.OGICAL .647 d.l CUJ-.^dc-, THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TKUTH. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH In ;jFour Parts. WITH A VINDICATION OF PART IV. FROM THE CAVILS, CALUMNIES, AND DEFAMATIONS OF MR. HENRY HEYWOOD, &c. BY JOHN GILL, D.D. A NEW EDITION. LONDON: PRINTED FOR THOMAS TEGG AND SON, 73, CHEAPSIDE; R. GRIFFIN AND CO., GLASGOW; TEGG AND CO., DUBLIN; AND J, AND S. A. TEGC SYDNEY AND HOBART TOWN. MDCCCXXXVIII. LONDON : BKADBIIItV &ND EVANS, PHINTEBS, WHITEFRIARS. PREFACE. It should be known by the reader, that the following work was undertaken and begun about the year 1733 or 1734, at which time Dr. IVliitbys Discourse on the Five Points was re- printing, judged to be a masterpiece on the subject in the English tongue, and accounted an unanswerable one ; and it was almost in the mouth of every one, as an objection to the Calvinists, Why do not ye answer Dr. Whitby ? Induced hereby, I deter- mined to give it another reading, and found myself inclined to answer it, and thought this was a very proper and seasonable time to engage in such a work. In the year 1735, the First Part of this work was published, in which are considered the several passages of Scripture made use of by Dr. Whitby and others in favour of the Universal Scheme, and against the Calvinistical Scheme, in which their arguments and objections are answered, and the several passages set in a just and proper light. These, and what are contained in the following part in favour of the Particular Scheme, are extracted from Sermons delivered in a Wednesday evening's lecture. The Second Part was published in the year 1736, in which the several passages of Scripture in favour of special and distinguish- ing grace, and the arguments from them, are vindicated from the exceptions of the Arminians, and particularly from Dr. Whitby, and a reply made to answers and objections to them. The Third Part was published in 1737, and is a confutation of the arguments from reason used by the Arminians, and parti- cularly by Dr. Whitby, against the above doctrines ; and a vindication of such as proceed on rational accounts in favour of them, in which it appears that they are no more disagreeable to right reason than to divine revelation ; to the latter of which the greatest deference should be paid, though the Rationalists of our age too much neglect it, and have almost quitted it ; but to the law and to the testimony^ if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. In this part of the work is considered the agreement of the sentiments of Mr. Hobbes and the Stoic philosophers with those of the Calvinists, in which the difference between them is observed, and the calumny removed ; to which is added, a Defence of the Objections to the Universal Scheme, taken from the prescience and the providence of God, and the case of the Heathens. The Fourth Part was published in 1738, in which the sense of the ancient writers of the Christian Church, before the times of Austin, is given ; the importance and consequence of which is shown, and that the Arminians have very little reason to triumph on that account. This work was published at a time when the nation was greatly alarmed with the growth of Popery, and several learned gentlemen were employed in preaching against some partieular points of it ; but the author of this work was of opinion, that the increase of Popery was greatly owing to the Pelagianism, Arminianism, and other supposed rational schemes men run into, contrary to divine revelation. This was the sense of our fathers in the last century, and therefore joined these and Popery together in their religious grievances they were desirous of having redressed ; and indeed, instead of lopping off the branches of Popery, the axe should be laid to the root of the tree, Arminianism and Pelagianism, the very life and soul of Popery. This neio edition, with some alterations and improvements, is now published by request. CONTENTS. PART I. EXAMINATION OF EXAMINATION OF SEC. PAGE SEC. PAGE . Gen. iv. 7 - 1 XXXI. . John xii. 32 - 62 II. . Gen. vi. 3 - 4 XXXII. . Acts iii. 19 - 63 III. . . Deut. V. 29 - 8 XXXIII. . Acts vu. 51 * 66 IV. . Deut. viii. 2 - 10 XXXIV. . Rom. V. 18 - 67 V. . Deut. XXX. 19 - 13 XXXV. . Rom. xi. 32 - 70 VI. . Deut. xxxii. 29 - 18 XXXVI. . Rom. xiv. 15 - 71 VII. . Psalm Lxxxi. 13, 14 - 20 XXXVII. 1 Cor. viii. 11 - 72 VIII. . Psalm cxxv. 3 - 22 XXXVIII. 1 Cor. X. 12 - 74 IX. . Psalm cxlv. 9 - - 23 XXXIX. . 2 Cor. V. 14, 15 - 76 X. . . Prov.i. 22-30 - 25 XL. . . 2 Cor. V. 19 - 80 XI. . Isa.i. 16,17 - 28 XLI. . . 2 Cor. vi. 1 - - 82 XII. . Isa. i. 18—20 - 30 XLII. 2 Cor. xi. 2, 3 - 83 XIII. . Isa. V. 4 - 31 XLIII. . Phil. ii. 12 - 85 XIV. . Isa. XXX. 15 - 34 XLIV. . 1 Tim. i. 19, 20 - 87 XV. . Isa. Iv. 1 . 36 XLV. . . 1 Tim. ii. 4 - 91 XVI. . . Isa. Iv. 6 37 XLVI. . 1 Tim. iv. 10 - 95 XVII. . . Isa. Iv. 7 - ib. XLVII. . Tit. ii. 11, 12 - 96 XVIII . Jer. iv. 4 - 39 XLVIII. . Epistle to the Hebrews - 99 XIX. . Ezek. xviii. 24 - 41 XLIX. . Heb. ii. 9 - 100 XX. . . Ezeli. xviii. 30 - 43 L. . • . Heb. vi. 4—6 - 102 XXI. . Ezek. xviii. 31, 32 - 45 LI. . . Heb. X. 26—29 - 105 XXII. . Ezek, xxiv. 13 - 47 LII. . . Heb. X. 38 - 108 XXIII . Matt. V. 13 - 48 LIIL . . 2 Pet. i. 10 - 110 XXIV. . Matt. xi. 21, 23 - 50 LIV. . . 2 Pet. ii. 1 - - 112 XXV. . . Matt, xxiii. 37 - 52 LV. . . 2 Pet. ii. 20—22 - 114 XXVI . Matt. XXV. 14—30 - 54 LVI. . . 2 Pet. iii. 9 - 115 XXVI] . . Lukexix. 41, 42 - 55 LVII. . . 1 John ii. 2 - 117 XXVI] I. . Jolin i. 7 - 57 LVIII. . Jude, 21 - 123 XXIX . Jolin V. 34 - 60 LIX. . Rev. ii. iii. - 125 XXX. . . John V. 40 - 61 LX. . . Rev. iii. 20. - 128 CONTENTS. PART II. CHAPTER I. — OF REPROBATION. A VINDICATION OF I. . . . Prov. xvi. 4 II. . . . John xii. 39, 40 III. . . 1 Pet. u. 8 IV. . . Jude, 4 V. . . . Rev. xiii. 8 CHAPTER II.— OF ELECTION. PAGE - 131 - 134 - 136 - 139 - 141 I. . 1 Pet. ii. 9 II. . Rom. ix. 10—13 III. . . Coloss. iii 12 IV. . . Ephes. i. 4 V. . Rom. viii. 28, 29 VI. . John vi. 37 VII. . Acts xiii. 48 VIII. . . Rom. viii. 29, 30 IX. . . 2 Tim. ii. 19 X. . Rom. V. 19 CHAPTER III.— OF REDJ I. . Matt. XX. 28 II. . John X. 15 III. . John xvii. 9 IV. . Rom. viii. 34 V. . Rom. viii. 32 VI. . Rom. V. 10 VII. John XV. 13 - 145 - 150 - 155 - 156 - 159 - 161 - 165 - 170 - 175 - 176 181 184 185 187 188 190 192 CHAPTER IV OF EFFICACIOUS GRACE. - 193 . 194 - 196 - 199 - 201 - 203 - 204 - 205 I. . Ephes. i. 19, 20 II . 2 Cor. V. 17 III. . John iii. 5 IV. . Ephes. ii. 1 V. . 1 Cor. ii. 14 VI. . . 2 Cor. iii. 5 VII. John XV. 5 VIII. . John vi. 44 TAOB Acts xi. 18 - 208 Acts xvi. 14 . 210 Jer. xxxi. 18 - 212 Jer. xxxi. 33 - 214 Ezek. xxx\-i. 26 - 216 Phil. ii. 13 - 218 1 Cor. iv. 7 - 220 Ephes. ii. 8, 9 - 222 SEC. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. CHAPTER V. OF THE CORRUPTION OF HUMAN NATURE, AND THE IMPOTENCE OF THE WILL OF MAN TO THAT WHICH IS SPIRITUALLY GOOD. - 225 - 227 - 231 - 234 - 235 - 240 CHAPTER VI OF PERSEVERANCE. I. . Job xiv. 4 II. . Psalm U. 5 - III. . Gen. vi. 5 IV. . John iii. 6 V. . Rom. vii. 18, 19 VI. . Rom. viii. 7, 8 I. . John xiii. 1 - 242 II. . John xvii. 12 - 243 III. . Rom. xi. 29 - 245 IV. . Matt. xxiv. 24 - 246 V. . . John vi. 39, 40 - 248 VI. . Rom. xi. 2 - 251 VII. . Rom. viii. 38, 39 - 252 VIII. . Ephes. i. 13, 14 - 253 IX. . 1 Pet. i. 5 - 255 X. . 1 John ii. 19 - 256 XI. . 1 John iii. 9 - 259 XII. . Isa. liv. 10 - 260 XIII. . Isa. lix. 21 - 262 XIV. . Hos. ii. 19, 20 - 264 XV. . Jer. xxxii. 49 - 266 XVI. . . John xiv. 16 - 268 XVII. . John X. 28 - 269 XVIII. 1 Cor. i. 8, 9 - 271 CONTENTS. xi PART III. CHAP. PAGK CHAP. PAGE I. . Of Reprobation . 277 VI. . . Of the Perseverance of II. . Of Election - 293 the Saints - 3C4 III. . . Of Redemption - 301 VII. . . Of the Prescience and IV. , . Of Efficacious Grace - 329 Providence of God - 370 V. . Of the Freedom of the VIII. . . The State and Case of Will of Man - 337 the Heathens - 383 PART IV SBC. THE INTRODUCTION PAGE 404 CHAPTER I OF PREDESTINATION. I. . . Clemens Romanus - 409 II. . . Ignatius - - 411 III. . . Justin - - 412 IV. . . Minutius Felix - 414 V. . . Irenseus - - 416 VI. . . Clemens Alexandrinus - 419 VII. . . Tertullian - - 421 VIII. . . Origenes Alexandrinus • 422 IX. . . Csecilius Thascius Cy- prianus - - 424 X. . . Novatianus - 426 XI. . . Athanasius - - 427 XII. . . Hilarius Pictaviensis - 429 XIII. . . Basilius Csesariensis - 431 XIV. . . Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus 432 XV. . . Gregorius Nazianzenus - ib XVI. . . Hilarius Diaconus - 434 XVII. . Ambrosius Mediolanensis 436 XVIII. . Joannes Chrysostomus - 437 XIX. . . Hieronymus - 439 CHAPTER II.— OF REDEMPTION. II. III. IV. V. . VI. VII. VIII. IX. Clemens Romanus Barnabas Ignatius Justin Ecclesia Smyrnensis Irenseus Tertullian Origenes Alexandrinus Cyprian - 443 - 444 - ib., - ib. - 446 - 447 . 449 - 450 - 453 SEC X. . . Lactantius XI. . . Paulinus Tyrius XII. . . Eusebius Pamphilius Csesariensis XIII. . . Julius Firmicus XIV. . . Athanasius XV. . . Macarius ^gyptius XVI . Hilarius Pictaviensis XVII. . Basilius Csesariensis XVIII. . Optatus Milevitanus XIX. . . Victorinus XX. . . Marcus Eremita XXI.. . . Faustinus XXII. . Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus 409 XXIII. , Gregorius Nazianzenus - 470 XXIV. . Didymus Alexandrinus XXV. . . Gregorius Nyssenus XXVI. . Pacianus Barcinonensis vel Barcilonensis - 472 XXVII. . Hilarius Diaconus - 473 XXVIII. . Ambrosius Mediolanesis 474 XXIX. . Epiphanius - . 477 XXX. . Gaudentius Brixiensis - 478 XXXI. . Joannes Chrysostomus - 479 XXXII. . Ruffinus Aquileiensis - 481 XXXIII . Hieronymus - 482 CHAPTER III OF ORIGINAL SIN, THE IMPOTENCE OF MAN's FREE WILL, &C. I. . . Clemens Romanus - 488 II.. . . Barnabas - . 488 III. . . Ignatius - . 489 IV. . . Justin - . ib, V. . . Irenseus - . 491 - 456 - 457 - 458 - 461 - 462 - 464 - ib. - 465 - 466 - 467 - 467 - 468 471 ib. xn CONTENTS. SEC. PACK SEC. PAGE VI. . Clemens Alexandriuus - 492 XIII. . Basilius Csesariensis 539 VII. . Tertullian - 493 XIV. . Gregorius Nazianzenus 540 VIII. . Origenes Alexandrinus 494 XV. . Didymus Alexandrinus - 541 IX. . . Gregorius Neocsesariensis 497 | XVI. . Gregorius Nyssenus ib. X. . Cyprian - 498 XVII. . Hillarius Diaconus 542 XI. . . Arnobius - 499 XVIII. . Ambrosius Mediolanensis 543 XII. . . Lactantius - 500 XIX. . . Marcus Eremita 545 XIII. . . Eusebius Csesariensis - 502 XX. . Joannes Chrysostomus 546 XIV. . . Macarius ^gyptius - 503 XXI. Hieronymus 547 XV. . XVI. . Athanasius Hilarius Pictaviensis - 505 - 507 CHAPTER v.- OF PERSEVERANCE. XVII. . Victorinus Afar - 508 I. . Clemens Romanus 550 XVIII. . Optatus Milevitanus - 509 II. . Barnabas 551 XIX. . Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus ib. 1 III. . . Ignatius ib. XX. . . Basilius Csesariensis - 510 IV. . . Irenseus 552 XXI. . XXII. . Gregorius Nazianzenus . Gregorius Nyssenus 511 - 512 V. VI. . . Epistola Martyrum Gallise . Clemens Alexandrinus 553 554 XXIII. Hilarius Diaconus - 514 VII. . . Tertullian 555 XXIV. . Ambrosius Mediolanensis 515 VIII. . Origenes Alexandrinus - 558 XXV. . . Epiphanius - 517 IX. . . Cyprian 560 XXVI. Marcus Eremita - ib. X. . Lactantius 563 XXVII . Joannes Chrysostomus 518 XI. . . Eusebius Csesariensis ib. XXVIII. . Hieronymus - 519 XII. . Chronomatius 564 XIII. . . Athanasius 565 CHAPTER IV.— OF EFFICACIOUS GRACE. XIV. . . Macarius ^gyptius 566 II. III. IV. . V. VI. VII. . VIII. . . Clemens Romanus . Barnabas . Justin Irenseus . Clemens Alexandrinus . Tertullian . Origenes Alexandrinus . Cyprian - 524 - 525 - 526 - 527 - 528 - 529 - 530 - 533 XV. . XVI. . XVII. XVIII. XIX. XX. . XXI. . XXII. Hilarius Pictaviensis . Basilius Ctesariensis Gregorius Nazianzenus - . Gregorius Nyssenus . Hilarius Diaconus . Ambrosius Mediolanensis . . Joannes Chrysostomus - . Hieronymus 567 568 570 571 572 573 574 575 IX. X. . Eusebius Csesariensis . . Athanasius - 534 - 535 CHAPTER VI.— OF THE HEATHENS. XI. . . Macarius iEgyptius - 53G A VINDICATION OF THE CAUSE OF GOD XII. . . Hilarius Pictaviensis - 538 AND TRUTH, &c. 580 CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. SECTION I. If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? &)-c. — Gen. iv. 7. I. It will be pi'oper to inquire, whether a wicked, an unregenorate man, as was Cain, can perform good works. To which may be answered, 1 . Adam had a power to do every good work the law required ; which men, since the fall, have not. Men indeed, in an unregenerate state, might do many things which they do not ; such as reading the Scriptures, attending on public worship, &c. No doubt but the per- sons in the parable, who were invited to the dinner, could have gone to it, had they had a will, as well as the one did to his farm, and the other to his merchandise. Men have an equal power, had they an heart, a will, an inclination, to go to a place of divine worship, as to a tavern, or alehouse ; but it is easy to observe, that persons often- times have it in the power of their hands, when they have it not in the power of their hearts, to do a good work ; as a rich man to give alms to the poor. Unregenerate men are capable of performing works, which are in a natural and civil, though not in a spiritual sense, good. They may do those things, which externally, in appear- ance, and as to the matter and substance of them, may be good ; such as hearing, reading, praying, giving ahns to the poor, &c., when the circumstances requisite to good works are wanting ; for •whatsoever is done as a good work, must be done in obedience to the will of God ; from a principle of love to him ; must be per- formed in faith ; in the name of Christ, and to the glory of God by him. Therefore, 2. It must bo denied, that wicked, unregenerate men, have a power to perform good works in a spiritual manner ; which is evident from their natural estate and condition, according to the scriptural repre- sentation of it, Avhich is this : that the bias of their minds is to that which is evil, and to that only ; that they are wholly carnal, and mind nothing else but the things of the flesh ; that they are weak and strengthless, yea, dead in trespasses and sins ; nay, that they are under an impossibility to do that which is spiritually good ; Time is 2 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. none that doth qood, no not one of them, nor are they able ; they are not subject to the 'law of God, nor can they be. When the Ethiopian changes his skin, and the leopard his spots, then may the?/ also do good, who are accustomed to do evil. Men may expect as soon to gather arapes of thorns, or Jigs of thistles, as gootl fruit to grow upon, or good works to be performed by, unregenerate men : no, they must be created in Christ Jesus, have the Spirit of Christ put into them, and his grace implanted in them ; they must be believers in him, before they are capable of doing that which is spiritually good. And even believers themselves are not able to think a •good thought or perform a good work of themselves; it is God who works in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Sometimes when they have a will to that which is good, yet how to perform they know not ; they can do no- thing without Christ, though all things through him, who strengthens them ; nnich less then have unregenerate persons either a power or a will to that which is spiritually good. Mor, 3. Is there any foundation for such a proposition in these words, which are hypothetically expressed, and therefore nothing absolutely to be concluded from them ; that is to say, we are not to argue from God's saying to Cain, If thou dost well, therefore Cain had a power to do well, or to do that which is spiritually good, well ; much less should we infer from hence, as one does, that " God could not have proposed the doing of good as a condition, if ho had not given Cain sufficient streno-th^whereby he was capable to do good *". Since God could not only have proposed the doing of good, but have required it according to iiis law, without being under obligation to give sufficient strength to obey ; for though man by his sin has lost his power to obey the will of God in a rio-ht manner, yet God has not lost his authority to command ; which he may use without obliging himself to find man sufficient streno-th to act in obedience to it. Besides, 4. 'These words regard doing well, not in a nwral, but in a ceremo- nial'sense. Cain and Abel were very early taught the necessity, man- ner, and use of sacrifices ; and in process of time they brought their offerino-s to the Lord, each according to his different calling and em- ployment : the one brought of the fruit of the ground, the other of the firstlings of his flock. Now to Abel and his offering the Lord had respect, that is, he accepted him and his offering ; but to Cain and his offering he had not respect ; which made Cain very wroth; and his countenance fell ; upon which the Lord expostulates with him after this manner, Whg art thou ivroth ? and why^ is thy countenance fallen ? If thou dost loell, eav opOd^ -npoaeviyKTi^, If thou hadst^ offered rightly, as the Septuagint render the words ; which though it is not a proper literal translation of them, yet agreeable enough to their sense, shouldst thou not he accepted ? Cain failed either in the matter or manner of his sacrifice ; probably in the latter ; since the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews observes, that hy faith, Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cainf. Cain offered "his sacrifice without faith, without any view to the sacrifice of Christ : he performed this his • Barclay's Apology, p. 151. t Hcb. xi. 4. THK CAIJSK OF GOD AND TRUTH. ,*J sacrifice hypocritically, in show and appearance only ; ho acted from no right principle, nor to any right end ; and therefore his works, whatever show of righteousness they might have, are, by the apostle John*, rightly caWed evil ; as are also'all the works of wicked and unregeneratc men, I proceed, II. To consider whether man's acceptance with God is on the account of his good works. 1 . There is a difference between the acceptance of men's works, and of their persons for them : there are many actions done by men, which are acceptable and well-pleasing to God, when they themselves are not accepted by him, on account of them. Besides, no mans works are accepted by him whose person is not previously accepted: God first had respect to the person of Abel, and then to his offering; which shows that his person was not accepted for the sake of his offering. The best works of the saints are imperfect, and attended with sin, and are only acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, in whom, and in whom only, who is the beloved, their persons are accepted and well- pleasing to God. No man can be justified or saved by his works, and therefore no man can be accepted with God on that account ; which is the current doctrine of the sacred writings : this will help us to understand the true sense of such passages, as Acts x. 35; Rom. xix. 18; 2 Cor. V. 9; compai^ed with Eph. i. 6; 1 Pet. ii. 5. 2. Nor do these words suppose that man's acceptance with God stands upon the foot of works. The Hebrew word n«ti>, for there is but one word in the original text, which our translators render, shalt thou not he accepted? signifies either excellency, as in Psal. Ixii. 4, and may de- sign the dignity of primogeniture, or honour of birth-right, as it does in Gen. xlix. S, and so be rendered, shalt thou not have the excellency ? that is, shall not the right of primogeniture continue with thee I shall not the honour and privilege of being the first-born abide with thee ? thou needest not be afraid that this shall be taken from thee, and given to thy younger brother, who is willing to be subject to thee, and ready to serve thee ; which well agrees with the latter part of the text, and unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him : or the word signifies an elevation, or lifting up, and is to be understood as Aben Ezraf observes of 0^:£i n^^ti>, a lifting up of the countenance, which was fallen, ver. 5, 6, and then the sense is. If thou hadst done well, when thou broughtest thine offering, thou mightest have lift up thy face ivithout spot, and doubtless thou wouldst have done so ; but inasmuch as thou hast sinned and done evil, and which is to be seen in thy fallen countenance, sin lies at the door of thy conscience ; which, when once opened, it will enter in, and make dreadful work ; as it did a little after ; which made him say, My punishment is greater than I can hear. But admitting that the word signifies acceptance, and be rendered, shall there not be an accejnance ? it is to be understood, not of an acceptance of his person, but of his sacrifices and services. III. It remains to bo considered, whether Cain had a day of grace |, in which it was possible for him to be accepted with God. ^ * 1 Jolin iii. 1-2. t In lor. J So says Barclay in his Apologv, p. lOl. b2 4 THE CAUSE OF QOD AND TRUTH. 1. Tliere is no acceptance of any man's person, but as he is con- sidered in Christ the Mediator. Now as there is no reason to beUeve that ever Cain, who was of the wicked one, the devil, was ever in Christ, or ever considered in him ; so there is no reason to conclude, that he either was, or that it was possible for him to be, accepted with God. 2. The text does not speak of his doing well in a moral or spiritual, but in a ceremonial way ; and not at all of the acceptance of his per- son, on the foot of so doing ; but at most, only of the acceptance of his sacrifice and ceremonious services, supposing them rightly per- formed. 3. These words are not expressive of a day of visitation in a way of grace and mercy to him ; but are to be considered as an expostulation with him for his wrath, fury, and fallen countenance, and an upbraid- ing of him with his evil doing, in order to awaken his conscience, and bring him to a full sense of his sin ; which was so far from proving a day of grace to him, that it quickly issued in the utmost distress of mind, torture of conscience, and black despair. SECTION II. And the Lord said. My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is Jlesh ; yet his days shall he an hundred and twenty years. — Gen. vi. 3. It will be necessary, in order to understand the sense of this text, to inquire, I, Who is meant by the Spirit of God ; and whether the Holy Ghost, the third person in the trinity, is designed or not. 1. Some of the Jewish writers* think, that the soul of man is in- tended ; which is called not only the spirit of man, but also the Spirit of God ; as in those words of Job, All the while my breath is in we, and the Spirit of God is in my nostrils t. Some of them % derive the word fpN translated strive, from pJ, which signifies the scab- bard of a sword, and say, what the scabbard is to the sword, that the body is to the soul ; and give this as the sense of the words ; " My Spirit, or the soul which I have put into man, shall not always abide in him as a sword in its scabbard ; I will unsheath it, I will draw it out ; he shall not live always, seeing he is flesh, corrupt, given up to carnal lusts ; yet his days, or term of life, which I will now shorten, shall be one hundred and twenty yeai's." Another of them§ delivers the sense of the words to this purpose; '• My Spirit, which I have breathed into man, shall not be any more in contention with the body ; for it does not delight in nor receive profit from the desires of the body ; for the body is drawn after beastly desires, and that because it is flesh, and its desires are plunged and fixed in the propagation of * R. Levi Ben Gcrsom, R. Abcn Ezra, &c., in loc. t Job xxii. 3. X So some in R. Abcn E/.ra, in loc R. Hona in Bcrcshit Rabba, fol. 22, 3. § R. Joseph Kimtlii in R. David Kimclii, lib. Slioiasb, lad. ni THE CALtiE 01' GOD AND TRUTH. 5 the flesh : however, I will prolong their days one hundred and twenty years ; and if they return by repentance, very well ; but if not, I will destroy them from the world ," The Targum paraphrases the words thus, " This wicked generation shall not be established before me for ever."" 2. Others, as Sol. Jarchi, understand it of God himself, thus saying, within himself; " My Spirit, which is within me, shall not always be, as it were, in a tumult, or contention about man, whether I shall spare him, or destroy him, as it has been a long time, but it shall be no longer so ; I will let man know, that I am not fluctuating between mercy and judgment, but am at a point, being determined to punish him, since he is wholly given up to carnal pleasures, when I have spared him an hundred and twenty years more." This sense of the words much obtains among learned men *. And if either of these senses be received, the reasonings of the Arminians from these words, in favour of any branch of their scheme, fall to the ground ; but I am willing to allow, 3. That by the Spirit of God, we are to understand the Holy Ghost ; so Jonathan Ben Uzziel, in his Targum, expressly calls him ; and I am the rather induced to believe this to be the meaning of the phrase ; since the apostle Peter, when he speaks of Christ being put to death in thejlesh, and quickened by the Spirit, which is to be understood of the Holy Spirit, adds, by tvhich, that is, by which Spirit, also he icent and preached unto the spirits in prison, tvhich sometimes were disobedient, when once the long-sicffering of God waited in the days of Noah f : which words refer to those in Genesis, and are the best key unto them, and com- ment on them. I proceed to consider, II. Whether the Holy Spirit was in the men of the old world, since, as it is observed J, the words may be rendered. My Spirit shall not ahcaijs strive in man ; and whether it may be concluded from hence, that the Spirit of God is in every man, from whom he may wholly remove through man's misconduct. 1 . The Spirit of God is every where, in every creature, and so in every man, as he is the omnipresent God : hence says the Psalmist, Whither shall I fly from thy Spirit^ .^ He may also be in some persons by his gifts natural or divine, and that either in an ordinary or in an extraordinary way, or by some operations of his on the mind ; which are not of a saving nature, nor designed to a saving purpose ; and in one or other of these senses, the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal\\ ; and the S'pirit may be said to be both in the men of the old world, and of this. But, 2. That he is in every man in a way of special grace, and to saving purposes, provided they behave well, must be denied ; for every un- converted man is destitute of the Spirit: were the Spirit, in this sense, in every man, the indwelling of the Spirit would be no evidence of regeneration ; the difference between a regenerate and an unrege- nerate man lying in this, the one has, the other has not the Spirit of God. Hence, ,* Vid. Fuller. Misccll. Sacra, 1 5, c. 5 ; and Vatablns, and Cai>cllus, in loc. t 1 Peter iii. 18— '20. J Barclay's Apology, p. 154. § Ts. cxxxix. 7. i| 1 CV. xii. 7. O THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 3. It is easy to judge in what sense the Spirit of God docs, and does not depart wliere he once is. Where he is only by his gifts or external operations, he may wholly remove, he may take away those gifts, or cease from those works ; and men, notwithstanding these, may be everlastingly lost ; but where he is by his special grace, he never totally departs, though he may withdraw his gracious presence for a time ; his people may not be indulged with his joys and comforts, and in their apprehension he may seem to be taken away from them, yet he always abides in them ; otherwise Christ's pi-ayers for his per- petual continuance with his people would not be answered ; nor would the Spirit's indwelling be a security of the saints'" perseverance, nor any certain pledge of their future glory. To add no more, the words of the text speak not of the Spirit's being in the men of the old world, but of his striving with them. Wherefore the next inquiry III. Is, what is meant by the strivings of the Spirit? and whether through man's neglect of him, or opposition to him, he may strive to no purpose. 1. The Hebrew word m, here used, signifies to judge, to execute judg- ineat, ov punish in a righteous way ; and so some* read the words, My Spirit shall not judge these meii for ever ; I will not reserve them to everlasting torments ; I will punish them here in this world ; for they are flesh, frail sinful creatures ; I will not contend for ever, neither tinll I he alioags wj'oth : for the sjjirit shoiddfail before me, and the souls which I have niade-f ; or rather the sense is according to this version, My Spirit shall not exercise judgment on them for everj, that is, immediately, directly, at this very instant : though they are so cor- rupt, I will give them the space of one hundred and twenty yeai's to repent in ; and after that, if they repent not, I will deliver them up to destruction ; wliich accordingly was the event of things. 2. The word here translated strive, signifies also to litigate a point, or reason in a cause ; before it is ripe for judgment, or the execution of it. Now the Spirit of God had been litigating and reasoning with these men in the court and at the bar of their o\xn consciences, about their sins, by one providence or another, and by one minister or another ; particularly by Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and that to no purpose : hence he determines to go on no longer in this way, but to proceed to pass and execute the sentence of condeumation on them, since they were so very corrupt, being nothing else but flesh. However, to show his clemency and forbearance, he grants them a re- prieve for one hundred and twenty years ; which is that long-suffering of God the apostle speaks of, that ivaited in the dags of Noah, lohile the ark was preparing §. Hence it appears, that the strivings of the Spirit of God with these men, were only by the external ministry of the word, and in a way of moral suasion, which came to nothing. This may lead us to observe the insufficiency of moral suasion and the external ministry of the word, without the powerful and efficacious grace of the Spirit. * So Symmadms Hicroti. Tra.ha, fol. 22, 3. t ha. ]vii. K;. X Vi,!. Fuller. .Misccll. Sucr. I. h. c. o. § I Pctei iii. 20. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TKUTH. / 3. It is now easy to discern in what sense the Spirit of God may be opposed and resisted, and strive to no purpose, and in what sense not. The things of the Spirit of God are disagreeable to a natural man : it is no wonder that the external ministry of the word and ordinances are despised, opposed, and resisted. The external call may be rejected ; yea, some inward motions and convictions may be overruled, stifled, and come to nothing : nay, it will be granted, that there may be and is an opposition and resistance to the work of the Spirit of God in conversion ; but then the Spirit cannot be so resisted in the operations of his grace, as to be obliged to cease from his work, or to be overcome or hindered in it ; for he acts with a design which cannot be frustrated, and with a power which is uncontrollable ; were it otherwise, the re- generation and conversion of every one must be precarious, and where the grace of the Spirit is effectual, according to the doctrine of free will, it would be more owing to the will of man than to the Spirit of God. IV. It may be asked whether the old world had a day of grace*, and so all mankind, in which they might be saved if they would ; during which time the Spirit strives with man ; and when that is ex- pired he strives no longer. 1. The space of one hundred and twenty years allowed the old world for repentance, was indeed a favour, and indulgence of Divine Providence, a time of God's long-suffering and forbearance ; but it does not follow, that because they had such a space allotted to tliem, in which, had they repented, they would have been saved from tem- poral ruin ; that therefore all mankind have a day of grace, which if they improve, they may be saved with an everlasting salviition. For, 2. If by a day of grace are meant the means of grace, the external ministry of the word and ordinances, these are insufficient to salvation, without the efficacious grace of God ; and besides, these are not enjoyed by all mankind. Every man has not a day of grace in this sense. Sometimes the means of grace have been confined to one particular nation, and all the rest of the world have been without them for a considerable number of years. This was the case of all the nations of the world whom God suffered to walk in their own ways ; overlooked them, took no notice of them, gave them no day of grace ; while his worship was only kept up in the land of Judea. And since the coming of Christ, the administration of the word and ordinances has sometimes been in one place, and sometimes in another, when the rest of mankind have been without them : so that every man in this sense has not had a day of grace. 3. The whole Gospel dispensation in general may be called a day of grace ; but this day does not expire while men live, or at their death ; it reaches from the coming of Christ, unto the end of the world ; it will continue until all the elect of God are gathered in : nor can it be said of any man, that he has outlived or outsinned this day of grace ; for still it is said, To-day if ye xoillhear his voice f; Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. * See Biircl.iy in his Aiiology, pp. l.")3, loi. f Hcb. iii. 7 ; 2 Cor. vi. "2. 8 THE CAUSE OF GOD AXU TRUTTT. 4. The Open special clay of gi'ace to God's elect, begins at their con- version, which will never end, never be over with them ; though they may have their clouds and darkness, until it is changed into the ever- lasting day of glory. SECTION III. O that there were such an heart in them that thru would fear mc, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well tcith them, and with their children for ever. — Deut. v. '2d. I. ThE8E vehement desires of God for the good of these people, are said to be irreconcilable with his decrees of election and reprobation ; and supposing those decrees, they arc represented * to be hypocritical : to which may be replied ; 1. For God passionately to wish good things, even salvation itself, for some, and not for all, is no ways contrary, but perfectly agreeable to the doctrine of election. If any thing is said to the purpose, as militating against that doctrine, it ought to bo said and proved, that God has vehemently desired the salvation of all mankind ; of which these words can be no proof, since they only regard the people of Israel, who were iXiGfeioest of all people. As for those scriptures which represent God as willing all men to he saved-^, and 7iot icilliufj that any should perish., they will be considered in their proper places. 2. It might seem repugnant to these decrees, and to imply hypo- crisy and guile, could any instance be produced of God's passionately wishing the salvation of such whom the Scriptures represent as rejected of him, given up to a reprobate mind, and as vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, or who are not eventually saved ; but none will say, such were the people whose good and welfare are vehemently desired in this passage of Scripture. For, 3. These arc the most improper instances that could have been pitched upon : since they were a peculiar people to the Lord, whom he had chosen to be a special people to himself above all j)eople upon the face of the earth \. II. These passionate wishes also, supposing the doctrine of particu- lar redemption, are said to represent § God as full of guile, deceit, insincerity, dissimulation, and hypocrisy ; to which I answer, 1. The doctrine of particular redemption is the doctrine of the Scriptures. Christ died not for all men, but for some only ; who are called his people, his sheep, his cluirch, unless all men can be thought to be the people, sheep, and church of Christ. 2. The blasphemous charge of guile, deceit, insincerity, dissimula- tion, and hypocrisy, ought to be removed from God, who cannot lie, deceive, dissemble, or deny himself; who is a God of truth, and without iniijuity ; just and right is he. Nor, * Ciirccllse, Relijj. Christ. Inst. 1. 6, c. 6, sect. 7, p. 370; Whitby's discourse ou tlie Five Points, pp. 77, 107 ; cJit. 2. 76, 193. f 1 Tun. ii. 4 ; 2 Peter iii. 9. X Deut. vii. d. § Whitt.y, p. 179, 181; cd. 2. 175, 177. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. J^ S. Does such a passionate wish for the good of these people, whom God had so great a regard for as to redeem from Egyptian bondage, imply any thing of this nature, supposing the doctrine of particular redemption: for, as has been observed in answer to the former question, it ought to be proved, that God has ever used such expressions of desire for the salvation of all mankind, and particularly of such who are not saved ; in which number none will choose to put the people of Israel, especially since it is said *, that all Israel shall be saved. And, 4. After all, these words do not express God's desire of their eter- nal salvation, but only of their temporal good and welfare, and that of their posterity ; for their eternal salvation was not to be obtained by works of righteousness done by them, by their fear or worship of Crod, or by their constant universal obedience to his commands. They were saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, even as we. Their fear of God, and obedience to his will, issued indeed in their temporal prosperity, and on this account were strictly enjoined them ; that so they miglit live, and it be well with them, and they prolong their days in the land they were going to possess, as appears from ver. 33 ; and with a view to this, God so ardently desired these things in them, and to be done by them. III. Such pathetic-f- expressions are thought to imply, that God gives to all men sufficient grace for conversion, and to militate against the necessity of the unfrustrable operation of his grace in that work. 1 . Admitting that the saving work of conversion is here wished for ; such a wish does not necessarily suppose that sufficient grace for that work either was or would be given ; and if the thing wished for was effected, it does not follow from hence, that this was not performed by the imfruetrable operation of God"'s grace. 2. Allowing that this grace, an heart to fear the Lord, and all that is requisite to it, were given to the Israelites; it ought not to be con- cluded from hence, that all men have the same, or that God wishes the same to all men. 3. AVe are not to imagine that such velleities and wishes are strictly and properly in God ; who here speaks, as R. Aben Ezra:|: observes, CDis ';n pti*^^, by an anthropopathy, after the manner of men ; such desires are ascribed to him in the same way as human passions and affections are ; as anger, grief, repentance, and the like : nor do such wishes and desires declare either what God does or will do ; but what he approves of, and is grateful to him ; as are an heart to fear him, and a constant and universal obedience to his commandments. 4. The words are so rendered by some, as that they express no wish or desire in God, but rather what was to be desired by the Israelites themselves ; so the Arabic version, it sliould be wished for by them, that such an heart icould continue in them ; that is, such an heart as they professed to have in ver. 27, when they said to Moses, Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say ; and speak thou unto us all that the Lord, our God shall speak unto thee, and we will hear it, and do it. The Lord takes notice of this declaration, in ver. 28 : / have heard, * Roiu. xi. 'it-'. t Wliitby, p. 235 ; ed. 2. 230. J In loc. 10 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. sjiys he, the voice of the words of this people^ they have well said all that they have spoken ; and then adds, according to this vei-sion, that a continuance of such an heart to hear and do, should be very desirable by them. iVIoreover, the words ]ry ^c), may be rendered as they are by the Septuagint rh bcoaeL, who icill give ? and so be considered as an inquiry, as Dr. Whitby himself says * ; who will give them this heart? they could not give it themselves : no creature could give it them ; only God could give them such an heart as this. And perhaps this mode of expression may be used on purpose to convince them of their want of such an heart, and of the necessity of such an one, and that (rod only could give it to them ; and therefore they should apply to him for it, and not presume, as they seemed to do, to hearken to his commandments, and obey them in their own strength, and without the assistance of his grace. Or, r>. These words may be considered as an upbraiding of these people with the want of an heart to fear the Lord, and with want of ability to keep all his commandments, and that always, notwithstanding the vain boasts and empty resolutions they had just now made. In the same manner are we to consider other pathetic expressions of the like nature ; such as Deut. xxxii. 28, 29 ; Psal. Ixxxi. 11 — 13. SECTION IV. And thou shall rememher all the way u-hich the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what teas in thine heart, ivhether thou woiddest keep his commandments or no. — Deut. viii. 2. It is saidf, that it is evident from this and other passages of Scrip- ture, that the state of man in this world, is a state of trial or proba- ticm. It will be proper therefore to make the following inijuiries : I. What this state of probation is, or what is meant by it. 1. This state of trial is not of men's graces, as faith, patience, &c. by afflictive dispensations of Providence ; for men in general are not in such a state, since all men have not grace to be tried ; nor is the state of every man an afflicted one in this life : this is a state peculiar to the people of God, and to them only when converted : for before con- version they have no graces to be tried ; and with some of them, this state is very short, and so far from being the state of man whilst in this world ; and yet, as will bo seen hereafter, the proof of the state of probation pretty much depends on passages of Scripture which re- late to the exercise of the graces of the saints by afflictions, tempta- tions, &c. 2. This state of trial, if I understand it right, is of man's obedience and conduct towards God during hishfe; according to which conduct and behaviour God acts towards him, both in this and the other world ; his state, as to hapi)iness or misery, being yet unfixed : so that whilst this state lasts, it is uncertain whetlior he will be saved or lost. * Page 2;ir.; cil. '1. 2,U). f Whitl.y, p. 305, 31-J ; cl. 'J. -I'M, SOC. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH, 11 II. AVhat proof is given of the state of man in this world, being such a one. 1 . All those scriptures are urged *, whicli speak of God''s proving the children of Israel wlien in the wilderness, and in their own land, whether they would walk in his statvites, and keep his commandments, or no; such as Exod. xvi. 4, xx. 20; Deut. viii. 2, and xiii. 3; Judg. ii. 21, 22, and iii. 1, 4. It ought to be observed, that these people were under a theocracy, or the immediate government of God as their King, who gave them laws, according to whicli they should act ; to which they readily promised a cheerful and universal obedience ; on con- dition of which obedience, they were to enjoy and continue in their enjoyment of the land of Canaan. Therefore, before they entered into the land, and when in it, God was pleased to try them, sometimes in one way, and sometimes in another, whether they would yield that obedience to his commands which he required, and abide by the pro- mises which they themselves had made, or no ; all which he did not for his own sake, who knows all things, but that their obedience or disobedience might be made manifest, and he be justified in all his deal- ings with them. This trial of their obedience was not in order to their salvation in another world, but to their temporal good in this ; for such of them as were saved with an everlasting salvation, were saved not by their obedience to the commands of God, but by tho grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Besides, the scriptui'es produced, speak only of the people of Israel, and of what was their state and case as a politic body, under the immediate government of God, in a certain period of time ; and not of all mankind ; and so fall abun- dantly short of proving that the state of man in this world, is such a state of probation as before described. 2. This is attempted f to be proved from all those places in which (iod is said to try men, their works and graces, by afflictions, persecu- tions, temptations, and tho like ; as 1 Cor. iii. 13 ; 2 Cor. viii. 2 ; I Pet. i. 7, and iv. 12 ; Jam. i. 3 ; Rev. ii. 10, and iii. 10; Psal. Ixvi. 10 ; Dan. xi. 35, and xii. 10 ; Zech. xiii. 9. What I have said in answer to the first query, is a sufficient reply to what is alleged from these passages ; since these only speak of the saints, and of the trial of their grace, who only have grace to be tried, and that not in order to fix and settle the affair of their salvation ; nor are these trials mere experiments of the trutli and constancy of their graces ; but are also designed for the further exercise and increase of them ; the issue of which is their own spiritual good, and God's glory. Hence it must follow tliat these scriptures are insufficient proofs of every man's being in a state of probation, and in oixler to everlasting happiness or misery. 3. This is said \ to be evident from all the promises and threats recorded in the Scripture, to engage all men to repent, and turn to God ; for it is added, no such thing is or can reasonably be offered to them who are already in a fixed state either of happiness or misery. * Whitbv, p. 30j, 314 ; cd. 2. 297, 306. t Ibul. \\ 30G ; cd. 2. 29.'!. X Ibid. p. 306 ;Gd. 2. 2'.)S. 12 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. To which I I'eply, that the promises and threats recorded in the Scripture, which relate to men''s spiritual and eternal good, may be reduced to and comprehended in these words, He tJiat beUevcth, and is baptized, shall be saved; he that believeth 7iot, shall be damned; which was the substance of the gospel ministry the apostles had in commis- sion from Cin-ist to fulfil, and which might be exercised fully and thoroughly, supposing a fixed state of happiness or misery ; since such a ministiy might be, and is used, through the grace of God, to bring those who are designed for happiness, into a state of grace meet for the same ; and to leave others inexcusable, to discover the more the corruption and vitiosity of their nature, and so to justify the righteous proceedings of God against them. ■4. This is argued for * from all the exhortations of the holy Scrip- ture to men to watch and pray, that they enter not and are not led into temptation, and from such scriptures which suppose men to be in danger by temptation; the passages referred to are, ^Matt. vi. 13, and xxvi. 41 ; Luke viii. 13 ; 1 Thess. iii. 5 ; which only regard the saints, or such who profess to be so, and not all mankind. Besides, if God has put all men into a state of probation, and this designed by temptation, how should any watch and pray not to enter or be led into it i Moreover, this state of probation, is either a good one, or a bad one ; if a good one, w liy shouUl men watch and pi'ay against it ? if a bad one, can it be reasonably supposed, that God has put men into it, in order to their everlasting good I and why then should it be contended for I 5. This is said to be evident f from the temptations of Satan, who rjoes about continually seeking ivhom he may devour ; and it is added, to what end should he tempt, or endeavour to destroy the elect, or strive to hinder the progress of the gospel, or the conversion of any man ; when supposing a fixed state by the decrees of God, and a divine unfrustrable operation on the hearts of men, he must kuow that his labour will certainly be in vain I to which I answer, that Satan has not the book of life in his keeping ; nor does he know who are and who are not the elect of God, until this appears by the unfrustrable operation of (lod's grace on their hearts, and it may be, not even then : so that it is no wonder that he tempts, strives, and endeavours, to hinder the success of the gospel in their conversion, and to destroy them ; and when he does know who they are, endeavours to distress them by his temptations, though he cannot destroy ; and in ten thou- sand instances will show his malice, when he cannot show his power. Besides, the text referred to in 1 Pet. v. 8, carries in the sense of it the doctrine of a fixed state ; when it supposes that there are some whom Satan may devour, and leaves a plain intimation that there are others whom he may not and cannot devour ; who are the sheep of Christ, and being in his hands, neither man nor devil will ever be able to pluck from thence. This is the sum of the proof offered in favour of this notion, by a celebrated writer, which how pertinent it is, must be left to the consideration of others. * Wliitl.y, p. 306; cd. 2. 2D8. f Ibid. p. :j(>7: cd. 2. llQ. THE CAUSE OF OOD AND TRUTH. 13 III, What reason there is to conchide that the state of man in this; world is not such a state. 1. Angels and man both, have been in a state of probation already, in which their free will, and power to obey the connnands of God, have been sufficiently tried ; which trial has issued in the fall and ruin of a large number of angels, and of the whole race of mankind ; and therefore it is not reasonable to suppose that God would put man into such a state again ; but rather provide in another way for the good of those he designed to bring to everlasting happiness. 2. If men were in a state of probation, they ought to be on equal ground, enjoying equal privileges and advantages ; whereas this is not the case ; some have only the dim light and weak law of nature, whilst others enjoy the gospel revelation ; and of these some have larger, and others lesser, means of grace, light, and knowledge ; some have the gi'ace of God itself bestowed upon them, others have it not. Now were all men in such a state of probation as is pleaded for, is it reason- able to suppose that there would be such an inequality among them ^ 3. This state of probation, which renders salvation precarious and uncertain, is contrary to God's foreknowledge and decree of election ; for God, according to his foreknowledge, has chosen and predestinated a certain number of men to eternal life and salvation, by which their state is fixed, and their salvation sure, for tlie purpose of God according to election shall stand. Whom he did forekno^c, he also did predestinate ; whom he did predestinate, them he also called ; and whom he called, them he also justijied ; and irhom he justijicd, them he also glorijied. Rom ix. 11, and viii. 29,80. 4. This notion puts man's salvation on the foot of his obedience and works, contrary to the Scriptures, to the merits of Christ, and to the grace of God ; it ascribes more to the free will of man than to the free grace of God, and lays a foundation for boasting in the creature. 5. Such a state of probation is contrary to all those scriptures which represent the saints to be now in a saved state, and as having everlasting life : such as Eph. ii. 8, John v. 24, and vi. 47. In a word, it destroys the doctrine of assurance, and leaves tlie saints themselves in a most uncomfortable condition, because it leaves them in a most precarious, unsettled, yea, dangerous one. SECTION V. / have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing ; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. — Deut. xxx. 19. These woi'ds are frequently made use of by the patrons of* free will, in favour of it, and its power, to do that which is spiritually good. I shall briefly consider this so-much-controverted subject, by considering the following things : * Erasmus in Luther, de Sen-o Aibilr. c. 95 and 97, pp. 145, 148 ; Curcellsei lustitut. Rel. Christian. 1. C, r. 13, sect. 2, p. 400; Limborch. Theolog. Christ. 1. 4, c. 13, sect. 22, p. 37G; Whitbv, pp. 317, 318 ; ed. 2. 309, 310. 14 THE CAUSE OF GOD AXD TRUTH. I. What free will is, or what is the nature of the liberty of the human will. 1. The will of man, though it is free, yet not independently and absolutely so ; it is dependent on God, both in its being and acting ; it is subject to his authority and command, and controllable by his power. The kiiu/s heart *, and so every other man's, is in the hand of the Lord: as the rivers of waters^ he turneth it ichithersoever he icitl. The will of God is only free in this sense ; he is not subject to a supe- rior being, and thex-efore acts without control, according to his will, in the armies of the heavens, and among the inhabitants of the earth : hence those great swelling words of vanity, avTs^ovatov, and liherum arbitrium, which carry in them the sense of self-sufficiency, despotic, arbitrary liberty, are improperly given to the human will, though agreeable enough to the language of some free-willcrs ; such as Pha- raoh, who said, Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice^ to let Israel go \ ? I know not the Lord^ neither unll I let Israel go. Others have said, Our lips are our own ; lolio is Lord over us | ? 2. The liberty of the Avill does not consist in an indifference to good and evil, or in an indetermination to either ; otherwise the will of no being would be free ; for God, as he is essentially and naturally good, his will is determined only to that which is so ; nor does he nor can he do any thing evil ; and yet in all lie does, acts with the utmost freedom and liberty of his will. The will of the good angels, though in their state of probation, was left mutable and liable to change ; yet in their confirmed state, is impeccable, wholly turned unto and bent upon that which is good, and yet all the services they perform to God and man, are done with the greatest readiness, cheerfulness, and will- ingness, without any force or compulsion. The will of the devil is biassed only to that which is evil, without the least inclination to that which is good ; and yet moves freely in the highest acts of sin and malice. The will of man, considered in every state he has been, is, or shall be in, is determined to good or evil, and does not stand in equili- hrio, in an indifference to either. The will of man, in a state of inno- cence, was indeed mutable, and capable of being wrought upon and inclined to evil, as the event shows ; yet during that state, was entirely bent on that which is good, and acted freely, and without any coac- tion, in obedience to the commands of God. The will of man, in his fiillen state, is wholly addicted to sinful lusts, and in the fulfilling of them takes the utmost delight and pleasure. Man, in his regenerate state, though he is inclined both to good and evil, ^\•hich arises from the two different principles of corruption and grace in him ; yet both move freely, though determined to their several objects. The flesh, or corrupt part, is solely detei-mined to that which is evil ; grace, or the new creature, to that which is spiritually good ; so that with the flesh, the regenerate man serves the law of sin, and with his mind the law of Goil. The will of the glorified saints in heaven is wholly given u[) to spu'itual and divine things, nor can it be moved to that which is sinful ; and yet as they serve the Lord constantly, so with all freedom * ProT. .\.\-i. 1. t Exod. V. 2. J Paalin xii. 4. THE CAUSE OF GOV AND TRUTH. 15 and liberty. Consider, therefore, the will in every rank of beings, its liberty does not consist in an indifference or indetermination to good and evil. 3. The liberty of the will is consistent with some kind of necessity. God necessarily, and yet freely, hates that which is evil, and loves that which is good. Christ, as man, was under some kind of necessity of fulfilling all righteousness, and yet performed it voluntarily. The will of man is free from a physical or natural necessity ; it does not act and move by a necessity of nature, as many creatures do. So the sun, moon, and stars, move in their course ; fire, by a physical necessity, burns ; light things ascend upwards, and heavy bodies move down- wards. Moreover, it is free from a necessity of coaction or force ; the will cannot be forced ; nor is it even by the powerful, efficacious, and unfrustrable operation of God's grace in conversion ; for though before, it is unwilling to submit to Christ and his way of salvation, yet it is made willing in the day of his power, without offering the least violence to it ; God working upon it, as Austin says, aoji suavi omni- potentia et omnipotenti suavitate, with a sweet omnipotence, and an omnipotent sweetness : but then the will of man is not free from a necessity of obligation ; it is bound to act in obedience to the divine will ; though it is free, it is not free to act at pleasure, without con- trol ; though the sinful, corrupt will of man, breaks out in despite of the laws of God, and chooses its own ways, and delights in its abomi- nations ; yet this is not properly liberty, but licentiousness. And though a good man looks upon himself under a necessary obligation to act agreeable to the will of God, yet this necessity is not contrary to the liberty of his will ; for he delights in the law of God after the inner man. Moreover, there is a kind of necessity which the school- men call a necessity of immutability ; which respects the divine decrees, and their necessary, unchangeable, and certain events, that is consistent with the liberty of man's will : for though the decrees of God are necessarily fulfilled, yet these do not infringe nor hinder the liberty of the creature in acting ; for instance, the selling of Joseph to the Ishmaelites, by whom he was brought to Egypt, was according to the decree and purpose of God, who sent him thither, and designed it for the good of others, and yet his brethren in the whole of tiiat affair, acted with the utmost deliberation, choice and freedom of their wills imaginable. Nothing was more peremptorily decreed and determined by God than the crucifixion of Christ, and yet men never acted mor^ freely, as well as more wickedly, than the Jews did in all the parts and circumstances of that tragical scene. So that the liberty of the will is consistent with some kind of necessity, yea, even with some kind of servitude. A servant may serve his master freely and voluntarily, as the Hebrew servant who was unwilling to part from his master when his time of servitude was expired. A wicked man, who commits sin, gives up himself wholly to it, is a servant of it, yet acts freely in all his shameful and sinful services ; even at the same time he is a slave to those lusts and pleasures he chooses and delights in ; which made Luther call free will servnm orhitrium. \C} THE CAUSE OF (50D A\D TRUTH. 4. The consideration of the will of man in the several states of inno- cence, the fall, regeneration, and glorification, serves much to lead us into the true nature and notion of the liberty and power of it. Man, in his state of innocence, had both a power and will to do that which was naturally and morally good ; though his will was loft mutal)le, and so through temptation might be inclined to evil, at which door came in the sin and fall of man. Man, in his fallen state, is wholly under the power and dominion of sin, is a captive under it, and a slave unto it, and has neither a power nor will to that which is spiritually good. Man, in a state of regeneration, is freed from the dominion of sin, though not from the being of it ; his will is sweetly and powerfully wrought upon, and inclined to what is spiritually good, though he finds a body of sin and death about him, which much distresses and hinders him in the performance of it. The saints in heaven are freed both from the being and dominion of sin ; and as they have a will solely inclined, so they have full power, to serve the Lord without ceasing. 5. The distinction between the natural and moral liberty of the will is of great service in this controversy * ; though these two are artfully confounded together; and because the one is denied by us, it is con- cluded that the other is also ; whereas we affirm, that the natural liberty of the will is essential to it, and always abides with it in every action and in every state of life. A wicked man, in the highest degree of servitude to sin, his will acts as freely in this state of bondage as Adam's will did in obedience to God, in a state of innocence ; but the moral liberty of the will is not essential to it, though it adds to the glory and excel- lency of it ; and therefore may and may not be with it, without any violation to, or destruction of, the natural libei'ty of the will. The moral liberty of the will to that which is good was with Adam in a state of innocence ; this was lost by the fall ; hence man in a state of corruption and unregeneracy is destitute of it ; in the regenerate state it is implanted in the will by the Spirit and grace of God, and in the state of glorification will be in its full perfection; so that the contro- versy ought to be not about the natural but moral liberty of the will, and not so much about free will itself, as the strength and power of it ; which leads me to the consideration of the next inquiry, which is, II. What is the strength and power of man''s free will ; or what it is that the will of man itself can will or nill, choose or refuse, effect and perform. 1. It will be allowed that the human will has a power and liberty of acting in things natural, or in things respecting the natural and animal life; such as eating, drinking, sitting, standing, rising, walking, &c. The external parts, actions and motions of the body, generally speak- ing, are subject to and controllable by the will ; though the internal parts, motions and actions of it, are not so, such as digestion of food, secretion of it to various purposes and uses, nutrition and accretion of the several parts of the body, circulation of the blood, &c., all which are performed without the consent of the will. * Vide Gall's Court of tlie Gentiles, pait iv. b. 3, c. 1, sert. 4, p]). 13, 1-1. TIIK CAUdK OF GOU AND TUUTH. 17 2. The will of man has a liberty and power of acting in things civil, such as relate to the good of societies, in kingdoms, cities, towns, and families ; as obedience to magistrates, lawful marriage, education of children, cultivation of arts and sciences, exercise and improvement of trades and manufactures, and every thing else that contributes to the good, pleasure, and advantage of civil life. 0. Man has also a power of performing the external parts of reli- gion, such as praying, singing the praise of God, reading the Scriptures, hearing the word of God, and attending on all public ordinances. So Herod heard John gladly, and did many things in a religious way, externally. JMen may also give to every one their own, do justice between man and man, love such as love them, live inoffensively in the world, appear outwardly righteous before men, and do many things which have the show of moral good, as did the heathen and publicans, and the apostle Paul before conversion. 4. JNIan has neither will nor power to act of himself in things spiritually good, or in such as relate to his spiritual and eternal welfare; as con- version, regeneration, faith, repentance, and the like. Conversion is not the work of a creature, but of God, even a work of his almighty power; by which men are turned from sin and Satan to him, are delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of his dear Son. Regeneration, or a being born again, is expressly de- nied to be of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, and is ascribed to God himself. All men have not faith in Christ ; and such who have it, have it not of themselves ; it is the gift of God, the operation of his Spirit, the fruit and effect of electing and efficacious grace. Evangelical repentance, which is unto life, is not in the power of man; man, in a state of nature, has no true sense of his sins ; nor will any moans of themselves bring him to repentance for them, without the efficacious grace of God. True evangelical repentance is God's free- grace gift. 5. That there is no power naturally in the will of man, to will, choose, and effect things spiritually good, does not only appear from all experience of human nature, but also from all those scriptures which represent men as polluted, wholly carnal, given up to sin, slaves unto it, and dead in it ; and not only impotent unto, but under an impossibility to do that which is good ; and from all those scriptures which declare the understanding, judgment, and affections, to be cor- rupt, by which the will is greatly influenced and directed ; and from all such scriptures which intimate that every good gift and spiritual blessing come from God, and that the saints themselves only will and act through the power, and under the influence, of the grace of God, loJio works in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure. I proceed, III. To inquire whether the words of the text under consideration assert the power and liberty of the will of man in choosing that which is spiritually good. To which I answer, 1. Supposing what is here proposed to be chosen is spiritually good, and what to be refused is spiritually evil ; it does not follow from hence that man has a power to choose the one and refuse the other ; 18 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. for, as Luther * says, " The words are imperative, they assert nothing but what ought to be done ; for ISIoscs does not say, thou hast a power of choosing, but choose, keep, do. He dcHvers pi'ecepts of doing, but does not describe the power of man.'" 2. Life and death, blessing and cursing, are to be taken in a civil sense, and design the external dispensations of God's providence, with respect to temporal good or evil, which should befall the people of Israel, according to their civil behaviour and conduct. That people were under the immediate government of God ; he was their political king and head. Moses, from him, gave a system of laws to them as a body politic ; according to their obedience to which laws, they and their seed were to live and dwell in and enjoy all the temporal bless- ings of the land of Canaan, as appears from ver. 16, 20; but if they disobeyed, they were to expect cursing and death, captivity and the sword, and not prolong their days in the land they were going to pos- sess, as is evident from ver. 17, 18. Therefore Moses advises them to choose life, that is, to behave according to those laws given them as a commonwealth ; that so they, under the happy government they were, , might comfortably live, and they and their posterity enjoy all the blessings of a civil life in the land of promise. What comes nearer to such a case, and may serve to illustrate it, is as if a person should represent the wholesome constitution laws of Great Britain, preserved under the government of his majesty king George, with all the conse- quent blessings and happiness thereof, and also the sad and miserable condition it would be in under a popish Pretender ; and then observe that it would be most desirable, advisable, and eligible, peaceably to continue under the government of the one, than to receive the yoke of the other. To choose the one is to choose liberty and property, blessing and life, and every thing that is valuable, in a civil sense ; to choose the other, is to choose slavery and arbitrary power, cursing and death, and every thing that is miserable and destructive. Now it is allowed that man has a power of willing and nilling, choosing and refusing, acting and not acting, in things of a civil nature ; therefore these words can be of no service, nor ought they to have a place or concern in the controversy about the power and liberty of the will in things spiritual. SECTION VI. O that they ivere wise, that they understood this, that they tvould consider their latter end. — Deut. xxxii. 29. These words were made use of to contradict the doctrines of abso- lute election, particular redemption, and unfrustrable grace in conver- sion ; it is intimated f, that, on supposition of these doctrines, they • Verba adducta sunt imperativa ; niliil dicunt, nisi quid fieri debeat ; ncque enirn Moses dicit, eligendi babes vim, vol virtutem ; scd cli^^e, serva, fac. Pracepta faciendi tradit, non autem dcscribit bominis facnltatcm. — Luther, de serv arbitr c 97 p 148 t Wbitby, p. 181, 222, 223; ed. 2. 177, 216, 217. ' '"' THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 19 would represent the God of sincerity and truth as full of guile and hypocrisy, when he earnestly wishes and desires the welfare of men, and that they have spiritual wisdom ; and yet he himself has decreed to leave them without a Saviour, and v.ithout means of being spiritually wise ; which is all one as though he had passionately wished they had been of the number of his elect, when he himself, by an absolute de- cree from all eternity, had excluded them out of that number. In answer to which, let it be observed, I. That it ought to be proved that God does passionately wish the spiritual and eternal welfare of all mankind ; or desires that every individual of human nature might have spiritual wisdom to know his spiritual estate, and consider his latter end ; since it is evident that he does not afford to every son of Adam the means of being spiritually wise, and it is certain that these words do not express such an univer- sal wish ; for they only regard a part of mankind, either the people of Israel, or the adversaries of Israel, as will be seen hereafter ; and therefore, being spoken only of some, and not of every individual of men, cannot militate against the election and redemption of some only. II. It ought to be proved that God wishes or desires the spiritual welfare of, or spiritual wisdom for any, but those whom he has chosen to eternal life, whom Christ has redeemed by his blood, and to whom the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of themselves and Christ is given ; or in other words, that God wishes and desires, the spiritual welfare of such, and spiritual wisdom for such, who, in the event, are not eternally saved. III. It ought to be considered whether these words regard the spiritual welfare of any, or contain in them a wish for wisdom and understanding in spiritual things ; or rather, whether they do not only regard things temporal, and the knowledge of them, as will quickly be made to appear. IV. Supposing the words to contain a wish for wisdom and under- standing in spiritual things, such a wish must be ascribed to God, not properly, but by an anthropopathy, or after the manner of men : wishes and velleities are improperly, or in a figurative way, attributed to God ; nor do they suppose any imperfection in him, nor sufficiency in his creatures ; nor do such necessarily imply that it is his will to give that wisdom he wishes for ; nor do they lay him under obligation even to afford the means of spiritual wisdom; but as a man wishes for that which is grateful and agreeable to him, so when God wishes for spiritual wisdom in men, it only implies that such wisdom in them would be well-pleasing to him. Besides, such a mode of speaking may be used either by way of complaint of ignorance, or as expressing pity for it, or as upbraiding with it ; and that in order either to bring to a sense of it, and encourage to apply to him for wisdom, who gives it liberally, or to leave inexcusable. But, Y. The words are not delivered in the form of a wish, but are an hypothetical proposition. The Hebrew word lb signifies if*, and the * The three Tar?unis of Oukelos, Jonathan, andJerusalem, renJer it by vt^, «/; as do also R. Sol. Jarchi, R. Aben Ezra, and R. Levi Ben Gersom, in loc. So Noldius in Concoid. partic. 20 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH, whole verse should be rendered thus: — If they toere wise, they would understand this, they tvoidd consider their latter end ; and supposing them to be understood in a spiritual sense, the meaning is, had they been wise to do good, as they are to do evil, they would have understood the things that belong to their spiritual peace and welfare, and would have seriously considered the last issue and end of all things, and them- selves ; but they are not wise in things divine and spiritual, and there- fore have no understanding of them ; nor do they consider the end of their sinful actions ; nor the end of their days, how short it is, how nigh at hand ; nor that awful judgment that will follow after death ; nor their final doom, nor whither they shall go, to heaven or hell. Though, VI. After all, the words are to be understood of things tempo- ral, and not of what concerns the spiritual and eternal welfare of any. Instances of God's goodness to the people of Israel are at large recited in ver. 7 — 14. After that, their many sins against God and great ingratitude to him are mentioned in ver. 15 — 18, which drew God's resentment and indignation against them, expressed in threatenings of many severe judgments, ver. 19 — 25, which he would have executed on them, but that he feared the icrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this (ver. 27), for he knew that they were a nation void of counsel: neither was there any understanding in them (ver. 28), for if they had been %vise, they ivould have understood this, that the destruction of the people of Israel was of God, and not of them ; for otherwise *, how should one chase a thousand, that is, one Gentile a thousand Israelites ; and tivo put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up ? (ver. 30.) They would also have con- sidered their own end, or what must befall them in length of time ; that as God had cut off and desti'oyed his people Israel for their sins, so they might expect the same destruction for iniquities of a like kind. Now since this is the plain and obvious sense of the words, they cannot be used with any propriety in the controversy about the doctrines of distinguishing grace. SECTION VII. O that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways; I should soon have subdued their' enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. — Psalm Ixxxi. 13, 14. This passage is produced by the Remonstrants, to prove the resisti- bility of the grace of God in conversion f ; in favour of the defectibility of the saints; and by a late writer +, as irreconcilable with God's E»)r. Chal. p. 503, translates the words, Si saperent,intelligerent isla ; so the Arahic and Syriac versions. The Scptuagint seems to have read ^l' for "1^, since they render them eJ* i. 232, 22 THE CAUSE OF GOD AXD TRUTH, nal blessings ; but of an external obedience to God''s commands, which would have been followed with temporal favours ; such as subduing their enemies under them, feeding them with the finest of the wheat, and satisfying them with honey out of the rock : in the same sense are we to understand the words in Isa. xlviii. 18, which usually go in company with these under examination, and are also to be read con- ditionally ; If thou hadst hearkened to nvj commandments, then had thy peace been as a river ; as they are by the Targum, the Septuagint, and Arabic versions, by R. David Kimchi, Junius, and Tremellius ; and neither the one nor the other regard the spiritual, but temporal wel- fare of God's people Israel ; nor do they contain a wish for that, but a declaration or an asseveration of it, on condition of their obedience to God's commands. The passage in Hos. xi. 8, which is sometimes joined with this, is a human way of speaking, as R. Aben Ezra on the place observes ; and expresses God's compassionate concern for the temporal welfare of Ephraim and Israel, and not transports of affec- tion, and desire after the spiritual welfare of any, much less of all mankind. SECTION VIII. For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, led the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. — Psalm cxxv. 3. These words are made use of* to prove, that "saints, or true believers, or men once truly good, may cease to be so ; for it is said, that they seem plainly to insinuate, that great and long oppressions might have this effect upon them ; and surely that which God is thus careful to prevent, might possibly befall the righteous : there being no need of care to prevent that which he hath absolutely engaged to pre- serve them from." Strange ! seeing, I. The doctrine of the saints' final perseverance is so plainly inti- mated in the two preceding verses of this psalm : They that ti'ust in the Lord shall he as mount Zion, zvhich cannot he removed, hut ahideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about Ids people, from henceforth, even for ever. If they that trust in the Lord, who are saints, true believers, men truly good, are as moimt Zion ; then they cannot be removed, neither from the heart of God, nor out of the hands of Christ ; but will abide there for ever, and con- sequently cannot cease to be what they are. If, as the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about the same persons before described, who are his people, and that even for ever ; how is it possible that they should ever perish ? II. These words arc strictly connected with the former, and express a certain effect that should surely follow from the safe state and happy situation of such who trust in the Lord, 'D for, or because it is so and so v^ith them ; therefore the rod of the toicked, the tyrannical govern- ment, oppressions and persecutions of wicked men, to which the saints * Whill.y, p. 436 ; cJ. 2. 425. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 23 are often subject, shall not rest, always continue and abide, upon the lot, not the bach, as Dr. Whitby cites the words, of the righteous ; meaning either their persons or their goods ; lest the righteous, who are made so by the righteousness of Christ, put forth their ha^ids unto iniquity ; that is, lest through the oppressions of wicked men, the instigation of Satan, and their own hearts, they should be moved to that which would dishonour God, bring a reproach on his ways, and wound their own souls ; all which they may do, and yet not cease to be saints, true believers, truly good men ; as the instances of David, Peter, and others, fully make appear. The righteous may put forth their hands unto iniquity, and fall into great sins, and yet not totally fall away, or so fall as to be lost and perish : total apostacy is not intended by putting forth their hands unto iniquity. III. It is stranger still, that the care of God to prevent the righteous putting forth their hands unto iniquity, should be improved into an argument against their perseverance, and in favour of their apostacy. It will be readily allowed, that what God is thus careful to prevent, even suppose a total apostacy was meant, might possibly befall the righteous, should they be left to themselves, destitute of the power- ful protection of God ; nor would there be a possibility of its being otherwise ; but since the care and power of God are so greatly employed about their preservation, it is impossible that it should befall them. IV. It is an egregious mistake to say, that " there is no need of care to prevent that which he (God) absolutely hath engaged to pre- serve them from ; " since God''s engagement to preserve his people, is the true reason of the employment of his care about them ; which is necessary to prevent their doing the iniquity, which otherwise would be done by them : God having absolutely resolved, determined, and engaged, that those that trust in him should not be removed, but abide for ever ; therefore he will be round about them for ever, and take care of them that notliing hurt or destroy them ; he will keep them by his power through faith unto salvation. SECTION IX. The Lord is good to all, and Ms tender mercies are over all his works. — Psalm cxlv. 9. The doctrines of election and reprobation, and of particular redemp- tion, are represented as contrary to the general mercy and goodness of God expressed in this passage : \\'ith a view to these doctrines, it is asked by one writer *, " Why is it said, that his tender mercies are over all his loorks, if they are so restrained from his most noble crea- tures 1 " And it is observed by another -j-, " That it should not bo said, his tender mercies are over all his xcorks : but his cruelties are over all his works." To which I reply, * Whitby, p. 159 ; ed. 2, 155. f Curcella; Relig. Christ, Inst. 1. 6, c. 6, sect. 8, p. 370. THE CAUSE OF GOD AXD TKLTH. I. That the said doctrines do not restrain the tender mercies of God ni a providential way, of which this text only speaks, as will be shown hereafter, from any of his creatures ; no, not even from the non- elect, or those who have no sharQ^in the special grace and favour of God, and who are not eventually saved ; though these should not be reckoned God's most noble creatures * : for surelv they are not more noble than the elect of God, or those who are saved with an everlast- mg salvation ; or more noble than the angels, who stand, and never left their first estate in which they were created. Admitting also that these doctrines carried in them ideas of cruelty, and want of compassion in God to those who are rejected by him, and excluded from redemption by Christ ; yet it should not be concluded from hence, that the cruelties of God are over all his works ; since, accord- mg to the known tenor of these doctrines, some of God's creatures are chosen by him to eternal life, redeemed by the blood of Christ, and shall be certainly and eternally saved. II. The said doctrines are not expressive of cruelty in God to man- kind, nor inconsistent with his goodness and mercy; nor do they represent God less good, or less merciful, than the doctrines of con- ditional election and universal redemption do ; nay, they represent him more merciful than these do, since thev ascertain the salvation of some, whereas these leave the salvation of every man precarious and uncertain, if not impossible, depending upon the mutable will of the creature. III. These words are to be understood not of special mercies or saving benefits, bestowed by God upon any of his creatures ; but of his providential goodness, which extends to them all, even to the brutal worid, to all irrational as well as rational creatures, as appears from ver 15, 16, compared with Psalm cxlvii. 8, 9, who have no con- cern in election and redemption ; so that if these words should be so understood, as to relate to the blessings of spiritual and eternal salva- tion, they would prove too much, more than our opponents desire ; namely, that these blessings are provided for, and extend unto irra- tional creatures, yea, even to all the works of God, of every kind and sort. Therefore, '' IV. The said doctrines are not at all repugnant to these universal expressions of God s goodness and mercy ; since the non-elect, or such who have no saving benefit by the death of Christ, have a share in the providential goodness and tender mercies of God ; who 7nakes /lis s?m to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on ft ""Tr^,' r '" ;"^ '' /^' ^mthankful and to the evil: nay, oftentimes world It "''" Yl *^'' ^'^^^f^ '^''''^ ^^ ^^^^ g««^^ tilings of this ro^dL T- r"^ "'''r'^' f""'"'''^ ^^^ '^''y ^'«^^ "'^^-^ thwi heart could zmsh: their temporal mercies are oftentimes larger than those that the dear children of God enjoy; and therefore are^iot what they have in common with the brutes that perish f; God takes more care of them than of oxen, or the fowls of the air, in a providential way ; though they despise the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and loL- * Whitby, p. 159, J77; ed. 2. 155, 173. f y,,. whitbv, p. 150 ; ed. 2. J55. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 25 mffering ; nut knoioing that the goodness of God leadeth them to repent- ance ; but after their hardness and impenitent hearty treasure up unto themselves xcrath against the day of ivrath, and revelation of the right- eous judgment of God. SECTION X. Hotv long, ye simple ones, tvill ye love simplicity ? Turn ye at my reproof, ^c— Prov. i. 22—30. These are the words of Christ, who, under the name of Wisdom., is represented cryinp^ tvithout, and uttering his voice in the citg, in the streets, iri the chief place of concourse, in the opening of the gates ; which is to be understood of the pubhc preaching of the word, either by Christ himself, or by his ministers. What is advanced from these passages in favour of any part of the Arminian scheme, will be considered in the following order : I. It is said *, that from hence " it is very evident, that it was pri- marily the counsel and will of God, that even they who would not turn, would not repent and accept of salvation, should believe and come to repentance, and be made partakers of it :" in which I observe, 1 . That this WTiter, with the Remonstrants, supposes an antecedent and consequent will in God, when he says, that it was primarily the counsel and will of God, &c. as if what was once the will of God is not now his will ; which is contrary to the immutability of his nature and will ; who is in one mind ; and ivho can turn him ? and lohat his soul desireth, even that he doth. What is once his will, is always so ; nor can it be made null and void by the will of man. 2. That he mistakes the counsel of God here, as also in Luke vii. SO, for the intentional will of God, respecting the faith, repentance, and salvation of persons ; when it designs in both places, God's will of command and approbation ; and is expressive, not of what God in- tended and designed concerning these persons ; but of what was their duty, and which would be grateful to him, and approved of by him : for had it been his intentional determining will that these per- sons, who rejected and despised his counsel, should believe, repent, and be saved, they would have believed, repented, and been made par- takers of salvation ; for tvho hath resisted his tvill? II. It is intimated from hence, that man does not lie under a dis- ability to believe, repent, and turn to God ; and it is asked -f-, " To what purpose did Wisdom say to them, who were thus disabled, Tur?t you at my reproof? Or could she, without insulting over the misery of fallen man, thus laugh at the calamity they never could prevent V To which I reply, 1 . That the exhortation, Turn ye at my reproof is not to repent- ance and conversion, but to an attendance to the external ministry of the word. Beproofh the same with counsel., in ver. 25, 30, where they are joined together, and put for each other, and design the word preached, which reproves of sin, righteousness, and judgment ; and it * AVhitby, p. 72 ; ed. 2. 7]. t Ibid, p. 252; ed. 2. 24b". 26 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. is not turning at but to this reproof which is exhorted to ; for the •■nn^in!? ina'n, should not be rendered, tiuii ye at, but to viy reproof ; so Arias Montanus, Mercerus,Gejerus, Junius, andTremelHus, read them; and the meaning is either as the Targum interprets them, pjann "Tn^DDio!^, turn your face to my reproof and not your backs ; or as Aben Ezra, turn ye, that is, your ears, to hear my reproof ; and do not pull away the shoulder, or stop your ears. Now it is certain, that man does not lie under a disability to turn his face and ears to the external ministry of the word ; though so depraved are the inclinations and will of man, and such a lover is he of simplicity and scorning, and such a hater of true, useful, and spiritual knowledge, that he had rather hear an idle story told, or the Scriptures burlesqued, than an honest, serious ser- mon, which is reproving, searching, and informing. 2. The calamity of these persons did not arise from a disability to do what they were exhorted to, but was owing to a neglect of what they might have done ; for they could have attended the ministry of the word, observed ordinances, and turned their faces and ears to the reproof of Wisdom ; but they hated knowledge, and the means of it ; they despised sermons, laughed at ordinances, and treated with the utmost contempt every admonition, counsel, and reproof; therefore they did eat of the fruit of their oicn ivays, and were filed tvith their oion devices, ver. 81 ; there was a just retaliation made to them ; they were paid in their own way ; it was a righteous thing with Wisdom, and no insult on their misery, to laugh at their calamity, and mock when their fear came upon them. III. This passage is produced in favour of sufficient grace given to men, to repent, believe, and convert themselves * ; and to prove that God's calls, invitations, and messages, by his prophets, are suffi- cient inducements to procure reformation and repentance. To which I answer, 1 . It is plain that the persons here spoken of, called unto, exhorted, and threatened, had not sufficient grace ; since they are represented as fools, scorners, lovers of folly, haters of knowledge ; who despised the counsel of Wisdom, and rejected her reproof. 2. Nor should this be concluded from the encouragement that Wisdom gives, to tu7ii to her reproof; saying. Behold, I rcill pour out my spirit iinto you ; since this is not to be understood of the Holy Ghost, and of the dispensation of his extraordinary gifts, or of saving grace ; for when he is promised in either of these senses, it is expressed by a different phrase than what is here used ; he is promised to be poured out upon, and not as here, tmto the sons of men : see Isa. xliv. 8 ; Ezek. xxxix. 29 ; Joel ii. 28. I observe that Dr. Whitby, whenever he cites the passage before us, inadvertently transcribes it as though it was readf , / tcill pour out my Spirit upon you, wlien it is unto you. By the Spirit, we are to understand the mind of AVisdom ; so the word mi is used in Prov. xxix. 1 1 ; and by pouring it out, a large and full revelation of it to the sons of men, as it is explained in the next clause, / icill make known my toords u7ito you. * Whitby, p. 250, 251; cd. 2. 244, 245. f Ibid., p. 181, 25); cd. 2. 177, 245. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 27 3. This external revelation of the mind of Christ, ought not to be called sufficient grace ; it is indeed the means of convejing and im- planting grace, when it comes not in word only, but with the Holy Ghost and with power : it is not sufficient means of grace to all men ; for all men have it not, nor is it so to all that have it ; for to some it is the savour of death unto death, whilst it is to others the savour of life unto life ; nor is it of itself sufficient means to any, without the efficacious grace of God. Hence, 4. Though the calls, invitations, and messages of God to men, by his ministers, may be sometimes (for they are not always) sufficient inducements to procure an external reformation, an outward repent- ance, as in the people of Nineveh ; yet these are not sufficient of themselves, without powerful grace, to produce true faith in Christ, evangelical repentance towards God, and new spiritual obedience, in life and conversation. IV. These words, I have called, and ye refised ; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, are used* to prove the resistibility of the grace of God, and that an irresistible power is not necessary to the conversion of a sinner. But, 1 . It ought to be observed, that there is a twofold call ; the one is internal, which is by the powerful operations of the Spirit of God on the soul, either with or without the word ; which cannot be so re- sisted, as to be made to cease, to become void, and of no effect ; the other is external, by the ministry of the word ; and may be resisted, rejected, and despised, and become useless : now it is of the latter call, and not of the former, that the text speaks, and therefore no ways militates against the irresistible, unfrusti'able grace of God in conversion : and in this sense are we to understand some other places of Scripture, asProv. ii. 3, 4, and xi. 3, 4; Isa. Ixv. 2; Matt. xx. 16. 2. It is saidf, that "were such an irresistible power necessary to the conversion of a sinner, no man could be converted sooner than he is ; because before this irresistible action came upon him, he could not be converted ; and when it came upon him, he could not choose but be converted." To which I reply, I see no absurdity in the conse- quence ; for, as all our times are in the hands of God, a time to be born, and a time to die ; so likewise the time of conversion, which is called a time of love, Ezek. xvi. 8. Now as a man cannot be born sooner or later than he is, nor die sooner or later than he does ; so neither can he be converted sooner or later than he is. But then, 3. It is objected J, that if this be the case, " no man could reason- ably be blamed that he lived so long in his impenitent and unconverted state." To which I answer, that living in an impenitent and uncon- verted state, is living in sin, and therefore blameworthy. And though man, by sinning, has involved himself in a state, out of which he cannot extricate himself ; yet is he not the less culpable on that score for living in it. 4. It is further objected §, that if man cannot be converted sooner * Remonstr. in Coll. Hag. art. iii. iv. p. 215. t Ibid. art. iii. iv. p. 221 ; WLitby.p. 260 ; ed. 2. 254. X AVLitby, ib. § Ibid. 28 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRL'TH. than he is, God must unreasonably make these inquiries, How long^ ye simple ones, to ill ye love simplicity ? with others, in the following places, Exod. xvi. 28 ; Numb. xiv. 11 ; Jer. iv. 14, and xiii, 27. In answer to which, it will be enough to say, that these passages speak not of conversion, but of external obedience and reformation ; which might be sooner done, though conversion cannot. 5. It is said*, that if it is so, "it would not be praiseworthy in persons that they were then converted, it being not in their power then to be otherwise ; since an unfrustrable operation is that wdiich no man can frustrate." It is very true ; for all the praise of conversion is due to the powerful and efficacious grace of God, and none to the power and will of man. 6. It is asked-f-, " If there be some physical and unfrustrable opera- tion on God's part, necessary to the new birth ; why is the want of this new birth and spiritual renovation imputed to men's voluntary want of consideration, to their rejecting the counsel of God, and not choosing the fear of the Lord ?" Prov. i. 24, 2.5, 2.9, 80. I reply ; That the want of the new birth and spiritual renovation, is not the thing spoken of in the place referred to ; but a non-attention to, and a contempt of, the ministry of the word, though these indeed are a sign of it ; much less is this imputed to men's rejecting the counsel of God, and not choosing the fear of the Lord ; for the tables must be turned ; and if we speak truth, we must say, that man's rejecting the counsel of God, and not choosing the fear of the Lord, are owing, and to be imputed, to a want of the new birth and spiritual renovation. Besides, as the new birth and spiritual renovation are the effects of, and owing to the Spirit and grace of God, and therefore called a being horn oficater and of the Spirit, and the reneiuing of the Holy Ghost; so a want thereof is owing to a man's not having that grace which is in the power of God only to bestow upon him. SECTION XI. Wash ye, make you clean, ^'c. — Isa. i. 16, 17. These words are supposed to express the power of man, and con- tradict the necessity of unfrustrable grace in conversion : the argument from them is formed in this manner:}: ; " If conversion be wrought only by the unfrustrable operation of God, and man is purely passive in it, vain are all these commands and exhortations directed to wicked men." The weakness of which conclusion will appear by considering particvilarly each command or exhortation. 1. Wash ye, make you clean ; these two are to be regarded as one, •since they intend one and the same thing ; and suppose, that men, in a state of nature, are polluted and unclean ; and indeed their pollution is of such sort, and to such a degree, that they cannot cleanse them- selves, cither by ceremonial ablutions, or moral services, or evange- lical ordinances ; for, xoho can say, I have made my heart clean ; I am •• Whitby, p. -261 ; cd. 2. 255. f Ibid. p. 224, 257; cd. 2. 218, 251 % 11*'^. p. 237 ; cd. 2. 231. THE CAUSE Ol- GOD AND TUUTIt. 29 pure from my sin* ? This is God's work only, as appera\s from his pro- mises to cleanse his people from their sins ; froni the end of Christ's shedding his blood, and the efficacy of it ; from the sanctifying in- fluences of the Spirit; and from the prayers of the saints f to God, that he would create in them clean hearts, loash them thoroughly from their iniquity, and cleanse themy'rom their sin. But if this be the case, that it is God's work alone, and that man is uncapable to cleanse himself from sin, it will be said, to what purpose are such exhortations ? I answer ; to convince men of their pollution, and that they stand in need of being washed and cleansed, of which they are naturally igno- rant : there are too many who are j^ure in their own eyes, and yet not tcashedfrom their flthiness % ; as also, to bring them to a sense of their, own inability to cleanse themselves ; which seems to be the particular design of them here ; since these Jews thought to have washed them- selves from their immoralities by their ceremonial services, and which are therefore rejected by God, ver. 11 — -15 ; and they, notwithstanding all their legal purifications, are called upon to wash and make clean : besides, such exhortations may be useful to lead persons to inquire after the proper means of cleansing, and so to the fountain of Christ's blood, in which only souls being washed are made clean. These exhor- tations then are not in vain ; though conversion is wrought only by the imfrustrable operation of God, and man is purely passive in it. This view of them will help us to understand aright some parallel places ; such as Jer. iv. 14, xiii. 27 ; 2 Cor. vii, 1 ; James i, 21, and iv. 8, which commonly go in company with these. 2. Put axcay the evil of your doings from before mine eyes. Evil is said to be put away from a nation, when it is punished in the doer of it; see Deut. xiii. 5, and xvii. 7, 12; and from a family and pai'ticular persons, when diseouraged and abstained from, Jobxi. ll', and xxii. 23. But it ought to be observed, that the exhortation here is not barely to put away their doings, but the evil of them ; and that not from themselves, but from before the eyes of God. Now to put away sin in this sense, is to take it away, to remove it, as that it is pardoned, and men acquitted and discharged from it ; but this is im- practicable to men, and is the act of God only ; as is evident from his promises to remove the sins of his people ; from the end of Christ's sacrifice, which was to put away sin for ever ; and from the prayers of the saints, who desire that God would take away all iniquity, and re- ceive graciously. But why then is such an exhortation given I First to convince men, that the putting away of sin from the eyes of God's vindictive justice, is absolutely necessary to salvation ; and then that men cannot by all their ceremonial and moral services do this ; for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats shoidd take aioay sin% ; as also to lead and direct their views to the sacrifice of Christ, which effectually does it ; and without which, to what pur-pose is the midtitude of sacrifices ? and vain are all oblations, ver. 11, 12. 3. Cease to do evil : which regards either a cessation from ceremo- nial works, which being done with a wicked mind, were an abomination * Prov. XX. 9. t Ps^ilm li. 2, 7, 10. + Piov. xxx. 12. § Heb. x. 4. 30 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. to the Lord, ver. 18, 14, or an abstinence from outward immoralities; such as shedding innocent blood, oppressing the fatherless and widow, ver. 15, 17. Now a natural man may be able to abstain from such external enormities of life, without supposing a power in him to do that which is spiritually good ; or that the unfrustrable grace of God is unnecessary in conversion. 4. Learn to do loell; that is, to do acts of justice, beneficence, libe- rality, and charity, such as are here mentioned ; seek judr/mpnt^ relieve the oppressed^ j^'-^^ff'^ ^^^^ fatherless^ plead for the widoto ; all which are very commendable, and may be performed by men in an unconverted state ; and no way militate either against man's pagsiveness, or the necessity of God's efficacious grace in the work of conversion. SECTION XII. Come now and let ns reason together : If ye he willing and obedient, S)C.— IsA. i. 18, 19. I. The eighteenth verse is considered in strict connexion with the words preceding and following ; from whence it is concluded, that to cease to do evil, and learn to do well, to be ivilUnfj and obedient *, are qualifications for the pardoning mercy of God, and conditions of obtaining it ; the promises of pardon, life, and salvation, being made to persons of such characters. But, 1. Let it be observed, that the eighteenth verse may be read in a parenthesis, without any connexion with or dependence on either the preceding or subsequent verses ; being thrown in on purpose to com- fort the people of God, oppressed with a sense of their sins, whilst he is expressing his just resentment and indignation against the sins of others. 2. Admitting it to be in strict connexion with the context, it con- tains a free declaration of pardoning grace and mercy, without any conditions annexed to it ; it is not expressed in a conditional form ; it is not said, if ye cease to do evil, and learn to do well, then thour/h your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as lohite as snoic ; nor is it said, if ye be icilling and obedient, then though your sins be red like crimson, they shall be as wool, but ye shall eat the good of the land. S. God's promise of pardon is free, absolute, and unconditional ; it is expressed in this manner : / will be merciful to their unriyhtcousness, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no morr-\- ; and made to persons guilty both of sins of omission and commission ; who had bought him no siveet cane loith money ; neither hmd filed him ivith the fat of sacrifices ; but had made him to serve ivith their siyis, and had wearied him loith their iniquities].. 4. Pardon of sin is never ascribed to. any condition performed by men, but to the free grace of God, streaming through the blood of Christ ; which was shed to obtain it, and in whose gift it is, being exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel, and * Whitby, p. 181, 242, 298; til. 2. 177,230, 291. f Heb. viii. 12. J Isa. xliii. 24, 25. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 31 forgiveness of sins*'; and which is often given to persons without any conditions previously qualifying them for it. 5. Obedience is not the condition of pardon, though a declaration of pardon is an excellent motive to induce to obedience ; evangelical obedience springs from, and is influenced by, discoveries of pardon, but is neither the cause nor condition of it. II. It is here promised to such who are xoilling and obedient, that they shall eat the good of the land ; and threatened to the disobedient, that they shall he devoured icith the sivord : from whence it does not follow, that it is in the power of man to do what is spiritually good, much less that eternal happiness depends upon, or is to be obtained by, man's obedience. For, 1 . The voluntary obedience here encouraged, is to things civil ; such as to relieve the oppressed, j^^^ge the fatherless, and plead for the widow, ver. 17, which it is allowed are in the power of a natural man to per- form; and might be reasonably expected from a professing people, as these were to whom these exhortations were given. 2. What is here promised, is not of a spiritual or eternal, but of a temporal nature ; ye shall eat the good of the land ; that is, of the land of Canaan ; the possession of which they held by their obedience to those laws of a moral, civil, and ceremonial kind, which God gave them as a body politic ; and which, so long as they observed, they were continued in the quiet and full enjoyment of all the blessings of the good land, flowing with milk and honey, as were promised to them ; see Deut. v. 82, 33, and vi. 24, 25, and xxviii. 1 — 14 ; Lev. xxvi. 3— 10. But when they refused and rebelled, it was otherwise with them. And therefore, 3. The punishment threatened to their disobedience and rebellion is temporal ; ye shall he devoured icith the sicord, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it ; as he had in Lev. xxvi. 25, 33 ; and so it was frequently with this people, when they broke the laws of God, trans- gressed his commands, and rebelled against him, the enemy was let in upon them, the sword was drawn against them, and they destroyed by it, or carried captive. SECTION XIII. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it 9 Wherefore when I looked, ^c— IsA. v. 4. No one place of Scripture is more frequent in the mouths and writings of the patrons of free will f, and adversaries of the grace of God, than this ; which is used by them, to prove that God gives sufficient grace for the conversion of such who are not converted ; and that he does not effect that work by an irresistible power, by an unfrustrable operation ; which operation, it is said, " if necessary to produce the expected * Acts V. 31. t Remonstr. in Coll. Hag. art. iii. iv. p. 216, 219; Act. Synod, p. 89, &c ; Curcell. Christ. Institut. 1. 6, c. 13, sec. 3, p. 400 ; Limborch. 1. 4, c. 13, sect. 2, 3, 4, p. 369. 32 THIC CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. fruits, and not vouchsafed, it must follow, that this vineyard had not grace sufficient to answer her Lord's expectations ; and if so, he must unreasonably complain, that she brought forth wild grapes, and more unreasonably expect good grapes, and most unreasonably punish her for not doing what he would not give her grace sufficient to perform*." To which I reply, 1 . These words are part of a parable, representing the state and condition of the people of the Jews. Now, parabolical divinity is not argumentative ; nor ought parables to be stretched beyond their scope and design ; the intent of this is to show the ingratitude of the Jews, in the midst of many favours bestowed on them, and the patience and long-suffering of God towards them, and to vindicate his justice in their ruin as a nation. 2. Seeing there is a particular application of this parable to the people of Israel and Judah, ver. 4 ; The vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the hou The words may be so rendered, as that they may be understood of place as well as time ; Seek ye the Lord, i«VDn:i, in his being found, call ye upon him invnn n'lp, in his being near, that is, in the place where he is to be found, and in the place where he is near. Now, though God is everywhere, and in all places, yet, in the Old Testa- ment dispensation, there was a particular place for public worship appointed, where God vouchsafed his presence, and where it was both the duty and interest of his people to attend ; and though, under the gospel dispensation, all places are alike, yet where the saints agree to meet together, there God has promised to be in the midst of them ; and therefore, there should he be sought and called upon. 3. The words may have a particular regard to Christ's being on earth in the land of Judea ; seeing he is spoken of under the name of David, ver. 3, and is promised to be given for a icitness to the people, a leader, and commander of the peop)le, ver. 4, and it is prophesied of him, that there should be a large concourse of the Gentiles to him, ver. 5, who are here encouraged, or rather the Jews, to seek unto him, and call upon him, while he was in their land, near unto them; when they had the advantage of his personal presence, ministry, and miracles. SECTION XVII. Let the wicked forsake his way, atid the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.— \sx. Iv. 7. I. These words are represented* as a promise of pardon, on con- dition of forsaking sinful ways and thoughts and turning, to the Lord ; which, if not in man's power to perform, is to promise on an impos- sible condition, and that is, indeed, to promise nothing. To which may be replied, • Whitby, p. 242 ; wl. 1. -236. 38 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 1. That forsaking sin, and turning to the Lord at first conversion, or returning to him after backslidings, which perhaps may be here meant, are not owing to the power of man, but to the efficacious grace of God. None can truly forsake sin, or lieartily turn to the Lord, but such who are influenced by the Spirit of God ; hence says Ephraim, Turn thou me, and I shall he turned*. 2. That the promise of pardon is free, absohite, and unconditional, not depending on any condition whatever to be performed by men ; forsaking sinful ways and thoughts, and returning to the Lord, are not here proposed as conditions of obtaining mercy, and receiving pardon ; but the declarations of pardoning gi'acc and mercy here made, are made on purpose to encourage souls sensible of the wickedness of their ways, and unrighteousness of their thoughts, to return to the Lord, who is a God of grace and mercy. 3. Though faith and repentance are not conditions of pardon, nor in the power of man, of himself, to perform ; yet as pardon is pro- mised to such who repent, believe, and turn to the Lord, so all such, to whom God makes the promise of pardon, he gives the graces of faith and repentance : hence his promise is not vain, empty, and delusory. » IL It is saidf, that " if conversion Is wrought only by the unfrus- trable operation of God, and man is purely passive in it, vain are the promises of pardon, such as this ; for no promises can be means proper to make a dead man live, or to prevail upon a man to act, who must be purely passive." To which I answer, 1. That these words contain no promise to dead men, but a decla- ration of pardoning gi'ace to sensible sinners ; who were wicked and unrif/hteous in their own apprehensions, being represented as thirsty, ver. 1, seeking after the way of life and salvation; though they took the wrong zcay. and had their thom/hts ^^Tongly turned to spend money for that ichich is not hread, and their labour for that rollick satisfieth not, ver. 2, and therefore remained oppressed with a sense of sin ; hence they are here encouraged to quit their o^^^l rcay of salvation, and all thoughts of their own righteousness, and alone to seek the Lord for mercy and pardon ; since his thoughts were not as their thoughts, nor his tcays as their ways. 2. Admitting them to be a promise of pardon made to dead men ; it may be thought to be a proper and sufficient means in the hand of God, under the mighty influences of his Spirit and grace, to make dead men live ; since the gospel is the poroer of God unto salvation, the viinistration of life, yea, tJie savour of life unto life %; and especially when it is observed what is said in ver. 10, 11. For as the raiji cometh doivn, and the s7iotv from heaven, and returneth not thither, hut watcreth the earth, and maheth it bring forth and hud, that it may give seed to the soicer, and bread to the eater ; so shall my icord he that gocth forth out of my mouth, now at this present time delivered, in ver. 7—9 : it shall not return unto me void : but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. • Jcr.xxxi. 18. t Whitl.y, pp. 237, 242; ed. 2. 231,236. % Rom. i. 16 ; 2 Cor. ii. 16,aiKl iii. 6. THE CALSE OF GOD AND TKUTH. 39 3. Though man is passive in regeneration, yet he is active in forsak- ing sin and turning to the Lord. Promises of pardon may, through the grace of God, prevail on such to act in these instances, who have been passive in the work of regeneration ; for regeneration antecedes these ; forsaking sin, and turning to the Lord, follow upon, and rise from regenerating grace. No man can truly do these, until he is regenerated by the Spirit of God. It follows, then, that men may be prevailed upon, by the promises of pardon, to act, who have been passive in regeneration. in. It is intimated, that such who are in the Calvinistical way of thinking, say, that God promises pardon and life to the non-elect, on condition of their faith and repentance* : and it is asked, "• How can a God of truth and sincerity be said to promise to them pardon and salvation, seriously and in good earnest, who are, by his own act of pretention, infallibly and unfrustrably excluded from itf I answer, 1. Who the men are that say so, I do not know, and must leave them to defend their own positions, who only are accountable for the consequences of them ; for my own part, I utterly deny that there is any promise of pardon made to the non-elect at all, not on any condi- tion whatever. The promise of pardon is a promise of the covenant of grace, and which is made to none but to such who are in that cove- nant, in which the non- elect have no share ; to whom the blessing of pardon belongs, to them only is the promise of it made ; the blessing of it only belongs to such for whom Christ died, whose blood was shed for the remission of sin ; and these are the elect of God only : and though the gospel declaration of pardon is made in indefinite terms, to every one that believes ; the reason is, because to all those who are interested in the covenant of grace, and for whom Christ died, God does, in his own time, give faith and repentance, and along with them forgiveness of sins. 2. This passage of Scripture now under consideration, is no promise of pardon to the non-elect ; for the words loicked and loirifjhtcous, are not peculiar to them ; God^s elect are so in their state of nature, and in their own sense and apprehension, when the Spirit of God convinces them. Besides, the persons spoken to, appear from the context, to be such towards whom God's tlimights had been from everlasting, ver. 8, 9 ; and who were to partake of the blessings of joy and peace for ever, ver. 12, 13. SECTION XVIII. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take aivay the foreskins of your heart, ye men ofJudah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem ; let my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it ; because of the evil of your doings. — Jer. iv. 4. These words, with Dcut. x. 16, which express nuich the same thing, in almost the same words, are thought to disprove man''s passiveness * Whitby, p. 243; ed. 2. 23/". 40 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. and the unfriistrablc operation of God in conversion ; or that that is Ciod's work alone ; which, if true, it is said *, vain are all such com- mands and exhortations as these : on which, let the following things be obsened : 1. That it is questionable whether these figurative expressions are to be understood of internal conversion -}-, or the first work of it on the soul ; since they are directed to backsliding Israel and Judah ; and may not rather design a national repentance and reformation of them, as God's professing people, that they might be saved with a temporal deliverance from temporal judgments ; with which they are threatened throughout this chapter. 2, Admitting that they are to be understood of the internal, spi- ritual, and saving work of conversion ; since he is a Jeio xolio is one inwardhj ; and cii'cumcisiun is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, xchose praise is not of men, but of God J ; this sense of the words carries the things expressed by them still farther out of the power of man, and into the hantls of God alone ; seeing this is the cir~ cumcision made icithont hanils §, that is, without the power, help, and assistance of men. Circmucision of the flesh was typical of that of the spirit, and fitly expresses the passiveness of man in it ; for as the infant was entirely passive and not active in circumcision, so is man in regeneration and first conversion ; not to take any notice of, or insist upon the word iban, being of a passive form, and rendered by the Septuagint, Trtpir/i^^j^re, and by the Vulgate Latin, circumcidimini, he ye circumcised. 8. What God here requires, commands, and exhorts unto, he else^ whei'e promises to do himself, saying ; The Lord thy God loill circum- cise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live\\ ; which at once discovei"s the inability of man, and the necessity of the grace of God ; for if man could do this of himself, there would be no need of God's doing it for him : since this is the case, we may say, as Austin did, Domine, da quod jubes, et jube quod vis ; Lord, give what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt. 4. Such commands and exhortations are not in vain, supposing man's passiveness in this work of conversion, and the unfrustrable operation of God in it ; seeing such exhortations may be useful to convince men of the corruption of their nature ; the necessity of a spiritual circumcision, without which there can be no salvation ; their own disability, and the need of the power and grace of God to effect it. * Wliitt.y, pp. 237, 287 ; id. 2. 231, 280. t Vid. RpinoiibH. in Coll. Hag. art. iii. and iv. p. 265. + Rom. ii. 29. § Col. ii. 11. II Deut. XXX. 6. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 41 SECTION XIX. Bui when the righteous ttirneth away from his righteousness, and cotnmiltelh iniquity, and doth according to all the abominations thai the wicked man doth, shall he live? all his righfeozisness that he hath done shall not be 7nenfioned ; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his siti that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. — Ezek. xviii. 24. This scripture is placed at the front of those which are * said " ex- pressly to assert the possibility, that true believers, true penitents, men truly just and righteous, may fall from their righteousness, and die in their iniquity." But, 1 . The man here spoken of, is not one truly just and righteous'; seeing he is denominated righteous from his own righteousness in which he trusted, and from which he is supposed to turn. Now none are truly, and in an evangelic sense, righteous by their own righteous- ness ; only such are, who are made so by the obedience of Christ ; and these never can, nor shall they, turji from this righteousness, which is the righteousness of God, an everlasting one, and is revealed from faith to faith ; nor do they commit sin, that is, make a trade of sinning, live in a course of it ; much less do they according to cdl the abomiiiations of the icicked ; nor can it be said of them, that their right- eousness shall not be mentioned, since it endures for ever ; and they, on the account of it, shall be in everlasting remembrance. Nor can they ever die, in the Arminian sense of the phrase here used ; for they are justified by Chrisfs righteousness from all their sins, and therefore shall not die in them ; they live by faith on it, and shall never die the second death : there is more virtue in the righteousness of Christ to justify them, than there is in all their sins to condemn them ; their justification and glorification are inseparably connected together. Be- sides, such are the love, care, and power of God, which are engaged on their side, and exercised towards them, that it is impossible they should everlastingly perish. The man here designed, is one that is outwardly righteous before men; who imagines himself to be so ; trusteth to his oion righteousness^ : concludes, that what he suffered was owing to his father's sin, and not any iniquity of his own ; and therefore complains of injustice in God ; Mhose folly, vain opinion of himself, and unrighteous notions of God''s providence, are fully and justly exposed in this chapter. The righte- ousness from which he is denominated righteous, is his own, and not another's, and what he himself liath done, and not what Christ hath done for him ; a mere moral righteousness, consisting of some nega- tive holiness, and a few external, moral performances, as appears from ver. 5 — 9 ; from such a righteousness a man may turn, commit iniquity, sin and die ; but then this is no proof or instance of the apos- tacy of the saints, of true believers, true penitents, men truly just and righteous. * Rcmonstr. in Coll. Hag. ait. v. p. 14 ; Aci. Sviiod. i>. 218; Linibovch. 1. 5,c. tJl, svct. 1, p. 705; Whitby, p. 401 ; cd. 1. 390. ' f Eztk. xxxiii. 13. 42 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. It is indeed said *, " that the righteous man here spoken of, is one truly righteous ; for he is one who sinneth not, committeth not iniquity^ and turneth not away from his righteousness ; one who walketh in God's statutes, and keeps his judgments, yea, who icalketh in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity ; and therefore assuredly is one, who is truly and inwardly righteous, and not in outward profession only.'" To which I answer; the texts referred to in chap, xxxiii. 12, 13, and xviii. 9, 17j 19, say not any one of these things concerning this right- eous man ; but on the contrary suppose, he may sin, commit iniquity, and turn from his righteousness; and indeed, there is not a just man, one that is truly so, tliat lives and sins not ; nor is any man righteous in the sight of God by virtue of his inward holiness, or outward walk : besides, the same author contradicts himself in the next page t, when he says, " The righteous man who turneth away from his righteous- ness, is one who committeth iniquity and doth according to all the ahomi- nations ichich the wicked man doth ; and therefore must be one to whom belongs the portion of the wicked, which is death eternal." It is fur- ther objected % from Dr. Prideaux, that " should he (the righteous man) only turn from his counterfeit and hypocritical righteousness, should he not rather live than die ; inasmuch as he would put off the wolf, to put on the lamb V which will be fully answered by observing the horrid blunder, and wretched mistake, that one doctor has made, and another by him is led into ; for the turn is not from a counterfeit and hypocritical righteousness to a real one ; but from a mere ex- ternal moral righteousness, which had some appearance and degree of obedience in it, to an open, shameful, and abominable course of sin- ning ; which is so far from putting off the wolf to put on the lamb, that it is just the very reverse ; it is to put off the lamb or sheep's clothing, in which he appeared, to put on the wolf he really was ; and consequently such an one should rather die than live. 2. The death threatened to the righteous man that turns from his righteousness, is not an eternal death, or the death of the soul and body in hell ; since this death was then upon them, what they were complaining of, imagining it came upon them for the sins of their pa- rents ; and besides, they might have been recovered from it by repent- ance and reformation. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die § ? so.ith the Lord God : and not that he shoidd return from his ways and live ? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth : lohcre- fore turn yourselves, and live ye ; all which cannot be said of an eternal death : dying in his iniquity, is the same with dying yt>/- his iniquity, as it is rendered in ver. 26, and designs some severe temporal calamity or affliction ; which is often, in Scripture, called a death, Exod. x. 1 7 ; 2 Cor. i. 10, and xi. 23 ; such as captivity, in which the Jews then were, of ^\hich they were complaining, what was owing to their sins, and from which they were capable of being recovered. " This answer, it is said II, contradicts the express words of the prophet about twenty times ; " though not one single instance of it is given. Wherefore, 3. Admitting that the truly just and righteous man is here intended ; * Whitby, p, 402 ; cd. 2. 391. f Ibid. p. 403; ed. 2. 392. J Ibid. p. 402 ; cd. 2. 391. § Ezck. xviii. 23, 32. || Whitby, p. 402 ; ed. 2. 39 1 . THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 43 it is no proof of a possibility of his turning away from his righteous- ness and sinning, so as to be finally lost and perish ; only so as to be afflicted, or suffer in a general calamity : besides, the words are deli- vered in a conditional form, being to be read thus : If the righteous man turneth axoay from his righteousness. Now suppositio nil ponet in esse, a supposition puts nothing in heing, is no proof or instance of mat- ter of fact. But this is said * to be " flying for refuge to a mere mistake ; the words in the original being not if but beshuh, iv ^ av fifiepa €TTiaTpe\I^T], in the day that he turns away from his righteousness.'''' To which I reply, that the word liii^l beshuh may be rendered, if lie turns ; as it is by the A^ulgate Latin and Pagnine f hero, and by our transla- tors in chap, xxxiii. 19, agreeable to the like forms of expression in other places ; as Psal. xlvi. 2, Therefore will loe fear, px T-Dnn, though, or if the earth be removed onn toiam, and though, or if the moun- tains be carried into the midst of the sea. Nor does the Greek version of the Septuagint read the words, eV v «" V^'P" f7naTpt\i/rj, in the dag that he turns aivay ; but iv Se rco airoa-Tpe-^ai, hi his turning, or wJien he turns. Add to this, that a conditional form is not only signified by if, but by tohen. And whereas it may be said, as it is, that such a form of words sup- pose something in possibility, though not in being, as it does in a wicked man's turning from his wickedness, opposed unto ; it will be allowed, that there is a possibility of a truly righteous man's falling away, was he left to himself, and not kept by the power and grace of God ; and therefore such a supposition, as this may be designed for, and made use of, as a means to show him his weakness, make him cautious of his walk, and lead him wholly to rely and depend on supe- rior help and assistance, and so consequently be the means of his final perseverance. SECTION XX. Therefore I will judge you, 0 house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saitli the Lord God: repent, and turn yourselves fioni all your transgressiofis ; so iniquity shall not he your ruin. — Ezek. xviii. 30. These exhortations are represented as contrary to the doctrines of absolute election and reprobation, and of unfrustrable grace in conver- sion. The argument from them stands thus J ; " He who would have all men, to whom the gospel is vouchsafed, to come to repentance, hath not prepared this saving grace only for some few Christians, leaving the rest under a necessity of perishing for the want of it ; for to all such persons he hath promised, that they shall not perish." And elsewhere it is said§, that " such delude men with vain words, who teach, that a God of truth, and of sincerity, and of great goodness, should say to persons with such symptoms of passionate concern, Re- j}ent, and be converted from all your transgressions ; so iniquity shall not * AVliitby, p. 403 ; cd. 2. o92. f So even Vorstius reads the words, and aigncs from them for a conditional decree in God. Amic. Collat. cum Piscator, sect. A, p. 10. '% Wliitliy, p. 70 ; cd. 2. 61). $ lb. p. 34 ; ed. 2. 33. 44 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. he your ruin ; when he himself had from eternity appointed them to ruin, and purposed to withhold from them that grace, without which it was impossible they should repent, or be converted ;'"" and that*, "if conversion be wrought only by the unfrustrable operation of God, and man is purely passive in it, vain are all such exhortations/*' To all which I reply, 1 . That these exhortations are not made to all men, but only to the house of Israel ; and therefore do not contradict the preparation of saving grace for some few only, as the Israelites were ; nor do we say, that God has prepared saving grace only for some feic Christians, but for all Christians ; that is, all that are Christ''s ; nor are any of them left under a necessity of perishing for the want of it, since it is given to them, and they have it, as their character supposes : and whereas it is said, that to all such persons God has promised, that they shall not perish ; it is readily granted, and by the way, is an acknowledg- ment of the doctrine of the saints' final perseverance ; which is else- where greatly objected to. Moreover, inasmuch as they were the house of Israel, and eveiy one of them, that are here spoken to, they are the wrong persons pitched upon to contradict the decrees of elec- tion and reprobation ; for who will say of every one of them, that they were doomed to eternal death, or appointed to everlasting ruin, who were chosen to be a peculiar people I It ought to be shown, if any thing is done to purpose, that God has somewhere or other ex- pressed himself in such language to all men, and particularly to such as shall not eventually be saved, as is here used to his professing people. 2. The repentance here exhorted to, is not to be understood of an evangelical one, which is a repentance unto life, and unto salvation ; but of a national one, for national iniquities, and to prevent national judg- ments, with which they are here threatened ; seeing it is the whole hoiise of Israel, the whole nation, and every one of them, who are ex- horted unto it. Now, though there can be no true evangelical repent- ance without the unfrustrable grace of God, yet there may be a national external repentance without it ; as in the case of the Ninevites. Besides, was an evangelical repentance designed here, an exhortation to it being made to the people of God, as the house of Israel were, could only be to the exercise of it, the grace itself having been wrought in them by the power of God : or admitting that the words are spoken to such who had not the grace itself; such an exhortation might not be in vain, supposing the necessity of an unfrustrable operation ; seeing it might be made use of to convince such of the necessity of re- pentance, and of their want of it ; and so God may in this way bring his elect to it, according to his eternal purposes and designs. More- over, turninrj from transf/ression, does not intend the first work of inter- nal, saving conversion, which is wrought by the powerful and efficacious grace of God, and in which men are purely passive ; but an external reformation, or a bringing forth fruits meet for repentance, in which persons may be, and arc active ; since it is not reasonable to suppose that the house of Israel, and every one of them, should be in an uncon- * Wliitl.y, pp. 237, 242; al. •_'. -231 236. THE CAITSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 45 verted state. Besides, some give the sense of these words thus : not turn yourselves, but turn others, every man his neighbour, or his brother; so R. Sol. Jarchi, R. Da\id Kimclii, R. Sol. Ben Melee, and some Christian interpreters. 3. The ruin the house of Israel was in danger of through iniquity, and which they might escape by repentance and reformation, was not eternal but temporal ; so iniquity shall not be your ruin, i^iiy^ab a stum- hling-hlock to you ; an hindrance, an obstruction, lying in the way of your enjoyment of temporal blessings ; therefore, cast away from you all your transgressions. This sense of the words may be confirmed froni the advantages proposed to such who turned from their sins and transgressions, ver. 27, 28, as that such an one should save his soul alive ; not with an everlasting salvation, for no man can save his soul alive in that sense ; but with a temporal one, as did the Ninevites, by their repentance and reformation : it is also said, that he shall surely live, not a spiritual and eternal life ; for he is said* to live by his doing thativhich is lawful and right ; whereas, no man can live spiritually and eternally by so doing ; but it intends a civil life, in the comfortable enjoyment of outward mercies. It is moreover added, he shall not die, which is to be understood not of an eternal death, but of a temporal one, or of a death of afflictions, as has been observed under the pre- ceding section. SECTION XXI. Cast aivay from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a neiv heart, and a new spirit ; for why ivill ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: Wlierefore turn yourselves, and live ye. — Ezek. xviii. 31, 32. This passage of Scripture Is frequently used by the -f* patrons of free- will, and opposers of God's grace ; in which they imagine the power of man in conversion is strongly asserted, and the doctrine of repro- bation sufficiently disproved ; but whether they are or are not, we shall be better able to judge when the following things are considered. 1. That the exhortation to castaway their transgressions from them, regards either their sins themselves, which they had committed, and shows, that they were not only unprofitable, but pernicious, and so to be disliked and abhorred, as such things are that are proper to be cast away ; or else t\ve imnishment due to their sins, which they might have removed and cast off from them by their repentance and refor- mation, and is the sense Kimchi gives of the words ; or rather those things, particularly their idols, by which they transgressed. Now let it be observed, that this phrase of casting away transgressions, is no where else used, is peculiar to Ezekiel, and so may be best interpreted by chap. XX. 7,8. Then saidi unto them, Cast ye away every man the ahomina- * Ezek. xxxiii. 19. t Remonstr. in Coll. Hag. .lit. iii. iv. p. 216 : Act. Svnoil. p. 78, &c. ; Curcell. 1. 5, c. 6, sect. I, p. 363; et 1. 6, c. 14, sect. 8, p. 408; Limborrh. l.'4,c. 5, sect. 2, p. .331, &c. 13, p. 374. 46 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. tions of his ej/es, kc. Now these idols were the abominations of their eyes, were the cause of their transgressions, or that bi/ xchich they trans- ff)'essed, lohich their oion hands had wade unto them, ^or a sin*' : and what they had power or were able to cast aA\ay from them ; and no ways mihtates against the necessity of an unfrustrable operation in con- version. 2. The other exhortation, to make them a new heart and a neiusjnrit, admitting that it designs a renewed, regenerated heart and spirit, in which are new principles of light, life and love, grace and holiness, it will not prove that it is in the power of an unregenerate man, to make himself such a heart and spirit ; since from God's commands, to man"'s power, non valet consequential is no argument : God com- mands men to keep the whole law perfectly ; it does not follow from hence that they can do it ; his precepts show what man ought to do, not what he can do. Such an exhortation as this, to make a new heart, may be designed to convince men of their want of one, and of the importance of it, that without it is no salvation ; and so be the means, through the efficacious grace of God, of his elect enjoying this blessing ; for what he here exhorts to, he has absolutely promised in the new covenant -f- ; A new heart also will I give you, and a new sjnrit loill I put within you. Though it ought to be observed, that these words are not spoken to unconverted persons, but to the house of Israel, every one of them ; who cannot be thought, especially all of them, to have been at that time in an unregenerate state ; and therefore must not be under- stood of the first work of renovation, but of some after renewings, which were to appear in their external conversation ; and so the words have the same sense as those of the apostle Paul to the believing Ephesians,:]: Be ye renewed in the spirit of your minds ; and put on the new man., ichicli after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Moreover, by a neivheart, and a new spirit, maybe meant, as the Targum of Jonathan Ben Uzziel renders them, «^m mil Vrx^ ':b, a fearing heart, and a spirit of fear., that is, a heart and spirit, to fear, serve, and worship the Lord, and not idols. And it is observable, that wherever a new heart and spirit are spoken of, they stand opposed to idols, and the service of them ; so that the exhortation amounts to no more than £tiis, that they yield a hearty reverential obedience to the living God, and not to dumb idols. Besides, what is here called a new heart, is, in chap. xi. 9, called one heart, that is, a single heart, in opposition to a double or hypocritical one ; and so may design sincerity and uprightness in their national repentance and external reformation, which they are here pressed unto. 3. The expostulation. Why ivill ye die ? is not made with all men ; nor can it be proved that it was made with any who were not eventually saved, but with the house of Israel, who were called the children and people of God ; and therefore cannot disprove any act of pretention passing on others, nor be an impeachment of the truth and sincerity of God. Besides, the death expostulated about, is not an eternal, but a temporal one, or what concerned their temporal affiiirs, and civil condition, and circumstances of life ; sec chap, xxxiii. 24 to 29. Hence, * Isa. xxxi. 7. t E/.ek. xxxiv. 2G. % Epli. iv. 23, 24. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 47 4. The affirmation, I have no pleasure in the death of him that cliefh, wliieh is sometimes introduced with an oath *, as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the loicked, does not in the least mihtate against an act of pretention ; whereby any are left by God justly to perish in and for their iniquities ; or the decree of reprobation, whereby any, on the score of their transgressions, are appointed, or fore-ordained to condemnation and death ; and therefore all the reason- ings-f- made use of to disprove these things, founded on this passage of Scripture, are vain and impertinent ; for a death of afflictions is here intended, as has been already observed, which the house of Israel was groaning under, and complaining of; though it was wholly owing to themselves, and w^hich was not grateful to God, and in which he took no pleasure : which is to be understood, not simply and absolutely, and with respect to all persons afflicted by him ; for he delights in the ex- ercise of judgment and righteousness, as well as in showing mercy, and laughs at the calamity of wicked men, and mochs when their /ear cometh\; but it is to be taken comparatively; as when he says§, I icill have mercy, and not sacrifice ; that is, I take delight in mercy rather than in sacrifice ; so here, I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth : in his afflictions, distresses, calamities, captivity, and the like ; but rather, that he would irturn from his ivays, repent and reform, and live in his own land ; which shows the mercy and compassion of God [j , who does not afflict tvillingly, nor grieve the children of men. Wherefore he renews his exhortation. Turn yourselves, and live ye. The sum of all this is, you have no reason to say, as in ver. 2, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge ; or as in ver. 25, that the way of the Lord is not equal ; seeing it is not for the sins of your parents, but your own, that the present calamities you are complaining of lie upon you ; for my part, I take no delight in your death, in your captivity ; it would be more agreeable to me, would you turn from your evil ways, to the Lord your God, and behave ac- cording to the laws I have given you to walk by, and so live in your own land, in the quiet possession of all your goods and estates. But what has this to do with the affairs of eternal life, or eternal death ? SECTION XXII. Because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not he purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee. — Ezek. xxiv. 13. These words are represented as irreconcilable with God''s decrees of election and reprobation, as inconsistent with the doctrine of par- ticular redemption, and in favour of sufficient grace given to all meni[. But, 1 . The words are not spoken to all men, nor do they declare what God hath done for or what he would have done by all men ; but are * Ezek. xxxiii. 11. t See Whitby, pp. 3, 33, 160, 196, 197 ; ed. 2. 3, 32, 156, 192, 193. X Jev. ix. 24; Prov. i. 26. § Hos. v. 6. || Lam. iii. 33. t Whitbv, pp. 77, 160, 204, 251, 252, 477 ; ed. 2. 76, 156, 199, 245, 246, 452. 48 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. directed only to Jerusalem, or the house of Israel, whose destruction is here represented under the parable of a boiling pot ; and do not dis- cover any design of God, or steps that he has taken towards the pur- gation of all mankind, and therefore no ways militate against the decrees of election andTeprobation. 2. This purgation of Jerusalem, and the inhabitants thereof, is to be understood either of ceremonial purifications, or of an external reformation of life and manners, and not of an internal cleansing of them, much less of all men, from sin, by the blood of Jesus ; and so is no ways inconsistent with the doctrine of particular redemption. 3. These words do not express what God had done, and was not done ; which is a contradiction in terms ; nor what he had done sufficient for their purgation, but was obstructed by their obstinacy; or that he would have purged them, and they would not be purged ; for our God is in the heavens ; he hath done whatsoever he pleased *,but what he commanded to be done, and svas not done ; for so the words should be rendered ; as they are by Pagnine, Jussi ut mundares te, et non mundasti te, I com- manded that thou sliouldest purge thyself, and thou hast not p)urged thyself; to which agrees the note of Junius on the text, Verbo prsecepi te mundari et toties et tamdiu per prophetas imperavi, / have in my word, and by my prophets, so often and so long commanded thee to be purged. The sense of them is, that God had commanded either ceremonial ablutions and purifications, or a moral, external reforma- tion, and they had not obeyed ; and therefore threatens to leave them in their filthiness, and pour out all his fury on them ; and so are no proof of God's giving sufficient grace, or sufficient means of grace to all men. The text in Jer. ii. 9, We uould have healed Babylon, but she is not healed., is very improperly joined with this, since they are not the words of God, expressing any kind intentions, or sufficient means of healing, which were obstructed, as, through mistake, they are re- presented by a learned writer -|- ; but of the Israelites, or others, who were concerned for the temporal welfare of Babylon, though in vain, and to no purpose. SECTION XXIII. Ye are the salt of the earth ; but if the salt have lost its savour, whereivith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. — Matt. v. 13. This is one of the places which, it is said J, " do plainly suppose that saints, or true believers, or men once truly good, may cease to be so ; for sure, good salt must signify good men ; nor can this salt lose its savour, and become good for nothing, but by ceasing to be good salt."" To which I reply, 1 . That the text speaks not of men as saints or true believei:s, com- parable to salt, for the truth and savour of the grace of God in them : but as ministers and preachers of the gospel, who, by their savoury * Psal. cxv. 3. t Whitby, pp. 201, 477 ; C(J. 2. 199, 456. % ^Wd. p. 435 ; cd. 2. 424. THK CAUSE or HOT) A\D TlU'lfl. 49 , c. *^, sect. 7, p. -170, and c. 13, sect, o, p. 402. THE CAUSE Ob- GOD AND TRUTH. 57 Words to the doctrine of particular redemption, as is suggested *, when it is said, " You may as well hope to reconcile light and darkness, as these words of Christ with his intention to die only for them who should actually be saved ;"" unless it can be thought irreconcilable, and what implies a contradiction, that Christ as man should wish tem- poral good to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and yet not intentionally die for all mankind: should he intentionally die for them who are not actually saved, his intentions would be so far frustrated, and his death be in vain. 4. It does follow from hence that, because these people might have known the things which belonged to their temporal peace, though they were now in a judicial way hid from their eyes, therefore men may of themselves, and without the powerful and unfrustrable grace of God working upon their hearts, and enlightening their understand- ings, know the things that belong to their spiritual and eternal peace, seeing it is said of natural men, the icay of peace they have not known\; and could these words be understood of the things belonging to spiritual and eternal peace, they w^ould only prove that these Jews had the means of the knowledge of them, w'hich they despising, God had given them up to blindness of heart ; and so Christ^s words are to be con- sidei-ed, not so much as pitying them, but as upbraiding them with their ignorance, unbelief, neglect, and contempt of him, his miracles, and his doctrines ; therefore God was just, and they inexcusable. 5. The time in which Christ was on earth was indeed a day of light, of groat mercies and favours, to the Jews ; but it does not follow that, because they had such a time, therefore all men have a day of grace, in w^hich they may be saved if they will. Besides, the phrase this thy day may respect the time of her {Jerusalem s) visitation^ ver. 44, which was a day of vengeance, and not of grace, that was hastening on, and near at hand, though hid from her, and was the occasion of Christ''s compassionate tears and wishes. SECTION XXVIII. The same came for a ivitness, to bear ivitness of the light, that all men through , him might believe. — John i. 7. A CONSIDERABLE argument in favour of the extent of Christ's death to all men is thought to arise from the obligation which is, and always was, upon all persons to whom the gospel is or was revealed to believe in Christ, that he came to save them and died for them ; for if he died not for them, they are bound to believe a lie ; and if condemned for not believing, they are condemned for not believing an untruth |. I observe, 1 . That the argument is most miserably lame and deficient. The thing to be proved is, that Christ died for every individual man and woman that have been, are, or shall be in the world. The medium by which this is attempted to be proved is, the obligation that lies on * Wlntby, p. lb-2 ; ed. "2, 158. f Rom. iii. 17. % Ibid., p. 1 1:3, Ml, Nb" ; cd. 2. HO— 142. 68 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. such to whom the gospel is revealed, to believe that Christ died for them ; and the conclusion is, that therefore Christ died for all men. Now the gospel has not been nor is it revealed to all men, only to some ; wherefore was there any truth in the medium, the conclusion would not follow. The argument stands thus : all men to whom the gospel is revealed are bound to believe that Christ died for them ; some men have the gospel revealed to them, therefore Christ died for all men. The weakness and fallacy of such an argument must be seen by every one : a most miserable argument this, which proceeds upon a partial revelation of- the gospel to an universal redemption. I observe, 2, That the obligation to believe in Christ, and so the faith to which men are obliged, are in proportion, and according to the nature of the revelation of the gospel, which obliges them. Now the gospel revela- tion is either external or internal : the external revelation is by the word, and the ministry of it ; which, respecting Christ, lies in these things, that he is really and properly God and truly man ; that he is the Son of God, and the Mediator between God and men ; that he is the JNIessiah, who is actually come in the flesh; that he died and rose again the third day ; is ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, and will come a second time to judge the world in righ- teousness ; and that by his obedience, sufferings, and death, he is be- come the Saviour of sinners, and that none can be saved but by him. Now let it be observed, that this revelation is general, and not par- ticular, and does not necessarily oblige persons to whom it comes to believe that Christ is their Redeemer and Saviour, and that he died for them particularly, though the Spirit of God may and does bless it to many for the begetting special faith ; and it may and does lay a general foundation for special and appropriating acts of that grace, yet it only requires an historical faith, or bare assent to tlie truth of the said propositions. Now such a faith is not saving; men may have this, and yet be damned ; yea, the devils themselves have it. It fol- lows that men may be obliged to believe, and yet not to the saving of their souls, or that Christ died for them. Besides, this revelation is not made to all men ; and therefore all inen, such as Indians and others, are not obliged to believe in Christ, nor even to give a bare assent to the truth of the abovesaid things, much less to believe that Christ died for them ; and indeed. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and hotv shall they hear unthout a jveacher*? And perhaps all are not obliged to believe who live in a land where this revelation does come ; as those who have not their natural reason and hearing, or the due and proper use and exercise of the same, such as infants, idiots, madmen, and those who are entirely deaf; only such to whom this revelation is made, and are capable of hearing and understanding it, are obliged to have faith in Christ by it, as were the Jews of old, who were condemned for their unbelief, not because they did not believe that Christ died for them, to which they were not obliged, but because they did not believe him to be God, the Son of * Kom. X. U. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 59 God, the true ISIessiah, and Saviour of sinners. The internal revela- tion of the gospel, and of Christ through it, is by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him ; whereby a soul is made sensible of its lost state and condition, and of its need of a Saviour ; is made acquainted with Christ as the alone Saviour, both able and willing to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him ; whence it is en- couraged to venture on him, rely upon him, and believe in him to the saving of it : now such an one ought to believe, and none but such, that Christ died for them. This faith all men have not ; it is the faith of God's elect, the gift of God, the operation of his Spirit, and the produce of almighty power. Now, according to the revelation is the faith men are obliged to, and what is produced by it : if the revelation is external, or the gos- pel comes in word only, the faith men are obliged to is only an histo- rical one, nor can any other follow upon it ; and that Christ died for every individual man is no part of the revelation. If the revelation is internal, a special spiritual appropriating faith is the result of it ; but then this revelation is not made to all men, nor are God's elect them- selves, before conversion, bound to believe that Christ died for them ; and when they are converted, to believe that Christ died for them is not the first act of special faith ; it is the plerophory, the full assurance of faith, to say, He hath loved me, and hath given himself for me *. Hence, S. Since there is not a revelation of the gospel made to all men, and all men are not bound to believe in Christ, much less to believe that Christ died for them ; it follows that no such absurdity can attend the denial of universal redemption, that some more are bound to be- lieve a lie ; nor will it be the condemnation of the heathens that they believe not in Christ, but that they have sinned against the light, and broken the law of nature ; nor will any persons enjoying a revelation be condemned for not believing that Christ died for them, but for the breach of God's laws, and neglect and contempt of his gospel ; nor is there any danger of any one person's believing a lie, since all those who do truly believe in Christ, and that he died for them, shall cer- tainly be saved, which is the fullest proof that can be of his dying for them. Christ's dying for an unbelieving Christian, and a Clu'istian being under a condemnatory decree, are unintelligible phrases, mere paradoxes, and contradictions in terms -|-. 4. John the Baptist's bearing witness of Christ, the light, and true Messiah, that all men through him might believe^ respects not all the individuals of human nature, since millions were dead before he began his testimony, and multitudes since, whom it never reached ; nor can it design more than the Jews, to whom alone he bore witness of Christ; the faith which he taught, and required by his testimony, was not to believe that Christ died for them, who as yet was not dead, but an assent unto him as the Messiah. This was the tcork, will, and com- mand of God, that they shmdd believe on him, in this sense, whom he had sent. This is what Christ often called for from them, declaring, that * Gal. ii. 20. t Whitby, p. 146; cd. '2. 142. 60 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. if they believed not that he was the JMessiah, they should die in their sins ; and this was what the Spirit of God reproved the tcorld of the Jews for, by bringing down the wrath of God in temporal ruin and destruction upon their persons, nation, city, and temple. Since then this text, with multitudes of others, which speak of believing in Christ, only regards the people of the Jews, and designs only a bare assent to him as the Messiah, which would have preserved that people and nation from temporal ruin ; it does not follow that all men are bound to believe in Christ, that he died for them, and consequently can be of no service to the doctrine of universal redemption. SECTION XXIX. But these things I say, that ye might be saved. — John v. 34. This passage of Scripture is often produced* as a proof of Christ's serious intention to save some who arc not saved, to whom he gave sufficient means of salvation, which they refused ; and consequently that his Father had made no decree, whereby they stood excluded from salvation ; that he did not die intentionally only for such who are_ actually saved, and that the work of conversion is not wrought by an irresistible and insuperable power. To which I reply, 1 . It is certain that the Jews, to whom Christ here speaks, had not means sufficient to salvation ; for though the testimonies of his Father, of John the Baptist, and of his own works and miracles, which he produced, were proper means to induce them to believe that he was the Messiah, yet not means sufficient to salvation ; for to salvation, an internal work of grace, the regeneration of the Spirit, are absolutely requisite and necessary ; without which no man can be saved. Now it is evident, that they wanted these, since they had not the love of God in them, ver. 42 ; nor his word abiding in them, ver. 38 ; nor so much as the knowledge of Christ's divinity, or of his being the true Messiah, ver. 1 8. 2. It is taken for granted, that these words regard a spiritual and eternal salvation ; whereas they may very well be understood of a temporal one ; and the sense of them be this ; these things I say, that IS, these testimonies of my Father, and of John, I produce, not so much for my own honour and glory, as for your good; that ye, tiirough these testimonies of mo, may believe that I am the true Messiah, and so be saved from the temporal ruin and destruction, which will otherwise come upon you and your nation, for your dis- belief, neglect, and contempt of me. But, 3. Admitting that Christ spoke these words with a view to the spiritual and eternal salvation of his audience ; it should be observed, that he is here to be considered as a preacher, a minister of the circumcision, sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, for whose THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 61 welfare he had a compassionate regard and concern ; and therefore published the things concerning his person, office, and grace, inde- finitely to them all, that he might gain some, not knowing as man, though he did as God, who were chosen, and who were not ; which consideration of him is neither injurious to God nor to him. 4. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to prove, that the persons to whom Christ spoke these words, were not eternally saved ; though at the present time they were unbelievers, and destitute of the grace of God, yet might hereafter be converted and enabled to go to Christ for life and salvation : or at leasr, there might be some among them who were the elect of God, and sheep of Christ ; for whose sake Christ might express himself in this manner, in order to bring them to the knowledge of him, and salvation by him ; and therefore do not militate either against any decree or act of preterition passed by God, respecting any part of mankind, or the doctrines of particular redemption and unfrustrable grace in conversion. SECTION XXX. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. — John v. 40. These words are usually cited together with the former, and are \n-ged for the same purposes ; particularly to show that Christ seri- ously intended the salvation of such who would not come to him for it; and that man does not lie under any disability of coming to Christ for life ; did he, his not coming to Christ would not be criminal in him ; nor would he be blame-worthy for what he could not help*. To which I answer, 1 . That what Christ intends, he intends seriously ; but it does not appear from these words, that he did intend the salvation of these persons who would not come to him, but rather the contrary ; since they look more like a charge exhibited against them, for their neglect of him, as the way of life and salvation, and trusting to the law of Moses, and their obedience to it, and therefore did not receive him, or believe in him ; and though Christ declined bringing in an accusa- tion directly and in form against them, yet he acquaints them that there was one that accused them, even Moses, in whom they trusted ; and therefore their future condemnation w^ould be justifiable upon their own principles, and by the very writings they had such an opinion of; since these testified of him, and of eternal life by him, which they rejected. 2. These words are so far from being expressive of the power and liberty of the will of man to come to Christ, that they rather declare the perverseness and stubbornness of it ; that man has no desire, inclination, or will, to go to Christ for life ; but had rather go any where else, or trust to any thing else, than to him. ^Man is stout- heaj'ted, n,\\^ far from the righteousness of Christ, and submission to it ; is not subject to the laiv of God, nor the gospel of Christ ; nor caii he * Whitl.y, p. 52, 73, 358; cd. 2. 51, 72, .349. G2 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. he^ till Cxod works in him both to icill and to do of his good pleasure ; or until he is made iviUing in the day of his power. No one can come to Christ., except the Father draw him ; nor has he a will to it, unless it be wrought in him. 3. Though man lies under such a disability, and has neither power nor will of himself to come to Christ for life ; yet his not coming to Christ, when revealed in the external ministry of the gospel, as God's way of salvation, is criminal and blame- worthy ; since the disability and perverseness of his will are not owing to any decree of God, but to the corruption and vitiosity of his nature, through sin ; and there- fore, since this vitiosity of nature is blame-worthy ; for God made man upright., though they have sought out many inventions, which have cor- rupted their nature ; that which follows upon it, and is the effect of it, must be so too. SECTION XXXI. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, ivill draw all men unto me. — John xii. 32. Though this text is not produced by the principal writers in the Arminian controversy, nor by the Remonstrants formerly, nor by Cur- cellseus, nor by Limborch, nor by Whitby of late ; yet inasmuch as it is vu'ged by others*, in favour of universal redemption, that he who draws all men to him by his death, must needs die for all men ; it will be proper to consider the import of it, and the argument upon it. And, 1. It is certain, that the death of Christ, and the very kind of death he should die, is intimated by his being lifted up from the earth ; since the evangelist observes in the next verse, that this he said signifying what death he should die; and it must be owned, that the drawing of all men to Chi'ist, is here represented as a fruit of his death, or as what should attend it, or would follow upon it ; and /, eav l>\{/a)6a>, ivhen I am lifted up from the earth, luill draiv all inen to me. And therefore, 2. The sense of these words pretty much depends on the meaning of the word draic : which either designs a collection of a large number of people to him, and about him, when he should be lifted on the cross, some against, and others for him ; some to reproach, and others to bewail him ; or rather of the gathering of the people to him, through the ministry of the apostles ; and so of their being enabled, through the power of divine grace, to come unto him, and believe on him for eter- nal life and salvation ; for all those whom God has loved with an ever- lasting love, and Christ has died for, are, sooner or later, xoith loving kindness drawn unto him; in this sense Christ uses the word in this gospel t ; no man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw hirn. Now, 3. It is most evident, that all men, that is, every individual of human nature, every son and daughter of Adam, have not faith, arc not drawn. * Via. Polani Syntag. Thcolog. 1. (!, c. 18, p. 398, f John vi. 44. J'HK CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 63 or enabled to come to Christ, and believe in him. There were many of the Jews who would not, and ' did not com e to Christ, that they might have life ; who, instead of being drawn to him in this sense, when lifted up on the cross, vilified and reproached him ; nay, at this time, here was a tco7-Id spoken of in the preceding verse, whose Judg- ment^ or condemnation, was now come ; and besides, there was then a multitude of souls in hell, who could not nor never will be drawn to Christ ; and a greater number still there will be at the last day, to whom, instead of drawing to him in this gracious way and manner, he will say*. Depart from me^ ye luorkers of iniquity. Christ died, indeed, for all men, who are drawn unto him ; but this is not true of all men that are, were, or shall be in the world. Add to this that the word men is not in the Greek text ; it is only tvavTas^ all; and some copies read iravra^ all things-f ; so Austin read it formerly, and so it was read in an ancient copy of Beza's. But not to insist on this ; 4. By all men, is meant some of all sorts, all the elect of God, the children of God^ that icere scattered ah^oadX ; and particularly the Gen- tiles as well as the Jews, as Chrysostom and Theophylact§ interpret the words ; which interpretation is perfectly agreeable with ancient prophecy ; that when Shiloh was come || , to him shoidd the gathering of the people, or Gentiles, he ; and with the context, and occasion of these words, which was this ; certain Greeks that were come up to icorship at the feast, desired to see Jesus : of which when he was apprised by his disciples, he answered, that the hour was come in which he shoidd be glorified, and that as a corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, so should he : and though he tacitly intimates, that it was not proper to admit these Greeks into his presence now, yet when he was lifted up from the earth, or after his death, his gospel should be preached to them as well as to the Jews ; and that large numbers of them should be drawn unto loim, and brought to believe in him ; agreeable to wliich sense of the words is Dr. Hammond's paraphrase of them : " And I being crucified, will, by that means, bring a great part of the whole world to believe on me, Gentiles as well as Jews." And to the same purpose is the note of Dr. Whitby on the text. SECTION XXXII. Repent ye therefore, and he converted, that your sins may be blotted out, tvhen the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. — Acts iii. 19. It is concluded from hence^ , that repentance and conversion are in the power of men, and not wrought by the imfrustrable grace of God ; that there is no such thing as an absolute election, nor special redemp- tion of particular persons ; since all men are exhorted to repent and * Matt. vii. 23, and xxv. 41. f Vid. Bezam in loc. X John xi. 52. The Persic version, in Lond. Bibl. Polyglott, reads the words thus : And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw my friends unto me. § In Beza in loc. II Gen. xlix. 10 ; Isa. xi. 10. % Limborch, 1. 4, c. 13, sect. 16, p. 374 ; Whitby, p. 70, 88, 153 ; ed. 2. 69, 87, 149, ()4 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TUUTH. be convoi'tcd, and that in order to procui'o the remission of tlieir sins. But, 1. It should be observed, that repentance is either evangehcal or legal, and this either personal or national. Evangelical repentance is not in the power of a natural man, but is the gift of God's free grace. Legal repentance may be performed by particular persons, who are destitute of the grace of God, and by all the inhabitants of a place, as the Ninevites, who repented externally at the preaching of Jonah, though it does not appear that they had received the grace of God, since destruction afterwards came upon that city for its iniquities ; and such a repentance those Jews are here exhorted to, on the ac- count of a national sin, the crucifixion of Christ, with which they are charged, ver. 14 — 18, and in the guilt and punishment of which they had involved themselves and all their posterity, when they said. His Mood be 7fpon us, and upon our children*. Likewise the conversion here pressed unto us, is not an internal conversion of the soul to God, which is the work of almighty power, but an outward reformation of life, or a bringing forth fruit in conversation meet for the repentance insisted on. Besides, exhortations to any thing, be it what it will, do not necessarily imply that man has a power to comply with them. Men are required to believe in Christ, to love the Lord with all their heart, to make themselves a new heart and a new spirit, yea, to keep the whole law of God ; but it does not follow that they are able of them- selves to do all these things. If, therefore, evangelical repentance and internal conversion were here intended, it would only prove that the persons spoken to were without them, stood in need of them, could not be saved unless they were partakers of them, and, therefore, ought to apply to God for them. 2. These exliortations do not militate against the absolute election nor particular redemption of some only, since they are not made to all men, but to these Jews, the crucifiers of Christ ; and were they made to all men, they should be considered only as declarations of what God approves of, commands, and requires, and not what he wills and determines shall be ; for then all men would repent and be con- verted ; for icho hath resisted his icill ? Besides, in this way God may and does bring his elect to see their need of repentance, and to an enjoyment of that grace, and leaves others inexcusable. It is said, that if Christ died not for all men, God could not equita- bly require all men to repent : and it is asked, What good could this repentance do them ? what remission of sins could it procure ? and therefore must be in vain ; yea, that it would follow from hence, that no impenitent person can be justly condemned for dying in his impeni- tent estate. To which I reply ; it does not become us to fix what is, and what is not equitable for God to require of his creatures, on sup- position of Christ's dying or not dying for them : this is limiting the Holy One of Israel. Supposing Christ had not died for any of the sons of men ; have they not all sinned and transgressed the commands of God ? and should they not be sorry for these sins, and repent of * Matt, xxvii. 2r>. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 05 the same, being committGcl against the God of their mercies 'i and might not God equitably" reciuire this at their hands, though he had not given liis Son to die for them I and though such a repentance woukl not procure remission of sins, which is not to be procured by any repentance whatever ; nor is it by the repentance of those for \yliom Christ has died, but by his precious blood, without which there is no remission ; yet it niiglit be the means of enjoying a present temporal good, and lessening the aggravation of future punishment ; as in the case of the Ninevites. Nor does it follow from Chrisfs not dying for all men, that no impenitent person can be justly condemned for dying in his impenitent estate ; since the providential (joodness of God leads to repentance*; and therefore mc\\ \v\\o despise the ridies of his c/nod- ness, forbearance, and long - suffer i7ig, do, after their hardness and impeni- tent heart, treasure up ivrath against the day of wrath, and righteous judg- ment of God ; and since, as many as have sinned tvithout law f , and con- sequently without the gospel and the knowledge of Christ, his suffer- ings, and death, shall also perish without km ; and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law. Besides, as has been ob- served, the exhortation to repent, here made, is not made unto all men, but to the Jeics, on a very remarkable occasion, and was blessed to many of them, to the turning them away from their iniquities ; for many of them ivhich heard the icord, believed; and the number of the men ivas about Jive tliousand \ . If it should be replied, that though the exhortation to repentance is not here made to all men ; yet it is elsewhere expressly said, that § God commandeth all men everyivhcre to repent. Let it be observed, that as this command to repentance does not suppose it to bo in the power of man ; nor contradicts its being a free-grace gift of God ; nor its being a blessing in the covenant of grace, and in the hands of Christ to bestow ; so neither does it extend, as here expressed, to every in- dividual of mankind ; but only regards the men of the then present age, in distinction from those who lived in the former times of igno- rance: for so the words are expressed: and the times of this ignorance God toinked at; overlooked, took no notice of, sent them no mes- sages, enjoined them no commands of faith in Christ, or repentance towards God ; but jww, since the coming and death of Christ, com- mandeth cdl men. Gentiles as loell as Jeivs, everywhere to repent ; it be- ing his will, that |1 repentance and remission of sins shoiild be preached among all nations : but admitting that it has been God's command in all ages, and to all men that they repent ; as all men are indeed bound, by the law of nature, to a natural repentance, though all men are not called by the gospel to an evangelical one ; yet I see not what conclusions can be formed from hence against either absolute election or particular redemption. 3. Though there is a close connexion between evangelical repent- ance, true conversion, and pardon of sin ; that is to say, that such who are really converted and truly repent, have their sins pardoned ; vet not repentance and conversion but the free grace of God and blood " * Rom. ii. 4, 5. f ^c'- !-*• t Acts iv. 4. § Chap. xvii. 30. || Luke xxiv. 47. F 66 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. of Christ are the causes of pardon. Forgiveness of sin is indeed only manifested to converted penitent sinners, who are encouraged and in- fluenced to repent of sin, and turn to the Lord from the promise of pardoning grace : lience the most that can be made of such an ex- hortation is only this ; that it is both the duty and interest of men to repent and turn to God, that they may have a discovery of tlie re- mission of their sins through the blood of Christ, and not that they shall hereby procure and obtain the thing itself: though, after all, neither evangelical repentance and internal conversion, nor the grace of pardon, are here intended ; not evangelical repentance and internal conversion, as has been before observed, nor the spiritual blessing and grace of pardon ; for, though pardon of sin is signified by blotting it out, Psal. li. 1,9; Isa. xliii. 25, and xliv. 22 ; yet forgiveness of sin sometimes means no more than the removing a present calamity, or the averting of *a threatened judgment, Exod. xxxii. 82 ; 1 Kings viii. 33 to 39, and is the sense of the phrase here. These Jews had crucified the Lord of glory, and for this sin were threatened with miserable destruction ; the apostle therefore exhorts them to repent of it, and acknowledge Jesus to be the true JNIessiah : that so when in-ath should come upon their nation to the uttermost, they might be delivered and saved from the general calamity ; which, though these would be terrible times to the unbelieving Jews, yet would be times of refreshing to the people of God from troubles and persecutions. Though the last clause may be considered, not as expressing the time when their iniquities should be blotted out, but as a distinct additional promise made to penitents, and be read withtlie other thus : that your sins may he blotted out, that the times of refrcshiny may come ; as they are by the Syriac and Arabic versions.^ and to which the Ethiopic agrees, and is the reading preferred by Lightfoot ; and the sense is this : " Repent of your sin of crucifying Christ ; acknowledge Jesua as the true Messiah, and you shall not only be saved from the general destruction of your nation, but shall have the gospel and the con- solation of Israel with you. Jesus Christ, who was first preached unto you, shall be sent down unto you in the refreshing consolatory ministry of the word, though he in person must remain in heaven, until the times of restitution of all things.'''' SECTION XXXIII. Ye stiff-necTced and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Hjly Ghost : as your fathers did, so do ye. — Acts vii. 51. Though these words are not once cited or referred to by Dr. ^Vhitby, as I remember, yet, inasmuch as the Remonstrants* have never failed to urge them in ftivour of the irresistibility of God's grace in con- version, and to prove tliat that work is not wrought by an irresistible power ; and that men may have sufficient grace for conversion who are not converted, it will be proper not to omit them ; their argument * In Coll. Hag. ait. iii. iv. p. 2 ITi ; Acta Synod. ,,. 70, &c. ; Liiuborch, 1. 4, c. 13, sect. 14, p. 373. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH, 67 from them stands thus : If the Holy Spirit may be resisted when he acts in man with a purpose and will to convert him, then he does not work conversion by an irresistible power ; but the Holy Spirit maybe resisted when he acts in man with a purpose and will to convert him : therefore, &c. But, 1 . That the Spirit of God in the operations of his grace upon the heart in conversion maybe resisted, that is, opposed, is allowed ; but that he may be so resisted as to be overcome, or be hindered in, or oblio-ed to cease from the work of conversion, so as that it comes to nothing, where he acts with purpose and will to convert, must be denied^ fh' toho hath resisted his 2oiU ? who, in this sense, can resist it! No one' instance of this kind can ever be produced. 2. It should be proved that the Spirit of God was in these persons, and was acting in them with a design to convert them, and that they had sufficient grace for conversion given them, and that that grace was the same with that which is given to persons who are only converted ; whereas it does not appear that they had any grace at all, since they are said to be stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. 3. Supposing the Spirit of God was acting in them with a purpose and will to convert them, it will be difficult to prove that they so re- sisted, and continued to resist him, as that they were not hereafter converted by him ; we are sure that one of these persons, namely Saul, was afterwards really and truly converted ; and how many more were so, we know not. 4. The resistance made by these persons was not to the Spirit of God in them, of which they were destitute, but to the Spirit of God in his ministers, in his apostles, and particularly Stephen ; not to any internal operation of his grace, which does not appear to have been in them, but to the external ministry of the word, and to all that ob- jective light, knowledge, evidence, and conviction, that it gave of Jesus beino- the Messiah ; in ^^hich sense they are said to reject the counsel of^ God against themselves, Luke vii. 30 ; and to put from theni the word of God, Acts xiii. 46. Such who resist Christ's ministers resist him; and such who resist him may be said to resist his Holy Spirit. Once more. The word ayrnriTrrere, signifies a rushing against, and falling upon, m a rude and hostile manner ; and fitly expresses their ill-treatment of Christ and his ministers, by falling upon them and putting them to death, which is the resistance here particularly designed, as is manifest from the following words, ver. 52. SECTION XXXIV. Therefore, us by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to con- demnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men to justification of life. — Rom. v. 18. These words stand as a proof of general redemption ; and the sense given of them is *, that Christ died for the justification of all men ; * Whitbv, p. 113, 117, 118; ed. 2. Ill, 11.*), 116. F 2 DO THE CAUSE OF GOn AND TRUTH. and that justification of life was procured by him for, and is offered unto, all men; it being apparent that the apostle is comparing the condemnation which is procured by the sin of Adam, with the free gift of justification procured by the second Adam, as to the extent of persons concerned in both ; all men, in the first clause, being to be taken in the utmost latitude, the same word in the latter clause must be taken in the same manner, or the grace of the comparison is wholly lost. To all which I reply ; 1 . These words say nothing at all about the death of Christ, or of his dying for any persons or any thing, but speak of his righteousness and the virtue of it, to justification of life ; by which righteousness is meant his active obedience, as appears from the following verse : nor do the Scriptures anywhere say, that Christ died for our justification, but that he died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. It is true indeed that justification is procured by the death, as well as the obedience of Christ ; as that we axQ justified by his blood as well as by his righteousness ; but it cannot be said, with any propriety, that justification of life is offered to any ; since justification is a forensic, a law term, and signifies a sentence pronounced, or declared, and not offered. A judge, when he either acquits or condemns, he does not offer the sentence of justification or condemnation, but pronounces either : so God, when he justifies, he does not offer justification to men, but pronounces them righteous, through the righteousness of his Son ; and when Christ procured justification, it was not an offer of it, but the blessing itself. These words then are not to be understood either of Christ"'s dying for justification for any, especially for every in- dividual man ; since all men, in this lai'ge sense, are not justified ; many will be righteously condemned, and eternally punished; and con- sequently his death, respecting them, must be in vain, were this the case ; nor of the procuring of justification, still less of the off(T of it, but of the application of it to tiie persons here mentioned. 2. It is apparent, that the apostle is here comparing the first and the second Adam together, as heads and representatives of their respec- tive offspring, and the effects of sin, to the condemnation of those that sprang from the one, with the grace of God to the justification of such tiiat belong to the other, and not the number of persons concerned in these things. His plain meaning is, that as the first Adam conveyed sin, condemnation, and death, to all his posterity; so the second Adam connnunicates grace, righteousness, and life, to all his posterity ; and herein the latter has the preference to the former, and in which lies the abundance of grace here spoken of; that the things communicated by the one are, in their own nature, to be prefei-red to the other; and particularly, that the righteousness which Christ gives to his not only justifies from the sin of the first Adam, and secures from all condem- nation by it, but also from all other offences whatever, and gives a right to eternal life, wherefore it is called the justification of life, which the first Adam never had. Were the comparison between the' numbers of such who are condemned by the sin of the one, and of those who are justified by the righteousness of the other, the numbers being the THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 69 sau'.G, the grace of the coniparison would be wholly lost ; for where would be the exuberance when there is perfect equality ? o. Admitting that the apostle is comparing the condemnation which was procured by the sin of Adam with the free gift of justification procured by the second A dam, as to the extent of persons concerned in both ; this extent cannot be thought to reach to more than such who respectively spring from them, and belong to them. No more could be condemned by the sin of Adam than those who naturally de- scended from him .by ordinary generation. The angels that fell are not condemned for Adam's sin, from whom they did not spring, but for their own personal inicjuities. This sin reached not to the man Christ Jesus, nor was he condemned by it for himself, because he de- scended not from Adam by ordinary generation ; so no more can be justified by the righteousness of Christ, nor does that reach to the justification of more than those who are Christ's, that belong to him, and who are in time regenerated by his Spirit and grace, and appear to be his spiritual seed and offspring. 4. All men., in the latter clause of this text, can never design every individual of mankind ; for if tlie free gift came vpon all men., in this large sense, tu justification of life., every man would have a righteous- ness to be justified, be secure from wrath to come, have a right to eternal life, and at last be glorified and everlastingly saved ; for such who nxe justified hi/ the blood of Christ, shall be saved from wrath through him* ; and ichom God justifcs, them he also glorifies. Now it is certain, that all men, in the utmost latitude of this phrase, have not a justify- ing righteousness ; there is a set of unrighteous men who shall not inherit the kingdom of God, are not, nor will they ever be justified ; but the wrath of God abides on them, and will be tlieir everlasting portion : could it be proved that the righteousness of Christ is imputed by the Father, and applied by the Spirit, to the justification of every man, and that every man will be saved, we shall readily come in to the doctrine of universal redemption by the death of Christ. But, 5. The apostle is the best interpreter of his own words, and we may easily learn, from this epistle, who the all men are, to whom tlie free gift by Christ's righteousness comes, to justification of life ; they are the elect whom God just if es., through the righteousness of his Son, and secures from condemnation by his death, chap. viii. 33, 34 ; they are all the seed to whom the promist; of righteousness and life belongs, and is sure, chap. iv. 16 ; they are the all that believe, upon whom and unto whom the righteousness of Christ is manifested, revealed, and applied by the Spirit of God, chap. iii. 22 ; and they are such who receive abun- dance of grace and of the gift of righteousness., chap. v. ] 7 ; and, in a word, the gift comes upon all those that are Christ's, and belong to him to justification, even as judgment came upon all to conlacc observes, and which is the sense that Grotius and Vorstius**, who were both on the other side of the ([uestion, give of these words ; for such who are savingly convinced of sin, are held and bound down by a sense of it in their consciences, that they can find no by-way to creep out, or make any excuse for it. Now, all men are not in this sense concluded under sin, or shut up in unbelief, none but those whom the Spirit of God reproves and convinces of these things ; which con- * Lin borrh, 1. 4, r, 5, sort. G, pj-.3.S3. f Psalm cxlv. 9. J Rom. ix. 22, 23. § Isa. xxvii. 1). || Rom. ix. 18. , 340', cS,:c. ; CiiiciU. 1. (i, c. 4, sec. 7, p. 3G0; Limboicli, 1. 4, c.3, sect. 9, [>. .TJl. 11 Whilbv, p. i3!f ; ed. 2. 2oj. M 1 Thess. ii. 16. 72 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. be among brethren of the same faith, and in the same church state ; and were any so wicked as to desire the eternal destruction of another, yet it is not in his power to compass it ; none can eternally destroy but God ; fear not them ichich kill the body, hut are not able to kill the soul * ; hut rather flar him ichich is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Besides, is it reasonable to suppose, or conclude, that eternal damnation should follow upon eating and drinking things indifferent, as herbs, meat, and wine, or be caused by an offence given and taken through these things ? Therefore, unless it can be proved, that eternal destruction did or might ensue upon the use of things indifferent ; or that weak brethren might or were so ensnared, offended, and stum- bled hereby, as to perish eternally, there is no force in the argument. 2. It will appear from the context, that the destruction of the weak brother dehorted from, is not the eternal destruction of his person ; but the present destruction, interruption, or hindrance of his peace and coinfort. To destroy the brother ivith meat, is, by eating it, to put a stumbling, or an occasion to fall in his icay, ver. 13 ; not to fall from the grace and favour of God ; but so as that the peace of his mind may be broken, his affections to the brethren wax cold, and he be staggered in the doctrines of the gospel : hence says the apostle. It is (jood neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any tiling tvhereby thy bro- ther stumblcth or is offended, or is made weak, ver, 21 ; to do which, is contrary to Christian charity ; if thy brother be grieved tcith thy meat, now loalkest thou not charitably ; yea, it is destroying the work of God, ver. 20 ; not the Christian convert, who is God's workmanship ; nor the good icork of grace, which will he perforjned until the day of Christ ; nor the work of faith, which will never fail f ; but the work of peace in churches, and particular persons, which God is the author of, and which, the things that make for it, saints should follow after, ver. 19. Now a weaker brother, for whom Christ has died, may be thus grieved, distressed, wounded, his peace destroyed, and yet not eternally perish ; and so can be no instance of Christ's dying for such as may be or are eternally lost. The apostle's design in this dehortation, is manifestly this ; partly from the interest Christ has in, and the love he has showed to such brethren in dying for them ; and partly from the hurt that may be done to their weak minds and consciences, to deter stronger believers from giving them any offence by their free use of things indifferent ; though he knew their eternal salvation could not be in any danger thereby. SECTION XXXVII. Anl Ihruugh thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, fur ivlwm Christ died? — 1 Cor. viii. 11. These words are commonly joined with the former, and produced for the same purposes, both to prove that Christ died for such as perish, and that true believers may totally and finally fall away:|:. * Matt. X. 2«. t Vid. Whitby, p. 436, AVI; cd. 2. 425, 431. X Wlntby, p. 138, 4;{6, 442; cd. 2. 1:35, 4'25, 431. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH, 73 What has been said under the preceding section, might be sufficient to lead us into the true sense of this text, which is pai'allel with the other, and so remove any argument or objection taken from hence. But not to let it pass without particular examination, let it be observed ; 1. That as the text in Rom. xiv. 15, is a dehortation, or an injunc- tion not to destroy him with meat, for whom Christ died ; this is de- livered out in the form of an interrogation ; and neither the one nor the other prove matter of fact, supposing they could be understood of eternal destruction and ruin ; as that any one brother, who was a true believer, was destroyed, or perished eternally this way ; and at most, only imply the danger and possibility thereof, through their own cor- ruptions, Satan's temptations, and the offences given by stronger brethren ; were they not preserved by the grace and power of God, through Christ, who died for them, and so will not suffer them to perish. 2. The perishing of this weak brother, is to be understood of, and is explained by, a defiling of his conscience, ver. 7 ; a looundimj of it, ver. 12 ; and making him to offend^ ver. 13, by the imprudent abuse of Christian liberty in those who had stronger faith, and greater knowledge, and by a participation of things offered to idols, in an idol's temple, ver. 7, 1 0 ; and not of his eternal damnation in hell, which could never enter into the apostle's thoughts ; since he says, ver. 8, Meat commendeth us not to God ; for neither, if we eat, are ice the better ; neither, if ice eat ?iot, arc ice the worse. Hence we have no need to return for answer, to arguments formed on these texts ; that these weak brethren, of whom it is supposed that they might perish, being under a profession of religion, men were obliged, from a judg- ment of charity, to believe that Christ died for them, though he might not, or that others may be said to destroy, or cause them to perish, though their destruction followed not ; because they did all that in them lay towards it, and what in its own nature tended to it ; and therefore we are not concerned with the replies made unto such answers, which we shall not undertake to defend. 3. This text proves, that Christ died for weak brethren, whose con- sciences may be defiled, wounded, and offended, through the liberty others might take, and in this sense perish ; but does not prove that Christ died for any besides his sheep, his church ; or those who are eventually true believers ; for which the Remonstrants * cite it ; for surely a brother who is truly one, though weak, is a sheep of Christ, a member of his church, and a believer ; and therefore can be no instance of Christ's dying for any reprobates, and still less for all mankind. 4. Such for whom Christ died, can never finally, totally, and eternally perish ; since he has, by his death, procured such blessings for them, as a justifying righteousness, pardon of sin, peace with God, reconciliation to him, and eternal salvation ; which will for ever secure them from perishing. Besides, should any of them perish in • In Coll. Hag. art. ii. p. 173, 74 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. this sense, his deatli would so far be in vain ; nor could the death of Christ be thought to be a sufficient security from condemnation ; whereas the apostle says, IVho shall condemn ? it is Christ that died : nor a full satisfaction to the justice of God ; or God must be unjust to punish twice for the same faults. SECTION XXXVIII. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. — 1 Cor. X. 12. It is observed *, that " the apostle here speaks to the whole church at Corinth, and to such who truly thought they stood ; and plainly supposes, that he who truly stood, might fall, and would do so, if he used not great diligence to keep his standing ; for had not this taking heed been the condition of their standing ; had they been of the number of those who, by God's decree, or promise, infallibly were assured of standing, this exhortation to take heed, must have been superfluous; since men can need no admonitions to do that which God's decree and promise secure them they cannot omit ; much less to do it to prevent what cannot possibly befall them." To which I reply ; 1. That the apostle does not speak these words to the whole church at Corinth ; for though the epistle is in general directed to the church, yet there are several things which only respect some particular persons ; as the incestuous person ; such who went to law with their brethren befoi-e unbelievers ; some that behaved disorderly at the Lord's table, and others that denied the resurrection of the dead, of and to wlioni some particular things are spoken, which did not belong to the v/iiole church ; and here the apostle exhorts, not such who truly thought they stood ; for such do stand in the grace of God, in Christ, and by faith, and shall never finally and totally fall away ; but such 6 So/ccoz', who seemeth to himself and others, to stand ; and manifestly designs such who were swelled with a vain opinion of themselves, of their knowledge and strength, tempted God, and trusted to themselves, as the Ethiopic version reads it, and despised weak believers : now such as these may fall, as they often do, from that which they seemed to have, from the truths of the gospel, and a profession of it, and into scandalous sins, and at last, into condemna- tion. If it should be asked, why should the apostle concern himself about these persons, or exhort them to take heed to their standing^ would it not have been as well, if they had thrown off the mask at once, and have appeared to be what they really were ! I answer, that the apostacy of formal professors, is injurious both to the honour and interest of ti'uo religion ; for the ways of God are evil spoken of, the name of Christ blasphemed, profane sinners hardened, and weak believers stumbled by the falls of formal professors, as of real Chris- tians : besides, it nuist be worse for themselves, their defection being the means of a more severe punishment : for it would have been better * WhiH.y, ].. 428, 429; od. 2. 117, 1 1 ». THK CAUSE OF GOU AND TRUTH. 75 for them not to have known the louy of righteousness^ than after they have knoton it, to turn from the holy commandment delivei^ed unto them*. 2. Supposing that such who truly thought they stood, true be- lievers in Christ, are here spoken to ; it will be allowed that these may fall into temptation, into snares, into sin, from a degree of steadfastness in the gospel, and from a lively and comfortable exercise of grace, but not finally, totally, and irrecoverably ; since they are enclosed in the arms of everlasting love, secured in the hands of Christ, built on a foundation that will never give way, and kept by an almighty power, which can never be overcome : and though taking heed is not the condition of tlicir standing, but that is secured unto them by the purpose and promise of God, which can never fail ; yet such an exhortation is not superfluous ; since though they cannot finally and totally fall, they may fall to the dishonour of God, the reproach of the gospel of Christ, the grieving of the Spirit, the wounding of their own souls, the stumbling of weak believers,, and the strengthening of the hands of the wicked ; all which are so many strong reasons and arguments why they should take heed lest they fall ; though they can never so fall as to perish eternally : nor are the admonitions needless to that which God's decree and promise secure ; since these are often the means in and by which God executes his decree, and makes good his promise ; see Acts xxvii. 22, 24, 81. To add no more, these words should never be made use of against the saints' final perseverance, since they are so closely con- nected with the following verse, which so fully expresses that doctrine : there hath no temptation taken you., hut such as is common to man. But God is faithful, ivho ivill not suffer you to he tempted above that ye are able ; hut will icith the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. By this way we may judge of the nature, design, and use of cautions given to the saints not to fall away ; which are represented -f- as evidences and suppositions that they may do so ; such as The caution Christ gave all his disciples, in these words ; Take heed unto yourselves., lest at any time your hearts be overcharged ivitk surfeiting \, &c. Which only implies, that the apostles, like other men, were subject to infirmities, sins, snares, and temptations ; and therefore caution, watchfulness, and prayer, were incumbent on them, that they might not be found in a supine, negligent, sleepy frame, when not the day of judgment, but of the destruction of Jeru- salem, came on ; and so they might escape the general calamity, and stand before the Son of man, and carry his gospel into the Gentile world : and is no proof of the possibility or danger of their final foiling away ; who were chosen of Christ, given him by his Father, and so kept by him, as that none were lost, but the son of perdition. When the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews cautions the believers he writes unto, to take heed., lest there be in any of them an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, and fall from the promised rest; and to look diligently lest any man fail of the grace * 2rtl. ii. 21. t "Whitby, p. 4-2.9, 430; ed. 2, 418, 41.'). I Lukt xxi.34,36. 76 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. of God*; his design is to expose the sin of unbeHef, as what be- reaved the saints of much comfort, and God of much glory ; every degree of it in that, being a partial, though not a total departure from God, and therefore should be watched against : and it should be observed, that he does not caution them to take heed lest they fell from the rest promised them, but lest they should seem to come short of it: which they might do and yet enjoy it: and when he exhorts them, to look diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God ; this is not to be understood of the grace and favour of God towards them, nor of the grace of G od in them, but of the doctrines of grace which they had received ; the duty enjoined them being a mutual one, in which they were eVio-KoVeti/, to act the part of a bishop or overseer over each other. When the apostle Paul cautions the Colossians -f*, to heware^ lest any man should beguile them xoith enticing ivords, spoil them through philoso- phy and vain deceit, and beguile them of their reivard ; he does not de- sign a final and total seduction of them from Christ their head, in whom they were complete, ver. 10 ; not a destruction of grace in them, but a corruption of the doctrine of grace received by them ; which might be unawares introduced by false teachers, under the spe- cious pretences of humility and holiness. When the apostle Peter :|: exhorts those he wrote to, to betvare, lest being led away with the error of the wicked, they fall from their oion stead- fastness : his meaning is, not as though there was danger or a possi- bility of falling from the like precious faith they had obtained: but that they might be in danger of falling from some degree of steadfastness in the doctrine of faith, through the ensnaring errors of wicked men ; and therefore should guard against it. Lastly. When the apostle John § saith to the children of the elect lady. Look to yourselves, that ice lose not those things that ive have ivroughf, but that loe receive a full reivard ; it does not follow, that such who have the true grace of God, may lose those things which they have wrought ; for it is not what ye, but what tee, have wrought ; much less lose what the Spirit of God has wrought ; but the caution regards the doctrines and ministry of the apostles, lest that should be in any respect in vain ; or a veil be drawn over the glory of it, through these persons any way giving heed to the doctrines of deceivers, ver. 7, 9, 10. SECTION XXXIX. Fur the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then toere all dead : and that he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, hut unto him which diedfor them, and rose again.— 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. This scripture || never fails to have a place in the controversy about the extent of the death of Christ. Universal redemption is concluded trom hence, by the following arguments, now to be examined. * Hcb. iii. 12, andiv. ],an(lxii. 15. f Col. ii. 4, 8, 13. + 2 Pet. iii. 17. § 2 .lolm, ver. 8. I itcmonstr. in Coll. Hag. :iit. ii. p. 132 ; Cuicella;us, 1. (^, c, 4, stct. 6, p. 3fj0 ; Limborch, ]■ 4, c. 3, sect. 3, 4, p. 310. 'i > THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 77 I. The first is taken from th6 word all*, here used, if, or since one died for all. But it ought to be observed, 1. That the text does not say that Christ died for all men, but for all; and therefore, agreeable to other scriptures -j*, maybe understood of all the people whom Jesus saves from their sins ; of all the sheep for whom he laid down his life; of all the members of his clno'ch, whom he loved, and for whom he gave himself; or of all the sons for whom he tasted death, and, as the Captain of their salvation, brings to glory. 2. That it is said in the latter part of the text, that those for whom Christ died, for them also he rose again ; who therefore ought to live TO) vTT^p avTwv aTTodavovTL KoX iyepdevTL I, to him that died and rose a(/ain for them. Christ died for no more nor for others than those for whom he rose again ; such for whom he rose again, he rose for their justification ; if Christ rose for the justification of all men, all men would be justified, or the end of Christ's resurrection would not be answered ; but all men are not, nor will be justified ; some will be condemned : it follows, that Christ did not rise from the dead for all men, and consequently did not die for all men. 3. That the all for whom Christ died, died with him, and through his death are dead, both to the law and sin ; then icere all dead. Be- sides, the end of his dying for them was, that they might live, not to themselves, hut to him that died for them ; neither of which is true of all mankind : not to take any notice of the nature and manner of Christ''s dying for these all ; which was for, in the room and stead of them ; and denotes a substitution made, a satisfaction given, which issues in the full discharge, acquittance, and justification of them, and is not the case of every individual of human nature. 4. That the context § explains the all of such who are in Christ, are new creatures, reconciled to God, whose trespasses are not im- puted to them, for whom Christ was made sin, and who are made the righteousness of God in him ; which cannot be said of all men. II. It is observed ||, that " the words, all were dead, must certainly be taken in their greatest latitude ; wherefore, the words preceding, ifoY since Christ died for all, from Vv'hich they are an inference, ought also to be taken in the same extent." To which I reply, 1 . The latitude in which the words all were dead, are to be taken, must be according to that in which the preceding words, if one died for all, are to be taken ; by these the extent of the other is fixed, and not the extent of these by them. The apostle does not say, nor is it his meaning, that Christ died for all that were dead ; but that all were dead for whom he died ; if one died for all, then ol iravT^s a-niOaiov, those all ivere dead ; for the article ol is anaphorical or relative, as Beza and Piscator rightly observe : supposing, therefore, that the words all were dead, are capable of being taken in sucli a latitude as to comprehend every individual of mankind, there is no necessity that * Wliitby, p. 113; cd. 2. 111. f Matt. i. 21; John x. lo; Eph. v. 25 ; Hcb. ii. 9, 10. J Rppete trr'ig alruv^ sicut ratio liypozeiiuiiiatis req\iirit ; Voist. in loc. § Vir. 17, 18, 21. ' II Wi.itliy, p. 119 ; cd. 2. 116, 78 THE CAUSE OF UOD AND TRUTH. they should be so taken here, unless it be first proved, that the pre- ceding words, if one died for nil, by whicli the extent of these is fixed, are to be understood in so large a sense ; which is the thing in ques- tion, and cannot receive any proof from hence ; till this is done, it is enough to say, that all for whom Christ died were dead : from whence it does not follow, by any just consequence, that Christ died for all that were dead. 2. It is proper to consider the sense of these words, then loere cdl dead. The Remonstrants * understand them of a death in sin, which is common to all mankind ; and because all men are dead in sin, they conclude that Christ died for all men. Admitting this sense of the words, they prove no more, than that all for whom Christ died were dead in sin ; which is very true ; for the elect of God are dead in tres- passes and sins, whilst in a state of nature, as well as others ; but not that Christ died for all that were dead in sin : and therefore, even according to this interpretation, they conclude nothing in favour of universal, or against particular redemption. Though it does not ap- pear that this is the sense of the words, since to be dead in sin is no consequence of the death of Christ, that is, such an one as is depend- ing on it ; for it would have been a truth, that all men descending from Adam, were dead in sin, if Christ had never died ; or if he had died for some or for none ; much less is a death in sin the fruit of Christ''8 death, or what puts persons in a capacity of living to Clirist, which the death here spoken of is intimated to be and do ; but, on the contrary, this death is the fruit of sin, and what renders persons incapable, whilst under the power of it, to live to Christ. And therefore, 8. When those for whom C'hrist died, are said to be dead through his dying for them, the meaning is, eitlier that they were dead with him, or in him, as the Ethiopic version reads it, their head and representative ; when he was crucified they were crucified with him, and so was their old, man, that the body of sin might he destroyed ; that henceforth they should not serve sin ; or that they were dead to the lam hy the body of Christ, as to the curse of it, and condemnation by it ; and dead to sin, as to its damning power, so that they were acquitted, discharged, and justified from it ; the consequence of which is, a deliverance from the reigning power and dominion of it. Hence, being thus dead to the law and sin, they are capable, through the assistance of divine grace, of living unto righteousness, and to the glory of Christ ; all which is the saints' privilege, and the fruit and effect of Christ's death . Now as the former sense of the words con- cludes nothing in favour of Christ's dying for every individual of mankind ; this latter sense, which is most genuine, strongly concludes against it ; since all men arc not, nor will be, dead to the law and to sin. III. Universal redemption is pleaded for from the end of Christ's death; which is, that they which live, should not live unto themselves, hut unto him that died for them. Upon which it is observed f, " This sure * In Coll. Hag. art. ii. p. IGO, lOO. .|. Wiiitby, p. 119; cd. 2. 11«. THE ('AIJSi: OK CiOU AND TUlTTIt. 79 must be the duty of all Christians in particular (unless there be any Christians not obliged to live to Christ, but rather at liberty to live unto themselves), and so that death, which is the motive to it, must be intended for them all." To this I add, instead of answering, that this is a way of reasoning which cannot be contradicted, certainly it is the duty of all Christians to live to Christ, nor are any at liberty to live to themselves : and it will not be denied, that the death of Christ was intended for them all ; since all Christians, who are really such, are true believers, and these are the elect of God, But then there is a wide difference between these two propositions, Christ died for all Christians, and Christ died for all men ; unless it can be thought, that all men, Turks, Jews, and Indians, are Christians. The argument from the end of Chrisfs death, here mentioned, is formed in a much better manner, and to better purpose, by the Remonstrants *, thus : " Those v,'ho ought to live to Ciu'ist, for them Christ died ; but not the elect only ought to live to Christ, therefore Christ did not die for the elect only." To which I answer, that hov.ever plausible this argument may seem to be, yet it has no fomidation in the text, which does not say, that Christ died for all them who ought to live to him ; but only, at most, proves, that those for whom he died, ought to live to him : all men ought to live to Christ as God, as their Creator, they are obliged to it by the laws of creation, and ties of nature, whether he died for them or no, and indeed, supposing he had never died for any ; but besides the obliga- tion from creation, there is a fresh one upon such for whom he died to live to him : hence it follows not that "to sayf- that Christ died for some only of all nations, Jews and Gentiles, is to exempt all others of those nations from living to Christ ;" for though they are not bound to live to Christ on the account of redemption by him ; yet, because they are his creatures, and are supplied with temporal mercies from him : and as to what is further observed J, that "to say he died for all the elect, that they of them who live, might not live to themselves, is to suppose that some of the elect might live, not to Christ, but to themselves ; which cannot truly be imagined of the elect of God." I reply, that there is a proneness in all the elect of God, even after they are made spiritually alive, to live to themselves, and not to Christ ; and therefore, such an argument, taken from Christ''s dying for them in particulai", is a very proper one to quicken them to their duty, and engage them with all readiness and cheerful- ness to seek the glory and honour of their Redeemer. IV. That Chi'ist died for all men, is argued for from the love of Christ constraining the apostles to preach the gospel to all ; and it is said§, the apostle "declares, that the sense of this love of Christ prevailed upon them to persuade men to believe in him. Now this persuasion they used to every man to whom they preached ; and therefore they persuaded all men to believe that Christ died for them, Col. i. 28." To which I answer ; that it was not the love of » In Coll. Hag. art. ii. p. 132. f Whitbv, p. 1 1.9; cd.i. 116. X Ibid. § Whitby, p. 119; cil. 2. 116. 80 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. Christ, but the terror of the Lord, that prevailed upon them to persuade men, ver. 11, and that it is not said, that they persuaded all men, but men ; for it was not all men they preached unto. More- over, this persuasion was not to beUeve in Christ, but a general judgment, to which all will be summoned, ver. 10, much less to believe that Christ died for all to whom they preached ; of which kind of persuasion we have no instance, neither here nor in Col. i. 28, not in any other passage of Scripture. SECTION XL. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. — 2 CoR. v. 19. This text is produced* to confirm the truth of general redemp- tion ; and it is said to do it beyond exception ; which, whether it does or no, will better appear, when, I. It is considered, that the word icorld, cannot be understood of every man or woman that have been, are, or shall be in the world. For, 1. All and every one of these, are not reconciled to God. The text says, God was in Christy rcconciliiiff the loorhl unto himself; which must be understood of his doing it either intentionally, or actually ; if intentionally only, that is, if ho intended to reconcile the world to himself by Chi'ist, and drew the scheme of reconciliation in him, can intentions be frustrated I shall not his counsel stand ? will he not do all his pleasure ? shall a scheme so wisely laid by him in his Son, come to nothing ; or at least, only in part be executed I which must be the case, if it was his design to reconcile every individual of man- kind to himself, since a largo number of them arc not reconciled : but if the words are to be understood of an actual reconciliation by Christ, which is certainly the sense of the preceding verse, all things are of God, icho hath reconciled us to himself h?/ Jesus Christ ; then it is beyond dispute, that the word icorld cannot be taken in so large a sense as to include every man and woman in the world ; since there arc multitudes who die in their sins, in a state of enmity to God and Christ, whose peace is not made with God, nor they reconciled to his way of salvation by his Son. It is indeed said-f-, that "the import of these words is plainly this ; he was offering through Christ a reconciliation to the woi'ld, and promising them who would believe in him, absolution from their past offences." To which I answer; Admitting the ministry of the word is hero designed, that is not an offer of reconciliation to the world ; but a proclamation or declara- tion of peace, made by the blood of Jesus, of reconciliation by the death of the Son of God : nor is this ministry of reconciliation sent to all men ; millions of people were dead and gone before and since the word of reconciliation was committed to the apostles, who never * Whitby, p. 129 ; ed. 2. 124. f Ibid. p. 136 ; ed. 2. 133, THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRtlTH. 81. SO much as heard of this ministry ; nor did it roach to all that wore alive at that present time. Besides, tiie text does not speak of what God did by the ministry of his apostles, but of wliat ho himself had been doing in his Son, and which was antecedent, and gave rise unto, and was the foundation of their ministry. There was a scheme of reconciliation drawn in God's counsels before the world began, and an actual reconciliation by the death of Christ, which is ])ublished in the gospel by the ministers of it, and which is not published to all mankind ; nor did the apostles entreat all men to whom they preached, to be reconciled to God ; the exhortation in the following verse, he ye reconciled to God, is given not to all men, but to the believing Corinthians, for whom Christ was made sin, and they made the righteousness of God in him. 2. It cannot be said of every man and woman in the world, that God does not impute their trespasses to them ; whereas this is said of the toorld here : Blessed indeed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin ; but does this blessedness come upon all men ? Some, meii's sins are open beforehand, (joing before to judgment ; and some they follow after ^ . To say-[- that God is here "promising to them who would believe in him, an absolution from past offonces," is putting a wrong construction on the words ; which are not a promise of what God would do, did men believe, but a declaration of what he had been doing : besides, if only an absolution from past offences is pro- mised, what must be done with after ones ? And after all, they who would or do believe, are not every man and woman in the world. II. There is good reason to conclude, that the whole xoorld^ is to be restrained to the elect of God ; since these are the persons whose peace Christ is, who are reconciled to God by his death, whose sins are not imputed to them, and against whom no charge of any avail can be laid ; and perhaps the people of God among the Gentiles, may be more especially designed ; since, 1. They are called by the world, who are said to be reconciled, Rom. xi. 12, 15, yea, the whole world, for whose sins Christ is the propitiation, 1 John ii. 2. Nor was any thing more common among the Jews than to call the Gentiles tnl^UTi moiw, the nations of the xcorld. Dr. Hammond, by the loorld^ in this place, understands the greater and worser part of it, the Gentiles. 2. This sense well agrees with the context. In ver. 14, 15, the apostle asserts that Christ died for all, Gentiles as well as Jews, and adds, in ver. J 6, Wherefore henceforth know ive no man after the flesh. Yea, though ive have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth knoio we him no more ; that is, we make no difference in our ministry, nor in our esteem, value, and affections for men, with respect to their carnal descent, whether they be born of Jewish or Gentile parents : yea, though ive have known Christ after the flesh ; had a vpJue for him, as a Jew, as one of our own country, entertained gross notions about him, and about a temporal deliverance from the Romans, and a temporal kingdom to be erected amongst us by him ; yet now hence- forth know we hiin no more : we have quitted our former carnal appre- • 1 Tim. V. 24. t Whitby, p. 136; oil. 2. 133. G 82 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. hensions of him, and only look upon him as a spiritual Saviour of Jews and Gentiles; therefo7'e, ver. 17, if any man^ Jew or Gentile, be in Christ, he is a new ci'eature, or let him be a new creature ; which is the main thing we regard ; old tilings are passed away ; the Old Testa- ment economy is abolished ; behold all things are become new, under the gospel dispensation ; hence now in Christ Jesus neither circum- cision availeth any thing, nor jincircumcision, but a neio creature ; for this is the subject of our ministry, God ivas in Christ reconciling the world, Gentiles as well as Jews, tmto himself. 3. That reconciliation was made for Gentiles as well as Jews, was not only a reason why the apostles, to whom the word of reconciliation was committed, carried it among the Gentiles, but was also a noble argument to engage the believing Gentiles at Corinth to regard the exhortation made unto them, ver. 20, be ye reconciled to God, that is, to his providential dispensations towards them, to the order and ordi- nances of his house, to the form of discipline he had fixed in the church, and to all the laws of Christ, as king of saints, since he had been reconciling them to himself by his Son, the blessed effects of which they then enjoyed. This exhortation was not made to uncon- verted sinners, much less to the non-elect * ; but to a church of Christ, professing faith in him, and who were reconciled to God's way of sal- vation by him. SECTION XLI. We therefore, as workers together ivith him, beseech you also, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. — 2 Cor. vi. 1. This scripture usually stands "j* among the proofs of the saints'' defec- tibility or apostacy, from whence it is concluded, that a man may receive the true grace of God in regeneration in vain, which may be- come useless and of no avail, may be lost, and he himself everlastingly perish. But, 1 . We are not to understand by the grace of God, that grace which is implanted in the souls of men at the time of their regeneration, for that cannot be received in vain ; it always produces its proper fruit and designed effect ; it begins, carries on, and finishes the work of sanctification ; it is an immortal, incorruptible, never-dying seed ; it cannot be lost in any part or branch of it ; it is a well of living water springing up unto everlasting life ; it is closely and inseparably connected with eternal glory ; to all those to whom God gives grace he gives glory ; whom he calls and justifies, them he also glorifies. 2. The grace of God is sometimes to be understood of gifts of grace, and particularly such as qualify men for the work of the ministry, in which sense it is used by the apostle Paul, in Rom. i. 5, and xii. 6 ; Epli, iii. 8 ; 1 Cor. xv. 10 ; of which he had a large measure ; nor was the grace which was bestowed on him in vain, seeing he laboured more abundantly than all the rest of the apostles. And it will appear reason- * Whitby, p. 2, 6, 75 ; cd. 2. 2, 6, 74. t Remonstr. in Coll. Hag. art. v. p. 11, 78 ; Limborcli, 1. 5, c. 83, sect. 1, p. 718; Whitby, p. 423, 461 ; ed. 2. 412,441. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TUl Til. 83 able to take the phrase in the same sense here, if we consider the words as they stand in connexion with the latter part of the preceding chap- ter, and some following verses in this, after this manner ; seeing tJie ivord and yninistrTj of reconciliation is committed to us^ and ice are a)vbas- sadorsfor Christ ; toe not on\^ pray you, the members of the church at Corinth, to he reconciled to the order of the gospel, and the laws of Christ in his house, but as icorkers together, (not tvith him, that is, God or Christ, which is not in the text,) as fellow-labourers in the Lord's vineyard, as jointly concerned in the same embassy of peace ; ice he- seech you also, the ministers of the word in this church, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain ; that is, that you be careful that the gifts bestowed on you do not lie neglected and useless, but that you use and improve them to the advantage of the church and glory of Christ, by giving up yourselves to study, meditation, and prayer, and by labour- ing constantly in the word and doctrine ; and also, that you have a strict regard to your lives and conversations, yiving no offence in any thing, laying no stumbling-block in the way of such you are concerned with, tliat the ministry he not blamed, ver, 3 (for ver. 2 is included in a parenthesis), and then adds the apostle, hut in all things approving, kavTovs, yourselves as the ministers of God, in inucli patience, Sfc. 3. The grace of God often designs the doctrine of grace, or the gos- pel of the grace of God, as in Tit. ii. 11 ; Hob. xii. 15 ; Jude, ver. 4 ; which may be truly so called, since it is a declaration of the love and grace of God to sinful men ; it ascribes the whole of salvation to it, and is the means of implanting the grace of God in the hearts of his people in regeneration. Now the grace of God, in this sense, that is, the doctrine of grace, may be received in vain, so as that it may be- come useless, take no real effect, produce no real fruit ; as was the case of such who received seed by the way-side, into stony places, and among thorns ; and is the case whenever it comes in icord only; is received, not into the heart, but into the head only; when the life and conversation is not becoming it ; and especially when it is abused to vile purposes, that is, when men turn this doctrine of the grace of God into lasciviousness ; and when, besides, they drop, deny, and fall off from those truths of the gospel they have before professed ; and since this too often is the case, an entreaty, an exhortation of this kind, made to a visible church, consisting of real and nominal professors, cannot be improper, without supposing that true believers may fall from or lose the true grace of God in regeneration. SECTION XLII. For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy ; for I have espoused y oil to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest hy any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds shoidd be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. —2 CoR. xi. 2, 3. The fears of the apostle, expressed in these words, and in Gal. iv. 11, 1 Thess. iii. 5, lest pious persons should miscarry, are thought to g2 84) THE CAUSli: OF GOD AND TRUTH. add fiirthor strength to the argument against the saints'' final perse- verance* ; " for, it is said, if the apostles, by the dictates of the Holy Spirit, had declared, that God had absolutely promised, that men once truly pious, should persevere to the end, how could they reasonably express their fears, lest it should be otherwise V To which I reply, 1. That the fears of the apostle about the persons referred to in these several passages, were not lest they should fall from the love and favour of God, nor from the grace which was implanted in them, and so miscarry of heaven and eternal happiness ; but lest, through the subtlety of Satan, and his instruments, false teachers, their minds and judgments should be in any degree corrupted from the purity and sim- plicity of the gospel of Christ, and they should any way give into erro- neous doctrines, or comply with judaizing practices, and so the labour of him and his fellow- ministers, in instructing and establishing them in gospel truths, be so far in vain. 2. The fears of the apostle, lest these persons should fall in this sense, yea, even if they could be extended further, are no proofs of fact that these persons did fall away; but only, at most, declare his apprehensions of their danger. And it is certain, that the most emi- nent saints are in danger, through the wiles of Satan, the cunning of false teachers, the persecutions of the world, and the corruption of their own hearts, of falling from their steadfastness in the faith ; and it is owing to the mighty power and grace of God, that they are in any measure preserved. The apostle might express his fears on account of these things without any contradiction to or hesitation about God's absolute promise of the saints' final perseverance, and his faithfulness in the performance of it. 3. The jealousies and fears of the apostle about these persons, ex- pressed with such a tender and affectionate concern for them, might be purposely directed and powerfully blessed to them by the Spirit, by whom he was assisted, as a means of their preservation from false principles and practices they were in danger of falling into, and thereby God's absolute promise of their final perseverance be accomplished. Nor do the apostle's fear, jealousy, caution, and watchfulness of him- self, expressed in 1 Cor. ix. 27, lest that by any means, when I have ■preached to others, I myself should be cast aioay, imply any impossibility or danger, or supposed danger, of his eternal damnation ; since the word aSoKt/ao?, does not design a reprobate f, as that is opposed to an elect person ; for the apostle hneiv in ivhom he had believed, and icasper- siiaded that nothing could separate him froyn the love of God; but his concern was, lest ho should do any thing that might bring a reproach on the gospel, and his ministry be justly blamed, and brought under contempt, and so be rejected and disapproved of by men, and become useless. * Whiil.y, ].. 4-2(), 427, 4()0, 4GI ; ed. 2. 415, 440, 441. f Vide AVltitby, p. 9, 10. THE CAUSE OF GOD A\D TRUTH. 85 SECTION XLIII. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, hut now much more in my absence, ivork out your oivn salvation with fear and trembling. — Phil. ii. 12. These words are represented as militating against God's decree of reprobation, man's passiveness, and the unfrustrableness of grace in conversion, and the final perseverance of the saints. 1. It is asserted *, that " to say God seriously invites, exliorts, and requires all men to tcork out their salvation^ and yet, by his decree of reprobation, hath rendered the event, to most of them, impossible, is to make the gospel of Christ a mockery." But it should be observed, that this exhortation is not given to all men, and particularly not to reprobates, but to men already believing and converted, as is-}- else- where owned, even to all the saints in Christ Jesus, which were at Philip- pi, loith the bishops and deacons, in whom a good work of grace was begun ; to whom it was give7i both to believe on Christ, and suffer for his sake; who were beloved by the apostle, had always obeyed the Lord, and in whose hearts he was then icorking both to zcill and to do of his good pleasure. Now to exhort these, and such as are in the like state and condition, to tvork out their salvation, who have a principle of spiritual life in them, and have measures of grace and strength given them, answerable to what they are exhorted to, is not to make the gospel of Christ a mockery, since these can never be thought to be reprobates ; nor does this contradict the decree of the reprobation of others, which springs from the sovereign and righteous will of God, and which is not, but sin, the cause of man's damnation. 2. It is asked|, " If some physical and irresistible operation were required on God's part, which makes it necessary for us to will and to do, why are we then commanded to icork out our own salvation? for can we act where we are purely passive T' To which I reply, that these words are spoken to men already converted, in whom the work of regeneration was wrought, in which work they were purely passive ; though now, having a principle of spiritual life, and under the influences of the grace of God, were capable of being active in working out their oivn salvation, which is something distinct from conversion and regene- ration, and is to be understood, not in such a sense, as though men could procure and obtain spiritual and eternal salvation by their own performances, which is contrary to the Scriptures, which ascribe salva- tion in whole, and in part, to the free grace of God ; contrary to the glory of the divine perfections of wisdom, grace, and righteousness, and inconsistent with the weakness and impotence of believers them- selves : besides, the best works of men are imperfect, and, were they perfect, could not be meritorious, since the requisites of merit are wanting in them. Add to this, that salvation is obtained alone by Christ, and is already finished, and not to be wrought out now, either * Whitby. I.. 76: e.l. 2. 75. f Ibid. p. 295 ; cd. 2. ifJS. % Ibid. p. 294 ; cd. 2. 287. 86 THE CAUSE OF GOD AXD TRUTH. by Christ or believers ; and, were it procured by the works of men, the death of Christ would be in vain ; boasting in the creature would not be excluded, and men's obligations to God and Christ would be greatly weakened ; and, since this sense of the words is attended with such insuperable difficulties, it can never be the true meaning of them. Let it be observed, that the words may be rendered *, work about your salvation, that is, employ yourselves in things which, though not essen- tial to, yet do accompany salvation, and are to be performed by all those who expect it, though not to be expected for the performance of them; such as hearing of the word, submission to gospel ordinances, a discharge of every branch of spiritual and evangelical obedience, for which the apostle commends them in the beginning of this verse, since they had always obeyed, not only in his presence, but much more in his absence, he exhorts them to go on in a course of cheerful obedience to the close of their days, when they should receive the end of their faith, that which they were aiming at, and looking for, even the salvation of their souls. The Syriac version, if not a strict translation, yet gives the just sense of the words, by rendering them pD^m «in^iQ iml^ti do the work or business of your lives, that is, your generation work, what God has cut out and appointed for you in this life ; do all that loith fear and trembling, with all humility, not trusting to your own strength, but depending on the grace of God, icho ivorketh in you both to icilland to do of his yood pleasure. 3. This exhortation to work out salvation tcith fear and trembling, being directed to such who were, at present, in a state of favour with God, and in whom God had begun the good work, with others, directed to churches and persons, to feafr, lest they should fall away, and finally miscarry, such as Prov..xxiii. l^andxxviii. 14, Rom. xi. 20, Heb. iv. 1 and xii. 28, 1 Pet. i. 17, are improved into an argument against any absolute decree or promise of God, in ftivour of the saints' final perseverance t : for it is said, " What ground of fear can there be, where God hath absolutely decreed to confer this salvation, and stands obliged by promise to afford those means, which will infallibly produce itr' To which I answer : 1. The exhortation to the Philippians to work out their salvation ivithfear and trembling, is not to be understood of a slavish fear of hell and damnation, or lest they should fall away and finally miscarry; since this would have been a distrust of the power and faithfulness of God, and so criminal in them. Nor is it reasonable to suppose that the apostle would exhort to such a fear, when he himself was % confident of this very thing, that he ivhich had begun a good tcork in them would perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Besides, the exhortation would be very oddly formed, if this were the sense of it, xvork out your salva- tion with fear of damnation ; but as the phrase with fear and trembling • Nos vertimus, operamini circa salutem vestram, x.ccrcc twv e of others. 2. Their jmtting aioay a good conscience, does not necessarily imply that they formerly had one, since that may be rejected and put away which was never had. Thus of the Jews, who contradicted and blas- phemed the word of God, never received it, nor gave their assent to it, the apostle says;];, ye put it from you, aTTooOe'iaOe, ye rejected it; the same word which is here used, and signifies § to refuse, reject any thing with detestation and contem])t. These men always had an ab- horrence to a good conscience among men, and to a good life and conversation, the evidence of it, and at, last threw off the mask, and dropped the faith they professed, as being contrary to their evil con- science and practices. But admitting that this phrase does suppose that they once had a good conscience, this is not to be understood of a conscience really purged and cleansed by the blood of Christ ; but of a good conscience in external show only, or in comparison of what they afterwards appeared to have. Besides, some men, destitute of the grace of God, may be said to have a good conscience in some sense, or with respect to some particular facts, or to their general conduct and behaviour among men ; so the apostle Paul, whilst unregenerate, lived in all good conscience\\; and it is said of the unenlightened hea- thens, that their conscience also was hearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another ^. Now, these per- sons had put away, rejected, and acted contrary to the very dictates of natural conscience ; theirs was become seared ivith a hot iron, and so spoke lies in hypocrisy^ giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils **. 3. It will be granted, that to make shipwreck of the faith, so as to blaspheme the doctrine which they once professecl, is to fall off from the profession of it ; but then to fall from the doctrine of the gospel, and a profession of it, and to fall from the grace and favour of God, or from the grace of faith, are different things. JSlan may fjill totally and finally from the one, but not from the other ; and it is not the grace, Imt the doctrine of faith, that is here designed, and is the sense in which it is often used in this epistleff ; though supposing faith as a * 2 Tim. ii. IG, 17. f Cliap. iv. 14, IT). % Act? xiii. 45, 46. § The Septuftgint render the llchrew word DMD, by it in .lob xxxiv. 33, Jer. ii. 37, IIos. iv. 6, and elsewhere, and also the word ^i?J, in I'.zek. xvi. 45; botli wliicli signify to refuse or reject any thing with loathsomeness and contcni|.t. II Acts xxiii. 1. \ Kom. ii. 15. ** 1 Tim. iv. 1, 1. tt See tli.ii). iii. i», and iv. ], and v. 8, aud vi. 21. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 8.9 grace was intended, the phrase, to make shipioreck of it, is not .strong enough to prove the total and final falling away of true believers, could such be thought to be here meant, since persons may be ship- wrecked and not drowned or lost. The apostle Paul tlirice suffered shipwreck *, and yet was each time saved. Besides, as there is a true and unfeigned, so there is a feigned and counterfeit faith, which may be in persons who have no true grace, and may be shipwrecked so as to be lost. II. The next instances of the saints falling away are Hymeneus and Philetus, of whom the apostle says, that they erred concerninej the truth, and overthreio the faith of some "f". Now, 1. As was before observed, it should be proved that these men were once good men, true believers in Christ ; whereas, on the con- trary, it appears that they had only a, form offjodli/iess, but denied the power thereof were evil men and seducers, who waxed icorse and icorse. 2. When it is said of them, iclio, concerning the tridh, have erred; or, as Dr. Whitby renders the words, have fallen off from the truth, for about such a rendering we will not contend ; the meaning is not that they fell from the truth of grace in their hearts, which it doth not appear they ever had, but from the truth of the gospel in the profes- sion of it, and particularly from that branch of it which respects the resurrection, saying, that the resurrection is past already . 3. When they are said to overthroiv the faith of some, this is not to be understood of the true grace of faith, the end of which is the salva- tion of the soul, and is not to be overthrown by men or devils, but of a doctrinal faith, or an historical one, which is a bare assent of the mind to some doctrinal proposition, as here, to the resurrection of the dead, and which had a place in some nominal professors, who wore ever learning andiiever able to come to the saving knowledge of the truth ; and after all these instances of falling from the truth, and of the sub- version of faith, the apostle says, Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoiceth them that are his : so that these are no instances of the apostacy of real saints. III. Many judaizers in the church of Galatia, appear next much suspected to be in the black list of apostates, of whom it is said | that they were fallen f-om grace ; from whence it is argued §, that they therefore must have been formerly in a state of grace, and conse- quently, that such who were once known of God might fall from his grace and favour. But it should be observed, 1. That as on the one hand, all that is said in this epistle, to that church in general, is not to be applied to every member in particular ; as that they had received the Spirit through the hearing of faith, were all the children of God, and the like ; so, on the other hand, it is not to be thought that all of them were fallen from grace, but only ivhoso- evcr o/'them were justified by the law, that is, who sought for justifica- tion by the works of it ; so that they were not the same individual persons who fell, to whom the best characters in the epistle belong. 2. The grace from whence they fell was not the grace and favour * 'J Cor. -Ni. 25. t 2 Tiiu. ii. 18, 10. : Gul. v. 4. § Whitby, p. li;5 ; cJ. 2. 402. 90 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. of God in his own heart towards them, nor any grace of God wrought in their hearts; but the doctrine of grace, particularly that of justifi- cation by the grace of God, through the righteousness of Christ, which they had formerly professed, but were now going off from it, and em- bracing the doctrine of justification by works. IV. To this head of instances of apostacy are referred * the pre- dictions of the Scripture concerning persons who should fall away ; such as, 1. The words of our Lord, in Matt. xxiv. 12, 13, are thought to be, because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall icax cold; but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Now these many are either hypocrites and formal professors, liable to be deceived by false teachers, ver. 11, and so not the elect of God, who cannot be seduced, ver. 24, and their love is no other than a flashy zeal for religion, which in time, through the subtlety of false teachers, the corruptions of men, and persecutions of the world, abates, Avaxes cold, and at last disap- pears, and so no instance of the billing away of the saints ; or else these many are true believers whose love to Christ, though it may icax cold in bad times, yet shall not be lost, even as the church at Ephesus left., abated in the fervency of, her first love., though she did not lose it ; which, though a proof of declension, yet not of final and total apostacy. 2. The words of the apostle Paul, in 1 Tim. iv. 1, are produced for the same purpose ; Now the Sjnrit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith: but this is to be understood, not of a falling away from the true grace of God, but of a departure from the doctrine of faith ; since it follows, yiving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils., speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats ; which manifestly point at the general falling axoay\ from the truths of the gospel, when the man of sin, and son of perdition, the Pope of Rome, was revealed. V. This would be a proper place to consider the instances of David, Solomon, Peter, Demas, and others, who are usually alleged | as proofs of the saints' apostacy ; but these are not mentioned by the celebrated writer I chiefly attend to. However I shall just observe, that as to David, though, by his fall, his bones were broken, and the joy of salvation was gone, yet his salvation was safe and secure ; and though the graces of the Spirit might lie unexercised by him, yet the Spirit itself was not taken from him, as appears from his own words, when most sensible of his case : Take not thy Holy Spirit from me ; restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit §. As for Solomon, though his backsliding was great, and attended with aggravating circumstances, yet it does not appear to be total, from some qualifying expressions in the account of it|| ; as that his heart teas not perfect ivith the Lord his God, as teas the heart of David his father ; and that he ivent not fully after the Lord as did David ' • Whitby, p. 413, 414, 440 ; ed. 2. 403, 404, 428. f 2 Thess. ii. 3. X Vide Act. Synod, p. 252, &c. ; Litnborch, 1. 5, c. 82, p. 712, &c. § Psalm 11. 11, 12. jl 1 Kings xi. 4, 6. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 91 his father ; nor was it final ; which is not reasonable to suppose of one who was so eminent a type of Christ : and besides would be con- trary to the promise God made concerning him, saying, / will he his father^ and he shall he my son : If he commit iniquitij, I icill chasten him with the rod of men, and loith the stripes of the children of men ; hut my mercy shall not depart away from him *. Besides, he had repentance for his sins, and the book of Ecclesiastes was penned by him in his old age, as an acknowledgment and retraction of his former follies: and after his death, some persons ai'e spoken of with a commendation for loalhing in the lo ay of David and Solomon -f*. As for Peter, his fall was not total ; Christ prayed for him, that his faith failed not ; nor final, for he was quickly restored by repentance. And as for Demas, who, very probably, was a good man, since he is mentioned with such who were so. Col. iv. 14, Philem. ver. 24 ; what the apostle says of him \,, as that he \m^ forsaken him, having loved tJds jn-esent loorld, is not suffi- cient to prove him an apostate, any more than Mark's departure from Paul, and others at Pamphylia ; or that too much love of the world, which is to be observed in many otherwise valuable good men, would prove them to be so ; however, these instances are recorded in Scrip- ture for our admonition ; that he that thinks he stands, should take heed lest he fall. SECTION XLV. Who tvill have all men to he saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. — 1 Tim. ii. 4. These words are often used to oppose God"'s decree of reprobation §, and in favour of universal redemption ; but with what success will be seen when it is observed, 1. That the salvation which God here wills that all men should enjoy, is not a mere possibility of salvation for all, nor putting all men into a salvable state, nor an offer of salvation to all i| , nor a proposal of sufficient means of it to all in his word ; but a real, certain, and actual salvation, which ho has determined they shall have, has pro- vided and secured in the covenant of his grace, sent his Son into this world to effect, which is fully effected by him. 2. That the ivill of God, that all men should be saved, is not a con- ditional will ^, or will that depends upon the will of man, or anything to be performed by him ; for if this was the case, none might be saved ; and if any should, salvation would be of him. that tvilleth, and of him that runneth^ and not of God that shoiveth mercy, contrary to the express words of Scripture ** ; but this will of God, respecting the salvation of men, is absolute and unconditional, and what infallibly secures and produces it : nor is it such a will as is distinguishable into antecedent * 2 Sam. vii. 14, 15. t 2 Chron. xi. 17. J 2 Tim. iv. 10. § Remoiistr. in Coll. Hag. art. ii. p. 134; Act. Synod, circa art. ii. p. 321, &c. ; Curccllteus, p. 364 ; Limborch, p. 332; Whitby, p. 29, 30, 74, 120, 121 ; ed. 2. 29, 30, 33, 117, 118. II Vorst. in loc. f Ibid, et Arnica Collat. cum Piscator, p. 8, 13, 28; Curcell. Relig. Christ. Instit. 1. 6, c. 5, sect. 7, p. 366. ** Rom. ix. 16. 92 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. and consequent : with the former of vvhicli it is said, God wills the salvation of all men, as they are his creatures, and the work of his hands ; with the latter he wills or not wills it, according to their future conduct and behaviour : but the will of God, concerning man''s salva- tion, is one entire, invariable, unalterable, and unchangeable will ; He is in one mind; and loho can tnrn him ? and what Ids soul desireth even that he doth *. Nor is it merely his will of approbation or complacency, being only expressive of what is grateful and well-pleasing to him ; but it is his ordaining, purposing, and determining will, which is never frustrated, but is always fulfilled. I know it is observed by some, that it is not said that God will adaai, salvos facere, save all men, as implying what he would do ; but that he would have all men crcoOfjvai, salvos ^eri, to be saved, as signifying their duty to seek after salvation, and use all means for the obtaining of it, which, when effected, is well- pleasing to him. But the other sense is to be abundantly preferred. 3. That the all men, whom God would have to be saved, are such whom he would also have to come to the knowledge of the truth; that is, not a mere nominal, but experimental knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as the icay^ the truths and the life, or of the true way of life and salvation by liim ; and all those whom God saves, they are brought by his Spirit and grace to an acquaintance with these things, which is an act of his sovereign will, and an instance of his distinguishing favour; for tvhilst he hides these things from the wise and prudent, he re~ veals them to hahes : even so, Father, says Christ,^/' so it seemed good in thy sight -f*. Hence, 4. By all men whom God would have to be saved, we are not to vm- derstand every individual of mankind, since it is not the will of God that all men, in this large sense, should be saved ; for it is his will that some men should be damned, and that very justly, for their sins and transgressions ; ungodly men, ivho were before of old ordained to this condemnation^ ; and to whom it will be said, go, ye cursed, into everlast- ing fire. Moreover, if it was the will of God that every individual of mankind should be saved, then every one would be saved ; for who hath resisted his will ? or can do it i Does he not do according to his icill in the armies of the heavens, and among the inhabitants of the e'irth %? Nay, does he not ivork all things after the counsel of his oicn xvill f and it is certain that all men, in this large sense, are not saved, for some will go away into everlasting punishment, when the righteous shall go into eternal life \\. Besides, the same persons God would have saved he would have come to the knowledge of the truth ; but this is not his will with respect to every individual of mankind ; were it his will, he would, no doubt, give to every man the means of it, which he has not done, nor does he ; for many hundred years he suffered all natiojis to walk in their own ivays, and overlooked the times of their ignorance. He shoived his xoord unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel ; he hath not dealt so with any nation : and as for his judgments, they have not known them ^. From many to whom the gospel does come, it is hid ; * Job'xxiii. i;i. ' t Malt. xi. 25, 26, + Judo 4. § Rom. ix. 19; Dan. iv. nS; Epli. i. 11. II M;itl. XXV. 4'). ■ ^ Acts xiv. 16, and xvii. 30 : Psalm cxlvii. If), vo. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 93 some are given up to strong delusions to believe a lie, and few are sav- ingly and experimentally acquainted with the truth as it is in Jesus. 5. There are indeed* many things urged in favour of this large sense of the phrase all men. As, 1. The exhortation of the apostle, in ver. 1, that supplications., prayers., intercessions., and cjivimj of thanks, he made for all men. But surely by all men, is not meant every individual man, that has been, is, or shall be, in the world ; millions of men are dead and gone, for whom prayer is not to be made ; many in hell, to whom it would be of no service ; and many in heaven, who stand in no need of it ; nor should we pray for such who have sinned the sin tinto deathf. Besides, giving of thanks, as well as prayers, were to be made for all men ; but certainly the apostle''s meaning is not that the saints should give thanks for wicked men, and persecutors, and particularly for a perse- cuting Nero ; nor for heretics or false teachers, such as Hymeneus and Alexander, whom he had delivered to Satan ; the phrase is therefore to be taken in a limited and restrained sense, for some only, as appears from ver. 2, Jbr kings, and for all in authority ; that is, for men of the highest, as well as of the lowest rank and quality. 2. This sense is contended for, from the reason given in ver. 6, for there is one God, " who is the God of all, the common Father and Creator of all men." Now, " it is said, thus he is the God of all men in particular ; and so this argument must show, he would have all men in particular to be saved." To which may be replied, that God is the God of all men, as the God of nature and providence, but not as the God of grace, or in a covenant way, for then it would be no distinguishing favour or happiness to any people, that the Lord is their God; he is indeed the one God and Father of all, who is above all, and tJirough all, and in you all, meaning believers, to whom the apostle writes J; tJie same Lord is rich unto all, but then it is to them that call upon him. 3. This is argued for from the one mediator between God and 7nan, the man Christ Jesus ; but it should be observed, that he is not said to be the mediator between God and all men, and much less every individual man; and since he is expressly called, the mediator of the new covenant%, he only can be a mediator for those who are in that covenant ; and it is plain, that he has not performed the several branches of his mediatorial office, the oblation of himself on the cross, and his intercession in heaven, for every man ; and though the natui'e he assumed is common to all men, was endued with the best of human affections, and subject to the common law of humanity ; yet, since it was assumed with a peculiar view to the elect of God, the seed of Abraham, they share all the peculiar blessings and favours arising from the assumption of such a nature. 4. It is observed that Christ is said, in ver. 6, to yive himself a ransom for all, which is understood of all men in particular ; but it should be observed also, that this ransom is avTikvTpov virep -navTcov, a * Wliitbv, p. 120, 121 ; ed. 2. 1 17, 118. f 1 Jolin v. 16. + Epli. iv. 6; Rom. x. 12. § Hel). xi. 24. 94 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. vicarious ransom, substituted in the room and stead of all, whereby Ji full price was paid for all, and a plenary satisfaction made for the sins of all, which cannot be true of every individual man, for then no man could be justly condemned and punished. The sense of these Avords is best understood by what Christ himself has said, The Son of Man came not to he ministered iinto, hut to minister^ and give his life a ransom for many *. So the Hebrew word ^3, a//, to which this answers, sig- nifies sometimes many^ a multitude ; and sometimes only a part of a multitude, as Kimchi f has observed. Wherefore, 6. It is better by all men to understand some of all sorts, as Austin \ did long ago, and is the sense in which the word all is to be taken in many places ; as in Gen. vii. 14 ; Matt. iv. 23, 24 ; Joel ii. 28 ; and is the meaning of it in ver. 1, and well agrees with the matter of fact; since Christ has redeemed some of all nations, some out of every kin- dred, tongue, and people; and God saves and calls some of every rank and quality, as kings and peasants : of every state and condition, as rich and poor, bond and free ; of every sex, male and female ; of every age, young and old ; and all sorts of sinners, greater and less. It is § indeed said, that, according to this limitation and sense of the words, God is willing some of all kindred and people shoidd he saved; it may more truly and properly be said, that God would have all men to be damned, and that Christ died for none ; since they for whom he died are none, according to this doctrine, comparatively to the greater number for whom he died not. To which I answer, it does not be- come us to say what might be more truly and properly said by God, or an inspired writer. However, this is certain, that as there is a whole icorld that lies in ivickednessW^ so there is a world that shall be damned ; which agrees with what the apostle Paul says in so many words, that the world shall be condemned. We are chastened of the Lord, that tee should not he condemned or damned icith the world^. More- over, though they for whom Christ died are but few comparatively, yet they cannot be said, in a comparative sense, or in any sense at all, to be none ; and indeed, when considered by themselves, are a num- ber which no man can number. But, 7. I rather think that by all men are meant the Gentiles, who are sometimes called the world, the whole world, and every creature, Rom. xi. 12, 15 ; 1 John ii. 2 ; Mark xvi. 15 ; which is the sense, I apprehend, in which it is used in ver. 1, where the apostle exhorts, that supplications, prayers, inteiressions, and givinr; thanks, he made for all men ; for kings, and for all in authority ; which was contrary to a notion that obtained among the Jews, of whom there were many in the primitive churches, that they should not pray for heathens and heathen magistrates **. The apostle enforces this exhortation from the advantage which would accrue to themselves ; that ive may lead a peaceahle and quiet life, in all godliness and honesty ; besides, says he. This is good and accept ahle in the sight of God our Saviour, loho loill have * Matt. XX. 28. t In lit,. Shoiasli, rad. !?^::. J Encliirid. c. 103. § Whitby, p. 114 ; ed. 2.111. To tlie same purpose, Ciucella?as, p. 365, and Limborch, p. .332. II 1 John V. 19. ^1 Cor. xi. 32. ** See Lightfoot, vol. i. p. .-JOfl. THE CAUSE OF GOU AND TRUTH. 95 all meny Gentiles as well as Jews, to be saved, and to come to the know- ledge of the truth, and therefore has sent his ministers to preach the gospel among them ; and the doctrine of the (/race of God has appeared to these, all men, in order to bring them to it ; for there is one God of Jews and Gentiles, who, by his gospel, has taken out of the latter a people for his name and glory ; and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who, not like Moses, who was the medi- ator for the Jews only, but is for the Gentiles also ; and is become our peace *, that hath made both one, reconciled both in one body on the cross ; preached peace to them that icere afar off, and to them that were nigh ; through ichom, as the mediator, both have an access by one Spirit to the Father ; tvho Silso gave himself a ransom for all, to redeem the Gentiles as well as Jews ; which was to be testified in due time to them, as it was by the apostle, who adds, Whereunto I am ordained a preacher and an apostle {I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity ; and then concludes, / tvill therefore that men pray everyichere, and not be confined to the temple for public prayer, another Jewish notion and practice, If ting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. Seeing then there are some Jewish notions pointed at in the context, and the whole is adapted to the state and case of the Gentiles, under the gospel dispensation, there is a good deal of reason to conclude that they are designed here ; whereby another principle of the Jews is confuted, which is, that the Gentiles should receive no benefit by the Messiah when he came ; and is the true reason of most, if not of all, those universal expressions, relating to the death of Christ, we meet with in Scripture. From the whole, since these words cannot be understood of every individual man, they cannot be thought to militate against God's righteous decree of reprobation, nor to maintain and support universal redemption. SECTION XL VI. For therefore we hath labour and suffer reproach, because tve trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe, — 1 Tim. iv. 10. ^1 These words stand among others, which are f said to contain, in express terms, the doctrine of general redemption. But, 1. If these words represent God, as the Saviour of all 7nen, in the sense of a spiritual and eternal salvation, they prove more than any, unless Origen and his followers, contend for, namely, an universal salvation. To say that Christ is the Saviour of all men, with respect to the impetration of salvation for them, though not with respect to the application of it to them all, is a distinction, which must, in part, make the death of Christ in vain ; nor can a mere possibility of sal- vation, nor a conditional one, nor a putting of men into a salvable state, be intended; for then they that believe, would be only in such * Eph. ii. 14—18. t Wliitby, of Redemption, p. 113 ; cd. 2. 111. 96 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TKUTH. a precarious and uncertain state ; whereas it is certain, that he that helievetk shall be saved. Besides, if God is the Saviour of all men, in the sense of eternal salvation, then he must be the Saviour of un- believers, contrary to many expi-ess passages of Scripture ; sue!) as John iii. 18, "^(S ; Mark xvi. 16 ; Kev. xxi. 8. 2. The words are to be understood of providential goodness and temporal salvation ; which all men have a share in, more or less. God the Father, and not Christ, is here called the Uvhig (iod, who is the Saviour of all men, that is, the preserve?' of all men ; who supports them in their being, and supplies them with all the necessaries of life, and especiallij them that believe, who are the particular care of his providence ; for though he is good, and does good to all men, yet more especially to the household of faith ; which was the foundation of the apostles' trust in him, under all their labours and reproaches, which attended the preaching of the gospel. Which sense of the words is perfectly agreeable both to the analogy of faith, and to the context, and is owned by some* who are on the other side of the question. SECTION XLVII. For the grace of God that hringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts, ive should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. — Tit. ii. 1 1 , 12. This scripture also appears among the very many clear and express ones-f-, in which the doctrine of universal redemption is thought to be contained. It isj observed, "That the grace here mentioned, is the grace of God, even of that God who spared not his Son, but freely gave him up for us; that it is styled ?/ X"P'^" ') aroTijpios, saving grace : and that this grace hath appeared to all men ;" all which is readily granted. The argument formed on these observations stands thus ; " If the apostles did in their preaching tender it (salvation) to all without exception, they either tendered it to them, to whom, by God's intention it did not belong, and so exceeded their commission, or else it belongs to all men ; and since it could only belong to them by virtue of Christ's passion, it follows, that the benefit of his passion must belong to all." What foundation there is in the text for such kind of reasonings, will be seen when it is considered, 1 . That, by the grace of God, we are not to understand the grace which lies in his own heart, or his free love, favour, and good-will to any of the sons of men through Christ; which, though it is productive of salvation, and instructive in real piety, yet does not appear, nor has it been, nor is it made manifest to all men ; neither is that grace designed by it, which lies in the hearts of believers, being implanted there by the Spirit of God; for though this also brings salvation, or has it strictly connected with it, and powerfully influences the lives and conversations of such as are partakers of it ; yet it neither has * Volkclius (Ic vera Rcliir. 1. 2, c. 7, p. 10. Sec iJso Ciillins de Deo, c. 19, p. 133. i Wliitby, p. ]];); 0(1. 2. Ill ; CujcellaMis, p. ;5.k^. + Il)id. p. 12.>; c.l. 2, 119. THE CAUSL: OV (iOl) AM) TliUTlI. 97 appeared to, nor in all men ; for all men have not faith, nor hope, nor love, nor any otJier graces of the Spirit : but, by the grace of God, is meant the grace which lies in the gospel, or which is the gospel of the grace of God, in which sense it is often used ; as in Acts xx. 24 ; 2 Cor. vi. 1 ; Heb. xii. 15 ; and is indeed owned to be the sense of it here by the learned author* I am concerned with. Now, 2. This doctrine of the grace of God hrbigcth salvation : it brings the news of it to the ears of men, in the external ministration of it, and brings that itself to the hearts of men, under the powerful influ- ences and application of the Spirit of God ; and so may be rightly called saving grace, as being the jmwer of God unto salvation to all them that believe ; though it is not, nor was it designed to be so, to all to whom it is externally preached ; nor does the text say that it brings salvation to all men ; and if it did, or if it should be rendered, as it is by some, the grace of God that hringeth salvation to all men; to which agrees the Syriac version, b'2 rrriD, that qiiickeneth or savetJi all; so the Arabic; this cannot be understood of every individual person, every man and woman ; for the gospel has not brought salvation to every one, in any sense ; not in the external ministry of it, for there have been multitudes who have never so much as heard the outward sound of salvation by Jesus Christ, and fewer still who have had an appli- cation of it to their souls by the Spirit of God : to many to whom it has come, it has been a hidden gospel, and the savonr of death unto death. 3. It is indeed said, that this doctrine of the grace of God hath appeared to all men ; but by all men cannot be meant every man and woman that has been in tlie world, for it would not be true that the grace of God has appeared to all in this sense. The whole Gentile world, for many hundred years, was in darkness, without the light of the gospel ; it neither shined upon them, nor in them : in the times of the apostles, when the doctrine of the gospel appeared the most illus- trious, and shone out most extensively, as well as most clearly, it reached not every individual person, nor has it in ages since, nor does it in ours, no, not in our own nation ; nor in this great city, where the gospel is most fully preached ; for of preachers, they are the fewest who preach the doctrine of the grace of God ; and so of hearers, they are the fewest who attend unto and embrace this doctrine; multitudes know nothing of it, are under neither the form nor power of it. Since, then, matter of fact stands incontestably against this sense of the words, we must look out for another. By all men, therefore, may be meant all sorts of men, men of every rank and condition of life, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, masters and servants ; which sense of the phrase well agrees with the context, in which the apostle charges Titus to exhort servants to he obedient to their own masters, and to please them icell in all things ; not answering again, nor purloining, but showing all fidelity ; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, ver. 9, 10; and gives this as the reason of ViW, for the grace of God, that hringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men^ • Whitby, p. 165; cd. 2. Ifil. U f)8 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. servants as well as masters; teaching us who have believed, whether we be masters or servants, of whatsoever state or condition, to live a godly and religious life, whilst we are in this world : or by all men^ we may, with Dr. Hammond, understand the Gentiles, before the times of the apostles. • The gospel was like a candle lightod up in one part of the world, in Judea only ; but now it shone out like the sun in its meridian glory, and appeared to all men. Gentiles as well as Jews ; it was no longer confined to the lost sheep of the house of Israel^ but jneachcd to every creature under heaven ; but though it appeared to all, it was not applied to all, though it shined out upon them all, yet not into the hearts of them all ; nor is tliis universal appearance of the gospel, in the external ministration of it, any proof of universal redemption, nor was it so designed by the apostle ; and it is easy to observe, that when he comes to speak of redemption, and the persons redeemed in ver. 14, he makes use of a different form of expression: where he says, who gave himself for us, not for them*, or for all ; that he might redeem 7is, not them, or all men, from all iniquity; and purify unto himself a peculiar, distinct /»eo/>Ze, zealous of good works. The argument above cited, is founded on a manifest falsehood, that the apostles tendered the saving grace of God to all men, without exception ; whereas they tendered it to none, but preached the gospel to all, without any distinction of persons who came to hear it. The Arminians frequently argue from an universal offer of the gospel to an universal redemption ; such whose ministra- tions run in the strain of offers and tenders, would do well to consider this, and deliver themselves from this argument, who onlv are pinched by it. 4. The doctrine of the grace of God is represented as teaching 7is to deny ungodliness and ivorldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present loorld. Observe, the apostle does not say, teach- ing them, all men, to whom it appeared, which is the sad mistake of a learned writer f ; but teaching us, to whom it has come, not in word only, but in power ; and so taught them not only doctrinally, but in- fluentially, both negative and positive holiness ; which lesson, all who learn will be undoubtedly saved, though not by learning this lesson, or doing these things, but by our Lord's salutary passion ; to which things they are obliged by the grace of God and sufferings of Christ ; though all men are not obliged by them, of which many are ignorant, but by the law of nature ; from whence this absurdity therefore does not fol- low J, " that there are some yet, yea, the greatest part of Christians, who are not, on the account of this grace appearing to them, or of these sufferings, obliged to the performance of these duties." Since all men are not Christians, and all that are true and real Christians Christ suffered for, and the grace of God appears to with powerful influences, engaging them to the discharge of these things. * Wliitl.y, p, 12-2 ; ed. 2. 1 19. f Ibid. See also p. 51, 205; ed. 2. 200. X Ibid. p. 123; ed. 2. 120. THE CAUSE OF HOD AND TRinir. 99 SECTION XLVIII. THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. It is said, " That the Epistle to the Hebrews was manifestly written to prevent the apostacy of the believing Jews ; and that, as the excel- lent Dr. Barrow used to say, it was written against the doctrine of perseverance, and that it certainly contains many cogent arguments against that doctrine, as is evident from the exhortations, cautions, promises, declarations; and threats, to true believers, of whom the apostle there speaks ; which suppose that they unquestionably might fall away, both finally and totally*." 1 . It is very awkwardly expressed, and sounds a little oddly, that this epistle should be written to prevent the apostacy of believing Jews, and yet written against the doctrine of the saints' perseverance, since all means to prevent apostacy tend to establish and secure per- severance, and can never be contrary to the doctrine of it ; and among the means of perseverance may be reckoned the exhortations, cautions, promises, declarations, and threats mentioned, and, therefore, ought not to be considered as so many cogent arguments against the doctrine of it. Besides, this church of the Hebrews, like other churches, no doubt, consisted of real and nominal professors, true believers and hypocrites ; and, perhaps, with a particular view to the latter, many of these exhortations, cautions, promises, and threats are given out ; and, supposing them to be all true believers, these directions were not unseasonable and improper, but very useful to stir them up to duty, diligence, care, and watchfulness, since there might be danger of a partial, though not of a total and final falling away ; and, at most, these can only imply a possibility or danger of such a falling, consi- dered in themselves, and if left to themselves, through sin, Satan, and false teachers, but prove no matter of fact, or furnish out any instance of any one true believer that ever did finally and totally fall away. 2. It seems strange that this epistle should be written against the doctrine of perseverance, when there are so many strong proofs of this doctrine in it ; the author of it represents the unchangeableness of God's counsel, purpose, and promise, respecting the salvation of his people, in the strongest light, when he says, Wkerehi God, toilling more abundantly to shoio unto the heirs of ■promise the immutability of his coun- sel, confirmed it by an oath ; that by tioo imtnutable things, in ichich it was impossible for God to lie, tee might have strong consolation, loho have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us-\ ; but where would be the immutability of God's counsel, or the strong consolation of the saints, if the heirs of promise could possibly perish ? In it, also^, Christ is set forth as having, by one offering, perfected for ever them that are sanctified; as able, and as one that will save to the uttermost, all that * Whitbv, p. 414—417; ed. 2. 404—406, 408. t Hcb. vi. 17, 18. X Ilcb. X. 14, and vii. 25, and ii. 10, 13. H 2 100 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. come unto God hij him; as one that ever lives to make intercession for the saints ; and, as the Captain of their salvation, who has brought, and will bring, many sons safe to f/lory, even all the sons of God ; for, at the great day, he will say, Behold, /, aiid the children u-hich God hath given me, which he would not be able to do should any of them be lost and perish. The graces of the Spirit are spoken of as sure and certain things ; faith is said to be the substance of things hoped for, and the evi- dence of tilings not seen ; and hope, as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast*; yea, the apostle says of these believing Hebrews -f, as well as of himself, that they had received a kingdom which cannot be moved, and knew in themselves that they had in heaven a better and a moi'e enduring substance; that they were not of them ivho draw back unto per- dition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul : and that the just shall live by faith. He was persuaded better tilings of them, and things that accompany salvation, when such who were not true believers, finally and totally fell away, to whom alone the threats in this epistle are directed. From all which it is plain, that this epistle was not written against the doctrine of perseverance ; nor are the exhortations, cau- tions, promises, and declarations, made to true believers, cogent argu- ments against it, since these were designed as means to promote and secure it, and do not in the least imply that any of the true believers in this church might, or should, finally and totally fall away. SECTION XLIX. That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. — Heb. ii. 9. The doctrine of universal redemption isj: said to be contained in express terms in these words, and it is observed § upon them, that " here is no restraint at all, nor any seeming limitation of the compre- hensive phrase, he tasted death for every man, distributively taken ;" and that there is something " which doth seem to strengthen the gene- ral intendment of the phrase, for this is said to magnify the grace of God, in sending his Son to die for men ; now sure the grace of God will be more magnified by this general extent of our Saviour''s death, than by contracting the intendment of it to a few ; for, if the grace of God be great in sending his Son to die for a few chosen persons, it must be greater in sending him to die for many, and greater still in giving him up to die for us all." To which I reply ; 1. That the word yuan is not in the original text ; which says not that Christ shoidd taste death, vnep Trarros av0pu)Trov,for every man, but virep TTai-ro?, which may be taken either collectively, and be rendered for the whole, that is, for the whole body, the church, Eph. iv. \Q, for which Christ died, and of which he is the Saviour ; or distributively, and be translated for every one, that is, for every one of the sons, Christ, the Captain of salvation, brings to glory, ver. 10 ; for every one of the brethren, whom he sanctifies, is not ashamed to own, and to * Heb. xi. 1, and vi. 19. f Chap. xii. 28, and x. 34, 38, 39, .-ind vi. 9. t Remonstr. in Coll. Hag. art. ii. p. 131,135; Cmccllaeus, p. 360; Limbovch, p. 319; "Whitby, p. 143; ed. 2. 111. § Ibid, p. 123; cd. 2. 1-20. THE VXVia OF GOD AND TRUTH. 101 wliom he declares the name of God, ver. 11, 12 ; for every one of the members of the churchy even the general assembly and chm*cli of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven, in the midst of which lie sang praise, ver. 12 ; for evei'y one of the children God has given to him, and for whose sake he took part of flesh and blood, ver. 13, 14; and for every one of the seed of' Abraham, taken in a spiritual sense, which are Christ's, whose nature he assumed, ver. 16. Moreover, supposing there is a change of munber, and that virep navros is instead of v-^p Ti avrdv, for a//, -that is, for all men, there is, in the context, a plain restraint and limitation of the phrase, to all the sons, the bre- thren, tlie members of the church, the children, the seed of Abraham, for all whom Christ tasted death, that is, he really died, and became the author of eternal salvation to them, which does not in the least help the cause of general redemption. 2. It deserves consideration, whether the words v-nep -navTo^ y^va-r]- Tai Oavdrov, may not be rightly rendered, that he shoidd taste of every death, or of the xchole of death. This hint I have received from an author* referred to in the margin. If this reading of the words can be established, as I think it may, agreeable to their grammatical con- struction, the context, and the analogy of faith, the argument, and any colour of or pretence for one from hence, in favour of the vmiver- sal scheme, are entirely removed : should it be objected, that if this were the sense of the words, they would have been placed thus, yeva-rj- Tat vTTep TiavTos Oavdrov, and not the verb between the adjective and substantive ; it may be observed, that there is in the very text itself a like position of words, as rj\aTTU){xii'ov (3k€7Toix€v ^h]crodv ; therefore, such an objection would have no weight in it : virep is sometimes put for Trept, and signifies dc, of instances of which the lexicons themselves will furnish us with ; and, tliough the verb yevop-ai governs a genitive case without a preposition, yet it is well known that the Greek lan- guage abounds in pleonasms of this kind. The context also favours this sense of the words ; for if they be considered in connexion with the phrase, 7nade a little loicer than the angels, or that other, croioned tvith glory and honour, they contain a reason for either ; for if it should be asked. Why was Christ so greatly depressed and humbled in the human nature i the answer is ready, that he might be capable of tast- ing of every death, or of the whole of death ; and should it be inquired, wherefore lie is exalted in such a glorious manner, it may be replied, Because he has tasted it ; for, as in ver. 10, the Captain of salvation is made perfect through sufferings. And it is certain, that Christ has tasted of every death, or of the whole of death, the law required he should, in the room and stead of his people : hence we read of his deaths in the plural number, Isa. liii. 9, He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich, vn^n, in his deaths \ ; he tasted of the death of afllictions, being all his days a man of sorrows, and acquainted ivith griefs ; of a corporal death, being put to death in the flesh, in the body or human nature ; and of eternal death, or what was equivalent to it, when his Father hid his face from him, poured out his wrath upon him, * Obadiah How's L'nivcisalist Examined, c. 11, p. 149, 150. f Vide K. Sol. Jwcbi in loc. 102 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. as the surety of his people, whereby his soul became exceedingly sor- rowful, ev€7i unto death; he tasted of the whole of death, of the agonies, miseries, bitterness, and curse of it, and so has delivered his people from the sting of it, and from all the wrath which follows upon it. 8. Whereas it is observed, that the scheme of general redemption more magnifies the grace of God than that of particular redemption does ; the contrary is most true ; for surely that scheme of redemption which provides for the certain salvation of some, which some are a number that no man can number, more magnifies the grace of God, than that scheme which provides a precarious, uncertain salvation for all, giving only a mere possibility of it, with a probability that all of them may perish ; leaving multitudes of them without so much as the means of salvation, and entirely without the Spirit of God to apply it to them ; putting them only in a salvable state, so that they may be saved if they will ; which, if it is effected, must depreciate the grace of God and sufferings of Christ, and exalt the power and free will of man. The instance of a prince affording an act of grace and indem- nity to some rebels, leaving others under condemnation, who would assuredly conceive his grace and favour would be greater were it ex- tended to them also, and not think it the more magnified for being so discriminating, is not to the purpose ; for the prince's grace is not to be judged of by the conceptions of such rebels, who are justly left under condemnation ; and whatever they think of it, it is certain, that those who are comprehended in the act of grace, look upon their prince's favour to be the greater for being so discriminating, seeing they were equally guilty with such who arc left out. The grace of God is magni- fied, not so much by the number of persons on whom it is conferred, as by the sovereignty of it, the circumstances of the persons interested in it, and the manner in which it is bestowed. SECTION L. For it is impossible Jbr those who were once enlighle7ied, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and ivere made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good rvord of God, and the powers of the ivorld to come, if' they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance ; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. — Heb. vi. 4 — 6. This scripture* is often used to contradict the final perseverance of the saints : and it is saidf, that " The doctrine of the possibility of the final departure of true believers and penitents from the faith, is fully contained in these words ; that it is evident they are spoken of such, from the word (pMTtadivre^, enlightened, used by the same apostle, speaking to the same persons, in chap. x. 32, who were so enlightened as to knovy they had an inheritance in heaven ; and from the words, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, which imply, that they had once truly repented, and were once truly in that state to which * Reraonstr. in Coll. Hag. .nrt. v. p. 18 ; Act. Svno a}iapTim\ the remission of sins ; the meaning is, that they had some speculative notions about these things, and some desires after them, arising from a natural principle of self-love ; or should Christ himself be intended by it, tasting of it, stands opposed to eating his flesh and drinking his blood, which is proper to true believers, Avho feed upon him, internally receive him, and are nourished by him ; while hypo- crites, and formal professors, only taste of him, have a superficial know- ledge of him, and gust for him. In the same sense are they said to liave tasted the good word of God, the gospel, in the bare form and notion of it, and the poive?'s of the ivorld to come, meaning either the state of the church, and the glorious things relating to it, after the first resurrection, which they might have some notional apprehensions of, or the jo^s and glories of heaven, on which they might be able to make some natural and pleasing reflections ; or rather, the bwdfxei^, miracles and mighty w^orks in the former part of the gospel dispensa- tion, or times of the Messiah, the Jews, wnn D^U* wo? Id to come, which many, as Judas and others, were able to perform, who were not sincere Christians, nor true believers, and yet might be said to be partakers of the Holy Ghost; not of his person, nor his gi-ace, but of his extraordi- nary gifts, in which sense not only Dr. Hammond*, but Dr. Whitby t liimself, understand the phrase. Now it may be observed, that here is nothing said of these persons but what may be applied to hypocrites, nor any thing that is peculiar to true believers ; these are not said to be regenerated, nor sanctified, nor justified, nor adopted, nor sealed by the Holy Spirit of God, all which are true of real saints. Besides, true believers are, in the context, manifestly distinguished froui them, and are compared to the fruitful earth, when others are only likened to tlie barren land, ver, 8, 9 ; their case is mentioned with a view to stir up the saints to industry and diligence, ver. 11, 12, and so be the means of their final perseverance, wliich they had reason to expect and believe, from the immutability of God's counsel, the safe refuge in Christ, the nature of hope, the anchor sure and steadfast, and the entrance of Christ, their forerunner for them, into heaven, ver. 17 — 20. 3. Tlie phi-ase, it is impossible to renew them again to I'epcntance, does not imply that they had once truly repented, and their loss of true repentance ; that cannot be lost, it is inseparably connected with life and salvation, and therefore is called repentance unto life, and nnto sal- vation. The repentance of these persons, like that of Cain, Pharaoli, and Judas, was only a show of one, a counterfeit one ; and consequently, the renewing them again to repentance designs a renovation of theu\ to that whicii they only seemed to have, and to make pretensions to. * T" loc. t rage211 ; ed. 2. 20f;. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 105 4. It will be granted, that these persons might, and such as these may, fall finally and totally ; but inasmuch as it does not appear that tliey were true penitents and believers, they are not to be mentioned as, nor allowed to be, instances of the final departure of such from the faith. SECTION LI. For {five sin wilfully after that we have received the knoivledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, hut a certain feurfid looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversa- ries. He that despised Moses' law, died without mercy, under two or three witnesses : Of how^ much sorer jmnishvient, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, %vho hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Sjnrit of grace ?— Heb. x. 26 — 29. This passage is used on a double * account, both to prove that Christ died for some that perish — otherwise, it is asked, " in what tolerable sense can it be said, that no farther sacrifice for sin remains to them, for whom no sacrifice was ever offered or intended ? and who were, by God's own decree, excluded from any interest in Christ's death before they came into the world ; how were they sanctified by the blood of the covenant, from which they were inevitably excluded from the beginning of the world "f — and also to prove that true believers, such as these arc said to be, from their being sanctified by the blood of the covenant, may finally and totally fall away, since they so sinned that there re- mained no more sacrifice for their sin, and did despite to the Spirit of fjrace. But, 1. It is not evident from what is said of these persons, that they were true believers ; not from the apostles speaking in the first person plural, xce, which may seem to include himself, who was a true believer, and a chosen, vessel of salvation ; since the apostle frequently makes use of this way of speaking, not so much with regard to him- self as others ; that so what he delivered might come with greater weight upon them, and be more readily received by them, when they observed he entertained no hard thoughts or jealousies of them ; which would greatly distress the minds of those who were truly gracious ; see Heb. ii. 1, and iv. 1. Besides, it may be observed, that sometimes, when the apostles express themselves in this manner, they do not design themselves at all, but others, who were under the same visible profession of religion, and belonged to the same community of believers as they did ; see 1 Pet. iv. 3 ; Tit. iii. 3 ; Eph. ii. 3 ; com- pared with Acts xxii. 3, and xxvi. 5; Phil. iii. 6. But admitting that the apostle and other true believers are included in these words, they are not a categorical but hypothetical proposition ; which may be true when one or both parts of it are impossible ; the truth of such a * Remonstr. in Coll. Hag. art., ii. p. 17(), 17B, and art. v. p. 18: Act. Synod, circa art. ii. p. 3-16, art. V. p. 235 ; Limborrh, p. 322, 709 ; Curcella;us, p. 360 ; Whitby^ p. 140, 406, 407 ; ed. 2. 137, 396, a[>7. 106 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. proposition consistins^ in the connexion of the antecedent and conse- quent ; as ^^ hen our Lord said to the Jews, If I should say I knoic him not^ I should be a liar lih- unto you *; the proposition is true, when both the parts of it were impossible ; it was impossible that Christ should say, he knew not the Father ; and it was equally impossible that he should be a liar like unto them. So the proposition in the text is true, though it is impossible that true believers should so sin as to perish eternally ; when I say impossible, I do not mean that it is impossible considering their own weakness, and the power of Satan, and should tliey be left to their own corruptions, and the temptations of the evil one ; but impossible, considering the grace of God, the power of Christ, their security in an everlasting covenant, &c. Hence it follows, that such a proposition neither proves that they could or should, or did sin in this manner. It may be said, that then such a proposition is delivered in vain, and answers no purpose. I reply ; It may be of service, though the condition is impossible, as to illus- trate and certify tlie just punishment of apostates ; for if true believers themselves would be so severely punished, should they, or were it possible they should sin after this manner ; such hypocritical wicked persons, and vile apostates, could not expect to escape divine vengeance ; yea, such declarations may be made use of by the Spirit of God, to stir up true believers to diligence in duty, and watchful- ness, against every degree of apostacy, and so be the means of their final perseverance ; and after all, it is plain that the apostle distin- guishes true believers, ver. 38, 89 ; from these apostates, whose custom it had been to forsake the assembling of themselves together, ver. 25. Nor does it appear that these were real saints, from their having received the knoidedge of the trutJi ; whether by the tridh we under- stand Jesus Christ, or the Scriptures, or the gospel, or some particular doctrine of it, especially the principal one, salvation by Christ ; which I am inclined to think is intended; since, besides a saving knowledge of these things, which is peculiar to true believers, there is a notional one common to them with others; who may not only give their assent to them as true, but have much light into them, be able to explain them, and preach them to others, and yet be destitute of the grace of God ; and therefore if such persons sin, and finally and totally fall away, they are no instances nor proofs of the final and total apostacy of real saints ; nor is it manifest that such were the persons hero spoken of, from their being sanctified hy the blood of the covenant, supposing the words are to be understood of them ; seeing they have no relation to the inward sanctification of our nature by the Spirit of Christ, as Dr. Whitby f himself owns; who contends that they should be understood of remission of sins, and justification by the blood of Christ, which these persons had received. It is true indeed, that the blessings of pardon and justification, are by and through the blood of the coveucant ; and are sometimes expressed by sanctif}ing, purging, and cleansing; see Heb. ix. 13, 14, x. 10, xiii. 12 ; 1 John i. 7; yet cannot be designed here ; for either these persons received a partial * John viii. 55. I Pages 141, 40(i ; td. 2. 138, 396. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 107 remission of sins, and a partial justification from them, or a full remission of all their sins, and a plenary discharge from them, not a partial one ; for when God forgives for Christ's sake, he forgives all trespasses, and justifies from all sin : if then these persons had re- ceived the forgiveness of all their sins, and were justified from all their iniquities, they would have stood in no need of any more sacrifice for sin ; see Heb. x. 18, nor would there be any foundation for punishment of any kind, much less for one so severe as is here represented ; see Rom, viii. 1, 30, 33. If then these words are to be considered as spoken of these apostates, the meaning of them is, either that they were sanctified, or separated from others, by a visible profession of religion, had given themselves up to a church, to walk with them in the ordinances of the gospel, had submitted to baptism, and partook of the Lord's supper, and drank of the cup, the blood of the neic testament^ or covenant ; though they did not spiritually discern the body and blood of Christ in that ordinance ; but counted the bread and wine, the symbols thereof, as common things ; or that they professed themselves, and were looked upon by others, to be truly sanctified by the Spirit, and justified by the blood of Christ. Persons are often described, not by what they really are, but by what they are thought to be. Thus the apostle writing to the Corinthians, says of them all, that they were sanctified in Christ Jesus, and by his Spirit, because they professed themselves to be so, and in the opinion of others, were so ; though it cannot be thought that they were all of them really so. But after all, it seems most probable, that not he that trod the Son of God under foot, but the Son of God himself, is said here to be sanctified by the blood of the covenant : which is men- tioned as an aggravation of the wickedness of such that count that blood unholy, by which the Son of God himself was sanctified, that is, set apart, hallowed, and consecrated; as Aaron and his sons were by the sacrifices of slain beasts, to minister in the priest's office : Christ, when he had offered himself, and shed his precious blood, whereby the covenant of grace was ratified and confirmed, was, through the blood of that covenant, brought again from the dead, and declared to be the Son of God with power ; and being set down at God's right hand, ever lives to make intercession for us : which is the other part of his priestly office he is sanctified by his own blood to accomplish. 2, The crimes which are supposed of these persons, or they are charged with, such as sinning rcilfully ; which is not to be understood of the common infirmities of life, or even grosser acts of sin, which may be voluntarily committed by the saints after regeneration, as were by David, Peter, and others ; but of a denial of the truth of the gospel, that salvation is by Christ, against all the evidence of it, and convictions of their own minds : treading underfoot the Son of God, as much as in them lay, pulling him from his throne, and trampling on him, stripping him of the glory of his person and sacrifice, denying him to be the eternal Son of God; counting the blood of the covenant an unholy or common thing, putting it upon a level with the blood of a bullock, or at most, counting it, ii^:^2i T«, according to the Syriac 108 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. version, as the blood of any other man, yea, reckoning it as unclean and abominable; and doing despite to tlie Spirit of (/race, rejecting him as a lying spirit, and his gifts, and miracles* as illusions, as Dr. Whitby observes*; 1 say such crimes as these, are what can never be thought to have been committed, or capable of being committed, by such who have truly tasted that the Lord is gracious. 3. The declaration made to these persons, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins ; no more typical sacrifices at Jerusalem, nor any more real sacrifice of the same kind, that has been offered up by Christ, who will not come and die again, and repeat his sacrifice ; and therefore, they having denied salvation by him, and the virtue of his former sacrifice, can never expect another ; but that when he appears a second time, he will bring on an awful judgment, which will issue in the devouring flames of his wrath and indignation, and be a sorer punishment than the transgressors of INIoses's law endured ; which was but a temporal, this an eternal death ; such a declaration of wrath and vengeance, I say, proves indeed that these persons fell finally and totally ; but inasmuch as they cannot be proved to be true believers, it will not be evident from hence, either that Christ died for such as perish ; or that those who have truly believed may totally and finally fall away. SECTION LII. Now the just shall live by faith ; hut if any man clratv back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. — Heb. x. 38. The doctrine of the possibility of the final departure of true be- lievers from the faith, is said -|- to be still farther evident from these words : AVherefore, 1 . For the right understanding of this passage it will be proper to consult the original text in Hab. ii. 4, from whence it is taken. Tlie word n^Q)?, which the Septuagint have rendered by iTroo-reiAr^rat, here used by the apostle, and in our version translated draio back, is, according to R. David Kimchij, pii? \^1)^ nbn mnnj, expressive of pride and haughtiness of heart; and according to Jarchi § is mii? pu;i', a word that has the signification of impudence in it ; R. JNIoses Kimchi § takes it to be the same with !?3r, which signifies a tower or fortified place ; and thinks it designs one that betakes himself to such a place for shelter from the enemy, and seeks not to God for deliverance ; from all which senses of the word we may conclude that such an one is intended who is proud, haughty, vain and conceited, lifted up with his own righteousness, in which he trusts, and in which he imagines himself to be safe from all evil ; and so stands opposed to i\\ejust man who lives hy faith, walks humbly with God, in a dependence, not on his own, but Christ's righteousness, in which he is safe from all wrath * Page 141, 406 ; cd. 2. 138, .-596. f Whitby, p. 407; cd. 2. 307. X In loc. § Ibid. § 111 It. David Kiinchi in loc, and in lib. Shonish. rud. hti).\ So Philip Aaiiiuas in Lex. rad. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 109 and condemnation, and seciu-c of the divine favonr ; while the other will be so far from being the object of God's delight and pleasure, that he will lie under his sad displeasure, and feel his keen and just resent- ment. The Greek word v-7To «^an, in afew ivords, or almost ; and, according to the Ethiopic version, afetv persons are designed. From all which, this sense of the words may be col- lected, that there were some few persons, who, in some few instances, had almost, or within a very little, or for a little time, escaped from such who lived in error, being caiTied away with divers and strange doctrines. But admitting that oVco? is the true reading, and that * Remonstr. in Coll. Hag. art. v. p. 17 ; Act. Synod, eirc. art. v. p. 242, &c. ; Limborch, P- 711. t AVhitbv, p. 40!) ; cd. 2. 398. % Page 410; cd. 2. 399. THE CAUSE or tiOD AND TRUTH. 115 7rAa27/ signifies not error of judgment, but deceitful lusts ; it is possible that men may truly and really escape, not only froni idolaters and false teachers, and so have the form of sound doctrine, whilst they deny the power of it, but also reform and withdraw from openly pro- fane and scandalous sinners, and yet not be true believers, as it appears these were not ; since they openly turned to, and appeared to be what they really were ; as the dog turns to his oicn vomit, and the soiv to her icalloioing in the mire. SECTION LVI. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise (as some men count slackness), but is long'Siiffe^'ing to us-ward, not willing- that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. — 2 Pet. iii. 9. This scripture appears among those which are said* to be very many clear and express ones for the doctrine of universal redemption ; and it is observed -|-, " that rtVe?, opposed to Trarre?, is a distributive of all, and, thei^efore, signifies, God is not willing that any one of the whole rank of men should perish." But, 1. It is not true that God is not willing any one individual of the human race should perish, since he has made and appointed the wicked for the day of evil, even ungodly men, who are fore-ordained to this con- demnation, such as are vessels of wrath fitted for destruction; yea, there are some to whom God sends strong delusions, that they may believe a lie, that they all might be damned ; and others whose judgment noic of a long time linger eth not, and their damnation slumber eth not\. Nor is it his will that all men, in this large sense, should come to repentance, since he withholds from many both the means and grace of repentance ; and, though it is his will of precept, that all to whom the preaching of the gospel is vouchsafed should repent:, yet it is not his purposing, determining will, to bring them all to repentance ; for then they would all come to repentance, ji^r who hath resisted his will§ I 2. It is very true that rtVes, any, being opposed to iravTes, all, is a distributive of it ; but then both the any and the all are to be limited and restrained by the us, to whom God is long-suffering ; God is not willing that any more should not perish, and is willing that no more should come to repentance than the its to whom his long-suffering is salvation. The key, therefore, to open this text lies in these words, eij 77/u.a?, to us-ivard, or for our sake; for these are the persons God would not have any of them perish, but would have them all come to repentance. It will be proper, therefore, 8. To enquire who these are. It is evident that they are distinguished from the scoffers mocking at the promise of Christ's coming, ver. S, 4, are called beloved, ver. 1, S, 14, 17, which is to be understood either of their being beloved by God, with an everlasting and unchangeable love, or of their being beloved as brethren by the apostle and other saints ; * Remonstr. in Coll. Hag. art. ii. p. 160, 181, 196; Curcellaeiis, p. 364; Limborcli, p. 333 ; Whitby, p. 113 ; ed. 2. 111. t Whitby, p. 124 ; ed. 2. 12]. t Piov. xvi. 4 ; Jude ver. 4 ; Rom. ix. 22 ; 2 Thess. xi. 12 ; 2 Pet. i. 3. § Rom. ix. 1 9. I 2 116 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. neither of whlcli is true of all mankind. Besides, the design of the words is to establish the saints in, and comfort them with the coming of Christ, until which, God was long-suffering towards them, and which they were to account salvation, ver. 15. Add to this, that the apostle manifestly designs a company or society to which he belonged, and of which he was a part, and so can mean no other than such who were chosen of God, redeemed from among men, and called out of darkness into marvellous light ; and such were the persons the apostle writes to. Some copies read the words bt vixa^, for your sakes; so the Alexandrian MS. the Syriac version, p^n'r-toc, /or you, or your sakes ; the same way the Ethiopic. Now these persons were such who were elect, according to the foreknoicledge of God the father, through saiictification of the Spirit unto obedience, and spinnkling of the blood of Jesus Christ^ ; and such as these, or who belong to the same election of grace they did, God is unwilling that any of them should perish, but wills that all of them should have repentance unto life ; and, therefore, he waits to be gracious to them, and defers the second coming of Christ. The case stands thus : there was a promise of Christ's second coming, to judge the world, delivered out ; it was expected that this would have been very quickly, whereas it has been a long time deferred. Hence scoffers shall arise in the last days, charging the Lord with slackness and dila- toriness concerning his promise, though he i.s not slack with respect to it, but is long-suffering towards his elect, waiting till their number is completed in effectual vocation, and for their sakes bears with all the idolatry, superstition, and profaneness that are in the world ; but when the last man that belongs to that number is called, he will stay no longer, but descend in flames of fire, take his own elect to himself, and burn up the world and the wicked in it. 4. It is indeed -|- said, " that the apostle, by the elect, to whom he writes, does not mean men absolutely designed for eternal happiness, Init only men professing Christianity, or such as were visible members of the church of Christ : since he calls upon them to make their calling anil election su7-r, exhorts them to watchfulness, seeing their adversary the devil goes about secMng tohom he may devour, and to beicare lest they fall from their own steacfastness ; yea, he speaks of some of them as having forsaken the right way ; and also prophesies that false teachers slioidd make merchandize of them, neither of which, it is observed, can be supposed of men absolutely elected to salvation ; and, ?Jso, that the church at Babylon was elected, together with these persons, which could not be known and said of all its members." To all which I reply, that calling upon them to make their election sure, does not suppose it to be a precarious and conditional one, as I have shown in a preceding section; that exhortations to sobriety, and vigilance against Satan, and cautions about falling, are pertinent to such who are abso- lutely elected to salvation ; for, though Satan cannot devour them, he' nuiy greatly distress them ; and, though they shall not finally and totally fall from the grace of God, yet they may fall from some degree of steadfastness, both as to tlie doctrine and grace of faith, which may * 1 Pet. i. 2. t Wliitl.y, p. 125, 126; cd. 2. 122, li.S. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 117 be to their detriment as well as to the dishonour of God : that it is not true, that the apostle speaks of any of these elect he writes to, that they had forsaken the right tcuy, but of some other persons ; and, though he prophesies that false teachers should make merchandize of them, the meaning is, that, by their fine words and fair speeches, they sliould be able to draw money out of their pockets, not that they should destroy the grace of God wrought in their hearts. As to the church at Babylon being said to be elected with them, the apostle might say this of the church in general, as he does, in a judgment of charity, of the church at Thessalonica, and others, though every member of it in particular was not elected to salvation, without any prejudice to the doctrine of absolute election. Besides, the persons he writes to were not visible members of any one particular church or community, pro- fessing Christianity, but were strangers scattered abroad in several parts of the world, and were such who had obtained like precious faith with the apostles, and is a strong evidence of their being men abso- lutely designed for eternal happiness. And whereas it is suggested, that these persons were come to repentance, and therefore cannot be the same to whom God is long-suffering, that they might come to re- pentance ; I answer, that though they are not the same individual persons, yet are such who belong to the same body and number of the elect on whom the Lord waits, and to whom he is long-suffering, until they are all brought to partake of this grace, having determined that not one of them should ever perish. 5. Hence it follows, that these words do not furnish out an}^ argu- ment in favour of universal redemption, nor do they militate* against absolute election and reprobation, or unfrustrable grace in conversion ; but, on the contrary, maintain and establish them, since it appears to be the will of God, that not one of those he has chosen in Christ, given to him, and for whom he died, shall ever perish ; and, inasmuch as evangelical repentance is necessary for them, and they cannot come at it of themselves, he freely bestows it on them, and, by his unfrus- trable grace, works it in them ; and, until this is done unto and upon every one of them, he keeps the world in being, which is reserved unto fire, against the day of judgment, and pei'dition of ungodly men. SECTION LVII. And Tie is the propitiation for our sins; and hot for ours only, hut also for the sins of the whole world. — 1 John ii. 2. A VERY considerable argument for the universal extent of Chrisfs death is thought to arise f from this passage of scripture, as well as from all those which represent Christ as the Saviour of the loorld, and the lohole icorld; and it is observed, that whereas these scriptures are all, save one, in the writings of St. John, the sense which the world beareth in St. John"'s gospel and epistles, must be esteemed, in reason, * Whitby, p. 13, 75 ; ed. 2. 74. t Renioustr. in Coll. H:ig. ait. ii. j). 133 ; CiircelliBus, p. 358 ; Limboich, p. 321. J 18 TIIK CAUSE OF GOD ANU TRUTH. the proper ijuport of the word, wliere it never signifies the elect only, in opposition to the wicked of the world, but the wicked of the world in opposition to the faithful Christian*. To which I answer, I. That there would be some weight in this observation if the word loorld was always used in one uniform and constant sense in the writings of the apostle John, whereas it admits of a variety of senses ; and, therefore, the sense of it in one place cannot be the rule for the interpretation of it in another, which can only be fixed as the text or context determine : sometimes it signifies the whole universe of created beings, John i. 10; sometimes the habitable earth, John xvi. 28 ; sometimes the inhabitants of it, John i. 10 ; sometimes unconverted persons, both elect and reprobate, John xv. 1 9 ; sometimes the worser part of the world, the wicked, John xvii. 9 ; sometimes the better part of it, the elect, John i. 29, and vi. 33, 51 ; sometimes a number of persons, and that a small one in comparison of the rest of mankind, John xii. 19 ; in one place it is used three times, and in so many senses, John i. 10 ; he^ that is, Christ, loas in the worlds the habitable earth, and the worlds the whole universe, teas made by him, and the icorhl, the inhabitants of the earth, knew him not; and which is not to be under- stood of them all, for there were some, though few, who did know him : and I will venture to affirm, that the word loorld is always used in the apostle John's writings, in a restricted and limited sense, for some only, unless when it designs the whole universe, or habitable earth, senses which are out of the question, for none will say Christ died for the sun, moon, and stars, for fishes, fowls, brutes, sticks, and stones ; and that it is never used to signify every individual of mankind that has been, is, or shall be in the world ; in which sense it ought to be proved it is used, if any argument can be concluded from it in favour of general redemption. II. It is most manifest that the word worlds used by the apostle John when speaking of redemption and salvation by Christ, is always used in a limited and restrained sense, and signifies some persons only, and not all the individuals of human nature, as will appear from the consideration of the several passages following, as when the Baptist says, John i. 29, Behold the Lamb of God ivhich taketh aioay the sin of the world ! By the toorld cannot be meant every individual of mankind ; for it is not true, it is not fact, that Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, takes away the sin or sins of every individual man, since there are some who die in their sins, whose sins go beforehand to judgment, and others they follow after, for which they will be righteously and everlast- ingly condemned ; which can never be, if Christ has taken away their sin. Should it be saidf , as it is, " That the Baptist speaks this in allusion to the lambs daily offered up for the sins of the whole Jewish nation ; and, therefore, intimates, that as they were offered up to ex- piate the sins of the whole nation, so was this Lamb of God offered to expiate the sins of the whole world in general ;" I re^^ly, that as the lambs daily offered were typical of Christ, the Lamb of God, so the * Whitby, ].. 127, 128, 1:34; cd. 2. 124, 125, i;5l. f Ibid. p. 134. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 119 people, for whom tliey were offered, were typical, not of tlie whole world in general, but of the true Israel and church of God, for whom Christ gave himself an expiatory sacrifice, and whose sins he so takes away as that they shall not be seen any more. When our Lord says, that God so loved the world, thcd he rjave his onlij-beyotten Son, that ichosoever hclieveth in him should vat perish^ but have everlasting life*, — by the icorld he cannot mean every son and daughter of Adam ; for this world is represented as the object of God's love, even of his special love, which all men are not : as such to and for whom God has cjiven his only-hegotten Son, which is not true of all mankind ; who are brought to believe in Christ, in consequence of God's love, and the gift of his Son, but all men have not faith ; as such who shall never perish, though it is certain that some men will ; and as such who shall have everlasting life, whereas some will go into everlasting punishment, and die the second death. The similitude of the brazen serpent lifted up for the preservation of the Jews, is insufiicient to prove the redemption of all mankind : nor is it supposed, of this world, so beloved of God, that some would not believe, and therefore perish ; and that others would, and bo saved ; for the phrase ichosoever believeth, does not design a division of dif- ferent persons, but a distinction of the same persons ; who, in their imconverted state, believe not, but, through the power of divine grace, arc brought to believe in Christ for life and salvation ; and so it points out the way in which they are secured from perishing, and have everlasting life. Nor will it be the condemnation of Infidels among the Heathens that they believed not in Christ, but their trans- gressions of the law of nature ; nor of the unbelieving Jews, that they believed not Christ died for them, but because they did not believe him to be the Messiah : nor do these words, taken in the universal sense, more magnify the love of God than when taken in a more restrained one ; since according to this general scheme, men may be the objects of God's love, and have an interest in the gift of his Son, and yet finally perish, and come short of everlasting life. The words in the following verse f, and which are elsewhere in the same manner expressed, that Christ came into the ivorld not to condemn it, but to save it, are designed to point out the different ends of Christ's fii'st and second coming. Again, When the Samaritans declared" their belief in Christ, that he was the Saviour of the icorldX ; and the apostle John says, that we have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the icorld; by the icorld, cannot be intended every man and woman that has been, is, or shall be in the world, sirice every one is not saved ; and Christ cannot be the Saviour of more than are saved. Besides, was he the Saviour of the world in this universal sense, he must be the Saviour both of believers and unbelievers, contrary to his own words ; He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved ; he that believeth not shall be damned %. Moreover, When Christ says. The bread of God is he that cometh doicnfrom * John iii- \6. f J"hii iii. 1 7 ; chai). xii. 47. J John iv. 4o : 1 Jolm iv. 14. § Maik xvi. 16. 1-0 TilE CALSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. heaven and (jlrctli life to tlie icorld* ; no more can be designed by the world than those to whom this bread of God gives life. Now it is certain, that spiritual Hfe here, and everlasting life hereafter, are not given to all men, and therefore all men cannot be intended here; only &uch who are quickened by the Spirit of God, and shall enjoy eternal life; and these are the world, for the life of which Christ pro- mised to ^^/zy "■biD, the whole world has left the Misnah and gone after the Gema?'a f A\'hicli at most can only intend the Jews, and perhaps only a majority of their doctors ; and in another** place, " «o^i? ''h^'D, the whole world fell upon their faces ; but Raf did not ftill on his face ;" where it means no more than the congregation. Once moreff it is said, '• when R. Simeon Ben Gamaliel entered, that is, into the synagogue, «dp:? 'i)")3, the whole world, that is, all the synagogue, stood up before him." Such phrases as these ^J'ba v6 iKrhy; '715, the whole world does not dissent; niD «D^i? '^i^, the whole world confesseth ; and n^D «D^^ 'l^i^, the whole world are of opinion, are frequently met with in the Talmud ; by which is designed an agreement among the Rabbins in certain points ; nay, sometimes two doctors only are meint by wa^i^ ''?i:j, the whole woill:J::{:. 2. This phrase in scripture, unless where it signifies the whole universe, or habitable earth, is always used in a limited and restrained sense ; a decree icent out that all the wo?'ld should be taxed ; which was no other than the Roman empire, and such countries as were subject to it. The faith of the church at Rome, was spoken of throughout the ichole world, that is, throughout all the churches, and among all the saints in the world. All the ivorld is said to become r/uilty before God by the lato ; which can be said of no more than were under that law, and so not true of all mankind ; who, though all guilty by the law of nature, yet not by the law of Moses. The apostle tells 'the Colossians, that the r/ospcl was come into 'all the tvorld, and bringeth forth fruit ; which can design only real saints and true believers, in whom alone it brings forth fruit. An hour of temptation is spoken of, tvhich shall * John vi. 33. t Johu vi. 51. + 1 John ii. 2. § AVhitbv, p. 132; cd. 2. 129. II Talmud. Yonia, fol. 71. 2. »[ Bava Mctzia, fol. 33. 2. ' '• iMegilla, fol. 22. 2. tt JForaiot. ful. 13. 2. XX Vid. Mill. Forinul. Taliiiu .1. i.. -I I 42. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 121 come itpon all the ivorld, to try them ivhich dwell upon the earth ; who can be no other than such who will then be in being, and cannot be thought to include all the individuals that have been in the world. All the loorld tcondered after the beast; and yet there were some who did not receive his mark, nor worship hiin. Satan deceiveth the ichole tcorld ; and yet it is certain, that the elect cannot be deceived by him. The ichole world will be gathered together to the battle of the great day of God Almighty; who are distinct from the saints, whom they will oppose*. S. This phrase in the wTitings of the apostle John, is used in a re- strained sense, and does not extend to every individual of human nature, that has been, is, or shall be in the world, as it should be proved it does, to conclude an argument from it in favour of universal redemp- tion. Now it is used but in one place besides the text under consider- ation, when it designs men, in all his writings, and that is in 1 John v. 19. And we knoto that ice are of God^ and the ichole world lieth in wickedness; where the whole world lying in wickedness, is manifestly distinguished fi-om the saints who are of God, and belong not to the world ; and consequently the whole world is not to be understood of all the individuals in it. And it is easy to observe the like distinction in the text before us ; for the sins of the whole loorld are opposed to our sins, the sins of the apostle, and others to whom he joins himself; who therefore belonged not to, nor were a part of the whole world, for whose sins Christ was a propitiation, as for theirs. That the whole world, for whom Christ is a propitiation, cannot intend every man and woman that has been, is, or shall be in the world, appears from his being their propitiation ; for, for whose sins he is a propitia- tion, their sins are atoned for and pardoned, and their persons justified from all sin, and so shall certainly be glorified ; which is not true of the whole world, taken in the large sense contended for. Besides, Christ is set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood-f. The benefit of his propitiatory sacrifice, is only received and enjoyed through faith ; so that in the event, it appears that Christ is a pro- pitiation only for believers, a character which does not agree with all mankind. Add to this, that for whom Christ is a propitiation, he is also an advocate, ver. 1, but he is not an advocate for every individual in the world ; yea, there is a world he will not pray for, and conse- quently is no propitiation for. Once more, the design of the apostle in these words, is to comfort his little children, who might fall into sin through weakness and inadvertency, with the advocacy and propitia- tory sacrifice of Christ ; but what comfort would it yield to a distressed mind, to be told that Christ was a propitiation, not only for the sins of the apostles, and other saints, but for the sins of every individual in the world, even of those that are in hell • would it not be natural for persons in such circumstances, to argue rather against than for themselves ; and conclude, that inasmuch as persons might be damned, notwithstanding Christ's propitiatory sacrifice, that this might and would be their case ? But, * '.like li. 1 ; Rom. i. 8, and iii. 19 ; Col. i. 6 ; Rev. iii. 10, and xii. 9, and xiii. 3. -|- Rom. iii. •25. 122 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 4. Fftr the better understanding the sense of this text, it should be observed, that the apostle John was a Jew, and writes to Jews, as Dr. ^Vhitby himself observes*, and them chiefly, if not altogether, who were distinguished from the Gentiles, commonly called the world: now, says the apostle. He is a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours onli/, the sins of us Jews, but also for the sins of the ichole ivorld, the Gentiles. Nothing is more common in the Jewish writings-f", than to call the Gentiles v(oh)>, the world; and d^U* 1^3, the whole world; and D!?ii?n molt*, the nations of the world ; hence the apostle Paul calls them Koaixos, the world, in Rom. xi. 12, 15. It was a controversy agitated among the Jewish doctors, whether, when the Messiah came, the Gentiles, the world, should have any benefit by him ; the majority was exceeding large on the negative of the question, and determined they should not ; only some few, as old Simeon and others, knew that he should be a light to lighten the Gentiles, as well as the glory of the jjeople of Israel. The rest concluded, that the most severe judgments and dreadful calamities would befal them; yea, that they should be cast into hell in the room of the Israelites ^i. This notion John the Baptist, Christ, and his apostles, purposely oppose, and is the true reason of the use of this phrase in the Scriptures which speak of Christ's redemption. Thus John the Baptist, when he pointed out the ISIessiah to the Jews, represents him as the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the tvorld, the Gentiles as well as Jews ; for by the blood of this Lamb, men are 7'edeemed to God, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and iiation. When our Lord was discoui"sing with Nicodemus, one of their Rabbins, he lets him know that God so loved the icorld, the Gentiles, contrary to their rabbinical notions, tliat he gave his only begotten Son, that ivhosoever of them that believeth on him, should not perish, as they had concluded every one of them sliould ; but have everlasting life ; and that God sent not his Son into the world, to condemn the world, the Gentiles, as they imagined, but that the world through him might be saved. When the Samaritans beHeved in Christ they declared him to be the Saviour of the world, the Gentiles, and so of themselves, who wei'e accounted by the Jews as Heathens ; Christ sets forth himself as the bread of life, preferable to the manna, among other things, from its extensive virtue to the world, the Gentiles: and hero the apostle John says, that Christ was not only the propitiation for the sins of the Jeios, but for the sins of the ichole icorld, the Gentiles §. This puts me in mind of a passage I have met with in the Talmud ||, a, saying of Rabbi Jochanan, " Wo, says he, rnaiw!? d!^U'!^, to the nations of the world, who are lost, and they know not that they are lost ; whilst the sanctuary stood, the altar atoned, or was a propitia- tion for them ; but now who shall be a propitiation for them f Blessed be God, we know who is the propitiation for us, the nations of the world one that was typified by the altar, and is greater than that, even the Lord Jesus Christ. * Page 46(5 ; cJ. 2. 446. f Talmud, Rabbot, and Zohar. Vid. Jarchi in Isa. liii. 5. J Vid. Siicmot Rabba, fol. ,98. 3, and 91). 4 ; Sliiiliash, Rab. fol. 24. 1 ; Jaicbi and Kimclii, in Zccb. ix. I. § JoJui i. 20, and iii. Ui, 17, and iv. 42, and vi. 33 ; 1 Joliu ii. 2. || Sutta, fol. 5o. 2. THE CALSE OF (iOD AND TRUTH. 123 SECTION LVIII. Keep yourselves in the love oj" God, looking for the laercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. — Jude, ver. 21. These words are thought to represent the saints'" continuance in the love and favour of God, as conditional, depending on their obedience, care, and keeping of themselves ; and that there is a possibility of their falling from it, and consequently that they are not absolutely elected to everlasting life *. To which I reply ; 1 . That the saints'" continuance in the love and favour of God, does not depend on their obedience, or on any thing done by them ; since his love to them is an everlasting one, which commenced from ever- lasting, and will continue to everlasting ; is prior to all their obe- dience; was in his own heart towards them, and expressed by several acts before they had done either good or evil ; and continued, not- withstanding all their disobedience, in an unregenerate state, and is the source and spring of all their love and obedience to him ; nor is there any thing in their best works that can entitle them to his favour, or secure the continuance of it ; since, when they had done all they can, they are but unprofitahle servants. Nor is there any possi- bility or danger, of real saints falling from the love and favour of God, They may, and sometimes are, left to do those things which are displeasing to him, and, was he a man, or should he act as men usually do in such cases, would at once, and effectually, turn them out of his favour ; but the case is, he is the Lord, and not man, and changes not in his affections as men do ; and therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed ■\. In his severest providences towards his people, his love always remains the same, as when he hides his face from them, or chides and chastises them in a fatherly way ; should it be otherwise, his love would not be everlasting, unchangeable, and from which there is no separation, as the Scriptures represent it ; and besides, would be contrary to the assurances he has given of the con- tinuance of his love, both by word and oath, Isaiah liv. 9, 10. 2. By the love of God, in this text, we are not to understand the love which God bears in his own heart to his people, or with which they are loved by him, but rather that love with which they love him, and of which he is the object ; see Luke xi. 42, which is a sense some interpreters :j: on the other side of the question readily allow of ; and then the meaning of the exhortation, keejy yourselves, kavrovs, one another, as it may be rendered, in the love of God, is, that though this grace of love cannot be lost, yet, inasmuch as the fervour of it may be abated, and the saints grow cold and indifferent in their expressions of it, it becomes them to make use of all proper means to maintain, increase, and inflame it, both in themselves and others, such as arc mentioned in the context, as conversing together in an edifying * Whitby, p. !}7, 398, 421, 422, 458 ; cd. 2. 8(i, 388, 410, 411, 438. t Mill. iii. G. X Vorslius ;nid Giotiiis hi !oc. 124 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TKUTH, way, about either the grace or doctrine of their most IwlyfaUh '; pray- ing eitlier separately or together, under the influences of the Holy Ghost^ and loohiny forward fur the mercy of Christ unto eternal life. All which, with many other things, by the blessing of God, may serve to main- tain and revive the grace of love, and blow it up into a flame. Though, perhaps, this phrase may chiefly design that love, peace, and concord, which ought to subsist among saints as brethren, and which they should be careful to preserve. This may be called the love of God., just as the same thing is styled the peace of God, Col. iii. 15, because he calls them to it, it is of him, what they are taught by him, and in which he causes them to abound ; and then the sense of the exhorta- tion, keep yourselves, or o?ie another in the love of God, is, endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace ; provoke one another to love and good works* ; ivalk i?i love, both to God and among yourselves, as ye have Christ for an example ; which sense is strengthened by the following words, of some havti compassion, making a difference, and others save icithfear. And hence it will appear that this text neither militates against the doctrine of absolute election, nor countenances the doctrine of the possibility of real saints falling from a state of grace and favour with God. But, 3. Admitting that by the love of God, is meant the grace and favour of God : the exhortation to the saints, to keep themselves in it, is, to set it always before them, to keep it constantly in view, to exercise faith on it, firmly believing their interest in it, and hence keep looking and waiting for the mercy of Christ unto eternal life ; or to keep them- selves in it, is to meditate on it, give themselves up wholly to the con- templation of it, and employ their thoughts constantly about this de- lightful subject, the love of God ; which is the foundation of all grace here, and glory hereafter. Once more, the words, kavrovs er ayoTr?/ Qeov TrjptjaaTe, may be rendered, preserve yourselves by the love of God, that is, against Satan's temptations, the snares of the world, and the lusts of the flesh. Whenever Satan solicits to sin, any snare is laid to draw into it, and the flesh attempts to be predominant, betake your- selves to the love of God, as a strong hold, or preservative against sin ; and reason thus, as Joseph did, Hoiv then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God -f ? who, when I look backward, has loved me with an everlasting love ; and when I look forward there's the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Consider the words in either light, they neither prove a conditional election, nor a possi- bility of the saints falling from grace ; against which, provision is made in Christ, who, in ver. 24, is represented as able to keep them from falling, and to present them faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy . * Epii. iv. ;5 ; Ilcb. X. 21 ; Eph. v. 2. f Gen. xxxix. 9. THE CAl'SE OF GOD AXD TRUTH. 125 SECTION LIX. REVELATIONS, CHAP. H. AND HI. Several passages are produced from the epistles to the seven churches of Asia, in favour of the defectibihty and total apostacy of real saints. It should be observed, that the churches in all ages, have more or less consisted of true believers and hypocrites, wise and foolish virgins, sheep and goats, wheat and tares, and sometimes are denominated from the better, and sometimes from the worser part ; some things in the epistles to them particularly regard true believers, and others formal professors among them. This observation will help us to understand the reason and meaning of many commands, cautions, ex- hortations, and threatenings, not only used in these epistles, but in the rest of the epistles sent to the several churches. Besides, it may be observed, that the whole churches may be unchurched, their church state be dissolved, and yet not one true believer among them be lost or perish, as has been the case of these seven churches, and many others ; which is brought about by removing true believers by death, withholding a blessing from the means of grace to the conversion of others ; and at length, taking the gospel wholly from them, and so at last the candlestick is removed out of its place. It is, therefore, to no purpose to urge passages and instances of this kind against the saints'" final perseverance ; however, we shall consider the several Scriptures urged and referred unto. And, 1. The first of this kind to be examined, is in the epistle to the church at Ephesus. Nevertheless, I have someivhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember, therefore, from tchence thou art fallen^ and repent, and do the first works ; or else I ivill come ?mto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent*. But neither the complaint lodged against this church, that she had left her first love, proves that she had totally and finally fallen away from grace ; since she might leave, that is, abate in the fervency of her love to Christ, though not lose it ; which sometimes waxes cold through the prevalence of corruption and the snares of the world, when it is not lost, as it was not in this church ; nor can it be lost in any true believer, notwithstanding their desertions, temptations, falls, and backslidings : nor does the exhortation, to remember from whence she was fallen, prove it, seeing she might be fallen partially, though not totally ; and the design of this exhortation be to put her upon comparing her former and present condition together ; that her de- sires, after a restoration to her former lively and comfortable frame, might be quickened, and she be humbled under a sense of her back- slidings, and brought to an acknowledgment of the same, which would appear by her doing \\^ first tvorks: nor does the threatening to come unto her, and remove her candlestick out of his place, in case of non- * Rev. ii. 4, '•). Vid. Linil.oich, 1. :>, c. 8.3, sect. IJ), p. 721 ; Whitby, p. 4.'5-2, 4.58 ; e.l. 2. 420, 43!i. 126 THE CAUSE OF GOO AND TUITII. repentance, prove it ; seeing this may be understood of his coming to her in a providential way, and either shaking her clmrch ^ had a nayne to live, but was (lead; she liad but nfeic names tvhich had not defiled their ffarments, and therefore the defection of her is no proof of the apostacy of real saints. The things irhich 7'emain, she is called upon to strengthen, are not to be understood of the graces of the Spirit in her members ; since these are never really wasting and declining, they are always all they were, and never less, but continually on the growing, thriving, and increas- ing hand ; for this rjood work of grace is daily carrying on, whether the saints are sensible of it or no, and will be performed until the day of Christ ; nor can the graces of the Spirit die, being immortal and incorruptible seeds ; nor are they ever ready to die, unless in the ap- prehensions of saints under fits of unbelief. Besides, it is God's work, and not man's, to strengthen these ; and should these be intended in this passage, it would be no proof of the real loss of true grace, since these are said not to be dead, but ready to die, and i"ecoverable. The Ta \oi-na were the remaining members of this church, which sense is confirmed by the versions of the Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic, Vulgate Latin, and others. The majority of the members were already dead, and many others of them were sickly, and ready to die : the angel or pastor of this church is called upon to do his duty, to confirm such as were wavering, and do all that in him lay, by a dihgent preaching of the word, and constant administration of ordinances, to preserve them from a more general defection. The threatening, in ver. 3, regards the formal and lifeless part of this church * ; and as for the rest, the few itndefiled names hi Sardis, a promise of perseverance and happiness is made unto them: — They shall walk with me in white .^ for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall he clothed in lohite raiment ; and I ivill not hlot out his naine out of the book of life, hut I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels '\. o. AVhen Christ says to the church at Thyatira, That ichich ye have already, not ichat thou hast attained to \, as Dr. Whitby cites the words, holdfast till I come§; and to that at Philadelphia, Hold that fast ichich thou hast, that no man take thy crown \\; by what they had, and should hold fast, he does not mean the grace, but the doctrine of faith, the faithful w^ord, the form of sound words, w^hich both ministers and members should hold fast, in opposition to w^avering about it, coward- ice in it, and a departure from it ; and such exhortations, though they may imply that saints may have their temptations to, and there is a possibility that they may, fall from some degree of stedfastness in the doctrines of the gospel, and therefore should be on their guard, yet not that they may or shall finally and totally let them go. And whereas the saints are stirred up to regard the more such exhorta- tions from this consideration, that no man take their croic7i ; by which may be meant, either the gospel, w^hicli w^as their crown and glory, or the honour they had gained by their faithfulness and integrity in abidiiig by it ; or if eternal life is intended by it, it follows not that this is liable to be taken away from or be lost to true believers, though * Vide Whitbv, p. 432, 433 ; ed. 2. 420, 421. f Rev. iii. 4, 5. X Rev. ii. 25. ' § Whitby, p. 422; ed. 2. 411. || Rev. iii. 11. 128 THE CAUSE OF GOD AXD TRUTH. some professors who expect it will be disappointed of it ; but the de- sign of the expression, in allusion to the Olympic games, in which many ran, but 07ie received the prize, is to excite the saints to industry, diligence, and watchfulness. 6. When Christ says to the chiu-ch of the Laodiceans, Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, J will spue thee out ofimj mouth *, let it be observed that the state of this church, and the members of it, was such that she was not cold, without a principle of spiritual life and love, and a profession of religion ; nor hot, lively, warm, and zealous in the exercise of grace, and discharge of duty ; but lukewarm, indifferent, unconcerned about her own condition, and the honour and interest of Jesus Christ, a frame of soul very disagreeable to Christ, and therefore, to show his resentment of it, he threatens to spue her out of his mouth, as men do that which is ungrateful to them : which designs some chastisement or affliction, and that in order to bring her to a sense of her present condition, and out of it ; for certain it is he had a love, an unchangeable and everlasting one, to many in this church ; wherefore he says, As many as I love I rebuke and chasten ; be zealous therefore, and repent, ver. 19. SECTION LX. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : if any man hear my voice, and open the door, ] will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. —Rev. iii. 20. From hence it is concluded f, that Christ stands and knocks at the hearts of unregenerate sinners by the ministry of the .word, and that thev have sufficient grace and strength to open their hearts unto him, or else he knocks in vain; for what wise man would stand at another's door and knock, if he knew there were not any within that could open to him I and since it is required of men in conversion, to open their hearts to Christ, it follows, that the work is not performed by an irre- sistible power, or without the consent and co-operation of the will of man. But, 1. It should be proved that the ministry of the word is ever signi- fied by knocking at the hearts of unregenerate sinners, or that God, or Christ, are ever said to knock at men's hearts by the ministry of the word. Men can strike the ear, God only can reach and strike the heart, which is done when the gospel comes not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost ; and when God does this, he does not knock and rap, and then wait till entrance is made from within ; but he strikes home, and at once opens the door of the heart, as he did Lydia s, l)y his powerful and efficacious grace. It shoidd also be proved, that God, in conversion, does command and require men to open their hearts unto him, neither of which can be proved either from this text or from any other in the whole bible ; nor is it in the power of unre- * Rev. iii. 16. Vide Reraonstr. in Coll. Hag. art. v. p. 14. t Belliinnin. Jc Gratia ct Lib. Arbitr. 1. 1. c. 11 ; Keiuonslr. in Coll. Hag. art. iii., and iv. p. 274 ; Wliitl.v, p. 28(i ; ed. 2. 279. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 12.0 genei'ate men, being dead in trespasses and sins, nor in their wiil, inclinations, desires, and affections, their carnal mind being enmity against God and Christ, to open their hearts and let them in. And supposing that these words do represent Christ standing and knock- ing at the door of men's hearts, by the external ministry of the word, has he not tlie key of the house of David, with which he opens and no man shuts ? and lets himself in by the power of his grace, without offer- ing any violence to the wills of men, since his people are made a willing people in the day of his poioer. Hence his knocking is not in vain, since to his elect not only sufficient but efficacious grace is given, by which the door of their hearts is opened to him, and others are left inexcu- sable, who are ready to make such shifts as these ; had he knocked, I would have opened ; had I heard, I would have believed ; had I known, I would have done this and the other thing. But, 2. These words are not spoken to nor of unregenerate sinners, nor have they any reference to the opening of men's hearts in conversion, but are directed to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans, and to the members of that church, persons that professed the name of Christ ; who, though they were not hot, yet were not cold, and for ^whom Christ had a regard, though they were in this lukewarm state ; and, therefore, takes every proper method to bring them out of it ; which was much the same with the church in Cant, v, 2, I sleep, hut my heart xoaketh : it is the voice of my beloved that kndcheth, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled — a place parallel to this text, and which is the only one besides in which Christ is said to knock, and require any to open to him. Now his standing at the door may either mean his near approach to judgment, see James v. 8, 9 ; (this church of Laodicea, being the last of the churches, represents the state of the church in the last times, which will bring on and conclude with the general judgment ;) or else his attendance on this church is meant, which shows his continued love, care, condescension, and patience to- wards it. His knocking at the door is not by the ministry of the word, but by some afflictive dispensation of providence, perhaps persecution. This church was in a sleepy, lukewarm, indifferent, secure frame of spirit, as appears from ver. 15 — 18. Christ will not suffer her to con- tinue so, and, therefore, takes his rod in his hand, stands at her door, and gives some severe knocks and raps to bring her to herself, and out of this indolent, supine, and self-confident state and condition she was in ; which sense is confirmed by the preceding verse, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten : be zealous, therefore, and repent. The j)romise he makes to such who hear his voice, that is, the men of wisdom ivho hear the rod, and who hath appointed it, when the Lord's voice crieth, to a city, or a church, and open to him, that is, by the lively exercise of faith and love, and which is owing to his putting in his hand by the hole of the door, is, that he tcill come in to them, and sup with them, and they with him, which may, in general, design communion and fellow- ship in his house and ordinances, or in particular, the marriage-supper of the L'tmb, to which they who are called are pronounced blessed. PART 11. CHAPTER I. OF REPROBATION. The following sections contain an answer to Dr. Whitb^^'s first chapter, concerning the decree of Reprobation, with which he has thought fit to begin his discourse upon the Five Points — a method the Remonstrants * formerly were very desirous of taking, though far from being just and accurate, since what is called reprobation is no* other than non-election, or what is opposed to election ; wherefore, that ought to be considered in the first place, which, if it cannot be supported, the other must drop in course. But it is easy to observe the design of these men, which is, that by exposing to contempt the doctrine of reprobation, which is sparingly spoken of in Scripture, and left to be concluded from that of election, and being most odious to carnal minds, they hope to weaken all regards to the 'doctrine of elec- tion, which stands in glaring light, and with full evidence in the word of God. The Doctor pretends to give us the state of the question concerning God's absolute decrees of election and reprobation out of Bishop Davenant's Animadversions on Hord, a book deservedly valu- able, and which he would have done well to have employed his learn- ing and abilities in the refutation of, before he had written this dis- course. But, instead of giving us the true state of the question, relating to these decrees, out of that book, which he might easily have done, he has picked out some passages here and there, the most exception- able, and made some rhetorical flourishes upon them. I confess I dislike the Bishop's notions of a two-fold decree, respecting reprobates, the one eternal and absolute, the other revealed, evangelical, and con- ditional, and of God's giving sufficient grace or sufficient means of grace to them, and therefore think myself not obliged to defend them. What is said concerning Adam's sin, and the imputation of it, will be considered hereafter. The true state of the question before us, and what ought to be attended to, is this, that as God, of his sovereign good will and pleasure, has, from all eternity, chosen some men unto salvation by Jesus Christ, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, so he has, of his sovereign will and pleasure, from * Viilc Act. Synod. Dord. Sess. 42, p. Ifin, &c. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTU. 131 all eternity, passed by others, and determined to leave them to them- selves, and deny them that grace which he gives to others, and damn them only for "their sin. This author* observes, "That the word aboKiiJLOi, which we render reprobate, hath no relation, in Scriptm-e, to any decree concerning the damnation of men, or withholding from them the means by which they may escape it, but only denotes sucli actions which will certainly be disapproved by God and man." But then it should also be observed, that in all those places, 2 Tim. iii. 8, Rom. i. 28, Tit. i. 16, Hob. vi. 8, 1 Cor. ix. 27, excepting the last, referred to by this author, the word relates not to the evil actions, but to the persons and internal dispositions of the most profligate and wicked among mankind ; so that though there is no express mention of any decree of reprobation concerning them, yet there is a great deal of reason to conclude, from the account given of them, that they were such whom God had never chosen in Christ, but had passed them by, and had determined to leave them to their own heart's lusts, to deny them his grace, and justly damn them for their iniquities. But I pro- ceed to the vindication of those passages of Scripture, in which this writer says, there is nothing relating to this decree, or from which it can reasonablv bo inferred. SECTION I. The Lord hath made all things for himself; yea, even the ivickedfor the day of evil. — Prov. xvi. 4. 1 . These words are not to be understood of God's creating all things out of nothing, or of his production of creatures into being for his own glory, nor of his wise ordering and disposing all things in providence for himself, which are both truths, but not of this text. It is certain that all things that are made, are made by Jehovah, for himself, and not another ; not because he had need of them, but to declare his greatness, and communicate his goodness, for his will and pleasure, his praise and glory ; yet this is not intended here, for the word here used is neither «-in,*nor t-\vd),\ which are commonly used when creation, and the works of it, are spoken of. It is also most certain, tliat all things in this world, as they are upheld and preserved in their bemg by God, so they are governed, influenced, ordered, and disposed of by him, for the good of his creatures and the glory of his name ; yet not this, but the decrees, purposes, and appointments of God, respecting his creatures, are here designed ; in which sense the word ^^2, here used, is sometimes to be taken, as in Exod. xv. 17: Thou shall hrincj them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, ivhich n!?i>2, thou hast appointed for thee to dicell in, in the sane- tuary, O Lord, which thy hinds have cstahlished. For the tabernacle, or sanctuary, was not yet ij^ ade. So in Psal. xxxi. 19:0 hoio great is thy goodyiess, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee ; u-hich, nTj^, thou hast prepared, jirovided, and" appointed, in thine eternal counsel " Whiiliv, p. 8, 9. K 2 132 THE CAUSE OF C.OU AND TRUTH. and covenant, y^r them that trust in thee before the sons of men. In the same sense the word Troteco is used in the New Testament, particularly in Mark iii. 14: And he, €7tou](7€, made, or ordained twelve. And in Heb. iii. 2 : Who teas faithful, rw Troirjaavn, to him that made., or appointed him. Now the sense of these words is this : that all things are ap- pointed by God for his own glory ; all things, particularly respecting man, concerning his temporal estate, the time of his birth, the place of his abode, his station and condition of life, the various changes of it, prosperous and adverse, death itself, and all the means leading on to it ; as well as all things respecting his spiritual and eternal state, the provision and mission of a Saviour, both as to the time of his com- ing into the world, and of his sufferings and death, with all the cir- cumstances thereof, the conversion of a sinner, time, place, and means, all times of darkness, desertion, and comfort ; yea, the final state and portion of all men : all these are fixed and appointed by God, and, in one way or another, make for his glory ; yea, even he has appointed the wicked for the day of evil, which is mentioned partly to illustrate the general proposition in the text, and partly to obviate an objection, which might be taken from them against all things being made or appointed for his glory. But, 2. It is commonly said, that it is our sentiment, and the sense we give of this text, and what may be inferred from the doctrine of pre- destination, that God made man to damn him ; whereas this is neither our sentiment, nor is it the sense we give of this text, nor is it to be inferred from the doctrine of predestination ; for there is a wide dif- ference between God's making man to damn him, and his appointing wicked men to damnation for their wickedness, which is the meaning of this text, and of the doctrine of reprobation we assert. We say, that God made man neither to damn him nor to save him ; neither salvation nor damnation were God's ultimate end in making man, but his own glory, which will be answered one way or another, either in his salvation or damnation. It is asked*, " What is it that they would infer from these words ? Is it that God made men wicked V To which I answer, no. We know as well as this interrogator that God made man ^ipright, and that he has made himself wicked ; and abhor, as much as he, the blasphemy of God's being the author of sin, or of his making his creatures wicked. It is one thing for God to make men wicked, another to appoint a wicked man to eternal wrath on the account of his wickedness. The same author goes on to interrogate, "Is it with Dr. Twiss, that all, besides the elect, God hath ordained to bring forth into the world, in their corrupt mass, and to permit them to themselves to go on in their own ways, and so finally to persevere in sin ; and lastly, to damn them for their sin, for the manifestation of his justice on them V This pas- sage of the Doctor's is picked out as a very exceptionable one ; though for my part, I think it fitly expresses both the sense of this text and of the doctrine of reprobation, and is to be justified in every part oi it. He says, that God ordained to bring forth all, besides the elect^ inti * W!nt1«y, p. 10. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TULTH. 133 tlie world in their corrupt mans. And where is the hurt of saying this '. Is it not fact, that they are brought into the world in tliis manner ,' Nor is it repugnant to the perfections of God to produce, bring into being, and multiply the individuals of human nature, though that na- ture is vitiated and corrupted with sin, which he may do, and does, without being the author of their wickedness ; nor is this injurious to, or any particular hardship on, the non-elect, since the same is true, and is what we, with the Scriptures, affirm of the elect of God themselves. The Doctor proceeds to observe, that God ordained to permit them to themselves to go on in their oxen ways, and so Jinally to -persevere in sin. That God does give up men to their oicn hearts'' lust*, as he did the Israelites of old, and suffers whole nations to icalk in their oicn icays-f, as he did the Gentiles formerly for many hundreds of years, is certain ; and for God to ordain, or determine, to permit them, can be no more contrary to his perfections than the permission itself ; nor does such an appointment infringe the liberty of their wills ; nor can it be any injustice in God to suffer them finally to persevere in sin, since they say, we 2cill walk after our own devices, and we icill every one do the ima- gination of his evil heart^- And, whereas the Doctor concludes that God has ordained to damn them for their sin, for the manifestation of his justice on them ; this fitly expresses the sense of the text and of the doc- trine of reprobation, especially that part of it which divines call pre- damnation. Reprobation may be distinguished into pretention and predamnation. Preterition is God's act of passing by and leaving some, who are called the rest, when he chose others to salvation ; and is the effect of God's sovereign good will and pleasure, being an act over and above the fall, and without the consideration of it, or of any actual sin or transgression whatever ; nor is this unbecoming the moral perfections of God, or doing any injustice to his creatures, since the objects of this act were considered in the pure mass of creatureship, were found in this pure mass, and left in it, God neither putting nor supposing any wickedness in them. Predamnation is God's appoint- ing men to damnation, in consideration and on account of sin ; not God's decree, but sin, which interferes between the decree and the exe- cution of it, is the cause of damnation : God damns no man but for sin, nor does he appoint any to damnation but on the account of it. Now, if it is not unjust to damn men for sin, it cannot be an unright- eous thing with God to appoint unto damnation for it. These things being considered, the doctrine of reprobation will not appear so horri- ble and shocking as it is represented to be by our opponents. Our author goes on and observes, " or lastly, they only mean that God, for the glory of his justice, had appointed, that wicked men perishing im- penitcntly in sin, should be obnoxious to his wrath ; and then they assert a great truth." But we mean more than this, we mean not only that such persons who are left to persevere in sin, and remain finally impenitent, are obnoxious to the wrath of God, but that they are appointed to wrath ; and which we believe to be the sense of this text, and the truth contained in it. Though, *Psalm Ixxxi. 11, 12. fActsxiv. 16. t Jcr. wiii. Ti. 134 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 3. It is observed*, that the words should be rendered, tJie Lord hath made all things to ansicer to themselves^ or aptly to refer to one another, even the wicked for the day of evil. But, supposing that the word in3i?D^ is derived froni nil?, to ansicer, it should not be rendered to ansiver to themselves, but to him, since the affix to it is singular, and not plural, and the meaning will be, that the Lord has made, or appointed all things to ansiver to himself that is, to his own will and pleasure, and to subsers'e the ends of his o\mi glory. Agreeable to this sense of the phrase the Jewish writers interpret it. R. Sol. Jarehi-f- explains it by ^u')b^'p l?''nti^n, for his praise. R. Isaac by "iJlvni ivsn fi?^^, for his xvill and pleasure. R, Jonah by r^Tr\ in \'l))h i^inty, for the thing m ivhich he takes pleasure. R. David Kimchi thinks it may be rightly explained by "nini^i, for himself or for his oivn sake. All which confirm our sense of it. Nor is the' meaning of the words, that God has made the \\ icked man to be the executioner of evil to others ; though this is sometimes the case, and is such a sense of the words, as is no ways subversive of the doctrine of reprobation. But, the plain meaning of them is, that God has appointed all things for his own glory, and which he will secure even in the destruction of wicked men, to which for their sins they are justly reserved ; and this sense of them is confirmed by the Targum, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions. SECTION II. Therefure they coidd not believe, because that Esaias had said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts ; that they should not see vjith their eyes, nor tinderstand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. — John xii. 39, 40. It is said:{:, that "this text is cited to prove the decree of reproba- tion, or preterition ; and, that the inference made from it, contains this strange and uncomfortable doctrine, viz. That the infidelity of God's own people is to be resolved, not into the perverseness of their wills, or the evil dispositions of their hearts, but into the divine pre- dictions, or into a judicial blindness and obduration, wrought by God upon them ; which renders it, though not naturally, yet, morally impossible for them to believe." But, 1 . I do not find that these words are cited by any of our writers to prove the decree of reprobation, or preterition, or any eternal pur- pose of God to blind the eyes, and harden the hearts of men, by any positive act of his, with a view to hinder their conversion, and that his decree of condemnation might take place. The Contra- Remon- strants §, indeed, make use of them to prove, that the gospel is preached to many who do not believe, and who cannot believe ; because it is not attended with an internal, powerful operation of divine grace, and that very rightly ; which is exactly agreeable to the * Wliitby, p. 11, 94; c(1.2.93. f Vide R. Sol. Hiimnidec. in loc, and R. David Kimchi, in Sephcr Shorasli, rad. M^i*. : Whitby, p. 11, 1'2. § In Coll. H.ng., art. iii. and iv. p. 209, 242. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. ] 35 words of Isaiah, cited in the preceding verse, Who hath believed our report? And to lohom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? And, which stand in close connection with these. Therefore, they coidd not believe^ Sfc. 2. It would be strange and uncomfortable doctrine, indeed, should any make an inference from hence, containing this in it, that the infidelity of God^s oicn people is owing to divine predictions, or judicial blindness, wrought by God upon them, which renders it morally impossible for them to believe. Seeing God's own people are not spoken of in the text, nor are there any predictions in Scripture respecting their final unbelief, nor are they ever given up to judicial blindness and hardness ; but, being ordained unto eternal life, are enabled, by divine grace, to believe in Christ to the saving of their souls, notwithstanding the perverseness of their wills, and the evil disposition of their hearts. 3. It is evident that the words are to be understood of the un- believing Jews, who rejected the Messiah, though they heard his doctrine, and saw his miracles, whereby the predictions of the prophet Isaiah were fulfilled ; which, though they had no such influence on the wills of these men *, as to lay upon them a co-active necessity, or force them to do or answer to the things foretold, yet were to have, and had, an infallible event or completion ; otherwise, the foreknow- ledge of God, and the authority of the prophetic writings, could not be maintained : wherefore the Evangelist observes, that though he (Christ) had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him, that the saying of Esaias, the prophet, might be fdjilled, Sj-c. Also, Therefore, they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, Sfc. 4. It is certain, that the impossibility of their after-believing, is to be resolved into the judicial blindness and hardness of their hearts, to which they were justly left, having contemned both the doctrines and miracles of Christ. It is of no great moment whether the he, who is said to blind and harden, be God or Christ, or whether the words be rendered, it hath blinded, §•'d- P- lf> ; <■''• 2. lo. : Ibid. )'. 12, 14. 136 THli tAi;SK OF GOU AND TKUTH. SECTION III. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them that stumble at the WQid, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed. — 1 Pet. ii. 8. These words are spoken of the reprobate Jews, to whom Christ was a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, in his birth, parentage, and education, in the mean appearance he made in his own person and in his apostles, in his ministry, and the audience that attended it, and the company he kept, in his doctrine, miracles, crucifixion, and death ; who stumbled at the ivord of the gospel, despised, and rejected it, being left to the prevailing infidelity of their corrupt hearts ; all which was not casual and accidental, but pursuant to a divine purpose and appointment. This passage, in connexion with the words preceding, plainly shows, that as there were some, whom God had appointed and fore-ordained to believe in Christ, on whom he determined to bestow true faith in him, to whom he is the elect, precious corner-stone ; so there were others, whom he determined to leave as children of disobedience, in the infidelity and unbelief in which the fall had concluded them ; through which disobedience or infi- delity, they stumble at Christ, and his word, and in consequence thereof, justly perish. This also appears from the antithesis in ver. 9, where God's elect are opposed unto, and distinguished from, these persons, hut ye are a chosen generation, a royal jjriesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, Sfc. But, 1st. It is said*, " That this Scripture, to be sure, cannot signify, that God absolutely ordained the unbelieving Jews, et? a-K^idiiav, to disobedience ;" when, "1. As yet they were not, and therefore were not disobedient." I reply, this scripture certainly signifies, that these persons were ap- pointed to stumble at Christ and his words through unbelief, which is all one as not to believe in him ; or, to express our sense and meaning, and also the sense and meaning of this text more fully, God abso- lutely willed the fall of man, which brought all mankind into a state of infidelity ; in which God has determined to leave some, and not give them that grace which can only cure them of their unbelief, whereby they stumble at Christ and his gospel, being disobedient to the divine revelation. Now such a determination, or appointment, did not require their present actual existence, only their certain future exist- ence, much less that they should be disobedient, previous to this appointment. 2. It is added f, as another reason against this sense of the text, " That then their future disobedience was purely a compliance with the divine ordinance or will, and so could not deserve the name of disobedience ; because it could not be both a compliance with, and * Whitl.y, p. 20. f Tbiil. ; Remonstr. in Act. Synod, circ. iirt. i. p. 208. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TKUTH. 137 disobedience to the will of God." To which may be replied, that God's will is either secret or revealed, purposing or commanding; the one is the rule of his o\mi actions, the other of his creatures : now it oftentimes is so, that what accords with the secret and purposing will of God, is a disobedience to his revealed and commanding will. As Dr. ISlanton * observes, " Things that are most against his revealed will, fall under the ordination of his secret will ; and, whilst men break commandments, they fulfil decrees : his revealed will showeth what should be done, his secret will what will be done." So, for instance, it was agreeable to God's secret will, that man should fall ; yet, eating the forbidden fruit, by which he fell, was an act of disobe- dience to his revealed will. The crucifixion of Christ was according to the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God ; and yet, this act of the Jews was a disobedience to the sixth commandment, Thou shalt not kill. The kings of the earth, giving their kingdom to the beast, was a fulfilling of the secret will of God, nay, he put it into their hearts to do it ; and yet, giving the beast that support, power, homage, and worship, they did, were an open violation of the laws of God. 3. It is urged f , that, according to this sense of the words, " This disobedience could not be objected to them as their crime ; unless compliance with the will of God be so ; and it be a fault to be such as God, by his immutable counsel and decree, hath ordained we should be ; or it should render men criminal and obnoxious to punishment, that they have not made void God's absolute decree, or have done wdiat that made it necessary for them to do." I answer, that God's decrees, as they do not infringe the liberty of man's will, so they do not excuse from sin. The selling of Joseph was according to the purpose and decree of God, who, as he meant, so he over-ruled it /or good; yet it was an evil in his brethren, and so they meant it; and, therefore, might be justly objected to them as their crime. The Jews, when they crucified Christ, did no other than what the hand and counsel of God determined before to he done ; and yet, by their own icicked hands, they crucified and slew him. God's determinations and decrees about this affair, neither exempted them from being criminals, nor from being obnoxious to punishment. 2dly. The meaning of these words, agreeably to Dr. Hammond's sense of them, is said to be this j : " That the unbelieving Jews, being disobedient to the gospel so clearly revealed, and by so many mi- racles and distributions of the Holy Ghost confirmed to them, were appointed, as the punishment of that disobedience, to fall and perish ; for, so the Hebrew word chasal, and the Greek -npoa-KOfxixa and (TKavhakov, import, namely the ruin and the fall of them who stumble at this stone." But, let it be obs"erved, that the phrase, to stumble at Christ, and the icord, is not expressive of their punishment, but of their sin, being disobedient. As, to stumble at the laic, Mai. ii. 8, is to offend against, break and transgress it ; so to stumble at the tvord, or * On Jude, ver. 4, p. 176. f Whitby, j,. 20. X Ibid. p. 21 : cd. 2. 20. See Remonstr. in .\ct. Synod, liic. ail. i. p. '208 ; and Limborch, p. 3.55. ].38 THE CVUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. gospel, is to blaspheme and contradict it, reject and put it away, as the Jews of old did, hebu/ disobedient^ left and given up to the infidelity and hardness of their hearts. To stumble at the word, and to stumble at Christ, and to be offended in him, or at him, are one and the same thing ; and the latter always signifies a crime, and not punishment, Matt. xi. 6, and xiii. 57, Mark vi. 3, Luke vii. 23. The sin of these persons is expressed by stumbling and Jallinc/ : and their punishment by being broken; Isa. viii. 14, 15, Matt. xxi. 44. So the Hebrew word ^t^D, signifies to stumble and fall; that is, to sin; see Prov. xxiv. 17, Hos. xiv. 1, Mai. ii. 8. Hence ^W hw'D^, the stumbling-block of their iniquity^ that which is the occasion of sin, Ezek. vii. 19, and xiv. 3, 4, 7. So the Greek words Trpoo-KOTrroj, Trpoo-Ko/x/za, TrpocrKOTr?/, Rom. ix. 32, 33, and xiv. 20, 21, 2 Cor. vi. 3, ^KovhaXiCo) and a-Kav- haXov, ]\Iatt. xviii. Q—d, Rom. xiv. 13, 21, 1 Cor. viii. 13. And, after all, this sense of the words pleaded for, proves a fore-appoint- ment of some to punishment, as the fruit of disobedience ; which is that part of reprobation, commonly called predamnation, we contend for. 3dly. It is said*, " The words will fairly bear this sense; to them that believe, belongs r) rt/xT/, the honour (of being built upon this corner- stone into a spiritual house), but, to them that are disobedient (belongs that of Psalm cxviii. 22), and (also to them he is) a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them that stumble at the icord, Et? o Kal (T€6r](Tai; for ivhich also these stones ivere laid, or put, the corner-stone for the building up of believers, the stone of stumbling for the dis- obedient to stumble at." But it should be observed, that the corner- stone, and the stone of stumbling, are one and the same stone ; and, therefore, it could not, with propriety, be said of that stone, /or rchicli also they were put or laid. Besides, " the word riOivai., as Dr. Ham- mond observes, is ordinarily used for appointing and ordaining, and being applied to God, doth often signify his decree, or destination ; thus John XV. 16, Acts xiii. 47, 1 Thess. v. 9." And here, his decree and appointment concerning reprobates, as appears from the anti- thesis in ver. 9. Moreover, admitting that Christ is here said to be laid, or put, as a stumbling-stone for the disobedient to stumble at ; since he is said Keta^at eis Trrwo-ty, to be set, that is, as the above- mentioned Doctor observes, decreed by God (the same that rCdeaOat., to be set or ordained \\QVG),for the falling of many in Israel, Luke ii. 34. I say, admitting this, the sense will be much the same, whether wo suppose Christ is set or jmt, that is, ordained, decreed, and appointed, to be a stumbling-stone for men to stumble at ; or, whether they are ordained, or appointed, to stumble at him ; that is, to despise, refuse, and reject him, through infidelity. * Wliitby, p. 21 ; ed. 2. 20. IlK CAUSE OF GOD AXD TUUTII. 139 SECTION IV. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who ivere before of old ordained to thi^ condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. — JuDE, ver. 4. The apostle, in this text, speaks of some persons, perhaps the fol- lowers of Simon Magus, or other immoral heretics, who had privily crept into houses, and unawares into the churches, and, perhaps, into the ministry, and had insinuated themselves into the affections of the people ; and yet were uncjoclly men, did not worship God sincerely, and according to his appointments, misinterpreted the gospel of the grace of God, translated it to a wrong use, and abused the design of it, yea, denied both the Father and the Son. Now these persons were of old, that is, from all eternity, as Dr. Manton on the text observes, before ordained to just condemnation for their wickedness. These words may be considered then as a proof of reprobation, or of God's appoint- ing some men to damnation before they had a being. In answer to this it is said *, 1 . " The verse in the Greek text runs thus : Some ungodly men, turn- ing the grace of God into lasciviousness, have entered into (the church) of tvhom it was before tvritten, that this should be their sentence or punishment.'''' But, to this version of the text may be objected, that besides the trans- posing of the words, and dropping part of the character of these men, the word iraXaL, of old, is entirely neglected. Nor does the verse in the Greek text run thus : Trept u)v irpoyiypaTTTai tovto to Kpljxa, of whom this sentence or punishment teas before loritten ; but, ol Ttayai Tipoyeypapi- p.h'oi els TOVTO TO KpTpia, who were of oldbefore written to this condemnation. 2. " That this cannot be meant of any divine ordination or appoint- ment of them to eternal damnation before they had a being, is evident ; because it cannot be thought without horror, that he, who is the lover of souls, should appoint any, nmch less the greater part of them, to inevitable destruction before they had a being." But, where does the horror of this doctrine lie I Does it lie in the appointment of men to damnation before they had a being ? If there is any divine ordination or appointment to it, it must be before men have a being, even from eternity, since no new appointment, decree, purpose, or ordination is made by God in time. If election is from eternity, reprobation must be so too, since there cannot be one without the other. If some were chosen before the foundation of the world, others must be left, or passed by as early. If some were appointed unto salvation from the beginning, others were appointed unto wrath or were of old, ^^Tity rn, from the beginning, as the Syriac version renders the word (compare this with 2 Tliess. ii. 13, Prov. viii. 22), fore-ordained to condemnation. Or, does the horror of it lie in this, that this appoint- • AVhitby, p. 22; cd. 2. 21. liO THE CAL'SE OF GOD a:>D TRUTH. ment is ascribed to the lover of souls ? Why may it not be thought without horror, that he, who is the lover of souls, should appoint some men to eternal damnation for sin before they had a being, as well as hate Esau before he had done any evil, and yet loved Jacob before he had done any good I Or does it lie here, that God should appoint the greater part of men to damnation ? But the question before us is not, whether God has appointed the greater or lesser part of mankind to destruction for sin, but whether he has appointed any ; and, if he could appoint any, he could appoint many, yea, all mankind ; as he did the whole body of apostate angels, without any impeachment of his wisdom, justice, or goodness. But perhaps the horribleness of this doctrine is thought to lie here, that God has appointed men as creatures, zvithout any consideration of sin, unto eternal damnation. If this was our doctrine, I should not wonder that it should be thought of with so much horror and detestation ; but this is a most vile mis- representation of it. For, though the Supralapsarians do not premise the consideration of sin to the act of preterition, or God's leaving and passing by some, when he chose others ; yet both they, and the Sublap- sarians premise the considei'ation of sin to predamnation, or God''s appointing men to destruction. We say, God damns no man but for sin, and that he appointed to damn none but sinners. And cannot this be thought of without hoiTor l Our author himself owns it, as will quickly appear, 3. It is said *, that " the word Kplju-a relates not to sin, but punish- ment, the fruit of sin ; so Mark xii. 40, Rom. ii. 3. Now, God ordaineth none to punishment but sinners and ungodly men ; and such, by the text, these persons are here styled." To which may be replied, that, though the word K/3tjua, in the passages referred to, and in many others, signifies damnation, yet, elsewhere, it relates to things criminal ; a sinful blindness and hardness of heart, which God sometimes leaves persons to : so when our Lord says -f*, ds Kp'iixa, for judyment I am come into this world, that they ivhich see not might see, and that they ichich see miyht he made blind. Thus, these persons in the text, having gone great lengths in sin, were given up to a reprobate mind to do things not convenient ; to neglect and despise the worship of God, abuse the gospel, and deny both the Father and the Son. Now, et's tovto to Kpii^a, to this judicial blindness and hard- ness, they were of old before ordained. This is a sense of the ^vords which cannot easily be confuted, and is, indeed, acknowleged by the Remonstrants :|:. But, however, we are willing to allovr that Kpt/^ia here relates to punishment, and not sin, as in the parallel place, 2 Pet. ii. 3. And we say, with our author, that God ordains none to punish- ment but sinners ; only we say, that this ordination was from eternity, and this is the doctrine of the text, and which we contend for. 4. It is observed §, that '' these were men of whom it was before written or prophesied, that they should be condemned for their ungod- liness, as by Enoch, ver. 14. 'And, that this also is the import of the * Whitby, p. 22 ; cd. 2. 21. f John ix. 39. : In Act. Synod, circ. .lit. i. p.205. § AVhitby, p. 22, 23. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 141 word -poeypdcpi, Rom. xv. 4, Gal. iii. 1. The writers and interpreters on the Arniinian side are pretty generally agreed that these words refer to some prophecy concerning these men, somewhere or other in Scripture, but are not agreed about tlie particular passage. Some think the apostle* has a regard to the parallel place in 2 Pet. ii. 1 — 3 ; but if he iiad this in his view, he would never have said that they were of old, a long while ago, before written or prophesied of ; since, ac- cording to the common calculation, that epistle of Peter's was written in the very same year as this of Jude's. Besides, Peter says, at the time of his writing, that tha judgment of these men was of a long time, that is, had been long ago pronounced, and did not linger. Others think f, that Yeference is had to the prediction of Christ, in Matt. xxiv. This is, indeed, carrying the pi'ophecy further off. But then, as no such persons are described there as here, so neither is there any mention of their punishment or condemnation. Others J, as our author supposes, that the apostle respects the prophecy of Enoch ; this, indeed, was of old. But, though it is true that Enoch prophesied of these persons, yet, as his prophecy was never written, that we know of, and, therefore, these men could not be said to be fore-written of in it ; so it is easy to observe, that the apostle speaks of this prophecy as something distinct from these persons being fore-wTitten to con- demnation, when he says, ver. 14, and Enoch also prophesied of these. Besides, as Vorstius§, a writer on the other side the question, observes, " It is all one whether we understand it, that these men were of old appointed and designed by God to this condemnation ; or, whether this condemnation was of old written concerning them in the Old Testament." Since such a prophecy concerning them must be founded upon an antecedent, divine ordinalion and appointment. Nor is pro- phecy the import of the word Trpoeypdcpe, especially in Gal. iii. 1, and only regards things, and not persons, in Rom. xv. 4. And here in- tends, not their being fore-written in any of the books of Scripture, but in the book of God's eternal purposes and decrees. SECTION V. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him ; whose names are not written in the hook of life of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world. — Rev. xiii. 8. With 2 Coo\ iv. 8, 2 Thess. ii. 10—12, 1 Cor. i. 18, 7?om. ix. 18. The learned II writer attended to, observes, that Dr. Twiss con- fesseth that the Scriptures speak fully of election, sparingly of repro- bation, in most places ; yet, some passages we have, saith he, which give light and evidence to both alike. The passages referred to are, for the one. Acts ii. 47 ; Matt. xxiv. 24 ; Acts xiii. 48 ; Luke x. 20 ; Heb. xii. 23. For the other, 2 Cor. iv. 3 ; 2 Thess. ii. 10—12 ; 1 Cor. i. 18 ; Rom. ix. 18 ; Rev. xiii. 8, and xvii. 8. Now, to all these • So Grotius, in loc. f Hammond, in loc. + Limborcb, p. 354. § Perinde est sive intelligas illos jam olim fuisse a Deo destinatos sive designates ad hoc Judi- cium, sive accipiaa de illis jam olim in Vet. Test. Scriptum esse. Voist. in loc. || Wliitbv, p. 23. 142 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. citations, most of which arc said to * bo palpably impertinent, (though whether they are or no, will be 'seen licreafter) this is the general answer, " That they signify no more than those words of Christ, Markxvi. 16, Luke xiii. S — 5 ; and of the Baptist,"" John iii. 36. The sum of which is, that he that believes and repents, shall be saved ; and he that does not believe and repent, shall be damned. "Which is a considerable mistake; seeing the words of Chi-ist and of the Baptist regard only the revealed will of God, in the external ministry of the word ; and the passages cited, the secret will of God, in giving grace to some, and denying it to others. The main thing to be attended to is, how it comes to pass, that some men have faith and repentance, and so are saved ; whilst others have neither, and so* are damned. Some men have faith and rep'^ntance : how come they by them i God freely gives these graces to them, and implants them in them : and why does he do so t Because of his sovereign good pleasure he has, from all eternity, willed and determined to do so ; which is a consider- able branch of election. On the other hand, some men have neither faith nor repentance ; what is the reason of it ? Because, being by nature in a state of infidelity and impenitence, God does not give them that grace which only can deliver them from it. And why does lie not give them that grace i Because, of his sovereign will and plea- sure, he has determined not to give it them ; which is a 'considerable branch of reprobation. To some of these citations our author thinks fit to reply, by saying, that " those that are lost, 2 Cor. iv. 8, are those that believe not, ver. 4. And those who perish, 2 Thess. ii. 10, are those who believe not the truth, ver. 12. And they who perish, 1 Cor, i. 18, are the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles. And they who are hardened, Rom. ix. 18, are the vessels of iiirath fitted for destruction^ by their own wickedness, completed by their infidelity, or want of faith." But still the question returns. How come these persons to want faith, to be unbelievers, not to believe in Christ, or the truth, whilst others do ? It is not because they are left to their natural infidelity, and given up to judicial blindness and hardness of heart I And, why are they thus left ? Or, why does God deny them that grace which only can cure them of all this ? but, because it is his will, and he has deter- mined to deny them it ? Now, this is one part of reprobation we con- tend for. From these this celebrated writer -f proceeds to those places, which may seem to require a more particular notice. And 1st. Begins with the phrase of being written in the book of life, Rev. xiii. 8, and xvii. 8. Which, 1 . He says, is Jewish, and doth not signify the absolute election of any person to eternal life, but only the present right of the just person to life ; and therefore it is called the hook of life trriften for the just, Targum on Ezek. xiii. .9. And, the book of the just, Targ. Jon. on Exod. xxxii. .32. To which I answer, that the book spoken of in the Scriptures under consideration, is not called the book of the just, nor the book of life w7-ittenfor the just, but the book of life for the Lnmh, a phrase never to be met with in Jewish writings. " But, * Wliitliy, p. 24 ; ed. 2. 2.";. f Il,:,l. p. Oo ; c.l. 2. 21. THE CAUSE OF GOD AXD TRUTH. 143 admitting an allusion to these phrases used by the Jews, let it bo ob- served, that just or righteous persons are particular ones ; nil men are not righteous ; only such whom God from all eternity willed to be righteous, through the righteousness of his Son. Now, as many as are written in the book of life God willed to be righteous, through the righteousness of his Son ; and, as many as he willed to be righteous, through the righteousness of his Son, he %wote their names in the book of life. Hence the same individual particular persons, who are said to be written in heaven *, are caWe^just men made perfect^ that is, through the righteousness of Christ imputed to them ; which gives them not only a present, but a future continued right to eternal life, which can never be lost. For, whom God did predestinate, them he called ; and whom he called, \\e justijied ; and. whom \\e justified, i\\e\r\.\\e (jlorified\. 2. It is observed, that, in this book, "The apostolical institutions {constitutions, I suppose, it should be), say, we come to be written Ti] {]fjL€T€pa evvoia Kol (TTTovbrj, hy our good affection and industry ^ What these constitutions say will not meet with much credit ; since, not only they appear to be a spurious work, and not the genuine writings of the apostles, but also, we find nothing in the sacred wTitings to confirm such an assertion ; and, indeed, how is it possible that any should come to be written in this book, through their good affection and industry, when the book was loritten from the foundation of the world, Rev.xvii. 8, and so before men had done either good or evil ? 8. It is said, that, " from this book, men, as they may be written in it, when they are converted from vice to virtue, so may they be blotted out, when they backslide from virtue to iniquity, according to Psalm Ixix. 28, Rev. xxii. 19, Exod, xxxii. 33." To which I reply, that, as men are not first written in this book when they are converted, since this book was A\Titten from the foundation of the world, before men had a being, and consequently before they were converted, so neither may they or can they be blotted out when they backslide ; for God not only heals the hackslidinys of his people, and still loves them freely +, but he has promised to him that overcometh, as all his elect do and shall, that he loill not blot out his name out of the hook of life. Nor do the passages alleged prove that they may or shall be blotted out ; not Psalm Ixix. 28, which is a petition concerning wicked men, either that they may die, their memory perish, never be mentioned with the righteous, nor appearing among them at the last day ; or that they might be excluded from the visible church, the congrega- tion of saints, and appear to be what they really were, none of God's elect ; and, supposing the hook of the living intends the book of election, blotting out of it is no more, as is evident from the text itself, than not writing them in it; nor Rev. xxii. 19, for taking away the man''s part out of the book of life is only taking away that which he seemed to have, and not what he really had, agreeable to Luke viii. 18. And as for Exod. xxxii. 33, it is not there said. Whosoever hath sinned against me, him icill I blot out of the book of life, as this writer inadvertently cites the words, but out of the book ichich I have toritten, that is, either * Heb. xii. 2.3. t Rom. viii. .30. % Hos. xiv. 4 ; Rev. iii. 5. 144 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. out of the book of the law, according to R. Sol. Jarchi ; his name shall not be mentioned there; or, of this temporal life, he shall die and not live. 4. " This book is said to be written from the foundation of the world, God having Adam and others, who are styled the sons of God ; and not to have a name written in it, is not to be owned as God's sons and faithful servants ; when therefoi'e St. John saith, that they ichose names ivere not in this booh of life writ from the foundation of the worlds worshipped the beast ; he means they, and they only, did so, who never were by God esteemed, or registered in the number of good Chris- tians." But if this book was written from the foundation of the world, it must be written before these sons of God had a being, and before they knew, or were known by others, that they were the sons of God. And if none but such whom God owns and esteems as his sons were written in it, then none but such who are really so, or such who were predestinated to the adoption of sons, are written in it. And if none but these are written in it, then those whose names are not written in it are such who are passed by and rejected of God, which is what we contend for, and this passage of Scripture is brought to prove. 2dly. " The passage cited from the Thessalonians is said * only to concern the Jews, who rejected the gospel of our Lord and their Mes- siah, confirmed by the strongest evidence of innumerable miracles ; and so believed not the truth at all, or else revolted from it after they had embraced it." Though it rather seems to concern the followers of Antichrist, and the worshippers of the man of sin, when he should be revealed, to whom God would send strong delusions^ that they should believe a lie, and be damned. But, let it concern who it will, it is cer- tain it respects such persons who would be left of God to their infide- lity, and given up to the power of Satan, and to judicial blindness of mind ; and are distinguished from the elect of God that should be saved, ver. 13, 14. 3dly. " The passages cited from Rom. ix., it is said, can be nothing to the purpose ; that chapter having no regard to God's absolute de- crees, concerning the final and external state of mankind in general, or of any particular persons, but his providential dealings in rejecting the Jews, and receiving the Gentiles." But I hope to make it appear, in a subsequent section, that that chapter is designed to illustrate personal election and reprobation. Nor does the apostle's recapitula- tion, ver. 80, contradict this ; since the Jews not attaining to the law of righteousness, was owing to their stumbling at that stumbling-stone to which they were appointed ; and the Gentiles attaining to righte- ousness, was in consequence of their being vessels of mercy, afore pre- pared to glory ; and both to be understood of particular persons. Nor does the apostle's prayer, chap. x. 1, contradict the decree of reprobation concerning the Jews, or his knowledge of it ; since this might be the effect of natural affection to them, as his countrymen, and not arise from the exercise of faith and spiritual knowledge. * V.liitbv, p. 26; ed.2.25. THE CAUSR OF ROD AND TRU IH. } 4.'5 CHAPTER ir. OF KLECTIOX. The following sections contain a reply to Dr. AVhitby's exceptions in the third chapter of his Discourse, concerning absolute election, to our arguments for it, taken from some of the more principal passages of Scripture used by us in favour of it, with a particular consideration of Rom. V. 19, and the doctrine of the imputation of Adam's sin, which the Doctor, in the fourth chapter of the said discourse, makes to be the foundation of the decree of election. As I have nothing to object to his stating our sense of predestination, or the absolute election of some particular persons to eternal life, I shall immediately attend to what he has to object to the Scriptures produced in proof of it. SECTION I. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priestJiGod, an holy nation, a pecu- liar people, that ye should show forth the praises, of him, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light — I Pet. ii. 9; together with 2 John i. 13; James ii. 5; Matt. xx. 16, and xxiv. 22, 24, 31 ; Luke xviii. 7 ; RoM. xi. 5. It is said*, " That the election, mentioned in the holy Scriptures, is not that of particular persons, but only of churches and nations ; and imports rather their being chosen to the enjoyment of the means of grace, than to a certainty of being saved by those means." For the proof of this, several passages are cited out of the Old Testament, showing what will not be denied by any, and so might have been all spared, that the whole Jewish nation, good and bad, were styled the elect of God: but then, though that whole nation was chosen to exter- nal means and privileges, yet there were some particular persons among them who were also chosen to grace itself, and to certain sal- vation ; and, accordingly, in the writings of the Old Testament, men- tion is made of the election of particular persons, as Moses, Aaron, David, and others, Psal. cvi. 23, and cv. 26, and Ixxxix. 8, 19, and iv! 8. And, also, of some among the Gentiles, distinct from tlio Jews, Isa. .xliii. 20, and Ixv. 15, 22. And, of the latter, even before they were called by grace. It is, moreover, obsorvedf , that " wlien tlie word elect is, in the New Testament, applied to Christians, it plainly doth include as many as were converted to the Christian faith ; foi-, when it is applied to the Jewish converts, it plainly signifies all that had been converted to the Christian faith.'' It is certain, that Christians are such as are converted to the Christian faith, and Jewish converts must be such, and those, who are really converted, are the elect of God ; but, then, they are not elected because they ai'e converted, but * Whitby, y. -M] ; ed. 2. 3.-,. f Ibid. ,,, 40 ; e.l. 2. .19. 146 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. they are converted because they are elected ; and conversion being a sure and certain fruit of election, becomes the evidence of it. Now, to prove this sense of the word, when applied to Jewish converts, 1st. This passage of the apostle Peter is produced, though it rather seems to regard the Gentiles, as appears not only from the place in Isaiah*, out of which it is taken, where this chosen people are distin- guished from the Jews, the posterity of Jacob and Israel ; but, also, from the words following the text, lohich in time past icere not a peo- ple, hut are noio the people of God ; irliich had not obtained mercy ^ hut noio have obtained mercy : being a citation from Hos, i. 23, and applied to the Gentiles by the apostle Paul, in Rom. ix. 25. However, their election was not of them as a nation, or a church, since they were neither, being strangers, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappado- cia, Asia, sind Bithynia. Nor was it barely to means of grace and out- ward privileges, but both to grace and glory, seeing they are said to be elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanc- tijication of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ f . And, in consequence of this, were regenerated by the grace of God, and were kept by his power, through faith, unto salvation ; and so must be men absolutely designed for eternal happiness. But, to this are excepted |, 1. That the apostle " exhorts these elect, in chap. i. 14, and ii. 10, 11, and iv. 2, 3, 15, to avoid offences which are not incident to men elected to salvation, whilst they continue so to be." To which I reply, that such, who are elected to salvation, always continue to be so ; nor are there any sins, excepting the sin against the Holy Ghost, which God's elect, before or after conversion, may not be guilty of. And the offences which the apostle here exhorts them to avoid, are such as are incident to men elected to salvation, as the cases of David, Peter, and others, do abundantly declare. 2. " That he affirms the same thing of the whole church of Babylon, chap. V. 13. Now, it was more than he could know, that all the mem- bers of that great church were absolutely elected to salvation." What church is meant by the church at Babylon, and how great it was, is not easy to know ; and it is equally as difficult to say what an inspired apostle could or could not know. However, without a revelation, though that is no absurdity to suppose, he might affirm of that church in general, that it was elected together with these, as he did affirm, in a judgment of charity, that the churches at Colosse and Thessaloniea were the elect of God, though every member of it, in particular, was not elected to salvation, without any prejudice to the doctrine of eter- nal absolute election, since all the members of this church were under a visible profession of religion, and, no doubt, the far greater part, at least, were true believers in Christ. 3. "That, whereas this epistle is inscribed to the elect, the second epis- tle, sent to the same persons, beginneth thus: To them who have obtained like precious faith icith us ; and speaks of some who had forsaken the right loay ; and prophesies, that false teachers shoidd. make merchandize * Chap, xliii. 20, 21. f 1 Pet. i. 1—5. J Whitby, p. 41 : ed. 2. 40. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TKtITH. 147 of some ofihemr Be it so, that the elect, and those iclio have uhtained like precious faith with the apostles, arc the same persons, which must be allowed ; their having the same faith with them is a strong evidence of their being men absolutely designed for eternal happiness, and not barely chosen to the means of grace, or external privileges ; yet, it is not true that the apostle speaks of any of the elect he writes to, that they had forsaken the right way, but of some other persons who are distinguished from them ; and, though he prophesies i\\Sii false teachers should make merchandize of some of them, his meaning is, that they should be able to draw their money out of their pockets, not that they should destroy the grace of God in their hearts. 4. That "these words are plainly taken from Isaiah xHii, 20, 21. Now, though the whole Jewish nation are styled God's chosen genera- tion, and peculiar people, it is as sure that they were not all elected to salvation ; we then may reasonably conclude, that the same words applied by St. Peter to all these several Christian churches, do not imply that all their particular members were elected to salvation, but only, that they were all members of the church of Christ." I answer, that the apostle takes these words out of Isa. xliii. 20, 21, or, at least, refers to that place, will be allowed ; but then the words of that pro- phecy do not regard the whole Jewish nation, who, though they are styled, yet not there, God's chosen generation and people, but a set of persons among the Gentiles, whom God had chosen, and formed for himself, to show forth his praise ; who are distinguished from the Jews, the posterity of Jacob and Israel ; opposed to them, ver. 22, But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob ; hut thou hast been xoeary of me, O Israel. Besides, these words are not applied to several Christian churches ; for the apostle did not write to churches, as such, but to strangers scattered about in the world, whether Jews or Gentiles ; though, upon the consideration of their being church members, he might, in a judg- ment of charity, pronounce them elect. And whereas it is owned, that the words imply that they were all members of the church of Christ; which, if understood of the general assembly, and church of the first-horn, whose names are ivritten in heaven, is the same as to be elected to salva- tion. For, to be a member of this church, and to be an elect person, one absolutely designed for happiness, is the same thing ; and that these persons were such is evident, from their being called out of dark- ness into marvellous light. 2dly. Another instance of the word elect, when applied to Jewish converts, signifying such as are converted to the Christian faith, is in 2 John i. 13, where we read of the elect lady and her elect sister, that is, says our author *, the Christian lady and sister. That these were Christian ladies is certain, but that they were Jewish converts to the Christian faith is not so certain. However, it is most certain that these are no instances of the election of nations or churches, but of particular persons, whom the apostle, in a judgment of charity, and from a thorough persuasion of their having received the grace of God, might address under this title and character ; though, I rather think * Whitljv, p. 42; ed. 2. 41. l2 148 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. it is here used as a term of civil honour and respect, than in a rehgious sense, and so has no concern in this controversy. Sdly. " When St. James says, God has chosen the poor of this icorld^ rich in faith ^ and heirs of the kingdom, it is said* his meaning is, that they were called out of the world to the profession of the faith, which, if they lived according to it, would make them heirs of his heavenly kingdom." Now, though the apostle James wrote to the twelve tribes, and so chiefly designs Jewish converts, yet he neither writes to them as a nation, or as a church, seeing they were scattered abroad. Nor can these words be applied to them, or any other, under either of these considerations ; since all the individuals of a nation, and all the members of churches, are not thejwor of this ivorld, but are to be under- stood of some particular persons, in such circumstances on whom God, in consequence of their eternal election, bestows the pi'ecious grace of faith, which receives the blessing of free justification, by the righteous- ness of Christ, when they openly become the heirs of glory ; for, being justified hy his grace ^ they are made heirs according to the hope of eternal lifef. This, and this only, and not a profession of the faith, no, nor a life according to it, makes them heirs of the heavenly kingdom. 4thly. "When Christ saith +, mayig arc called^ hut few chosen, it is said § these parables plainly relate to the Jews ; and the import of them is, that though many of them were called by Christ and his apos- tles to faith in him, yet few did or would accept of him as their Saviour, or embrace the faith of Christ ; so that here the elect and the believers of the Christian faith are the same persons." But, though these words may primarily relate to the Jews, yet they are also of the Gentiles to this day, and the plain import of them is, that many are externally called, by the preaching of the gospel, but few are, or appear to be, chosen unto eternal life. Were embracing the faith of Christ, and accepting of him as a Saviour, intended by the words, it should rather have been said, many are called, hut few choose, that is, Christ, and sal- vation by him, as Mary is said|| to choose that good part, which shall not he taken aivay ; and not as it is, many are called, hut f-w chosen ; which does not express any act of man's, such as accepting'Christ, and embracing the faith of him, but God's act, to whom alone, and not man, election is always ascribed in Scripture ; and, therefore, the elect are ca.lled God''s elect, and his oimi elect. Besides, though election sometimes intends effectual vocation, yet never when calling and elec- tion are mentioned together in the same verse, for then tliey are to be distinguished one from another. IMoreover, were true believers here meant, this would not militate against eternal election, since their being believers is an evidence of it ; and, after all, the few chosen must design particular persons, and not either nations or churches, no, nor mere nominal believers of the Christian faith. Sthly. " \\'hen lie (Christ) says ^, that/>/- the elect's sake those days shall he shortened, it is said **, he styles the faithful, left in the midst "of the unbelieving Jews, the elect." ' So that believers are intended : be * Whitby, p. 4-2; etl. 2. 41. f Tit. iii. 7. + Matt. xx. 1(5. § Whitl.y, p. 42. II Lulic X. 42. ^ Matt. x.\iv. 22. ** Whithv, p. A?,; c.l. 2. 42. THE CAl'SE OF GOD AXD TKCTri. 140 it SO ; then not whole nations, or churches, or communities, are de- signed, but particular persons ; though they seem rather to be such who were unconverted, to be the people among the Jews whom God had Jhirknoirn, who ^^■ere a remnant accordimj to the election of (/race, and therefore should obtain^ whilst the rest were hlinded ; for whose sake, the days of affliction and trouble in the Jewish nation should be shortened, or there should be some respite given, that so there might be an opportunity of preaching the gospel, which should become the power of God unto salvation to his chosen people ; just as, on the other hand, the day of Christ's second coming is deferred until all the elect are gathered in, God being unwilling that any one of them should periali^ but that they should all come to rejyentance. 6thly. " When he (Christ) adds, ver. 24, that the false christs and false prophets should do as much as in them lay, by signs and wonders, to deceive the elect ; it is said *, There also are wo to understand the persevering Christians." I reply, that such who are converted, or are true believers, are, and will be, persevering Christians, and such are certainly the elect of God; but then the reason why they are elected is not because they are converted, or are true believers, or are persevering Christians ; but on the contrary, the reason why they are converted, become true believers, and so persevering Christians, is, because they are elected ; conversion, faith, and perseverance, being not causes and conditions, but fruits and effects of election. Tthly. " When he saith, ver. 31, that God (it should be the Son of Man) shall send his angels to gather his elect from the four wi7ids, it is said, the meaning may be, either that he would send his angels to warn the Christians in all the quarters of Judea, to gathei* together from the unbelieving Jews, that they might be preserved from ruin ; or, that he would send his messengers with the gospel, to gather toge- ther as many as did, or would believe, from among the nations of the earth." But the first of these cannot be the meaning of the words ; these elect cannot be the Christians in Judea ; since they were to be gathered, not from all the quarters of Judea, but from the four vnnds, from one end of the heaven to the other ; and if any from among the nations of the earth, or Gentiles, are intended by the elect, who, after the destruction of Jerusalem, were to be gathered by Christ^s minis- ters, his angels, to himself, with the sound of the gospel trumpet, God having resolved to take out of them a people for his name'f, when the Jews were rejected and cut off; yet these are not such as did believe the gospel, or would of themselves believe it, but unconverted persons who were destitute of faith, on whom God, of his free grace, would bestow it as a fruit of his electing love : or else, all the chosen vessels of mercy are meant by the elect, even the dead in Christ, who shall rise Jirst. when the Lord descends yro?« heaven ivith a shout, icith the voice of the archangel, and icith the trumpet of God J, even all those who will be gathered together, and placed at his right hand ; to whom he will say§, Come, 7je blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you * AVhitby, p. 43; cd. 2. 42. f Acts xv. 14. % 1 TIksr. iv. If). § Matt. xxv. 34. IrO THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH, from tlie foundation of the icorld ; a character aptly descriptive of per- sons absolutely chosen to eternal salvation. Sthly. " The elect, in Luke xviii. 7, are said*, to be the vihole body of true believers ; and it is suggested, that the faith of many of these should fail." Be it so, that the whole body of true believers are in- tended, this no ways prejudices the doctrine of eternal election ; since they are styled elect, not from their faith, but from God's choice of them to everlasting life ; whence they are called his oicn elect. Nor does the inquiry in ver. 8 show that the f;iith of many, or any of these elect, should fail at the coming of the Son of Man ; for though when he comes, the doctrine of faith will be greatly departed from, and the grace of faith will be very rare, and at a low ebb ; yet Christ prays for the faith of all his elect, as he did for Peter's, that it fail not. 9thly. It is observed -f*, that '■'■the election according to grace , men- tioned Rom. xi. .5, doth, in like manner, signify the whole body of the Jewish converts, even all that did embrace the Christian faith. A gre.at number of these turned afterwards apostates, and renounced the Christian faith ; and St. Paul was afraid that some of these elect would afterwards draxu hack unto perdition. From all which, it is ex- tremely evident, that the apostle neither did, nor could speak of this remnant according to the election of grace, as persons absolutely elected to salvation." I answer, that though the Jewish converts, such as were true believers, were the remnant in being at that time, according to the election of grace, before the world began ; yet all that bore the name of converts, or externally embraced the Christian faith, were not of that number : nor did any of the remnant turn apostates, re- nounce the Christian faith, and so come short of heaven ; otherwise, how could it be said, the election hath obtained it ? nor was the apostle Paul afraid that any of these elect should draw back to perdition ; but affirms the reverse, we are not of them that draw back to jjerdition^ : nor do any of the passages, cited from the Epistle to the Hebrews, suppose that any of these elect might, or did apostatize, or draw back unto perdition; as has been made to appear in the former part of this work. SECTION II. And not only this, but tvlien Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, (for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election , might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth) it icas said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger ; as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. — Rom. ix. 10—13. With Horn. viii. 33. The design of the apostle, in this chapter, is to show, that though the Israelites in general were a chosen people, had peculiar privileges, to whom the promises were made ; yet, the word of God was not * AVhitby, p. 43 ; cd. 2. 42. f Ibi.i., p. 43, 44. . % Hcb. x. 39. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND THLTIl. 151 made void, or took no effect ; notwithstanding few of them believed in Christ, the greater part were rejected of God, and the Gentiles shared the blessing of the new covenant ; seeing there were then, as there always had been, two sorts among them ; the one were children of the jiesh^ the natural descendants of Abraham only ; the other also children of the promise^ who were counted for the spiritual seed. To the latter of which the promises were always made good ; and these always shared, as they then did, the spiritual blessings of grace ; wherefore, the word of God had its designed accomplishment. And, lest this should seem any new, or strange thing, the apostle instances in the immediate offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael ; the one was born after the spirit, the other after the flesh ; the one was the son of the free, the other of the bond-woman ; the one continued in the house, the other was cast out. And to prevent any objection that might be taken from IshmaeFs being born, not of the lawful wife, but of the bond-woman, as being the reason of his rejection, the apostle proceeds to mention the case of Jacob and Esau, who not only had the same ftither, but the same mother, Isaac's lawful wife ; these were conceived at once, were in the womb together, were twins ; and if any had the preference, Esau by birth had it, being born first ; and yet a difference was made between these two by God himself ; who said to the mother of them. The elder shall serve the younger ; which is inter- preted of GocFs loving the one, and hating the other ; and this was notified to her, in consequence of an eternal purpose, before the childreii tcere born, and when they had done neither good nor evil ; so that it could not be said, that Jacob was loved for his good works, nor Esau hated for his evil ones ; wherefore the -purpose of God, respecting the election of Jacob, fully appears to depend not of works, but of the grace of him that calleth. From all this we conclude, that the predestina- tion of men, either to life or death, is personal : that the objects of either branch of predestination are alike, or are considered in the same situation or condition, whether in the pure, or corrupt mass, or in both ; that God was not influenced or moved, in the election of the one, by their good works, or in the rejection of the other, by their bad ones ; that God's decree of election stands firm and immovable^ not upon the foot of works, but of the grace of God ; and, that love and hatred are the real springs and source of predestination in its respect- ive branches. But the grand exception to this instance and example of personal election and rejection, is, that these words do not " respect the persons of Jacob and Esau, but their whole nation and posterity ; and this is said to be plain *," 1 , From the words of God to Rebecca, Two nations are in thy icomb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy boivels ; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger. To which I reply, that this oracle primarily respects the persons of Jacob and Esau as the roots of their respective offspring ; and only, secondarily, their posterity, as branches that should sprout from them ; it properly regards their persons, and only, in an im- * Whitby, p. 15 ; ed. 2. 44. So Curcellacus, p. 378; Limborch, p. 350. 1-32 THE CAUSE OF GOD AM) TRUTH. proper, figurative, and inetonymical sense, their seed ; for, in no other sense could two nations, or two manner of people, be in Rebecca's womb, than as there were two persons there, who would be the authors of two nations and people ; and, admitting that their res- pective posterities are in ever so strict and close a sense intended, this can never be understood to the exclusion of their persons ; any more than they can be thought to be personally excluded from any concern in the loss or enjoyment of the birthright and blessing : for, were the posterity of Esau only deprived of the birthright and blessing ? Was not he himself personally supplanted with respect to both ? Did the posterity of Jacob only enjoy the birthright and the blessing ? Did not Jacob himself, in his own person, purchase the birthright, and receive the blessing ? 2. This is said * to be plain, " from this observation, that, as to the persons of Jacob and Esau, this was never true, that the elder did serve the younger ; but only, as to their posterity, when the Edomites became tributaries to David, 2 Sam. viii. 14."" But this observation supposes that this is to be understood of outward temporal servitude ; and, indeed, in this sense, it was never true of their persons ; so far from being so, that Jacob, as soon as he had got the birthright and the blessing, was obliged to flee from Esau ; and when, after many years, he returned, he sends messengers to his brother, in a very sub- missive manner, charging them, saying. Thus shall ye say to my lord Esau, Thy servant Jacob saith thus, S)C. And, when he found that his brother was coming to meet him, it threw him into a panic fear, lest he should smite him, and the mother xcith the children ; he prepares presents for him ; and when he came to him, bowed himself to the ground seven times, and so his wives and children all bowed to him ; {ind the language in which he addressed him, while they conversed together, was that of my lordj:. Now it is not credible, that if thi;* oracle is to be understood of temporal servitude, that it should have no appearance, nor the least shadow of an accomplishment, in their persons, supposing it was to have a greater in their posterity ; and, indeed, the completion of it in this sense, in their posterity, is not so exceeding evident. It is certain, that there was a long train of dukes and kings in Esau's posterity before there was any king in Israel +. They were in lordly grandeur and splendour, when the children of Israel were oppressed with hard bondage in Egypt. The single in- stance referred to, when the Edomites became tributaries to David, was near a thousand years after the giving out of this oracle : and this servitude did not continue long ; for, in Joram's time, they re- volted §, and so continued ; and it is plain, that, at the time of the Babylonish captivity, the children of Edom were prosperous and triumphant; who said ||, concerning Jerusalem, Raze it, raze it, even to thefoundation thereof. This servitude, therefore, is to be understood in a spiritual sense of Esau's exclusion from the favour of God, and * AVhitbv, !>. 45; cd. 2. 44, t CiLii. xxvii. 43, and xxxii. 3. 4, 11, 13, and xxxiii. 3, 5—8, 13—15. % Gen. xxxvi. 31. § -2 KiiK-s, viii. 2>. \\ Psalm cxxxvii. 7. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TllUTII. 153 the blessings of grace ; for these two phrases, The elder shall serve the yoioujer, and Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated, are of the same signification ; the one is explanative of the other. AVhen Jacob got the birthright, and received the blessing, this oracle began to have a visible accomplishment. Esau then appeared not to be the son and heir of promise, who was to abide in the house ; and therefore departs, and pitches his dwelling elsewhere ; all which showed he had no in- terest in spiritual adoption — no right to the blessings of the covenant of grace — nor was he an heir of heaven ; these belonged to Jacob. Esau was a servant of sin, under the dominion of it, and in bondage to it ; whilst Jacob was the Lord's freeman, and, as a prince, had power with God, and with men, and prevailed. Esau was serviceable to Jacob, even in spiritual things, as reprobates are to the elect ; for all things are for their sake, and all things work together for their good. JacoVs being obliged to flee from his brother, was for his good ; by this providence, he got him a suitable wife, and large sub- stance. His brother's meeting him on his return, which gave him so much pain and uneasiness, issued in his spiritual good ; this sent him to the throne of grace, to humble himself before God, acknowledge his mercies and dependence on him, to implore his help and plead his promises. And thus the oracle was verified in the persons of Jacob and Esau. 3. It is urged *, that " what is here offered, as a proof or confirma- tion of this, is cited from the prophet IMalachi, who prophesied long after Jacob and Esau were personally dead, and speaks expressly of the nation of the Edoraites.'''' It is very true, that Malachi prophe- sied long after Jacob and Esau were dead personally ; and it is as true, that what God there says by Malachi so long after they were dead, is only an explanation of what he had said to Kebecca before they were born; as appears from the apostle's citing both passages as of like import, and the one as interpreting the other. It is plain, that the Lord, in the prophecy of Malachi, directs the murmuring Jews to the personal regard he had to Jacob and Esau ; and which had con- tinued in numberless instances to their respective posterities, in order to stop their mouths, and reprove their ingratitude ; and though he speaks of the nation of the Edomites, and also to the posterity of Israel, yet it is evident that he has a respect to the persons of Jacob and Esau, from whence they sprung, when he says, was not Esau JacoVs brother ? Now, though an Edomite may be said to be brother to an Israelite, yet Esau is never said, nor can he, with any propriety, be said to be the brother of Jacob's posterity. 4. That the persons, and not the posterity of Jacob and Esau, are here designed, is evident from the personal account that is given of them ; for whatever may be said for their taking their rise from one common father, Isaac, or for their being chosen or rejected as nations before they were born, or had done good or evil ; yet it cannot be said with any propriety at all, that Rebecca conceived their respective posterities by one, even by our father Isaac. Moreover, the Scriptural accomit of * Wliitby, p. 15 ; ed. 2. 44 ; Limborch, p. 350. 154 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. these two accords with a personal rejection of the one, and an election of the other. Esau is represented as a -profane person ; yea, is ex- pressly * said to be a-nehoKiixacrdi]^ rejected, that is, from inheriting the blessing. Jacob, on the other hand, is spoken of as a plain and up- right man ; one interested in the covenant of grace, and a chosen vessel of salvation. Besides, this sense of the words only agrees with the scope and design of the apostle, which is to prove, that all were not Israel which were of Israel, and that all the natural seed of Abraham were not the children of God : this he could not better exemplify, than in the persons of Jacob and Esau ; for to have instanced in the pos- terity of Esau, would have been foreign to his purpose. Add to all this, that the apostle continues his discourse, in the following verses, upon the subject of personal election and rejection ; he observes, ver. J 5, 18, that God loillhave mercy on ivhoin he vnll have mercy, and ivhom he Uiill, he hardeneth ; which respects persons, and not nations ; and in- stances in Pharaoh, which surely cannot be understood of the posterity, but of the person of Pharaoh ; and in ver. 22, 23, speaks of vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, and of vessels of mercy afore prejmred for glory; which design neither nations, nor churches, nor Jewish con- verts only, but particular persons among Jews and Gentiles ; which latter appear to be the people and beloved of God, and vessels of mercy, by their being called by grace. Hence, 5. It does not clearly follow, as is said*}-, that the apostle cannot here discourse of any personal election to eternal life, or of any per- sonal love or hatred with respect to eternal interests ; since he mani- festly speaks of the persons, and not the posterity of Jacob and Esau : and did he, it Avould not follow, as is suggested, that according to this opinion, the whole nation of Israel must be elected to eternal life, and the whole posterity of Esau be the objects of God's hatred and repro- bation ; since the people of Israel in general might be said to be loved and chosen of God, the far greater part of them being so, the line of election running among them as it did for many hundreds of years ; and yet some of them be instances of God's displeasure and hatred : and on the other hand, the posterity of Esau in general might be said to be rejected, the far greater part being so, the line of rejection run- ning among them as it did for many hundreds of years ; and yet some of them, as Job and his friends, be chosen vessels of mercy. Nor 6. " Is it certain |, That the apostle here only speaks of the elec- tion of one seed and nation before another, to be accounted and treated by him as the seed of Abraham, or owned for his peculiar people." For nothing is more certain than that the apostle here speaks of the election of some of the same seed, and of the same nation, before others, ^vho were to be accounted and treated as the spiritual seed of Abraham; and owned for God's peculiar, special people, before others who were, equally with them, the natural seed of Abraham. 7. The last instance of the sense of the word elect, when applied to Jewish converts, is in Rom. viii. 33, JVlio shall lay any thing to the * Heb. xii. 17. t Whitby, p. 45 ; ed. 2. 44. J Ibid. p. 46 ; ed. 2. 45. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 155 charge of God's elect ? And, " here again it is said, that * the elect and true behevers are the same." I see no reason why the elect here should be confined to Jewish converts ; for though the apostle speaks of himself and others, he is ^^Titing to the Romans. And be it so, that the elect design true believers, it is plain they were such who were predestinated before they were called ; and so were the elect of God antecedent to their being true believers, and therefore are not denominated God's elect from their being so ; and besides, they were such as were chosen not barely to external means of grace, and out- ward privileges, but to grace here and glory hereafter, ver. 80, and so were not whole nations, or churches, or communities, but particular persons. SECTION III. Put 071 therefore (as the elect of God, holy and beloved) boivels of mercies, <5c.— Coi,. iii. 12. Together with 1 Thess. i. 4, 2 Thess. ii. 13, 2 Tim. ii. 10, Tit. i. 1. O UK author goes on to observe f, "that suitable to this notion of the word election, where it respects the Jewish nation, or the Jewish converts, is the import of it in these epistles, where whole nations, communities, or churches, are styled the elect ;" that is, that it means converts to the Christian faith, or true believers. But surely, whole nations are never styled the elect in such a sense ; and, indeed, this author does not attempt to propose one instance of it, and only takes notice of churches or communities. And, 1. Observes, that "all the faithful brethren in Colosse, are styled J the elect of God;" and " the same apostle saith to the whole church of Thessalonica §, Knoicing your election of God ; and in his second epistle, he saith, We ought to give thanks for you, that God hath elected you from the beginning to salvation |j." All which he might say without a special revelation, in a judgment of charity ; for, though every individual member of these churches were not chosen to salvation, yet inasmuch as they were all under a visible profession of religion, and the major part of them were truly believers, he might ^\Tite to them as such : nor do the cautions, exhortation, care and fear, ex- pressed by him, militate against this their character; since these might be all designed, and be made use of for their perseverance as such in grace unto glory. 2. Another instance is in 2 Tim. ii. 10, where the apostle says, / endure all things for the elect's sake. And we are told If, that, "if we compare this with a parallel place in Col. i. 24, 25, we shall find the elect to be no other than the whole church of Christ, of which he was a minister." But by comparing this text with that in Colossians, it appears that the church of which the apostle was a minister, is no other than the body of Christ ; and intends the general assembly and * Wbitbv, p. 45; ed. 2. 44. f Ibia. p. 45; eJ. 2. 44. X Col. iii. 12. § \ Thess. i. 4. II 2 Thess. ii. 13. If Whitby, p. 47 ; cd. 2. 46. 156 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TIUTM. church of the first-horn which are icriiten hi heaven*, and not any parti- cular society, or comminiity of men, under a profession of Christianity; for of such a particular churcli the apostle was no minister. Nor would this have been agreeable to his character as an apostle, who was not fixed with any particular church, but had the care of all the clmrches upon him. Besides, the elect here were such who were not yet called by grace, for whose sake the apostle endured, and was willing to endure, reproach and persecution, in preaching the gospel ; that thetj also, as well as such as were already converted, might nhtain that salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal fiort/. S. The apostle in Tit. i. 1, styles himself an apostle accordinr; to the faith of God's elect; which is interpreted f of the faith of Christians in 'general. But this interpretation will not hold good of nominal, only of real Christians, who become so because they arc God's elect, to whom true saving faith in Christ is peculiar; for all men hare not faith ; -to the elect only is it given, whilst others believe not in him, because they are not of his sheep. SECTION IV According as he hath chosen us in him before the funndation of the tvorld, that toe should be holy, and without blame before him in love. — Eph. i. 4. These words are, indeed, a strong proof of the doctrine of an eternal, personal, and imconditional election of men to grace and glory ; yet the whole strength of the doctrine is not placed in them, as is suggested | : we have other strengthening proofs of the truth of it ; though we readily own this to be a very considerable one. This passage of Scripture proves, that the choice of men to holiness and happiness, is an eternal act of God the Father, or what passed before the world began ; since it is expressly said, that he hath chosen us in him, that is, in Christ, as the head of the elect, before the foundation of the world; and not as the author § attended to, either through inadvertency, or with design, cites the words, from the foundation of the icorld. For the phrase is not anh KarajioXijs Koaixov, as in Rev. xiii. 8, but -npo KaTaftoXij'i Koa-jjiov, and is expressive of the eternity of it, agreeable to other Scriptures ; as 2 Tim. i. 9, 2Thess. ii. 13, com- pared with Prov. viii. 22, 23. It also proves, that this choice is of particular persons, he hath chosen lis, and not of nations, or churches ; seeing the apostle is not wTiting to, nor speaking of a nation : nor is it very evident that he is writing to a church ; for ho expresses him- self with much caution and distinction, when he inscribes this epistle to the saints ivhich are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. And it is still less evident, that he is speaking of these same persons, or of them as a church ; yea, it is manifest, that he is speaking of himself and others, as partakers of the several blessings of grace mentioned in the context ; tvho first trusted in Christ, and were not members of this particular church. These are distinctly spoken of * Hcb. xii. 23. t Whitby, p. 47 ; od. 2. 46. J Ibid. ; cd. 2. 48. § Ibid. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TUUI'If. 157 from ver. 3, to ver. 12, inclusive; and tlien the* apostl, c. 17, p. 607, 608; cd. Paris. t Whitby, p. 47 ; ed. 2. 48. t Ibid. ] 58 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. whole armour of God, though the former seems rather a testimonial of their pious walk than an exhortation to it ; these, I say, are so far from being inconsistent with their character as elect, that nothing could be more pertinent to them who were chosen to bo holy, and which were designed, and doubtless were blessed, as means of their perseverance in grace and holiness. And as for the caution given them, that no man deceive them into the commission of sins there mentioned, with this very good reason, for because of these thinrjs Cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience ; nothing could be more proper to give them a just idea of the evil nature of sin, and the resentment of it by God, in order to their avoiding it ; and yet no ways prejudice their absolute and infallible election to salvation, nor their faith and hope in it ; seeing the wrath of God Cometh not upon them, but upon the children of disobedience. 2. " From the apostle's prediction. Acts xx. 29, 30."" But though the apostle prophesies, that after his departure either from them, or out of the world, e/rievous wolves should e7iter among them, and of themselves men should ainse speaking perverse things ; yet not that any of them who were chosen in Christ before the foundation oftheicorld should be such or act in this manner. For these words, as has been already shown, are not spoken of the members of the church at Ephesus ; and were they spoken of them, the apostle in his predic- tion could never design any of the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus, who then constituted the church at Ephesus ; but others that should creep in, and rise up among them in some time to come. 3. " From his advertisement to Timothy, in 2 Tim. i. 15, and ii. 18, and iv. 3, 4 ; 1 Tim. i. 19, and v. 15, and vi. 21, that some had or should turn away ; all which is inconsistent with the character of the elect." I reply, that some of these passages do not seem to have any immediate relation to the members of the church at Ephesus, nor any of them to them who were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the ivorld ; some of them speak not of men's turning from the faith, but from the apostle, slighting and neglecting him when he was in neces- sity; and others not of what was then done, but what should be here- after ; and though some then present instances of apostacy are men- tioned, yet it is also affirmed, that nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal, the Lord knoioeth them that are his. So that these instances carry in them nothing inconsistent with the cha- racter of the elect, that is, of persons infallibly predestinated to sal- vation, nor prove what they are produced for. THE CAUSE 01- GOD AND TRUTH. 159 SECTION V. And we know thai all thins's work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called, Kara, irpodeaiv, according to his purpose ; for whom npoiyva, he did foreknow, he also Tj-pooyptcre, did predestinate. — Rom. viii. 28, '29. These three words irpoyvaxTts, the forelmoioledge, TrpoOea-c?, the jmrpose, and -pocopio-ixos, the foreappointment of God, are used in the New Tes- tament to express the doctrine of election ; which show that the pre- destination of men to eternal life, according to the foreknowledge and purpose of God, is a special, vmchangeable, and eternal act of his grace. Though, 1. It is affirmed *, " that none of them relate to particular or indi- vidual persons (save only when they are used of our blessed Lord and his sufferings for us), but only to churches and nations in the general." But surely they do not relate to churches and nations in the general, in the text before us ; for then it would unavoidably follow, that whole churches and nations in general are conformed to the image of Christ, justified and glorified, seeing these things are said of those whom God foreknows and predestinates ; nor do the instances alleged prove the assertion; not Eph. i. 5, 11, where the apostle speaks of some whom God had irpoopia-as, predestinated to the adoption of sons, and who were TTpoopLcrOei'Tes Kara irpodecnv, predestinated accordinr/ to the purpose of God, which passages regard not nations or churches, but particular persons, as has been shown under the foregoing section ; nor 1 Pet. i. 2, where some are said to be elect, not KarA Trpodea-Lv, according to the purpose, as Dr. "NVliitby very wrongly cites the words, but Kara Trpoyvaio-w, according to the foreknoioledge of God the Father, which intend particular persons, and not nations or churches ; for not to such does the apostle write, but to strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia., Asia and Bithgnia ; nor Rom. ix. 11, where the ?/ Kar eKXoyi]v rod Qeov irpoOeaLs, purpose of God according to election, concerns not the posterity of Jacob and Esau, but the single person of Jacob only, as has been made to appear in a preceding section. 2. It is said -f-, " that this foreknowledge, purpose, or appointment, is only that of calling men to the knowledge of salvation by Christ Jesus." But, if by calling men to the knowledge of salvation by Christ Jesus is only meant, as it seems to be by what follows, a bare exter- nal call by the ministry of the gospel ; it must be denied that fore- knowledge, piu-pose, and appointment, only regard this ; seeing many are called according to the purpose of God, loith an holy calling, such an one as is powerful, and effectual to their real sanctification, and which is secured to them by God's foreknowledge, purpose, and appointment, though it is something distinct from them, being an act of God''s grace in time, whereas the other respects his knowledge and will from all eternity. * Whitby, p. 49 ; ed. 2. 48. t Ibid. p. 50 ; ed. 2. 49. 1 60 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TKUTII. 3. It is fjirtlier said *, that " this calHiig is by God designed e-t TovTo^, that tlioy who are thus called miglit ohtain salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of ths truth ; all Christians being chosen to this end, that tliey mic/ht he holi/, and unhlavicahle before God in love. But hence it cannot reasonably be argued, that this election is no larger than the holiness designed to be produced by it." I reply, that effectual calling by the grace of God, which is the calling accord- ing to purpose the Scriptures speak of, is not only designed by God, that such who are thus called might obtain salvation, but is really and infallibly succeeded to such an end ; though it would be more proper, and more agreeable to the Scriptures to say, that such obtain salvation by Jesus Christ, being chosen to it through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; which holiness is not only designed to be produced in consequence of electing grace, but is really produced. Nor is this election larger, nor it does not extend to more persons than holiness ; just as many persons are made holy in time as were chosen to be so from eternity : holiness is a certain fruit and effect of election. The instances of God's general goodness, the mission of the Baptist, and the outward ministry of the gospel of grace, not always having a good effect upon men, are not to be put upon a level with the purposes and counsel of God, which shall certainly stand; for he ivill always do his • pleasure. As to the end of the Messiah's coming, to save his people from their sins, that ought not to have been mentioned with the former instances ; since that is fully answered, and has had its sure effect and accomplishment. 4. It is observed f , that " as men were appointed to be called from the beginning, and the gospel is that r)v -n-powptcrez;, uMch God had fore- appointed to be preached to them for that end, 1 Cor. ii. 7 ; so by virtue of this purpose and foreappointment, men were in time called by the gospel to faith in Christ, where they are said to be called ac- cording to purpose., Rom. viii. £8, 2 Tim. i. 9. And the purpose of sending Christ to die for the remission of sins, being the ground of this calling, he is said to be given up to death, according to the fore- knowledge of God and his foreappointcd cowisel, Acts ii. 23. And they who slew him are said to have done only what his counsel had fore- appointed to be done., Acts iv. 28.'"' Whicli observations are very just ; but are so far from militating against the doctrine of absolute election, that they establish it ; since, according to them, not only the end but the means, the death of Christ, the preaching of the gospel, and call- ing men by it, are appointed and fixed, which infallibly succeed to bring about the end, eternal salvation. * AVhitby, p. 50 ; cd. 2. 49. f Ihiil. p. 5] ; cd. 2. 50. THE CAUSE OF ROD AND TUIJTH. 161 SECTION VI. Ah that the Father giveth me shall come to me j and him that cometh In me I will in nowise cast out. — John vi. 37. These words contain three of the most glorious truths of the gospel, namely, the doctrines of particular election, efficacious grace in con- version, and the final perseverance of the saints. 1st. The doctrine of particular election. The all, -nav, design not the apostles only, who were given to Christ as such ; for these did not all, in a spiritual manner, come to him, and believe in him, one of them was a devil ; much less every individual of mankind. These are in some sense given to Christ, to subserve some ends of his media- torial kingdom, and are subject to his power and control ; yet do not come to him, believe in him *, all men have not faith ; but the whole body of the elect, who, when they were chosen by God the Father, were given, and put into the hands of Christ, and therefore are said to be chosen in hi?n f ; he was chosen as head, and they as members of him. God made a covenant with him, as the head of the election of grace ; in which he gave his chosen people to him as his seed, his spouse, his sheep, his portion and inheritance, and to be saved by him with an everlasting salvation. This was done before time : otherwise how could these persons be blessed with all spiritual blessings, and have grace given to them in Christ, before the world began ; if their persons had not also been given to Christ, and secured in him ? And though Christ here expresses this act of his Father's in the present tense, all that the Father hihocxri, giveth me, perhaps to express the continuance and unchangeableness of it ; yet he expresses it in ver. 89 in the past tense, all that beboiKe, he hath ijiven me, and respects an act of God, antecedent to coming to Christ, and believing in him ; which is the faith of GocT select, the fruit and effect of electing love ; for as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed\. Now to this sense of the woi'ds the following things are objected, 1. " That § to be given of the Father, cannot signify to be abso- lutely chosen by God to eternal life ; for then the Jews could not be reasonably accused for not coming to Christ, or not believing on him ; much less could it be imputed to them as their great crime, that they would not come to him, or believe in him ; since upon this supposition none could come but whom God had chosen." I answer, There is a difference between coming to Christ, and believing on him as the Messiah, or giving a bare assent to him as such, and coming to him as a Saviour, or believing in him for life and salvation. The Jews might be reasonably accused for not believing on him as the Messiah, ivhom the Father had sent ; since they had such a demonstration of his being so from his character, miracles, and doctrines ; though none but those among them, whom the Father had given to Christ, could * 2 Thess. iii. 3. t Eph. i. 4. J Acts xiii. 48. § Whitby, p. 51, .52 ; Limborrh, p. 347. il 1G2 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. believe in him to the saving of their souls. And even not coming to Christ, and beheving in him, in this spiritual manner, when he is re- vealed in the external ministry of the word, as God's way of salvation, is criminal and blameworthy, notwithstanding men's want of both will and power ; since this docs not arise from any decree of God, but from the corruption of nature through sin ; and this being blame- worthy, what follows upon it, or is the effect of it, must be so too. 2. " Hence it must follow (it is said) that Christ could not reason- ably have invited them to come to him, or called them to believe in him, who were not given him of the Father ; since he well knew they could never come *." I reply, that Christ, as a preacher of the gospel, and a minister of the circumcision, might exhort the Jews in general to labour for, that is, use the means of obtaining the meativhich endures unto eternal life ; he might inform them, that this is the icork of God, which he himself works, as well as commands, that they believe in him tohotn he hath sent; he might say to them,M?/ Father giveth you the true bread from heaven, since he, who is the bread of life, was come down from lieaven, and was among them ; and these things he might say unto them, that they might be saved, without any pi-ejudice to the doctrine of particular election, and with a special view to the good of those among them his Father had given to him. And after all, it will not be easily proved, that Christ ever invited any to come in a spiritual way to him, and believe in him savingly, but such as the Father had given him. The words in Matt. xi. 28 are directed, not to unconverted sinners, much less reprobates, but to such who were under a work of the Spirit of God, labouring, and being heavy laden, with a sense of sin, and breathing and seeking after spiritual rest. 8. It is further objected f , that " were this so, the Jews must have just occasion to complain of Christ and of his doctrine, as being that which revealed to them their eternal and inevitable reprobation, and made it not only necessary, but even equitable to reject him ; because the blessings which he tendered belonged not to them in general, but only to some few, who by the Father should be given to him.'''' It is true, indeed, that the doctrine of Christ was oftentimes very expres- sive of God's special and distinguishing grace, which raised loud com- plaints, and even indignation +, in the Jews against him, but without any just occasion or reason ; since the grace of God is his own, and he may do with it as he pleases, and give it to whom he will. And as for their destruction, it was wholly owing to themselves ; nor had they any just occasion, by Christ''s doctrine, to complain of any but themselves, who ought to have been received by them as the Messiah ; by whom it was necessary and equitable he should be received, and not rejected, even by those who were not given of the Father to him. Though Christ did not offer or tender the blessings of grace to any, much less to them in general ; but as a preacher of the gospel, pub- lished the truths of it to all ; and as the Mediator of the new cove- nant, dispensed the blessings of it to those who u^ere (not should be) given him by the Father. * Whitl>y, p. 51, 52. t Ibid. p. 53 : c.l. 2. 62. X See Luke iv. 25— 2R. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 163 4. It is observed *, that " Christ here gives a reason why they be- Heved not, namely, Ye have seen, and believed not; because ye are not given to me of my Father. Now it is reasonable to conceive this reason should agree with all the other reasons assigned of their infidelity ; which yet are manifestly founded, not on anything wanting on the part of God, but in themselves." But it should be observed, that Christ is not here giving a reason why some believed not, but rather why others did, and would believe, while some remained unbelievers in him, who saw his miracles ; when others, even all those the Father had given to him, should come to him, and believe in him, and so never perish. But admitting that Christ here gives a reason of the infidelity of some ; it is such an one, in the sense of it contended for, that is agreeable to other reasons of infidelity elsewhere assigned ; such as, Ye therefore hear not, because ye are not of God ^^ do not belong to him, are none of his, neither chosen of him, nor born of him : and in another place, Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep |, whom the Father has given me, and made my care and charge. 5. It is said §, that " the true import of tliis phrase. To be given of the Father," is, (1.) To be convinced by the miracles which God wrought by Christ, that he was the ISIessiah ; which appears from the description Christ gives of the persons the Father had given him, John xvii. 8, and from a like expression in the book of Deuteronomy. On which I observe, that as the miracles Christ ^\Tought were by the Spirit of God, so the conviction which came by them, was by the same hand. Hence such who denied Jesus to be the Messiah, against such convic- tion, sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost, which is unpardonable ; whence it follows, that since conviction by miracles that Jesus was the Messiah, is not the act of the Father, but the work of the Spirit ; therefore to be so convinced, is not the true import of this phrase. And admitting such a conviction to be the act of God the Father ; yet this is what is wrought internally in the consciences of men, and not an act towards them, or concerning them, as this of giving them to Christ is. Add to this, that some persons were convinced by miracles, that Jesus was the Messiah, who never came to him in a spiritual saving way, or believed in him to the saving of their souls, though they might give their assent to his being the Messiah ; w-hereas these words declare, that all that the Father giveth to Christ shall come to him, and never be cast out, or perish. Nor does this sense of the phrase appear from the description of those who were given to Christ in John xvii. 8, which is spoken of Christ's disciples ; for though these saw his miracles, and believed on him, and knew that he came from God, and was sent by him, yet this was not all : Christ manifested his Father's name, person and glory, mind and will, his love and grace, to these memchich he gave him oiit of the icorld ; which donation of them to him was made antecedent to their seeing of his miracles, and be- lieving in him, to the manifestation of his Father"'s name unto them. * Whitby, p. 53 ; cd. 2. 52. t John viii. 47. J Chap. x. 26. § W^hitby, p. 54, 55 ; ed. 2. 53, 54. M 2 164 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. The passage refei*recl to in Deuteronomy * is not all to the puq^ose ; since it appears from thence that miracles may be wrought, and yet not be taken notice of, or men may not be convinced by them : which was the case of the Israelites, to whom the Lord did not give an heart to perceive, and eyes to see. For to read the words with an interroga- tion, is contrary to the ancient and modern versions ; and still more impertinent is this passage alleged to prove this to be the import of the phrase under consideration. (2.) It is also urged -j-, that such " are said to be given of the Father to Christ, who are so convinced by his miracles of the truth of the promise of eternal life, as to expect to receive it by faith in him, and obedience to his doctrine ; and were so affected with it, as to esteem it above all other things ; and so were willing to apply themselves to those duties by which this life might be acquired, and to reject and quit those things which might obstruct them in the prosecution of it. " This sense of the phrase not only makes eternal life to be acquired by men's duties, contrary to its being both a promise of grace, and a gift by it, but also makes this act of the Father's to consist in a revelation of the promise of eternal life, and in a convic- tion of the truth of it by the miracles of Christ ; when such a revela- tion and conviction are to be ascribed not to the Father of Christ, but to the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the hioivledge of Christ, whose proper business it is to convince of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment \ ; and so of the truth of the promise, and of their need of enjoyment of eternal life by Christ. And, supposing all this to be done by the Father, yet this regards something internal in the minds and consciences of men ; and not an act concerning them, as is the giving of them to Christ ; which is no other than interesting him in them, putting them into his hands, and him into the possession of them, making them his care and charge ; which was done, when they were chosen in him unto eternal life before the foundation of the world. To this I take leave to add the two following observations ; though they do not properly fall under this head of discourse. That, 2dly. The doctrine of efficacious grace in conversion is strongly asserted in these words ; for such who are given in eternal election, and in the everlasting covenant of grace to Christ, shall in time come unto him, that is, believe in him. Which is not to be ascribed to any power and will in them, but to the power and grace of God ; for there is not in them naturally any will, desire, or inclination, to come to Christ for life ; they had rather go any where else, than to him for it ; for no man can come to Christ except the Father draw him §. It is not here said, that such who are given to Christ have a power to come to him, or mag come if they will ; but they shall come, efficacious grace will bring them to Christ as poor perishing sinners, to venture on him for life and salvation. 8dly. The doctrine of the saints' final perseverance may be estab- lished on this text ; for such who come to Christ in a spiritual manner, * Chap. xxix. 3, 4. t Whitby, p. 5fi ; ed. 2. 54, 55. X Eph. i. 17 ; John xvi. 8. § John vi. 44. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 165 and are brought to believe in him truly and really, he not only re- ceives them kindly, but keeps and presei'ves them, and will not cast them out. The words are very strongly and emphatically expressed in the original, ov //r/ e(c/3dAa) efco, I iv ill not, not, or never, never, we render it in noivise cast out without^ or cast out of doors. . Christ will never cast them out of his affections, nor out of his arms, nor out of that family that is named of him, nor out of or from his church, whicli is his body, and of which they are members, nor out of a state of justification and salvation ; and therefore they shall never perish, but have everlasting life. SECTION VII. A7id as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed. — Acts xiii. 48. This act of ordination to eternal life, is no other than God's act of predestination of some persons to glory, or his eternal choice and appointment of them to life and salvation by Jesus Christ, which the Scriptures frequently speak of. Now, seeing that as, many as were ordained to eternal life, did in the times of the apostles, and do in all ages, believe in consequence thereof, election must be an act of God's grace, irrespective of faith, is not on account of the foresight of it ; faith being not the cause, but a fruit and effect of it ; and it must also relate to particular persons only ; since all men have not faith, nor will enjoy eternal life ; both which are firmly and infallibly secured by this act of grace to all those who are interested in it. To which is objected, 1. That these words speak not of preordination*, much less of divine preordination. The persons spoken of are not said to be Trporeray/xe'rot foreordained, but TerayixevoL, ordained ; and not said to be ordained bi/ God, but were such who disposed themselves unto eter- nal life. To which I reply, that the words are rendered both by the Vulgate Latin, and by Arias Montanus, quotquot erant prseordinati, as many as were preordained. And it is certain, that they speak of an ordination to what is future, eternal life, and to that antecedent to believing, and why not then before the foundation of the world, agree- able to other scriptures ? especially since there was a promise (and therefore why not a purpose i) of eternal life made by God before the world began -f*. And though here is no mention made of God, yet who can ordain to eternal life, or dispose of it, but God \ Eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord\. And could these words be understood, even of an internal disposition in man unto eternal life ; who can dispose unto it, any more than of it, but God I For loe are not sufficient of ourselves, to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God ^. 2. It is said ||, " That these words cannot signify that there is a fixed number of persons absolutely by God ordained to eternal life, is evi- • Remonstr. Coll. Hag. art. i. p. 93; and Act. Synod, circa art. i. p. 61 ; Hammond in lac; Limborch, p. 342, 739. t Tit. i. 2. tRom. vi. 23. § 2 Cor. iii. .5. || Whitby, p. 57 ; ed. 2. 5fi, 57. 166 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH, dent from this consideration, that if the reason why these men beheved were only this, that they were men ordained to eternal life, the reason why the rest believed not can be tliis only, that they were not by God ordained to eternal life. And if so, what necessity could there be, that the loord of God shoidd be first jjreached to them ? as we read ver. 46. Was it only that their damnation might be the greater ? This seems to charge the lover of souls with the greatest cruelty ; what could even their most malicious and enraged enemy do more l This is to make God as instrumental to their ruin as the very devil."" To which may be replied, that though faith is a fruit of, and what follows upon, electing grace, and therefore is called the faith of God's elect^ yet election is not the immediate cause of it, but the grace and power of God : hence it is said to be the gift, and of the operation of God^', and comes by hearing the word, as an instrumental means. So, likewise, though unbelief follows upon God's denying his grace, which is agree- able to a previous determination, yet neither the denial of his grace, nor his determination to deny it, is the cause of unbelief, but the vitiosity and corruption of nature, and, therefore, not to be charged on God's not <5rdaining them to eternal life, which is no instance either of cruelty or injustice, for then it would have been both cruel and unjust with God to deny and determine to deny his grace to fallen angels. And whereas it is asked, to what purpose was the word of God preached to them ; was it for their greater damnation ? I answer, that the preaching of the gospel to men is not to aggravate the dam- nation of any ; for, though the condemnation of men becomes the greater by it, yet this is only accidental to it, or owing to the wicked- ness of men, but is not the end and design of God in it, which is partly to gather out his elect from among them, and partly to leave the rest inexcusable, who would be apt to say. Had we heard of Christ, we should have embraced him ; had the gospel been preached to us, as unto others, we had believed, even as they. 3. It is observed f, that "the apostle gives this reason why he turned from the Jews to the Gentiles, because the Jeios thrust away the word of God from them, and judged themselves univorthy of everlasting life, ver. 46. Whereas, according to this supposition, that could be no suffi- cient reason ; for it was only they among the Jews, who were not ordained to eternal life, that refused to believe and obey the word of God ; and as many among the Gentiles, who were not thus ordained, must necessarily do the same." I reply, that the reason was a suffi- cient one ; for these Jews, as a body of men, rejected the gospel ; not one gave heed unto it ; wherefore the apostles rightly concluded, that God had no more work for them to do among them ; that there were no more of his elect to be gathered out from them, and, therefore, they turned to the Gentiles, as the Lord had commanded them ; expecting and believing that God would take out of them, through their ministry, a people for his name and glory. And it is easy to observe, that this was the rule of their conduct among the Gentiles ; for, according as they were directed by the Spirit of God, or were able * Eph. ii. 8 ; Col. ii. 12; Rom. x. \7. f Whitby, p. 58'; cd. 2. 57 ; Liraborch, p. 312. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 167 to make a judgment, wliether God had a people to be called by grace or not, they continued, or departed, or turned aside. Thus they loere forbidden by the Holy Ghost, at a certain time, to preach the word of ^God in Asia; and when they assayed to go into Bithynia, the Spirit sif- fered them not; and passing by Mysia, they came doicn to Troas*, where, by a vision, they were directed to Macedonia ; from whence they assu- redly gathered, that the Lord had called them to preach the gospel to them, and that some persons were to be converted there, and not in the other places at that time where they were not permitted to go. The apostle Paul, when he went to Corinth, first preached among the Jews ; but they opposing themselves, and blaspheming, he turned to the Gentiles, and had this encouragement from the Lord to continue in his ministrations to them, from this consideration f, that he had much people in that city. 4. ^Vl^ereas the apostle preached the doctrines of remission of sins, and justification to the Jews, and exhorted them to beware, lest what was spoken of in the prophets should come upon them. It is asked |, " Could God have determined that these very persons should not believe to life eternal, and yet commissionate his apostles to tell them these things ? Could it be revealed to St. Paul that they could not believe to life eternal, as being not by God ordained to it ; and yet would he so passionately exhort them to that faith in Jesus which he well knew, by virtue of this revelation, belonged not to them, nor could they possibly exert V But who says that God had determined they should not believe, or that it was revealed to St. Paul that they could not believe to life eternal, as being not by God ordained to it I The apostle Paul, with the rest of the apostles, had a commission to preach the gospel to all nations, beginning with the Jews, which, as it was designed to gather in the elect of God among them, so it was faith- fully executed by them. They preached these doctrines of grace pro- miscuously to ail, not knowing who were ordained to eternal life and who were not, or who would believe and who would not ; the judgment they were able to form in anywise of these things, did not arise from any special or extraordinary revelation, but from the success of their ministry. Thus, from the Jews rejecting the gospel, and thereby judging themselves unw^orthy of everlasting life, they might justly fear they were left of God, and did not belong to him, and might rightly conclude that many among the Gentiles were ordained to eternal life, from their behoving in Christ ; and, therefore, in perfect consistence both with the design of God and the nature of their commission, could, and did preach and propose these things to them. 5. It is urged §, that " the words will very well admit of this sense, as many as were disposed for eternal life believed.'''' Which sense is pleaded for from the use of the word rerayiJiivos, in this very book of the Acts of the Apostles, and in the Son of Sirach, from some passages in Philo the Jew, from Simplicius on Epictetus, and from the opposi- tion in the context between the indisposed Jews and the disposed Gentiles. To which I reply, that the place referred to in this book is * Acts xvi. 6—10. t Chap, xviii, 10. t Whitby, p. 58. § Ibid. p. o9 ; cd. 2. 58; Remonstr. and Limboicli, ubi supra. 168 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. no proof of such a sense of the word ; for it is not the same word in the same simple form with this here that is there used, but as in com- position with the proposition bia ; it is not T€Tay}xivo<;, but hianTay- fxivo-i ; nor does that signify disposition of mind, but determination and foreappointment. The words are these *, We went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paid, ovVco yap tjv btare- Tayixivos,for so had he appointed, not as Dr. Wliitby renders it, for so was he disposed : the disposition of his mind is expressed by the fol- lowing phrase, rnindinc/ himself to go afoot. It is plain that it was a determined case, which had been concerted and agreed upon between Paul and his associates, that they should go with the ship to Assos, and he would go afoot thither, where they should take him in ; so that this place, instead of making for, makes against the sense of the word contended for. The Son of Sirach says-f, that the government, or prin- cipalitg of a loise man, is Terayix^vrj, which the Vulgate Latin renders stabilis erit, shall he stable ovfirm. The reason is, because it is ordained by God ; for, as the apostle Paul says:}:, the powers that be are Terayixivat, ordained by God, wliich is an instance of the use of the word in favour of our sense of it. The passages out of Philo are no proofs of the word signifying an internal disposition of mind, being allusions to the marshalling and ordering of persons in a military form, which is the frequent use of TarToi in Xenophon and other writers. Though Sim- plicius interprets Teray^ivos virb deov, in Epictetus§, by ■npoTp^-noixivos viio d€ov, yet both the one and the other phrase signify the force and power of the fatal decree, ordaining things ; which is made use of as an argument with the philosopher, why he should choose and retain them. For in another place, says p]pictetus ||, Lead me, O Jupiter, and thou fate, ottol ttoO' vplv dp.i hiaTeTayp.ivos, whither lam by you appointed, and I loill cheerfully follow. So &pa TeTayp-ivrj, is used by him for a .stated Aowr^, just as ijiiipa T^rayixivi] is by Porphyry**, for a, fixed day, or appointed time. But, after all, to settle the true sense of the word in the text, it will be proper to inquire in what sense it is used by the historian Luke, in this book of the Acts of the Apostles, where we shall always find it signifies determination and appointment, and not disposition of mind. So in chap. xv. 2, When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dis- sension and disputation with them., ira^av, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others ofthem_, should go up to Jerusalem. Again, in chap. xxii. 10, The Lord said unto me. Arise, and go into Damascus, and there it shall he told thee of all things ichich, reVaKrat, are appointed for thee to do. Once more, in chap, xxviii. 28, And when Ta^dfievoi avTii) i]p.ipav, they had appointed him a day, there came many to him. By these instances we may judge of the sense and translation of our text. Besides, both the ancient and modern versions agree in favour- ing the translation and sense we contend for ; nor does tlie opposition in the context favour the other ; for the comparison is not between the blaspheming Jews and the believing Gentiles, but between one part ^f the Gentiles and the otlier ; the one believing, and the other * Acts XX. 13. t Ecclcs. \. ]. + Rom. xiii. I. § Kucliirid. c '29. • |l C. 77. ^ C. 3:>. ** J)e Styge, c. 285; cd. Cantubr. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 169 not ; the one being ordained unto eternal life, and the other not ordained to it. Add to this, that the phrase of being disposed to, or fo7' eternal life, is a very unusual, if not a very improper, and an inaccu- rate one. Men are said to be disposed to a habit or an action, as to vice or virtue ; but not to reward or punishment, as to heaven or hell. Nor does it appear that these Gentiles had any good dispositions to eternal life, antecedent to their believing ; for, though they are said, in ver. 42, to beseech the apostles to preach the same things to them the next sabbath, yet the Avords may be rendered more agreeable to the order in which they lie in the original text thus : They, that is, the apostles, liapeKaXow to, edvr], besought the Gentiles, that these tcords might he preached to them the next sabbath*'; that is, they entreated them that they would come and hear them again at such a time. And as for their being (/lad, and glorifying the icord of the Lord, it is not evident that it was before their believing ; and suppose it was, this has been found in persons who have had no true, real, inward disposi- tions to spiritual things, as in many of our Lord''s hearers ; and, indeed, there are no such dispositions in men previous to faith in Christ, for 2chatsoever is not of faith is sin. Before believing, men are dead in trespasses and sins, given up unto them, live in them, and fulfil the lusts of the flesh, and are insufficient either to think well or do well. Besides, admitting that there are in some persons good dispositions to eternal life, previous to faith in Christ ; and that desiring eternal life, and seeking after it, be accounted such ; yet these may be, where faith does not follow. The young man in the gospel had as many dis- positions of this sort, perhaps, as ever any had, who were destitute of faith ; and yet was so far from believing in Christ, that he went away from him sorrowful. As many, therefore, as are so disposed unto eternal life do not always believe, faith does not always follow such dis- positions. And, after all, one would have thought that the Jews themselves, who were externally religious, and were looking for the Messiah, though they did not believe that Jesus was the Christ ; and especially the devout and honourable icomen, were more disposed unto eternal life than the ignorant and idolatrous Gentiles ; and yet the lat- ter believed, and the former did not. It follows, then, that their faith did not arise from previous dispositions to eternal life, but was the fruit and effect of divine ordination. 6. Another sense wliich these words are saidf to be capable of, is, that as many as ivere well disposed, believed unto eternal life. But it has been already proved, that T^rayixivoi, does not signify ivell disposed ; and as for joining the phrase eternal life, to the word iiria-Tevo-av, believed ; that stands at too great a distance to admit of such a con- struction : and should it be allowed, it would make no considerable alteration in the sense of the text ; which would be read thus, as many as loei-e ordained, believed unto eternal life ; that is, as many as were chosen of God, and appointed by him to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ, believed in him to the saving of their souls. Let the words be placed in construction either way, the sense is the same. * ViJc Lightfoot, vol. ii. p. 692. f Whitby, p. 60 ; cd. 2. 59. 170 THE CAUSE or GOD AND TRUTH. SECTION VIII. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son ; that he might he the first-horn among many brethren. Moreover.) ivhorn he did predestinate, them he also called ; and whom he called, them he also justified ; and ivhom he justified, them he also glori- fied.—Rom. viii. 29, 30. The meaning of these words is, that those whom God foreknew, or loved with an everlasting love, he predestinated to conforpiity to his Son; which conformity begins in grace, and will be finished in glory; and whom he has thus predestinated to grace and glory, he in time calls unto both ; and whom he calls by his powerful and efficacious grace, he justifies by the righteousness of his Son, revealed to them by his Spirit, and received by faith ; and whom he justifies, he will glorify, with the enjoyment of himself to all eternity. Whence it follows, that those, and none but those who are called, justified, and glorified, are loved by God with an everlasting love, and appointed unto salvation by Christ : and that all those, and none but those who are foreknown, or loved by God with a special love, and are predeter- mined to grace and glory, shall certainly be called with a holy call- ing, be completely justified by Christ's righteousness, and at last be eternally glorified. So that these words confirm the doctrine of the eternal predestination, or election of particular persons to salvation. Now to set aside this sense of the words, and the argument upon it in favour of this doctrine, the Arminians* have given us another sense of them, which is this : that those whom God foresaw would be true lovers of him, and devoted to his service, and whom he approved of as persons fit to be received into his favour, he foreappointed to be like to his Son in sufferings ; and whom he thus predestinated, he in due time called to suffer ; and whom he thus called to suffer, upon their faith and patience under their sufferings, he approved of as sincere and faithful servants; and whom he thus justified or approved of, he gave them a glorious reward of all their sufferings ; or he made them glorious under sufferings by the Spirit of glory and of God resting on them ; or by giving them his Holy Spirit, to enable them to work the greatest miracles -f*. But, 1. The forehiowledge here spoken of, is not of men's works or graces, as the cause and reason of their predestination ; since these are fruits and effects of it, and what follow from it ; and therefore can never be the causes of it. It is true that God foreknew who would believe and love him, and be devoted to him ; he having de- termined to bestow these graces on them, and ordained or prepared good works for them, that they should walk in them. The text does not say, that those whom God foreknew would be lovers of him, or * Remoustr. in Coll. Hag. art. i. p. 9.3 ; Curcellscus, p. 375 ; Limborch, p. 345, 346. Though Arminius himself owus that these words are to be umlcrstooil of eicrnal predestination to grace and glory. Dispiit. Privat. Tliess. xl. p. 309, inter ejus opera, ed. 4°. t Whitby, p. 61, 63—65, 447; cd. 2. 60, 62—64, 43.5, 436. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 171 fit for his kingdom, or devoted for his service, he predestinated ; these are additions to it, and neither expressed nor implied in it ; it only says, whom he forekneiu ; and which is owned* "to relate to God's affectionate knowledge of these persons, as his chosen generation, his peculiar people :" words of knowledge being often expressive of affection, Psal. i. 6, Jer. i. 5, 2 Tim. ii. 17, Matt. vii. 23. And it may be justly added, that it relates to God's affectionate knowledge of them from all eternity : since they were so early his chosen generation, and peculiar people, and as early loved by him with an everlasting love ; to which, and to which alone, their predestination, or election 'to eternal life, is owing, and is the true meaning of the phrase here; whom God thus foreknew, or affectionately loved before the world began, them he predetermined, or foreappointed, to ever- lasting happiness. Hence, 2. The predestination of these persons to he conformed to the image of Christ, is not a foreappointment of them to be like him in sufferings : for though the saints are appointed unto sufferings, and sufferings or afflictions are appointed for them ; and though there is some likeness between Christ the head and the members of his body in suffering ; yet this cannot be intended here : since the image of Christ, to which they are predestinated to be conformed, always designs something great and glorious, and not mean and abject ; it is tfie image of the heavenly^ in opposition to the image of the earthly ; and is no other than t]ie glory of the Lord^ into which the saints are changed from glory to glory ^ even as by the Spirit of the Lord"^. Besides, Christ is never said to be the first-horn with respect to afflictions, but with respect to pre-eminence, honour, and glory; see Psal. Ixxxix. 28, Col. i. 18, Kev. i. 5. This conformity to the image of Christ, to which they are predestinated who are loved by God, seems rather to be a spiritual likeness to Christ, which is begun in this world upon believers, and will be finished in the other ; when they shall be like him both in soul and body, as perfectly as they will be capable of; when the great ends of predestinating grace will be fully answered upon them ; or rather, particularly, this conformity is to be under- stood of a likeness to thfe filiation of Christ, or a likeness to the image of Christ as the Son of God ; for though the saints are not in the same class of sonship with Christ, yet their sonship bears some resem- blance to his ; as he is the Son of God by nature, they are the sons of God by grace ; as he is the dear Son of God, they are the dear children of God ; as he is the first-born among many brethren, they are the first-born with respect to the angels ; and as he has an inhe- ritance, being heir of all things, so have they, being heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ ; which likeness of sonship will more fully appear hereafter ; for though noio are we the sons of God, it doth not yet appear lohat ice shall be : but loe know that when he shall apjjear^ we shall be like him ; for we shall see him as he is^.. This sense of the words is strengthened by a parallel place, Eph. i. 5. Having predes- tinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Ch'ist to himself according * Whitby, p. 448. t 1 Cor. .w. 47 ; 2 Cor. iii. 18. % 1 John iii. 2. 172 THE CAUSE OF GOp AND TRUTH. to the good pleasure of his loill. Besides, it is owned*, that "accord- ing to the received interpretation of the ancient fathers^ the impoit of these words is this ; that whom God foreknew, he predetermined to render conformable to the image of his Son, that is, to be hke him in glory:" or as in another placef, "he predestinated, or foreappointed them to be conformed to the image of his Son, their elder brother; that is, to be sons of God and joint-heirs loith Christ f and the J author I am concerned with, after he had considered the text in every light, " conceives the sense of it to be this ; those whom he hath so fore- known as to make them his elect, and peculiar people ; for them he hath designed the choicest blessings, even the adoption of sons, and their being co-heirs with Christ." Wherefore, 3. The calling here intended, is not of persons to suffering in this life : for though such who are called by grace, are generally an afflicted people, they meet with many afflictions between their call to glory, and the enjoyment of it ; yet they are not properly called to them, but to faith and patience under them : which is the meaning of the words of the apostle §; If when ye do loell, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable loith God ; for even hereunto were ye called, that is, not so much to sufferings, as to patience under them. And when in other places the saints are said to be called, it is either to grace or glory; thus they are called unto marvellous light, unto liberty, to the fellowship of his So?i Jesus Christ, to peace and holiness, to a kingdom and glory, even to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ \\; and here, in the context, they are said to bef called according to his purpose ; which is the same with being called ivith an holy calling, according to the grace tvhich ivas given us in Christ before the tvorld began**. Besides, all that are called to afflictions, or suffer- ings, are not justified and glorified ; as for instance, the young man in the gospel, to whom Christ said. Take up the cross and follow me, who was sad at that saying, and loent away grieved : and all such pro- fessors, who, 7vhen tribulation or persecution ariscth because oj the loord, by and by are offended-\-\ . Add to this, that according to the received interpretation of the ancient fathers, the sense of the phrase is J|, that " whom God foreappointed to be the sons* of God, the method he used to bring them to this adoption was this ; to call them to the faith of Christ; or as elsewhere §§ expressed, "them also, in due time, he called to the salvation promised and offered in the gospel." And our author himself, at last|||| conceives this to be the sense of it: " that in order to this adoption designed for them, it is that he hath chosen them out of the world to be his church, an holy nation, and peculiar people to himself." And therefore, 4. When God is said to hsive Justifed the persons whom he fore- knew, predestinated, and called ; the meaning is not, that he approved of them as sincere and faithful, on the account of their faith and * Wliitby, p. 63 ; ed. 2. 62. f Ibid. p. 448 ; ed. 2. 436. % Ibid. p. 449 ; ed. 2. 437. § IPet. ii. 20,21. II 1 Pet. ii. 9 ; Cal. v. 13 ; 1 Cor. i. 9 ; Rom. i. 7 ; Col. iii. 15 ; 1 Thcss. ii. 12 ; 2 Tliess. ii. 14. ^ Vci-. 28. •• 2 Tim. i. 9. ff Mark x. 21, 22 ; IMatt. xiii. 21. tt WiiiiLv, p. 448 i ed. 2. 436. §§ Ibid. p. 63 ; ed. 2. 62. i||{ Ibid. p. 449 ; ed. 2. 437. THE CAUSE OF GOD AXD TRUTH. 173 patience in suffering : for though God does approve of, and is well pleased with the faith and patience of his people under afflictions, yet no instance can be produced of the use of the word in this sense : not James ii. 21, 25, where Abraham and Rahab are said to he justified by trorks ; the meaning of which is, not that they were approved of by Christ, or accepted by him on account of their works, but that their faith was evidenced to the world, their cause vindicated, and they cleared by them from all false charges and imputations : nor Matt, xi. 19, where wisdom\s, said to he justified of her children ; that is, not barely approved of by them, but vindicated, and acquitted from the charge of libertinism : nor Matt. xii. 37, where it is said, hy thy tvords thou shalt he justified^ and hy thy words tliou shalt he condemned ; since justification stands directly opposite to condemnation, and is used in a forensic sense, as it is throughout this epistle to the Romans, and in this very chapter and context. Besides, according to the above- mentioned received interpretation of the ancient fathers, the sense of the expression is*, that "whom God in due time called, and they believing in Christ upon this call, he justified them from, and re- mitted all their past sins." And according to our author's -f- last con- ception of it, the meaning is, " he hath justified them, or given them a full remission of their sins." Hence, 5. The ylorijicatioti of them is not a making them glorious under sufferings ; much less by giving them the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit to enable them to work miracles. The word is never used in this sense : not in 2 Cor. iii. 8 — 11, where the gospel ministration is said to be €v 80^77, in glory ; but not on the account of the extraordinary gifts and miracles of the Holy Ghost, but because it is the ministration of the spii'it of righteousness, and of life, in opposition to the law, tlie ministration of condemnation and death ; and because it remains when the law is done away ; and is attended with evidence, clearness, and perspicuity, when the legal dispensation had a great deal of darkness and obscurity in it : nor John xvii. 22, where our Lord says. The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them ; which is not to be understood of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit ; since the words are spoken not of the apostles only, but of all them that shoidd helieve in Christ, through their word, ver, 20, but rather of the glorious gospel of the blessed God, and the excellent truths and doctrines of it ; see ver. 8 : nor Acts iii. 13, where it is said, that God hath glorifed his Son Jesus Christ ; which was done, not by bestowing the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit on him, nor merely by the miracle then wrought, but by raising him from the dead, ver. 15 ; the thing he prayed for under this expression, John xvii. 1, and firmly believed, John xiii. 31, 32. Moreover God is never said to glorify his people in this way. It is true, indeed, miracles were wrought, that the Son of God might he glorified, John xi. 4. And in this way the Father did honour the Son, John viii. 54. And Christ was glorified of all on this account, Luke iv. 15. And the Spirit of God now glorifies Christ by receiving of his, and showing them to his people, John xvi. 15. But God is never said to glorify them by these gifts. Indeed some of the mem- * WHiithy, p. G3 ; eJ. 2 G2. f HiiJ- P- 449 ; ed. 2. 437. 174 THE CAUSE OF C40D AND TRUTH. bers of Clirist's body are honoured witb gifts and graces more than others, 1 Cor. xii. 26. And should it be allowed, that extraordinary gifts are intended in this last- cited passage ; yet this cannot be the meaning of the word here : since the apostle is speaking not of par- ticular persons, but of all the saints in general, who were the sons and heirs of God, ver. 17; had received the first fruits of the Spirit, and were waiting for the adoption, ver. 23 ; all who loved God, and were his called according to his purpose, ver. 28 ; even all God's elect, ver. 33. Now all these are not glorified in this sense ; besides, were this the meaning of the phrase, then none would be predestinated, called, and justified, but such as have the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit : and on the other hand, none would have the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit but such as are predestinated, called, and justified : whereas, it is cei-tain, that many might have, and had in the apostles' days, such gifts, and yet were destitute of the grace of God. It is much more agreeable to the context, and to the analogy of faith, to under- stand this phrase of eternal glory ; since it is what the apostle speaks of in ver. 17, 18, 21, 28, and is what God's elect are predestinated and called unto ; and what the righteousness of Christ, by which they are justified, gives them a right and title to ; and which they shall certainly enjoy. The main objection * to this sense of the phrase is, "That when the apostle speaks of our final justification (glorification it should be) in this chapter, he still speaks of it as a thing future ; saying. We shall be c/lorijied with him, ver. 17, 18, 21. Whereas here he speaks of it as a thing past ; saying, Whom he hath justified, them he hath also glorified.'''' To which may be replied, Not to insist upon the change of tense, the past for the future, which is no unusual thing in Scripture ; this is strictly true of that part of the body of God's elect, who are already in heaven, called the family in heaven, and the things in heaven ; who through faith and patience have inherited the promises-f : and is in some sense true also of the other part on earth, who are called and justified ; since they are made glorious both by the robe of Christ's righteousness put upon them, and by the grace of Christ wrought in them ; which makes them all glorious loitliin, and is the beginning of eternal glory; for a saving knowledge of God in Christ is life eternal. Nor ought this sense of the phrase to be objected to by our opponents ; seeing if such may be said to be glorified, who had the gifts of working miracles, much more may they be said to be so, who have the true grace of the Spirit, which is superior to all other gifts. Besides, God's elect may be said to be glorified, because of the certainty of their glorification. It is a kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world ; which Christ has gone afresh to prepare by his presence and mediation in our nature ; which he is in the possession of on the behalf of his people, and which is ascertained to their faith and hope : hence they are said to be saved by hope, and by grace through faith \. Add to this, that they are in the same sense glori- fied in Christ, their representative head ; in which they are said to be raised together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in him §. * AVhitby, p. 64; ed. 2. 63. f Eph. iii. 15; Coloss. i. 20; Heb. vi. 12. X Rom. viii. 24; Kph. ii. 8. § Eph. ii. fi. 'THE CAUSE OF fiOD AND TRUTH. 175 SECTION IX. Nevertheless the foiindation of God standeth sure ; having this seal, The Lord knoweth \hein that are his.— '2. Tim. ii. 19. If the Lord knows them that are his, in distinction from others who are not his, and loves them with a special, peculiar, and ever- lasting love ; then there is a select number, whom God has chosen to be his by a firm, immutable, and unalterable act of his grace, which stands sure and inviolable. But, the Lord knows them that are his : therefore, in answer to this argument, 1. It is observed *, " That by the foundation of God, we are to understand the doctrine of the resurrection ; which is the foundation of the church, Matt. xvi. 18 ; of our faith and hope, 1 Cor. xv. 19, 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14, styled to deixeXtov, the foundation of the doctrine of the resurrection^ Heb. vi. 1, 2 ; the faithful saying, ver. 11, by denying of which the Christian faith is overturned, ver. 18, to which fundamental doctrine God hath set this seal, for confirmation of it. The Lord Tcnoweth them that are his ; that is, loveth and approveth of them, so as to re- ward them at the resurrection." To which may be replied, that it will easily be granted that the doctrine of the future resurrection of the dead is spoken of in the context : nor will it be denied, that it was a fundamental article in the Jewish creed, Heb. vi. 1, 2 ; or of the Christian faith, 1 Cor. xv. 18, 14, 19. Though it does not seem to be the foundation of the church. Matt. xvi. 18, but the doctrine of Christ"'s deity and sonship, owned by Peter, or rather the person of Christ himself, whom he confessed : nor does it seem to be intended here ; seeing the seal, T7ie Lord knoiceth them that are his, which re- gards particular persons, cannot well agree with it ; since the resur- rection will be both of the just and unjust. And if only the doctrine of the I'esurrection to eternal life is intended ; and the meaning is, that God stands so kindly affected to his people, his sheep, whom he has given to Christ, that though they die, he will raise them up to^ eternal life ; this is so far from militating against, that it rather establishes the doctrine of absolute election. Besides, the foundation- of God standing sure, here spoken of, is opposed not to the error and heresy of Hymeneus and Philetus ; but to the* persons of them, and others, who through them apostatized from the faith : so that by the foundation of God, is to be understood the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth f , which holds it forth, supports, and maintains it ; even the general assembly and church of the Jirst-horn, which are icritten in heaven | ; the whole body of the elect ; that church which is built upon a rock, the immoveable foundation, Jesus Christ, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail ^ ; who every one of them are brought in time to possess, and exercise the faith which is II the substance of things hoped for, and will never fail : to these per- » Whitby, p. 67 ; ed. 2. 66. f 1 Tim. iii. 15. J Heb. xii. 23. § Matt. xvi. 18. II Heb. xi. 1. 176 THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. sons this seal is annexed, the Lord knoicef.h them that are his ; he knows whom ho has chosen, he loves them with a peculiar affection, takes care of them, provides for them, protects them, so as that they shall never perish. 2. It is also observed *, " That these words are taken from Numb, xvi. 5, where, as it is declared, that God knoweth them that are his, that are separated to his service, and will maintain their cause and calling, against all opposers ; so here, that God will own his apostles and ministers, against all those that set up against them.'" Be it so, that the apostle refers to the place cited ; yet as there Moses speaks of persons, whom God had chosen to be priests, whom he would stand by and preserve, whilst the earth swallowed up their opposers, from v^'hose tents the Israelites were bid to depart ; so here the apostle speaks of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, who w^ere made kinps and priests : titles vmder the gospel-dispensation, not peculiar to ministers, but common to them, with all the saints ; who are opposed not only to Hymeneus and Philetus, but to those whose faith was sub- verted by them ; and who should stand, though they fell, being under thes pecial notice and care of God; and are therefore bid to depart from apostates, their doctrines, and practices ; let every one, not only minis- ters, but all that name the name of Christ, depart from iniquity, as an evidence of their election, and the means of their final perseverance. The simile the apostle uses in ver. 20, 21, of vessels of gold and silver, and also of ivood and of earth, some being to honour, and some to dis- honour, is much the same with that he uses in Rom. ix. 22, 23, and manifestly shows that he is speaking of elect persons, in opposition to others. Nor does Theodoret''s descant upon these words, mentioned by our author, contradict the doctrine of absolute election, when he says, God foreknoweth both them that believe, and those loho openly Jight against the truth. SECTION X. For as by one man s disobedience many were made sinners. — Rom. v. 19. The reason w^hy this text comes to be considered in this discourse of election is, because it is said -f-, that the " foundation of this decree is laid in the sin of Adam, imputed by God's arbitrary will to his posterity." Though this author must needs have known, that the Supralapsarians especially consider the decree of election as antece- dent to and irrespective of the fall of Adam ; and therefore the sin of Adam, and the imputation of it to his posterity, could not be the foundation of such a decree ; which has no other foundation than the sovereign will and pleasure of God. However, 1 shall consider the objections made to this doctrine. 1st. As to the objections % made against " Adam's sin being every man's pei'sonal sin, and consented to by every man's personal will ; because it is said §, in Adam there was not only the will of one sin- gular man, but the universal will of all mankind, and of every singular * Whitby, p. 68 ; ed. 2. 67. t Ibul. p. 77 ; ed. 2. 76. J Ibid. p. 79—81 ; ed. 2. 78,79. § Davenant's Aiiimadv. on Hord, p. 231. THE CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH, 177 person," I liave no concern with ; let such who fall in with these assertions defend them : for I must own, that if iVdam's sin is every man's personal sin, then every man must have personally existed in Adam, and personally sinned in him ; and then this sin being per- sonal with respect to them, must also be actual ; and so the distinc- tion between original and actual sin must drop. Moreover, if this is every man's personal sin, it must be their own ; and then they are not made sinners by another, but by their own disobedience ; and not by the sin of one, but by the sin of many. Besides, this seems re- pugnant to the doctrine of the imputation of Adanrs sin to his poste- rity : since, if it is their personal sin, then not theirs by imputation, in the sense we use the word, and which is the doctrine we undertake to defend. But, 2dly. It is said*, that " it cannot truly be affirmed that we all sinned in Adam, and by his disobedience were made sinners ; because his sin and disobedience was, by God's arbitrary will, imputed to us. For, 1. " The Scripture nowhere maketh mention of anything of another's imputed to any man for reward or guilt, but only of some personal thing or action of his own." To which I reply, that the im- putation of Adam's sin is not to be placed to the mere arbitrary will of God ; but the ground and foundation of it is the law, or covenant of works, made with Adam, and broken by him, as the federal head of his posterity: the constitution and tenor of which was, that what he did as such, either in a way of sin, or righteousness, should be im- puted to his posterity. And when we use the word imputation, we use it not in a moral sense, as when a man's own personal action, good or bad, is accounted to him ; but in a forensic sense, as when the debts of one man are in a legal way transferred, and placed to the account of another. And in this sense, the Scripture makes mention of the things of one imputed to another for guilt, or for obligation to pay- ment or punishment ; as when Paul said f to Philemon, concerning Onesimus, if he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee anything, put that on my account, tovto e/xot iXXoyet, let that be imputed to me ; in this sense God laid on Christ, made to meet upon him, and imputed to him, the iniquity oftis all ; and he, by imputation, teas made sin fur us: and on the other hand, God imputeth to us his righteousness, without any consideration of our icorks |. 2. It is argued §, " either this imputation makes the sin of Adam truly ours, or it does not ; if it does not, how can we be made sinners by it ? if it does, then death came upon us for our sin ; and so not for the sin of one, but for the sin of all." I answer, the imputation of Adam's sin makes it truly ours in the same sense as the imputation of Christ's righteousness makes that truly ours. Now the imputation of Christ's obedience and righteousness, though it makes it truly ours, gives us an interest in it, so as that we have the benefit of it, and it is styled the righteousness of the saints ; yet it does not make Christ's • Whitbv, p. 81 ; cd. 2. 80. f Philemon, ver. 18. X Isa. liii. 6; 2 Cor. v. 21 ; Rom, iv. 6. § Whitby, p. 81 ; ed.2. 80. N 178 THE CAUSE OF CiOD AND TKUTH. obedience our act, nor so ours, but that it is still another's, and dis- tinct from our righteousness, and is in Christ as its proper subject and author, though put upon us, and imputed to us. So the imputa- tion of Adam's sin, though it makes it truly ours, so that we are involved in the guilt and punishment of it through the federal relation he stood in to us ; yet it does not make it our act, or so ours, but that it is his act, and is distinct from our actual transgressions, and is only ours by imputation ; and so we are made sinners by, and death comes upon us for, not our sin, nor the sin of all, but of one. 3. It is asked*, " Whether this imputation made the posterity of Adam sinners, or whether it found them so before ? If the latter, it was plainly needless, for they might have been condemned to death without it ; if the former, then, since this imputation is the act of God, and not of man, it plainly follows that God must be the author of this sin." I reply, that though this act makes them sinners, yet not inherently, only imputatively ; it puts sin upon them, and reckons it to them, but does not put any sin in them. And though this im- putation is God's act, it does not follow that therefore he is the author of this sin : the imputation of Christ's righteousness is God's act, yet not he but Christ is the author of that righteousness ; so, though the imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity is God's act, yet_ not God, but Adam is the author of the sin. And whereas it is insinuated f, that this " imputation must be false, as charging them with sin whom he did not find sinners ;" it should be observed, what has been already said, that imputation is to be taken not in a moral but forensic sense ; and does not imply any false measures taken, or wrong judgment passed, any more than when the debts of one man are by agreement reckoned to another, who previous to that imputation owed the credi- tor nothing. And whereas it is further urged J, that " if Adam's sin becomes ours only by imputation, it deserves condemnation only by the same, to which action of God it is to be ascribed ; whence, accord- ing to this opinion, man's destruction must be of God." It may be replied, that as the placing of one man's debt to another's account by agreement, which is no criminal action, is not that for which the other man is cast into prison and suffers, but the debt itself; so it is not the imputation of Adam's sin, but the sin imputed,, for which condemna- tion and death passed upon men. 4. It is observed §, that " we are not guilty of any other sin of Adam ; therefore we are not guilty of the first sin of Adam." But this does not follow, the reason for the one and the other not being the same : when Adam committed his first sin, he stood as a federal head to his posterity, which is the true reason of their being involved in it ; but upon his commission of this sin, he ceased to stand in this relation, the covenant was broken, and it was hereafter impossible for him to perform sinless obedience, and in that way convey life to his offspring. Ho ceasing to be their covenant-head, they have no farther concern with him, or what he did afterwards ; hence neither his after sins, nor his repentance, nor good works, are imputed to them ; and * Whitby, p. 81 ; c-<1- THE l^AUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH. 195 Hse of them, so as to produce such principles of life and grace, in which men are purely passive ; by virtue of which they may become active, and be enabled to answer to such exhortations ; even as the command of Christ to Lazarus to come forth was attended with such a divine power as produced a principle of life in him, in which he was purely passive ; though by virtue of it he became active, came forth, and answered to the word of command. 2. This is also said * to be inconsistent " with a rational choice." I answer, that no doubt, whilst men are in a state of nature, they are able, without the special and powerful grace of God, to make a ratio- nal choice in things natural and civil, but not in things spiritual and eternal. How should they ? when they are under the power of sin, influenced by their corrupt and deceitful lusts, and enslaved by Satan. Such men will always choose their oivn xoays^ for their soul deUghtefh in their abominations ; which makes the powerful and efficacious grace of God necessary to enlighten their understandings, inform their judg- ments, guide their affections, and influence their wills. 3. It is urged-}- that if this was the case, "it could not properly be said that they turned, but only that they were turned, to the Lord."" To which may be replied, that when the Scriptures speak of the inter- nal work of conversion upon the heart, it is expressed in the passive form, they icere turned, see Jer. xxxi. 18, 1 Pet. ii. 25. And when they speak of external reformation, or of such a turning to the Lord as is the fruit of faith, then it is expressed in the active form, they turned to him, see Acts xi. 21. 4. It is observed:!:, that "this exposition is not agreeable to the words; for the apostle speaks not of the power exercised on us to ren- der us believers, but of the power which shall be exercised on us who believe already." ' But nothing is more evident, than that the apostle speaks not of a power which shall be exercised on believers, but of a power which is exercised upon them, and is continued to be so ; and is the same with that which was put forth when they first trusted in Christ, and must be continued to carry on and perfect the good work. Now, if the exceeding greatness of God's power is necessary to carry on and perfect the work of faith, it must be much more so to produce, plant, and form it at first. It is asserted §, that the apostle speaks "not of the power to be exercised on our souls, to raise them from a death in sin to a life of righteousness, but of the power to be exercised on our dead bodies, to give them a glorious resurrection to eternal life, as he had done already in the body of our head Christ Jesus." But though the apostle, in order to illustrate that power which is exerted towards them that believe, takes notice of the power which was wrought in Christ when he was raised from the dead ; yet he says not one syllable concerning the resurrection of the saints. Moreover, the apostle is speaking not of a power to be exercised, but of one that is now exercised upon believers ; whereas the resurrection of our dead bodies is an act of • Whilbv, p. 672 ; c