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^OX' THE. ^UX71l
DoSfrinesofGi.oRiousGKAC'Es
Unfolded, defended, and pradically improved.
HEREIN
The. Fall of Mankind in the firji Adanty
And the
Methods of divine Sovereignty
In the
Effectual Recovery of a chofen Remnant by Christ
the fecond Adam^
Are declared, and fet in a fcriptural Light,
Vs^ith an Anf.ver to the principal and mofl popular Ohje£iions : And in
the whole many Scriptures plainly opened, and their feeming Contra-
di5iiom reconciled.
With an Appejidix^ containing fome Remarks on the
Works of Mr. James Fojier.
In this the abfurd and dangerous Nature of Socinianifm is laid open ;
the important Do6lrines of our blefied Saviour's proper Divinity and
SatisfaElion defended againft his Exceptions \ and diverfe other ufe-
ful Points confidered \ particularly the Controverfy concerning Myfte-
ries in Religion^ and the Ufe of Rsafon in Matters of Faith.
--^>>i^it<?1 l^v.^,1.^ t<J?iVi;ot-g>5 t<S>;t<?^ t^.t.^1 t<-5^i^ S t^c^L^t^.e^^ V^ '.^fJi Vi?T-tf>i'-tf>"< t<;>»t<^.Vl^' 'JO^-if^
By ISAAC^HANLER.
Minider of the Gofpel upon AJhlcy River in South-Carolina.
1 Cor. I. 20, ^c, Ji'here is the TVife ? Where is the Scribe? If^ljere is the
Dffputer of this World? Hath not GOD made Fooli/Ii the Wifdcm of this WoHd?
•♦•++-<-+-t--i-++-t--t-+-l-+-H--iH--f-| -M--(-+-M--H--(-(--H-a; ■M--h+-M-J-+— ;--Hf+++-t--i--f-M--i-r-i--f-i-++-?-
BOSTON: N. E. Printed and Sold by S. Kxeel and h T. Gr£EN
in Qiieenftreet. 1744.
'4
if i )
THE
INTRODUCTION.
EFOREIcome to the immediate ProfccutI«n of what is intended, it
will be proper to fay fomething, in a preliminary Wzy, in Order to
render the Body of theTreatife familiar and ealy to theReader. /;"r/?,
(by divine AlTiftanee) I fhall give feme general View, or a Map of
the whole Work, with the Scope and Defign thereof. Secondly, I
fhall mention the Occafion, and fhew the Expediency as well as theLaw/u/nefs
of this Undertaking.
To the Fir/?. The Scope and Defign of the enfuing Treatife is to fhew firft,
That howfocver Man originally came holy and upright out of his Maker's Hands,
he is now fallen, and become a raiferable Creature, by Nature a Child
of Wrath, in a State both of Condemnation and Pollulion^ without Strength and
ungodly, as the natural Offspring oi fallen Adam, the federal Head and Repre-
fentative of all his Progeny, proceeding from his Loins by ordinary Generation.
This is what is commonly called the Dodlrine of original Sin.
2, That altho' Almighty GOD,without the leaft Stain to his Juftice, might
have left the whole Race of Mankind in their fallen Eftate without a Saviour, or
any Hopes of Salvation, as he did the whole Race of fallen Angels ; yet did not
do fo. But of hisyr^-^ and unmerited F civour, fovereign Grace and Pleafure, did
from all Eternity, (upon a perfefl Fore-knowledge of the Fall of Man) determine
\o juflify, fan(5tify and eternally hvefome, even a certain and definite Number of
them, by and through the Merits and Mediation of his own dear Son, who in the
P'ulnefs of Time fliould (as fince he hath aftually done) afTume their Nature and
fcand in their Law-Place, as their Surety and Saviour. That accordingly GOD
the Father eledcd or chofc them in Him^ as their covenanting Head and Repre-
fcntative, before the Foundation of the World. This is common') called the
Dodrine oi eternal, pcrfonal,frce and ahfolute Eledion.
Under this Head, the Liruffici.-ncy of a meer natural Religion is fhewed ; t' e
Cafe of Hezekialfs Sicknefs and Recovery largely confidcr'J, with tfie partic-hir
Period of every Man's Life ; the Abfurdity of afcribing to the all-vji/e and i?". ■
mutable GOD conJitioml Decrees, dependant on Co7itingencics and Uncertain:, -•:,
A 2 iu!;/
11
Ihe INTRODUCTION.
fully demonftrated j and tHe Doflrine of Free Juftificationby the imputed Righ-
teoufnefs of Christ, explained and defended againft both Armhiians and Sscim-
ans. The. Nature of evangelic Obedience unfolded, and the Pra6tice thereof
enforced from the Confiderations of GOD's elefting Love ; with divers other
Inferences, profitable for Do6l:rine and Reproof, Corre£lion, Confolation and In-
Mruclion in Righteoufnefs, that the Children of GOD may be perfected and
throughly furnilhed unto all good Works.
3. That anfwerabic to the Son of GOD's foederal Engagements for his
E!e£l in the Covenant of Redemption before the World began, he did in
the Fulnefs of Time become Incarnate, live a holy and obedient Life, yield a fm-
lefs and perfc6VObedience to the Law of Works which they had broken, aixi
fufFcr a curled, painful and fhameful Death upon the Crofs, thereby undergoing
the Penalty of GOD's Wrath and Curfe due to them for the Breach of his holy
Law ; whereby alfo he fatisfied GOD's offended Juftice, and by the invaluable
Price of his moft precious Blood did purchafe for his ele<ft, redeemed Ones, an
eternal incorruptible Inheritance of unfpeakable Glory in Heaven, together
with a Stock of fanctifying Grace to fit them for the fafjie. That as theij Head
he rofe again from the Dead and afcended up into Heaven with the Price of their
Redemption in his Hands, where he ever llveth to make Interceffion for them, as
their righteous Advocate pleading the Vertueand Value of the Pj-ice paid on their
Behalf; that being gone into Heaven to prepare a Place for them, he will at the
laft Day come thence again and receive them unto himfelf both in Soul and Body
unto Glory everlafting, as becomes an ahinghty^ all-wije, moji gracious and com-
pleat Saviour. This we call the Doctrine 0*1 peculiar Redemption as running pa-
ralel with t-he Line of GOD's free Ele(5tion, as above defcribed. Under this
Head the Argument for the Do6trine of free Juftification is re-affumed and fur-
ther confirmed, divers Texts opened, Objedfions anfwered, and many choice
Inferences deduced, as promotive of evangelic Holinefs and Comfort.
4. That as for thefe eledl People of GOD the Lord Jesus Christ did
purchafe both Grace and Glory, fo in order to make them meet for the heavenly
Inheritance, he makes efFediual Application of the cleanfmg Vertue of his moft
precious Blood unto them by his Spirit working in them in due Seafon unto
their Regeneration. This we call the Dodlrine of E^£^ueil Odlllug, which alfo
is praoJical/y improved.
5. That having begun this good Work in them, he will invincibly carry it
on' againft all Obftruiliions whatfoever, until it be perfected in eternal Glorifica-
tion, anfvvcrable to his eternal, free, alwifeand immutable Purpofe, to the Praife
of his Glory, I'hey have their Fruit unto Holinefs, and their End everlafting
Life ; which is the Gift of GOD through Jesus Christ our Lord. This we
call the Dodrinc of the Saints final Perfeverance. Lender which Head alfo many
■ Tex'ts are opened, Objedli'ons anfwered, and pradiical Inferences deduced, pro-
motive of" a comfcrtdhle^ a holy and d^out Life.
Thus
rhe INTRODUCTION,
111
/.Fhus whom GOD did from all Eternity foTe-know with a Knowledge of
Peculiarity, Good-will, free Love and Affection, he alfo did predeftinate to be
conformed to the Imaee of his Son, that he might become the P'irft-born aniong:;ft
many Brethren. Moreover whom he did predcflinatc, them he alfo called ; and
whom he called, them he alfo juftified ; and whom he juftified, them he alio
glorified. What fliall we fay then unto thefe Things ? If GOD be for us, (ihus
for us) who can be againft us ? [L'j, bis Ele£l and Prcdejiinate'^ He that fpared
not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, [the fame «i] how fhall he
not with him alfo freely give us all Things ? viz. [all Things needful to fit us
for and to bring us unto a glorified EftateJ Who fhall lay any Thing to the
Charge of GOD's Eled ? It is GOD that juftifieth, who fhall condemn ? It
is Christ that died, yea rather that is rifen again, who is even at the right Hand
of GOD, who alfo maketh Interceiiion for us, [mark the y^?;:^ r/j as before]
Who fh:;!! feparate us from the Love of Christ ? Shall Tribulation, or Dif-
trefs, or Perfecution, or Famine, or Nakednefs, or Peril, or Sword ? (As it is
written, for thy Sake we are killed all the Day long, we are accounted as Sheep
for the Slaughter) Nay in all thefe Things \\q are more than Conquerors thro'
him that loved us. Fori am perfwadcd that neither Death nor Life, nor An-
gels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things prcfent, nor Things to come,
norHeigth, nor Depth, nor any other Creature, fhall be able to feparate us from
the Love of GOD which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ro?}i. 8. 28th, to the
End. Now let all the foregoing Particulars be duly confidered in their proper
Connexion andOrder, and it will plainly appear to eve y impartial Si unprejudiced
Eye, to be a Scheme truly worthy of the all-glorious GOD to effedl, well
comporting with the bright Perfections of his Being and Nature, who is wonder-
ful in Cou;ifel and excellent in Operation, and who workcth all Things after the
Counfel of his own Will. Jfa. 28. 29. Eph. i. 11. And which after all our
Difputings we find to be confirmed by Fa^s and Events, as well as by the dec ijroe
Authority of Holy Scripture. And therefore upon the whole is highly credible,
claiming the OZ'f^rZ/VwtY and Adoration of our Faith ; notwithftanding fome Diffi-
culties that do arife in our weakMinds, in our deep Re-fcarches into thefe grand
and important Matters. That fome Diflicultics do thus occur is no Wonder ;
nay, it is mcejfarily fo : Since as GOD himfelf, fo alfo his Judgments are unfearch-
able, and his Ways paft finding out unto Perfection ; and we at befi: but poor
finite, fliort-fightcd Creatures of Ycfterday, knowing nothing in Comparifon,
who fee but as through a Glafs darkly and in Part, llicrcforc inflead of ca\ll!ing
and replying againfl CjOD when wc find our Line too fnort to fathom his great
Deeps, it becomes us in Humility, and with all l.)v/ly Reverence, with the great
ApofJle to adore GOD and his Ways, crying out, O the Depths of the Riches
both of the Wifdom and Knowledge of GOD ! How unfearchable are his Judg-
ments, and his Ways paft finding out unto PerfctSlion ! Kcin. 11. 33. More-
over, whate\'er fine GlofTcs the Armiuians may put upon their contrary Scheme of
Dodrine in order to fet it ofF, and difgrace the other ; yet upon a ^\^e Examina-
tion, it will cafily appear to be full of the grojj'ejl Abfurdities, contrary unto thofe
very Pcrfedions of GOD which they profefs to exalt and honour mere than
their
iv ne J N T R O D U C T I 0 K
tfieir Opponents s as well as repugnant to the divine Oracles, uniformly confidered
and explained.
And now to come unto the fecond Thing propofed ; I beg Leave in all
Serioufncfs to affuremy Chriftian Reader, that as 1 look upon the prefent Under-
talcing to be of no trijltng, but weighty Concernment, wherein the Honour and
Glory of my great Lord and Mafter is deeply concerned, fo I dared not to un-
dertake it in a light and fudden Manner, but with Fear and Trembling, with a
fcrious weighing my Grounds and Reafons for fo doing, a folemn afking Counfel
of GOD, and a clofe Application for Advice unto that Chriftian Society to
which I ftatedly minifler in holy Things, and unto fome others, whom lefteemed
as fious^ judicious Perfons, who being well acquainted with the Occafion of my
L^ndertaking, did upon weighing the mhole Affair, and confidering the peculiar
Circumftances of the vigorous Oppofition I met withal, conclude, not only that
I might but ought in Point of Duty to appear, as well from the Prejs^ as from the
Pulpit^ in Defence of the defpifed^ oppofcd and abufed^ yet glorious Dodtrines of
Grace, which were fo grievoujly wounded through my Sides ; and who did accord-
ingly promote the Work by a chcarful Subfcription ; that the Defence might be
as fpreading as was the Cfl/i/w??;', my Pen reaching the Eye where my Voice
could not the Ear. This Account of Things I do fo particularly mention, in
order to obviate an Objediion that may very probably arife in the Minds of fome
who are far from being Oppofers of thofe holy Dodtrines ; and which did not pafs
unconfidered in my own Mind, z^/z. That thcfc weighty Points have been already
and to good Purpofe handled by diverfe learned and able Divines, and therefore
what Need this Scribble from one fo far inferiour to them, as indeed I do freely
confefs my felf to be ? Which Confiderations would have effeftualiy kept me
from this Attempt, was it not that for the Reafons before-mention'd, in Con-
jundlion with the divine Command {ffude^ ver. 3. iTirn. 4. ill to the 6th.
J Tim. 6. 20.) I concluded it to be both expedient and neceffary for me in this
Manner to improve my one Talent, as others before me had improved their txvo
zx\i\ five : Earneftly contending for the Faith once delivered unto the Saints, not
out cf a contentious Humour and mifguided Zeal, but from a Principle of Duty
and Confcience, as knowing that I am with others fet for the Defence of the
(jofpel : The glorious Doctrines of which are fo rud^'fy treated, and loaded with
repronchful Names, and Had Epithets, fuch as Devilijhj DamnaUe^ Defpairing,
Licentious^ and the like.
How could I then ir.IIonour to my great Mafter,and Faithfulnefs to my facred
Tiuft, fit down with an undipurbed xMind, folded Arms, and a filent Tongue I
How could I with-hold my fclf from fpcaking, unlcfs I had been {o hardy as not
I have fcar'd being flruck with a guiltv Silence in theDay when I fliall be called
to
vpon to give unto GOD an Account of my Stewardship !
Bv the Help of Divine Grace then, when and where I do fully apprehend a
Tiiing to be my Djty. } frail put that againft all Objeftions v.'hatfover, and all
other
Tbe I N r R O D U C r I 0 N. v
©tber Cofifiderations in the Woild. As the lejfcr ox darker Stars, do in Con-
junilion with the greater and brighter ones in the Firmament of Heaven, ferve to
fet forth the Glory of him that made them ; fo that the former do not exclude
the Ufefulnefs of the latter according to their Aleafure : Even fo in the Firma-
ment of the Church, why may not the lejpr Lights be allowed to be offo?ne Ufe,
tho' in a far lefi Degree,, notwithftanding the bright Shining of the greater?
Tho' the poor Widow's two Mites can add but little to the Stock in a large
Treafury ; yet furely flie may be allowed to {hew her good Will, by cafling
them in, notwithftanding that the Rich had of their Abundance caft in their
larger Sums ; and 'tis to be hoped that the Head and the Eyes will not fay unto
the Hands and Feet^ there is no Need oi you. To ail this, let the ferious Chrif-
tian Reader confider well the grand Importance of the Do61rines herein defeiiucd,
aiid how much GOD is diflionoured by a new Sett of Cavillers fciil ariling, ({'or
when one Generation of them goes another comes) and he will readily acquiekc
in this Defence of thofe Dodrines. And,
/'/r/?. Is it a Thing of little or no Concernincyit for Men to deny the Doclrinc
of Original Sin andCorruption by the P^all of Man, which is the Spring and Foun-
tain of all the a«Slual Sins that arc committed throughout the whole V^ orld, ant!
what lays Men under the Curfe, and obnoxious to the Wrath of GOD r Bv
the Denial of which Men are of Courfe led to contemn and reiedl their only Re
?7iedy^ the Obedience and Satisfadlion of Christ, for their Juftification in th.e
Sight of GOD, and then to ridicule his God-Head Character, and the Conftitu-
tion of his Perfon as God-Man and Mediator. And by denying that we brini;
a corrupt Nature into the World with us, they are led to explode, or at leaft to
pervert the great Dodrine of Regeneration, or of our being born again by the
fupernatural Operations of the Holy Ghoft. For if Men are not infcfled with
original Corruption, what Need is there of the renewing, fandtifying Operations
of the holy Spirit on fuch as cannot commit ajfual S\n ? If they he not foul,
what Need is there of their being wafl^ed by the Wafhing of Regeneration ?
And in a Word, then what Need was there for the Fountain of Christ's
Blood to be opened for Sin and Uncleannefs ? Thus do thefe Men, profeiUng
themfelves to be wife become Fools ; for by their very arguing againft the Cor-
ruption of Man's Nature and Faculties by the Fall, they do c're Ihey be aware
confirm the Truth thereof; Shewing themfelves to be (landing Monuments of
Man's Ruin by the Fall by their withflanding a Truth fo uncontroulably evi-
dent both from Scripture and dailyOblervation : Thefe are that Generation that
are pure in their own Eyes, yet are not cleanfed from their Filthinefs. 'Tis no
Wonder that they that are thus whole fhould fee no Need of the great Phyfician.
Shall it be thought a light Matter for Men vehemently to inveigh againft the
mofl important Dodrines of the Gofpel, written by the very Finger of GOD in
his holy Oracles as with a Sun-Beam, relating to his moft glorious Nature, Being
and Subfiftence ? That there are three that bear Record in Heaven, tUe Father^
theWord, and the Holy Ghofl ; and that thefe three arc one GOD, the fame in
Eflence, equal in Power,Glory and Eternity ? Is it a trivial Matter forMen to
make
VI
The INTRODUCriO N.
make GOD a Liar, as thofe do, who believe not the Record which GOD
hath given of his Son ? i Jo/m 5.10. which muft needs include every Branch of
that Record, whether that which reipeib his God-Head Charader, or the Con-
Ititution of his Perfon as God-Adan and Mediator, by the hypoftatical Union ; or
as to Sinners biaing juftified by his Blood and Righteoiifnefs imputed to them j or
in a V/ord, as to any other Part of that Record which GOD hath given of him.
Again, Is it a Thing of little Account for Men to banter and ridicule the Doc-
trine of GOD'S royal Prerogative m the free Difpenfation of his Grace to the
fallen Sons of Adam, having Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and being
gracious unto whom he will be gracious, freely choofing them in Christ be-
fore the foundation of the World, predeflinating them unto Holinefs on Earth
and eternal Happinefs in Heaven ; loading thefe holy Dodrines with fcandalous
and frightful Language ? Moreover, Is it not very dijhonourable to the Son of
GOD to maintain that he knowingly ihQ<^ his mofT precious Blood in vain for
many ? And that he died as much for the Damned as for the Saved? That
tho' he died for all Men, yet he did not infallibly fecure the faving Benefits of
his Death to any one Man F Whence it follows, that tho' (as fome affirm) he
died for all Men without Exception, it might fo have happened, that not one of
ell misht have been faved ; and fo the Defigns of GOD's redeeming Love, and
his wife Counfcls about the Redemption of fallen Men, have been over/et and
proved abortive ; That the Saved have no more to thank Christ for in dying
for them than they that are damned, he doing no more for their Salvation than
for the others that perifli ?
Again, Is it nothing for Men to deny the, P erf onality, God-head Chara^er, and
fupernatural Operations of the Holy Ghoji in the Work of Regeneration and
Sandification ? Or is it a fmall Matter for Men to fet up the Idol of Man's
Free-will in theRoom of GOD's free efficaciousGrace in the Application of Re-
demptiffin purchafed by Chrift ? and fo leave it at the utmoft Uncertainties whe-
ther it (hall be adually applied unto Men's Soul-faving Ufe and Benefit or not A
Once more, Is it nothing for Men to inveigh againft the Dodrine of GOD's
invincible carrying on the good Work of Grace begun in the Souls of the Re-
generate 'til! it bc^perfeacd in the Day of Christ ; and his keeping them by
his Power through Faith unto Salvation, ready to be revealed in the laft Time ?
And in the Steat? hereof afcribing the aclual and final Perfeverance of the faved
unto their felf- determining Free-will f
Now if thofe above-mentioned Doctrines, fo vigoroufly oppofed, be not of
'iw't' cr£7«i Importance, what others can you name that are fo ? Stiipbutthe
Bible of iheje, and pray what other Articles of Faith have we left earneftly to
contend tbl and Hand faft in ? Whether thefe important Dodrines be fuch as
fuits with the Pleas of carnal Reafon and the depraved Guft of thenatural Man,is
not the Subjeot-Matler of the prefent Inquiry : But whether they are to be found
upon
rhe INTRODUCTION. vii
upon divine Record ? That they are there to be found is the Bufinefs of the en-
fuing Treatife to manifeft and prove.
This brings n?€ to obferve to my Reader, That I take it for granted (or elfe
there can be no dmf.ve arguing in thefe weighty Points) that it will be allowed,
that the Holy Scriptures are the Touchftone of Truth, and ih& only certain
Rule of our Faith as well as Pra<fllce, and that there are no real Contradi«5lions
in the fame : That our Rcafon is not the Standard or Boundary of Divine Re-
velation ; but Divine Revelation the Standard and Foundation of all our Reafon-
ings about Matters revealed : Our Reafon is to be fubfervient to our Faith here-
in. Our reafoning Powers are to be employed in fearchlng out, whether the
divine Do<£lrines we profefs are to be found upon the divine Record, and finding
them there ; the Bufinefs of Reafon is, not to judge whether or no they are
agreeable to a luxurious Fancy or a carnal Imagination : But immediately to allow
Faith her proper Place, by a ready AiTent thereunto as Dodrines divinely re-
vealed, having GOD for their Author. And indeed what can be more reafona-
ble, tlian without Difputatlon to credit what is aflcrted by fo many credible
Witnefles as the infpired Penmen who fpake and wrote as they were moved by
the Holy Ghoft, 2 Pei. 1. 20, 21. Altho' at the fame Time fome Branches
of thofe Doilrlnes aflcrte<l, be fuch as tranfcend the Reach and Grafp of tare
humanReafon : For it fiiould not be thought ftrange, that an infinite Being fhould
require the Obedience of our Faith unto fuch Propofitions which cannot be fully
iujfolded by us, as above the Reach and Kenn of a poor finite Capacity, and caufe
us with profoundeft Reverence and Admiration to cry out, O th-e Depth ! For it
'-fliould be known, that howfoever we may be accounted Enemies to Reafon, when
the Mmid goes to ufurp the Place oVher Miflrefs ; yet we are in FacSl her Friends,
•when, in her proper Place and Station, fubfervient to her Miftrefs Faith. For
v.'ho in Reafon can think that we fhould be fo unreafonahle, as totally to e>:clude
her Ufefulnefs in Matters of FaitJi, feeing to believe is the fole and proper A<2:
of a rcafonable Creature ?
This Work was both by others and my felf expeded to have been publifbci
much fooner than it is, and the true Reafon wherefore it was not, was its being
retarded hy many zvid fometi?nes lotig Fits of Sicknefs and Weaknefs, and diverfe
other Avooations which could not be well avoided. And now fmce it has ^ra-
cioufly pleafed my great Lord and Mafter at length to give m-e Liberty "and
Strength to finifh my Intentions, I cannot but blefs his niofl holy Name, and
humbly call upon him for a BleiTing hereupon. To him I do commit it for Pa-
tronage and Succcfs, who for the Comfort and Encouragement of the meanest,
as wdl as the tnojl acccmplifjed oi h\s Servants, (being faithful and diligent) hath
dcclaicd and umered in with a mofl fweet Note of Attention, Lo I I am zvlih ycm
always, evc-n unto the End of the World. AMEN.
B Of
r « )
Of Original Sin,
Ninth Article of the Church of England^ by Law
eftabhfhed.
0
^RIGINAL SiNJiandelh not hi the follozving of A-d am, (as the Pek-
gians do vainly talk) but it is the Fault and Corruption of the Nature
of every Man that is naturally engendered of the Offspring of Adam ^
whereby Man is very far gone from Original Righteoufnefsj and is of his
own Nature inclined to Evil, fo that the Flefh lufleth always contrary to
the Spirit •, and therefore in every Perfon born into this World, it defcrvctb
GOD*s JVrath and Damnation. And this Infection of Nature doth re-
main, yea in them that are regenerated, whereby the hufi of the Flefh
called in Greek phronema farkos, which fome do expound the Wifddm,
fame Senfuality, fome the Affe^ion^ fome the Defire of the Flefh, is not
fuhjeSl to the Law of GOD. And altho' there is no Condemnation for
them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apofile doth confefs thai Concu-
pifcence and Lufi hath of it fclf the Nature of Sin.
THE Dodrine of Original Sin is ol that Nature zm^ prime Importance
that tiie other grand Points which follow to be treated of, Aojland or
fall therewith. Hence Satan, the grand Enemy of thofe holy Do<Slrincs,
hath in ail Ages incefTantly endeavoured by his Inftruments, by Sap and Strata-
gem, by perverfe Cavils and Oppofitions, by carnal Reafonings and wrefling the
holy Scriptures, {o pervert znd overthrow, as the other Doarines, fo alfo in an
cfpccial Manner this leading Point andArticle of our Chriftian Faith 5 even as lie
once with a wicked Boldnefs did attack in order (ifpoffible) to overthrow the
Captain of oik Salvation, perverting and abuf-g Scripture unto that End. Where-
fore it muft needs highly become thofe Soldiers who arc inlifled into this our dear
Lord's S€rvice,efpecially fuch as arc Leaders under him, manfully, wilh a bcccm-
t Of 0 R I G I N A L S I K
ing Zeal and Prudence, to fight under his Banner, w.kbflandirig the Attacks of
Oppofers and Gainfayers^ beginning at this leading He;&d' of Divinity j which \i
well eftablifhed, the reft will be the better able to abide th'j Shock.
Now for the Explanation of what we mean by Original Sin, let it be
obferved, Tha't by Sin we mean a Breach of GOD's holy Law j for Sin is any
want of Conformity unto or the Tranfgrefllon of the Law of GOD, i Joh. 3. 4.
Moreover, when we call It Original Sin, we do thereby mean the Jirji Sin that
ever was committed by the Creature Man, particularly Adiam's firjl Sin which
he committed by eating of the forbidden Fruit, when he flood as the puhlick Head
imd Reprefentative of all bis natural Progeny, who finned in him and fell with him
IV.. this \\\^ firfl Tranfgrefllon. Again, It may be called Original Sin, becaufe all
the Corruptions that are naturally in the Hearts of Men, whereby all their Powers
and Faculties are depraved, polluted and defiled, and their Lives corrupt by actual
Tranfgrefllon, do take their Rife from that firjl Sin of Jdam, which is the bit-
ter Root from whence they fpring, the polluted Fountain whence all thofe im-
pure Streams do flow. So that (as is well exprefled In the above recited Article)
Original Sin ftandeth not in the following of Adam by Imitation (as the Pelagians
and Socinians do vainly talk) but it is as the faid Article doth declare it to be.
That this then was an Article of Faith held hy our pious Forefathers we have
feen ; and that it is alfo an Article contained in our holy Book the BIBLE, I
now proceed (by divine Afliftance) to evince. To this End let my Chrifliian
Reader attend unto what fhall be offered from Eph. 2. laft Claufe of the 3d
Verfe. And were by Nature Children of Wrath even as others.
In the Divlfion and opening of thefe Words, I fhall in general take Notice of
thefe two Things, vit.. the Subje6i and the Predicate.
I. The SubjeSl ', in which the Apoftle includes himfelf a Jew,2in^ the Ephe-
fians who were Gentiles, and together with them all others of the fame degenerate
Offspring of fallen Adam, as will be further fhewn hereafter.
II. The Predicate ; or what is fald and afErmed Concerning this univerfal Sub-
let ; which is, that they are by Nature Children of Wrath : and were by Natnre
Children of Wrath (/'. e. I Paul and you Ephefians) even as others. That is to
fay, the reft of the fallen Race, whereof we are a Part. Two Things are
remarkable in the Apoftle^s Manner of Speech here.
1. That they are Children, or Heirs of GOD's Wrath, and fo obnoxious to
his righteous Judgment and Difpleafure.
2. That they are by Nature fo ; [mark] not meerly by PraSiice or Imitation y
but by Nature, which according to the proper Senfe of the Words, doth plainly
point out that Guilt, Depravity and Corruption that cleaves unto and is inherent i»
our Natures, as we arc the degenerate Offspring of Adam ; who by the wife Ap-
pointmeni
Of 0 R I G 1 N A L S IN. 3
pointment of GOD flood as the natural ^nis morn! Principal of all his Poflerityr
proceeding from his Loins by ordinary Generation.
The due Confideration of the Scope of the Words in their Relation to
what goes before and what follows after, will contribute not a little Light in-
to this Matter. Now the rnanifeft Scope of the ApoftJe here was to magnify*
and in the beft Manner to fet off the Riches of GOD's free and fovereigii
Grace, which fo remarkably flieweth it felf in the Notice it taketh of and the
.marvellous Change it produceth upon poor, ?niferable, fallen ^ corrupt, and undone
.Sinners in a more general, and unto Paul and thefe Ephefians in a particular Man-
ner, who had been not only Children of Difobedience by a6lual TranfgreiTion,
.fulfilling the Defires of the Flefh and of the Mind ; but alfoChildren of Wrath by
Original Sin & Corruption even as others. Thus the Apoftle mentions their former
•wretched Cafe as aFoil to illuftrate & fet off the rich je\vel of GOD's free & effi-
cacious Grace towards them, to the End they might the more chcar fully magnify
and praife his moll: holy Name. For by how much the more wretched, mife-
rable, and unworthy they had been ; by fo much the more GOD's fovereign
Love, Grace and Mercy were both manifejied and magnified. Accordingly the
Apoftle in the Beginning of the foregoing Chapter, after his wonted Salutations
,of Grace, Mercy and Peace from GOD the Father and our Lord Jesus
Christ, doth ufher in with a rapturous Doxology of Bleffing and Praife, what
.GOD the Father had done for them, in bleffing them with all fpiritual Bleffings
that are in heavenly Places or Tilings in Christ ; particularly that he had
chofen them in him before the Foundation of the World, that they Jhould be
holy and without Blame before him in Love : Which plainly fhews that GOD's
'EXtQiion io\xx\.6.xhQ.m. unholy zx\A full of Blame. Moreover he tells them of the
Grace and Priviledge of Adoption, of their Acceptance with GOD through the
beloved Jesus, through whofe Blood they had Redemption and the Forgivenefs
of Sins, according to the Riches of GOD's Grace, wherein he had abounded
towards them in all Wifdom and Prudence, having made known unto them the
Myflery of his Will, according to his good Pleafiure which he had purpofed in
himfelf : Alfo that they in Christ had obtain'd an Inheritance, being predefti-
nated thereunto according to the Purpofe of GOD, who worketh all Things
after the Counfel of his ©wn Will, that they (hould be to the Praife of his Glory.
After which the Apoftle reminds them of the fealing, earned and powerful Ope-
ration of GOD's holy Spirit upon them, how he quickened them when dead \n
Sins, and how GOD fhewed Mercy to them when condemned and dead in the
Eye of his broken Law as Children of Wrath, and void of fpiritual Life. Eph..
2. I. And you hath he quickened who were dead in Trefpaffa and Sins, zuberein i'Z
Time paji ye walked according to the Courfe of this JVorld, according to the Prince of
the Poiuer of the Air, the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Difobedience.
Among whom alfo we all had our Converfation in Times pa ft in the Lufls of cur Flejh,
fulfilling the Deftres of the Flejh, and of the Mind ; and were by Nature Children
of ll^rath, even as others. But GOD who is rich in Mercy, for his great Lovs
wherewith he loved us, evm when wc were dead in Sim^ hath quickened us together-
with
4 Of ORIGINAL SIN.
with CHRIST, (by Grace ye are faved) and hath raifed us up together and made us
10 fit together in heavenly Places in CHRIST ; that in the Ages to come he might
/hew the exceeding Riches of his Grace in his Kindntfs towards us thro' CHRIST
JESUS. US who had been Children of Difobedience, and which is more, who
had been by Nature Children of Wrath even as others. Now Wrath fuppofeth
Guilt, and Guilt fuppofeth Sin, and Sin fuppofeth a Laiv, yea a Law broken by
Tranfgreffion. So that we are by Nature Sinners ; by Nature I fay, and not by
Pra<2ice only. Thus then we are, as by a Silver Clue, led up to the Breach of
-GOD's Law in Paradife, which was done by us and all Mankind virtually and
reprefentatively in our iirfl Father Adam, in whofe Loins we were ; even as
Levi is faid to have paid Tythes in Abraham, whilfl as yet he did not actually
and peffonally exift, being then in Abraham's Loins, Heb. y. 9, 10. Hence
when St. Paul is treating of Adam as a publick Head, he doth plainly and pofi-
tively declare, that by this one Man's Difobedience many were made, i. e. con-
Jlituted Sinners ; and that by this one Man's Offence, or by that one Offence
{viz. of eating the forbidden Fruit) Judgment came upon all Men to Con-
demnation ; which is exactly agreable with my Text ; And were by Nature
Children of Wrath, even as others. Rom. 5. 18, 19. If to all this it fhouid
be objciSled (as it is) " That GOD is the Author of our Nature, and there-
fore this Expofition cannot be true.'* I anfwer. That as plaufible a Shew as this
Obje£tion makes, yet it is entirely overthrown with this one Jhort Obfervation,
viz. That human Nature confidered as GOD's Workmanflnp is one Thing, and
confidered as defaced, polluted and defiled with Sin is another. Now it is in this
latter Senfe that I have explain'd the Words : And this Diftindtion is confirmed
by Ecci. 7. 29. GOD made Man upright, but they have fought out many
Inventions ; Where a plain Reference is had to the firft Man Adam, es the com-
mon Root and Parent of his natural Progeny. Hence as GOD faid. Let vs make
Ivlan in our Image, after our Likenefs ; which had a peculiar Refpeft to the pure
Rcflitude of his Nature and Faculties : So after Adam finn'd and fell, and there-
by loft that moral Image of GOD, it is faid, that he begat a Son in his own Like-
i:£fs^ after Lis Image j that is to fay, Adam a Sinner begat a Son that was a Sinner
like himfelf. Gen. 5. I, 2, 3. Wherefore attending unto the /»ro/)fr Senfe and
Meaning of my Text, (in which obferve there is no Figure) my Propofition is,
'-^ That tiie wholeRacc of Mankind, defcending from the Loins oi Adam by ordi-
vary Generation, finned in hirri and fell with him in his firfl Tranfgreflion,
-^vhercby they became corrupted and defiled with Sin and Guilt, and fo are by
Nature Children of Wrath even as others." This without the leaft Violence
offered to my Text, is a natural Dedu£lion therefrom. Tho* the Dodlrine of
Original Sin be doubted of by fome, and contemptuoufiy exploded by others, v/ho
make many tragical Outcries of Injuflice,znd captious Interrogatories, How can
thefeThings be ? Yet it is a Do^nne found in and founded upon Divine Revela-
tion ; yea which in this fingle Text doth appear with zjhining and unconquerable
Evidence ; To corroborate which it were eafy to produce a Cloud of fuch divine
Witnefles, and in Conjundion therewith, the fure Teftimony of Fact, Experi-
ence and daily Obfervation. So that all the Objedlic>ns raifed againft a Do6lrine
thus
Of 0 R 1 G I N A L S I N. ^
thus attefted are groundlefs ; and which confequently do fink with their own
Weight. If the Dodrine which I plead for be true, as it is, the Scripture bein»
Judge, then by jufl Confequencc all Objedlions agaiufl it zvefalfe.
That I may fpeak on this Head of Divinity the more clearly and diflinStly^ I
(hall obferve that the Doctrine of Original Sin is commonly divided into thefe
two Parts : FirJ?^ l^hat Jdam's firji Sin became ours by Way of Imputation.
Secondly, That the Pollution he contradled by the Fall became ours not meerly
by Imitation, but by Derivation and Inheficn ; which is the corrupt Root from
whence the evil Fruit of adtual Tranfgreirion doth arife. And that all this takes
its Rife from his being the conjlituted Head and Repreftntative of all his numerous
Race, proceeding from his Loins by ordinary Generation. This is what by
divine Afllftance I fhall endeavour further to prove both in a conjuntl and diftinci
Manner. Some have indeed lately told us, that there never was fuch a Cove-
nant made with Adam as we plead for ; thereupon giving out an univerfal Chal-
lenge to us all who afient to the Dodlrine of Original Sin, to produce fo much
as one fingle Text from whence we can fairly prove fuch a Covenant.
But how if I fhould produce not only one but many Texts of Scripture that
do very plainly prove this, as I hope prefently to do ? I do not fay, that ^ fliall
aflert fuch a Covenant totidem Verbis, in (o many exprefs Words ; which to do
is not eflential to the Proof of the Point, but fuch as fhall hy plain, jujf and eajy
Confequence do it, according to the juflefl Rules of Speech and Interpretation
of Words ; it being enough for us, that the Thing it f elf is to be found in the
Bible. My firft Proof fhall be taken from GOD's early Tranfadions with our
firft Parent Adam before the Fall by Way of Charge. See Gen. 2. 15, 16, 17.
And the Lord God took the Man and put him into the Garden of Eden to drefs and
keep it : And the Lord God commanded the Man, faying. Of every Tree of the Gar-
den thou tnayji freely eat ; but of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil thouJJjalt
not cat of it ; for in the Day thou eatejl thereof thou /halt furely die : Or as it is in
the xMargin, Dying thou j})alt die. Which gives an Emphafis to the Words ; in
'.vliich is tacitly implied, that if he prov'd obedient he fhould live, even a Life of
ioy and Immortality : Of which that peculiar Tree emphatically called the Tree
•f Life, appears to me to have been given to Ada7n in a peculiar Manner to feed
.'pon as a Pledge or Token on GOD's Part, and which was to be continued to
idam fo long as he continued in his Obedience. For 'tis obfervablc, that imme-
'lately upon Adam^s Ad of Difobedience, the Lord not only palTed on him the
•entence and Sorrows of Death as the jufl Wages of his Sin ; but alfo drove him
ind his Wife out of Paradife where the Tree of Life grew, placing a flrong
Guard at the Entrance or PafTage to it, in order to hinder their Accefs there-
unto. Ciiap. 3. 22. And nozu lej} he put forth his Hand and take alfo of the Tree
'^f ^^f ^^^^ I'l'oe for ever, therefore the Lord God fent him forth from the Garden of
Eden to till the Ground, from tvhence he was taken. So he dravc out the Man, and
he placed at the Eejl of the Garden of Eden, Cherubims and a faming Sword, which
turned every IVay, to keep the Way of the Tree of Life. And Ada7n'% Confent io
the
6 Of 0 R I G I N J L S I N.
the abovefaid Covenant Difpenfationitias moft Ju/f and rtajonable, tho' not in
l^erms cxprefs'd, yet is very fully and plainly implied. So that this hath in it
the S^bftance of a Covenant, which was a Covenant of Works, the Conditions
of which was. This do^ and live ; if not, Death was to enfue : fo that Rewards
and Punijhments were annexed to this Covenant, in order to excite Adam to
Obedience. Which Covenant being by him once broken, both himfelf and all
bis Progeny, whofe covenanting Head he was, became involved in a State of Sin
and Mifery, under the Curfe of GOD's broken Law ; fo that henceforth Life
and Salvation could never be obtain'd by an Adherence to this Covenant of
Works made with Adam the pr/l^ but by Virtue only of another and better Co-
'<cnant, even that of Redemption and Grace made with Christ the fecond
Adam^ as the Head and Reprcfentative of his fpiritual Progeny, the Eled of
COD the Father, chofen by him in Christ, and given to him before the Foun-
dation of the World, to the End that in Time they fiiould be redeemed by him,
made meet for and at length efFe£lual]y brought to the Enjoyment of Life Eter-
nal. See Eph. r. 3, 4, to 13. John 17. i, 2, 3, 9, 24. Rom. 5. 17.
to the End. Titus i. i, 2. 2 Tim. i. 9. Of which two Covenants, viz.
that of Works and that of Grace, St. Paul makes exprefs Mention in his Epiftle
to the Ga/atiam, in order to recover thofe amongft them, who through the In-
ligation of the falfe Apoftlcs had warp'd afide into corrupt Principles, turning
from their former Adherence to the Covenant of Grace, cleaving to that of
Works, vvhereb^they rendered themfelves obnoxious to the Curfe, Gal. 3. 10.
jIs many as areim>iae-the JVorks of the Law are under the Curfc^ far it is written,
Curfed is every one that continueth nst in all Things that are written in the Book of
ihe Law to do them. Ver. 13, Chriji hath redeemed us from the Curfe of the LaWy
being ynade a Curfe for us. 2 Cor. 5. 21. He was made Sin for us who kneiu no
Sin, thai zve might be made the Right esufnefs of GOD in him. Accordingly the
Apoftle further tells theGff/^//<?m,Chap. 3. 21. That if there had been a Law given,
which could have given Life^ verily Right eoufnefs JJ)ould have been by the Latv. But
ihe Scripture hath concluded all under Sin, that the Pramife by Faith of Jefus Chriji
might be given to them that believe, to wit, in the Blood and Righteoufnefs of
JESus Christ, who is the Head and Mediator of the Covenant of Grace ; for
if Righteoufnefs (a juftifying Righteoufnefs) come by the Law (as a Covenant
cf Works) then Christ died in vain. Wherefore the Apoftle in order to
c-Jlablifli their Minds in the DotSlrine of this Gofpel, he thus reafons with them,
Chap. 4. 21. Tell me ye thai defire to be under the Law, or Covenant of Works,
:lo ye not hear the Law f For it is written that Abraham had itvo Sons, the one by
1 Bond-maid, the other by a free Woman : But he ivho was of ihe Bond-zvoman was
vorn cf the Flcjh \ but hg who was of the free Woman was by Promife. Which
Things are en Allegory. Yox tkefe arc the two Covenants, that is to fay, Thefc
two Sons are allegorical Reprefentations of the two Covenants, viz. that of
Works made with Adam the firft, as the common fcederal Head of his natural
Offspring, which being broken tendeth to Bondage ; and the Covenant oi Grace
made with Christ the fecond Adam, as the covenanting Head of his fpiritual
Pj^-tvirenv, even all the Eled: of CjOD and true Believers, regenerated and born
•^ ' of
Of ORIGINAL SIN. f
of the Spirit from above, which tendeth to Liberty. For if the Son of GOD
make us free we fhal] be free indeed^ John 8. 34, 35, 36.— Accordingly we
iind that thefe two Heads and Reprefentaiives of their feveral and refpedtive Off-
fprings are parallel'd together in the 5th Chapter of the Romans^ as we fhall fee
hereafter; y/^^z« in this Refpe6l being a Figure of Christ the fecond Jdam
that was to come. Jdam by his Difobedience bringing on his w^/wr^/Seed, Guilty
Corruption^ Death and Condemnation : Christ by his Obedience bringing his
spiritual Seed into a State. of Grace, Righteoufnefs, and Ju/iification of Life ; not
only to a Freedom from Death and Condemnation, but alfo to a Pofleffion of a
Life of Grace and Glory. Which Confidcration alone is fufficient to put to
Silence all thofe tragical Outcries againft the Do£lrine of Jdam's fcederal Head-
ship, as tho' the Juftice of GOD was ftain'd thereby : Whereas by the Breach
of the frji Covenant Way is made for the Grace, Righteoufnefs and Glory of
the fecond to be difplay'd on all Believers.-— Moreover, how very unjuftly do the
Deniers of Original Sin charge us who plead for it, with rendring GOD cruel
in the Damnation of Thoufands of dying Infants ? I fay how very inconclufive
and unjuji is this their Charge npon us ? Since as we plead that by the Offence
of one Man Judgment came upon them to Condemnation, fo alfo we declare to
believe, that by the Righteoufnefs of one, even Jesus Christ, the free Gift
■comes on them to Juftification of Life : That as by one Man's Difobedience
many were made Sinners, fo by the Obedience of one, ■y/z. Christ the fecond
Adam, they are made or conftituted righteous : So that thereby being freed from
Condemnation and fandtified by his heavenly Grace, they become meet for the
Enjoyment of GOD in Glory above ; anfwerable to the Saying of our blefled
Saviour himfelf, Suffer little Children to come unto me, and forbid the7n not, for of
fuch is the Kingdom of Heaven. This is our juft Apology and Defence.
In {hort ; Since I have plainly prov'd this Point of Original Sin to be a Biblc-
Dodlrine, the Charge of Injujiice and Cruelty being laid at our Door, doth not
reft there, but terminates on the grand Author of the Bible, who there aflerts it.
Tea, how vainly do our Opponents plead from Rom. 5. 18. for a univerfal^e-
demption by Christ the fecond Adam, if there was not a univerfal Malady
and DcfeSiion by the one Offence of Adam the firji ; How inconfi/icntly do they
plead, that by the Righteoufnefs of one, even Christ, the free Gift came upon
all Men univer (ally unto JujVification of Life? whilft they are unwilling to allow
that by tie Offence of one, even Ada7n, Judgment came upon all Men univer-
fally unto Condemnation and Death f Thus I might deal with our Opponents by
Way of juft Retaliation.
But to proceed ; Having viewed theTranfadtions whicli paffed between GOD
and Adam before the Fall, we v/\\] now take a View of what followed immedi-
ately thereupon, as in Gen. Chap. 3. where we (hall find, — that anfwerable to
GOD's tlireatning of Adam before the Fall in Cafe of h\s.Di [obedience, he aciu-
ally pronounced upon him foon after. And the Thing which I would have
my Reader well remark as making for my Purpofe is. That theCurfe and Mifery
C pronounced
8' Of 0 R I G I N A L S I N.
pronounced upon our iiril Parents for their firft: Tranfgreflion in eating of the
forbidden Fruit, did not terminate on their Jing/e Perfons, but extended to their
fallen Pofleiity, as /1?^7j and Events do undeniably evidence. Of which no
fatisfacElory Account can be given, but that j^cta/n and Eve were looked upon as
the common Roots of their fallen Pofterity ; that Jdam covenanted not only
for himfelf but alfo for tofm ; that they finned in him and fell with him in that
Tranfgrcilion, by his one Offence.-— Let us now attend unto GOD's pro-
nouncing his Sentence on them dijiin^ly and conjunSily^ ver. i6. Unto the JVcman
he [aid, I will greatly ?nvltiply thy Sorrow and thy Conception^ in Sorrow /hcilt thou
bring forth Children^ and thy Dejire flyall be to thy Hufband, and he JJ^all rule over
thee. Thus you fee that Eve^s Daughters do fuffer not only for their own per-
gonal Sins, but alfo for the Trefpafs of this their common Mother ; their forrow-
ful Conceptions, however augmented by their own perfonal Sins, do take tiieir
Rife here. Ver. 1 7. jind unto Adam he faid.^ hccaufe thou hajl hearkened unto the
Voice of thy JVife^ and haJl eaten of the Tree which I cominanded thee faying^ Thou
/halt not eat of it. Curfed is the Ground for thy Sake., in Sorrow JJjalt thou eat of
it all the Days of thy Life : Thorns alfo and Tbijlhs Jhall it bring forth unto thee.,
and thou Jhalt eat of the Herb of the Field : in the Siueat of thy Face /halt thou eat
Bread till thou return unto the Ground., for out of it waji thau taken : For Dujl
thou art.^ and unto Dujf Ji)alt thou return. Now fince thefe Sorrows and A4ife-
ries, the fad Confequents and EfFedls of Jdam's one Offence in eating of the
forbidden Tree, ^id not terminate in himfelf, but extended fucceflively to his
numerous Race all over the World, as Fa6ls do evince, 'tis plain that he a6fcd
as their natural and moral Principal in the Covenant made with him in Paradife.
Yea, are not the very Thorns and Thirties the Fruits of the Curfe at this Day
.{landing Witnefles of this fad Truth ? And which the Deniers of Original Sin
may look upon as fo many Upbraiders of their Unbelief. — I now pafs to St.
Paul's corroborating Teftimony in the fifth of the Ro?nans, where anfwcrable
to his Scope in illuflrating the grand Dodrine of Juflification by the imputed
Righteoufnefs and Obedience of Christ the fecond Adaniy and fetting off the
Excellency and fuperiour Glory of that Righteoufnefs, he runs a Parrallel be-
tween him and Jdatn as the Heads and Reprefentatives of their feveral and re-
fpective Offsprings, fhewing that Christ's Obedience was more powerful
unto Juflification and Salvation, to his fpiritual ieed, than Jdarns Difobedience
was unto the Condemnation of his natural Seed. Accordingly the Apoflle be-
gins Ver. 12. with a Declaration of the Sin and Mifery which Jdam the fr/}
bv hisDifobedience brought upon them, as before obferved from the 3d oiGenrjis.
IVh ere fore as by one Man Sin entred into the I For Id, and Death by Sin., and fo Death
i>nffcd upon all Men., for that all have finned^ to wit, in him. The Apoftle having
'thus affcrted the Dodrine q^ Original Sin, he goes on and proves it by the follow-
ing Method of Reafoning, Ver. 13. For until the Law {i.e. the Law written
by Mofes) Sin was in the World; but Sin is not imputed ivben there is no Law. Ai
if he had faid, It is evident that all have finned in that one Man as before afferted,
becaufe Sin which is a Want of Conformity unto or Tranfgreffion of the Law of
GOD, was always in the World from Jdam's Time to Mofes., in which Space
tho'
Of 0 R I G I N A L S I N, ,9
tbo' there was noLaw written, yet there was a Law in Being ; if otherwife. Sin
could not have been in the World, fince Sin is the Tranfgreilion of the Law.
Ver. 1 4. Isleverthelefs Death reigned from Adam to Mofes, even over them that
had not firmed after the Stmilitude of A<S3>.m.'s Tranfgreffion^ who is the Figure oj him
that was to come. The Apoftle having in Proof of his Proportion concerning
Original Sin, fhewn that Sin was in the World before the Law written by
Mofes, he here confirms his Argument thus, " Death which is the Wages of
Sin did reign in the World, and had Power over all Mankind from Adam unto
M^es, even over Infants who had not finned actually and perfonally as Jdam had
done: Now fince Death is the Wages and Punifhment of Sin, and fince Infants
fiifFer Sicknefles, Pains and Death, who are not capable of committing a£iual
Tranfgreffion, therefore they do undergo all thefe Miferies for the Sin of Adam^
in whom all have finned j his Sin becoming theirs by Imputation, t\tn as they are
accounted righteous in the Matter of Juftification, by Virtue of the fecond
^^tf;«'s Righteoufnefs imputed to them, for herein Adam was a Figure of Christ
which was to come.". I now pafs to obferve, that from hence to the End of
the Chapter, the Apoftle even as to higher Matters than thofe of a natural Life
and Death, runs a Parrallel between Adam the firji, and Christ the fecond
Adam ; fhewing that as Adam was the Root of Sin, Death and Condemnation
to all his «^/wra/Seed, fo Christ is the Root of Holinefs, Righteoufnefs and
Life to his fpiritual Seed. For as by the firfl Adam, Sin, and Death by Sin came
upon all Men, fo by the fecond Adam came Righteoufnefs, and by Righteoufnefs
Life upon Christ's All : So that as Adam's All in Adam die, even fo Christ's
All fliall in and by Christ be made alive ; they being juftified by his Obedi-
ence and fanftified by his Grace, fhall by him be raifed unto Life eternal in the
great Refurre£lion-Day, i Cor. 15. 20 to 24. Now obferve that this Com-
parifon would be wholly infignificant if Adam had not been looked upon as the
corrimon Head and Reprefentative of Mankind. Adani'i, Headfhip over them in
the Covenant of Works, and Christ's Headfhip over his Church in the Cove-
nant of Grace, do fo ftrongly prove each other, that you cannot deny the one
without difannulling of the other. For as by the Offence of one, Judgment
came upon all Men to Condemnation, even fo by the Righteoufnefs oi one, the
free Gift came upon all Men, that is, unto Christ's All unto Jufiification of
Life. For as by one Man's Difobedience many were made {Katejiathcfan, con- \
Jiituted) Sinners, fo by the Obedience of one fhall many be made {Katejlathefontai
conjlituted) righteous: Or if you tranfpofe the Words and mention Ch.^ist's
Headfliip firJi and Adam's laft, you fhall find that thefe two Points do mutuallv
ftrengthen each other, as a curious Piece of Arch- Work laid together by a (k:l-
ful Workman, and that they do either {land or fall together. As by the Obed^
ence of one, even Christ's, many are made, or conftituted righteous, <b by
the Difobedience of one, even Adam, many, even all his natural Progeny, were
npde, or conftituted Sinners. We will now fum up the Evidence for the Con-
firmation of the Point I contend for, as it plentifully appears in the feveral Verfes,
beginning at the 1 2th, rjth, 14th, '« Wherefore as by one Man, even Adam, bm\
entered into the World, and Death by Sin, aad fo Death pafi'ed upon ail Men, ',
C 2 for '
10 Of O'RIGINAL SIN.
for that all have finned, (i"*? wit, in him,) 'or until the Law Sin was in the World^
but Sin is not iinputed when there is no Lav/. Neverthelefs Death reigned from
j^dciTft to Mofes^ even over them that had not fmned after the Similitude of Jda?n's
Tranfgreifion, who was a Figure of him who was to come." Ver. i6. The
Judgment was by one (that is, Adam) unto Condemnation. Ver. ij. By one
Man's Offence, (that is, of Adam) or by his one Offence, Death reigred by one.
Ver. 1 8. By the Offence of one, or by one Offence (that is, of Adatn) Judg-
ment canae upon all Men to Condemnation. Ver. ig. By one Man's
Difobedience (that is, Adam^%) many ,were made Sinners." Now if
fuch plain and plentiful Evidence as this be not admitted for Proof of the
Point I argue for, anfwerable to all juft Rules of Speech and Interpretation of
Words, without the leaft IVreflings, Shifts, or Evafions, for my Part I cannot
fee how we can be certain in the Proof of any one Point in Religion as a Scripture
Do6lrine ; If all thofeThings (anfwerable to the Scope of the Place) can be faid
of Adam and his Pofterity, without underftanding him to be their common Head
and Reprefentative in the Covenant Tranfadions which paffed between GOD
and him in Paradife, and that they all fumed in him and fell with him in his one
Offence of eating the forbidden Fruit, then I cannot poffibly fee how we can be
certain of any one Point of Faith, that is not in fo many exprefs Words at large
declared. Neither can I fee how any reafonable intelligent Perfon can rejedt
what I have offered from Scripture in Proof of the Point in Hand, without offering
Violence to their own Senfe and Reafon, and all known and fl^ated Rules of
Speech and Interpretation of Words. Yet ftill to confirm my Argument in Proof
of Original Sin, I fhall turn you to the third Chapter of this fame Epiftle, where
the Apoftle in order to filence and humble the contending "Jews and Gentiles in
that Church, and fpoil their Vauntings of the one againfl the other, he laying
afide all Matter of glorying as to Wifdom in the Gentiles, and .as to the diftinguifli-
ing Prerogatives of the fews of the which they boafted, comes. to- point out unto
them their corrupt Original, fhewing that they were equally the fmful Defcendants
of fallen Adam, corrupted and depraved with Sin and under Guilt, being by Na-
ture Children of Wrath, the one as much as the other ; by which he prepares their
Minds for the more ready betaking themfelves unto the Righteoufnefs of Christ
the fecond yf/ff?«, for Juftification and Salvation, and therein religioufy to glory,
and not in any natural, or otherwife external Difference, or Adherence to the
Deeds of the Law as a Covenant of Works ; fmce thereby no Flejh fir.ce the Fall
could be juftified, but by Faith in the Righteoufnefs, propitiatory Sacrifice and
Blood of Christ, the CecondAda/n. Ver. 9. «' What then? Are we better
than they ? No in no wife, for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles
that they are all under Sin ; as it is written, there is none righteous, no not one,
that is, not fo much as one of Ada?n's Race,whetherJ'<fifx or Gentiles." Ver. 11.
*' There is none that underllandeth, there is none that feeketh afterGod. Ver. 12.
They are all gone out of the Way, they are together become unprofitable, tl^re
is tjone that doth good, no not one." And fo the Apoftle goes on to Ver.iq.
where he adds, "• Now we know that whatThings foever the Law faith, it faith
to them that are under the Law, that every MQUth may be flopped, and all the
World
Of O R I G 1 N A L S I N, ii
World become guilty beforeGod." Ver.io. Therefore by the Deeds of the Lavr
fhall no Flefti (whether Jew or Gentile) be juftified in his Sight ; for by the Law
is the Knowledge of Sin." Fer.27^. All have finned and come fhort of the Glory
of GOD. So that, as the Apoftle there fhews, *' we are juftified freely by his
Grace, through thcRedemption that is in Christ Jesus." All which Account
doth exa6tly agree with what we before obferved from Chap. 5. of this fame
Epiftle. To all that hath been offered I will fubjoin Hof.b.']. " But they like
Men, or like Adam (as it is in the Margin) have tranfgrefted the Covenant."
Now put all that hath been faid from Scripture together in their united Evi-
dence, and fee whether we have not, not only one but many pertinent Texts of
Scripture which do together fully prove, that fuch a Covenant was made v/ith
-^(^^/« which we argue for. And fince Christ's Headfhip and Adatn'^ do f^>
ftrongly prove each other, that they ftand or fall together, as 1 have fliewn : 1
would advife my Opponents to take Hee J, left: while they vIsDroufly excufe
themfelves from Jdam's Sin, they do not by a Parity of Reafon ex(^ufle themfelves
from the Righteoufne/s of CHRIST; fincc the fetting up of the fecond Adam
was as much without theirConfent as the firji ; and fince xhty peyfonally and aiJu^
ally contributed no more towards the mediatorial Suretiftiip Obedience of Chrift:
the fecond Adam, by which alone they can be juftified in the Sight of GOD, than
they did perfonally and a£iually towards the Difobedience of the firjl Adam, by the
which they were made Sinners and brought under a State of Wrath and Con-
demnation. We muft then be brought humbly and freely to confefs that by the
Offence of that one Man, or by his one Offence, Judgment came upon us unto
Condemnation ; and that by his Difobedience as our foederal Head, we were made
Sinners, before we can upon good Grounds conclude, that by the Obedience and
Righteoufncfs of one even Jesus Christ, we are freed from Condemnation
and accounted righteous in the Sight of GOD, and that we have a Right unto
eternal Life. For /-6n and nothing lefs than this, is included in thofe Words,
** Even (o by the Righteoufncfs of one, the free Gift comes upon all Men, (that
is to fay, upon Christ's y^//,) unto Juftification of Life. Rom. 5. 18. 21.
That as Sin reigned unto Death, even {o might Grace reign through Righteouf-
ncfs unto eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord." Thus I fay, as b/ the
Righteoufncfs of one the free Gift comes upon ill theElefl of GOD ani true Be-
lievers, unto Juftification of Life ; even fo, or in like Manner, by the Offence
of one, even Jdam, Judgment came upon all Men, of all his fallen Race, unto
Condemnation, which is by Imputation,
Let then the Oppofers of this Dodtrine duly confider, how mifcrable thelf
Cafe muft be whilft they do put away from themfelves the imputed Righteoufncfs
of Je s u s Ch r 1ST the feccnd Adam : For they do remain under Wrath and Con-
demnation ; they do ftand felf-conde?nned, judging themfelves unworthy of evcr-
laftitg Life, like thofe in J6fs 13. 46. He that believeth on the Son of GOD
is not condemned ; but he that believeth not is condemned already, becaufe
he hath not believed in the Name of the only-begotten Son of GOD. He that
belicvetb.
12 Of ORIGINAL SIN.
helieveth on the Son hath everlafting Life, and he that believeth not the Son,
fnall not fee Life, but the Wrath of GOD abideth on him, who is by Nature
a Child of Wrath. See John 3. 18. 36. Thus miferable is the Cafe of all
Unbelievers ; whilft thrice blefled are they, who under a humble Senfe of their
being by Nature as well as by PraSrke^ Children of Wrath and Difobedience,
do by a livelyFaith fly forRefuge unto Jesus Christ, his Blood and Righteouf-
nefs, to the End they might be delivered from this their wretched Eflate, and
from the Wrath that is to come. Hth. 6. 18. i Thejf. i. 10. Who being
Ibundly convinced, that by the Deeds of the moral Law as a Covenant of Works,
no Flelh can be juftified in the Sight of GOD, (as 'tis emphatically exprefled
Rom. 30. 20.) Do reft and rely, for fuch ajuftification, folely upon the imputed
Rightcoufnefs of Jesus Christ, emphatically called the Righteoufnefs ofGODy
■without the Law manifefted by the Gofpel, Rom. 1. 16. and witnefled by the
Law and the Prophets, even the Righteoufnefs of GOD which is by Faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that do believe. Rom. 3. 21. 22.
Thus Abraham believed in an imputed Righteoufnefs, whereby he was juftified.
And thusDa-y/Wwhodefcribeth thcBlefTednefs of theMan unto whoniGOD imput-
eth Righteoufnefs withoutWorks, faying, BlefTed are they whofe Iniquities are for-
given, and whofe Sins are covered. BlefTed is the Man to whom the Lord will
not impute Sin. Romans 4. throughout.
Now to all that hath been faid concerning the fcederal Headfhip of A(iam the
firft, I would beg Leave to fubjoin what the Rev. Dr. Bates fays on this Head in
his Works in Folio, pag. 92. *' The Terms of the firft Covenant (fays he) are
*' fuch, that the common Reafon of Mankind cannot juflly refufe. Forfuppofe
*' all the VxogQny oi Jdam had appeared with him before their Creator, and this
*' had been propounded, that GOD would make an Agreement with their com-
** mon Father on their Behalf, that if he continued in his Obedience they (hould
*' enjoy a happy Immortality ; if he declined from it, they fhould be deprived
*' of BlefTednefs : What Shadov/ of Exception can be formed againft this Pro-
'* pofal ? For GOD who is the Mafter of his own Favours, and gives them
** upon what Terms he plcafes, might have upon their Refufal annihilated them.
*' TheCommand was equal, and his Obedience for all was as eafy as that of every
** particular Perfon for himfclf. Befides Adam was as much concerned to ob-
*' ferve the Conditions of the Covenant, for fecuring his ownlnitxt^TiS theirs,
*' and after a fhort Time of Trial they fhould be confirmed in their BlefTednefs.
*' By all which 'tis apparent how reafonable the Conditions of the original Agree-
*' ment between GOD and Man are. Secondly., GOD hath Power over our
*' Wills fuperiour to that we our felves have. If GOD offers a Covenant to
*' the Creature, the Terms being equal, it becomes a Law, and Confent is due
" as an Act of Obedience : And if a Community may appoint one of their Num-
*^ ber to be their Reprefentative to tranfacSt Affairs of the greatefl Moment', and
*' according to his Management the Benefit or Damage fhall accrue unto them,
*' becaufe he is reckoned to perform the Wills of them all 3 may not GOD who
♦' hath a fupream Dominion over us, conftitute Adam the Reprefentative of
Mankind,
Of 0 R I G I N'A L S I N. 13
<« Mankind, and unite the Confentofall in his general Will, fo that, as he ful-
*' filled or negle6led his Duty, they fhould be happy or miferable ? This Con-
*< fideration alone, that the firft Covenant was ordered by GOD, may perfe6tly \
*' fatisfy all Inquiries. Neither is this a meer extrinfick Argument as Authority '
** ufually is, becaufe there is an intrinfick Reafon of this Authority, the abfokitc
*' Re<ftitude and Juflice of GOD's Nature, who is righteous in all his Ways,
*.'■ and holy in all his Works." Thus far the Dodor.
But notwithftanding all that we can fay, in Proof of this Point, it is objected
to us from ^zf/f. i8. and Jer. 31. 2g. In thofe Days they fhall fay no more, '
the Fathers have eaten fowre Grapes, and the Children's Teeth are fet on Edge.
To this I anfwer. That as there are no real Contradi6lions in Scripture, fo it
cannot in good Reafon be thought that this Text doth run counter to the Dodrinc
of Original Sin, which I have fo plentifully proved out of both the Old and New-
Teftament. Therefore we muft feek out fuch a Senfc ofihefe Words as doth
not contradi6l thofe other plain Scriptures, which I take to be briefly this, That
they were fpoken with Reference unto Men's near Parents, who tho' they
bear a natural, yet ftand in no fuch Covenant Relation to us as our firft Parents
did. Beiides I will add, that as this Text hath a Reference to fuch as were Sin-
ners as well by Practice as by Nature, fo it is impertinently produced againfl us,
fince while we, with the Scriptures, hold, that by jidam\ one OfFenceJudgment
came upon all Men unto Condemnation, being by his Difobedience made Sin-
ners, we do not fay that any Man who lives and dies an impenitent/)^r/a/?(?/ Sinner
iliall be aifually ^nd finally damned, mcerly for that one OiFence, but alfo for their
Approbation thereof, by imitating Jdam in committing wilful and aSfual Sins in
their oiun Perfons. So that all ungodly and finally impenitent Sinners who have
taken their Swing in committing Iniquity, wiU ftand felf-condemned at the laft
Day, notwithftanding our Declarations from Scripture, that by Adam's one
Offence, Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation, and that they are by
Nature the Children of Wrath. As by their perfonal Iniquity they do juftify their
firft Father's Difobedience, and thereby add ur.to their Guilt, fo they do in a
high Degree become more the Children of Wrath than they v/cre before ; and
confequently iht'ir final Condemnation will be fo much the greater and more dread-
ful, heaping up Guilt upon Guilt, and Wrath upon Wrath, againft the D'\y of
Wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of GOD, who will render unto
every Man according to his Deeds.
Thus then whilft we from Scripture do zealoufly maintain the Dodrine of
Original Sin, and the Righteoulhefs of the Imputation of Jdarn's fiift Sin,
or of all Men's being by that one Man's Difobedience made Sinners, and thereiiy
Judgment comes upon them unto Condemnation, we do from the fame divine
Oracles produce fufficient Matter to put to Silence the vain Pleas and Excufes oi
oBual^ wilful and objVmate TranfgrefTors, v/ho daringly fay. Are not CX)f)'s
Ways with Mankind unequal ? As they thcmfelves have a5iually yea greed
14 Of ORIGINAL SIN.
eaten fowre Grapes^ fo their Teeth (hall be fet on Edge : they fhall die for their
own perfonsl Iniquity, and not meerly for their firft feather Adam's eating of the
forbiddenTree. And by the Way I cannot but obferve, how weak a Thing it is
in fome to aver, that Christ by his Death quite took away Original Sin from
all Mankind, fince it is fo vifibly to be feen at this very Day, wherefoever we go,
in its fad Fruits and Effe^s. Whereas if what they aver was true, we fliould
certainly fee that Maxim verified, viz. Take away the Caufe and the EffeSfs will
ceafe. But that the Caufe fhould be taken wholly away whilft its numerous fad
Effedls do every where fo very vifibly and remarkably remain, is a Difficulty I
fhall leave with thofe to folve who do afiert it. Thus much concerning xhejirji
Branch of Original Sin, which refpedetk the Imputation of Jdam'sone Offence
unto all his fallen Progeny.
I now proceed to treat of the fecond Branch, which refpedleth that Depravity
and Corruption of our Natures, which we do derive from our fallen corrupted firft
Parent. For as we are by Nature Sinners in Jdam by Way of Imputation, fo
alfo we are Heirs of his Corruption ; all which together doth render us to be by
Nature the Children of Wrath. As before Man fell he did bear the Image of
GOD, particul.irly I here mean his moral Image, bearing a Likenefs unto and a
Refemblance of him in Righteoufnefs and true Holinefs, without being in the
leaft ftained with Sin ; fo by the Fall he loft th?it pure ReSfitude, that original
Uprightnefs and virgin Purity ; he became ftripped of the white Robes of Inno-
cency ; having withal his whole Frame, Nature and Conftitudon vitiated and
corrupted ; So that Occafion was foon given for the holy GOD to obferve that
the V/ickednefs of Man was great upon the Earth ; and that every Imagination
of the Thoughts of his Heart was f^;//, ow/j; evil, and that fOK/;«««//y, Gen. 6. 5.
Yea daily Obfervation, Fa6ls and Experience do concur with the Prophet, fay-
ing. That the Heart of Man is deceitful above all Things and defperatcly wick-
ed : That from within (as our blefied Saviour faith) out of the Heart of Man
proceed evil Thoughts, Adulteries, Fornications, Murders, Thefts, Covetouf-
nefs, Wickednefs, Deceit, Lafcivioufnefs, an evil Eye, Blafphemy, Pride, Fool-
iftinefs. Such a Plague \s there naturally in the Heart of Man. yer. 17. 9.
Mark 7. 21, 22. I Kings 8. 38. The Body alfo with its feveral Members
are defiled and become the Inftruments of Unrighteoufnefs unto Sin. Rom. 6. 13.
GOD made Man upright, but alafs ! they have fought out many Inventions,
Ec:l. 7. 21. No fooner had the old Serpent fet his Sting into the Soul of Man,
but every Faculty thereof became impoifoned thereby, even as when a Man is
bitten by a venemous Beaft the Poifon diffufeth it felf throughout every Vein,
and infedleth the whole Mafs of Blood, whereupon every Member becomes cor-
rupt and ufelefs, and Life it felf loft. Hence fallen Man is reprefented in the
divine Oracles as dead in Sin. Job. 5. 25. Eph. 2. I. Having their Under-
ftanding dearkened J yea X)^r/f«^ it felf in the Abftradt:. Eph. 4.18. Chap. 5,
8. Their Confciences defiled j their Memory leaky as to Things Divine, whilft
it is tenacious of that which is evil ; their Wills and Aff'edlions carnal, earthly,
ftabborn and perverfe j for the carnal Mind is Enmity againft GOD, '\s, not fub-
jea
Of 0 R I G I N J L S I N. 15
Tc(5l to the Law of GOD', neither inJeed can be. Tiius i. 16. Rcf/7. 8. 7.
'Uehold Man is fiiapen in Iniquity and conceived in Sin, PfaL 51. 5. iJe is
born into the World impure and unclean, having in his Nature the Seeds of Sin
which fpring up with him, firft in the Bud, and then in xh^ full ripe Fruit of
ailual Sin. Hence in Conjun6tion with the Teftimony of Experience and daily
Obfervation, the divine Oracles do abound v/ith fuch emphatick, con'i incing
Language as this, " Who can bring a clean Thing cut of an unclean ? Not one.
What is Man that he (hould be clean ? And he that is born of a Woman that
he fliould be righteous ? How then can Man be juftilied with GOD ? And
how can he be clean that is born of a Woman ? Behold even to the Moon and
it Ihincth not ; yea the Stars are not pure in his Sight. How much lefs Man
that is a Worm, and the Son of Man which is aWorm ?" TheEfFe6l cannot be
nobler than the Caufe, nor the Stream more pure than the Fountain, fob 14.
4. Chap. 15. 14. Chap. 25. 4, 5, 6. A finful Creature cannot produce a
])oly and pure one by ordinary Generation. For as our Lord faith, fobn 3. 6.
That ivhich is barn of the Flejh is Flejio, and that tvhich is born of the Spirit is Spirit.
Now by Flefli here 'tis obfervable, is not meant the material Part of our Huma-
nity, but the Corruption of Sin with which the whole Nature is infetSled. Hence
fallen /Idajn is faid to have begat a Son in his ewn Likenefs, after his Image, Gen.
5.3. Hence ajfo we have that plainDiftijidtion between the 7iaiural and thefpiri-
iual A-Ian, the firft being born of the Hefh, the other regenerated and born again
of the Spirit, i Cor. 2. 14, 15. It is from this inbred Corruption of our Na-
tures that adtua! Sin doth fo foon fpring up and appear in the Sons and Daughters
of Men. Pfal. 58. 3, 4. The Wicked are eftranged from the Womb, they
go aftray as foon as they be hoyn, or from the Belly (as 'tis from the Hebrew in
the Margin) Their Poifcn is the Poifon of a Serpent : Which we know is natural
and inbred. The Serpent is by Nature a poifonous Creature ; even fo, Man is bv
Nature not only a Child of Wrath, but alfo oi Corruption ; from v/hence aduai
Sins and corrupt Pradlices do as naturally proceed, as Poifon doth from a Serpent.
Accordingly theLord when rebuking Ifrael faith,! ^nezu that thou xvculdej} dealv^ry
treacheroufy, and waji called a Tranfgrejfor fro7?i the JVornb. The humble Con-
feflions of the godly do confirm this : Hence when penitent David bewailed and^
confefied his a6lual Tranfgrefficns, he afceuds from the polluted Streams to the]
corrupt Fountain, whither being come he puts an Accent upon his Confeilion^ \
faying, Behold, I was {hapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me.
To overthrow thisQuotation, it is objected to us, "That no more is intended
than thatZ>«'z;/V/ was an ^ar/j'Sinner ; or bad Iretimes." To which I anfwer,Thac
howfoever I cannot fee any Scripture-Ground for this fever e Infmuation, yet for
Argument'sSakejfuppofing the vvorft,this is fo far from W//??^, that it helps oxxrAr-
gument, fuice Reafon it felf tells us, that thofe early, corrupt and evil Fruits muft
needs fpring up from fome corruptRoot which v^zs prior to theFruits it bore. And
what could this Root be, but the natural and inbred Corruption of his Nature, as
emphatically exprefTed in the Text under Confideration ? And 'tis natural to
think that the penitent Pfalmift, whilft confeiTm?; and bewailing his bringing forth..
D. " fuch
i5 Of ORIGINAL SIN.
fuch evil Fruit of aiflaal Tranfgreflion, fnould beled to theforrowful Contempla-
tion of that corrupt Root from whence it did arife, and accordingly pray, as he
did, that GOD v/ould vvafli him throughly horn his Iniquity, and cleanle him
from his Sin ; yea, that GOD would create in him a clean Heart, and renew a
right Spirit xuithin him. Pfal. 51.
2. 'Tis further obje£led, " That to argue from Z)^'yzWs fingular Cafe unto
all Men's, is inconclufive and will not hold good."
To which I anfwer. How impertinent and inconclufive is this ObjecSlion ? fince
we do not argue barely or mcerly from this fingle Inltance, but from it in Con-
junStion with 7nany other pertinent Texts of Scripture, alfo vifible Fa£ls and Expe-
rience : So that our Argument remains unfliaken, and our Conclufion ftrong,
Tnat ail the fallen Pofterity of Adatn are (hapen in Iniquity and conceived in
Sin, born into the World impure and unholy, and Children of Wrath : There-
upon (landing in Need of being wafhed in that purifying Fountain of our Savi-
our's mofl: precious Blood, which is opened for Sin and Unclcannefs, Zech. 13. I.
Wherea^ according to the Objector's Hypothecs (who reprefenterfi the whole
fallen Offspring of Adam to be by their natural Birth as holy and pure, as he was
before the Fall in Paradife) they do naturally ftand in no Need of any fuch
Wafliing j Vv'hich at once flies in the Face of GOD's Wifdom and Goodnefs in
providing fuch a Fountain, charging him witk Folly and Weaknefs in providing
an unnccejfary Thing ; and flatly contradicts the plain Diftin6VioM made by our
Lord, where he faith that. That which is born of the Flefh is Flejh, and that which
is born of the Spirit is Spirit ; and his felemn repeated AfTeverations of the Ne-
ceffity of the New-Birth, by the Wafhing of Regeneration and renewing of the
Holy Ghoft,to be pafTcd upon all Manki*hd,in order'to make them meet to enter
into theKingdom of Heaven : while at the fameTime it doth lelTen & undervalue
the invaluable Vertue of the Fountain of his moft precious Blood j the blefled
Properties of which is to cleanfe from all Sin, not only aSiual but alfo original
Corruption ; a fad Remainder of which being in the Regenerate, they do fadly
bewail, groan under, and moft earneftly long to be delivered from : Which is
no mean Argument among others of the Truth of the Point I argue for. It was
not only the humble Language of holy Paul, but hath been and is the Language
of all the Godly in all Ages unto this Day, " For I know that in me (that is in
" my Flefli, my unrenewed Part) dwelleth no good Thing : For to will is pre-
*' fent with me, (which is the Language of the new Man) but how to perform
" that which is good I find not. For the Good that I [regenerate I) would, I
" do not : But the Evil I [renczvedl) would not, that I (unrenewed!) do.
" Now if I do that i would not, it is no more I {renewed I, which is born of
*« GOD, and finneth not) that do it, but Sin that dwelleth in me. I find then
*' a Law that when I would do Good, Evil is prefent with me. For I [renewed
" I ) do delight in the Law of GOD after the inward Man. But I fee another
" Law in iny Members warring againft the Law of my Mind, and bringing me
*' into Captivity to the Law of Sin which i* in my Members. O wretched
t' Man
Of ORIGINAL SIN. ly
« Man that I am, who {hall deliver me from the B^ d ; of this Death ! Rom, 7.
«< 14. to the End." Now this h ..;/, cannot be the Language of unregeneraie
Men, who are all Flefh, no Spirit ; who are fo far from this mourning over Id-
dwelling Sin as that they fm freely as Matter of Choice, and accordingly as little
value Jesus Christ, whom the Godly do (o heartily thank GOD for as their
glorious Deliverer, and unto whom there is no Condemnation. Rom. 7. 24.
Chap. 8. I. No unregenerate Man can in Truth fay as Paul did, / delight in
the Law of GOD after the inward Man ; for their carnal Minds are Enmity
againft GOD as a holy GOD, it is not fubje<St to the Law of GOD, neither in-
deed can be. Rom. 8. 7, 8. I do the more particularly mention thcfe Things,
becaufe I would by the Way maintain this Truth, viz. That St. Paul here ia
the abovefaid Conflict doth declare what was his own Experience after that he
was regenerated and born again ; and that he herein perfonated true Believers
and not unregenerated Men, as Mr. James Fo/ler, Mr. John Wefley., and diverfe
others do boldly alTert. I conclude then that there is a Remainder of in-dwelling
Sin even in theRegenerate, original Corruption which is theRoot and Spring of all
the a£iual Follies and Tranfgreflions which they do at any Time commit ; which
was plainly David's Cafe, and which he accordingly humbly confefTed and be-
wailed when he faid, " Behold I was fhapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my
Mothe: conceive me.'*
Again 3. It is obje£ted by others, *' That David here confefled his Pa-
rents Sinfulnefs in begetting and conceiving him, and not his own natural Impurity
as begotten and conceived."
To this I anfwer, i. That this is Defamation and nst Argument^ a groundlefs
and vile Infmuation againft the Character of David's Parents, as tho' they were
Adulterers and David?, Ba/iard : 'Tis plainly a Breach, of the ninth Command-
ment, which abfolutely forbiddeth whatfoever is prejudicial to Truth, or injuri-
ous to our own or our Neighbour's good Name ; fince their Chara(5ler in holy
Scripture doth ftand clear of any fuch Charge, or any Thing like it. To this 1
would add. That thi<> Objedlion is plainly contrary to the Scope and Defign of
this Pfalm and David's penning of it, which was not to accufe others but hinfelf.,
and accordingly to beg renewing Grace, Peace and Pardon. He did not iiuend
to charge upon his Mother an A(5l of Wickednefb in conceiving of him ; No ;
but to (hew that his original Pollution derived unto him with his Conception. So
much for my iirft Argument.
Secondly, I may very pertinent to my Purpofe obfcrve, Tliat theTruth I argue
for appears throughout every Branch of the divine O^conomy of Man's Rc-
<lemption and Salvation, as the joint Work of the facred Three in One, the Fa-
ther, the Son, and the HolyGhoft ; the Father's Election, the Son's Redemption,
and the Holy Ghoft's fandifying Operations.
D 2 I^ I
i8. ■ Of 0 R I G I N A L S I N.
1. I argue from GOD the Father's Eledtion thus ; All thofe who fhall be
adlually faved were chofen in Christ before the Foundation of the World, that
they fhoiild be holy in order to make them meet for Heaven ; Therefore they
are naturally unholy .- Infants are of the Number of thefe Eledl ; therefore they
are born in Sin, impure and unholy Creatures, infedted with original Sin and
Pollution. Eph. I. 4.
2. From GOD the Son's Redemption I further argue, Thofe whom Jesus
Christ fo loved as to give himfelffor, \\t purifies unto himfelf; Infants are
fome of thofe whom Jesus Christ fo loved, therefore they are naturally im-
pure Or thus, Christ loved his Church and gave himfelffor it, that he might
ian(3:ify and cleanfe it, and that he might prefent it to himfelf a glorious Church,
not havin2; Spot or Wrinkle or any fuch Thing, but that it fhould be holy and
without Blemifh : Infants who are uncapable of com.mitting actual Sin, are Part
■ o^ that Church whom Christ thus loved and gave himfelffor, therefore Infants
are naturally impure^ flained and hlemiflied with original Corruption.
All the R^edecmed of the Lord, an innumerable Number, fhall hereafter iii
Heaven together fing a rapturous Doxolngy of Praife to their dear Redeemer;
and Multitudes, e^'en of fuch who died in Infancy, as Part of that Number, fhall
join in that Doxologv, faying, " To him that loved us and wafhed us from our
*' Sins in his own Blood, and made us Kings and Priefh unto GOD and his Fa-
" ther, to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever, yi?nen." Therefore
all thofe Infants were naturally impure, defiled w^ith original Sin and Corruption ;
fo that thcv ilood in Need of fuch Wafliing in order to fit them to enter into that
Place of perfecl Purity and Glory. This is I think felf-evident.
3. I argue from the fanctifying Operations of the holy Spirit thus ; All thofe
whom GOi) the Father before the Foundation of the World chofe in Christ
his Son in order to be redeemed by him and faved with an everlafting Salvation,
he chofe them thereunto through SanSiification of the Spirit, to be regenerated
and born again by the v/afning of Regeneration and renewing of the HolyGhoft :
Infants who are uncapable of committing actual Sin, do ftand in Need of being
thus fandified and renewed in order to compleat their Salvation and fit them for
Heaven ; therefore they are naturally impure, conceived in Sin and fhapen in Ini-
quity. Whereas by denying our original Birth-Sin, this fanclifying Work of
GOD's Spirit is rendered quite needlefs unto all fuch as never committed a^ual
Sin. And how fiiocking does it found to (liy, that our dear Babes do ffand in r.o
Need of being waihed in" the Fountain of our Saviour's moft precious Blood, nor
of being fan^itied by GOD's holy Spirit ? Yea 'tis further obfervable, that by
denying the Do£tri;i'e of Orijinal Sin and Depravity, no Difference is made be-
tween the Conceptions and Birth of the holy Jesus and Jdatn's apoftate Race,
I as to the Point of moral Rectitude. It is to fay of them what is eminently faid of
\ him, that holy Thing fhall be born. Holy, harmlefs, undefil.edj feperate from
'Sinners, Heb. 7. 2^6. Which brings me to obferve.
Thirdly,
Of ORIGINAL SIM 19,
Tlnrdiy, That another corroborating Argument to prove tlie Dodlrine of j
original Pollution^ may be taken from the Confide ration that our blefled Saviour I
in partaking of our human Nature, was conceived and born, not by a natural \
znd carnal, hut fuper-fiatural GenQv^tion, even by the ovcrfl:adowing Power of
the Holy GhofI:, wko fancSlified the Virgin's Womb. For if the Conceptions
and Births of fallen Mankind by ordinary Generation were pure, holy and free
from the Taint of original Sin, furely that common Way of Generation needed
not to have been fliunned, and a fuper-natural one madcUfe of in the Conception
and Birth of the holy Jesus ; who confequent upon, and as the EfFe<5ls of that
fuper-natural Conception, is by Way of Eminency called t/;ai holy Thing that
fhould be born of the Virgin, and who was called the Son of GOD.
It was needful that he who fhouU fave others from a State of Sin
and Corruption fliouki be perfectly free from all Taint thereof himfelf, even in
his human Nature, which he aflumed ; and that it might be io the holy and wife
GOD ordered that his Conception and Produdlion fliould be efFedled in a fuper-
natural and extraordinary Way : So that we may I think fairly conclude from
thif-, in Conjundtion with my other Arguments concerning all Jda?n''s fallen
Race, that t!>ey are conceived in Sin and fhapen in Iniquity, and born with a
tainted and corrupt Nature, which foon becomes produdlive o^ adiual^'m, which
oftentimes buds forth before Children are capable of learning Sin by Imitation
and the Example of others.
Which, Fourthly, Brings me to my clofing Argument on this Head, takt»
from evident Fails and Experience, and daily Ohfervation, in Conjun6lion with
that Scripture-Evidence which I have given. It is a Maxim taught by our Lord,
as founded on the mofl rational Grounds, " That the Nature of the Tree is
known by its Fruit which it naturally bears, whether it be good or evil.'* Ac-
cording to which Rule we may fitly determine concerning fallen Mankind, that
they are all naturally impure and corrupt, having in them when born into the
World the very Seeds of Sin, as undeniably appears from the very firfl buddings ,
forth of A6lion, as well as from the full ripe Fruit which fprings from within.,/
It is true indeed that this Evil in Procefs of Time becomes augmented by Imita- '
iion, but is not originated thence ; but from that Sin and Corruption which is
feminally in us when born into the World, and accordingly buds forth in us,
while as yet we are in the Cradle and at the Breaft, in paflionate Refentments
and little Revenges, even before we are capable of learning it by Imitation from
our Nurfe's bad Counfel or Example. For the Truth of which I appeal unto
undeniable Fa£is and daily Ohfervation ; yea I appeal unto every obfervant Perfon
for the Truth of what I fay. And would hence freely afk them, What are the
firft Buddings forth ixoTi\v]\t\\m ihzX. commonly znd generally appear in the Sons
and Daughters of Men, as they fpring up from a State of Infancy and onwards
unto riper Years ? Is it that which is good and holy, or that which is fmfuUnd.
evil P Here I appeal not only to your Reafon, but to your Senfcs alfo, which
Xurely no Perfoft in their Senfes will deny, meerly becaufe they are not willing to '
part
20 Of ORIGINAL SIN,
part with a darling and favourite Opinion. If otherwife, let them never iiisre
blame the Roman CathoUcks for their rigid Adherence unto their beloved Du(flrine
of Tranfubftantiation, contrary to the cleareft Evidence of Senfe and Reafon to-
gether.
But I befeech you my Opponents to attend unto my Reafoning, and to hearken
to the Pleadings of my Lips, whilft I argue from undeniable Fadls. An Argu-
ment that is not eafiiy twifted and perverted, as a Text of Scripture is by an art-
ful Orator to the Amufement of the unwary. And truly for any to perfift in the
Denial of the Dodtrine of Original Shi and Pollution in the very Face of fo many
vifible FaSfs ah over the Worlds which has made the whole Creation to groan from
the Time of GOD's pronouncing the Curfe even until now, is not only to con-
tradift the facred Oracles, but alfo to offer Violence to their own Senfes by a
wilful (hutting theirEyes againft fo glaring aLight ; yea, and to offer anAffront to
the common Senfes and Ohfervation of all Mankind. '* I fpeak as unto wife Men,
judge ye what I fay." If there be no fuchThing as original Corruption or Seeds
of Sin in our Natures when born into the World, but if on the contrary we
were conceived in a State of Purity., and born into the World pure and holy
Creatures, (as fome confidently do aiErm) How comes it to pafs that the \txy
firft Fruits of Speech and A6lion in Children are in a very common and general
Way fo v-ery oppofite unto Purity and Piety ? And why is it not natural for them
to be in Speech and A6tion holy and religious ? If the Heart and Mind were
naturally pure, if the Root, the inward Difpofitlon of the Soul be naturally holy,
how comes it to pafs that the very firft Fruits of Speech and Adlion do in fo
COMMON and general a Manner iojirongly favour oixSx^ contrary., viz. Lying,
Shuffling, excufing and covering their Sin like Adam., by putting it off to ano-
ther, with Envy, Anger, hz ? Why then alfo do we with Mankind
in co?nmon^ naturally from our young and tender Age upwards, ftand inNeed of fo
much Cultivation, by Checks and Reftraints, by the Rod of Difcipline and Cor-
jedlion, and the Word of Inftrudion, in order to fupprefs the evil Weeds of
Sin, and to caufe the Fruits of Piety to appear ? *' Foolifhnefs is bound in the
Heart of a Child, but the Rod of Corrcdion fhall drive it from him : He that
fpareth his Rod, hateth his Son ; but he that loveth him chafteneth him be-
times." Prov. 13. 24. Chap. 22. 15. If Mankind were naturally holy
and pure, free from the Taints of Sin, then by juft Confequence it
would be natural as they fprang up to ad holily without any Need of fuch Culti-
vation. The Argument is plain. Becaufe to perform what is natural to be and
do is eafily done without any Pains ufed in order to effed it, even as 'tis natural
for IVater to defend and Fire to afcend. If therefore you would turn thefe their
Courfes, no fmall Pains muft be ufed in order to effed it ; becaufe it is to make
them ad contrary to what is natural for them to do. Alas I fallen Man need not.
I to be taught to fin, or any the leaft Meafures be taken in order to make him ad
foolifhly, becaufe it is natural iov hira to do fo : Yea as riatural as it is for the
Earth which was curfed for his Sake, to bring forthfl inking poifenous JFeeds^ Briars
and Thorns i whereas in order to make it bring forth Corn it muft be cultivated j
thefe
Of ORIGINAL SI IT. zi
thefe Briars and Thorns muft be cut down, and the Growth of them continually ■
fupprefled ; theGround muft be alfo fenced in, and the Corn as it doth not grow
naturally in the Ground, any more than Holinefs in Man, muft be planted and
carefully tended : Even fo the Heart of Man muft be changed and the Grace of
GOD implanted there by a regenerating Work of the holy Spirit of GOD, be-
fore he either will or can bring forth the Fruits of Holinefs. And to the End
he may abound therein, he ftands in Need of a frefii and perpetual Supply of divine
Grace from above. And 'tis his Duty to be continually watching againft the
evil Weeds of his remaining Corruptions, and through the Spirit to mortify, fup-
prefs and keep under the fame. I fay again, that Man, fallen Man, need not to
be taught to lln, becaufe it is natural for him to do fo : But he needs Line upon
Line, and Precept upon Precept, yea Arguments taken from the mojl powerful
Topicks^ even the glorious Rewards, and mojl terrible PuniJJmients of another World
in a State of Eternity,'m order to reftrain him from running on in aCourfe of Sin,
and to excite him to the chearful Practice of that which is good. And how often
is all this feen to fail, even altho' ufliered in with the Learning of Paul and Elo-
quence of Apollos, difplaying Sin in its raoft odious Nature, together with its moft
direful Wages, Death Eternal ? And on the other Hand prefenting Holinefs
in its moft attraSling Beauty, lovely Afpe£l, and alluring Charms,
All which doth ftrongly argue the great Corruption of Men's Natures by Sin,
and that they zrefar, y try far from being naturally holy znd pure. Hence it is
that tho' Paul doth plant and Jpollos water the Plants, all proves fruitlefs unlefe
GOD gives the Increafe. Hence it is, that in order to our becoming truly
evarrgelically holy and meet for Heaven, we do all ftand in Need of having fo
great a Change pafled on us, as to be born again of the Spirit of GOD from
above. It is certainly the Duty of every Parent both by good Inftrudion and
Example, early and ajftduoujly to inculcate on their Children's Minds the Princi-
ples of Piety. Neverthelefs, except GOD gives the Increafe by fan(5lifying
their Hearts, the Parents Attempts do prove fruitlefs, as both Scripture and
Fadls do abundantly declare ; which is an undeniable Argument of the natural
Corruption of Men's Hearts, and that ftrong Biafs there is in them to fin.
Doth not common and the moft glaring Fa^s declare that Mankind are natu-
rally prone to Evil, even as it is natural for the Ground (accurfed for Man's Sin)
to bring forth evil Weeds without any Cultivation ? (as I before obfcrved)
And when we do behold them putting themfelvcs forth in the Spring, do we not /
naturally cqnclude them to have fprung from a Seed or Root of the fame Nature '
with themfelvesj which before lay latent in the Ground undifcerned ? If all
Mankind were born into the World pure and holy Creatures, free from the
Seeds of Sin, I cannot poflibly fee aReafon wherefore the common firft Buddings
of every one's Adions fliould not be naturally and commonly as holy and pure, as
we do now fee them to be x\\z dire£l contrary of all this. It is true indeed that
Sin doth a^'^zax fooner %iyranker m fome than in o//wj ^ neverthelefs it remains
true of AdanCs fallen Race in general, that they are naturally corrupted and de-
praved with Sip, the Taint and Infedion of original Sin. <« That which is born
I
22 Of 0 R I G I N A L S IN.
of the Flefh is Flefli, and not Spirit" ; the Nature of the Tree is known bj
the Fruit it bears ; and according to my Text, we are by Nature Children of
JFrath even as oihert.
And now to wind up all and conclude ; What remains but that we do all rea-
dily embrace thisDocirine as true, and labour to be fuitably afFecSled with a hum-
ble Seme of it : And v/hen you have laid all my Arguments together, take Heed
of rejedling a Truth thus attefted,by forming Difficulties in your Mind, qucfti-
oning and doubting, How can thefe Things he? But ferioufly bear in A'lind that
theQiiery here is not. Whether we can conceive/;5w this can be ? but whether the
Matter of Fa ft be true P That is is really fo hath been proved from both Scrip-
ture and Experience. It is therefore mofl: unreafonahle to deny a Truth thus
cttefled, and all meerly becaufe our Eyes are too weak to difcern how this can be.
According unto fych Meafures of judging of Truths, many Things both in «<t-
lural Religion zr\ii Things of Nature, altho' moll obvious as to their P'a6ls, will
fall under the fa?p.e Condemnation with the Point in Hand, iince a full underftand-
ing of their Modus is equally unaccountable and difficult. TheScripturey^/V/^ it, and
we fee the Thing that it is fo, which ought in all good Reafon to fatisfy us. The
Words of the infpired wife Man deferves Confideration here. Eccl. 1 1. 5.
" As thou knowefc not what is the Way of the Spirit, nor how the Bones do
grow in the Womb of her that is v/ith Child : Even fo thou knoweft not the
Works of GOD who maketh all." Now I would hence afk, Can any Man
tell hoiu the Bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child ? And v.'he-
ther becaufe he cannot, he will hence venture to deny thei'is^, faying, they do not
grow there, there is no fuch I'hing ? And whether he hath not as much Rea-
fon to deny this, as that of our being conceived in Sin and fhapen in Iniquity i
fmce as their Facets are equally vifible, fo their Modus are equally infuperably diffi-
cult F The Argument is plain and the Reafoning juft. Who, (even amongft
cur //«rtr^ Objectors and prof ound Ke^foners) C2in fully account for the very re-
markable Impreffions that aje made upon the unborn Child by the longing Ima-
ginations of its Mother ? And yet who thence pretends to deny the Fa^,
to wit, becaufe they cannot conceive how it can be ? No lefs unreafonahle and
abfurd then is it to deny the Dodlrine of Original Sin and Corruption, becauf« of
fome Difficulties that do clog our Thoughts in conceiving the Manner how it is
conveyed, fmce the Thing it f elf is what we find verified by the Tcftimony of the
divine Oracles, by our own feeling Experience, and by our beholding m fad Effefts
in others. I fay how unreafonahle a Thing is it notwithftandingall this to rejedt
the Do£lrirte with captious Interrogatories, " How can thefe Things be"? Such
Objedions, as one obferves, do fpring out of equal Ignorance and Pride, and
borraw all their Force from no wifer or jnodejler a Suppofition than that of a
Man's Omnifciency ; yet as wild and extravagant aPrinciple as it is, the Extent
of it reacheth very far, and it ferveth the depraved Sons of Adam againft all the
Dodrines that they are not willing fhould be true. It is the fole Bafis on which
Infidelity is built, and a molt proper Foundation indeed for fuch a Superftru6lure.
Thus thefeMen before they are awarcjdo confirm theTruth inQueftion by fo un-
reafonabljr
Of 0 R I G I N A L S I N. 23
reaibnably oppofing of it ; by this Means difcovering themfelves to be very appa-
rent Monuments of fallen human Nature." And here I cannot but add, by
obfervinghow unreafonably thofe Perfons do act, who in determining concerning
divine Matters do pay a greater Deference unto their own narrow Conceptions
than unto ih^t plain d.nd pojitive Declarations of holy Scripture, choofnig ratlier to
err on the right Hand than on the /eft ; They will choofe rather to deny aScrip-
ture-Propofition to be true, than confefs their Ignorance, making their narrow
Minds the Judge of all Things : They peremptorily determine, that fuch ajid
fuch Things cannst be true, bccaufe they cannot underfland hatu they can be true.
Prodigious Inference ! Thefe are the unreafcuable Proceedings of fuch v/ho pro-
fcfs to make Reafon the fovcreign Rule of Faith, inftead of making it in a fi/b~
ordinate Manner fubfervient thereunto. Hence pertinent are the Dcclaratioiis
of the Rev. Dr. Bates, who wifely obferves, " That 'tis a prudent Foundation ;
*' of judging of Things attended with Difficulties, to compare the Difficulties
*« and to determine our Judgment for that which has kajh Now 'tis certainly
*« much more fuitable to the reafonable Mind to acknowledge that Things ma/
*' be true which we are not able to conceive and comprehend, than to deny
" the natural and proper Senfe of many clear and exprefs Texts of Scripture
" that declare thofc Things ; and by this we may judge of the Glofles of
" S'dciniis znd his Follswers, who without Reverence of the Majefly of GOD,
"•' and the Sincerity of his Word, rack the Scriptures to make them fpeak what
" tiicy do not, and uk all Arts to filence them in what the/ do reveal. Unhappv
" Men I that aftccl to be efleemed ingenious and fubtil to the extream Hazard
" of their own Salvation, How much fafer and more eafy is it to believe the
^' plain Senfe of the Scriptures, than the Turns and Shifts that are invented tor
«' -elude, it, and extricate heretical Perfons out of the Difficuhies that attend theic
'<* Opinions".'' In a Word, ahho' ever fo many Objections lliould be raifed
againft this Truth, this Doctrine of Qrigijial Sin, they muft all fall under the-
unconquerable Evidence that Jbines in my Text ; And were by. Nature Children of
iVrath even as others.
Bat after all that has been faiJ in Proof of this Point, fince it is fo pref^nant
with pja6tical Inftru<ftions, let us all receive it not as a Point of meer Speculation^
but as calculated to promote praclical Godlincfs. Particularly,
I. Let a Senfe of it fcrve to make us very bumble and low in- our own Eyes,
to abhor our fclves and repent in Duft and Afhcs, deeply and fadly lamenting;
the Lofs of our original Virgin-Purity, fliying, " How is our Beauty lolt, and"
we become Lepers from our Mother's VVomb, over-run with that loathfomef
Difeafe the Leprofy of Sin ; O unclean ! unclean ! Our whole Head is lick,
and our whole Heart faint ; from the Soles of our Feet unto tbc very Crowns,
of our Heads there is nothing but Wounds and Bruifes, and putrifying Sores \
How are the Mighty fallen ! How is the Gold become dim and the moft hne
Gold changed ! For we are all as an unclcanThing,&; all ourRighteoufnefl'es are
as filthy Rags. The Crgwa is (dlkn from our Head i Wo bg unto us that we
have finned" ! E 2. Lat
24 Of ORIGINAL SIN.
1. Let this teach us not only to be hu?nble^ but alfo watchful over our cor-
rupt Natures, and againft the Tetiipter's Wiles, that we fall not into Tempta-
tion, and fo our Corruptions within us break forth into manifold a(5lual Sins, to
GOD's Diihonour, the Reproach of our holy Profeflion, and to the wounding of
our own Comciences.
3. Let us diligently ftudy the great Duty of Mortification, labouring through
the Spirit to mortify the Deeds of this Body of Sin and Death. Let us groan
under it, and ardently long to be delivered from it.
Let Believers groan earneftly after their diiTolving Hour, fmce they cannot
expe6l a perfe6l Freedom from this fpreading Contagion until then : Like unto
the leprous Houfe that could not be rid of the fretting Leprofy until the Walls
thereof were broken down, Levit. 14. O ho^ infaiiably fhould all thofe who
g|oan under this Burden, defire and breathe after the Approach of that happy
Change that fhall deliver them therefrom, once for all, even for evermore ; and
perfe61: their Holinefs now begun, caufing their Feet to ftand in the heavenly
Jerufalem, amongft the Spirits of jull Men made perfedl, with whom they fliaii
chearfully fing to the Praiie of their great Phyfician, Lord and Saviour, " To
him that hath loved us and wafhed us from our Sins in his own Blood, and made
us Kings and Priefts unto GOD, his and our Father, to him be Glory for
ever. Jmen," Hence,
4. This fhould abundantly raife our admiring Apprehenfions of the Wifdom
and Grace of GOD manifefted in the Provifion of fo glorious a Fountain,
opened for Sin and for Uncleannefs, as a crucified Jefus is. A Fountain as clear
as Chryftal, proceeding from the Throne of GOD and of the Lamb : A Foun-
tain full of S oul- clean fmg, healing Vertues ; *' for the Blood of Jesus Christ,
GOD's Son, cleanfe.th us from all Sin," both original ^nd a(^ual Sin, the Guilt
and Pollution thereof. O blefied Fountain ! full, overflowing, and never fading.
Lord, what is Man that thou fhouldft be thus mindful of him ! Man that is a
Worm ! and the Son of Man that is a Worm ! Blefs the Lord, O our Souls,
who healeth all our Difeafes ! O moft glorious Father, how wonderful is this
thy Condefcenfion ! How rich is this thy Love unto us miferable Sinners !
Moft blefled Son of GOD, our deareft Redeemer, how rich is thy condefcending
Grace in giving thy felf for us an apojlate leprous Race of Men,^ that thou
mighteft wafti and heal our difeafed polluted Souls in thy moil: precious Blood !
That thou fhouldft cloath our poor naked Souls with the royal Robe of thy
Righteoufnefs ! That thou ftiouldft fo -love us when lovelefs, wallowing in our
Blood and he]plefs,fo as to give thy felf for us anOft'ering h a Sacrifice untoGOD
for a fwcet-fmelling Saviour ! Well might thy holy Apoftle fay, that unto him
that believeth thou art precious ! and thy Spoufe fo chearfully declare that thou
art altogether lovely ! O thou art the chiefeft among ten Thoufands, fairer
than the Sons of Men ! Grace is poured out into thy Lips ! And O when wilt
thou fo efFeaually fanaify and open our Mouths, that our Lips fliall piaife thee
for
Of ORIGINAL SIN. 25
for evermore ! O Holy Ghoft, the San<ftiner proceeding from the Father and
the Son, who takeft of the Things of Christ and fhews them unto us ; that
cffc^lually applies the healing, cleanfing Virtue of the Redeemer's Blood unto
our polluted^ difeafccl Souls j that convinccth us of Sin, of Righteoufnefs, and of
Judgment, and at length raaketh us mcc' for the heavenly Manfions ; what
Thanks do we owe unto thee for this thy Love ! We will chearfully remember
thy Love, O moft holy Spirit, and praife thy Name. Rom. 15. 30.^
O blefled and glorious Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghofl-,
three Perfons but one GOD, be all Glory and Majefty, Dominion and Praife,
710W, henceforth and for ever. Amen,
5. Is it {o as we have ^^tn^ that we are all of us by Nature Children of
^Vrath, polluted and defiled with Original Sin and Corruption, and fo not only
cl)f:ox!cus to \he Stroke of GOD's Sin-avenging Hand, but alfo ut^meet for the
Kingdom of Heaven ? Then let all unregenerate Men and Women fear and
tremble before that pure and holy, that great and dreadful GOD, in whofe Sight
they ftand as Sinners, Violaters of his moft righteous Law, and under the Curfe
thereof. Awake then Sinners, awake out of your deep Sleep & deluding Dreams :
See, fee, and confider betimes and without Delay, the Need ye do ftand in of a
Saviour and Surety to ftand in your Law-Place, in order to fulfil GOD's holy
Law which you have broken, and to fufFer the Penalties thereof in your Stead,
in order to fatlsfy GOD's offended Juftice, and fo to ward off the direful Stroke
of its two-edged Sword from cutting you afunder and fending you down to Hell
to tlw dreadful burning Lake, to be tormented by and to dwell with Devils in
the Blacknefs of Darknefs for evermore. O fhocking Thought ! O ftartling
Confideration ! Behold how fearful a Thing it is to fall into the Hands of the
living GOD I Be convinced then, O unregenerate Man ! O unregenerate
Woman ! of Sin, of Right eoufnejs, and of Judgment. Firji, Be thou convinced
of Sin, both original and aSiual, fo as heartily and after a godly Sort to bewail
the fame fpeedily, haftening unto that Fountain that is opened for Sin and for
Uncleannefs. Cry earneftly and inceffantly unto GOD that he may be pleafcd
to caufe thee experimentally to know that the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanfeth from all Sin. Secoridly, Be convinced of Righteoufnefs.
(i.) Be convinced not only of thy Want of original Righteoufnefs, but alfo
of the Infufficiency of the heft perfonal Righteoufnefs of the Law of Works to
juftify thee and render thee acceptable in GOD's Sight. *' For by the Deeds
of the Law fhall no Flefh be thus juftified ; for by the Law of Works is the
Knowledge of Sin : Befides if a juftifying Righteoufnefs came by the Law, then
Christ died in vain." This GOD taught Adam after his woful Fall, by driv-
ing him out of Paradife, and placing at the Entrance Chcrubims and a flaming
Sword which turned every Way to keep the Way of the Tree of Life, of which
Adam was granted freely to eat, whilft he flood in his Obedience ; that Tree then
ftaiiding as a furc Pledge of Life from GOD unto him and his, But now being
E 2 fallen
35- Of ORIGINAL SIN.
fallen into Sia by a Breach of the Covenant, he is cut ofFfrom all Hopes here-
after for ever of obtaining Life and Salvation by that Covenant. For, mark,
the flaming Sword is faid to turn every Way, t^c. by which alfo I do conceive
is implied tliat Man, tho' fallen, is very apt under Conviclions of Sin, to fly
unto a broken Covenant of Works for Relief: This is confirmed by Experience,
and very fad Experience too, becaufe this brings z Cur fe umo hlo-n rnjiead cl
a BleiJinz. *' for as manv as arc of the Works of the Lav/ are under the Curfe."
Gal. 3. 10. 'Lis therefore I lay a very dangerous Thing (of which I would
have all convinced Sinners carefully beware) for Men under Convictions of Sin,
inftead of going <?«/ of thernfelves unto Jesus Christ, as poor, wretched and
undone Creatures, they run to the doing of this and ihat^ ^ifti^^g therein^ or elfe
m?.kc unto thcmfelves a Linfey-tvoolfy Rightcoufnef-;, confiiting partly of their
vvun Wurks, znd partly tlie Doings of CHRIST. This is no better than to feck
their own utter Undoing, feeking jufliiication as it were by the Works of the
Law. Wherefore,
(2.) Be convinced of the all-fulHcient Righteoufnefs of Jesus Christ the
fecond Adam^ to juftify thee in the Sight of GOD, adhering thereunto and wholly
relying thereupon unto that End, working/J'siw Life, notfor Life.
(3.) Labour to be convinced as of the abfolute Neceility of this Righteouf-
nefs of Jufliiication to render thee acceptable in GOD's S^ht ; fo alfo of the
Neceflity of aRighteouihefsof Sanctification from thcSpirit of CHRiST,tofan6tify
thee & make thee meet for theEnjoyment of GOD in a State of perfeCl: Purity and
Glory. *' P^or except a Man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom
of Heaven : Without Holinefs no Man (hall fee the Lord." There mufl be a
Chant^e both of Heart and Life ; *' a Repentance from dead Works to ferve
the living GOD."
(4.) Be convinced that there is a Day of Judgment coming, when every one
who Ihall then be found deftitute oi fuch a Righteoufnefs as I have been fpeaking
of, fhall be caft into the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimftone ; and the
Smoke of their lorment afcendeth up for ever and ever.
■■•1 i.r:
t Finally^ Let us be all excited to ufe all Diligence in the Ufe of ail the Means
pf Grace and Sanclification ; and to get wrought in us an earnefl longing after
a State oi fnUfs PerfcSiion and Glory ; where all Sin both original and a^ual,
foge.her with their long Train of Evils, Sorrows and Deaths, (hall for ever ecnfe,
and wiie.e it will beno fmall Branch ofeur Felicity to be freed from the Taint
and Aflaulcs of original^ indivcUing Sin, being made perfect in Holinefs : when
we fliall fweetlv converfe v/ith GOD our F.edeeruer Face to Face without a Glafs
betwfcn, and be made experimentally to know that in his Prcfence there is a
Fuinefs of unfpeakable Joy, and that at his right Hand are Plcafures for evermore.
Which GOD of his infinite Mercy grant for his dear Son's Sake, J/nen and
Of
f 27 )
0{ Predeftination and EleSiion.
Seventeenth Article of the Church oi England^ by
Law eftabhfhed.
'TrxR.EDESTINATION^o Life is the everlafling PurpofeofGOD.where-.
m^ by (Jbefore the Foundations of the IVorldivere laid) he hath confiantly
Jl[ decreed by his Counfel^ fccret to us^ to deliver from Curfe and Dam-
nation thofe whom he hath chofen tn CHRIST out of Mankind^ and
to bring them by CHRIST to everlafting Salvation^ as Veffels made to
Honour. U'herefore they which be endued ivith fo c>:ceUent a Benefit of
GOD^ be called according to COD^s Purpofe by bis Spirit "ujorking in due
Seafon : They through Grace obey the Calling : They be juftified freely :
They be made Sons of GOD by Adoption : They be made like the Image of
his only- begotten Son JESUS CHRIST : They walk religioufly in good
Works^ and at length by GOD's Mercy they attain to everlafting Felicity.
As the godly Conftderation of Predeftination and our Ekcficn in CHRIST
is full of fweet^ pleafant and iiufpeakable Comfort to godly Perfons, and
fuch as feel in themfelves the working of tbe Spirit of CHRIST^ mortifying
the Works of the FlefJj^ and their earthly Members^ and drawing up their
Mind to high and heavenly Things^ as well becaufe it doth greatly efiablifh
and confirm their Faith of eternal Salvation to be enjoyed through CHRIST,
as becaufe it doth fervently kindle their Lcve tozvards GOD : So for curi-
ous and carnal Perfons^ lacking the Spirit of CHRIST., to have continually _
before their F.yes the Sentence of GOD's Predejiination, is a mojl dangerous
Downfall, whereby the Devil doth thrufl them either into Dcfperation, or
into IVretchlefnefs of mojt unclean living, no lefs perilous than Defperation.
Furthermore, we muft receive GOD's Promifes in fuch wife as they be
generally fet forth to us in holy , Scripture : And in our Doings^ that Will of
GOD is to be followed which we have exprefly declared imto us in the Word
of GOD,
CHAP.
28 Of Predestination and Election.
C H A P. I.
AVING in the foregoing Pages proved the Do6lrine of Original Sin,
and confidered the whole Race of Jdam thefr/?^ proceeding from his
Loins hy ordinary Generation, as fallen from their original Purity and
Felicity into a State of Sin and Mi/cry, Pclhition and ConderriTiationy under the
Wrath and CUrfe of GOD : I (hall, by divine Afliftance, next in Order proceed
to treat of the Methctls of divine Grace, in the efFedtual Recovery of a Remnant
of them, by bringing them out of their miferable Eftate, into a State both of
Holinefs and eternr.l Happinefs by a Redeemer : Which we from holy Scripture
do affirm doth take its Rife and Beginning in GOD the Father's /r^^ EleSiion
of them in Christ his dear Son, as the cleiSl Head of all thefe his chofen Seed,
according to the good Pleafure of his Will. The godly Confideraticn of v/hich
is excellently promotive of flrict Holinefs and unfpeakable Comfort to all godly
Perfons, as VefTels made to Honour and Glory, as is moik pertinently and at large
exprefTed in the above recited Article. Which is a Scheme worthy of the alwife
GOD ioform, and every wife Man to receive and entertain, who knows better
Things than to plead up for the Attribute of GOD's Mercy, to the Difparage-
ttient of his JVifdo?n and hnmutaUUty , in Conjundtion with his almighty Power ;
who rationally argues from GOD's A6ts to his Will o{ Purpofe and Dejigns, and
jiot from an A6t of hi? Will and Purpofe, to a Nullity, by afcribing to him a
Heap of /«^<f?a^/ Wifhcs and Wouldings, as the J}-n?inians do. " The great
** Doctrine of abfolute and free Eleftion (as Mr. E. Cole well obferves) contain-
•* eth the whole Sum and Scope of the Gofpel ; and our Minds, if honeftly fub-
** dued to the Doctrine of GOD's Sovereignty, cannot be employed about a
*' more excellent Subjedl. It is called the Foundation of GOD, not only for the
*' Super-eminency of it, but alfo as 'tis a Foundation of his ozvn laying, which
" GOD himfelf is the Author of, and he alone ; and the Bafis whereof is him-
" felf. It is that Foundation which ftandethyar^, and keeps them ^//y«r(? who
*' ftand upon it."
But notwithftanding all that hath been or can be faid of its Excellency, it is a
Doctrine much obje6led againft, kick'd and cavilled at, as a Stone of Stumbling
y.nd Rock of Offence unto many ; 'tis hefttated at by fome who yet remain
fober and modefl: in their Language about it ; and moft reproachfully treated by
ethers, who do fhoot out their Arrows at it, and the Preachers of it, even bitter
Words ; fuch as devilijh, damnable, aboininable, licentious, and the Break-neck of
all Hope, having the Devil and not GOD for its Author. It makes out GOD
(fay they) to be moft crtt^/ and tyrannical; that he made many Thoufand poor
Souls on purpofe to damn them, and fuch like. So that by hard Words and black
Epithets (inftead of ufing/c««<5? yfr^2/?;2tf«/j) they do reprefent it z^ black zs Hell,
and as bad as the Devil. Thefe Objectors do ferve this holy Dodlrine of GOD's
free ElecSlion as the Heathen Perfecutors did the primitive Chriftians, who firft
drefs'd them in Bcar-Skins. tnoji frightful to behold, and then fet them forth to
be
0/ Predestination ^;ii Election. 29
be tuonied and torn in Pieces by Dcgs. Amongfb others that I cou]J name, I
know not of any that have out-done (tho' fome have I think well nigh equalled)
Mr. John IVeJley in abufing this holy Do6trine, fetting it forth not in z fcriptural
but moft odious and fcandaious Drefs ; witnefs his Sermon intituled Free Grace.
A fpecious Title Page ineeed ! which promifeth the Jine/i Gold, but pays in the
very worft of Dregs and Drofs. A gilded Cup fair without hut foul within.^ full
of deadly Poifon ; by which he hath made fad Work for Repentance, even in this
World, if it fhall pleafc GOD foundly to convince him of his Error \ whk-li
that he may be gracioufly pleafed to do is my hearty Prayer.
Moreover, it is farther objected, either that the Eledlion which the Scripture
fpeaks of relates only to national or temporal Privileges or Offices in the vifible
Church ; or if it any where relates to the Things of eternal Salvation, that then
it is not abfolute but conditional, depending on forefeen Faith and good Works in
Men as its moving Caufe : That it is contrary to GOD's general Love to Man-
kind, and [mcere Declarations of his wifliing and willing the ailual Salvation off
every Individual o^ them. So that (Hiy the ObjecSlors) GOD by this Do6trine
of abfolute Eledlion is reprefented not only as tyrannical but alfo as hypocritical
and infincere, and fuch like, irreverent, bold and daring Language. Thefe are the
Men who being /(JO pr^W;:^ to ftoop to GOD's Sovereignty in having eledling,
faving Mercy on whom he will have it, anfwerable to his own fovereign Claim,
Rom. 9. 15. dare Jaucily to reply againft him. Poor fmful PotJJwds, who
dare flrive with their Maker ! too haughty and Jiubborn to be indebted to his
fovereign Grace for their Election unto Salvation ; but muft needs have it, that
they are chofen /or and upon the Account of the'w forefeen good Slualifi cations y
as the Produdt of a felf-determining Free-will Power in them, independant
of GOD's determining Grace.
Wherefore,in theStrength of GOD,I fhall now proceed In order to re£fify their
Miftake, to deteSi and refute their Error, by ftripping this conteynned^ yet glorious
Truth of GOD, of that odious Drefs wherewith they have drefTcd it, and letting
it forth in holy Scripture- Array, fo that its native Beauty and amiable Features may
vifibly appear, as they certainly will do to the fpiritual, tho' it's likely not unto
the natural Man, whofc Charadler is, " Not to receive the Things of the Spirit
of GOD, for they are Foolifhnefs unto him ; neither can he know them, be-
caufe they are fpiritually difcerned." i Cor. 2. 14, 15.
Now in order to make my Way the more plain towards a full Proof of this
grand Point, and for the more effe£lual putting to Silence all perverfe Cavils and
OhjeHions^ I fhall lay down the following felf-evident Propofitions.
I. That all Mankind defcending from the Loins of Adam by ordinary Gene-
ration, finned in him and fell with him in his firft Tranfgreflion, into a State of
Sin and Mifery, fo as to need a Saviour, being unable to recover and fave them-
felves out of the fame. This the Objedors do plainly grant, when in pleading
up
2© 0/ Predestination and Election-.
lip for the'rr Do6lrine of univerfal Redempticn they do urge that Text in i Csr,
15. 22. which faith, " As in yf^i?OT all die, even fo in Christ fhall all be
made alive."
II. That not oil hut fame only of thisfalkn Race are and fhall be actually
faved from this their miferable Eftate with an everlafting Sslvation. This the
Objectors are obliged to confcfs, being what holy Scripture, Fa<5ls and Events
do jointly declare.
III. That GOD in Christ Jesus is the alone Saviour of Men, who
faveth all that are actually faved, who otheivvife could never attain unto Salva-
tion.
IV. That tho' he actually hvtthfome, yet he might have left all and faved tjone^
being under no Obligation to fave any, and confequently was at his Liberty,
without any Stain to his Juftice, to eledl fome and not others unto Salvation-
If his nst favwg z\\ A'len with an everlafting Salvation be confiftent with his
Julrice and Mercy, then he cannot be unmerciful and unjufl in not choofingor
cle£xing them unto fuch a Salvation : Yea, it would be moft abfurd to fay, that
GOD from Eternity ele<5lcd to Salvation thofe very Perfons whom he pejfeSfly
forekneiv would never be actually faved. And 'tis no lefs abfurd to fay. That
GOD is w?z/'«y? in not doing of //'<?/ which he was never bound in a Way of
Dehi and Jiifiice to perform, as in the Cafe of his Non-eleSlion and pajjlng by of
jhne Men, whilfl of his fcvereign Grace and Pleafure he chofe others to both
Grace and Glory, as Veffels made to Honour. Who hath given to GOD, that
\ he fhall be bound in a Way of J3ebt and Juftice to recompence them again ?
Who amongft all the Objedors againft GOD's foverelgn and free Elc^'ion of
fome only^ dare to fay that he was under any Obligation of Debt and fujiice to
eleit any of fallen Mankind unto Salvation ? Which yet their ObjeSiions do
fully imply : Whereby they charge the Dodtrine of free and particular Eledion
with rendring GOD to be unjufl. Let them confider the following Arguments
Either GOD was under an Obligation of Debt and Juflice to eledt and fave any
cf fallen Mankind, or he was not : To fay he was, it will thence follow, that
Election and Salvation is not of Grace but oi Debt j fo that GOD's Election is
not free but bounds and the fending of his dear Son into the World to fave Sinners
was the Payment of a Debt due, not the free Gift of his fovereign Love and
Grace, and Men's Glorification at laft, the Payment of IVages due to them for
their Work done ; contrary t© the whole Tenor of the Gofpel, which tells us,
that " Eledion is of Grfl^<', not of //^orii." Rom. 11. 5, 6. " That GOD
fo loved the W^orld that he gave his only beg®tten Son to fave Sinners ; and
that eternal Life is the Gift of GOD through Jesus Christ our Lord",
fob. 3. 16. Ronu 6. 20. compared with ^/)^. 2. 8. " ^) Grace (that is,
by xkic free Favour of GOD) ye are faved, through Faith, and that not of your
felves it is the Gift of GOD ; Not of Works, leafl any Man Ihould boaft."
And
Of Predestination and Election. 31
And on the other Hand, for our Objediors to confefs, that GOD was not under
any Obligation of Deht and Jujlice to eledl, redeem and fave any of fallen Man-
kind, is diredlly to contradift the Tenor of their own Objedions, and to grant
our Argument, viz. *' That GOD Vv'ithout any Stain to his JuJIice might eledt
or choofe fome of Adafn's fallen Race unto Sandification and Salvation, and leave
the reft out of that Eledion in their fallen State of Pollution and Condemnation."
Which that he doth, both Scripture, Fac^s and Events do bearWitnefs. Rom.
II. 7. " What then ? Jfrael hzth not obtained that which he feeketh for ; but
the EkSiion hath obtained it, {viz. a juftifying, faving Righteoufnefs,) and the
reji were blinded.'*
Again, I argue. That if GOD was in Juftice bound to cle6l and fa\''e any one
finghPerfon oi Adam\ fallen Race, then it will follow by a Parity of Rcafon.,
That he was as much bound to eledt and fave all and e*very one of them j and
what then becomes of his Jujlice^ fnice the greateft Part of them' never was nor
ever (hall be eledted &faved,altho' GOD is as able to elecl & fdiv e a II zs fome if he
pleafes ? Mai. 7. 13, 14. " Enter ye in at the ftrait Gate j for wide is the
Gate and broad is the Way that leadeth to Deftru<Sion, and many there be which
go in thereat : Becaufe ftrait is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leadeth
unto Life, znd few there be that find it." That is to fay, fezv in Comparifon
of the others who are many : For abfclutely and colle£iively fpeaking, they will not
be a few but a vaft Multitude whom no Man can number, who fliall enter into
Life, as the Ele6l of GOD holy and beloved. Rev. 7. 9. Thus then, that the
greateft Part of Adam'z fallen Race fhall perifh and be damned, is a Truth (how
awful foever it be) you muft confefs, if you pay any Regard to the abovefaid
Words of our Lord, and the joint Teftimony of Faas and Events. And fmcc it
is (o, you muft acknowledge that the Damnation of every one of them isju/l:
For fhall not the Judge of all the Earth do right ? who pafTeth the Sentence of
Damnation upon them, and who is he that made them. Yet that he did not
ele<5l them to Salvation through San<Slification of the Spirit and Belief of the
Truth, as he did the others who enter into Life, is no lefs true ; ccnfequently
that his Jufice is not hereby ftained in the leafl Degree. And at the fameTime
that GOD did not make thefe many which go on in the broad Way to De-
ftruaion on purpose to damn them ; No : For tho' he did not ele^ them
but parted them by as an Aft of his fovereign Will, who will be gracious to
whom he will be gracious, and have Compaffion on whom he will have Com-
pafTion, and not on others ; yet he doth not damn them by a meer Acft of his
fovereign Will and arbitrary Power, (as 'tis objedled to us) but as a righteous
Judge for the Breach of his holy Laws. As 'tis their own Choice to go on in
the broad Way, being what they like beft, even tho' they know it leads to De-
Itruftion, fo 'tis Jufi with GOD that DcfruSiion and Damnation fhould be their
Portion. Thus *' He that made them will not have Mercy on them, and he
that formed them will fhew them no Favour," Ifa. 27. n. You fee then that
GOD made znA formed them., and that he will ^/^mw them. But then tho' he
made them confidered as Men, yet not as wicked Mqi\ 5 No ; this comes from
F th^
^2 Of Predestin'ation and Election."
the Devil and Sin : Accordingly GOD will not damn them merely as Men^ but
as wicked and ungodly Men ; who were of old ordained to this Condemnation,
"Jude ver. 4. compared with 2 Thef. 2. 3 to 15. where thofe ** who were
from the Beginning chofen of GOD, as his Beloved, unto Salvation, thro' Sandi-
fication of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth, and accordingly called cf GOD
hy the Gofpel unto the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
are contradijllnguijhed from others, vA\o were not thus beloved of the Lord, thus
chofcn and called ; but whom GOD would in Juftice give up to ftrong Deluft-
ons to believe Lies, that they might be damned who believed not the Truth.,
but had Plcafure in Unrighteoufnefs : Particularly and by Name^ the Man of Sin
and Son of Perdition ; whofe Coming is after the working of Satan, with aH Power
and Signs, and lying Wonders ; as well as thofe who fhould perifh in thofe De-
luftons. Thefe then were not GOD's Ele^ but Reprobates ; that is to fay, /Vr/^,
Such as GOD had left out of his free Election, and paft them by, when he chofe
the others to Salvation through Sandification of the Spirit and Belief of the
Truth, isfc. And ffcondly^ Such as GOD had appointed to Wrath and deter-
mined to damn for their Sins, which he had not the others, the Beloved of the
LORD, as St. Paul tells them in his fiift Epiftle to them, Chap. 5. 9, 10. *' For
GOD hath not appointed us to Wrath, but to obtain Salvation by our Lord
Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we 'wake or fleep, we fhould
live together with him." They being to this End chofen in him and called by him-,
Eph. I. 3. II, 12. Thefe are the two Parts of Reprobation: More briefly
thus, l>i on- election and Predefiination. The firft is founded on GOD's Sovereignty,
bejng no A£l of Injuftice, but the Denial of a Favour from him who claimeth
a lawful Prerogative to do what he will with his ew», without doing any Wrong
to any Man. Matth. 20. 15* Why then fliould our Eye be evil, becaufe he
x^dijiinguijhingly Good? Rom. 9. 11, 13, 14, 15- *' For the Children being
not yet born, neither having done any Good or Evil, that the Purpofe of GOD
according to El^Aion might ftand ; not of Works, but of him that calleth.
What fhall we fay then r Is there Unrighteoufnefs with GOD ? Is GOD then
unjuft ? GOD forbid. For he faith unto Mofes, I will have Mercy on whom
I willhzve Mercy, and I will have Compaflion on whom I willhaxe Compaflion.
So then, (orfincc it is fo) it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but of GOD that fkeweth Mercy." This (according to Bifhop Sever idge\
Diftinaion) is ^GOD's difpofmg Juftice j his Will being a perfed Rule of all
Righteoufnefs.
The fecmd Part of Reprobation (as tlie fame Divine diftinguIHieth) is founded
on GOD's dijfributing Juftice, whereby he rendreth to every Man according to
his Works ; and fo to the Wicked and Difobedient, Indignation and Wrath,
Tribulation and Anguilh, becaufe their Deeds are evil. The exprep Words of
that worthy Prelate are worth the tranfcribing from his Thefaurus Thcohgicus^
Page 97. 'Z/ifc.
" ^uejl. (i.) What is Rishteouiiidiras attributed unto GOD?"
AnU
Of Predestination and Elzction. 3^
<« Anf. It is that Perfedlio^ whereby we apprehend GOD as p»re and free
" from Sin, hating Iniquity, and giving to every one according to their De-
*< ferts, Pfei. 11. 7. Deut. 32. 4. 2 7;>n. 4. 8. G^w. 8. 15. Indeed he
«« is fo righteous, that his Will and Nature is that eternal Law of Righteouf-
" nefs which is the Rule of all Jufticc and Goodnefs in the Creatures ; fo that
** it cannot be fo properly faid, that he wills a Thing bccaufe itisjuft and
" good, as that it is therefore juft. and good becaufe h« wills it.'*
** ^^J^' (2-) How is this Juftice of GOD to be diftinguifhed in our Ap-
*' prehenfions ? "
<« Anf. (i.) There is his dlfpofing Juftice, whereby as GOD he orders and
•' difpofeth all Things juftly and exactly according to his own Will and Wif-
<< dom, Eph, I. II. " who worketh all Things after the Counfel of his own
" Will," (2.) His diflributing }\x{!C\QG^ whereby he diftributeth his Rewards
" and Punishments, according to every one's Deferts, loving Goodnef: and hat-
*' ing Iniquity. Hab. 1. 13." And much more to the fame Purpofe iaPage 40.
To which I fiiall add ; Do we affirm that all Men arc Creatures whom GOD
made? and that fome, yea many of them, (hall by him be damned? Why^
our Objeclrors do confefs flj //2tt<:^. Do they fay, That GOD damneth none by
a mere A(5l of arbitrary Will and Power, but for and in Confid era ti on oi their
Sim, and that therefore their Damnation is jufi ? Why we fay the ijery faine ,
Thing. We affirm, that GOD will never damn any holy Man : And they with '
us muft confefs, " That without Holinefs no Man fhall fee the Lord ; that he
that believetb not, (that livefh and dieth an Unbeliever,) fhall be damned," Hei.
^2 2. 14. Alark 16. 16. Now then, fmce it is juft with GOD to damn Men
for their Sins, it can be no Impeachment of his Wifjom or Juftice to fay, that
this temporal A<51:of his is not the Produdf of an after Thought arifmg in his Mind,
but of an antecedent Purpofe as antient as himfelf, who is eternal before all Time,
upon ForeTight of the Sins, the fnal Unbelief 2Sid Impenitency of thofe Men. For •
GOD to make Men on Purpofe or meerly to damn them as his Creatures by an '
arbitrary Acl of his Will and Power ; and for him to predetermine or purpofe
to damn them, confidered as ungodly Men for their Ungcdlinefs^ are quite di^erent .
Things. The firft of thefe we do dete/? and abhor as much as our Obje<Slors can
do, and zs fairly quit and clear our Scheme from the horrid Charge as they ca«
theirs for their Lives. Tho, fecond vfQ do affirm, which alfo our Obje(5lors wz//?
own, otherwife they are driven to this Dikir.ma, viz. Either to affirm, That to
damn Men for their Sins is not theA<Sl cf GOD the righteousjudge of all Men ; or
if they own it to be hisA6t,to affirm thai ti is anAcl without an antecedent Purpofe,
or a Purpofe which arifeth in thedivincMind by d. temporal After -Thought, not from
Eternity ; Which to fay were to bleicaLl the bright Perfections of his moft glo-
iious Being and Nature. What rher; in FaSl do vj£ hold fo v try frightful and
horrible, more than our Obje£lors ? Nay, ncthing (o abfurd as they. For Injiarce,
We judge it moji rational to argue from GOD's AiJs, to his JVill oiPurpofi and
F 2 * Defg"h
34 Of Predestination and Election.
Defigm^ whilft they in pleading up for their Notions oi unlverfal Grace and Re-
demption, crying, that GOD doth mojt heartily and fmccrely wifti and will the
Salvation oi every Indiv'tdual o^ Adam's fallen Race, do moft irrationally and ab-
furdly argue from GOD's Will to a Nullity ; maintaining that he moft heartily
wifl^icth aijd willeth That to he done and efFe6led which he at the fame Time
perfectly knoweth {hall never be done and effected, and which he will never do
or effect, or caufe to be ^(mt, and effected, altho', being Almighty, he is able to
do or caufe to be done_ Who tiien, I fay, do charge GODfocliJhly^ particularly
with Infmcerity 2iX\d Want of IVlfdom^ our Objciiors or we? Moreover, How
inconfiftcntly do they talk, who fay that they are for Ele£lion but not for Reproba-
tion ? lincc the fortmr doth as naturally fuppofe the latter as the withdrawing of
the Light Ihppofeth Darknefs.
Let our Obje6lors confider well the following nervous Argument of the Rev,
Sladen, " Either GOD adlually faves all Men, or he does not : If he does, he
*' muft have defigned it ; if he does not, 'tis plain that he never defjgned it.
*' To afl'crt, That GOD dcfigned to fave all Men, yet that in Fact he faves
'* fome only, is in EiTe6l to affirm, either that he changeth his Adind as to a
*' great many, or that he wants Power to execute his Intention towards them ;
" the very Suppofition of which is falfe and blafphemous. For even found Rea-
" fon itfelf muft tell us, that it is impoffibk for an infinitely wife GOD to
*' change his Mind or alter his Purpofe ; and that it is equally impojTible that a
*' Being of almighty Power fnould not be able to bring his Purpofes to effect."
*' He is in one Mind, and who can turn him ? And what his Soul delireth,
even that he doth." " He is the Father of Lights, with whom is no Variable-
refs nor Shadow of turning" : " And we know that he can do every Thing that
he is pleafed to do." Job 23. 13. James i. 17. Job 42. 2.
Obje£lor ! Believeft thou the Scriptures ? If thou doft not, don't pretend to
plead Scripture in order to prove thy own Notions ; for to do that would be a
flat Contradiction : If thou doft, then caft thine Eye upon the following Lines,
where \» briefly fummed up and proved from the Scriptures, both the Doctrines
and Methods of Grace I contend for, as exprefled in the aforefaid Article, M'hich
ftands at the Head of this Chapter. But if after all thou wilt ftill reje6t thefe
holyDo6trines,refolvingfl:ill to abide by thy belovedPrinciple of believing no more
than what thou canfl comprehend, or in every Pundtilio account for, cither as
tho' GOD and his Ways were to be found out unto Perfection, or as tho' thou
wert omnifcient, I fhali fubjoin fome Queries, which will fufficiently try the
Strength of thy mighty Reafon, and perhaps of thy Patience to boot.
Firjl then, As to the Do6trine oi perfonal^ ahjolute^ eternal Ele£tion, fee Ro7n,
II. 5, 6. '« There is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace." Eph»
!• 3> 4> 5' — "He hath chofen us in him [i. e. in Christ) before the
Foundation of the World, that we Ihould be holy according to the geod Pleafure
of his Will.'^
Secondly^
Of Predestination and Election.
dl:
Secondly^ As to the peculiar Redemption of thefe Ele(St, fee Rem, 8. 33-
" Who {hall lay any Thing to the Charge of GOD's Eled ? It is GOD that
jiiftifieth. Who iliall condemn ? It is Christ that died," namely, for thefc
EleiSl. Titus 1. 14. " Who gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us
from all linqLiity, and purifv unto himfelf a peculiar People, zealous of good
Works."
Thirdly,, As to GOD's efte^lual calling of thefe peculiar Pecrple by his Spint
working in due Seafon, fee Rom. 8. 30. " Whom he predeftinated, them he
alfo called." 2 Tun. 1.9. " Who hath faved us and called us with an holy
Calling, not according unto our Works, but according to his own Purpofe and
Grace, (that is, his U-fto. elecSting Grace) which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the World began." See alfo 2 TZv/. 2. 13,14- at large.
Fourihk., As to the Saints final Perfeverance in the Grace of SanctiRcauon
begun in Effedual Calling, fee Phil. 1.6. " Being confident of this very Thing,
that he which hath begun a good Work in you will perform it until the Day of
JEsrs Christ."
" Thus whom he did foreknow, ihofe he did predeftinate to be con-
formed unto the Image of his Son, that he might be the Firii-born amongfi:
many Brethren : Moreover whom he predeftinated, them he alfo called^ and
whom he called, them alfo he juftified ; and whom he jufiified, them alfo he
2lfirifieJ." *' This comsth forth from the Lord of Hofts, v/Ik) is wonderful in
Counfel, and excellent in Working," Ifa. 28. 29. *' What fhall we fay then ?
Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound ? GOD forbid. How fliali
we who are dead unto Sin live any longer therein ? Sin fliall not have Dominion
over you, for you are not under the Law but under Grace. What then ?
Shall we fin becaufe we are not under theLaw but undeiGrace ? GOD forbid."
Hence then, tho' Hymcneus and Phileius do err concerning the Faith, and the*
their Words eat like a Canker, and overthrow the notionalY-d\x\\ of fome j " ne-
verthelefs the Foundation of GOD (lands fure., having this Seal, the Lord know-
eth them that are /;/;." " And let everyone that nameth the Name of Christ
depart from Iniquit)'." Ro7n. 6. I, 2, 14, 15. 2 Tim. 2. 18, 15. " Falfe
Chrifts and falfe Prophets fhall rife and fliev/ Signs and Wonders to feduce if it
were poffibk^ even the very Eleil : Therefore take Heed." Mat. 24. 24.
Mark 13. 22. 23.
Now by this Specimen I hope I have proved that the Do£lrincs of Grace m
their feveral Branches and Order, from eternal Eledion to eternal Glorification,
and all as promotive of Holinefs and not of I/icentioufnefs, are contained in our
facred and unerring Rule of Faith and Pradice, and by jurt Confequence
ought to be contended for earncflly in order for the convincing and reproving
Gainfayers. " This Witnefs is true, wherefore rebuke them Jharply, that they
may be found in the Faith," Titus i. 12,
^ Teacfv
^6 Of Predestination- and Election.
** Teach me then, (O yeObjc<5lors,) and I will hold myTonguc,and caufe me
to underftand wherein I have erred. How forcible are right Words, hut what
doth your Arguing reprove ? O i', at you would altogether hold your Peace, and
it fliould be your Wifdom ! Hear r. nv my Reafonin^s^ and hearken to the Plead-
/«|-x of my Lips : Will ye fpeak wickedly for GOD, and talk deceitfully for
him ? How long will ye vex my Soul and tear me in Pieces with Words ?
Thefe ten Times have ye reproached me, and yet you are not afhamed. Hear
*]iligently my Speech, and let this be your Confolations ; fufFer me that I may
fpeak, and after that I have fpoken, mock on. Should not the Multitude of
Words be anfvvered ? And fhould a Man full of Talk be juftified ? Should .thy
Lies make Men hold their Peace ? And when thou mockeft fhould no Man
make thee afliamed ?" O thou fain would be omnifcienty Reafoner, " whofoever
thou art, that darknethCounfcI by Words v. iihoutKnowledge :" *'Come now gird
up thy Loins like a Man, and (in theName of GOD) I will demand of thee, and
anfwer thou me" by the meerStrengih of thy mighty Reaf on. " Where waft thou
when GOD laid the Foundations of the Earth ? Declare if thou haft Under-
ftanding. Who laid the Meafure thereof if thou knoweft ? Or who hath
ftretched the Line upon it "i Whereupon are tbe Foundations thereof faflned,
or who laid the Corner-Stone thereof ? When the Morning-Stars fang together,
and all the Sons of GOD fhou ted together for Joy. Haft thou entred into the
Springs of ths Sea ? Or haft thou walked in Search of the Depth ? Have the
Gates of Death been opened to thee ? Or haft thou feen the Doors of the Sha-
dow of Death t Haft thou perceived the Breadth of the Earth ? Declare if
thou knoweft it all. Where is the Way where Light dwelleth ? And as for
Darknefs, where is the Place thereof? That thou {houldft take it to the Bounds
thereof, or that thou fhouldft know the Paths to the Houfc thereof? Knoweft
thou it becaufe thou waft then born ? Or becaufe the Number of thy Days be
great ? Doft thou know the Way of the Spirit ? Or how the Bones do grow
in the Womb of her that is with Child? Or knoweft thou all the Works of
GOD which maketh all ? Canft thou (by all thy curiousPrying) "find out GOD ?
Canftthou find out the Almighty unto Perfe6lion ? It is as high as Heaven,
what canft thou do ? 'Tis deeper than Hell, what canft thou know ? The
Meafure thereof is longer than the Earth and broader than the Sea. If he cut ofF,
or fhut up, or gather together, who then can hinder him ? For he knoweth
vain Men — for vain Man would be wife, tho' Man be born like a wild Afs's
Cok. Who hath enjoined him his Way ? Or who can fay to him. Thou haft
wrought Iniquity ? Why ftriveft thou with him who giveft none Account of
his Matters?— Nay, but O Man, who art thou that replieft againft GOD?
Who hath faid, I will have Mercy on whom I will have Alercy, and I will have
Compaflion on whom I will have Compaffion, — and whom he will he hardneth.
Is there then anvUnrighteoufncfs withGOD ? GOD forbid. Does it at all be-
come the Thing forrned to fay unto him that formed it, Why haft thou made me
thus ? Hath not the Potter Power over the Clay (which yet he did not make) of
the very fame Lump to make one Veftel to Honour and another to Difhonour ?'*
And yet dareft thou to difallow the like Power or Prerogative to the almighty
Potter
Of Predestination and Election. 37
Potter and Former of all Things ? What if it be his fovcreign and righteous
Will to fliew his Wrath and make hisPower known, on theVeflels of Wrath fitted
for Deftru(£lion, having endur'd them with much Long-fuffering ? And to make
known the Riches of his Glory on the Veflels of Mercy which he hath afore
.prepared unto Glory ? Shall he that contendeth withtheAlmighty inftru(5t him ?
He that reproveth GOD let him anfwer ir. Who hath directed the Spirit of the
Lord, or being his Counfellor hath taught him ? With whom took he Counfel,
and who intruded him, and taught him in the Path of Judgment, and taught
him Knowledge, and fliewed him the Way of Underftanding P All Nations
are before him as nothing, and they are counted unto him as lefs than nothing
and Vanity. To whom then will ye liken GOD, or what Likenefs will ye
compare unto him ? Is be Debtor to any Man ? Has any given to him that
he may claim a Reccmpencc at his Hands ? Or hath he not Power to do what
he will with his own Grace and Favours, apd to bellow them on whom he
pleafes ? Who hath prevented or been before-hand with me (faith the Lord)
that I Ihould repay him ? Whatfoever is under the whole Heaven is mine. He
doth according to his Will in the Armies of Heaven and amongft the Inhabitants
of the Earth, who are reputed before him as nothing. Who dare fay unto him.
What doeft thou ? Surely GOD will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty
pervert Judgment. Who hath given him a Charge over the Earth ? Or who
hath difpofed the whole World ? If he fet his Heart upon Man, if he gather
unto him his Spirit ayd his Breath, all Flefh ihall perifh together, and Man Ihall
turn again unto Dull. If now thou haft Underftandmg hear this, hearken unto
the Voice of my Words, Shall he that even hateth Right govern ? And wilt
thcu condemn him that is moft juft ? For he will not lay upon Man jnore than
is right, that he fhould enter into Judgment with GOD : Who hath Mercy on
whom he will have Mercy, who will be gracious unto whom he will be gracious,
and whom he will he hardneth." Is he therefore unjuft,becaufe, wliile he might
as juftly pafs by and leave under Condemnation the whole Race oi fallen Mankind
as he did the whole Race oi fallen Angels^ he of his fevereign Grace and Pleafure
is pleafed to fave fome of the fallen Sons of Men ? Can't he do what he will
with his ov/n ? Or is thine Eye evil bccaufe he is good I If he be indebted
to thee, produce thy Bill that he may repay thee. Is not Wrath and Death the
juft Wages of Sin ? And ^re not all Sinners ? •' Who can fay, I have made my
Hands clean, I am pure from my Sin ? If GOD fliould be ftri^l to mark Iniquity
who can ftand r" And doth not theGuilt andDefcrt of Sin arifc in Proportion to
the Dignity and Excellency of him againft whom it is committed ? Is it no lefs
a Crime for a Man to ftrikc his princely Sovereign, than one that is his Inferior or
Equal ? "If cneMan fm againft another thcjudgc {hail jucge him ; But. if aMau
fui againft the Lord who ihall intrcat for him ?"
Tell me thou that art not fatisiied with GOD's Will fs a Reaibn of hisN
Counfels, and ready to charge the Do6lrines of his fovcreign Grace with making
him upjuft ; tell me, I fay. Why arc the common and daily Diftributicns of hi?
Providence fo unequal ? Why do all Thi^ngs come alike to all whether Righteous
cr
38 Cf Predestination and Election.
or Wicked ? Why is one Event to them both ? Yea, why doth he give to
many Wicked more than Heart can wifli, (o that their Eyes ftick out with Fat-
nefs, and fpread themfelves hke the green Bay-Tree ; while feme of his own
dear Children, his true and faithful Servants, are made to groan under a pinching
Neceflity ? Why does he fufier it to happen unto the Righteous according to
the V/ork of the Wicked, and to the Wicked according to the Work of" the
Righteous ? Why are fome rich and others poor ? Some healthy, others fickly ;
fome deformed, others well {haped ; fome very wonderfully preferved, others
expcfed to many Perils ? Why have fome very large natural Endowments, vaft
Capacities for Penetration into the Things of Nature, a clear Underflanding, a
iharpVvir, ftrong JVIemory, and a ready Elocution, while others are naturally
Men of little Wit, unacStive, dull, aud flow of Speech ? "^Vhy have fome the
clear Light of the Gofpel in its Power and Purity fliining into both their Heads
and Hearts^ while Alilllcns do fit in Darknefs deftitute of fuch a Light, by which
the Knowledge of Salvation is conveyed for the Remiilion of Sins ? Why does
the Daj-fpring from on high vifit one Nation and not another ? Why feeing
GOD is infinitely holy doth he fulFer Sin to overfpread the whole Univerfe, and
do fo much Mifchief to the Souls and Bodies of Men ? Why feeing he fo fo-
lemnly declares his Jbhorrence of fo great an Evil, and feeing with him is almighty
Power, did he at firft fuffcr its Entrance into the World ; or at leaft why did he
r»ot ftifie it in its very Birth, and for ever flop its Mouth and hinder its Race ?
Why feeing GOD is infinite in Mercy and Almighty in Power, and feeing thou
confidently affirmeft that he mo/} heartily wijheih and willeth the Converfion and
Salvation of every Individual oi Jdam's fallen Race, doth he not effe£iuaUy accom-
plifh tl^e fame ? Is his Arm too weak for his Will? Or cannot he as eafily
effeSi their Cociverfion and Salvation as wijh it to be done ? And feeing thou
chargeft us with rendring GOD infincere and to mock his poor Creatures, confider
whether thou thy felf doft at all mend the Matter by faying he heartily and fin-
cerely wijheth the actual Salvation of every Lidividual of the fallen Race of Men,
which yet at the fame Time he perfectly knows fhall never be done^ nor defigns
U effe£f ? Doth it become the divine Veracity, Sincerity and Immutability to
fay that he moft fincerely willeth and wifheth that to be done which lie perfectly
knows {hall never be done, nor defigns fhall be done ; and which he at the fame
Time is able to do, or caufe to be done if he pleafeth ? Or fliall it be faid that
he wills and wifhes the adual Salvation of all Men without Exception ; but that
he afterwards fees fit to alter his Defigns as to fome by Reafon of fome L^nwor-
thinefs in the Creature, which he did not perfectly forefee ? Can any Thing
happen in Time which he did not pcrfedly know from all Eternity ? Surely if
forefe*n Unworthinefs in the fallen Sons and Daughters of Men, feperate from
his fovereign Grace and Pleafure, had been of itfelf a fufHcient Barrier to the
, Salvation of any of them, then by juft Confequence not one of them could
! have been faved, feeing by the Fall they are all equally unworthy, all by Nature
alike Children of Wrath.
Be
Of Predestination and, Election. 30
• Be well adviTed then henceforth, O Objedor ! not to take fuch ankward Me-
thods and iinivar rentable Meafures :o defend the divine Mercy, to the Prejudice
of the divine Wi(i.iom and Immutability, to eclipfe the one in order to give Light
unto the other. Never more attempt to comprehend the Ocean in thy Nut-
Shell, nor fathom its unfcarchable Depth with thy fhort Line, who art but a
Creature of Yefterday, and who (comparatively fpeaking) knoweft nothing of
CsOD and his Ways : For how fmall a Portion is heard of him, and even'the
Thunder of his Power v^ho can underfland ? Much lefs canfl thou by all thy
curious Searching find out the Almighty to Perfection, or trace all his Ways ;
many of which are paft fi^^ding out : For his Way is in the Sea, and his Paths in
the mighty Waters, and his Footfleps not known. Remember then that there is no
better Way of accounting for them than by looking upon his Will as a Reafon
of his Counfel, and as a perfecSl Rule of all Righteoufnefs, thence concluding,
that however his Judgments are unfearchable, they are all according to Truth
and Righteoufnefs ; and that GOD himfelf knows how to reconcile all thcfe
Difficulties which clog our (hallow Apprehenfions ef his Manner of Being and
Subfiflence, and of his Judgments and Ways ; patiently waiting for the Day'5
Approach, when he will openly vindicate the Equity of all his Proceedings with
the fallen Sons of Men, fo as that every Mouth (hall be (topped, and every
Tongue confefs that he is righteous. Do thou no more finfullv ftrive with him
who gives none Account of his Matters to any. Humbly confefs thy former
Folly and prying Curiofity, faying, "Behold I am vile, what il^all I anfwer thee j
I will lay my Hand upon my Mouth, once have I fpoken, but I will not anfwer,
yea twice, but I will proceed no further." Remember the Battle, do no more
rebel againfl: the Evidence of GOD's holy Word, nor arraign his Juftice at thy
Bar. Give an attentive Ear to my Words, and hear what I have yet to fay on
GOD's Behalf. Refolve to abide by this Maxim, vix. That GOD is able to
reveal, and has Power to command our Credence to Matters that are above the
Grafp of bare Reafon, and that whatfoeverGOD fays muft needs be undoubtedly
true. This will be the beft Expedient to free thy Mind from all thofe pu%?Jhig
Difficulties which ever intangle and perplex the Minds of all curious Peepcis into
GOD's Ark ; and to prevent that BHndnefs and Judgment wherewith fuch are
ufually fmitten by the blafting Hand of an angry and jealous GOD. And ica;n
devoutly to fay with the great Apoftle, " O the Depth'of the P.iches both of
" the Wifdom and Knowledge of GOD, hov/ unfearchable are liis Judgmenf^,
<« and his Ways pafl finding out ! For who hath known the Mmd of the Lord,
** or being his Counfellor hath taught him Knowledge ? Or who hath given ta
<* him and he fhall be recompenfed again ? For <?/him, and through him, and
" to him are all Things, to whom be Glory for ever, Amen.'"
Having thus far proceeded in order to give my Reader a fummary Account:
of the whole Argument and State of the Cafe between us and our Objcdtors ;
I fhall now proceed, by divine Afliftance io enlarge thereupon : Which I ihalldo
in the following Method.
G I. I
40 Of Predestination and Election.
r. I fliall endeavour to evidence the Peculiarity of GOD's dealing fome^ a
definite^ certain Number of Perfons out of the corrupt Mafs or Lump of the fallen
Sons oi yidam, and that they were chofen in Christ their elect Head before the
World began, /'. e. from Eternity.
2. I fnall manifeft that thefe were chofen unto, that is to fay, that they fliould
in due Seafon be made Partakers of rt^««/ Salvation.
3. I fhall come to fliew that they were alfo as really and certainly chofen
unto certain Mediums in order to fit them for that End, as unto the End itfelf,
viz. That they fhould be juftified by the Redeemer's Blood and Righteoufnefs
iiirauted to them ; and that they fhould be effectually called, and at length com-
pieatly fantStified by the Ploly Ghoil.
4. I fliall attem.pt to evidence the Ahfolutemfs of this Election, vi%. That it
is not wavering and uncertain, depending upon forefeen Faith and good Works
in Men as the moving Caufe thereof, but that it fprings folely from GOD's
fovereign Grace and Pleafure.
5. Having proved all this, I fhall come to fhew how unjuft and unreafonable
are all the Cavils and Objections made againft this holy Dodtrine.
Thus Matters ftand ready for a Hearing and Trial (at large) of the Caufe and
Truth of our GOD, which in his Name and Strength I have undertaken to plead.
And may it pleafe him to grant a good Iffuc.
Now in order to make/z/r^ Work, I fhall firfl of all produce a few fubflantial
and unexceptionable WitneiTes, whofey^/Vzif Evidence ftiall confirm the whole be-
yond all Contradiction. Eph. I. 3 to 15. where the great Apoftle ufhers in
the whole of this Do6trine with a rapturous Doxology, faying, " BlefTed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hathblefTed us with all fpi-
ritual BlePiings in heavenly Things in Christ, according as he hath chofen us
in him before the Foundation of the World, that we fhould be holy and without
Blame before him in Love ; having predeftlnated us to the Adoption of Chil-
dren by Jesus Christ to himfelf, according to the good Pleafure of his Will,
to the Praife of the Glory of his Grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
Beloved : In whom we have Redemption through bis Blood, the Forgivenefs of
Sins, according to the Riches of his Grace ; wherein he hath abounded towards
us in all WifJom and Prudence, having made known unto us the Myflery of his
Will, according to his good Pieafiire whicli he bath purpofed in himfelf; that in
the Difpenfation of the Fulnefs of Times he might gather together in one all
Things in Christ, both which are in Heaven and which are on Earth, even in
him : h\ whom we have obtained an Inheritance, being predeftlnated according
to the Purpofe of him who worketh all Things after the Counfel of his own Will,
that we fliuulu be to the Praife of hiis Glory, who firft trufted in Christ : In
whom
Of Predestination and Election. 41
whom ye alfo trufted after that ye heard the Word of Truth, the Gofpel of your
Salvation ; in whom alfo after that ye beh'eved, ye were fealed with the holy
Spirit ofPromife : Which is the Earnefl of our Inheritance, until the Redemption
of the purchafed PofTeflion, to the Praife of his Glory."
Now what can be fuller to our Purpofe than this admirable PafTage of holy
Scripture : For here obferve what exprefs Mention is made of fome that are the
ElecSt of GOD, by him chofen not in Time, but before all Time, even before
he laid the Foundation of the World 3 whence appears the Peculiarity and Eter-
nity of this Election.
Again, They are faid to be chofen, not becaufe they would^ but becaufe they
Jhoiild be holy in Time : Which in Part fhews the Abfolntenefs of their Eledion,
and wholly overfets -^ conditional YXtQdon^ upon Forefight of the Eledl's future
Holinefs. They are alfo faid to be chofen in Christ, who is the chofen Head
of his Elecfl the Church, who died for them ; and that by him they were predefli-
nated to the Adoption of Children, and have Redemption through his Blood, and
their Forgivcnefs of Sins ; which points out their Juftitication, compleat Sanctifi-
cation, andGlorification. All thefe being{/7^'?7//^/PartsoftheEle6l's Redemption
bv Christ, in whom they were chofen, why elfc is it faid in the preterTenfe,
That GOD hath blefled them, and that too with all fpiritual Blefiings in heavenly
Things in Christ ? And that they have (mark) not may^ or may net have^ but
they have obtained an Inheritance, being predef}:inated or fore-ordained thereunto,
as the Word Pred,i/l inate do\h properly fignify ? And to whom GOD accord-
ingly in the gracious and wife Difpeniations of his Providence, doth in and by
the Word and Spirit of his Grace make known the Myftery of his Will j that
being the Means, in and by which the Eled: are and fliall be gathered together in
one Body, under one Head, even Christ, the Head of their Eledtion, in the
Fulncfs of the Difpenfation of Times which GOD hath purpofed in him [elf :
And who to make all fure, doth upon their believing, feal them with his holy
Spirit of Promife, which is unto them an Earncft-Pcnny or Pledge of their being
in due Time put into the _///// and <7<f?:/^/ PofTeflion of the heavenly Inheritance,
which for them was obtained by the invaluable Price of Chrisi 's Blood, and to
which they were from Eternity predeftinated.
Next to all this obferve how often and in how pill a Manner the Root and
fpringing Caufe of this their Election, Predeftination, Adoption, Redemption,
Effedfual Calling, Sanctification, and Sealing to the Day of Redemption, is men-
tioned ; (mark) 'tis not faid according to their good Free-v.ill Pleafure, and the-
Jorefeen Riches of their Faith and good Works ; No ; but according to the good
Pleafure of GOD's IVill^ and the Riches oi his Grace^ or free Favour, who work-
eth all Things after the Counfel of his own^ not his Creatures Will, to the Praife
of his glorious Grace therein difplayed ; fo that her-e is no Room for a conditi-
onal hap- hazard Ele^ion^ depending upon the Creature's forefeen free-will Per-
formances of Faith and Holinefs i thefe good Qualifications being the prep.'r
G 2 Fruiii
4^ Of Predestination and Election.'
Fruits and Effe^s^ not the Caufe of GOD's ele£ling them : And all that they
/houUbe to the Praife of his Glorj' ; namely, by a devout and holy Life, free
and ready Obedience, they being chofen unto Holinefs ; and not to fly in a wicked
Manner in their great and gracious Elector's Face by a licentious and wicked
Life. Which evidently fhews the Perverfenefs of our Opponents Cavils againft
thefe holy Dodlrines, calling them by the odious Names o^ abominable and licen-
tious: Juft as if the /;.'V/?^y? Inftance of God's abounding Love and Grace did
lay a Foundation for the mofl ungrateful Returns from the Objedts thereof.
But I go on to produce my fecond good Evidence to corroborate this that hath
given in (o large zvAfuUz Teftimony, for and in Behalf of the Caufe and Truth
of our fovereiga Lord the King of Heaven and Earth. i Thef. 2. 13, 14.
where obferve that after the Apoflle had in the foregoing Words fhewn that
fome vi^ere by the deep and righteous Judgment GOD given over to ftrong De-
lufions to believe Lies, and be damned for their Wickednefs in hating and oppofing
the Truths of the Gofpel, inftead of believing and loving themj he comes in
the next Words, Ver. 13, 14. in a moft emphatic Manner to point out and
mention to the believing Thejfalonians the difcriminating Grace and clewing Love
of GOD towards them^ whereby he took an early and effeSiual Care to prevent
their Damnation through the Sin of Unbelief and an unfanilified Heart (the fad
Cafe of tliofe mentioned in the Context) and this difcriminating Grace v.'bereby
GOD made thefe believing Theflalonians thus to differ from the others^ he very
defervedlv ufhers in as a Matter oi great Thankfulnefs ^ thus ; " But (fays he by
\^2.y of Contradiftinflion) we are bound to give Thanks always to GOD io\ you
Brethren, beloved of the Lord^ (namely with an eleSling^ difiingui/hing Love as it
follows) becaufe GOD hath from the Beginning chofen you (which he did not
thofe others that perifli'd in their Unbelief) unto Salvation through Sandlification
of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth, whereunto he called you by our Gofpel,
to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." Hence then how
eafily may we obferve the Freenefs^ Jbfolutenefs, Perfonality and Peculiarity of
Eledtion here ? For it was of particular Perfons in plain Contradiflin£tion from
thofe others mentioned in the Context, and therefore the greater Ground of
Thankfulnefs did arife : This eledling Adl it appears was founded y^i/if/y upon the
elct^ing, di/iinguifnng Love of GOD, and not any natural Betternefs in thefe
Ele6l, who while in their natural State were unfanSiified and Unbelievers as well
as the others, as their being chofen, that they might be Lndtilied & come to believe
do plainly hold forth : Nor could their Eleilion depend upon their San6lificatIon
and Faith forefeen in them, becaufe thefe good Qualities are not mentioned as
Catfes, but as the natu?-al znd proper EffcSls of their Eledlion unto Salvation, and
the obtaining the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, to which they were cho-
fen and called. So that it is not a Thing fickle and uncertain, but abfolute and
free : It is an Election promotive of Faith, Sandlification and Holinefs ; becaufe
to thefe they are faid to be chofen as well as unto Salvation the End. Thefe are
infeperably and moft orderly joined together, which Ergo^ no Man may attempt
to invert or to put afunder. And then next to this, obferve the Jntiquity of this
free
Of Predestination and Election. 43
free Ele£^lon ; it was from the Beginning, that is to fay, before the Foundation of
the World, or before the World began, as other Scriptures do exprefs the Matter,
which is a better Interpretation of this Text (furely) than Dr. Whitbf%, who will
by no Means allow of an eternal Eledtion from this Place. Of all which I take
this to be the Sum, anfwerable to the Scope of the Place and Tenor of the
Apoftle's Words, q. d. " We are always bound to be very thankful to GOD
<' on your Account, Brethren, beloved of the Lord, becaufe, while he left
*< thofe others out of his Book qI free Eledion in their natural unfandificd
** Eftate, fuifering them to take their own corrupt natural Courfe which led
*' unto Deftrudtion and their fuft Perdition which he willed not to hinder by his
<' Ads of Eledion and Sanctiiftcation ; he was gracioufly pleafed of his fovereign
*' Grace and Pleafure (who hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and
*« whom he will he hardneth) efFecftually to preferve you from running into fuch
*' Perdition with others ; who accordingly eleded you in Christ before the
*' World began unto Salvation the End, and unto Sanguification and the Belief
«' of' the Truth through the Gofpel as the Means and Mediums thereof; which
*« is anfwerable to his eternal Purpofe which he purpofed in Christ Jesus our
" Lord." Eph. 3. 4. To all which I (hall fubjoin Tit. i. 12. " Faul 2,
Servant of GOD and an Apoftle of Jesus Christ, according to the Faith of
GOD's Eledl, and acknowledging the Truth, which is after Godlinefs, in Hopes
of eternal Life, which GOD that cannot lye, hath promifed before the World
began, but. hath in due Times manifeftedhis Word through Preaching." Hence
when St. Paulas in Jifs 13. preached at Antloch the Word of the Gofpel, out
of which the Faith of GOD's Eledlcometh, to a great Multitude, fome of whom
rejeded the Truth, contradiding and blafpheming, (as indeed but too many do
now-a-days, fpeaking evil of GOD's Way of Salvation) and fo were felf-con-
demned, judging themfelves (as St. PW faith) unworthy of eternal Life ; while
others very gladly embraced the divine MefTage, (as Thanks be to GOD fome
do at this Day) thence it naturally follows in the next Words as the Refult of
the whole, Ver. 48. Jnd as many as were ordained to eternal Life believed. (Mark)
He doth not fay,asmany as believed were thenordain'd to eternal Life,as tho' this
Ordination terminated on theirBelievingasamovingforefeenCaufeofit j No : But
contrariwife, as many as were ordained to eternal Life believed ; namely, with
the Faith of GOD's Ele£l, they being chofen from the Beginning unto Salvation
through Sanftification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth. *' The Gofpel
came to them not in Word onlv but alfo in much Power, in the Holy Ghoft and
in much AlTiarance, Vfhxch effeSiually worketh in them that believe," as now it
did in thefe Converts, anfwerable to the divine Fore-ordmation. Thus doth the
Apoflle trace Things up to their Head and Fountain-Caufe, which is well con-
fiftent with good Philofophy and a natural found Method of Reafoning.
Now put all thefe Scripture-Teftimonies together, and fee how vain are all the
Shuffles and Cuts, Twijlings and Turnings of the Arminians, who are not willing
to allow, that Perfons being chofen from the Beginning fignifies their being cho-
fen from Eternity, Alfo in wrefting that Text in ^£ti 1 3. 48. from its natural
44 0/ Predestination and Electioj^.
and genuine Import, alleJging that the Senfe is that, As many as were difpofed^
namely, by a free-will Determination, independant of fupernatural Grace, be-
lieved to Life eternal ; or that they were difpofed to eternal Life; that is to fay,
that they believed in that great Article of Faith. Such miferable Shifts are thefe
non-Lovers of GOD's free Election put to in their arguings againft it. Thefe
were indeed difpofed for eternal Life, and believed in order thereunto, by the
free Exercife of their renewed Wills, as appears by their Gladnefs and rejoicing ;
but (liU if we credit the facred Text it was becaufe they were ordained there-
unto. They were ordained to both Faith and eternal Life, and therefore did
they believe in order to the attaining of that Glory with the Faith of GOD's
Eledl, " in Hopes of eternal Life, which GOD that cannot lye, had promifed
them in Christ their covenanting Head before the World began, which in this
due Time was manifefted through the Apoftle's Preaching, the LORD work-
ing with them." Thus (as the Apoflle fpeaks 2 Tim. i. 9, 10.) *' They were
Jfaved and called with a holy Calling, not according to ihcir Works, but accord-
ing to GOD's civn Purpbfe and^ Grace which was given them in Christ Jesus
before the World began, who hath abolifhed Death, and brought Life and Im-
mortality to Light (to thefe faid Converts in a particular Manner at that due
Time) through the Gofpel preached unto them." " As many as were ordained
to eternal Life believed," and the reft we fee contradicted and biafphemcd, re-
maining Unbelievers. *' The Election obtained and the reji were blinded:'*
That fame Jesus whom the former with Gladnefs received as a fure Foundation
to build their heavenly Hopes upon ; thefe latter with Indignation rejected as a
*' Stone of Stumbling and Rock of Offence."
My next Proof fhall be taken from Rom. 8. 28. and onward, where the
Apoftle fpeaking of the Eledt and Predeflinate as Heirs of GOD, and joint-
Heirs with Christ, he lays down this Propofition concerning their fafe and
happy State, " That all Things fhall work together for their Good, that is,
their fpiritual and eternal Good (as appears by what follows) they being Lovers
of GOD, and called according to his eternal Purpofe, which he had purpofed in
Christ Jesus our Lord." Then he goes on proving his Propofition with
fuitable lUuftrations, by the following Method of Reafoning, Ver. 29. *' For
(fays he) whom he did foreknow, thofe he did predeftinate to be conformed to
the Image of his Son, that he might be the Firfl-born amongft many Brethren.
Moreover whom be predeftinated them he alfo called, and whom he called them
he alfo juftified, and whom he juftified them he alfo glorified," Whom in Fer.
33. he exprefly calls' GOD's Eledl, whom GOD juflifieth, for whom Chrifl
died to free from Condemnation, yea, who rather rofc again, afcendeJ, and ever
liveth to make Interceffion at the right Hand of GOD, pleading the Merit of his
Death for them. Whence he folidly concludes in a Way of holy Ttiumph and
Challenge, that no Soul- Enemy whatever, whether Principalities or Powers,
Things prefent or Things to come, whereof he reckons up a large Caiahgue^
fiiall be able to feperate them from the Love of GOD which is in Christ Jesus
our Lord j they being more (mark) more than Conquerors through him who thus
loved
Of Predestination ^//i^ELECTiON.' ^g
loved "them as to do all Things for them. This is a ju/i and tr-ue Account of
Things, as the imfariial Reader may eaiily fee by confulting the Place at large,
and alfo fee it very full to my Purpofe.
Whence I fliall infer, how impertinently fuch argue in Oppofition to this Text,
who fay, tho' Fire and Faggot cannot, yet Sin may or can feperate a true Be-
liever from the Love of GOD which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Whereby
this Tafk lies upon them to do, vi%. To prove that the Sin which makes fuch a
Seperation does efFecl this, without being either prefent or to come, alfo without
having any Power or Dominion over their Souls, or without Sin's pov/erful Pre-
fcncc, which is moft abfurd. Befides this filly Objeilion flies full in the Face of
the Apoftle's whole triumphant Challenge in this noble Chapter, and pofitively
contradicts his Conclufion, " That neither Life, nor Death, nor Angels, nor
Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things prefent, nor Things to come, nor any
other Creature, fiiall be able to feperate fuch from the Love of GOD which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord." And confequently he included Sin with its Power
and Prefence^ as unable to make fuch a Seperation as fome plead for.
Again I infer, how impertinently a bare Scrap of the abovefaid Text, viz,
{zuhom he did fore knoiu thofe he did predeffino.te) is culled out by f )me to prove their
conditional hap-hazard Ek&iion upon forefeen Faith and good Works. Whereas
by reading the Text throughout we fkail fee that the Foreknown there mentioned
and the Eied predeftinated to be called, juftified and glorified, are one and the
fafne Perfons. So that GOD's Foreknowledge there fpoken of does not intend
b\s general Prcfcience^ -whereby he foreknows all Things whatever, whether 2;ood
or bad, or all Perfons whatfoever, whether EleSf or JSlon-ele£i : But implTcs a
Knowledge of Peculiarity, attended with zfpecial Love^even fuch a Love as GOD
bears to his Ele6l, whom he predeftinated to be called, juftified and glorified, as
the Place itfelf fliews ; and which Diftindion there is an evident Foundation for
in other Texts of Scripture, as in Pfal. i. ult. " The Lord knoweth the Way
of the Righteous," which is diftinguiflied from what is faid of the Wicked's
Way, which alfo by a general A61 of Prefcience he knoweth, but not in that
fpecial Manner as he is faid to know the Way of the Righteous. See alfo 2 57///.
2. 19. Where it is obfervable, that when fome Men of Note, feeming Pillars^
fell off from the viftble Church, it is for the Comfort of true Believers added,
" Neverthelefs (or notwithftanding thefe Men's Apoftacy) the P'oundation of
GOD ftandeth /ttr^, having this Seal, The LORD knoweth them that are His."
i. e. His in z peculiar Manner as his Ele5l and Predejiinate, whom he has marked
out for Salvation, his Sheep, whom as a Shepherd he knoiveth and calleth by Name,
and fetteth his Mark upon. T'hus are they diflinguijlml from thofe Apojiates^
which alfo GOD knew by a general ASl of his Knowledge, whereby he knows
the Good and the Bad, who are all his, namely, by Creation, tho* not by
Election ; as Job faith, " The Deceived and the Deceiver are his^ and fo are the
Cattle upon a thoufand Hills."
Note
46 Of Predestination and Election.
Note again. As thefe Foreknown are faid to be predeftinated vnio a Confor-
ttiity to Christ, it at ove View diicovers this to be a Doctrine cf Holinefs, and
that our Confori-nity to Christ's Image is not the Caitfe hnX. x\\t proper EffeSis
of Ele6lion and PredefHnation ; fo that GOD did not foreknow tiiis otherwife
than as by his Predejiination he defigned to effeSf it.
That Text alfo is <?; ///chofen by our conditional EleSiloners in 1 Pet. i. i, 2.
if confidered in its uniform and conned ed Parts, and not by a 5fr«/> of it only,
which they commonly take up withal, as Men mightily taken with the meer
Jing/e and Sound oi' Words. We will therefore do both the Text and GOD's
Caufe fo much Jujiice as to read kali out^ " Eleft according to the Foreknow-
ledge of GOD the Father through Sandification of the Spirit unto Obedience,
and fprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ." Whence obferve how the
Methods of divine Grace in the Salvation ofeled Sinners are pointed out in a
Way correfpondent with Rom. 8. 29, 30. juft before confidered, and fo this
muft be underftood accordingly ; for St. Paul there and St. Peter here may not be
thought to contradidt each other, but do fpeak the /(?ot^ Things. The former
fpeaks of Foreknowledge and Predeftination unto a Conformity to Christ, to be
called, juftified and glorified 5 and the Perfons of whom this is fpoken are exprefiy
called GOD's Ele£i : The A7//^r accordingly fpeaks of Foreknowledge and Elec-
tion through Sandtification of the Spirit unto Obedience^ and fprinkling or apply-
ing the juftifying, cleanfing Blood of Jesus Christ. Hence then, their Jufti-
iication, Sandification and Obedience are the natural and proper Effects of the
Father's Eledion, which he accordingly foreknew and not otherwife ; hence it is
not faid eledled/^r but ««/(? Obedience. Like that in Eph. i. 4. " Chofen in
Christ, that we Jhould be holy and without Blame before him in Love." All
which flill batters down that wicked OhjeSlion that chargeth the Doctrine of
sbfolute Ele6lion with encouraging Licentioufnefs in the Ele6l, (hewing more and
more the Abominahlenef of fuch Objedions.
I fliall next obferve from Rom. 11. That the great Apoftle having before
treated of GOD's rejeding the unbelieving Jews, even thofe Ifraelites which
were not GOD's fpiritual Ifrael., Children of the Flefli only, not of the Pro-
raife ; he comes to obviate an Objedion, faying, *' GOD hath not (namely,
njotwithftanding this) caft away his People whom he foreknew.'* Which muil
needs intend a Knowledge of Peculiarity as before explained j feeing thefe his
foreknown People are here evidently dijlinguijhed from the others that were Cajl-
aways, and which will further appear by a due Obfervance of what next follows
as a Confirmation, that GOD in rejecting the unbelieving Jews, had not, not-
withftanding caft away ^z; People which he foreknew as his Ele^ ; where the
Apoftle in Profecuticn of his Argument to this End mentions himfelf for In-
ftance, and the feven Thoufand which GOD had referved to himfelf in the Days
of Elias, that had not in that Time of common Defedlion apoftatized by
bowing the Knee unto Baal; and then makes the following Application of
this to his prefent Purpofe, faying, *♦ Even fo then at this prefnt Time alfo
there
Of Predestination and Election. 47
there is a Remnant according to the Ele^isn of Grace ;" that is to fay, an Eleclion
founded on the meer fovereign Grace, good JVill and Plea Jure of GOD the great
Ele5lor, as in the next Verfe he argues as exclufive of all Works whatfoever as a
moving Caufe of this ElctSlion, (hewing that IVorks and Grace cannot fland as
Competitors or Corrivals in this Matter, as he adds, " And if by Grace, 'tis then
no more of Works, otberwife Grace is no more Grace ^ but if it be of Works,
then it is no more Grace : Otherwife Work is no more Work. What then ?
Ifrael hath not obtained that which he feeketh for j but the EleSiion, or EleB^
hath obtained it and the refl were blinded, according as it is written," namely in
Ifa. 6. 9. and Chap. 26. 10. " GOD hath given them the Spirit of Slumber,
Eyes that they (hould not fee, and Ears that they fhould not hear unto this Day.'*
As \\e judicially dealt with them who {hut their Eyes and flopped their Ears againft
GOD's Way of Salvation, feeking to obtain it as it were by the Works of the
Law : l.\usthejuj}ice as well as Sovereignty ofGOD. was manifefted in his rejecft-
ing them ; *' who hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, Compaflion on
whom he will have Ccmpaffion, and whom he will he hardneth," namely, by
his fovereign Dealings vv'ith iVIen in xvitbholding his Heart-foftning Grace from
them, v/hich he owes to none ; and afterwards by his judicial giving them up to
Hardnefs of {ieart and Blindnefs of Mind, for hardning ihemfehes againft him ;
and fo accordingly doth not execute the Fiercenefsof his Wrath upon thcfeVe/Tels
of Wrath until they h?ivc filled up their Meafure of hiiqnity^ and become ripe, or
by their Sins fitted to DeflrucSfion, after bearing with them by much Patience
and Long-fufFcring, as St. Prt^/fhev/eth in Rom. 9. where as a brave Advocate
for GOD, he defends the Rights both of his Sovereignty and Juflice from the
perverl'e Cavils of Men of corrupt Minds, who withitood the Apoflle's Do(5trine
of Election and Rejection, fo largely treated on in that remarkable Chapter : The
Apoftle (till infifting on the divineSovereignty,&: thatGOD'sWill is a perfe£lRi;Ic
of Righteoufnefa, " who hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and whom
he will he hardtieth"; *' who of x\,q fame Lumpmaketh fome Vefleis of Honour
and fome of Difhonour :" As GOD afiifling we fhall more largely confider here-
after. And in the mean while, inftead of cavilling hereat, let us follow the great
ApofHe's ^^xamplc, by an humble Adoration crying out, " O the Depth of the
*' Riches both of the Wifdom and Knowledge of GOD ! How uniearchable are
*' his Judgment?, and his Ways pafl finding out ! For who hath known the
*' Mind of the Lord ? Or who hath been his Counfellor ? Or who batk-
" firfl given to him and it fliall be recompenfed to him again ? For <?r'him,
*' 7iX\A through \-\\\x\^ and /<? him are all Things, to whom be Glory for ever,
" Amen:'
Now then, Let the impartial Reader upon a ferious Review of all thefe Scrip-
ture-Tefl;in;onies, judge if the Dedudions drawn thence are not natural, juft
and /«/r, according to ally?//? Rules of Interpretation of Speech znd plain Meaning
of Words, without the leafl Appearance of ivre/ting or torturing any of them
from their natural Impoit. The Doctrines are indeed like the grand^ Author of
them, great and axvful, and what our carnal Reafon dotii naturally relud at ; yet
H ' aire
'^ '0/ Predestination and Election.
are not 'therefore to be rejeilcd, but in all good Reafon to be received as Do61riries
of GOD and Godlinefs. The Qiiery k not, ** Whether they fuit the Reliih
of a corrupt Fzncy^ but whether they are to hcfourtd in the holy Book of GOD^
the Bible." That they are there to be found is indeed what Reafon itfelf doth
confefs, when duly emploj-ed in fearchiftg out wliether they are fo or not j yea,
a very Heathen Philofopher having the Scripture Propofitions fet before him,
would readily conclude by the bare Exercife of his reafoning Powers, anil due
Obfervation of the juft Rules of Interpretation of Speech, that they do indeed
hold forth every Thing that I plead for, howfoever his carnal Reafon might rt-
Iwdi at the DoiSrine itfelf as much as our Opponents do ; who as thev profefs
to take their Accounts of Eledlion front Scripture^ ought in all good Reafon to
•weigh v^ell thcfe Scripture- Arguments that are brought concerning that Point ;
and tipon doing (o^^ by a due Exercife of their reafoning Powers, and Obfervation
of the juft Rules of Interpretation of Speech, and finding the Do6xrine there
written, ought to acknowledge that it is fo indeed ; as they muft needs do if they
libide by the aforefaid Rules, howfoever they do at the fame Time difrcUjh the
Do£irine itfelf. For Inftance : A Man may read an Author upon any Subjedl,
whether moral, hiftorica! or divine Matters, where by Reading, and the due Ex-
ercife of his reafoning, intcllei^ual Powers, he rationally concludes, that fuch
and fuch Things are aflerted and laid down, which at the fame Time are very
difagreable to his Way of thinking, and fo difrelifhes the fame ; yet this his Dif-
like is rio Manner of Hindrance to his concluding that thofe Things are there
written j yea is rather an Argument that he takes them to be fo.
. t
Here then I am fo hr from hindring, as that I am heartily defircus that our
■Opponents who plead up fo much for the Ufe of Reafon, fliould djly exercife
the fame in judging whether I have tranfgrefTcd the juft Rules of Argument and
found Reafoning, in concluding and inferring from the Scripture Propofiticns
concerning thofe Matters. Yea, fuch is the Evidence of thefe Truths as that
fo?ne (as 1 fhall hereafter fhew) who as much difrelifhed them as any of the Au-
thor's Opponents can do, did without Hefitation confefs to be what the Scripture
holds forth, which is the Thing I plead for ; and that therefore is what
ought to be received and fubmitted to by fuch as profefs to take their Accounts
of Ele<5lion from the Scripture, and ftijl more efpecially by fuch who even in
Print have made a florid Appearance of defending the Truth, Ufefulnefs and Ex-
cellency of divine Revelation, as bringing with it ihc higheji and T.obleji Creden-
tials., as Mr. James Fojler has done ; or elfe alafs, his florid Appearance will ftand
as z glaring Witnefs againft him in rejeding thefe Scripturc-Dodrines, as he doth
with no fmall Regret and Indignation.
But furcly unlcfs Prejudice blinds Men's Eyes with a Witnefs, they muft in
all good Reafon, from the abovefaid Scripturc-Teftimonies conclude and infer,
That the Dodrine of eternal^ free., abfolute and perfonal EleSiion is a Scripture-
DoSirine, or elfe it muft be confefs'd to be impoftible to find fuitable Words
whereby to exprefs fuch a Thing: For doth not the very natural and obvious
Meanlns
Of Predestination and Ejection. 4^
Meaning of the Terms Ele£l and EUSiion^ denote a choofing. of fome only out of.
others? That where fome Perfons are eleded, otilers are /^Z' ; and that if all.
were taken there could be no Eledlion : Why elfe do we read of eUSt. Angeh that
are confirmed in their holy, happy State, in plain Contradiftinclion from the non-
ele£i Angeh that fell ? The very Mention of the former doth naturally infer the
latter : Yea, and doth not this denote a Right and Freedom \n x)[\q Perfons eledl-
ing, as well as a Peculiarity ? For Inftance, In the Election of Parliaments, tho*
in A'j/.r, GOD^s Election differs from Men's^ That whereas they are generally-
moved by certain apprehended good polities in thofe they ele<5l y GOD is not
thus moved : For his Eledion of Men that they /hould he holy, doth necefTarily
.fuppofe tUat it finds them unholy, but doth not leave them fo. Again, When
King David faid, <* Of all my Sons GOD hath chofen Solomon my Son to fit
upon theThrone ;" doth not this plainly point out that the r^/? of his Sons were left
out of that Election ? So in this very Cafe in Hand, Is there not plain Mention of
the EleSfion or the Ele^ that obtains, and of the rejl who do not obtain ? And'
are not the Ele£l called a Remnant, in Diftincftion from the re/i of the whole Cloth ?
And a Seed, in Contradiftin<Stion from the whole HarveJ} ? Pfal. 22. 30. Rom.
4. 16. *' Therefore it is of Faith, that it might be by Grace ; to the End the
Promife might be lure to all the Seed." *' A SeedihTiW ferve him, and: it fliall
be accounted unto the Lord for a Generation." Hence it is they are called
the Children of GOD and of the Ihomife, Heirs of the Promife, and Heirs of Sal-
vation, CHRIST'S Brethren, Heirs of GOD, and joint Heirs ivith CHRIST^
in plain Contradiftindion from the Children of the Fkfh, who are faid not to be
the Children of GOD. Rom. 9. 6, 7, 8. ** For they are not all T/rfl^/ (i.e.
GQD's fpiritaal Ifrael) that are of Ifrael;"" that is to fay, .after the Flefh*
Hence 'tis faid again, *' Tho' the Number o^ Ifrael he as the Sand of the Sea,
a ^wi«(7n/ fhall be faved." Rom. 9. 27, 29, 30. By which we muft under-
ftand GOD'"s ElecS: among both Jezvs and Gentiles, *' who are predeftinated to
the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ, according to the good Pleafure o£
GOD's Will." The Seed to whom the Promifes of Grace and Glory zxefurey,
and fo all Ifrael (hzW be faved. Rom. ir. 26. - am ojf •
To all this I might obferve, That GOD's Ele6l are a certain definite Kumber
of Perfons known to him from the Foundation of the World, both hew many and
who individually ; and indeed his very Adt in the eternal Election of Perfon* to
Salvation doth imply as much. Hence we read of GOD's fure Ele£lion ; thus
2 Tim. 1. 19. " The Foundation of GOD ftands y«r/, having this Seal, The
Lord knoweth them that are his.^* Where (as the Rev. Mr. Samuel IVillard'
well obferves) " He doth not fay ivhat Manner of Perfons are his, but who,
*' which points us to the Individuals. That GOD doth know who fhall be
** faved, and that perfonally and individually (fays he) our Adverfaries grant j and
*"* this muft needs infer, that he hath fore- appointed them perfonally to it ; for
** no other Reafon of this Fore-knowledge can be given ; all being alike natu-
** rally indifpofed to receive the Offers of Grace : And if any do it, it is of
" GOD's own free Will that begets them to iu Jama 1. 18, Hence they
H 2 *<aje
£Q Of Predestination and Election.
** are faid to have their Names written in Heaven and in the Book of Life.
*' P/;i/. 4. 6. Heb. 12. 22. In vi'hich there is an Allufion to the Cuftoms of
** Men who have Books of Records, in which amongft other Things all the
*' Eledions of Perfons to Places and Dignity are wont to be enrolled, and the
** End of it is to keep xtfure. Now the Scripture ufeth Names for Perfons,
'* j£fs I. 15. Rev. II. 13. And what can there be more diftindly indigitat-
*' ing the Individuals than to write them down by Name ? Things are named
••* that they may be particularly known. We have therefore fuch an Expreffion,
*' Exod. 33. 12. I know thee by A7<3OT^, i.e. dijiiniily^ititimately, throughly.''*
Hence alfo 'tis faid of the great Shepherd of the Sheep, that " He knoweth
tticm. by Name.'^ Job.. 10. Hence alfo, when it was requefted for Zebedee's .
Sons, the one toiit at Christ's right Hand and the other at his left in the
heavenly Kingdom, he anfweredj " This is not mine to give, but it fliall be
dven to them for whom (mark) for who?n it is -prepared of my Father." q. d.
^"^ Thofe Places are already difpofed of to Perfons for whom it was prepared of
the Father,and therefore not now to be difpofed of to others by the Son." Alark
10.40. Accordingly it will be faid wito tiiefe blefiedSouls at the laflDay,"Come
ye blefied of ray Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for ^^z/ from the Poun-
dation of the Woi-ld." Matth, 25. 34.
).h il -..
Thefe Matters are fo evidently fet forth in the holy Scrlptures,that I am really
afhamed to think that any Perfons of good Senfe, that have the due Exercife of
their reafonable Powers, and that are Men of Letters, yea that underftand plain
Englijh., fhould need fo much Ado to make them anderftand and confefs that the.
Doctrines. I argue for are contained in the Bible, where they are written as with
a Sun Beam : As I fhall further evidence from what came from the Mouth of
Jesus Christ himfelf when on Earth, as well as from his infpired Apoftles.
Mat. II. 25, 26, 27. " I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth,
becaufe thou haft hid thefe Things from the wife and prudent, and hail revealed'
them unto Babes; Even fo Father, for fo it feemeth good in thy Sight. All
Things arc delivered unto me of my Father, and no Man knoweth the Son but
the Father ; neither knoweth any Man the Father fave the Son, and he to whom-
foever the Son will reveal him." A^at. 13. 11. "It is given to you to know
the Myfteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but unto them it is not given."
Mat. 20. 15, 16. '* Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own ? Is
thine Eye evil, becaufe I am good ? So the firft fhall be lad and the lail hrfi: :
For many are called, but few are chofen." Luk. 12. 32. '^ Fear not little
Flock,, for it is the Father's good Pleafure to give you the Kingdom.". John
3. 27. '•' A Man can receive nothing except it be given him from Heaven."
'Joh. 6. 37. " All that the Father give th unto me (hall come unto me; and
him that Cometh to me I will in no wife call out." Ver. 43,44,64,65. "Mur-
mur not amongft your felves, fays Christ to the murmuring Jcws^ no Man
can come unto me except the Father which haih fent me diaw him, and I will
raife him up again at the laft Pay. But there are fome of you that believe not.
For Jesus knew fironai the Beginning who they were that believed not, and
who
Of Predestination and Election. 51
who (hould betray him. And he faid, therefore Hiid I unto you, that no Man
can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Fatlier." ^ob, 10. "1
am the good Shepherd, the good Shepherd giveth his Life for tiie Sheep. I am
the good Shepherd and know my Sheep, and am known of mine : Other Sheep I
have which are not of this Fold, and them ahb I mull bring, and they fhall hear
my V^oicc ; and there fhall be one Fold \v'i%. of Jews and Gentiles) and one
Shepherd." But faith Christ to the unbelieving Jews^ *' Ye believe not ia
me becaufe ye are not of my Sheep, as I faid unto you. My Sheep hear my
Voice and I know them, and they follow me : And I give unto them eternal
Life, and they fliall never periih." *' Having loved his own which were in the
World, beloved them unto the End," Job. 13. i. Ver. 18. " I fpeak not:
of you all, I know whom I have, chofen." Job. 15. 19. " If ye were of the
World the World would love its own : But becaufe ye are not of the World,
therefore the World hateth you j but I have chofen you out of the World."
Ver. 16. " Ye have not chofen me, but I have chofen you, and ordained you,
that you fi-iould go and bring forth Fruit, and that your Fruit fhould remain."
Next obierve the VVords of Christ's Prayer to his Father, Job. 17. 2,6,9,
JO, 2c, 21, 24. " Thou hafl given him Power over all Fleih, that he fhould
give eternal Life to as many as thou haft given him.— 1 have manifefled thy
Name unto the Men which thou gaveft me out of the World : Thine they v.^ere,
and thou gaveft them me. — I pray for them : I pray not for the World, but for
them which thou haft given me, for they arc thine," ■y/z. by Eledion. " And
all mine are thine, and thine are mine," ^/z. by thy Donation, " and I am glo-
rified in them. -— Neither pray I for thefe alone, but for them alfo which fliall be-
lieve on me through their Word : That they all may be one, as thou, Father,
art in me, and I in tbee.-^-Father, I will that thole alfo whom thou haft given me,
be wi th me where I am, that they may behold my Glory which thou haft given
me.'" ,' . -J /^
. .Agstn, Anfweyable to all this. How frequently doth Chrlst fpeaJc of thefe,
calling. them his Eie£t^ \h Diftiuction from others ? Mattb. 24. 24. — " They
Ihallfeduce (if it were polfible) even the very EleSi.^' And fo again, Mark i j;.
2i. And again in Ver. 20..*' Except the Lord had fhortncd thofe Days, no
Flefh fhould be faved .- But for the Eled's Sake, whom he hath chofen, fliall
thofe Days be fliortned." And fo again to the fame Purpofe, Mat. 24. 22*
And in Ver. 31. " And he fhiall fend his Angels with agrei^f Spund of a .Trum-
pet, and they fhall gather together bis Eledf from the four Winds'." And fo
zgzmMark "1 j". 2.7. : So alfo in i^uke r8. 7.. '* And ihall not GOD ay.enge
his Giun Elc£1^ that cry unto him Day and Night ? And as was the Mafter's
Language. fo was the Servant's ; Thus his Servant Paul^ how does he abound m
it in his Epiftles ? " Who Ihall lay any Thing to the Charge oiGOD's Ele£l .?"
Rom:, 8» 33. " The Faith of GO&s Ele£f," Tit..i. I. ." I endure all
Things for the. EleSf's Sake y-' 2 Tim. 2. 10. And (o Peter ^ y*: £/^<{7 accord-
ing to the Foreknowledge of GOD the Father," 1 P^t- i- i- Hence another-
Time our Lord bids his Difcipks <* rejoice in that their Names were writteii
in
52 Of Predestination and Election:.
in Meaven," Luk. lo. 20. Which is alfo faid of the whole general Affembl/
and Church of the Firft-born of GOD ; which therefore cannot intend the whole-
general A flembly of Mankind. Hcb. 12. 23. As it is further obfervable, in
that particular Mention is made of feme whofe Names were written in the Lamb's
Book of Life, from or before the Foundation of the World, In plain Contradif-
tiniStion from Gfhers who are faid net to have their Names thus written. Rtv.
J 3. 18. Chap. 17. 8. Chap. 20. 12, 15. And concerning the Godly, ^X.
Faulfiihh, That " their Names are written in Heaven," Phil. 4. 3. Which
Places (as Dr. i;V/zy/7rc/j obferves in his Fertias Redux., p. 67, 68.) " refer to
'• the common Ufiige among Men of regiftring the Names of Citizen', of en-
" rolling them among the Number of free Men, which was a particular Honour
*•• and Frivilcdge vouchfafed to them, and not unto any other Inhabitants : And
"' therefore this fitly reprefents in ihefacred Stile the great difcriminating Fa;-
*' vour of eternal Llel^ion. And confequently the above-cited Texts are a
" good Proof of the Doctrine I have been infifting on : Becaufe by the Book of
*•' Life iy meant the eternal Decrees, in which feme are, as it were, written
*' down to be faved, others left out. Or more diftindlly, the Book of Life
" imports GOD's eternal Favour and Love ; and his v;riting the Names of
" Perfons in it, (ignifies his particular defigning th^em to t3artake of it, his choof-
*' ing them out of the reft of Mankind to inherit everlafling Life and Glory.*'
Which exactly comports with the Scripture-Diftinftion of Veflels of Honour and
Difhonour ; of the Ele^icn that obtains., and of the reji that do not obtain. Who
by the deep and righteous Judgment of GOD for their rejecting the Truth, are
given up to a Spirit of Slumber. Hence remarkable is that Saying of our Lord,
'Joh. 9. 30, *' For Judgment am I come into this World, that they which fee
not might fee ; and that they which fee might be made blind." «' What then ?
Is GOD unrighteous, which taketh Vengeance on them .? GOD forbid. For
how then fhall GOD judge the World ?" Rom. 3. 5. 6. We muft confefs
GOD's Judgments to be righteous, and at the fame Time acknowledge them
to be a great Deep. Pfal. 36. 6. And therefore inflead of Carping and Ca-
villing, it becomes us to imitate the Eagle-ey'd, yet humble adoring Apoftle,
crying out, '< O the Depth I — How unfearchable are his Judgments, and his
«•* Ways paft finding out ! For Vv'ho hath known the Mind of the Lord ! Or
*» who hath been his Counfellor I Or who hatb firft given to him, and it fhall be
*•* recompenced unto him again I For of him, and through hiqij and to him are
«« all Things ; to whom be Glory for ever. AMEN.
CHAP. IL
I Shall now proceed more particularly to fhew. That a» thefe Ek£f are a pe-
culiar chofen People oiit of fallen Mankind ; fo they are chofen unto eternal
Salvation the End, and unto oHxhe Means and Mediums that are needful to
fit them for the fame, *• as VciRIs made to Hoaoux afore prepared unto Glory,''
' R!im>
Of Predestination and Electio>j. ^5
"Rom. Q. 22. And fliall fevidence that this ElctSlion is abfr.iutc, i.e. It is not a
"^YX-nr^gwavcring o\ uncertain^ depending upon uncertain Conditions to be per-
formed by the Perfons elected ; but is catahi ^ni\ Jure., being fotinded upon the
fovereignly ivife and immutable good Pieafure of GOD.
As ihefe feveral Points, i^/s:. Of particular Election, peculiar Redemption,
cfFtctual Calling, and the Saints final Pe-rfeverance, are interwoven together, fb
they fitly ferve to illuftrate, confirm and flrengthen eacli other, as in a curious
Piece of Architeclure o-r Arch- Work, anfwerable to the great Skill and Ability
of the Workman, and accordingly appears to his Praife. Now every good Ra-
tionalift will allow, that GOD the ever glorious Father of Lights, and grand
Author of Salvation-Work, is a Being poficft of infinite Perfc^ions ; and that
whatever is wife or any Ways excellent in any of his Creatures, as being but a
fmall Ray of that refulgent Brightnefs there is in him the Fountain of all Light
and Excellency, and Giver of every good and perfedl Gift, muft needs be in
him in the moft cxallmt and tranfccndcnt Manner ; who is wife in Heart as well
as mighty in Strength, wonderful in Counfel and excellent in Working. If then
{I fay) it be the indubitable Property of Men truly wife, in Matters of grand
Importance to propound an End, and regularly oid.r all Means conducive there-
unto, fo as not to fail, but eft^edt the End defigned, {o far as their utmoft Power
extends : It mufl furely needs become the infinitely wife GOD in that Chief of
«1I his Ways, that marvelloufly great and glorious Work of Salvation, to fecure
Salvation to all thofe he hath chofen thereunto, in a Way confiltent with the
glorifying all his PerfecSlions, one as v/ell as another, his Juftice as well as his
Mercy, his Tr^.ith and Righteoufnefs as well as his Grace, and wherein his Im-
mutability, Faithfulnefs, Wifdom, Power, Purity and Sovereignty, are equally
d!rpla\ el. Which is done by choofing fallen Man to Salvation, and not the fallen
Angels, and fome of fallen Mankind out of the fame Lump (as the Apoftle's
Phrafe is) and not others, choofing them in Christ their ele<5l Head and Re-
prefentative, whofe myftical Body and Fulnefs they are, Eph. i. 22,23. Chap.
5. 24, l^c. Who, for them or their Sakes became incarnate, was made of a
Woman, made under the Law, to repair all its Injuries, by perfedlly fulfilling its
ftridtefl: Demands, and fufFering of its Penalties, the Wrath of GOD and the
curfed Death of the Crofs, whereby he fatisfied divine oiFended Juftice and laid
2.fure Founaation for their aSiual Deliverance from the Wrath to come, I Tbef.
r. 10. He died for their Sins, and rofe again for their Juftification, afcended
into Heaven with the Price of Redemption in his Hand, having by his own Blood
obtained eternal Redemption for them, Heb, 9. 11, 12. And as a righteous
Advocate in the Court of Heaven he pleads the fame on their Behalf for their
aSlual Difcharge from Wrath, and coming to the full and actual Pofleflion of the
purchafed incorruptible Inheritance, appearing in the Prefence of GOD for
them, I fob. r. i, 2. Heb. 9. 24. And promifed to come again to receive
them to himfclf (being now as their Forerunner gone to prepare a Place for
them) that where he is there they may alfo come, even in Soul and Body in the
great Rcfurredlion-Morn, when he will come again to as many as look for him,
without
54 Of Predestination and Election.
without Sin unto Salvation, Job. 14-. 2, 3- Chap. 17. 24. Heh. b. 19, 2C.
'HS. 9. 28. So tliat by all this he h^s pur chafed for them and fecured io them
both Salvation the End, and every rieedrul Grace and Medium -to make them
meet for the fame, as Veffels made to Honour afore prepared unto Glory, unto
whom GOD of his fovereign Grace willed to make known the Riches of his
Glory as VefTels of his fovereign Mercy.
Hence then, upon the mo^ fubflontial GrounAs I may venture to fay, that
this is a Scheme of Dc^lrine every IVny worthy of fo infinitely glorious a Being ;
, who is not hereby reprefentcd as going out of himfelf into his Creatures for a Rea-
fon or Ground of his A6tings in thefe important Matters ; and' fo leaving all
Thincrs relating to his Ele<5l's Salvation at meer Hap-hazards and Uncertainties^
as what may or may not come to pafs ; making the Grace oi GGD zvery Lacquey
to his Creatures free-icill Pleafure, as our Opponents Doctrine of conditional hap-
hazard EU£I ion does: No, No ; hut as working all Things after the Counfel
of his own n\oii fovereign y iv ife znd imTuutable Will, who is glorious in Holinefs,
fearful in Praifes, doing Wonders, wonderful in Counfel, and moft excellent in
Operation, ^whom as the fuprearn Caufe, and through whom as the ffficient
Caufe, and to whom as the jffW Caufe and laft End, are all Things, to. whom be
Glory for ever, Amen,
To corroborate my Argument on this Head, I beg Leave to fubjoin as very
pertinent and conclufive, what two choice and worthy Writers have faid, viz.
that late worthy Son of the Church Dr. yohn Edwards^ and the pertinent and,
pious Mr. Eli/ha Cole in his excellent Difcourfe on GOD's Sovereignty, p. 51,
^c. where he well obferves as to the Abfolutenefs of Election, *' In this are
** two Things of great Import, Irrevocablenefs and Independency. The Decree
" is irrevocable on GOD's Part, and independant as to hufnan Performances.
*' The LORD will not go back from his Purpofe to fave his People, nor fhall
*' their own Unworthinefs nor Averfenefs, make void or hinder his mofl gracious
** Intendment. And hence thofe various Expreffions of the fame Thing (viz.
*' predejiinate., ordain.^ prepare^ appoint^ have nothing fubjoined that is like a con-
*'; ditional. There is indeed a Kind o'i Conditions (or rather ^alifcations) that
•*' muft and always do go before the final Compleatment of Election, as Repen-
" tance towards GOD and Faith totvards our LORD JESUS CHRIST, which
*' therefore may be called Conditionals of Salvation, but not fo to E]e6tion,
*' which is not a Branch yr^/?2 but the Root o/" thefe, with a Life of Holinefs and
■" San^lification. EleiSlion is the 2s ^"^x. fundamental Itt/iitute of the Gofpel ; it
*' is that which in human States is called the fupreatn Laiv, which is both irre-
*' ver^ible in itfelf, and requires that all inferiour Adminiftrations may be accotn-'
*' modated thereunto : So the Salvation of GOD's Elect, being the higheft Law
" of the heavenly State and Kingdom, mufton the fame [d.nd far firmer) Ground
*' remain inviolable. It is that for which all Things. elfe have their Being : .The
<' Plot whereby GOD defigns to himfelf the highejl Glory, and for which be
'^ hath been 2xfuch CoJ}^ that fliouid his DcfignmeiU ir-Ucarry, the whcic Creation
''• cculd
Of Predestination and Election. ^^
" could not countervail the Damage. He could not therefore (for GOD can-
*' not deny himfelf ) I fay, he could not fo contrive the grandcjl Delign of his
*< Glory, as that it ihould ever need to be revoked or alter'd ; nor could he leave
*' it obnoxious to a Difappointment ; as it mufl have been, if adventured on a
*' created ^oxxom: Yea, it behoved him as yz//)r^«;72 Z«it;^;W*, fo to determine
*' and fubju2;ate «// that the ^;-^«/ £';zir/ of all might remain in^rujlrahle. And
*' thus anv prudent P'ounder of a State would do, if the utmoll: of his Skill and
*' Power could reach to it: But from their DefecSfivenefs in thefe, the hcifc
*' founded States upon Earth are fubjecSl to Mutation. Princes die and their
*' Thoughts peri(h ; their Minds alter and depart from their firft Sentiments ;
*' Succeffors <<i-ive a contrary Intereft ; unlooked for Accidents intangle them j
*' foreignEnemies encroach upon them and obftru6t their Wc rk : Or thePeople's
*' own Folly may be fuch as to mar and defeat the beft Defigns for their own
" Good. Human AfFairs are expofed to a thoufand Incidents, v.-hich hianan
*' Prudence can neither prevent, nor provide againft. But with GOD it is not
^^ fo : No Event can be new to him, he declares the End from the Beginning,
" IJa. 46. 10. His Judgment and Purpofe cannot alter : '* He is of one Mind
*' and wliocan turn him?" Job- 23. 13. He is alfo tmnwrtal^ and theThoughts
" of his Heart ftand faft through all Generations, Pfal. 33. 11. No Creature
" can feclude itfelf from bis Government ; " In his Hand is the Soul of every
" living Thing," 'Job I2. 10. Yea, themofl: cafual (to us) and oppofttel^mtv-
" gencies are by his Power and Wifdom reducible to his Purpofe, and cannot
'* rellft their being made fubfetvient to his Will. And this may be one Reafon
" why Ele61:ion is fo often (aid to he from theBeginningj and from the Foundation
" of the IForld^ viz. To fhew that whatever fhould be in Time, fliould he fub-
'' ordinate unto Eledion, which is all one as to make it abfolute. And further,
*' this AbfofUtenefs may be evinced by fuch Arguments as thefe j Firji, If
" Ele<Slion were not abfolute, it would be but after the Covenant of Works :
" Which being but conditional (founded upon free-v/ill Abilties) how foon was
** it broken by one that had Power to keep k ! And if Man in that Honour did
** not abide in it, how fhould he now^ when fo ftrong a Biafs is grown upon his
*' Heart that he runs counter ever fmce. Gen. 6. 5. " If there had been a
" Law given that could have given Life, verily Righteoufnefs fliould have bcea
" by the Law," GaL 3. 21. Which fliews tliat the new Covenant does more
" for us than the eld ; for /"/ giveth Life, and then it muft give the Performance
'* of the Condition which that Life depends upon : It alfo Ihews, that \hefrji
" Covenant did net give Life, and that it failed becaufe it was conditional. The
*' Law fhewa us our Duty, but gives not wherewi-th to perform it : The newt
" Covtnant does both., by writing the Law in the Heart. All under the Cove-
** nant'cA JVorks -were without GODy without CHRIST, without Bope, Eph. 2.
^^ 12. and this becaufe Strangers to the Covenant of Grace, or Grace of EleSiion.
*' If therefore the Eled Tnall be in a better Condition than before j their ElecSlioii
*' mult be ahfoluts: And that it might hefo, the new Covenant was made.widi.
" Christ on their Behalf; and is that Grace which is faid to be given us incf
*' Christ Jesus before the World began, 2 Tuiu.u 9. Ttt^ i, 2. Secondly^.
c,6 Of Predestination and Election.
*' Ekofion muft be abfclnfe^ becaufe whatever can be fuppofed the Condition of
*' it is a Part of the 'Thing ifj'elf ; much Hke that Promife of GOD to Jbraha/riy
*' To thy Seed will I give this Land^ Gen. 12. 7. In v/hich Promife the Lord
*' un,dertakes as well to give Abraham a Seed to inherit the Land, as that Land
*' to his Seed : And accordingly we find that the next Head of that Seed was
" borri by Virtue of the' Prijwi/^, Gal. 4. 23, 28. So the whole Courfe and
*' Series of Things conducing to the final Accomplifnment of Eleclion is in-
*' eluded in it and afcertained by it, fjnd that with fuch Firmnefs and Security
*' as if the End itfelfhad been attained when the Decree was made ; as namely,
^' Redemption from Sin, Eife6[ual Calling and Perfeverance to Glor}-, (of
" wh.ich more fully under thofe Heads) which alfo feemeth to be- the Meaning
" of the Apofile ; hy fuch an Eleclion only canSalvation be infured. ..This Bot-
** torn AdamXxA'A not in his primitive State: He wa-s made 'upright, buthi^
*' ccntiniting in that State depended upon liis well ufing of what he had, without
*' anv additional Help. In him may be fcen the utmoji that created Grace di
*' itfclf can do, even in a Stateof Perfe6lion ; unto which being left, how focri
*' did he degenerate and come to Ruin ? A:id all his Poilerity would hawe^^ruit
" in the fame Courfe if placed in his Stead ; as we kn®w ihey have'done''(Oifd
*' by One) notwithftanding all the Helps that are given in common Uhto-Mcri;"
** And 'tis no Wonder, fuice noiu, they have fo ftrong a Bent unto Evil, which
" Jda7Ji had not. And if there beany Advantage caft in, (which fome do zxhnn
" and cdl it a new Covenant) the more is our Do6^rine confirmed: For the'
*' more Helps they have, xi yet thev fall ihort (as they do) the more evident it
<=' is that nothing fliort of fuch an JElc^lion will fecure them. An E'fcample of
*' this we have in the old World ; who by all their natural Ingeniofity, anrf
*' long Lives to improve it, together with Noah's Six-fcore Years Preaching,
" and the Spirit's flriving, were not led unto GOD, but ftill grew from bad to'
'* worfe, until all the Imaginations of their Hearts were cnly Evil, and that con-
*' tinually. Gen. 6. 8. And this was not the Cafe ov\y oi fome, but of the
*' ty/;/?/^ i?d7r^ z/w/'y^ryt///;', all Flefli had corrupted his Way, Chap. 6. 12. It i^
" true that iVs<s/; was foynd Righteous, and as true it is that EleSiion'wss it
<' that made him fo. Noah found Grace in the Eyes of the LORD, Ver. 8;
*« in the fame Seiife that P^?// obtained Mercy, 1 Ti;n. i. i6. viz. By Mef-
<* cy's obtaining or taking hold of him. It may be zli'o feen in tlte People of
*' Ifrael, who over and above their common Grace, had many Help; and Ad-
<* ditions that otheis had not : *' The LORE) dealt not fo with any Nation as
" with them," Pfal. 147. 19, 20. And vet the Generality of them Were fa
*« bad, that they juftified their Sifter 55(^w;, Eziek. 16. 51. The fr/i Covenant i
" or CcvenatU o'i IForks thus fai'ing, fuch was the Grace ofour f/JRD (torc-
•■' feeing it) as to determ.ine of ^ fecond^ or miv Covenant, by ■which he would
" fix ^nA fccure a PvCmnant, and that infallihiy ; and hence it is termed the Co^
" venant oi Qrace^ as not depending at all upon Works ; and this is that (ri^acc
««^ Xh2iifaveszn6 reigns to eternal Life, E^h. 2. 5,8. Rom. 5, 21. A'iid thef/
«* are ihcfurc Mercies of David recorded in the ^^th of Ifaiah : It is th^' Aifcf-
« Itttene fs. of It thiit-mzkcs it ^ h(turCov£Ti(iftt:" Thus far- Mr. 6V^.
■ Next
0/ Prepe.stin'ATION and Election. 57
Next'follows Dr. Ed'-^arch : V^r^/tas.Eedux, p. 88, ^c. " The Decree of
•"* EledlJon is thus far abiolutc, that it is not zvandrlng and uncertain^ but alto-
*'- aether imw-njaible nnd urichcingeakic, W iience we read of the Irnmutaldlty of
«' GOD's Counfel, Heb. 6. 17. and that rightly ; becaufe the eternaj Counlcl
•' is fo dctermuied and fixed that it cannot be altered. Which I prove by this
«' threefold Argument ; Firji^ le is dcr .g.ttory to the Omnifcience of GOD to
*' fav that this Decree is chraigcable. Wc fee that Ignorance and Want of
*'■ Forcftcrht make Men oftentimes content themfelves with conditional Purpofes
*' and Promifes, they can't dive into future Events, and therefore they are loth
«* to difpofe of Things abfolutely and without Referves. But it is not thus v\ irh
*' GOf3, who hath a mofl: certain Knowledge of whatever fl:iall happen, and
*< particularly with Relation to the Sajvaiion of Mankind. Wherefore the eter-
<' nal Purpofe of GOD was not conditional and depending on what Man would.
'* do. This argues at moft but a conditional Fore fight in GOD, which is a No-
" tton that the Jefuits have found out and call a middle Knowledge ; it is tjiat
*' whereby (as they fancy) GOD knows what Perfons will do, this or ilat goc.d
" Deed, or commit this or that Sin, if it chance that this or that Opportuiiit)
*■• be in their Way, not otherwife : So that the Obje£l of this Knowledge is-
" omy ex hypothefi ^\\<\ upon Condition. GOD forefces that fuch a Thing fl'r.U
** be or not be, ?/ this or that Thing fliall come to pafs, or ifz Man be in fuck
''• and 'fuch Circuniihinccs. Thus GOD knew that St. -P^/v/ and his Company
" fliould not pel ifh if they remained in the Ship. So he knows that this or that
" Perfon fhail be favcd eveilaftingly if they repent of their Sins. But any one
*' may fee that this hypoiheiic Science was invented on Purpofe to fclve GOD'S.
'* foreknowing of Sin, but fo as not to decree its Futurition, T^Hiereas it is- I
*' plain that the Prefcience of free Adiions and their Futurition depends upon '
'* the Deeree and not the Decree upon that : GOD knew that St. Paul^ and
" that thoi'e which were with him in the* Ship fliould not perifh, and he kney/
*' the Condition of it J that is to fay, Their remaining in the Ship; and the
*■'■ Ground of his knowing both of them was, t\\:it he h:i<\ determined both. But
" 2^s for this conditional Prefcience which fomc talk of, it is iinwortlw ©f the
" divine Being, becaufc it is built only on Suppofitions, which are uncertain and
*' precarious, and we muft go a great Way about for them ; for it fetn is- there-
** is no Knowledge of thefe 'J hings, unlefs fome other 'Fhing happer^s, vhich
" likewife depends upon the happening of another, and that upon a third, and
'* fo Oil. VMiat Ptrfon that has a Reverence for the Deity will afcribe fjch a
■*' £ar-fet;ch'd Knowledge to him i* And bel^des there can be ?io Certainty in the
*' Knowledge of Futurities upon fuch bare Snppofals, which 7/Wv be or may not
*' be. Vv'e mufi needs then ack.-iowledge the JtmnniabJlity of the Decree oC
" Election, unlefs we will charge GOD with Defeat of KnozvUdge. It is abfc-
" hitely known to GOD from Eternity who will be faved, and in order to-
*' that, who will believe and repent, and it can't be otherwife, bccauib Faitlii
" and Repentance arc the Gift<jof GOD only, and he hath from Eternity de-
*' creed on whom he will bellow thcle Gifts. Which fliews Ijow abfurd it is-
*' to aiiiert that GOD decreed to fave fuch and fuch Men //^ they belijeve and
I 2 ** repent 5;
SS Of Predestination and Election.
'* repent ; meaning by tkis that he knew it not certainly^ whereas thev cannot
*' heh'eve and repent without him, and confequently he muft certainly know it;
"• becaufe his Knowledge is not fucceflive, but is from Eternity. And then to
*' affert that GOD knew from Eternity that they would believe and repent
*' without fail^ and yet to fay he decreed this conditionally^ is irrational znd ab-
" Jurd. To conclude then this Particular, there are no If's where there is a
" certain Knowledge ; and therefore thofe Men who talk of a Knowledge upon
'' Suppofition only, do manifeftly impeach GOD of Ignorance, or at leaft of a
" Degree of it ; nothing can be faid more like a blind Heathen than this. And
"•' it appears that thofe Men who pretend fo highly to Reafon, afTert fometimes
" fuch Things as are fcarcely reconcilcable to cotmnon Senfe. Secondly^ It de-
** rogates from tht Truth and Sincerity of GOD to fay, That the Decree of
'•* Eie:tion is not fixed, but that it is conditional, and that GOD hath decreed all
*' Men to be faved if they will, ({o little Reafon have our Opponents to charge
" that Abfurdity on the Dodlrine ofabfolute Eledtion) yet this is the general
*' Perfuafion of the Divines of the Church of /?ow^. And Brentius among the
" Luthea.'is, and Cameron and Jmyraldus among the Reformed^ hold an univer-
" fal Eleclion or a Decree to give Life and Glory to all Mankind, and every
*' individual Perfon if they believe and repent : Yea, it is the prevailing Opi-
*'' n'lon of our Churchmen at this Day that Elc/lion is conditional^ that is to fay,
" That CjOD decreed to fave fuch Perfons //they behave themfelves as they
*' fhould do J if not the Decree drops : This Sentiment is lately taken up by the
*« Learned and Unlearned as the right Notion of the eternal Decree of iLleition.
*' But nothing can be more wrong, nothing more inconfiftent with the Tenor
" of the Gofpel, and (which is the Thing I am to evince at prefent) with the
*' Truth ^nd Faiihfulnefs of GOD : For if he decrees or wills all Men to be
*' {ived if they vjilf and yet they cannot will unlefs hepleafes^ where is the
" Sincerity ? It iliould more properly be faid by them, that GOD decrees to
** fave all Men if he wills ; and fo what they fay amoimts to no more than this,
<« That if GOD v/ill fave them he will fave them : Or thus. He hath decreed
" to fave them if he will, that is, if he will give them Faith, for they muft have
*' it froin him. Now I afk. Is there any P/tf/«^_/} or Sincerity in this? Y)o
" they reprefcnt GOD in that A'lanner in the which he ought to be reprefented ?
*' And I farther demand. Whether GOD really intends the Salvation of all Men
*' hy th\$ conditional Decree? \f he doth, then moft certainly they muft all be
*' faved, and no Man fhal! perifli in his Sins, (for his Intention and Counfel
*' ftiall ftand, Ifa. 46. 10.) which yet I fuppofe thofe that contend for the con-
*' ditional Decree will not grant. If GOD doth not intend their Salvation,
'* then here is no ferious dcfigning and purpofing that all Men fijould be happy.
" Yea (according to thefc Men's Notions) GOD decrees and wills what he
" knows ?nay ndt be^ nay, which he knows fl:iall never be. Are thefe Things
*' congruous to the Sentiments we ought to have concerning the divine Being ?
" Or is it fitting to fay that GOD falls fliort of his End and Defign ? -As muft
" be own'd by thofe which afiert the tsH-i/V/^wtf/ Decrees ; for GOD intended
*' by it, they fay, the eternal Welfare of the whole World, and yet there is a
*' Failure
Of Predestination and Election. 59
<« Failure and Difappointment, the Decree is fruftrated ; which is the next
*« Thing I fhall touch upon. But yfr/? here, I would leave this Remark with
*' the Reader, That when Men throw oft" the Apprehenfions which the holy
*' Book infpircs them with, we fee how inconfiftent their Notions are, and what
*' Mazes they bring themi'elves into. They admit of real Difficulties and In-
*' conveniencies to prevent and tv^i^^ feemmg ones. And we iee moreover how
** palpably they run into thofe Abfurdities, which they impuite to others, and
*' which they pretend to avoid themfelves with great Care and Circumfpection.
** And farther I might obferve, how thefe Men difturb and confound the true
"^ Notions of Things, and ftrive to extirpate the very Nature of them if it were
" poffibie. By the Doctrine which they maintain they make Predejiination to
*■* be Po/idejlination ; and by reprefenting Eletlion to be conditional^ they hold |
*' that Man choofes GOD, and then GOD choofes him, (fo that they make
'* GOD to be Men's Eled, inftead of their being GOD's EJeil.) Hiis is the
'* prepoftcrous Eledtion of our new Divines. \^\it Thirdly^ If there were not
••* an ahfalute^ that is to fay, an unalterable Decree concerning the Saving of
*' Men, the whole Work of Man's Salvation would be contingent, and it may
'* be none would be faved ; and then GOD would be fruftrated of his Defign
'* and End. I cannot but obferve here, that among the high Reinovjlrants alt
'* Things in Divinity are at Uncertainties : The Decrees are uncertain and
*•* changeable j the Redemption wrought by Christ may take Place and be
'* effectual, or it may not ; the Grace of GOD in Regeneration and Converfion
'■' may prove efficacious or it may not ; the Regenerate may itand or they may
" fall ; they may be faved or they may be damned. This is the tottering State
*' of Man's Salvation according to thefe Men. It feems v.'ith them that all is
*' but a blind Adventure, that we do but run the Rijque and talce our Chance.
*' But if the Foundations be thus deftroyed, what can the Righteous do ? Yea,-
" where will there be any Righteous at all ? If the Foundation of GOD doth
'' not ftand fare, if the Decree concerning fome Perfons be not firm and tmal-
** terable, then 'tis a Thoufand to one v/hether one fingle Perfon be faved ; yea,
'* 'tis pofTible that every one may perifh ; and fo Christ's Sufferings and
" Death will be fruitlefs, the Price wliich he paid will then be lolt and thrown
*' away, then his precious Blood will be flied in vain, and the whole Defign of
** the Gofpel baffled. This is the inevitable Refult of holding the Decree of
*' Ele6tion not to be abfolute, /. e. immutable. Who can think it worthy of
" (tOD and his Wifdom to decree the Salvation of A4an in this uncertain Man-
'* ner ? No wife Man who propounds a great an i weighty End unto himfelf,
** will leave it with Means that are uncertain zw^ fickle. And ftiail wc think that
** GOD in the great and imp)rtant Defign of Salvation, will permit all Things
** to be doubtful and hovering^ io that they may happen or not, the Event prove
*■* fuccerful or not? No, this is rrvoft unworthy the divine Conduct; and
*' therefore there is fufficient Ground to believe, that GOD from Eternity
«' fiKer) the Decree of Eledlion, and particularly the exa^ Number of the Ele6l:
** For if this be unfixed, the Salvation ofManmuft needs be fo too. There-
" fore It is not to be doubted that GOD purpofcd the Salvation of a certain dep-.
" niii'-je
6'Q 0/ P-REDSSTI-.^ATION a%f ElEGTION.
*♦ w/'&'w? Number of Perfpns. Thefe and ho others he chofe out of the lapfed'
•* R^ce oi Jik'jn ; fo that this determinate Number of Men fhall be certainly
'< iiived, and no more ; and there is not (o much as a PoiiibiJity of their being-
*' not fiived. Thus the Decree is unalterable, and one Reafon of it is, becaufe
*' GOD Would not have the Defign of Christ in the Kedemption of the Ele<3f
** to be fruftrated ; he would not have his eternal Intention concerning their
*•' Salvation defeat-ed. Fourthly^ From GOD's Immutability may this Do^Tirine
*' be proved ; for as Z'^ Is, fo are his A^fions ; therefore his Decrees are un-
*>* changeable, becaufe he himfelf is fo. Jllcd. 3. 6. " I the Lord change
♦'not." Pjal. 33. II. *' The Counfel of the Lord {lands for ever, and the
*' Thoughts of his Heart unto ail Generations." Whence I conclude, that
*' thofe who are ele6ied are defied alj'olutely and unchmigeably.'" Thus far the
Do£t:or on the Abfolutenefs of Election ; who to prevent the common Cavils,
namely, that this Doclrine is the Nurfe of Idlenefs, Prefumption and Licenti-
oufnefs, goes on largely to obferve, That however there be no Conditions of
GOD's Election, yet it contains in it Conditions or rather A'lediums of Salva-
tion, VIZ. Faith, Repentance, with Peifevcnnce in Holinefs, and which byjuft
Confequence implies our diligent Attendance on all the Means of (irace and
Salvation : SeeingGOD in decreeing theEnd did alfonolefs appoint theMeans in
order to effedl the fame, and that therefore thefe may not be feperated, as I have
before hinted, and fliall have Occafion hereafter largely to obferve. As GOD's
E!e6t ar? faid to be chofen in Christ that thev fhould be holy, and as he hath
declared that without Holinefs no Man {l:iall fee the Lord, fo this Dc(5lrine of
Election doth teach us how much it ou2;ht to concern us with all Dilicrence to
ftudy and pra£licfe Holineis in order to our Salvation, and that we may comforta-
bly conclude from our Holinefs the proper EfFeils of GOD's free Election, that
we are indeed the Ele£l of GOD, holy and beloved ; anfwerable to the ExhiOr-
tation of St. Pet^r, 2 Pet. i. 10. " VVherefore the rather Brethren give Dili-
gence to make your Calling and Election fure."
2. I might argue the Peculiarity yFrcenefs and Abfolutenefs of Ele£lion, from
the Elect's being chofen m C,HRisT, as their eleifl Head and Reprelentative ;
they are exprelly faid to be chofen in him before the Foundation of the World
by GOD the P'ather ; fo that there is a myftical Onenefs between Christ and*
them, he the Head, and they the Members ; the Father faith of him, " He is
mine Eledt, in whom mySoul dehghtcth," Ifa. 42. i. And he fo delighted \n
his chofen Sons as to elec^ them in him. But to what End were they thm chofen,
but to have Redemption through his Blood, and that they might obtain a glori-
ous Inheritance, being predeftinated thereunto according to the Purpofe and
Counfel of his own Will ? Thus the Father's Election of the Head and Mem-
bers is to he confidcred uniforynly and with Regard unto one proper End. Ivi'jW-
dare any Man fay that it was a Thing ««(:(fr^^?;j who this Christ fliould be
who .is the chofen H«ad ? Or what he fliould do and (uffer in order to redeem
them from all Iniquity, and fit tl>em for the heavenly Inheritance ? feeing the
Scr-ipture is fo pofuive an<l puiictua) in telling us of his being fet up from Ev^er-
laftingj
Of PtiED'ESTiMATioSf afid Election; 6r
teng, PrSv. 8. 23. Of his being GOD's Son, yea GOD's own Soti, Rom.
8. 3, 32. G^/. 4. 4, 5- " Whom hefentforch in the Fulnefs of Tinie,tobc
made of a Womfiti, made under the Law, to redeem them that are under the
L^w, that tiiey might receive the Adoption of Sons :" That he fliould be con-
cei\''ed in fuch a Manner^ born of fucb a IVoman^ defcended from Juch a St6ck\
bortl -At fuch a Time and in fuch a Place., attended With J iich zn^ fuch CircumJfSSftes j
Wnh Refpe^l to what Offices he fliould bear, what a Life he fhould live, and what
Manner of Sufferings and Death he fliould die; with the many Circumflancei
that fl-iould attend the fame, as the partins; his Raiment by Lot, that they flTouid
give him Gall and Vinegar to drink, and tfiat a Bone of hifn fliould not be bro-
ken, and many more CiicumJrances, and that the great Ends, of his Death flio'uJd
be fo particidarly mentioned, and in a W6'rd, that he was delivered to, Death b\>
the determined Counfel and Foreknowledge of GOD, and that Herod and
jbt'hers did unto him what GOD's Hand arid Counfel determin'd before to be
done. I fay, Seeing the Scriptures are fo exprefs with rcfpe£t to Christ the
ehcf Hetlrl, who died not for any Sins of his czy^, vet dare any I\Tan denv this
to 'be c rtain ? Dare any fay this is not the viry CBRIST dcugned of the Kathef
to be the Saviour ot Sinners ? No furely. There is none that profefs Chriflia-
ifky (o hardy as to deny this. And } et how flrange is it that any {hould have
thd Confid-epce to affirm that it was uncertain ivho iri particular, or hozu many
Ihould have a^ual Redemption and Salivation through his Jjlood ? Will they
own the'Perf:nahtyof Eledtiort with refpecEl to Christ the Head, and at the
fame Time difown the Perfonality of the Election of thofe that were ele6tcd in
him as his Members ? Strange ! Shall it be owned that fome were chofen in
CRrtiST by GOD the Father, to have Redemption through his Blood; and to
obrtkin the heavenly Inheritance ; and that yet it was uncertain who or what m-
i/rcvV«^/ Perfons or definitive Number fhould partake thereof? Was the Fa-
ther's Election of Christ the Head certain^ abfolute^ perfonal, frec^ and from
Eternity^ and yet fhall this or any of this be denied with Refpect to the MemHers
chofen in him before the Foundation of the World, that they fhould be redeemed,
fantlified and faved according to the good Pieafure of GOD's Will? No
furely ; efpecially when we confider wPthal that their very Names ate faid to be
written in the Book of Life, and the Lamb's Book of Life from the Foundatioh
of the Wc rid, in plain Contradiftindion from others who are faid not to have
ther Names thus written there. Shall Aaron the High-Prieft, the Type of oiir
great High-Prieft, by the Appointment of GOD, have the perfonal Names of
thofe he offered for engraven on his Bi%aft-Plate, and fo know them ly Name, as
GOD laid to Mofes, and as Christ fays of- his Shecf ;• ahd yet fliall' this' be de-
nied with Refped to thofe that are chofen in Christ the great Antitype, who
bet^c their Surety, and made his Soul an Offering for their Sin, and' which as
thc^r Advocate he pFeadS ? If Christ's becoming the chofen Head' was not.a
Thing zvciviririg and uncertain^ dependmg upon Conditions uncertain as to tfic
Performan'ce ; thert GOD the Father's Choice of the Elea in him' cannot Wft
rei rher. If the^ Choice of the ekSl Head was abfflute and certain, then the ChoTte '
of-tlid'v///? 'MeffiU-rt mu/Imeds b( fi too, becaufe thty^are Conffd'eTai' together
making
62 Of Predestination iwd EtECTiON,^
making up o»f Christ in z my/lical Senfe : Hence he is called *' The Head of
the Church, which is his Body and Fulnels ; the Members of his Body ^ of his
Flefh and of his Bones j and again, the Head of his Church and Saviour of the
Body." £ph. 5. Christ was not chofen but with Refpe£l to his Church or
Ele<St ; and they were chofen in him to no lefs an End than by him to be re-
deeap^d, fandified, and eternally faved ; which they fhall all be in due Time i
For GOD will accomplifli the Number of his Eledt, " making known unto
them the Myflery of his Will according to his good Pleafure, which he hath pur-
pofed (mark) in h'ur.jelf" and therefore the Purpofe cannot fail ; " who in the
Difpenfation of the Fulnefs of Times, will gather together all Things in Christ,
both thofe that arc (already) in Heaven and thofe that are (yet) on Earth, even in
him." Eph. 1. 9, 10. Therefore when Christ is called the Head and Savi-
our of the Body, they are not fo many empty Titles given to him, but fuoh zs fully
comport with what is contained in them. For as Hufbands are exhorted to love
their Wives, namely, with a peculiar mafcuUne Love, fo it is in Imitation of
Christ's Love to his Church or Spoufe, " who hath loved it and gave himfelf
for it, that he might fandlify and cleanfe it by the wa(hing of Water by the Word,
and that he might (as he moft certainly will) prefent it to himfelf a glorious
Church, not having Spot or Wrinkle, or any fuch Thing, but that it fhould be
holy and without Blemilh," Eph. 5. 25, 26, 27. Hence that i Thef. 5. 9, 10.
** GOD hath not appointed us unto Wrath, but to obtain Salvation through our
Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we 'wake or flcep we
fhould live together with him." Hence that of St. Paul^ 2 Tijtu 2. 10. ••' I
endure all Things for the Elect's Sake, that they alfo may obtain Salvation by
our Lord Jesus Christ with eternal Glory." To which Glory the Eledi
therefore do and (hall obtain : So that in Conjunction with thefe Scripture De-
clarations I may ftrongly argue from Fa£l, for fome do arul fhall actually obtair*
this Salvation and eternal Glory. And thefe at the laft Day will appear to be
fuch for whom the heavenly Kingdom was prepared from the Foundation of the
World, as appears by the blefled Sentence that fhall then be paffed on them by
Christ in whom they were chofen. -M?/, 25. 34. To whom eternal Life wa$
promifed by GOD that cannot lie before the World began, Tit, i. 2. The
famt that were given to Christ by the P^ather, that he might give eternal Life
unto, Joh. 17. 2. as appears by his Prefentation of then\ to his Father, faying,
*« Lo I Here am I, and the Children which thou haft given me." tieh. 1. 13.
Judey Ver. 24. Eph. 5. 27. The very fame and none other whofc Names
were written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the Foundation of the World,
Rev, 13. 8. Chap. 17. 8. Cliap. 20. I2» 15.
Thus Scripture and Fa6t do give their joint Tcftimony in Behalf of the
Dodlrine of perfonal Ekiiion^ peculiar Redeinption^ effeSiual Callings and the finai
Perfevcrance of thofe Eled whom GOD jufcifieth, for v/hom Christ died, and
whom the Holy Ghost efFcdlualiy calleth and regenerateth : For there is n©
breaking of that golden Chain which St. Paul prefents to our View, as reaching
ijrom before Time, through Titnej to the End oX Timcj and thence throughout
CypR'sbESTiNATi^N' fm^ Electiok. 6f
aU Etermty ; from GOD's eternal Predeftination unto etema^ GIorlfiGation,
hstwecn which as the middle Links, jire Juftification by the Dcith and Refur-
recHon of the Redeemer, efFc^luai Calling, and Sandtrfication by the holy Spirit, ■
Cind.all this as an Evidence that all fnall v^ork together for their Spiritual and'
eternal Good, being Lovers of GOD, aricf called according to 'his eteni*! Pur-'
pofe : " For whom he did. foreknow (as a Shepherd doth his Sheep, and a's
GOD is flud to know them that are /i/j,' h\ Contradiftinc^ion from otlier-s) thofe •
he did prcdeftinate to be conformable to the Image of his Soji, that he might be
the Firft-born among many Brethren j namely, the adopted Sons of GOD the
Father, -chofea in Chtiist, and predelt-inated to the Adoption of Children,.
accordiiig4o*t'he'good-Pfeaf«re O'f his Will,-- a/id by'CHRis-v to obtain the hea-
venly Inheritance, being piedeftinated thereunto." Ep'). i. " Moreover
whom he predeflinated, ihe?n (mark) thcm^ thofe very Pcrjhis and none other ^ he
alfo called, and whom he called,^ -th^m "alfb he juftifieci, ;. ^. "fre^d'fVom Con-
demnation, accounted righteous in his Sight, and accepted through^ the Righte-
otifnefs of Imputation and Faith, and whom- he thus jiiftified them be alfo gluri-
fi'cd." This blefTed Account of Things it was that cauftd St. Paul in the foilow-.i
ing Words with highcft Admiration, Jnv aiid Triumph to break forth and fay,o
♦^'^ What (hall we then fay unto tbefe Things,' tl>efe»75/?''w//'^, gracioU's^ ivonder^i
fulznd Soul-faving Aci'tngi of GOD towards His Eleft .?■ If GOD beforus^-
{thm for us) who can be againft us ? Namely, fo as to prevail and hinder our
being glorified : For if GOD fpared not his own Son, (rlie richeft Jewel in ail"
hrs Treafure-Houfe of Bieflings) but freely gave him up for us all (us the E!e6l
and pircdeftinate) how fhall he not with him alfo freely given*; all Things ? Alii
Things elfe needful to compleat our Salvation ; ^. d. If GOD did not ftick at'
giving us his beftGift, 'even his own Son, to become out Saviour, we may in ill"-
go( d Reafon conclude, that he will not withhold from its iany Thing needful to
compleat our eternal Glorification. If he freely gave \\\<^ grealer he will nof
furcly deny the lejfer ? This is the natural Tenor of the Apoftle's Argument.
And I hope it may be ?.Ilov/ed to pafs for a juft and flrong Method of Rc«nft->nin?-. •
Hence he goes on with hi? triumphant challenging Conclu'fion froh> thcfc PrC''.
mifes as' became a c^^i i?r.'?^;7.'r, *' Who (then) fi:all lay any Thing to th© -
Charge of GOD's Elccl ? Namely, fo as 'to ^vail any ^hing againrt their etcf-d
nal Happinefs, feeing it is GOD (himfelf) that juftifieth them >. Who fliai!a)n- '
demn them ? * Since ft is Christ (their chofen Head and elder Brother) that-
died for them : Namely, to free them hcixn Condemnation' and 'the Cdrfe of the ■
Law. Yea rather that is rifen ag^in as their vicSlorious Capt&ih of Salvafion-and '
Juftifier, who afcended up into Heaven, namely, with the Priee^■ot>;the■ir''Re-'■;
demption in his Hand, having by his own Klood obtamed eternal Redemption •
fortheny. Heb. 9. 12. Who is even at the right Hand 6f GOD, who alfo
maketh Interceffion for us, or as a righteous Adv<icatc in tht Court of Pleaven
p'eads the jurt aif^d ftdi Pavment of tlie invaluable Price -of his mofV precious:
Blood on our Behalf.''* . Whtnct; upon the moft fubfiantial Grounds that cant.
poffiblv bifc tVnjG;hr on, he goes on- tn the N^me of all rhe Ele6t of GOD {living
out the foHowingChalienge",** Vv^hoi^ian'foperate u«.from the Love \)fCHRJsv>
Slj.- t?/'pRitD.ESTtNATIO« Ofld ELECTION.
fZr •GrOD'*s Ele£^;wh®m )je juflifieth, Us for whom Chuist died, rofe again
and continuaHy interceeds : Who fhall feperate us from the Love of Christ
who did and doth all this for us ? Shall Tribulation, or Diflrefs, or Perfecution,
or Famine, or Nakednefs, or Peril, or Sword ? (As it is written for thy Sake
we are jkilled all the Day long, we are counted as Sheep for the Slaughter.) Nay^
fa^s the Apoftle, How fo ? Why becauf^ we are more (mark) more than Con-
querors through Christ that loved us; namely, vv'ith an eleSiiiig^ redeeming,
favhrg Love. For I am perfuaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels,
"nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things prefent, nor Things to come, nor
Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature fliall be able to feperate us f^pm the
Love of: GOD which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 8. 28, to
theEnd.,.,! , . > , ,.,
Now let the impartial Reader but mark well the obvious Scope and Tenor of
the ApoiVie's Difcourfe here, which was to prove what he had propounded Ver.
28. *' That all Tilings foould work together for the eternal Good of them that
loveGODi and that are called according to his Purpofe :" And he may with
ope frngte G-lance fee the Vj^flity of the DoiSlrine. of a conditional hap- hazard .^
Election and Redemption,, qf Christ's dying only, to p^irchafe an uncertain.
Salvation, a ban Salvabili'.y'^x imer pojjible Sahatjouiov all^x^tix ; but a certaiii,,.
abfolute Salvation for no one Man ; and that denies regenerating, efficacious Grace."
10 the Regenerate to be unconquerable and finally vidiorious. From which abiurd ':.
DocStrine it naturally follows, in Oppofition to what St, Paul had faid. That
fomething prefent or to come, may finally feperate GOL)'s Eled, whom he.
juftifieth, and for whom Christ died, rofe again and interceeds continually,.'
from the Love of GOD which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But who that,
obferves well the Tenor of the Apoftle's whole Argument, fees not how jejune \
and trifling it is for any one to fay (as fome have done) in Oppofition to this
Text, " That tho' Fire and Faggot cannot, yet Sin may or can finally feperate ,
a true Believer from the Love of GOD which is in ChristJesus our hoRuJ'p
Juft as if Sin was not to be reckoned in the Apoftle's large Catalogue of Soulr ,
Eneinies, prefent or to come : Whereas GOD knows, and the poor Believer to
his great Grief knows, tliat it is always prefent, not only all over the World, ,
but alfo with himfelf as to its indwelling Prefence, tho' not as to its Sway and ,
Dominion^ yet I fay as an obtruding, uncomfortable Inmate, it is more or lefs pre-
fent in the holieft of GOD's Children, making them to mourn and groan for a .
final Deliverance from it, Rom. 7. 24. and which this notable Place of Scrip-
ture gives them a bleffed AfTurance of. And fuch is the powerful Influence of
the Grace of GOD in and upon their Souls, as teacheth them to abhor the very ,
Thouc^hts of fo horrible and wicked a Conclufion as to continue in Sin becaufp \
Grace thus abounds unto them. Rem. 6. i, 2. Befides, if Sin may or can;
finally feperate a true ele<Si: Believer from the Love of-GOD whidi is in Chris:^ .
Jfsusour LoiiD, whgt do our Opponents make^oftbe infpired ApofHe's tri-fj
umphant Challenge, full Perfvvaftons and pofitive Afiertions here ? Or it/hzt be-,
comes of the wl;oifi Argument ? Where then is ise Force ? And whajt real
Grounds
0/ Predestination «»«? Election. 65
Grounds of Joy, of fuch a Degree of Joy is there for the trtitf ^elFever ? Who
2ltho' he fhould be fecured from Ninety-nine of his Soul-Enemies, if that One
which makes up the Hundredth^ and is the moji formidable of all the rtji^ which
is Sin, be not effedlually prevented from ruining his precious Soul for ever ?
Which if it can and doth effeSi, then inftead of the ele6t Believer's being made
more than a Conqueror through Christ that loved him j it may be more truly
faid, that Sin becomes a mighty Conqueror over him notvvithftandrng GOD's
cleding, juftifying A£l, and even all that Christ hath done in Joving, dying,
rifing again and continual interceeding for him. But pray now for what Reafon
did Christ die for his People if not for their Sins, to attone for the fame, and
(ompleatly take away its reigning and damning Power ? And from what fhort of
this doth GOD juftify his Eledl for whom Christ died ? Which is a Branch
cf the triumphant Challenge, ** Whofhall condemn ? It is Christ that died.'*
And to what Purpofe doth Christ aft as a fow/iVzi/^?/ Interceflbr and r/^/'/fcw
Mlvocate for them in the Court of Heaven, pleading Law and Right (the proper
Work of an Advocate) pleading the infinite Virtue and Merit of his deareft
Blood, the Price of their Redemption, that one Offering by which he hath per-
fected for ever them that are fanftified, having made it once for all, {Heb. 10.)
if it be in the Power of Sin to non-fuit his Plea? and fo bring the Soul for
whom he died, and for whom he continually pleads, under a Sentence of eternal
Condemnation f
Here then let our w/^/''j?'^f^y2);r^n,, who above all others profefs a very high
Value for found Reafjn and Argument, with a clofe Adherence to the Rules of
Logick, fet the Rules thereof before them, and fee whether my Reafonings from
this Portion of Scripture do not fully comport with the Aime, and even all juft.
Rules of Interpretation of Speech. Are they profeft Mafters of Argument, and
Admirers of a juft Method of Reafoning ? And yet dare they argue againft the
plaineft Propofitions, attended with the elearefl lUulhations and ftrongeft Proofs,
together with thofe natural Dediidtions drawn therefrom by that great Mafter of
Argument St. Paul, GOD's infpired Penman, formerly brought tap at the ^&tl
bf Gamaliel? Or have they found out a newer and belter Method of Reafoning
wherewith he was unacquainted ? Or can they in any -good Reafon think, that
in his remarkable, univerfal, triumphant Challenge arid fifrni Perfwafions, founded
on no lefs than that of GOD the Father'^s free Eleftion & JuflificationjCHRisT*^
Death, Refurreftion, ACcenfion, ^nd continual Interceflion ; he notwifli-
ftanding all this ftill kept an inward Exception and Referve with Refpeft to the
vjor/} and ^rfi^/'^Soul-Enemv oi all others, which is Sin, the very Sting of Death,
and what alone renders that to be a King cf Terrors ? What then becomes of
the great Confolation, Joy and Triumph that the great Apoftlc trumpets forth ? ! i\'^^
And of the truly great, never-failing, infeperable Love of G)OD in Christ ' ' '
Jesus ? Of the invaluable Merit cf his mcj} precious Blood fhed, and the Power '
of his Refu-rreftion and Validity of his Plea, as the Believer's righteous Advocate.
at GOD's right Hand in the heavenly Courts above ? Alfo what then becomes
of GOD the Father's Ads in free EJeftion and Jufiification } Are tbey Wot al!
K 2 hereby
66 Of Pred-estination and Election.
hereby rend red nio^ fichle 2x16. uncertain^- liable to become nuU znA- void f So is
that GOD's Ele6t and juftified ChiMrcn, and Christ's Brethren, may become
'Nonele£i and Caji-mvays^ brought again under Condemnation ? So that whom he
did predeftinate to be called, juftihed and glorified, may (according to thefe
Men's ^o'i\ot\^) entirely vnf 5 of being glorified, and in the Stead thereof be
/damned. Whepceinflcad of all Things working together for their eternal Good,
.^being called according to GOD's eternal Purpofe, fomething may work againft
'them to their eternal 111, and overthrow the Purpofe of GOD to boot ; in direft
"Contradidtion to St. Vaul\ whole Argument in that mofl Tweet and excellent
Chapter, where his profefled Defign is to fliew the thrice happy zt}d fafe State of
all true Believers, and thence to infer folid Comfort to their Souls. Be aftonilhed
O Heavens ! and mourn O Earth I at (uch pervcrfe Objectors and unacccunta-
U'/^ Reafoners J Ar.e thefe the mighty Advocates for GOD's Mercy and the
Greatnefs of ihe Redeemer's Love, the invaluable Price of his deareft Blood,
" arid the Validity of his fnterceeding Plea ? Is this their very encouraging, God-
honouring and Soul-comforting Du6f rine to poor Believers ? Is this their Staff
of Support to the poor bruifed Reed, or rather is it not a Staff of Egypt, where-
.on if a Man leans, it will pierce through his Hand, break and give him a dread-
ful Fall ? Surely a ivildSori of Rtafoners, miferahle Advocates and Comforters
ixy^ll of therri to a Man,
But now on the other Hand, the above Accounts of thefe weighty Points
which we have (ten from the divine Oracles, doil at once full well comport
both with the great Eledlor's and Redeemer's Honour, to the folid, Comfort of
every true Believer : For hereby GOD is reprefented as of his fovereign Grac^
arxl Pleafure defigning from Eternity to effect his Ele£l's Salvation in Time, in
a Way of Righteoufnefs and Holinefs J and then as irrmMiably carrying pn and
cffe<5ting thole Dehgns to his own eternal Honour and his Eledl's eternal Com-
fort ^ thus do his glorious Perfedlions fliine forth in a nioji refplendent Manner.
,3From whence it. is mofl evident that he doth not wijh^ ivill and dejign the Salva-
.iion of every, Individuai oi Mankind, even thofe that are not favtd. For tc fay
.'He doth wifti and will the Salvation o^ z\ cry "^izn equally alike^ is at orce tq
jbring In aTrain of \.\\c grcjjijj JbJ^urdiiies., moft unworthy of the divine Bemg,
for this plainly reprefents him either as not fully refolved in this Matter, or as
changing his Will and Defigns as to Jome^ or elfe asdifappointed in his Will and
Wif];es by feme Obflru(5^ions falling in the Way : Which Events do declare
jie doth not remove ; and feeing He doth not, it muft be either for Want of
' Jp'ill or P diver ; to Oy it is through Want of Will, this will clafh with our
^Opponents Outcries about his /incere Wifhes and Wouldings that every indivi-
ihtal Man .fliould be faved one as much as another ; and to fay it is for Want of
Power, were to deny him to be Almighty, to which Reafon itfelf will by no
Means confent. Thefe mighty and profound Reafoners then do evidently repre-
sent the alwife GOD" aj ading in the Matters of Men's Salvation not only at;
the utmoji. Uticenainties, but alfo moji inconjijlently and even as ahfurdly as they
argue ; as tho' he was -jery intent and very indifferent about ope and the farnq
Tiling i
Of Predestination and Election. 67
Thing ; To very intent about every Man's Salvation that he moft hiartih wUls
amJ Tvijhes the fame might be efte^lcd, yet fo very indifferent nboiit the Matter
as that he fufFers it to go «;/^^'6:?<,y/ as to many, altho' all Obftrudli 13 vvhatfc-
ever be fubjedl to his Controui, as what he could ealily remove it he To pleafcd.
Thefe are fome of the Abfurdiues that clog the Anninian Scheme ; to which
I iliall mention another, which is, *' That thofe wUo are a<3:uaJly laved at-
tained thereunto by 11. f elf- deter inining AcSt of their own good Pleafure, and not by
any difcriminating K^ of electing Lovq according to the good PJeafure of the
■IFill of GOD.** Whereby the fovereign good VVill and PJeafure of the almighty
Potter as the fupream, moving and determining Caufe of Eledlion and Salvation
is juftlcd from the Throne^ and the Creature's free-will Pleafure as a wicked
Ufurper fet up in its Roo?n, contrary to all good Reafon and divine Revelation.
But that I may (if pofnble) prevail with our Opponents to pluck it thence, and
lay it at the Foot of fovereign Grace, who profefs fo high a Value for Reafon, I
will beg their Attention to the follov/ing Method of reafoning concerning tiiis
Matter thus. That as fume are actually flwed in a Way of Eleflion, and as^
Salvation- Work is GOD's Work, fo Reafon itfelf tells us, that whatever y^ '
<rz?W^ry Caufcs of Salvation maybe fuppofed, there mufl: needs be one Juprcam
Caufe or Caufe of all thofe Caujes as the Spring and Mover of them all, and that
this fuprea7n Caufe is to be found centring fotneivhere, either in GOD or the
■Creature, the Saviour or the Saved : Now to fay it is in the Creature not in
GQD, this will deify the Creature and undeify the Creator, bringing him down
.to a mean Dependance on his own Creature ; the great Potter will then become
fi.b'etSl to the Clay, inflead of the Clay to him, whicii. Reafon itfelf wiil by r:d
Means fubfcribe to. But if we fay it cenflers in the fovereign Will of GOD
not of his Creature, of the Potter not of the Clay, (as in a-ll, good Reafon wc
mult) then I have fairly gained my Point in exploding our Opponents candi/ional
hap-hazard Elc6^ion andplvation : For Reafon itfelf tells us, in Conjur.6lion
with divine Revelation,^that GOD is the frji Caufe zn^ lafl End of all hi, Works.,
and confequently this cbiefejt of all his Works whereof we now treat ; " for of
him, and through him, and to him are all Things, to whom be Glory for ever
Amen.** That fome were chofen in Christ before the Foundation of the
Woild, and predelHnated to the Adoption of Children, and others not, it muft
be afligned to the g:->od Pleafure of GOD's Will ; He, who was under no Obli-
gation to ele6l any of the fellen Race, was at full Liberty to eledl of them whom
He pleafed. 1 his is a Truth fo uncontroulably evident that our Opponents after
all their frightful Language againft our Docflrine, muft according to the juftcft
Methods of Reafoning fubmit unto and confefs. Let them go to a wife heathen
Pliilofopher, one of the greateft Reafoners, and they fliall find that where there
7ix& 7i Train o\' Catifes znd Eff'c&s., he will begin at the Bottom and continue
afcending as on a Ladder, until he comes to the fupreain Cz.uiQ dnd firji Mover of
them all, and there he tvillfx. Even fo muft we here, as our Lord rejoicing in
Spirit faid, " I thank thcp, O Father, Lord c f Heaven and Earth, becaufe thou
halt hid thefe Things from the Wiie and Prudent, and .haft revealed them unto
Babes,
.68 P/ Predestination a?jd Election.
Babes, even fo Father, for io it feemed good in thy Sight," this was the Pleafure
of thy Will. A4at. ir. 25,26. " You may (as Rev. C/^^rwri well obferves)
** render a Reafon fof many of GOD's Adlions till you come to /^/^, the Top
** and I'oundation of ail ; and under what Head of Reafon can Man reduce this
** Act but to that of his royal Prerogative -j'^ (to begin then at the Bottom and
afcend to the Top) Why doth GOD fave fome and condemn others at laft'?
Why, Becaufe of the Faith and Holinefs of the one, and the Unbelief and Impu-
rity of the other. But why do fome truly believe and become holy ? Why
becaufe GOD hath not only given them the Means of Grace but alfo accompa-
nied thofe Means with the Efficacy of his holy Spirit. Again, Why did GOD
accompany thofe Means with the Efficacy of his holy Spirit in fome and not in
others ? Becaufe he had decreed by Grace to prepare them for Glory. But
why did He decree or choofe fume and not others ? Into what will you refolve
this but into his fovereign Pleafure ? Condemnation and Salvation at the laft
Upfhot are AcSts of GOD as the Judge, conformable to his own Law of giving
Life to Believers, and inflidling Death upon Unbelievers ; for thofe a Reafon
may be rendered : But the Choice of fome and paffing by of others, is an A61 of
GOD as He is a fovereign Monarch before any Law was aSlually tranfgrefled
becaufe not actually given. When a Prince redeems a Rebel he adts as a Judge
according to Law ; but when he calls fome out to Pardon, he a<Sls as a Sovereign
by a Prerogative above Law. Into this the Apoftle refolves it, Rom. 9. i^^ 15.
when he fpeaks of GOD's loving yacob and hating Efait, ele<5ted one and pafl'ed
6y the other before they were born or had done either Good or Evil, '*• It is
becaufe GOD will have Mercy on whom He will have Mercy, and have Com-
paffion on whom He will have Compaffion." Which is the Anfwer by which
the Apoftle undertakes to anfwer |i# the Objedlion that chargeth this Doctrine
with making GOD unrighteous, as 1 fhail further evince, GOD willing, here-
after. For the laft Condemnation there will be fufficient Reafon to clear the
Juftice of bis Proceedings. But in this Cafe of Eledtion no other Reafon can
be given but the fovereign Will of GOD, but what is liable to fuch knotty Ex-
ceptions as cannot be well untied, and which indeed make the Matter worfe, as
we have already in Part feen. Yea, as our Opponents are obliged to confefs that
GOD doth not fave all, as well as that we fay that He did not ele6l all to Salva-
tion. How evident is it that the fame Objedlions of GOD's being rendred un-
merciful and unjuft, doth as much lie againit their own Confeffions as againflour
Da<Strine ? Nay more ; feeing they affirm the Dodtrine of GOD's univerfal
Love and Christ's trazWr/i/ Redemption, whereby as they fay, he paid the
Price of Redemption and Salvation for all Men %uithot4t Exception. If GOD's
not faving all be confiftent with his Mercy and Juftice, fo his not eledling all to
Salvation muft needs be fo too. If ive maintain an EleSiion of fome and a Non-
*le£fion of others, why they confefs a Salvation of fome and a Non- Salvation of
ethers f altho' GOD is as able to fave<9// i^^ fcme^ which in the Vpjhot comes to all
©ne. We fay thofe whomGOD elefted toSalvafion,aRd for whomCHRisT died
to redeem and fave, ihall certainly in the ¥.n6 attain compJear Redemption and
Salvation. Whereas our Opponents do maint^jj), that many fiiaJl mifs of com-
pleat
Of Predestination and Election. ^^
pleat Redemption and Salvation, whom GOD willed and for whom Christ
died to redeem and fave. We (ay, that whom GOD heartily wifhes and wills
to be faved {hall be faved, anl'werable to this his IViJh and JVill, which is to be
very confident. Whereas they confefs that many whom GOD heartily wifhed
4ind willed fliould be faved fliall neverthelefs mifs of Salvation, contrary to that
his VVjil, which is nwfi inconfijicnt and gra/ly ahfurd. Hence then, let them
twiji and tiirn^ (}nft and boggle^ objeSi and cavil ever fo rnuch^ they'iiitjft come to'
this ^ ih^r. Elcoiiori is founded on the fovereigfi IVill ayid Pleaftire of GOD : " For
our GOD hath done whatfoever he pleafed^ both iji the Heaven and Earth, the
Seas and all deep Places," Pfal. 135. 6. *' He doth according to his Will in
the Armies of Heaven and amongft the Inhabitants of the Earth, who are re-
puted as nothing ; and none can Itay his Hand, or dare fay unto him, What doeft
thou," Dan. 4. 35. Wherefore " Wo unto him that ftrivcth with his Maker :
Let the Potiherd Strive witli the Potflierds of the Earth : Shall the Clay fay srit©"
him that fafhioneth it, What makeft thou ? Or thy Work fay. He hath no'
Hands," Ifa. 45. g. *' Nay, but O Man, who art thou that repliefl: againft
GOD, who hatJi Mercy on whom he will have Mercy ? Shall the Thing formed
fay unto him that formed it. Why haft Thou made me thus ?" Rom. 9. 20.
*^ Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty inftruft him ? He that reproveth
GOD, let him anfvver it," Job 40. 2. " If he cutteth ofF or fhutteth upj'or
gather together, who then can hinder him ?" fob 11. 10. *' Who hath en-
joined him his Way ? Or who can fay. Thou haft wrought Iniquity?" fob
36.. "23. ** Look-unto the Heavens, and fee, and behold the Clouds that are
hih;herithan thou.— - L thou be righteous, what giveft thou him ? Or what re"-*'
ceiveth He at thy -Hand ? Thy Righteoufnefs may profit the Son of Man," but'
not GOD, that he (hould be moved on the Account thereof to e]e<!> thee. P'or
" Can a Man be profitable unto GOD, as he that is v/ife may be profitable
unto himfelf ? Is it any Pleafure to the Almighty that thou art righteous ? Orl
is it Gain unto him that thou makeft thy Ways perfedl ?" fob 35. 5, 7, 8. Ch.'
2'2. 2, 3. Who has given to him that He fhould become their Elector on the-*
Asccount thereof, and it fhall be recompenfed unto him again ? For of him and'
through him and to him are all Things, to whom be Glory for ever, AmenJ'-
Obferve alfo in how full and fovereign a Manner GOD hath declared of himfelf,'
Ifa. 46. 9, 10. " Remember the former Things of old, that I am GOD and'
there is none elfe, I am GOD and there is none like me, declaring the End from'
the-Beginning, and from ancient Times the Things that are not yet done, faying,'
My Counfel (hail ftand, and Iwill do all my Pleafure. In fhort, when St. Paut^
fo particularly treateth of Eledlion, Predeftination, Adoption, Redemption^*
efFeftual Calling, in order to effe6l the Elect's Salvation, and the Inheritance
they have obtained through Christ, he mentions this as the fir/i Mover of all,
'^ According to the Purpofe of him who worketh all Things after the Counfel'
of his own Will," Eph. i. Where is a remarkable Gradation of Speech, ws^t
GOZ>'f Will, h\s own Will, and the Counfel of his own Will. By which W
emphatically pointed out, Fir/i,H\s fovereign Dominion over all Things, ind^eri-'^
dant of any of hisCreatures ; his fovereignGrace arid Pleaftre in eic(5ling,adopting,'
redeeming.
JO Of Predestination and Election.
redeeming, effc£lual calling and faving whom be pleafeth, exciufive of any moving
Caufe in the Creature. And Secondly, That what He doth in any of thefe very
M itters he aftcth not by a IVill tvithout Wifdom and Coimfel, hut. mo/i ivife'y and
irnmutdbly^ whatever poor, finite, fhort-fightcd, cavilling Mortals may think
thereof. Ys»y there arc Trcafures and even an wifathcmahle Di-^pth of Wifdora
in thefe fovereign Tranfac^ions of the Almighty. Hence 'tis very nbfervable
t};at St. Paul accordingly concludes his Difcourfe of thefe grand AfFuiis which'
he had fo largeiy handled in the ninth and eleventh Chapter of the Romans, in
the Chifc of which he in a very devont and humble I\4ani.er, as ftandmg upon
the Brink of thefe deep Seas, Cri6s out, *' O the Depth of the Riches, both of
the VVnilom and Knowled^ie of GOD I How imftarchab'e are his Judgnsents,
and his Ways paft finding out I For wlio hath known the Aiir.d of the Lord \
Or who hath been his CounfeUor I" Thus doth he admiringly make Mention
of OOD's wife Ccwifeh and fovere'.gn Doininlon together, thereby {hewing that
theft in the grand Point of Elei^ion and Non-election arc tnfeperable. Hence
'tis evident that we don't disjoint GOD's fovereign Will either from his Wifdom
or his Mercy, '* who hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy," and fo ren-
der him tyrannical and cruel, as the Arm'in'iam are wont to atrnm of us. For we
Viery faithfully give out the full Scriptme Account of thefe grand Affairs in its
umf(ktTn and coyincHed Parts. But that I may not be wanting to our Opponents
in making them due Retaliation for their kind Charge I fliall obferve, That while ^
they charge us with disjointing GOD's Sovereignty from his Wifdom and Mercy,'
they are themfelves guilty of disjointing GOD's Mercy from his Sovereignty,,
WifJomand Immutability. Thus to avoid fome Difficulties on the one Hand,i
they do run upon others much greater on the other Hand, while they feek to-
patch up tht'ir prepojleroiis, conditional, hob-hc-zard ElcSfion and Salvation, fcofHng_
(as fome have done) at the Docfrine of GOD's abfolute Decrees and Purpofes ;•
jult as if we difhonoured the divine Being in maiiitaining that He is fteady in his
Counfels, as himfelf has declared, faying, " My Counfel flTall fland and I will
do all my Pleafure 5" and as tho' themfelves took the moft effe»itual VVay to do
him Honour in the contradii5ting of this, reprefenting him as heartily wifhing
and woulding the Salvation of every Man, and at the fame Time unfeiikd vja--
'jering in his Dcfigns and Purpofes, not fully determined in his Mind whether any-
one Man fhall be elecSfed and faved, waning to fee what his Creature will do in
{he Improvement of his fuppofed common Stock, in order to movehimiotXeSl:
and fave him : Which yet if wc believe the ScriptureSj,. they canngt do or perr ■
form until GOD has wrought it in them of his good Pleafure. Phil. 2. 13. 1
fob. 6. 44. fiifJi' I- 18. But furely they either over-look or forget fuch
Scriptures as thefe, '* The Counfel of the Lord ftandeth for ever, and the
ThoiighJjS of his Heart unto all Generations," Pfal. 33. il. ** The Counfel
of the Lord fl:ialHfand," Prov. 19. 21. *' He is in one Mind and who can
*urn him, and vyhat his Soul defireth oven that he doeth, for^he- performeth the ,
't'hings he hath appointed for me, and many fuch Things are with him,** Jab 2^^!
'3> '4- ** I will declare the Decree," Pjal. 2. 7. " He hath madeaDef .>
cree that cannot pafs," Pfal. 148. 6. And in Jtr, ^. 2.2. we read of GOD's ,
perpetual
Of Predestination an^ Election. 71
perpetual Decree, and in the New-Teft.iment we read of his determinate Coun-
iel, ASi. 2. 23. JVIoreover we read of GOD's Predeftination, which properly
fignifies to foreordain unto a certain End, including all the Means conducive there-
unto. Hence fome are faid to be ordained to eternal Life,^^j 13. 48. and predefti-
nated unto a Conformity to Christ, to be called, juftified and glorified, Rom.
8. 29, 30. and of Perfons being predeftinated unto the Adoption of Children,
and to the obtaining an Inheritance by Christ, being predeftinated thereunto
according to the Purpofe of him who worketh all 1 hings after the Counfel of
his own Will, Eph. i. 5, 11. Unto all which Events and Fa£ls do bear
Witnefs, as I have before (hewn.
Therefore when Men hlame zr\d Jlorm at GOD's Minifters for M{\v\gfuch Ex^
prejjtons and teaching fuch Dextrine, and call it by ugly Names, this terminates
in GOD bimfelf who is the Author^ Inditer and Rivealer of thefe Dodlrines, and,
which Men muft own or elfe find a neiu Bible, wherebv they may maintain their
own inconftjlent Notions of Eledion, whereby GOD is reprefented as a
weakly good-natured Being, luiflj'mg and woulding ihe Salvation oi all Men, and at
the fame Time deftitute of any determinate Purpofe to eledt and fave any ; <ihd
thofe he doth ele6t and fave is the EfFcft of an after Thought, when the Crea-
ture has feen fit to do fomething to er.gage him to do it. Whence it follows,
that the Salvation of the actually haved was precarious, as a Thing
that might not have been, v/hich yet did happen to be. The F<?«//v of which
I fliall further detedf by the following Argument, " If (ome certain Perfons are
actually faved, and if GOD be the Author and Giver of that Salvation through
his Son Jesus Christ ; then furely he muft needs have fiift fully defigned to
€ffe6l it, and that Defign muft needs be as old as E'rernity, to. which the Scrip-
tures pofuivcly affign it." Therefore to deny his abfolute Decrees and Purpofes
in this Matter is in EfFe6t to fay. Either that GOD faved them without fully
deftgning it from Etern.ity, or that fiaving only decreed it upon ft-ine Cond"itions
uncertain to be performed bv the Creature, with which it happened to ccniply,
GOD did then mt before fee fit to elc^ znd fave them. T'hus doth our Oppo-
nents Scheme, under a Pretence of rendering GOD moft merciful, renrefcnt
him unwife, wavering and unftable, fhifting in his Thoughts, juft as his Creature
fhall adl, whofe Motion it ieems he waits upon. But away with fuch infipid
Stuff" as this, fo contrary to all the natural Ideas we can have of a Being of infi-
nite Perfections, and therefore it is Pity that any Perfons of good Senfe
and Reafon fhould give it Entertainment. And I am fully periwaded,
that if objefting Men could be prevailed upon to. entertain very loiv
znd humble Thous^its of themfelvcs^ and get their Sp.i;rits V«^ fubje6ted to the
divine Sovereignty, and at the fune Time think well, upon this, that GOD's
Rivhteoufnefs is very high as the great Mountains, while his Judgments are. a
great Deep and unfearchable, his Ways untractoble and paft finding out, and
that it is therefore in vain to attempt to fathom them to the very Bottom with
the fhort Line of a finite Capacity ; and if thev .coijld refolve to- believe what
GOD fays, how awlul and furprizing fo ever to carnal Reafon, refting in his
L Will
fj*i 0/ Predestination and Election.
Will as a Iteafon#)f his Gounfel, (for after all our Searches we can go no fur-
ther nor deeper) this would allay all their Uprifings of Heart againft the Scrip-
ture-Doctrines I defend, and prevent their intangl'mg themfelves with greater
and inextricable Difficulties, while they feek to evade lejfer ones. But if Men
will have Recourfe to that lajl and mijerable Shift of invalidaiir.g the Authority of
the holy Scriptures as the laji and only Remedy they can find in order to get rid
©f thefe(to them) unpleafjngDoGtxints^ as feme have done j witnefs thcGentleman
for Inftance, of whom Dr. Whitby fpeaks in his Preface to his Difcourfe of the
five Poiats. I fhall only fay unto fuch, that they fhould never pretend to plead
Scripture at all, which they can do as readily as any when they think
i-t ferves their Turn, altho* at the fame Time they render their own Arguments
from Scripture oi no Force, becaufe by their attempting to invalidate one Part of
the Scripture Account of Things, they do by juft Confequence invalidate the
Authority of the whole. Either Men muft own it is a Standard of Truth as to
ALL the Do6lrines therein contained, or elfe as to none : And as our Op-
ponents do profefTedly take their Accounts of Eledlion from the holy Scripture,,
it is but realonable to expeft they fhould abide by its Determinations j whi<;h
if they do, they muft yield that the Eledlion I argue for is true as what it evi-
dently holds forth ; yea fo evidently as that it hath extradled a Confeflion thereof
from fome of its moft avowed Adverfaries,for Inftance, the aforefaid Gentleman
inDr./i^/'///-'^'sPreface : " For I cannot but obferve,That the Dodrines I defend,
how unpleafing foever to him, did fo ftrongly glare him in the Face, that he
frankly ov/ned they were contained in the Scriptures, although the Meafures he
took to get rid of them was a mofi defperate Shift, as what alone could rid him
of the unpleafing Truth." I remark this becaufe every one will allow thi;t the
Conceffions of an Adverfary are never made but upon xh^jlrongejl Convi£iicfis.
Hence then howfoever the Dodtor produced this Inftance in Favour of his own
Scheme, and defigncdly to prejudice ours, *tis evident that as it (rightly con-
fidered) does the former no Service, fo it does the latter no Damage, but rather
helps to confirm it as a Truth fliining with fo unconquerable an Evidence and
bright Luftre, as to be both feen and confefled even by one of its moft avowed
Enemies ; - in the doing of which he fhev/ed himfelf to be more frank and ingeni-
ous than the Dodor himfelf that quotes him, who was fo far from making fuch
a ConfefTion as that he ufed many fiibtle and guilty Arts in order to prove it was
no Scripture Dodlrinc, wrefting and perverting the Scripture to make it fpeak
againft itfelf. Thus howfoever the Dodlor and his Truth-hating Partner were
{o far agreed as to profefs themfelves avowed Enemies to the Do6lrine itfelf,
vet they as widely differed as to the Manner of exprefling their Difguft thereat ;
the one confeffeth it to be a Scripture Do<5lrine, and therefore difowns the Scrip-
tures divine Authority, the other owns the Scriptures divine Authority but denies
'it to be a Scripture Dodrine ; the one fays 'tis there contained, the other fays.
Nay. Thus do thefe two Babtl Builders with their confoundingLanguage coun-
terwork one another, even while agreed as to the carrying on their Babel'^\i\\^-
ing, and fo both come to nought, while the Truth goes on conquering and to
conquer in Spite of all Oppofition, feeing the LORD reigns who is the blefled
Author of it. CHAP.
0/ Predestination and Election. ,73
C H A R III.
I Come further to obferve, That however the Enemfes of (xe% and abfolute
EIe6lion do agree to (hew their Deteftation of it, and as fo many Babd
Builders difagree in their Language about it, the one faying this^ the other
ihat \ yet its Evidence is fuchy that thofe amongft them who profefs to own the
Scripture-Determinations in the Cafe, confefs there is fuch a Thing as
'GOD's Election of fome, not only as to Offices in the Church, but alfo as to
the Matters of Salvation ; that is to fay, GOD forefeeing who would believe
and become holy and obedient, he on the Account thereof ele<5tcd them, or de-
termined to e\tSi them on that Score. Hence then, if we can but unhinge them
'h re we gain the Point. This I hope hath already been done in good -Part : But
that I may leave no Stone unturned (as we fay) in order to a full Decifion c^
the Matter, I will beg the Reader's due Obfervation of what follows.
Hence then to bring the Matter to 2iJhort and plain Iflue, the Queftion is not,
WKether Faith and H.)linels muft^o before znd fit for Salvation ; for in that w.e
are agreed : But whetberGOD's fovereign Grace and Pleafure or forefeen Faith
and Wcrks in the Creature be the Root and fpringing Caiife of GOD's ele<rrino:
Men to Salvation. Here we and our conditional Ele6lioners do very widely
differ, ibecaufe Grace ^nd Works under this Head of Con f!derc}l!on cannot ftand
together, the former as ks j'u/? Right claims the Throne where the divine Oracles
have placed it ; the latter as ^nbfurper brought in by our -O/i/xjvaj/^, contends for
•it. Bat then it is fit they llinuld be afked, Whether GOD forefaw the faid Ads
of Faidi and H -linefs in the Eicdas the proper Effeds of his own Gifts of Grace
en ib'ing them to believe and be holy ; or as the Frodud of their own free-wiE
Performances, independant of fuch antecedent Gifts ? If they fay the former;;
then the Amouivt of it is, That GOD determined to give them Faith and Sanc-
tificafion to make them holy Bclieveis, and then made thefe Effeds of his own
Gifts of Gr;ice a moving Caufe of eleding them to Salvation. This is to re-
■prerent GOD making the Means of an End the firft Caufe of purpofmg tliat End,
v/hich is ridiculous. If they fay the latter, then the Amount of it is. That Men
become true Believers and holy Perfons, working out their Salvation and pro-
curmg GOD's Eledion of them to that End, without any antecedent Gift of
Faith and Sandification from him, or his working in them to will and to do of
his goad Pleafure, but of their own good Pleafure ; v/hich is contrary to the
cleared Didates b'.)th of Scripture and Reafon. li Faith and HoUnefs forefeen.,
!be Conditions of GOD's elcding M^n to' Salvation, then either GOD deter-
mined they fliould certainly perform thefe Conditions, or he did not : If he did^
then they fhall certainly perform them, and fo render their Eledion and Salva-
tion infallibly certain, which yet our Opponents will not grant. If he did n\o%
■How fhall any perform them at all, feeing Faith and Sandiflcation .are not 'of
Men's fclves but the Cjifts of GOD, and io none might be eleded and faved^
•and then what becomes of GOD's fmcere Wifhes of t-x'^ry Man's Salvation thK
;thcfe Men talk >of ? Jf we beli&ve the Scriptures^none work cut iheir &.lvstjan
7^, Of Predestination and Election.
with Fear and Trembling but thofe in whom he firfl: works to will and to do of
his own good Pleafure, or the free Purpofe of his Grace : And fo the pious Dili-
»ence of the Ele£t cannot poflibly be the Product of their own good Pleafure as
the fupream and detertnining Caufe of their £le<Slion to Salvation. It is true, that
as tiiev are made a willing People in the Day of GOD's Power upon their
Souls/ fo they do perform the A6ls of Faith and Holinefs with the greateji Free-
dom of Will and Pleafure ; but then 'tis no lefs true, that thofe tree Adions
are not the Caufe of their Eledion and Calling, but the proper Eff'cds of the
fame according to GOD's fovereign Grace and Pleafure, and fo it is an Eledti-
on not of Works but of Grace : Yea the whole of Salvation from Eledlion to
Glorification, with all the middle Things relating thereunto, are founded in Grace
to tiie Honour of it, and the total DeprelTion and Exclufion of Men's vain bcalt-
ing of an Ele6tion and Salvation arifmg from z. f elf- determining Free-will in them»
Eplr 2. 8. " By Grace ye are (mark) /^^'f(i through Faith, and that not of
your felves, it is the Gift of GOD: Not of Works, left any M;.n fhould
boafi:, for ye are GOD's Workmanfliip (not your own obferve) created in
Christ Jesus unto good Works, which GOD hath fore-ordained that ye
Jhould walk in them." Thus view the Matter in what Light you tvill or can^ it
is eafy to oblerve whzt grofs Abfurdities o\ix conditional YAQdCion^rs do i:un into
by fetting. up their Do6irine of /^//^ Advancement, in dire6t Oppofition to the
glorious Grace oj GOD, the Honour of which he is fo very tender of as that he
will by r.o Means allow of a Competitor or Rival from his Creature, being what
he defigned to magnify in the Whole of our Salvatior, and which indeed doth
accordingly fliine forth with afuperia^r Radiency and Splendor to the View and
Arprehenfion of every one into whofe Hearts it hath fl:!ined, " giving the Light
of the Knowledge of the G!ory of GOD in the Perfon of Jesus Christ," and
who have tafted that tlie LORD is gracious ; and who will accordingly read this
Account of Things with Thankfgiving, Joy and facred Wonder, as favouring
of the sreat Things of GOD; howfoever horn felf-full znd confident Souls it
may nieet with a dire^ contrary Treatment: Who however (without a61:ing
contrarv to the cleareft Diifates of Senfe, Reafon, Grammar and good Philofo-
fihy, whereof they generally profefs to have fo large a Share) mult with Dr.
Whitby's Truth-hating Partner confefs the Do61rine or Propofitions I maintain
are to be found in the^Bible, altho' fome of them may be inclined perhaps to
have Recourfe to his miferahle Shift, lajl and 'only Remedy to get rid of thefe mor-
tifying Dodlrines. If we believe the divine Oracles we muft confefs that GOD
■ could forefee no Good to be done by the Ekcl but what he purpofed in his own
Will to beftow an Ability to bring forth. His Choice of them was unto not for
a Holinefs antecedent to his Determinations, Eph. 1.4. He fore-ordained the
Elea to lelieve not for their Belief, JSis 13. 48. 2 Thef. 2. 13. He fore-
ordained them unio good Works not for them, Eph. 2. 8. EleSiion then is the
>, Root^ and Faith and Holinejs the Fruit that fprings up therefrom ; and therefore
thefe cannot be the Root 2nd produtfiive Caufe of Eledion. Hence then, GOD's
Forefight of Faith and Holinefs in the Elc6t could not pojffibly influence his eleding
ASt, A Man may as well fay that the Fruit is the Caufe of the Root, or that
the
0/ Pll-E-DESTINATIOi? Vi*(^ E'LiG-TIO'ffJ *] C^
ihe'Stfe^m i^ the Caufe of tAe Fo'utitSihf' 0T~fh"at H«9"t'?s"tlie"Caufe 6-f "FiVr, or
that the rational Adts which a IVf^n performs 'after his Creation, were a Caufe
why GOD created him a reafonable Creature', endowing him with the Gifts of
Reafon ; as to affirm that Men's forefcen A6ls of Faith and Hohnefs were the
Caufe of GOD's ele6fing them, feeing Men's A(5i:s of Faith and Hohnefs are as
much the Produfl- of GOD's renewing Gr<tce, as the ra-tional A£!s of a Man
are th6 proper EiFeits of GOD's making him a reafonabk; Creature, beftowing
lipoa him the Powers of Reafon. As then GOD forefaw no ra'tional A6ts in
Man (as Rev. C/'d-r^wf;^ well obferves) before the AcSl of his Wiil to give him
Reafon ; fo He does not forefee Faith in any before tke A6t of his Will deter-
mining to give it" to himi Faith is the Gift of GOD, £'/)/;. 2. 8. and fo it is
an Ele6tion of mcer Grace not of Works. - Thefe can no more fend together as
Caufes of E!le61:ion, than aKiiig and his Subject can fit on the Throne together,
the latter diainiing 'the Pre-eminence in Governitient. TheSubjcdl is goo'd a:;d
Tjfeful in his Place, yet muft not Ufurphis Prince's royal Prerogative. TheLaw
is g >od if lawfully ufed ; fo are Fai-th and good Woiks ; which however excel-
lent and ufeful in their Place 'and Nature as what well become the Subjects of
■Christ's Kingdom and Candidaies for Heaven, yet they cannot claim the Ho-
nour of Salvation and Life Eternal as a moving meriting C:lufe thereof; much
lefs the Hmour of that which is the Foundation of \\.^4vvx,, GOD's free Elec-
tion thereunto, for in the Snlvation which fprings up from this Purpofe of (}OD,
he regards not Works of Righteoufnefs which we have done, as a principal Mo-
tive to fettle the Top-Stone of Glory on his holy Temple, but his own Purpofe
and Grace, '* which was given us in Christ Jesus before theWorld began,"
2 Tim. 1. g. Altho' thole who in the End attain unto eternal Life be fuch as
have their Fruit unto Holinefs, yet eternal Life is not the Wages thereof as
D-^ath is the Wages of Sin ; but is the Gift of GOD through Jesus Christ
our LORD, Rom. 6. ulr. As EIe6Ttion is Salvation begun, or laid in Defign, \
fo a£lual Salvation is the Complea'.ment of the Purpofe of Ele£lion, which in
order of Tim^ and Nature, y?r/? mikes Men holy and then hnppy., and all founded
on Grace., and therefore is very fitly called an Elef^'ion of Grace: Whereas if
what our Opponents fxy of it were true, then it would be proper to call it an
Ele£li)nof Works accordit^g to x\\q Qre<iturk'^ goo 1 Pieafure, >as by'its /)rj/)(?r
Nime ; and then it wiU follow that Paul w^-i out when he fa?d,'-«'« Thesfb is alfo
at this prefent Time a Remnant according to the Election of Grace ;" which he
fo calls, becaufe founded on Grace or the fovjreign good Pleafure of GOD. And
it is worth obferving. That however elfe where^ he zealoufly teacbeth the Ne-
ceffity and Ufefulnefs of San6tification, Holinefs, Faith and good Works, as a
Medium to theEled'sSalvation, yet doth he with rio lefs Zjai exclude a// Works
of Righteoufnefs which they have do;ie from having any caufal Influence on their
EleSlion: Shewing that Creatures Works and GOD's fovereign Grace cannot
poflibly fland together in this RefpeSf ; for if, as St. Paul argues, "it be by
Grace, then it is no more of Works ; otherwife Grace is no more Grace : Rut
if it be of Works, then it is no more Graced otherwife Wurk is no m.ire
Work." Whence 'tis evident that our Opponents Scheme of Eledlion (as I
beiorg.
^iS of Prbd^stination atid Election.
before qbferved) doth manifcftly tend to dethrone GOVih foveretgn Grace and iet
tip an IJjurper in its Room. This is with aWitnefs to fet the Servant on Horre-
back in great State, and to make the Prince to walk on Foot waiting on the
Servant's Pleafure, whereby they highly reflect on GOD great Difhonour, and
fly in the Face of the phineft Evidence of Scripture and alt good Rmfort^ feeing
the holy Scriptures are plain and pcfitivi againfl them in this Matter ; and Rta-
fon itfelf not only fays, That it ought therefore to be credited, but alfo teftifies
that as there muft needs be fo?ne one original fupream Caufe and Mover of that
£le£tion and Salvation which the Ele<Sl ^o enjoy, fo it is to be found only in
GOD the grand Author of Election and Salvation. Hence then let our Oppo-
nents name all Kinds of good Qualifications and Endom-ments whatfoever, whe-
ther natural^ civil or morale tliey will all fail them in this Point.
: ■ • j . . .
And Tirji, That GOD's Election of PvTen to Salvation is not at all influenced
by bright natural Accomplijl^ments is evident, becaufe generally /peaking, not the
witty, wife and knowing ; but the ignorant and unpolijljed Part of Mankind, where
the Gofpel comes, do embrace it in the Truth and Love thereof, as fhining into
■their Hearts, cafting them into a new Mould, which is the proper EfFe£ls of
■elediiTiff Grace. " GOD taketh nat Pleafure in the Legs of a Man," PfaL
147. And fo it appeai»ed in the Day of Christ's perfonal Miniftry on Earth,
and of the Apoftles after him, and fo indeed at this very Day. It was not, ge-
mrally [peaking^ the learned Rabbles among the Jews, but Babes in Knowledge,
•in natural and acquired Parts, poor illiterate P iliiermen, Peter znA'John, wha
were ignorant and unlearned Men, and fuch others, that then appeared to be the
Subjects of eledting Grace by the EiFe6fs of it, which our Lord in a remarka-
ble Manner makes Mention of. Mat. 11. 25. *' I thank thee, O Father, Lord
of Heavta and Earth, becaufe thou haft hid thefe Things from ihe Wife and
Prudent, and hafl revealed them unto Babes i even fo Father, fr»r fo it ieemed
good in thy Sight •;" Such is thy fovereign good Pleafure. There it ter-
minates. And which indeed was the only Reafon wherefore GOD chofe the
Jewijh Nation above all the Nations of the Earth to be ?l Jpecial People to him-
felf, Vor they- were ^Jliff-necked Generation, their feather an Jmotite, and their
•Mother a Hittite. Look alfo among the Gentiles in the Apoftles Times, .and
you fhall find that the Stones defigned to be laid m GOD's fpiritual Houfe were
liot the fair and poliilied, but rough Stones of the Earth ; it was not the avife
Phibfophers, {hs accute IFits oi the Age and .profound Reafoners, but Men of a
^^uite dif event Stamp and Charader that embraced the Gofpel Meflage. i Cor.
a. iS, is^- " You fee your Calling Brethren, how that not many wife Men
after the Fle& — iire called , but GOD hath chofen the foolifti Things of this
^Vorld to confound the wife. Where is tlie Wife? Where is the Scribe f
Where is the Difputer -of this World ? '*
'Secondly^ ¥lor, c'i^'il AttainnrentSy ibecaufe 4ivine Grace lays hold of the Poef
and iDejpicable, ^more =than -of the -Great, tlie Nohle and tlie Mighty, (GOD is not
sabsn wJth ithe^litfcerin^ Shews -arid 4»on)iK>ttS,A|\pe3raj»ce5'af -this lower .World
Of Predestination mi Election. 77
'as poar Mortals are wont to be ; he regards the Rich and Honourable no more
than the Poor and Defpicable, for they are all the Work of his Hands. Will
he efteem their Gold ? No ; nor all the Forces of Strength. So that as not
many ^mfe Men after the Flefh, fo not many (tho' fome) Noble and Mighty are
called ; but the poor, bafe and defpifed Things of this World hath GOD cha-
fen, that no Flefh fhould glory in his Prefence. *' For, thus faith the Lord,
Let not the wife Man glory in his Wifdom, nor the rich Man in his Riches,
nor the mighty Man in his Might ; but let him that glorieth glory in this^ that
he underftandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercifeth Righ-
teoufnefs, Loving-kindnefs and Judgment in the Earth ; for in thefe Things do
I delight, faith the Lord,'* Jer. 9. 24. He giveth forth his ricbeji Gifts to
Perfons of mean Figure and Appearance in the World. So that thofe who of old
wandred about in Sheep-fklns and Goat-fkins feekir.g Shelter, not in a Marble
Palace but in Dem and Caves of the Earth, were the Worthies of whom the
World was not worthy ; thefe were the Bofom Friends of Christ whom the
World never knew. " GOD hath chofen the Poor of this World to be rich in
Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom.," Ja?n. 2. 5. *' Go tell Johny the Poor re-
ceive the Gofpel," faith our blefled Saviour. "
Thirdiy^ Nor is GOD influenced to ele<3: Men for their wijrjr/EndovC'ments,
becaufe the Subjedts of elefting Grace are all Sinners, their being chofen that
they Jhould be huly doth i?nply this : Yea many of them the Chief of Sinners;
witnefs P(3«/a Perfecutor and Blafphemer. Mary Magdalen a Town Sinner,
and the cruel Murderers of the Lord of Glory, and many others. Hence when
Paa/had fet down a large Catalogue, even a black Roll of Sinners and unriorh-
teous Perfons, he fays to the Corinthians, *' Such were fome of you, but ye are
wafhed, but ye are fandified, but ye are juftified in the Name of the Lord
Jesus, and by the Spirit of our GOD," i Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11. What were
the Ephefans but blind Votaries to the Goddefs Diana, Sorcerers, Conjurors,
and what not ? They were without Christ and GOD in the World, and yet
thefe are faid to have been " chofen in Christ before the Foundation of the
World, and predcftinated to- the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ, ac-
cording to the good Pleafure of his Will." Eph. 1. Aas 19. Thefe v^ere Pai»t
of the Church of GOD, whom he purchafed with his own Blood. Aas iq. 2^.
What were many of the Jerufalemites whom GOD effeilually called by the
Grace of his Gofpel to their Converfiori and Salvation (which w^^ihe Effei5ls of
'^ their Election) but fome of the bloodieft Murderers that ever the Earth bare,
Avho vvith wicked i^v^d cruel Hands killed the Prince of Life ? Acts 2. 23. What
were the Samaritans out of whom GOD chofe many Stones to be laid in his holy
Temple ? Were they a bright and pol'ijh'd Generation ? Or rather were they
not a Company oi fimple and deluded Wretches, wandring after the idle Dreams of
^wicked Sorcerer? A£is 8. What were the Romans out of whom GOD by
Paul^% Miniftry gathered together many Stones and laid in his fpiritual Building
who were GOD's Eleft and Predeftinate .? Rom. 8. Why Rome at this Time-
was thc-verySeat of Idolatry,^ thecommon Sov^ers of theSeecfs thereof among the
Natioiiii
^8 Of Predestinatiqn and Electioj?^.
Nations conquered by them. What were the ColoJJians who were tranflatep into
the Kingdom of GOD's dear Son, and that obtained Redemption through his
Blood, even the Forgivenefs of their Sins, the Ele£t of GOD holy and beloved ?
What were they, I fay, before their efFedlual Calling by the Grace of the Gofpel
but fuch as the Gofpel found isw/i?/" Christ's Kingdom, fubjedl to the Powers
of Darknefs, unmeet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. Col. i. 12, i;j*
Chap. 3. 12, What were, the Cret'iam amongft whom GOD had a chofen Peo-
ple, but fuch as the Gofpel found to be very untraifable, no Ways polite and ami-
able ? For as one of their own Poets faid of them, they were always Liars^ fo
not to be credited, evil Beajis, and fo not to be aflbciated with, JIow Bellies, an
indolent and dronifh Generation, and (o unfit for Service. Tit. i. 12. Of what
Character were many of thofe which elefling, juftifying and renewing Grace laid
hold of at Corinth^ a City then notorioufly infamous for the deteffable Sin of
Uncleannefs ? Why they were not only the weak. fooUjh and defpifed Things of
this World, inConcradiftiniti on from the IVorldly-wife^ihQ Noble and the Mighty ;
but fuch as Hood branded with the odious Charadters oi unrighteous Perfons^ For-
nicators^ Idolators, Adulterers., Eff'erninate, Abufers of themfelves with Mankind.,
they were Thieves., Covetous, Drunkards, R(vilers and Extortioners F Of fuch
faith the Apoftle were Jome of you, jiamely, before the (lofpel c.^me amongft you,
not only in Word but alfo in PoWer, in the Holy Ghoft and in much AfTurance >
fo that, as the Effects of ele£ling Grace, ye are now wafhed with the Wafhing
of Regeneration, and, fan<5lified by the Spirit of Grace, and juflified in the Name
of the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith, i Cor. 6. q, 10, 11. Thus then the
Cafe {lands ; they were chofen in Christ before the Foundation of the World
that they ihould be made hplv, wb(ich at this ^///^Tinie, was accordingly efFeited j
and therefore were they fanctified and made Believers in Ch.rist through the
Gofpel, becaufe thev were from the Beginning chofen unto Salvation through
Sandification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth. iThef. 2. 13.
Now then view the. ignominious Characters thefe elecl People bare, antecedent
to their efflidlual Calling,, and fee vyhat LovelLnefs, what good Qualities GOD
could forefee in them to influence his ele<5ling Acl. What could he forelee re-
fulting from fuch Sinks of oin, and Impurity, but (hat which fhould rather engage
him to loath, than to love them with an ele<Sl:ing Love ? Surely GOD could not
forefee tiiefe Mea to be wrafhed, fanftified and become holy Perfons, otherwife
than as the j^lds of electing, fanclifying Grace. His choofmg them that they
migjit be holy, .did qot find them, bqt }nake tj:iem fo. As e]e<5ling Grace in i^s
glorious Rays is eclipfed by the Doctrine of Election upon forefeen good Quali-
ties in the Creature, fo its bright and glorious Beams are no Ways darkned, but
rather made to fliine the brit^hter by the Dodrine of ahfolute and free Election.
This v/as a Trutii which GOD in the mofl emphatic Terms and moft pungent
Man;ier taught and inflruded his Church of old in, anfwerable to the Accounts
given in the Old Te{lament,as may be i^&n in E%ek. 16. and beginning. "Again
thp Word.of the Lord canie unto me faying. Son of Man, czuitt yerufalem to
kaov.' her 4;ti9Jninatiops,;jai^, fay,,, Thus.fi^ith the hOKO GQD unto-jferufalemy
thy
Of Predestination and Election. *f^
thy Birth and Nativity is of the Land of Canaan^ (then a Herd of Idolaters, of
whom Abrahmn dcfcended) thy Father was an AmoritezwA thy Mother an Hittite,
And as for thy Nativity, the Day that thou waft born, thy Naval was not cut,
neither waft thou waflied in Water to fupple thee. Thou waft not falted at all,
nor fwadled at all. None Eye pitied thee to do any of thefe unto thee ; but thou
waft caft out in the open Field (mark) to the loathing of thy Perfon in the Day
that thou waft born. That is, in a helplefs and lovelefs Condition. And when I
pafled by thee, and faw thee polluted in thine own Blood, I laid unto thee when
thou waft in thy Blood, Live j yea, I laid unto thee when thou waft in thy Blood,
Live. — Now when I palTed by thee and loeked upon thee, bphold thy Time was
a Time of Love (mark) thy Time was a Time of Love." But what was //;/'; her
Time ? Was it a Time of Lovelinefs to influence GOD's Love? Or was it
not rather a Time of Loathfomenefs when wallowing in her Blood ? Which the
Holy Ghoft hath in a doubled Speech declared. And as it was with thefn^ (b it is
with all the reji of GOD's EleiSt, who are all hewn out of the fame Rock, and
formed out of the fame Lump, being naturally without Strength and ungodly, by
which, as the Apoftle faith, GOD commendeth, or in the moft eminent Aianner
difcovers his Love towards them, Rom. 5. 5, 6. Yea, what doth Paul^ a cho-
fen Veftel of fovereign Mercy to Honour and Glory (whofe Heart GOD chanp,ed
in an Inftant, and turned him from being as a Morning Wolf, to become a faith-
ful and careful Shepherd of the Flock of Christ) fay of himfelf and others then
in theMiniftry, who were fent to carry theMefiage of Salvation to thePoorand the
Maimed, theHalt 5c thcBlind ? Why, fays he to7/'/«j,Chap.3.2,3. " IVe our/elves
were fornetimes, or once in Times paft, foolifli, difobedient, deceived, ferving
divers Lufts and Pleafures, living in Malice and Envy, hateful and hating one
another." But as now it was juft otherwife with them, what was it that made fo
vaft aChange in them ? What was theFoundation of this f Or who were theEffi-
cients of it ? Was it themfelves by a free-will felf-determiningA<St ofRighteoufnefs
which they had done ? Or was it from the efficacious Operations of the Holy
Ghoft upon their Souls as the Efteds of the rich, free Love and fovereign Mercy
of GOD, who hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy ? Who fliall give us
a deciiive Anfwer to thefe Queries ? Shall the Arminiam or St. Paul himjelf?
Surely HE and not they. But, fays he, " After the Kindnefs and Love of GOD
our Saviour towards Man appeared, (mark) not by Works ofRighteoufnefs which
we have done ; (and he I prefume had done as many as our modern Legalifts, be
they who they will) but according to hisMercy,free h fovereignMercy,he faved
us by the Wafhing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghoft, which He
(bed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; that being juftificd
by his Grace, we might be made Heirs according to the Hope of etettval Life."
And then in the next Verfe comes in this emphatic Exhortation to Titiis^ that
** he charge Believers to be careful to maintain good Works." By this, I fay,
he fliews how great a Value he had for Works ofRighteoufnefs in their right and
proper Place, as the EfFedls of their Regeneration and Faith, even while he fo
Jouo'ly declares againft the fame as a Motive of eledting, regenerating Grace.
Look again in Epb, 2. Beginning, and you fhallfind the.yczw^ Account confirmed,
M where
So Of Predestination and Election.
where he tells the Ephefiam of their being quickened, who once were dead In
Trefpaflesand Sins, wherein in Time paft they walked according to the Courfe
of this World, according to the Prince of the Power of the Air, /. e. the Devil,
the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Difobedience. And then brings
in himfelf //?«5, " among whom we all (mark) ixje all, you Ephefiam and I Paul
too, had our Converfation in Time paft in the Lufts of our (mark) our Flefh, ful-
filling the Defires of the Flefh and of the Mind ; and were by Nature Children
of Wrath even as others." So that there was nothing in tliem, in this their
State by Nature to influence GOD to ele6l them, they being Children of Wrath
and Difobedience, and fo onoxious to the Strokes of his Juflice. On what then
was their Eledlion to partake of Grace and Glory founded ? Why you may be
fure it could not be 2^x\y f^refeen good ^alities in them. This (if you will allow
Paulas own Words to determine in this Cafe) did not enter into his Brain in an}'
of his Difcourfes conceming the Matter, he was far different minded from our
felf-full, conditional Eledlioners, as appears by his Words in the firft Chapter,
where he fpeaks of their being chofen by the Father in Christ before the Foun-
dation of the World, that they fhould be holy ; and that they were predeftinated
to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ unto, himfelf, according to the
good Pleafure of his own Will ; and that they fhould be to the Praife of his glo-
rious Grace, which fo brightly fhone in GOD's free Eledion of them to Holi-
nefs and Happinefs. Hence again, after he had in the fecond Chapter given the
foregoing Account of himfelf and them, as to their being by Nature Children of
Difobedience and Wrath even as others, he afcribes it wholly to this, difclaiming
all and all Manner of felf-differing A<Sls by Works of Righteoufnefs which they
had done, and withal defending the Doctrine of free Ele6lion and efficacious
Grace, from the unjufl Imputation of its being obftru6tive to good Works and a
holy Life. But f fays he j " GOD, who is rich in Mercy, for his great Love
wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in Sins, hath quickened us to-
gether with Christ, (by Grace ye are faved) and hath raifed us up together,
and made us to fit together in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus : That in the
Ages to come he might fhew forth the exceeding Riches of his Grace in his Kind-
nefs towards us through Christ Jesus ; for by Grace ye are faved through
Faith, and that not of your felves, it is the Gift of GOD : Not of Works, lefl
any Man fhould boafl : For we are his Workmanfhip created in ChristJesus
unto good Works, which GOD hath before ordained that we Ihould walk in
themr^'
Now put all thefe Accounts together, and fee what becomes of the forefeen
good Qualities our Opponents talk of, as the moving Caufe of GOD's elefting
Men to Salvation ? Surely fuch a Conceit muft needs vanijh at the Appearance
of fuch FaSis, fuch plain and pofitive Propofitions as all thefe ; even as an un-
wholfome Fog before the difperfmg Beams of a bright Morning Sun. This I fay
muft be the Cafe, while we behold the Objedls of eleding Love, the Subjefls
of renewing Grace as void originally of any alluring good Qualities, as they are
full of the moft heinous Provocations. Hereby GOD declares himfelf free from
all
Of Pps-Edestination and Election. 8i
all createdEngagements whatever, as not led by any external Motives in theOb-
jeds of eleding Love. Which Dodrine, if rightly confidered, is fo far from
being a defpairing Doctrine to a poor, trembling, humble, fenfible Sinner, and
the Deftroyer of all his Hopes (as our good qualified Objectors are wont to
aver) as that it gives them the greatefl Grounds to hope in the Mercy of GOD
in Christ Jesus, who came into the World to fave even the Chief of Sinners.
And Christ himfelf tells us, That as the whole, the felf-righteous and full
Souls, fee no Need of a Phyfician, but thofe that are fick ; fo he came not to call
fuch righteous Perfons, but Sinners, /'. e. fenfible, humble Sinners to Repentance,
fuch as the poor Publican in the Temple. It was this conceited Wholenefs and
Self-fulnefs that kept Multitudes from clofmg with Christ, when on Earth,
for Life and Salvation, to whom he faid, ** Ye will not come unto me that ye
might have Life, Job. 5. 40. which is the very Cafe of their OiFspring \n thefe
Days, " a Generation that are pure in their own Eyes, yet are net cleanfed from
their Filthinefs," Prov. 30. 12. Such as thefe are fafter in the Snare of the
Devil than open Publicans and Sinners, becaufe harder to work upon, 'tis in vain
to tell them of the heavenly Phyfician while they count thcmfelves Whole ; thev
ftand fomuch upon their Terms wich GOD that they refufe bis Way of Eledlion
and Salvation by fovereign and free Grace ; nothing will do with them in barter-
ing with GOD for Eledlion to Salvation, but they v/ill needs bring their Pcfiny
nay their Pounds in their Hand to pay down upon the Nail for their Ele6lion
being fo rich and increafed in Goods in their own Conceit ; and GOD has poll-
tively declared that none fhall have Eledlion upon thefe Terms ; whence they
and their Money are like to periih together. The preaching of the Crofs is to
them that perifli Fooliflinefs : But to the poor fenfible Sinner that fees in himfelf
nothing but Sin and Pollution, Guilt and Defilement, it is far from being defpair-
ing : Whereas to fuch an one our Opponents Do£lrine of conditional Election,
founded on forefeen good Qualities in the Soul, would naturally tend to caufe him
to defpair, while he fees himfelf (o deftituteof thofe faid good Qualities, and una-
ble by a felf-determining free-will Power to produce them j and if he cannot,
why according to ^/jf/> Scheme of Election, he muft needs perijh, defpair and die.
As muft needs have been the Cafe of Christ's Murderers, when pricked in
their Hearts, and with extrcamAnguifh of Soul under a deep Scnfe of their horri-
ble Guilt, they cried out to Peter and the reft of ihc Apollles, " What fliall we
do to be faved" ? upon Suppofition that the Dodrinc of conditional Eledion had
been preached to them. Or indexed to the poor wicked and cruel Jailor ; or to
the Thief on the Crofs ; or indeed to any other of thofe before-mentioned Gentile
Nations, whom the Gofpel found in tiie very rnidft of all their Siiperfiition and
Idolatry, " being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Ifrael^ Strangers to the
Covenant of Promife, without GOD, without Christ, and without Hope in
the World," Eph. 2. ii, 12. As fomc of the moft profligate Sinners have
been the ObjeiSis of eleding Love ; fo fuch arcxmore eafily prevailed upon to
clofe in with Christ and GOD's Way of Salvation by him, than fuch as are
itrongly prepoflefled with a Conceit of their inmte, fm-zvill /Ibilities imd felfde-
tamitting good ^lalif cations i thanking GOD withal (who they % lu;r.ifhed
M 2 t.«Ki
82 Of Predestination and Election.
them with the Stock they have well improved) in Imitation of their praying An-
ceftor in theTemple,that ftood fo much upon hisPantibles,&vaingloriouily faying,
*' GOD i thank thee that I ara not as other Men, ijc. I am thus and thus qua-
liiied ior thy Acceptance. Whereas when GOD's Aiinilter has to do with a
piophane Publican and Sinner, whenever pretended to any fuch Richnefs and In-
creaJc of Goods gotten by his own Merchandize, he is more likely to be prevailed
upon to fall fn with GOD's Way of Salvation by Grace, the exceeding Riches
or wbich being let before him. Becaufe when once his original Impurity
and adfual Guilt and Defilement is laid before him and fet home upon his Con-
fcience by the Power of GOD's Arm revealed, he immediately falls down under
:he Force of the Conviction j concluding that he is fo far from being rich and
increafed in Goods, as that he is miferable, and wretched, and poor, and blind,
and naked, crying with the poor fenhble Publican, " GOD be merciful to me
a Smner" ; or with thofi in the J^s, " Men and Brethren, what muft we do
to be faved" ? On which Accounts it was our Lord laid to fome of the feif-
rull Phurifees of thofe Times, *' The Publicans and Harlots go into the King-
dom of GOD before you." And again, " Strive to enter in at the ftrait Gate,
tor I fay uwto you that many fhall feek to enter in and yet fliall not be able."
■ f
in fliort, v.'hen Men plead for forcfeen, free-will, fclf-determining A£ts of
Goodnefs as a piocuring Caufe of GOD's EleClion of them, they do nothing lefs
than fvmbulixe with the Papijis (altho' their Name is Protcjiant) who plead for
the Merit of their good Works ; fo little Reafon have any of our conditional
Electioners to be otiended at any One's calling their Tenets by the Term Popijh j
feeing I fay, howfoever they do difown the Na?ne, they do yet maintain the Thing.
Which is fo evident that (how fqueamifii foever they may be at the Term) they
cannot fairly rid thetfifelves of the Charge^ while they lay fo much Strefs on theVir-
lue, Worth and Value of their forcfeen Faith and good IVorks^ as to make thena
the Ground and Caufe of their Eledion to Salvation. What is this lef than plead-
ing up for Works of Merit ^ which they have done ? If they think them voidoi
Merits why do they make/« much Ado about them, and lay fo great a Strefs on
them in the great Point of Ele£iion ? If they have not referved to themfelves the
Chief o^ the %//, what then meaneth this bleating of Sheep and lowing of Oxen ?
Surely Jeroboam's Wife is ihe fame Woman "n reality, as well under a difguifed
Habit, as when in her glittering Apparel in open Court. But furely it could not
He anv forefeen Merit, or procuring Virtue ("call it what you will) in poor fallen
Creature?, or any of their Afls that moved GOD to elefl: them. To fay other-
Wife, were to afcribc a greater Vertue and caufal Influence to Men's Works than
1 to the PafTion, Bloodllied and Death of Christ in the Matter of Eleaion ; fee-
\ ing that itfelfh not the meritoriousCaufe of our Ele^ioni^hho' it be of ourjuji-
faition. Acceptance and Salvation. *' The Decree of fending Christ (as Rev.
Charnock v/ell obfervcs, and the famous Archbifhop VJher before him) ^' did not
»<^ so BEFORE hvx follotued \x\ Order oi Nature the Determination of choofmg
•« ^b.f fome. When Men were chofen as Subjcas of Glory in Christ,Christ
*' was chofen as the Means for the bringing them to Glory. Eph. i. 4> 5*
, . ** Cho/en
Of Predestination and ELECTio?r. ^^
•< Chofen in him andpredefllnated hy him to the Adoption oF Childreii. The
♦♦ Choice was notlw^W^in Christ as the moving Caufe, that the ApofHe
«* aflerts to be the good PleafLire of GOD's Will, But in Christ as the
«* Mean! of conveying to the chofen Ones the Fruits of their Election." The
Archbiihop's Words are thefe, ** Is there no Caule, Reafon or Inducement of
*' Elediion in the E!e6led themfelves ? None at all ; it is wholly of Free Grace
*' witliout Refpeit of any Goodncfs that GOD forefaw in uy, 2 Tim. i. 9.
*' Rom. 9. 16. Phil. 2. 13. Eph. I. 9. For otherwife, Man fliould have
*» whereof he might glory in, and of himfelf, as having difcerned himfelf
** from others, and GOD could not be the Caufe of all Good, nor fhould his
** Counfel be incompreheiifible." And then he adds, <' Is not Christ the
*' Caufe of our Election ? No ; not of GOD's decreeing it (for that he did of
*' his own free Will) but of the Execution of it; that is, our Salvation is for
** and through Christ." And further fays, " That Faith and Holinefs ?.vq
" the Tokens oi our EUofion.'^ Archbp, U/her^s Body of Divinity, 4th Ed, p. 92.
It appears then upon the whole beyond all Contradicflion, that GOD's Electi-
on is every JVay free., no IP'ays c/sggeiwhh this, that or the c//;rr Condition to be
performed by the Creature elected ; for " that (as the brave Father y^«:7/!//?/n^
fays) is no Ways free that is not free every Way." There could be no Manner
of Obligation 1) ing upon GOD to eleft any of the whole fallen Race, beino; in-
debtedx.0 none., difobliged hy all., who are by Nature Children of Wrath and Difo-
bedience, one as well as another, corrupt and gone aflray, every one walkinf^
after his own Way, equally indifpofed to all Good antecedent to their becomino-
GOD's Workmanfliip created in ChristJesus unto good Works, which GOD
fore-ordained they fhould walk in, confequent upon and as the EffeSis of eleSiing
and renewing Grace. 'Tis this Grace alone that makes them to difler :
*Tis this Grace that feperated them a Remnant from the reft of the World,
and mark'd them out as Veflels of Honour, to whom GOD purpofed of
his own Will to make known the Riches of his Glory. This the Eledtion ob-
tains, but the reft are left to their Race, v/ithout the leaft Stain to his Juftice, or
fovereign Mercy, being under no Manner of Obligation to eledl any, but hath
Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and is gracious to whom he will be graci-
ous } fo that it is not of him that willeth nor of him tlpt r nieth, the Caufe is
not of this, but of GOD himfelf that flieweth Mercy to whom he will ; being
as I faid before, under Obligation to none of the whole corrupt Lump, but highly
difobliged by all, fo that none can fay they are hcfore-hand with GOD in the Alat-
ter of EleSlion, which is the very Thing the great Apoftle challenges the whole
World to {hew if they can, feeing GOD is the/r/? Caufe and laji Endofall his
TVorks., when he cries out, " Who has given to him, and it (hall be recompen-
ccd to him again ? For of him and through him and to him are all Things, to
whom be Glory for ever. Amen.'* Which well comports with what GOD him-
felf, in- an immediate Manner faid long before, in Defence of his Independency
of all his Creatures and fovereign Dominion. Job 41. 11. *< Who hath pre-
vented me or been before-hand with me that I (hould repay him ? Whatfoever
is under the whole Heaven is mine." Hence
84' P/" Predestination and Election.
Hence then, Letobje6ling Men fay what they will, if we refolve to abide by
the divine Teftimony, we muft confefs that nothing bdi8es,'br fliort of GGD's
fovereign Grace and Pleafure is fufficient to bear the Weight cf Ele^iion to Salva-
tion, and that which alone can and accordingly doth fecure Salvation to the Ele6l.
Therefore, that I may, if poilible, filence all Objections on this Head, let it be
obferved that this runs through the Whole of the Eleii^s Salvation in every parti-
cular Bratte^-o^f+t^from eternal E legion lo Glorification, anfwerable to the Me-
thods of Grace in GOD's efFeding of it.
Firjl then, EhSlion is of Grace ^ fpringing from the fovereign good Pleafure of
GOD^ who chofe Perfons in Christ before the Foundation of the World, that
thcy/5)(5tt/<^be holy. Eph. i. 3, 4.
Secondly, Their P;Wg/?//7.'7//c« to the Adoption of Children by Christ unto
himfelf, is 'dccoiding to the good Pleafure of GOD's Will. Eph. i. 5.
Thirdly, The Elecl's Redemption by Christ fprings from the fame Root;
for Christ loved his Church and gave himfelf for it, that he might fandlify and
cleanfe it by the walliing of Water by the Word ; and that he might prcfent it
to himfelf a glorious Church, not having Spot or Wrinkle or any fuch Thing,
but that it {hould be holy and v/ithout Blemifh : And therefore by jiift Confe-
quence this redeeming Love found her impure, full of Spots and Blemifhes,
which, as the Effcdts thereof flaall be compleatly wafhed away. That juft One
did not fulFer for Man confidered as Ju^, but unjiifl, that he might bring them
unto GOD. Eph. 5. 25, 26. I Pet. 3. 18. GOD the Father ahb com-
mended his Love towards his Ele6l the Church, in that while they were yet Sin-
ners, without Strength and ungodly, Christ died for them ; far enough from
being pofiefTed of any good Qualifications to move GOD hereunto. Rom. 4.
5, 6, 7. Chap. 5. 6, 7, 8.
Fourthly, Are they juftiiied ? It is freely by his Grace through the Redemp-
tion that is in Christ Jesus. Ratn. 3. 24.
Fifthly, Are they eltedually called ? Why this flows from the fame Foun-
tain. 2 Tim. I. 9. " Who hath faved us and called us with a holy Calling, not
according to our Works, but according to his own Purpofe and Grace, which
was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began." Are they begotten
of the Father by the Word of Truth ? It is of his own Will, fam. 1. 18.
Arc they born again ? Why it is not of Blood, nor of the Will of the Flefh,
nor of the Will of Man but of GOD, Joh. i. 12, 13. Hence again, they are
faid to be born of the Spirit and from above, Joh. 3, ferufalem which is above
i free, which is the Mother of them all. Gal. 4. 26. It is not by Works of
Righteoufnefs which we have done ; but according to his fovereign Mercy that
they are faved, by the Wafhing of Regeneration and renewing of tlie Holy Ghoft,
abundantly fhcd on tl>em through Jesus Christ our Saviour. ^/. 3. 3,4.
Sixthly
Of Predestination and Election. ^^
Sixthly^ Are the EhSi kept from final Apoftacy unto the full Enjoyment of
the heavenly Inheritance ? Ir is by the Power of GOD through Faith, and the
^vo^sr lE.^t&.s oi Joveyfi^n -^ d unchangeable Grace. i Pet. I. 5. Rom. 4. 16.
*' Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace., to the End the Promife
mijht be fare to all the CiceU." That any are ele6t unto Salvation, made Heirs
of Salvation, and kept to the Poffeflion of Salvation, fprings from no other Root
but the good Pleafure of GOD' s Will.
Hence then, finally. The Whole of Salvation is founded here. Eternal Life
is not the Wages of Holintfs, as Death is the Wages of Sin, altho' thofc who
fliall enjoy eternal Life are fuch as have their Fruit unto Holinefs. Rom. 6. 20,
22, 23. " When ye were the Servants of Sin, ye were free from Righteouf-
nefs — - but now being made free from Sin and become Servants to GOD, ye
have your Fruit unto Holinefs, and the End everlafting I/ife j for the Wa2;es of
Sin is Death, but eternal Life is the Gift of GOD through Jesus Christ our
Lord." Accordingly our Lord for the Comfort of his Church iaid, " Fear
not little Flock, for it is the Father's good Pleafure to give you the Kingdom,"
Luk. 12. 32. And the fame is true of his giving it to all the Flock of GOD.
Thus we fee that Life Eternal, with their eternal Choice thereunto, with what-
foever falls in between thefe two extream Links of the golden Chain of Salvati-
on, as fet forth Rom. 8. 28, 29, 30, are all founded on GOD's fovereign
Grace and Pleafure., without being clogged with an Heap of I know not what
for efeen good Qualities in the Creature, producing and effecting all that Faith, Re-
pentance and Holinefs that is any Ways needful to fit the Eledt for the Enjoy-
ment of that State of Glory to the which they were chofen ; together with the
Gofpelof Grace and Salvation, by which Christ is favingly made known unto
them, and by which (as a Means in the Hand of the holy Spirit) thofe Graces are
implanted and perfeded ? Hence the making known unto them the Myftery of
GOD's Will, according to his good Pleafure which he had purpofed in himfelf,
ftand in the general Lift of all thofe fpiritual Bleffings in heavenly Things in
Christ, wherewith theFather hath blefted them : And is accordingly mentioned
as the natural Produdl of the Riches of his Grace, wherewith he abounds towards
them in all Wifdom and Prudence, according to his good Pleafure which he had
purpofed in himfelf. By which is plainly pointed out both that Grace and Wif-
dom which the great EleSior manifefteth in the Difpenfation of the Gofpel, both
direSfing and blejftng it, fo as that xt/hall accomplifh his Pleafure herein, and prof-
per in the Thing whereto he fent it, according as he at firft ordained it, as evi-
dently appears from what follows, Ver. 10, 11, 12. of Eph. i. alfo by what
the fame great Preacher fays, i Cor. 2. 7. — «' We fpeak the Wifdom of GOD
in a Myftery, even the hidden Wifdom which GOD ordained before the World
to our Glory : Which none of the Princes of this World knew j for had they
known it, they had not crucified the Lord of Glory ; but as it is written, Eye
hath not feen, nor Ear heard, neither have entred into the Heart of Man, the
Things which GOD hath prepared for them that love him. But GOD hath re-
vealed them unto (mark) unto us by his Spirit, for the Spirit fearcheth all Things,
yea the deep Things of GOD." This
S6 Of Predestination and Election.
This then appears (maugre all Oppofition) to be the true uniform Account of
Things as they were dehvered down unto us by holy Men of GOD, who
Ipake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft, 2 Pet. i. 21. Which fitly
lerves to put to Silence all thofe tioify Ob'jeSlions and clamorcus falfe Charges that
are laid at our Door ; and particularly that which chargeth us with maintaining
a Doflrine of abfolute Eledlion to the Prejudice of the divine Perft^lions and of
good Works. Whereas by this Do6frine the divine Pcrfe6tioiis are all moft glo-
rioufly dii'played, and Faith and good Works eli.iblifhed, and that too in their
proper Place and Station, as affigned of the alwije EAeSior ; {o as that his Ele6lion
may appear of Grace not of Debt. Whereas thofe who would fain have their
good Works (altho' perhaps they do no more than their Neighbours) become a
moving Caufe for GOD to ele6t th.m, do manifcfllv make EiLdtion to he oi Debt
not of Grace. Juft as tho' they were l.)th to i^e :;-/>(?//)/ indebted wuio GOD iov
their Salvation. And who by maint. lining their Doctrines of conditi<.nal Electi-
on, univerfal conditional Redemption, Freewill and falling from Grace {iLhich
carry with them their own Confutation) do manifeftly difturb the true Order of
Things, as before laid down in the inlpired Writings. Thus do our Opponents
by their prepo/Ierous Eleilion, hy/ieron proteron ^ut the Caufe for the Effect., and
the Effedl for the Caufe^ the Stream for the Fountain^ and the Fountain for the
Stream^ the Root for the Fruit., and the Fruit for the Root., deflroying the natu-
ral Property of Speech and plain meaning of Words, making GOD's Predejli-
nation^ or Fore-appointment and Diftindtion, a Pojldejlination or After-appoint-
ment, waiting upon his Creatures Fieafure and Leifure. Which in fhort is no
lefs abfurd than to fay that the Fruit is the produdive Caufe of the Root, fo
that the Root fprings from the Fruit, inftead of the Fruit from it. Whence we
may well fay. Come and behold a Wonder ! Come and fee a Tree of an Armi-
nian Planting and Growth, having its Branches in the Earth and its Roots in the
Air, whereon grows wild Gourds in Abundance. But you are advifed not to
be too hafty in meddling, left you find Death in the Pot. Come and fee ! how
thev make the Scripture to fpeak bachvard by their prepojlerous Eleftion //;«y,
GOD chofe you in Christ after the Foundation of the World was laid, be-
caufe he forefaw that you voouid be holy ; inftead of faying he chofe you in
Christ i£/Q;r^ the Foundation of the World that you f)ou Id he holy. And
again, He loved us with an ele£ling Love, becaufe we fir J} loved and elected him
for our GOD ; inftead of faying. We love h'm becaufe he firfl loved and eledled
us. \Joh. 4. 19. Thus according to thefe Men the Purpofe of GOD accord-
ing to Eledion hth notjiand., it being an Eledlion cf Creature ITorks., not of him
that calleth ; inftead of what St. P^/// faith, " For the Children being yet un-
born, neither having done anv Good or Evil, that the Purpofe of GOD accord-
ing to Election might ftand, not of Works, (namely, forefeen) but of him ihat
calleth," Rem. 9. 11, 12. Whence it feems that St. /'(Sz// might have fpared
his Pains of fuppofing and obviating an Objedlion arifing againft his Doftrine of
Election here, as tho' it rendred GOD unrighteous, as it follows in this Place.
■*' What then ? Is there Unrighteoufnefs with GOD ?" And accordingly he
was miftaken in giving fuchan Anfwer, ^^ That GOD faith by Mofes, I will
have
Of Predestination €ind Election'. 87
have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy." WheredS afecj^'rding to'cur Oppo-
nents Scheme, he fliould have fald, GOD fore/aw that Jacob would be holy, a
Doer of good Works, whereupon he determined to ele6l him, and that Efau
would not be a Doer of good Works^ and fo -he did not eJe<^ him : Whence it
appears that he is righteous, having Mercy on wh^th h5s Creature ivil/s thzt he
Ihould have Mercy ; fo that it is not of GOD that hath Me-rcy, -but // h^ of hlrk
•that loilleth and runneth. Thus as the Drome<^ry doth ttaverfe her Ways, fo do
our conditional Eleifioners traverfe (as much as in them lies) the Ways and Me-
thods of GOD's Election and Salvation. This is fo plainly the Cafe with them,
that let them twiJI and turn, Jhift and boggle^ ^addo,ev£ti allibey can, ihtwe^nnH
clear themfelves of the Charge. '-i <^^ ^"»^ ^'J' ->^'-^'i '-^"^^^ '>'■'''' '''
But here 'tis very probable that our Opponents will turn upon us with their
u/wil Smartnefs, viz. That we contradi^i our felves ; becaufe, fay they, while we
dehy good VVorks to be the Caufe cf EleSfion, we affirm forefoen evil Works to
be the Caufe of Reprobation. And what then ? Suppofc we do contradi6l our
felves ?■ which' yet 1 will not grant, -the Doctrine of abfolute Ele6tOn is never i
Whit the lefs true for that, if you will abide by vvhat is- in yiii^ir Bible, whencd
you pirofefledly take your Accounts of Eleclioni' Pray tnfrtd' that.
2. For Anfwer ohferve, that we diflinguifh between the two Parfs of Repro-
bation, viz. Non-elcciion or Pretention and Condemnation. Now Non-election i»
founded on GOD's f over eign IVill, orelfeitmuft be confefl that the Apdftlii
fpeaketh plain Words without a proper and intelligible Meaning, when he faith,
*' That GOD hath Mercy on wlK)m he'wiH have Mercy, and whom he will
he hardneth."' As by his having Mercy' is meant bis EleSiion of fome, 16 by
Hardning he can't mean lefs than a Non-ele6fion of other*, a paffing them by ;
and what more evident than that both are (as I faid) equally founded on his fov4-
reion IP'itlf ' But ntivi' Oandemnation is that vyhicbref^edleth 5?» in the Non-ekil\'
fo that CohdenmatioH 0{ thefea't iht Vpjhot of all will be by GOD as a righteous-
Judge conformable to />/j -Miw-'i/OTC^, 'iWhei^edf- ^'a^/^ wi'ir be found '^Trknfgrefpri,
Hence howfoever the Apolfle refers \\\q\x' N'dn'-'deil'ion tb OOQ'b fovereig/t Will
as the great Potter, who hath Power over his Lump otf Clay to furhj out of. the
fame what VefleLs he ■pleafeth, this being an A61 of his rcyal Prerogative y as a
defpotic ziv\- abfolute SoveJ-eign ov-dr 3II j ydt i^ie comes in tl>e following Verlesto-
fhew that //^/V Condemnation will be for thf'ir Sins by GOD'as^a righteous fudge^
who wiif hot execute hiS'' Wr^-th On thefe Vertel&of Wrativand Diilvoijcfu'r,' until
he hiis endured them with much Long-ft^^ringi &K'en uhtihby a continued Courfe
of Sinning thev becomeyf//t'J (Jr r//>^?7£'tV for Dell-f udl-ion : Hence we read of the
Sins of the Amorilcs not being vet filled up, and of others who arc faid to fll up-
their A'leafure of Iniquity. Altho' GOD lion-ele6ls them or pafieth ihem by as
Men, withrUlt Rcfpe£t to forefcen Iniquity in-themy by an Adt'bf-his • Will- asai
fovereign Difpof^rb^ his owrt Grace and Favours, vet in eoi>idemning them be re-*
fpe^ts ehehi not meerly as Men, hut zs'uvJTodiy Alen , iee tor this Jude ver. ;'i|4i./
'* 'I'herc are certain Menccr^t in unawares, who were-bcfope of Qld ordiined ■
N to ■
.8^ .0/ Pre p«sT i}fAmon and, 'EhEpT ro^.
to thisCpndemnatioB):««^g4^^eft:" 'In ihort,GOD paffed them^biy,by-.»BiA«St of
his /^///, andfaie-jordainedithemto this Condemnation by an A6t ol his Jujiice^
■with ReipecSt to their Vngodlii^ejs.. But, faith .Paul oi the Elect, in Contrauiltinc-
tion frofn thefe othef$,, v'^.iC^O^ihath not appointed Uii unto Wrath, but to
obtain Solvation, by par Lafip, Jesus, Chri&t." i Thef.\^. 9. And here 'tis
fit to, b^ noted, l.hat howi?v^f;;ithffe Mattes are fofjir alike as that i^o//«^y}
goes before and leads u-nto ,^./<r;9<^/i/>,,. and, ^/«,^o^j;^^yir^ arid fits the- Sinner tor
DeJiruSiion ; yet thefe do sci, widely differ^ in that eternal Death is the juft Wages
pt Sin, committed by the Sinner as his own proper and free A(St ; whereas eter-
jj^l Ivife is fo.f^r frpiii being.the Wages of j^plinefs and good WorJcs, as that
in the fame Place it is faid to be the G^t of GOD^thipuglfi ] ^s}Js Christ our
Lord, Rem. 6. ult. Therefore,
\'.::,iU .iji'V ^u V". rni'J Iflw aJnsnocfqO iwoirrfj aldcdoiq v;yv.'i:' ^-.or! ji/CJ
.3. "WQC^^kvery conji/iently ^fi'^tlxov^r (dvcSj yea, and ^yjth the 'holy' Scrrp.r
ture" Account of Things too*, vyhen, v^re fay that GOD's Elediion of fonie and
|^fon-ele(ri:ion of others are both equally founded on his fovereign Will. Who,
yvhile without any S^jiin to his J.vftice," might have- refu led to have, eledted anyj
*'. hath Mercy on whotii he wiil^feave ^ercy, and;whpm be will he hardneth*''
Therefore whij^ Ms^.^quarreJ ai^d find, FauJt w-iUvGOD's, Minift^rs for preachr
ing thefe Things, they do m Effect find Fault with GOD himfelf, feeing this holy
Apollle fpake as he was nio\^ed, by the Holy Ghoft. For after all the Shitting
sudgzalty Jrts of the Ar7niniam to fliun the Force of the Apofile's Difcourle of
th^ie Matters in Rom. 9. and crafty Endeavours to put another Senfe upon the
Place, contrary to all plain Rules of Interpretation, yet thefe Truths I now de-
fend remain unjhakai ; written in that -very Chapter as vrith a >S//«-5^^w2 ; as by
the Help of GOD I fliall further Evidence hereafter. And in the mean while
{hall not fcruple to, fay. That from all that hath been argued from plain Scripture^
the divine Perfe^ions and Fac^y the Dodrine of GOD's Eledion is of parti-
cular, Perfons in Christ ; that it is from Eternity ^ that 'it'x^ unto Salvation in at
Way of Faith and San^if cation, that it is not comlltlonal, -but free, abfoluie and^
certain.- The EletStion do obtain, but the reft do.Qot.ohtairi, Hence by Way of
fingtilar Emit>ency:GOD's,Ghpfen. are called the Ele&.whomh^hath chojen^ an^
xh^ very.EleQ., whom, if poffible, vile Deceivers would feduce to their eternal,
Ruin. And again, i6/f EletU whom he will fend his Angels (they being nnni-^
ftring Spirits to thefe jHeirs of Salvation) to gather them together frorn, the four
Winds at Christ's fecorid Coming, Mat. 24. 24, 31. Mark 13. 20, 22.
And again, they are called his own Eled, they cry unto him Day and Night,
•whofe Prayers, he will hear, and whofe Caufe he.will avenge, Luk. 18. And
GOD's Ehei, v^hom GOD juftifieth, for whom Christ died,, rofe again,
a(cended, and interceeds at GOD's right Hand, and whom nothing prefent nor to
come fhall feperatefrom the Love of GOD which is in Crhist Jesus our Lord j^
becoming more than .Conquerors through Christ that loved them, R6m...B'..
and who in, the fame Chapter are called the Children of GOD, and Joint-Heirg'^
with Christ, be,ing predeitinated to a Conformity to Christ, to be called^
juftified and glorified. And again, the Ele£f of GOD, holy and beloved., who ar^
accordingly
Of Predesttnation/, <fV^;F<LECTiONr. ^9
accftrdinsjly exhorted to put on Bdwels.bf Mercy, with divers other Branches of
pofitive HoIhkTs and pradlical Piety* .CoL 3.. J2. And again they are called
lieirs of Promi/e, and Heirs of Salvation, Heb. i. 14. Chap. 6. 16, 17. And
Sons^ whom the Captain of their Salvation ivill bring to Glory ; and whom he
will prefent to his Father, (a- ingi *^'' Behold here am I, and the Children which
thou haft given me." Namely,. to redeem, fac6lify and fave, as Christ in his
Pra)er to his Futher faith. Job, 17. 2.,." As thou haft given him Power over
all Flelh, that he ftiould give eternal Life to as many as thou haft given him ;"
and accordingly faith. Job, 6. 37. *' All that the Father giveth me ftiall come
Vinto me, and him that cometh'^1 will in no wife caft out. Fori came down
from Heaven not to do mine own Will, but the Will of him that fent me. . ■ And
ibis is the Father's Will that, fent me,, that of all that he hath given ine I ftiould
lofe nothings but fliould raife it up at the laft Day. And this is the Will of him
that fent me, that every one that feeth the Son and belieyeth on him may have
evcrlaftingLife,and I will raife him up at the laftDay. Now this will be done by
Virtue of theii Union with Christ their eJesSt Head anc Reprefentative, and as
a Fr .it of his Refurre<5tion, every Man in his own Order, Christ the P'irft-
Fruits, afterwards they that are Christ's at his Coming. After which he will
give them the Melled Welcome into the heavenh', Manfions. The Tenor of
which win (obferve) exajfljy comport with GOD's eternal Choice of them in
Christ, and Defignation to- the happy State ; for he will place them at his right
Hand, and fay unto them, *' Come ye bleffcd of my Father, inherit the Kingdom
prepared for you from |^or before^) the Foundation of the World" ; {o fhdW they
be for ever with the LORD,; 4/tf/. %$» j^jy, ..ilSJyef. ^,. ultJ' -MiCor. 15.
20, 21, 23. to the End. , ;. ■ , , ^ /l ^: ?; .; Ij ■:< .vr-'''-; ^ ;
, Tlius have I finifhed mv firft four genjeral Heads;, which I at firft propounded ;
which brings me to the Fifth, which was to anfv/er Objedions by Way of juft
Liference, which will be the Work of the following Chapter.
CHAP iV/i
/[^/r/? then from that plain znd poJJtive Proof ih^t hath been given of the Doc-
, trine of perfonal Eledlion, L infer, That all ObjcSiions whatfoever raifed
•\\ againft die fame are _fr':tt>j/r'/iyi : If my Proportions rtr^ /ri/t,', as indeed they
are, then by juft and undeniable Confequeiice all Ca\ils to the contrary ^n^ falfe. jk*^^
I might overthrow all Exceptions and impertinent Cavils by Wholefalc, and that
too in a \'cxy jtiji and rational Way, and fo conclude this Head of Divinity : But
confidcTJng hotu untuearied out Opponents are in their Allaults of this holy Doc-
trine, notwithftanding that Light and Evidence wherewith it ftiines in the divine
Oracles ; and that they mayn't think themfelves ncglecfted^ I Ihall by the Help
of GOD, in a particular M. inner handle every main Ohjc<Si:ion they raife, that
ever came to my Knowledge : And if /Aty& ar« Qverfet, thenall other Utt/equiS^
N 2 W//y
90 Of Predestinatton mi Election.
hVing Cavils of Courfe fall to the Ground. If Goliah be flain, the r^y? of the Phi-
liftines muji jiee. Thus much by Way of Inference in general, ^^^hich brings
me more particularly to infer,
Fh-fi^ How 'impertinent and- vain are all xk\ii Outcries of fuch as exclaim againft
this Doctrine,' faying, >Oh ! 'tis a Secret !'tis'a Secret ! and therefore doth not
belong to us ; Oh ! 'tis*'a /y^rz/i// Dodtrine not fit to betaught ! with fuch like
whining Infmuatims. iFVom whence one >vould be tempted to think, either that
fuch Perfons fekiom or never looked into the Bible, or that they read in fuch
Hafte as a heedlejs School-Boy doth his Leflbn. Whereas if they will look again
and with better Heid, they may find this Dodtrine plentifully revealed, as Part of
the Counfel of GOD, and profitable for his Church to be acquainted withal, for
revealed Things belong to us and unto our Children ; and which therefore the
Preacher wi«/? deliver and defend ^ come on him whaf will. Christ and his
Apoiilcs taught it, and therefore it muft well become all Christ's Minifters
now, unlefs ihey will think themfelves wifer than their great Mafler. And 'tis
very evident that thofe who fay this Doctrine is a Stranger in the Scripture, are
themfelves Strangers to the Scripture. And vl^hercas''tis propounded as a Motive
to excite Christ's Follov^^ers unto pr<7^?V(?/ Godlinefs, as i^t doth in a very par-
ticular Manner, Col. 3. 12. it is hiofl evident that it is as plainly revealed, and
as eafily to be perceived to be the Do6lrine of Christ, as thofe pra6lical Points
it is defigned to promote, and that there is that in it as very naturally and aptly^
produceth a poiuerful Motive to that End, and therefore may not be omitted in!
our Miniflrations, any more than thofe pra<£tiGal Points to whicli it is injoined as'
a Motive to inforce. So that it is far enough from beingan obfcurg Thing or
Matter oi dry Speculation, that it is but of little or no Service to be known, as
fume are' wont diminutively to fpeak, in order to leffen M^n's Efteem' of all
do6lrinal Articles whatlbever, without Diftintftion or Exception, whereby to pave
the Way for a meer natural KcWgion, and -^ Medley- Community in the CJiurchejl 6f-
Christ, of Light h Darknefs together. Obferve ; the Queflion here is not, Whe-
ther the grand Article of Election treated of appears to be of a more myfterious"
Nature, attended with more Difficulties to our weak Apprehenfions, than thofe
pra61:ical Duties to which it is enjoined as a Moti'^e to enforce ? but whether as
to the Matter of FaSi, it be as really and evidently declared to be Part of the
Counfel of GOD, as thofe faid practical Points are? Moreover the Qiicflioij
in Regard of the miniflerial Duty fpoken of in preaching, up this Docftrine, \k
not, Whether it ought to be performed ini ^ prudent Manner? Yov that none
^difputes ; But whether upon any ipecious Pietences whatever, it be a Point of
Prudence, and gopd Condu6t in the Preacher wAi?//)' to omit the Preaching of it,t
which vvith fo clear an Evidence appears to he Part of the Counfel of GOD P
But Secondly, I infer. How much our mighty Reafoners are out in their
\ Logick, who becaufe they find the Scriptures in diverfe Places fpeik of a national
\EIe£tion, or Ele(5lion to an Office^ and fuch like, do thence /^?-aw//v conclude
that thqre is not any fuch Thing as an ajkj'olate perfonal Eledion uiicoSalvation y
Of Predestination ani ELECTiotjr. 91
juft as if becaufe the Scriptures do declare the one^ it therefore follows they di
not declare the other : This is fome oi \k\€\x fine Reafoti'ing^ which is fcarce re^
QOx\c\\&zh\^X.o common Set! fe. But let them read again thefe Texts, " GOD
hath chofen us in Christ before the Foundation of the World, ^c." Where
obferve St. Paul reckons hfmfelf in the Number ; and was not he a particttlar
■Perfon ? And again, " GOD hath from the Beginning chofen you unto Salva-
tion," dffc And <' as many as were ordained unto eternal Life believed" ; and
«' I endure all Things for the Eled's Sake, that they alfo may obtain Salvation
which is in Christ Jesus, v^ith eternal Glory ;" and the reft of thofe plain
Texts before cited ; and then let them tell me, if by fucbp/ain Expreffions fuch
an Election as I argue for be not intended, what other or fuller Terms they could
find whereby to exprefs fuch an Ele<5lion, if they will but allow themfelves the
Liberty only to fuppofe fuch a Thing. In (hort, all the Artillery they difcharge
againft this fir ?}i and /?«Z'/^ Truth, do no more weaken its Standing, than (o many
Snow-Balls^ which break with their own Force againft the Wall they ftrike. *'For
the Foundation of GOD ftandsy«;v, having this Seal, The LORD knoweth them
that are his," *
' Inference the Third. Hence alfo falls to the Ground that Objeilion which
chargeth our Dodrine with making GOD a Refpe^er of Perfons. GOD doth
indeed by his A£l of Ele6lion refped Perfons, as that Word dznotzs fingular Love
and Favour, but not as it denotes an Adl of Injujiice ; for GOD doth not aiSl in
this Matter as a Jwlgc^ but as zfree EleSior, who may do what he will with his-
own. This Objedion fuppofeth GOD to be under an indifpenfahle Obligation to
ele£l Men. If otherwife, why do they talk of our rendring him unjujl by his/r^<f
Ele6tion of [ome and nbt others. Hence then it lies upon the Ob]e£lors to prove
that GOD is under an Obligation of Right and Juftice to ele6l all the fallen Sons
of Men unto Salvation. Therefore until they can produce divine Authority for
the Proof of it, their Objection muft ftand branded with noify Declamation inftead
<5f fouy%d Argument. In ftiort, nqt we but our Objectors render GOD to be a Re-
fpecter of Perfons iii their own Senfe of the Words, in that they will have it that
he elects Men for the Sake of their being rich and increafed in Goods, their felf-
dificring ^la/itiesy by JVorks of Righteoufnefs which they have done ; while others
muft be left out of GOD's Election that are poor and helplefs in thefe mighty
£)oings, being mifcrable, and wretched, and poor, and blind, and naked. Ac-
cording to them he that comes decked in his own-Plumes ihall be accepted and
elefted, while the poor Publican cloathed in filthy Garments ftands reje6ied until
he can come in another and better Condition. So that the Objection, iflduly
weighed, brought againft our Do£trine, doth fairly ichounA upon their own ^
mifapplying that Text which they here commonly prefs into their Service, ASfs
10. 34. which if duly weighed, anfwerable to its due Scope and Tendency, doth
manifettly make/ar, not againfi our Doflrine ; where Peter aJmiieth the Grace
of GOD beftowfed on the poor Gentiles, who are there diftiriguifhed from the
JeiOifl) Nation, who in Ages puft had been diftinguifhed by many glorious Pri-
vileges aiid Advantages from the Gentile Nations j whereas now the Cafe wag '
altered.
g2 Of Predestination fl»^ Election.
altered, the Partition-Wall being taken down, and the Genit^is become Fcllowy
Heirs with them of the fame Glory ; To that henceforth the Apoftles knew no
M^n after the Flefh, the Jews now had no Advantage over others, there is now
no more Refpedl had to that Nation more than others ; which St. Peter being
made to underftand b) the Vifion mentioned Ver. ii. he comes in Ver. 34. 307
cordingly to fay, " Of a Truth I perceive that C;OD is no Refpt'£ter of Ferfons,
but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteoufnefs is accepted
of him." Now the Otje6tion form'd againft us from this Text is founded on a
Suppofition that this fearing of GOD and working Righteoufnefs is the proper
EfFeiSts of z f elf-deter mining -free-will Power in Men as the Ground or Can fe of
their Acceptance with him ; whereas the Scriptures as we have feen, utterly
difclaim all Works of Righteoufnefs which Men have done, as the Ground of
their Acceptance wirh GOD, placing it upon a quite different Foundation : So
that the fearing GOD and working Righteoufnefs here fpoken off is to be under-
ft( od only as the holy Marks and CharaSfers of thofe that are accepted of GOD
through Christ, in whom they were chofen that they JJjould become holy aad
righteous, let them be of what ISIation foevtr^ whether fevjs or Gentiles.
Inference 4. How unjufl are all our Opponents Cavils and Exceptions againft
a holy Dodlrine which the Holy Ghoft teacheth : And how evil a Thing is it to
afperfe a DoiStrine as devilijh and licentious^ which hath the ever-hleffed GOD for
its Author? And that is fo far from difannulling, as that it ejlahlijheth Faith and
good Works ; alfo our due Regard to all thofe Means in and by which GOD
according to his Appointment doth ordinarily work, and increafe Faith and Holi-
nefs, particularly the Preaching of the Gofpel, out of which the Faith of GOD's
ElecS doth come. Rom. 10. 17. So that that Objection is of no Force that is
taken from the general minifterial Calls, Exhortations and Commands. For
(i.) The minifterial Call cannot poilibly intend every individual Man in the
World, feeing the greatejl Part of it lies in Darknefs^ deftitute of a Gofpel Mi-
niftry j it not being GOD's Pleafure to fend the Light of the Gofpel unto them,
but he fufFers them to walk in their own Ways. And if they have no
Gofpel Ml) iftry, how can it in any good Senfe be faid, that the Gofpel-Com-
mandsand Exhortations are given to all Men without Exception f Can Christ's
Minifters call on them to whom they are not fent ? Or can they hear without
a Preacher ? (as St. Paul nervoufly argues) And how fhall he preach to thent
except he be fent ? namely, by the great Governour of the World. Rom. 10.14.,
(2,) As to thofe Nations that enjoy a Gofpel Miniftry, the Minifter a6ts xery'
confiftently with the Doctrine of Particular Ele^ion, becaufe (/r/?) for any
Thing that he knows to the contrary, ail his Auoitors may belong to the Elec-
tion of Grace, and it is what he is willing to hope. Secondly, ft muft be noted,
I That the Dcfign of Preaching the Gofpel is for the effectual Calling and In-
gathering of GOD's Eled out of the Rubbifh of the World, even as a Builder
out ot a Hrep of Stones gathereth fome as he pleafeth. Tit. i. i. *' PatilzSer-/
vant of GOD and an Apoftle of Jesus Christ, accordina; to the Faith of'
GOD's Eled, and the Truth which is after Godlinefs." Which Words do
import
Of Predestination and Election. ^^
import Ills being fettled in that Office in order for the bringing of the Ele£l td
Faiih and Godlinefs, to the which they were chofen in Christ and ordained
before the World began, as it follows, Ver. 2. " In Hopps of eteroal Life»
which GOD that cannot lie, hath promifed (namely to Christ their eled
covenanting Head) before the World began. But hath in due Times manifefted
bis Word (namely, this his Word of Promife) through Preaching, which is con\-
mitted unto me according to the Commandment of GOD our Saviour": Who
fentout his Servants to invite firft the Jews and then the Gentiles to the Dinner
and great Supper that was provided, fome of whom only came, beina the Eledt
of GOD, the others refufed, and fo were juftly culpable and defervino- of Punifh-
ment, feeing this Refufal was the free Aa of their corrupt Wills ; however our
Lord afcends to the firjl Caufe and Mover of all GOD's Differences amongft
Jbhc Sons of Men, and fays, " Many are called, but few are chofen," Aht. 22.
24. Chap. 20. 14, 15, 16. Now anfwerable to this Account of Things, we
fhall find the great Apoftle's Proceedure when he preached the Gofpel ditAntioch
to a vafl Multitude both oi Jews and Gentiles^ to the formir frji of all, and to
all of ih^m without Exception ; fome of whom afterwards appeared to he mn~
f/f^ Rerfoha, who . inftcad of embracing the Gofpel- MefTage contradided and
blafphcnaed, 1 while many others of the very fame Auditory did with great Joy
and Gladnefs embrace the Gofpel of Salvation by Faith in Christ Jesus,, who
thence appeared to be of the Number of GOD's ElciS, ordained to Faith and
Life Eternal, as it follows Ver. 48. " And as many as were ordained to eternal
Life believed." ^ From whence 'tis evident that thofe who believed were GOD's
Ele6t, ordained to Faith arid eternal Life, the others not ; which Difference the
Apoftle not knowing antecedent to his Preaching to them, did accordingly preach
the Word unto ^// of them without Exceptions yea, 'tis no lefs evident that it
was the Will of GOD, who perfedly knew the Difference before, that it fhould
be fo. It is his Will and Pleafure that many be called, to wit, Minifterially,
altho' but fevv are chofen. The Fati is undeniable, how irreconcileable foever
(in the Apprehenfion of carnal Objedors) this his Proceedure may be with the
Do£trine of his Sincerity and Equity : Who- himfelf knows how to make a per-
fe£i Reconciliation in this Matter, in which we are taught to refl fatisfied. As
he chofe whom he willed to Salvation, being under Obligation to none ; fo he
taketh what Meafures he pleafeth for the In-gathering of his Ele6l out of the
Rubbifh of an apoftate World ; and who dare fay unto him. What doefl thou ?
Or why adleft thou thus ? Who dare, by objedting, pretend to inflrudt him
and teach him Knowledge ? as all Cavillers do interpretatively. Moreover, it is
very obfervable that the fame infpired Writings that in the 13th of the ji£is in-
form us, that thofe unbelieving blafpheming Jews were non-eledl Perfons, do
alfo declare tliat thofe very Men were neverthelefs juftly obnoxious to the divine
Difpleafure for their Unbelief and blafpheming Clamour, bccaufe herein they
a6led not by a Force upon their Wills, but 2&free Agents, with a full Exertion of
their wicked Wills ; as in the Cafe of Christ's Betrayers and Murderers, who
■with wicked and guilty Hands (lew the Prince of Life, who was delivered to
Death by the determinate Counfel and Foreknowledge of GOD. Hence, we
find
54 0/ Predestination /JK^ Election.
final that St.Paul & Barmbas reiprefents them as guiltyCriminals for theirUnbelief
and blafphemous putting away the Gofpel from them, yea as y>^-condemned.
For fay. they unto thefe wicked Men, Ver. 46. *' It was neceflary that the
Word of GOD fhould firft have been fpoken to you ; but feeing ye put it fr©m
you and judge your felves (ma'rk) and ju^ge your J elves unv/orthy of everlafting
Lite ; Lo ! we turn to the Gentiles : For fo hath the Lord commanded us,
faying, I have fet thee to be a Light of the Gentiles^ that thou fhouldft be for
Salvation to the Ends of the Earth. And when the Gentiles heard this they were
glad, and glorified the Word of the Lord : And as many as were ordained unto
eternal Life believed." Thus we fee that according to thtW ill of GOD it was
neiejpiry that the Word fhould be preached unto them all, whether Elt£f or hlon^
eleii that came intermixed together ; and thus by the fame Rule 'tis jiiil ne-
ceffary that this (hould be done, both that the Elcdt may be favingly converted
and brought Home unto GOD, and that the others may be left without Excufe,
who with the greateji Freedom of Will did in a furious, blafpheming, contradidt"
ing Manner, reje6t ahd put away the Gofnel from them. Thus are their Mouths
ftopped, out of which GOD will judge them. When he fl^all come to pafs his
righteous Sentence of Condemnation upon them, they (hall then flandy^"^- con-
demned, having by their wilful and wicked putting away the Gofpel from them
judged themfelves unworthy of everlafting Life: Notvvithftafjding that they are
fo evidently diftinguifhed as non-ele(^ Perfons, from thofe that being ordained to
eternal Life believed. It was not their Non-ele£iion but their not believing the
Gofpel delivered whh fo clear an Evidence, that brought them under Condemna-
tion, ** If I had not come (faith Christ of the unbelieving Pharifees) and fpo-
ken unto them, they had not had Sin ;' but now they have no Cloke for their
Sin," Joh. 15. 22. *' Ye will not come unto me that you might have Life,**
"Joh. 6. 40. The primary End of GOD's fending the Gofpel to a People is
the In-gathering the £'/^^ amongft them, and fitting them as Stones to belaid
in his fpiritual Building here, and to become fit Pillars in GOD's Temple above
hereafter. Hence when we read of the Succefs of the Gofpel in its firft Setting-,
out after Christ's Afcenfion, we read of fuch and fuch converted and brougKc
into his Church, with this clofing Account thereof, " And the Lord added
(mark) the LORD added to the Church (namely by the Apoftle's Miniftry)
daily fuch as fhould befaved^" or fuch as he had determined to fave ; which were
his chofen People, ^/^x 2. 39, iffc. and which agrees with that, j^fls 13. 48.
*' And as many as were ordained to eternal Life believed;'- while others re-
mained Unbelievers, contradicting and blafpheming; as is the Cafe at this very
Day. For we (hall find even now tlie faine Events attend our Miniftrations.
In hearing one and the fame Sermon it fometimes happens that thofe Gofpel-
Declarations which become the very Joy of fome of the Hearers Souls, fhall
be as much difrelifhed b/tothers, fo as to raifc their Indignation. However, as
the Work is the Lord's, fo /eternal Thanks be to his Namej it goes on and
profpers; it cannot be made V^oid, No, not by the very Gates of Hell : But.
fliall (maugreall Oppofition) profper in the Thing whereunto GOD hath or-
dained it, Vtfw/V, The eiFe<auai Calling and In-gathering of his £le6t, the Lord
Of Predestination and Election. 95
(that all-prcoerfnl Agent) cloth continually add unto his Church fiich as fhall be
faved. It comes to pais that as many as were ordained to eternal Life Ao ejadly
receive the Word and believe with the Faith of GOD's Elect, while other's re-
main CJubelicvcrs, and with Indignation put the Word of the Gofpel away from
them, and {o judge themfelves unworthy of everlafting Life. Hence i(Uy, Under
a fecondary and r^wi^/i? Confideration, 'tis necejjary the Word fiiould be preached
to all where it comes, that Reprobates may be without Excufe. Thus then the
Facts are evident, thus and thus hath GOD determined, and thus and thus hath
GOD commanded. So that how difficult foever it may be to reconcile pm-ticular
Determinations with general Declarations and Exhortations ; yet that in Fa.^ ther«
are fuch Things the divine Oracles do declare : Which ought to fatisfy us, and
check all prefumptuous and over-bold Inquiries about the Matter, while with the .
greateft Humility and Admiration we devoutly cry out with the great Apoftle,
" O ! the Depth of the Riches both of the Wifdom and Knov/ledge of GOD !
How unfearchable are his Judgments, and his Ways paft finding out ! For who
hath known the Mind of the Lord, or being his Counfellor hiuh taught him
Knowledge I Or who hath given to him, ajid it fl:iall be recompenced to him
again ! For of him, and through him, and to him are all Things, to whom be
Glory for ever Amen. — They that will be fatisfied with this Account of Things,
let them be fatisfied ; but they that will not are like to go v/ithout Satisfaction.
Only I will add. That howfoever preaching the Word to the Non-elect dotii not
illue in their faving Converfton, yet it is not without its Ufe in fonie Refpedts,
feeing it oftentimes produceth in them an internal Reformation of Manners,
bridling in their Corruptions from breaking forth like a mighty Torrent into
greater Degrees of Sinning ; whence their Condemnation becomes lefs than \
otherwife it would be ; and whereby they become iefs pernicious, and more
uleful in the Commonwealth where they dwell. A Lion chain'd, tho' retaining
its Lion-like Nature, is thereby held in from doing much Mifchief. If thefe
Dogs and Swine ( as St. Feter calls them ) do (till retain their Nature,
as he fliews ; yet if through the notional Knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, that comes by the Word preached, they become exter-
nally reformed, efcaping the Pollutions that are in the VYorld through Luft, for a
While, this is not without its Ufefulnefs to the Commonwealth as long as it lafts,
howfoever it afterwards happens to them according to the true Proverb, " The
Dog is turned to his own Vomit again, and the Sow that was wafhed to her
wallowing in the Mire," 2 Pet. 1. 20, 21, 22. A particular Initance of
which we have in Sitnon Magus^ Ads 8. In (hort, our Lord fitly compares
the Difpenfation of the Gofpel to a Net caft into the Sea, which gathered of
every Kind, which when it was full they drew to the Sh(->re, and fat down and
gathered the Good into V^efiels, but call the Bad aw.iy. Mat. 13. 47, 48.
And we find that the Sower, vi-z. the Prracher of the Word fows his Seed upsm
all Sorts of Ground , altho' one of them only is gooJ. Moreover, as the Word
of Grace and Salvation is by the LORD appointed as a Means to eftect the
.End, it highly reftclls on his Sovereignty and IVlfdom for Men to cry out, that ii
"the End be certain^ what med theff. ? Whereas v/e mult confider them wifely
O adapted
g6 Of Predestination afid Election.
adapted to their Ufe and End, anfvverable to our rflfjo/w/ Natures, confining of
diverfe Branches, fuch as Cautions, Threatnings, Prcmifes, Exhuitaciuiis and
Expoitulations, and fuch like. Hence fur any to cry out gs fome are wont, If
I am elected to be faved I fhall be faved, altho' I ufe no JVIeans, jea, altho* I
live never fo vvickediy ; is to argue very faoUfnly and trnfcripttirally y by feeking tQ
fut afunder what the alwife GOD hath injcpercibly joitieu together ; and is aii Jix-
peftation of attaining. Salvation in a perverfe 'W-aj, contrary to GOD's decreed
and revealed Way oF Salvation : So that if fuch Obje6turs fhould act anfwerable
fo their Random and extravagant Talk, they will meet with a wi fi.:l Difappoint-
jnent, becaufe without Holinefs no Man Ihall fee the Lord. To both which
the Elefh v/ere chofen, the former in order to the latter. Such arguing diicovers
more Folly than it fick Hezekiah fliould have faid. Well ! Seeing CtOD hath
determined that \ fhall rife off this Bed of Sicknefs,and live fiiteen Years longer,
I f>e no Need of ufing the Plaifter of Figs, nur indeed of eating and drinking j
GOD's Determinat'ions fnall certainly be accoinplifhed altho' I ufe neither Food
nor Phyfick. But here obferve again, That ht)v/<ocver it was impoflible for the
Enemies of the bieheJ Jesus to take away his Life before his Hour was come,
yet when Herod (ou^M his Life, Jofeph by a fpecial Direction fr^ m Htaveri;
WffS ordered to flee into Egypt v/ith him and his Mother, as a Means of hjs Safety.
And after our Lord came to the State of Manhood, we find how often he ufed
prudent Meafures to fhun Danger when Men fought his Life, altho' he declared
that his Life could not be taken away before his Hour was come. Do not all
run in a Race, tho' but one obtains the Prize ? And did not Paul, who attained
to a full AfTurance of obtaining it, prefs forward in order to the adual obtaining
of it ? Yea, doth not our Lord exhort them that would obtain eternal Life
to labour after it, altho' at the fame Time he has afTuredly declared that he will
give eternal Life to his Sheep, who fhal' never perifh. We are alfo told that
there remains a Reft for the People of GOD, an incorruptible Inheritance re-
ferved in Heaven for them ; yea, and that they fhall be kept by the Power of
GOD through Faith to the adual Enjoyment of it ? And are the) not at the
fame Time exhorted to labour to enter into that Rtft, to gird up their Loins to
their Mafter's Work, to be fober and hope to the End for the Grace that fhall
be brought unto them 2t the Appearance of Jesus Christ. Heb. 4. 11.—-
1 Pet. I. 3, 4, 5, 6, 13. And when objedfing Men cry out upon the Doc-
trine of particular Ekalon, That if I am eleded to Salvation I need not ftrive
to attain it ; if not eleded 'tis to no Purpofe to ftrive after it : I fay, when they
thus cry out, do they not manifeflly fpeak contradidorily to what our Lord faid
when being afked, '' Lord are there few that be faved ?" He anfwered, " Strive
to enter into the ftrait Gate, for many I fay unto you, fliall feek to enter m and
fliall not be able," Luk. 13. 23, 24. Where our Lord makes the Confide-
ration of the Fewnefs of the Saved an Argument wherefore Men fiiould ftrive to
enter in. If indeed we maintained an abfolute Eledtion to the End, without any
Mention of Faith, Holinefs, and the Means of Grace as nccefTary Mediums be-
tween Eiedion and Salvation, and a6fed accordingly, then there would be jufl
Grounds for our Opponents to objea as they^o i but as it is otherwife, they
have
0/ Predestination attd Election. ^y
have none at all. Efpecially if to this it be confidered, that however feme pro-
phone Perfons have abufed thefe holy Do(5trines (as indeed what one good Doc-
trine or Ordinance hath efcaped Abufej yet the Generality of fuch as defend them
have by their holy Living given fufficient Proof of the holy Influence thofe Doc-
trines have had upon them : The diftinguilQiing Love of GOD inCuRisT Jesus
conftraining them no longer to live unto thcmfelves, but unto him who of his
fovcreign Grace and Pleafure had feperated them from the common corrupted
Mafs of Mankind, as Veffels of Mercy, making known to them the Riches of
his Glory, fet apart to eternal Glory and Honour. They are taught wifely to
confider that as GOD chofe them unto Holinefs in order to make them meet
for rfje Enjoyment of this Happinefs ; fo they have no other Way to make their
Calling and Election fure, (or in other Words) to evidence the Certainty of
their being of the Number of GOD's Ele(5l and called Ones, but by the Study
and Pra<Slice of Holinefs both in Heart and Life ; ufing all Diligence in adding
one divine Vertue to another, as St. Peter exhorts to that very End and Purpofe,
2 Pet. I. 5. Eor it is not to be thought that by his Exhortation there to elcdl
Belieyers to ufe all Diligence to make their Calling and Election fure, he there-
by implied that their Election or being chofen of GOD was a Thing altogether
tottering and uncertain ; y,et depending upon fomething to be done by them to
make it fure, thereby moving GOD to eledl them : Becaufe all that are Believers
in Time as thefe were, by obtaining like precious Faith with the Apoftles, were
elected in Christ before the Foundation of the World, and ordained unto eter-
nal Life. Called, not according to their W^orks, but according to GOD's own
Purpofe and Grace which was given them in Christ Jesus (of no luVv'er Date
if you will believe the Scriptures than) before the World began, 2 Tim. i. g.
The Apoftle Peter wifely confidering the great Advantages of their arriving ta
a full Allurance of their Intereft in this Salvation, he exhorts them to Diligence
in holy Living, that thereby it might furely appear, or that they might be weH
aiTured of their Intereft in GOD's Calling and Election. Chofen and called
with a holy Calling unto Holinefs here, in order to eternal Happinefs hereafter.
And accordingly a/Jis, " For if ye do thefe Things ye fhall never fall "; namely,
totally and finally, but be eternally faved ; this being a Means leading to and fit-"
ting for the End. Yea hereby it is that Believers come to enjoy Heaven upon
Earth, by Faith beholding as it were the Gates of Heaven opened unto them
before-hand, difcerning their Intereft therein ; fuch is she -Benefit of the Grace
of AfTurance, as it follows, " For fo an Entrance ihall be abundantly admi-
niftred unto you into the everlafting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. (Mark) the Apofile doth not fay. If ye do thefe Things ye ihall be
^ledted, as the Words mull have run according to the Arminian Notion of Elec-
tion in this Place: For they were eki^ted even before the Foundation of the
World ; and we have before fhewn that good Works are not the 7noving Caufe
but xS^cproper Effc£ls oiYXGQiion: Whence it highly becomes us by our Dili-
gence in Purfuit of Holinefs and good Works, to make it out as a Thing fure and
evident that we are of the Number of GOD's Ele(a and Called, and thence
wi^ holy Joy to look forward, viewing a happy Entrance into a glorified State
02 ia
98 0/ Predestinatioi^ fl«^ Election.
in the everlafting Kingdom of our L^rd and Saviour Jesus Christ, anfwer-
able to the golden Chain of Salvation, and the proper Conne6tion and Order of
every Link thereof, as St. Paul hath fliewn, Rom. 8. 29, 30. " Whom he
predeftinated,them he alfo called, and whom he called, them he alfo juftified, and
whom he juftificd, them he alfo glorified." So that as our holy and efFectuai
Calling is a iniddle Link of this Chain, we by making out ihh., ^o make out our
Election thereunto, and our Glorification that follows thereupon to be fur e., even
in our own comfortable and in others charitable Apprehenfion. I obferve further,
that thofe St. Peter wrote unto were a Set o'i particular Perfons, u'ho, as he fays,
*' had obtained like preciousFaith with us," i.e. theApoitles, and were ^T^^rj o«^
to ufe Diligence to make fiire each one their own not another's Calling and
ElciStion. It is not therefore a national or Church Election, but a perfonal one
which St. Peter here intends : Which fpoils Dr. IVhitby's fine Piece of Logick,
who having taken a great deal of Pains to prove a national Election out of the
Old Tcftament (which I believe no Body denies) thence /^vyz^y//) infers, " That
" the Election mentione;-; in the New-Teftament doth never denote that of parti-
*' cular Perfom to Salvation : but only of Churches and Nations to the Enjoy-
<' ment of the Means of Grace, which puts them into a Capacity of having all
*' the Privileges and Bleflings which GOD (as he fays) has promifed to his
" Church and People." And here further affirms, *' That it is only a conditi-
** onal Ele6tion upon our Perfcvcrance in a Life of Holinefs, and to be made fure
*« unto us by good Works," But this is ivorfe and worfe. For here the Doc-
tor not onlv makes GOD's Eleftion dependant on the Creature's felf-difTerencing
A£ts of Faith and good Works, but alfo upon its final Perfcverance therein all
the Days of its Life. So that hence GOD's Election of them is not only ren-
der'd precarious and uncertain at the befl, but alfo fufpencled until they h^VQ finijhed
their Courfe, being either dying or dead. For no Man can be faid to perfe\'ere
in Faith and good Works to the End until he comes to his End. And confe-
quentlv there is no knowing A4en's Calling and Ele6tion, or their Ele(Stion by
their Calling before that Time. But how then came St. Paul to fay to the be-
lieving Theffalonians^ immediately upon their effectual Calfing bv the Grace of
the Gofpel, " Knowing Brethren beloved, your Election of GOD ? How fo ?
Why by its proper Effects and Fruits, according to that Rule, whom he predef-
tinated or elected to Salvation, them alfo he called," as it follows here : For
faith the Apoftle, " Our Gofpel came unto you, not in Word only, but alfo in
Power, in the Holy Ghoft, and in much AfTurance," i Thef. i, 4, 5. com-
pared with what he faid to the fame Perfons, iThef. 2, 13, 14. " We are
bound to give Thanks always to GOD for you Brethren, beloved of the Lord,
(namely with an e'edting Love) becaufe GOD hath from the Beginning chofen
vou unto Salvation through San£tification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth:
Whireunto he called you by our Gofpel to the obtaining of the Glory of our
Lord Jesus Christ." Compare this with Eph. \. 3, 4. where the fame
Ap^^ftle (who had not himfelf, nor thofe he wrote unto, finally perfevered as yet
in Holineis to the End of their Lives) doth with great Joy and AHurance blcfs
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for his own and their Eledion
in
Of Predestination and Election. 99
fn Cmrist, that they fliould be holy. Which EleiStion he dofh not mention as
a Thing; yet to come^ dependant on their final i-'erfeverance in HoJniefi, but as a
XhiMo; already done^ even before the Foundation of the World, and that in lime
thev ihould become holy and without Blame before him in Love ; this being
what thev were chofcn unto^ not chofen for. So that their becoming holy and
perfevering in Hjlinefs, was fo far from being the Ground and movvng Caufe of
their ElciSlion, as that their Eledion was the Ground zwA produSi'ive Caufe of all
that which became afcertained thereby. Hence it appears, that the Foundation of
GOD m ele<£ling them v:2iS frm zndfure, as what needed not any Thing Ircm
the Hand of the Creature to make it i'o : Who by all their Diligence in Works
of Righteoufnefs which they can do, cannot influence GOD's elefting A6i: to
makeity«/v. This is wholly founded upon i\\e Jovereign immutable JFill oi GOYi.
But then that we may make ywr? ta our f elves ^ or attain to a comfortable Afl'u-
rance of our Intereft in \}(\\% fure Bleffing of Election, our Diligence in progrefllvc
Holinefs is n:ceffary and ufeful; which is all that can be intended by the Exhor-
tation to ufc all Diligence in making our Calling and Election fure. Where
obferve, that when the Scriptures, as in this Place, mention what relates to our
Duty in thefe Matters, it puts our Calling before our Ele^ion. Wjiereas when
it fpeaks of GOD's A6ls herein, it puts our Ele£fion before our Calling, as point-
ing out GOD's Order of working. GOD doth not call and //;«?« ele6t. No;
but he firft elects and afterwards calls his People with a holy Calling to Holinefs
in order to fit them for Happinefs, anfwerable to his Decree of Election, Thus
GOD defcends to his People by thefe Stcps,and in this Order ; Election being at
the Top cf all. Wherefore if we would get a comfortable Affurance of our
Election part, and Gjorification to come, we muft by our Holinefs evidence our
effectual Calling, and by our holy Calling afcend to our Eledion, by which we
were defigned in Time to be called with an holy Calling unto Holinefs, with a
diligent Progrefs therein, by which we become fit for a State of Glorification ;
that hi'mg the Servants of GOD we have our Fruit unto Holinefs, and our End
everlafting Life. Hence then, as true Holinefs is the certain Eff'cSi or true Mark
of Election, and a certain Forerunner of aftual Salvation ; fo ihew me a truly
godly Man, and I will fhew you an eleSied Man, and a Man that fhall in GOD's
due Time be actually faved : Which may fitly ferve for Anfwer to that fenfelefs
and clamorous Query made by fome, and wherein I fuppofe they think themfelves
abundantly fharp and witty, " Who are the EIe6l ? And why don't you fliew
me who are the Eled, if there be any fuch Perfons" ? with fuch like indige/led
Stuff. That there is fuch a Thing as a perfonal Eledion of Men to Salvation,
I hope is what hath been already proved from the unerring Rule of our moft holy
Faith. Who as they are chofen untoHolinefs,fo by it they may be known to be
GOD's Chofen, howfoever while in their unregencrated natural State they can-
not be known from others, being by Nature Children of Wrath and Difobedi-
ence as well as others, yea, and fome of them theChief of Sinners : So that we may
not conclude that any wicked Man is a Reprobate until he has finally perfevered
in a State of Impenitency ; and fuch our Opponerrts confefs fhall not be eledted
and faved. And indeed upon Supppofition of their Dodtrine of conditional Elec-
tion
loo Of Predestination and Election.
tivon^that Queflion is very proper ; Who then of all the apoftate Race couldke
tleSied ox faved? For how ftrongly foever the Dodior pleads for this conditional
Eledtion, as tho' it Has the mofi comfortable, the mofl holy and God-honouring
DocStrine in the VVosM, yet is he grofly miftaken ; becaufe by it he denies that
GOD has by any abjolute and infallible Purpofe determined that any one fhali be
ele6led and faved, or that they /hall certainly comply with his fuppofed Conditiorjs
of E!e(5l:ion that they may ; tfxit being left, it feems, to every Man's own free-
will & Pleafure. Whence it might have happened (and a Thoufand toOne if it
had not) that net fo much as one R''Ian (liould become a true Believer and Prac-
ticer of true Hoiinefs, with Perfeverance therein, that they might be elected
arid favedi, cOnfidering how great a Work that is, how naturally averfe fallen
Man is thereunto, and how unequal a Match he is for thofe Difficulties and
Soul-Enemies that ftand in his Way ; all which he is, it feems, left to grapple
withal without any fupernatural z^ids or injuring (jrace. h this had been all the
Comfort and Encouragement that GOD intended in that Promife made to poor
fallen Adam^ " that the Seed of the Woman fnould bruife the Serpent's Head,'*
he would have had but 21. f mall Degree of it, yea none at all^ but rather DJe^iion^
Difconfotation and Defpair. For what Conclufion could have been more natu-
ral for him to have drawn, viz. That if, without infuring Grace he was over-
powered even in his innocent., paradifaicol State by a young Tempter, and fo foon
diveCced of all his Stock of free-will Abilities ; how could he, without infuring
eftabSiihing Grace, once think it pofiible to improve a new Stock to better Pur^o-
)|"es, and the Attainment of Life Eternal, while he confidered himfeif now labour-
ing under/fii tnany vaji Difadvantages ^ being now ftript of his Robe of Innocency,
having a corrupt Nature inflead of a finlefs one, and now driven out of Paradife',
^nd henceforth debar'd for ever from eating of the Tree of Life, and that now
the whole Powers of Darknefs were what he had to grapple withaL Surely upon
Suppofition of the free-ivill Scheme our poor firft Parents would have been fo far
from being comforted and encouraged by that Promife, as that they would have
been moft grievoufly deje^ied., as well they might ; and fo by juft Confequence alfo
their fallen Sons and Daughters, for whofe Sake that Promife was made, as well as
for Adam and £w, faying, Who then can be faved ? This I fay very evidently
appears to be the dejefting Confequent of the Dn6lor^s Scheme of Do6frine.
Whence alfo it further follows, that thofe who do efFe6l and attain toHolinefs,and
Perfeverance therein upito their Eledtion and Salvation, do owe it entirely to their
Jelf-differencing Performances, not to any dijlinguiflnng A<5ls of GOD's eleSlingy
determining and eftahlijinng Grace. But from fuch Metliods of honouring GOD's
free Grace, of humbling the Creature, and promoting Soul-Comfort, Hoiinefs
and good Works, good Lord deliver us f Surely they muft needs have a very
ever-weening Opinion of themfelves, who think themfelves capable (independant
of GOD's determining Grace) of believing, becoming holy, and perfevering ia
Hoiinefs to the End, and that by thefe felf-diferencing^Aih they move GOD to
eka them that they may be faved. What is at the Bottom of all this but a large
I>egree of Ignorance^ Blindnefs. and Self-conceit., yea intolerable Pride^ as not feeing
^$afeiV€S by the Fall become mtfcrahUy and wretched^ and poor^ g^nd klind., and
nakedy
Of Predestination and Election. iiot
nahd^ and as loth to be wholly indebted to GOD for their EIe£lion and Salva-
tion ? who c-innot be concent that their i'aiih and good Works fhouid iiand as
the proper Fruits and Effects of GOD's free Election and Grace, and as qualiiy-
inw Mediums fitting them for the full Enjovment of Salvation the End j but
inuft needs have thum Itand m Caufei moving GOD to eledl them to Salvation }
and jo their Elt'<3;iun and Sah ution to come upon them together, that is, at the.
Time of their Expiration, wnen they have perfevered unto the End without any
Help of CjOD'j. fupernatural and confirming Grace : Which Ihew that their
Thoughts or thernl'elves are greatly differing from the Church of old, who faidj
*' We are all as an unclean Thing, and all our Righteoufnefles are as filthy
l^ags," And that of godly Jeremiah^ " I know, O Lord, that the V\ay of
Mm is not in himfeli, it is not in Man that walketh to direcfl his Steps." //«»
64. 6. Jer. 10. 23. And truly if their Faith and good Works be not allowed
to be the Condiiior;i And moving Caufes of GOD's electing them, why they fee no
Need of them at all ; for if £le6tion be <iot conditional^ but ahfolute, they think
they may live as they lifl, and do as they pleafe. I confefs indeed tiat Tome < f
thefe independant Trader: , and mighty Impi overs of their cot/imsn Stocky can fome-
^inji,e^, etpecially when />jV/f^e^ ^«r^ in this Point, feem great Self-deniers, dif-
cl^nnug Works of Righteoufnefs whicli they have done, that of themfelves they
can do nothing without the Grace of GOD, &c. Howfoever at other Times,
Ay, utofic and the fa ?ne Seafon of Difcourfe, they can ffoutlv plead up in Behalf
of x\\Q\x conditional Y.\tdi\Qv\, and {<:) of thofe f elf- differing Works that Men do.
And here 1 ca:i do Jitde more than declare the Fa^, for I frankly own my Weak-'
nefs-xnd Want ol Skill to reconcile this Jargon, this Pro and Con together. Only
I would io far fa, tovv^ards expounding this Riadle, that when they talk of the
Grace of GOD, by it is. not meant the fupernatural Operations of his holy Spirit,
for that thry do difclaim : But that Stock of free-will Power which they fa) every
Man hath a Meafure of, is what they call by the fine Natne oi Grace, yea, the
Grace of GOD^/w« to them. This feems to be juff as if the Mahometans fnould
call their Mahomet by the Name of Christ, and then fay they believe \\\
Christ. Indeed what the Jrminians call Grace, is but the very Thing which
the fakers do call by the Name of Chriji within them, and the Light of Chriff^
by which he lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, by which all Dif-
tindfions between the Regenerate and Vnregenerate zxq confounded, the fupernatural
Operations of the Holv Ghoft,?,s the Effects of GOD's fovereign Pleafure,which
is truly and properly called Grace, juflled out, and a Counter fett under that vene-
rable Name is brought in to fupply its Room. Moreover, as to their f-metimeS;
talking that they can do nothing of themfelves, but by the Help of GOD, they
do not intend any fupernatural Help at his Hand, but his common Aids by which
we live, move and breathe. It is he indeed that gives us Power to do thefe and
fuch like Things, fo that without him we cannot do any of them. Thefe are the
common Exertions of his Power on which every one that lives and breathes doth
depend : But then we fay, in order to our clofmg with Christ h\ Faith, to be
regenerated and converted to GOD, and finally to perfcvere in Holinefs to our
Live's End, wc do need the fupernatural Aids of GOD's holy Spirit, and his
efficacious
102 Of Predestination and Election.
sjficacious Operations upon our Souls. Which is what our Opponents Ao difclaim.
Wherefore all their Talk to amufe the Unwary about their Non-ability to do
Good v/ithout GOD's Help, is nothing more than a no'ifyAmujhnent. In Ihort,
when Men talk as Ibme do, how negligent and carelefs they would live if they be-
lieved the Doctrine oi abfolute EleSlion^ which fecures Salvation to the Soul, they
give Perfuns an Opportunity to judge without htig Study, as the proper Refult of
fuch random Talk, from what Principle it is they adl in religious Services, whether
from a Principle of Life and Love to GOD, ory^r Life as Wages at his Hands.
But let them -fey what they will, we know, through Grace, both from Scripture
and Experience, that the Grace of GOD which appears in the Gofpel, and in its
transforming Power upon the Soul, and that brings and fecures Salvation unto the
fame, doth teach that Soul, denying all Ungodlinefs and worldly Lufts, to
live foberly, righteoufly and godly in this prefent World ; looking for that blefTed
Hope and the glorious Appearance of the great GOD and our Saviour Jesus
Christ, who gave himfelf for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and
purify unto himielf a peculiar People, zealous of good Works, Tit. 2. ii. —
compared with i 'Job. 3. 2. " Beloved, now are we the Sons of GOD, and it
doth not yet appear what we fhall be ; but we know that when he fhall appear
we fnall be like him, for we fhall fee hmi as he is." Now mark what follows,
*' And every Man that hath this Hope in him, purifieth himfelf even as he is
pure." How impure then are thofe Obje(5tions and Inferences from the Do6lrines
I maintain ? vi'z. That we may do Evil that Good may come, or that feeing, as
•we fay, that the Election and Salvation of GOD's Chofen is certain^ Men may-
do what Evil they will that Good will come. Which was the very Cavil that
fome of old made againft the fame Do6lrines when taught by St. Paul^ which
therefore fit the eafier upon me. Rfn. 3. 8. '* We, faith he, he fanderoujly re-
ported, or as fome affirm that we fay" (or teach by our Do6lrine) that we do Evil
that Good may come ; whofe Damnation is juft." But by the Way, I would
advife all fuch vain Ohje£fors and impertinent Cavillers to look exceeding xvell to
their own Lives and Converfation^ abounding in the great Duties of Mortification,
Self-denial and good Works, fleering very wide of all that Ncgle^ oi Duty^ Dif-
ufe of Means^ licentious^ vain and loofe Pratiices which they unjujlly charge upon
our Dodrines, left we iliould return upon them and fay, Phyfuian heal thyfelf
Or that of the Apoftle, Rojn. 2. i. " Thou art inexcufable O Man ! whofoever
thou art that judgeft j for wherein thou judgelt another, thou condemneft thyfelf,
for thou that judgefi; doeft the fa?ne Things." This I fay is what I would advife
f ichObje^lors un^o ; or elfe, alas Mafter ! your Ax-Head falls into the Water :
TheBlow which you give to others will recoil upon your <5w;«Heads with redoubled
Force.
CHAP.
0/ Predestination and Election. ioj
C H A P. V.
K^thly. " I "^HE Docftrine o^ particular Ele^ion being made evident from fhln
A Scripture^ found Reafoning therefrom and Fa^ ; I further infer, how
unju/ily Men a<fl in drawing fuch horrible Inferences from this holy Dj6^rine, viz.
That GOD made f ;me Men on Purpofe to damn them, yea, that GOD made
many Thoufand poor Souls on Purpofe to damn them. This is fome of the fright-
ful Language of fome very tencbr-hearted Men, whereby they endeavour to make
us a Scar^-i-rozv to our Neighbours round about us. But let them c/yVi.7 and cavil
as long as they will, we are not afhamed to declare before GOD, Jngeh and
JUvn^ that the Doiflrinc of Ele£tion which we plead for is zvhat is contained in our
holy Book the Bible, and that therefore GOD and not the Devil (as fome are not
afraid to fpeak) is the Author of it. They hate the Do<!^rine as ftaining all the
Pride of their Glory, and therefore do treat it and its Abettors accordingly, by draw-
ing their horrible illogical Conclufions from it, which indeed are fo very inconclu-
ilve from the Premifes, that it would have been their WifJom to have faid juj}
nothing, unlefs they had faid more to the Purpofe than they have done. And after
all their Hafte they are obliged to confefs, that many are and fliall be dani-ed
whom GOD made, as it is written, Ifa. l-j. ii. " He that made them will
have no Mercy on them, and he that formed them will {hew them no Favour."
Pfal. g. 17. *' The Wicked fliall be ttimev^ into Hell, and all the Nations that
forget GOD," Wherefore if any fay otherv/ife, this will confound al! Manner
of Diliinclion between the Righteous h the VVicked, Believers and Unbelievers,
and their different Ends after Death. Contrary to what is faid, Mark 16. 16.
*' He that believeth and is baptized fhall befaved, but he that believeth not fl^jali
be damned." "Job. 3. 36. '* He that believeth on the Son hath everlaJl^ing
Life, but he that believeth not the Son fhall not fee Life, but the Wrath of God
abideth on him." Mat. 25. 4.6. " Thefe fhall go away into everiafling Punifh*-
ment, but the Righteous into Life Eternal." Moreover the Scripture /)ay7j'iz,v-^
and plainly diflinguifheth between the Veffels of Dlfhonour and Wrath fitted to
DeftruSion, with whom GOD endures with much Long-fiifFering, and x\vz Vef-
fels of Mercy and Hmour afore prepared unto Glory, unto whom GOD willed
to make known the Riches of his Glory. But does it therefore follow that GOD
made thefe Men, called Veflels of Wrath, on Purpofe to dnnm them ? No furcj'y,
any more than it may be fiid thatfmceGOD made the oldVVorld and drowned the
old World, therefore GOD made the old World on Purpof to drown them. Or
that GOD made the Inhabitants of Sodom and Goniorrha and burnt up thofc Li-
habitants, therefore he made thofe Inhabitants on Purpofe to burn them. Or bc-
caufe GOD made the Angels that fell, and damned thofe Angels ; therefore
GOD made thofe Angels on Purpofe to damn them : Whom we find plaini'/
diflinguifhed from the elcft Angels that arc confirmed in their holy and happv
State. And the holy Scriptures, without any Apobgy to mortal ^ finful Worm«^
do declare, ** That there is % Remnant according to the Elei^ion of Grace : Tbsr
the Eleftion do obtain Salvation, a id the reft are blinded." To all vvhich,Evenr s
do bear Witncfs ; which ihcws the Vanity of all fuch Ekkt-rmgi and horribic
P Concluilojjt
'iO'4. Of PREDESTINATION and Election.
Conclufions which fome draw from thefe Do61rines. Indeed as the damnatory
Sentence which is pafled on wicked Men' for their Sins is hy the Agency of a
righteous GOD, fo every one nuill rationally infer, -that bis Purpofc muft needs,
he fome Jl-ay converfant about their Damnation, according as it is written, Jude
Ver. 4. " There are certain Men crept in unawares, who were of old ordained
to this Condemnation, ungodly Men." — Yet furely there is a wide Difference
between this^ and faying that GOD made thefe Men en Purpofe to damn them.
If it be afked, Why GOD eleded fome, a Remnant of fallen Mankind, and left
the reftout of that Election ; when without Stain to his Juflice he might have
refufed the Election of any, as in the Cafe of the fallen Angels ? I fear not to
fay with GOD's own Account of Things, that it is becaufe it is his fovereign
Will, who faid unto Mofs^ *' I will be gracious to whom 1 will be gracious, I
will have Mercy on Vv'hom I will have Mercy ; and whom he will hehardneth."
Now whatever any mav think is meant here by Hardning, it is very evident that
in the firft and general Notion of the Word here fomething is meant wide and
different from his having A'lercy and being gracious to thofe Perfons, becaufe the
one is fet in direo} Oppofition to the other, and plainly diftinguifhed as a quite dif-
ferent Thing, both of which the Scripture pofitively refolves into GOD's
Agei'icv and Will. Hence if any contradicl this, they will do nothing lefs than
oppofe and confound ail proper Dif-findlion and- plain meaning of Words. It is
exprelly faid he hardneth, " and whom he will he hardneth," in dire£l Oppofition
Unt6>and in Contradijiinctian from his having Mercy and being gracious, to whom
'he ivill. Mercv fuppofeth Mankind as /^7//d« and miferahle^ and GOD's fove-
reio^n Grace fuppofeth them undeferving Creatures, altogether undeferving of
JMercv, yea, as Jll-defervin^ Creatures, deferving of GOD's Wrath and Indig-
i^ation, z.W'\'thercft3Te cn.x\ put in no Claim at GOD's Hands \ fo that if he left ^.V
tmdcr the Curfc, where (as fallen Creatures) they lie, none could juflly comvlain
of Wrono;. Hence then'-r.f his own meer Motion he wilJ ilTue forth an A61 of
trracc to fome ^ and leave the reji^ furely thefe can't complain of Injuflice or un-
rifhteous Dealing while he faith, "I will be gracious to whom I will be graci-
ous, and have Mercy on whom I will have. Mercy. "^; This is allowed to earthl)i^
Sovereigns without arraigning the Equitahlenefs of theix Proceedings ; and yet
lliall it be di fallowed to the almighty Sovereign of Heaven and Earth? This
were to deny that Power to GOD which is granted unto Alen, which is exceed-
fn'7 wrono-. We will fuppofe a thoufand Men that rebel againfl their lawful
Soyerei^-njand do become Traitors to his Crown and Dignity, whereby they be-
come equally involved in Guilt, and liable to fall under the Strokes of Juflice j
which if they do they have no Room to complain and cry out of Wrong, Cruelt)f
?.nd Injuflice, No, far from it : Hence then if their offended Sovereign does of
his nicer Motion zui fovereign Pleafure will to fave fame and grant them a free
Pardon, and after war(^s advance them to a State of Honour and Dignity ; by
fhe fame Rule the others have no Caufe left them to complain of being injured.
The Kind's AB. of Graceic is that makes the Difference, not any Betternefs o^
moving 'ffood Qiialities in the Pardoned, they being equally as guilty and unde-
fervinf^as the Others j if otherwife the King's Acl for the faving of thefe could
HOC
Of PREDESTJNATilOJJ ^W El^ECTtON. IO5
iK)t 'be properly called his A<51 of Cr^Jtv, by which is meant his tmery Way fr^e
J£f of Favour in fparing them from the Gallows, who have therefore the greater
Reafon to extol his Mercy, which is magnihed by his not fparing the others whio
were no more guilty than thefe ; fome of whom were perhaps ihe chief Q^tn-
ders. Accordingly in a fpiritual Senfe ther« is a chofen Rernnant accor-ding to
the Election of Grace, and therefore this Election muft needs be every Way freg,
GOD will (hew electing Grace and Mercy to whom he will {hew it, and whoiji
he will fhall go without it, <hey {hall be left in their natural and falkr\ E{tate5
they {hall be Non-ele£?, which is but the fame that the Apoflle affirms
when be faith that " He hath Mercy on whom be will have Mercy, and whoiji
he will he hardneth. All this Difference it fpunded on GOD's fovcreign Grace
and Pleafwe, " For the. Children being not yet born, neither haviiig done any
Good or Evil, that the Purpofe of GOD according to Elediion might {land, not
of Works, but of him that calleth: It is not of him that willeth, nor ofhinj th<it
runreth, No, no, but o/GOD that {heweth Mercy," Rom. 9. ij, 16?. And.
■it mufl be fo, otherwife the Purpofe of GOD cannot ftand, but muff give Wgy
to the Purpofes and Wills of Men in the Matters of Ek(Sion, whereby GOD's
Honour would be Jaid in the Duff, while the Creatures would b^ exalted, ajvl
indeed the Election o^ every one rcuilrcd precarious and uncertain, fuch as could
jiot ftand, feeing the Wills and Purpofes of poor fallen Creatures ai« but y}-^;7
2\u\ fickle^ un/iable as Water ^ and at he/} no better a Foundation for EIe<9ion than
SjukI which could not bear up fo great a Building, which therefore could not
ilai>d bi t-f^l ; fo that the Election .and Salvation of all Men woiJd finally mif^-
carry, and one and all of them per ijh. Whence hy jujl and undemabU Confequcnee
our Opponent's Doctrine o{ conditional YAQSi\oK\ doth manit^ffly dlininijh GOD's
eled/'flg fa\'ing Mercy, •while it pretends to exalt it. It tends to Defpairzad Boj^-
dage, winle it promi;feth Comfort and Liberty, h leaves all Men, ev£n the Blc^-'y,.
in the ready Way to Damnation, liable to perifli, while it pretends to put ajr.
Men into the Way to.Elediofl and Salvation.
.So that forafmuch.as our Opponents i\o attribute this their cmdiiiojial htferivg
Method of Ele61:iQn and Salvation ur>to.GOD5 as what /Z? hath laid out and or-
dered, I appeal to every impa^tiul and u»pr.':ji{dicedRe,n(}.ei: whether the Objeclions--
aud Epithets of dcfpairing 6c Soul-dc/ircyh(g\I)L>&.x\ne, which ourOpponents do lay
at our Door, dojiot fairly rebound upon themfelvei ? For by their afcribing
itheir tottering EleiSlion unto GOD, do they jiot plainly in Effc6t fav,. that tho'""
he mo{t heartily wills the Eleft;ion and Solvation of all Men, he hath nevertbe-
lefs at the fame Tnaie willed this in a Way and Method whereby they viay all:
perilh, as indeed would be the Cafe of every Man, if GOD's Eledion was not:
founded in Grace. It 7nuji be founded here, otherwife the Purpofe of GOD ac-
jcording to Ekdion f<Jw/<:^ «c/ //<?w/, tccaufe then it w^uld be of Works, infread
of him that calleth. But becanfe ic is founded on GOD's //-(V -dvA uncharigeahh-
Purpofe o{ Grace, it is that all ilij Eicd of GOD (who cV-llcdivdy and Vbfo-
lutely confidcrM are an innumerable Nu;vdier) il:»all from x^ge to Age be gathered-
.into CHKisT^aFold, .(.who .knows .ojie ?.yA $U,pf his §faeep./iyAWf^) anji ae^^ordr
io6^ 0/ Predestination and Election.
ingly ca lleth them out from amongft the Herd of evil Doers, and at laft brings
them all to Glory. This, as St. Paul emphatically faith, is done according to
his good Pleafure, which he hath purpofed in himfelf (mark) in himfeify not the
Eleil th emfelves, Epb. i. 9, 10. This proves a Prefervative from umverfal
DefeSfion in a Time oi general Corruption, as in the Days of Elias, when GOD
told him that he had referved to himfelf (even thoufand Men whicfi had not bow'd
the Knee to Baal. And fo alfo in the Days of Apoftacy in which St. Paul
lived, who applied that very Cafe to that very Time faying, " Even fo alfo at
this prefent Time there is a Remnant according to the Ele(£tion of Grace ;"
thefj GOD had referved unto himfelf as before in the Days of Elias^ when the
Corruption of the Times were fo great that he concluded that none but himfelf
was left of them that adhered to the LORD, but we fee how GOD re6tified
his Miftake by telling him of fome Thoufands that he had referved to himfeify
bv which they were preferved from the common Defe6lion, being in Grace.
Wiien all Men to a Man, if left to themfelves and to an Election of IVorksy
would go on and perifli in a common Defection, the Ele6lion of Grace refcrves
a Remnant, fecuring their Salvation. And furely if we duly obferve the abound-
ing Corruptions of the prefent Times in regard both oi pernicious Dodtrines and
Pra/^ices, together with the natural Corruption there is in all Men, and thence
a Pronenefs to revolt more and more from GOD, there will appear the fame
Grounds for the Church of Christ to fay now as it did of old by the Prophet
in a Time of common Defe^ioHy Ifa. i. 9. " Except the Lord of Hofts had
left unto us a very fmall Remnant, we ftiould have been as Sodom., and we {hould
have been like unto Gomorrah." Yea, the very Eledt of GOD, Believers in
Christ Jesus, out of a Senfe of their oiun Short-comings and Remainders of
'unmortified Corruptions, and their manifold Provocations, do readily confefs it
is owing to the free and never-failing Grace of a faithful and Covenant-keeping
GOD that //'fw/^/y^i are not confumed. Lam. 3. 22, 23. Hence the Apoftle
Pctery fpeaking of the Body of GOD's ElecSl, and in their Name, in Contra-
diflinction from fcoffing Reprobates, 2 Pet. 3. 9. faith. That " GOD is not
flack concerning his Promife, as fome Men (namely thefe faid Scoffers) do count
Slackness, but is Long-fuffering to us ward (mark) to us wardy not willing that
any (namely of us the Elect) fhould perifh, but that all (to wit, oi us) fhould
Come to Repentance." Hence in Verfe 15. he accordingly exhorts eleit Be-
lievers, faying, " Beloved, account the Long-fuffering of our Lord Salvation."
CjOD's Long-fufleiing towards his Elc6t both before and after Converfion is
founded on his unmutahle Grace, by which they are preferved from perifhing in
a Time of common Dcfeftiony and kept by his Power through Faith unto Salvati-
on, who otherwife would perifh as well as others. Yea, the Apoflle here fur-
ther fhews, that the Reafon wherefore GOD is Long-fuflcring in bearing the
maiiv g'.ofs AtiVonts of wicked and ungodly Men, and delaying his coming to
[utJi;ment, is becaufe he waits for the Accomplifhment of the Number of ^/V
'EU^., and that when that is done he will certainly come to Judgment to the
I'erdition of ungodly Men, and to the perfedling his Elect's Salvation and Hap-v
pincfs, the Lord will haltcn it in his Time ; And in the mean While let the
Churches
Of Predestination and Election. 107
Churches of Christ devoutly pray as in the Kubrick of the Church of England
in her Service for the Burial of the Dead, " That GOD w^ould be pleafed of
his gracious Goodnefs (hortly to accomplilh the Number of his Ele6l, and to
haften his Kingdom."
This Account of Things however ^//r^//y^?^ by yc;w^, will I doubt not be as
fweetly relijhed by others, producing in them very offering and Heart-melting Con-
riderations,even by all thofe (let theirDenomination amongftMen be what it will)
who have an fA/>^r;W«/a/ Knowledge of the Corruption of their Natures, and
thence a Pronenefs to revolt from GOD, and who withal feel the Power of his
preventing Grace upon their Souls, and fweetly tafted that the Lord is gracious,
and to whom he is moft precious.
But to proceed. Let objeding Men fay what they will, moft evident it is
that however in GOD's rejedting of iVlen his Juftice is to be brought in, as
what (hines forth therein, as in the Cafe of the unbelieving Jeivs^ the final
Caufe of whofe Reje6tion was their Sin ; yet the original and fupream Caufe
wherefore GOD eleSis fome and non-eltHs others, or partes them by, is founded
on his fovcreign IF'ill, who hath electing Mercy on whom he will have eledting
Mercy, and whom he will he hardneth. And therefore I fay, that tho' by
hardning whom he will, we may not underftand an Infufion of Hardnefs into any,
yet it cannot denote lefs than a Non-eleSiion of thofe Perfons, a paffing them by,
and leaving them in their fallen corrupt State, withholding thofe Gifts of fan6li-
fying foftening Grace, which if beftowed on them would faniflify and foften
their Hearts, which are naturally hard and unholy, and which Men by a Courfe
of Sinning, like a common trodden Path, make more hard, whereby they pro-
voke GOD to give them up to a judicial Hardnefs of Heart and Blindnefs of
Mind, as in the Cafe of Pharoah, and thofe whom St. Pa«/ fays, GOD gave over
to ftrong Delufions to believe Lies, that they may be damned, who hadhardned
themfelves againft the Truth before delivered unto them, with the cleareft Evi-
dence ; I The/. 1. II, 12, 13. who are there evidently diftinguiftied from
others whom GOD had from the Beginning, as his Beloved, chofen unto Salva-
tion through Sanitification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth ; and who ac-
cordingly were fan6lified and preferved from the damning Sin of Unbelief, which
the others, not thus beloved and chofen of GOD, fell into, and for which Sin
they are faid to be damned, jujlly damned for their Sin of Unbelief., Hatred of
and rejedting thd Truth. So that if you all: what is the rmriiing ^\\A final Caufe
of their Condemnation, I fay it is 5'/«, their oivn wilful Sins. For howfoever
it be faid that GOD hardneth whom he will, yet he damneth none but for and
in Confideration of their Sins : He doth not damn Men mesrlj as Men, but un-
godly Men, as St. fude faith, Ver. 4. " Certain Men arc crept in unawares,
who were of Old ordained to this Condemnation, ungodly Men." So that, as
bthers are faved to the Praife of GOD's glorious Grace , (o fuch as thefe are
damned to the Praife of his glorious Jujlice. The Upfliot of all we have Proy,
16. 4. *' The L.QRD made all Things for himfclf : Yea, even the Wicked /or
the
^it^§ D/^ pRtt)5sirmATi©w and Elect mv.
t'hfi Day of Evil." Now the plain nnd genuine Meaning of thefe Words (a&
tyr. Edvjards obferves) without any Fetches is this : " That GOD the fovereign
'**■ Lord of all Tilings, defigned from Eternity his own Glory in the Creation of
*•* the World, and all Things in it, and particularly, he intended the Manifefta-
** tit)n of Jiis Juftice in his Decree to punifh the Wicked for their Sim."
*'Herrce then, as GOD's Sovereignty is difplayed in their Non-eie^ion, fo his y»/-
' tice is difplayed in puni/king them for their Iniquity : It triumphs in their Ju/? Con-
vdemnntion. All which St. Pan/ plainly fhews in the ninth of the Romans, where
"hfs Scope and Defign is to fliew who are, and who are not GOD's Ele<5t, adopt-
'ed Children, Abraharn^s and /fraersfpiriti/al Seed, which he accordingly diftin-
•■guifhetb frcfth fuch as were meerly their fleflily Seed. To illuftrate which, he
mentions Ifaac, in Diftin6tion from IJlmiael, and 'Jacob, in Diftia<5tion from
j:'f(ju, the Elejftion of the one, and the Non-election of the other: " For the
•'Children being not yet born, neither having done Good or Evil, that the Purpt fe
of GOD according to Election might flnnd, not of Woiks, but of him that
caHetlT^ ; it was laid unto Rebecca, ^he Elder fhall ferve the Younger : As it is
\vritter, Jacd) have I loved, but Efau have I hated." That is, Jacob have I
loved with an elc^l^ing Love, but Efau is not thus loved. Now from this Ac-
*count of Things the Apofl:!e in the next Words fuppofeth an Objedfion arifing
■and ra)'ing, xhzi tbcfe Dealings of GOD make him to be unrighteous, which
'the Apoftle ftates and fully anfwererhin the following Manner, " What then ?
:Js there Unrighteoufnefs with GOD ? GOD forbid." But how does he make
itout .'' What Meafures doth he ufe to filence the Obje£tor ? Why. by a
dotvnrighf Ajferi'ion of the clrvine Sovereignty, '* For GOD faith unto Mofes, I:
wrll have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy." And then to give the greater.
Force to this, he doubles the Expreilion, " And I will have Conipaflion cm.
'whom Lvvill have Compallion." And then from this Account of Things the
,Apofile thus infers and concludes, " So then (or hence it follows) it is iiot'of
""h'im that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of GOD that fheweth Mercy."
Which he proceeds to illuflrate and conhrm hy the Inflance of Pharcah thus,,
'■*' For the Scriptures faith unto Pharoah, even for this fame Purpofe have I
raifed" thee up, that I might (liew my Power in thee, and that my Name xnight
be declared throughout all the Earth." And then the Apoftle again concludes
'0ying, ^' Therefore (or hence it r.ppears) he hath Mercy on whom he will
.^iave Mercy, and whom he will he hardneth." Thus and thus doth the Apoftle
^r|-«^ and infer, gs a fufficient Anfwer to the Objection, which yet the Objedfer
is not fatisfied withal, and therefore ftill perfifteth in his Objedlions, as St. Paul
goes on and flates the Matter thus, " Thou (namely the Obje6tor) wilt then
tuy unto me (me Paul the AiTerter of this Do6lrine) why doth GOD find Fault,
'for who hath rcfifted his Will ?" q. d. " Why Paul, if GOD hath Mercy on
nvhom he will., and hardneth whom he will, as you affirm, pray where is the
j|uftice and Etjuity of GOD in finding Fault with and complaining of Sinners ?
"^vho cannot reAf^ or overthrow h'\s fovereign and ahfoluts Will in thofe Matters ?"
'*t^o. this ,fhe Apoftle returns -the following fharp Reply,, " Nay» but O Man,.
wAlo art thou Chat repkeft againft'GOD ? Shall the Thing 'formed 'fay unt9= him
that
0/ Predestination aud Election. 109
that formed it. Why haft tlinu made me thus ? Hath not the Potter Power over
the Clay of the fa?rie Lump to make one VefTel to Honour and another to Dil'-*.
honour ? What if C3OD willing to fliew his Wrath and make his Power known
endured with much Lon<:-fuft-ering the Veflels of Wrath fitted to Dclhudcion ?
And that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the V^eilcls of Mercy
which he hath atore prepared unto Glory ? Even us whom he hath called, not
of the Jcivs only, but alfo of the Gaitilcs." As if the Apoftle had faid, " WhaC
a bold and daring Thing it is for poor fmful Clay Mortals to reply againft their
almighty Maker and fovereign Potter, fo as not to allow him i'o much Power
over the corrupted Lump of clay A-lortals, as the created Potter hath over his
Lump of Ciay which yet he did not make ? Thus he goes on in aflerting the
divine and uiicontrou.'able Sovereignty of the almighty Putter over the whole
Lump of fallen Mankind ; who according to his fovereign Will (which is a moft
pcrfe(5f Rule of all Righteoufnefs) maketh fomc Vellels of Honour and i'qxne of
Difhonour : Whilft withal he flieweth that GOD doth no^fcn^ence anv of thcfe
VeilU. of Wrath and Difl^ionour unto Deftrudion, until by a Ccuife of Sinnin^j-
thev arc ripened for the f;\me ; with whom GOD endures with much Long-
fuifering, while they are filling up their Meafure of Iniquity, whereby thev b«-
comc fitie 1 to Dcftrudfion. Which Fitting, obferve, is pojfvely exprefs'd in
Refpeet of GOD, who doth not ;V^i/y^ any Hardnefs of fleart into them, but
leaves them unto themfelves and their natural Hardnefs, and is therefore no more
tJie efficient Caufeof the fame than the Sun is ofDarknefs upon the Earth (which
is of itfclf a dark Body) when it withholds its illuminating Beams therefrom.
Whereas on the other Hand, the Vefiels of Mercy, as afore pr^cpared unto Glory,
are exprefi'cd aSl'ively^ as the proper efficient A£t of GOD, proceeding from his
fovereign, Grace and Pleafure.
So that if this Place of Scripture be well noted, anfwerable to the above Ac-
count of Things, and evident Scope of the Place, the Arm'mian Interprcraiion
thereof vaniflieth. For howfoever the Place referred to from this Chapter in
Malachi concerningGOD's loving Jacob h hating Efau^do± inthe/?y? & literal
Meaning oftheWords fpeak of aDifcrimination only inRcgard of earthlyTh'w.gs,
yet it is moft evident that thf?Apoflle,who well knew theMind ofGOD,doth cor-
iider thofe Words in a higher rmyl ica I Senfc ; which is no uncommon Thing in
Scripture: For Inftance, thofe Texts in /7(?y^^ 11. i. " Out of £^pt have I
called my Son :" Which literally confidered, did refer to GOD's bringing th,e-
Children of y/?-^t7 out of Egypt: But in Mattb. 2. 15. Is in a higher myjlical
Senfe referred unto Jesus Christ's Return from Egypt. And (o in Exsd. 12,
thofe Ex'preflions, that '* a Bone of him fhall not be broken," is literally fpoken
of the Pafchal Lamb, which St. Jofm applies in ?l higher, myyiicoi and typical Senfs
urito Christ the Lamb of GOD upon the Crofs. Befides it .is evident, that
the abovefaid Place iia Malachi, as it is referred u4no,and improved by Si. Paid
in the ninth of the Ro?/ia?js, carries in it more than a lare literal Senfe ai>d Mean-
ing, even a higher tnyl\ical Senfe, as moft plainly appears by the evident- Scope of
the Chapter, and tliofe cavilling Objedions that ar^ thu?pbviat.edajidanfwered>
which
jiO Of Predestination afid Election.
which are never made againft meer temporal Difcriminations in earthly Things :
Befides all thofe high and grand Expreffions of fome being P'eJ/els oi Dijhomur and
Wrath fitted to Deftruction, and others Vejfeh of Mercy and Honour afore pre-
pared unto Glory, to whom GOD makes known the Riches of his Glory, do
manifeft that the Jrminian Glofs upon GOD's loving Jacob and hating E/au, as
tho' it intended a Difcriffiination only in earthly Things, is fallacious j By which
they reprefent the Apoftle as quoting Scripture impertinently. And at the fame
Time they fhew their Unfairnefs in confidering that Pafiage ahjlra£ily from the
proper Scope of the Apoftle in this Chapter : Which, with his whole Difcourfe
anfwerable thereunto, confidered in its uniform and conneSled Parts, contains a
moii full and pertinent Anfwer to our Opponents Objedtions and horrible Con-
\ clufions, T^hat the Dodlrine of abfolute Eleftion renders GOD &«_;7y,/?, unmerci-
1 fuU and to be the Author of -S/w, necejjitating Men to fin and fuch like. Which
\ Objcdtions do as fully lie againft their profefled DocSlrine of GOD's Foreknow-
ledge, his not evmtual faving all Men, and fuff"ering Sin with all its direful EfFe<5}s
to be and come to pafs, altho' he is almighty in Power, infii.ite in Mercy, Holi-
nefs, Juftice, Goodnefs and Truth : So that our Opponents can never fairly
clear themfelves, and are in the utmoji Strait to reconcile thefe Things together.
Befides their Objedions do equally lie againft GOD's eleding fome Jngels and
paHino^ by others, and afterwards damning them for their Sins : Who as they
came out of their Maker's Hands were holy and good, yea more noble Creatures
than Man, and whom GOD no Doubt (had it but been his Will) could have
made asc?pible Inftruments of his glorious Grace as the others, the ele<Sl Angels.
So that for any to fay that their Sin was of a more heinous Nature than Man's,
and that therefore GOD caft them off v^ithout any Hopes of Recovery, is but to
bee- the Queftion, not to refolve the Difficulty : Thfs is to cut the Knot inftead
of untying it. For it muft be allowed, that as GOD had a moft perfedt Fore-
knowledge of all Things before they were created, fo he could either have not
made them at all, or having made them, might have confirmed them in their
holy, happy State, as he did the eled Angels ? Or having fuftered them to fall,
ini<yht have found out a Way for their Recovery, as well as he did for fome of
the'' fallen Sons of Men, had he fo willed ; and yet we fee none of all this was
dt>ne unto ihcm, for they are referved under everlafting Chains of Darknefs unto
the Jud2;ment of the great Day. Now will any therefore fay that GOD made
ihem cn'Purpofe to damn them, or that he necejfitated them to fin, znA forced ihtm.
tp commit Rebellion againft his moft glorious Self, or that they did not {m freely
as free Agents in finning, or that GOD is unjuji and unmerciful P And yet there
is as much Reafon thus to obje£l as in the Cafe before us refpeding the Doctrine
of GOD's Election of fome only of the fallen Race of Mankind. Is GOD the
Author of Sin becaufe he wills to permit it, as we fee he doth ? No verily.
Then furely we don't make him to be the Author of Sin in faying that he de-
creed to permit it : And as he wills to pennit it in Time, furely it cannot be
amifs to fay his Will was the fame before all Time, And here let it be noted
th^n, when we fpeak of GOD's decreeing whatfoever comes to pafs, we make
aw tTident Jt^ftin<£^ion between his fermiffwe and his ^jfe^ivt Decrees : That is
to
0/ PREDESTiNATfON fl»/ Election. m
to fay, Whatfoever rs finful he decreed to permit ; which being acled by wicked
Men, they are the Authors of it : But whatfoever is juft and gosd he decreed io
r^if?, or to furnifh A'len with Grace to efFedl the fame. And lurely it is but
reafonable that we fhouid be allowed the Liberty to explaia our czvn Meaning of
the Deciees of GOD. Again, I would afk, Doth not the holy Scriptures ihew
us, thzt JaJas and others z£tzd freely arnd wickedly in betraying and putting
Christ to Death, *' who was delivered thereunto by the determinate Counfel
and Foreknowledge of GOD P*^* Jcit 2. 23'. Is it not pofuively aiferted by
Gur Lord himfelf, " That the Son of Man goeth as it was determined," who
yet pronounced a *■*■ Wo be unto that Man by whom he is betrayed r" More-
over, Did not the Apoftles in their Addrefsunto GOD ju/ily complain of the
Wickednefs of Herod^ of Pontius Pilate, and others con^mitted againit his holy
Child Jesus, for doing what his Hand and his Counfel detsr mined before to be
done ? Acfs 4. 28. One uiDuld think that thefe Inftances were enough to fa^
tisfy every eonfiderate Mind that GOD's Decrees have no phyfcul or forcing
Influence upcn the Wills of Men. to commie Folly and Wickednefs ; and that
the Diirrrnation of att finally impenitent Sinneisis ^«/?, akho' the Cafe be fuch
that GOD can do what he will with his own Grace ; hatb Mercy on. whom h-e
will have Mercy, and whonr he wiJ] he hardneth, or withholdeth that eifectual
Grace which would foften the Hearts of obdurate Sinners, if beilowcd on then>,
who with the greateft Choice and Frscdojn 60 purfue Folly and Wickedneis,, aixf
therefore are jiiftly culpable a.Td obnoxious to the divine- D>ii"plea6jre j- as in ti>e
aforefaid luftances of the fallen A^ngels,. and the Betrayers and-. Murderers oioiir
dear Lord, The Death of C.HRisT was infallibly fixed by the divine Decree.;
and as his being put to Death did neceirarily fuppofe an Agent or A»r!:or in thit
Matter J ib the very Man that betrayed himwas- in a very particular Manner
fpoken offeveral Hundreds of Years before that Time, A£fs i. 16, 21. P/iV»-
69. 25. Pfctl. 109* 8» and yet we fee that this Betrayer became ^V(///j/ obnoxi-
ous unto the divine Difpleafure, and as a Son of Perdition he went to his oyMi
Place : P"or however GOD's Hand and Aim's met together in the Death ctii
Christ, yetthsir Defigm were as different as Li^ht zvA Darkns-fs ;. the Ailim
was from GOD, but the Evil in the Action was from jVhn : GOD fi3r gracio'As
Ends ordained- the y/^-, and julfiy damned fudas for h\s- Wickednefs in the doi.-j-s--
of it, who 'tis eviderit adled with the grealeji Frccdofn of Mind and WjU,.
Hence, as the ftinking Savour proceeds from, the Dtmghill, confequent upon the
Sun's fhining on it, and yet the Sun remains in its untainted Purity, the Stinfe
coming from the Dungiriirs- own filthy Nature.. So in the Cafe before- us ;
altho' GOD-decrees the /'/:i/«r/V;' of A-len's Adtions, yea, upholds their ratu:-a-l.
Strength and Lives, wlrile they a(^, yet is he not the Author of Sin, which cleavsth
unto their /rations, that cometh .naturally froin their corrupt {fills, as. the ftisik-
ing Savour of the Dunghill on which the Sun fliines.- Herein (faith the ex !.*:[->
lent J'udge HaU, as I find hinv quoted bv Dr. Edwards) " We may diicern the
*' irii^?(. deep- zvid ttnfearchahleVJ \{t\om, Powsr zn6 Purity ofGOD^ that w.Hile
" Men work freely, yet therein C3OD worketh ihoixby poiv^rfjly^ and whilft
" Mdii woxksth fnfullyj, yet GOD theiaby woikcth purely and juil-jy 5. tiie
Q^ '*^ ^x«edoa.
tii Of Predestination and Election.
*' Freedom of Man is not controuled by the Infallibirtty of the Counfel of GOD,
*' n9r can interrupt nor difappoint it : And the Sinfulnefs of the Wills and Ways
*« oF Men is not juftified by the Infallibility and Purity of the Counfel of GODj
'■* nor doth it pollute it."
I will now proceed and fhew how ahfurdly our Opponents obje£l jfgainft us,
when they fay that we, by the Doctrine of the Decrees, do lay Men under a
Necefiity of finning, & that therefore we makeGOD to be the Author of Sin : Fcr
heTe\n{asDi. Edvjards observes, p^er. Redux, p. 126.) " they contradi(5l themfelvef.,
*' it being their profeflOpinion,that where there \%NeceJfity there is «o5/«,becaufe
*' it is requifite tiiat anAdion h& free if it h&fmful ; for if Men be irrefijiihly com-
*' pelled to a6t fuch and fuch Crimes, it is no Sin in them. This is ih€\x prof eji
*' Doctrine. Now then, if it be no Sin, then GOD, who is faid to be the
<' Author of Sin, is not the Author of it : Thus they confute themfelves and de-
«' ftroy their <JZf« Notions." And //;/j (fays the Doctor) "is no uncommon
" Thing for this Sort of Men, for they ufually make their Way through Con-
*' tradiclions, and aiTert that Caufe which they themfelves have jhattered and
" iveakned. I will further obferve, That the Perfons who objedl thefe and the
*' like Things to us are ftrangely />^r//W, and don't give themfelves Leifure to
<' fee the Confequence of their own Propefitions : Why is the Decree io per-
*' mit Sin the fame with the being the Author of Sin, when they themfelves main-
<* tain Propofitions, whence vje may \i\ie.v fuch a Conclufion ? They grant that
** GrOD fubftracts his Grace from fome Perfons, whereupon neceffarily enfucs
«' their Sinning. Whether they had given GOD Occaiion to deny his Grace
*« to them or no, is not inaterial here \ for we are confidering Sin only as a
,*' iSz/^y?^f;f«/ of the Denial of divine Grace: And thefe yitu grant that upon
*' this Denial thePerfons cannot but fin, and continue to ^o fo. But now I afk
" them, Is GOD the Caufe of this? They hold no fuch Thing, but fay,
«« that Sin is the Confequent^not the EffeSi of fuch Denial of Grace. So in the
" prefent Cafe, GOD determines to fufter Men to fin, whence Sin folUws :
*' But thence we cannot infer, that GOD is the Author or efficient Caufe of
" Sin. If we would be impartial, we (hould then find, that to decree the Per-
*' miffon of Sin is not to be the Author of it, but they are quite different Things :
*' Our Adverfaries then fhould not be fo forward in drawing Confequences and
" urging them againft us." Thus far theDo«5lor.
' And now (fay I) feeing they are obliged to confefs, that GOD* is a Being in-
f vilely holy, and who accordingly declares his Abhorrence of Sin, and that he is
Almighty^ able totally to root it out of the World, and that he is infinite in
Aicrcy, and ('as they fay^ moft heartily d.Vi^ fncerely yN\\\\x\^ that all, even every
Individual oi Mankind Ihould be faved. I lay, feeing they are obliged to and do
acknowledge thofe Perfedions of GOD, and plead up for univerfal Grace after
this Manner, it is fit they (hould be afked. Why or wherefore He at firft fufFered
Si4i to enter into the World, or having fufFered it to enter, and at the fame
Tiii^e perfedly knowing its pernicious Qualities, did notjlife it in its very Birth f
Or
0/ Predestination md EuEcriOTfT. irjT
Or wherefore he /ft/l fu^ers its Continuance and Spreadmgs, whereby the SoaJr
of fo many Thoufands are ruin'd for ever ? efpecially feeing, as our Opponents-
affirm, that at the fame Time he moji heartily aiid fmcerely •tv'ijha the Sal-
vation of them all? Let thefe very penetrating d^xii fagacioiis Objc6lors render
a Reafon, if they can^ beyond the Counfel of GOD's Will, and the LhifearchabU-
nefs of his Judgments and Ways, wherefore he being Almighty and Infinite ia
Mercy, doth not efFe<StuaIly Hop up that wide Gate and broad Way that leadg:
to Deftruftion, and thereby prevent the eternal Ruin of thofc maT)y that are faiit;
to go in thereat. Mat. j. 13, Let them tell mc why the mdft righteous andi
raerciful JEHOVAH did determine to, and accordingly a6iua!ly made Multi-
tudes both of Angels and Men, whom he nioft perfectly foreknew would fall into.
Sin, go on, and eternally perifli : Or having made them holy and pure, why did
be fufFer them to falJ into fuch Sins, by which they fall into fuch iVlifchiefs and
Miferies ? Is it becaufe hisArm is too weak for his Will ? Is there not Powei*.
enough in his Hand to prevent the Damnation, and actually effect the Salvation
Off every one in particular ? and yet 'tis confefTed that this is not by him effected.
What then doth it profit for Men to talk of his heartily zuijhing and willing of
it ? Why truly that they may defend the divine Veracity^ Mercy and Sincerity.
cxf the Almighty. But furely this is a mojl miferable Method that they take to.
difthis : For who fees not with half an Eye that they hereby charge that Inftnce-^
rity upon the divine Being, which they feem zealouily bent to defend^ and caft a
manifeji Blot and Stain thereon^ and on the divine Purity^ by the very Meafures.
they u>fe to wife out the Stain which they fay we caft thereon. Let us put all
to^ethef and fee the Amount of it, which is this. That almighty GOD, being
infinite in Mercy and Truth, doth mo{\ fmcerely xvifh and will t}s\<z- Convcrfmn and^
Salvation of every Man, and yet at the fame Time knoivivgly and wiUingh fulVers
many of thefe very Men to go on in their Sins and perifo^. That is, in other
Words, He mo{\: fncc rely ivilh that to be cffeSJed, which yet he doth not cffeSf,
altho' i>e be both able and willing to ejfcSt it. What is this but to t^lk foolljhl^-
a^ well as wick'cdly for GOD ? Surely it becomes thefe Sort of Men, Ica/l of
<a// others, to cry ©ut at every Turn upon their Opponents Scheme of Do6lrine,
** Contraditlion and Nonfenfe, ContradiSlion and Nonferfe."
But f will again aflc thefe mighty Advocates for the divine Puritf j thfefe'^/syw^f
Difputers of this Wcrld, and /»ro/i?w«<2' Scholars in the School ox Reafon ^xhdit pre-'
tend, to grafp every Thing thereby. How came Sin at firft to enter into th©
World ? And in anfwering this (^leftion let them aft thePart of a soodPhilofo-
p!*er, who doth xyotfo/ien ov\ fecond zad fubordinate Caufes,who refls^iiot until hu
arrives at the/r/ZCaiifc of all thefeCaufes ; and then try theirSkill in reconcihng'
Sin^s Entrance into the Worid ^^ith the divine Purity ahd GOb'spro/efl Hatred
of fo great an EviK
And once again I afk. Why, feeing GOD Is infitiite in Mercy, Power, Pir^
rify. Troth and Sinceritv, doth he not aShtally and effectually deliver everv Indi-
vidual of^v4/a»j's fallen Raceoirt of the damning Pawer xii^svn-, that- they inav iti
Q. ^ very
114 Q/" PREDESTINATTON afjd ELECTIONr
very deed be laved, as well as to wijh and ujll this to be done fo very heartily
znd Jincerelj as our Obje(Stors are wont in the mo/i pathetic Straim to fay he doth ?
backing what they hy with a large RecitaJ of Scripture-Texts in order to prove
tiieir Ailertions.
In fhort, it is certain and undeniable, that GOD hath Power enough in his
Hand adually to convert and fave every Individual of fallen Mankind, if he fo
pleafed ; But feeing (if we believe the holy Scriptures) he doth not do this, it is
molt evident that it is not his Will and Pleafure to do it ; for both the Scrip-
tures^ together with Fafts and Evc^jts, do declare, that there are many, whofe
going on in finning and perilhing, he wills not effeBually to hinder, but fuffers
to come to pafs. So that I might well retort on our Opponents and afkthem,
why they do not exprefs their Refentments of GOD's being unmerciful^ <ruely
tyrannical znd infmcere in this Caje F Why do they not cry out againft his fufFer-
ing Sin, with the damning EfFedls thereof, to come into the World, while it was
in the Pov/er of his Hand to hinder the fame, and profefleth his great Abhor-
rence of it ? Why do they not alfo as well cry out againft GOD's real fufFer-
jng and permittingMen to go on, and at laft coming under the actual Sentence of
Damnation for their Sins, as againft our Account of Things, feeing it lay in his
Power to have hindred their eternal Ruin ? And that too divers Ways ; either
Fir/}^ By not making them at all ; or. Secondly, Having made them, to have
effectually kept them from the Pollution of Sin ; or, Thirdly^ They being pollut-
ed, to have effeiftually purged and cleanfed them therefrom, and compleatly
fan£tified and faved their Souls from pcriftiing in their Sins. He couidhave faved
every Individual of h\len Mankind, if he h-^d fo ivilled : But feeing he doth not
fave all, 'tis evident he never willed all to be faved, without Exception. To fay
otherwife, is nothing lefs than to charge him with either Weaknefs and Want of
Power to execute his whole Will, or elfe that he alte^'i his Will as to the Salva-
tion ^{ fome, feeing all are not faved ; either of which is highly difhonourable to
a -Being oi abfclute and itifnite Perfection. Neither doth thefe Notions of TLtveak
and mutable Willingnefs of univerfal Salvation, which they afcribe unto GOD,
any better provide for the Sinner's Comfort and Encouragement (whatever may
be pretended) than it doth for GOD's Honour. For what fclid Foundation
for a Soul-faving Hope can fuch JViJhings of a univerfal Salvation pro-
duce, \h-cit e\ihzx x\\roaQ};\ JFeaknefs ox Mutability is liable to come to nought;
nav, at lajl iiTue in fVrath and DeJiruSfion f Let then our Opponents try to
reconcile GOD's Will \n fujfering many to go on in their Sins and perifhing in
the fame, with his Perfections oi Purity, Equity, Mercy and Sincerity, which they
fay our Doctrines do run counter unto. Muft they not here amazingly cry out,
O the Depth ' And if our Account of Things is (hocking and furprizing, put-
ting us to a Non-pksy furely thefe Accounts thereof, which our Opponents are
obliged to own, arc no lefs Jo ; and the very fame Objedtions they raife againft
MS, ^\e ag2i\ni{ themfehes here, and the like Difficulties revolve upon them to
account for. In the doing of which, their wonted Methods of having Re-.
courfe to ineffeSlual Wjflies, which they afcribe unto GOD, ^will not
ferve
Of Predestination and Electjon. 1.15
fcrve their Turn, but rather make the Matter worfe^ and entangle themfelves
yet the morey as before obferved ; they muft at lajl rtji in this., that GOD hath
Mercy on whom he will haDi^Mercy, have Compaflion on whom he will have
Companion, and whom he will he hardneth j concluding that his Judgments are
unfearchable, and his Ways paft finding out, and that at the fame Time they
are all according to Truth } that \Ahile Clouds and Darknefs are round about
him, Righteoufnefs and Judgment are the Habitation of his Throne : So that
neither will that other evafive Shift a Whit beiter folve the Dii^iculties fpoken of,
when they fay, that if GOD fhould exert his almighty Power to fave umvilling
Souls, then he -w ou\di dijiroy xhcix free Agency: For from hence it follows, that
ahho' GOD is mod merciful and moft heartily wifhes the Salvation of every
Man, yet he will fooner fufFer many Thoufands of them to go on and be damned
rather than deftroy theiryV^^ Agency forfooth : Juft as if he bore fo fuperiour a
Regard to Men's free Agency as over-hallanced and out-weighed all his mojl pincers
Wifties of their Salvation; or, as if he could not fave them well enough, con^
fiftent with their free Agency, without leaving their Salvation wholly in their
ou;^; weak Hands, independent of his determining Grace : What then becomes
of his Mercy, Power and Wifdom ? Befides, that which flill makes the Matter
worfe here is. That the free Agency contended for to acl either Way indifFe-
rently, Hell-ward ox Heaven-iuard^ independent of GOD's determining Grace,
carries in it as much Freedom and Power to do Evil and be damned, as to do
Good and be faved. This it feems is the Gift of GOD, as the EfFedls of his
boundlefs Mercy and earneft Defires of all Men's Salvation. But furely 'tis a
very odd i^nd /I range Way of clearing up the Mercy .^ Purity and Sincerity of the
Almighty, to make him out to be the Author and Giver oi (o pernicious a Quality
as this Sort of free-will Ability, whereas Man's own free Will hath ever ap-
peared to be the very Source of Sin, and fo leave all Men in a very fair Way to
ruin themfelves for ever, to whom he is faid moft fincerely to iviJJj Salvation.
How unworthy of the divine Being \s fuch a Scheme of Doftrine ? But can't*
Men ?L^ freely without a6ling independently ? This were to render GOD mak-
ing a Creature which he cannot govern. Yet if this free-will Power be not
allowed to Men as free Agents, the Cry is prefently that their free Agency is in-
tirely deflroyed \ and that their Wills are yirtY^, inftead of being ^r^^; and that
then Rewards and Punifliments can't be juft. But all this is founded on a ^ro/r
Miftake, viz. That a Power to adt indifferently either IVay towards Good or
Evil, is effential unto free Agency. Whereas it is not effential but only accidental
to free Agency, to a6l either Way indifFerently, as in Aftions either natural or
rwiral-y fuC(h as this. That every Man, whether good or bad, has a iree-will
Power, under ihe Influences of coinmon Providence, either to fit down or ftand
up, to walk abroad or ftay at Home, to give Alms, or read, go to Church, to
pray, l^c. or not, or any other AcStion that is mcerly natural or moral as to the
Aiatttr of them, that may be done without fupernatural Aids. So I fay, many
ir&c Agents, confidered in themfelves, abJlraSlly from the infallible Purpofes of
GOD concerning them, have a free-will Power in fcveral Cafes or A£lions na-
tural or rneerly moral as to the Matter of them, under the Influence of common
Providence.
ii6 0/ Predestination and Election."
Providence. Yet after all 1 do affirm, that a Freedom to adl either Way indif*
ferently is not ejfentlal to free Agency : For if it was, then by juft Confequence
it would never be wanting in free Agents, as indeed it is, as will mahifeftly ap-
pear by divers Inftances. And,
FirJI, Muft not every one allow that the ever hhjfed GOD is ^free Agent in
all that he doth ? Is he under any Force or Compulfion to do what Le doth ?
Doth he not love himfelf and Holinefs moft freely ? And yet 'tis evident he
lannot do other wife.
Secondly^ Muft it not be allowed that the glorified Saints and Angels are free
Agents in loving, blefling and praifing GOD ? Do they not adl therein with
the greateft Freedotn f Dare any fay that they a6t herein by Force and Compul-
fion, v/ithout Freedom and Liberty ? And yet every one mufl confefs that th-ey
cannot do otherwife. From v.hence 'tis evident that a free-will Power to a6t
either Way indifferently Good-ward or Evil-ward, is not ejfeniial to free Agency,
feeing this is wanting in fuch as 2iiQfree Agents.
Thirdly^ I might add. Are not the obdurate Devils free Agents in what they
do ? Are they compelled o: forced to do Evil ? And yet they have no free-will
Power to do otherwife, they have no IVill to do that which is Good.
I am not infenCble that thefe Inflances are by fome objc£led againft, as imper-
tinent to the prefent Purpofe ; but I truft they are never the motefo for fuch im-
pertinent ObjecStions : For the Qiieftion here is, Whether the free-will Power
pleaded for be eff'ential to free Agency in a free Agent, as fuch. Yea or No ?
Either It is, or it is not : If it be, then how comes it to be wanting in fome
free Agents, as we fee it is ? Or will any fay that a Thing is cornpleat when an
eJfcntialVzn thereof is wanJjing ? If it be not thus eflential, then how vainly do
Men plead, that free Agency is deflroyed by the Abfencc of the faid free-will
Power pleaded for ? If indeed we denied that unto free Agents, which was an inr
legraloT effcntial Part o^ free Agency, then the Objection raifed againft us for de-
ftroying Men's free Agency would be oi jome Ftuxe : But as it is otherwife, it is "
of none at cli. That which is ejfeniial to free Agency in a free Agent we readily
allow to be inaUiTee Agents. The Ejfcncf of which I conceive to lie in zfree^,
Kdt of the Will, in purfuing that Wjhich'the Affe6lions cleave to, or that vi'hich
the Agents like beji. And tliu5 the ever blcfied GOD delights in himfelf and
Holinefs moji freely \ and thus the glorified Saints and Angels do -^^'S^cj^reatefl^
Choice and Freedom love and praife their God and Saviour ; and tAus regenerate
Souls, the Saints of GOD on Earth, being born of the Spirit from above (althb''
that they are faid to be wi7^^ willing i?y a Day of GOD's Power, and that the
Loveof Christ fsw/^r^JiW/^ them to live, not unto them.felves, but unto him)
do this, treading in the pure ^nd.pleafant Paths of Wifdom with the grefluji
Freedom, as the Matter of their Choice and Delight. It is true indeed that the un-
reginerau P^t in them doth relu^ at divine Things, war againft and molcft the
new
0/ Predestination and Eiectiom* 117
new Creature, yet with Regard unto it, to wtU with them is prefent, and they
do delight in the Law of GOD after the inward Man, which yet (being born of
GCD) cannot fin, Joh. 3. 9. it ferves GOD muj} freely ; for we muft
note that there are in the Regenerate, as St. Paid reckoneth up,
Rom. 7. the spirit and the FUJh^ x\\tnew Man and the old one, the Mind znd
the Flejhy the former of which ferves the Law of GOD, but the latter the Law
of Sin, which the other doth not ferve : " So then, faith the Apoftle, with my
Mind ferve I the Law of GOD, but with my Flefh the Law of Sin." This
new Creature then, diftinguifhed from the old Man, cannot, doth not fin, but
ferve the Law of GOD, and yet this is done 7noft freely ; for faith St. Paul, '' 1
delight in the Law of GOD after the inward Man." Now what can be more
free in an Agent than to do what he likes hefi, and that too with Delight and
PUafure ? Such free Agents are the Saints in the Ways of HoUnefs, and fucb
free Agents are wicked and unregenerate Men in the Ways of Sin, altho' at the
fame Time thefe have no Will nor Liking unto Godlinefs, being unregeneratc»
are wholly impure in all their feveral Faculties : As their Underftandings (the
Eyes of the Soul) aro fo darkned that they fee no Lovelinefs in Christ, fo their
Wills and Affe(5lions are fo carnal and corrupt, that they x^'iM^t to come unto
him for Life ; in which Refufal they 21^ freely, doing what they like beft. Job.
6. 40. Their carnal Minds are even Enmity againfl GOD, as a holy GOD, and
the Pwrr/y of his Law, to the which (being unregenerate) they are not fubjeSf,
neither indeed can be ; fo that being in the Flefh they cannot pleafe GOD ; they
xvant a. PFill to ^\ez(Q \\\m, Rorn. 8. 5, 6. Hence our Lord might well fay.
Job. 6. 44. " No Man can come unto me except the Father which hath fent
me draw him :" Yet they have their Choice in refufing Christ and embracing
Sin and Folly, which they do with Delight and Pleafure ; fo that in Sinning they
do not zdt forcedly hxxt freely : And I have before fhewn in the Cafe cf Christ's
Betrayers and Murderers, that the divine Decrees do not offer any Force upon
the Wills of wicked Men : That notwithftanding they do a£t moft freely, and
therefore without true Repentance GOD will damn them iujily : The Malignity
of their Wills, which are Enmity againft GOD and the Purity of his Law, will
furnifli out fufficient Grounds for their jufl Condemnation in the laft Day, when
their own Confciences will bear them Witnefs that they a£led with the greateji
Freedom in Sinning, and accufe them for doing many Things which they ought
not to have done, and for the not doing many Things which they ought, and
which, under the Influence of common Providence, they bad an Miliiy to have
done i altho' without regenerating Grace they could not favingly believe, and
do the acceptable Works of Faith and Labour of Love : *' For they that are in
the Flefh cannot pleafe GOD^" *' And without Faith (even fuch as Abel and
Boah zxid Enoch \\zd) it is impoflible to pleafe him," Heh. 11. 5, 6. None
will be able in that Day to fay that their Will was towards Christ, and that
they would fain have come to Christ for Life and ferved him faithfully, but
could not, or that they came to him in good Earncfl for Grace and Mercy, but
were rejeded. If indeed the natural Man faw the Beauty of Holinefs, the Ex-
cellency of Christ, had a real liking unto and was defirous of the fame, and
through
2i8 0/ Predestination 5«i Electiow.
through meer want of Strength to come, was neceflltated to flay in the Tents
of Sin, then he would not be a free Agent, becaufe forced to a6l contrary to
his Will : But while he adls voluntarily and upon Choice^ he muft needs ztXfreel^j
and therefore may be punilhedyr^/y, zs Judas wzs^ and thofe others of Christ's
Betrayers and Murderers that remained impenitent, who with wicked Hznis^
with the Concurrence of their wicked Wills, did acSl freely and voluntarily in kil-
ling that Prince of Life, who was delivered by the determinate Counfel and Fore-
Jknowkdwe of GOD to the ignominious Death of the Crofs. The Apoftle com-
plained to GOD the P^ather againft Herod, Fontius Pilate^ and others ; but for
what ? Why for doing to his holy Child Jesus what his Hands and his Coun-
fel determined before to be done..
Hence then, the divine Oractes do evidentTy maintain that there is fuch a
Tliino' (how myfterious foever it may appear to carnal Reafon) as a ConCftency
between the infkllihlc Purpofes of GODy znd the _/>w Jgency of Men about one
and die fame Event ;. that the Certainty of the former doth not difannul a Free-
dom of Will in the tragical Effeders of it, nor in the leaft extenuate theirGuilt^ _;
This is a Scripture-Propofition, written in fuch legible Characters that there is no
£hun.ning its Evidence, but by the- defperaie Shift of denying its Validity and di-
'wine Ori'^nnat. To all this I would afk. Whether, feeing Christ's Sufferings
and Death are pofitively afcribed to the determinate Cbuniel" of GOD, they were
not in that regard nccejfary ? And whether jnotwithifanding, he did not fuffer and
^\e mo [} freely as a free ^gcnt^ without Force ? For he had Power to lay down
\i\s Life, a-nd Power to preferve it, or to take it up again ; he loved his Church
(mark) and gave hirafelf for it, an Offering and a Sacrifice unto GOD for a
iweet fmelling Savour. A full Evidence of his free Agency in that Matter :
Which may once for all ferve to prove a Confiftency between h'eccffiiy zndfree
jf^eficy. That there is a Confiftency bctweenGOD's Foreknowledge and Man"s
free Agency the Jhni'nians confefs : That there is a Confiftency bctweenGOD's
Fore-ordination and Man's free Agency the divine Oracles do declare.
Hence then, let thofe Gentlemen tell me how fine that Hair muft be that can
Be drawn between the divine Forchowledge and the divine Fore-ordination : Sure
1 am, that both in Regard of the Death of Christ and the Salvation of GOD's
Eledt, thereby thefe two are joined together ; *' For whom he did foreknow
thofe he did predeftinate to be called, juftifiedand glorified," Rom. 8. 29, 30»
Bu't alas ! according to our Opponent's Scheme, they that are aftually called,
jtiftined and faved, did attain thereunto by a free-will Power, independent of
GdD^'s Fredejiinatlon, or fovereign determinihg Grace: Whence it might fo
have happer>ed that the Saved might have been damned ; their coming to Hea-
ven was bat ara^r Foradventure ; but Thanks be to their free Wiii that
Jtappened to turn of their right Side ; but no Thanks unto GOD for any fuper-
Eattital Aids- or abfolute Purpofe of eledting Grace : For that our Opponents
wdf by no Means allow of, left' they ihould be forced^ to go tch Heaven; againji
ikdr i¥iliu\ whereby they iioulU lofe the Honour of their firs- J^ency forfavih^
But
Of PREDESTlNATrON M^ ELECTION". HO
But all fuchasaic well acquainted with themfelves, and ferioufly confidcr the
common evil Bent of t^licn M.anlcind, and how unequal a Match Man, even iu
Paradicc, was for ihe Devil wiihGut conjirming Grace, will allow, that were it
not for fiich Grace not (o much us one of all the fallen Pvace would have bceu
faved ; and thaty2>7ni? of them are faved is entirely owing to thQfree and deter-
mining Grzcc o( QOD '. So that after all our Opponents difmal Declamations
againft thofe Do6lrines, they appear to be no worfe than this, vi^. I'hat when all
Mankind, if left unto themfelves, independent of fupernatural Grace, would
work out their own eternal Ruin, GOD of his fovereign Grace and Plcafure
determined efFedually to hvcfomc, and they a Number whom no Man can num-
ber, ten thoufand Times ten Thoufand and Thoufands of Thoufands ; and tlie
Event exadtly anfwers thefe Determinations, as Scripture and Fact do jointly
evidence. So that,as ourOpponents by their loudeftOut-cries of GOD's wifning
the Salvation equally of every Man, withoutException,domake theNumber of the
a(!lually Saved never the more ; fo our Dodrine of Eledlion do make them never
the Icfs : Yea, herein our Dodrine is preferable to theirs, in that it reprefents
GOD as intending and certainly effe6ting the Sanctification and Salvation of
fome, even Thoufands of Millions : Whereas their Dodrine reprefents the Sal-
vation of every Man mod precarious and uncertainy at befl: but a bare PoJJibility^
as what may or may not come to pafs, the Lord not fecuring it by an infallible
Purpofe to fo much as one.M^n of all.
Moreover, as our Opponents difclaim ?i\\pofttive and abfolute Determinations
of GOD's giving either efFedual Grace or Glory to any, I would aik. How
fhould any Man comply with the Conditions of Salvation, fuch as Perfeverance
in Faith and Holinefs, that they may be faved, (without which our Opponents
confcfs Men cannot be faved) feeing Faith and Sandification are the Gifts of
GOD, which (according to our Opponents Notions) he hath not pofitively and
<73/o/«/^// determined to give unto anyMan j znd U not piirpofeil, then by juftCon-
fequencc not pro mi fed, for GOD doth not give thefe Gifts a"^t random j his Pur-
pofes and Promifes are exa£?ly commenfurate, the former being the Ground of the
latter. Now where there is neither certain Purpofe nor Promife of GOD to be-
ftovv thefe Qi_jalifications, how {hall any one pofTibly comply with the Conditions
of Eledion and Salvation that they may indeed be faved? but the poor Men
muft of Courfe perifh. Thus if Matters are duly weighed, the Charc^e of un-
merciful and defpairing Dodrinedothjuftly belong to our Opponents (jzy^ Scheme,
as evidently rendring the Salvation of every Man a moral Impoffibility.
Again, obferve, As their very merciful Scheme of Dodrine gives no Encou-
ragement or Grounds of Comfort to wilful and impenitent Sinners any more
than our's do ; fo tbeir's comes far (hort of our's in Point ©f Comfort and En-
couragement to thofe that are indeed penitent and godly, becaufe we maintain,
that as all that the Father chofe in and gave unto Christ, fliall come unto him'
fo hmi that cometh he will in no wife reject or caft out, and that in whomfoever
the good Work of Grace is begun, GOD will mofi (triainly carry it on and per-
lid Of PREDESTii^AtroM and Electio.n.
fe£^ it until the Day of Christ : So that, as this good Work of Grace and
Sandification is the Effedl and Evidence of their Election paft, fo it is a PJedgc
of their Glorification to come, according to that, 2 The/. i. 13. *' GOD hath
from the Beginning chofen you to Salvation through Gan<Stific2tion of the Spirit
and Belief of the Truth." Whereas it is our Opponents profeft Principle, that
even thefe, the Eleft, the fandlified, regenerate and godly Souls zvtjiill liable to
fall away from their State of Grace and Favour of GOD finally, and perip) eter-
nally ; that thefe who are FavonritA of Heaven and Heirs of Salvation now, may
fo fall into Sin as to become the Sabje<9:s of GOD's IFrath, and Hiirs of Hell
and Damnation hsreafter. >
Hence then, Let every judicious zn^^ -impartial Reader now judge whofe Doc-
trines, theirs or curs, do beft deferve Epithets of Unmerciful, Dejpairing, and the
De/iroyer of all Hopes of Salvation. What a melancholy Refledtion of Thought
inuft it yield to p:)or dejeired Souls, fenfible of their manifold WeaknefTes and po-
tent Enemies, that however the good Work of Grace is begun in their Souls, that
y-ct it may fail of being carried on to PtrfeHion ^ that if they can finally perfevere
in Holinefs, through all Manner of Difficulties whatfoever, by a due Improve-
ment of afuppofed common Stock of free-will Abilities, independent of any con-
firming, determining Grace, they m.ay at laft be faved ; but if they cannot do this^
they mull inevitahly perifli, as Thoufands have done before them.
By this Time the Reader may fee how mightily our Opponents do advance
and fet forth the' Attributes of divine Grace and Mercy by their noify Out-cries
about GOD's fincere Wijlnng of every Man's Salvation. Let the Reader fee
what he can make of fuch Out-cries of GOD'^^ifliing of the Salvation of all
Men, and try how he can reconcile this Wifh^. denying all ahfolute Purpofes zr\ii
Determinations in GOD to fave (0 much as any one Man ; even the Saints,
or true Believer himfelf. Thus might we deal with our Opponents in a Way of
,ju/i Retaliation. As for the feveral particular Texts on which they found their
Notions of ineffe^ual Wifties, which they afcribe unto the divine Being, I fhall,
by his gracious Aids, confider hereafter.
Moreover, I might here /»/?/;• obferve, how m;y«/?(v they charge us with de-
fating and limiting the Grace and Mercy of GOD, feeing the Accounts we give
thereof are exactly co?nmenfurate-w\t\\ the Plan of holy Scripture ; whillt, as it fays»
that " GOD is gracious and merciful, flow to Anger, abundant in Goodnefs
and Truth, fhewing Mercy unto Thoufands, i5fc." fo alfo it brings GOD in
faving, in a Way of divine Sovereignty, and that too in a doubled znd moji empho'
tic Speech, ** I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy-, and I will have
Compaffion on whom I \Vill have Compaifion, and that whom he will he hard-
neth." This is ihc Scripture- Account oi divine M&tcy in its uniform znd con-
nc£fed Parts i which, therefore vain Man may not attempt iofeperate*
Hence
Of Predestination And Election'. 121
Hence let our Objectors accordingly eonfider this Scripture-Account of
Things, or elfe never pretend to plead Scripture at all. And let them withal eon-
fider hovu vnhi are all their Flour'ijhes about GOD's univerfal faviiig Grace and
Alercy^ and his hearty wijhing the Converfion and Salvation o'i every Man, while
they feperate all this from all abfo lute or certain Ptirpofes and Deterndnaiions in hinv
to give Faith and Salvation unto fo much as one Man of all. According to them^
GOD hath given to every Individual of Mankind a Talent of faving Grace,
Chrijiians., Turks, Jeius and Pagans^ which Talents, if Men will improve well,
they (hall be eledted and faved, but yet hath not abjolutely determined that ens
fingle Perfon of all thefe fhall be eledted and faved, or that they fhall certainly
comply with the Conditions thereof that they may. GOD has, it fccras, done
his Part, and then looks on with a very wijhful Eye, as a Spe^ntcr, to fee the
Event, earmjllf wijhing and dejirtng that every one may make a right Choice and
perfevere therein ; which fome fee fit to do, independent of fipernatural Aids,
whereby they become intitled to Election and Salvation ; while others mit^
improve their faid Stock of Grace and Talents of free-will Power, whence GOD
refufeth to eledt and fave them, altho*^ he as much wijhed and willed their Salva-
tion as he did the others.
> leiiaih
But who does not at once fee, how unworthy of the alwffe GOD /^/^,§
a Scheme of DotSlrme is ? Alfo in havj forcible and wrong a Manner our Oppo-
nents/)rr/} into their Service the Parable of the Talents : Juft as if thereby is
meant that every individual Man and Woman, not only Chrijiians, hjeivs, but
alfo Turks, or Pagans, who have no moreLight into GOD*.-. Way of Salvation than
what the Light of Nature can gather from the Book of Creation ?nd Pro-
vidence, or from Mahomet's Alcoran, had a Talent of faving Grace, upon tiie
due Improvement of which, without any Gofpel Light, or fupernatural Gifts of
Grace, they may come to the Attainment of Election and Salvation ; whereas in
that Place our Lord is only and particularly fpeaking of his yifible Church and
the Gofpel Difpenfition, which he calls the Kingdom of Heaven ; which there-
fore cannot intend the Kingdoms of this IVorld, with all Men, the Inhabitants of
the fame. In the foregoing Par-able of the wife and foolifli Virgins, he had fpo-
ken of the Meinbers of the vifible Church in general, as fuch, both fuch as .were
rip^/ and fuch as were only wOT/??ij/ Chriftianfe'. And then' in this Parable of the
Talents^ which immediately follows, our Saviour comes to fpeak, as I conceive,
more particularly of the Miniflers oi the Church, gifted with the Talents of
Knowledge and Utterance, for the Service of Christ and his Gofpel-Kingdom,
who are therefore, by Way of £'w?/)^^j, czAeA- Servants, and their minifterial
Gifts called Taleiks',--^\\\<:\\ they are to impwjve xvith Study and Diligence, an-
fwerable to the feveral Meafures and Degrees of Ability GOD hath given them^
to loracyfof, unto others tw9, and unto others one Tafcht. Now as thefemini-
fter>al "Gifts or TiX^wiimay dv have'le¥ri where true fanc^ifyffig Grace is not \ /^
it is no' Wonder that fome prove flothfal, hiding their Talents in the Earth, ais
Z)^/wtf J the Preacher did, and at lafi: be caft as unprofitable Servants into vyutef
Darkaeii, as wili be the Cafe gf fome that had prophdied in Christ's Namc»
122 0/ Predestination and Election.
Jl^ai. J. 22. So that this Place of Scripture, if duly confidered, doth neither
prove^the Doctrine of univerfal Grace in every Man, nor the poflibility of the
final Apofti:cy, as fome imagine.
Let the Reader duly confider how exn£[\y this Account of Things agrees with
the Scope of the Place, and Connexion of the two Parables in their Order ;
the firlt of the ten Virgins, reprefenting the vifible Church in her Members, both
nominal znd real, and then that of the Talents, refpecling her Miniflers ; Where
obferve the Names given to them, they being, by Way of Emphafts, called Ser-
vants, their miniftcrial Gifts called Talents, thefe being the greatcft Gifts for
Ufefulnefs and Service in the Church, as Talents were the greatefl of Weights
and Coins among the Jexus, to the which there is a proper Alhifion ; to this con-
fider the Nature of them, being fuch as might be i?nproved or loji, and for which
Men are accountable ; alfo the Tirjie of Delivery q\ them, when Christ went in-
to a far Country, into Heaven, when he afcended on high, and received Gifts
for and gave them unto Men for the Service of the Church, to whom they are
Servants for Jesus Sake, 2 Cor. 4. 5. To this confider the unequal Diftri-
bution of them, to fome more, unto others lefs : All which do perfectly agree
with minifterial Gifts, aS both Scripture and FaSf do declare ; fome havingjfw,
fome two, others «?n^Talent, which as they may be where true Grace is not,i Cor.
13.1,2,3. So are fometimes by Demas's Followers buried in the Earth, laid by
as ufelefs for the Sake and on the Account of worldly Advantages, whence they
are ///j called zi//Vif^ and /(?//;/«/ Servants, and accordingly juftly caft into utter
Darknefs : Thus Death is the Wages, the j'u/l Wages of his Sin,whilft the good
and faithful Servant is welcomed into his Mafler's Joy, or L^fe Eternal, not as
the Wages of his Goodnefs^and Fidelity, (as the Jrminian Notion of the Talents
doth fully import) but as thiCift, the free Gift of GOD throughjEsus Christ
our Lord : The Reward is not of Debt but of Grace.
.. . , C H A P. VL
r ''•>''{ litOl* ^■'{"•iJl 2S ,i:. ' ''*
BUT if this Text fails our Opponents, they have more at Hand : We will
proceed and try their Strength i particularly that in Mat. 11. 21, 22.
*' Wo unto thee Chorazin, Wo unto thee Bethfaida : For if the mighty Works
which have been done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have
repented long ago in Sackcloth and Afhes." But the hnpertinency oi bringing
this Text to prove the Doftrine of Self-Ability to fave by a fuppofed Stock of
fuflicient Grace in every Man, will appear at the/r/? Dajh : For if thefe faid
Tyrians and Sidonians had had within themfelves a Stock of Grace fufficient to
have converted and faved themfelves, what Need had they of the Advantages
granted to Chorazin and Bethfaida to render that Grace fufHcient unto thofe
Ends ? Where i% the good Senfe of this ? How do our Opponents contradia
themfelves ,2j£u«:ji - For, ;«,/ 3(15 - ^-- >,: .,
* » •'9
Of Predestination and Election. i2j
/Vr/?, They maintain, that all Men, and fo confequently thefe Tyriatis aid
Sidoniam aniongft others, even tho' they never enjoyed the Gol'pel, had fuch
a Stock of univerfal Grace and free-will Abilities, if improved, as wtvi: fully
fujfcient to efFetft their Converfion and Salvation, without thofe Gofpel-Advan-
tages granted to Chorazin and Bethfaida : And yet by their quoting of this Text
they do in EfFtcSt plainly (tho' abfurdly) fay, that thefe People needed them in
order to render their faid Stock of free-will Grace and Abilities effecSlual to thofe
Edds ; which yet GOD, who heartily willed their Converfion and Salvation, did
not give them. This is well worthy of the ylr7ninian Scheme. But if we Ise-
lieve the divine Oracles, fomething tnore than the bare external Means of Grace
and Salvation, and mighty miraculous Works, is necelTary in order to compleat
Men's Converfion, even ihe powerful Influences of the Holy Ghoft ; " For nei-
ther is he that planteth any Thing, nor he that watereth, but it is GOD that
giveth the Increafe," i Cor. 3. 7. and that too, not according to Man's Will,
but his own fovereign Grace and Pleafurc, as appears by Ver. 25th ^nd 26th
following the Words under Confideration ; " At that Time Jesus anfwered
and faid, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, becaufe thou
haft hid thefe Things from the Wife and Prudent, and haft revealed tl.em unto
Babes : Even fo Father, for fo it feemed good in thy Sight."
It is true indeed, that tho' true Faith and Repentance unto Life are not of
Men's felves, but the Gift of GOD ; yet according to a human Judgment of
Things (which I take to be the Senfe of the Words) it was very probable, that
if thofe profligate Sinners of Tyre, Sidon and Sodom, had enjoyed the external
Advantages which were granted to thofe obftinate and unbelieving Jews, they
might have been brought to z legal Repentance and Humiliation in Sackcloth^
and Afhes, (tho' perhaps not to an evangelic Repentance unto Life) as in the
Cafe of Abab and the Ninevltes, upon which enfued a Stay of Execution of the
Judgments thrcatned, and who were moved to this Repentance by believing
GOD's Prophets ; whereas thefe wicked and obftinate Jews were not moved to
believe in the Meffiah, the Son of GOD himfelf, nor to repent of their rejedling
him, altho' he confirmed his Doctrine with Miracles or many mighty Works,
by Reafon of which their Sin became far greater, and hence their Judgment
will be more intolerable in the Day of Judgment. And this Senfe of the Words
doth perfedily agree with the Scope of our Saviour, who hereby defigned to fet
forth the heinous Aggravations of thefe obftinate ahd unbelieving Inhabitants of
Chcrazin and Bethfaida, as it follows In the next Verfe, *' But I fay unto you
it fhall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the Day of Judgment than for
you ;" compared with Mat. 12. 41. " The Men of Nineveh fhall rife in Judg-
ment againft this Generation and condemn it, becaufe they repented at the
preaching of fonas, but behold, a greater than fonas is here." Thus doth our
Lord aggravate the Sin of thefe unbelieving Jews, by a divine hyperbolical .
Speech, faying, " That if the mighty Works done in them Wad been done in
Sodom, it would have remained unto this Day." Juft as if one, in aggravating
an obftinate obdurate Sinner^ Crimes, (hould fay, That/ucha Difcourfe ?s were
'^ enough
J 2 4 ^/ Predestin-aticJn- arid Election'.
enough to have melted a Sio?ts made no Impreflion on them : Or as the Lord
/aid unto the Prophet, Eze^. 3. 4, £fft. '* Son of Man, go get thee unto thee
Houfe of //'"'. W, and {"peak with my Words unto them; for thou art not fen t
imto a People of a flrange Speech, and of an hard Language, but unto the Houfe
of Ifrael. Not to many People of a flrange Speech and of an hard Language,
whofe Words thou canft not underftand ; furely, had I fent thee unto them, they
would have hearkned unto thee : But the Houfc of Ifrael-^\\\ not hearken unto
thee ; for they will not hearken unto me : For all the Houfe of Ifrael are im-
pudent and hard-hearted." Now I fay, thefe Sayings of the Lord to the Pro-
phet can only fignify the extream Obftinacy of the Houfe of Ijrael^ feeing (in
an ordinary Way) it was utterly impoflible for thofe to hearken to the Prophet
that were a People of a ftrange Speech and an hard Language, and fo not capa-
ble of underftanding him.
The Words under Confideration I conclude then, do not fuppofe a Stock of
fufficient internal Grace once in the Heart of thefe Tyrians and Sidoniam and
Sodomite:^ which being accompanied with thofe meer external Advantages the
"Jews had, were fuliicient to have wrought in them Repentance unto Life and
Salvation ; however a legal Repentance might probably have been produced
thereby : Nor that thofe unbelieving "Jews had a Stock oi fufficient internal Grace
in their Hearts, whereby they had a free-v/ill Power favingly to repent and be-
lieve. However, had they only afTented to Christ's Adefliahfliip, and not io
obflinately reje(Sied him, it might have been a Means to have kept off thofe tem-
poral Judgments that afterwards befell them ; to have rendred their Guilt lefs ;
and their Punifhment hereafter tnore tolerable. Whereas now their Sin was in-
creafed to a very great Degree of Heinoufnefs, out-ftripping the very Sodomites,
Tyrians and Sidonians, becaufe they fmned againft much greater Light in deny-
ing and condemning the Prince of Life in the very Face both of fo many plain
Prophecies of him, and mighty Works done by them. In this they axSted as free
Agents, purfuing the Dictates of their own perverfc Wills with the greateft
Vigour : They cb/ilnately put away the Gofpel from them, whereby they became
felf-condei;nned, judging themfelves unworthy of cyerlafting Life, and to have
deferved much forei Punifhment than others ; wherefore Wrath is come upon.,
them unto the uttermoft, i 't'hef. 1. 15, 16. and who do accordingly remain
upon Record as dreadful Jnftances of that divine Vengeance which hangs over
the Heads of fuch as obey not the Gofpel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
who in the Face of the cleared Evidence of the divine Oracles, do deny the
Lord of Life and Glory, refufmg to believe the Record which GOD hath there
given of his Son, whereby they make GOD a Liar, defpifrng*, undervaluing and
trampliiig unde?;Foot (he Blood of the Covenant wherewith he (the Prince of
Life) 'Was fandtified, counting it, in EfFecV, an unholy Thing, by denying his
true Gdif^ead CHajactct, and thence the inSnitely valuable fatisfadory Virtue
of that rnofl: precious Blood ; alfo doing Defpite andContempt to the holy Spirit
of Grace, ty denying his Perfonality and Equality with the Father and the Son,
and even ridiculing thb Do^rine of his irre/jfiibk and fupermtnral Operations
upon
0/ Predestination fl»J Election. 125
upon the Souls of Men, in the qfFedual Application of the fanilifying, juflif) ing
and Soul-faving Virtue of that moft precious Blood of the everlafiing Covenant,
fetting up an Idol of their own Brains in his Room, in the Imagery of every
Man's Heart, calling it by that precious Name, The Grace of GOD ; which
brings Salvation, as they fay, to all Men. But what Sort of TufKcient faving
Grace mufl that be, that leaves fo many fhort of Salvation, inftead cf bringing
it to them, or them unto it ? What Sort of fufRcient, internal, fandifying,
faving Grace can that be, which is faid to be in thofe very Perfons, in and from
whom appears nothing better than Blafphemy, Wickednefs, Obflinacy and Un-
belief, and whofe carnal Minds are Enmity againft GOD j that being in the
Flelh do not^ cannot pleafe GOD ? Surely the Hearts of fuch as never yet pafled
the New-Birth, cannot be the Seat where the converting, faving Grace of GOD
dwells. Away then with talking of imiverfal Gmce^ by which all proper DiJ-
tiuSiion between the Regenerate and the Vnregenerate^ the Laiu and the Go/pel is
dejiroyed -^ the Neceffity of the New-Birth and Regeneration by the fuperatural
Operations of the Holy Ghoft, and of Men's adb'ng Faith in the Blood of
Christ, rendred of no Account, and io Christ the Lord our Righteoufnefs
i?.fet .at nought, his holy Gofpel undervalued, and the true Chriftian Believet
brought down {o far upon a Level with the unbelieving "Jew^ the Injidels, Turks
and Pagans, as that thefe latter are all faid to have the very fame Talents of faving
Grace. with the former, for Kind, tho' not for Degree. Such are the fad Efieits
and Cjoncomitants of Men's pleading up for the Notion of univerfal
Grace^ and the Sufficiency of a meer natural Religion, or the Didates of the Law
and Light of Nature in all Men, without the Gofpel, to bring them unto eternal
Life ; which the divine Oracles do evidently declare to be of it felf utterly in-
fufRcient unto thefe Ends : For St. Paul faith. Gal. 3. 21. " If there had been
a. Law {any Law) given which could have given Life, verily Righteoufnefs fhould
Ijave been by that Law :"• But there is no fuch Law given. .Wherefore to fay,
that Righteoufnefs, Life and Salvation comes by the Law, is in EfFe6l plainly to
fay, that then Christ died in vain, Gal. 2. 21. and that fome Men come to
the Father otherwife than by Christ, the only Way unto him ; and that there
is Salvation \v\ fome other Thing j and that there is fome other Name befides his
whereby Men may be faved lithey ivilly contrary to Job. 14. 6. and jf^s 4.. I2.
So that by the very Methods which our very tender- hearted Univerfalifts do
take in order to their becoming Advocates for the divine Mercy and Grace, they
do deny and contemn the divine Veracity that fits on the Face of divine Reve-
lation concerning the one and only Way of Salvation ; they alfo thereby charge
the divine Wifdom with Folly in finding out, and the divine Sovereignty in
eftabliftiing of fuch an only Way ; taking upon them to be GOD's Counfellors,
teaching him the Way of Undcrflanding, and to fa.thom the Depths of his
Counfels ; and in EfFed declare, that his Judgments are not unfearchable, nor
,his Ways paft finding out ; and that fome are capable of giving to him^ thereby
bringing hini in their Debtor, to recompence them again^
But
lib Of Predestination and Electton.
But after oil, 'tis very obferv.ible they are never the nearer, unlefs they could
b:;ck their Ailertions of univerfal Grace with an indubitable Proof of univcrfai
Salvation in FaSf, which in Terms they affirm their faid univerfal Grace doth
bring unto all Men v. 'thout Exception, which they do not pretend to prove ; nor
indeed can they : Altho' amongft the great Numbers of our mifericordian Univer-
falijls there have not been wanting fome that will argue for the Redemption and
Salvation of the very Devils at laft : Witnefs the Works of one T. Collier, By
^vhich is fhewn how far Men are liable to run, when once they leave the tiue
Corner-Stone. I fay, our Univerfalifts are never the nearer, unlefs they could
alfo prove a univerfal Salvation as well as plead for univerfal faving Grace ; which
they cannot do : For they have ftill the divine Permiflion of many Men's running
on in the broad Way that leads unto Deftruftion, alfo Y^Sts and Events that
ftand in their Way to reconcile with their profefl: Dodtrine of the divine Fore-
knowledge, Mercy, Power, Purity and Sincerity. So that when Matters come
to be duly weighed, it appears that the very fame Difficulties in the Upfhot of
all, revolve upon thetn to account foi, which they call upon us to refolve, as I
have before cbferved. Surely then it is beft and fafeft to acquiefce in this, (as
the beft Satisfadiion we can attain to here below) viz. Our Saviour's Dodtrine
in Mat. ii. 25. " At that Time Jesus anfwered and faid, I thank thee, O
Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, becaufe thou haft hid thefe Things from the
Wife and Prudent, and haft revealed them unto Babes : Even fo. Father, for fo
it feemed good in thy Sight." And that of St. Paul^ in the Clofe of his Dif-
courfe on thefe very weighty Points, Rom. 1 1. 33. --- " O the Depth of the
Riches, both of the Wifdom and of the Knowledge of GOD ! How unfearch-
able are his Judgments, and his Ways paft finding out ! For who hath known
the Mind of the Lord ! Or being his Counfellor hath taught him Knowledge I
Or who hath firft given to him, and it fhall be recompenfed unto him again !
For of him, and through him, and to him are all Things, to whom be Glory
fcr ever. Amen.'*
I now proceed to inquire, whether that other Text which our Univerfalifts
do prefs into their Service alfo, performs any better Service to their Caufe than
the others that have paft Review, in Titus 2. 11. which fays, " For the
Grace of GOD which bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all Men, teaching
us, that denying all Ungodlinefs and worldly Lufts, i*i'f." But this cannot in-
tend thzt every individual Ma.n and Woman hath in them a Meafure of faving
Grace : For all Men have not Faith ; and fome are fenfual, not having the Spi-
rit : '* And they that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his, as faith
the Scripture." 2 Thef 22. Jude Ver. 19. Rom. 8. 9. Now 1 pray, what
Sort of faving Grace can be fuppofed where thefe are wanting ? The Jrminian
Senfeof thefe Words then cannot ftand : We fhall therefore feek out another
Senfe of the Words. And that our Conceptions may be rightly guided there-
in, I fhall confider the proper Scope of the Place, defiring withal that it be firft
obferved. That the Reafon wherefore the Terms, All Men., every Man., and
fuch like Expreffigns, do fo often occur in the New-Teftament, when the
Dextrine
0/ Predestination ^wi Election.' 127
Do^lrine of Redemption and Salvation is fpoken of is this : (The Want of a
due Obfervation whereof is the Ground and Reafon of Men's falling in with the
jnconfiftent Notions of general Redemption and univerfal Grace, as tho* thoib
Terms of Univerfality muft needs always intend every individual Man and-Wo-
man that ever were or fhall be, which in this and many other Cafes will not hold.)
We muft then obferve, That before the Exhibition of Christ m the Fkfh'
the whole rational World below were fummed up under and diftinguifhed by the
"Name of Jews znd Gentiles, thefe together made up «// Men; the Jews were
called the Church of GOD, and the Gtntiles the Nations of the World, Mat.
6. 32. Now to the Jews only were committed the Oracles of GOD; ** to
whom belong'd the Adoption, and the Glory, and the Covenants, the giving of
the Law and the Services of GOD and the Promifes :". Whereas the Gentile or
Heathen Nations were fufFered to go on in their own Ways, being at that Time
** without Christ, being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Ifrael, and Stran-
gers from the Covenants of Promife, having no Hope, and without GOD in the
World." A^s 14. 16. Eph. 2. 12. (and therefore furely had not Talents of
faving Grace) But Christ being come, thofe who before were afar off, were
now made nigh by the Blood of Christ, the Partition was taken down, and
the C^wZ/V^j admitted into the vifible Church, becoming one Fold under owe
Shepherd. Accordingly the Commillion our Lord gave his Apoflles-did run
that they fhould now ** Go teach all Nations (and not the Jewi/I) Nation only)
baptizing them, &c." Or as Mark renders it, *' Go ye into all the World and
preach the Gofpel to every Creature ;'■' that. is, to the G^nti/esy as well as the,
Jews, and they did fo accordingly*.'
• J .,.
Thus then, the Grace of GOD which bringeth Salvation, (that rs to fay, the
Dodirine of the Gofpel of Salvation by the Grace of GOD In Christ Jesus)
hath appeared unto all Men, not unto every individual Man, for that it never
did, nor will do, but unto the Gentile as well as the y^ifZ/Z* Nation, ^nd untn
Perfons of every Age, Sex and Degree, fuch as aged Men, aged Womeii,' youpn;.
Men, young Women, Minifters and Servants, who' are feverallyexhortaid tofe'
have themfelvcs holily, according to their feveral Ages, Relations aiid 8tandinf?6-
in the World, and that they might adorn this Doctrine of GOD our Saviour Vrf
all Things, Ver. 10. AH which the Apoftle inforceth in the following argr: -'
mentative Way, Ver. 11. " For (fays he) the Grace of GOD (viz. tbisDoe.^'
trine of GOD our Saviour j which bringeth Salvation, hath appeared'untci 'alt
Men, teaching us, that denying all Ungodlinefs and worldly Lufts,' we fnonW
live foberly, righteoufly and godly in this prefent World ; looking for that bIefliErd>
Hope and glorious appearing of the great GOD and our Saviour JesusChrist^
who gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purif,-
to himfelf a peculiar People, zealous of good Works." AH thefe, you fee, nre*-
the Leflbns which the appearing Grace of GOD tcacheth ; which cannot: kp
known, in an ordinary Way, wliere the Gofpel is not : It is by it that Life aiv
Immortality byChrift,^is brought to Light s alio thai by which Faith mvlBi^pn 4-
12,S 0/'^P,R:Ei?rBS'I^I•>fATION and ExECTiaN.
CLTC'v.'vought, Avhich logksto-CHRisT's Redemption, and expedls his coming again^
gloriouily appearing as the greatGOD and Saviour of his peculiar People, who are
puriried by him, that they may be zealous in doing good Works, viz. .the
\V,ark$.ot Fiaith and l>abQur;of Lave. .^ . J v'i •.;:;.- , ._■"/
;ic:i J. .1 liiv/ 331. '-' urijj Y.'i<..!i bii., c'd) ri: d>iii-*y\ja ufil .5
Now all thefe Things duely and uniformly confidered, what tolerable Colour
doth this Text aiFord to fupport the Nation of a univerfal Grace in every Man
in particular throughout the World, as well the Tur^s and Pagans who have not
the Golpel, as Chriltians that have ? Doth this fuppofed common Grace teach
tlicm that have not the Gofpelj thofe divine Leilbns here fpoken of Christ's
giving hiniTclf to. redeem and jpUrify. to himleJf- a peculiar People ? . Qr inform
them of and. encourage them by.Taith and, Hope up- look for CHRisrr's fecond
glorious Appearance, as their blefl'ed Hope, great GOD and Saviour ? ."How
fhail thev .believe in him. of whom they have not heard r (as St. P«w/ nervouilyi
argues) And how fhall they hear without a Preacher ? And how Ihall they
preach except they he fent f" Namely, by the.divine Hand of GOD's Piovi-.
Jsncgj-iwhofe Work iit lis .both tb qualify. far .and iend. the .Preaching .of the
(■^pel,~by^vt'!hicli; Life: and Immortality are brought to Light, and tiie Souls oF
Men .lighted to Heaven. Which Soulriaving'Seillirig we plainly .fee it is not his.
Will arid Pleafure to. give to every Nation, fuffering' them to walk after theii^
own Wa)'s '(:)fJgnora:nce, Superftition and .Idolatry, worlbipping they know not
what. Now if all thefe have Talents of faving Grace, where then is the great
Advantage of having the (jofpel of Salvation above the. not having of it ? And!
wHat then. bccom^S'of. tbofe Words,. >:' Where no Vifion is the People perifh r";
Prov. 29. 18. And that which fpeaks of GOjD's pouring out his Fury upon
the Heathen that know him not ? Jer. 10. 25. And that which faith, "(jOD's
Name is dreatifuj'amongif the Heathen .?" Mal^ i. 14. And that which faith,
*« GOD is terrible out of his holy Places r" P/al. 68. 35. And that which
faith, " If the Gofpel be hid, ifis hid unto them that are loft ?" 2 Cor. 4. 3.
And winy then did St. P^ul te\] the converted Gentiles, upon the Gofpel's com-
ing Jo- them in its Pjurity and Power, *' That ill Times paft they were without
GOD, jStrangers from the Covenant of Promife, Aliens from the Common-
wealth of Ijr.ael^ having ('markj no Hope, and were without GOD in the
Woi-ld ?" Eph. 2. II, 12. Where then alfo is there any material Difference
between having the glorious Light of the Gofpel, by which the Knowledge of
Salvation , foe the Remiffion of Sins is conveyed ; and the fitting in Darknefs
ajid the Sltodow of Death, where no fbch Light is ?" Luk. 1.76. Nay further.
What need ,of the Gofpel at all ? And why may not a Seneca, or a Plato, or any
other Heathen Philofopher, a P<7_^rt« Prieft, or even a Mahomet do as well for
Preachers as a Peter or a Paul, or any other Gofpel-Minifter ? Hence alfo,
what becomes of St. Peter's DocStrine, <' That neither is there Salvation in
any other, .and that there is no other Name given under Heaven amongft Men
whereby they may be faved," if 'Men may be faved by their Adherence to the
bare Light of Nature .? For they that have not the- Gofpel, have no more than
tha.t comes to. . ... •
0 And
I
Of PREDESTmATroN axd Electiow. 129
And yet our Unlverfalifts think they haVe another -very powerful Prooi of
what they afl'ert in Rom. 1. 14, 15. where fpeaking of the Gentiles which had
not the Law, viz. in the Letter, as the Jews had, St. jP^W faith, " They do
by Nature theThings contained in theLaw : Thefc having not theLaw areaLavv
unto themfelves : Which fhew theWork of theLaw written in theirHearts ; their
Confciences alfo bearing Witnefs, and their Thoughts theniean While accufing
or elfe excufnig one another." But alafs I They are- very uhhappy in .their
Choice of thefe Texts for their Purpofe : Btcaufe their Conftrudion of them
doth diredlly thwart, not only the above Scripture-Account of Things, but alfo
the natural and main Scope of St. Paul in this very Epiftle, which was to fhew
the true and only Way of a Sinner's Juftiftcation before GOD, or what Righte-
oufnefs that is, which is the Matter and Ground oi a guilty Sinner's Acquittance
from Condemnation, of his Acceptance v/ith GOD, and Salvation by him,
which the Apoftle doth in a negative and pofitive Way ; who accordingly utterly
difclaims in that grand Article all Manner of Creature- Works of Righ-
teoulhefs, by Whoniioever performed, be they Jews or Gentiles^ pofitively affirm-
ing, " That by the Deeds of the Law (namely, whether written on the Table
of their Heart, or the Tables of Stone) no Flefh fljall be juftified in GOD's
Sight 5** But by a"Hcart-purifying, operative Faith in the Perfon, Blood and
Rightcoufnef^ of Christ, as the only Mediator between GOD and Man ; as
by the Help of GOD, I fhall endeavour to deraonlirate, by taking a general Sur-
vey of the natural Tenor ©f the whole Epiftle, anfwerable to the Occahon and
Scope thereof. Whence it raoft: naturally appears how abfurd it is to conclude
(as our Op'porients'do) that the Apoftle, by the Words under Confide^-
ration, intended to eftablilh the Do6trine of Juftification and Salvation hy a
Creature Righteoufnfefs., founded upon a fuppofed common Grace in all Men,
and their felf-determining free-will Abilities ; which is to r-eprefcnt the Apoftle
as building up that very Thing by this Epiftle. which the evident Scope and Te-
nor thereof difcovcrs was his full Purpofe to dejlroy. Which fhews the Folly of
Men's forming an 'nnag'mary Scheme of Do(5^rine in theirMinds,to the which tlic
Scripture is nVFadl a Stranger ; and then,- Hand over Head, without any duicRc-
gard to the Analogy of Faith, or Occallon, Scope and Tenor of aBook,orEpi(tJe,
produce a Text or two of Scripture to fpeak againft it Jllf, and for their imagi-
nary Scheme.
Hence then, forfiking all fuch undue Methods in- opening the- Text in.U.er
hate, 1 fhall proceed to confidcr the apparent Occahon, Drift and Dcfign of thi:>
Epiftle, and the exa61: Correfpondency of th.e Matrt;r and Method of the fn^ne
therewith, which every one that knowcth any Thing of the Rules of Intetprcta-
tion muft confcfs to be very juji tindfair.
Hence let it be obferv'ed. That the Cliurch of Cpirist in Ram^ -at the 7'inie
when this Epiftle was wrote, confiftcd partly of the Jewijh a;;d partly of t^-ic 6>>>
ilk Nations, bctv\'een whom, or at Icaft: fome amongft them, there arole. (tnj'r
Difagrcements, both in Judgment and Afle^i£>ii, The Ici-^s^ who ^^■cre v/oat
S 2 ts
i^Q .0/ Prbdestination <7«J Election.
to be pufFed up with the Prerogatives they had enjoyed in Times paft, above the
Gentiles, whom alfo they were wont to difdain, did at this Time vaunt them-
selves againft them, glorying in their Jew'tjh Prerogatives, awd either u'liQlk.op-
pofing the Do6lrine of the Gofpel, or eife mixing Law and Gofpel togetner in
the g;-eat Article of Juftification before GOD. And on the other Hand, thefe
Gentiles now knowing that the Jevoi/h Difpenfation was at an End, and that the
'Jews were a People, many of whom were rejeded of GOD, and the Gentiles
implanted in their Room, did too much infult over them as a People caft away,
priding themfelves in their natural Wifdom and Vertues, juft as if this were the
Ground and moving Caufe of their Acceptance with GOD, and Juftification
before him^ withal ufing their Chriftian Liberty with Offence ; as by the I'enor
cf the Epiftle doth appear.
Hence then, in order to allay thefe Heats, and make all thefe Vain-gloryings
void, St. Pau/ wrote them this Kpiftle, wherein he profeffedly, enters upon that
great Article of a Sinner's Juftification before GOD: XVhere he vehemently
fets himfelf againft all Manner of Creature's Boafting, whether arilmg from a
Confideration of any natural or acquired Accomplifhments, gloried in by the
Gentiles on the one Hand, or any external Advantages whatfoever, b'oafted of by
the Jews on the other ; fhewing, that neither the Gentiles, by the Law of NaT
ture written in the Tables of their Hearts, nor the Jews, by the L^w o( Mofes
written in Tables of Stone, (notvvithftanding their feeking of it in fuch a Way)
could ever attain unto a juftifying, Soul-faving Righteoufnefs : This being only
to be had by Faith in Jesus Christ, as the Lord our Righteoufnefs,' who is
the End of the Lav/ for Righteoufnefs unto every one that believes. So that lib
Flefh, Vv'hether the philofophizing G^wr/A', or priviledged J<?z^, (being naturally
both under Sin) arejuftifiedin the Sight of GOD, either ,by any Righteoufnefs
inherent in them, or Works of Righteoufnefs done by, thern, but by a Righte-
oufnefs imputed to them, and received by Faith as revea'ed in the' Gcfpcl.
Which therefore, by W\iy of peculiar Emphafis, is called the Righteoufnefs .of
GOD, and the Righteoufnefs of Faith, in adire£t Contradiftindion from Men's
eiL'?2 Righteoufnefs. Chap. i. i6, 17. Chap. 10. i, ^e.
Thus, anfwerable to this Account of Things, the Apoftle undertakes to prove
that be th Jews -eind Gentiles, -as the finful Defcendants of fallen Jelam, are all
under Sin, Which he manifefts by the Fruits thereof in both.
And firft of all, he attacks thefe boafting Gentiles, by fliewing how fliort thp-ir
Anceftors, with their natural Wifdom, came of the Glory of GOD, who pro-
fefTiiva; thcmfelvcs to be wife, became Fools and vain in Imaginations, even their
wifeft Philofophers, fome of whom were the greateft Deriders of the Gofpel,
while others degenerated into worfe than brutifh Follies ; as is at large flicwu in
Chap. ift. for which the Wrath of GOD was revealed from Heaven againft
them. i;he Apoftle plainly ihews, th^.t the Gentile World by all their natural
Wifdom knev/ not GOD, they glorified him not as a Creator, they knew him
not
Of Predestination and Election, i^t
not as a Redeemer, the Crofs of Christ was Foolifhr.efs in the Apprehenfion
of their greateft Reafoners. And even to this Day the Doctrine of Juftification
and Salvation by the Crofs of Christ is to them that perifh Fooliflinefs : In
the midft of their natural Wifdom, prof effing themfelvcs to be wife, they become
Fools vc\ the great Myfteries of the Gofpel ; they become vain in their Imagina-
tions, having their foolifh Hearts darkned, faying, Nicodemus like, How can thefe
Things be? Which caufed a great Apoftle, by a facred Irony, to fiiy, " ^Vhere
is the Wife ? Where is the Scribe ? Where is the Difputer of this World ?
Hath not GOD made Foolifn the Wifdom of this World ?" But to proceed :
The Apoftle having thus attacked the infolent Gentiles, and fhewn how little
Reafon they had to glory in their natural Wifdom and Abilities, he comes in
the fecond Chapter to make his Addrefs unto the boafHng ^civs, with a Defign
to lay them as low as he had lain the Gentiles, by fhewing them the Vanity and
Folly of trufting in their external Advantages, and a bare Pnifcirion of the true
Religion, while they remained defritute of the Root of the Matter within them,
and that Faith which worketh by Love.
Moreover, he goes on and fhews them \n the third Chapter, That notwith-
{landing thofe Advantages they had enjoyed above the Gentiles in Years paft,
which were many and great, they were by Nature no better than they ; that being
both equally the Oifipring of fallen A/cfm, the common Father, covenanting
Head and Reprefentative of them all, they were under that Confideration upon a
Level, the one no better than the other, both bjing under Sin and Guilt, by
Nature Children of Wrath ; that therefore both of them, Jews and Gentiles,
did equally ftand in Nesd of another and better Righteoufnefs than that of their
oxun working out, by a legal Adherence to the Law, whether written on the
Table of their Hearts, or on the Tables of Stone, even ihz mediatorial Rit'ihte-
ouihefs of Chris T imputed to them, and by Faith received, for their Juftifica-
tion in the Sight of GOD, that being a Righteoufnef:; tnat is every V/ ay equal
to what GOD's righteous Law demands, while the befl Creature-R'ghteoufnefs
in the World is but lame and defedivc. Hence the Apoftle having "granted to
the objeifiiing Jeivs the Advantages they had enjo)eJ above the Gentile Nations,
doth by Way of Exception add, Vcrfe 9. " What then ? Are we better than
they ? No, in no wife : For we have before proved, that both Jews 2nd Gen-
tiles ^xq all under Sin; as it is written, Tliere is none righteons, no not one ;
there is none that underftandeth ; there is none that feeketh after (jOD, they a^^^
aft gone out of the Way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none
that doth good, 710 not one." Thus the Apoftle goes on, further proving this
their State of Sin and Pollution by the bitter Frwit that groweth up from the
corrupt Root of original Corruption to Ver. 19. where he thus argues, " Now
we know, that whatfoever Things the Law faith, it faith to them that arc un-
der the Law, that every Mouth may be flopped, and all the World (both Jews
2nd Gentiles) become guilty before GOD." Whence the Apoftle thus infers,
V'er< 20. " Therefore by the Deeds of the Law there Ihall no Flclh, (mark^
no
432 Of Predestination afid Election.
jrio Flefh (whether je-w or Gintih) be juftified in his Sight ; i. e. in the Sight
<ji GOD : How io ? For by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin. It is that
Vvhich Ihewcth our Mifery as guilty Creatures, curfmg every imperfe^ft Doer of
it, therefore cannot blefs and juftify. Gal. 3, 10. No, this muli come ano-
ther Vv'ay, as it follows, Ver, 21. " But now the Righteoufnefs of GOD
witliout the Law is manifefted, being witnefl'ed by the Law and the Prophets j
even the Rigijteoufnefs of GOD, which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ,
wnto all and upon all them that believe : For there is no Difference, viz. be-
tween Jew and Gentile ; for all have ilnned and come ihort of the Glory of
GOD; Being jultified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in
Jesus Christ, whom GOD hath fet forth to be a Propitiation, or Peace-
iii.aking Sacrifice, through Faith in his Blood : To declare his Righteoufnefs
^marlc) his Righteoufnefs, as well as his Grace, for the Remiilion of Sins that
are pair, through the Forbearance of GOD. To declare, I fay, at this Time
fiis Righteoufnefs, that he might be juft (mark) juft, as well as merciful, and the
Juftifier of him that believeth in Jesus."
Now the Apoftle having faid thu's much in order to pluck off the fwelling
Plumes of thefe contending felf-rightcous Piofeffors, he adds, Ver. 27. "Where
S3 Boafting then f " Namely, of ameer natiiral Religion, or of a juf!:ifying
faving Righteoufnefs, by the Deeds of the Law, whether as written upon the
Tables of Men's Hearts, or on Tables of Stone. '* It is excluded. By what
Law ? Of Works ? Nay, but by the Law of Faith. Therefore we conclude
that a Man is jultified by Faith, without the Deeds of the Law." As if the
Apoftle had faid, '* Therefore from all that hath been faid, I do fairly conclude,
ihgt no Man whatfoever, whether the w\(q Greek, or learned Jew, is jultified by-
any Works of Righteoufnefs they can perform, but by the Righteoufnefs of
Failh, there being but one Way of Jultification of Men, whether J^w or Gen-
ij/e.'" Which is the Apoftle's next Argument in Ver. 29, 30. " Is he the
•GOD of the Jews only ? Is he not alfo of the Gentiles ? Yes, of the Gentiles
alfo ? Seeing it is one GOD which Iball jullify the Circumcifion, i. e. the
Jews, by Faith, and the Uncircumcifion, /. e. the Gentiles, through Faith."
Which Argument the Apoflle continues to profecute throughout the enfuing
Chapter ; fnewing, that as Abraham, who was the Father of the Faithful, whe-
ther Jewi or Gentiles, was jultified by the Righteoufnefs of Imputation and Faith,
faa-Hhis Ipiritual Seed, or Children, -are jultified the very fame Way, and no
other ; excluding all Works of Righteoufnefs whatfoever from having zny caufal
Influence on the Jultification of Sinners 5 their Jultification being whoJly of
Orace, through the Imputation of Christ's Righteoufnefs, being by Faith re-
ceived : Vv^ithal declaring the Bleflednefs of that Man that is thus jultified,
laving, '■'■ Bleircd is the Man unto whom GOD imputeth Righteoufnefs with-
cu't Works j" ufing the Terms, Impute, Imputeth, and Imputed, frequently and
fmnirmrly in this fourth Chapter. So little Reafcn have the Socinians to cavil at
and ridicule the Doctrine of imputed Righteoufnefs : Who by the Way, are
defired to try their Skill in ih^wing ia what tolerable Degree of good Senfe
Men
Of Predestination and Election. ix^
Men can be faid to be made (mark) made righteous by anolher's Oliecllence, even
Christ, otherwife than by its being imputed to them, and reckoned theirs bv
V^irtueof their Union with liini as their Sponfor^ covenanting Head and Repre-
fentative : It being by the Rightcoufnefs of that one Man, tlie Man Christ
Jesus, that Aden do attain unto Juftification of Life. " For as by o'ne Man's
DifobeJiencc many were made Sinners ; even fo by the Obedience of one many
fliall be made righteous." Rom. 5. 18, 19. " For what the Law could not
do, in that it was weak, through the Flefh, funable to juftifyj GOD fent forth
his own Son in the Likenefs of finful FJefli, and for Sin condemned Sin in the
Flefh, that the Righteoufnefs of the Law might be fulfilled in us, (it being ful-
iiiled by our Surety, covenanting Head /«/■ usj who walk not after the Flefh,
but after the Spirit." This iioly Walking fpoken of, being mentioned as a Fiuit
of Julfification, and as an Evidence of a Work of Grace and SantS^ification in
the Perfon juftified : This being the Mark and Charadler of fuch ; their Faith
not being a dead but a living and operative one : A Faith that works from a Prin-
ciple of Life and Love in the Soul. So that howfoever we do (out of Regard
to the Redeemer's Honour and the Soul's Safety) plead for a Sinner's Juftifica-
tion alotie by Faith, without the Deeds of the I^aw of Works, yet v/e do Hill
maintain that good Works do always attend and flow from a true juflifying
Faith. So little Reafon is there for Men to cavil at our Way of preaching up
the Doctrine of i-mputed Righteoufnefs to the Damage o^ good IVorks : Juit as
tho' becaufe we, with tlie Scriptures, do difallow of all Works of Righteoufnefs,
or Djeds of the Law, from having any i:^/^y2?/ Influence upon a Sinner's Juflin-
Ciitipn before GOD, we did therefore difallow of good Works altogether^ which
is an unjuji Conclufion, becaufe we endeavour to eftablifh the proper Ufe an^
true Excellency of the Law, putting good Works in their proper Place and
Station. For as St. /'^w/ faith on this very Head, " Do we then make void
the Law through Faith ? GOD forbid : Yea, we eftablifh the Law." q. d. We
are (o far from making void the holy Law of GOD by our Dodlrine of free
Juftification by the Grace of GOD, through Faith in Christ's Blood and
Righteoufnefs, as that we do in the moft efFeitual Manner maintain and defend
its Purity and Excellency : Becaufe the juftifying Righteoufnefs we plead for is
fuch an Obedience thereunto as is equal to its moit flri6t Demands, being made
and done by one of no lefs Dignity and Honour than the Son of GOD himfclf,
who is the LORD our Righteoufnefs.
l^luis is the />aw of GOD, which is holy, juft and good, abundantly honoured^
inftead of being any Ways diminifhed of its true Glory and Excellency. This the
Prophet verifies, jfa. 42. 21. " The Lord is well pleafed for his Righteouf-
nefs Sake : He will magnify the Law and make it honourable."
Moreover, while we fay that Men arejuftificd by P'alth in this Righteoufnefs
of GOD, without the Deeds of the Law, renouncing it as a Covenant of
Works and Life, we do firmly adhere unto it, confidereJ as a Rule of Life, in
the Hands of Christ our King and Saviour, i Cor. 9. 21. And here by the
Way,
ij4 ^-f Pr ED ESTIMATION and Election.
Way, to prevent all Socinlan Shuffles and Evafiom, I fhall obferve, that by the
Law here fpokcn of is meant the moral not the ceremonial h-xv! : Which evi>-
dently appears, (i.J Becaufe the Apoftle mentions the Jeius and Gentiles toge-
ther, the latter of whom were never under the ceremonial Law : And (2.) Be-
caufe the Ufe of the ceremonial Law the Apoftle did abundantly fhew to he made
void by the Coming of Christ : So far was he from eftabliftiing of it. It muft
then be the ??7oral L2.W ht peculiarly and only intended when he faid, *' Do we
then make void the Law through P'aitb ? GOD forbid : Yea, we eftablifh the
Law."
Thus I mi^ht here conclude my Anfwer to the Objedtion founded on the
14th and 15th Verfes of the fecond Chapter of this Epiftle, obferving the Ab-
surdity thereof, as running diredlly counter to the natural Scope and evident
Tenor thereof: But confidering that it ftrikes at the very Root and Foundation
of the glorieus Gofpel of the ever-blefled GOD, under the fpecious Shew of
exalting his Mercy : And becaufe I do look upon thefe Dodlrines of the Gofpel
to be of the lajl Importance to the Souls of Men, and that wherein the Honour
and Glory of GOD is very deeply concerned : I fhall proceed to obferve, That
■when falfe Teachers by their plaufible Shews of Zeal for GOD, had corrupted
the Galalians, bv blending Jew/J?) Obfervations of the Law and Gofpel together
in the Sinner's juftification before GOD, he calls it a Perverfwn of the Gofpel
of Christ. Gal. i. 7. And accordingly fhews, that the ceremonial Law
under which Christ had been fhadowed forth, was now abolifhed by his perfo-
nal Appearance as the Subftance of all thofe Shadows ; alfo that the moral Law
■was ib far from juftifying the legal Obfervers of it, as that it lays them under
the Curfe ; Becaufe no Obedience to it but fuch as is perfeSi and luithout a Flaw
can claim Juftification and Salvation therefrom. Gal. 3. 10. '* As many as
are of the Works of the Law are under the Curfe : For it is written, Curfed is
every on* that continueth not in all Things written in the Book of the Law to
do them. But that no Man is juftified by the Works of the Law in the Sight
of GOD is evident; for the Juft fhall live by Faith.'^ i.e. By Faith in the
mediatorial Doings and Obedience of Christ. " And the Law is not of
Faith, but the Man that doth them fhall live in them." (Mark) The Man
th?it doth them, namely, in the perfe(St Manner before defcribed, yielding perfc-
ml, perfe5i and perpetual Obedience, he fhall live in them : That is, He fhall be
juftified and faved by thefe Doings, But where is the Man, the meer Man
amongft Jews or Gentiles that can do this ? And if they cannot,the Law (whofe
Voice is, Do oxDie) lays them under theCurfe. O fad & wofulCafe of fallenMan \
Of thofe who feek Juftification by theWorksof theLaw,efpecially,who burn them-
felves by the very Fire they kindle to o;ive them Comfort & Warmth. " For this
fhall they have of my Hand, faith the LORD, they fhall lie down in Sorrow."
ifa. 50. 1 1. But is there no Remedy by Works of Righteoufnefs which they
do in the Matter of their Juftification ? What ! Won't fincere, tho' imperfe^
Obedience to the Law written on the Table of the Heart or Stone, do in this
Matter : No verily. As GOD himfdf taught our firft Parents when once
fallen
Of Predestination ttnd Election. i^^
fallen from their Integrity, and we /^ them, driving them out of Paradife, and
guardinij the Entrance to the Tree of Life with Cherubims and a flaming Sword
which tiirneth every Way, to keep it, and them cfF from coming to it. Before
the Fall, while under the Covenant of Works and Life, they had Uzo. Accefs to
it, and to partake of its Fruits as a Pledge and Teftimony from GOD that Life
fhoujd be the Wages of their Integrity while they ftood faft in their Obedience;
but now, having tailed therein, and broken the Covenant, they are drove out of
Paradife, and Cherubims and a flaming Sword that turned /"ffry IVay placed at the
Entrance, in order both to cut them oft' from all Manner of Hopes to obtain Life
and Salvati )r» from the broken Covenant, and to ciufc them from a Senfc
of their being now laid under the Curfe, to look by Faith to Christ the then
prom'ifed Seed that fhonld bruife the Serpent's Head ; by which was intended the
whole Undertaking of Christ as a Redeemer to free poor guilty Sinners from
t!ie Curfe of the Law, as it follows. Gal. 3. 13. " Christ hath redeemed us
from the Curfe of the Law, being made a Curfe for us, that the Bleffing of Abra^
/>flw (that is to fay, the Bleffings of Juftification, Reconciliation and Adoption
promifed in the Covenant of Grace to Abraham the Father of the Faithful) might
come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the Promife
of the Spirit through Faith, to wit., in him. So that a Man (whether he be yexo
or Gentile) is not juftified by the Works of the Law (whether as written on the
Table of the Heart or Stone) but by the Faith of Jesus Christ, even as we
have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be juftified by the Faith of
Christ, and not by the Works of the Law ; for by the Works of the Law fhall
no I'lefh (mark) no Fle(h be juftified, and therefore not the Gentiles by the Law
written on their Hearts ; for if Righteoufnefs came by the Law (the Deeds of the
Law) then Christ died in vain." Gal. 2. 16. to the End. If there had been
a Law which could have given Life, verily a juftifying Righteoufnefs fliould have
been by that Law : But there being no fuch Law given, no Law-JVorksvjhatever
can juftify the Doer of them.
You will then fay. Wherefore ferveth the Law: /Vr/?, Unto them that have
the Gofpel ; and Secondly, Of what Ufe is the Law written on the Hearts of the
heathen Gentiles, who not having the Law as delivered to Mofes^ are a Law
unto themfelves }
I anfwer, (r.) As to the mdral Law, where the Gofpel comes, it Is o^fwg'dar
Ufe as a School-mafter xo bring Souls to Christ for Life and Salvation, and fo
\%z good Preparative xo\Nzx^%x.\\t\K embracing the Gofpel, even as the Needle
makes Way for the Thread that follows it ; Men being by the Law made to fee
their finful Eftate, and that the Shortncfs of their Obedience thereunto as a Cove-
nant of Works lays them under the Curfe. Convinced Souls being thus driven
fromtheirHoId of theLaw for Life and the Righteoufnefs therefrom are moved ro
look for another and -better Righteoufnefs, even the Righteoufnefs of Faifh. T'htir;
GOD dealt with Paul at the Time of his Converrton,"'who before that Time ad-
hered to the Righteoufnefs of the Law for Life, and was accordingly in h-s nwa
T Appre-
rj6 Cy 'Predestii^atton 'and- Election.
Apprehenfion. alive, or poffeifed of Life and Salvation by Virtue of his legal Righ-
teoufnefs, until. the Law came Home with its Thunder and Terror upon his Soul :
For, fays he. Rem. 7. 9, 10. "Iwas alive without the Law once, but when
the Commandment came, Sin revived and I died ; and the Commandment, op
Law, which was ordained to Life (io wit, while it flood as a Covenant of Works'
before the Fall) I found to be unto Death. '•* i. e. fmce that Covenant was bro-
ken. Thus was PrJa/ made to renounce the Works- af the Law, accounting,
all his former Gains thereby not only asLofs^ but even as Z)fe«'^j asThij)gs to bei
abhorred in the Matter of our Juftiiication. *' For (fays he) what Things were
Gain to me, thofe I counted Lols'for Christ \ yea,doubtlers I count all Things
but Lofs for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord,
for whom Lhave fuftered the Lofs of aU Things, and count them but Dung that^
I m.ay win Christ and be found in him, not having my own Rigbteoufnefs whichr
is of the Law. but that which is through the Faith of Christ, ^he Righteoufnefti
which is of GOD by Faith.'"' Thus fhen the Law lliil ferves to good Purpcftsi
where the Gofpel comes. Moreover it is of Ufe as a Rule, of Life alter Conver-\
lion, wherebv the iuftified Believer is {hewn his Duties both unto GOD andr
Man, unto which, from evangelic Motives, hefliews his pious Regards, the Love
of Christ conitraining him thereunto. Thus the Soul (being in Christ) is
treed from Condemnation and Bondage of the Law of (Worlcs^ and 'doth ferve -its>
Lord and Delivererwith znchle Liheriy and Fretdam ofMlnd, .not '.walking afteirl'
the Flefli but after the Spirit ; So far is the jultificd. Believer from reJyit^g on hisi
Lord, that he mr<y take Liberty to tranfgrefs. )
• (2.) As to the Law in thofe Lnprcfnons thereof on.the Tables of Men's Hearts,
who have not the Gofpel, it is of Ufe to them ('tho' not as a Covenant, ol Lit'e^i!
vet as a Book to fhew them^ that there are many Things which they ought to.re-..
sard in tlieir Behaviour both, towards GOD and Man ; and that there are mary
Things which they ought not to do ; and that for their Difregards hereof they.j
are lel't without Excufe. So that howfoever they fliall not be condemned feir not
l^JieVingthe Gofpel;which was never fent unto them, nor by the Law oi Mofes
•which they never hfid,yetfliaH -they be condemned by the^-aw they had written on7
ti>e.ir Hearfs, whQfc Cosnf^iencQS .will beqr them W itnefs ixs the great Day of theird
Failures, andVhofe Punifhment will be more or lefs tolerable a'nfwerable to thei,)
Decrees of their Difobedience. And verily it will be far more tolerable for thofe
in t"he Day of Judgment than for the Difubedient that lived under the glorious
I.i2ih;t of , the; Gofpel ,; their Stripes will certainly he fewer and mc:e gtntly laid onJ
thin tiiie Sirjpes pf Sinners, under the, Go/y^/.- For as our Lord faith, " Thet
.S^zv;.-^^t xh-ik^kncijo bi5:L^rd',s Wiljgnd doi^\it «<j/{hall be beatdii with zwr/«j' Siripe's,T«
but, he. that kneii^fiot;- and did commit* Things worthy of Stripes (hall be beateni*
•\y,ith /i^iu Stripes ; for unto whomioever much is given, of him fliall much be rtrn
ogired ; and unto whom Men have committed much, of him will they afk theii
riipre," 'Luk. 12.^ 47, 48. Moie uer, GOD is not wantirg in giving.^;/./" rrl[
Ii|swa;;ds tDjgraceleis Peri'ons,.for doing fi.rpe Things as to the A.attcr of th«iiO
agreabic to, ^is Willj while at the fame Time.he m\\ puniflithfiTi.for,tbe.i?^teg««ri
. ' ■ ^' > ■" Motives
0/ P^EriE'sfiT^At'ffciJ'-^^ EiJi(5t'ioViV f|.;
IN^otives Fron^'Vhence thofe KfVibhs 'tre'rfe'pfrriforrried; as in khe-C^^&of y^hu ;
2 A'zWt^j 10. 30, ^i. compared with //o/^rt l. 14. ' GOD wUl not be behind-
hand with any of his Creatures ; yet as to the Alaiten of fetcrnal Sahaticn there
is no Law given that can give Life, and therefoi<d Life awd Sah'ation cannot be
obtained by the Dbeds of that La\v;WhFch ' thie •'hdatheii'GfWl'/ii^i 'have' written on
their Hearts. - • ; ■--■■i :...-' ^M:.i .;,, 1 .-j , .. i,;.:v i. •:'•.■ ^ : ., ,
TItc divine Oracles do declare, that none are juftified in- the Sight of GOD
otherwife than by the Rtghteoufnefs of GOD without the Law, which he imputeth
to Men without Works. Rom. 3. 21. Chap. 4. 6. A'Hb that except Men-
f)e born again they cannot enter into the Kingdom of -Heaven : And in a Wordy
thatCHR-iST is the Way, the Truthj afid the' Life 5 and that no Man comethl
unto tke Father i>ut by htm ; that thfer^ is Salvation in fio mother 5 and that there is
no other Name under Heaven given amongfi Men whereby We muft be faved.~
*1oh> 3. 36. Chap. 14. 6. A^ts 4. 12. So that if any of thofe that have not
the Gofpel are juftified, fan£tified and faved,- it- mufl: beiy Virtue of the Re-:
deemer's Merits and the Spirit's -fitpern-atural 'Operations upon-their'Souls ; and
that too by an extraordinary V^d^y of GOD's manifeilin^ himfclf unto them:
{For what'GOD JTiaV do io fo?ne oi' them in fuch a Way as Ji-<7V7;?j'/ and there-
fore fl'ffri? wj/ affirm, fo I fhaiU -not pretend. o/y^/«y^/jy to! gainfay, feeirtg GOD's
Ways in th^'n full Extent are paft finding out) yet am 1 bold to afSrm that accord-
ing to the Scripture's Account of T'hings, there are no Grounds to conclude for
the Juftificationand Solvation of any, cf what Nation foever, by Law-lVcrks^ or
a meer natw^al Religion'; forthe Scripture pofitivtlydeoliiTeSifihat by the iVVj&rks
of the Law fhdll no'Flefh be juftified, 'aiid^if nkjt juftified tiiei*>'not"fav^d, feeing
Juftification and Glori'fication are infeperifhly linked together in the golden Chiiiu
of Salvation, Rom. 8. 30. As GOD's A(Sl of J'urtification doth imply the full
Remiffion of Sin and Freedom from his Wrath, and Condemnation of the Perfon
juftified ; fo'by juft ConfeqXience they that are not juftified in the Sight of GOD
do- perifh in their Sins, whether thev ho. Jeius or GentUcs'': " For as m^ny as
ftuve Tinned without Law, viz. the Lawof yV/o/^j (ais'^'tli^ heathen- G^enttk'i) fhafl'
■pfcrifii without Law, vi%. without that- Lmu ; and as many aVhax^'ftnndd In the.
Lav/ (as the J^ws) fliall be judged by the Law." It IS'frUe indefidV tha^'Wliotb-
'fever, whether Jew or Gentile, fhall call on the Name of the Lord' (that is, the
Lord Jefus as jhe'ortly Saviour of Sinners) fhall be faved, to luity, hv him, as the
Apoftle affirms : But then as' he adds,'-" How fl:all' they (thofe Perfons) call orr
■him NV wlwm they have not believed ?• And how foall theyi febheve in him of
^vhorti they have 'not heard-? AikI b<)w fiiall they- hear Witl>out'a Preacher •? And
'how fhall they preach except they be fent f Namelv, o^f the''LoitD-, thCgritHi'lr
'Ihftieuter of the Gofpel Miniftry and of the Gofpel Di.fpenfation. P'aith tomes
'by H(?arin2, and Hearing bv the Word preached. So that according to the Me-
ifhcidS of GOD'S Gofpel Kii-igdom -and his renxsled ordltwry- JVay and Me(h.:di- of:
,SaI vat teiii,''hie has 'fct 'forth his Son as a PropitiUtii'ii thr-ough Faith in his Blood' lor'-
^the ReiWi ffion"' (rf 8i m ,'-K> Ueclare \\w Pv.igh tbo ufnefs , G r.i'ce and Ju ft.i ct, and i u-al ^
lis mitiacwtoOi Wifdofei'bad ^rpo«kfe'P^iri>p]ji-Vj'J?o-tMsij£!«d. heihatil-H^fti-tutaiJ »,
' '• •* T 2. ftacidi=n;4_
138 0/ Predestination /jwi/ Election.
ftanditig Gofpel Miniftry to the End of the World ; he C|ualifie/w^Men .for the
Work, and feuds them furth to preach when and vjherejocver he liiieil. ! As rhe
Clouds of Heaven fa the Gofpel of Salvation with its illuminating, C)oul-lavirg
Beams is turned round about by his Counfel to execute his VViil upon the Face
of the VVorld in the iiirth : He it Js. that caufeth this heavenly Light to arifij
upan what Hurizon and to ftiine into what Plearts he pleafeth. Thus liis A'iini-
fters at his Command do preach vi'herelbever he fends them ; the People do hear,
and in Hearing do believe, and in Believing do call upon the Name of ilie Lord
Jesus, through the Merits of whofe Bluud they are jufiified, and Efficacy cf his
holy Spirit of Grace are regenerated, fandiified and fa\ed. Thus then uholcever
fliall, in the Apoftle's Senfe, (which they that have , not the Gofpel do- not) call
upon tne Name of the Loud fliall be faved ; for tJi^re is no Difference between
the Jew and the Greek ; for the fame Lord over all is rich unto all that call u pon
him, as the Loid their Righteoufne(s, believing that he is the End of the Law
for Righteiufnefs unto every o:ie that b.^lieves, namely, this Word of Fuiih ice
preach. For with the Heart Mail bclieveth Unto Righteoufnefs, and with the
Mouth ConfefTion is iTiade,mHy^i>4lv,a|tion„ ,,|iep JR-om. iq. hj,\p k^i. , ., , , i,-
ijnif.iifa-fi: s'OOv) 'i-> 7gW v.,-.-'^iS\(jft^v« rin yd 00} j£H
They are Scifyture-Propofiuons I have unrdertakefi to defend and maintain as the
revealed Will and Counfel of GOD, appeal. ng to tlie di\ ine Oiacles themfel es
for Proof. Wiierefore if my Objectors will ^io any 'J'hiag to Purpole, they muit
not, /V^tW of confuting what is offcr'd from the divineOracles, fet themfelves im-
mediately upon drawing their OA'n /r/^/»//W Inferences cloathed WizBcar-fKinDrffs^
in order to amufe the Unwary, and raife their Indignation againd meas a fetter-
forth oi jirange and dijmal Doctrines : But inftead of doing (o^ let them ilifprove
it if they can, b,y making it appear thdt the Propofitions 1 maintain as Truth
arc nut to be found upon divine Record. If they can do this, then thtir fruitful
inferences I frankly own will of Right belong unto me : But if they cannot,
then will they, through my Sides, pafs unto and terminate in the great and dreadful
GOD^ whofe Caufe I have ujidertaken by the Help ot his Grace to defend.
According to Scripture, where no Vifion is the People do perifli, namely, in
their Sins, Prov. 29. 18. For we fay, that GOD condemns none but/cr their
Sins, and not by Virtue of a meer arbitrary Power and abfoluie Decree of Repro-
bation, as our Opponents do unjuftly lay to our Charge. The TVuth is, that in
very Fa^ and UpjJiot oi all, we do maintain nothing ivorfe in thefe grand Affairs
than what themfelves are obliged toconfefs. For that GOD wills to fuffer Mul-
titudes to go on in their wicked heathenifh Idolatries, leaving them to fit in Dark-
nefs and the Shadow of Death without Gofpel Light, which is the Means by
which GOD conveys unto Men the Knowledge of Salvation for the Remiffion
of tj)eir Sins, Luk. j. 77. whilft he caufeth this Day-fpring from on high to
vilit uiljcr Nations as the Fruits of his tender Mercy : Alfo that where theGofpel
comes, he fuffers it to become a Savour of Death unto Death unto many, whiift
he makes it the Savour of Life unto Life unto others, fliining into their Hearts,
to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of GOD in the Face or Peifon
oi Jtsus Chkist i and that if the Gofpel be hid it is hid unto them that are
loft;
.0/ Predestination and Election. 139
Joil ; are Points Co evident from Scripture and Ki^, as thai- our iv.'^rmcf} Oppo-
nents cannot have the Face to deny them. 2 Cor. 1. i^, i5. Ciiap. 4. 6.
And whj at thi fame Time vnijl cofifefs that GOD, if he (o pleafed, could as
caliiy fend his glorious Gofpcl unt7 and make it ejft^fual to all Men's Converfi'in
and Salvation, as well as that he doth fo (.nrofome of them. Now if GOD wills
to fufFer miny to periln in their Sins, withholding from them or not giving unto
them that Gofpel Light and eft'edtual Grace, which if granted would effeitually
prevent their Ruin, as he gives unto others that are faved, where is the Harm
cf our faying that this Will of his is not the E<Te6l and Produ^l of an Yefterday's
A iter -Thought.^ but that it is as ancient as himfclf., who is from -everlafting ?
Yea, would it not be very abfurd zvxkI dip^jnourable unto the divine Being to fay
otherxv'ife? What GOD doth c?^?^^//^ and \\\ very Fa £f fuff'er to bt 6ont, he
muft confeqjently ivi/l to (offer it ; which wc call his perrntjftve Wiil, or what
he wills to permit. And for any to fay that this his JVill is only the Prod u6l of
an After-Thought in the Days of T/V/;^, is nothing better than to un:leify liim. As
to afcribe Men's perilhing meerly to a IFill \n GOD without a Refpe6t to their
Sins^ were to dishonour his Purify and 'Ju/lice ; (o on the otlier Hand to fay,
that his Will is in no RefpeSi concerned therein, were to deny his Providence \
" who hath Mercy on whom he will halve Mercy, and whom he will he hard-
neth," as the Scripture faith, Rom. 9.
Moreover, for Men under the fpecious Shews of pleading up for and exalting
the divine Mercy to fay, That GOD moft heartily and fincerely wiflieth and
wills the Salvation of every Man without Exception, and at the fame Time to
confefs (^s they cannot for their Lives help doing) that he wills to permit Mul-
titudes of thefe very Men to go on in their Sins and perifli, altho' able to hinder
them if he io willed, is fuch a Medly and inconfiftent Piece of Divinity as only
befits thofe, who undertaking to be Advocates for the Almighty, do offer him
Robbery for Burnt-Offering ; and who whilfl: they do make a Flourifh with
their frightful Inferences againft their Opponents (fetting up for great Mafters
of Reafon) do maintain fuch a Scheme of Divinity as is hard to be reconciled
even with common Senfe^ as well as that it is repugnant to Scripture and FaiSl,
which declares, that there are fome " whom he that made will have no Mercy
on them, and he that formed them will (hew them no Favour," Ifai. 27. 1 1.
*' L there then Unrighteoufnefs with GOD ? GOD forbid : For he faith unto
Mo/es^ I will have A-lercy on whom I will have Mercy, and I will have Com-
pafllon on whom I will have Compaflion :" Such is his Sovereignty. And who
pours not forth his Wrath on the Veffels of Wrath, until after much Long-fuf-
fering or bearing with them, they by their Sins become ripe or fitted for Deftruc-
tion : Such is his Ju/iice and Equity. And who withal maketh known /A#
Riches of his Glory (O fweet Words) on the Vefels of Mercy which he had aforf
prepared unto Glory : Such are the Riches of his glorious Grace.
And is it not without the leaf} Derogation from the Honour of GOD's Juftice
and Mercy in the divine Oracles, declared ^^i 14. 16. " That in Times paft
-140 ,0/ Predestination ^^ Elect ioW.
.{viz. before the Exhibition of the Son of GOD in the Flefh, which Vere man'y
Hundreds of Years Space) he fuPr'ered all Nations (which were very numerous)
to v.'allc in their oioji ('niarkj their own Way, their ov.-n Ways of Sin and Idola-
/ry, in plain Contradiftin6lion from the IFays of GOD and his Salvation. And
whether, pray you, did thefe their ow«VV"ays, which Sf. PiUft/' exhorted thofe Ido-
laters there to turn from, lead thofe that walked in them, but unto Dejiru^ionf
Or will any offer tj fay, that Men's ^zc/j Ways is the narrozv Way that leads to
Life, which few are faid to find ? No'furely ; but rather confefs, that it is the
bread Way that leads to Dejhiiiiion, in which many do walk unto this Day : If
otherwife, the Apoftle would have rather exhorted thefe Men to have continued
in thofe their own Ways, inftead of exhorting them to turn from\\)zm into the
Ways of GOD. Did then the almighty Sovereign of Heaven and Earth, with-
out the leaflStain to his Juftice and Mercy, thus of old fuff"er the Nations of the
World tor a long Space or Time to walk in their oiun Ways, which led unto Per-
dition, taking Vengeance on them for their Idolatries f And is this lefs true of
his fufFering many Nations at this Day thus to ivalk, to whom he doth not fend
thofe Gofpel Means by which he ordinarily conveys unto the Sons of Men the
Knowledge of Salvation for the Remiffiun of their Sins:j.a.nd regenerating their
SouJs.; whom this Day-fpring from on high, as the Fruits of his tender Mercy,
he doth not fend to vift, but leave them to fit in iluir ma.tural Darknefs and the
Shadow of Death ? Is GOD then unrighteous, wiio takcth Vengeance on thofe
Sinners who walk in their own Ways ? CjOD forbid. How then fhall GOD
judge the World ? who will not condemn thofe for not believing the Gofpel to
v/hom it was never fent, but will judge them by the Law of Nature, whoffc
Dilates they had tranfgrefled, and (o fnall be vAthout Excufe in the Day of
Judgment. ■ ■
Thus, as I conceive, that the infulting Gentiles might not think to fcreen
themfelves from the Judgments denounced againft the Breakers of the Law (as
-in the faid fecond Chapter of the Romans) by faying that the fcws only had had
(the Law, not they, the Apoftle goes on and ihews, that altho' they never had the
Lavi^ in the Fdanner which the fcws had it, to tuit, written on Tables oi Stone-,
/who in thai Refpe^ are faid to be ivithout Law, and who accordingly fiiould not
^e condemned by that Law) yet they had the Law of GOD written on the Ta-
,tles of then- Hearts, hy which they fr.ould be judged at the lafi: Day, when their
awn Confciences wi.l(l rnanifefl the Imperfection of their Obedience tiieteunto,
. f<p. ssto'ieaye them v/ithout all Excufe : Eor in the very mean while their Con-
■fciences^do either accufe or QiiCi\(Q them, according as they do more or Jefs obey
or difohey- the natural Light or Didates thereof: So that in the great Day of Ac-
, counts their Condemnation will ht greater or more tolerable, anlwerable to tiie
.Degrees of their Difobediencc ; whence they muft not tiiiirk to efcape the righte-
ous Judgment of GOD for finning againft \\\s Law ivVritten on tliein-Hearts : .For
tho' the Deeds thereof at beft being imperfecl, cannot amount unto a juilifying,
faving Righteoufnefs, yet as it -was fuificient by vi-et!7ing the Works :of Creation,
to point o^\i unto them GOD's eternal Power and God-iiead- ;ind their Duty to
clorify
Of- PREDESTINATION ij;/^ ElEGTION. 1.4.!,
gIoriiy''hif7t accordingly-; fo their Neglfe<5V of thiswill furnifli out Tuifiicient A^at-
fer to aggravate their Guilt and Condiemnatian, which oth^rwife would have
been more tolerable.
From all which it appears, anfwerable to the Occafion and Scope of thisEpiflJe,
bow little Reafon theie J^vj and Gentiles at Rome l,ad to infult over each othei:,.
forafinucb as 'that as many as have finned, without Lawj to zvit, as it was written'.
<3n Tables of Stone, ilrall alfo perilh without Law j i/jai is io fay, without being
condcn-vned by ih'at Law ; for they fhall be condemned by the I>avv written on
their Hearts. And as many as have finned in the. Law, as the Jews, who had
it writtenfby the very Finger of GOD on Tables of Stone, fhall bejud2:ed by
that Law : The Gentiles who only had the Law of Nature, fliall not be judged
by the Law oi Mofes, and the Jezus who had both fliall be judged by both, in the
Day that GOD fhall judge the Scjerets of Men by Jesus Christ according to
the Gc^fpel ; when all Mouths fliall be flopped, and confefs that the Judgment
of GOD is righteous : " For when the Gentiles which have not the Law, do
by Nature the Things contained in the Law, thefe having not the Law, io wit,
as- written on the Tables of Stone, are a Law unto themfelves ; which fhews the
Work of the Law written on their Hearts ; their Confciences alfo bearing Wit-
il€fs,and their Thoughts the mean while accufing or elfe excufing one another."
Moreover, the Apoftle in order for the more eftedlual humbling and putting
to Silence t/jrfe contentious prof effing Jews and Gentiles at Rome, doth in the Con-
text declare how much it ought to concern them to look well unto each one his
own St .n 'ing, telling them how inexcufable fuch will be who condemn that in
others which they allow in themfelves, more efpecially under a vifible Profcfliou
of Rehgion as they were, who therefore of all others, living in Impenitency muft^
not.'th'inl-i to cfcape the righteous Judgment of GOD, who without Refpe6l o|^
Perfons, whether the wife Gred or privileged Jeiu, would proceed in Juds;mentr-
againftthem, who will as a jufl and a righteous GOD render to every Man ac- .
cording to his Deeds ; " to them vv'ho by a patient Continuance in VVell-doingi
do feek for Glory, and Honour, and Immortality ; eternal Life ; But unto them
that were contentious fas fome of thefc were obfcrve) and obey not the Truth,
but obey Unrighteoufnefs ; Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguifli;
upon every Soul of Man that doth Evil, of the Jew firff, and alfo of the Gentile :
Kut Glory, Honour and Peace to every Man that worketh Good, to the Jew
firft, and alfo to the Gentile ; for there is no Rcfpedt of Perfons with GOD.
The Man then that gets to Heaven, I hence grant is a Seeker, a Doer, and a!
Worker : A feeker of heavenly Thing?, and fo not a carnal Profcflbr j whofe
Profeffion is in Heaven while his Heart is in the Earth ; a Doer of good Works,
and not a bare Hearer of them, he is a well Doer, a Worker of Good, and onu
that patiently continueth therein. Rut then this doing is not for Life, becaufe
by the Deeds bf the Lawjfliall no Flelii be juft^fied in^thc Sight of GOD,,by^
/•^ffi Lite and. Lweuato<. GOD. ■■.■■'.-
14^ Of Predestination and Electiom,
The Apoftle obferve, is here fetting before thefe contentious talkativeVrcft^cxs,
the Character of a true jufHfied Beh'ever, the Chri/tian imhed, who walks not
lafrer the Klein but after the Spirit ; for f.iys he, Vcr. 13. Not the Htarencf the
Law are ju/i before God but the Doers of the Laiu Jhal! be ju/iijieci ; that is to fay,
y\\e truly jufiified Man is fuch an one as doth net reft in a bare ProfefTicn of Re-
ligion ; but one that looks on himfelf under evangeUck Obligations to obferve and
do the Duties of Religion : that being juftified by Chrift's Blocd as his Prieft,and
fanilified by his Grace as his King, doth yeild SubjecSiion to his Laws, and that
too with a tn-ily noble Frarlom of Soul, made willing by a Day of Chrift's Power,
jfj that it is not the hare doing of what is materially good (for that a very Legtiliji
and Hypocrite may d 5 j but alfo a Man's doing the fame from a right
Principle unto a right End, God's Glory, that maketh his Works to be
good VVorks fuch as will (tand the Tcfl in the great Day : they muft be Works
of Paith and Labours of Love. Thefe the ^righteous God will not forget.
Hc'b. 6. 6, 10.
Thefe Things well obferved cut the very Sinews of the Arminian Talent-irade-
ing Notions founded on Fer. 14. where it is faid, " That when the Gf«//Zi?i
which have not the Law do by Nature the Things contained in the Law ( to ivity
the Law of Mo/es) are a Law unto themfelves which fliew the Work of the Law
written in their Hearts." For according to their Interpretation of the Words
aUhisnifthey'-iJuill, whether Chrijiians, Jews, Turks ox Pagans, may be jufti-
fied by the Deeds of the Law in the 5/^/p/ i^y" Go^. Which is dire6lly oppofite
unto that Drift and Tenor of this Epiftle, where the Apoftle poftltively declares
that by the Works or Deeds of the Law no Flcjh fhall be juftified in God' s Sight ;
withal fliewing that hereby neverthelefs he did not (as fome might fuggeftj tnake
void hut rather ejiablijh the Law, the Dignity and Excellency thereof as an eternal
Rule of Righteoufnefs by the Son of God's Obedience to it ; and it's Ufe as a
Rule and Square of our San<?tification, unto them who by the obediential Righ-
teoufnefsof Chrifl: are juftified. Whilft the Jew here boafted they only had the
Honour of having the Law committed to them and fo triumphed over and de-
fpifed the Gentiles, their fellow ProfeftTors, the Apuftle in order to humble them,
not only fliewed their Vanity in glorying of the Name without theThing, but alfo
lets them know that neverthelefs the Gentiles were not altogether without the
Law of God, it being written in their Hearts ; and from the Whole lets them
know who was the true Chriftian indeed, who alone fhould get to Heaven, whe-
ther Jew or Gentiles, and that they muft at leaft expe(5^ to be judged by the Law
they "had. So that whofoever of them Jew or Gentile Profeftbr, muft expedl to
fare according to their Deeds at the Day of Judgment, when God with render
to every Man according to their Works. Eternal Life to fuch as patiently con-
tinue in Well-doing feeking for Glory Honour and Immortality, but Indignation
and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguifh to the Contentious Difobedient and Evil-
Doer. There is a peculiar Emphafis in the Terms [Well-doing'] and workifjg
Good] for from hence it is very apparent that there may be a doing/<?rand feeking
after Juftification Life and Salvation j fo as to mifs of it to the Doers, utter undo-
ing
Of Predestination ««i Elect iom^. 143
/W for not only fuch as ktk it not at all ; hut ?\{o(omethzt do zeahu/Jyfee^
after a Rifrhteoufnefs to juftify and fave them, yet never obtain it : Who feek to
enter in W the heavenly Kingdom yet fhall not be able, Luke 13. 24*
John 8. 21. Rom. 9. from Ver. 29. to the End, Chap. 10. lyto S- How io ?
Why becaufe howfoever they are for a zealous feeking and doing, and thcThings
they dobe^cff^/forthe M7//^rofthem, yet they mifs the Mark by feeking to
enter in bv zfervile Obedience to the Law as a Covenant of Works, and a meer
natural Religion : Or at belt by blending Law and Gofpel,like the bewitchedG^-
/rt/?"^«5,inftead of feeking it wholly by Faith inChrift, without any^undueMixtures
with theii Deeds of the Law : Who even while they profefs Faith in Chrift,
do flrenuoudy plead for univerfal Grace and Free-Will in every Man,
by the Improvement of which they hy all may be faved if they \vill;.
and fo feek after a juftifying faving Righteoufnefs as it were by the ^Vorks ofthe
Law. This is to give Chrift the iV<7/«^ of a Saviour, and at the fame Time to
o-ive the Honour^'of the determining Point to their own free Will Improv.crmntu
There are others indeed oi your Talent-Traders more bare-faced, wiro do pro-
fefledly declare againft the Doflrines of JufHlication by Faith -in the imputed
Righteoufnefs of Chrift and accordingly deny him his proper Divinity or Godhead
Chara^er ; and that look back (as Dr. JVatts obferves) upon Heaibenifm wkha.
wipoful Eye, as fome of the Ifraeliics did after the Onions, the (jarlick and Flelh
Pots of Egypt ; who yet I obferve are not willing to caft ofr, but Jlill to retain
the Name Chrijiian., which fignifies a Difciple or Follower of Chrift, a Be--
liever in him \ yea, that can find in their Hearts to give him the Titles of
King &Saviour with their Tongues andPens, fo greatly do they honour him Vv'ith.
their Lips : And herein methinks they acb not altogether unlike thofe Jewifh
Women of whom the Prophets fpeaks, //i?. 4. i. That Tnould tcike.hold^of ,
one Mxn faying we will eat of our own Bread and wear our own i\ppare], only let
the.
ible
, fad
Cau
i^i t
Law v»uiivsiii wjj^juiuiuii lu iijc iMgiiicuuuicis ur i^aiui, isjii lucir vv3,7 anct
thcmfelves too : while tlie called Gtvz/Z/i'i who had never enjoyed the external
Advantages thofe ]cvf^ had, did thro' divine Grace fcek.and i:i]d God's Way of.
Salvation in the Gofpcl, as''tisfaid Rem. 9.30. 5:c, " The Cf^^i/tV.; who follow--
ed not after Righteouihefs, have attain'd to Righteoufnei's, even the Rivihtcouf-
iiefs which i:> of Faith : B'Jt Ifracl Vv'hich followed after the Law of Righceoufue.'s-
have not attained to the Law of Righteoufnefs, tav^it, a juftifyrng faviiig Righ-r-
^ _ . - c> •■ — - — — w^ --..« ~ -,.. ^^v^ii
had laid in Zwj whereon, to build our heavenly Hopes, for Jollification axid
1
t-44 Q/" Predestination and Election.
Now obferve tbeChara£ter of thefeLegaliftsjhere fpoken of, they don't appear
to be openly profane Sinners nor of the /6)/)c^r/V/W C/i7««, but fuch asuere/cr
doing and workings yea they were working hard for Life and Salvation ; their
Doings alfo were attended with a Xeal^ a vehement Zeal, even a Zeal of God ■:
as had been Paul's own Cafe before his Converfion ; and yet ob.erve how thi?
bleired Apoftle lamented their faid Cafe, becaufe ail this while horribly ignorant
of and zealoufiy bent againft God^s Way of faving Sinners by the Righreoufhefsof
Faith ; like a mettlefome blind Horfe, driving forwards without Fear, over ever
fo danoerousRocks ^Stones of Stumblings : forbeing ignorant of G(7rt";Righteouf-
nefs,3nd going about to eftablifh their (jzf;7Righteoufnefs, tiiey have not fubmitted
themfelves unto the Righteoufnefs of God : That is to fay the mediatorial Righ-
teoufnefs of Chrift, which is of God's providing and revealing, and which he
alone will accept of as an adequate Payment to the righteous Demands of theLaw
in the Sinner's Stead ; Chrift being Jehovah our Righteoofnefs as it follows,
Ver. 4. For Chit /I is the End of the Law for Rightcoufnefi unto every one that be-
lieveth. Thus whiUt they profeft a zealous Obedience to God's Law, they
prov'd p-uilty of the highe/i Difohedience in refufing to fulmit unto God's revealed
Way -of Juftification and Salvation by the Miniflry of the Apoflle, they fiumbled
at the Word delivered unto them ; which the Apoftle Peter pofiitively CiMsDif-
obedience in diredt Contradiftinction from the PracSlice of others who manifeftcd
their Obedience of Faith by a ready Submif,lon to the Doilrine of God's Way of
juftif) ino- and faving Sinners by the A^erits and Righteoufnefs of the Redeemer.
I Pet. 2! 4,5, 6, 7, 8.^ w///^ Rom. 10. 21. fee alfo John 6. 28,29. (i Joh.T^.ii^.)
Chap. 5. 4, to 14. Where you will find that to believe on the Name of the
Son of God' and the Record which God the Father hath given of his Son and the
only Way of Salvation by him is called the Work of God, to the which he
commands Men's Obedience wherefoever the Gofpel comes ; and that thofe
wha refufe to yeild their Obedience of Faith to his divine Record and Command
are reprefented as making God a Lyar, which greatly aggravates their Sin of
Unbelief and Difohedience. Therefore when God (hall come to Judgment he
will r.envJer to thefe according to their Deeds, he will deal with them as Unbe-
lievers and difobedient Perfons, who prefering their proud Imaginations and Rea-
fonings to divine Revelation, and going about to eftablifh their m'nRighteoufnefs,
fubmitted not unto theRighteoufnefs of God ; while the humbleBeliever readily
cbeved the Truth of the Gofpel, by yeilding unto it's Teftimony, and whofe
Faith wrought by Love, fliall according unto, tho' notforhh Works, receive the
incorruptible Crown of Righteoufnefs and Glory. Hence, faith St. Paul, Rom.
2. 6. *' God will render to every Man according to his Works, or Deeds ; to
them who by a patient Continuance in Well-doing, do {to wit, in the right
Way) feck for Glory, Honour and Immortality, eternal Life ; but unto them
that a^re contentious and obey not the Truth, but obey Unrighteoufnefs, Indig-
nation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguifh upon every Soul of Man that doth
Evil, to the Jew firft and alfo to the Gentile : but Glory Honour and Peace
to every Man that worketh Good, to the Jew firft and alfo to the Gentile:'*
(Mark) to them that obey the Truth and ivori Good, that is to fay, thofe who
^ ^ '^ fubmiffiveJy
Of Predestination and Election. 145
fubmiflively bow their Underflandinrs and Wills to the Truth of the Gofpcl,
firft by giving Credit to its Teftimony concerning God's Way of Salvation;^
And fecoiidly by a chearful i'( formance of good Works, even the Works of
Faith and Labour of Love, whofe Faith purifies their Hearts, and worketh by
Love, perfevering therein to the End, whilft the Works and Doings of meer
Legalijh and natural Men (however good as to the Matter of them j are no bet'
ter thiLU aead Works znd ferv He Obedience ; and our Lord has afiured the Sons
and Daughters of Men, that " Except their Righteoufnefs fhould exceed the-
Righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Pharifees they fliall in no Cafe enter into the
Kingdom of Heaven." Math. 5. 20. Who alfo told N i code mus with a verily
verily that except a Man be born again (of which Do£irine Nicodsmus was now
ignorant j he cannot fee the Kingdom of God ? And again " Except a Man
be born of Water and of the Spirit he fhall not enter into thcKingdom of God."
John ^ Which Do£liine our Saviour delivered unto him in order to prepare
his Mind to believe on his Name as the Saviour of the World ; as may be there
feen. This great Man altho' a Ruler and Terc'ier m Ifriiclht'wig yet ignorant
of God's Righteoufnefs, and of the Dodlrine of the New-Birth, and who by the
Way was not a Hypocrite, as St. Paul2\{o was not before Converfion, but on
the other Hand very fincere and zealous in his Way ; and therefore evident it is
that Men muft be polFeft of a Righteoufnefs that exceeds the Righteoufnefs, not.
only of the hypocritical, but alfo of theZ-^y? Sort of Pharifees, fuch as Paul and
Niccdewus had been, before they can enter the Kingdom of Heaven, to wit, a
Righteoufnefs of bjipiitation and Faith to juftify them, and a Righteoufnefs of
Regeneration to renew and fandtify them, which where it is in Truth never faihs
of ifiuing in a Righteoufnefs of Converfation. 1 fohn'^.'j. To fay othejwife
is nothing better than to fay that our Saviour's Difcourfe with Nicodemus corr-
cerning the Neceffity of the New-Birth, fignifved nothir^g, c.x\6 that Pciul's
Concern for the zealous Jews aforefaid was a needlefs Thing, as a'fo his own
Converfion from adhering to the Righteoufnefs of tiie Law, unto theRighteouf-
ncfs of Faith : and indeed to count him no better than a Fool for faying '* 7'hat
V'hatThings v/ereGain to me(who touching theRighreoufnefs which isintheLaw
was blameleA) thofe Things I counted Lofs for Chriil : yea, doubtlefs and I
count all Things but Lof« for the Excellency of the rCnowledge of Ciiri-fl: Jefus-
my Lord, for whom I have fuftered the Lofs of all Tilings, and do count them
but Dung, that I may win Chriil and be found in him, not having mine ovn
Righteoufnefs which is of the Law, but that which is thro'the Faith of Chriii,
the Righteoufnefs which is of God by Faith." And indeed the Argument is
very conclufive that \f Paul'?, ozvn Righteoufnefs, together with all that Zeal snd
Sincerity that attended it before his Converfion had been /-(^f/aVw/ to his Ju/liflca'-
/•/on before God and Salvation by him, it muft have been earcs^ions Folly in him
to have renounced it in the Manner he did, callin<z himfelf tiie chief of Sinner?,
fo highly efleeming and fo clofely adhering unto another Sort of Righteouf-ief--,
even the Righteoufnefs of Faith. Paul htfore Converfion was very flricl in
doing according; to the bej} of his Light, and yet we phiinlv fee that this was not
/•iff cient 10 jujlify z\-i(\ Jave h\m. We zni^ Nicodemus too fiill needed <j;w?/.'fr and
V 2 better.
146 Of Predestination and Election.
better Righteoufnefs to thcfe Ends, even the Righteoufnefs of Imputation and
Faith without them, and a Righteoufnefs of Regeneration and SancStification
tvithifi them, whence alone proceed good Works, acceptable and well-pleafmg
unto God. P'or without Faith it is impoffible to pleafehim. And they that are
in the Flefh (as all natural Men are) cannot pleafe him, Heb. 11. 6. Rom.%.'^.
If then a Man will perform a good Work to Purpofe, it muft not only be good
for the Matter of it, but zlCo (or it's Principle, Manner znd End; from L\fe
and Love in the Soul to Chrift, by Faith in him,- aiming at his Glory ; other-
"wife the mo/I glorious external Adlions, fuch as a Man's giving all his Goods to
the Poor, and even his Body to be burned, will prove no better than ^////^rz'wff
iS'/;.'.f, and the doer of them no better than sl founding Bra/s znd a iini/ing Cymbal^
in ihoxi as -nothing, 1 Cor. 13.
We have a clear Inflance of this Truth in the Cafe of Cain and Jbel, the lat-
ter of whom together with the Sacrifice he offered was of God accepted ; the
other wit!) his Sacrifice rejeded. For it is faid that the Lord bad Refpeit unto
yf^^/ and unto /;/i offering, but unto Cain and unto his offering he had not Rc'
fp£6l. Gen. 4. 4. Wherein it evidently appears that there was a plain and wide
■Difference between the facrificial Offering of thefe two Brothers ; and we are
■pofitively told that y/i'^/ offered unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain.
Moreover when Cain was wroth at God's rejecting his Sacrifice ; the Lord anf-
wered him, with a why art thou wroth, ?.ud why is thy Countenance fallen, If
thou cloeji well (mark) if thou doefl vjell^ fhalt thou not be accepted ? By which
it is fully implied that he had tiot done well, his Doings vjcre not well Doings in
God's Account. Hence then the Query is ; wherein jay this Difference ?
From zuhat did JbePs Offering receive the Denomination of being more excellent
' than Cain's ; and his of not doing well. Now/r/? this cannot be inRefpedof the
A5iions themfelves fitnply confidered as A6ls of Worjhip f For if fo ; then Jbel
hirnfelf would not have done well in offering any more than Cain. The Fa6t is,
the Adlions in themfelves were jnaterially good and lawful. Moreover as to Ex-
iernals we fliall find Cain's A6lions to run parrellel with AbeVs. For did
Abel as a Shepherd bring for an Offering feme out of his Flock ; fo Cain as an
Hujbandman brought as an Offering of the Fruits of the Ground j yea did Abel
i?ring his offering unto the Lord, fo did Cain bring his unto the Lord: and which
it is not improbable was attended with as great if not a greater^Z'fw; of Devotion
than that o\ Abel, as in the Cafe of the Pharifee and Publican that went up irato the
Temnje to pray, and offer up each one his fpiritual Sacrifice of Prayer. I con-
clude then that it v^as bvFaith (byFaith in Chrift,by aFaith that works by Love)
that brings God the beft Service the Fat and the fweet, that Abel offered unto
God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained Witnefs that he
was righteous, God teftifying of his Gifts and by it he being dead yet fpeaketh,
Heb. 4. 4. Abel offered his Sacrifice of the Firjilings of the Flock with the Fat
thereof, by Faith in Chrift the great attoning Sacrifice as contained in the
Promife made to his Father and Mother. Gen. 3. 5. Under a Senfe of his be-
ing by the Fall a Sinner and z Child oilFrath. In which Point C^zw failed,
who
0/ Predestination «»/ Election. 14/
who came to God, as to zn abfo/ute God, and who with an ««^^«i?w^^ Mind
being but a natural Man brought his Offering hanfy of the Fruit of the Ground
H3t the fir/? Fruits of it, refling as all other Natural Men do in the Shadow of Re-
litrion without the -S/v^/^wr,?, the iS/W/ without the Kernel, being Ahens from
theCom'mon- Wealth of God's Jfrael, and Strangers to the Covenant of Promile,
and To are without Chrift in the World. Ji?el then was a Child of the Promife, a
rJt^hteous Man, both by the Righteoufnefs o."" Faith and Imputation for his Jufti-
iication, and a Righteoufnefs of Sanftification infufed, who accordingly wor-
fhipped God in the Spirit, rejoicing in Chrift Jefus, as all true Believers do,
having no Confidence in the Flefh, whereas Cain was of a dire6t oppofite Cha-
railer, he was of they^r/»^»//«i? Brood, he was of that v/icked One, who fle\^
his Brother; and wherefore flew he him ? Why becaufe his own Works
were Evil, (Sin lying at the Door attended him in all his A£is of Worfhip, as
it doth all natural Men) and'his 5r5^/'^r's righteous, (i John i- 12.) whofe
Perfon was/r/? accepted thro' Chrift and then his Offering, and not his Per-
fon for his Offering's Sake, as the Arminian Do£frine of felf- differing Free- Will
Performances doth import.
W ^i^ ^S^ ^<3S^ ^S^ (£«5) ^£P ^ai? cflg^^t? w^S' ^g^ "^t? ^g' ^g' ^S' ^EP Hig' ^g* ^^ qae^ ^c^ "^S' 'W "^g^ IS'
GAAP. VII.
I
Where the Argument is continued.
Now proceed to confider one Text more made Ufe of by the Advocates for
the Sufficiency of natural Religion to the undervaluing of the glorious
Dodlrines of the Gofpel, by which alone Life and Immortality is brought to
Light, 2 Ti?Ti. I. 10. The Text is Ads 10.34, 35. Then Peter opened his
Mouth and f aid of a Truth 1 perceive that God is no Refpe^er of Per fans : But in
everyNation he that fearethGod i^f worketh Righteoufnefs is accepted of hitn. But to
how //V//^Purpofe this Text xsprejfed into theirService, will appear if we confider.
T. Th^it Cornelious howfoever a Gentile yet was not one of thofe who^^i/^
Ko more than a bare Light of Nature, or the Law written on the Table of the
Heart to guide them. For it appears that he lived amongft the Nation of the
Jeivs who had the Oracles of God, and fo accordingly had the Advantage to in-
form his Judgment to God's Way of Salvation, and to aflift him in his Devo-
tion and Piety, howfoever as yet his Knowledge might Z'^jijmw^, which after-
awards by the Apoftles Miniftry was incrcafed ; and fo was of good Report a-
mongft the Jews, the then Church of God, however not circumcifed,fuch a one
as they called a Profelite of the Gate.
2. Obferve how that by a "nioft peculiar Providence of God he was
brought under Peter's Miniftry, a Preacher of Salvation by Jefus Chrift,
who fhould tell him Words whereby he and all his Houfe ihould be faved.
Accgrdingly
14^ Of Predestination and. Election.
be faved. Accordingly when God had fhewn Peter his Duty herein, and re-
moved his Prejudices by the Vifion, fo that he fliould not refufe him for being a
Gentile^ that God was now about to pull down the Partition Wall that had fo
long flood between Jew and Gentile, granting them, the Gentiles, alfo Repen-
tance unto Life, and to admit them now into the vifible Church of Chrifl,
who in Times paji had been excluded that Priviledge ; we find that Peter yielded
ready Obedience to the heavenly Villon, for he went to Cornelius his Houfe,
where he opened his Mouth and preached to him and the refl prefent the Way
of Peace and Salvation by Jefus Chrifl. Having firfl exprefled the Convic-
tion of his Mind that the Gentiles fhould no longer remain afar off, without the
Pale of ChrifPs vifible Church ; but become Fellow-Heirs with the Jews,
Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houfhold of God, being made nigb
by the Blood of Chrift, that henceforth he was to know no Man after the
Flefh as in Days part, the Jews who were known by their Jewifh Prero-
tives from the Gentiles now ceafed to be thus knovi'n ; whence ( fays he )
" Of a Truth I perceive that God is no Refpefter of Perfons : but in every
Nation fthe Gentile as well as the Jeiv) he that fcareth God and worketh
Righteoufnefs is accepted of him." So then this Text cannot intend that fuch
who have nothing but the bare dim Light of Nature can by the Improvement
of a fuppofed Stock of Free- Will Abilities, work out zji{/lifying, faving Righ-
teoufnefs, whereby to procure Acceptance with God : but only that now the
Gentiles as well as the Jezus had accefs unto the vifible Church of Chrift with
all the Priviledges thereof; and that fuch of the Gentiles as God accepted were
fuch as feared God and wrought Righteoufnefs. Mark, not as a moving Caufe
or Ground of their Acceptance, but as an Evidence of it. None are made
accepted but thro' the Beloved, Jefus and the Merit of his Blood, and not by
any Works of Righteoufnefs v.'hich they have done. But Men being firfi; ac^-
Cepted thro' the Righteoufnefs of Faith do as the /v'////j and £'-i'/(a'k;,vrj thereof,
fear God and work Righteoufnefs, as Cornelius did, whofe Perfon God 6]6 Jir/}
accept and then his Offering. It was not then by Works of felf-differing Righ-
teoufnefs that he had done that he was faved and called with a holy Calling, but
according to God's own Purpofe and Grace which was given him in Chrifl: Jefus
before the World began, v^^hioh vjzs produiiive of Holinefs. Jefus Chrift was
of God made unto hlmftrji Righteoufnefs for his Acceptance ; and then San(5i!fi-
cation, whence proceeded a godly P^ear and A6ls of Piety. Thofe whom God
eledted in Chrift before the Foundation of the World, he chofe that they
fhould in Time become holy. Whence their Holi nefs is fo f^ir from being the
Caufe as that, it \s the Fruit zndi ihe EffeSf of their E!e£lion ; as was the
Cafe of pious Cornelius. Whence it undeniably follows that his Ele£iion
and Acceptance was not founded on 2.r\y f elf differing Ads of his from the
Light of a ineer natural Confcience as thou2;h that alone had heev. Jirficient to have
fhewn him the Way to Heaven. To fay ot))erwif, is diredly to contradicT: what
Peter had before faid, A£fs 4. I2. Yea to render the whole particular Difpen-
fation of Providence to C(?r«^//«J in dircd^ing Peter to go and tell him Words
whereby he and his Houfe fhould be faved, a i:cedlefs Thing : If he could of
himfelf
Of Predestination an^ Electiont. 149
htmfelfhzvQ found the "Way to Heaven by the Light of the Moon^ what Need
was there of his having the glorious Light of the Sun fL-nt him to give him Light,
and fuch a Pilot as Peter with the Compafs of GOD's V/ord along with him, to
dire6l him how he Jhouldjiecr his Courfe Heavenward P Who when he was come
to that End^ opened his Adouth and preached to him Jesus : In doing which be
declared his fupream De'ity^ or that he is Lord of all ; that he was the anointed
Saviour^ that he was fain atid banged on a Tree, that he rofe again, that he was
ordained to be fudge oj both ^uick and Dead, and that unto him all the Prophets
gave Witnefs, through his Name whojoevcr believeth in him Oiall receive Remif-r
fion of Sins. Thefe were the Things thv.t the bare Light oi Nature never tauglit,
yet you fee they were Matters in the which the ApolHe by a fpecial Diredlioa
from GOD inftrudted Cornelius and the reft of his Friends, that they might be
faved. Thus was this holy Man taught the Way of GOD more perfe(^iy, having
firft received fbme Advantages that Way by living amongft the Jews, to whom
the Oracles of GOD were committed, and amongft whom the true Worfhip of
GOD was performed.
Hence then, a Man muft have a v^ry odd and out of the IVay Method of Reafon-
ing who fhall conclude, that the Apoflle Pet^r judged the Light of Nature of it
felf fufjicient to guide thofe to Heaven whom he thus inftrudled in Things yi
much above it, in the Way how to obtain a juftifying faving Righteoufnefs. If
the Sun, Moon and Stars be fuflicient to light Men to Heaven and to guide their
Feet in the Way of Peace, by giving them the Knowledge of Salvation for the
RtmifTion of their Sins, xvhat need tl e Day-fpring from on high to vifit them in
order to effect thofe great Ends i* What Need this Wafte ? Why zxefuch Ft-
fitations faid to give the Light of Salvation to them that fit in Darknefs and in
the Shadow of Death, as the Effe6ls of God's tender Mercy ? If the People
thus vifited were poflefl'ed of z. Jufficient Light to that End, antecedent to fuch Vi-
fitations ; if fuch who have not Gofpel-Vifitations are not in a State of Z)<jr/f-
nefs. Death and A'Jifery, why are fuch illuminating Vifitations reprefented as the
proper Effects of God's Mercy ^ yea of his tender Mercy ?
Thus upon the whole, by a fair and candid View of the Scripture- Account of
Things, we fee how the Pleaders for the Sufficiency of a meer natural Religion
from the Scripture, do run themfelves a-ground and fall by their own Devices in
quoting Inftances to ferve their Turn from that very Revelation which their No-
tions run counter to and render needlcfs. If they will adhere to the plain Di<5lates
of divineRevelation,they'muft ofCourfe renounce theirNotions of univerfalGracc
which it declares againft, and adhere to that Account it gives of God's Ways of
juftifying and favmg Sinners through Faith in Chrift Jefus. But if they are re-
folved not to abide by the authoritative Decifion which divine Revelation plainly
gives of thefe grand Aff"airs, let them never ahufe it by quoting Paflages out of it,
to make it fpeak contrary to it{e\f to ferve a Turn. I am not infenfible of the
frightful Inferences that are ftill drawn and urged from this Account of Things
by thofe who fet up as Advocates for the divine Mercy, to the Prejudice of divine
Sove»
3^0 Of Predestination and Election.
Sovereignty and Wifdom in God's Way of faving Sinners according to the Al-
juighty's own Account of Things.
But kt Men infer what they will from the Scripture Propofitions I hare
laid down, it is fufficient for me that I make them appear to be fuch j that the
Doflrines I plead for are no other than what is contained in the holy Bible ; which
I truft will appear to be fuch to every unbias'd Reader ; therefore if Banter and
Sneer, JReproach znd Ccnie?npt (hMJlill attend me for my juft Defence of ths
glorious Gofpel of the ever blefled God, I fhall not be much moved. For why
ihould I be afhamed of the Gofpel of Chrift v/hich is the Power of God unto
Salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jezu firft and alfo to the Greek, for
therein is the Righteoufnefs of God revealed from Faith to Faith. It is by it
that Life and Immortahty by Chrift is brought to Light ; if the Gofpel be hid it
Is hid unto them that are loft. Tho' the preaching thereof is unto them that
perifh Fooliftinefs, yet unto them that are called it is the Wifdom of God and the i
Potver of God ; becaufe the Foclifhnefs of God is wifer than Men, and the -
Weaknefs of God isjironger than Men. It is of him (who worketh all Things
after the Counfel ot his oivn Will) that we are in Chrift Jefus, who of God is
made unto us Wifdom and Righteoufnefs and Sandl^iiication and Redemption :
That according as it is written, he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord.
1 Cor. I. ;^o, 31. Both Scripture and i^Sif? do declare that unto /^/«i? it cn/y is
given to know the Myfteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, that unto others it is
not given. Math. 13. 11. And if you will know the fupream Reafon of fuch
Difpenfation, fee what the ^Scw of G'(jc//;//«/Q'^declares even with Exaltation of
Spirit and Thankfgiving to his Father, Math. 11. 25, 26. On which Text thafi
sxcellent Divine of the eftablifhed Church Mr. Robert Bolton in one of his Affize
Sermons thus /)^r//K^«//)> difcants, *' Chrift who full well knew the Bofom of
*' his Father, cafting his Eye ferioufly on the Condition of his Followers and
'* Fruit of his Miniftry, and feeing the Scribes and Pharifees, and great Ones oi
** the World, not only not entertain and countenance, but out of their proud
" and ppophane Malice difdain and contemn the glorious Gofijel and divine Mef-
'^' fage he brought from Heaven, and a Company of poor Fifliermen and a few
*' other neglected Underlings, who with a holy Violence lay hold of his King-
*' dom ; he brake out into this thankful Acknowledgment and Admiration, " T
"' thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, becaufe thou haft hid thefe
'* Things from the "Wife and Prudent, and revealed tliem unto Babes:" And
*' then he afcends to the Well-Head and fit ft Mover of all Gcd's Dealings tilth-
^' and Difrerences rtwc;;^/? the Sons of Men, even the facrod zv\6. unfearchahh-
*' Depth oi t\{\sBenepla:iium, the good Pleafure of his Wijl ; " Even {o Father,
*' for €0 it feemed good in thy Sight." In an humble Adoration of the infcriita-
** ble and immutable Courfes whereof we m.uft finally and fully reft with iniiinte
** Satisfailion^ filenced from any further Search and carnal Curiofities by that
** awful Check and Countermand of x"rt?//^ Rom. 9. 20.. " Nay, but O Man,,
*' who art thou that rcplieft agaijift God ?"" Flefh and Blood- hath in all Ages-
,** grumbhd and rspimd^ klckid aijd cavilkd about this Point j but ever at length,
Of Predestination and Election. /51
*' by meafurlng this deepeft Myftery by the Line of human Reafon, and labour-
*' ing to fathom this bottomlefs Sea by the Pride of their oivn JVits, they have be-
** come wrdched Oppoprs of the Grace of God. We behold the Sun and enjoy
*' the Light thereof, while we look towards it but tenderly and circumfpeSl^y \ we
*< warm our ish&s fafely whiie we fland near the Fire ; but if we feek to out-
" face the one or enter into the other ^ we forthwith become blind & burnt. It is
** proportionable in the prefent Point." 'J'hus hath this ^r^VfMan of God in a
few Words given us the true State of the Cafe ; alfo what are the idd Effe<3s of
Men's Minds remaining unfuhdued to the uncontroulable Sovereignty of ihe. great
Jehovah^ who hath faid, " My Counfel (hall fland, and 1 will do all my Plea-
lure," as not fatisfied with the Apoftle's Affertions of God's Will as a
Reafon of his Counfel, do call the Juftice of God unto the Bar of their depraved
Reafon, meafuring fupematural MyRerks with that Jhort Line, juft as if theReach
and Ken of a pojr finite Creature could extend unto the utmoji Boundaries of the
Almighty'' s Proceedings even be/ond all Ground of Scruple, and (o take the eagle-
ev'd Apoftle off from his nonplus and devout Admiration when he cries out, "•" O
the Depth !" is'c.
But how unreafonahle and arrogant is it for poor depraved Mortals, Creatures of
Te/ierday^ who before and in Comparifon of the great God are Icfs than nothing
and Vanity^ X.o prefer i be to his /«/?'?/V^ Underflanding, and allow him no Reafons
to guide his. Determinations by but what /^^^^ can yi/AV account for. Pertinent
therefore is the Say ing of Zophar in the Clofe of his Difcourfe of God's Incom-
prehenfiblen:?fs, Job 11. J2. " Vain Man would be wife, tho' Man be born
like a wild Afs's Colt." Whereas the AITerters of the Doctrine of abfulute
Ele6lion, do account it mo/i reafonahle^ anfweribie to the infpired Apolile's Doc-
trine and Example, hu?nb!y to re/i in God's IVill zs a Reafon o^ his Counfel, with-
out daring to \oo\l further, left they be found vain and curious Enquirers after
what he has hid from the Eyes of Mortals, and as defirous to reft in what is re-
vealed (as the Do6lrine o{ p/irticular and abfoluteYXtOixow is) which only of Right
belongs unto the Sons of Men, and to let God's Secrets remain with himfclf,
imto whom it only appertains ; and with the highefi Reverence, Admiration and
Adoration cry out, " O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wifdom and Know-
Jedge of God ! How unfcarchable are his Judgments, and his Ways pafl finding
out ! For who hath known the Mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Coun-
fellor ! Or who hath firft given to him and it fliall be recompenfed unto him
again ! For of him, and through him, and to him are all Things, to whom be
Glory for ever, Amen,"
We cannot therefore but think it hard Meafure to be cenfured for doing fo ;
whilft engaged in {o noble z. Caufe as maintaining the Scripture-Account of God's
royal Prerogitiue o\'cx h\s Creatures, as tho' we thereby afperf^d o-<\x great and
goodV^oA with an execrable Imputation of Tyranny. It muft be acknowledged
that it is impoffible that the Judge of all the Earth fhould do otherwife than
right i and at the fame Time it'muft be confefs'd that himfclf faith, " I will
X be
152 Of PRBDESTWATfON and Election. "
be gracious unto whom I will be gracious, 1 will have Mercy on whom I Will
have Mercy ;" and that it is a Scripture-Concluficn, that whom he v/ili he
hardneth. Whence it muft be owned, that this latter doth not in the lea/t in-
fringe upon the former of thefe A6lings ; that there is z pcrfeSf Covjijlcncy be-
tween God's aiding as a righteous "Judge upon all Men, and his having Mercy
on whom be will have Mercy, as an abfolute Sovereign, who worketh all Things-
after the Counfel of his oivn Will ; that God from all Eternity elected feme of
the fallen Race in Chrift, that they fhould be redeemed, fandtified and faved by
him, alfo that he will righteoufly condemn all thofe whofe Names are not writ-
ten in the Book of Life at the laft Day. are Points equally revealed in the Bible,
the one as really as the other : This is uncontroulable Eadt. Therefore that
there is fuch a Thing as a perfect Ctnfiftency between the Dodlrine of peculiar
Election, and that of God's Mercy, Juftice and Equity, is an undeniable Con-
clufion, to the which therefore Men do owe the Obedience of their Faith, notwith-
ftanding thofe Difficulties that may clog their Apprehenfions in feeking to recon-
cile thofe Scripture-Doctrines together : That there is a Remnatit according to
the Ele6iion of Grace that fhall obtain Righteoufnefs and Salvation, in Contra-
dijiinSfion from the reji v.'ho do not obtain, is what the divine Oracles do declare ;
alfo that at the laft Day God as a righteous Judge will render to every Man ac-
cording to theif Deeds, eternal Life to fof}ie, and eternal Death to others, is"
what the fame divine Oracles do affirm. This is Fa£l undeniable; for Proof
of which I appeal to thofe divine Oracles themfelves. Whence that there is
fuch a Thing as a real Confiftency between thefe two Points of Dodfrine is what
all who venerate divine Revelation will readily acknowledge, there being no fuch
Thing as a real Contradi<Stion there to be found.
Therefore if objecSting Men fhall flill cry out, How can thefe Things be ?
charging us with Nonfenfe and Con trad idlion, they muft either prove that thefe
are not Scripture- Proportions there equally in Fa6t revealed, or elfe frankly own
that their Charge terminates in the grand Author of divine Revelations : To do
the former they will find a very difficult and the latter a very irkfome Ti:fk ; hovi-
cvftv^ until xhty can difprove the Fa^ zKentd it behoves them to he filent. If
we muft needs fee the very Bottom of and reconcile all the Almighty's Pro-
ceedings even beyond all Grounds of Scruple ; how could it remain (which yet
all muft allow) that fome of God's Judgments are unfearchahle, and his Ways
paji finding out unto Perfe£iion ? Our Knowledge of thefe Things then would
be equal to God''s ozvn, which is impoffible^ and as large in this State of Imperfec-
tion on Earth as it will be in a State of Perfe^ion in Fleaven, and then what
would become of that Saying of St. Paul, i Cor. 13. 12. *' Now we fee
through a Glafs darkly ; but then Face to Face j now I know in Party but then
Ihall I know even as alfo I am known."
For the prefent then, the beft Satisfadlion we can attain unto is this, viz.
That as the Scripture as to Fa£ls doth equally reprefent God both as an Ekolor
of fome in Chrift before the. Foundation of the World, and as a fudge oi all at
the
Of Predestination and Election. 15^
fhe faft Day ; fo in the Matter of Eledion he a<Sts not as a Judge but as zfove-
reign D'lfpofer of his own rich Favours, and that when he fhall come to fit ia
Judgment with all Men he will not adt as an EleSfor but as a Judge, conforma-
ble to his own moft righteous Law ; when he will judge every Man (whether
Ele(5l or Non- eled) according to their Works, and render to every Man accord-
ing to his Deeds done in the Body ; whether they be good or whether they be
evil, they fliall then be dealt with according as they fhall be found to have beea
Believers or Unbelievers, penitent or impenitent, godly or ungodly Perfons j the
Wicked fhall be fentenced to everlafting Punilnment, but the Righteous to
Life eternal, both fhall have their feveral Kfwzrds according to their Works,
the' with this manifeft Difference, viz. The Reward of the Wicked will be ac-
cording to Debt and Merit, the Reward of the Righteous fhall be of Grace and
Glory pur chafed and freely promifed to all them that love Chrift's Appearing.
Accordingly we read that Death is the Wages of Sin, but eternal Life is the
Gift of God through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Rom. 6. 23.
If any fhall ftill fay that this doth not fatisfy them, I anfwer, that it ottght (o
to do, and withal that I defy them with all their Reafoning and curious Pryings
to get any further Satisfaction ; nay rather ftill more and ?nore DiJfatisfa6iion.
Moreover, I would afk them, whether it be not mofl unreafonable to expert to
fathom with our Jhort Line that unfathomable Sea of God's Judgments and
Ways (whereat the eagle-ey'd Apoftle cryed out, O the Depth !) And once to
think of finding out to PerfecSlion and full Satisfaction thofe Ways which the
Scriptures do declare are unfearchable and paft finding out ?
Let us not then in our Searches into thefe grand Affairs forget that we are
but Creatures of Yejierday, who comparatively fpeaking, knoiv nothing, and are
as nothing, yea, lefs than nothing and Vanity before him who is perfe6i in Know-
ledge. Let us be willing (as in all good Reafon we ought) that our Reafonings
Jloop and our Faith bow its Head and adore, crying out with that great Apoftle,
O the Depth, Sic. This will be to adt as becomes humble Believers, the be/i
Way to get Satisfa^ion to our Minds, and to free our felves from the Charge of
being curious Fryers, proud and impertinent Cavillers.
When we come to Heaven, (faith Rev. Kendell) we fhall fee there that God
was fignally gracious in thofe very Adions which now fome tender-hearted Men
cry down as tyrannical. ** We affirm him to be fo abfolute a Sovereign that it is
*' impoflible he fhould be a 7}r^;7/. And fo gracious a Lord (even whilft as
*' himfelf fay, he will be gracious to whom he will be gracious) that he mixeth
*' Mercy in all his Judgments, and ever maketh the wickedeft of Men fume con-
*' fiderable Abatements of their deferved Meafure ; (and as I may add) endurin'r
with much Long-fuftering towards them, even until they by a continual Habit
of voluntary finning become ripe for Deftru6tion, as Veficls of VV^iath and Dif-
honour. " T'he Prerogative of God over all his Creatures to difpofe of them
*' as he pleafeth, according to the Comfelof his own Will\^ what we are bound
X 2 to
154 ^/ Predestination and Election.
*' to maintain, let the World repine at it as much as it either will or can ; we
" know that all the Earth fhould keep Silence before God, as One who owes no
** Account of fl«7 of hisA6lions,who gives notAccount of ^//of them. It is not
" for Man or Angel to fay unto him, what doefl thou ? He doth nothing but
*' what is y«//, yea, therefore is a Thing juft becaufe he doth it : And tho' we
*' cannot conceive yet we mufl confefs it to be righteous, yea, we may and. muft
*' acknowledge it to be fo, all Apprehenfions we may have to the contrary not-
" withftanding. In this Rerpe«£l we have little Rerpe6l to the a'^'/'rct'^iij^Judg-
*' ment o\ natural Men, and lejs to their JffeSllons : The Lord reigns let the
*' Earth be never fo unquiet, and we fiiy, that God exercifeth not hisPreroga-
" tive in any Thing but this, that he gives or denies Grace as he plcafeth ; that
" he puniiliCth not any but for their Sins ; and when they complain of hard
*' Mcafure in this, with a why doth he find Fault or complain ? Wc think it
" enough to anfwer them with anotherQiieftion, " Who art thou O vainMan,
*' that thou replyefl againft God?" Whatever Principles the Scriptures lay
" down we /?OT^?v?r^, not cJifpute them, that all Things are of him and thro' him
»* and to him, js the Jpo/lU's Pcfition and muft not be our Qiieftion. When the
*' Si benns plundered 'Job he blelFed theLord with, " the Lord gave and theLord
'* lab taken away." We need rot fear to afcribe thatAdion to Gcd for which
*' this holy Man blefTed him. Whatever Conclufions carnal Men draw fr^m
*' thefe Principles, we know the Scripture teacheth us to frame as holy, as they ]
*< drii-w horrible Inferences from them. Wedefire to learn Logic of the Holy
" Ghofl, which is of a different, yea of a contrary Nature to that of the natural
*' Man's. " Give a Portion to feven, yea alfo to eight ; for thou knoweft- not
*< what Evilfhall be upon the Earth," EccLwi.'l. Here the Wifdom of God
*' concludes, /cr giving upon a Ground whence the naturalMan's W^ifdom ccn-
,*.' cludfs in the negative tf;p^rt/«/? giving. Gen. 6. ^. " God fa id, I will deftroy
,*' the Earth, for the Imagmat ions of Man's Heart are evil and that continually".
** And again. Gen. S.ai. " I will deftroy the Earth no more, for the Iniagi-
*« nations of Man's Heart are evil and that continually. Which to a natural
*' M:in Jeems contrary Rc('()]ut\ons, v^h^rezs upon the fame Ground the Spirit of
*' God teacheth us to fee tfeDefert of Sin in the one,the defperatelncurablfnefsof ;•
" it in the other ; Ciod's juftHatred of it in both. In ScriptureLogic Inability
*' is a Grcmnd for Exhortation to Duty ; Exhortations to Duty infer no natural
" Ability ; as in the frequently quoted Scripture, " Work out your Salvation
*' with Fear and Trembling, for it is God that worketh in us both to will and
*' to do according to his good Pleafure, Phil. 2. 12, 13. Thefe Inftances
*' are enough to clear it, that the natural Man's Logic is meer Sophiftry, and
' ' will be (L.re to be nonplus'd one Day, as confidently as it undertakes to thwart
*< that of holy Scripture ; let it />>//} and //<7w/> as much as it lifteth, Wifdom is
*« juftified of all her Children, and Triumphs in the weak Infultations of its
** proudeji Oppofers."
Reafon faith Mr. Nejp muft be neither the Rule to meafure Faith by, nor
the Judge ; we may give a Reafon of our believing, ro if//, becaufe, 'tis tfr/V/^^ ;
but
Of Predestination and Election. 155
but not of all Things believed, as why Jacob was loved and Efau hated, before
they had doiie either Good or Evil : this was the Couhll-1 of God's own Will ;
touching fuch fublime Myrteries, our Faith ftands upon two furc Bottoms, the
firft is, that the Being, Wifdom and Power of God doth infinitely tranfcend ours,
and therefore may reveal Matters above our Reach. The fecond is, that what-
ever God reveals muft be undoubtedly true, and to be believed altho' the Bottom
of it cannot be founded by the Line of our Reafon ; becaufe Man's Reafon is
not abfo lute, hut varioujly limited, perplexed whh its own Frailty, and defeillveia
its Actings ; I therefore fay, how unreafonable is it for Men to reje^, yea hijsot
and ridicule as unintelligible Myfteries, thofe divine Docfrines which the holy
Scriptures do poffitively ailert as the deep Things of God, requiring theObedience
of our Faith luito : and all, becaufe fome Branches of the fame are out of the
Reach and Ken of human Reafon. But that this fhould be theCafe of many, may
not feem ^o ftrange when we confider what the Scripture faith, " That the
natural Man receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God, for they are Fool-
ifl-snefs to him, neither can he know them ;" and why ? Truly, becaufe they are
fpiritually difcerned, i Cor. 2. 14. Therefore, well might theApoftle fay by way
of jufl: Rebuke and facredlrony, " Where is the Wife ? Where is the Scribe ?
Where is the Difputer of this World ? {\.\\q Reofoner) Hath not God made
foolifh the Wifdom of this World? i Cor. 1.20." Now (as the Rev. Mr.
IFilliamBurkit in his Annotations on thisText faithj " theWifdom of thisWorld
is not fatsihed withGod's Authority in aliening, but requires that every Doctrine
of Faith, and every Myflery of the Gofpel be made fo plain and obvious, fo clear
and perfpicuous that their Shallow Reafon may be able to comprehend it. ■ The
Mviieries of the Chriftian Religion, tho' not contrary to Reafon ; yet are above
( ur Comprehenfion ; notwithftanding which they do not only require our aflent
but alfo challenge the Obedience and Adoration of our Faith." When Men fet
lip for found Reafoners and Logicians, one might in all good Reafon expe<Sl from
them the cleareft Demonftrations, and the flri6teft Regards to the Rules of
Logic ; but alas, in this they fail, (their Zeal perhaps out-running their Tho'ts^
by their fo often drawing Conclufions that are not contained in the Premifes ; par-
ticularly in this prefent Cafe fand that with no fmall Emphafis neither) who be-
caufe we with the Scriptures do aflert that there is a Remnant according to the
EleSl ion of Grace, that God hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and
whom he will he hardenetb, do thence conclude, that we reprefent him as
i^nmerciful,unju/}y cruel, tyrannical, and the Author of Sin, with fuch Vike frightful
and unbecoming Language, not only to t lie Prejudice of the Chara6ler of all fuch
as zealoufly maintain the Do(5trines of fovereign Grace : But alfo to the great
Difhonour of the ever glorious Jehovah, who hath fo plentifully revealed thofe
glorious yet derided Truths in his holy Word.
It muft needs therefore highly become all theStewardsof the Myfteries of God,
zealoufly to engage info noble -a. Caufe, as to their utmoji Power (in the Strength
of their greatLord and Mafter) to lift up theirHands to pluck down thePlumes of
/oaring Mortals, who not content with the Scripture Account of thefe grand
Affairs
156 Of Predestination and EiLection.
Affairs muft needs be as GocVs knowing further and better ; and thence take upon
them to cenfure and condemn what their ^oor finite Jhallow Reafonings can't other-
wife account for ; upon which Footing they kick and fpurn at the whole Scheme
of the divine Myfteries of Faith, which apparently arifeth upon no modejier a
Supposition than that of the Creature's Omnifciency, as tho* they were capable (even
ipeyond all Ground of Scruple) of fuUy knowing and accounting for every
Xhing that the incomprehensible and infinitely wife God either doth or reveals
concerning his Beings Works and Ways. But truly it were a good Attainment
for them rightly to know themfelves j thro' the Want of which arifeth all thefe
fraud and perverfe Cavils.
But let any even of the mofi fagacious amongft the Contemners of divine Myf-
teries, who are for believing nothing but what they have Ideas of, in full and at
large ; let them I fay, tell me if they can, how the Bones do grow in the Womb
pf her that is with Child ? Or whether becaufe they cannot do this^ 'tis agreable
with the^wy? Rules of Reafon ; therefore, not to believe the Fa£f, even that the
Bones of the Infant do adually grow in its Mother's Womb, and that too in a
Way inconceivable to us : And whether feeing God's Evidence in a Matter muit
in all good Reafon be allowed to be at leaji of equal Evidence, with the Fa^s cur
Eyes do behold ; whether I fay then, it be not as much abfiird and unreafonable to
-^fi/^^AVw and r/^w)" thofe divine Dodlrines which God hath revealed in his holy
Word ; and required the Obedience of our Faith unto, becaufe we cannot mea-
fure their full Heighth and Depth and Length and Breadth by the fhort Line of
human Reafon ?
In (hort, do not the Contemners of divine Myfteries moft evidently contradi<fl
ihemfelves^ by their profefling to believe that God Is incomprehenfible, as well as
that many of his Works and Ways both in Creation andProvidence are fo^ which
they are obliged to confefs. Do they not profefs to alTent to this Propofition,
that God is eternal^ and yet don't pretend to fay that they \\2>SQfull and adequate
Ideas of his Eternity. Hence then do xhe^y not manifejily contradict ihc'n own
Notions, becaufe ^)' /^/j they do acknowledge their Belief or affent to Propofi-
tions of which they have not nor indeed can poflibly have f being but finite Crea-
tures) full and adequate Ideas ? The Eternity of God is an Article of natural
Religion, it is alfo a deep Myftery ; in the Contemplation whereof, Men of the
moft enlarged Minds are loft and confmded ; yet that God is eternal^ is a Propo-
fition which thofe very Men do profefs to give their Jffent to^ who loudly cry out,
you muj} not believe in Myfteries^ you mu/i not believe in Myfteries ! And tliat are
ready in a ludricus Manner to cry out againft them, that profefTedly do believe
them as blind Believers.
Thus then do thefe Men confound their oiun Reafonings againft the Belief of
divine Myfteries, and battle their own Conclufions ; a Thing n<S)t uncommon
for fuch Sort offoaring Eagles^ who only having luaxen Wings, by afpiring to
get too near the Sun, do mo^fadly melt under its bright and burning Rays, by
which aifo their Eyes, by too mu(b ^amg thereon arc bimdfds and fg e'r e they
2re
Of Predestination ani Election. 157
art aware, do fall down and dafh againft the Stones of their own Babel-Building,
wherein alfo their Language is confounded : Thus as the Scripture faith^ *' The
Wife are taken in their own Craftinefs, and the Counfel of the Froward is car-
ried iieadlong ; they meet with Darknefs in the Day-time, and grope in the
Noon-day as in the Night," Job 5. 13, 14. *< For the Wifdom of the wife
Men {hall perifh, and the Underftanding ot the Prudent fhall be hid," Ifa. 29.
14. *' The Lord knoweth the 1 houghts of the Wife that they are vain, who
turneth wife Men backward, and maketh their Knowledge foolifh, whilfl he
confiimeth the Word of his Servants, and performeth the Counfel of his Mef-
fenge'rs," i Cor. 3. 20. Jfa. 44. 25, 26.
Thofe who indulge a luxurious Fancy in thinking to get Satisfa£lion by a fijtt-
tinual pr\'!f7g 2ind peeping imo God's Ark with Reafonh dim Eyes, do thereby
prove fo much the more unfatisfied and perplexed ; having no other or better
Method to yield them Satisfaction than having Recoiirfe to that lafl and only
{tho' defperate) Shift, viz. That thefe Things cannot be, and that they are re-
folved to belisve no more of God's Revelation than what they can with their
bare Reafon comprehend and fully account for, leaving no Room for fuch a de-
vout and admiring Turn of Thought, O the Depth., Sec. while fuch as fludy to
yield a humble Obedience of Faith to whatever Propofitions they find in their
holy Bible, faying with Luther, Give rne a mortified Reafon, do come to a Point
of entire Satisfaction, whilft at the fame Time their Souls are drawn forth into
devout and admiiing Apprehenfions of God's Judgments and Ways that are un-
fearchable and paft finding out : They ftagger not at the Word of God, or any
Thing therein revealed through Unbelief, but are flrong in Faith, believing that
as God being infinite may reveal Things above their Reach, fo whatfoever he
fays or reveals mufl needs be true. And this I am bold to fay, is fo far from
ading unreafonahly as that it is co?7ipleatly confifient with the Rules oi right Reafon^.
which very Rules are manifeflly tranfgrefTed by thofe very Men who profefs
(above all others) to efteem and value good Reafoning.
And indeed without having Recoiirfe to the unfearchable WilJ and Ways of
God, how can even ouv great eji Reafoners and the moji pert Objciiors agaiuft us
account for many Things, the Fa£t whereof they are obliged to confefs : For
Inftance, That Chrifl was delivered unto Death by the determinate Counfel and
Foreknowledge of God (which includes the whole Circumference of that grand
Affair) and yet that the Men that betrayed and put him to Death were jujlly
chargeable with doing wickedly, and thence juflly obnoxious to the Wrath and
Vengeance oi God. As the Certainty of his Death was infallibly fixed by the
Purpofe of God, fo by juft Confequence the Means and Inftruments thereof is
neccffarily included ; he was not to die a natural Death by Force of a Difeafe or
Decays of Age, nor by the immediate Hand of God by a Thunderbolt from Hea-
ven, but by being betrayed and crucified by the Hands of Men. To deny the
Fadl our Objedlors don't pretend unto, and on the other Hand to charge God
with Unrighteoufnefs who determined Chrift's Death, would be a Step too bold
and
158 0/ Predestination and Election.
and daring for any Man in his right Senfcs to pretend to do, or thence to fay he
is the Author and Abetter of Sin. Let our Rcajoners fet before them the Pro-
pofition laid down by our Saviour himfelf, and fee what they can make of it,
Luke 22. 22. " And truly the Son of Man goeth as it was determined ; but
■wo unto that Man by whom he is betra)ed." Alfo J£is 2. 23. " Him being
delivered by the determinate Counfel and Foreknowledge of God, ye have with
wicked Hands crucified and l\ain." And Chap. 4. 27, 28. where the Apoflle
in his Prayer unto God thus complains, *' For of a Truth againft thy holy
Child Jefus whom thou haft anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate^ with the
Gentiles and the People of JJrael were gathered together for to do whatfoever thy
Hand and thy Counfel determined before to be done. If we profefs our AfTent
to any Part of thefe Scripture Propofitior.s, we muft upon the fame Ground
aflent to the whole thereof; which if we do, then we plainly confefs that there
is fiich a Thing z.% a Reconcikahlenefs between God's Determinations in thefe
Matters, and his being merciful, holy, juft and good, howfoever many DifF.cul-
ties do fo clog our Minds that we cannot n:ake it out by the Searches of hare
Reafon. So far indeed we may go to fatisfy ourfelves, 'vi'z,. by diflinguifliing
between the ASiions and the Evil in the Actions j yet alter all there is Room
enough left us to cry out, O the Depth^ Ice.
To this I might add, the Fall of Man ; God's fufFering Sin to enter into the
World, and ftill to continue, with the fad Effects thereof, altho' able to hinder
if he fo pleafed, and at the fame Time profefling to be, as indeed he is, of purer
Eyes than to behold Iniquity ; that fo many Infants who had not committed nor
were as yet capable of committing adlual Sins with their Parents, did ^et fufFer
and die in the painful and fulphrous Flames that God rained down upon Salcm
and Gomorrah^ and the many others that fufFered in the overflowing Deluee, to-
gether with their wicked Parents j and that at other Times by the fpecial Order
of divine Providence in the executing of God's Judgments, the Infants and
Sucklings, as well as their Parents fhould perifh by the Sword, and even be
dafhcd in Pieces, i Sam. 15. 2, 3. *' Thus faith the Lord of Hofts, I remem-
ber that which Amalek.did unto Ifrael, how he laid wait for him in the Way
when he came up from Egypt : Now co and fmit;?' Amalek, and utterly deflroy
all that they have, and fpSre them not ; but fiay Both Man and Woman, Infant
and Suckling."--- Compared with Hof. 13. 16. '■'^ Sa?}}aria fliall become defo-
late, for {^nf: hath rebelled againft her Gcd : they fhall fall by the Sword ; their
Infants fhall be daflied in Pit;ces, and their \Vomen with Child fhall be ript up."
*' Oh ! how unfearchable are his Judgments, and his Ways paft finding cut to
Perfc^^icn ! Behohl he faketh away, who can hinder him .? W^ho dare fay unto
Cjod, What doeft thou .'' He cutteth cfF, or fhutteth up, or gathereth together
to Battle and Death, who then can hinder him .<* iotvit, either by Strength of
Arm, or a Prerogative above him to call liim to an Account. Why Ikivell thou
with him who gives none Account of his Matters ?"
%Vhence
Of Predestination and Election. 150
Whence we conclude, howfoever God doth fometimes and In feme Cafes
appeal to our Reafon to judge of the Equahty of his Ways, as our Opponents
are wont to alledge againft us, and which we readily grant ; yet obferve this hath
its proper Bounds and Limits^ as not extending to all and every particular Adion
of God, many of whofe Ways are fo far above ours as the Heavens are hi^h
above our Heads ; and therefore we cannot abfoluiely argue always, that thofe
Things are only fitting for God to do as fuit the Rule of Mercy and Juflice
amongft Men, which are only fitting to be done by them. For Inftance : If
any meer Man, tho' never fo great a Monarch, had commanded Abraham to
have flain his only and innocent Son, it had been an horrible Piece of Cruelty
and Wickednefs, as a plain Breach of the fixth Commandment ; and yet who
dare fay that God's Commands in that Matter did in the leaft derogate from his
righteous and holy Nature. Again, would it not be juflly accounted a wicked
and unjuflifiable Thing in the Magiftrates of a City or the Mafter of a Family
to behold with their Eyes, and knowingly to fufFer all Manner of Wickednefs,
when at the fame Time it is in the Power of their Hands to hinder the fame ?
And yet who dare aver that the almighty and mcft holy God's Permiffion of all
the Sins that are done in the World is the leaft Stain to his righteous, and pure
Nature ? " Who (hail enjoin him his Way ? Or who can fay to him or
of him. Thou haft wrought Iniquity ?" Again, If any Man fhould fee others
in great Diftrefs, sea, even little fucking Babes, lying under extream Pains, their
Tongues cleaving to the Roof of their Mouths fjr Thirft, (as thofe in the Book
of Lntnentations) and at the fame Time were able both fpeedily and eafily to give
them Relief, and yet refufed fo to do, how would Men cry out againft him as
unmerciful znd cruel ? And yet who dare fay this of God, who is not only the
Suff'erer but even Orderer of thofe very Calamities, as we have before feen ?
For one Man to fee another or many others going to deftroy themfelves and fo
perilh for ever, v/ould be juftly deemed Hard-heartednefs and Cruelty, if in the
Power of his Hands to hinder it ; and yet who dare affume the Arrogance as to
fay this of the almighty God, who fufFers Thoufands to do fo, altho' able effec-
tually to hinder the fame if he fo willed ? Moreover, how derogatory would it
be from the Cliaradter of a known wife Architect or Builder, to frame a curious
Piece of Workmanfhip, yea Multitudes of them continually, and then immedi-
ately pull the fame '\n Pieces without their becoming any Wa\s vifiblv ufefuK''
And yet how many lovely Struiffures of Flefh and Blood curioufly wroucrht by
tht great and alwife Architedl of the World, that are no fooner formed, but are
by him difTolved, turning to Rottennefs and Putrefacflion ? Yea, how often is it
feen that Perfons not only of a beautiful Strudure of Body but alfo come to a
Ripenefs of Age and Judgment, and whofe Minds are richly furni{l:ied with
Grace, Gifts and good Learning, every Way well formed for Service in the
World, for the Converfion of Souls and the Increafe of the Redeemer's Itina;^
dom, whom yet the Almighty, either juft upon their Entrance into pubiick
Work, or foon after, when People's Expedlations are not a little raifed conceru-
jng their Ufefulnefs for many Years to come, doth iffue forth 2 Sumnaons to
their Souls from this lower to the glorious upper World of Spirits, coramandmg
Y ihc
'i6o Of Predestination and Election.'
the Body to the Duft ; and yet after all, fliall we prerend to cenfure the Wlfdom
of the Almighty, faying, " What need this Wafte ?" No, but rather ado-
ringly fay, " O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wifdom and the Knt w-
ledge of God, i^^c ! Suiely his Way is in the Sea and his Paths in the d^^ep j
Waters ;" fo that his Footfteps can't be feen by a Mortal's £ye, nor by human
iReafon's Ken.
Let our Opponents then fully account for ihefe FaSfs, clear up the DifEcuI-
ties that attend them by ;-^//o««/ Demonftrations before they cavil at ourDo6trine
any more : Efpecially feeing they profefs to have fuch large and grafting Hands,
fuch piercing and penetrating Eyes that the\ won't allow any Thing as an Article
•of their Faith, but reje<St as unintelligible Nonfenfe whatfcever comes not with-
in their Reach and rational Penetration : Who while they do laugh at Myfteries
and rejedl our Appeals to the fovercign and infcrutable Will and Ways of God,
do leave themfeh'es wholly deftitute of a Place of Retreat when pinched home
in this Argument. With whom I would thus argue, Either there is an Un-
fearchablenefs in God's Ways and Judgments, or there is not : To (dy there is
not, would be to confront both Scripture and Fadl, yea even found Reafon alfo,
which concludes that that vi'hich is hwt finite cannot comprehend that which is
infinite : But if there is, as they mufi: confefs, then why do they carp and cavil
at our Dodlrine of God's Judgments and Ways, as tho' they were able to com-
prehend them to the full, and fathom them to the very Bottom ? If we know
but in Part, and at beft fee but through a Glafs darkly, as the Cafe really is,
why fhould we adl: as tho' our Knowledge was perfedl, and faw to the very
Bottom of Things ? Surely this is highly unreafonable. If it would be egregious
Folly in an unartive Man to obje<5l to a curious Artifl and a credible Perfon that
he could not effeft/wc^ and /Kf/j Pieces of Workmanfliip, which he the faid
Artift affirms he can efFecSl, crying out. This cannot be ; how much more unbe-
coming is it for Creatures of Yeftcrday to make their bold and contradictory
Replies againft thofe very Declarations the alwife God hath given of himfeli and
Ways in his holy Oracles ?
Now put all thefe Things together, and we fhall plainly fee the Folly and
Vanity of thofe filly Parallels that fome are ready to run between the fovereigii
Adtions of the ever-glorious God and thofe of poor finful Men : Juft as tho' they
muft needs always keep Pace together ; that every Proceeding that is unbecom-
ing in Man muft needs be fo in the Proceedings of God : Juft as if the ever-
glorious Creator muft necefl'arily a<Sl with all Difpenfations towards his Creatures
hy the limited Rules prefcribed to them how to a<Sl in the World, and not ex-
ceed their Bounds. That God in Regard to fome of his Difpenfations doth ap-
peal to his reafonable Creatures in Vindication of his equitable Proceedings with
them is true ; but then thence to conclude, that it muft needs be always fo in
every Procedure of his is a very wrong Conclufion.
In particular from the Account of Things given, doth appear the Vanity of'
that filly Similitude fome make Ufe of in order to faften their Charge againft us.
Of Predestination and Electiom^^ i6i
to wit, of rendring God by our Do£lrine to be more cruel (as they fay) thanJ^ ^j,
hard-hearted ^Like as if a Malter {hould chain his Servant to a Poft, and thert
beat him becaufe he does not work ; with fuch like goodly Rhetorick where-
with they are wont to entertain and amufe their unwary Auditors. But let Men
cavil, I'll believe and admire ; while they are fweating at attempting to found
the bottomlefs Ocean with their /hort Line, I'll with the adoring Apoftle cry
out, O the Depth, &c. adhering to this uniform Trufft^ That the Judgments of
the Lord are all according to Truth and Righteoufnefs, altho' deep and unfearch-
able ; -that of h\m and through him and to him are all Things, to whom be Glory
for ever /imen. Therefore (as Dr. Edwards, Ver. Red. p. 205. well obferves)
*' We muft not be fo bold and daring as to judge and pafs Sentence upon God's
*' Determinations and Aflions from what is and may be done by our f elves i
** but we are to believe whatever he hath determined or done isjuft ^nd good
'< and fitteft to be determined and done. It is not our Bufmefs to difpute whe-
** ther it be hardenid fevere, but only to fatisfy our felves that it is true and real.'^
Now that thePropofitions which I have advanced are true & real, i.e. truly and
really founded cm divine Revelation, is what I doubt not every unbiafed Reader
will readily acknowledge as a Matter of real Fa£t. So that by juft Confequence
all our Opponents Cavils and Objedlions fall to the Ground ; thence I might
forbear adding any Thing more on this Head ; but confidering that there are yet,
a Troop of Texts which they commonly prefs into their Service, by which they
think we muft qait the Field and yield up the Caufe ; I think it proper to give a.
diftindConfideration to fome of the chief oi them, ftripping them of the Arrrur.ian
Livery, wherewith they are arrayed when drawn forth in Battle againft us, not
doubting, but by theHelp of God, to make it appear that they in Fa£i make /<?/•,
not againji us.
Now the Texts are fuch as thefe, by which is exprefs'd the pathetic Wifhes,.
carneft Expoftulations and Complaints of God which occur in Scripture, Deut.
5.29. *' O that there were fuch a Heart within them, that they would fear me.'*
PJat. 81. 12. *' O that mv People had hearkened unto, iffc." Ezek. 33. 11.
** As I live fiith the Lord God, I have no Pleafure in the Death of the Wicked,
but that the Wicked turn from his Wav and live : Turn ye, turn ye from
your evil Wiys, for why will you die, O H)ufe of Ifraei P Math. 23. 37.
*' O "Jerufalem, Jerufalem, thou that killeft the Prophets and ftoneft them that
are fent unto thee ; how often would I have s;athered thy Children together, even
as a Hen gathererh her Chickens under her Wings, and ye would not." 2 Pet.
3. 9. *' The Lord is not flack concerning his Promife, (as fome Men count
Slackness) but is LongfufFering to us-ward, not willing that any fliould perifh,
but that ail fhould come to Repentance." With fuch like Places ; whence our
Opponents think we are fufficiently confuted, as highly rcflc<^ing upon the Sin-
cerity of the divirje Being, as well as on the Attributes of his Mercy and fujlice.
For what, (fay they) doth not God even with an Oath declare, hoxv exceeding
umvilling he is, that any fiiould perifh in their Sins ? And how heariily willing
Y 2 U
i62 Of Predestination and Election. ' ^ .
be is that rt// Men fliould be faved ? What, was not God fincert in tbefe his
Wirties and Wouldings ? Doth God mock his poor Creatures ? Yea, the Ar-
min'ian Champion Dr. Whitby^ flicks not to fay, that we reprefent God as full
of Guile, Infmcerity, Dijfimulation and Hypocrify. Which is indeed moft fhock-
ino- Language, and Tivery heavy Charge. To all which I anfwer,
(i.) That the divine Bjeing muft always be allowed to be real in what he fays,
and that thefe Texts with all others muft be accordingly interpreted ; and that
for any to reprefent him otherwifc, even as mocking hisCreatures with Diflimu-
lations, is a mofl: horrible Crime, which accordingly defervcs a moft fevere Cen-
fure. But then to bring Matters to a right Ifiue, the Query is. Whether our
Opponents Charge againft us in this Matter be juft or not. Their Charge is
what we deny, as what I doubt not by God's Help to make evident ; and with-
all ftiew that it juftily reverts upon themfelves, who f'tis plain) do by their
Method of Interpretation of thofe Texts reprefent God as really intenc i ig, wifti-
ino- and willing that to be done and effe<5ted, which he certainly knows fliall
never be done and effected, and which in f'a6l he never will do nor caufe to be
done and effeded, ahho' Almighty in Power, even the adiual Repentance, Con-
verfion and Salvation of every individual of Mankind ; they not duly confidering
with all, that zvhether Grief and forrowful Complaints with other human PaJJions
and AffuSiions are not properly to be afcribed unto the Almighty, who is a Being
of /«/7«;V^ andtf^5/w/^Perfe(Stions,& do run inio^nother Exiream ; becaufe hereby
they do plainly reprefent him juft like unto a weakly good natur'd Man,whofeHand
is too weak for his Will, wifhing that to be effected which he cannot efFedl, and
accordingly fetting down znd grievecujly lamenting his Want of his much defir'd
Succefs. Juft like King Z)«rm;, who fain v/ould have faved Daniel, hut could
not, altho' he even fet his Heart upon it to deliver him with a lamentable Voice
znd troubled 'S>^\m, crying out, O Daniel! Labouring all he could or ^doing
to the utmoft of his Power, to deliver him until the going down of the Sun.
Which is not at all unlike theJrminian Interpretation of thofe Words of God unto
Ifrael, juft as if he was brought to his ne plus ultra when he faid, what could I
have done more to my V^ineyard ? Ifai. 5. Thus while they plead for his Mercy
(after their awkward Manner) do charge him with Wealncfs and Imbecility. Do
they charge us with charging God w'lthDiJftmulation ? <' Surely (as Mr. C. Nejfe
" well obferves) it may be more truly laid of them (the Jrminians) that they
*' do charge God with /^o//y by their Dodtrine of an antecedent and confequint
*' Will of God, reprefenting him in /^^7/ Diftin6lion as d?//i7/>/)(j/«/^<^ of his Pur-
*' pofe, bringing him in as fpcaking thus, '•'•I do indeed earnejily defire to fdve youy
'• but ve hindred {o, that 1 cannot do what I defire ; 1 ivould if ye would \ tbere-
" fore feeing, 1 am fruftrated of my Intention by you in my antecedent Will; 1 will
*' change my Purpofe of faving you, and my conjequent Will/hall be a Determination
*' to dejircy you.'''' What is this but to make God unwife (as well as unable to
*' manage his oivn Platforms and Defi2;ns in the World ; and to rank him with
" Jupiter, that knew not how to deliver his Sapedon out of Bancs. Vorjiius in.
** his Difputand: de Deo faith, " Things may happen, that may bring to God
*« fome
Of Predestination and Election. i^j
<* fome Grief, having tried all Things in vain." This is to fpeak with the
« Turkijh Alcoran, Chap. ^3. *' That God and his Angels wifh well toMaho-
« met, but cannot free himrfrom Death. This is a thinking wickedly, that
« God isTuch an one as ourfelves, {Pfal. 50. 21.) fond Men that go not
* wifely about our Works, and fo oPt fail of our Purpofes. Whereas all
hofe Wijhez and Wouldings and Repentings with other human Paffions that the
Scriptures do attibute unto God, we are to confider as abftraded from all thofe
Imperfedions that attend human Nature,in a Way confiftent with thePerfecSlions
of his Nature and Godhead. Such Wifhings, Wouldings, ^c. are afcribed unto
God by ifn Anthropopathy after the Manner of Men, as all other human Paffions
and A£lions are, fuch as Anger, Grief, Repentance, and fuch like. If he really
zndjincerely intends the adlual Converfion and Salvation of all Men without Ex-
ception ; he can as^^/y effe6l all this as wl/h and would it to be efFe6led ;
wherefore, we muft look upon the former PafTages as ^aZ/^^-Z/V Speeches anfwer-
able to the feveral Pajfions and reafonable Powers of Men, in order to convince
them of the Evil of their Courfes, and to excite them unto their Duty.
Now thefe Wifl^es and Expo/lulattons are diredled either to the EleSf, or unto
the Non-ele£i ; if to the former, then they (hew God's real Defign to effedl their
Repentance, Converfion and Salvation, and are accordingly ufed as ft and proper
Means tj eftedi the End defigned ; fo as that hereby theEnd is not only defigned,
and wiflied for, but alfo actually efF.-6led, as is and will be the Cafe of
all the Eleft of God, as the laft Day will declare ; fo that hereby it is evident
beyond all Contradi6tion, that we are fo hr /romjiriiing at the divine Sincerity,
as that we 60 plead for znd uphold it. Whereas our Opponents Senfe of God's
wifhing and woulding the Eled's Salvation, amounts to more than a great
Wi(h, feperate from all poffitive and abfolute Intentions that they fhall be adually
brought to Repentance and Salvation. They maintain that God heartily and
fncerely wiflieth the Converfion and Salvation of every Man, one as much as
another : They confefs that he is able to do and efFe<Sl whatfoever he wifhes,
and at the fame Time are obliged to oxun, that many neverthelefs do for ever
remain unconverted and without Salvation. Now pray what is this but charg-
ing Diffimulation on the Almighty, even for not doing what he mofl heartily
wifheth to be done, altho' every Way able to do it or caufe it to be done.
Thus if Matters he fairly fcan'd, it will appear that we do in Fa^ defend the
divine Sincerity, while the Jrminians do charge us for defacing it ; and that they
do in FatSl deface it while they undertake to defend it, yea, do reprelent the di-
vine Being as very intent and yet very indifferent about one and the fame Thing
at one and t^e fame Time : So very intent upon the Converfion and Salvation of
every Man as that he wijheth it mofi ardently ; yet fo indifferent that he will make
no abfolute Purpofes about the Matter,but leave it at meer Uncertainties.
But
364 Of Predestination and Election.
B.it to proceed ; fuppofing that fome fcriptural pathetic Expreffions do relate
to the Non-ek^, then we are to underftand them as relating to temporal Blef-
fmgs, or to the external Means of Grace ; as that Text, Mai. 23. 37. A Text at
every Turn in the Mouths of Jrminians, wherewith they are wont to make a
mighty Flouri/h, ready to cry out Vidory ! Vidlory ! Which yet I hope to make
appear amounts to no more than a Vapour. The Words are, " O Jerufa-
lem^ Jerufalem^ thou that kilieft the Prophets, and ftoneft them which are fent
unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen
gathereth her Chickens under her Wings, and ye would not." Which Text in
n\y Judgment is fo pertinently and judicioufly confidered by the Rev. Mr. John
Gill in his Caufe of God and Truths that I do rather choofe to borrow his Ex-
preffions than ufe my own.
<* I. Obftjrve, That by Jerufahm we are not to underftand the City, nor
*' all the Inhabitants, but the Rulers an^l Governours of it, both civil and eccle-
*' fiaftical, efpecially the great Sanhedrim which was held in it, to whom beft
*' belong the defcriptive Charadlers of killing the Prophets and ftoning fuch as
*' were Tent unto them by God, and are manifeftly diftinguifhed from their
*' Children ; it being ufual to call fuch who were the Heads of the People either
*« in a civil or ecclefiaftical Senfe Fathers, y^Sfs 7. 2. and 22. i. and fuch who
*' were Subje£ls and Difciples Children, Luk. 19. 44. Mat. 12. 27; Jfai.
*' 16. 18. Befides, our Lord's Difcourfe throtghout the whole Context is
*' direiSted to the Scribes and Pharifees, the ecclefiaftical Guides of the Pec pie,
*' and to whom the civil Governours paid a fpecial Regard. Hence it is mani-
*' feft that they are not the fame Perfons whom Cbrift would have gathered
** who would not. It is not faid. How often would I have gathered you, and you
*' would not, (as Dr. Whitby more than once inadvertently cites the Text) nor
*' is it faid, he would have gi^ihixeiiyerufalem and /)^ would not; in which
*' Form it is fometimes exprefs'd by him ; nor, he would have gathered them,
•* thy Children together, and tly would not, as the f. me Auth* r tranfcribes it ;
*' but it is faid, *' I would have gathered thy Children together and ye would
" not :" Which Obfervation alone isfufficient todeftroy the Argument founded
*' on this Text in Favour of free Will.
*' Obferve, 2. That the Gathering here fpoken of doth not defign a gather-
*' ing of the Jews to Chrift internally by the Spirit and Grace of God ; but a
♦* gathering of them to him externally by and under the Miniftry of the Word,
•' to hear him preach, fo as that they might be brought to a Conviction of and
*' give an Aflent unto him as the Mejfiah ; which, tho* it might have fallen.
•* fhort of faving Faith in him, would have been fufficient to have* prefeived
*• them from ^he temp-^ra! Ruin threatned to their City and Temple in the
*' followins; Verfe, Behold your Houfe is left unto you defolate ; which Preferva-
*' tlon is fign'fied by the Hens gathering her Chickens under her Wings, (and
♦< fo have fhehered them from the Roman Eagle) which fhews thit the Text
*' has no Concern with the Controverfy about the Manner of the Operation of
God's
Of PREDESTirfATiON and, Election. 165
« God's Grace in Converfion ; for all thofe whom Chrift woulcT gather in thh
' Senje^ were gathered notwithftanding all the Oppofition made by the Rulers
« ot the People.
«« 3. Obferve, That the Will of Chrift to gather thefe Perfons is not to be
underftood of his divine Will, or his Will as God; " for who hath refifted
his Will ?" This cannot be hindred nor made void ; he hath done zvhatfoever
he pleafed : But of his human Will, or of his Will as Man^ which tho' not
contrary to the divine Will but fubordinate to it, yet not always the fame
with it, nor always fulfilled. Ke fpeaks here as a A4an and Minifter of the
Circumcifion, and exprefles a human AfFe£lion for the Inhabitants oi Jeru-
faletn^ and an afFcdlionate Wifli or Will for their temporal Good ; IiiflanccS
of which human Affections may be obfcrved in Mark 10. 2r. Luk. ig. 41.
and 22. 44. Befides* this Will of gathering the Jcius to him was in him
and exprefl'ed by him at certain ("everal Times by Intervals, and therefore he
fays, " How often would 1 have gathered," i^c. Whereas the divine Will
is one continued invariable unchangeable Will, is always the fame, and never
begins or ceafes to be ; and to which fuch an Expreflion as this is inapplica-
ble : And therefore this Paflage of Scripture dt)es not contradi6i; the abfolute
and fovereign Will of God in the diftinguifhing A(Sls of it refpe6ling Election
and Reprobation.
" Obferve 4. The Perfons whom Chrifl; would have gathered are not re-
prefcnted as being unwilling to be gathered, but their Rulers were not willinnr
that they fhould ; the Oppofition and Refiftance to the Will of Chrift were
not made by the People but by their Governours ; the common People feem'd
inclin'd to attend the Miniftry of Chrift, as appears from the vaft Crowds of
People which at different Times and Places followed him j but the chief
Priefts and Rulers did all they could to hinder the Collation of them unto
him and their Belief in him as the Mejfiah^ by traducing his Charadler, Mira-
cles and Dodlrines, and by pafling an Adl that whofoever confeflcd him fhould
be put out of the Synagogue ; fo that the obvious meaning of the Text is the
fame with that Ver. 13. where our Lord fays, " Wo unto you Scribes and
Pharifees Hypocrites, for ye (hut the Kingdom of Heaven againft Men : For
ye neither go in your felves, neither fufter ye them that are entring to go in ;'*
and confequently is no Proof of Men's refifting the Operations of the Spirit
and Grace of God, but of Obftru(5lions and Difcouragements thrown in the
Way of Attendance on the external Miniftry of the Word,
" Obferve 5. That in order to fet afide and overthrow the Do£l:rine of
Eleftion and Reprobation and particular Redemption, it fhould be proved
that Chrift as God would have gathered, not Jerufalem and the Inhabitants
thereof only, but all Mankind^ even fuch as are not eventually faved, and that
in a fpiritual faving Way and Manner to himfelf ; of which there is not the
leaft Intimation in this Text. And in order to eftablifli the Refiftibility of
«* God's
j66 Of Predestination and Election.
*' God's Grace by the perverfe Will of Man, fo as to become of no EfFe£t, it
*» fhould be proved that Chrift would have favingly converted thefc Perfonsand
^' they would not be converted, and that he bertowed the fame Grace upon
** them he beftows on others who are favingly converted ; vi-hereas the Sum of
»' this Paffage lies in thefe few Words, That Chrift as Man out of a compaffi-
** onate Regard for the People of the Jews to whom he was fent, would have
** gathered them together under his Miniftry, and have inftruded them in the
*' Knowledge of himfelf as the MeJJiah \ which if they had only notionally re-
*' ceived would have fecured them, as Chickens under the Hen, from impend-
*' ing Judi nfiints, which afterwards fell upon them ; but their Governours and
»« not they would not^ that is, would not fuffer them to be gathered together in
*♦ fuch a Manner, and hindred all they could their giving any Credit to him as
** the Mejfiah \ tho' it had been faid and they would not, it would only have been
»« a moft fad Inftance of ihe Pcrverfenefs of the WiM of Man, which often op-
*♦ pofes his temporal as well as his fpiritual Good."
CHAP. VIII.
I Shall in the next Place, by divine AfTiftance, proceed to the Confideration
of that other Text, wherewith a mighty Flourifh is made vjhen prejfcd inta
the y^rw/ma« Service ; Ezek. 33. ir. *' Say unto them, As I live faith
the Lord God, I have no Pleafure in the Death of the Wicked, but that the
Wicked turn from his VVay and live : Turn ye, turn ye from your evil Ways,
for why will yon die, O Houfe of IJraelV^
I. I (hall here obferve. That whatever Interpretation we put upon thefe
Words, it mufl be fuch as well comports with the Sincerity and Truth of God,
that whatever God hereby intended he was real in it.
Obferve 2. That the Death fpoken of both in this and the i8th Chapter,
where the like Words are ufed, appears to have been a Death which denotes
great temporal Afflidlions by Captivity and the Sword, as what the Houfe oi Ifratl
groaned under and complained of, as willappear by a due Confultation of Chap.
18. and Chap. 33. from Ver. 21. to 30. which they brought on themfelves
by their own Sins, and not the Sins of their Parents, as they had unyiijily com-
plained, faying. Chap. 18. 2. '* That their Fathers had eaten fowre Grapes
and the Childrens Teeth were kx on Edge 5 and that therefore the Ways of the
Lord were not equal :" Wherefore the Lord expoflulates the Cafe with them,
defending the Equity of his Providence in bringing tbofe Calamities upon therr>,
Ihewing that it was not grateful unto him, as tho' he therein delighted and took
Pleafuie. Which taking Pleafure is not to be taken fimply and ahfoktely with
Refped to all Perfons affli<5led by hlna 5 for he delights or takes Pleafure m the
Exercife of Judgment and Righteonfmfs as well as Mercy^ as the Prophet fhewsj
Of Predestination and Election. iSy
Jer. g. 24. <' Thus faith the Lord, Let not the wife Man glory in hisWjfdom,
neither let the mighty Man glory in his Might, let not ibe rich Man glory in
his Riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he underftandeth and
knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercile Loving-kindnefs, Judgment
and Righteoufnefs in the Earth ; for in thefe Things (mark) m thefe Things
(one as well as the other) I delight, faith the Lord."
Hence again, the Lord is faid to *' laugh at the Calamity of the Wicked^
and to 7nock when their Fear cometh even as a Defalation, and their Deftrudion
as a Whirlwind," Prov. i. 26. Therefore I fay, God's not delighting or not
taking Pleafure in the Death of the Wicked, is not to I>e taken //^i/'/y and abjo-
lutely, but comparatively^ as when the Lord fays, " I will have Mercy and not
Sacrifice ;" that u, *' I delight in Mercy rather than Sacrifice :" So here, " I
have no Pleafure in the Death of him that dieth." in his Affliction, Calamities,
Captivities and the like ; " but r^/^^r that he repent, and reform, and five ia
his own Land ; wherefore turn ye from your evil Ways, for why will you die,
O Houfe of IfraelP " Now by 'thus marking well theOccafion and plain Scope
of thefe Words, alfo to whom they were in a particular Manner fpoken. Dr.
IVhithy^ long Defcant upon the Words vanifheth. However, ftill for Argument's
Sake, fuppofing that by dying here is meant eternal Deaths we can well enough
reconcile the Words with the Sincerity of God : At the moft thefe Words of
his, in not taking Pleafure in the Death of the Wicked, cannot be undeifiood
ftmply znd abfolutcly^ hui comparatively^ as before flicwn, the Words do properly
denote, that God doth not delight in the Death of (he Wicked, as it is the De-
JlruSiion of his Creature^ and as it makes him miferahle ; and that converting^
W ork \s \\\s, plea furahle Work, juft as in an oppofite Senfe his executing his
Judgments is called his flrange Work, Ifa. 28. 21. As a juft and righteous
Judge may be faid not to will the Death of thofe MalefaiSlors and Criminals,
whom yet he juftly condemns, as one that delights in executing Juftice and
Equity.
Hence then. Is it faid that God delights not in the Death of the Wicked,
but rather that he turn and live ? Is it obje61ed to us, that he delights in the
Exercife of Mercy^ and that he is [incere in fo faying : Why it is no lefs truly
faid that he laughs at the Deftrudion of the Wicked, and that he delights in the
Exercife of Righteoufnefs and "Judgment. And pray, is he not as much fincere in
faying this as the other ? Yea, doth not St. Paul zs well fay that " we {viz.
the Minifters of the Gofpel) are unto God a fweet Savour of Chrift in them that
peri/h^ as well as in them that are /7W r* To the one we are the Savour of
Death unto Death, and to the other of Life ui>to Life," 26V. 2. 15, 16.
Which Tilings, how awful foever, }-ct are Scripture-lVuths : Fur from hence
it is evident, that the Death of the Wicked is unto God a fweet Savour, tho*
not as it is the Deflruflion of his Creatures, yet as the Sentence is the Execu-
tion of his Jujlice^ which doth triumph in their juft Damnation ; while on the
other Hand his Mercy triumphs in the Salvation of the FefJ'eh of Honour afore
prepared unto Glory.
Z From
3^8 Of Predestination and Election.
From all which it is evident that the Text under Confideration in Exek. 18.
doth not {hew that it is abfolntely his Will and Pleafure that every individual
Man ftiould be a^ualfy conyened and faved. For if fo, what fhould hinder the
efte<Sling of it ? But that he takes Pleafure raih^r \n fuch Work than in his
ftrange Work ; and that the adual Converfion and Salvation of thofe who are
in Facl; converted from their Wickednefs and faved, is what he delights and
takes Pleajure in.
Hence is it faid, << As I live, faith the Lord, (by Way of an Oath) I take
no Pleafure in the Death of him that dieth, but rather that he turn and live ? "
Why, therefore doth he confirm his Promifei with an Oath to the Heirs of
Pfomile and Salvation, becaufe he is more abundantly willing for their Encou-
ragement and Confolation to fhew or make known unto them the Immutability
of his Couniel concerning them and their Salvation, as you have it, Heb, 6.
16, 17, 18. " P'or Men verily fwear by the greater, and an Oath for Con-
firmation is unto them an End of all Strife j wherein God willing more abun-
dantly to fliew unto the Heirs of Promife the Immutability of his Counfcl, con-
firmed it by an Oath, that by two immutable Things in which it is impoflible
for God to lye, we might have ftrong Confolation who have fled for Refuge to
lay hold of the Hope fet before us, which Hope we have as an Anchor of the
Soul both fure and ftedfaft, entring into that v/ithin the Vail, whither the Fore-
runner is for us entred, even Jefus, who is an High-Priefi for ever after the
Order of Melchifedeckr
Hence then, do our Opponents endeavour to confirm and faften their Charge
onus, which thev bring againit us of our making out God to he infincere, by
their telling of us that God declares even with an Oath, that he delights not in
the Death of the Wicked, ^V ? I fay. Do they do this ? And may I not up-
on much better Grounds lay the very fame Charge at their Door, by teliing them
that God here v;ith an Oath declares the fafe and comfortable Standing of the
Saints in Chrift Jcfus their glorious High-Prieft and Forerunner j and that they
neverthelefs do maintain, that thefe very Saints, thefe Heirs of Promife and Sal-
vation, are liable never to follow their glorious Forerunner into Heaven, but to
fall away finally and perifh eternally ; yea, that many do zS.\iz]\y perifh whom
God vno^f.ncerely wifhed and willed to be converted and faved ; that many of
thofe whom God fo loved as to give his only begotten Son to die for, atone,
reconc'le and five from their Sins, do notwithflanding sil ih.s a^ually per ijj) h\
their Sins ; that the Heirs and Favourites of Heaven, Heirs of God himlelf,
and joint Heirs with Chrift, are liable to become Heirs of Hell and Damnation,
notwithftanding the Oath by v/hich God has confirmed Salvation to them ; that
Chrifl'sSheep 5c littleOnes rnay^zv\6. that yi?//^ of them rt/J actually penfh,notwith-
ftanding that Chriil has moft plainly and pofitivcly faid " that he will give unto
them eternal Life, and that none of them fhall perifli ;" and again, " it is77ot
the IP'ili o{ my heavenly Father that one oi thefe little Ones fhall perifli j" and
** that lie will come again and receive them unto himi'eJf, that where he is
there
Of Predestination and Election. 169
there they fiiall be alfo, even in the Manlions of Glory, whither as their Fore-
runner he is gone to prepare a Place," may we not hence fairly retort upon
our ver'^ merciful Opponents, faying, Where then is the Mercy, Sincerity and
Faithfulnefs of God ? And oi what Ufe is his Oath of Confirmation P And
wkat becomes of the abundant Confolation founded thereupon to the Heirs of
Promife ? Thus while ihey bear us in Hand with the Oath of God in the Old
Tejiament^ as an A.rgument oi his Sincerity, they do invalidate his Oath in the
ISlew Te/iament^ to the marrino; both of his Sincerity and Immutability^ while they
cry up his hearty ^''llling^.efs to fave all Men, under a Pretence of exalting
divine Mercy, do even mar i.nd diminifh the fame by maintaining x\\zx God has
made no pofitive or abfor,:t Purpofes to fave any one Man ; v*'hence all Men,
yea, even his own dear Children, the Heirs of Promife and Salvation, are left
liable to pe'^ilh, yea, thzt fame of them do and /hall.
Hence then, while they pretend to (et forth God as a very merciful Father, they
make him to be juft like the unnatural Mother that cafts ofF all natural Af-
feSiion and tender Cojnpajfon to the very Children of her Bowels and Sons of her
W^mb, rendringGod hable to f/;^«^^,and hisPromife,Oath & immutable Coun-
fel concerning their Salvation to come to nought : So that what was defigned for
their abundant Confolation, which God was abundantly willing to fhew thera
as Heirs of Promife, iffues in an overwhelming Sorrow and Defolation, con-
trarv to the mnft fweet Anfwer their heavenly Father gives them, faying, " Can
a WomJnforgtt her fucking Child, that fhe fhould not have Comp^ifion on
the Son of her Womb ; yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee. Be-
hold I have engraven thee upon the Palms of my Hands, thy VValls are con-
tinually before me," Ifa. 49. 15, 16. Compared with Pfal. 103. 11, 12,
13, 14. " As high as the Pleavens are above the Earth, fo great is his Mercy
towards them that fear him : As far as the Eaft is from the Weft, fo far doth
he remove their Tranfgreilions from them : Like as a Father (a merciful Father)
pitieth his Children, even fo theLord pitieth them that fear him ; for he knowetii
their Frames, he remembreth that they are but Dufi; : As for Alan (indeed)
-bis Days are but as Grafs, as the Flower of the Field fo he fluurifheth, for the
Wind pafleth over it and it is gone, and the Place thereof (hall know it no
.more." This ih the Cafe of mutable and mortal Man. But (obferve) the Mercy
of the Lord is not thus fleeting and variable, for it is from Everlafting and tmto
Everldfting upon them that fear him." His Mercy towards his Children, his
chofen Sons, is from Everlafting, therefore in Time do they come to love and
fear him, as it is faid, fer. 31. 3. *' I have loved thee v/ith an everlafling
Xove, therefore with Loving-kindnefs have I drawn thee." It is alfo unto Ever-
laffing upon them. Hence the Promife of the new Covenant runs towards them
thus, " They Jhall be my People and I ivill be their God, and I will give them
one Heart an J one Way, that they may fear me for ever, for the Good of them
and their Children after them ; and I will make an everlafting Covenant with
th'-m, that I will not turn away from them to do them Good ; but 1 will put
m^Fear into lheirHearts,that they fh; '1 not depart from me," 7ir.32.38,3g.40.
Z 2 Which
170 0/ Predestination 4»<i Election.
Which alfo is confirmed to all God's Children in the Nevv-Teftament, Heb.
JO. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Which I mention to prevent that filly Evafion of the
Jrmimans, viz. That thefe Words in Jeremiah relate only to the Converfion
oi» the Jeivs in the latter Day : Of which more in proper Place. So that all
their Talk about God's not being luilling that any one fhould perifli, but that every
one in particular {hould come to Repentance and be faved, amounts to no more
than a Heap o'i ineffeSfual Wifhes, reprefenting God ■i.^fincerely wifhing, zvillingy
and intending what he hath not nor will ever effeSl ; yea, as what he perfectly
Anoius fliall never come to pafs.
Thefe are fome of the Jrminians curious Methods of fccuring the divine Mercy
and Sincerity^ while with open Mouth they cry out upon their Opponents as Ble^
mijhefs of thofe divine Perfe6lions. Either all Men in general and in particular
fhall be ailually converted and faved, or they fhall not ; if they fhall, it is a Sign
that God in good Earneft intended it ; if they Ihall not, it is a Sign he never did
intend it. Therefore to fay that God heartily and fincerely intended the Salva-
tion of all M.en, feeing all Men are not faved, is (to fay no worfe) but 10 plead
foolijhly ioiGod ; reprefenting that alvvifeBeing as adiing ai abfurdly as they argue.
Again, (as Dr. Edwards well obferves) " Either God only and barely requires
*' all Men to repent, turn and live ; or elfe he intends to work thefe Works
*' and Graces in them ;" as the Prophet fays, " I'hou haft wrought all our
Works in us," Ifa. 26. 12. Or, as St. /'aa/ fays, " It is God that worketh
in us both to will and to do of his good Pleafure," Phil. 2. 13. "if the fir ft
*' of thefe only, then the Confequence is, that the Converfion and Salvation of
*' all Men is not intended ; and yet here is a Pretence of his willing and in-
*' tending of it ; if the latter^ then God will moft certainly and efi-edlually work
" in them both to will and to do, to repent, turn and live : For what h^ really
<< and ^^/r^r^/y intends (being almighty) muft needs be efFeded ; for who can
*' refift this his Intention and Will, who is not fubjed to Change ?"
Now let every impartial Rczdcr judge how unworthy of the alwifeand im- '
mutable Jehovah it doth found to fay, that he indeed hath imde no pofitive and
abfolute Decrees and Purpofes about the Converfion and Salvation oi any one Man,
yet at the fame Time he has moil: fincerely willed and intended the Converfion
and Salvation oi every Man ; that this he wifiies moft heartily^ altho' at the fame
Time he moft perfedtly knows his Wiihes herein fliall never be anfvvered. How
auhundly doth it found to f y, that God indeed from Eternity perfe»Rly fore-
knew that every individual Perfpn would never iji Fa6> come to Repentance,
Converfion and Salvation, but that many of them in the Event would periflli in
their Sins ; neverthelefs he made this conditional Decree, that if they would all
repent, and believe, and turn unto him they ftiould all be faved everlaftingly ?
That is. He wiftieth moji heartily and defireth moji ardently, yet at the fame
Time is fo indifferent about the Matter, that he has taken no infallible Meafure
for the fecuring of Grace and Glory to any j yea, that hence his own dear Chil-
dren
Of Predestination and Election. 171
dren may fall away finally and perifh eternally ; that God may ivlll the Salva-
tion oi 7i Mm To-day, as an Obje^ oi his dearcfl: Love, yet iv Hi to c/amn hun
To-morrovj for his Sins, as a SuijeJf of his fVrath and Indignation ?
Thus, look which Way you will, you may fee Into what a A4azeo^t\\t grofTefi:
Abfurdiiies our Opponents run when they follow their ovjn wandring Dviann
and Fancies in pleading up for the divine Mercy and Sincerity : Are thefe the
Men of Thought and ReJieSiion ? The mighty Pleaders for a rational Scheme of
Divinity ? Which after all, being well fifted and narrowly looked into, amounts
not to the Appellation of common Senje. Surely Arminianifm being weighed iu
the Ballance, not only of the SancSluary, but even oi found Reafon, and the very
natural Ideas we have of a Being abfolutely and infinitely perlc6l and glorious^
is found wanting, yea, lighter than Vanity.
But now on the other Hand, how evident is it that no fuch Inconfiftencies
and Abfurdities, but rather a fweet Harmony doth attend the Docflrine of God's
abiblute Decrees, and particular eternal ElecSlion of fome in Chrifl their Head
unto Salvation the End, and unto San6lification, Faith and Repentance as the
Means to efFedt the End ; for hereby we reprefent the alwife and immutable
God as laying out a Scheme every Way zuorthy of himfclf, who worketh all
Things after the Counfel of his own VVill, as really intending the aSfual Conver-
fion and Salvation of his Chofen, and as effecting his Intentions to a Tittle infalli'
bib; v<*)o as he hath all Obftrudions under his Controul, whereof from Eternity
he had a moft perfect Knowledge, fo he either removes them out of the Way,
or elfe infinite Wifdom over- rules them fo as that they become /«^/^/"y/W to
his Tjio/l gracious alwife and i?nmutable Intentions and Purpofes. Moreover, as
it is his Will to efFe6l his Ele«Sl's Converfion and Salvation ordinarily by theUfe
of Means, fuch as his Word, confifting of Exhortations, In(lru£lions,Warnings>
Admonitions,Expo{tulations,pathetickWifhes&Derires,withhisExpreiIions of his
delighting in their Converfion and Salvation, (o thefe being fuited to their rational
Natures, are made ef^'edual to the End dcfigned by the powerful and fweet Ope-
rations of his moft holy Spirit. So that not only are the Eledl faved in a Way
agreable to their rational Natures, but alio (o as that all the divine Perfe<5lions
do fl:iine forth in a moji harmonious and refplendent Manner j particularly the
Riches of his fuvereign Grace in choofing them out of the corrupt Mafs before
others, by Nature as good as they, being under the fame Condemnation with
them as Children of Wrath, fetting them apart as Vefi'els of Mercy and Honour,
willing to make known unto them accordingly the Riches of his Glory, I dyy
the Riches of his Glory, alfo his unfpotted Truth and JuJJice, his untainted Purity
as well as the Riches of his Goodnefs in the Gift of his Son unto them, to under-
take for them as tlieir Surety and Redeemer, to pay their Debts to the full Sa-
tisfadtion both of Law and Judice, to purchafe for them and fecure unto them
both Grace and Glory. Moreover, his marvellous Wifdom in laying out fuch a
Scheme of Salvation, wherein his injured Perfedlions fhould be glorified, all
Obltrudions made fubjeil unto his divine Controul, and iViti to become fuhfer^
vient
172 Of Predestination and Election
vient to the great End ; {o that it was not liable to mifcarry ; his Immutability
and Power in ih^ Jlecidy Execution of thefe his Counfels ; his TraZ/^and Sincerity
fecured and honoured, in that what he wifhes and wills to be done and efftSfed is
accordingly tffe^'1 eel and perfor?ned to a Tittle. For as he is faid to be willing, fo
he certainly will make known unto his Chofen the Riches of his Glorv,as VeileJs
of Mercy which he had afore prepared unto Glory, they fhall all be fandtified
hy his Grace, and kept by his Power through Faith unto Salvatitni, ready to be
revealed, as indeed It will be in the laft Tune or Day of Chrift's fecond Ap-
pearance, when he will prefent them to the Father, faying, " Lo I here am I
. and the Children v/hicb thou haft given me," to zuit, as my Charge, to redeem,
faniSiify and fave, as you have it. Job. 17. 2. " As thou haft given him Power
over all Flefh, that he fhould give eternal Life to as many as thou haft givea
him." Whence I fairly conclude, that when St. Peter fays, 2 Pet. 3. 9, that
" God is not flack concerning his Promife as fome Men count Slacknefs, but
is Long-fufrering to us-ward, not willing that any fhould perifh, but that all
Ihoald come to Repentance," and fo to balvation ; that by the Terms [«j] [a/ij
and [«»;'] cannot be meant every Individual of fallen Mankind, but only of the
Eledt in Chrift, ail thofe given to him that he might give eternal Life unto,
and accordingly that Grace whereby they fhall be brought to Faith and Repen-
tance, as a Means to fit them for it. ff'hich Interpretation can alone fecure the
Wifdom, Immutability and Sincerity of God. Befides this Interpretation of the
Text will /I ill appear the more evident by confidering the Occafion and proper
Scope of the Words, which all muft allow to be a juft Method of Interpretation.
The Cafe then appears to be this ; The Apoftle having exhorted thofe Ele6f of
God fcattered abroad in thofe Days of Perfecution, to whom he wrote,toabcund
and increafe in Holinefs with Diligence, and to continue ftedfaft in the Faith,
he takes Occafion to tell them of what tnifchievous falfe Teachers were abroad,
and how many unfound Profeflbrs would be feduced by them, *' turning with
the Dog to his own Vomit again, and with the Sow that was wafhed (not in-
ternally changed obferve) to her wallowing in the Mire," as in Chap, 2. comes
in this third Chapter to ftir up their Minds by Way of further Remembrance., in
order for their further Eftablifhment in the Faith, particularly the Faith and im-
portant Doctrine of Chrift's fecond perfonal Appearance to Judgment at the
laft Day, when he will come in order to compleat the Salvation of his Church
and Chofen, for whom he, as the EfFe6ls of his rich Love, gave himfelf , that
he might fandlify and prefent unto himfelf a glorious Church \A'ithout Spot and
Biemifh, alfo when he will judge the World in Righteoulnefs, and pour cut the
Vials of his Wrath upon the Wicked, particularly on fcoiKng Reprobates, v/hom
he proceeds to fhew would, as fome already had, appear in the laft Davs, which
includes the whole Time from our Saviour's Afcention into Heaven to his De-
fcent thence to Judgment" at the End of the World. See i Joh. 2. 18, ig.
Chap. 4. I, 2, 3. When thofe ungodly fcoffing ip}?naels would not only mock
at God's Ifaacs^ but alfo deride the glorious Doctrine of Chrift's fecond Ap-
pearance, according to God's Promife, deridingly faying, as in Ver, 4. "Where
Is the Promife of his CoiWing ? Forfince the Fathers id\ afleepj all Things
*^'"''* continue
Of Predestination and Election-. i^-^
continue as they were from the Beginning of the Creation. For the Confuta-
tion of which ungodly Infinuations and Conclufions the Apoftle both denies and
difproves the fame, by producing an Inftancc of a Change fmce the Beginning
of the Creation, and that too a very remarkable one, viz. the mighty over-
whelming Deluge by which God overthrew the old wicked World, in which
they perifhed ; of which, he fays,thefeScofFers were willingly ignorant, as inVer.
5, 6. and then inVer.y.he comes to {hew, that as fure as ever the old wickedWcrld
perifhed by Water, (o fure the wicked World at the laft Day, when Chrift
would certainly appear to Judgment fliould perifli by Fire : For, fays he, " the
Heavens and the Earth which now arc, by the fame Word are kept in Store,
referved unto Fireagainft the Day of Judgment and Pcrditionof ungodly Men."
2dly. Whereas thefe Scoffers had infinuated that a long Time had pafl and yet
the Promife of Chrilt's Coming remained unfulfilled, thence inferring that it ne-
ver would ; the Apoflle, in order to confute the fame, proceeds in Ver. 8. to
fliew, that it is 2, fallacious Way, not to be abided by, for Men to meafureG^i'j
Adlings by Alen's, he declaring that that Time, which was lung in the Account
of mortal A4an, Creatures of Yeilerday, was not fo in the Account of the eternal
God, with whom nothing is pafl or to come, but always prefent, who calleth
thofe Things that are not as tho' they were, Rom. 4. 17. as it follows Ver.
8. " But beloved, be not ignorant of this one Thing, (mark) this one Things
that one Day is with the Lord as a thoufand Tears, and a thoufand Years as one
Day." All is one with ihzt glorious Being of Eternity. Whence, Ver. 9. he
folidly concludes, " that God is not flack concerning his Promife as fome Men,
viz. thefe Scoffers count Slacknefs, but (fays the Apoflle to the holy Brethren)
he is Long-fufFering to us-ward, (mark) to us-ward, namely. Us the Family of
Gad's Ele£i, in Contradiflindion from thofe fcofHng Reprobates, and thofe other
ungodly Men that fhall pcrifli by P'ire and go into Perdition, not willing that
any, to wit, of us fhould perifli, but that all, to wit, of us fhould come to Re-
pentance," and fo to Salvation, anfwcrable to God's firfl Defignation of his
Elt£l thereunto, in his Decree of Eledion, "who from the Beginning chofo
them unto Salvation thro' Sanciification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth."
2 Tbef 2.13. As if the Apoflle had faid, Howfoever thefe wicked Scoffers do
deride God's long Delays in the Execution of his Promife, yet he will certainly
fulfil it in his own due Time, waiting with Long-fufFering for the Accomplifa-
ment of the whole Number of his Eledl at Chrift's Coming and Kingdom, not
willing that any of them fliould perifh, but that all of the??i fliould come to Re-
pentance, that all of them, to a Man, fiiould be twice born and brought into
Chrilf's Sheepfold, to whom Chrifl faith, " he will give eternal Life, and that
ihey fliall never perifli, it not being the Will of his heavenly Father that fo much
as o«^ of them fhould perifli," Job. 10. 27, 28. Mat. 18. 14. As diefe arc
the Objects of redeeming Love, whom God fo loved as to give them his ^ nly
begotten Son, that they believing on him fliould not perifh but have evcrLu^iiig .
Life. Accordingly our blcfled Saviour fiiith, *' This is the P^ather's Will 'vliicli
hath fent me, that of all which he hath given me I fhould lofe nothing, (no, not
their Dufl, much lefs their precious Souls) but that llhould raile it up ygain a^
the
1^4 ^f Predestination and Election*.
the laft Day ; and this is the Will of him that fent me, that every one which
feeth the Son and believeth on him may have everla/ling Life, and 1 will raife
him up at thelaft Day. "It is written in the Prophets, And they fhall be all
taught of God, (and fo brought to Repentance) every Man therefore that hath
Jieard and learned of the Father cometh unto me," Jch. 6. 39, ^c. But
who are they that thus learn of the Father and come to Chrif^ ? Whv they are
thofe given Number about whom Chrift's Care is fo much concerned that none
of ^/^'^'OT fhall perifh : For, faith he, Ver. 37. " yf// that the Father ^/w//; me
JJjall come unto me, and him that cometh unto me I will in no wife cafl out."
;'. e. I will gracioufly receive them and never caft them ofF; " for him hath.
God the Father exalted with his right Hand to be a Fiince and a Saviour, for to
give Repentance unto Jfracl, (thefe his fpiritual\(\ZQ\) and Remiffion of Sins,"
jiHs 5. 31. To thefe God grants Repentance unto Life, becaufe not willing
that ary of i hern (I ould peri{h, but that all of them fhould come to Repentance,
even fuch a Soul-faving Repentance as this, not to he repented of.
So that what God is in the Text under immediate Confideration faid to zuill,
fhall certainly come to pafs, which exa^ly cc7nports with tlie Perfcflions of his
immenfe JVifdom^ his irnmutahle Nature, the Riches of his dijlinguijhing and over-
Jioiving Grace, his Faithfulnefs and Sincerity, without running to our Opponents
miferahle Shifts of afcribing to him a whole Throng of ineffeSiual IViJhes and
JVculdivgs, in order to fecure the divine Mercy and Sincerity, which in Fadt
makes the Matter worfe inftead of better \ of which let them clear themfelves
if they can.
I proceed to obferve, That as the Apoflle here fpeaks of God's Long-fufFering
to his Ele£l-ward, until their whole Number fhall be accompliflied ; fo in Ver.
.15. he accordingly exhorts the Children of that Family, faying, *' Account that
-the Long-fuftering of our Lord is Salvation." And withal confidering that it
is by a progrcfTive Work of Sanc^ification zx\iS praflical Godlinefs that they be-
come fit for the Enjoyment of their decreed Felicity, he charges them to be
*' <9'/7/V/f';z/, that they may be found of him without Spot and blamelefs j that
they diligently work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling, confequent
iipon and as the Efle6t of God's working in them both to will and to do accord-
ing to his good Pleafure."
Now of all that hath been faid from this Text, this is the Sum ; as if the
Apoflle had faid, " O ye Believers I who are of the Family of God's Ele6f,
be ye not troubled nor fhaken in your A4inds by any Thing that wicked Scof-
fers may fay againft the Promifes of God and of Chrift's coming to Judgment ;
for the Reaibn wherefore lie dela)s his Coming is not becaufe of his Untaithful-
iicfs or Slacknefs in perfornnng hisPromife, as thefe Scoffers do count Slacknefs,
meafuring God's Time by their oif« Line, which is taking wrong Meafures:
But the true Reafon of his tarrying is, becaufe he waits with Patience and
Long-fufFejing for the bringing into Chrift's Fold the whole Number of his Ele£t
by
0/ Predestinationt fl»i Election. 17-5
hy effectual Calling, not willing that any one of them (hould pcrifh, but that all of
them (houid come to Repentance, and fo to Salvation : For whofe Sake he bears
with all the Affronts and Abufes of ungodly Men j but when the laft Man of
that Number is gathered in he will ftav no longer, but defcend in Flames of
Fire, burning up the World and the Wicked in it, taking his EIe<ft unto him-
felf." All which doth exactly comport with the natural Scope of the Pbcc,
and that Saying of God's making known unto his Chofen and Predeftinate the
Adyftery of his Will according to his good Pleafure, which he hath purpofed in
himfelf, that in the Fulnefs of the Difpenfation of Times he might gather to-
gether in one, viz. one colledlive B )dy, all Things which arc (aheady) in Hea-
ven and which (yet) are on Earth, even in him, that is, Chrift, who is tlie Head
'of his myftical Bcdy the Church, which is his Fuhiefs, Eph. i. 9, 10, 23.
which he fo loved'as to give himfelf for, that he might (as he ce-tiinly vj://)
fan<5lify and cleanfe by the wafliing of Water bv the Word ; ?.nd that he might
(as he certainly will) prefent it to himfelf a gl(irious Chuich, liot h;n ing Spot or
Wrinkle, or any fuch Thing, but that it fhould he holy and without Blemifli ;
Whom being the Members of his Body, of his Flefh, and of his pjor.es, he will
nourifli and cherifh, even until hefhall prefent them faultlefs before th.e Prcfencc
of his Glory with exceeding Joy, Eph. 5. 25. to the End, Jude Ve . 24.
Hence then, it is to no Purpofe to obje6i:, as Dr. IFhltln does, iji-z. *' That
*' thofe Perfons /'^/^r wrote unto were already brought unto Repentance, and"
** that therefore cannot be the fame to whom God is long-fufj-ering, that t!icy
*' may come to Repentance." Hence, 1 fay, it is to no Purpf)fe for liim tiius
to obje£l, feeing that tho' they are not the fume individual Pr fons, yet are fuch
as do belong to xhe fame myflical Body and Family of God's Elcul^ both vvjiich
are in Heaven and on Earth )et to come there, on whom tlie Lord Wiiits, and
unto whom he is Long-fuffering, until they fhall be ail brought to partake v-^ this
Grace of Repentance and the New-Birth, God having certainly determired f!^:it
rot one of thefe Pnould perifh, as our Saviour faith, yT/^/.i8. ic to is^.---'' It is
not th^ Will of your Father which h m Heaven that cne of thefe little O.^es
fliould perifti :" He hath promifed his Son their Redeemer, that as '*• liis Soul
was made an Offering for their Sins, fo he fhall fee his Seed and the Travail of
his Soul, and fhall be fatisfied that the Pleafure of the Lord fliall pn f,)er in his
Hand," Ifa. 53. 10, ll. He hnth promifed that *' a 6"^ fhall ferve him, and
that this Seed or Remnant fliall be accounted ujito him, the Lord Jefus, fur a
Generation," Pfal. 22. 30.
Hence let Scoffers, the Generation of Vipers and Seed of the Serpent, fay
whit they will, the Promife of God fhal! be fulfilled ;' " for he is not flack con-
cerning thefe his Promifes, as thofe Deriders count Slackncfs, but i^ lor.g-fiifiiT-
ing towards thofe little Ones, Chrift's Seed and Cjcneration, waiting for their
being all brought into Chrifl's Fold, not willing that any one of ihem flioi.-Id
p^rlfh, but that all of t!iem fhould com? to Repei^tmcc." Which, when done,
lie will tarry no longer, hib Lojig-fi ffering will be at an End, v. htn he v. ill
A a dtfctud
176 0/ PredIstination <7»^ Election.
defcend in Flames of Fire to burn up the Tares, and gather the Wheat, thfi
blefied Seed, into his heavenly Barn.
Which uniform Account of Things, as it highly extols the Riches of theyr^*
and unchangeable Grace of God, his manifold Wifdom, his fovereign Alercy, Faith-
fulnefs and Sincerity, fo it no lefs tends abundantly to confirm the Faith and Hope,
to Jlrengthen and increafe the Comforts and Joy, the patient and diligent waiting
upon God^ of all fuch as feel the EffeSfs of eleSiing Grace in their Souls in the
Work of San5fification ; " being confident of this very Thing, that he that hath
begun that good Work of Grace in them, vi'ill certainly perform it until the
Day of Jefus Chrift," Phil. i. 6. That being Chrift's Sheep, and made to
hear and know his Voice, may comfortably conclude that they are of the Num-
ber of thofe that fhall never perifli, but have eternal Life^ wjjoicing in and blef-
fing God, who hath given them everlafting Confolation and good Hope through
Grace, who will eftablifli them in every good Word and Work, comforting
their Flearts, ?. Thef. 1. 16, 17. Upon good Grounds waiting for the Coming
of our Lord Jeuis Chrift, who fhall confirm them unto the End, that they may
be found blamelefs in that Day ; for God is fo far from being flack in the Per-
formance of this his Promife, as that he being faithful by whom they were
called into the Fellowship of his Son Jefus Chrifl our Lord, will certainly fulfil
the fame, i Cor. i. 7, 8, 9. To which Purpofej it is mofl: fuitably added
and pertinently exprefled in the 17th Article of the ejlablifl^ed Church upon Pre-
deftir.aiion and Election, *' That the g'^'dly (mark) not ihe perverfe and ungodly,
" but the godly Confideration of Predeftination and our ElecStion in Chrift (as it
" is there before exprefTed and laid down) is full oi fweet, pleafant and un-
*' fpcakable Coinfort to godly Perfons, (mark) to godly Perfons, and fuch z.^ feel
*' in themfelves the working of the Spirit, mortifying the Works of the Fiefli
*' and their earthly Members, drawing up their Minds unto high and heavenly
*' Things, as Vv'ell as that it doth greatly eflablifli and confirm their Faith of
*' eteinalSalvation to be enjoyed through Chrifl,as becaufe it doth fervently kin-
*' die their Love towards God."
Surely then this is an Article of Faith not fit to be flightly thought of or
\vick.edly fpoken againfl, but is well worthy to be earneflly contended for as the
Faith once delivered unto the Saints. And fo indeed it appears to have been in
rhe Account of our brave Reformers, who compofed the prefent ftanding Arti-
cles of the Church of England^ whence it is that in their Liturgy {o frequent
Mention is made of the Chofen of God, by the Terms o^ the EleSf, the EhSfed,
<7od's Ele£l, his cle^t People, and his Flock, as I find remarked by one of her late
worthy Sons and Champions the pious Dr. John Edwards, in his Veritas Redux,
where he further obferves, " that in the Office for the Burial of the Dead we
are dircclied to pray that God would he pleafed of his gracious Goodnefs fhortly
to accomplifli the Number ofhisEleft, and to haften his Kingdom j" which
exadlly comports with what we have obferved from the fore-mentioned Text,
2 Pet. 3. 9. in a Way of Interpretation.
Thus
Of Predestination and Election. 1-7
Thus the worthy Do£lor fubfcribed to what he believed, and believed what
he fubfcribed unto, not as an Article of Peace, much lefs of Preferment^ but of
Tra//;, according to the ^r^/w;«fl//V(j/Scnfe and Meaning thereof, as flritftlv re-
quired of all the Clergy in his Majefty's Declaration, commonly bound up with
our Quarto Bibles of the late Oxford Edition. And I make no Doubt, but that'
there are at this Day to be found many of the Church's pious Sons and Daugh-
ters who receive this Dodtrine with a fweet Relifh, as ufeful to promote thofe
great and pious Ends before-mentioned in their 17th Article.
To all which I cannot forbear adding what Ufes that truly famous and pif us
Archbifhop U/7;^r hath made of this God-honouring and Soul-comforting Doc-
trine of Election, as may be feen in his elaborate Body of Divinity, 4th £dl:. p.
91, 92. where he thus queries, " What is Eledion ? Jnfiver. It is the ever-
lafting Predeflination or fore-appointing of certain Angels and Men unto
eveilalUng Life and Bleflednefs, for thePraife of his glorious Grace and Good -
nefs. I Tim. 5. 21. Joh. 15. 16. Rom. 9. 22, 23. Eph. i. 4, 5, 6, 7, S, 9.
^eji'ion. Is there no Caufe, Reafon or Inducement ofEledlion in the Ele Jlcd
themfelves ? Anfwer. None at all; it is wholly of Free-Grace, w^ithouc
Refped of any Goodnefs that God forefaw in us, 2 Tim, i. 9. Rom. 6. 16.
Phil. 2. 13. Eph. I. g. for otherwife Man would have whereof he might
glory in and ofhimfelf, as having difcern'd himfelf from others, and God
(hould not be the Caufe of all Good, nor fhould his Counfels be incompre-
henfible. ^ery. Is not Chrifl the Caufe of our Eleition ? J/ifwer, Nc,
not of God's decreeing of it, (for that he did of his own free Will) but of the
Execution of it ; that is, our Salvation is for and thro' Chrifl-. ^uery. What
Tokens have we of ourEle6tion. A trueFaith h a godlyLife. ^//^ry. What
Ufe are we to make of our Eledtion. Anfwer (i.) It is our great Comfort,
that our Salvation flandeth by God's eternal Decree that cannot be changed,
and not in our felves that daily might lofe it. (2.) It fheweth God's infinite
Mercy, that before we were born or had done either Good or Evil, he elecfled
us rather than others, as good as we. (3.) It (hould make us love God all
our Life to our uttermoft, for his Love unto us. (4.) It is a Help a2;ainn: all
Temptations of Satan or our doubting Nature ; and alfo againft allAfilidticns
and Contempt of the World, Rom. 8. 38, 39. (5.) It ferves to humble
us, that we had nothing of our felves for our Salvation, but it freely came
from God." Thus far that great and brave Man of God, whole Works do
praifc him in the Gates, and are fo juftly, with great Efleem recommended to
the World by that pious Biftiop fohn Downame.
But flill to come lower down, I cannot forbear to add what the late pious
Bifhop Wilkim offers in his excellent Directions about the Gift of Prayer, vvhoie
fpeaking of that Branch of Prnyer which refpedts Thankfgiving, he goes to the
Root of Matters, dirc6ling Chriflians to thank God for their Ehnion, Redemp-
tion and effeSiual Calling by his Grace, where he points out the Reafonablenefs
of this Part of thaU'Duty of Praife, /'^,f. 223. Chap. 2^. int.t'ed, The Kinds of
fpiritual Adercies ii be enumerated. " Thefe tc?nporal Yz\ou\i (fays he) which
A a 2 '■'■ wc
/
i;^ Of PREDESTifTATiON and Election-,'
*« we ought thus to enunurate^ (viz. as before exprefs'd) tho' they are very ex-
*' ccllcnt hi themfelves, and tar beyond our Deferts, yet are common to us with
*' f'ypocr'ites, and fuch as fhail hereafter be damned ; and therefore it is requi-
/' lite that we (hoiild after a more cfpecial Manner magnify his glorious Name
*' for thoCe /piritual Mercies that concern our Eternity: Chiefly for the Lord
" Jefus Chriit, the Jul her znd FiniJJyer oi our Faithy the Fountain of all the
" other Mercies which we enjoy ; for his Birth, Incarnation, Sufferings, Death,
" Reiurrection, Aicention and IntercefTion, with all thofe unfpeakable Benefits
*' that we receive by them ; for blejfing us ivith all fpiritual Blejfings in heavenly
" Places in Ch)i/i : Adore particularly for thofe remarkable EfFedfs of his Love
" and Merits, (i.) In our EleiTtion ; for that God hath predeftinated us unto
" ti)e Adoption of Children by Jcfus Chrid unto himfelf, according to the good
'* Pleafure of his Will, to the Praife of the Glory of his Grace, wherein he
" hath nude us accepted in the Beloved, Eph. i. And hath from the Begin-
" nir.g chofen us unto Salvation through Sandtification of the Spirit and Belief
" of the Truth, i Thcf. 2. 13. He might have defigned us to be Veflels of
" Wrath, as he did the fallen Angels, and then we had been eternally undone,
*' without all poiBble Remedy. There was nothing in us to move him when
«' wc lay aH together in the general Heap of Mankind : It was his own Free-
*' Cirace and Bounty that made him to take Delight in us, to chufe us out from
*' the reii, and to fever us from thofe many Thoufands in the World that fhali
*' pcrifh everlaftingly." Thus far Bifhop IVilkins : He preached fometimes
before K. Charles the Second.
Now mark ; the Reafon wherefore I here mention thefe great Names of the
eftabiiflicd Church, with feveral others in the Beginning of this Treatife, is not
merely becaufe they fay it, but becaufe they prove thefe their Sayings from the
unerring Touciiftone of Truth ; and withal that I might be inftrumental to
continue and increafe that Moderation and Good-will which \he pious znd mode-
rate Sons of the Church do manifeft towards their dijftnting Proiejiant Brethren
or Fellow-Chriftians : Yqv whom therefore I cannot forbear expreffing a jujl
E/hcm znd proper Fahie^ under whofe mild and gentle Admiiiiftrations we do
enjoy true Liberty of Confcience, without being opprefs'd with penal Laws ;
for whom therefore we do heartily blefs God, and count them juftly intitled to
our mod ardent Prayers^ that it may pieafe the Lord to blefs them with an In-
creafe of Grace and Wifdom here, and a PoflefTion of a Crown of immortal
Glory hereafter.
Another Reafon is, that I might in Behalf of the whole Body of ProteJIant
Difienters, my Brethren of the feveral Denominations holding the Head, offer
Something in order to raife a better Efteem towards them from fuch as look on
them with an iinpleafantY^yQ^htz^uk (as they are ready to think) they are unjufii-
fiablc in dillenting from the eftablifhed Church ; whereas I am bold to fay from
Declarations of Fad, that they are more of true Churchmen than fome that
v.alue themfelvcs by that appellation j the prefent dodtrinal Articles of the efla-
bliihcd
Of P-REDESTINATION and ELECTlOt^. 179
blifhed Church being made the Rule of Trial, which v/ill furely be allowed to
be f<th\, very fair ! For evident it i , that howfoever they do difient from the
ceremonial and external Branches, yet they do fenacioufly adhere unto the (hcirtnaU
vital and ftinaamental Articles of tiie ejiahUjhid Churchy v.'hile many wiiO call
themfelves Churchmen do only adhere to ihefor/ner, renouncing the /j/if^r of thcfc
more or lefs, particularly the /^'y^«/^^«//? Artick, finding Fault with thofe t';at
preach the Dodtrine therein contained ; or elfe pretend that that Article is f:;;rly
capable of being underft )od in a Senfe dire^ly oppoftt^ to Calvin's Scheme ;
whereby I fear not to fay, that tkey ofter Violence to tlieir own Senfe and Rea-
fon^ as well as to ihn(ti grammalical Rules of Confirudbon that by Authority is
required to be obfervcd in the Interpretation both of that and all the rejl of the
39 Articles, by all thoie who do Jubfcribe to the fame as agreable xiltb the JVord
of God.
Now I dare appeal to all unVtafftd Men !n the World, whether in Faci thofe
^o not better deferve the Appeilaticn of true Churchmen^ who tenacioufly adhere
unto all "her fio^dam^ntal doSirinal Articles, while they (cruple only the traditional
and ceremonial Part of the fame, than thofe who adhere only or moiily unto the
latter^ rejeding, if not all, yet much of the former. Surely the Thing without
the Name, is preferable to the Name without the Thing. If Matters be rightly
fcan'd, it will be eafy to difcern who do beft deferve the Name of Difllnters
-from the Doctrine eftablifhed by our great Reformers from Popery upon the fure
Foundation of the divine Oracles. And I am fully perfuaded that the Reafoii
why fome do entertain hard Thoughts of the Dill'enters is only for want of bet-
ter Information, which I would willingly give them from undeniable Fg£Is^ with
no worfe Views than to promote true Chrirtian Charity and Moderation between
them and others, who tho' they do diflent from them in fome Things, 3et do
agree with them in the Main, as may be feen by comparing their feveral printed
Confeflions of Faith with the dodtrinal and fundamental Articles of the eftabliih'd
Church together. I do not fpeak of the Articles of Faith held by Diflenters in
general without Diftinftion j but of thofe that hold the Head, even Chrid:, fuch
as go under the Denominations of Preflyterians, Independants or Cotigregational,
and particular Baptijh, of which laft Denomination I profefs my lelf.
I have been the more particular in the Mention of thefe Things, in order to
clear my felf and Brethren of all unjufl Imputations of Novelty and Singularity in
regard of the Do<5lrines herein defended : Which I was the more willing to do
becaufe (as many in this Province do well know) no fmall Stir hath been made
by my immediate Opponents about the Dodlrines I profefs to hold and preach ;
and no fmall Diligence ufed in order to render me and my Adherents infamous
both in Town and Country, as Setters-forth oi firange, uncominon and unfcriptu-
ral Dodlrines : Whereunto have been adjoined not a little of fuch Rhetorick as
this, DeviUjIi, Damnable, Abominable, the Break-neck oi all Hope, with fuch like
ty/Vr/ and rambling Stuff , as I have before obferved. A Sign of a wretched and
defperate Caufe, when Reproach is made to fupply the Place of Argument.
As
igo 0/ PREDESTJNATON Ofld ElECTIION.
As to their farther diminutive and difdainful Speeches of our being but a Par-
cel of zveak Men, either unable or aftiamed openly to defend our Principles,
(by which they would aggrandize themfelves and their own fuperiour Genius as
great Somebodys) is what we have no great Reafon to be moved at, unlefs it be
to glory in our Weakneffes and Infirmities, while we call to Mind that the almighty
God hath chofen the foolijh Things of this World to confound the wife^ and the
weak Things of this World to confound the Things that are conceitedly mighty,
and the bafe and defpifed Things of this World hath God chofen to bring to
nought Things that are, that no Flefli (hould glory in his Prefence, i Cor» i.
J 8, ^c. Let then the Wife and the Mighty, the Scribes and Difputers of this
"World, pour out all the Contempt they can upon the weak and foolijh Things
of this World, they need not value it a Ru/h, Let Men fay what they will,
this Do6lrine will remain inviolable ; alfo this Propohtion, that Wifdom is jufti-
tied of allh&x defpifed Children, who triumph in the weak Infultations of their
proudefl Oppofers. Self- Defence efpecially, as a Minifter of Jefus Chrift, is what
«very reafonable Man will readily allow : And forafmuch as God in his Provi-
iiencc hath fet me here for the Defence of his glorious Gofpel, fo I am willing
it Ihould be known, that through Grace, I am not (as I have no Reafon to be)
alhamed thereof, nor to own it before God, Angels and Men.
But to return from this Digreflion ; Is the Dodtrine oi particular EleSfion, as
nve have feen, fo naturally produdlive of fo many hlejfed and pious Ufes, both for
Comfort and Eflablifhment In Grace and good Works ; how unjuft then are the
Conclufions that fome draw therefrom, as tho' it was calculated for the Meridian
of Licentioufnefs and Defperation f I fay, how unju/l are fuch Conclufions, fee-
ing they that are chofen unto Salvation the End, are no lefs chofen unto Sandi-
iication and Belief of the Truth, and fo to become a holy People unto the Lord ;
and feeing this Eledion is moft free, having for its Objedl the Chief of Sinners j
and feeing that every holy Man may, without Prefumption, be accounted, even
hy himfelf, an elet^ed Man, proving the Caufe by its EffeSis ; and a Man that
Ihall certainly be faved, becaufe God's EletSlion, as it isfree, fo it is immutable^
Which Do6trine, duly confidered, does moft naturally afford folid Grounds of
Comfort to every truly humble and penitent Soul, who feel the Operations of the
holy Spirit of Grace and Sandlification upon their Soul^ by whom they are fealed
unto the Day of Redemption, Eph. 4. 30.
Yet notwithftanding all that we can fay of thefe Matters, not only fome will
fland it out in then abfoluie P-efiftance of them, but alfo fome others who can't
find in their Hearts abfolutely to deny the Do6lrine, as unable to withftand that
Light and Evidence wherevv'ith it is cloaihed from the divine Oracles, u'a never-
ihelefs hefitate about the Matter, cherifhing a Kind of Timof oufnefs about the
fame, (altho' more afraid than hurt) infmupting that it is kj eJ/'entialPohn, that
it may bt as vjeli let alone as preached^ becaufe as they do apprehend, entangling
to vjeak Confciences. But furely if it be, as indeed it is. Part of the Counfel of
God and his revealed Will, it can't be accounted a Matter of Prudence u'hol/^
to
0/ Predestination and Election. i8r
to omit, drop and conceal it, (for whether It ought to be preached in a prudent
Manner is not the Queftion) I would therefore willingly addrefs my felf unto
all fuch as feem to halt between tzvo Opinions, fo diredlly oppofite to each other
as the Do6lrines of peculiar and thofe of univerfal Grace : The latter of which
is (tho' without any juft Grounds) fo very much cry'd up by fome, as beft pro-
motive of Comfort and good Works ; wherefore, halting Soul, whofoever thou
art, let me reafon with thee a little.
(i.) Either thou zvtz godly or an ungodly Perfon, a penitent or elfe an i?npenl'
tent Sinner, a regenerate or elfe an unregenerate Soul, a Believer or clfe an Unbe-
liever. If the /i7r«^r of thefe, then thou haft the greateft Cjround to hope for
thy Salvation, becaufe as thy Faith and Holinefs are the Efteils and Evidences
of thine EleSlion paji , fo they are a Pledge and Forerunner of thy Glorijication ta
come i becaufe we are aflured that in whomfoever God hath begun the good
Work of Grace faltho' perhaps as yet thefe Beginnings are but fniall) he will
certainly perform it until the Day of Jefus Chrift, Phil. 1.6. " Whom God
elected, them he alfo calls, and whom he calls, them he alfo juftifies, and whom
he juftifies, them alfo he glorifies," Rom. 8. 29, 30. And if thou art indeed
a Partaker of the fame Grace with the primitive Saints, it will teach thee alfo
to fay with them, " What fliall we then fay to thefe Things ? Shall we con-
tinue in Sin becaufe Grace abounds ? God forbid. How ftiall we who are dead
unto Sin live any longer therein?" Rom. 6. i, 2.
But (2.) If thou art of the latter Stamp and Charadler, viz. PFicked zn^ Ln-
penitent, then how vain are all thy ObjeSiions and Declamations, feeing there is no
Do6lrine under the Heavens, no, not the Arminians very merciful Dodrine of
univerfal Grace, that can pretend to give thee any Comfort or Hopes about thy
Salvation, thou remaining fuch \ feeing that it is an irreverfible Statute of Hea-
ven, that '* without Holinefs no Man fl:iall fee the Lord," Heb. 12. 14.
*' There is no Peace faith my God unto the Wicked," Ifa. 57. 21. And
our Saviour with tl Verily., Verily faith, that " Except a Man be born again he
cannot fee the Kingdom of Heaven :" And again, ** Except a Man be born of
Water and of the Spirithe fl^all not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven," Joh. 3.'
«' He that believeth not (hall be damned," Mark i6. 16. And again, " Ex-
cept ye repent, ye fhall all likewifc perifli," Luk. 13. 3, 5. Therefore when
Perfons begin faying, O but how if I be not eledted ? they do begin at the
wrong End ; whereas they fhould fay. Cam \ converted? Am I horn again?
zn^ fuch like., by which alone Men can prove their Eledion paft, or upon good
Grounds hope for Glorification to come. It is by a diligent Endeavour to grow
in Grace and Holinefs, by which we are exhorted to make our Calling and
Eleftion fure. That is, Forafmuch as God's ElecSl are chofen to Holinefs, and
to be called with a holy Calling, fo it behoves us by our Cove unto and abound-
ing in Grace and Holinefs, to manifcft that we are thus called ; and by this oui*
holy Calling to make out as a Thing evident and fure to the Eye of our Faith
that we are the Eledl of God, endeavouring to make that which is fure in regard
of
iSi Of Predestination arid Election.
of God's Purpofe, fure unto our felves ; or In other Words, to get an AfTurance
of our Intcrtfft in eltding Grace, and a Title through the Redeemer's precious
Blood uiuo Glorification, fo as that we may pafs not on]y fa fely but ccmfortally
through the dark Wildernefs of this World, and at laft through the gloomy
Valley of Death into the heavenly Kingdom j as it is exprefs'd 2 Pet. 1.5, l^c,
*< Wherefore the rather Brethren ufe all Diligence to make your Calling and
Elc(5lion fure ; ior fo, or \n fo iio'tng an Entrance fhall be adminiftred unto you
abundantly iiuo the everlafting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift.
Befides, fuppofe thou canfl make out thy Regeneration and Converfion unto
CtoJ, that thou art become one of his Children by Faith in Chrifl Jefus, yet
?iCcordiii2 to the Jnninian Do<Strine, thou art flill liable to ceafe to be fuch, to
fall away finafly and perifti eternally j which fays, a Man may be a Child of
God, in a State oi Grace and Favour with him to Day, and become a Child of
his Wrath and Indignation to Morrow ; one Day be a true Believer in a State
of Sahaticfj, and the next fall into a State of Unbelief and Damnation. This
is their mighty f^;?/^/.//!?'^ Docffrine to z^^flyf Chriftians, bruifed Reeds and tender
Confc;t:nces ! Thcie are their Cordia.s for fainting Souls ! Their mighty Props
to fnkirig defpairing Minds I While the contrary Dodfrine is afperfed with be-
ing the dcjiroyer of all Hope. But I hope Vv'hat hath been offered will effei^tuully
cverthroiv all fuch perverj'e Cavils and OhjcSliom. What fayfl: thou now halt-
ing Soul ? Dofl thou {till hanker after thefe Fhppoii of Egypt, thcjiinking Onions
end Garhck? Or art thou not now brought to confefs that Canaan'^ Milk and
Honey is more than ten thoufand Times preferable thereunto ?
Moreover, as our Dodtrine is preferable to theirs in Point of Comfort, {<:> alfb
of true Principles and Motives of Obedience ; for fuch do not work for God
from any Principle of eleding Love, or any moving Senfe of diftinguifhing in-
furing Grace, which they do deny ; therefore confequently from a meer felfiOl
Principle, more for Fear of the Whip than any evangelic Principle of Love, for
Life inftead oi frotn Life ; and who at hejl have their eternal Salvation hanging
in a doubtful, pendulous Sufpence before their Eyes, depending on the final De-
termination of their own fickle Free-will. And alas ! how uncertain and hazardous
that is, may be gathered (as Dr. Edwards well obfervesj from their own grofs
Failings, and from their Do(Strine oi falling from Grace, and from the J>iumber$
that perijh.
The Salvation of an Armhnan hargs on his own free Choice Inftead of God^s^
and which of thefe two are iho- furefi <" Or it is to be faid that this latter is
fure and fledjajl ; but \hQ former is \'cTy flippery and deceitful It is certain that
we are fafer in God's Hands than in our own, and then what Comfort is there in
fuch Propofitions as thefe, that tho' Chrift died for every individual Man, yet it
might fo have happened that not one of them fhould be faved, but that all he
died for miglit have been damned, for any/»/<j///i'/^,(2^^«fi/Methods taken byhim
in order to fecure theadual Salvation of any one Man j that if we arrive unto a
State
Of Predestination and Election*
State of Grace by Virtue of the good Management of cnr own Wills and
Powers, yet we may drawback unto Perdition ; that xh^hji znd fni/hi»g Strokes
of our Converfion and Sandification, on which our adual Salvation depends,
muft be our own, not God's ; that God doth as much for one Man as another,
for Judas f who betrayed Chrift and went unto his own Place) as for Peter and
Paul, and ail the other Saints that have reached Heaven and Happinefs. Behold
what mighty Confolation there is in fuch giddy Notions as ihefe /
How much foever then Jrmimans may cry down our Scheme as tending to
Defpair, we fee how juftly the Charge doth revert upon their own : Which aJfo
confidered in its large Latitude of free-will Ability by them pleaded for, ma-
nifeftly tends to forward the Sin of Prefumption, which is no lefs^ nay more peril-
lous than that of I>(?/^^r^//o;z ; for Defpair hath (lain but its Thoufands, while
Prefumption hath flain its ten Thoufands : For when a wicked Wretch, vainly
puffed up with his fiefhly MiniJ, has once imagined himfelf invefted with a
Stock of univerfal GraCe and free-will Abilities to repent and turn unto God
whenever he wilf, independent of God's efficacious Grace and Operations, how
nuuralisit for him to indulge himfelf in a Continuation of his Follies, defer-
ring his Repentance and turning to God from Time to Time, until all be run
out, flattering himfelf th^'.t God is made up all of Mercy ^ and fo prefuming there-
upon until parhips he too late fees his Fully, finding htm to be alfo z jealous God,
who will by no Means clear the Guilty. In fhort, no Dodrine whaifoever can
pretend to yidJ Comfort to impenitent Sinners, asywcA, any n>ore than ours doth ;
And ;s to thofo that are truly penitent and believing, it is evident beyond all
Contradidion that in Point of folid Comfort and Hopes of Salvation to fuch, our
Scheme of Salvation is far, very far preferable to the Arminian tottering unartain
Scheme of Salvation, as I have before obferved.
Would we then receive true comfortable Hopes of our Eledtion and Salvation^
let us look into our own Hearts and enquire how they do {\and affected unto in-
ward, vital znd pra^ical HoWnck, to which the Eledt are chofen, and without
which no Man fhall fee the Lord, diligently waiting upon him in the Uie of al!
the Means o-f Grace and Salvation, both private and publick, that by finding out
the Footfteps of the holy Spirit in the Work of Sandtification, as the praperE£Fe6!$
of eledling Love, we may comfortably afcend from thofe Effed^s unto the grand
and blefTed Caufe. Hence it is wifely added in the Clofe of the aforefaid ijtb
Article of the Church of England^ that '^' we muft receive God's Promifes in
** fuch wife as they be generally fet forth to us in the holy Scripture, and in our
** Doings that Will of God is to be followed which we have expredy declared
*' in his Word ; (which will iffue in the iinfpeakable Comfort of ail penitent
»« and godly PerfonsJ but as for carnal and curious Perfons (as it is there aJfo
<< faid^ lacking the Spirit of Chrift, to have continually before their Eyes the
** Sentence of God's Predeftination, is a molt dangerous Downfall, whereby
*' the Devil doth thruft them either into Defperatibr, or into Wretchednef> of
*' moft uncleain Living, no lefs perilous than DefperataoUv** If, % they, i zm
B b hOTQ.
^'^-. Of Predestination and Election.
- born to be damned, I fliall be damned fet mb do whatever I can, but if I am
predeftinated to be faved, why I fhall be faved tho* 1 live as I hft, there is no
Need of the Ufe of Means, Reading, Hearing, Praying, Preaching, and fuch
like : And fo indeed the t'radtice of but too many, w^ho are for getting to Hea-
ven by their own Works, do manifeft ; who can from one Month and Year
unto another, either lurk at Home like Hermits in^ their Cells, or elfe fpend God's
holy Sabbaths in. vain- Converfation abroad, ini idle Chatting, Eating and Drink-
ing, aliho' they have the Gc fpel of Salvation brought almoll to their very Doors,
by which they do caft the highell: Contempt upon the Wifdomiarid Goodtiefs of
God, in inftituting a ftanding Miniftry in order to open Men's Eyes, to turn
them from Darknei's to Light, that they may ferve the living God, receive For-
givenefs of Sins, and an Inheritance among them that are fandlified, by Faith
that is in Chrift Jefus, J^s 26. 18. Who hope to be faved while they livein
open Contempt of the very Means of their Salvation, not conftderihg how fcift
they do hereby add unto the dreadful Account which they muft give at the great
and dreadful Day of Judgment, for thus contemning the W'ifdom and Goodnefs
of God, ?s well as for tranfgrefling his Command, which challenges their Pre-
fence in his Houfe, who never intended that his MinKkrs (hould preach unto the
bare Walls, commanding Men and Women " not to forfake the aflembling of
themfelves together, as the Manner of fome is," Heb. 10. 25. Who however
cari prate againft the Doctrines of Grace and plead for getting to Heaven by their
ovi'n fiee-will Works of Righteoufnefs, and yet do by their Pradlice manifeft that
their Wills are not over free in doing any,inftead of being diligent in making their
Calling and Eledlion fure. .[
6
Befides, how do fuch Objections contradict daily Obfervation ? P"or Men
do commonly own that there is a peremptory Decree concerning Summer ajnd
Winter, Day and Night, Seed-time and Harveft ; that while the Earth remains
thefe (hall not ceafe ; and yet all do hold that the Revolution of the Sun is ne-
cefTary, and that the Induftry and Pains of the Hufbandman is not thereby fuper-
ceded or rendred needlefs, he thinks it neverthelefs his Duty to clear, fence,
manure his Ground and fow his Seed in due Seafon. We pray unto God to
give us our daily Bread, and we own that he doth give it unto us ; and yet, who
' thence concludes, that therefore they mayfitftill wfth foldfsl. AriTjis, expeClJrg
that they fhall be miraculoufly fed ?i^;: vir'SJno^moa vcm aw ,3v vl j^nifiala 'n
Again, The Scripture declares that our Days are determined, that the Num-
ber of our' Months are with God, that he hath appointed our Bounds that 'we
cannot pafs, that there is an appointed Time for Man to live upon Earth, that
his Days are liife the Days of an Hireling, t. e^ i0.oc that is, hired for Service
" for a fet determinate Time, either of Hours, Days, Weeks, Months or Years,
as every o-ne of •eomn.on Senfe do know ; and yet who thence .concludes that
we need not trouble our fe'ves about eating or drirfking for the Support of Life,
or ufing Phyfick when Tick ? Indeed there are fonre fo wedded to. their own
Notions that they will not allow that there is.fucb.a Thing, as ^.certain fi'«^d
■^ <\ Period
Qf(, Pre,DiESTlna*;jij3n and^ El ECT70^f> i^^.
Period of Life to ^evcry one appointed of God, which they cannoi falJ fliort-of,
or go beyond, altho' both Scripture and Fa6t are io plain againft them j for
furely if fuch a Period be not evident from fuch exprefs 7'erms as above-men-
tioned, I cannot for my Life fee it poflible to find out fuitable Words to exprefs.
fuch a Thing by : However with fuch as withftand the plainefl Expreffions iit.
this Matter I own my Argument is of no Force, as taken from the fixed Periods
of Men's Lives ; however would fay unto them, that if becaufe we a/Tent that
God has uaalterably fixed. the Period of Men's Lives, that therefore there is no
Need of ufing either Food or Phyfick, but to fit ftill, expeding that theirHeahhs
and Lives fhall be preferved, let thefe Objectors not only talk but do, let them
abide by their own Conclufions and try the Experiment only for one Week,
which willbe Time enough to convince them of their Folly, which is not over
fmall, when to confront thefe Doctrines of God's Appointments io clearly re-
vealed in Scripture, do prefs other Parcels of the fame into their Service in or-
der to overthrow that which is fo exprefs and plain, yob 7. i. Chap 14. 3, i/.
Particularly that Cafe of fick an.l praying H-:2.;kiab, alledging that Ciod lent unto
him this peremptory MefT^ge, " Set thine Houfe in Order, for thou fhalt die
and not live," that hence H-^zt'^iah prayed to be fpared, and that God accord-
ingly added unto his Days fifteen Years. The Propo/iiion we grant, but the
jfr/ninian Conclufion we., do upon g^sd Qrounds deny.
7' . CHAP. IX.
tP^herein th£ jixed'. Period of Man* s Life, is proved ; and the Cafe cf
fick Hezekiah particularly difcuffed.
IT ha.h been already obferved in the Clofe of the laft Chapter, That howfo-
ever plainly and fully the fixed Period of Men's Li\es is declared in the
divine Oracles, and even evident, from right Reafuri, yet it is a Doctrine
which our Opponents will by no Means allow of; who accordingly b-ing in
againfl us the Cafe oi fick Heztiiah ; juft as tho' the h'ly Scriptures did contra-
di6l themfelves ; and as tho' it were reafunable that a more obfcure Pafi'age thereof
fhoulJ be brought in order to explain and fuperceed other Parts or Propofitions
thereof that zre nio/i plain znd obvious ; witnels thofe fore-mentioned Texts in
Joh 71 I. Chap. 14. 3, 14. contrary to all good. Reafon^ in, the World, and
the juft Rules of Interpretation, which are, that as there are no real Incon-
fftencies. in the divine Oracles, fo in making out the Harmony of the fame the
plaineft and moft obvious Expieflions be made the Touchfione of thofe that are
cbfcure or hfs clear. Befides their Interpretation of that Paflage concerning f.ck
/■/exfkiah \s moft' unworthy of the tf/zt'//^ and immufab/e God, and contrary to the
Doctrine of his being the great Govermur of the IVorld ; juft as tho' he a<fttd in
a Way fub'irdinateMnt:) the Determinations of his own Creatures, making their
Wilis the Rule of his own. God
1 8^ Of Predestination and Election.
God, it feems, (according unto them) did fend unto King Hezekiah z peremp-
lory Mejfage^ laying, '* Set thine Houfe in Order, for thou fhalt die and not
live," yet had not abfolutely determined whether he {hould die of that Sicknefs or
not, waiting in z pendulous Sufpenfe X.o kc whether he would repent and pray^
feperare from any pofttlve Determinations whether he (hould do this or not, as a
Condition of his Recovery : Of which more hereafter. •- \.' > ^i'-' ' --^-i
According tothefe Men, altho' God's Providence (as our blefled Saviour
fhews) doth reach to the Life of a Sparrow and the Hairs of Men's Heads, yet
in fo great a Matter as the fixed Period of their Lives, his providential Govern-
ment and Determinations muft have no Place, unlefs it be in a W zy fubordinate
unto the fickle JVills and uncertain Determinations of his Creatures. God, it
feems, fhall be allowed the Power of threatening them with Deaths but at the
fame Time leave it wholly to their Determinations whether the Threatning fhall
be executed or not : God with folded Arms (with Reverence be it fpoken) look-
eth on as a bare Spe^ator inftead of an ahfolute Determinator. He fhaJl be allowed
the Title of Governour, and of declaring his Mind in Matters of Life and Death,
■while his Creatures (hall have the cajiing Vote in \\\o{q grand Affairs of his Go-
vernment, contrary to all the natural Ideas we can have of a Being of /«/?«//* ^
and abfolute PerfeSiion^ contrary not only to the Doctrine of holy Scripture, but^
alfo to natural Religion, contrary unto the Perfections of his Wifdom^ Immuta-
bility^ and even his perfect Fore-knowledge of all Things : " For known unto God
are all his Works from the Beginning of the World ; who bemg Lord of Hea-
ven and Earth, giveth unto all Life, and Breath, and all Things : And hath
made of one Blood all Nations of Men for to dwell on all the Face of the Earth,
and hath determined the Times before appointed, and the Bounds of their Habi-
tations," ASis 17. 26. " He hath determined our Days, and the Number of
our Months ; he hath appointed our Bounds that we cannot pafs," 'Job 14. 3.
*' There is an appointed Time for us to live upon Earth, for our Days are like
the Days of an Hireling," Job 7. i. And yet thefe Arminiam will not allow
that he hath fo fixed and determined the exaii Bounds of our 7";W, our Months\
and our Days, that we cannot come fhort of, or exceed thofe Bounds, but muff
needs have it that it is in Man's Power either to Jhortenov lengthen their Days
05 they will. I wonder then that thefe Men (if they live long Lives and are
afraid of Death) don't execute this their Will in keeping ofF Death for ever,
or at lealt for a longer Time, and not prove fuch arrant Fools as to let Death
have the Maftery over them, until they have lived and enjoyed themfelves fifteen
Years longer. Surely that is well worth their praying for : How do they know
but this will caufe God to change his Mind, and grant thf^m a Reprieve for fuch
a Term or more, altering his peremptory Meflage that they fhall die and not
live ? Surely if their Relenting will melt his Heart towards them, caufinghim
to relent, it is well worth their While to relent before and pray unto him. But
alas, poor Men ! here I doubt they will be fadly baulked, in that (as Fa6l de-
clares) many Times the moft ardent Prayers, the deepeft relentings of Soul, the .
greateft Humiliations, and even the beft of Me&ns, the utmoft that the moft :
. ; i ^• , . flcilfuL'
Of Predestination and, Election. 187
ikilful Phyficians can do, do all fail, the fick Man muft die and live no longer j
and what then becomes of their conditional Decree about Men's dying.
If they fhould objed (being pinched here) '< that Hexekiab's Cafe wz^ peculiar
and extraordinary^ as coming under GoA's conditional Decrees," I would afk them
why then do they argue from his particular Cafe unto the ^^W(?r^/ Cafe of all Men ?
To argue from a Particular to a Univerfal is falfe Logic, which good Reafoners
fiiould not be guilty of. Befides, how are they herein confuted by Fai^, that
however Hezekiah's Prayers and Relentings (as they will have it) moved God to
reflore him and add fifteen Years more to his Days, yet this doth not hold good
in all Men, who are not favoured with a Reftoration and Addition to the Days
of their Life, feeing the moft ardent Prayers and belt Means do oftentimes prove
ineffectual, they notwithflanding muft not come off that Bed of Sicknefs whereon
they lie, but go down to the Gates of the Grave : And pray what otl e; good
Reafon can be afTigned but that their Time was come, their appointed Time ?
While on the other Hand it is oftentimes feen that Perfons that are brought {o
low that in their own and all other Men's Apprehenfions, are dying Men, do yet
beyond all human Expectation recover and live many Years : And pray what pro-
per Reafon can be aflign'd for this but that their appointed Time was not come ?
Altho' King Ahab ufed the utmoft Policy in difguifing himfelf in Battle, har-
naffed from Head tpFoot, yet he 7nufi die in Battle by anArrow from aBow,drew
at a Venture by the Soldier, enteiing in between the Joints of his Harnefs,
while King Jehojaphat^ openly expofed to the utmoft Danger, fhall efcape both
with Life and found Limbs. It was indeed in Refpedl to the Soldier a cafual
Tning that his Arrow killed Ahab^ but not fo in refpe£t of God^ who directed
the Arrow. When a Man dies by an undefigned Stroke of his Neighbour that
did not lie in wait for his Life, God is faid to deliver him into his Hand, Exod.
21. 13. Deut. 19. 5. This is what all muft own, or elfe we ftiall run upon
and overthrow God's abfolute Dominion, making him out to be a fubordinate
Governour of the World, under the Controul of his Creature'*^ Will. Whereas
he hath placed his Throne in the Heavens, and his Kingdom ruleth over all ;
and as he is the giver and taker-away of Life, fo his Dominion is manifefted in
the Difpofal oi t\\Q fame, as to Manner^ 77w(?and Means. " He (as Rev, Char-
nock well obferves in his Difcourfe on God's Dominion) keeps the Key of Death
as well as that of the Womb in his own Hand : He hath given Man a Life, but
not a Power to difpofe of it, or to lay it down at his Pleafure ; and therefore
hath he ordered Man not to murder another Man or himfelf: Man muft expe(St
his Call and Grant to difpofe of the Life of his Body. Why doth he cut the
Thread of this Man's Life, and fpin another's out to a longer Term ? Why
doth one die an inglorious Death, and another more honourable F One filently
drops away in the Multitude, while another is made a Sacrifice for the Honour
of God or the Safety of his Country. This is a Mark of Honour he gives to
one and not to another. Phil. j. jq. " To you it is given not only to believe
but alfo to fuff<?r for his Sake." The Manner of P^/^r's Death was appointed,
yoh. 21. 19. Why doth a fmall and flight Difeafe, againft the Rules of Phyfick
- i and
l88 0/" PftE'DESTIN^ATION ^»/ ELECTION-.
and the Judgment of the beft Pra^itlonery, diflodge one Man's Soul out of his
Body, while a greater Difeafe is maftered in another, and difcharges the Patient;
lo enjov himfelf a longer Time in the Land of the Living ? Is it the EfFe<fl of
Means f > much, as of the f )vereign Difpofer of all Things? If Means' only
did it, the fame Means would alwaj s work the fame EfFe£t, and fooner mafter &
cwarfifh than a giant- like Difeafe. Our 7'imes are only in God's Hand, Pfalj
31. 15. either to cut fhort or to continue long : As his Sovereignty made the
firft Marriage- Knot ^ fo he referves the fole Authority unto himfelf to make the
Divorce.
] fhall now for the further clearing up the Point, lay down fome undeniable
Propoftcions, and thence draw fome natural Conclufions.
Prop. I . That there is fuch a Thing as a Time, a Year, a Month, a Week,
a Day, anHour,a Mmute, when Man muft die : Events of Fa£ts do declare that
they don't live here for ever.
Prop. 1. That both the Lives and Deaths of all Men are in the Hand' of
God ; that when Men do actually die, it is he that gives Death its Ctmmiflion
to feize upon them. To fay otherwife would be to fet up a blind Chance in the
Room of divine Providence, and to confront the facred Oracles, which pofitively
/ay, that our Times are in God's Hands ; and declare, there is aH ap-
pointe<l Time for Man once to die i and that *' to God do belong the Iffues'
from Death," PJal 68. 20.
Prop. 3. That God Almighty, as he is the great Governour of the World,
fo is a Being infinite in Wifdom and Knowledge; that from all Eternity h©
perfecSlly foreknew the exait Juncture of Time to en Hour and ATtnute^ when
every Man, ^Vcman and Child fhould expire 2nd leave this World. Surely
none dare dei y t!)is. The Dc(Strine of God'b foreknowledge is what none, I
believe, is fo h rdy as to deny j fo that an Argument deducible thence, is what
the moft nimble-witted zi^A crafty Arminian could never yet get over, but are
brought to their Ne plus ultra when urged with it.
Now from thefe Propofitions I fairly conclude, that God hath unalterably fixed:
the Bounds of every Man's Life, over which be cannot, Jhall not pafs : For as
there is a Time, fooner or later, when every one mufl die ; as God hath ap-.
pointed to Men once to die, and as he withal hath a perfe(5t Foreknowledge of
thevery pindlure^ and Moment wherein they fhall die ; that he hath moff cer^'
tainly and un Iterably fixed and appointed that very funSfure and Moment. 7 here*
is no flinching from this Argument by a Heap of hefitating Ay., But'' 5, Ifi and>
Ami's. If God, as indeed he doth, mofl certainly foreknow, that in fuch a'
"^eir. Month, Week, Day and Hour, I fhall certainly expire and leave
this World, then it is mofl- evident that I fhall not fall fhort of nor go beyond'
that Period. ' ; . . '
But'
Of Prei>estination and Election. 189.
But now, if according to the y/rw/Wa?i Notion, that Period ht undetermined^
remainingyfci/^ and uncertain^ I would define them to tell me how God could
foreknow it to be certain? Dare any Man that acknowledgeth that his Death
is certain one Day or other to come to pafs, that God hath appointed him once
to die, and who withal confelFeth that God hath a moft perfe6t Foreknowledge
of the very Time and Jundure when he {hail die ? Dare fuch a Man, I fciy,,
who a.knowledgeth thefe Things, yet ftill (hnd it out that God, hath not una!- .
t.erably fixed that Juncture ? Surely no Man in his right Senfes will offer to do,^
^ \ thereby contr<idi(fting his own Conceilions herein, as well as thofe plain and .
pofirive Scripture Declarations which abundantly confirm my Argument, vi%.
*« That Man's Days are determined, together with the Number of his Months, ,
that God hath appointed his Bounds which he cannot pafs, but fhall accomplilh
as an Hireling his Days," 'Job 14; 3, 4. compared vyi^b ^cA 7. i. *'Js there
net an apfointed Time for Mm fo live upon the Earih ? Are rot his Days z%-
the Days of an Hireling?" VVhere obferve the interogative Manner of fpeak-.
ino' doth give out the positive Truth with a moft powerful Emphafis and Evi-
dence ; anfwerable to which ^i?^ faith, Chap. 14. 14. '* AH the Days of my
appointed Time will I wait, till my Change come."
To all this } would c^ery^ Whether, as God foreknows the Jun£lure of every
Man's Death, he foreknows it to be the Effe<Sts of Chance^ or as htt
0Ufi Agency ? To fay the former would be fijch Blafphemy as 1 believe my Op-
ponents won't venture to declare ; and to fay the latter h in Fadlto grant my
Arguinent, which they won't be vei;y well pleafed to do : For to feperate God's
Agerqy jn fuch a weighty Affair fi;oni his infallible Purpofes, is too (hocking to-
be ac'mitted. So that it lies upqn them either to grant my Argument, or elfe
run upon thofe grofs Abfurdities and dangerous Rocks which is not fafe for Men
to vent^Fe^pon. 103 znoiji^oqoiS (arrnol 3rfi ylqqs bns m:'toi oj won JuS
r-.i
. And here, in order to prevent all trtfiing Objedions, Jet it; be obferypd. That;
tho' I argue in this Cafe from the PerfecSlions of God's Foreknowledge, yet not
merely and barely therefrom, but from it in an infep{r,able ConjunSiion with h,is ab-
folute^ alwife Purpofes and Determinations^ according as we find. .them unr.ted in
the Death of the IVl^n Chrifl Jefus, who wa§ ^eliyerod by the detqrmjivate
Courafel as well as the Foreknowledge of. God,, bjy v/\\\(i\i\\h'^ ,verj -fiour (Ofhis
DeathiWas unalterably fixed, fo as jhat however the wicked Jews oftqi attempted
to take away his Life, yet were not able to do, it. Job. 7. 30. "They, fought
tP take.hijn, bi^t no Man laid Hands on him : And -why ? B^cauie '.hi^.Hoi^r
was n^tiyet come." But afterwards it is faid, '* Jefus knew that his. Hour jyasj
corne, -that he jj: quid, depart .out of this Wotld unto the Father," Jgh._ 1-3, j.,.
And again, a little before,, his Peat jibq " -lifted up his Eyes to Heaveri and faid,-
Father the Ho^Jr is come,"., Job.ryjj.,1^ -So that when his appoiijited^ Time an4
Hour was come ihe depaitcd out of the .World indeed.,- anfwerable.jtp( Gpd*5 pe^?,
fe<5l TpreknowMge afld,Det^rmin^tipnSvOr;4et?rniinate Counfe^.- .Accordingly]
^iawfoevcri,; bft_,a T^^jng often fjpoJtf jift:afl^ecf.j^i/iioi«ary^ri5i[thoughtlefs M^nj
il: .;.v ' ' "ner
190 Of Predestination and Election.
i>er of Perfons departed, that their Time ivas come, yet Is a Saying in it felf both
wife and true.
And here I muft again obferve, as once before. That however the Death of
Chrilt, with the very Hour thereof, was unalterably fixed by the divine Decree,
that until it was come, neither Herod nor the Jews could take away his Life,
yet Jofeph by liSTpecial Command from God, was led to flee into Egypt with
the Child Jcdis and his Mother, as a Means of Safety from Herod'^ cruel Hands,'
who accordingly ftayed thereuntil Herod -wzsdtzd. Moreover, how often do
we read of the prudential Means our blefled Saviour uled when come of Age ia
order to el'cape Danger and Death from the Hands of his enraged Enemies ?
All which is enough to fatisfy every one that is capable of Convj£tion from
the cleareit Evidence, that the Doctrine of God's abfolute Decrees doth not in
the lealt wive Ground for any thence to infer, that if the End be certain then
xhe Means are needlefs. As alfo in the very Cafe of fick Hezekiah, concerning
whom, however our Opponents do obje<5l, that neither his Death nor Life at
that Time of his Sicknefs when it was faid that he was fiek unto Death, was
unalterably determined of God, yet 1 hope they will allow, that afterwards when
God in fo extraordinary a Manner ajuredh\m that he fhould live yti fifteen
Years lon<yer, that then God fixed the Bounds of his Life; and yet fu rely they
will net venture to fay that the Ufc of the Plaifter of Figs, which God ordered
as a Means of his Recovery was neidlefs ; or that henceforth he need not eat
and drink as a Means to preferve his Life, which God had infured w him for
thofe fifteen Years ; or that he need not henceforth be careful to fliun Dangers.
Thus might we deal with our Opponents in a Way of /a/? Retaliation.
But now to return and apply the former Propofitions concerning the fixed
Term of Man's Life to the Cafe of Hezekiah. And I accordingly obferve,
that as there is a Time and' Hour, fooner or later, when Men muft die, and that
God hath a perfe6l Foreknowledge of that very Juncture, and that it is God
that gives and takes away Life ; fo accordingly a certain Time, Day, Hour
and Moment came when King Hezekiah did aSfually die and not live beyond
that Period ; alfo that God had a moft perfect Foreknowledge of that Period
from Eternity, and that he did mofl unalterably decree that he fhould not a£lu-
ally expire fooner or later than the Hour and Moment in which he did : For as
this is the Cafe with regard to the Death of Men in general, it muft needs be
fo with Hezekiah in particular, whofe Times, Life and Death were as much in
God ^s Hand, as much under the divine Cognizance, Government and Deter-
minations as any other Man' s whatever. So that of this ficfc King we may on
)nft Grounds fay, Was there not anappomted Time for him to live upon Earth ?
Were not hts Days like, or as the Days of an Hireling P Did he not accom-
plifh as an Hireling his Days ? Were not his E>ays determined, and the Num-
ber,, the exa£f Number of his Months with God the great Determinator from
Eternity f* Did he not evmihen appoint his Bounds which he emldnot, and
»vu which
Of Predestination and Election. rg.r
which confequently he did not pafs over ? Surely all fuch as pay a venerable Re-
gard to the divine Oracles, and even the natural Ideas Men have of God, as a
Being oiabfolute and infinite Perfections, abiding by the plain Meaning and gram-
matical Conftrudion of Words, and who to all this Ihall wifely obftrve the vari-
ous Occurrences of divine Providence, vifible to the Eyes of all Men as Matters
of Fail, nnuft needs methinks (anfwerable to the clearelt Didtatcs of riglu Rea-
fon) allow the y«/?«^y} and Validity of nty Argument. And yet; our Oppor.ents
think they raaul us very fore, when with fo great a Degree of Smartnefs, in Op-
pofition to us, they exprefs the Words of that peremptory Meflage of God to
King Hezekiahy «' Set thine Houfe in Order, for thou shalt die and
NOT LIVE."
Hence, fays one, *' Here were noConditions at all mentioned, but that it was
*' fpoken in as binding a Manner as Words could exprefs it, both in the nega-
** tive and pofitive, and that yet he did not die then, and that the Reafon where-
" fore he lived yet fifteenYears longer, was becaufe he prayed and wept fore."
But I pray, what doth this goodly Rhetorick amount to but this^ that the Al-
mighty was. fully determined upon it that he fhould certainly die of that fore Fi':
of Sicknefs ; that neverthelefs upon his Creature's Motion he foon changed his
Mind ; or that he remained flill upon the IVaver whether he fhould adtually die
at that Time or not, waiting in a pendulous Sufpence to fee what King Hezekiah
would do J whether he would- humble himfelf, pray and weep in Order to prevent
the fatal Stroke or not : If he did then he fhould live yet fifteen Years more j it
not, then the fatal Stroke (hould be given ; the fatal. Ax being now it feenis
lifted up, waiting only for Hezekiah's, not God's Motion and Determinations
in this Matter : As the Objedlor adds, ** Now (fays he) if Hezekiah had not
" prayed unto the Lord nor relented, I as firmly believe that he v/ould have
•' died then of that Difeafe, as any Man would die if his Head, was chopped tft*'
" with a Broad-Ax."
This is fome of the ^/ij^^ Language of our Times, by which Men (anfwera-
ble to their vain Inventions and Conceptions) do fpeak, but very, narrovjly and
dijhonourahly of the divine Perfe£i:ions,the Decrees H Providence of the all-knaiu-
ing^ akuife and immutable Jehovah,, the glorious Father of Light?, " with whom
there is no Variablenefs, nor even fo much as the Shadow of turning," Jam..
I. 17. " Who is of one Mind, and none can turn him, and what his Soul de-
fireth even that he doth, fleadily performing the Things he hath appointed for
us, and many fuch Things are with him," Job 23. 13, 14. " VVhofe Couii-
fels ftand for ever, and the Thoughts of his Heart unto all Generations." A
plain Evidence and Argument of the Perfection of his Nature and Government,
as in a moft fovereign and majeftick Manner he hath been pleafed to declare,
•' Remember the former Things of old, for I am God and there is none elfe,
I am God and there is none like me, declaring the End from the Begini.ing, and
from antient Times the Things that are not yet done, faying, My Counfel fhall,
ftaad, and I will dg all my Pleafurci Who hath appointed the antient People,
C c and,
19^ Of Predestination and Election.
and the Things that' are coming and fhall come." Pfa], 33. ri. Ifau ■44. 7.
Chap. 46. 10. ■ '• Who hath made of one Blood all Nations of Aien for to
dwetl on all the Face of the Earth, and h^th determined the Times before a p-
lo'nted, and the Bounds of their Habitation," Jlds 17. 20. Alfo the Bounds
'cf their Lives and exact Number of their Days, how loiig they (hall- live upon
the Earth, and their bounded Habitations : '^ For their Days are determined,
and t!iC, Number of their Months are with God ; he, even he, bath appointed,
7^^w//f')ci3/)' appointed their Bounds which they cannot pafs," Job td^. 5. And
iljcrefore there are no altering and fbifting them upon the Creature's Motions
and fick]e Determinations ; For the' " there are many Devices, and turnings of
Thought in the Hearts of Men, neverthelefs the Coimfel^ the zt;//> and unaltera-
i'/i' Counfel of the Lord //;^/ fliall fland," Prov. 19. 21.
If God's Determinations are fo unTverfally concerned in the Difpofal of a Lot^
how much more iil the Difpofal of the Lives and Death of Men ? For *' th'e
Lot is caft into the Lap, but the whole Difpofal thereof is of the Lord," Prov.
^^' 33- Thofe Events which to Men are contingent and cafual^ are to the Lord
icrtain and infallible^ even as to cafting of Lois ; (Things too facred to be trifled
with, or to be ufed upon any trif.ing Occafions, tho' at the fame Time ufeful to
<]ecide Affairs of Moment, to prevent and caufe Contentions to ceafe, Prov.
iH. 18. A£is I. 26.) but -that by the Bye. So alfo with Regard to the Deaths
of Men, which, tho' cafual ?isto Men, yet certain unto God : VVitnefs the fore-
cited Inftance of King Jhcib, who died by the cafual Stroke of an Arrow from a
Bow which the Soldier drew at a Venture ; yet at the fame Time it muft be
confcfied that he died by the infallible Counfel of God, who had appointed thofe
Means to efred the End, even the Death of Ahab, by which it was effedled.
"Whence v.'e m?y alfo fee, that neither the Liberty nor Contingency of fecond
Caufes are taken away, bfit rather eflabli{hed by the infallible Purpofes of God ;
in which appears his Wifdom in difpofing all Things, and Power and Faithfuhiefs
in accomplifliing the fame. Job. 19. 11. Nu?nb. 23. 19.
Hence then, in all our Interpretations of the divine Decrees and the facrecl
Oracles, we ought to do it in fuch a Manner as fhall not eclipfe the glorious Per-
fc<5tions of his Nature, nor confront the moft obvious meaning of Words in
the Scripture's large and full Account of the Being, Decrees, and providential
'rianfa(51icns of the almighty and alwife Governour of the World : As this is
xlont by the AfTerters of the Dodlrine o^ conditional Decrees that may or may not
"conie to pafs, entirely turning upon the Hinge of human Arbitriment, Men's
fkkle Wills and Pleafures, by which the great Creator is not only brought down
to a mean Dependance upon his Creature's fubjecfling his Will to theirs, but is
•alfo Terid red liable to change^ jufl according to his Creature's Humour and Self-
determinations, as in the Cafe of Hezekiah now before us, according to fome
Men^s Interpretations thereof ; which I fhall endeavour to overthrow by Argu-
ments founded on right Reafon as well as Scripture, feeing the former of thefe as
well as the latter dot-li declare, that Mutability or Subjedion to Change is alto-
gether
Of Predestination and, Election. i^j
gether incompatible with and direiSlIy repugnant unto the very Nature of the
iupream Being, who ftands pofTefled oi infinite Perfe6lions. A Point concerning
which the more knowing amongft the Armin'mm are fo fenfible that (wheii
pinched hard with our Arguments) they do deny that their Dodlrine reprefent^
Qod to be mutable. But the natural Confequence of their Principles, according
to all juft Methods of Argument, is fo plain and full a Witnefs againfl them,
that their Denial of the Charge is altogether too weak and infuffident to confront
and overthrow its powerful dixxd glaring Evidence. But howfoever the more knowr
ing and wary amongft them will not, totidem verbis^ in fo many Words fay, that.
God doth fometimes change his Mind, yet the Author is able to produce an In-r
fiance of one (fomevv'hat lefs accute than fomeothers of them) v/ho did fo,and that
too in an earneft Manner ; which alfo is the evident Language of them all ac-
cording to their Principles, as what they muft confefs if they would bjut fpeait
out as he did, and not bite it in.
Thefe Things obferved, I proceed to argue, That if God doth ever change
his Mind, it muft be either for the better or for the worfe, or for that which is
of equal Goodnefs with what he-at firft determined j either of which renders him
an imperfe5l Being ; For if he change his Mind for the better^ this renders him
fhort-iighted and defecSVive in his y?r// Determinations j if for the icu^y^, then it
will follow, that from his being wife at the firft he afterwards became unwife,
and lefs perfedl at the End than at the Beginning : Lajlly^ Should he alter from
ap equal Condition to an equal, that he might exchange feme good Views which
he had in his Dehgns before, for fom.e which before he had nor, this alfo renders
hjm to'be, imperfed both before and after his Change, as not knowing certain'/
what to fix upon as bejl, and fo by juft Confequence as fubje<51: to neiu Mutations
ad infinitum^ without End ; which to affirm would be higheft Blaiphemy, feeing
to deny his abfoluie Perfections is to deny him to be# God.
I fliall in the next Place proceed further to fhew the Vanity of the Do6lrine
oi conditional Decrees^ efpecially as it relates to the Cafe under Coniideration,
according to the Arminian Interpretation of it ; for as they do hereby nianifeftlv*-
ftrike at the Perfections of God's Dominion and Government, his Wifdom.andi .
Immutability, fo alfo at his Truth and Faithfulnefs : For if, as fume ai^ue, King
Hezekiah's Continuance in this Life fifteen Years longer was altocerher a Tlun<r
of Uncertainty, not abfolutdy determined of, God, '^^then his:,. Word .had bpetv'.^
made void, which was in the fullefland moft emphatic Maimer d'eclared* as whatff*
fhould come to pafs thereafter, many Years, to comQ^,-. cox\chxn\^i^:foflc<h.iy^
Name, who was to. come. of Hezekiah's Loins, or Race; for Hczckiahhtiz^:)
Mannffah, (and that too, obferve, a confiderable Time after his Recovery frontio
that lore Sicknefs) and A'Lintt(pih beg. t Atncn^ and Anion begat J^ivah^ whom>:4i"
I faid, was exprefly by Name propheficJ of in the Days of }s^\u2^''^trohcam^'^e^\i/i.
great and brave Reformer^ .and who (as the Event, declares) jwas born .wd .bexij
come fuch at the:a'pporMited Time, according to the vVofd'/of the Lordi,; whiohfi)
was moft exprefs, k King. 13.; 2. ''.Thusifaith the. Lcrd, behold a ChriJ-lhwiix.'
C c 2 bs
194 Q/" Predestination and Election.
be born unto the Houfe of Dnvld^ Josiah by Name, and upon thee fiiall he
offer the Priefts of the high Places that burn Incenfeupon thee, and Men's Bones
fhall be burnt upon thee." Now if King Hezeklah had died of that fore Sick-
nefs, let our Opponents tell me how this Word of the Lord couid have had its
certain Accompliihment, feeing Mamffah^ who was to be Jojtah's Grandfather,
was not born until about three Years after his Father Hezskiah recovers of that
fore Sicknefs ? For when his fifteen Years were expired, and he flept with his
Fathers, ManaJJah his Son, who reigned in his Stead, was juft twelve Years old,
as may be feen by a double Account of the Matter, 2 King. 20, 21. Chap.
ai. r. compared with 2 Chron. 32. 33. Chap. 33. i.
What will our Objeilors do now, feeing Fadls are fo plain againfl: them,
which I perfwade my felf they won't be fo hardy as to deny ? And furely they
won't pretend to fay that God's Word of Prophecy concerning yofiah^ which
infallibly came to pafs according thereunto, was a Thing of Uncertainty^ as the
EfFedts of a conditional 2ind zvavering Purpofe in the Almighty, who is not a Man
that he fliould lye, or be at a Lufs what to conclude upon, neither the Son of
Man that he fhould repent, and take up with new Refolutions, as the Effects of
a weak and wavering Mind : *' Hath he faid and (hall he not do it ? Or hath
he fpoken and fhall he not make it good ?" Nu?nb. 23. 19. If they fhould fay
this, then by the fame Rule they might affirm the like Uncertainties concerning
the adtual Accomplifliment of all other Prophecies whatfoever, even thofe that
pointed out the Coming of the great A^ejftah in the Fiefh, of the Seed oi David,
of whofe Houfe and Race was Hezekiah., Manajfab^ Amon and yofiah^ as may be
feen in the Genealogy of Chrift from David to Jojeph^ Mat. i. 10. ** And'
Ezekias begat Manajfes., (not before his Refloration from that Sicknefs, as be-
fore obferved) and ManaJJ'es begat Amon, and Amon begat Joftah," and fo on :
So that when Matters are duly weighed, our Opponents Interpretation of He-
%ckiah's Cafe doth at once flrike at the Faithfuhiefs and Truth of God ; at his
wife immutable Counfels concerning the Defcent and Coming of our Saviour in
the Flefli, and the Birth of the Child Jofiah by Name, which is to fet up Sceptifm
•«E on the Throne inflead of divine Providence j and whither that further tends
is not difficult to determine.
But if on the other Hand, they will confefs the abfolute Certainty of the Ac-
•complifliment of the aforefaid Propheciesas not fubjeit or liable to an Overthrow
by any human Occurrences, then they cannot fhun acknowledging the like Cer-
tainty that King Hczekiah fhould recover of that fore Sicknefs ; becaufe all thefe
Cafes are fo interwoven and infeperably linked to each other that they either ffand
or fall together : So that now our Opponents are brought to this Dilemma, that
of Neceffity they mufl either grant my /Argument, or elfe yield to remain upon
Record as thorough-paced Scepticks in Religion ; Their Choice is now before .
them. Bur before they come to a full Determination therein, let me befeech
them to hear me a few Words, by which I would advife them to confider, that
in order to the taking up right Notions concerning the divine Decrees, wemuft
ever
Of Predestination and Election. 195
ever bear in Mind, that as God is an almighty^ immutable^ ahv'ife Being, who
from Eternity had a nioft perfect entire View of all Things and Events, and ac-
cordingly laid his eternal Schemes in the rmjl wife Manner, fo there can be no
<?/?<?/• Thoughts in him, nor Ob/hu£iions in the Way of his Purpofes which he
did not forefee, or was unable to remove, wherefore he fliould be necefTitated to
make his Decrees conditional, waiting and attending on a Heap of Con-
tingencies or fome uncertain Motions and Determinations of the Creature :
No, far be this from our Thoughts ; for be as an infinitely wife Agent, perfeiSl
in Knowledge, did from Eternity moft wifely propound and fecure his End by
the Decree, together with every particular Thing and Circumftance that was
needful for and that related unto the End or Event for its full Accomplifliment,
both Ends and Means are at once contain'd in the Bowels of the Decree, and
accordingly in the moft wife Order, both of Nature and Time, are brought forth
in and by the Difpenfation of divine Providence, that prefides over all Things,
and unto whofc Controul all Obftrudtions whatfoever are fubje£t. There is a
moft exadl Analogy between what Providence tranfcribes and the original Copy ;
between what it executes and effects in Time, and the original eternal Model :
Even as the flcilful Artift in making a curious Piece of Clock-work, doth firft
propound to himfelf the End, and therewithal all the feveral diftindt Parts of that
Work in a moft exa£t Connedtion and Order, afligning each Wheel and Pin its
proper Place, (o that even the crofs Wheels, in Subferviency to the Motion of
the original Spring and Mover, are all defigned to effeil the End determined on
by the Artift in his making of it, who firft fkilfully intends what to effect, and
then effedb what he had thus intended ; fo God the great and alwife Architedl
of the World and Maker of all Things, in his Formation of even the Body of
Man, doth moft marvelloufly and curioufiy perform that Work in all its feveral
Parts, every Member, Artery and Vein, anfwerable to his alwife original Plat-
form, as the royal Pfalmift (m Allufion to the A'lethods of a curious Architedl,
who firft in a Book makes an exaft Draught or Model of the Work he intends
to effecSt, and afterwards anfwerable thereunto doth effcdl it^ doth devoutly crv
out in his Addreffes to his Maker, " I will praife thee, for I am fearfully ai/d
wonderfully made : Marvellous are thy Works ! and that my Soul knoweth right
well : My Subftance was not hid from thee, when I was made in fecret, and
curioufly wrought in the lower Parts of the Earth ; thine Eyes did fee my Sub-
ftance, being yet imperfedl, and in thy Book were all my Members written,
which in Continuance were fafhioned while as yet there was none of them."
Now fcrely in God's Works of Confervation, Providence and Redemption,
by which Man's Life is preferved, and his Soul as well as his Body redeemed, it
is moft rational to conclude that there cannot appear (efs Wifdom, E;cactnefs,
Order and Certainty than in the Formation of his Body ; in which there arc
no after Thoughts or new Refolutions taken up, as we have feen : For in Ho-
nour to his moji great -^nd glorious Nature and Perfe£iions we muft confefs, that
one and all of his Works are moft worthy of himfelf^ made 'in infinite Wifdom ;
that they are all honourable and glorious, full of Wonders, made to be remem-
bered,
19^ ' 0/ Pred£Stination and Election.
bered, and which are accordingly fought out (tho' not with a finful prying Cu-
riofityj by all fuch as take Pleafure (herein ; who hath fent Redemption unto his
People, and commanded his Covenant to ftand faft for ever, holy and re-
verend is his Name, Pfal. III. "His Foundation is in the holy Mountains:
The Lord loveth the Gates of Zion more than all the Dwellings oijacob : Glo-
rious Things are fpoken of thee,0 City of God. Selah.— And of Zion it fhall be
faidjTHis and THArMan was born in her,and the Higheft himfelf (hall eftablifh
her. The Lord fhall count when he writeth up the People that this Man was
born there. Seiah." Pfal. 87. So that the Redeemed of the Lord were chofen
in Chrift their eled Head before the Foundation of the World unto Salvation ;
and by the fame Decree of Eledion are to a Man, even this and that Man
of them deftin'd to be born (like the Child Jofiah by Name) in Z/c«, to be born
of the Spirit of Grace from above, and fandified throughout in Spirit, Soul and
Body, in order to make them meet for the Enjoyment of God in eternal Glory,
which is the compleaiing of that Salvation to the which they were chofen. By
which Work of Sandification they are enabled favingly to repent and believe,
and have their Fruit unto Holinefs, both in Heart and Life, which ends in Life
everlafting. So that howfoever it be faid in a conditional Manner if they re-
pent, believe and become holy, and endure to the End they fliall be faved, this
doth not fuppofe their adtual Salvation to be precarious and uncertain.^ beeaufe by
the uniform^ co?nprehenfive and pregnant Nature of the divine Decree, God has de-
termined to give them thofe Meafures of Grace whereby they fhall be enabled
abfolutely to comply with tliefe Conditions of Salvation^. . Thus doth the Decree
bring forth, as the Scripture Phrafe is, Zeph. 2. 2. ....
Soalfo in God's Works of Confervation and Providence w»ithrefpe6l to Men's
natural Lives, God appoints the exa61: Bounds thereof to the which they fhall
come, and not pafs over ; and therewithal the Means by which their Lives are
continued, vi%. That they eat and drink in the Sweat of their Brows and Labour
of their Hands, to the which they are comrhanded : Moreover, that when they
are fick they apply themfelves to the Ufe of Phyfick, as the external ordinary
Means of their Recovery therefrom \ which God accordingly blefTeith, that they
may come up to their appointed Bounds ; and then when their Time is come (as
we all know) the Virtue both of Food and Ph) Tick fails, altho' applied by the
moft flcilful Hand. Moreover, as there are natural and common, fo z\io fpiritual
-Means which God has appointed to be ufed in order for their Recover)-, fuch as
fervent humble Prayer, James 5. 13, 14, 15. w-hich God moll: gracioully ac-
cepts of; fo that tho' in their own and dthers'Apprehenfions they were lick unto
Death, God recovers them therefrom, and adds to their Date of Days, altho*
obferve not to his own Date, which as yet is not up. As in the Cafe of King
Hezekiahy who in his own and others Apprehenfions was (as we fay) a dead Man,
his expiring Hour at Hand: Hence it is faid, " In thofe Days Hezekiah was fick
unto Death." Now in this his Calamity, being rouzed by the awakening Mef-
fage, he addrefTeth himfelf to the Lord by humble Prayer and Tears for Help and
Recovery, to the which he was pleafed to bow his royal Ear and grant him his
<^'.>f!i^ Requeff",
Of Predestination and Election. 197
Requeft, faying, " Iliavei heard thy Prayer, I have feen thy Tears ; behold I
will heal' thee, and I will idd unto thy Days (rnark) unto thy DaVs fifteea
Years." Thus then as the Date oi Hezeki ah' sV\n his Apprehenfion) was juft
upon an Expiration, fo the Lord added unto Hezek'iah's Date and not unto his
own, by taking up new Refolutions, as the Effects of a totlert?ig Decree and a
zuavering Mind, but in Purfuance of his firm Decree, by which from Eternity
he had appointed the cxat^ Bounds of Hezekiab's Life and Days, he made all fe-
condary C^ufes become fublervicnt, viz. That he fhould have fent him an awful
Mefl'ao-e, that by this the Springs of godly Sorrow fhould be: opened and made to
flow out at his Eyes ; his Heart and Tongue moved to fervent Prayer, which
the Lord hears and anfwers, and accordingly direiSle;h unto and blefleth outward
Means ; io that being recovered, he lived from that Time fifteen Years, which
from Ettrmiy was his appointed Bounds : For {xom thence his Days were deter-
mined, the Number of his Months was with God, he had appointed his as well
as other Men's Bounds, to the which he arrived, and over which he did not, could
not pafs : Which I might affirm by unanfwerable Arguments from our Oppo-
nents profefTed Dodrine of God's perfecSl Eoreknow^ledge ; but having infitted
on that Argument fome few Pages part, I (hall fatisfy my felf by referring them
thither.
If any of them (hould boggle at my mentioning of a Concatination of fecondary
Caufes and Effedts, as fubfervient to a divine Purpofe and Providence, let them
read Hof. 2. 20, 21, 22. " I v»'ill even betroth thee unto me in Faithfulnefs,
and thou flialt know the Lord : And it (hall come to pafs in that Day, I will
hear, faith the Lord, 1 will hear the Heavens, and they {hall hear the Earth,
and the Earth {hall hear ihe Corn, and the Wine, and the Oil, and they fhall
hear Jezreel," viz. God's praying People. The Mefl'age iiTdeed 'which the
Lord fent to Hezekiah was fo cloathed that he might well enough thence con-
clude that he fhould aiSlually die of that Difeafe ; but then that infallible Inter-
preter of the Mind of God, the Event, doth declare that it was not God's Inten-
tion that he fliould, neither indeed did the Words of the MefTage pofitively de-
clare it, for the lienor of the Words run thus, " Thus faith the Lord, Set thine
Houfe in Order, for thou {lialt die and not live."- 'Tis not faid. Thou {halt die
o{ this Sicknefs and not live any longer. In (hort, trod threatened Hezekiah v.nr\\
Death, as a Means, in Concurrence with others, to prolong or preferve his Life.
So the Angel threa'tened Lot with the fcorching Flames of Sodoku in order to
haften his Efcapc, and fecure him from the Danger : So alfo God ihreatned Ni-
neveh with fpeedy Dcftrudfion in order to bring them to a fpeedy Repentance, as*
a Means of their Prefervation; both i\\e Mcam zv\d the End h^'xng included -fri
and fecuredby the divine Decree'. So that the Condltiondlity of the Tlveiithing^J*
whether expreifed or only implied, is fo far from being an Argument foi- the CoTt-\
ditionality of the Decree, as that it is a pregnant Proof of its abfolute Nature.'
*' This Cometh forth from the Lord of Hofts, who is wonderful in Counfcl, and
excellent in- Working. '*^^-'^'^ "' ^'^ •" .'■"•'^^'' ' ■'
igS Of Predestination and ELECTfON.
Thefe Confiderations are fufficient for ever to put to Silence all Jrmlman If^'s
and fceptical Suppofitions concerning the Counfels and Condudl of divine Provi-
dence : By which the Difpenfations and Occurrences thereof are brought under
Subjedlion to the Controul of human Arbitriment, inftead of making this latter
fijbje6l to the Counfel of the former. This is hy/ieron proterorty their prepo/?£rous
Methods of Interpretation concerning the Tranfa6lions of the alwife God. Thus
fay they, if HexeViah had not humbled himfelf and prayed as he did, he had cer-
tainly died of that very Sicknefs ; meaning that his Recovery was a Thing alto-
gether uncertain, that might or might not come to pafs, Intirely depending upon
fome uncertain human Occurrences. What is this but to ftrike the Scepter out
of God's Hand, and to put it into his Creature's ?
But now (if poflible) to convince them of their Rajhnefs and FoHy herein, we-
will go on with their Jf's and Suppofitions concerning Hezekiab's Cafe, with fome
more that are connected therewith, that they may further fee whereunto thefe
their y^(?/)//Vfl/ Suppofitions do tend. For if Hezekiahhzd actually died oi that
Sicknefs, and not recovered, (which, they fay, was a Thing uncertain') then Jofiah
by Name had never been born, according to the Word of the Lord,, nor his Father
y^mon that begat him, nor Manajfeh that begat Amon : In fhort, U He-zekiah had
died of that Difeafe, then he would not have bagat Manaffeh^ nor Manafj'eh have
begat Amon^ nor Amon have begat yofias^ nor Jofias have begat "Jechonias, nor
Jechoniai have begat Salathiel, nor Salathiel have begat Zerobabel^ nor T^erohabeh
have begat Abiud, nor Abiudhzve begat Eliakim, nor £//fly^/»2 have begat Azor,.
nor Azor have begat Saclocy nor Sadoc have begat Achim, nor Acbim have begat
Eliudy nor Eliud have begat Eleazar^ nor Eleazar have begat Matthan^ nor
Matthan have begat Jacob, nor Jacob have begat Jofeph, the Hufband oi Alary y
of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ,
Thus, ehriftian Reader, you evidently fee whereunto the Arminian fceptical
Conclufions concerning Hezekiah's Cafe doth tend j to wit, not only to the wreft-
ing tlie Scepter out of C^ii's Hands and putting it into his Creature's, bringing
him dov/n from the Throne to its Footftool ! But alfo, to make null the Counfels
of God concerning the Incarnation of his Son Jefus Chri^, with the Method and
Order of his eternal Defcent, of whom he was to come according to the Flefli.
By their fuppofing one Eruption to be made in the regal Line of our blefled Sa-
viour's Genealogy amiDefcent, they do break it all in Pieces^ rendring all a Mat-
ter of Uncertainty : By loofing one Link of that golden Chain they do loofe all the
reji : And fo by the fame Rule the Fulfilment of e// God's Promifes and Pro-
phecies concerning his fending forth his Son in the Fulnefs of Time, to be made
of a Woman, made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law,
that they might receive the Adoption of Sons, are rendred intirely uncertain, and
by juft Confequence the a^ual Salvation of any of the fallen Sons of Men by
him is rendered uncertain alfo. All according to thefe Men's fceptical Notions is
but a Hap-hazard, a Thing of meer Chance, or blind Fortune. And indeed Chrift
being come, what elfe do they make of the End and IJfua of his Death by their
abfurd
Of Predestination and Election. 109
tihfurd Doclr'me of univerfal Redemption zni falling from Grace ? As, Gcd aflift-
jng, I fhall hereafter more particularly manifeft : All their Notions are of a
Piece^ of one Family and Kin. To do them Juflice herein, 1 muft confefs they
^XQfofar confiftent with themfelves. h we follow \\\t\x fceptlcal Meafures there
will be no End in making Ifs^ towards the rendering every Thing uncertain^ even
Things of ih&greateji Importance relating to the Redeemer's Kingdom and Glory.
But, bJe fled be God, his Foundation {\zn6s Jure, notwithflanding ihcfe Men's
Attempts io undermine Z'c\^ p^ake \t. Notwithstanding the m^ny vain Devices of
their Hearts, his Counfel will ftand, and he wl/I do all bis Phafure. If we fhould
follow their fceptlcal Meafures and fay, If Chrift had not come in the Flefh
(meaning thereby that his Coming was uncertain') what woful Work fliould we
make ? What dreadful News would this be to poor fenfhle Slnnen P Becaufe
thence it would follov/ that the Salvation of any one of them v.'ould have been no
Icfs uncertain. If he had not come he had not died, and If not come and died for
Sinners, none of them vJoii\il pojjibly have been faved, feeing there is no other
Name under Heaven given whereby Men may come to th.e Attainment of Salva^
tion. O ! it is well for us here, that, that Maxim is true, viz. That Suplofitlsns
do put nothing In Beings that they prove no Matter of FaiS, as I fhall proceed to
jnltance ; If Lot had ftayed in Sodom he had perifned in its Flames : U Nineveh
hid not fpeedily repented, they had been fpcedily dcftroyed : If the Shipmen h..d
gone out of the Ship, Po/ul zn6 the Ship's Company had all perifned in the de-
vouring Waves : ^Satan could get the upper Hand, Chriil fiiould be dethio.ied :
Jf it were poflible for the truly enlighten'd renewed Sinners to fal! away fiuillv,
they would certainly pei ifli eternally ; pr,ffible, I mean, with refpecfl to God's
unchangeable Counfel concerning them, not with refpcdl to themfelves : If Hc-
zeklah had died of that fore Difeafc, then the Word of the Lord concerning ^t-y/^?/;
by Name had been made null ^nd void ; as alfo the Counfv^l of God concerning
the lineal Dcfccnt of our hlcffed Saviour according to the Hefn : ^the Son of God
had not become incarnate, he would not have fuffcred and died, and If he had
not fuftered and died, no Man could have been faved ; " for without fiiedding of
his Blood there had been no Remiflion of Sin," Heh. 9. 22. But none of thefe
Suppofiticns prove any Matter of Fact, as the Events have declart'd, anfwerable
to the alwifc Counfels of God, who had d^-termined to fave Lot from- Sodom*s
Flames, by the Angel's rouzing Admonitions, as a Means to efic(5l it ; fo he de-
termined that Nineveh fliould be longer fjiaied, and thnt they fhould repent at
the preaching of Jonas^ in order thereunto : So alfo God determined that not a.
Man fhould be loft, in Paul's dangerous Voyage, and wiilial that the IN-Ten fliould
flay in the Ship, and that Paul f\-iOvM by his Admonition prevent their Departure
out of it : So alfo God determined that the Devils fliould be referved m Chains^
and be ever fubjcfi to ChrifPs kingly Power, 'who fnall ve'gii until h-e has put rll
Enemies under his Feet, f.) that the Prince of Darknefs cannot overc.me the
Prince of Peace : Bcfides, the Confideration of his Godhead, almighty Power ^ and
Satan's being but a Creature, -that renders the Thing utterly Impr.ffihk : '>,o alio
God hail not appointed his Eie<fi:, his Saints unto Wrath, but toobtai:) Salvailoa
by our Lord and Saviour Jefus Cihrlftj w'iih eternal Glory i wIk) died for thern,
D d tlu.C-
£00 Of Predestination and ELECTIO^J■."
that whether they 'wake or fleep they fhould live together with him, i Thef. ^.
o, 10. And in order to make them meet for it, hath determined to begin the
good Work of Grace in them, and perform or finifh it until the Day of Jefus
Chrift, that they fhould hence be enabled to repent, believe, and become holy
both in Heart and Life, perfeverlng therein to the End, that having their Fruit
unto Hoiinefs, theirEnd is everlaitingLife ; yea, hath determined that all Things,
even all Affli6^ions,.Crofles and Adverfities, (hall work together for their fpiritual
and eternal Good, being Lovers of God, and called according to his eternal Pur-
pofe, which he hath purpofed in Chrift Jefus our Lord ; yea, that they fhould a6l
as free Agents in their progreflive Hoiinefs, with greateft Delight and Pleafure,
from an enlightened Underflanding and fandified AfFedtions, being fweetly and
powerfully drawn by the Cords of Chrifl's Love thereunto, in a Way fuitable to
their rational Natures : The enlightened Eye of their Underflanding being fixed
upon that moft amiable Objedt Chrift, in ail his Merits and Graces, Ways and
Ordinances, becomes ravifhed with the Sight, which inkindles an unquenchable
Love in their fanftified AfFections, and produceth moft fweet Compliance of their
renewed Will, which commands Obedience in all the reft of the Powers of the
Sou] and Members of the Body, as Inftruments of Righteoufnefs and true Hoii-
nefs. fo that there is no Charm (o fweet, no Conftraint fo ftrong as the Operati-
ons of the Grace and Love of God in Chrift flied abroad upon their Hearts, their
Souls being knit to him in Love, and their Bodies become the Temples of the
HolyGhoft, the Regenerator of their Souls, and Shcdder-abroad of thatLove. Jll
this is contained in xht pregnant Decree, which in due Time brings forth all that
is contained therein, even in the Fulnefs of the Difpenfation of Times, Eph. i.
9, 10, II. And therefore no Jfs or Sitppo/it ions of the Saint's final Apoftacy
can prove that any one of them fhall finally apoftatize, or be forced to go to
Heaven againft their Wills, by a Deftrudion of their free Agency : Which by
the Way, fhews the Vanity of fuch ExprefTions as fome have not been wanting
to ufe on thefe Heads, viz. *' That Sin can pluck Chrift's Sheep out of his Hand
" with a Vengeance ; and that God doth not ufe to force Sugar- Plumbs down
*< his Children's Throats, nor drag them to Heaven with Cart-Ropes.'* Fine
Language ! the Produdt of a very fertile Brain and bright Genius !
But to proceed ; fo alfo anfwerable to the aforefaid Inftances, God had deter-
mined that Hezekiah fhould recover of that Sicknefs, and that all thofe concur-
ring fecondary Caufes and EfFedts fhould be ufed as a Means thereof ; that he
fhould live yet fifteen Years longer, and that within the Compafs o'ithat Time he
fhould beget Manajfah, that afterwards Manajpih fhould beget Amon^ and Amon
beo;et Jofuib^ that he fhould be born unto the floufe of David, according to the
"^Vord of the Lord, and that Jofias fliould beget Jechonias, and fo on for the reft,
until Jacob fliould beget Jo/eph, who was defigncd to be and in the fulnefs of Time
accordingly beca?ne the Huiband oi Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called
Christ. So that the Line of our blefled Saviour's Genealogy (which was not
a Thing of Chance but the Produdf: of the divine Counfels) fhould be intirely
prefervcd : That being thus defcended of the Fathers according to the FJefh, he
IhouW
Of Predestination and Election." 201
fhould fufFer and die for his Churches Salvation, and that God in alljljould le glo-
rify'd. Wherefore to the only wife God our Saviour be Glory and MajeftVjDo-
minion and Power, both now and for evermore, Amm.
This Account of Things is what I would humbly offer to the Confiderationof all
unprejudiced and Judicious Perfons, as a true State of the Cafe under Confideration.
So that when we read fuch Texts which fpeak of Mens dying before their Time,
and of blood-thirfty Men's not living out half their Days, we can well enough
reconcile them with the Doftrine of abfolute Decrees, without having Recourfe
Xo the mi fer able Jhift of the Arminiam before fhewn. And I humbly conceive
that all the feeming Contradidtions in thefe Texts with the Dodrine of God's
exadl Determination of the Bounds of every Man's Life, may be removed by
diftinguifhing between the genera! Term of Man's Life, which Is threefcore
Years and ten ; and the particular Term of each one their Lives, which is fixed
and bounded of God. So that according to the/iTOT^r, wicked Men don't live
out half their Days, they live not out half the Days of Man's Years, which are
threefcore Years and ten ; not half thofe Days and Years which they often pro-
mife to themfelves ; as the rich f'ool in the Gofpel, who bad his Soul to take it's
Eafe, eat and drink and be merry, having much Goods laid up for many
Years to come, but mufl live no longer than that Night : Or they live not out
half the Term of Years, which according to the Strength of Nature, and what
in all humane Appearance they might have lived, who by living interoperately
and wickedly, do confume their Strength, or elfe fall into the Hand of the Ex-
ecutioner, who takes away their Lives, and fo die before their Time in the Senfe
before explained : But according to the latter, viz. the particular Term of Man's
Life, the/ do live out all tkeir Days ; that is, all the Days God had deter-
mined they fhould live ; having decreed in Juftice to cut them ofl-' for their
Wickec;:efs. This brings to my Remembrance a Paflage I have fomewhere read
of a Mfliefa6lor, who in order to palliate the Crime of his felonious Adiions, told
the Judge that it zuas decreed that he fhould do fo. To which the Judge zvifely
and fmarily reply'd, that ifwzs decreed a IJo that fuch felonious Adors fhould
be hanged. A Paflage worthy the Confideration of omfceptical Objedlors.
As to the Objedlion concerning Self-murder, commonly brought a*ainfl: the
Do6trineof the Decrees, as tho' it ftain'd the divinePuricy : I anfwcr (i) Ihope
I have made it fully evident, that the Do<5lrine of conditional Decrees is fo far
from mending the Matter, that it makes it worfe, by robbing God of the Per-
feftions of his Wifdom and Immutability, in order to prel'erve his Purity,
whereas to offer him Robbery for Burnt- Offerings, is to him an Abomination. Be-
fides the fame Objection doth equally lie againft the.Objedlors profcfledDodlrine
oi 2i divine Foreknoivlcdge znd Permijjicn, feeing God notvvithffanding his Fore-
knoivledge of fuch evil"Fa6f5, and his Pczver and Abifify to prevent th^mj^e doth not
do it, but fuffers them to be done, he wills not eventually to hinder theirAccom-
plifliment. Let them who plead up for meafuring all the 'JVanfavTtions c^ God
with Men by Man's Line, coucluding that whatever is cohirarv to the Rides rf
D d 2 ' Juliicc
202 Of Predestination anci Election.'
Jjfllce and Equity in the Actions of Men, are fo in God's, lay their Har^ds upon
their Mouths. Let I i':iy z\\ fuch Aleafurers htfi!ent.f ox oKsfully refclve the fame
D'lffculi'iei that here revolves upon ihernfelves, which they call upon us to account
fur. (2} What 1 have faid in my Expofition on ASIs 2. 28. Chap. 4. 28. con-
cerning the Betrayers and Murderers of the Prince of Life, may ferve for a fuf-
ficient Anfwer here : where I have diftinguifhed between an Ailion and the Evil
in the Adion. Alfo the different Ends which God and Men purfue in their Con-
currence to one and ihz fame Adion. Thus the King of AJfyria performed an
AcStion in going againil: Ifrael to Battle, and God concurred in the Adion, (o as
that he is faid to have/f?;/ him againjl that Nation ; yet behold the wide Differ-
ence between God's End and his in the Performance of that Adion ! God's De-
fign was thereby to execute his jujl Difpleafure sgaind them for their Formality
and Flypocfify, to r^«^ and /^/«ir/;j them, as it is written, " O Ajfyrian the
Rod of mine Anger, and tlie StafF in their Hand is 7nine Indio-nation. I will fend
him againft a hypocritical Nation ; and againft the People of my Wrath, I will
give him a Charge to take the Spoil and to take the Prey, and to tread them
down like the Mire of the Streets- -Untilthe Lord fhall have performed his whole
Work upo:i Mount 7Jon." Ifai. 10. 5, 6, 12. But now behold the dirc£i con-
trary End of ihQ King of Af/y'ia., as is exprefTed, /-Vr. 7. See. *' Howheit he
meaneth not/i?, neither doth his Heart think y^ ; but it is in his Heart to deftroy
and cut off Nations not a few. Amhitlonff^ and proudly faying, Ver. 8. " Are not
my Princes altogether Kings" ? And thus he goes on vaunting of the Vidory
he had gotten over other Nations, thence concluding v^hzt fure IVork he fliould
make in attacking Jerufalem. Vain-glorioufy fajing, " By the Strength of wy
Hand (not the Lord'sHand) I have done it, and by my JVifdom^ for 1 am prudent ;
and /have removed the Bounds of the People, and have robbed their Treafures,
?nd / have put down the Inhabitants like a valiant Man. And z?;;; Hand hath
found as a Nefl the Riches of the People, &:c." Thus then we fee that xho'Goci's
End'xn th\s A^\on of going ^o7i\n{\ Jerufahfn vidiS divine ; hiswds luicked, cruel
and carnal ; his Thoughts w&t\ijt r.s Go.l's Thoughts, nor his Dcfign as God's
Defigns. Nothing could be farther from his Thoughts than was his becoming
an Executioner of God's Counfeis for God's Honour, and his profefnng People's
Good ; but rather the executing his ozvn ambitious cruel and covetous Defigns ; for
the Enltargement of his Kingdom, increafing his Riches andGrandure, vaunting
himfelf in his own Wifdom and Strength as a mighty Conqueror ; without hum-
bly looking on himfelf in God's Hand, as an Ax in the Hand of the Hewer, or
as a Saw in the Hand of him that fhaketh it. IVherefore the Lord who faid he
would fend him as the Rod of his Anger againft Jerufalem., and fo forth, refolved
to punijh him., v^hkh he might and did do mo/l Jufly, Ver. 12. " Wherefore it
fhall come to pafs that when the Lord hath performed his whole Work upon
Mount Zioi and on JerufalcTn^ I will punifli (he fVuit of the flout Heart of the
King of yf^7-/V, and the Glory of his high Looks," Ver. \b. " Therefore fhall
the Lord the Lord of Hofts fend among his fat Ones Leannefs ; and under his
Glory fliall he kindle a Burning like the burning of a Fire"; with more to the
lame Purport in the following Verfes. Thus Gcd and the King of AJfyria con-
curred
Of Predestination and Election. 203
curred in that one A6^ion of punifliing the hypocritical Nation, yet their Ends
luukly d'tffercnt like the oppofite Lines of a Circle that meet in the Center. God*s
End was righteous^ his was ivtcked ; wherefore God jultly punifheth the A£tor,not
i'or the J6tion but the Vitiofuy that adhered thereunto.
Hence then, as there are undeniableGrounds for fuch a Diftin(5lion ; fo it may
be thence fairly concluded, that God's Providence may concur with an A£lion
that hath a Vitiofity cleaving to it, without the leaji Stain to his ^Purity y or lejfen-
inv the Guilt of the J^or. For a Man to take up a Cup and drink, or to take a
Sword in his Hand and weild it, are Actions in themjelvei laivful, and which
without the Concurrence of him in whom all Men live move and have their Be-
ing, the Man could not perform. But if in the Adion of taking up the Cup to
drink, there be a Defign in the A£lor to poifon himfelf; or in weilding the
Sword, to thrufl it into his own Bowels ; there is fuch a Vitiofity cleaving to the
Adtion as brings horrible Guilt on the ASfor ; while at the fame Time the Purity
of God remii'ms untainted, who concurs with the A£lion, fo as without it the
A6lor could not be able fo much as to put forth his Hand, and take into it either
the Cup or the Sword. If God did no ff'ays concur with the /Motions and ASiiom
of Men, there could be no finful A61 at all committed, becaufe without it there
could be no Action at all performed. None can live move or breath without
God's Concurrence ; yet for Men in living, to live profanely, in jnoving, to move
unlawfully, and in breathing, to breath forth horrible Oaths and Blafphemics, doth no
JFays (lain* God's Purity, any more than the Sun is defiled by the {linking Savour
of the Dunghill on which it fhines. But as the ftinking Savour is from the Dung-
hill's own filthy Nature, not from the Sun that warms it : fo the Eviloizn Action
IS from i\\Q' Defilement and Corruption of Men's Hearts that do the fame ; not from
God that gives them Life and Breath and Motion. In fhort (as Rev. Charnock on
God's Holinefs, well Obferves) " Since the Creature cannot adl without God,
"" cannot lift a Hand nor move his Tongue, without God's preferving and up-
<' holding the Faculty, and preferving the Power of A(Slion,and preferving every
*' Member of the Body in its adlual Motion, and in every Circumftance of its
*' Motion, we muft neceflaiily fuppofe God to have fuch aWay of Concurrence
<« as doth not intrench upon his Holinefs. We muft not equal the Creature to
*« God by denying its Dependence on him : Nor muft we imagine fuch a Con-
«' currence to theSinfulnefs of an A61 as ftains the divine Purity, which is I think
*« fufficiently folved by diftinguifhing the Matter of the A<5i: from the Evil ad-
*' hereing to it. For fince all Evil is founded on fome Good ; the Evil is dif-
*' tinguifliable from the Good, and the Deformity of the Adion from the ASiion
*« itjelf ', which as it is a created ASi hath a Dependance on the Will and Influ-
" ence of God j and as it is a finful A61:, as the Product of the Will of the
«« Creature."
And now for a Conclufion of this Argument, I will fubjoin, that the Jufticc
of God is fo far from being ftained in the Cafe of Self-Murder by the Dodrine I
argue for i as that it often vifibly {hines forth therein j for as much as that God
doth
204 P/ Predestination and Election.
doth fometimes punifh one Sin in Men by leaving them to their ownCorruptions,
and giving them up to their own Hearts Lufts to commit others j v^'hereby they
either fall into the Hands of ether Men or their own thro' Satan's Inftigation, as
Executioners of God's Jujiice^ his Wrath and Indignation. So wicked Mab fell
by the Sword of the Syrians, and wicked Saul by the Point of his own. Thus
Judas alfo became his own Murderer and God's Executioner, who through Cove-
teoufnefs had betrayed the innocent Lord 0} Life 2Xii Glory into the Hand of cruel
and Blood thirfty Men, who with wicked Hands crucified and flew him ; Jifs
2. 23. *' Him being delivered by the determinate Counfel and Fore-knowledge
©f God ye have taken and with wicked Hands have crucified and flain." Xuh
22. 22. " And truly (faith our Saviour) the Son of Man goeth as it was deter-
mined (to wit, by the Counfel and Fore-knowledge of God) but wo unto that
Man by whom h« is betrayed." Accordingly God in Jujlice (and who dare to fay
otherwifej gave up the wickedBetrayer unto his ownHeart's-Lufts,and the Infti-
gationsofthe Devil, that had before entered into him j fo that being over-
whelmed with a Senfe of his horrible Guilt, became his <7iy« Executioner and of
God's Jujiice together ; that as a Son of Perdition as he was he might goto his own
Place. A£Js 1. from the 15th to the 26th Ver. And now after all that has been
faid, we may in all good Reafon expedl that there is flillRoom enough left for the
moft penetrating Mind to employ itfelf in devout A6ts of holy Wonder and Ado-
ration, ctying out with blefied Paul, " O the Depth of the Riches both of the
Wifdom and Knowledge of God ! How unfearchable are his Judgments and his
Ways paft finding out ! For who hath known the Mind of theLord, or who hath
been his Counfellor ? Or who hath firft given unto him and it fhall be recompen-
ced to him again ? For of him and through him and to him are all Things, to
whom be Glory forever Jmen." Rom. 11. 33, 34, 35, 36.
There is yet one Obje<!vlion more behind which I may not omit to anfweri
and that is, that our Dodlrine oiabfolute Eledtion, /)«r//(.w/ar Redemption, original
Sin, and ^^'^««/ Calling toFaith and Repentance ; do run counter to the eternal
Happinefs of dying Infants, and deftroy all good Hopes of their Salvation. To
which I anfwer, that the contrary to this is moft true, and that the Objeftion.-
doth rather properly belong to the Objedors own Scheme of Eleilion founded
on an uncertain tottering Free-Will Performance, of Faith, Repentance
and good Works, independent of any Gifts or Operations of fuper-natural
Grace ; for if that Dodtrine be true, how can Infants pofTibly become entitled to
Election and Salvation, who cannot perform the moving Conditions thereof ?
Whereas our Dodrine of free and abjolute E\e6\\on^v/hich doth not depend upon,
but produce Regeneration, together with the Dodrine of free Juftification by the
imputed Righteoufnefs of the ibcond Adam, in order to free them from the Con-
demnation that came upon them by the Oft'ence of the firft Adam ; doth lay a bet"
ier Foundation for our Hopes concerning their eternal Happinefs, than the Doc-
trine of our Opponents, that is fo much clogged vv'ith movingQ,z.\i{&% of Eledion and
Salvation in the Creature. If to this it be anfv/er'd, that in Regard of thefe mov^
ing Caufes and Conditions of Ele^^ttopj they confine them only t? the adult, but
i]iaka
.r. ^/ -Predestination and Election^ 205
make an Exception thereof as to Infants dying in Infancy, then I reply, that by
this they do plainly grant that there is fuch Thing as an inconditionate abfolute and
free E]e(5lion, hovvfoever they do reftrain it to dying Infants^ and fo grant
the very Thing I have pleaded for, there being, obferve, no Medium between a
conditional and an inconditional or abfolute Election ; and do hereby with all eff'ec-
iually ftop their own Out-cries againft us as to the Neceffity of adlual Faith and
Repentance, which we plead for in thofe that are juftilied and faved ; as tho' we
thereby cut off all good Hopes concerning dying Infants. Whereas when we
plead up for tbat^ it is with z peculiar Refpedt to the adult ^ or thofe who have a
Ripenefs of Underftanding, capable of exerting thofe A«Sls, and unto God's ordi-
nary Way of bringing homeSinners unto himfelf by a^ual Faith in the Redeemer,
and by Rep.entance from dead Works, that they Jnay aSlually ferve him. At the
fame Time''muft%^ be oblerved, that in Regard of God's abfoluteYA&Gdon, his free
Imputation of Chrift'sRighteoufnefs,and his Work of Regeneration by the inward
fupernatural Operations of his HoIySpirit, this is his ordinaryW ay of favingSinners
as well in the Cafe of dying Infants as of grown Perfons. Therefore I would not
be miftaken when I fpeak of his faving Infants ^in an extraordinary Way. As the
whole fallen Race of JJam are by nature Children of Wrath and Condemnation,
being by that one Aran's Difobedience made or reckoned Sinners, fo confequently
all fuch as are freed from that Condemnation and made or reputed righteous in
God's Sight, whither dying Infants or others, it is by Virtue of the mediatorial
obediential Righteoufnefs of the fceond Adam imputed unto them. For as by that
one Man's Oftence Judgment came upon all Men, all his fallen Progeny unto
Condemnation, even fo by the Righteoufnefs of one, the free Gift comes upon all
thofe that arejuftified and faved untojuftification of Life, even the whole y/)ir;V«^//
Progeny of Chrifl, the fecond Jdam. For as by the Difobedience of one many
v/eremade Sinners, (o by the Obedience of onefhall many be made righteous.
Rom. 5. 18,19. Of the whole fpiritual Progeny of Chrift whether Infants, Ideots,
or grown knowingPerfons,this is theLine &R.ule by^which we mufl go as the only
Foundation of our Hopes concerning their Juftification before and Acceptance
with God, viz. " That Chrift was made Sin for them, who himfelf knew no
Sin, that they might be made the Righteoufnefs of God in him." i Cor. 5. 2i»
Moreover as all the fallenRaceof y/i^fl/;z do partake of hisLikenefs, being conceived
in Sin and fhapen inIniquity,born impure andunclean {Job, 14. 4. Ch.ilgl^Qhap.
25,4,5,6. Pfal. ^i. 5.) So it is by the fupernatural Operations of^the Holy
Ghofl that any that are faved^re regenerated and renewed, waftied and cleanfed,
i\\ order to be made meet for^njoyment of, and fellowfhip with a holy and pure
God in Heaven. Without habitual HoWnekztlea/i it muft be confefled that no
Man fliall fee the Lord, Heb. 12. 14. And our blefTed Saviour pofitively afTerts
the impoflibility of any Man's feeing and entering into the Kingdom of Heaven,
without their being regenerated and born again, John 3. Which Dodrine doth
roundly fuppofe a large Degree of natural Defilement in all the fallen Sons of
Jdam that are born into the World. At our firji Birth we being conceived in
Sin and fhapen in Iniquity, do come into the World wretchedly defiled by natural
Generation : At our fecond or new Birth we are renewed j luafjed and cleanfed by a
fupernatural
2o5 ' Of PREt5Estr]«iATiON and Election.
Jupernaiural Regeneration. In which the fpiritual new born Babe is entirciy
pajjlve, being begotten and born of God from above.
This is the Cafe of /y^^OT all, whither dying Infants or Adult. But then as to
c^ual Converfion unto God that follows confequent upon, and as the proper Ef-
feSis of the Spirit's Work of Regeneration, the Regenerate do become aSiive, fo
as that being made fpiritually alive, they do vifibly exert fpiritual lively A(^s,even
thofe of Faith, Repentance, and Holinefs ; as in theCafe cf adult Perfons j which
yet is not expeded from dyinglnfants, who being regenerated by'the Holy Spirit's
Operations (whofe Ways herein can't be fully known and traced) they can't be
fuppofed to contribute any Thing thereunto themfelves. So that if Alatters are
duly weighed, our Do6ir\nc of abfo/uie Eledlion, free Juftification, and efficacious
Grace, doth not on\y J^eep it's Ground unjhaien, but alfo /?^7;i| and remains un-
tainted, fpoilefs and free from all thofe Afperfiom that are caft thereon. And not
only fo, but alfo it appears to maintain z far better znd furer Foundation for our
Hopes concerning the Juftification, Sanflification and Salvation of dying Infants^
than our Opponents Scheme doth or can do, being fo much clogged with furefcen
moving Caufes and Conditions of Elcdion and Salvation.
To conclude. When therefore we confider the abfolute Freenefs of God's fove-
reign eledling Mercy, his rich abounding Grace and CompafTion, his free Jufti-
fication of Sinners by the imputed Righteoufnefs of the great Redeemer, ihe in-
valuable Virtue and Efficacy of his moll precious Blood ; together with xS^t free
and ^(57a^/ Operations of the Holy Ghoft in Regeneration, vi'herein the Soul is
pajfive, receiving the Imprefiion as the Wax doth the Seal, we may with good
Hopes and great Comfort refign into his everlafting Arms of Mercy the departing
Souls of our little Children, and fweet is[>7«o- Babes, fayinj^. Lord • Jefus, receive
their Spirits ; who for our Encouragement hath himfelf faid, *' Suffer little
Children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such are the Kingdom
of Heaven''; the Heaven of Glory. So much in anfwer to this Ohjeclion,
Wherein let the impartial Reader judge between us and the Makers of it.
CHAR X.
HAVING to the beft of my Power, througli the Help of God, largely
ftated the great Do61rine of divine Predeftination and Ele(5tion, and de-
\ fended the fame againft many Obje£lions ; I fhall now by the Help of the
fame good Hand, draw to a Ciofe cf this Head of Divinity, by dcdu5iing fume
^r^^/V«/ Inferences therefrom (as I have before in fome Meafure done,) that re-
fpeiS. Matter both of Comfort and Duty ; and as a clofmg Stroke to corroborate the
whole Argument, and for the more effedlual Refutation of all fuch who regret at
the Thoughts of being wholly indebted to God for their Ele5iion, Jujiification,
San^iificatian and Salvation ; and who accordinglyy?(jrw at thofe who Jiiffiy and
warmlj^
Of Predestination and Election. 207
warmly defend the divine Sovereignty ; whereby they pluck down their fwelling
Plumes, and ftain all the Pride of their Glory.
And firft by Way of Refutation, I fhall infer, how wretched lame 'zr\d defiHive^
how abfurdzn^ deformed^h the contrary Scheme of Dodliine maintained by curOppc-
nents ? How void oi Beauty and Harmony^ how clijcordant and incongrous with the
divine PerfeSiions^ and the fcriptural Account of God's Way of Salvation ? And
in a Word, how inconfiftent v/hh right Rea/on, and the beft Ideas it can form of
the Works and Ways of an infinitely wife^ irnmut.ible and glorious God ? Behold
here a whole Train of Abfurditics that appears from behind the Curtain, when
drawn back, and from under ihzfpecious Coverings which I have (I truft by God's
Help) taken off"! Enough to aftonifli every ferious Beholder '. Come and fee.
Abfurdity i. It flatly contradicts the ScriptureAccount of Things, which moft
plainly and frequently afcribes Election to the good PleaRire of God'sWil), as the
Root and Spring thereof : Setting the Creatures Free-Wil), good Pleafure, in
the Room thereof, and in direct Oppofition unto the hmt. Like the fetting up
Dagon, an Idol of Jealoufy before the Ark of God.
Mf. 2. It makes God's Eledion of Perfons to Salvation to be an Action of
Debt^ not of Grace. The fuppofed good Qi_iality of the Clay, is made the origi-
nal moving Caufe of the Difference between the Veflels of Honour and Diflion-
our ; inflead of the fovereign Will of the great Potter, whereby he is difallowed
his fovereign Claim of having Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and being
gracious to whom he will be gracious. And the Scripture made to f^eak back-
ivard, thus, /o then it is of him that willeth and of him that runneth , not of God
that flieweth Mercy ; inftead of, fo then it is not of him that willeth and runneth,
but of God that fhewethMercy. Fine Doctrine ! That fets the Creature on t«he
Tlirone^ to the dethroning \\.s fovereign Creator, and that gives it a negative V^oicej^if*'"
him in Government, even in the moft important Affairs. What but Ignorance,
Inconfideration and Arrogance, is at the Bottom cf all this ?
Ahf. 3. It makes the temporal Ail of the Creatures to be the moving efficient
Caufe of an eternal A^ of God. For I have from Scripture proved, tha'f God's
Election of Perfons in Chrift to Sanilification and Salvation, is from Eternity, be-
fore the Foundation of the World ; yea, their Do6lrine is a plain Denial of the
f/^rw/zy of the Decrees. For if the elefting Will of God be placed behind the
Temporary Will of the Creature, that Will of Goc cannot be eternal.
Abf. 4. It fays that the Fruit produceth the Root, and that, the Caufe is pro-
duced by it's own Effects, and focontradidls both Scripture and Rcafon ; fa}ing,
God elected Perfons becaufe he faw that they would be holy, inftv?.d of this, that
x\\ty Jhouldh^holy.
2o8 Of Predestination and Election.
Jbf. 5. It fets up an inferior Caufe above a fupericr^ thereby making out
Eledlion, Faith, Holinefs, and Salvation, no more than a ^^r^ may be ^ inflead,of
a /Joall be^ like a bozuing JVall and a tottering Fence. Not altogether unlike to the
Saying of him, who deridingly faid of the fecond Temple-Building, which was a
Type and Figure of God's fpiritual Building, the Church under the Gofpel Dif-
penfaiion, " Even that which they build (fays he) if a Fox go up he will even break
down thcirSlone IFall^'" Nehem. 4.3. Which hcxng cloathed in modern (\ do not
fay mode/i) Language, amounts to this, viz. That a Man may be a Child of God
to Day, and a Child of the Devil To-morrow. That the very and true Saints of
God may fall z'^zy finally and pcrijh eternally^ who are God's Hufbandry andGod's
building, I Cor. 3. g. It rcprefents the Almighty and all-wife Mafter-Builder,
as a mccr Spc^ator^ iiiftead of an ahfolute Determinatcr^ (landing with folded Arms
upon the Watch-Tower of his Foreknov^'ledge, to efpy what Men will do ; whe-
ther they will believe or no, repent, obey, perfevere in thefe or no ; and then ac-
cording to his Obfervation of their Free- Will Motions he determines
cnncerniiig them. Thus the Perfeilions of the divine Supremacy, Wifdom,
AVill, Knowledge, and Immutability are at once eclipfed, and with one Breath
denied. What lefs than this is done by rendering the all-glorious God^ever float-
ing and fiuifluating in his Counfth, hanging in a /)^«^i//ii«; Sufpence : Taking up
with new Confultations dependent on the fickle will of Alan, and thofe uncertain
Adls that flow therefrom ? By which Methods the Almighty is brought in, fay-
ng thus, *' My Love to Mankind is fo univerfal, fo general znd great, that I will
certainly elcdl: and fave them, if it Jhould fo happen, that xhewFree-will Pleafure^
fliould determine that they believe, repent, be holy, and perfevere therein to the
End. For as I have not pofitivcly determined that any of them fjall do this,
{o it may fall out that it may never come to pafs. Even although I have loved
them zWfo univerfally zndfo greatly, even with the Z"^ Kind of Love, in giving
them my only begotten and befl-beloved Son to die for them every one, and by
his Death to procure for them univerfal Kedemptlon, moR heartily znd fincere-
ly wi/]jing that none of them may perifh, but that every one of them to a Man
may come to Repentance, and to the Attainment of Life everlafting. O ! /
will if /Zv;/ will ; and, O ! that they may will to believe, become holy, dili-
gently and perfeveringly improving their Stock of Free-Will Abilities, that
they may be faved. Neverthelefs not my Will, but their will be done."
This I fay, without the leajl wrefting their Scheme of Dodrine, is the natural
Refult thereof; of which may the Lord make them throughly afhamed.
Abf. 6. It takes away the Glory of God''s all-difpofwg Providence, and fets up
a blind Chance in its Room. So that when the Lot is cait into the Lap, the whole
Difpofal thereof is not of the Lord, but of the Servant, not of the Creator but of the
Creature. And (o the Goddefs Fortune and Dame Chance, is fet up to juflle out
and make void the fovereign and abfolute Determinations of the living God, and
his divine Providence. Great is Diana of the Ephefians I but it is high Time to
pluck her down, to deftroy her Shrines and Temple, altho' the Crafts-Men
fhould
Of Predestination and Election.' 209
jfhould cry out never fo much, that the Men which turn the World upfide down
are come hither alfo.
Ahf, 7. It takes ofF and tends id deftroy the My/Jerioufnefs of the divine De-
crees, Counfels and Providence, prefiiming to find out and fathom the very Bot-
tom of the divine Counfels, to fearch out to Perfecflion God's Judgments, and
trace out all his Ways, efpecially in the Matter of Election and Prcdeftination ;
fcorning with the Eagle- Ey'd humble and adoring Apoftle on fuch Accounts, to
cry outy *' O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wifdom and Knowledge of
God ! How unfcarchable are his Judgments, and his Ways paft finding out !
For who hath known the Mind of the Lord, or been his Counfellor" ? Thus
thefe Men pretend fully to know his Mind in this grand Affair. For if Men are
elected upon their forefeen Faith and Holinefs, fo that all Men may be ele<fted
and faved if they vvill ; if it be of him that willeth and runneth, and not of God
that fheweth Mercy ; having Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and whom he
will he hardeneth ; what Reafon had Paul to fuppofe fuch Abfurdities againfl his
Dodtrine, viz. " Is there then Uniighteoufnefs with God ? And why then doth
God find Fault ; for who hath refifted his Will" ? Moreover alfo, what Need
was there for him to give fuch rebukingRcpIys, with a, " Nay, but O Man, who
art thou that reply 'fl againft God ? Hath not the Potter Power over the Clay,
of they<7/w^ Lump to make one a VefTel of Honour, and anotlier of Difhonour,
b'c" F And in a Word, what Need was there for him thusaflcnilhingly to have
cryed out, O ! the Depth, the Depth, &c.
AbJ. 8. That God doth not accept 7?r/? the Pcrfori and then his Offering : But
fr/i the Offering and then the Offerer, for his Offering's Sake, contrary to Gen.^.\.
and to the DoSlrine of Chrifl's Merits for the Acceptance both of our Per funs
and Services.
Jbf. 9. That Men are not defied either before the Birth of the World, or be-
fore the natural or before the New-Birth of themfelves, nor in the Time of their
Life and Vigour : But when they are either dying or dead, paffing into the other
World ; feeing (if we abide by DvJf'hitby's Do(Strine, the Arminian'sChampion)
none are allowed to be elected of God, but for and in Confideration of their final
Perfeverance in Faith and good Works to the End : which cannot be before
their End comes.
So much for the yjrviinian Bead-roll of Abfurdities, which I have taken Pains to
gather up and firing together, which before lay fcattered up and down thefe Sheets.
But now on the other Hand, ourDoSirine o^ free and abfohite'E.\e£\.\on, ^unds free
and clear of all fucb Abfurdities, however attended with fome Difficulties, whereby
"Way is made for the drav/ing forth our devout and admiring Apprehenficns, cryiiig
out, O the Depth, ho.. If we abide by /;i7,;y ^^rr/^/z/r^ Tcffimony, without run-
ing out after diejack in the Lanthorn of a wandering Fancy, we fliall find it a mofl
fweet Concord and bleffed Harmony, as what is well worchy cf the divine Being
E e 2 arid
2io Of Predestination and Election.'
and PerfeSlions^ and every Chriftian's hearty Reception, as that which naturally
affords a mod rich Entertainment to their enlightned Minds, not only for Specu-
lation but PraTiice aifo, even fuch^Pra^ue as fhall at once folace their Souls, and
tend to tiie bringing forth fiich Fruits of Holinefs, as fhall both honour the great
Eledor, and illue in Life everlafling. As God affifting, I fliall more evi-
dence hereafter,
li you fhall diligently review the aforefaid Ar?r,in'ian Abfurdities by Way of Re-
verfion, or in the juft reverfe of the fame, you may eafily behold the Beayty
and Hirmony of the Doclrines of abfolute, free and electing Grace, as 1 fhall
briefly Inftance.
Harmony i. That it moft fweetly concurs with the holy Scripture Account of
Things, which mofl- plainly and frequently afcribes eternal perfonal Ele6\ion to
the fovereign 2;ood Will and Pleafure of God, as the Root and Spring thereof ;
difclaiming all arrogant Ufurpations of the Creature's Free- Will and Pleafure in
ih's grand Affair. Surely this is highly honourable to the great Eledlor !
PIv. 2. It makes God's Eledion of Perfons to be an A61 of Gr^Jf^, not of
Debt, allowing the Almighty Potter, anfwerable to his fovereign Right and
Claim, to be every Way free in the difplaying of his fovereign Dominion over the
fallen Race, and in the Difpenfation of his Grace and Favours, having elecSting
Mercy on whom he will have eleding Mercy, forming his Veflels out oi {he fame
Lump either to Honour or Diflionour, as he pleafeth, Rom. g. ii. ^c.
Har. 3. It makes an eternal A61 of God to be the efficient produ&ive Caufe of
temporal A(5ls of Holinefs in Man. Placing the teuiporary Adlof the Creature, be-
hiu the eternal Adi of God, anfwerable both to Scripture and right Reafon.
Har. 4. h holh fcripturally znd mofl rationally fdhh, that the Root produceth
the Fruit, and that the Effed proceedeth from the Caufe : that Faith and Holi-
nefs, with final Perfeverance therein, proceed from God's eternal Election,
fpringing up therefrom as its natural and properFruit. Eph. 1.4.. 1 Thefz.i^,!^'
Har. 5. It placeth zfuperior Caufe above an inferior, thereby rendering Elec-
tion, Faith, Holinefs, Perfeverance, and Salvation to the eleft, as a/hall be, not
as a bare tnay-be. And the Church whom Chrift loved and gave himfelf for, that
he might prefent it to himfelf, a glorious Building, the Church, I fay
God's Hufbandry, and God's Building, ( who is infinite in Wifdom )
not liable to totter and fall, butfland firm and fure on an impregnable Foundation.
So that if /^« 77?5«/tf«^ i^3A-^j, and with them as many ravening Wolves, roaring
Lions, and raging Bears, were to go up, they could not break down //;/; Stone
Wall; nor indeed remove o«i?^«g-/(f 5/(7«^ thereof. Math. \6. lb. It reprefents
the all-wife Mafter-Builder to be an abfolute Determinator, not as a hare
SpeSiator, and as afting every Way agreeable with the illuftrious Perfedlions ' of
his moft glorious Nature in his Beginnings carrying on, and perfe£l'ing his glorious
Buildinq;
0/ Predestination and Election. hi
Buillding the Church ; even until the Top-Stone (hall be brought in and laid on
with Shoutings, crying, Grace, Grace unto it. Zech. 4. 6, 7. And confequenly
hereby the Reproach is rolled away which the Armiman Dodtrine puts upon the
all-wife ArchitecSt, as tho' he began to build, but in fuch an unwife Manner, that
he made «5 certain Decrees or Determinations whether ht ihould fni/b the Build-
ing or no, fo that it is liable to fail, and the Stone- Wall thereof to be broken
down. But now our DcOtun^JJands by the fovereign Claim, and confirms the
all-wife and Jleady Execution of God's well laid Scheme, anfwerable to what he
faid by the Prophet, Ifai. 46. 10. *' lam God, and there is none elfe, Iain
God and there is none befides me, declaring the End from the Beginnino-, and
from antient Times (even the Days of Eternity) the Things that are not done,
faying, myCounfel (hall ftand, and I will do all my Pleafure." To which exadly
agr-ees the Prophet's Vifion, wherein he faw the Horfes and Chariots, the fwift
and ?nagnificcnt Minifters of divine Providence and Executors of God's all-wife
and /leady Counfels, come out from between the two Mountains of Brafs, thofe
lively Figures and Reprefentations of God's all-wife firm and immutable Decrees.
Zech.b. I. " This comes forth from the glorious Father of Lights, the Lord of
Hofts, who is wonderful in Counfel and excellent in Working, and with whom
there is no V^ariablenefs nor Shadow of Turning." Ifai. 28. 21. ^James 1. in.
*' Yea the Lord of Hofts hath fworn faying, furely as I have thought, fo fliall it
come to pafs j and as 1 have purpofed, ib ftiall it ftand." Jfai. 14. 24.
Har. 6. It breaks down that Dagon, that Idol oijealoufy., Man's Free-Will,
that is fet up to the Difhbnour of God's Ark. It dozvns with the Crafts-Men's
Trade, utterly fpoiling {heir great Ephefian Goddefs Diana, with her Shrines and
Temple ; and withal plucks doiun the Lady Fortune that is fet up to ufurp theThrone
oi divine Providence. Surely this is zl good and worthy Work !
Har. 7. It honourably maintains the Myjlerioufnefs of the divine Decrees,
Counfels, Judgments, and Ways of God, in the Matter of Eledion and Predefti-
nation, devoutly crying out, '« O the Depth, &c. In Oppofition to the Armi-
nion Attempts to deftroy it ; arrogantly pretending to found the Bottom of that un-
fathomable Abyfs, with then /hort Line.
Har. 8. It doth in Honour to divine Revelation, and the invaluable Merits of
the great Redeemer, maintain that it is thro' the free Grace of God,and its Ver-
tue, that our Perfons are/r/? accepted, and then our Offerings, and notour Per-
fons eledled and accepted for our Offering's Sake.
Har. 9. That God's Eledion \s from Eternity, and that it is in «'i^^ Time
naturally produdive of our Perfeverance in Faith and Holinefs to the End of our
Lives, and not waiting as a Lacquey until the End of our Perfeverance and Lives
come together.
Thus
2 12 Of Predestination and Election.
Thus Chriftian Readers, firft by viewing the Lift of Abfurdities, and theti'
thole Strings of Harmony, you have an Opportunity given you, to difcern, that in-
glorious^ as well as glorious Things are fpoken of the City of God. The Latter o£
which you fee is vi^hat 1 have undertaken to do ; and now as a Proof of what I
have faid, come and let us together take a Walk, and go round about it, view
and count the Towers thereof : " Let us mark well her Bulwarks, confider her
Palaces, that we may tell it to the Generations following, for thi s God is our
God, and will be ourGuide even untoDeath." P/^/.47. 12,13,14. *' HisFoun-
dation is in the holy Mountain. The Lord loveth the Gates of Zion more thari
all the Dwellings of Jacob. GloriousThings are fpoken of Thee,OCity of God f
There is a River the Streams whereof doth make it glad. God is in the midft of
her, God {hall help her, and that right early, PJal. 4.6,3,4, Pfal. 87, 1,2,3.
Hence then as a further Confirmation of what I have faid concerning the unde-
niable Excellency and Ufefulnefs of the Do£lrine of the divineDecrees, God's all-
wife and fteady Counfels,and the Execution of them withRefpedl both to the Life
which now is and that which is to come ; I proceed by his graciousAids to fhew,.
that as it is a Dodlrine moft worthy of him as a moft illuftrious defpotic Sovereign.
and all-wife Governour of both Heaven and Earth, fo it is moft worthy of all Ac-
ceptation, as what withal affords a rich Plenty of divine Inftrudtions, that fhall at
once enrich the Chriftian Mind, and give it both Profit and Pleafure of the beft
Kind. O ! with what a devout Pleafure may a believing enlightned Soul exert
all it's Powers, widely expanding all it's thinking Faculties, mufing thereon, un-
til the Fire of devout Affe<Sion is enkindled within its Breaft, crying out, " O
the Depth of the Riches both of the Wifdom and Knowledge of God" ! Its en-
lightned Eye being intenfely fixed on and made to behold the illuftrious Beams of
the divine Perfe<5lions, fliining forth in a moft exadl Connection and beautiful
Harmony in the all-wife and well laid Scheme of the Almighty in the Execution
of the fame, in the Difpenfations of his Providence, as becoming him who is the
eternal Rock of Ages, all whofe Works are perfedt, whofe Ways are Judgment,
aGod of Truth, without Iniquity, juft and righteous, wonderful in Counfel, and
excellent in working. Surely hereby the devout Chriftian is richly furniftied
with the moft proper Materials of the devouteft Contemplation and
Wonder, Adoration and Praife of, and Prayer unto, together with Faith, Hope
and Truft in this their great and glorious Lord, who performeth all Things for
him, who fhall fend from Heaven and fave him, from him that would fwallow
him up. P/^A 57. 21, 3. Hence may be extraded the moji f over dgn Cor diah
for, their fainting Minds, and a Royal Supercede as to all their undue Fears i-n
Tbti'i^of greateft Trouble, of War and Defolation, Plagues, Peftrlence and
Famine, as knowing that all thofeThings whatfoever, whence perplexing and dif-
jnaying Fears do arife, are under the Controul of divine Providence, who hath
faid fas it is of the raging Seas) " Hitherto {halt thou come and no further, and
here ftiall thy proud Waves be Ihyed." Their God hath both that reftlefs Va-
grant theDevil, and all his Inftruments in his Chain, who cannot therefore go one
Link beyond the divine Limit ; As we may fee in the Cafe of holy and greatly
Of Predestination and Election. 213
affli(flecl Job. Yea, is the poor gracious Soul beni<i;hted, fo that it walks in
Darknefs, and hath for the prefent no Light, the very Complement and worft of
all its Affli(5lions by Reafon of the Hidings of its heavenly Fathers Face ; yet ftill
let it be encouraged to truft in the Name of the Lord, and ftay itfef upon its
God ; who will do this for them, and not forfake them ; anfwerable to his im-
mutable Purpofe of Grace and Love toward them. Whofe Thoughts are far
above their doubting and difmaying Thoughts: for thus faith the Lord, " I
know theThoughts that,! think towards you, Thoughts of Peace and not of Evil,
to give you an expelled End." Ifai. 50. 10. "Jer. 29. 10. Yea, the Lord be-
ins; the more abundantly willing to fhev/ unto thefe Heirs of Promife the Immu-
tability of his Couniel concerning them, hath confirmed it by an Oath, that by
two immutable Things, in which it is impolTible for God to lie, they might re-
ceive ftrong Confolation. " For the Lord hath' fWorn faying, furely as I have
thought, {q (hall it come to pafs, and as I have purpofed, fo fhall it f^and. In a lit-
tle Wrath hid I my Face from thee, for aMoment, but with everlafting Kindnefs
will I have Mercy on thee, faith the Lord thy Redeemer." Heb. 6. 16. Ifai.
14. 24. Chap. 54, 8. O ! what a blefled Staiednefs and Serenity of Mind doth
refult unto the believing Soul from this Doilrine of the divine Decrees, when
duly realized and pradlically confidered, amidft the foreft Trials, and in the
darkeft Night of Tribulation ? It fhall not be afraid of evil Tidings, its Heart
being fixed, trufting in the Lord. PJal. 112. y. This Doctrine is well adapted
to comfort the Church in thefe evil Days when her Enemies are craftily endea-
vouring to undermine her Foundation, by Sap and Stratagem, as they formerly
flrovc to rase her to the Ground by open ASis of Violence. Thofe Children of
Edom how furioufly did they call upon their Fellow- Workers of Iniquity the
Babylonians, to be at bloody and defiroying Work, faying, raze it, raze it, even to
the Foundation thereof , Pfal. J37. 7. But alas ! how vain are all their Attempts,
feeing God is in the midft of Sion, prefent at all her Enemies Cabals, privy to
all their crafty Counfels which they take together againft his ^/V^aV/i ones, PJal.
83.3. And as ready to dafh in Pieces their deepeft laid Defigns, and burft their
moft mighty Wheels, or take them ofF their Chariots : fo that they drao- on hea-
vily, when in the midft of their hotteft Purfuits, with wide and open Mouth,
gaping upon, and ready to feize their Prey. So that in fhort, tho' many and
crafty Devices are in the Hearts oUhefe Men, neverthelefs the CounfeJ,^ the de-
terminate Counfel of God in raifing up to himfelf a glorious Church out of the
Ruins of the Apoftacy, as a Trophy of Honour to his fovereign Grace, pmll
Jland. Surely there is no Wifdom nor Underftanding, nor Counfel againft the
Lord, Prov. 21. 30. As there is a Remnant according to the Eledion of Gtv^cf,
chofen both to Grace and Glory, and given to Chrift as his Charge, to redeem,
to call, to gather and fave, with an everlafting Salvation ; fo they Jhall in Spight
of Hell,maugrc all Oppofition andTimes of the greateft Defedlion, be according-
ly (as the Lord's Referve) gathered and faved in the Time, in the Manner, and
by the Means and Inftruments, which are written in the Book of Life, not one
Jot or Title thereof fliall fail, as the glorious Day hereafter Ihall declare. Why
then fhould Sion's Face ivax paU, or her Builders and Lovers Hearts be appall 'd,
while
214. 0/ Predestination ^»^ Election.
while with a righteous Concern they tremble for the Ark of their God, and figh
for the Abominations of the Times, in Regard both of abominable Principles T^nA
PraJfices F Why fhould not they in the very Faces of Sion's Foes, whether un-
mafned or difguifed, triumphantly with an Elijah's Rhciorick, cry out and fay,
*« Aflbciate yourfelves, O ye People, arid ye {hall all be broken in Pieces ; gird
your felves and ye fhall be broken inPieces ; gird yourfelves and ye fhall be broken
in Pieces : Take Counfel together and it fhall come to nought ; fpeak theWord
and it ihall not ftand, for God is with us." ]Jai. 8. 9, 10. While the Enemies
feoff, let Zion rejoice, and all God's Nehemiahs pray to him and fet a Watch ;
let Xion's Builders with Faith, Fortitude and Unanimity, go on as Co- Workers
with the great Mafter-Builder, who will never fail nor forfake them ; let one
Hand be diligent at the Work, and the other hold a Weapon. Stt Nehcm. 9.
Let the Minifters of Chrift and his holy Gofpel, after their utmoft Endeavours to
approve themfelves unto God as Work-Men that need not to be afhamed, faith-
fully difpenfmg and rightly dividing the Word of Truth, learn to leave theSuccefs
of all tkeir Labours of one Kind and of another, unto the Iffues of God's Counfels,
which p^all ftand, and who will do all his^ and not /^aVPleafure. That while they
indulo-e in themfelves a lawful Degree of Concern and forrowful Complaint, fay-
in<y, " Who hath believed our Report, and unto whom is theArm of theLord re-
vealed" ? They quietly fubmit to the divine Difpofal j remembering that worthy
Maxim that Duties ore ours^ and that Events are God's. Withal bearing in Mind
that beino- faithful unto Death, they fhall not fail of receiving a Crown of Life ;
they fliall not lofe the promifed Rewards of Grace and Glory ; howfoever they
mzy iz\\ oi tht'iT expelled znd much wi/hed for ^\xqcq(s. Ifai. ^g. ^. " Though
Ifrael be not gathered, yet fhall they be glorious in theEyes of theLord, and myGod
fhall be my Strength." Heb. 6. 10. " God is not unrighteous to forget your
Work and Labour of Love, which ye have fhewed unto his Name.
Again, from the Dodlrine of the Decrees we are in a very powerful Manner
taufht ( bearing a confcientious Regard to our Duty, to the Rules of Piety
and Prudence) to ftudy well the LefTon of divine Contentment with our Lot in this
World in all Refpe6ls whatever, whether of Profperity or Adverfny,^ how to be
abafed and how to abound, how to be full and how to fuffer Need, how to be
healthful and ho\v to be fickly, bV. That we reft fatisfied in this, that God hath
from the Times before appointed order'd our Condition, particularly that he hath
fet theBounds of ourHabitation, where we fhall dwell on all theFace of theEaitb,
A£is 17.26. For thus hath he appointed our Habitation vjhere, our Relatives
who^ our Condition what^ our Lofles and Crofles how great ^ whether for Ismnher
Kiy Magnitude. Gen. 4. 25. Chap. 24.. 14, 44. Saying with ^holy and greatly
afflltled Job. " He performeth the Things he hath appointed forme, and many
fuch Things' are with him," Job 23. 14. Anfwerable to the Counfel St. Paul
gzvQ unto thQZ ffii^edTheJalonians, i The/. 2. 3. *' That no Man be moved
by thefe AfHidtions, for your felves know that we are appointed thereunto."
This Doilrine is very fitly calcujated for the Meridian of Peace and .Quietude in
cur Souls ; a proper Mfdicim to a lUy and (qqI the Fever of a hot ^nd /rating Mind,
^ ^ jTioft
0/ Predestination a^d Election. 2:5
j-nof! powerfully fupprefling the uneafy Pojjtom thereof. This gives an cffcclual
Check to all our bold znd faucy Replys againft God the Sovereign Potter, in his
Difpofal of us and ours, even as to Things of this L'lJ'e. This is what Believen
ihimjelvss are too apt interpreiathefy io do, how Orthodox foever in 'Judgment
they be withRefpeil to God's Dominion. Yet not they but the Remainders o's Sin
that dwelleth in them, which often makes them to mourn and groan. What is
the Langusge of every murmu-ring difcontentedThought at ourCondition or Cir'
eumftances in the World, or at thofcOccurrences ^Events at which weare apt to
be over-much unea/y, znd would inierpreiaiively correct and amend if in our Power ?
What is this, I fay, but a fauey replying againft God ? A trampling on his
Authorit}', a rebelling againft his Majefty, an undervaluing his Government, a
Breach of his Laws, who hath faid, " Let all Flefh be filent before the Lord."
And again, *' Be ftill and know that 1 am God," Zech. 2. J t;. P/a/. 46. 10.
It is in Effedl a dif^racing of his IVifdom, a charging of him with Folly ?>s\dlnjuftice,
as tho' we knew better than himfelf, and that he had done us Wrong, and fo we
had thence aRight to complain. Which is to take on us to be hisJudo-es&Coun-
fellors, to cenfure him and teach him Knowledge, and to fhew him the Way of
Underftanding. And alas ! who can fay, I have made my Hands fo clean, that /
am wholly pure from this mySin ? A Sin and Folly fo very greatjthat (hovvfcever
it comes not within the Walk of human Laws) it doth loudly call for Repentance
andReformation. It is a Poifon that needs apowerful Antidote to expel it. It is
a bad Difeafe that needs z fovefeign Remedy to cure, or at leaft to check its vioUnt
Excurfions. Why, Chriftians ( by God's blelUng and which if duly applved)
fuch an Antidote, fuch a Remedy is the Dodrine of the divine Decrees nnd Pro-
vidence, being backed with Scripture and found Reafoning, Wherefore let us
acquaint ourfelves with it, receive and embrace it as tucllivorthy of our Accepta-
tion, inftead of ivr angling ^t \t, 2Lnd reje^ing of it with a difdainful Sneer, or
with a ivrathful Broiu. At the fame Time (as I have before fliewnj that
our due Regards to the divine Rule of our Duty, the Ruleo of Piety and
Prudence, are fo far from being difannuUed by the fame, as that they are
thereby eftabliihed, and ratified and confirmed. That therefore no Manofter to
abufe this holy Dotftrine, by taking wrong Meafures, contrary to the aforefaid
Rules, and riien think to wipe their Mouths clean, by fathering the Eftecfs of
their oiun Indifcreiion and Folly ok\ \\-\t divine Decrees 2,Vid Piovidence ; remem-
bering that the Jews were never a Whit the lefs guilty of Folly and Wickednefs
in crucifying the Prince of Life, for that he was delivered by tb^ determinate
Counfel and Fore-knowledge of God. So that howfoever we ought to receive
the Doctrine of the divine Decrees and Providence, in order to extract Good
iiJtherefrom ; yet ftill to remember, that the ivritteajl^ord is \.\\e./landing,Ru(c sf'
,'Wttr Dw/y, by which we acft to walk.
To proceed ; let it be- our Carfi to receive this D"o6lrine not' only into otu-
.Heads, but alfo into our ii/^^/7/, in order to reduce it nMo Pra^ice ; otherwife
,'_k will do usjno more Service towards removing the fretting Difeafe, t) an .
'■J iMan's having a choice Medicine Iving by him on a Shelf tintouched... It is cer-
'}^ F f. tainly
2i6 0/" Predestination and Election.
tangly for "the Want of this, that many pious ChriftianSj who bear a high Value
and Afteclion for this Do6trine, do ftill remain but too unenfy under the various
troublefome Events, and Occurrences they meet with in this World. Hence
then, let all fuch in particular who have received this Dodirine with a divine Re~
lifjj, ib as to profefs a high Eftimation for it, and to plead up for it, take good
Heed, that there be not too great a Difcord betv/een \.hQu.Pr.ofeJJion and Pra£iice
in this Matter : Biit let their due Care be, that thefe do fvveetJy harm^onize toge-
ther ; that having fo excellent a Remedy againft Impatience and Difcontent by
us, we nrike a futable fpeedy Ufe o'i it, clofely applying it to our fmful and un-
eafy Minds ; thus refleding ; " Why frettcft thou,' O my Soul, under the fovc-
reign Difpofals of divine Providence? Is not God the Lord^ to whom thou oweft
all dueSubjeftion ? Art thou not as- much bound to fubmit to his decreeing Will,
tranfcribed in Providence, as the Rule of thy Patience^ as to his commanding Will,
revealed in holy Scripture, as the Rule of thy Pr^ J7nv r' Is not /;^ thy Father,
thou the Clay, 'he the Potter, and thou the Work of his Hands ? Will not thou
then allow him freely to exert his fovereign Power over' thee in his all- wife and
moft righteous Difpofals of thee ? Shall the Clay fay to him that fafhioneth it,
-what makeft thou ? Or thy Work, he hath no Hands ? What are the Potfherds
of tl^.c Earth that they fliould fmfully drive with the heavenly Potter, who can
'^rufh them in a Moment, and dafh them in Pieces like a Potters Veflel ? Is it
not written, as what fhould be read with Fear and Trembling, Wo unto him
that frriveth with his Maker ? Wo unto him that faith unto his Father what be-
getteft thou ? Or to the Womai what haft thou brought forth, Ifai, 45. 9, 10.
Who art thou then, O my Soul, a poor fmful Worm, that haft not only defer-
red Corre^ion, but alfo Damnation^ that thou iho\i\d^^ faucily Reply ogairij} Gcd^
by entertaining any impatient Thoughts at the Events and Occurrences of his
Providence ? Take Heed of allowing thy felf in thofe implicit A6ls of fmful
replying againft God as to the Things of this Life, which thou condemneft in
others, as to the Things of the Life to come ; to whom thou art ready to reply,
nay but O Man who art] thou that replyeft againft God ? Doft thou
not, O my Soul, freely confefs, that God is all-iuife and righteous ? Why then
fliouldft thou in grofs Contradldtlon to this, implicitly ChzvgQ him with Folly and
Injujlice ? Muft not thou confefs that he doth <?// Things zvell ? Why then doft
thou fometimes in effecl fay that he Ao\\\ fome Things ///, which thou couldft have
done hitter if permitted to fit injudgment, being placed upon the Throne ? Shall
the Earth be forfaken for thee, or theRock removed out of it's Place ? ^oh\%.'i^.
Who hath enjoined the Lord his Way ? Or who can fay unto him, thou haiJ:
wrought Iniquity ? Surely God will not do wickedly, nor the Almighty pervert
Judgment. V/ho hath given him a Charge over the whole Earth, or who hath
dlfpofed of the whole World ? fob 36. 23. Chap. 34.12,12. Peace thou then,
O my Soul, peace and hejlilly and lay thy Hand upon thy Mouth ; humbly con-
iefs unto God, and fay. Behold I am vile, what fhall I anfwcr thee, I will lay
jny Hand upon myMouth. Once have I fpoken but I will not anfwer, yea twice,
but I will proceed no further. 1 know O Lord that thou canft do every Th'mgt
and that no thought can be holden from thee. Who is he that darkneth Couufel
by
Of Predestination unci Election.' 217
Wortis without Knowledge (as I aTinful Creature have done) ? Therefore havd
I uttered that I underftood not j Things too wonderful for me which I knew not.
Hear I befeech thee, and I will fpeak : I will demand of thee, and declare thou
unto me. I have heard of thee by the Hearing of the Ear : But now mine Eye
feeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myfelf and repent in Duft and Afties, Jab 4. 3,
5, 6. Chap. 42. I, to 7. Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty inftrudt
him ? He that reproveth God, let him anfwer it. Even with fuch a humble
anfwer as this. Befides, O my Soul, (may the true Believer fay) hath not God:
done great Things for thee whereof thou art glad, with Refpcct to the Lifeto comey
that calls for a large Share oi devout Thoughts ? Yea, for tlic rno/l vigorous Exer-
tion of the higheji J^s of Gratitude, Thankgiving and BkJJing and Praife ? O !
how difcriminating and immenfely rich is the Grace whereby be hath made thee to
differ^ by fetting thee apart to be a Vejfel of Honour and Glory^ while other Parts
of the fame Lump out of which thou waft formed, are and remain to be no better
than VeJJeh of Dijhonow ? Hath God by effedlually calling thee cut of Darknefa
into his marvelous Light fhewn thee, what is his fovereign Grace and PleafurCjin
his being willing to make known unto thee the Riches of his Glory, as a VefTel
of Mercy afore-prepared unto Glory ? Hath he given himfelf to thee inCovenant
to be thy God and everlafting Portion ? Hath he prcdeftinated thee unto xh^t
raoft honourable Eftate, the Adoption of Sons, by Jefus Chrift, according to the
good Pleafure of his Will ? And accordingly received thee into his Houi'e and
Family as an Heir of himfelf, and a joint Heir with Chrift, who is Heir of all
Things ? Hath he given thee his dear Son to redeem thee, and his Holy Spirit to
fandify thee, to comfort thee, and to feal thee unto Day of Redemption ? Yea,
in a Word, hath he undoubtedly affured thee that all Things whether profperous
or adverfe. Afflictions, Poverty and Difgrace for his Name Sake, fliall work to-
gether for thy fpiritual and eternal Good ; fo that thy veryCrofles on Earth fhali
prove an Addition to the Weight of thyCrown, a far more exceeding and eternal
Weight of Glory in Heaven, and thy Labour and thy Toil, thy Temptations and.
Defertions here below, render thy Reft and the blefled Vifions of God's Face fo
much the fweeter and more delightful above ? And is all this as fure as it is great'.
and fhortly to he fully aceonip/i/hedy wherein God's Counfcls of Grace (hall ftand
in which he will do all bis Pleafure r Why then, O my Soul ! for Shame bluHi,
at the Thoughts of thy fmful Uneafinefs under the all gracious and oll-ioife (tho^'
feemingly crofs) Difpenfations of Providence. O be thou very humble at the
Thoughts of thy bafe Ingratitude to thy heavenly Father, who with fo bountiful.
and hberal a Hand hath blefled thcc with all fpiritual BlefTings that are in heavenly
Places, orThings, in Chrift Jefus, according as he hath chofen thee in hirn before
the Foundation of the World that thou fiiouldft be both holy here, and eternally
happy hereafter. Do\h \t hccome \he adopted Son of fuch a Father, ihtHeir of
Juch an incormpiible Croiun and Inheritance to go lean from D^y to Dav, with a
/J7/VW Heart and pale Face </r^wf/;V/« 77rtn becaufe of any external Lofles, cr
Crofles relating to xh\s forry Life, that hafteth away likea /«';// Torrent, cr repul
Stream, and fo will fiiortly have an End ? No fure. Why then, O my Soul,
fhouldcft thou foolijhly ifidu/ge-{hy felf in the d(?ing of ib^t wli«r^,i>y--th.v b^smnJiFa-
F t 2 ' ' f/r
2l8 'Of 'PKEDI5T IK AYl6t^' and EtiiC±%N. /
fher Is fo much (l!P:ionoured^ his rich Love' JJighted ^his divirt^Favours Undervalued ; hii
Holy Spirit grieved^ -Jind ihy facred ProfeJJton difgrciced ? O fret not thy ie\i 'n\
any Wiic to do fuch Evil. Let it not be feen in Gath, nor made known in the
Streets of JfJcelon^ leafl: the Uncircumciretl rejoice thereat, and IcofHns; Jjhmael's
mock ?it God's Jacobs h)\no^ where is-rtbw your God ?, Wh^f is now become
of yourDo6lrins & Profeffion ? Surely. it ill-becomes an //'V-;3^///^,''aho.ve -all others,.
to bring up an evilR;port of the goodLand. . But rather let them bear .upon their
Shoulders thefe heavenly Clufters of ihe (^ra^ es o^Ejhchli "the firft Fruits of the
Spirit, the fure Pledge of coming to the full Vintage in the holy, heavenly Land.
And accordingly by xhs Jwiet Serenity of their Minds, vifible in o graceful Counte-
nance ?.\m\ pirns ConJu^ , declare that they are fully fatisfied and- delighted with
tiieir thrice happy Lot ; and are truly thankful unto Ciod, who hath made the
Lineito fail u:%to them in pleafant Places,' and given them z goodly and fure HerMi
tage. Whilll; with greateft Pleafure (living a Life of Faith and divine Contem^
plation) tliey are continually in fome Meafure made to behold the fair Lines of
t!ie original Copy (^the Book of Life) tranfcribed in Providence : Whereby their
Souls are cheared and ftrengthened with frefh Vigour and Patience, to run their
keavenl)' Race, prefling thro'. all the Crouds of Difficulties towards the Mark for
the Prize of the high Calling of God in Chrifl: Jefus j looking to him as the
blelled Author and Finiflier of ourFaith, who for the Joy that was fet before Wm^
endured the Crofs, defpifed the Shame, and is forever fet dov/n at the right Hand
of the throne of God ; joyfully expecting that he that fhall come, will come
quickly ! Whence let our longing Souls, whh s. JjDrill dnd plea fant Note, with
the Church, echo back again ; Fven fu come LordJ.cfus ! Amen. Make hafte
O our Beloved, and be thou like to a youJ^g Roe or.la young Hart upon the
ipicy Mountains. . ■
Thus excellently ufeful is this holy Doctrine to the advancing Believer. And
that it is no Icfs fo to the coming Sinner, I now proceed to rdince. O what folid
Grounds of Encouragement doth hence arife to the poor drooping fenfible coming
Sinner, that is. ready to perifh, being hardly beffead, and hungry ; thajt fees him-
felf to be byNature aChild of. Wrath and Condcmhation^poHuted U. defiled., miTii
ferable and wretched, and poor,and blin dand naked ,withcutStrength& ungodly,:
having been an Enemy in his Mind by wicked Works t ' I fay, what fubftantial
Grounds of Comfort and Encouragement doth arife to fuch a poor fenfibleSinner,
from a Confideration of the Freenefs and Abfolutenefs of pod's Eieiflion ; that
doth not depend upon zny fore-feen Moving lovely Qi_ialifica(ji«i{ns in theCreature (as
the y^r;/3/W^;; Dodrine doth teachj h\i\. pro Jucetb ihem. That doth not make
the natural Vilenefs and Unworthinefs of the Sinner any Bar to his Acceptance :
But rather triumphs in fixing itfelf upon and bringing home the chiefell of Sin-
ners ; and therefore called the exceeding Riches of God (the great EleJlor's)
Grace in his Kindnefs towards poor Sinners, by Nature Children of Wrath and
Difobedience, in whom the God of this World, the Prince of the Power of the
Air had reigned and bore the Sway. Eph. 2. Rom. 5. 5, 6, 20. So that where
Sin abound'ed, Grace did much more abound. How did this eleding Grace
tJjiumph
Of Predestination and Election. 21-9
triumph in the Spoils it took from the Prince of Darknefs at the fiift Implanta-
tion of the Gofpel, in bringing flivingly home unto Gad fo Ir.any wickedldolaters
in Rotne, the very Seat of Idolatry, and Sowers thereof among the Nations ? And
at Ephefus, who had been fuch blind Votaries to their great Goddefs Diana, a-
mong whom alfo divers of them had been Sorcerers and Conjurors, the very Tmffick
MerTand Merchants of the Devil ? Look into Cori^ith, and fee what Character
they bore, on whom eledling Grace did alight ? Not on many of the ^^/t' and
the Nsh/e and the Mi^hfv, the Civilized, the Reafoners and Difputants of ^ this
World, but on the foolifn the difpifed and bafe Things of this World, on boijier-
ous and rampant Sinners. What impure Wretches and filthy Swine had many of
them .been, whom it laid hold of,and ,wa{lied,jufti.fied Si fandified in the Name of,
theLord Jefus, and by theSpiritofour God? i Cor.g,io,ii. They were ncit'
fuch as valued themfelves upon their Civ) lity. Morality and Garb of Religion,Jike
that conceited Fellow that went up into the Temple to pray, with his, " God I
thank thee, I am not as other Men, I am no Adulterer, Extortioner, orUnjufl-,
or even as this Publican" : Together with his Thanks and P'aftings at hisHeels j
no, no, nor as that civilized lov'ely young Man that could fay, he had kept all the
Commandments of God from his Youth up, and that too with fuch Exaftnefs
that he lacked moreWork ftill, whereby he might earn theWages of Life eternal-
But they had been Fornicators, Idolaters, Effeminate, Abufers of them-
felves with Mankind, Thieves, Covetous, Drunkards, Revilers and Extortioners.
To which I might add many more Inftances, as of a bloody Marjajfeh a Dealer in
the black Art, a Converfer with diabcUcal Spirits. Alfo many of the cruel Mur~
ckrers of the Prince of Life ; Mary Alagdalen, in whom was the Seat and Empire
oi fev en Devils. A\(o zperfecutimy blajphe?ning ^2i\A, a very Morning Wolf , and
Ringleader of thofe that mide cruel Havock of the Sheep and Lambs of Chrift ; fo
as that upon his Converfion toGod, that Perfecution ceafed, and the Churches
had Reft. Thus where Sin abounded, Grace did much more abound. Whence
it was that after his Converf.on to God and Calling to theApoftlefhip, as a chofen
A'^eflel of Honour, he became fuch a famous Trumpeter forth of the Praifes of
this glorious ele/ylingGrace ; v/\X.h fo fnarp and fvill a Note, as is enough X.o flun and
confound all its Adverfarics ; and at the fame Time ahmdantly delight theEarSyZnd
wake glad the Heart, of every poor convinced trem! ling coming Soul to Chrift, Pub-
lican-like finiting up:)n their Breafts faying, God be merciful to me a poor
rniferable Sinner. O! in how exalting a ^'Iznner as unto God, and in how en-
couraging a Manner as to the poor fenfible trcnibliv.g Sinner, doth he found
forth the exceeding Riches of this Grace, inftanced in himfelF, devoutly concluding
his Account thereof with a rapturous Doxology of Praiies unto the ever glorious Au-
thor of it ? *' The Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant, with Paith
and Love which was in Chrift Jefus : Tliis a faithful faying, and worthy 'of all
Acceptation, that Jefus Chrift came into the World to fave Sinners, of whom I
am chief. Howbeit for this Caufe I obtained Mercy, that in me firft Jefus
Chrift might fliew forth all Long-fuffering,for a Pattern to them who fhould here-
after believe in him to Life everlafting. Now unto the King eternal immortal
invilible, the only wife God, be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen."
I 7V/;/.
220 Of Predestination and Election.
I Tim. r. 14, 15, j6, 17. Therefore, O convinced coming Sinner, let not
the Confideration of thy being by Nature a Child of Wrath and Difobedience,
nor of the Heinoufnefs of thy Sins paft, deter thee from coming to Chrift for Life
and Salvation, who will not reje<St but receive thee. Yea, art thou coming to
Chrift in very Deed ? Is the Frame of thy Soul like that of the returning Pro-
digal ? Why then never fear thy kind Reception, either at the Hands of thy
heavenly Father, or moft dear Redeemer. Becaufe as this is an Evidence that
thou art one of thofe which are chofen in, and given to Chrift by the Father, and
drawn by his blefled Influence to come ; fo Chrift hath afTuredly declared that he
will not rejedl thySuit. Job. 6. 37. '* All that the Father giveth unto mefhali
come unto me, and him that cometh unto me, I will in no wife caft out. Yea
behold thy heavenly Father while yet thou art afar off^ looking on thee with a
compaffionate Eye ; yea, notwithftanding all thy former Prodigality and hanious
Provocations, even running with open Arms to meet, embrace and kifs thee, to
array and adorn thee with the beft Robe, with a Ring on thy Hand, and Shoes
on thy Feet ; yea to feed and to feaft thee with the richeft Provifionofhis Houfe.
And who inftead of upbraiding thee will abundantly rejoice over thee, even with
exceeding great Joy. As a moft compaflionate Father rcjoiceth over his dead
Son brought to Life, or over a found Son that had been loft, faying, this my Son
was dead but is now alive, he was loft and is found. Therefore, O convinced,
trembling Sinner, who with a pricked Heart and wounded Confcience crys out,
IVhat Jhall I do to he foved P Do not ftand off^, with a Y)&v'\\-inventing, Grace-
dijhonouring^hx. 5ffz//-^^y?r/7;';.'7^Modefty,defpairingly crying out, O 1 am unworthy I
utterly unworthy ! to be an Obje£t of ele6fing Love, and to obtain accepting
pardoning Mercy at the Hands of God ! This is in efFedl to fay, *' O ! If I
had but my Penny in Hand, or Pounds in my Purfe, to purchafe^ the refrefhing
Waters of Life, I would then chearfuliy come to theFountain for it ;" Whereas
nothing can be more difhonourable to the Grace of God, and the Aierits of the
great Redeemer than this is. Nothing more contrary to the Offers and Procla-
mations of Grace and Mercy to the needy Soul j which runs thus , " Ho,
every one that thirfteth, come ye unto theWaters,and he that hath no Money,
come ye, buy and eat, yea come, buy Wine and Milk wiTHouTMoNEY,and
withourPrice, //c?/.55.i. So again i?^y. 21.6. " I am Alpha andOmega
the Beginning and End, 1 will give (not fell obferve) unto him that is athirft of the
Fountain of the Water of Life FREELY." Rev. 12. I'j. '* And the Spirit and
the Bride fay come ; and let. him that heareth fay come ; and let him that is
athirft come ; and v.'hofoever will let him take of the Water of Lxic freely.'^
Hence then let convinced Sinners beware leaft by their over much fhew of Mo-
defty in coming to Chrift, that Pride that lurks fo clofe under this Cloak and
Cover, be difcovered to their Shame, when God comes to deal and reckon with
Unbelievers, faying, thy Money perifu with thee. You know (and hereby we may
Joe that it is not for nothing) that we read oi xheWiles ?^v\(iSnares oi the Devil, of
ihbDevices hDepths of Satan, who knows how to transform himfelf into anAngel
t>f Light, as his Minifters, in dealing with unwary and weak Souls, do know how
to transform ibemfelves intc the- Minifters ©f Righteowfnefsj as thofe legal Tea-
chers
0/ Predestination and Election. •^2 i
cViers did at Corinth and Galatla, who together with thiK mention of Chrift's
Name did preach up the Works of the Law for Juftification, Life and Salvation.
Whofe End (asSt. Prtft/faith) (hall be according to their Works, /.f. he for
whom they did work, will at laft pay them their Wages. 2 Ct^r. 11. 13,14,15.
Neither hearken thou unto felf-righteous Men's befpattering Language of God's
Eledion, as tho' it naturally tended to promote Defperation ; feeing, as I have
fhewn, that it is mo^ free zudfuUof Grace. Nor unto Satan's Sug^eftions, cry-
•ing out, O, how if I am not eledted ? How if 1 am not eledled ! feeing thy very
coming to Chrift, after the Manner before difcribed and direcSted. to, is an irre-
fragableArgument of thy being chofen in k given to Chrifl: that thou mighteilby
him obtain Life and Salvation ; who upon thy coming will moft kindly receive
and embrace thee. Prove but thy Regeneration and Converfion, and then doubt
not of thineEleilion, feeing the former of t!>efe is the natural EfFedl and Evidence
-of the latter, which cannot be known but by afcending from the Effects
to the fovereign Caufe. And which is yet more comfortable frill, thou
haft hence good Grounds to hope not only of thy Acceptance thro* Chrift but
alfo of thy final Perfeverance in Grace toGlory, thro' the Conftancy of this Love,
the Prevalence and Perpetuity of his InterceiTion, and continual Exertions of his
Grace and Power : For having loved his own which were in the World, helovetl
them unto the End; fo that there is no End of that Love, Jol?. 13. i. Art
thou but feeble and tender, often bruifed with Affildions and Temptations ?
Why a bruifed Reed he will not break, nor quench the fmoaking Flax,
until he bring forth Judgment unto Vixflory, Math. 12.20. He will be unto
thee as a hiding Place from the Wind, and a Covert from the Tempeft ; as Ri-
vers of waters in a dry Place, and as the Shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land,
//rt/. 32. 2. He will never, never, never, (as the Learned render it from the
original) leave thee nor forfake thee, Heb. 13.5. Wherein is given double arid
treble Affuranee to thee that he will guide thee by his Counfcl, and afterwards re-
ceive thee unto Glory. Which methinks (hould caufe thy Soul to break forth
with a rapturous Joy, and a large Degree of devout Affedion, faying. Lord,
*« Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon Earth that Idefire
befide thee. My Flefh and my Heart faileth, butGod is the Strength of myHeait
and my Portion forever," Pfal. 73. 23,24,25. Art thou one of his Sheep whorii
he hath caufed to know and hear his Voice ? Behold he alfo knoweth thee by
Name, will make thee the Subjefl of his beft Care, pr^ferve thee from perifhin<^,
and at Length make thee a happy PolTefTor of Life eternal. Yea, thy heavenly
Father that chofe thee, and thy dear Redeemer that bought thee (as they are one
in EfTencc, Power and Eternity; fo have engaged their amV^^/ Power and Care
to do this for thee ; and the Holy Ghoft thy Sanftifier, will comfort and folace
thee with his Joy, by Degrees perfed the good Work of Grace he hath begun in
thee. He is thy Pledge and Earneft of thy heavenly Inheritance, and who, in a
Word, hath fealed thee unto the glorious Day of Redemption. Therefore fay,
O bkfled D^arine of eleding Grace ! How unjuftly art thou flandered .? HoW
highty worthy of our Acceptation and beft Defence ? Job. 10. 27, 28, 29.
2 g^. t.idi Uihe Etid. Chap, y id, Efh. i. 13, 14. Chap. ^. ^0. O ! to
what
2^^ Of Predestination and l^izcYioa.
what good Ufe doth not this Dodrine ferve ? How ufeful to cahn our Minds-,
difpel our Clouds, and fniooth our Brows, under the Apprehenfions of Deaths
Approach, as knowing Chrift hath in dying taken away its Sting, turned the
Curfe into a Bleffing, making it become the Gate of Glory ? Alio knowing it
will not come but in xh^fitteji Juncture to the Ele(9: of God, who whither they
be taken ofTin the BIoflbm-Days of their Youth, 'or when the Almond-Tree doth
fiourifli, either by a (\x<l<lQn and violent, or by a long and lingering Death ; {hall
all come to their Graves as a. Shock of Corn fully ripe, conieth in due Sear*;^.
Thus came pious young Jo/iah^ holy and aged Jobyio their Graves.
What a choice Antidote alio doth the Do6binc of the divine Decrees and Pro-
vidence afford to Believers upon their Beds of Death, againli all undue Fears and
perplexing Thoughts concerning what will become of their dear IlTue. the
Cinldren of their Bowels, when they are dead and gone, in the midfl: of a widfl
and v/icked World ? While they (hall confider, that not one Jot or Tittle fhail
fail of God's Promife, the Produce of his eternal Purpofe to them, of being a God
unto them, and their Seed after them. For tho' the Children of Believers are by-
Nature theChildren of Wrath even as others (as their Fathers alfo were) tho' the,y
have 'not the Advantage of Election for their Father's Sake, (Election beifig
wholly of Grace) tho' they be not all Jfrael which are oi Ifrael, tho' all the Chil-
dren of the Flefl:i are not the Children of God, the Seed to whom the Promifes of
Grace and Glory are fure, and tho' all the Children of thePromife don't proceed
from the Stock of a believingGeneration. i^«?w. 9.4,5,6. Chap. ^,16. Gal.-^.iq,
Chap. 4. 22, to the End. J£ls2, 39. Yet (as Events and Fads do declare) the
natural Seed of Believers and godly Perfons do prove and appear to he for the moft.
Part, in Comparifon with, others, the chofen of God,.Chrifl:'s fpiritual Seed,
which are counted to him for a Generation, PjaL 22. 30. by their Regenera-
tion and Converfion unto God in due Seafon. Tho' the Children of all believing
pious Perfon's according to the Flefli, are not univerfally the Children of God hy
eleding, adopting, regenerating Grace, without fome E;cceptions ; fo that fon>€
of QoA^^.Abr,ahatiu\'.^'^Qi\'\€\x Ifimiaels, and fome of God's Ifaacs hzwt their
Efaus \ yet I fay generally Jpea.king they are the Children of many precious Pro-
mifes,they are the Children of many Prayers and piouslnftrudions ; being prayed
for both before. and as foon as born, early devoted unto God by humble Prayer
and holy R.efignation,and afterwards pioufly educated and brought up intheNur-
ture and Admonition of the Lord. All which Confiderations do naturally afFcrd
Believers fuch Grounds of good Hope concerning the Welfare of their furviving
IfTue, as hfidth and Unbelivers are deJlitute,of. So that howfoever I do conf dentin
Dufly: abftain from doing that unto my Infant-Seed, which 1 cannot fee a divine
Warrant for ; yet I am never, the farther oft' from acknowledging all what I find
Scripture Ground to acknowledge, or from doing that unto them which I can
there (qq plain Footing for. And this I mention not witha Defign uncharitably to
' uph-aI4zx\d cenfure the Confcienceso f others, who differ from us, in Regard to tliat
j«rf particular Article hinted at ; but rather to fhew our w^^r Agreement with
them in the Things abo.ve-mentio.ned (nearer perhaps than fpme think for) as a
Means :
Of Predestination and Election^ 22-3
Means to promote trueChrifiianLove andChariiy between and amongft usin thefe
Days of Apoftacy, Blafphemy andRebuke, at which both of us are equally grieved.
And that we may ever treat each other (as blefTed be God there be I'ome that do)
"with that Chriftian Moderation and Candor as becomes thofe who (in differing)
have learned to agree in the Main, holding the Head, and adhering to one and
the fame furc and only Foundation which God hath laid in Zion, to build our
heavenly Hopes upon. Befides, :'s I was handling the Doctrine of the Decrees, I
• was not willing to omit any one Thing which I looked on as a natural Dedu<5tion
therefrom, that might be profitable for theChurch of God to be acquainted withal.
But to return ; howfoever a righteous and holy God may fee fit to difpofeof
our Pofterity, whom we havehunjbly refigned to his watchful Providence ; the
DocSlrine of God's Sovereignty, his if//^and righteous Qo\ir\(th doth properly ferve
to check all carnal Replys and finful Uprifings of Mind, teaching us in all holy
Submillion to fay, they are in his Hand as Clay in the Hand of the Potter, to do
with them as feemeth Gootl in his Sight, boih as to the BlefJings of this Life and
that which is to come. When with Abraham we are ready to cry out, O that
IJhmael ^c\\^^X. live before thee ! We nnift be content with God's Anfwer in
-hearing of us, tho' thcBleffing wherewith he blefieth them be only of a temporal
Kind, as IJlwiael's was ; whilft he beflows his richeft Gifts on our Jfaacs^ even
the Bleffings of the everlafting Covenant of Grace and Salvation. In fnort, if
after the Believers beft Care in nurfmg and bringing up their Children for the
Lord, and that their Houfes fliould become Bethels, they fhould prc\e wicked
and difobedient, a Grief to their A-linds, as Efau became to godly Jfaac and
Rebecca ; let them upon their Beds of Death and in their Jaft Hours take Com-
fort and Satisfaction in God's free Eledlion oi tbcmfclvcs, and making them Sub-
je£ts of the new and everlafting Covenant, faying with pious David, the ivvect
Pkilmift oi Ifrael ; *' Altho' my Houfe be not fo with God (as a Morning with-
out Clouds and as the clear Shining after Rain) yet with me he hath made an
everlafting Covenant, ordered in all Things andfure, and this is all my Salvation,
and all my Defirc, altho' he makes not my Houfe to grow." 2 Sam. 23. 5.
Again from the Dodrine of the divine Decrees may Chriffians learn the great-
Duty of Patience and SubmiiTion under the Hand of God, when by the Stroke -'
thereof he hath taken from them the Defirc of their Eyes, thofe dear Relatives
and Chrifiian Friends, thzt wqxc very pleafant unio them in their Lives; and
whofe Re?novat by Death is to them Matter of great Bittcrnejs and Sorrow. .
Hence we are taught to dry up our Tears, to weep as tho' we wept not, faying,,
*' The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, and blefled be the Name of the
Ivord" \ without giving Way to thofe perplexing Confideradons, which often
add Fewel to the Fire, in the Mourners Breafl, who arc ready to crv cut, O f"
if this Thing had been omitted, that Thing deferred^ or the other Thing dcne^^
why then my dear Hufband, Wife, Child, or Friend, had not died of this Sick-
nefs. Accordingly we are told by the Author of the Life of that famous Light otV
the Church Mr. Robert Bolton ^ that about a Week before he did, when his Silver
^ S Cordli
224 Of Predestination and Election.
CorJ began to looren,and his Golden Bowl to break : he called for his Wife, and
(iefired her to bear his Difiblution, wlaich was now. at Hand, with a CbrifliQn
Fortitude^ a Thing which he had prepared her for by the Space of twenty Years,
telling her that his approaching Death was decreed upon him frctn all Eterr.ily^ and
that the Counfel of the Lord imtfl ftand. Moreover we are hence taught and en-
couraged to ufe all proper Means of Recovery in Times of Sicknefs, both natural
and fpiritual, and then with a holy Rehgnation of Will, to wait the Event and
IfTue of the divine Counfels. So alfo in all Kinds of Calamity and AfHidions
without impatiently ftinting and limitting the holy one of Ifrael, remembering
that the Vifion is for an appointed 'Time ^ therefore with Patience to wait for it.
Uat\ 2.3. In a Word, we may fay of this Do6lrine as jD^wW did of Gc//^/;'s
Sword, " There is none like it, give it me." A^c7Z£ ///^^ /'/ for exalting God's
Honour, cherifhing in our So.uls the mofi high and honourable Thoughts of him :
banifning all otlieis.. None like it for yielding truePJcafureto the enlarged Tho'ts
of an enlightneJ Mind,, on which it may expand and dilate itfelf with the fweeteft
Solace ; and thence promoting the Pradtice of true Piety from the highcft and
jioblefl: Principles, viz. The electing Love and free Grace of God, whence St.
Paid mentions it to thofe who had taded of the fame, as a powerful Argument to
promote Humility, Bowels of Compaflion, Long-fufFering, Meeknefs,Kindnefs,
Forgivenefs, Unity, Peace and Concord, there being a natural Fitncfs in the
Argument.adapted to promote the good Things thereby defigned ; the believing
Soul being led from the Confideration of God's wonderful Condefcention in do-
inn- fuch great Things for him, and in chufmg him when in his Blood, and that
too before others as good as he ; alfo confidering theaboundingCompaffion of the
Lord to him, his Patience and long fufferingMercy and Forgivenefs, together with
the End of his Ele6tion and Calling to Holinefs ; is moved to the Exrecife of the
Graces mentioned in his Behaviour to others. The Argument ufed h€\v\^ fo pro-
per doth draw him to theExertion of all thofe A6ls of Piety with a ?nagnetic Force.
Col. 3. 12. '* Put on (as the Eledl of God Holy and Beloved j Bowels of Mercy,
Kindnefs, Humblenefs of Mind," and fo on. But alas, the Jrnii nia n Wkes no
fuch Arguments to move him to Obedience, who is for making his cvjn fere fern
Faith and good IVorks a Motive for God to eleiSlhim. Thus you fee the Believer
and the yfr;;2/;zw« have a very different Way of thinking, the latter of whom
looking on God's free and abfolute Ele6lion as naturally promotive of Licentiouf-
nefs : But ( by the Way) we have been made to fee from St. Paul^ how licenti-
ous are the Artninians Conclufions.
But to proceed in Commendation of the DotSlrine of the divine Decrees^ there
is ucn: like it for quieting thofe tumultuous Thoughts, and expelling thofe undue
Fears, that are apt to arife in the Hearts of Sion^s Children in the Days of Sion^s
IVoubles ; none like it for furnifhing out proper Materials for the tlue Exercife of
Prayer, Faith and Patience on the one Ha. id, and of Joy and Praife on the other ;
as St. P^«/ faith, " Be not flothful in Bufmefs, but fervent in Spirit, ferving
the Lord, rejoicing in Hope, patient in Tribulation, continuing inflant in
Prayer," Rom. 12.11,12,13. O ! how fwectly doth it ferve to open the Lips
of
Of PredestjInation and Election.. 2.1^
of a weil ttined Heart,chearfully to magnify & praife theLord, while witb~gr^ateft
Delight It is made in fomegood Meafure to behold the Lines of the moft beautiful
original Copy of Sovereign Grace and Goodnefs, daily tranfcribed iii Providence I
faying with the royal Pfalmift, " My Heart is fixed, O God, my Heart is fixed,
I will fing and give Praife, Pfal. 57. 7. To all which I will nov/ fubjoin what
thzt pious and peneraiing Divine Mr. Samuel Willard in his excellent Body of Divi-
nity hath faid, p. 226. as pertinent to my prefent Purpofe, being an Inference
drawn from God's Decree of Eledtion. " What Caufe then ('fays he) have
«* God's ElecSl upon the Difcovery of it, to adore and praife God for thisF^avour
** of his ? The Do<5lrine of Predeftination is ungrateful to none that are con-
" verted ; and that of Eledtion is moft precious unto all that know themfelves to
*' belong unto it : It is therefore a 5/^'/ of an ^/wc(3?^^'^r/^^Man, not to love this
** DocStrine. Here is the Fountain of evcrlafting Love and good Will opened :
" Here we fee what Thoughts God had for us from Eternity : Here we difcover
** the Foundation of our Salvation ; and nothing carries fuchObligation with it
'< to love and magnify God. Labour we then to affedl our Hearts with this.
*' Hence confider the Riches of Grace laid up in it, called the EleHion of Grcce^
" Rom. II. 5. called L.V£. Rom. 9. 13. Obferve the peculiarity of ir, that it is
«* retrained to fome, nothing better in themfelves than others, who are left
<' out from it, Rom. 9. ij. Gonfider the Means by which it is ac-
*' compliihed ; in which forget not the Love in fending Clirift to do and die to
" Purchafe the Favour appointed for us, to be bef^owed upon us. Rein. 8. 32.
*? Think of the Antiquity of it, that God purpofed to make us Veficls of Glory
«« before we or any other Creature had any Being. Eph. r. 4. And revolve
'« often the glorious Effe^s which derive to us from this Eledtion : Our efFec-
*• tual Vocation, jer. 31. 3. Our free Juflification, Rom. 8. 33. Our
«* wonderfulAdoption, Eph.i.$. And eternalGlorincation, J^;/^. 6.351^0 add all,
*« theConfiderationoftheFirmnefsandlmmutability ofall this, Ifai.^^.^. iTim,
*' 2.19. RoJti. 11.28,29. O Jiow much is there to be feen of God'sHcart in this,
" freely., abfolutely., everla/lingly^ peculiarly., and effeHually, fet upon his Chofen ?
*« How fhould it inflame, ravifla, and engage our Souls to him forever ?
^ And now, what if for the Reinforcement of what this brave Champion hath
faid, I fhould call in the Help of another ? And all with a Defign to corroborate
the whole Argument, wherein thcHonour and Glory of God is fo much concern-
ed, chufing rather to be redundant (if it may be called fo by any) than deficient \\\
handling fo rnomentous and very important a Matter. <' The Dodrine of God's
eternal EleSiion ('fiith the famous and very valuable Dr. John Oiucn) is every
where in Scripture propofed for the Encouragc?nent zud Confolation of Believers,
and to further them in their Courfe oi Obedience and HaUnefs, fee Eph. 1.3,
to 12. 7^(?w2. 28, to 34. As unto Men's prefent Concernment therein, it is
infallibly aflured unto them by its Effeds ; and being fo it is filled with Mo-
tives unto Holinefs, as we fliall now further declare in particular. Firft, the
«« fovereign, and, ever to be adored Grace and Love of God herein, is a power-
s' ful Motive hereunto. For we have no Way to cxprefs our Refentment of
G g 2 " thia.
225 Of Predestination and Election.
*' this Gr(7,v, our Acknowledgement of it, our Thankfulnefs for it, but by an
*' holy fruiifulXloMV^Q ol Obedience ; not doth God on the Account hereof, ren
*' quire any Thing elfc of us. Let us therefore enquire what Senfe of Obliga-
" tion this puts upon us j that God from all Eternity out of his wf^ryji-vrij/^a
** Grace ^ not moved by any Thing in our felves, fhould firft clioofe us unto Life
" and Salvation by Jefus Chrift, decreeing immutably to fave us out of the pe-
*' rifliing Multitude of Mankind, from whom wc neither then did in his Eye or
*' Conrideration,nor by any Thing in ou-r felves hereafter, would difrer in the lealir
*' What Impreflion doth this make upon our Souls ? What Conclufion as to
*' Pradtice and Obedience do we hence educe ? Why faith one. If God hath
" thus c ho fen me^ 1 may then live in Sin as I ptcafe, all will be ivell and fafe in the
*' latter End, vjhich is oil 1 need care for. But this is the Language of a Devil,
** and not of a ^<?;z. Suggeftions poiTibly of this Nature, by the Craft of Sataii
*' in Conjunilion with the Deceitfulnefs of Sin, may be injefled into theMinds
*' of Believers ; as what may not fo be ? But he that ^n\\ foment ^ embrace^ and
*■' ^^/ /i/'c-^A-.j//)' according to this Inference, is fuch a Monjier of Impiety and
*' prefumptuoiis Ingratitude, as //<>// it felf cannot parallel in many Inftances. I
«=' fhail ufe fome Boldnefs in this Matter. He that doth not underftand, is not
*' fenfible, that an Apprehenfion by Faith of God's eleSiing Love in Chrift, hath
''' a natural, immediate, powerful. Influence upon the Souls of Believers^ unto
*' the Love of God and holy Obedience, is utterly unacquainted with the Nature o^
*' Faith, and its whole Work and Actings towardsGod in the Heart of them that
" believe. Is it poffible that any one that knows thefe Things, can fuppofc that
*' thofe in whom they are in Sincerity and Poiuer, can be fuch fiupid, impious,
'* ungrateful Monfter^, fo devoid of all holy Ingenuity and filial AfFeitions to-
*' wards God, as meerly out of Defpight unto him, to caft Poifon into the
" Spring of all their ownMercy ? Adany I have known complain that they could
^' not arrive at a <r(?77z/ir/^^/^ P^;ya^«?« of their own EleSlion ; never any who
*' when they had received it in a dueWayandManner,that it proved a iSw^r^unto
" them, that tended to Ingenerate Loofenefs of Life, VnhoUnefs or Contempt of
" God in them. Befides, in the Scripture it is propofed and made Ufe of , unto
<' other Ends. And thofe who know anyThing of theNatureof Faith, or of the
*' Love of God, any Thing ol Inter courfe or Co7nmunion with him by Jefus Chrift
*' z.x\y Thing of Thankfulnefs, Obedience or HoUnefs, will not be cafily perfuaded,
*' but that God's elc£iing Love and Grace, is a mighty conflraining Motive to the
*=' due Exercife of them all, God himfelf knoweth this to be fo, and therefore
*« he maketh the Confideration of his ele£iing Love, as free and undefervcd, his
*' principal Argument to ftir up the People unto holyObedience. Deut. 7. 6,7,
** 8, 1 1. And a Suppofition hereof lies at the Bottom of that blefTed Exhorta-
*•' tion of our ApoiUe, Col. 3. 12. Put on therefore (as the Ele6tof God Holy
'■« and Beloved j Bowels of Mercy, Kindnefs, Humblenefs of Mind, Meeknefs,
*« Long-fuftering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another. Thefe
*' Tilings which are io great a Part oi onr Holinefs become ih^ EleSl cf God.
" Theieare required of them on Account of their Intereft in eleSiing Love and
^' Grace. Men tud^y frame an Holinefs to themfelves, and be ftirred up there-
" unto
0/ Predestination and Election^ 227
'*' unto by Afoiives of their own, ('as there is a Religion in theWorld that runs in
** a parallel Line by that of evangelical Truth, but toucheth it not, nor will do fo
*' to Eternity) but that: which the Go/pel requires, is promoted on the Grournh
*' and by the A/sZ/wj that are peculiar unto it, whereof this of God's free
*' ekSling Love and Grace is among the peculiar." And then for t^be fartherCon-
firmation of this Truth the Dr. goes on in a large and particular Manner ( too
much here fully to recite) to inflance (firfl) in fome efpecial Graces^ Duties and
Paris of Holincfs, that the Confideration ef God's free elcdling Love is fuited to
promote. " As (firft) Humility in all Things. (2) Submijjion ioihefovereign
** IFih' and P/eafure oi Go6y in the Difpofal of all our Concerns in this World.
" (3) The due Exercife of Love, Kindnefs, and Compaflion, P'orbearance to-
** wards all Believers, all the Saints of God, however differenced amongfi; them-
'< felves. (4) Contempt of the World, and all that belongs to it. Secondly,
*' That eletSting Love is a Motive and an Encouragemeiit untoHolinefs, becaufe of
«« the v?«(7Z'//w^ 5:c/'/'M (j/Gmf^, which Believers may and ought thence to expedl:
<* by Jefus Chrift, whereby they are enabled to- pafs, and pafs thro', all tliofe
'< ?nany and great Difficulties they meet with in a Courfe of Holincfs, from Satan,
*' the W^orld, and Sin. Thirdly, That it hath the fame 7>«r/i?«ry and Ejfe£i\n
" the AfTurance Believers have from thence, that notwithftanding all the Oppo-
** fition, they meet withal, they fhall not utterly ziid finally mifcarry, but finally
*' perfevere unto Salvation ; this being everlaftingly fecured in that God's Foua-
«' dation (land fure, 2 Tim. 2. 19. His Purpofe which is according unto Elec-
** tion being unchangeable, Rom. Cj. 11. And there is no greater Encourage-
*' raent ('faiih the Dr.) to grow and per/iji in Holinels than what is adminiftered
*' by this JJfurance of the blefTed End and IJJite of it. Thofe who have had any
'* Experience of that fpiritual Slumber and Sloth which Unbelief v/ill cafl us under,
*' of thofe Weaknefles, Difcouragements, and Difpondencies, which Uncertain-
'* ties. Doubts, Fears and Perplexities of what will be the Iflue of Things at ^lafl
*' with them, do caft upon theSouls of Men ; how Duties are difcou raged ,y/i^V;V//^/
" Endeavours zx\d Diligence 2irQim'^z\rc6, Delight in God weakened, and Z.^'i/e
*' cooled by them, will be able to make a right Judgment of the Truth of this
*' Aflertion. Some think that this Apprehenfion oi ih& immutability oi God's
** Purpofe of £'/^(^;i?«, and the infallibility of the Salvation of Believers on that
'"= Account, tends only to Carelefncfs and Security inSin ; and that to be always in
«* Fears, Dread, and Uncertainties of the End, is the only Means to make us
" watchful unto Duties of Holinefs. It is very fad that any Man fliould fo far
" proclaim hisInexperienceandUnacquaintedncfs of the Nature oi Gofpel-Grace^
** the Gr;!?/?/; and Inclination of the A'^ezy-C?-^^/?/?-^, and the proper Workings Qi
*' Paith, as to be able thus to argue, without a Check put upon him by himfelf,
<* and from his own Experience. It is true, were there no DifFerence between
*« Faith and Prsfumption, no DifFerence between the Spirit oi Liberty under the
** Covtnirit of Grace, and that of Bondage under the old Covenant j no Spirit of
« Adoption given to 5(?/zVwrj, no filial genuine Delight in the Adherence unto
*< God ingenerated in them thereby, there might be fomething in this Objedlion :
« But if the Nature of iFfl///&, andof the iV«u-Cr^<7/«r^, the Operations of th^
u " t' one
228' 0/ Predestination and Election:
" one and Dlfpofition of the other, are fuch as are declared to be in the Go/pel,
»' and as BeHevers have Experience of them in their own Hearts ; Men do but-
" bewray their Ignorance, whilft they contend that the A^uram-e oi God's un-
*' changeable Love in Chrift flowing from the immutability of his Counfel in Elec-
«' tion^ doth any Way impeach, or doth not effedually promote the induflry of
*' Believers in all Duties of O^^^/mv. Suppofe a Man that is on his Journey
*' knoweth himfelf to be in his r/^/;/ /F^Ty, and that pafling on therein he fhall
" certainly and infallibly come to his Journey's End, efpecially if he will but
<« a little quicken his Speed, as Occafion fhall require ; will you fay, that this is
*' enough to make fuch a Man ftfr^/^y} and w^^/z^f«/, and that it would be much
*' more to his Advantage to be loji and bewildered in uncertain Paths aad Ways,
' < not knowing whither he goes, nor whether he fhall ever arrive at his Journey's
" End? Common jSx/»tfr;V«fif declares the contrary, as alfo \\ovi mctiuntary -^vA
" nfelefs are thofe violent Fits andGufts of Endeavours, which proceed from Fear
*' and Uncertainties, both in Thingy/^/'r/Vr/^/ and temporal, or civil. WhilflMen
" are under the Power of a6lual Impreflions from fuch Fears, they will convert
*' to God, yea, they will Momenta tetnporis, and perfeSl Holinefs in an Inflant.
' ' But as foon as that Imprejjion wears ofF (as it will do on ever) Occafion & upon
** none at all,) fuch Perfons are dead'i^'C^A cold towards God, as the Lead or Iron
*' which ran but now in the fiery Stream is, when the Heat is departed from it.
" It is that Soul alone ordinarily, which z comfortable AJfurance oi God's eternal
*' immutable ek5ling Lcve,zni ti.er.ce of the blefled ^w^^ of its ownCourfe of Obe-
" dience,'who goeth on conjlantly and evenly in aCourfe of //«/?« (/},quickning his-
*< Courfe and doubling his Speed, as he hath Occafion from Trials andOpportu-
*' nities. And this is the very Defign of the Apoflle to explain and confirm,
*< Heh. 6. from the icth Verfe unto the End of the Chapter. It appears from
'« what have been difcourfed that the eleSiingLove of God, is a powerful conftrain-
*' \ti% Motive unto //j//'??^/;, and that which proves invincibly the Necellity of
'* it, in all who intend, the eternal Enjoytnent of God but it will be faid, that if
*« it be fuppofed or granted, that thofe who are 7i.B.\id\\y Believers and have a Senfe
*' of their Intereji herein, may make the Ufc of it that is pleaded ; yet as for
«* thofe v^ho are unconverted, or are otherwife uncertain of their fpiritual State
** and Condition, tioih'ingczn he fo difcouraging unto them as this Doctrine of
'* eternal EleSi'ion. Can they make any other Conclufion from it but that if they-
** are not eleSied, all Cares and Pains in and about Duty of Obedience are vain, and
*< if they are, they are needlefs ? The Removal of this Objection fhall put a
*« Clofe untO' our Difcourfe on this Subject. And I anfwer, (i) That I have
** (hewed already, that this Doctrine \i> revealed zuA propofed'm ihe Scripture^
'« principally to acquaint Believers with their Priviledge, Safety and Fountain of
*« their Comforts, Having therefore proved its Ufefulnefs unto them, I have dif-
*' charged all that is abfolutely needful to my prefent Purpofe. But I (hall fl:iew
*« moreover, that it hath its proper Beneft znd Jdvantage tow?iids others 2]h.
<< For, (2) Suppofe the DoiStrine of perfonal Flexion be preached unto Men,
^* together with the other y^^r^i 7r«//5'j of the Gofpel : Two Conclufons it is-
" poffiblc, may by fundry Perfons be made of it. (Firft) That whexeas ibis i>
*' a
Of Predestination and Election. 229
" a Matter of great and ncrnal Moment unto our Soids, and there is no "Way to
" fecure our lutercji in it, but by the Poflefllons of its Fruits and Effe^s^wKxch
*' are faving Faith and Holinefs ; we will, we muft, it is our Duty, to ufe our
" utmoft Endeavours, by attaining of them and Growth in them, to make our
*' ElcSlion fure. And iiercin if we h& fn:cere znd diligent, we fhall not fail.
*' Others (Secondly) r«:iy conclude, that if it be fo indeed, that thofe whofliall be
*' faved are chofcn thereunto before the Foundation of the TVorld, (hence it is to no
*' Purpofe to go about to believe or obey, feeing all Things muft fall out at laft ac-
" cording as they were fore-ordained. Now I afk, which of thefe Conclufions,
*' is (I will not iay fnojl fuited unto the Mind and Will of God, with that Sub-
" jedion of Soul and Confcience which we owe to his fovereign Wifdom and
" Authority, but which of them is^ the mod r^//5«(7/ and moft fuitable to the
*' ^v\\\z\\;\ti o{{o\>cx Love of our f elves, and Care of our immortal Condition P
*' Nothing is more certain than that the /^//^r i^^yo/r/f/cn, will be infallibly de-
" ftrudli.ve (if purfued) of all the everla/ling Concernfr.ents oi our Souh. Death,
*' and eternal Condemnation, are the unavoidable Iflues of it. No Man giving
*' himfelf up to the Condu6l of that Conclufion, fiiall ever come to the Enjcyment
*' of God. But in the other Way it is poffible at leaft, that a Man may be found
" to be the ObjecSl of God's eleding Love, and fo he faved. But why do I fay
" \t \% poffble ? T^hexe h nothlog move infallibly certain, than that he who pur-
*' fues fuicerely and diligently the Ways of i^£?/r^ and Obedience, which are, as
" we ha\'e often faid, the Fruits of Flexion, fhall obtain in the End cverlajling
^' Blejfeclnefs ; and ordinarily fhall have in this World, a comfortable Evidence
* ' of their own perfonsil Ele5iion. This therefore on all AccounfS5and tov/ards all
*' Sorts of Perfons, is an invincible Argument of the Neceffity of Holinefs, and a
*' mighty Motive thereunto. For it is unavoidable, that if there is fuch aThing
'« zsperfoual Ele6lion, and that the Fruits of it are San^if cation. Faith and
^' Obedience ; it is utterly i npoflible that without Holinefs any one fliouldy^i? God,
*' the Reafon of which Confequence is apparent unto all."
Thus much I thought fit to tranfcribe from the Dodlor, as promotive of the
Caufe of God and his Truth, and for theBenefit of all fuch as have not theOppor-
tunity of confulting his Folio TVork, whence thefe Citations were taken, (Dr.
Owen on the Holy Spirit and his Operations, Book the 5th, Chap. 2. p. 225, iffc.
I fliall now be free to call in to my Afliftance another brave and worthy Cham-
^ plon ; the Rev. Mr. John Sladen, who after a full Proof of the Do£trine of the
.Decree of Election, doth moft naturally and pertinently infer, " If there be
*' fuch a Dodlrinc as particular Eledlion in Scripture ( as indeed there
'^ is) then it ought to be preached. Some abfurdly deny the Dodlrine ; others
*' think it improper to be taught, becaufe they apprehend that manyPerfons may
*' draw ill Confecjucnces from it. But finceChrift and his Apoftles preached it,
" fince the Adverfaries are fo unwearied in their Endeavours to oppofe and con-
" demn it, it muft well become us who believe it, to afTert and vindicate it to
*' the beft of our Power ; for if this Do6lrinc is not to be preached, becaufe
*' feme
2^0 0/ Predestination md Election.
^^ fome do or may abufe it, for the fame Reafon all the i'piritual Truths of the
-' Goipel muft be laid afide as ufelefs or hurtful ; and fo theChriflian muft flarve,
** for fear a prophanc Sinner fhould wax wanton in aPlenty of Provifion. Who
«« are they generally fpeaking,that revile h abufe thisDodtmejbut the giddy un-
*' thinkingPart of the World, who when they boart of aPower to fave themfelves;
*' niakeufeof it only to their ownDefirrudion ; and when they aiTert good Works
*• to be the only Way to Heaven, are very backward to perform any ? Befides
*' this, that there arc no real Difadvantages that can arife from the prudent
«' preachingi;of this Do(5trine ; there are (evcral pofiiive Advantages that attend
*-* the Preaching of it. For Inflance, the Gofpel cannot be preached entire
" without it j it is the Foundation of all thofe great and precious Promifcs,
*^ that are contained in the Bible ; the Dodrine of the Satisfaction of Chrift,
*' v/ould be little better than a Nullity without it ; it tends to difplay the divine
*' Sovereignty, and to give us a lively Reprcfentation of the Love and Grace of
** God to finful A-len ; it is a great Support and Comfort to Chriflians in the
" Time of common Defedtion and Temptation ; it is an efFe<5lual Antidote a-
*' gainft \\-\^. fwelling Pride of A'lan : And zz I before obfervcd, one of the moft
''' powerful Arguments to Holinefs and good Works." Thus that brave Man
of God (fince gone to Refl) being one of thofe nine Worthies who a i^vj Years
part-, in, open Field did fo valiantly and Ixilfully play theMan in a unanimous and
juft Defence of fome important Truths of the Gofpel.
To which I would beg leave to add, that what he hath faid of the Ufe and Ex-
cellency of this holy Doctrine ; is confirmed by the Tcftimony not only of holy
Scripture, but alfo the Experience of all fuch as have tafted that the Lord is
gracious. A-nd therefore it doth not much Matter what others fay of it ; who
for want of fuch Experience, know not what they fay, nor whereof they affirm..
For my own Part ("let thefe fay what they will., and c-i\\\Xcant if they pleafe) I
will venture to declare that thefe holy Doctrines have (from the Time
of my firfl embracing of them) more or \z{i appeared unto me in the fame Light
and as ufeful to the fame blefled Ends, as above-mentioned. And I alfo hope
and believe to all thofe who thro' my Miniflrations (as an unworthy Inflrument
ip God's Hand) have embraced them : And I cannot but obferve that thro' the
whole Courfe of my Miniflry (in which Time it is well known I have been en-
abled without mincing of theMatter,to difcourfe of thefe grandPoints in plain and
open Market, from the Pulpit as now from the Prefs) I have not (ezn thofe dif-
mal EfFeds following of it as fome dreamt of, viz. That in Procefs of Time I
ihould preach away all my Hearers, as 1 had already done fome. For alas, this
their mighty arguing from a particular to a univerfal ^lOveA tohe falfe Logic.
And now fince feveral Years are run out fince the Birth and firft Appearance of
thofe ^r^'^7^^H/Prognoftications, let Events and Fa^s declare whether theAuthors
of them were not wretchedly cut in their Calculations, their Alorning Star proved
to.be but a blazing Comet. It is true, that upon my firft open declaring of thefe
Partsof the Counfel of God, there was no fmall Stir made by fome, and who
withal were not wanting in their Induftry to ftir up others, (like thofe who cried
out>
Of Predestination and Election."
2:; I
out, Men of ljrael\\t\^) againft the fame, pouring out all the Contempt thereon
as lay in their Power ; fo that for a while J did not knov/ what would be the
liTue thereof. At the fame Time taking up with this fatisfying Confideration,
that the Lord reigneth, tho' the Earth be never fo unquier, that Duties are ours,
and that Events are God's, who hath faid, " Flim that honoureth me him will
I honour." There was indeed a greatShaking amongft us like xhefiaklng of Trees
in a boiJJerous Wind; and what the If) ue thereof was, Time h^\.\\ new ele Jar ed,
viz. The Confirmation ol Jome and JettUng of 7nar.y others^ who like young Trees,
by being fhaken took the better ^n^Jlronger rooting^ and the fhaking cff fome ini~
found and Jour Fruit, which is better (j^thaii on the Tree. Thus is manifefled
what St. P^«/ faith to the Corinthiuii Church, i Cor. 11. 18, 19. " Ihearthat
there are Divifions among you, foi theie muft be alfo Herefies among you, that
they which are approved may be made manifefl among you." Compar'd with
2 Tim. 2.17,18,19. " And their Word will eat as doth a Canker, or Gangren :
of whom is Hymeaeus and PrnL:us : who concerning the Truth have erred,
and overthrow theFaiih oifome. Nevertheless theFoindatiojp of God fbnd-
eth fure, having this Seal the Lord knowe.h thcmthat are His." i Joh.i.\o,2C.
*' They went out from us, but they were not of us : for if they had been of us,
they would noDoubt have continued with us : but they went out that they mi^hc
be made manreft, that they were not all of us. But ye have an Undiion from
the holy One. ^ and ye know all Things." As licentious Principles as we are
/aid to hold, we do not knowingly admit of any fcandalcus Liver into Church-
Feliowfliip wi'.h us. And if any fliould afterwards appear to be fuch, fhould be
as ready confcientioufly to rebuke ar.d ex^ il them ourCommunity. Who have no
longer Place there admitted them, without true Repentance and Reformation,. "
any more than fuch as bark at the great Do<£lrines of the Gofpel. See Phil. -1^.2.
Gal. 5, 12. And altho' wc entertain as moderate a Thought o'i feme Arminians,
as ever the Thing will bear, yet having had fuch large Experience of the Incon-
veniency of admitting an undue Mixture o^ Pariicukirs and Generals together, we
are no lefs careful of keeping out the latter. For indeed how can two comforta-
bly walk together in Church-Fellowfhip, that are as far from being agreed as the
Terms and Appellations of /)flr//Vz//jr and general, are different in their Senfc and
Signification. Concluding the Advice which St. P.??// gives as a fit Means to
cure Church Divifion3 and Contentions is no lefs ufeful towards preventing fo bad
a Difcafe J that it is as good a Pr^ww/^/zW as a Rejloiaiive in fuch Cafes, and,
that the nearer a Gofpel-Church adheres to the Counfel given, it will be fo much;
the better for them, i Cer.i.io. " NowT bcfeechyou. Brethren, in thcName
of our Lord Jefus Chrifi", that ye all fpeak the fame Thing, ^and that there be no
Divifions among you : But that ye be perfedly joined together in the fame Mind,
and in the fame Judgment." As without mutual Peace and Love, no Chriflian.
Society can W2i.\k com' ort ably and honourably together ; fo in order for their attain-
ing hereunt), it is requifite that they be (as near as pofliblej of the fame Minf^
and oi ihn lame Judgment. As Unity of Judgment and AfietSlion together, is
the Bond of religious Society, fo if the former be broken, the latter is not likely
ty hold lyng. Whence a Place of Membcrfliip in ^ fnall Society regulated and
II. h. otd;rcd
232 Of Predestination cnul Election.
ordered by thefe Rules, holding the Head, and where zflriSJ Gofpel DlfcjpUne is
kept up, is upon //aw;' and t'^y/w^^/t? Ccnfiderations preferable to one in a much
larger, and (as to worldly Things) richer Congregation, where it is juft the jR^-
verfe of tbh. For my Part, I do freely declare, that to me the Grape-Gleanings
of Ephra'im are far preferable to the whole Vintage oi Jbiezer. * if therefore
Arminlatii, Jrians znd Socinians (the two latter of whom being Brethren, and the
former Coufm-German to them both) mult needs keep up the Form of religious
Worfliip and Church- A'lemberfliip (being equally avowed Enemies to God's free
EletftingGrace) let them e'en commune together without troubling otherSocielies
with tlieir Compmy. To whom ftho' J will not fay God fpeed) yet will not
either wifh or do to them any Hurt, unlefs faithful and plain Dealing be accoun-
ted Damage, but all the Good I can ; thereby manifefting that lam not void of
true Charity, while I admit them not with me unto Church- FcUow/}}ip zndSccidy,
God forbid tiiat I fliould fuffer my Mouth to Sin, by wifliing a Curfe unto any
of their Souls. Yea, God knows that I do often-times think on them with
greateftCompa^cn, particularly fuch as do fland fo much in the of Way their own
Comfort and Safety, as to dany and rejeft the Godhead Charadler of the Son of
Cjod, his Satisfaction to divine Juitice by his bitter Pallion and bloody Death, as
alfo the Holy Cihoft in his Perfon and fupernatural Operations in Regeneration,
And as confiftcnt with the Doctrine I maintain am as ready to teach others to put
on towards th^^m (as well as towards other Men) Bowels of CompaiTion as be-
comes theEle6t of God, Holy &:BeIoved. In that as God in theCourfe of hisPrc-
videncehath fo over-iul'dOppofition-, and orderedMatters, that I can to hispraife
fay, that the Things which happened unto me have proved to the Furtherance of
the Goipel ; fo 1 am encouraged to go on ijihis WorJc.
And now for a Conclufion of this Head of Divinity, Is it fo as we ha\'e feen,
that the Dodrines now defended are Part of the CounfelofGod, and fo profitable
for the Church of God :; then let all Chriftians be exhorted to receive and em-
brace them, let all Chrift'sMiniftersytf///yi///)' and prudently declare, explain and
defend them, and all who profefs to hold them, fee that they walk worthy of the
fame, in A6ls of ^7/(7;;^^//^ Obedience anfwerable to the Dictates th-ereof. O let
every one in particular, that profefleth an Adherence unto thefe holy Do6lrines,
be very eameftly exhorted, ever to account it their bounden Duty to own and
defend them as well in Li/ezud Pra£ike, as by Word, or Pen. That as God's
Eledl are as well chofcn untoSandification and Holinefs,as unto Salvation ; fo by
a holy, circumfpe61;, Aiming Converfation, to evidence that they are indeed the
EledtofGod, the Called with a holy Calling, according to his eternal Purpofe
and Grace, which was given them in Chrift Jefus before the World began. Let
us fet every Branch of Holinefs before our ICyes, that refpedts our Duty both
* For Confirmation of this fee the Paragraph before quoted in Chap. 2. from
Dr. Ovuen's, and Dr. Annefly'^ Preface to Mr. E, Coks pradical Difcourfe
on God's Sovereignty.
unto
Of Predestination and Election.' 23J
unto God andMan. When we fiel the Impreffions of his Grace upon our Souls,
as the Effects of his diflinguifliing elcd^ing Love j while at the fame Time wc
behold others wallowing in the Mire of Iniquity, apace filling up their Meallirc ;
let us devoutly adore and blefs that God of all Grace, who thus made m to differ \
not daring to rob him of hisHonour by a facrilegious afcribing that to our own free
Wills, which is the juft Due of his Jovereign^ free, and dilVinguiflnng Grace. Let
the Language of our Souls be the fame with that devout Veffel of Honour, who
faid, it is by the Grace of God, I am what I am. O let us both frequently and
deeply mufe on God's eleding Love, even until the Fire of a divine Affedion, a
feraphick Love be kindled in our Breaft, break forth and flame up towards Hea-
ven, in devout AiTts of Adoration and Praife,confidering how much we arc bound
by all theTies of holy Love &Gratitude,moft greatly to love him, who iirfl fcven
in fo early and dijfinguiftjing a Manner) loved us, and now given us in feme good
Meafure to fee a lovely tranfcript of thzt glorious sriginal Copy, by fanfllfying our
Souls, and fhedding his Love abroad upon our Hearts by the Holy GloH: that is
given to us. And O ! How jealous fliould we be of our own Hearts, that they
run not out after other Lovers ? How fliy fhould we be of every Thing
that tends to the Difhonour of our great and glorious Eledtor ? How ready
to cad abroad our Thoughts, devoutly fludying how and which Way we
may become fubfervient to his Honour and Glory ; tiiat we may be to the
Honour of his glorious Grace ? How clofely fliould we walk and keep ourflearts
with our heavenly Father, in all theMediums of holy FellowrnipandCommunion,
whether of a private or of a public Nature ? O, how frequent, fweet and
delightful, fhould our Thought of him be ? With what a divine Rapture of
Soul fhould we break forth and fay, " Whom Lord have I in He-jven but thee,
and there is none upon Earth that 1 defire befides, or in Comparifon of ties" ?
With what facred Pleafure doth it become us to read thofe divines Oracles
wherein and by, he hath been pleafed to make known unto U3 the Myftery of his
grsciousGood- Will, according to his goodPleafure, which he had purpofcd in him-
felf ; and wherein he hath abounded towards us in all WifJom and Prudence ?
With how much Joy and Gladnefs fhould we draw nigh to him in fervent and
humble Prayer, chearfully offering up our A'lorningand Evening Sacrifices, both
in our Clofets and Families ? With what impatient Defires Ihould our Souls long
for the bleffcdDays of theSon of Man ; that we may once again enter the Gate of
his lovely Tabernacles with Thankfgiving, and come into his Courtswith Praife,
publickly to cxprefs ourThankfulncfs to him, and blefs his hol\Name ? And with
a chearful Frame of Soul fay, *' I was glad when they faid unto me come let us
go up unto the Houfc of the Lord" ? Not daring to indulge a ilothful P'rame
there, in dragging on like Pharoah's Chariots, when the Wheels were taken off;
a Thing highly difhonourable to the ever glorious Author of thv fe divincMeffagca
which we go there to hear. Neither let ourAttention while there be accumpai^.i-
cd with a carelefs Air, as tho' we were only hearing an Idb Tale; but wiih
fuch Devoutnefs of Soul as becomes thofe glorious divine Mefiagcs of Grace ard
Salvation, that by God's Embaffadors are delivered unto us. Let us alfo confcicn-
{ioufly fhun all fmful Encroachments on the Hours of that holy Day (a too comnv n
H h 2 Praclice
234. Of Predestination mid Election.
Practice ainongn: even Profcfiors of Chriftianity) by indulging any unneCeiTary
Thoughts or Dircourfes about worldly Things : But confcientioufly give God
his clue^ who out oi feveji hath referved that owf Day for himfelf andService, com-
manding our religions Obfervation of it ; that in a more particular JManner we
ferve the Lord on the Lord's-Day ; "whlzh is no fmall ox ordinary Branch oi that
Holinefs to which we are cbofen. Let our Converfation be much in Heaven ;
and on Earth heavenly, as becomes the Gofpel of Chrifl, flriving together for
the Faith of it. Let us confcientioufly fulfill all our relative Duties whether as
Members of the ecckfia flick ^ civil, qx political Body ; or thofe Duties, that apper-
tain to domefiicAffairs, according to our feveral Places or Standings there ; whe-
ther as Huftand or Wife, Parent or Child, Brother or Sifter, Matter or Servant ;
let us honour all Men, love the Brotherhood, fear God and honour the King, let
us ever do juftly, loveMercy, and walk humbly with our God. Yea as becomes
ihe Elect of God, Holy and Beloved, to put on Bowels of Compaflion, Kind-
iicfs, HunTblenefs of Mind, Meeknefs, Long-fuffering. And ever let the Peace
of God rule in our Hearts. Whatfoever comes to our Hands from God's, let us
do it with all ourMight,not being fiothful in Burmefs,but fervent inSpirit, ferving
the Lord, rejoicing in Hope, patient in Tribulation, continuing inftant in Prayer.
Let us be fruitful in every good Work, increaiingin the Knowledge of God :
Let it be our Ambition to grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord
•and Saviour Jefus Chrift, ufing all Diligence, by adding one divine Virtue to a-
norher, in making our Calling and Eleilion fure ; that fo an Entrance maybe
abundantly adminiflered unto us into the everlafling Kingdom of our Lord and
Saviour Jefus Chrifl. Let us make it our conflant Study to live down thofe un-
Jufl Objedlions that are raifed againft this holy Do6lrine of God's free E!e£lion,
this being the moft efFeftual Way to ftop the Mouths of unreafonable Obje6lors,
who difcharge v.'hole Vollies of Reproach againft it, as tho' it was promotive of
Licentioufnefs, Wickednefs, Folly and Iniquity. Whereas the DocStrine in its
own nature 'fhowever it may have been abufed, and miftmproved by fome fcan-
tlalous Profefibrs of it) is fo far from weakening our Obligations to Holinefs ; as
that they are thereby greatly flrengthened and confirmed, by confidering, that
thofe whom God of his fovereign Grace and Pleafure chofe and ordained untoLife
cternLsl,he alfo defigned fhould be holy. Ac:ordingIy (as one well obferves) " It
*' is Matter of Fa6t that the Generality of fuch as have embraced the Doftrine of
" abfolute and free ElecStion, have been moft exemplary in their VValk ; being
*' fenfible that they oughtto comply with the End of God, as well asenjoythe
** Priviledges he has laid out for them. Whereas too many of thofe who would be
'* for tying God's Choice to their forefeen Faith and good Works, as Conditions
*' moving him thereunto, take Care by their Want of Faith and Negle6t of good
*' Works, to fhew that they either are not oftheNumber ofGod'sEle6t,orhave[not
" as yet felt the bleiTedEfFeiSts of it. A frothy Temper of Mind withRefpeiSl to
*' Things facred, with an unwary Converfation, have too commonly been the
" fcandalous Badges of fuch that mufl needs have it, that they are chofe by God
*•' for their forefeen Faith and Holinefs ; and have been the moft eager to prate
** againft the true Scripture Dodrine of abfolute Election, with lying and mali-
*' cious
Of Predestination and Electiojt^ 235
<:' clous Words, by reprefenting it as calculated to promote Loofenefs of Life."
However, that we may forever put to Silence fuchClamours and falfe Charges, let
us finally refolve by the great Elector's Grace and Affiftance, both by Do£trine
andPra6tice, earneftly to contend for this Faith once delivered to the Saints : en-
couraged hereunto from the Confideration, that however feme may abufe thefe
holy Doctrines by Word, and others by Pradlife, whofe Profeflion like Z-Z^jz/w^
Comets and wandering Stars do at , length evaporate into nothing, yea that tho'
fuch ^re2Lt feeming PiUirs as Hjmefuus and Philetus do fall ofF from the vifible
Building, to the Overthrow of the notional Fzhh of fome ; -that neverthelefs the
Foundation of God ftands fure, having this Seal, the Lord knoweth them that
are his. That therefore it highly behoves all that name the Name of Chrift to
depart from Iniquity, therein complying with the great End of their being chofen
in him and of his dying for them, as it is written. Tit. 2. i^-. " Who gave
himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify tohimfelf
a peculiar People, zealous of good Works."
Which now brings me fby divine Affiftance) to confider next In order, that
other great and important Branch of the Chriftian Faith, viz. ParticularRedemp-
tion, which in this very Text is fo very plainly and evidently declared. And may
my moft great, gracious and good Lord, who hath hitherto gracioufly afforded
his affiftingHafid, to his poor weak and unworthyServant, ftill continue to mani-
fefl: that his Grace is fufKcient for him. O may he gracioufly grant his Prefence,
Grace, Blejfmg, and Succefs to his poor Dufl, and then take to himfelf the Glory,
Who hath in his infinite Wifdom ic^w meet to put thefe great and rich Treafures
into Earthen Veflels, 'that the Excellency of the Power may appear to be of God
and not of Man. Who h'ath chofen the foolifh Things qf this World to con-
found the wife \ and the weak Things of this World to confound the
Things that are mighty : Yea the ^^y> and ^///^//f^ Thiiigs of this World hath
'God chofen, to bring to nqught Things that are ; that no Flefli fliouid glory in his
•Prefence according as it is written, let him that glorieth glory in the Lord.
Ifhall clofe this Head of Divinity by tranfcribing two or three divine Hymns
fiom ihe jujily celebrated Works oi ihQ pious, devout and ingenious Dr. Watts.
Hymn 117. Book I. KleBion fovereign and free.
Rom. IX. 21. to 25.
Ehold the Potter and the Clay, f May not the fovereign Lord on high.
He forms the Veflels as he plcafe : \ Difper.ce his Favours as he will.
Such is our God, and fuch are we, f Choofe fome to Life, while others di^,'
The Subjefts of his high Decrees. f And yet be juft and gracious ftill.
Doth not the Workman Power extend J What if to make his Terror known.
O'er al! the Mafs ; which Part to choofcj J He lets hij Patience long endure.
And mould it for a nobler Entl. T Snffsrinu vile Rchels fn on nn
irc?
WhJf
And mould it for a nobler End, j^ Suffering vile Rebels to go on.
And which to leave for viler Ufe ? t And feal their own Deftrui^lon furc ?
236
Of Predestination an^ Election.
What if he means to fliew his Grace,
And his elefting Love fmp'oys,
To maik out ibmr of mortal Race,
And form them fit for heavenly Joys ?
Shall Man reply agalnft the Lord,
And call his Maker's Ways unjuft,
The Thunder of whofe dreadful Word
Can crufh a Thoufand Worlds to Duft,
f But O my Soul if Truth fo bright,
f Should dazle and conf und the Sight,
f Ycc ftill his written Will obey,
f And wait the great dccifive Day.
j^ Then fhall he make his Juftice known,
J And the whole World befuie his Throne,
J With Joy or Terror fliall confef?,
T The Glory of his Righteoufnefs.
Hymn 99. Book II. 7he Book of God's Decrees.
LE r the whole Race of Creatures lie
abas'd before their God ;
WhateVe his fovereign Voice has
he governs with a Nod. (form'
Ten Thoufand Ages e're the Sk'es
were into VIotion brought,
All the long Yea-s and Worlds to come
flood prefent to his Thought.
There's not a Spirrow or a Worm
but's found in his Decrees ;
He raifeth Monarchs to their Thrones
and finks them as he plcafe.
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
+
t
t
If Light attend the Courfc I run
'tis he provides thofe Rays ;
And 'tis his Hand that hides my Sun
if Darknefs cloud my Days.
Yet I would not be much concern'd,
nor vainly long to fee,
The Volume of his deep Decrees,
What Months are writ for me.
When he reveals the Book of Life,
O may I read my Name,
Amongft the Chofen '..f his Lov<?,
The Followers of the Lamb.
To thefe I would add, Hymn 54. Book L
EleBmg Grace or Saints beloved in Chriji^ Eph. i. 4*
ESUS we blefs thy Father's Name ; \
Thy God and our's are both the fame.f
What heav'nlyB'effings from his fhronef
Flow down to Sinners thro' his Son. f
Chria be my firft Ek£t he faid, j
Then chofe our Souls in Chrift our Head, T
Before he gave the Mountain. Birth, j^
Or laid Foundadons for the Earth. J
t
Thus did eternal Love begin -j-
To raife us up fro.Ti Death and Sin j -j-
Our CVara£lers were then decreed,
B^amekfs in Love a holy Seed.
Predeftinated to be Sons,
Born by Degrees but chofe at once;
A new regenerated Race,
To praifc the Glory of his Grace.
With Chrift our Lord we (hare our Part
In the AfFeftions of his Heart ;
Nor fhall our Sculs be thence rcmov'd,
' Till he forgets his firft Bclov'd.
€*€*M*€^##^-^#€^€^€>^###*^i^M*##€*€<>#€**^#€*€*#^C*#
gi
( 237 )
Of particular Redemption,
CHAP. I.
AVING largely treated, on the great Do£ln'ne o^ per final, free, and
abfiluie Election in the former Part of this Treatife, and proved it to
be an holy Scripture Doflrine ; my next Bufinefs will be /^^wr^ to
prove the Dodtrine oi peculiar Redemption, or that Jefus Chrift died
only for a peculiar People, eleded thro' Sanctification of the Spirit, and Belief of
the Truth. In dire£l Oppofition to the ^r/?i//7w« Doctrine of a«/wry^/ Redemp-
tion, or that Jefus Chrift died for all, and every Individual of fallen Mankind
without Exception. They fay that Chrift died ioxuniverfal all : VVe fay that he
died for the Salvation oi fime only^ even the Eledl, or that Remnant which is ac-
cording to the Eledion of Grace, God's Referve, Rom. ii. i. to 7. Thefe
whom he hath referved unto himfelf, from the common Apoftacy or Defe«Slion,
as you may there find declared : For the Do6lrine oi per final EleSfion, and that
of peculiar Redemption are fo orderly znd infiperabJy connQ&:ed, that they ftand or
fall together. But that the Former is true, I have, I truft fufHciently proved in
the former Pages by the plaineft Evidence of holy Scripture, found Reafining
therefrom, and Fa<5li
l>lo-w \i t\\e DoStine. of particular EleSlionhe true, as 1 have thus proved it to
be, then it naturally and undeniably follows, that the Do£lrine of univerfal Re-
demption \sfalfi. To allow of particular EleHion, as fome do, and at the fame
Time to plead up for univerfal Redetnption, is a inanifefl Inconfiftency and Contra-
diclion. This is to make the Superftrudure fo as to overlay the Foundation,
which is abfurd. It Tnanifejlly contradias the Scripture Harmony, in the Accounts
it gives thereof^
It is undeniably evident, that the divine Oracles, do in theplaine/} Mannei*
conned the Father's EleHion, and the Son's Redemption together* Rom. 8.33.&C.
*' Who fhall lay any Thing to the Charge of God's Eled ? It is God that
juftifieth, who fhall condemn ? It is Chrift that died, yea rather that is rifen a-
gain, and makes continual Interceflion." But for whom ? Why for thefe Ele^,
who in the following Verfes are faid to be more than Conquerors thro' Chrift that
loved them, and from whofe Love nothing, either prefent or to come, Ihall be
able
2 3 8 of particular REDEMPTION
able to feparate ;. and who, in the antecedent Verfes,"are faid to be predeftinated
to a Conformity to Chrift as their elder Brother, the firft born among many
Brethren, and who were predeftinated to be called, juftified and glorified. Oil
whofe Side God ftands, fo that nothing. can prevail againft them ; for all whom,
and for whofe Sakes, God fpared not his own Son, but freely gave him up, and
■with whom he will freely give them all Things ; to zuit, all Things needful to
juftify, fandtify and glorify them ; making all Things, evenAfflidtions, work to-
gether for the effeiling this ihe'ir fpiritualznd eternal Good. To whcnn, being
in Chrifl: and (lindified, there is no Condemnation, as in Verfe ift. of thatChapter,
which begins with a Declaration of hj Condemnation to them, and E-nds with no
Separation o/'them, from the Love of God in Chrift Jefus our Lord. All which;
cannot agree to all Men, but only unto God's Ekoi, there by Name fpecified.
It is for ihefe expreJJy nominated that Chrijl died, Szc. who, confequent hereupon,
ure made Cif?«<2/ Par/^ifrj of the Benefits, the yfliz/w^ Benefits of his Death, Re-
furredtion, and continual Interceflion. Thefe, and on/y thefe, did the Father
choofe in Chrift before all Worlds, ibe/e only the Son redeems, and tbefe only the
Holy Ghoft ft.nitifies, thereby making them meet for the heavenly Inheritance,
Col. I. 12, 13, 14. 2 The/. 2. 13, 14. I The/. 5. 9, 10. See alfo Eph. i..
3. to 15. And you fhall find that thofe, who are faid to have RedenwtK)n thro'
Chrift's Blood, are the very fame and none other, that God the Father in Chrift,
before the Foundation of the World, to become holy and without Blame before
him in Love ; whom he predeftinated to become his adopted Children by Chriflr
unto himfelf, according to the good Pleafure of his Will, to the Praife of his-
glorious Grace, and whom thro' Chrift the Beloved, do find Acceptance ; to
whom he makes known the Myftery of his Will according to his good Pleafure,
and who have in and thro' Chrift that died for them obtained aninheritance, being'
predeftinated thereunto according to theCounfel and good Pleafure of God's Will
and who fliou'd be to the Praife of his Glory, and who by the Spirit are fealed to
the Day of Redemption, Chap. 4. 30. And who are therefore exprefly called 3
peculiar People for whom Chrift as their God and Saviour, and ever blefled Hope
gave himfelf to redeem, from all Iniquity and purify unto him/elf tohecome zealous
of good Works ; and unto whom he will at his fecond Coming glorioufly appear
without Sin unto Salvation, having once offered himfelf to bear their Sins, Tit.
2,. 13, 14. Hcl^. 9. 28. Hence for any to affirm, that Chrift gave himfelf to bear
the Sins, and by the Sacrifice of himfelf, to redeem a univerfal People from all>
Iniquity and purify them to himfelf, many of whom remain., yea wallow and tum-
ble in Inquity to the End of their Davs, remaining unpurified, zealous oi wicked-
Works inftead of good ones, as Fact declares to be their Cafe, is nothing better
ihan to confound the plaineft Meaning of Words, even thofe which are of.fo
wide and different a Meaning z% peculiar and imiverfal. 'Tis to argue againft:
Fads and- good Senfe,and withal rendersChrift'sDefign in giving \\\m.{c\i fru/lrate
and vain as to many, and at a blind Adventure for all, contrary 'to that manifold
IVifdom and Prudence, wherein God is faid to abound toward his People in the
Matters of Ele^ion^ Redmption and Salvation. Eph, i. 9. Chap. 3. 8,9,10,11.
Again,
Of particular RED E MP T J 0 N. 259
Ajrain, how obfervable Is it, that as the Redeemed are called a peculiar Peo-
'pic; (o they zre abundantly <ii/iing:/ijhed \n ths divine Oracles from others, bv
jnanifold difcri?mnatingChzrAi\exs, fuch as Gcd's EhSl^ theChurch v.'hich isChrift's
Body and Fulnefs, the Members of his Body, of his Flefi-),and of his BoneSjWhon]
he will nourifh and cherifh, purify unto himielf, and at laft prefent to liimfelf
fpotlefs and glorious. Eph. i. 23. Chap. 5. 24. to the End. Chrift'sSheep, for
whom he laid down his Life ; whom he knows, who know him, hear his Voice,
2nd unto whom he gives eternal Life. Job. 10. His Brethren^ his People j,
whom he will fave from their Sins. Math. r. 21. The fanciified, and one wifli
the Sandlifier, God's Children, HeirsofGod, joint Heirs with Chrift ; Heirs of
Promife and Salvation. Rom. 8. 14. to 18. Heb. i. 14. Chap^ 2. V^crfc 9. toi
the End. Where it is obfervable, that thofe for whom Chrift tafled Death, are {
called many Sons, whom he as the Captain of their Salvation, being made perfect
thro' SufFerings, will bring to Glory : So that the Words every Man, for whom
he is faid to tauc Death, in Fer. 9. cannor intend every individualMan of j^da?n':i
fallen Race, but mud be rrfiri^ed to every of thofe Sons, Children, Brethren and
Sanclified, and the Church as mentioned in the following Verfes ; which Cha-
raclers cannot agree t) every Individual of Mankind ; it cannot be faid of all
thcfe, that they as fo man;- Sons, fnall be brought to Glory thro' Chrift as the
Captain of their Salvation, being made perfedl thro'SufFerings,or taftingof Death
unto that End. Mor-.-ovci-, as the Lord's Redeemed are thus particularly difcti-
vnnated?iWi\ diftingtiijhed^ as Vefiels of Honour afore prepared unto Glor)', unto
whom he w ill make know!-! \\-\e-Iiiches tfjereof, from the remainingPart of the fame
fallen Lump of Mankind, whom the fovereign Potter doth not will thus to form.
Pom. 9. So they are cxnefly faid to be redeemed unto God by Chrifl's Blood,
cut of (mark) not in Conji'i^dtion with, but cut of t\e\\ Kindred nndTongue, and
■'People and Nation, whv ri-; he h.ath made unto God Kings and Pricfls, Rev. c.
9, 10. Redeemed frr//:: r.mongj} Men, being the firft Fruits unto God and the
I.amb, whom they do follow whereffcvcr he goeth, in whofe Mouth fliall be
found no Guile, being without Fault bcforeGod. As will appear at the laftDav,
wlien Chrift, who loved and gave himfelf for them, fhall prefent them to himfelf,
even without Blemifti, Spot or Wrinkle, or anv fuch Thing ; anfwerable to the
{zrcat End of their Elcilion in Chrift before all Worlds, that thev fhou'd become
holy, and at laft perfec^^Iy holy, fa as to be without Blame before him in Love.
Being array'd with the P.oyal Robe of Chrift's Righteoufnefs, the Garment of
Needle-Work and v.'rought Gold, and made all glorious within by the fan<Slifvijtg
Work of ills Holy Spirit. 'Wlio being able, certainly will, keep them from final
falling, and prefent them faultlefs before the Prefence of hisGlory with cxceedins;
Joy. When they will triiMi.jjhantly fing that blefied Song begun on Earth, to
the only wifcGod ourSavionr beGlory,Majtfty,Dv>minion. andPower, both now
and ever dmen. Yea to him \vh^h^.\\\ove6 zn<\ ivafhed us fromo\\x'$>]m \\\ hh
oivn Blood, and made usKings and Priefts to God and hisFather, to him be Glorv
and Dominion forever and ever, Amen. And they, {tc-wit, the glorified Saints
as Si.John rcprefcnts them to be) fung a newSong, faying, "Thou art worthy to
open the Book and to loofc the Seals ihereofj for thou haft redeemed os.onm
J^^ c^-So c^<,u js-^r^-' ^A^ &0D 1 5 Se^^^^^ ^'^'^ '
±40 t>f pmictiJar REDEMPTION'.
God by thy Blood, out of every Kindred and Tongue, an d People and Nation^"
and made us Kings and Priefts. Which new Song no Man can learn, but the
Hundred and forty and four Thoufand (that is a feledl Number) which were re-
deemed from the Earth, and from amongft Men. Rev. 14. 3,4,5. Now thofe
xcdtemtd from amongji Men, anuft according to all due Propriety of Speech, ex^
cept and exclude thofe from amongft whom they were redeemed. And as they are
faid to be reedeemed o«/o/"every People, Tongue &Nation j fo evident it is, that
the Bulk of thofe People and Nations, out of which they are faid to be redeem-
ed, are excluded from having a Share in that Redemption. It cannot be faid of
~lhife2i% it Is of the other s^^x\\7it they were redeemed untoGod by hisBlood,and made
unto God Kings and Priefts. Thofe whom Chrifl loved fo as to fhed his Blood
for them, are alfo wafhed in his Blood as the EfFecls of the fame Love, as well as
made Kings and Priefts to God, hh and their Father, vi^hich cannot be faid of all
Men without Exception. It is his Church or Ele<5l, which is his Body and P'ul-
nefs, that he purchafed with, and that he waflieth In his own Blood from theirSins,
"Whom he loved and gave himfelf for unto thofe Ends. ACis 20. 28. Col. i, 21,
24. Eph. 5. 24, &c. Rev. I. 5, 6. Thefe only doth Chrift love with a pecu-
liar redeemingLove. *' Hufbands love your Wives, even asChrift hath loved the
C!hurch,& gave himfelf for //,that he might fandtifyand cleanfe it by the wafhing
of Water by the Word, and that he might prefent it to himfelf a gloriousChurch,
not having Spot or Wrinkle or any fuch Thing, but that it fliould be holy and
without Blemifh. No Man yet ever hated his own Flefh, but nourifheth and
cherifheth it even as theLord theChurch ; and therefore none of them fhall perifli
.%vho are his Body, the Members thereof, of his Flefh and of his Bones.
From all which we may obferve, (i) The Nearnejs and Peculiarity of the Re-
lation there is between Chrifl and his Church, their Jirm Union ihadowed
forth by the Marriage between a Man and his Wife, who of twain do in a w;y?/-
~f^/ Senfe become o«^ Flefh. This is a great Myflery, fays the Apoftle^ but I
ipeak of Chrift and his Church,who elfewhere is called the Lamb' sIVife. Whom
■at the laft Day he will receive into his Marriage-Chamber above, purified and
made moft richly adorned, attended with a glorious Train of Heaven's Nobility,
heavenly ■State andGrandure, fhouting forth loud founding Hallelujahs, andfweet
Anthems of Praife. Rev. 19. 1, to 10. compared with Pfal \^. Zech. 4. 7.
(2) The Love of Chrift the Lamb to his Wife, is mentioned, as an Exemplar of
that Love which Hufbands ought to fliew to their Wives, as the Church's, Reve-
rence,Obedience andfSubmiflion to Chrift her Lord and Hufband is mentioned,
as the. Eexmplar of the Wife's Duty to her Huftjand, confequent upon and as the
2i!ffe6ts of their MarriageUnion. *' Wives fubmit yourfelves unto , your ownHuf-
band, as unto the Lord. For the Hufband is the Head of the Wife^ven as Chrift
is Head of the Church or Spoufe, and he is the Saviour of the Body ; (but not a
a Saviour thereof hy zmeer empty Title ^ or a Saviour without Salvation obferve,)
therefore as the Church is fubje6t to Chrift, (yielding to him z loving^ ready znd
jtdniverfal Obedience) fo letWives be to their ownHufbands in every Thing. Let
£v.ery Man foloveliis Wife even as himfelf /for foloveth Chrift hisChufch,whom
he
Of particular R E B E M P T TO N". 241
fie nouriflieth and cherifheth unto Life everlafting) and the Wife (qc thatfiie Re-
verence her Huiband." (3) Obferve, as Chrift's Love tohisChurch orSpoiife,
U mentioned as an Exemplar of that Love Hufbands ought tofhev/ to their Wives ;
fo it confifteth in the Peculiarity^ the Strength and Tenckrncfs thereof, all which
makes againft the Dodtrine of univerfal Redemption. For if Hufbands mud love
their Wives, even as Chrift loved his Church by Virtue of a Marriage Union,
then by the Church cannot be meant all JVlen but a peculiar People, feeing not all^
hut fame Perfons only(z5 Scripture and Fa6^ do drr.lare) are betrothed untoChrifl,-
and that too forever, in Faithfulnefs, in Righteoufnefs, and in Judgment, and in.
loving Kindnefs and in Mercies. Hofea 1. 19, 20. The Lamb's Wife, whoni
he will nourifh, purify, riclily array, and receive triumphantly into the iieavenly
Manfions, cannot fignify all Men, Chrifl's Spoufe can no more intend all Men y
than a Man's Wife can intend all Women ; for if he muft Love his Wife with a
peculiar^ as well as with z/?rong and tender Affediion, then Chrifl, who.m iie is bid
to imitate, doth love his Church or Spoufe with 2 peculiar Love alfo. For note.
That as Chrift's conjugal AfFedlion to his Church, becomes an Exemplar to
Flufbands in the Exercife of their Love to their Wives ; fu the Marriage Union
of thefe the Apoftle mentions as a Shadow of the myfticalMarriage between Chrift
and his Church ; fo that my Argument from the Hujband'i Peculiarity of Love tc^
his Wife, in Diftindlion from all other Women, in order to prove the Peculiariif
oi Chriji's redeeming Love to his Spoufe, inDiftindtion from the reftof A-lankind,.
is natural, ju/i znd Jlrong. His (that is Chrift's) People whom he is faid to fave
from their Sins^ can't intend ^/Z People, even thofe that are not thusfaved. Math.
1.7.1. When God the Father faith, for the Tranfgreflion of ;;;)' People was he
ftriclcen, it can't intend all that are his hyCreatim ; but only thofe that are his bv
Elision. The Foundation of God ftands fare, having this Seal, the Lord know-
eth them that are /;/i, who are diftinguifned from thofe Apoftates, HymeneusavA
Philetus, with others who alfo were his by Creation. The Deceiver and the De-
ceived are ^/V ; hut not by Elet^ ion. Chrift bare the Sins of, and was ftriped for
no more,, than are by his Stripes healed ; and whom Chrift fliall fee as hisSeed, as
the Travail of his Soul with Satisfaction, and for whom he makes IntercefTion.
I/ai. 53- I Pet. 2. 24. and who in Chap. i. 1,2. are called the Eled, whom
he fprinkles with his Blood for Healing and Purification.
Again, when it Is faid, " Behold the Lamb of God which tak^s away the Sin;
of the World," it can't, in any good Reafon, mean any more than thofe whofe
Sins he actually and effeSiually takes away ; which can't be faid of the whole hu-
man Race ; but oi z peculiar People, chofen out of the World in Chrift, before
the Foundation of the World, to be redeemed and faved.'. Whofe Sins in Regard
of their Guilt,, are talcen away by the meritorious^ and in Regard of their F^fth.,hy
the efficacious cleanfing Vertue of the Blood of the Lamb that was flain, and who
do accordingly fing the Song of /)ff«A-V?r Redemption.- Rev. i. <5, 6. Chap.
5.9,10. Chap. 14.1,106.- The Words of which Teritj I have.- before ar
large recited.
ti^%^
242 Of particular REDEMPTION.
As we are In cxprefs Terms tpld,thatChri{l laid down hirXife^fo in tiie famePlace,
we are no lefs plainly informed for whom^ and for what Ends he did this, vix. for
his Sheep, or EleSf, amonglt both Jews and Gentiles ; the latter of whom are
called histSheep before their effedUial Calling, which is an Argument that Chrift's
Sheep and his Ele^ zx^ fynoniimus Terms. Other Sheep I have vvhicli are not of
this Fold, namely of the Jewifli Race, and them alfo I mufl bring, and they fhali
hear my Voice ; and there fhall be one Fold and one Shepherd. Thefe he knows
by Name, he laid down his Life for them ; there's their Redemption : and call-
eth them out ; viz. Out from amongfl: the common Herd of Mankind j there is
their effcdual Calling : They hear and know his Voice and folio w-him, vix. As
the Effeits of their Calling and Sandtification, \vi the Paths of Purity and Peace.
They were indeed dead as well as others once, both in the Eye of the Law as
guilty Creatures being under a State of Condemnation, and dead in Sins and Tref-
pafies, void of a vital Principle of Grace ; fo that they were both unentitled to, .
and limn eet for a Life of Glory. But Chrift their great Shepherd, came and laid
down his Life for them, in order to free them from Death, and make them Pof-
feiTorsof t\-\:.e fpi ritual Life, a Life of fiijl if cation, a Life of Sanoiification, and
a Life of Gloriiication ; anfvverable to that emphatical Expreilion of their great
Shepherd, I am come that they might have Life, and that they. might have it
insre abundantly. Thus our Lord diflinguiflicth them from the cavilling, unbe-
h'eving Jews, who were not his Sheep or Ele61, who did not hearken to his
Voice and follow hirn, but rather rejedl: him. Hence fays the great Shepherd
unto them, Ye believe not in me becaufe ye are not of mySheep. My Sheep, or
.I'Jecl, do hear my Voice, and I know them and they follow me, and 1 give unto
them eternal Life, and thry fhall never perifli, &c. John lo. Whence
it manifeflly appears, that Chrift, the great Shepherd of the Sheep, did not lay
down his Life, or fhed his moft precious Blood, even the Blood of the cverlafting
Covenant, for «// Men v/ithout Exception, but for a /)^T.v//V/r People to whom
alone the above Account of Things do agree, as is manif'cfl: both from Scripture
and Fa£f in their united P2vidence. I'he Power and Force of which Argument,
zxQ fo fenftbly dijcerned ?iV\d felt by the'Univerfalifts, as that their great Champion
Dr. Whitby himfelf, is put to his laj}, and indeed xnoQ: 7niferable Shift, in order to
v/ithftand them. Like a drowning Man, he is glad to lay hold of any Twigg, a
{lender one rather than none, altho' at the fame/Time it is not able to bear his
Weight. Who, toamufe his tw(7i Rcader^'^i^fcthis wra;;, /;7y7//;^and quibling
Obje^ion, viz. That, tho' Chrift is faid to lay down his Life lor his She,p, his
Church, \\\s People and the like, yet it is no where laid, that he died for thefe
and thefe " only-" An Objedion that carries with it its ciun Confutaiion, as
contrary even to all common Ufe and Acceptation of Expreffions amongft Men,
in all^tiheir Affairs whether civil, or religious. If the Doctors Method of Argu-
ment here were admited into Courts of Judicature, the Gentlemen of the Law
might make ftrange Work with all Deeds, both of Sale and of Gift, and with
Men's lafl: Wills and Teftaments too. Then alfo, a new and unheard ofMc\.]sdd
muft be ufed, in drawing all fuch Writings, viz. I fell, I give, or I bcqiieath,{uch
and fuch Things, to fuch and fuch Perfjpns hy Name and unto them *' only,''"
Of pmicular R E DEM P T I 0 N. 243
IgiI forthe Want of this w2/^Z)/_y Word, a Man's peculiar Right and Title to
Lands and Legacies, fhould become common to all other Aden. And I am very ape
to believe, that however /(?7r,6/j; the Doctor's Adherents may think, of this his
Method of Ar2;ument inMatters of Divinity ;^they would tiiink as diminutively of
it in Matters civil: efpecially in Cafe of a huge golden Legacy , bequeathed to theni
hy -J. luealthy gooclYxiQud.
A.nd now as to the Cafe of Divinity before us, why fhould theDo£lor'sMethod
of Argument be thought better ;of? Is it reafonahle to deitroy all ^oi?^ and common
Uiage of Terms and Phrafes, meerly to grant him his Argument ? I trow nor.
What tho' tiie rejlriulive Term (only) is not in fo many Letters exprcfs'd, yet
how evident is it, that it is naturally and necejjcirily imply' d ? If othervvife, what
need thofe mcjnifold difcriminating Charadters and Terms of Peculiarity that are
made Ufe of in Scripture, \yhcn it particularly /peaks oi Chri/i^s Death^ and Re-
demption, together with the great Ends thereof ? Moreover, I might as well
argue that becaufe it is faid, that there is one God, and one Mediator betv/een
Caod and Man the Man Chriil: Jefus, that there are tncre Gods than cw, and more
Mediators between God and Man tlian one ; becaufe it is not cxprejiy faid, that
there is but one God (only) and one Mediator foNLY.) And 1 prefume,that
as much as our Opponent value the Doctor's Method of arguing, from the Term
(only) in Regard of ChriH Death, they wont be willing to admit of it here, un-
lefs thev have a Mind to turn ehhtvPolytheijls or Papi/h. Now if it be counted
an inval'd Method (.f reafoiiing in the laji Cafe ; upon the very fa?ncGxoundiS it is
no Icfs invalid in .he former. Vor if we allow it to be valid in the former Cafe, for
the fame Rcafon it muft be allowed to bey"^ in the /a//<?r. So that in il:iort ia
both Cafes it doth either ibnd or fall together.
Again, When the Scripture faith, Hufbands love your Wives, even as Chrift
loved the Church, and gave himfelf for it ; it doth not follov/ ^^(I prefumcj that
they may extend their peculiar, conjugal AfFedtion to all other Women befides
their IFive^ becaufe it is notin exprefs Terms laid, Hufbands love your Wives,
even as Chrift loved his Church, and love them (only.)
Whence, I fairly conclude, that the Term (onlyj not being exprefl, when
it is faid Chrift loved his Church, and gave himfelf for it, doth iiot give the leaji
Grounds to conclude, that Chrift loved and gave himfelf unto Death for any be-
fides his Church j concerning which, fuch glorious Things are faid, as the EffeSls
and Ends of his Death for the fame, as cannot be applied to all Men, but unto a
peculiar People, as I have before obferved. Even thofe whofe Names were writ-
ten not only in the Father's Book of Life, the Decree of Ele£iion ; but alfo in the
Larnh's Book of Lite, who ejfei^is their Redemption written there, as others zvere
not, from the Foundation of the World : fee Rom, 13. « 8. Chap. 17. #8. Chap.
%p. 15. compared together. To all which I might add, that the Tenor of the
DoP.or's Argument, doth naturally tend to confound Chrijlianifm , Judaifm,
Poganifm^ and Alahomatifm together, by pulling down ihe iV'Wf'J, for all the ^vild
Eoc^sr
244: ^f particular REDEMPTION:
Boars of the ForeJ}^ Tygers and Wolves^ to enter into Chrift's Garden th's:
Ghurch, iojhare and fare alike with his Sheep, his Lambs and his Doves ; fo that
it is no longer a Garden enclojed j but a commm Fields for the whole Herd of-
Idolaters throughout the World to graze in. Thefe it feems, muft be allowed a
common Right with Chrift's Sheep, to lie down in the great Shepherds green and:
pleafant PaRures, and by him to be led by the ftill Waters, as common Sharers in^
his Bl.)od, the Blood of the everlajling Covenant.
And now from all that has been faid, I hope, I may upon the mojl fxihjlantial'
Grounds, be allowed to conclude, that the Father's Eied^ion, the Son's Redemp-
tion, and the Holy Ghoft's efFedtual Operations in Calling and Sandification,
are exa^ly cormnenjurate and of equal Extent to the Subjedls thereof ; that there is.
an infeparable Connection between Chrift's Sufferings, and h\sfaving Bemfits,
viz. Juftification, Reconciliation, Adoption, Sandincation and Glorification j.,
that be paid dov/n the Price of his moft precious Blood, for no more or other Per-
fons, than to whom he effeSfuaUy applies the fame by his Spirit and Interceflion--
for their aiiual Redemption, which cannot include lefs than their cf?i/rt/ Salvation j
together with all thofe Priviledges, Providences^ Means ^wd Operations that come
between eternal Election /)tf/? ; and eternal Glorification to come', fo that the
Golden Chain of Salvation, with all it's Links, in their proper Connexion and
Order, by which God's Elcil andRedeemed do climb to their decreed Felicity ,io\.h ,
Tcmain whole and entire, appearing with a marvellous Beauty and Splendor. As.
the Rivers do all naturally, gradually znd fivcetly, glide along and flow from the
Sea, their proper Head and Fountain ; or as the Branches and full ripe Fruit, do
ill a proper Order and Gradation fpring up from the Root, fo all theBleffings of Re--
demption thro' Chrift's Blood, do flow or fpring up from God's free eterncl Elcc^
//^w of the Redeemed /.-j Chrift their glorious Head and Redeemer. Hence 'tis.
obfervabie,that when theApoftle is about particularly to fpecify the fever: IBenefits-
of Redemption and Salvation, he doth nift fum them up in general, as all fpring-
in"- up from EleSiion as their natural and proper Root j and which (as a Matter of
vaji Importance, God honouring., and Soul triumphing Confideration,) he ufliers in:
■With a rapturous Doxology oi Bleffingzwd Praife, to theglorious Father of Lights, .
the Giver of every of thofe good and perfeiSl Gifts, faying, *' BlefTed be tiie God
and Father of our Lord JefusChrift, who hath blefled us, with <7//fpiritual Blefiings
in heavenly Things in Chrift ; according (mark all is according) as he hath chofen
'usj«him before theFoundation oftheWorld." And then as thefe are /'/'«; chofen
in him, it is fiiewn that they come to have Redemption thro' him, according to
thcRiches of this ele^ingGrace ; and are faid in him to have obtained aninheritance
bein^ predeftinated thereunto according to the Purpofe of him, who worketh all
Things after theCounfel of his ownWill. Eph. i , So that it is an eternal, full, .
and complcat Redemption that Chrift hath obtained for them. To which the.
Prophets, as well as the Apoftles, did bear Witnefs, who teftified before-hand the
Sufferings of Chrift,and theGlory that flwu'd io\\ov^,x\2imdy therefrom h thereupon
in a proper, infeparable Conneaion and Order unto all thofe for whom he fufFered,,
being kept by the Pov/er of God thio' Faith unto Salvation-a ready to be revealed
ia-
Of particular R E D E M P T 1 0 IT, 245
in the laft Time, i Pet. i. 3, to 13. Whence, I do naturally zn^ Jlrongly
conclude^ that Chrift's Suiterings andDeath were defigned for the ele^i only^ not for
all Men. It muft in all good Reafon be allowed, that Juftification, Reconcilia-
tion, Adoption, Sandlification andGlorification, are all ejfential ??ixx.s of Redemp-
tion ; otherwife it will follow, that thefe are fuperJJuous in all that are adlualjy
faved which is ahfurd, as well as ccntradi^fory to Scripture Account of Things, re-
lating to that grand Affair, Hence, for the Confirmation of my Argument, I
;fhall briefly particularize.
Firft then, Jujlification by the Blood ofChrift, is a Benefit that naturally flow i
'from i\\Q Jhedding of it ; by which the Perfon is freed from his State of Wrath and
Condemnation, hath hisSins forgiven, and is accounted righteous in God's Sight y
thro' the Imputation of Chrift's Obedience and Suffering being received by faith,
Rom. 3. 2 1. 'to 27. Co!, r. 14. In whom we have Redemption thro' hisBIood j
even the Forgivenefs of Sins. Rom. ^. i, to 10. C/^^p. 8. 1,2,3,4,32,33,34.
*' God commendeth hisLov eto wards us in that while we were yet SinnersChrift
died for u?." Whence theApoftle doth moft nervoujly argue,much^more now then
being juftified by his Blood, we fhall be y^z;^^ from Wrath thro' him. Thus
thofe for whom Chrift fhed bis moft precious Blood, do thereby become entitled
unto aliual Juftification and Salvation. And that thefe are God'sEled and Pre-
deftinate appears from this Declaration, thofe whom he predeftinated, them he
aifo called, and whom he called, them alfo hejuftified, and whom hejuftified,
them he alfo glorified. Who fliali lay any Thing to the Charge of God's Eled ?
It is God that juftifieth, namely them. Who fhall condemn ? It is ,Chrift that
died, yea rather that is rifen again, afcended into Heaven, and fittiS^j^at the right
Hand of God making continual Interceffion ; appearing as their Advocate, plead-
ing the Vertue of his Death and Refurredion for their Soul faving Benefit, being
delivered for their Offence, and rifen again for theirjuftification, Rom.\.\Au
Thus his Interceffion is founded on his Satisfaction, and ever follows thereupon.
The End wherefore Chrift was made a Curfe, was that he might redeem thofe he
fuftered and died {or, frc?n the Curfeof the Law : And not only fo,but alfo that all
the Bleffings of the cverlafting Covenant, which is well order'd in all Things and
fure,ftiould come upon them. Therefore a Freedom from the Curfe of theLaw,
with anadual Pofteffion ofall thefe Bleffings, are effential Pansoi Redemption,
Gal. 3. 13, 14.
2. Reconciliation unto God as an offended Judge, whereby he comes to be a God ]
of Peace to the Redeemed, is another Benefit of Chrift's Death and Bloodflied^
which iflues in their c^^/^/ Salvation. That he becomes a God of Peace unto
them, who by Nature areChildren of Wrath even as others, is thro' the Blood of
the everlafting Covenant or the laying down the Life of the great Shepherd of
the Sheep, anfwerable to the eternal Covenant Tranfadions paft between him
and God the Father j concerning the Redemption of a chofen Number according
^o the E le^ ion o( Grace. Heb. 13. 20. Titus i. 12. 2 Tim. 29. Job. 17.1,2.
fee alfo Rom. 5. i, to 6. Therefgre being juftified by Faith, to wit, in Chrift's
Blood,
246 Of particular REDEMPTION.
Blood, (Chap. 3. 25.) we have Peace with God, thro' our Lord Jefus Chrift.'
By whom rilfo we have Accefs by Faith, into this Grace wherein we ftand, and-
rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God, i.e. of being one Day glorified with God ;
Even upon thefe fubiiantial Benefits of Juftification and R.econciliai!on. Whicb
(mentioning both together^ theApcftle doxhthus nervoufly argue, God commend-
ed his Love towards us in that v/hile we were yet Sinners Chrift died for us ;
jTinch more then being now juftified by his Blood, wefhali be faved from Wrath
thro' h-im. For if when we were Enemies, we were reconciled to God by the
Death of his Son ; much more being reconciled or madeFriends, wefhali be faved,
equally faved by his Life, or ever living to make Inteiceffion for us. The Tenor
of whofe Plea, founded on this Atonement and Satisfafton, is, " Father 1 will,
( I claim it as my Right, the proper Work of an Advocate being \.o plead Lavj and
"fujiice) that thofe whom thou hzi{ given me, be with mewhere I am, that they may
behold my Glory. Which was the very End of the Father's Eledion of them in
him, and giving them to him as hisCiiarge. y^?/'.! 7.1,2. with Ver. 24. " Thba
haft given him Power over all Flefh, that he might give eternal Life to asmany
?.s thou haft fjivenhim." And we are afTured that theFather heareth bimalways.-
^ob.H£f2. Nothing can, nothing y/;^//, mnfuit this kis Plea. As the laft Day will
declare: when Chrift fhall prefent them to his Father faying, " Lo ! here am
I, and the Children which thou haft given me, Heb. 1. 1-3. From all which it
appears, that Reconciliation, is an EfTeft and Benefit of Chrift's Death, and an
cflential Part of his Work as a Redeemer, and confequently, 'he did not die to
purchafe a^^«^r^/Redemption for all Alen.
3. Adop*tion is another Benefit of Chrift's Death, whereof all the Redeemed
are made Partakers. The fame, that are faid to have Redemption thro' Chrift's
l^lood, are declared to be predeftinated unto the Adoption of Children by him to
the Father, accordrng to the good Pleafure of his Will, Eph. i. 5,6,7. To
this End did God fend forth his Son, in the Fulnefsof Time, to be made of a
Woman, to be made under the Law, to obey it's Precepts, ?ind fuffer it'sPenalties,
that he might redeem them from under theCurfe thereof, juftiJy and reconcile the
Redeemed unto God. And not only fb, but that they alfo might receive tiie
Adoption of Sons ; and becaufe they are Sons, God fends forth the Spirit of his
Son into their Hearts, crying Abba Father, G^/. 4. 4, 5. Therefore the- Re-
deemed are not a tmiverjal, but a peculiar People.
4. San£lificntion is another Eft"ecl and Benefit of Chrift's" Death, and confe-
' nuently is an cfiential Part of Redemption wrought out by him. Lender whieii
is included, the Redecmicd's being efteclually called out from hellifli Dnrknefs
into God's marvellous Light ; a Tranflation out of Satan's Kingdom, into the
Kingdom of God's dear Son ; their being born again and fandtified throughout
in Spirit, Soul and Body, i'urificd and cleanfed in the Fountain that is opened
for Sin and for Uncleannefs, to theirGrowth in Grace and Holinefs from Glory io
Glory, by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 2- 18. Thofe whom Chrift fo lovcd^
asto purchdfeATith-his own Blood, be alio wafhetiriii hrs ^w« Blood, making
- - •■ ^ them
of particular R^E D E MPT I 0 N. 3-47
them Kings and Priefts unto God and his Father. A State both of Purity and
Honour. Having with his oty.'z Blood, obtained for them an heavenly Kingdom,
or eternal Redemption. Mis ic 28. Rev. i. 7. Heb. 9. 12. Hence finally,
to be redeemeed is to be delivered out of the Hand of all Soul Enemies whatfc-
cver. Sin, Satan, the World, Death, Hell, and the Grave ; and at laft received
unto God*s heavenly Kingdom 3 where the Redeemed (hall forever- du'ell, fing--
ing forth everlafi-ing Hallelujahs imto God, that fitteth on the Throne, and to
the Lamb for ever and ever. See Luke i. 68, to "jb. " fie Iiath \'ifited and re-
deemed his People, that they fhould be delivered out of the Hand of all their Ene~
niies. Tli. 2. 14. '* He gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from aU
huqulty, and purify us unto himfelf a peculiar People, zealous of good Works.'*
Col. 1.12. " Who hath delivered us from the Pbvi'ers oi Darknefs^ and tranfla-.
ted us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have Redemption thro' hi.-j
JBIood." Gal. I. 3,4. " Jefus Chrift viho gave himfelf for our Sins, that he
might deliver us from this prefent evil World, according to the Will of God and
our Father." Hofta 13. 14. '* \W\\\ranfom them from the Power of the
Grave, I will redeem them from Z)^<3/i'." i Thef. i. 10. " And to wait for
his Son from Heaven, who hath delivered us from the Wrath to come." i Thef,
5. 9,10. " God hath not appointed us unto Wrath ; but to obtain Salvation hy
our Lord Jefus Chrift, who died for us., that whether we wake or ileep, we
fhouldlive together with him", i The/. 4. 17. *' And fo we lliall be ever with
the Lord." Rev. 7.9,10. ''■ And after this I beheld, and loa great Multitude,
which no Man could number, of all Nations, and Kindred, and People, and
Tongues flood before the Throne, and before the Lamb cloathed with white
Robes and Palms in their Hands, and cried with a loud Voice fayin(y, Salvation to
our God, which fitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb." And now
withal obferve, that their Song in Heaven, will not he of zuniverfal but oarii-
cular Redemption, Rev. ^. g. ** And they fung a new Song, favino^, Thou art
worthy to take the Br-ok and to loofe the Seals thereof : for thou waft {lain iind
haft redeemed us unto God by thy Blood, out of every Kindred, and Tongue, and
People, and Nation." Rev. 1.$. " To him that hath loved us and waftiedua
from our Sins in his own Blood, and made us Kings and Priefts unto God and hii-
Father j to hinxbe glory and Dominion for ever and ever, Arnen.'^
Now that thefe are tf/7^;2//W Parts of Redemption is poft Denial. 7'hat th^
can't be applied unto *// Men, FaS}s znd Events do and will declare. And that
thefc Branches of Redemption do only belong to z peculiar People clccled out from-
amomjl all Nations, the divine Oracles do evidence. And whom we alfo thence
fee {coUe£iivily and ahfolutely confidered) are zn innumerable Number. " I en-
dure all Things (faith St. Paid) for the Ele£is Sake, that they alfo may attain the
Salvation which is in Chrift Jefus with eternal Glory." And truly nothing ftiort oi
all this is included in thofe blefled Words ;. and without which they have not
their full Accompliftiment, -y/z. " That Jefus Chrift is of God made unto his
People,. Wifdom and Righteyufnefs, and Sanaification, and Redemption.''
2. Cor. I. 30.
K. k Nov7>
248 Of parlktihr REDEMPTION.
Now from all this it undeniably appears, that the Doflrine of univhfalRe-
demption is a Do6lrine which to the Scriptures is an entire Stranger, which they
know nothing of ; diti Invention oi Men's Brains, a Is/ul/ity, an JJ/ert ion without
Proof, a Sotwd without Subjiance, and "s^felf ContradtSiion, carrying with it it's
own Confutation. A Scheme utterly unworthy of an all- glorious God to /i?rw,
and of all wife Men to receive and entertain. VVhilft the Dodrine of peculiar Ke-
demption,ftands upon a rnoji firm znd fureFeundation,wonhy of (o great zRedeeiner
to effecf, and ths molt invaluable Price of his molt precious Blood to purchafe.
#€**^€*#€^€*##€^€*€^€*€*##€*#?#######^*^€^€*#^^#*^^
CHAP. ir.
AND now in order to bring home, and more clofely to apply thefeArguments,
eiiher for the ConviSfion, or at lead for the more effe^ual Confutation of our
grand Vntverjali/ls, and for the better Confirmation of the Truth, I have
undertaken by God's Help to defend, fufFer mt (candid Reader) from the Pxe-
niifes to plead a little.
Is it fo then as I have proved, that fl//thofe afore-mentioned fpiritual Privi-
ledges and Benefits, are the natural Fruits and EfFeds of Chrift the Redeenu'r's
Sufferings and Death accruing to all the Redeemed ; and are they all t^JJ'entiai
Parts of that f/i?n/<7/ Redemption, which he purchafed and obtained for them with
the Price of his own Blood ? As vi^ho dare deny the fame ? Then I wou'd
freely afk the AfTerters of the Doctrine of «w;V^ryi/ Redemption ; are all Man-
kind individually thus redeemed ? Jre they, or ever fljall they <7//be juftified by tlie
Redeemer's Blood, that by them is faid to be flied for them ? Are all of them
freed from Wrath and Condemnation, and accounted righteous in the Sight of
God thro' the Imputation of the Redeemer's Righteoufnefs received by Faith ?
Are all made the Righteoufnefs of God in him by Virtue of his becoming a Sia
and a Curfe for them ? Are all by Vertue hereof, redeemed from the Curfe of
the Law, and do many of them notwithftanding flill lie under the Curfe thereof?
How abfurd is this ? Are all Men purchafed by his Blood, that by it they might
be juftified and faved from ^Vrath thro' him, while many do ftill and fliall forever
lie under Wrath ? Or will you offer to fay that juftified Perfons may be damned ?
As indeed your very merciful Dodrine of univerfal Redemption znd falling from
Grace doth maintain. (2) As y ou affirm Chrift flied his moft preceiousBIood for
all, I wou'd afk you, Are or ever Hiall all Men be reconciled untoGod by hisBlood
fhed ? Is God, a God of Peace unto all Men thro' the Blood of the everlafting
Covenant, as Sheep under the peculiar Care of the great Shepherd, fo as that all
are or ever fhall be faved by his Life ; or ever living to make Interceftion for
them, appearing as theirAdvocate in the Prefence of God in theCourt of Heaven ?
Doth he there enter on their Behalf this his interceeding Plea, " Father I will
that thofe whom thou haft given me be with me where I am, that they may be-
hold my Glory," And yet do Thoufandjof this tf// never attain thereunto, but
• finally
Of panicular REDEMPTION. 249
finally mifcarry ? What then becomes of the great Redeemer's Honour whfle
his Plea is thus nonfulted and proved invalid? If the Redeemer as an Advocate
thus pleads fur all Men ; either he knoivi whether it will prove efFeiSlual, or he
does not ; to fay he doth not, is to charge him with Ignorance ; and to fay he
doth, and yet nvit he produceth this Plea for all Men, is manifeftly to charge him
with Folly &^Veaknefs, as knowingly to do that which is to no Purpofe todo. The
very fame may be faid oi\\\^d)ing with an Intent that a 1 Men Ihould be faved.
The Truth is, there is a World that fhall be condemned, in Contradiflinition
from a Pei pie that are chaftened of the Lord, as a Means to prevent their Con-
demnation with that World. I Cor.ii.ip.. There is a World of Men for
whom (Jhriftrefus'd to pray, that they might be with him in Glory, Joh.i'j.Bq.
And confequently, for whom he refufed to die, that they might poflefs ihatGloiy.
The Realoning xsjuji, rational z\\6 ftrong, that if he had fo loved them as to have
poured out his Soul untoDeath for them, making it an Offering for their Sins, and
to the purchafing of their Salvation ; the fame Love wou'd have led him to have
p:)ured out an interceeding Prayer for them that they might be with him inGlory.
But as he refufed to breath out a Prayer for them, which is the/^r, what Colour
of Reafon can be produced, wherefore he fhou'd have breathed out his very Life
and Soul for them, which is by fo ?7iany Degrees \.\\q greater ? (3) As you afHrm
Chrift died to redeem all Men without Exception, 1 would af!< you, are or ever
fhall all thefe become God's adopted Children and Heirs of Heaven ? Were they
all predeftinated to that Priviledge by Jefus Chrift, according to the good Plea-
fure of God's Will ? No ; our Univerfalifts dare not afJirm it. Why then
fl^ou'd they infifl that Chrift died with a Defign that all Men fhou'd have Redemp-
tion thro' his Blood, fince all that have this latter are Partakers of the former ?
(4) Is it r>, that Sandtification as before defcribed, is an {//^/7/m/ Part of Chrifl's
Work as a Redeemer ? I would nfk, Gre or ever fl^all all Men, be thus fancii-
fied ? Are <?// redeemed by Chrift from all Iniquity, and purified to himfclfasa
peculiar People zealous of good Works ? Are all vvafheJ in his own Blood, and
made Kings an<l Priefts unto God, as their Father, as the Fruits of his redeem-
ing Love ? Or wou'd it not be a Contradiction in TVrwn, to fay that he re-
deemed all Men in ^<'«^m/ throughout every Kingdom and Nation, Tongue and
People, and from among (I Men? Are all tbefe his Church which he pinchafed
with his own Blood ? Or fliall it be faid of the Multitudes that pcrifh in their
Sins, that Godferioufly defigned^ they fliould have Redemption thro' his Blood, even
the Rcmiflion of their Sins, accordmg to the Riches of his Grace ? That never-
thelefs he is difappointed of his End } Or will any affirm, that for all tliem that
perifh, as well and as much as for them that are faved, Chrift their high
Prieft once entred into the holv Place, the heavenly Glory witk his cwni
Blood, having thereby obtained eternal Redemption for theiii [ This were to
difpeople Hell at once ; or elfe to dimifl) the Redeemers Honour as fatally
difappointed of his grand Defign of dying for all^ and lefjening both the meritoricin
znd efficacious Value and Verti^e of his precious Blood, that he is faid to fhed for
everyone. Shall it he faid, that the Lord C?od of Ifracl, vifued and redeemed
ff// People, VMthoiH Exeeptim^ and raifed up an Horn of Sulvatiou for ibem, that
K k 2 they
250 Of. parikuhr REDEMPTION. .
they (Lould be faved from the Harris oi all Enanies according to l>is M^rcy pro-
KiiCed, his Oath and Covenant, that neverthelefs Thoufands do ftill r^w^/Vz in^
their Enemies Hands ? What Iticonfi/hncies and Contradi^iions ar^ here ? In fhort,
are Juftitication, Reconciliation, Adoption, Sandification and (jloriiication,
-^/v«//rt/ Parts oi' Redemption ? Are all thefe the natural and in jepcralyle Effects
of the Redeemer's Undertakings to futTer die z^x\A interceed for Men ? llienhow
f:.briird is it for any to plead for the J)o£lrine of umverfal Redemption, ilnce fo
many of the c//, Chrift is faid by our Opponents to die for, an-d redeem ; do for
ever mifs <>{ Juch Redemption ? To talk of a univerfal Redemption without a uni-
Vr-rfal Salvation h (as Dr. Chatmcey obferves) an Abfurdity of they??-/? Rate. It
/i? to leprerent Chrilt as a Saviour vvithoutSalvation, and a Redeemer without com-
pjeat Redemption, having fpilt his Blood at a blind znd uncertain Adventure for
ail, leaving tlie Event and Sucoefs of his Redemption Work to the Free-Will De-
tc-rminations of thofehe died for, inftead of infallibly fecuring the End thereof in
II ijdom \ whence it comes to pafs that tfx /5 many, he fpilt his mofl precious
Blood //2 'z;<a;V; ; He paid down the invaluable Price, but loft great Part of the
I'urchafe. And upon the fame Grounds and Reafons might have loft all therejl ;
3x3 and had done fo, had it not been that fome Men thought fir to improve their
free Will Stock of Abilities, with a more careful and diligent Hand than others,
who thereby rendred the Redeemer's Undertakings effectual to their own sflual
Salvation, which othervvife had as certainly failed as any of the reft, and fo he
had died in vain altogether.
T.his is the very Cafe of the Arininian DocSlrine of _(;-fwrtf/ Redemption, where-
by they do at once vail the IFifdom^ and UJfcn the Love and Merit of the great
Redeemer, and rob him of his Honour, by giving it to theCreature, which makes
itl'elf to ditter from others : It being a ruledCafi.', that the Agency and the Honour
ever go together. So that inflead of faying, " Not unto us, O Lord, not unto
us, but unto thy Name ; they are taught to fay, not unto thy Name, not unto
thy Name ; but unto us be the Praife, who by our Free-will Determinations
rendrcd to ourfelves theMcrit &Virtue of Chrift'bBlood efficacious ^^\\\q\\ otherwife
had proved ineffe^ual to our aSiual and eternal Salvation, for any ahfolateznd infal-
lible Meafures the Redeemer had taken to fecure the fame. So that after 2II our
Opponents hoajling Out-crys, of God's univerfal L>o\'q in giving his dear Son to
die for all Men's Salvations, accor<ling to their Scheme of a rcW///i'?7«7/ Redemp-
tion ; God and Chrift did not render their Salvation fo fure ; but that all of them
(if they fo willed) might make each one his own Damnation certain. This is the
true Anatomy of the Do<£trine of //«/wr/^/ Redemption. A Dodtrine highly dif-
honourable to the flll-ivife God, who>by it's Priends is reprefentcd as the Author of
it ; unworthy the Reception of any wife and confiderate Mind, as fuhverf.ve of
the Gofpel of Chrift our great and glorious Redeemer. Which blefled Gofpel of
•his was never defigned, to teach Men to rcprefent him like the foolifli Builder,
whom he there condemns for undertaking the Building of a Tower, without fit-
ting down hrfi: to coun:: the Coft, whether he was wife and able enough to iinifh
the fame, left Aden begin to mock, faying. This Man began to build, but was
notable tofmifli, he undertook an important Work, Hand over Head, without
taking
0/ particular REDEMPTION, 251
talcing proper Meafures in order to fecure the End of his Undertaking. Neither
■doth that blefled Gofpel teach Men in the Matters of Redemption and Salvation,
to facrifice to their o:c;;i Net, and to burn Incenfe to their <?«;« Dragos, to the
'Reedeemer^s D!J})onour^ under 2. fpecious Pretence of doing him Honour. It was ne-
ver the Defign of divine Revelation, to teach A4en to honour one divineAttribute
to the utter Difparagement of another, yea to the Difparagem^ent of that very
Attribute, which by them is pretended to be honoured, as in the Inflances of
tlivine Wifdom and Love, \\\q former being eclipfed of it's Glory in order to ex-
alt the latter, and this latter lejfened and defparagedby the undue and auhvaraMcz-
fures that are ufed in order to exak it. All which is the veryCafe of the DocSlrine
of a conditional univerfal Redemption. Yea, while our Univerfalifls do, with
full and open Atouth, charge us with ■rendring^?^?^ unju/} by our Scheme of Doc-
trine ; how evidently do they do the very yi7w^ T/?/^'^ by their own ? Whereby |
the all-righteous God is reprefented, as taking a double Payment and SatisfacSfion '
for the Sins of many, for whom /^if^yi^y Chrift died as much as for any others ;
one at the Hands of their Surety and Redeemer upon the Crofs ; and another at
their ozvn in Hell-Fire. How abfurd is this from fuch Univerfalif^s, as do readily
allow of the proper Divinity^ Suretif})ip and SaiisfaSiion of the Redeemer, as I
know fome of them do allow, particularly Mr. Tho?n'as Grantham, and Mr.
Jofeph Hoock, as I fhall fliew from thcirWorks hereafter ? And as for iheSocinian
w-ho deiies ti.is, mi'ciitrno m )re of the dear Redeemer than a mcer Creature^
under all the fplendid Titles he gives him, and no more of his Sufferings and-Death
than a meer Example of Piety and Patience, Faithfulnefs andFortitude, as a brave
Prophet and Martyr. I fay for fuch a one, a Socinian in Grain, to appear either ;
from the Prefs or from tlie Pulpit, as a mighty Advocate for univerfal Redemp-
tion, crying out he died for all Men individually, every Man, andtheuhole
World (as fome have done) is a Piece of unfufferahle Nonfence and Contraditlion.
For a Man to plead that Chrift died for all Men. who denies that he fuffered
and died as a Surety in the Room znd Stead of any one Man, is no better than
an inconftflcnt deceitful Declamation to the univary, and a meer noify Out-cry. It
is jdt as the Proverb faith, a Noife about nothing.
But to proceed ; notwithftanding that)>r?^^w;// Proof v!e have to produce, in
Behalf of the Dodlrine of particular Redemption, and thofe 7jiany grofs Abfurdities
and Inccnftjhncies, that attend the contrary Do^rine, as I havefliewn, our Oppo-
nents are incejjiint in their Charges and (JbjciSlions againft us, very pertly alledg-
ir.g, '« That the D>6lrine of Redemption is not ahjolute but conditional, that is
to fay, that Chrift died for all Men upon Condition that they wou'd believe in him,
repent and be perfeveringly obedient ; that God, bearing a univerfal equal Love
to the whole fallen Race of y/<yff,7/, did give his dear Son to die for them, who by
his Death reftored them all into fuch a Capacity, that they may believe, repent
and be faved if they will, without any fupernatura] Aids, but by (he Improve-
ment of their common Stock of Free-will Abilities. Which dy they doth better
comport with the divine Mercy and Goodnefs, than that Docflrine which con-
fines redeeming Love to a Part of Mankind only, and which confequently (fay
they) doth better provide for the poor Sinner's Comfort and Encouragementjthan
the
252 Of particular REDEMPTION.
the Doftrine of />/7r//Vj//<2r Redemption, which rzther tends to Di/couragatunt
and Defpair. Moreov er that it is contrary to many exprefs Texts of Scripture,
which of fpeak Chrift's dying for all Men, every Man, the Worlds yea the luhole
World." Which Objedion it muft be confeiled doth carry with it zfair Shew
to the weak and unwary ; efpecially when (et off with fomeEmbelhfhments of Ar-
rninian Rhetorick. Neverthelcfs, when weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary
appears to be, as indeed it is, lighter than Vanity, as I have, I truft in a good Mea-
fure made evident. As to the latter Part of this Obje6lion, that fpeaks of thofe
Scripture Terms of Univerfality, I (hall give Anfwer in the proper Place, in ?i par-
ticular Manner ; and at prefent give particular Attendance to the former Part of it,
and accordingly anfwer. That the Do<Slrine of a conditional Redemption is no lefs
unworthy of the all-vi^ife God than that of a conditional Ele£iion ; the Vanity of
which I have before largely fhewn under the Head of Eie6tion, to the which I re-
fer my Reader : Who alfo is defired to view well what I have faid in the few Pages
paft, under the Head of particular Redemption ; let him confider well t\\fi har-
monious Scripture Proof \ have given in Behalf of //;«/ DoSlrine, together with the
many grofs Abfurdities which do clogg the contrary Scheme, and he will (if impartial
and iinprejudiced) fee that the DocStrine of Redepiption is not conditional but abfo-
lute ; and that the Charges brought againft us concerning our blemilhing the
divine Perfedlions, and putting a Bar in the Way of poor Sinners Comfort andEn-
coura^^ement, doth fairly revert upon thofe that bring them. Holy Scripture, found
Reafon^ and Fa^ do jointly concur to overthrow our Opponents Notions.
For firfl. Scripture, as I have before fhewn, doth declare that Redemption,
as well as God's Eledlion, is peculiar and abjolute ; procuring a certain Salvatioa
unto all the Redeemed.
(2) Sound Reafon declares, that as God is a Being of infinite Perfe6lions, and
as Redemption is the chief of all his Works, fo it naturally follows, that he muft
have laid it out in fuch infinite Wifdom, as that the End thereof be fccured ; and
not fubjedi to Heaps oi Contingencies and hujnan Arbitrament whereby it fhould
be liable to fail, whereby he wou'd be rendred fioating znd fiuSfuating in his Pur-
pofes and Proceedures, contrary to the natural Dodtrine of his Immutability, as the.
glorious Eather of Lights, with whom there is no Variablenefs nor Shadow of
Turning. I/MUj. ij. That as he muft have defigned, in this greateft of his
Works, to difplay and promote his own Glory ; fo he will titcQ it in fuch a AJan-
mr, whereby <7//his Perfe(5lions,one as well as another, in a ?noJi harmonious Man-
ner, Ihould fhine forth and be glorified. This I fay, is what even Jound Reafon
itfelf doth declare and teftify, as in all Reafon ought to be allowed.
Hence then I proceed to obferve, that to this Account of Things, the Dodrine
of peculiar and ahfolute Redemption, doth perfeSily ageee ; while the contrary
Scheme of Do6frine doth ftand in dire£i Oppofition thereunto. For in theDo<Slrine
oi peculiar and ahfolute Redemption, we may behold every Attribute ihining forth,,
with a moji fweet Harmony and Splendor^
As (i) God's fovereign, and every IVay Free-Grace and Favour, in redeeming'
^peculiar People, a Remnant according to the Elei£tion of Grace, and not of
Works. Who, while he without any Stain to his Jufticf, mig^hthave with-heid
the
0/ particular REDEMPTION. 253
the Gift of a Redeemer, not granting the fame to any of the fallen human Race,
was pleafed of his fovereign Grace and Pleafure to give him for theRedemptionof
a Part thereof, chofen in Chrift before all Worlds to that End, as V^eilels of
Honour and Glory. What then ? Is God unrighteous ? Nay. But how is
that proved ? How ! Why from the Teflimony of God hlmfelf^ who faid unto
Mofes^ *' 1 will be gracious, unto whom I will be gracious, and have Mercy,
on whom I will have Mercy." So then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him
that runneth, not of him that repenteth, believeth and obeyeth ; but it is of God
that fheweth slewing redeeming Mercy. Whence appears the Mfolutenefi and
A'u«- conditionality thereof.
(2 j Herein ihines forth his marvellous TVifdom, or as St. Paulas Phrafe is, ■
*' The manifold Wifdom of God according to the eternal Purpofe, which he
purpofed in Chrifl Jefus our Lord." Eph, 3. 10. ii. And again, " AlllVifdom
and Prudence^ wherein he abounds towards his Redeemed." Eph. i. y, 8, 9. In
Jaying out fuch a Scheme for their Redemption as fhould be certainly effe<5ted,and
that too in fuch a Manner wherein his rich Love, Mercy, Holinefs and Juftice
might together fliine forth. The Redeemer obeying, fuffering and meriting for
the redeemed Sinner, who thence beccmes, in a fVay of Righteoufnefs^ enthled
unto and a6iually polleHed of the Bleffings of Juftification, Reconciliation, Adop-
tion, San£lilication and eternal Glory. Chrift having by his own Blood obtained
eternal Redemption for them j and with the Price thereof in his Hand afcended
into Heaven, which lie there pleads on theirBehaIf,even that they may be with him
to behold his Glory; Which alfo fliews, that Redemption is not coW/ZiiJW^j/ but
abfolute. The Gofpel tells us, that God hath fet forth his Son to be a Propitiation
thro' Faith in his Blood, to declare his Rightemfnefi for the Remiflion of Sins ;
that he may ^ejujf (mark) that he may he ju/f, as well as merciful, in the juftl- \
fying of him that believeth in Jcfus. Rom. 3. 24, i^c. And to this we are told,
that thofe who are juftified by his Blood fhall be faved from Wrath thro' him, and
that being alfo reconciled by his Blood they fhall be faved by his Life. Thus
then we fee, that the Juftice and Righteoufnefs of God is engaged for the Salva-
tion of the Redeemed, and which moft fplendidly Ihines forth therein, with a
blefTed Harmony.
As doth (3J his Truth and Faith fulnefs., in the adual Performance of the Fa- \
ther's Promifes, both to his Son the Redeemer for himfelf as the Reward of hi's )
Sufferings, and to his People in him their Head, when thofe eternal Tranfadlions
palled between the Father and the Son in the Covenant of Redemption. The
firftofwhich we have in, Ifai. 53. 10, ii, 12. " It pleafed the Lord to bruife
him, he hath put him to Grief : when thou fhalt make his Soul an Offering for
Sin, he fhall fee his Seed, he fhall prolong his Days, and the Pleafure of the Lord
fhall profper in his Hand. He fhall fee the Travail of his Soul and be fatisfied :
by his Knowledge fliall my righteous Servant juftify many, for he fhall bear their
Iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a Portion with the Great, and he fhall
divide the Spoil with the Strong : bccaufe he hath poured outh's Soul untoDeath :
and he was numbrcd with the Tranfgreflbrs : and he bare the Sins of many and
made IntercefTion for the TraafgrefTors. " See alib^ Phil. 2. 8, 9, 10, i i.--The
fecond
2 54 ^/ particular R E D E M P ri 0 N.
fecond you have, Tit. 1.2. *' In Hopes of eternalLife, whichGod that cannot lie
haih promifed before the World began-" And as a true and faithfulGod will per-
form it, upon the Score and Account of what the Redeemer then undertook for
his People to do and fufFer, and which accordingly he hath done, as in the before
named Text ; hence it is that the Promifes of God in Chrift to Believers are
y~ea and Jr/jen, to the Glory of God. 2 Cor.i.XP. Thus, in a moft blefl'ed
Harmony in the great Work of Redemption, ^' Mercy and Truth are met to-
gether, Righteoufnefs and Peace have kiiTcd each other. Truth (hall, fpring out of
the Earth, and Righteoufnefs fhall look dov/n froniHeaven," Pfal. 85. 10,1 1.
(4.) The c^ivifje hnmutability and Power dofliine forth in the glorious VVork
of Redemption, in that God by \\\^ fteady Counfels and almighty Arm, doth ftea-
dily efFtct the divine Counfels of Wifdom and Grace therein j. fo that the Re-
deemed, notwithftanding all Difficulties whatfoever, are kept by the Power of
God thiough Faith unto Salvation, ready to be revealed in the laft Time. Ifa.
46. 10. *' Declaring the End from the Beginning, and from ancient Times the
Thinos that are not yet done, faying, My Counfel fhall fland,.and I will do all my
Pleafure." Yea, an Oath from God is given forth both for the Confirmation of
the Faith, and promoting the Confolation of the redeemed Heirs of Prom ife in
this Matter. Heb. 6. 16, ^c, " For Men verily fwear by the greater,, and aa
Oath for Confirmation is to them an End of all Strife. Wherein,. God willing
more abundantly to (hew unto the Heirs of Proniife the Immutability of hisCoun-
fel, confirmed it by an Oath: That by two immutable Things, in which it is
impoffible for God to lie, we might have ftrong Confolation, who have fled for
Refuge to lay hold of the Hope fet before us : Which Hope we have as an. Anchor
of the Soul both fure and ftedfaft, and which entreth into that within the Vail,
%. e. the heavenly Glory j whither the Forerunner is for us entred, even Jefu&,
who is an Hlgh-Prieft for ever after the Order of Melchifedeck." All which the
glorious Tranfaflions of the laft Day will fully manifefl,unto God's eternal Praife,
and the Redeemed's eternal.^ as well as unfpeakable Comfort; when their great
Redeemer fhall come to be glorified in the Saints, and admired in all them that
believe, who fhall be faved with an everlafting Salvation ; with Joy in their
Hearts, with Songs in their Mouths, with Harps of Melody and Palms of Vidlory
in their Hands, faying, " Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals
thereof; for thou wafl {lain, and hafl redeemed us unto God by thy Blood out of
every Kindred, and Tongue, and People, and Nation : To him that loved us,
and wafhed us from our Sins in his own Blood, and made us Kings and Priefls
unto God and his Father, to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever.
Thus, I hope, I have made it appear, not only that Redemption is abfoluie^ not
conditional, but alfo how fitly calculated the Dodrine oi peculiar Redemption is,
both for God's Honour in glorifying all his Perfections, and the penitent, believing
Sinner's abundant Encouragement and Confolation, contrary to what is laid to our
Charge in the aforefaid ObjtClion : Whence I proceed briefly to evidence how.
juflly the Charge doth revert upon the Bringers of it= Andj
(i.) The
Of particular REDEMPTION. 255
(i.) The Do6lrine of a conditional YAtCWon and Redemption doth diflionour
God's Sovcreigriiy in the difpenfing redeeming Favours, by putting Creature CoH"
ditions and Performances in its Room ; whence it follows, that it is of him that
willeth and runneth, him that believeth and repenteth, and not of God, that Men
become Partakers of redeeming Mercy ; in direct Oppofition to God's fovereign
Claim before-mentioned, Rom. 9. Exod. 33. 19.
(2.). Hereby redeeming Love \s difparaged^ and the Glory thtreof eclip/ed'ji^
fince theSci'ipture (hews us, that Chrift, as the Fruits thereof, did not die for
Men, confrdered as Believers^ penitent, juji and obedient Perfons, but as Sinnen
wi'.hout Strength and ungodly. Rom. 5. 6, 7. *' But God commendeth (and
glorioufly difplays) his Love towards us, in that while we were yet tSzw/fn, Chrift
died for us." i Pet, 3-18. *' Chrift alfo hath once fuftered for our Sins, the
Juft for the Unjuft, that he might bring us unto. God." And Reafon itfelfxt\\%\
us, that if Chrift died to atone for Men's Sins, he muft confequently die for \
them confidered as Sinners ; that the Believer, the Penitent and Obedient are the
Perfons to whom Chrift becomes the Author of eternal Salvation is true, yet
thence to conclude, that thefe Q^ialifications are Conditions of redeeming Love is
falfe. The Truth is, as Sandtification is an effential Part of Redemption, fo
Chrift by his holy Spirit doth, in due Seafon, work in the Hearts of his Redeemed
thefe Graces, (o that they are Part of the Bleffings of Redemption, as the Fruits
and the Effeds, not the Caufes of redeeming Love. Thefe are miJdU Things be-
tween EleiSlion and Salvation, to which the Redeemed were chofen, in Chrift,
before all Worlds, in order to make them meet for the Enjoyment of that Salva-
tion : The Covenant of Grace being abfolute, doth enable the Redeemed to do
whit the Gofpel requires of them that are favcd. Chrift in loving and giving.
himfelf for his Church, in order to fan6tify it, and prefent it to h\m{t\^ fpotlefiv
and glorious, hath confequently engaged for the Performance of every Thing that ii
needful unto that End. He hach engaged both for the Duty and the Safety oi \.\\q
Church, whichhe hath redeemed. He makes his People a willing and obedient
People in the Day ot his Power upon their Souls. Pfal. no. 3. They are not
forced againft their Wills, as Ibme Men love to fpeak ; for tho' they are drawn,
yet do they run : Song. i. 5. " Draw me,, we will run after thee." The fame
Love which provided a Saviour, will alfo with him give Salvation, with all Things
needful to effect it. Hence St. Paul nervoufly argues, when fpeaking of God's
Eleft by Name, " If God fpared not his own Son, but freely gave hnn up for us \ K
all, howftiali he not with him freely give us all Things?" If he gave us the-
greater, he certainly will not withhold the lif/er.
Hence then, the Dj6trine of conditional Redemption, which leaves the Salva-
tion of the Redeemed mo{{ precarious and uncertain, doth eclipfe the Glory of
redeeming L'jve, while the contrary Doctrine doth abundantly exalt it and difplay,
its Glory^ And for any to fay, that the Graces of Faith and Repentance are not
Part of the Purchafe of Chrift's Blood, is to derogate from the Merit thereof.
In fhort, as they are both the Gift of God's Grace, through Chrift the Redet.MTier,
it is contrary both to Scripture and good Senfe to affirm them to be Conditions of
Redemptaon.. 6&^:Zech, 12, 10, £ph. 2. B, <), 10, .^<!/J 5- 30, 3J, 32. To
LI" talk
256 Of paKticuIar REDEMPTION,
talk of a conditional Redemption is to make of Chrifl ho more than a conditiffml
Redeemer, and to make that the moving Caufe of Men's Jntereft in redeefibing
Love, which is the Fruits and Effedls of it, and that a Condition of Redemption
v^hich is a Part of the Thing itfelf, which is ahfurd. For as Chrift himfelf, fo
Faith to believe in him unto Salvation, is the free Gift of God, who in giving
Chrift to his Church, did with him give it all Things, even as in the Gift of a rich
Kingdom, all the Honours and Privileges thereof are included. Phil. i. 29.*' To
you it is given on the Behalf of Chrift to believe." How odly would it found
for a loving Phyfieian to fay tozfrant'tck Perfon, My Love is fuch towards you,
that I will cure you of your Frenzy, upon Condition you will be fober, and at
the fame Time to withhold his fkilful Hand from applying of ^-^W Meafures
to cure him thereof? Or for a gracious Sovereign to fay to all the Prifoners
throughout the Jurifdi6lion of another Prince, I will purchafe and grant you your
Liberties upon Condition that you will knock ofF your Chains and Bolts, and un-
lock the Prifon-Doors, and then trouble himfelf no farther about their Liberty ?
And yet as abfurd as this would be, the Dodlrine of a conditional Redemption is
no lefs abfurd, which gives no better a Reprefentation of Chrift our great Phy-
fieian, King and Redeemer; contrary to the Scripture- Account of him and his
LTndertakings, which faith, that thofe for whofeSins he was wounded and bruis'd-,
are thereby healed, Ifa. 33. 5. and that he v;as anointed not only to purchafe for;
and proclaim Liberty to the Captives, but alfo to open the Prifon-Doors, and to;;
fet at Liberty them that are bound, Ifa. 61. i. Luk. 4. 18. It is Part of his
Work, as a Redeemer, to knock off the Bolts and Fetters of Unbelief from the
-Redeemed, to deliver them from the Powers of Darknefs into his own Kingdom,
Col. I. 12, 13, 14. " For this Purpofe was the Son of God manifefted, that
he might deftroy the Works of the Devil," whereof the Sin of Unbelief is the
Head and Chief, i Job. 3. 8. Hence, when St. Paid fpeaks of Chrift's kingly
Power exerted in and by the preaching of the Gofpel, as a Means of Sandifica-
tion, Faith and Converfion, he faith, that " the Weapons of our Warfare are
mighty, through God, to the pulling down of ftrong Holds, caftingdown Lnagi-
nations,or carnal Reafonings, and every high Thing that exalteth itfelf againft the
Knowledge of God, and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience
•of Chrift," 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. Thus doth Chrift, as an ahfolute and compleat Re-
deemer, redeem both by Purchafe and by Power. In the former he ads as a
Prieft, and in the latter as a Prophet and King of his Church, whom he gave
himfelf for, that he might in due Time fandtify and cleanfe it by the waftiing of
Water by the JVord, and at laft prcfent it unto himfelf y/)(5//^/r and glorious.
Hence then (as we fee) he ordinarily effeds this Work of Faith, Converfion
and Obedience unto God, in and by the Miniftry of the Word of the Gofpel, and
that too in a rational VVay ; fo the various Reafonings and Expoftulations, Pro-
mifes and Threatnings, Reproofs, Admonitions and Exhortations which Chrift's
Minifters do ufe towards their Auditors, are fo far from being contradi£tory untOj
or inconfiftent with the above Account of ahfolute Redemption (as our Opponents
do object) as that there is a perfeii Confijiency and Jgree?nent therewith. The
Minifter indeed, not knowing but all his Auditors doth belong unto the Eledion-
of
Of particular REDEMPTION. 257
of Grace, doth very confiftently with his Do£lrine of peculhr Redemption, ad-
drefs himfelf unto all of them : Yea, it is his Duty, as a fpiritual Fiflierman, to
caft the Net of the Gofpel with an open Hand and extended Arm, in order to
gather all the Fifh that comes within the Reach of his Net ; howfoever feme, as
i-fld^Fifh, fhall at the laft Day, be fevered from the good and caft away, Mat^
13. 47, 48. The great Commiffion runs thus, '* Go ye into all the World and
preach the Gofpel to every Creature : He that believeth and is baptized fhall be
faved, and he that believcth not fhali be damned," A^ark 16. 16. TheGofpel's
proving a Savour of Death unto Death unto fome, as well as a Savour of Life un-
to Life unto others, is no Bar to its being preached wherefoever God fends it ',
{2 Cor. 2. 14, 15, 16.) as in that remarkable Inftance of St. /^i7w/'s and i?orwi?-
bas^s Preaching at Antioch, pertinent to my Purpofe, Acls 13. 44, 45, 46, 47,48.
which under the Head of Eledlion I have fully opened.
It is indeed objected to us, ** That the univerfol Love of God hath made fuch
♦' rich and ample Provifion in giving his Son to die for all Alen^ that nonefhould
«* perifli for want of Redemption purchafed for them, but through their Sins and
" Unbelief.'^ To which I anfwer, .p.: ..j. ! .-;. J
(i.) That true it is, that final Impenitence and Unbelief is- the co^ieyrimn^
Sin which renders Men- obnoxious to the divine Wrath, and the Juflice of God
will triumph in their juft Condemnation, v/ho not forcedly but frc/fy rejected God
and his Way of faving Sinners, and fo Hand felf- condemned, as thofe above-menti-
oned in A^s 13. *' For this is the Condemnation, that Lipht is come into the
World, and Men loved Darknefs rather than Light, becaufe their Deeds weie
evil," Joh. 3. 19. ** 3^ Ti//7/not come to me that ye might have Life," joh.
5. 40. Their Willie are indeed free, but it is unto Evil only. Ver. 42. ^*.T
know you that the Love of God is not in you." If my Objectors fliouid flill fay 5^
How can you reconcile thefe Things together, the Juflice of God in the Con-
demnation of Unbelievers, with the Do£irine of peculiar Redrmption ? I repiv,
Let them firfV reconcile together their Doj^rine of ivw/i/ifr/^/ Redemption with a
pflrf;'<j/ Revelation and Salvation ; let thenv reconcile their A/Tertions of Chrifi's
dying and fiiedding his Blood to atone and fatisfy for all Men, with God's juflify-
iig and reconciling by his Blood ox\\y fome of all ; let them reconcile their DoCr
trine with the Juftice of God, which reprefents him as taking a double Payment
for the Sins of many, for whom they affirm Chrift died and paid down the' Price
of his moft precious Blood ; one at hh Hands., and afterwards another at their
cwn Hands in the Prifon of Hell-, and whereby they undervalue the Vertue-and-
EfRcacy of that moft precious Price, by which they fay fuch r/V/>and plentiful Pro-
vifion was purchafed for all Men ; let them reconcile their Affirmations of God's
ferious Intentions of faving aJl, with his Non- executions of the fame : Let them, 15
fay, reconcile thefe Things together, and then and not before, calf upon others to ■
reconcile their Matters. - - ■ */ • ;,
But (2.) I argue. If Chrift died with an Intent to attotie^foy' tlii 'Siiis of* ali?
Men, (as they affirm) then he redeemed them from all' their Sins, or he did not ;i
if he did, then all Men fhali be fa\ed horn all their Sins, and confequently fj-em-.
their Sins of Uiibelief, fthc Siimand Scum of ali; fo that there fhali Bsnottiing .
-•••-"J- '• LI 2 le^t;
258 Of particular RED EM? 1 10 N.
left to damn where Cbrift died to fave. If he did not, then of Courfe every Man
was left in a perifhing Condition, or in a State in which they were liable to perifli
for want of a full and compleat Redemption purchafed for them. — - At laft we
mufl reft in the Apoftle's Propofxtion, that " he gave himfelf for us, that he
might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify unto himfelf a peculiar (n&t a unl-
Tjerfal) People, zealous of good Works," Tit. 1. 14. And. from what 1 have
offered it appears, that the Dodlrine of a r^W//zo«fl/' Redemption doth manifejily
run counter unto zn^ ecUpfeth ihe Glory oi iho. divine P erf B£i ions ^ of God's Sove-
reignty^ his redeeming Love^ and his unfpotted.fujiice.
I now proceed to manifeft that thofe other glorious Peifedlions of his Immuta-
bility, Truth, and Faithfuinefs, ave not a Whit lefs blemifhed, ftained and difho-
noured by fuch a medly^ cafual and prepo/ferous Scheme of Do£lrine, which
Hyjieronproteron^ puts the Caufe for the EffetSl, and the Effeft for the Caufe,
that inverts the true Order of Things in the glorious Work of Redemption, iand
turns them quite upfide doivn ; that reprefents that glorious Superftru6lure fthe
chief of the Works of God j as built but on a fandy Foundation : For according
unto fuch Reprefentations, how is the everlafting Covenant, which contains in ft
the Promife of all fpiritual Bleffings in heavenly Things in Chrifl:,and by his Blood,
the Blood of that Covenant fealed to the Redeemed ? How, I fay, is this everialt-
ing Covenant ordered in all Things and fure ? Or how can it be faid that there-
in is all the Redeemed's Salvation, with all that thty can defire in order to com-
pleat the fame ? What becomes of thofe glorious Declarations anfwerable to
the Ends, the bleffed Ends of the fame, vi%. of God's being willing^ yea, more
abundantly willing to fkew unto the Redeemed the Immutability of his Counfel
concerning them, adding an Oath to his Promife, that by thefe two immutable
Things, in which it is impoflible for him, their God, in the Bonds of the ever-
lafting Covenant, to lie, or fail, an End might be put to all the Strivings of their
weak and doubtful Minds, their Faith and Hope fettled and confirmed, and that
upon the whole thev might have ftrong Confolation, having fled unto Chrift their
glcr'ousRedeemcr & Forerunner forRefuge ? How is their Hope in him both fure
and ftedfaft, as their Soul's Anchor well and fafely caft within the Vail, whither
Jefus their Forerunner is for them entred, to take Pofleflion on their Behalf, and
maintain their Right of Intereft and PoffefTion as their High-Prieit for ever after
the higheft Order of Priefthood ? How is the glorious Father of Lights without
Variablenefs or even the very Shadow of Turning, ifh^Jhifts and changes both in
the Counfels of his Wifdom and Will, and thofe of his redeeming Grace towards
the Redeemed, as the cafual znd tottering Schtme of a cofiditional Redemption
doth plainly reprefent him ? Rendring the Objefts of \i\% great eji Love liable to
become (as thence many a<Slually doj the Subjects of his greateji Wrath ? Even
thofe whom \\e fo loved, y^? as canU be either /w//^ conceived or exprtffed^ even fo as
to give the richeft Jewel in all his heavenly Treafures, his only begotten and befl
beloved Son, in order to purchafe for them a P'reedom from perifhing under a
State of Condemnation for their Sins, and a Right unto eternal Life, thro' F«ith
in him, according to foh. 3. 16, 17. " God fo loved the World ('the poor Gen-
tiles as well as the fews^ contrary to what the fews were wont to think^ that
whofoever
Of particular R E B ]£ M P I'lON. . 2^^^
wh-^foever, tho' a Gentile^^ one of the poor NatiBns'bf (fie'Wo'rrd',"'^^f. 6. "^3.'
that helkveth in him fhould not peri{h but have everlafting Life : For God fent
not his Son irit© the World to condemn the World, ('(he poor Geniiles, or his
Ele£t amongftthein, Rom. ii. ii, to i6.^but that the Wor'd thro* him might'
be faved.*' Js redeeming Love according tojarrd by fheii- Scherpe reprefente'd'
zi pa fftng Knowledge^ unmeafurableasfo its full Dimeririorisf- according to thSt'
of the Apottle, who hence cried'oiit,-G the Hei^hih and the Depth, the Bf-eadih''
and the Length thereof ! Or rather focb as is tafily grafped by' z common and or-
dinary Degree of Knowledge, & capable of being meafjr'd by a humanLine ? How
flatly does their cafual Scheme contradift the great Apoftle's nervous Method
©f Argumentation, from the Gift of a Saviour to theGiftof Salvation, froni the
Gift of fo glorious a Redeiemei' to tl'i'e free Grant of afulFatid c'ompleat Redemp- '
l>on, with all Things needful to' efFeft th(2 fame. ^)R.imi-^:. 32, y^. «' If G6S"
fpared'net his own Son, but delivered him' up for us all, how ftiall he not wiltH
him alfo freely give us allThing's? Whofhall layanyThin'g to theCharge of God's
E!ed ? It is God that juUifteth : Who fliall condemn r It is Chrift that died,'-
yea father that is rifen again, afcended into Heaven, and at the right Hand bf
Gtxlmaketh'tontinual Idtierceffion'for us. Who fliall fefrerate usfroiri't^B^Ebvt^P
of Chrift ? VVa being itioi-e than' CdnqCrefbrs thro\igh hihi' that lov'ed iiis'.^ 'I^rti'^
periuadec] that neither- Death, nor Life, -rior Arigels,' ''nor Ptinclf/'alitid^,' n5ir'-
Power?; nor Thing»'pi(ffent, nor Things' to come, nor Hefighrii,'ridr Depth, hbr*
an-y other Creature fliall be able to feperate us (the Redeemed) from thd Love of-
God which is* fn Chrift Jefus bur Lord and Redeemer." Hoiu plainly:, T ^^yy
do;h the ///772im<2« Scheme of a i-on^/V/dwa/ Redemption oontradiil this /Wfer-
vous'Mc\\\oA of the'gt-eat- Apoftle's A rgUinentation?' And in Effe*5?, to argufei<"'
that tho* God fo loved all Mankind, 'even withyW^ Strength of redeeming LoV^^^
as that'be fpared nothis own Son, but delivered him' up for them till, neverthelefs'
with him he doth not freely give them all Things needful infallibly to fe cure and
f^^ their a6lual Redemption and Salvation by him, even altho' he not only died
tor their Oftences, but alfoarofe again- for their Juftification, afcended into Hea-
ven, fitteth there at the right Hand of God to make continual Interceffion for
them : But rather left the grand Event of all this fo as that fomc of them adlually
do perifli, and all of them might have done, being feperated from the Redeemer's
Love and caft into a State of everlafting Perdition, becoming fo much lefs than
Conquerors over their fpiritual Enemies, altho' Chrift fo loved and died for them.
Thus, inftead of arguing with the Apoftle, from the free Gift of a Saviour to
the free Grant and cercain Pofl'effion of Salvationya^an Argument of thegreateft
Degrees of redeeming Love, our Univerfalifts 'do in EfFe<S argue from the free
Gift of a Saviour, unto a Liablenefs of a certain and great Damnation to all the'
Objects of redeeming Love. ' ' ■•
Hence alfo I may fitly add, What alas ! becomes of the before-mentioned
Prom ifesi which a faithful God and Father made unto the great Redeemer, both
as to the certain Reward of his Sufferings, and as the Head of bis Eled in the
eternal Covenant-Tranfadlions about their compleat Redemption? How doth'
he fee his Seed, and the Travail of his Soul With Satisfadion, while fo many of
;'./-;*ii them
25o. Of particular RED E MfT 10 N. ,
them, whofe Sins he bare, and for whom he travailed in Soul, even to the pour*
ing of it out unto Death, do according to the Jrminian Scheme eternally mifcarry
and perifh in their Sins ? Hov/ alfo doth the Pleafure of the Lord profper in his
Hand according to Promife ? Surely it rather mo/l fadly Jails. And on how /len-
der z Thread do thoCe Hopes of eter ml Life hang, akho' founded on a Promife
made by a God that cannot lie to the Redeemed, in Chrift their Head and Re-r
deemer, before the World began, upon the moft valuable Conliderations of his
becoming their Surety and Sponfor in the Fulnefs of Time ? Tii. i. 1,2. 2 Ti?f3.
I. 9. Thus have I made it appear (contrary to what is fuggefted in our Oppo-
nents Objedlion) that the Dodtrine of peculiar znd abfolute Redemption doth, in
an harmonious Manner, glorify all the divine PerfeSHom^ while the contrary Schema
doth ^&.jv/f contrariwife y as aifo in Regard of true Comfort to poor feniible Siar
ners ; with Refpe<9; unto both, our Opponents Proof h as weak as their Calumny
i§ ftrong ;. whilft our Proof, both from Scripture 2svi found Reafon, remains both
vifihle and irrefiftible : To which I fhall now thirdly, fubjoin the Evidence of
F^Sis, which threefold Cord they cannot eafily break.
(3.) How can Faith, together with Repentance and Holinefs that do ever ac-
company it, be the Conditions of Redemption to all Men, ilnce Fa(^s u)d Mv^nff
do evidence, that God doth mt will to give to many ^nd great Nations the Pre^chc
ino- of the Word of the Gofpel, out of which Faith comes ? " How fhall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard ? And how ihall they hear without*
a Preacher ? And how fhall they preach except they be fent ?"" Namely, by tii«
Hand of the fovereign Difpofer of all Things. Rom. 10. 14, 15, 17.
Mow vainly is it alledged againft us, that God fincerely wills that all yT/^?;^, .with-
out £A-r£/i//o«, be faved, to wit, by Chrift's Death, and come to the KnowIexJge
of the Truth, fince Fa£}s and Events do declare, that God wills to withhold the
Means of that Knowledge and Salvation from a very great Part of Mankind, while.
at the fame Time he gives it unto others, who in Contradiftinclion frtjm the reft
are called his People, and that too as the EfrefSis of his Mercy, yea his tender
Mercy? Thus thefe have the Light of Salvation by Chrift granted unto them,
wliile the others fit in their natural Darknefs, and in the S!>adow of Death. See
Luk. I. 76, 77 J 78. where it is faid pf that famous Preacher of the Gofpel, John.
tbe Bapti ft, Cbrift's Forerunner, w'js* *' That he foould go before the Face of
ibeLord to prepare his Ways, to give Knowledge of Salvation unto his People,
{'his People, whofe Jefus he is, that fliall fave.them from their Sins, Mat. i. 21.)
by the Remiftion of their.Sins,. through the tqnder Mercy of our God,, w-bereby
the Dayrfpring from <^3 high b^ti3..yirited'4s» to give Light to them, that fit iri
Dj^i-knefs, and in the SMow o£L>eatlT> and, to guide our Feet in the Way of
P^ce-" ■■ Which ex^cfily an fwereitP thie Saying of the ever-blefied Jefus to his
Father, when he prayed for thag peculiar People which the Father gave him ouP
from ampng/'iall Flejhy that he might give eternal Life unto them, and accordingly
a Soul-faving Knowledge both of the Father and the Son their Saviour. Joh.i'j..
2j 3. '•^ As thou- hail giv0f) him^6wer over all Fkfti, that ke fhauld give eternal.
Life to.as ipaniy.^stlsiCHi^iwft giyen-iaioi. And thiaisXife Eternal, that they might
Ww i^^t^i^OftV ^f;^ Qod'>,,s!rncl'Je./lt3, Chrift whs^m thoii-haft fcn^*f': > - ^i .. ji
Htnc«L
Of prticular R EBiEMFtl&N.^:- i6i
•'Hehce again, ihe Preachingiof the Gd^H to a Pe^l^thafri^CT'er^ftiTi'had it,
is by our jjlelTed Saviour himfelf, called the Springinglip Gf L-'fght to a People that
fit in l>arknd:fe, in the Region and Shadow' of Cfeath, '^/i?//;. 4. i6. Now, as
theholy Scriptures make zpariial, not a umverfcil Revelatioti of the favingKnow-
ledge of God thro' Chrift, an Argument of his Mercy, yea his terfder Mercy ;
fo it naturally follows, that his Redemption of a peculiar not a univerfal People
doth'/^ exalt that divine Attribute, Efpecially When to this we cohfider,^ that it
both provides zniinfialliLl^ applies^ that mofl: heavenly Balm to all the'' Ol)jefls of
redeeming Love. M'oreover this, tender Jttributeh not to be meafured bya,-6«-
wa«, but a divine Line ; which fliews that it is not of him that willeth, nor of him
that runneth : but of God that fheweth Mercy, who hath Mercy on whom he
will have Mercy. There is a People of no Underftanding, concerning whom it
is faid, *' He that made them will have no Mercy on them : and he that formed' "^
them will fhew them no Favour," Ifai. ^'j. 11. Yea, undeniable Fail doth de-
clare, as I before obferved,' that there are many and great Nations, unto whom
God wills not to aiFord thofe aforefaid Fruits andEfFedls of his tenderMercyj'y/z.
The glorious Light of the Gofpel : but leaves them in their natural Da rknefs and
in the Shadow of Death, being without Chrift, Aliens to the Common Wealth
of God's fpiritual yyr<2f/,andStrangers from theCovenant of Redemption, theCove-'
nant containing the Mercy of a promifed Saviour, having no Hope, and without' I
Godi in- the World ; they do remain a far off, are never brbtight riighf by- the ^
Blood of Chrift, continuing Strangers and Foreigners unto him. Eph. 2.12. &c.
And who and where is he that dares hence to reply againftGod ; who is moft free
in the Difpenfations ofhis Favours, without giving an Account of any of his Mat-
ters unto Clay Mortals, and who, without any Stain to his Juftice, might have
refufed to have ftiewn redeeming-Mercy unto any of the fallcnLump of Mankind ,
and as polluted Creatures might have da(hed in Pieces everyShlea^ of us all ? Now
{ince the abovefaid bleffed Means of applying the faving Benefits of Chrift Death,
are the natural Produdl of God's tender Mercy, which yet he grants but unto a
Part of Mankind ; let our Univerfalifts try to reconcile this diftinguiftiingDifpen-
fation of the Almighty, with their bold After tions of his univerfal redeeming
Love and tender Mercy, in giving his dear Son to die for the Salvation of the
whole human Race without Exception. Let them exercife their heji Skill, in
trying to reconcile theirNotions of God's gra'nting a univerfalRemedy astheFruits
ofhis tender Mercy unto all Men, with his aftual with-holding from a very great
Pan of this all, thofe abovefaid Means of applying this blefled Remedy, which is
alfo the Fruit and EffcGt of the fame tender Mercy of our God. What tolerable
Reafon can they render, wherefore God as the Fruits ofhis tender Mercy did
give the very Life of his moft dear Son in order to piirchafe Light, Life and Salva-
tion for all, whilft at the fame Time- they (our Opponents) are obliged to confefs
that he wills to leave many to fit in Darknefs, and in the Shadow of Death, nod
granting unto them the Preaching of the Gofpel, as a Means of giving them the
Knowledge of Salvation by the Remiflion of their Sins thro* the Blood and the
Merits of the Redeemer as the Fruits ofhis tender Mercy ; fo that the Day-fprin^
from on High doth not vtfit them, in order to give them llf^ht in ih^ir ]!)arknefs
and
462 Of particular REDEMPTION.
and Shades of Death, and to guide their Teet In the Ways of Peace ; which is
by the Blood oi the Redeemer'sCrofs. In £hort, as ihispartiaJ divine Revelation^
the choice Means of applying the Death of Chrift, as a Sod faving. Benefit ot the
Sons and Daughters of iVIen, is well confifting with God's Juftice, and tender
Mercy, fo, by juft and undeniable Confequence, the aftual Proviilon of Salvation
for a Part of Mankind only, is no lefs confiftent with thofe divine Perfections. •
Yea hereby they are beft honoured and exalted together .with the greatRedeemers •
Wifdom, in laying out fuch a ScheiJie, of Redemption, aa fhou'd not depend'
upon Uncertainties- liable to fail 'y,.h\xt.infaUibly fecure the great Ends, ^
of that moft important and unparrellel'd Work of an all-glorious God. Either '
Chrift by his Death purchafed the pleaded for Conditions of Redemption for all
Men, or he did not ; if he did, then it will fallow that all Men fhall have them
tp compleat theirRedem_ption &Salyatiqn,and fo all ijiall be faved. If he did not,
tjien of Courfeall Men-are left in a Condition liable to perifh, for want oi z com-
/>/<?«/ Redemption. . Which fhews the Fully of Men's pleading for a meer condi-
tional P>.edemption. Chrift did not d}e;fpr Men, hecaufe they would^ but bccaufe
theyJJjould believe, repent and be holy in order to make them meet for the Enjoy-
ment of God in a State of Glory m Heaven. Whence we do fitly fay, that Jefus
Chrift is become the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that believe and
obey him.
Again, If Chrift died for all Men, as forrieaf^nTi, upon the abovefaid Condi-
tions, then he foreknew whether all Men wou'd come up to and comply with
them that they might be redeemed, or he did not. To fay he did not, were to
deny his Omnifcience, contrary to Rev. 2. 23. To fay he did, and yet to affirm,
that he neverthelefsdied to purchase Salvation for all Men alike, is manifeftly to
blemifhhis Wifdom, and to turn his redeeming Love into greater Hatred, unto
all that are in the EvQnt not faved ; fmcehe knew, that thefe once Oojedts of his
beftj Love, would hence become in a far greater Degree the Subjedfs of his
Wrath than they wou'd have been, if he had not fo loved them, fo as to die for
them. The very fame may be faid of the Father's Love in giving bis dear Son to
die, and purchafe Salvation for all Men. So that hereby both the Father and theit
Son are charged with Folly, by our UniverfaJifts abfurd _ Methods of reprefenting 1
the Work of Redemption ; \o as that God the P'ather. knowingly gave his Son,:/
and the Spn knowingly gax? >himreif.to^i€;iiii^?tf/a fpJT J!«^»y, and fbut^at a^^/W
^^dveniure for all Mem •.. '" -' ' •'. .'!''•■ - . -
Now from all that has been offered, I do fairly conclude, that God's Redemp-
tion of the Sons and Daughters of Men, is not conditional^ but abfolute. That
this Scheme of Redemption Jotb beft. tend to honour and glorify the divine < Per-
fections \n general ^ and m particular the tender Mercy of our God; and by juft j
Confequence doth beft provide for the penitent believing Sinner'sEncouragementu
aiid Conrolation ^Vvvhoj, from the ^^/^/t^/^-w^y} of, Redemption, is enabled to be-lj
lieve /« and come ««/^ Chriil, as a returning Prodigal to his offended Father, who-
with open Arras runs to meet and embrace him, giving him everlaiting Confola-
tion, and a good Hope thro' Grace ; affuring of him, under his. Tremblings,..
Doubts and Fegirs, th^t: a bruifed. Reed he will not bfeak, and •, the ifrnoakingii
Of ■particular REDEMPTION. 26^
Flax he will not quench, ^till he brings forth Judgment unto Vidlory. Whence
the poor humble Believer is enabled, joyfully to conclude with the Apoftle, Pi?//,
1.6. " Being confident of this very Thing, that he who hath begun a good
Work in me, will perform it until -the Day of Jefus Chrift ; who loved me, and
gave himfelf for me." Ga!. 2. 20. Now let any reafor.able Misn]ndge^ whether
this Scheme of abfolute Redemp^tion I plead for, be not far preferable, even in
the Matter of true Comfort to Penitents, to that of our Univerfnlijis, which after
all their Clamour about it's exalting God's Merc)', and providing for the Soul's
Comfort, dotli leave the beft of Men in an uncertain State as to Salvation, even
at the very Thre[]nld of Heaven. Which fitly ferves to overthrow that
Objedlion, which charges our Doctrine with ht\ng\hQ Defrayer of all Hope.,
Yea at this Pinch, I would afk our Opponents, which is mofl preferable to them,
as what would yield them the mofl: (J^r^'^'a^/^ andyfl/iyfl(f?(?r)' Frame of Mind ; a
do ubt fill -And precarious Title to the Lands and Eflates they pcfj'efs^ or fuch a one
as is abfolutely firm znd fur e P And then to apply this, to an Ir.tercfl in rtdeem-
fng Love. As for the unbelieving & impenitent Sinner (confidered as fuchj ihei'r
Scheme don''t pretend to provideComfort,any more than ours. Yea in ihh, theirs
is far fhort of promoting divine Mercy towards him ; becaufe it leaves him m his
impenitent State, until by his own Frec-Will Power, without any fupernatural
Aids, he fhsll perform the pleaded forConditions of Redemption, whereas he will
never do this, until made willing by a D.\y of God's Power upon his Soul'. Thus
the rich and plentiful Provifion talked of, leaves every poor inconfiderate Sinner^
in the ready Road to ftarve and perifli, for want of further and belter Supplies.
But now the Do£lrine of peculiar and abfolute Redemption doth of an &?-iZi77//;/f^
unbelieving^ make a Avilling, believing and obeaicnt People, even every individual
of the Thoufands and Millions of the Objects of redeeming Love, given by the
Father to Chrift in the Covenant of Redemption. Joh.b.'T,']- " All that the
Father giveth to me, (faith the Redeemer) (hall come, (mark) y^i?// come unto
me, and h,im that Cometh, I will in wife caft out. '" That is to fav, all thofe
whom theFatlier gave unto theSon to- redeem and fave, thofe he will redeem from
all Iniquity and purify to himfelf by the Holy Spirit of Grace, enlightening thtir
Minds, and renewing their Wills, fo as ihd.t ih&y /hall certainly thereupon, wil-
//fl^/y come to Cht ill: for Life and Salvation, and who in coming fliall be moit
kindly received, moft richly entertained and never cafFout of hisFavour. Whicli
perfc<5lly agrees with our blclled Saviour'sAccount, cf the Greatnefs of redeeming.
Love ; m his Difcourfe with Nicodcnnis a Ruler of th^-e ffivs^ wlio were ready to
exclude the poor Gentilrs^ the Nations of the World {Math. 6. 33.) from havitTg
any Share in the Benefit of the Alefiah's Coming and Kingdom, witnefs Pfter''s.
Carriage in this Matter, Acls ro. until better informed by God in 2 Vifion, as;
our \jn\(\ inf;)rmed Nicodemus by the Words of his Mouth, ^s/;. 3. 16. God fi>
loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son that vvhofoever-bcliereth irk
him, fhou'il not penfh- (to wit, in their Sins) hut have, certainly have everlafling;
Life. CbrilFs Sheep do liCar his powerful Voice in the CTofi.xcl, do obey it and
follow hin>, wk> giveth unto them eternal Life, and they ITial! never perifb.
They are carried fafe unto Heaven, in the tnumjihaut Chariot of redeeming
Ai ru Luve;;^
264 Of particular REDEMPTION.
Love, God bath yS? loved them. And yet fome of our L/>;/x;^;y?////?^ are ready
(tho* with more Kecnnefs than gsod Reajsn J to retort upon us, that according to
cur Hypothrfts, '/o/'. 3. 16. muft run thus, " Qod Jo hated ihe World that he
gave hii; only begotten Son, to die but for a i^w of all the World, inftead of
God /(? /(JT/^^/ the World, dirV. But to pay them with a little of their own Coifiy
I anfwer, that if the Terms (the IForld) be taken in iheir univerfal Stnfe (which
by the Way after all their flretching the fame on their Tenter-Hooks, ihey can-
Dot make to reach that Length and Breridth) thenGod wou'd be faid, fo to love all
the VV'orld, as to gi\'e his dear Son to die for their Salvation, andat the fame Tmie
Wfl^ys to love them, as to give unto them a£tual Salvation, nor indeed abfolutely
jecurc either /V, or Faith the Condition of it, unto any one of them all, which 15
molt abfurd. Nay according to their Notions, of God's univerfal redeeming
J^ove being extended to all Men alike, is to render him to love, and will the Sal-
vation of L/w/J^AVt/^?-;, ^svjt\\z% Believers^ which wou'd be to love and hate the
fame Perfons, and to will both their Salvation and Damnation at the fameTime.
And after all their Clamour on this Head, againft our Expofition of this Text, we
do at the mojl and worjl only exclude £/«W/Vt;<fr/, from having a Share in the faving
Benefits of redeeming Love. And fuch our Opponents do themfehes exclude
thereform, and confefs that all Men (hall not be faved ; that fome do perifh in
their Unbelief, notwithftanding that they fay Chrifl died to redeem, and that
God the Father, as tlie Fruits of his univcifal Love, willed thereby the Salvation
of all Men. " It (as the excellent Mr. Hunion obferves) God's Minilfers
" cou'd truly tell xMen,that Chrift died for all Men withoutException ; yet they
" cou'd not tell them that any more [come to Ripcnefs of Yean and Vnaer/iand'wg)
*' {[lall be faved than adfually do believe in him ; and it is certain that all who do
*' fo in Truth fhall be faved. It is not my Knowledge that Chrifl: died for me
*' that is the Ground of my believing in him ; but the Command of God requir-
*' ing ir, and the Declaration that whofoever doth {o fhall have eternal Life.
*' Upon this I have not only a Liberty and Encouragement to believe when the
*' Gofpel is preached to me, but it is my Duty fo to do. In the Olyfnpic Games
*' there were many that run, altho' but one received the Prize, i Cor. 9. 24.
*' But in the Cafe before us not only one^ but alt who truly believe fhall be faved.
*' Therefore when the Man put the Qi^ieftion to our Saviour, VVhether there are
*' few that ire faved ? He bid him, *' Strive to enter in at the flrait Gate, for
" many I fay unto you fhall feek to enter in, and fnall not be able," Luk. 13.24."
^Vhere obferve, the Non-Entrance of many who feek to enter in, is made an
Argument wherefore he fhou'd ftrive to enter in, not an Obftru6fion thereunto.
So that in fhort, very confijiently with the Doctrine of peculiar Redemption, we
do pubhckly exhort all our Hearers to believe, that they may be faved, ufing all
Diligence in the Ufe of all the Means of Grace and Salvation ; patiently and con-
ftantlv waiting thereon, as the poor impotent Man ^/V/at the Pool of Bethejda for
the Moving of the VVaters for Healing, who tho' he waited long did not wait in
vain. And for poor SinnersEncouragement herein, we /r«/y and confi^leritly fay,
thatGod fo loved the World that he gave his only begottenSon that whofoever be-
lieveih in him, fhou'd not perifh but have everlafting Life. That the Gofpel of
Chrifl
of particular REDEMPTION. 76's
Chrift is the Power of God unto the actualSalvation of all them that truly believe,
according to Rom.i. 16. Which yet our Univerfalljis^'vjho hold with final falling
from Grace ; will not allow us to affirm. Moreover the judious Reader is de-
fired to obferve, that as our Opponents by their loudeft AfTertions of univctj'al \
Redemption, and of God's ^^«^rff/ Love to all Men, don't make the Subjeds of 1
adtual Jullification and Salvation ever the more ; fo rue by averting that Chrift !
6\ti\ '(or fome only, don't make them ^i;^r //6^ /<"_/}. While they a fTert that Chrift'
died for all Men's Redemption and Salvation, they don't pretend that all Men
fhall in the Event be a<5tually redeemed and faved : We fay that all thofe fliall he
adtually redeemed and faved for whom Chrift died. So that after all, their moji
difmal Declamations zg-di\n&i xiSj cx\\n2, out unrnerciful ! unmerciful DoHrine I It
is evident, thiit we don't thereby in the leaft Degree leflen the Number of th^
actually redeemed and faved : But rather afcertain the <7^ai5/ Redemption andSal-
VAUiin oi Thoujands of Adillions, ten Thoufand Times ten Thcufand, and Thoujar.ds
of TT'o^yivMi^i, an /«ww/n^r^^/f Number of all Nations, and Kindreds, and. People
and Tongues. Rev. 7. g. Whilft our Opponents very merciful Dextrine, ren-
ders the atfluil Salvation of every one altogether precarious and uncertain^ jea as a
moral I'npojfthiiity, as I have largc-lv fiiewn under the Head of Election. They
nuintain a univrrfal Redemption^ and at the fame confcfs :i partial or peculiar AV//-
vation o^ {yvcxQ on\y. We m;i\nt?.\n ^ peculiar Redemption, and a peculiar Sa/va^
iion, which is to be caf^ent with ourfelves ; whilft our Opponents Notions are
m.>it incoiifiifent. Hence then after all their clamorous Out-cries, I wciu'd fain
know wherein lies the i;!?/'^ j!j^;vir?/ .i/^rc//'«/wi?/} of their Di 6trine, which they fo
much cry up ; and the TJnmcrciftlnrfs of ours which thev do fo m\ch c y dcivn ? bo
that upon an impartial & 'horo'I:;quirv,all thcirObjtdtic ns agi-inft us are no more
thaii fo many vain Flourifhcs, or noxious Vapours, wliich difappear at the bnght
S'jn's Approach. Whilft their own Dodlrine &;Confeflioiis are moft inconfiflcnt
with each other, as well as contrary to the glorioJsPerfeiliorsof God : But cui'i. all
of a Piece harm Miioufly confiftent, well comporting with and promotive of the
H inour of the divinePerfeCtions. Our Doctrine reprtTcnts redeemir.gLove(which
is the greateft of all Love ) as ever reHing upon the ObitiSIs thereof, boi\} providing
and fnuring the faving Benefits of the fame to the RedcciiTed,5c accordingly giving*.
Life 5^ Motion to all theMeansof Cjrace &Sa]vation,anfwerable toGcd's immut-
able Nature, his moft wife and gracious Defigns in giving a Saviciur. Bur our
Opponents Do^rine reprefents God as making all \'Ien thcObjcds of iii? greattft
Love, yet fo as that he afterv/ards removes it from many of them, changing it
Hito the greattft Exertions of his Hatred, Wrath and Indignation. If the Love
ct God was fuch ns to provide fo glorious a Remedy for all, what toleriible Rea-
fon can be afiigncd wherefore he fliould not (as muft be allowed to be inhis
Power) take fuch Meafures as would cfFedtually apply the healing, fan£lifying
and Soul-faving Vertues thereof unto all, for whom they fay it was provided?
Hjw can it be in any good Reafon thought, that the infinitely wife God fhould
leave rhe great En I of the chiefcfl of his Works (hv which he muft have dtfign'd
to difplay his glorious Perfcifticms in ihe hicheft Man.ncr) Xiholk uvdclcindnable,
and accordingly liable to be totalh- fniffratcd and overthrown by the fickle Deter-
M m 2 minaiiciis
266 Of particular REDEMPTION.
minations of poor finful and depraved Creatures ? The Scripture faith of Men's
Redemption, that Chrift was delivered for their Offences and rofe again for their
Juflification, and that at the right Hand of God he maketh Interceffion for them.
But if after all this, fome of thofe very Perfons for whom Chrift thus a6led, fhall
for their Sins be eternally condemned ; where is the Jujiice and Mercifulnejs that
our Opponents hoajl of io attend their DoSlr'ine ? Or what proper Relief can it
yield to the wounded Confcience of a poor Sinner, who is foundly convinced by
■woful Experience of his utter Inability (even with all his free-will Stock) to apply,
this healing Balm ? And fuppofe, for Argument's Sake, he can make a Shift to
do this, why the poor Soul {till remains upon the very Brink of Danger, liable to
fall away and perifh, having no abfolute Promifes allowed him for his Comfort,
and Safety ; fo that his fpiritual and eternal Life ever hangs in Sufpence before his
Eves ; whojtho' he may bein a State of Favour with God and of SalvationTo-a'iTy,
may fall into a State of Wrath and Damnation To-morrow, and poffibly ever re-
main fo : Eor our Univerfalifls being very merciful Aden, won't allow of God's
Q^w'wig abfolute, confirming, infuring Grace to aiiy oni of the Objc6iS of redeeming
Love. Whereas on the other Hand ive fay, that all and every one o^ the Objects
of that ^7V^/<?/? Love fhall as certainly hvive the Remedy Jhvingly appJiecl to their
Souls as ever it was provided tor them : Whence every penitent Believer hath the
greate/i Ground oi joy and Co?}ifort, altho' Chrift died to redeem only z peculiar
People.
And now from the whole of what hath been offered, I do fairly conclude, that
the Dodtrine o^ abfolute peculiar Redemption doth bf/i honour the divine Perfec-
tions, and provide for fulid Soul-Comfort to every p-'nitent returning Sinner, and
that the contrary Doctrine doth juft the contrary of this, notvvithfianding what is
objeiled againfl us : For how fhocking, both in Regard of the great Redeemer's
Honour, and the penitent Believer's Comfort, doth it found to fay, that juftified
reconciled Perfons may be damned ? That thofe who are the Objects of God's
greate/i Love may, yea, that many of them do become the Subjeds of his greatcji
Wrath and fiery Indignation, to be devoured as God's Adverfaries ? That many
of thofe very Perfons for whom Chrift, with the Price of his own precious Blood
obtained eternal Redemption, Ihall neverthelcfs lie under the Sentence of eternal
Condemnation ? That many of the adopted Heirs of Heaven do at length, as all
of them mi^ht, become the Heirs of Hell ?
Again, How doth it found to fay, That the all-glorious God frcel)' gave his be-
loved Son to die and {■a.ve from per ijlnng in their Sins, thofe very Per/ens whom he
pcrfedlly foreknew would neverthelcfs a^ually pcriflj therein ; yea. that this Gift of
his dear Son to and for them, as the Fruits of his redeeming Love for their Salva-
tion, would ifTue in the abundant Increafe of their Mijery under a State of Con-
demnation ? That God's moji fincere Intentions of Salvation (Expreflions often in
their Mouths) (hall, as to many Men, become really fruftrate and vain ?
And, in a Word, How doth it found to fay. That the all-wife God laid out,
and that the creat Redeemer wrought no better than a conditional precarious Re-
demption ^^ blind Adventure for all Men ; <o that hence it might have come to
pafs, that not io much as one Man fhould have been adually favQd of all that
Chrift
Of particular REDEMPTION. 267
Chriil died to redeem, and by the Price of his precious Blood purchafed Salva-
tion r That the Lord Jefus loved and died for the Redemption and Salvation of
them ihnpcrifo, as much to all Inte?:ts and Piirpofes as for thofe that zre foved -^
whence it comes to pafs, that the Saved have no more to blefs God for in the
Matters of Redemption and Salvation, than thofe that are damned ; the Saved hav-
ing gotten to Heaven meerly by their better Improvements of their free-will Stock
of common Grace, whereby they ?ti(ide them/elves to differ from others, and not
■by Virtue of any d'lji'ingmjhmg abfoliite Grace and Favour o^ God? I fay, How
doth this foimd ? Surely not to the glorifying the divine Perfedions, nor to the
gladding and comforting the Souls of Believers. And )et furcly, without any
Prevarications, this is the Cafe of the Doctrine of ttn'iverfal^ conditional Redemp-
tion, vi'hich yet our Univcrfali/is do moji highly applaud. But from fuch Methods
of honouring the great Redeemer and comforting poor penitent Sinners, good
Lord deliver us ! May God, in his infinite Aiercy, grant me a Share in that Re-
demption that \s peculiar, abfolute, free zud firm, founded on a Rock I 'I'his fiiall
be unto me Light in my Darknefs, z. fure Foundation for my Faith and Hope at
all Times, and a Spur to my Obedience as long as I live ; that being delivered
out of the Hands of mine Enemies by my glorious Redeemer, I may ferve him
without Fear, before him in Righteoufnefs and Holinefs all the Days of my Life :
Ever bearing in Mind, that by this I fliall comply with one great End of my Re-
demption bybiin, as it is written. Tit. 2. 14. " Who gave himfelf for us, that
he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify unto himfelf a peculiar People,
zealous of good Works."
CHAP. III.
Wherein Entrance is made of my Anfwer to the latter Fart of the afore faid
Objection, founded on thoje Texts ivhich fpeak of Chrifl's dying for all,
of his taj-ftng Death for every Man, and fuch like Terms of Univerfality.
'AVING finifhed what I intended to offer in Behalf of peculiar Redempti-
on, under the aforefaid general Head of Argumentation, from the divine
Perfcaions, from the ejfential Parts of Redemption, and Fa£i, I ffiall, by
divine Affiftance, proceed to examine the chief o'i thofe particular Texts of Scrip-
ture, whereon our Opponents are wont to found their Notions of o-^w^r^/ Re-
demption, or that Chrift \\\q fccond yfda?n died to redeem every Individual of Mzn-
kind that fell in the/r/? Jdam, as moJl fondly taken up with thofe Terms of Uni-
verfality, which appear in the faid Texts of Scripture,without a due Confidcration
of thofe proper Re/iri^ions and Limitations wherewith their feveral Senfes are
bounded ; fuch as {oil Men) {every Man) {the IVorld) {the luhole World) and fuch
like, which may well enough ferve to make a Flourijl) zuithal,hy fuch as content
themfelves with the bare Sound of Words, without looking further into the Scope
ot the Place where they lie, and unto the Analogy of Faith.
But
26S Of particular REDEMPTION.
But from what has been already ofFered, the Reader may eafily obferve, that'
the moll that can be underftood by the aforefaid Terms ot Univerfahty, is all and
every, or the whole Wurld of Gij^'j £'/f^, Chrift's Sheep, or the Children of
God amongil: both Jeius and Gentiles, that lie fcattered abroad throughout the
whole World, whom Chrift was to die for and gather together, according to
Job. II. 51, 52. This is an Interpretation 'hat will i^ear the ?//wc/? Trial by the
Touchftone of holy Scripture a.nd Fa6f, which that of our Opponents cannot hear ;
becaufe, when they have Wretched thofeTeims of Univerfality on their Tenter-
Hooks to the utmoll, they cannot prove thern to iignifv every 'individual o{ Adam's
fallen Rice that ever zvere, ox [hall be. Which Obfervation <v^«^ is enough to
ruin their Caufe, as the whole Strefs of their Arguments from thofe faid Texts and
Terms of Univerfality, lies upon a wrong Suppofition, and Prefumption that they
iX\vA\y and intend the whole human, fallen Race individually ; fo upon a fair and
juft Difproof of this their Interpretation, by natural and undeniable ConJ quence^
their Arguments for univerfdl Redeniption thereon founded, do inevitaily fall to
ehe Ground. How can the Super jlruSiureJland, when proved to be ereded on
no better than z fandv Fountiation.
If real FaSi may be aJmitted for Proof in this Matter, I have that to produce,
together with an irrefragable Argument, taken from the mo/f /hocking Abfurdiiia
that cleave to our 0/)/'i?«f'??i Interpretation of the Texts they do produce in this
Matter, whereby tiiey do them Wrong, in attempting to ftretch them beyond
their Line. For from thence to affirm, that Cftrifi: died to redeem all the
V/hole fallen Race individual!)-, is plainly in EfFedt to fay, that the Damned
in Hell were once the Objecb of his redeeming Love, 'Judas not (xceptcd : Yea
that Chrift by the Price of his moft precious Blood purchafed eternal Redemption,,
for all whofe Souls Vv'eie aciually in the Prifon of Hell at the Time and Hour of his-
Bhodjlei -md Death, wb.en he aflually paid down the Price of Redemption.
To make this evident let it be obferved, Fir/l, That our bleiied Saviour was
not actually ofFered upon the Crofs for Man's Redemption, until fomeThoufands
of Years after the Creation and Fall of Man.
Secondly, Every one muft allow, that all finally impcniteiKt Sinners, who died
in every fucceffive Age during that long SpaceofTime, certainly went to Hell,
as unto their ozi;,7 Place, as is faid of yWi?j. It is an «ivW Teftament Truth, that
the Wicked Ihall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God," PfaL
g 17. And it is a ««v Teflameiu Declaration by the Adouth of the iv^'fl'^.fOTi'r
him/elf, that zvide is the Gate and broad is the IFay that leadeth into Deftrudicn ».
and many there be which go /'/ thereat, in Contradiftindtion from the frrait Gate-
and narrow Way that leads to Life, and the few (comparatively) ihAt find it, as
Walkers in that good Way, Math. 7. 13, 14. And the Apofilc Peter after this
declared, that the difobedient Spirits of the Antidiluvian Rebels, the Inhabitants
of the old wicked World, whom God overthrew by the mighty Flood, were in
Prifon, viz. the Prifon of Hell, i /•/.'/. 3. 19, 20. Now fince the Cafe is thus
as reprefented in thefe two Propofitions, for any to ailert that Chiifl: died to
redeem all Adam's fallen Race individually, it is to argue againfl Fa^i and all
^ood Reafon, reprefenting. the great Redeemer toad as abfurdly as they argue. It
Of particular REDEMPTION. 26g
istofurnifh out aPlea for opening theDoorsof the infernal Prif()n,and fctting atLi-
berty all it's human Prifoners, to whom notwithftanding belongs no Enlargement,
fince they muft lie there until they have paid the very laft Mtie of that greatDebt,
for t he which they were caft in thither, fuffering the Vengear.ce of eternal Fire.
And vet even for thefe (according to onr merciful zv\<^ very ivije Univcrfaliftsj the
great Redeemer once paid dovjxx no lefs a Price than ihat ofhii moji precious Bloody
vviiereby he purchafed for them, as much as for any Saint in Heaven an eternal
Redemption. As much for Judas that Son of Perdition, as for Paul and Peter,
thofe Heirs of Salvation. That Chrift died to redeem from Wrath and Hell,
many Thoufands that were a£tually in Hell at theTime of his Death, and that had
been there for a long Space of Time before, and who neverthelefs do flill^ and
fivr zc^/// remain there. Thws v^hWc i\iQy migbtHyfouri/l) whh fome few Texts
of Scripture, which they prefs into their Service, and wreft to feive
their Turn in order to prove that Chrift died for all Aden without Exception, they
do er'e they are aware moft wretchedly Blunder, expofe their own Wcaknefs and
Folly to public View, and Trumpet forth their own Jbfurdities. This is fo
obvious that even a tveak Man may difcern it. Wife Men ! who fo confidently
build on a fandy Foundation from a fond Conceit that it was made of a Rock,
whence their Building doth Toon fall, and behold great is the P'all thereof ! T'his
is the Fruit and Effect of their laying fo much Strefs on the bare Sound oi Words,
even Words oi equivocal Sound and Signification, without a due Confideration of
the fad Inconveniencies they do thereby run into, as before fliewn.
And here for any, as a Prop to their tottering Building to objeiSl, That God up-
on the Fall mzdc z Covenant of Grace whh all Men ; that Chrift fliould become
their Redeemer upon Condition of their P'aith, Repentance and Obedience, and
that they thence fhould be faved if they vjould, doth not a Whit mend the Mat-
ter, nor remove the Inconveniencies aforefaid attending the Dodirine of univerfal
Redemption, fince ftill hereby Chiift is reprefented as undertaking for all Men at
a meer blind Adventure, and thence in vain for ?nany ; which is moft unworthy of
his infinite Wifdom and matchlefs redeeming Love, as I have before fhewn ;t
large. For him a^ually to die at z. meer Uncertainty for all Men, in vain for
many, and for him to undertake to die after this Adanner for all Men, amounts to
one and the fame Thing : So that my Objector neverthelefs ftands in the fame
Place, without gaining the leaft Ground, like the Door on the Hinges, notwithr
ftanding its Motion.
But if this Prop fails, our general Redemption Men can foon furniOi out ano-
ther, obje6ling thus, " That if (as we fay) many were actually in Hell at the
*' Time of Chrift's Death, and that 'tis therefore abfurd to talk of Chiift's dying
*' for all Men, and (o for thefe ; it is no lefs abfurd to talk of his ad^ual dying
*' for the many Thoufands that went to Heaven long before his Death, and who
*' at the very Time of it were adurdly in that blefted Place : P'or by the fame
*' Rule of arguing, it muft be ncedlefs for him to die to purchafe Salvation and
" a Place in Heaven for thofe whofe Souls were adtually faved and brought thi-
«* ther already, even many Hundreds of Years before that Time."
Thus
270 Of particular REDEMPTION.
Thus have I fet this Objc6i:ion in 2.% fir on g a Light as the Objeilors themfelves
can defire j altho' with a Defign, \ freely confefs, that I may give it the greater
Overthroiv^ and put the Objeciors to the deeper Silence, by condemning them out
of their own Mmiths, for the which 1 conceive they'll return me but little
Thanks. My Anfwer is,
(l.) That if there be any Abfurdity inallcdging that Chrift died for th ^fe that
were in Heaven at the Time of his Death, it doth as much fall upon the Ob-
je<5t3r's Dodtrine of univerfal Redemption, or of Chriff's dying individually for
all Men, as upon ours^ fince thofe Thoufands then in Heaven are Part of this all
for whom they fay he died to redeem. Befides, after all that is tbjedled to us on-
this Head, our Charge of Abfurdities againft ///,?/> Scheme of Chrilt's ailual dj/ing
for the Redemption of all thofe that were in Hell at the Time of his Death, re-
fn^ins unremoved^ fuice thev confiantly aver, that he died to f\ivch2i{e. 7i univerfal
Redemption for ^^^rjy /A/i/zz/Vw^/ of Mankind, for one as much as for another,
for all as much as for any one ; confidently producing many Scripture Texts for
■the Proof of this, preffing them into their Service.
(2.) After all, it remains moft apparently evident, that ourScheme of Redemp-
tion is mofl harmonioufly confifl^ent, ftanding clear of all Abfurdities as before
fl:ewn, and particularly of that laid to our Charge in the above Objeflion : fince^
all thofe old Teftament Believers, who went to Heaven before Chrift's acflual
Payment of the Price of their Redemption, went unto that bleffed Place upon the-
C'Wi/of that Payment, anfwerable to the Covenant of Grace and Redemption,
that v/as made on their Behalf, between God the Father, and God the Son, their
Sponfer and Surety before the World began, they being then chofen in him and'
given to him by the P'ather to redeem and fave. Eph.i.^. foh. 17.1,2. Prov..
8. 22, to 32. In. the Faitbof v^hich (being revealed in the feveral Promifes and
Prophefies which related thereunto) they both lived and died. All thefe died iot
Faith, to ivit oithis^ with the Faith of Gj?^i'x Eleol. Heb, li. i^. Tit. i. 1,2.
*• PW a Servant of God and an Apofl-le of Jefus Chrift, according to the Faith
ef God's EIe6l, and the acknowledging of the Truth which is after Godiinefs : In
Hopes of eternal Life, which God that cannot lie promifed before the World be-
gan : But hath in due Times manifelted his Word thro' Preaching."" '■' God-
U'ho at fundry Times and in divers Manners, fpake to the Fathers by the Pro-
p^hets, hath in thefe laft Days fpoke to us by his Son," Heb. i. i. Accordingly
they then, (as well as we now) were in due Time called with an holy Calling, not
according to their IVorks^hut according to God's own Purpofe 3r;dGrace which was
given them in Chrift Jefus before the World began, 2 Tim. r. 9. Rom. 3. 24.
*'^ Being juftified freely by his Grace, thro' the Redemption that is inChrift Jefus,,
whom God bath fet forth to be a Propitiation thro' P'aith in his Blood, for the Re-
roiilion of Sins that are />c7/ir, thro' the Forbearance of God.'"" Plainly referring-,
unto the pafl Times of the old Difpenfation of the Gofpel, when the old Teftament
Saints had their Sins pardoned, and their Perl'ons juftified thro' Faith in Chriit's
Blood the Price of their Redemption ; altho' oj-;i^/ not ^^f?^*?//^ paid down ; but
as- certainly engaged/or in the Covenant of GraceandRedemption to be done in due
Xiine^ and tliereiure it is added,, thro'" the Farbcarance of God, jfa wit, God. the
Fatht-v
Of particular REDE MPT 10 N. 271
Father the great Creditor, who acquitted thefe from Srn, Guilt, Wrath and Con-
demnation, fanitified anr brought them to Heaven upon the Score and Account of
Chrift ti.i.ii Surety's En,';,agements, in which they believed, and accordingly
pleaded as the Ground ot their Acceptance with the great Creditor. It was by
Virtue offuch a Faith that ^i5j/ offered unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than
Cain, and that Noah found the Grace of Acceptance in God's Sight, becoming
an Heir of the Righteoufnefs which is by Faith, Heb. 1 1. 4,7. Moreover Mra-
ham faw Chrift's Day and was glad rejoicing therein. It washy this Righteouf-
nefs of Faith all God's Ele6t both before, and fince the Exhibition of the Son of
God in the Fjefh. were and are juftified and faved. All the Difference lies in ,
this^xhzt i\\e former lived and died in theFaith of Chrifl's Suretifliip Engagements, \
ailually to pay down the Price of their Redemption in due Time yet to come ; the
latter believeth In the fame Suretifhip Engagements as already performed^ or the
Price of their Redemption already paid down according thereunto.
To make this Point the more plain unto tveak Capacities, anfwerable to \}i\t
Dof^rine oi peculiar Redemption, 1 fhall lay down this familiar Simile. Suppofe,
if ten Thoufand Men were infohent Debtors, unable to pay one Mite of the great
Debts they had contradled ; for the which they were become lawful Prifoners to
their Creditor, under an Arreft of Judgment, alcho' as yet notany of them im-
prifjned. Suppofe again, that a certain rich Nobleman of his otun free good JVill^
as being under no Obligation to any of them, and confequently not chargeable with
Inj'flice if he fhou'd wholly dijregard the indigent State of ^// or <7;?y ox them ;
fliould undertake to become a Sponfor or Surety of a certain Part or Number be
they more or lefs of thefe ten Thoufand, that he will hereafter at fuch a Time, at
large and in fully actually pay down a Price or Sum of Money to their Creditor ;
for the Payment of which for the prefent he gives his Promife or Obligation ; to
all which the Creditor agrees, which as he might have lawfully tefufed, fo 'tis an
A61 oi free Favour in him to accept of a Payment this Way., and thereby lay him-
fclf under an Obligation of Juftice to free and acquit the Debtors : But Oh how
much greater wou'd the Favour be if like unto God the great Creditor, he fliou'd
make it his Care to provide fuch a Surety I Suppofe again, that fome of the faid
certain Number of infulvent Debtors do plead for their Acquittance before the
1'irne of acSiual Payment of the Debt ; but the others not *tiil after it is a£lually
paid : The natural Conclunon is, that thefe are both acquitted by one and ihtfame
Suretijhip Engagements ; the Difference lying only in //-^"j", viz. the fcrmer is zc-
q^uitted by Vertue of the Surety's Bond given to the Creditor aftually to pay their
Debt on a certain Time ^et to come ; the latter by Vertue of t!)ePayment already
nude tndueTime. Before all Time, God chofe theRedeemed in hisSon thcirSurcty
and Redeemer ; in the Infancy of Time, he accordingly revealed and promifed,
him; in- C(j/i///;/i^;;ctf of 7/W thence forward, this was further revealed, and bw
many Types and F!gures,Promifes 7^x\(i Prophefies comfiLrmed ; until the Fulntfioi
Time was eome when aH this was accompli/hed, anfwerable to the eternal Purpoffis,
of a moft wife, gracious and faithful God, which he had purpofed in Chrift Jefus
our Lord. £p^. 3. u. Who was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the
WorW, but was manifefted in the laft Times,that is to fay in due T'iwcj Rom.s.6^
N » ia.
272 Of particular REDEMPTION.
in the Fulnefs of Time, Gal. 4. 4, 5, 6. ** When the Fulnefs of Time was
come, God fent forth his Son, made of aWoman,made under theLaw, to redeem
them that were under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons, and
becaufe ye are Sons, God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts,
crying Abba, Father." Which cannot be faid of ^// Men ; fince all are not thus
redeemed, nor thin adopted. If we regard the Scripture Account of Things, we
fhall find that the Objects of eledling Love, of adopting Grace, and thofe who
have Redemption thro' the Redeemer's Blood are one and ihc fame Perfcns. Eph.
I. from 3, to 13.
So that upon the whole, we do very confiflently fay, that Chrift died for a pecu-
liar People, yea, for thofe that were in Heaven at the Time of his Death ; and
that our Opponents Objeilion falls to the Ground zvithout Remedy, and without
obtaining the lea/l Rekafe from the Abfurclitles laid to the Charge of their Do6lrine
of univcrfal Redemption, vi-z.. That Chrifl died for the Damned, as much as for
the Saved amongft the Sons of Men ; yea for the Multitudes of them that were in
the infernal Prifon at the Time of his Death, as much as for thofe that were in the
heavenly Paradifc above ; or that ever after fhou'd come there.
I now proceed in the Profecution of my general Anfvver unto the Plea for^^wr-
rtf/ Redemption, as founded on divers Terms oiUniverfality mentioned in divers
Texts of Scripture. From whence as well as from the common and fre-
quent Ul'agc of fuch like Terms amongft Men, 1 fhall fhew that they are \exy
often ufed uiuhv proper Reftri^iom and Limiia.ions, anfwerable to the Subjed^s to
the which they are applied when fpoken of, and not every Individual Perfon in the
World ; and that therefore ourOpponents confident Plea for univerfalRedemption
founded on fuch Terms are not f efficient to fupport iheir JUegntions. How fre-
quently and generally are the Terms all Men, and every Adan, in ordinary and com-
zwon Difcouife and in hiftorical Relations, ufed to fignify no more than all and
every Man of fuch a Country, Society, Calling ^nd CharaSier, inplainContradiftinc-
Xion from other Men that arc not comprifed under thefcTcrms ! So alfo in Scrip-
ture Account of Perfons and Things, as I fliall Evidence by clivers Ir.ftnnces. In
Gen. 3. 20. Eve is faid to be the Another of ^7// Living ; yet not of evcrv living
Creature without Exception, not of the Angels, nor of Birds, Beaftsand Fifhes ;
but all of her own Kind. E.rod. 9. 6, 12. It is faid, that all the Cattle of Egypt
*3ied, and that the Hail fmote every Tree and every Herb, and yet other Cattle are
mentioned after, and a Re/Jdue of Trees are faid to be efcaped. Chap. Jo. 5." And
in 'Ifai. 25. 8. it is faid, that the Lord God will wipe away Tears from /?// Faces,'
which cannot intend all Men individually, for many there be from vvhofe Faces
Tears fliall never be wiped away, who (hall ft>r ever weep and wail with gnafh-
ino- of Teeth, Math. 24.. 51. fee i^^z;. 2 1 . 4, 8. where you fhal! find that the
Promife of wiping awayTears, is referred unto z peculiar People inContradi/liniJiori
from others ; ib that the true Meaning of the Words is, that God will wipe away.
Tears from ofF the Faces of all his People, all /;/; Elci^ People, i's v»H among the
Gentiles as the Jews ; the Text being a Prophecy of Gofpi?) Drs^when theParti-
tionWall fhould be broken down that then was betwee:' f etv LG entiles, -mxA both
reconciled unto God by the Crofsof Chrift y:'Efh:-2 i^.-^'l^. E>ird:~ Accord-
iijgly
Of 'particular REDEMPTION. 273
ingly the whole Prophecy runs, Ifai. 25. 6, to 9. *' And m this Mountain fliall
the Lord of Hofts make unto oi/ People, a Feaftof fat Things, a Feaft of Wines
on the Lees, of fat Things full of Marrow, of Wines on the Lees well refined ;
and he will deftroy in this Mountain the Face of the Covering caft over «// People^
and the Vail that is fpread over all Nations, (that is to fay, the Gentile Nations,
who as yet remained in a State of Ignorance, Blindncfs and Darknefs, deOitute of
the Light of the Gofpel, as in Eph. 2. 12.) he will fwallow vp Death in ^ i<5lory,.
(by which is meant the glorious vidtorious Atchievements of the Redeemer by
the Death of his Crofs) and the Lord God will wipe awayTears from off a// Faces,
and the Rebuke of bis People, (mark J of bis People, fliall he take away from off
all the Earth : for the Lord hath fpoken it." To this End did Gbrift die, and to
this End was he accordingly born, and his Birth publifhed, as in Lui. 2. 10, 11.
** And the Angel faid unto them, fear not, for behold I bring unto you good
Tidings of great Joy, which fhall be to aJJ People, for unto you is born this
Day in the City of David^ a Saviour which is Chrifl: the Lord."
Thus was Chrlft preached by the Angels unto the Shepherds ; and thus by
Virtue of Chrift's Commiffion he was preached unto <7// Nations, yWtf//;. 28. 19,20.
or to every Creature in all the World, according to Mar. 16. lb. " Go ye in-
to all the World, and preach the Gofpel to every Creature," &c. Which can-
not intend every Imlividual of all the People and Nations in the World ; for
thus Chrift never was nor will be preached, nor be a Joy unto : But unto feme
of all People and Nations in the World, to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews,
fame of every Kindred and Tongue, and People and Nation j according to the
Song of the Redeemed, Rev. 5. 9. for whom Chrift was flain,. and whom he re-
deemed unto God by his Blood, and made unto hirafelf Kings and Prieils ; and
who accordingly will ftand at the laft Day before the Throne, and before the
Lamb, cloathed with white Robes and Palms in their Hands, and will cry with
a loud Voice, faying, "^ Salvation to our God which lltteth- upson the Throne,
and unto the Lamb." Moreover St. P^?/^/ faith, Cu/. i. 23- **7"hat the Go-pel
was preached unto every Creature under Heaven^'^ Sit\<^ yet not to every Creature
without Diftinftion, but unto every rational Cizzinxz, and not unto every Indi-
vidual of them, which were contrary to the Truth of Fadts to aiiirm : But the
meaning is as before explained, according to the great Commiflion, Paul.oe\i^^
ftiled the Apoftle of the Gentiles in a particular Manner^ he with other Apofijcs
went about Preaching f'T/fry tt;/;^r,?, the Lord working with them, anfwerable to
his Word, Luk. 24.. 46, 47. " That as it behoved Chrift to fufi'&T^ fo Repen-
tance and Remiflion of Sins fhould be preached in his Name among all NaiionSy.
beginning Mjernfaler^" Thus and thus did the Lord commijjion his Apollies, ancli
thus and thus did they a^, anfwerable to their Direaion and Charge. Again, in,
Joel 2. 2S. God promifeth faying, *' I will pour out my Spirit upon (S^^// /V/t^j,"-
which cannot intend ali Flefh according to our Univerfalifts large Stretch of )ti ch
l>rms All znd Every : It only intendsy^OT^ of every N-aiisn, Age, Se:<> and De-
gree, even his Servants and Handmaidens, as it is explamed and applied A£is 2.
from Ver. i. to 20- peculiarly referring to the ^js'/rtJ^r^jWr;' and »7/r<7<.7^/ij«c Effii-
fion of the Holy Gliofl at the Time of Pentecolt, when Men of feveral Landi,
N'- n 2. Tong-.iei5 ,
2 74 Of 'particular REDEMPTION.
Tongues andNations were met together,as may be there feen at large. Again, in
I Cor. 12. 7. it isfaid, " That the Manifeftation of the Spirit is given to every
Man to profit withal." A Text mightily boafted of by the Patrons of univerfal
Redemption and Grace, as an unanfwerable Argument for their univerfal Talent-
Trade, and that every Individual of Adam\ Race, by Virtue of Chrift's Death,
are PolTeflbrs of a Meafure of the holy Spirit of Grace, upon the due Improve-
ment of which they may all be faved if they will. But alas I poor Men, being
overmuch poffefled and blinded with thefe their Notions^ Dreams and Fancies^ they
do ftumble at the very Threfnold \ fince by the Spirit here is peculiarly to be un-
derftood the extraordinary Gifts {not the fanSi'ifying Graces) of the Spirit, which
in a peculiar Manner appertained unto the primitive Times of the Gofpel, for
the Confirmation of it, and Edification of the Gofpel Church in that State of its
Infancy, wherein the Corinthian Church did abound, and which fome amongft
them improved towards the Promotion of Strifes and Divifions, as in Chap, if?-,
10, to 14. which caufed the Apoflle to write unto them on this Head, as well as
others, fhewing that thofe were never given to fuch evil Purpofes, but unto the
mutual Edification of one another, even as the feveral Members of the Body na-
tural are ufeful for the Good of the whole Body, in Subferviency to the Head.
This appears throughout the whole Chapter, anfwerable to the Occafion and Scope
of this Epiflle : So that the plain meaning of the Text is, That the Manifeftati-
on of the Spirit, to wit^ in the Diflribution of his feveral miraculous And extraor--
dlnary Gifts there fpoken of, and given out feverally amongfl them, was iot every
Man that had them to profit withal, and not to ufe as a Bone of Contention, or
as a Means of Divifion and Schifm in the Church: Which fpoils all our Univer-
falifts Triumph from this Text, who, like a drowning Man that catches hold of
every Twig, are ever ready to take up with the bare Sound of Words, without
any due Confideration of the Occafion, Scope and Coherence of them with what
goes before and follows after. See from Ver. 4. and onward, '* Now there are
Diverfity of Gifts, but the fame Spirit ; and there are Differences of Adminiflra-
tions, but the fame Lord ; and there are Diverfities of Operations, but it is the
fame God that worketh all in all ; but the Manifeftation of the Spirit {to wit^ in
4his diverfe and extraordinary Manner) is given to every Man (that is, to every
Man to whom it was thus given) to profit withal : For to one is given by the
Spirit the Word of Wifdom ; to another the Word of Knowledge by the fame
Spirit ; to another Faith, by the fame Spirit ; to another the Gifts of Healing,
by the fame Spirit ; to another the working of Miracles ; to another Prophecy-
ing ; to another, difcerning of Spirits j to another, diverfe Kinds of Tongues i
to another, the Interpretation of Tongues ; but all thefe worketh that one and
the felf-fame Spirit, dividing to every Man feverally as he will, i^c.'* And to
thefe Ends was the Spirit thus given to them, viz. That they might profit withaJ,
or ufe the fame to the Profit of the Church, not to the rending and dividing of it,
or to ufe the Apoftle's Phrafe, " that there be no Schifm in the Body." Now
the Cafe being thus, there remains not the leafl Shew of a Reafon hence to argue
for the Do£lrine of univerfal Grace in every Individual of AdanC% Pofterity, as
she Purchafe of the fecond Adam.
Again,
Of particular REDEMPTION. 275
Again, Rom. 11. 32. it is faid, " For God hath concluded them all in Unbe-
lief, that he might have Mercy upon all,'* Which cannot intend every Indivi-
dual of Jews and Gentiles, (the People there fpoken oi) fincc there are Tome
whom he that made will not have Mercy on, and to whom he that formed them
will ftew no Favour; Ifa. 27. 11. but all God's Ek6f amongji Jews and
Gentiles ; the latter of whom were once fhut up under a State of Darknefs, when
the former enjoyed Light ; now the latter enjoy Light, wl.ile the others are fhut
up under Darknefs and Unbelief, until the Time of their Converfion fliall come,
which is the very Thing the Apofile there undertakes to prove : For having
treated of the Jews Rejection, and of the Gentiles Converfion, he proceeds to
fhew that there is a Time coming when the Fuhiefs of the Gentiles fliall be brought
in, and when God's EIe£l: amongfl: the Jews fiiall be calied and brought Home to
him by a Soul-faving Converfion, fo that (to ufe the Apoftle's Words there) all
Ifrael (hall be faved ; God will thus fliew his Mercy upon thetn all : not all IfraeVi
natural Pofterity, for they are not all Ifrael, that be of Ijrail, neither becaufe
thev are the Seed of Abraham, are they all Children ; that is, they which are the
Children of the Flefh, thefe are not the Children of God : but the Children of
the Promife are counted for the Seed. Nor by all Ifrael can be meant all the
Gentiles individually ; but God'c; Ele6t, adopted Children among both Jews and
Gentiles ; thefe are Qotl'sfpiritual Ifrael, of whom alone it can be faid that, all
Ifrael fliall be faved ; and in order thereunto in God's dueT'ime called and converted.
God hath concluded the7n all in Unbelief that he might have Mercy upom [them)
all. All which is founded upon God's fovereign Difpofals of his Grace, who is
gracious to whom he will be gracious, and hath Mercy on whom he will have
Mercy, Rom. 9. 13. In the mean while, let us the Gentile Church exprefs the
fame Affe6lion to, and Concern for them now, as the Jeivi/h Church did once to
and for us, while we were uncalled, and (hut up under Darknefs, as is their pre-
fent Cafe. Song. 8.8. " We have a little Sifter and fhe hath no Breafts : what
(hall we do for our Sifter in the Day wherein fhe (hall be fpoken for ? "
But to proceed, it is faid 2 Csir.5.14,15. '* For the Love of Chrift conftrain-
eth us, becaufe we thus judge, that if one died for all, then w^ere all dead : and
that he died for all, that they which live fhould not live henceforth unto them-
felvesjbut unto him which died for them and rofe again" j whereby the Term all
for whom Chrift is faid thus to die, cannot be intended all Men individually ; nor
indeed doth theText fay for all Men, but for all : That is to fay all God's Ele6^,
his Church and Children, for whom alone he died and rofe again. It was for their
OfFences he was delivered, and for //{'^/r Juftification that he rofe again, and for
whom heafcended Sc continuallylnterceeds, confequent upon his dying for them,
and rifmg again. See for this, Rom.S.22,iifc. where after the Apoftle faith,God
fpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, he (liews whom lie intends
by this us, and this a//, as it follows f^er. 33, ^c. " Who (hall lay any Thing to
the Charge of God's Eled ? It is God that juftified, who fliall condemn ? It is
Chrift that died, yea rather that is rifen again, who is ever at the right Hand of
God, who alfo makethlnterceiTion for us." From all which he concludes that
nothing {hall be able to feperate thofe for whom Chrift died, rofe again and inter-
ceed5.
27^» Of parlicular REDEMFTION.
ceeds, from the Love of God which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord. Which can-
not be faid of all Men without Exception, but of God's Ele6i exclufive of all
others. Moreover of M/V a// c/on^ can it be truly faid, that the Love of Ghrilt
(being fhed abroad upon their Hearts by the HolyGholt given to them) conftrains
no longer to live unto themfelves, but unto him who died for them and rofe again 5
anfwerable to what the fame Apoftle faith, Tit. 2. 14. " Who gave himfelffor
us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity,, and purify unto him felf a />,?(:« //^r
People zealous of good Works." Accordingly in the Text under Confideration,
the W^ords are brought in as a Reafon., wherefore the Apoftle and his Brethren did
not live unto themfelves, but unto him that redeemed them, thus arguing, for the
Love of Chrift conftraineth us, becaufe we thus judge, that if one died for all,
then were (theyj all dead, fthat is all thofe for whomChrift died were antecedent-
jy dead, under a Sentence of Death and Condemnation, alfo dead in Trefpafl'es
and Sins ; wherein appears both the Neceffity of Chrift's dying and rifing again
for them as their Redeemer from Wrath, Sin and Death, and his marvellous-
Love in io doing) that they which live,, or are brought by Chrift's Death and Re-
llirre£lion to a Life of Juftification and Sandlification, in order to fit them for 3.
Life of (jlorification,. fhould not henceforth live unto themfelves, but unto him
who died for them and rofe again. In the form.er Part of the Text is ftiewn the
2^ec(Jfity^\n the latter Part the End and Efficacy of Chrift'sDeath andRefurredtion,
and his rich Love to his Redeemed in all this, which being fhed abroad upon their
Hearts by the Holy Ghoft the SaniStifier, conftrains them from ths, moft rational
and wangelic Motives to live unto, to ferve and glorify their great God and Savi-
our ; for (faith the Apoftle, Rom. 14.7,8.^ " none of us liveth unto himfelf,aiid
no Man dieth unto himfelf ; for whether we live we live unto the Lord: or
whether we die we die unto the Lord : whether we live therefore or die we are-
the Lord's. For unto thisEod Chrift both died, and rofe and revived,, that he
might be Lord both of the Dead and living". Moreover in the following Verfes ,
after the Text underConfiderationjWe are told thatGod was in Chrift reconciling;
theWarld unto himfelfjnot imputing to them theirTrefpaiTes,for whomChrift was
made Sin, and who confequent thereupon ars made the Righteoufnefs of God in;
him. Which abundantly corroborates my Expofition of the all for whom Chrift
is faid to die and rife again ;• fmce thefe glorious Things Cisww/ in Fa£i zud Truth'
be applied. unto all Men throughout the VVorld from, the Beginning to the End of
the fame j but unto God's Elecl throughout the World in the feveral Ages thereof,,
anfwerable to yo/>.i 1.52. where we are told, that J^/w; fhou'd die for thatNation,
viz. the Jewifi}., and not for that Nation only, but that alfo heftiou'd gather to-
gether in one the C6//<3'r£« (j/'Gf?^^ that were fcattered abroad, viz, throghout the
feveral Parts of the World. I conclude that it was for all thefe Children, God's
adopted QhMxcn, (who obferve are. called/f<t77<2??/^r^i^;^/ to their being gathered
by regenerating arid convertingGracej and not for allMeaindividually, thatChrift,
died and. rofe again, whom God in him reconciled unto himfelf, .aot imputing
to thsra jhejr Trelpailes, and who are made the. Righteoufnefs of God in him, by
t-he which they arejuftified. The Non-imputation of theirSins is thelrDifcharge •
fram the coiideicning Power of Sin 5 a.id the linputation of the Pv.cdeemer'sRigh-
teouihefs.
Of particular R E B E M P T 1 0 N. 277
teoufnefs to them implies their being accepted of God and accounted righteous in
his Sight J by which z fure Foundanoii is laid for their being glorified. All thofe
for whom Chrift fhed his moi\ precious Blood are juftified thereby and reconciled
unto God ; and 'tis no Icfs true that thofe who are juftified by his Blood, fhall be
faved from Wrath thro' him, and that thofe who are reconciled to God by his
Death, fhall be faved by his Life, according to the Apoftle'^ Argument, Rom. 5.
■■6, to II. Who alfo poflitively affirms that they that are juftified fhall be glorifi-
ed, Rom. 8. 29, 30. Which cannot be aflirmcd of all Men individually, but of
a peculiar People, evenGod's Ele£i. It is for this all thatChrift died and rofc again,
and -whom alone are conftrained by a deep Sen fe of his Love no longer to live un-
to thcmfelves but unto him that did this for them.
I now pafs to the Confideration of i Cor. 15. 22. <« For as in Adam all die,
fo in Chrift fhall all be made alive." * PVom whence 'tis argued, *' That the
" Apoftle is here comparing the two Heads, Adam the firft, and Chrift the fecond
*' Adam ; and that inafmuch as 'tis faid, " That in Adatn all die, {o \w Chrift:
" fhall all be made alive," it is affirmed, that Chrift the fecond Adam died for
«' all that died and fell in the firft Adam, or elfe the Grace of the Comparifon is
*' loft," To which I anfwer,
(i .) That by this very Plea for univerfal Redemption, the binding Obligation
of Adani's fiift Sin on all his natural Pofterity, obnoxious to Death fpiritual and
eternal is plainly confefs'd, fince this Text is produced to prove univerfal Re-
demption froni thefe, and not meerly from the Power of a natural Death. Where-
fore, unlefs the Obje<5lors can hence a<5lually prove, that all are made alive by
Chrift in \.\\zfame extenfive Meafures and Degrees as all in Adam died, that is, re-
stored to a State o^ fpiritual and eUrnal Life, their Plea is not worth a RuP)^ but is
^entirely lofi^ and their Method of Comparifon together. I anfwer,
(2.) That our ObjctSlors Over-fondnefs for their Dodlrine of univerfal Re-
demption hath caufed ihem to lofe themfelves in the Choice of this Text for their
Purpofe, becaufe the immediate Scope of the Apoftle here is to prove the Doctrine
of the Refurredion of the Dead, and particularly the Refurredion of the Juft,
who are united to Chrift their glorious Head ; that by Virtue of this Union they
fhall be raifed at the laft Day unto Life Eternal, and who fhall then together fmg
this triumphant Song, *' O Death [ where is thy Sting? O Grave f where is
thy Vidtory ? The Sting of Death is Sin, and the Strength of Sin is the Law :
But Thanks be to God which giveth us the VitSlory through Jefus Chrift our
Lord." Which cannot be faid of all that died and fell in Adam the firft; thefe
fliall never be thus made alive. If we would underftand the Text aright, we muft
not regard the bare Sound oi Words, which is all our Univerfalifts look unto here,
but diligently attend unto the Scope of the Place, which is, as I faid, to prove the
Doarine of theRefurrciSiion, particularly of the Juft, united to Chrift their Head,
unto Life eternal ; That is the plain meaning oi being in ChriJ} made alive, which
cannot be faid of all the natural Pofterity of Adam the firft, but may be truly
* Dr. IFhitby.
affirmed
278 Of farticular REDEMPTION.
affirmed of all the fpiritual Progeny of Chrift the fecond Adam^ the glorious Head
of all the Eledl, whom the P'ather chofe in him before the Foundation of the
World, to the obtaining this Gkr/. Here is then in the Text All and All^ two
Alls^ viz. Adam's All and Cbriji''s All, between which the Place itfelf makes a
remarkable Difference ; the latter of whom being faid to be Chriji's^'m whom they
fleep, fhall be made alive; that is, (according to the Apoflle's own Interpreta-
tion) raifed to Life Eternal. Adam was the common Head of all Mankind,
whence by his Fall they all died : Chrifl the fecond Adam is the Head of the
Ele(£t, his fpiritual Progeny, in whom they all are made alive in the Senfe before
explained. As thefc were chofen in him and given to him by the Father in the
Covenant of Redemption before all Worlds, that they might have eternal Life j
fo correfpondent herewith they fhall be raifed thereunto in the RefurrecTtion-Day,
and on thefe Accounts are here called Chrijl's^ in whom they fleep, and for whom
he both died and rofe again, as the firft Fruits and Pledge of their Refurredtion ;
which the Apoflle mentions as a Ground of Comfort to them that are in Chrift
by eledling and regenerating Grace. See for this from Verfe 19, to 24. '* If in
this Life only we have Hope in Chrifl, we are of all Men mofl miferable : But
now is Chrift rifen from the Dead, and become thefiifl Fruits of them that flept ;
for fince by Man came Death, by Man came alfo the Refurredtion from theDead j
for as in Adam all die, fo in ChriJ? fhall all be made alive : But every Man in his
own Order, Chriji the firfl Fruits, afterwards they that are Chrifl's, (mark) they
that are Chrijl's at his Coming." Thus, as in Adam all appertaining to him as
their common Head die, fo in Chriji fhall all belonging to him as their glorious
Head and Reprefentative be made alive.
** All the excellent and comfortable Benefits procured by our Saviour (as the
*' venerable Dr. ^^/^jobfervesj are communicated only to thofe who are united
** to him, particularly Juflification, that great BlefTing of the Gofpel, the com-
<« pleat Pardon of Sins, that difarms Death of its Sting, is not common to ail
<* Men, but is a Priviledge with Z/w/V^//i?«. Rom. 8. I. " There is therefore
«' now no Condemnation to them that are in Chrifl Jefus," in him vitally^ as
** their Head, from whom are derived all fpiritual Influences, and judicially as
** their Advocate in Judgment ; and fuch are defcribed by this infallible Cha-
*• raiSter, *' that walk not after the P'lefh, but after theSpirit." Again, the Blef-
*' fednefs after Death is afTured by a Voice from Heaven, with this precifc Re-
«* JlriSlion^i sxclufive of all others, " BlefTed are the Dead which die in the Lord
«♦ from henceforth ; yea, faith the Spirit, that they may refl from their Labours,
»« and their Works do follow them," Rev. 14. 13. Alfo the glorious Refur-
*•* re£lionat the laft Day, when the Bodies of the Saints that now refl in Htcpe
•* fhall be incorruptible and immortal, is the Confequence of their Union with
•* him. Thus the Apoflle declares, i Cor. 15. 22. *' As in Adam all die, io in
*^* Chrift fhall all be made alive. '^ That is, all that were naturally in and from
** Adamy the corrupt Fountain of Mankind, are under the Sentence of Death ;
«• fo that all that are in Chriji ^ the Head of the Regenerate, fhall partake of his
•» blefTed Life ; others fiiall be raifed by bis Power as their Judge, but not as their
*« Hiadf raifed to be more mifenible than Death can make them, not to be tranf-
formed
Of particular REDEMPTION. 279
«' formed into his glorious Refemblance, made capable of fufFering an ever dying
*' Death, not received to eternal Life." See his Works in Folio, p. 381.
To which I fliall fubjoin, anfu^erable to my former Obfervations, That the
Original of this Union is to be found in God's eternal Election of them in Chnft,
in whom they have obtained an Inheritance, " being predeftinated according to
the Purpofe of him who workcth all Things after the Counfel of his own Will,"
Eph. I. 3,4, II. Thus., as in Adam all, or all in Jdam died, fo in Cbrift all, or
all that are inChriftfliall be made alive ; Chrifi; the firft Fruits, afterwards they
that are Chrift's at his coming. In fliort, the Text is fo far from proving z gene-
ral Redemption, as that it don't prove a univerfal RefurreSiion ; for all fhall not
fleep, fome fhall be found alive at Chrift's fecond Coming. M\ which difcovers
the Folly of refting in the bare Sound oi Words, and the hafty catching up of a
Text to prove a /oW Opinion, without firft weighing the natural Scope of the
Place where it lies.
CHAP. IV.
ANOTHER Text brought in Favour of general Redemption is Rom. 5. i^..
*' Therefore, as by the Offence of One, Judgment came upon all -Men
to Condemnation, even fo by the Righteoufnefs of One, the ire& Gtft
came upon all Men unto JuftiHcation of Life." Kere our Opponents think they
fmite us Hip and Thigh ; and accordingly their Champion, Dr. Whitby, d<,th
hence ajHrm, " That Chrift died for the juftification of all Men, and that Juil;-
*' fication of Life -wt^s procured by him for, and is off'ered unto all Men ; it beinc;
" apparetu that the Apoftle is comparing the Condemnation that is procure ^ by
" the Sin of y/^^^,*?, with the free Gift of Juftification procured by the fccor 1
<' Adam., as to the Extent of Perfons concerned in both ; all Men in the iw'a
** Claufe being to be taken in the utmofi: Latitude, the fame Word in the latter
*' Claufe muft be taken in the fame Manner, or (fays he) the Grace of Ccmpp.-
<* rifon is loft." To all which I anfwer,
(r.) That the Doctor in his very firft fetting out mifs'd his Vs/'ay, and {o h'
whole Argument haxch entirely loj}. For moft evident it is, that the Scope of the
Apoflle here in comparing thefe two Heads, Adam and Chrijl together, was not to
ihew that the latter bv dying procured Juftification of Life for all and every one
thnt fell in Adam the firft : For if fo, then either they fhall all have the faving
Benefits of it in being freed from Condemnation, in obtaining AbunJance ot
Crrace, as in the Context, and in the End everlafting Life, as in the fubfequent
Words to the Text, or elfe it will follow that Chrift died in vain for many, wbo
fnall for ever lie under Condemnation, Wrath and Death* The Do6lor*s Plea
in Effc6^ is, that he paid the Price, but loft great Part of the Purchafe : But the
evident Scope of the Place where the Textiles, is to amplify, illuftrate^ and fcf
oft' in the beft Manner the great Doctrine of JuftiHcation by tl:e Grace of God,
through the Redemption that is in Chrift Jcfii?, and Faith in hini, together wirh
O o tl e
28o Of particular REDEMPTION.
the glorious Eftects of it, whereof the Apoflle fo largely treateth in the ihird^
fourth^ and alfo in this fifth Chapter down to Verfe the i ith, where he particu-
larly mentions that Joy in God which Believers have through Chrift, by whom
they have received the Atonement, Accordingly the ApofHe proceeds to run a
Parallel between the lirfi: and fecond Adam^ as two publick Heads and Reprefen-
tatives of their feveral and refpeilive Offsprings : The former as the Head and
Reprefentative of all his natural Pofterity, who finned in him, and fell with him
in his fiift Tranfgreffion, unto Condemnation ; the latter as the Head and Repre-
fentative of his fpiritual Progeny, even all thofe that vv'ere chofen in him before the
Foundation of the World, and given to 1 i;n to redeem from all Iniquity, and
juftify unto Life Eternal. So that obferve here is yf// and All^ two Alls^ that is
to fay, Adam's, All and Chrift's All. Next obferve, that anfwerable to the Apo-
ftle's Scope here, as he parallels thefe tv/o Heads toge hsr, in Regard both of
Similitude and Diffimilitude^ fb he undertakes (o (hew, that as the firft Adam con-
vened Sin, Death and Condemnation to all his natural Poflerity, fo the fecond
-.■f(3Y7OT communicates Grace, Righteoufnefs and Life to all hisyJ^/VZ/z/i?/ Pofterity
or Seed ; and that herein the latter hath the Preference \.o ihc former, that where-
as by his one OfFence Judgment came upon all his Pofterity, to whom he flood as
a Head, to Condemnation ; To Chrift the fecond Ada?n, by his Obedience (fuch
is the tranfcendent Excellency, Power and Virtue bf it) procured for his ^4 II, not
only Freedom from Condemnation for the Sin of the firfi Jdam, but aifo from
inany, even all other OfFences, with a Right Unto Life Eternal, with Abundance
of Grace to fan£lify and make them meet for the ^^W PoffefTion of it, as may
be plainly feen from the Words that go before and follow after the Text under
Confideraticm, in their Connediion with the fame, where it is accordingly called
fuftificalion of Life, vi-'hich is faid to come upon the All there fpoken of, which caji-
7iQt io Truth and Fa5i be faid of Jda^rCs A.11, but of ChrifVs All it is verified.
See Chap. 8. I. " There is now no Condemnation to them that are in Chriji
Jefus,'" (mark) that are in him, whofe Chara6fer, anfwerable to the Abundance
of Grace they are faid to receive is, not to walk after the Flefh, but after the
Spirit. Thofe on whom the free Gift of Chrifl and his Righteoufnefs comes to
Juftification of Life, are adlually made to poiTcfs a Life of Juftification, in order
to the Er.jovment of a Life of Glorification, ■•' for whom God juflifies, them he
'y\o\-\rits,^''' Rom. 8. 30. v>'hich cannot be faid of Ada?n's All. To all which ex-
actly acrrces the whole Paragraph, w^here the Text under Confideration lies, from
Ver. 11. onwards to the End of the Chapter. In Ver. 12. the Apoffle under-
takes to fhew how Death pafied upon all Men, forafmuch as that they all finned
in the firft Adam their common Head ; which Doclrine of Original Sin he con-
firm.s by a double Argument, Fityi, That Sin was always in the World, not
onlv after the giving of the Law by A^ofes, but alfo before from the Fall unto that
I'ime, as in Ver. 13. " For until the Law, Sin was in the World : but Sin is not
imputed where there is no Law". Which fhews that the Law of Works was in
Force from '■•'dam's Time and onwards, antecedent to the Promulgation of it at
Mount Sinai, and confeqwcntly Sin which is a Tranfgrefnon of the Law, and
which iirues in Death. Wiierefore, Secondly^ The Apollle proceeds, and argues
from
Of particular REDEMPTION. 2S1
from Faff, fhcwing that Death the bitter Fruit and Effedl of y/rt'^w'j firft Sin,
reigned from him untoAfofes^not only over fuch as had committed ^^//^/ Sin, after
the Similitude of ^r7<7w'j Trangreflion, wh\ch was perfona I and a ffua I, but even
over fuch as had not thus finned, that is to fay Infants, as in Ver. 14. " Ne\'er-
thelefs, Death reigned from Jdam to Mofes, even over them that had not finned
after the Similitude of JdaTn's TranfgrelTion. The Argument, as the Rev. Mr.
5^ri/V well obferves, runs thus, " Death is a Punifhment of Sin; but Infants
*' die who never finned a(5tually, therefore ( being the Offspring of Jdam
*' the common Root of Mankind) they die for Aiam's Sin, the Guilt of y/^/^?/?';
*' Sin being imputed to them, elfe Death whieh the Wages of Sin cou'd have no
*' Power of them," And as Death thus reigned from jidam to Mofes^ fohath it
continued thus to Reign, attended with numerous Difeafes and grievous Pains from
Mojcs unto this Day, which is an irrefragable Argument for the Confirmation of
the Truth of theDoc^rine of Original Sin, which theAnoftle had in Ver. i 2. thus
afTerted, ** Wherefore as by one Man Sin entred into the World, and Denti>
by Sin : fo Death paffed upon all Men (i.e. all Adam's natural Offspring) for that
all have finned," vi%. In this one Man their common Head and Father ; who is
the Figure of him that is to come, as in the Clofeof the 14th VeVjCc. " Froni
** whence to the End of the Chapter (as the Rev. Mr. Bur kit obfcrves) the
** Apoftle enters upon a Comparifon betwixt Ada7n and Chriji, whom he here
*« calls a Figure or Refemblance of him that was to come, that is of Chriff. AiS
«« y?«/rtr« was the Root of Sin and Death to all his w^r«ro/ Seed, fo Chrift is the
'* Root of Holinefs and Life to all h\s fpiritual Seed. As by the firfl Adam Sin,
" and by Sin Death cam-e upon all Men, fo by the fecond Adam came Righte-
" oufnefs, and by Righteoufnefs Life on all Believers. As the firfl: merited
" Death for all his Offspring, fo the fecond Adam merited L-ife for all his OfF-
*' fpring." Vv^hich connrms my aforefaid Difl:in6lion between yfrt'fl-'n'j yf J and
Chrift's All. And then in Per. 1^,16. theAnoftle proceeds to fliew that the Ex-
cellerey of Chrlit'sRighteoufnefs is fuch, that it hath more Power and EfHcacv to
juftify his fpiritual Progeny., then Adatii's Offence had in the Condemnation of hia
natural Progeny ; thus. But fays he, " not as the Offence io alfo is the free Gift,
for if thro' the Offence of one many be dead, much more the Grace of God, and
the Gift by Grace, which is by one Man Jefus Chriff, hath abounded unto
many, and not as it was by one that finned, fo is the Gift, for the Judgment was
h\' one, i.e. Adam's one Offence to Condemnation ; but the free Gift is of w^?/y
Offences unto Juflification." The Meaning is, the Sin oi Adam whereby Judg-
ment came upon all Men was but i?^^; but the free Gift of Righteoufneis by
Jefus Chrilf hath much more abounded unto /;7,5;y, for their Juftification fAom.
»7i7;7y Offences, and ?75/ cw/^' from that <?«^ Sin of Adafn, Which Point we fhnll
find further illuftrated ynd confirmed Ver. ly, 18, ig. thus ; " For if (faith the
Apoftle) by one Alan's Offence Death reigned by one, much- more they which re-
ceive Abundance of Grace (who are Chrift's fpiritual Progeny onl-f, and n^rt Adam's
All as Fa£t declares) fliall reign in Life by one Jcfus Chriif, (who is their Head)
therefore as by the Offence of one. Judgment came upon all Men unto Condem--
iiatiot>, (who are Adam's Ail) even fo by the Righteoufnefs of one, the freeGifs
Q o a. caKG;
282 Of particular REDEMPTION.
came upon all Men unto Juftification of Life, (who are Chrl/I's Allj For as by
one Man's Difobedience many were made Sinners ; fo by the Obedience of one
fliall many be made righteous." Which cannot inTruth be faid o^ any more than
are ihm in FaSi made, by Virtue of that Obedience of Chrift, made their's by a
free Imputation ; which is not^ never was^ nor ever luill be the Cafe of all Men in the
Arminian Senfe of the Word All i and confequentiy was never procured and de-
figned by Chrift for all Men : It being ?nDji rational to argue from his ASls to his
Dcfgns. And to fay otherwife, is nothmglefs than to affirm, thatChrifi: procured
and defigned that B'eiTednefs for all Men, by Way of a ^vee. Gift unto Juftifica-
tion (f Life fpirituai and eternal, which he at the fame Time knew he fhou'd
never in Fadl give unto them, or that if he fhou'd, he fliou'd afterwards
take it away again from the greateft Part of them, who fliould never be favingly
the better for it. How abfurd is it to afllrm this free Gift to have come upon all
Men individually, fince P'adl declares that there are Multitudes on whom it never
came, or if it did, it came ofT again, bringing them back from a State of free
Juftification unto Life, unto a State of Condemnation, Wrath and eternal Death ?
How contrary is this to the brightPerftdtions of A!mightyGcd,and that Apoftle's
Declaration concerning him, Rom. ii.2q. " That his Gifts and Callings are
without Repentance," as what he never repents of or recalls ? No, he is not a
Man that he (hou'd lie, nor the Son of Man that he fliould repent. " The
Gift of God is eternal Life thro' Jefus Chrifl: our Lord, Rom. 6. 23. Thus the
free Gift by the Righteoufnefs of Chrift comes upon all for whom he died, unto
Juiliification of Life. The two Heads Adam and Chrijl^ are conftdered as Caufes
o^ contrary EfFefis to their /^'Z/ifr^/ and refpeSfiveNi^mbexs^ or differentOfFspring ;
the Effe^is of ihc frji Ada?n' s Doings are Sin Sc Condefmiation : The Effeifs of the
jecond Adani's Doings ^.rcRighteoufnefs and Jufiification^h\^Q andSalvation. So that
the iS^w/"^ of theText under Confideration \s piiinly this^ that as theDifobedienceof
ihefirji Adam is meritorioufly imputed to all /';V«^/ar(7/Pofterity,thusbringingDeaih
and Condemnation on them all. So the Righteoufnefs of xhe fecotjd Adam is meri-
iorioufy imputed to all his fpirituai 'Progeny , or his Seed whom hifiallfee together
with theTravail of his Soul for tbem,'w\thSaiisfa^iony IJa. 53. to their obtaining
Increafe of Grace, with a Right unto and PofTeffion of Life eternal, as it follows,
\nVer. 20, 21. " Moreover tlie Law entred that the Offence might abound :
but where Sin abounded, Grace did much more abound." How and to what
Extent ? Why, " That as Sin reigned unto Death, even fo might Grace fthe
fovereign zn<\ unchangeable QrzcQ of GoA) rexgnihro' Righteoufnefs unto eternal
Life by Jefus Chrift our Lord. Compare this with what is faid in a Method of
mo ft nervous Reafoning^ in Fer. 8,9, 10. of the fame Chapter, " But God com-
mendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Cbrifi died for us.
Jlduch more then being now juftified by his Blood (or having received the free Gift
unto Juftification of Lifej we Jhallhef^veA from Wrath thro' him. For if when
we were Enemies, we were reconciled unto God by the Death of his Son, much
more being reconciled we Tnajl be faved fadually faved) by his Life." So that
in fhort it undeniably appears, that all thofe /s a ^ii/^;^ on whom the free Gift
comes unto Juftification of Life, do receive Abundance of Grace here, and ftiall
fee PofTeflbrs of eternal Glory hereafter. Which is /«r, 'y^ry /iyr from being the
Cafe
Of parti ciilar REDEMPTION. 283
Cafe of all Men in the Jrminian Senfe contended for. Hcivvain and c?npty then
are their greatChampion'sAlTertions hence, that Chrift died iov the Juftificat'on of
all Men, and that Juftification o'i L\ie was by liiui procured for alt Men ? Neither
is the Dudtor's Aflirmation that thefe BlefTings are <?^7vJ zw/o all Men lefs vain
znd frivolous ; fince Fat^s do declare that there both have been and ///// are many
and great Nations, unto whom God never fent fo much as the Neivs and Knoivledge
of thefe^rf^/ Things, much lefs theO^cr thereof: unlcfs you will fay that the Sun^
Moon and Stars are Preachers of this Gofpel of our Salvation. How fiiould they
receive this Off:;r ; of the which they never heard ? And how fliall they hear
without a Preacher ? And how fli.\ll Men preach except they be fent ? P'or
faving Faith and Knowledge comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God
preached. Did not God formerly for many Hundreds of Years, and even notu iu
our Days, doth, he not fufFer many Nations to goon in their oivn Ways, to whom
he fends not Preachers to declare the Knowledge of Salvation by the RemifTion of
Snis thro'oiiS'Bloodfhed and Death of Chrift, as the EfFe61s of his tender Mercy,
whom the Day-fpring fiom on [ligh doth not vifit with any fuch Gofpel Declara-
tions, but leaves them to fit in Darknsfs and in the Shadoiv of Death without th s
Light to guide their Feet in the Way of Peace ? Hoiuvain then is it to affirm
that Juft fi:ation of Life by the Death of Chrift is offered unto all Aden ? Unlefs
you will affirm [tuhich if you do you mufi^r^z;^ it atfo) that the Light of the Sun^
A^oon uni Stars IS fiifficient to guide Mfjn in this Way of Peace, or that any
Pagan or Mihonictan Prieft are Preachers oi this Gofpel^ and capable of making
fuch Offers pleaded for ; as Men qualified and fent of God for that Putpofe. Be-
fides, the Text doth not intend the Offer unto, but the Bleffing o/' Jultification
itfef conferred upon Chrijl's All j for Jultification is z judicial Proceeding of God
as a righteous Judge, wherein upon the Account of the Redeemer's Obedience
and Righteoufnefs, he doth acquit and free them from a State of Condemnation,
pronounce them to be righteous in his Sight, and confers on them both a Life of
Grace here, and of eternal Glory hereafter. A plain Argument of xht fuperior
Worth and Value of the mediatorial Righteoufnefs and Obedience of Chrift tl e
fecond Adam, being of greater Efficacy to effedl the Juflification and Salvation of
alt his fpiritual Offspring, than Adain's Difobedience was in bringing all his natu-
ral Offspring under a State of Condemnation, which came on them by that one
Offence : Whereas (I hy) by the Obedience of Chrift all \us fpiritual Offspring
are not only freed from the Condemnation of that which came by Adam^s one
Offence, but alfo of many, yea, all other a£tual Offences, unto Juflification of
Life ; which is the very Thing the Apoffle drives at both in the Text and Con-
text, and not, contrary to all Truth and Fad to affirm, that Juflification of Life,
by Virtue of Chrift the fecond Adarn'i Obedience, is come upon all and every
one without Exception, that fell under Condemnation by the Difobedience of
Adam the/;/?. View other Parts of this fame Epiftle, and you {hall fee a further
Confirmation of my Expofition of the Terms rt// Men, on whom the free Gift
comes unto Juftification of Life. They are all that believe upon whom, and unto
whom the Righteoufnefs of Chrift is manifejled, revealed and applied by the Spirit
of God. Chap. 3. 22. They are all the Seed unto whom the Promife of Righte-
1 oufnef::
284 0/" particular REDE M P T 1 0 N.
oufnefs and Life belongs and \s furc^ Chap. 4. 16. They are all the Ehn zw6Pre-
.ieft'inate whom God juftifies and frees from Condemnation, for whomChrifi: died,
rofe again, and afcended into Heaven at the right Hand of God, where he inter-
ceeds for them, that are more than Conquerors over all their Enemies through
Chrifl: (hat loved and died for them ; whom nothing either prefent or to come,
fhall be able to feparate from the Love of God which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord.
They are the All that are z'/z Chrifl: Jefus, to whom there is no Condemnation,
who walk not after the Flefh but after theSpirit, Chap. ^,28, to the End. They
are all that are Chrift'' s by the Father''^ Ele£iion in him, and Donation to him be-
fore all Worlds, that he might give them eternal Life, Eph. i. 4. yo/;. 17. 12.
The All that are Chriji's., and who in Chrift fliall be made alive, who at the
great Refurrection Day fhall be raifed by him unto Life eternal, i Cor. 15. 22.
*' For as all in Jda'n died ; fo fliall all that are in Chrifl be made alive. But
every Man in his own Order, Chrift the firfl- Fruits, afterwards they that ^r^
ChrijTs at his Coming." Who having once offered himfclf to bear their Sins ;
will appear the fecond Time without Sin unto their (i&ual and cemplcat Salvation,
Heb. 9. 28. Thus as by the Ofrence of one, viz. Adam^ Judgment came upon
all Men in him unto Condemnation ; even fo by the Righteoufnefs of one, even
Chrift, the free Gift comes upon ^// Men that arc /;z him unto Juflification of
Life. This is a natural plain and true Expofition, anfwerable to all juft Rules of
Interpretation of the whole Contexture of the Apoftle's Difcourfeon this Head,
■where the Words under Debate are interwoven, and his Scope in ufmg them ;
and is withal confirmed by many other Texts^ and undeniable Y^di. Which con-
fequently doth efFedlually non-fuit and difannul the Arminian Plea, from hence in
Behalf of their T)QS.unt oi univerfal Redemption ; or in other Words, imiverfal
^'fiijlification znd S a Iva I ion, Cince to be redeemed is to be juftiu-ed and favcd. Their
Proofs are as zveai as their Ajjirmations are vehement and Urong. After all I cari-
jnot but wonder how any, who from this Place of Scripture, do profefs to believe
in the Do6frine of Chrift's imputed Righteoufnefs unto Juflification of Life, can
■with any Colour of Argument, or Confiflency explode, the Dodlrine ofthe Im-
putation of /^fl'.'?OT'j Sin, unto Wrath and Condemnation, extending it only to a.
Subjeclion unto the^zry? Death, as feme Univerfalifls do, and yet by their very
Method of Reafoning from this Text, in Behalf of general Redemption, do e^re
thiey arc aware, ce«/riv^/V? themfelves therein. For if the Merit and Imputation
of Adam's firfl Sin, reached only unto thefrft Death, or Death natural ; why dii
they plead for a univerfal Recovery from a State of Sin, ^Judgment and Cijw^ifwwfl-
i'/5« unto Juflification of Life, i.e, Uxlt fpiritual znd eternal ? Wherein appears
the Suitablenefs of the Salve, to the ISFature of the Sore, if all Men fell not in
Adam as their common Head into a State of fpiritual Death and Condemnation;
The Socinians indeed ; are fo far confiftent with themfelves, that as they do deny
the Imputation of Adam^s Sin to Wrath and Condemnation ; fo they do therewithal
deny ihcDoctrine of Juftification by the imputed Righteoufnefs of Chrift the fecond
Jdam. Ani the Truth is, that thefe two Points, are fo faft linked to each other
that they either fland, or fall together ; of which the Soelnians are fo weil aware-,,
th.'.c tiw;y deny both together by IVbolefaki But then- by the Wa/^ thefe Sort of
Mea-
Of particuhr REDEMPriON. 2S5
Men don't a little bewray their Folly, when to ferve a Turn, and to aniufe the
univary, they can fas I have known fome of them doj make a noify Out-cry^
in Behalf of the Do6trine ofuniverHil Redemption, or Chrift's dying for all AIcii
without Exception, vaunting with thofe Terms of Univcrfality, All, All, All,
and fuch like, whereas when All comes to All (as we commonly fay) accordintr
to their profefi'ed Socinian Notions, he died for none at all, in the Capacity of a
Surety, fufFering and dying in their Room and Stead, in order to make SatisfacSticii
to the Ju/lice oi God for their Sins ; making no more of our blefiedSaviour Jefus
Clirift than a mcer Creature under all the fplendid Titles of Honour they give him,
•who became a faithful Prophet, a pious Liver, a patient iMartyr, and in all a
bright Example unto idl Men ; which is all they makeof his livins:, fufferino-and
dying for them, exclufive of the Dodrine of his Satisfadion for the Sins of Men ;
contrary to the plain Exprefiions of Chrift himfelf, that he came to give his Life
a Ranfom for many, and that he flicd his Blood for the Remiffion of their Sins.
Math. 20. 28. with Math. 26. 28.
Moreover, what Words can more fully exprefs the DoiStrlne of Chrifl's im-
puted Righteoufnefs to his fpiritual Progeny for their Juflification before God,
when it is faid, That by his Obedience many are made righteous, and that this
free Gift came upon them unto Juftification of Life ? Their being made ricrh-
teous by Chrifl's Obedience (according to all Propriety of Language) can't intend
lefs than their being reckoned or accounted righteous by Virtue of that Ri^fhteouf-
nefs iinpuiedio them, being performed by Chriflai their Headwind Redeemer. This
is further corilirmed by the moft remarkable and emphatic Exprefiions, 2 Cor. K.
ig, 21. " God was in Chrift reconciling the World unto himfelf, not imputing
their Trefpaflcs unto them : For he hath made him to be Sin for us, who knew
no Sin, that we might be made the Righteoufnefs of God in him." Here is a
molt evident and bleffed Com.mutation and Exchange ! Firfi:, The Redeemer is
made Sin for his Redeemed : But how ? Why, not by any inherent Pollution,
■nor by adual Commfffion, for /o he knew no Sin, being the fpotlefs Lamb of
God, holy, harmlef';, and undefiled, feperate from Sinners 3 nor by Infufion of
their Sin into his Nature, this were impoflible ; therefore by Imputation, Thus
was he made Sin for his People: And behold, after the fa ?ne Manner zxq they
made the Righteoufnefs of God in him ; God, in the Matter of Reconciliation
and Juftification not imputing unto them their Trefpafles, which had been impu-
ted unto^fatisfied for by their Head and Surety ; and not only fo, but alfo im-
puteth unto them his mediatorial Obedience and Righteoufnefs freely, without
any Confideration of Works performed by them to be joined with the Mediator's
Righteoufnefs in that grand Article of Ju/Iification. If otherwife, they could not
be faid to be juftified/fv^i^- by God's Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jefus
Chriji : No ; for howfbcver good JVorks do ever follow upon Juftification in the
Perfon jvfi'lfied, and bear Witnefs to the Truth oi thew jujlifying Faith, according
to the Tenor of St. James's Declaration, who had to deal with gracelefs and idle
Profeftbrs on this Head of Divinity, yet no Works whatfoevcr are to be allowed as
Co-partners Wwh Chrift's Obedience in th:it grand Article of Juftification of Men
before, or in the Sight of God, (as the Phrafe is, Rom. 3. 20.) according to St. Paul,
who had to do with Sclf-ju/liciaries, who^being ignorant of God's Rfghteoufnefs,
went
2 8$ Of particular REDEMPTION.
went about to eftablifh their oivn Righteoufnefs, and fo refufed Submifnon iiritb
the Righteourp.efs of God, not confidering that by God's Appointment Chrift v.'as
the End of the Law for Righteoufnefs unto every one that believes. Thus doth
St. Paul and St. James agree, having to do with Perfons of a quite different Stamp
and Chara5ier, when the former fpake of Juftification before God, the latter of a
declarative Juftification before Men. So that upon the whole, we abide by that of
St. Paul, when he quotes David defcribing the BleiTcdnefs of that Man unto whom
God imputeth VJx'^^QOu^ntk tuiihout JForks, Rom. 4. 6. where in exprefs Terms
the Do61rine of free Juftification by the imputed Righteoufnefs of Chrifl is afiertcd
and maintained. This Point the Apoftle profecutes throughout that whole Chap-
ter, and alfo the fifth onwards to the Texts under immediate Confideration. Ver.
18, 19. " As by the OfFence of one Man Judgment came upon all Men to Con-
demnation, even fo by the Righteoufnefs of One the free Gift came upon all Men
to Juftitlcation of Life : For as by one Man's Difobedience many were made Sin-
ners, fo by the Obedience of one fhall many be made righteous." Where the
Dodlrine of Original Sin, that is to fay, That all Men were made, or reputed
Sinners by that one OfFence unto Condemnation, and the Do6lrine of imputed
Righteoufnefs, or that all Chrift's fpiritual Seed and Progeny are made, or reputed
righteous by Virtue of hisObedience and Righteoufnefs imputed unto them, whence
they are reckoned to be in the Sight of God righteous Perfons, altho' Signers in ihem-
felves. See Ro?n. 4. 5. Here alfo the Matters Tivtfo interwoven together that thefe
two Points do mutually prove each other ; particularly as to the Manner how the Dif-
obedience of the firft Adam becomes the Sin of his natural Poflerity, and alfo hoxv
the Obedience of the fecond Adam becomes the Obedience or juftifying Righteouf-
nefs of his fpiritual Offspring, viz. by ?neritorious Imputation, as is remarkably ex-
prefTed in the Terms of Comparifon [As"] [Soj and [Evenfo'^ As by one Man's
Difobedience many were made or reckoned Sinners, even fo, or in like Manner^
by the Obedience of One fhall many be made righteous, that is, by Imputation,.
Thus the former Dodtrine proves the latter. Or if we tranfpofe the Words, and
mention that fir (i which ftands lajl in Order in the Text, then the latter proves the
former thus. As by the Obedience of One many were made Righteous, even fo by
the Difobedience of One many were made Sinners, that is, by Imputation. Thus
doth thefe two divine Truths, in Conjunflion together, mutually Jlrengthcn and
corroborate each other, like Stones laid together in a curious Piece of Arch-work by
t\\Q \i^nds oi z fiilful Workman. So that a very Heathen Philofopher, without
confidering it as a Matter of divine Revelation, if he was to read the Places would
according to all ftated Rules of Speech and Interpretation of Words, conclude that
what I contend for is there expreffed zx\^ declared, and which our Reafongfs them^^
fclves mud confefs, unlefs they are refolved to offer Violence unto all knov/n and
received Rules of Interpretation of Words. And as this DocSfrine doth evidently
ftand upon divine Record as a Truth proceeding from the Mouth of God, fo Rca~
/«« //y>//' fays, that we ought therefore to believe it, and that not to do fo is to
roake God a Liar, ("as St. fchn fpeaksj ivhich is unreafonable as ivell as wicked
And when it is fo plainly evident that the very exprefs Terms of Imputaiictt.-
are fo frequently ^udJamiHi^rly ufed by St. Fauli whqn treating upon the JDcdrine
Of particular REDEMPTION, 287
of Juftificatlon, even in one f ingle Chapter', (^the 4th of his EpiftJe to the Remans)
'tis marvellous to me hovi^ any Man that profeHeth to have Senfe, Reafon and
Learning, fl^ould be lb unrcafonable as to fpeak of theDodrine of imputed R'lghte-
oufnefswith a dirjainful Air, Banter and Ridicule, efpecially fuch who profefs to
maintain and defend the Truth, Ujefu/nefs and Excdlency of divine Revelation, as
what bringeth v^ith it the highej} and noblelt Credentials. f And 'tis no leis mar-
velous to me that thofe who fet up for iVlen of goodSenfe, accute Parts and great
Learning, fhould ofter to interpiet all thofey^frZ/ff^/ Terms of Chrift's becoming
di Ran f only a Sacrifice, a Propitiation, bearing oi zndfuffering for the Sins oi his
People, to make Reccnciliation for their Sins, that he Jhou'd become a Sin zrni Curfe
f^r thent, that he might redctm them from the Curfe of the Laiv, and that they
might be made the Righteoufnefs of God in him, ' and other fuch like Terms which
numeroufly lie fcattered up & down throughout the old and newTeftament ; to a
Senfe (o foreign to the Doctrine of imputed Righteoufnefs ; or his dying in the
Room :ind Stead of Sinners, that J uji One i'u{fi:ving for the Unjull, bearing himfelf
their Sins in his own Body on the Tree, that he might bring them unto God, and
that by his Wounds and Stripes they might be healed ; juft as if all thofe plain zn^^
pertinent Expreffions amounted to no more than his dying to become our Example,
and in Tejiimony of the Truth of his Doctrine as became a brave Prophet and a
Martyr. Whether his becoming to us an Example of Faithfulnefs andFortitude,
of Piety and Patience underAfflidtions, was z.Part of his Defign in dying, is not the
^jefiion, nor is it at all denied by us ; but whether it is c//, whether that includes
the whole Counfel of God, in that ^r^a^ Article of our Chriftian P^aith ? But
furely this is not all, nor the Principal ^King included by his being delivered for
ourOfFences, wounded for ourTranfgreflions and bruifed for our Iniquities, made a
Sin and a Curfe for us, and becoming a Surety on our Behalf of a better Covenant
than the firft, Heb. 7. 22. By all which according to the plainefl and ftridteft
Rules of Interpretation of Words, muft be intended his becoming a Sub-
flitute in the Room and Stead of his People whofe Surety he is, and for whofe Sins
he fufifered and died ; for he that acts the Part of a Surety, or ftandsy^r another,
ftands in his Place, the Debtor's Debt being transferred on him, and his Payment"
of the Debt transfer'd on the Debtor, and reckoned or accounted impuiatively his,
whence he is as effedtually acquitted and difcharged as tho' he had paid the Debt
perfonally with his own Hand. This is the plain Meaning of thofe Words, 2 Cor.
5. 2.1. " He hath made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin, (vi'z. either by
inward Pollution or ad^ual TranfgrefHon, no Debt of his own contracting to pav)
that we might be made the Righteoufnefs of God in him. '^' *' He being theEnd
of the Law for Righteoufnefs unto every one that believes," Rom. 10. 4. He
having as Mediator by his perfeSi Obedience to the Law of Works, anfwered all its
Demands, and thereby procured for his People a Right and Title to Life eternal,
the very Thing which that Law did at firft Promife as a juft Reward due to a per-
f Vide. Mr. Fo/ier's Apology or Appendix to his Trcatife on the Ufefulnefs,
Truth and Excellency of the Chriftian Revelation.
^ P. ■ Je^-
2S'8 Of panicukr RED E MP 'T 10 N.
. feS} znd/potkfs Obedience. Thus by the Righteoufnefs of this One^ they are made
righteou s. Hence it is that Chrift is called the Lord our Righteoufnefs, and his
l^eople faid to be made the Righteoufnefs of God in him. Thus he that a6tsy<?r
another aiSs in his Steady conjequently for kisUfe and Benefit^ as St. Paw/ faid to
Philemon yu'wh Refpedt to poor Omfi?nus, " If he hath wronged thee or oweth
thee ought, put that on mine Account, I will repay it." Thus the Righteouf-
nefs of God without the Law (that is without our being juftified by the Deeds of
it in his Sight) is manifefted, being witnefled by the Law and the Prophets ; even .
the Righteoufnefs of God which is by Faith of Jefus Chrift unto all, and upon all
them that believe, Ro?n. 3.20,21,22. Chap.\.i2, to theEnd. This is tliatRigh-
teoufnefs of Faith which the Gofpel plainly reveals, and which St. Paul^ after his
'Converfion and Calling to the Apoftlefhip both taught and •z.ealoufly conformed unto ^
renouncing <?// \\\s former Dependency on the Deeds of the Law for LifezYi6 Salva-
ii K, which he calls his ouun Righteoufnefs which is of the Law, Gal. 2. 20. Tl e
Lite that I now live, ('mark) that I noio live in the Flefh, now fince my Ccnveifion
by the Grace of God, it is by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himfelf for me. Compared with Phil. 3. where he gives a further Conftffion of
this his Faith, and where he fliews that if any Man by the Deeds of the Law
could have attained to a juftifying Righteoufnefs before God, he could more, even
•before his Converfion, being then as upright, as fincere, as "zealous as any oi them
'ill, yea as touching the Righteoufnefs which is in the Law blamelefs. But (fa\s
he) what Things were gain to me thofe I counted lofs for Chrift, yea doubtle/s,
and I count all Things but Lofs, for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Chrifl
Jefus my Lord : for whom I have fufFered the Lofs of all Things, and do count
them but Dung that I may win Chrift, and be found in him, not having mine
own Righteoufnefs which is of the Law, but that which is thro' the Faith of
Chrift, the Righteoufnefs which is of God by Faith : Where is boafting then ?
(as he faith in another Placej It is excluded, by what Law ? Of Works r Nay,
but by the Law of Faith. " Therefore we conclude that a Man is juftified by
Faith, without the Deeds of the Law." Do we then make void the Law, i;/2;.
as a Thing of nought, altogether or in every Refpe6t ufelefs, thro' Faith ? God
forbid : Yea, we eftablifn the Law. Chrift in whom we believe having by his
perfedl Obedience thereunto in c^r <S'/<'^^ magnified it and made it honourable.
And which as a Law in his Hands who is our King and Saviour, is ftill to be
efteemed as a Rule of Life unto us, to direct us in our holy VValk, that -we might
in an evangelic A-Ianner ferve him in Righteonfnefs, and Holinefs all the Days f^ii
our Lives. Rotn. 3. 27, 28, 31. Luk. i. 74, 75.
And now furely a Man muft have a very odd Turn of Thought to conceive that
by. all thefe numerous and plain Expreilions, relating to the Sacrifice and Death of
Chri/i, and the Matter of Jujlifcation beforeGod, nothing at all is meant of his dy-
ing as a SubjUtute or Surety in the Roo?n and Stead of Sinners, nor of their being
]uftified beforeGod by Virtue q{ his mediatorial Obedience ii Righteoufnefs imputed unto
tbem, being byFaithTeceived, but that he died only as znExample ofPietj'&rPaticnce
and fuch like, and that ^Aen fjncerc'y following the fame, and obi'erving the Law
as explained bv him fliall be juftifie4 and faved. If //;/'; be all ihat thefe Men mean
Of f annular R E B E M ?T 1 0 N. 289
by their faying that we are faved hy Chrift\ and of his lehg a Sacrifce ZT\<i'Prcpitia-
tUn for our Sins^ I prayGod to deliver me fromfiich a Aleihod of Szlvatlon , How
vainly do fuch Kind of Interpreters being avowed Er,:mie-s to the Doilrine of
Chri/i's Equality with theFather, and of his dying in theRocm and Stead of Sinners,
and of their being juftified by his Righteoufnefs imputed unto them^ tell the World
as fome of them do, * " That the Death of Chrift is fpoken of in Scripture un-
*' der ihejirongeji facrifcial Phrafes, yea that by the wife Appointment of God.
" we are to confider the Death of Chrift as the Thing, upon the Account of
" which he pardons, and confers Life and Immortality upon us." Thisisjufl:
Waterman-like to look oneWay and roiv another. Tliis is directly to follow the
fubtile Methods which their Fore-fathers, the falfe Apoftles ufed in beguiling of
the unwary Galatians, which caufed St. Paul to ring fuch a Peal in their Eats,
crying out, " OfooWfh Galatians^ who hath bewitched you, frV. If that great
Do(5tor of the Gentiles meant no more by all the abovefaid Accounts of Chrift's-
Death, and Men's Juftification before God, than what our racovian GentlemCn
wou'd infinuate, it will naturally follow, that he took as ^w ,^it'<3r^ a Method in
delivering his Meaning, as they do in interpreting of the plainejj and fulleji Scripture
£;f/>r^o« relating to thofe grand Points of our Chriftian Religion. Surely our
Gentlemen of Senfe, Parts and Learning, will in all Modefiy allow, that St. PauU
who was brought up at the Feet of x\\q great Gamaliel, was as richly furnijljed with
fuch Kind of Materials 2S any of themfelves czn jprttend to be, and yet by their
fVay of interpreting his Words, they do in EffeSi charge him with ufing a very
odd and out of the Way Method of exprefftng his Meaning when inftrudting an illite-
rate People the Gentiles in Matters of the greate^ Concernment ; and thereby lay
at his Door what doth more properly belong unto themfelves, viz. to darken Counfel
by Words without Knowledge ; and withal comes but little, if any Thing fhort of
faying what Fefius did long before them, " Paul, much Learning hath made thee
mad." And wherein they do not fhew themfehes to be over much foher. " It
«« feemeth (faith Luther) to be a light Matter to mingle the Law and the Gofpel,
<« Faith and Work together ; but it doth more Mifchief than Man's Reafon can
** conceive ; for it doth not only blemifh and darken the Knowledge of Grace,
«« but alfo it taketh away Chrift with all his Benefits, and it utterly overthrows
«< the Gofpel, as St. PW faith in this Place, Gal. i.y. <« There be fome that
*' trouble you and would pervert thcGofpel of Chrift." The Caufe of this great
" Evil (fays he) is our Flefh which being plunged in Sins, feeth no Way how to
" get out, but by Works, and therefore it would live in the Righteoufnefs of the ,
<' Law, and refl in the Truft and Confidence of her own Works. Wherefore
** it is utterly ignorant of the Dodlrine of Faith and Grace, without which not-
" withftanding 'tis impofTible for the Confcicnce to find {true) Reft and Quiet-
" nefs." I (hall conclude this Head with the Dodrine, Exhortation and Cau-
* Vide Mr. J. Fo/ier's Apologv or Appendix to his Treatife on the Ufefulnefs,
Truth and Excellency of the Chriftian Revelation.
P p 2, tion
290 Of partlrular REDEMPTION.
tion of St. PW in his Sermon at Antiach^ A^i 13. 38, i^c. " Bi it known uhto
you therefore Men and Brethren, that thro' this Man is preached unto you the
iForgivenefs of Sins, and by him all that believe are juftified from all Things from
which ye cou'd not be juftified by the Law oi A'lofes. Beware therefore left that
come upon you which is fpoken in the Prophets, Behold ye Defpifcrs and wonder
and perifli ; for I work a Work in your Days, a Work which ye fliall in no wife
believe tho' a Man declare it unto you."
CHAP. V.
I Now pafs to the Confideration of other Texts brought in Favour ofthe Doc-
trine of general Redemption, particularly, i T^'w. 2. 3, 4, 5, 6. which is
thought to make very potver fully againji us ; the Words run thus, " For
this is good and acceptable in the Sight of God ourSaviour,who will have all Men
to be faved and come to the Knowledge of the Truth, for there is one God, and
oneMediator between God and Man, the Man Chriftjefus ; who gave himfelf a
Ranfom for all, to be teftified in due Time." From all which it is argued,
I. " That it is good and acceptable in the Sight of God, that Prayers Suppli-
" cations and Interceilions be made for all Men, for Kings and all in Authority j
*' that as we muft not exclude any Man out of our Prayers, fo neither muft we
" exclude any from Chrift's Death."
To this I anfwer, That by all Men here cannot be intended every Individual oi
fallen Adarn's Race. For, many Thoufands and Millions are dead and gone
intoEternity. But I hope ourUniverfalifts will not fay that thofe are to be prayed
for. For, as for thofe that are gone to f Jeaven they need no Prayers to be made
for them, and as for thofe that are in Hell it is to no Purpoje to make Prayers and
Supplications. Moreover, as for all fuch as have fumed the Sin unto Death we
are not to pray. ^oh. 5. 16. So that our Opponents Argument hence for «/«/-
verfal Redemption, froin a fuppofed univerfal Supplication for all Men without Ex-
ception, proves fallacious in the very Foundation thereof, yea turns forcibly againji
them. For ("according to their own Method of Reafoning) I may fairly argue
thus, that if Prayers and Supplications are not to be made for all Men withoutEx-
ception, then Chiift died not for all Men without Exception. But the former is
true, therefore theConcluHon is right. Befides, obferve, that here thanks are to
be given for all Men, as well as that Prayers are to be made for all Men. But
furely not for all Men without Exception, not for wicked and ungodly Men of any
Rank or Degree, but for good Men of every Rank, particularly for righteous and
merciful Rulers, Kings, and thofe in Authority under them, of whom the Apoftle
particularly fpeaks, in Ver.i. where we arc taught to pray for them, that under
them we may lead a peaceable and quiet Life in all Godlinefs and Honcfty. 'Tis
fuch as thefe we are to thank God for, and not for raging Tyrants, and grievous
OpprefTors. But,
2. It
Of particular REDEMPTION. 291
2. It is urged, *' That it is here faid there is one God, who being the God of
<< all Men in particular^ it follows, that he wou'd have all Men in particular to
'< be faved, that he wills the Salvation of them all without Exception."
To which J anfwer, (i.) That howfoever God as to the Works of his Crea-
tion and commonProvidence, may be faid to be the God and common Father of all
Men, yet not as he is the God of Grace for all are not predeflinated bv him to the
Adoption of Children by Jefus Chrifl unto himfelf, but z peculiar People only who
were chofen in Chrift before the Foundation of the World, thefe are thev that are
faid to have Redemption thro' his Blood and Forgivenefs of Sins accordino- to the
Riches of God's Grace. Eph. i. 3, to 8.
(2.) Let us confider and query, when was it that St. Paul faid, that God wills
that all Men Ihould be faved ; why, it was in fuch an Age of the World when
many Generations of Men were dead and gone, many of whom dying in their
Sins, were at this Time in the Prifon of Hell, under a State of Damnation
whence there is no Redemption. Therefore from this Text to argue that God
wills the Salvation of all Men without Exception is in Effe6l to fay, that he wills'
the Damned to be faved, who yet never fhall attain unto Salvation.
(3.) I anfwer, How can it be faid of all Men in the Senfe contended for, that
God wills that they fhou'd be faved ? How doth lie will this r If he thus wills,
then it muft be either by an aifolute or conditioj^al'WUl. But neither of thefe
Ways doth he will the Salvation of all Men without Exception. Firft, not bv
hhahfolute Will ; for if fo, what fliou'd hinder their adtual Salvation to a Man?
Who or what can refifl: his Will in this Matter, which yet is both refifted and
overcome if indeed this be his Will, But the Truth is that all whom he thusiuills
to be faved, do and fhall by Virtue thereof attain unto adlual Salvation ; which
is fecur'd unto them by the Father's Ele£lion, the Son's Redemption, and b}' the
Holy Spirit's Application thereof by his efte6tual Operations, as the laft Day will
declare. And on the other Hand to affirm thatGod wills the Salvation of all Men
univerfdlly by a meer conditional Will, dependent on their Wills, is to refle£l on
him great Difnonour both in Regard oflvs fovereign Doffiinion and infinite JVifdom.
This reprefents him as ailing at the utmojl Uncertainties, and fubje^ing his Will to .
the Will of his Criatures in Matters of the greateft Importance. It is in Effe6l
plainly to fay, tbat God wills theSalvation of<7//Men univerfally if ihey will. Ac-
cording to which, notwithftanding the Will of God that all Men fliould be fav'd,
truly if /% will not, noMdn fhall be f^vcd. And Indeed if theCafe were really thus,
there is Reafon enough to believe that kc;;^ would in Fa^ be faved ; becaufe the
Wills of all Men are naturally corrupt, their carnal Minds are Enmity againftGod,
they are hot fubjc6t to the Law of God neither indeed can be, until by Grace re-
newed, until then they will not come to Chrift that they might have Life.
Rom. 8. 5, 6, 7. Joh. 5. 40. Chap. 6. 44.
In fliort, the whole of God's willing the Salvation of all Men by fuch a condi-
ditionate^dipendititW'iW is not for him in fa^ and good carnefi to will it at all,for he
hath no IVillof his oivn that is entirely JuhjeSt to the Will of another. At beft this
Arminian Interpretation of God's willing the Salvation of all Men doth reprefent
him faying no greater Things than thefe, viz. O ye Sons and Daughters of Men,
1
292 Of particular REDEMPTION.
I do heartily wiili and will the Salvation of you all, neverthckfs not ^s 7 will but
as you will, not my Will but yours be done. / do indeed will all your Salvation^
neverthelefs \i you will, you may di [annul my Will by working out each one his own
Damnation, But if the Cafe be fuch, what becomes of thofe Scripture Declara-
"tions that faith, he will have Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and that he
worketh all Things after the Counfel oi his own Will ? Eph. i. 14.
Obferve further. That the all Men which theText fays God wills to be faved,he
alfo wills to comes to the Knowledge of theTruth, or true Way of Salvation by Jefus.
Chri/i, as it is faid in his Prayer to hisFather, Joh. 17.3. " This is Life eternal
that they may know thee the only true God, and Jefus Chrift whom thou haft
fent. Which Obfervation alone \% fuff.cient to overthrow our Opponents Argument,
fince both Scripture and Fa£i doth declare that it is not the Will of God that all
Men in the Arminian Senfe of the Terms fhou'd attain unto this Knowledge^ whe-
ther we confider it in the notional ov experimental Part of it.. There have been and
/fill are many Thoufands of Men of whom it could never be faid, that God gave the
Knowledge of Salvation by the Remiffion of their Sins thro' the Blood of the Re-
deemer as the EfFeds of his tender Mercy, that the Day-fpring from on high
vifited them to give them Light, who before fat in Darknefs and in the Shadow of
Death, and to guide their Feet in the Way of Peace. As Life and Immortality is
brought toLight thro' theGofpel, fo evident it is that it never was the Will of God
to fend this Gofpel unto all Men. And even in thofe Lands where the Gofpel
comes in Word^ it doth not come in Power unto all Men : To fome it is gvien to
know the Myfterys of the Kingdom of Heaven, but unto others it is not given.
Math. 13. II. And if you wou'd know theyz/pr^-^/w Caufeof this Difference,
fee what the Redeemer himfelf fays, Math. 2.^. 26. " I thank thee O Father,
Lord of Heaven and Earth, becaufe thou haft hid thefe Things from the Wife and
Prudent, and revealed them untoBabes ; even fo Father, for fo it feemeth g^od in
thySight ;" that is, it is thy fovereign Will and Pleafure thus to do. See alfo how
and after what Manner the difcriminatitig Favours of God in thefe Matters were
noticed and fpoken of by the infpired royal Pfalmift, *' He fhewed his Word un-
to Jacob and his Statutes unto Ifrael ; he hath not dealt io with any Nation, and
as for his Judgments they have not known them. Praife ye the Lord, Pfal. 147.
19, 20. In fhort, God doth in Fa^ give neither Salvation or the Knozvledge of
the Truth unto all Men without Exception, therefore it is not his Will that all
Men withoutException fl:iould be faved and come to theKnowledge of the Truth.
Here I argue from his Aifs to his De/igns, which in all good Reafon muft be al-
lowed to be ajuji and rational Method of arguing. For any to fay that God Jin-
cercly wills and defians to effedl thofe Things which he in Fa£i and very Deed wills
not to efFedl, or caufe to be effedted as Fadis and Events do Evidence, is a fiat
ContradiSiion. It is for Men to charge on their Maker the crude Notions and
ahfurd ProduSfions of their ozun Brains, even in the midfl of their zealous Pleas as
Advocates iorh\m. If God heartily znd fmcerely v^Wls (as fome Men love very
uigoroufly to fpeakj that all Men without Exception fhou'd be faved and come to
the Knowledge of the Truth, or the true Way of Salvation revealed in theGof-
pel, which therefore is emphatically called the Word of Truth, and the Gofpel of
our
Of particular REDEMPTION. 293
our Salvation. C-jI.i^, Epb.j.i^- ^V'hy then doth he not execute this hisWill ?
Is it becaufe he ftes afier Occq/ion io alter it, as to foms, which he did not fore -
fee or h^rhiot z per feil Know lege of before ? Or becaufe he wanisPoiver to effedt it ?
If xhc former, what then becomes of his glorious Attributes of Omnifciency, Il'if-
dom and Immutability ? If the latter, how can he be faid to be Almighty ? And
withal, what becomes of his iS/«tvr//y fo much pleaded for in this Matter as (ho'
we were Enemies to it^ while in Fail we do no worfe a Thing than argue from
his own fovereign Declarations concerning his faving Mercy, and alfo from his
Jt^s unto his Dc/igns F And in fliort upon the whole, what becomes of ])is
Deity ? The whole of thefe very merciful Mms Pleas for theAImighty, \Uhcrehy
examined, will appear to amount to nothing better than this , viz. That he moj} fcri-
oufy and earnejlly zvills to effc5i, or caufe to be effeSled thofe very Things which he at
the fame Time pcrfeilly knows znd fully defgnsflmll never be effeSied, and which ac-
cordingly in very Deed he doth not effeh or caufe to be effeSled. When they have
faid a!l the-f can of God's imiverfal i'^ving Mercy, and univ erf a I izv'ing Knowledge,
they are obliged to confefs that there is no fuch Thing in FaSfas a univerfal Salva-
tion, nor a univerfal Com.ing of Men to the Knowledge of the Truth of the Gofpel of
Salvation, that they may be aifually faved, altho' God is able to efFedl all this if he
will. And to fay he cannot do this with jut deftroying Aden's free Agency is at
once to eclipfe the G lory oih\s Perfedlions both of his JVifdom and Power.
After all our Difputings we mult reft in this, that God hath faving Mercy on
whom he will have faving Mercy, and that he giveth faving Knowledge of the
Truth unto whom he will give it, being indebted unto none, but vaftly difobliged
by all. If (fays theApoftle) our Gofpel be hid, it is hid unto them that are loft", in
whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not,
left the Light of the glorious Gofpel of Chrift, who is the Image of God , fhould
ftiine unto them. And then fetting forth God's difcriminatingGrace and Agency in
the(e Matters towards himf elf and other Beliivers, in Contradiftiniflion from the
Cafe of thofe befere-mentioned, he faith, " That God who commanded the
Light to fhineout of Darknefs, preferring to G^>7. i, 1,2,3,4.) bath fiiined in our
Hearts, to give the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face, or Perfon of
Jefus Chrift." 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4, 6. compare v/ith this what the fame Apoftle faith
in the Clofe of the fecond Chapter of this fame Epiftle. *' Now thanks be unto
God which always caufcth us to triumph inChrift, & maketh manifeft theSay'our
of his Knowledge by us in every Place. For we are unto God a fweet Savour pf
Chrift, m them that are faved, and in them that perifh ; to the one we are the
Savour of Death unto Death ; and to the other the Savour of Life untoLife : and
who is fiilficient for thefe Things ?" Whence we fee that hoiu aivfid foever thefe
dcfferent Events of the Gofpel where it comes are, and how contemptuoufly foever
fome Men can fpeakof the Dodlrine of God's difcriminaiing Grace znii Agency in
the effe^ual Difpenfation of his fiving Knowledge, this great ApofUe, as the royal
Ptalmifi and our blefj'cd Saviour did before him, doth not only afl'crt and mairltain
the fiimc ; but alfo maketh mention thereof in a very devout and pathetic Manner
in a Way of Adoration, Praifeznd Thankfgiving unto God the great Difpenfer of
:hofe great Favours, and whoie fevereign Grace and Pleafure, is the fapream Caufe
of
294 0/ particular REDEMPTION.
ox fuch a difcrirninating Difpenfation, and wKiQh.jtijlly deferves a Remark, we do
iind this once again thus mentioned dnd declared by the great Redeemer himfelf, in bis
Addrefs unto his heavenly Father, Luk. \o. zi ^ 22. " In that Hour Jefus re-
joiced in Spirit, and faid, 1 thank thee O Father, Lord of Hcavtn and Earth,
that thou haft hid thefe Things from the Wife and Prudent, and revealed them
unto Babes : even fo Father, for (o it feemeth good in thy Sight. All Things are
delivered unto me of my Father, and no Man knoweth who the Son is, but the
Father ; and who the P'ather is but the Son, and he to whom the Son will
reveal him."
To conclude this Head of Argumentation I fhall obferve, that at be/i ojr Op-
ponents Argument is no better than this, viz. That God wills to cffedl or caufe
to be effected thofe veryThings which in Fad he doth not will to efFcd, or caufe
to be efFesSled. And on the other Hand at the wor/l^ our Argument is in Fadl no
worfe than this, viz. That asGod firft wills what to effed, fo he certainly efFcds
v.'hat he thus willed. Or that ivbat he doih not in Fa^ do and effed he never
willed to efFed and do. BiJt to proceed;
Thirdly^ h is urged,, " Th^t Chrift died for all Men univerfally, from it's be-
" ing faid, that the Man Chrift Jefus is the one Mediator betzveen God and Man.
*' and that he gave gave himfelf a Ranjomfor all."
To which I anfwer, that the Argument hence is very inconclufive, becaufe
his giving himfelf a Ranfom doth evidently imply his aBual Payment of a full
Price for the «/?w^/ Redemption of all thofe for whom he thus gave himfelf;
fo as that every one of them to a Man fliould be actually delivered from all Mi-
feries and Enemies whatfoever, and adlually poJfefs'd of every Grace and BlefTing
that is needful to make them eternally happy, or to their being faved with an ever-
lafting Salvation, or to ufc theApoftle's Words in thisCafe, " That they might be
redeemed from all Iniquity, and purified to himfelf as a peculiar People zealous
of good Works. That they might be fan£lified and cleanfed by the wafhing of
Water, by the Word, and that they might be prefented unto himfelf, a glorious
Church, not having Spot or Wrinkle or any fuch Thing, but that it fhould he
holy and without Blemifh," Tit. 2. 14. Epb. 5. 25,26,27. The Ranfom which
the Son of God paid down by the offering of himfelf is fo perfeSi and compleat
as that he is faid to have made it once for All., Heb. 10. 10. So that God is
gracious, and faith concerning the Redeemed, " Deliver them from going down
to the Pit, for I have found a Ranfom," anfwerable to the Declarations made by
the Father to the Redeemer, who is Mediator of the new Covenant in Behalf of
the Children of that Covenant, " As for thee alfo by the Blood of thy Covenant,
I have fent forth thy Prifoners out of the Pit, wherein there is no Water, Job 3^^
24. Tuech. 9. II.
Now Fa5i declares that this is not the Cafe of c// Men without Exception i
whence I conclude, that Chrift never g^ye himfelf as a Ranfom for all, in that
extenfive Senfe of the Word All. Why fhou'd it be thought that the Redeemer
knowingly gave himfelf a Ranfom in vain (or many, as the Arminian Doilrine of
Redemption doth reprefent the Matter, to the Redeemer's no fmall Diflionour,
while a vain Shew is made oi bringing to hirn.^ large Rmtnue of Glory f_ To thisl
add-^
Of particular REDEMPTION. 295
adJ, That tbeMediaCorfhip of Chrift in thisPlace betweenGod & Man, doth «,?^(f/"-
faT'tly imply all the Branches of his mediatorial Office, that is to fay, his Oblation
znA Intercejfion, thefe do ever go togethir ^ the former he\og the Grouful of the lat-
ter. By the firjl he made a perfect Atonement, Reconciliation and Satisfaftion,
for the Sins of thofe for whom hp gave himfelf to redeem, and by the latter he as
a righteous Advocate pleads the Price paid, or the perfect Ranfom given, fo as
that the Redeemed fhall be actually poflefTed of all that Grace and Glory which he
by the invaluable Price of his Blood or Ranfom given, purchafcd for them. Now
this he pleads not for allMen withoutException,but for a pcculiarPeople given to
him by the Father In theCovenant of Redemption, See hisAddrefs to thcF'athcr,
^oh. 17. 2, 3,9, 24. " As thou haft given him Power over all Flcfh, that he
fhould give eternalLife (mark) to as many as thou haft given him . And this isLife
eternal, that they might know thee the only trueGod, andJefusChrift whom thou
haft fent. I pray for them : I pray not for the IVorhl^ but for them which thou
haft given me, for they are thine, viz. by Eledtion in me ; and all mine, vi-z. by
thy Donation and my Redemption are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glo-
rified in them. By which interchavgcable Expreffions is emphatically declared that
the Father'' i Eleif'ion.^ and the Son^ s Rede?nption are exa£ily conunenfurate and of
equal Extent to the SubjeSis thereof which is not unto all Men but a peculiar Peo-
ple. To which the Tenor of his Advocatefliip or interceeding Plea, in Fer. 24.
doth exactly agree, " Father I will (T claim it as myRight) that they alfo whom
thou haft given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my Glory
which thou haft given me ; for thou lovedft me before* the Foundation of the
World." Hence, tho' theNature heaffumed is common to all Men,'ind was en-
dued with the beft of human Afteflions, and fubjedl to the common Law of Hu-
manity, as Dr. TVhitby argues, and we grant, yet this makes nothing againft. our.
Argument for peculiar Redemption : Since (as the Rev. Mr. Gill obfcrves) he .
aflumed the human Nature with a peculiar View to the Elei^ of God, the Chil-
dren adopted by /;;'?« and given to Chriji^ the Seed of Abraham. It is thefe only that
d;) fliare in all the fpiritual Bleffings and Favours arifing from the Aflump-
tion of fuch a Nature, as it is written, Heb. 2. 13, to theEnd, <' Behold I, and
the Children (fays Chrift there) which God hath given me, as before-mentioned,
from foh. 17. Whence the Apoftle thus argues,, /^^r. 14. *' Forafmuch then
as the Children (mark the Children before-mcntionedj are Partakers of Flcfti and
Blood, he alfo himfelf likewife took Part of the fame, that through Death, or dy-
ing for them, he might deftroy him thit has the Power of Death, that is the
Dsivil J and deliver them who thro' Fear of Dratb. were all theirLife-time fnbjedl
to Bondage ; for verily he took not on him the Nature. of Angels ; but he took
on him the Seed of yf/^Tij/^^A^. Wherefore in all Thinas it behov'd him to be
made like unto his Brethren, (mark his Brethren, the adopted Children of the Fa-
ther) that he might be a m,erciful and faithful High Pricft in Things pertaining
unto God, to make Reconciliation (perfect Reconciliation) for the Sins of the Peo-
ple," namely thefe hii People ; * as in the foregoing Verfes, are moft- remark-
* Caufe of God and Truth.
29^ Of f articular REDEMPTION.
able and nhundantly difcrihed hy fitch CharaSlers as doth not^ cannot fuit with all Men
zuithout Exception ; but with a peculiar People only, (uch d,s Eleirs cf Salvation,
Chap, r. 14. Sons of Godxvhom the Redeemer brings to Glory, the fin^ifed, and
one zvith the San^ifcr, the Churchy Chriil's Brethren and the Children which God
hath given him, and fuch like.
Obierve further, That ns it is faid he gave himfelf a Ranfom for oil, (o it is
added, that it ivill he tefifed in due Time. Which is evidently true of the Church
the RanfoiTied of the Lord, as will be fullv revealed in the laj} Time. Accordino;-
jy Ciod is faid to abound in Grace towards his ElecSt, who have Redemption thro'
Chr'ift's Blood, in all Wifdom and Prudence, making known unto them the
M\'(lery of his \N\\\ according to his good Pleafure which he had purpofed in
iiinifelf: (mark) that in the Difpenfation of the Fulnefs of Times he might ga-
ther together in one, all Things in Chrifi-, both which are in Heaven and which
are on Earth, even in him, Eph. 1.4, 7, 8, 9, 10. Thus, that Chrift gavehim-
ielf a Rjnfoni {o'c all the EleSf, the Church, the Brethren, the 'adopted Children of
God, \v\\\ht?nanife/IedM\ite/lifiedmdue Time. Which will not at ar.y Time
whatfoever, be tejiified and made manife/i concerning all A^en in the extenftve
Senfe contended for. Hence it is with a Limitation or Rejlri^ion that our Lord
liimfelf fpeaks of this Matter, faying that the Son of Man came to give his Life
a Ranfom for jnany. For fo the Ranfomed of the Lord will appear to be in the
]aft Times, tho' not in a comparative, yet in an abjolute and coileHive Senfe, Rev.
•-. 9, ^c. Then fliall thofe Wordshave their full Accomplifhment, Ifai. 35.10.
-•' And the Ranfomed of the Lord fhall return and come to 'Lion with Songs, and
everlafh'ng Joy upon their Heads : they fliall obtain Joy and Gladnefs, and Sor-
row and Sighing fhall flee away. But all Men individually ivill never thus return :
But a peculiar People on\y ; therefore the latter only are the Ranfomed of theLord,
or the all that Chrift gave himfelf « Ranfom for, to be tejiified in due Time.
In fliort, and to conclude this Head, wi? 7;75;v can be intended in this Text by
the Terms all Men, than all the Ele6t of God, the Men of all Nations, the Gen-
tiles as well as the Jews, with Men of every Rank and Degree arDongft them,
from the Beggar to the King, with fuch as are in Authority under him. Ac-
cording to which Tenor, will the Song of the Redeemed or Ranfomed of the Lord
be in Heaven. Rev. 5. 9. " And they fung a new Song, faying, Thou art
worthy to take the Book and open 'the Seals thereof ; for thou wafl: flain, and ^
haft redeemed us to God by thy Blood, out of every Kindred and Tongue, and
People and Nation, and made us unto our God, Kings and Priefis."
Another Text brought in Favour of univerfal Redemption is, r Tim. 4.. 10
" For therefore we Ivabour and fuft'er Reproach, becaufe we truft in the living
God, who is the Saviour of all Men, cfpecially of them that believe." Thefe
Words are faid in exprefs Terms to contain the Do6lrine of ^/'wrr^/ Redemption.
To which J anfwcr Fir/l, That both this and the before- con fidered Text might
with full as good Propriety be brought to prove a univerfal Salvation, feeing it
is as fully faid, that he is the Saviour of all Men, and that he wills all Men to be
faved, as that It is faid Chrift ga^'c himfelf a /^an/ow/i^r fl//. And indeed affual
Salvation is/o cjfential a Part of Chrijl's Ranfom or Redemption, as that it is a vain
""'*' Thins:
Of particular REDEMPTION. 297
7'hing to plead for the one without [he other. It is no lefs abfurd, to tnik of Re-
demption without Salvation ; than to talk of Salvation without Redemption , or with-
cut being redeemed. He that is redeemed fhall be faved ; and therefore are Men
faved becaufe they were redeemed. They that are reconciled toGod by Chrift's
JJeath fhall be faved by his Life ; thofe for whom he fhed his Blood, do and fliali
by V^irtue thereof obtain eternal Redemption, Hcb. (^. 12.
Secondly, It is evident from theScope of the Place, that the Words are not to be
underfl:ood of eternal, but of /^m/or^/ Salvation and Deliverances, as the Eitecis of
the />ro'y/Wi';7/;rt/ Goodnefs of God the P'ather, who is here called the living God.
He upholds all their Beings, and grants them many Deliverances, caufing his Sun
to (liine and his Rain to defcend on the ^uj} and Unjiiji. He is the Saviour, that,
is the Preferver of all Men, thefe do all (hare more or lefs in his good Providence :
But Believers, the Hoiijlodd of Faith m a more efpecial Manner ; which ttie Apoflle
here mentions as the Ground of his own and others truft in the living God, unticr
ail thofe Labours and Reproaches that attended their Preaching the Gofpel.
Which Senfe of the Words, as they are perfe<^ly agreeable to the Analogy of .
Faith and to the Context, fo is accordingly (as Mr. Gill obferves) ov^^ned by Tome
who are on the fame Side of the Queftion with Dr. JVhitby, as Volkdius de vera
Relig. Lib. 2. Chap. 7. p. 10. and Crebuis de Deo, Chap. -19. p. 133. And in-
deed this is the more remarkable fince Concejfions of an Adverjary are never made
but upon the ftronge^ ConviSiiom.
Other Texts brought by our Univerf^lifts, are i^cw. 14. 15. " But if thy
Brother be grieved by thy Meats, now walkefl thou not charitably. Defcroy not
him with thy Meat for whom Chrift died." With i Cor.%. ii. " And thro'
thy Knowledge fliall thy weak Brother perifh for whom Chrift died."'
P'rom whence it is argued, " That if Chrift died for tlicm that perifh, and
*' them that do not perifti, then he died for all. That he died for them that do
*' not periih is confefs'd by all ; and that he died for fuch as may or fhall perifli \-3,
" intimated in this Injund^ion, deftroy not him with thy Meat for whom Chrift:
*' died." From hence alfo the Dodlrine of the Saints final falling from Grace is
undertaken to be proved. To all which I anfwer,
1. As Chrift is faid to die and lay down his Life for his Sheep ; ^<^ he hath pofi-
tively declared that he will give unto them eternal Life, and that thev fhall never
perifh, Joh. ic. 27. Moreover the great Shepherd of the Sheep faith, that it is
not the Will of his heavenly Father, that one of thofe litt'e Ones flioa'd perifli.
Math. 18. 14. But that they be kept by his Power thro' Faith unto Salvation^
ready to be revealed in the laft Time, i Pet, j. ^. Therefore to ai?.rm that any;
of them may or fhall perifli fo as to mifs of eternal Life and Salvation, is to do no
better than, audacion^y to eontradin or gain fay fhe plain' and p^fvive Declarations- cf
hothouT hea?jenl)f Father ?ii-id cvGV blejjld Redee?ner.
2. It is very evident that it is not eternal Dejlnu^ lev, that is here fpoken of, bc--
caufe it is pofitively declared that it is not in the Pov.er of Man to kill the Soul ^
but of God only. Math. 10. 28^ Bcfidcs it is mf ft unrcafonable to conclude that
et ernalDamnation\^o\\' d follow upon eating and drinking Things indi^erentjfdihus
Mea(s zndMerk^f Wlikh are //;^ Things there pmticularly %ok€Oof;.
\ ■ 0.1 3 3. Ths:
298 Of particular REDEMPTION.
3. The Context doth plainly expound the Deftrudicn of the weak Brother to
intend only theDeftruftion of his prefentPeace andCcmfort, who confcientioufly
fcrupled the eating of fucliThings : hence fays thcApoftle, " It is neither good to
eat Flcfh nor to drink Wine, or any Thing whereby thy Brother flumbleth, or
is ofTendcd," Rom. 14. 2 1. To do which is contrary to Chrillian Charity ; for
if thyBrother be grieved with thyMeat, now walkeft thou not charitably ; yea it
is a deftro\ing of the Work of God, Fcr. 20. Bui what IVork F Why not the
Chriftian Convert who is God's Workmanfhip, nor the good Work of Grace
which God will perform until the Day ol Chrift, nor the Work of Faith whic'i
will never fail : but the Work oi Peace in Churches and particular Perfons,v\ hich
"Woik of Peace (as the Rev. Mr. C/V/ obferves) God is the Author of: That by
juft Confcquence Chiiftians ought to be verv careful not to indulge themfelves ia
jneer indifferent Things, when thereby they deftroy the Work of Peace in the
JMinds of their weak Brethren. According to this Interpretation the perifhing of
the weak Brother, in i Cor. 8. 1 1, is explained by defiling his Confcience,
Ver. 7. and a wounding of it and making him to offend, Fer. 12. Therefore it
cou'd never enter into the Apoftle's Mind, by the weak Brother's perifhing, to
mean his eiernal Damnation., fmce as he fays., Ver. 8. *' Meat commendeth us not:
to God, for neither if we eat, are we the better, neither if we eat not are we
• the worfe.
From all which it is evident, that no Argument can hence be fairly formed
either againft the Do6lrine of particular Redemption, or that of the Saint's final
Perfeverance in Grace to glory. " No Weapon that is formed againft "Lion or
any of lier true Sons fliall profper ; and every Tongue that (hall rife againft her
in Judgment, (hall fhe condemn," //^/. 54. 17. Moreover hereby is (hewn,
to what iniferahk Shifts Men are put, and what grofs Abfiirdities they run into,
when they leave the Corner Stone. To maintain Chrilt died as much for them that
perifli as for them that are faved, that he did no more to fecure theirSalvation than
the others that perifh, is a Notion infinitely unworthy of the all-wife God our Savi-
our, ^s h?ith been before largely Ihewn. Neither will that Text, 2 Pet. 2,1.
that fpeaks of fome falfe Teachers, privily bringing in damnableHerefies, denying
the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themfelves fwift Deftrudtion, a whit
more difprove thefe two noble Points of Do6lrine, viz. That of particular Re-
demption and the Saints fn .1 Perfeverance. Becaufe,
I. Nothing appears whereby the leaft Proof can be made that /^^y^ ^^y?(j/^/
were ever true Believers ; which in all good Reafon we muft require ourOpponents
to produce, before it can thence be fairly concluded that true Believers may
finally fall away. It muflfirft be made evident that thefe once had true Grace
f which by the VVay cannot be done) before it can hejujlly concluded thai they fell
finally from it.
Befides, 2. The Eled, the redeemed of the Lord, the Purchafe of Chrifl's
Blood, are fecured from denying the Redeemer fo as to apojl at ize finally and perijh
eternally, as alfo from embracing and perfijling in, much lefs teaching of damnable
Hcrefies. See iMath. 24. 24. and Mar. 13. 22. where ourLord foretold of fuch
Teachers and Seducers, who (hould come withfo large a Degree of Subtlety that
the/
Of particular REDEMPTION, 299
they fliould fediice if it were pojfible^ even the very Eleif. From whence 'tis plainly
evident at firft Sight, Firj}^ That God hath an Eled People in Contradiftindlioit
from the reft of Mankind, " There is a Remnant (faith St. Paul) according to
the Election of Grace," Rom. 11. 5. Secondly., That becaufe they are God's
Eleft, // ii impojfihlc that they (hould be fed need, {o as finally to fall away and
perifti ; God's Election of them founded in Grace is «/;/«/fl/.W/,f Prefervative a-
gainft the Attempts of the moikfubtlc and crafty Seducers. Peter did indeed thro'
Weaknefs deny his Lord, who yet bccaufc d?«,? of the EleSf and the Purchafe of
ChrijVi Blcod, he did interceed and pray for him, that his Faith might not fail, to
v.'it, finally, and which accordingly did ifTue in hie Recovery by trueRepentancc.
Moreover it ckferves remark., that St. P^w/ makes a very full zx\d plain DJftinSiion
between fnal Apoftatei and irueBclievers, when we faith. We are not of the?n who
draw back (to wit^ from a holy ProfefTion) unto Perdition : but of them thai do be-
lieve to the faving of the Soul. Whence nothing can be more evident ih^it final
Jpo/laies were never true Believers, notwithftanding their former Prcfeffton to he
fuch ; and that true Believers ^o never become fnal Apoftates that draw back unto
their eternal Perdition. It is one Thing for Perfons to make a Profejfion of having
true Grace, and another to be in FaSi Poffeffors of it. For tho' thefe two l^hings
meet in all true profefTing Believers, yet not in all that make a holy Profeffon., al-
tho' they tor a while make as fplendid a Shew of being the Lord's Redeemed and
Sandtiiicd as thofe that are fo in Truth, and who accordingly bear the fame Ap-
pellation, as in theText under Confidcration, and in the Parable of the ten Virgins^
five of them were ivife, and five of them were foolijh. Where obferve, the latter
are called Virgins as well as the former ; and who withal went forth, taking with
them their Lamps of Profeflion to meet the Bridegroom ; thus far they went on
together a- like, hut behold the Difference ! The one hath true Grace in their
Hearts, meant by the Oyl in their VefTels with their Lamps, the other hath none.
Now as thefe foolifh ProfefTors, by Reafon of their going forth bearing the Lamp
of a ProfefTion, in Company with the true Virgin ProfefTors, are called by the
Name of Virgins altho' not really fuch ; fo Perfons may be called the Lord's R.Q-
deeme(^, without thence inferring that they were once fuch in Reality. Accordingly
thofe Apoftates bemg foolifh Virgins, falling off from their ProfefEon, may be
well enough faid to caft off their Virginity, altho* in Fad and Truth they were
never Virgins efpoufed unto Chrift, our Lord and Redeemer.
In fhort, it is no uncommon Thing in Scripture to call Perfons by fuch and fuch
Appellations, not becaufe they do really belong unto them, but becaufe by a Pro-
feffion they do pafs under them. Witnefs many Scribes andPharifees who efteem-
ed themfelves, and were accordingly called by others righteousy altho' they were
in very Deed wicked Hypocrites. Anfwerable hereunto, the abovefaid Apoftates
may be faid to bring in damnable Herefies, denying the Lord that bought them,
and bring upon themfelves fwiftDeftruaion, without any juft Room thence to in-
fer that once they were the real Purchafe of ChriJVs Blood, and true Believers.
This is no contemptible Argument or Method of Argument^^tion (fuppofing that
the Lord Chrift and his Redemption were in the Text fpoken of) notwithftanding
the Contempt that is poured thereon by fuch who zealoufly plead for a mutability
30O Of particular REDEMPTION.
in ihcfree Grace of God, and that Chrift by the Price of his mofl precious Blood
bought and redeemed thofe that prove damnable Apoflates as much as he did the
true Saints of God, glorified with him in Fleaven. The above Method of Rea-
jbning will fland good in the opening of feveral other Texts that are produced a-
gainfi: us with a Delign to prove the abfurd Notions of true Saints final falling
from Grace.
3. As the Rev. Mr. GUI obferves, by the original Word [Defpotei'] here tranf-
lated Lord, is not meant the Lord Chrift, but God the Father of Chrifi:, nor is
there one Syllable of Chrift's dying for any Perfons in anySenfe whatfoever. The
only Places (faith he) befides this, where this Word Defpotes is ufed when applied
unto a divine Perfon, are Luk. 2. 29. yf^j 4. 24. 2 Tim. 2. 21. Jude Ver. 4.
Rev. 6. 10. In all which Places God the Father is intended and in moft of them
manifeftly diftinguifhed from Chrift ; nor is there anyThing in this Text or Con-
text which obliged us to underftand it of the Son of God. Nor fhould this be
thought any Diminution of the Glory of Chrift ; fince this Word Defpotes, is pro-
perly expreffive only of that Power which Alajlen have over their Servants j
whereas the Word Kurios which is ufed whenever Chrift is called Lord, fignifies
thatDominion v/hich Princes have over their Subjeifs ; and befides all this ; Chrift
is mvre than once called King of Kings andLord of Lords. He is alfo called the great
God our Saviour, the mighty God, yea God over all bleffed for evermore, to itjhom be
.Honour and Power everlajiing. Amen-, as in I Tim. 6. 14, 15, 16. Rev. 19. 16.
Tit. 2. 14. Ifal.. 9. 6. Rom. 9. 5. Add unto this, that fometimes by theTerms
buying or bought is only and particularly intended temporal Deliverance : particu-
larly the Redemption of Ifrad out of Egypt, who are on that Account called the
People which theLord had purchafed, Exod. 15.16. The Phrafe fas the above-
mentioned Author obferves) is borrowed from, Deut.22.6. " Do ye thus re-
quite the Lord, O foolifh People and unwife ? Is it not thy Father that bought
thee ? Now the Perfons the Apoftle Peter writes to were Jews, the Strangers
fcattered throughout Pe/z/ax, Galatia, Cappadocia, Jfia and Bythinia, 1 Pet. i.i^
A People who in all Ages valued thenifelves upon, and boafted mightily of being,
ihe bought, purchafed People of the Lord. Wherefore the Apoflle makes ufe of
ihis Phrafe much in the fame Manner as Mofes had done before him, to aggravate
ihe Ingratitude and Impiety of the faHe Teachers among the Jews j that they
fliou'd deny, if not in Words, at leaft in Works,, the mighty Jehovah, who of old
liad redeemed their Father's out of Egypt with a ftretched out Arm, and in fuc-
ccilive Ages had diftinguifhcd them with peculiar Favours, being ungodly Men,„
iurning the Grace fthe Dodrine of the Grace of God) into Lafcivioufnefs.
I now proceed to tbeConfideratioiiof iiii'iJ'. 2. 9. " But we fee Jefus, who
was made. little Icwsr than the Angels, for the fufFering of Death,; crownedwith.
Glory ajid Honour, that he by the Grace of God fliould tafte Death for ty^y
.JSIan.." . t. y . jFrom, w>ience 'tis allerted, • , • . . . :
<« T^hat tbe Jboclrine cf general Redemption; is. in. exprefi Terras contained^.
«* that here 13 naRtfreini zt all, nor a?iy feemingLimitatimi, of ^e compreheufive
-^Phrafe, he taf!ed Dee^tlxfor^yi^O' Man,.'*
TQ-whicki aafws^
• • '- .. ThaC
Of particular REDEMPTION. 381'
That the direSi contrary of this is moji apparent^ becaufe the peculiar Subje£is of
the Apoftle's Difcourfe here for whom Chrift fuffered Death, are not every Indi-
vi*lual of Mankind ; but zpecnUar People to whom his Difcourfe is not only feem-
ingly^ but moft evidently limited and reftrained, as will appear by confidering thofe
peculiar Charaiiers BleJJednefs and Pn'viledges that are throughout the Chapter ap-
prdpriated unto and conferred on them^ which can .in no wife agree with every indi-
vidui}/ of Jdam^s hWen Rfice. For they are exprefly called. Heirs of Salvationy
Chap. I, 14. 5<?«; (7/'G'(7<5^, which the Captain of their Salvation fhould bring to
Glory, being made perfeft thro' Suffering unto that End, Chap. 2. Fer. 10
Which Words do immediately follow the Text underConfideration, and that tod
by Way of Illuftration.as appears by theParticle ('for) by which the twoVerfes are
conneded together. That he by the Grace of God fliould tafte Death for every
Alan. Ver. 10. " /or it became him for whom are all Things, and by whom
are all Things, in bringing many Son~s unto Glory, to make the Captain of their
Salvation perfeil through Sufferings. Moreover, anfwerable hereunto, they are
called the SanSfified and one with the SanSlifier ; for which Caufe Chrift; is not
afliamed to call them 5/v^^r^«, and the Church in the midji ofivhichhewillfing
Praife^ Ver. 11, 12. which exadlly agrees with, Eph. ^. '* Chrift: is the Head
of the Church the Saviour of the Body. Chrift loved the Church and gave him-
felf for it, that he might fandlify and cleanfe it, with the wafliing of Water by the •
AVord ; that he might prefent it to himfelf a glorious Church, not having Spot or :
Wrinkle or any fuch Thing,but that it fhou'd be holy and without Blemifh. He
nourifheth and cheriftieth it, being the Members of his Body, of his Flefh, and of
his Bones, his Body and Fulnefs. All which cannot agree with every Man indi-
vidually but with ^peculiar People only^ even the EleClofGod chofen in Chrift: be-
fore all Worlds unto Salvation^ thro' San£lification of the Spirit and Belief of the '
Truth, 2 Thef. 2. 1-^. " Who are predeftinated unto theAdoption of Children
by Jefus Chrift unto himfelf,according to the good Pleafure of God's Will, to the
Praife of his glorious Grace, wherein he hath made them accepted in the beloved
Jefus, in whom they have Redemption thro' his Blood, and the Forgive/iefs of
Sins according to the Riches of his Grace," Eph. i. 5, to 8. Thus Jefus did by
the Grace, this Sovereign Grace of God tafte Death for every of thefe Sons, and
Brethren ; and not for every Man, as our Univerfalifts would have it, ftnce evi-
dent it is that after all their Boaftings of thefe Terms of Univerfalifts, the Word
Man is not in the original Text. And if it had, could not have been of 'any real
Service to their Caufe, as appears by the above-mentioned Limitations and Re-
llridlions. Again they are called the Children which God the Father hath given
to Chrift, Fer. 13. Which well agrees with Chrift's own Words to his Father,- '
Joh. 17.2. '* As thou haft given him Power over all Flefli, that he fliould give
eternal Life unto as many as thou hnft given him." WhereChrift'sRedeemed are '
called a givenNumber of People, in plainContradiftinaion from all Flejh or every
/W/t//V;Kr7/ of Mankind. It was for thefe given Ones Chrift gave himfelf, for
every oUhefe by the Grace of God he tailed Death, or fuftcrcd and died, and for ;
whom he accordingly as th- Captaiji of ^heir Salyation, being made perfe6l thfa* '
Sufferings, did pur'chafe and will at Mljring- them' to the Enjoy meiTt gf'efemal '
Life
502 Of particular REDEMPTION.
Life andGlory. Anfwerable to the Father's Ele£lion of them in him, andDona-
tion unto him in theCovenant of Redemption. And as his Interceflion is found-
ed on his Satisfaclion or tafting oi Death for them ; fo the Tenor thereof runs,
*' Father I will that thofe whom thou haft given me be with me where I am,
that they may behold myGlory which thou haft given me," Job. 17.24. Again,
they are called the Children of whofe Flefti and Blood Chrift partook, " That
he might (as the Captain of their Salvation) thro' Death deftroy him that had the
Power of Death, which is the Devil, and deliver them," Fer. 14,15. which well
agrees with, Col. i. 12, 13. *' Giving thanks unto the Father who hath made
us meet to be Partakers, of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, who delivered
us from the Power of Darknefs, and hath tranflited us into the Kingdom of his
dear Son : in whom we have Redemption thro' his Blood, even theForgivenefs of
Sins." Moreover, the Subjedls of the Apoftle's Difcourfe here are called the
Seed of Abraham, and Brethren to whom it behoved him to be made like in all
Things. To whom he therefore becomes a merciful and faithful High Prieft in
Things pertaining unto God, and for whofe Sins he maketh Reconciliation, and
whom he fuccours being temped, Ver. 16, 17, 18.
Now put all thefe Things together, and you may eafily fee how little Reajon our
Univerfalifts have from the Text under Confideration to affirm, " That the
Do£trine of general Redemption is in exprefs Terms contained therein, and that
there is no Reftraint at all, or any feeming Limitation of the comprehenfive
Phrafe, he tafted Death for every Man." What more rational then to conclude
that the Term fevery) fliould be limited and reftrained to the immediate Subjedls
of the Apoftle's Difcourfe in this Place, as there defcribed and charadterized, that
is to fay, every of thofe Heirs of Salvation and Sons of Godvih'xch Chrift the Cap-
tain of their Salvation fhou'd lead and bring to Glory, being made perfect through
SufFerin»s, or tafting of the bitter Pangs of Death unto that End j the fan£fified
jind one zulth the San5lifier ; every of thofe Brethren to whom Chrift fays he will
declare his Name ; every of his Church in the midft of which he will fing Praife j
even in the general Affembly andChurch of the Firft-Born of God, whofeNames
are written in Heaven, Heb. 12. 22. and io forth.
The whole Strefs of our Opponents Argument lyeth on the Term every Man
which now fails them, unlefs they can prove (which by the Way they never can)
that all the ahovefaid CharaSfers^ Priviledges^ and faving Benefits do belong unto and
fhall he conferred on every Man, that ever were, are or fliall be born into the
"World, as the natural Defcendents of fallen yf<^^ff7. And their Weaknejs is the
more apparent in their laying fo much Strefs on Terms of equivocal Sound, by how
much the more fuch Terms do abound throughout the blefied Book of God. A
confiderable Collection of which have been already fet forth before theReader,and
to which I fhall mention a few more in order further to fhew, that it is no uncom-
mon Thing for fuch Terms to be reJirlSied to a PecuUarltyfimong^i Mankind, in
plain Contradiftin6lion/r<?OT the reft ^ and that confequently it ihewsno fmall De-
gree of Weeknefs for any Man, horn fuch Klndoi Premlfes moft dogmatically to
draw a unlverfal Conclufion^ particularly as to the Cafe now underDebate andOon-
j&dcsation. Luky 16. 16. it i§faid^ *< That, the Law and the Prophets were
until
Of f articular R E DE:jM P T 10 K 303
until Johfj J fince that Time the Kingdon^,t)f God is preached, and every Mzn
prelTeth into it." Which at moft can, only intend Men^of every Nation^ Gentiles
as well as Jeius ; and not every one of them, but every of tiie zealous among
them, fince Multitudes never entred into it at all, much lefs prefs into it ; Many
did not love it, fo that they neither entred in themfelves, and others they hindred
from entring in ; much lefs did they enter into it with Vigour znd 'Z.eal. Again,
I Cor. 4. 5. the Apoltle fpeaking of the grand Tranfa(5lions of the great Day
of Judgment, when God (hall bring to Light the hidden Works of Darknefs ;
he adds, Then fliall every Man have Praife of God. Which cannot intend every
individual Man that fliall be judged, but every righteous Man ; for then many
(hall be condemned unto a State of utmoft Mijery, Contempt^ and Difgrace^Dnn,.
12.2. And ftill to come nearer home to our Matter, fee Job. 6.45. where
our blefled Saviour faith, that it is written in the Prophets, they fliall be all
t^iught of God, every Man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father
Cometh unto me. Which can intend no more than all &nd every of
thofe Perfons that were given to Chrift, and drawn that they might come unto
Chrift, and taught by the Father, as the Text and Context doth evidence, ihefe
being the peculiar Subjedls of our Lord's Difcourfe there. Even ju/i fo, when
the Apoflle faith, that Jefus by the Grace of God fliould taftc Death for every y
or according to our Tranflators Supplement every Man ^ we niuft in all good
Reafon confider the Terms reflri£iively^ belonging unto the immediate Subjects
of the Apoflle's Difcourfe there, and throughout the whole Chapter, anfwerable
unto the peculiar Charaiiers they bear, and the peculiar BleJJings and Benefits they
are faid to partake of ; that is to fay, a fulnefs of all Grace here, and of eternal
Glory hereafter. Chrifl as a glorious Captain of Salvation, was by the Father's
Will made perfect thro' Sufferings : He by the Grace of God- tafled Death for
every oi his Sons, Heirs of Salvation, Church and Brethren, that he might bring
ibcm unto Glory. This is what I take to be a juft Expofition of the Text, not
only as agreeable with the analogy oi Faith and the Harmony of the divine Pt~
fc£iions, but alfo with the genuine Scope and Tcrtor of the Apcfllc's Difcourfe tlKo'-
out the Chapter. Whence I have often wonder'd to fee fo contrary and tncon-
fijlentzn Expofition given of this Text, even hy fome Juch zs profefs to own tir:
Dodlrine of perfonal and abfalute Ele^ion ; whereby they ir^ve puUsd that duv/ii
with one Hand, which they had before built with the othef^^:.^^.
P)Ut to proceed, if Chrifl's becoming a Ranfom for all, arid his lading Death
for every Man, won't ferve the Turn, and anfvver the End of our Univerfdlifls ;
■what fliall we fay to thofe Texts which fpeak of his bein^; a Propitiation /(.r, , thu-
Sins of the World, yea the xvhole World? i fob. 2. 2, VVlicncc the/ are went
to make no fmall Flourifli againft us, as tho' they had fmote us Hip and Tliigh,
and gotten the intire Vidlory. Bur how fo! v.'hy truly general Redemption i:j
here (fay they) exprefs'd in \he fulleji Terms that can he., "• For, fays the Apoiije,
if any Man fin we have an Advocate wito theFather, Jefus Chrift the righteo;i:^
And he is the Propitiation i^i our Sins, and not for oura only, but alfo for theSins
of the whole World."
R r Now
304 Q/* f^r'iictilar R^ D E M P T 10 N.
Now in Anfwer to all thi?, and to't)ffng Matters to a fl)ort Iflue, the Reader
is defiled heedfully to obfervc, that the Point in Hand, turns upon this one fingle
Pin, viz. W/helhcr by ihc Terms the whoL' fP^orld, upon which all our Oppo-
jients triumph is intirely founded, the Apoftle meant every Individual of Jr/am's
fallen Race yea' or m : If not, as the Cafe really is, then by juft Confequence
their vjhoi\! Argument hence proves abortive. I fnali therefore at once enter
upon the Merits of the Caufe, and by divine AiTiftance fliew, that by thefe
rerms of Univerfality the ivhole IForld^ the Apoftle y(j/'« here did not intend
every Individual of fallen Adom\ Race.
My Rffl Reafon fliall be taken from the Antithefis or Terms of Oppofition and
Diftinclion in the Text it felf, where the Sins of the ivhok JVorld, are oppofed
to and diftinguiflied from our Sim ; that is to fay, the Sins of the Apoftje and
others, to whom he joins himfelf, who therefore are not confidered as a Part of
ibat zvhole World here fpoken of : " He is, faith the Apoflle, the Propitiation
for our Sins, and not for ours only, but alfo for the Sins of the whole World.'*
So that befides the ^many other Places I fhall mention, 'tis evident that thofe
Terms of Univerfality, with the like thereof, are to be underftood in a peculiar
and rejiri^ive Senfe : Which if our Opponents had well obfervcd, they had
iiot ftumbled at the very ThrcJJ)oId, as they have done. And now in order fur-
ther to difcover, how zveak a Thing it is in them, with fo great an Affurance, to
found their Conclufions for general Redemption upon Terms of equivocal Sound,
of various and different Acceptations, refting in the bare Sound of Words, with-
out due P.egard had unto the Context and Scope of the Place where they lie, I
fliall produce a Multitude of Inftances of the Ufc of fuch Terms of Univerfality,
that have various Acceptations, and accordingly laid under proper Limitations
and Reftri£lio7is. See Job. i. lo. where we have thfi^ in one Verfe. *' Chrift
was in the World, i.e. the habitable Part of the World ; and the World was
made by him ; i. e. the whole Univcrfe, Heaven and Earth, Sun, Moon and
Stars, Angels and Men, with all other Things : and the World knew him not;
i.e. the ignorant unregenerat:; Part of Mankind, not all in general, for fome
did know him, even his Sheep for whom he laid down his Life, as himfelf faid ;
" 1 lay down my Life for the Sheep : I know my Sheep and am known of
mine", Job. lo. ^^^gain, inZ,«//J.2.i. it is Hiid, " That a Decree went out that
all the IForld {houlii be taxed " : By which was meant no more than the Roman
Empire, and fuch Countries as were in Subjedion thereunto, Rom. j. 8. The
Faith of the Church then at Rome, was fpoken of throughout the zvbole World.
By which no more could be meant, than all the feveral Churches of the Saints
then in the World. CoL i. 6. St. Paul tells the Colojfiam, *' that the Gofpcl v/as
come into all the Wuilo, and bringeth foith i^ruii". Which ci.n mearl
no more than the Gentile as well as the Jewifh Nations, and particularly among
thofe of them where the Gofpel was preached with good Succefs, for Convcrf.on
of Sinners and Edification of Saints. W'!-.;ch anfvi'ers to the great Commiflion,
" Go teach all Nations he. And again, " Go ye into all the World and preach
the Gofpel to every Creature", Mar. i6. i6. Jn Rev. 3. 10. S^ John foretells
of an Houi- of Temptation that fliou'd come upon all the IVorld. 'Which can
include
Of fcrliculay R E D E M P T I 0 K 305
inclur'e no more than fuch as fliou'd have a Being in the World at that Time.
Rev. 12. 9. "tis faid, that Satan dcceiveth the uhole Wo4jd, and yet it is certain
the Elect cannoi be deceived, /!/(?/. 24. 24. Again i?^z/. i;^. 3. it is faid, that
all the World wonder'd after tlie Bcaii: ; and yet the fame inipired Writer, Chap-.
20. 4. tells of many who had not woilhipped the Beaft, neither his Image, nei-
ther had received his Mark j being fuch as live and reign with Chrift. In Rev.
16. 14. we are told that the rvhole IVorld will be gathered together to the Battle
of the great Day of God Almighty ; who are didinguifhed from the Saints whom.
ihey oppoje. Again i Cor. 6. 2. it is faid, that the Saints fliail judge the JVorld ;
that is, the ungodly Part of the World, who are oppofed to and diflinguifhed
from the Saints ; who {hall not judge one another, but fit in Judgment with
Chrift, judging the whole wicked World. Agreeably herewith in Chap. 11. 32,
mention is exprefly made of a World that fhall be condemned, in contradiftinclion
from the Appftle and other Saints that are chaftened of the Lord, that they might
not be condemned with that World. And now to come nearer home, 'tis ob~
fcrvable that the Apoftle "John., inChap.3.1. doth alfo make a manifeft Diliinc^ioa
between himfelf and others of God's adopted Sons, and an ignorant unregenerate
World that knew not them,becaufe they knew n«tGod. Hence again in ver. 1 3.
he bids thefe Sons of God not to marvel if the /iff^(7r/^/ hated them. Which well a-
grees with what the blefled Jefus had long before faid unto his beloved Difciples,
Joh.i5.i8,r9. " If the Worldhzxz you, ye knov/ that it hated me before it hated
you. If ye were of the JTorld, the JVorld would love his own : but becaufe ye arc
not of iliaWorld^ but I have chofen you out of the World,there(ore ihtWorld hateth
you". Again, in Chap. 14. 16. our bleffed Saviour gives his beloved Difciples
good Grounds to cxpe6l the coming of the Comforter, that he may abide with
them for ever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom at the fame Time, he faith the
/F<;;/r/ cannot receive. Again, as St. Jc/m zdm'ires God''s di/lhr^tii/Jjing Grncc
towards himfelf and others, for making them his adopted Sons, while there re-
mains a World that is ignorant both of God and them under that Chara6^er,
Chap. 3. 1,2. So Judas (not IJcariot) under a deep Senfe of the fame diflin-
guifliing Favour, devoutly crys out, " Lord how is it, or what is there come to
pafs, that thou fhouldeft manifeft thyfelf unto us, and not unto the 7/crA^ /
Moreover it is very ohferveable, that in Chap. 5. 19. of this fame Epiftle, where
the Text under immediate Confideration doth lie, the Apoftie ufeth the very cx-
prefs Terms, the whole World im dr/lr'n^ and Iwiited Scnk-. We know (favs he
to his holy belovedBrethrcn) that zve are of God,and that the whole WoridVicxh hx
Wtckednefs. Now if wc ihould ftretch thefeTerms of UniverfalitJ- to \\\zfnne cxten-
[we Degree., ovw Opponents do that in Chap. -la. what confus'd Work fliould we
make ? For then it would follow, \\\i\x every hdividim I of Mankind, thcr. in biing^
lay in Wickednefs ; and then 'h,.t would interfere with the f.rftPartof tlie Tex'r,
while the Apoftie by Way of D'/Huffion faith, wc know thatiu^ are of God, as
It follows, Ver. 20. and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jefus Chrift. "
Now in thisCollcdVion we have feen the Terms (the IVorld) mznuon'^ fjurtccn:
Times, towhich I could Iiaveeafily added many more; and \\\^Tzxmi(dU thelVorld )
fiveT'imcs ; and theTerms (thcwholeWcfld) four Times, tzventy-threcTxm^^ in all.
And which is very obfervabU that not one oithm fl/Zdodiinteud, (vcryhid'-jidual of
R r 2 . . Mankind.
o
06 Of parlicular REBEMPTION.
Mankind. So little Reafon have our Univerfalifts to boaft of /«i:^ like Terms of
Univerfality, as the' they unanfiverably made for their ahjurd Docirine oi' ufiivfr-
yi?/ Redemption. But to proceed.
Sometimes by the Worlds is particularly meant ihe Gentiles^ in direcfl: Contra-
diftindtion from the Jews. To make this apparent, let it be obfcrved, that in
thofe former Ages, the whole World of Mankind, were generally divided into
and diftinguifned by the Appellation oVJcius and Gentiles. The latter being com-
monly called by the former, the fVorU^ and the Nations of the World ; as is plainly
evident from Rom.M.ii^i^. h Math, 6. 32. compared with Luk. 12.3c. feealfo
Math. 28. 20. compared with Mar. 16. 16. with divers other Places v.diich will
hereafter fall under our Confideration. Now for manyHundreds of Years before
the Exhibition of theSon of God in the Flefh, to the "Jews only were committed
the Oracles of God ; enjoying the diftinguifhing Favour of being the only vifible
Church of God in the VVorld, whilft: the poor Gentiles remained without ihe PjIc
thereof, Eph. 2. ii, 12. Accordingly the y^zi'j-, cr at leaft many of thcra,vi-eic
wont to pride themfelves herein, and to defpife the poor G^'^/Z/^j as Out-cats,
calling them inContempt, the JVorld., and the Natiom of the World. Concluding
that themfelves only fhould be the better for theComing of the promifcd AJcjJlah^
to the total Exclufion of the poor Gentiles of all Benefits thereby. Not coniider-
ing that (according to many antient Prophecies) when he came, the Partitioi.-
Wall would be taken down, and the Gentiles, the Nations of the World, would
become Felloiu- Sharers with them in the redeeming, faving Benefits of his Exhi-
bition, Eph. 2. II, to the End. Hence we find that the ApoRle P^/^r himfelf,
being a few, was utterly averfe to receiving of the Gentiles into the vifibleChurch
of Chrift, counting them unclean, until better informed by the Lord in a Vifion,
as may be fecn at large in the loth and i ith Chapters of the A£^s of the Apoftles.
Now thefe Confiderations may, I humbly conceive, very fitly fcrve as a K(y to
open the Grounds and Reafons of thofe Terms of the JVorld, fo often occurring \r\
the NewTeflamentjWhen our blelTed Saviour ,fohnBaptiJl ,znd others, fpaketo the
Jews concerning the Benefits of the Mefftah\ Coming andKingdom j in order to
redlify their rni/iaken Apprehenfions, and to remove their Prejudices. Accqrd-
ingly, when John the Baptift pointed out the Meffiah unto the Jews, he frys our,
<' Behold t':e Lamb of God, which taketh away the Sins of WorJd ;" that is, the
Gentiles as well as the Jews. So alfo, our Lord in his Difcourfe with the Jewifn
Rabbi, Nicodemus, let's him know, that contrary to their wonted hard Thoughts
of the poor G^«///<?j, thefe were no lefs the Objects of redeeming Love than,'
they. For faith our Lord, God fo loved the /^(?W<i, i.e. ihe Gentiles, that he
gave kisonly begotten Son, that whofoever (be he Jew, or be he Gentile) that
believeth on him, fhould not perifli but have everlafting Life, for God fent not
his Son into the World to condemn the IVorld, i.e. the Gentiles, viz. a^ you
Jews are wont to think, but that the World, i. e. the Gentiles, as well as you
Jews, thro' him might befiwed, Joh. 3. 16, 17. So when the haWtviug Sama-
ritan Gentiles, whom the Jezvs ufed fo much to defpife, fpake of Chriff, they de-
clared him to be the Saviour of the /^or/^, ?ind fo of themfelves. Plence alfo,-
Chrift fets forth himfelf as the Bread of Life, far preferable to Uie Manna whch
tii9
Of particular ^R EXEMPTION. ooy
the Jews did eat of, from it's extenfive Virtue to the IVorld^ the Gcnii'cs^ Job.
4. 42. Chap. 6.32,33. Thus alio the Apoflle John, who was a Jeiv^ an J wrote
to the 'lews (as Dr. h- hiihy confefieth) and (o them ch'n-fly^ if not altogether, who
were diffinguiflied from the GV/7//A-J, commonly called the If or Id, he made it
known, that if any Man whetlier Jew or Gentile fin, and labour under an humble
Senfe of it, they fliould not defpair but hope for Mercy, for (fays he) we have
an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the Righteous : And he is the Pro-
pitiation for ij«r Sins (mark) 5i<r Sins j i.e. the Sins of me John and you Be-
lievers of the fiune Jewifh Race ; and not for our's only, but alfo for the Sins
of the whok World ; that is to fay, the Gentiles the Nafiorjs of the World ; and
even the whole Number of God's Eledt and adopted ChilJren amongft them.
Which Interpretation is evidently confirmed by what is faid, Joh.w. 50,51,52.
*' And one of them named Caiphas being the high Prieft the fame Year, faid unto
them, ye know nothing at all, nor confider that it is expedient for us that one
Man (hould die for the People, and that the whole Nation perifh not. And
this fpake he (mark) not oi himfelf (and therefore the faying muft come from
God) but being high Prieft that Year, he prophefied that Jefus fhou'd die for
that Nation, i. e. the Jewiih Nation, and not for that Nation only, but that
alfo he fhould gather together in one {viz. into one Fold j the Children of God,'
(viz. God's adopted Children) that are fcattered abroad, viz.u^ and down thro'-
out the World ; particularly thofe of the Gentile Nation, who in this Text are
oppofcd unto and dijlingmjhed from the Jewifh Nation : Which cxadly agrees with
that faying of our Lord himfelf, Job. ic. 15,16. *' I lay down my Life for the
Sheep ', and then adds, " OtherSheep I have which are not of this Fold ; (mark)
of r/;/i Fold^ meaning thofe of the Jewifli Race, and them alfo I mufl bring, and
they fhall hear my Voice ; and there fhall be one Fold and one Shepherd."
Now that Chrill's Sheep and God's Ele6l are one and the fame Perfons, I have
before largely fhewn \ and which evidently appears from the faying of our Lord
to the unbelieving amongft the Jews, ^^r. 26,27,28,29. <' Ye believe not be-
caufe ye are not of my Sheep, as I faid unto you." And then as a further Evi-
dence of this Matter, he adds, " My Sheep hear my Voice, and I know them,
and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal Life, and they {hall never
periQi" &c. compared with Aas 13.48. *' And as many as were ordained
unto eternal Life believed", £"/>/;. i. 3, to 7. " Chofen in Chrift before the
Foundation of the World, that they (hould be holy and without Blame before
him in Love, being predeftinated unto the Adoption of Children by Jefus Chrift
unto himfelf, according to the good Pleafure of his Will, to the Praife of his
glorious Grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we
(I Paul of the Jewifli Nation, and you the Ephefians of the Gentiles, theNations
of the World) have Redemption thro' his Blood, even the Forgivenefs of Sins ac-
cording to the Riches of his Grace, ver. II. " In whom alfo we., viz. God's
chofen in Chrift, predeftinated as aforefaid unto the Adoption of Children by
Chrift, and Redemption thro' his Blood ; we (of the Jewifli and Gentile Race)
have alfo obtained an Inheritance, being predeftinated according to the Purpofe of
him who worketh all Things after the Counfel of his own Will, that we fliould be
unto the Praife of his Glory". Which
o
08 Of particular REDEMPTION.
Which brings me naturally and orderly to obferve, '
Secondly^ That of the whole World, and others menti'wicd in^the Text, it is
faid that Chrifi: is a Propitiation for their Sins. Now f.r Chrifl to be a Propitia-
tion for the Sins of a People, doth fully imply that by his Death and Suffering? in
their Room and Stead, he hath made a perfedl Atonement, and Satisfadlion for
their Sins unto God's offended Jufiice ; i'o as that by this Propitiation or Peace-
making Sacrifice, the Breach between God and them is repaired and made up,
and that too foy?;7« and /ii/i?, as that they become juftified in his Sight, and (in
Rigiueoufncfs and Juflice, as Vv'ell as originally of Grace) entitled unto Life eter-
nal, or that glorious Inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled, and that
fadeth not away, referved in Heaven for them until the Time they come of a per-
fect Age. See for this, Rom. 3. 24, &c. " Being juftified freely by his Grace,
through the Redemption that is in Jefus Chrift : whom God hath fet forth to be
a Propitiation, through Faith in his Blood, to declare his Righteoufnefs, for the
Remiffion of Sins that are paft, through the Forbearance of God : to declare, I
fay, at this Time his Righteoufnefs : that he might be juft, and the Juftifier of
him that believeth in Jefus." Add to this, the Apoftle's nervous Reafonings,
Chap. 5. 8, 9, 10, II. " But God commendeth his Love towards us, in that
while we were yet Sinners, Chrift died for us, fand fo became a Propitiation for
our Sins) much more then being now juftified by his Blood, we fliall be faved
from Wraih thro' him. For if when we were Enemies, we were reconciled to
(jod by the Death of his Son : much more being reconciled, we fhall be faved
hy his Life." By which a good Foundation is laid for the Redeemed, as in Fer.
II. " To joy in God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom they have re-
ceived the Atonement.'" Thcju/iice-fatisfying^ i\\Q God-pacify ing^ih^Soul-j iijli-
fying and Soid-faving /Atonement or Propitiation. Hence it is that God inRelation
to the Redeemed, is fet forth in the Gofpel under the moft endearing and Soul-
reviving Titles, of being a God oi Peace, a God oi all Grace, Patience and Confa-
lation. The Term Propitiation ufed in the Text, fignifies a Covering, being
jpoken with Reference to the Alercy- Seat, which by the wife Appointment of
God, was made of beaten Gold, and laid as a Covering upon the Ark of the
Teftimony, which golden Seat and Covering was a Type of Chrift's perfe6i Satis-
faQion.i On which Seat God the Father fat, and from whence he appeared in a
Way of gracious Manifeftation from between the Cherubims, unto his* People
Jfrael, by which was pointed out, God's Complacency in that naofl corn-
pleat' propitiatory Sacrifice, and in his People on the Account thereof, fo as
that thereupon he doth cover their Sins, and juftify their Perfons;. according
as it is written, ** Bleffed are they whofe Iniquities are forgiven, and whofe
Sins are covered. Blefied is the Man, unto whom theLord wili not imputeSin."
Thus David, as quoted by St. Paul, doth defcribe the Bleflednefs of the Man un-
to whom God imputeth Righteoufnefs without Works, Rom. 4. 6, 7, 8. Now
herein lyeth the Compleainefs and PerfcSiion of this Bleffednefs, viz. That by this
juftifying A61 of God, they are for ever acquitted and freed from a State of Con-
demnation and Wrath to come, and intitled unto Life eternal, therefore called,
Juftificatioa of Life. So that how much foever Sin did once abound unto their
Condimno'
Of particular R E D E MP T I 0 N. 309
Comlcmr.atlorj^ Gracs doth iiszu zhownd T?iuch iiwe unto Jnfiijication \ tills Grace
reianing thro' Righteoti fncfs unto eternal Life by Jcfus Chrift our Lord, Rojn,
6.20,21. And kv t lie ir Corn fort atidSupport, during their wcarifome Pilgrimnwe
thrt/ tliis Vale of Tears below, until they fhall arrive at thatPcrfcdlion of Bleffed-
iicfs, they are encouraged from the Confidcration of the tranfcendent Dignity and
Excellency of their great High Pricft-, and his glorious cffedual Tranfadtion for
them, to come boldly unto (Jod, as erected on the Propitiatory, th.e A'lercy-Seat^
wliich is the Throne, of Gmce^ that they may thence cbtainMercv, and f nd Grace
to help them in all Times of their Need. And which as a God of Grace and
Peace, he doth difp.enfe unto them, according to his Riches in Glorv by Chrifl
Jefus. See £aW. 25. 17, to 23. //i-*^. 4.i2,to thcEnd. i Pei.^.io. Heb.i^-io.
*' But the God of all Grace, who hath called us unto his eternal Glory, byChrift
Jcfus, after that ye have fufTercd awhile, iriake you perfed}, fircng'hen, liablifh
and fettle you. To him be Glory and Dominion fcr e'ver and ever, Jmeti,
From all which it evidently appears, that Chrift is not a Propitiation for the
Sins of the ivhole JVcrld, according to the Jr?ninian Stretch of the Terms. And
which at the fame Time doth perfedlly accord with theSenfe I have given of thern.
And doth alfo exadly agree with the Scope of the Text, which is to comifort Be-
lievers under an over-bearingSenfe of theirlnfirmities, as is confefled by fome who
are on the other Side of the Qiieftion with me. Befides, evident it is, that the
Apoftle cou'd never intend, that Chrifl is thePropitiation for the Sins of the whole
World, according to the Arrniman extenfive Senfe of theWords, fmce Multitudes
of impenitent Sinners had periflied in their Sins, long before he fpake them.
Obferve 3. That the fame individual Perfons, for whofe Sins Chrifl is a Pro-
pitiation, he alfo is an Advocate^ as the Text fheweth. Which propcrlv fi^nifieth
one that pleads the Caufe of another, and whole Plea is founded on' Luiu and
Jujlice, Right and Equity ; accordingly, Jefu3 Chrift the righteous, doth plead
with his righteous Father [Job. 17. 24, 25.) in the Behalf of his Redeemed, that
they may c^e to the Enjoyment of that Glory, which he hath purchafed f.nv
them. His Plea is founded upon that f^-Vi/'A'^/ zw<\ perfeSi propitiatory Sacrifice
which he once made upon theCrofs, when he bore their Sins. (I\lark) As God
is faid to fet him forth to be aPropitiation thro'Faith in hisBIocd for theRemiffion
of Sins, and to declare his Righteoufnefs, that God might be juft in iuftifvino-
him that believeth in Jefus ; and again, that he h faitliful and'juft to forgive us
our Sins ; fo Jefus Chrift the righteous pleads this Jujlice and Righicmifnefs with
his Father, as the Advocate of his Redeemed. And what tveli deferves Remark
is, that when he produces his Plea and Claim to his Father, it is under theEpithet '
of being r/;^/;/^5w, faying, O righteous W\\\tx, even as before he had called him •
As/v Father, when he prayed for their Sand'tincation, Joh.ty. 24,25. '< Fa- ■
ther, I will that thofe whom thou haft given me, be with me where I ara, that
they may behold myGlory,wliich thou haft given me ; for thou lovedft me before
the Foundation of the World. O righteous Father, the ^Vorld hath not known
thee ; but I have known thee,^' thefe have known that thou haft fentme." And
anfwerable toChrift's rightcousPurchafc h Plea, with his righteous Father,that his
Redeemed may become poflefled of this Crown of GJory f {q accord in^fy lie, as-
310 Of particular REDEMPTION. ■
a righteous yudgey confers it upon them, 2 Tim. 4. 8. *' Henceforth there is laid
up for me a Crown of Righteoufnefs, which the Lord the righteous Judge fliall
give me at that Day ; and not to nie only, but unto all them alfo that love his
Appearing." All which fhews, both the PerfeSiion of Chrift's Oblation, and
X\\t Compleatnefs oi h\s InterceJJion, iht Effe^ualnefs oi\\\s righteous Plea for the
Soul-faving Benefit of all thofe for whofe Sins he is a Propitiation. And there-
fore, we fairly conclude, that he is 77ot a Propitiation for the Sins oi every Indi-
vidual of Mankind. And that which abundantly corroborates this Concluiion is,
that Chrifthimfelf makes mention of a World, for whom he refuted to a6l the
Part of an Advocate, who are plainly diftinguifhed from that given Number, for
whom he ad that good Part. Ji'^. 17. 9, 24. He appears in the Prefence of
God for them, Heb.g.2^. As our Text joins Chrift's Propitiation andAdvocate-
fhip together, as cotnmenf urate to one and the fame Perfons, fo I have good Grounds
thus to argue, viz. if Chrifl be not an Advocate for the whole World, that is to
fay, every individual oi Adarns fallen Race, then he is not a Propitiation for the
Sins of that whole World : But the former (as I have proved) is true^ therefore the
Conclufion is juft. An Argument which none can contradict without falling into
X\\Q grofejl Abfurdities, viz. that Chrift both dies and intercedes in vain for many,
that fomething over-rules both the Merit of his Blood, and Virtue of his inter-
ceedincr Plea in theCourt of Heaven. In fhort, would you know by a holy Scrip-
ture Determination who they are, for whom God delivered up his own Son, for
whom he died, rofe again, afcended up into Heaven, and there at God's right
Hand, as a righteous Advocate, makes continual IntercefTion. Why, they are
fuch as in exprefs Terms are {{Wc^God'sElcSi SiPrede/linate^whom he predeftinated
to be conformed unto Chrift as the firft-born elder Brother to be called, to be
juftified and to be glorified. And whom therefore, nothing whatfoever whether
prefent or to come, fhall be able to feparate from the Love of God which is in
Chrift Jefus our Lord, being more than Conquerors thro' him who fo loved them
as to become a Propitiation for their Sins, Rom. 8. 1,2,3,4,28, to the End.
4/7/y. I come further to obferve, That the Scope and Defign of the Apoftle in
ufino- thefe Words, was to comfort zud fupport the drooping Minds of fuch Chrif-
tians as laboured under a deep Senfe of the Greatnefs andtieinoufnfs of theirSins.
To the promoting of which good Defign, our Opponents Dodlrine of an uncertain
univerfal Redemption is far, very far from being fuited and adapted, which faith,
that the juftified, reconciled Perfons may be damned. That many do, and tliat
ail others might have perifhed in their Sins, for whofe Sins Chrift became both a
Propitiation and an Advocate. A Dodrine of Men indeed is this, neither calcu-
lated for the Redeemer's Honour, nor the Redeemed' s Comfort ; but juft the revcrfe
of this, beina: as pregnant with grofs Abfurdities as anEgg is full of Meat. Which
while it makes -xfairShew oi exalting the divinePerfeilions, doth manifefily cclipfe
their Glory and darken tbeir Brightnef : Moreover, while it promifeth Comfort,
it doth produce Matter of Difconfolation, fince after all it's Pretences of Chrift's
dying for all Men without Exception, it maintains that all Men without Excep-
tion mic^ht notwithftanding have perifhed in their Sins, the Event of all the Rc-
dcemer^. Undertakings being entirely lefttotheArbitrement of the Wills of Men,
which
Of particular REDEMPTION. 311
which are naturally corrupt, and not to tlie Will of God, or any infallible Pur-
pofes of him for the fecuring the a6lual Salvation of any one Man. Pray what
iolid Relief cou'd it yield to a poor diflreed trembling Sinner, to tell him that
he need not defpair, iince Chrift is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole
World of Men individually, both thofe that perifli and thofe that do not perifh,
for one as much as for the other ? A'light not the poor trembling Soul readily
reply, Miferable Comforttrs areyou all^ zndPhxficiansofml'^alue! ForifChriffc
hath done no more for me than for Cain and ^W^/,and all others that perifli ; then
J am as liable to perifli as they. Notwiththnding your faying, that he is thePrc-
pitiation for the Sins of the whole individual Race that fell in Adam, yet I am
as liable to perilh in my Sins, as Thoufands have done before me ; feeing accord-
ing to your Scheme of general Redemption, there are no infallible effe/^ual
Meafures taken, in order for the Application of that heavenly Balm, the Blood
Merits and IntercelHon of the great Redeemer, for the actual healing and Salva-
tion of my poor finful and nn-lick Soul ; there are no infallible Promifes allow-
ed of, for the fecuring of ihe Benefits of his Paffion and Death for my atStual and
compleat Redemption. Ciirift, according to you, having after all your big Ex-
preffions of a j-^we/'^?/ Redemption, purchafed only an «,7i:(fr/^/« Salvation for all
Men, but a certain Salvation for 710 Alan. A bare conditional Redemption found-
ed on fuch Conditions as it hath made no aSiual Provifion for the enabjingof any
of the Redeemed to comply with and perform that they may be faved ; founded
upon the y^?76()' Foundation of a common Free-will Ability, fuppofed to be in
every Man, independant of zr\y peculiar., fupernatural h\dsy or etl^edlual efiab-
lifliiiig Grace, to believe, repent and finally perfevere in a holy Obedience to
our Lives End : whereas (by woful Experience) I find my felf with all my Stock
of fuppofed common Grace and Free-will Abilities, (without further Aids from
Heaven) an unequal Match for all my fpiritual Enemies, who are numerous and
powerful, the World with all its Snares, Satan with all his Force and Wiles, even
the whole Powers of Darknefs that I have to wrefile withal ; as alfo the mani-
fold and great, natural and inbred Corruptions of my Heart, which I find by fad
Experience to be the very Center of Sin and Folly, deceitful above all Things
and defperately wicked. The very Neft of Atheifm and Unbelief, with all that
long Train of Evils,' which the holy Jefus (who knoweth what is in Man) hath
declared to be in the Heart of Man, Math. 15. 9. Mar. 7. 21. compared with
Gen. 6. 5.Ch.8.2r. Moreover,fuppofing that at length after much Pains-taking,
I cou'd by my Free-will Abilities, attain fo far as to become a true penitent Be-
liever, and fo come to receive fome good Degree of Comfort and Eafe to my
poor Soul ; yet this is flill attended, with \h\s fmarting and/?zw^/«^Confideration,
viz. that unlefs in the midft of and inOppofition to all my fpiritual Enemies I do,
by the bare exercife of my Free-will Abilities, to the exclufion of Tcny J up er natural
Aids, finally prefevere in thofe holy A6b of Faith, Repentance, and Obedience.,
I am as fure to perifli as tho' Chrifl: had never died for me, nor been myAdvocatc
with the Father, nor 1 believed and repented. For if my firrt Parents, notwith-
ftanding all their Free-will Stock of Abilities, attended with all the Advantages
of their innocent paradiafical State, were each one an unequal Match fof- a purg
S f Dcvil
g 1 2 Of pmicular REDEMPTION.
Devil, without tnfuring ejiahlifning Grace ; may I not u^on Jirongeji Reafons con-
clude, that I a /i(7<7r </^^r<2y^^/(7//^« Creature with all my fuppofed Stock of com-
mon Grace, and Free-will Abilities, fliall be much lefs able to hold out unto the
End, agaiuft an old exp£rienc''d Devil, with his whoU Train of evil Angels, with-
out injuring Grace ? Which (jrace however necelTary to render the faving
Benefits of Chrift's Death effectual to my Soul's actual Salvation, tbeDocStrineof
_g-(f;;^r(?/ Redemption doth I find utterly difallow unto me, for vny Jolid ^n6 com-
fortable Hopes of being faved. At the moli and btjl (according to this Doctrine)
I do but at a blind Adventure run myRifque,and take my Chance ; I may be faved,
or I may be damned, I wot not what in the End v/ill become of me. Where-
fore I a poor diflreilcd Sinner, muft once more tell you, O ye Univcrfalijh^ that
mijeralle Comforters are )'e all, and Phyficians of no Value !
But now upon the Foot ofprt;i'/V«/(jr Redemption, there is the greateft Grounds
afforded for the raifing the Hopes of the poor awakened enquiring Soul, although
Chrift died not for all Men without Exception. Since,
1. Notwithdanding.jt's Peculiarity, the Number of Redeemed ones are, as at
the laft Day they will appear to be (abfolutely and col!e6liveiy confidered) a very
great A.irembjy, which no Man, no not the greatefl; Arithmetician, can Nprpber,
and that too of all Nations, andKindreds, and People, andTongues, Rev.j.g.Scc.
2. That Chrift did not purchafe for them (even as that glorious Day vv'iU de-
clare) a bare PoJJibiiiiy of Salvation, founded upon the precarious Bottom of Con-
ditions, uncertain to be performed by them : No, but a Certainty of Salvation,
together with all that Grace that is needful to effe^ it. Such Grace as doth jufiify
their Perfons, and fandlify them in Soul and Body, and bring them home unto
God in the Exercife of the Graces of Faith, Repentance and Holinefs," with
Strength to perfevere herein unto the End of theirDays, enabling them to do what
is required of tl.ein, in a Way of Duty to perform, and to become meetjor the
heavenly Inheritance, that having their Fruit unto Holinefs, their End is ever-
lafting Life. For tho' the Wages of Sin is Death, yet eternal Life is the Gift of
God, thro* Jefus Chrift our Lord, Rom. 6. 20.
3. That this peculiar Redemption provides as well, and as much for the Juftl-
fication, Sandlification andSalvation of the f/;/^of Sinners, as for thofe of a lower
Rank. Witnefs, Manaffah, Mary Aiagdalen, Paul, the Corinthians, i Cor. 6.
9,10,11. Yea, fome of the very Murderers of the Prince of Life, whh innu-
merable others. So that «i? Sinner whatfoever, altho' his Sins are of the (Icepeji
Tiyt, that Labours under a penitent Senfe and Burden thereof, hath any Reafon to
defpair o?, but rather ^r^'a^ Grounds to hope in redeeming Grace znd M^rcy ihr^j'
the precious Blood and Merits of the great Redeemer, who hath faid, " Come
unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Reft, " Jllath.
1 1. 28. and again. Job. 6. 37. *' All that the Father giveth me,fhal] come un-
to me, and him that cometh, I will in no wife caft out."
This Doilrine provides Grace for their firft Awakening, fo as to caufe them
to fee the Worth and fVant oi Chrift, together with the Nectjfity oi clofing in with
Chrijl (in whom it hath pleafed the Father all Fulnefs fliould dwell) for Life and
Solvation, Alfo Grace to enable the Sv ul a^ually to doall ihis'in the Exercife of
the
Of particular REDEMPI'ION. 313
the Graces of Faith and Repentance, Xech 12. 10. Alfo Grace to encourage and
comfort the Sou! whilft on it's Way to Chrift ; yea, fuch Meafures of Grace as
enables the coming Sinner, fupreamly to love, zn6J}edfaJ}ly to cleave unto Chrift
all his Day', notwithftanding all his fpiritual Enemies powerful and politic At-
tempts to overthrow him. He becomes more than Conqueror over them, thro'
Chrirt who fo loved him as to become a Propitiation for his Sins, and an Advocate
with the Father on hisBehalf. Grace often ftays him when ready to fall, and al-
ways raifeth him up again when fallen, and engageth the Power of God to keep
him thro' Faith unto Salvation, ready to be, revealed in the laflTime, i Pet.i.^.
Yea, the Care of Chrift over they/«fl//^ andy^f^/^'i' of his Flock i,s fuch, that
they fliall be efFe£lually preferved from the roaring Lion's Rage, 'till they are
fafely lodged-in Heaven. " A bruifed Reed he will not break, and the fmoaking
P'lix he will not quench, until he bring forth Judgment unto Viilory". This
is the true and delightful Portraiture of the Dod^rine of /'rtrZ/Vw/tf;- Redemption.
And in a Word, being founded on the infinite Grace, Wifdom, Immutability,
Truth, Faithfulnefs andPower, of the infinitely glorious Author of that important
Work, hath mofl richly provided for tb.e efi'eclual bringing home favingly unto
God, in the Difpenfation of the Fulnefs of Times, every Individual of that num-
berlefs Number of his peculiar People, for whofe Sins Chrift is a Propitiation, and
for whom he adts the Part of a righteous Advocate in the Court of Heaven. His
moj} precious Blood being infinitely meritorious and valuable, he will not fufFer it to
be fpilt in vain ; ard his righteous Plea thereon is fo invinfible powerful and pre-
vailing, that it is impijflible it fliould be fuperfeded or over-ruled by any oppofite"
Power or Policy whatfoever. Thus in this compleat Aianner, Jefus Chrift the
Redeemer is of God made unto every one of his Redeemed, Wifdom and Righte-
oufnefs, and Sandlification, and.Redcmptic ;^. That according as it is written,
*' Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord, i Cor. i. 30, 31. All which doth,,
exadlly anfwer to the Father's Promife made to his Son the Redeem.er in the Co-
venant of Redemption ; Ifui. 53* 10, i I, 12. That when his Soul fliould be
made an Oft'ering for Sin, he fliall fte his Seed and the travail of his Soul, and be
fatisfied, that the Pleafure of the Lord fliould profper in his Hands, isfr.
Thus upon the whole, the Do6lrine of peculiar Redemption (notvvithftanding
the 7«(7f7//<?/i rv'y/w/? Afpcrfions that are. caft thereon) appears to be a Doctrine of
God, fuch a Redemption as is well worthy of the all-glorious God to efi^eci-, and
for all wife Men to receive and entertain, as what both abundantly maintains th«
Harmony, and illuftrates the Glory of the divine Perfetflions, and v.hich at the
Time Tune provides a rich Store-Houfe full of divine Grace and Confohition to
every broken hearted Soul. Which is as Health unto his Na\c', and as Marrov/
to his B >ncs.
To Conclude ; right Reafon A<:i)\\ evidently declare and loudhi .proclaim, that
that Dv£1:iine of Redemption which provides a Certainly of Juf!i,a' a ionj Saii<SUa-
carion and a£taal Salvation {ox fame, doth farniore magnify the Grace and Wif-
dom of God, and better provide for the Comfort of penitent Sinners and humble
Believers, than that which while it pleads for a Redemption for all Men, dutli,
not infallibly (ccure-S^yai'ioa unto any i^ no.f nor ihe. Qamlitiinf of a pcrffveriog
S f 2 Repentance^
514 Of particular REDEMPTION.
Repentance, Faith and Obedience, that the}' nifjy befaved, notwithftanding our
Univerfalifts Out-cry in Behalf of a c«?7f^;V/'i3«tf/ Redemption.
Thus according to the Abihty God hath been pleaied to give me, Ihavefinifh-
ed what I intended to offer on the Head of pecuhar Redemption ; as to the ar-
gumentative Part of it, with a diftin6l Anfwer unto all the principal Objedbions
that I ever met with, as raifed againft that God-honouring, Soul- comforting^ very
iinportcint and holyScripiure DoSlrine. So that I fhall at prefent, add nothing more
on this general Head of Divinity, fave fome Inferences and Deductions that do
naturally flow therefrom. And indeed, even in this (as the obfervant Reader
will eafily difcern) I have in a great Meafure prevented myfelf, having inter-
woven /everal material Points of juft Inference throughout my whole Argument.
For which Reafon I fliall be the more brief ; as alfo from the Confideration that
many Things which I have already offered in my large Application of the Doc-
trine of particular Ele6lion ; will (by Reafon of the nearAffinity, and ftri£l Con-
ne6lion there is between thefe two general Heads of Divinity,) afford Matter of
proper Confiueration here, to the which I refer my Reader. But to proceed a
little ; from what hat) been offered, we may infer,
I. JVhat a glorious Redeemer fefus Chriji is, who in fuch wife, orderly, power-
ful and effedtual Manner, doth compleat the Salvation of his redeemd People,
notwithftanding all the Malice, Rage, Policy and Power of any Enemies what-
foever, whether on 'Earth or in Hell. Surely he muft needs be (in the mo/i ele-
vated ^qw^g of theWords) the Son s/'Co^jGod'siiw^ Son, poifefl of the y^/«<? divine
Perfeftions with the Father ; over all God bluffed for ever, J>nen. Rom. 8.3,32.
Chap. 9. 5. Heb. i. i, 2, 3. Col. i. 12, 1023. He is God manifefl:ed in the
Ftefh, our Emanuel, God with us. "Joh. r. 14. And the Word was made Flefh
and dwelt amongft us, fand we beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the only Be-
gotten of the Father) full of Grace and Truth. O ! what a glorious Head hath
the Church, confiffing of the general Affembly and Firfl-born of God, who are
written in Heaven, Heb, 12. 22, 23. And what a Soul-ravifhing Confideration
muft it needs afford her in Times of the greateft Straits and Difficulties, that he.,
etien he, is not only her Head, but alfo. Head over ail Things to her which is his
Body, the Fulnefs of him that filleth all in all, Eph. i. 22, 23. Are her Ene-
mies numerous and powerful ? Behold be is Almighty ., he is the jnighty God,
Ifai. 9, 6. He is her great God and Saviour, Tit. 2. 13. Are they crafty and
politic ? Behold he is all-wife, he is in the ab/lra^ IVifdom, Jude 24, 25. Math.
II. 19. In him are hid all the Treafures of VVifdom and Knowledge, Col. 2. 3.
He is his Church's Foundation-Stone, a tried Stone, a precious Corner-Stone, a
fure Foundation, her Rock of Salvation, whereon all her Faith and Hopes are fo
firmly built, that neither the Powers nor Policies of Hell fhall be able ever to
prevail againfl her, no, not fo much as to pliick out onefingle Stone of that glori-
ous Superflrudture, whereof he is both the /^yz/wfl^rt/zow and the Builder, Ifai. 2^,
16. Pfal. 95. I. Math. lb. lb.- compared v.'ith AJath. 18. 14. zx\^Joh. 10.
27, 28, 29. Are her Weakneffes and Wants many and great ? Behold it hath
pleafed the Father that in him fhould all Fulnefs dwell. A Fulnefs of every need-
ful Grace for her Support and Comfort. Ho ! all ye Believers come and fee
what
Of particular REDEMPTION. 515
what a glorious Redeemer you have, for the Objed of your Faith and Truft.
He is the all-wife and almighty God,, he is your near Kinfman, Bone of your
Bone, and Flefh of your Fleili. He is your great high Prieft, who hath offered
up a moft perfed Oblation for you, he is the Propitiation for your Sins, and
your blefll'd prevailing Advocate with the Father, ever appearing in thePrefence
of God for you ; (o that it is impofTible your Caufe fhould mifcarry. He is alfo
your great Prophet to teach you by his Word and Spirit, the Will of God for
your Salvation, J^. 3, 22. He is your King to rule over you, in you and for
you, Rlv. 19. 16. LuL 17. 21. Eph. i. 22. He is your Captain of Salvation,
your glorious Head and Hufband ; he is your truly loving, faithful, wife, power-
ful, Ampathizing and everlafting Friend : he will not leave you comfortlefs, he
will fend the Comforter to you. Job. 14. 18. As he hath once born your Sins,
io he \vill come again the fecond Time without Sin unto Salvation, Heb. 9. 28.
O let us then moft devoutly adore the Grace of the Father, for the Gift of this
unfpealcable Benefit, his moft dear Son, and the Grace of the Son for the Gift of
himfelf. Job. 3. 16. Eph. 5. 2, 25. And no lefs thankfully acknowledge the
Love of the Spirit, who takes of the Things of Chrift, and fhews them unto us,
■who poiverfully and effeSiually applies the healing Balm of his moft precious Blood
and Merits unto us for our Souls Health, Comfort and Salvation, Rom. 15. 30.
Job. 16. 13, 14. 2 Thef.'i. 13, 14. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Epb. 4. 30. O let us ,
be for ever looking unto this blelled Jefus* with a fixed Eye of Faith, godly >
Sorrow, Love, Joy, Defire and Expeftation, To this End, we muft firft look off '
ell other Things, we muft turn away our Eyes from beholding Vanity. At moft
we muft look at the tranfitory Things of this frail Life, but with a flight, fuperfi-
cial Glance of our Eyes. Let us look upon our dear Redeemer as the chiefeft a-
mong ten Thoufand, yea as altogether lovely. Let us be forever looking to him
as our glorious and compleat Saviour, in his beginning, in his carrying on, eftec-
ting and finifliing our Redemption ; let us view him in the whole Circumference
of his glorious Proceedures herein, from before Time, thro' all Time unto the
End of Time, and throughout all Eternity. Let us view him as tranfadling for
us with the Father in the Covenant of Redemption before all Worlds, Prov.%.22
to 32. Tit. I. I, 2. 2 Tim. 2. 9. Let us view him in the Promife made in the
Infancy of Time, Gen. 3. 15. and in one and all other Manifeftations of him,
thence down thro' the Lives of the holy Patriarchs andProphets, to his Exhibition
in the Flefli in the Fulnefs of Time, Luk. i. 69, 70. Gal. 4. 4. Let us look to
him in his miraculous and finlcfs Conception, in his humble Birth, m his holy and
fuftering Life, in his grievous Agony and bitter Death, when he bare our Sins
on his own Body on the Tree, and poured out his Soul unto Death, bein"- num-
bred with tlie TranfgreiTors, when he paid a perfed Ranfom for us, fli}1ng. It
is finiflicd. Job. 19. 30. Let us now pafs from his State of Humiliation, and
view him in his State of Exaltation, in his glorious Refurredlion from the Dead,
as the firft Fruits and fare Pledge of our own unto Life everlafting, having taken
away frorn Death it's Sting, yea, turned that Curfe into a BlefTing, fo as°that it
is to the Saints become one of their glorious Privilcdges, a Paflport from Earth to
Heaven., from this Place of Sin and Sorrow, to the blefled Haven of eternal Reft,
. Purity
^\S Of particular REDEMPTION'.
Purity and Joy. Death is your?, i Cor. 2,- 22. He hath perfumed the Grave
by lying in it, and made it a Bsd of Reft for tine Bodies of all true Believers, Jfai.
5y. 1,2. Rev. 14. 13. As he was delivered for our OfFences, fo he rofe again
for our Juftification, Rom. 4. 25. Here alfo let us vicvi' him not only as our
High Prieft, but alfo as our King, as the conquering Captain of our Salvation, be-
ing made perfed thro' Sufferings, Col. 2. 14, 15. Blotting out the Hand Writ-
ing of Ordinances tha-t was againft us, that vi^as contrary unto us, and tookitout
of the Way, nailing it to his Crofs : and'havingfpoiled Principalities and Powers,
he made a Shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let us follow him
in his glorious Afcenfion into Heaven, with the Price of our Redemption in his
Hand, and there behold him as our bleffed Advocate with the Father, pleading the
invaluable Virtue and Value thereof on our Behalf, even for our Soul-faving Ufe
and Benefit, viz. That where he is we may alfo be to behold his Glory. Let us
I fay, view him in Heaven, appearing in the Prefence of God for us, as our in-
cefTant and powerful Advocate, pleading the Juftic'e-fatisfying, the Grace and
Glory pujchafing Price of our Redemption, even his becoming a Propitiation
for our Sins ; and finally, let us view him in his fure Promife of Coming again
the fecond Time, in order to compleat and perfe6l his whole Work of Redemp-
tion for his Church, whom he loved and gave himfelf for, that he might com-
pleatly fandify it, and at laft prefent it^o himfelf, a glorious Church, not having
Spot or Wrinkle or an]' fuch Thing, but that it fhould be holy and without
BlemiOi. When the Head-Stone of that glorious Building eredted on a Rock,
fl:iall be brought in with Shoutings, crying, Grace, Grace unto it. See Heb. 9.
12, 13, 14, 15, 22, to the End. Eph. 5. 24, to the End. Zech. 4. 7. O !
thrice blefled, glorious and moft defirable Day ! When the glorious King of
Kings fhall defccnd from his glorious Throne above, riding on the Clouds as his
Chariot, whofe furpafflng Brightnefs will darken the very Sun that greatLuminary,
and whofePowcr (hakes the very Heavens., when he (hall come with aShout, with
the Voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God, to raife the Dead, particu-
larly them that flept in him, fafhioning their Bodies like unto his own moft glo-
rious Body ; when he ftlall judge the World in Righteoufnefs, condemn theWicked
and acquit the Righteous : He who is now their Advocate with the Father, will
then be their righteous Judge to acquit them, yea to pronounce them the blefled
of his Father, with a moft endearing Welcome [as his ranfomed Spoufe, loving and
obedient Wife) into the Kingdom of his and their Father, prepared for them from
the Foundation of the World. The Nuptials will be now celebrated between the
Lamb and bis long fmce efpoufcd Wife, betrothed unto him for ever in Righte-
oufnefs and Judgment, and in loving Kindnefs, in Mercies and in Faithfulnefs,
Hof.7., ig. 20. Now will the King's Daughter appear to be all glorious both
within and without, without either Spot or Blemifhor any other fuchThing ; her
Clothing is of wrought Gold, fine Linnen white and clean, Raiment of Needle-
Work, curioufty embroidered, every Way beautiful in the Eyes of her dear
Lord andSaviour, Head andHufband, faying unto her. Thou art all fair myLove,
t here is no Spot in thee. Thus fhall fhe be brought unto theKing, together with
the Virg'ns her Companions that follow her j with Gladnefs and Rejoicing- fhall-
they
Of particular REDE M.P.fJ ON. 317
they be brought, they iliall enter into the King's Palace, P/a!, 4^. ir, to 16.
Song. 4. 7. Once more, thrice blelTed and glorious Day, when the Church thus
moft richly array'd, fhall be ufhered into the King's IVlarringe Chamber above,
with the utmoft T^okens of Love, Delight and Honour, attended with a moll
magnificent Train of Heaven's Nobility, the moft delightful Voice of Joy agd
Melody, fuch as fhall make the Heayens even ring again, refleding back the mo^ft
tranfporting Ecchos, when the whqle Choir of blefl'ed Angels, thofc heavenly
Chorifters, fhall in Conjunction with the whole general Aflembly and Church of
the Firft-Born of God, tune forth the fweeteft Anthems of Praife and loud found-
ing Allclujahs to God that fitteth on the Throne and to the Lamb for ever aiid
ever. Then will the heavenlyHoft repeat their former fweetSong, by which they
ufhcr'd into the World the News of this blefled Saviour at the Time of his Birth,
faying, *' Glory to God in the higheft, on Earth Peace, good VVill towards
IVien,Z?<i.2.i4. " And again, Alielujah,for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Honour to him : For the Marriage of the
Lamb is come, and his Wife hath m?de herfclf ready," Rev. ig. 6, j. So fliall
fhe be for ever with the Lord. Wherefore let all the Lord's Redeemed, the true
Lovers ofjhe f;v,er blelled Jefus,^ qp^ijifprit o^e another wijth .thefe Words, i Tbef.
By ^11 this we may feq that,|ie is^not a Saviour withpijf'Salv.atioh, or aRedeemer
without, Redemption, but every Way a moft compleat Saviour artd Redeemer of
all thofe whom he loved and gave himfelf for. That it is not an empty but a_/«//
Title that is given him, when he is called the Head of his Church and the Saviour
of the Body, and confequently how worthy he is of our utmoli Efteemand beftAf-
fedtiqns. Frcni the Qompleatr^efs zud Perfe^ion.qi\i({s Propitiatory Sacrifice^ from
the invaluable Worth of his mo/i precious Bloody 'this Pric^' q/ ou'r Redemption, we
xnzy ju/lly infer, kow inconceivably and unfpeaiably great^zs well as certain znd fuh,
the Salvation and Glory of all the Redeemed will in. Heaven be, thro'out eternal
Ages. Therefore moft emphatically called, z far more exceeding and eternal Weight
oi Glory, 2 Cor. 4. 7. Such as Eye hath not feen nor Ear heard, neither hath
entred into the Heart of Man to conceive ; a Glory that pafteth all humane IJn-
dciftanding, i (?<?/. 8. 9. And then .from the ineffable Greatnefs of this Glory, we
may r^t't? back\k\\'i ln''erencQ,h';iVi,inexprefftbly valuable is the preciqus Blood of the
Redeemer, by ihis far more exceedmg and etemalWeight of Glory which was pur-
chafed and obtained thereby ? And confequ.ently that it is abfolutely inconfiftent
with.theWifJom of God that it fhquld be fpilt in vain for any. O what glorious
Bodies, bright & holySouls,will all theRedeemed hereafter have, wholly free from
allManner of Imperfedions, Pains and Sorroyvs !' Howgre'at & glorious will their
Entertainment in Heaven be ! What endearing iClanifeftations ofLove and Grace
{hall they receive from Father, Son and i^pirit I How full will their Souls be of
Delight and Joy, when they fliall enter into the Joy of their Lord, in whofe Pre-
ience there is a Fulnefs of unfpeakable Joys, and at whofe right Hand there arc
Pieafures for evermore ? \Vhat,i;avj/bipg Sights Jl^all their glorified Eyes behold ?
^M with, whatjppf^ablejPeUglu^Yfi)! iheir.^lorjfy'd drink in the melodious
Sounds of the moft fweet fitjgigg S^eraph^jj^Sj^^jj^dJ^ jbsjg^^merable Kumber of thcr
■FelUdw-
! 8 Of parttcular R EB E MPT 10 K
FoJlow-Saints ? Moreover with what a facred and unwearied Pleafure, will they
employ their thoroughly fancEiified Tongues, in finging to the Praife of that Grace
which made them to differ, and that fecurcd unto them both Grace and Glory ?
Surely thefe Confiderations will put a peculiar Accent upon their Songs of Praife.
And O ! How will they then admire the adorable Depths of (divine Wifdom in
laying out fuch a Scheme of Redemption, whereby God's injui'd Perfe<f^ions
Ihould have their Plonour abundantly repaired and be glorified, his Truth fulfilled
both in Regard of his Threatning and his Promife, his Juflice fatisfied, his Mercy
exalted, they reconciled, juftified and fandlified, preferv'd thro' innumerable Dif-
ficulties and Dangers by his Pijwer thro' Faith unto Salvation. O matchlefs
Wifdom of God, that contrived all this, infallibly fecuring the great End ! O
marvellous Immutability and almighty Power, as well as adorable Grace and Wif-
dom, that thro' all Obflrudtions whatfoever, carries on and perfects, the infinite-
ly wife laid Scheme I This ! O this ! will fill up the blefled Ages of Eternity
in Heaven with Admiration s^udPraife in their higheJiPerfeSiion ! And in the mean
while affords Plenty of moji chsice Matter, for the poor Believer's Meditation,
Faith, Hope, Joy, Love andDefire, to work upon, rapturoufly crying out. What
is this ! O what is this that God hath wrought ! How glorious are theThings
that are fpoken of thee, O City of God I Behold what Manner of Love is
this which the Father hath heftowed on us, that we, unworthy we, %ue in Cdhtra-
diftin6\ion from the World that knoweth us not, becaufe it knows not God,
fiiould be called the Sons of God. " Beloved, now are we the Sons of God,
and it doth not yet appear what we fhall be : But we know, that when he fhail
appear we fhall be like him, for we fhall fee him as he is," i Job. 7^.12. "Surely
this Cometh forth from the Lord of Hofts, who is wonderful in Counfel and ex-
cellent in working," Ifai. 28. 28.
And now fince the Cafe is thus, what mean we ( Martha-Wke) by being anxi-
oufly troubled about and cumbred with many Things of fb vaftly inferior a Nature
to thefe great Things of God? Is it not fad to confider that any of the I^erd's
Redeemed, the Heirs of this unfpeakable Glory fhould be running after other
Lovers, and bear the d'tjhonourahle Charaders of being covetous zx\A xvorldly minded^
greedily purfuing the Profits of this yirry and /i^r?yZ'/«^ World, or the unjatisfying
Pleafures and fading Honours thereof. How unbecoming a Thing wou'd it be
to fee a Prince, forget his Crown and Dignity, become negligent of the great
Affairs of his Kingdonr, fpending the chief of his Time and Tho'ts in gathering
and hoarding up Straws and Pebbles, or in playing with childijh Toys and Trifles f
The Comparifon isjuft, and the Application eafy. If indeed ye be (anfwerable
to your holy Profeflion) rifen with Chrift, feek thofe Things that are above, where
Chrifl fitteth on the rightHand of God. Set yourAffedions onThings above, and
not on Things on the Earth, for ye are dead, and your Life is hid with Chrifi in
God : When Chrift who is ourLifefliall appear, then (hall ye alfo appear with him
in Glory. Mortify therefore your Members which are upon the Earth, Forni-
cation and all Uncleanncfs, inordinate Affedion, evil Concupifence andCovetouf-
nefs which is Idolatry : For the which Things fake, the Wrath of God eometh
upon the Children of Difobediencej Col, 3. i, to 7.
Again,
0/ particular REDEMPTION. 319
Again, Is theCafe of the Redeemed thus glorious ? Will it appear to be fo
hereafter ? Then let us labour to live a Life of Jcy and Peace in Believing ; let
us not be flothful in Bufinefs, but fervent in Spirit, ferving the Lord, rejoicing
in Hope, patient in Tribulation, continuing inftant in Prajers, Supplications
and Thankfgivings to our grer.t God and Saviour^ longing and looking for his
glorious Appearance, inccHandy cr)'ing out, " Make hafte, O my Beloved,
and be th^>u like a young Roe or a young Hart upon the fplcey Mou itains."
O drooping Believer ! What meaneft thou by thy fo often hanging thy Harp
upon the Willows ? Surely it ill becomes the adopted Heirs ot fo great a Sal-
vation to go mourning from Day to Day as tho' they were worth nothing :
Come fear not, tho' thy dear Redeemer hideth his Face from thee for the pre-
fent, yet his Love to thee is invariably the fame now as ever ; a bruifed Reed
he will not break, nor quench the fmoaking FJax, until he brings forth Judg-
ment unto Vidtory ! It will not be long e're all Clouds and Shadows fliall vanifh
away, never more to intercept liiy Sight of thy dear Redeemer's mcfl lovely and
fmiling Countenance : Behold he is on his Way ; he haftens onwards with equal
Swiftnefs with that of the Sun in the Firmament, which ever rejoiceth to run
its Race. Come wipe away Tears from thine Eyes, lift them up, for behojd
thy Redeemer draweth nigh. Are thySins thy Burden ? Why remember that
it is faid, " If any Man fin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jekis Chrifl
the righteous, who is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for ours only, but
alio for the Sins of the whole World." Ccme let us draw Waters out of thefe
JVclU of Salvation^ let us drink of thefe chearing Wines, and forget our Poverty,
and remember our Sorrows no more. Jn a Word,
F'trft^ Is it fo, that Chrift gave himfelf to redeem and purify unto hlmftlf a
peculiar People, zealous of good Works ; then the Doctrine of peculiar Re-
demption is a Do6trine naturally promotive of Holinefs both in Heart and Life,
and confequently it doth moft highly become all who profefs to be the Lord's
Redeemed, to love and pra(Stice the fame in all manner of Converfation, and to
abound therein as long as they live : " That being delivered out of the Hands
of our Enemies, we might ferve God without Fear before him, in Rigliteoufnefs
and Holinefs all the Days of our Lives." Luk, i. 74, 75.
Secondly, Is it fo, that the Dodtrine of peculiar Redemption is a holy Scrip-
ture Dodrine, worthy of the all-wife God, promoting the Honour of the divine
Petfedions and the penitent Sinner's Encouragement ; I infer, how juftly re-
proveablc all fuch are, who make it their Bufinefs to bend their Tongues againft
the fame, afperfing it with odicui Epithets and defaming Language ; and in Op-
pofition thereunto do fet up an imaginary Scheme of Redemption, infinitely un-
wr>rthy the all-wife God, twifting and wrefting; his holy Word in order to efia-
1 1 fli their fond Notions : They are fo mightily taken up with the tare Sound ef
iWords, that they do maaifeftly negledt the Sub/iance of theirj.
L- Thirdly, How juftly reproveable are all thofe (whether they be on this, or on
the other Side of the Qi^iei'lion) who can think and talk of a Redemption from
Hell, hut not from Iniquity, whofe Pradlices are contrary to that Purity and Zt'a!
in doing good Works that is juftly expeded from the Lord's Redeemed, an -
fwerablc to one great End of his givins himfelf for them. Tit, 2. 14.
T t F$krihh-9
3?.o Of particular R E I> E M Pt I 0 N,
Fourthly^ I infer, What Reafon there is for all Chriftians dih'gently to read
ahd ftudy the holy Scriptures, that they may underftand them, comparing one
Place with another, the Text with the Context, Scope and Occafion of the fame ;
duly corifidering the Glory and Harmony of the divine Perfedions in the Mat-
ters of Redemption and Salvation, together vrith all other proper Helps for the
xinderftanding of them ; not forgetting to pray to God for divine Illuminations,
fince vve fee what guilty Arts many ufe in their Interpretation of holy Scripture,
who by falfe GloJJes^ fair Shews, and hare Sounds, do deceive the Simple and Un-
ivary ; who not liking God's A^ethod of Redemption and Salvation of Sinners,
do go about to efiablifli ««5//;fr of their own devijing. Hence what great Need
is there wherefore all the Churches of Chrift, with their Minifters, try the Spi-
rits, ;. e. the Do6^rines which Men preach, to wit, by the Scriptures, given
forth by the Ii,fpiration of the holy Spirit, whether they be of God, and earneft-
}y contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints, i Job. 4. i. Jude 3.
Fifthly, From the whole Contexture of the foregoing Arguments we are led
to behold the Beauty and Harmony of the holy Scriptures, and to conclude that
there are in Fadl no Contradidlion therein ; which is no mean Argument, amongji
others, of their divine Original y and which confequently fhould abundantly raife
our Efteem of them, and excite our Diligence in fearching them, they being
able to make us wife unto Salvation, through Faith which is in Chrift Jefus.
2 Tim. 3. 15, 16.
Sixthly and laflly. From the Account given of the Dodlrine of peculiar Re-
demption, I infer. That it is a Do6trine of very great Importance, both in Re-
gard of the great Redeemer's Honour and his Church's Eftablifhment and Com-
fort : *' For (as the excellent Mr. Hurrion on thisHead obferves) with whatView
andDefignChriftlaid down his preciousLife is, whatever fome may think, aPoint
of very great Moment, with Regard to the Senfe of many Scriptures, rhe
Glory of Chrift and the divine Perfedions, the Encouragement of Faith, and
the Comfort and EXtabliftiment of Believers. A clear Decifion of the Con-
troverfy on this Head muft be allowed to be of very great Service towards the
Removal of the heavy Imputations with which the contending Parties load
each other's Scheme, and to allay our Heats, and to remove our Divifions,
that we may ftand faft in one Spirit, ftriving together for the Faith of the
Gofpel againft the common Enemies, who are fapping and fubverting the
very Foundation of it."
To conclude. While we earneftly contend for this great Article of our Chri-
ftian Faith, let us fee that we don't reft in the bare Speculation of it, but look
upon our felves bound to adorn our holy Profeftion thereof with a pious Life
and Converfation, anfwerable to one great Defign of Chrift in loving and giving
himfelf for us, viz. that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify unto
himfelf a peculiar People, zealous of good Works : Then may we upon good
Grounds, with Chearfulnefs and Joy, fing and fay, " To him that loved us, and
wafhed us from our Sins in his own Blood, and made us Kings and Priefts unto
God and his Father, to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever, JmM."
Of
( 3^' )
Of Effe6lual Calling,
THE Point which I at firft undertook to prove was, That God of his fove-
reign Grace and Pleafure did from all Eternity ele<5t, or choofe in Chrifl
out of the fallen, corrupted JVIafs of Mankind, a certain definite Num-
ber of Perfons to Salvation, through Sandtification of the Spirit and Belief of the
Truth : That for thefe peculiar People, whom he fo loved, he gave his only be-
gotten Son to redeem from their fallen State, to purchafe for them and fecure
unto them, all needful Grace to fit them for the Enjoyment of the eternal Inhe-
ritance, which is alfo the Purchafe of his Blood : That accordingly God, by the
powerful Operations of his holy Spirit, doth in due Seajon effei^uAly call them
out from amongft the wicked and unregenerate Part of the WorlJ ; and that
having hereby begun the good Work of Grace in their Souls, he doth and will
invincibly carry it on until it be compleatly finifhed in erernal Glory, anfwera-
ble tJ his eternal Purpofe and Grace. Rom. 8. 28. So that in a d'.v'n: and
harmonious Manner the whole Work of Redemption and Salvation of poor lo/l
and undone Sinners (the chief of the Works and Ways of the all-wife Gjd) is to
be confidered as a Work worthy of himfcjf, who is a Being infinitely perfetS:
and glorious, the Father , the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, the g'orious Three in
One, that bares Record in Heaven. According to which Order we do range
the feveral Parts of this important Work, under the following Heads of Divinity,
viz. particular Ele^ian^ peculiar Redemption^ effeSiual Vocation., and the Saints
final Per feverance. There is the Father's Election, the Son's Redemption, and
the Holy Ghofl's efficacious Operations in efFedtual Calling, wherein he begins
the good Work of Grace in the Soul, and by Degrees carries on the fame unto
Perfedlion in Glory everlafling. Thus all the divine Perfons in the moft adora-
ble God-Head, do (hew forth their wond'rous Love and Efficacy in the Reco-
very of a Remnant of apojiate Creatures, according to the ELSiian of Grace ; and
this each one doth according to his Manner of working : And in which we may
obferve a moft fweet and marvellous Harmony, Beauty and Order, as fo many
Links in a golden Chain, anfwerable to the eternal Phn laid out at the Council-
Board in Heaven, now made known and brought to Light by the Gofpel, iTim.
2. 9, 10. Yea, in a (hort and compendious Manner in that noted Place, Rom.
8. 28, 29, 30. '< For we know that all Tnings work together for Good to them
that love God, to them who are the Called according to his Purpofe : For whom
he did forekno-w, thofe he did predeftimte to be conformed to the Image of his
T t 2 Son,
322 .Of EFFECTUAL CALLI'NG,
5Qn^ thai lic might become the Firft-born among many Brethren. Moreover,
vkhom ke piedeftinated, them he alfo called, and whom he called, them he alio
juftified, and v/hom he juftificd, them he alio glorified." Whence the infpired
Apoftle doth draw the following magnificent and triumphant Conclufion, "What
fhall we then fay unto thefe Things ? If God be for us,- who fhall be againft
us ? For if God fpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
fhall he not with him freely give us all Things ?" Namely, all Things needful
to render our Redemption and Salvation by him compleat -m^ perfect.
Now howfoever hitherto, by Reafon of the flri6t Connedlion and Harmony
of tlic'e feveral Points of Divinity, I have been necefiarily led to fpeak of them
all more or lefs ; yet the Points which I have particularly and immediately han-
dled, are, firji, that of perfonat, abfclute, free and eternal Ele(5tion ; and then
fecondlw that of peculiar Redemption : Hence, next in Order, I am led to treat
of effeSiual Calling ; which hath, firj}^ a Reference to Eledtion and Predeflina-
tion, according as it is written, " Whom he predejlinated^ them he alfo called ;"
and fccondly^ to the Point oi peculiar Redempiion, as an cjjcntial Branch thereof.
For the right underftanding of which, it muft be obferved, that in Redemption
■thefe two Things are neceiFarily included, viz. Purchafe and Jpplication^ or in
other VVo!«ds, a Remedy provided, and then ejfe^ually applied for the a£lual Heal-
ing and Salvation of thofe difeafed Souls t'or whom fuch Provifion was made.
Hence we do not banU fay Callings but ^^^/i^/ Calling, an internal CaW by ihe
energetical Operations of the holy Spirit, accompanying of the external Call of tiie
Miniflry of the Word by the Preacher, which is a: once 7i proper Fruit and a
powerful Evidence oi eternal Eh£licn^ according to i Thef. i. 4, 5, 6. " Know-
ing Brethren beloved, your ElecSlion of God. ForourGofpel came not to you
in Word only, but alfo in Power, and in the Holy Ghofi-, and in much AfTu-
rance." Chap. 2. 13. " For this Caufe alfo thank we God without ceafing,
becaufe when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received
-H not only as the Word of Men, but (as it is in Truth) the Word of God,'
which effeSfually worketh alfo in you that believe." 2 Tim. 1.9. " Who hath
faved us and called us with an holy Calling, not according to our Works, but
according: to his own Purpofe and Grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus
before the World began." So that the Subjeds of Ele6tion, Redemption, and
effeftual Calling, aie one and the fame Perfons ; the Eie<£> and Predeftinate are
the Redeemed, and the Redeemed are the Called of God according to his eter-
nal Purpofe, and thefe effe6ti)ally called are the Perfons that fhall be adtually
glorified. To all which \.\\tholy Scriptures, together v/'whEvenis and Fa^ do bear
JVitnefs. Hence then mv prefent Bufinefs (God gracioufly ajlifting) fhall be
Firj}, To' demonitrate, that Effeaua! Calling is an eiTential Part of Re-
demption.
Secondly, Erquire hv whjfe Work znd Agmcy the Remedy purchafed by the
Redeemer is etFectually applied unto the actual Salvation of the Redeemed.
Thirdly, I fliali further prove, that Efftchjal Callmg is cxadly commenfurate
vvith peculiar Eledion and Redemption. And in all attempt an Anfwcr to the
muiV'printipa! Objeaions that are miJe againit our Propofitions in this Matter.
FirJ
Of EFFECrU At CALLING. 323
FirJ} then, I obferve, That EffeSlua I Calling is an ejfential Part of Redemp-
tion and Salvation.
Now for the clearing up this Point we muft confider, that the Work of Re-
demption hath (in the very Nature of the Thing) a peculiar Refpeil unto Man
OS fulUn from his primitive State of Purity and Integrity, into a State of Sin and
Mifery, and witlul utterly unable to help himfelf out of it, and not only fo, but
alio intirely unworthy of fuch an A(!il of Grace and Favour from the Hands of
an offended Cjod ; which alio is abundantly confirmed by holy Scripture. Now
if we I'earch thjie divine unerring Oracles, we (hail find, that the Milery of
Man by the Fall is, in general, twofold, viz. Fir/}^ He is under the Curfe^ H
State of Guilty IFrath and Condemnation, as a Viola'er of his great Maker's holy
Laws ; Jdam the firft, by God's Appointment, ftanding as the covenanting
Head and Reprefentative of all his natural Progeny, as I have before proved.
Secondly, He is in a State of Defilement and Pollution ; as before he fell, he bore
the moral linage o{ God, bearing a Likenefs unto and a Refemblance of God
in Righieoufnefs and true Holinefs, without being in the leafl ffained with Sin j
he by the Fall loft that pure Re/Hitude, that original Vprlghtxefs, he became
ftripped of the white Robes of Innocency, having withal his whole Nature and
C'jfijliluticn vitiated zn<^ corrupted, fo that every Imagination of the Thoughts of
his Heart are naturally ^z^/Y, onlycvW, and that continually. Gen. 6. and there-
withal the feveral Members of his Bjd/ arc become the Inftruments of Iniquity
unto iniquity, Rofn. 6-19^ God made Man upright, but they fought out
many Inventions, Eccl. 7. 29. as I have before at large fliewn under the Head
of Qi igirial Sin. Wherefore I pafs on, concluding, that as EfFedlual Calling is
an ejfen.i jl ^I'Mich of Redemption, fo it naturally fuppofeth Mankind to be by
Nature dead in TrefpafTes and Sins, polluted and defil.'d with Iniquity, unmeet
for the Enjoyment of GoJ in Cilory. Now then, as the two general Parts of
Redemption doth confdl in the providing a Soul-healing Remedy, and in the
eft"ed>ual Application thereof to the Redeemed, and as Effeifual Calling is that
b} which fuch Application is made, (o I come to the fecond Thing pro-
pofed, which was,
Secondly, To inquire, Who is the Author of this EfFedual Calling, or in
other Words, By whufe Work and Agency, efFedual Application of the fandli-
fying, faving Benefits of Chrift's Death is made unto the Redeemed ? Whether
God's or Man's, tlie Saviour's or the Sinner's ? ■ Whether by the determining
irrefiflable Grace of Gnd, or a determining free- will Power in every Man, in-
dcpenJant of fuch Grace ? The former is ail'ertcd by us, and denied by our
Opponents ; the latter is afTerted by them and denied by us : Many Arguments
are produced on both Sides, but evident it is, that both being as oppofite to
each otuer as Light and Daiknefs, they i cannot be both true. Now that what
we affirm is true, and that what they affirm is falfe, will appear from the follow-
ing Conliderations.
I. Vrcvn the natural Inability of Man bv the Fall, being, as the Scripture
faith, without Strength, Rom. 5. 6. '« When we were yet without Strength,
in due Time Chrift died for the ungodly." *' Man's Goings are of- the Lord,
how
324 Of EFFECTUAL CALLING.
how then can a Man underftand his own Way?" Prov. 20. 24. compared
with Jer. 9. 23. *' I know, O Lord, that the Way of Man is not in himfelf,
'tis not in Man that walketh to diredt his Steps." Hence you {hall find the
tenth Article of the Church of England on Free-Will pertinently fpeaking thus,
*< The Condition of Man after the-FaJl oi Adam is fuch, that he cannot turn
'« and prepare himfelf by his own natural Strength and good Works, to Faith
** and. calling upon God : Wherefore we have no Power to do good Works
*« pleafant and acceptable to God, v/ithout the Grace of God by Chrifl pre-
*' venting us, that we may have a good Will, and working with us when we
*' have that good Will." Befides,
2. The Abfurdhies of the Jrminian Conclufion on this Head are neither fmall
mr few. For (i.) It flrikes at the Wifdom of God, in that it reprefents him
leaving the Event of the greateft of his Works undeterminable^ liable to ba made
frujirate and vain by his Creatures free-wiil Pleafure. (2.) It makes fallen Men
Co-Saviours with CJirifl our Lord and Saviour, juft as if there was a halving of
the Work of Redemption between the Phyfician and the Difeafed, (he former
providing the Salve, and the latter left to apply it for the perfecting of the Cure,
and thai: too whether it pleafeth or not pleafetk to do it. Thus the Matter is
divided between the Grace of the Redeemer, and the free-will Pleafure of the
Sinner, yea to this latter is given the Prehemimnce, fince it lies at his free-will
Pleafure whether. the Part that Chrift hath done fhall prove effeSlual or ineffec-
tual^ as to any one Ma7i's a£lual Healing and Salvation^ fo that all fuch as are
faved may afcribe their Salvation more to themfelves than unto Chriji^ Vt'h ch is
manifeflly to rob him of the Glory that is due unto his Name ; this is far from
allowing him to be. All in All. Thus to make Jldan the chief and itmnediate
Caufe of his Salvation, is to put Grace under Man's Power inftead of putting
Man's Free-will under the Power and Influence of Grace ; fo that all that Chrift
and his holy Spirit doth in the Matters of our Salvation is of no real Ufe to-
wards our Salvation, imlefs we our f elves do add the finiftnng Stroke : Whence it
plainly allows a Man a Liberty of Boafting, even before God, faying. If I am
aSfually converted and faved while others are not, it is becaufe I made myfelf
to differ, it is not by the Grace of God, but of my own free-will Determina-
tions that I am what I am : According to which, St. Paul's Words mult be
read backward thus. So then it is of him that willeth and of him that runneth,
and not of God that Men are a£tually faved ; who work in this Matter accord-
in«y to the Counfel of their own Wills, not God's. In fliort, the free-will Notion
doth both rob God of the Honour of his determining Grace, and manifeftly
contradict his holy Oracles, wherein the whole Work of Redemption is afcribed
unto the Redeemer, both Purchafe and Application. The Work of Regeneration
3s pof lively denied to be the Product of the Creature's Agency, but wholly afcribed
unto God. EfFeftual Calling is the Work of God's Spirit, whereby convincing
i;s of our Sin and Mifery, and inlightening our Minds in the Knowledge of
Chrift, and renewing our Wills, he doth perfwade and enable us to embrace
Jefus Chrift, freely offered to us in the Gofpel. In a Word, our Lord himfelf
declares, iay ing, "No Man can come unto nae, except jny. Father .which hath
fent
Of EFP ECrUAL CALLING, 325
fent me draw him," Job. 6. 44. *' Of his own Will begat he us, by the Word
of Truth." J<j;n. i. i8. with a Multitude of other pertinent Scriptures, as will
be feen hereafter.
Notwithftanding all which, 'tis objedled to us, " That by ourReprefentation
** of thefe Matters, we make no more of Mankind than tnere Statues and Ada-
*' chines, contrary to God's Commands to make /^^/n/^/t'^i new Hearts, to turn
*< them/elves and live." Wherefore, at once to eflablifti our Dodlrine
and to overthrow this unju/i Charge, I fhall point out the Difference be-
tween Regeneration and Convcrfion, and the Relation they do ftand in owirds
each other ; the former bing God's Work upon the Soul, the latter be-
ing the Creature's A<5t, confequent thereupon, and as the natural EfFecSl
thereof, wherein it concurs with the Grace given, and exerts it : Thus doth
the Sinner's Converfion unto God, fland related unto God's Workmanfhip ia
Regeneration, as the Effect doth ftand related unto the Caufe. There is firft the
Spirit's Work, and then their ASi. They work out their Salvation with Fear
and Trembling : But then, it is becaufe God dothyfr/? work in them, both to
will and to do according to his good Pleafure, Phil. 2. 12, 13. The holy Spirit
enlightens their Minds, and then they fee ; he renews their Will and Affections,
and then, (not before) they are religioufly willing and affedl heavenly Things, the
Spirit works Faith and Repentance in their Souls, and then, they do believe and
repent. God turns their Hearts, and then they turn to God. God quickens
them, and //;i?« they live and breath. li\\zy z.XQpaffive\nt}c\z former, aSfive in
the latter. And having the Eyes of their Underftanding opened, to fee the Evil
there is in Sin on the one Hand, and the Beauty of Holinefs on the other, their
Wills and Afledlions alfo being fandlified, they do in a moff rational 7i.T\Afree Wajr
fhun the one and cleave unto the other. As by the Fall, the Faculties of the Soul
themfelves were not de/lroyed but corrupted and depraved, even as a Man that
lofeth his Sight, and' yet retains the Subftance of the Eye : So in Regeneration,
the feveral Faculties themfelvs are not made, but their ReSlitude in a good Degree
rejlored. So as that whereas the Sinner was once blind, now he kes, whereas he
was once dead, he is now alive. Now, as God works this good Work upon our
Souls in a Way confiftent with our reafonahle Natures, and ordinarily by the Ufe
of Means by his Word, which confifts of Commands, Inflru6lions, Promifes,
Threatnings, and Expoftulations : So his Expoftulations with Sinners, and Com-
mands to turn, and make them new Hearts and fuch like, is very confiftent with
our afcribing the, Work of Regeneration /o/^^' to the Agency oi God^ s Holy Spirit^
and his determining Grace ; without a Neceffity of concluding thence, that Man
hath 2i [elf- deter mining Power to do thefe Things, independant of fuch Grace,and
that otherwifs their Wills muft be laid under a Force, and that God macks them,
with fuch like Cavils. The taking away the ftony Heart, and giving Hearts of
FlefK, that is to fay, foft and tender Hearts, is pofitively afcribed to the divine
Agency, anfwerable to the Promife of the new Covenant, E%ek. 36. And there-
fore it is evident, that when we read of his CommaRds, feying. Make ye new
Hearts, and fuch like, 'tis unreafonable thence to infer. That that great Work
is not performed by theAgency of God's Spifit, to which it hfo fofttively cffcribeJy
but
326 Of EFFEC7U AL CALLING,
but by our own Free-^Vill Poiver. To reconcile thefe Things, we muft confider,
F/;y?, That God in the nnu Covenant proniifeth, the Blefiing of a new and foft
Heart, being one of thofe fpiritual BkiTings that are in heavenlyThings in Chrift,
wherewith they are blefPed of the Father, accordirg to his Choice of them in him
before the Foundation of the World. Secondly, As God Grdlnarily effedls this in
the Ufe of Means anTwerable to our ratioval Nc/iures, and as the Word, the Means
of our Regeneration and Converfion, contains Commands, Expoftulations, and
fuch like, faying, '* Make ye new Hearts, turn ye, turn ye, why will you die ?"
So by this (the Spirit co-working with theWord) we are effeiiually awakened to
confider that our Hearts are corrupt, hard and firong, (landing in need of renew-
ing ; and upon Search, we experimentally find our utter Inability to do this, we
are further led to fee that what is cotrnnanded in this Cafe, is prcmifed to be done by
the Lord in the new Covenant ; and that for this God will be enquired of us, to
do it for us: Accordingly, God pours out upon us a Spirit of Supplication j
whence we are led to pour out a Prayer before him, for the obtaining the BlefTing
promifed, turning the Precept into a Petition, faying with David, " Create in
ane a clean Heart, O God ! and renew a right Spirit within me." And with
Ephraim, *' Turn thou me, and 1 fhall be turned, for ihou art the Lord ;/;y
God; " to wit, by a tiew Covenant Relation. Which Petition God hears and
anfwers, fo that the Work is done ; as it follows, " Surely after I was turned,
(to wity by the Lord) I repented. Thus God firft works in us both to will and
to do of his good Pleafure, and that too in the Ufe of Means, in a rational Way :
Whereupon we are led to work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling.
With all Readinefs of Mind, we turn unto and ferve the Lord.
Now from this Account of Things it may be feen, that there are no Jarrings,
but a moji fweet Harmony between God's J^ency upon our Souls in Regeneration^
and our free ASiings \x\Converfion ; ihe former being the Ground of the latter. His
Commands fhews us our Duty, but infers not any natural Ability in us. For
Inftance, God's original Command hath not loft it's Authority, wherein A^Ien
are commanded to keep the whole Law perfe6tly without a Flaw ; yet, who
thence concludes, that it is in the Power of any meer Creature fince the Fall,
•/Ai/^ to keep it. Tho' we have loft our Power of yielding yW; Obedience, yet
God has not loft his Power of commanding. Hence alfo we fee, that there is no
Inconfiftency between the Doflrine of irrefifiible Grace, and Men's Duty in dili-
gently attending on the Means of Salvation : but on the contrary, a moJi fweet
Harmony ; contrary to what the Free-willers are wont to alledge againft us. And
by what has been faid, I hope it plainly Appears, that we don't reprefent Men
like meer Statues or Machines, by afcribing their Regeneration wholly unto the
Juperratural, irrefifiible Grace of God, to the exclufion of a lelf determining
.Free-will Power in every Man.
'••• Having faid thus much in order to flop the Mouths of divers wrangling Ob-
jeSiions that ftood in my Way, I proceed unanfwerably to fhew, that as the
Work of Regeneration is too great for a fallen Creature to perform ; (o the holy
Scripture pofitively deny the Creatures Agency therein, and afcribe it unto a di-
vine fupernatural Agency^ , That there is fuch a Thing as the newBirih or W^ork
of
Of EFFECTUAL CALLING. 327
of Reoreneration needful to bs paffed upon all that fhall be everlaftingly faved, is
a Point which our dear Lord, in a mofl: emphatic Manner, taught Nicodemus^ -"
Job. 3. Now that this neceflariiy implies a State of Degeneracy, in which all
are by the Fall, antecedent to this Work of Regeneration, the very Nature of
the Thing doth declare. Anfwerable to all Propriety of Language, Regeneration
^o\.h fuppofe a State of Defeneration, and confequently it fignifies a Change, yea,
a very great Change, even fuch an one as for a Man to be born again : It im-
plies not a bare nominal, but a thorough Change in Reality, even upon all the Pow — «.
ers and Faculties of the Soul ; and confequent thereupon, a Change in the Prac-
tice and Behaviour of Men in their Lives and Converfations, fo as that they
come under the Denomination of being wt'zc Men, and new Creatures^ old Things
are done away, and behold all Things are become new, 2 Cor. 5. 17. Here
are new Hearts, new Thoughts, new AftetSlions, new Adions, new Motives,
and new Principles, new Aims and new Ends, old Habits are changed, and old
and very flrong Prejudices are removed ; io that howfoever a Man
in his natural Eftate, may not be one of thofe that tumbles in all
Manner of Iniquity, but is of a civilized Converfation, fuch as Paul znd Nico-
(iemui before their Regeneration ; the Man, like them, being once regenerated,
doth now a6l in divine Matters and Duties from quite different Principles and
Motives ; that whereas before (even in doing Things materially good) he was
jnoved by fomething, ab extra, without, as a Ship that hath Motion without
Life, now he a6ls from a vital Principle of Grace within, even as the Motion
of a Bird is from a vital Principle : Before Regeneration, amidfl: all his Alms-
giving, Reading, Hearing, Praying, and civiliz'd Converfation, he only worked
for Life from a felfifh Principle, in a vain-glorious Manner, znd unto felfjh Ends ;
he now works from Life, in a fincere and humble Manner aiming at God's
Honour and Glory ; now (not before) be produceth the IVorks of Faith and the '
Labour of Love, even fuch a Faith as purifieth the Heart, Acfs 15. 9. Gal. 5. 6
without which, altho' a Man fliould give all his Goods unto the Poor, and his
Body to be burned, it would be no better than a founding Brafs, or a tinkling
Cymbal, yea, as nothing, i Cor. 13. i. Regeneration changeth a natural Man
into a fpiritual Man, and a dead Soul into a living one.: It is a turning from
Darknefs to Light, and from Death unto Life, from the Power of Satan unto
God, Eph. 2. I. Chap. 5. 8. jI^s 26. 18. It is a Tranllation of Men out^-.
of Sitan's Kingdom into the Kingdom of God's dear Son, Col. r. 12. It is •
a Transformation, by the renewing of our Minds ; a purging our Confciences
from dead Works, to fcrve the living God, Rom. 12. 2. Hcb. 9. 14. It not
only makes us, of Enemies, to become Friends to vital Piety, but alio fubdues
the Enmity of the carnal Mind, which is not fubjedl: to the Law of God, neither
indeed can be, Rom. 8. 5. Enemies may be reconciled, but Enmity never
can, it is as bad as the Devil, it being a rooted Prejudice againft all that is
really and fpiritually good. In a Word, Regeneration, or the New-Birth, doth
at once imply a fubduing the ftrongeft Prejudices, a removing the moft vicious \
Habits, and a dethroning of Satan's Empire in the Soul : Witnefs the Cafe of
Manaffeby Magdaltn, PaulyXhc Csrinthians., 1 Cor. 6. 9, lo, II. with Multi-
V V I tudes
328 Of EF FECTUA L CALLING.
tudes of others. It is, as I may fay, a wafhing of theEIackamore white, a chang-
ing oi Swine into Saints ; 'tis a dirpofTcffingof the ftrorg Man armed, and fpoiling
his Goods, and taking PolTeilion of the Soul by one ihonger than he. Read di.i-
gently the JSJs of the Apoflles, and you fliall fee this exemplified in Abundance of
Inftances : There you may fee the Prince of Life viaorioufly riding on the wliite
Horfe of theGofpeljhaving a Bow in hisHand & aCrovvn on hisHead, going on con-
quering & to conquer : Great & m.any were theBftttles he fought againft,& many
and great the V^i<5tories he obtained over the Powers of Darknefs, vaftly numerous
the Spoils which he took and triumphantly carried away : So greatly did the Gofpel
fiounih in the Regeneration and Converfion of many Souls unto God, which it
fr^und far enough from having any free Will to that which was good, but even
ilrongly prejudiced thereunto. Hence faith the great Apoftlc, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5.
" The Weapons of our Warfare are mighty, through God, to the pulling down
of ftrong Holds, cafiing down imaginations, (or as it is in the Margin) Reafon-
jngs^ carnal Reafonings, and every high Thing that exalteth itfelf againfl the
Knowledge of God, and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedi-
ence ofChrift." It is then an implanting a vital Principle of Grace in the
Soul, caufingaLove unto and is produdive of the Pradice of Holinefs. Re-
generation makes a Man to caft all his former Idols to the Bats and to the Moles
of the Earth, renouncing all former Self-dependance on Works of Righteoufnefs
which he had done, accounting himfelf as an unclean Thing, and that all his
Righteoufneffcs are as filthy Rags, yea, as Drofs and Dung, that he may win
Chrifl and be found in him, not having his own Righteoufnefs, which is of
the Law, but that which is by Faith of the Son of God, the Righteoufnefs
which is of God by Faith, Ifa. 64. 6. Phil. 3. Thus he is one of thofe who
worfhip God in the Spirit, that rejoice in Chrift Jefus, having no Confidence
in the Flefh.
From all which it evidently appears, that Regeneration, by which Men are
born again is a very great Work, produclive of a marvellous Change ; a Change
that is not., that cannot be efFedted but by a fupernatural Agency. All fuch as
are born again, are born of the Spirit, begotten of God according to his own
Will, by the Word of Truth, Job. 3. 6. Jam. i. 18. Therefore are they
faid to be born from above, and called the Born of God, Job. i. 12, 13.
*' But to as many as received him, to them gave he Power, or Priviledge, to
become the Sons of God, even to as many as believed on his Name, who were
born, not of Blood, nor of the Will of the Flefh, nor of the Will of Man, but
of God." What Words can be fuller to our Purpofe, where the true efficient
Caufe of Regeneration is ailigned its proper Place ? It is iirft denied to all
human Agency and Arbitrement, and then pofitively afcribed unto God, com-
pared with I Pet. I. 23. *< Being born again, not of corruptible Seed, but
, incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." To
this it M'ere eafy to produce a Cloud of Witnefies, both on the negative and
/)^/?//i/^ Part of the Expreffions : See J^r. 10. 23. "Who can bring a clean
'^T'hing out of an unclean ? Not one," Job iji[.. 3. *' The Preparation of the
H^art m Man and the Anfwer of the Tongue is from the Lord," Prov. 16. i.
t< Man's
Of EFF ECI'U AL CALLING. 329
«' Man's Goings are of the Lord, how then can A'lan underfland his own
Way?" Prov. 20. 24. Hence, (iiith the Lord, " I was found of them that^
fought me not, I was made manifeft unto them that aficed not after me," Rom.
10. 20. " The Son of Man came to feek and to fave that which was lo{}, '*«...
Luk. 19. 20. " A Man can receive nothing unlefs it be given him from Hea--«
veji, JoIk 3. 27. " No A'jan (faith our Saviour) can come unto me exccpf
my Father which hath fcnt me draw him," Job. b. 44. compared with Ver-fe
64, 65. *' But there are fome of you that believe not ; for Jefus knew from
the Beginning who tiiey were that believed not, and who fhould betray him.
And he faid, therefore fay I unto you, that no Man can come unto me except
it were given him of my Father." Arid again, *' Without me ye can do no-
thing," Job. 15. 5. Accordingly St> Paul confefleth, 2 Cor. 3. 5. " Not
that we are fufficient, as of ourfelves, to think any Thing of ourfelves, but our
Sufficiency is of God." See alfo the Church's Confeffion, Ifa. 26. I2. " Lord___
thou wiit ordain Peace for us ; For thou alfo haft wrought all our Works in us.-"
Eph. 2. 8. " By Grace ye are faved, thro' Faith, and that not of our felves,
it is the Gift of God : Not of Works, left any Man fliould boaft : P'or ye are_
hii Wojkmanfhip, created in Chrift Jefus unto good Woiks, which God bath
before ordained that we fliou I'd walk in them." " Every good Gift, and every
pcrfedl Gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with
whom there is no Variablenefs, neither Shadow of turning. Of his own Will
begat he us by the Word of Truth, that we fhoujd be a Kind of firft Fruits of
Itis Creatures," Jam. i. 17, 18. Anew Heart and a new Spirit are hiy Gifts,
by Virtue of a new Covenant Promife, or Promife'*of the Covenant of Grace,
which Promifes are not conditional, after the Manner of the Covenant of IVorks^
1 zvill, if you will : No ; but abfolute, I zvilly and you fljall , I will be your God^
and ye P)all be tny People. Sec Jer. 31. 31, to 35. Chap. 32. 38, 39, 40.
E'zek. -^6. 25,1029. compared vv'nh Pleb. 8. 8, to the End, and Chap 10.
15, to 19. Places worthy of the Reader's ferious Perufal, comprizing them
together, where he will find the Agency of God in thefe Matters abandantly
aflerted, and all as the Produdi: of eledling Grace, or that Covenant R&lation
which he ftands in unto his Ele£l as their God, and the Relation they do ftand
in unto him as his People. " A new Heart (fays he) alfo will I give you, and
a new Spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the flony Heart out of -
your Flefh, and I will give you an Heart of Flefli, and I will put my Spirit with-
in you, and caufe you to walk in my Statutes, and ye fliall keep my Judgments,
and do them." Mark, 1 vj\\\ caufe you \o 60 thus and thus: Where obfcrve,
that the Way of God, in his working upon the Sinner, is not mecrly by moral
Sivafion, (which leaves the Will undetermined and pendulous') but 'tis by an cff'ec-
tual inclination and overpozuering ; fj that the Work is done, as we fay, to Pur-'
pofe^ notwithftanding all the Oppofition that is made thereunto, cither by. the
natural Enmity of the unregenerate Miiid, or the refifting Efi'urts of the Powers'
of Darknefs, in Conjundticn therewith : This is what I mean by irre/i^iblcGrzce.
It is fuch Grace as fliines into the He?,rt, and caf^s it into a new Mold : It in-
lightens the Underflanding, fandifies the AfTcclionSjand renews the Willjmakfng
V V 2 it
330 Of EFFEC1U JL CALLING.
it pliant to the Will of God ; and that too in fuch a Manner as eftablifheth a
/>v^(3'(?^j of t7^;«|- in the Soul, as this very Text doth bear Witnefs. Where
obferve, (i.) God's powerful znd e^et^ual Jgency u^on the Souls of his People
aflerted. (2.) His People's Adtings confluent upon, and as the proper EffeSis of
the fame. The Converts are faid to walk in God's Statutes, and to keep his
Judgments to do them : Which at once points out both their pious Asiings, and
the Freedom of the fame to vjalk and to do, naturally implies bgth a Principle of
Life and Freedom of adding in the Soul ; Hence they are faid to be drawn by the
Cords of Love. He draws them ; there is his Agency : He draws them with
Cordi ; there is his poiuerful Efficiency : Thefe Cords are Cords of Love, which
points out the Sweeinefs that attends the powerful Influence upon the Soul, which
is thereby (as St. Paul's Phrafe is) conjlrained no longer to live unto itfelf, but
unto him who died for it and rofe again, 2 Cor, 5. 14, 15. «' Draw me,
(faith the Spoufe to Chrifl) we will run after thee," Song. i. 4. Thus, altho'
the Soul be drawn, yet doth it run, yea, therefore doth it run, becaufe it is
drawn. Thus doth the Father draw his People, that they may come untoChrift ;
thus powerfully and thus Jweetly ; all which takes its Rife in ele£ling Love. Jer,
31. 3. " The Lord bath appeared of old unto me, faying, I have loved thee
with an everlafting Love, therefore with Loving-kindnefs have I drawn thee.'*
See alfo the Father faying to the Son, Pfal. no. 3. "Thy People (hall be
willing in the Day of thy Power." Where obferve, (i.) That Chrift's People,
that is, his redeemed People, do of an unwilling, become a willing People, and
confequently do a6t with the greaiefl Freedom in their Adherence to Chrift. Ob-
ferve {7.') That this Willingnefs is produced by a Day of God's Power upon
their Souls, and therefore theiryr^^ Agency is fo far from \)t\x\o^dejiroyed, as that
it \s e/iablijhedhy God's efFedual Operations in making them willing. When
St. Paul would exprefs the powerful and efFedtual Operations of God's holy
Spirit upon the Soul in the Day of his Power, he alludes to the Beginning of
God's Creation, when he caufed the Light to fhine out of Darknefs, Gen. i.
I, 2, 3. " For God, faith he, who commanded the Light to fhine out of
Darknefs, hath fhined in our Hearts, to give the Light of the Knowledge of the
Glory of God in the Face, or Perfon, of Jefus Chrift," 2 Cor. 4. 6. Again,
our Lo'rd fets forth ihe free, powerful znd (^J7W Influences of the Spirit in the
Work of Regeneration by the Wind, in its powerful and wonderful Operations,
Joh. 3. 6. *' The Wind bloweth where it lifteth, thou heareft the Sound there-
of, but knoweft not whence It cometh, nor whither it goeth j fo is every one
that is born of the Spirit." They are made effe£lually iofeel its powerful InRu-
ence upon their Souls, altho' they are not able perfe6ily to trace all its facred.
windings and turnings. The Soul finds itfelf transformed thereby, and caft into
a new Mould : It then believes and wonders. Thus God doth fulfil all the good
Pleafure of his Goodnefs, and the Work of Faith with Power, upon the Souls
of his People, that the Name of our Lord Jefus Chrift may be glorified in them,
and they in him, according to the Grace of our God, and our Lord Jefus Chrift,
iThef. I. ir, 12. This runs through the u-^^?/.? Work of Regeneration and
Sandlificationj from the Beginning unto^the End thereof, as I ihall fhew in the
following
Of EFFECru AL CALLING. 331
following Particulars: (i.) The Heart-purifying Grace of Faith is not from
our felves, it is not a Flower that grows in Nature's Garden, but is the Gift of
God. yl£1s 15. 9. Eph. 2. 8. " To you it is given to believe," Phil. 1.29.
(2.) The Grace of true Repentance and the Spirit of Prayer is the Gift of God.
If we with an Eye of Faith and godly Sorrow look unto him whom we have
pierced, it is becaufe God hath, anfwerable to a New-Covenant Promife, poured
out upon us a Spirit of Grace and Supplication, Zech. 12. 10. compared with
j^ifs II. 18. "Then hath God a! fo granted to the Gentiles Repentance unto
Life." " Chrift being exalted by his Father's right Hand, as a Prince and a
Saviour, for to give Repentance unto his fpiritual Ifraely his Redeemed, and
RemifTion of Sins," //<f?j 5. 31. (3.) True Love unto Gcd is his Gift, the
Produdl of the Spirit's Operations : The Love of God being fhed abroad in our
Hearts by the Holy Ghoft, which he hath given us. Rom. 5. 5. (4.] A Free-
dom and Power both to will and to do, that we may work out our Salvation
with Fear and Trembling, is the free Gift of God's Grace and good Pleafure
to us, and what he powerfully worketh in us. Phil. 2. 12, 13. He it is who
opens our Eyes, and favingly inlightens them in the Myfterie» of his Kin^r-
dom : " To you it is given to know the Myfteries of the Kingdom of Heaven,
while to others it is not given," A4at. 13. 11. and that too, becaufe it fcemeth
good in his Sight, Mat. 11. 25, 26. It is he who unflopsour deaf Ears, which
are naturally Ike the deaf Adder, that hearkens not to the Voice of the Char-
mer, tho' charming never fo wifely ; and who opens our Hearts to receive both
the Gofpel of Grace, and the Grace of the Gofpel, as he did the Heart of Zr^/,/
of old, A^s 16. 14. It was the Lord who opened her Heart by a funernat'ural
and efFecSlual Agency thereupon, and not Lydia herfelf by a felf-determi'nins free-
will Power, independant of fuch Operations. And the fame Rule flnnJs ^ovA
in the Regeneration of all other Perfons, fmce God alone hath the Key of the
Heart, as well as of Heaven and Hell, that openeth and no Man fiiutteth and
that (hutteth and no l\4an openeth. In a Word, whether we have the Graces
oF Faith, Repentance, Love, Joy, or any other Grace, they are all the Ciifts c f
God unto us, implanting them in our Souls, they are the Fruits, not of our ovva
Produce, but of the holy Spirit of Grace, that quickens us when dead, and wafh-
eth us, being filthy, by the Wafhing of Regeneration, Gal. 5, 22. Tit. 3. 3, 4,
If we are regenerated and created in Chrift Jefus unto good Works, it is becaufe
we are his Workmanfhip, not our own, Eph. 2. 8, 9, 10. *' But we all n-th
open Face, behold as in a Glafs the Glory of the Lord, and are chan'^ed into the
fame Image, from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord^ or by the
Lord the Spirit," 2 Cor. 3. 18. And this is done by the exceeding Greatnefs
of God's Power to us-ward, who believe, according to the working olhis mic^hty
Power, which he wrought in Chrift when he raifed him from the dead, Eph. j.
19, 20. This is what the Regenerate did in all Ages bear their Witrefs to, as
what they have powerfully felt and experienced : This ever was, and ftill is'the
Language of them all, *' Lord, thou haft wrought all our Works in u^ " I/a.
26. 12. ' V '
Henco
532 Of RFF ECtUAL C Al.-LI-'N G.
Hence for \%zx\ to talk o^ tl fufficient Gracfe in every Man to convert himfelf
unto God, and of a rncer moral Swnfion- being fufficient to move him hereunto,
exclufive of the energetical Operations of God's holy Spirit, is to argue unfcrip-
turally, and as Perfuns unexperienced in a Work of Cirace and Regeneration up-
on their Souis, while they angue againft th^ irrefiftible Nature of the Grace of
Qod in Regeneration, they-dd in Effed fay, that the firong Man armed .is -ao,
Over-match for him that is fir'onger than he, which is abfurd : And as for their
7n9ral Swafion, it is, at beft, but like a Man's holding forth an Apple to a Cliild,
b/ which it is on\y allur^d^ but not enabled to come unto him. *' If (faith Rev.
••'• li'attjon) Qo'l in Converfion fiiould (j;?// morally perfuad.e, that is, fct Good
*,'j :and Evil before Men, then God doth not put forth fo much Power in faviug
'.« Men as the Devil doth ii) deftroying them : For Satan doth not onjy propound'
*• tempting Obje^s to A'l en, but doth conciir v.'ith his Temptations, therefore
"^ he is faid to «/'or/f in the Children of Difobedience, Epb. 2.2. And fiiall not
" God's Power in converting be greater than Satan's Power in feducingr"
Surely God's Grace in Regeneration is mighty pciv erf ul znd effcSiual : He doth-
jLOt only bid th<e fhong Man armed to quit his Pdfleflidn of the unregenerate,
Soul, but he exerts his mighty Power, to the afliual difpoffeffing of him, and
fpoiling his Goods. Hence faith (he Apoftle, (fpeaking of the Minifiry of the
Word) " The Weapons of our Warfare are mighty through God, (mark) they
are mighty, and mighty through God^ that is to fay, through God's mighty and
povv'erful Grace attending the Miniltry, to the pulling down of ftrong Holds,
cafting down Imaginations, and e^ery Thing that exalteth itfelf againft the Know-
ledge of God, and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of
Chrift,'' 2 Crjr. 10. 4, 5. So that without God's £«^r^^//V<7/ Operations accom-
panying the VVord preaclied, it proves ineffeSiual^ altho' preached by a learned-
Paul^ and an eloquent /Ipollos^ both well-fkilied in the Art of Perfwafion : In vain
doth the one plant, and the other water the Plants, except God gives the Increafe,
I Cor. 3. 5, 6, 7. Chrift's People are made a willing People by the Day of his
Power upon their Souls : When that Day and Hour comes, tho' they be dead in
Sin, are made to hear his Voice, and live. Job. 5. 25. And as he doth this or-
dinarily by the Word of the Gofpel preached, fo for the Preacher in his Name
to cry out, and ct)mmandingiy fay, " Awake thou that fleepefi, and arife from
the dead, and Chrift fliall give thee Light," doth neither infer a natural felf-
determining Power to raife themfelves, nor upon our affirming their Non-ability
to do this, doth it follow, that God mocks them by commanding them to awake
and rife, any more than it may be faid, that Chrift's commanding the Man with
the withered Arm to ftretch it forthp fuppofed an innate Power in him to do it,
or elfe that he mocked him by commanding him to do what was not in his,
P'ovver to perform : Whereas the Truth is, there went a divine Power with that
Word of Chrift. Even {o in the Regeneration of a Sinner, a divine Energy goes
with the divine Command. I'hus far doth the Cafes run parallel, altho' they
may not anfwer in every Point : And therefore 'tis to no Purpofe to objeff,
that the Cafe of the crippled Man referred unto is impertinent to my Purpofe,
becaufe that was a miraculous Operation. All the Parables of our Lord don't
run
Of EFF ECru AL CALLING, ^33
run upon Ail-tour, yet are they pertinent to the Purpofe fcr the which he fpake
them.
In Ihort, from whnt has been (aid, it is very apparent, that we are maJe Par-
takers of the Redemption purchafed by Chrift, by the effectual Application there-
of unto us, by God's holy Spirit ineffectual Calling, in Oppofition to a felf-
determining, free-will Power in Man pleaded for by the Jrmi?7ia-:s, which they
fet up in the Room thereof: By which they do as much as in them lietb, ex-
clude the Holy Ghoft's acting hit Part m ihe Recovery and Salvation of Sinners,
notwithftanding all that the holy Scrip; i/e faith of his Operations unto that End,
as we have plentifully fecn, and may further obferve from 2 Tbff. 2. i^- " Gcd
hath from the Beginning chofen you to S/ilvation, through Sanc^tification cf the
Spirit and Belief of the Truth, whereunto he called you by cur Gofpel, to the
obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jefus Chrifl." Thus doth the Arminia-rt
Dodtrine tend to God's Difiionour, by feeking to overfet God's A'lethcd of (.n'lr.g
Sinners, afcribing that to the Creature which is di:e unto its Creator, both in re-
fpe£t of Agency and Honour^ for the'e two do ever go together. It teacheth all
converted ?q.x{ox\% proudly and boofimgly to {^y^ I made myfelf to differ, it is not
by the diftinguiihing effectual Operations of Grace, but by a felf-differercing
and felf-determining Power of my own free Will that I am what I am ; contrary
to the humble Confeflion of St. Paul^ who faid, ^y the Gr^ce of God I am what
1 am ; which indeed contains a true Anfwer to his own emphatic Quellion, which
he put to thofe that were puffed up amongft the Corinthians^ faving, Who maketii
thee to differ ? or as it is in the Margin from the Greek, Who diftinguifhetii
thee I What haft thou which thou didft not receive ? i Cor. 3. 7. To evac'e
the Force of which Text, the Arminiam do alledge, that it hath a peculiar Re-
ference unto miniver ia/ 2nd extraordinary G'lks, and therefore impertinently ^xc-
duced againft them. To which I replv, that fuppofing fuch a Reference, vet
doth our Argument ftand good agjinft them : For if it is God that makes Mea
todifrer, with Refpe6t unto 7/2/«///^r/a/ or w/r^a/Zawj Gifts, which are the hjfer^
how* much more muft this be true, with Refpedt unto the Gifts of fan£titvin^
faving Grace, which are ihe greater ? The firft Sort of Gifts maybe, where true
fandtifyingfaving Grace is entirely abfent, as St. Paul witneffeth, i Ccr. 13. and
fo the Poffeffor of them may perifh notwithftanding i whereas all fuch as have
the latter are in a State of Salvation, which confequently are Gifts of 7i fnpericur
Value to the former. So then it is not our Argument, but the Anninian ObjecTtirii
that is impertinent, which, while it allows that 'tis God that makes Men to dif-
fer, with Refpe6t unto the lejfcr^ doth deny fuch a Difcrimination with Refpedl
to K\\e greater^ afcribing that unto the Creature's fclf-differencing free-will Power
and Determinations, which naturally makes them Boafters, e^N'en before God,
contrary to the Tenor of the Gofpel, which faith, "By Grace ye are faved,
through Faith, and that not of your felves, it is the Gift of GoJ : >^ot of Works,
leaft any Man fhould bcaft. And again. Where is boaftins then ? It is excluded.
B/ what Law ? Of Works ? Nay, but by the Law of^Faith," Rom. 3. 27.
Eph. 2. 8. And again, i Cor. i. 30. " Of him, that is to fay, of Gcd, are
ye in Chrift Jefus, who is of God mad© unto us Wifdom, and Righteoufhers,
and
334 Of EFFECrUAL CALLING.
snd San£lIfication, and Redemption : That according as it is written, let him
tlut gloricth, or boaftcth, glory, or boaft in the Lord." There is then a two-
fold Boafting which the Scripture maketh mention of ; /r/?, a Self-hoajiing yV/h'ich
the Gofpel excludes ; and fecondly^ a hoajiing in the Lord^ who makes us to differ,
which the Gofpel lays a P'oundation for, and commends : Thus this latter is lavj-
ful^ tending to God's Honour, whereas the former is unlawful^ becaufe tending
to the contrary. So then when we difclaim againft the Armin'wn Dodlrine as
unfound, becaufe it makes Men Boafters, it is but a mean Subterfuge they have
to fly unto, in order to fnelter themfelves from the Force of our Argument, to
reply upon us, that the Scripture allows of Men's boafting, as in the Inftance
of Paul and David : I fay, this is but a mean Subterfuge for them to have Re-
courfe unto in this Cafe, fince, as I have fhewn, the Scripture fpeaks of a tivo-
fold Boafting, the one lawful, the other not. It is this latter that we charge on
their Do61rine, which Charge \%juji, and remains unremoved^ as is apparent both
from Scripture and found Rcafoning therefrom. Whatever Gloryings St. Paul
made, either in the Vindication of himfelf, when mifreprefented and ftigmatized
by the falfe Apoftles, or in Regard of his fpiritual State and Condition, evident
it is, both from his conftant Do6trine and humble ConfefTions, after his Con-
verfion, and Call to the Apoftlefhip, none of his Boaftings were of the Arminian
li/^ztt/*, or of that unlawful Kind which attends their Scheme of Dodtrine, and
which the Gofpel excludes. I conclude then, that the Arminian Dodtrine which
fets up their felf-determining free-wiil Power, in Oppofition to the difcriminating
irrefiitible Grace of God, to the Excliifion of the determining and efficacious
Operations of the holy Spirit in Regeneration and Converfion, and that makes
Men Boafters, even before God, teaching them to facrifice to their own Net,
and to burn Incenfe unto their own Drag, is not, cannot be of God, being con-
trary to the cleareft Dictates both of Scripture zr\6 found Reafon, whilft our Doc-
trine is ratified and confirmed by both. It is ftrange, that Men are not willing to
allow the all-wife God a Power and Ability to govern his Creatures in the Mat-
ters of Regeneration and Salvation, in a Way confiftent with their rational Na-
tures and free Agency, without leaving the Government of themfelves in their
own Hands, independant of his efficacious and determining Grace, and as tho' they
accounted it fafier and better to be at their ozvn Difpofal than at God's. How
•vainly do fome of them talk of a ftfficient Grace in every Man to convert and.
turn himfelf unto God, and to perlevere in Holinefs unto the End of their Lives
if they will, independant of God's determining Will, fince the Scripture pofi-
tively' tells us, that Chrift's People becomes a willing People in the Day of his
Power, and that they walk in God's Statutes and Judgments to do them is, be-
caufe he puts his Spirit within them, caufmg them thereby thus to walk and to
i\o, and that they are kept by God's Power, through Faith, unto Salvation ?
Surely if every Man hath a Stock ol fuffici,nt Giace already, all fuch further Sup-
plies are needlejs. But away with fuch ffficient C( mmon Grace, that is infuffici-.
ent to change the Heart, and to make oi an unwilling a willing People, by its
Power. John Smith, the Arminian, in his Difcourfe ubout Perjeverance avers,
^' That the Succefs of divine Grace doth very much depend upon different Dif-
pofitions
Of EFFECTUAL CALLING. 335
pofitions and Improvements :" But if this, with his Allegations on the Behalf of
meer moral Swafion in the Matters of Regeneration and Converfion were true,
we might in all good Reafon have expe<Sled that the Men of Parts and Learnings
and o( 2i fober avili%€d Converfation, would have been the moft numerous Con-
verts, whereas Scripture and daily Obfervation {hew the contrary.
In the primitive Times, who were they, generally fpeaking, that oppofed Chrifl
and his Apoftles, but the learned Rabbies amongft the Jews^ and the learned Phi- .
lofophcrs amongft the Gentiles^ the former were the Oppofers of Chrift, and both
of them Oppofers of the Apoftles Miniflry. To the firft, Salvation by the Crofs
of Chrift, by which was meant his fuffering and dying in the Room and Stead of
Sinners as their Surety and Saviour, wzsTi Jlurnblirig Block -, and to the latter, Z'lz.
the philofophizing Greeks^ it was FooUJhnefs j which caufed the Apoftle to fay
tinto his Converts at Corinth^ '« You fee your Calling, Brethren, how that net
many wife Men after the Flefh, not m^ny noble, not m«ny mighty are called :
But God hath chofen the foolifh Things of the World to confound the wife, and
God hath chofen the weak Things of this World to confound the Things that are
mighty, and bafe Things of the World, and Things which are defpifed, hath God
chofen, yea, and Things which are not, to bring to nought Tilings that are ;
(mark) that no Flefh fliould glory in his Prefence, to wit, as tho' they had made
themfelves to differ." Thus we fee, that as Ele<Stion and EfFe<Slual Calling are
commenfurate, fo both are founded in Grace, even the fovereign tiiitinguifliing
Grace of God, that him that glorieth, fliould glory in the Lord. And indeed,
what but the powerful Influences of the holy Spirit of Grace could have turned
fuch fihhi) Swine, as fome of the Corinthians hzd been, into Saints ? Surely i'lich
great EfFedls could not have been eitedled meerly by the perfvvading Eloquence
either of PW, or of ^/)i5//^j ; and fuch was their Character and Pradices, that
there is no Room to fay, that the Succefs of divine Grace depended on their pre-
ruious good Di [pofitions. The true Account of the whole, both what they were
before Converfion, and by whofe Agency the fame was effe6ted, may be {cen
I Cor. 6.9, 10, II. " Know ye not, that the Unrighteous fhall not inherit tJ)e
Kingdom of God ? Be not deceived : Neither Fornicators, nor Idolators, nor
Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor Abufcrs of themfelves with Mankind, nor
Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, fliall
inherit the Kingdom of God. (Now mark) And fuch were fome of you ; but
ye are wafhed, but ye are fandified, but ye are juftified in the Name of the Lord
Jefus, and by the Spirit of our God."
But to look back a little, who were tbey, generally fpeaking, who received the
Gofpel preached by Chrift himfelf^ in the Love and Power of it ? Why, not the
learned Rabbies, the ready Scribes, the Priefts learned in the Law, nor the tow'rijig
Pharifees, but poor Fifherraen, with fome other neglected Underlings, (as tte
Rev. Mr. ^a//o«'s Phrafe is) yea. Publicans znA Harlots. "Verily, I fay unto
you, (Ciith our Lord to the chief Priefts and Elders) that the Publicans and Har-
lots go into the Kingdom of Heaven before you," Mat. :2i. 31.
Moreover, as to thofe few amongft the great and learned Jews that embraced
Chrift aiid his Golpel:, bow ignorant and (hallow did they appear to be as to a
Xjc Work
335 Of EFFECTUAL CALLING,
Work of Regeneration before their Reseneration ? Witnefs the great and learned
Rabbi Nicodimus, who when our Lord fet before him the Neceffity of the New-
Birrh, in order to Salvation, how fhallow were his Conceptions about that grand
AfFair, crying out, How can thefe Things be ? Whence cur Lord anfwers.
Art thou a Mafter in Ifrael, and knoweft not thefe Things ? Yes, really this
was the Cafe, anfwerable to St. Paulas Declarations, That the natural Man, or
the Man that is in his natural and unregenerate State, notwithftanding all his na-
tural and acquired Parts, whether they be Wit, Learning, Eloquence, or civil
Behaviour, he doth not receive the Things of the Spirit of God, for they are
Fooliftinefs unto him, or in his Apprehenfion of them ; neither can he know
them, becaufe they are fpiritually difcerned : Which caufed the Apoftle to cry
cut. Where is the Wife ? Where is the Scribe ? Where is the Difputer of this
World, the Reafoner F Hath not God made foolifh the Wjfdom of this World ?
And therefore 'tis no "v'^onder that the natural Men, the Difputers of thisWorld,
the Reafoners of our Day, account the Preaching of the Crofs FooUft.nefs.
How ignorant alfo of Chrift, and Salvation by his Crofs, and of a Work of re-
generating (jrace upon the Soul, was P^a/ himfelf, tho' brought up at the Feet
oi Gamaliel, until God, who feperated him from his Mother's Womb, had called
him by his efficacious Grace ? Surely none dare to fay, that the wonderful
Change which pafTed en him was the Produdt of any meer moral Swafions, or
good previous Difpofitions and free-will Abilities : What but the Power of cnmi-
potent and efficacious Grace could have changed, as I may fay, fuch a fierce de-
vouring Lion, into fuch a meek Lamb as he became. Ifyou'l afk him, Paul,
who made thee to differ ? His ready and humble Anfwer will be, It is by the
Grace of God that I am what I am.
I might alfo mention the converted Thief upon the Crofs, and Mary Afagda-
len, out of whom Chrift caft feven Devils, and of a vile Sinner made her to be-
come a holy fandfified Believer ; alfo thofe of our Lord's Betrayers and Murder-
ers, who were caft into a new Mould under the Miniftry of Peter, crying out
unto him and unto the reft of the Apoftles, Men and Brethren, what fhall we
do ? Surely thefe great EfFedls could not be produced, either by a free-will Im-
provement of previous good Difpofitions, of which fuch Wretches could not ftand
poflefs'd, nor by the bare perfwafive Oratory of Peter's Difcourfe ; for then the
reft of thefe wicked Murderers had been alfo converted under the hearing of St.
Stephen's, in which appears no lefs Degrees of Eloquence and perfwafive Oratory
than in that of St. Peter's ; the like Caufe would have produced the like EfFeds
on thefe Perfons, whofe Cafes and Crimes were thus alike ; whereas we fee the
Ef{e<5ls of St. Stephen's convincing Language ifiiied only in fuch a Conviction as
increafed their Rage and Madnefs. The Truth is, that the efficacious Grace of
God attended the Miniftry of St. Peter, which did not attend the Miniftry of
St. Stephen: For if it had, his Hearers would have been as efFeftuaJly wrought
upon as were thofe of St. Peter's : The like efficient Caufe would have produced .
the like great and good Effedls, caufing them in Anguifh and Humility of Soul
to have cried out. What fhall we do to be faved, as Peter*s Hearers did ? And
iiideed, to what Caufe can it be afcribed, but that of God's rich, free and fove-
reign
Of EFFECrU AL CALLING. 337
rei^n Grace? Wherefore when our Lord commanded that Repentance and
Remiflion of Sins fhould be preached in his Name among all Nations, he gave
particular Orders to his Apoftlcs, that they fhould begin this ble/T'ed Work
amonffft thefe 'Jerufalem Sinners : And what but the fame Grace rendred the
Gofpel,effei5lual to their Converfion upon its coming amongft them ? Who
made them to differ from the others who had been their Partners in their horri-
ble Wickednefs in killing the Prince of Life ? Who, I fay, made them to differ ?
Surely not themjelves^ but God^ whofe Workmanfhip they were, being rich in
Mercy towards them.
To thefe Inftances I might add that of the Samaritans^ who were eff>;6lually
wrought upon under Philip's Miniftry, who, antecedent thereunto, bad been a
Company of poor deluded Wretches, blindly led aftray by the Sorceries of SimcJi
Magus. Alfo the wonderful Succefs the Gofpel met withal at Jthens am-onoH;
the idolatrous Ephefians, amidft vafl Oppofitions ; particularly the great Change
it produced amongit Perfons of no better Qi_ialifications and Chara6}er than Soy-
cerers and Conjurers^ a mofl wicked Generation, who now broughi: their Bucks
and burnt them publickiy : fo mightily grev/ the Word of God and prevailed,
J£i5 19. 20. Nov*/ will any ftiil venture to affirm, that all this was the Product
of a meet moral Swafion^ working upon previous good Difpofitinns and a felf-dc-
termining free-will Ability in thefe Perfons? Or muff we not rather aflicrn tliis
Succefs of the Gofpel unto the Arm of God's Strength, in the Day of his Power
upon their Souls ? As it is faid, when great Numbers believed and turned unto
the Lord, that the Hand of the Lord was with them that preached the Word,
Jdls rr. 21. The Arm of the Lord was now revealed, and therefore did thofe
Numbers believe the Report of the Preachers of the Word. Or as St. Paul told
the Thejfalonians, faying, " Our Gofpel came unto you, not in Word only, but
alfo in Power, in the Holy Ghoff, and in much Affurance." They received
theWord of God as fucb,\Nh\Qh woxk^theffeSiually in them that believe : Where-
as upon the Foot o'imeer moral Sxuafion^ working upon good previous DifpofuicnSy
it had been more likely for thofe aforefaid deluded Wretches, wicked Idolaters
and Conjurers, to have intirely rcjefled the Gofpel^ inftead of receiving the fame
in the Truth and Love thereof, as they did, and that the learned Doctors anions
the 7^if J, and the wife, polite Philufophers among the C^/r/Z^y, {hould have re-
ceived the Gofpel, inftead of mocking at and reje<£ting of it, as was their current
Practice.
Thefe Inftances and ConfiJcrations do very fairly and plumply give in their
Verdidl againft the Scheme of conditional Ekflloners and Free-iuiilers ; but for
and in Behalf of the Dodrine of free and abfolute Election and efficacious Grace,
that doth not Jind^hut produce Faith and Holinefs in the chief of Sinners. Evident
it is from Scripture Doctrines and Declarations of Fa6t, that effectual Vocation
doth run Parallel with the Line of God's free and eternal ElciSion, and is pro-
duced by it. It is a Branch that fprings from iha: Root, a Stream which flows
from that Fountain.
This is the Point which I promifed in the third and laft Place to give a more
full and compleat Evidence, to, in Cunjun^ion with what I have occafionally men-
X X 2 tioned
338 Of EFFECTUAL CALLING.
tioned as I have gone along. See Rom. 8. 30. " Whom he predeftinated, them
he called." Jer. 31. 3. " I have loved thee with an everlafting Love, therefore
with Loving-icindnefs have I dravi'n thee." i Thef. i. 4, 5. «« Knowing Bre-
thren beloved, your Election of God : For our Gofpel came not unto you in
Word only, but alfo in Power, and in the Holy Ghoft, and in much AfTurance."
2 Thef. 2. 13. " We are bound to give Thanks always to God for you Brethren,
beloved of the Lord, becaufe God hath from the Beginning chofen you to Salva-
tion, through Sandification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth ; whereunto he
called you by our Golpei,to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord JefusChrift."
2 Tim. I. 9, 10. " \Vho hath faved us, and called us with an holy Calling, not
according to our Works, but according to his own Purpofe and Grace, which
was given us in Chrifl: Jefus before the World began, but is now made mani-
j'eft by the appearing of our Saviour Jefus Chrift, who hath abolifhed Death, and
hath brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gofpel."
Nov/ let us but diligently trace the Footfteps of divine Condudl in the direct-
ing and ordering the Motion of this Gofpel Light, that it fhould go to this Place,
and not unto that Place ; and when come thither, mark the peculiar Efficacy that
attended it, as unto fome, even in the firft Rifing of that Light upon the Gentile
Nations, and it will afFord a very convincing Argument of what I fay.
Had not God's Agency and Condudl led the Way in feeking them, they had
never fought him, as appears from the Confideration of that State of Corruption,
Pagan Darknefs and Idolatry in the which thofe Nations lay, antecedent to the
Gofpel's coming among them. And this is confirmed byGod's own Declarations
concerning their Calling and Converfion, long before prophefied of: See Rom.
10. 20. compared with Ifa. 65. i. " I was found of them that fought me not:
i was made manifefl: unto them that afked not after me." And this is no lefs
true of every other Perfon that is regenerated and converted.
God doth firft call upon us by the Word of his Gofpel, and the Spirit of his
Grace, before we do in good Earneft feek him and devote ourfelves to hii Ser-
vice. It is he by his good Providence brings us under the Means, that inclines
our Minds to attend them, and that blefleth the fame, that they may become
eftedlual unto our Regeneration and Converfion j and ail as the EfFe(3s oi^ii^free
and evcrlajiing Love.
But to proceed in the before propofed Views and Obfervations of divine Con-
du6l in fending the Gofpel unto this^ and not unto that Place, with the different
Events and Succefs that attended the fame : Wherein we fhall fee that this Cha-
riot of the Gofpel was driven and guided by favercign Grace, which held in or
let out the Reins, drawing them now on this Side, and then on the other, caufing
it to go here or there^ (0 far and no farther, as it pleafed ; as St. Paul faid unto
the converted Ephefians concerning this Grace and its Conduct, Eph. i. 9, 10.
«' Wherein he hath abounded unto us in all Wifdom and Prudence, making
known unto us the Myftery of his Will, according to his good Pleafure, which
he hath purpofed in himfelf, that in the Difpenfation of the Fulnefs of Times, he
might gather together in one all Things in Chrift, both which are in Heaven and
which are on Earth, even in him." To which I may add, that Saying of our
bleffed
Of EFF ECrU AL CALLING. 339
blcffed Saviour, " Other Sheep (meaning the Gentiles) I have, which are not of
this (the Jewijh) Fold, and them I muft bring, and they (hall hear my Voice,
and there Ihall be one Fold and one Shepherd." Accordingly the Commiflion
he gave unto his Apoftlcs did run, " Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, ''ijfr,
Mat. 28. 20. '* Go ye into all the World, and preach the Gofpel to every
Creature, the Gentiles as well as the Jeius^ &c." Alark 16. i6. compared with
Luk, 24. 46, 47. '* And he faid unto them, thus it is written, and thus it be-
hoved Chrift to fuffer, and to rife from the Dead on the third Day, and that Re-
pentance and Remiffion of Sins fhould be preached in his Name among all Na-
tions, beginning at Jerufalem.'^ Anfwerable to which Inftrudlions the holy
Apoftles adled, the Lord working with them, being willing that all Men, that is
to fay, Men of all Nations, Gentiles as well as Jews, all his Sheep of both Folds,
fhould be faved and come to the Knowledge of thefe Sou!-faving Truths, having
given himfelf a Ranfom for them all, to be teftified in due Time.
We find that after our Lord had given his Apoftles their Commiflion and In-
firudlions, he blefTed them, and glorioufly afcended up into Heaven, after which
they returned unto Jerufalem, where they and the Church met together, and
with one Accord put up their Prayers and Supplications to Heaven for a Blefling
to attend them. After this, upon Peter^s Difcourfe among them, they proceeded
to the Choice of another Apoftle in the Room of Judas, who by Tranfgreffion
fell ; and after an Appeal to Heaven, by Lot Matthias was chofen, fo that their
Number was now rendred compleat, vf^. Chap. i. throughout.
And then in Chap. 2d, we find them all together on the Day of Pentecofl,
continuing in Jerufalem, when and where, after an extraordinary EfFufion and
Appearance of the Holy Ghoft, according to an ancient Prophecy and Chrifl's
Promife, we find that the Apoflle Peter flood up and began to preach, which he
did unto Jerufalem Sinners, even fuch as had imbrued their wicked Hands in the
Blood of the moft innocent Lamb of God. After which we are told of the Event
and good Succtfi of his Sermon among them, ifTuing in their Convidlion and
Converfion unto God, together wi;h feveral Thoufands befides them, who gladly
received the Word and were baptized, and added to the Church, and they con-
tinued fledfaflly in the Apoflles Dodtrine and Fellowfhip, and in breaking of
Bread, and in Prayers : They continuing daily with one Accord in the Temple,
and breaking Bread from Houfe to Houfe, and did eat their Meat with Gladnefs
and finglenefs of Heart, praifing God, and having Favour with all the People.
Now mark the clofing Account of thefe Matters, Ver. 47. " And the Lord
added to the Church daily fuch as fhould be faved. In which Words obferve,
(r.) The Succefs of the Gofpel, many being by it, as a Means, converted and
added unto the Church. (2.) The Agency of the Lord in this Matter declared,
the Lord added, &c. (3.) Note the emphatic Declaration concerning the Per-
fons thus added, 'y/z. fuch as fhould be faved, or whom he had determined to
fave : Which Senie is not only implied in the Words, but is alfo abundantly
confirmed by that full and remarkable Text, y^^s 13. 48. Where, after an Ac-
count is given of Patt/and Barnabas's preaching to a very numerous Auditory,
made up of both Jews and Gentiles^ together with the diiFerent Succefs thereof,
feme
340 Of EFFECTUAL CALLING.
fome contradi<5tingand'b]arpheming, others receiving the Word m Faith, with
Joy and Gladnefs, we have this conclufive Declaration, ** And when the Gen-
tiles heard this they were glad, and glorified the Word of the Lord ; and as many
as were ordained to eternal Life believed," Thus thofe whom God did fore-
know as his Eledl: amongft them, and predeftinated to be called, jullified and glo-
rified, he at this Time called ejfe6lually. So that from hence it appears, that
effectual Calling runs parallel with God's Fore-ordination, and is produced by it.
The New-Births in Sion by the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, as they make
Men meet for Heaven, {o they take their Rife from God's eternal and free
Eledlion, that Book of Life wherein all their Names are written. 2 Thef. i. i '^,
14. Hsb. 12. 22. Regeneration the 7>^w/iT//»/ doth exaiSlly agree with that
(original Copy.
Thefe are fome of the glorious Things that are fpoken of the City of God,
as mentioned in the 87th Pfalm, wherein, together with the Stability of the
Church of God, peculiar Reference is had unto the Glory and Amplitude there-
of under the New-Teftament Difpenfation, by the abundant Accefs of Converts
from among the feveral G^«///^ Nations : ** Llis Foundation is in the holy Moun-
tains : The Lord loveth the Gates of Xion more than all the Dwellings oi Jacob.
Glorious Things are fpoken of thee, O City of God. Selah. I will make men-
tion of R.ahab and Babylon to them that know me ; behold Phili/iia and 7}r^,with
Ethiopia : this iV'Ian was born there. And of Zion it fhall be faid, this and thai
Man was born in her, io zvit, by regenerating Grace ; (mark) this and that Man,
virhich points to the Individuals : And the Higheft himfelf fhall eflablifli her. The
Lord (hall count when he writeth up the People, that this Man was horn there."
*' In thy Book (faith David in another Place, fpeaking of his natural Body) were
all my Members written, which in Continuance were fafliioned while as yet there
was none of them." The very fame may be faid of the feveral Members of
Chrift's myftical Body, the true fpiritual David. *' The Lord fliall count when
he writeth up the People, that this Man was born there. Selah." And thence
under Jewijh Terms of V/orfhip and Joy, is pointed out that Joy and Gladnefs,
that bleffing and praifing God that fhould attend the fame, as we have feen it did
in the above-mentioned Inftances : Ver. 7. " As well the Singers as the Players
on the Inftruments fliall be there, all my Springs are in thee."
I now proceed to fliew from ASis., Chap. 3d, to Chap. 4. 4. that notwith-
ftanding the vaft Oppofitions (he Gofpel met withal, that glorious Light kept
on its fteady Courfe, under the Condud: of God's fovereign Dominion and Grace,
until it fhone into the Hearts of about five Thoufand more poor Sinners, tranf-
forming them into the glorious Image of the Lord. 2 Cor, 3. 18. Chap. 4. 6.
And the fame Obfervation may be mad<j from Acis 4. 4. to Chap. 5. 14.
where it is faid, that Believers were added to the Lord, Multitudes both of Men
and Women.
And in Chap. 8. i. to 13. we may find the like Progrefs and good Succefs of
the Gofpel amongft the poor deluded Followers of a wicked Sorcerer in Saviaria^
under the Conduct and Influence of the fame fovereign and efficacious Grace :
Alfo in the Converfion of the Ethiopian Eunuch, who while he was riding in his
Chariot,
Of EFF ECTUAL CALLING. 341
Chariot, readin;; EJaias the Prophet, unable to Tcnow his meaning, Philip by the
fpecial Order and Guidance of the holy Spirit of (jrace, was fent and conveyed
to him to preach the Gofpel o'. Salvation by Jefus Chrift, who thereupon became
a Believer in him, and was baptized, according to the great Commiflion, Mark
16. 16. fo that he went on his Way rejoicing. Jcfs 8. 26. to the End.
In Chap. 9. we have an Account of the remarkable Converfion of a perfecut-
ing Saul, by a Day of ChrilVs Power upon his Soul, who oi an unwilling made
him a willing and obedient Subject, he changed his Heart fpeedily, powerfully and
effe<5tually, even in the midft of his perfecuting Career, like a ravenous Wolf
purfuing the Flock of Chrift, out of a blind Zeal, with Rage and Madnefs,
thinking he did God Service thereby, and how the Lord commanded Jnanias to
go and minifter unto him, backing his Charge thus, *' Go thy Way, for he is a
chofen Vejfel unto ir.e, to bear my Name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the
Children of Ifrael.''^ Thus God, who had feperated him from his Mothci's
Womb, was pleafcd to call him by his Grace, and to reveal his Son in him, fo
as that he became both a Convert and a Preacher of the free Grace of God.
Gal. I. 15, 16.
In Chap. 10. we find, that by z fpecial Order from God Peter was fent unto
Cornelius to tell him Words v/hereby he and all his Houfe fhould be faved. See
alfo Chap. II. 14. Add unto this, the good Succefs the Gofpel met withal
amidft a hjt Perfecution, together with an Account of the Agency of the Lord
and Power of his Arm, the efficient Caufe of that Succefs, Ch. 11. 19, 20, 21.
And the Hand of the Lord was with them, and a great Number beh'eved.
Again, in Chap. 13. in how full and remarkable a Manner is the divine Con-
dudt difplayed, in that by exprefs Order of the Holy Ghoft, fuch and fuch Men
by Name, to wit, Barnabas and 5tf«/ fhould be feperated and (ct apart by Fafting,
Prayer and laying on of Hands, for the Work, faith God the Holy Ghofi^, where-
unto I have called them. Thus both the Men and their peculiar Work was
together pointed out by the holy Spirit of Grace the Sandlificr. And being fent
forth by him, as it is exprefled, Ver. 4. they came unto fuch and fuch Places,
and to fuch a Perfon by Name, viz. unto Sergius Paulus the Deputy of the Coun-
try, unto whom, anfwerable to his Defire, they preached the Word, which
wrought eff'e£iually upon his Soul : So that (notwithftanding the great Oppofition
the Apoftles met withal from that Child of the Devil and Enemy of all Righte-
oufnefs, Elymas the Sorcerer, who endeavoured to render their Labours ufelefs)
he the faid Deputy became a Believer ; yea, and which is flill the more remark-
able, God by his over-ruling Providence made thofe very Oppofitions in the End
become fubfervient to the efFedling of his Purpofe in calling the Deputy to the
P'aith : So that his Word then did and ever will profper in the Thing whereunto
he fends it, maugre all Oppofition. A Thing as worthy our Notice, as it is full of
Comfort and Encouragement to all true Lovers and Defenders of Chrifl's blefTed,
tho' defpifed Gofpel, in thefe Days of Apojiacy, Rebuke and Blafphemy. Hence
faith St. Paulxo the Church at Phillppi, Phil. i. 12. *' But I would that ye fhould
underftand. Brethren, that the Things which happened unto me, have fallen out
rather unto the Furtherance of the, Gofpel." Jfa. 59. 19. « When the Enemy
fhajl
342 Of E F FECTUJL CALLING.
{hall come in like a Flood, the Spirit of the Lord fhail lift up a Standard agairit
him." Wherefore may the Lovers and Defenders of the Truths of the Gofpel
ironically and triumphantly (.\y to the violent Oppofers of the fame, *' Aflociate
yourfelves, O ye People, and ye fliall be broken in Pieces, — Gird yourfelves,
and ye fhall be broken in Pieces, — Gird yourfelves, and ye fliall be broken in
Pieces ; take Counfel together, and it fhall come to nought i fpeak the Wold
and it fhall not iland : for God is with us," Ifa. 8. 9, 10.
But to proceed, I might alfo go on from the fame Chapter, J£fs 13. and men-
tion Paul znd Barnahas's further Travels to Antioch^ together with the Oppofi-
tions they met there, and of the different Events and SuCcefs of their Minif^ra-
tions, (which I occafionally quoted before, and now falls naturally in my Way)
viz. that fome contradided and blafphemed, while others glorified the Word of
the Lord, receiving it with Joy and Gladnefs, (as is the Cafe of our prefent Day)
the whole Account thus concluding, Ver. 48. *' And as many as were ordained
to eternal Life believed."
Moreover, no lefs remarkable and peculiar was the divine Conduct in the further
Difpenfation of the Gofpel, both as to the Places where and the Perfom to whom it
was fent, and made effedlual unto their Regeneration and Converfion, anfwerablc
to the original Plan of eleSling Grace. For in Chap. 16. we have the following
Accounts, 1317^. that Paul and others were forbidden to preach the Word in /Ifia^
and they afTayed to go into Bithynia., but the Spirit fuffered them not ; and when
Paul preached at Philippic 'tis faid Lydia heard him, and that the Lord opened her
Heart to attend to theWord fpoken, whence fhe became a Believer, and was bap-
tized.
Again, in Chap. 16. we read, that P^a/ came unto Ccm/Z', where the Lord
appeared unto him in a Vifion by Night, and encouraged him to preach the
Gofpel, notwithftanding all Oppofition, faying. Be not afraid, but fpeak, and
hold not thy Peace, for I am with thee, and no Man fhall fct on thee to hurt thee,
for I have much People in this City, to wit, an ele<5l People, to be called out from
amongfl the reft by the Grace of the Gofpel. The Diftindion is plain, intend-
ing a peculiar People, which was the Lord's by Ele^ion j for otherwife, to wit,
by a Right o( Creation, all the People in the City were his, as well thofe that re-
je£ted as thofe that embraced the Gofpel : As Job faith. The Deceived and the
Deceiver arc his, his by Creation, tho' not by Flexion and Redemption : For
thofe whom the P'ather chofe in Chrift before all Worlds, and for whom Chrifl
gave himfelf to redeem, area p^^aJ/ar People, Tit, 2. 13.
From the whole then, I fliall conclude, how little Reafon the beFore-mentioned
Jirmiman Author had to fay, that the Succefs of divine Grace doth very much
depend upon different Difpofitions and Improvements, and how much Reafon w€
have t<j affirm, that Effedual Calling is not the Effe<Sl of human Arbitremcnt,
m of a fedf-determining free-will Power in every Man, but is the Work of
God's Spirit, whereby convincing us of our Sin and Mifery, inlightening <our
Minds in the Knowledge of Chrift, and renewing our Wills, he doth perfuade
:and enable us to embrace Jefus Chrifl, freely offered to -us in the Gofpel : That
t%c adopted begotten Sons of God are borii, not <)f Blood, noi of the Will of
Of EFFECrU AL CALLING, 345
theFlefb, nor of the Will of Man, but of God, Job. i. 13. And finally, that
EflFe£tual Calling runs parallel with the Line of Ele<5lion, and i^'the Produ6): there-
of: See Pfat. 87. 5, 6. " And of Z ion it fhall be faid, this and that Man was
born in her, and the Higheft himfelf fhall eftablifh her : The Lord ihall count
when he writeth up the People, that this Man was born there. Selah." Heb.
12. 22, 23. *' But ye are come unto Mount Z/o;;, and unto the City of the
Jiving God, the heavenly Jerufakm, and to an innumerable Company of Angeb,
to the general AlTembly and Church of the Firfl-born, which are written in Hea-
ven." Phil. 4. 3. *' And I intreat thee alfo, (rue Yoke-fellow, help thofe
Women which laboured with me in the Gofpel, with Clement alfo, and with
other my Fellow-Labourers, whofe Names are in the Book of Life." So much
for the argumentative Part of this Head of Divinity.
I now pafs to make fome brief Improvement thereof, as promotive of true
practical Godlinefs both in Heart and Life, and accordingly infer, what a glorivus
Call this is, being the Call of the all-glorious God unto poor Sinners, a Call to
partake of the greateft Bleflings, even the faving Benefits of the Death and Suf-
ferings, of the glorious Refurre£lion, Afcenfion, and prevailing Interceffion of
the Lord Jefus, who is Jehovah our Righteoufnefs. But to particularize,
I. It is a gracious Calling, a Call founded in Grace, which finds us grapeJefsi
wallowing in our Blood, without Strength, and ungodly. When God called
Matthew, he found him at the Receipt of Cuftom ; when he called Paul, he
found him a Perfecutor, a Blaiphemer and Injurious, a blind Phanfee, yea, one :
of the chief of Sinners ; when he called the Corivthiam, he found them like fo •
many filthy Swine, wallowing in the Mire of all Manner of Iniquity ; when he
called the Ephefians, he found them Sorcerers and Conjurors, and at bcft, blind
Votaries to their great Goddefs Diana ; he found them afar off, without Chrifi:^
being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Ifrael, and Strangers from, the Cove-
nants of Promife, having no Hope, and without God. in the World; when h3
called the Jerufalemites, he found them Chrift Killers, cruel Murderers of the
Lord of Glory, whofe Sins were of a blood-red Scarlet and Crimibn Dye- And.
what waft thou, O Believer, that readeft thf fe Lines, when God called thee .''
Perhaps as filthy a Swine as the abovefaid Corinthians, or a blind pharifai.cal
Workmonger ; ^t beji, hut 2 natural Man, whofe beft Works were no better
than unregenerata Morality.
2. It h z difcriminating Call. Who made thee to differ? Or, who diftfri-
guilhed thee ? i Cor. 4. 7. This Day-Spring from on high doth not vifit every
Nation, nor every Perfon in thofe Nations upon whom the Light of the Gofpel
doth arife : This bright Beam from the Sun of Righteoufnefs dotli not (hine into
theCell of every dark Heart : Howgreatly then fliould all who ara effeiSlually called
admire and adore the great Author of this difcriminating, efficacious Grace, xind :
fay, O marvellous Grace ! that hath fhined into my Heart, to give me the Light
of tbe Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jcfus Chriftp that bath-
Y y -caufsii.
3-44 "Of EFFECTUAL CALLING,
caufed me to behold with open Face in the Gofpel Glafs the Glory of the Lord,
and to feel its transforming Power, {o as to be changed into his Image from Glory
to Glorv, even as by the Spirit of the Lord ; that hath efFe6lually called me out
of my natural Darknefs into his marvellous Light, while fo many others, by Na-
ture as good as I, are left in their natural Blindnefs and Obfcurity. O with
■what Wonder, Thankfulnefs and Joy fhould we entertain the Thoughts of this
gracious and difcriminating Call, that have felt its transforming Power ! Humbly
and thankfully faying, O it was not myfelf, but God that made me to differ, it
is by his Grace that I am what I am ! Anfwerable to the wife Advice of that
once famous Light of the Church of England^ the Rev. Mr. Robert Bolton^ in
one of his AfHze-Sermons from that Text, i Cor. i. 26, 27. *' Ye fee your
Calling Brethren, how that not many wife Men after the Flefh, not many migh-
ty, not many noble are called, for God hath chofen the foolifh Things of this
World," ^c. "After the Example of our Saviour in Mat. 11. 26. (fdith
*' he) go in private, and fay, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and
"<' Ear>h, becaufe thou haft hid thefe Things from the wife and prudent, and
*' haft revealed the Myfteries of Chrift, and the Secrets of the faving Way to
*' me a poor Wretch and Worm, trodden under Foot as an Objed- of Scorn,
*' and contemptible Outcaft, and haft hid them from the wife, and the noble,
*' and the mighty, from the b^afting Nmrods and proud Gia.its of the World :
*' Even fo Father, for fo it feemed good in thy Sight. And there flaying a-while,
«•' ever magnify, admire, and adore, with lowlieft, humbleft, and moft thankful
** Thoughts, that deareft and dreadful Depth of God's free and incomprehenfi-
«' ble Love which made thee to differ." Which is, as it were, the firft Ring of
that golden Chain. Roni. 8. 29, 30. which reacheth from Everlafting to Ever-
lafting, and gives Being, Life and Motion to all the Means that make us eter-
nally bleffed. Out of the rich and boundlefs Treafury whereof, came that in-
eftimable Jewel Jefus Chrift, bleffed for ever, and by juft Confequence all thofe
heavenly Happineffes which crown the glorified Saints to all Eternity. " For
God fo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever
belicveth in him ftiould not perifli, but have everlafting Life." Job. 3. 16.
3. It is 2. powerful and an effeSlual Call. A Call that makes the Dead to hear
the Voice of the Son of God and live : Like unto that when he cried, Lazarus
come forth, who came forth accordingly. A Call, wherein appears the united
Power and Influence of the whole facred Three in One ; the Father's Mercy^
the Son's Merit, and the Holy Ghoft's Efficiency. Titus 3. 4. " But after
that the Kindnefs and Love of God our Saviour toward Man appeared, not by
Works of Righteoufnefs which we have done, but according to his Mercy he
faved us, by the waftiing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft, which
he flied on us abundantly, through Jefus Chrift our Saviour, that being juftified
by his Grace, we fhould be made Heirs, according to the Hope of eternal
Life.
4. It
Of E FF ECrU AL CA.LLING. 345
4. It is a high^ a holy, and honourable Calling. By it we are called iiito ihe
Fellowfhip of the Saints, into Commuiaion with God, and his free and Heaven-
born Children : We are born of God, born of the Spirit, born from above, that
we may walk with him humbly in all the blefl'ed Paths of Purity. It is a Call to
poflefs many and great Priviledges, and to prad^ice all the Parts of HoIintTs in all
Manner of Converfation. In a Word, we are hereby called unto both Glory
and Virtue, to God's Kingdom and Gkry, 2 Pa. i. 3. i The/, 1. 12. to the
obtaining the Glory of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 2 The/. 2. 14.
Hence, 5. It is an immutai>U Call. A Call which no Soiil-Enemy whatro-
ever can reverfe, and which GodTievcr will. Rom. 11. 29. *' For the Gifts and
Calling of God are without Repentance." That is, thofe Gifts which flow from
his free Eledion, fuch as Calling and Juftification. This Call is to the obtain-
ing of the Glory of our Lord Jefus Chrift, to whom be Glory for ever. Jnien.
Now put all thefe Things together, and fee what a glorious and blelTed, what
a God-honouring and Soul-comforting Call this is ! What remains then, but
that we ftrid^ly inquire, what Effe(5ts we have felt in our Souls of the holy Spirit
of God in Effectual Calling? Have we been foundly convinced of our mifera-
ble State by Nature, of our State of Sin and Mifery ? Have we been convinced
not only of Sin, but alfo of Rightcoufnefs and Judgment, of the Infcfficiencv of
our own Righteoufnefs to juftify us on the one Hand, and of the AlfufEciencv
of Chrifl's obediential Righteoufnefs for our Juftincation and Acceptance with
God on the other ? Have we by Faith clufed in with Chrift, as the Lord our
Righteoufnefs accordingly, with humble and broken Hearts ? Have we in o;ood
Earneft embraced a whole Chrift., in all his Offices, Meiits and Graces ? Have
we as well received him as our Law-giver and King, to yield unto him all ready
Subje6lion and Obedience, as our Prieft to make Atonement and Interceffion
for us ? If not, let us now refolve, by his Grace, fo to do, diligently waitino-
upon God at his Gates and the Pofts of his Door, and all the Means of Grace,
for the obtaining of this fo great a Bleffing \ yea, let us wait conflanxly and long.,
as the poor impotent Man did at the Pool of Bethefda for the moving of the
Waters, that he might be healed, as knowing that whom God hath preJeftina-
ted, them he calls in due Seafon : And the Lord grant, that when he calleth, we
like Sa?nuel, may anfwcr. Speak Lord, for thy Servant heareth, and with Paul^
Lord, what wilt thou have nie to do ? Behold here we are, rea.4y to do what-
foeVer our Lord and KiiJg iliajl appoint. Bm if, on the other Hand, we fav^
we have already heard this Call, fo as that it hath reached our Hearts, what re-
mains but that wc make full Proof hereof, by walking worthy of the Lord unto
all pleafing, being fruitful in every good Work, and increafmg in the Kr,owledire
of God ; that we walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith we are called, with
all Lowhnefs and Meeknefs, with Long-fuffering, forbearing one another in
Love, endeavouring to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace, Eph.
4. I, 2, 3. Let our Walk be circumfpciSt, fince we are called with a hiali
and holy Calling unto Holinefs> both in Heart and Lije, doing all that poilibiy
Y y i liea
34^
Of EFFECrUAL CALLING,
lies in our Power 'o glorify him, who hath called us unto his Kingdom and
Glory, (hewing forth his Praifes, who hath been To gracious to us as to call us
out of Darknefs into his marvellous Light : And in a Word, ufe all Diligence in
adding one divine Virtue unto another, that we may make our Calling and
Election fure ; or, in other Words, be diligent to grow and increafe in that
Grace and Holinefs, to the which God's Eledt are chofen and called, that being
a holy People, thriving in Holinefs, we may upon good Grounds conclude, that
we indeed are the Called and the Ele£i of God. Thus by getting an Afiurance
to ourfelves of our Intereft in thefe great Bleflings which lead to Glorification,
we may triumphantly enter into the Gates of the heavenly Paradife of God above.
As it is written, " But the rather. Brethren, ufe all Diligence to make your
Calling and Eledion fure, for fo an Entrance fhall be miniftred unto you abun-
dantly into the everlafting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, to
whom, with the Father, and holy Spirit of Grace, be equal Honour and Glory
for ever and ever. AMEN."
Of
( 347 )
Of Perfeverance.
CHAP. I.
AS the grand Affair I at firft undertook to treat of, was the wonderful
Work of Redemption and Salvation, the Chief of the Works and Ways
of the all-glorious God, a Being of infinite Perfe(5tions ; fo it hath been
obferved, that as every other, fo this his Work is (in a moft efpecial Manner)
worthy of himfelf : That this glorious Work is founded upon his fovcreign Grace
and Pleafurcri and laid out in infinite Wifdom : That the A6ts and Methods of
Grace in the efFeiling the fame, are in the facred Oracles reprefented in the fol-
lowing Manner, as fo many Links in a Chain of gfold, that reacheth from Ever*
lafting unto Evcrlafting, from Predeftination unto Glorification. /^fVy?, There
is God's A<51 of eternal and free Ele£iion of a Remnant of the fallen Race of
Mankind in Chrifl their eledl Head. Secondly^ The Redemption of thofe by him
in Time from the Wrath and Curfe of God, and from all Iniquity, purchafing
for them both a Stock of fandlifying Graces, and a State of Honour and Glory.
Thirdly y The ^application of this Redemption by the Holy Ghoft, who takes of the
Things of Chrift and fhews and applies them unto the Souls of the Redeemed in
the Work of EfFedlual Calling, wherein the new Birth is efFe£led, and the Work
of Sandlification begun, in order to make them meet for the Fellowfhip of God
here, and the Enjoyment of him in Glory hereafter. Fourthly^ God's invincible
and effectual carrying on of this good Work begun, through all Impediments and
Obftrudtions whatfoever, to their ^^W Salvation or Glorification, anfwerable
unto his eternalznd immutable Purpofes of Grace towards them. Thus all Things
(being fubjeit to the divine Controul) fhall work together for their fpiritual and
eternal Good,being loved by and Lovers of God called according to his Purpofe;
for whom he did foreknow, thofe he did predeftinate to be conformed to the
Image of his Son, to be called by his Grace, to be juflified by his Blood, and to
be glorified with him. , Thus Jefus Chrift is of God made unto them Wifdom,
and Righteoufnefs, and Sandtification, and Redemption, i Cor. i. 30. This
is the true Jacobus Ladder, by which God's Ele6l do by Degrees afcend up unto
and pofTefs their decreed Felicity : Glorification being an efTential Round in that
blefled Ladder, fo that it cannot be compleat without it. This is a Point fo true
and certain, that the infpired Apoftle declares it with a very great Afilirance, in
a moft emphatic Manner, Phil, 1.6, <* Being confident of this very Thing, that
he
348 Of PERSEVERANCE.
he which hath begun a good Work in you, will perform (or finifh) it until the
Day of Jefus Chrift." Obftrve (i.) it is called zgood IVork i (2.) a good Work
hegun\ and (3.) a good Work begun in them ^ by the Lord. So that nnoft evi-
dent it is, that the Woik of Sandtification is the good Work here fpoken of, it
being a Work v/rought In the Scul, not compleated at once, but by Degrees.
(2.) Obferve here, a pc/iihe Ajfurance that he which begins this good Work will
certainly finifh it in whoml'oever it is begun, and that too until 'he Day of Jefua
Chrift J that /;, the Day and Time of Chrift's fecond perfonal Coming, when it
fhajl undoubcedly appear to be perfected. Hence he is faid- to come again the
fecond Time without Sin, unto their Salvation ; that is, to perfecfr and compleat
that Work both in Soul and Body. Hence again, they aie faid to be kept by the
Power of God through Faith, (the Heart-purifying Grace of Faith) unto Salva-
tion, ready to be revealed in the lafl Time ; that is, at the Time of Chrift's fe-
cond Appearance. The Truth here afferted fliall beyond all Doubt be made
manifeft, i Pet. 1. 5. the Day of Chrift ihall declare it: *' For vhen Chrift
who is their Life fhall appear, they alfo fhall appear with him in Glory."
Whence we do upon the mo/} fub/Iafitial Grounds maintain, that all the Saints,
the Perfons in whom this good Work is begun, JJ)all certainly perfevere unto the
End and be faved : So that tho' they fall, they fhall rife again, they fhall run and
jiot be weary, and walk and not faint, becaufe their Steps are ordered of th-e
Lord, who recovers and upholds them with his Strength: He being their good
Shepherd, doth reftore their wandering Souls, when like Sheep they go aftray,
and leads them in the Paths of Righteoufnefs for his Name's Sake, yea, he caufeth
his Goodnefs and Merey to follow them all the Days of their Lives j he is their
God, and therefore will be their Guide even until Death. Pfal. 23. Pfal. 37.
23,24. Pfal. \%. ult. 7/<». 40. latter End. This is what we call the final Per-
feverance of the Saints, that is, fuch as are the fandlified of the Lord, being true
Believers in him.
Here then, the Queftion is not, " Whether y>£'w/«o-, or meer nominal tem-
porary Believers, whofe Faith is no more than an Affent of their Underftandings
to the Truths of the Gofpel, without having their Hearts fandtified, may fall ofF
from their vifible Profeflion, like Simon Magus and the ftony-ground Heaters and
Believers, who had no Root of the Matter in them, who ftill retaining their un-
fandlificd Natures, do according to the Proverb, turn with the Dog to his own
Vomit again, and with the Sow that was only externally wafhed, not inwardly
changed, to her wallowing in t-he IVlire." Nor," Whether a vifibleChurch-Staie
as to particular Congregations may be diflblved, like the feven Churches in Jfia.^'"
Nor, " Whether a true Behever, through the Remainders of corrupt Natur?,,
the Snares of the World, Negledl of his Watch, Temptations of Satan, and
God's hiding bis Face, be liable to h\\ foully in the Way Home : Nor, whether
fuch an one, conndered in feimfelf, abftradtly from the unchangeable Purpofe of
God's Grace concerning him, might poflibly fall away finally." But the Quef-
tion, here to be debated is^ '* Whether all fuch as are true Believers indeed, by
3 Pofleflion of the Heajt-purifying Grace of Faith, fliall certainly finally perfe-
vere through all Di£[icultMs>.aiid be at length eternally faved?. Or in other
Words^
Of PERSEVERANCE, 3^9
Words, Whether in whomfoever God begins the good Work of faniElifying
Grace, he will infalHbly, invincibly carry it on until it be perfecSled in eternal
Glory?" This is what we affirm, and our Opponents deny. "To the Law
therefore, and to the Teftimony, for if they fpeak not according to this Word,
it is becaufe there is no Light in them," Ifa, 8, 20. Whatever Men may fay
againft this God-honouring and Soul-fupporting Do6trine, evident it is, that it is
built upon a holy Scripture Foundation, it is a Super{lru(51ure raifed upon and
upheld by Pillars of no lefs Strength and Stability than,
I. That ot God the Father's eternal, abfolute, and free ElcSlion of them m
Chrift unto Salvation, through Sandtification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth :
They being bleffed by the Father with all fpiritual Bleffings in heavenly Things in
Chrift, according as they were thus chofen in him. And if biefled with all fpi-
ritual, heavenly Bleffings in him, confequently with that of a compleat, perfevering
SanSlification : And truly without this, all the reft would be of no Signification
to God's EIe£t at all, unlefs it were unfpeakably to increafe their Mifery, in Cafe
of a final Fall. As the Lnmunities and Priviledges of God's eh£t, adopted
Children, zre Jpiritual, manifold, znd very glorious^ (according as it is written,
*' Glorious Things are fpoken of thee, O City of God," Pfal. 87. 3.) fo it
muft needs be a vaft Addition unto their (jlory and Excellency, that they be in-
fallibly fecurcd unt J them by the great Donor of them, as indeed they are ; for
thefe his Gifts and Calling are without Repentance. As the Reader may fee
more at large under the firft general Head concerning Eie(ilion.
2. The fecond powerful Pillar whereby the Saints final Perfeverance is upheld,
is God the Son's abfolute, full and compleai Redemption. Of which before ai;
large.
3. The powerful, perpetual and efficacious Operations of God the Holy GhofI
in the Work of EfFcdlual Calling and Sandification. " Being confident of this
very Thing, that he who begins the good Work of Grace in the Hearts of the
Eledl and Redeemed, will certainly perform it until the Day of Jefus Chrift,''
Phil. I. 6. compared with 2 Cor. 3. 18. " But we all with open Face behold-
ing (in the G ifpel) '.s in a Cjlafs the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the
fame Image from G' ry to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord, or the Lord
the Spirit. ' Eph. 4. 30. " And giieve noc the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye
are fealed unto the Day of Redemption." [Qf whofe efFedlual Operations more
hereafter.]
4. And in a Word, This blefTed Doctrine is founded upon the authoritative
and pofitive Declarations of the divine Oiacles, all the divine Perfedions, found
Reafn'n'Z rhorefrom, and undeniable Fadis. As the Scriptures do declare God
to be the Author of that good W ,rk of Gr^ce, boih ^s begun and perfeaed j
and as every, of God's Works arc muft worthy of himfelf, as a Being ot mfinite
Perfe£tions ; fo right Reafon doth teach u., fairly to conclude, chat our Propofiti-
on is true.
That many do adtuallv perfevere in Holinefs unto the End, and fo are faved,
is what oui Opponents do readily confefs ; and that tht determining Caufe of fuch
a Perfeverance is attributive unto and to be found in fome Agent or ajiother,
either
3B0 Of P ERS EVER A N C E.
either yod or his Creature, is what Reafon itfelf doth affirm ; aKo that the Ho-
nour and the determining Agency do go together : So that the Point in Hand is
brought unto a fliort Iflue. As the holy Scripture doth afcribe the fupream and
determining Agency in this Matter unto God, the Author of that good Work ;
fo right Reaibn conchides, that it is not to be found in the Creature, and that
confequently unto God dqth belong the folg Glory of it. Wherefore for A'len to
afcribe the determining Agency of the Saints final Perfeverance unto themfel- 's,
is not only to pervert the true Order of Things in the Matters of Sanftification
and Salvation, but alfo manifeftly to rob God of his Honour, and to give it to
his Creature.
And here to prevent Miitakes and Obje£lions, mark, the Queftion here is not,
*' Whether the renewed perfevering Soul is freely adive in the Point of Perfe-
verance, conudered as a Duty, and as the Effects of God's giving them perfeve-
ring Grace ? Nor whether it be a commendable A61 in them thus to do ?" For
that we both affirm. But, " Whether their final Perfeverance in Grace unto
Glory doth turn upon the Hinge of a felf-determining free-will Power, or that
of the free, efficacious and ail-conquering Grace of God ?" It is upon the Sup-
pofition of the former that the Arminians do plead for their abfurd Notions of
falling from Grace : And upon Suppofition of the latter it is that we maintain
the Saints final Perfeverance. So that fueh as is the Foundation, fuch is the
State of the Superftruclure : Where the Foundation is but Sand, it is no Wonder
that the Superflruflure fhould ever be in a tottering Poflure, liable to fall and ut-
terly fail, according to the Jrminian Scheme. And on the other Hand, 'tis an
irrefragable Argument, that the Building, with every Stone thereof, fhould ftand'
firm, when the Foundation is an impregnable Rock, and the Builder not frail
Man, but the all-wife and immutable God : For Believers are God's Building,
builded togetheras lively Stones a fpiritual Houfe,for an Habitation of God, thro*'
the Spirit, upon the Foundation of the Apoflles and Prophets, Jefus Chrift him-
felf being the chief Corner Stone. It is his own Expreffion, Mat. i6. i6»
«« Upon this Rock (meaning himfelf) will I build my Church, and the Gates
(;'. e. the Powers and Policies) of Hell (hall not be able to prevail againft it."
compared with Ifa. 28. 16. " Therefore thus faith the Lord God, Behold I lay
in Zton for a Foundation, a Stone, a tried Stone, a precious Corner Stone, a
Jure Foundation." And (o a Jure Foundation for the Believer's Faith and Hope
to reft upon, that he who hath begun the good Word in him, will furely perform
it until the Day of Jefus Chrift, when this great Zeruhabel (before whom Moun-
tains become a Plain) ' will bring in the Head-Stone, (giving the finishing Stroke
to the divine Superftructure) crying Gracs^ Grace unto it.
Thus far, in general, may ferve for the Proof of the Point in Hand, which I
ihall (God gracioufly affifting) in a more particular Manner ratify iind confirm,
la doing which, I (hall attempt further to difcover the Order and Harmony of
the feveral Branches of our DocSlrine, and all as harmonizing with and exalting
the divine Perfedtions, as reprefenting the infinitely glorious God in the greaf
Work of Redemption and Salvation, to a(S every Way worthy oJ bimfelf, as
moft wifely propounding and purfuing an End j nothing ihort of fais own Glory,
m
Of P ERSEFE RANGE. 55t
in the a6lual Salvfftion of ali his ele£t, redeemed and called Ones, and thereby
nianifeft that this his Work is moft honourable and glorious ; that it is wonder-
ful, fit to be remembrec), and mofl highly admired j that this Work of his Hiiiuis
is Verity and Judgment, that ftands faft for ever and ever, and is done in Truth
and Uprightnefs, who hath fent Redemption to his People, and hath commanded
his Covenant for ever, holy and reverend is his Name, Pfal. m, .. .: o^
Now whether we confider this important Work in Purpofe or Exec«tlor>, we
fhiU find that all the divine Attributes do fhine forth with a moft marvellou.'?
Sp.'endor, fleadily purming the great End propounded : Wjiich (as before ob-
ferved) Time and Fail do and will difcover. It was wholly of the divine and-
fovereign Pleafure, whether he would at all undertake the Redemption^ a-nd Sal-
vation of any one of the apoftate Race of Mankind any more than of apof?ate
Angels : But it having been his fovereign Pleafure to do it, we are bound in all-
good Reafon to conclude, that he would not do it in a \Y.\y unworthy of himielf,^.'
at meer Uncertainties, fo as itfhould be liable to come to nought, or be defective
in any Part thereof, but that it be certain to be performed in a moft wife Man-
ner, by his fteady Counfels, Power and Wifdom, and in the End appear to be'
full of incomparable Beauty and Order, moft compleat and perfect in everv P^rt :
For God is a Rock, whofe Ways are Judgment, whore Work \s perfecl ^ fo
ihat nothing can be added thereunto, nor diminifhed therefrom.
Wifdom is fuch an eflential Perfedion of his moft glorious Nafare, that he
may as v/ell ceafe /o7tf, ?,s cezih to he all-toife^ yea, he is Wifdonr.itfelf : He is
Ciod only wife, the only wife God our Saviour. In how confpiciious a Manntr
doth this Attribute fliine forth in his Works of Creation i^ Kow exac^ 13 Na-
ture's Frame ! What marvellous Beauty and Order fit upon the Face ofali hj-j
Creatures, in their Make and Subferviency one to another! Kow conftantlv
and exa(51Iy doth the' Sun keep its appointed Circuit, which as a Bridegroom com-'
eth out of his Chamber (in the Morning) and rejoiceth as a ftrono- Man to run ■
a Race ! His going forth is from the End of the Heaven, and his Circuit unto
the Ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the H-eat thereof. Pfal. jo. 4, 5. 6.
How wifely hath he appointed the Moon for Seafons, and made the Sun to know '
its going down ! That maketh Darknefs, and it is Night, and that again maketh
the Morning to return, caufing the Day-fpring to know its Place, and the Sun
the Place of its Rifing, continually to run its appointed Race, in Obedience unb
its Maker's Will ! In how great Wifdom and Beauty hath He ^arnifhed thet
Heavens, which he hath ftretched out as a Curtain, with the greater and leffer
Lights thereof, the Sun to rule by Day, the Moon and Stars by Night ! Whf>'
maketh Ar£fnrus^ Orion, Pleiades^ and the Chambers of the South 3 that bindeth."
thefweet Influences oi Pleiades, atid loofeth the Bands of Oricn ; thvit brinceth.
forth Mazzaroth in his Seafon, and guideth Jr^urus with his Sons ! Who Coimt-
eth the Number of the Stars, and calloth them all by their Names ; that number^
the Clouds in Wifdom, and ftops the Bottles of Heaven as he pleafeth ; t4i?.tturr.-
eth about thofe wandring Cifterns in the Sky by his Wifdom and' Counfcl, thaf:
they nrwy do whatfoev^r he commandeth them upon the Face of the World in
the Earth f Who hoW^h that wonderful and powerttjl Creature the Wind in:
Z ZL fela.
352 Of PERSEVERANCE.
his Fifts, and brings it out of his Treafuries to execute his Will, to fhew his
Power and Wifdom ; that maketh fmali the Drops of Water, and poureth down
Rain according to the Vapour thereof j yea, that hath made a Decree for the
Rain, and the Way for the Lightning and Thunder, fo that the Clouds do drop
no more, nor in any other Place but that which he hath decreed ! He caufeth it
to rain upon one Place, and not upon another ; and who in a Word, doth great
Things and unfearchable, yea, marvellous Things without Number. So that if
we only look upwards, and behold the Works of his Fingers there, we are made
to adore the bright Perfections of his Nature, his marvellous Wifdom and Power,
devoutly crying out, O how loudly do the Heavens declare the Glory of the
Lord, and in how confpicuous a Manner doth the Firmament fhew forth his
handy Work ! How clearly doth Day unto Day utter Speech, and Night unto
Night fliew Knov/ledge, both of the Reality of his Being, and that with him is
glorious Majefty, Power and Wifdom ! For great is our Lord, and of great
Power, his Undcrfiandiiig is infinite I He telleth the Number of the Stars, he
calleth them all by their Names : He hath eftablifhed the World in Wifdom, and
ftretched out the Heavens by his Difcretion ! Yea, by the Word of this glori-
ous Lord were the Heavens made, and all the Hofl of them by the Breath of his
Mouth ! He fpake and it was done, he commanded, and it rtood faft ! whofe
Counfel {l:andeth for ever, and the Thoughts of his Heart unto all Generations I
He hath not made one Drop of Water too much, nor one Grain of Dufl or
Sand too many j there being a moft wife Exaftnefs and due Proportion in them
all, which are made, as it were, by Weight and Meafure : For he hath meafured
the VVaters in the Hollow of his Hand, and meted out the Heavens with h's
Span, comprehended the Dufl of the Earth in a Meafure, weighed the Moun-
tains in Scales, and the Hills in a Balance, Ifa. \o. I2. So that in Honour to
his glorious Name, it becomes us freely to confefs, that he made nothing, no,
not the leaft Atom in vain. Hence, as pertinent to my prefent Purpofc, I (hall .
fet before the Reader fume emphatic Expreflions of the right Rev. Bifhop Hopkins^
as I find them quoted by the Rev. Dr. B. Cobnan, in his humble (and indeed
very excellent) Difcourfe of the Jncomprehenfiblenefs of God, p. 67. " Do you
" fee Thoufands of little Motes and Atoms wandring up and down in a Sun Beam ?
*' it is God that {o peoples it : He guides their innumerable and irregular Stray-
'^' ings : Not a Z)/;^ flies in the beaten Road, but its uncertain Motion, is guided,
" and the Storm fliall not carry it further than its appointed Place." How ma-
nifold are his Works, in how great Wifdom hath he made, and in his Providence
doth he govern them all, without Superfluity or Deficiency, all cxadly com-
menfurate with the eternal Plan and Draught of the all-wile Mind ?
Now if all this be true of God's Works of Creation, and alfo of his common
Providence, (of which more hereafter) furely we mufl not fay lefs of the Chiefs
Top and Glory of all his Works, viz. that of Redemption, wherein he defigned
the marvellous Difplay of thofe fhining Attributes and Perfe<S^ions of his mofl
glorious Nature, I'/'z. his fovereign Mercy and Juflice, Grace and Holinefs,
Truth and Faithfulnefs, (which as yet lay obfcure) while thofe of his Wifdom
and Pow^r ihone forth in the Works of Creatioi)> which yet he defigned fliould
. ^ ■■ do
Of P EKS EVEKANCE. 553
do fo much more (yea, all of them) in their meridian Brightnefs and Glory in
Redemption and Salvation, the Chief and Glory of all his Works. Hence, by
Way of peculiar Emphafis, this Chief of the Works of God is called, not only
• the Wifdom^ but alfo the manifold Wifdom of himfelf, according to the eternal
Purpofe, which he purpofed in Cbrift Jefus our Lord, Eph. 3. jo, 1 1. So that
all the Tranfadlions of the Redeemer in Time, are exactly correfpondeht with the
eternal Plan of Salvation laid out in infinite Wifdcm by the glorious Three in
One, faying. Let us redeem Man, and reftore in him our Image, and thereby
make him meet for Fellowfhip and Communion with us in the heavenly Paradife.
So that the Time of his Exhibition in the Flefh, emphatically called the Fulnefs
of Time, together with the Manner of his Conception, the Time, Place and
Parentage of his Birth, his Life and Death, together with the Nature, Time,
Manner and Ends thereof, yea, the very particular Circumftances of his Life,
Sufferings and Death, do all exactly anfwer unto the sternal Model : His being
delivered unto Death was by or according unto the Coutifel, the deiermwcte Coun-
fel as well as the Foreknowledge of God, Ails 1. 23. Chap. 4. 28. Herod d.Xid
Pontius Pilate^ with others, both Jews and Gentiles, were gathered together again ft
him, for to do whatfoever God's Hand and Counfel determined before to be
done. So that here is no Superfluity, no Deficiency^ no TJncertainty, all mcfi taail:
and uniform, certain -i^u^ fur e, in this greafeft of V^ oik'^ Redenipticn, as the lait
Day will declare, when the laft and finifhing Stroke fliall be given thertunto hy
our great Zeruhbabel, to God's eternal Honour and his EledV's eternal Wondes-
and Felicity. Then will his Church, whom he loved and gave himfelf for, appear
in her full Glory and Splendor, as a mofl ccmpaSf, compleat and beautiful Building,
erecSled upon a y«rf Foundation : The prefent Difcovery and View of which.
(tho' but through a Glafs darkly, and at a great Diftance ofF) are niojl marvellous
zx\^ furpri-zing, delightful zwd refrejl.ing unto the poor longing Believer, whofe
panting Soul, in this State of Abfence and Diftance, cannot forbear fometimes
(with no fmall Degree of devout and fervent Defire) crying out, Make Hafle, O
my Beloved, and be thou like unto a young Roe, or a young Hart upon the Moun-
tains of Spices. And O ! how great is the A-lercy and Grace of our Gcd, who
in the mean While abounds therein towards us in all Wifdom and Prudence, mak-
ing known unto us theMyftery of his Will, according to his good Pleafure, which
he hath purpofed in himfelf, that in the Difpenfation of the P'ulnefs of Times, he
might gather together in one allThings inChrift,both which are inHeaven, & which
are onEarth,even in him: In whom alfo we have obtained aninheritance, being pre-
deitinatcd thereunto according to the Purpofe of him who worketh all Things after
theCounfel of hisownWill,that we (hould be to thePraife of hisGlory, Eph.j.S. to
13. Wc fpeak the Wifdom of God in a Myftery, even the hidden Wifdom which
God ordained before the World to our Glory. And furelv if the winute/i Q\x-
cumftances relating to the Redeemer's Death, were what God's Hand and Coun-
fel (by which can be meant nothing lefs than his ad^ivc and wife Counfels) deter-
mined before to be done, (fo that according to Scripture-Predi<3ions) not one
fail'd ; how abfurd is it to conclude, that the great Ends of his lncarnation,''Life^
Sufferings and Death, fuch as the Juftification, EfFeilual Calling, compleat Sanc-
Z z 2 tificatiorts
<^^4 Of P ER ^.JL VER AKC R.
mRciUtxh and Salvation of tHofe for' whom jie died and rofe again, are bfr at tfce
■■utmoft: Uncertainties and Contingencies whether they fhalJ be effeduaily anfwer'd
or not ? An Abfurdity which is the natural Offspring of the Jrminian Do6lrine
■GiUriivsrfal Redemption^ Free-wiii, zxvA falling frvtn Grace, but a Doctrine moft
itinworthy of the all-wife God, and contrary to the cleareft Diibtcs both of Grace
and!rigi-)t Reaibn ; which therefore doth juftly deferve to be exploded by ail wife
iand underftanding Men. How odly doth it found to fay, that fuch a Dodrine,
and fuch a medley, uncertain Scheme of Redemption and Salvation cometh forth
from the Lord of Hofts, who is wonderful in Counfel, and excellent in Work-
ing, with whom is Strength and Wjfdom in their higheft Perfection, and who
u'orketh ali Things after the Counfel of his own Will ? But now on the other
.Hand, how exadtly doth it comport herewith to maintain, that this infinitely
xn'^fe Worker hath made with his Church, in Chrift her Head and Reprefentative,
.an everlafl:ing Covenant, ordered in all Things and furc ; fo that in Faith, and
with exceeding great Joy, every of her true Members can fay, tha^t herein is all
■cur Sahatiim and all that we can defire to render it compleat znilperfe^ P
Here then, feeing this Argumcne is (without Fraud or Force) fo very conclu-
• fivc, we will enter a little deeper into it. And to that End 1 fhall, by divine
■ AfE^ance, t;:ke fome further Profpedl of the Works of divine Providence, in
Things of a lower Concern than that of eternal Salvation, as I have done with
Ref^ard unto God's Works of Creation ; wherein we fhall have Occafion to ob-
i'zrve the marvellous Difplays of the infinite Wifdom and fteady Counliils of Hca-
« 'V'en in'powerfuUy and moft exactly bringing about fuch gi'eat Events as were
determined on hy the eternal Mind, notwithftanding the vaft Unlikelihood of
the Thine, according unto all human Appearance, being attended with manifold
and great Obliructions ; all which being fubjedt to the divine Controul, are not
only fupprefs'd from hindering, but alfo {o over-ruled, as that they become fub-
fervicnt unto the all-wife Defigns and Conduit of divine Providence ; whereby
Cin a Way of Wifdom and Holinefs, God brings Light out of Darknefs, Good
out of Evil,' and Order out of Confufion ; wherein the bright Signatures of his
unf>;arch^b!e Wifdom, Power, Immutability, Faithfulnefs in his Promifes, toge-
ther with his rich Mercy and Goodnefs to his Church and eledt People, Juftice
and ^ Terror to their Enemies, appear with a Soul-ravifhing and dazzling
"Luiire, as coming forth from the Lord of Hoits, who is. wonderful in Counfel,
■and excellent in Working, declaring the End from the Beginning, and from m-
cierrt Times the Things that are not yet done, faying, My Counfel fl^all ftand,
and 1 will do all mv Pleafure. So that what he hath purpofed none can difannul ;
and when his Arm is ftretched out, none can turn it back : For the Lord of Hofls
; hath fworn,' faying. Surely as I have thought, fo it fhall come to pafs, and as I
iha^'fev purpofed, fo fhall it fland, Jfa. 14. 24, 27.
ii'TJow remarkably true did this Account of Things appear in the Condu<Sl of
divine Providence with Refpe6l to the Cafe of Jofeph^ whom God had defigncd
--in due Time to make Lord over Egypt, and by that Means to preferve alive the
.-theivonly vifible Church in the World, and from the Loins of fome of whom the
Mfiss^i AH was to iWnirr, according to the Flefli ? Thus the Defign of God is
- .;. . ° laid:
Of PERSEVERANCE, ^.^^
laid: But to iuuman Appearances, how unlikely that it (houid be efF€«Skd, j^nce
in many and great Obftru£tions lay in the Way of, ic, yea, fuch as feemed more
liiJcely to iil'ue in Jafeph's Difgrace, than of his coming to Honour, or in his
Diilbiution by Death, inttead of bcccmiing an Inftriiment of faving much People
alive. But the Counfcl of the Lord murt liand, and therefore all rhofe Obrtruc-
tions, which as {o many Mountains flood in the Way, muft (as they v.'ere) be
removed out of the Way, and become a Plain, yea, made fubfcrvient unto the
grand Defign of the Almighty, until it was eftbfted, as the Event declared* The
Defigns of his Brethren anil thofe of his wickred Millreis were evil, but God's
were good. The wiiole facred Hiitory of this Providence is very enfertainine;, as
fitly calculated to yield both divine Profit & Pleafure to the chriftlan Mind. The
Works of the Lord are great and woniierfuJ, fought out of aji them that bave
Pleafure therein. ■ , .
To this I might mention the Coodufl: of diwine. Providence toward:? David in
taking him from the Sheep fold and advancing him unto the Throne of 1 frail.
Infhnces of this Kind are numerous, and make a nobleTigure in facred Hiltorv.
Look upon the Church in Egypt-, and behold, the more they virere opprefled
.the more they grew and increafed, and at lafi brought out of that Houfc of Bon-
dage by the, powerful Arm of the Almighty, to the Terror and Deftrudion of
t'leir Enemies, which were cruel, politic and powerful ; and that too at that par-
ticular Juncture of Time which God had appointed,, and that had been foretold
feveral Hundreds of Years before. Exod. 12. 41. *' And it came to pafs, that
at the End of the four Hundred and thirty Yeans, tvcn the felf-jixme Ehvy all the
• Hofts went out from the Lauid of Egypt,'' I'.je 7;c„i. ic d..oa -t y r. ;■:.'. j _ . .
Yea, view we the intire Account of Things, fr(aiiOod*:s PromiTe to Mra-
ham, that his Seed fliould inherit the Land of Canaan^ to their a<5tual inheritina-
thereof, and we fhall fee the divine Counfels (leering on in their ffeady Courfe
through whole Crouds of Difficulties and a great Length of Time, in fo exa£t
a Manner, that when they were actually accomplifhed, Jojhua told the IfraeliteSy
laying. Not one Thing hath failed of all the good Things which the Lord your
God fpake concerning you ; all are come to pafs imto you, and not one Thino-
hath failed thereof, Jo/}). 21. 45. Chap. 23. 14.
Thus I might trace the Hiftory of divine Condu£l in preferving his Church
unto this Day, and make the fame Conclufion ;■ fo that in Times -of hotteft Pef-
fecution it became a Proverb, that the Blood of the Martyrs xvas tlte Seed of the
Church. Behold a Bufli burning, but not confumed, fVill preferved fair and flou-
rifliing ! And I may fafely venture to aver, from the Scripture Account of
Things, that at the laft Day, when Chrift fliall come again the feeond Time
without Sin unto Salvation, then it will appear that of all that God hath
determined and laid with Refpedt unto his Church's Salvation, not one Thing
bath failed of all the good Things which the Lord their God hath fpake con-
cerning them, all are come to pafs unto them, not one Thing hath failed thereof,
all taking their Rife in the eternal Counfels.
In fhrirt, if we allow God to be an eternal Being, and the Author of our
Salvation in Time, HeAfijn kfelf fay$, that Aich grand £ffe^ arc not theProdua
ci>Ji«^ of
^rs OfFERSEVERANCE.
of an YtfterJay's After-thought, but of an eternal Counfel and Purpofe, laid out
in the wifeft and beft Manner, anfwerable to the tranfcendent Excellencies and
Perfe6lions of our great God and Saviour. Now as the Eleit are faid to be cho-
fea in Chrift before the Foundation of the World, that they fhould be holy, and
have Redemption through his Blood ; chofen unto San<5lification and Salvation ;
and as they are faid to be chofen in Chrift by the Father, in Chrift I fay, the
Head and Saviour of his Church ; fo 'tis very evident, there pafled an eternal
Covenant-Tranfadlion between the Father and the Son about the Elect's Salva-
tion. Hence he is emphatically called, the Covenant which theFather hath given
for the People, J fa. 49. 5. to 9. and in "Lechariah we read of a Counfel of Peace
between them both j and Ifa. 54. 10. of God's Covenant of Peace, more firm
than the Hills and Mountains : See alfo Pfal, 89. 28. where the Father faith of
the Son, as the covenanting Head of the Ele6^, My Covenant fhall ftand faft with
him. Now this is called a Covenant of Peace, in Regard of the great End of
that Covenant-Tranfa<£lion, which was to make Pvcconciliation for the Sins of the
People, by the propitiatory Sacrifice of himfelf, and that in the End they miglt
be faved from Wrath through him : Hence God is called the God of Peace, who
brought again from the Dead our Lord Jefus, the great Shepherd of the Sheep,
(mark) thro' the Blood of the everlafting Covenant, Heh, 13. 20. According
to which Covenant, the Son being chofen by the Father as Head of the Ele6l
which were chofen in him, was to become incarnate ; that /V, in the Fulnels of
Time he was to aflume their Nature into a Union with his divine, ftand in their
Law-Place, fufter and die as a propitiatory Sacrifice, to the fatisfying the righte-
ous Demands both of Law and Juftice,& to make up the Breach between the Fa-
ther and the Ele6t i that he fhould pay down the Price of their Redemption to
the full, purchaftng for them both Grace and Glory, that he fhould take them
under his Charge and Care, fo as that not one of them be loft. He undertook to
atone and interceed for them as their Prieft, to teach them as their Prophet, by
his Word and Spirit, the Will of God for their Salvation ; to fubdue them to
himfelf, to rule in them, over them, and for them, as their King and Captain
of their Salvation, and fo to defend them from all Enemies whatfoever, Sin,
Satan, the World, Death, Hell, and the Grave, and to fee them all forth coming
at the great Refurredion-Day : Hence 'tis faid, that he muft reign until he hath
put all Enemies under his Feet, and the laft Enemy that fliall be deftroyed is
Death, i Cor. 15. 25, 26. To thefe Ends were they chofen in him, and given
to him in Charge by the Father : Hence faith the Redeemer, 'Joh. 6. 38, 39.
»' I came down from Heaven not to do mine own Will, but the Will of him
that fent me, that of all that he hath given me I fhould lofe nothing, (no, not
their Duft) but raife it up at the laft Day." Joh.j'j. 2. *' As thou haft given
him Power all Flefh, that he (hould give eternal Life to as many as thou haft
jgiven him." Accordingly will he at laft prefent them to his Father, faying,
*« Behold I and the Children which thou haft given me," Heb. 2. 13.
Thefe were the Engagements of Chrift on his Part of the Covenant of Peace :
Upon this the Father engages to prepare him a Body, promifeth him Help and
Succour, Honour and Glory ; alfo Grace, Peace> Pardon, and Salvation to the
\\ Elea,
Of PERSEVERANCE. ^^y
Ele«a, reprefented by him : The Holy Ghoft alfo undertakes to be their Sanflt-
fier and Sealer unto the Day of Redemption. See Heb. lo. 7, 8, 9, 10, ^'c,
I fa. 49. 3. to 10. Chap, 50.^7, 9. Chap. 53. 2 The/. 2. 13, 14. Eph. 4. 30.
ttence it is that we read of Grace given them in Chrift Jcfus before the World
began, iTim. 1.9. and of their Hopes of eternal Life, which God, that cannot
lie, hath promifed before the World began. Where obfcrve, (i.) a Promife
made; (2.) the Bleffing promifed, 7;/z. eternal Life, and by juft Confequence
Grace to perfevere unto the End ; note, (3.) the Date of this Promifc's Com-
mencement, before the World began, and therefore could not be made to any
Man or Angel, it muft then be unto the Son, as the Ele^l's Head and Rcprefen-
tative in that eternal Covenant of Peace, who then received Grace for them ;
note, (^.) the Maker of this Promife, emphatically called, God that cannot
lie ; that is, the unchangeable and faithful God, that keepeth his Covenant, and
flands unto this his Piomife, founded upon the Covenant-EngatJemcnts of the
Son, as Head of his Chofen. Hence it is, that to Believers, who arc Partakers
of the divine Nature, do belong many exceeding great and precious Promifes j
and they are fuch, becaufe, firjl, the Things promifed are of a moft valuable
Nature, even Grace and Glory ; and fecondly^ becaufe they are fure to be per-
formed : Hence the new Covenant is faid to be eftablifhed upon better Promifes
than thofe of the firft Covenant, which were Tea and Nay^ founded upon Crea-
ture-Condition?, and fo uncertain as to their Performance, Do this and live ;
wh rea> the Promifes of the new and everlafting Covenant of Grace and Peace
are abf lute and fure, becaufe founded upon the Suretifhip Engagements of
Chrift, the Tenor of which run thus, / will, and you /hall ; I will be your God,
and }ou fhajl be my People : and fuch like.
Hence 'tis very obfervable, that fuch Kind of Promifes are mentioned as
founded upon Chrift's Satisfadron, or compleat Offering of himfelf for them,
and ^s flowing therefrom. Heb. 10. 12. to 19. " But this Man, after he had
offered one Sacrifice for Sins, for ever fat down on the right Fland of God ;
from henceforth expeding 'till his Enemies be made his Footftool : For by one
Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are fan£tified. (Now mark )
Whereof the Holy Ghoft alfo is a Witnefs to us : For after that he had faid be-
fore, this is the Covenant that I will make with them after thofe Days faith the
Lord i I will put my Laws into their Hearts, and in their Minds will T write
them : And their Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more. Now where
Remifiion of th.e'e is, there is no more Offering for Sin." See alfo Heb. 8. 6.
to the End, where we have more to the fame Purpofe-, where the Apoftle hath
an immediate Reference unto thofe Promifes of a new Heart, a new Spirit, and
fuch like, in Jer. 31. 31, 32, 33, 34. and in the 3.6th Chapter ofEzeHe^,
alfoj^r. 32. 38, 39, 40. ** And they fhall be rty People, and I will be their
God ; and I will give them one Heart and one Way, that they may fear me
for ever, for the Good of them and their Children after them ; and I will make
an everlafting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do
them good ; but I will put my Fear into their Hearts, that they fhall not de-
part from me. Now all this is founded upon the aforefaid Covenant-Tranfaaions
between
358 Of P E RS EVE K A N C E.
between the Pother and the Son, and are ratified to the Elecfl by the afaitfei^
Compleatneis of his Offering, by which he hath perl"e6kd for ever them that are
fandlified, {fnark) them that are fan<5lified, all the Eledl, whether of the Jeivifh
©r the C^rt///^ Race ; the Apoftie, you fee, applying here all thofe Old-Teftamcnt
abfolute Promifes unto all and every of thofe Chrift gave htn:ife!f rn Offering for,
withoutDifference, whether they be Jews vtGrceks. I remark thisyin order to fhew
how vainly 'tis objedled to us, that the aforefaid Old-Teflament Texts have aa
only peculiar Reference to the Converfion of the Jnas m the latter Day. And
by the Way, fuppofe it iiad, flill the Hockuna oi abfolute and efficadom Grace \
plead for flands good fo far, according to the Grant implied in the OhjctS^ion.
But fince the Apoftle, who perfectly knew the Mind of God, applies the faid
Texts to the New-Teftament Dii'penfation, by which both ^Jcws and Gentiles
were broiight into one Fold, our Argument thence in Behalf of the Dudtrine d
ahfolute and efficacious Grace, and the Saintsyi'afl/ Perfeverance ftands firm and un-
fhaken : Neither is it to any Purpofe here, to bring in a Heap of If's, and Jyy
But'sy and talking about conditional Piomifes, becaufe thefe better Promifes of the
Covenant of Peace, founded on abfolute Grace and the Redeemer's perfe<?l:
Offering, are fruitful Promifes, containing all the conditional Promifes
within their Bowels ; that which comes forth under the Appearance of a
Condition being the Subjed of a faithful Promife. For Infbnce, J^ i^faid," He
that believetb and is baptised, fliall be faved ;" why the new Covenant engageth
to give Faith to the Soul, whereby it is enabled fiivingly to beli-eve, Faith is not
of our feives, it is the Gift of God, Eph. 2. 8. The fame may be faid of Re-
f.eutance, as appears from Zech. 12. 10. "I will pour out upon the Houfe of
Davidy and the Inhabitants of Jerufahriy a Spirit of Grace and Supplication ;'*•
wheiKfi it follows, as the natural Effeds of this» " And they fhall look upon him
wiiom they have pierced and mourn, dj'c/' compared with A£ls 5. 30, ^t.
<=*, The Godof our P'athers raifed up Jefus whom ye flew and hanged on a Tree,
him hath God exalted with his ifight Hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to'
give Repentance to 7/r<2f/ and Remiilion of Sins ;" compared with ASis 11. 8.
*' Tlien hath God alfo to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life." So that
by the Houfe of Z)*2'yi^, and the Inhabitants of Jerujalem, and IJrad, to whcna*
tiofi faid Promifes were made, we are to underfland God's Eledl amongfl the
Q^tiles as well as the Jews. Again, i| launder the Form of a Condition faid
by ©ur l-ord, " Him that cometh unto me, 1 will in no wife call out ;" why it
is tliefe abfolute Promifes of the better Covenant that maketh the Soul both wil-
UDgQod able to come. Job. 6. 37. " AJI that the Father giveth unto me, fjall
(cofloe unto me, and him that cometh unto rae I will in no wife caft out"^; which
Text, yoii fee, hath a peculiar Reference to the Covenant-Tranfadlions that
pafeM between the Father and the Son, as above explained. Again, [§ ii faid
under the Form of a Condition, "He that endureth unto the End, fhall
bfi faved}" why this better Covenant doth at once engage for the- giving the
abovefaid Grace, and for the Believer's final Perfeverance in the fame ; all is
comprised in the Proaiife of a new Heart, and that God will not turn away from
ibem to dothcju goodjijut that he will fo put his Fear into their Hearts, that
they-
Of PERSEVERANCE. 359
they ftiall not finally depart from him. If the Saints do finally apoftatize, it rtiuft
be either by God's utter forfaking of them, or by their utter forfaking of him,
or by fomething plucking them from under his Care, and out of his Hand : But
neither of thefe can be, fince God has thus engaged for them in Covenant, and
declared that they fhall be kept by his Power thro' Faith unto Salvation, ready
to be revealed in the laft Time. Where obferve, that God's Power is as at once
engaged for their Salvation the End, and for their perfevering Faith unto the End
that they may be faved : So that a perfevering Faith cannot be a Condition of this
better Covenant, becaufe (as Dr. Chauncy^ in his Do£lrine according to Gcdlinefs,
p. 132. well obferves) " it is an Effe6l of the conditional Part of the Covenant
*' that Chrift performed ; it is the abfolute Gift of God unto us, and cannot
*' come to us but upon Condition of Chrift's Righteoufnefs ; and therefore can
*« be no other Condition than of Order and Connedtion in the Promifes, and
" their Performances, Epb. 2. 8. 2 Thef. 2. 13. 2 Pet. i. i. " Simon Peter a
*' Servant and an Apoftle of Jefus Chrift, unto them that have obtained like pre-
*' cious Faith with us, through the Pvighteoufnefs of God and our Saviour Jefus
*' Chrift." ^eji- Doth not the Gofpel require Faith as the Condition to in-
** tereft Men in Chrift ? Anf. There is a twofold Intereft commonly fpoken
*' of; Intereft by Way of Right, and Intereft by W'ay of Participation, Claim
" and Pofleflion : In the firft Senfe, Chrift is the only Condition of Intereft ; in
*' the laft Senfe, Faith is a Condition of Connection, as a Means orlnftrument
*' of Participation of the Gift of the Promife of the faid Covenant, and there-
*' fore a Benefit."
I proceed to obferve, that fince Chrift has finiflied what his Father gave him,
and which he undertook to do, in his Humiliation-State, and fince he is now do-
ing in a State of Exaltation what he alfo undertook to perform, and certainly
engaged to purfue the fame 'till the whole is compleated, it naturally follows,
that all the Promifes of God the Father in him for the Soul-faving Ufe and Bene-
fit of the Eledl, the Saints, arc I'ea, and in him Jmen^ to God's Glory, 2 Cor.
I. 20. They are many, they are exceeding great and precious, they are fuch as
contain in them whatever is needful to perfect and compleat the Redeemed's
Sandification and Salvation, founded in the Grace and the moft precious Blood
of that everlaftingCovcnant which is ordered in all Things and fure, 2 Sam. 23. 5.''
*' I have made a Covenant (faith God) with my Chofen ; I have fworn unto Da-
vid my Servant, /. e. Chrift the true fpiritual David., thy Seed will I eftablifti
for ever, and thy Throne unto all Generations : For a Seed fhall ferve him, and
it ftiall be accounted unto the Lord for a Generation ; my Covenant fliall ftand
faft with him," P[al. 22. 30. Pfal 89. 3, 4, 28. To which End God hath
engaged all his Attributes, vi%. Grace, Wifdom, Power, Holinefs, Faithfulnefs,
Immutability and Oath ; fee V'cr. 28, 29, to 38. " My Covenant fhall ftand
faft witK^him : His Seed alfo will I make to endure for ever, and his Throne as
the Days of Heaven."
Objeiiion. Ay, but how if they fliould forget themfelves and prove difobedient,
then furely the Covenant is of no Force to fave them ?
A a a Jnfwer,
360 Of ? ERS EV EP.ANCE.
Anfwer. No fuch Thing ; yea, fo far from it, that the Covenant hath provided
a Rod of Corredion, a fandifted Rod, for their Recovery, by true Repentance ;
if they go aftray, the Rod {hall bring them back again by a weeping Crofs, as it
follows Ver. 30. *' If his Children forfake my Law, and walk not in my Judg-
ments, if they break mv Statutes, and keep not my Commandments ; then, what
then ? Why, then will I vifit their TranfgrefTions with a Rod, and their Iniquities
with Stripes : Neverthelefs, my Loving-kindnefs will I not utterly take from him,
nor fufFer my Faithfulnefs to fail. JVly Covenant will I net break, nor alter the
Thing that is gone out of my Lips. Once have I fworn by my Holinefs, that I
will not lie unio David, Chrift the fpiritual David., his Seed fhall endure forever,
and hisThrone as the Sun before me : It fliall be eftablifiied for ever as theMoon,
and as a faithful VVitnefs in Heaven." This will God do unto them, and not
forfake them : He will chaden them, that they may not be condemned with the
World. Ifa. 54. 7, t^c. " For a fmall Moment have I forfaken thee, but with
great Mercies will I gather thee : In a little Wrath I hid my Face from thee for
a Moment, but with everlafting Kindnefs will I have Mercy on thee, faith the
Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the Waters of Noah unto me : For as I have
fworn that the Waters of Noah fnall no more go over the Earth, fo have I fworn
that I will not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the Mountains fhall
depart, and the Hills be removed, but my Kindnefs fhall not depart from thee,
neither fliall the Covenant of my Peace be removed, faith the Lord that hath
Mercy on thee." What can be fuller than this ?
OljfSi'.on. Ay, but this refers to the yeius.
Anfwer. That is a great Miftake ; tor the Chapter contains a famous Pro-
phefy of the calling and gathering the Gentiles into Chrift's Fold under theGofpel,
as is moft evident. Befides, it is exprefly faid, Ver. 17. " This is the Heritage
of t4ie Servants of the Lord, and their Righteoufnefs is of me, faith the Lord."
Moreover, this Argument is (trengthned by a notable Text in the New-Tefta-
ment ; Heh. 6. 16. to the End, *' For Men verily fwear by the greater, and an
Oath for Confirmation is to them an End of all Strife : Wherein God willing
more abundantly to (hew unto the Heirs of Promife the Immutability of his
Counfel, confirmed it by an Oath, that by two immutable Things, vi-z. God's
Promife and Oath, in which it was impoflible for God to lie, we might have
ftrong Confolation who have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope fet before
us : Which Hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul, both fure and fledfaft, and
which entreth into that within the Vail, (;. e, into Heaven) whither the Fore-
runner is for us entred, even Jefus, made an High-Prieft for ever after the Order
oi Melchizedeck,'" So that there is a mofl fure Foundation laid for all the Heirs
of Promife following after, and fafe Arrival thither ; and they have the greareft
Encouragement that can be given them to be looking unto Jefus, as theAuthor and
Fini{heroftheirFaith,rmce he is gone, as their High-Priefl, their Saviour k Fore-
runner,to prepare aPlace for them, that in dueSeafon he may receive them to him-
felf in thofe blefTed heavenly Manfions, Job. 14. i, 2, 3. The united Power of
himfelf and Father is engaged for the adual and full Accomplifhment of it ; Job.
10. 27, 28. " My Sheep hear my Voice, and I know them, and they follow me,
and
Of P ERS EV E RANG E, 361
and i o-tve unto them eternal Life, and they (hall never perifh, neither fhall any
pluck 'them out of my Hand : iVIy Father which gave them me, viz. in the Co-
venant of Redemption, is greater than all ; and none is able to pluck them out
of my Father's Hand. I and my Father are one ; that is, one in Effer-ce, and
one in Povi^er, in this we are Equals. So the Jews, to vvhcm he fpake this, un-
derftood him to mean, as appears by their taking up Stones to (lone him as a
Biafphemer, that being Man, he made himfelf God, or equal with God, as in
Chap. 5. iS. and as further appears by our Saviour's defending his Propofition,
in Oppofition to their Cavils ; amongft other Things faying to them, "The
Father is in me, and I in him," Chap. 10. Ver. 39. Thus he and his Father
are One, one in EfTence, one in Power, and one in Will. Alat. 18. 14. '* It
is not the Will of my Father which is in Heaven, that one of tlufe little Ones
fliould perifli, but have everlafting Life." Job. ■?. 16. Yea, to this End, is both
the Father's and the Sen's Love and Giacc engaged, P^.om. 4. 16. *' Therefore
it is of Faith, that it might be by Grace, to the End that the Promife might be
fure unto all the Seed.'* Job. 13. i. " Having loved his own which were in
the World, he loved them unto the End." And there is no End of that Love.
Moreover, as God is a faithful and Covenant-keeping God, fo he hath abun-
dantly engaged his P'aithfulnefs for the Performance of his Promife to his Son, as
the Plead of the Ele6t, that he fliall fee of the Travail of his Soul, and be fatisfied ;
in Hopes of eternal Life, which God that cannot lie, hath promifcd before the
XVorld began. Hence it is that the New-Teftament doth fo loudly ring of God's
Faithfulnefs in this Matter, 1 Cor. i. 8, 9. *' Who iliajl confiim you unto the
End, that ye may be blamelefs in the Day of our Lord Jefus Chrift. God is
faithful, by whom ye were called into the Fellowihip of his Son Jefus Chrifl our
Lord." I Cor. ic. 13. *' God is faithful, who will not fufFcr you to be tempted
above that ye are able ; but will with the Temptation alfo make a Way to <rfc;ipe,
that ye may be able to bear it.'* i Thef. 5. 23. *' And the very God of Pesce
fan6lify you wholly : And I pray God your whole Spirit,, and Soii), and Body, be
preferved blamelefs unto the Coming of ourLorclJefusChrifr. Faithful is he il)at
calleth you, who alfo will do it." 2 Thef. 3. 3. '< But the Lord is faithful, who
fhall ftablifh you, and keep you from Evil." 2 Tim. 2. 13. " If we believe not,
(or tho' our Faith be but weak, attended with Fears and Doubtings) yet he
abideth faithful, he cannot deny himfelf."
In a Word, as the Son was faithful unto him that appointed him, becoming a
faithful High-Prieft in Things pertaining to God, fufFering to make Recoreilia-
tion for the Sins of the People, which his Father chofe in him, and gave unto him
as his Care and Charge ; U-) God the Father is faithful, that hatii promifcd eternal-
Life to them in him before the World began. Heh. 1. 17, 18. Clisp. 3. 2.
Chap. 10. 23. Titus I. 1,2. They are fo dear unto Cacu, tiiat v.'hofo touchcti'i
them, toucheth the Apple of his Eye, Zech. 2. 8. Their very Hairs are s;I num-
bred, fo exatSt is Chrift in his providential Care over them ; much more then will
he preferve their precious Souls from perifliing by a final ApoO:-.cy. Did he die
for them? It was that they might live both a Life of C^race and a Life of Glory,
i?(?w. 8. 32, Did he rife again ? Behold they are rifen with him. Col. 3. 1.
A a a 2 1%
362 Of PERSEVERANCE.
Is he afcended into the Heavens ? They are afcended reprefentatively in him,
and made to fit together in the heavenly Places, Eph. 2. 4, 5, 6. Doth he there
as an Advocate, appear in the Prefence of God ? It is for them, Heb. 9. 24.
Will he come again ? It will be as his Church's Head and Saviour, to compleat
her Salvation.
Thus the Father and the Son hath unitedly engaged for the bringing Home all
the Eie£l of God into Chrift's Fold here, and the eternal Manfions hereafter,
and confequently engaged for the efFe(5i;ing their final Perfeverance in Grace.
Hence, well might St. Paul fay, " Being confident of this very Thing, that he
who hath begun a good Work in you, will perform it until the Day of Jefus
Chrift," Phil. i. 6. Efpecially when to thefe Things we confider, that the
Holy Ghoft being a Party in this Covenant, hath alfo engaged to adl his Part, both
in the beginning and perfecting this good Work of Grace and San£tification :
*' They being chofen in Chrift by the Father, unto Salvation, through Sandtiii-
cation of the Spii it, and Belief of the Truth," iThef. 2. 13. compared with
I Pet. I. 2. " Ele61: according to the Foreknowledge of God the Father, thro'
Sanclification of the Spirit unto Obedience, and fprinkling of the Blood of Jefus
Chrift." Now the Certainty of the Saints final Perfeverance is fo flrongly found-
ed upon the eiFedtual Operations of the Holy Ghoft, as that it appears in every
of his peculiar and diftindl Operations upon the Ele£l, as a Regenerator of their
Souls, in effedlual Calling, as a SantSlifier, as a Helper, Comforter, and a Sealer,
and all correfpondent with the eternal Plan of Salvation.
Ftr/i., The Saints final Perfeverance is fo firmly connedled with their
efFedlual Calling, that they are faid now to be faved. 2 Tim. i.g. *' Who
Inthfaved us, and called us with an holy Calling." Titus 3. 4, 5. " Accord-
ing to his Mercy hcjaved us, by the wafhing of Regeneration, and renewing of
the Holy Ghoft." As the Elecl are preferved in Jefus Chrift and called, Jucle
Ver. I. fo being called, they are preferved unto Life Eternal: *'For the God
of all Grace, who hath called them unto his eternal Glory, by Chrift Jefus, will
make them perfedl, ftrcngthen,ftablifli, and fettle them," i Pet. 5. 10. *' Whom
he called, them he glorified," /?e;;/. 8. 30. As they are begotten of God, and
born of the Spirit, fo the Seed of God remaineth in them ; they are born again,
not of corruptible Seed, but oi incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth
and abideth for ever, i Job. 3. g. i Pet. i. 22. See alfo i yoh. 2. 25, 26, 27.
*' And this is the Promife that he hath promifed us, even eternal Life. Thefe
Things have I written to you concerning them that feduce you. But the Anoint-
ing which ye have received of him (the Undtion of the holy One) abideth in
you ; and ye need not that any Man teach you : But, as the fame Anointing
teacheth you of all Things, and is Truth, and is no Lie : and even as it hath
taught you, ye y^W/ abide in him." Compare this with 2 Cor. 3. 18. " But we
all with open Face beholJing, as in a G.'afs, the Glory of the Lord, are changed
into the fame Image, from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
As the holy Spirit accompanies the Gofpel with its cffe(flual Operations, to the
efFeding the New-Birth, and brinsing forth of the new Man, fo alfo it doth ac-
company the fame Means for the Growth of the fame, until it come to a perfeSi
Man.
Of PERSEVERANCE. 363
Man. Hence the Gofpel is faid to be the Power of God unto Salvation unto
every one that brieves, Rom. i. 16, 17. The Word and Ordinan-
ces are to them full Breads of Nourifhment and Confolation, Ifa. 66.
10, II, 12. I Pet. 2. 2. " As new born Babes defire the fincere Milk
of the Word, that ye may grow thereby." The holy Supper was, in an efpeciai
Manner, inftituted as a (landing Ordinance to this End, that Believers taking and
eating the Bread of Life, and drinking of the Wine of the Kingdom, might grow
in Grace, i Cor. 10. 16. " The Cup of Bleffing which we blefs, is it not the
Communion of the Blood of Chrift ? The Bread which we break, is it not the
Communion of the Body of Chrift ?" Accordingly our Lord faith. Job. 6. 35.
*' I am the Bread of Life. This is the Bread which cometh down from Heaven,
whereof if a Man eat, he fhall never die. I am the living Bread which came
down from Heaven ; if a Man eat of this Bread, he fhall live for ever.- — Whofo
eateth my Flefh, and drinketh my Blood hath eternal Life, and I will raife him
up at the laft Day ; for my Flefh is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink indeed.
He that eateth my Flefh, and drinketh my Blood, dwelleth in me and I in him :
As the living Father hath fent me, and I live by the Father ; fo he that eateth
me, fliall live by me. —He that eateth of this Bread fhall live for ever." Now
he that feedeth and liveth upon Chrift, muft be one that hath a Principle of Grace
and Faith in his Soul ; that is a true Believer, who being poflefled of a Life of
Grace, born of the Spirit, doth fpiritually and by Faith feed upon a crucified
Jefus. GaL 2. 20. " The Life that I now live in the Flefh, is by the Faith of
the Son of God, who loved me and gave himfelf for me." Here alfo we may
obferve, that our Saviour once and again faith, *' Such fhall never die, but live
for ever ;" to again he faith unto Martha, Job. 11. 25, 26. *' I am the Refur-
reilion and the Life : He that believeth in me, tho' he were dead, yet fhall he
live ; aud whofoever liveth and believeth in me (hall never die. Believeft thou
this?" This then claimeth our Belief, and confirms the Point in Hand. The
Life and Death here fpoken of can't intend a natural Life and Death, fmce in
that Scnfe no Man lives for ever ; all both good and bad, die and return to their
Duft, the Believer and the Unbeliever are alike laid in the Grave, and the Worms
do feed on them. It muft then intend a fpiritual Life which every regenerate
Believer lives, and a fpiritual Death that they (hall never die, but fhall live for
ever ; their Life of Grace fhall iflue in a Life of eternal Glory. Which Senfe
pcrfcdlv agrees with the evident Scope of the Place : P'or as our Lord doth not
here fpeak of corporeal but fpiritual Meat and Drink, fo neither doth he fpeak of
a corporeal Life and Death, but a fpiritual. From all which it is evident, that
the Life of Grace begun in the Soul fhall never be extmguiihed, but continue
for ever. Hence our Lord in this very Difcourfe concerning himfelf, as the Bread
of Life, doth affirm, with a V^erily, verily, I fay unto you, he that believeth on
me hath everlafting Life. Mark, 'tis not faid, it may be he fhall, or peradventure
he mav have it hereafter, but in the prefent Tcnfe, he hath everlafting Life. And
a^ain, He: thit eateth my FleOi and drinketh my Blojd hath eternal Life. Sanfti-
fica:ion is Glory begun, and Glorification is San6lification compleaced. *< We
are changed from Glory to Glory (faith the Apoftle) even as by the Spirit of the
Lord,"
364 Of PERSEVERANCE.
Lord," 2 Cof. 3. i8. Hence we are told, that " the Path of the jiift is as a
-{hining Light, that fhineth more and more unto the perfect Day," Prcv. 4- 18.
The divine Seeds of Grace being fown, do fpring up and grow (like unto Corri
fown) firft the Blade, and then the Ear, and then the full ripe Fruit : So that
however this divine Work oft meets with diverfe and ffrong Obftrudtions and
Oppofitions from the Soul's Enemies, yet that heavenly Fire never goes out, be-
caufe of the frefli and perpetual Supplies of the holy Spirit of Grace, who invinci-
bly carries on the good Work begun until it becomes con.pleat and perfe(5t.
*' Because 1 live, (faith their Saviour) ye fhalllive alfo," Joh, 14. 19. Col. 3. 4.
*' Yox ye are dead, and your Life is hid with Chrift in God: When Chrift
who is cur Life (hall appear, ye alfo fhall appear with him in (jlory.'-' So effec-
tually doth the Life of the Her.d preferve the Life of the Members, that while the
Head lives the Members cannot die. As the Manna and refrefliing Streams of
the Rock, together with the Pillar of Cloud by Day, and the Pillar of F"ire by
Night, did not fail, but continued with Ijrael oi o\<l until they arrived unto the
promifed Land ; fo the Bread of Life, and the refrefhing Streams of the River of
God, his holy Spirit to guide, and his Pov/er to protcit hfs adopted regenerated
Children, will not fail, but follow them, until they fnall all Uie\y arrive at the
heavenly Canaan of Refl and Glory above : Chrift will be unto them a hiding
Place from the Wind, a Covert from theTempefl, as Rivers of Waters in a dry
Place, and as the Shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land, Ifa. 32. 2. The
glorious Lord will be unto them a Place of broad Rivers and Streams, their Place
of Defence (hall be a Munition of Rocks, their Bread fliall be given them, and
their Water fhall be fure, Jja. 33. 16. His Mercy and Goodnefs will follow
them all the Days of their Lives, PfaLi^. 6. The Saints all like a Fleet of
Ships, fet out under the Condii6t of the divine Pilot, ffeering by the Compafs of
the Word, through the boifterous Seas of Affiidlion and Temptation, their Sails
filled with the Gales of the Spirit, bound unto one Port, having with them the
Anchor of Hope both fure and fledfaft, entring in within the Vail, fhall all at
length fafely arrive thither : Yea, altho' fome of them meet with dreadful Stoims
and Tempefts in their PafTage thither, like that of Paul and the Soldiers in their
V^oyage to Rome^ yet having AiTurance from God that not one of them fhall pe-
rifh, as Paulh^d, they fhall as certainly at length arrive at their heavenlyHaven,
as Paul and all the Ship-Men did at Rofne, notv»'ithftanding the Storms and Ship-
wreck they met withal in the Way, according as 'tis faid, that they that could
f A'im fhould caft themfelves firft into the Sea and get to Land, and the refl, fome
on Boards, and fome on broken Pieces of the Ship, and fo it came to pafs that
thev efcaped^// fafe to Land. O admirable Sight ! a Bufh burning, and}etnot
confumed ! O wonderful Paradox ! We are killed all the Day long, and ac-
counted as Sheep for the Slaughter j and yet Cmquersrs, more than Conquerors
over ail Enemies, whether prefent or to come : But it is througli Clirifl that loved
them.
I now proceed to argue from the Operations of the holy Spirit, as a Witnefs,
a vSealer, and Pledge given to the Saints, thereby fecuring their final Perfeverance.
He it is that &eds abroad the Love of God in their Hearts, and who, as their
Com-
Of PERSEVERANCE, ^6^
Comforter, (hall abide with them for ever. Rem. 5. 6. Job. 14. 16. He is that
holy One that anoints them unto the Kingdom of Heaven, that bearcth Witnefs
with their Sp:r ts that they are the Children of God, teaching them to infer, that,
if Children, then Heirs, Heirs of God, and joint Heirs with our Lord Jefus
Chrirt, Heirs of Promife and Salvation, Rom. 8. 15. Jr/c/?. j. 14. Chap. 6. 17.
and thit being Heiis thereof, (hall certainly come unto the full Pofleffion thereof.
I Pet. I. 3.' " Blefied be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who ac-
cording unro his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again to a lively Hope by the
Refurrecfliun of Jefus Chrift from the Dead, to an Inheritance that is incorrupti-
ble, and undefiled, and thai fadeth nor away, rcferved in Heaven for you, who
are kept by the Pov/er of God through Faith unto Salvation, wherein ye greatly
rejoice, tho' now for a Seafon, if NeeJ be, ye are in Heavinefs, through manifold
Temptations, that the Trial of your Faith being much more precious than Gold
that periflieth, tho' it be tried with Fire, may (as indeed it will) be found to
Glory and Honour at the Appearance of Jefus Chrift." Eph. I. 13. *' In whom
after that ye believed, ye were fealed with the holy Spirit of Promife, which is aiv
Earneftof our Inheritance, until the Redemption of the purchafed PolTeffion, un-
to the Praife of his Glory." Epb. 4. 30. " And grieve not the holy Spirit of
God, whereby ye are fealed unto the Day of Redemption." Rom. 8. 23. "And
not only they, but our felves alfo, which have the firft Fruits of the Spirit, even
we our felves groan within our felves, waiting for the Adoption, to iciiy the Re--
demption of our Body." 2 Cor. i. 20, 21, 22. *' For all the Promifes of God
in him arc Tea, and in him Amen., unto the Glory of God by us. Now he which
ftabliflieth us with you, in Chrift, and hath anointed us, is God ; who hath alfo
fealed us, and given the Earneft of the Spirit in our Hearts." Hence it was that
the believing Hebreivs of old took joyfully the fpoiling of their Goods, knowing
in themfelves, that they had in Heaven a better and more enduring Subftarce,
Heb. 10. 34. They had received the firft Fruits as a Pledge and Aflurance of
their obtaining a full Harveft : They had, as I may fay, from under God's Hand
andSeal,that they ftiould be in dueTime be adtually poflefs'd of thofe betterGoods
in Heaven. Upon the fame Grounds it was that St. Paul, of himfelf and other
Believers, withfo great an AfTurance faid, " We know that if our earthly Houfe
of this Tabernacle were difTolved, we have a Building of God, a Houfe not made
with Hands, eternal in the Heavens." Thus had they attained unto a full AfTu-
rance of Hope unto the End. And howfoever many of God's Children do not
attain unto this Faith of Evidence and full AfTurance of Hope to the End, fo as
that they have not at full and large the Comfort of their Intereft in Chrift and the
heavenly Glory, yet having attained unto the Faith of Reliance, and caft the An-
chor of their Hope within the Vail, they are fafe, fince we are afTured, that m
whomfoever God begins the good Work of Grace and Sanftification, he will
certainly perform it until the Day of Jefus Chrift : He will fulfil all the good
Pleafure of his Goodnefs and the Work of Faith with Power, that the Name of
our Lord Jefus Chrift may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the
Graceof our God, and our Lord Jefus Chrift, ^Thef. i. 11, 12. To all which
agrees that of the Prophet, " They (hall be called the holy People, the Redeemed
of
^66 Of P'ERS EFERJNCE,
of the Lord ; and thou (halt be called. Sought out, a City not forfaken," I/a,
62. 12. They fhall be called a holy People, there is their Eledtion ; the Re-
deemed of the Lord, there is their Redemption ; thou (halt be called and fought
out, there is their effedtual Calling ; a City not forfaken, there is their final Per-
feverance in Grace to Glory. So that I may be juftly allowed triumphantly to
conclude thefe feveral Heads of Divinity with the Words of the Apcftje, Rom.
8. 28, ^c. *' And we know, that all Things fhall wcrk together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the Called according to his Purpofe : P'or whom
he did foreknow, he alfo did predeftinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son,
that he might be the Firff-born among many Brethren. Moreover, whom he
did predeftinate, them he alfo called ; and whom he called, them he alfo jufti-
fied ; and whom he juftified, them he alfo glorified. "What fhall we then fay to
thefe Things ? If God be for us, who can be againfl: us ? He that fpared not
his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how fhall he not with him alfo freely
give us all Things ? Who fliall lay any Thing to the Charge of God's Ele6l ?
It is God that juftifieth. Who is he that condemneth ? It is Chrift that died,
yea, rather that is rifen again, who is even at the right Hand of God, who alfo
maketh Interceffion for us. Who fhall feperate us from the Love of Chrift ?
Shall Tribulation, or Diftrefs, or Perfecution, or Famine, or Nakednefs, or Peril,
or Sword ? (as it is written. For thy Sake we are killed all the Day long, we are
accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter.) Nay, in all thefe Things we are more
than Conquerors through him that loved us : For I am perfwaded, that neither
Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things prefent,
nor Things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature, fhall be
able to feperate us from the Love of God, which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord."
** Now our Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf, and God even our Father, which hath
loved us, and hath given us evcrlafting Confolation and good Hope thro' Grace,
comfort your Hearts, and ftablifh you in every good Word and Work," 2 The/.
2. 16, 17.
But I have not yet done, becaufe (notwithftanding all this Evidence for the
Confirmation of the Point in Hand, from holy Scripture, found Reafon, Expe-
rience and Fa£t) there are a whole Regiment of Objedions that are muftered up
in order both to attack and overthrow this divine Truth : Yea, our Jrminian
Antagonifts have not been wanting to prcfs many Texts of holy Scripture into
this their Service. However, ilnce the Scripture admits of no Self-contradi6lions
within its own Wails, which ftand as a mighty Bulwark againft all our Oppo-
nents Oppofitions, I need not be difmayed at them, nor fear to abide the Shock.
CHAP. II.
AKDpJf of all, Whereas our Opponents do objefl againft this Doctrine,
alledging it to be calculated for the Meridian of Folly and Wickednefs,
calling it a liimtisus and an abomimbk Dodlrinc 3 I fliall, by divine AfHftance,
endeavour
Of PERSEVERANCE. g^;
endeavour to clear it of fuch vile Charges, and prove it to be a Dodlrhie really
and truly promotive of ftridl undiffembled Holinefs, as I have already proved con-
cerning the Doilrine oi particular Ele£iion and Redemption^ which are the Roots
from whence this Doctrine of the Saints final Perfeverance doth fpring and arife*
If the Root be holy, io are the Branches : All are promotive of evangelic Holir
nefy. For,
(i.) Are the Saints fuch as were elected, or chofen in Chrift before the Foun-
dation of the World ? It was that they fhould be holy. Eph. i. 3, 4.
(2.) Were they predeftinated unto the Adoption of Children by Jefus Chrid
unto God the Father ? It was that they ftiould be unto the Praife of bis glo-
rious Grace. Eph. I. 5, II, 12.
(3.) Were they redeemed by Chrift, who gave himfelf for them ? It was that
they fhould be purified from all Iniquity unto himfelf, a peculiar People, zealous
of good Works. Titus 2. 14.
(4.) Are they effedlually called in Time, according to God's eternal Purpofe
and Grace ? It is with a holy Calling unto Kolinefs, and that they fhould fhew
forth the Fraifes of him who hath called them out of Darknefs into his marvellous
Light. 2 Tim. i. g. i Pet. 2. 9.
(5.) Are they fo priviledged, that Sin fhall not have Dominion over them,
becaufe they are not under the Law, but under Grace ? It is that tbey fhould
reckon themfelves to be indeed dead unto Sin, but alive unto God, through Jefus
Chrift our Lord. Hence are they exhorted not to let Sin reign in their mortal
Bodies, that they fhould obey it in the Lufts thereof; neither to yield their Mem-
bers as Inftruments of Unrighteoufnefs unto Sin ; but to yield themfelves unta
God as thofe that are alive from the Dead, and their Members as Inftruments of
Righteoufnefs unto God. Rom. 6. 11. to the End.
(6.) Doth Grace fo much abound unto them, that as Sin hath reigned unto
Death, fo Grace might reign through Righteoufnefs unto eternal Life, through
Jefus Chrift our Lord ? They are taught to deteft and abhor with a God forbid,
fo vile a Conclufion as to fin becaufe Grace doth, thus abound unto them. Ro/jz..
5. 20, 21. Chap. 6. I, 2.
(7.) Are they faid to be kept by the Power of God unto Salvation, ready to
be revealed in the laft Time ? It is thro' Faith, even the Faith of God's Eledt,
the holy Properties of which are to purify the Hearty and to work for God, yea,
to work by Love ; and accordingly to gird up theLoins of theiiMind,to be fober,
and hope unto the End, and in all Refpe6ts to behave themfelves as obedientChil-
dren, being holy in all Manner of Converfation^ Titus 1, 1,2. Jt^s i5-g> GaL
5. 6. I Pet. T. 5, 6, 13, 14.
(8.) Has God given them everlafting Confolation and goad Hope thro' Grace ?
It is that they be not only com.forted, but alfo efhblifhed in every good Word
and Work, zThef. 2. 16, 17. It is faid, that being the Sons of God, whea
Chrift fhall appear they fhall be like him, and fee himas he is ; in Hopes of eter-
nal Life, which God that cannot lie, hath promifed before the World began ?
Why it is alfo added, <* And every Man that hath this Hope in him, puriiicih
himfelf even as be is pure," 1 Joh. 3. t, 2, 3.
Of F ERSEVERANCE.
(9.) Are all the Promifes of God in Chrift unto them Yea and Amen? Are
thefe Promifes exceeding great and precious, that they fhall be God's Sons and
Daughters ? Why they are taught hence thus to infer, 2 Cor. 7. i. ** Having
therefore (dearly Beloved) thefe Promifes, let us cleanfeour felves from all Filthi-
nefs both of P^lefh and Spirit, perfefling Holinefs in the Fear of God.
(10.) Have thefe Heirs of Promife, the Saints, given to them, in Conjunction
with thefe Promifes, the Oath of God who cannot lie ? Why this is defigned at
once to confolate their Souls, and to promote their Diligence in the Ways of
Holinefs, that they be not flothful, but Followers of them who thro' Faith and
Patience are inheriting the Promifes, Heb. b. 12. to the End.
(11.) Is their Life fo certainly and fafely hid with Chrift in God, that when
Chrift who is theirLife fliall appear, they fhall alfo appear with him inGlory ? Why
they are taught therefore, or from thofe very Confiderations, to mortify their
Members which are upon Earth, Fornication, Uncleannefs, inordinate Affe6tion,
evil Concupifcence, and Covetoufnefs, which is Idolatry : And to put ofF all An-
ger, Wrath, Malice, Blafphemy, Lying, and all filthy Communications out of
their Mouths : Particularly that they put on, as becomes theEleftof God, holy
and beloved. Bowels of Mercy, Kindnefs,humblenefs of Mind, Meeknefs, Long-
fuffering and fuch like ; confcientioufly putting in Pra6lice every relative Duty.
Cat. 3d Chap, throughout.
{i2thly and lajily.) Have all true Believers an AfTurance given them, that Chrifl
their glorious King fhall reign until he fhall have put all his and their Enemies,
yea,even that laft and dreadful Eemny Death under their Feet ? And that there is
certainly aDay coming when they fhall alltriumphantly fing together that vidtorious
Song, O Death, where is thy Sting ! O Grave, where is thy Viftory I The
Sting of Death is Sin, and the Strength of Sin is the Law : But Thanks be unto
God, who hath given unto us the Victory through Jefus Chrift our Lord ? Why
it follows, as a natural Dedudlion herefrom, ** Therefore my beloved Brethren,
be ye ftedfaft, unmoveable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, foraf-
much as ye know that your Labour fhall not be in vain in the Lord," i Cor.
15. 20. to the End.
Now anfwerable to this juft Account of Things, we find that the Saints both
under the Old and New-Teftament Difpenfation, did infer and pradlice.
For Inftance ; Whoever fpake with greater AfTurance of their Redeemer's
living and ftanding at the latter Day upon the Earth, and of feeing and enjoying
his everlafting Peace and Salvation with him, than 'Job? Yet not a holier Man
upon Earth than him, perfed and upright, fearing God and efchewing Evil, 'Job
I.I. Chap. 19. 25, 26,27. -^"^ ^^ when the Pfalmijl upon the Mount of AfTu-
rance could fay, ** God is the Strength of my Heart, and my Portion for ever ;"
with what a ftrong Degree of holy Love towards God was this attended, he fay-
ing, " Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon Earth that I
defire befide thee ?" Pfal. 73. 24, 25. Again, whoever attained unto a greater
Degree of AfTurance of everlafting Salvation than the Apoftle Paul ; or what
Man that ever breathed was a greater AfTerter of the Dodlrine of divine Predefti-
nation than he ? And that too fo plainly, that fome of the greatefl Enemies to
that
Of perseverance: 3%-
that Doflriilc have confefTed it ; and yet at the feme Time, whoever took more
Pains tnan this Apoftle both in teaching and pra<Sliring the ftri6teft Degrees of
true Piety, mortifying and keeping under his Body ? Inftances of this Kind
were almoft endlefs.
Is it not then moft admirable, that fuch as profefs to pay a greater Regard un-
to right Reafoning than many of their Neighbours, (hould fo miferably forget
themfelves and their Logick together, as to argue from Men*s infallible Security
in the divine Favour to a rarwa/ Security and a wretched Indolence in the Service
of their good God ; and which is more to a licentious flying in the Face of their
greateft and beft Benefadlor ; that becaufe Grace abounds unto them for their
Comfort and Safety, therefore they may allowedly abound in Sin, unto their good
Keeper's great Diflionour ? But furely they cannot be Saints indeed, but rather
Monfters in Nature that would thus conclude and do.
Such reproachful Obje(£lions do proceed from a grofs Miftake of the right Mo-
tives of true Chriftian Obedience, as if true Believers were m.oved only by TiJJavijh
Fear; whereas the great Principle of holy Living with them is La-y^ and Grati-
tude^ their Faith purifies their Heart, and enables them to work from Love, and
when Fear has its Place, it is a Child-like Fear mix'd with evangelic Love ; and
even when God fmites their Comforts dead, and hides his Face from them,break-
ing them with Breach upon Breach, as he did holy Job, they will ftill love him,
adhere to him, and truft in him, faying, " Altho' he flay me, yet will I truft in
him." And what fays holy David, *' I am become like a Bottle in the Smoke,,
yet do I not forget thy Statutes," Pfal 1 19. 83. Hence then, the clearer Evi-^
dence they have of their infallible Ejiablijhmcnt in Goth's Favour, their Love and
Gratitude is the more heightned and ftrengthned ; the Joy of the Lord, refulting:
from a full Aflurance of Faith and Hope, is Strength unto the Upright in his Up--
rightncfs ; the everlafting difcriminating Love of God filed abroad upon hisBeart„
even conftrains him no longer to live unto himfelf, but unto him who died for
him, and rofe again ; the very Language of bi» Heart is. What (hall I render un-
to the Lord for all his Benefits beftowed on and fecured unto me an unworthy
Sinner I My Lips (hall greatly rejoice when I fing unto thee, and my Soul which
thou haft redeemed : I will fing unto the Lord as long as I live ; I will fing Praife
unto my God while I have any Being ; my Meditation of him fliall be fweet,.
and I will be glad in the Lord : O what would I do ? What would I not do or
fufFer for his Sake ? We may therefore truly fay, that it is impoffible for a true-
Believer,^ in the full Views of his Intereft in the Favour of God, to run into any
grofs and wilful Sins j the Cords of Love and th« Bands of a Man do bind him fo
faft unto God and his Duty. It is when his Evidences for Heaven are beclouded^
and he oflF his Watch, that he is the moft likely to fall into Sin and Folly. So far
is the Dodlrine of the Saints final Perfeverance from cherifhing in true Believera
finful Courfes. The incomparable, unutterable Sweetnefs they find in the Difcove-
ries of God's /r^^, unchangeable Love unto their Souls, makes them fearful of db-
ing any Thing to provoke him to withdraw his moft delightful Manifeftations^
even tho' they are aflured that God will never utterly forfake them, but fave them
with an everlafting Salvation. Hence the Spoufe of Chrift chargeih the Daugh-
B b b 2 ters.
370 Of P ERS EV ER ANCE,
ters oVJerufalem by the Roes and Hinds of the Field, that they ftir not up nor
awake her Love until he pleafe, Song. 3. 5. Indeed a formal Hypocrite^ who de-
luded himfelf W\i\\ groundUfs Fancies of his good State, may be likely to abufe this
Dodrine as they do others ; fancying they tnay^ and therefore do give themfelves
Liberty to fin, becaufe they think perhaps that they fha'nt fall ftiort of Heaven.
But I fay, a true Bfliever cannot, will not continue in Sin, becaufe Grace abounds
unto him. Truly the Makers of the abovefaid Objection fecm to be acquainted
only with a Spirit of Bondage and /lavijh Fear, always in Doubt and Sujpence about
their fpiritual Eftate, «fz;^r/i<r^ ; intire Strangers to the Spirit of Adoption, the
fealing Evidences of the holy Spirit of Promifeas an Earneft of the glorious Inhe-
ritance ; and of their being fealed thereby unto the Day of Redemption ; and of
the conftraining Love of Chrift fhed abroad upon the Heart by the Holy Ghoft
given unto true Believers. This I fay, plainly appears to be their Cafe, for other-
wife they would never infill upon fuch a reproachful Objedion, fo contrary to the
Di<States both of Grace and Reafon.
From God's holy Word we have plainly feen, that the Dodixmes oi peculiar and
confirming Grace are propounded, and have been accordingly improved by the pri-
mitive Saints as powerful Motives unto true Piety : Therefore thofe Dodtrines
cannot, in their own Nature, produce Motives unto Licentioufnefs, Neglefl of
Means, and Duty unto any. And I hope this may be admitted to pafs for found
Reafoning, viz. That //'^^ which in its oivn Nature is promotive oi Holinefs^ can-
not poiTibly be in in its own Nature promotive oi Wickednefs.
Hence then, let our Objedors either retradl their /rrtf/ZoWConciufions from
pur Dodtrine, or elfe never more pretend to make the Holy Bible the Rule of their
Faith ; or the Rules of right Reafon their Guide in Argument. A ftrange Paradox
indeed ! that a Saint, one fandlified by the Spirit of Grace and Holinefs, fhouid
be fuppofed to , a6t fo diametrically oppofite to the natural and genuine Properties
of that Grace and Holinefs which the holy Spirit has planted in their Souls. In-
deed for Men to talk of the Devil's Swine wallowing in the Mire of Sin, is to talk
agreable to their filthy unfandtified Natures : But to fay fo of Chrift's fandlified
Lambs and Sheep, is not to talk like Men of good Senfe and Confideration, fuch
as our Objedtors would be thought to be.
Moreover, to fuppofe not only that Chrift's Sheep fhouid delightfully wallow in
the Mire, but alfo to fuppofe them to improve the peculiar immortal Love of
Chrift, their great and good Shepherd, as an Argument wherefore they fhouid do
fo, is to make them look more like Devils incarnate, than like rational Creatures,
Saints ^wA Chrijiians. But tfw^Ty with fuch Objedlions, crude zndindigejied Con-
clufions, which deferve for ever to be hifs'd off^ the Stage without Quarter.
How inconfiftent foever our Objedlors do judge us to adt in exhorting true Be-
lievers to a Perfeverance in Holinefs, whilft we afiiire them that all fuch fhall
finally perfcvere ; 'tis evident that we herein adl in Conformity to no lefs a Pre-
cedent than that which the great St. Paul hzs fet us, particularly Rom. 6. i, 2,
II, 12, 13, 14, 15. *' What fhall we fay then ? Shall we continue in Sin that
Grace may abound ? God forbid. How fhall we who are dead to Sin, live any
longer therein ? ™ Likewife reckon ye alfo your felves to be dead indeed unto
Sin,
Of PERSEVERANCE. 371
Sin, but alive unto God through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Let rot Sin therefore
reign in your mortal Bodies, that yefiiould obey it in tlie Lufis thereof: Neitfier
yield ye your Members as Inftruments of Unrighteoufnefs unto Sin ; But }'ieid
your felves unto God, as thofc that are alive from the Dead ; and your
Members as Inftruments of Righteoufnefs unto God. f'oR Sin /hall t:ot
have Dominion over you : for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace.
What then ? Shall we fin becaufe we are not under tkc Law, but under Grace i"
God forbid." Thus the great Apoftle propoundeth the Confidcration of th.e true
Believers infallible Security from xhc dotniucerin^^znd thereupon the damning Power
of Sin, as a powerful Argument wherefore they (hould take up Arms againft it ;
Ay, and as a Matter of Encouragement alfo to them thus to do. Thus God
(whofe Foolifhnefs is wifer than Men) doth arm Believers for the Field, as i.e
once did JcJJma for the E;ittle, JoPi. r. 5, 6. " There fhall not any Man be able
to ftand before thee all the Days of thy Life. — I will not leave thee, nor forfakc
thee." Whence he is exhorted to be flrong and of good Courage. It is the good
Fight of Faith, even the Faith that overcomes, which Believers are called upon to
fight, even Faith in the Promifes of the new Covenant, which are all of an abfo-
lute and infur'ing Nature, Tea and Amen in Chrift Jefus, to the Glory of God bv
them. Thus the Worthies of old waxed valiant in Fight. Wherefore did the
believing Hebrews endure a great Fight of AfHifitions, taking joyfully the fpoiling
of their Goods ; but becaufe they knew in thentfelves^ that in Heaven they had a
better and ?tjore enduring Subftance ? It is an Argument that runs thro' the whole
Epiftle of St. John^ That Believers, who have received the Un6tion of the holy
One, fhould ftand faft in their holy Profeftion, becaufe they knoiu that in Chrift ,
they have eternal Life.
Thus Scripture, together with Reafon and Experience, do declare in Behalf of,
our Do(5trine, as far better calculated to promote Courage and Conftancy in the
Chriftian Warfare than our Opponents Scheme, which at beji, doth leave the beji
of Men to fight at the utmo/i Uncertainties, with Doubtfulnefs of Succefs, which
huh a proper Tendency to ^w^if^^/^ both theit Hearts znd Hands. For I appeal
even unto Experience and Fa<^, whether Aflurance of Succefs doth not properly
tend abundantly to elevate the Spirit and Courage of a Man in great Undertak-
ings ? whilft he that is wavering and doubtful how heftiall fpeed, and whofe Heart
thence meditates Terror, hath his Heart and Hands enfeebled thereby.
If we believe the divine Oracles, we muft confefs, that that which really and
properly tends to make a Believer ftedfaft and unmoveable, always abounding in
the Work of his Lord, is not zfavi/h Fear of mifcarrying, or being at laft over-
come, but Faith in God's Promifes that he fhall be more than Conqueror through
him that loveth him with an everlafting Love, even Chrift the Captain of his Sal-
vation ; and that his Labour fhall not be in vain in the Lord, i Cor. 15. 58.
Thus do they imitate their divine Mafter, who fet his Face like a Flint againft
all Oppofition, becaufe he knew that he fhould not be afhamed nor confounded,
7ja. 50. 7. Thus the Lord encouraged Jojhua, and Jojhua the People ljrael,.to
go and fight with their Enemies, from an Afturance of Vi£lory over them -, and
they
372 Of PERSEVERANCE,
they went forth accordingly armed for the Battle, in good Order, ufing all need-
ful Precautions and Policies of War.
Obje^ion. *' But if the Cafe be thus, where is the Ufe of Fear in Believers,
*' and of ihofe manifold Exhortations, Cautions and Admonitions that are given
*< them to take Heed of Falling, yea, to fear, left a Promife being left them of
*' entring into Reft, any of them fhould feem to come fhort of it j for I cannot
" fee what Need of Caution there can be where there is an abfolute Impoffibility
«« of efFedive Evil."
To this I anfwer, (i.) That whatfoever Interpretation be put upon all or any
of thofe Admonitions, it muft be fuch an one as fhall not contradi6t, but fweetly
harmonize with thofe plain Scriptures which I have produced in Proof of the
Sa'nts adlual final Perfeverance, fince there are no real Con trad idlions in holy
Scripture.
(2.) Let it be noted, that there is a proper and infeperable Conne£tion between
Udeam and End^ and fo a perfect Agreement between the infallible Certainty of
the Saints final Perfeverance, confidered as it is a Priviledge^ and ("uch Exhortati-
ons and Admonitions which prefs them to Perfeverance, confidered as it is a Duty.
God hath determined that their final Perfeverance fhall be certain, and withal
that it fhall be efFedted in fuch a Manner as fhall perfedlly agree with their rati-
onal Natures, their Activity in the Exercife of Grace and Duty. Hence ilitfaid,
that they are kept by the Power of God unto Salvation, ready to be revealed in
the laft Time, and that nothing fhall be able to feperate them from the Love of
God, which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord : Why it is alfo faid, that they are thus
kept, through Faiths which is Heart-purifying and operative, working by Love ;
and which, in a Word, leads the Van, drawing after it into Exercife, every other
Grace, as in Heh. 1 1. may be fecn by a Cloud of WitnefTes : So that it is very
confiftently faid unto true Believers, the PofTcfrors of this Faith, by Way of Pre-
monition and Exhortation, ♦' Hold faft the Profeflion of your Faith without wa-
vering, for he is faithful that promifed,*' Heb. 10. 23. And \njude, Ver. 21.
*' Keep your felvcs in the Love of God." i Job. 5. 18. *' He that is born of
God keepeth himfelf," and fuch like. Thus God keeps his Children through
Faith unto Salvation, giving them Faith to perfevere, and thus they keep them-
fdves in the Exercife of that Gift of his Grace, with a diligent Ufe of thofeMeans,
both public and private, which God hath appointed for them to wait upon him
in, for the obtaining a continued and frefti Supply, particularly Prayer, and bear-
ing of the Word : For Faith comes by hearing, and Hearing by the Word of the
Gofpel, wherein the Righteoufnefs of God is revealed from Faith to Faith, /. t.
from one Degree thereof unto another, until Faith be fwallowed in Vifion, and
Hope in the,f ull Fruition of God in Glory e verlafting. See Rsm. 1.16,17. Chap.
10. 17. Heb. 10. 24, 25.
Moreover, as this Word of God doth confift of diverfe Branches, fuch as Pro-
mifes, Threatnings, Cautions, Expoftulations, Exhortations, and fuch like ; and
as thefe arc feverally fuited to the Paflions and Affedlions of the reafonable Soul,
Love, Joy, Fear, Hope, and the like ; fo the proper Ufe of thofe Ejthortations
to the Duty of Perfeverance, andPremonitions of Danger, doth evidently appear.
And
Of P ERS EVERANCE. 373
And as they are backed with Arguments taken from fuch rational Topicks as
Good and Evil, Profit and Lois, from the free, immutable, rich Love of God,
anfwerable to the aforefaid reafonable Powers of the Soul ; which moves and a£ts
hereupon under the Influence of divine Grace, according to Pfal. no. 3. Phil.
2. 12, 13. fo 'tis manifeft that our Do^rine is rational as well as faiptural y (o
alfo are our Arguments with Believers ; and their Obedience in perfevering is
rational and/r^^, and confequently the I'ertuoufnejs of their Obedience is not de-
ftroyed but confirmed by this our Doctrine ; contrary to what our Opponents ^o
fuggeft : For, fays one of them, * after he had alTcrted his abfurd Notions of the
Saints final Apoftacy, *' Surely they who afTert the contrary Do£lrine do deftroy
*' not only the Nature of all vertuous Obedience, defeat and evacuate the great
*' and plain Defigns of all Scripture Perfwafives and Exhortations to Perfeverance
*' (which would be as impertinent upon their Suppofition, as to exhort him to
*' continue in a State of Life who is immortal) but they alfo pervert the true Or-
*« der of Things, by afTuming to themfelves, in this State of Probation, the Lot
** and Portion erf the confirmed and glorified Saints in Heaven." But vv'hether
this Author halKiot wretchedly perverted the true Scripture Account of thefe Mat-
ters, let the impartial Reader now judge.
And alfo fee a further Inftance of his Impertinency, when he fuppofeth the true
Believer upon the Footing of final Perfeverance, *' to give himfelf up to/Ieep'm
" the Ffjpl^ which he fliould govern^ upon a groundlefs Prefumption that an Angel
*' Will be his Pilot ; and that he fhall be infallibly fteered to the right Point by
** the Arm of Omnipotence.''^ Thus this Author, not fleering his Courfe by the
Compafs of God's Word, runs upon the Rock «f Abfurdities, to the entire Lofs
of his fleepy Notions, whilfl our Dodlrine remains unmoved, like unto a Rock
in the midft of the raging tumultuous Waves.
But if what this Author juft before faid will not do our Bufinefs for us, he hath
fomething elfe to ofFer that will, and then to be fure we are gone. But perhaps
not. In Page 1 7. he tells us, That if God make Ufe of Scripture Exhortations,
i£c. withal afliiring theSaints of Perfeverance toSalvation,it is a ridiculous Thing.
«« It is (fays he) much as if a Father fliould ferioufly admonifh and befeech his
<« Son to take Care and behave himfelf fo that the Inheritance that is unchangeably
" defjgned for him, may not be given away unto another."
To this lanfwer. That if the Cafe in Hand was jufl thus, this Objedtion might
be of fome Weight. But behold the Difference ! The earthly Father hath not
afTured his Son that he fhall never be guilty of fuch Undutifulnefs as to forfeit the
Inheritance that is unchangeably defigned or purpofed for him ; and that his Du-
tifulnefs is fecured together with his Eflate j which is the Cafe between our hea-
venly Father and his Children ; fo that when ever they go aftray, he will reduce
them again to their Obedience, give them Repentance and Pardon : He will bring
them back by weeping Crofs, 'as he did Feter and David., who faid, " He re-
ftoreth my Soul, and leadeth me in the Way of Rightcoufnefs for his Name's
John Smith, in his Difcourfe on Chrijiian Perfevsrancf,
Sake,'*
1174 Of PERSEVERANCE.
Sake," Pfal a?. 6. and as he did Solomon^ witnefs his Book of Ecdefajlei :
5ce alfo Pfal. 8g. 26,b'f. where the Father faith concerning the Son, confidercd
3s the covenanting Head of all his Ele<5l, his fpiritual Progeny, "He fliall cry
unto me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my Salvation : Alfo I
will make him myFirll-born higher than theKings of theEartb. My Mercy I will
keep for him" for evermore, and my Covenant fhall ftand faft with him. His Seed
alio will I make to endure for ever, and his Throne as the Days of Heaven. If
his Children forfake my Law, and walk not in my Judgments ; if they break my
statutes, and keep not my Commandments, then will I vifit their Tranfgreffions
with the Rod, and their Iniquity with Stripes ; neverthelefs my Loving-kindnefs
will I not utterly take from him, nor fufFer my Faithfulnefs to fail : My Covenant
will I not break, nor alter the Thing that is gone out of my Lips. Once have I
fworn by my Holinefs, that I will not lie unto David, (/. e. Chrift the true fpiri-
tual David) his Seed (hall endure forever, and his Throne as the Sun before me.
It fhall be eftablifhed for ever as the Moon, and as a faithful Witnefs in Heaven."
See alfo Jer. 32. 40. " And 1 will make with him an everlafting Covenant, that
I will not turn away from them to do them good : But I will put my Fear in their
Hearts, that they fhall not depart from me."
If to this it fhould be objedted, as it is. That this Text has a peculiar Reference
unto the Calling and Converfion of the Jezus in the latter Days, and therefore
impertinent to our Purpofe.
I anfvirer, (i.) That allowing this Text to have an immediate Reference unto
thofe People, yet it doth not refer unto them " c;?/^," becaufe the Holy Ghcll
doth apply the fame in the Nev/-Teftament unto all Believers, whether Jewi or
Gentiles, the true fpiritual Seed oi Abraham, Heb. 8. 8,^^. Chap. 10. 15,16,17.
and therefore it is pertinent to our Purpofe. Befides, fhould we allow the /'^f«/;'^r
Reference pleaded for, even then here is an Inftance granted of fome (and who
will be a great Number) whofe Converfion and Sandlification both begun and
compleatcd, is afcertained by God's everlafting Covenant of Grace, which is ab-
folute and fi€e ; which makes ftrongly againft the Objector. His Reafoning pro-
ceeds upon a Suppofition that the glorious Inheritance is defigned by the heavenly
Feather for his Children ; yet fo as may he forfeited, becaufe as for the Faith and
Obedience that leads thither, he hath no more feen to the fecuring of that than
the earthly Father could do for the fecuring the Dutifulnefs of his Son j which
v/e fee from Scripture is a wrong Conclufion.
I proceed to add. Was not the Life of Paul, and all the Ship*s Company with
him, afcertained by a pofitive Declaration from Heaven, and yet dare any charge
this infpired Apoftle with ufing needlefs, impertinent Cautions and Admonitions,
when upon feeing fome Men going out of the Ship, he faid unto the Centurion
and unto the Soldiers, " Except thefe abide in the Ship, ye cannot be faved ?"
A^s 27. 30, 31.
Again, Was not righteous Lot's Efcape from the deftroying Flames of Sodom
fo infallibly fecured, that the Angel, God's Executioner, plainly told him that he
Could do nothing until he was gotten out of it unto the City Zoar f And yet dare
any Man have the Face and Confidence to charge God's holy Angel with being
guilty
o>
^''t E K S E V E K A N C E.
guilty of a needlefs Impertinency in giving to Lot thofe warm and repeated Cau-
tions and Admonitions of Danger, faying, " Arife, take thy Wife and two
Daughters which are here, left thou be confumed in the Iniquity of the City ?
And while he lingred, the Men laid hold upon his Hand, and upon the Hand of
his Wife, and upon the Hand of bis two Daughters ; the Lord being merciful
unto him : and they brought him forth and fet him without the City. And it
came to pafs, when they had brought him forth abroad, that he faid, Efcape for
thy Life ; look not behind thee, neither ftay thou in all the Plain : Efcape to the
Mountain, left thou be confumed," Gen. ig. 15, 16, 17.
Again, Will any venture to fay, that God's threatening Adamzs he did, was
inconfiftent with his abfolute Defign of fending him a Saviour? Or ofFer to
affirm, that becaufe the building and finifhing of SoIomon^s Temple was fo infalli-
bly defigned as it was, that therefore thefe manifold Diredlions and Cautions gi\'en
there-about were needlefs ? No furely. Why then fhould any affirm, that if the
Saints final Perfeverance be infallibly certain, then fo many Cautions and Admo-
nitions of Danger are impertinent and necdiejs Things ; feeing, according to the
Conftitution of Things formed by the all- wife God, there is a proper and infepe-
rable ConneiSlion between Means and End. He hath defigned the Salvation of
his Chofen from the Flames of Hell, as certainly as he did Lot's Efcape from the
Flames of Sodom : And as a Means to efFe£l: that End, doth fend^his Alinifters,
the Angels of his Churches, as he did his Angel unto Lot^ lingring Lot^ (tliC Lord
being merciful unto them^ as he was unto hijn) with warm Cautions and Premoni-
tions of Danger, which work upon their /v^r and other rational Faculties ; fj
that by thefe A'leans the End is effefled, as it was in Lot's Cafe.
Hence then, is it fo as 'tis obje6led, that the Scripture doth abound with.
Cautions and Admonitions to the Saints to take Heed of this, of that, and the other
Danger ? We may very fitly improve this as a powerful Argument of God's
great, unchangeable Love unto them, whereby he refolves to fave them in the
lat:er End : So little Reafon is there to interpret thofe manifold Cautions and
Premonitions to the Saints in Favour to fuch a Scheme of Do6lrine a* renders
their final Perfeverance moft precarious and uncertain, and God's eledling, re-
deeming Love towards them as changeable as the Moon, as unftable as Water,
and as fickle as is the frail Will of a poor finful, mortal and mutable Creature.
Befides, tho' a true Believer be fecured from breaking of his Nec^, yet his'Liable-
nefs to fall, thro' Carelefnefs, to God's Difhonour and the breaking of his BoneSy
lays a good Ground for his being cautioned that he take Heed left he fall, and be-
ware left being led away by the Error of the Wicked, he fall from his own Sted-
faftnefs. t Cor. 10. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 17. Thus by Faith Noahhcing warned of
God, of Things not feen as yet, moved with Fear, prepared an Ark to the faving
ofhisHoufe. The Warning of approaching Danger was given unto him; he
believed the Warning, which excited his Fear and readily produced his Obedi-
ence, which ilTued in his Safety ; and all this confiftent with God's infallible Pur-
pofe of faving of him and his Houfefrom the approaching Deluge : The End was-
fecured, the Means were appointed in order to efFcfl the fame ; and thefe Means
were accordingly ufed and blefled to the cfFeding of it. Hence St. PW, who
C c c abundantly
3?6 Of PERSEVERANCE.
abundantly declared his full AiTurance of coming to Heaven at laft, did very con-
fidently refolve to keep his Body under, /e/i while he preached unto others, he
himfelf fhould become a Cajl-avjay. With Lot he received the Premonition to
ufc all fuitable Means of Safety, left he fhould be confumed in the Iniquity of the
City. " We know, faith St. Paul, that if our earthly Houfe of this Tabernacle
were diflblved, -we have a Building ofGod, an Houfe not made with Hands, eter-
nal in the Heavens. — Now he which hath wrought us for the felf-fame Thing is
God, who alfo hath given unto us his holy Spirit ; therefore we are always confi-
dent, knowing that whilfl we are at Home in the Body, we are abfent from the
Lord } (for we walk by Faith, not by Sight) we are confident, 1 fay, and willing
rather to be abfent from the Body, and to be prefent with the Lord. (Now mark
what follows this Ailurance) Wherefore we labour, that whether prefent or ab-
fent, we may be accepted of him," 2 Cor, 5. 1,5, to 10. To this I could
eafiiy mention feveral other triumphing Expreffions of this holy Apoftle's full AfTu-
rance of his coming to Heaven at laft i and diverfe other Inftances of his Careful-
nefs and Diligence in the Ufe of the Means of Grace and Salvation, ^y which
is plainly difcovered the Folly and Weaknefs of our Opponents in explaining thofe
Exprellions of his Care " in keeping under his Body, left hejhould be a Caji-awoy,"
unto fuch a Senfe as reprefents him (notwithftanding all his Expreilions of Ailu-
rance of being faved) as being, in his own Apprehenfion, in manifeft Danger of
being damned, which is to reprefent him to think & talk as abfurdly as they argue.
To this I will add. That according to the Obfervations of the Learned, the
Greek Word adckimos, which in i Cor. 9. 27. is rendred a Cajl-away, does not
defign a Reprobate, as that is oppofed to an ele£i Perfon, bit fignifies one difap'
proved.* So that the great Apoftle was very careful fo to watch over and behave
himfelf (as all Chrift's Minifters fliould do, how fure foever their Salvation be)
that his Miniftry fliould not be juftly blamed, and be difapproved of by theChurches
of the Saints, and fo his Miniftry become unprofitable. And furely it may be
reafonably allowed, that a godly Miniftcr, one that has deeply tafted of God's
eledling, unchangeable Love, as St. Paul^'id, will take Heed unto himfelf, and to
his Dodlrine, from a higher and nobler Principle than a Jlavifh Fear of eternal
Damnation, even the Honour and Glory of his great and good Lord, his Love
conftraining him hereunto.
I go on to obferve, that when our Lord foretold his beloved Difciples, that
fuch Deceivers fhould come who fhould feduce, if it were pojjible, even the very
Ele£i ; he immediately adds, therefore take Heed, and accordingly prayed for
*\Note, This Word in 1 Cor. 9. 27. doth not fignify a Reprobate, as the Word
is oppofed to the Ele£l ; for Paul was ele£i, and knew himfelf fo to be, and
therefore could not become a Reprobate, but reproved, reproveable, or unap-
proved. So the Word is taken 2 Cor. 13. 7. Heb. 6. 8. for it is oppofed to
the Word Dokimos, which fignifieth Approved, and therefore not fo much to be
referred to the Perfon of Paul, as to his Minijlry, left his Miniftry (hould be
rejUied, and himfelf be worthy to be reproved, heigh. Crit. Sac,
their
Of P ERS EF^I^ANCE. 377
their Safety, Job. 17. See alfo our Lord's fweet farewel Sermon unto his Difci-
pies, which was followed with that fweet Prayer ; Job. 14, 15, 16, 17 Chapters,
where, by comparing one Place with another, you fhall find, that as he aflured
them of their undoubted Intereft in him, and Peace and Salvation by him, fo he
alfo pointed out unto them their feveral Dutits, which he backed with fuitable
Arguments, and particularly fuch as were fuited to work upon their Faculty of
Fear: Particularly in Chap. 15. where, under the Parable of a Vine, he fhews
their Relation to him as Branches, and that they receiving the Sap of his heavenly
Grace,, fhould under the Cultivations of his heavenly Father and Hufbandman,
bring forth more and more of the fVuits of Righteoufnefs. Ver. 4. '< Abide in
me, and I in you j as the Branch cannot bear Fruit of it felf, except it abide in
the Vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me."— Ver. 6. " If a Man abide
not in me, he is caft forth as a Branch, and is withered, and Men gather them and
caft them into the Fire, and they are burned." So that, as St. Paul^ confiftent
with the Aflurance he had given the Centurion from God, that not one that failed
with him in that dangerous Voyage fiiould perifh, cried our. Except thefe abide
in the Ship, ye cannot be faved ; our Lord did, confiftent with the Aflurances of
Peace and Salvation which he gave his Difciples, fay, ** Ye cannot bear Fruit cf
your felvcs except ye abide in me," l^c. Thefe were the very Perfons fpoken of
Jo/j. 13. I. as interefted in God's everlafting Love, ** Having loved his own
which were in the World, he loved them unto the End ;" and therefore were not
liable to be eternally caft off" by him, as Veflels of Wrath : Contrary to what the
Arminians do argue from this Parable. As the Fruits of this Love, our Lord
gave thefe his beloved Difciples an undoubted AfTurance, that howfoever he was
going from them as to his vifible perfonal Prefence into Heaven, he would come
again and receive them unto himfelf, that where he is there they fhoUld be alfo j
that he went thither as their Forerunner, to prepare a Place for them in his Fa-
ther's Houfe, where are many Manfions, Job. 14. i, 2, 3. In which Chapter
he goes on, telling them for their Comfort, that he would iend his holy Spirit un-
to them as a Comforter, which fhould abide with them for ever ; and that their
fpiritual Life was fecured in his, who was their Life, faying, Becaufe I live, ye
{hall live alfo. The fame is true of all true Believers, as Branches in this Vine.
CoU 3. 4. " When Chrift who is our Life fliall appear, ye alfo Ihall appear with
him in Glory." ** My Sheep, faith he, hear my Voice, and I know them, and
they follow me, and I give unto them eternal Life, and they fliall never perilli."
To this End did he lay down his Life, as he faith. Job. 10. 15, 27, 28. <' I lay
down my Life for the Sheep." And for this he doth interceed for them all, Job.
17. 20, 24. " Neither pray I for thefe alone, but for them alfo which fiiali be-
lieve on me through theirWord. Father, I will, that thofe whom thou haft given
me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my Glory, which thou haft
given me ; for thou lovedft me before the Foundation of the World." Thus tiTc
Father loved the Vine, and thus he loved the Branches : For, faith Chrift, Ver.
^3. " Thou haft loved them as thou haft loved me." The Father and the Son
ioves them with an everlafting Love.
C c c 2 Wherefore*
378 Of PERSEVERANCE,
Wherefore, after all this Account of Things, for any Jo conclude, that all or
any of thefe Objedts of divine Love are liable to be caft ofFand everlaftingly pe-
rifh, as Subjeds of divine Wrath, is nothing lefs than to give the Lie to thefe true
Sayings of God, to blemifh his divine Perfections, and in a moft fhocking Man-
ner to make fad the Hearts of thofe whom thefe fweetDeclarations of his were de-
figned to cheer and comfort. As to thofe Branches who are in Chrift only by an
external Profefl'ion, they are, I confefs, liable to be plucked ofFand burned, as our
Lordflievvs, Mai. 15. 13. " Every Plant which my heavenly Father hath not
planted (liall be rooted up." But asfor thofe that are of his right Hand's planting
in Chrift by a vital Union, thefe fhall not be plucked up ; nothing fhall pluck
them out of Chrift's Hand, who is the true Vine, nor out of his Father's Hand,
who is the Hufoandman, Job. 10.27,28,29. What End was more unaltera-
bly fixed than the Sufferings and Death of Chrift, fo that it was impofTible that he
fliould efcape drinking that bitter Cup, and yet he prayed thrice, faying, Father,
if it be poflible iet this Cup pafs from me ; yet who dare hence to fay, either that
this Prayer was impertinent, or that it implied an atSlual PofTibility of its pafling
from him ? So when the Saints, whofe final Perfeverance is infured of God, are
exhorted to take Fleed left they fall, either into Sin, or into the Snares of Satan
and the World, or from their own Stedfaftnefs, and Fuch like ; how little Reafon
is there for Men thence to infer, either that it is poflible (I mean poflible in Re-
gard of God's Immutability) that they (hould fall finally and perifh eternally j or
elfe accijfe the Preacher o^ Jmpertinency in bidding them to beware left they fall ?
' In a Word, the due ConFideration of the proper Connexion between Means
and End, puts to Silence all Cavils on this Head.
I conclude then from what hath been fai'd, that according to God's Conftitu-
tion of Things in the Matters of his People's Salvation, the Certainty of
the End is fo far-from difannuUing., as that it doth ejiahlijh the Ufe of Means,
pointing out unto us, and requiring of us our Duty in the circumfpetSt and dili-
gent Ufe of the fame.
I fhould therefore count it needlefs to add any Thing more on this Head, but
that I am willing to let my Opponents fee that their Objedtion is pertinently an-
fwered by an Author, for whofe Works they have, to my Knowledge, exprefFed
a very high Valuation, vi%. A Treatife concerning God's Foreknowledge and
Man's free Agency ; thinking, perhaps, that his Words will have more Weight
with them than mine. In Page 80. he brings in one objecting thus, ** If God's
" Foreknowledge doth afcertain the End, to what Purpofe is the Ufe of Means ?
^* An Event can be no more than certain ; and if God forefees that I fhall die
*••* within a Year, all the Medicines in the World will not make me live a Day
*< longer : But if he fees I fliall live twenty Years, I fhall not only need no Phy-
'' Fick, but I may for DiverFion leap once a Day into a River, or into theOcean,
" without any Fear of drowning: I. can neither fall fhort of nor go beyond that
" fatal Period which is fixed in the divine Prefcience." To this thefaid Author
anfwers, " This Obje6fion ^f.iyshe) feems to make fome little Noife, and yet at
'* moft is but a plaufible Kind of Fallacy employed only by vulgar and unthinking
«« Headsj but unworthy a Man of good ConFideration. This Sort of Reafoning
refembles
Of PERSEVERANCE. 0,19
«' refembles io much that of the Devil to our Saviour, that it may well feem to
" challenge the fame Author. If God forefees thou wilt live many Years, thou
*'• mayeft leap into the Sea, or throw thy felf down from a Precipice, fays the
*' Ohje^ory for thou muft certainly live out thy appointed Time. If thou be the
" Son of God, caft thy felf down from this Pinacle of the Temple, y^jj iheDevil^
" for it is written, he (hall give his Angels Charge concerning thee. Now as the
" Ground of that Security againft Dangers and fundry Evils mentioned in Pfal.
'< 91.8. is omitted in the Devil's Qiiotation, fo the Ground of God's P'orcfight
*' and the Caufe of the Event is omitted in the Objc6lion, namely, a prudent
" Care to preferve Life : And as the Son of God was never like to fall down and
" worfliip the Devil, fo any fober Man that lives to a full Age, is not like to at-
" ternpt defperate Wa3's to deftroy himfelf. The Anfwer too given by our Sa-
*' viour, is proper in this Cafe, Thou fhalt not tempt the Lord thy God ; for if
" he fees the End, he fees the Means conducing thereunto. -— Thuj we fee that
" the Devil's Argument, and that of the Objedor's do run exadtly parallel."
Thus the faid Author.
Now as the Objedion ftated by him, and that of our Opponents, is of the frime
Tenor ; fo.it is but fubftituting the Term Fore- ordination in the Room of Fore-
knoivledge^ ufed by him as afcertaining the End, and his Anfwer will exactly fuit
our Objectors, who do cavil both at the Dodlrine of the Saints final Perfeverance
and of the Periods of Aden's Lives being abfolutely fixed by the divine Prefcicncc
and Predeftination : Their Reafoning, according to this Author, is devilijh^ by
feeking to put.afunder what God hath joined together, and fmce my Opponents
do fo much infid upon it, that we by the Dodrine of divine Predeftination dd^
deftroy Men's free Agency, I will further refer them to what this fame Author' '
fays, Pag. 6i. where, after he had endeavoured to reconcile Man's free Agency
with God's Foreknowledge^ he further adds, " But here (fays he) I v/ould not be
" miftaken, as tho' I thought God to be an unaifive Beholder of all thefeTranf-
" adtions which were foretold by Prophecy : Surely he is too much a Caufe of
*' all Things to be a rude Spedlator of any one Adllon ; and certain Events I
" grant to have been as vvcW pre-determlned t^s prophefted ; of which I fhall give
<« Inftance prefently. When God purpofeth to have any Thing brought about,
" he can eafily fet Agents at work and remove Impediments ; he can turn Men's
<' Hearts like Rivers of Water, yet fo as never to put any preter-natural Force
" upon the Will to do Evil. For the Courfe of divine Providence, (tho' invifi-
«' ble unto us) I conceive to be laid, and Things dependant by God's Difpofal,
«' in fuch a Series and Concatenation, that various Caufes and Contingents fliall
*' concur to operate upon Men's Faculties in fuch Sort as to make them willing
*' to a6t their Parts (unknown oftentimes to themfelyes) in order to efFeft the Al-
*' mighty 's Purpofe. Upon which Account lam apt to believe, that even in Re-'
*' ference to thofe Events, thatare under a peremptory Decree, moft of the Adio'rs '
«' that bring them about are as much free Agents as is the Hufljandman in the,..
" Choice of a fit Stafon to plow his Ground." Thefe Expicffi.iis are the more
remarkable, becaufe coming from an Author, who from certain Paflages in his
Book, doth appear to me to have been a DifreUJher of the Do<5lrine oi ahfolute,
perfonal
380 Of PERSEVERANCE.
perfonal and eternal Eleflion. Now (heConceffions of an Adverfary, we knowj
are never made but upon the ftrongeft Convidtions.
CHAP. III.
1N0W pafs to the Confideration of other Objeftions yet behind.
Obje^ion. *' It is plain, not only from the Parable of the Vine and the
** Branches, Job. 15. but alfo from Rom. 11. that fuch as are truly in-
*' grafted into Chrift by a vital Union with him, may become withered, cut oiF
*' and cafl: into Hell-Fire : For there the Apoftle exprefly tells the Romans of fome
*' Branches that belong'd to the true Olive- Tree who were cut ofF,
*': exhorting them not to be high-minded but fear, left they alfo fhould be cut
*« ofF, which they fhould be if they continued not in their Goodnefs : Therefore
<< fuch as are Branches of the true Olive-Tree, even true Believers, may ceafe
<« to be fuch, and be cut off for their Unbelief."
To this I anfwer, (i.) That thefe Objecftors, above all other Men in the
World, fliould not complain of others for holding urunerciful^ uncomfortable and
Jhvcking Dodtrine, contrary to the divine Perfedlions, fince by thefe their Tenets,
they do reprefent the heavenly Father as changeable in his tendereft AfFe<5lions to-
wards his deareft Children, fo alfo the great Redeemer towards the ObjeiSts of his
redeeming Love, the Purchafe of his mofl precious Blood, cafting ofi^all Bowels
of Mercy and Compaflion towards them for their Sins, which before he fufFered
and died to attonc for, and to fatisfy divine Juftice, making them to fufFer the
Vengeance of eternal Fire. And which makes the Matter ftill worfe, they have
the daring Confidence to bring in the great Redeemer himfelf, and his Apoftles, as
Vouchers for thefe their abfurd and rotten Notions.
As to the firft of thefe Texts I have already anfwered : And as to the latter I re-
ply, That by the Olive-Tree here is meant the vifible Church of Chrift in the
World ; which (as cvtxy one muft confefs) is made up of Unbelievers as well as
true Believers j therefore abfolutely to conclude, that thefe here (aid to be cut off
from the true Olive-Tree were once true Believers in Chrift, is entirely wrong.
The Truth is, that the Apoftle in this Chapter undertakes to (hew, that thofe
yews, who never were better than Unbelievers ^ were for their Unbelief cut ofF
trom being Members of the vifible Church, and that the Gentiles^ who in Times
paft were without the Pale hereof, were now brought into it. Now as upon thefe
Accounts, fome of thefe Gentiles, at this Time in the Church at Rome, were ready
to infult over their Brethren the Jews, as a rejedled People ,; fo the Apoftle, in
order to quell their Infolency and teach them Humility, he fhews that it was not
v^ny natural Betternefs in them, that they {the Gentiles) were grafFed in, in the
Room of thofe Jews whom God, as unfruitful Branches, did cut ofF from the true
Olive-Tree ; and that if they proved no better, they muft exped to fare no bet-
ter than thefe UnbeIieving,Difobedient amongft the Jews did. And thefe Things
the Apoftle might fitly fpeak concerning fuch as had been, and unto fuch as novir
Tft'CTC^sxofefring Members of the vi/ibU Church, fince a great Part thereof always
confided
Of P E RS EP'ERJJfCE. 3^1
confifted of Unbelievers, who never did partake of the Root Chrift ; without any
juft Grounds for any thence to infer, that true Believers^ or ti'tfe Virgins, were in
Danger of totally lofing the Oil of true faving Grace which they had in the Vefiels
of their Hearts, together with their Lamps of Profeffion.
Moreover, from the proper Connedlion of Means and End before obferved,
thofe Cautions and Admonitions there ufed, might be of good Ufe unto the whole
Church of the Gentiles^ Believers as well as Unbelievers, as a Ufe of Terror to the
latter, and of Humiliation, Diligence and Zeal to the former, and fo become i'
Means of preventing in them fo much as a partial Apoftacy. *' Be not high-
minded, but fear." In fhort, as the Apoftle here fpeaks of the vifible Church, of
the which it could be never fald that they were all truly gracious, fo it is only a
Holinefs or Goodnefs by a ProfeJJion that can agree unto them m^^neral :
Whence no Conclufion can be fairly drawn, wherefore the real Work of Grace
and Holinefs in fuch as are true Believers fhould be totally extinguifhed, and they
cut off from being true Members of Chrift's myftical Body. No, this cannot be,
for as they are Members of his Body, of his Flefh, and of his Bone^ as well as
Members of his vifible Church j fo he will nourifh and cherifh each one of them,
he will keep them from falling, and prefent them faultlefs before the Prefence of
his Glory with exceeding ]oy ; To whom be Glory and Dominion for ever and
ever. Amen.
OhjeSiion. It is further obje<Sled to us, " That in the Parable of the King who
*' took Account of his Servants, he delivered one of them unto the Tormentors
*' until he fliould pay the lafl Farthing, who being forgiven all his Debt, refufed
«* to forgive a lejfer Sum to one of his Fellow-S«rvants, taking him by the Throat,
*' faying, Pay me that thou oweft ; and then fays our Lord unto his Difciples,
"So likew'ife fliall my heavenly Father do alfo unto you, if ye from your Hearts
*' forgive not every one his. Brother their TrefpalTes : Therefore fuch as are
" Chrill.'y true Difciples and have their Sins pardoned, may again fall under
«' -God's Difpleafure and be caft into the Prifon of Hell."
Anfwer. Howfoever this Obje£lion makes a fair Shew, to amufe the weak and
unwary, I hope to manifefl that the contrary hereof is true.
Hence let it be obferved. That in expounding Scripture, fpecial Care ought
always to be taken that the Harmony thereof and the Analogy of Faith be prefer-
ved J and particularly in expounding of Parables, we muft have a peculiar Re-
gard unto the main Scope and Defign thereof, and not ftretch them beyond their
Line, confidering that Parables don't always run upon All-fours, or anfwer in
every particular Circumftance. This 1 fay, muft be heedfully obferved, that our
Expofitions of them may not flatly contradift themoft plain and pofitive Scripture
Propofitions, as this Objedion doth. For it is exprefly faid of all pardoned, jufti-
fied Believers, who are in Chrift, That there is now no Condemnation to them ;
no Seperation of them from the Love of God, which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord,
Rom. 8. I, 32. to the End : That being juftified by Chrift's Blood, they fhall be
(aved from Wrath through him ; that being reconciled unto God by his Death,
they fliall be faved by his Life ; that according to the Tenor of the new Cove-
nant God will be merciful unto t.heir Unrighteoufnefs, and their Sins and Iniquities
he
382 Of PERSEVERANCE.
he will remember no more, Rom. 5. 6, to 12. Hcb. 8. The Reafon hereof is
very obvious and 'ftron'g, becaufe the Jufcice of God is fully fatisfied with Chrift's
cne compleat Offering on their -Behalf : By the full Payment which Chrift made
on their Behalf, Peace and Pardon were cornpleatly purchafed ; hence the Juftice
of God cannot admit that a double Payment fhould be made for one and the fame
Debt, one by the Surety^ and another by the Debtor. They who have Redemp-
tion through Chrift's Blood, as all true Believers have, have obtained z full and
cotnpkat 'Rjz^tm^iiow^ not ?i partial one ', whenee it is triumphantly faid, Who
fliall lay any Thing unto the Charge of God's Ele<5l ? It is God that juftifieth.
Who fhall condemn ? It is Chrift that died ; yea, rather that he is rofe again,
afcendcd Up into Heaven, where, at the right Hand of God, he niaketh continual
Interce-TIon for them.
Now thefe Things being fo, it remains that fome other Meafures muft be taken
Jn order to expound this Parable, than that in the Objection, fo as that the Truth
of the aforefaid Scripture Propofitionsbe not infringed on. And this is eafily done
by obferving the proper Connection of Means and End before explained, our Lord
purfuing the End by Means fitly adapted to his People's rational Nature. Here
the End our Lord had in View, was the promoting Unity, Peace and Concord
amongft his beloved Difciples, and ftrongly to teach them the LefTons of Mercy
and Companion one towards another. Accordingly he pitches upon a proper
Medium, illuftrated by a Simile fuited to av/aken their Attention and obediential
Reo-ards : He argues from Love and Compaffion, from Reafon and. Juftice, yea,
from both the tender Mercy and flaming Juftice of their almighty Father ; {hew-
ing them how reafonabic, equitable and _/;//? a Thirig it is that they fhould imitate
the glorious Example of their merciful, heavenly Father as dear Children, walking
in Love, forgiving one another, as he for Chrift's Sake had forgiven them ; and
how much they would difpleafe him if they a£Ved otherwife.; and how juftly, if
he was to deal with them according to their Deferts, for their unforgiving Tem-
per, he might ferve them as the King did his unmerciful Servant. Thus then to
preach the Terrors of the Lord, the Drcadfulnefs of his Wrath, and the eternal
Torments of Hell, is a choice Means, by a divine Bleffing, to keep Believers
from falling under the one, and into the other, as the Angels threatning of Lot
with the fcorching Flames of Sodom was a A4eans to quicken his Efcape thereof,
anfwerable unto God's merciful Defign antecedent thereunto,by which his Efcape
was infallibly fecured, as I have before at large fhewn.
Objeflion. " It is faid, Ifa. 59. 2. " But your Sins have feperated between
«« you and your God." Therefore Sin may feperate between God and his Peo-
*« pie, even true Believers, even as if a Surgeon fhould cut off" my Finger from
•" my Hand, which then furely is totally feperated."
Jnfwcr. This Obje^ion, like unto many others, is built upon the fandy Foun-
dation of a falfe Suppofition of the Condition of the People fpoken of, and a
wrong Interpretation of the Term Seperated in the Text, and confequently their
Simile is quite impertinent.
I. 'Tis quite plain, that the Perfons here fpoken unto, and complained of,
were not true Believers, but the Formal and DiJ/olute amongft the 7^w/, who
had
OfPERSEFEKJNCE. 383
had highly provoked the Lord. For which, fee Chap.ift, and Chap. 58th of this
Prophecy.
2. The Separation here fpoken of, doth not fignify a ioial cutting off from
God, h'ke as a Man's Finger is cut ©fF, never to be joined together again, but a
Sufpenfion of his providential Favours ; he having for their Sins fent them into
Captivity, and refufed to hear and deliver them thence, which yet afterwards he
did do. Accordingly this Seperation is explained by God's hiding his Face from
them, and turning a deaf Ear unto them. In the foregoing Chapter they had
complained, that they had prayed and failed unto God, and that neverthelefs he
had not regarded them ; vi^hence the Prophet proceeds to fhew, that the Fault
did not lie, either in the Deafnefs of God's Ear, nor in theShortnefs of his Hand,
that they wrere not heard and delivered, but in their Sins unrepented of. And
this with a Note of Attention, he calls on them duly to confider in the Beginning
of this 59th Chapter, " Behold the Lord's Hand is notfhortned, that he cannot
h\e ; neither is his E/r heavy, that he cannot hear : But your Iniquities have fe-
perated between yoaand )our God ; and your Sins have hid, or caufed him to
hide his Face from you, that he will not hear ; for your Hands are defiled with
Blood, and your Fingers with Iniquity." --- To all this obferve, how the Lord
afterwards invites thefe Sinners to Repentance ; which furely he would not have
done, if the Separation fpoken of had been ioial zn6 fnal : Their Sins were the
thick Cloud that for a While feparated between the favourable Smiles of God's
Face and them, which afterwards was removed, fo that the Light of his Counte-
nance (hone on thefe Captives, he hearing their Prayers and granting them Deli-
verance. Altbo' the Sun's lovely Countenance be bid by an interpofing thick
Cloud to Day, it does not therefore follow that it will not fliine out bright and
clear To-morrow, or that it will for ever remain in Obfcurity. I conclude then,
that notwithftanding the (trongeft Efforts of this or any other Objedtion, nothing
fhall be able finally to feparate a true Believer from the Love of God, which is
in Chrift Jefus our Lord.
Obje^ion. " It is faid, i Cor. 3. 17. *' That if any Man defile the Temple of
«' God, him {hall God deftroy." Now Believers are called the Temple of God,
«« therefore they who are true Believers may be deftroyed for and perifh in that
«* Defilement."
Anjwer. This Obje<Slion \ confefs, comes forth with io plaufible a Shew of
found Argument, that it is enough to deceive \}[\t unwary ., who fee not the Sophiflry
that lies couched in it, or elfe (to judge more favourable of the Obje£lor) the/ra-
found Ignorance that lies at the Bottom of it. I obferve then, that all the Force of
the Obje6lion (if there be any in it) lies in a Suppofition, that by the Defilers of
this Temple here particularly fpoken of, are meant fuch who once at leaft, were
true Believers ; and that the Dtfikment doth confift in a perfcvenng Impiety in
them, and a final Apoftacy of them from God. All which (as I fliall prefently
prove) is intirely falfe. I proceed to obferve,
I. That by the Temple of the Lord here, is not meant the Saints, dtftrihuiivety
confidered, but colleSiively in a Body, as a vifible Church, builded fogether in Go^
pel-Order, as an Habitation of God, thro' the Spirit. Hence in the Context th^
D d d Apofllg
384 Of PERSEVERANCE,
Apoftle fa3'sunto thefe Corinthians, <* Know ye not that ye are the Temple of
God ;" and again, " which Temple are ye 5" compar'd with Eph. 2. 20, 21.
Now then, as this was a vifible Church, and as in the Church •vifible there always
was foolijh as well as xvife Virgins, Unbelicven as well as Believers ; fo no certain
Conclufion can hence be drawn that true Believers mzy fall aivay finally , znd perijh
eternally in that Defe<Slion. For as St. Paul (fpeaking of vifible profefling Believers
in a diftinguifhing Manner) faith, " We are not of them who draw back unto
Perdition, but of them who believe, unto the faving of the Soul." Heb. 10. 39.
I obferve, 2. That by the Defiler of the Temple of the Lord here, is plainly
and particularly meant wicked Men, under the Guife and Garb of Religion, falfe
Teachers, cunning Sophifters, Creepers into the Church, who transforming them-
felves into the Likenefs of the Minifters of Righteoufnefs, did creep into God's
Temple at Corinth, as well as that at Galatia, and who accordingly did pervert
the Gofpel of Chrirt, doing what in them lay to bewitch, beguile and corrupt
the Members of the fame with falfe Do6trine and evil Manners. Hence the De-
filement mentioned in the Text is elfewhere called a beguiling and corrupting of
their Minds from the Simplicity that is in Chrift. 2 Cor. 11. compared with
I Cor. 6. 13. to 20. and i Cor. 15. 12, 32. to 37. Thefe as Enemies unto
God's holy Apoftle and his pure Do6trine, he calls falfe Apoftles, deceitful Wor-
kers, transforming themfelves into the Minifters of Righteoufnefsj 2 Cor. 11. 13,
14, 15. Evil Men and Seducers, vi'axing worfe and worfe, deceiving and being
deceived, 7. Tim. 3. 13. Here then the Apoftle doth accordingly fhew and loudly
proclaim that their End will be according unto their Works : Por (fays he) if any
Man defile the Temple of God, him fhall God deftroy ; compared with Go/, i.
7, 8, 9. where he thunders out his apojiolic Anathemas againft fuch as are Trou-
blers of the Church, or Temple of God, and as Perverters of his holy Gofpel,
pronouncing them accurfed in a folemn repeated Manner. And again. Gal. 5.
10, 12. But he that troubleth you, (hall bear his Judgment whofoever he be:
I would they were even cut ofFthat trouble you. Hence then, let our Objeftors
beware how they do any more feek to defile the Temple of the Lord, by pervert-
ing the Gofpel of Chrift, fpeaking Evil of its pure Dodlrines by repeated Cavils.
Ohje5iion. " It is faid, E%ek. 18.24. *' But when the righteous Man turn-
eth away from his Righteoufnefs, and committeth Iniquity, and doth according
to all the Abominations that the wicked Man doth, fhall he live ? All his
Righteoufnefs which he hath done fhalJ not be mentioned : in his Trefpafs that
he hath trefpaffed, and in his Sin that he hath finned, in them (hall he die."
Therefore a righteous Man, even fuch a one as is not hypocritically but really
righteous, in Oppofition to the Charadler of the wicked Man here, may finally
fall off from his Righteoufnefs into Sin, and eternally perilh therein, notwith-
ftandinghis former Righteoufnefs."
Anfwer. I grant the whole. Yet do ftill afKrm that a true Believer's Intereft
in Jefus Chrift is fo infallibly fecured that nothing whatfoever, whether prefent or
to come, fhall be able to feperate him from the Love of God, which is in Chrifl
Jefus our Lord. . Every true Believer is, I grant, a righteous Man, yet ftill affirm
that there are many who do bear the Denomination of righteous Men, that never
were
Of P E R S EV E R'A N C E. 385
were true Believers in Jefus Chrift. I do not here mean fuch only who under
their higheft Profeffion of Righteoufnefs were very Hypocrites, but fuch alfo as
were real znA/tncere in their Profeffion, according to the beft of their Light. To
clear this Point, let it be obferved, that befides fuch as were or are hypocritically
righteous, there are two Sorts of righteous Men, and thefe I diftinguifh into moral
and evangelical. By the latter I do mean one who is juftified in the Sight of God,
thro' the Imputation of Chrift's Righteoufnefs unto him, and by Faith received
and refted on by him accordingly ; This I call the Righteoufnefs of Juftification :
and one that is regenerated and born again by the wafhing of Regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Ghoft, who implants in his Soul Principles of Righteoufnefs
and true Holinefs, from whence proceeds the Fruits of Holinefs in his Life and
Converfation ; his Faith purifies his Heart and works by Love : This is the Faith
of God's ElecSl J and this I call a Righteoufnefs of San<^ification : This is in brief
the Charadler of an evangelic righteous Man. Now fuch an one, who, howfo-
ever thro' the fad Remainders of indwelling Sin, the Temptations of Satan, the
Hidings of God's Face, and his own Heedlefnefs, he may fall foully to God's
Difhonour, and to the wounding of his own Soul, yet {hall never fall z.vfdiy finally
and perifti eternally. For,
I. The Righteoufnefs of Chrift which is imputed to him for his Juftification
in the Sight of God, and which conftitutes him a righteous Man, doth ever re-
main the fame, being perfeSi and compleat^ therefore called an everlafting Righte-
oufnefs, Dan. 9. 24. The Lord who is well pleafed for his (that is) for Chrift's
Righteoufnefs Sake, is ever well pleafed with the fame. Befides, God's A6t of
Imputation is the Product of his free and unchangeable Love : So that he who is
thusrighteous,is righteous ftill. Hence it would be abfurd to fay, that the all-ivifey
immutable God juftifies aManTo-day,and unjuftifies himTo-morrow : According
to which aMan might be juftified and unjuftified by a perpetual Variation, thro'out
the wholeCourfe of his Life. TheTiuth is, that he who is juftified in ihftSight of
Gody ftiall certainly be glorified with God ; as I have before at large fliewn. So
much as to the Righteoufnefs of Imputation.
2. And then as to the Righteoufnefs of Sanflification implanted in this righ-
teous Man's Soul by the Hand of God's free and efficacious Grace, it fhall be car-
ried on by Degrees unto Perfedtion : Phil. i. 6. *' Being confident of this very
Thing, that he who hath begun a good Work (of Grace) in you will perfoim JC
until the Day of Jefus Chrift." Thus then the evangelic righteous Man, of whom
Job fpeaks, ftiall hold on in his Way ; and he that hath clean Hands fhall grow
ftronger and ftronger. Job I'j. 9. His Path is as the (hining Light, that fhines
more and more unto the perfedt Day of Glory, Prov. 4. 18.
I conclude then, that this is not the righteous Man intended in the Text in the
Obje£lion. It muff then intend fuch an one who is no more than a meer moral
righteous Man, who being ignorant and deftitute of God's Righteoufnefs of Jufti-
fication, goes about to eftablifh his orcw Righteoufnefs, not fubmitting himfelf to
nor refting upon God's Righteoufnefs ; and one who, however a Doer oi external
Ads of Religion, yet is but an unregenerate Man, void both of a Righteoufnefs of
Ddd 2 Juftification
386 Of PERSEVERANCE.
Juftificatlon and Sandlification, and whofe Works of Righteoufnefs confequently
arc no more or better (to ufe Dr, Hammond's f Phrafe) than unregemrate Morality^
fuch an one as Paul was before his Converfion, who was no Hypocrite, but touch-
ing the Righteoufnefs of the Law blamelefs, /. e. before Men^ according to the beft
of his Light. See at large, PhiL 3d Chap, and fuch of the Jews we read of,
Rom. 10. I, 2, 3. who had a Zeal of God, and were Doers of the Law, yet
ignorant of God's Righteoufnefs, whilft Eftablifhers of their oty«. Such an one
alfoas the young Nobleman, who came running and kneeling unto our Lord, fay-
ing, Good Mafter, what good Thing fhall I do that I may inherit eternal Life ?
.And who, in Anfwcr to our Lord's bidding him to keep the Commandments,
could fay, Ad ihefe Things have I kept from my Youth up ; who notwithftanding
all this, did turn his Back upon Chrifthis good Mafter (as he called him) and eter-
nal Life together.
'Tis plain then from what hath been faid, that there is real Ground for the
Diftin<9:ion that I have made between an evangelical and a fneer moral external Righ-
teoufnefs, a Righteoufnefs of a Man's own, in Contradiftin6tion from the Righte-
oufnefs of God, This is plainly the Righteoufnefs fpoken of in the Text in the
Objection, which a Man may turn away from, ceafing to be a wore/ righteous
Man, fall into open A£ts of Iniquity, and perifli in that Defection. Hence it is
that the Righteoufnefs he is faid to turn away from, is e7nphatically called his Righ-
teoufnefs, and his oivn Righteoufnefs which he trufted in, as in the parallel Place,
Ezek. 33. 13. " When I fay to the righteous Man that he fhall furely live, if
he truft to his own Righteoufnefs and commit Iniquity, all his Righteoufnefs fhall
not be remembred, in his Trefpafs that he hath trefpafTed, and in the Sin that he
hath finned : in them fhall he die." Moreover, by reading of the 5th, 6th, 7th,
8th, and 9th Verfes of the aforefaid 18th of Exekiel, where we have an Enume-
ration of his particular A6ts of Righteoufnefs, we fhall find them to be no more
than a meer external iZouioxvaiiy to God's Laws.
By a Multiplication of Inftances I could eafily fhew, that Pcrfons who by the
Light of the Gofpel, and the Power of its convi£ling Influences working upon their
natural Confciences, have changed their former wicked Ways, and betook them-
felves unto a foberWay of living, Ay, and made too a very ftridlProfeffion of Reli-
gion,diligently performing many externalA6ts thereof for a while; who after all this,
being only outwardly reformed, not inwardly renewed, refling in a meerHead Faith,
fhort of that which purifies theHeart,& works byLove,& fo all thisWhiledeftitute
of the Root of the Matter^ have in a Time of Temptation fallen away from this
their holy Profeffion into their former vile Courfes, as bad, if not worfe than be-
fore. Of which Kind were the ftony Ground Hearers, who amidft all their flafhy
Joy and feeling Convidfions of the Powers of the World to come, and Profeflion
of Faith, had no Root in themfelves, /. e. no Root of the Matter, or true Heart-
purifying Grace ; and therefore no Wonder that their^BladeofConvidtions wither'd
away upon the Sun's arifing thereupon with its fcorching Heat, fo that they bro't
t As quoted by Rev. Burkitt^ in his Annotations on Job. i. 13.
forth
Of PERSEVERANCE. 387
forth no Fruit unto Perfedtion ; their Convictions fell fhort of a faving Conver-
fion. Alfo Simon Magusy who from being a bewitching Sorcerer, became a fober
Man and a profefling Believer in Jefus Chrift, being baptized in his Name ; His
Reformation was fo great that he deceived even the very Apoftles for a While ;
yet all this Time in the Gall of Bitternefs, and under the Bond of Iniquity ; and
who (as Hiftory informs us) did afterwards fall into the Pradice of fome of the
niofl enormous Crimes. Of this Kind alfo were thofe mentioned, 2 Pet. 3d Chap,
who after their Head- Knowledge and Convidlions which they received by the
Gofpel preached amongft them, and their great external Reformation, did accord-
ing to the Proverb, turn with the Dog unto his own Vomit again, and with the
Sow that was wafhed unto her wallowing in theMire. (Mark) They were always
Dogs, whofe Natures were never changed into that of Chrift's Sheep, who had firft
turned from their own Vomit, viz. their open grofs Enormities, and afterwards
Dog-like turned unto the fame again. They were always Swine, being only ^a--
/^r«fl//y wafhed from their outward filthy Converfation, never zW^r^/y renewed,
and therefore like the Sow, flill retaining her fwinifh Nature, did turn unto their
wallowing in the Mire of Iniquity.
Thus thefe Places, if throughly and Impartially fcan'd, do fully explain them-
felves ; fo that the fober Reader may, with half an Eye, fee how impertinently
our Opponents do bring in thefe and other fuch like Inftances in Proof of their
abfurd Notions, v'iz. That a true juftified Believer, fandified both in Heart and
Life, may fall away finally and perifli eternally.
To thefe Inftances I might alfo pertinently mention the Apoftacy of Hymeneus
and Philetus, and thofe fpoken of in the 6th and loth Chapter of the Hebrews :
But unto thefe I ftiali fpeak more particularly, as it fhall pleafe the Lord to ena-
ble me. : I . .
CHAP. IV.
ObjeSfion. <« T IK 7 E ^"^^ plainly told fof fome, particularly of Hymeneus and
\/^^ «' Alexander^ who had put away Faith and a good Con f*
^ ^ <« cience, and who concerningFaith had made fhipwreck^
«< Now thofe who have Faith and a good Confcience are certainly trueBelievers,
«' and yet we fee by thefe Inftances that fuch may finally fall away."
Anjwer. Thzt a real Pojpjjjon of :i tTu& Faith and a good Confcience, as the
Fruits and EfFeds of the good Work of Grace begun in the Soul by the Holy
Ghoft, is one Thing ; and the fair Profejfion of fuch a Thing is another. For
altho' thefe do fometimes go together, as in the Cafe of the wife Virgins ; yet not
always -, the latter being fometimes feperate from the former, as in the Inftance
oi the foolijh Virgins, who wbilft they were deftitute of the Oil of true Grace in
the Veft'els of their Hearts, did go forth with and make as fair a Shew with their
Lamps of Profeflion to meet the Bridegroom as the wife ones.
Hence, by Reafon of fuch a ProfefTion fome are faid in Scripture to have, that
which in Faa they only feemed to hate, Thus thofe deftitute of the Oil ofGract
are
388 Of PERSEVERANCE.
are called F/r^w, altho* in Fa£t they were hut Far lets. Simon Magus trnde fo
fair a Shew by a vifible Prdfeifion of the Heart purifying Grace of Faith, that he
deceived even the Apoftles for a while ; whereas in Fadl (as afterwards appeared )
he was all this Time no better than a whited Sepulchre^ a Cloud without Water ^ a
Tree whofe Fruit withered, twice dead, plucked up by the Roots. Of which Kind
I take Hymeneus and Alexander io have been. They were like Ships finely painted
and gallantly fitted out, but all this while zf///;5«/ Ballaji, and 2. good Bottom, for
want of which they became fhipwreck'd. It's being faid, that thefe Men />z//
away a good Confcience, doth not (according to Scripture) necejfarily imply that
they formerly in Fa£i had one ; fince that may be faid to be put away or from
Perfons which they never received : As in the Cafe related ASi^ 13.46. where
the contradidting blafpheming Jews, who never received the Gofpel IVTefTage,
are faid to have put it from them. As there is a Faith unfeigned which cannot
be wholly loft ; {o there is fometimes a feigned P'aith in the Drefs and Appearance
of an unfeigned one, by the which it feemeth to be real, altho' in reality it is
\>\x\. 7i vain Shew : As in procefs of Time is difcovered by Mens apoftatizing,
when they drop the Mafk, and (hew what they always in Fait were. But ftill
fuppofing for Argument's fake, that it was in reality Faith and a good Confcience
that thefe Men are faid to have made (hipwreck of, the Terms are not ftrong
enough (as Mr. (7/7/ obfervesj abfolutely 10 bear out our Opponents Interpretation
of the Text, fince Perfons may be faid to be fhipwreck'd, and yet not finally
loft, altho' they may /«(^r Lij/} thereby, as in i Cor. 2' 15. St. Paul thrice
fuff^ered fhipwreck, yet was each Time faved.
It is further objected, " That it is faid of Hymeneus and Philetus, that they
** erred coricerrtirig the Truth, and overthrew the Faith of fome, therefore fuch
*< as have true Faith may uttely fail and fall.
Anfwer. This Cqnclufion is fo evidently an Error concerning the Truth,
that we need do little more than quote the intire Paragraph in order to overthrow
it. I Tim. 2. 16, to 22. *' But ftiun prophane and vain Babblings ; for they will
increafe unto more Ungodlinefs : And their Word will eat as doth a Canker (or
Gangrene :) of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus j who concerning theTruth have
erred, faying that the Refurredtion is paft already ; and overthrow the Faith of
fome. Neverthelefs the Foundation of God ftandeth fure, having this Seal, the
Lord knoweth them that are his : And let every one that nameth the Name of
Chrift, depart from Iniquity. But in a great Houfe (the vifible ChurchJ there
are not only Veflels of Gold and Silver, but alfo of Wood and of Earth ; and
fome to Honour, and fome to Difhonour. If a Man therefore purge himfelf
from thefe, he fhall be a VefTel unto Honour, fandlilied and meet fox theMaftcr's
Ufe, and prepared unto every good Work."
From whence obferve (i) That thefe Men fpoken of by Name who erred
concerning the Truth, were fo far from being true Believers, as that they were
prophane Bablers, Practitioners of Ungodlinefs, VefTels of Difhonour j and as
in Chap. 3. 8, 13. Refifters of the Truth, Men of corrupt Minds, reprobate
concerning the Faith, evil Men and Seducers, who waxed worfe and worfe, de-
c«ivii>g,and teing deceived. Gbferve (2) That thofe whofe Faith thefe Seducers
are
Of P E R S E V.R R AN Q E. 389
are faid to overthrow, had no more than a notioml hezd Faith ; not the Faith of
God's Eledt, which purifyeth the Heart : For thefe are maniteftly diitinguifhed
from thofe Veffels of Honour, thei eleil of God, whofe Faith thefe Seducers
could not overthrow i they being firmly fixed on God's fure Foundation, and
fealed with his /(r/'-yy 5^(7/, having this Motto, The Lord knoweth them
THAT ARE HIS. His by particular Ele£fian, Redemption zn6 San£Iificatim, be-
ino- fealed by his Holy Spirit unto the Day of Redemption : and who being cho-
fen that they (hould be holy, are hence taught to depart from Iniquity, particu-
larly from profane and vain babling, which increafeth unto more Ungodlinefs :
And that they purge themfelves from fuch uafandified Veflels of Difhonour, as
thefe Apoftates were, as becomes Veflels of Honour fan(5tified and meet for their
heavenly Matter's Ufe, being prepared unto every good Work. Which exactly
agrees with what our Lord had long before declared unto his Difciples, Math.
24. 24. that fome Men would come forth with fuch Deceivablenefs, as (hould
feduce if it were pojftble even the very Ele6t : Therefore take Heed. Hymeneus
and Philetus, thofe Arch-Seducers who erred concerning the Truth, particularly
concerning that grand fundamental Article of the Chriftian Faith, the Refur-
re<Etion of the Body, i Cor. 15. did fo prevail with their gangrene catingWords,
that they overthrew the Faith, the Head^ notional,^ Faith of some. Neverthelefsy
or notwithftanding this, there were others whofe Faith they could not overthrow :
Becaufe the Foundation of God ftandeth sure, having this Seal, the Lord
knoweth them that are his. His, whom he knoweth in a peculiar and dijiin£l
Manner from the others, whom by an A61 of general Knowledge only he knows
to be his by Creation^ not by particular Ele^ion, Redemption and SanSlification.
As Job faith, the Deceived znd the Deceiver are his, jfob 12. i6. to whomChrift
will fay at the laft Day, *'Iknow you not, depart from me ye Workers of
Iniquity."
From the whole 'tis plain that the above Inftances of Apoftacy can be no
Proof of the final falling^way of fuch as are the trueSaints of God ; fincethey are
not of them who draw back unto Perdition, but of them who do believe unto
the faving of the Soul, being fixed upon God's fure Foundation as on a Rock ;
which is a moft comfortable Dodrine unto the Children of God, altho' but
bruifed Reeds, and tender Plants,' in a Time of common Corruption and Se-
du6lion, when fuch great feeming Pillars and tall ProfefTors as Hymeneus^ Alexander^
and Philetus^ who being rotten at the bottom do tumble and fall down to the over-
throwing the Faith and Profeflion of fome^ who at heft were never better thzn /iony
Ground Hearers, and foolijh Virgins. In a Word, from what has been faid, it
appears that the Do£trine of the Saints final Perfeverance is no lefs promotive of
Holinefs in them, than it is of Comfort to them.
ObjeSiion. ** St. Pa^y befought the Corinthians who were true Saints, not to
*< receive the Grace of God in vain ; therefore fuch as are true Saints may after
«< their being Partakers of the Grace of God finally lofe the fame : if otherwife,
" how can they in any good Senfe be befought and exhorted not to receive it
** in vain."
Anjwtr*
390 Of P E R S E,V E R A N C E.
Anfiver. That this Conclufion notwithftanding all i\\\% fine jiourifh and Shew of
Argument is no better than vain Talk, a few Confiderations will evince.
For Ci) Suppofing that by the Grace of God here is meant, the free Favour
and Love of God to the Saints, as the Word fometimes fignifies ; or the Work
of regenerating and fan61:ifying Grace in them, emphatically called the gooeHFork,
as it fignifies at other Times ; yet it will not follow that they may receive this
Grace of God in vain, fo as that God fhall either ceafe to love them, or that
the good Work of Grace begun in them by him is liable to ceafe ; fince we are
afl'ured that his eleding Love is everlafting, and that having begun this good
Work in them he will certainly perform the fame until the Day of Jefus Chrift*
As hath been before at large fhewn. And as to that Part of the Objed^ion that
faith, " Why then are they exhorted not to receive the Grace of God in vain j"
it is fufficient to Anfwer, that there being a proper Conne£lion between the
Means and End, as before at large treated of, the Exhortation is fo far from
being impertinent^ as that it is very properly fpoken.
Or, fuppofing (i^\y) that by the Grace of God in the Text, is meant the
Doctrines of the Gofpel, as the Words do fometimes mean, as in Titui 2.10,11.
compared together, called \\\eWordof his Grace^ A61. 14. 3. and Chip. 20.32.
yet it will not follow, that true Saints may fall away finally, and perilh eternally ;
fince Perfons may receive the Grace of God in this Senfe of the Word, and yet
never be true Saint:. There have been many who having received the Doc-
trines of the Gofpel nationally, and made a Profeflion of theni vifibly^ as we have
before feen from diverfe Inftances, who afterwards fell from the fame. Particu-
larly we find that there were fome in the Church of Galatia, who thro' the In-
ftigations of the falfe Apoftles, fell from thofe found and wbolefome Dodfrinesof
the Gofpel, which they had before received by the Miniftry of the great & true
Apoftle, feeking now to be juftified by the Works of the Law. Hence in his
Epiftle to them. Chap. 5. 4. he faith, '* Wbofoever of you are juftified by the
Law, ye are fallen from Grace." That is to fay, from the Do6trine of free
Juftification by the Grace of God thro' the Redemption that is in Jefus Chrift i
according to Rom. 3. 24. Or fuppofe that I lliould admit that fome of thefe viho
thus fell were r^^/ Saints, altho' weak ones, yet it will not follow that they fell
finally from, the Grace of God, even in this Senfe of the fp^ord ; fince by theTe-
nor of the Epiflle, the Apoftle did not look upon them as paft all Recovery :
yea therefore did he write this Epiftle to them, that he might thro' a divine
Bieffing thereon recover them. He ufed the Means in order to attain the End.
Thus then as a Means either to prevent the Saints from falling into Errors, either
doctrinal or pradtical, or to recover them when fallen, it is proper enough for
God's Minifters to fay, "We befeech you Brethren, that ye receive not the
Grace of God in vain", without fuppofing that they are liable to be finally ex-
cluded from the Grace of God, as it denotes his /r^^ £(jw and Favour, or that
the Grace of God, as denoting the good Work of Grace begun in them by his
holy Spirit, maybe begun in vain, and fo intirely ceafe» " The Steps of a
good Man are ordered of the Lord, fo that tho' he fall he (hall not be utterly
£aft down, becaufe the Lord upholdeth him with his Hand," Pfal. 37. 24.
*' He
OfPERSEFERJNCE. 391
** He reflorpth their Souls from wandring, and leadeth them in the Paths of
Righteoufnefs for his Name's fake", P/^/. 23. 2, 3. Hence faith the Church,
A'licah 7.8. *' Rejoyce not againft me, O mine Enemy ; when I fall I fliall arife ;
when I lit in Darknefs, the Lord will be a Light unto me. In a Word ; hence
every true Believer may in the End fitly fay with Sr. Paul^ i Cor. 15. 10. "By
the Grace of God I am what I am, and his Grace (viz. the Gifts of his Grace)
which was beftowed on me, was not in vain.
ObjeSfion, " It is faid, //^/^. 6.4,5,6. ** For it is impofllble that thofe who
" were once inlightened, and have tafted of the heavenly Gift, and were made
♦< Partakers of the Holy Ghoft, and have tafted of the Word of God, and of
" the Powers of the World to come, if they fhall fall away, to renew them
*' again unto Repentance, feeing they crucify to themfelvcs the Son of God
" afrefh, and put him to an open Shame : From whence it appears, that fuch as
" are true Saints may fall away, fince thefe high Charadters cannot agree to any
*' other than fuch."
To this I Anfwer, That this Conclufion is intirely wrong, becaufe founded
Xi\iQX\ zfalfe Suppofition. Becaufe (i) 'tis evident from other Texts of Scripture
that Perfons may go as great a Way in Religion as all this, and yet not be true
and real Saints, for they may be inlightened by the Gofpel, fo as to know, viz.
h/ a /7W Knowledge the Way of Righteoufnefs, yea and that too {o far as to
reform in many Things, as Sifnon Magus did, Herod, and thofe in 2 Pet. 3. who
all this while remained deftitute of an inward Renovation ; and therefore it
happened unto them according to the Proverb, *' The Dog is turned to his own
Vomit again, and the Sow that was wafhed unto her wallowing in the Mire."
The ftony Ground Hearers heard the Word with Joy, had fome Kind of Relifh
for divine and eternalThings,yet all this while were void of theRoot of theMatter,
viz. the Truth of Grace in the Heart. Moreover, Men may be Partakers of
the Holy Ghoft, that is, in his miraculous and extraordinary Gifts, as fome in
that Age were, fo as to fpeak with Tongues, to caft out Devils, and do many
other mighty Works, and be Preachers unto others, and yet all this while be
deftitute of the Heart-purifying Operations of the Holy Ghoft, as our Lord fliews
Math. 7. 2t. and St. Paul i Cor. 13. 1,2,3. Men may be fo convi(£led under
the Word as to tremble at the Tho'ts of the Terrors of the next World, like
Felix ; and have fuch Apprehenfions ©f the Felicity thereof as the Lot of righ-
teous Men, fo as to defire to die the Death of the Righteous, and that their
laft End may be like their's, as Balaam, and yet all this while remain unreg;ene-
rate Men, as thefe two did. So that I conclude that the Apoftates here fpoken
of were under their higheft Pretenfions to Religion no better ; and therefore in a
Time of Temptation fell away. Belides, the Apoftle in the following Verfes
tells the Hebrews, that he was perfwaded of better Things concerning them, and
Things that aceotnpany Salvation, which is the Cafe of all the Saints of God ;
confecjuently thofe Apojlates were never fuch; and therefore yields no Proof of the
final Apoftacy of fuch as are real Saints.
Another Text which our Opponents do prefs into their Service, and incc/Ttntly
urge againft us is Htb. 10. 26,27,28,29. ♦' For if we fm wilfully after we have
E e e received
ggj Of P E R S E V E R A N C E.
^the Knowledge of the Truth, there remains no more Sacrifice for Sins, But a
fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation, which fhail devour the
Adverfaries. He that defpifed Mofes Law died without Mercy under two or
three WitnefTes ; of how much forer Puniftiment fiippofe ye, fiia!! he be thought
worthv, who hath trodden under Foot the Son of God, and hath coi:nted the
Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was fandified an unholy Thing, and hath
done defpite unto the Spirit of Grace."
Now fay the Objectors, it appears that thefe Apoftates were once theRedeem-
ed of the Lord, and as fuch fandified by the Blood of the Covenant, thro' the
Application of the Spirit, fuch as was the Apoftle himfelf j who therefore fpeaks
in the plural Number thus, if we^m wilfully &c.
To this 1 anfwer (i) That when it is faid, the Blood of the Covenant where-
with he was fancSiified, according to the iiriiSleft Rules of Grammar, the proper
antecedent to the Relative he is not the Apojiate fpoken of, but Chriji the Son of
God, who is faid to be fan6lified by the Blood of the Covenant ; this beirg
mentioned as an Aggravation of the Crime of fuch Apoflates, who count that
Blood unholy by the which the Son of God was fancS^ified, that is, fet apart and
confecrated to the Work and Office of a Mediator, in Behalf of the Redeemed.
Hence faith our Lord, "Joh. 17. 19. " For their fakes I fandtify my felf &c.'*
And attain he is faid to be him whom the Father hath fandified and fent into the
World, ''Job. 10.36. So then this Part of the Objedion falls. (2dly) Whereas
it is faid, that there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin &:c. this doth not imply
that Chrift was once made an Offering for this Apofiate's Sins, becaufe if he had,
and if the faid Apoftate had been faniffified, as 'tis urged in the Objection, thert
he would have had no Sin for the which he fhould be finally condemned and
fall under the fiery Indignation of divine Jufiice as an Adverfary j but be ac-
quited as a Friend, fince it is faid, ver. 14. that Chrift by his one Offering hath
perfected for ever them that are fandtified. But the meaning I take to be this,
that fince this tf///«/ and c/>///«d/^ Apoftate had defpifed and rejected Chrift the
only Saviour and the only Way of Salvation, ^//z. Faith in his moft precious Blood ;
defpifed and wickedly refifted the Holy Spirit of Grace the Sanitifier j it remained
an impoffible Thing that he fhould be faved ; yea that for this moft aggravated
Crime he fhould be damned ; and not only fo, but alfo receive the greater Dam-
nation. So that this can be no Proof that a real Saint may fall fo as to perift.
(3dly) Neither can this be necejfarily concluded from the Terms o^ finning wilfully
after a Reception of the Knowledge of the Truth, feeing it is {o evident from
Scripture, as before fhewn, that Men may attain unto fo great a Degree oi Head
Knowledge in divine Matters, as to become Teachers of others, and yet at the
fame Time be Devils incarnate, as Judas was ; who contrary unto, and in the
very Face of all his Knowledge and high ProfelTion, did fin wilfully and moft
ivickedly^ treading under Foot the Son of God, and put him unto an openShame,
counting the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he f the Son of God) was fan<Slified
&n unholy Thing, doing defpite unto the Spirit of Grace : and who accordingly
bad a fearful looking for of Judgment, and of God's fiery Indignation to devour
hira as an Adveiiary." '^hlsi'w.mv^ivilfully doth imply 2iVery high Degree of
finning.
Of P E R S E V E R A N C E. 393.
fihhing. It is a finning obflinately and rejolvediy fi-om a rootecl Enmity in the
Htart againft Chrift and the Way of Salvation by him, in dire6^ Oppofition unto
the cleareft and ftrongeft Conviiiions, wro't by the common Illuminations of
the Holy Ghoft, whofe Perfon and Operations are alfo had in Contempt by the
wicked Apoftate. So that this finning wilfully flands oppofed unto Sins of /^«o-
r<»»7f^ in Unbelief, as in P^w/'s Cafe before Converfion. Sins oi Infirmity^ and
even gr-ofler A6ls of Sin committed after Regeneration, thro' a prevailingTemp-
tation, as in the Cafe of Davidznd Peter^ who thro' Grace repented, and who
by Vertue of Chrift's atoning Sacrifice, the Blood of the Covenant had theirSins
pardoned. Whereas for this zt;//^«/ finning, ih\s Sin unto Deaih^ there is no
Forgivenefs, neither in this World, nor in the World to come. But now unto
all true Believers, who are in Chrifb Jefus, there is no Condemnation, no Sepe-
ration of them from the Love of God which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord. So
th; t the Text in the ObjeiStion can be no Proof that a real Saint may fiill away
finally and perifh eternally. Nor (4thly) can fuch a Conclufion be fairly drawn
frcm the Apof^le's faying in the plural, if ive fin wilfully &:c. fince Paul w:is a
trie Believer, and one that had attained unto a full Afiurance of his eternal Sal-
vati -n, 2 Cor. 5. i. iTim. i. 2. Chap. 4. 18. But let it be obferved, that (he
Apoflle as a Preacher frequently makes Ufe of this Way of fpeaking in the plural
Number we, not fo much with Regard unto bimfelf \xs others^ that what he deli-
vered might the better take EfFedt upon the Mind of his Hearers. See i Cor.
10. 22. And is a Method frequently ufed by Minifters unto this Day, as a pru-
dential Step, to gain Attention and Regard unto what they deliver \ carryin"- with
hz taking Familiarity., and z tacit Acknowleigment., that they are Men of like
Faffions and Infirmities with other Men. Hence a godly Minifier, when treat-
ing of fome of the ^agitious Crimes, and fpeaking unto or of fome of the wotjf
of Sinners, may and often does very confiftently ufc the Terms [Us] and [fPe]
altho' they are themfelves Haters of all Iniquity. See an Inftance of this in the
Apoftle /'<?/^r's Difcourfe, 1 Pet. 4. 3. and many others in St. Paul's Epiflles.
And in oneWord,theApo{>le in the clofe of this veryChaptcr where theTextin the
Obje6lion lies, doth manifeflly difl^inguifh himfelf in Conjunftion with other
true Believers- from fuch wretched Apoftates who fin wilfully ^:c. and pcrifh ;
for fays he, ** If any Man draw back, God's Soul fhall have no Pleafure in him.
But w>^ are-not of them who draw back unto Perdition, but of them whodote-
h'eve unto the faving of the Soul." Compared with the faying of St. yo/;»,iEpifi-.
2. 19,20. ** They went out from us, but they were not of us ; for if they had
been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us : But they went out
that they might be made manifeft that they were not all of us."
Upon the whole then I conclude, that the blefled Do6>rine of the Saints finat
Perfeverence keeps its Ground, triumphing over all Objections.
Two or three other Texts commonly made ufe of by our Opponents would
next fall under Confideration. But having fpnken my Thoughts of them under
the Head of particular Redemption, I fh^H pafs them'here, referring my Reader
thither. The Texts are Rom. 14. 15. 1 Cor. S'. 11. 2 Pet. 2. 1.
E c e 2 But
394 Of PERSEVERANCE.
But it is now Time to have done anfwering of Obje6lions, having duly confi'-
dered the chief d^nd principal of all that I have met with ; naturally conduding
that if thefe fall before the Light and Evidence of divine Truth, all others muft
of Courfe fall with them.
I flaall now wind up all with fome Ufes of Application from what hath been faid,
wherein I Ihall be the more briefs by how much the more large I have been in the
Application of the foregoing Heads, particularly that of the divine Decrees, which
are that imvioveahle Bafts whereupon the a^ual Salvation of ail the Ele£l doth ftand
as.on a Rock.
. I . Let us confider this Doflrine, as it ferves to enlarge our Views of the divine
Perfedions, which in a mofl; harmonious Manner fhine forth in the a<5lual Salva-
tion of God^s Chofen. How great that Love and Grace is, which is the Root
and Caufe of it ! that Wifdom, Immutability and Power that efFediually remove
all Ob(hu6^ions out of the Way ; yea, that over-rule and makes xhtm fubfervient
thereunto ! l^jat Rightcoufnefs^ Truth and Faithfulnefs which is difplayed in the
making and performing (o many exceeding great and precious Promifes, which con-
tain in them all needful Grace, and a full Poflcffion of eternal Glory as the Pur-
chafe of the Redeemer's molt precious Blood ! With what a divine Pleafure
fiiould the Saints of God contemplate the fame, take the Comfort thereof, and
give God the Glory ! What refrefning Streams doth hence flow to cheer the
Hearts of ail ^/Tii? Believers ! particularly fuch as meet W\\h exceeding gr^^i Sind
fore Confl.(5fs with indwelling Sin and the Powers of Darknefs ; who thence com-
plain that both within and without are Fightings, Fears and Sorrows ; for within
a very litt'e While and their Waifarefliall be accomplifhed, and they prove vidlo-
rious, tho' fome of the weakeft of Chrift's Flock ; for a bruifed Reed he will not
break, and the fmoking Flax^ he will not quench, until he fl:iall bring forth Judg-
ment unto Vi6lory. O all ye poor drooping Souls unto whom Chrift is truly
precious, who now complain of the Strength of your Corruptions, the Weaknefs
of your Graces, the Violence of Satan's AfTaults, and the Withdrawments of
vour befl Beloved ! Come lift up your Heads and behold thefe gracious Promifes
that cannot fail; that Power that cannot be overpowered, but which hover-
powering^ and which is engaged to carry on and compleat the good Work begun in
you ; that fliall finally vanquifh all your Enemies, perfe6t all your Graces, and
bring you to a Fulnefs of unfpeakable Glory in the Prefence of God and the Lamb
for evermore ; (o that you fliall become more than Conquerors thro' Chrift the
Captain of your Salvation, who hath loved you with an everlafting Love ! Come
believe this and rejoice, take Courage to fight on and to wait for God's Salvation.
Wait on the Lord, and be of good Courage, and he Ihall flrengthen your Hearts,
wait I fay on the Lord.
Finall)-, Let all fuch who profefs this glorious Truth, take Heed that they do
rot abufe it by indulging an indolent^ unwatchful Frame of Soul, and Loofenefs of
Life and Converfation, left their bad Example be produced by the Oppofers of this
D.o<Strine in order to juftify their calumnious, reproachful Oh]t6\\ons zg?Lir\^ ihQ
fame : But rather let our Lives and Converfations be fuch as fhall be a living,
Jlanding and irrefjllble Confutation of all their Calumny. This will be the beji
Argument
Of PERSEVERANCE.
395
Argument that we can produce in order to prove our Affertions that this is a Doc-
trine promotive of Holinefs, fince all others without this, will pafs,for nothing but
vain Talk, to the further expoftng of that holy Do£lrine, while we profefs to pa-'
tronize the fame, and ftrikc us with a guilty Silence before a triumphittgOhJQ&^or.
While we conftJcr Perfeverance as a Priviledge from Ged^ let us be ftridlly
mindful of it, as it implies our /)«/^ /<? God-y that we walk humbly and clofely
with him in the diligent Ufe of all the Means of Grace and Salvation both private
and publick ; that ourGonverfation b^ as becometh the G6fpel of Cbrift, ftudi-
oufly adorning the Da£lrine of God our Saviour in all Things ; that our Light fo
fhine before iVlen, that they feeing our good Works may glorify our Father which
is in Heaven. And, in a Word, let the Confideration of the Excellency and Cer-
tainty of God's Salvation, wherewith he will blefs all true Believers, be a power-
ful and perpetual Incentive to us to be ftedfaftand unmoveable, always abounding
in the Work of the Lord, fince we are hence affured that our Labour (hall not
be in vain in the Lord.
Now unto him who Is able to keep us from falling, and to prefent us fauklefs
before the Prefence of his Glory with exceeding Joy, to the only wife God our
Saviour, be Glory and Majefty, Dominion and Power now and for ever, Jmen.
^^^w^^w^m>^^^&^^^^!m&^^^mi
APPENDIX.
oc
3 \\ ' { l^6'Y' ^'^ -^- " '9
Wiierein Sadnian'ifm \s dete£ied\ with fome R^ma'ks on the Works of
Mr. JAMES FOSTER : Wherein is Iliewn the near Affinity there
is' between JrmimanTfm2LX\& Sociniamjin-, and hdw dicrt a Step there.
S 'is frbtn the fprmer t6 the "Idiler j aind of. tl\e Dar^ger- thert of.,.
»*/« <Mv ^iL" ^iv• »\£i^ '\Ar *jy 'jy ^jy "A* '^ c "A' "na" 'A' "A* "A^ "NA" •iA' '^A'* %5^ *A* •^JV
3l&^r^ /V J /^^j which feemeth right unto a Man : But the End thereof
are the Ways of Death.
HAVING difpatch'd what I intended with Refpefl to the Jrminian Points,
(wherein I have not wholly overlooked Socimanifm) I now come from
the f^id Account. o.f Things to- obferve, that whatever favourable.
Thoughts fome may entertain ofAfmrnianifm, it is not fo very innocent a Thing
as they would have it to be, being the Parent of and Leader unto Socinianifm j
that hence it is no Wonder that many Arminians do by Degrees go from had to
ivorfe, becoming thorough-paced Arians and Socinians, denying the Dodlrine of
iherijorci J^fuj'sip/vp^/Dtv^inity, the Merit of his moft precious Blood as a full
Sati^fadbnHoi Gbd's offended Juftice for the Sins of Men, the Perfonality and
God-head Charadler of the Holy Ghoft, and his fupernatural efficacious Operati-
ons in the Regeneration and San£tification of Sinners, as well as the Dodtrine of
Orit^inal Sin. For if the Arminian Do(Slrine of Univerfal Grace be true, and if
thaDoitrine^ of: Original Sin be «<?/ true, then what Need is there of the Merit;
andSatisfa^ion dfC^rift, or orhls mediatorial Righteoufnefs imputed to the Sons
of Men in order to juftify them ? And then of Courfe, what Need of his proper
God-head to make his Satisfaction compUat and plenary ? Alfo what Need is there
of the Perfonality and Divinity of the Holy Ghoft and his fupernatural Opera-
tions in Regeneration, if every Man be born into the World ;>ar^ and holy ; or if
the Do£lrine of Free-willhe true, as afierted by the Arminians ? Thus Socini-
cnifm in thefe and other Branches thereof do naturally flow from the Arminian
^ Lake,
A P P E N D I X,
ni
Lake, aiid then ran back into that dead Sea. When Men bn'ce leave the Corner-
Stone they don't know where to Jiop. While their Zeal is bent againft what
they call human Innovations and Jjjameful Jdditions to the Chriftian Religion, as
an Extream which feme do run into ; they do themfeives run into another^ by fe-
jeding many important Chriftian Dodnnes, even fuch as are ihc Glory oiChriJIl-
anity. Whilft they profefs a very higbRfteem of thcChriftianRevelation ii^Oppb"-
fition to fuch as ihey call Infidels^ are themfeives guilty of Infidelity^ by refolving
to believe no rnore thereof than they can comprehend W\\.\\ their Reafon, rejeding,
all there)}. A Paflage in the Rev. and pious Dr. Watts.^ his hurnble Attempt,
2 Edit. p. 50, being pertinent to my Purpofe, I thought fit to tranfcribe the fame ;
where fpeaking of fhamcful Additions to the Gofpel, which feme have impofed
upon the World, with which they are refolved to bear no longer, he adds :
*' But they are unhappily running into another Extream : Becaufe feveral Seds
*' and Parties of Chriltians have tacked on To many fa'fe and unbecoming Orna-
*' ments toChrittianity,they refolve to deliver her from thefeDi%ui(es : But ffays
** the Dr.) while they are paring off all this foreign Trumpery, they too often
** cut her to the Quick, and let out her Life-BIood (if I may io exprefs it) and
*' maim her of her very Limbs and vital Parts. Becaufe To -many irrational No-
<< tions and Follies have been mixed with the Chriftian Scherrie, 'tis now the
*' modifh Humour of the Age, to renounce almoft every Thing that Reafon
*' doth not difcover, and fo reduce Chriftianity itTelf to little more than the
*' Light of Nature, and the Didates of Reafon. And uhdi5r this fort of Influ-
" ence there are fome who are believers of the Bible, and the divine MifSon of
** Chriji, and dare not renounce the Gofpel it felf, yet they interpret fome of the
" petfiiliar and exprefs Dodrines and Duties of it, into To pbor, fo narrow and
'* jejune a Meaning, that they fuffer but little to remain beyond the Atiicles of
*' natural Religion, This leads fome of the leai'ned and polite Men of the Age,
*' to explain away the Sacrifice and the Atonement made for 6ur Sins by the
<* Death of Chrift, and to bereave our Religion of the ordinary Aids of the
<' Holy Spirit ; both wRich are fo plainly and exprefly revealed, and fo frequent-
*« ly repeated in the New-Teftament, and which are two of- the chief Glories
«* of theblefled Gofpel, and which perhaps are two of the'fchi6f'U"fes, of thofe
*« facred Names of the 6'(?;j and the Holy Spirit^ into which we are 'baptized.
** 'Tis this Very Humour that perfwades fome Perfons, to reduce the Injury and
*« Mifchief that we have furtained by the Sin and Fall of /^dam to fo flight a
«' Bruife, and fo inconfiderable a Wound, that a fmall Matter of Grace is
*' needful frtr our Recovery ; and accordingly they impoverifh thfe^ribh ^nd ad-
" mirable Rerhedy of tlieGofjiel to a verj Culpable Degree ; fuppofihgno more
»< to be neceffary for the Reftbration of Man, than thofe ftw ingredients,
♦' which in their Opinion go to make up the Whole CoHipfofiVi6n. Whence it
*' comes to pafs that the Do6trine of Regeneration, or an intire Change of cor-
*« rupt Nature by a Principle of divine Grace, is almoft loft out of their Chrifti-
*« anit-y ; or at leaft they fuppofd renewing Grace and Sandification by the Holy
♦' Spirit and his Afliftanees, to carry hoihing rhore in them than the outward
'** divine Mefl^ges and Difcoveriesof Grace, made and attefted by the extraor-
'* dihary Gift of the Spirit to the Chriftian World."
Td
398 APPENDIX.
To this I would fubjoin the Words of the Reverend Drs. John Ozven and
Samuel Anjldy in their Preface to the Rev. Mr. Elip:)a Cole's excellent prai^ical
Difcourfc on God's Sovereignty : *' It is not unworthy our Notice, flay they)
and deepeft Refenrmenr, how zealoufly afFedled feme Men arc in Behalf of
fuch Tenets, as fland in diredl Oppofition to the Grace of God, and their
own eternal Happinefs : how they fpare neither Arts nor Calumnies to dif-
grace the AlTertors of thofe very TVuths, that make up the Myftery of God-
linefs J yea to fcandalize and fupprefs the Truths themfelves : as if Reafon and
Learning were given to no better Ends than to vilify Religion. And further,
h.ow pronely addi£led Men are (having imbibed the Arminian Points^ to take
\t\ thofe that are of moft fatal Confcquence : (o far are thofe Principles from
yielding any effedlual Influence towards Holinefs, or well grounded Peace,
notwithftanding their pretended Adaptednefs to promote them."
To this 1 fubjoin. That by the Denial of Original Sin, Men are led to defpife
the (5«^ Remedy, Chriji's SatUfa£iion and the holy Spirit's Work in Regeneration
and Sanilification, and then the proper Divinity or God-head CharatSler oi both ;
Hence amidft all the fpUndid Titles which the Socinians do give unto the great
Redeemer, they do account him to be no more than a dignified Creature^ and wor-
fiiip him accordingly. Hence it is that the DocSlrine of the holy Trinity is exploded^
and that of the v!?y/»£/?«//V^/f/«/(?« of the divine and human Natures in our Emanuel
is treated with Contempt and Ridicule by thefe Sort of Men. While they maintain
that there is no fuch Thing as an infinite Evil in Sin (altho' it be a Tranfgreflion
of the Laws of an ;«;f«/V^/^ glorious God) and by their denying the Eternity oi
Hell Torments, the Guilt of Sin \s diminifi^ed^ the Honour of God's moft high
Majefty lejfiened, a deep and ho!y Dread of him is taken ofi^^ and a Flood-gate is there-
by fet open for zfiowing Tide of Atheifm and all Manner of Impiety to come in,
befides the Impiety of fiatly denying the pofitive Affertions of God's holy Oracles^
which do declare Sin to be exceeding dnful, and that the Wages of the fame is
Death eternal ; that the tormenting Worm dieth not, and that the Fire of Hell
fliall never be quenched. , Sep i)S<?OT. 2.J25.! i?«'«?. 7. .8, to 14. Rom. 6. 23.
fldarj f)f.4.3- to 49*0 ■;-; nt^ ;i:' 'v ^ v; Jn^'isit; T-^'V)l'' ■■'>}> >. .. ■■
rj Moreover, their making no more of the holy Obedience and Sufferings of Chrift
than a w^^rPattern of Piety, or an Example of holy living and dying only, doth
Iqr^d to overfet the chiefi End of his coming into the World as a Mediator, Recon-
ciler and Saviour, and is confequently of a very pernicious Nature. Hence the
Rev. Mr. Burkitt, after having made particular Mention of Chrift as an Example
of Piety, in the Clofe of his Annotations on the holy Evangelifts, doth give his
Reader a yery wife and warm Admonition thus ; " Before I clofe this Exhortation
*' to an imitation of Jefus, I muft fubjoin this cautionary Dire^ion ', Take Heed
*' that you do not fo imitate Chrifi for your Pattern as to difown him for your
•' Prieji. This (fays he) is the dangerous Error of thofe who afRrm, that the
*' great End of Chrift's Death was to give the World an Example of Patience,
«« Humility, Meeknefs, and the fore-mentioned Chriftian Graces, and that his
<* Sufferings Vf ere exemplary, but not properly fatisfailory. We acknowledge
" that Chrift's giving us an Example "^2^% mi End of his coming into the World
JPPENDIX 399
«« and dying for us, but not the gnat End. hjuhordinate End, but not the uhi-
* * mate. God preferve us from the Contagion of this growing Error ! Other
« < Errors only fcratch the Face, but this ftabs the Heart of the Chriftian Religion,
«< in that it deprives us of the choiceft Benefit of Chrift's Death ; namely, the
«* Expiation of Sin, by a proper Satisfaction to the Juftice of God. But bleded
<« he God f we have not fo learned Chri/f i as we are taught fo we believe, that
«' the holy Jefus, by the Sacrifice of his Death, has redeemed us from Death and
«* Hell, and faved us from the Wrath to come, by a full and adequate Payment
*< unto divine Juftice, and by the Redundancy of his Merits has purchafed an
»« eternal Inheritance for us."
To this I fhall fubjoin the Words of Dr. Edwards, in his Book intitled, The
Tendency of Socinianifm to Irreligion and Atheifm, p. 67. *' This (fays he) is the
*' Dodtrine which the holy Scripture teacheth us, and is the Faith of all who
<♦ rightly underftand thofe Writings, viz. That Chrift fufFered and died to fatisfy
*' the divine Juftice in our Stead, and thereby to expiate for our Sins, and to rc-
*' deem us from Death and Hell, and to purchafe Life and Salvation for us. Tiie
*' Socinians deny this, and thereby fubvert the whole Gofpel, turn Chriftianity
*' upfiie down, ruin the very Foundations of our Religion, and pluck it up by
*' the Roots. According to the Dodlrine of thcfe Men we are yet inaurS.n\
*' for there is" no true Expiation for them ; we are in a State of Mifery, we are
*> overwhelmed with our own Guilt, we are hopelefs, helplefs Creatures, and our
*' Condition is deplorable, for there is no Satisfaction made to God for our Trani-
** greflions." Thus thofe two eminent Divines of the Church of England.
I go on to obferve. That the Followers of Socinus, by making Reafon the Stan-
dard and Boundaries of our Faith in Matters of divine Revelation, avering that we
muft not carry our Faith one Jot beyond our Underftandings, as Mr. James Fofler
dictates ; do with one Stroke cut out the very Pitals of Chriftianity, finc'e a
great Part thereof is founded on meer Revelation and Difcovery of God^s Will, and
which tranfcends the higheft Elevations and Grafp of hare Reafon. It was the
foher and fad Confideration of thefe Things that fet my Pen at work 2itfir/}, in
Oppofition unto Arminianifm, and now at length unto Socinianifm, the poifonous
Spawn thereof , which doth fomanifeftly ftain the Honour of God, and tend to-
wards the eternal Ruin of the Sons of Men. And that which renders fuch Trea-
tifes, wherein thefe pernicious DoCtrines are maintained, the more dangerous is
their being intermix'd with fome Points of Morality, which are maierially good^,
and in iheix proper Place ufeful, which ferve as Gild unto the pernicious Pill, and
as Sugar to make it go down the better with the unwary. And I am heartily
forry to find amongft others, that Mr. Fojier, a Gentleman fo much celebrated
by fome for his acute Parts and Reafoning, {hould employ them unto fuch hurt-
ful Purpofes.
Upon my Obfervation of this in his Works, I found my felf inclined to make
fome Remarks thereupon. In doing which I fhall endeavour, by the Help of
God, with all convenient Brevity and Plainnefs to do both him and the Caufe of
Religion Juftice. I am well aware that fome of that Gentleman's Admirers will
account this at leaft a very bold Attempt in mc, as an unequal Match for fo great a
F f f Champitn,
400
APPENDIX.
Champion. All I (hall fay to this is, that as I do not hereby feek Honour from
Men, who delight in Excellency of Speech and the enticing Words of Man's
Wifdom ; fo the Diflike of fuch will be no Difappointment at all unto me, and
confequently will not give me any Pain or Fear : My Satisfadion is, that it is the
Caufe of God which I have efpoufed, as becomes a Minifter of Jefus Chrifl, who
is fet for the Defence of his Gofpel ; and that God hath chofen \he fcolifl) Things
of this World to confound the wife^ and the weak Things of this World to con-
found the Things that are mighty, and the bafe, defpifed Things of this World to
bring to nought Things that are, that noFlefh fliould glory in his Prefence, i Cor.
I. 27, 28, 29. Thus then, without any further Apology at prefent, I fhall, by
divine JJJi/iance, proceed unto the Confideration of fome Paflages in Mr. FoJJer^s
firfl Volume of Sermons.
In Page 14. where his Text is ylSis 24. 25. he hath thefe Words, " To preach
*« Chrift is univerfally allowed to be the Duty of every Chriftian Minifter. But
*' what doth it mean ? To the which he anfwers in the Negative, That 'tis not
«« to ufe his Name as a Charm to work up our Hearers to a warm Pitch of En-
" thufiafm, without any Foundation of Reafon to fupport it. — 'Tis not to make
«' his Perfon and Offices incomprehenfible. — *Tis not to exalt his Glory as a
*' kind condefcending Saviour, to the Difhonour of the fupream and unlimited
*' Goodnefs of the Creator and Father of the Univerfe, who is reprefented as
*' ftern and inexorable, exprefling no Indulgence to his guilty Creatures, but de-
*■' manding a full and rigorous Satisfaction for their Offences. — 'Tis not to en-
«' courage any undue & prefumptuous Reliances on his Merits and Interccilion."
tc ... Pag. 16. " From what hath been faid it appears, that to explain and prefs
*' the eternal Laws of Morality is not only a truly Chriftian, but beyond Com-
*' parifon themoft ufeful Method of Preaching."
Remark. Mr. Fofier hence evidently appears to inveigh againft the good old
Way of preaching Chrift in his Perfon and Offices, when we fpeak of them as
Myfteries, beyond our Ability fully to comprehend, according to that of the great
Apoftle, I Tim. 3. 16. '* Without Controverfy great is the Myftery ofGodli-
nefs, God manifeft in the Flefti ;"— whereas Mr. Fojier is for our blefTed Savi-
our's having no more Dignity and Excellency than what we can comprehend •,
which evidently ftrikes at the DoiSlrine of his proper Divinity or God-head Cha-
rader, and the Conjiitution of his Perfon as Mediator, God and Man united, as
will further appear by what I fhall have Occafion to quote from fome other of his
Works hereafter.
Moreover, Mr. Fojier here alfo plainly fets himfelf againft the Do£trine of
Chrift's Death and Sufferings, confidered as a proper Attonement or Satisfadion
to divine ]\xW\CQfor the Sins of Men j infinuating that that Dodlrine is diredly re-
pugnant unto the Honour of God, as confidered in the Perfections of his Goodnef;^
and as a kind condefcending Saviour.
To which I would anfwer. That as God is ju/l as well as good ; as fujiice as
well as Mercy is one of his Perfections, and as 'tis moft reafonahle to believe, that
God defign'd to glorify all znd every of his Attributes in the grand znd Jlupcndious
Work of Redemption by his Son Jefys Chrift j fo that it no fVays derogates from,
but
APPENDIX.
40 r
but \s fully confijient with his Goodnefs and Mercy to maintain that Jefus Chrift died
in order to make full Reconciliation, or ftri<^ and adequate Satisfadlion/or the
Sins of Men j and to this the holy Scriptures agree, Rom. 3. 23, 24, ^Jc. «' We
have all finned and come fhort of the Glory of God ;" and then it follows, "Be-
ing juftified freely by his Grace, {and yet marJi) thro' the Redemption that is in
Jefus Chrift, whom God hath fet forth to be a Propitiation thro' Faith in his
Blood, for the Remiflion of Sins that are part, thro' the Forbearance of God, to
declare at this Time I fay his Righteousness ; to what End ? That God may
be JUST, (mark, juji and righteous^ as well zs gracious) in the juftifying of them
that believe in Jefus, or adl Faith in him as their Surety, the Surety of a better
Teftament ;" for fo the holy Scripture calls him, Heb. 7. 22. 'Tis therefore
evident, that as the Holy Ghoft here alludes unto the Nature of Suretijhip amongfl:
Men, (o there muft needs be a due Propriety of Speech therein, and a proper Jptnefs
to reprefent the Death and Bloodfhed of our blefled Saviour as the Price of our
Redemption. To fay otherwife, is nothing lefs than to charge the infpired Pen-
man with ufing a Term that is improper and impertinent. But the Propriety of the
Expieffi'^n appears with ihsgreateji Evidence, not only to {hew forth the Do6lrine
of Chri/l's SatisfaSiion, but alfo to manifeft how well confiftent that Doflrine is
with the Perfections of God's Grace, Mercy and Goodnefs, as well as his Jufiice ;
Becaufe, howfoever the Creditor is bound in Jujiice to acquit the Debtor upon his
receiving a/«// Payment or SatisfaSiion at the Hands of the Surety ; yet his Good-
nefs and Favour appears in his firji accepting of a Payment that Way, whereas he
might have refufed it, ftridtly demanding the fame at the Debtor's oiun Hands ;
and for want oi fuch Payment have caft him into Prifon. But if the Creditor not
only condefcends to accept of Payment at the Hands of a Surety, when without
anv Charge of Injuftice he might have refufed it ; how much more doth his Good-
refe and Favour appear if he withal feeks out for and provides that Surety ? As is
the Cafe between God the great Creditor and poor Sinners ; who are according-
ly faid to be juftified by his Grace, which is the original Caufe of Juftification, as
well as that they are faid to be juftified by Chri/fs Blood, which is the material 3nds^f^.L;
jneritorious Ground of their SiWiiif.iCliuM, fo that God is just in juftifying theni,^*-^
that believe in Jefus the^r^<7/ Surety, and who by Faith ple:d that Payment which "'
he has made in their Room and Stead ; I fay in their Roofn and Stuad ; and which
be voluntarily undertook to do, as Pan] for Onefimus unto his Mafter Philemon,
Ver. 18. ** If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine
Account : I Paul have written it with mine own Hand, I v/il! repay it." /. e. I
will make thee full Recompence and SatisfaSiion ; fo that whilft thou (heweft thy
Favour in accepting of my Surety Engagements on his Behalf, juflice itfeff'mW not
complain; nay, it fliall fhine forth and triumph in Conjunction with thy Com-
pafTion, in th^ acquitting and Acceptance of him on the Account cf my Payment.
This is, I think, a plain and proper Alhifion, for the Illuftration and Confirmation
of the Point in Hand, as is further confirmed by that Saying of tiie Apnftle John,
aft Epift. Chap. i. 9. '< If we confefs our Sins, God is faithful :^.u6 J! if} to for-
give us our Sins, and to cleanfe us from all Unrighteoufnefs." (Mark) faithful
Sknd JuJ}, as well as me.rdful, in the RemlfHon of tiic Sins of them who do believe
F f f 2 i„
402 APPENDIX,
in Jefus : Ju/i, in Regard unto his compleat Satisfadlion, znd faithful ^ in Regard
to God's Promlfe of Pardon and Acceptance on the Account thereof. So that
Mr. Fojier doth certainly err in alledging that Forgivenefs of Sin in the New-
Teftament is not reprefented as a Thing for which a Price of ^^W Value was paid,
and which confequently may be demanded mJiriSi Jujiice ; but as a voluntary Adt
of PURE Favour, as in pag. 327, 328 — of his Book intitled, The Ufefulnefsy
Truth and Excellency of the Chriftian Revelation defended, And 'tis pretty
enough to obferve, that whilfl this Gentleman chargeth others with crying up
God' s/Jri£fJuJi'ice, to the Prejudice of his Grace zudMercy,\\t\s himfelf guilty of
crying up thefe latter, to the Prejudice of i)\Q former, which he will by no Means
allow any Share in the Glory of Redemption ; making the divine Perfe6lions to
jar infread oi harmonizing in that Top and Chief of God's Works ; with Refpeil
unto which, the divine Oracles do loudly and no lefs fweetly proclaim, that Mercy
and Truth are met together, Righteoufnefs and Peace have kijfed each other. Truth
Jhdl fpring out of the Earth, and Righteoufnefs /hall look down from Heaven, Pfal.
85. 9, 10, II. compared with Pfal. m. 7, 8, 9. The Works of his Hands are
Verity and Judgment, all his Commandments are fure ; theyjiand faji for ever
and ever, and are done in Truth and Uprightnefs. He fent Redemption unto his Peo-
ple, he hath commanded his Covenant for ever. Holy and Reverend is his
Name.
As Man fell from that State of Uprightnefs in which he came out of the Hands
of his Maker, " it Jay entirely (as one well obfervesf) in the difpofing Will of
God, whether he would fave Man at all after this his Revolt ; and feeing 1 e
thought fit to refcue Part of ^^om's Pofterity from the Ruin which the Fail
brought upon them, he certainly had a Right to pitch upon what Method he
thought fitteft to bring about their Recovery. Whether God could have ac-
complifhed the Salvation of Men any other Way than in the Method he has
took in choofingthem in Chrifl:,entring into a Covenant with him as the Surety,
and with all hi Eled in him as his Seed, and in the Fulnefs of Time fending
him in the Flefh, that he might fufFer Death to purchafe the Redemption of
fuch as he had given him ; is a Queflion too high for us to determine, and there-
fore is vain and unprofitable. It is infolently intruding into Things not feen
for us to take upon us to determine abfolutely what a God of infinite Wifdom
aiid Power might have done. However this we mufl tenacioufly adhere to,
that it is inconfiftent with the Nature of God for him to injure any of his Per-
fe<Slions to fave fuch as deferve not his Favour. We are not to doubt but that
God will glorify one Attribute as well as another in refcuing ruin'd Criminals :
So that tho' we fuppofe him to be ever fo unlimitted in his Sovereignty, or ever
fo rich in his Mercy, we mufl flill aver that he never would, in order to fhew
his Sovereignty, or make known his Mercy, fufter his Juftice to remain unfatif-
fied, and confequently not glorified, or his Holinefs and Truth to be tarnifhed j
but he is as much concerned to glorify his Juftice and to fliew forth his Holi-
+ Limeflreet Serm. Vol. I. p. 40, 41, 42.
" nefs
APPENDIX, 403
<« nefs and Truth, as he can be to manifeft his Sovereignty, or to make known
*< his Mercy : God therefore fhewed the Greatnefs of his Wifdom in the con-
*' triving the Method of Men'a Salvation, that it might be by Chrift's fatisfying
«« for Sin. In this Way all his Perfedlions are fet in a moft amiable Light j
** Juftice is glorified to the utmoft, and has vindicated its Rights, in that a Satif-
«* fadion of infinite Value has been yielded by an almighty Redeemer ; Holinefs
t' fparkles with the brighteft Luftre, feeing he who is Purity itfelf has fhewed his
«< Hatred of Sin "to be fo great that he fpared not his own Son, when he only
»« knew Sin by Imputation ; the Truth of him who is invariable in Faithfulnefs,
«' is fully eftablifhed, in that he hath exaded the Punifhment threatned ; Good-
<* nefs appears in its full Beauty, as a Redeemer is provided for fuch as have de-
*< ftroyed themfelves, and the greateft Bleffings are freely beftowed on the un-
<' worthy ; Mercy is difplayed to the utmoft, becaufe Provifion is made for bring-
** ing Sinners to partake of the Happinefs they had forfeited ; Wifdom and Power
*' are greatly magnified, fince a Way is laid out and finiihed, in which Juftice
<* and Holinefs might not beinjur'd, and yet Grace and Mercy might be eminent-
*' ly exalted. This is the Method of Man's Salvation which the Scriptures
*« teach, and as it is the only Way of thinking which Men can fall into in order
*< to glorify all God's Perfedions, it muft be concluded the tnoji rational Scheme
«' in ali the World. The Defign of God was to glorify his own Perfedlions, to
«' exalt Chrift, to ftain the Pride of Man's Glory, and to fliew the Neceflity of
«' Holinefs. Therefore as the holy Scripture declares and reveals this wonderful
«' Plan, it is no Marvel that it fliould be ridiculed as a Huddle of foolifh Opini-
'« ons, by the vain and proud Pretenders to Reafon, who make what furpafles
*' their fliallow Capacities the Subjedl of their Scorn, and treat with Contempt
** al/that is above their condenfed Apprehenfions."
To this I'm willing to fubjoin what that worthy Prelate Bp. Hopkins hath faid
on the fame Subjedl in his Difcourfes on the two Covenants. ** That fallen Man
«' . is at all reftored can be founded upon nothing, but God's abfolute Purpofe of
*' having Mercy on whom he will haveMercy : That this reftoring him toGrace
*< and Flavour, and confequently to eternal Life, fhould be by a Covenant of
*' Grace, fealed and confirmed in the B!ood of Chrift, is founded
'* only on the eternal Covenant of Redemption made between the Father and
«' the Son. Whether this Way of Salvation by Chrift were fimply or abfo-
«' lutely neceflary or no, yet it is certain that no other Way could be fo fuited
«' to the Advancement of God's Glory as this, and therefore it was moftcon-
«* gruous, and morally neceflary that our Salvation fliould be wro't out by his
*< Sufferings and Satisfadlion. For (i) This is the moft decent and becoming
" Way, thatGod could take to reconcile Sinners tohimfelf. So theApoftle fays
<' exprefly, Heb. 2. lo. «* For it became him for whom are all Things, and by
»* whom are all Things, in bringing many Sons to Glory, to make the Captain,
" of their Salvation perfedl thro' Sufferings. It would not have become the
♦< great Majefty of Heaven and Earth, whofc fovereign Authority was fo hei-
^* nou fly violated by fuch a vile and bafe Creature as Man is, to receive him
*' into his Love and Favour, without fome Repair made unto his Holinefs : and
** if
4t>4
APPENDIX,
«« If there muft Intervene a Satisfaction, there is none could make it but only
»«■ Jefus Chrift. (2) No other Way could fo jointly glorify both the Mercy
*' and Juftice of God, as this of bringing Men to Salvation by Chrift. If God
*< had abfolutely remitted Punirnment, and accepted the Sinner to Life, by his
" meer good Pleafure, this indeed had been a glorious Declaration of hisMercy ;
*« but Juftice had lain obfcured. If God had made a temporary Punifhment
" fcr.ed for an Expiation of Sin, here indeed both Juftice and Mercy had
«' been glorified to the utmoft Extent of them. But in this Redemption by
<« Chrift, Juftice hath its full Glory, in that God takes Vengeance on the Sin of
«t Man to the very uttermoft ; and yet Mercy is likewife glorified to the full ;
«« for the believing Sinner is without his own Suff'erings, pardon'd, accepte<l
*< and faved.' Now that none but Chrift could do this 'tis evident, becaufe no
*' meer Creature {which is all Mr, Fofter will alloiv Chriji to be^mider all the fplen^
*< did Titles he gives him) could bear an infinite Punifhment, fo as to elediuate
*« and finifli it ; and no finite Punifhment could fatisfy an infinite Juftice. He
*« muft be a Man that fatisfies, elfe Satisfa<Slion could not be made in the fame
«« Nature that finned. He muft be God likewife, elfe humane Nature could
«' not be fupported from finking under the infinite Load of divine Wrath."
Hence then (I go on to obferve) that the Lord Jefus Chrift being both God and
Man in one Perfon, he became a meet Mediator between God and Man, who
ftanding in out Law-Place, was made of a Woman, made under the Law, in or-
^er to fulfil its Precepts, and to fuffer its Penalties, fo that by the Sacrifice of
himfelf he made Reconciliation for our Sins ; by his aSiive and pajftve Obedience
he wrought out a perfect Righteoufnefs, emphatically called the Righteoufnefs of
God, i^flOT. 10. 2,3. which being /wj/a/^^ to us ox reckoned our's by Way of /w-
tutation, we are juftified in the Sight o/Godj who enables us by Faith to lay hfeld
thereof, and to reft thereupon accordingly ; whence it is called the Righteouf-
nefs of Faith ; which Faith purifies the Heart, and works by Love, and is ever
produdliveof good Works. Rom. 8. i, ^^5- " There is therefore nownoCon-
demnation to them that are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the Flefh,
but after [the Spirit. For the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in
Chrift Jefus, hath made me free from the] Law of Sin and Death ; for what
the Law could not do in that it was weak thro' the Flefli (viz. thro' our Fall un-
able to juftify usj God fending his oWn Son in the Likcnefs of finful Flefli, and
for Sin /or becoming a Sacrifice for Sin) condemned Sin in the Fiefti that the
Righteoufnefs of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the Flefli
but after the Spirit.
This is our Scheme of Dodlrine concerning Chrift as the Saviour of Sinners,
which being uniformly confidered as founded on divine Revelation, doth fhew how
little Reafon our great Reajoner and profeffed Defender of the Ufefulnefs, Truth,
and Excellency of the Chrijlian Revelation, h&d in zn ironical reRe6\iX)^ Manner to
fay, *' That to preach up Chrift is not to make Ufe of his Name as a Charm to
workup our Hearers to a warm Pitch of Enthufiafm, without any Reafon to
fupport it occ. And that 'tis not to encourage any undue and prefumptuous Re-
liances on his Merits andlntercefCon." If any Profeflbrs af the Doctrine of
Chrift's
APPENDIX. 405
Chrift's Satisfafllon do thus rely, let the Fault lie on them and not on the
Do£frine it felf. Sure I am that generally fpeaking at leaft, thofe Chriftians who
do profefs that important Dodrine, do maintain it as promotive oiJhiSi HoUnefsy
and many of them do I am (\xre praliice accordingly, and who will as readily fay
as Mr. A/iT can,* "That thofe Chriftians who fubftitute the Righteoujnejs^
Merits and Intercejfion of Chrifl, in the Room of the indifpenfible Necejpty of a
flri(5l and univerfal Vertue (i.e. to the Exclufion of the fame) grofly mifreprefent
and reproach Chriflianity ; and of Confequence -— blafpheme the Author of it."
Do we then make void the Law thro' Faith, viz. Faith in the Bloody Merits,
and Iniercejion of Chria ? nay we eftablifh the Law. While we feek to be jufti-
fied in the Sight of God by Faith in Chrifl's perfect Obedience thereunto, by
which he hath magnified it and made it honourable, Ifai. 42. 21. we do look 011
it (the moral Law) as an eternal Rule of Righteoufnefs. We efleem it as a Rule
of holy Living and Square of Sandification, while we do intirely difclaim it,
confider'd as a Covenant of Works and Life.
We honour and magnify the Law of God as that which is holy and jufl: and
good, and preach up the fame to our Hearers, telling them that Faith without
Works is dead being alone ; yet at the fame Time dare not with Mr. Fojler
preach up the Law as a Covenant of IForks^ in Oppofition unto and to the Ex-
clufion of the imputed Righteoufnefs and Satisfadion of Chrift, averrinc^ as he
doth in Oppofition thereunto " that to explain and prefs the eternal Laws of
Morality is not only a truly chriftian, but beyond Comparifon the moftufeful Me-
thod of Preaching." This I fay, we dare not do. From what I have faid it ap-
pears, how little Reafon he had to fay as he does, by Way of hard RefieSiion^ p,
17, 18. *' Of what Advantage is it to fet Faith and Reafon at Variance, and lay
" more Strefs on believing aright, than on Purity of Heart and Holinefs of Life ?
<* Or to magnify the Grace of God by difparaging and vilifying human Nature,
*« which is the Work of God j by reprefenting Mankind as having loft their
'« noble Powers of Reafon and Liberty, and confequently being altogether as un-
«' capable as the Brute Creatuies ? —Or in fixing the whole of our Salvation on
" the Righteoufnefs o( znother imputed to us^ and givinga defpicable Reprefenta-
*' tion of the mofl exalted human Vertucs, unlefs it be to mortify the befi of Men,
" and flacken their Diligence and Zeal, and flatter the worft in their Vices."
As for our vilifying human Nature, which is the Work of God, and reprefenting
Men as Brute Creatures, devoid of the noble Powers of Reafon and Liberty, which
he lays to our Charge, he thereby reprefents us to be not much better than fuch if
any : But as brutijh as we are, we are not quite fo fiupid as not to know how to
diftinguifli between human Nature, confidered fimply as God'sWorkmanfhip,and
otherwife inRegard of thatC(jrr«/>/;<7;7&Z)<?prfl'y//y, which hath cleav'd thereunto ever
fincetheF<7^/. Of which fadTruth theSocinians by talking as they do, do (hew them-
felves to be fad & fiandingln flames. We do not fay thatMan hath lofl his humanFa-
culties^ fuch as theUnderftanding, Will, AfFedions, Confcience & Memory,confi-
* 2 Vol. Sermons, 2d Edit. p. 268.
dercj
406 A P P E N D I X.
ilexQiasJuch j but what we affirm is that by the Fall they loft the pure ReSli'
tude of thofeF. cul ies, why elfe do the holy Scriptures tell us, of the Under-
fhnding being dark^ned^ yea Darknefs in the Abftradt, and of the carnal Mind
being Enmity againft God, and that Men are dead in Sins and Trefpafles, and
fuch like ; of which I have fully fpoken under the Head of original Sin. Again,
why elfe do the fame divine Oracles abound with fo many full Expreflions con-
cerning the abfolute Necejftty of our being hern again in order to become meet for
Heaven, of our being renewed in the Spirit of our Minds, and of being quick-
ned when dead in TrefpafTes and Sins, created in Chrift Jefus unto good Works,
and upon that very Account called God's Workmanfhip, and all as the Fruits
and EfFeds of God's rich Mercy and great Love towards us ? Eph. 2. By which
it appears that we are fo far from villifying and difparaging human Nature, or the
Grace of God, that in maintaining thefe Dodlrines v/q do magnify the Grace of
God in its rich Difplays towards poor fallen humane Creatures. If Mankind by
the Fall did not lofe the /nor^/ Image of God, why do the Scriptures fpeak of
jegenerated Perfons as putting off the old Man, and putting on the new Man
which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him ? Col.
3. 10. Doth not Regeneration naturally pre-fuppofe a State of Degeneration ?
And finceour Lord hath fhewn that all Adam's fallenPofterity muft be regenerated
before they can fee and enter into the Kingdom of God and of Glory, what can
be more evident than that they are all moft miferably degenerated ? Holy Scripture^
FaSis^ Experience and daily Obfervation^ are fo unanimous in their Evidence to
this fad Truth, that *tis marvellous to think how any one that pleads up for a
rfl//(7«(7/ Evidence of Things, and the free Exercife of the noble Powers of Rea-
fon fhould once draw Pen againft it, unlefs it might be thought reafonable to
withfland the moft glaring Light, and fay that the Sun doth not fhine out at noon
Day from a ferene Sky ? 'Tis true, a ^AWMan, might be guilty of fuch an
Error with whom the Light of Noon and the Darknefs of Midnight is alike j but
that any one of thofe r/^ary7|^Ar^^ Gentlemen, who always fay, w^y^^, |j ftiould be
fo much miftaken, I had almoft faid, \s ajioni/hing ! What a My/iery is here !
And yet behold with what a large Degree of keen Refentment Mr. F—-r (as
clear-fighted a Gentleman as any amongft them) hath fet the keen Edge of his Pen
againft the Defenders of the Do£lrine of original Sin, p. 78. '* Indeed (fays he)
human Nature has been fo reprefented in fo iafe, difagreable, and monflrous a
Form, that the Contemplation thereof muft needs be frightful and jQiocking
to a generous Mind {fuch as Mr. F — x^%) as having loft the noble Powers of Rea-
fon and Liberty, and being the Seat of Nothing, but irregular, impure and mif-
chievous Paffions, as incapable of any Thing that is good and virtuous, and prone
to all Manner of Wickednefs. And if this were true, who could take any
Satisfadlion in looking into himfelf, when be muft behold fuch a hideous Pidure
of Deformity" ? By this the Reader need not wonder to hear Mr. F- — r fpeak
fo lightly and diminutively of Chrift the Phyjictan, and his Medicines, as he doth ;
! Joh. 9. 40, 41,
APPENDIX. 407
fince he thinks himfelf fo very whole. He feems refolved not to be accounted a-
mongft the Number of thofe enthufiaftic Fools, of whom Solomon fpeaks, i Kin.
8. 38. who fpread out their Hands to the Almighty, knowing and complaining
every Man of the Plague of his own Heart : and that he will by no Means be in-
cluded within the Circle of that mortifying Text, fpoken by our blefled Saviour,
Mar. 7.20,21. ** And he faid, that which Cometh out of the Man, that defileth
the Man j for from within, out of the Heart of Men, proceed evil Thoughts,
Adulteries, Fornications, Murders, Thefts, Coveteoufnefs, Wickednefs, Deceit,
Lafcivioufnefs, an evil Eye, Blafphemy, Pride, Foolifhnefs : all thefeThings come
from within, and defile the Man." But far be it from fuch good and vertuous
Men as Mr. F. and his Brethren in Goodnefs and Vertue^ that their Hearts fhould
ever be the Seat of fuch irregular^ znd impure Paffions ; that being born into the
"World pure and holy Creatures, and naturally prone to all Manner of Piety and
Vertue, they ftiould be fo hardly thought of, their generous Minds (hocked, and
their felf Satisfadtion fpoiled ! True and pertinent to our Purpofe is that Saying
of our Lord ; " The whole need not the Phyfician, but thofe thatzrejici." For
(fays he) *' I came not to call the Righteous (the felf-righteous) but Sinners to
Repentance". Poor fenjib/e Sinners, who under a feeling Senfe of their fpiritual
Maladies, do each one of them with the poor humble Publican cry out, " God
be merciful unto me a Sinner." Whilft his praying Companion in the Temple,
thanks God that he is not fuch a hideous Pi£lure of Deformity ; but contrariwife
altogether good & virtuous ; which made him take fuch alargeDegree of Satisfac-
tion in himfelf,as he did. Suchlnftances do naturally lead my Thoughts unto what
the infpired wife Man fays, Prov. 30. 12. " There is a Generation that arepure
in their own Eyes, and yet is not waftied from their Filthinefs."
But however, there is one Text in 'Jer. 17.9. " The Heart is deceitful above
all Things and defperately wicked, who can know it ?" which ftands in Mr.
Fojler^s Way, and which he accordingly attempts to remove out of it. For pa.
255. propounding Rules for profitable reading the holy Scriptures, he tells us,
that this Text had been ufed to as flrange a Purpofe as one can well imagine,«'/z.
to prove that Men are not acquainted with themfelves, that they are Strangers to
their own Hearts [which feems to be his own very Cafe) whereas it means only the
Hearts of their hypocritical Neighbours ;" and therefore it is with me no
wonder that he gives fuch an unaccountable Turn unto what is in holy Scripture
called Regeneration and the new Creature, as he doth, pa. 264. where he warmly
inveighs againft the fame, as 'tis commonly taught by thofe of the oppoftte Scheme
with himfelf ; faying that the general Defign of thefe Expreflions, is only this,
that he ffuch an one) entred upon a new Kind of Life, has throughly changed his
Principles and Method of ailing.-— But (fays he) is it not moft unaccountable,
that any (hould ftrain this Metaphor (viz. of Regeneration and the new Birthj fo
prodigioufly as to make Men meer Alachines ;" for fo Mr. F. reckons Men do
when they maintain that the Regeneration of Men is wrought by the fupernatural
Operations of the Holy Ghoft ; which he will by no Means allow of any more
than he will of Men's natural Depravity ; againfl all which he doth further
warmly declaim, 2 Vol; Serm. 2d Edit. p. 216. where he alledgeth that by our
Scheme the Freedom andMorality of human Actions are dcftroyed,and fuch like.
G g g For
408 APPENDIX.
For Anfwer to which I (hall for brevity's Sake refer th; Reader to my Dif-
courfes upon Ele£lion and ef^e<Elual Calling. As alfo to what this Gentleman
obje£ts at large againft the Dodlrine of God's Sovereignty in fhewing electing
Mercy unto whom he will fliew it &c. Altho' by theVVay I cannot but briefly ob-
ferve, that what Mr. FoJIer argues in Behalf of God's free Difpenfation of divine
Revelation, or the Gofpel which is the Means of Grace and Salvation, may with
as good Propriety be faid of God's free Difpenfatioa of the Grace of Eleftion
unto Salvation, which includeth within its grafping Arms, both the Means of
Grace and the Grace of the Means. Can't God without being taxed with In-
juftice, do what he will with whatsoever is his ^c/j /" This is his righteous
and fovereign Claim. Rom. g. i^.^c. Th-lel'hings being obferved. let us attend
unto Mr. Fo/ier's Words, 2 Vol. Ser. 2 Edit. p. 145,146. ♦' We cannot infer,
either from the Wifdom or Goodnefsof God, that he was, in a proper Senfe ob-
liged, to grant it fdivine Revelation) to the If'orld at all. For let us fee how the
Argument ftands : *' The Chriftian Revelation was a figiial Benefit^ and ex-
treamly deftreable^ and therefore God was obliged to communicate it."— But why
this Conclufion I Are there not infinite other Things, which we are apt to ima-
gine, would be of great Advantage to particular Parts of the Creation, that are
never granted ? And why fhould it not be fo ? Has not the fupream Being, the
abfolute difpofal of what is Matter of pure Favour ? Or do we make noDiftin(Sti-
on between A<Sls of Favour and of Juftice ? Surely there is a vaft Difference
between them in the Nature of Things." Is this Mr. Fofter or Calvin ? I hope
hereafter Mr. F — r will no more Charge thofe whom he oppofeth, with making
God to be unjuft or tyrannical for their afl'erting from the divine Oracles, that
there is a Remnant, according to the Eiedlion of Grace or pure Favour, as the
Word Grace doth there fignify, as appears by St. Paul's nervous arguing there-
upon ; and if by Grace, then it is no more of Works ; otherwife Grace is no
more Grace : But if it be of Works, then it is no moreGrace ; otherwife Work
is no more Work, Rom. ir. 5, 6. Has not the fupream Being the abfolute Dif-
pofal of what is Matter of pure Favour ? Or do we make no Diftindlion be-
tween A£ls of Favour and of Juftice ? Let Mr. Fofter mind this well, and then
he will ceafe replying againft God. Let him but confider the DocStrine of God's
Elt^ion, of the divine Decrees, of the holy Trinity, and the Methods of di-
vine Grace in the Salvation of Sinners in a holy Scripture Light, and then he will
ccafe querying as he doth. *' What End doth it ferve to wrap Religion up in
** Darknefs, and lay a great Strefs on the incomprehenfible Subtleties of School
** Div n'tv, but to confound weak Underftandings, make the Ignorant conceited
«« and cenforious, and foment a Spirit of Uncharitablenefs and party Zeal ?
And again, *' What is the U^t of inlifting on abfolute and irreiiftible Decrees,
** but to encourage Prefumption, or drive to Defpair ?"
But to proceed : H, ving confidered Mr. F. in his imaginary, whole & health-
ful Eftate, and who confequently, fees not the Need of the Phyfician^ nor of his
Medicines^ as we have before feen, and fhall fee more hereafter, we will pafs on to
confider what he had to fay of him, and how high a Valuation he has for him.
Why by ih^fp Undid T'aUs he fomeiimes gives him, and the Reverence and Ho-
mage
ji P P E N D I X.
409
mage he wifbes Men to pay him, one would be tempted to think that he had him
in highcftEfteem, and that he honoured Him as the Father, wz.with equalHonour :
I <^ala(s ! while one's Expectations begin to be raifed hereupon, how foon and fadly
are they daflied ? By fome bold and daring Strokes at his properDivi.iity or God-
head Charader, whereby he endeavours to bring him down into the Rank of meer
Creatures J fo that all Mr. /^?/V^r's bowing and cringing, worfhipping and honour-
ing of him, amounts to no more than zfine Flouri/hoi Words j and (to ufe Mr.
f~..r*s own Phrafe) a genteel giving him the Cap djni the Knee. Aliho* in Faft
he is over all God blefled for ever, Rom. 9. 6.
But to prove as well as ojfert what I fay, let my Reader turn to the 5thChapter
of Mr. FoJier*s Treatife of the Ufefulnefs, Truth and Excellency of the Chriftian
Revelation, and other Parts of that Book, and he fhall find him giving theblefied
Jefus the Titles of King and Saviour, an extraordinary Meflcnger fent from Hea-
ven, aveiring that he is to be worpiipped by us ; yet as he afterwards calls him an
Inferiour to the greateft of Beings, fo he will allow him no more than inferior^
Jubordinate Worfhip. His Words are, •* And finally, (fays he) that we worlhip
Chrift, as having the mediatorial Kingdom conferred on him by the Father, and
in Obedience to his Commai d, afcrib ng particularly. Glory and Dominion t«o
him, who b) the wile Conftiiiition of God is our Saviour and King ; but always
in Subordination to the Glory of the one God and Father of all, who alone has a
Right to our fupream Worfhip and Obedience.**
Again, in 2 Vol. Ser. 2 Edit. p. 220. Mr.F. has thefe Words ; " MayChnyif-
anity fpread its Light, and reforming Influences throughout the World : that at
the Name of Jefus every Knee may boWj and every Tongue eenfefs him to be Lordy to ihi
Glory of God the Father.'* Thefe are goodWords indeed ! And aPrayer in which
I can heartily join : But not in Mr. F- — 's low and mean Senfe of them. For
how much foever he feems here to honour Chrift, yet bow fadly does he di/honour
him, but a few Pages diftance within the fame Cover, pa. 196, by endeavouring
to rob him of his God- head CharaSfer, as God equal with the Father, wretchedly^
perverting a ih -ice Text of Scripture unto that End, Phil. 2. 6. Let this Mind he
in you, which was alfo in Chrift Jefus : who tho* he was in the Form of God [ or
deputed to reprefent his Perfon, and aft in his Name] did not greedily tovet the
Continuance of th's high Honour ; but made himfelf of no Reputation 6fc." An4
then in the fame Page onwards he feems again to carefs and honour him extraor-
dinarily, by calling him the Image or Reprefentaiive of the invifible God, that glo-
rious Being, by whom all Things were created, in Comparifbn of whom, the
moft exalted among Men, are but worthlejs diminutive Creatures, and then talks
of Chrift's divine Condefcenfion. I will give my Reader the entire Paragraph,
as it immediately follows upon the above perverted Text.
** The moft exalted among Men, be they ever fo eminently diftinguifhed by
•* Xhtxx Rank zx\A Power, are fuch worthlefs, fuch diminutive Creatures, When
«* compared with the Image or Reprefentaiive of the inviftble God, with that
•« glorious Being by whom all Things were created -, that the Example of his divine
<* Condefcention muft, if they zre Chriftians, and have any Regard to decency
<* ofCharader, ihame them out of their Haughtineis and Infolence."
G g g 2 ^n^
4IO A.P PEN B I X,-,^.
And yet after all this fine Talk Mr. FoJIer will not allow. Chrift to be at beji
and highe/i any more than a very highly exalted Creature \ and fo every Knee muft
bow unto him confeffing him to be fuch. Creatures of a lower Hank muft wor-
fhip and bow the Knee, and cry. Hail Lord and Matter unto their FelUw- Crea-
ture of a higher Rank than them/ehes. They muft call him King and Saviour^
while they deny his God-head Chara^fer, with the Conjlitution of his Perfan as God
and Alan united, his Sureti/hip and Satisfaifion^ feeking Salvation without this !
Fot if we believe Mr. Fojier^ the End of Chrjft's coming into the World was no
more than to reform the World, (not to fave them by fufFering and dying in their
■Roo?n and Stead) but that they might become their own Saviours, by the dueOb-
fervation of bis holy Example, and preaching up of the eternal Laws of Morality.
This is the plain Cafe, as evidently appears from whas has been already obferved
from his Works, which I (hall further confirm by fume other Parts of the fame.
See Mr. FoJIer's Sermon * on that fruitful Text,Cro/.4.4. *' When the Fulnefs of
Time was come, God fent forth his Son" Sec'. And you will find that the l;e/i
Frui s that Mr. F. gathers thence is this ; " And then the Saviour of the World
was born ; the Subftance of whofe Commiflion was to afTert the Glory of the
one eternal God, and promote Peace among Men" : And when infifting upon
that other copious Text in his firft Volume of Sermons, 2 Tim. i. 10. *' Who
Jiath abolifhed Death, and brought Life and Immortality to Light thro' theGofpel.
The moj} and be/i that he makes of it ('as far as I am capable of judging upon
the moft impartial Inquiry j is that Life and Immortality is more clearly evident frorii
the -Light o( divine Revelation, than from the meer Light of Nature. Yea I
have carefully read over two Volumes of this Gentleman's Sermons, befides his
Anfwer to the Author of Chriftianity as old as theCreation : And altho' there are
in them I confefs, divers Things materially good, and what may be accordingly
ufeful unto fuch as have [kill enough to feperate the precious from the vile ; yet I
cannot find in them all, fo much as one Syllable that fpeaks of the Necefllty of our
a<5ting Faith in the Blood and Righteoufnefs of Chrift, in order to our Juftifi-
cation and Salvation.
And what is all his Talk about Morality and Works worth without this ? For
as the Scripture faith, that Faith without Works is dead, may it not be as truly
prcJved thence that Works without Faith, are but dead Works ? According to
Mr. Fo^hr''^ Doctrine, thofe that are vertuous and morally Good amongft thofe
that have and thofe that have not the Light of divine Revelation, do all travel to
the fame holy Land of Life and Immortality fnot in the Chariot of free Grace,
thro' the Redemption that is in Chriff Jefus) but each one upon his own Legs, on
Foot ; only with this Difference, the one travels by the Light of the Moon, the
other by the Light of the Sun ; for " Chrift by coming into the World hath given
*' a clearer Expofuion of and Light into the moral Law :" Or to ufe Mr.Fo/ler's
Words, the eternal Laws of Morality. Which thefe poor Men do adhere unto
as a Covenant of if'orks and Life : And who as I faid before will have nothing to
* 2 Vol. 2d Edit. p. 167. ,
do
APPENDIX, ,41^1
do with Chrift's proptr Divinity ^ the Union oi the two Natures Divine and Human
as our Emanuel, his Suretifhip and Satisfadion, and fupernatural Operations of
his Holy Spirit, unlefs it be to ridicule and explode the fame. If the Reader wants
more Proof oi this, let him turn to pa. 327 of Mr. Fo/ier'^ Treatife of the Ufe-
fulnefs, Truth and Excellency of the Chrijiian Revelation ; where fpeaking of thie
Lord's Supper^ with a profefs'd Defign to vindicate that Reprefentation from the
grofs JVlifreprefentations which (he fays) is given of it by thofe who take their
Accounts from party Writers, and not from the New-Teitament itl'eif, he lays
down the following Aflertions.
I. Says he. The New-Teftament no where reprefents God as a rigorous inex-
orable 5i'/«^, who infiiied upon full Satis/aSIion (or the Sins of Men, before be
could be induced to offciTerms of Reconciliation, h fays indeed not one Word of
.Satisfa£iion^ much lefs of ftri«5l and adequate Satisfa(5tion ; not a Syllable of the
infinite Evil of Sin ; of infinite Juftice ; the hypoftatical Union ; or the Deity
being fo united to the Man Chrifl: Jefus, as that the two infinitely diftindNatures,
conrtituteone Perfon, and by Vertue of this Union, giving an infinite Value to
the Sufferings of the human Nature, and ei abling to pay a ftridt Equivalent to
God's offended Juftice. All this I fay (fays hej is the Invention of more monjera
Ages, who ("by fubtil Diftindions and metaphyfical Obfcurities) have deforme4
Chrillianity to fuch a Degree, that fcarce any of its original Features appear, and
bears not the leaft Similitude to the Language of the New-Teftament, in which
the divine Being is always defcribed, as flow to An^er, merciful and condefcetid-
ing to the Frailties and Infirmities of Mankind ; and forgivenefsof Sin is repre-
fented not as a Thing for which a Price of equal Value was pOt^and which con-
fequently might be demanded in ftri6t Juftice : but as a voluntary Ad of pura
Favour, and the Effe£t of free and undeferved Goodnefs." ThefeareMr./"— r'V
exprefs Words, and thofe too expreffed in that very Book which he proJeJJedJy
wrote in Defence of divine Revelation in anfwer to a Dei/}. Thus by a Stroke
under the fifth Rib did he fmite the chief Do6lrines and Glory of the ChrijUan
Revelation^ whilft he was carefling that Revelation, and profefledly defending the
fame from the Attacks of an open and profejfed Enemy, thereunto. But what
if the Word Satisfaction in fo many Letters and Syllables is not to be found in the
New-Teftament, yet the Thing itfelf in Senfe and Meaning is to be found therei*
as I have before at large fliewn ; which is fufficient to our Purpofe ? Might not
Mr. F. upon as good Reafon argue, that there is not in all the Bible one Syllable
of God's being exuberant in Mercy, and that therefore God is not exuberant in
Mercy, as to argue as he doth upon the abovementioned Points of Divinity.
Where in all the Bible doth Mr. Fo/ier find it in fo many Letters and exprefs Terms,
faid, that God is infinite in Mercy ; and yet he will allow with me that the Bih>le\'
doth declare God to be infinite in Mercy. And fince God is a Being infinitely*
great and glorious, may we not fafeiy alledge that Sin with regard to this glorious.
Objed, whofe Laws it violates, hath an infinite Evil in it ? And doth not i?M-.
fon tell us that the Guilt of a Crime doth rife in Proportion to the Dignity of hiiii
againft whom it is committed ? And doth not God's carting the fallen Angels^
down to Hell, and referving them under everlafting Chains of Darkne/s for the*ii?
fiilt
4t2 APPEND! X
firft RdbelHdft, confirm this ? Ahho' it muft be gtanted, that their perpetual
'finning doth add unto the Weight of their Punifhment. Yea, do not the Scrip-
tures declare that wicked Men for their Sins do go into iverlaji'ing Punilhment,
Ivhere the Worm dieth not, and where the Fire is not quenched ; and this for
-their finning againft an infinitely gloriousGod ? What faith the Scripture further ?
'" If one Man fin againft another, the Judge Ihall judge him ; but if a Man fin
againft the Lord, who fhail intreat for him" ? i Sam. 2.25. Accordingly,
the Sodomites ^ndGomorrhites^ are faid to fuffer the Vengeance of eternal Fire,
Jude V. 7. But if we believe Mr. fo/ier *' nothing more is hereby meant, than
a Fire which made a full End of them, and was not extinguifhed until thofe Cities
with their Inhabitants were utterly confumed." And accordingly argues after
tlie common Strain of thofe who deny the Eternity of Hell Torments, viz.**That
the Terms ever and Everla/Ung do not always fignify an abfolute Eternity, but a
limited Durzuon. [See i Vol. Ser. p. 262. J
But then 'tis enough to our Purpofe, that thofe Terms do fometimes fignify an
Eternity without End, and that too when Hell Torments are fpoken of, as in the
forecited Places,particularly A/<7r/&.25. ult. *''The Wicked ftiall go into everlafting
Punifhment, but the Righteous into Life eternal :" Whereas Bifhop Beveridge
obferves the fame Greek Word is ufed to exprefs the Eternity of Heaven's Joys and
the Eternity of Hell's Tornrents. However, to do this ve>y merciful^ and genteel
Writer Juftice, it muft be confefs*d that in his denying Chrift's God-head Cha-
fa<Ster, the Union of the two Nature' , an infinite Satisfa6tion to divine Juftice
by the Sacrifice of him'c f for the Sins » f Men, that there is an infinite Evil in Sin,
gttd declaring againft the Eternity of Hell Torments, he is very confiftent with
Rimfeif : yea he is fo very merciful and kind that he feems to fpeak very favourably
6f another Species of rational Beings heCides Mankind, who do ftand in need of
Benevolence and Compajjion. Perhaps he thinks with feme others, that thofe Pri-
hftets^ the Devils, will not be confined in their Prifon thro 'out a never ending
Eternity, but be in Procefs of Time releafed from their everlafting Chains of
©arknefs ; if he means fo, it muft be confefTed that his Notions hereof are fome-
\lrhat neatly wrapped up, fo as that his polite Reader may take in his Meaning ;
altho' his vulgar Reader cannot fo readily do fo. However, I will not abfolutely
determine, altho' 1 will be free to fay, that I do not know of any other rational
Species of created Beings befides Mankind, but Angels^ of Which there are two
Sorts, the good and the happy, and the evil and miferable ; the former of whom
I pr6fume no one will affirm to be Objedls of Compajjion, becaufe not miferable.
That I may not injure this Writer's Senfe, I'le give my Reader his intire Para-
^Sph, on Kom. 5. 7. Vol. i. p. 76. fpeaking -concerning the benevolent Man
('himfelf doubtlefs being one) he fays: *' Nay, if it were pofTible we fhould ex-
tend our Thoughts, beyond our own Species, and take in the whole Univerfe of
rational Beings j for the more unbounded Scope we give to our generous Benevo-
lence and Compaifion, the more truly noble it is j and the more nearly do we
rbfetoble the fupream Fountain of Goodnefs, whof (tender Merciti are over alibis
APPENDIX,
4^3
I go on to Ihew my Reader hnw much Mr. Fojfer honours Chrift his Kin^ and
Saviouty in other Parts of his Works, by further Endeavours to Itrip him of his
God-head Chara(5ter. See i Vol. Se.m. p. 280. where he fays, that the Greei
Word fignifying fupream Maiter or Ruler is never once ufed when Chrift is fpt ken
of, but g/u/*?;'; of the Father J and in order to confirm this Ailertion, he tells his
Reader that the Text in "Jude^ which fpeaks of fome Perfons denying the only
Lord God, and our Lord Jefus Chrill, ihQ fupieim Lord here is diliinguiftied
from the Lord Jefus Chi ifK" Thus doih he attempt to diftinguifh away his
Lord and Mafler's proper Divinity. Bl.c others || as learned as himfelf I bel eve,
can inform him that the Greek VVork Knrios^ which rs ufed whenever Chrift is
called Lonly fignifies that Dominion which Princes have over their Subje6ts ; and
that he is accordingly dignified with the gr^nd Titles, King of Kings, and Lord
pf Lord', I Tim. 6. 15. This is the true God and eternal Life, i Job. 5. 20.
See alio what the Rev. Mr. Burkitt favs in his Expofition on J&h, i. 1,2. " la
the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God, the fame was in the Beginning with God." " Obferve 1. what the Evan-
gelifl here aflerts concerning the /i^or^ Chrift Jefus, «rtn three Particulars, i.His
eternal Exiltence ; In the Beginning ivas the Word. 2. His perfonal Co-exif!ence
with tht-' Eathcr ; The IVord was with God. 3. His divine EiTence ; And the Word
was Cod. Here St. John declares the Divinity, as he did before the Eternity of
our blefled Saviour : He was with God and exifled in him, therefore he muft be
God, and a Perfon diftindl from the Father. The Word was God, fay the Soci'
nians, that is, God by Office, not by Nature, as being God's AmbalTador : But
the Word GOD is ufed (mark Reader) eleven Times in this Chapter in its
^r<3/>^r Senfe ; and it is not reafonable to conceive that it fliould be here ufed in an
improper Senfe, in which this Word in the fingular Number is never ufed through-
out the whole New Tejiainent. Dr. Whitby. Learn hence, that the Eternity*
the Perfonality, and t1>; Divinity of Chrift, are ofNeceflity to be believed, if wei
will Wirfhip him aright. Chrift tells us, Joh. 5. 23. That we mu^ wor/})ip the
Sony even as we worjhip the Father. Now unlefs we acknowledge the Eternity and
Divinity of Chrift the fecond Perfon, as well as of God the Father the firfl Perfon,
we honour neither the Father nor the Son." And fays the fame Divine, in his
Entry upon the Expofition of the firfl Chapter of the Epiftle to the Hebrews,
*' The Proofs of the eternal Deity of Jefus Chrift are here produced with fuch
clear Evidence of Scripture Light, that only a veiled Heart, obftinate Infidelity
can refift. And the Medium which the infpired Penman makes Ufe of is, the
comparing of Chrift with the Angels, (the Glory and Beauty of the Creation) and
fhewing that he is infinitely dignified above them ; and that religious Adoration is
due unto him from them, even from the Angels of the higheft Order : Ver.
6. Let all the Jngels of Gcd ivorjhip hiTn.'* Hence we may fitly pray with Mr.
Fojitr, faliho' not in his low and mean Senfe of Chiift's Lordfliip and Dominion j
*' That at the Name of Jefus every Knee may bow, and every Tongue confefs
I Vid. The Rev. Mr. GiW% ift Part, Caufe of God and Truth ^ on 2 Pe{. ^TFi
him
4H
APPENDIX.
him to be Lord, to the Glory of God the Father." To him be Glory and Domi-
nion for ever and ever. Jmen.
Next to this, let my Reader caft his Eyes upon and ferioufly read the fecond
Chapter of the fame Epiflle, and he fhall find the Dcdrine of the Union of the
{WO Natures, divine and human, in our Emanuel, together with the Dodlrine of
his Satisfaction, or h\s rmk'ing Kecortciliaihn for the Sins of the People, av their
merciful and faithful High-Prieft : Ver. 14. *' Forafmuch then as the Children
are Partakers of Flefh and Blood, he alfo himfelf likewife took Part of the fame ;
that thro' Death he might, deftroy him that had the Power of Death, that is the
Devil." Ver. 15. *' And deliver them who thro' Fear of Death were all their
Life-time fubjeft to Bondage." Ver. 16. «' For verily he took not on him the
Nature of Angels, but he took on him the Seed of Mraham." Ver. 17. " Where-
fore in all Things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren, that he
might be a merciful and faithful High-Prieft in Things pertaining to God, to make
Reconciliation for the Sins of the People." Which Words, according to the plain
Tenor of them, do imply a Satiifa£iion made by Chrift unto God's offended Juf-
iice, which being one of the divine Attributes, muft needs be glorified, as well as
that of Mercy, in the Redemption and Salvation of poor offending Sinners. Of
which more at large before. Let us fee the Rev. Burkitt's Glofs on the Words,
*' Obferve 3. The fpecial End and Defign of Chrift's being our great High-Prieft ;
namely, to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People. From whence learn, that
the principal Work of our Lord Jefus Chrift, as our great High-Prieft, and from
which ail other Actings of his in that Office do flow, was to make Reconciliation
orAtonement for Sin ; hislnterceflion in Heaven is founded on his Work onEarth,
TheSocinians therefore, who deny theSatisfadlion of Chrift, and his dying as aPropi-
tiation, or a propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin, take from us our Hopes and Happinefs ;
from Chrift bis Office and Honour ; from God his Grace and Glory ; they do in-
deed allow of a Reconciliation in Words, but it is of Men to God, and not of God
to Men : They plead the Expediency of our being reconciled to God by Faith and
Obedience, but deny the Neceffity of God's being reconciled to us, by Sacrifice,
Satisfaction and Atonement. So refolved are thefe Men to be as little as may be
beholden to Jcfus Chrift, that rather than grant that he has made any Reconcilia-
tion for us by his Blood, they deny that there was anyNeed of fuch a Reconciliation
at all, never confidering the Inflexibility of God's Juftice, nor the Impartiality of
his Indignation againft Sin. Oh! the Depths of Satan ; and Oh ! the Stupidity
and Blindnefs of thofe Men that are taken Captive by him at his Pleafure."
And 'tis obfervable, that Mr. Fojier went fo far in Oppofition to thefe glorious
Truths under Confideration, that fome of his own Friends were offended with him,
which occafioned him to write an Appendix by Way of Apology for himfelf, at
the End of that Book of his, intitled. The Ufefulnefs, Truth and Excellency of
the Chriftian Revelation defended. They were /ac^ whom he fays he would not
willingly offend, and whofe Impartiality and Jbiiity he frankly allows. So that 'tis
plain I have not mifreprefented him : Neither have I quoted all his hard Sayings
againft thofe grand Points, as may be feen more at large in the faid Book. And
had Mr. Fojier in his Apology cleared up Matters to my Satisfaction by a/tf/V Re-
ira£iion
APPENDIX. 415
/r<3f<f?/(?« of his Errors, I had not meddled with him. His Apology., at beft, appears
to me to be no better than zjine fpun Evafion and Amufement. For amidft all that
he fays there, he is fo far from receding from what I before quoted, that he mani-
feftly maintains the fame, as appears by the following Expreffions, " My only
Defign ffays he to his ofFended Friends} was to fhew the Enemies of Revelation
that thh Part of Chriftian Do£lrine fv/z. the Lord's SupperJ was iv'tfe and rati-
onal^ in order to which, I indeed took Notice of feme abfurd Notions that are fa-
ther'd upon Chriftianity, tho' there is not the leaft Hint about them in the whole
New-Teftament." Now what DoOrines were they of which Mr. Fcfter had faid
that there was not one Syllable in all the New-Tt.flament,but thofe before quoted,
relating to the Satisfadion of Chrift, the hypoftatical Union, ^c. which he fays
is the Invention of more modern Ages ?
Again, 'tis very obfervable that he makes not the Icafl Apology for his denying
the proper Divinity of the Son of God, when treating of him in the fame Chapter
as Mediator : Where, tho' he allows him the Titles of King and Saviour, and the
like, yet makes no more of him than an exalted Creature^ as before obferved :
And of his Satisfaction no more than a Nullity., denying and ridiculing the fame,
as he doth all Myfteries, confining our Belief of the Doctrines of divine Revelatiejti
within the narrow Grafp of bare Reafon. By all which he has deformed Chrirti-
anity to fucha Degree that fcarce any of its original Features appear, thereby de-
facing the Beauty of the whole New-Teftament. Who would have thought to
have feen fo many of the mof! importantDo<5lrines of divine Revelation thus fhame-
fully treated within the Covers of a Book that is fet forth to the World with ftich
a beautiful Frontifpiece, fuch a fplcndid Title Page as the UfefulnfJ)., Truth and
Excellency of the ChrijUan Revelation defended ? Alas ! that a Gentleman of i(>
much Penetration, generous Benevolence, and rational Confideration as Mr. jR.
ihould thus forget himfelf !
But that I may, if poffible, become ferviceable towards his Recovery, I would
beg Leave to addrefs him in his own Words, making only fuch little V^ariarions-
as (hall accommodate them unto my prefent Defign. I fhal! accordingly beciii
with the Preface of his aforefaid Book, which was publifhed as an Anfu'er to the
Author of Chriftianity as old as the Creation. " There is one Thing that appear^-
to be a very ftrong and common Prejudice againft the Chriftian Religion, which I
cannot omit, fince it intirely depends on fome profefTed Chriftians themfelves, and
confequently as they might have prevented it, it is not out of their Power to remove-
it : I mean thofe Corruptions in Dodlrine -— by which they have defaced the Sim-
plicity and Beauty of true Chriftianity, and which Corruptions have been urged
with great Zeal, while the moft important Articles of the Chriftian Faith have
been neglected asufelefs, nay, treated with Sneer and Contempt. Thus the cfl'en-
tial Do<?irines of the ChriftianReligion are condemned by others for this very Rea-
fon, that they i;re wofuliV mifrcprefented." ** A melancholy Reflcflioii this ?
That any profeflin'c Chriftians, who undertake to defend the Chriftian Revelatrorj
fhould at the fame Time give up the main Doctrines therein contained, and there-
by furnifli Infidels with the choiceft Weapons to attack their own Caufe. -- Sucb
A Method of Proceeding is not doing common Juftice to the Wiiiings of the N'evrv
H b b Teft4saell^,
41^ APPENDIX.
Teftament, wherein thofe main Do6lrines are fo clearly revealed ; which being
notwithftanding difbeliev'd and deny'd, 'tis impoflible that any Revelation which
God may communicate unto Mankind, fliould ever make its Way into theWorld,
even tho' it be in itfelf the mo-ft perfedt, and brings with it the higheft and nobleft
Credentials." *'The Author of the Ufefulnefs, Truth and Excellency of the
Chrijlian Revelation defended, like moft other Oppofers of the main and moft im-
portant Do<Slrines thereof, puts on an offered Concern for theTruth and Excellency
of divine Revelation, and would be thought to do it Honour byjhewing it to con-
tain no divine Myfteries at all, and that nothing therein concerns our religious
Regards but what we can have full Ideas of and fully comprehend. And indeed
thefe Writers are not to be blamed for ailing thus in Difguife 'till they can de-
clare yet Ttiore openly againft \i without Danger. But it were to be wiftied that all
unneceflary Terrors being removed, they might no longer be forced to the incon-
fijient Pretence of exalting divine Revelation, in its mainArticles, and honouring it
by reprefentingall its choice and peculiar Dodlrines as ahfurd and fenfelefs. In
the mean Time, as Matters now ftand, if we would come at their true Sentiments^
we muft interpret all their Books wrote in Defence of divine Revelation by this
Key^ then we fhall be in no Danger of being deceived either hy fpecious Titles or
feeming Concejfions. For the Title, which in particular our Author has given to
his Performance, fmce it appears mod evidently to be his Intention to fubvert
the main Do£trines of Chriftianity, can't but be univerfally underftood to mean
thisy and this only^ viz. That divine Revelation is mofl true, ufeful and excellent,
yet at the fame Time the t/^ry t/^/V/Tropofitions it lays down and requires the
Obedience of our Faith unto are nevcrthelefs ufelefs^not worthy theRegard of our
Credence, that to believe many of its Do<Slrines is no better than meer Fancy and
Enihufiafrn. Pa. 149. I think it very Grange that ingenious Men who are able to
entertain the World much better, fhould take fuch unjuflifiable Meafures. Such
a Condu6t rauft be naufeous to thofe whofe Expectations being raifed by z fpecious
Title Page, do find them, fo foon and fadly deprefled by obferving that great Part
of the Work and Bufinefs of the Book is to a6l Jo very contrary thereunto. Too
much like a Defign to miflead the weak and unwary. Surely the Reader muft be
at a Lofs what to think of the faitnefs and modejiy of thofe Writers who without
being able to confute any of the myfterious Dohrines of divine Revelation, do per-
fift in fuch a Method, and think to bear down ail before them, by confident and
groundlefs Infinuations, p. 162. And it may be juflly queftioned, whether by this
artful inftnuating Method, there is not more Room for Evafion, and Mens
being too unwarily led into the Snare that is laid for them, and too readily drink
up the Poifon fet forth in z gilded Cup ; fo that fuch Writers are liable to do more
Prejudice to the Chriftian Caufe, than they could have done had they thrown ofF 1
all Difguifes^ and argued profefledly againft it : [and confequently whether this
be not the Method they choofe to proceed in. But let that be as it will, it can't
be expe£led that wife and confiderate Men will fufpend their Belief of the important
Dodtrines of divine Revelation becaufe deep and myjierious, until they are fure
.^en will ceafe in thefe \\\z\x fubtle Infmuations againft them, p. 177, 178. I
cannot but take Notice here by the Way of the Inconftflemy of this Writer's Prin-
ciples,
APPENDIX. 417
ciples, when he has difFerent Points in view ; for at feme Times divine Revela-
tion is moft true and clear ^ moft extenfiveiy ufefuliind excellent y and in its h\i moji
ferft£ty bringing with it the higheft and nobleft Credentials : But at other Times
it is deprefs'dyi loiv that we muft not believeany of it's Doctrines, but fuch as we
can have clear Ideas of and fully comprehend : We muft not allow them to have
any more Depth in them, than what the fhort Line of our finite Capacity can
fathom : No, nor be allowed fo much as to admire them, f Vol. i. Serm. 7.]
This (hews indeed, that fuch Perfons have a very ftrong Inclination to run down
the main Do<Slrines of Chriftianity, and {o make it doubtful whether they have any
Teal Regard to any Part of that Chriftian Revelation they profefs to defend as moft
ufeful true and excellent, pa. 207. But let them take this Thought along with
them, that if Propofitionslaid down in the Chriftian Revelation, be calculated for
our Faith & higheftAdmiration, and yet are to be difcarded asThings of noUfenor
Excellency, becaufe myfterious, then we ftian't be able to ftop at giving up divine
Revelation in the whnle thereof, but muft renounce it altogether ; for if every
Part thereof brings with it the higheft and nobleft Credentials (as Mr.F.profefleth
to prove) then the denial of any onePoint of Do£lrine therein contained, is plainly
to invalidate the whole. So that the Deifl whom Mr.FoJler profefleth to anfwer,
whom he frequently calls his ingenious Author^ may fit down and quietly enjoy his
Ingenuity and Principles too, by which he undifguifedly declares againft divine
Revelation in the whole thereof, for any effeSiual Blows his ingenious Anfwerer
has given him, pa. 278. The Artillery difcharged againft him has not done him
fo much real Damage, as to caufe him to lie down and cry out of his Wounds.
Nay further, I cannot fee why the ingenious Mr./*, and his ingenious Author and
y/«/fl'^o«//? may not fit down and take their Glafs together with deareft Amity,
notwithftanding this their fhamP^ight j feeing upon <3'i/^ Examination it appears that ^^
the main they drive on the JameTxade of expofing and holding in Contempt the
Chrijlian Revelation, only with this Difference, that what xhtone carrieson openly
and barefaced, the other does covertly and under Difguife. What the one doth
by open Arms, the other doth by Sap and Stratagem ; which is the worft of the
two : For otherwife, I cannot for my Life difcern any material DifFerence : Be-
'caufe howfoever Mr. F. has profeftedly undertaken the Defence of divine Reve-
lation, which in its own Nature includes the whole of it's Doilrines : He has de-
clared againft fuch of it's Dodtrines, which are the Flower and Glory of it. Such
as the Dodlrine of the holy Trinity fwhich Mr.i^. looks upon as contrary to and
inconfiftent with God's U«//y.- [Serm. Vol. i.p. 255.] the God-head Cbarad^er
of God's own proper Son ; the hypoftatical Union of the divine and humane
Nature of Chrift our Emanuel ; the DocStrine of his Satisfaction j imputed Righ-
teoufnefs, with Faith in the fame for our Juftification before God : the God-head
Chara6ler of the holy Ghoft, and his fupernatural Operations in Regeneration
and Sanftification.
Nowftrip but divine Revelation of thefc important Doctrines, together with
that of original Siiit and pray of what great Ufe are the reft ? For as to common
Points of Morality, the very Light of Nature difcovers wihout the Light of di-
vineRevelation, howfoever //>«/ fets them ftill in a clearer Light. -And pray of
H h h a what
4i8 J P P E N D I X,
what Ufe is it to pkad up for the po/ttive Inftltutions of divine Revelation as Mr.
F. does, fuch as ^Fater Bapti/my and the Lord's Supper^ as Reprefentations and
Memorials of the dying of the Lord Jefus j when the chief and main Ends of his
Death, are by him denied and rendred but of little Account ? What doth it
ficrnify for Men to plead up for the Shadow, while they deny the Subjiance ? Mr.
F. calls the Lord's Supper a Reprejentation and Memorial. But of what ? Why
of the Death and Sufferings of our bleffcdSaviour. But how and in whatRefpeSfs ?
Is it a Reprefentation and Memorial of his Death and Bloodflied- as the Price of
oijr Redemption, whereby a cortipleat SatiifaSiion is given unto God's offended
vindictive Juftice, and whereby the invaluable Bleffings of our Juflification,San(51i-
fication and Glorification, are purchafed for poor Sinners ? No, it is not fo in
Mr. F— r's Account, for we havefeen him difplay his Eloquence againft the fame
•whh no fmall Regret. But what then doth this holy Inftitution (according to this
Gentleman's Sentiments) ferve to reprefent, concerning the Death and Sufferings
of Chrift ? Why that he dy'd as a brave Prophet and Martyr, wherein he became
an Example of noble and heroic Vertues, and according to theCourfe of natural
Caufes, and fuch like. Indeed, in his y^^c/o^)' he adds, that God forefeeing //>/>,
appointed that his Death fhould be confidered a Sacrifice. And fometimes fpeaks
of it as the Offering by which he hath perfected for ever them that arc fancSlified,
pa. 324. and of Chrift's being the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World,
p. 926. And again, of commemorating the Death of Chrill under the Charadter
of a Sacrifice, p. 327. AnJ as becoming a Sacrifice for Sin, ?• 349. Yea in his
Apology being pinched hard, he fecms as if he would leave xtpaft all Doubt that
he had been mifunderftood by his Friends, and that he confidered Chrift as a Sa-
crifice for Sin in the ya/»if Senfe, that it is commonly underftood by others, who
maintain the Dodrine of C/;r^/'i 5<?myrt67/5«. His Words are thefe ; " By the
wife Appointment of God (fays he) we are to conlider the Death of Chrift as the
Thinly upon the Account of which he pardons our Sins, and confers Life and
Immortality upon us ; and that the Death of Chrift is to be confidered in the
ftronf^eft facnfical Phrafe." But alas ! what doth all this amount to but meer
Declamation and Amufement, being pinched hard ; feeing it is evident beyond all
Contradidion, that even in his Apology he is fo far from receding/ro;/j or apolo-
gizins/j^ what he had before faid againft the Do£lrine of Chrift's Satisfaction, as
an adequate Payment unto God's offended vinditlive Juftice ; and that Forgive-
-nefs of Sins is not a Thing for which a Price of equal Value was paid, but the
Effe£l of pure Favour, as that almoft in the very Entrance of h\s Apology he perfifts
therein, as Things whereof he fays, there is not a Syllable in all the new Tefta-
ment, as I before obferved. Befides, 'tis very obfervable that in two whole Vo-
lumes of his Sermons there is nothing to be found for and in Behalf of Chrift's
Satis.f;£l'on. But contrariwife feveral fevcre Strokes which he gives at it, as he
doth alfo at the proper Divinity of our Lord and Saviour, and other famous Points
wliich bear an Affinity therewith. Moreover, when treating ex profejfoon Chrift
as a Mediator, and there fpeaking of his Interceflion {'which is evidently founded
on his Satisfaction) he gives it an inviduous turn^ as tho' it did not intend his
pleading as ^n Advocate the Merit and Vertue of his Death & Sufferings as a Pro-
3Ai^.. ' ' . . pitiatory
APPENDIX. 419
pitiatory Sacrifice and Price of our Redemption. The m^ that he makeij^ it
isy that it intended that there was fomething analagous in the Chriftian Religion,
to what the Jews fo highly valued in the Mofaick Inftitution, and fuch like.
That I may not injure him herein, I'll give you his intire Paragraph, pa. 333.
" St. Paul indeed (fays he) fpeaks of Chrift as interceeding for us^ in Confe-
quence of the Sacrifice which he had offered ; but I apprehend we are under no
• Neceflity to underftand thefe Pafragesy?r/^/>', for as the Epiftles in which fuch
Language is ufed, were written to converted Jews wholly, or to Churches where
there was a Mixture of Jews with Gentiles, he might only defign by it (which
appears plainly to have been his View in the greateft Part of his Epiftle to the He-
brews) that there is fomething analagous in the Chriftian Religion to what they fo
highly valued in the Mofaic Inftitution, but of a much more excellent Kind, and
attended with more extenfive and lafting Advantages."
Thus Reader you fee, what is the moji that Mr. F. makes of the Death an<!
Iniercejjion or jidvocate/hip of Chrift our Mediator. From which he has not in the
leaft receded or apolcgized for in his Poftfcript to this his faid Book. Whence 'tis
no wonder, that he fpeaks doubtfully whether Sacrifices were ever oi divine /Ippoint-
ment, p. 320. Whereas 'tis moft evident from that divine Revelation which he
profefleth to defend^ that all thofc Sacrifices under the Mofaic (Economy were of
divine Appointment until the Meftiah fhould come. And that when St. Paul
wrote to the Hebrews or converted Jews, his evident Defign in that Epiftle, was
to confirm them in their Chriftian Faith, by fhewing them that all the Sacrifices
belonging t) the Levitical Priefthood with that whole GEconomy was ordain'd of
God in order to typify and Jhadow forth Jefus Chrift and the Sacrifice of him-
felf, in order to make Reconciliation for the Sins of his People j which was ■ the
Sum and Subftance of thzt Jhadowy Difpenfation : that feeing the Subfiance was
now come, they fhould no longer adhere to thcShadow^ to the v/Kichfome of thofe
Hebrews were but too ready to adhere. So that upon the whole, notwithftanding
\\\o{c?iiox&h\A feeming Concejfionsoi Mr. F. in Poftfcript Apology, when pinched
hard, they amount to no more than Declamation and Amufement. And which is I
think plainly confirmed by the Confideration that ih^fecond Editions of hisSermons,
appears in x\\t fame Shape as thzfirfl ; containing the like keen and fevere Strokes
againft the I)o£lrincsof otr Lord's proper Divinity, SatisfaSiion, efficaciom Grace,
and original Sin kc. I cannot fee there, the leaft Appearance of Retra£fation or
Amendment, which yet I fliould have certainly feen if Mr. F. had really and truly
feen his Error in writing againft thofe famous Points, as he would feem to have
.. his Friends think by what he fays to them in his Pojlfcript Apology.
♦tv Whence he has given me (I think; fufficient Reafon to make him a fuitable
Return of his own Words fwith but a very little Variation fo as to accommodate
them to the prefent Cafe) which he ufed againft his ingenious Author, p. 7.
*' Thefe it muft be owned are large feeming Conceffions, but as they do not
appear to be reconcileable to other Parts of this Author's Performance, nor witl^
li the generalReafoning that runs through the whole of it, I think they are not much
to be regarded. Very ingenious Writers are fometimes very apt tp contradift
^hemfelvcs, and to fay Things in ord«r, to ^^//jraV/;- tb?ir Sentirnents, aftdfls Salve's
to
^ap A P T E N D I X.
toVfehch they may Have Recourfe, if they fhould happen to be pufh'dliard in rfie
jtiain Argument. And thus the Author of the Ufefulnefs, Truth, and Excellency of
the Chri/iian Revelation defended, has in feveral Places of his Poftfcript, fpoken oi
•the Death of Chrift as if he believed and acknowledged it to be the meritorious
Caufe of our Acceptance and Reconciliation with God, that he had thereby made
• a full and adequate Satisfaction for our Sins unto the offended Juftice of God, that
we are juftified by his Blood, and that by that Price of our Redemption he had
purchased for us both Grace and Glory ; that Forgivenefs of Sin is that for which
an adequate Price was paid, and which God as a juft God accordingly confers,
and not by an A6t of pure Favour, to the Exclufion of its being an A£io{ jfu/lice.
^knefs when Mr. F. In his Po/ffcript fpeaks of Chrilt's appearing to put away
Sin by the Sacrihce of himfelf, and fays that wc are redeemed by his precious
Blood, and that by the wife Appointment of God, we are to confider the Death
of Chrift as a Thing upon the Account of which he pardons our Sins and confers
Life and Immortality upon us.". Tho' upon the lyAi?/^ Account of Things, it
muft appear to every /w/)flr//<3/ Reader, that it is impoflible that it fhould be fo
upon Mr.Ps Principles, fince he has (o particularly with^<f^^m^«ctf declared againft
the Redeemer's proper Divinity or Equality with the Father. The hypojiatical
''Union of the divine and human Nature, the Do<5lrine of Chrifl's 5fl//{/J7<f?/V«,
'the great Dod^rine of his /;?/^rf^«?», which is founded thereupon, are perverted.
And that thefe Declarations ftill remain in after Editions with their original
keenefs & Severity ; fo that notwithftanding the above cited PafTages, nothing can
be more plain, than that hey?;7/ magnifies the Powers of Reafon, fo as tends, -if
not defigned by him utterly to deftroy the mofl important Do6trines of divine Reve-
lation. But what ever his real Defign was, fince the generality of his Readers will
moft probably underftand him thus, and fome perhaps influenced by his Jham A-
pology, if not well examined, to conclude hixvmurong'd, I cannot but look upon
this as a fufficient Apology for my Proceeding herein, whereby I fhall have an
Opportunity of doing y«y?/V^ in fome Meafure to thh important Subje£f.** And
'tlMsMr.Fofter can by noMeans blame me for, fince he has plainly declared, **That
• as Religion is of the higheft Importance to Mankind, fo free Debates about it
ought above all Things to be encouraged. This being the only Way to fettle the
•true Nature of it, and fix it upon a folid Foundation, that Truth and Faljhood^
may not equally prevail under that venerable Name : and that as all honeft Men
' have no Concern but for ?>/<//;, and never fufFer their Paflions, Prejudices or
-ivorldly Interefls to influence their religious Inquiries, they can defire nothing more
than that the Argument fhould be clearly ftated and urged in its utmoft Strength
'bn both Sides ; and muft be as ready to give up any particularScheme of Religion,
lipon fufficient Evidence of its Falfliood, as they were to defend and propagate it,
while they believed it to be true j {as I Jhould be glad to fee Mr. F. do) Such
Perfons muft be very unwilling that the civil Magiftrate fhould interpofe to do
*that by Coercion and Terror, which can be only efFeded by Reafon &Perfwafion.
'Truth can never fufFer by being brought to the moft critical Teft of impartial
'Search atid Inquiry. And it is the Intereft of Mankind that Falfhood fhould be
-dete^ed and exp^fed. L«t tbofe vho do not believe the moji important DoSirints
of
APPENDIX. 42£
of the Chriftian Religion, be allowed to throw off all Difguifes,aad then let them
attack the fame with all the Skill of Strength and Argument t.bey are capable of,"
p. 1,2,3. Which 1 heartily advife Mv..F. to do j anfwerable to thefe. his ciun
Didtates, who has given us a Specimen (as he fays of his ingenious AuthorJ how
apt even ingenious Difputants are in the heat of Controverfy to overlhoot tlieni-
fslves," p. 301. That Mr. Z'. has done //^«; is I think but too evident to be
deny'd. . ,
For the further Confirmation of which I would offer the fojlowi^ Qoj^Mexar-
lions, Firji,, That Mr. i^. is fo far from /"ro/^^^/v declaring againit the Wefui-
nefs. Truth andExceilency of divine Revelation, that he hath undertaken^.*- /»ro-
pjfo to defend the fame ; io that the juft Inference herefrom is, that it is the only
certain Rule of Faith and Pradlice in the Chriftian Religion, that what:Do6lrines
foever it propounds, do f'^w^j/Zy challenge the Obedience of our Fqiih. If this be not
the natural Dedu<5tion of his profefTed Defign, it muft be acknowledged that hi*
Arguments thence againft the Deifl, are ofno Force at all. Yea in pa. 292 of
his Anfwer to him, he lays down what follows, to be fuch an (^/jf/W Principle
of natural Kc\\g\on, that it cannot fubfift without it, viz>. " That the Authority
of God plainly perceived, ought in all Cafes to determine our Behaviour, that wil-
ful Difobedience to a pofitive Precept, muft be an Immorality, and confequently
a Violation of the Law of Reafon which is eternal and immutable." And now
after all this, is it not mo f t fl range ^ that Mr. F r himfelf VtiO\AA write as h6r ha&
done, againft diverfe of the chief Do£lrines that divine Revelation propounds and
requires the Obedience of our Faith unto, and that he fhould make our Jhdllow
Reafon the Boundaries of our Obedience as to Matters of Faith ? Is it not ftrange,
that in the Very fameBook he ftiould a<Sl fo contrary to the Rules of Reafon, which
requires our Affent to a Propofition as true, however Incomprehenfible, that is
delivered, by aPerfciiof undoubted Credit and Veracity ; and fliew fo high ai\
AO: of Difobedience to that fovereign Command of God, which challengeth our
Obedience of Faith to the Record which he hath given of his own Son Jefus
Chrift ? Which neceffarily implies every Branch of that Record, whether relating^
to the Dignity and Conftitution of his Perfon, as God-Man and Mediator, or
the due Execution of his Offices, as Prophet, Prieft and King of his Church, with
the Ufes and Ends thereof, with the Neceflity of Faith in his Blood, for the Re-
miflion of our Sins, together with the true Nature of that Faith. And Mr. F*
himfelf fays, that by the wife Conftitution of God, he is our King and Saviour.
But upon what Grounds doth this Gentleman affert this, but that of divine Reve-
lotion ; which he has undertaken to defend as to its Authority, Ufe/ulnefs and Exr
cellency ?
And now after all this, is it not marvellous^ that he fhould charge us with fet-
ting ffl///> and Reafon zt Variance ^ and that he fhould />««» as he doth upon our
kying/o much Strefs fas. he fays) upon believing aright. Juft as if we a<5led con-
trary to the Dictates of Reafon^ becaufe we Reafon thus. God hath faid it,
therefore we muft believe it. And as if he mended the Matter^ by making Reafon
the Standard of Faith, and fo againft all good Reafon in the World rtje^ thofe
holy Dodriaes which.are the chief Glory of Chriftianity, as unintelligible M](r
fterus i
422 APPENDIX.
/tyrifs ; and as tho' believing aright was but a trifling Bufinefs ? Whereas if we
believe the Di6^ates of divine Revelation, we fhall find it to be a Point of grand
Importance; witnefs fuch Sayings as thefc : " If ye believe "not that I am he,
(i.e. he whom the holy Scriptures fct forth to be the true Mefliah,) ye fhall die in
your Sins," Job. 8. 24. *' He that believeth not the Record which God hath
given of his Son, hath made God a Liar," i ^u^. 5.10. *' He that believeth and
is baptized Ihall be faved ; but he that believeth not Ihallbe damned,"il^tfr.i6.i6.
«* He that believeth not is condemned already, becaufe he hath not believed in
the Name of the only begotten Son of God," Job. 2^. 18. Moreover, when fome
aflced our Lord, what they fliould do that they might work the Works of God, he
anfwered, ** This is the Work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath
fent," Job. 6. 28,29. compared with, i Job. 3.23. *'And this is his Command-
ment, that we Ihould believe on the Name of his Son Jefus Chrift, and love one
another,as he gave us Commandment." And Mr. F-— rhas declared as a Part
of natural Religion, that the Authority of God plainly perceived ought in all
Cafes to determine our Behaviour ; that wilful Difobcdience to a pofitive Precept
rauli be an Immorality, and confequently a Violation of the Law of Reafon, which
is eternal znA immutable ;" why then doth be violate this Law of Reafon, by refift-
jng the Authority of God, which commands him to believe the Record which
God hath given of himfelf and of his Son ? Is he not f elf -condemned, being judged
out of his own Mouth ? King yfgrippa believeft thou the Prophets ? May I not
alk him, believeft thou the holy Scriptures ? Is it in that holy Book that God
/peaks to us ? Yes. Mr. F. has declared it to be fo. He hath averred that it's
XJfefulnefs, Trutb, Excellency and Authority is indifputable, bringing with it the
higheft and nobleft Credentials ;" and yet pleads againft our giving Credit unto
many of its Doctrines becaufe myjierious, or not fo clear as that we can have ade-
quate Ideas of, he will not allow us to carry our Faith one ^c^beyond our Under-
ftanding. Strange and marvellous indeed '! How has this Gentlemen overfliot him-
felf ? or has he got a divine Difpenfation to credit what he pleafeth, and to rejeft
the reft ? If he has, let him produce it, with the higheft and nobleft Credentials,
and we will believe him. Why does he plead for Men's believing and yielding
Obedience to the /'^^/w^ Inftitutions of Chriftianity, fuch as Water Baptifm and
the'Lord's Supper, but becaufe they are founded upon divine Authority in the
Chriftiari Revelation ? And why do wc pleiad for Men's believing aright, the
whole Record which God hath given of his Son, and the Way of Salvation by
him, but for the very fame Reafons ? And which I have endeavoured to fhew, to
be the moft rational Scheme in all the World. So little Reafon has Mr. F. to
difplay his punning Eloquence againft the Dodlrines we plead for. Now feeing
^tis one of the divine Commands that we believe in God's own Son Jefus Chrift
our Lord, and the whole Record which God hath given of him ; and feeing he
that believeth not fhall.be damned, yea is condemned already, doth not right
Reafon plainly fay that it is a Point of great Importance for a Man to believe aright ?
that we do not believe in another Jefus than that one which divine Revelation fcts
forth, and that we don't adhere unto another Gofpel different from the true Gcfpel
of Chrift ? Ave, but now I recoiled my felf a little, I remembtr that Mr. F-r's-
lajl
APPENDIX.
423
lafl Refuge h^ that the Do£lrines of Chrift's Equality with the Father, his SatiS-
fadlion, the hypoftatical Union of the divine and human Natures in the Perfon of
Chri-ft, and that the Blefllngof the Forgivenefs of Sins, as that for which a Price
of ^-^i/^/ V^loe was paid, by the fhedding of Chrift's Blood, and fuch like, is not
to be found -, no, not one Syllable of the fame in all the New Trjiament, But that
the contrary of this is true, has been proved by the cleareft Evidence of Scripture
Lightj on ivh'tch Evidence I fhall further infift : In doing which, I fliall be fo far
from defiring Mr. Fqjhr to lay by his Reafon as ufelefs, as that I Ihall defire him
to ufe the fame impartially in a due Subordination to divine Revelation, whiJft he
fliall attend unto what I fay, hearkening to the Pleading of my Lips.
I fhall begin with the Dodrine of our Lord's proper Divinity. In Rom. 9. 5.
St. P««/fpeaking of Chrift, fays, *• He is over all God blefTed for ever. Amen.
Now what is the obvious Meaning of thefe Words, but this ; that Chrift is truly
God? Over all, and blejfed for ever., being the true Notion we have of an eternal
Being. So that without offering Violence to the Text, another Senfe cannot be
made of this Propofition. Yea, this is further apparent, that in order to evade
the Force of this Text, the Socinians do turn the Words into a Thanfkgiving to
God the Father for Chrift, reading the Verfe thus ; "Of whom Chrift was ac-
cording to the Flefh : God who is over all, be blefTed for ever." Contrary to
the Credit of the xv\q^ pious and learned Writers, and even good Senfe it feif. For
if our blefTed Saviour in whom we truft for Salvation be biit a meerCreature, tho*
never {^ highly dignify'd an one, furely the Grounds of our Joy in him, and
thankfulnefs to God the Father for him, muft needs be vaftly inferiour unto thcfe
which are founded on his being our great God and Saviour, over all God blefTed
for ever. Yea our Joy, would upon the Suppofition of his being but a meer Crea-
ture, be turned into Sorrow, becaufe then we fhould truft only in an Jmi of Fhfb,
vl'hich could not fave to the utteimoft thofe that truft in him for eternal Salvatioi).
Befides the Socinian Glofs here is, as Kev.Burj^i/t obferves, a manifeP P a verfun of
the Apoftle's Words J which was to fhew, that according to the Flelli Chrift:
defCended from Abraham, but that he had another Nature which was not derived
Uovsx Abraham, even z divine 'Nztu re ^ according to which he was over all God
blejfed for evermore. See alfo Phil. 2. 6. '* Who being in the Form of God, tho't
it not Robbery to be equal with God j but made himfelf of no Reputation, and
took upon him the Form of a Servant, and was made in the Likenefs of Men."
Now what is the Proportion which here naturally offers itfelf, but this,thatChiift
is both God and Man ? And firft, that he is God equal with the Father : The
very Point that himfelf once advanced, and flood in to the laft in his Difcourle.
with the cavellingjews ; who thereupon took up Stones to ftone him. as guilty of ^
blafpheming, that being Man he made himfelf equal with God. So that howfo-
ever they difreliftied his Perfon and £)o£trine, it is quite plain that they underftood
him as aflerting his Equality with the Father, and that he accordingly declared,
that all Men fhould honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. And 'tis
further obfervable, that they did not miftake his Meaning ; fince he was fo far
from telling them that they mifunderftood him, that he tenacioufly perfifts in al-
ledging that he was equal with the Father. Whereas had they miftook his Mean-
1 i i ing,
424 APPENDIX.
jng, he would fpeedily have corrected their Error. See Joh. 5. ver. io,andon-
wards, to the End of the Chapter ; compared with Joh. 10. 24, to the End.
Befides, by confidering the Scope and Drift of the Words, this will further ap-
pear. In the foregoing Verfes, he exhorts the Philippians to Unity, Humblenefs
of Mind, Condefcention and Kindnefs one to another. And in order to inforce
this Exhortation he fets before them the marvellous Example of Chrift the Son
of God in his Condefcention and Humiliation ; " Let thisMind be in you which
was alfo in Chriit Jefus, who being in the Form of God, tho't it not Robbery
to be equal with God : but became of no Reputation ; took upon him the Form
of a Servant, and was made in the Likenefs of Men ; and being found in Fafhion
as a Man, he humbled himfelf, and became obedient unto Death, even theDeath
of the CroG." As if the Apoftle had faid, ", Behold, the wonderful Pattern of
Chi ift's Love and Condefcention towards you, a^s Part of the Church he loved
and gave himfelf for ; who' tho' he is one oi no lefs Dignity ^Excellency znd/Jonsur
than God the Father's Equals yet he fo wonderfully condefcended, as to afTume
the human Nature into Union with his divine : TWxslFord who is the true God and
eternal Life was made Flefli and dwelt amongft us, and who for our Sakes fub-
mitted himfelf, fo as to become a Servant, mean and low, even of no Reputation^
willingly condefcending to undergo Shame and Sufferings, yea and the mnji igno-
minious Death. And hnce it is fo, confider O ye Philippians, how much it be-
comes you his profefj'ed Followers, to imitate this his bright Example of
Humility and Condefcention in your Carriage and Behaviour to each other.
\i he who is ^o very high, did yet for your Sakes floop fo very low, furely it
muft needs become you to condefcend one to another in ail Lowiinefs of Mind.
Let then this Mind be in you, which was alfo in Chrift Jefus. Now according
to //;/'; Interpretation, the Apoftle's Reafoning \s ju^ and his Argumept y?r(?»^. .
For by hozv much the greater and more glorious Chrift is, by fo much the more znd.
greater is his A61 of Condefcention, in ftooping fo low as he did, and confequent-
]y, the brighter is his Example herein, and the Apoftle's Conclufion thence mofl
powerful. Whereas according to the Socinian Glofs upon the Text, vi-z. That
Chrift would not be thought guilty of fuch Robbery, as to account himfelf equal
with God, is a manifejl Perverfion of the Text, whereby the Socinians do at one
Blow rob Chrift of that Honour which God the Father requires all Men to give
unto him, and overthrow the Apoftle's whole Argument, cut the very Sinews
thereof, and fpoil all it's Force. If this be not to fet Faith and Reafon at variance,
yea for a Man to fet himfelf at variance, both with Reafon audScripture together,
then I do not know what is. And I'm forry to find Nlr.Fo/ier tlX. this Work, even
whilft he profcfieth fo high a Value for Z-ij//;, pleading that the latter of thefe brings
with it the /j/V/;^ and ^zi?^///? Credentials. I'm forry to find that amidft all the
fplendid Tildes he gives to Chrift, he attempts to rch him of his Godhead Character
or Equality with the Father by putting fo low, mean znd jejune a Glofs upon thofe
weighty Expreflions now under Confidcration. [Vol. 2. Ser. 8. p. 196. 2d Edit.]
Lit this Mind be in you, which was alfo tnChrijl jefus : ivho tho' he was in the Farm
of^od [or deputed to reprejent h'xs'Perfon, and a6t in his Name"} did not greedily
covet this high Honour ; "but mi^Qhimfilfof no Reputation Sec. " j'- '^^
Thus
APPENDIX.
4^5
Thus Mr. Fo/^er kerns greedily refolved to rob Chrift of (hat Honour vi;hich Is
due unto him as God the Father's Equals peremptorily averring that the Greek-
Word, which figiiifies fupream Mafter or Ruler is never once ufed when Chrifl is
fpoken of throughout all the New-Teftament, but always of the Father. Tho*
others with fubmiifion to Mr. F. can tell him that howfoever the Greek Word'
DefpoteSy which fignifies that Rule which Makers have over their Servants, be not
ufed when Chrift is called Lord, yet the Greek Word Kur'ios, which fignifies
that Dominion which Princes have over their Suhjeils, is ever ufed whencverChrift
is called Lord ; and St. Paul can tell Mr. F. that Chrift is King of Kings,
and Lord of Lords : That he is over all God blefled for ever, Amen. And if he
will admit of the Apoftle John's Evidence, he can tell him, that Jefus Christ-
is the true God and eternal Life. Away then, with Mr. Fojler's created, titular,
fuhordinate God, and all his mock Shezvsoi divine Worfhip and Honour. Weli
might St. Paulhy, and God's Minifiers with him, " Beivare left any Man
fpoil you thro' Philofopby, and vain Deceit after the Traditions of M^n, after-
the Rudiments of the World, and not after Chrift ; for (notwrihftandtng all their
philofophical fophiHical Rezfonings Sc falfe Deductions) in him dwelleth all theFul-
nefs of theGodhead bodily. Mark inChrift /;,in him diuells,theGcdhead,\.hcFulncfs
of the Godhead, all the Fulnefs of the Godhead, and that too bodily, i. e. really,
perfonaily, fubftantially. What more /t/// and/A'^<7«/fW Proof can be ^iven ia
Proof of the /^(PjS^r Divinity of our dear and defpifed Lord Jefus ?
Since Mr. Fojler profefteth himfelf to be a general Baptijl, and fince ^omt of hW
pr of effed Admirers Ao profefs to be/(7 Uheivife, who alfo have in Times paft ex-*
preiled zvery high Valuation for Mr. Jofepb Hoock, a learned Minif^or of that
Denomination, I find my felf inclined to recommend fome of his Works on this
Head of Divinity unto their Confideration, thinking that perhaps his Words will-
have more Weight with them than mine. In his Apology for baptized Believers,^
pa. 44. you will find thefe Words : *' However (fays he) we will confider thole
pernicious h fulfome Do6trines, which Mr. ^rrr?/- affirms were h are (heDc6trines
of they^/7tf^fl/>/7y?j, and plainly againftGod's Word. -—The firft is ih?xChri/l is not the-
trueGod : Touching this I fay,whofoever did, or do hold it, I believe it ind-eed to be
pernicious DoCtnne, contrary to God's Word, and de/lru^iveto the Chrii'litm Faith:
i3ut whatfoever the deluded i^erfons at Munf.er did bold, yet the faithful Chriftians
of our Perfwafion, which i?fi/W/«r their Perfeciitor calls Hereticks, did obferVe-
all the Articles of the Creed, by his own Confeftion,— and fo confequenth' wer*^
found in the Chriftian Faith. And fo arc the Believers to whom J. IV. is joine'df
who agree with the Church of England in their eighth Article, of ^th^-
zArt-^ Cr^f^/j, for we believe they J«ay be proved by moft certain Warrants frora
holy Scripture, and as fuch we receive them. But ■ becaufe that bkiTed funda-
iuental Truth of Chrift's Divinity. is called in Q^ieftion in thefe laft and wer4 </t^
"J'imes (as every other Truth is» even to the very Being of God) I fl^alJ therefore
ior the good of the Publick infert Part of aLetter which i formerlv wrote ce<:aito-
nally to a Friend in London, with a Defign to ihengthen him in the Faith v ani-
I hope and pray that God will blefs it, to efFea th© fame End upon fome .that?
' •• 1 i i 2 llAall
426
APPENDIX.
{hall read it in this Place. It followeth, " I pray God to eftablifh you In the
Faith ; and I denre that you may be cautious that no Man fpoil you thro' Philo-
fophy and vain Deceit. For whatfoever fome of the Difputers ofthis World fug-
geft, in Chrifl: dweileth all the Fulnefs of [Theotes) the Divinity bodily, yoh,2''^2'
Col. I. 19. Col. 2. 9. So it is no Robbery for him to be equal with God, Phil.
2. 6. Pi''/h Chrift is the mighty God, JJhi. 9. 6. Secondly^ The great God,
TifV. 2. 13. Thirdly, The true God, i job. ^. 20. Fourthly, The Almighty,
Rev. I. 8. Fifthly, The Creator of Heaven and Earth, [Gen. i. i. with John
I. 1,2,3. and with Pfal. 102. 24,25,26. compared with Heb. r. 10.) and of all
Things vifible and invifible. Col. i. 16. Sixthly, The all-knowing {Job. 2. 2/\.,
25. Job. 21. 17. Heart-fearching (Afat. 9. 4. Lu.k. 7. 39, 40. Ltde 9. 47. Hd.
4. 12,13,14. Rev. 2. 23.) only wife God, i Cor. i. 24. Col. 2.3. i Tim. i. 16,
17. compared with i Tim. 6. 14,15,16. "Judev. 25. Seventhly, The moft high
God, Pfal. 78. 56. compared with i Cor. 10. 9. ^£ls 7. 48,49.50. The Head
of all Principality and Power, (Col. 2. 10.) who is over all Gcd blefled for ever.
Amen, Rem. 9. 5. Yea, there is no God elfe befide him, (Ifai, 45. 21, 22, 23.
compared with Rom. 14.10,11. Phil. 2. 10, r I.) Doubtlefs this caufed St.Thomas
to fay, A<^y Lord, and my God, Joh. 20. 28. And tho' it be faid that Chrift was
raifed from the Dead by the Glory of the Father (Rom.bi.^.) yet he himfelf faith,
Dejlroy this Temple, and in three Days I will raife it up : He fpake of the Temple of
his Body, Joh. 2. 19,21. And again he faith, I lay doivntny Life that 1 may take it
again ; no Alan taheth it from me, but I lay it down of my f elf : 1 have Power to
lay it down, and 1 have Power to take it again, Joh. lO. 17, 18. Now all this
that hath been faid (with much more of like Nature that might be faid of Chrift,
according to the Scriptures) muft needs be true, but cannot agree to him as he is
Man, or to a God by Deputation, a made God. Therefore this that hath been
faid of him, muft as I conceive, befo fpoken, becaufe he is God by Nature, co-
"eiTential, co-equal and eternal with the Father &c. for moft certainly he that
made all Things in Heaven and in Earth, vifible and invifible, was not made him-
felf, and as he is Man, he did not create all Things. And yet that he is
Man, is as tru« as that he is God. So he is David's Lord, and David's Son,
Luk. 20. 44. David's Root and David's Offspring, Rev. 22. 16.
Emanuel, God with us, Alat. i. 23. Vailed in the Flefh, Heb. 10. 20. True
Man, the Seed of the Woman, Gen. 3. 15. Made of a Woman, Gal.4.. 4. The
£eed of Jbraham, Heb. 2. 16. The Seed of David, Rom. 1.3. The Fruit of his
Loins, J^s 2. 30. Of the fame Flefh and Blood and Bone, Eph.^.^o. ^^.2.14.
Now as St. Paulfsihh, Without Coniroverfy, great is the Adyjiery of Godlinefs, Gcd
manif ell in the Flefh, Uz, iTim. 3. 16. It is a great Verity, and yet remains a
great Myftery. And here the ^od is revealed, tho' not the ^omodo, that the
Thing is but not hoiv it is ; that Chrift is a Perfon having in him the Nature of
God, and the Nature of Man, this is clearly revealed j hwthow thefe two diffe-
rent Natures fliould be joined in a perfonal Union, this remains a Myftery. To
this Dr. replies, in a Book which he gave me to confider of, I fuppofe it is of
liis own writing, p. 7. faith he, " Not only how this can be, but that it is or can
le lb, is a like unintejligible. and incomprehenfibie, and cotifequently, can be no
Revelation
APPENDIX,
4'-7
Revelation any more than the how,^' I anfwer by denying his Aflert;o;i,and fay,
it is not alike unintelligible to a Believer, that has received the Scriptures for the
undoubted Oracles of God. For, he may believe and be fure that Chrift is God
and Man in one Perfon, becaufe it is fo revealed in the Scriptures which are true.
But hoiu it is fo, he neither knows nor heeds. I confefs an Unbeliever cannot
underftand this, whilft he remains fuch, tho' he has a great Share of human Rea-
fon, and the Advantage of a learned Education, be a Proficient in natural Know-
ledge, a profound Philofopher ; the ^od may be alike unintelligible to him as
the ^omodo ; and not only this, but alfo the Do<5lrine of the Refurredlion from
the Dead, and of the Crofs of Chrift, and of his dwelling in the Saints, are as
fenfclefs, as foolifh, and as ridiculous Fancies to fuch a Man, as that Chrift is
God and Man in one Perfon. The Reafon of all is this, becaufe he believes not
the holy Scriptures. Thefe evangelical Dodlrines are too high for the natural
Man : Wifdom is too high for a Fool, Prov. 24. 7. and fuch are all worldly wife
Men, while they remain Unbelievers, i Cor. 3. 18,19. ^ conceive we ought not
to believe any Thing that is contrary to all Reafon, but we may believe that which
is above our Reafon, which we cannot fathom or comprehend. Why may we not
allow God to be wifer than we, to referve the certain Knowledge of fome Things
to himfelf ? When he fays it is foor fo, let us take his Word for it, that it is
true, tho' /;^w; it fhould be cannot tell. Or, if it feem to us tohe contradiSlious^
yet furely it is the highefl Reafon in the World to believe it io be true^ becaufe God
[peaks it. Certainly it doth but fee7n to be a Contradidion j for if God hath faid
it, he can reconcile it, tho' in our fliallow Apprehenfions we cannot. Let us be
fatisfied that the Scriptures are the undoubted Oracles of God, that what they
fpeak, God fpeaks, and we need fearchno further for theSoIutionofanyQueftion,
than to find it written there : LetReafon givePlacetoRevelation, and all is well.
But let usconfider the Dr's Confequence [confequentfy can be no Revelation] that
is the Union of the two Natures, God and Man in the Perfon of Chrift, not only
how it is fo, but that // is/o is unintelligible and incomprehenfible, as the Dr. pre^
tendeth, and fo confequently can be no Revelation. Certainly this is a very vicious
Way of drawing Confequences, by which Way of arguing, I conceive, one might
argue away all Chriflianity. It is altogether as unintelligible and incomprehenfi-
ble, and every whit as unaccountable, I fay not onlv to carnal, corrupt, or finful
Reafon, but to natural Reafon, the Faculty of Reafoning, or the Reafon of Man-
kind fimply fo confidered ; or how the Dr. will have it worded that Jefus Jhould
he conceived by the Holy Ghoji., and born of the Virgin Mary., and arije from the
Dead., as that God and Man are one Perfon inChriJi. Will the Dr. fay confequently
thefe Things can be no Revelation ? I hops not. But if he fhall, hisnextCon-
fequencewill be, that the Gofpel is a Fable, and the Chriftian Religion an Jm-
poftor. Surely, tho' I cannot by human Reafon (never fo much improved j un-
derftand the Incarnation of the Son of God in the Womb of the Virgin, the
Refurredlion, the indwelling of Chrift in the Hearts of his People, the ^perfonal
Union of the two Natures &c. and fuch like, I ought not to fay confequently they
are not revealed : But contrariwife, I fhould fay they are revealed, and confequently
they are true, tho' 1 cannot underftand them by human Reafon. I Ihould pro-
ceed
428 APPENDIX.
ceed further with the Dr. if I hadTime ; and I confide: that you have much abler
Workmen in London^ and I hope many Eagle-ey'd faithful Watchman in that
oreat Citv, that are looking diligently left any Root of Bitternefs fpringing up
trouble the Churches, who will I doubt not give a timely Repulfe to the Dr'^s
Defigrj, and prevent the Growth of his Error : Thefe Confiderations quiet my
Spirits, and make me lefs folicitous in this Affair. I have two Books of the Dr's
Mind, I guefs of his Writing ; and 1 have confidered the Matter, and well per-
ceive where the great Strength of the Dr. and his Complices lieth : Be fure to
take them off their philofcphical Way of drawing Confequences contrary t-o the
Scriptures, becaufe the Scripture in fome Things y<rf/;j contrary to their Reafon ; I
fay, fee that you unhinge them here, and hold them to divine Revelation, the fure
Word of Prophecy, tjie Writings of the Prophets and Apoftles, and reafon with
them with a humble Heart, in the Fear of God, and they will never be able ta
ftand againft you ; for great is Truth and prevaileth. And whereas the Dr. de-
iired me to give him (by fending to you) my Thoughts of his Book, therefore pray
give my Love to him, and tell him, tho' I love him, I do not love his Way of
aflerting the divine Unity of the Gcd-head in the ever blefledTrmZ/y of the Father^
Son^ and Ho/y Ghojf, and believe I fliall never change my Opinion in this Cafe ;
not becaufe I fear to lofe a Stipend (as he fuggefts concerning fomej or hope to
gain a Stipend, nor from the Prejudices of my Education. But I am more fully
confirmed in my Opinion by a fobe'r and impartial Search into the Matter inCon-
teft. And you may pleafe to tell the Dr. further from me, that I would have him
to do that which I doubt he will be very loth to do, that is to become a Fool,
that fo he may be wife ; for he fhall never be able to unfcreen the Secrets of Di-
vinity by his dull Philofcphy ; for the Things of the Spirit of God are far above,
out of the Sight and Ken of his reafoning Faculty ; and are as foon fand often'
foonfer and more clearly) difcerned by Men and Women of mean Wits, than by
great Rabbi's, who are Matters of Reafon. They are the only true Underftanders
in Divinity, who are ftrengthned with Might by God's Spirit in their inner Man,
in whofe Hearts Chrift dwells by Faith, who being rooted and grounded in Love>
are able to comprehend with all Saints what is the Breadth, and Length, andDepth,
and Height, and know the Love of Chrift which paffeth Knowledge &c. By this.
Letter it appears, ^hat we believe that Chrift is God of God, Light of Light ^ very
.God of very God^ begotten not made &c." Thus far Rev. Mr. Hook, who 1 think
has well fpoken in Defence both of our Lord's proper Divinity, and of the Union
of the two Natures in Chrift, hoping that by this Time Mr. Fojler can fee many
Syllables and Sentences thereof contained in divine Revelation, and that he will ac-
cordingly receive thefe noble Points into* his Creed, efpecially fihce b^ his OWn
QovihK\on It hx'mgs -whh \i xht highej}zt\(i 7ioble/l Credentials, ' '! ,/ '"''uf^
And 1 Would yet beg the Attention of his reafoning Powers, While I further*
reafoti with him in order to convince him, if poffible, that the Do(5lrine 6^ the
Union of the two Natures in our Emanuel, and that the Sufferings of theManhood.
becoming of infinite Value by Virtue of its Union with the Godhead of the Son of
God, are to be found upon Record in (b.e Chriffian Revelatiorty which he has un-
dertaken to diefend fi-om the Attacks of Deijls^ Now not to multiply Inftances,
take
APPENDIX:
4^9
take the Places before-cited, Rom. 9. 5. " Whofeare thcFatbers, and of whom
as concerning the Flefli Chrift came, who is over all God blefled for evermore.
Amen. Now what is that which this Propofition plainly offers, but that Chrift
vs both God over all, and a IVfan defcended from the Fathers ? Let foundReafon
now fpeak if it be not as plain a Propofition as can be. Doth it not plainly fay,
t-hat there are united in Chrift Jefus two Natures, divine and husnan ? For as
Man he cannot be God, and as God he cannot be Man. He is Man, becaufe as
concerning the Flefli, he came of the Fathers : He is God, becaufe he is over
all God blefled for ever. Doth not Reafon it felf, whofe Office it is to be em-
ploy'd about the Evidence of Fadls, when it fixeth its Eye on this, fay that the
Propofition \5 plain, and the Inference ^^«w/«^ ? So alfo when Chrift is faid to be
made Sin for us, who knew no Sin, that we might be* made the Righteoufnefs of
God in him ; and that he redeemed us from the Curfeof the Law, by being made
a Curfe for us : and many other Scripture Propofitions of the like Tenor, and in
particular his being called a Surety, doth not all this J fay, naturally imply with-
out the leaft Strain of Speech, that he ftood in the Sinner's Roofn and Stead, in or-
der to fatisfy God's offended Juftice, to free them from the Curfe of the Law,
and to purchafe by the Price of his moft precious Blood for them, the P'orgive-
rcfs of their Sins ; and in a Word, both Grace znd eternal Glory f Yea, if Mr.
fo/ler in his Poftfcript Apology would not be underftood to mean thus much, when
be pleads for himfel/, that " he had fet forth the Death of Chrift in the ftrongeft
f.icrifical Phrafes, and that by tdie wife Appointment of God we are to confider
the Death of Chrift, as the Thing upon the Account of which he pardons our Sins,
and confers Life and Immortality upon us :" I fay, if Mr. F. by thefe Expreffions
would not be underftood to mean thus much, 'tis evident that his Words are
w'nhout a proper hone/i Atleaning, hut are of a private Imerprent'ion, and a meer
Jmu/emeit-.. Either he recants what he had before faid againft the Dodlrine of
original Sin, our Lord's proper Divinity, Satisfaction, the DocSlrine of theUnion
of the two Natures, and that of our being juftify'd by an imputed Righteoufnefs,
or he does not. If he does ; why doth he not plainly and exprefly tell his Reader
ft) ? Yea, if he does, how comes it to pafs that even in the very Entrance of his
apokgriical Poftfcript he ftill infifts on what he had faid before concerning thefe
Dodtrines, viz, that there is not a Syllable of them in all the New Teftament ?
Why does he leave the invidiousTurn and perverfe Interpretation, which he gives
unto the Dodrine of Chrift''^ htercejjion, which is founded upon his SatisfaSiion ;
without the leaft Alteration or Apology for the fame ? Why doth he not urge the
Neceffity of p'aith in the Blood and Righteoufnefs of Chrift, as that alone by which
we are juftified in tbeSight ofGod,w6 declare inBehalf of his(iod-head Chara6ler,
of which he has endeavoured to rob him ? But not one Word of all this that I can
find, thro'out the numerous Pages of three Volumes of his Works, altho' I fought
for the fame with Diligence. Alas, that I fliould lofe my Labour ! But rather" to
ray Grief I ftnd (as I before obferved) Mr./V?f;'sDeclarations againft thofe grand
Points, do ftand with their original Keenefs and Severity. Whereas had he been
foundly convinced of ^he grcatne/s.o/his Sin in fpeaking/» dijlmwurahly of the Son
of God, the Union of hjs two N4.t,ures, his g^tisfaaion & Jpipwted Svigbteoufnefs
t Viviiii v'iii " . and
43© J T P E N D IX.
and Intercelfion, wfcWi fhouW have had fuch a />/«/«, full & pemUntial&nApohgy,
as would have left it beyond all Doubt that Mr. F — r had truly repented of and
difcarded hisErrors in thefe greatPoints. 'Till this be done^veryjudiciousReader
will readily conclude, that he is femper Idem, notwithftanding his patched up Apo-
logy to amufe his Friends, who were difplcafed with fome of his wild U loofekc-
counts of Chrift's Death. The Points of Chrift's proper Divinity, the hypofta-
tical Union, his Satisfadtion and Interceffion, and the Dodtrine of original Sin,
are fo infeperably conneded together, that he who holds the one^ holds all, and he
that denies one denies all. There is no Medium between Mr. /"'jAccount of thefe
Points and ^ttr's. Therefore without wz;W«^ the Matter, let him openly ix. fairly
declare which of thefe he is for. What more evident in divine Revelation than
thii, that by Vertue of the Union of the two Natures in Chrift, the Sufferings of
the human Nature became of infinite Value, whereby he purchafed his Church,
or bought the fame with the Price of his Blood, together with Grace & Glory, for
her? See and confider well the Charge St. Pa:// gave to the Elders of Ephefus,
Adt. 20.28. " Take heed unto your felves,and unto all theFlock, over the which
the Holy Ghoft hath made you Overfeers, that you feed the Church of God which
he (God j hath purchafed with his own Blood. Is not the Blood of Chrifl, the
Price of our Redemption, here plainly called the Blood of God ; by which the
Apoflle ftrengthens and enforceth his Exhortation to the Elders to take Care of
the Church which was purchafed with fo^r^<j/, io exceeding., great znd precious z.
Price, the precious Blood of Chrift the Son of God, who thought it no Robbery
to be equal with God. And why was it called the Blood of God, but becaufe the
Man Chriit Jefus was alfo truly and properly God ? To fay otherwife, is at once
to difhonour Chrift, bringing him down into the Rank of meer Creatures, to un-
derwilue the Merit and Vertue of his mo/i precious Blood, to enervate the Force of
the Apoftle's Argument, and to make fad the Hearts of theChildren of God, whom
God would not have made fad.
I might here alfo in a more particularManner proceed in theProof of theDodlrinc
of the holy Trinity ; but as I defign Brevity, and as this grand Article is already
io fully, largely and pertinently handled by diverfe pious and learned Men, fo I fhall
refer my Reader to their feveral Labours. Only I would beg Leave to infert onie
PalTage oh that Head, from the Works of the eminent Dr. fVilliam Bates, and to
that tranfcribe what the^^^z-a/Baptifts of the lafl Century fay upon that Head,
and of the hypoltatical Union, in their printed Confeffion of Faith, commonly
hound up with Mr. Thomas Grantham's Folio Works, formerly a noted general
Baptifl:, where alfo he defends the grand and important Dodlrine of Chrift's im-
puted Righteoufnefs ; which I would beg our modern general Baptifl Friends to
read, and in reading to fee and confider from whence they are fallen and repent,
and hold to their firft Principles in thefe Points. Chrijiianijmus Primitivus.
The firft Article of the faid Confeffion of Faith runs thus, ' Wc believe and
* are very confident, that there is one, and but one living and true God, who is
< from Everlafting to Everlafting, and changeth not, without Body, Parts or
« PafTions, effentially prefentin all Places, of infinite Power, Wifdom,and Good-
* nefs, the Maker and Preferver of all Things in Heaven and Earth, vifible and
** invifible ;
APPENDIX. 43 E
* invifible ; and in this divine and infinite Being, or Unity of the God- head, there
< are three Perfons, Father, Son, and Holy Gholt, of one Subftance, Power and
< Eternity: but as for all other Doflrines that are contrary and oppofite to this a-
* bovefaid Article, we abhor and folannly froieji againji them.
3. » That the fecond Perfon in the Trinity is the only begottenSon of God, who
« did in theFulnefs of Time take to himfelf of our Nature and Subftance, in the
« Womb of the bleffed Virgin Mary^ of whom (in Refpeil of the Fiefh) he was
* made, and fo is /r^/^ G(7i^, and /rw,? ^i/^/z our Emanuel Chrifl."
All which is perfedly agreeallc with holy Scripture, ijoh.^.'j. "There are
three that bear Record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoft,and
Thefe Three are One. Mat. 28.2c. Go ye therefore, and teach all Nations,
baptizing them, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghoft". " The Word was made Fkfh,and dwelt among us." Now I fay^fmce
God who knows himfelf bc(t, and fmce he hath given this Account of himfelf in
the Chriftian Revelation, which brings with it the higheji zn6. nobleji Credentials,
'tis highly r^fir/o«a/^/^ that we his Creatures fhould readily afTent hereunto without
the leaft Hefitation, or ufing any captious Qiieties, how can thcfe 7 h ngs be?
Efpecially when withal we confider the Shallownefs of our finite Capacities, the
vaft Inequality of our Knowledge, with that Knowledge God hath of Ijimfelf as a
Being of infinite Perfedtions, folemnly bearing in Mind, that God the Author of
our Being and reafonable Faculties, did not give us Reafon to rehl againft his
Teftimony, but to obey the fame. God muft ceafe to be God, and we ceafe to be
finite Creatures, could we grafp his Nature and Perfections. What do we better
than undeify him, when we fancy our felves capable of underdanding his Kflcnce
to \\\^full^ fo as that we will not h^Wtyc any further than we can comprehendh'xm ?
Doth God know himfelf beji, or do we know him better^ that we dare contradict
the Account he hath given of himfelf, fa\ing this cannot be fo ? Which is in
Efftcl to fay that unlefs God fees fit to give fuch a Revelation of himfelf which
we can have (nil Ideas of, and be able of making out by the Searches and Corn-
prehenfions oi Reafon, we will not believe him ! If vve are refolved not to carry
our Faith of cr concerning him one Jot beyond our Underftanding, what a little^,
narrow, contemptible Deity fhall we make him to be ? A B!a(j-)hemy to be ab-
horred with the greateft Abhorrence ! "I will (fays Dr. Bates) briefly confi-
der what is objeCled againft fome Do<5trines of the Gofpcl, viz. the Trinity, the
divine Incarnation, the mean State and Sufi^trings of the Son of God in the
World ; thefe Points have been oppofed by the Jews, and fome other Infidels, as
meer Impoffibilities, direclly contrary to the Reafon of Mankind. To this t
anfwer. We muft diftinguifh between what is incomprehenfible to human Rea-
r:)n, aid what is repugnant thereunto ; between the Things which Reafon casV''
not perfectly underftand how they cm\ be, and the Things which it perfeCib/
ijfitlerilands that ihey cannot be, N.itural I^ioht may not be able todifcover
the Being of fome Things and theManner of their Exigence, which really are.
But what it fees 10 involve a Contradiction, is abfolutely irnpcflible. Now ther^
is no Point in the whole Complection of the Chriftian Faith that is repugnant to
Reafon. The Unity and fupream Kquahtv of the three Perfons in the Go<i.-
K k k Head,
432 APPENDIX.
Head, tranfcend our Conception, but Reafon [mark this) cannot prove it to be
impoiUble ; for the Eflence of God is not of the fame Condition with created
Subftances j (o that tho' in the whole Compafs of the Creatures, there is no like
Inftance, but one Nature is always joined with one Subftance ; yet it doth not
follow that the divine Nature doth not fubfifl in three Perfons. All the Difficulty
that is pretended to be invincible is this, that the Manner of it is incompre-
henfible ; and 'tis neceffhrilv fo^ for it is impoffibie that what is infinite fhould be
comprehended by a finite Mind" ; thus far the Do6for. What he further adds
being too large to recite here, I refer the Reader thereunto, Folio Works^ P* 7 i
and onwards. Tho' 1 think proper to add what this worthy Author further fajs
p. 516. " The Do6irine of the Trinity is fo exprelly fet down in the Gofpel of
Chrilf, that 'tis impoffibie the Son of God, who is infinite and eternal Love,
•wh,:) gave himfelf for our Redemption, fhould have declared it, and engaged his
Difciples fin all Ages and Places^ in an Error of fuch dreadful Confequences as
the worfhiping thofe who are not God." And fince fome Perfons ftoo manyj
make but a light Matter of believing or not believing this grand Article, with
-many others of the Chriftian P'aith, I fhall with a View to their fpiritual and eter-
nal Good, beg them ferioufly to confider what this great and good Man hath to
fay, p. 516, 517. " 'Tis alledged f fays he) (hat if a Perfon fincerely fearches
into the Scripture, and cannot be convinced that the fupernatural Doctrines of
the Trinity, and others depending upon it are contained in them ; he fhall not
be condemned by the righteous Judge of the VVorld for involuntary and fpecula-
tive Errors. To this (fays the Doilor) I anfwer, i. This Pretence has deceived
many who were guilty of damnable Herefies^ and there is great Reafon to fear de-
ceives Men (till. The Heart is deceitful above all Things, and mod deceitful to it
felf. Who can fay that neither Intereft nor Paffion, neither Hope nor Fear, nei-
ther Anger nor Ambition, have interven'd in his Enquiry after Truth ; but that
he has preferred the Knowledge of divine Truths before all temporal Refpedts,
and yet he cannot believe what the Scripture reveals of the Nature of God, and
the d^conomy of our Salvation ? Let this imaginary Man produce his Plea, for
1 believe there never was any fuch. There are many that make Reafon the fove-
reign Rule of Faith, and determine fuch Things cannot be true, becaufe they
cannot underftand how they can be true. Prodigious Inference ! the mofl ab-
furdof all Errors that makes the narrow Mind of Man the Meafure of all Things.
T his is the proper Principle of that horrible Compofition of Herefies and execrable
Impieties, which fo many that are Chriftians in ProfefTion, but Antichiftians in
Beliefjboldly puhlifl-i. They will chufe to err in Matters of infinite Importance,
rather than confefs their Ignorance ; and which is aftonifliing, they will readily
ackr}owledge the Dcfedivenc-fs of Reafon with Refpe6l to the Underflanding of
themfelves, but infolently arrogate a Right to determine Things in the Nature of
God. 'Tis true, Ignorance, the more invinciblr, is the more excufable ; but
when the Error of the Mind is from the vicious Will, both the Error and the
Caufe of it are finful and inexcufable. When the corrupt Will has an Influence
upon the Underltanding, and the Mind is (tain'd with fome carnal Luft, when
a Temptation diverts it from a furious and fincere confidering the Reafons that
fhould
APPENDIX. 433
fhould induce us to believe divine Doftrines, their Unbelief will be juflly punifh-
ed. The Scriptures declare, xhn an evil Heart is the Caufe of Unbelief : Pride
and Obftinacy of Mind and carnal Lufts are the Caufe that lo many renounce
thofe eternal Truths by which they fhould be faved. 2dly, 'Tis alledged (Tays
the Dodtorj that fpeculative Errors cannot be damnable. To this I anwfer, ift.
The Underflanding of Man in his original State was Light in the Lord^ and regu-
lar in its Dire(£lions ; now 'tis dark and difordered in the Points of Religion that
are revealed, any Error induces Guilt, and if obftinately defended, expofes to
Judgment. Some Truths are written becaufe necefTary to be believed, others
are to be believed becaufe written. 2dly, According to theQuality of theTruths
revealed in Scripture, fuch is the Hurtfulnefs of the Errors that are oppofite to
them. Some Truths are necefTary, others are profitable : Some Errors are di-
redlly oppofite to the faving Truths of the Gofpel, others by Confequence under- ,
mine them. Thofe who deny the Lord that bought them are guilty of damnable //<?-'
refy^ capital Errors, not holding the Head, Col. 2.19. 3dly, The Dodlrine of
the Trinity is not a meer fpeculative Truth, nor the Denial of it a fpeculative
Error ; the Trinity is not only an Obje61: oi Faith ^ but of Worjhip. In Baptifm
we are dedicated to the facred Trinity, /;; the Name of the Father, Son and Holy
Ghofl ; which clearly proves that they are of the fame Authority and Power, and
confequently of the fame Nature ; for 'tis impofTible to conceive of three infinite ,
Beings, for by Neceffity one would limit another. The Apofile declares, IFith-
cut Controverfy great is the Myflery of Godlinefs, God rnanifejled in the Flejh. The
Nature and End of this divine Myftery is to form the Spirits of Men to believe and
love and obey God ; for in it there is the clearefl Revelation of God's admirable
Love to Men, of his unfpotted Holinefs, his incorruptible Juflice, the great Mo-
tives of Religion. In that divine Do61:rine we have the moft ravifliing Image of
Piety and Virtue, the moft becoming the Nature of God to give, and of Man tQ
receive. Briefly, God commands us to believe in his Son : Without P'aith i(i.
him, weareuncapable of Redemption by him. When Chrift performed mira-
culous Cures, he required of the Perfons, whether they did believe in his divine
Power, and what he declared himfelf to be ? Eleding Mercy ordains theMeans
and the End. The Apofile ^zW thanks to God, becaufe he has chofcn the ThefTalo-
nians to Salvation thro' SanSf if cation of the Spirit, and the belief of 1 1: e Truth, iThtL
2. 13. Holinefs and Faith in the Dodrines of the Gofpel, are indifpenfableQua-
lifications in the learned and ignorant, that would be faved by the Son of God.
'Tis a high Contempt of the Truth and Goodnefs of God, not to yield a firm
AfTent, to^ what he has revealed concerning our Salvation by his incarnate Son :
He that believes not the Record that God hath given of his Son, makes God a Liar^
I Joh. 5. 10. This infinitely provokes him, and inflames his Indignation. To
difbelieve the Teftimony, that Jefus Chrijl has given of the Divinity of his Per-
fon and Doarine, is to defpife him ; it robs him of his eflential and his acquired
Glory, by the Work of our Redemption. There can be no true Love of God,
without the Knowledge of him as he is revealed not only in his Works, but in
his Word. Our Saviour, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, has declared,
when he gave CommifTion to his Apoftlcs to preach the Gofpel to the World,
K k k 2 IVhoever
434
APPENDIX.
Whoever belteveth and is baptized Jhall befaved ; whoever believeth not Jhall be damned.
We cannot make Laws to be theRule of God'sjudgmeni, but muft receive them.
However fome may flatter erring Perfons in their Security, it will be found in
the great Day that Infidelity in the Light of the glorious Gofpel will have no Ex-
cufe before God." Thus far the Rev. Do6tor.
We will now attend to what Mr. Fojier fays about Myfleries, Vol. i. Ser. 7.
on Deut. 29. 29. '* A Miftery in the Scriptuie Senfe of it is a Thing that natu-
ral Reafon could not difcover, and confequently which muft have been unknown
if God had not revealed it j and of this Kind I own there are feveral Dodrines in
the Chriftian Religion before the Revelation was given, xvere Myfteries ; but ceafe
to be Myfteries now they are revealed, Adark 8. ii. Rom. 16. 25. i Cor. 15.51.
{So then Mr. Fofter owns the Doiirine of the RefumSlion.) He goes on, " The'
certain Things are Parts of our Religion that were Myfleries, 'tis not our Duty
to believe or pra£tice any Thing that is flill a Myftery. To believe DocSlrines
that arey?/// myflerious is to believe without Ideas, to believe what we know no-
thing of, this in the Nature of the Thing is impoffible. If we examine the Doc-
trines of the Chriftian Religion, we fhall find in Fa<5l that they are plain and eafy
Truths ; and that as we cannot in Reafon, we are not obliged by Revelation to
carry our Faith one Jot beyond our Underftanding. If you fay that you cannot
account for \.he jManncr of God's creating the World, or for the Manner in which
he exifts every where, of the general Refurrcclion and the like ; 1 anfwer, 'tis no
Part of your Religion to account for it, where the Myftery begins Religion ends,
Myfteries yield neither PJeafurenor Profit, they are really ncthing at all to us ;
nay we cannot io much as admire them, becaufe Admiration nece/Tarily fuppofes
that we have the Knowledge of the Grandeur, or of theWcrth and Excellency of
theObjedl ; the utmofl therefore that can be faid is that we are confounded and puz-
zled. The Defign of Revelation could not be to confound the Underflandings of
Men with deep & inexplicableMyfteries ; and it muft be abfolutely unbecoming
the infiniteWifdom of God to be at the Expence of MiracleSj^c fending an extra- j
ordinary Meilenger from Heaven meerly to nonplus and puzzle humane Reafon,
and make ignorant Men ftare. Let any Man aik himfelf of what Ufe are Dif-
putes about Perfonalities, Subfiftencies, the hypoftatical Union, and other famous
Points which diftracl the Vulgar."
Thus merilv doih Mr. Foflcr go on in exploding of and punning upon the great
Dodlrines of the Gofpel, particularly thofe of the holy Tiinity, and the Incarna-
tion of the Son cf God, with all othery^zi^^tt; Points that bear Affinity therewith,
■of which we had a largeSpccimen before. So that whilfthe tells hisReader where
the Mvfl'ery begins Religion ends, he has given him an Opportunity of know-
ing that Mr. Fo/ier's Religion is neither fo large nor fo long, but the Beginning
and End too of it may be ^flyf/j'difcerned, without theExpencc oi racking ibeBraia,
or di/lra^ing the Alind, even of the Fu,gar, whofe Capacities are but fmall, and
whofe I\'linds are uncultivated. And tho' I cannot (according to Mr. FoJler'sRule
for Admiration abovej fo much as admire either his Religion, or the Manner of
his ti eating the grand Points of the Chriftian Revelation ; yet how can I forbear
hsinz confounded and puzzled to think how fo accuie and expert a Reafoner as HE
° -^ ihould
APPENDIX. 435
ftiould in the very midft: of his rhetorical Flourifhes, fo forget himfeU at flatly to
contradid his own Dilates as he doth, by difaliowing of theDo£lrines of the holy
Trinity, and the Incarnation of the Son of God, to be Articles of the Chriftian
Faith, becaufe we cannot account for the Modus or Manner of the fame ; whilft
at the fame Time he readily admits of the Dodrine of the Refurrefjiion to.be an
Article of theChriftianFaith ; altho' fas we may fee by his own Wordsj he can no
more Account for the Modus or Manner of that than of the others. Altho' Mr.
F. cannot form /i/// Ideas of the Doclrine of the Refurredtion of the Dead, as to
the lUanner of it, yet by his own Acknowlegemeflt it is both one of the Articles
of the Chriltian Religion, and ^ plain and eafy Truth. And fo it is, I grant, as
to the Fa^^ the Thing it felf^ that it/J^allbe. In which Senfe I take Mr. F. to
mean : It heingplainly and pofitively ailerted in the Chriftian Revelation, which
brings with it the highejt and nobleft Credentials^ that there fliall be a Refurre6tion
of theDeadjbotli of the Juft and of theUnjuft. To this 1 would add, and is it not
as plainly h pofitively exprelled in ih^ fame Revelation, that there are Three that
bear ReconJ in Heaven, the Feather, the Word or Son, and the Holy Ghoft, and
that thsfe Three are One ? And that this Word or Son was made FJefh & dwelt
amongli us — with divers other plain Texts of Scripture, of which before more
atlaige? And yet fhall thefe Propofitions be rejected at NullitieSy whilft the
otiier is without Hefitation admitted as an Article of the Chriftian Faith ? Will
Mr. /'. take God's IVordzs the Ground of his Faith In one Point of the Chriftian
Religion, and not \n another ; efpecially when the feveral Propofitions as to Mat"
ters oi FaSi are equally obvious according to the exadeft Rules of Speech and In-
terpretation of Words, and being duly compared with^other Scriptures ? The
Dodlrine of the Refurredion is a Point o^ pure Revelation as much as the others ;
and which as to the Modus we cannot account for any more than we can for the
vthers^ and yet i\\Q former muft be readily admitted to have a Place in our Creed,
whilft the latter are to be rejected as Nullities ; and which is yet worfe, we muft
not be admitted fo much as lo admire them,becaufe(faysMr.F.) Admiration necef-
farrly fuppofes that v/e have a Knowledge of the Grandeur or of the Worth and
Excellency of the Object. I am indeed heartily forry to find that Mr. F. who
bears the facred Chara6ler of being a Minifter of God's holy Word, cannot fee fo
much Grandeur, Glory, Worth and Excellency in an incarnate God our blefled Ema-
nuel, as to raife his devoutAdmirations of him, and the Way of Salvation by him,
as before'expliined ^ iiow indeed can he, when he don't believe the Record which
God in the Chriftian "Revelation hath given of him ? However a Believer will
chearfully and devoutly f^y with theSpoufe of Chrift, My Beloved is white and
ruddy, the chiefe/l among ten thoufands^yea he is altogether lovely ; and with theChurch
of old with holy Admiration, This is the Lord's doing, and this is marvellous in our
Eyes. Pfal. 1 1 8. 23. and with the holy adoring Apoftle, Without Controverfy
great n (mark not only z^aj but is) the Myftery of Godlinefs, God manifeft in
the Flcfti, I Tim. 3. 16. Where obferve that notwithftanding the Revelation
which had been already given of the Incarnation of the Son of God, the Union of
the divine and human Natures in the Perfon of our Emanuel ; the Apoftle ftill a-
voucheth it to be a MyfJery, yea 2i great Myftery, and asfuch he mentions it as an
Article
4qB. appendix.
Article of his Cbrlftlan Faith, and views aud fpeaks of it with devout Jdmiraiion,
altho* Mr. Fo/ier will not, who fees nothing in that nohle Objeif^ nothing of fuch.
Grandeur, Worth or Excellency therein, wherefore he fhould either believe in or
admire the fame. Why ? what is the Reafon ? This I will leave St.Faui to give
and determine, i Cor. 2. 14.
It is not indeed a Myjiery in \he fame Senfe and Degree ^ as it would have been in
Gafe it had been never revealed, but kept intirely a hidden Thing ox fecret. For if
no Revelation at all had been made of it, then not being at all known, could not
at all have been believed, fince Knowledge atleafl of the FaSf or Thing it felf doth
neceflarily precede Faith or Belief: Yet fince after the Revelation given, our
Knowledge of this grand Point (confidered in its full Latitude) is but in Part ; it
isjiill 2i Myftery^ a great Myjiery^ and fuch a Myfiery as is our Duty to believe and
admire^ as St. Pauld\d before us. In the fame Senfe the Dodlrine of the Refurrec-
tionh ftill a Myjiery, and an Objedlof our Faith and Jdmiration, And all thefe
are fuch Myfteries as yield both Pleafure and Profit unto Believers in the Exercife
of their Faith and holy y^dmiraiion, who by Faith do difcern fomething of the
Grandeur, fForth and Excellency of the ObjeSi, howfoever it be otherwife with
Mr. F, and his Followers, to whom thefe Things are nothing at all, unlefs it be
the Subjeft-Matter of their Banter and Ridicule. So that to ufe Mr. Fcjier's own
Words, in his Preface to his Defence of the Ufefulnefs i^c. of the Chriftian Re-
velation, I may, I'm forry that he has given me Caufe, to fay, " That Infidelity
has increafed amongft us very much of late is a general Obfervation." A melan-
choly Refle<Stion this ! that Men of good natural Senfe, Learning and Jbilities,
ihould employ the fame unto fo ill a Purpofe j that they fhould fo highly extol and
cry up the Ufe of Reafon, fo as to reafon away the Fundamentals of the Chriflian
Faith, which leads to flat Infidelity, whereby they are in Danger, I'm afraid, of
reafoning themfelves out of their eternal Salvation, who while they fo much cry up
Morality, do become fo immoral as to refufe to yield an Obedience of Faith unto
the Record of the Almighty, exercifing their Reafon in a Way of Rebellion again/}
inltead of obeying the fame.
« It is hard to determine (fays a certain Divine of the Eflablifhed Church,*)
which is the greatefl Misfortune, either to give an eafy Aflent to whatever Doc-
trine is propdfed to us, or to value ourfelves upon pretended Difficulties, and deny
inconteftible Articles, becaufe they are not altogether free from them ? It feems
30 me as dangerous an Error to difbelieve, as to believe every Thing : The one be-
ing the EfFeil of a prodigious Weaknefs, the other of an incredible Prefumption ; both
equally inconfiftent with Reafon, which cannot but be fenfible that as there are
Things vifibly falfe to the meanefl Capacity, fo there are thofe which the greatefl
Penetration cannot reach, and yet are certainly true. This carries fo much Evi-
dence along with it, that it is granted in all our moral znd phiJofophical Enciu'uie?.
We are Witnefles of innumerable Events, the Caufes of which we guefs at, but
can give no clear Account of. The Springs of mofl Tranfadions in the World
are hid from Mankind, and lie in an unfathomable Security, plain to none but un-
* H, DE Luzancy^ B. D. Vicar of Dover and Barwieh,
to
APPENDIX. 437
to him to whom Darknefs is as Light as the Day. The fame 'Inuft'he faid of our
Search about natural Objc6is : Nature fo obvious every where, has yet fuch fecret
RecefTes, which all our Sagacity cannot penetrate. We are agreed concerning
its Operations : but as for their Principles they have been difputed of from the
Beginning, and wiJl be unto the End of the World : The Men of Thought and
Reflcdion concluding daily that there are on all Sides mighty Difficulties, and ne-
ver to be overcome. But it is ftrange that this fhould be granted with fo much
Equity and Freedom in that Sort of Matters, and denied of Religion ; which be-
ing of a higher and more abflrufe Nature, and of far greater Authority than all
Didbites of Men, fhould by its own Weight filence all Objections, and put pofi-
^ive Mortals in Mind, that a tranfcendent Objeil ceafes not to be, becaufe we
cannot take an exa6t View of it ; and that a divine Propofition lofeth not the
Charader of Truth becaufe we form Difficulties againft it. And yet this is the
Cafe of Socin'tanifm. The Gentlemen who have fuffered themfelves to be
led into it, deny the Myfteries of Chrijiianity, infifting on their Unreafonablenefs,
pretending tliat they are not obliged to believe that of which they have not a clear
Notion ; and with a Sort of Ailurance, which becomes no Man, and them lead of
all, charging the facred Doctrine with ihc Jcandalous Imputations oi ContradiSiion
and Nonfenfe. This is the Defign of their laft Colledlion of Prints ; their perpe-
tual Dcfcant in Converfation, and a Contrivance to keep the Difpute alive, 'till
that being ruined, they muft of Neccffity fet up fomething elfe : But indeed we
argue to give Life to a Party, or elfe we adl hncerely, confciencioufly, and with a
Delign to find out the eftablifnedTruth. \i the ^^{k,Gcdts greater than ourHearts^
and knoweth all Things. He will punifh fo mean and fordid an End, which docs
i\Q\. vindicate \>w'iproJlttute'^Q^\^\ovi. But if the laft, I muft beg Leave to fay,
that there is neitherTruth, Piety or Modefty in all that Noife. J/i^ come to that,
that I muft call a divine Do6l:rine unreafonable, becaufe my Reafon is weak, anid
cannot underftand every Part of it ? Do I own my Doubtfuinefs and Ignorance
in all other Things, and am only fecure and clear fighted in this ? Or admit a
Myftery in moft of Nature's Operations, and exclude them only from Religion ?
Happy Man that can tye the Hands of his Maker, and force him to impofe no-
thing on his Belief, but what is plain and intelligible."
To this I would beg Leave to fubjoin, and refer unto Mr. FoJier\ Confidcra-
tion, what the learned, ingenious and pious Dr. lVatt"s has offered in his excel-
lent Treaiifcof Logick, or the right life of Reafon,^. 236. *' InMatters of meer
Teftimonv whether humane or divine, there is not always a Neceffity of clear
and diftind Ideas of the Things which are believed ; tho' the Evidence of Pro-
pofitions, which are intirely formed by our felves, depends on the Clearnefs and
Diftindtnefs of thofe Ideas of which they are compofed, and on our own clear
Perceptions, on their Agreement or Difagreement, yet we may juftly affent to
Propofitions/orw^^:^ hy others^ when we have neither a clearConception in our felves
of the two Ideas contained in the Words, or how they agree or difagree ; 'provided
always that we have clear and fufficient Evidence of the Credibility of the Perfons
who inform us. Thus when we read in Scripture of the great Dodrines of the
Deity of Chrift, of the Union of the divine and human Natures, of the divine
Agency
438 APPENDIX.
Agency of the blefled Spirit, that the Son is the Brightnefs of his Father'sGlory^
that all Things were created by him, that the Son fhall give up the Kingdom to
the Father, and that God fhalJ be all in all j we may hh\y believe them. For
tho' our Ideas of thefe Objects ihemfelves are not fuJfficiently clear, diftindt and
perfedl for our own Minds to form, tJiefe Judgments or Propofitions concerning
>t.hem, yet we have a clear and diiiiijit Perception of God's revealing them, or
that they arc contained in Scripture : and this is fufficient Evidence to determine
cur Artent. The fame holds true in fome Meafure where credible humanTeJiimony
aiVures us of fome Propofitions, while we have no fufficienj Ideas of thcSubJe^ and
predicate of them to determine our AfTent. So when an honeft and learned Ma-
thematician, afiures a Plow-man that the three Angles of a Triangle are equal
to two right Angles ; the Plow-man who has but confufed Ideas of thefe Things,
may firmly and fafely believe thefe Propofitions, upon the fame Ground, becaufe
he hath Evidence of the Skill and Faithfulnefs of his Informer. — And indeed un-
lefs this Reprefentation of the Matter be allowed, there are but few Propofitions in
the World, even in human Things, to which we can give an intire AfTent, or
which we may be faid either to know or believe, becaufe there is fcarce anyThing
in Earth of which we have an adequate and moft perfe6l Idea. And it is evident
that in divine Things, there is fcarce any Thing which we could either know or
believe without this Allowance : for tho' Reafon & Revelation join to inform me
that God is holy, how exceeding inadequate are my Ideas of God and of his Ho-
Jinefs ? Yet I may boldly and intirely afTent to this whole Propofition, fince I am
Jure that every known and unknown Idea fignified by the Term God,\s connected
with the Ideas of the Term Hotinefs ; becaufe Reafon partly informs me, but efpe-
cially becaufe thedivineTeftimony which hath connected them is certainly credible.
I might argue on this Head perhaps more forcibly, from the Dodlrine of God's
Incomprehenfiblenefs. If we could believe nothing but what we have Ideas of, it
would be impofiible for us to believe that God is Incomprehenfible : For this im-
plies in it a Belief, that there are fome unknown iJeas ^belonging to the Nature
of God : therefore we both believe and profefs fomething concerning unknown
Ideas, when we believe and profefs that God is incomprehenfible."
Hence then if Mr. Fo/hr and his Adherents will abide by their beloved A'laxim
of believing no more or other Propoiltion than what they can have adequate Ideas
of, if they are ftill refoived not to carry their Faith one Jot beyond their Under-
itandings, they muft or Courfe renounce not only divers Articles of Faith con-
tained in the Chrijiian Revelation^ but alfo of natural Religion. So that they are
bro't to this Dilemma, either to quit their mighty Maxim, their darling Principle,
or elfe to renounce the Doctrine of God's Holinefs and Incomprehenfibility, which
to do would be to renounce the cleareftDidlates both of Reafon and Revelation to-
gether : and {o their Deifm would run into downright Atheifm. At beft, while
they adhere to their darling Maxim, they are manifeftly guilty of a Self-Contra-
diiiion by believing at the fame Time that God is Incomprehenfible. And feeing
thefeSort of Gentlemen are fo very expert at crying out againft incomprehenfible,
unintelligible My/hriei^ Nmfenfe ContradiStion in others^ and make io loud a Cla-
mour about Reafon, 1 would dcfire them, by the Way, to try their Skill at recon-
ciling
J P P E N D I X,
.439
ciltng their [robbing of Chrift of his proper Divinity, with their adoring him,
and praying to him, and making him the Obje6l of divine Worfhip. Let them
ihew how it is confiftent with Reafon that a meer Man, a w,f^Creature, tho' never
fo glorious an One as they make Chrift to be, can offer himfeif as a fufficient pro-
pitiatory Sacrifice for, and to take away the Sins of the whole World. Let them
fee if they can make their Notions of a dignified Creature God^ capable of divine
Worfhip, appear more reafonable than our maintaining a Trinity of Perfons in
the Unity of EfTcnce. We think we have the greateft Reafon to aflert this, be-
caufe that Chriftian Revfelation which bringeth with it the higheft and nobleftCre-
dentials, doth pofitively detlare that there are Three which bear Record inHeaven,
the Father, the Word, and the HolyGhoft,and that thefeThree zreOne. Where-
JiS the abovefaid Notions are as contrary to Reafon as they are Strangers to divine
Revelation. If to this it fhould be anfwered by any of theSocimanSiamp,ihit they
do not give unto Chrift that Worftiip which is properly divine when they afcribe
unto him Glory and Dominion for ever. Amen. Then 1 reply, that they only
-make afplendidShew without 5a^an^tf, having learned to darkenCounfel by Words
without Knowledge ; or perhaps they have been at Rome^ and learned their Bre-
threns nice Diftindtions between Dutia and Latria, to the which they may have
Recourfe when pufhed home in this Argument.
In ftiort, fince Mr. F. fays, that Chrift is to be worP)ipped it is fit he fhould be
.aflced, whether he means with meerly civil Worfhip, or that which is properly di-
vine. If tht forfner^ then what Honour doth he give to the Son of God, any more
than what Men commonly give to any meer Creature in high OiKce and Station ?
if the latter J then is he not according to his oivn Principles guilty of Idolatry m
-Worfhipping One who in his Efteem is not by Nature God ?
But that I be not further tedious to my Reader, all I fhall add concerning My-
Jieries and th^ proper Ufe of Reajcn in Matters of Faith, fliaJi be a brief Qiiotation
.out of the introdmftory Part of a Sermon || which I preached in Vindication of
iheDodhineof original Sin, which one of Mr. Fo/Jer^s Difciphs | here puhlickly
replied to^animadverted on y and in a certain Difcourfe which he delivered inOppo-
fition to that Doctrine and the Preachers of the fame. Wherein alfo the faid/jV-
madverier in Imitation of his Majier^ harrangued againft Myjleries^ and in Behal;
of Reafon^ at no fmall Rate.
Nov/ the Paragraphs which I think proper to infert here out of my faid defenfin^s
Sermon run thus : " Fifthly, Whereas this Animadverter faid a great deal about
JJ-i^/Pm^y in Religion, whereby he endeavoured to reprefent his Opponents as a
fltrange Sort of People ; I cannot but obferve to you, that a great deal of what
•he oftered on this Head was intirely ncedlefs^ and a meer JjnufcTTient being what no
;;Body that I know of do deny, viz. that, that which was once a Ahfic^v or Secret
htix\g fully revealed, remains no longer a Myftery or Secret : For luftance, God's
^calling of the Gentiles, which was hid from Ages and Generations, but wczcmade
nianifeii tothe Saints. But then at the fume Time^l cannot agree with him,v/hea
. !| .N.^B. .TiieBody of vKhichSermon .nQW.lia.odi at theBe^inning of tbisTreatife,
•t One //f«ry Hevvjsid>
L 1 I - he
44^5 APPENDIX,
he would tbnice Infer, that we have nothing to do with any Points in theCHriftiah
Religion as Articles of our Faith that are myfierious ; or that it is abfurd to be-
lieve any Thing which we cannot \\z\Qfull Ideas of, and be able of comprehending.
And I cannot but obferve, that as abfurd a Thing-^s this is, our Opponents are as
really chargeable with Jhfurdities in believing y^w^ Points of Religion, as we can
be in others. For Inllance, they do profefs to believe that God is incomprehenftbk ;
v/hich plainly carries with it a Confejfion, that they dabelieve what they are not
able to comprehend, or what they have hot/z/// Ideds of. So that they do contrary
to their own Didatcs, carry their Faith beyond their Underftanding, giving therr
AfTent to the Truth of fuch Propofitions, that are very myfterious and ohfcure.
They fhould not therefore complain of that as Nonfenfe and Contradiliion in others.,
which they do themflves. But to fet this Matter ftiJI in a clearer Light : The
Truth is (i) That fome Points of Religion which once were Myfterre9,intirely
hid from Men's Eyes, being fully revealed, do no longer remain a Secret or My-
llery. (2) That there arc of her Points of Religion, which 'whert.-revealed. We
know no more than the bare FaHs, or Exiflence of thofe Things, w^hiTe as to their
Modus., x\\Qy do remain myfterious and obfcure, paft our Ability to* cvmprehend-,
which Propofitions we do very rationally give our Aflent to, as "founded on the
Credit of the Revelator. Our Reafon is employ'd about he Evidence., which upon
a rational Search being found valid, we do very rationally give oi3r afeht unto, or
credit the Matter affcrted, notwithftanding the inadcquatenefs of our Ideas of the
Things aflcrted, as to how they can be. Which brings m^,fixthiy. To obferve,
in how unreajonable a Manner our Animadverter charged his Opponents with dic-
ing oi Reafon, and the ?7/> thereof in Matters of /tf///;, and th'at too witn^ilt
making any DifiinSlions in or Mitigation of the Charge ; thereby reprefenti'rrg
them like Men without Reafon, or as adting contrary to Creatures endowed with
rational Powers. Whereas in order to have done his Opponents y»/?;V^, he ought
in a (jualifedScnCe to have fhewn,in what particularRefpecfs&cConfderations^they do
"fpeak againlt the advancing of Reafon inMatters of Faith, znd in tuhatRefpe^s they
do allow of it's Ufefulnefs ; for who in good Reafon can think, that we fhould
be fo unreafonable, as xvholly to exclude the Ufe of Reafon in Matters of Faith,
feeing to believe is the proper Adl of a rcafonable Creature ; and which no irra-
tional Creature can pojfibly perform ? And indeed if I did not look upon my yf«-
dience li.'i endued with r^^/sw^/ Powers, and exp66ted that they fliould make ufe
of the fame, in hearing and judging of what I {i.y, how impertinent h vain would
all my Reafonings with them be, in order to bring them to believe that the
Doctrines which I preach are true ? That is to fay, that they are to be found
upon Record in the bleiTedBook of God, the Bible. As the holy Scriptures are
the Standard of divine Truths, znd the only certain Rule of Faith as well as
PraH'tce ; fo I would have all that hear me this Evening, % employ all their rea-
foning Powers, in fearching the Scriptures, and according to the jufteft Rules of
Speech and Interpretation of Words, to judge of what I offer as the Senfe of
Scripture, and accordingly to flZ'/df^;by whatever Propofitions they find upon the
J This Sermon was preach'd at an Evening Ledure.
Scripture
APPENDIX. 44 r
Scripture Record, which is moft reafonabU to do. It being very rational to give
our ready Aflent unto whatever is afierted by a credible TtiWmony. And if
the Teftimony of credible Men be great^ furely the Wjtnefs of God is
greater. Whereas to refolve not to believe any more of what God hath faid in
Scripture, than what we can comprehend with our finite reafoning Powets and
narrow Underftandings, is a Thing moft unreafonahle \ becaufe this were at once
to limit the great and holy One in his Revelations, and put & Bar unto his fovereign
Claim of our Credence j and to deal by him no better, than Men commonly do
by z/ufpedfed Wkncfs. Yea. this is to fet Faith znd Rea/on at Variance with a
Witnefs ; the Miftrefi is turned out of herP/ac^, and the iW<7/Vunreafonably put
in her Room to bear the Sway and Rule over her, to whom Ihe ought in good
Reafon be fubjedt as Hagar to her Miftrefs Sarah. To give you according to the
beft of my Power, a true State of the Cafe, I fhall obferve,
I . That the Exercife both of Reafon and Faith., are Adts proper only to rational
Agents: This is, on all Sides acknowledged. Alfo 2d!y, That as there is natu-
rally fuppofed an Obje£l about which they are converfant, fo therein there muft be.
a mutual Agreement and proper Order obferved ; as the one cannot adl without
the other, fo in their being converfant about the faid proper Objedh there muft of
Courfe be a Harmony therein. To fay Faith can be exercifed ^moout a proper^
Objeft, without the Ufe of the reafonable Powers, would be mojl abfurd ; and on
the other Hand to fet the Powers of Reafon to the nullifying of the proper
Exercife of Faith., (which is to aflent to whatever is aflerted by a credible Tefti-
mony j would be no Xe^s fo ; being contrary to the natural Dictates oi Reafon.
All this I hope will be admitted to pafs for zjuji Method oi reafoning. H.ence.thsn
to bring this to the Point under Confideration, I {ball yS';^/., take.it|for granted
that the whole of divine Revelation is (to ufe Mr. Foyer's own Wordsj moft ufe-
Jul., true and excellent^ bringing with it the highefl and nobleji Credentials. Secondly^
That whatever Doctrines or Propofitions it propoundeth do juftly challenge the
ready Obedience of our Faith, notwithftanding their containing Things in them
which are above the Comprehenfion of our Reafon^ which is but limited and finite.
Thirdly^ That as Faith cannot be exercifed without the Ufe of Reafon, fo Reafca
equally owes Obeiience to the divine Tefiimony ; both muft equally fubmit thereunto
mutually znd freely. Fourthly fThzt a^ in doing this a properOrder is to be obferv-
ed, fo it lies /^fr^, viz. Reafon as z Purveyor to Faith is employed zhout the Evi-
dence y whether God in his holy Book the Bible, hath faid thus and thus, yea or no f
and upon finding out the Affirmative, it's Bufinefs is readily to give JVay to Faithy
and not to obftru6l her in her Office of believing, by an impertinent cavelling
and difputing with a How can thefe Things be ? For this were for Reafon to rebel.
inftead of obeying, adling contrary to its Ufe and Office, which its great Author
hath affigned it ; for it can never in Reafon be thought, that the ever glorious.
God endowed Men with the noble Powers of i^f^/^M, with a Liberty that they
might employ them in difputing, queflioning and invalidating his own Teftimony.
No, he experts Obedience from every Faculty of our Souls, one as well another :
As GQd\ Ways are above our Way, as his Thoughts are above our Thoughts,
and as his Judgments are a great Deep ; fo our reafoning Powers ought humbly to.
L« 1 1 2 hdvsij'
4'4^ APPENDIX.
low to every facred Propofitioti lay^d down in the divine Or Sic]^^^ and being fur-
rounded with Difficulties, inftead Of difpnting, humbly to fubmit, crying out, O
the Depth I
<' That fiipernaturalDodlrinesafcf incofnprehenfible now they are revealed, (as
Dr. Bates well obferves) is cne Argument to prove they never could be invented
and difcovered by Man, for that which cannot naturally enter into the Mind of
Man, cannot poffibly proceed out of it 5 and 'tis as abfurd for Reafon to rcjedl
the divine Teftimony, and violate the facred Refpedl of Faith, as for Senfe to
contradict the cleareft Principles of Reafon. To deny fupernatural Truths be-
caufe they are above our Conception and Capacity, is not only againft Faith but
againft Reafon, that acknowlegeth its own Imperfedlions." Thus far the Dr.
Are we not all bound to confefs, that in this State of ImperfiSiion^ the mofl
enlarged and capacious Soul can fee the great Things of God but as through a Glafs
darkly^ feeing and knowing them but in part ? and yet fhall we at the^'Fime re-
folve to believe no other Propofitions than what we can comprehend, or fee clearly
without the Icaji Obfcurity, Darknefs or Difficulty ? If fo, how palpably do we at
once f<j«/r<7(^;J? our own Confeflions, and deftroy ail Difference between a State
oi ImperfeSiion on Earth, ^nd a State of clear Fi /ion in Heaven, where we (hall
have ayi7r ^r/?/'/^r View of the gre^t Things of God (if he fhall pleafe by his
Grace to fit us for and bring us thither) than we can pcffibly have here beltw^
feeing them there without a Glafs between ? Nc%v we know but in part, but
when that which is perfcSi is come, then that which is in part fhall be done away.
I will inftance in the grand Dodlrine of the RefurreSiidn, fince my Animadverter
hath publfckly owned if as one h\t\c:\t of his Faith, as it is alfo one of miney and
do fay with hilrr that it was once a Myjxery or Secret hid frotti the Souls of Men, but
being revealed remains no longer y«t7;, that is to fay, in the Manner as before
it was made known. It was a Dcdrrine revealed in the Old Teflamcnt, but
more f/^^r/y unfolded in the A'/tf , the Aportle faying " Behold I fhew )ou a
Jldy/lery,'^ and fo forth. By divine Revelation we do know this to be a Doc-
trine of God, and many Things concerning it, which could not be found out by
the utmoft Searches of bare Reafon. But after all that We know concerning this
weighty Point of Doflrine, is our Knowledge of it foperfeSf as that no Manner
of Obfcuriiies 3nd Difficulties do attend our Thoughts of it ? Is our prefent
Knowledge concerning it \'o full and clear, as that hereafter it will be no clearer f
Or muft we not rather confefs that at prefent we know it but in part j but
that in a State of PerfeSiion and Vifion, we (hall know many Things concerning it
which in t\\t prefent State of Things do remain myfierious and abfcure, fo that we
cannot have adequate Ideas of that grand Point ? Which at the fame Time is no
Hindrance to our AJfent to the whole Propofition, that there fhall be a Refurrec-
tion of the Dead, both of the Jt/Jf and of the Unjii^ ; and that they fhall be raifed
thus and thus as the holy Scripture dechres. And wherefore do we all receive
this as an Article of our Chriflian Faith, but becaufe we do find it flanding upon
divine Record ; ai^d not becaufe our Knowledge concerning it is comprchenfive of
all that relates to it ? For the very fame Reafon then fhould we believe every other
Scripture Propofition, notv^ithftanding thofc i),#iL7////Vj which do clog our /«///
Capactieis
APPENDIX.
445
Capacities in thinking thereupon. If the grand Do£lrines of the holy Trinity,
and the Union of the two Natures divine and human in the Perfon of our blejj'ed
Emanuel^ God with us, and that oi original Sin, mult be rejecSted becaufe incom-
prehenfible to Reafon, and becaufe itiany Difficulties do attend our Thoughts of
them, and becaufe many OhjeSiions are formed againft them : By the very fame
Rule we might difbelieve the Dodtrine of the Refurreilion alfo, fince our Know-
ledge thereof is but iniperfe£f and in part^ and that many Objeftions are raifed
againft it by many, with captious Queries, How can thefe Things be ?
But if on the other Hand, notwithftanding all thefe Difficulties andObjeflions,
we refolve to believe this Dodtrine upon the valid Confideration of God's deciftve
Authority, fhining with a divine JVlajefty in our ^5/>> iB/<5/^, why fliould not the
fame Authority^ in all good Reafon deiermine our Afient unto thofe other Do6lrines,
and balance onr Minds againft all thofe Difficulties and Obfcurities that do attend
them, in, this State of 7wpfr/><f?/i7«, fmce the o??^ is as really a Scripture Do<5lrinc
as the other ^ and all as really as one ? If thofeDodlrines which I offer to your Con-
fideration, be not to be found in holy Scripture, according to all juft Rules of
Speech and Interpretation of Words, then do not receive them into your Creed ;
but if they are there to be found, and you fhali notwithftanding reject them, and
all becaufe you cannot folve all the Difficulties that do attend them, you will a^
both unreafonably and finfully. As for all that have entrenched themfelves within
iuch z Subterfuge ; I (hall not be difappointed, if they fhall reje& many Bible
Dodtrints befides that of original Sin ; altho' I fhould produce thence ever fo
many Arguments in Proof thereof, and alfo from Experience and Fa<5ts in their
towy/i-ti Evidence. And indeed why fhould I thiiik it ftrange, that this Scripture
Doctrine, any more than many others fliould not be embraced by every one, fincc
(as St. Paul faith) the natural Man receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God,
for they are Foolifhnefs unto him, neither can he know them, becaufe they are
fpiritually difcerned, i Cor. 2. 14. That the Do6lrine of (jr/^/W/ 5/« and Pollution
fliould be znunplea/mg Truth to mzny, is neither wzt; nor ftrange, fince as Jgur
faith, Prov. 30. 12. *« There is a Generation that are pure in their own Eyes,
and yet is not wafhed from their Filthinefs." But unto every truly inlightened,
humble Soul, that without any finful Referves makes the blefted Book of God the
Bible the Rule of his Faith and Life,! doubt not of having their univerfal Suffrage.
And I heartily wifh, that all P>/?/Wnv being laid afidc, and that w^^n Subterfuge
of believing no more of God's holy Revelation than what comes within the Verge
of a fiiiiteComprchenfion, being quited and deferted, every one that hears me
this Evening would ftudioufly imitate the fhining Example of the noble Beream,
vvho received the Word with all Readinefs of Mind ; fearching theScriptures daily
whether thofe Things were fo. While i fliall labour to tread in the Steps of that
ancient powerful Preacher, who being a clofe Adherer unto and richly verfed in
the iioly Scriptures, as the only certain Rule of the Chriftian Faith, did mightily
tconvince the Jews, and thatpz/Mf/f/^fhewingby the Scriptures that Jeful was
he Chrifl. Or that thofe Do6\rines which he taught were to be found in thofe
facred Volumes, by the which the afl'ent of their Faith was determined."
By
444
APPENDIX.
By this Time the impartial and judicious Reader may fee that Socinianifm Is
not fo harmkfs and innocent a Thing as fome take it to be, but contrariwife high-
3y difhonourabJe unto God, and prejudicial to the Souls of Men, as it oppugneth
that one and only Way of a Sinner's Juftification in the Sight of God, which the
divine Oracles do declare, viz. Faith in the Blood and Righteoufnefs of our blefled
Emunuel Jefus Chrift our Lord, together with the whole Method of divine Grace
in the effectual Recovery of a Remnant of Jdam's apoftateRace from their fallen
Eflate, and faving them with an everlafling Salvation : And confequent hereupon
may be feen how necefTary a Thing it is for the feveral Churches of Chrift, and
in a particular Manner their Miniflers, who are fet for the Defence of theGof-
pel mofl chearfully and readily with a becoming Zeal and Fervour to comply
with that divine Injunction, which ftridtly commands them earneftly to contend
for the Faith once delivered unto the Saints : that they ftand faft in one Spirit,
with one Mind, ftriving together for the Faith of theGofpel : That they watch,
Hand fail in the Faith : That they quit themfelves like Men, and be ftrong : and
that at the fame Time all their Things be done with Charity ; That they a£t from
a true Principle of Love unto God, and a hearty afFe£lionate Concern for the
welfare of precious and immortal Souls, in this evil and error-abounding Day, in
the which fo many are carried away with a reafoning Infidelity : folemnly bearing
in Mind the Saying of St. Jar/ies, Chap. 5. 19, 20. *' Brethren, if any of you do
err from the Truth, and one convert him ; let him know that he which convert-
eth a Sinner from the Error ef his Way, fhall fave a Soul from Death, and fhall
hide a Multitude of Sins.
Happy, Happy then, fliall I think my felf, if itfhallpleafemy gracious God,
whom I ferve with my Spirit in the Gofpel of his Son, to blefs thefe my poor
Endeavours, or any others of my weak Labours, unto fuch a bleiTed End.
Accordingly I do humbly recommend thefe Pages to his divine Condu^ and
JBleJfing, trufiing in him alone for Patronage and Succefs.
I {hall conclude the Whole in the Words of that worthy Servant of Chrifl
now with God, Dr. Thcmasjacomb, in his Preface to his firfl Volume of excellent
Sermons on the eighth Chapter of St. PWs Epifiles to the Romans, Sedl. 11.
«< Of all the Controverfies with which the Church is peflered, I have (as the
Text did lead me) moft concerned myfelf in thofe wherein we have to do with
Papijh and Socinians ; but principally with the Latter. Thefe (not that in other
things I acquit the Former) are the great Impugners of the Chriflian Faith, in
their denying Chrift's Go^-i^^^fl!', eternal SonfiAp, Pre-exijlence before bis Nati-
vity of the Virgin, {^wherein they are worfe than the old Jrians,) his Satisfa^fion,
his being a proptr Sacrifice for Sin, the main Ends of his Death, &c. Againft
whom therefore I have endeavoured to afTert and maintain thefe high and glori-
ous Truths, which are indeed Truths oitht frjl Magnitude. What Thoughts
ciherj ,may have of Socinianifm I knovir not, I know my own : And might I
prefume fo far, as to give Advice to my revtrend Brethren in the Minifiry, I
would
APPENDIX.
445
would humbly advife them to fet themfclves to their uttno/i againft it ; for it
doth not only ftrike at ihciuhole Platform of the Gofpel, but (of all other Opi-
nions^ it gets neareft to the very FItals thereof : This curfed Worm grows in
the Gofpel's beft Fruit, 'tis for the poifoning of tbofe Fountains from which
the Streams of Life do moft immediately flow ; whiKt many other Errors en-
danger but the remoter Parts, this endangers the very Heart of Chri/lianity :
Can we fay or do too much to fecure Souls from it, and to defend the Gofpel
againft it ? God prevent the Growth of it in all the Churches of Chrift."
To which devout Petition of the Rev. Doctor, I do heartily fubfcribe
AMEN, AMEN.
]■
I/aac Chankr.
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