chofen to falvation in him, as members of hi3 
 myrtle body ; and through him, as our furety and fub- 
 ilitute, by whofe vicarious obedience to the moral law, 
 an l fubmillion to its curfe and penalty, all we, whofe 
 pa.nes are ir> the book of life, ffiould never incur the 
 
 divine 
 
[ 3 1 1 
 
 divine hatred, or be punifhed for our fins, but continue 
 to eternity, as vve were from eternity, heirs of God, and 
 joint-heirs with Chrift. But hill, the divine grace and 
 favour (and God extends thefe to whom he will) muff 
 be confidered as what gave birth to the glorious feheme 
 of redemption ; according to what our Lord himfelf 
 teaches us, John iii. 16. “ God fo loved the world, 
 
 s ‘ that he gave his only begotten Son,” and that of 
 the Apoftle, i John iv. 9. “ In this was manifeffed 
 
 “ the love of God towards us, becaufe that he fent his 
 “ only begotten Son into the world, that we might live 
 “ through h'm.” 
 
 Pnf] 14. Since this abfolute will of God is both im¬ 
 mutable and om.nipotent ; we infer, that the falvation 
 of every one of the eledf is moft infallibly certain , and 
 can by no means be prevented. This neeeffarily fol¬ 
 lows from what we have already aflerted and proved 
 concerning the Divine Will; which, as it cannot be 
 dilappoiuted or made void, muff undoubtedly iecure 
 the falvation of all whom God wills Ihould be faved. 
 
 From the whole of what has been delivered under 
 this fecond head, I would obferve, That the genuine 
 tendency of thele truths is, not to make men indolent 
 and carelefs, or lull them to deep on the lap of pre¬ 
 emption and carnal iecurity ; but, (1.) To fortify the 
 people of.Chriff againff the attacks of unbelief, and the 
 infults of their fpiritual enemies. And what is fo fit, 
 to guard them againff thefe, as the comfortable perfua- 
 fion of God’s unalterable will to fave them, and of their 
 unalienable intereff in the fare mercies of David ? (2.) 
 To withdraw them entirely from all dependance whe¬ 
 ther on themfelves, or any creature whatever ; to make 
 them renounce their own righteoufnefs, no lefs than 
 their fins, in point of reliance, and to acquiefce fweetly 
 and fafely in the certain perpetuity of his rich favour. 
 (3.) To excite them, from a truff of his good-will to¬ 
 ward them, to love that God, who hath given fuch great 
 and numberlefs proofs of his love to them; and, in 
 all their thoughts, words and works, to aim, as much 
 as poffible, at his honour and glory. We were to con- 
 iider, 
 
 ILL The 
 
[ 1 
 
 III. The XJncbangeaileneJs , which is eiTentiaf to him-' 
 felf and his decrees. 
 
 Pof. i. God is effentially unchangeable in himfelf. 
 Were he otherwife, he would be confefledly imperfeft ; 
 f nee whoever changes, muff change either tor the bet¬ 
 ter, or for the worfe : whatever alteration any being un-^ 
 dergocs, that being mult, ipfo faffo, either become mor? 
 excellent than it was, or lofe fome of the excellency 
 which it had. But neither of thefe can be the cafe w ith 
 the Deity : He cannot change for the better, for that 
 would n ceffarily imply that he was not perfectly good 
 before : He cannot change for the worfe, tor then he 
 could not be perfectly good after that change. Ergo, 
 God is unchangeable. And this is the uniform voice 
 of Scripture. Mai. iii. 6. “ I am the I.ord, I ch.mge 
 “ not.”' James i. 17. “ With him is no variablenefs, 
 “ neither lhadow of turning.” Pfalrn cii. 27. “ Thou 
 “ art the fame, and thy years lhall have no end.” 
 
 Pof. 2. God is likewife abfolutely unchangeable, 
 with regard to his purpofes and promfes . Numb, xxiii. 
 19. “ God is not a man, that he lhould He ; neither 
 “ the fon of man, that he lhould repent: hath he laid, 
 
 “ and (hull he not do it ? or, hath he fpake, and fhall 
 “ he not make it good?” 1 Sam. xv. 29. “ The flrength 
 “ of Ifrael will not lie, nor repent; for he is not a man, 
 
 “ that he lhould repent.” job. xxiii. 13. “ He is in one 
 “ mind, and who can turn him?” Ezek. xxiv. 14. “ I, 
 
 “ the Lord, have fpoken it, it {hall come to pafs, and 
 “ I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I fpare, 
 
 “ neither will I repent.” Rom. xi. 29, “ The gilts and 
 “ calling of God are without repentance.” 2 Tim. ii. 
 13. “ He abideth faithful, and cannot deny himfelf.” 
 
 By the purpofe , or decree , of God, we mean his de¬ 
 terminate counf 1, whereby he did from all eternity pre¬ 
 ordain ’whatever he lhould do, or would permit to be 
 done, in time. In particular, it lignifies his everjalf- 
 ing appointment of fome men to life, and of others to 
 death: which appointment flows entirely from his own 
 free and fovereign will. Rom. ix. “ The children not 
 “ yet being born, neither having done any good or 
 s< evil, (that the purpofe of God, according to eledfion, 
 
 “ might 
 
 £> 
 
[ 33 1 
 
 “might Hand, not of works, but of, him that, cal- 
 “ leth) it was faid, the eider iha.il ierve the younger, : 
 44 as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Eiau hav^ 
 “ I hated.” 
 
 The apoftle, then, in the very next words, antici¬ 
 pates an objection, which, he forefaw, men of cor¬ 
 rupt minds would make to this: “ Whatfhall we lay, 
 44 then ? is there unrighteoufnefs with God r” which 
 he anfwers with, God forbid! and refolves the whole 
 of God’s procedure with his creatines into his own" 
 fovereign and independent will: For he laid to Moles, 
 44 1 will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and 
 44 I will have companion on whom I will have com- 
 44 paffion.” 
 
 We albert, that the decrees of God are not only im¬ 
 mutable as to himfelf it being inconliflent with his 
 nature to alter in his puroofes, or change his mind ; 
 but that they are immutable likewife with refpeft to 
 the objeH of thofe decrees: fo that, whatfoever God 
 hath determined, concerning every individual perfon 
 or thing, fhallfurely and infallibly be accomplilhed in 
 and upon them. Hence we find, that he actually 
 fiieweth mercy on whom he decreed to (hew mercy, and 
 hardeneth whom he refolved to harden. Rom. ix iS. 
 44 For his eounfel fliall Hand, and he will do all his 
 44 pleafure,” Ifai. xlvi. io. Confequently, his eternal 
 predefiinat'on of men and things mull be immutable 
 as himfelf, and, lo far from being reverfible, can never 
 admit ol the lead variation. 
 
 Pof. 3. 4 Although,’ to ufe the words of Gregory, 
 4 God never fwerves from his decree, yet he olten va- 
 4 ries in his declarations That is always fure and im¬ 
 moveable ; thefe are Ibmetimes feemingly difeordant. 
 So, when he gave ■fentence againft the Ninevites, by 
 Jonah, faying, 44 Y et forty days, and Nineveh fhafl be 
 44 ove thrown,” the meaning of the words is, not that 
 God abfblutely intended, at the end of that Ipace, to 
 deftrov the city; but, that, ihould God deal with thofe 
 people according to their defects, they would be total¬ 
 ly extirpated from the earth : a id flioald be fo extir¬ 
 pated, unlefs they repented lpceJily. 
 
 Likewife, 
 
[ 34 1 
 
 Likewife, when he told King Hezekiah, by the pro¬ 
 phet Ifaiah, “ Set thine houfe in order, lor thou lhalt 
 “ die, and not live the meaning was, that, with rc- 
 fpect to fecond caufes, and confidering the King’s bad 
 Hate of health and emaciated cor.ftitution, he could not, 
 humanly lpeaking, live much longer. Eut ilill, the 
 event lhewed that God had immutably determined, that 
 he fnould live fifteen years more; and, in order to that, 
 had put it into his heart to pray for the blelling decreed: 
 juft as, in the cafe ol Nineveh, lately mentioned, God 
 had refolved not to overthrow that city then ; and, in 
 order to the accomplifl.ment of his own purpofe in a 
 way worthy of himfelf, made the mlniftry of Jonah, 
 the means ol leading that pieople to repentance. All 
 which, as it firevvs that God’s abfolute predeftination 
 does not let afide the ufe ol m.ans; fo does it likewife 
 prove, that, however various the declarations of God 
 may appear (to wit, when they proceed on a regard 
 had to natural caufes) his counfels and defigns 
 Hand firm and immoveable, and can neither admit of 
 alteration in thcmfelves, nor ol hindrance in their exe¬ 
 cution. See this farther explained by Bucer, in Rom. 
 ix. where you’ll find the certainty of the divine appoint¬ 
 ments folidly aliened and unanfvverable vindicated. 
 We now come, 
 
 IV. To confider the Omnipotence of God. 
 
 Pof. x. God is, in the moll unlimited and abfolute 
 fenfe of the word, Almighty. Jer. xxxii. 17, “Behold 
 ‘ £ thou haft made the heaven and the earth by thy 
 “ great powtr and ftretched out arm, and there is no- 
 “ thing too hard for thee.” Mat. xix. 26. “ With 
 t£ God all things are pofiibie.” Tfie fchooimen, very 
 properly, . diftinguiih the Omnipotence ol God into 
 abfolute and adlttal : by the former , God m : gbt do many 
 things which he does not; by the latter , he actually 
 does w hatever he will. For inftance ; God might, by 
 virtue ol ins abfolute power, have made more worlds 
 than he has. He might have eternally fared every in¬ 
 dividual ol mankind, without reprobating any : on the 
 other hand, he might, and that with the ftricleft jutlice, 
 
 have 
 
f 35 ) 
 
 have condemned all men, and fav.ed none. He could, 
 had it been his pleasure, have prevented the fall of an¬ 
 gels and men, and thereby have hindred iin from hav¬ 
 ing tooting in and among his creatures. By virtue of 
 Ids aflual power, he made the univerfe ; executes the 
 whole counfyl of his will, both in heaven and earth ; 
 governs and influences both men and things, according 
 to his own pleafure; fixes the bounds which they (hail 
 not pafs ; and, in a word, worketh all in all, Ifai. xlv. 
 7. Amos. iii. 6. John v. 17. Affs. xvii. 26. 
 1 Cor. xii. 6. 
 
 Pof 2. Hence it folio,ws, that, fince all things are 
 fubiect to the divine controul, God not only works et- 
 frcaeioufly on his eie£f, in order that they may will and 
 do that which is pleating in his light ; but does, 1 ike- 
 wife, frequently and powerfully fuffer the wicked to 
 fill up the mealure of their iniquities, by committing 
 fins. Nay, lie fometimes, but for wife and gracious 
 ends, permits his own people to tranfgrefs ; for he has 
 the hearts and wills of all men in his own hand, and in¬ 
 clines them to good, or delivers them up to evil, as he 
 fees fit : yet without being the author of fin ; as Lu¬ 
 ther, Bucer, Auffin, and others, have piouily and 
 fcripturally taught. 
 
 This polition confifis of two parts'; (1.) That God 
 effieacigufiy operates on the hearts of his elebl, and is 
 the-eby the foie author of all the good they do. See 
 Eph. iii. 20. Phil,, ii. 13. 1 Thei. ii. 13. Heb. xiii. 
 c 1. St. Auiiin* takes up no fewer than nineteen chap¬ 
 ters, in proving that whatever good is in men, and 
 whatever good they are enabled to do, is folely and en¬ 
 tirely of God ; who, fays he, ‘ works in holy perfons 
 ‘ all their good deiires, their pious thoughts, and their 
 1 righteous actions ; and yet thefe holy perfons, though 
 ‘ thus wrought upon by God, will and do all thefe 
 ' things freely: for it is he wh.o rectifies their wills, 
 4 which, being originally evil, are made good by him; 
 f and which wills, after he hath fet them right and 
 ‘ made, them good, he dir&fts to good affions and to 
 eternal life; wherein he does not force their wills, 
 
 4 hut 
 
 * De Grat. & lib. Arb. a c. x. ufque ad c. 20. 
 
t 36 ] 
 
 * birf makes'them willing.’ (2.) That God often Iet3 
 the wicked go on to more ungocUiriefs: which he does, 
 •I. Negatively, by withholding that grace, which alone 
 can reft rain them from evil. 2. Remotely, by the pro¬ 
 vidential concourfe and mediation of fecond caules ; 
 which fecond caufes meeting and adt.rg in concert 
 tvith the corruption of the reprobate’s unregenei ate na¬ 
 ture, produce lipful effedfs. 3. Judically, or in a 
 way ofjudgment. Prov. xxi. 1. “ The King's heart 
 “ is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of waters; 
 “ Pie turneth it whitherfoever he will:” And it the 
 “ King’s heart, why not the hearts of all men r”Lam. 
 iii. 38. “ Out of the month of the Moll High, pro- 
 “ ceedeth not evil and good ?” Hence we find, that 
 the Lord bid Shimei curfe David, 2 Sam. xvi. 10. That 
 he moved David himfelf to number the people, com¬ 
 pare 1 Chron. xxi. 1. with 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. Stirred up 
 jofeph’s brethren to fell him into Egypt. Gen. 1 . 20. 
 Pofitively and immediately hardened the heart of Pha¬ 
 raoh, Ex. iv. 21. Delivered up David’s wives to be 
 defiled by Abfalom, 2 Sam. xii. 11. and xvi. 2 2. Sent 
 by a lying fpirit to deceive Ahab, 1 Kings xxii. 20— 
 23. And mingled a perverfe fpirit in the m i did of Egypt, 
 
 1. e. made that nation pei ven-e, obdurate and fiiff-neck- 
 ed, Ifai. xix. r_p. To cite other infiances, would be al- 
 moft endlefs, and, after thefe, quite unnecefiary; all 
 being fumed up in that exprefs pafiage, Ifai. xlv. 7. “ I 
 “ make peace and create evil ; I the Lord do all thefe 
 “ things,” See farther, 1 Sam. xvi. i_j. Pfalm cv. 2$. 
 Jer. xiii. 12, 13. Adds ii. 23. and iv. 28. Rom. xi. 8. 
 2 Thelf. ii. 11. Every one of which implies more * 
 than a hare pertnijjiom of fin. Bucer afierts this, not on¬ 
 ly in the place referred to below, but continually 
 throughout his works : particularly, on Matth. vi. § 
 
 2. where this is the fenle of his comments on that pe¬ 
 tition, Read us not into temptation : ‘ ’Tis abundantly 
 ‘ evident, from moft exprefs tefiimonies of Scripture, 
 
 ‘ that God, occalionally, in the courfeofhis provi- 
 ‘ deuce, pints both elect and reprobate perfons into cir- 
 
 ‘ cumfiances 
 
 * Vid. Auguftin. de Grat. & lib. Arbitr. c. 20. & 
 21. & Bucer in Rem. 1. § 7. 
 
[ 37 1 
 
 * cumftances of temptation ; by which temptation, are 
 
 * meant, not only thofe trials that are of an outward af- 
 4 flictive nature ; but thole alfo that are inward and 
 ‘ fpiritual : even iuch as fliall caufe the perfons lb 
 4 tempted, actually to turn alide from the path of duty 
 4 to commit fin', and involve both themfelves and others 
 4 in evil. Hence we find the elect complaining, Ifai. 
 
 4 lxiii. 17.’ “ O Lord why halt thou made us to err 
 “ from thy ways, and hardened our hearts from thy 
 “ fear r” 4 But there is alfo a kind of temptation, 
 
 4 which is peculiar to* the non-elebt; whereby God, in 
 4 a way ot juft judgment, makes them totally blind and 
 4 obdurate ; inaimuch as they are veli’els of wrath fitted 
 4 to delft ucfion.’ See alfo his expolition of Rom. ix. 
 
 Luther * reafons to the very fame effeft : fome of 
 his words are thefe, 4 It may leem abfurd to human 
 4 wifdejn, that God Ihould harden, blind end deliver 
 4 up fome men to a reprobate fenfe ; that he Ihould 
 4 firlf deliver them over to evil, and then condemn 
 4 them for that evil : but the believing, fpiritual man 
 4 fees no abfurdity at all in this ; knowing, that God 
 4 would be never a whit lefs good, even though he 
 4 Ihould deftroy all men.’ And again ; 4 God worketh 
 4 all things in all men; even wickednefs in the wicked; 
 
 4 tor this is one branch ot his own omnipotence.’ He 
 very properly explains, bow God may be faid to har¬ 
 den men, &c. and yet not be the author of their fin : 
 
 4 ’Tis not to be underilood,’ fays he, ‘ as if God found 
 4 men good, wife and tractable, and then made them 
 4 foolilh and obdurate ; but God finding them deprav- 
 4 ed, judicially and powerfully excites them juft as they 
 4 are (unlefs it is his will to regenerate any of them) 
 4 and, by thus exciting them,, they become ?nore blind 
 4 and obftinate than they were before.’ See this whole 
 fubjeSt debated at large, in the places laft referred to. 
 
 Pof. 3. God, as the primary and efficient canle of all 
 things, is not only the author of thofe actions done by 
 his elect, as ailions ; but alio as they axe good actions : 
 whereas, on the other hanl, though he may be faid to 
 be the author of all the a&ions done' by the wicked, 
 D . yet 
 
 ; s De Serv. Arb. c. 8. & 146. & 147. uftp ad c. 163. 
 
[ J 
 
 .yet.he is not the author of them in a moral and compound 
 fcvfe, as they are Jit fid ; but pbyfically, Jimply, and foju 
 tlivijb , as they are mere .aflions, ab ft ratted ly from all 
 coni'xclcration of the goodnefs or badnefs of them. 
 
 Although there .is no action whatever, which is not, 
 in lome fenfe, .either good or bad.; yet we can ealily 
 conceive of an adtion, purely as Jlkcb, without' adverting - 
 to the quality of it: fo that the diftindtion between aStien 
 itfef and its denomination of good or evil, is very obvious 
 and natural. 
 
 In and by the elect, therefore. Cod wot only pro¬ 
 duces woiks and addons, through l\is almighty power $ 
 but likewife, through th tfalutary influences or his Spirit, 
 firft makes their perfons good, and then their addons 
 fo too : but in and by .the reprobate, he produces ac¬ 
 tions, by his jiower alone ; Which adlions, as neither 
 Tiling from faith, nor being wrought with a view to 
 the divine glow, nor done in the manner preferibedby 
 the divine word, are, .on thefe accounts, properly deno¬ 
 minated evil. Hence we fee, that God does not, im¬ 
 mediately and perfi , infufe iniquity into the wicked ; 
 .but, as Luther .expreftes it, powerfully excites them to 
 idtion, and wibh-Jjolds thofe .gracious influences of his 
 .Spirit, without which every adtion is neceftarily evil. 
 That God, either diredily or remotely, excites bad men 
 as well as good ones, to addon, cannot be denied by 
 any but Alheifts, or by thofe who carry their notions of 
 free-will and human independency fo high, as to ex¬ 
 clude the Deity from all adtual operation in and among 
 his creatures ; which is.little fl.ort of Atheifm. Every 
 work performed, whether good or evil, is done In 
 jftrength, and by power derived immediately from God 
 hi true If, “ in whom all men live, move, and have 
 “ their being.” Adfs xvii. a8. As, at firft, without 
 .biin was not any thing made, which .was made.; lb } 
 now’, without him is not any thing.done, w hich is done. 
 We have no power or faculty, whether corporal cr in¬ 
 tellectual, but what we received from God, fubfilis by 
 .him, and is exercifed in fubferviency to bis will and 
 epypiotment. Tis he who created, frefaves^a-fluates 
 . and 
 
f : *5 T 
 
 ancfd'redls all tilings. But it by no means follow's, from' 
 thefe premifes, that God is therefore the caufe of fin ; 
 for fm is nothing but illegality , “ want of conformity 
 “ to the divine law.” i John iii. 4.- a mere privation 
 of rectitude : confequently, being itfelf, a thing purely 
 negative, it can have no-positive or efficient caufe, but 
 only a negative and deficient one ; as fevered learned' 
 men have olderved. 
 
 Every adtion, as fuch, is undoubtedly good ; it be¬ 
 ing an aftual exertion of thole operative powers given! 
 us by God for that very end : God therefore may be 
 the author of all actions, (as he undoubtedly is) and yet 
 not be the author of evil. An adtion is conftituted evih 
 three ways-; by proceeding from a wrong principle,'by 
 being directed to a wrong end, and by being dofee in a’ 
 wrong manner. Now? though God, as we lis-ve faid, is- 
 the efficient caufe of out addons, as actions ; yet if 
 thefe actions commence Jtnfal, that fiafulnefs arifes' 
 from ourfelves. Suppofe a boy, who knows not how to' 
 write, has his hand guided by'his mailer, and never¬ 
 theless makes falle letters, quite unlike the copy let 
 him; though bis-preceptor, who guides his hand, is- 
 the caufe of his writing at all, yet his own ignorance 
 and imlkilfulnefs are the caufe of his writing /« badly e 
 Juft fo, God is the fupreme author of our addon, ab- 
 Jlratlcdly taken ; but our own vitiofity is the caufe of 
 our adding amide 
 
 I- ffiall conclude this article, with two or three obser¬ 
 vations. And, (1.) I would infer, that if we would’ 
 maintain the do ft fine ot God’s anmibcUHcc, \vh niuft 
 in lift upon that of his univerfal agency : the darter can¬ 
 not be denied without giving up the former. Difprove 
 that he is almighty, and then we’ll grant that his influ-' 
 ence and' operations are limited and' ciicumfcribed. 
 Luther fays, * ‘ God would not be a refpeCf ible Being, 
 
 ‘ if he were not almighty, and the doer cf alhthingr 
 ‘ that are done ; or if any thing could come to-pafs, in- 
 * which he had- no hand.’ God has, at leaft, a phyfual 
 influence on whatfoever is done by his creatures, whe¬ 
 ther trivial or important, good or evil. Judas as truly 
 I> 2 lived./, 
 
 * De Serv. Arb. c. 160. 
 
[ 4° 1 
 
 lived, moved and had hh being from God, as Peter; 
 and Satan himiell, as much as Gabriel ; for, to fay that 
 fin exempts the (inner from the divine government and 
 jurifdidtiori, is abridging the power of God with a vvit- 
 nefs ; nay, is razing it from its very foundations. 
 
 (2 .) This do&rine of God’s omnipotence has a na¬ 
 tive tendency to awaken in our hearts that reverence for, 
 and tear of the divine Majelly, which none can either 
 receive or retain, but thole who believe him to be in¬ 
 finitely powerful, and to work ail things after the coun- 
 fel of his own will. This godly fear is a fovereign an¬ 
 tidote againll fin ; for, if I really believe that God, by 
 his unintermitted operation upon my foul, produces ac¬ 
 tions in me, which, being (imply good, receive their 
 malignancy from the corruption of my nature (and 
 even thofe works that (land oppoiedtto fins, are, more 
 er lefs, infected with this moral leprofy) and if I confi- 
 e'er, that, Ihould 1 yield myielf a ffave to a£lual iniqui¬ 
 ty, God can, and julily might, as he has frequently 
 done by others, give me up to a reprobate mind, and 
 piinub one fin, by leaving me to the commiffion of an¬ 
 other ; furely fuch reflections as thefe mud fill me with 
 awful apprehenfions of the divine purity, power and 
 greatnefs, and make me watch continually, as well- 
 againll the inward rifings, as the outward appearance of 
 evil. _ . 
 
 (3.) This do&rine is alfo ufefol, as it tends to in- 
 fpire ns with true humility of ioui, and to lay us, as im¬ 
 potent dull and allies, at the feet of Sovereign Omni¬ 
 potence. It teaches us, what too many are fatally igno¬ 
 rant of, the bjefled leilon of Self-Despair ; i. e. that 
 in a (late of unregeneracy, our wifdonj is lolly, our 
 fhength w r eakncfs, and our righteoulnefs nothing 
 ivorth : that, therefore, we can do nothing, either to 
 the glory of God, or the fpiritual benefit of ourfelves 
 and others, but through the ability which he giveth ; 
 that in him our ftrength lieth, and from him all our 
 help mull come. Suppofing we believe, that, uhatfo- 
 ever is done below or above, God doeth it himfelf; 
 that all things depend, both as to their being and ope¬ 
 ration, upon his o nuipotent arm and mighty fupport ; 
 
 that 
 
[ 4i 1 
 
 that we cannot evenyf«, much lefs do any good thing, 
 if he withdraw his aid ; and that all men are in hi3 
 hand, as clay in the hand of the potter ; I' fay, did we 
 really believe all thefe points, and fee them in the light 
 of the divine Spirit, how can it be reafonably fuppofed, 
 that we could wax infolent againft this gretft God, be¬ 
 have conteraptuouily and fupercilioufly in the vVorlc!, 
 or boall of any thing we have or do? Luther info;ms 
 us *, ‘ That he ufed frequently to be much offended 
 ‘ at this doff fine, becaufe it drove him to Self-de- 
 ‘ spair ; but that he afterwards found, that this fort 
 ‘ of defpair was falutary and profitable, and near a-kia 
 ‘ to divine grace.’ 
 
 (4.) We are hereby taught not only humility before 
 God, but likewil’e dependence on him, -and resignation to 
 him. For, if we are thoroughly peffuaded that, of 
 ourfelves, and in our own ffrength, we cannot either do 
 good or evil; but that, being originally created by 
 God, we are incefiantly fupported, moved, influenced, 
 and direffed by him, this way or that, as he pleafes ; 
 the natural inference from hence will be, that, with 
 Ample faith, we calf ourfelves entirely, as on the befom 
 of his providence ; commit all our care and folicitude 
 to his hand; praying, without hefitatipn or referve, 
 that his will may be done in us, on us, and by us ; 
 and that, in all his dealings with us, he may confult 
 his own glory alone. This holy paflivenefs is the very 
 apex of Chrilfianity. All the defires of our great Re* 
 deemer himfelf were reducible *0 thefe two ; that the 
 Will of God might be done, and that the Glory of 
 God might be dilplayed. Thefe were the higheff and 
 fupreme marks, at which he aimed, throughout the 
 whole courfe of his fpotlefs life, and inconceiveably 
 tremendous fufferings. tlappy, thrice happy that man 
 who hath thus far attained the mind that was in 
 Chrilf ! 
 
 ■ (4.) The comfortable belief of this doffrine, has a 
 tendency to excite and keep alive within us that forti¬ 
 tude which if fo ornamental to, and neceffary for us, 
 D 3 while 
 
 * DeServ, Avb. c. 161, 
 
 
 —MiiA 
 
C 42 3 
 
 while we abide in this wildernefs. For, if I believe, 
 with the apoflle, that all things are of God, 2 Cor. v. 
 18. I fhall be lefs .liable to perturbation, when affiidl- 
 ed, and learn more eafily to pofiefs my foul in patience. 
 This was Job’s fupport: he was not overcome with 
 rage and defpair, when he received news that the Sa- 
 bcans had carried off his cattle, and (lain his fervants, 
 and that the remainder of both were confumed with 
 lire; that the Chaldeans had rob’d him of his camels.; 
 and that his feven fobs were crufli’d to death, by. the 
 falling of the boufe where they were lifting : he refolv- 
 ed all thefe misfortunes into the agency of God, his 
 power and fovereignty, and even thanked him for do¬ 
 ing what he would with his own, Job i. 21. If an¬ 
 other fhould Hander me in word, or injure me in deed, 
 I fl ail not be prone to anger, when, with David, I 
 conlider that the Lord hath bidden him, 2 Sam. 
 svi. 10. 
 
 fo.) This fhould ftir us up to fervent and inceflant 
 jpravcr. For, does God work powerfully and benign¬ 
 ly in the hearts of his elecl ? and is he the foie caufe of 
 every ablion they do, which is truly and fpiritually 
 yood ? Then it fhould be our prayer, that he would 
 work in us likewife both to will and to do, of his good 
 pleafure : and if, on feif-examination, we find reafon 
 to trull, that fome good thing is wrought in us; it fhould 
 put us upon thankfulncjs unfeigned, and caufe 11s to 
 glory, not in ourfelves, but in him. On the other 
 hand, does God manifeil his difplcafure againfl the 
 wicked, by blinding, hardening, and giving them up 
 to perpetrate iniquity with greedinefs ? which judicial 
 »< 5 is of God, are both a punijbment for their fin ; and 
 alfo eventual additions to it:'we fhould be the more in¬ 
 cited to deprecate thefe tremendous evils, and to be- 
 feech the King of heaven, that he would not thus 
 lead us into temptation. So much concerning the Om¬ 
 nipotence of God. I fhall now, 
 
 V. Take notice of \\\sfujltcc. 
 
 Pod. t. God is infinitely, abfolutely, and unchange¬ 
 ably juf. 
 
 The 
 
E 4 3 } 
 
 The juftice of God may be confidered either imma* 
 neatly, as it is in blmfelf, which is, properly fpeaking, 
 the fame with his holinefs ; or tranjiently and relatively, 
 as it refpects his right conduct towards his creatures, 
 which is properly juftice. By the former he is all that 
 is holy, juft and good ; by the latter, he is manifefted 
 to be fo, in all his dealings with angels and men. For 
 the fir ft, fee Deut. xxxii. 4. Pf. xcii. 1 for the fecond. 
 Job via. 3. Pf. cxlv. 17. Hence it follows, that 
 whatever God either wills or does, however it may, at 
 fil'd fight, feern to clafh with our ideas of right and 
 wrong, cannot really be unjuft. ’Tis certain, that, 
 for a fealbn, he forely aiilicted his righteous fer- 
 vant Job; and, on the other hand, enriched the 
 Sabeatis, an infidel and lawlefs nation, with a profufion 
 of wealth, and a feries of fuccefs : before Jacob and 
 Efau were born, or had done either good or evil, 
 he loved and chofe the former, and reprobated the 
 latter: He gave repentance to Peter, and left Judas to 
 | perifh in his fin : and as in all ages, fo, to thisjday, “ he 
 “ hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he 
 “ hardneth.” In all which, he aefts rnoft juftly and 
 , righteoufly, and there is no iniquity with him. 
 
 Pof. 2. The Deity may be confidered in a threefold 
 view: as God of all, as Lord of all, and as Judge of 
 all. 
 
 (1.) As God of all, he created, fuftains, and ex¬ 
 hilarates the whole univerfe; “ caufes his fun to flfine, 
 “ and his rain to fall upon the evil and the good,’' 
 
 1 Mat. v. and is “ the preferver of all men,” x Tim. 
 iv. 10. For, as he is infinitely and fupremely good, 
 fo alfo is he communicative of his goodnefs ; as appears 
 not only from his creation of all things, but efpecially 
 from his providential benignity. Every thing has its 
 being from him, as Creator ; and its well-being from 
 him, as a bountiful Preferver. (2.) As Lord, or 
 1. Sovereign or all, he dots as he will (and has a moil un- 
 \ queftionable right to do fo) with his own ; and, in par¬ 
 ticular, fixes and determines the everlafting ftate of 
 every individual perlbn, as he fees fit. ’Tis ejfential 
 to abfolute fovereignty, that the fovereign have it in his 
 
 power 
 
[4+3 
 
 power to difpofe of thofe, over whom his jurifdiiftloa 
 extends, juft as he pleaies, without being accountable 
 to any : and God whole authority is unbounded, none 
 being exempt from it; may with the flriifteft holinefs 
 and juftiee, love or hate, eleft or reprobate, iaye or 
 deftroy any of his creatures, whether human or angelic, 
 according to his own freepieufure and fovereign purpofe, 
 ( j.) As .Judge ofall, he ratifies what he does as Lord, 
 by rendering to all according to their works ; by punifh- 
 ing the wicked, and rewarding thole whom it was his 
 will to efteem righteous and to make holy. 
 
 Pof. 3. AVhatever things God wills or does, are not 
 willed and done by him becaufe they were, in tbeir own 
 nature , and previoujly to his willing them, juft: and 
 right; or becaufe, from their hitrinfc fiinefs, he ought 
 to will and do them : but they are therefore juft, right 
 and proper, becaufe he, who is holinefs itfelf, wills and 
 does them. 
 
 Hence, Abraham looked upon it as a righteous acti¬ 
 on, to flay his innocent foil. Why did he fo efteem 
 it? becaufe the law of God authoris’d murder? No; 
 for, on the contrary, both the law of God and the law 
 of nature peremptorily forbad it : but the holy Patri¬ 
 arch well knew, that the will of God is the only rule of 
 juftiee, and that what he pleafes to command, is, on 
 that very account, juft and righteous.* It follows, 
 
 Pof. 4. That, although our works are to be examined 
 by T the revealed will of God, and be denominated ma¬ 
 terially good or evil, as they' agree or dilagree with it; 
 yet, _ the works of God bimfelf c annot be brought to any 
 teft whatever : for, his will being the grand, univerfal 
 law, he himfelf cannot be, properly fpeaking, fubjedt 
 to, or obliged by any- law fuperior to that. Many 
 things’are done by him, (fitch as choofing and repro¬ 
 bating men, without any rePper! had to their works ; 
 fullering people to fall into fin, when, if it fo pleaf- 
 cd him, he might prevent it; leaving many backliiding 
 profefiors to go on and perifh in their apoftacy, when 
 it is in his divine power to faniftify and let them right ; 
 drawing feme by his grace, and permitting many others 
 
 to 
 
 * Compare alfo Exod, iii. 22 , With Exod. xy. 1^, 
 
[ 45 1 
 
 to continue in fin and unregeneracy; condemning thofe 
 to future mifery, whom, if he pleafed, he couid un¬ 
 doubtedly fave ; with innumerable inftances of the 
 like nature, which might be mentioned) and which, 
 if done by would be apparently unjuft, inafmuch 
 as they would not fquare with the revealed will cl God, 
 which is the great and only fafe rule of our practice. 
 But when he does thefe and fuch like things, they 
 cannot but be holy, equitable, and worthy of himielt : 
 for, fince his will is ellentially and unchangeably juft, 
 whatever he does, in confequtnce of that will, mu ft be 
 juft ani good likewife, From what has been delivered 
 under this fifth head, I would infer, that they who 
 deny the power God has of doing as he will with his 
 creatures, and exclaim againft unconditional decrees, 
 as cruel, tyranical, and unjuft ; either know not what 
 they fay, nor whereof they affirm ; or are wilful blaf- 
 phemers of his name, and perverfe rebels againft his 
 fovereignty : to which, at laft, however unwillingly, 
 they will be forced to fubmit. 
 
 I (hall conclude this introduction with briefly con- 
 fidering, in the 
 
 Sixth and laft place, the Mercy of God, 
 
 Pofi. t. The Deity is, throughout the feriptures, repre* 
 fented as infinitely gracious and merciful, Exod. xxxiv. 
 6. Nehem. ix. 17.- Pfalrn ciii. 8. 1 Pet. i. 3. 
 
 When we call the divine mercy infinite , we do not 
 mean that it is, in a way of grace, extended to all men, 
 without exception ; (and fuppoling it was r even then it 
 would be very improperly denominated infinite on 
 that account, fince the. objeCts of it, though all men 
 taken together, would not amount to a multitude ftriCt- 
 ly and property infinite.) but, that his mercy towards 1 
 Iris own el tel, as it knew no beginning, fo it is infinite 
 in duration , and (hall know neither period nor inter- 
 miflion. 
 
 Pofi. 2. Mercy is not in the Deity, as it is in us, a 
 pajfipn or afiedliou ; every thing of that kind being in¬ 
 compatible with the purity, perfection, independency 
 and unchangeablenefs of his nature : but, when this 
 attribute is predicated of him, it only notes his ‘ free 
 
 ‘ and 
 
t 46 - y 
 
 4 arid' eternal will, or purpofe, of making fome of the 
 ‘ fallen race happy, by delivering them from'the guild 
 4 and dominion ot fin, and communicating himfelf 
 4 to them in a way confident with his own inviolable 
 ‘jutliee, truth, and hulinefs.’ This feems to be the 
 proper definition of mercy, as it relates to the fpiritual' 
 and eternal good of thofe who are its objects. But it 
 Ihould be observed, 
 
 Pof. 3, That the mercy of God, taken in its more 
 large and indefinite feiife, may be-confidered, (1.) as 
 general. (2.) as Jpecial, 
 
 His general mercy is no other than what we com¬ 
 monly call his bounty y by which he is, more or Ids, 
 providentially good to all mankind-, both elect and non- 
 el eft : Mat. v. 4^. Luke vi. 33. Acts xiv. 1 7. and 
 xvii. 25, 28. By his /peeled mercy, he, as Lord of all, 
 hath, in a fpiritual fenfe compafilon on as many of the 
 fallen race, as are the objects of his free arid eternal 
 favour : the effects of which fpecial mercy are, the re¬ 
 demption and jujlification ot their perfons, through the 
 fatisfadlion of Ch ild ; the effeddual vocation, regenera¬ 
 tion and fanCtificafion of them, by his Spirit ; the in¬ 
 fallible and final prefervaiion of them in a date of grace 
 on earth; and their everlafting glorification in heaven. 
 
 Pof. 4. There is no contradiction; whether real or 
 feeming, between thefe two aflerrions,- (i.) That the 
 bleifings of grace and glory are peculiar to thofe whom 
 God hath in his decree of pretfefiination, fet apart tor 
 himlelf; and (2.) That the gofpel declaration runs, 
 that “ w lofoever v/illeth, may take of the'water of 
 4< life freely,” Xev. xxit. 17. Since in'the/??-/? place, 
 none can will, or unfeignedly and fpiritually delire, a 
 part in thefe privileges, but thole whom God' prevkmf- 
 ly makes willing and defirous ; and, fecondlv, that he 
 gives this will to, and excites this defire in none but 
 his own eledt. 
 
 P'nf 7. Since ungodly men, who are totally and final¬ 
 ly defiitute of divine grace, cannot know what this 
 in 'rcy is, nor form any proper apprehenfions of it, 
 much lefs by faith embrace and rely upon it for them-' 
 felres; and fince daily experience as well as the ferip* 
 
 tur#s- 
 
1 47 3 
 
 lures of truth, teaches us, that God doth not open the 
 eyes of the reprobate, as he doth the eyes of his eledt, 
 nor favingly enlighten their underffandings; it evident¬ 
 ly follows, that his mercy was never, front the very 
 firfi, deligned for-them, neither will it be applied to 
 them : but, both in delignation and application, is 
 proper and peculiar to thole only, who are predeitinat- 
 ed to life ; as it is written, “ the election hath obtain- 
 s ‘ ed, and the reft were blinded,” Rem. xi. y. 
 
 Pof. 6. The whole work cf falvation, together with 
 every thing that is in order to it, or hands in connetti- 
 .on vvich.it, it, fometimes, in feripture comprised un¬ 
 der the lingle term mercy.;, to lRcyv that mere love and 
 abfolute grace were the grand caufe why the elect are 
 fayed, and that all merit, worthinefs, and good quali¬ 
 fications of theirs were entirely excluded from having 
 any influence on the divine will, why they fhould be 
 .chofen, redeemed, and glorified above others. When 
 it is faid, Rom. ix. “ He hath mercy on whom he 
 “ will have mercy,” ’tis as much as if the Apolile had 
 faid, ‘ God elected, ranfqmed, juftified, regenerates, 
 ‘ fanctifies and glorifies, whom he pleafes everv one of 
 thele great privileges being briefly fum’d, and virtually 
 included, in tli^t comprehenfive phrafe, “ He hath 
 “ mercy.” 
 
 Pof. 7. It fallows, that, whatever favour is beftow- 
 ed on us; whatever good thing is in us, or wrought by 
 us, whether in will, word, or deed; and whatever 
 bleffingelfe we receive from Gad, from election quite 
 Tome to. glorification ; all proceed, merely and entire¬ 
 ly from ‘ the good pleafure,of his will,’ and his mercy 
 towards us in Chr 1 s t Jesus. To him therefore, the 
 praife is due, who putteth the difference between man 
 and man, ,,by .having compiltion on home, and not on 
 .others. 
 
 THE 
 
g *$* ^ %• ! ■$* (fit 
 
 **\ • * 4 * 
 
 >:* #M>:OK&>Kft&:K ;K & K€C*:0K&>3-ft>J; 
 
 THE 
 
 DOCTRINE 
 
 jO F 
 
 Abfolute Predestination 
 
 STATED and ASSERTED. 
 
 C H A P. 
 
 I. 
 
 Wherein the Terms, commonly made sfie of in treating of 
 this Subjefl, are defined arid explained . 
 
 •$“G-—— s-j§ 5 » A VING confidered the Attributes of 
 « jooc=^j. A God, as laid down in Scripture ; and, 
 ? H f fo f ar > cleared our way to the Doctrine 
 j * 2 | °t Predeftination : I fhall, before I en- 
 
 ter further on the iubjedt, explain the 
 2 ' ^ principal terms, generally made ufe of, 
 
 when treating ot it, and fettle their true meaning. In 
 difeourfing on the divine decrees, mention is frequent¬ 
 ly made ot God’s Love, and Hatred ; of KleHion, and 
 Reprobation ; and of the divine Purpofie, Foreknowledge, 
 and Predefiination : each of which we fhall diftinfctly 
 and bi iefly conli^er. 
 
 I. When 
 
[ 49 ] 
 
 I. When love is predicated of God, we do not mean 
 ihat he is poffefTed of it as a paffion or affeftion. In us, 
 it is fitch ; but if, eonfidered in that fenfe, it fltould be 
 aferibed to the Deity, it would be utterly fubverfivc or 
 the Simplicity, pe feftion and independency of his be¬ 
 ing. Love, therefore, when attributed to him, figni- 
 fies, (i.) His eternal benevolence, L e. his everlafiing 
 •will, purpofe and determination to deliver, blefs, and 
 fave his people. Or this, no good works wrought by 
 them, are, in any fenfe, the caufe. Neither are even 
 the merits of Chrilt himfelf to be conlidered as any 
 way moving, or exciting this goodwill of God to his 
 eleft; lince the gift of Chrilt, to be their Mediator and 
 Redeemer, is itfelf an tffift of this tree and eternal fa¬ 
 vour, borne to them by God the Father, John iii. 16. 
 His love toward them arifes merely from t!• ■ goodplca- 
 fiure of his own will, without the lead: regard to any 
 thing ad extra, or, out of himfelf. The term implies, 
 (2.) Complacency, delight, and approbation. With this 
 love, God cannot love even his cleft, as conlidered in 
 themfelves ; becaufe, in that view, they are guilty, pol¬ 
 luted tinners : but they were, from all eternity, objefts 
 of it, as they flood united to Chriit, and partakers of 
 his righteoufnels. Love implies, (3.) Aftual benefi¬ 
 cence ; which, properly lpeaking, is nothing die than# 
 the eflfeft or accomplifmncnt of the other two : thnfe are 
 the caufe of this. This aftual beneficence refpefts all 
 blefiings, whether of a temporal, fpiritual, or eternal 
 nature. Temporal good things are, indeed, indilcri- 
 minately, bellowed in a greater or lefs degree, on all, 
 whether eleft or reprobate ; but they are given in a 
 covenant way, and as blefiings to the eleft only : ta 
 whom alfo the other benefits, refpefting grace and glo¬ 
 ry, are peculiar. And this love ot beneficence, no.lefs 
 than that of benevolence and complacency, is abfolute- 
 ly free . ad irrefpeftive of any worthlnefs in man. 
 
 II. When Hatred is aferibed to God, it implies, 
 (1.) A negation of benevolence; or, a resolution vet to 
 have mercy on fuch and fueh men, nor to endue them 
 with any of thofe graces which Rind connected with 
 
 L cterea 
 
[ ] 
 
 eternal life. So, Rom. ix. F.j'au have I hated, i. e. I 
 did, from all eternity, determine within myfelf, not to 
 hare mercy on him. The foie caule of which awful 
 negation, is, not merely the unworthinefs of the per- 
 ions hated, but the iovereignty and freedom of the di- 
 vine will. (2.) It denotes difpleafure and diltike : for, 
 tinners, who are not interefted in Chtifl, cannot but be 
 infinitely difpleafing to, ami loathfome in the fight of 
 eternal purity. (3.) It lignifies a pofitive will to pu- 
 nifh and dellroy the reprobate for their fins j of which 
 will, the infliction of mi.ery upon them hereafter, is 
 but the neceffary elfedt and adual execution. 
 
 III. The term Elcffion, that fo very frequently oc¬ 
 curs in Scripture, is there taken in a fourfold lenfe; 
 (1.) And it .oil commonly lignifies, ‘ That eternal, fo- 
 ‘ vereign, unconditional, particular, and immutable aft 
 * or God, where he feleded home from among all man- 
 ‘ kind, and of every nation under heaven, to be re- 
 4 deemed and everlallingly laved by Clirilt.’ (2.) It 
 ibme times, and more rarely lignifies, ‘ That gracious 
 ‘ and almighty ad o! the divine Spirit, whereby God 
 ‘ adually and vifibly lepajrates his eled from the wo Id, 
 
 ‘ by cO'edual calling.’ T his is nothing but the mani- 
 ^fellation and partial fulfilment of the former eledion ; 
 and, by if, the objeds of predeftinating grace are ien- 
 libly led into the communion of faints, and vihbly 
 added to the number of God’s declared, profelling peo¬ 
 ple. Of this our Lord makes mention, John xv. 19. 
 
 Becaufe 1 have cholen you out of the world, tliere- 
 “ fore the world haleth you.” Where, it (hould feem, 
 the choice fpoken of, does not refer lb much to God’s 
 eternal immanent ad of ejedion, as his open, manireit 
 one; whereby he powerfully and efficacicully called 
 the difciples forth from the world of the unconverted, 
 and quickened them from above, in converfion. (3.) 
 By eledion is fomeiimes meant, ‘ God’s taking a whole 
 ‘ nation, community, or body of men, into external 
 ‘ covenant with hitjilelf, by giving them the advantage 
 ‘ of revelation, or his written word, as the rule of their 
 ‘ belied" and pradice, when other nations are without 
 
[ p ] 
 
 c it/ In this fenfe, the whole body of the Jewifh na¬ 
 tion was indifcriminately called elect, Dcut. vii. 6. be- 
 caufe that “ unto them were committed the oracles of 
 God.” Now, all that are thus ejected, are not theie- 
 fore nt'ceffarily laved; hut many of them may be, and 
 are reprobates; as thole, of whom our Lord fays, 
 Mat. xiii. 20. that they v “ hear the vvoid, Slid anon 
 “ with joy receive u,”"'&c. And trie Apollle Jyhn, 
 i Epift. chap. ii. “ They went out from us,” i. c. be¬ 
 ing favoured with the fame gofpel revelation-we were, 
 they profetTed themfelves true believers, no lefs titan 
 we ; “ but they were not of us,” i. e. they were not, 
 with us, chofen of God unto everlafting life, nor did 
 they ever, in reality, pollefs that faith of his operation, 
 which he gave to us ; 11 for, if they had,” in this 
 fenfe, “ been of us, they would, no doubt, have con* 
 “ tinued with us;” they would have manifefted the 
 fincerity of their profeflions, and the truth of their con- 
 verfion, by enduring to the end, arid being laved. Aral 
 even this external revelation, tho’ it is not necefiarily 
 Connected with eternal happinefs, is, neverthelefs, pro¬ 
 ductive of very many and great advantages to the peo¬ 
 ple and places where it is vouchfafed ; and is made 
 known to fome nations, and kept back * from others, 
 “ according to the good pleafure of him, who worketh 
 “ all things after the counfel of his own will.” (4.) 
 And laflly, election fometimes fignifies, ‘ The tempo- 
 
 * raiy r delignation of fome perfon or perfons, to the fill* 
 
 ‘ ing up fome particular lration in the vifible church, 
 
 * or office in civil life/ So Judas was deafen to the 
 ApofUeffiip, John vi. 70. and Saul to he King of Ifrael, 
 
 1 Sam. x. 2 \. Thus much for the uie of the wori 
 ehetion. On the contrary,- 
 
 TV. Reprobation denotes either, (t.) God’s eternal 
 preterition of fome men, when he cbofe others to glory, 
 and his predeflination of them to fill up the meafure of 
 their iniquities', and then to receive the juft nuniffime-nt 
 of their crimes, even “ deflrudfion from the prefence 
 f ‘ or the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” This 
 E 2 j» 
 
 * See l’fa!m c:;hii. 19, 20, 
 
C s* 1 
 
 5 s the primary, moft obvious, and mofi frequent fenfe, 
 in which the word is ufed. .it may likewife iignify, 
 .(-•) God’s forbearing to call by his grace, thofe whom 
 he hath thus ordained to condemnation : but this is 
 only a temporary peter it ion, and a confequence of that 
 which was from eternity. (3.) And lallly, The word 
 may be taken in another fenfe, as denoting God’s re¬ 
 fund to grant, to home nations, the light of the gofpel 
 revelation. This^may be conlidered as a kind of na¬ 
 tional reprobation ; wh'ch yet does not iyiply that eve¬ 
 ry individual perfon, who lives in fueh a country, mu it 
 theretore unavoidably perifh for ever t any more than 
 that every individual, who lives in a land called Chri- 
 ftian, is therefore in a hate of fulvation. There are, 
 kg doubt, elefi perfons among the former, as well as 
 reprobate ones among the latter. By a very little at¬ 
 tention to the context, any reader may ealily difeover 
 in which of thefe feveral lenfes the words eleft and re- 
 prohate are ufed, whenever they occur in Scripture. 
 
 V. Mention is frequently made in Scripture, of the 
 Pttrpnfe * of God : which is no other than his gracious 
 
 intention 
 
 ’* The Purpofe of God does not feem to dilTer at all, 
 from Predef:illation: that being, as well as this, an 
 eternal, free and unchangeable adl of his will. Beftdes, 
 the word purpofe, when predicated of Gcd in the New 
 Teftament, always denotes his delign of having ha 
 eledf, and that only, Rom. viii. :8. and ix. n. Ep’n. 
 
 11. and iii. it. 1 Tim. i. 9. As does the term predef- 
 t[nation ; which, throughout the whole New Tefta- 
 mer.t, never Signifies the appointment of the n.n-ehB to 
 wrath ; but, Singly and folelv, the fore-appointment of 
 rite eleeft to grace and glory ; though, in common the¬ 
 ological writings, precieflinat’ton is fpeken of as extend¬ 
 ing 0 to whatever God does, both in a way of permiffou 
 ar.d efficiency; as, in the utinofl fenfe of the term, it does. 
 ’Titworthy of the reader’s notice, that the original 
 word, which we under purpofe, fignifies not only an 
 appointment, but a fc r e - app 0 m tm e 111, and fueh a tore- 
 
 appo moment 
 
[ S3 ] 
 
 intention, from eternity, of making his cleft everlaft- 
 ingly happy in Chrift, 
 
 VI, When Fore-hiovoledge is afcribeJ to God, the 
 Word imports, (i.) That general prefcience, whereby 
 he knew, from all eternity, both what he himfelf would 
 do, and what his creatures, in confequence of his effi¬ 
 cacious and permiffive decree, ffiould do likewife. The 
 divine fore-knowledge, confidered in this view, is abfo- 
 lutely univerfal ;■ it extends to all beings that did, do, 
 or ever ihall exilt ,• and to all actions, that ever have 
 been, that are, or (hall be done, whether good or evil, 
 natural, civil, or moral. (2.) The word often denotes 
 that lpecial prefcience, which has for its objects his 
 own elect, and them alone, whom he is, in a peculiar 
 fenfe, faid to kno-zv and forcknozv, Pfal. i. 6. John x. 
 27. 2 Tim. ii. 19. Rom. viii. 29. 1 Pet. i. 2, and this 
 knowledge is .con nected with, or rather the fame with 
 love, favour, and approbation. 
 
 VII. We come, now, to confider the meaning of the 
 ■ word Preclefluation , and how it is taken in Scripture. 
 The verb predeflnale is of Latin original, and fignifies 
 in that tongue, 4 to deliberate beforehand with one’s 
 ‘ felt, how one fnali aft, and, in eonfequence of Rich 
 ‘ deliberation, to conftitute, forc-ordain, and predeter- 
 6 mine, where, when, how, and by whom, any thing 
 ‘ Ihall be done, and to what end it ihall be done.’ So the 
 
 E 3 . Greek 
 
 appointment as is efficacious, and cannot be obflrucied, 
 but ihall molt affuredly iffiie in a full accoraplifirment} 
 which gave occafion to the following judicious remark 
 of a late learned writer; e A Paulo faepe ufarpater in 
 ‘ electionis negotio, ad defignandum, conliiium hoc 
 1 Dei non effe inanem quandam 8 c inefficacem velleita- 
 ‘ tern ; fed conltans, determinatum, & immUtabiie Del 
 ‘ propofttum. Vox enim eltefficaciae funimae, ut no- 
 * taut grammatici veteres j & lignate vocatur a Paulo* 
 
 ‘ conhlium illius, qui effieaciter omnia operator ex be- 
 ‘ neplacito fuo.’ TurrETIN. InftitUt. Tom. 1. Loc. 
 4. Quaeft. 7. § 12, 
 
f *4 1 
 
 Greek verb proorizo , anfwers to the Englifh word pre- 
 efefiinate , and is rendered by it, fignifies, ‘ to refolve be- 
 
 * fore hand, within one’s leif, what to do ; and, before 
 
 * the thing refolved on is adually effeded, to appoint it 
 ‘ to fome certain ul'e, and dired it to fome determinate 
 
 * end.’ The Hebrew verb Haihdel , has likewife much 
 the fame fignification. 
 
 Now, none but wife men are capable (especially in 
 matters of great importance) of rightly determining 
 what to do, and how to accomplifn a proper end, by 
 juft, fuitable and effectual means: and, if this is con- 
 lefledly, a very material part of true vvifdom ; who l’o 
 fit to dilpofe of men, and aflign each individual his 
 lphere of adion in this world, and his place in the 
 world to come, as the all-wife God ? And yet, alas ! 
 how many are there, who cavil at thofe eternal decrees, 
 Which, were we capable of fully and clearly under- 
 llanding them, would appear to be as juft as they are 
 fovereign, and as wife as they are incomprcheniible ! 
 Divine preordination has, for its objects, all things that 
 sre created : no creature, whether rational or irration¬ 
 al, animate or inanimate, is exempted from its influ¬ 
 ence. All beings whatever, from the higheft angel to 
 the meaneft reptile, and from the- meaneft reptile 
 io the minufeft atom, are the objeds of God’s 
 eternal decrees and particular providence. How¬ 
 ever, the ancient fathers only made ufe of the word 
 Predeftination, as it refers to angels or men, whe¬ 
 ther good or evil; .and it is ufed, by the Apoflle 
 Paul, in a more limited fenfe ftill; lb as, by it, to mean 
 only that branch of it, which refpeds God’s eledian 
 and defignation of his people to eternal life, Rom. viii. 
 30. Eph. i. 11. 
 
 But that we may more juftly apprehend the import 
 of this word, and the ideas intended to be conveyed by 
 it ; it may be proper to cbferve, that the tei m pre¬ 
 deftination, theologically taken, admits of a four fid 
 definition: and may be conlidercd as, (1.) ‘That 
 ‘ eternal, mod wife, and immutable decree of God, 
 
 * whereby he did, from before all time, determine and 
 
 * ordain to create ; difpofe of, and dired fo fome par- 
 
 ‘ ticular 
 
[ 5S 1 
 
 * ticular end, every perfon and thing to which he h?>s 
 ‘ given, or is yet to give,, being; and to make the 
 ‘ whole creation fubfervient to, and declarative of, his 
 4 own glory.’ Of this decree, abtual Providence is the 
 execution . (2.) Predestination may be considered, as 
 
 relating generally to mankind, and them only : and, in, 
 this view, we define it to be,. 4 The everlasting fove- 
 4 reign, and invariable purpofe of God, whereby he 
 4 did determine within himfelf, to create Adam in his 
 4 own image and likenefs, and then- to permit his fall; 
 
 4 and to Suiter him, thereby, to plunge himfelf, and 
 4 his whole posterity,’ (inafmuch as they all Sinned in 
 him, hot only virtually , but alfo focderaliy and reprefen- 
 tatively) 4 into the dreadful abyfs of Sin, mifery and 
 4 death.’ (3.) CorvSider predestination as relating to 
 the eledl only , and it is 4 that eternal, unconditional, 
 4 particular, and Irreversible ait of the divine will, 
 4 whereby, in matchlefs love, and adorable fovereign- 
 4 ty, God determined within himfelf to deliver a cer- 
 1 tain number ©f Adam’s degenerate * offspring out of 
 4 that Sinful and milerable eftate, into which, by his 
 4 primitive tranfgreilion, they were to falland in 
 which Sad condition they were equally involved, with 
 
 thofe- 
 
 * When we fay, that the decree of predeSKnation t® 
 life and death refpedts man as fallen, rve do not mean, 
 that the fall was actually antecedent to that decree : for 
 the decree is truly and. properly eternal , as all God’s im¬ 
 manent affs undoubtedly are ; whereas the fall took 
 place in time . What we intend, then, is only this,. viz., 
 that God, (for reafons without doubt, worthy of him¬ 
 felf, and of which we are, by no meals, in this life 
 competent judges), having, from everlaSting,. preremp- 
 torily ordained to Suffer --the fall of Adam; did' 
 likewife, from- everlasting, conlider tire human race as 
 fallen.: and, out of the whole m-afs. of mankind thus 
 viewed and foreknown as impure, and obnoxious to 
 condemnation, vouch fafed to file ft fame particular per- 
 fens, (who collectively, make up a very great , though. 
 preefely determinate, number) in and on, whom'he would 
 make known the inef&ble ridges of his ©sercy* 
 
C 56 ] 
 
 thofe who were no* chofen ; bur, being pitched upon? 
 and tingled out, by God the Father, to be veflels of 
 grace and falvation (not for any thing in than, that 
 could recommend them to his favour, or entitle 
 them to his notice, but merely becaufe he would 
 ihew himfelf gracious to them) they were, in time, 
 actually redeemed by Chrid; are eSfedtudly cal¬ 
 led by his Spirit, jodified, adopted, fanftificd and pre- 
 ferved fate to his heavenly kingdom* Tire fupreme end 
 of this decree, is the manifeftation cf his own infinite¬ 
 ly glorious and amiably tremendous perfections: the in¬ 
 ferior, or fubordinate end, is the happinefs and fal- 
 vation of them who are thus freely elected. (4.) Pre- 
 deftination, as it regards th t r probate, is ‘ that eternal, 
 4 mod hoi)', fovereign, and immutable aft of God’s 
 4 will, whereby he hath determined to leave fome men 
 ‘ to perilh in their lins, and to be juftly punilhed tor 
 4 them.’ 
 
 •v*.V. ft . % M .v*.tr.v./*.? 4 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 II. 
 
 Wherein the D oftri/te of Predestination' is explain • 
 ed, as ic relates in general to all men. 
 
 <•;£- FI U S much being premifed with re- 
 « ■epjp.moD.efe, r lation to the feripture terms common¬ 
 s' | „ | ly made ufe of in this controversy, \v« 
 
 ^ X ^ F fv Ifa’d* now, proceed to take a nearer 
 t’ . v ; ew Q x. jij-j jilo-h and myilerious article. 
 
 And, 
 
 I. We, with the feripture?, afiert, that there is a 
 predeftination of fome particular perfens to life, for the 
 praifie of the glory of divine grace ; and a predefi'na¬ 
 tion of other particular perfons to death : which death 
 of pun inline in they ihall inevitably undergo, and that 
 juflly, on account of their tins. (1.) ‘ There is apre- 
 4 destination cf fome particular perfons to life.’ So, 
 j£at, z-'s. if 41 lUany me called, but few chofen 
 
 /. e. 
 
[ S7 3 
 
 h e. the gofpel revelation come?, indiscriminately, 
 to great multitudes ; but few comparatively fpeaking, 
 iseSpiritually and eternally the better for it, and thefe 
 few, to whom it is “ the favour of life unto life,” are 
 therefore favingly benefited by it, becaufe they are the 
 chofen , or elect of God. To the fame effeii are the 
 following psifag'es, among many others; Mat. xxiv. 
 22. “ For the elects fake, thofedays fhall be fhorten- 
 “ ed.” Afts xiii. 48. “ As many as were ordained to 
 “ eternal life, believed,” Rom. viii. 30. “ Whom 
 “ he did predeftinate, them he alfo called.” And, verfe 
 33, “ Who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God’s 
 “ eleft ?” Eph. i. 4, 3. “ According as he hath chofen 
 “ us in him, before the foundation of the world, that 
 “ we fhould be holy,” See. “ Having predellinated us 
 “ to the adoption or children, by Jefus Chrift, unt© 
 “ himfelf, according to the good pleafure of his will. 1 * 
 2 Tim. i, 9. “ Who hath faved us, and called us with 
 “ an holy calling, not according to our works, but ac» 
 “ cording to his own purpofe and grace, which vvaa 
 11 given us, in Chrib, before the world began.” (2.} 
 This election of certain individuals unto eternal life, 
 was ‘ for the praife of the glory of divine grace.’ This 
 is cxprefsly aborted, in fo many words, by the Apoftle, 
 Eph. i. 3, 6. Grace, or mere favour , was the impulfive 
 caufe of all: It was the main fpring , which fet all the 
 inferior wheels in motion. ’Twas an aiTt of grace, in 
 in God, to chufe any ; when he might have palled 
 by all: ’Twas an aeft of fovereign grace, to chufe this 
 man, rather than that; when both were equally un¬ 
 done in themfelves, and alike obnoxious to his dii- 
 pleafure. In a word, lince election is not of works, and 
 does not proceed on the lead regard had to any worthi¬ 
 ness in its objects ; it mud be of free, unbiaffed grace : 
 but election is not of works, Rom. xi. 3, 6. therefore, 
 it is folely of grace. (3.) There is, on the other hand, 
 * a predeflination of feme particular perfons to death/ 
 2 Cor. iv. 3. “ It our gofpel be hid, it is hid to them 
 “that are lob.” 1 Pet. ii. 8, “ Who bumble at the 
 “ word, being difobedient ; whereunto alfo they were 
 “ appointed, 2 Pet. ii, 12. “ Thefe, as natural brute 
 
 “ beads, 
 
[ 5§ 3 
 
 “ beafts, mad^to be taken and deuroyed.” Jude, verfe 
 4, “ There are certain men, crept in unawares,- who 
 “ were before, of old, ordained to this condemnation.” 
 Rev. xvii/ 8. “ Whofe names were not written in the 
 “ book of life from the foundation of the world.” But 
 of this we (hall treat profeffedly, and more at large, in 
 the fifth chapter. (4.) This future ‘ death they lhail 
 1 inevitably undergo i for, as God will certainly l*ve 
 all, whom he wiil? fhoula he faved ; fo he will as itfre- 
 ly condemn all, whom he wills fhall be condemned; 
 for he is the judge*of the whole earth, whofe decree 
 fhall ftand, and from whofe fentence there is no appeal. 
 “ Hath he faid, and fhall he not make it good ? hath he 
 “ fpoken, and fhall it not tome to pafsr” And his decree 
 is this; that thefe, i. c. the noiweleft, who are left 
 under the guilt of final impenitence, unbelief, and 
 fin, “ fhall go away into everl&fting puniihments ; and 
 “ the righteous,” i.e. thofe who, in confequence of their 
 election in Chrift, and union to him, are juftly reputed, 
 and really conjlituted luch, fhall enter into life eternal , 
 Mat. xxv. 46. (4.) The reprobate fhall undergo thii 
 
 punifhm nt ‘ juftly, ahd on account of their fins. Sin 
 is the meritorious and immediate caufe of any man’s dam¬ 
 nation. God condemns and pur.ifhes the non-eleft, not 
 merely as men, but as tinners: and, had it pleated the 
 great Governor of the univerfe, to have entirely pre¬ 
 vented fin from having any entrance into the world, it 
 fhould l'ecm as if he could not, confidently with hi# 
 known attributes, have condemned any man at all. 
 But, as all fin is properly meritorious of eternal death; 
 and all men are linners; they, who are condemned, 
 are condemned moil: jufily, and thofe who are faved, 
 in a way of fovereign mercy, through the vicariou* 
 obedhnee and death of Chrilf for them. 
 
 Now, this twofold predeftination, of fome to life, 
 and of others to death, (if it may he called twofold, 
 both being canftitucnt parts of the fame decree) can¬ 
 not be denied, without likewiie denj ing, 1. mod ‘ ex- 
 * prels and frequent declarations of feripture,’ and, 2. 
 the very ‘ exigence of God tor, fince God is a be¬ 
 ing perfectly fimple, free from all accident and com- 
 
 pofition, 
 
[ S9 1 
 
 pofttiou ; and yet, a will to fave lome and punifli others 
 is very often predicated of him in feripture ; and an 
 immoveable decree to do this, in confequer.ee of his 
 will, is likewife afcribed to him ; and a perfect fore- 
 Inovdedge of the fare and certain accompliiiiment of 
 what he has thus willed and decreed, is aifo attributed 
 to him ; it follows, that whoever denies this will, de¬ 
 cree, and fore-knowledge of God, does implicitly and 
 virtually, deny God himfelf: fince his will, decree, 
 and foreknowledge, are no other than God himfelf 
 willing and decreeing and foreknowing, 
 
 II. We affert, that Gad did, from eternity, decree, 
 to make mati in his own image ; and alfo decreed to 
 fuflfer him to fall, from that image in which he fhould 
 be created, and, thereby, to forfeit the happinefs with 
 which he was inverted: which decree, and the confe- 
 quences of it, were not limited to Adam only ; but in¬ 
 cluded, and extended to, all his natural porterity. 
 
 Something of this was hinted already, in the preced¬ 
 ing chapter : we fhall now proceed to the proof of it. 
 And, (i.) That God did make man in his own image, 
 is evident from feripture, Gen. i. 27. That the 
 
 decree from eternity fo to make man, is as evident; 
 fince, for God to do any thing without having decreed 
 it, or fixed a previous plan in his own mind, would be 
 a man!tell imputation on his vdfdom : and, if he de¬ 
 creed that now, or at any time, which he did not al¬ 
 ways decre~, he could not be unchangeable. (3.) That 
 man actually did fall from the divine image, and his 
 original happinefs, is the undoubted voice of feripture, 
 Gen. iii. And, (4.) That he fell in confequence of 
 the divine decree *, we prove thus : God was either 
 ’■Milling that Adam mould fall ; or unwilling; or indif- - 
 ferent about it. If God was unwilling, that Adam 
 fhould tranigrefs, how came it to pafs that he did r Is 
 man rtronger, and is Satan wifer, than he that made 
 
 them ? 
 
 * See this article judicioufly rtated, and nervcufsly 
 aflerted, by Witsius, in his Oecon, 1. x, cap. 8, 
 § 10—25.' 
 
[ 6c ] 
 
 them ? Surely, no. Again ; could not God, had it 
 fo pleafed him, have hindered the tempter’s accefs to 
 paradife ? or have created man, as he did the elect an¬ 
 gels, with a will invariably determined to good only, 
 and incapable of being bialied to evil? or, at lead, have 
 made the grace and flrength, with which he indued 
 Adam, a (dually efiedlual to the refilling of all felicita¬ 
 tions to fin ? N one but Atheifls, would anlwer thefe 
 queflions in the negative. Surely, if God had not wil¬ 
 led the fall, he could, and no doubt, would have pre¬ 
 vented it: but he did not prevent it: ergo, he willed 
 it. And, if he willed it, he certainly decreed it: for 
 the decree of God is nothing elle but the fpal and rati¬ 
 fication of his will. He does nothing, but what he de¬ 
 creed ; and he decreed nothing, which he did not will: 
 and both will and decree are absolutely eternal, though 
 the execution of both be in time. The only way, to 
 evade the torce of this reafening, is, to fay, that ‘ God 
 4 was indiferent and unconcerned , whether man flood or 
 4 fell.’ But in what a fhameful, unworthy light does 
 this reprefent the Deity ! Is it polfhle for us to ima¬ 
 gine, that God could be an idle, carelefs fpedlator, of 
 one of the moft impottant events that ever came to 
 pafs ? Are not “ the very heirs of. our head all num- 
 “ bered ?” or does “ a fparrow fall to the ground, 
 “ without our heavenly Father?” If, then, things, the 
 snofl trivial and worthlefs, are fubjeft to the appoint¬ 
 ment of his decree, and the controul of his providence; 
 how much more is Man, the mailer piece of this lower 
 creation ? and, above all, that man Adam, who, when 
 recent firm his Maker’s hands, w as the living image 
 of God himfelf, and very little inferior to angels! and 
 on whofe perfeverance, was fufpended the welfare, not 
 of himfelf only, but likewife, that of the whole world. 
 But fo far was God lrom being indifferent in this mat¬ 
 ter, that there is nothing whatever, about which he 
 is fo; for he “ worketh all things,” without exception, 
 “ after the counfel of his own will,” Eph. i. i r. eor.fe- 
 qucntly, if he poiitively v. ills whatever is dene, he 
 cannot be indifferent with regard to any thing. On 
 the whole ; if Gcd was not unwilling that Adaui fi.ould 
 
 Jail 
 
C 61 ] 
 
 fall, lie mu ft have been willing that he fhould : ft nee, 
 between God’s willing and nilling, there is no medi- * 
 um, and is it not highly rational , as well as f riptural; 
 nay, is it not abfolutely neceffary, to fuppofe, that the 
 fail was not contrary to the will and determination of 
 God ? lince, if it was his will (which the Apoille rc- 
 pjefents as being irref/lible, Rom. ix. 19.) was appa- 
 rently fruftrated, and his determination rendered of 
 worie than none effect. And how difhonourable to, 
 how inconfiftent with, and now notorioufly l'ubverftve 
 of the dignity of God, l'uch a blafphemous fuppofition 
 would be, and how irrecoricileable with every one of 
 his allowed attributes, is very eafy to obferve. (5.) That 
 man, by his fall, forfeited the happinefs with which 
 he was inverted, is evident, as well from lcripture, as 
 from experience ; Gen. iii. 7, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 
 24. Rom. v. 12. Gal. iii. 10. He firlt litined, (and 
 the efience of iin lies in difobedience to the command 
 of God) and then, immediately, became miferable ; 
 lliifery being, through the divine appointment, the na¬ 
 tural and infeparable concomitant of ftn. (6.) That 
 the fall, and its fad confeqiiences, did not terminate 
 folely in Adam, but affect his whole pofterity, is the 
 doctrine of the facred oracles : Pfalm li. Rom. v. 12, 
 14, i£, 17, iS, 19. 1 Cor.xv. 22. Eph. ii. 3. Befides, 
 not only lpiritual and eternal, but likewife temporal 
 death is the wages of Jin , Rom. vi. 23. James i. 14. 
 And yet, we fee that millions of infants, who never, in 
 their own perfons, either did or could commit fin, die 
 continually. It follows, that either God mull be un- 
 jurt, in punifhiag the innocent; or that thefe infants 
 are, fome way or other, guilty creatures: if they are 
 not fo in themfelves, (I mean addually fo, by their own 
 commilhon of fin) they mull: be fo in fome other per- 
 fon ; and who that perfon is, let feripture fay, Rom. v. 
 12, 1S. 1 Cor. xv. 22. And, I afk, hew can thefe be, 
 with equity, fharers in Adam’s punifhment, unlefs they 
 are chargeable with his fin ? and how can they be fair¬ 
 ly chargeable with his fin, unlefs he was their ftederal 
 head and reprefentative, and added in their name, and 
 fuflained their perfons, when he fell ? 
 
 III. We 
 
[ 62 ] 
 
 III. We alTcrt, that, as all men, univerfally, ate not 
 .elected to falvation ; fo neither are all men, univerfally, 
 ordained to condemnation. This follows from what 
 lias been proved already : however, 1 flail fulyoin 
 fome farther demcnflration of thele two politions. (i.) 
 ‘ All men univerfally are not elected'to falvation.’ And, 
 f.\ /’, this may be evinced a pofteriori : ’tis undeniable, 
 trom fcripture, that God will not, in the laid day, fave 
 every individual of mankind ; Dan. xii. 2. Mat. : xv, 
 46. John v. 29. Therefore, fay we, God never de¬ 
 fined to fare every individual : iince, if he had, eve r 
 iy individual would and mud be laved, for “ h"s 
 “ counfel lhall Hand, and he will do all his pleafurc.” 
 See what we have already advanced, on this head, in 
 the lirft chapter, und.r the fecond article, poiition 8. 
 Secondly, this may be evinced, alfo, from G od’s fore- 
 'knowledge. The Deity, from all eternity, and, confe- 
 quently, at the very time be gives life and being to a 
 reprobate, certainly foreknew and knows, in conle- 
 tjuence of his own decree, that fuch an one would fall 
 Ihort offalvation : now, it God foreknew this, he mud 
 have predetermined it; becaufe his own will is the 
 foundation of his decrees, and his decrees are the foun¬ 
 dation of his prefcience ; he therefore foreknowing fu¬ 
 turities, becaufe, by his prededination, he hath render¬ 
 ed their futurition certain and inevitable. Neither is 
 it pollible, in the very nature of the thing, that they 
 Jhould be elected to falvation, or ever obtain it, whom 
 God foreknew Ihould peridi : for then the divine aft of 
 preterition would be changeable, wavering and preca¬ 
 rious ; the divine foreknowledge: would be deceived ; 
 and the divine will impeded. All which ate utterly 
 impollible. Laftly , That all men are not chofen to 
 life, nor created to that end is evident, in that there 
 lire feme who were bated of God, before they were 
 born, Rom. ix. 11, 12, 13. are fitted for dcfru&ion, 
 verfe 22. and made for the dev; ef evil, l’rov. xvi. 1. 
 
 Cut, (2.) ‘ All men univerfally are r.ot ordained to 
 4 condemnation/ There are lbme who ate chofen , 
 Mat. xx. 16. An drill on , cr elect number, who obtain 
 ^race and falvation, while tbi ~cfi are blinded, Rom. xi. 
 
 7 . a 
 
[ 63 J 
 
 ji a little flock, to whom “ it is the Father’s good plea* 
 “ lure to give the kingdom,” Luke xii. 32. A people 
 whom the Lord hath referveJ, Jer. 1 . 20. and formed 
 ■far himfefi Ifai. xliii. 21. A peculiarly 1'avoured race, 
 to whom “ it is given to know the myfteries of the 
 “ kingdom of heaven while toothers, it is not given, 
 Mat. xiii. ii. “a remnant according to the election or 
 “ grace,” Rom. xi. 3. whom “ God hath not appoint* 
 “ ed to wrath, but to obtain falvation by J elus Chriil,” 
 1 Thcf. v. 9. In a jvord, who are “ a chofen gene* 
 “ ration, a royal priefthood, an holy nation, a peculiar 
 “ people, that they Ihould ihew forth the prailes or 
 “ him, who hath called them out of darknels, into his 
 
 mitvdlous light,” 1 Pet. ii. 9. And whole names , 
 for that very end, arc in the look of life, Phil. iv. 3. and 
 written in heaven , Luke 20. Heb. xii. 23. Luther * 
 obferves, that, in the 9th, 10th, and nth chapters or 
 the epiftle to the Romans, the Apoftle'particularly 
 inlifts on the Doctrine of Predeftination ; ‘ Becaufe,’ 
 fays he, ‘ All things, whatever, arife from, and de- 4 
 ‘ pend upon the divine appointment ; whereby it was 
 ‘ preordained, who Ihould receive the word of life, and 
 4 who Ihould dilbelieve it; who fliould be delivered from 
 ‘ their lins, and who Ihould be hardened in them ; 
 4 who ihould be juftified, and who condemned.” 
 
 IV. We aflert, that the number of the eh-hi, and alio 
 of the reprobate , is fo fixed and determinate , that neither 
 Can be augmented or diminifhed. 
 
 Mis written of God, that “ he telleth the number 
 “ of the liars, arid calleth them all by their names, • 
 Pialm cxlvii. 4. Now, ’tis as incompatible with the in¬ 
 finite wifdom and knowledge of the all-comprehending 
 God, to be ignorant of the names and number of the 
 rational creatures he has made, as that he fliould be ig¬ 
 norant of the liars, and the other inanimate prod tufts of 
 his almighty power ; and it he knows all men in gene¬ 
 ral, taken in the lump, he may well be laid, in a more 
 near and fpecial fenfe, to know them that are his bv 
 election, 2 Tim. ii. 19. And, it he knows who are his , 
 F 2 he 
 
 * In Pnefat. ad epift. ad Rom, 
 
•[ 1 
 
 he muft, confequently, know who are not his, i. e. 
 <tvbom, and bow many, he hath left, in the corrupt mats, 
 to be juilly punilled for their fins. Grant this, (and 
 who can help granting a truth lb lelf-evident r) and it 
 follows, that the number, as well of the cleft, as of the 
 reprobate, is fixed and certain ; otherwile, God would 
 be laid to know that which is not true, and his know* 
 ledge mult be fall'e and delufive, and fo no knowledge 
 at all: lince that which is, in itfelf, at'bell, but pre¬ 
 carious, can never be tire foundation of fine and infal¬ 
 lible knowledge. But, that God does, indeed precifely 
 know, to a man, who are, and are not, the objects of 
 his electing favour ; is evident from fuch leriptures a* 
 thefe, Exod. xxxiii. 17. “ Thou had found grace in 
 “ my fight, and 1 know thee by name.” Jer. i. “ Be- 
 “ fore I formed thee In the belly, I knew thee.” Luke 
 at. 20. “ Your names are written in heaven.” Luke xii. 
 7. “ The very hairs of your head are all numbered. 15 
 John xiii. iS. “I know whom I have chofen.” John 
 x. 14. “I know my fleep, and am known of mine.” 
 x Tim. ii. 19. “ The Lord knoweth them that are his. rt 
 And, if the number of thefe is thus affuredly fettled 
 and exaftly known, it follows, that we are right in af- 
 'ferling, 
 
 V. That the decrees of eleefion and reprobation are 
 .immutable and irrevifible. 
 
 Were not this the cafe, (1.) God’s decree would ha 
 precarious, frufirablc, and uncertain ; and, by confe- 
 t]uence, no decree at all. (2.) His foreknowledge would 
 be wavering, indeterminate, and liable to diiappoint- 
 ment; whereas, it always has its accomplishment, and 
 ■neceffarily infers the certain futurity of the thing or 
 things foreknown : Ifai. xlvi. 9, 10. “ I am God, and 
 “ there is none like nr, declaring the end from the be- 
 “ ginning, and, from ancient times, the things that arc 
 “'not yet done ; faying, My counfe! fball Hand, and I 
 “ will do all my 1 ltafure. (3.) Neither would his 
 word be true, which declares, that with regard ro the 
 oleift, “ the gifts and calling ol God are without repen- 
 “ unce,” Rom. xi. 29. tlut “ whom he predellinated, 
 
 “ them 
 
[ 6 * 1 
 
 lL them lie alio glorified,” chap. viii. 30. that 11 whom 
 “ he loveth, he loveth to the end/' John xiii. 1. with 
 numberlefs paifages to the fame purpofe. Nor would 
 his word be true, with regard to the non-elect, if it was 
 poifible for them to be laved : for it is there declared, 
 that they are “ fitted for deftruftion,” &c. Rom. ix. 22. 
 “ Foreordained unto condemnation,” Jude 4. and “ ae- 
 “ livered over to a reprobate mind,” in order “ to their 
 “ daTnnation,” Rom. i. 2S. 2 Thef. ii. 12. (4.) If, 
 
 between the eleft and reprobate, there was not a great 
 gulph fixed, fo that neither can be othenvife than they 
 are ; then, the will of God, (which is the alone caufe 
 why fome are chofen and others are not) would be 
 rendered inefficacious and of no effect. ( 4.) Nor could 
 
 th 0 juft ice of God Hand, if he was to condemn the elect, 
 for whofs fins he hath received ample faiisfadlion at the 
 hand ofChriil ; or if he was tofave the reprobate, who 
 are not interelled in Cbrill, as the eleft are. (6.) The 
 power of God (whereby the ele£t, are preferred front 
 falling into a ilate of condemnation, and the wicked 
 held down and ffiiut up in a Hate of death) would be 
 eluded, not to fay utterly abolithed. (7.) Nor would 
 God be unchangeable , .if they, who were once the peo¬ 
 ple of his love, could commence the objects of his hat¬ 
 red ; or if the veffiels of his wrath, could be faved with 
 the veffiels of grace. Hence that,of St. Auilin ; * ‘ Bre- 
 
 * thren/ fays he, ‘ let us not imagine, that God puts 
 
 * down any man in his book, and then erafes him : for, 
 
 * if Pilate could fay/ “ What I have written, I have 
 “ written £ how can it be thought, that the Great 
 ‘ God would write a perfon’s name in the book of 
 ‘ life, and then blot it out again r’ And may we nor, 
 with equal reafon, afk, on the other hand, How can it 
 be thought, that any cf the reprobate fliouid be written 
 in that book of life, which contains the names of the 
 elect only ? or, that any Ihould be infcribed there, who 
 were not veritten. among the living from eternity ? I lhall 
 Conclude this chapter with that obfervation of Luther f, 
 
 ‘ This/ fays he, ‘ is the very thing that razes the doc- 
 
 F 3 4 tisine 
 
 * Tom. 8. in Pfalm 63 . col. 738, 
 
 •j* Be Serv. Arbitr, cap. 168, 
 
[ 66 ] 
 
 ‘ trine of free-will from its foundations : to wit, that' 
 ‘ God’s eternal love of fome men, and hatred of others, 
 * is immutable and cannot be reverted.” Both one and 
 the other, will have its full accomplifhmenr. 
 
 C H A P. III. 
 
 Concerning Election unto Life ; or, PredeftinatioB, 
 as it refpecls the Saints in particular . 
 
 “ tain falvation by Jems Uhnit,’' 
 »R. XXXX Si 1 Phef. v. 9. I now come to conii- 
 der, more dilHndfly, that branch oi it, which relates 
 to the Saints only, and is commonly filled Election. 
 Its definition 1 have given already, in the dole or th& 
 firil chapter : what I have farther to advance, fiorn the 
 feriptures, on this important f'ubjed, I flail redt ce to 
 1’everal Pofitions ; and iubjoin a fhort explanation and 
 
 confirmation of each. 
 
 Pof. 1. Thofe, who are ordained unto eternal life, were 
 not fo ordained on account of any worthinefs forefeen 
 in them, err of any good works to be wrought by them ; 
 nor yet for their future faith : but purely and folely, 
 of free fovereign grace, and according to the mere 
 plealure of God. This is evident, among other ccn- 
 fiderations, from this ; that faith, repentance and ho- 
 linefs, are no lefs the free gifts of God, than eternal 
 life itfelf. Eph. ii. 8. “ Faith— is not of yourfdves, it 
 “ is the gift of God.” Phil. i. 29. “ Unto you it is 
 “ given to believe.” Ads. v. 31. “ Fliin hath God 
 << exalted with h : s right hand, tor to give repentance.” 
 Adis. xi. 18. “ Then hath God rdfo to the Gentiles 
 “ ^ranted repentance unto life.” In like manner, bo¬ 
 lls fs is called the Janftificatitn of the Spirit } 2 Thef. ii. 
 
 * 3 - 
 
[ 6 ; ] 
 
 13. becaufe the divine Spirit is the efficient of it in the 
 foul, and of unholy nukes us holy. Now, if repen¬ 
 tance and faith are the gifts, and fandfification is the 
 work of God ; then thefe are not the fruits of man’s 
 free will, nor what he acquires of himfelf : and fo can 
 neither he motives to, nor conditions of, his eledlion, 
 which is an adl of the divine mind, antecedent to, and 
 ifrefpctti'vc of, all qualities, whatever in the perfons 
 elected. Borides the Apoflde affects, exprefsly, that 
 election is “ not of works, but of him that calieth ;”and 
 that is paired, before the perfons concerned had “ acne 
 “ either good or evil,” Rom. ix. 11. Again, if faith 
 or works were the caufe of eledlion, God could not be 
 faid to chufe us, but we to chufe him ; contrary to the 
 whole tenour of feripture; John xv. 16. “Ye have 
 “ not chofen me, but I have ehofen you.” 1 John iv» 
 30, 19. “Herein is love, not that vve loved God, but 
 “ that he loved us. We love him, becaufe he firil 
 “ loved us.” Eledlion is every where, alferted to be 
 God’s adl and not man’s; Mark xiii. 20. Rom. ix. 17. 
 Eph. i. 4. r Thef. v. 9. 2 Thef. ii. 13. Once more, 
 we are chofen that we might be holy, not becaufe ’twas 
 forefeen we would be fo, Eph. i. 4. theiefore, to re- 
 prefent holinefs as the reafon why we were eledted, is 
 to make the effedt antecedent to the caufe. The Apo- 
 fHe adds, verf. 3. “ having predeftinated us according 
 “ to the goodpleafure of his will moll evidently im¬ 
 plying, that God faw nothing extra fe, had no motive 
 from without why he fhould either chufe any at all, or 
 this man before another. In a word, the eledt were freely 
 loved, Hof.'xiv. 4 V freely chofen , Rom. xi. 3,6. and freely 
 redeemed, Ifni Hi. 3. they are freely called, 2 Tim. i. 9. 
 freely jufified, Rom. iii. 24. and' ihall be freely glorified, 
 Rom. vi. 23. Thh great Augustin, in his book of 
 Rctrailatioris, mgenuofly acknowledges his error, in 
 having once thought, that faith forefeen was a condi¬ 
 tion of eledlion : he owns, that that opinion is equal¬ 
 ly impious and abfurd ; and proves, that faith is one 
 of the fruits of eledlion, and confequently, could not 
 be, in any fenfe, a caufe of it; ‘I could never have 
 * aliened,’ fays. he, 1 that Gpdj Ivy glraiirq* mep to ItCe* 
 
\ 
 
 [ 63 ] 
 
 ‘'had any* refpefl: to their faith, had I duly confider- 
 ‘ ed, that faith itieir is his own gift.’ Anu in another 
 treatife of his *, he has thefe words ; ‘ Since Chrift 
 
 * fays, ye have not ebofen me, &c. I would tain alk, 
 ‘ whether it be fcriptural, to fay, we mult have faith, 
 ‘ before we are elected ; and not, rather, that we are 
 
 * elected in order to our having faith r’ 
 
 Pof 2. As many as are ordained to eternal life, are 
 ordained to enjoy that life in and through Chrift , and 
 on account of his merits alone, i Thef. v. 9. Here 
 let it be carefully obferved, that not the merits of 
 Chrift, but the fovereign love of God only, is the 
 caufe of Election itfelf: but then, the merits ofChrilfc 
 are the alone procuring caufe of that fahration, to which 
 men are elected. This decree of God admits of no 
 caufe out of himfelf: but the thing decreed, which is 
 the glorification ot his chofen ones, may and does ad¬ 
 mit, nay, neceffarily requires, a meritorious caufe; 
 which is no other than the obedience and death of 
 Chrilt. 
 
 Pof. 3. They, who are predeftinated to life, are 
 likewife predeitinated to all thofe means, which are 
 indifpenfably nece^ary in order to their meetnels tor, 
 entrance upon, and enjoyment of, that life : inch as re¬ 
 pentance, faith, fandtification : and perfeverance in 
 thefe to the end. 
 
 Adts xiii. 48. “ As many as were ordained to eter- 
 0 nal life believed.” Eph. i. 4. “ He hath chofen us in 
 “ him, before the foundation of the world, that we 
 <! fhould be holy, and without blame before him in 
 “ love.” Eph. ii. 10. For we [i. e. tfee fame we, 
 whom he hath chofen before the foundation of the 
 world] “ are his workmanship, created in Chrift Je- 
 “ fus unto good works, which God hath fore-ordained 
 “ that we fhould walk in them.” And the Apoftle 
 afiures the fame Thellalonians, whom he reminds of 
 their election, and God’s everlafting appointment of 
 them to obtain falvation, that this alio was his will con¬ 
 cerning them, even their fan&ification, 1 Thtf. i. 4. 
 and v. 9. and iv. 3. and gives them a view of all thefe 
 
 privileges 
 
 * Pe Prcefoft, cap. 17 . 
 
[ 6 9 ] 
 
 privileges at once, 2 Thef. ii. 13. “ God hath, from 
 “ the beginning,chofen you to falvation, through, fanc- 
 “ tification of the Spirit, and belied of the truth.” As 
 does St. Peter 1 Eph. i. 2. “ Elect -—through fane- 
 “ tification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and fprink- 
 “ ling of the blood of Jefus Chrill.” Now, though 
 faith and holineis are not reprefented as the caufe 
 wherefore the eled' are laved ; yet, thefe are conliantly 
 reprefented, as the means through which they are faved, 
 or as the appointed way wherein God leads his peopleto 
 glory r : theie bleilings being always befiowed previous 
 to that. Agreeable to all which, is that of Austi n*: 
 ‘ Whatfoever perfons are, through the riches ol divine 
 
 * grace, exempted from the original lentence of con- 
 ‘ demnation, are undoubtedly brought to hear the 
 
 * Gofpel -j-; and, when heard, they are caufed to be- 
 
 * lieve ; and are made likewife to endure to the end, 
 
 * in the faith which works by love ; and (hould they, 
 ‘ at any time, go ailray, they are recovered and fee 
 ‘ right again.’ A little after, he adds ; 6 All thefe 
 
 * things are wrought in them by that God, who made 
 1 them velfels of mercy, and who, by the eledion of 
 ‘ his grace, chofe them, in his Son, before the world 
 
 * began.’ 
 
 Pof. 4. Not one of the eled: can perifh, but they 
 mull all necefiarily be faved. The reafon is this; be- 
 caufe God limply and unchangeably wills, that all and 
 every one of thole, whom he hath appointed to lile, 
 Ihould be eternally glorified : and, as was obferved to¬ 
 ward the end of the preceding chapter, all the divine 
 Attributes are concerned in the accomplilhment of this 
 his will. His wifdom , which cannot err ; his know- 
 ledge, which cannot be deceived ; his truth , which can¬ 
 not fail; his love, which nothing can alienate; his 
 juftice, which cannot condemn any, for whom Chrifi: 
 
 died j 
 
 * De Corrept. & Graf. cap. 7. 
 f We mud under {land this, in a qualified fenfe ; as 
 intending, that all thofe of the cleft, who live where 
 the chriftian dilpenfaticn obtains, are fooner or later ? 
 brought to hear the gofpel, and to believs it. 
 
[ 70 1 
 
 filed ; his pmver, which none can refill:; and t hls jM- 
 cbangeablcnefs , which can never vary : from all which 
 it appears, that we do not fpeak at all improperly, when 
 we lay, that the falval'ion of his people is neceflary and 
 certain. Now, that is laid to be necellary quod ncquit 
 aliter ejje f ‘ which cannot be othe: wife than it is and, 
 if all the perfections of God are engaged to preferve and 
 fave his children, their fafety and falvation muft be, 
 in the ftrifleft fen lb of the word, nectffary. See, Pfulra 
 ciii. ip. and cxxv. i, 2. Ifuiah xlv. ip. and liv. 9, 
 10. Jer. xxxi. 3S. and xxxii. 40. John vi. 39. and 
 x. 28, 29. and xvi, 19. and xvii. 12. Rom. viii. 30, 38”, 
 39. andxi. 29. 1 Cor i. 8, 9. Phil. i. 6. 1 Pet. i. 4, 
 Thus St. Austin* : ‘ Ofthofe, whom God hath 
 ‘ ptedellinated, none can perifh ; inafmuch as they are 
 ‘all his own elefit.’ And, ib. 1 They are the elecf, 
 ‘ who are predeftinated, foreknown, and called aecord- 
 ‘ ing to purpofe. Now, could any of thele be loll, 
 
 * God would be difappointed of his will and expectation ; 
 1 but he cannot be fo difappointed; therefore, they 
 
 * can never perith. Again, could they be loft, the 
 ‘ power of God would be made void by man’s fin ; but 
 
 * his power is invincible: therefore, they are fate.’ 
 And again, cap. 9. 4 The children of God are written, 
 
 * with an unfhaken liability, in the book of their he - 
 ‘ venly Father’s remembrance.’ And, in the fame 
 chapter, he hath thefe words; ‘Not the children of 
 4 promife, but the children of perdition, fhall perilh : 
 
 * for the form ware the predellinated, who a-e called 
 ' according fo the divine determination ; not one ot 
 
 * whom fh.ill finally mifcarry/ So likewife Luther f ; 
 
 4 God’s decree of predeftination is firm and certain, 
 
 * and the rieceffity refulting from it, is, in like manner, 
 
 ‘ immoveable and cannot but take place. For 
 4 we ourfelves are fo feeble, that, if the matter 
 4 was left in our hands, very few, or rather none, 
 4 would be faved: but Satan would overcome us all.’ 
 To which he adds : ‘ Now, finee this iledfafi and in- 
 4 evitable purpofe of God cannot be reverfed nor dif- 
 
 4 annulled 
 
 * Tom. p. DeCor f . & Grat. cap. p. 
 f In pnsfat. ad Epift. ad Rom. 
 
[ 7 1 1 
 
 c ana ailed by any creature whatever ; we have a rnpft 
 
 * allured hope, that we fliall finally triumph over fin, 
 
 * how violently foever it may, at prefen t, rage in our 
 ‘ mortal bodies.' 1 
 
 Pof. The falvation of the eleft was not the only, 
 nor yet the principal end ol their being chofe; but 
 God’s grand end, in appointing them to life ana hap- 
 pinefs, was, to difplay the riches ot his own mercy, 
 and that he might be glorified in and by the perfons he 
 had thus cholen. 
 
 For this reafon, the elect are filled <veffch of mercy, 
 becaufe they were originally created, and, afterwards, 
 by the divine Spirit, created a new, with this defign, 
 and to this yery end, that the ibvereignty of the Fa¬ 
 ther’s grace, the freenefs ot his love, and the abun¬ 
 dance of his gocdn,efs might be rSHnifeftid in their eter¬ 
 nal Happineft. Notv, God, as we have already, more 
 than once, had occafion to obfe* ve, does nothing in 
 time, which he did not, from eternity, refolve within 
 himfelt to do : and if he, in time, creates and regene¬ 
 rates his people, with a view to difplay his unbounded 
 mercy ; he jriufi, confequently, have decreed, from 
 all eternity, to do this, with the lame view. So that 
 the final cattles ot election appear to be thefe two: i. 
 and principally, The * glory of God ; 2. and fubordi- 
 
 nately, 
 
 <L ==^====2* 
 
 * Let it be carefully obferved, that, when, with the 
 feriptures, we affert the glory of God to be the ultimate 
 end of his dealings with angels and men, we do not 
 fpeak this with refpebt to his eflential glory, w hi.ch he 
 has as God, and which, as it is.infinite, is not iufeepti- 
 ble ot addition, nor capable of diminution: but or that 
 glory which is purely manifeftative, and which Micrae- 
 lius, in his Lexic. Philofoph. col. 471. defines to be, 
 
 ‘ Clara rei, cum laude, ncti’.ia 5 cum, nepip*, Ipfa fua 
 
 enjinentia eft magna, augufta, et confpicuu.’ And the 
 accurate Maftricht, ‘ Celebratio, ceu manit: ftatio, (quae 
 ‘ magis proprie giqrificatio, c.u.tm gloria, appellatur) 
 
 ‘ qua, agnita intus eminentia, ejufque congrua aeftima- 
 ‘ 'do, propalatur & extolliturd Thcolog, lib. 2. cap.- 
 22. § 8. 
 
C v- 1 
 
 irately, Tlie falvation of thofe he has elected ; from 
 which the roimer ariies, and hy which it is illufrated 
 and let off. So Ptov. xvi. i. “ The Lord hath made 
 “ all things for hiinfelf.” And hence that of Paul, Eph.i. 
 4. “ He hath chofen us—to the praife of the glory of 
 “ his grace.” 
 
 Pof. 6. The end of election, which, with regard to 
 the eledf themfelves., is eternal life ; I lay, this end, and 
 the means conducive to if, iuch as the gift of the Spirit, 
 faith, See. are fo infeparably connected together, that 
 whoever is poffeffed of tbejc , {hall lurely obtain that ■ 
 and none can obtain that , who are not firft poflefled of 
 thefe. Ads xiii. 48. “As many as were oidained to 
 “ eternal life,” and none elfe, “ believed.” Adts v. 31.. 
 “ Kim hath God esalted—to give repentance unto 
 “ Ilrael, and remillion of lins not to all men, or 
 to thofe who were not, in the counlel and purpofe of 
 God, fet apart for himfeif; but to Ilrael, all his chofen 
 people, who were given to him, were ranfomed by him, 
 and (hall be faved in him with an everlafting falvation. 
 Tit. i. 1. “ According to the faith of God’s eledf fo 
 that, true faith is a confequence of election, is peculiar 
 to the eledf, and fnall iff uc in life eternal. Eph. i. 4. 
 “ He hath chofen us—that we might be holy;” there¬ 
 fore, all who are chofen, are made holy, and none but 
 they : and all who are landfilied, have a right to be¬ 
 lieve they were elected, and that they {hall affuredly be 
 faved. Rom. viii. 30. “ Whom he did predeftinate, 
 
 “ them he alfo called ; whom he called, them he alfo 
 “jollified ; and whom he jollified, them he alfo glori- 
 “ fied.” Which {hews, that efiedtual calling and jufti- 
 fication are indiffolubly connedfed with election on one 
 hand, and eternal bappinefe on the other : that they 
 are a proof of the former, and an earneft or the latter. 
 John x. 26. “ Ye believe not, because ye are not of 
 
 “ my flicep ;” on the contrary, they, who believe, 
 therefore believe, bec.ru e they are of his flieep. Faith, 
 then, is an evidence of election, or, of being in the 
 number of Chriff’s flic’p ; ccnfeqverdy, ol falvation : 
 fince all his flieep (hall be fav- 1 , John x. 28. 
 
 Pof. 7. The eledf may, through the grace of God, 
 
 attain 
 
[ 7 3 3 
 
 attain to the knowledge and aflinance of their predefti- 
 nation to hie ; and they ought to feek after it. The 
 Chriftian may, for inftance, argue thus ; “ A? many 
 “ as were ordained to eternal file, believed through 
 mercy, I believe : therefore, 1 am ordained to eternal ljte. 
 “ He that believeth, (hall be faved I believe : there¬ 
 fore, I am in a faved Hate. “ Whom he did predefti- 
 “ nate, he called, juftiiied, and glorified I have rea- 
 fon to trull, that he hath called and juftified me : there¬ 
 fore I can affuredly look backward on my eternal pre- 
 dellination, and forward to my certain glorification. To 
 all which frequently accedes the immediate teftimony 
 of the divine Spirit, witneifing with the believer’s con- 
 fcience, that he is a child of God, Rom. viii. 16. Gal. 
 iv. 6. r John v. io. Chrift forbids his little flock to 
 fear, inafinuch as they might, on good andfolid grounds, 
 reft fatisfied and afllired, that “ It is the Father’s” un¬ 
 alterable “ good pleafure to give them the kingdom,” 
 Luke xii. 32. And this was the faith of the Apoltle, 
 Rom. viii. 38, 39. 
 
 Pof 8. The, true believer ought not only to be tho¬ 
 roughly eftablifhed in the point of his -own election ; 
 but should likewile believe the election of ali his other 
 fellow believers and .brethren in Chrift. Now, as 
 there are molt evident and indubitable marks of 
 eleffion, laid down in lcripture ; a child of God, by 
 examining himfelf, whether thofe marks are found on 
 him, may arrive at a lbber and well-grounded certainty 
 of his own particular intereft in that itnfpeakable pri¬ 
 vilege : and, by the fame rule, whereby he judges of 
 himfelf, he may likewise (but with caution) judge of 
 others. If I fee the external fruits and criteria of elec¬ 
 tion, on this or that man; I may, reafonably, and in a 
 judgment of charity, conclude fuch an one to be aA 
 eledt perfon. So, St. Paul, beholding the gracious 
 fruits, which appeared in the believing Theflalonians, 
 gathered, from thence, that they were eleHed of God, 
 
 1 Theft", i. 4, 4. and knew alio the eleffion of the Chri- 
 ftian Epheflans, Eph. i. 4, 4. as Peter alfo did that of 
 the me .ibers of the churches in Pontus, Galatia, &c. 
 1 Pet. i. 2. ' i is true, indeed, that all concluhons of 
 G thi s 
 
[ 74 1 
 
 tliis nature are not now infallible, but our judgments 
 are liable to mi flake : and God only, whofe is the book 
 of life, and who is the fearcher of hearts, can abio- 
 lutely know them that are his, 2 Tim. ii. 19. yet w'e 
 may, without a prefumptuous intrufioa into things not 
 ieen, arrive at a moral certainty in this matter. And I 
 cannot fee, how Chriftian love can be cultivated; how 
 we can call one another brethren in the Lord ; or, how 
 believers can hold religious fellowship and communion 
 with each other, unlels they have fome folid and viflble 
 eafon to conclude, that they are loved with the fame 
 everiafting love, were redeemed by the lame Saviour, 
 are partakers of like grace, and lhall reign in the fam$ 
 glory. 
 
 But, here let me fuggeft one very necefary caution, 
 viz. That though we may, at leaft very probably, in¬ 
 fer the eleflion of fome perfor.s, from the marks and 
 appearances of grace, which may be difcoverable in 
 jhem ; yet, vve can never judge any man whatever to 
 be a reprobate. That there are reprobate perfons, is 
 very e\ ident from feripture (as we lhall prefently flew) 
 but who they.are, is known alone to him, who alone 
 can tell who and what men are not written in the Lamb’s 
 book of life. I grant, that there are fome particular 
 perfons, mentioned in the divine word, of whofe repro¬ 
 bation no doubt can be made; fuel) asEfau and Judas: 
 but, now the canon of feripture is completed, we dare 
 rot, we mull: not pronounce any man living, to be non- 
 eleft, be he, at prefent, ever fo wicked. The viler! 
 dinner may, for ought we can tell, appertain to the elec¬ 
 tion of grace, and bn, one day, wiought upon by the 
 Spirit of God. This we know, that thole who die in 
 unbelief, and are finally un fan ft Ted, cannot be faved ; 
 heeaule God, in his word, tells us fo, and has repre- 
 fented tbefe as marks of reprobation : but, to fay that 
 fuch and fuch individurls, whom, perhaps, we now 
 fee dead, in fms, lhall rever be converted to Chrifl, 
 would be a mofl prefumptuous aflertion, as well as an 
 inexcufable breach of tie charity which hopeth all 
 things. 
 
 H A r. 
 
t 7 5 I 
 
 C H A I>. IV. 
 
 Of Reprobation; or Predestination, as it re- 
 fpchls the Ungodly. 
 
 i 
 
 \ * * 
 I * 
 
 fti?- 
 
 IIQM what has been faid, in the pre¬ 
 lim ceding chapter, concerning the Election 
 ^ of fome, it would unavoidably iollow, r 
 even fuppofing the fcriptures had been 
 
 
 lilent about it, that there in nit be 
 jeclion of others ; as every choice does, 
 moft evidently and neeelTarily, imply a refufal: for, 
 where there is no leaving out, there can be no choice. 1 
 But, belide the teftimony of reafon, the divine word is 
 full and expreis to our purpofe : it frequently, and in 
 terms too clear to be mifunderftood, and too ftrong to 
 be evaded, by any who are not proof againft the molt 
 cogent evidence, attefts this tremendous truth, that 
 fome are, “ of old, fore-ordained to condemnation.” 
 I fhall, in the difcufiioil of this awful fubjehf, follow 
 the method hitherto obferved, and throw what I have 
 to lay into feveral diftinff Politioiis, ftipported by Icrip- 
 ture. 
 
 Pof i. God did, from all eternity, decree to leave 
 lbme of Adam’s fallen pofterity in their fins, and to 
 exclude them from the participation of Ghrift and his 
 benefits, 
 
 For the clearing of this, let it be obferved, that, in 
 all ages, the much greater part of mankind have beers 
 deftitute even of the external means of grace ; have not 
 been favoured with the preaching of God’s word, or any 
 revelation of his will. Thus, anciently, the jews, 
 who were, in number, the teweft of ail people, were, 
 neverthelefs, for a long feries ol ages, the only nation, 
 to whom the Deity was pleated to make any fpeeial dii- 
 covery of himfelf: and ’tis obfervable, that our Lord 
 Ir.mfelf principally confined the advantages of his pub¬ 
 lic miniftry to that people ; nay, he forbad his difciples 
 to go among any others, Mat. x. r, 6. and did not 
 commilfion thenyto preach the golf el, indiferiminate- 
 
I 76 5 
 
 jy, to Jews and Gentiles, ’till after hrs refurreftioa* 
 Mark xvi. 1 Luke xxiv. 47. Hence, many nations 
 and communities never had the advantage or hearing 
 the word preached; and, coni'equently, were ftrarigers 
 to the faith that ccineth thereby. ’Tis not, indeed, 
 improbable, but home individuals, in thefe unenlight¬ 
 ened countries, might belong to the feeret election of 
 i race; and the habit of faith might be wrought in 
 tnefe : however, be that as it will, our argument is not 
 selected by it; ’tis evident, that the nations or the world 
 were, generally, ignorant, not only of God himfelf, 
 J ut like wile ol the way to pleafe him, the true manner 
 of acceptance with hi in, and the means of arriving at 
 the everlalting enjoyment of birn. Now, if God had 
 been pleated to have laved thole people, would he not 
 have vouchsafed them the ordinary means of Salvation ? 
 ■would he not have given them all things necefiary in 
 order to that end ? bur, ’tis undeniable matter of fadf, 
 that he did not; and, to very many nations of the 
 earth, does not, at this day. it, then, the Deity can, 
 coniifienrly with his attributes, deny, to ft me, the 
 means of grace, and H ut them up in grofs darknefs and 
 unbelief; why lhould it be thought incompatible with 
 2iis immenfcly gloiious perfections, to exclude i'ome 
 perfons Iron) grace itfelf, and from that eternal life 
 which is conn died with it? efpeeially, feeing he is 
 equally the Lord and Sovereign difpoier of the end, to 
 which the means lead ; as of the means, which lead to 
 that end ? both one and the other a’e his ; and he 
 moft juftly may, as he mod allured ly whl, do what he 
 plenfes with his own. 
 
 Betides, it being alfo evident, that many, even of 
 them who live in places where the gofpel is preached, 
 v.s well as of thofe among whom it never was preached, 
 
 « ie ftrangers to God and holinds, and without experi¬ 
 encing any thing of the gracious influences of his Spi¬ 
 rit : we may realonably and lately conclude, that one 
 caufe of their lb dying, is, becaule it was ?ict the divine 
 will to communicate his grace unto them : ltnce, had 
 it been his will, he would actually have made them par¬ 
 takers thereof; and, had they been partakers of it, 
 
[ 77 1 
 
 they coul 1 not have died without if. Now, if it was 
 the will of God, in time, to refufe them this grace ; it 
 mull: have been his will from eternity : lince his. will is, 
 as himfelf,the fame, yeiterday, to-day, and forever.” 
 
 The adlions of God being thus fruits of his eternal 
 purpofe , we may, fafely, and without any danger of mil- 
 take, -argue from them to that ; and infer, that God 
 therefore does iu,ch and fuch things, becaufe he de¬ 
 creed to do them : his own will being the foie caufe of 
 all his works. So that, from his actually leaving Some 
 men in final impenitency and unbelief, we afturediy 
 gather, that it was his everlafhng idetermination fo to- 
 do : and, eonfequently, that he reprobated lome, from 
 before the foundation of the world. 
 
 And, as this inference is ftrictly rational, fo it is per¬ 
 fectly fcriptural. Thus, the judge will, in the lad day, 
 declare, to thofe on the left hand, “ I never knew 
 “ you,” Mat. vii. 23. L e. 1 I never, no, not from 
 ‘ eternity, loved, approved, or acknowledged you for 
 ‘ mine or, in other words, 6 1 always hated you.’ 
 Our Lord, in John xvii. divides the whole human 
 race into t-.vo great chides: one he cails “ the world 
 the other, “ the men who were given him on*- of the 
 “ world.” The latter, it is faid, the Father loved, 
 even as he loved Ghrift himfelf (verfe 23.) but he lov¬ 
 ed Chrift “ before the foundation of the world,” , verfe 
 24. i. e. from everlafting : therefore, he loved the cleft 
 fo too : and, if he lov.-d thefe from eternity, it follows, 
 by all the rules of Antitheiis, that he hated the others 
 as early. So, Rom. \x. “ The children not being yet" 
 “ born, neither having done good or evil, that the pur- 
 “ pole of God,” &e. From the example of the two 
 twins, Jacob and Eiau, the Apoftle infers the eternal 
 election of fome men, and the eternal rejection of all 
 the red. 
 
 Pof. 2, Some men were, from all eternity, not only 
 negatively excepted from a participation of Chrift and 
 his talvation ; hut, pojhivelv, ordained to continue in 
 their natural blindnefs, hardnefs of heart, &c.- and that, 
 by the jult judgment of God. See Exod. ix. 1 Sam. 
 it. 2 r, 2 Sam. —vii. 14- If i. vi. c, 10, 11. 2 Thef. ii, 
 C 3 II, 
 
t 78 1 
 
 11, 12. Nor can tliefe places of fcripture, with many 
 ethers of like import, be underllood of an involuntary 
 permiilion on the part of God : at, if God barely fuf- 
 jered it to be lb, quaji iwvitus , as it were by conftraint, 
 and againft his will : for he permits nothing, which 
 'be did not refolve and determine to permit. His per- 
 tmiffion is a pofitive, determinate aH of his will; as 
 Auftin, Luther, and Cticer, juftly obferve. Therefore, 
 if it be the will oJ God, in time, to permit fuch and 
 fuch men to continue in their natural ftate ot ignorance 
 and corruption ; the natural confequenee of which is, 
 iheir falling into fuch and fuch fins (obferve, God does 
 hot lorce them into fin; the adlualdifobedience beingon- 
 ly tb.econfequence of their not having that grace which 
 God is not. obliged to grant them) I fay, if it be the will of 
 God thus to leave them in time (and we mult deny de- 
 monltration icfelf, even known, ablblute matter of facl, 
 if we deny that fome are fo left) then it mull have been 
 the divine intention, from all eternity, fo to leave 
 them : fince, as we have already had occafion to cb- 
 fetve, no new will can poffibly arife in the mind of 
 God. We fee, that evil men actually are buffered to 
 go on adding fin to fin : and if it be not inconhflent 
 with the facred attributes actually to permit this ; it 
 cotdd not poffibly be inconfifient with them to decree 
 that permiilion, before the foundations ot the world 
 w ere laid. 
 
 Thus, G.od efficacioufly permitted (having fo de¬ 
 creed) the Jews Co be, in effebt, the cruciriers of Chrili, 
 and Judas to betray him ; Abts iv. 27, 28. Mat. xxvi. 
 3^, 24. Hence we find St, Auftin * fpeaking thus; 
 
 ‘ judas w r as c'nofen, but it was to do a melt execrable 
 4 deed : that thereby the death ot Chrift, and the ador- 
 ‘ able work of redemption by him, might be accom- 
 * plifhed. When therefore we hear our I.ord fay,’ 
 
 Have not I chofen you twelve, and one of you is a 
 “ Devil r” ‘ we mult underhand it thus, that the ele- 
 ‘ von were eholen in mercy ; but Judas in judgment : 
 
 ‘ they were chofen to partake of Chrill’s kingdom ; he 
 
 ‘ was 
 
 * De Coir. & Grat. cap. 7. 
 
[ 79 1 
 
 ‘ was chofen and pitched upon to betray him, and be 
 ‘ the means of fhedding his blood.’ 
 
 Fof. 5. The non-eledt were predeftinated, not only 
 to continue in final iiiipenitency, fin, and unbelief; 
 but were, likewife, for fuch their fins, righteoufly ap¬ 
 pointed to infernal death hereafter. 
 
 This pofition is aifo lelf-evident: for ’tis certain, 
 that, in the day of uni verbal judgment, all the human 
 race will not be admitted into glory, but fome of them 
 tranfinitted to the place of torment. Now, God does, 
 and will do, nothing, but in confequence of his own 
 decree, Pfaim cxxxv. 6. Ifai. xlvi. 11. Eph. i. 9, 11. 
 therefore, the condemnation of the unrighteous was 
 decreed of God ; and, if decreed by him, decreed from 
 everlafiing : for all his decrees are eternal. Befides, 
 if God purpofed to leave thofe perfons under the guilt 
 and the power of fin, their condemnation niufl of it- 
 felf, neceffarily follow : Since, without jujlification and 
 fanciifieation (neither of which bleffings are in the 
 power of man) none can enter heaven, John xiii.8. Heb. 
 xii. 14. Therefore, if God determined, within him- 
 beliy thus to leave fome in their fins (and it is but too 
 evident that this is really the cafe;) He mufl: alfo have 
 determined within himfelf to punifh them for thofe 
 fins (final guilt and final punijbmcnt being corela¬ 
 tives which neceffarily infer each other;) but God did 
 determine both to leave and to punifh the ncn-e!e£f: 
 therefore, there was a reprobation of fome from eter¬ 
 nity. Thus, Matth. xxv. “ Go, ye curbed, into ever- 
 “ lading fire, prepared for the devil and his angels;” 
 for Satan and all his meffengers, emiffaries,’ and imi¬ 
 tators, whether apoflate fpirics, or apoflate men.' Now, 
 if penal fire was, in decree, from evevlafiing prepared 
 for them; they by all the laws of argument in the world, 
 mull have been, in the counfel of God, prepared, i. c. 
 defigned, for that fire : which is the point I'undertook 
 to prove. IT nee we read, Rom. ix. “ of veffels of 
 “ wrath fitted to deftruclion,” put together, made up, 
 formed, or fajhloned, for perdition : who are, and can be, 
 no other then the reprobate. To multiply Scriptures 
 on this head, would he aimed endiefs ; for a fample, 
 
 confuit 
 
[ So ] 
 
 Consult Fror. xvi. 4. 1 Pet. ii. 8. 2 Pet. ii. 12. Jude 
 4. Rev. xiii. 8. 
 
 Fof 4. As the future faith and good works, of the 
 eled, were not the caufe ot their being chofen ; lo 
 neither were the future fins of the reprobate the caufe 
 of their being pa it by : but both the choice or the 
 fonner, and the decretive om'JJlon of the latter, were 
 owing, merely and entirely, to the fovereign will and 
 determinating pleafure of God. 
 
 We dilfinguifh between prctcrition, or bare non elec¬ 
 tion, which is a purely negative thing ; and condemna¬ 
 tion , or appointment to punifi.ment: the will of God was 
 the caufe of the former; the lins of the non-eled are 
 the reafon or the latte . Though God determined to 
 leave, and actually does leave, whom he pleales, in the 
 fpiritual darknefs and d.ath of nature, out ot which he 
 is under no obligation to deliver them ; yet he does 
 not, politively, condemn any of thefe, merely b-.caufe 
 he has not chofen them, but becaufe they have finned 
 againfl him : lee Rom. i. 21—24. Rom. ii. 8. g. 
 2 Thef. ii. 12. Their pretention, or non-infeription in 
 the book of life is not unjuft, on the part or God ; be¬ 
 caufe, out of a world of rebels, equally involved in 
 guilt, God, (who might, without any impeachment of 
 his juttice, have palled by all, as he did the reprobate 
 angels) was, moth unqueftionably, at liberty, if it fo 
 pleafed him, to extend the feeptre of his clemency to 
 fome ; and to pitch upon, whom he would, as the ob¬ 
 jects of it. Nor was this exemption of fome, any in¬ 
 jury to the. non-eledt whofe cafe would have been juft as 
 bad as it is, even fuppoiing the others bad not been 
 chofen at all. Again tec condemnation of the ungodly 
 (for it is under that character alone, that they are the 
 fubjedts of punifiunent, and were ordained to it) is not 
 unjulh, feeing it is for fin, and only for fin. None are 
 or will be punifhed, but for the’r iniquities ; and all 
 iniquity is proper! v meritorious of punift ment: v. here, 
 then is the fu pofi.-d utr.nercifulnefs, tj canny, or in* 
 jufiice, ot the divine procedure ? 
 
 Fo/. 5. Goi is the creator of the wicked, but not 
 
 of 
 
[ Si ] 
 
 of their wlckcdnrfs : lie is the author of their beings 
 but not the infuler ot their fin. 
 
 ’Tis, moft certainly, his will, (for u lorable and un- 
 fearchable reafons) to permit fin; but, with all pof- 
 fible reverence be it fpoken, it Ihould feem, that he 
 cannot, confidently with the purity of his nature, the 
 glory of his attributes, and the truth of; declarations, be, 
 himfelf, the author of it. Sin, fays the Apoftle,* “ en- 
 “ tered into the world by one man,’’meaning, by Adam:' 
 consequently, it was not introduced by the Deity him¬ 
 felf; Though, without the permiilion of his will, and 
 the concurrence ot his providence, its introduction 
 had been inupoffible ; yet is he not, hereby, the au¬ 
 thor of fin fo introduced' 4 '. Luther obferves, De 
 Serv. Arb. c. 42.) ‘’Tis a great degree of faith, to 
 ‘ believe, that God is merciful and gracious, though 
 
 * he faves fo- lew, and condemns fo many ; and that 
 
 * he is ft rift ly juft,., though in confequenee of his own 
 ‘ will, he made us not exempt from liablenefs to con- 
 4 damnation.’ And, cap. 148. ‘ Although God doth 
 ‘ not make fin, neverthekfs he ceafes. not to create and 
 
 * multiply individuals in the human nature, which 
 
 ‘ through 
 
 •e==—=====?• - 
 
 * It is a known and very juft maxim of the fchocls. 
 Effect us fequitur cat:Jam pr ox imam : ‘An e fie ft fol- 
 4 lows from, and is to be aferibed to, the l ift, imme- 
 ‘ diate caufe that produced it.’ Thus for inft'ance, if I 
 hold a book, or a ftone in my hand, my. hold ng it is 
 the immediate cattje of its not tailing but, if 1 let it 
 go, my letting it go is not the immediate caufe. of its 
 falling : it is carried downward by its own gravity, 
 which is, therefore, cau/a prox-ima efAus, the proper 
 and immediate caufe of its delcent. ’Tis true, it I had 
 kept my hoid of.it, it would not have fallen ; yet frill, 
 the immediate, direft caufe of its fall, is, its own 
 weight, not my quitting my hold. The application of 
 this, to the providence of God, as concerned in finful 
 cvetv'sj is eafy. Without God, there could have been 
 no creation ; without creation, no creatures ; without 
 creatures, no fin. Yet is not fin chargeable on God : 
 for ejfttfus fequitur caufam proximam. 
 
[ 8 2 1 
 
 ‘ through the withholding of his Spirit, is corrupted 
 4 by fin : juft as a lkilful artift may form curious flatties 
 ‘ Out of bad materials. So, fuch as their nature it, 
 ‘inch are men themfelves ; God forms them out of 
 4 fuch a nature.’ 
 
 Pof. 6. The condemnation of the reprobate is necefTa- 
 ry and inevitable. 
 
 Which we prove thus: ’Tis evident, from Scripture, 
 that the reprobate ''(hall be condemned. But nothing 
 comes to pafs (much lefs can the condemnation of a 
 rational creatur.) but in confequence of the will and 
 decree of God. I herefore, the non-eledf could not 
 be condemned, was it not the divine pleafure and detem 
 ruination that they fhould. And, if God wills and de¬ 
 termines their condemnation, that condemnation is 
 neceflary and inevitable. ■ By their fins, they have 
 made them Pelves guilty, of death : and, as it is not 
 the will of God to pardon thofe fins, and grant them 
 repentance unto life; the punifhment of fuch impeni¬ 
 tent finners is as unavoidable as it is jull. ’Tis our 
 Lord’s own declaration, Matth. vii. that “ a coriupt 
 44 t:ee cannot bring forth good fruit or, in other 
 Words, that a depraved linn r cannot produce in h'm- 
 felf thofe gracious habits, nor exert thofe gracious adds, 
 without which no adult perfon can be fared. Conie- 
 quenrly, the reprobate mull, as corrupt, fruitlefs trees 
 (or fruitful in evil only,) be “ hewn down, and call 
 44 into tho fire,” Matth. iii. This, therefore, ferves 
 as another argument, in proof of the inevitability of 
 their future punishment: which argument, in brief, 
 amounts to this ; They, who are not Paved from fin, 
 muff unavoidably perifh: but the reprobate are not 
 faved from fin ; (for they have neither will nor power 
 to lave themfelves, and God though he certainly can, 
 yet he certainly will not fave them :) Therefore, their 
 perdition is unavoidable. Nor does it follow, from 
 hence, that God forces the reprobate into fin, and 
 thereby into mifery, again!! their wills ; but that, in 
 confequence of their natural depravity (which is not 
 the divine pleafure to deliver them out of, neither is 
 he bound t do it, nor are they themfelvcs io much as 
 
 defirous 
 
f ** 3 
 
 defirous that he would (they are voluntarily biafied and 
 inclined to evil : nay, which is worfe itill, they hug 
 and value their fpintuai chains, and even greedily per¬ 
 due the paths of lin, which lead to the chambers of 
 death. Thus, God does not (as we are fianderoufly 
 reported to affirm) compel the wicked to lin, as the 
 rider fpurs forward an unwilling Tiorle : God only fays, 
 in effect, that tremendous word, “ Let them alone,” 
 JMatth. xv. 14. He need but llacken the reins of 
 .providential reitraint, and withhold the influence of 
 faving grace ; and apoftate man will, too loon, and top 
 furcly, of his own accord, fall by his iniquity : he will 
 prefently be, fpiritually fpeaking, a felo defa, and without 
 .any other efficiency, lay violent hands on his own foul. 
 So that tho’ the condemnation of the reprobate is una¬ 
 voidable ; yet the neceffity of it is fo far from making 
 them mere machines, or involuntary agents, that it does 
 not, in the leaf!, interfere with the rational freedom of 
 their wills, nor ferve to render thepi lefs inexculable. 
 
 Pof. 7. The punilhment of the non-elect was not the 
 ultimate end of their creation ; but the glory ol God. 
 
 ’Tis frequently objected to us., that, according to eur 
 view of Predeftination, ‘ God makes fome perfons on 
 ‘ purpofe to damn them:’ But this we never advanced ; 
 nay, we utterly rejeft it, as equally unworthy ot God 
 to do, and of a rational being to fuppofe. The grand, 
 principal end propofed by the Deity to himfelf, in his 
 formation of all things, and of mankind in particular : 
 was, The manifeffiation and difplay ot his own glorious 
 ■attributes. His ultimate fcope, in the creation of the 
 jElebt, is, To evidence and make known by their fal- 
 vation, the unfearchable riches of his power and wif- 
 dom, mercy and love ; and the creation of the Non- 
 eieCt is tor the difplay of his juftice, power, fovereign- 
 ty, holinefs and truth. So that nothing can be more 
 certain, than the declaration of the text we have fre- 
 .q 1 ntly had occalion to cite, Prov. xvi. “ The Lord 
 “ hath made .all things for himfelf, even the wicked 
 “ for the day of evil.” On one band, the “ veliels 
 4 ‘ of wrath are fitted for deilruftion,” in order that 
 God may “ffiew his wrath ; and make his power known,” • 
 
[ 3 + 1 
 
 and man!felt the greatneis of his patience and long fuf- 
 fering , Rom. ix. 32. On theothe* hand, he afore pre¬ 
 pared the elect to falvation, that on them, he might 
 demonftrate “the riches ot his glory and mercy,” verbs 
 23. As, therefore, God himfelr is the foie author and 
 efficient of all his own actions; io is he, likevvift, the 
 ftp rente end, to wJaich they lead., and in which they 
 terminate. 
 
 Befides, the creation and perdition of the ungodly an- 
 fwer another purpofe (though a fubordinate one) u ith 
 regard to the elect themlelves, who, from the 1 ej eft ion 
 of thole learn, (1.) To admire the rich-s of the divine 
 love toward themlelves, which planned, ar.o has ac- 
 compiifhed, the work or their falvation : while others 
 by nature on an equal level with them, are excluded 
 from a participation of the fame benefits. And fuch 
 a view or the Lord’s diftinguifhing mercy is, (2.) A 
 moll powerful motive to thankfulnefs, that, when they 
 too might jnltly have been condemned with the world 
 of the non-elect, they were marked out as heirs of the 
 grace of life. (3.) Hereby they are taught, ardently 
 to love their heaven!) Father ; (4.) To trull in him af- 
 furedly, for a continued iupply ot grace while they are 
 on earth, and for the accomplishment of his eternal 
 decree and pn mife, by their glorification in heaven ; 
 and, (5.) To live, as becomes thofe, who have received 
 fuch unfpeakable mercies from the hand of their God 
 and Saviour. So Buces femevvhere obferves, That 
 the punilhment ot the reprobate ‘ is ufetul to the eled't; 
 ‘ inafmuch as it influences them to a greater tear and 
 ‘ abhorence ot tin, and to a firmer Reliance on the goed- 
 ‘ nefs of God.’ 
 
 Pa/. 8. Notwithftand.ng God did from all eternity, 
 irreverlibly chufe out and fix upon fome to be par¬ 
 takers ofi'alv lion by Chrift, and rejected the reft (who 
 are thereloie termed by the Apoftle, the refufe , or thofe 
 that remained and were left out) acting, in both, actend¬ 
 ing to the good pleafure ot his oh n fovercign will : j et, 
 he did not, herein, adt an unjuft, tyrannical, or cruel 
 part; nor yet thew himlelf a refpcPlrr oj perfons. 
 
 1. He is not ui\uft, in reprobating tome ; neither 
 
 can 
 
[ s 5 V 
 
 can he be fo; for “ the Lord is holy in all his ways, 
 “ and righteous in all his works,” Pfalm cxlv. But fal- 
 vation and damnation are works of his: confequently, 
 neither of them is unrighteous or unholy. ’Tis un¬ 
 doubted muter of faff, that the Father draws fome 
 men to Chrift, and faves them in him with an 
 everlafting falvation ; and that he neither draws nor 
 faves l'ome others: and, if it be not unjuft in God, ac¬ 
 tually to forbear faving thefe perfons after they are 
 born ; it could not be unjuft in him to determine as 
 much, before they were born. What is not unjuft for 
 God to do in time; could not, by parity of argument, 
 be unjuft in him to refolve upon and decree from eter¬ 
 nity. And, furdy, if the Apoftie’s illuftration be al¬ 
 lowed to have any propriety, or to carry any authority, 
 it can no more be unjuft in God to fet apart fome, for 
 communion with him/elfin this life and the next, and 
 to fet afide others, according to his own free pleafure ; 
 than for a potter, to make, out of the fame inafs of 
 clay, fome veflels for honourable, and others for inferi¬ 
 or ufes. The Deity, being abfolute Lord of all his 
 creatures, is accountable to none for his doings; and can¬ 
 not be chargeable with injuftice, for difpofing of his 
 own as he will. 
 
 Nor, 2. Is the decree of reprobation a tyrannical 
 one. ’Tis, indeed, ftridtly fovereign ; but lawful fo- 
 vereignty and lawlefs tyranny are as really diftinft, and 
 different, as any two oppolites can be. He is a tyrant, 
 in the common acceptation of the word, who, (i.) Ei¬ 
 ther ufurps the foverign authority, and arrogates to 
 himfelf a dominion to which he has no right: or, (2.) 
 Who, being, originally, a lawful Prince, abufes his 
 power, and governs contrary to law. But who dares to 
 lay either of thefe accufations to the Divine charge ? 
 God, as Creator, has a moft unqueftionable and unli¬ 
 mited right over the fouls and bodies of men; unlefs it 
 can be fuppofed, contrary to all fcripture and common 
 fenfe, that, in making of man, he made a fet of beings 
 fuperior to himfelf, and exempt from his j 11 ril'd iff ior. 
 Taking it for granted, therefore, that God has an ab¬ 
 solute right of fovereignty over his creatures; if he 
 fi ft.ouli 
 
[ 86 ] 
 
 fhonld'bc pleafed (as the fcriptures repeatedly afliire 
 us that he is) to manifeit and difplay that right, by 
 gCacioufly having home, and juftly puniihing others lor 
 their fins---Who are we that we li.ould reply againlt 
 God ? 
 
 Neither does the ever blefied Deity fall under the 
 fscond notion ot a tyrant ; namely, as one who abufes 
 his jiower, by acting contrary to law : tor, by what 
 exteiior law is He bound, who is the fupremc lawgiver 
 of the univerfe ? The laws, promulgated by him, are 
 designed tor the rule of our conduct, not of His. Should 
 it be objected, that ‘ his own attributes of goodnefs 
 ‘ and juitiee, holinefs and truth, are a law to himfeli 
 1 anfwer, that, admitting this to be the cafe, there is 
 nothing, in the decree ot reprobation, as reprefented in 
 leripture, and by us from thence, which clafhes with 
 any of thofe perfections. With regard to the Divine 
 goodnefs, tho ! the non-cleft are not objects of it, in the 
 aenle the elect are; yet, even they are not w'holly ex¬ 
 cluded from a participation of it. They enjoy the 
 good things ot providence, in common with God’s 
 children, and, very often, in a much higher degree. 
 Eefides, goodnefs, conlidcicd as it is in God, would 
 have been juft the fame infinite and glorious attribute, 
 fuppoling no rational beings had been created at all, 
 or faved when created. To which may be added, that 
 the goodnefs ot the Deity does not ceale to be infinite 
 in itlelf, only btcaufe it is more extended to feme ob¬ 
 jects than it is to others : The infinity ot this perfec¬ 
 tion, as refiding in God and coinciding with his ellence, 
 is fufticiently feeured, without fuppoling it to reach, in- 
 tlifcriminately, to all the creatures he has made. For, 
 was this way ot reafcning to be admitted, it would lead 
 us too tar, and prove too much : fince, it the infinity 
 of his goodnefs is to he eftimated, by the number of 
 objects, upon which it terminates ; there mult be an 
 abfolute, proper infinity of reafonable beings, to ter¬ 
 minate that goodnefs upon : confequently, it would fol¬ 
 low, from fuch premifes, either, That the creation is 
 as truly infinite, as the Creator ; or, if otherwife, That 
 the Greater's goodnefs could not be infinite, becaufe 
 
[ S 7 ] 
 
 it has not an infinity of objedts to make happy *. Z.afllyi 
 it it was not incompatible with God’s infinite goodnefs, 
 to pafs by the whole body of fallen angels, and leave 
 them under the guilt of their apofiacy ; much lei's can 
 k clalh with that attribute, to pafs by lonie of fallen 
 H 2 mankind, 
 
 * The late moft learned and judicious Mr. Charnock 
 has, in my judgment at leaff, proved, molt clearly and 
 fatisfactorily, that the exelufiorr ot fo me individual 
 perfons, from a participation of laving, grace,- is perfect¬ 
 ly confident with God’s unlimited goodnefs. He 
 obferves, th .t the goodnefs of the Deity i ; a ‘ Infinite, 
 4 and circuftafcribed by no limits. The exereife of his 
 4 goodnefs may be limited by himfelf; but his good- 
 4 nels, the principle, cannot : for, fince hrs efi'ence is 
 
 * infinite, and his goodnefs is not diitinguilhed from 
 4 his efi’ence : It is infinite alfo. God is necellhrily 
 4 good, in his nature ; but free in his communications 
 4 of it. He is neceffarily good, affeSlivc, In regard cF 
 4 his nature ; but freely good, ejfettive, in regard of 
 4 the effluxes of it to this cr that particular fubjcdl he 
 4 pitcheth upon. He is not necefiarily communicative 
 4 of his goodnefs, as the fun of its light, or a tree of 
 4 its cooling lhade, which choofes not its objeffs, but 
 4 enlightens all indifferently, without variation or di- 
 4 flindtion : this were to make God of no more under- 
 
 * flanding than the fun, which firines not where it 
 4 pleafes, but where it mull. He is an underifanding 
 4 agent, and hath a fovereign right to ehoofe his own 
 4 fubjedts. It would not be a fu-preme, if it were not a 
 4 voluntary goodnefs. ’Tis. agreeable to the nature of 
 4 the Highelt God, to be ablblutely free ; and to dif- 
 4 penl'e his goodnefs in what methods and meafures he 
 4 pleales, according to the free determinations of bis 
 4 own will, -guided by the tvifdom of his mind, and re- 
 4 gulated by the holincfs of his nature. He will be 
 4 good to whom he will be good. When he doth adr, 
 
 4 he cannot but adt well : So far ’tis necefiary ; yet he 
 4 may adt this good or that good, to this or that degree: 
 
 4 So it is free : As ’tis the perfection of his nature, 
 
 ’tis 
 
[ 88 ] 
 
 jnankind, and refolve to leave them In their fin?, and 
 punifh them tor them. Nor is it inconfifient with the 
 Divine juflice, to withhold faving grace from feme ; 
 feeing the grace of God is not vv’nat he owes to any. 
 ’Tis a free gift, to thole that have it ; and is not due to 
 thole that are without it : confequently, there can be 
 no injuftice, in not giving what God is not bound to 
 befiow. 
 
 There is no end of cavilling at the Divine difpenfa- 
 tions, if men are difpofed to do it. We might, with 
 equality of reafon, when our hand is in, prel'ume to 
 charge the Deity with partiality, for not making all his 
 creatures angels, becaufe it was in his power to do fo; 
 its charge him with injufiice, for not electing all man¬ 
 kind. Befides, how can it poilibly be fubverfive of his 
 juftice, to condemn, and refolve to condemn, the non- 
 cledl for their fins ; when thofe very fins were not 
 atoned for by Chrifi, as the fins of the eletft were ? 
 
 His 
 
 •C=======&- 
 
 * ’tis recefiary : As ’tis the communication of his 
 “ bounty, ’tis voluntary. The eye cannot but fee, if 
 
 * it be open ; yet ;t may glance on this or that colour, 
 
 * fix upon this or that objedf, as it is conducted by the 
 4 will. What neceffity could there be on God, to re- 
 
 * folve to communicate his goodnefs [at all] ? It could 
 4 not be to make himfelf better by it ; for he had [be- 
 4 fore] a goodnefs incapable of any addition. What 
 4 obligation could there be from the creature ? What- 
 4 ever iparks of goodnefs any creature hath, are the 
 4 free effufions of God’s bounty, the offspring of his 
 ‘ own inclination to do well, the fimple favour of the 
 4 donor. God is as unconftrained in his liberty, in all 
 4 his communications, as [he is] infinite in his good- 
 4 nefis, the fountain of them.’ Charnock’s works, vol. 
 i. p. 583, Sec. With whom agrees the excellent Dr. 
 Bates, (lit named for his eloquence, the f-foer tongicd) ; 
 and who, if he had a filver tongue, had likev/ife a gol¬ 
 den pen : 4 God,’ fays he, 4 is a wife and free agent ; 
 
 4 and, as he is infinite in goodnefs, fo the exercife of it 
 4 is voluntary, and only fo fa? as he pleafes.’ Harm. 
 efDiv. Attrib. chap. 3. 
 
[ s 9 ] 
 
 His jufticc, in t!\!s cafe, is fo far from hindering the 
 condemnation of the reprobate, that it renders it necef- 
 fary and indilpenfible. Again, is the decree of love- 
 reign preterition, and of juft condemnation for fin, re¬ 
 pugnant to the divine holiiiefs ? notin the leaft : fo 
 far from it, that 'it does not appear how the Deity 
 could be holy, if he did not hate fin, and punifh it. 
 Neither is it contrary to his truth and veracity. Quite 
 the reverie. For, would not the Divine veracity fall 
 to the ground, if the finally wicked were not condemn¬ 
 ed ? 
 
 3, God, in the reprobati -:i of fome, does not a 
 cruel part. Whoever accufed a chief magiftrate, of 
 cruelty, for not fparing a company of attrocious ma- 
 lefaftors, and for letting the fentence et the law take 
 place upon them by their execution ? It, indeed, the 
 magiftrate pleafe to pity fome of them, and remit their 
 penalty ; we applaud his clemency ; but the punilh- 
 nient of the reft is no impeachment of his mercy. 
 Now, with regard to God, his mercy is free and volun¬ 
 tary. He may ext nd it to, and withhold it from, 
 whom he pleafes, Rom. ix. 13, 18. and ’tis lad indeed, 
 if we will not allow the Sovereign, the all-wife Gover¬ 
 nor of heaven and earth, the fame privilege and libertv, 
 vve allow to a fuprefne magiftrate below. 
 
 Nor, 4. Is God, in eluding fome and rejecting others,- 
 a refpeffer of perfons. He only comes under that title, 
 who, on account of parentage, country, dignity, wealth, 
 or for any other * external coillidcration, Ihews more 
 H 3 favour 
 
 •<f===s==S>-' 
 
 * Persg'nae Acceptio, quu.ra rnagis hulc fave« 
 Jriut, quant illi , ob circumftantiam aliqitam , ceu quoliiatem, 
 externam , el adhaerentem ; puta genus, dignitatem , opesf 
 patriam , fe -c. Scapula, in voc. 
 
 So that elegant, accurate and learned Dutch Divine, 
 Laurentius : Haec nfero eft, qudndoperformperftmae t>rae- 
 fertur ex cdufa in debit a : pitta, ft judex dbfolva? rain:, 
 vel quid dives eft , Del quia potent, <tr'el qui magfttditut eft , 
 vel quia amictis Of ptopinquu's eft , &c. 6 That k tefpeft 
 
 * efperftoftSj whea one man is preferred fo another, oti 
 
 * fome' 
 
[ 9 ® 1 
 
 favour to one perfon, than to another. But that is not 
 the cafe with God. He confiders all men as tinners bv 
 nature, and has eompaffion not on perfons of this or 
 tnat fed, country, fex, age, or flation in lire, becaufe 
 they are fo circumftanced, but on whom, and becaufe, 
 he will have eompaffion. Pertinent to the prelent purr 
 
 pofe, 
 
 •g ..-: ==3- 
 
 * fome finifler and undue account: as when a judge ac- 
 
 * quits a criminal, merely becaufe he is rich, or povver- 
 
 * tul, or is his friend, or relation,’ &c. 
 
 Comment, in Epifh Jacob, p. 92. 
 
 Now, in the matter of eledion and preterition, God 
 is influenced by no Inch motives : nor, indeed, by any 
 exterior inducement, or any motive, extra fe , out of 
 himfelr. He does not, for inflame, condemn any 
 perfons, on account of their poverty : bur, on the re¬ 
 verie, hath chofen many, who are poor in this world, 
 Jam. ii. 5. Nor does he condemn any, for being rich : 
 for fome, even of the mighty and noble, are called by 
 his grace, 1 Cor. i. 26. He does notrefped any man’s 
 parentage or country ; for the eled will be “gathered 
 “ together from the four winds, from under one end 
 “ of heaven to the other,” Matth. xxiv. jr? and he 
 hath redeemed to himfelf a feled number, “ out of 
 “ every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation,” 
 Rev. v. 9. and vii. 9. So far is God from being, in any 
 fenfe, a refpefter of perfons, that, in Chi ill Jelus, there is 
 “ neither few nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor fe- 
 “ male,” Gal. iii. 28. He does not receive one, nor re- 
 led another, merely for coming, or not coming, .under 
 any of thefe charaders. His own fovereign will, and 
 not their external or internal circumflances, was the 
 foie rule, by which he proceeded, in appointing fome 
 to falvation, and decreeing to leave others in their lins : 
 So that God is not, herein, a refpeder of their perfons, 
 but a refpeder of himfelf, and his own glory. 
 
 And as God is no refpeder of perfons, becaufe he 
 < lutfes feme as objeds of his favour, and omits others; 
 
 : 11 being on a perfed equality ; fo neither dees it fol¬ 
 low, that he is fuch, from his adualiv conferring fpi- 
 , ritual 
 
[ 9 1 1 
 
 pofe, is that palTage of St. Auftin*: 4 Forafmuch as 
 ‘ fome people imagine, that they mult look on God as 
 ‘ a refpcflcr of perfons , if they believe, that, without 
 ‘ any refpedt hud to the previous merits of men he 
 ‘ hath mercy, on whom he will, and calls whom it 
 4 is his pleai'ure to call, and makes good whom he 
 ‘ pleafes: The fcrupuloufnefs of fuch people arifes 
 
 ‘ from 
 
 •g - .! ■" 
 
 ritual and eternal blelTings on the former, and denying 
 them to the latter : Seeing, thefe Meltings are abfolutely 
 his own, and which he may, therefore, without in- 
 juftiee, give, or not give, at his pleafure. Dr. Whitby 
 himfelt, though io ftrenuous an adverlary to every thing 
 that looks like predeftination, yet very juftly obferve* 
 (and fuch a conceiiion from fuch a pen, merits the 
 reader’s attention) Locum non habet in bonis mere liberis 
 tS) grutuitis, neque in iis , in quibus , untun altercjsraeferre , 
 nojiri arbitrii aut privileg'd eft. Ethic. Compend. 1 . 2. c. 
 
 feff. 9. i. e. ‘ The bellowing’ [and, confequently, 
 the withholding] 4 of fuch, benefits as are merely 
 ‘ gratuitous and undeferved, does not argue refpecl of 
 ‘ perfons ; neither is it refpeft of perfons, to prefer 
 * one before another, when we have a right, and it is 
 ‘ our pleafure fo to do.’ I fhall only add the telfi- 
 mony of Thomas Aquinas; ar man of fome genius, 
 and much application : who, though, in very many 
 things, a laborious trifier; was yet on fome fubjefls a 
 clear reafoner, and judicious writer. His words are, 
 
 ‘ Duplex eftdatio; una quidem pertinens adjufiitiam; 
 
 ‘ qua, lcilicet, aliquis dat alicui quod ei debetur: & 
 ‘ circa tales dationes attenditur perfonarum acceptio. 
 ‘ Alia elf datio at liberalitatem pertinens; qua, fcilicet, 
 ‘ gratis datur alicui quod ei non debetur. Et talis ell 
 ‘ Collatio munerum gratiae, per quae peccatores alfu- 
 4 muntur a Deo. Et, in hac donation?, non habet lo- 
 4 cum perfonarum acceptio, quia qudibet, abl'que in- 
 4 juftitia, potelf de fuo dare quantum vu.lt, 5 c cui vult 1 
 4 fecundum illud, Matth. xx. Annon licet mibi , quod 
 4 volo^ facere? tolle quodtuum eft, & vatic? i. e. 4 There 
 
 4 is 
 
 * Tom. 2. Epiif. 105. ad Sixtum Prelb. 
 
E 9 2 1 
 
 1 from their not duly attending to this one thing, 
 
 ‘ namely, that damnation is rendered to the wicked, as’ 
 * a m tter of debt, juftice, and dcfcrt ; whereas, the 
 4 the grace, given to thole who are delivered, is free, 
 
 ‘ and unmerited: fo that the condemned iinner cannot 
 ‘ alledge that he is unworthy of his punifhment; nor 
 ‘ the faint vaunt or boaft, as it he was worthy of his 
 ‘ reward. Thus, in the whole cou-rfe of this proce- 
 4 dure, there is no refpeef of perfons. They who are 
 ‘ condemned, and they who are fet at libei ty, confti- 
 ‘ tuted, originally, one and ,the fame lump, equally 
 ‘ infedted with tin, and liable to vengeance. Hence, 
 
 ‘ the 
 
 •G- ~ — d m 
 
 4 is a twofold rendering, or giving: the one a matter 
 ‘ of juftice, whereby that is paid to a man, which was 
 4 due to him. Here, it is poffible for us to adt partial- 
 ‘ lv, and with refpedf of perfons.’ [Thus for exam¬ 
 ple’s fake, if I owe money to two men, one of 
 whom is rich, the other poor ; and I pay the rich man, 
 becaufe he has it in his power to fue me, but defraud 
 the other, becaufe of his inability to do kimfelf juftice; 
 I fhould be a refpe&er of perfons. But, as Aquinas 
 goes on] 4 There is a fecond kind of rendering, or 
 ‘ giving; which is a branch of mere bounty and libe- 
 4 rality : by which that is freely bellowed on any man' 
 4 which was not due to him : Such are the gifts of grace, 
 4 whereby finners are received of God. In the be- 
 4 ftowment of grace, refpehl of perfons is abfolutely 
 4 out of the queftion : becaufe every one may, and can, 
 4 without the Ieaft fhadow of injuftice, give as much of 
 4 his own as he will, and to whom he will : according 
 4 to that paflage in Matth. xx. 44 is it not lawful for 
 “ me to do what 1 will [with rny own?] take up that 
 44 which is thine, and go thy way.” Aquin. Summ, 
 Theol. 2 -—adae Qu. 6:.- A. i. 
 
 On the whole, ’tis evident, that refpeft of perfons 
 can only have place in matters of juftice, and is but an¬ 
 other name for perverfion of juftice : confequently, ir 
 has nothing to do with matters of mere goodne r s 
 and bounty, as all the bkflings of grace and falvatioR 
 are, 
 
E 93 1 
 
 4 the jbfiified may learn, from the condemnation of 
 4 the red, what would have been their own punilh- 
 ‘ ment, had not God’s free grace ftep’d in to their 
 ‘ refcue.’ 
 
 Before I conclude this head, I’ll obviate a fallacious 
 objection very common in the mouths of our opponents: 
 
 4 How,’ fay tSfey, * is the doctrine of reprobation re- 
 ‘ concileable with the doCtnns of a future judgment ?’ 
 To which I anfwer, that there need no pains to recon¬ 
 cile thefe two, fince they are fo far from interfering with 
 each other, that one follows from the other, and the 
 former renders the latter abfoluteiy neceffary. Before 
 the judgment of the great day, Chrift does not fo 
 much act as the judge of his creatures, but as their 
 abfolute Lord and Sovereign. From the fir ft creation, 
 to the final confummation, of all things ; he does, in 
 confequence of his own eternal and immutable pur- 
 pofe (as a Divine perfon) graeioufly work in and on 
 his own elect, and permiffively harden the reprobate. 
 But, when all the tranfactions of providence and grace 
 are wound up in the laid day ; he will then properly 
 fit as Judge, and openly publilh, and folemnly ratify, 
 if I may fo fay, his ever lading decrees, by receiving 
 the eleCt, body and foul, into glory, and by parting 
 fentence on the non-eleCt (not for their having done 
 what they could not help, but) for their wilful igno¬ 
 rance of divine things, and their obftinate unbelief; 
 for their omiifions of moral duty, and for their repeat¬ 
 ed iniquities and tranfgreilions. 
 
 Pof. g. Notwithftanding God’s predeftination is 
 moft certain and unalterable, fo that no eleCt perfon 
 can perilli nor any reprobate be faved ; yet it does not 
 follow from thence, that all precepts, reproofs, and 
 exhortations, on the part ct God, or prayers on the 
 part of man, are ufelefs, vain, and infignlftcant. 
 
 (i.) Thefe are not ufelefs, with regard to the eleCt; 
 for they are necefiaiy means, of bringing them to the 
 knowledge of the truth atfirlf; afterwards of furring up 
 their pure minds by way of remembrance, and of 
 edifying and eftablilhiug them in faith, love, and hol : - 
 
 nefu 
 
[ 94 1 
 
 nefs. Hence that of St. Auftin*: ‘ The command*" 
 ‘ ment will tell thee, O man, what thou oughted to 
 ‘ have ; reproof will fl'.ew thee wherein thou art want- 
 ‘ ing; and praying will teach thee from whom thcai 
 ‘ mutt receive the fupplies which thou wanted.’ 
 Nor, (a.) Are thefe vain with regard to the reprobate : 
 for, precept, reproof, and exhortatioiflj may, if duly 
 attended to,, be a means of making them careful to ad- 
 juft their moral, external conduct, according to the 
 rules ot decency, jultice, and regularity ; and, there¬ 
 by, prevent much inconvenience to themfelves, and 
 injury to fociety. And, and as for prayer, it is the 
 duty of all, without exception. Every created being 
 (whether eletd or reprobate matters not, as to this 
 point) is, as filch, dependent on the Creator for all 
 things : and, il dependent, ought to have recourfe 
 to him, both in a way of Application and thankfgiv- 
 ing. 
 
 But, to come clofer dill. That abfolute j rededi- 
 nation does not let afide, nor render fuperffuous, the 
 ufe of preaching, exhortation, 3 tc. we prove from 
 the examples ofCbrifl bhnjelf and bis Apofles : w ho, all, 
 taught and infided upon the article or prededinarion ; 
 and yet took every opportunity ot preaching to finners, 
 and enforced their minidry with proper rebukes, in¬ 
 vitations, and exhortations, as occafion required. 
 Though they fhewed, unanfwerably, that falvation is 
 the free gift of God, and lies entirely at his fovereign 
 difpofal, that men can, of themfelves, do nothing 
 fpiritually good ; and that it is God, who, ot his 
 own pleafuie, works in them both to will and to da : 
 yet they did not neelect to addrefs their auditors, as 
 beings podefied ot reafon and confidence, nor omitted 
 to remind them ot their duties as fuc’n ; but d owed 
 them their fin and danger by nature, and laid before 
 them the appointed way and method of falvation, as 
 exhibited in the gofpej. Our Saviour himfelf, ex- 
 prefsly, and in terminis , afiures us, that “ no man 
 “ can come to him, except the Father draw him:” 
 and vet he fays, “ Come unto me, all ve that la- 
 
 “ boor,” 
 
 * De Corrept. & Grat. cap. 3, 
 
[ 95 1 
 
 {l bour,” See. St. Peter, in the 2d of Afts, told the 
 Jews, that they had fulfilled the determinate counfcl and 
 foreknowledge of God, , in putting the Me hah to death ; 
 and yet lharply rebukes them for it, St. Paul declares, 
 “ ft is not of him that wflleth, nor of him that run- 
 “ neth and yet exhorts the Corinthians fo to run, 
 at to obtain the prize. He allures, us. Rom. viii. that 
 “ we know not what to pray for, as we ought;” and 
 yet, 1 ThefT. v. direfts us to “ pray without ceafing.” 
 He avers, 1 Tim. ii. that the “ foundation,” or decree, 
 “ of the Lord lfandeth fure;” and yet cautions him, 
 who “ thinks he hands, to tike heed, left he fall.” 
 St. James in like manner, fays, that “that every good 
 “ and perfeft: gift cometh down from aboveand ex¬ 
 horts thofe, who want wifdom to ajk it of God. So, 
 then, all thefe being means, whereby the eleH are 
 frequently enlightened into the knowledge of Chriii, 
 and by which they are, after they have believed 
 through grace, built up in him; and are means of 
 their perfeverance in grace to the end ; thefe are fo 
 far from being vain and inlignilicant, that they are 
 highly ufeful and necellarv, and anfwer many valuable 
 and important ends: without in the leatl lhaking the 
 doctrine of predefifnation in particular, or the analogy 
 of faith in general. JThus St. Auilin* : ‘ We mult 
 
 ‘ preach, we muff reprove, we mull; pray ; becaufe 
 ‘ they, to whom grace is given, will hear, and aft 
 ‘ accordingly : though they, to whom grace is not 
 ‘ given, will do neither.’ 
 
 * De Bon. Perfev. cap. 14. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
£ 96 ] 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Shewing^ that the Scriptitre-dofirine o/Predestina- 
 tiov Jl.onlJ be openly preached and iftfijied oh ; and 
 per tvbat rcafons. 
 
 PON the whole, it is evident, that 
 ^Komo^mco jj. the doctrine of God’s eternal and un- 
 U ■<:•$? changtable predellination Ihould neither 
 ecoo*^£ oooa );* be wholly fupprefied and laid alide; nor 
 yet be confined to the difquifition of the 
 learned and fpeculative only : but likewife fhould be 
 publicly taught from the pulpit and the prefs : that 
 even the ineaneil of the people may not be ignorant of 
 a truth, which reflects fuch glory on God, and is the 
 very foundation of happineis to man. Let it, however, 
 be preached with judgment and diicretion: i. c. deliver¬ 
 ed by the preacher, as it is delivered in Scripture; and 
 no otherwile. By which means, it can neither be 
 abufed to licentioufnefs, or mifapprehenaed to defpair: 
 but will eminently conduce to the knowledge, efta- 
 blilhment, improvement and comfort of them that 
 hear. That predeilination ought to be preached, I 
 thus prove i 
 
 I. The Gofpel is to be preached : and that not 
 partially, and by peace-meal, but the whole of it. 
 The commiilion runs, “ Go forth and preach the 
 “ Gospel the gofpel itfelf, even all the gofpel, 
 without exception or limitation : for, fo far as the gof¬ 
 pel is maimed, or any branch of the evangelical fyilem 
 is fuppreffed and palled over in lilence, fo far the gof¬ 
 pel s not preached. Befides, there is fcarce any other 
 cuitinguilhing dedhine of the gofpel can be preached, 
 in its purity and conlifteney without this of pre- 
 deftination. Eledtion is the golden thread that runs 
 through the whole Chriftian fyilem, ’tis the leaven, 
 that pervades the whole lump. Cicero fays of the 
 
 varifm 
 
[ 97 1 
 
 various parts of human learning, ‘ Orrines artes, quae 
 
 * ad hmnanitatem pertinent, habent quoddam com- 
 
 * mune vinculum, &c quali cognatione quadam inter 1'e 
 
 * continentur :’ i. e. 4 The whole circle of arts have a 
 ‘ kind of mutual bond and connection ; and, by a lort 
 ‘ of reciprocal relationlhip, are held together, and in- 
 
 * terwoven with each other.’ Much the.fame may be 
 faid of this important doctrine : it is the bond, which 
 connects and keeps together the whole Chridian fydem; 
 which, without this, is like a fydem ot land, ever rea¬ 
 dy to fall to pieces. ’Tis the cement which holds the 
 fabric together ; nay, it is the very foul that animates 
 the whole frame. It is fo blended and interwoven 
 with the entire fcheme of gofpel doftrine, that, when 
 the former is excluded, the latter bleeds to death. An 
 ambaflador is to deliver the whole melfage with which 
 he is charged. He is to omit no part of it; but mult 
 declare the mind ot the Sovereign he reprefents, fully 
 and without referve. He is to fay neither more nor 
 Icfs, than the indrudtions of his court require. Elfe, 
 he comes under difpleafure ; perhaps, lofes his 
 head. Let the Minilters of Chrid weigh this well. 
 
 Nor is the gofpel to be preached only, but preach¬ 
 ed to every creature : i. e. to reafonable beings, pro- 
 milcuouily, and at large; to all, who frequent the 
 Ch iilian miniilry, of every date and condition in life; 
 whether high or low, young or old, learned or illite¬ 
 rate. Ail, who attend on the minilirations of Chrid’s 
 Ambafiadors, have a right to hear the gofpel fully, 
 clearly, and without mincing. Preach it, fays 
 Chriif, Mark xvi. r^. 4 publifh it abroad ; be its criers 
 4 and heralds; proclaim it aloud; tell it out; keep 
 4 back no part of.it ; fpare not ; lift up your voices 
 4 like trumpets.’ Now, a. very confiderable branch of 
 this go pel is, The doctrine of God’s eternal, free, 
 abfolute, and irreverfible election of. fome perfons, in 
 Chrid, to everl-ading life. The faints were lingled 
 out, in God’s eternal purpofe arid choice, z it crcderent , 
 to be endued with faith, and thereby fitted for their 
 dedined falvation. By their intered in the gratuitous, 
 unalienable love of the blefled Trinity, they come to 
 l be, 
 
[ 98 ] 
 
 ;kc, fub’ectively, faints and believers : fo that their 
 •whole falvation, from the firft plan of it in the Divine 
 mind, to the confummation of it in glory, is, at once, 
 a matter of mere grace, and .of abfolute certainty. 
 While they, who die without faith and. holinefs, prove, 
 thereby, that =they were not included in this eledt 
 number, and were not written in the book of life. 
 The juilice of God’s procedure herein is unqueftion- 
 able. Out of a corrupt mafs, wherein not one was 
 better than another,’he might, (as was obferved before) 
 love and chufe whom, and as many as he pleafcd. 
 It was, likewife, without any (hadow of injunice, 
 at his option, whom, and how many he would pafs 
 by. His not chufing them was the fruit of his fo- 
 vereign will; but his condemning them, after death, 
 and in the lafl day, is the fruit (not of their non- 
 eledtion, which was no fault of theirs; but) of their 
 own pofitive tranfgreffions. The eleft, therefore, 
 have the utmoft reafon to love and glorify God, 
 which any beings can poflibly have: and the fenfe, 
 of what he has done for them, is the-ftrongeft motive 
 to obedience. On the other hand, the reprobates 
 have nothing to complain of; fince, whatever God 
 does, is juft and right ; and fo it will appear to be, 
 (however darkly matters may appear to us now) 
 when we “ fee him as he is, and know him even as 
 “ we are known.” 
 
 And now, why fnculd not this dadhine be preach¬ 
 ed and inlifted upon in public ? A doeftrine, which 
 is of exprefs revelation ; a dodtrine that makes 
 wholly for the glory of God; which conduces, in 
 n moil peculiar manner, to the converfton, comfort, 
 and fandlificatjon of the elect; and leaves even the 
 ungodly themfelves without exctil'e ! 
 
 But, perhaps, you may ftill be inclined to queftion, 
 Whether predellination be indeed a feripture doctrine. 
 1 f fo, let me, by way of famplc, beg you to consider 
 the following declarations, i. Of Christ, z. Of his 
 Apoftles. 
 
 Matth. xi. “ If the mighty works, that have 
 £5 been done in thee, had been done in Tyre and 
 
 “ Sidon, 
 
r 99' 3 
 
 “ Si do it, ■ they would have repented,” &c. Whence 1 
 it is evident,, that the Tyrians and Sidonians, at leafc 
 the majority of them, died in a Hate of impcnitency > 
 but that, if God had given them the fame means 
 el grace, afforded to Ifrael, they would not have died 
 impenitent : yet thole means were not granted them. 
 How can this be accounted tor only on the lingle 
 principle of peremptory predeffination, flowing from 
 the fovereign will of God. No wonder, then, that our 
 Lord concludes that chapter, with the r e remarkable 
 words, “ 1 thank thee, Holy Father, Lord of hea- 
 “ ven and earth,, becaufe Thou halt hid thefe things- 
 “ Irorn the wife and prudent, and halt revealed them 
 “ unto babes : even fo, Father; tor fo it feemed 
 “ good in thy light.” Where Chrill thanks the Father, 
 for doing that very thing, which Armiuians exclaim 
 againll as unjuft, and cenfure as partial! 
 
 Matth. xiii. “ To you it is given to know the my- 
 “ fteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is 
 " not given.” 
 
 Matth. xx. 23. “ To fit on my right hand, and on 
 “'my left, is not mine to give, except to them for 
 “ whom it hath been prepared by my Father:” q. d. 
 Salvation is not a precarious thing : the feats in 
 glory were difpefed; of long ago, in my Father’s in¬ 
 tention and- deification : I. can only allign them to 
 fuch perfons, as they were prepared for,, in his dcr 
 cree. 
 
 Matth. xxii. “ Many are called, but few cbofen 
 ;. e. All, 'who live under t-fte found of the gofpel, 
 will not be laved; but thofe only who are elected unto • 
 life. 
 
 Matth. xxiv. “ For the elects fake, thole days 1 WI 
 “ be lhortened.” fs 1 ibid. 41 If it were polfible, they 
 “ fhould deceive the very elect where, it is plain, 
 Chrilf teaches two things; (i.) That there is a cer¬ 
 tain number of perlons, who are elected to grace and 
 glory; and, (2.) That it is abfolutely impoffible 
 for theie to be deceived into total or final apo- 
 ftacy. 
 
 Matth. 
 
[ TOO ] 
 
 Matth. xxv. “ Cfcme ye bieffed of my Father, in- 
 “ herit the kingdom! prepared for you from the foun- 
 “ dation of the world.” 
 
 Mark xi. “ Unto you it is given to know the my- 
 “ fiery of the kingdom of God : but, to them that are 
 “ without,” i. e. out of the prde of election, “ all 
 “ thefe things are done in parables ; that, feeing, 
 “ they may fee, and not perceive ; and, hearing, they 
 “ may hear, and hot underhand : leit, at any time, 
 “ they Ihould be converted, and their fins fhould be 
 “ forgiven them.” 
 
 Luke x. “ Rejoice, becaufe your names are written 
 “ in heaven.” 
 
 Luke xii. “ It is your Father’s good pleafure to give 
 “ you the kingdom.” 
 
 Luke xvii. “ One fhall be taken, and the other fhall 
 “ be left.” 
 
 John vi. “ All that the Father hath given me, fhall 
 “ come unto me as much as to fay, Thefe (hall, but 
 the reft cannot. 
 
 John viii. “ He that is of God, heareth God’s 
 “ words; ye therefore hear them not, becaufe ye are 
 11 not of God :” not chofen of him. 
 
 John x. “ Ye believe not, becaufe ye are not of my 
 4 ‘ fheep.” * 
 
 John xv. “ Ye have net cLcfen me, tut I have cho« 
 “ fen you..’’ 
 
 I come now, 2. To the Apoftles. 
 
 John xii. 37, 30. “ They believed not on him, that 
 “ the faying of Efaias tffe prophet might be fulfilled, 
 “ which he fpake ; Lord, who hath believed our re- 
 “ port ? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been 
 “ revealed ? Therefore they could not believe, becaufe 
 “ Efaias fa id again, He hath blinded their eyes, and 
 “ hardened their hearts, that they fhould not fee with 
 “ their eyes, nor underhand with their hearts, and be 
 “ converted, ar.d I fhould heal them.” Without cer¬ 
 tain prefcience, there could be no prophecy ; and, 
 without predeftination, no certain prefcience. There¬ 
 fore, in order to the accompli!! ment of prophecy, pre¬ 
 ference, and predeftination, we are exprefsly told, that 
 
 thefe 
 
[ icr ] 
 
 thefe perfons could not believe; they were not 
 able ; it was out of their power. In fhort, there is 
 hardly a page, in St. John’s gofpel, which does nor, 
 either exprelsly or implicitly, make mention of elec¬ 
 tion and reprobation, 
 
 St. Peter fays of Judas, Ads i. “ Men and brethren, 
 “ the fcriptures muff needs have been fulfilled, which 
 “ the Holy Ghoft, by the mouth of David, ipake be- 
 “ fore, concerning Judas.” So, verle2£. “ That he 
 “ might go to his own place to the place of pumlh- 
 ment appointed for him. 
 
 Ads- ii. “ Him, being delivered by the deter- 
 “ minate counfel and foreknowledge of God, ye have 
 “ taken, and, with wicked hands, have crucified and 
 “ (lain.” 
 
 Ads iv. u Herod and Pontius Pilate, and the 
 “ Gentiles, and the people of Ilrael, were gathered to- 
 “ gether, for to do whatfoever thy hand and thy coun- 
 “ fel determined before to be done predeidinated 
 fliould come to pafs. 
 
 Ads xiii. “ And as many, as were ordained to eter- 
 “ nal life, believed deligned, deltined, or appointed 
 unto life. 
 
 Concerning the Apofide Paul, what fhall I fay ? 
 every one, that ha9 read his epilfles, knows, that 
 they teem with predeffirration, from beginning to 
 end I lhall only give one or two padages : and 
 I 7. bejrirl 
 
 •e===s==esx 
 
 * A friend of mine, who has a large property in 
 Ireland, was converting, one day, with a Popilh tenant 
 of his, upon religion. Among other points, they dip 
 cuffed the pradice of having ‘ public prayers in an 
 ‘unknown tongue.’ My friend took down a New 
 Teflament from his book-cafe, and read part of i Cor. 
 xiv. When he had finifhed, the poor, zealous Papiff 
 rofe up from his chair, and laid,-with great vehemence, 
 
 6 I verily believe, St, Paul was an heretic.’ 
 
 Can the perfon who carefully reads the epiflles of 
 that great Apoftle, doubt of bis having been a tho¬ 
 rough pac’d Preddlinariani 1 
 
[ 102 ] 
 
 begin with that famous chain, Rom. viii. “ Whom he 
 “ did foreknow/' (or tore-love, tor, to know, otten fig- 
 nifies, in feripture, to love) “ he alfo did predeltinate 
 “ to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he 
 “ might be the iirlt-born among many brethren 
 that, as in all things elie, fo in the bufinefs of election, 
 Chrift might have the preheminence ; He being firfl 
 chofe, as a Saviour, and they in him to be laved by 
 him : “ Moreover,- whom he did predeltinate, them 
 “ he alio called ; and whom he called, them he alfo 
 “juflifled; and whom he juftified, them he alfo glo- 
 rifled.” 
 
 The 9th, 10th, and xith chapters of the fame 
 Epiftle are protefled differtations on, and illuflrations 
 ot, the do/trine of God’s decrees ; and contain, like- 
 wife, a folution of the principal objections brought 
 againft that doctrine. 
 
 Gal. i. “ Who feparated me from my mother’s 
 “ womb, and called me by his grace.” 
 
 The tint chapter ot Epheiians treats of little elfe b .it 
 election and predeflination. 
 
 2 ThefT. ii. After obferving, that the reprobates 
 perilh willfully ; the Apoflle by a flriking tranfition, 
 addrefles himlelf to the elect Theflalonians, faying : 
 “ Bur we are bound to give thanks ahvay to God, 
 for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, becaufe 
 God hath, from the beginning, chofen you to fal- 
 vation, through fanctification ot the fpirit and belief 
 “ of the truth.” 
 
 2 Tim. i. “ Who hath fared 11s, and called us with 
 “ an holy calling, not according to our own works, 
 “ but according to his own purpofe, and grace which 
 “ was given us, in Chrifl, before the world began.” 
 
 St. Jude, on the other hand, deferibes the repro¬ 
 bate as “ ungodly men, who were, of old, fore-or- 
 “ dained to this condemnation.” 
 
 Another Apoflle makes this peremptory declara¬ 
 tion ; “ Who itumble at the word, being difobedient, 
 “ whereunto alfo they were appointed : but ye are 
 “a chosen genera don” [an elefcl race] “ a royal 
 •' pricilhood, an holy nation, a peculiar people,” 1 Pet. 
 
[ ] 
 
 ii. 8, g. a people purchafed to be his peculiar proper¬ 
 ty and polleffion. To all which, may be added, 
 
 Rev. xvii. 8. “ Whofe names were not written in 
 “ the book of life from the foundation of the world.” 
 
 All thele texts are but as an handful to the harvell : 
 and yet are both numerous and weighty enough, to de¬ 
 cide the point, with any, who pay the lead deference 
 to Scripture authority. And let it be oblerved, that 
 Cbrill and his Apoftles delivered thele matters, not 
 to fome privileged perlons only, but to all, at large, who 
 had ears to hear, and eyes to read. Therefore, it is 
 incumbent on every faithful Minifter, to tread in their 
 lleps, by doing likewife; nor is that Minifter a faith¬ 
 ful one, faithful to Chrift, to truth, and to fouls, 
 who keeps back any part of the counfel of God, and 
 buries thole dodrines in filence, which he is command¬ 
 ed to preach upon the houfe tops. 
 
 The great St. Aullin, in his valuable treatife, De 
 Bono Pcrfever . tf.edually obviates the objections of 
 thole, who are for burying the dodrine of predeftina- 
 tion in lilence. He lhews, that it ought to be public¬ 
 ly taught: del'cribes the neceftity and ufefulnefs of 
 preaching it ; and points out the manner of doing it 
 to edification. And iince fome perfons have condemn¬ 
 ed St. Aullin, by bell, book, and candle, lor his Head- 
 fail attachment to, and nervous,, fuccelsful defences 
 ot, the decrees of God; let us hear what Luther, that 
 great light in the church thought, refpeding the argu¬ 
 ment before us. 
 
 Erafmus (in moll other refpeds, a very excellent 
 man) affected to think, that it was of dangerous 
 confequence to propagate the dodrine of predeltina¬ 
 tion, either by preaching or writing. His words are 
 thele : ‘ What can be more ulelefs, than to publifh 
 ‘ this paradox to the world ? namely, that what- 
 ‘ ever we do, is done, not by virtue of our own 
 ‘free will, but in a*way of neceftity, &c. What 
 ‘ a wide gap does the publication of this tenet open 
 ‘ among men, for the commiffion of all ungodlinefs 1 
 ‘ What wicked perfon will reform his life ? Who will 
 1 dare to believe hijtnfclf a favourite of heaven l Who 
 
[ I°4 1 
 
 4 will fight againft his own corrupt inclinations ? 
 4 Therefore, where is either the need, or the utility, 
 ‘ of fpreading thefe notions, from whence fo many 
 4 evils feem to flow ?’ 
 
 To which, Luther replies ; ‘If, my Erafmus, you 
 4 confider thefe paradoxes (as you term them} to be no 
 ‘ more than the inventions of men ; why are you fo 
 4 extravagantly heated on the occafion ? In that cafe, 
 4 your arguments affe <51 not me: for there is no perfon, 
 
 4 now living in the world, who is a more avowed ene- 
 4 my to the doctrines of men, than myfelf. But if you 
 4 believe the doffrines, in debate between us, to be 
 4 (as indeed they are) the dodfrines of God ; you muft 
 4 have bid adieu to all fenfe offliame and decency, thus 
 4 to oppofe them. I will not alk, Whither is the mo- 
 4 defly of Erafmus fled ? But, which is much more 
 4 important, Where, alas ! are your fear and reverence 
 4 of the DJty, when you roundly declare, that this 
 4 branch of truth, which he has revealed from heaven, 
 4 is, at bert, ufelefs, and unneceflary to be known ? 
 4 What! fhall the glorious Creator be taught by you 
 4 his creature, what is fit to be preached, and what to 
 4 be fupprefled ? Is the adorable God fo very defective 
 4 in wifdom and prudence, as not to know, till you in- 
 4 ftrudf him, what would be' ufeful, and what pemi- 
 4 cious ? Or could not He, whole underftanding is 
 4 infinite, forefee, previous to his revelation of this 
 4 dodlrine, what would be the confequences of his i 
 4 vealing it, 'till thofe confequences were pointed out 
 4 by you ? You cannot, you dare not fay this. If 
 4 then it w’as the divine pleafure to make known thefe 
 4 things in his word; and to bid his meflengers publifh 
 4 them abroad, and leave the confequences of their fo 
 4 doing to the wifdom and providence of Him, in 
 4 whofe name they fpeak, and whofe meflage they de- 
 4 clare ; ivho art thou , G Erafmus, that thou JhoiddeJl 
 4 reply againft God, and fay to the Almighty, What doji 
 4 thou ? St. Paul difeourfing of God, decla.es peremp- 
 4 torily,’ 44 Whom he will he hardeneth‘and again/ 
 44 God willing to fnew his wrath,” &c. 4 And the 
 
 4 Apoflle did not write this, to have it ftifled among a 
 
 1 few 
 
C 105 l 
 
 ‘ few perfons, and buried in a corner; but wrote it to 
 
 * the Chriftians at Rome: which was, in effect, bring- 
 
 * ing this dbftrine upon the ftage of the whole world ; 
 
 * Ramping an uuiverfal Imprimatur upon it; and 
 ‘ publishing it to believers at large, throughout the 
 ‘ earth.—-What can found hariher, in the uncircumcif- 
 ‘ ed ears of carnal men, than thofe words ot Chrift,’ 
 “ Many are called, but few chofeti ?” ‘ and elfewherfe,’ 
 “ I know whom I have chofen.” ‘ Now, thele and 
 ‘ limilar aflertions of Chriit and his Apoftles, ate the 
 4 very politions, which you, O Erafmus, brand as 
 ‘ ufelefs and hurtful. You objeft,’ “ If thefe thing! 
 4 are fo, who will endeavour to amend bis life ? I an- 
 ‘ fwer ; Without the Holy Ghoft, no man can amend 
 ‘ his lite to purpofe. 1 Reformation is but Varnilhed 
 ‘ hypocrify, unlefs it proceed from grace. The cleft 
 4 and truly pious are amended by the Spirit of God : 
 ‘ and thole of mankind, who are not amended by Him, 
 4 will perilh.—-You alk, moreover, Who will dare to 
 4 believe bimfclf a favourite of heaven ? I anfwer, it is not 
 4 in man’s own power to believe himfelf fuch, upon 
 4 juft grounds, ’till, he is enabled from above. But 
 4 the eleft (hall be fo enabled : they fhall believe them- 
 4 felves to be what indeed they are. As for the reft, 
 4 who are not endued with faith, they fhall perilh ; 
 4 raging and biafphenvng, as you do now. But, fay 
 4 you, Thefe dodlrincs open a door to ungodlinef. I anfwer ; 
 4 Whatever door they may open to the impious'and 
 4 prophane ; yet, they open a door of righteoufnefs 
 4 to the el ft and holy, ^nd (how them the way to hea- 
 4 ven, and the path ofaccefs unto God. Yet you would 
 4 have us abftain from the mention ot thefe grand doc- 
 4 trines, and leave our people in the dark, as to their 
 4 election ot God : the conlequence of which would be, 
 4 that every man would bolfter himfelf up with a de- 
 4 lufive hope of afhare in that falvation, which is fup- 
 4 pofed to lie open to all ; and, thus, genuine bvimili- 
 4 ty, and the practical fear ot God, would be kicked 
 4 out of doors. This would be a pretty way indeed, 
 4 of flopping up the gap, Erafmus complains of 1 In- 
 4 Head or doling up the door of licentioufnefs, as is 
 
 4 ialiely 
 
[ IO& ] 
 
 ‘ falfely pretended ; it would be, in fadt, opening' a 
 ‘ gulph into the nethermoll: hell. Still you urge, JVhcrr 
 ‘ is either the necejity, or utility, ofpreachingpr edcjlination? 
 
 ‘ God himfelf teaches it, and commands us to teach 
 
 * it: and that is anfwer enough. We are not to arraign 
 
 * the Deity, and bring the motives of his will to the 
 ‘tell of human ferutiny ; but limply to revere both 
 
 n and it. He, who alone is all-wile and all-juft, 
 
 ‘ can, in reality (however things appear to us) do 
 ‘ wrong to no man ; neither can he do any thing un- 
 ‘ wifely or ralhly. And this conlidcration will fufticej 
 ‘ to lilence all the objections of truly religious perfons. 
 
 ‘ However, let us, lor argument’s fake, go a ftep far- 
 5 ther. I will venture to aflign, over and above, two 
 4 very important reafons, why thefe dodtrir.es ft.ould 
 4 be publicly taught: i. For the humiliation of our pri.’c, 
 
 ‘ and the manifeftation of*divine grace. God hath 
 4 afturedly promifed his favour to the truly humble-. 
 
 4 By truly humble, I mean, thofe who are endued 
 4 with repentance, and defpair of faving themfelves ■: 
 
 4 for a man can never be faid to be really penitent and 
 4 humble, ’till he is made to know that his faltation is 
 4 not fufpended, in any meafute, whatever, on his 
 4 own flrength, machinations, endeavours, free tvillj 
 4 or works; bur entirely depends on the free pleafure, 
 ‘purpofe, determination,- and efficiency ot another-; 
 
 4 even of God alone. Whilft a man is perfuaded, that 
 4 he has it in his power to contribute any thing, be it 
 4 ever fo little, to his own falvation ; he remains in 
 4 carnal confidence : he is not a felf dcfpairer, and 
 4 therefore he is not duly humbled before God ; fo 
 4 far from it, that he hopes fome favourable juncture 
 4 or opportunity will offer, when he may be .able to 
 4 lend an helping hand to the bufinefs ot his falva- 
 4 tion.—On the contrary, whoev r is truly convinced 
 4 that the whole work depends fingly and abfolutely 
 4 on the will ot God,' who alone is the author and fi- 
 4 nifher of falvation ; fuch a perfon defpairs of all frlf- 
 4 affiftance : he renounces his own will, and his own 
 4 ftrength : he waits and prays for the operation of 4 
 ‘God: nor waits and prays in vain. For the elects 
 
 4 fake 
 
[ 1 
 
 £ 'fake, therefore, thefe doctrines are to be preached : 
 4 that' the chofen of God, being humbled by the 
 
 knowledge of his truths^ felf-emptied, and luuk, 
 ‘as it were, into nothing in h is pretence; may be 
 4 fared, in Chrift, with eternal glory. This, then, is 
 ‘ one inducement to the publication of the doctrine ; 
 4 that the penitent may be made acquainted with the 
 ‘ promife of grace, plead it in prayer to God, and 
 4 receive it as their own. 2. The nature of the Chriftian 
 ’■faith requires it. Faith has to do with things not 
 4 feen.—And this is one of the higheft degrees of faith, 
 4 ftedfafiiy to believe that God is infinitely merciful, 
 4 though he faves (comparatively) but few, and con- 
 4 demns lo many ; and that he is ftridtly juft, though, 
 4 of his own will, he makes fuch numbers of mankind 
 4 neceflarily liable to damnation. Now, thefe are 
 4 lome of the unfeen things, whereof faith is the evi- 
 4 dence. Whereas, was it in my power to compre- 
 * hend them, or clearly to make out, .how God is 
 4 both inviolably juft, and infinitely merciful, not- 
 4 withftanding the difplay of wrath and feeming in- 
 4 equality in his difpenfations refpedting the reprobate ; 
 4 faith wmuld have little or nothing to do. But nou r , 
 4 lince thefe matters cannot be adequately comprehend* 
 4 ed by us, in the prefent ftate of imperfection; there 
 4 . is room for the exercife of faith. The truths, tliere- 
 4 fore, refpedl'ing preJeftination in all its branches, 
 4 Ihould be taught and publiihed : they, no lefs than 
 4 the other myfteries of Chriftian dodlrine, being 
 4 proper objefts of faith, on the part of God’s peo- 
 4 pie*.’ 
 
 With Luther the excellent Bueer agrees: particu¬ 
 larly, on Eph. i. where his words are, 4 There are 
 4 fome, who affirm, that election is not to be mention- 
 4 ed publicly to the people. But they judge wrongly. 
 4 The Lleflings which Goi beftows on man, are not 
 4 to be fupprefi’ed, but infilled and enlarged upoir: 
 f and, if ho, furelv the bieffing of predefination unto 
 
 ‘ If', 
 
 * Lutherus, Be Scrv. Arhii. in refpons ad ult. part, 
 praefat. EraJ'mi , 
 
[ io8 ] 
 
 * life, which is the greatelt bleffing of al!,*lhould not be 
 4 palled over.’ And, a little alter, he adds, 4 Take 
 
 * away the remembrance and conlideration of our eiec- 
 4 tion, and then, good God ! what weapons have we 
 4 left us, wherewith to refill: the temptations of Sa- 
 4 tan ?—As often as he aflaults our laith (which he is 
 4 frequently doing) we mud, conltantly, and without 
 4 delay, have recoprfe to our eledion in Chrift, as to 
 4 a city of refuge. Meditation upon the Father’s ap- 
 4 pointment of us to eternal lile, is the beft antidote 
 ‘•again!! the evil furmifings of doubt!ulnefs and re- 
 4 maiiiing unbelief. If we are entirely void of all hope 
 4 and aiiurance, refpeding our interell in this capital 
 4 privilege, what folid and comfortable expectation can 
 "* we entertain, of future blefiednefs ? How can we 
 4 look upon God as our gracious Father, and upon Chrift 
 4 as our unchangeable Redeemer ? without which, I 
 4 fee not how we can ever truly love God : and, it we 
 4 have no true love towards him, how can ueyieldac- 
 4 ceptable obedience to him ? Therefore, thofe perfons 
 4 are not to be heard, who would have the dodtrine of 
 4 eledion laid (as it were) afleep, and feldom or never 
 4 make . its appearance in the congregations ot the 
 4 faithful.’ 
 
 To what thefe great men have, fo nervoufiy, ad¬ 
 vanced ; permit me to add, that the doctrine ot pre- 
 deftination is not only uleful, but abfolutely neceftiiry 
 to be taught and known. For, 
 
 I. Without it, we cannot form juft and becoming 
 ideas of God. Thus, unlefs he certainly foreknows, 
 and foreknew from everlalting, all things that fhould 
 come to pafs ; his underftanding would not be infinite: 
 and a Deity of limited underftanding is no Deity at all. 
 Again, we cannot fuppofe him to have foreknown any 
 thing, which he had not previoufiy decreed ; without 
 letting up a feries of caules, extra Deum , and making 
 the Deity dependent, for a great part of the knowledge 
 he has, upon the will and works of his creatures, and 
 upon a combination of circumftances exterior to hira- 
 felf. Therefore, his determinate plan, counfel, and 
 purpofe, (i. e, his own predestination of caules and ef- 
 
[ i®9 3 
 
 feds) is the only balls of his foreknowledge : which 
 foreknowledge could neither be certain, nor indepen¬ 
 dent, but as founded on his own antecedent decree. 2. 
 He alone is entitled to the name of True God, who 
 governs all things, and without whofe will (either effi¬ 
 cient or permillive) nothing is or can be done. And 
 fuch is the God of the fcriptures: againft whofe will, 
 not afparrow can die, nor an hair fall from our beads f 
 Matth. x. Now, what is predeftination, but the deter¬ 
 mining will of God ? I defy the fubtileft Semi-pe¬ 
 lagian in the world, to form, or convey, a juft and wor¬ 
 thy notion of the Supreme Being, without admitting 
 him to be the great caufe of all caufes elfe, himfelf de¬ 
 pendent on none: who willed from eternity, how he 
 would aid in time ; and fettled a regular, determinate 
 feheme of what he would do, and permit to be done, 
 from the beginning to the confummation of the world. 
 A contrary view of the Deity is as inconiiftent with 
 reafon itfelf, and with the very religion of nature, as it 
 is with the deciftons of revelation. Nor can we, rati¬ 
 onally, conceive of an independent,. all-perfeft Firffc 
 Caufe, without allowing him to be, (3.) Unchangeable 
 in his purpofes. His decrees and his eflence coincide: 
 confequently, a change in thofe, would infer an alte¬ 
 ration in this. Nor can that Being be the true God, 
 whofe will is variable, fluctuating, and indetermi¬ 
 nate : for, his will is himfelf willing. A Deity with¬ 
 out decrees, and decrees without immutability, are, of 
 all inventions that ever entered the heart of man, the 
 fnoft abfurd. (4.) Without predeftination, to plan ; 
 and, without Providence, to put that plan in execu¬ 
 tion ; what becomes of God’s Omnipotence ? It va- 
 niffies into air. It becomes a mere non-entity. For, 
 what fort of Omnipotence is that, which may be 
 baffled and defeated, by the very creatures it has 
 made ? Very different is the idea of this attribute, 
 fuggefted by the Pfalmift, Pfalm cxiii. “ Whatfoever 
 “ the Lord willed, that did he in heaven and in earth, 
 “ in the fea, and in all deep places:” i. e. He not 
 only made them when he would, but orders them when 
 K made. 
 
C no ] 
 
 made. (5.) He alor.e is the true God, according to 
 fcripture reprefentaticn, who faves, by his mere mercy 
 and voluntary grace, thofe whom he hath chofen ; and 
 righteoufly condemns (tor their fins) thole whom he 
 thought fir to pal's by. But, without predeftination, 
 there cou-ld be no fuch thing, either as fovereign 
 mercy, or voluntary grace. For, after all, w-hat is pre- 
 deltination,-but.his decree, 4 o fave fome, of his mere 
 goodnefs ; and to condemn others, in his juft judg¬ 
 ment ?—Now, ’tis moft evident, that the fcripture 
 dodtrineof Predeftination, is the cleareft mirror, where¬ 
 in to fee and contemplate thefe elfential attributes of 
 ..God. Here they all Ihine forth, in their fulnefs of 
 harmony and luilre. Deny predeftination, and you 
 deny (though, perhaps, not intentionally, r et by ne- 
 eefiary confequer.ce) the adorable perfections cf the 
 Godhead : in concealing that, you throw a veil over 
 thefe ; and, in preaching that, you hold up theft, to the 
 comfort, the eftablifhment, and the admiration of the 
 believing world. 
 
 II. Predeftination is to be preached, lecaufe the 
 grace of God (which llands oppofed to all human wor- 
 ihinefs) cannot be maintained without it. The excel¬ 
 lent St. Auftin makes life of this very argument. ‘ If,’ 
 lays he, ‘ there two privileges’ [namely, faith itlelf, 
 and final perfeveranqe in faith] ‘ are the gilts of God; 
 
 ‘ and if God foreknew on whom he would.bellow thefe 
 4 gifts ; (and who can doubt of fo evident a truth ?) 
 
 ‘ ’tis necelTary for predeftination .to be preached, as the 
 * fure and invincible bulwark of that true gtace of 
 6 God, which is given to men without any ccnfidera- 
 c tion of merit *.’ Thus argued St. Auftin, againft 
 the Pelagians, who taught, That grace is offered to 
 all men alike : That God, for his part, equally .wills 
 the l'alvation of all ; and, That it is in the power of 
 man’s free-will to accept, or rejedf, the grace and fal- 
 vation fo offered. Which firing of errors do, as Auf¬ 
 tin juflly obferves, center in this grand point, gratiam 
 fecundim nojlra merita dari ; that God’s grace is not 
 
 free, 
 
 * De Bono Perfever. .cap. 21. 
 
[ X ft ] 
 
 free, b'ot the fruit of man’s defeit. Now, the doffrine 
 of predefti nation batters down this del alive Babel or 
 free-will and merit. It teaches us, that, if we do in¬ 
 deed will and deare to lay hold on Cnrill and falvation 
 by him ; this will and delire are the effect of God’s 
 fecret purpofe and effectual operation: for he it is, 
 “ who worketh in us, both to will and to do, of his 
 “ own good plealure; that he that glorieth, Ihould 
 (i glory in the Lord.” There neither is, nor can be, 
 any me a in my between predeftinating grace, and falva¬ 
 tion by human merit. We mult believe and preach" 
 one, or the other: for they can never Itand together. 
 No attempts, to mingle and reconcile thefe two iricom- 
 pitible oppolites, can ever lucceed ; the Apodle him- 
 fell being judge : “ If,” lays he, “ it” [namely elec¬ 
 tion] “ be by grace, then is it no more by works y 
 44 otherwise grace is no more grace : but, if it be of 
 “ works, then is it no more grace ; otherwife, work is 
 “ no more work,” Rom, xi. 6. Exatftiy agreeable to 
 which, is that of St. Aultin ; ‘ Either redellination is 
 ‘ to be preached, as exprefsiy as the feriptures deliver 
 * it, -viz-. That, with regard to thole whom he hath 
 ‘ chofen,’ “ the gif's and calling of God are without 
 “ repentance;” 4 or, we mall roundly declare, as the 
 4 Pelagians do, that grace is given according to merit*.’ 
 Moll certain it is, that the doftrine of gratuitous jufti- 
 fication through Chrill, can only be fupported on 
 that of our gratuitous prededination im Ciarifl: : fince 
 the latter is the cauie and foundation of the former, 
 
 III. By the preaching of predelfination, Man is 
 duly humbled, and God alone is exalted : Human pride is 
 levelled ; and the Divine glory fhines untarnilhed, be- 
 caufe unrivalled. This the fitcred writers politively 
 declare. Let St. Paul belpokefinan for the red, (Eph. 
 i. 6.) “ Having predeflinated us—To the praife of 
 “ tire glory of his grace.” But how is it poilible for 
 us to render unto God the praifes due to the glory of his 
 grace , without laying this threefold foundation? (i.) 
 That whofoever are, or (hall be fuved, are laved by his 
 K 2 alone 
 
 * De Bono Perfever. cap. 16. 
 
[ ”2 ] 
 
 alone grace in Chrid, in consequence of his eternal pur- 
 pofe, paffed before they had done any one good thing. 
 (2.) That what good thing Soever is begun to be 
 tv: ought in our Souls (whether it be illumination of the 
 nnderdanding, reftitude of the will, or purity of affec¬ 
 tions) was begun altogether of God alone; by whofe 
 invincible agency, grace is at fird conferred, afterwards 
 maintained, and finally crowned. (3.) That the work 
 of internal Salvation (the Sweet and certain prelude to 
 eternal glory) was not only begun in us, of his mere 
 grace alone ; but that its continuance, its progreSs and 
 increaSe, are no leSs free and totally unmerited, than 
 its fird, original donation. Grace alone makes the eleCt 
 gracious; grace alone keeps them gracious; and the 
 mine grace alone will render them everlaftingly glori- 
 mus, in the heaven of heavens. 
 
 Convernon and Salvation mull, in the very nature of 
 things, be wrought and effected, either by ourfelves 
 alone or, by ourfelves and God together ;---cr, 
 jrlrlj by God himfelf.—The Pelagians were for the 
 iirll. The Arminians are for the fecond. True Be¬ 
 lievers are for the lad; becaufe, the lad hypotheds, and 
 that only, is built on the dronged evidence of ferip- 
 ture, reafon, and experience : It, mod effectually, hides 
 pride from man; and fets the crown of undivided 
 praife upon the head, or, rather, cads it at the feet of 
 that glorious Tri-une God, who “ worketh all in all.” 
 But this is a crown, which no finners ever yet cad be- 
 .tore the throne of God, who were not fird led into 
 the tranfporting views of his gracious decree to fave, 
 freely, and of his own will, the people of his eternal 
 love. Exclude, therefore, O Chr.idian, the article of 
 Sovereign Prededination, from thy minidry, or irom 
 thy faith ; and acquit thy Self, if thou art able, from 
 tbe charge of robbing God. 
 
 When God dees, by tbe omnipotent exertion of bis 
 Spirit, effeCfually call any of mankind, in time, to the 
 adlual knowledge of himfelf in Chrid ; w hen be, like- 
 wile, goes on to fanClify the iinners he has called, 
 making them to excel in all good works, ar.d to perle- 
 
 rere, 
 
[ 1 1 3 3 
 
 vere, in the love and refemblance of God, to theiri 
 lives end ; the obferving part of the unawakened world 
 may be apt to conclude, that thefe converted perform 
 might receive fuch me'afures of grace from God, be»- 
 caufe of l'ome previous qualifications, good difpofitions,, 
 or pious defires, and internal preparations, dii'covered 
 in them by the all-feeing eye : which, if true, would 
 indeed transfer the praile from the Creator, and con¬ 
 dign it to the creature.—But the doftrine of Predeftina- 
 tion, abfolute, free, unconditional Predeftination, here 
 fteps in, and gives God his own. It lays the axe to- 
 the root of human boalfing, and cuts down (for which 
 reafon, the natural man hates it) every legal, every in • 
 dependent, every felf-righteous imagination, that wouid f 
 exalt itfel f,p gainft the grace of God and the glory of 
 Ghrift. It tells us, 44 That God hath- bleifed us with 
 “ all fpiritu tl biellings in his Son ; according as he 
 64 hath chofen us in him, before the foundation of the 
 44 world,” in order to our being..afterwards made 44 ho- 
 “ ly and blamelefs before him in love,” Eph-. i. Of 
 courfe, whatever truly and fpiritual good thing is found- 
 in any perfon, it is the fpecial gift and <vibrk of God : 
 given and wrought, in confequenc-e of eternal, ur.me-' 
 rited election to grace and glory. Whence,* the great- 
 eft faint cannot triumph over the molt abandoned lin- 
 ner ; but is led to refer the entire praife of his falva- 
 tion,, both from fin and- hell, to the- mere good will and 
 fomereign purpofe If God, who hath gr’acioufiv made him? 
 to differ from that world which lieth in 'djiekednefs* 
 Such being the tendency of this bleifed docirine,' how- 
 injurious, both" to God and man,- would the fuppreilion' 
 efit be ? Well does Sb-Auftin argue : 4 ’A-s- the’dude^ 
 4 of Piety ought to be preached up, that he who- hath; 
 *' ears to hear, .may be inftrufted how to worlhip God? 
 4 aright;' and as Chaftity Ihould be publicly reeom--- 
 4 mended arid enforced.,, that- he, who hath ears to hear,- 
 4 rh-ay know- how to p oftefs- himfelf in- fahdHdeation ji 
 ‘ and as Charity % moreover,. ffiould be inculcated from 
 *■ the pulpit, that he who hath ears to hear, may be sx- 
 
[ 11 + ] 
 
 * in like manner, fhould God’s Predestination of 
 ‘ his favours be openly preached, that he, who hath 
 ‘ ears to hear, may Team to glory,, not in himfeif, but 
 4 in the Lord *.’ 
 
 IV. Predeftination fhould b> publicly taught and in- 
 iiited upon, in order to confirm and flrengthen true be¬ 
 lievers in the certainty and confidence ot their falvati- 
 onf. For, when regenerate perfons are told, and are 
 enabled to believe, that the glorification of the elect 
 is alTuredly fixed in God’s eternal purpofe, that it is 
 i.npollible for any of them to perifli; and when the 
 regenerate are led to conlider themfelves, as aflually 
 belonging to this elebf body of Chrift; what can fla- 
 blifh, flrengthen, and fettle their faith like this ? 
 Nor is fuch a faith prefumptuous ; for, every 
 converted man may and ought to conclude himfeif 
 elebied : fmce God the Spirit renews thole only, 
 who were chosen by God the Father, and re¬ 
 deemed by God the Son. This is an “ hope which 
 4 - maketh not afl.amed,” nor can poffibly iflue in difap- 
 pointment, if entertained by thofe “ into whofe hearts 
 “ the love of God is poured forth;,, by the Holy Ghoil 
 “given unto them,” Rom. v. £. 
 
 The holy triumph and affurance, refulting from this 
 Welled view, a e exprefsly warranted by the ApofHe, 
 Rom. viii.. where he deduces effebtual calling, from a. 
 prior predeilination ; and infers the cyrtainty of final 
 falvation, from effebrual calling r. “ Whom he did p-re- 
 “ destinate, them he alfo called ; and whom he 
 “ caHed, them he alfo justified: and whom he 
 “ juftified, them he alfo glor i fied.” How naturally. 
 
 * De Bono Perftver. cap. 20. 
 
 j- Our venerable Reformers, in the 17th of our xxxix- 
 articles, make the very fameobfrrvation, nd,nearly,inthe 
 fame words : — 4 The godly confideration of predeftina- 
 1 t on, and our election in Chrifl, is- full of fweet, 
 
 ‘ pleafant ard unspeakable comfort to godly perfons 
 4 beet:ufe it doth,.greatly eftablijk and confirm-theit fakb 
 1 of 'cc-lrjt ngjMvat:on t to teen oyed through Chad,* 
 £. c. 
 
C ll S 1 
 
 from fuch premifes, docs the Apoftle add, “ Who fhall 
 “■ lay any thing to the charge of God’s eledt ? W ho,” 
 and where “ is he that condemned’. them?—Who,”' 
 and what, “ fhall feparate us from the love ot Chrift ? 
 
 ‘- In all t'nefe things we are,” and fhall be, “ more than 
 “ conquerors, through him that hath loved us: for I am 
 “ perfuaded” [pepcifmai*, I am mod clearly and allured ly 
 confident] “ that neither death, nor life, nor angels, 
 “ nor principalities, nor powers, nor things prelent, 
 “ nor things to come, nor height, nor jdepth, nor 
 “ any other creature, flrall be able to feparate us from 
 “ the love of God, which is in Cliriiljefus our Lord.” 
 So, ellewhcre, 44 The foundation of the Lord,” /. e. 
 His d cree or pnrpofe, according to election, “ ftand-* 
 “ eth fare; having this leal, The Lord knoweth 
 “them that are his:” which is particularly noted 
 by the Apoftl*, left true believers- might be difcou- 
 raged, and begin to doubt of their own certain perfeve- 
 rance to falvation,. qjther from a fenfe of their.remain¬ 
 ing imperfetlions, or from obfendng the open apolLcy 
 of unregenerate profeffors, ,2. Tim, ii.—How little obli¬ 
 ged, therefore, are the flock of Chriil, to thole per-* 
 fons, who would, by ft; Hing the mention of predeiri- 
 nation, expunge the 4 fenfe and certainty of everluft- 
 ‘ ing bleflcdnefs’ from the lill of ChriIlian- privileges ! 
 
 V. Without the dodlrine of predeiiination, we can¬ 
 not enjoy a lively fight and experience of God’s fpecial 
 iove and mercy towards us in Christ Jesus. Blef- 
 fings, not peculiar* but conferred, indiferiminately,. 
 on every man, without difhindlien or exception ; would 
 neither be a proof of peculiar love irr the donor, nor 
 calculated or excite peculiar wonder and gratitude in 
 the receiver. For inllance, rain from heaven,, though 
 an invaluable benefit, is not confidered as an argument 
 ef God’s fpecial and peculiar favour* to.feme indivi¬ 
 duals, above others : and why ? becauie it falls on 
 all .alike .-: as-much.on the. rude wilderjsefs, and the. bar¬ 
 ren- 
 
 ■ 3 ==s==s-- 
 
 * Certws --film,, A r . Montan. Cert a julcperfiiafum 
 mibi babeo, Era-sh, . Ki&a -omtiLdabitationsj. 
 i &n. ajj'urcjy Dutch yedlon*-.. 
 
[ n6 ] 
 
 r? n rock; as on the cultivated garden* and the fruitful 
 held.—But the blefling of election, fomewhat like the 
 Sib \ lline books, riles in value, proporticnably to the 
 
 fewnefs of its objetfrs.-So that,, when we rccolleift, 
 
 that, in the view of God (to whom all things are, at 
 once, preient) the whole mafs of mankind was con- 
 fidered as juftly hable to condemnation, on account of 
 original and adtual iniquity ; His felecling fome indi¬ 
 viduals, from among the relf, and graciouily letting 
 them apart, in Chrill, for falvation both from fin and 
 punifhment; were fuch afh of fovereign goodnefs, as 
 exhibit the exceeding greatnefs, and The entire free- 
 nels, of his love,. in the moft awful, amiable, and 
 humbling light. 
 
 In order, then, that the fpecial grace of God may 
 fifiiie, Predeftination mult be preached : even the eter¬ 
 nal and immutable predeftination oi his people to faith 
 and everlafting life. ‘ From thofe who are left under 
 ‘ the power o! guilt,’ fays St. Auftiij, ‘ the perfcn, who 
 ‘ is delivered Irom it, may learn, what he too mull' 
 ‘ have fuffeied, had not grace ftept in to his relief. 
 ‘ And, it it was grace that interpofed, it could not be 
 ‘ the reward of man’s meiit, but the tree gift ot God’s 
 ‘ gratuitous goodnefs. Some, however, call it unjitfl for 
 ‘ one to be delivered while another, though no more guilty 
 ‘ than the former, is condemned: if it be jujl to pun'Jk 
 ‘ one, it would be but juftioe to pun if: both. I grant, that 
 ‘ both might have been juftly punifhed. Let us, there- 
 ‘ fore, give thanks unto God our Saviour, for not in- 
 ‘ flifting that vengeance on us,, which, from the con- 
 ‘ demnation of our fellow finners, we may conclude to 
 ‘ have been our defert, no lefs than theirs. Had they 
 * as well as we, been ranfemed from their captivity ; 
 
 ‘ we could have framed but little conception of the 
 4 penal wrath,, due, in itrifinefs ofj uft ice, to fin : and,, 
 ‘ on the other hand, bed none of the fallen race been 
 ‘ ranfomed and fet at liberty; how could divine 
 ‘ grace have difplayed the riches of its liberality* r’ 
 The fame evangelical Father delivers himfelf, elfe- 
 
 wherey 
 
 * £• i j o r» S/ r \t* Piti 1 :.. 
 
C 1J 7 ] 
 
 where, to the fame effeid : ‘ Hence,’ fays he, 4 ap- 
 4 pears the greatnefs of that grace, by which fo many 
 4 are freed from condemnation : and they may form 
 4 fome idea of the mifery, due to themtelves, from 
 4 the dreadfulnefs of the punilhment that awaits the 
 4 red. Whence, thofe who rejoice, are taught to re- 
 4 joice, not in their own merits ('quae paria ejje evident 
 4 damnatis , for they fee that they have no more Merit than 
 4 the Damned) but in the Lord *.’ Hence refults, 
 
 VI. Another reafon, nearly conne&ed with the 
 former, for the unreferved publication of this doc¬ 
 trine, viz. That, from a fenfe of God’s peculiar, eter¬ 
 nal, and unalterable love to his people, their hearts 
 may be enflamed to love him in return. Slender indeed 
 will be my motives to the love of God, on the fuppo- 
 iition that my love to him is before hand with His to 
 me ; and that the very continuance of his favour, 
 is fufpended on the weathercock of my variable will, or 
 the flimfy thread of my imperfedt affedfion. Such a pre¬ 
 carious, dependent love, were unworthy of God ; and 
 calculated to produce but afcantyand cold reciprocati¬ 
 on of love from man.—At the happied of times, and 
 in the bed of frames, below ; our love to God is but 
 a fpark (though fmall and quivering, yet inedimably 
 precious, becaufe divinely kindled, fanned and main¬ 
 tained in the foul; and an earned of better to come:) 
 whereas, love, as it glows in God, is an immenfe Sun, 
 which (hone without beginning, and fhall fhine with¬ 
 out end. Is it probable, then, that the fpark of hu¬ 
 man love fhould give being to the Sun of divine ? and, 
 that the luftre and warmth of this, fhould depend on 
 the glimmering of that ? yet, fo it mud be, if Pre- 
 dedination is not true : and fo it mud be reprefented, 
 it prededination is not taught.—Would you therefore, 
 know what it is, to love God as your Father, Friend, 
 and Saviour; you mud fall down before his Electing 
 Mercy. ’Till then, you are only hovering about, in 
 qued of true felicity. But you will never find the 
 door, much lefs can you enter into red, ’till you are 
 
 enabled 
 
 * De Preded. Samftor. lib. i. cap. q. 
 
t ns- ] 
 
 enabled “ to love Him because He hath first loved 
 “ you,” i John iv. 19. 
 
 This being the cafe, ’tis evident, that, without 
 taking Predeftination into the account, genuine mora¬ 
 lity and the performance of truly Good Works, will 
 fuffer, ftarve, and die away. Love to God is the 
 very fuel of acceptable obedience. Withdraw the 
 fuel, and the flame expires. But the fuel of holy af¬ 
 fection (if Scripture, experience and oblervation, are 
 allowed to carry any conviction) can only be cheritbed, 
 maintained, and increafed in the heart, by tire fenfe 
 and apprehenlion of God’s predominating love to us in 
 Christ Jesus. Now, our obedience to God will al¬ 
 ways hoid proportion to our love. It the one be relax¬ 
 ed and feeble, the other cannot be alert and vigorous. 
 And, electing goodnefs being the very lire and foul of 
 the former; the latter, even good works, mu ft 
 flouriffi, or decline, in proportion as election is 
 glorified, or obfeured. Hence ariles a 
 
 Vllth Argument for the preaching ot Predcft’nation : 
 namely, that, by it, we may'be excited to the practice 
 of univerfal gediinefs. The knowledge ot God’s love 
 to you, will make you an ardent lover of God : and, 
 the more love you have toGod the more you will excel 
 in all the duties and offices ot love.—-Add to this, that 
 the Scripture-view of Predeftination includes the 
 means, as well as the end. Chriftian Predeftinarians 
 are for keeping together what God hath joined. He, 
 
 . who is for attaining the end, without going to it thro’ 
 the means; is a fell-deluding Erithufiaff. tie, on the 
 other hand, who, carefully and confcic ntioully, ufes 
 the means of falvation, as fteps to the end ; is the true 
 Calv ir,ift.— -Now, eternal liie bung that, to which the 
 debt are ultimately deltined ; faith (the effect of laving 
 grace) and fan&ificaticn (the effect of faith) are biei- 
 fings, to which the debt are inrei mediately' appoint¬ 
 ed.—“ According as he hath chofen us in him, be- 
 “ fore the foundation of the world, that we ffould be 
 “ holy and without blame before him in love,” Eph. 
 i. 4. “ We are his workmanffiip, created in Chrift 
 
 “ Jefus 
 
[ 11 9 ] 
 
 st Jefusunto Good Works, which God hath before 
 “ ordained, that we fhould walk in them,” Eph. ii. 
 io.--“ Knowing, brethren beloved, your Election of 
 4 ‘ God -Ye became followers of us and of the 
 “ Lord,” i Theil. i. 4, 6.—“ God hath chofen you 
 “ to Salvation through Sanctification of the 
 “ Spirit and Belief of the truth,” 2 ThelC ii. 13.— 
 
 Eledt, according to the foreknowlege” [or, Ancient 
 Lo.ve] “ of God the Father, through fandfirication of 
 “ the Spirit, unto Obedience,” i Pei. i. 2. 
 
 Nor is falvation (the appointed end of election) at 
 all the lefs fecure in itfelf (but the more fo) for 
 handing neceflarily connected with thele intervening 
 means; feeing, both thefe and that are infeparably 
 joined, in order to the certain accomplilhment of that 
 through thefe. It only demonitrates, that without re¬ 
 generation of heart and purity of life, the eledl them- 
 lelves are not led to heaven. But then, it is incon- 
 teffable, from the whole current ol Scripture, that 
 thefe intermediate blellings fnall moft infallibly be 
 vouchfafed to every elect perfon, in virtue of God’s 
 ablblute Covenant, and through [the effectual agency 
 of His almighty Spirit. Internal fandlification confti- 
 tutes our meetnefs, for the kingdom to which vve 
 were predellinated; and a courfe of eternal righteouf- 
 mefs is one of the grand evidences, by which we make 
 our election fure to our own prefent comfort and ap- 
 prehenfion of it*. 
 
 VIII. Unlels Predeflination be preached, we fnall 
 want one great inducement to the exereij'e of brotherly 
 kindnefs and charity. 
 
 When a converted perfon is allured, on one hand, 
 that all, whom God hath predellinated to eternal 
 life, lhall infallibly enjoy that eternal life, to which 
 they were chofen; and, on the other hand, when 
 he dilcerns the jigns of election, not only in himfelf, 
 
 but 
 
 -3 -; • .ua 3- 
 
 * z Pet. i. 10. “ Give diligence to make your cal- 
 “ ling and election fure ;” i. e. to get l'oine folid and 
 mconteftahle evidence ofyeur predeflination to life. 
 
C 120 ] 
 
 but alto in the reft of his fellow-believers ; and con¬ 
 cludes, from thence (as in a judgment of charity, 
 he ought) that they are as really elected, as himfelf: 
 how muft his heart glow with love to his Chriftian 
 brethren ! How feelingly will he lympathize with 
 them, in their diftrefles ! How tenderly will he bear 
 with their infirmities ! How readily will he relieve the 
 former, and how ehfily overlook the latter !—No¬ 
 thing will fo effectually knit together the hearts of 
 God’s people, in time, as the belief of their having 
 been written, by name, in one book of life, from 
 everlafting: and the unfhaken confidence, of their 
 future exaltation to one and the fame ftate of glory 
 above, will occafion the ftrongeft cement of affection 
 below.—This was, poflibly, one end of our Saviour’s 
 fo frequently reminding his Apoftles, of their election: 
 namely, that from the fenfe of fuch an unfpeakable 
 bleifing, in which they were all equally interefted, 
 they might learn to love one another , vjith pure hearts , 
 fervently ; and cultivate, on earth, that holy friend- 
 fiiip, which, they well knew, from the immutability of 
 God’s decrees, would be eternally matured, to the 
 higheft perfection and refinement, in heaven.—St. 
 Paul, likewife, might have feme refpect to the fame 
 amiable inference, when, treating of the faints collec¬ 
 tively, he ufes thofe fweet and endearing expreffions, 
 “ he hath chofen us ;—he hath predeftinated us,”&c. 
 that believers, confidering themfelves as co-elect in 
 Chrift, might be led to love ea^h other with peculiar 
 intenlenefs, as the fpiritual children of one electing 
 Father ; brethren in grace, and joint-heirs of glory.— 
 Did the regenerate, of the prefent age, but practically 
 advert to the everlafting nearnefs, in which they ftand 
 related to each other ; how happy would be the 
 effect ! 
 
 Hence it appears, that, fince the preaching of pre- 
 deftination is thus evidently calculated to kindle and 
 keep alive the two-fold, con-genial flame, of love to 
 God, and love to man ; it muft, by neceftary con- 
 fequence, conduce, 
 
 To 
 
[ 12 1 1 
 
 To the advancement or univerf.il obedience, aqi 
 to th-- perro'.nance ot every iocial and religious duty*, 
 which, alone, was there nothin a elie to recommend 
 it, would be a fufficient motive to the public deli¬ 
 very or that important doctrine. 
 
 IX. Laftly, without a due fertfe ot predeftination, 
 we ihall want the l'u re ft and the molt powerful induce¬ 
 ment to 4 patience, resignation, and dependence on 
 4 God, under every Spiritual and temporal addiction.’ 
 
 How 
 
 * Our excellent Jdiihop Davenant inftances, parti¬ 
 cularly, in the great religious duty of prayer. 4 The 
 4 consideration of Election,’ fays this learned and evan¬ 
 gelical prelate, 4 doth stir up the faitiirui to conitan* 
 4 cy in prayer : for, having learnt, that all good, tend- 
 4 ing to Salvation, is prepared tor them out ot God’j 
 4 good pleafure ; they are, hereby, encouraged to call 
 4 for, and as it were, to draw down from heaven, bv 
 4 their prayers, thole good things, which, from eteim- 
 
 4 ty, were ordained tor the elect.-Moreover, the 
 
 4 fame Spirit ot adoption, who beareth witness to our 
 4 Spirit, that we are God’s chofeii children ; is all’o the 
 4 fpir-it ot prayer and Supplication, and enflameth our 
 4 hearts to call daily upon our heavenly Father. T ho leg 
 4 therefore, who, from the certainty of Predestination, 
 4 do pretend, that the duty of prayed is fiipCrfluous; do 
 4 plainly Shew, that they ate fti far from having any 
 4 certainty ot their prSdeftination, that they have not 
 
 4 the leait fenfe thereof.-To be Slack and lluggiih iu 
 
 4 prayer, is not the property of tho'e, who by the 
 4 testimony ot God's Spirit, have got alfuiance of their 
 4 election : but, rather, of fitch as Have, either none, or 
 4 very final! apprehenfioit thereof. For, as Soon as 
 4 any one, by believing, doth conceive himl'elf to be 
 4 one of God’s deft children ; he earne.liy adireth vj 
 4 procure unto himl’elf, by prayer, thole good things 
 4 which he believeth that God prepared for his chii- 
 4 dren before the ioundatioii or the world.’ Bn. jy r . 
 venaut’s Animadversions on an Anninian t'easife, 
 &i titled, God’s Love to .Mankind. P. 529 , Sc fcq. 
 
[ 122 ] 
 
 How fweet nr-ft the following confideration be, to 
 a dillreft believer ! i. There moil certainly exifts an 
 Almighty, All-wife, and infinitely gracious God.---2. 
 He has given me, in times pall, and is giving me at 
 prefent (it 1 had but e}es to fee it) many and lignal 
 intimations of his love to me, both in a nay of provi¬ 
 dence and grace.---3. This love of his is immutable ; 
 he never repents of ft, nor withdraws it.—4. Whatever 
 comes to pal's in time, is the refult of his will from 
 everlafting.—Confequently, 3. My afflictions were a 
 part of his original plan, and are, all, ordered, in 
 number, weight and meafure.-—6. The very hairs of 
 my head are, every one, counted by Him : nor can a 
 imgle hair fall to the ground, but in conlequence of 
 his determination. Hence, 7. My difhelies are not 
 the refult of chance, accident, or a fortuitous com¬ 
 bination of circum fiances : bur, 8. The providential 
 eccoinplilhment of God’s purpofe ; and 9. Defigned to 
 anfvver fome wife and gracious ends. Nor, 10. Shall 
 my affliction continue a moment longer, than God fees 
 meet. 11. He, who brought me to it, has promifed to 
 lupport me under it, and to carry me through it. 12. 
 All fhall moll affuredly, work together for his glory 
 and my good. Therefore, 13. “ The cup, which 
 
 “ my heavenly Father hath given me to drink, fflall I 
 not drink it ?” Yes : I will in the flrength he im¬ 
 parts even rejoice in tribulation ; and, tiling the 
 means of poffible redrefs, which he hath, or may here¬ 
 after, put into my hands, I will commit myft.'f and. 
 the event to Him, whofe purpofe cannot be over¬ 
 thrown, whole plan cannot be difconcerted, and who, 
 whether I am refigned or not, will ilill go on to 
 “ work all things after the counfel of his own will*.” 
 
 * The learned Lipfnts thus writes to an unmarried 
 friend who appears to have referred himl'elf to his 
 judgment and direCiion: ‘ Sive uxor ducitur , five emit- 
 • tit nr, &c. Whether you many, or live fingle, you will 
 ‘Ttill have fome thing or other to moleft you ; nor does 
 
 4 the 
 
[ 12 3 ] 
 
 Abore all, when .he {uttering ■ hriftian takes Ins 
 election into the account ; and knows, that he was 
 
 by 
 
 4 the whole courfe of man’s prelent fublunary life, af- 
 4 ford him a tingle draught of jov, without a mixture 
 4 of wormwood in the cup. This is the univerlai and 
 4 immutable law : which to reiift, were no lets vain, 
 
 * than fulfill and rebellious. As the wreftlers of old 
 4 had their rel'pective antagonifts affign *d them, not by 
 4 their own choice, but by-necefiary lot; in like man- 
 4 ner, each of the human race has his peculiar deftiny 
 4 allotted to him by Providence. To conqiVer this, is to 
 4 endure it. All our flrength, in this warfare, is to un- 
 4 dergo the inevitable p refill re, ’ I is vidtory, to yield 
 4 ourfelves to fate’ Lipf. Epill. mifcelk cent, i. ep. 44, 
 Oper. tom. 2. p. 54. Edit. Vefaliens. 1675. 
 
 About two years after, this celebrated chriflian Se¬ 
 neca wrote, as follows, to the fame perfbn (Theodore 
 Leewius) who had married, and jull loft his wife in 
 childbed : 4 Jam fatum quit ? AEtema , ab aetcrno , 
 
 4 in actcrnum , Dei lex : what is fate ? God’s ever- 
 
 * lading ordinance : an ordinance, fettled in eternity, 
 
 * and for eternity : an ordinance, which he can never 
 4 repeal, difannul, or fet afide, either in whole or in 
 4 part. Now, if this his decree be eternal, a retro, 
 
 4 and immoveable, quoad futurum ; why doth fooiiih 
 ‘ man ftrugcle and fmht avainfl that which muft be ? 
 
 4 ilfpecially, feeing fate is thus the offspring of God, 
 
 4 why does impious man murmur and complain ? you 
 4 cannot, juftly find fault with any thing determined 
 4 or done by Him, sis though it were evil or fevere: 
 
 4 for he is ail goodnefs and benevolence. Was you to 
 
 * define his nature, you could not do it more fuitably, 
 
 4 than in thofe terms.—Is, therefore, your wife dead ? 
 
 4 debait : ’tis right fhe fhould be fo. But was it right , 
 
 4 that flee Jhotdcl die, and at that very time , and by that 
 4 very kind of death , ? Moil certainly. I,ex ita lata : 
 
 4 the decree fo ordained it. The re:riel's acumen cf the 
 ‘ human mind may lift and canvais the appointments 
 
 L 2 4 of 
 
C *4 ] 
 
 by nn cternalana Immutable aft of God, “ appointed to 
 “obtain falvation through our Lord Jefus (Thrift ;* 
 that, of courie, he hath “ a city prepared” tor him 
 above, “ a building or God, an bottle, not made with 
 “ hands,” blit “ eternal in the heavens and that the 
 heaviest bufferings, of the preffnt life, are “ not worthy 
 “ to be compared with the glory which fhall be re- 
 “ vealed” in the faints what adverfitv can poffibiy 
 befal us, which the afiured hope, of btellings like 
 thefe, will not infinitely over balance ? 
 
 * A comfort, fo divine, 
 
 N 4 May trials well endure.* 
 
 However keenly affliftions might wound us, on their 
 fir ft aecefs ; yet, under the imprefliqn of finch animat¬ 
 ing views, we fhould quickly come to ourfelves again, 
 and the arrows of tabulation would, in gieat meafure, 
 become pointlefs.—Chriftians want nothing, hut abi'o- 
 lute refignation, to render them perfe&ly happy, in 
 
 every 
 
 <?====-!==£>- 
 
 4 of fate; but cannot alter them. Were tve truly wife, 
 4 we fhould be implicitly fiut millive, and endure, with 
 * willingnefs, what wc muff endu.e, whether we be 
 4 willing or not. A due fenfe of our inability to re- 
 4 verfe the difpofals of providence, and the confequent 
 4 vanity of refilling them, would adminifler lolid lepofie 
 ‘ to our minds, and fheath, if not remove, the anguifh 
 4 of afHiftion. And why fhould we even vvifh to refill? 
 4 Fate’s l'upreme ordainer is not only the all-wife God, 
 4 but an all-gracious Father. Embrace every event, a» 
 4 good and profperous; though it may, for the prefient 
 4 carry an alpebt of the reverie. Think you nor, that 
 4 he loves and careth for us ? more and better than 
 4 vve for ourfelves. But, as the tenderell parent below, 
 4 doth, oftentimes, crofs the inclinations of his chil- 
 4 dren, with a view to do them good ; and obliges 
 4 them both to do and to undergo many things, agamft 
 ‘ the bent of their wills ; fo does the great Parent of 
 ‘ all.’ Ibid. Epift. 6i. p. Sa. 
 
[ 12 $ ] 
 
 every poflible circumftance : and abfolute relignation 
 can only flow from an abfolute belief of, and an abfo¬ 
 lute acquiefcence in, God’s abfolute providence, found¬ 
 ed on abfolute Predeftination,—'The Apoltle himfelf 
 draws thefe conclitlions to our hand, in Rom viii. 
 where, alter having laid down, as moll undoubted 
 axioms, the eternity and immutability of God’s pur- 
 pofes, he thus winds up the whole : 44 What fnall we 
 “ fay, then, to thefe things? if God be for us, who 
 44 can be againft us who {hall feparate us from the 
 “ love of Chrifl ? {hall tribulation or diflrefs, or perfe- 
 “ cution, or famine, or nakednefs, or peril, or fword ? 
 “ nay : in all thefe things we-are more than conque- 
 “ rors, through him that loved us.” 
 
 Such, therefore, among others, being the ufes, that 
 arife from the faithful preaching and the cordial recep¬ 
 tion of Predeflination ; may we not venture to affirm, 
 with Luther, hac ignorata dodlrina, nequefidem, neque 
 ullum Dei cultum conjiftere pojfe ? that ‘ Our faith and 
 ‘ all right worffiip of God, depend in no finall degree, 
 
 * upon our knowledge of that dodfrine 
 
 The excellent Melundthon, in his firfl common 
 places, (which received the fandtion of Luther’s ex- 
 prefs approbation), does in the firfl: chapter, which 
 treats profeflediy of Freewill and Predeftination, fet 
 out with clearing and eftablifhing the doctrine of 
 God’s decrees; and, then, proceeds to point out the 
 ntceflity, and manifold ufefulnefs, of aflerting and be¬ 
 lieving it. He even goes fo far, as to affirm, roundly, 
 that ‘ A right fear of God, and a true confidcRce in 
 4 him, can be learned more aft'uredly, from no other 
 4 fource, than from the dodtrine of Predeftination. 5 
 But, Melandthon’s judgment of thefe matters will 
 bell: appear, from the whole paftage ; which the 
 reader will find, in the book and chapter juft: refer¬ 
 red to. 
 
 4 Divina Tredejlinatio ,’ favs he, 44 Libcrtatem ho- 
 4 mini aaimit ; Divine Predeflination quite ftrips man 
 4 of his boafted liberty : for, all things come to pafs 
 L 3 , according 
 
 * Dc Scrvt Abitr . cap. 2Q, 
 
[ nfe 1 
 
 * according to God’s fore-appointment; even the In- 
 
 * ternal thoughts ot all creatures, no lei's than their 
 
 * external works. Therefore, Eph. i. the Apoftle 
 ‘ gives us to underhand, that’ “ God pertormeth all 
 “ things according to the counfel of his own will.” 
 ‘ And our Lord himfelf aiks, Matth. x.’ “ Are not 
 ‘ two fparrows fold tor a larthing ? yet one of them 
 4 ‘ falleth not to the ground, without your Father.” 
 ‘ Pray, what can be more lull to the point, than fuch 
 
 * a declaration ?—-So, Solomon, Prov. xvi.’ “ The 
 
 Lord hath made all things for himfelf; yea, even 
 4 ‘ the wicked for the day of evil.” ‘ And, in the 
 1 xxth chapter,’ “ Man’s goings are of the Lord : 
 
 how then can a man underhand his own way ?” To 
 ‘ which the prophet Jeremiah does alfo fet his feal, 
 ‘ faying, chapter x.’ “ O Lord, I know that the way 
 ‘ ot man is not in himfelf; it is not in man that 
 walketh, to direct his own heps.” ‘ The hihorical 
 part of Scripture teaches us the fame great truth. So, 
 4 Gen. xv. we read, that’ “ the iniquity ot the Amo- 
 * L rites was not yet full.” ‘ In i Sam. ii. we are told 
 
 * that Eli’s fons hearkened not to his reproof,’ “ be- 
 *'• caufe the Lord # would hay them.” ‘ What could 
 
 * bear a hronger refemblance to chance and accident, 
 ‘ than Saul’s calling upon Samuel, only with a view to 
 4 feek out his father’s alfes ? (i Sam. ix.) yet, the viiit 
 
 * was tore-ordained of God, and deligned to anfwer a 
 
 * purpofe little thought of by Saul, i Sam. ix. i j, 16/ 
 [See alfo a moh remarkable chain ot predehined events, 
 in reference to Saul and foretold by the prophet, i 
 Sam. x. 2, 8.] ‘ In purfuance of the divine pre-ordina- 
 ' tion, there went with Saul a band of men,’ “ whofe 
 “ hearts God had touched,” i Sam. x. 26. ‘ The 
 4 harlhnefs of King llehoboam’s anfwer to the ten 
 
 * tribes, and the fubfequent revolt of thofe tribes from 
 ‘ his dominion, are, by the facred hihorian, ex- 
 ‘ prefsly afcribed to God’s decree :’ “ wherefore the 
 “ King hearkened not unto the people ; for the caufe 
 “ was fiorn the Lord, that he might perform his fay- 
 “ ing which the Lord fpake, by Ahijali the Shilonite, 
 
 “ unto 
 
C 127 
 
 1 unto Jeroboam tbe fon of Nebat,” 1 Kings, xii. i£. 
 What is the drift of the Apodle Paul, in the 9th 
 and 11 th of Romans, quam ut omnia , quae fiunt, in 
 dejlinationem divinam referat f But to refolve all 
 things, that come to pais, into God’s deltination ? 
 The judgment of the flefh, or of mere unregenerate 
 reafon, ufually Harts back from this truth, with hor¬ 
 ror : but, on the contrary, the judgment of a fpiri- 
 tual man will embrace it with affection. Neque en'iM 
 •vel timorcm Dei , vel fiduciam in Dcum , certius , aliunde 
 dijees , quam ubi imbueris animum hac de praedeftina- 
 tione fententia : You will not i.earn, either. 
 THE FEAR OF GoD, OR AFFIANCE 1N HlM, 
 FROM A SURER SOURCE, THAN FROM GETTING 
 YOUR MIND DEEPLY TINCTURED AND SEASON¬ 
 ED WITH THIS DOCTRINE OF PREDESTI¬ 
 NATION. Does not Solomon, in the book of 
 Proverbs, inculcate it, throughout ? and juftly : for 
 how, elfe, could he direft men to fear God and trud 
 in him ? The fame he does, in the book of Eccle- 
 fiades : nor has any thing fo powerful a tendency to 
 reprefs the pride of man’s encroaching reafon, and to 
 lower the fwelling conceit of his fuppofed diferetion, 
 as the firm belief quod a Deo fiunt omnia , that all 
 things are from God. What invincible com¬ 
 fort did Christ impart to his difciples, in alluring 
 them,’ “ that their very hairs were all numbered” ‘ by 
 the Creator? Is there, then (may an objeftor fay) 
 no fuch thing as Contingency ? No fuch thing as 
 Chance or Fortune ?---No. Omnia ncceffario evenire 
 Scripturac docent: The doctrine of Scripture is, that 
 All things come to pass necessarily. Be 
 it fo, that, to you, fome events feem to happen con* 
 tingently : you, neverthelefs, mud not be run away 
 with, by the fuggedions of your own narroiv-fighted 
 reafon. Solomon, himfelf, the wiled of men, was fo 
 deeply verfed in the doctrine of infcrutable Prededi- 
 nation, as to leave this humbling maxim on record ;’ 
 ‘ When I applied my heart to know wifdom, and to 
 4 fee the bufinefs that is done upon the earth then 
 
 “ I beheld 
 
[ I2« ] 
 
 “ I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot 
 “ rind out the work that is done under the fun : be- 
 “ caufe, though a man labour to feek it out, yet he 
 “ (hall not find ; yea, further, though a wife man 
 “ think to know it, yet lhall he not be able to find it,” 
 Ecclef. viii. 16, 17. 
 
 Melancthon profecutes the argument much far¬ 
 ther : but this may fulfice for a fpecimen. And, it is 
 not unworthy of notice, that Luther fo highly ap¬ 
 proved of Melandlhon’s performance, and efpecially 
 of the firfi chapter (from whence the above extraid is 
 given) that he [Luther] thus writes of it, in his epiftle 
 to Erafmus, prefixed to his book, De Serv. Arb. ‘ That 
 ‘ it was worthy of everlafting duration, and to be re- 
 ‘ ceived into the ecclefiaftical canon.’ Let it, like- 
 wife, be obferved, that Melanffhon never, to the very 
 lafi, retra&ed a word of what he there delivers : which 
 a perfon of his piety and integrity would moll certain¬ 
 ly have done, had he afterwards (as fome have artfully 
 and falfely infinuated) found realon to change his judg¬ 
 ment on thefe heads. 
 
 
 A N 
 

 A N 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 CONCERNING THE 
 
 FATE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ANCIENTS 
 
 l 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 LATIN of JUSTUS LIPSIU 3 . 
 
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 APPENDIX 
 
 CONCERNING THE 
 
 FATE OF THE ANCIENTS*. 
 
 fex^X^ATE, (fays Apuleius) according to 
 fh. -b P'ato, is that, Per quod, inevitables 
 
 p •sjjS'.jJ* cogitationes Dei atque incept a complen- 
 
 *'*.■$* •$•.>!£ tur ; ‘ whereby the purpofes and de- 
 
 fS. .?It ‘ figns of God are accomplilhed,* 
 
 ^ Hence, the Platonics confidered Pro¬ 
 
 vidence, under a three-told diftindtion : i. The Provi- 
 dentia prima , or that which gave birth to all eftedts ; 
 and is defined by them, to be ‘ The intention, or will 
 ‘ of the Supreme God.’ 2. The Providentia fecunda , 
 or actual agency or the fecondary or inferior beings, 
 who were fuppofed to pervade the heavens, and from 
 thence, by their influence, to regulate and difpofe of all 
 fublunary things ; and, efpeciaily, to prevent the ex¬ 
 tinction of any one fpecies below. 3. The Providentia 
 tertia, fuppofed to be exerted by the genii ; whofe 
 office it was, to exercife a particular care over man¬ 
 kind : to oruard our perfons, and diredt our adtions. 
 
 But 
 
 * Vide Lipsii Phyliolog. Stoic, lib. x. DifTert. xii. 
 
[ 132 ] 
 
 Eat the Stoicat, view of Providence, or Fate, 
 tVas abundantly more iimpie, and required no iuch 
 nicety of difiinction. Theie Philofophers did, at once, 
 derive all the chain of cauj'es and f ids, from their true 
 and undoubted fource , the will ot the one living 
 and true God. Hence, with thefe Sages, the words 
 Deity, Fate, Providence, were frequently reciprocated, 
 as terms fynonymous. Thus, Seneca, lpeaking of 
 (God; ‘ Will you call him Fate ? You will call him 
 4 rightly : for all things are fulpended on him. Him- 
 4 felt is can fa caufarum , the caufe ot causes bolide.* 
 The laws ot the univerle are from God ; whence 
 the lame Philofopher, elfewhere, obferves, Omnia cer- 
 ta , eS 5 in acternum did a. Lege dccurrere ; 4 All things go 
 4 on, according to a certain rule, or decree, ordained 
 4 tor ever meaning the law ot Fate. So Cicero : 
 
 4 All things come to pals, according to the iovereignty 
 4 ot the eternal law.’ And Pindar, probably, had an 
 eye to this, where he lays, 4 That the law ruleth all, 
 
 4 whether gods or mortals.’ Manlius molt certainly 
 had: 
 
 Sed nihil in tota ntagis ejl mi rah lie mole, 
 
 Lfuam Ratio, isf certis quod Legibus omnia parent . 
 
 Where, by Ratio, is evidently meant, the decreeing 
 w/w/ ot Gud ; and, by Leges, is meant Fate, or that 
 fei ies of caufes and edebts, which is the offspring of 
 
 his decree. 
 
 Homer cannot begin his Iliad, without aliening 
 this grand truth : 4 The counlel or decree ot Jupiter 
 4 was fulfilled/ The divine poet fets out upon this ex¬ 
 alted principle : he puts it in the front ot the nobieli 
 poem in the world, as a tellimony both ot his u idem 
 and his faith. ’Twas as it he had laid, 4 I lhall ling ot 
 4 numberlefis events, equally grand, entertaining, and 
 4 important: but I cannot begin to unfold them, with- 
 4 cut laying down this, as a iirfi, lundameniai axiom, 
 4 That, though brought to cals by the infirumen- 
 * .■ ol men, they v. ut the fruit ot Gods 
 
. [ T 33 3 
 
 * determining will, and of his all directing pro* 
 
 ‘ vidence.’ 
 
 Neither are thofe minuter events, which, feeming*. 
 ly, are the remit of chance, excluded from this law. 
 Even thefe do not happen, but come to pafs, in a re¬ 
 gular order of fucceffion, and at their due period of 
 time. 4 Caufa pendet ex caufa: privata ac publica 
 ‘ longus ordo rerum t rah it,’ lays Seneca ; 1 Caufe pro- 
 ‘ ceeds from caufe : the long train of things draws 
 ‘ with it all events, both public and private.’ Excel¬ 
 lent is that of Sophocles ; (Aj. Flagell.) 4 I am 
 
 * firmly of opinion, that all thefe things, and what- 
 4 ever elle befal us, are in confequence of the 
 4 divine purpoie : Wholo, thinks otherwile, is at 
 ‘ liberty to follow his own judgment ; but this will 
 4 ever be mine.’ 
 
 The Longus ordo rerum , mentioned by Seneca, is 
 what he el lew he re ftiles, Caufarum implexa /cries, or a 
 perpetual implication of cauies. This, according to 
 Laertius, was called by the Stoics, an involved, ol* 
 concatenate caujality , of whatever has any exiftence : 
 Agreeably to this idea, Cryfippus gives the following 
 definition of Fate : ‘ Fate is that natural, eftablilhed 
 ‘ order and conftitution of all things, from everlafting, 
 ‘ whereby they mutually follow upon each other, incon- 
 ‘ fequenceot an immutable and perpetual complication.* 
 
 Let us examine this celebrated definition of fate. i. 
 He calls it a NAtURAL_/j«tofi : meaning by Nature, 
 the great Natura Prima , or God : for, by fome 
 Stoics, God and Nature are, ufed promifcuoufly. 
 But, becaufe the Deity mull be luppoled both to 
 decree and to aft with wifdom, intelligence, and de- 
 fign; Fate is lometimes mentioned by them under 
 the name of reafon. Thus they define Fate (Lacrt . in 
 Zen.) to be that fupreme ‘ Reafon, whereby the world 
 ‘ is governed and direfted,’ or, more minutely, thus ; 
 4 That reafon, whereby the things that have been, 
 4 were ; the things that now are, have at prefent ex* 
 4 iftence ; and the things that are to be, lhall be. 
 Reafon, you fee, or vvifdom, in the DeiVy, is an 
 M antecedent 
 
[ *34 1 
 
 antecedent .caufe, from whence both Providence and 
 inferior Nature are derived. ’Tis added, in Stobea- 
 us, that Chrylippus fonretimes varies his terms ; 
 sard, inltead or tne word reafon fubftitutes the words 
 truth, caufe, nature , necejjtty : intimating that Fate, is 
 the true, natural, neceiiary caufe of the things that 
 •are, and of the manner in which they are.—2. This 
 Fate is faid to be from everlafting. Nor improperly : 
 iince the conftitution of things, was fettled and fixed 
 in the divine mind (where they had a iort of ideal 
 exiftence) previous to their adlual creation: and 
 therefore, coniidered as certainly future, in his decree, 
 may be faid to have been, in fome fenfe, co-eternal 
 with himfelf.—3. The immutable and perpetual com¬ 
 plication, mentioned ill the definition, means no more, 
 than that reciprocal involution of caufes and effefts, 
 from God downwards, by which things and events 
 fofitus omnibus ponendis , are neceflarily produced, ac¬ 
 cording to the plan which infinite wifdom defigned 
 from the beginning. God, the Firfb Caufe, hath 
 given being and adiivity to an immenfe number of 
 Secondary, lubaltern caufes; which are fo infeparably 
 linked and interwoven with their refpedtive effedis (a 
 cpnnedlion truly admirable, and not to be compre¬ 
 hended by man in his prefent fiate) that thofe things 
 which do, in reality, come to pafs neceffarily, and by 
 inevitable defliny ; feem to the fuperficial obferver, to 
 come to pafs in the common courl'e of nature, or by 
 virtue of human reafoningand freedom. This is that 
 infcrutable method of divine wifdom, ‘ A qua (fays St. 
 Auftin) ejl otnnis modus , cmnis fpecies , omnis erdo , 
 menfura , numcrus , pondus ; a qua funt femitia forma- 
 rum , fortnae feminum , tnodus feminum atque formarum. 
 
 Necessity is the confequence of Fate. So Trifme- 
 giftus. * All things are brought about by Nature and 
 
 * by Fate: neither is anyplace void of providence. 
 ‘Now providence is the felf-perftdf reafon of the 
 
 * fuper-celeflial God; from which reafon of his, ifTue 
 4 two native pow'ers, Necelfity and Fate.’ Thus, in the 
 judgment of the wifer Heathens, effects were to be 
 
 traced 
 
[' r 3£ 1 
 
 traced up to their producing caufes ; thofe producing 
 cattles were to be farther traced up to the ifill higher 
 caufes, by which they were produced; and thole higher 
 caufes to God, the caufe or them. Perfons, things, 
 circumdances, events, and confequence?, are the effedls 
 of Necessity: Neceffity is the daughter of Fate: 
 Fate is the offspring of God’s infinite Wifdom and 
 Sovereign Will. Thus, all things are ultimately re- 
 folved into their great Primary Caufe ; by whom the 
 chain was originally let down from heaven, and on- 
 whom every link depends. 
 
 It mud be owned, that all the fatal ills of antiqui¬ 
 ty (particularly among the Stoics) did not condantlyex- 
 prefs themfelves with due prccilion. A Chriftian, who 
 is favingly taught by the word and Spirit of God, mull 
 be pained and dilgufted, not to fay, (hocked ; when 
 he reads fuch an aflertion as this : ‘ God himfelf can- 
 ‘ not poffibly avoid his dediny,’ (Herodot. i.) or that 
 of Philemon : 
 
 4 Common men are fervants to Kings; Kings are 
 4 fervants to the Gods, and God is a lervant to necef- 
 ‘ fity.’ So Seneca : Eadem necejfitas & Decs alligat : 
 irrevoealilis divina pariter atqtte bumana curfus ‘Debit* 
 III" ipfe , oitinium condi tor ac verier, Jcripjtt quidein Fatct , 
 fed fcquitur . Semper paret: Seniel jifjit . 4 The feif-fams 
 4 neceflity binds the Gods themfelves. All things di- 
 ‘ vine as well as human, are carried forward by one 
 4 identical and overpowering rapidity. The fupreme 
 4 Author and Governor of the univerfe hath, indeed, 
 
 4 written and ordained the Fates ; but having once or- 
 4 duined them, he ever after obeys them. He com- 
 ‘ manded them at fird, for once : but his confirmity 
 4 to them is perpetual.’ This is, without doubt, very 
 irreverently and very iacautioufly expreiled.—Whence 
 it has been common with many chridian writers, to 
 tax the Stoics with fetting up a find caufe, iuperior 
 to God himfelf, and on which he is dependent. 
 
 But, I appreherid, thefe Phiiofophers meant, in rea¬ 
 lity, no fuch thing. All they defigned to inculcate, 
 was, 4 That the will of God, and his decrees, are un- 
 4 changeable : That there can be no alteration in the 
 M 2 Divine 
 
( J 3 6 ) 
 
 ‘ Divine intention ; no new ad arife in his mind ; 
 no rcverfion ot his eteinal plan : All being founded 
 in adorable Sovereignty ; ordered by infallible VI if. 
 ‘ dom ; ratified by Omnipotence ; and cemented with 
 ‘ Immutability.’ Thus Lucan : 
 
 Flnxit in acternum cattfas ; qua cunSla cocrcct , 
 
 Se quoque lege tenens » 
 
 And this,not through any imbecillity inGod,or as if he 
 was fubjeff to fate, ot which (on the contrary) himfelf 
 was the ordainer; but becaufe it is his pleafure to abide 
 by his own decree. For, as Seneca obferves, Imminutio 
 majejlatisjit,&confejfio err oris, mutandafecijje. NceejJ'eeji ci 
 eademplacere, cut nijioptimaplacerenon prJJ'unf. ‘ ’Twould 
 
 * detract from the greatnefs of God, and look as if 
 ‘ he acknowledged himfelf liable to miflakes, was he 
 ‘ to make changeable decrees : his pleafure mult ne- 
 ‘ cefl'arily be always the fame ; feeing, that only which 
 ‘ is belt, can, at any time, pleafe an all-perfed being. 
 
 ‘ A good man,’ (adds this Philofopher) ‘ is under a 
 
 * kind of pleafing neceflity to do good ; and, if he did 
 
 * not do it, he could not be a good man.’ 
 
 Magnum hoc argumentum cji jirmae voluntatis , ne 
 rnutare quidempojje ; ‘ ’Tis a finking proof of a mag- 
 
 * nanimous will, to be abfolutely incapable of chang- 
 
 * ing.’ And fuch is the will of God: it never fiudtu- 
 ates nor varies, But, on the other hand, was he fuf- 
 ceptible of change; could he, through the interven¬ 
 tion of any inferior caufe, or by fome untoward com¬ 
 bination of external circumftances, be induced to re¬ 
 cede from his purpofe, and alter his plan ; ’twould be 
 a moll inconteilible mark of weaknefsand dependence: 
 the force of which argument made Seneca, though 
 a heathen, cry out, Non externa Deos cogunt ; fedJua 
 illis in legem aeterna voluntas cjl : ‘ Outward things 
 4 cannot compel the Gods ; but their own eternal will 
 
 is a law to themfelves.’ It may be objected, that 
 *his feems to infer, as if the Deity was llill under fome 
 d of reftraint. By no means. Let Seneca obviate 
 
 this 
 
( W ) 
 
 this cavil : as he effectually does, in thefe admit, 
 able words: A Tec Deus ab hoc minus liber aut potcns 
 eft ; ipfe enim eft ncccjfitas fua\ ‘ God is not, hereby, 
 ‘ either lefs free, or lefs powerful; for he himfelf is 
 ‘ his own necefiity.’ 
 
 On the whole, it is evident, that, when the Stoics 
 fpeak, even in the ftrongell terms, ot the obligation of 
 Fate on God himfelf, they miy and ought to be un- 
 derftood, in a fenfe worthy of the adorable, uncreated 
 Majefty. In thus interpreting the doctrine of Fate, as 
 taught by the genuine Philofophers of the Portico, I 
 have the great St. Auftin on my fide : who, after can- 
 vaffing, andjutlly rejecting, the baftard, or aftrological 
 Fate ; thus goes on: At qui omnium conneBionem fieri- 
 eniiiue caufarum , qua fit omne quod fit , Fati nomine ap - 
 pcllant; non Mult ion cum eis , de verbi controveifia , cer- 
 tandunt atque laborandum efi : quandoquidem ipjuni can * 
 Jarum. ordinem , & quandam conneBionent, fiummi Dei tri- 
 buunt ’voluntati: i. e. ‘ But for thole Philofophers, 
 [meaning the Stoics] who, by the word Fate, mean, 
 ‘ That regular chain, and feries of caufes, to which al! 
 
 * things that come to pafs, owe their immediate exift* 
 
 * ence ; we will not earneftly contend with thefe per- 
 
 * fons, about a mere term: and we the rather acqui- 
 ‘ efce in their manner of expreffion, becaufe they care- 
 ‘ fully afcribe this fixt fucceffion of things, and thist 
 
 * mutual concatenation of caufes 3nd effeds, to the will 
 ‘ of the Supreme God.’ Auftin adds many obferva- 
 tions, of the fame import; and proves, from Seneca 
 himfelf, as rigid a Stoic as any, that this was the doc- 
 trine and the meaning of his philofophic brethren. 
 
 
 A LETTER 
 
A 
 
 LETTER 
 
 TO THE 
 
 Rev.Mr. JOHN WESLE Y: 
 
 relative to his pretended 
 ABRIDGEMENT of 
 
 Z AN CHIUS on Predestination. 
 
 By AUGUSTUS TOP LADY, A. B. 
 Vicar of Broad Hembury, Devon ; and Chap¬ 
 lain to the Right Hon. Lord Holland. 
 
 The SECOND EDITION, 
 
 CONSIDERABLY enlarged. 
 
 Sic. fatus fenior , 'Telumque imhelle Jinc ISlu 
 Conjecit : rauco quodprotinus atrt rcpulfum ; 
 
 Et fummo Clypei nequicquam Umbonc pependit. 
 
 zEneid II. 
 
 Creduli tats , puer ; j iudacia, juvenis ; Delirius , fenex . 
 
 Mr. De Boze’s Epitaph on Hardovin, the French Jefuit. 
 

 
 c 
 
advertisement 
 
 TO THE 
 
 PRESENT EDITION, 
 
 IN E months are now elapfed, fincer 
 the firft publication of this letter : in 
 all which time, Mr. W, has neither 
 apologized for the mifdemeanor which 
 occasioned his hearing from me in 
 this public manner ; nor attempted to anfwer the 
 charge entered again# him. Judging, probably, that 
 the former would be too condefcending, in one, who 
 has ere< 5 led himfelf into the leader of a feet; and that 
 the latter would prove rather too difficult a talk, and 
 involve him in a firbfequent train of frelh deteftions ; 
 he has, prudently, omitted both. 
 
 Some of his followers, however, have not been fo 
 tamely unaffive, on this occaiion, as their Pallor, 
 Anxious, at once, to palliate his offence, and to icreen 
 
 his 
 
 N 
 
C 1 
 
 his timidity; feveral Penny and Two-Penny Defences 
 have fuccdfively appeared: wherein the anonymous 
 feribblers wretchedly endeavoured to gather up, and 
 put together, the fragments of a (hattered reputation. 
 The very Printers, the Midwives who handed thcfe 
 1 Infers of a day* into public exigence, were aflvamed 
 to fubjoin their names at the bottom of the Title 
 Pages. 
 
 Two Lay-Preachers, in particular, have feebly taken 
 up the cudgels for their matter. Of one, I ihall fay 
 very little, as he writes with fome degree of decency.— 
 Of the other, I fhall not fay much : for, both his 
 talents and his morals fink him far below the dignity 
 of chaftifement. This illiterate ‘ Haberdalher of fmall 
 ‘ wares’ entitles his Penny ettufion,as well as I remem¬ 
 ber, ‘ A letter of thanks to the Reverend Mr. Topla- 
 * dy, in the names of all the hardened finners in L011- 
 ‘ don and Weftmintter.’ The poor creature, it is plain 
 from his Title-Page, aims at humour : and yet unhap¬ 
 pily for fuch a deiign, he is in reality, but too literally 
 qualified to aft as a Secretary in Chief to the finners 
 of London and Wefiminller. For, he has given very 
 numerous and ample proofs of. his own finnerfl.ip, and 
 that there can hardly exifi, in thofe two cities, a more 
 atrocious firmer than himfelf. I will notpollute this 
 paper, with a recital of his crimes. They, who know 
 the man, are no ftrangers to his communication. 
 Though a doctrinal Pharilee, his life has, long ago, 
 evinced him a practical Sadducee. Surely, Arminia- 
 nifrn, is like to flourifh mainly, under the aufpices of 
 fuch able and virtuous Advocates 1 
 
 And 
 
[ H 3 1 
 
 And fo much for Mr. Weliey’s redoubtable Subal¬ 
 terns. 
 
 * What image of their fury can we form ? 
 
 ‘ Dullnefs and rage. A Puddle in a Storm.’ 
 
 If my advice carries any weight with them, they 
 will carefully perule their Spelling-books, before they 
 make another Tally from the prefs. As to themfelves, 
 and their refined productions, I mean to take no far¬ 
 ther notice of either. I am quite of Mr, Gay’s 
 opinion ; 
 
 £ To fhoot at crows is powder thrown away.’ 
 
 I had almoft forgot the Monthly Reviewers. One 
 word concerning them, and I have done. The two 
 Reverend Gentlemen, who are hired to difiedt and 
 characterize whatever comes within the divinity de¬ 
 partment, a Calendis ad Calendas ; would fain have it, 
 in their fuperficial ftridtures on the lirft edition of this 
 letter, that I am angry with Mr. Wefley. If, by 
 anger, the ingenious Animadverters mean, a juil and 
 becoming difapprobation of Mr. Wefley’s lying 
 abridgement, and of the furreptitious manner, in 
 which he fmuggled it into the world; I ackowledge 
 myfelf, in this refpebt, angry. 1 hope, the Reverend 
 Reviewers will not in their turn, be angry too, at fee¬ 
 ing themfelves tacked to the lift of Mr. Wefley’s allies: 
 iince in their mode of reprefenting my difpute (or, to 
 adopt their own millitary term, my battle) with that 
 Gentleman; they feein to rank themfelves in the 
 .number of his feconds. The reafon is obvious. Mr. 
 
 W. is 
 
C *44 3 
 
 W. is a red-hot Arminian : and the fagacious Dodlors 
 
 can difcern, with halt an eye, that Arminanifm lies 
 
 within a bow-lhot of Socinianiim and Deifm. Yet 
 
 notwithflanding the alliance is, thus, not altogether 
 
 unnatural ; why fliould thefe two Divines, who are, 
 * 
 
 certainly, poffefled ot abilities, which might do honour 
 to human nature ; by a narrow, fordid attachment to 
 party, render thofe abilities lefs refpebtable ? 
 
 Broad Hemeury, 
 January 9, 1772. 
 
 A LETTER 
 
A 
 
 L E 
 
 T 
 
 T E 
 
 - R 
 
 O 
 
 T H E 
 
 
 Rev. Mr. J O H N WES L E Y. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 ^ ■$? OS S I B L Y, the following letter 
 
 ^ may fall into the hands of fbme, 
 
 |& 8 § ( i| who are unacquainted with the me- 
 
 I ^ 1 ^ L rits of the occafion on which I 
 
 s> ii | j% write. Forthe information of fueh, 
 
 W. I inuft premife, That, in Novem- 
 
 her, 1769, I publiflied a Two Shil¬ 
 ling pamphlet, entitled, ‘ The Do&rine ot Abiolute 
 4 Predestination flated and aflerted : With aprelimina- 
 ‘ ry Difcourfe on the Divine Attributes. Tranfiated, 
 ‘ in great meaiure, from the Latin of Jerom Zan- 
 4 chins.’ 
 
 Though you are neither mentioned, nor alluded to, 
 throughout the whole book ; yet it could hardly he 
 N imagined * 
 
[ M6 ] 
 
 imagined, that a treatife, apparently tending to lay 
 the axe to the root of thole pernicious ocCtrines, 
 which, lor more than thirty years pail, you have en¬ 
 deavoured to palm on your credulous followers, with 
 all the fophifhy of a Jeiuit, and the dictatorial authori¬ 
 ty of a Pope ; fl'.ouhl long pal’s without feme eenlure 
 from the hand of a redlefs Arminian, wlio^has fo eager¬ 
 ly endeavoured to diftinguifh hiinl'elf, as the Bell- 
 Wether of his deluded thousands. 
 
 Accordingly, in the month of March, 1770, out 
 fneaks a printed paper (confiding of one fleet, folded 
 into twelve pages; price one penny) entitled, ‘ The 
 ‘ DoCtrine of Abfolute Predeftination dated and afiert- 
 
 i ed, by the Rev. Mr. A. T.Wherein, you 
 
 pretend to give an abridgement of the pamphlet above 
 referred to. Bur, 
 
 I. Why did you not male your abridgement truly 
 public ? For an apparent reafon : That, it poflible, it 
 might elude my knowledge, and fo efcape the rod. 
 Born of a dclen embrace, it was needful for the fpuri- 
 QLis, pufillanimous performance to deal its way into 
 the world. It privately crept abroad, from the Foun- 
 ciery, the feat of its nativity ; it was fold, indeed, but 
 fold under the rofe; it was carefully circulated in the 
 dark ; and the friends of Mr. Wefley were defigned 
 to be the foie fphere of its acquaintance. Thus, 
 “ Every one, that doth evil, hateth the light, neither 
 “ cometh to the light, led his deeds frould he reprov- 
 “ ed.” I11 fuch conduit, I can difeern much of the 
 Jefuit, but nothing of the faint.—-I had, to this hour, 
 remained unapprized of the feeret dab, but for the 
 information received from feme of fuperior integrity to 
 yourfelr.-- I will put Chriilianity quite out of the 
 quedion, and fuppofc it to have no kind of influence. 
 But (hould you not, at lead, act as a man of common 
 honour ? Come forth openly, Sir, in future like an 
 honed, generous AlTailant; and, from this moment 
 forward, difdain to act the ignoble part of a lurking, 
 tty Aflaffin. 
 
 II. Why 
 
[ *47 ] 
 
 IF. Why did you not abridge me Faithfully and thir¬ 
 ty ■ mult you lard your ridiculous Compen¬ 
 
 dium with Additions and Interpolations of your own ? 
 especially, as you took the liberty of prefixing my 
 name to it ? Your reafcins are obvious. My publica¬ 
 tion had fpread among (ome of your people : and, the 
 longer it continued to diffufe itfelf, the more you 
 trembled toF your Diana. Hence, Demetrius like, 
 you found it needful, by the help of a pious Fraud, 
 to prejudice your Epheiians again!! the dodtrines of 
 St. Paul. The book was like to give the Arminian 
 Babel a (hake : therefore, no way lb effectual to fecure 
 it, as by endeavouring to (pike the camion which was 
 planted again 11 it. That you might feem to gratify 
 the curiouty of your partifans, and keep them really 
 hood-winked at the fame time ; you draw up a fiimfy, 
 partial Compendium of Zanchius : a Compendium 
 which exhibits a few, detached propofitions, placed 
 in the moft difadvantageous point of view, and 
 without including any part of the evidence on which 
 they (land. 
 
 But this alone was not fufficient to compafs the de'- 
 fired end. Unfatisfied with carefully and totally fup- 
 prelling every proof, alledged by Zanchius, in lupport 
 of his argument ; a falfe colouring mult, iikewife, be 
 be fuperindueed, by inserting a fentence or two, now 
 and then, of your own foifting in. After which, you 
 clofe the motley piece, with an entire paragraph, for¬ 
 ged, every word of it, by yourfelf: and conclude all, 
 as you began, with fubjoining the initials of my name: 
 to make the ignorant believe, that the whole, with 
 your omiffions, additions, and alterations, actually 
 came from me.—An inflanceof audacity and falfehood, 
 hardly to be paralleled ! 
 
 I am very far from defiring the reader to take my 
 word, in proof of the charge alledged againff you. As 
 an inftance of your hvant of honour, veracity, and 
 jullic.% I refer to the following paragraph, i. as 
 publilhed bv me; and, 2. as quoted bv you. 
 
 N 2 1. ‘ When 
 
[ 148 1 
 
 i. 
 
 * When ail the tranfac- 
 ‘ tions of Providence and 
 ‘ Grace are wound up, in 
 4 thelaftday; he(CnRisT) 
 
 ‘ will then properly lit as 
 ‘ f udge,and openly pdblifn 
 ‘ and foiemnly ratify, if 1 
 ‘ may fo fay,his everlafting 
 ‘ decrees, by receiving the 
 
 * elect, body and foul, into 
 ‘ Glory : and by palling fen- 
 ‘ fence on the Non-ekdl 
 
 * (NOT FOR HAVING DONE 
 4 WHAT THEY COULD 
 4 not help, but) for their 
 4 'wilful ignorance of divine 
 
 4 things,and their obftinate- 
 4 unbelief; lor their otnif- 
 4 lions of moral duty, and for 
 4 their repeated iniquities 
 4 and tranfgreffions.’ Dodlr. 
 of Abf. Predeft. Page 93. 
 
 2. 
 
 4 In thelaftday, Christ 
 4 will lit as Judge, and 
 4 openly publilh, and l'o- 
 4 kmnly ratify his ever- 
 4 lading decrees, by re- 
 4 ceiving the debt into 
 4 glory^and by palling fen- 
 4 tehee on the non-ekbt, 
 ‘ (not for having 
 
 ‘DONE WHAT THEY 
 4 COULD NOT HELP, but) 
 
 4 for their wilful igno- 
 4 ranee of divine things, 
 4 and their cbftinate un- 
 4 belief; for their omif- 
 4 lions of moral duty, and 
 ‘ for their repeated ini- 
 4 quities andtranfgrefllons 
 
 4 WHICH THEY COULD 
 
 4 not help.’ Wefley’s 
 Abridgement, Page 9. 
 
 Whether my view of the dodrine itfelf be, in fad!, 
 right or wrong, is no part of the prefent enquiry ; 
 The queftion is, Have you quoted me (airly ? Blufn, 
 HI r. Wefley, if you are capable of blulhing. For 
 once, publicly acknowledge yourfelf to have adled cri¬ 
 minally : 4 Unlels,’ to life your own words on another 
 occafion, 4 Shame and you have Ihook hands and 
 4 parted.’ 
 
 Your concluding paragraph, tvhich you have the ef- 
 fromery to palm on the world as mine, runs thus ; 
 4 * The linn, ot ail is this-: One in twenty (fuppofc) 
 4 of mankind are cledied ; nineteen in twenty aie re- 
 4 probated. The debt (hull be ifaved, do what they 
 4 will ; the reprobate lht.li be-damned, do what they 
 4 can. Reader, believe this, or be damned. Witnels 
 4 my hand,. A-T. 
 
 In 
 
 * Wefley’s Abridgement, page 1 a. 
 
f 149 ] 
 
 In aimofl any other cafe, a limiter forgery would 
 tranfint the criminal to Virginia or Maryland, if not 
 to Tyburn. It fuch an opponent can be deemed an 
 honed man, wh.es'S IhaU we find a knave ?—What 
 Would you think of me, was I infamous enough to 
 abridge .any treatife of yours, fprinkle it with interpo¬ 
 lations, and conclude it thus : ‘.Reader, buy this 
 ‘ book or be damned, Witnefs rny hand, John 
 ‘ ,We Hey !’ 
 
 And is it thus you contend for victory ? are thef® 
 the weapons of your warfare ? Is this bearing down 
 tliofe, who .differ from,you, with . meeknefs ? Do you 
 call this, binding with cords of love ? Away, for 
 fhame, with fuch difingenuous artifices. At leaft, en¬ 
 deavour to conceal that narrow, ledhrian fpirit, which 
 betrays itfelf, more or lefs, in almoft every thing you 
 write. Renounce the low, fyrpentine cunning, Which 
 puts you on falsifying, what you find yourlelf unable 
 to refute. And, as you regard your character, and the 
 caufe you efpoufe ,• difmifs thofe dirty fubterfuges, 
 (the laft refources of mean, malicious impotence) 
 which degrade the man of parts into a lying fophiiler, 
 and fink a Divine beneath the level of an oyfier-wo- 
 tnan. Ceafe to fight, like the Frenph, with old nails 
 and broken glafsi Charge, fairly, and fire as forcible as 
 you can. But, it you oerfift to.employ, the weapons of 
 leurrility and falsehood ; the fpl,inters will not only 
 recoil on youth Jf, but you will continue to be polled 
 for a Theological coward. 
 
 And why should, you, of all people in the world, be 
 fo very angry with the tloflr.ines bf .grace.? Forget not 
 the days and months that are. path Remember, that 
 it once depended on the tofs of a hilling, whether you 
 yourfelf ihould be a Calvinist or an Armenian. Tails 
 tell tipper moft, and. you refolved to be an Univerfaliite 
 ’Twas an happy throw, which con fig tied you to the 
 tents of Arminius : For it laved us from, the company 
 of a man, who, by a kind of religious gambling, pecu* 
 Hardy his own, rilqued his faith’on the moil contemp¬ 
 tible of all lots j .and was capable of tolling up for his 
 >: j ‘ Creed, 
 
[ r J?° ] 
 
 Creed, as porters, or chairmen, tofs np for an half¬ 
 penny. 
 
 I have read of Princes, and other eminent perfons, 
 who, having rifen, from ignoble life, to greatnefs, took 
 care to have fome (hiking memorials, or their former 
 cbfcurity, frequently in their view; by way of a coun- 
 rerpoife to pride, and as a prelervative from being ex¬ 
 alted above meafure.' When, from the pinnacle of 
 yoiir own importance, you look down upon the Advo¬ 
 cates for Free Grace, and coniider them as reptiles, to 
 be treated as you pleafe, only recoiled! the humbling 
 circumftanee, of which 1 have jull: reminded you : 
 And reprefs the complacent fwellings of lelt-adulation, 
 by fome fuch foliloquy as this : ‘ I have been in dan- 
 * ger, myfelt, of believing that St. Paul fays true, 
 
 ‘ when he declares, that God hath mercy on ivbom be 
 1 ‘Mill have mercy. Kcw precious was the (lulling, 
 
 ‘ and, above all, how lucky was the throw, which con- 
 4 vinced me of St. Paul’s miftake !’ Forgive us, if we 
 as implicitly determine our faith by the Scriptures; as 
 you determined yours, by the fall of the fplendid Jbil- 
 'iing. 
 
 Eut, even (ince this memorable epocha , you have by 
 no means proved yourfelf that lleady Anninian, you 
 would have the world believe. Proteus like, you dif- 
 dain to be (hackled and circumfcribed by any certain 
 form. Pier Ladyfiiip of Loretto, though (he has a dif¬ 
 ferent fuit for every day in the year, is jhnpcr eadem , 
 when compared with the quonda?n Fellow of Lincoln 
 College. There are times, when you vary as much 
 from your preceding felt, as you do, at all times, trem 
 the reft of mankind. Poftefted of more than ferpen- 
 tine elability, you caft your (lough, not once a year, 
 but, almoft, once an hour. Hence, your innumerable 
 inconliftencies, and flagrant felf-contradicticns , the 
 jarring of your principles (ever at inteftine war with 
 each other) and the incoherence of your religious fyf- 
 tem. Your fchetne of doifhines reminds me of the 
 feet of a certain vifionary image, which, as the facred 
 penman acquaints us, feemed to be compofed of iron 
 and day ; heterogeneous materials, which may, indeed. 
 
[ K 1 1 
 
 be put together, but will never incorporate with each 
 ocher. Somewhat like the Necromntic foup, of which 
 you have, probably, read, in the tragedy of Macbeth ; 
 your doctrines may be ilirred into a chaotic jumble, 
 but witchcraft itfelf would drive in vain to bring them 
 into coalition. On the contrary, Evangelical truth 
 knows nothing of this Harlequin aflemblage. It is 
 not, like Jofeph’s coat, of many colours ; nor made up 
 of a patch from Donatus, of another from Pelagius, 
 and a third from Arminius: but is invariably limpie, 
 uniform and harmonious; refembling the robe of its 
 adorable Teacher, which was without ft am, and woven, 
 from the top , throughout. 
 
 On one occaiion, you had the candour to own your 
 levity, as to points of Faith. I am acquainted with a 
 very relpedtuble perfon (Mr. J. D.) who, not many 
 years ago, taking the freedom to tell you, that ‘ Your 
 ‘prejudices, like armed men, flood, with their iwords 
 ‘ ready drawn, to guard all the pafles of convidtion, 
 ‘ and hew down every truth as fall as it prefented itlelf 
 ■ to your mind you had the ufuai honeily to anfwer, 
 ‘ Ah ! Sir ! if you knew how dillrcfi'ed I have been, 
 ‘ what dodtrines I fhou'd embrace, and how I have been 
 ‘ toiled about from lyllem to fyflem, you’d think me 
 * the moft open to convidlion, and the leaf! liable to 
 ‘ prejudice, of any man you ever knew.’ This anfwer 
 did you real honour, for, I am perfuaded, you lpoke 
 true. Yet, why lliould you, who have been io re¬ 
 markably toiled about, take upon you to revile thole 
 who have been enabled to Hand fall ? I hope, for your 
 own lake, that you will never ceafe tolling about ’till 
 you have gained the harbour of truth : and that, amidft 
 all vour manifold fliifting from fyliem to lyllem, you 
 will at length, be enabled to fix on the only right fyf- 
 tem, which aliens the lawfulnefs of God’s doing what 
 he will with his own. 
 
 I am told, the penny-fheet (which oecafions this free 
 addrels) is to be followed fome time hence, by a four- 
 penny pamphlet again!! Zanchius : Wherein you are 
 to beliege the Dodl: ine of ibedeftination in form. 
 
 Commence 
 
[ i£* 3 
 
 Commence the fiege and welcome. Open your trenches 
 and plant your batteries. Bring forth your ftrong ar¬ 
 guments, and play them oft' with vigour. I publicly 
 protefs, and lublcribe my name to it, that, it 1 cannot 
 beat you back, I’ll freely capitulate, and own myfelf 
 conquered. But remember, that if you would do any 
 thing to purpofe, you mud make a regular attack. You 
 nnift encounter the whole ot Zanchius, and take his 
 arguments in their regular connection and dependency 
 on each other. You muft go through with my Pre¬ 
 face, which I prefixed to my translation of that great 
 man. Having carried and difmantled the out-work, 
 you muft next proceed to demolilh the DifTertation on 
 the Divine Attributes : which having deitroyed, you 
 are, then, to aft'ail the citadel ; I mean, thofe five ftub- 
 born chapters, which make up the body of the Treatiie 
 itfeli. All the allies, or the arguments drawn from 
 Scripture and Reafon, muft like wife be put to the 
 fword. This fliould you attempt to do, in a manner 
 worthy of a Scholar and a Divine ; I fhall have no 
 objection (if life and health continue) to meafuring 
 fvvords, or breaking a pike with you. Controverfy, 
 properly conducted, is a friend to truth, and no enemy 
 to benevolence. When the flint and the fteel are in 
 conflict, lbme fparks may iiTue, which may both warm 
 and enlighten.—But I have no notion of encountering 
 a wind-mill, in lieu of a giant. If, therefore, you 
 come a gal nil me (as now) with ffrazvs, inltead of artil¬ 
 lery ; and with chaff,\ in the room of ammunition ; I 
 fl.all difdain to give you battle : I fhall only laugh aC 
 you from the ramparts. 
 
 Much lefs, if you defeend to your cuftomary re- 
 courfe, of Falfe Quotations, despicable inventive, and 
 unfupported Dogmatifms; fl ail 1 held myfelf obliged 
 to, again, enter the lifts with you. An opponent, 
 who thinks to add weight to bis arguments, by feur- 
 rility and abufe ; refembles the infane perfon, who 
 rolled him r elf in mud, in order to make hiqftelf fine. 
 I would no more enter into a formal controverfy, 
 with fuch a fc’ jbbler, than 1 wculJ contend, for the 
 wall, with a chimney-Sweeper. 
 
 When 
 
[ H3 1 
 
 When fome of your friends gave out, two or three 
 months before your late doughty publication, that 
 Mr. John (as they call you) was (hutting hi illicit up*, 
 in order to anlwer the Translator of Zanchius; I really 
 imagined, that fome thing tolerably refpe&able was 
 going to make its appearance. But 
 
 Sljiid (lignum tanto tulit hie Promijfor , 111 at u ? 
 
 After the teeming mountain had been (hut up a com¬ 
 petent time, long enough to have been brought to bed 
 of an Hercules; forth creeps a puny, toothlefs moui'e, a 
 moufe of heterogeneous kind: having little more than its 
 head and tail-j- from you ; and the main of its body made 
 up of fome mangled, cailrated citations from Zan¬ 
 chius. 
 
 . Currente Rota , cur Urceus exit ? 
 
 If I may judge of the future, by the paft, and un- 
 lefs you amend greatly in a (hort time ; your Four- 
 Penny Supplement, when it appears, will be no lei's in- 
 confiderable, than the Penny Sheet, already extant. 
 And, as the moufe' is not cheap, at a penny; I am 
 very apprehentive, the rat, when it ventures out, 
 will be far too dear at a Groat. 
 
 Hitherto, your treatment of Zanchius refembles 
 that of fome clumfy, bungling Anatomiu : who, in 
 the dliTefition of an animal, dwells much on the larger 
 and more obvious particulars ; but quite omits the 
 nerves, the lymphatics, the mufcles, and the moil 
 
 Dreadful his thunder, while imprinted, roar ; 
 
 But, when once pubiifh’d, they are heard no more. 
 So, diftunt. bug-bears fight; but nearer draw. 
 
 The block’s a block, and turns to mirth your awe. 
 
 Dr. Young. 
 
 f. The Advertifement, on the back-hue of Mr. 
 Weficy’s Title-page : and his concluding Paragraph, 
 
 P. 12 . 
 
[ i $4 ] 
 
 ’nterefting parts of the complicate machine. Thus, 
 ] n your piddling Extract trom the pamphlet you have 
 thought proper to curtail, you only give a kw of the 
 arger outlines ; without at all entering into the fpirit 
 ot the Subject, or fo much as producing (fo far from 
 attempting to refute) any of the turning points, on 
 which the argument depends. Wrench the finer! eye, 
 that ever (hone in a Lady’s head, from its locked; and 
 it will appear frightful and deformed : whereas, in its 
 natural connection, the fymmetry and brilliancy, the 
 expreffivenefs and the beauty, are confpicuous. So it, 
 often fares with authors. A detached fentence, artfully 
 mifplaeed, or unfeafonably introduced ; nialicioufly 
 applied, or unfairly cited ; may appear to cany an 
 idea, the very revtrfe of its real meaning. But re¬ 
 place the dillocated pallage, and its propriety and im¬ 
 portance are reftored. I would wifh every unpreju¬ 
 diced perfon, into whofe hands your Abridgement of 
 my translation has fallen, to fufpendhis judgment con¬ 
 cerning it, ’till he fees the translation itfelf. On com¬ 
 paring the two together, he will, at once, perceive, 
 how candid and honeft you are ; and what quantity, 
 of confidence may be repofed on your integrity as a 
 citer. 
 
 When I advert to the unjuft and indecent manner, 
 in which you attacked the late excellent Mr. Hervey ; 
 above ail, when I confider how daringly free you have 
 made with the S'criptures themfelves, both in your 
 commentaries, and in your alterations of the text it¬ 
 felf; I ceafe to wonder, at the audacious licentiouf- 
 nefs of your pen, refpefting me. I Should rather won¬ 
 der, if you treated any opponent with equity, or can- 
 rafied any fubjeft impartially. Rife but once to this, 
 and I fhali both wonder and rejoice. 
 
 You give me to underhand, that I am but ‘ a young 
 Tranflator.’ Granted. Better, however, to be a young 
 Translator, than an old Plagiary. Which of our an¬ 
 cient Divin's have you not evaporated and fjioiled ? 
 and made them Speak a language, when dead ; which 
 
 they 
 
[ *55 ] 
 
 they would have darted from, with horror, when 
 alive r * 
 
 ‘ Yet Brutus is an honourable man !’ 
 
 How mlferably have you pillaged even my publica¬ 
 tion ? Books, when fent into the world, are no doubt, 
 in home fenl'e, public property. Zanchius, if you 
 chofe to buy him was yours to read; and, it you 
 thought yourfelf equal to the undertaking, was yours 
 to anlwer: but he was not youis, to mangle. Remem¬ 
 ber, how narrowly you elcaped a prolecution tome 
 years ago, for pirating the Poems ot Dr. Young. 
 
 I would wilh you ;o keep your hands from literary 
 picking and dealing. However, if you cannot refrain 
 from this kind of dealth, you can abdain trom murder¬ 
 ing what you deal. You ought not, with Ahab, to 
 kill, as well as take pofltffion ; nor, Giant like, to 
 drew the area of your den with the bones of i’uch 
 authors as you have ieized and ilain. 
 
 On moiroccadons, you are coo prone to fet up your 
 own infallible judgment as the very Lapis Lydius of 
 right and wrong. Hence the firebrands, arrows, and 
 death, which you hurl at thofe, who prefume to vary 
 from the oracles you dictate. Hence, particularly, 
 your illiberal and malevolent fpleen againlf the Pro- 
 tedant Bhfenters-j-; though yourfelf are, in many 
 
 refpecb, 
 
 * See almod every part ot what Mr. Wedey mif- 
 ealls, The Chridian Library. 
 
 f- ‘ How little is the cafe merided at the meeting ? 
 ‘ either the teachers are new-light men, denying the 
 ‘ Lord that bought them ; or they are Prededinarians, 
 ‘ and fo preach prededination and final perfeverance, 
 ‘ more or iefs. Nor is it expedient lor any Methodid 
 4 Preacher, to imitate the DiiTenters in their manner 
 ‘ ol Praying; either in hi3 tone, or in his language, 
 4 or in the length of his prayer. Neither Ihould we 
 4 lmg, like them, in a How, drawling manner. We 
 
[ 1*6 1 
 
 fsfpcclr. a Difienter of the world kind. I would not* 
 howev r, by this declaration, he underllood, as it I 
 meant to- did onour that refpettable body, by claiFng 
 you with them ; for you Hand alone, and area B>ii- 
 feliter of a calf peculiar to yourielf. And yet, like 
 Henry I. you are tor making the length of your own 
 arm, the ilandard-ineafure tor every body elfe. No 
 wonder, therefore, that you eminently inherit the fate 
 of Ifhmael : that your “ hand is again It every man, 
 “ and every man’s hand againft you.” Strange ! that 
 one, who pleads, fo ltrenuoufly, for univerial love in 
 the Deity'; thould adopt lb little of the love, for which 
 
 he 
 
 -g : T=s== j- 
 
 ‘ lir.g fwift, both becaufe it faves time, and becaufe 
 * it tends to awake and enliven the foul.’ 
 
 Mr. Weiley’s Prelerv. againft unfettled notions, 
 
 P- 244 - 
 
 How much more civilly, not to fay- cordially, this 
 Gentleman (hakes hands with the Papilts, let his own 
 words declare : ‘Can nothing be done, even allowing 
 ‘ us, on both fules to retain our own opinions, for the 
 ‘ foftening our hearts towards each other?-—My dear 
 4 friend, conlider I am not perfuading you to leave or 
 4 change your religion : but to follow after that fear 
 1 and love of God, without which, all religion is vain. 
 4 I fay not a word to you, about your opinions, or 
 4 outward manner of worfhip.—We ought, without 
 4 this endlefs jangling about opinions, to provoke oue- 
 4 another to love and to good works. Let the points, 
 
 4 wherein we differ, Hand alide. Here are enough, 
 
 4 wherein we agree.—O Brethren, let us not Hill tall 
 ‘.out by the way !’ 
 
 Mr. Wefley’s letter to a Roman Catholic, p. 4, 8,10. 
 
 Far he it from me, to charge Mr. Wefley with a 
 fondnefs for all the groffer parts of Popery. \ et, I 
 fear, the partition between that church and him, is 
 fomewhnt thinner than might be wifhed. Or, rather, 
 like the loving Pyrrmus, and Thifbe, they endeavour 
 to remedy the want A a perfect coalition, by r killing 
 each other through an hole in the wall* 
 
[ *57 1 
 
 lie pleads ! That' a perfon, of principles fo large, Hiould 
 have an heart fo narrow ! Bigots of every.denomina¬ 
 tion are much the lame : and of all vices, bigotry is 
 one ot the meaneft and molt mifchievous. Its fhriev- 
 eled, contracted bread: leaves no room for the noble 
 virtues to dilate and play. Candour, benevolence, 
 and" forbearance become fmothered and- extinguifned : 
 partly, from being crampt by littlenefs of mind ; 
 partly, from being overwhelmed with intellectual duft. 
 Bigotry is a determined enemy to truth ; inafmuch as 
 it clfentially interferes wit', freedom of enquiry, re¬ 
 drains the grand indefeafible right of private judgment, 
 confines our regards to a party, and, by limiting the ex¬ 
 tent of moderation and mutual good-will, tears up 
 Charity by tire very roots. In fnort, Bigotry is the 
 very efience of Popery ; and, too often, leads its vota¬ 
 ries, before they are aware, into the bofom of that pre¬ 
 tended church, whole doctrines and maxims are the 
 worll corruption of the befit religion that ever was. And 
 though this baneful vice is fo uncomfortable, in itfelf; 
 fo contrary to the genius of the Gofpel ; and fo exten- 
 iively pernicious in its effedls ; yet, is it not as common 
 as it is deteilable ? May all God’s children be enabled 
 to call it, with the red ol their idols, to the moles and 
 to the bats! 
 
 You have obliquely, given me a fneering ledlure 
 upon ‘ Modedy, felf-diffidence, and tendernels’ to op¬ 
 ponents : And, it mud be owned, that the leflon comes 
 with a peculiar grace, and quite in character from 
 You. The words found well: But, like many other 
 preferibers, you fay, and do not. Elfe, why do you 
 represent me as telling my readers, 4 that they mud, 
 ‘ upon pain of damnation, believe, that only one per- 
 4 fon in twenty is elecfred ?’ Why do you introduce me 
 as enjoining them !o believe, under the lame penalty, 
 
 ‘ That the elcdt lhall be faved, do what they will; and 
 ‘ the reprobate damned, do what they can r’ This is 
 a fample, indeed, of your own modedy, tendernefs, 
 and felt-diffidence : but, God lorbid, that I fliould give 
 fuch difinal proof of mine. I believe and preach, 
 that the chofen and ranfomed of the Lord, are 44 ap. 
 
 O 46 pointed 
 
[ i*B ] 
 
 pointed to falvation through fluidification of theSpi- 
 “ rir, and belier of the truth And, with regard to 
 the reil, that they will be condemned, not for doing 
 what they can in a moral way, but for not doing 
 what they can : for not believing the Gofpel report; 
 and for not ordering their converfation according to it. 
 
 Let me likewife alk you, when, or where, I ever 
 prefumed to afcertain the number of God’s eled ? 
 Point out the treatife, and the page, wherein I aflerr, 
 that only * One in twenty of mankind are eleded.’ 
 The book of life is not your keeping, nor in mine. 
 The Lord, and the Lord only, “ knoweth them that 
 “ are his.” He alone, “ who telleth the number of 
 “ the ftars, and calleth them all by their names;” call- 
 eth alfo “ his own Iheep by name, and leadeth them 
 *“ outfirft, from a ftate of fin into a date of grace, 
 and then into a flate of glory. Yet, as the learned and 
 devout Beza expreiTes himfelf, ‘ I fhall never blufh to 
 ‘ abide by that limplicity, which the Holy Spirit, fpeak- 
 * ing in the Scriptures, hath been pleafed to adopt 
 And ’tis but too certain, that, in the Scriptures, are 
 inch awful pafl'ages as thefe ; “ Broad is the way, and 
 “ wide the gate, which leadeth to deftrudion, and ma- 
 “ ny there be that go in thereat While, on the 
 other hand, “ Strait is the gate, and narrow is the 
 “ way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that 
 “ find it.—Many are called, but few chofen.—-Fear 
 “ not, little flock ; for it is your Father’s good pleafure 
 to give you the kingdom.—There is a remnant ac- 
 “ cording to the eledion of grace.” Declarations of 
 this tremendous import, inftead of furnifhing you with 
 fuel for contention, apd letting you on a prefumptuous 
 and fruitlefs calculation of the number that (hall be 
 faved or lofl; fhould rather bring you on your knees 
 before God, with your hand upon your bieafl, and 
 this cry in your lips: * Search me, O Lord, and try 
 6 me ; prove me alfo, and examine my thoughts. Shew 
 
 ‘ me 
 
 <S==s==S- 
 
 * Me vero iftiusJlmplicitatis , quam Sp. S. amplcxus eft, 
 FMr.quam pudebit^ Beza ? in Matth, ii. a. 
 
[ T 59 3 
 
 * me, to which clafs I belong. Give me lolid prool 
 ‘ that my name is in the Lamb’s book of life, by mak- 
 ‘ ing it clear to me that I am in the faith.’ And ever 
 remember, that true faith utterly difclaims all ground 
 of pretenfion to j unification and eternal lile, but on the 
 foie footing of God’s abfolute grace, and the Melliah’s 
 finilhed redemption. Pelagiajrifm is for ferving the 
 Deity, as Pope Celefline III. is laid to have treated the 
 Emperor Henry VI. It quite kicks off the crown 
 from the head of Sovereign grace ; a:■ I makes the will 
 of God bend, and truckle, and fiiape itfelf to the ca¬ 
 price of man. Arminianifm, fomevvhat more fpecious, 
 but altogether as pernicious, cuts the crown in two, 
 by dividing the praife of falvation between God and 
 man, and fairly runs away with half. On the contrary, 
 that Faith which is of Divine operation, adds like the 
 Emperor Charles V. when he retired from the throne % 
 It refigns the crown entirely, and renounces it for 
 ever, without referring fo much as aiingle jewel for it- 
 fell. 
 
 Should the Holy Spirit vouchfafe to lead you thus 
 far; you will, then, no longer be ready to objeiff, 
 
 * That the eleCi fnall be faved, do what they will:’ For 
 you’ll know by heart-felt experience, that the convert¬ 
 ed elecl are, and cannot but be, ambitious to perform 
 all tnofe good works, in which God hath ordained them 
 to walk ; and to aft worthy of him, who hath, graci- 
 oufly and effectually called them to his kingdom and 
 g'ofy- 
 
 Your pretended fear of Antinomianifm, like your 
 real fear ot the Comet, which was expended to have ap¬ 
 peared a few years back, is perfectly idle and chimeri¬ 
 cal. You publicly tellified your appreheniions, that 
 the latter would dry up our rivers, and bum up our 
 vegetables,, if not reduce the earth itfelf to a cinder. 
 But your prophecies proved to be, ‘ The bafelefs fa- 
 ‘ brie of a vilion and our rivers, trees, and earth, re¬ 
 main as they were.---Nor will the doctrines of grace, 
 experimentally received into the heart, dellroy, or 
 Q z weaken 
 
C 160 ] 
 
 weaken, the obligations of moral * virtue. On the 
 contrary, they will operate on the practice, not like 
 your fcdrching comet on our globe ; but like the ge¬ 
 nial beams ot tire fun, which aifi'ul'e gladneis, and oc¬ 
 casion fruitfulnefs, wherever they ariie. Whoever 
 v. ifhes in earnei: to lead a new life, inuft did, cordially 
 embrace the good t-.d doddrine of lalvation by grace 
 : lone.—In fnort, your own tenet, of Sinlefs Perfection, 
 
 * Confcioufnefs or guilt, and dread of detection, 
 frequently put bad men upon entering thofe accufa- 
 rions againd their opponents, which, without fuch 
 a timely precaution, they are judly apprehenftve, will 
 be charged upon themfelves : like the apodate fpirits 
 i:i Milton, who were for turning their own torments 
 into weapons agninil heaven. Such is the prudent con¬ 
 duct ot very many Arminians. Fully aware, that 
 their ottn lives are none of the Kit, they affcdt to 
 cry out againd Calvinifm, as though Ihe was the very 
 mother and nurfe of licentioufneis. Were die realiy 
 fo, what myriads w'ould defert the Standard of Armini- 
 us, and dock to the banner of Calvin ! But all, who 
 are capable of difeernment know, that the pretended 
 licentious tendency of Calvinifm (fo called) is no more 
 than idle flourilh and empty declamation. Were the 
 dochines of grace unfavourable to drift morality, we 
 Should quickly fee them the reigning lyflem oS the 
 age. On the contrary, they are therefore, at prefent, 
 unfashionable, becaufe they make no allowance for the 
 wickednefs of the wicked. ’Tis a fundamental axiom, 
 with us, who abide by the principles of the Reforma¬ 
 tion, that holinefs of heart and life is (not the caufe, 
 price, or condition, bur, which adds infinitely flrcnger 
 fecurity to the interefls of moral virtue) an cflential 
 and inseparable part of that very Salvation, to which 
 the eleci were chofen from everlading. A Calvinid 
 muil, consequently, renounce both the letter and the 
 Spirit of his own conditutive principles (r. e. he mud 
 ceale to be a Calvinid) e ! cr he can, confidently, dege¬ 
 nerate into a leni'ualid. 
 
[ i6r ] 
 
 leads, direclly, to tlie grofleft Antinomianifm. I once 
 knew .a Lady,' whom you had inveigled into your pale, 
 and who, in a fnort fpace, protefied herfelf perfctf. 
 Being in her company, iome time after, I pointed out 
 a part of her conduit, which, to me, feerned hardly 
 compatible with a linlefs Hate. Her anfwer was to this 
 efiedf : ‘ You are no competent judge of my behavi- 
 1 our. You are not, yourfelf, perfectly fandtified ; 
 
 ‘ and therefore fee my tempers and addons through a 
 ‘ falfe medium. I may, to you, feem angry : but my 
 ‘ anger is only Chrifhan zeal.’ I could, moreover, 
 mention the names of fome of your quondam followers, 
 who, from profeffing themfelves finlefs, have caft off 
 all appearance of godiinefs, and are working all manner 
 of iniquity with greedinefs. If you are in fearch of 
 Antinomians, truly and juftly to called; you- mu it 
 look for them, not among thofe whom you term Cal- 
 viliifts, but among your own hair-brained * Perfec- 
 O 3 tionifts. 
 
 -G • . ==S- 
 
 * I might, with too much juftice, add, that fome 
 of Mr. W.’s own Lay-Preachers are, indifputably to 
 be numbered among pradfical Antinomians. Thefe, 
 however, are regarded, by their partifans, as very ex¬ 
 cellent men, that have not yet attained to perfection, 
 though they are in a fair way for it. If Mr. Weiley 
 fhould have the front to deny, that any of his preach¬ 
 ing mechanics, are men of loofe lives ; I have it in my 
 power to appeal to fadts, which a tendernefs for thofe 
 perfons, as individuals or mankind, and a concern for 
 the honour of human nature in general, reft rain me at 
 prefent, from holding up to public view. Nor would 
 I be thought to hint at thefe things, with pleafurable 
 triumph. 1 feel too ftrongly for the interefts of Chri- 
 fiian obedience, and for the happinefs of fouls, to ex¬ 
 ult.over the vices of the vicious but, when men, 
 whole lives would be a difgrace to Heathenifm ; when 
 men, whom Socrates or Seneca would have b la fired to 
 own for difciples ; take upon them to arraign the doc¬ 
 trines of the Scriptures, and of our Eftabiiflied Church, 
 
 treder 
 
[ 16a ] 
 
 tiomfts. Had not you yourfelf (to remind you of but 
 one inflance) a proof of it, not veiy long’ago ? You 
 formed a fcheme, of colleding as many perfcd ones as 
 you could, to live together under one roof. A num¬ 
 ber of thefe flowers were accordingly tranfplanted, 
 from fame of your nurfery beds, to the hot-houfe. 
 And an hot houfe it Ibon proved. For, would we l>e- 
 lieve it ? the finlefs people quarrelled in a fr.ort time, 
 at fo violent a rate, that you found yourfelf forced to 
 difband the feled regiment'. Had you kept them to¬ 
 gether much longer, that line would have leen literal¬ 
 ly verified in thel'e Iquabbling members of your church 
 militant ; 
 
 4 The males pull’d nofes, and the females caps.’ 
 
 A very fmall houfe, I am perfuaded, would hold the 
 really perfcd, upon earth. You might drive them 
 all into a nudhell. But to return. 
 
 I cannot difmifs your objedion, concerning the fup- 
 pofedfcwnefs of God’s truly eled people, without ob- 
 ferving, that, how few foever they may appear, and 
 really be, in a Angle generation, and as balance-d with 
 the many unrighteous among whom they live below; 
 yet, when the whole number of the Redeemer’s jewels 
 is made up—when the entire harvefl of his faints is 
 gathered in—when his complete my flic body is pre- 
 iented, colledively, before the throne of his Father ; 
 they will amount to an exceeding great multitude, 
 which no man can number. On earth the company 
 of the faithful may, to us, who know but in part, re¬ 
 ferable Elijah’s cloud, which at firft, feemed “ no bigger 
 “ than a man’s handwhereas, in the day of God, 
 they will be found to overfpread the whole heavens. 
 
 They 
 
 •g , 
 
 under a pretence of guarding againft thofe immora¬ 
 lities of which they themfelves are notorious and noon¬ 
 day examples.— What can fubh fhamelefs railers ex- 
 ped, but to hav< their own real crimes defervedly ex¬ 
 po led ? 
 
t i6 3 1 
 
 They may appear, now, to ufe Ifaiah’s phrafe, but as 
 “ two or three berries on the top ot a bough, or as 
 “ four or five in the moil fruitful branches thereof 
 but they {hall, then", be like the tree in Nebuchad¬ 
 nezzar’s vilion, the “ the height of which reached un- 
 “ to heaven, and the fight of it to the end of all the 
 “earth: the leaves whereof were fair, and the fruit 
 “ thereof much.” The kingdom of glory will both 
 be more largely, and more varioufly peopled ; than 
 Bigots, ot all denominations, are either able to think, 
 or willing to allow. 
 
 Go now, Sir, and dazzle the credulous with your 
 mock victory over the fuppofed reprobation ot ‘ nine- 
 4 teen in twenty.’ Go on to chalk hideous figures on 
 your wain foot ; and enjoy the glorious triumph of 
 battering your knuckles in lighting them. But father 
 no more of your hideous figures on me. Do not drefs 
 up fcare-crows of your own, and then affedt to run a- 
 way from them as mine. I do not expedt to be treat¬ 
 ed, by Mr. John Wefley, with the candour of a Gentle¬ 
 man, or-the mecknefs of a Chriflian ; but I with him, 
 for his reputation’s fake, to write and adt with the 
 honeliy of an Heathen. 
 
 You affedt ta be deemed a Minifter of the national 
 church. Why, then, do you decry her doctrines, and, 
 as tar as in you lies, hip her difeipline? That you de¬ 
 cry her dofh'ines needs no proot: Witnefs, tor ex¬ 
 ample, the wide difcrepancy, between her decifions 
 and yours, on the articles of Free-will, Junification, 
 Predeflination, Perfeverance, and finlefs Perfedtion; 
 to lay nothing concerning your new-fangled doctrine 
 ot the intermediate ftate of departed fouls*. 
 
 That 
 
 •g ■ — 
 
 * In Mr. Wefley'’s firll edition of his notes on the 
 New Teftament, publifhed in 175^, are the two fol¬ 
 lowing allertions: than which, even he himfelf has, 
 perhaps, never given a more finking fpecimen of Pre- 
 fumption and Inconliflency. 4 Enoch and Elijah are 
 * sot in heaven, but only in paradife ;’ Note or. John 
 
C i 6 4 ] 
 
 That you likewife, do not overflow with zeal for 
 the difcipline * of the church ot England, is manifeft 
 not only from the numerous and intricate regulations, 
 with which you fetter f your focieties, but from the 
 
 mealures 
 
 iii, 13. “Enoch and Elijah entered at once into the 
 “ higheft degree of glorv, without firfl waiting in 
 “ paradife Note on Rev. xix, 20.—This it is, to 
 be wife above what is written ! 
 
 * Mr. Wefley’s re-baptization of feme adult pcrfons 
 is another proof of this charge. I could point out, by 
 name, more than one, who have undergone, from 
 his hands, a reiteration of that facred ceremony. I 
 fhall only, at prefent, mention a (ingle inflar.ee, which 
 1 had from the perfon herfelf, with peimiliion to 
 publifh her name at full length, in cafe Mr. W. fhould 
 deny the fa£L Mrs. L. S. now living in Southwark, 
 was baptized, in a bathing tub, in a cellar, by Mr. 
 John Wefley; who, at the time, held her down fo 
 very long under water, while he deliberately pronoun¬ 
 ced the words of the adminiftration, that feme triends 
 of hers, who were prefent, fereamed out, from an np- 
 prehenficn that (he was adtually drowned : and (lie 
 herfelf was fo far gone, that (lie began to grow infen - 
 Able, and was lifted out of the water but juft time 
 enough to fave her life.-—Yet this is the Man, who, 
 in the writings which he has publi(hed to the world, 
 profefles to hold Infant baptifm, and that by fprink- 
 ling, not by Immerlion ! 
 
 S^uo tcncam Vultus mutantem Protea "Nodo ? 
 
 •J The Rules of what Mr. Wefley calls the Band* 
 Societies, demonftrate the miferable fervitude of thofe 
 who are admitted into that gofliping club. The whole 
 of thefe rules would be too tedious to infert. One or 
 two of them, as famples of the reft, may not be unac¬ 
 ceptable to the reader. 
 
 ” To ('peak, each of us in order, freely and plainly, 
 
 ‘ the 
 
[ i6$ 1 
 
 meafures you lately purfued, when a foreign mendi¬ 
 cant was in England, who went by the name of Eraf- 
 mus, and dilecT himlelf Bilhop of Arcadia. This old 
 Gentleman palled tor a Prelate of the Greek church ; 
 though, to me, it feems not improbable, that he might 
 
 rather 
 
 • 3 ===®* 
 
 * the true Hate of our fouls ; with the Faults vve 
 ‘ have committed in Thought, Word or Deed; and 
 ‘the Temptations we have felt, fince our laft 
 ‘ meeting. 
 
 ‘ To delire fome perfon among us, to fpeak his own 
 4 date fird, and then alk the red, in order, as many and 
 
 * as searching quedions as may be, concerning 
 
 * their date, fins and temptations.’ 
 
 Among the quedions, propofed to fuch as are candi¬ 
 dates for admidion into this pretended SatiHum Sane - 
 torum, is the following : 
 
 ‘ It is your delire and dedgn, to be, on this and all 
 ‘ other occadons entirely open, l'o as to speak 
 ‘ every Thing, that is in your Heart without 
 
 * Exception, without Disguise, and without Re- 
 
 ‘ SERVE.’ 
 
 The printed account, from tvhence thefe extracts 
 were taken, verbatim, adds; that the five following 
 quedions are to be alked at every meeting : 
 
 1 i. What known Sins have you committed, fince 
 4 our lad meeting ? 
 
 ‘ 2. What Temptations have you met with ? 
 
 4 3. How was you delivered ? 
 
 ‘ 4. What have you thought, faid, or done, of which 
 4 you doubt whether it be fin or net ? 
 
 4 3. Have you nothing you defire to k?ep a Secret r’ 
 The Reader, doubtlefs, will, on this occafion, be 
 reminded dr the Popiih practice of Auricular confeffion. 
 For my own part, 1 make no fcruple to acknowledge, 
 that confeffion, as managed in the church of Rome, 
 is infinitely preferable to confeffion,. as conducted un¬ 
 der the aufpices ot Mr. Welley. In thofe countries, 
 where Popery is edabliflied, confeffion is made only to 
 
 one 
 
[ i66 ] 
 
 rather be a member of die Romilh. Thus much, how¬ 
 ever, is certain ; that the Chaplains of the then Ruf- 
 lian Amballador, here, knew aothing about him ; and 
 that, to this day, the Greek church, in. Amderdam, 
 believe him to have been an impodor. With regard 
 to this perfon, I take the liberty of putting one or two 
 queries to you. 
 
 i. Did you, or did you not, get him * to ordain fe¬ 
 deral of your Lay-preachers, according to the manner 
 of what he called the Greek ritual ? 
 
 2. Did 
 
 '3 - '■ : ' ■a =S- 
 
 one perfon, and he a Pried : who, if he divulges 
 what is made known to him under the character of 
 confelTor, is liable, by law, to fuller death. But in thefe 
 Band Societies, the mod open and unreferved confeffi- 
 on, is, it feems, made, in the hearing of a dozen or 
 twenty old women and boys, who are at liberty to blab 
 out all they hear, without being obnoxious to any 
 penalty at all. 
 
 I (hall only tranfcribe, from the above account, the 
 two following rules, impofed on thefe fame focieties : 
 
 1. ‘ To wear no needlefs ornaments ; fuch as rings, 
 4 ear-rings, necklaces, lace, ruffles. 
 
 2. ‘To ufe no needlefs felf-indulgence; fuch as, 
 * taking Snuff, or Tobacco: unleft preferibed by the 
 ‘ Phydcian.’ 
 
 * There is fomething vadly curious in the letter of 
 orders, which this vagrant gave to the perfons he 
 pretended to ordain. I once faw an original let ter, 
 or certificate, of this kind, figned by himfelf. It was 
 written in very mean Greek : and, which added to 
 my perfuadon of Erafmus’s being an impodor, was 
 drawn up, not in the modern Greek, which the Chrif- 
 tians of that church now ufe, but in the ancient : and 
 if I am not greatly midaken, the words were likewife 
 accented. I read it over, twice ; and mod fmcerely 
 wifh, I had taken a copy of it: But, at that time, I 
 regarded it only as an article of prefent curiodty.— A 
 friend of mine, however, who improved his oppor¬ 
 tunity- 
 
C 167 ] 
 
 2. Did thefe Lay-preachers of yours, or aid they not, 
 both drefs, and officiate, as Clergymen of the church 
 of England, in confequence of that ordination ? And 
 under the i'mftion ot your own avowed approbation 
 notwithftanding, putting matters at the bell, they 
 could only be Minifters of the Greek church, and 
 
 which 
 
 • g -;■ ■== 
 
 tunity rather better, took a tranilation of it; which, 
 on my after requeft, he favoured me with : and upon 
 the ftrength of memory, I can venture to affine the 
 public, that the verlion is, materially, a juft one. I 
 believe it to be perfedlly fo. It runs thus: 
 
 ‘ Our meafure from the grace, gift and power of 
 4 the all-holy and life-giving Spirit, given by our Sa- 
 4 viour Jefus Chrift to his divine and holy Apoftles, to 
 ‘ ordain Sub-deacons and Deacons; and alfo to advance 
 4 to the dignity of a Prieft ! Of this grace, which hath 
 4 defeended to our humility, 1 have ordained Sub- 
 4 deacon, and Deacon, at Snow-lields Chapel, on the 
 4 19th day of November, 1764, and at YVells-ftreet 
 4 Chapel, on the 24th of the fame month, Prieft ; the 
 4 Reverend Mr. W. C. according to the rules ot the 
 ‘ holy Apoftles and of our faith. Moreover, I hare 
 4 given to him power to minifter and teach, in all the 
 1 world, the Gofoel of Jefus Chrift, no one forbidding 
 4 him in the church of God, wherefore, for that very 
 4 purpofe, I have made this prefent letter of recom- 
 4 mendation from our humility, and have given it to 
 4 the ordained Mr. W. C. lor his certificate and fe- 
 4 curity. 
 
 4 Given and written at London, in Britain, Novem- 
 4 ber 24th, 1764. 
 
 ‘ERASMUS, Bifhopof ARCADIA.’ 
 
 I cannot help fuipefting, that his humility, as he 
 ■ftiles himfelf, is, if the truth was known, nearly re¬ 
 lated to another certain old Gentleman, who, no lefs 
 humbly writes himfelf. Servant of the Servants of God.-— 
 His humility of Arcadia,, and his Holinefs of Rome, 
 are, I doubt not, Ions of one and the fame Ecclefiafti- 
 cal mother e 
 
[ i 63 ] 
 
 which could give them no legal right to adt as Murders 
 of the church ot England. Nay, did you not repeat¬ 
 edly, declare, that their ordination war, to all intents 
 and purpofes, as valid, as your own, which you receiv¬ 
 ed, forty years ago, at Oxford ? 
 
 3. Did you,, or did you not, ftrongly prefs this 
 fuppoi’ed Greek Billiop to confecrate you a Bill op at 
 large, that you might be invefted with a power ot or¬ 
 daining what Minifters you pleafed, to officiate in 
 your Societies as Clergymen ? And, did he not refuie 
 to confecrate you, alledging this for his reaion, that 
 according to the canons or the Greek church, more 
 than one Biffiop rnuit be prefent to aii'ift, at the confe- 
 cration of a new one ? 
 
 4. In all this, did you, or did you not, palpably vio¬ 
 late a certain oath, which you have repeatedly tak< n ? 
 I mean the oath ot Supremacy : part of which, runs 
 thus; 
 
 4 And I do declare, that no foreign Prince, perfon, 
 * Prelate, State, or Potentate, hath, or ought to 
 4 have, any JurifdiCtion, Power, Superiority, Pre-emi¬ 
 nence, or Authority, Ecclesiastical or Spiri- 
 4 tual, within this realm : i'o help me God.’ 
 
 Now, is not the conferring of orders, an aft of the 
 high, ft Eccleliaftical power and authority ? And was 
 not this man a Foreigner ? And were not the fteps you 
 took, a politive acknowledgment of a Foreign Power 
 and Jurifdiftien ! And was not inch acknowledgment 
 a breach of your oath ? 
 
 It matters not, whether Erafmus was in fact an 3 m- 
 poftor, or a genuine Greek Bilhop. Unlefs you was 
 very infincere, you took him to be what he paft for. 
 If you did not, you was party to a fraud. Either way, 
 pretend no longer to love the church of England! you, 
 who fo lately endeavoured to fet up Imperium in Impe¬ 
 rii ! If you are honeft, you will either publicly con- 
 fefs your fault ; or, for ever, throw aiide your gown 
 and cailock. You will either return to the fervice of the 
 church, or ceafe to wear her livery.—You may think, 
 perhaps, that I make too free, in expoftulating with 
 
 you 
 
C i6 9 ] 
 
 youfo plainly. And yet on maturer thought, I q 
 tion, whether you may or not. How can Mr. Weiley, 
 who, on ail occafions, makes fo very free with others; 
 be angry with young tranllators, for copying (though 
 at humble diflance) fo venerable an example ? Nor, 
 indeed, ought a perfon, who, beyond even what truth 
 and decency permit, take fo great liberties with the telf 
 of his contemporaries ; to wonder, it fo fur as decen¬ 
 cy and truth allow, the reft of contemporaries take as 
 great liberties with him. 
 
 You complain, I am told, that the evangelical Cler¬ 
 gy are leaving no hone unturned ‘ to raife John Cal- 
 1 vin’s ghoft, in all quarters of the land.’ If you 
 think the dofhines of that eminent and blelled Re¬ 
 former to be formidable as a ghofl; you are welcome 
 to do all you can, toward laying them. Begin your 
 incantations, as foon as you pleafe. The prefs is open: 
 and you never had a fairer opportunity, of trying your 
 ftrength upon John Calvin, than at prefent. Only, 
 take care, that you do not, with all your fkill in Theo¬ 
 logical magic, get yourfelf into a circle, out of which 
 you may find it difficult to retreat—And a little to 
 mitigate your wrath againll the raifers of Calvin’s 
 ghofl; ; remember, that you yourfelf have been a great 
 ghoft-raifer, in your time. Who raifed the ghofts of 
 John Goodwin, the Arminian regicide; and of Thomas 
 Grantham, the Arminian Baptift ? who raifed a ghofl: 
 Of Monlie ur* De Renty, the French Papift ; and of 
 P many 
 
 * As a fpecimen of Mr. Wefley’s regard to, at 
 leaft the minutiae of Popery, I fliall feleci a few paf- 
 fages from his life of this Monfieur De Renty, which 
 now lies before me. The reader will obferve, that the 
 lentences, inclos’d with inverted commas, are Mr. 
 Wefley’s own words. 
 
 He lpeaks favourably of this French Papift, for his 
 regularly ‘ faying the Itinerarium and then ‘ linging 
 4 the Litanies of our Lord,’ before he let out on 
 any journey ; and for taking due care to ‘ fing the 
 
 ‘ P$rrs\ x 
 
[ i7° 3 
 
 many other Romiih Enthuliafts; by translating their 
 lives into Englith tor the edification of ProteftanS 
 readers ? 
 
 Should 
 
 •q . m . . . =a- 
 
 e Fejpers ,’ while he was upon the road, Page 3. 
 Among the infiances of Monfieur’s humility, arc 
 reckoned (Page 9 and 10.) his not permitting ‘ a. 
 
 * citfhion to be carried tor him’ when he went to- 
 mats ; and his frequently faying ‘ his prayers at the 
 
 * outfide of the church.’ Allb his going abroad, to 
 
 * hit a Monafiery, ‘ on. foot’ and that too ‘ in thaw- 
 1 ing weather :’ Nay, he would, fometimes, ‘ traverfe 
 *■ in a manner all Paris,’ even when ‘ it poured down 
 
 * with rain.’ And yet, with all this mad humility, Mr. 
 
 De Renty, it teems, kept a coach of his own. Had 
 he been confident, he would have entirely ihorn him- 
 ielf of this fupernumerary convenience^ by laying 
 down his carriage. But then, where would have 
 been the merit of lpontaneouily traverfing all Paris on 
 foot when it poured down with rain ? His dutiful de¬ 
 meanor to the Prieft, who had the care of his foul, as 
 its Father-Confeffor, is a feature of Mr. De Renty’s 
 faintthip, on which Mr. Wefley, with peculiar rapture, 
 dwells and dilates. Page 11, * A further proof of 
 
 * his humility, was his carriage to his director. He 
 c did nothing that concerned himfelf, without his 
 
 * conduct. To him he propofed whatever he deligned 
 *■ either by fpeaking, or writing, clearly and pundtual- 
 
 * ly; defiring his advice, his pleafure, and his blef- 
 
 * ling upon it ; and that, with the utmcft refpe'dl 
 
 * and fubmiffion. And, without reply, or difputing, 
 
 * he fimply and exadth followed his order.’ This was 
 good Catholic obedience indeed ? and, no doubt, Mr. 
 Wei ley had a view, in propoling fuch an example 
 to the imitation of his Protefiant followers. Under 
 the article of De Renty’s ‘ felf-denial and mortifica¬ 
 tion,’ we are informed (Page 14.) that ‘ he made 
 ‘ but one meal a day tor feveral years,’ and ‘ al- 
 ‘ ways of the worft’ provifions he could meet with. 
 He would ‘ often fiep into a baker’s (hop,’ and 
 
 dine 
 
[ r-7'i 3 
 
 "Should yon take any notice ot this letter, I have 
 three requefts to make; or, rather, there are three 
 particulars, on which I have a right to infill : 
 
 i. Don’t 
 
 ■a - ■- . -- S- 
 
 dine on 4 a piece ot bread and a draught of water.' 
 From the fame principle of gloomy and unthank¬ 
 ful fuperflition, he would do penance, by ‘ palling 
 * the night in a chair,’ or lying down ‘ in his clothes 
 ‘.and boots’ or lleeping ‘ on a bench till morning, 8 
 Being at Pontois, ‘ in winter,’ he defied ‘ the Car- 
 4 melite Nuns not to make a fire, or prepare a bed' 
 for him. ‘ He parted with fcveral books, (Page 16.) 
 4 became’ they were ‘ richly bound.’ Pie 4 ufed no 
 ‘ gloves, in any leafon; wore no clothes, but plain 
 ‘ and clofe-madeand ‘ carried no iilver’ in his 
 pockets, ‘ except for charity.’ After which detail of 
 a u fieri ties., the Biographer gravely adds, 4 I have l'ecii 
 4 him in his Coach, with a Page and Footman. 8 
 His coach, I prefume, was to carry him on foot, 
 when it rained ; his page was to hold up his clothes, 
 which were plain and dole-made ; and the office 
 of the footman was to reach him his cloves, where¬ 
 of he wore none in any feafon. Who could ever 
 have furmifed, that fuch a doleful feries of morti¬ 
 fication and felf-denial, would end in the fopperies 
 of a coach, a page, and a footmam ! Mr. De Renty’s 
 vanity, which mixed itfelf with his very auflerities, 
 reminds me of what, I am told, is common in the 
 flreets of Paris : where you may fee many a blind, 
 beggar bawling for alms, in a bag-wig, his hat 
 under his arm, a wooden fword by his lide, and 
 paper ruffles adorning the hand that is extended to 
 receive charity. But to return to the hero of the 
 tale. Having had a quarrel with his mother, and 
 the breach being made up, 4 he was no fooner re- 
 4 turned home, than he cauled Te Deum to be fling, 8 
 Pape 24. 4 He had great refpeft to holy perfons ; 
 
 ■* elpeeially to Priests. Whenever he met 
 -* them, he faluted them with profound humility.; 
 
 4 and, 
 
t 17 ^ ] 
 
 1. Don’t quote unfairly* 
 
 2. Don’t ani'wer evalively. 
 
 3. Don’t print clandedinely, 
 
 Canvafs 
 
 ‘ an-d, in his travels, would alight off his horfe 
 * to do it,’ Page 33. Nor does JMr. Wefley omit 
 to inform us. Page 39, of Mr. De Renty’s regard 
 to fueh fugitive Papids, as had either rendered 
 themlelves obnoxious to the laws at home, or pre- 
 tpried beggmg in France, to living under an here¬ 
 tical government in Great-Britain. ‘ Fie was the fird 
 ‘ that motion’d feme relief to the poor Englifh 
 driven, by Persecution, out of their ow r n coun- 
 ‘ try.’ Nor mud his very pilgrimages be overlook¬ 
 ed. ‘ Going, one day, to vilit the holy place of 
 ‘ Montmatre ; alter his prayers faid in the church, 
 ‘ he retired into a del'olate part of the mountain, 
 ‘ near a little fpring. There he kneeled down to 
 
 ‘ prayer: and, that ended, he dined on a piece 
 
 4 of bread and a draught of water.’ Page 43. Would 
 it not have been dill more devout, not to have 
 dined at all on fuch holy ground ? 4 One day he 
 4 vifited a perfen, who, from a groundlefs fufpicion, 
 4 had cruelly ufed his wife. Mr. De Renty accoded 
 
 4 him with fuch foft lannw^ ‘ . . 
 
 ^ itc wa» periurd- 
 
 co, at length, to go to confession, which he had 
 4 not done in twelve years before.’ Page 47, 48. 
 
 Kirnfelf, fays Mr. Wefley, fpeaking of Mr. De 
 
 Renty’s lad dinefs, 4 made his Confession, aimed 
 4 every day till his death.’ Page 6 2. 
 
 I difmifs thefe, and many other paffages in this 
 obnoxious performance, without farther remark. Their 
 tendency is felf-evident. I flail only add, that, 
 if the reader has a defire to fee dill more enormous 
 indances of Romilh fuperdition and fanaticifm ; he 
 will find them in Mr. Wedey’s lives of dome Spanifli 
 Monks (who, more nationally grave, did not imitate 
 the French afcetic, by retaining their coaches, pages, 
 and footmen) in the lad volume, or lad but one, 
 of his compilation, entitled, The ChrUHan Library. 
 
C l 73 ] 
 
 Canvafs the points of dodddne, wherein we differ, as 
 ftricily as you can. They will Hand the tefd. They 
 fcorn difguife. They difdain to fue for quarter. 
 Truth like our firft parents in the ftate or inno¬ 
 cence, can fhew herl’elf, naked, without being either 
 afraid, or afhamed : “ And he that doth truth, cometh 
 “ to the light, that his deeds may be made munifeft 
 4 ‘ that they are wrought in God.” 
 
 May you at laid, begin to add from this principle, 
 and no longer profditute your time and talents to the 
 wiredrawing of chicanery, and the circulation of error ! 
 I am not infer.lible of your parts : But, alas! what is 
 diftinguilhed ability, if not wedded to integrity ? No 
 lels juid, than ingenious, is the remark of a learned 
 and noble writer: ‘ The riches of the mind, like thofe 
 ‘ of fortune, may be employed fo perverfely, as to be- 
 ‘ come a nuifance and pelt, inldead of an ornament 
 ‘ 4 and fupport to fociety 
 
 I am, 
 
 Yours, &c„ 
 
 AUGUSTUS TOPLABY, 
 
 ? Dialogues of the Dead. P. 297, Edit, 176#, 
 
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 Marfhall on landfification, 
 
 Cole on God’s fovereignty, 
 
 Addifon’s evidences of the Chriflian religion, 
 Rutherford’s letters, 
 
 Walker of Edinburgh’s excellent fermons, 
 
 Walker of Truro’s Chriflian, 
 
 Nelfon’s feflivals, 
 
 Whole duty of man, 
 
 Law books, 
 
 Latin fchool books, 
 
 A few books on phyfic. 
 
 The neat American Edition of the celebrated R U~ 
 CHAN’s Family Physician. 
 
 Hume’s elegant hillory of England, 
 
 Mrs. M‘Auley’s ditto, 
 
 Rider’s ditto, 
 
 With a large variety of Divinity Books, Hiflories, No* 
 vels, Plays, &c. fold at the very lowest prices.