BS S/A r I SCORS CONCERNING /' i. s iv. ELECTION and REPRO- Z LIBERTY of the WILL. BATION. } J\/ II. ^DEFECTIBILITY of the EXTENT of CHRIST'* & SAINTS. REDEMPTION. VI. III. The GRACE of GOD. ANSWER to THREE OB- JECTIONS. BY DANIEL WHITBY, D. D. LATE CHANTOR OF THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF SARUM. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. PRINTED AT WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, AT THE PRESS OF AND FOR ISAIAH THOMAS, JUN. JFfl rua r y 1 80 1 . PW F T? A Jbt Hi Jc /I A HEY who have known my education may remember, that I was bred up feven years in the Univeriiry under men of the Cal-viniflical perfuafioii, and fa could hear no other Doctrine, or receive no other inductions from the men of ihofe times, and therefore had once firmly- entertained all their doctrines. Now that which firft moved me to fearch into the foundation of thefe doctrines, viz. The Imputation of Adam's Sin to all its Pojlcrity, was the ftrange confequences of it-; this made me fearch the more exactly into that matter, and by reading Jofoua Placizus, with the anfwer to him, and others on that fubject, I foon found caufe to judge that there was no truth in it. SECTION I. After fame years ftudy I met with one who feemed to be a De'ijl, and telling him that there were arguments fufficient to prove the truth of Gbrijlian Faith, and of the holy Scriptures^ he fccrn- fully replied, Yes : And you laill prove your Doctrine of the Imputation of Original Sin from tie fame Scripture ; intimating that he thought that doctrine, if contained in it, fufficient to invalidate the truth and the authority of the Scripture. And by a little reflection I found the ftrength of his argument ran thus : That the truth oi holy Set ipture could no otherwise be proved to any man that doubted of it, but by reducing him to Tome abiurdity, or the denial ofiome avowed principle of reafon. Now this imputation of Adam's fin tc his pofterity, fo as to render them obnoxious to God's wrath, and to eternal damnation, only becaufe they were born of the race of Adam, feemed to him as contradictory to the common reafon of mankind, as any thing could be, and fo contained as jftrong an argument againft the truth of Scripture, if that doctrine was contained in it, as any could be offered for it. And upon this account I again fearched into the places ufually alledged to confirm that doctrine, and found them fairly capable ot other interpretations. One doubt re - niained ftill, whether Antiquity did not give fuffrage for this doctrine ; and here I found the words of VtJJius very pofitive, that Eccle/ta Catbol- ica fie femper jud'ica'vit, the Catholic Chunk always fo judged ; which he endeavors to prove by testimonies from Ignatius to ^t. AujliK, This fet me on the laborious ta(k of perilling tlie writings of antiouity till that time, and upon an impartial iearch, I found tlut all the palfagcs he had colledted were impertinent, or at leaft infufScient to prove tlie point ; yea, I found evidence fufficient of the truth of that whith Peter du Moulin plainly owns, that from the time of the Aj>ojlles i& St. Auitia'i time, all the Ecclejiajlical Writers [eern to write incaiitioiijly cfthis Mas- ter, and to cncline to e uubat he calls Pelagia nifm. And vi 'his having made a collection, I finifhed a treatife ot Original fin, in Latin, whiclj hath been compofed abput twenty yeais, though 1 have npi ihcught it advifable to publifh it. Another time I difcourfed with a Pbjjician, whf faid, ilure was Jom $aufe to dgubt the truth of Scripture ; for ; faiji lie, i: J"ec::j3 ^lainl/ -P hr PREFACE. hold forth the do&rine of abfolute election and reprobation, in the ninth chapter to the Romans, which is attended with more evident abfurdities than can be charged on them who queftion the truth of Scripture And alfo feemeth as repugnant to the common notion which mankind have received of divine juftice, goodnefs and fincerity, as even the faying that God considering man, in mafia perdita, as loft in Adam, may delude him with falfe miracles, f.emeth repugnant to his truth. And reading in (a) Mr. Dodiuell, that bold ftroke, that St. Paul being bred a Pharisee fpake there, and is to be interpreted, ex mente Pharifaeorum, according to the Dofirine of the Pharisee? concerning, Fate, 'which they had borrowed from the Stoics. ; I fet myfelf to make the beft and exafteft fearch I could into the fenfe of the Apojlle in that chapter, and the beft help I had to attain to the fenfe of that chapter which I have given in- my para- phrafe, I received from a manufcript of Dr. Patrick, the late worthy Bifhop of Ely, on that fubjeft. Thence I went on to examine all that was urged in tavor of thefe doclrines from the holy Scripture, and this produced one considerable part of thefe difcourfes. And it was no fmal-1 confirmation ot the fenfe both oi the places here produced againft, and refcued from the falfe interpretations ot the adversaries of this doctrine, (ift.J that I found I fiill failed with the ftream of Antiquity, feeing only one, St. Aujl'in, with his two Roatftvains, Prosper and Fulgentius, tug- ging hard againft it, and often driven back into it by the ftrong current of Scriture t reafon and of common fenfe. SECTION IL 2dfy. i alfo found that the Heretics af old, ufed many of tlie fame texts of Scripture, to the fame purpofes, as the patrons of thefe doctrines do at prefent j as hath been oft obferved in thefe difcourfes. Zdly. That the Valentirians, Marcionites, Rasilidians, Manichees^ PriscilliarJjIsand other Heretics were condemned by the ancient cham- pions of the Church upon the fame accounts, and from the fame Scrip, tare* and reafons, which we now ufe againft thefe Becretalijls- ; and the principles on which they founded all their confutations of them, were thefe. i/?. Tha-t it is not our nature, but our will, aad choice of that from which we might abftain, which was the root and fountain of all our wickednefs ; for otherwife, fay they, TW to6r*( w lyxX^**, that God, who is the author of our nature, muft be the author ot our fin ; this doctrine they unaniraouffy teach from Jujlin Martyr and Irenxys, to St. Auftin, who declares, (b ) natura mala? animas nullo modo effe poffe, that it is impfiffible, according to *b? Definitions be bad given of Jin, that Souls JJjould be e fr.v upctgrtav TVV civ S gun uv 7 'o ytvo; usclmctv Sahara ytytt/vt^snviv /xtla e rr,v TT- fccry ?r,s 7o>.?5 I'jr^s^st T $.ara TW ^}/^o> o iratero^oi;. Theodoret. in Gen. qu. 37. fkj Ejecit eumde Paradifo, & a ligno vitz longc tranftulit, non invidens ei lig- num vitie, quemadmudum quidam d'cunt, fed miferans ejus, ut non perlevcraret feinper tranfgreffor neq, immortalc effetquod eifct circa cum peccatum, & malura inteiminabUe, & infanabilc, prohibuit au'.em ejustranfgrefl\onem,interponensmor- tem, & cclTare faciens peccatum. Irtn. 1. 3. c. 37. 'O $10^ fttyato* ive^ysylccf jra^tyji 7W a9|5W7rw TO fx? ^iapitvi UTO? EI? TO* ai'Jva *v aaa^Tnat or. Theophy'l. ad Autol. 1. 2. p. 103. TcxSavaTo* o Sio; KW ctotiptE KUKMit r^y T , ., , ?-6^*t Ciiryioll, ibid, PREFACE. vii jd x'itandum peccatum, of not affording to them the Help necejfary to a* void that fin to ivhich he hath threatened Damnation, as they would be by being left under the power of the heathen Arimanius^ or of the anti- god of Manes , which by the Fathers are pronounced blafphemous doc- trines ? idly. Are they not as Certainly wicked, and de mafia perdita, by be- Jng born of Adam, and being left remedilefly in that ftate of perdition, as they would be according to thedoclrine of the Stoicks, and Origenijls, the Marcionites and Valentinians, by being compounded of that flefli or matter which did neceffitate them to fin ? Or is there any great differ- ence betwixt being - w j ftarof Jtaro*ij> lp(pa,'w.i y.&i, ^ V X^^ imports the Condemna- tion net of the Soul but of the Body only. ^dly. When he adds, that Adam Jinning, geflit perfonam generis hu- jriani ex Dei d'ecreto, sujlaincd the Person of all Mankind hy the Decree of God ; as he cites this from the Schoolmen, fo the plain import of it is, 'J hat all mankind were made finntrs, not by any aftion of their own, but purely by God's decree^ 3^/y. When he adds from the fame Schoolmen, that the Pojleriiy of Adam are guilty of his fir ft Sin, Ex Arbitrario Dei Decreto, by the Ar- bitrary Decree cf God. but not of his other Sins, nor were they interefied in his Repentance , because God's Decree extended not to thofe Sins , or (m) Animadv. upon Hoard, from p. 244 to 248, and from p. 294 {0298. f'*j Gen. xvi. 2. Ex. ii. 12, 15, 16, 17, 20. Lev, ii. 9, 10, u , 13, 1.5^ i Sam. xiv. 24 foj Dial, contra Marcicn. p 51. vm PREFACE, that Repentance : He in efTed affirms that his Poftcrity, who had no tnore hand ia his firft, than in his following fins, were by God's arbitra- ry decree made guilty of that fin alone, from which they would other- wife have been as free as from his other fins j and who then was the author of that fin, fince Adam was only perfonaity the author of his own fin, and it was God's decree only which made him the author of our fin, or rather us the author of his fin. And, $tbly. From the fame Schoolmen he adds, That an Infant may be proi>- rly guilty of Sin, and so obnoxious to Damnation, because Volnntas Ad- ami, quodammodo eti volunfas parvuli ex DeiDecreto, The 'will ef Ad* am is in some sort the Will of the Infant by 'virtue of God's decree ; and fo the poor innocent is fent to hell by the arbitrary decree of God alone which made Adam's will his will, when otherwife Adam might have finn- ed on to the day of his death, and the poor child might have died as he was born an Innocent. That the Schoolmen are his only warrant for all thefe fond and horrible imaginations, you may fee in the places cited. The 5th of the Romans, n favor of this doctrine, Seaion 6. CHAPTER II. Thi doftiine is contrary to the perfeaions of the divine nature, viz. ifi. to hit natural defire, that all men fliould love, fear and obey him. s^rtion i- cdly. To the finccrity and ivifdom of Clod, Section 2. CHAPTER III. What abfolute election doth import ; and that the election mentioned in fcripture, i/, is not ef particular perfons, but of whole churchfs and nations. vi all have finned, and by the difabi'ditHce cf one many were made fmners, ibid. ^dty. From the falfehood of this decree, as to the parts of it, abfolute elcftion and reprobation, and as to the end ol it, the manifeftation of God's glory in his afts of grace, mercy, and of juftii e, Section 3. The immanent ats of God's will niay have reipeft unto the actions of men by way of motive or condition, ibid, CHAPTER V. That the doftrineof abfolute cleftion and reprobation is contrary to the fentiments of the Fat'icrs, is proved, i/?. From their unanimous declarations, that Cod hath left iiin our power to xii CONTENTS. be good r bad, vcfiels oF honor or difhonor, wrath or mercy, fefc. Seftion 1. zdly. From the cx- pofitionthey all gave before St. sluftinot the 8th and gth chapters of the Romans, Section 2 3^/y, From their declarations that God predeftinates men to life or death from a preference of what they would be, Seftion 3. 41 My, From the confeflion of Proffer, that all the ancient Fathers were agiinfttue doctrine of Si. Aufun, Section 4. DISCOURSE II. Concerning the EXTENT of CHRIST'S REDEMPTION. CHAPTER I. JL HE fcripture frequently and exprefsly faith Chrifl died foi all, and never faith any thine; to the contrary, not when it faith, He gave kimjelf a rartfom for many, and he laid down his l;fe far hitjhtep, &c. Seftion i. This i-s proved, i/r, From thofe words, As by the offence of one, judgment came npnn all men to condemnation, jo by the righttoujnefs of one, the free gift came upon all men to juftification of life, R.om. v. 16. Sedion a. *div. From thefe wordi, He died for alt, that they who live aligit no! htntefoith live to themjeluct, 2 Cr.. v. 15. Seftion 3. $dly . God would have all men to he faved, vJhritt gave himfelf a ranfom for all, Seftion 4. $thly. From thofe words, TAf favins, graces/ God kath appeared to all men, Tit. ii. n, 12. Seftion 5. ^tnlv. From thofe words, Chnfl u.-ai nad' a little lower than the Angels, that b\ the grace of God he might tajle death for carry mun, Heb. ii. g. Section f>. fitkly. From thefe words, Gcd is long f offering to ufvard, not being willing that anyjhouldpeii/h, &c. 2 Feu iii. 10. where tne ufual anfwcrs to all ihofc places are confidercd and confuted. Seftion 7. CHAPTER II. The frcond jener.il argument for this extent of Chrift's falutary paffion is taken from all the places where Chrift is reprefenr.ed as the favior of the world, Se^ion i. The abfurdity of the rc- ilriclions commonly put upon thofe texts, Section 2 5. G H A P T E R III. This doarine is farther proved, ift, Becaufe he died for them that perifh, Seftion i. adly. Fcr them who being fanaiHed by the blood of the new covenant, did after count it as an unholy tiling, ana did defpite to the fpu it of grace, Section a. sdly. Becaufe he bought them who denied him, iiection 3. CHAPTER IV. This doflrine is ccnf.rmed, ift, From the obligation of all to whom the gofpe! was preached to fcf liv. ; rk-ift. SfA'ion . AH th* place, produced by the Syncd of Doit agairift thi* doctrine are plain confirmations of it. CHAPTER V. This chapter contains an an: wer to the argument* produced from fcijpture to prove Chrift died not for all, itt.Becaufe they for whom Chiift died may fay, vulwjhail condemn ui ? Rom. viii. 34.' which yet all men cannot do, Seftion i. adly. Bccaufe to all for whom God delivered up kit fion he u-'ilfreely give all things, Rom. viii. 32. which yet he will not give to all, Seftion a. 3dly. Bccaufe they who hy Chtift' death are reconciled to God, Jhalt bt faved by his life, Rom. v. p. which yet ?11 men (hall not be, Section 3. 4thly. Becaufe thofe for whom Chrift died, kt loved :A the grcattji lent, Jehu xv. 13. but fo 'he loved not all men, Section 4. CHAPTER VI. This SeCtion offers argument* from reafoa for the university of Chnft'< redemption, ifl, Be- caufe otherwife be never intended falvation to any by the gofpcl difpenUtion but the eleft, the ai)furditic-s of which aifertion aie difcovered, Section i. sdly, Hence it fellows that Chrift never died with an intention to do any good 10 the t'ouls of others, which comradifts his own frequent vrords, Scctiov 2. 3dly. That noi.e but the ele'a arc obliged to believe in Chrift, Section 3. And 4thly. That rtore can be at la!i condemned for unbelief and tmpi-nitency, Section 4. jthly. That neitner the eleti, or nonelecl can I, e exhorted to believe. 6t!ily. That many who live under the preaching cf the Gofpel have not means fufficient to obtain falvation, the manifold abturditk-s of that afTort'on (Siewed, Sf.ition 6. The tbfurdity of that evafion, That we had thength furricient given us in .-ij.im to believe ;uid repent, largely fheweri, Section 7. And is farther evident from our Loid's words and actions, Seftion 8. Theunwoitii. it-tltciions which this doftrine makes upon cur prKiocs Cod and mcri :ifi:l Redeemer, is dcmonllfattd in five particulars, Seftion o. It allo is ohltructive -,'f cliriOian piety unu virtue, Stftion 10. Ohje^tions eniwered, Section 11. Two co- jollaries h'.-nce, ift,God tanr.ot have made a peremptory decree of any abfolnte election of fome few to filvaiion. And.cdly, lariiiot ', e waiting to ai!bid R-.acc lafiicicnt t& falvation to any ; for tben Oiril*, ;is to them, uinft he dead in Vain, iettion IL-. Ti:c doctrine of univcrlal redctnpiion l^atii the iufii jg- of .til antiquity. CHAPTER VIT. Thii Seclion contains an anfwtr to lix objections from reafon ngainft the dcftrine of untverfal .tion, c'. g. ill, -That it in not reasonable to conceive that CLrift Ihould die in vain with rci- CON T E N T S, ^ peft to any, Seftion 1. sdly. That a general will that all men fhould be faveel, carries fome marks of imperfection in it as representing God wifhtng fomewhat, which he would not accompliih, Sec- tion a. 3: ' uncertain whether any one will be converted or i.ot t *i> CONTENT $,' DISCOURSE IV. Of the FREEDOM of the WILL of MAN. The State of the 2>uejlion. CHAPTER I. 1 HAT the Rate of man in this world is a ftate of Trial and Probation, i proved by- five arguments, Section i. And bence it follows, that the liberty belonging to this queftion it o-ilj that ot a lapfcd man in the ftate of trial, probation and temptation ; fo that all the arguments ta- ken from the freedom of God, of good or evil angels, orofChr'ft, to prove that liberty of freedom may confilt with a neccffity, or a determination to good or evil mult be impertinent, they being not in a ftate of Trial, Section 2. Tim freedom of the will.in a ftate of trial, cannot confift with a determination to one, whether It be to good or evil, Settion 3. The free will of man being a faculty or power, which hath for its object in moral attions fomething morally, in fpiritual aftions I'omething fpiritually good or evil 10 be chofen or avoided ; that which dilablcs a m.in from choof- ing what is morally or fpiiituaijy good, or refufing what is thus evil, mufl alfo take away his liber, ty to choofc the good or ref dfe the evil aftion, Seftion 4. It is abfurd tri fay that men thus djfabltd may defcrve punithment for what they do, though they cannot do oiherwifr, bccaufe they difobey villingly, and choofe to do fo, Seftion 5. Or to fay that men under an unfruftrable operation ate ftill free, becaufs what they are moved thus to do they will to do, and do it with complacency, Seftio~i 6. That opinion whi:h teacheth that man by the fall hath contracted fuch difability, that he not only can do nothing which is truly good, but alfo lies under that fervitude to fin which makes it neceffary for him to be ftill doing evil, hath no foundation in the holy fciiptures, with an an. fwer to all the fcripturcs aliedged to that purpofe, Seftion 7 . That thefe new notions of liberty are repugnant to the fenfe and common reafon of mankind, Seftion 3. The holy fcripture declares that the libcrtv CHAPTER HI. The f/edom of the will in a ftaie oftri.il from m-ceflhy is argued, I ft, From Cod's method ?a dealing with inen bv pci fuifious and moral inducements, Section i. adly. From the received no- tion of the words liberty and freedom, Setiion 2. sdly. Becaufe otherwife min in his lapfed ftate could not be fubjcft to a command or prohibition, Station 3. .ithly. Heraufe then the fins of wUkcd ffien, whetuer of oniidion or comniillion, would not deferve that name, Seftion 4. CHAPTER IV. V/hereit is mimfefted, ift, That there is a clear agreement of thofe men who place the liberty of the will in a freedom not from nereflity, but only fromcoaftion, with the doctrine of Mr, llobbs, .1 i. aJly. V.'ith the doctrine of Fatr. And that the difference betwixt them and the fatal- i:t^, is nor. rnatrrial, Scflion 5. adly. That the fame reafons which induced the philosophers, from the lijjht of reafon to condemn tnis fate in thofe heathens who maintained it, induced the chrif- ti-i'isto rejeft it when it was taught by the Colobarfians, Prifciliianijls, and other heretick.*, 6ec- tion 3. CHAPTER V. The jridgmentof all antiquity for that freedom of the will we contend for is evinced from the(- rc-a "{derations : id. That they place the freedom of the will from neceflity among the doftrine* delivered to the church by the preaching of the apoitk-s, and by crclefiuihcal ttaditiun. Seftion i. Tjily. hi om what St. A u ft in 1 iy_s down in confutation of the M>ini his liberty is contrary to frrir.ture and dettroys the equity of Jivioi- , in all which thiniR hv- hath the general fuflrayc of the Greek at,d Latin fathers, Settion a. i i.c argu. merit ; !>y which the f.ith^is do confute the doctrine of Origrn are as ftrong againfi this opinion, Section j. The replies which Auf.in makes to fome of 1m own arguoier.u are infurtklent, bt.- CONTENTS. t* DISCOURSE V. Concerning the PERSEVERANCE of SAINTS, The State of the Queftion. CHAPTER I. ift. WE own (ift) that they who are preferved from falling are fo preferved bf Ihe power of God through faith ; but know of no promitc that all true believers (hall be fo prelerv- ed. sdly. That God hath engaged to preferve them who do not wickedly depart fjcm him, from being forced from him by the malice, fubtilty or power of their adverfaiics ; but not from falling from their own (led faftnefs. sdly.Thathe hath proinifed perfevcrance to all that ufe the means, but not that all frull do fo who were once true believers, Seaion 1. What our ad\erfaric$ grant deitioy s molt of their arguments, Section 2. CHAPTER II. The arguments againft the doftrinc of pcrfcverance of all true believers to the end are taken, if!; From God's exp.efs declarations to the contrary, Ez. xviii. 24, 26. xxxiii. 13. Section i. s>diy. From thefe words, Htb. vi. 4. 5, 6, it is impolitic and yet fall away to renew them to repentance, Seftion 2. 3dly. From thefe words, Heb. x. 26, ay. To him that accountelh the blood rf the covenant therewith he was funflijied an unholy thing, there lemaineth no noie fact >ftce for Jin, Seclion 3. ^thly. From thofe, ver. 38. If the juji man, who lives by faith, diaw back, myfouljhallhavenoplecfurein kirn, Seaion 4. 5thly. from thofe, if after they have efcapcd the pollutions which are in the wot Id through, lujl, they are again tntanglcd and overcome, -2 Pet. ii. 18. Section 5. 6thly. From many inttances of fuch men who have adually fallen away, efpecialiy in the Jeuiijh nation, Section 6. This argu. jnentis confirmed from many places of the Epiftle to the Hebrews, ibid, ythly. From the commands and exhortations diretted to true believers to continue to the end, and to fear left they fl.ould fall away, and the cautions to prevent their doing fo, the promifes made to them if they continue ftejls did, and may take fanctuary in the divine prefcience, as well as the De- creetajifts. 3dly. That God's prefcience h.ith no influence at all upon our actions, whereas God's decree of election is powerful and active, and comprehends the preparation and exhibition of fuch. means as (hall infallibly produce the end. 4thly. That God's prefcience renders no actions necefla- ry, whereas thefe decrees muftdo fo. 5thl^. That God's prefcience refpects not only things future but things poflible ; what may be done by them who will not do it, and may be left undone by them who do not fo, He forefees alfo after what manner they will be performed, that free actions will 6e done freely, that is when we might abftain from doing them, and omitted freely, that is, when we might perform them. 6thly. That this argument only propofeth a great difficulty arifing from a mode of knowledge in God, of which we have no idea, againft the plain declarations of his re- vealed will, and it anfwered by the diftinction between God's incommunicable and his communi- cable attributes ; of the firft we have no ideas, as to the * and fo are only bound to believe they are in God, but net to imitate them. In his communicable attributes, we are bound to refemble him, or follow his example, and fo muft have a true, though not a perfect knowledge of them, section 2'. Objection a. That by our arguments we weaken the providence of God ; for if he doLh not effec- tually move the wills of men, he cannot compafs the defigns of his providence. Anfwer ift. Thi* argument is attended with this great abfuriity, that it makes God as much the author of all the evil as of all the goad that is done in the world. 2dly. Al! that is neceffary to accomplifh the dcfignt of providence, may be done without laving any neceflity upon human actions, sdly. The juftice, wifdom, holinefs.the goodnefs and fincerity of providence, arc all entirely overthrown by the doc- trines we write againlt, Section 3, 4. CHAPTER II. The objeaion, that God fecms to have dealt as feverely with the heathens, to whom theknewl- Jedgeof his will and gofpel never was revealed, as we can imagine him to have dealt with men according to the doctrine of abfolute election and reprobation, and the denial of grace fufficient to the greatettpait of mankind, is ar. tions done bv chriftians, upon much greater evidence and h'gher motives and more powerful afliftanres. sdly. That they may cxp-A a reward upon performance of left dei- ty, becaufe lefs will be required of them. gdiy. That God fhould be more ready to pardon and aft by their offences, as h.iving in thx-m more of i',nv^rance and lefs of contempt. 4th!y. That he ihoald he more patient, and loDeMfcrtng toward them, before he punifh, bccaufe th- lefs the light is thev enjoy, the lefs is their offence ainll it. Laftly, That God mav be more gentle in punif/ ir lt r their iniquities, and lay ths fewer (tripes upon them, b-.xaufc thev Aid not know their Will, Section 8. WHITBY's 1SCOURSES. DISCOURSE 17 CONCERNING ELECTION AND REPROBA- TION. The State of the Quejllon concerning God's Abfotute De- crees of Ekttion and Reprobation, ET it be obferved from faJ nant, "That no medium can be alligned, either on God's. part, betwixt the decrees of predeftinating fome men, and not pre- deflinating fome others; or on mens part, betwixt men abfolutely predeftittated to the attainment of life eternal, and abfo- lutely pretermitted, and left infallibly to fail of the obtainment of eternal life ; which we call Abfolute Reprobation. As for example : Let us fuppofe the number of mankind to be two"millions of men, if but of thefe, one million only, by the Decree of Eleftiop, be infallibly appointed to eternal life, and thefe certainly and ah- folutely diftinguifhed from others, not only as to their number, but their perfons alfo j who can deny but that one million a (a) Animad, on Hord, p, 20^, C i8 Eltftion and Reprobation. and thofe certain as to their perfons, are as abfolutely comprif- ed under the Decree of Noneleftion or Reprobation, as the others were under the Decree of Election or Predeftination ?" So that there is no poffibility of aflerting ne of thefe Decrees without owning the other alfo ; and fo v/hatfoever argument holds good againft an abfolute Decree of Reprobation, muft Certainly deftroy the oppofite Decree of Abfolute Election. Now, is there any need of arguments to confute fuch a fup- >ofed Decree as this ? I behold, through the fall of Adam, (by my mere pleafure imputed to his whole pofterity yet unborn, as if it were their aclion, and they had perfonally confented to it) the whole race of mankind obnoxious to my eternal wrath, and utterly unable to recover from it ; and though they be all the fouls that I have, made, all equally wanting, and equally ca- pable of my favor ; nor have I any reafon to extend it to any of them, rather than to all ; yet do I abfolutely Decree to vouch- fafe this favor only to fome few of them, leaving the far great- eft part of them under a fad neceffity of periming everlailing- ly, for the offence of their forefather Adam, committed long before they had a being ; fo that they mail be as fure to be damned eternally as they are to be born in time, and yet I will proclaim myfelf unto thein,# God merciful, and gracious, long- Juffcriftgt and abundant in goodnefs, on purpofe that they may not perifh, but be led by it to repentance, and declare to them that my delight is in JJiewing mercy. I will entreat them with the greateft earneftneis, and even befeeck them to be reconciled t me, as being fo far reconciled to them in Chrift Jefus, as not to impute to them their tranfgreffions and fins : I will fend to them all my mcjfengers and prophets, declaring that I do it, be- caufe I have compajjion on them : I will allure them to repent- ance with the promife that till their fins Jliall then be blotted out, and not one of them remembered againfl them : I will tell them that / would have purged them, but they would not be purged : I would have gathered them, but they would not be gathered: I will afk them. Why will you die ? and inquire of them what I could have done mere to prevent it zuluch 1 have not done ? Yea, I will ferioufly, and folemnly proteft and fwear unto them by the greateft oath, even that of my own life, tbat / would not the death of him that dies, but rather that he Jliould return and live* But after all, I will be true and conflant to that abfelute Decree of Reprobation, which muft render their damnation uafruftra- ble, and to the negative decree of withholding from them that grace which can alone enable them to efcape it, or to receive any advantage from all thefe declarations. Election and Reprobation. ig And hence we learn the falfehood of that aflertion of the fame good (b) BiJJiop, That Reprobation is not a denial of fufficient grace, but a denial of fuchf pedal grace which God /mows would infallibly bring them to glory ; and that we cannot thence con- clude, (c) that being not elected they are left without all remedy, or fufficient ?neans of falvation / or that being reprobated they are without Jufficient remedies or means to efcape damnation, zuere not their own wicked will the only hindrance : For can men 'be left infallibly to Jail of eternal hfe> and yet not be left without all remedy or fiifficient means of Jalvation ? If, as he fays, (d) God leaving them under the want of that fpecial grace, and effec- tual guidance proceeding from Divine Predejlination.they never fail of running thcmfelves wittingly and willingly upon their own damnation; have they notwith (landing fufficient remedies, or means to efcape damnation ? Sure it is, there can be no falva- tion, and no efcaping of damnation, without converfion of the will from fin to God, and a continuance in this eftate unto the end. If then thefe Reprobates have no fufficient means to turn their wicked and perverted wills from fm to God, they can have no fufficient means either to obtain falvation, or efcape damnation. If they have fufficient means to convert their wicked wills from the love of fin to a prevailing love to God, the pravity of thefe wills can never be the caufe why they are left infallibly to fail of life eternal, or why they never fail of running on wilfully to their own damnation ; feeing they have means fufficient to reclify the pravity of their wills. Again, either thefe means are fufficient to render them truly willing to believe and repent, or they arc not ; either they are fufficient to remove the defeftivenefs and difability of will they have contracted by the fall of Adam to thefe faving aclions, or they are not : If they are not, how are they means fufficient for the attainment of the falvation which belongs only to the believer arid the penitent, or the efcaping that damnation which necef- farily follows upon the difability and defect for which no fuf- ficient remedy is by grace provided ? and then how have they grace fufficient for thefe ends ? If they are thus fufficient, then may they truly be willing to believe and repent; and then this fufficient grace being vouchfafed to them, there can be no ob- ftru&ion in their will which neceiTarily hinders their believing and repenting ; and then they on whom God hath paffed this a6r. or Reprobation, or ot preterition, may believe and repent, and therefore may be faved, as well, though not as certainly, as (b) Corel, p. 24. (.(} P. 30, (d) P. ?.8. so Ekftion and Reprobation. they who are elefted to obtain falvation ; and fo all to whom the gofpel is vouchfafed may be faved. Suppoie a man hath broken his leg by a fall, hath he therefore fufficient means to walk, becaufe he might have done fo, had not his leg been broken by that fall ? If then the will of man by his fall be as much difabled to walk in the ways f God, as this man's body is to walk at all, can it be truly faid he hath fufficient means to walk in thofe ways, becaufe he would have had them, had not his will been thus difabled ? (e) Adam indeed, as the Bifhop faith, though not predeflinated to Jland in the ftate cfinnocency* had yet fufficient means of Jl an ding, becaufe he had no defec- tivenefs or difability in his will to do fo ; but what is this to the cafe of thofe who are fuppofed to be fo difabled ; that, if they be left to their own wills as Adam was, are fo difabled that they cannot ftand ? When therefore this good (f) Bijhop proceeds to fay, that they, who are faffed by in the Eternal Decree of God, are not by any force of that Decree left without the benefit which the f crip", ture promifes upon condition of repentance, but the Evangelical Decrees fland in full force ; if Judas believe and repent, hefJiall be faved ; if Peter dp. not believe and repent^ he fhall not be fav- ed ; and by this thin piece of fophiflry the good man attempts to {hew that God is ferious and in good earneft in all the offers. lie makes to Reprobates of mercy and falvation pon their re- pentance, and all the threats he hath recorded in the Holy Scrip, ture againft all, and therefore againftthe Ele6l, if they do not repent and perfevere to the end ; and all the other motives and inducements to engage both of them to do fo : How unfucceff. fully he hath performed this, wii.1 in the fequel be demonftrat- ed ; at prefent therefore 1 (hall only put thefe two Decrees one under the other, that they may blufli at one another. i. Abfolute Election contains an eternal^ abfolute, infallible. Decree, that Peter fhall believe, repent, perfevere unto the end. % and be faved. The Evangelical Conditional Decree is this, That if Peter do. jiot believe, repent, and perjevere unto the e?id, he Jliall not be. faved, but fhall infallibly be damned; and therefore God in it jfpeaks to Peter thus, Except thou repent thou Jlialt perifJi-, pafs, therefore the time ofthyfojourning here in fear ; work out thy JalvaiionvJithftar and trembling , continue in the Faith, for ifi (cj P, gp. .(Jj Corel. 2, p. 29, 30. Ekttion and Reprobation. 21 thou drawtfl back, my foul Jhall have no pleafure in thee ; yea, give all diligence to make thy Calling and Election fare. . Abfolute Reprobation is aa abfolute, infallible Decree, That v. g. Judasj%<2// unavoidably fail of obtaining life eternal ; that this event (hall be fo certain, that hejtiall never fail to run him/elf wilfully upon his damnation. The Evangelical Conditional Decree is this, That if Judas Will repent, believe and perfevere, hejliall befaved ; and in pur- fuance of this Decree, God lovingly invites and calls upon him te believe and repent, exhorts, and even entreats him by his arnbafTadors, to be reconciled to him, to turn from his evil ways and live, alluring him to do fo by the hopes of pardon and fal- vation, if he will hearken to God's calls, and perfuading him by the miferies which he will then incur, not to negleclfo great Jalvation, expoftulating the cafe with hiijij why after all thefe methods to prevent his ruin, he mil die and not live ? Why he will not be purged and made clean, and how long it will be ere he Will hearken to his invitations ; declaring that he doth all this, hecauje he hatk compaffion on him, and is longfuffering to him, becauie he is not willing he Jliould perifh> butJJiould come unto repentance ; though his Decree of Reprobation hath rendered His damnation a certain and infallible event. 2$y. Obferve,That though the greateft part of them who af- fert an abfolute Eleftion and Reprobation, or Preterition, make the objecl of them not man as man, but as fallen, and therefore fmful man ; yet is the difference betwixt them, and thofe whot are called Supralapfarians, very little ; for the Sttblapfarians t fay, God decreed that Adam mould be the head of all mankind and there f@re to impute his firft fin, and that only to his po fieri - ty, and not to impute t$ them his repentance for it, though there was equal reafon to do both, or neither ; and forefeeing that he would fall, and render his pofterity obnoxious to his eternal difpleafure, he defigned to glorify his free grace and mercy in faving fome of them, and fo in bellowing on them in- fallibly that grace which mail unfruftrably bring them to falva- tion : Others he abfolutely decrees to pals by, and not bcftow that grace upon them without which they cannot obtain falva- tion, or avoid eternal mifery. Now ift. Seeing it is certain from the event, That God abfolutely decreed to bring all men out of the loins of Adam, and that they therefore become the pofterity of fallen Adam, and fo are born Tinners and children of wrath, purely by being born, and fo by abfolute neceflity proceeding from this Decree of God, z Decree of Reprobation. who could have made them otherwife, and brought them into the world from another head. Again, zdly. Seeing nothing makes the connexion betwixt the per- fonal fin of Adam and the fall of all men in him, or their guilt by reafon of his fall, but God's arbitrary imputation of it to them ; their being then in his loins, or his pofterity, making them no more guilty of his firft than of all the other fins com- mitted by him before they had a being, and of which it is con- feifed they are not guilty ; nothing can make this connexion betwixt their being born men and fmners, children of Adam, and children of wrath, but thefe arbitrary and inevitable De- crees. And $dly. Adam being as much in nature our common head and root, and we being as much in his loins when he repented to falvation, as when he finned to condemnation, there is no other feafon, befides God's arbitrary will, can be afligned, why God fliould impute his fin to us to condemnation, and not impute unto us his repentance to falvation, or for the pardon of it ; for if his perfon was our perfon, his will our will in finning, why were they not fo alfo in repenting ? If then according to this kypothefis, there is no pofnbie difference betwixt being a man and a {inner, and God's Decrees alone have made this neceffary connexion ; why might he not as equitably have pafTed thefe Decrees upon men as man, as upon men made finners by his mere arbitrary Decrees ? efpecially if we confider that the fins pf all men, befides Adam, are as inevitable, and as much de- creed by this hypothe/is, as by the other. I CHAPTER I. Concerning the Decree of Reprobation. SHALL endeavor to make it appear, j//. Th;it it hath no foundation in the Holy Scriptures. zdly. That it is contrary to the plain declarations of fcrip- Uire. SECTION I. And ifl I obferve that the word aSox^c;, which we render Reprobate, but might have as well been rendered Decree of Reprobation. 23 difapproved, hath no relation in Scripture, to any Decree, ei- ther abfolute concerning the damnation of men as the end, and confequently denying or withholding from them the means by which alone they can efcape that damnation, or of doing this on the account of the fin of Adam ; but only doth denote fuch actions of men corrupted, as to faith and manners, which being done, will certainly be difapproved by God and man. Thus thofe Jews, who, through the prejudices and corruption of their minds were indifpofed to receive, and therefore did refift the truth of the gofpel, as jfannes and Jambres did of old God's meflage by his fervant Mofes, are ftiled afe/*o vsfl >K\V ntriv, (a) Reprobates concerning the faith ; i. e. men indifpofed to re- ceive, or approve it, and therefore difapproved by God. And thofe Gentiles, who, (b) when they knew God, did not glorify him as God, neither were thankful, but changed the truth of God into a lie, by worshipping the creature inftead of the Creator, and liked not to retain God in their hearts, are faid to be given up EKJW ^M^v,to a reprobate mind', i. e. a mind that could not be approved of, but abhorred by God and men, as prompting them to do, TO. iw x&bwonx, things not agreeable to nature, or to rea- fon. Thus thofe Jews whofe minds and confciences were defil- ed, are ftiled Reprobates, becaufe fcj though in words they pro- fejfedie know God, yet in works they denied him', being abom- inable, dif obedient, and to every good work, a&xipo, repro- bate; that is, void not only of judgment to difcern what was good, but alfo of affe&ion to approve of it: And that earth is ftiled aoxf ( uos, reprobate, or rejected, which, after all the mowers which fall tipon it, (d) brings forth only thorns and briars ; and that filver, apy^rtoi i&x#w, (e) reprobate Jilver, which being falfe flamped, or coined, will not be received, but rejected. And in this fenfe ffj St. Paul faith, he kept under his body, left, whilft he preached to others, he. himfdf fjwuld be> a&xi^o?, dif- cwned, and rejected, by God. Now all thefe Reprobates being either fo ftiled, not becaufe God was unwilling to have any fa- vor for them, or had any antecedent purpofe to reject them ; but becaufe their prejudices and corruptions caufed them to reject him by difapproving of his truth and ways ; or bec-aufe the actions they in time did in oppofition t0 his truth revealed to them, and his holy word which he had given them to direct their actions, were rebellious ; they cannot poffibly relate to a (a) 2 Tim. iii. 8. (b) Rom. J. 2028. fcj Tit. i. >6. (d) Heb. vi, 8. ~(cj Prov. xxv, 4. Jfa. i. 22. (f) t Cor, ix, 27. 24 Decree of Reprofation. Decree of Reprobation, or Pretention, in God, refpefting thenl before all time. SECTION II. vdly. As the word a&Wo?, tranflated Repro- bate, cannot at all concern this pretended Decree of Reproba- tion, which the fchool divines have invented, and others from them have embraced ; fo, Secondly, is there nothing relating to it, or from which it can reasonably be inferred, in the fcrip- tures, either of the Old, or the New Teflament. From the Old Tejiament they urge thefe words, viz. That Go d made all things for himfelf, even the wicked for the day of evil, Prov. xvi. 4. Now what is it that they would infer from thefe words ? Is it that God made men wicked ? this doubtlefs is blafphemy ; much more to fay, He made them wicked for his glory, as if he had fgj need ofthefinful man for that end ; or is it with (h) Dr. Twijfe, That all, befides the elett, God hath ordained to bring forth into the world in their corrupt ?nafs, and to permit them to themfelves to go on in their own ways, and Jo finally to per fe- ver e in Jin ; and lajlly to i f a?nn them for their fin, for the man- ifejlation ofhisjuftice on them ? This for my life I am not able to diftinguifli from making them wicked ; for to bring them forth into the world, and to make them, is the fame thing ; and by the fame aft by which they are made, they are made of the corrupt mafs ; that only fignifying that they are made of the race of Adam : And therefore, by the very fame aft by which God made them, he muft make them finners. Moreover, what God ordained to do before all time, he in time did ; therefore in time he brought thefe men forth into tha world, in the cor- rupt mafs ; i. e. He brought them into the world finners, that is, hateful to himfelf ; for (i) the Mojl High hateth Jinners : Whereas that of the book of (k) Wifdom is as true as Gofpel ; "Thou (O Lord) lovejl all the things that are, and abhorrejl netk- ing that thou haft made, for neither wouldejt tkou have made any thing if thou hadjl hated it. See what hath been further faid againft this hypothefis in the ftate of the queftion, and in the notes on Rom. v* 13, 19. Eph. iii. 2. Orlaftly, they only mean that God for the glory of his juftice, had appointed that wicked men perifhing impenitently in fin mould be obnoxious to his wrath ; and then they affert a great truth : But then it is a truth which gives not the leaft advantage to their doftrine, nor is founded on this text. For, ' fgj Eccluf. xv. t2.-^ (h) Againft Hord, p. 50. *~/*V Eo cluf. xii. 6.' (k) Ch. xi, 24. Decree of Reprobation. 25 zdly. The text faith God made all things, lamaanby, from \>W t to anfiver to thanfdlves, or aptly to refer one to another. (I) He hath made the wicked for the evil day, z. e. to be the executioner of evil to others ; on which account they are in fcripture called God's rod, and faid to be a /word of his. SECTION III. A fecond text cited to prove this Decree oi:' Reprobation, or Preterition, runneth thus ; (m) Therefore, they could not believe becaufe that Ifaias faid, again. He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, that they Jho aid notjle with their eyes, or under/land with their hearts, and be converted-, and IJhould heal them. Like to which are thofe words of St. Mark and St. Luke, fnj To you it is given to know the my/ieries of the kingdom of God, but to others (who are without the kingdom) I J peak in parables, thatjeeing they ma* fee and not perceive, and hearing they may he.ar and not undztjland, If ft at any time t/Ky ffiould be converted, and their fins Jlwuld be for given them. From which words the inference they make contains this Orange and uncomfortable doGrine, viz. That the infidelity even of God's own people is to be refolved, not into the perverfenefs ot their wills, or the evil difpofaions of their hearts, but into the divine predictions, or into a judicial bliodnefs and obduration wrought by God upon them, which renders it, though not naturally, yet morally, impofhble for them to believe ; therefore tor explica- tion of them, and to demonftrate the falfehood and abiurdity of this inference, let it be noted, \Jl. That our blefied Lord, in the immediate precedent ver- fes, doth paflionately exhcrt thefe very perfons to (o) believe and walk according to the light, that they might be children qj the light ; which is a certain evidence that he well knew his Father had not by any of his a61ions, predictions or Decrees, made it thus impoffible for them to believe on him, or walk according to his doclrine : For if God had fo blinded their eyes that they could not fee the light, or fo hardened their hearts that they could not embrace it, Chriji would not, or rather could not have exhorted them to believe, or ferioufly require them, thus difa- bled, to walk according to the light, much lefs to do it fo effec- tually, that they might become the children f the light ; for ev- ery exhortation to do a thing we know men cannot do, muft be vain ; and he who by it feems to be deficous we mould do that which he knows we cannot, muft delude us ; and if he knows (I) I fa. x. 5. Pfalm xvii. 3. (m) John xii. 39, 40. <-(*} Mark iv. u, 12, Luke viii. 9, 10. (o) Ver. 35, 36. D 2,6 Decree of Reprobation. that God hath by fome antecedent purpofe, will or Decree, re- folved to withhold that aid by which alone we can be in a ca- pacity to do it, it mu ft alfo be an exhortation repugnant to the will of God ; it being in event, and in effecl: the fame, to will that any perfon mould not do the thing which he requires, and to will he fhould not have the means by which alone he can perform it. Now it is blafphemy to fay the exhortations of t*he Son of God were vain* delitfory, and contrary to his Father' swill. Moreover, our Savior knew thefe Jews were capable of mercy and falvation by him ; for he exprefsly fays, fpj God fcnt him into the world that the world by him might bejaved: He makes this declaration to them, (q) Thefe things I Jay unto you that you might be faved; and this inquiry, (r) How often would I have gathered you as a hen doth her chickens under her wings, and you would not be gathered ; and pathetically faith to the in- habitants of Jerujalem, (f) that thou hadji known in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes: Now, therefore they were not always fo. Chrifl then here taketh it for granted, that the people of Jeryfakm, in the day of their vifitation by the Mtfliah, might favingly have known the things belonging to their peace. Now either this alfertion, That they might favingly have known thefe things, was according to the truth ; or his wifh, That they had thus known the things belonging to their peace, was contrary to his Father's will and Decree, which is palpably abfurd. And fee. ing the .will of Chrijl was always the fame with that of his Fa- ther, it follows alfo that God the Father had the fame charita- ble affeftion to them, and fo had laid no bar againft their happi. nefs by his decrees, nor withheld from them any thing on his part neceffary to their everlafting welfare. 3^/y. God himfelf would not have his words fo underftood, as it he were unwill- ing that the Jews fhould believe, or had by any of his pur- pofes or actions rendered it not poflible for them to do fo ; for (t) this was his commandment, that they fnould believe en him whom he hadfent : And why fent he his fon to fiek, and fave that which was loft, even the loflfheep of the. koufe of J/rael, had he not been truly defirous that they fhould believe ? or how could either Chrijl or Mofes accufe them to the Fatlur for their unbelief, had the*FatAcr. himfelf refolved from all eternity to withhold from them that atti fiance without which they could not believe. And lailly, the Evangelijl t and that good fpirit Cp) John iii. 17. ^ John v. 34. (r) Luke xiii. 34.'" (fj Luke xix, %2," (tj John vi. 29, Dtcrte of Reprobation. 27 by which he did indite thefe words, did not thus underftand them ; for he in the immediate foregoing verfe objefts this to the Jews as their great crime, that (u) though Chnft had done Jo many miracles among them, yet they believed not on him ; whereas it can be no man's fin not to do what he cannot do purely by reafon of the aft of God ; thefe worels can therefore never bear that fenfe on which this inference is grounded. %2df/)/.Obferve, That God's forekowledge, fay ings and predic- tions have no fuch influence on the will of man, as to lay on him a neceilily to do what he foreknows, and hath foretold he will do ; for were it otherwife, ifl. All human aclions rauft be neceffary ; for to that God \vho is omnifcient, all things paft, prefent and to come, are known ; if then this knowledge of men's aclions, which the fcripture doth afcribe to God, did make them neceflary, all hu- man alions mult be necelfary, and fo the freedom of them muil be overthrown, zdly. Then vice and virtue muft be empty names, w r e being capable ot doing nothing which is blame worthy, or deferveth praife, (which yet the fcripture plainly, and frequently afferts we may) for who can blame a perfon for doing only what he could not help, or judge that he deferveth praife only for doing what he could not avoid ? And %dly. Then muft all future recompences be difcarded, it being fenfibly unjuft to punifh any man for doing that which it was never in his power to avoid, and as unreafonable to reward him for that aclion which cannot be praife worthy. > When then it is here feid. Therefore they could not believe be-, caufe Ifaiasy2W, &c. thefe words muft bear this fenfe, Therefore they could not believe becaufe (that was fulfilled upon them which) IfaiasjfozW. or it had happened to them as he had foretold. Ex- amples of fuch an elipfis we find frequently in this gofpel : So Chap. ix. 3. Neither hath this man Jinned nor his parents , M* , but (this blmdnefs hath happened to him) that the works of God might be made manifeft in him. Chap, xiii, 18. / know whom I have chofen, aM* W, but (this hath happened to Judas j that the fcripture might be fulfilled, which faith, He that eatetk bread with me hath lift up his heel againjt me. Chap. xiv. 31, to f l'v& yvw, but (this I do) that the world may know that I love the Father. Chap. xv. 25. M JVa TrtapOJ?, but (this hath hap- pened} that the word written in their law might be fulfilled. I John iii. 19. AX' fra ^a?5f a6. but (they went Qutjrom usj that it might appear they were not all of z/j. And this expofuion i$ fujVtr. 37.-" s8 Decree of Reprobation. confirmed by the Holy Ghofl, who Mat. xiii, 13, 14. faith from jhe mouth of Chrift, Therefore. I f peak to them in parables, be- caufe they Jeeing fee not, &c. and when it is faid, vcr. 40. Hs ha'Ji blinded their eyes, &c. obferve that the word lie, is not in the original 4 which only faith thus, TET^XWXS* UVTUV T? opfiatyiss, and may be rendered, malice, or zoickednefs hath blinded their fyts, as we read Wifd. ii. 21^ Or, zdly. the perfonal verb is put for the imperfonal, the active for the paftive, i. c. He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, for, their eyes are., blinded and their hearts hardened. To give you a plain in- flance of this nature, I/a. xliv. 18. in our tranflation we read thus, He hath JJuit then eyes that they cannot fie, and their hearts that they cannot underftand ; and yet both the Greek and Chaldec Paraphraft read them thus, a*n/*^di*, their eyes they, havejfiut, and darkened left they Jhould fee ; and that this is the true import ot the Prophet's words, not that God, but that Sa- tan, and their own evil difpofitions had done this,, is evident from this confederation, That this is fpoken to the {hame of them who made and warfhipped fenfelefs images, ver. 9, 11. and to convince them of their want of confideration, ver. 19. And that this muft alfo be the fenfe here, we learn not only from the Septttagint, the Syriac, and the Arabic, which render thefe words of IJ'aiah thus, the heart of the people is waxed grofs^ and their ears have t.^y clo/ed, left they flwuld fee with their eyes ; hut alfo from our Bleffed Savior and St. Paul, afTiHed by the Holy Ghoft, who both exaclJy follow this tranOation of the words, the one Mat. xiii. 13, 15. the other ABs xxviii. 27. Objection. But in St. Zw^this is plainly given as the reafon v;hy Chrift fpake to them without in parables, that feeing they, may notjee, and hearing they may not under ft an d> Anfwer. To take off this preteniion, it is fufficiertt to obferve that the words in St. Mark and St. Luke, are only an abbrevia- tion of what St. Matthew faith was fpoken by our Lord more fully ; for Chn/l might fay what St. Mark and St. Luke relate, and yet fay more than they relate, as St. Matthew doth affure us he did ; but then St. Matthew could not have given us his difcourfe more fully, unlefs our Lord had fpoken it more fully than it is related by St. Mark and St. Luke / whence it muft follow, that the relation of St. Mark and St. Luke- muft be de- ficient ; that is, that they do not contain all that our Savior faici on this occafion, and therefore muft be filled up, or rendered entire by the addition of the words recorded in St. Matthew 1 . Since then St. Matthew doth cxprefsly tell us from the mouth of Ckrift, He therefore fpake to them in parables, becavje they Decree of Rff relation. 29 fifing would not, or did not Jet, and hearing did not under ft and; and that they therefore did not fee, hear and underftand, bc- caufe their heart was loaxed groj's, &nd their ears heavy, and th?y had clofed their eyes left they Jliould fee ; it feemeth evident that the words of St. Mark and St. Luke muft be filled up, or made intire thus ; to ethers (of the Jews, who will not own my doctrine, or believe in me, as you my Difciples do) fpeak I in parables, becaufe they feeing fee not, and hearing do not under- 'ftand, for their hearts are waxed gr of s, and their ears heavy, and their eyes have they clofed , that feeing they may jce and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not un.derjta.nd. Thefe words are therefore nothing to the purpoie for which they are produced, they faying nothing of God's decree, or purpofe, anticedently to their being, to deny them grace fufncient to fee, or underftand their duty taught them by our Lord in plain words as wellas parables; for why then doth ChriJI a(k with fuch feeming indignation, (x) Why is if that you do not under/land my Jaying? (it only is] becaufe ye cannot (endure \.o)hear my word; i. e. becaufe your prejudices and Jufts Vill not permit you to receive it ; this, doubtlefs, was the great fin of the Jews, and fo they wanted not either natural power or aid fufficient on God's part fo to do, but only a moral power or a mind well difpofed to obey his word; it being only of the wickednefs and perverfenefs of the Jews> who would not fee, or come unto the light left their deeds Jfwuld be reproved ; that they loved darknefs more than light ; that they were even unwilling to be healed, or converted from their evil ways ; and this will ilili appear more evident, if it be further noted, Thatthefe words, They feeing fee not, and hearing do r.ot hear, or underftand, are a proverbial expreflion concerning men fo wicked and fo flothful, that either tfcey attend not to or will not follow the cleared intimations and convicliocs of their duty. Thus to a revolting and rebellious people which had caft off the fear of God, the prophet Jeremy faith, (y) Hear new this, OfooliJJi people, and without underftanding, which have eyes ana' J-e not, which have ears and hear not ; and God fpeaks to Ezc- hid thus, (z) Son of?nan, thou dcoeilcft in the mid [I of a rebell* tons, koufe, which have eyes to fee and fee not, they have ears ta hear and hear not, for they are a rebellious houfe. This is a fre- quent form of fpeech in (a) Pkilo, whp faitU of men addicted to wine and fenfual pleafures, c^m; * o;i-cr. x (x } John viii. 43. - (y ) Jer. v. 21. ..... fzj Chap, xii, ?, } AlUg. L. 2. p. 7*. L. 3. p, 8^Q. 30 Decree of Reprobation. that they feeing fee not, and hearing do not hear, and (b) Df- moflkenes mentions this as a proverb ; thefe words do manifeft- ly there f ore (hew, That it was the wickednefs and perverfenefs of the Jews that indifpofed them to receive profit hy Chrift's plain difcourfes, which caufed him thus to fpeak to them in parables. Laftly. Obferve that they thus fhut their eyes, and made their hearts gvofs, faith God and Chrift, left thtyfliould be con- verted and I Jlioidd heal them ; fo that the defign of God in fending of his Son was their converfion, and the remiflion of their fins ; and hence St. Peter faith to them, (c) repent ye therefore and be converted, that your fins may be blotted out, for God having raijedup his Sen Je/us,fent him toblejs you in turn- ing every oneof yvufram your iniquities ; exprefsly teaching that God fent his Son to procure mercy and falvation to every one of them ; and that they by their wickednefs and perverfe- nefs obilrucled thefe his gracious defigns^upon them, left they fhouM be converted irom their evil ways, and God mould heal them. For albeit this fad effetl was not intended by them, yet finceit was the natural refult of their (hutting their eyes again ft the light, it fitly is afcribed to them, as when the prophet Ho- Jea faith ( dj of their fiver and geld have they made, them idols, that they might be cut off ; and the prophet Micah, (e) The flat. vtes of Omri are kept, and alt the works of the houfe of Ahab, and ye walk in their counfels, that I fkould make thee a defolation. Thefe words are therefore fo far from eftablifhing, that they do evidently deftroy the do61rine they were produced to con- firm : In fine, let it be noted, That thefe were the very texts produced by the Heretics' ot old to deftroy human liberty, and to prqve that there were fome natures that could not be faved, and others which could notperifh ; as you may fee in Origcn's Philocal, C. 21. p. 60. and wtgt %. L. 3. C. 1. F. 140. SECTION IV. A third text ufed to this pufpofe are the words of St. Peter , (f) To you that believe he is precious ; but to them which be difobe-dient, the ftene which the builders rejufed is made the head of the corner, andjlone ofjlumbling, and a rock of offence, even tn them who Jlumble at the tcord, being difobedient, whereunio alfo they were appointed ; from which laft words they argue, that fome of the Jeas, even all that believed not in Chrifl, this corner ftone, were appointed by God to be difo- bcditnt. Orat. in . - (c) At:s lii.iq, 26. ~-( dj Chap, viii, ^. -- fejChzp* vi.ib. fJJ i Pet. 11/7,8. Decree of Reprobation. 31 Anfwcr. The meaning- of thefe words, faith Dr. Ham- mond is this, that they who difobey the gofpel, Handing out obftinately again ft it, were apppointed by God to ftum- ble and fall at that (lone ; that is, to be bruifed by it, and by that means to be deftroyed among the crucifiers of the Mcfliah, and condemned with them hereafter; it being jud with Gad that they who will not reform and amend at the preaching of the gofpel, and fo receive benefit by it, fhould by their obitinacy be condemned , and fo the worfe for it, Chrid being fet (gj for the falling, as well as the rifing of many in Ifracl ; and the gofpel being a (hj favor of death to them that perijh, and they being thole whom fij God hath appointed fir wrath ; and to be fure it cannot fignify that God abfolutciy ordained the unbelieving Jews ti; aW&tqtb to difobcditnct t when as yet they were not, and therefore were not difobedient; for then their future difobedience was purely a compliance with the Divine ordinance, or will, and fo could not deferve the name of difobedience, becaufe it could not be both a compli- ance with, and difobedience to the will of God ; nor could this difobedience be objected to them as their crime, unlefs compliance with the will of God be fo, and it be a fault to be fuch as God by his immutable council and decree hath ordain- ed wefhould be, or it fhou(d render men criminal and obnox- ious to punimment that they have not made void God's ahfolute decree, or have done what that ma^e it neceflary f6r them to do ; wherefore 4his pafiage cannot fignify that the unbelieving Jews were appointed to difobedience, bat only that being difobedient to the gofpel fo clearly revealed, and by fo many miracles and diflributions of the Holy Ghoft confirmed to them, they were appointed, as the punifhment of that difobedience, to tall and penfh ; for fo the Hebrew word Chafal t and the Greek wgorxo///** and erx.a&6Ao import, viz. the ruin and the fall of them who Humble at this ftone. See the note on Rom. xiv. 13, Or, zdly. The words will fairly bear this fenfe, To you that be- lieve belongs -/> -n//,vj, the honor (of being built upon this corner ftone into a fpiritual houfe ;) "but to them that art difobedient (belongs that of PJ. cxviii. 22.) the font which tht builders re- jufed, &c. and (alfo to them He is] a font of Jl ambling, and a. rock of offence, even to them that ftumble at the word, bring difcbe- ditntjm o KM htfaireuifor which alfo thefe ftones were laid r put the corner Stone for the building up of believers, the ftone of fturnbling for the ciifobedient to ftumble at ; for to both thefe /%/Lukeii. 34. (hj 2 Cer. ii. 15, 16.- (ij \ ThefT. v. 6, g2 Decree of Reprobation. ftones belongs this preface, Behold I lay in Sion ajione ; to the corner ftone elecl: and precious here, and t thejtone of Jlunt- Mi*g t Rom. ix. 33, and fo this agrees with the words of Simeon, Behold this child is placed for the fall andrifing of many in If- rael, Luke ii. 34. In either of thefe fenfes the words afford no countenance to this doftrine of Reprobation. Note, $dfy. That, as Oecumenius plainly {hews, this was the old Ecclefiaflical interpretation of thefe words ; fo doth he as ap- parently rejecl the fenfethis argument puts upon them, in thefe WOrds, 15 o y.et\ httir,fpel be hid, it is hid to them that be lojl ; and as it hjignijied Matth. xxiv. 24. that it is impojjible feducers Jhould prevail over the Elecl, fo 2 Theff. ii. both as much is fignified ver. 13. and alfo exprejfed ver. 10, 11, that they Jhall prevail among them that per iJJi ; and 1 Cor. \. 18. \ve are given to underftand jointly that the gofpelis to them that periJhfooli/Jinefsj but to us zttho arefavsd it is the power of God ; and Rom. ix. 18. that as God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, fo whom he will It hardeneth. And like as Acts xiii. 48. we read, that as many believed as were ordained to eternal liff t which phrafe of being ordained to eternal life, I conceive to be all one with writing our names in heaven, Luke i. 2O. and amN injrus in heaven, Heb. xii. 23. and this phrafe I take to be all one with the writing of us in the Book of Life ; fo on the other fide, (n) we read that they who ft names were net written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, Jhou'id wonder when they beheld the bcajl, and not fo only, but zuorjhip him alfo* Anfwer. Now to all thefe citations, moft of which are palpa- bly impertinent, I anfwer in the general, that they fignify no more than thofe words of Chrift, (o) He that believeth jka.ll bt faved, he that believeth not jhall be damned ; and fpj except ye repent, ye Jkall allperijh (for that exceptive contains this propo- fition, He that repejittth Jhall not perijh) and thefe words of the (m) 2 Pet. ii. 3. (n) Rev. xiii. 8, xvii. 8> ~(o) Markxvi. 16. fp) Luke xiii. 3, 5. E 34 Dtcret of Reprobation. Baptift (q) Ht that believeth in the Son hath everlajling life he that 6elieveth not the Son^Jhall not fee life ; but the wrath of God abidtth on him. For thofe that are loft, 2 Cor. iv. 3, are ver. 4. thofe that believe not : And that not becaufe of any antecedent Decree of God that they mould be loft ; but becaufe the God of this world, i. e. the devil, had blinded their eyes, 3c. and thofe who perifli, 2 ThefT. ii. 1C- are thofe who believe not the truth, ver. 12. who received not the truth worthy to be beloved andem- braced, ver. 10. See the note there. They who p:riJJi 9 i Cor. i. 18. are the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles, ver. 21, 22, 23. they who are hardened, Rom. ix. 18. are the veffels of wrath Jitted for dejlrutlion by their own wickednefs, completed by their infidel- ity or want of faith, which made Chriil preach to them ajione of Jlumbling) ver. 32,33. To proceed to thofe places which may feem to require a more particular notice. ifl. The phrafe of being Britten in the Book of Life is Jewijh, and doth not fignify the Abfolute Election of any perfon to e~ ternal life, but only the prefent right ot the juft per fan to life, and therefore it is called the Book of life written for the jujl, Tar gum on Ezek. xiii.p. the book of the jvfi^ Targ. Jon. on Ex- od. xxxii. 32. in which fay the (r) apojlolicai injiitutions we come to be written TV vptifyct ivtofay xat ava^ 9 by our good ajfedion andindujlry ; and from which men 5 as they may be written in It when they are converted from vice to virtue, fo may they be blotted out when they backflide, fays (f) St. Bajtl,frsm vir- tue to iniquity, according to that faying of the Pfalmift, ftj Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not written with the righteous \ i. e. lays Ainfworth^ let them be cut of from btin*. any longer counted thy people, or rcgijlered in the writing of the hovfe of If r ad: And faith (uj St. Jerom, they were written in the book of God, who in the days ot Antiochus Epiphanes, ie- gem fortiflime defenderant. firmly continued in the law; and they were blotitd cut ef if, qui kgis prjevaricatores extiterant, who wer: defer ters of it ; accordingly Chriil threatened tofome, that, He would blot their r.vnes out of the Book of Life, Rev. xxii. 19. and promifeth to him that overcometh that He would not blot his name c,ut of that bock, Rev. iii. 5. And God hitnfelf faith to Mofes, n-h of never hath finned againjl me, him will I blot out of the book of life which I have written. This book is faid to be written from the foundation of (he world. God having, from the Beginning, Adam and others who are ililed the fons ei God ; .ii. 36. - (r) L.8. c. i. - (fjln Ifa. - (tj Ixix. 28.- - fuj In Dan. xii. a. Decree of Reprobation. 35 and not to have a name written in it, is not to be owned as God's fons and faithful fcrvants : When therefore St. John faith, that they zohofc names were not in this book of life, writ from the foun- dation of the world, worjhipped the btajt , he means they, and they only, did fo, who never were by God efteemed or regif- tered in the number of good chrijlians. zdly. The pafTage cited from the The/alonians concerns only the Jews, who having rejefted the gofpel of our Lord, and their Mejfiah, confirmed by the Urongeft evidence ot innumerable miracles done truly before their eyes, and fo believed net the truth at all, or elfe revoked from it after they had embraced it by an almoft general apoftafy, and fo received it not in the love of it that they might befaved, declaring that they were by God's juft judgment permitted by the falfe miracles of their impojlors, am" fled by the power of Satan, to believe a lie, and fo to perifh for their infidelity or apoitafy, BS hath been fully proved ; and mould this be enlarged to all who refufe to believe the truth preached and confirmed to them, or elfe bore no fmcere affec- tion to it when they had embraced it, what is this to an eternal decree of reprobation fuppofed to be made concerning the greater part of mankind before the world was made ? Laflly. As for the paffages cited from Rom. ix. they can be nothing to the purpofe, that chapter being not at all defignedto determine any thing concerning God's Abfolute Decrees of dealing with mankind in general, or any particular perfon thus or thus, as to their final and eternal ftate; but only to juftify his dealing, as in his providence he a&ually had done, with the unbelieving Jews and the believing Gentiles^ in rejecting the Jews upon their ftubborn infidelity, and the hardnefs of their hearts, and admitting the believing Gentiles to be his church, and the fpiritual feed of Abraham, upon their faith, and fubmif- fion to the terms God had propofed for their juflification and acceptance with him; as appears, I//. From his recapitulation of his whole difcourfe in thefe words, ver. 30. T vv lfip.iv t what do we Jay then, i. e. what is the fubflance of what I have intended in this whcle difcourfe? it is even this, That the Gentiles which (before ihe preaching of the gofpel) followed not after rigktcoufnefs, have yet fthrough faith) attained unto righteoujnefs but the]z\vs following after the law cf right eou/nefs (or after righteoufnefs by the law; have not ob- tained unto nghteoufncfs, bccaufs. they fought it not by faith (in Chrift.) zdly. This is apparent from the npofi/e's prayer and vehement d'jlre. that all Ifrael might be Javed, Chap. x. i. for wpcn fup- 36 Ltcrte of Reprobation. pofuion of fuch a Decree of Reprobation concerning them, this mull not only have been a vain prayer, but even an op- pofing ohis will, and l&Sox'/a, to the good pleafure oj God, re- vealed to him ; fince it is evident he prays \wejor thefalva- tton of all IJrael. ot them wbofe zeal to God was not accord- ing to knowledge, and who were ignorant of God's nghteouf- nefs, ver. 2, 3* and not for thofe only who were predeitinated to falvation. CHAPTER II. Containing Arguments again/I this Abfolute Decree of Reprobation or Prcterition of Fallen Man. i COME now to fhew that this doftrine is plainly contrary both to the nature and the will of God. To the perfections of his nature, for, SECTION I. \Jl. God doth immutably, unchangeably, and from the neceflsry perfection of his own nature, require that \ve mould love, fear and obey him ; were it not fo, the Hea- thens who can only know this by the light of nature, or by confideration of the divine perfections, would lie urder no ob- ligations to love, fear or ferve him ; whereas among the Hea- then fages, MrsffOai and wei'flsffSai ry 6sa>, to obey, God, and follow his directions, is reprefented as the perfection, and the chief end of man : Again, his moral and imitable perfections, viz. 3iis holinefs, juftice, truth, goodnefs, mercy, being efiential perfections flowing from his nature, muft alfo be the rule of the exercife of his will and power ; and as God, whilft be is what he is, cannot but be the proper objecl: of our love, fear and our obedience, even fo by the complacency he hath in thofe moral perfections, he cannot but be defirous that all men fhouid imitate them, and refemble him in them as much as they are able, and therefore hath required his people to be ha/y, becauft the Lord their God is holy^to be merciful as their heavenly Father is merciful, to be kind to tht unthankful and the wicked that they may be his children, to be righteous as he is righteous, and to put on the new m&n which is created after Cod in righteoujhefs and true holmejs. Hence the philofo- Decree of Reprobation. 37 phers have, by the light of nature, confpired in this truth, that man then walks moft fuitably to his nature and his dignity, when he walks after the example of God, that the very end oh' all philofophy v.a\ rites rov ebfyofo*, and the perfection of hu~ man nature, confifts in being like to God ; and that we then beft glorify him when we refemble him in thefe perfe&ions ; that it ought to be his chief care .!v e^ywv, by good works, as both the fathers, the Syriac, the vulgar, the ALthiopic, and many ancient Copies read, and as the text requires, the words immediately following being thefe (c) for if you do thefe things you Jkall never Jail ; plainly declaring, that both the making of their calling and election fure, depended on their doing of thofe works of virtue, godlinefs, temperance, patience, brotherly kindnefs and charity, mentioned ver. 5, 6, 7. oi that chapter. Now that, the whole fociety, or all the members of the church of God and Chrift, are in tl\e fenfe of fcripture, the chofen and elecl of God ; or that the eteclion mentioned in the holy fcriptures is not an Abfolute Election of particular perfons to faivation, but rather of whole nations and focieties to be his church, and his peculiar people, will be made fully evident from an impartial view of all thofe places of the Old and the New Teftament, where this phrafe frequently occurs. And, SECTION II. ifl. In the Old Teftament it is moft evident that not the righteous and obedient perfons only are ftyled the eletl, but the whole nation of the jews, good and bad, were the eleft of God ; for in the books of Mofes this phrafe is ftill applied to the whole nation of the Jews, as in thefe words, (d) becaufe. he loved thy fathers, therefore sc-Xe?aro TO axsfy.z, olurSJv, He chofe their feed after them, and brought them out of Egypt by his mighty power; where it is evident, that the whole feed ot Abraham, ijaac and Jacob, even all that came out of Egypt, are the elet. Again, (c) Jehovah thy God hath chofen thee to be a peculiar people to him/elf above all people that ai'i upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not Jet his love upon you, and chufe you, becaufe you were more in number than anv people : But becaufe the Lord loved you, and becaufe he. would keep the oath which he had Jworn to your fathers, hath he- brought you ou.t with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the lioufc. of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of}L- gypt ; where alfo evident it is, \jl. That their being chofen before other nations, to be God's peculiar people, is their election. zdly. That all who were brought out of Egypt, were thus beloved and elected. %dly. That to his beloved and elected people, God only"" jproiinfetli to keep covenant and mercy, provided they would (b) 2 Pet. i. 10. (c) Ver. n. (d) Deut. iv. 37.-^; 44 Decree of Election. love him, and obey his precepts ; and that he threateneth to deftroy them, and to repay them to their face, if they negleft- ed fo to do. In the tenth chapter, he fpeaks thus, (f) The. Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, x.ai si^Xs^aro, and he. defied you their feed after them above all people ; cir- cumcife therefore, the forejkin of your hearts, and be no more jlijf necked. Where again evident it is, that the whole feed of Abraham by Ifaac, even the ftiff necked of them, were the e- lecl; of God. Chap. xiv. he faith to all to whom the follow. ing precepts did belong, and therefore doubtlefs to all Ifrael, (g) thou art an holy people to the Lord thy God, xai .s'- ccro 6 xupois, and the Lord hath chofen thec out to be a peculiar people to him/elf above all nations. And with this notion of the words accords the conftant ufe of the fame phrafe in all the prophets and facred writings of the Old Tejiament. Thus Solomon faith, (h.J Thy fervant is in the mi aft of thy people, ov e^sX^u, which thou haft defied, a great people that cannot be numbered, nor counted for multi- tude. In the book of Pfalms the Jews in general are ftyled (ij the feed of IJrael his fervant, the children of Jacob , IxXex- Toi at/r, his elecl: ; there it is faid, rov 'laica/? kzvry i^cXJ&zro, (k) the Lord hath chofen Jacob for himjejf, and IJrael for his own inheritance ; that the (I) Lord brought forth his people. with joy, xairot's- gxtestrow dvrov, and his de& with gladnej's ; there he defires of God to fee the good, ruv gxXexr^v, of his e~ left, and to rejoice in the gladnej's of his nation, and with his inheritance; So that throughout the book of Pfalms God's people, his fervant s, his nation, his inheritance, and his are the fame perfons. ov In the evangelical prophet we find God fpeaking of Jacob, saeXsta/xiov, (m) whom, faith he, / have, chofen, and Ifrad whom I have loved ; and to whom he fpeaks thus, (n) thau art 7?i}' child whom I have chofen: There God declares he will -make waters in the wildernefs, and rivers in the defart, KOTlvxt TO 7voy /xoD ro SKXSXTOV, (o) to give, drink to my chojen genera- tion, my people whom I have chojen to fet forth my fraife; there we read of (p) Jacob my fervant, and Ifrad mine efea, and ol a mountain wliich his tlecljliall inherit, and in which his f'e rvantsjiiall dwell. In the prophet Jeremy we find God is difpleafed with them who faid, (q) the two families irn TI>K whom the Lord hath choftn he hath even cajl them off'. The prophet Ezekiel fpeaks of the day (r) when the. Lord chofe IJrael, and lifted up his (f) Ver. 15, 16. rfgj Ver. 2. - (b) i Kings iii. 8. - ft) Pf. cv. 6, 43. - (k) Pf. cxxxv. 4. - (I) PI", cvj. 5. - (m) I/a. xli. 8, 9. - (n) xliii. 20. 21. - (o) xlv. 4. --- (p) Ixv. 9. - (qj Jer, xxxiii. 24. ---- (r) zek, xx. 5. Decree of Elt&ion. 45 hand to the feed of the houfe of Jacob, or engaged himfelf by covenant to be their God. The prophet Zechariah ftyles God, (f) the Lord who hath chofcn Jerufalem, and fpeaketh of a time when he (hall yet comfort Zion, andjhall^ yet choofe Jerufalem ; and Daniel of a time when, ol fxtexro! avrov, {tj his elecljhall not be able tojland before their enemies. And to carry on this phrafe through the times of the Old Tejlament, in the book of EJlker we are told of a time in which TO ysvor ExXexrov, (u) the chofrn generation fhould have perifhed, i. e. in which the wicked Haman defigned to cut off the Jews. And in the book of Ecclejiajlicus we are informed that (x) JoJIiua was made great, s<7n awrvpix TV EX^SXT^V Chap. iv. 17. Decree of Election. 51 their mind, and cautions them that no man deceive them into the commiflion of thofe things (d) for which the. wrath of God cometh upon the children of dif obedience^ and bids them (ej take, to tliemfelves the whole armor of God, that they may be aj)ie to /land in the evil day ; and having done all tojland. . zdly. From his prediction, that after his departure grievous wolves Jhould enter in not f paring the Jlock, and that among themfdvcs men fJwuld anfe j peaking perverfe things to draw away difciples after them. Acts xx. 29. 30. And, 3^/y. From his advertifement to Timothy, that (f) all in Alia had turned away from him ; that Hymenaus and Philctus had overthrown the faith of Jo me ; that the time would coTne when they would not endttre found doclrine, but would turn their ears from the truth ; that fome (gj having put away a good conference concerning faith had made Jhipwreck ; that fome were tur.ned ajide after Satan, and had erred from the faith ; all which are inconfiflent with the character of the elecl, that is of perfons infallibly predeftinated to falvation. SECTION IV. The other words by which it is conceived fuch an election may be taught and figrufied in the New Tejla- ment are thefe three, irpvywais the foreknowledge ; w/o0ecXr^o)9r/pc-cv we were made his portion or peculiar people, gr^ooftffSe'vTcS" xara yrpoQeciv, being forcappointed fo to be ac- cording to his purpofe, ver. 11. God having purpofed and foreappointed that this (hould be the portion of believers, and the cunfequence of faith in Chrift, by which we become the fons of God : To all the converted Jews throughout their difperfion, they being elecled xara 7rp6sffiv, according to the purpofe of God the father, i Pet. i. 2. And f lallly, of the pofterity of Jacob and Efau; of whom, that r, XXTZ cx.Xoy/;v r Qsou 'vrpoQcM, the purpofe of God according to Eleflion might ftand, it was faid when Rebecca bore them, the elder JJiali Jtrue the younger. Rom. ix. 11. zdly. That this foreknowledge, purpofe and appointment is only that of calling men to the knowledge of Salvation by Chrijl Jefus ; thus the apojlle tcacheth, that he was appointed to preach to the Gentiles 'the uniearchable riches ol Chrift, (d) Chap. v. 6, (e) Chap. vi. 13. ffj 2 Tirru i. 18. ii. iS. iii. 3, 4. fgj i Tim. i. iy. v, 15. vi. zi. 52 Decree of Election, ;\ling to the zncitni purpofe which God had made in Chrifi Jr'/us our Lord, Epli. iii. 11. and that according to ki^ purpofe oyore o,gf.s t he called us with an holy calling. 2 Tim.i. 9. ?///}'. This calling is by God defigned tvl THT^, that they who are thus called, might obtain falvat ton through fandifica- tion ofthefpint, and beluf of the truth, :>. Their, ii. 13. through LI fixation of thejjbirit to obedience, and thrntgh the J'prink- ling of the blood of Jffus ; all chrijlians being c'hofeu to this end, that they might be hofy and unblameable before God in love, Eph. i. 4. But hence it cannot reasonably be argued, that this eletion is no larger than the holinefs defigned to be produced by it ; for the riches of God's goodnefs, patience and longfujfering was certainly defigned to lead all thofe to whom it was vouchfafed to repentance ; but can it be hence argued, that this gooduefs, patience and longfuffering is exerciied to, none but thofe who truly do repent ? Why then doth the apojlle complain of thofe who defpifed thefe means, and after the vouchfafement of them flill continue (h) to treafure up wrath againjl the day of wrath ? The million of the Baptijt was (i) to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and to. make ready a people prepared for the Lord ; but it was far from having this effett on all to whom he preached. The end of the Meffiah's coming to the Jews was that he might Jave his. people from their fins \ and might engage them (j) tojerve him zn holinefs and r'ighteoujnefs. all the days of their life ; but it was far from having thai effett upon them, T\\t Javing grace cf God appeared to all men to teach them., denying all ungodli- ncfs and'icorldly lujls, to live righteonfly, foberly and godly in iliis. preJeM world ; but it is too fadly evident it hath not this good eitecl; on all to whom it doth appear. \ildy. As men were appointed to be called from the begin- ning, and the gofpel is the wifdom of God through faith tojaU i--anon, and ^'. T as that, rnKpoutpiffsvi which God had Joreappoint- cd to be preached to them for tliat end, i Cor. ii. 7. the. vjord of God giving the hope of that /alvation which he had pronnj- td before all ages ; io by virtue of this purpoie and toreap- poimment men were in time called by the gofpel to the faith in Chriii: Whence they, who were thus called, are laid to he Called according to the purpofe of God, Rom. viii. 28. and (k} according to his purpofe. and grace given us in Chrijl Jffus : The knowledge and purpofe from the foundation ot the world, of fending ChrHl to d;e for the remirTion of fins, being the f round of this calling ; whence be is fa id to be given up to the eath according to tlie foreknow! edge of God, and his joreap- pointcd counfei, Acls ii. 23. and they who Hew him are faid (I) Rom. it 4. frJLukt i. 17, 76, 77, 79. f-ij Luke i. 74. (kj i. Pet. i 20. Decree of Election. 53 to have done only what his counfel had fortap pointed to fa done, A&s iv. 28. And though thefe obfervations will direct us how to anfwer what is argued from thefe and fuch like places in favor of this abfolute election, I (hall proceed to a particular consideration of what is farther offered to thu-c pur- pofe. And, SECTION V. ijl. It is faid, if all that God giveth to Chrijljhall come to' him, then thofe who do not conic to him are not given to him by the father ; i. e. are not ele&ed to fal- vation by Chrift ; but Chrift exprefsly faith, all that the fa- ther giveth ineJJiall come to (i. e. believe in) me. John vi. 37, 39. Ergo, .Now to this argument I anfwer, \Jl. That to be given of \he father cannot fignify to be ab- folutely chofen by God to eternal life ; for then the Jews could not be reafonably accufed for not coming to Chrift, or not believiug on him, much lefs could it be imputed to them as their great crime, that they would not come unto /z;w,or be- lieve on him : Seeing, upon this fuppofuion, that only they whom God had' chofen to eternal life could come unto him, they could not come unto him who were not thus elected, and fo it could not be imputed to them as their crime, that they did not that which it was never in their power to do ; where- as, it is certain, that our Savior reprelents it as their great fin, that (I) in him whom the father had fent they believed not / and that they would not come unto him that they might hav* lift ; telling them, that (m) the fpirit would convince them of Jin, becaufc they believed not in him ; and that (n) they had no excuje for that fin : Whereas what better excufe could be made for them than this, that they could not come to him, as being not by God ele&ed unto that life he offered to induce them fo to do ? zdly. Hence it mud follow, that Chrift could not reafona- bly have invited them to come to him, or called them to be- lieve in him, who were not given him of the father : For this *,vas to invite them to come to him that they might live ; whom he well knew, could never come, as being never chofen to obtain that life ; much lefs could he have told them (o) this zuas the work which God required them to do ; or that the fa- ther had given them this bread from heaven : This being to require them, according to this fuppofition, to believe a lie, viz. that Chrift was fent to be the bread of life and a Savior to them, for whom the Father never did intend falvation by him ; and yet Chrift manifeftly fays to them, who feeing him did not believe, and therefore were not given to him by the (1) John v. 38, 40. (m) John xvi. g. (n) Chap. xv. 2*, 24. ^~-{oJ John vj. 27, 29, 32, 54 Decree of Ehttion. Father, labor for that meat which nourijluth to life eternal, which the Jon of man JJiall give to you, ver. 2j. And that this is the work, i. e. command of God, that ye velitvt in him that he hath lent; and my Father giveth you the true bread that cometh down from heaven , and giveth life to the world, ver. 32, 33. and therefore not only to the elel. I therefore here inquire thus, Was our Lord truly willing that they to whom he fpake fhould have life ? If not, why doth he fay, (pj theje things I f peak to you that ye might befaved? If fo, Why did he fay, that he would do nothing but what he faw his Father doing ; that (q) he did always thoje things which pleajtd him ; feeing it was not the Father 's will that they fliould be faved, or come unto him that they might have life, whom he had not given to him, that is, had not ele6led to falvation. And,, 3 rsray- ^g'voj rd'Zstj placed in a better rank; and fpeaking of Efau and Jacob ', he reprefents E/au as fierce, fubject to anger and other paflions, and governed by his brutiih part, but Jacob, as a lover of virtue and truth ; and fo (d) Iv /ScXr/ovi TcTav/^E'vo? rx^si, placed in a better rank, or of a better temper and difpo- fhion ; and adds, that (e) Samuel was rsrxy^os r OeiJ, welt difpojed towards God. So (J'J Simpitcius interprets tjiis word; for when Epifietus had faid, If thou de/ireft to be a philofo- pher,fo retain the things that feem beft to thee, w< iSvo d*>s TC- rayptc'voy zls ra^rr.v rr,v ra^tv, as being by God placed in that rank ; that is, faith he, fvj &< t'/ro QSH Tr^orps'jro/xevos' e-Tri rat'ra, as being by God incited to thefe things : And to this fenfe the context leads ; the perfons pppoGte to thofe difpojed for eter- fvj Ver. 38-41- - f*J quod deter, and ptenis. . . . 09. - (g) Simp. p. 139. er. 38-41- - f*J Aas xx. 13. - (a) Ch. x. i. - '(b) I,. er, p. 144. - (c) De Nsbi/it. p. 702 C. - (dj )c prtemiis is. p. 712. B. - (e) De Tcmul. p. 203. C. - ffj Entbir. C\ Dtme of Election. 59 / life, being thofe who through their indifpofition to em. ferace the offer of it, were unworthy of eternal life. . The fecond fenfc of which thefe words are capable is this, That as many as were well difpofed, (k) believed to eter- l life ; accordingly we are faid to believe in Chrift to eter- nal life, and fi) to the favwg of the foul, becaufe we by be- lieving do obtain a full right to that life of which we cannot fail, but by departing from the faith, or fullering it to become unfruitful in thofe works of rrghteoufnefs which ma'ke us meet to be partakers of eternal life. SECTION VII. Argument 3. If all that love God are called according to his purpofe, then hath he no purpofe of calling them that do not love him : If they who wet foreknown are predejlinated to be conformed to this image of his &?/?, they who are not conformed to it are not foreknown : If they who are called (effectually) are jujlified and glorified, then all that are not j unified, ai>id will not be glorified, are not called ac- cording to his piirpofe, or effeftuaHy. Anjwer. This text exprefsly fpeaks of thofe who actually Jove God, not of thofe whom God hath loved with this fup- pofed difcriminating love ; and to love God and to be called according to his purpofe, are words p ; ut by way oi apportion, to (hew they are both of the fame import; that which God fmrpofed in cailing us by Chrifl, being that we might be. uofy t and unblamcvJble before him in love^ Eph. i. 4, 9. So that the whole of this Argument may be granted ; they who by God are permanently juftified, and who will be glorified, being inch only who do love God, and are conformed to the image of his Son, and who are called according to his purpofe of making them holy before him in hve t and called effectually, i. e. fo as that God's calling hath its defigned effeft upon them. And let it farther be obferved, that when the apojllc faith, on .< 7rfviyvw,J<}r whom, he foreknew ; the particle on, is connective, and this verfe giving the reafon or confirmation ol what was fpoken in the former, it feems neceflary to inter- pret thefe words thus, Whom he foreknew to be perfons call- ed according to his purpofe, and therefore qualifiatl for this adoption, vtr. 23. them he predeftinated to be conformed to the image of his Son, And it deferves to be confidererl, that all antiquity, till the time of St. Auflin, do with one confent concur in the interpretation of the Pftttd. Ambrofius on the place, quos tor GJ civil fibi fore devotos, ipfos elegit ad promiJJ'a pi&mia ; thofe ivhom he foreknew would be devoted to hisjcr- vice, hf. thoje to the reward promijid to them : Thofe n-hc foreknew to be r$ a^'wf rr,s x?>.7j(?wf, worthy to be caHtd, f 2 Tim. i. i6*~~(sj Hb. x. 39. 60 Decree of Ehttion. Theodcret and Theopfylacl. Some of them in tli'eir defcants on thefe \vords, ro'is Kara. rfot^- for it is not the calling only, but the. purpofe oj thofe that are called, whieh works falvation ; Jor zi'/io, faith (I) Origen, be called to jujhji cation, but thoj'd God loves, and that the apoflle (hews, that the free will of man was the canfe of God's purpofe and foreknowledge, by laying, we. know that ail things work together for good to thti?i that love God, on #iot iizi awsfyriGzuf, bccauft they that lore God arc worthy of his cooperation. And, in his Latin Commentary, he faith lie u/cs the word foreknew, to JJiew they were foreknown by G ho deny that it is in the power oj a man to be javed ; whence they infer, that they are guilty of no fault who are not juflijied, becavft thty are not called, are not predr/tinated, are not foreknown. And Oecumemus faith, the apoille mentions being called according to purpofe, W ^ &TOKO-J aVavra e4 ? 6505- rivas tit SKQWVZ Ti'jjts OE H, Kct\ KpMxTrrt.v^'w dr.-u.l.t.z.rrti rov 0ov, that he might not Jail into an abjutdih, which would fol- low if God Jlioidd do good to /owe per/on* and -not to others, and that he might free him /> om being an accepter of per /bus wherefore, according to the received interpretation of the an- cient Jatkers, the import of thei'e words is this. (j) Oeeum. (k) Cbryfojl. (I) In Fp. fid Ron.. Ed. fact. Yom. a. p. 4?4. Decree of Ekttion. t Thofe whom God forefaw would be true lovers of him, si/- &TOJ sis- rviv pxit\5izv,jfit for the kingdom of God, and ?ioi, ?/;0r- thy of the peace and blejfings ofthegojpd, he predetermined to render conformable to the image ol his Son, that is, to be like him in glory, ver. 17. them alfo in due time he called to the falvation promifed and offered in the gofpel, s Tim \. 8, 9. Tit. i. 2, 3. and they believing in Chrill upon this call, he juflified them from, and remitted all their pail fins, Afls xiii. 38, 39. Eph. i. 7, and them he alfo glorified, by giving them the ipiiit, which is the earned of that glory, Efh. i. 13. and by participation of which fpirit chriilians are faid not only to behold f/ie glory of the Lord, but. alfo to be changed into the fame image zuith him from glory io glory. So (m) Origen upon the place. And this expofition agrees well with the context ; for he had faid before, that chriftians having the firft fnnu or the- fpirit groaned after this redemption of their bodies, ver. 23. anc^vcr. 26. thtjpirit helpetk our infirmities^ interceding /or us, fr-vy.^uo'is 'XS:?.->JTOI<-, \v\\hjilent groans after it ; and that he interceiieth for the faints, according to (the mind of) God u> give fkiiH;i\nw redemption ; and then it iol- lows, oiSstjAcv Ss, therefore we know that all things work togeth- er for good to them that love God, c. Or, zdly. frSorraTE, he hath glorified them, by giving them his fpir'tt to enable them to work the greafefl miracles , and thofe extraordinary gifts which rendered them glorious, and alfo were to them a confirmation ot the glory promifed ; fo the (n) greek fathers. And hence the miniftration of juftification is fdid to be ev S?STJ, in glory, as being the miniftration of the fpirit, 2 Cor. iii. 8. o, 10, n. And (Thrift faith of the apof- ties to whom he gave the fpirit, / have given them the. glory which thou gaveft me ; fee the note on John xvii. 22. So when a miracle vv^as wrought in Chri/i*s na?ne, eJ^ors, God glorified him, A6ts iii. 13. And when God wrought figns by Mofes, eJo^affay at/rov, he glonjied him, Ecclut. xlv. 3. See Luke iv. 15. John viii. ^4. xi. 4. xiii. 31, 32. xvi. 14. i Cor. xii. 26. And in favor of thefe interpretations, let it be noted, that when the apoJHt fpeaks of our final glorification in this chapter, he ilill fpeaks of it as a thing future, faying, a'd flail be glonfied unth him, ver. 17, 18, 21. whereas here he !p?aks of it as a thing pall, faying, vhotn he hath jujlified, them he hath alfo glorijied. (m) De glor^Dcntione poffnmus in prscfenti fcculo iHxid qiioil dicit apoftolns oinnes ncsapcrta i'acic ^loriain Jonimi f'peculant s, tadt-m imagine tr^nsfprmanuir a gloria in yloriain, ?> of adoption, which declared them heirs of God, and fuch as were to be glorified with Chrift after their Sufferings, ver. 1,5, 17. who would raife their mortal bodies, Decree of Ekftion. 63 That this future glory was fufficient groand of patience* tinder all their fufferings ; it being that which would entirely deliver their bodies from corruption, and translate them into the glorious liberty of the Jons of God ; on which account faith the apojlle, I reckon that the fufferings of this prf./ent life, arr not worthy to be compared to the glory which is to be revealed > ver. 18. %dly. That whilft they continued in this afflifled ftate, pa- tiently waiting for this glory, they had the fpirit of God to help their infirmities, and to enable them to intercede for it with filent groans, according to the will of God, and knew that all thefe fufferings mould work together for good to them who love God, and were called according to his purpojcol mak- ing them like to their head Chrijl Jefuf, who was made per- fed by fufferings ; and fo it was with his own beloved people, fly led the people, ov vpoiyw, which hejorehncw, Rom. xi. 2. Arnos iii. 2. He determined that they mould firft be afflicted four hundred years, Gen. xv. 13. He humbled thefe \\isjbns and \\\sjirft born, before he called them ofit of Egypt * and af- ter he had called them thence he humbled and enaftifcd them. as a man cha/hieth his Jon, DeuL viii. 5. but all this he did lor their profit, that he might do them go&d in their latter end, ver. 16. After thefe fufferings he justified them, i. f. he ap- proved and owned them upon all occasions as his peculiar people, and defended them, and pleaded their caufe againft all their enemies, and at the laft he rendered them a glorious people, in the eyes of all nations, soo&at, he glorified Ifrael before them, Ifai. Iv. 6. xl. 123. efpecially by cauiing his glori- ous prefence, or his Shechinah, the emblem of the holy fpirit^ to reft among them, Hag. ii. *;. and fo we may reft allured he will now deal with all thofe who truly love him, and whom he hath chofen before others to be his church, and his peculiar people. SECTION VIII. Argument 4. If God knoweth wha are his, then hath he a feleft number whom he hath chof- en to be his ; but God kneweth mho are his. 2 Tim. ii. 19. Anjioer. The text, which is the foundation of this argu- ment, runneth thus, fo) Hymenaus and Philtlus have erred form the truth, faying, that the re/urrcclion is paft already^ and have overthrown the faith of jome, ver. 19. But the foun- dation of God Jlanding Jure, having this jeal, the Lord know- eth who are his, and let every one that nameth the name oj Chrijl depart from iniquity. Where obferve, i//. That by the foundation of God, we are to underftami the doctrine of the refurre&ion which is the foundation of (o) Ver. 18, 64 Decree of Election. the church, it being built upon this promife, that the gates of hdljhall not prevail againft it, or that the living members of Chrift's body lhall after death obtain all happy refurreftion ; this alfo is the foundation of our faith and hope, i Cor. xv. 19. i Theff. iv. 13, 14. and therefore it is ftyled a foundation in thefe words, let us not lay again, TO Sg/AgXiov, the foundation of the dotlrine of the rc/urreffton, Heb. vi. 1,2. This is the faithful faying mentioned ver. 12. By denying of it, the chrijltan fo.ith, faith the apojlle, is overturned, ver. 18. Now to this fundamental doctrine God, faith he, hath fet this feal for confirmation and ailurance oi it, viz. the Lord know- th who are his, that is, i/^. He loveth and approveth of them, and kindly ftands affecled to them ; fo God knew his people IJ'rad, Deut. ii. 7. Amos iii, i. and fo if any man love, God t he is known of God t 2 Cor. viii. 3. zdly. To reward them ; fo God knoiceth the way of the righteous, Pfalm i. 6. and fo Chrift knows his fJteep, John x. 14, 27. as to give unto them life eternal, ver. 28, fo that though they die they lhall not perifli, but he will raije them up at the lajt day, John vi. 39, 40, 54. And in this fenfe thefe words are commonly taken, as promifing a reward to all good chrif- tians at the refurrection. But, o.dly. It is obfervable that thefe words are taken from Numb. xvi. 5. where Corah, Dathan and Abiram rife up againft Mo- fes and Aaron, declaring they took too much upon them, the one to be l\\Q\i' prophet and God's vicegerent over them ; the other to be their high priejl, whom God had confecrated to his peculiar fervice, above all others of the houfe ot Levi. Now to this imputation, faith the Septuagint, Mofes replies, *e'yw o 6ec* r*$ cvrus a.urii, God knoiceth who are his, and by him fep. arated to his fervice, and will maintain their caufe and calling againil all oppofers, as in that inftance he did in a wonderful manner.* caufing the earth to open and fwallow them up ; fo alfo will God own us his apojlles and minijlers, againft Hyme- waus and Philetus, againft ail that fet up againft us and our do&rine : As therefore Mojes faid then to the Ifraelites, de- part ve^.from the tents of thefe men, and be ye Jtparated, xai *^cVr/and obedience. If then by doing of thefe things, the witkcd would perform the will of God', muft it not follow that he is willing they fliould believe, re- pent and obey ? Would not God approve their doing oi thefe or can. he be fuppofed to approve what he would sot (a) John vi. *o. (b) A5ls xvii, 30, (c) i Theft iv. 8, Decree of Election. g.f lhave done ? Doth he not fay exprefsly concerning the wicked and impenitent, that they (d) do the things which he would not have, done? And why are they fo oft faid to fet at nought and rejecl God's counjel, will v&&gQO.d intentions toward them, if it were not his will they fhould believe and come to repent- ance ? Why doth the wifdom of God fay of them of old, that (e) they had Jet at nought his counfels ; and of -the Scribes and Pnari/ces, that (f) they resetted the couiifd of God con- cerning them, being not baptijed with the .baptijm of John ; which was the baftifm of repentance for the. remijjion oj fins ; and of the unbelieving Jews that they did fgj put Jalvation from them, and judge ihemfelves unworthy of eternal life f Surely from all thefe places it is very evident that it was pri- marily the counfel, and the will of God, that even they who would not turn, would not repent and accept ot falvation, fliould have repented and have been made partakers of it; and were it otherwife, it follows, that by their unbelief and their impenitence, they did not really refill his will and counfel, but comply rather with it. Moreover, thofe whom God calls to faith, repentance and obedience, he is truly willing that they mould repent, believe and be faved ; for what is it to call a man to fuch a thing, but to. declare that you are truly willing and defirous that he fliould be partaker of it. Now it is certain that God calls and invites all thofe to whom his word is preached, to faith, re- pentance and falvation ; and therefore.it is certain that he is truly willing they mould believe, repent and he faved. To this efFecl: are thefe expreflions (h) repent and believe the. gof- pel ; (i) who/o is fimple let him turn in hither ; let him for- fake thefoolijh and line ; (j ) whofoever will, lethi?n come and drink oj the waters of life freely. To omit many other places of like nature. Again, the end for which God lends his mef~ fengers is to invite all perfons to faith, repentance and falva- tion ; the bufinefs ot his watchmen is (k) to warn the wick- ed to turn from his iniquity, that he may not die ; (I) in meek- wf> to injirucl them that oppoje themfelves, if God pe? adventure Will give them repentance / (m) to warn every man,, and tc teach every man in all wifdom, that they may prcfent every man perfect in Chnjl Jefus. Now are they not commanded to ufe thefe exhortations, calls inftru6tions a.s means conducive to thefe ends 3 And to all thofe whom God doth require to ufe thefe means mull he not will the end defined by them ? Du not minillers befeech men in the name of God to repent, and (d) I fa. Ixv*. IT. b:vi. 4. ( e ) Prov. i, 2$. f f) Luke vii. -,G. (f) Ac"ts xiii. 46. fhj Mark i. 15, ^;; i-*r'ov. ix. i, 6. -^- 'jj Rev. xxii,i7. 'k ! /.!i- nefs, who will do nothing which is in his power to make oihu ers fo, as far as he is able, ana it is fit for him :o do it. C.-;:i then that God, whofe love to holinefs doth infinitely trawfceiU (n) John xx. 31. -(oj John v. 3*. 'pj Vcr. -v' f . ; ' f j Pa^- 22O. 221, Decree of Elc&ion. . 63 the love which the mo ft holy man bears to it, and who com- mands us to be holy, as he is hol}\ have palled a decree troni all eternity, which renders the want ot boiinefs in moil men an unfruftraWe event ? zdly. If this he all intended by thofe words, God would have all men to be javed, Why may it not he faid, he wouid have ail the fallen angels to be faved ? Bttdufc jaiih and ho- line/s, were it found in them, would be an ad jo well pleafing, and fo agreeable to God's will, that wtierejoever it is found it zmll be rewarded by him ; but yet becaufe they, huce their fall, are in no capacity of believing, or of being holy, no man hath ever dared to fay, frj God would have all the fallen an- gels to be Javed. If then the abfolute decree ot God, not w to give faith, repentance, and eternal life to any that are not e- lecled, is, as he faith, that which they understand by repro- bation ; and this aft renders all thofe fallen men, who are the objects of that black decree, as incapable of having faith and hoiinefs as the very Devils, why is it laid, he weald have thefe fallen men, rather than fallen angels, to be faved ? ^dly. Be it as he faith, that the final obdu.raf.ion And im* fenitency of reprobates is not a fcrefeen antecedent condition, but a following event cj negative reprobation ; yet if that e- vent follows neceffarily upon that eternal act ot God, to what end doth he after it command all men every where to repent, or exercife the riches of his goodnefs, patience ami forbear- ance towards them (J) to lead them to repentance, or fay ft) he 7s longfujfering towards them, becaufe he is not willing they Jliouid perijk, but jhould come to repentance; when this decree of not giving that repentance which can alone refcue fhem from pending, hath left them in that utter incapacity of repenting which no lonofufFering of God can, or ever was in- tended 10 remove ? Why doth he fend his ambaffadoi's to (u) bcjtech them to be reconciled to him, becaufc he hath maide his ion to be a facrificejor fin, chat they might be made nghteoits with the r'tghteoiijiiejs of God in him ? Why doth he call them to repent, that their fins may be klottsd oi-t, and encourage them to do fo by this gracious promiie, that (v) then &ll their iniquities Jhall not be remembered againjl tkem airy more? Why dotli God, as he fays, fw) patiently expcd their convur- Jton, when he hath decreed to deny them thofe means which can alone effect it, or u/t thofe means and methods to that end which he before knows not only that they will fruftr?!?,' but alfo that they rnuft fruftrate ? To fay God i'jnouih' requires them who are not elected to make their calling; and eJ r) Pagr. 227. ff) Rom. ii. 4.ff) 2 IV. iu. g. f-& : z Cor. 20. 21. ( *t>) Kzek. xviii. 22. -v-4 7Q Decree of Election* fure, is what we call a bull. To fay God ferioufly invite^ exhorts and requires all men to (xj work out their falva- tion, and yet by his decree of reprobation hath rendered that event to the moft of them impoflible ; that he requires all men to repent that they may not perifh, and yet by his decree, or fecret will, hath rendered that event to moft of them to whom he fpeaketh in his word impoflible ; is to make the gofpel of Chrift a mockery, by making it to require a condi- tion in order to an end, which his own fecret will of denying to them that faith, and that repentance which can alone pro- duce that end, hath made impoflible to be obtained ; and if this be not to make the fecret will of God to contradift his revealed will, it is to make his revealed will following that fecret one a mere falfhood, unlefs his revealed will can make contradictions true. For to make God to will this or that for fuch an end, which by virtue of his fecret will can never come to pafs, makes contradi&ions at the fame time to be the object of his will ; and to fay he wills this or that to exempt men from that event, which his fecret will hath made necef. fary to come to pafs, is alfo to will at the fame time a contra- diction : So that if God's declared will is, that all men mould believe unto falvation, and his fecret will is, that moft of them /hould not be faved, it being his will to withhold what is ne~ ceflary to their falvation ; if his revealed will be this, that the reprobate mould repent that he may not perifli, and his fecret will be this, that he fnould die, and not live, as being a will to withhold that grace from him without which he cannot live, but muft die ; the contradiction betwixt thefe two wills is as evident as words can make it. And if thefe decrees be plainly contrary to the declarations of the will of God now mentioned, how impoflible is it to re- concile them with his declarations that he deals thus with men, be.cau.fe he hath compajjion on them ; that (z) he could not, 'iavc done more to make them bring jortk good grapes ; that he would have purged fa) (Hebr.) had purged Ifrael, and fhf. >T*S not purged ; (b) he would have gathered J-erufalem, find /tie would not be gathered ; when there not only was an incur- able impotency in their will, which rendered the event impof- frble to them, but alfo a decree which rendered God unwil- ling to do that towards their gathering and purgation, without which he well knew he ufed all other means in vain. How they poflibly comport with his compaflkmate inquiries ? / c.Jiyky will you die? Je.rnjalern, wilt than net be made clean ? \yhenjhall-it once be .How long flail win thoughts lodge ( x ) Philip, ii. ir. (y ) 2 Cliron. xxxvi. 15. (z) Ifai. v. 4 . xxiv. 13. foj Luke x.iii. 34.- ; ;) Jer. iv. 14. xiii. 27* Decree of Ekftion. ji Within thee ? Or with his vehement defires that it might be otherwife ? For to fay, (d) Oh that there werejuch an heart in them that they would fear me! (e) Oh that my people had walked in my ways, is, {f fo, in effeit, to wifh that they had fruftrated the event which his decree, from all eternity, had made inevitable. SECTION IL Argument 2* zdty. This decree isab-folute- ly ialfe in the foundation of it ; that being laid in the fin of Adam, imputed by God's arbitrary will to his pofterity* For, ift. It is confeffed bv thefe men that it was not by any nat- ural necejfity that (f) Adam falling, his pcjlerityflwuld be either universally tainted with original fin, or liable to death, but that both thefe depended a libero Dei dec re to,, from the free decree or compacl of God ; that if 'Adam per/evered in his nghteouj'- nejs, he Jhould tranfmit it to his pojlenty ; if he rebelled, ke. Jhould make his pojltrity liable both to the corruption of Jin, and danger of pumjhment : For if it be afked, (g) how it comes to pafs that the Jin of Adam, fo unavoidably and generally lay- eth hold upon all the fans of Adam ? They are ' driven to con- fefs, that this- dependeth upon a free conflitution or decree of the divine, will, becaie/e natural propagation would not have Jiripped Adam's pojlerity of any habitual righteowfntfs which God had bejlowed upon him ; (h) or Charged them with tht guilt of any Jin peribna.My committed by him, had not God enailed and conftituted- a decree that Jo it Jlwuld be, when it Jfood in his power and pleafure to have ordered it otherwi/e. They add, that (i) therefore are we not guilty of any other fin did not fo order it, that any Jin ojf Adam Jhould bt imputable to all that were virtually in his loins, but that his jirjl Jin only in which he did, fuftinere perionam generis hu- mani, fuftain the perjon of all ?nankind, Jliould be imputed, And again, (j.) Adam s firjt fia com?mtted in the /late of inno- cency, wherein, by God's appointment, he bore the perjon of all mankind^ was every man s perjonal fin, and zvas confented tto by every man s perjonal will, becaufe in Adam there was not only the will of one Jingular man, but the umverfai will of all mankind, and of every Jingular perfon. Now, (d) Dent. v. 29. - fe) Pfal. Ixxxi. 13.- (f) Bfoop Davenant's Animadvers. p, 1*4, -(g) Pag,. 145, - (bj Pag. 046. - (i) Pag. 249. 7 2 Decree of Ekttion. ij$. The holy fcripturc is perfectly filent in every part and tittle of \\nsfchooi divinity ; it hath not one word of. this free decree, or this difmal compact of God with Adam, or I know not who ; not one Iota of our propagation from the h)ins ot Adam more than from the womb of our mother Eve r (kj the mother of all livin* ; OF that he bore the perfon of all mankind, more than [he bore the perfon of all womankind - r or ot any decree that Adavis poflerity ihould be charged with the guilt of any fin perfonally committed by him, rather the woman with the fin of Eve ; or that they fhould be charg- ed only with his firft, not with his following tranfgrcSions ; or that his guilt fhould rather be imputed to them, than his repentance ; Nor, laitly, is there one fhadow ot a proof from fcr-ipturz ot that felfcontradiftion, that Adams pcrfonal fin was every man's perfonal fin, when he only was a perfon, and they were not ; and was confented to by every man's will, before any man elfe had a will ; or that the univerfal will of all mankind (which is no better than an univerfal figtree) and of every fingie perfon, was in Adam. zdly. It cannot truly be affirmed that Adam's fin was e.very man's perfonal fin, and was confented to by every man s perfon- el will, and therefore all men were made tinners by it; for then it, was nut (I) by the difobtdience of one, but of all, thai many a/t 'inner s t whereas the opoJIU plainly ailerts the contrary, exprefsly faying, that by the fin of one. many died That the, ftnUnce u as from one, and by one man's finning ta condemnation ; -and that by the Jin of out, death reighed by ons. / therefore the apoflledoth exprefsly teach, that this death, this condemnation to it, came not u-pon us for the fin of all, hut for the fin of one, i. e. of one Adam, in whom all wen die, 1 Cor. xv. 22. zdly. Then all men mult have finned after the Jimilitude of Adam's tranfarejjicn ; for if he bore our perfon, and the con- lent of his will was the perfonal confent ot" ours, then the fame perfon by an aft of the fame will finned againit the fame law ; and fure!y they that thus fin muft fin after the fimilitude of Adanfs tranfgrdTion ; for what diiTimilituQe can there be in: fin committed by the fame afcr, of the fame will, ot the fame perfon, againft the fame law. But of the pofterity of Adam theapoftiu faith, exprefsiy, (m)- they jinncd not after the fimil- itude of Adam's tratifjfrejfiQn ; therefore they were not finners by the fame at, and will, of the fame perfon againft the fame la'w. Moreover, if all the pofterity of Adam finned in Adam t they finned againft a law given to them, foryf/z is the traii/grej~ Jion cj Lizu, and where there is no law^hcre is no (kj Gen. xii. ao.- (1) Rom. v. 15, 16, 17, 18. (m) Ver, 14. Decree of ElcEliori. jg where there is no law given to me, there can be no tranfgref- fion therefore by me. Now they. could fin in Adam fo as to deferve death for that fin, only by finning againft the law re- quiring Adam not to eat of the forbidden fruit ; for Adam hirrifelf became guilty of death only by tranfgreffing that law ; but all the pofterity of Adam cannot be faid to have finned a- gainft that law, becaufe it was not given to them, but to Ad" am and Eve only ; unlefs they will feign another decree, that the law given to Adam personally, fnould be the law given to all mankind. And laftly, If we finned formally in Adam\ we finned by the fame numerical fin which he committed, or only by the fame fin in kind; i. e, by a fin like to his. We could not fin by the fame numerical fin, for all man- kind being not the fame in number, but in fpecie, or kind on- ly ; and having not the fame numerical will, but the fame in kind only, he could no otherwife bear the perfon, or con- fent with the will of all mankind, that by bearing a perfon, and having a will common to him with ail mankind, which he had not numerically, but fpecifically. Again : We could on- ly fin in him, in or by the nature we derived from him, which is not the fame with his, numerically, but fpecifically only: And yet if we finned by the fame aft, of the fame will, of the fame numerical perfon, we muft be guilty of the fame numer- ical tranfgreflion. %dly. It cannot truly be affirmed that we alt Jtnned in Ad~ am, and by his dijbbedience were made Jinners ; becaufe, his Jin and dijobedience was by God's arbitrary will imputed to us? for, \Ji. The fcripture no where maketh mention of any thing of another's imputed to any man for reward, or guilt, but only of fome perfonal thing or aftion of his own, as hath been fully proved, Note on Rom. v. 13. zdly. Either this imputation makes the fin of Adam truly ours, or it doth not : If it doth not, how can we be made finners by it ? If it doth, then death came upon us for our fin, and fo not for the Jin of one, but for the fin of all ; which is the thing difproved already. %dly. I afk, whether this imputation made the pof- terity of Adam finners ? Or, whether it found them fo be- fore ? If it found them fo before, it was plainly needlefs, for they might have been condemned to death without it : If it made them fo, then fince this imputation is the aft of God and not of man, it plainly follows that God muft be the au- thor of this fin ; becaufe this imputation flows immediately from him, without the intervention of any aftion of any of thofe men to whom it is imputed. Moreover, then the im- putation muft be falfe, as charging them with fin whom he did not find finners, but only by his arbitrary decree and im- putation made them fo : Now tar be it from any Chriftba t- K y>4 Decree of Election. affert, that God can falfely impute fin to any man. In a Xoy/cff0aj, and imputare, is to reckon, or to account a to any man, or to charge him with it, or lay the charge of it upon him ; this a6lion therefore on God's part muft fuppofc in the very nature of it, fome aclion done by the poilerity oi Adam which is blameworthy, and may be juftly charged up- on them, before there can be any ground for imputation of it ; and this (hews that it is iinpoflible that the imputation mould be the very thing that renders them blameworthy, or perfons worthy to be charged with guilt ; and yet, if the fin oi Adam becomes ours only by imputation, it rauft be ours only becaufe it is by God imputed to us, and not imputed becaufe it is ours : that is, God by this imputation mud make us finners, and not find us fuch -; for this imputation ig the aclion of the Judge, and not of the fuppofed criminal ; remove, or take away this aclion, and no crime car; be charged upon him. In fine; if the fin of Adam becomes ours only by imputation,, it deferves condemnation on he fame imputation, that is, by the aclion of G< I e we deferve condemnation fo?; it,- is to be afcrii, ; v to the aclion of God, and only by accident to the ; Adam ; whence then, according to this opinion, is ou.r deflruclion, but of that God who makes us worthy of condemnation, by imputing to us that fin, which by his imputation only we fbnd guilty, of ? j^thly. We are not guilty of any other fin of Adam ; there- fore we are not guilty of the firft fin of Adam For anfwer" to this, they are driven to confefs, faith Bifhop Davenant, thai this depends on the Jree constitution of the divim will ; for (virtual inclufion in, or) natural propagation (from the loins oi Adam) would not have charged us with the guilt of any fin perfonally committed by him, had not God enacted and conjli- tuted a decree that it Jliould be fo, when it Jloodin his power and pleafure to have ordered it othtrwife ; therefore this fin oi Adam is not ours becaufe he committed it ; but becaufe God of mere will decreed and con fti tuted it mould be fo, token he might have ordered .it otherwife ; and fo there is nothing that makes this fin ours, but the mere will of God ; and furely then God mufl be the author of it, becaufe it is the will of God alone which makes the firft fin of Adam ours, more than the fecond, of which it is conteffed we are not guilty ; nor is there any other reafon why we are more guilty of it, than of his other fins, but this will of God. As then tve become finners in our own perfons only by willing that aclion which is evil, mould be ours, fo we become finners in the perfon of Adam, only by the will of God, that his evil alHon- ihould be ours ; and had it not been his pleafure fo to Decree of Election. 75 will, it had not been ours. To make this ftill more evident, let it be not a that in every fin of commiflion, there is re- quired not only the will of the Creator foi bidding that a8ion, but alfo the will ot the creature c hoofing to do what is forbid- den ; but in this fuppofed original {in, there is no will of ours choofing this forbiddei: action more than any other fin of Adam ; it was not therefore upon that account our fin ; it remains then that it was only fo by the will of the Creator, if it be replied, that the atlion and will of Adam was ours al- fo, I afk whether it was fo by its own nature, or only by the free decree and will of God ? If only by the latter, it clearly follows that his aclions are made and accounted ours by the mere ivill of God, and fo that only renders it our fin ; if from its own nature, then all his other fmful wills and actions rnuft be ours alfo ; for what agrees to the will and actions of Adam t from (he nature of them, muft agree to every will and action of Adam at all times : Now this being confefledly falfe, it remains that it is folely from the arbitrary will ot God that we are guilty of this, and not of any other fin of Adam. Lajlly. The compact they have forged betwixt God an4 Adam, to juftify this imputation of his fin to his poflerity, and the decrees enfuing upon that imputation, as it is forged out of their own brain, fo it is a compact exceeding cruel, and plainly inconfiftent with the juftice, wifdom and goodnefs of our gracious God. For furely, a good God, in all his com- pats with the fon.s of men defigns their good, or their ad- vantage ; for fo it is with all the other compacts God ever made with man ; but God could not defign the good of man by that compact upon the forefeen event, of which he had before made his abiblute decrees of election and reprobation. SU//y. As for the other part of this compact, that Adam continuing innocent, fhould have begot children in his own iikenefs, that is, partakers of his own original righteoufnefs, that could produce no proportionable advantage to his pof- terity ; for his righteoufnefs being defc61ible, he could have only derived upon them a defeclible righteoufnefs, which rnuft have left them flill as liable to fall as he himfelf was ; and then their poflerity muft have been in the fame fad cafe in which Adam's fall had placed his pofterity. And zdly. His fin, had he fallen after he had begotten ten children, muft have involved all the reft in this fad doom ; fo that his whole righteous life could have only procured to his pofterity a defeclible righteoufnefs, liable, continually to interruption by the fin of any one of his pofterity ; and that throughout all times and ages of the world ; whereas, one fingle tranfgref, fion of his, was, by this compaft, to render bis whole race 7 6 Decree of Election. obnoxious to eternal mifery, and by this eternal decree of reprobation, upon this forefeen tall, to render the far greateli part of them inevitably fubje6l to that mifery. Again, this compact plainly Teems to have been invented to excufe God from cruelty, in fubjecHng myriads of men and infants to the moft direful and laiiing torments ; which with- out this imaginary pact, he could not with the leait pretence of juftice do. Moreover, did not God know, before this compact, it would only tend by the fall of Adam to the una- voidable ruin of myriads of fouls, which . otherwife would have contracted no fuch guilt, and therefore would have been obnoxious to no fuch miiery, had not this compact and decree been made ? What therefore didjhe, by making this decree, but fubjeft fo many precious fouls to an inevitable rum ? How therefore could he contrive and make fuch a decree and compatl, without being willing that ib many men and infants ihould be forever miferable by it? Since he who wills the caufe, wills alfo the effect, which certainly and inevitably, without their aftion, follows trorn it. If in favor of thefe imaginations it be faid, that the/cripturt exprefsly teacheth thatzn Adam all have, finned ; and by the, dif- obedience of one, many were made finners : To this 1 have giv- en a fufficient anfwer in the note upon thofe words, mewing that thefe words may and muft have a metonymical ienfe, be- caufe of the abfurdities which follow from the formal accept, ation of them. And, 2i; 13. Decree of Ekftion. 77 gbedience of one Jhall many be made righteous, it is evident ia itfelf. and proved by three arguments, that he (peaks not ot Chrift's afiive, but of his pailive obedience, or fullering death torus; now by this paflive obedience we cannot be made formerly righteous, but only nietonymically, by being made partakers of that freedom horn condemnation and the guilt of fin, and the reconciliation which Chrijl purchafed by his meritorious death and paiTion. SECTION III. Argument 3 . %d!y . Th i s dec r ee i s f ;s 1 fe both in the parts, and the end of it. The parts of it aretheie two : \Jl. That God hath from eternity defied a certain number of per Jons to falvation, leaving the reft under an abfolute decree of reprobation or prtleritwn, and that oflhis election or repro- bation there can be no other caufe but God's own free will ; for predeftination, fay they, being an immanent acl of the di- vine under [landing cannot be conceived as dependent upon any forefeen ads of man" 1 s will, and there] ore his forefcenjaith, re- pent o.nce and perjeverance cannot, in. any good Jenfc, be imagin- ed antecedent cau/es, conditions or ?not:ves to the divine pre- dejli nation ; and that is Metapk\Jics t and the jargon of the Jchoolmen, entirely ignorant of the true fenfe of /cripture, inade to countenance a decree reflecting fo unworthily upon the honor of our gracious God, that it is not eafy to conceive what could more vifibiy tend to the diihonor pf his glorious name and attributes. zdly. That in order to the accomplifliing she falvation of his tlecJ. lie hath decreed to afford them that grace, which Jliall in- fallibly and infrujtrably bring them tofalvation ; whereas they who are comprifed ur fler the decree of reprobation, are left^ fay they, infallibly to jail of eternal life, arid fo are left to tail or means which may bring them to eternal life, or to efcape, everlafting death ; for they can only infallibly fail of the end, by failisg of the i .iich may procjuce it ; for fince he that hath means by which he may be faved, may be faved ; and he that hath means by which he may efcape damnation, may efcape damnation ; he who by God's decree of reproba- tion, is left infallibly to fail of iaivatkm, and confequently to be damned, muft as infallibly be left without the means by which he may obtain falvation or efcape damnation. 3^//v. In the abfolute eleftion of thofe whom God hath thus appointed to falvation, he decreed (q) fay they, to glorify his mercy ; and in the reprobation and the preterition of the- reil, he decreed to glorify his fovereignty and juftice in their darn- nation ; the manifeftation, therefore, of his grace and mercy iti the falvation of the one, and of his juftice and fovcreignty (q) Bijbop Davenant, p. 27. 28. 7 8 Decree of Election. in the damnation of the other, muft be the two great ends of Cod in thefe decrees. Now the falfehood of thefe two decrees, touching the abfo- lute election of fome perfons to falvation, is fufficiently argu- ed in the fifth Difcourfe. ifl. From God's command to all chriftians to make their calling and election fure. 2.dly. From his frequent exhortations directed to them to continue Jledfaft in the faith, and to keep them/elves in the love, of God, and t work out their falvation with fear and trembling. dly. From the cautions directed to good chriftians, not to fall from grace, erfrom their own Jledfajlnefs. ^thly. From threats denounced againft the righteous man who turneth away from his right- eoufnefs, and the jufl man who living by faith draweth back. zdty. As they refpecl: thofe that are fuppofed to lie under an abfolute decree of reprobation ; the falsehood of them hath been fully proved in the fecond Difcourfe. ijl. From God's ferious and earned invitations of them to repentance. zdly. From his vehement defires of their reformation and obedience. $dly. From his declarations that he had done for them what was fufficient to produce it. ^thly. From his promifes to ex- cite them to it ; his longfuffenng defigned for that very end ; and from his dreadful threats intended to deter them from perfifting in their evil ways. And, laftly, From the manifold demonftrations he hath afforded us in holy fcripture, that he doth not look upon wicked men as under an utter difability pf being reformed by his judgments, or his mercies, or of hearkening to his calls and invitations to return and live. And, zdly. Such a decree as this being a fecret of God's counfel, no man can know that God hath made it, but from the exprefs, and the clear revelation of the holy fcripture ; and fo no perfon can have any reafon to aflert it on any other ac- count. Now as 1 have mown already, that the fcripture hath faid nothing of thefe decrees ; fo' will this be more evident by a reflection on every part of them. i/?. The decree of eleftion fay they, is abfolute, and with- out refpecl to man's faith, repentance or perj'everance. Now the fcripture faith exprefsjy, (r) he that believeth Jhall be fav- td; (f) he that endureth to the end Jhall bcfavsd; (t) repent, and be converted, and your fins Jhall be blotted out ; (u) to them who by patient continuance in welldoing, look for glory, God will give eternal life. So that they who fpeak thus, fpeak the conftant language of the holy fcripturcs ; whereas they who affirm that he hath abfolutely decreed eternal life to any, without refpecl; to any ad of man's will, or any condition t (r) Markxvi. 16. - (f) Matth. xxiv. 13. - (t) Afts " uj Rom. ii. 7 . becret of Eletliori. $& J * *7 be performed on his part, fpeak that which hath not the leafl foundation in the word of God. Chrift faith indeed, that (v) it is his father's good pleafure to give the kingdom to his lit- tle flock; but then this flock confifteth only ot believers, who have already heard Chrift' s voice, and followed him, and of thofe (w) whom the father had given to him ; but then he in- forms us, that (x) Judas, afon of perdition, was one of them . He faith again, (y) All that the father giveth me fhall comt unto me, but fpeaks not one word of their being given to him by an abfolute eternal decree of ele"6lion to falvation, without refpecl to any thing to be in time performed by them. zdly. The fcripture hath not one fyllable to prove that the objecl; of this election is a certain number of fingular perfons. Thofe words, the Lord knoweth who are his, do no more prove this, than thofe words of Chrift, I know my fJicep ; and thofe of the Pfalrnift, the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous^ prove that there is a certain number of fingular perfons who are Chriji's fheep, and who only can be righteous. The fcrip- ture ohen fpeaketh, as hath been fully mewed, of churches, and nations elecled to be his church and people, but nothing of a- ny fingle perfon elected from eternity to falvation, much lefs^ of any certain number of them. %dly. That God hath abjolutely ordained one Jingle perfon io faith, repentance and perfeverance to the end, is no where written. And hence it clearly follows, that there can be no fuch abfolute reprobation revealed in the fcriptures, as thefe decrees hold forth ; for as eleftio non ejt, fine reprobations, there is no election without a reprobation of the noneletted, fo can there be no reprobation where there is no previous elec- tion. Again, to fay that ele&ion or predeftination being an imma- nent, eternal aft of God's understanding, or rather of his wilJ 4 for that alone decrees, can have no dependence on, or refpecl: to any aft of man's will by way of motive or condition, is to fay things contrary to fcripture and to common fenfe. For, i/?. Did not God decree from all eternity, to pardon the penitent, to juftify him that believeth injefus, to fave the obe- dient, and that they who fuffer for, and with Chrift, fhall be glo- rified together with him ? And muft not thefe immanent eter- nal afts have refpeft to the temporal faith, repentance, obedi- ance and patient fufferings of men ? idly. Did not God from all eternity, decree to judge all men according to their works, and that all men mould receive rewards and punifhments according as their works fhall be ; (/ .1 htt vi , 37. 8o Decree of Election. and is not this .decree an immanent, eternal act of God, refpecting the acts of men's will as the condition of, or mo- tive to it ? Yea, did he not decree from all eternity to offer to man a new covenant of grace, promifing pardon and falvatiori to him upon condition of his friith, repentance and fincere o- bedience; and do not thefe decrees render the pretended de- crees of abfolute election and reprobation needlefs ? Yea, are not thefe things incortfiftent with each other, viz. the ab- folutc election of man to falvation, and the decree to offer and fufpend the fame falvation upon thefe conditions ? For in ail conditional promifes betwixt man and man, the thing prom* ifed is fufpended on the performance of the condition, and the enjoyment of it is uncertain, till the condition be perform- ed ; and if it be not fo alfo in refpect to the conditions of the covenant of grace, what mean the exhortations directed to men in general, to (z) jtar left a proimfc being made of enter- ing into reft, any of them Jliouid fall fnort of it ? The cautions to them that fland by faith, to take heed left they fall under the feverity of God for not (a) continuing in his goodnefs ; and the threats of perdition to him that (b) liveth by faith, provided he draw back ? ^dly. Did not God decree from eternity, that he that believ- e.th in his Son fliould have eternal life, and he that believed not his Son fliould not fee life ? and had thefe decrees no refpect to the temporal acts of man ? It were eafy to multiply inltan- ces of this nature, to mew the vanity of the foundation of thefe abfolute decrees. And therefore, ^thly. When it is faid, that an immanent act of the divine mind (or will) cannot depend on any jorefeen acls of man's will, I grant that it cannot depend on them as the caufe pro- ducing fuch an act, but purely on his own attributes and per* lections, v. g. he mufl decree to elect man as fallen, or a fin- ner, becaufe he is gracious and merciful, and to reprobate him, becaufe he is juft ; but then the motive or inducement to both 'th.efe decrees is the forefeen action of man, rendering him art object of his mercy, or worthy of his vindictive juflice. A- fain, thefe immanent actions of the Deity either refpecl imfclf only, as the love and knowledge of himfelf, and then it is certain that they can have no caufe, motive, condition, or refpect to any thing but himfelf; or elfe they refpect, or have for their object the future ftate or condition of man ; and then it is as certain, that though they flow from the divine perfec- tions, the inducement to them is always man, and his forefeen actions, v. #. he from the divine goodnefs, grace and mercy, decrees to lave man, or to offer to him terms on which he may (zj Ueb. iv. i. faj Rom- xi. 20, ^^.~-(1>) Heb, x. 38* Decree of Ekttion. 81 obtain falvation ; the inducement to it is the fin of man, which Lath made this grace and mercy neceflary to his falvation. He from his juftice hath decreed from all eternity, to cad fame men out of his favor; the inducement to it is that fin which hath rendered them unworthy of it, and rendered it inconfiftent with his holinefs and juftice to admit them to it. He from that goodnefs and love to hoiinefs, which is effential to him, hath decreed to reward fame of them with eternal life, or the enjoyment of himfelf; the inducement to it is thofe aclions wrought by the alMance of his grace in them, which have made them like unto him, and therefore meet to be partakers cf the inkeiitan.'ce oj the faints in light. And all this is de- inonftrably certain from the perfection of the divine nature ; for God being infinitely perfecl, he muft be infinitely happy within himfelf, and fo can defign no felf end without himfelt, and confequeritly the end for which l*e requires any thing from us, or decrees any thing concerning us, is not, and can- not be any advantage or good he expecls to reap from it, he being from all eternity pail as completely happy as he can be to eternity to come ; and therefore what other end can he be fuppofed to aim at in thefe things but our good ? If it be faid> that God may aft to manifeft his glory, viz, the glory of his mercy, jullice, holinefs and truth : True ; but then he mani- iefts it either tor no good, or for his own good, or for 0ur good. To fay he doth it for no good, is to impeach his wifdom ; to fay he doth it for his own good, reflects on the perfection of his nature ; it remains then that he muft do this alfo for our good, which is the thing contended for. It there- fore is a vain imagination, that the great defign of any of God's actions, his glorious works and difpenfations, fiiould be thus to be admired, or applauded by his worthlefs creatures, that he may gain efteem, or a good word from fuch vile creatures as we are. We take too much upon us, if we imagine that the all wife God can be concerned whether fuch blind creatures as we are, approve or difapprove of his proceedings ; or that he really can fuffer any diminution of his glory by our difl ike, or is advanc- ed in hon,or by our approbation of his difpeafations. We trunk too meanly of, and detract from his great Majefty, if we con- ceive he can be tickled with applaufe, and aim at reputation from us in his glorious defign ; that therefore fuch as we mould think well of him^ or have due apprehenfions of thofe attributes, by the acknowledgment of which we are faid to glorify him, can be no farther his concern than as it ferves the noble ends of his great goodnefs, viz. that thefe conceptions may engage us to that affection, to that imitation of him, and that obedience to him, which tends to the promotion of our happinefs, JL 82 Decree of Election. God therefore acleth for his glory when he di {"covers to the world thofe excellencies and perfections of his nature which arejuft motives to the performance of that duty which we owe unto him ; or when he doth difplay before us his rmitable perfections, that we may be like him, defigning ftill the bene- fit and happinefs of man in thefe difcoveries. For when he difcovers all thofe attribute's which reprefent him good and merciful, kind and obliging to the fons of men, he doth it with defign, and in a manner very proper to lay the higheft obligations on us to returns of lovfe and gratitude, and to en* gage us to that imitation of his goodnefs and mercy to our feU low creatures, w-hich renders us partakers of the divine nature^ and he!pful to others in all their exigencies* When he gives fignal demonflrations of his almighty power, and of his great wifdom, he defigns by this to teach us that he is able to fore- fee and to divert thofe evils which may at any time befal us ; to relcue us from all our miferies, and to confer the greateft Ideffings on his fervants, that fo he may encourage us to place our truft in him at all times, to repair by humble fupplications to the throne of grace, and to ferve him faithfully, in expecl* ation of his favor and protection. When he manifeils him- felf to be a God of truth and faithfulnefs, one who will punctu- ally perform his promifes to, and execute his threats upon us, he doth this chiefly to affright us from thofe fins whish make it neceffary for his juftice to be fevere upon us, and to pro- voke us to the performance of thofe duties to which he hath annexed the greateft bleflrngs. When he informs us that his holinefs and juftice cannot permit the wicked to efcape his vengeance, or any upright foul to want the tokens of his love, or the reward of his frnoere obedience ; his great defign in all this is, that fin, which is the rife of all our mifeyies, may be a- voided; and holinefs, which is the true advancement and beit accompliftimenjL of human nature, may be more earneftly pur- fued by us. So that God's acling for his glory is indeed hrs afting for the good of bis moft nobte creatures, and only rec- ommending of himfelf to their goodhking and affeftion, that fo he may tha more effectually promote their happinefs. It is indeed in our translation faid, God hath made, all things for hinrfdj\ even the wicked for the day of wrath, Prov. xvi. 4. but in the Hebrew the word is Lamaanhy from rw, and fo the words may be thus rendered, the Lord hath made all things to anjwer to themfdves, or aptly to refer to one another, even the wicked for the day of wrath ; according to thefe words of Grotius, fingula Dt,us ordinat ad id quodfingulis cempetit, or- dinat impiitm ad diem calanutoj'um. The Bifhop of Ely renders them thus, the Lord dijpojeth all things according to Decree of Election. 3 his will, even the wicked for the day of wrath, i. c. to be then the executioners of it. And whereas thefe men tell us, that God ele&ed a certain number to be faved for the manifeftation of the glory of his grace, \_\fl- J According to this hypothefis, the glory of his grace mult confift in electing fo many to falvation and no more ; for it the decree to fave more would more have tend- ed to the manifeftation of his glory, the fame motive muft have induced him to lave more. Now to affirm that it is for the glory of his mercy to fave the eleft only, and no more, feems contrary to common fenfe ; for the more are benefited, the greater is the glory of the benefa6lor ; if it then tendeth to the glory of his mercy abfolutely to decree to fave fome no more fitted to be objects of his mercy than the reft, it muft be more for the glory of his mercy to decree thus to favc more, and moft of all to decree to fave all. Again, if it be for the glory of his grace to prepare faving grace for any, and to give them that affiftance which will un- fruftrably procure their falvation ; would it not be more for the glory of the fame grace to prepare it for, and afford it to more, and to leave sone under a neceffity of perifhing for want of grace fufficient to work out their falvation ? Is grace the more magnified for being reftrained to fome few, when all do equally need, and all are equally capable of it ? Nor is there any reafori in the objefts of it, why it fliould not equal- ly be vouchsafed to them. The other black part of this decree, which faith God left the greateft part of mankind in a ftate in which they muft in- fallibly fail of obtaining falvation, or the means of falvatidn, Jaith and perfcverance, they being the confeque.nts and fruits of that eleclion, out of which they are excluded, is ftill more horrible in its immediate confequences ; for, \jl. K makes God to create innumerable fouls after the fall of Adam, to be inevitably damned without the leaft compaflion for them, or will to afford them means fufficient to exempt them from that dreadful doom ; for if faith and perfeverance be the confe- quents and fruits of God's election, then they who aje not e- lefted cannot have them ; if they muft fail of obtaining f ah a- tion, they muft inevitably incur damnation. 2 dly. It makes him, in profecution of this end, having created them pure and mnocent as they came out of his hands, to put them into bod- ies, that fo they may be made or deemed the offspring of Ad- am, and by being fo made be fit objels of his eternal wrath ; which they could never be by his creation of them, did he not thus unite them to the bodies generated by the polteruy cf i / ** A dam, Decree of CHAPTER V, JL SHOULD now for a clofc, demotiftrate the contradi&icn. \vhich this doftrine of abfolute eleftion and reprobation bears to the fentiments of the ancient fathers ; but this is fo evu dent, that (a) Calvin, Beza, and many other patrons of the contrary do&rine do partly confeft it. I therefore {frail con- tent myfelf with three pr four plain demon ftrations of this truth, viz. SECTION l.-^ijt. That they unanimoufly declare, that God hath left in the power of man, |gr' di^orepa rptKEvQ&i, to turn to vice or virtue, faith (b) Jujlin Martyr ; to chooj'e or to refufe faith and obedience. , to believe, or not, fay (c) Irencz- zts, (d) Clemens Alexandrinus, (e) Tertullian, and St. (f) Cyp- rian : That every one is frimfilftke caufe why he is made/rM- mentum, aut palea, faith fg) Irenceus : Every one, UWTOV &- xaiHvror, 77 sfATraXw &ZVTQV otTTciQ?) xaTaTKEu^ovTos', rendering him- J'elf either righteous or difobedient, faith (h) Clemens ot AUx-> andria : That God hath left it in our own power, Kpos roi xa- Xa vi5/v, *a\ roc xaXa al vTrtpfAce, aviov slvai % TO evavrtov, to be. an holy Jeed, or the contrary, to fall into hell, or enjoy the kingdom ; ( spuv CSTJV 77 v^/ircy, y; vfj.spxs vi*ss y'.vsvQxt, to be chll-. drtn of the night, or of the day ; w Qc rlxva. <$' dpzrys, % r* d\- Tfxsipiev8 $10, KQLxias, by virtue to be God's, or by fyickedntk the Devil's Children ; fo fo) Cyril of Jerufalem, ffj St. Ba/il, (q) Chryfojlom, and Gregory N^f/en^ L. 2. contra Eunom. p. 9,5. That Onufquifque ex feipfo can fas et occaHGnes pra^llitit con- (a) Injlitur. 1. 3. c. 33. Beza in Rom. 9. - (b ) A{>. a. p. 4^. - (c) L. 4. c. 71. - (d) Stro. i. p. 314. 7. p. 717. - (c) Ep. ad Can, c. 2. - (f) Tfft. ad $yir. J. i. c. 52. fgj I 4-c. 9 - (b) Stro. 3. p. 453. - fii Contra Gent. p. 5. -- fj) ll&r. 16. p. 4. - (k) Ho. 27. p. 166 - flJTo. 6. p. 86d. - fmj Al-v.Gr{ Contra. Jul 1. 3. p. 79. - foj Catecb. 4. p. 3 1 - - ff-J In 14. Ef. To. 2. p. 259. - (qj To. 2. H. 14. in i Cor. p. 3z$. Deer tt of Elcaion* 85 carav t#yrbv cxeuof Qpyyis, x'z.GvTrsp HJ axe-Jos (piXx\bfn}7ii 3- ftj Ch. 3. Arg. 2^ ;''; &W 7-p 7^^. ii.- - (Aa ^a^e'pat, in the divine foreknowledge they differed very much. %dly. On Ver. 15. I will have mercy on whom I will haw mercy ; they all truly note, that this was faid of the Jews, after they had all committed the capital fin of idolatry in worfliipping the golden calf, and that fome of them were pun- ifhed tor it, ami fome not ; this was done, faith Hilary, Quia Deus fcit cujus deheat mifereri, becaufe God knew who were, fit objecls of his mercy ; becaufe he knew, r/vsr atoi ffMrvpixs xxl x a^toi, who were worthy of prefervation, and who were not. So Chryfojlom and Oecumenius. Afthly. On Ver. 16. They defcant thus, It is not of him that wills, or rims only, but of God thatflieweth mercy, and crowns the work by his affijlance ; for otherwife, fay they, it cannot be our duty, either to will or run. So Origen, Chryfojlom, Oecumtnius and TheophvlacT: ; fee this, and their anfwer to the objeftion of St. Auflin againft this expofition, in the note upon that verfe. fithlv. On thefe wqrds, Ver. 18. He hath me.rc\ on whom he luill have mercy, and whom he will he harde.neth, Origen defcants thus ; that which he fays is //i/.f, that we are good or evil, depends upon our will ; but what fan fte the wicked man JJiall Jufft:-,-, and ii-kat glory the good man is defigned for, de~ pz/ids upon the will r/ God ; TOV i^ov eX*eTOai eXee?, He hath mercy on h.im who ?.f /'' for merc\, -;7rs9r/ te, that the apojils here fpeaks of Pha- h, and that him God hardened, not hv Uying on him any ncceffity fo to be, but only by his patience and lemty, in Decree of Election. 87 withtirawing his plagues which Ihould have led him to re- pentance ; as a kind matter makes his fervant worfe by his lenity ; and it is obferved by Vojjius, that betore St. Avftin wrote againfl Pelagius, he agreed with them in moll of thefc expofuions. Vide Hijior. Pctag. 1. 5. Theff. viii. p. 545. 6tkly. On Ver. 21. Hath not the potter power over the clay, &c. Theophylacl notes, that as it is not the mafs itjelf that makes one vcfd to honor^ and another to difhonor, but the ufe, of it, b% 9? ^uas THS pt-cV Waist xoXxGEUS aius, ras" Ss SE^sivcuy, a'XX' ?! vfottipsaiSjfb it is not the nature, but the choice of men that makes fame worthy of pumjiiment, and others of reward. God makes fome veifels of honor, others of diihonpr, faith ChryJoJIom, becaufe he knows, rls puv agios', t\s $e IAVI roio^ros-, who is worthy Jo to be, and who is not. He juftly punifhetk Jinners, faith Theodortt, us yvo/ptT) rovro 9rot=7v roX/xivraf, as daring wittingly to* do thus ; and his philanthropy confers mercy, receiving Kpo^zyiy voip .rj/xcc/v, &n occation jrom us tot do fo. . Lajily, I have ihewed, that in their notes on Ver. 22, 23 j they fay that man is made a veilel of wrath or mercy, from his own choice. SECTION III, dly. (w) Vojfius declares, that all the Fathers before St. Aujiin's time, think that God predeilinat- ed men to lite from a prefcience that they would live pipufly,. or would believe and perfevere to the end ; and this, from what hath been difcourfed, appeareth to have been the doc- trine of all the commentators upon the 8th and 9th chapters to the Romans, till St. Auflin's time, and of the Greek com- mentators after his time ; to whom you may add from him the teftimony of fxj Irenaus, that fome coming to the light ^ and others reju/ing Jo to do, Deus omnia praefciens utrilque aptas praeparavit habitationes, God who forejeeth all things, prepared Jit habitations for them both; Oi (y) Chryfojlom introducing Chriil faying, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before you were born, sTrei^r, 7$stv roivrvs vices' scrapts'vHy, be- caufe I knew you would be fach : Of (z) Hilary faying, many are called but Jew chojen, Q.uia in invitatis de judicit merito probitatis ele6tio eft, becaufe amonp thofe that are 'call- ed, God of his jujl judgment choofeth thoje that are honejl : Of (a) St. Ambrc/t, faying, God who is no refpecler of per- Jons, gives not to our petitions but our merits, according to that of the apojile, whom he foreknew, he alfo did predejlinate, Non enim ante prasd.eRinaret, quam praziciret, fed quorum merita praefcivit eorum prxmia prscdeftinavit, for God did fivj Hijl, L. 5. Th. 8. (x) L. 4. C. 76. (y) Horn, 80. in M.ft, To, j.-^; In. Mat. 22, (a) L. 5. Ds ide> C, 2. 8& Dane, of Election. not prcdejlinc.it ii mates men are not chofen for their nation-si but for their wills, (c) ht pu.rpqfing to (dve by faith alone, quos -pree-fcivit credituros, thoje whom lie. foreknew would bdieve : And iaftly r for it is of God that ic> are catted, but of our f elves that we are chofen, or not. And SECTION IV. Athly. Proffer confeffes, that even they -who condemned Pdagius, rejected St. Auflins declrine of an nbfolute decree of j'alvation, as a mere novelty ; for, faith he, fej many of the fervants of C/irifl in t/te city of Marjeilles* contrarium putant Patrurn OpimoDi, et EccleiiaiHco Senfui quicquid de Vocatione Ele6toruni fecundum propofitum dif- putauK ;*^ that which you difpute of the calling of the de& according to purpoje^ to be contrary to the opinion of the Fa* thzrs, and the fenjt of the church, (f) They defend their ob- Jhnacy, faith lie, Vetuftate, by antiquity ; affirming that the things you gather from St. Paul's Epijtte io the Romans, a iiullo unquam Ecclefiallicorum ita efTe intelle8;a, were never jo uiiderjlood fyy any of the Ecchfiajlical men. And he prays him to initrucl; him, liow he may anfwer this objection. He adds, that, (g) Retraftatis priorum de hac Opinionibus, pene omnium par invenitur et una Sententia, qus Propofi-tuni et Pracdeftinationem Dei fecund urn Praefciemiam reeepe- runt, ut ob hoc Dens alios vafa honoris, alios contumeliae ie- cent, quia finern uhiuFcuj^Tque prasvident ; having revifed the opinions of thoje that writ before of this matter , he found almqft all of them to be of one and the fame, judgment ; that the tiurpcfe and predeftination cf God was according to his pre/cience, and that he therefore made jome veffcls of honor, others of difhonor, becaitfe hzforejaw the end oj every one, and ti'hat would be their will and actions under the divine ajjijl* ance. So truly did fh) Metanclhon fay, Scriptores veteres oranes, praeter uniun Auguftinum, ponunt aliquani caufam- Ek8ionis in nohis e(fe, all the ancients, except St. Auftin, i that there was fome caufe of our eletlion in ourfelves. (b,) In lled'ib. - ( c ) In Pom. viii. ag. - fdj In Mat, -- (f)Ep. ad , 879. - (f) F. 83i,.~ f; P. 856. - (k) In Rom, ix. i D C O U R S E II. CONCERNING THE EXTENT OF CHRIST'S REDEMPTION. The State of the Quejliorii O ftate this matter aright, I (hall eft- deavor to fhew, \Jl. What limitations or refiriclions of our Lord's general redemption I cannot admit of. zdly. In what fenfe they who main- tain that Doclrine do alTert it. And ifl. I reject that diflinc~iion as abfiird, which faith Cknft died ftiffictently for all ; but intentionally only for theelefl : This being to delude men with vain words, and in effecl to fay he died no more for thofe who are not the elecl, i.e. who. will not actually be fav ; ed by him, than for the very Devils, feeing he died for them fufficientiy ; that is, his death, had it been defigned for that end, wouM have been of fufficient virtue to procure the pardon of their fins. zdly. It leaves all men, the eleft only excepted, under an impoflibility of pardon and falvation ; that pardon and falvation being to be obtained only by them to vvhcr-n the 90 Extent of Chrifis Redemption. benefit of Child's death Belongs. It therefore leaves all oili- er men under an impoilibility of believing, repenting and o- beying the gofpel ; for thcfe being the conditions of the new covenant, eftablifhed in his blood, they who are in a capacity of performing thefe conditions, mud be in a capacity of en- joying, the benefits of that covenant, and fo of having an in- tereft in his death ; and therefore they who can have no in- tered in his death, can be in no capacity of performing the conditions of that covenant. dly. It follows hence that it cannot be the duty of any, befides the ele&, to believe in Chrift, or in his blood died for the remiffion of fins, or to blefe God for fending his fon into the world ^ for this no man- can reasonably do, becaufe Chrid ? s biood was fufficicnt to procure his pardon, had it been intended for that end ; but becaufe it actually was defigned for that end. Remove this fuppofjtion, and to fay Child's death was fufficient for their pardon and fah'ation, is only to fay Chrid could have procured their falvation if he would ; but he would not, or God was not willing that he fhould ; and who can blefs him upon that account ? ^thly. Hence it is evident that all who are not elefted cannot believe in a Savior that died for them, but only in one whofe death would have been fufficient to procure their pardon, had it been intended for that end, as it was not ; and what comfort can this adminifler to any ? Surely no more comfort than it would yield to a condemned malefactor to know his prince could have pardoned him, but he would not. Nor, zdly. Can I approve of their doclrine who fay, Chrijl died Jo far for all as to procure for them pardon and Jalvation if- they zuill believe and repent ; but that he died moreover to procure for the elecl faith and repentance. Tor (\Ji) there i& no ground at -all in fcripture for this didinclion for that faith often that Chrid died for the world ; for all ; for every, man ; but never faith he died for one part 1 of mankind more than for another. 2 dly. They who make this didinclion positively affert, that none can repent and believe for whom Chrid died not to procure faith and repentance ; feeing then the effecl: of our Lord's falutary paflion is already pad, and that he died not to procure for any, can never be obtained ; if Chrid died only to procure faith and repentance for the e- Jeft, the red can never have them ;. and fo this is as much as to fay Chrid never died for them at all. Wherefore to force thefe men to come over to us, or to lay afi.de thefe vain pre- tences, and mere difguifes of their real fentiments, 1. demand, 3f Peter ? Was it not equally made after God's image ? Did it come out of his hands mare unworthy of mercy than the foul ot Peter ? Were not both born in equal ci re um fiances as to God's favor, in equal need of a favior, and equally capable ot redemption ? Why therefore, antecedently to any good or 92 Extent of Chrifl' s Redemption. evil they had done, mould this Savior die more, or rather for the one, than for the other ? ' adfy. When we hy'Chrift died for all, we do not mean .that he died foi all, or any abfotuttly, or without any conditions to be performed oil their part tointereft tlienrirrthe bleffings ot his paflion ; 'but only that he died for all conditionally, or fo as that they liquid be made partakers of the' bleffings of his fal- utary pafliott upon condition of their faith, repentance and fmcere obedience to the laws of the new-covenant ; to all fuch he hath promifed theyfhall never perifli. Thefe are the means he hath appointed to prevent their ruin, and render them par- takers of that pardon and falvatiun which he hath purchafed by his precious blood ; and he that wills that they Ihould ufe the means by him appointed for thefe ends, :can- never be un- willing they fbould obtain thefe ends. And as he died for all conditionally, fo is it certain that he died for none otherwife^ 2. e. he died not with intention to confer the bleffings of his falutary paflion on any but true believers, true penitents, and fuch as would obey^the laws of his new covenant; it being jmpofFible in the nature of 'the thing, that he fhould die to fave the unbeliever, i. e. the perfon who will. not own him as his Savior, or to reconcile God to the impenitent and the un- believer, i. e. to them who ftill continue in their fins, and their rebellions again ft God ; to deny this is to fay, he died to confer the bleffings of his falutary paflion on the unbeliever, the impenitent and difobedient, : when ol the fir ft he faith, (a) he'Jliall not fee life., but is condemned already ; of the impen- itent, that (b) he Jliall furely penJJi ; and (c) he. will come in Jlaming fire, to take vengeance of all that obey not his g of-, pel. And therefore, %dly. When we fay Chrift died for all, we do not mean that he hath purchafed aftual pardon, or reconciliation, or life for all ; this being in effect to fay, that he procured an aftual remiflion of fins to unbelievers, and actually reconcil- ed God to the impenitent and difobedient ; which is impoili- ble. For what Chrifl hath actually purchafed for all, ali may juftly claim, and God cannot equitably deny them ; whereas he both can, and will deny pardon to the unbeliever, and never will, or can be reconciled to the impenitent and difo- bedient, whilft they continue fo to be. He only by his death Lath put all men in a capacity of being ju (lined and pardoned, and fo of being reconciled to, and having peace with God, upon their turning to God, and having faith in our Lord Jefus Chrifl ; the death of Chrift having rendered it confiilent with the juftice and the wifdom of God, with the honor of his faj John iii. j8, 36. (b) Luke xiii. 3, 5. (c) 2 TheflT. i.^8. Extent of Chrift's Redemption. 93 majefly, and with the ends of government, to pardon the pen- itent believer. Hence the apojlles were fent both to Jew and Gentile, (d) to preach repentance, towards God, and faith in our Lord Jefus Chrijl ; (e.) that -they might receive reimjjion of 'fins, and an inheritance among tkofe that are fanciified through faith in him. To iliuftiate this by a plain fimili- -, , . *' r rv ; ' i r r ; r , 1 "i i 1 1 1 _ _ fl luroijigu LUC uuciccuiuij ut iiis uciuvcu iun, uiuujiit paimjn to as many of them as would profefs a forjrow for their guilt, afk pardon in his foil's name, and prbmife to he obedient fub- jc6|s for the future : Would this procure an actual pardon to any of them, till they had performed thefe conditions ? Or would it ever do it for them who wilfully refufed, or even neglecled to perform them ? So here Chrijl by his death, ob- tained of his Jathc.r a .new covenant, in- which he promifes to pardon and be reconciled to all upon their faith and repent- ance, and falvation upon their perfeverance in well doing : But he bath not, by his death, procured an aclual pardon, reconciliation, or falvation to any who have not performed thefe conditions ; nor can they lay any jufl claim unto them by virtue of Chrift's dying for them. And yet upon this grofs miftake are founded many of the arguments produced by the Synod oj Dort> againft this general extent of our Lord's death, and fo they need no farther an fwer. And lajily, They who fay that Chrift, by offering up him- fe.lf to the dcalh, procured to the elect at leaft not only re- mi (lion, but. titjo jaith and repentance,, feem to me to talk as men ignorant of the nature of Chr'-JI, of the nature of a cove- nant, of the proper eficl of facrifices, and alib of the nature of faith and repentance. i/L As men ignorant of the nature of Chrijl ; for what need had Chnjl to purchafo the faith and repentance of his e- |cft of his jaihzr, feeing he could not want po\ver fuilicieiu over the hearts of men to work faith an jnce in them ; nor could he, who had the greatell love to tiierii, want will to do it. 2.dly. Of the nature of a covenant, which is a mutual (lip. ulation, requiring fomething to be done by one party, that lie may receive fomething irorn another ; and therefore to make Chrijl procure both the promife and the condition, by the fame acl and paffion, is to turn the conditional covenant into one that is abfolute : For what is procured already for me, God is in equity bound to give me without my doing any- thing to procure it ; fince othcrwifc it can be only procured (d) Aa.s xx, 21. (e) A&s xxvi. 18. 94 Extent of Chrijl's Redemption. upon condition that I do fomething to obtain it, and fo is not procured for me, if I neglecl to perform that condition. 3J O W this affertion, thus explained, ^ath this great advantage above the contrary doctrine, which K- ftrains the intended benefit of our Savior's palTion to the e- lect ; that whereas there is not one word in the Jcrifture de- claring that our Lord died only for a few, or intimating that he died for the elel only, the fcriptures are very many, clear and exprefs, which teach, that (J) God would have all men l.s be faved ; and that he is (g) the. Javior of all men ; beinjr (h) long fujfering towards them ; becaufe he is :>u>t wilii-f;; any Jhould periJJi, but that all fnould come unto rtfeni .:. and by repentance to falvation ; that (i) the fi God hath appeared to all 71101 ; teaching thcir^ dtnyi-nv c ffj rTim. ii. 4< fgj i Tim. iv. 10. <--( h } 2 Pet. ; : i ; 3 -- .'<'.' Tit, ii. T2, 14, 96 Extent of Chrift's Redemption. goiilinefs and worldly lujls, to live rightcoujly, foberl\, am godly in tins prefent world ; expecting the blejjtd hope am glorious appearing of the great God, and our Savior Jtju Chrijl, who gave himfdf Jor us ; that (k) as by the offence ant, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, jo by th righteoufncjs of one, the free gift came upon all ?nen to jujhfi cation of life; that (I) if he died Jor alt, then were all dead and that he d:ed for all, that they who lived might not live t, the?n /elves, but to him that died for them; that (m) he gav mm I elf a ranjom for all, and (n) by the grace of God taJU( death for every man ; in all which words this dofctrine is con taincd in exprefs terms. Now it is the doftrine of all Pro tejtants, that the fcriptures are clear and eafy to be under flood in all things necefiary to be believed ; and yet if al thefe places do not confirm this doctrine, there is no reafor fo to fay, or think ; there being not many articles of chriftiai faith that are more clearly or exprefsly taught mfcripture. Moreover, according to that limitation which forne mei put upon thefe words, viz. God will have all men to be faved ; Chrijl 'died for all, becaitfe Chrift died Jor fome oj all ranks and nations ; and God is willing fome of all kindred ana people (hould be faved ; it may more truly and properly be faid, i/?. That God would have all men to be damned ; becaufe according to their doftrine, he hath already pafled an at of pre teritionjon the greateft part of men, which rendereth their dam. nation unavoidable. And idly. That Chrijl died for none, fine* they for whom he died, according to their doclrine, are none comparatively to that greater number for whom they fay he dice not. At leafl it might be reafonably expefted that it fhoulc have been fomewhere faid by way of caution, or once affirmed 10 prevent miltakes in matters of this moment, that Chrill died not for all ; whereas the Holy Ghojl neither in terms noi Jubilance hath ever ufed any expreffion of this import in the holy fcripture ; and therefore, we may rationally prefume, that he approved not the do&rine which makes them proper and almoft necelTary to be ufed. Obj. It is faid indeed that Chrift (o). gave his lije a ran- Join for many ; that he Jlied his blood for many, Jor the re- mijjion of fins. (p) That as by the dij obedience of one man many were made finners ; jo by the obedience of one JJiali many be made righteous. (q) And that Chrift was once of- Je.re.d to take away the fins of many. Anfw. But that there is no i n con fi lien ce betwixt dying for many and for all, is evident from this confederation, that even fttj Rom. v. 16, 17. (1) 2 Cor. v. 15. (m) iJTim. ii. 6. (n) Heh. ii. 9. (o) Maith. xx, 28, xxvi, 28, fpj Rom, v. 19* . ix. 28. Extent of Chrift' s Redemption^ 97 in the fame chapter, the apoftle faith, That by one fin of Adam many died, Rom. v. i. And all died, Ver. 12. Many wers made finners, Ver. 19. And all finned, Ver. 12. And that by the. obeditnct of one Jhall many be ?nade righteous, ixjo&'/;- covrai, fhall be juftified, Ver. 19. And that by the righteouf- nefs of one, the free gift came upon all men to j unification of life, Ver. 18. That in the fame epiftle, in which it is faid., (r) Chrift bore the Jins of many ; it is exprefsly faid, he, tajl- ed death for every man. That the fame fcripture which faith, (f) Chriji gave his life a ranfom for many ; fays alfo, that (t) he gave himfdf a ranfom for all. And laflly, that he who faid, (u) this is my blood jhed for many, for the rt- miffion of fins ; faid alfo, for that very reafon, (o) drink ye all of it ; for it was fhed (w) jor you for the rtmijfion of Jins. Since therefore all men certainly are many, though many are not neceffarily all, fmce what is in fome few places faid of many, is not only in more, but in the fame places faid of all ; it is certain that Chrift cannot be faid to die for many exclu- fively of all, which only is to fay he died for many in oppo- fition to our aflertion, but only that he died for many in a fenfe confiftent with his dying for all men, and therefore in a fenfe agreeable to our affertion. And as the words of the Prophet Darnel, that many JJiall drift from the. dead, do not contradict the truth of thofe manifold affertions of the New Teftament, that all men Jhall ar if e; and the words of the a that in Adam many died, and many were made Jinners ; not thwart the words of the fame apojlle, faying in the fame place, that in Adam all men died and were made fmners ; fo neither can thofe words, Chriji died Jor ?nany> contradict the truth oi thofe more numerous expreffions, that he died for all. zdly. I anfwer that, as when the kindnefs defigned by Chrift's death to all upon the conditions of the gofpel is ex- preifed, it is faid, Chrift died for all ; fo when the effecl: and benefit of it is expreffed, the word many is mod proper ; for his blood (lied procures rerniffion of fins only to penitent believ- ers, and in this fenfe Chrift gave his life a ranfom only far many, even for as many as would believe and obey his gofpel. Objection s. Chrift is faid to lay down his \\fefot hisffieep, John x. i$>for his friends, who do his commandments, John xv. 13, 14. for his church, Eph. ii. 26. But all are not his Jheep, all are not of his church, all do not (hew'themfelves hid friends by their obedience ; therefore he died not for alh (r) Heb. ix. 28, 29. (f) Matth. xx;28. (t) i Tim. ii- 6. ~zM Matth. xxvi. 27, 2 8. (,' Mat xviii, (xj Kom. v. 18. Extent of Chrifl' s Redemption. gg Chrifl reconciling the whole world to himfelf. Now to affert that many in the firft claufe, refpefting the fruit of Adam's (in, fignifies truly irteny ; and in the fecond, refpefting the fruit of Chrift's rightcoufnefs, but a few ; that all men in the firft claufe is to be taken in the utmoft latitude, as of neceffi- ty it mufl be, all men whatfoever lying under condemnation by reafon of the fm of Adam ; but the lame word in the latter claufe of the fame verfe, doth only fignify all the cleft, which are comparatively but a few, feems neither agreeable to reafon, nor to the fcope of the apoJIU ; who before had faid, (a) that all mtn had finned, and fallen JJwrt of the glory of God, being juftified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jtfus ChriJL And hence arifeth a fecond obfervation for confirmation of the fenfe we plead for, viz. that the apoftU is here comparing the effects of fin as to condemnation, with the e fie 61 of the grace of God as to our juftification, or to our freedom from condemnation, faying (b) that as by fin the judgment came upon all men to condemnation ; fo by the right- eouj'nefs of one, the grace of God came upon all nun to jujiiji- cation of lift : that as fin reigned unto death, Jo grace might reign by j unification to eternal life through Jtfus Chrifl our Lord. Now the grace of this comparifon is wholly loft, if fin reigned over all men without exception to death and con- demnation, but grace reigned only over a few to procure for them the means of juftification to life through Jc/us Chrift / but if the comparifon be of things equal as to extent, Gkrijl muft have died for the juftification of ali men. SECTION III. zt/fy. When the apq/ile farther adds (c) tie love of Chrift conft rains us (thus to perfuadc men to believe in Chrift, and live to him] beeauje we thus judge, that if (or (dj fence} one died j or all, then were all dead ; the words ali were dead, muft certainly be taken in their greateft latitude ; wherefore the words preceding, if or fince Chrifl died Jor ali',, Irom which they are an inference, ought alfo to be taken i*> che fame extent. When he goes on to fay, he died for all, that they who live might not henceforth live to themfelves, but to him that died for them ; this fiire muft be the duty of all chriftians in particular (unlefs there be any chriftians not o- bliged to live to Chrift, but rather at liberty to live to thcm- felves) and fo that death which is the motive to it, muft be in- tended for them all. To fay here that Chrift died for fome pnly of all nations, Jeius and Gentiles, is to exempt all others fa) Rom. iii. 23, 24- ~(b) Rom. v. 18,21. (c) i Cor. v. 15, (d)This Hebrew OK// tranJJated fince, Jer. xxiii. 38. Kz--k. xxxv. 6. and the Greek probably fo fignlfies A6ts lv. 9. Rom. viii. ^r. and here \ for from afuppofition of that ivbicb is not, no jucb inference can tr made. ioo Extent of Chrifis Redemption. of thofe nations from living to Chrift upon this account ; and to fay he died for all the eleft, that they of them who live might not live to themfelves, is to fuppofe that fome of the ekcl: rnigjit live not to Chrift but to themfelves ; which can- not truly be imagined of the elecl; of God. Moreover he de- clares that the fenfe of this love of Chrift prevailed upon them to perfuade men to believe in him ; now this perfuafion they nfed to every man to whom they preached, and therefore they perfuaded all men to believe that Chrift died for them ; for fej we, faith he, preach this Chrift who is to you, Gentiles, the hope of glory ; admomjking itanva. v9^w7rov, every man, and teaching every, man in all wijdom, that we may prejent every man perfel in Chrijl Jefus. See another falfe interpretation of thefe words confuted, note on 2 Cor. v. 15. SECTION IV. %dly. When the apoftle faith, (f) I exhort therefore (in purfuance of the defign of Chrift's coming to fave fmners, Chap. i. i.) firft, t/iat /applications and pray- ers and inter cefjions, and giving of thanks be. made for all men (particularly) for kings and all that are in authority , &c. he in uft exhort them not only to pray for fome men, fome kings, and fome in authority in all nations j for then we could not know how to obferve this precept, becaufe we could not know what men or rulers we were to pray for, and whatnot. When, then he adds by way of reafon,ybr this is good and acceptable. in the fight of God, who will have all men to be faved ; this reafon why we are to pray for all men in general, and for all rulers in particular, muft either be a falfe and unconcluding reafon, or muft import thus much.: He would have all men, and all rulers to be faved, whom he would have uj pray for. Now the doclrine and practice of the whole chriftian world attefts that they were all men, and rulers in particular, as we learn from the exprefs teftimonies of (gj Profper, and of the author (h) Vacation* Gentium. Moreover that God would have all men to be faved the apoftle proves, (e } Col. i. 27, ig. (f) i Tim- if. i. (g) Sinceriffime credendum atquc profitendum eft, Deum vellc, i;t nines homines faivi fiant, (iquidem Apoftolus. cujus ilia fententia eft, folicitiffimc praccipif, quod in omnibus Ecclefiis piiffime cuftoditur, ut ]">co pro omnibus hominibus fupplicetur. Prosp. Resp. ad Qbjeft. 2 rinccnt. Frnecepit Apoftolus, immo per Apo'tolum. (h) Dominus vult fieri pbfecrationes, et poftulationes, et gratiarun^ acliones pro omnibus hominibus, pro Regibus, et pro his qui in fubli- mitate funt : Q^iam legem fupplicationis, ita omnium iacerdotum, et omnium ficJcluua devotio concorditcr tenst ut nuila pars mundi fit in qua hujufmodi orationes non celebrentur a populis ChriHianis. Suppli- tat ergo iibique Eccle.'ia Deo non folum pro fanftis, et Chriiio jam re- generatis, fed etiam pro omnibus inlidelibus, et inimicis crucis Ch:i(vi, Src de Focat. Gtx/. 1. i, c, 4. Extent of Chrijl' s Redemption, 101 i/?. Bccaufe he is the God of all, the common Father and Creator of all men, Ver. 4. Eph. iv. 6. Now thus he is the God of all men in particular, and fo this argument muft (hew he would have all men in particular to be faved. And as the apojlle argues for God's readinefs to juftify the Gentiles by faith, as freely as the jews by afking (i) Is he the God of the Jews only ? Is he not alfo^of the Gentiles ? And by aniwer- ing that there is, as to this no difference betwixt them; the fame God being rich unto all that call upon him ; for whofo- everjliall call upon the name of the Laid Jiiatl be faved; fo may we argue in this cafe by a like inquiry, /; he the God of a /mall remnant of the Jews and Gentiles only? Is he not the Savior of them all ? Chap. iv. 10. Qf/ly. He would have all men to be faved, faith the apojlle : for there is one mediator betwixt God and man, the man Chrijl Jtfiis, who gave him/elf a ranfom for all. Now if the argu- ment from one God was defigned to prove he was the God of all men in particular, as hath been mewed already, the argu- ment from one mediator muft alfo prove Chrift the mediator of all men in particular, and confequently that he gave him* felf a ranfom for all men in particular. Hence is he fo em* phatically fly led, the man Chrift Jefus, to intimate to us, that having taken upon himfelf the nature common to us all to fit him for this office, he muft defign it for the good of all who were partakers of that nature ; for as he was a man, he furely was endued with the beft of human affe&ions, univerfal char- ity, which would excite him to promote the welfare or all ; as he was a man, he was fubjc& to the common law of human- ity ; which obliges us to endeavor the common benefit of men ; and that good will which he requires us to bear to all men in- differently good and bad, friends and enemies, he queftionlefs did bear himfelf in the higheft degree, and to the utmoft extent, and therefore doubtlefs in his fufferings for men, which are acknowledged to be fufficient for all, he had regard to the good of ail. SECTION V. -^M/y, When the fame apofHe faith, (j) the faving grace of God hath appeared (o all men, teaching them, denying ungodhnefs and worldly lujls, to live righteoufly, and foberiy, and godly in this prcfmt world, c'cc. he plainly feem- eth to ftrengthen this aflertion ; for here it is obfervable, ifl. That the grace here mentioned,, is the grace of God, e- ven of that God who (k) /pared not his Son, but freely gave him up for its. zdly. That it is flyled, % yrdfis -// awenptasi Jin- ing grace ; as being apt in its nature, and by the God of ail grace defigned for the falvation of them for whom it was fij Rom. Hi. 30.- (j) Tit. ii, rr, n.~(kj Rom. viii. 32. 1O2 Extent of Chrift's Redemption. vouchfafed. $dty. This grace, faith the apoftle, hath appear- ed to all men ; and if the apoflles did in their preaching ten- cler it to all without exception, they either tendered it to them to whom by God's intention it did not belong, and fo exceed- ed their commiffion ; or elfe it did belong to all men; and fmce it only could belong to them by virtue of Chrift's paf- fion, it follows that the benefit of his paflion mud belong to ail. ^thly. This grace appeared to all men to teach them, de- nying all ungodlinefs and worldly lu/ls, to live righteoujly, fo- berly and godly in this prefent world ; and therefore to teach them that which will molt certainly conduce to their falva- tion, fmce all who learn this lefTon will undoubtedly be faved, and that by virtue of our Lord's falutary paflion ; fmce, as it follows, they may expect the bkjfed hope, and glorious appear- ance of our Lord Jejus Chrijl, who gave him/elf for them. In a word, either all men are obliged on the account of this grace of God, and thefe fufferings 01 Chrift for them, to deny un- godlinefs, &c. and to live righteoufly, foberly and godly in this prefent world ; and then this grace, and thefe fufferings muft be intended ior their falvation ; or it muft be faid, that there are fome, yea, the greateft part of chriftians\ who are not on the account of this grace appearing to them, or of thefe fufferings obliged to the performance of thefe duties. SECTION VI. thly. When the fame apoftle informs us that Chrift was (1) made a little lower than the angels, for the /ujfering of death, that he by the grace of God, might tafie death jor every man ; he clearly doth exprefs the fame aifer- tion ; for here is no reftraint at all, nor any feeming limita- tion of that comprehenfive phrafe, he tajled death Trspl Travroy, for every man, diftributively taken (for diclum de omni, fay the logicians, diftributes the fubjeft.) But there is foraethiftg which doth feem to ftrengthen the general intendment of the phrafe ; for this is faid to magnify the grace of God in fend- ing his fon to die for man : Now fure the grace of God will he more magnified by this general extent of our Savior's death, than by contracting the intendment of it to a few; for if the grace of God be great in fending his fon to die for a few chof- en perfons, it mult be greater in fending him to die for many, and greater ftill in giving him up to die for us all ; and this would be more fenfibly perceived by all men, were it their own cafe ; for were they in the number of condemned rebels by their Prince, who only mould afford an aft of grace and in- demnity to others, but leave them under condemnation, they would aflu redly conceive his grace and favor would be greater, were it extended to them alfo, and would not think his grace fVHeb. ii.g. Extent of Chrijl's Redemption*, w'as magnified the more for being fo discriminating, as to ex- clude them from any (hare or portion in it. SECTION VII. 6thly. The apoftk St. Peter faith, (m) God is long/offering to ufward, not being willing that any Jliould pznjh, but that all Jhould come, to repentance ; pwj /3- XoptEvof Ti\ot$ GtTtoXioQxi, aXXa Trdvrocs els (j.cTavoiav "XjUpyatzi. Now rlvsf thus oppofed to ir&jres is a diftributive of all, and therefore fignifies God is not willing that any one of the whole rank of men mould perilh. Moreover, when it is faid, God would have all men come to repentance, it is certain that this will refers to all to whom the preaching ofthegofpe! isvouch- fafed, yea to all whom in the times oj ignorance, God winked at ; for fo the fcripture fpeaketh, faying, (n) the times of ig- norance God winked at, but, now he commandeth all men every where to repent. When therefore it is faid, he is not willing any one fhould periih, but come to repentance, he mud be fuppofed at lead to mean, he would have no man perifh to whom the gofpel is vouchfafed. To fay with Eftius, by way of anfwer to this argument, Argument*. "God would have none to perifii, becaufe he gives to all fome general means of converfion to God, though they be not fufficient to that end without thofe fpecial aids he will not give them ;" is to delude us with vain words. Reply. For it is felfevident, that he who wills not the means neceffary to bring them to repentance, wills not that they fhould come to repentance ; and that he who determines to withhold the means, which being withheld, they muft perifh, wills they mould perifh. Argument 2. When he faith thefe general words are to be reftramed to the cleft, and only fignify God would not that any of them mould perifh, becaufe the apojlle in his firft epif- tie writes to the eleEl. Reply i. I anfwer \ft. That the apojlle by the elecl doth not here mean men absolutely defigned for eternal happinefs, but only men profefling chriftianity, or fuch as were vifible members of the church of Chrift, as will be evident from thefe confiderations ; jy?, That he calls upon them to (o) make their calling and eleilion fure, that they may not fall (from it ;) for faith he, if ye do thefe things ye Jkatl never fall; plainly de- claring that the making their ele6tion fure depended on their (fj adding to their Jaith, virtue, knowledge, temperence, pa* tience, brotherly kindnefs, charity ; and fo was only a condi- tional election upon their perfeverance in a life of holinefs, adly. He exhorts them to (qj be fober and vigilant > becaufe. (m) 2 Pet. iii. 9. (n) Aft? xvii, 30, (o) i Pet. 1.30. (p) Ver. 5, 6, 7. fyj i Pet, v. &. Extent of ChrijTs Redemption: the error of their adverfary the devil goes about fee king whom he may vour ; and to (r) beware lejl being led away by the wickedihcyjkould fall from their ownfleadjaftnefs ; where- as it cannot be fuppofed of perfons thus absolutely elected to falvation, that they ihould be devoured by Satan, or fall from their fteadfaftnefs. Yea, d!y. He not only fpeaks of fome of them who had (f) forjaken the right way, and turned with the dog to his vomit ; but alfo prophefies, that thojefalfe teachers who brought in damnable doctrines, even denying the Lord that bought them, fnould make merchandize oj Jo ?ne of them, which they could richer do of perfons abfolutely ele&ed to falvation. qt-kty. The apoftk affirmeth the fame thing of tha whole church of Rabyhn, faying, (t) the church which is at Babylon ffvte&gikW, elected together with you, faluteth you. Now that all the members, either of the eaftern or the weftern Babylon, were chofen out of the world to the profeflion of chri/lianity, he who was with them could not be ignorant ; but that they all were abfolutely elected to falvation, was more than he could know, and therefore more than he would fay. Reply 2 2 My. Though both this and the former epiftle were written to them who were ele&ed through fanclifi cation to obedience, and to them who had obtained precious faith, and fo to them who were already corne unto repentance ; thefe words cannot refpecc the fame perfons, becaufe they fpeak of perfons to whom God exercifed longfujfering, that they might come to repentance, and might not perijh under their prelent want of it ; and fo they are directed to the unconverted Jews, to whom St. Paul fpeaks thus, (u) dejpifejl thou the riches of the goodntfs, patience and longfujferuig of God, not knowing that the goodnefs of God leadeth thee to repentance ? And to whom this apojlle fpeaketh, Ver. 15. faying, count the longfuf- fering of our Lord falvation. Now fure, it is not reafon'able to conceive thofe ^ews, who lay then under a fpirit ot {lum- ber, were abfolutely 'chofen to falvation. (r) 2 Pet. iii. 17.- (f) ^ Pet, ii. 3, 15, 22. -(t) i Pet. v, 13, (u) Rom. ii. 4, of Chrifl 9 s Redemption. CHAPTER It SECTION 1 A SECOND general argument for this extent of our Lord's falutary paffion, arifes from thofe fcrip- tures which reprefent him as the Savior of the whole world as when the Baptifl ftyles him, (a) the Lamb of God that taketh away the fins of the world ; whert the Samaritans fay, (b) we have heard, and know this is the Chrifl, the Savior of the world i when he himfelf faith, fcj he is the bread of God which came down from heaven, and giveth life to the world ; and that this bread is his flefh which he wili give for the life of the world ; when St. John faith, (d) we have Jeen and do tejlijy, that God hath fent his f on to be the Savior of the world. If all thefe general expreflions feem not fo fully to confirm this truth, it is done beyond exception by thofe texts which fay, fej fo God loved the world, that he fent his only begotten fon into the world, that whofoever believeth in him might not perijh, but have tverlajling life i for God fent not his Jon intd the world to condemn the world, but that the world by him might be faved ; and introduce Chrift making this declara- tion, (f) I came not to condemn the world, but that I might fave the world ; and by the apoftle Paul, faying, (g) God was in Chrifl reconciling the world unto himfelf, not imputing to them their fins : And laflly, by St. John, faying to believers, of this advocate with the father J^fus Chrifl the rigkteouSt that (h) he is the propitiation not only for our Jtns, but for the Jins of the whole world. Now in the general obferve, tfl. That all thefe places, fave one, are cited from the" writings.of St. John, and fo the fenfe which the world bear- eth in St. Johns gofpel and epiftles, mufl be efleemed in rea- fon the proper import of the word. Now this term occurs a^moft a hundred times in St. John's writings, twice fignify- ing the multitude, and frequently the habitable world, in which laft fenfe it is certain that Chiift died not fgr it ; but moftly the men of the world, and then it fignifies, i. That world which knew not Chrifl, John i. 10. and would not know his fervants. i John iii i, fa) John i. 29 . (B) John iv. 41. (c ) Chap. vi. 33, 51. * John iv. 14. (e) John iii. i5, 17. (f) Chap. xii. 47. / Car. v. i$*-~~-(h) z Johnii. *. 106 Extent of Chriji 1 s Redemption, 2. That world which hated the apojlles, John xv. 18, igr. and would afflict them, John xvi. 33. xvii. 14. and good men. 1 John iii. ig. 3. That world of which the wicked Jews were a part, Ch, viii. 23. i Johri iv. 5. of which Safari was the Prince, Ch. xii. gi. xiv. 30. xvi. 11. which was to be judged and con- vinced by the Holy Ghojl, John xii. 31. xvi 8. and of which Chriji and his apojlles were no part. Ch. viii. 23. xv. 19. xvii. 16. that world which lies in wickcdnefs, i John v. 19. and which cannot receive the fpifit, Ch. xiv. 17. And yet, 4. That world of which Chriji was the light, Cb. iii. ip, ix. 3. xii. 46. and which he prayed might believe thofe apof- tles he was lending to them, and might know him to be the Prophet and Msjfiak lent by God, Ch. xvii. 21, 23. Now when the world is fo conflantly ufed in the ill fenfe, in all thofe other places where it figniftes the men of the world, can it be reasonably thought, that in all thefe places it mould fignify the dett, chat is, men that are not of the world, but called out of it j that when elfewhere it fignifies fo oft the fervants of Satan, the enemies of Chriji and chriflians, the wicked of the world, and men imcapable of receiving the fpirit, it mould in all the places mentioned in this argument jjgnify the fervants of Chriji, the true lovers of Chriji and chrijlians, and thofe in whom the fpirit dwells ? Seeing then the whole world is divided into good and bad men, and it is on all hands granted, that Chriji died for good men, and here fo often faid that he died alfo for that world which ilands in oppofitson to them j is it not reafonable to conclude hence, that he died both for the evil and the good ? Obj< But doth not Chriji fay, (i) I pray not for the world, but Jo r thern that thou haft given me out of the. world; and would he die for them, for whom he would not pray ? Anfw. This objection is contrary both to reafon and the holy Jcripture : To reafon, for can it rationally be imagined, that he who was perfect in charity, mould be wanting in this higheft act of charity ? That the beloved fon of GoJ fhould charge this on us as our duty to pray for our enemies, that we may be the Jons of our heavenly father, and he himfelf neglect to do it ? Moreover, how often doth he fay of the Jews, ye are of the world, and of his apojlles chofen out of them, that they were chofen out oj the world ? And yet he faith to tnem, E! frowr, (k) how do I wijh that thou had/I known in this thy day, the things which do belong to thy peace ! And hanging on the crofs he laid (I) Father forgive thcm t they know not what they do t Thus did he make intercejjion (ij John xfrii. 9, (k) Luke xix. 43. (I) Luke xxii. 34, Extent of Chrijl's Redemption. 107 for the tranfgrejfors, Ifa. liii. 12. Now this prayer and in- terc' (lion tor them implies the poflibility of their receiving forgivenefs, and fuch a pofTibility cloth prefuppofe in God a difpofnion to grant it, and confequently a fatisfaftion provid- ed ; fuch as God will accept, and fuch as will avail to their benefit, provided they do their parts towards the obtainment of it. sdfy. Our Lord fays not this absolutely, but only inrefpect to tha very prayer he was then offering up for his apoftles, Ver, 12. in which he was afking thofe things which could a- gree to them alone, or to thofe who were given him out of the world, viz. that they might be confecrated to their apoflolical function by that fpirit which the world could not receive, that heir joy from his prefence with them might be full ; nor is there any thing in this whole prayer which is not proper to believers only, i. e. to perfons called out of the world. And, dy t This very prayer for them, and other apoflolical preachers of the word, was made for the fake of the world, and with refpeft to their faving faith, i. e. that the world TV glit believe and know that the father had fent him, Ver. 23. f ) tiiat Ckriji prayed for his apojiles for this very end, that the world by their means might believe, and believing might have life through his name ; It is therefore plain he made this very prayer, in which he faith, I pray not for the world, out of that affection to the world, and with defign that the preaching of the apojiles to them might be more effectual far their conversion and falvation. SECTION II. A fecond general confideration, mewing the abfufdity of retraining this word to the cleft, is this ; that if the world in all thefe places, were to be reftrained to fome few people, fome little remnant of the world alone, it might with greater truth and reafon have been faid, that God Jo hated, or cafl off the world, that he fent not his Jon to fave the world, but to 'condemn it ; for if thofe he intended to fave by fending his fon, be but a little remnant in comparifon of thofe to whom he intended no fuch benefk by his Ion's ad- vent, the reafon for aliening that he was fent into the world to fave it, is very little, when compared to the reafon to afTert he was not fent into the world for fuch an end. If his com- ing into the world with light, and with a tender of falvatioii to them, is the condemnation of the unbelieving and the wicked world, and God intended abfolutely to with- hold that grace which could alone enable the greateft part of the world to embrace that tender, or walk according to that light, it feems more reafonable to fay, God fent not his foa into the world to fave it, -but that the world through hiru io8 Extent of Chrift's Redemption. jnight be condemned. To proceed to the particular confider- ation of the places cited : SECTION III. ift. When our Savior faith, that (m) as Mofes lifted up the Jerpent in the wilder nefs, Jo mujl the fon of man he lifted up t (upon the crofs) that whofoevtr believetk in him fliould not perijh but have everlajling lije ; doth not the fimilitude feem plainly to require, that as the brazen fer- pent in the wildernefs was lifted up to preferve all the Jews iiung with ferpents from perifhing, fo was Chriji lifted up to preferve all men by looking up to him, lifted up upon the crofs, from perilhing by the (ling of the Old Serpent ? Efpecially when he goes on to fay, by way of reafon, (n} for God fo loved the world that he gave (up) his 'only 'begotten fon (to the death) that whofoever bdieveth in him Jliould not perifli, but have everlajling life ; For God fent not hisfoji into the world to condtmn the world, but that the world through him ?night be javed. For let it be obferved, i. That of this world fo beloved of God, fome would not believe, and therefore would perifh, is here fuppoied in our Savior's words, which yet cannot be fuppofed of the world of the elect ; he therefore could not mean, that he was fent into the world that whofoever of his elect would believe in him mould not perifh. Moreover, the world which Chriji was fent to fav'e is, in the following words, divided into be- lievers and unbelievers ; for thus they run, he (of this world) who believeth in him is not condemned, but he that bdievetk not is condemned already ; which muft be falfe if you reftrain this world to fuch elect as cannot peri{h } but will afluredly be- lieve to life eternal. repent and be converted that their Jins might be blotted out ; (y) to believe in Chrijl that they might be jujlified, i. e. abfolved from the guilt of fin ; (z) to repent and turn to tht Lord that they might receive remij/Jion of Jins. 2.dly, Becaufe they in purfuance of this commiffion entreated all to whom they preached to be reconciled to God ; which being only to be done through faith in Chrijl, they muft entreat them to be- (t) i Toha iv. 14. (u) i John iii. 13. (i)) 2 Cor. v. 19.* (*) A6ts ii. 38. --(xj Afts "iji, 19, (y) A&s xiii. 38, 39.^ C*J Acts xxvi. 1 8, jo. 112 Extent of Chrift' s Redemption. lieve in him that they might be juftified, i. e. obtain reconcil- iation through his blood fhed for the remiflion of fins ; and this the apqftlc's reafon {hews, viz. (a)wepray yoube you rec- cnciled to God, vrsp %pi^, by Chrift ; for he hath made him (a facrifice for) Jin for us that we. might be made the righteouf- fiefs of God (i. e. might by God be accounted righteous through faith) in him. This being fo, they who were fent to (b) preach the go/pel to every human creature, and in purfu- ance of this commiffion (c) warned every man, and taught every man, in ail wifdom, that they might preftnt every man ferfecl in Chrift Jejus* praying all men to be reconciled to God through "Chrifl> becaufe he had made Chrift a facrifice for their fins, &c. they, I fay, who preached thus, and yet did not exceed their commiflion, muft believe that God was ready to be reconciled to every man through Chrift ; and therefore that his facrifice was offered to procure reconciliation for all mankind. As therefore Chrifl is flyled the lamb of God that taketh away the fins of the world, and faid to be the propitia- tion for the fins of the whole world, not by aclually removing the guilt of all men, or rendering God aclually reconciled to them, but by dying to procure thefe bleflings for all that would believe in him ; fo God is faid to be in Chrifl recon- ciling the world to himjelf, &c. not becaufe he aclually did fo, but becaufe by thefe ambafladors he offered reconciliation and remiffion of fins through faith in Chrifl to all that would believe in him. CHAPTER III. jf\. THIRD head of arguments, to confirm the generality of Chrifl' s redemption, arifeth from thofe places which either exprefsly fay, or by plain confequence affert, Chrifl died for them that perifh ; for hence the argument runs thus : SECTION I. If Chrifl died for them that perifh, and for them that do not perifh, he died for all ; but Chrift died for them that perifh, and for them that do not perifh. rgo t he (aj See the Note there./'*; Markxvi, 15. (c) ColoiT. i. a< Extent of Chriji 9 s Redemption* -tig died for all men. That he died for them that do not perifhj is conferled by all, and if he died for any that may or {hall perifh, there is the fame reafon to affirm he died for all that do fo. Now that he died for fuch, the fcripture. faith ex- prefsly in thefe words, (a) and through thy knowledge Jhall thy weak brother periJJi for whom Chrifl died; and it doth intimate as much in this injunHon, (b) deftroy not him witk thy meat for whom Chriji died. In both which places the a~ poftle exhorts thofe to whom he writes, not to fcandalife their weak brethren, by an argument taken from the irreparable xxnf chief they might do them, viZk the eternal ruin they might bring upon them by fo doing. Now if the apoflle knew and taught that none could be deftroyed or perifh for whom Chriji died, they to whom thefe exhortations are direcled, mud be fuppofed to know and to believe it ; and then St. Paul muft, in thefe places, exhort them to avoid the fcandalifing of their brother, by faying that effect might follow from their fcandal which he before had told them was impofiible. Now is it reafonable to believe that one aflifted by ihe/icly ghoft, mould ferioufly and folernnly admonifh them not to deftroy thofe fouls for whom Chriji died ; who by his doctrine were o- bliged to believe that they for whom Ckrift died could never be deftroyed ? Anfw. i. Some anfwer, that the offence confifts in this, that though the perfon who thus periftieth cannot be one for whoai Chrifl died, he may be one for whom they were in char- ity to Relieve he might die. Reply. But this anfwer cuts off the whole ftrength of the apojile's argument or motive to abllain from fcandalifing a weak brother, fince if I know this never can be done, I know 1 am fecure from ever running fuch an hazzard ; for if I really deftroy or give occafion to his ruin, I muft be fure on that account Chrift died not for him, and that he f offers noth- ing by my action, but that without it his ruin was inevitable ; but it my judgment of charity concerning him was true, I know J cannot do what the apojlle here enjoins me to be care- ful to avoid. It is therefore certain from this doclrine, that they muft either be alfured this judgment of charity muft be falfe, and then they could not be obliged to aft by it ; or that their brother could not perifh, and then they could not ration- ally be moved by this impoflible fuppofuioa to abftain from icandahfing him. Anjtu* 2. Others anfwer, that they may be faid to deftroy or caufe him to perifh for whom Chriji died, though his de~ .ftruQion doth not follow ; beeaufe they do that which in its fj i Cor. viiii u, -fk^ Rem. xiv. i?. i i 4 Extent of Chrijl's Redemption. own nature tends to his definition, and might have that ef- fect, had riot God determined to preferve all for whom Chrift died, from perifhing. Reply. Should this be granted, the force of the apojlle' s ar- gument will itill be taken off; for it I am infallibly allured, God will prevent this iffue in ail for whom Chnft died, the fear that they mould actually die, can be no proper motive to abftain from the commiflron of that aclion which may fcan- dalife them ; thus, though an arrow (hot out of a bow might kill my father, yet if I am allured he ftandeth where my arrow cannot hit him, it would be folly to exhort me not to fhoot, left I mould kill m\ father. If then I am as certainly allured that none for whom Chnft died can perilh, it muft be as unreafonable to exhort me not to fcandalife them left by that aftion they mould perifh. Moreover,- the apojlle adds, that by thus offending our weak brother, we Jin againjl Chnft, i. c. by caufing them to perifti whom he had purchafed with his blood, and died to lave. Deny this intent of Chrift's death, and you can never Ihew how by offending them who never did or could belong to Ckrift as members of his bbdy inyftica!, we are injurious to G'lrift. SECTION II. A like argument arifes from the defign of , the apojlle in the epijlle to the Hebrews, who to deter the Jt-ws from neglecting the great falvation offered to them by "Chrijt, and from apoitatifing from the faith they had received, faith, (c) that if they Jliould Jin wilfully after they had re- ceived the knowledge of the truth, there, would remain no more facrifice for their fh, feeing they would be guilty of tramp- ling under foot the /on of God, and counting the blood of th* covenant, by which they were fanclijied an unholy thing. Now in what tolerable fenfe can it be faid, that no farther f acri- fice for fin remains to them for whom no facrifice was ever offered or intended ? And who were by God's own decree excluded from any intereft in Chrijl's death before they came into the world ? How were they Jan&ified by the blood of that covenant from which they were inevitably ex- cluded from the beginning of the world ? Or how do they neglecl. this great falvation for whom it never was intended ? To ftrengthen this argument, let it be considered, i//. That it is evidently the lame perfon who tramples un- der foot the Son of God, and doth dejpite to the holy ghoft, who is here faid to have been fan&ijied by the blood of the covenant ; for this paragraph lies betwixt the other two, and is connefied to both by' elite copulative xai and, which Ihews that thefe three things belong to the fame perfon- ; and thi (c) Heb. x, 26, 29. Ex lent of Chrifl's Redemption. 4. 1 5 Jeftroys the fubterfuge of them who refer this paiTagc to Chrift fanclifying himfelf, or offering himfelf as a piacul-ir vi&im for us'. Moreover though Ckrijl is faid to fanflity himfelf, John xvii. 19. yet is he never faid to ,be fanclified, and much lefs to be fanaijied by his own blood ; but only a'yt&iv rov Xaov to jhnclijy ike people by his own blood. Chap. xiii. 12. 2 ally. Obferve, that to fan&ify, and to he fanclified, in this r.piflle, doth never fignify to he purified from the power and dominion of fin by inward holinefs, but always' to be purged from the guilt of fin by the oblation of a facrifice, as appears from Chap. ii. n. See the note there ; and from this very chapter where it is faid Ver. 10. that we art yr/i^o^ovi, jancl.i- fied by the oblation oj the body (or as it is in other copies, by the blood) of Chnfl. See the note on Ver. 14. and on Chap. ix. 13. zdly. Becaufe he is here faid to have been fanttififd by the blood of the new covenant which was fhed for the re- iniilion of fins, and in which God promifes to be merciful to our iniquities, and remember our fins no more, Chap. viii. 12. x. 17. in fine, this argument begins thus, having then bold- nefs (or liberty) to enter into the holiefl by the blood of Jefus Ver. 19. let us hold Jaft OUT prof effion without wavering ; for if we apojlatize from if, there remains no more jacrijice to ex- piate our fin. It is therefore evident, that even thofe perfons who by their apoftafy from the faith became obnoxious to the foreft punifhment, had once, by virtue of their faith, obtained a remifTion of their fins, and loft it by making (hipwreck of faith, and drawing back from that faith, by which they once lived, to perdition. Ver. 38, 39. SECTION III. Moreover, St. Peter informs us of fome falfe teachers who mould (d) bring in damn able here fits, (i. e. fuch as would render thofe who abetted and embraced them, obnoxious to damnation) even denying the Lord that bought them. Now to thefe words the anfwers are fo many, and fo extravagant, that it is as eafy. to confute as to recite them. One faith, Chrift indeed bought thefe perfons, but that he on- ly bought them to be flaves ; and then for any thing I can fee to the contrary, they might have reafon to deny him. Another, that he died to refcue them from temporal, but not from eternal punifhinents : Now where doth holy fcripturc intimate that thrift died to refcue any one from temporal judgment whom he referved to eternal, efpecially, if they were fuch as by denying of him did bring upon thenifelvc^ jwift deft ruction? A third tells us that he died for them, be-, caufe, he gave a price fufficient for them ; as if the giving a (d) 2 Pet. ii. i. 1 16 Extent of Chrijl' s Redemption. price fufficient to redeem fix captives, without the Icaft inten- tion of redeeming any more than nvo, were the redemption of the fix. A fourth faith, that they denied that Lord whom they profefled to have bought them. And a filth, that they denied him who in the judgment of other men had bought them ; but where is the offence of this, if t-hart pfofc&on was their own railtake, and fo was that which they fhould rather have denied than pro fe fled, and if that judgment of others was not according to the truth ? In fine, the plain intent of the a- poftle is to aggravate the fin of thefe falfe teachers, that he whom they denied had bought, or died -for them. Now if he * did this really out of good will to them, and with intent to free them from the mifery to which they were obnoxious by fin upon the terms on which this favor is propounded in the gofpel to any others, the words are ot great force to (hew the horrible ingratitude and impiety of thefe falfe teachers ; but if it be fuppofed that he intended hot to buy them, or to da any thing to free them from their mifery, but in the cov. eric.nt with his father e'ftablifhed in his blood, excluded them from any intereft in his death, and did that only which might occafion others through miftike to think he died for them ; this rhariifeftly tends to leffen, if not juflify their denial of him who had before denied them any benefit from his redemption, and therefore plainly is repugnant to the MC of the apoflk. CHAPTER IV. ECTION I. FARTHER enforcement of this ex- tent of the death ot Chrijl arifeth from the obligation, which is and always was upon all perfons to whom the gofpel is, or was revealed, to believe in Chrijl; for if it be the duty not only of fume few of every fort, but even of all and lingular to whom the gofpel is revealed, to believe in ChriJT, i. e. to own him as their Savior, or as that Jcfus who came to fave them from their (ins ; it mufl be true that he came into the world : the Savior oi all men. and to be the propitiation for the Extent of Chrifi's Redemption. 117 iins of the whole world, as holy fcripture doth exprefsiy teach. Now that it is the duty of all to whom the gofpei is revealed thus to believe, is evident ; for thus Chrijl ipeaks to the unbe- lieving Jews, (a) this is the. work (i. e. the will) of God that you jhould believe in him whom he katkfent ; for (b) if you believe not that I am he, youjhall die m your fins ; for (cj he that beluveth not is condemned already, becait/z he behmetk not th the Son of man. The bufinefs of the Eaptijl was to bear witncfs of light, fd) that all men might believe in him ; aad therefore he declares that (e) he that believes not in himjhall not fee life, but the wrath of God abidci'i on him. And the work of the good fpirit was to (f) convince the world of Jin, becau/k they believed not in him. The comrniflion to preach faith and repentance for the remiflion of fins, is given to the apo flits in thefe comprehenfivc words, fgj go into all the world, and preach the gofpel to every creature ; he that believet'i and is baptifed Jliall be. faved, he that bdi believe in ike light % that ye may be, the, children of the. light , left darkne/s come up- on you. Where obferve, i/?. That (o) to believe in the, light, is to Relieve in Chrijl ; for (p) I, faith he, am the light of the world, zdly. Obferve, that he exhorts them to believe in him, that by this faith they might become children of the light ; i. e. might be juftified and reconciled to God by the blood of his fon, as are all the children of God, or of thelight; for (q) if we walk in the light we have communion with God, and the- blood of Chrijl cleanjeth us from all Jin, (r) we being all made the children of God, through faith in Chrijl Jejus. $dly. Obferve, that Chrijl fpeaks this to thofe Jews which then believed not in him, and to the generality of that nation, and fo to thofe who, when he fpake, continued unbelievers, and remained under that darknefs which after came upon them for their unbelief; therefore our Lord exhorted them to be- lieve in him that they might be juftified and faved with the children of light, whoperifhed in their infidelity; which jufti- fication they could not obtain, or rationally be exhorted to be- lieve that they might attain, unlefs Chrijl died for them. Moreover, a brief infpeftion into all thefe places will be fuffi- cient to difcover, that they are fofar from faying any thing that (I) AiSts X. 43.-: (m) Rom. Hi. 25. x. 4.- fnj John xii. 35, 36. f.'/Johuii. 5. fp} viii. 12. (qj i John i. 7. (r) Gal, iii. 26. taa Extent of Chrift 's Redemption. CHAPTER V. Contains an Anfwer to the pretended Arguments fror/i Scripture, againfi the Doclrzne of Univerfal Redemp- tion. JL HE arguments againft this doctrine of Univerfal Redemp- tion rightly Hated, founded upon pretence of Jcripture, are icrirce any, not one place being offered againft thofe many which in exprefs terms after! it ; faying either exprefsly, or by plain and immediate confequence, that Chrift died not for all. Thofe texts which have the faireft mew of an argument liave been both fully anfvvered and retorted ; and for the reft even a fhort anfvver is more than they deferve, they being rath- er a begging of the queftion, than proving it homjtripture. Si.C'iioN \.-Objttlion i. They for whom Chrift died inay fay, izlioJliaUc ondemn us ? ixom. viiJ. 34. but all men can- not lay this ; ergo, Chrift died not tor all. Now, Anjwcr i. Is it not evident that this argument fuppofctb, that thrift died for none who mail hereafter be condemned ? And muft it not hence follow, that none of the unbelieving, J^rt'.r, among whom Chrijl preached, (hall be condemned for not believing in him, fmce they can never be obliged to do fo for whom he never died, and lo will never be the better for believing in him ? Now is not this contrary to the whole tenor of the gofpel especially to the gofpel of St. John, wherein Chrift tells them, that God having fent his Son into the. world that icho/bever bdieveth in himjliouldnotpnrijfi y but have, cvti lofting lift ; he adds, (a) he that bdievtth not the Son is condemned aif^ady, becauje he bdiev&th not in the only begot, ttn Son of God. zdly. Will it not hence follow, that none oi the unbelieving world, to whom the ajrtjrles preached, Ihall be condemned for not believing in him ? For feeing they preach- ed remiilion of fins, to be obtained through his name, how can they juftly be condemned for not believing in him to this end for whom he never died ? And why then did our Lord fay to his difcipks, when he fent them through the world (aj John iii. i j. Extent of Chrlfl's Redemption. 123 to preach the gofpel to every creature, he that bdicvcth nor JIM be damned; or that his fpirit mould convince the world of fin, becauje they believed not in him ? Anfioer 2. There is no fuch propofuion in the fcfipture as this, that all for idiom Chrift died may Jay, who JJiall con- demn them? But only that the perfons there fpoken of might fay this. Now they were the Sons of God, Ver. 14. who \\<\<\ received thefpirit of adoption, Ver. 15, 16. were heirs of GccL joint heirs zuith Chrift, Ver. 17. who had received the Jlrji fruits of the fpir it, Ver. 23. who actually loved God, \ r er. 28. and \vereji/j/?fad by himj Ver. QQ. Thefe elecl of God, faith the apojlle, may fay, who fliall condemn us? (to lie iHll under *- the power of death by virtue of that law which threatened} death to the {inner) it is Chrijl that died (to redeem us from death, and from the condemnation of the law) fo that there is no condemnation to them who are (thus) in Chrift Jejus, i. e. who walked not after the. fleJJi but after the fpirit, Ver. 1,2. In a word, all for whom C/iri/tdied may fay fo upon that faith and repentance which intere/ls them in Ckrift Jejus ; hut none .for whom Chrijl died, not the elect themfelves, can fay fo, till they have believed and repented. SECTION II. Objedion 2. idly. From the osd verfe of the fame chapter they argue thus, to all tbofe for whom God delivereth up his Son, he together with him will freely give all things ; but there are many thoufands in the world to whom .God will not give all things ; ergo, for none of theie did God deliver up his Son. Anfioer ifl. Here it is obfervable again, that the major proportion is a direct aifertion that Chrijl died only for thofe whoJJiall befaved, or the elet only, becaufe to them alone he will give all things ; and fo it isvliable to all the abfurdities mentioned in anfwer to the frrfl objection, and alfo to thefo following, viz. ift, That God could not equitably require all men every where to repent, or fend his a follies to call the Jews in gener- al (b) to repent and be baptijed, in the name of Jefusfor the re- mijjion of fins, or tbat their /ins might be blotted out, or K.J preach to all the Gentiles (c) repentance and remijjion of _//,; through kis name; for what good could this repentance d^> them ? What remiflion of fins could it procure for ail thole ior whom Chrijl died not ? Yea, hence it follows, that no im- penitent perfon can juiily he condemned for dying inhis in: penitent eftate ; for on this fuppofition he may fairly plearation, that they are committed againil redeem- Extent of Chrifi s Redemption. 125 ing love; both which are palpable abfurdities confuted by the whole tenor of the gofpel, and almoft by every fermon that we preach. Anjwer 2. _ zdly. The conclufion of this argument, all that are reconciled to Chrifl flail be faved, may be true ; but it is not true that aH for \vhom Chrifl died are reconciled to God, but only that Chrifl died for them when finners, unjuft, ungod- ly, that he might bring them to God, and to engage and to encourage them to believe in him that they might be juftified, Hence, the apoflle fpeaks fir ft of Chrifl' s dying for the ungod- ly, when they were yet without ftrength, and for f inner s t not yet juftified; and then adds, that if God were ib kind as to fend his Son to die for us in this flate, much more being jvf- tified (by faith, Ver. i.) in his blood, wejhall befa-jed by him Jrom the. wrath oj God, e< y we being then (j) his Jnends when we do that zvhich he commands us ; and fo they only can be the proper objects of this love of friendfhip, or enjoy the . blef- fings of the new covenant which Chriji hath purchafed by his death, who perform the conditionsof that covenant. It is there- fore gran ted, that Chriftfat wed the greateft love of benevolence to all for whom he died ; but then it is added, that he mews his love of friendfhip and benificcnce only to thofe that bear a true reciprocal affection to him, for (k) as grace will he to all thofe zuho love the Lord Jefus in jincenty ; fo (I) if any man love not the Lord Jefus Cfirift t he will be Anathema Maranatha. (e) Ibid. ff) Rom. v. 6, l.~fg) i Pet. iii. iS. (b) John iv. 9, 10, 19. fij 2 Cor. v. 14* (j) John xv, 4- (*) Eph. vi. *v rr~-Jl i Cor. xvi. ar. Extent of Chrifl's Redemption. 127 CHAPTER VI. Containing Arguments from Reafonfor this Univerjalily of Chrift's Redemption. JL HE arguments which plainly offer themfelves from the precedent fe&ions to confirm this do&rine are thefe : SECTION I. ifl. li God intended not the death of Chrift for the faving of any but the cleft, then he never intended the falvation of any to whom the gofpel is revealed but the eleft ; and then he never defigned any falvation for the greateft part of men to whom the gofpel was or is revealed on any condi- tion whatfoever ; for fince (a) there is no other name under heaven given by which ye can be faved, falvation could not be intended for them on any condition whatfoever, to whom the benefit of Chrift's death was not intended. Now were this fo; how comes that gofpel, which firftbroughtto light this reprobating doftrine, to be ftyled (b) the time when the good- nefs and love of God our Savior appeared to mankind? Why cloth Chrift fay, (c) God fo loved the world, that he fent his beloved Son into the world, not to condemn them, but that tht world through him might be faved ; and the apoftle herein is love made manifeft, (d) that God fent his Son into the world to be the propitiation for our fins, that we might live through him ? Why is he ftyled a God rich in mercy, and plenteous in goodnefs to the fons of men, who is fo fparing of mercies to the greateft part of mankind, that feeing them in equal mif- ery and want with his eleft, and as worthy of it as they were, he fhould ihut his bowels of companion up againft them, and even %om all eternity exclude them from his loving kindnefs and mercy ? Why is it faid (t) that his tender mercies arc over all his works, if they are fo reftrained from his moft no- ble creatures ? (f) Doth God take care for oxen ? faith the cpojlle ; yea, faith this doftrine, much better than for man ; he making plentiful provifions for the prefervation of their life, but none at all for the fpiritual and eternal Hie of the far greateft portion of mankind, but having left them under a (a) Aftsiv. 12. (b) Tit. iii. 4. (c) John iii. 16, 17. f-d) t John iv. 9, 10. fej Pfal, cui, 8, cxlv, 9. (f) i Cor. ix, 9. 12$ Extent of Chrijfs Redemption. neceility of perifhing and being miferable forever, (g) Their heavenly Father feeds the fowls of heaven, faith our Lord, and are not you much better than they, and fo more fure of your provifions from this loving father ? True, faith this doftrine, as to the provifions for this mortal body which we have common with the brutes that perifli ; but moft of us are fo neglecled by him who bears the name of Father, and is the Father of our fpirits, that he hath peremptorily ex- cluded thefe immortal beings from a capacity of obtaining that food which nouriiheth to eternal life. Again, why is he reprefented as one who (h) waiteth to be gracious, (i) and Jlretcheth out his hand all the day long to a rebellious people, when from eternity he bath excluded fo great a number from his grace, and left them inevitably to fuffer what his hand and his counfel had determined before that they fhould fnffer? God, faith the apojlie, (k) Icved usfirji before we loved him. God, faith this doctrine, hated the generality of us firft, before we hated him, and did prevent us not with his bleffings, but with fubjedion to an eternal curfe. How could the apojlle truly fay to the hardened and impenitent Jew (1) defpifejt thou the riches of his goodnefs, patience and long Jufferwg, not know- ing that the goodnej's of God Uadeth thee to repentance ? Why, faith the Jew, doeft not thou tell us God hardeneth who?n he will, and that we are of that number ; that he hath given us up to a fpiritual (lumber, and fo never intended any benefit to us, never provided any falvation for us by the death of his Son ? What therefore meaneil thou by the riches of his goodnefs to men, lying under his decree of preterition, or how can his patience be deligned to lead them to repentance, who were appointed for wrath, and not falvation, from eter- nity ? We may indeed be treafuring up wrath againft the day of wrath ; but it is inevitable wrath which we had never any power to avoid, God having no intention to give us any intereft in that Jejits, who alone delivers from the wrath to come* Talk then no more of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God ; for we appeal to the reafon of mankind whether it be a righteous thing to condemn men to eternal mifery for that which it was never in their power to avoid. In fine, Why doth God fay that (m) he delighteth in mercy, and in iheexcilc (n) of lov ' : -'?/s, and that to think thus of him is truly to know him ? Since it is his good pleafure to leave us under an abfolute incapacity of his mercy, and his loving kindnefs ? Why doth he fay, (o)he would have clea??/- (g) Mat. vi. 26. (b) Ifa. xxx. 18. ff; Ifa. Ixv. t. (k) i John iv. 14. flJRom. ii. 4,- (m) Mich. vii. j8 (n)}z~* ix, 34. (o) Ezek. xxiv* ?;>. Extent of Chrifts Redemption. 129 ed us, and we would not be cleanfed, when he never intended us any intereft in that blood of Chriit which alone cleanfeth from all fin ? Why doth he fay and fwear, he hath no pleaf- ure in the death of him that dies, but rather taketh pleafure in this, that they fhould turn and live, when his mere arbitrary pleafure hath left them under a neceflity that they mould die and not live, and put this unanfwerable queftion into their mouths, (p) if our tranfgrejjion and our /ins be upon us, and no Savior was by God intended to redeem us from them, how Jhould we then live ? Why, laflly, doth he fay, (q) Ifrael, thou haft dejlroyed thyftlf, but in me is thy help ? For be it this refpe&s their temporal condition in this world, and the concernments of the body, there is no thought more difhon- orable to the Father of fpirits, and the lover of fouls, than that he fhould be helpful to men in temporals ; but when he fees their fouls finking into eternal mifery, intend them no help, and put them under no poflibility of efcaping it ; or that his providence mould be ftill employed in making pro- vifions for the bodies even in the wicked and unthankful ; but that when by the fame power, and the fame fufferings of his Son, he could have made the fame provifion for the fouls of others as he is fuppofed to have done for his eleft, he mould by a mere arbitrary acl: of preterition eternally and in- evitably exclude them from it, and leave them under a necef- fity of being the everlafling objefts of his wrath. SECTION II. zdly. Hence it mud follow, that Chrift never died with an intention to fave them whom he doth not actually fave, and deliver from the wrath to come : And why then doth he fay, (r) that he came down from heaven to give life unto the world, and that his Father (f)fent his Son into the world, that the world through him might have life ; and that he will give his Jlefh for the life of the world : I a^the bread oj life ; if any man eat of this bread he Jliall live for-ev- er : (t) Verily, venly, he that believeth in me hath everlafling life ; plainly encouraging all to do fo ? Why doth he fay to them, (u) who would not come unto fi. e. believe in) him that they might have life, thefe things I Jay unto you that ye might be faved ? Yea, why doth he inquire, how oft would I have gathered ye as an hen doth her chickens under her wings, and you would not be gathered, and fo pathetically wifh that they, from whofe eyes thofe things were after hid, had known in their day the things belonging to their peace ? You may as well hope to reconcile light and darknefs as thefe words of Chrift, (p) Ezek. xxxiii, 10.- f?j Hof. xiiu 9. -fr) John vi. 33, 35,, <- tj) John iii. 16. (t) John vi. 47.' (u) John v. 3440, R Extent of Chrifl's Redemption. \vith his intention to die only for them whom fhould a&uatty befaved. SECTION III. %dly. Hence it muft follow that none of thofe to whom God never intended falvation by Chrift, or who fLall not be actually faved by him, are bound to believe in him ; for had not this Savior come into the world they could not have been obliged to believe in him, and is not it to them all one to have no Sauior come at all, and none come for them ? Moreover, if he died not for them, they cannot believe in his death ; if there be no falvation for them in Chrift, they cannot believe he is their Savior ; mould they believe, mufl not their faith be in vain, feeing it cannot alter the intentions of God in delivering his Son up to the death, or of Chrift in dying for the elect only, and why thea do the minifters of the gofpel promife falvation to all men provided they believe, when no falvation is provided for all ? And fo none can be tendered by them to all on any condition \vhatfoever ? Since God himfelf never intended falvation fhould be obtainable by all, and therefore never could give them commiflion to tender it to all on any condition whatfo- cver, why doth Chrift fay to all the Jews that came to him (v) tins is the. command of God that ye believe in the name of the. Son of God ; fmce this command muft be a declaration of God's will that they fhould all believe, and his intention that the generality of the Jews fhould not have falvatian by Chrift, fhews- his contrary will ? And y laftly, why doth he promife falvation to all if they believe, by faying, (zvj he that bditveth Jliall be faved ; (x) zuhofoever btlieveth in him Jliall have ev- erlafling life ; and then inquire thus, if I fay the truth, why do you not believe me ; feeing he died not with an intention to purchafe falvation to many of them whom he would not actually fave ? AJhly. Hence it clearly follows that n& mm can be con- demned hereafter for final impenitency and unbelief, feeing he tranfgrefleth no law of God by his unbelief ; tor furely God commandeth no man to believe in Chrift for falvation, for whom he never intended falvation by Chrift, or to repent for falvation whom he intended not to fave by Chrift ; fmcc therefore wliere there is no tranfgrelTion there c*n be no con- demnation ; why doth Chrift threaten to the Jews, (y) thai if they did net believe he was the Chrift, i, e. the Savior of the world, they JJio ul d die in their fins ? Why doth he declare them who believe not in him (z) incxcuftMi and without all cloak for their fins, and why doth the apoftle fay, how Jliall ( We find our bleffed Sav ior marvelling at the unbelief of his own people ; for (j) he marvelled of, their unbelief. Now, can he who knows they could not believe by reafori of the disability they had contracted by the fin of Ad- am, wonder that they did not what it was impofTible for them to do ? Again, when he heard the anfwer of the centurion, (kj he marvelled, faying, verily I have not found Jo great Jttith , no not in Ifrael ; but if this faith, whenever it is wrought in any, is the effecT: of an almighty power, what reafon could he have to marvel, that it was found where that almighty power was exerted, or that it was not found where the fame power was withheld ? To clear this by fome few inftances from fcrip- ture, \Jl. St. Matthew informs us that Chrift upbraided the cit- ies in which moft of his mighty works were done, becaufe they repented not, faying, (1) wo unto ye, Chorazin and Beth- faida, and to thee Capernaum, who Jhall be brought down to hell ; it Jhall he ?nore tolerable for Sodom and Go?norrah, Tyre and Sidon, in the day of judgment than for you ; for if thefe mighty works had been done 'in them, they would have repented in fackcloth and ajhes, and have remained to this day. Now not to difpute whether the repentance of Sodom and Gomor- rah, Tyre and Sidon, would have been fmcere, or only exter- nal and hypocritical (though it is not reafonable to conceive that fuch repentance would have caufed them to remain to that day, or that Chrift would upbraid them for want of a fin- cere repentance produced in them by thofe mighty works, which doubtlefs he required by faying to thefe very perfons, (m) repent you, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand) by an example of an hypocritical repentance which only would have been produced-in others by the fame works, (I fay not to in- fift on this) why fhould our Lord denounce thefe woes upon them, and declare their future punimment more intolerable in the day of judgment than that of thofe unnatural fmners, and moft vile idolaters, for want of that repentance which, not- withilanding all the mighty works which he had done among them, he knew it was impoilible for them to perform ? He might, according to the vain hypothefis confuted, have faid to them, wo to you that the fin of Adetm, hath difabled yo? .from repenting; but could not with any {hew of juftice pro** nounce fuch dreadful woes and judgments on them for not (j) Mark vi. 6. f */Matth, viii : 10, ffj Matth. si, 30, 84.* frnj Marki, 14, 1.5, 136 Extent of Chrlfl's Redemption. is no fmall matter to render God fo deceitful and delufory, f'o infincere and hypocritical as this opinion makes him. Should a phyfician come to a patient, whofe ftomach was fo weakened through his intemperance or luft, that it could bear no ftrong meat, and his feet fo infeebled that he could fcarce walk from his couch to his bedfide, and profefs an ear- neft defire to cure his diflempers, and promife him recovery, provided he would follow his prefcription, might it not rea- fonably be expected he mould prefcribe fuch means for his recovery that it was poflible for him in this condition to make ufe oft* If then he fhould enjoin him to eat, and to dijeft the flrongeft meats, and walk fome hours in the fields, becaufe he formerly could do fo before he fell into this difability and fee- blenefs, would not all men pronounce him a deluding cheat, and one that hypocritically and infmcerely pretended his re- covery, and promifed it with equal vanity and folly, intending only to infuit over his prefent mifery ; and yet this is the rep- refcntation of our gracious God in this affair which thefe men offered to us ; for the bleifed Jtfus is the phyfician which God fent to heal, our natures of the difability we had contracl- ed by the fall, and to promife us a remedy, which if we would ufe, we mould recover that, or a better life than that from which we fell, and to threaten the feverefl judgments if we neglecl fo to do. But then, if only he doth promife this re- covery on fuch a condition as that very fall hath rendered us unable to perform, and which he never will enable us to per- form, mult he not be guilty of the like hypocrify and infm- cerity in propounding to us an impoffible remedy, and infult only over the mifery of his creatures whilfl he pretendeth kindnefs to them ? And how unreasonable is it to impute fuch deceit, falfehood, infmcerity and injuftice to a good and right- eous God, which we cannot but abhor in man ? For fure, moft gracioufly to exhort, rnoft affectionately to invite, moft earneflly by the greatefl promifes and threats to move us to repent and believe, when he at the fame time is firmly pur- pofed to withhold the means by which alone we can do either, is to infult over his miferable creatures in the higheft manner ; and to deal thus with myriads of myriads for the fin of Adam, is, as it were, to meditate revenge upon the greatefl part of his pofterity to the world's end, for what was only done by the firft man ; yea, it is to do this under pretence of love and kind affeftion, and a vehement defire and concern that they fhould efcape the mifery that very fin had brought upon them, and recover the felicity they had loft by it, by thofe very means he doth prefcribe ; and yet to leave them under an utter in- capacity to perform thofe means ; which to conceive and to affert of our molt gracious God, is highly to dimonor and Extent of Chrifl's Redemption. 137 blafpheme his facred Majefty, and reprefent him fo unto the world, as even the worft of men would hot endure to be rep- refented. SECTION VIII. * We find our blefTed Savior marvelling at the unbelief of his own people ; for (j) he marvelled a} their unbelief. Now, can he who knows they could not believe by reafori of the difability they had contra tied by the fin of Ad am, wonder that they did not what it was impoflible for them to do ? Again, when he heard the anfwer of the centurion, (k) he marvelled, faying, verily I have notfoundfo great faith, no not in Ifrael ; but it this faith, whenever it is wrought in any, is the effecl: of an almighty power, what reafon could he have to marvel, that it was found where that almighty power was exerted, or that it was not found where the fame power was withheld ? To clear this by fome few inftances from fcrip- ture, iJL St. Matthew informs us that Chrift upbraided the cit- ies in which mofl of his mighty works were done, becaufe they repented not, faying, (1) wo unto ye, Chorazin and Beth- faida, and to thee Capernaum, who Jliall be brought down to hell ; itjhall be more tokrablefor Sodom and Go?norrah, Tyre and Sidon, in the day of judgment than for you ; for if theft mighty works had been done in them, they would have repented in fackcloth and ajhes, and have remained to this day. Now not to difpute whether the repentance of Sodom and Gomor- rak t Tyre and Sidon, xvould have been fincere, or only exter- nal and hypocritical (though it is not reafonable to conceive that fuch repentance would have caufed them to remain to that day, or that Chrift would upbraid them for want of a fin- cere repentance produced in them by thofe mighty works, which doubtlefs he required by faying to thefe very perfons, (m) repent you, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand) by an example of an hypocritical repentance which only would have been produced in others by the fame works, (I fay not to in- fift on this) why mould our Lord denounce thefe woes upon them, and declare their future punifhment more intolerable in the day of judgment than that of thofe unnatural fmners, and mod vile idolaters, for want of that repentance which, not- withflanding all the mighty works which he had done among them, he knew it was impoflible for them to perform ? He might, according to the vain hypothecs confuted, have faid to them, wo to you that the fin of ^^fw.hath difabled ye? .from repenting; but could not with any {hew of juftice pro-- nounce fuch dreadful woes and judgments on them for net fjj Mark vi. 6. f */Matth, viii, 10, ffj Matth. xi, 30, 24. * Mark 5. 14, 15. * 3 3 Extent of Chrijl's Redemption^ cloing that then, which they fo long ago were rendered whol- ly unable to perform, and that upon a reafon which did not in t[ie leaft remove the difability. zdly. (n) The ?nen of 'Nineveh :, faith Chrift, JJiall rife up in judgment with this generation, and Jliall condemn it (tor its i mpenitencey^r they repented at the preaching oj Jonas (though he did no miracle among them) and behold (though) a greater than Jonas is here (calling you to repentance, you do not re- pent.) Now if the men ot Nineveh only repented by virtue of that divine afliftance, which God would not vouchfafe to the Jews ; if notwithstanding all Chrijl's exhortations tore- pentance, it was impomble they mould repent for want of like afiiftance ; why mould they be condemned at all, or why for yant of that repentance, which Nineveh only performed by that amftance which they could not have ? 3 '. Our Lord upbraids the Scribes and Pharifees for not repenting, and entering into the kingdom of God as the very Publicans and Harlots had done before their eyes, faying, (o') verily I Jay unto you, that the Publicans and Harlots go into the kingdom of God before you ; for John came to you (to in- ftruftyou) in the loay of righteoiifnefs, and ye believed him not ; but the Publicans and Harlots believed him ; and ye, when ye have Jeen (them do) it, repented not afterwards that ye might believe him. Now is it matter of reproach and (hame to any perfon that they do not what another doth, unlefs it be fup- pofed that they have, or at leaft might have had the like pow- er and abilities to do it ; this pallage therefore mews (ijl.) That the Scribes and Pharifees, and other Jews, might and ought to have been moved by the admonitions of the Baptifl^ and the example of the Publicans, to repentance and iaith ; for why elfc doth Chnjl here upbraid them that they after- wards repented not, that they might believe ? zdly-. That there- fore an internal, irrefiftable force of power cannot be necefla- ry to produce this repentance and this faith ; .for if the Pub- licans and Harlots were thus moved to repent, what wonder is it that they went before the Scribes and Pharifees, who hav- ing nofuch impulfe, were left under an impoflibiiity ot repent- ing that they might believe ? Why is it reprefented as their crime, that they repented not at the preaching of John, or did fcot follow the example of the Publicans, fince the event mews that no fuch irrefiftible motive to repentance was contained either in the preaching of the Baptijl, or the example of the Publicans ? ^.thly. In the parable of perfons invited to the wedding fup- *per, we find, that (f) he who came, not having on a wedding (n) Mstth. xii, 41, (o) Matth. xxi, 31, 32. fpj Maltli. xsii. i ; Extent of Chrift's Redemption. 139 garment was fpeechlefs, as being felfcondemned, r> ya.p /xroev Iftsiv avrciwslv xarg'xpivev iatm>v, for having nothing to fay againfl the fentence to be pafled upon him, he condemned himfelf t faith Chryj'ojlom ; but why mould he be fpeechlefs, it' he could have pleaded with truth and a good confcience, that he never had or could have means to procure fuch a garment, and therefore ought not to be caft out into outer darknefs, for that which he could never help? thly. In the parable of the talents, he who improved not his fingle talent is declared to be (q) a wicked and Jlothful fervant, and that becaufe he did not what he ought to have don,e. Now there can be no obligation to impombilities, no iniquity in not doing what he could not do, and no punifh- ment due on that account, this being to punifh him becaufe he did not an impoflibility ; and Chrifl by faying to all who had received talents (r) negotiate till I co?ne, demonftrates he conceived they all had power fo to do. SECTION IX. jthly. That which doth render this doc- trine moft worthy to be rejected by all who truly love their God and Savior, is this confideration ; that it unworthily re- flects upon our good and gracious God, our blefTed Lord, and merciful high prieji> who is in fcripture often faid, but by this do&rine is denied, to be the Savior of the world. For ift. It in effeft declares, that he who is in fcripture ftyled love, hath from eternity hated the greateft portion of mankind, fo far as to leave them under, and even condemn them to, a ftate of everlafting and inevitable mifery. For, if he himfelf faith, (f) Jacob have I lovea 1 , and Efau have I hat" ed, only becaufc he laid the mountains and heritage of Efau wajle, is there not greater reafon to fay, he hated ail thofe fouls whom he hath utterly excluded from any intereft in that Jefus who alone delivers from the wrath to come ? If he is faid to (t) hate his brother in his kf art,. who fuffers him to go on in his (in without reproof, muft'not he hate thofe fouls much more, who by his decree of preterition concerning them, when he was defigning the great work of man's redemption, hath laid them under a fad neceflity of iinning, fo as to be obnoxious to ftill greater mifery ? Our Lord makes it the particular cafe of Judas ^ that (u) it had been better jor him he, had not been born ; whereas this doctrine makes it the cafe of all, fave only the eleft. Now can we imagine, that that God who will require the blood of fouls from every watch- man who doth not warn the {inner to turn from his iniquity that he die not, fliould himfelf leave them inevitably to perim (q) Matth. xxv. 26, ^^. (r) Luke xix. 13. (f) Mai. i. 2, 3, (t} Lev. xix. 17. (uj Matih. xxvi. 24. 1 40 Extent of Chrift's Redemption. in it ? So that what he doth threaten to him only, fvj wh& being often reproved hardeneth his heart, mould be the ftate ana cafe of almoft all men before they came into the world, viz. to be deflroyed without remedy. zdly. It reprefents that God, who is continually declared injcnpture to be a God rick in- gocdnefs, plenteous in mercy t and of great pity towards all his creatures, as having no bow- els of companion, no drop of mercy, no inclination to do good to the generality of his moft noble creatures, obnoxious to death and endlefs mifery ; and therefore as proper objefts of his mercy and companion, as thofe whom In his. love and pity he redeemed t but rather an unmoveable reiolution before they had a being, to withhold from them his lovingkindnefs and mercy, and to (hut his bowels of compaflion up againft them. And is not this to reprefent our God and Savior more un- compailicnate to the fouls of men, than were that priejl and Levite to their brother's body, who feeing him ready toperifh by his wounds, (w) pafTed unconcerned by another way ? When this great lord faith to his fervant, to whom he had forgiven the great debt, (x) oughtejl not thau to have had compaffion on thy fellow fervant, even as I had pity upon thee ? Would not this do6trine teach him to anfwer, Lord, I have chofen to deal with him as thou dealeft with the greateft part of rriankind, to whom thou never intendeft to forgive the leaft rnite, and on whom thou wilt never have the leaft cornpaflion ? And when the apoftle inquire$,('yj.if any man fee his brother in need, and Jhutttth up his bowels of compajjion from him, how dwelleth the love oj God in him ? Would not this doftrine teach him to reply, even as it dwells in God himfelf towards the generality ot mankind ? To make this more apparent, Jet us confider thefe four things : \fl. That God by fending his Son to be the Savior of the world, or in giving him up to the death, had no other prima- ry end than the glorifying himfeli in the falvation of men; (z) hefent his Son to be the propitiation for our fins, that we, might live through kirn; (a) that the world through him might be. faved ; had therefore defigned his death for the fal- vation ot all men upon conditions pofllble to be performed by them, he mufl have glorified himfelf more, thari by reftrain- ing the defign of it only to the falvation of a few. <>dly. That the death of Chrift vyas a fiifficient facrifice for the fins of the whole world, and fo might have procured a conditional pardon for all men as well as for the elecl, had God been pleafed to give him up to the death for us all. f r i>) Prov. xxix. i. - f'-wj Luke x. 31, 32. - (x) Mafth. xviii. Z'~-(y) l John iii. 17. - f%J i Jclin iv. 9. 10. - (aj John iii, 17. Extent of Chrifis Redemption. %dly. That it could be no ways more diflionorable to God, or more inconfiftent with his juflice, wifdom, hatred of fin, or any other of his attributes, to have defigned Chrifts death for the falvation of all men, than to intend it only lor the falva- tion of thofe few whom they ftyle the cleft. %thly. That they who are fuppofed to be excluded by God from any benefit by Chrift's death, were as much the offspring of the Father of Jpirits, and the fouls that he had made, as much pertakers of the fame nature in which our Savior faf- fered, and every whit as miferable, and as much wanting an intereft in our Lord's falutary paflion, as they who are fup- pofed to be the obje&s of the pardon and falvation purchafed by our Savior's blood. Can it be then confiflent with the grace, goodnefs and mercy of the divine nature, and ot the lover of fouls, and the relation which this father of fpirits beareth to them, to confign the death vlChrift to procure par- don and falvation only to a few, and to fuffer the far greater part of fouls which were equally his offspring, as capable of falvation by the very fame means, as miferable, and fo in the fame need of pardon and falvation with the reft ; to remain inevitably miferable only for want of God's defigning the fame facrifice for the procuring mercy to them as well as others ? If it be faid God doth this to declare his fovereignty, or prerogative over his creatures, in mewing and denying mercy to whom he pleafeth : I anfwer, God never exercifeth any fovereignty, or prerog- ative over his creatures, which is repugnant to his rich grace, goodnefs, love, mercy and compaffion to the fouls which he hath made ; and therefore never fo as to leave the greatefl part of them obnoxious to eternal and inevitable ruin, when he hath a remedy provided fufficient to prevent it, if he did not arbitrarily exclude them from it. When under the Ro- man and the Grecian government the Father had an. abfolute power over his children, and in the Lafttrn nations the Prince had abfolute power over his fubjects ; would this prerogative and fovereignty excufe them from a feverity and rigor unworthy of a Father or a Sovereign, in leaving moft of their fubjecis and their children under the extremeit mif- ery, when by the very fame means that a few of them have been refcued from it, they might all have been fo ? And fhall we then impute that rigor, want of natural afFe&ion and com- panion to the lover ot fouls, and the benign government of our heavenly Father, which we could not but condemn and abhor in eanhly governors, and in the fathers of our fitJJi ? And %dly. This opinion renders the God of truth and of fincerity, and who hath niagmjied his truth above all his name, 142 Extent of Chrijl's Redemption. fo full of guile, deceit and infincerity, diflimulation and hy. pocrify, that he who doth conceive God may addrefs himfelf to his creatures without diflinclion, as in the fcripture he continually doth, and yet hath left them deftitute of a capacity of mercy, and of all ability to help themfelves, may doubt of his fincerity and truth in all the declarations contained in his facred word. For, ifl. It reprefents that God who declares exprefsly and af- firmatively, that he would have all men to be javed^ all me to come to repentance, and fwears that the converfion of a fin- ner from that iniquity in which he may die would be highly pleafing to him ; and negatively, that he would not that any one Jhould periJJi, that he delighteth not in, would not the death of him that dies ; denying to fend his Son to die for their falvation, or to vouchsafe them means fufficient to re- pent and turn to him ; and fo rendering it impoffible they fhould repent, or avoid periming in their iniquity. zdly. It reprefents him who declares, he would have purged them who would not be purged, he would have gathered mem who would not be gathered ; and inquires what could he have done more to enable them to bring forth good grapes, who only brought forth fouer grapes ; denying them any interefl in the blood of cleanfing, or any fufficient means to enable them to bring forth good grapes. %dly. It introduced! that God, who, according to the whole tenor of the fcripture, calls upon men without exception to repent and be converted, that their fins may be blotted out, and they may not die in them, fending all his prophets to re- duce his people from their fmful courfes, becavfe he had com- pajjion on them, inquiring of them, Why will you die ? Will you not be made clean ? When Jliall it once be ? Yea, waiting that he might be gracious, and flretching out his hand all the day long to a rebellious people, and exercifing the richnefs of his goodnefs, patience, and long fuffering, to bring the?n to re- pentance ; denying to the moft of them to whom he thus af- j'e&ionately fpeaks, any poflibility of being made clean, of turning to him, or repenting, or efcaping death. qthly. It reprefents him who faith with the greateft paf- fion, (b) Oh that they were wife, that they would confider their latter end ! (c) Oh that my people had hearkened to me, and Ifrael had walked in my way ! (d) Oh that thou hadjl heark- ened to my commandments ! (e) Oh that thou hadjl known in this thy -day the things which belong to thy peace ; and in- quireth in the moft affe&ing manner, (f) How Jit all 1 give (1} Dent. v. 29. (c) Pfal. Vxxxi, 13. (d) Ifa. xlviii. iS.> (f) Luke xix. 4;. (f) ilof. xi. 8. 'Extent of Chrifi's Redemption. 143 thee up, Ephraim ? How Jhall I deliver thee, Ifrael ? How Jhall I make thee as Admah ? Howjliall I fet thee as Zeboim ? My heart is turned in me, my repeating* are kindled; after all thefe feeming tranfports of affection and defire of their welfare, and yearning bowels of companion, refilling to have the leail companion for them, and decreeing to leave them without a Savior, without means of being fpiritually wife, truly obedient, or having any faving knowledge of the things- belonging to their peace. It reprefents him as one encouraging the foolifh, and the fcorner, (g) to turn at his reproof, by a promife of pour- ing his fpint on him; the fimple (h) to forjake the JooliJJi and live ; the wicked man (i) to for [ah his way, and turn to the Lord that he may be abundantly pardoned ; (k) to ceafc from evil, and learn to do well, that though his fins were as crimfon he might be white as wool ; yea, more concerned to find the loft fheep, than for the ninetynine that went not a- ftray, and rejoicing more at the return of his prodigal Son, than in him who never wandered from him ; yet leaving the generality of men under an incapacity to return from their Simplicity and folly, or to ceafe to do evil ; leaving the prod- igal to familh on his hufks, and the loft fheep without ability to return to the fhepherd of his foul. SECTION 10. Lajlly. This doctrine is vifibly deftruftive of almoft all the afls of piety and virtue. And, ift. All prayer and fupplication is the duty of all chrif- tians ; (I) it is to be performed by them in every place, and at all times (m) without ceajing ; it is to be offered up for all chriflians, and all men, and this in faith, believing that we fhaii receive our petitions ; (n) and all thefe prayers are to be put up in the name of Chrifl, imploring all mercies and bleffings for his fake, and through his meritorious pa (lion, which how,can we do ferioufly, and in faith, if we may rea- fonably queftion whether Chrift's merits do refpeft us, or arc available in our behalf ? How can we do this for ail men, pro- vided God himfelf hath taught us that his Son never died for all, nor did he defign his paflion for the benefit of all, but only for the benefit of his cleft ; for whom alone we cannot pray, becaufe we cannot know them ? Moreover, we have no accefs to God the Father but by him by \vhomfoj we are brought nigh to God; it is through faith in (p) him we have this freedom of accefs with confidence ; it is only through the blood of Jefus that we can come to God with full ajfurance of jaith ; how therefore (g) Prov. i. 23. - (b) Prov. ix. 6. - (i) Ifa. v. 7, - (k) Chap. i. 16, 18. - (I) Eph. vi. 18. - (m) i Thefl*. v. 17. - (n) x Tim. ::, T, 8 -- ( J Eph. ii. 13, !g. - (p) Heb, x. *9j 2 o. 144 Extent of Chrifi's Redemption. can we have accefs to him in our prayers for pardon, or for any other fpiritual bleflings for all' men through him, or through the blood of Chrift, if he did not fhed his blood for all ? (q) I exhort^ faith the apqftlc, that prayers and intercef- fions for fpiritual bleflings, deprecations for the averting of thofe judgments which our fins deferve, and giving of thanks for the bleflings which they hav-e received, be made. Jor all men. Now if, as there we read, God would have all men to be faved, and Chrift hath given himielf a ranfom for all ; it is eafy to difcern how we may pray in taith for ail thefe blef- fings to ail men ; but if, according to the doftrine maintained in exprefs contradiction to thefe words, Chrift did not give himfelf a ranfom for all, but for the cleft only, who are known to God alone ; and if God intended not the falvation of all men, but of his eleft only, it is hard to conceive how we fhould thus pray for all in faith, fince it muft then be cer- tain that we cannot put up our petitions for them in the name, and through the merits of that Jefus who never died for the mo ft of them, or have a freedom of accefs to the Father for them through that blood which by him never was intended to be fhed to procure pardon, or any other fpiritual blefling for them, (r) I will ', faith the fame apojlle, that men pray every where, lifting up pure hands without doubting : Which pre- cept how can any man obferve ? i. e. How can he pray with confidence, who is not afTured that Chrift is his and their Savior for whom he prays ? Or that God, for Chrift's fake, isdifpofed to grant his requeft ? It is a great encouragement to pray for pardon, and for the faving grace of God, to believe that God is truly willing and defirous to afford them to all that do thus afk and feek them, and are ready to ufe the means prefcribed by him to enjoy them ; and that his Savior died to procure this pardon, and thefe blefTings to all men thus defir- ous of them, thus willing to do all they can to have them. Whereas the contrary apprehenfion muft needs damp devo- tion, and render us unable to come to God with that faith he fo exprefsly doth require, and without that doubtfulnefs and doublemindednefs he as exprefsly doth forbid ; for when a man muft thus conceive within himfelf, perhaps God hath loved me ; perhaps he from eternity hath pafled an aft of preterition on me, and fo can never have any regard to my welfare ; perhaps Chrift died to procure pardon and falvation for me upon pcffible and reafonable terms, if I be willing to perform them ; perhaps he never intended to procure any ble fling for me by his death ; furely he can apply himfelt to God for any of thefe bleflings but faintly and diftruftfully, (rj i Tim. ii. i. (r) Ver. S, Extent of Chrifl' s Redemption. 145 who is thus taught to doubt whether he hath any redeemer or mediator, or not. zdly. It is the duty of all chriftians (f) to give thanks at* ways for all things to God in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, (t) to offer the facrifice of firaife continually by him, (u) to give thanks to God the Father by him, (w) In every thing give thanks, faith frbe apofile,jor this is the will of God, in Chnjl Je/'us concerning you ; and this we are to do for all men. That opinion therefore which obftru&s this gratitude, which deprives God of his praife, and flops our mouths from being opened in thankfgivings to him, muft be repugnant both to Jcriptufc, and to reafon. Now fure moft men can never 4 be obliged to thank God for fending his Son into the world, if he was never fent with a defign of doing good to them ; or Chrifl for their redemption, if they were not redeemed by him ; they cannot heartily refent the kindnefs of their God and Savior, who know not that he is their Savior, or that his kindnefs ever was defigned for them, or will be extended to them ; they cannot give thanks to God for all men, who are obliged to believe he hath no kindnefs for the greateft part of men ; fothat either Chrifl is an univerfal Savior, or the greateft part of chrifiians are difobliged and incapacitated reafonably to thank or to praife him for any thing that he hath done or fuffered. If indeed God to redeem men from eternal inif- ery was fo kindly affecled towards them, as to provide for all that were obnoxious to it, a Savior from the wrath to come, ail men may eafily difcern how much they are obliged to praife and celebrate him for his favor and mercy. If our Lord Jefus for us men and for our falvation came down from heaven, and- was made man, and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, $hen may we fay with faints and'ringels, (x) worthy is the Lamb that wasflain to receive honor, and glory, and bleffing, for he hath redeemed us to God by his blood. But then fuppofmg Chrift is not the redeemer of all, but of thofe only who (hall be finally faved, thefe grounds of thankfulnefs cannot refpeft all ckrijlians, but rather thofe alone who are affured of their falvation. %dly. The great duty required both of Jew and Gentile, is to love the Lord with all our hearts ; this, faith our Lord, is the great commandment moft certainly obliging all mankind. Now if God hath been fo kindly affecled to all men, fo care- ful of their welfare, as, for procuring and promoting their fal- vation, to fend his own beloved Son to be their Savior, and to give him up to the death that they might live through him, ffj Eph. v. 20. (t) Heb. xiii. 15, (u) t ThcfT v, 18 x Tim. ii. i, ( ' x } Rev. v. 9, 12. T i 6 Extent of Cfirift's Redemption. that he doth heartily defign their happinefs, and hath put no bar on his part to the obtaining of if ; they muft have then ?he highefl obligations to love him as their gracious friend and benefa&or, and to fay with the royal Pfalmijl, (y) Love the Lord, my foul, and forget not all his benefits, zuho re- deemeth thy life from definition, and crowneth ihee with mer~ .-ry, an d with loving kindnefs ; but if he intended no fuch Idndnefs to the greatefl part of mankind, what motive can they have to love him who never had any love to their fouls ? Surely they cannot be obliged to love him for that redemp- tion which never was intended for them, or for that grace which will not be vouchfafed to them. qthly. The doftrine of general redemption layeth the greatefl obligations on us to fear the Lord and his goodnefs, and to perform our duty to him from the refentment of his kindnefs to us, and the affurance it affords us that our fincere endeav- or to perform it will find acceptance with him. For if God thus loved us firft, furely we all (land bound to mew our love to him again by that obedience which is the only teft of our .fincere affe&ion ; if Ckrifl hath bought us with the price of his own precioas hlood, we ought to glorify him with our fouls and bcdies which are his. But how can he be moved to ierve God in confideration of thefe benefits, who is ignorant that they were intended for him ? How can any rnan apply himfelf cheerfully to ferve that God, whofe favorable incli- nation towards him, whofe readinefs to accept his fervice he doubteth of. It is partly the benefits we have received, and partly the advantages we may receive from a fitperior, which are the prevailing motives to ferve him. If then God never intended any benefit to the greateft part of mankind, if they have no beloved through whom their perfons and performan- ces can be accepted, it through the want of an intereft in Chrifl they never can have any advantage by him, or any fpiritual blefling ; muft they not be entirely deprived of thefe prevailing motives to the fervice of their God and Sav- ior'? r^thly. The doctrine of univerfal redemption tends highly to the promotion of God's glory, it gives him the glory of hit free love, rich goodnefs, great mercy and compaflion to the fons of men, far above the contrary doftrine ; for it to re- deem any doth magnify his goodnefs, to redeem many doth increafe it, to redeem all doth advance it to the higheft pitch ; for the more are benefited the greater is the glory of the ben- efaftor. For fhould a King finding five thaujand of his fub- s under miferable thraldom redeem one hundred of them, fvj Pfal. ciii. i, 2, 3. Extent of -Chrift's Redemption. 147 leaving the reft, as worthy of his favor, and in equal need of it, to perim in their inifery ; would he magnify his love, goodnefs, his pity and compaflion to them as much as if he had extended his love and goodnefs to them all ? Had they all forfeited equally his favor, would his mercy be as much magnified in pardoning a hundred of them, as in pardoning them all ? If the King mould declare that now was the time his love, unto his fubjecls JJiould appear, that Ins would JJiezv ki?nfclf gracious to them all, and that he delighted in exercif- ing loving kindnejs to them all, and was unwilling any one oj them Jhould perifli, that he had tender bowels of compaffion for them, and that whofoever of them was not redeemed and faved, were defpifers of his rick goodnefs, and negleclors of his great falvati on ; would it not highly tend to his difhonor, that after all thefe declarations he intended not his favor to any more of them ? Would not all men think he acled infin- cerely, and very unfuitably to thefe declarations of his love and kindnefs to them all ? And mail we then impute this to the great God of love, our heavenly Father, and benign gov- ernor, which in an earthly Prince we mould account delufory and infmcere, inhuman and unmerciful ? 6thly. This do&rine of general redemption do th befl in- flrucl us how to imitate the goodnefs, mercy and companion of our God, even by being kind and merciful to all, and ready to procure, as much as in us lies, the welfare of all men. We are called (z) to love our enemies, and to be kind to them that hate us, (a) and to do good to them, that we may be the. children of our heavenly Father, (bj may be merciful as our Father is merciful, he being kind to the unthankful and the e- vil ; and are thus taught of God to love one another, and to abound in love one to another^ and to all ?nen, (c) to be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Chri'ft's fake hath forgiven us; and that no for- givenefs is to be ex peeled from God's hands, (dj if we do not every one from his heart forgive his brother's trefpajfes. Now if God's love to men be not as large as the afFeclion and defire of doing good muft be in us, if he be not as ready to forgive every one that repents their trefpaffes, as we are bound to be, how can we be obliged to this extenfive charity and mercy by his example, and bound to exercife it that we may be like him ? And not rather bound to comraft our love. and mercy, left we mould exceed our pattern, and mould overacY him ? Should we imagine that the bowels of God's love and mercy weie confined to forne few, and all that Chrijl did and (z) Matth. v. 44, 48. - (a) Luke vi. 3;, 36. - (b) i ThefT. iii. ta. ^v, 9, - (c) Eph, iv. 32. (dj Matth. xviii 35. 148 Extent ofChri/l's Redemption. fuffered was only defigned for the good of a fraall remnant of mankind, to imitate this God would be, for any thing 1 can difcern to the contrary, to pretend kindnefs to mankind, in general, but only to intend it to fome few*; whereas if God is truly willing to have mercy upon all, if he delivered up his Son for us all, our love and mercy, would we be imitators of him, mufl be truly general. Anjwer. Nor is it a fufficient anfwer to this argument to fjy that God is kind to all in temporals, by (e) giving unto all men fruitful feafons, (J) caufing his Jun to Jkinc, and his rain to Jail upon the evil and the good. For, Reply. ijt. If all thefe temporal enjoyments without that grace and intereft in Chrift which is denied them, can only be abufed to the aggravation of their guilt and punifhment, what kindnefs is it to enjoy them ? zdly. This is a farther confirmation of our doctrine ; for if God be fo bountiful to all men in things temporal, if he preferves their life from definition, if he freely openeth his hand, and filleth all things living with plenteoufnefs ; can we think that he fhould altogether neglect their fpiritual eflate, and leave their fouls to flarve and perifh everlailingly without ufing any means for their recovery ? Doth God take care for oxen more than men, faith the apojlle ? Doth he, I fay, who takes fuch care of human bodies, make no provifion for their fouls ? He that giveth to all men life, breath, and all things, will he withhold from any the beft of gifts, and moft worthy of him to give, that grace by which alone they are enabled to ferve and glorify him, and do what is well pleafing in his fight ? (g) They think unworthily of God, faith the Pagan phi~ lojbpker, who reprefent him liberal in giving leffer matters, r.fvs oe ra. xfciTToj aVopov, but J par ing in the gifts of piety and virtue, efpecially feeing he hath declared that he confers thefe temporal enjoyments on them on purpofe to engage them to leek and ferve him, and to be thankful to him, expecting they fhould have thefe fpiritual effects upon them, (h) that they fnould fear the Lord their God who giveth them rain, the for- mer and the latter in his ftafon, and referveth to them the ap- pointed weeks of harvejl ; and (i) to injlrud th&m that they Jlioutd ftek the Lord fo as to Jind hi?n ; where to feek the Lord is fo to feek after him that they might truly know and worfhip him as God, To find him is to obtain his grace and favor, and to find him good and propitious to them, and a re- warder of them who diligently feek him ; as hath been largely- proved. Note on Afts xvii. 27. and on A6U xiv. 17. (e) Aftsxi*. 17.- /TVMutth. v. 45- (g) M. Tyrlus, Differt, xxii. p. 116, (b) Jer. v. 24. (I) Afts xv'ii. 25, 27, Extent of Chrift' 3 Redemption. 149 jthly. This truth adminifters juft ground of comfort to the greateft fmner, when through the terror of God's threats, and the conviftions of his conscience, he is forced to cry out, miferable man that I am ! It is indeed but little comfort that we can adminifler to him upon this fuppofition, that Chrift only died for, and that God will only give fufficient grace to, a fmall remnant of mankind ; fince then it is great odds againft him, that he is not of that little number, and fo his hope can be but little ; but if we can allure him that Chrift tafted death Jor every ??ian, and intercedeth now in heaven for every penitent believer, and that God will gra- cioufly admit of the return ok every prodigal to him, that he delights to fee it, that he exceedingly rejoiceth at the return of every loll fheep, that he has told us f as he lives, he takes the greateft pleafure in it, and that he hath been thus long- fufforing to him in particular, becauj'e he is not willing he Jtiould pf-njli but rather Jhould come unto repentance ; he can have no jnft reafon to continue in a defponding (late, but thankfully admiring the greatnefs of his patience, to refolve now to be led by it to repentance, and to fet cheerfully upon the means prefcnbed for his reformation, as knowing that the Lord will be with him. Lajlly. This do&rine gives life and energy to all our ex- hortations to the Tinner to return and live ; whereas the con- trary perfuafion robs them of their ftrength and virtue. For were not God willing that all men Jlwuld be faved and come to repentance, or had not Chrift died for them, our exhorta- tions to our whole congregation to believe and repent would be vain and fmful ; for then we mould exhort the greateft part of them to do that which God was not willing they fhould do, and mould inform them that he wills what he doth not. We know not how to put the queftion to them ferioufly, why they will die ? If we know nothing to the contrary but that it is the will, and the decree of God that they mould die ; or to inquire, how they willejcape, if they negleclfo great falvation ? If it might never be defigned for them, or if they had no pow- er to help it ; but we may brifkly put the queftion, how JJiall we efcapc, if we neglecl that great Jalvation which is freely tendred to, and was certainly defigned for us, and which we cannot mifs of but by our vile negiecl of grace, vouchfafed on purpofe that we might obtain it. We may inquire boldly, why deffifejl thou the riches of that goodnefs which was vouch- fafed on purpofe to lead thee to repentance ? And that long/uf- Jcnng which was defigned to prevent thy ruin ? Why will you die, when God is fo unwilling you fhou,ld perifh, and is fo paffionaiely defirous you mould be forever happy ? Why, af- ter all his great companions for you, will you have no pity on 150 Extent of Chrifl's RedcmpLien. yjourfelves ? Why will you choofe to be tl c objefts of his wrath, when there is nothing wanting on his part to make you objects of his everlaflinglove ? If to, muft not our mouths eternally be flopped when God fhall plead in fury with us, or only opened to confefs we have dejlroycd our/elves, when of him would have been ourjajety ? SECTION XI Now from thefe confederations we mall difcern an eaiy anfwer to an objection levelled againfl the force of them, viz. that after all our quarrelling about this af- fair, we feem both at laft to fay the fame thing ; the one that Cbrift will fave none but the cleft ; the other that he will only fave thofe who perform he conditions of the new covenant. Now thcfe are the fame men botb for number and quality. And the actual falvation of men being not en- larged by this do61rine, it feems not to be much more worthy of God, or to reprefent him more a lover of fouls, or more concerned for their welfare than the other. To this I anfwer, Anfwer. That though the perfons faved, be eventually the fame, yet the doftrine is by no means the fame ; nor is the honor of God as much confulted, or his love to fouls as much demonftrated by the one as by the other. For, i/?. Is it the fame thing to fay falvation was by God's gra- cious promife intended even for them that perifh, fo that they could not have miffed of it, but by failidious contempt of God's rich grace vouchfafed to prevent their ruin, and by al- ing in plain contradiction to the reafon, confcience, and natural defi res of mankind ; and being deaf to all thofe powerful mo- tives to repent and live, the gofpel offers ; and to fay that no ialvation ever was by God defigned for them, nor any grace afford eel which could make it poffible for them not to perifh ? zdly. Is it of the fame import to fay the grcatefl part of the world cannot be laved, becaufe that God, of whom cometh fal- vation, defigned no falvation for them, and the Savior of men died not for them; and fo if they are damned lor unbelief, they mufl be damned for what they neither could do, nor were by any law of God obliged to do, that is tor no tranf- greflion ? And to fay they cannot be faved becaufe they would not come to that Jcj'us who died lor them that they might have life ; they would not obey the commands of that God, who, out of love to them, fent his Son into the world, (hat thu world by him might be faved ? No, not when he con- riefcended to befeech them to be reconciled to him, and gave them all the ncceifary means of falvation, and all the incite- ments that could be offered to reafonable creatures to improve then) to that end. 3i/rpv infiniti pretii, ne ejusdefeftu periret quif- quam; this was the judgment of the ancient church, that Chrijl had provided for the Jault of all men by an universal remedy, viz. by paying a price of infinite value, left any one Jhould periJJi through the defecl of it. zdly. This is more copioufly done by (t) Mr. Dally, by producing the testimonies of the ancients from the firft to the twelfth century, and concluding thus, certe qui chriftum pro folis eleclis mortuum abfolute dixerit o61o prioribus chriftian- ifmi feculis invenio neminem ; certainly I Ji.nd not one man who, during the eight Jirji ages of chriftiamty, ever faid ex- prefsly, that Chnjl died only for the dell. (r) L', 656. ad p, 670, (t) Apol. from p. 753. to p. 944, Extent of Chrijfs Redemption. i 55 CHAPTER VII. L PROCEED, laftly, to confider the objeftions made from rational accounts againfl this doctrine, viz. SECTION 1. Objection i. It is not reafonable to believe that Chrift mould die in vain, with refpecl to any, whereas if he had died for all, he muft have died in vain, with refpe6t to thegreateft part of mankind. Anfwer. To this the anfwer is apparent, it being evident, that all thofe als of divine grace, whofe effecl; depends upon the will of man, or which are offered to him upon conditions which he may perform or not, are, through man's wickednefs, too oft done, and offered in vain, as that imports their being done, and offered without any benefit man receiveth by them : For inftance, how do both fa) Mojes and the fb) Pfalmift magnify the divine goodnefs in giving his word, and making known hisftatutes and his ordinances to Ifrael ? and yet the prophet Jeremy introduceth God complaining thus of then} who knew not the judgments and the law of the Lord, fc) In. vain hath he made it, the pen oj the Scribe is in vain. Again, are not God's fatherly correfctions defigned for the good of his children, to teach thern (d) vjifdom by the rod, and obe- dience by the things they fuffer ; and make them fay, fe) I have borne correction, / will not offend any more. ; and yet when they had loft this good effecl upon them, doth not Go4 fay ff) in vain have I f mitten them, they have refufed to re- ceive correction ? Was not the publication of thegofpel to the Gentiles the greateft blefling that ever God vouchfafed to them ; and yet doth not the apoftle of the Gentiles fay to the Galations thus f^). I am afraid of you, left I have be/lowed upon you, labor in vain? Does he not write to the Thejfaloni- dns thus, (h) Ifcnt to knoyj your Jl ate, left the tempter JhculcL have tempted you, and our labor be in vain? Does he not ex- hort the Phi lip plans fi) to hold faft the word of life, that ht might rejoice that he had not run in vain, ?icr labored in vain ? What an infinite mercy was it that the grace of God which fa) Deuf. iv. 6, 7,8. fb) Pfal. cxlvii. ic*. 20. fcj Jer.viii. g. *~(*J Prov. xxvi. 19. Micah v'i. 9 (e) Jcb xxxiv. 31. (f) }er. -ii. 3 o. -(g) Gal. iv. u. (b) i The;!, in. 5. ft} Phil, it. Extent of Chrijts Redemption. brings falvation had appeared to all men ; and yet doth not the apojlle earneflly befeech the Corinthians (k) that they would not receive this grace of God in vain ? And doth not this fignify his fears they might do fo ? And to come to the inftance of this objection, when the evangelical prophet fore- tells of Chrift's being fent to the ftubborn Jews, doth he not introduce him thus complaining, (1) I have labored in vain, I have Jpent my Jlrength in vain ? Doth not St. Paul de- clare to his Galatians, that if they yet fought to be juftified by the law, (m) Chrift fliould profit them nothing; he was be- come of none ejfefl to them, and io, as to thefn, he was dead in vain ? To fay indeed Chrift died to no pu'rpofe, or to no good end, is a great abfurdity ; but to fay he died in vain, e- ventually, for them who will not repent or believe in him, is none at all. SECTION ll.Objeflion z. zdly. It is objefted, that a general will that all men fhbuld be faved, carries feme marks of in;perieHon in it, as reprefenting God wifhing fomewhat which he would not accompliih ; whereas infinite perfe&ioq can wifli nothing but what it can execute, and if it be fit for him to wifh it, it muft be fit for him to execute it. Anfwer., This objection advances a rr.etapn'yfical nicety a- gainft the cleareft revelations of the holy fcripture ; for if God wills, or in the fcnpturc import, wifheth. nothing but what he alfo doth think fit to execute, what is' the meaning' of all thefe paffiohate expreffions ? (n) Oh, that my people had hearkened to me, and Ifrad had walked, ir. r,iy ways, even that Jfrael, whom for rejecting me, I have now given up to her own hearts liijts ; ( o) that thou had/I- hearkened to my con... '.:;($) Oh that they were wile, that they would confidzr tiLtir latter end, faith God to the fame obflinate re- volting people ; and after fuch fcrious wiihesj can any one be tempted to believe God did not ferioufly defire it mould be othepvife with them, and even do all that it was fit for him to do, in order that it might be otherwife ? Why elfe doth he ire, (q) What could I have done more to make my vineyard fruitful? When our Savior '(peak's thus to the Jews, Bow ojt would I have gathered you as a hen gather cth htr chickens under her wings ; and fays, Ok that thou liadjl hnow)i in this iky day, 'the things that do b-dong to thy peace, weeping at her neglecl. to do fo ; can we reafonably doubt the truth, or the fin- cerity ol his defire ioi their good, though tin. .1 infidel- ity and perverfeiicls he did not procuie it ? Or will any body (k) , Cor.'vi. i. / Gal. v. ., 3. ( n ) Pftl. IXXXI. 12, 15. - -\VJ 1^3, \\V.\l i;.- . Extent of Chrift' s Redemption. 157 lay, he did not ail that on his part was fitting to be done to- wards their reformation ? . , zdly. Let us confide/ the dreadful confequences of this affertion, that God wills not what he fees not fit to execute,- they being plainly thefe ; that God is not willing any mould obey his will, who doth not obey it ; that he is riot unwilling any one (hould (in, whom herefirains notfrom.it, and that he is not willing any one fhould repent, who doth not repent ; that when they itill continue, and evert die in their impeni- tency, they do nothing contrary to the will of God, becaufe they do nothing he favv. fit to hinder ; and can there be any force in an objection of which thefe are the plain, but dread, ful confequences ? Like to this; SECTION III. Objection fyfw-ftify. Is that objection, that if Chrift died for all men, and all are not laved, the wifdom of God mud be defective and impcrie6t ; for to fall fhort of what a man intends, argues a deficiency in point of wifdom. s4r?Jwer. If this be fo, then every prince that cannot make his fubjects as good as he intends they {hould be, every parent that cannot make his children fo, every good moflcr that can- not prevail with his fervants to be fo, every man that cannot perfuade his friend or neighbor to be as good as toe would have him to be, and every fchool mailer who cannot make his fcholar as learned as he intends lie {hould be, rrmft be deficient in wifdom ; which yet it is ridiculous to affirm, feeing to make a perfon who hath a freedom over his own will, to be what any good and wife man doth intend he fhould be, de- pends not wholly on his wifdom or perfuafion, but on the difpofition and inclination of him with -whom he hath to do, to hearken to, and comply with his perfuafions. The fuppo- fition therefore of this objection muil be fuilc. And, zdly. If a God perfect in, wifdom can intend nothing but what he actually doth compafs and perform, it plainly fol- lows, that he intended' not by his prohibition of fin that any perfon ..fliould avoid, orabftain from it, who doth not actually do fo ; or by his exhortations to repentance, holinefs, obe- dience, that any perfon fliould repent, be holy, or obedient, who is not actually f o ; and v/hy then doth he blame, or pn- ifh them for that iniquity he never did intend they fhouid a- void, or for the want of that repentance and obedience he nev- er did intend they fiiould perform ? Like to this is a SECTION \\ .-^ObjeBion 4. Fourth objection, which faith, if Chrift died for all men, and all men are not favcd, then is not God omnipotent, fince h not apply to thorn that benefit which he was willing ihouid be procured iur them. 158 Extent of Chri/l's Redemption. Anfaer \Ji. When it is faid in fcripture that God could not do this or that, this doth not fignify a want of power in him to do it, but a want of will and a perverfenefs or evil difpofitiqn in others obflrufting his kind influences on, or in- fentions towards them. As when God inquires (r) What could I have done, more for my vineyard which I Have not done. ? When he faith, (f) Though Mofes and Samuel Jlood before me, my mind could not be towards this people ; and the prophet, that (t) the Lord could no longer forbear, bccaufe of their abominations ; as then Chriil ( u) could do no mighty works in his own country, becaufe or their unbelief ; fo here ihe benefit which by the death of Chrift is procured for all who do believe in him, cannot by God be applied to men ob- ilinatcly rejecting Chrift, and refufing to own him as their Savior, becaufe of their unbelief. Anfwer zd/y. According to this way of arguing, it follows, that if ail men do not aHually enjoy what God is willing they mould have, or be partakers ot all the benefits condition- ally intended by him, or by his Son procured for them, he cannot be omnipotent ; and why then doth he fay, (v) We would have healed Eab\!cn, and Jhe would not be heated; (w) I would have purged Jerujalem, but Jhe would not be purged ? Why doth Chriit fay unto the fame Jerujalem Jiow ojt would I have gathered thy children as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not ? In a word, do all men actually enjoy thofe bleflings, temporal, fpjritua!, or eternal, which God conditionally hath, or did ever promife to them ? Or is it for want of ability in God that they do not enjoy them, or want of will in God that they fhoul'd have what he thus promifeth ? Or is it not wholly from the unwillingnefs of men, to perform the conditions upon which only they are promifed ?. How oft doth God declare, that (x) he jent to tjietn all his. fen' ants the prophets, rifiirg up tarty, and /end- ing them, /dying, return ye now every man Jrom his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not ajter other Gods, ana fliali dwell in the land which / have given yen, and I zuii. no hurt ? This he did, i. fyj Btcav/c ht had campafft-on and was very unwilling they fhould penih in : fin&. aflYv. This he did with the greattll foliciiude and care, to preveYit their ruin, as that phrafe, ht jent his prophets, nftng up early, a;:d fending them, plainly impoits ; 3^()'. The red fon why all thefe exhortations ot God by his piopk- c-came incffetual, and had notihe defired effctt, was this ; (r} Id-, v 4,- (f) Ter. xv. ,. (t) Chap. xliv. 22. (vj Mark T.. , -. ; ' jtr. 11.9. fiu) Kztk. xxiv. is- (*JJcf< xxxv, -'/5,6. (y) ^ Chron. xxxvi. 15, 16. Extent of Chrift' s Redemption. 159 fcecaufe they inclined not the ear^ and hearkened not to his word, but fa id, (z) We will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart, ^thly. Obferve that therefore the wrath of God aroje again/t Ins people, fo that there was no remedy, Heb. no healing ; not fure becaufe an omnipotent God was not able to heal them, or a good God, who out of compaflion to them, and foiicitudc for their welfare fent all his prophets to reclaim them, would not heal them ; but becaufe they defpifed his words, and would not be healed, but would every one do the imagination of his evil heart. SECTION V. Objetlion 5. The Jifth objection is but the firft in other words, viz. That if Chrift died for all men, and all men come not to be faved ; then the great love of Ged in giving his Son to men is ufelefs and unprofitable, for to what purpofe, or of what ufe is the love of God, and the gift of his Son to men, if he doth not withal give them faith in his Son ? Anfwer. As if all God's als of grace and favor to men, which are not effectual, through mens perverfenefs and the ftubbornnefs of their wills, to obtain his gracious purpofes, muft be vain and fruitlefs on his part, it he alfo giveth not that grace which will make them effectual to his ends ; and we might reafonably inquire, to what purpofe was that riches f God's . goo dnefs, patience and long juffer ing to the Jews which did not lead them to repentance ? Or of what ufe was it if he did not give them repentance unto life? To what purpofe was it that t\\z grace of God, which brings Jalvation, hath appeared to all ?nen, it all men were not actually taught A and engaged by it, denying all ungodltncfs and worldly I lifts, to live nghteoufly, [oberly and godly in thu prcfent world? To what purpofe are all God's prohibitions and revelations from heaven agai njl all unrighitou/nefs, andun- godlinejs if he doth not by his grace effe6iually reilrain them fronrthefe things ? Or of what ufe are his commands, if he doth not by his grace conftrain men to obey them ; or all his gracious calls, if he doth not effedlually engage men to an fiver them ? SECTION VI. Objeclion 6. No man wittingly pays a price of redemption for a captive, which he certainly knows this miferable man will never be the better for ; Chrift there- fore paid no price of redemption for any man, who will never be the better for it. Anfwer ift. To ftiew the abfurdity of this objection, let it fee considered, that it depends entirely on this foundation, that (zj Jcr. xviii. 12 Extent of Ckrift's Redemption. God and thrift never did, or could do that to any per fans whicft they knew they would never be the. better for ; which that it is extremely ialfe, all his dispensations from the beginning of the world do teftify. For,' Did he not fend his Spirit to -Jlrive with the old world ? Did he not allow them the Space of an hundred and twenty years to repent in, though he knew they would not be the better fpr it ? Did he not fend to the Jews his prophets, rifng up early, and J ending them to admonifh them to turn from their evil- way, that J hey might not be carried away captive ? Did l\e not chaftife them when they refuSed to receive correction ? Did he not life the greateft diligence to m'ake his vineyard bring forth good grapes, -when- it brought forth only Sour grapes ?. D-id he not ufe means to purge 'them when they v/ould Jiot be purged ? Were ndt all his- pr-ornifes made to encourage them to the per for man CG -of their duty, that -it might be well with them, and all his threats to deter them from their iniquity ? And ihall we deny that God did theSe things to theie ends, becaufe his wifdom knew they would not have theSe Salutary -effects upon them ? Again,' doth not God reveal his gofpel, offer his grace, and fend his ambafladors to call them to faith and repentance,- whom he knew would never be the better for thefe things? Did not Chrift conie to his own, who received him not ? Did he not 'Speak to them that they might be Sewed, who would not come to him that they might hav^e life? Did he not Say to them, who would not -be gathered, how oft would I have gathered you ? &c. And did he not know what would be the jifue of his coming, his Speaking to, and -his endeavors to d-o them good ? Wherefore in all exhortations and perSuaSions, and all moral means w-hofe effect depends -upon the will o-f man, it is Sufficient that they are prop'er means for produ-cing the defigned end, and that tod knows they may be, and if they at according to that reafon and discretion he: hath given them, they will be better lor them ; otherwise we may argue, as this objection doth, no good man would put another into a liate in which he knows he will be miScrable, and therefore a good God would never make thoSe men he-knows will finally be So. No good prince would have any Subjects he fhould be forced to cut off; and therefore a good God would not give being to thole men of- the old world, which his vindift- ive jufiice forced him to deftroy. Anfwer 2. zdly. I anfwcr, that this objection is built upon a Uli'e fuppofnion, -viz. that Chrift paid no fuch price for them thai perifii, as for them that will be Saved; the price for both was 'one and the Same, his Sufferings on the crofs, hi* Extent of Chrift's Redemption. blood Hied for the remiffion of fins ; and thus he equally muft have fuffered for the redemption of any finner from death, as for the redemption of all, as under the old law the fame fac- rifice was offered to make atonement for a fmgle perfon, and for the whole nation of the Jews ; that any receive remiffion of fins by virtue of his death, is, becaufe they, through faith in his blood, are juftified, arid fo have peace with God ; and that all do not fo, is not for want of an atonement made for them by the fame blood, but for want of that faith and thofe conditions of the new covenant, which can alpne give them an rnterefl in that atonement* DISCOURSE III. SUFFICIENT AND EFFECTUAL, COM MON AND SPECIAL GRACE, CHAPTER 1 The State of the Queftion. O R the right ftating of this queftion it will be requifi-e to fhew, I. What is the fciipture import of the word Grace. II. What is the manner of the ope- ration of this Grace upon the foul, to convert, or to difpofe it to what is fpir- itually good. III. What renders it efficacious in fome, and not in others to produce faith, repentance and converfion of the foul to God, and what is the account \&tfcripture t and oiir blejftd Savior giveth of this matter. SECTION I. To begin with the firft particular, Grace in the fcripture, when it is ftyled the grace of God imports hi: EffcSual and Special Grace. 163 favor, and his kind affeftion to us, as hath been largely prov- ed in the note on 2 Cor. yi. i. Accordingly, ifl. The gofpel preached to jfezv and Gentile, is flyled (a) the grace, of &od which brings falvation ; (b) the. word of his grace which is able to build us up, KX\ S*vai, and to give us an inheritance, among them that are fanclified. This alfo muft be the import of the word when it is faid (c) that the law came by Mofes, but grace and truth by Jefus Chrift ; when the apojlles exhort their converts to (d) continue in the grace vf God; when they fay that God confirmed the word of his grace by doing Jjgns and wonders ; when the gofpel is ftyled (e) the word of grace, and the gofpel of grace. And this is probably the import of the word in many other places cited by Dr. Hammond, note on Heb. xiii. 9. where, faith he, they that believed through grace, A&s xviii. 27. are they that be- lieved through the preaching of the gofpel ; and in this fenfe the grace of God is abfolute ; there being nothing either in Jew or Gentile which made them worthy of this revelation, nor any condition required on their part that it might be preached to them. o.dly. This grace which thus appeared to all men, being ^ %zpis w ocuTr,pio$, i. e. in its defign, and in its influence (where it was not obftrufted by men's infidelity, and love of dark- nefs more than light) faying grace, the calling of men by the preaching of it to the faith, is fometimes faid to be the calling them by grace ; and when they embrace that call, the faving them by grace, as when it is faid, (f) we are faved by the grace of the Lord Jefus Chrifi ; by grace ye are faved, not of works. For feeing this is fpoken to men yet alive, and fo o- bliged, (g) to work out their falvation with fear and tremb- ling ; it cannot mean that they were actually faved, but only that they were called to a ftate of falvation, enjoyed the means and were put in the way of falvation by grace (of which im- port of the word faved, fee the note on Eph. ii. 8.) Hence the apojllc faith, (h) he hath faved us, and (or that is) called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but the grace given us in Chriji Jefus ; and to be thus faved by grace, is to be faved by the mercy and favor of God to us, accord- ing to thefe words of the fame apojlle, (i) when the kindnefs and love of God our Savior to man appeared, not by works of righteoujnefs which we have done (before faith) but by his mer- cy he faved us ; and this grace is again abfolute, it being pure- ly of the mercy, and the tree grace of God that any nation is, (aJT'it. ii. ir. fit) Acts xx. 32. (c) John i. 17. (d) A6ls xiii. 43. xiv. 3. (e ) Ads xx. 32, 24. ffj Acts xv, ci,~ (g} EpH, ii. 8, 9. (ti) a Tim. i. <}.~(i) Tit. iii. 4- < 164 Effe&ual and Special Grace. Jpy the preaching of the gofpel to them, called to the knowl, edge of falvation by Chrift. dly. When men thus called embrace the gofpel, and be- lieve in Chriit, and fo obtain the pardon oi their paft fins, this alfo is faid to be done by grace, we being juftified (k) by the grace, of God through the redemption that is in Jefus, and obtaining the forgivenefs ot fins according to the riches of his grace; and though this grace be not abfolute but conditional, we being juftified by faith, yet fince that faith is not of our- felves, but is the gift of God, and it is of mere grace that this al of faith, which deierves nothing, is imputed to us for right- eoufnefs ; it is certain that we zr&jujlijied by the grace of God. qthly. The gift of the fpirit, is in the Jcnpture ftyled the grace of God, efpecially his extraordinary gifts, as when St. Paul faith, (I) having gifts differing according to the grace, that is given to us ; whether prophejy, let us pr'ophefy accord- ing to the proportion oj Jaith, &c. To the Corinthians he fpeaks thus, (m) I thank my Godjor the grace which is given to you, fo that you come behind the other churches in no gift. And again, (p) not in flejhly wifdom, but by the grace oj God we have had our convtrjution in the world, an.a more efpecially tovjards you. To the JLphe/ians thus, (qj to tvery one of us is given grace according to the meafure of tht gift oj Chrift. And St. Peter fpeaketh tbus. (rj as. every one hath rec^ d the gift, fo minijler the fame one io another, asgoodjlewutds cf the manifold grace of God. On which account they who Jell off from the faith, after they had tafted of thefe gifts, and were made (J) partakers of the Holy Ghojl, are faid to have defpifed the fpirit of grace. ' Now this grace being peculiar to the fir ft ages of the church can have nothing to do with this controversy, unlefs by way of proportion and analogy, in which the ordinary gifts and afliftances of the holy fpirit deriv- ed from the fame God, may alfp be called the grace of God. Now this being all the fenfes in which the word grace, or the grace of he doth within us what is acceptable in his fight ? And, $dly. Doth it not feern'unreafonable to deny that influence to God and his good fpirit to incline men to goodnefs, which generally is, and mult, according to the Jcripture, be allowed to the evil [pint tempting men to wickednefs ? Now though this evil fpirit cannot lay us under a neceffity of doing wick- edly, yet is he represented in the Jcnpture as the great tempt- er to fin, which he can only be immediately by raifing fome ideas in our brain which do excite, difpofe and move us as our own thoughts or inward fentiments at other times are wont to do, to what is evil ; he alfo is ftyled (c) that [pint which, IvspygT, works inwardly in the children of difobtd.it net ;. which words feem plainly to import fome inward energy of Satan to excite them to this diiobedience ; feeing then (d) Jlronger is he that is in us, than he that is in the world ', i. e. that good Jpirit who dwells in pious men, is more powerful (t) Rom. viii. 2. (u) Gen. vi. 3. (10) Ab vii. ^r. (x ) , n iii. 5, 6, 8. (y ) Rom. viii. 13. (zj Gal. v. 17. (a) Philip, li. 13. (b) Heb. xiii, ax. (c } Kyh, ji, 2. (d) i Johoiv. 4. i66 Effectual and Special Grace. in them than Satan is in wicked men, we muft allow this good fpirit evspyeiv, to work inwardly in the children of obedience, as Satan is allowed to \vork in his own children. Moreover the evil fpirit is reprefented as (e) a lying fpirit in the mouth of Ahab's prophets ; (f) he moved David to number the peo- ple ; fgj he entered into Judas ; (h) he filled the heart of Ananias to lie to the Holy Ghojl ; all which things cannot be accounted for without allowing him fome power to work up- on the minds of thofe perfons, fo as to raife within them fome fuch ideas as would excite and ftir them up to the perform- ance of thofe aclions. When therefore in like manner God is laid to (i)put a new fpirit, and is put his fpirit within us, to create in us a clean heart, and renew in us a right fpirit, to put his fear, and his law in our hearts, to circumcife, and (k) to convert the heart ; if he by his good fpirit raifeth no good motions or ideas in us which may difpofe us to his fear, and by attention to them may convert and cleanfe our hearts, if he vouchfafes to us no inward illuminations by attending to which we may difcern the iconderous things of his law, what can thefe words or metaphors import? Seeing the heart is puri- fied by an inward change and temper which renders it averfe from fin, and fets the affections, defires and inclinations of the foul againfl it ; feeing the deeds of the flefh are only mortified by fuch a renovation of the mind as makes us to difcern the pernicious effects and dreadful confequences of living ftill ac- cording to our flefhly appetites, and fo begets a dread and hatred of them, a resolution to forfake them, a vehement de- fire to be freed from them, a fincere endeavor to refift the motions of the flefh, and a care that we do not for the future yield obedience to it in the luflings of it ; if there be no ren- ovation wrought in us by the aiTiltance and cooperation of the fpirit, how can we poflibly conceive God fhould put in us a new fpirit, create in us a clean heart, renew in us a right /pint, circiuncije and convert the heart, or put his fear into if, if his good fpirit works nothing on the mind and the af- fcclions of a man, and confequently upon his will to make this change within us ? To fay that all thefe operations of the holy fpirit were pe- culiar to the firft ages of the church, and therefore are now ceafed, is in effect to make the dilpenfation of the gofpel ccafe, the difference betwixt that and the law, being by the a- poflle placed in this, that the one is the ?ninifl ration of the let- ter only, the other alfo of the fpirit ; and if it were fo only (f) r Kings xxii. ST.- (f) \ Chron. xxi. i. (g) Luke xxii. 3. .''/>/' Ar)s v. 3. f/VKzek. xi. 19. xviii. 31. xxxvi. 27. Jpr. xxxii. 40. Jkb, viii. ro. Dent, xxx. 6. (kjjcr. xxxi. 18. ,jfc final and Special Grace. whilft the extraordinary difpenfations of the fpirit lafled, then from the time that they have.ceafed, the gofpel doth not in this differ from the law, or deferve to be preferred before it upon that account. And, j^thly. The denial of this afliftance feems to take off from the energy of prayer in general, and from the virtue of prayer 1 "or the holy fpirit in particular, and fo to make men flight and negleft that duty of which the fcripture fpeaketh fo mag- nificently, and to which it fo frequently exhorts us ; at leaft, it feems not well confident with the tenor of thefe infpired prayers, or thefe prefcriptions for it recorded in the holy fcripture ; for who can reconcile it with thefe expreffions, in which holy men of God fo often beg he would incline their hearts unto him, fince this he cannot do without fome opera- tion on their hearts ; or that he would draw them that they might run after him, that he would open their eyes, and give them under/landing to dijcern his law, that he would lead them in the right way, in the way everlajling ; for if God by his fpirit hath no influence upon the heart and foul, how doth he incline or draw it ? If none upon the underftanding, how doth he enlighten or inftruft it ? If this be done only by the words read, preached and pondered in the heart, we may as well ap- ply ourfelves to that work without, as with prayer. Moreover, according to this doftrine, it feems both fruit- lefs and abfurd to pray for the afliflance of the holy fpirit, or to expect we fhould enjoy it, and fo that paffage of St. Luke 9 (1) \_AJk and ye Jhall receive, feek and ye Jhall find, knock and it Jhall be opened to you ; for if evil parents give good gifts td their children, how much more will your heavenly Fa- ther give the holy fpirit to them that ajk hiin\ muft be of no ufe or virtue to us ; for what do thefe words bid us pray for but the holy fpirit, and what affiftance can he afford us if he doth not operate at all upon us ? To fay this promife is to be confined to the firft ages of the church, feems not agreeable to reafon ; for why then doth it run in words fo general, TTXS yxp,for every one thai ajks re- ceives. Moreover, thofe fpiritual and ordinary effects for which the holy fpirit was then given, thofe fruits of \hzjpirit he produced in them, are as needful and good for cknjiians now as when our Savior fpoke thefe words ; for as the holy fpirit was then needful to ftrengthen Chrift's fervants (m) in the inward man to do his will, to comfort them in tribulations, and to fupport them in fiery trials, and to preferve them from the fubtilties of Satan, and the temptations of the wicked world ; fo is there the fame need of his afliftance now for a!) (1) Luke xi. 9, 13, (m) Eph. Hi. :5, 168 Effectual and Special Grace. $iefe gracious ends, and therefore the fame reafon to expeft him ftill for all thefe purpofes. The conditions alfo of this promife may be performed now by us, as well as by them then ; we may be now fmcerely defirous to obey the holy \vill of God, and with true fervency and importunity may beg the holy Jpirit to this end ; and if we may acceptably per- form thofe duties to which this promife is annexed, why may we not as confidently expecl: the bleffing promifed ? for the encouragement here given to expecl: the afliftance of the holy Jpirit is this, that we ajk him of our heavenly Fathtr. Now this rrioft comfortable relation God bears to all his children of what age foever, and therefore there is now and ever will be the fame benignity in God, the fame good will and readi- nefs in him to give his holy Jpirit to his children for all need- tul purpofes, as in all former ages ; it therefore in like mari- ner we do afk we muft have equal reafon to expecl; we mould receive him. To proceed then, zdly. To explain, as far as I am able, what is the manner of the operation ot God's grace, and holy Jpirit on the foul. SECTION III. \fl. 1 affert that the manner in which God's grace and holy fpirit acls upon the minds and hearts of men for the production of the fruits of the good fpirit, and the preparatory difpofuions of the foul towards them, may reafonably be conceived to be fuch as is fuitable to the reafon and faculties of men, the understanding and the will. Now it is certain that what naturally makes the underftanding to perceive, is evidence propofed and apprehended, confidered or adverted to ; for nothing elfe can be requifite to make us come to the knowledge of the truth, and underftand what the will of the L0rdis,&nd fo be wife to falvation. Hence the apof- tlt prays that his Philippiaxs (n) ?night abound m-srs and more in knowledge and in all wij'dom, tv wdm} alr,6ri?ei, in all per- ception, that they might approve the things that are moft ex- cellent ; and faith to the (o) Romans, be ye transformed by the re- newing of your mind, hs TO &ii/x,eiv, that you may dijcern and approve what is according to the good, andacceptible, and ptrfetl will of God. Again, what makes the will choofe, is fomething ap- proved by the underftanding, and confequemly appearing to the foul as good ; and whatfoever it refufeth, is fomething feprefented by the underftanding, and fo appearing to the will as evil ; whence all that God requires of us is, and can be on- ly this, to refitfe the evil and to choofe the good. Wherefore to fay that evidence propofed, apprehended and confidered, is not fufficient to make the' underftanding to approve ; or that thegreateft good propofed, the greateft evil threatened, when (n) Philip, i. 9, 10. - (oj Rom. xii. a. Effectual and Special Grace. . equally believed and reflected on, is not fufficient to engage the will to choofe the good and refufe the evil, is in effect to fay that which alone doth move the will to choofe or to refufe; is not fufficient to engage it fo to do ; that which ,alone is re- quifue to make me underftand. and approve, is not fufficient 'to do fo ; which being contradictory to itfelf, mull of necef- fity be falfe. Be it then fo, that we have naturally an averfiori to the truths propofed to us in the gofpel, that only can make us in- difpofed to attend to them, but cannot hinder our conviction when we do apprehend them and attend to them ; whence for removal of it, the apoftle only prays, (p) that the eyes of our under/landing may be enlightened that we may know them ; adding, that where the light of the knowledge of the glory of God was revealed, if, after this, fq) their go/pel was hid from any, it was only fo t becaufc the God of this world had blinded their eyes, or the conceptions of their minds, that the light of the go/pel might not Jhine into them. Be it that there is in us alfo a renitency to the good we are to choofe, that only can indifpofe. us to believe it is, and to approve it as our chiefelt good. Be it that we are prone to the evil that we mould de- cline, that only can render it the more difficult for us to be- lieve it is the word of evils ; but yet what we do really be- lieve to be our chiefeft good, will ftill be chofen, and what we apprehend to be the worft of evils, will, whilft we do con- tinue under that conviction, be refufed by us : It therefore can be only requifite, in order to thefe ends, that the good fpirit mould fo illuminate our underftandings, that we attend- ing to, and confidering what lies before us, fhould apprehend^ and be convinced of our duty ; and that the bleffings of the go/pel mould be fo propounded to us, as that we may difcernl them to be our chieieft good, and the miferies it threateneth, fo as we may be convinced they are the worft of evils, that we may choofe the one, and refufe the other. Now to confider in order to approbation and conviclion, to choofe in order to our good, and to refufe that we may avoid mifery, muft be the actions not of God but man, though the light that doth con- vince, and the motives which engage him thus to choofe, and refufe, are certainly from God. SECTION IV. To ill u ft rate this by a familiar inftance taken from otirfelves, or our deportment towards others ; v^en a man in words plain and intelligible fpeaks to another, it ne will hearken to what he fays, he muft underhand his mind ; for by that very impreffion the words make upon hi brain, he immediately perceives his mind ; and cannot the fpj Eph, 5. if.- fqj 2 Ccr. iv, 3, 4* 170 Effectual and Sptcial Crace* divine impreflion on the mind, which is God's fpeaking in- wardly to man, do the fame thing ? This alion is indeed fo rieceffary, that, as it is not virtuous or praifeworthy in any man to underftand the mind of him that fpeaks to him, fo neither feerheth it praifeworthy in us to linderiland the mind of God thus fpeaking to us. Again, thefe words of man con- tain fometimes an exhortation to another to do what he de- fires he would do, taken from the propofal of fome advantage, or the promife of fome good he mall receive hy complying with his exhortation ; or they contain fome dehortation from doing what he would not have another do, becaufe it will be hurtful to him, or will be certainly attended with fome evil confequences : Is not this the method ufed by all the world in dealing with another ? And do they not all do this with hopes and expe6tation of fuccefs ? And is it not a great dif- paragement to the word of God to fay, or think that all his perfuafions, admonitions, exhortations, promifes and threats, fhould be infufficient to prevail with us to turn frdm our fin- fal courfes, and turn to him, when men who ufe thefe meth- ods towards their children, fervants, friends or relations, do it in hopes that they fhall be fuccefs ful by thefe means ? Moreover, if the perfori they addrefs to, be flow of under- ftanding, do they not hope to overcome that difficulty by the clearnefs of their difcourfe, and by reiterating the fame thing in fuch variety df exprefiions as he is beft able to perceive ? If he be averfe from doing that which is defired, do they not hope to overcome that aVerferiefs by repeated exhortations and vigorous impreflions of thofe encouragements they ten- der, to prevail upon him to comply with their defire ? If he ilrongly be inclined to that from which they vehemently dehort him, do they not endeavor to turn the bent and current of his inclinations by the like repeated exhortations and lively repre- fentations of the evils he will be certainly expofed to by fo doing ? All men are therefore of this opinion in their prac- tice, that aling with men by convincing reafori, and by mo- tives and perfuafions, is aftirig with them fuitably to their faculties, and fo as that they may prevail. And is not God himfelf of the fame mind ? Hath he not revealed his will on purpofe that we may know" it ? Hath he not directed his let- ters and epi files to us, that by reading we may under (land them, and knout the things which do belong, to our peace ? Did not our Savior utter all his difcourfes to the fame end ? Why elfe doth he inquire fr) Why is if you do not under/land mv Jbccch ? (f) Jiow is it that you do not underjland? Why doth ne preface them with this inflruclion, (t) hear and under- (rj John viii. 43. (f) Mark viii, 21. ft) Malth xv. 10. Effectual and Special Grace. 171 ftand? Doth not God call upon us to (u) to conjlder of our 'ways, and lay to heart his fayings and his difpenfations ? Dotn he not prefc.ibe this as a remedy to prevent his judg- ments, when he fays, (v) Oh conjlder this, ye that forget God ; jnd of being wile, hy faying, (w) Oh that they were wife, that they zoo aid con/Uzr their latter end ? Doth lie not repre- fent this as the fource of all the wickednefs and idolatry of his own people, (x) that they would not confider in their heart ? Doih he not make converfion the effecl of this conful- eratioii, when he faith, (y) becaufe he con/tderetk and turneth away from all the tran/grejjions that he hath committed, he. Jhall furely live? Yea, doth he not reprefent this as a juft ground of hope, that even the moft ftubborn fmners may be reformed, when he faith to the prophet, ( z) remove by day in their fight,, it may be they will confider though they be a rebel- lious people ? Does not God require his people to fa) choofe. life, pronouncing a blefling upon them who (b) choofe the things that pleafe him, and threatening deftruction to them who fc) would not choofe the fear cf the Lord, but' fdj chofe the things in which he delighted not ? Now doth he any thing more to prevail with them who do not choofe the fear of the Lord, and do not do the things that pleafe him, to engage them fo to do, or not to do the contrary, but teach them his ways, and perfuade them to walk in them ? Mail it not then be cer- tain that either he tranfacls with them as men, who notwith- ftanding any acls of preterition on his part, or any difability or corruption of will on their part, might by thefe things be induced to choofe to fear him, and do the things that pleafe him, and might abftain from the contrary ; or threatened! to dellroy them for not choofing what they could not choofe, for doing what they had not means fufficient to avoid, and for not doing what it was not poffibie for men fo vitiated and fo deferted, to perform ? Again, doth not God exhort the Jews to be (e) willing and obedient, promifmg a full pardon and a bleffing to them that do fo ? Doth not Chrifl rcfolve the definition of the Jews into this, ffj You will not come un- to me that you might* have, life ? Declaring this to be the Tea- ton why they were not gathered, becaufe he often fgj would have gathered them, but they would not be gathered ; becaufe being fo gracioufly invited to the marriage, (h) th-y would not come. Now what did he to engage them to come to him, to gather them, or prevail on them to come to the marriage i. 5, 7. - (v) Pfa 1 . 1. 21. --- f a diftinftion of grace into different kinds or fpecies, but only a diflincliori ot the fame kind of grace, according to its accident. ally different effe&s, all efficacious grace being fufficient; and all fufHcierit grace being tiich as would be efficacious, did not the indifpofition of the patient hinder the effecl of it. And Lajlly. The diftinclion of grace into common and fpecial tnay be undtrftood two ways, viz. that grace which is afford- ed without any condition required on our part, as the vouch- fafement of the knowledge ot the gofpel, and the calling meri by it to the faith, may be called common grace, becatife it is common to all who live under the found of the gofpel ; but that grace which is fufpended upon a condition, as the receiv- ing the afliilance of the holy fpirit upon our afking, feekiug, knocking ior him, or receiving more upon the due improve- ment of the talents received, the remillion of fins upon our faith and repentance, may be ftyled fpecial grace, becaufe i\ only is vouch fafed to them who perform the condition ; and fo it is the fame with grace abfulute and conditional ; or elfe that may be ftyled common grace by which we are led to the faith of Chrift, and fo it includes all thofe good defires which are excited in us, and all thofe good difpofitions, which, are produced in the minds of men before they believe, all this grace being common to men before they are admitted into the new covenant ; and that will be fpecial grace which is givei to believers only, for the ftrengthenicg of their faith, the en- creafing of their good defires, and the enabling them to live according to the SECTION VII. That any fupernaturai habits mu& be in- fufed into us in an iaftant, and ndt produced by frequent AC- t?S Effectual and Special Grace. tions, or that any other fupernatural aid is requifite to the" converfion of a finner, befides the forementioned illumination of the holy fpint, and the impreffion which he makes upon Our hearts hy the ideas which he raifes in us, is that which my hypotkejis by no means will allow ; -which ideas, though they are raifed by a pkyjical operation, yet are they moral in their operations ; even as a man's tongue in fpeaking to per* iaad?, or to diffuade another, performs a pkyjical operation, though the effet of it is only moral. Some remon drams, by granting this neceflity of J'upernat- ural and infufed habits, feem to have run themfelves into this .dilemma, that either thefe Juper natural habits, viz. of faith and chanty, may be wrought in men, and yet they may not be converted; or elfe that all who are not converted, are therefore nor converted, becaufe God's fpirit hath not wrought thefe habits in them, which is the very abfurdity they labor to avoid; ,\ Q CHAPTER II. Proofing the Arguments 'which feem to overthrow thh AJfcftion, of an Irrefiftible or Unfruftrablc Grace, neceJJ'ary to the Convtrfwn of a Sinntr. ./\ND this I mall begin with forrie general confiderations, as v. g. SECTION I. i. That which is fufficient to caufe any man to diflruft, if not entirely to reje6i; this doftrine, is this, that ihe defenders of it are forced by the evidence of truth, to grant what is inconfiitent with their doclririe, and to aflert art univcrfal grace, which to all, excepting the eleft, is really no grace, as v.g. i/l. They grant, ".that preventing grace, a-s it is given ir- reliilibly, fo likewife is it given univerfally to men, and that this initial and exciting grace being once granted, is never taken away by God from any man, unlefs he firft ot his own aecoid rejcfts it;" and yet they refolve the nonconvcrfion, }?ffeftual and Special Grace. or not believing of all thofe who are not effectually converted into the want of means fufficient tor their falvation, or, which is the fame thing, into God's dereliction of them in that Hate of difability into which Adams fall had caft them ; and what Grace is it then, to have that initial and exciting grace which they cannot but reject, and which can never work faith and repentance in them for want of that farther and effectual grace which God will not vouchfafe to them, or that they have a talent put into their hands which they cannot but a- bufe to their great condemnation, for want of farther talents which he is refolved to withhold from them ? vdly. They grant, "that there are certain inward workings- and effecls wrought by the word and fpirit of God preceding conversion and regeneration in the hearts of per ion s not yet juftified, which God ceafeth not to promote and carry on to- wards conversion* till he be forfaken of them by their volun- tary negligence, and his grace be repelled by tliem ;" and yet that he intends to re-flrain his faving grace to his eler, and to afford means fufficient for falvation to them only; and why again then are thefc inward workings and effects wrought in them by the word and fpirii, from w-hom God intendeth to reflrain his faving and converting grace, without which they cannot but negleS and repel his former grace ? Or how can he properly be faid to carry on his work towards the conrcr- Jisn of them, whom he hath decreed to leave in an utter difa- bility of being COD verted, or recovered from their undone coiu dition ? 3*//y. That God doth very ferioufly and in earned invite. and call all thofe to faith and repentance, and converfion, irr whom by his word and fpirit he works a knowledge of the' divine will, a fenfe of fin, a dread of punifhment, fome hopes ot pardon ; and yet that all thefe men, excepting the elcl, are not converted through a defectivenefs in the grace of God to do it, or for want of means fufficient for their converfion or falvation ; and becanfe God never intended by thefe means falvation to any but the elect, he having part a deer-"" pre- terition on the reft of mankind, whom therefore, h \\\\ left under a nece filly of per Kh ing, ft nee idem eil praeteimitti ac dimitti-, it is the fame, thing to he omitted out of the decree of eleclion, and to be left to perifti ; and who then can coii' how his word or fpirit fhould wrukin any other a hope of pardon ? Or how can God be ferious and in good cai nril in calling them to faith and repentance, and yet ferious and in good earodl in his decree to deny them that grace without which they neither can believe or repent ; .10 call .thciV, ivri r oufly to faith and repentance, being to call them to falva- tion by faith, and to repeat that they may not periih ; ai.a 1-3 :*8o Efftftual and Special Gract, pafs antecedently a- decree of preterition on them, is ferioufly to xvill they fhould inevitably perifh. 7 o think to folve all this by faying God is ferious and in good earneil in inviting thefe men to believe that they may be faved, and to repent that they may not periih, becaufe he would fave them if they would believe ; he would preferve them from peri [hing if they would repent, is vain. For if faith be the gift of God, if he gives repentance to life, and hath reftrained both thefe gifts to his elect, and hath left all the reft of mankind under a ne- ceflity to perifh for want of an ability to believe and repent, becaufe this ability was loft to mem by the fall of Adam^ then irjuft not all thefe invitations made to them to believe that they might be faved, and repent that they might not perifh, be only an invitation to efcape perifhing, and to obtain falvation upon a condition which his decree of preterition hath render- ed it impoiTible for them to perform ; and can he then be fe- rious and in good earned who only doth invite them to ufe things on a condition which he himfeif hath decreed to leave them under an utter inability to perform ? Thefe are fuch ev- ident abfurdities and contradictory propofitions, that nothing but a ftrong and fhining evidence of that which manifeflly de- ilroys their doclrine, would force them to admit them. To proceed now to the arguments which evidently feem to con- fute this doclrine. SECTION II. Argument \. And (ijl.) this is evident from tlioie expreflions of the holy Jcripture, which intimate that God had dene what was fufficient, and all that reafonably could be expected from him in order to the reformation of thofe perlons who v/ere not reformed ; for what could havt been dune, ??wre, (a) Hebr. What was there more to da for my vineyard, zchich I have not done in it ? Whcrtfort then whan I looked, (or expected) that itjhouldkave brought forth grqfes, brought itjorth wild grapes? for doth not this inquiry make it evident that the means which God had ufed to make this vineyard bring forth good grapes were both intended for that end, and were iufficrenr, though not effectual through her perverff'nefs, to produce in her thofe fruits which heexpeled trom her; if an unfn;ftrable operation on her were abfolutely iieceilary to that end, 'mult he not in vain have ufcd all other means here mentioned to produce it, whilft that was not vouchfafed ? Admit this fuppofition, and it demon drably fol- lows that this vineyard had not grace iufhcierit to anf-.ver her Ztirrd's expectations, and it f6, mlift he not nnreafonably com- jplain thai fhe brought forth wild grapes, and more unreafon.}.. ^>Jy expert good grapes, and chide his vineyard ior '.vant of (a) Ifa. v. 4. Efft&ual and Special Grace. 181 them, and moft cnreafonably punifh her for not doing that which he would not give her grace fufficient to perform, and which could never be per Formed by her without grace diffi- dent ? SECTION III. Argument 2. zdly. Of this we {lull be more convinced if we confider with what vehemence, and in what pathetical expreflions God defires the obedience an4 reformation of his people. Thus when the Jews faid to Mo- Jes, (b) /peak thou to us all that the. Lord Jliall fpeak to thee, and we, will he;.r it and do it ; God anfwers, they have, well faid all that they have fpoken ; Mi Jitten, rls do/*-**,. Ok that there, were fuch an heart in them thai they would jtar me and keep ail my commandments always! Can it rationally be ima- gined that he himfelf, who ib paffionately defires they might have, and thus inquires who will give them this,, heart, fiiould himfelf withhold from them what was absolutely requifue that they might have it ? Could he approve then willingncis to hear and do his commandments, and yet himfelf deny. them grace or ftrength fufficient to perform them ? Who will give that there may be in them fuck an heart, is, faith the Bilhopof ly 9 an expreflion of the moft earned defjre ; but withal fig- nifies that if what " he had done for them would not move them to fear and obey him, it was not pofiible to perfuade them to it. Not but he could miraculoufly work upon them (by an irrefiflible or urifruftrable operation) faith (c) Maimomdzs, and change their hearts, if he pleaied, as he ttiiraculoufly changed the nature ot other things ; but if this were God's will to deal with them after this faihion, there would have been no need to fend a prophet to them, or to publilh laws full of precepts and proimfes, rewards and punishments, by which, faith he, God wrought upon their hearts, and not by his abfoiute Omnipotence." Again, can it enter into the heart of any man to conceive this, God was not fo deiirous of their reformation and obedience as to do all that was requifite on his part to procure it, and fo to give them means fumcient for the performance of their duty, when after all his uniuc- cefsful labors that it might be fo, he breaks forth into fuch ardent wifnes, (d) Oh that my peopU had hearkened to me and Jfrael had walked in my ways I hven that Ifrael whom for rejecting me, I have now given vp to htr own Tieart's lufts ; Oh that thou hadjl hearkened to my commandments, faith 'God to that obilinate people, whofe neck was an iron finew^ and their brow brajs. Now can thefe exprefiions come irom one wiio had fiom all eternity decreed their reprobation, and con- (b) Deut. v. z 7 28, 29. (c) More Jfw. Part. 3. clvm xxxii. id) Ifa. xivih, 1 8, i, 2, 3, Effcftual and Special Grace. fequently the denial of means fufficient to enable them to do what he thus wrfhes they had done ? Can there be any doubt of the fmcerity or ardency of Chrift's defire of the welfare and falvation of the Jews when his eyes firft wept over Jeru- Jalem, and then his mouth litters thefe words, happy hadjt thou been kadjl tkou known in this thy day the things belong- ing to thy peace ; but now they are hid from thine eyes ; they are fo now, therefore they were not always fo. For Chrift here plainly taketh it for granted that the people of Jerujalem in this day of their vifitation by the Mejjiah, might have fav- ingly kn#wn the things belonging to their peace ; fince other, wife, I know not how our Savior's tears could be looked on as tears of charity and true companion; and either his affer- tion that they might have been happy would have been con- trary to truth, or his trouble that they had not known the things belonging to their peace muft have been trouble con- trary to the decree of his Father; both which are palpably abfurd. And feeing the will of Chrifl was always the fame with the will of the Father, it follows alfo that God the Father hath the fame charitable affeftion to them, and fo had laid no bar again ft their happinefs by a decree oj preterition, or been wanting in any thing on his part requifite towards their ever, lailing welfare ; and then it mufl be certain that an unfruilra- ble operation being not vouchsafed to convert them, it was not neceffdry to that end. SECTION IV. Argument g. %dly. If converfion be wrought only by the untruftrable operation oi God, and man is purely paffive in it; vain are, i/?. All the commands and exhortations directed to wick- ed men (e) to turn from their evil ways, to put away the evil of their doings, to cea/e to do evil, and to learn to do well, to wajh and make themjdves clean, (f) to circumcije their heart;, and be no more jlijf necked, (gj to circumcije them/elves to the Lord, and take away the fore/kins of their hearts, to loajli their hearts from wicktdne/s that they may be. faved, (h) to put off the old man and put on the new, fi) to lay a fide all filtkinefs and I up er flinty of hanghtinefs, find to receive with mteknefs the tngrajted word ; for to fuppofe that God commands the duty, or impofes that as our duty under the penalty of everJa(Hn,g wrath, which ^ie both knows, and according to this kypv thefts hath declared we never can do without that mighty aid, which he neither doth nor ever v/ill vouchfate to the ereateil part oi thofe to whom thefe precepts are directed, is to require them in vain to do thefe things, and in effecl to declare they are t? ffj Deit. v 16. fg) Jen iv. 4, it. *.v. 2i, ' { ij i Pet. ti. i, Jt. Effc&ual and Special Grace. 183 look upon themfelves as inevitably damned, and that even for not doing that which it is no more in their power to do, than to create a world. To fay here that the end of thefe commands and exhorta- tions is to declare act what we can do, or God would have us do, but what we ought to do, is, ift. To fuppofe we ought to do what we cannot do, yea that we ought to do wha.t God would not have us do, which is a manifeft contradiclion, fee- ing we only ought to do it, becaufe his will requires it. zdly. It is in exprefs terms contrary to the tenor of thofe numerous fcriptures which fay, he hath commanded men to do his com- mandments, and given them fuch precepts that they may keep and do them ; and ^dly. It is repugnant to the plaineft reafon, for that one end of the precepts, prohibitions and exhor- tations contained in God's law is obedience, is therefore evi- dent becaufe they are there inibrced with promifes to the obe- dient, and threatnings to the difobedient ; the only end of which is to move us to obedience by the inducement^ of hope and fear. Now obedience is one thing, and knowledge another; therefore knowledge is not the only end of God's precepts and exhorrations, and fo the only end of them is not to declare to us what we ought to do. Moreover that is to be deemed the principal end of the law, and of exhortations grounded on it, without which all other ends of the law being attained, do not profit, but do rather hurt. Now thus it is with refpecl; to know ledge of what we do not ; (k)Jor hethatknoweth his majler 's will and doth it not^JJiallbebeatenwithmany Jlnpcs; (I) and he. thatknoweth to do good and doth it not, to him it is Jin ; therefore obedience, and not knowledge, is the principal end of thefe things. Moreover would not God have all men to obey his com- mands ? Are they not declarations of his will concerning what he would have them do, or leave undone ? Would he not have us to comply with his exhortations, and hearken to the voice of his word ? Is not obedience to them ftyled the do- ing of his will ? Do not all the world conclude that they fhould do what he commands ? Do they not look upon hifc precepts as a fufficient indication of his will and pleafure ? Are not all men obliged to believe God would have them do what he requires of them ? And can they be obbliged to be- lieve this if it be not true ? Can any perfon rationally think that an upright God in whom is no hypocfify or guile, ihould ferioufly command that which he is not willing men fhould do, efpecially when his commands are fo agreeable to his na- ture, and fo beneficial to the fouls of men r as the commands ot faith, repentance and obedience are. (k) Luke xii. 47.- (I) Jam. iv. 17. 184 Eft Sued and Sptcial Grace. The only inftance produced to the contrary from God's command to Abraham, to offer up his only fon, is both im- pertinent and inconclufive ; it is not pertinent, becaufe it is not paralleled to the cafe in hand ; had indeed God after thefe precepts given a contrary command to the fmner not to re- pent and obey him, as in this cafe he did to Abraham ; had he complained of Abraham, as he doth of them, for not obey- ing his command ; had he threatened to, and executed his judgment? on him, on that account, as he doth on them, then, and then oniy, would the cafe have been parallel. zdly. It is inconclufive ; for as precepts of this nature are never made but to private perfons, fo neither are they made concerning things which have a real goodnefs and fuitablenefs to reafon in them, as the foremen! ioned precepts have ; for then they would be -no temptations ; add to this that Abraham obeyed upon this very principle, that God would have him do what he com- manded, and ceafed to continue in, and to compleat this aft, only by virtue of a contrary command ; we therefore muft, even by this example fo much urged, conclude we muft re- pent and obey his precepts till he is pleafed to give us a com- iinand to the contrary. Now it being thus evident that obedience is the end of God's precepts, laws and exhortations, it is alfo evident that thofc precepts which are impoffible to be performed, even as irn- polhble as for the dead to raife themfeives, are vain and ludi- crous, and they are yet more fo when they are backed with promifes and threats \ for where the thing required is impof- fible, it is as vain to ho T ?e or fear, as to think of doing it. But moft of all are thofc exhortations ludicrous which are ground- ed on the law, if the matter be utterly impoflible; for exhor- tations carry the appearance of a 4t,ru:us and charitable inten- tion, and fome hope of prevailing; whence God fo frequently declares he preifes them u;;on his people Jor their good, and that it may be well with them ; but nor lung of this nature can really be implied in an exhortation to another to do that which he knows he never can do, and therefore in fuch cafes his exhortations can be nothing better than hypocrify and mockery. 2-dly. According to this hypotkffis, vain alfo are all the threats denounced in the 'fcripture again ft them who go on without amendment in their evil ways, and who perfift in their impen- itency '^d unbelief, as #.g/that of tlv- Pfalmi.ft, fm) the^Lord is angry with the. wicked, if he. turn not he will whet his /word. He hath prepared for him the itijlruments of death; That ci (m) Pfal, vii, ir, i2 t 13, Effectual and Special Grace. 185 the prophet in God's name, fn) 1 will deflroy my people Jince .they' return not from thdr ways. And again, (o) behold t frame evil again/I you, and devtfe a device 'agcfinjl you ; re* turn ye therefore from your evil ways, and make your -frays and doings good ; and thofe .of Chrift himfeif, (p) If you rt- pent not, you Jkall all likewife perijh. (q) If you believe not that I am he, you Jliall die in your fins. .For either thofe threats are proper to move the elect to faith, repentance and obedience ; and then, ifl. They may move them fo to do, and then an unfruftrable aHon cannot be neceffary to their converfion. Then, zdly. Seeing threats only move by excit- ing fear ot the evil threatened, they may be moved, and God muft defign to move them by the fears of penfhing and dying in their fins ; that is, God muft defign to move them by a f'alfe and an impoflihle fuppofuiqn. Or, %dly. They are proper to move thofe who are not elecled ; but this they can-, not be, becaufe then they muft be moved to endeavor to be- lieve, repent, and turn from the evil of their ways by ther hopes of avoiding this death and ruin threatened by fo doing ; whereas feeing it is the fame thing to have God's decree o preterition pail upon them, and to be left inevitably to perifh, they muft, by virtue of it, be left without hopes that they may not perifh. True it is, that thefe decrees are fecret, and fo neither can the elecl know certainly they are of that num- ber, nor they who are not elected, that this acl; of preterition hath been paft upon them ; but yet this alters not the cafe, feeing, upon fuppofition of fuch eternal decrees, they muft know disjunctively, either that they cannot die in their fins becaufe they are elected ; or that they cannot avoid it, becaufe they are not eleled. (%dly.J Vain upon this fuppofition, are the promlfes of par- don, life and falvation made to them who do confider and turn from their evil ways, and who repent of their iniquity, as, v. g (a) Jvajh ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings ; then though your fins be as cn?nfon you Jhall be white a-s wool, though they be red like fcarlet, ye Jliall be as fnow. (b) Let the wicked for] ake his way, and the unrighteous man^ his thoughts, and let him turn unto the Lord, and he will havs mercy upon him, and to our God.for he will abundantly ^ par- don, (c) Jerufalcm wajli thine heart from wickednefs that thou mayjl be Javed. How long JJiall vain thoughts lodge within tltee ? (d) Repent, and turn yourfelvcs from all your, tranfgrejfionsy fo iniquity Jliall not be your ruin ; for I have (n) Jer. xv. 7. (Q) Chap, xviii. rr. (p) Luke xiii. 3, $. ^ (q) John via. 24. (tf/Ifa. i. i%.~(bj Chap, lv, T.~~-(CJ jr. i* r i4 (d) Ez?k, xviii, 30, 31, 32. 'f\ A i86 Effe final and Special Grace. no pleajure in the death of him that dieth, faith the Lord wherefore, turn your/elves, and live ye : For no promifes can be means proper to make a dead man live, or to prevail upon a man to aft who muft be purely paflive. Nor can 1 feriouf- ly defign to induce him by them to do what I know he caa never do hirafelf, and which, whenever it is done, muft be done by me alone : To promife therefore, and give no ftrength for the performance ; or to promife on an impoflible condi- tion, or on a condition which I only can perform, and which I have determined never to enable him to do, is indeed to promife nothing, becaufe it is to promife nothing that I can obtain ; and nothing of this nature being ever done by any wife and upright governor, how abfurd is it to impute fuch aftions to a God infinite in righteoufnefs and wifdorn, and who is doubtlefs ferious, and not delufory, in all his dealings with the fons of men ? When therefore thefe men fay, God promifes pardon and life ferioufly even to thofe who are not elecled, but lie under an acl: of preterition, becaufe he doth it upon condition that they believe, repent and be converted, and will, if they perform them, give this pardon and faivation, to them ; this is as if I fliould fay, God threatened! damna- tion to his el^6l ferioufiy ani in good earned, becaufe he threateneth it to all, and therefore to them alfo ; if they do not turn to him ; if they continue in impenitence and un- 'be^ief ; or if they perfevere not to the end ; whereas if not with (landing he hath in his word of truth declarec} concern- ing them that he hath from eternity prepared for them that grace which will unfruftrably produce faith, repentance and converfion in them, and {rands engaged by promife to make them perfevere unto the end ; no man can rationally conceive he threateneth damnation to them ferioufly, becaufe then he muft only do it on a condition which he himfelf by his de- cree and promife hath rendered it impomble for them to be iubjeft to ; fo in like manner, if God doth only promife this pardon and falvation to the nonelecl:, on a condition which his own acl: of preterition, and leaving them under the difability they had contracted by the fall of Adam, hath rendered im- pomble for them to perform ; this being in effecl: no promife, a promife only made on an impoflibie condition being equiva- lent to none at all, how can a God of truth and of fmcerity be faid to promife to them pardon and falvation ferioufly and in good earneir, who are by his own acl: of preterition infalli- bly and unfruftrably excluded from it ? 'SECTION V. Argument 4. qthly. If men are purely pallive in the whole work of their conVerfion, and fo are ut- tsrly void of all power of believing, living to God, or per- forming any acceptable obedience ta his commands, is it tffefludl and Special Grace. 187 righteous to confign them to eternal mifery for llieir difabili- tv to do that which God fees them unable to do when he lays thefe commands upon them ? Is not this to require brick where he affords no ftraw ? Yea, to require much where noth- ing is given, and then to punifti eternally the not doing thar which is fo unreafonably required ; yea is not this equal to an abfolute decree to damn them for nothing ; it being in ef- fect, and in the neceffary event and confequence the fame thing to damn them for nothing, and to damn them for not doing what they never could do, or for not abftaining from what they never could avoid. If God makes laws which w- cannot without his affiftance obferve, and then denies that af- fi fiance, he by fo doing makes obedience to fuch men im- poffible, and what fin is it not to obey beyond poffibility ? If it be faid this difability is their fin, 1 anfwer, then by the definition of St. John> it muft be a tranfgrtjjion of Jo me law of God, and then fome law of his muft be produced, requir- ing falien man to do on pain of damnation without divine af- fiftance, what he knows he can no more do than he can cre- ate a world ; that is, a law declaring it is his will that they mould do what it is his will they never fhould have power to do, or that it is his will we mould exert an aft without the power of aHng. zdly. Either thijs divine law is pofitive or moral : If it be only pofitive, then all the Heathen world muft neceffarily be ignorant of it, and therefore not obliged by it, God having given them no pofitive laws, and fo their ftate muft be, as to this particular, much better than that of chrif- tians, they being under no obligation to do any thing which they cannot do. If it be moral, how comes it to pafs that all the Heathen world fhould be not only ignorant of it, but pof- fefied with a contrary principle, that impoffibilium nulla eft obligatio, that there can be no obligation to a thing impojjihle, which is, faith (ej Bifhop Saunderfon, a thing felfevident, and needs no proof ; and that (f) there can be, no fault in doing that which we cannot avoid, or not doing that which we have no power to do ; and that God could not produce or nourijk that, which when it had done its iitmojl, mujl fall into eternal mifery ; and that qupd omnibus necej]'e eft id ne mi] c rum ejfe uni potefl, that which is neceffary to all, can be the ground o,f mifery to none. %dly. Either this fin is avoidable or it is not; it it be not avoidable, mull it not unreafonably be required under this dreadful penalty that men fhould avoid it ? It it be (f) De Leg. Pnelec. V. X/v. 6. (f) Cnlpam nuHam efte elicit Cicero, cum id quod ab homine non po- tuerit non pnelhiri evenerit, Tufc. Q^J.N 31. Nee id gignerer, au; -, aleret, quod, cum exantlavilfet omncs iabojes, incidertc in mortis i'ei>i- ^iternum nutlum. Titic. Q^ i. N. 107. i88 Effcttual and Special Grace. avoidable, then is there no fuch difability as is pretended in us, for we are not difabled from avoiding that which we have pmver to avoid. SECTION VI. If it ftill be faid, that it is juft to condemn us for what we are now difabled to perform, becaufe this difabil- ity came upon us by a guilt which is truly our own, becaufe it came upon us by the fin of our firft parents, in whofe loins \ve then were ; this miferable refuge, and firil born of abfurd- ities, hath been fufEciently confuted in the ftate of this quef- tiDn. Stc. 6. it hath been alfo baffled by many plain and co- gent arguments in the difcourfe concerning the extent of Chriit's death And becaufe it is the foundation of the doc- trine of abfolute election and reprobation, and the whole fyf- tem of thefe men ir.uft fall together with it, I (hall here {hew farther the inc-mfiilency of this imagination, both with the tenor of the holy fcripture, and with the principles of reafon. And \Jl. Tliis vain imagination feems plainly contrary to the whole tenor ot the Jcnpture, and even tq ridicule God's dealings in them with the fons of men ; for if, as I have large- ly proved in the ftate of the queftion, God dealeth with lapf- cd man, fuitably to the faculties he ftill retains, endeavoring to excite him to the performance of his duty by hopes and fears, by promifes and threats, by profpe6t of the advantages lie will receive by his obedience, and of the miferies tc> which lie \vill be fubjecl by his difobedience, requiring him to con- fider and lay to heart thefe things, that he may turn from the evil of his ways, and do that which is lawful and right ; by all thefe ^things he manifeicly declares he is not under fuch a dif- ability by reafon of the fall of Adair^ as renders it impofiibie for him to be moved by all, or any of thefe inducements to the performance of his duty ; for then he might as well have ufed them to perfuadea blind man to fee, or a cripple to walk, or a new born babe to fpeak, or a fool to underiland mathe- matics, they both equally wanting, or have loft the power to do what is required ; of them ; and though one man ihould have loft his fight by whoring, another the ufe of his feet, a third the ufe of his reafon by drinking ; though they may be puuifhed for whoring and drinking, 'they cannot afterwards be juftly punifhed for not feeing, not walking, or not making ufe of their reafon ; this being to punifh them for not ufing that which they have not to ufe ; io in like manner, though if the fin of Adam were properly cur own, we might be pun- ifhed for that fin, yet could we not be juftly punifhed tor not having the ability we had loll by it, that being equally topun- i!h for not ufing that ability which we have not to ule. zdly. God plainly feemetb, by his dtfpeufations with the 'ons of men in order to their reformation, to declare he doth Effectual and Special Grace. 189 not look upon them as lying under this fuppofed difability to become better, to hearken to his calls and invitations to re- turn and live ; to be drawn to him by the cords of love ; to learn wifdom by his rod, or be convinced of their duty to be- lieve, and to obey him by his miraculous operations. 1'or, ift. God reprefents it as matter of great admiration and aftonifhment, and an argument of bruti{h ftupidity, that the Jew* were not reflrained from their rebellions againft him by the coniideration of his great goodnefs to them, (peaking thus to them by his prophet, (g) Hear oh heavens, and give ear oh earth, for I have nourifhed and brought up children, and they have rebelled againji me. The ox knows his owner, and the ajs his majlers crib, but IJrael doth not know, my people doth not confider : Enquiring thus, (h) Ah foolijh people and unwije, do you thus requite the Lord ? Is he not the Lord that made you ? Hath he not created and eftablijhedyou? And faying, (i) they remembered not the. -multitude of thy mercies, but were dijbbedi- cnt at tht fea, even at the red fea ; (k) they jorjook the Lord, when he led them in the way, they walked after vanity, neither faid they whsre-is the Lord that led us through the wildcrnej's, and brought us out of Egypt into a plentiful country to eat the fruits thereof? Again, (I) This people, faith he, hath a re- volting and rebellious heart, neither Jay they, let us now fear the Lord who giveth us the former, and the latter rain in its feafon, and referveth to us the appointed weeks of harvejl. And on the other hand he promifeth, that in the latter days they mall (mj fear the Lord and his goodnejs. The apojHc alfo reprefents it as the effect of their hard and impenitent heart, that they (n) defpifcd the riches of God's goodnefs, pa- tience, an*d longjlijferzng, and were not led by them to repent- ance. Now it they lay under an utter inability to be -retrain- ed by all this goodnefs from their rebellions and their difobe- dience, and from walking after vanity, what matter oi admira- tion and aftonifhment, what indication of folly and fkipidity could it be in them, that they were not induced by it to ab- ftain from that which they were not able to avoid ? Or what fign was it of a rebellious and revolting, hard and impenitent heart, that being under this difability to be moved by this goodnefs to repent and fear him, they did not do it ? ^ure he who defigned thefe means to their' refpc6iive ends, and doth thus aggravate the fin of them who do not improve them to thofe ends, did not conceive thefe all were vain and infuffi- cient inducements without that fupernatural aid he was not pleafed to vouchfafe to move them to thofe duties. ( g) I fa. 5. 2, 3. (h) Dent, xxxii. vi. (i) PfaT. cvi. 7. (k} Ter. ii. 17. V. 5, 6, 7. (1) Ch. v. 23, 24, fmj Hof. iii. 5- f *>/ Rom. ii. 4. 190 Effectual and Special Grace. zdly. Thtjcripture is more frequent iq reprefenting God's punimments and chafHfements as fufficierit to engage men to fear him, and to depart from their iniquity, (o) Thou fhalt, faith Mojes, con/ider in thy heart, that as a man chaflcneth his /on, fo ike Lord chafleneth thee ; thou Jlialt therefore kee.p the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. God himfelf declares, that (p) by the tyirit of judgment, and of burning, he would wajli away the filth of the daughter of Zwn, and purge out the blood of Jerujalem ; and fpeaks of it as a thing certain, that (q) when his judgments are upon the earth, the inhabitants of it will learn righteouf- nej's, and that (r) in their affliction they will feek him early. And when they had not this effect upon them, he complains grievoufly again ft them, faying, (f) This people turndh not to Him that fmiteth them, neither do they feek me. Lord, ft} In vain have I fmitten them, they have received no correction ; and having mentioned a variety of judgments he had inftifted upon Ifrad, he ftill concludeth thus, (u) Yet have ye not re- turned to me, faith the Lord ; and then adds, Ver. 12. There- j'ore, will I do thus unto you. His prophets alfo complain thus ; fw) Lord, thou hajl ftricken them but they have not grieved, thou haft conj'umed them but they refufed to receive correction ; they have made, their faces harder than a rock, they refufed to return. And again, (x) This is a nation that obeyetli not the voice of the Lord nor receiveth correflion. Yea when thefe judgments do not prevail upon them to return to him, he looks upon them as incorrigible, faying to them (y) Why ftiould you be fmitten any more, you will revolt more and 'more ? And are only fit to be punifhed feven times more. Thus having threatened to (zjfet his face againjl them, and give them up bo be /lain by their enemies, who would not heark- en to him to do all his commandments ; he adds, and if you will not yet for all this hearken to me, I will puniffi you feven times more for your fins. And if you will not be reformed by thc/e things, but will walk contrary to me, then will I alfo walk contrary to you, and will punijli you yet feven times more for your fins. And if ye will not for all this hearken to me, but will walk contrary to me, I will walk contrary to you in fury. Now feeing all thefe judgments and chailifements were only moral motives, and all men through the fall oft Adam are utterly- incapable of being moved by them without that Jupernatural and u nf r ujl r able operation, which the event (hews God was not pleafed to vouch fafe to thefe lapfed perfons. Why doth (o) Dent. viii. ;, 6. .(p ) Ifa. iv. 4. (a) Ifa. xxvi. 9. lix. 18. 19. (r) Hof. v. 15. (f) (fa. ix. 13. ft i Jer. ii. 30. (u} AIM- iv. 6, 9,11. (10) Jer. v. ?. fx) vii. 28. (y } lia. i. 5 Lev. xxvi. 14, 17, 18, ^\^ 23, 24, 27, iS. Efftflual and Special 6 race. 191 God himfelf reprefent them as means proper and by him de- figned, and fometimes efficacious to produce thefe ends ? Why doth he fpeak as if they certainly would do it ? Why doth he complain fo much againft them, and denounce iuch dreadful judgments on them, who were not thus reformed by them ? Seeing thefe things without that aid he was not pleaf- ed to vouchfafe, were as unable to produce thefe effects as to make a blind man fee, or a deaf man hear ? Why is the one more punifhable on this account than the other ? Why, laftly, doth he reprefent them as incorrigible who were not thus re- formed by them, fince it was impoffible they fhouid be fo without that fupernatural aid he was not pleaied to vouchfafe ? Surely thefe things are demonflrations of the faifehood of this vain opinion, %dly. God doth continually reprefent his calls and invita- tions, and his rneffages fent to them by his prophets, as fuf. ficient inducements to procure their reformation and repent- ance, and looks upon them as incorrigible and paftall remedy, and worthy of his heavieft judgments, when thefe things could not engage them to return to him ; fo we read, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 1,5, 16. He fent to them his meffengers, rifing up betimes and fending them, becaufe he had companion on his people., ana on his dwellingplace, but they mocked his meflengcrf, deffiftd his zoord, and mifufed his prophets, till the wrath of the. Lord came upon them, and there was no remedy. So Jer. xxv. 4, 5. The. Lord fent to you his prophets, rifing up early and fending them, but you have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear (when) they faid, turn ye again every one from his evil ways. Hence God fpeaks thus of them, Jer. xxix. 18, 19. / will perfecute them with thefword, the famine, and the ptfli- Itnce, and will deliver them to be removed to all the Jami lies of the earth, becaufe they hearkened not to my words, when I fent to theniby myfervants the prophets, rifing up tarty anfL fending them, but ye would not hear. See alfo Jer. vii. 13. xxxv. IK. Again, / will bring upon Judah, faith God, and upon all inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have threatened, becaufe I have Jpoken to them, but they have not heard, I have, called unto them, but they have not anfwcred, Jer. xxxv. 17. So alfo Ifa. Ixv. 11. Ixvi. 4. Wifdom is alfo introduced by the preacher crying in the chief places of concourfe, turn ye at my reproof, (and) (a) I will pour out my fpirit upon you, I will make known my words to you; and at iaft thus conciud- ing., becaufe I have called, and ye refufed, I havejlrcichtd out my hand, and no man regarded ; but ye have fet at nought all my cov.njd, and would none of my reproof; I alfo zrili laugh (a) Prov, ;, 23, 28. 1^2 E/c&ual and Special Grace. at your calamity, I will mock when your fear come'th. In a word, all thefe things feem to be put together in thofe Words of the prophet Eze/aet, (b) becaufe I have purged thee (i. e. I have clone what was fufficient to have purged thee by my mercies and judgments, my calls, my threats, my promifes and by my prophets, and what mould have purged thee) and thou waft not purged, thoujlialt not be purged from tky jilthi- nefs any more, till I have can. fed my Jury to reft upon thee. Now could that God who fent thefe mtjfmgers to his people becaufe he had companion on them, have decreed from eterni- ty, never to have companion on. them in reference to their e- tcrnal intereils ? Could he fee them under an utter difability through the fail of Adam 10 comply with the requefts of his meffengers and -prophets, and not vouch fa fc that aid without wnich he well knew his meffengers and prophets muft be fent in vain ? And when after all that they had faid, there zvas no remedy of this fatal difability afforded, did the good God threaten thus to perfecute with fajord and famine, and ban- ijkment, his own beloved people, for not hearkening to his words, and not turning from their evil ways, when they were no more able fo to do" than to remove a mountain ? Might he not as well have threatened thus the man who by intemper- ance had loft his fight and limbs, becaufe he did not fee and walk P Efpecially if W2 confider that he contracted this difa- bility by his own perfonal fin, they only had theirs by the tranfgreffion of another long before they had a being, and fo before they could be capable of any perfonal tranfgreffion. To what purpofe did wifdom fay to them who were thus dif- abled, turn you at my reproof ? Or could me, without infult- ing over the mifery of fallen man, thus laugh at the calamity they never could prevent ? Or laftly, could God truly fay he would have purged them, when he withheld that aid, without which it was impofTible they mould be purged ; or threaten that they JJiould be purged no more, who never wsre in a capac- ity of being purged at all ? 4//Z./V. God throughout the wHole book of the law, and our Welled Savior in the gofpel, {till reprefent the mighty works dime for, and before the eyes of the Jews, as ftrong and luffi- cient obligations to believe and obey him. Afk now of the days of old, did ever ptobl* hear the voice of God out of the 'nndft of the fire as you have iie.ard, and live ? Or hath God af- faycd to go \IK 34- ThouJIialt keep therefore hisjlatutes and his com- mandnients, zuhich I command ye this day, Ver. 40. and Chap*, xi. 2. You have Jeen the c.haftifements of the Lord, his great" nefs, his mighty hand, and his ftretched out arm, and his mir- acles, and his ads zuhich he did in the midft of Egypt ; your eyes have feen all the great acls of the Lord that he did, there- fore Jkall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, Ver. 8. and Chap. xxix. 2, 3. Ye have fien all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, the great temptations which thine eyes have feen, thejigns and the great miracles; keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, Ver. 8. So alio our Lord proves the obligation the yews had to believe in him, becaufe of the mighty works which he had done among them, fa\ ing, the works that I da bear witnefs of me, that the Father hath jent me, John v. 36. and ye have not his words abiding in you, for zuhom he hath fe-njt ye believe not, Ver. 38. See alib John viii. 18, 24. And when the Jews carne to him faying if thou be tJie Chnft tell us plainly ; his anfwer is, John x. 25, 26. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witnefs of me, but ye believe not becaufe ye are not of my Jheep ; and Ver. 37. if / do not tha works of my Father believe me not ; and Chap. xv. 24. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, th>y had not had Jin ; but now have they both feen, and hated both m$ and my Father, and fo they have no cloak for their fin, Ver. 22. Now if the confideration of this mighty hand ofc God, and ilretched out arm, was not fufficient to induce them to obferve his ftatutes, why doth he fo often fay, therefori thou Jhalt keep my ftatutes, i. e. why doth he ufe a reafon which he knew was infufficient to produce that effecT: ? If all Chrift's miracles, without that fupernatural and unfruftrable act of God, which he would not vouchfafe to the Jews* were infufficient to produce faith in them, why doth Ckrifl tell them that if they did not believe in him, they flwuld die in their fins ? Why doth he reprefent their infidelity as an acl of hatred to him, and his Father, and an evidence that they were not his Jheep, nor had the word of God abiding in them ? Why, laftly, doth he fay, they had no cloak for their fin, who had this remedilefs difability to plead in their behalf. frthly. This will be farther evident from God's fuppofition, that it might be, that the methods he and his prophets ufecl would prevail for the producing of the defigned t-ffeclts. Thus when God bids Jeremiah take the roll of his intended judg- ments, and read it in their cars ; he adds^ (a) it may be that the hcufe of Judah will hear all the evil that I furpofe te dt (d}]t*. xxxvl 3,7^ B JB EffeSual and Special Grace. to them, that they may return every man from his evil way, and I may forgive their iniauity and their Jin ; and Ver. 7. ft may be they will prefent tfieir f up plication before me, and will return every onejro?n his evil way. To his prophet E- zekiel he fpeaks thus (b) prepare ye 'fluff JOT removing, and remove by day in their fight, it may be they will conjider, though, they be a rebellious houje. So in the parable of the vineyard, when God fends his Son to the Jews, he faith (c) it may be. they will reverence my Son. .Now what room is there for any of thefe fuppofitions, where the effeft depends upon God's immediate acling upon the heart, and not upon any hearing, or confideration of man without it, or any difpofitions, or any means that they can ufe to move him to enable them to do it ? If indeed they lay under this difability by the fall of Adam, it might as reafonably be expefted they ihould move a mountain, as be induced by thefe conilderations to return every manfrom his evil ways. thly. God complains of Jiis own people, that they were fdj a rebellious people, becaufe they had eyes to fee and [aw not, they had ears ts hear and heard not ; (e) my people, faith he, isJooliJJi, they have not known me, they are JottiJIi children, and have not under/landing; they are wife to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. And again, (J) to whom hall I f teak, and give warning ? Behold their ear is uncir- cumcifed, and they cannot hear ; (g) can the Ethiopian change his fkin, and the Leopard his Jpots ? Then may ye alfo do good who are accujlomed to do evil. And Chrift fpeaks thus to the Scribes and Pharifees, (h) Ye ferments, ye generation of vipers, how can ye efcape the damnation of hell I Now if this were the fad eftate of all the lapfed fons of Adam, that they had eyes and faw not, and ears and heard not, that to do good they had no knowledge, and no power, whatever motives God ihould offer to engage them fo to do, why is this reprefented as the peculiar ftate, only of the worft of men ? If none of them could be induced by alt the arguments the gofpel offers to do good, why is this made the effecl: of a long cnjlom to d& vvil, and an evidence x>f fpttijh children ? If this be the fad ilate of all that are not of the number of the ele61, that they cannot efcape eternal mifery, why is it faid, peculiarly of the Scnbes and Pharifees', that they could not efcape the damnation cf hell? And more particularly concerning Judas, that (i * it had been better for him that he had not been born ? In a word, all God's commands and prohibitions, promifes and threats,^ (b) Ezek. xii. 3. frjLuke xx, 13. (d) Ezek. xii. 2. (e) Jer. iv. 22. ~(f) Jer. vi. 10. (gj Chap. xiii. 23. (b) Matth. 33. ftj Matth. xxvi, 24. Effectual and Special Grace. and all liis exhortations to lapfed men to confider, and lay them to heart in order to their reformation, are demonftra- tions of the falfehood of this vain imagination. SECTION VII. Argument 5. If fuch adivine, unfruftra- ble operation is neceffary to the converfion of a (inner, then the word read or preached can be no inurnment of their con- verfion without this divine and unfruftrable impulfe, becaufe that only a6Vs by moral fuafion. Whereas (k) it pleafed God, faith the apojlle, by the Jooliflmefs of preaching to J'ave them that believe. And St. James, by faying, (I) we are begotten anew by the word of truth, plainly informs us, that this wore] of God- is the ordinary means of our regeneration, it being the word preached, the word we, are to hear, Ver. 19, 22. and to receive with meeknefs, by which God worketh this new birth in us, and which, faith the apojlle, is able to fave our fouls, Ver. 21. And it is furely a great difparagement to the word of God, to think that his perfuafions, admonitions, exhorta- tions, attended with the higheft promifes and threats, mould be all infufficient to prevail with men to turn from the known evil of their ways, and turn to him ; when all men who do ufe thefe methods towards their children, fervants, friends and re- lations, do it in hope that they (hall be fuccefsful by thefe- means ; only this is not fo to be underftood as to exclude the cooperation of God with his word, or the affiftance of his holy /pint fetting it home upon our hearts ; provided this be not by way of phyjical but moral operation, by that illumination of the underftandincr from the word which produceth that renovation in the f pint oj the mind, by which we are enabled to difcern, and to approve the good, and acceptable, and perfetl will of God, Rom. xii. 2. t,ph. iv. 23. to difcern what is acceptable to the Lord, Eph. v. 10. to under/land what the will of the Lord is, Ver. 17. And if the word of God be a perfefct rule, (m) able, to make us ivije unto falvation, and fur - nijli ys to every goed work; fure the good fpirit may by his iuggeftion of the truths delivered in it, by bringing them to our remembrance, and opening our understanding to perceive the fcriptures, remove that darknefs which is in our minds either by natural corruption, or by the mills which Satan, cafts upon them; whence the apojlle doth inform us, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. That if the gofpe.1 be hid from any to whom it is- preached, it is becaufe the God of this world hath blinded the conceptions' of their minds, that the light of the glorious ^ofptl Jlioidd not jhine into them. And zdly. by making deep irh- preilions on the mind of the advantages and rewards promifecl to our converfion and fmcere obedience, and the tremenduous (k) i Cor. i. 21, (1) Jam. i. i*.-~-(m) 2 Tim, iii. 1.5, 16, 17. *9^ Effectual anl Special Grace. evils threatened to the difobedient. and bringing tliefe things oft to our remembrance, which in the Jcripturt phrafe is put- ting theje laws in our minds, and writing them in our hearts, that we may not depart from him, Heb. viii. 10. (See the note there) lor what reafon can be given, why the fpirit of wifdom having thus enlightened the eyes oi our under ftanding ; to know what is the nope of our calling, and the glorious riches of the inheritance of the faints, iiph. i. 18. and made thefe things, firmly believed, thus prefent to our minds, they mould not have greater prevalence on our wills to obedience than a- 'ily temporal concernments to induce us to yield obedience to the laws ot fin ? If bevond this there be forae phyfical and irrefiilible operation on God's part necefTary to make us know the things which do belong to our peace, and knowing them to choofe the good and refufe the evil, this being not wrought in them who are not born anew, why is the want of this new birth, and this fpiritual renovation, fo oft imputed to men's want ot confideration and laying to heart the things propounded to them, to their not inclining their ear to wifdom, and applying their heart to underftanding, to their rejecting the counfel ot God, and not choofing the fear ot the Lord ? Prov. i. 24, 25, 29, 30. Why is it laid, that they continue thus unretormed, becaufe they would have none of God's ccun- J'ds^ but defpifed all his reproof, or becaufe they would not frame thur doings to return unto~~the Lord? This alfo M. Pe- ter teacheth, by laying, (n) we art born again of incorrupta- blefeed, by the word of God ; and St. Paul, by letting us know that (o) faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, arid by faying to his Corinthians, in Chrifl Jefus I have begotten you through the go/pel; for if conversion is only wrought by an irrefiftible operation of the holy Jpirit, and cannot be wrought in us by the word without it, then the word contributes no more to our converfion, than the throw-, ing of a pebble doth to the fall of a ftrong wall, blown jlown by the fury of a temped ; fince then it can only be the, effect of that uniruftrable power, and not at all of any refufable mo- tives and perfuafions offered from the word; and why then is it faid (p) to be quick and lively in its operations? To lay that converfion, at the fame time, rnay be the work of that word which finners cannot butrefift, till this nnfruflrable operation com^s, and yet of that operation, and the word, is to fpeak things plainly incoi/fi (lent with truth, and with the nature of amoral inilrument, which ifitdoth not move doth nothing ; and if it doth, as far as it doth fa, is not refifted. Moreover, where an effeft cloth fa entirely depend upon two caufes,tbat without the concurrenec {9} i Per. i. 23. foj Rom. x. i*i.~(pj Heb iv, i *. Effectual and Special Grace. f them both it will not he produced, he that hath it al- ways in his power to refift, that is, to hinder the operation of the one upon him, muft alfo fruftrate the other, and confe- quently hinder the effe6t ; fo that it being certain that the fm- nrr may, and too often doth refift the mo ft powerful perfua- fions of the word, he may refift the concurrence of the fpirit with it, and then that operation cannot be unfruftrable, or ir- refiiiible. Moreover, if converfion be wrought irrefiftibly by the operation of the fpirit, then the word which may be re- filled is unneceffary thereunto, fmce an irrefi liable operation muft do its work as well without it ; and if the word cannot but be refilled, till the effect is wrought by another power which is irrefiftibie, it is evident the effect is owing only to that pow- er, and then the whole mini it ry of the word muft be unne- ceifary ; and what is this but in eflfccl to fay, what in exprefs ttn.;s wou'd he offtiifive to tell chriftian ears, viz. the zoord of God is oj no vjt towards tne converjion. or reformation of a Jin.ier. SECTION VIII. Argument 6 Hence it muft alfo fol- io-.*', that no motive can be offered fufficient to induce the perfon who believes this doctrine, (as if it be taught in fcrip- ture all chrijlians are obliged to doj to enter upon -A change of life, or a religious conversion, till he feel this irrefiflible im- pulfc come upon him . for as an aflent to mere trtuh doth not move the will and affections, unlefs it be of concernment to us propounding good to be obtained, or evil to be avoided, fo neither can this be fufficient to excite endeavor, if I knew as certainly that till this impulfe comes upon me I cannot poffi- biy by my beft endeavors either obtain that good, or avoid that evil ; which being plain to common fenfe, 1 (hall not far- ther pro fee ute. SECTION IX Argument 7. If man be purely pafTive in the whole work of his converfion, and it can only be wrought jn him by an irrefiftibie act of God upon him, then can noth- ing be required as a preparation, or a prerequifite to conver- fion ; for either that prerequifire is fomething to be done orr our part in order to God's irrefiftibie aft, or it is not ; if noth- ing is fo to be done on our part in order to the work, no prep- aration can be requifite in order to it ; if any thing is to be done on our part, it is certain that we are not purely paffive itt the w' oie work of our regeneration, fmce he that muft pre- pare himfelf for his converfion, muft aft in order to it. Now as all God's exhortations to men to confider and turn unto the Lord, demonftrate, that this confideration is a prerequifite to converfion, fo the parable of the feed fown fhews (i/?.) negatively, that the word becomes unfruitful, either becaufe m?n do not at all attend to it t or because they are diverted 11 9$ Effectual and Special Grace. from that attention by the intervening cares and ple.afures of the. world, which break off that attention, or are affrighted from it by the fears of differing ; and affirmatively, that it be- cometh fruitful by being received into a good andhonejl heart. Arid fure the devil muft be a fool, according to this doctrine, when he comes to take, away the word out of men s hearts , lejl they fliould believe and be Javed ; if that word could have no influence upon men to falvation, when it was not attended with an untruflrahle affiftance, and where it was fo, all his 'attempts to hinder the believing of it to falvation mull be vain. SECTION X. Argument 8. Were fuch an irrefiftable power necefldiy to the converfion of a finner, no man could be converted fooner than he is, becaufe before this irrefiftible sclion came upon him he could not be converted, and when it came upon him he could not choofe but be converted ; and iherefore no man could reafonably be blamed that he lived fo long in his impenitent, or unconverted ftate : And then God mult unrcafonably make thefe inquiries, (q) How long refufe ye to keep my commandment S ? (r) How long will this people provoke me ? How long will it be ere they believe me ? (f) How long) ye funfie ones, will ye love fim.plicity, and the /corners delight in /corning, and the fools hate knowledge ? f'tj Je- ruj'alem t wajii thy/elf from wickednefs that thoii mayjl be Jav- ed ? Hoio long Jha ! l 'thy vain thoughts lodge within thee ? And again, (u) ferufalem, wilt thou not be made clean ? When Jludi it once be? Seeing none of thefe changes could be wrought within them, till he was pleafed to afford theirrefiflible- impulfe : And then it would not be prai fewer thy in them, or any other perfon, that they were then converted, it being not in their power then to be otherwife, fince an unlruilrable op- eration is that which no man can fruftrate. SECTION XI. Argument 9. The fcrifturt charges mcns v.'ickednefs not upon their impotency and difabihty, but upon their wilfulnefs, which therefore doubtlefs is the true account of the matter. It might have reafonably been expected, that ii the difability we had contracted by the fall of Adam had been the true iburce of all that impotency that is in the {in- ner to hearken to all, or any of the motives offered by God in the Old or the New Teftament t the ho,ly fcripturc mould fome- where or other have given us fome expreis declaration ot it, and not have conilantly afcribed this impotency to other caufes acquired by, and not born with us ; whereas I verily be- lieve, that the v;\\i*,i\rts aTrxX^otmaQoti. posv rwv aiVp^a'v a'vSe'^ea^at o^ ptSXXov r% #p"'va>, that man JJwuld be withdrawn from what is bad, and drawn to what is better, rather by perfaafion than by a neccffity laid upon him ; for if having invincible power he had com- manded (til men to believe, irKypofopixs ^KST* x.vpTros' TO Triyrsvztv 2jv, avayjcai'o/v 5s /xaXXov y.cti a$uxrccv e7rir'z r y{Ay.~uv. Faith would not have been the fruit oj a full perjua/ion ; but rather of ne- (a) Lib. 5. chap. i. page 393. Ed. Ox. Col. 2. (b) Apol. i. page ^g. Vid.page 86, %i, -(ej JJb, 6. contra Jul. page =15. B. C. Effcftaal and Special Grace. 203- ceffary and unavoidable commands. And again, man, faith he, (d) oturweteverois sn antyu (pif-troti pTfaiis, 2S carried bcth to good and evil by free motions ; for vpfwry nvi xat feotff salary Jt/vrz/xs* xi cv?fye/C ^^/u-evos'/XcTexo/cxias TOV Ixayw VHV el* qtya.Qvpyi- as, if God by ufing a divine energy and virtue (i. e. an un- fruftrable operation] Jliou Id turn the mind of every man to good tuorAs, his goodnefs would not be the fruit of counfd or praife- worthy ', dvdyxms SE jw,XXov, ^^ rather of necejjity. And if God had dealt thus with man at the beginning, and afterwards (i. e. after the fall) fubjeied him, TftfiTpwocis dv&yitixiatis KOU oiov net irXeove&'oBS' &$vxTois 9 to neceffary turns (to vice qr virtue) and unavoidable concupifcence or /ufhngs, how can he be freed from blaw? CHAPTER III. Anfwering the Arguments produced to prove, ift, that. Man isfurely pajjive in the Work of Convtrfion, and that it is done by an irrtfiftible or unjrujlrabh Aft of God. HESE argumetUs, for method Take, may be reduced to four heads. i/. Arguments tak- f .he'Zk Ufe,'^^ f I Br a refurreaion, Eft. i. y, *x . . it being rc ? refc"ted^ Acrea.Hon, Cor. v. 17. Gal. v,. 10. ?*, birth, Jakn Hi, 5, five. 24//y. Arguments tak- ( $n from the ftate and > As, . Such as refpeft ( ~. . God himfelf, he be- S 9! vm & faith ' V*' " 8 V in? reprefented either 1 ^ lvln 8 repentance to life, ^ xi. 18. jy^ jjs , , -. Opening the heart, ^7j xvi. 14. (" i. To circumcife the heart, Deut. xxx. 6. I 2. To give a new heart and fpirit, Ezek. xu 19. xxxvi. 26. 3. To write his law in our hearts, Jer. xxxi. 4. To give us one heart, and one way, that we may fear him forever, Jcr. xxxii. 39. 1. Who worketh in us both to will and to do, Philip, ii 13. Hcb. xiii-n. 2. Who turns us to himfelf, Jer. xxxi. 18. 1. That one man makes himfelf to differ from another, which is contrary to i Cor, iv. 7. 2. That man would have caufe of boafting ; which is denied, i Cor. i. 29 31. Eph. ii. 9. 3. That the whole glory of our converfion would not be due TO God. 4. Becaufe, if grace be refifhble by the will of -man, it muft be uncertain whether any man will be converted by it, or not. SECTION I. Now before I come to a particular anfwer to thefe arguments, I think it proper to premife three things. i/?. That it feems unreafonable to apply all thofe fayings of the fcnfture which concern Heathtn nations lying under the molt gnifs idolatry, and under great darknefs and cpnfu- fion, into which the corrupt cufloms of the Heathens, and the fubtHity of Satan had reduced them to prove what is the nat- ural eflate of all men, even of thofe who have the knowledge or the true God, and the light of the gofpel : For to place them under the fame disability with perfons funk into the ciregs of Hcathemfm, feems a very' great abfurdity ; it being in effecl to fay, that men acquainted with all the inducements, arguments and motives which chri/Ranity a (lords to produce faith, repentance and converfion in them, have no more ad- vamaaes towards repentance and converfion than the word ot ffeatfans, who to be lure cannot do !efs than nothing towards their converfion, and would as certainly he converted by an Or, idly, as doing this work'm us, it be- ing God, Or, 4ib!y, fuch as prove the abfunnty of the contrary ailertion, that man cooperates wi'h God in this work,^ ynd is not converted without the free con- Jent of his own will j for if lb it follows., JLfftBual and Special Grace. 205 irrefiftible aft of God, and by unfruflrable grace, as they who . have attained to the exacted knowledge of God, and of the doftrine of chriflianity ; and yet it is certain that fume of thofe arguments depend upon fuch paffages as only reprefent (he (late of Heathens lying in darknefs and grofs idolatry, and led by Satan captive to his will. zdly. It feemeth alfo certain that thofe prpmifes and fcrip- tyres which refpeft whole nations ^ churches and clmflians, without diftinclion or refpeft to perfons, can afford no juft arguments to prove fuch operations {hall be wrought upon them which are peculiar to the eleft ; th^ reafon is, hecaule all the members of any church, nation, or public fociety, are not of the number of the eleft, but fome few ot them only, and therefore the promifes made to the whole body of them in uft either be conditional, and fo require fomething to be done by them in order to the enjoyment ot the hie/lings prorn- jfed, and then they cannot be purely pafiivc, or it they be ab- foJute, they cannot be promifes peculiar to the elett, as being jmade to many whiph are not of that number ; and yet that this is the nature of many of the promifes produced in this affair, will be evident, And, dly. it feems very impertinent to produce thofe places of fcnpture. which evidently fpeak ot men whp have already be- lieved and repented, and upon whom the work of regeneration hath been wrought already, to prove that men are purely pai- five in the work of faith, repentance and regeneration ; the reafon is, becaufe fuch places cannot concern the work of faith, repentance and regeneration yet to be wrought upon them. If it be faid the argument is good, a fortiori, viz. if after all the fe works have been done upon them, men are {till purely pa (live in all the good they do, much more muft they be fo before thefe works are wrought within them : I anfwer that the argument, were the cafe truly fo, would be very good ; but the fuppofition that men are ftill as unable after fuch grace received, as before, to do any good, is .intol- erably abfurd, fince were it fo, men would not be one whit the better for their converfion, and the new nature wrought within them, their faith could not be fruitful in good works, their mind could be no more enabled to approve the things which are of God, nor their wills to choofe them, nor their affeclions to dcfire them, nor their executive faculties to per- form them ; feeing then fuch places cannot be underilood of God's working in them without any cooperation of their own ; it is evident they cannot pertinently be alledged to prove fuch operation upon other men. To come now to a particular qpnfideration of thefe arguments. ., $06 Effeftual and Special Grace. SECTION \\.~-Objeftwn i. When the apojlle prays that his Epheftans may know (a) what is the exceeding greatnefs oj his power towards us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he hath already wrought in Chrijt, when he raijed him from the dead : It muft be abfurd hence to infer, that the power of God working faith in believers, is equal to that which effecled the refurrefclion of our Lord, and that we muft be therefore purely paflive in the whole work of our converfion ; for as this power is not confiftent with the perfuafions and exhortations ufed in Jcripture to move Tinners to repent and turn themfelves from their iniquity, or with a rational choice, nor could it properly be faid that they turned, but only that they were turned to the Lord ; fo is not the expofition agreeable to the words ; fpr the apojlle fpeaks not of the power exercifed on us to render us believers, but of the power which (hall be exercifed onus who be- lieve already : Not of the power to be exercifed on our fouls to raife them from a death in fin, to a life of righteouf- tfefs, but of the power to be exercifed on our dead bodies to give them a glorious refurreftion to eternal life, as he had done already in the body of our head Chrijl Jefus. Qbjetlwn 2. zdly. When it is faid that this work is com- pared to a creation, in which it is- certain that which is creat- ed mujflbe purely paflive, as when by it we are faid to become, ^ K&IV-YI xnW, a new creation, or new creatures, 2 Cor. v. 17. Gal. vi. i^. we being God's workmanjhip created in Chrijl Jt* Jus to good works. Kph. iu 10. Anjwer i . That this metaphor affords no certain proof that wherefoew it is ufed, the perfon it refpectcth muft be purely paflive, and have done nothing towards the acl ftyled crea- tion ; is evident from many inftances to the contrary. Thus God is faid to have created Jacob, and jormed IJrael, when he conftituted them to be his church and people, Ifa. xliii. i. whence the Septuagint faith, ^vriaQyn rr,s XT/ JEWS- rdvrrts, (b) remember this creation ; and yet they were not purely paflive, but entered into covenant to have him for their God. When God makes ufe of wicked men, or men of war, to punifh oth- ers, he faith, (c) I create the wafter to dejlroy ; and yet it is certain that he is not purely padive in that work ; and this is in the cafe bofore u's certain from the nature of faith ; for faith is man's aft, not God's ; it is an aflent, and fo an aclion of the mind. Godly forrow, though it arifeth from the mo- tives which God and his good fpirit, and which his minifters fuggeft, yet is it the forrow of the convinced firmer, and it, {a) Eph. i. % 20.^ (1) Pfal. Uxiv. iS. (c) Ifa. liv. 1.6. Effectual and Special Grace. 207 faith the apoflle, works repentance unto life, which fare it could not do, if we were purely paffive in that work. As for the work of converfion, God's frequent calls upon the wick- ed to turn themfdves from all their tranfgrejjions, God'3 commifliofi to his apojtles, to declare unto the (d) Gentiles that they Jkould repent, and turn to the Lord, are certain in- dications that they are not wholly pafTive in that work. Anfwer 2. zdly. But God is in fcripture faid to create that which he brings into a new and better ftate ; thus David prays, (e) create in me a dean heart, God, and renew in me a right J fir it. Thus he is faid to create new heavens and new earth, by making fiich a change and alteration for the better in the face and ftate of things, that the frame of them feems not to be the fame as it was before, I fa. Ixv. 17. And when he faith, Ver. 19. / create Jerufalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy ; the note of Gataker is this, that reftitution- and renovation for the better, is deemed as a creation. Seeing then the change wrought in us by that faith which purifies the heart, and makes us fruitful in good works, by a repentance from dead works to the fervice of the living God, and by a converfion from a life of fin to a life of righteoufnefs, is fuch a renovation as changes the whole man and all his faculties for the better : Seeing this renovation is begun, as creation is, by the power oi God working upon the heart of man, we be- ing made a willing people in the day of his power , here is foun- dation fufficient tor the metaphor of a new creature ufed iii thefe texts. To this fenfe \\\Q fcripture plainly leads us when it faith, if any man be in Chrijl he is a new creature ; becaufe old things are pajl away, ana all things are become new in us ; and faith in one place, (j) we, put on the new man which is created after God in rigkteoufnefs and holinefs of truth ; and in another, which is renewed after the image of him that creat* ed him / and all the greek fathers confirm this expofition, by faying that this new creation only importeth ptsrafoXriv sir TO x^arrov, a change j or the, better, as you may fee in (g) Sui- cerus. Objtclion 3. Regeneration is fly led a new birth ; as there* fore we are paffive in our generation, fo muft we be alfo in our regeneration. Anjwer. The falfehood of this argument is evident from this confideration ; that this new birth is afcribed to the word of God, which only works, upon us by moral Juafion ; as .wh^n the fcripture faith, (h) faith comes by hearing, and hear- ing by the word of God ; (i) that we are begotten by the word Aas xxvi. 10. - fe) P(. v. 10. -- ff) Eph. iv. 24. - (g) Tc 177, 178, 179. ~(b) Rom x. 17, - fij i ict. i. 23, 268 Effectual and Special Grace. cf the living God ; yea, that God himfelf hath (k) begottcr ' by the word of truth. zdly. It alfo is afcribed to the minif- ters of God, as when St. Paul tells the Corinthians he had (I) begotten them by the go/pel. If then this new birth, when it is aicribed to God's word or minifters, cannot import that they produce it by an irrefiftible alion, in which We are pure- ly paflive, it will not follow that God or his good fpirit, doth fo convert men, becaufe they are faid to be born of God, or of the fpirit. zdly. This regeneration being the phrafe ufed by the Jews concerning their projelytes, they being faid to be then recens nati, new born babts^ and born in kolmefs, Ttzpx. rcuV fiapGucpur Gftrtootyans ro ttirtii/xflattt ~\ xxs tywrivzi stvayevvr/ffat KzyzToti, Strom. 1. 5. p. ,5,521 Our Lord tranflates the metaphor from them to his ai/cifles renewed alter the image of God in true holinefs, and fanctified throughout in all their whole man. Now here is fuch an intrinfic change in the whole fpirit^ foul and body % 2nd the whole tenor of this man's life for the better, that he ftray well be faid to be born again, who is thus changed into another man ; for if when the fpirit of prophefy came upon Saul he was (m) turned into another man ; much more may- he be faid to be fo who has the fpirit of fanftification dwelling in him. And feeing it is by the operation of the holy fpirit that this change is wrought withiri us, it fitly is expreffed by being born of the fpirit. Seeing, laftly, we are thus born not of corruptible feed, but of incorruptible , i. e. the word of (he living God, who oj his own will hath begotten us again by tht word of truih^ therefore we are as fitly faid to be born of God. SECTION 111. Objeclion 4. The unregenerate man is re- prefented as dead in trefpajfes and fins ; and he that is dead, we know, hath no motion in him, and fo cannot move to- wards a new life. Eph. ii. i. Colofl. ii. 13. Anfwtr ift. That the metaphor of being dead in trefpaffes and fins cannot warrant our faying any thing of unregenerate pej-fons which may properly be affirmed of the- dead, is evi- dent from (capture and experience ; for a dead body is void of ail fenfe, wherdas the unregenerate man is often under ftrong convictions, and a deep fenfe of his prefent mifery. A dead man cannot awake himfelf out of the deep of death, but God faith to the fpiritually dead man, Awake thou thatjlcep- eft, an/e from the dead, andChrifl Jliall give thec life, Eph. v. 14. A dead man cannot hear, but to the fpiritually dead God faith, hear, and your fouls Jliall live, Ifa. Iv. 3. And latfly, it would be abfurd to exhort a dead body to turn about and live ; whereas God thinks it not incongruous to fay to per- -'r.Jjxn. i. :S. (1) i Cor. iv iS>[ m f l ~w- x $ Efftftual and Special Grace, 209 forts fpiritually dead, turn yourfifaes, and ye JJiall live, Ezel;. ^viii. 32. xxxiii. 11. Moreover good chrijlians are faid to be dead to Jin, Rom. vi. 2. vi. 7, n. Dead to the law t Gal. ii. 19. Dead and crucified to the world, Gal. vi. 14. Now if hence we cannot truly argue that they cannot fin at all ; that they can do nothing relating to the world, or could do nothing relating to the law, as St. Paul in compli- ance with the Jews ftill did ; neither can we argue from the metaphor of being dead in trefpajff'es and fins, that after God's call to hear and live, his excitation by all the motives and in- citements of his word and fpirit, we can do nothing in obedi- ence to thefe calls, and in compliance with thefe motions of his word and fpirit;, Anfwtrl. zdly. This argument offends againfi the firlt general rule laid down before ; for both the places cited con- cern only the Gentile world, Held under the government of Sa- tan and living according to the evil fpirit, who worketh in tht children of difobedience, Eph. ii. 2. and the fame perfons are faid to be dead in fins, and in the uncircumcijion oj the Jlej\ t which put them out of a covenant relation to God ; and fo their quickening mud confifl in their converfion from that darknefs in which the heathens lay, into the light of the, gofpel and from the fervice of Satan to the fcrvice of the true God. But this was not the ftate of the Gentile made a profelyte .o juftice, or of the Jew, and much lefs of the baptifed chrijlian? and fo we cannot argue from thofe words which do fo certainly relate unto the Worft of heathens, that this muft be the natural eftate of all men, or that the fame power is requifite to con- vert the unregenerate chriftian, and the worft of heathens. Objettion 5. It is ftill more impertinent to argue this from t)je words of the apojlle, (i) the natural man rectiveth not tfye things of the /pint of God, for they are fooliffinefs to him; neither can he knozo them becaufe they arejpintually difcerned* For, ift. The natural man here is not barely the unregene- rate man, but the wife man and difput?r of the world, who will admit of nothing but what he can fee proved by reafon, and fo receives not things revealed by the fpirit, becaufe he doth not fee them proved by philosophical deductions from reafon ; but deems them foolimnefs for want of that whicji Only is^ in his efteem, true wifdom; as hath been fully prov* ed in the note upon that place. z'dly. When the apojlle faith that this man cannot know* the revelations of the fpirit, he.fpeaks not of the inability of ah heathen to underftand the meaning of any^reyeiatjon ^if- covered to Him ; for how tnen is it difcoverecf to him ? Net (I) i Cor. ii s 14 D D Effectual and Special Grace. doth he fay that when they are declared to him, he wanted further means to attain to the true fenfe of them ; but only that he cannot know them by that human wifdom by which alone he will be guided ; for being myfteries, and fecret coun- fels of God's will, they are not knowable by human reafon, till God is pleafed to reveal them ; whence the apoftle demon- ftrates the neceflity of a fupernatural revelation, that the hid- den wifdom of God may be made known unto the world. Objection 6. The argument from thofe words of the apof- tle, we are not fujficient of ourfdves to think any thing as of ourfdvfs, is as impertinent to this purpofe as the former. For, ijl. If it proves any thing it proves too much, viz. that we are not fufficient of ourfelves, fayi^ssQzi n, to think any thing at all, whether it be good or bad. And, idly. The words relate to the apojlles, and to them alone, and are a declaration of their own infufficiency to carry on the great work of the converfion of the world to the chnjlian faith by their own ftrength and wifdom, and that their fuffi- ciency for it derived entirely from that God who had made them able minijlers of the New Teftament, by the afliOance of his holy fpirit ; for having proved, in his fir ft epiftle, that there was a neceflity of a divine revelation to enable them to make known the truths contained in the gofpel to the world, becaufe human reafon, without this revelation, was not fuffi- cient to difcern them, he here difclaims that fufEciency of themfelves without divine afliftance ; that is, without thofe illu- minations and powerful operations of the Holy Ghoft, which made them able miniflers of the New Teftament, aflifting them to preach the word with de?no?iftration ofthef^irit^ and with power. OojtQionj. Chrijl faith, without me you can do nothing, John xv. 3. whence it is inferred, that no man can do any thing that is good, till he be firft in Chrijl, z, e. till he be en*, dued with juftifying faith. Anjwer i. This argument offends againft the third general rule ; for thefe words of Chrijl are fpoken exprefsly to thofe who were abiding in Chrijl ! , and truly believed already ; i. e. to his twelve apoJIUs, to fhew. the neceflity of their continu- ance in that ftate, that they might fuccefsfully perform the work he had defigned, and chofen them to do, viz. to VQ forth into the world, and bring forth much fruit, by converting ma- ny to the faith, Ver. 16. and fo it fignifies that without the gifts, and powerful afliftance of that hdly fpirit, who belonged only to them who abode in Chrift, they could do nothing to convert the world ; their fufficiency for that work deriving hfelf entirely from that God who gives the holy fpirit to them for that end. ft Cor. iii. . EfftBual and Special Grace. 211 Anfwer fi. zdly. Gataker hath well noted, that xppls E/U.M, without me, is the fame as ^wpiaQlvrts aV EJAH, being feparated from me, you can do nothing ; and this being given as a rea- fon engaging thofe he fpake to, to abide ftill in him, if you extend it to all true chriftians, (as it proves that they may not abide always fuch, fo) it only fignifies that without abiding in the faith, they cannot be fruitful, in the faith ; and without their continuing united to Chrifl by the fpirit, they cannot bring forth the fruits of the fpirit; but they do not prove that a man cannot hearken or attend to what he hears in order to the obtaining of that faith which comes by hearing ; that he can- not afk, feek and knock for the good fpirit, that he may be born of the fpirit ; or that he cannot think of his ways, that he may turn his feet unto God's teftimonies ? Objection 8. No man can come to Chrifl, except the Fa- ther draw him, John vi. 44. Now he that is drawn is pallive. Anfwtr. To this I anfwer, (ift) that to be drawn of God, cannot import our being moved by any inward and irrefiftible impreflions to believe in Chrifl ; for then no ma'n could come to Chnfl without this irrefiftible impreflion, and then no oth- r perion could be blameworthy for not believing on him, be- caufc they could not do it without that powerful attraction vrhich God was not pleafed to afford them ; nor could it be praifeworthy to believe in him, becaufe they only did fo when they could not choofe but do it, as being moved in fo doing by a force they were not able to refift ; and therefore to be xlrawn of God can only fignify, ifl. To be perfuaded and prevailed u,pou to come to Chrijl, by the confideration of the mighty works which God had done to juftify that Chrifl was the true MeJ/iah, or that prophet which he had fent into the world. To thefe Chrifl ftill ap- peals as divine teftimonies concerning him, by faying, (y) the works that my Father hath given me to do, bear witnefs of me ; and hence he reprefents the unbelieving Jews as inexcufafale, that he had done (z.) thofc works among them which never man did. See the note there. Or, &dly. it is to te moved by the great promife of eternal life, confirmed by thefe miracles, to do it ; tor where there is a firm belief and lively fenfe of that incftimable hleffing, it Wrongly muft engage us to ufe the means by which we may obtain it, and fo to come to Chnfl, when from him only this bleding is to be expe&ed ; and this is a familiar fenfe of the word draw, both in lUeftrifturc and in other writings. Thus God is faid to draw them to himfelf by the cords oj love, Ho- fra xi. 4. who yet were bent te backjliding from him, Vcr. 7- (y) John x. 25. - fzj Chap, xv, 22, 74, 212 EfeSual and Special Grace. and men are faid to be (a) drawn ajidt by their own lujls ; for jrahitj'ua quemque voluptas, every man's pleafure draws him. to a compliance with it; fee the note there. And that we are only iaid to be drawn thus by the Father to Chi lit, viz. by his niiracles and divine initructions, is evident 'from the words following as a proof ol 'this, it is written they Jhall- all be taught oj God, he therefore that hath heared (thele things from), the Father (mere is God's teaching) and learned i.e. perceived; that is even be that fpeaks and does tnefe mighty things by me (there is man's duty and his aftion) lie. cometh to me. With- out this drawing none can come to L/hriii ; tor God alone can give this promile of eternal life to encourage us to do fo, and HO power but that of God could work thole miracles which confirmed this promife, and the co'nmiflion of our Lord. The gth and loth objections are in effect the fame, and fo will admit of the lame anfwer, viz. that whilft a man is an evil tree, he can do nothing that is good. Matth vii. 18 and that the carnal mind is notfuojetl to the law oj God, nor indeed can be Jo ; whence the inference is this, tnat tins evil tree m'ufl be firft made good, this carnal mind mull be firft made fpiritual, before he can do any thing towards his converfion. Anjwnr i. Now (ijl.) the abiurdity ot thefe objections is vifibie in this, that this expofition of them renders all God's exhortations to the wicked to turn from the evil of their ways, arl his promifes of pardon and falvation if they turn from them, all his threats of death and deftruftion if they do not turn from them, all his complaints againft them that they would not be converted, they would not come to him, vain and abfurd; as being exhoitations and commands to do what he knew they could not, and lie only could do without them ; promifes of pardon and falvation, if he hifn- felf would do what they could not, and threats of damnation if he himfelf did it not, and in efFeft complaints againil him ; for he that complains againft me for not doing what he himfelf alone can make me do, lays the whole -guilt of not doing it upon himfelf. Anfwer 2. It is faid in the fame place, that a pood tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; and el few here, that lit that is barn oj God cannot fin. Now if we cannot truly hence infer that a good man, or a fpirituai perfon, can never do an evil or a finful a61ion, neither can we from the words cited infer, that an evil or a carnal man can never do a good aftion ; for if fo, why doth God fay to him, ceafe to do evil, learn to do well? but only that they cannot do it till they will ufe the faculties v/hich God hath given them, to ccnfider and lay to heart the (a) Jam. i. 14, Efftttual and Special Grace. 2 j g inducements which the gofpel tenders to engage them to a- mend their ways. Hence our Lord faith to thefe bad trees, make the. tree good? that the fruit may be good ; which mews, he knew they could and ought to have done fomething to- wards that good effect. And the apojlle, by his frequent ex- hortations to carnal men, to mortify the deeds of the fiejh, to crucify theflefli with its affections and litfls, to put off the old man with his deeds ; by his threats, that if they true after the Jlejh theyfhall die, and by his promife, that if through tkefpir- it they do jnortify the deeds of theflejh they Jliall live, plainly demon ftrates not only that they can, but that they mud be act- ive, if evtr this change be wrought upon them. SECTION IV. To the nth and -nth objections the fame general anfwers may, be given, they both depending on the lame phrafe, and making thus one argument : What God gives we only receive, and fo are only padive ; but God gives faith and repentance. A6b xi. 18. Lph. ii. 8. Anfwer i. To mew the vanity of Tuch objeclions, I {hall confront them thus, what God commands we muft do, and therefore muft be active in it; but God commandeth all men every Tuhere to repent, Acts xvii. 30 and this is his command- ment that we believe in the name of the Son of God, i John iii. 23. therefore we muft be active in the works of faith, John vi. 29. and of repentance. Yea, by this way of arguing, ail that hardnefs of heart the Jews contracted muft be ('&UKSV o eof) muft be afcribed to God, and they muft have been pure- ly paflive in it, God having given them a fpint of Jl umber ; Rom. xi 8. Ahab's falfe prophets muft be purely paflive ; for, faith Michajak, (b) the Lord hath given a lying fpint in the mouth of all thy prophets : The enemies ot God's church mufl be paflive in all the evils they do to her, God having fcj given them to take peace from the earth, and to Jlay fome ; and iri the biafphemies they utter againft him, ^od having given to the beajl to fptak biafphemies. Rev. xiii. 5. Anfwer 2. in anfwer to all the fay ings of like nature to thefe, i J^y down this as a general c^nd certain rule, that where God is jaid to give any thing, the. exercife of that faculty is Jlill Juppofed which lit hath given us already, and Gocl is on- ly faid to give it by giving us thofe faculties by which we arc- enabled to obtain it, and the means and motives which are fufficient to excite thole faculties to the performance of their proper actions ; i fay, the exercife of thofe faculties is ahvavs preiuppofed, when God is faid to give that which it is our duty to perform, and which will turn to our advantage an4 reward. And, (b) i Kings xxii, 23 .- (c) Rrv. vi, 4 8 > Effectual and Special Grace. ift. Thus is it always with refpeft to natural gifts ; for thus God'givelh riches, Ecclef. v. 19. vi. 2. becaufe he^zy- fth power to get wealth, Deut. viii. 18. but yet it is the dili* gent hand, and the blelling of God upon our labors that mak~ e.th rich, Prov. x. 4, 22. Hz giveth us our daily bread, yea, he (d) giveth food to all jlejii, and yet we muft eat it (e) in the fweat of our brows, and with the labor ffj of our hands procure it. So he gives all things to all men, Afts xvii. 25. and to the beafts their food, Pial. cxlvii. 9. but then they :nuit employ thofe faculties which God hath given them to procure it : Wherefore to argue thus, God giveth faith and repentance, therefore we do nothing to obtain them, but God does all, is as if I mould argue, that becaufe God giveth us our daily bread we were not to labor for it, becaufe he giveth food to all flefli, they were not to feek out after it. zdly. Thus is it alfo with refpeft to fpirituals ; for God giveth wifdo?n, Ecclef. ii. 26. but it is only the man of under - Jlanding "who hath it, Prov. x. 23. we muft be at fome pains to get it, Prov. iv. 5. and muft apply our hearts to feek her out, Ecclef. vii. 25. So that to argue as thefe men do in this cafe, is plainly to contradict the mind of the Holy Ghoft, who for this very reafon that God is the giver of it, requires us to incline our ear to wijdom, and apply our hearts to underftand- ing ; to cry after knowledge, and lift up our voice for under - Jlanding ; to feek for her as (men do) for fdver, and to fearch for her as for hid treafure, fa fp ending our enjoy- ment of her upon all this diligence, by faying, then fJialt thou undcrfland the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God, for (to fuch perfons) the Lord giveth uxfdom, Prov. ii. Oj 3 4> .5' 6- And thus hath God given us an under/landing to know the true God, i John v. 20. by fending his Son to re- veal him to the world, John i. 18. Thus the Jews fay, that Gpd hath given repentance to ike Gentiles, when by Peter - preaching to them peace through Jefus Chrift, and promifing remiflion of fins upon their repentance, they repented and be- lieved in Chrift, Acls x. 36, 43. So alfo though faith be an affent to a divine revelation, and fo an al of the underftand- sng, requiring only the evidence of the truth of that revelation to produce it, yet is it faid to be the gift of God, becaufe the ohjecls of our faith are only by divine revelation made known to us, and only are confirmed, and fo made credible to us by the teftimony which God hath given to them. Objection 13. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia ; there- fore converfton is wrought by his immediate impulfe and pow- erful influence. Atls xvi. 14. (d) Pfal. cxxxvi. i.v (c) Gen. iii. in, (fj Pfal. cxxviii. 2. Effectual and Special Grace. 215 Anfioer i. That God inclined her to do this is not deniecf. The queilion only is, whether he did this by an extraordinary and irrefiftible influence? And this it feems reafonable to deny ; for either flie alone was, &'<*, prepared, difpofed and fitted to receive this influence, and then the had done forae- thing already towards her convcrfion ; or if it were abfoliite- ly neceflary that fhe might believe, and yet (lie alone though no more fitted or prepared for it than the reft, received it ; the other auditors for want of this extraordinary influence, muft lie under a neceffity of not believing, and fo it could not be blameworthy in them that they did not believe. zdly. To open the heart, and to open the tar, ZTQ fcripture phrafes of like import ; for the effecl of both is the fame, viz. the rendering the perfon willing and inclined to do the thing. See i Chron. xvii. 15. Pfal. xl. 7. Now this God is fometimes faid to do when he awakeneth men by his afflitting hand ; for thus fpeaks Elihu, (g) if they be bound in fetters, and holden in cords oj afflttlion, he opens their ear to difci- pline, he openeth their ears in opprej/ion ; and yet thefe things can only do it by awakening men to confider ot their ways. And fometimes he doth it by the preaching of the word ; for as they who are taught by the word, or the example of God, are faid to be taught of God ; fo they who have their hearts affcfted with it, and inclined by it to what is good, may be faid properly enough to have their hearts opened by it. Thus our Lord reprefents himfelf as knocking at the door af men's, hearts by the preachers of his word, and the fuggeftions of his fpirit ; but entering only when men open their hearts to re- ceive him. In fine, God is here faid to open the heart of Lydia; not to believe, but only, irpoat^iv, to attend to ths. things fpoken by St. Paul ; i. e. to weigh, and ferioufly confider or the greatnefs of the bleffings promifed to believers, viz. re- minion of fins, and eternal life ; and that attention produced this faith in her. SECTION V. Objection 14 15. God promifeth to cir~ cumcife the heart, Deut. xxx. 6. and Epkfaim prays thus, turn thou us, Lord, and fo Jliall we be turned ; he there- fore only doth thefe works in us, and we are purely pailsve, Jer. xxxi. 18. Anjwer. Now in anfwer to fuch texts as thefe in general, I lay down this as a moil certain rule, that when God doth re- quire us to do what he himfelf doth promife, and hath made i\ our duty to perform, his protmfe is only to perform what is rt- quijitt on his part towards the work, he certainly expeti::g we ourfelves fhould do what he commands ; and the tenor 01 fsJ Job. xxxvi. 10, 15* See the note on John vi, 4%. EffeSual and Special Grace, thofe prayers is only to afford his afliftance,. to help our in- firmities when we are truly willing and defirous to perform our duty by virtue of thofe inducements he hath already laid before us ; for if in fuch cafes the whole was to be done Iby God immediately, not by way of perfuafion only, but by Unfruftrable influence, his command to us to do it, could only be to this effect : Do you upon. your utmoft peril what I a- lone can do, or be you Gods ? For a command to men to do 'what divine power can alone effe6l, doth fignify no lefs ; and we by praying he alone would do what he requires us to do, pray in effefct to be excufed from obeying his commands, and that he would do himfeit what he expecls from us. ifl. Then, feeing the fame God who promifeth to fa) cir- cumcife the hearts of his people, requires them to fbj circum- cije their own hearts, and calls upon the men of Ju.dah to ar- cumcife themfelves, and take away thejorefkins of the. r hearts, left his fury break forth upon them, and threateneth to pun. ilh all the houfe of IJrael becaufe. they were uncircumcifed in heart, and yet he cannot rationally be fuppofed to puriifh and break forth in fury on them, becaufe he had not performed his promife, it is dernonftrably certain that promife could not fignify that he alone would do that work without their con- currence, or their endeavor to do fomething towards it ; fo that it is fuperfluous to add that this promife was apparently conditional, viz. If they would call to mind the bit-flings and the curfmgs which he had pronounced, Ver. i. and tdrn to the Lord their God, Ver. 2. or that it is a promife made to all that were brought back into the land from their captivity, and to all their feed, and fo to many who were not elefcied ; to na- tions, not to particular perfons. zdly. Seeing God fo frequently requires of the fame per- fons that they mould turn themfelves from their tranfgref- fions, promifing life to the penitent becaufe he confidereth, and tiirntth away from his iniquity, and threatening 1 that if they would not turn they Jhould die in their fins ; feeing he com- plains fo oft of his own people, that they would not turn to him that f mote them, and of that very Ephrai?h which made his prayer, that they would not Jramc. their doings to turn unto the Lord, Hof. v. 4. It mud be abfurd to urge this prayer to excufe men from a duty required by God tinder fuch dreadful penalties. Add to this, that by comparing this pray- er with the preceding chapter, in which God pfomifes fo oft to turn their captivity, it appears this is only a prayer that God would bring them out of that thraldom, like that of the Pjalmijl, turn our captivity, Lord. Pfal. cxxvi. 4. (a) Deut. xxx, 6. (&J Jer. iv. 4- ix- *<> Effectual and Special Grace. Objefliart 16 17. God promifeth tt> (c) write, his law iti ike hearts of his people, and to put it into their inward parts ; that he will give them one heart and one way, that they mav fear him forever, and will make an everlafling covenant with them ; that he will not turn away from them to do them good, ' but will put his fear in their hearts that they fnall not depart from him. Jer. xxxii, 39, 40. Anfwcr. Thefe promiTes are made exprefsly to the whole houfe of ifrael, and to all the children oj Ifrae! i\nd jfndah., to all with whom the old covenant was made, and whom God brought out of Egypt, and would bring again oiit of captivity ; it therefore, by the fecond general rule, can be no promife made to, or covenant made with, the eleft of the houfe of lf~ rWand jfudah. tft. Becaufe then the whole nation of the Jews muft have been elected and converted. 2- zdly. An inculcating them on the foul by the holy fpirity foas that they may be ftill frefli upon the niemorv ; fo Deut vi. 6. Theft Words that I command thee this day fliall be in thy heart ; that is, -faith Bilhop Uriel, they JJidll be written, (c) Jer.xxjii. jj, 34. (dj Deut, ss'x- u, 14- (e) Rom. X, f , f. EB f$e&ml and Special Grace. al luach lebbichun, upon the table of ycur hearts ; fo Provi iii. i, 3. My Jon forget not my law, but let thy heart keep my commandments, write them upon the table of thine heart. And again, Chap. vii. 1,3. My Jon keep my words, and lay up ?ny commandments -with thee, bind them upon thy finger, write them upon the table of thine heart. Thus the fin of Judah is faid to be writ (J) upon the table of their hearts ; as if their memory of, and affetlion to it could fcarce be obliterated ; and Clemens gives this commendation to the church of Corinth, that (g) the commandments of the Lord, l#l ra TrXzjoj t%s xzp- S/ar oivrtiv lyzypccwro, were written upon 'the tables of their -hearts. And feeing God fo exprefsly required of his people that they fhould lay up his words in their hearts and fouls, Dent. xi. 18. that they fhould write his commandments upon the table of their hearts, and by this prophet Jeremy, that his law Jhouiu not depart from their hearts, 2 Mace. ii. 3. It follows by the rule laid down in anfwer to the former objec- tion, that thefe promifes Cannot be fo under ftood as if God by them engaged to do that whole Work which he hath en- gaged us fo exprefsly to perform. And therefore, idly. The promife made, Jer. xxxii. 39, 40. is plainly conditional. I will gather them, &c. Ver. 37. If they will diligently learn the way of my people, Chap. xii. 16. / will give them one heart, and one way that they may fear me, &c. Chap. xx xii'. 39, 40. i. e. When they Jliall return to me with their whole heart, Chap, xxiv. 7. and not Jeignedly, as Chap. iii. 10. See Gataher there. And then they fjialt be my people, nd I will be their God, ibid. And I will make an everlajiing covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good, Ver. 40. If they will call him Father, and not turn away from him, Jer. iii. 19. Incline your ear and come. unto me,:hzar, and your foul Jliall live, and I will make an tverlafling covenant with you, Ifa. Iv. 3. / will put my fear in th&ir hearts that they may not depart from me, Jer. xxxii, 40. This doubtiefs was God's end, as it was alfo of his punifh'ments \ for, faith he, they Jlia.ll bear the punijliment of their iniquity, I/tat the houfe of Ifrael may go no more aflray fro?nme,Ez2k. xiv. 10, ii. But this was not the event; for, God faith, in this very fh) prophet, I have cauftd to tleaveto me the whole houfe of Ifrael, and the houfe of judah ; but they would not hear. g/^/y.-This text only contains a promife that when the Jtw- ijli nation fli air be converted at the clofe of the world, they fiiould never fall off any more from being his people, as (f) Jer. xyji. i, - (g) Ep. ad Cor. See. *.- (b) Ezek. xiii. u. Efft final and Special Gract* 219, they had done before. See Gataker, and the sole on Heb. viii. 13. Objection 18 19. God faith concerning his people, (i) I wiU give you one heart, and I will put a new f pint in you, and take the ftony heart out of their jleJJi, and give them an heart of Jlejh, that they may walk in my jiatutes and keep my ordinances. And again, (k) I will Jpnnkle clean water up- dn you, and you JJiall be clean Jrom ail your filthinefs, and I will put my I pint zvithin you, and cau/e you to walk in my. Jiatutes, ana ye Jhall keep my judgments to do them ; where a new heart and fpirit are faid not only to be given, but put into them by God, and therefore they were to dp nothing towards it. Anfwer. The arguments taken from both thefe places have two of the general faults which render all arguments of this nature null, v. g. ifl. That they fp^ak of all the whole houfe of I/'rael, Chap. xi. 15. xxxvi. ai, 22. to all that were gath- ered out of all countries, and brought to their own land, Ver. 24. And then it is certain from the fecond general rule, that it belongs not to the eleft only. It is alfo certain from" the event, if it refpeft their return from the Babylonijk captivity, that it muft be conditional ; the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, and efpecially die complaints of \\\t prophet Mal- achi, (hewing, that they were never fulfilled in many of them ; and from Chap. xi. 20. which fpeaks of thofe whojc heart would Jlill walk after their detejlable things ; or elfe it relates to the converfion of the 7ewifh nation yet to come ; of the whole houfe of Ifrael ; and then it can relate to them alone, and all chriftiaiis may as well expect to be exempted from famine, Ver. 30. and to have increafe of corn, Ver. 29. and their wafle places and fenced cities bmlt, Ver. 3,3, 35. as the other bleflings prornited here. Moreover, according to this expofition, it muft follow that not one good man came out of the captivity, not one of them with a new, or a clean heart ; but all of them with an heart of Jlonc, which w.as to be taken away. Anfwzr 2. This objeftion is contrary to the other general rule hid down in anfwer to the i^th objeftion j'ior God ex- prefsly doth command them by the fame prophet, to make themjdves a new heart, and a new [pint, Chap, xviii. 30, 31, and elfewhere faith unto them, wajh ye, make you clean, put 'away the evil oj your doings from before mine eyes, Ifa. i. 16. jferufalein, waffi thy heart from wickcdncfs that thou mayejt be faved, Jer. iv. 14. And St. James Ipeaks to the fame people thus, wajh your hand?, ye. fitmcrs, and punfy your. (i) Chap. xi. 19.20. f&J Chap, xxxvi. 25, 27. Effectual and Special Grace. hearts, ye Joulk minded, Chap. iv. 8. all which things do af- fure us, that fomething was required on their parts towards the completion of this promife. God therefore may be, and is in fcripture faid to do thefe things, when by his providen- tial difpenfations, his rich mercies, or his judgments, or his miraculous dealings, he doth that which affords a powerful in- ducement to engage men to cleanfe themfelves from their de~ iilements, and turn to him with a perfect heart ; and doth de- fign thefe ations for fuch ends, though through the wicked- jiefs of men the event proves often othenvife. Thus God de- clares that he would purge his people by his judgments ; as when ke faith, I will turn my hand upon tlite, and (by the ca- Jamit^s I fhall Inflict upon thee) wile purely purge away thy drofs, lia. i. 25. And that he will yuajh away the filth of the. daughter of Zion, and purge the blood of Jerujalem from the. ?niajl thereof by the fpirit of judgment, and by the fpirit of burning, I fa. iy. 4. By his mercies, as when he faith, / drew them with the cords of a ?nan, the cords of love, Hof. xi. 4, By his miracles, as when he upbraids the Jews that having feen the great figns and miracles he had done for them, yt, , * TheflT. ii. 7. - (I) Heb, iv. 12. - (c) I TheCT. |i- '3- - ( iv that it might be. of grace,, Rom. iv. 16. it alfo is ut grace that our imperfel works are ac- counted gr>od, and are at all rewarded by God. Now upon what account can any of us boaft of doing that which in itfelf deferves condemnation, though through grace it finds accept- ance : Boafling, faith the apojile, is not excluded by the law of tvorks, Rom. iii. 27. becaufe to hini that tuorketh the reward is not reckoned of gface but of debt, Rom. iv, A. grace and works that deferve j unification and falvation, being peffeclly oppofiteone to another; but it is, faith he, excluded by the law of faith ; where therefore the acceptance of the aft to fuch a purpofe 1 is of free grace ; where the reward is ftill of grace, and not of debt; where it is given on the account of -works imperfect, and deferving nothing from God, there hoafting ig excluded. %dly. Obferve, that the fcripture plainly grants that there is Kav-ftviAa, or matter of glorying, in things done by the af- 15 fiance of the grace of God, and it is for the glory of a man to do them t St. Paul faith, it were better for him to die, than tkfit any man Jhould make void, TO y.y.i>^jn^,y., his boajling, in preaching the gofpel without charge, i Cor. ix- 15, 16. Yea, he fwears that no mm JJiould ftop> TW xyvxyviv durx, his boafling in that kind, 2 Cor. xi. 10. And in behalf ot all his fellow workers, or apollles, he faith, this is y Y.stirxjnais , our boafling, or rejoicing, in the tejlimony of our confcuncs, 2 Cor* i. 12. and this advice he gives to all chrijlians, let every man approve his own work (to his own conference) and thenffiall he have, TO x^x?^*' boajling, or rejoicing, in himself, and net in another, Gal. vi. 4. The glorying therefore, or the TO xxvyjilJUL, which the apojlle el ie where doth rejeft and ex- clude, is only that of the merit of our works, or their fuffi- ciency to procure the juftification of a iinner, Rom. iii. 27. iv. 2. or that which doth exclude the hrelp, and the affifhnce of the grace of God in C/irfft, i Cor. i. 29, 31, To proceed Effeftual And Special Grace. 225 then to the fecond part of this objection, that by our doftrine the glory of our converfion will not be wholly clue to God, becaufe man cooperates with him ; this will be fufficiently accounted for by obferving, that the principle by which man cooperates with him in this work is derived from him, and all the motives which excite, this principle to ar, arife purely from God's preventing and exciting grace : Now where both the principle of aling, and the fole motives to a6t, are from God alorie, there the whole glory of the action muft be due to him alone. Thus though wealth is the fruit of induf- try, and it is the diligent hand that maketh rich ; yet becaufe God gives the 'power to get wealth, and it is his bleffing on our enterprizes which maketh rich, the glory of it is due to God alone; and we muft fay with David, (h) riches and hon- or ceme of tkee, and of thine own have we given thee ; all this Jiore cometh oj thy hand, and it is all thine own. After all our induflry to find out wifdom, and to fearch for her as for hid treafure, we muft give the allwife God the glory of all the wifdom we attain to, as knowing that the Lord giveth tvifdcm, out of his mouth cometh under/landing. Thus St. - Paul faith, (ij I labored more abundantly than they all ; and* yet afcribes all to the grace of God that was in him ; and though Paul did plant, an4 Apollo s water, yet becaufe God gave the inereafe f (k) neither faith he, is Paul or Ap olios to be deemed any thing, but all muft be afcribed to God that giveth the increafe. So when the apojlle faith, (I) it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that JJieweth mercy, moft of the fathers defcant thus upon thofe words, it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth only, but of God that JJieweth mercy., and crowns the work by his ajjiftance ; for otherwife, fay they, it cannot be our duty either to will or run, provided we can neither by willing, or by running, do any thing to incline God to fhew mercy ; and why then doth God blame us for not willing, Matth. xxiii. 37. John v. 40. and requires us jo to .run that we may obtain ? i Cor. ix. 14. Heb. xii. i. And' whereas againft this it is objected, that according to this interpretation it might be faid, it is not of God thatjheweth mercy, only, but of man who wills and runs ; Ongen, St. Chryfoflom. and Theophylafl anfwer, that this follows not, becaufe man's willing and running would not avail without the divine aid to enable him to run, and his grace and mercy to accept his running ; and therefore accord- ing to the cuftom of the fcripture > the efilft is to be afcnbcd (h) i Chron. xxix. 12, 14, 16. {}.) i Ccr. xv. 10. (k) i Cor. iv. 6, 7. (I) Rom. ix. 13. Fr 226 Efft 'final and Special Grace. to the chief agent only, as when it is faid, except the Lord build the houfe, they labor in vain that build it. Pfal. cxxvii. i. 2.dly, Our Lord and \\\y afflic- tions, 2 Cor. viii. 7. St. James faith, that the trial of our faith, by temptations, worketh patience, Chap. i. 3. St. Pe- ter, that the trial of our faith, (by manifold temptations, if we continue fledfaft in it) will be found to our pr&ife, honor and glory at the appearing of Jefus Chrift, i Pet. i. 7. and fpeaketh of a jftery trial which was come to try them, Chap. iv. 12. Our blejfed Lord faith to the church of Smyrna, be- hold the devil will cajl fome of you into prifon that he may try you, Rev. ii. 10. and prophefies of an hour of temptation, which Jhall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth ; to omit many places of like nature in the Old Tejlament, viz. Pfal. Ixvi. 12. Jer. ix. 7. Dan. xi. 3,5, xii. 10. Zech. xiii. 9. 2>dly. From all the promifes and threats recorded in the fcripture, to engage all men to repent and turn to God \ for no fuch thing is, or can reafonably be offered to them who are already in a fixed Hate either of happinefs or mifery ; and it is contrary even to the nature of thole motives to be offered to them, who neither can be induced by the hopes of prom- ifes, or fears of fufferings, to change their prefent flate. thly. From all the exhortations of the holy' fcripture to men, to watch and pray that they enter not into temptation, and to pray they may not be led into temptation ; from the fuppofition that men 272 the time of temptation rnay Jail away, Luke viii. 13. and that Satan may fo tempt good chriflians, that the labor of the apojlles may be in vain among them, i ThefT. iii. 5. For what is temptation but a trial of our faith, fincerity and conftancy ? What is it to enter, or be led into it it, but to be in danger of falling by it ? And muft not therefore all who are in a Sate of temptation, be alfo in a ftate of trial or probation ? And, ^thly. This will be evident from the temptations of Satan, who goes about continually fteking whom he may devour. For to what end mould he tempt, that is, endeavor to deftroy them, if he knows he never can fucceed in his temptations to deilroy the eleft ; and as for others, quos ad perditionem Deus prafcripfit, and who are left by God infallibly to fail of 8-3O Freedom of the Will of Man. falvation, he need not do it, fince God himfelf, according to this doclrine, hath done that work effectually to his hand'? To what end fhould he ftrive to hinder the progrefs of the gofpel, feeing, according to this doftrine, it mufl have its ef- fect upon the elecl infallibly and unfruftrably, and upon oth- ers it can only be a Savior of death unto death, anJd an ag- gravation of their condemnation ? To what end fhould he go about to hinder the converfion of any man ? Muft he not know his labor will be certainly in vain, where this is wrought by a divine unfruftrable operation, and is as needlefs where God hath decreed not to vouchfafe that operation ? Now hence it follows, CorolL SECT ip N II. That the liberty belonging to this queflion, is only that of a lapfed man in a ftate of trial, pro- bation and temptation ; whether he hath a freedom to choofe life or death, to anfwer or rejeft the calls and invitations of God to do, by the afliflance of the grace afforded in the gof- pel to him, what is fpiritually good as well as evil ; or wheth- er he be determined to one, having only a freedom from coac- tion, but not from neceflity. This liberty is indeed no per- fection of human nature ; for it fuppofcs us imperfect, as be- ing fubjecl to fall by temptation, and when we are advanced to the fpirits of jujl men made perfetl, or to a fixed flate of hap- pinefs, will, with our other imperfections be done away ; but yet it is a freedom abfolutely requifite, as we conceive, to render us capable of trial or probation, and to render our ac- tions worthy of praife Of difpraife, and our per Cons of re- wards or punifhrnents ; nor is this liberty effential to man as man, but only neceffary to man placed in a ftate of trial, and under the power of temptation. And therefore vain are the enfuing arguments. i/L That God is a free agent, and yet can have no freedom to do evil, fince he is in no ftate of trial, nor can he be tempt- ed to do evil. Or, zdly. That the confirmed angels have not loft their freedom though they cannot fm ; for if there was a time when they were not confirmed in goodnefs as now they arc, they have loft that liberty, ad utrumvis, they then had ; and being thus confirmed they are not in a ftate of trial, nor under any temptation to do evil, nor are their aclions now rewardable, fince they already do enjoy the beatific vifion, and fo they cannot aft out of refpect to any luture reconi- penfe, or be induced to aclion out of hope or fear, as in this ilate of trial all men are. Or, %dly. That the devils, and the damned fpirits lie under no capacity of doing good, or under a neceflity of doing evil, and yet do it voluntarily, their ftate of trial being pad, and they having no farther offers ot grace, and fo no motive to do good ; and as for any evil they are Freedom of the Will of Man. 231 now neceflitated to do, or any good they do not, they are not fubjeft to any farther punimment, the damned fpirits being only to receive at the day of judgment, according to what they have done in the body, or in their ftate of trial, and the damn- ed angels, being referved to the day of judgment to be punijhed for what they did in a like (late of trial ; and if they are to fufier any thing on the account of their temptations of men to do evil, or to draw them from their obedience to the will of God, they fo far lie under no neceflity of doing this, but' might abftain from thofe temptations. Excellent to this pur- pole are thefe words of (z) Mr. Thorndike, " We fay not that indifference is requifite to all freedom, but to the freedom of man alone in this ftate of travail and proficience, the ground of which is God's tender of a treaty, and conditions or peace and reconcilement to fallen man, together with thofe precepts and prohibitions, thofe promifes and threats, thofe exhort a- lions and dehortations it is enforced with ; fo that it is utterly impertinent to ailedge here, the freedom oi God and angels, the freedom -of faints in the world to come, the freedom of Chrift's human foul, to prove that this indifference is not rc- quifite to the freedom of man, becaufe it is not found in that ireedom which they are arrived to, to whom no covenant is tendered, no precept requifite, no exhortation ufeful." And hence arifeth a neceflity of faying, SECTION III. iJL That the freedom of the will, in this ftate of trial and temptation, cannot confifl with a determina- tion to one, viz. on the one hand in a determination to good only by the efficacy of divine grace, infallibly or unfruftrably inducing to that operation, or engaging met 1 ., refpefctu Divirue Ordinationis certo et infallibiliter agere, in rsfpecl of the di- vine appointment infallibly and certainly to al,io that he con- not fail of acling ; feeing this determining operation puts him out of a ftate of trial, and makes him equal, when this divine impulfe comes upon him, to the ftate of angels ; fince he who mult certainly, and without fail, do what the divine im- pulfe doth incite him to do, is as much determined to one, as they are. And this is farther evident frojh the general deter- mination of the jckools, and of all thdt I have read upon this fubjcc't, that the general will to be happy, and not to be rnif- erable, though it be voluntary, is not free ; becaufe we can- not choofe either not to be happy, or to be mifcrable ; and on the fame account, fay they, this will is not praift worthy, or rewardable. There alfo is no place for elect-ion and delib- eration about this action ; becaufe all election and delibera- tion is about thi means and not about the end. If therefore (%) Epil. Part ii. p. 1^3. 232 Freedom of the Wilt of Man. where I am by the divine influx determined to one, there is equally no place for refufmg that one, or for not choofmgit ; that action, though it may be voluntary upon the fame account, it cannot be free, praifeworthy or rewardable. Nor can this liberty confift with the contrary determination to one, viz. with an incapacity in men, through the fall, to do good but evil only ; for then man, in the date of trial, muft be reduced to the condition of the devil, and of damned Jpir its t who though they are not determined to evil actions in partic- ular, are yet determined to do evil in the general, and not good. This, indeed, fome.fuppofe he is by being given up to hardnefs of heart, and a judicial blindnefs, or by a cuftomary habit of iniquity ; but this doth rather prove the contrary, as being not the natural, but the acquired ftate of fallen man; it is the confequent of a courfe of fin, to which he never was determined, and which he never can lie under without abuf- jng of that grace which was fufficient to prevent it. For as (a) Bimop Bramkall truly faith, " God never forfakes his creature, by withholding his grace from him, until his crea- ture hath fir ft forfakenhim; he never forfakes his creature fo far, but that he may by prayer, and ufmg good endeavors obtain the aid of God's grace either to prevent or remove hard- nefs of heart." Moreover, though thefe things do render it exceeding difficult for fuch men to do good, they do not render it impoflible for them to do fo ; though they do give men a Jirong bent and powerful inclination to what is evil, yet do they not determine him to do it, as is evident from God's ap- plications to fuch men to reform and hearken to his exhorta- tions ; as when he faith, Ifai. xlii. 18. hear ye deaf, and 'look yc blind that ye may fee ; and to Jervfalem accujtomed to do evil, Jer. xiii. 23. wilt thou not be made clean, when ftiall it once, be ? Ver. 27. When he fends his prophet to the impu- dent and hard hearted ho life of Ifrael which would not hearken to him, faying, go and /peak unto them, whether they will hear or will forbear; Ezck. iii. 7, n. from the calls of Chrijl to the obdurate Jews who had eyes to fee, and Jaw not, &c. Matth. xiii. 12. for unto them he faith, thefe things I fay unto you that ye might befavcd; and again, while ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of the light ; and laftly, from St. Paul's defire and prayer for Ifrael when blinded, 'and lying under a fpiritiial flumbtr, that they might be faved, Rom. x. i. and his endeavor to Jave fomc of them, Chap. xi. 14. And if fuch perfons are not by thefe things determined only to do evil, or incapacitated to do good, much :efs can this be the fad ftate of fallen man in general, before fay Caftig. cf Mr. Hobs, p. 745. Freedom of the- Will of Man. 233 he hath contracted thefe additional imiifpofitions to do good, and inclinations to do evil. This will be farther evident, as to both parts, from this confideration, that it is generally own- ed that the aftions of the understanding or the mind deferve neither praife nor difpraife, reward or punimmcnt, as they procetd purely from the mind, but only as they rciult, ab im- perio voluntatis, and come under the power of the will ; of that they deferve praife or difpraife, not as he imderftands, but as he wills to underftand ; of which the reafon can be on- Jy this, that as they proceed from the understanding they are neceflary ; for when evidence is propounded and difcerned^ the mind doth necefTarily aflent unto it. if therefore in like manner when God unfruftrably moves the will it cannot but confent, why mould that aftion be more praifeworthy, than the aflent of the mind to what is evident ? And as it is not culpable in the mind not to aflent where it hath no evidence ; ftor can it properly be faid to do fo, becaufe it is only real or feeming evidence which caufeth that aflent; fo if it be only this unfruflrable operation on the will which caufeth it to re- pent and turn to God, and it cannot will to do fo without this powerful motion, but muft refufe all invitations or induce- ments fo to do, which do not come attended with that opera tion, when that is not vouchfafed ; why fliould it not be as unblameable in not choofingto repent and turn to God, as the mind is in not a {Tenting without evidence, feeing this opera- tion is as neceflary to that choice of the will, as evidence of truth is to the aflent of the mind ? Why alfo is it not as un- blameable in refufing to repent without that Operation, as the mind is in refufmg to aflent without evidence ? For if necef- fity in the mind, though it be not extrinfical, or that of coac- tion, (of which both will and mind are equally uncapable) takes away from its aclions praife or difpraife, and renders them uncapable of either of them, why ihould not an extrin~ fical neceflity laid upon the will do the fame ? Add to this x that thofe hKoolmen, who affert that the will may be free where the afel is neceflary, do yet confefs that in that cafe the will cannot be deliberans ; whereas, it is certain, that the lib- erty of man in this ftate of trial and temptation muft be de- liberative, if it doth choofe, there being no election without deliberation. And hence in order to the performance of his duty, God requires him to ponder and confider, to bring again to mind, and lay to heart his fayings, propofes motives and inducements to him fo to do, and promifes and threats to excite him to it by his hopes and fears ; whereas no promifes are made to the confirrhed angels, no motives offered to engage them to chaofe the good, no evils aje threatened to the devils G G 234 Freedom of the Will of Man. or the damned fpirits to deter them from doing evil. I con- clude then with that of the judicious Bifhop Bramhall, God may, and doth Jcmetime. s determine the will of man to one; but when it is Jo determined , the al may be voluntary, but not jra. SECTION IV. idly. This aWeii-Hffjov, or free will of man, being neither an aft, for that is the exercife of the will ; nor an habit, for that only doth facilitate and incline to aclion ; but a faculty or power; and the object of that power being in moral actions, fomething morally, in fpiritual actions fome- thing fpiritually good to be chofen,or fpiritually evil to be a- voided; that which difables any man from choofing what is fpiritually good, or refuting what is thus evil, and therefore is deftruftive to his foul and fpirit, muft alfo take away his liber- ty to choofe what is fpiritually good, and to refufe what is fpiritually evil. To fay here the man thus difabled hath ftill a freedom in reference to thefe aclions, becaufe he hath flill the power of doing otherwife ; that is, the faculty of willing otherwife is not taken from him, even as a man when he fits is free to walk, though he cannot walk while he fits, becaufe he hath ftill the "power or faculty of walking; is as if I fhould fay, that, a man blinded by a cataraft, or made deaf by an impediment or ftoppage in his ear, had ftill the freedom of his fight and hear- ing, becaufe the faculty of feeing and of hearing ftill remained though the exercife of it was obftrufted ; for if the exercife of the faculty of the will to what is fpiritually good be as much obftruled by this difability, as is the exercife of thefe facul- ties obftrucled by the difability of thefe organs to convey the motions of the obje&s of fight or hearing to the brain ; there is no more freedom in the one than in the other, to the ac- tions proper to each faculty. Nor is the example of walking at all pertinent ; for therefore am I free to walk hereafter, though I now fit, beaaufe no obftruclion lies upon my faculty of walking afterwards, becaufe I do at prefent fit ; but were I lettered to my chair, or confined to it by an incurable lame- nefs, 1 could not be faid to be free to walk whilft that force or lamenefs lafted. So neither can a man be faid to be free to do what is fpiritually good becaufe his faculty of willing ftill remains, provided he be equally lame and impotent as to fpir- itual things, and therefore equally difabled from walking in the ways of God. Thus Bifhop Bramhall, "To fay a man ftill retains the faculty or power of willing, though the exer- cife of it be in this cafe determined, is in efTeft to fay, a bird is free to fly when I hold his wings, becaufe he ftill hatk wing's to fly ; and a man chained and fettered is ftill free to freedom of the Will of Man. 135 walk, becaufe he ftill retains the faculty of walking." Now hence it follows, (ift.) That the doctrine which teacheth that man is fo utter- ly difabled by the fall of Adam, that without the efficacious grace which God vouchfafeth only to fome few who are the objects of his eleftion to falvation, he hath no power to do what is fpiritually good, or to avoid what is fpiritually evil, muft be deftrulive of the liberty belonging to man in a flate of trial, probation and proficiency ; and fo muft be fufficient- ly confuted by all thofej/f riptures in which God declares that he dealt thus and thus with his people, to try whether they would walk in his ftatutes or not ; of which nature are the paflfages cited already from Exod. xvi. 4. xx. 20. and thefe following, Deut. viii. 2. He led thee thefe forty years in the. wildernefs, that he might humble thee, and prove thee, and. know (or difcover) what was in thy heart, whether thou zuouldejl keep his commandments or not; and Ver. 16. Pie fed thee with manna in the wildernefs, that he might humble thee, and and prove thee, (whether thou wouldefl be obedient to his laws) that (fo) he might do thee good in thy latter end. And Chap, xiii. 3. The Lord thy Godproveth thee (by the falfe prophet ) to know whether ye love the Lord your Goa with all your hearts, and zuith all your fouls. And Judg. ii. 21. The Lord drove not out the nations which Jojhua had left, that by them he might prove Ifrael, whether they would keep the way oj the. Lord to walk in it t as their fathers did keep it, or not. And Chap. iii. 4. They were lejt to prove Ifrael, to know whether they would hearken to the commandments of the Lord. For to what end fliould God thus prove them who lay under fo grekt a difability that they could not obey his precepts, or avoid the violation of them, without that efficacious grace he was not pleafed to vouchfafe to the moft or them ? Or why does he attempt to move fuch perfons to this obedience by the con- Jideration of his great goodnefs, and his tremendous majefty, and by the remnant of the nations left among them, who were not to be induced unto it by rational motives, or moral per- fuafions, but only by an uniruftrable operation ? Why, laftly, doth he try whether they would hearken to his commandments AS their forefathers dia, provided their forefathers did this on- ly bv virtue of that efficacious and fpecial grace, he was not pleafed to vouchfafe to them ? To try men whether they will do what he knows they are difabled from doing, is as unfuita- ble to the divine wifdom, as to make laws tor lapfed man im- poflible to be performed by him, and then to punifh him for not doing what he could not do, or performing what he could not avoid, is unfuital/le to the divine juftice ; and as to ex- cite them to their duty by motives winch he knows cannot 236 Freedom of the Will of Man. Work upon them, is unfuitable to the fmcerity of God. For did ever any wife man go about to try whether he could per- fuade a blind man to fee, or a deaf man to hear, or an impo- tent man to walk ?. Or did he ever think it fufficient to re- quire them to do fo under the higheft penalties ? Or fit to punifh them all their life long for not doing fo, becaufe they had contracted thefe difabilities by their own perfonal iniqui- ty ? If therefore by the fall of Adam all men are as truly difa- ibled from doing that good which God requires of them after- Awards, or from avoiding what he by a following law forbids, tan it be fuitable either to the divine w'ifdom or juftice to make him to exaft thefe impoffibilities under far more dura- ble and heavy penalties from man difabled thus by another's perfonal fault, before he had a being, or any of thefe laws were made. " And as this is plainly inconfiflent with a ftate of trial and probation ; fo is it alfo inconiiitent with the new covenant oj grate, eftablifhcd in the blood of Jffus, and tendered to all to whom thegofpel is vouchfafed. For they who are excluded from the benefits of that covenant, remiffion of fins and falva- tion and by a decree of preterition, are left under a difability to perform the conditions of that covenant, faith, repentance and obedience, before it was made or ratified in the blood of Jefus, can never be admitted to it, or be the better for it ; for if you fay it is tendered to them as well as others on the conditions of faith and repentance, yet if thefe conditions were rendered impoffible fo them by the fall of Adam whilft he was tinder the firft covenant, this is indeed no tender ; for what is only tendered on an impoffible condition is indeed not tender- ed, but in effcfl denied; according to that rule of logic, im- poffibile habet in fe vim adverbii univerfaliter negantis, an im- pofjlblt condition hath in it the. force of an univerfal negative. .Nor is it eafy to difcern how God was in Chnjl reconciling the world to himjdf, not imputing to them their fins ; if firit the fin of Adam was by God's arbitrary imputation formally their fin, and then the fuppofed difability contracled by it, was by God {o far* imputed to the greateft part of mankind, as that he not only decrees to leave them under it without mercy, pity or companion, but alfo punifheth them for ever for -not doing what they were utterly difabled by this law to do. SECTION V. To fay here that men thus difabled may. r]eferve punifh ment for the evil they do, though they cannot do otherwife, becaufe they difobey willingly, and choofe to do fo, i-s to make the -devils and the damned fpirits farther punifiiable, becaufe they aifo choofe to do evil ; and thebleff- **d angels rewa?dable, becaufe they choofe to do good, and do Freedom of the Will of Man. 257 it willingly. If, indeed, man doth choofe at all, fee muft choofe willingly ; for that is only to fay, he choofeth by his will. But yet, if he lies under an utter difability of willing and of doing otherwife, and upon that account doth only what is evil and not fpiritually good, no man can reafonably judge he is ftill left under a ftate of trial or probation whether he will do good or evil, much lefs that good and evil, life and death is Jet before, him ; and that it. is in his hand or power to choofe either of them ; and yet that this was the ancient do&rine of the Jews we learn from thefe words of the fon of Syrack, Chap. xv. 11 17. He hinf df made man from the beginning, and left him in the hands of his counfei ; if thou willefl to keep the commandments, and to perform accept- able faitkjulnej\, he hath fet fire and water be] ore thee,Jlretch forth thy hand to whether thou wilt. Before, man is life and death, and whether he liketh fhall be given him ; and this he leant from thofe words of Mofes, Deut. xxx. 15. / have fet bejore thee this day life and good, death and evil, in that I command thee to love the Lord thy God, and to walk in his way. And Ver. 19. I call heaven and earth to record agaixjl you that I have fet before you life and death, bleffing and cur/ing, therefore choc'fe life. Where Mai?nonides faith, (b) That the wills of men art under no force or coaftion, but are free agents ; and therefore precepts are impofed upon ihtm with punifJiments threatened to the difobedicnt, and with re- wards pro niiftd to them who keep God's commandments* And from the words preceding, it is evident that thefe command- ments were neither fo abftrufe that they could not know them, nor fo difficult to the lapfed Jews that they could not do them ; tor thus they run, the commandment, which I command thte this day is not hidden from thee, neither is it afar off, that ye Jhould Jay, who jkall go up to heaven, cr beyond the Jea to bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it ? But the word is very nigh to thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart that thou mayejl do it ; i. e. that thou may e ft have nothing more ro do than to put it in praclice. Now to fay to men utterly dif- abled fr,om choofing lite or keeping God's commandments, he hath left thee in the hands of thy cou,nfd, if thcu willefl to keep the commandments ; that bejore them is life and death, and whether they will jhall be given tfam, is furely to delude them with vain words ; to fay, fee I have ftt bejore the life and death, good and evil, in that I commend iket to love the Lord thy God, and to walk in his way ; 2, e. in that I com- mand thee upon pain of my eternal difpleafure to do what I know thou canfl not do, yea, to do this with the folemnity' of (1) Com. on Pirke Ayolli. c. g. 238 Freedom of the Witt of calling heaven and earth to record again/I them who would not embrace life and blifs ; to bid them choofe lije who could no more choofe it under this difability than they could rend a rock in funder ; to tell them for their encouragement who xve're fpirituaily blind, that the word was not hidden from them, or difficult to be known by them ; and them that were fpirituaily deaf, and hard of heart, that the word was in their heart that they might hear it and do it, is that which cannot poflibly proceed from a God of truth, uprightnefs and fmcer- ity ; but is rather like the temptations and allurements of Sa- tan, mere delufions, falfe promifes, and pretences of kindnefs to thofe fouls whofe ruin he defigns. And then when we confider that St. Paul hath transferred thefe very expreflions (c) to the word of faith which the apojlles preached: It is alfo certain that men under the gofpel difpenfation lie under no fuch difability of believing unto righteoufnefs now, which the grace tendered with the gofpel is not fufficient to remove. And, indeed, to introduce the blefled Jefus declaring that the Jews were given up to the feverefl judgments, becaufe he zumild have gathered them, and they would not be gathered ; and that they would die in their /ins, becaufe they would not come unto him that they might have lije ; whe'n, \ft. By vir- tue of an aft ef divine preterition, they were left, faith Bifh- op Davenant) infallibly to fail of obtaining life ; and, zdly. They were left by the fall under an utter difability of being willing, is fuch an imputation on the blefled Jefus as cannot be thought on without horror. 'idly. That opinion which faith man cannot be induced to were the very arguments ufed, faitk (a) Origen, by them who deflroy free will, a TO Quaeu elffzytiv aVoXoptsvas- vripiffxTfis' T cwfaQxi, Kal srtpois Gwfy/Aevas dovvz rws \%*r>as wpas TO aoXe3. (vj Gen, vi. 3, u % 12. i Pet. Hi, 30. JucJ. xiv. 15. Freedom of the Will of Man. long contraSed cuilom, or an habitual courfe ot doing what is good, evil, or indifferent. Of doing what is evil ; thus (w) the enchantments with which the Chaldeans labored from their youth, are the enchantments which they had long pra&ifed. (x) Our fathers have finned from their youth, faith Jeremy, unto this day ; i. e. they have continued in a long courfe ot difobedience. And the whoredoms oj IJrael jrom her youth, Ezek. xxiii. 8. is her long courfe ot idolatry begun in Egypt, and continued in the wiidernefs, and in the land ot Canaan. See alfo, Jer. xxii. 21. xxxii. 36. Accordingly it fignifies, when it hath a good, or an indifferent fenfe ; as when Obadi- ah faith, he had feared the Lard from his youth, i Kings xviii, 13. i. e, he had lived long in the fear of God ; arid Job t that he had done offices of charity from his youth, Ch. xxxj. 18. and David, that he had placed his hope and trufl in God, from his youth, Pfal. Ixxi. 5. Thus is it faid of Jofiph's. brethren, that they were fhepherds from their youth, Gen. xlvi. 34. and of the prophets in Zeckary, that men taught them to keep cattle fro?n -their youth, Chap. xiii. . Objection 4. t^thly. They cite to this purpofe thofe words of Cknjl, that which is born ofthejkfh, is Jlejh. John iii. 6. whence they infer, that man in his natural eitate can do noth- ing but what is carnal, and therefore finful, and only can be- gin to do what is good fpiritually, when he is born again of thefpirit ; whereas, Anjkver (ijl.) This expofition renders it impoflible for a man to do any thing towards his awn converfion,and fo renders all God's commands and exhortations to the" wicked to turn themfdves from their iniquity, all his promifes of pardon and reconciliation to them that do fo, and all his threats of death if they negleft to do fo, all his complaints againft them that they would not do fo, vain and abfurd ; and n&fyj Cyril of Alex- andria faith ^dc4w$9tyb0[ xsvov, a vain tr?fa,tliey being then on- ly commands and incitements to perform what, if it ever be done, he mud do him felt. zdiy. This expofition makes the \torfaJUfh zndjlcfaly birtk t to fignify one corrupted by his fleihly appetite, and afted by his carnal wifdorn, and fo led and governed by the motions of the flefh ; whereas (z) Tolet hath well cbferved, that to be born of theflejli here onlyjignifies, to have that natural genera. tion by which a man is born into the world of the will of the. flejh, this being the only birth Nicodtmus fpake of as a thing . xlvii. r2. - (x) Jer. iii. 2 q. --- {y JOrat. iii. contr. Jul. p. 118. (z) Multum a vcro fenfu loci hujus aberrant qui carnem hoc loco exponunt de carne peccati, cum nihil hie de peccatoagatur ; et quamvis nullum eflfet peccatuui, verum etlj quod natum eit ex c*rne cavo eiL Comment, in locum* 246 Freedom of the Will of "Man. incredible ; becaufe then a man muft enter twice into his moth- er's womb. This therefore is the plain meaning of our Lord, that befides that natural birth, by which we receive only our flefli and body from our parents, there is need of a fpiritual birth to fit us for the kingdom of God ; he therefore faith no one word of any neceflity lying upon us till we be thus born again to do only evil, or of our incapacity to do any thing which may contribute towards this new birth. tjtkly. They argue from the words of the apoflle, complain- ing in the perfon of the natural man thus, the good that 1 would do, that- 1 do not, but the evil that I would not do, that do I, Rom. vii. 17, 19. and that by reafon of that Jin that dwelleth in me, Ver. 20. For I fee another law in my mem- bers, warring again ft the law of my mind, and bringing me in captivity to the law of fin which is in my members, Ver. 23. Now he that cannot do the good that he would, can do noth- ing that is truly good ; and he that through the power of fin dwelling in him, and leading him captive to the law of fin, doth the evil that he would not do, is a flave to fin. Anfwer \ft. It is obfervable from the fathers, againftthefe objectors, that they who held that there was in man a natural principle of evil, and that the flefli and body of man laid a ne- cej/ity upon us of doing evil, founded their plea upon thefe words, as we learn from Methodius. And hence fa) Cyril of jfsru/alem advertifeth us not to attend to this falfe interpreta- tion of the apojlle* s words, as being deftruelive of our liberty, and in the opinion of (b) Methodius and of St. Cryfojlom, fub- verting God's future judgment of the world. zdly. It is obfervable, that thefe men generally interpret thefe words of a regenerate perfon ; and then, if they prove any thing, they prove that this is alfo the ftate of men renew- ed by the fpirit ; and how are they then freed from Jin, and become fervants to righteou/nefs ? And, %dly. Whereas they make their lap fed man to have loft even the power of willing to do good* and to be totally inflaved both as to will, mind and ailion, the man here mentioned hath a will to do the good he doth not, and to avoid the evil that he doth ; yea, the evil that he doth is hateful to him, and he de- lighteth in the law of God in the inner man, and with his mind ferves the law of God. And fo as Origen upon the place faith, fa ) M7 /xoi xaxo?; rnog axa))? i^yy^Eca TO il ol o tf Ss?.a; TaTO Catech. 4. p. 31. A. TTO t'.'pjx.Ev api yoE a.tatb. zlffcty'jjy j3faQ > ttQnp J il yxf ex. ixovifj ,A?v' a>afJcacM,i s'Oi Xo (I ) Chryf. in locum. fojr^cxj'.Sa* er^vvultt^ &c. Method, jipud Kpiphan. Hsr. 64. n. 49 freedom of the Will of Man. 24 / on ufquecjuafjue alienus eft a bonis, fed propofito quidenr, et voluntate ccepit bona requirere ; he is not wholly alienated Jrom good things, but in his purpofe, and his will inclined to them, though not yet Ju^ffi cunt to perform what he thus prop of- es through the power of cu/lem and of evil habits ; cita enim res eit voluntas, Jor the loill is quick in operation, and Joon purpojetk ; opus vero tardum eft, but we are flow in perform- ance, that requiring ufe, and labor, and art, and Jreeaem oj impediments* Now 1 inquire, whether in this will to do good, this delight in the law of God, this hatred of fin, this man doth well or ill ? If well, he can, even in the ftate here men- tioned, do fomething that is good j if evil, it muft be evil to hate fin, and be unwilling to commit it, and to be willing to do good, and to delight in the law of God in the inner man, and to ferve God with the mind ; and then, how doth th-at differ frorn ferving with the flefli the law of fin ? %dly. Ongen, St. Chryfojlom, Theodoret and others, inter- pret thefe words of men under the thraldom and dominion of fin through a long ufe and cuftom ; and this inter- pretation is certain from the words of this Chapter, the apof- tle fpeaking ot men that were carnal, fold under Jin, which is the character of the greateft finners, i Kings xxi. 20. Ifa. li. i. and even otrevolters from the true religion, i Ivlaccab. i. 1,5. and this is reprefented as the caufe of all tl,at follows from Ver. 14. to the z^th. Laftly. They conclude this from thofe words of the apojlle^ Chap. viii. 6, 7, i. to be carnally minded (Gr. the wifdom o the flefh) is death, becaufe the carnal mind (Gr. the wifdpin of the flefh) is enmity to God ; Jor it is notfubjecl to the laz& cj God, neither indeed can be ; fo that they that arc in the. fleflt cannot plea/e God, they therefore can do nothing that is truly good, nothing that is not evil, and difpleafing to him. I Anjwer \ft. That this was another of the texts abufed by the ancient heretics, to prove that the flefh was by nature evil, imagining that theie words tended, sis &ao?.riv r'is sxfx.us y to the condemnation oj our Jlejli, or mortal bodies, we learn from (cj Epiphanius and St. Cnr\JoJhm upon the place ; who there- fore well obferves, that byjlejh here lue'are nut to under jia.id the body, or the fu.b fiance of the body, vJO.y. TOV a^xi/^v fcfali y..a* xoj^ixjv KOU rpuffis, KX\ djuTizs yg'/xovTa TOV o>.ov axpytx TTb^vrjt rov avQ^TTov, but a worldly carnal life, fall of luxury u.', otous living, and turning the whole ?nan into jlejh,^ is evident from the phrafe; the wifdom of the flejh engaging us to mind only the things which belong to the fleih, .and to be of the flefh, as the true chriflian is of the fpirit, being led by, and zvalking in the fpirit. And faith '(dj 'Mttliot: this (cj Haer. 61. n. 49- 51, fd) Apud Epinhnn. ibid. n. 51. 248 Freedom of the Will of Man. faid of them that are in this body of flefh, that they cannot pleafe God, they who commit theft, whoredom, or any othei" like Jin, could not on that account be fubjeft to reprthenfion by ajuft judge, it being impojjiblejor the flejli to be fubjeft to the. law of God ; was y $i/rnv /Srnv (e) zivzifor how can it be. blameworthy m the body that it lives according to the condition of its na- ture ? Nor could then the intemperate per [on be reduced to chajlity and virtue, the body lying under a natural necefjity not to be fubjeft to the law of God. zdly. Theapoflle doth indeed fay, that they who thus mind carnal things, while they continue fo to do, cannot p leaf e God ; this being only in effect to fay, in the words of St. Chryfojtom, dtiv'jatrov xwripw //,E'VOVT, that whilft men go on in their Jinful courfes they cannot pleafe God, or live injubjeftion to his laws ; but then, faith he, as Chrijl only faith an evil tree whilfi it continues Juck, cannot bring forth good fruit ; but doth not fay an evil tree cannot be made good ; but on the contrary, faith, make the tree good that the fruit may be good, fo is it here; for this apojlie by his frequent exhortations to thefe carnal men to crucify the flejli. and mortify the flefh with its iujls, or the deeds of it, and to put off the old man with its deeds ; by his threats that if they live after the fefh they fhall die ; and by his promife, that if through the /pint, they do mortify the deeds of the Jlefli, they fhall live; plainly mews that men may ceafe to live according to the flefh, and may ob- tain that affi fiance of the fpirit by which they fhall mortify the deeds of the flcfli, and live after the fpirit. God, faith Chryfojlom, hath put this, ev eMvdiffje irpotiif&vttof, in our free choice, fo that, EV i- Xoijotpias, there is greater ft r en gth and inducement from the g of* pel Jo to be than ever. SECTION V11I. To proceed to the fecond particular. That thefe new notions of liberty are contrary to the fenfe, and repugnant to the common reafon of mankind, will be ev- ident by the rules laid down by them who were guided only by the light of nature, viz. \ft. That a (a) lawgiver muft aft abfurdly in com- man ding that which it is not in tlvt power of his fubj efts to perform. (e) Note, That i*i feems here diflocated. (a ) "Arsvoi; av f.-n TVT* yo^o^nw)" a, ^ 1$ r,u.tv gfi ^aTT s Ariftt ki Moral. L. i. c. 9. Freedom of the Will of Man. 249 Qdly. which . That vice and virtue muft be, (I) r* E' ^afv, things we are. fret, to do, or to abjlain from, becaufe they are. worthy of praife or difpraife, neither of which agree to things done unwillingly, necejjity rendering things unb tameable, that being only. to be blamed which is in our power ; and there- fore that fate or necejffity which leaves not our aflcnt or ac- tions in our power, takes away praife or aifpraife, honor or reward. %dly. That that only is (c) voluntary which we lie under no neceffity to do or to forbear, and what we do being unwill- ing t we do out of neceffity, liberty being a power of acling from ourfdves, or doing what we will ; whence they infer that (d) vice and virtue mult be voluntary, and that there can be Jio neceffity of doing evil, and that on this account only is vice worthy of dtfpraife. , . Mkly. That man can be guilty of no crime in doing that which he could not avoid ; for (e) what is evil *is a jault, faith Cicero, there can be no fault in not doing that which we have no power to do. thly+ That, what is natural to all men, cannot be evil to any man ; (f) for no man is angry, faith Seneca, ubi vitium. natura defendit, wkere nature defends the vice ; nor can that be evil, faith Cicero, quod a natura , parente omnium conflitu- tum, which owes its original to nature ; fcsing that being whick confidts the good of mankind, would neither produce or nour- ifli that, quod cum exantlaviflfet omnes labores incideret in mortis malum fempiternum, which when it had done its utmojl, muft be fubjecl to eternal death, (b) *Eirait6i xj -\>oh\ x ITT* ro"<; atQtle<; vrf>xTic>[ji.6v. ava./xot^o/jtoi Tr^arJ'^ft', ibid, nvcti yoto &T^epa.v *&ff'w a.vTQVa.yw Zeno apud Diog. Laert. 1. 7. n. 121. X Toij s(j) '/ipiv TO ajoSoi, t^ TO xax.lv. jEpiclet. c- 30. (d) IV TE xaxiav Exysrsov m, >cj fyjr, a^l-/]?, jfhf/ia ya^ o.va] xee.n a t dem. L. 2. c. ii, ft) Tufc. Q3eft. 3. n, 31. - (f) Ep. 94. 1 I 250 Freedom ef the Will of Man. 6thly. That there can befgjno confultation or deliberation about things which are not in our power ', nor any rational per- fuafwn to do them, becaitft thefe actions can only be perfor?ned m order to that end ; and therefore when 1 the end cannot be obtained, muft be done in vain. And hence it clearly follows that it this be a doftrine of chrijliamty, that men not yet con- verted, or in their lapfed ftate can do nothing which is truly good, and alfo lie under a neceffity of doing evil, they ought net to think or deliberate how they may do good, or may a- void the doing evil, or pray for the divine afliftance, or be fo-rry fer their fins, nor ought any man to perfuade them fo to do ; for if they ought not to do evil that good may come, and whatsoever they do, whilft they continue in that flate, though it may be materially good, is Jormally Jin, they ought not to do it to obtain the divine afliftance, or any other good. To this may be added the arguments of the heathen phi- Ivfopktrs againfl fate, produced chapter the fourth, felion the third. Nor ought thefe arguments to be flighted as being only the fayings of philosophers, guided by the dim light of reafon, when they deliver only that in which the common notions of mankind have long agreed ; for that would be a dreadful confe. quence to the whole chriflian faith ; for our belief of it muft bottom upon fome rational inducements, and common princi- ples of reafon, which if they may be falfe, chrijlianity maybe a falfe religion ; if they be evident and certain truth, whatfo- ever contradifcls them muft be falfe; if therefore any article of our faith fhould to the beft of our judgments plainly con- tradict them, it muft {hock the foundation of our faith by en- gaging men* to believe' that faife which alone engaged them to believe that faith was true. That this would alfo render us unable to convert Jew, Heathen or Mahometan, to confute the Tritheite, or fuch like Heretics, or to rejefct any interpreta- tion oijcripture as abfurd and contrary to reafon, I have ful- ly proved in the appendix to the idolatry of ho/I worjhip, Chapter II, from Section firft to the Jixth. As for the 3d particular, that the dknftian fathers for four whote centuries condemned thefe new notions as definitive of true liberty, of the nature of vice and virtue, of rewards ;a*. *o ^v? fl^a^at vri TTO fcU anov or' aajx) TO 7rgoapticv rwy Jvai, Ariftor. Eudem. L. 3. c. 10. and M. Moral. L. r. c. i8 ^U xj avafx.rj CH^!i5i7. Eud. L. 2, C. 8. o 7Tf ( TO rc^^. dejMorib. L. 3. c. /u Freedom of the Will of Man. 251 And punifhments, of the equity of the divine precepts and of a future judgment, and alfo a contrary to the plain declara- tions of the holy jc-ripttfres, will be fully proved in the fixth and laft chapter oi" this difcourfe. CHAPTER II. Propofing Arguments to prove the Freedom of the Will as well from NeceJJity, as from Coaftion. JL H queflion being thus fully dated, let it be obferved that the liberty or freedom of the wiil we contend for, is, \Jl. Plainly delivered in the holy /cripture, and may abundantly be confirmed by arguments grounded upon fcrip- turc. 'idly. That it is demonftrabl.c from reafon, and hath been conftantly afierted both by heathens and chriftians in their difcourfes again fl fate. %dly. That it. hath the conftant fufFrage of all the ancient writers of the church, by whom it is delivered, as a funda- mental article, or as a truth on which all good or evil, piety or virtue, paife or difpraife, ;-vv r ard? or punifhments de- pend. And, SECTION l.ijl. The fcripturs affords us exprefs decla- rations, or plain intimations, that the liberty of the will, even in ckriftian virtues of the higheft nature, is oppofite not only to coattion, but neceffity. Thus in the cafe ot choofing that high ilate of virginity, that fg) they might ferve the Lord without diflraclion ; the apqftle determines that (h) he that hath no ntcejjity but, e^Hjj'^v c^ci TH loin QeX-n^wfTOf, hiitJi pcw&r over his own will t let him retain his yirginity. Where free- dom is declared to be a power over cur own r/j?7/, to choofe or Cor. vii. 37.- fkj i Cor. ix. x, 3, 4. MvX^" avatyjw aT . Theodoret, 252 freedom of the Will of Man. not to choofe, and ftands oppofed to neceiTity. See Oecurmn- zus and Theophylacl upon the place. Again in the cafe of his Working v/ith his own hands, and receiving nothing of the churches of Corinth, and throughout the regions of Achaia, Which he thought of fo great importance to the promotion of the gofpel as to fay, it was better for him to die than vary from it ; he yet aflerts his liberty by thefe inquiries H'X l'/*i .ftet/Sc^or ; am I not free ? Have I not power to eat, and to drink (on the church's charge without laboring thus ?) Clear- ly proving his freedom in that action, from his power to ah itain from it, and to do the contrary. So alfo in the cafe of .charity, that mojl excellent grace, he faith, fij every man as he y it .ch furpojeth in his heart, fo let him give, /*ri s avayxrjr, not of necejjity ; plainly oppofing neceflity to the free purpofe of the heart ; not oj necejjity, fay Ckryfoftotn and fheophylacl^ TO ya- E avxyxry* ^TroTs/xvej TOV pucr ( v, XX Jtar' ix^criov, as of necejjity, but willingly. St. Peter (I) alfo inftrucls Bifhops and Elders to feed the Jlock of Chrift^ [J*w a vayxara)s-, dXK' ix-vaiu?, 'not oj 'necejjity -, but willingly ; fo plain an oppofition do thefe Infpired writers put betwixt doing a virtuous aftion freely and willingly, and doing it out of neceflity. '"' Argument 2.(2c/ly.) God and his fervants have fufficient- ly confirmed the liberty we contend for in this flate of trial, by fetting life and death, good and evil before our eyes, and putting it to our choice which we will have ; as in all the in- ilances forementioned, and in thofe words of Jojliua to all Ifrael, (m) choofe, you this day whom ye will Jerve, the God that brought you out of the land of Egypt, or of your fore- fathers, or of the Amorites. The reafon is plain ; for whofo- ever hath a liberty to choofe, hath alfo a liberty to refufe, et vice verfa ; according to thofe words of the prophet, (n) be- fore the child JJiall know to choofe the good and reju/e the evil ; .and were it otherwife, how can we imagine that a gracious God, and lover of his people, fhould make this the condition of his pardoning mercy, fo) that they mould choofe the good and refufe the evil, that he mould condemn them for (p) not choofmg the fear of the Lord, or (q) for choofing the thing that he would not ; or reprefent it as n afct of faith in Mojts, that he (r) choje rather to fujfer ajflidion with the people of fi) 2 Cor. ix. 7. - (k) Ver. 13,14-- (H i Pel. v. a. - (m) Jolh. xxiv. 15. -- (n) Ifa. vii. 10. -(oj lia. i. 18. - (pj Prov. i 2 9 -- (qj ]f a . ivj. 4 . - f r j Hcb. xi. 35. Freedom of the Will of Man. 253 odi than to enjoy the pleafures of fin for afeqfon ? That, laft- )y, he mould promife the greateft bleffmgs to thofe who chofe {he things that pleafed him, and threaten the fevereil judg- ments to thofe Who (f) choje the things in which he delighted not ; feeing choice or election, in the very nature of it, is of more than one, whereas there can be no choice of more than one, where a per ion is determined to one. If then the cleft are fo determined by God's abfolute decree to converfion, that when the divine impulfe comes upon them, they mufl unfruftrably be converted to God, and choofe the thing that pleafeth him j how are they in a Hate of trial ? Ur why are they bid to choofe whether of the two they will have ? If on the other hand they who from eternity are reprobated, are de- termined fo far to one, that though they have a liberty rffpe- cijication, as the fchools barbaroufly fpeak ; z. e. a liberty to do this or that evil, yet have they no liberty of contrariety ; i, e. of doing good as well as evil, and fo are determined to do evil and not good, and fo lie under a fad neceflity ot choofing that which God would not, or in which he delighteth not; becaufe they cannot choofe the fear of the Lord, or the thing that pleafeth him ; they who affert thefe things muft grant, that he who hath fworn he would not the death of him that dieth, but would rather that, he ihould return from his iniqui- ty and live, had, before this ierious oath, fufpended the avoid- ing the death of him that dies, and his obtaining life upon im- poflible conditions, and that he offers 10 fuch perfons life only on the condition of doing that which under the difability they had contracted before that offer, it is impollible for them without that fpecial grace which they can never have to per- form. Now to pafs an acl of preterition on creatures undejr this known difability, and then to offer life unto them only upon irnpodible conditions ; and when, by reafon of this aft, it is made certain and infalliable that they fhall fail of obtain- ing life, to bid them choofe life rather than death ; what is it in effect but to infult over the dreadful mifery of men, and with a hypocritical pretence of kindnefs, and a defire of their welfare, to condemn them to eternal death without a poffibiii- ty ot having life ? Since the known rule of logic, of the civ- il law, and even of common fenfe and reafon teacheth, (z ) that a conditional proportion having an impcjjible condition annexed to it t is equivalent to a negative. CorolL SECTION II. Now hence we may eafily difcern the vanity, the falfehood and hypocrify of all thefe tenders of the gofpel to reprobates, as they are expounded by thefe men, (f) Ifa. Ixv. 12. Ixvi. 4..fz) Conditionem fi Ccelurn ^igito tctige- ris impoflibilem negativam commentatgres appellant. Cal., of himfdf ; faith, this the holy and prophetic fpint hath taught . 2. p. So. B. C. D. Freedom of the Will of Man. 257 'tis by Mofes in thefe words ; fee. I kavtfd before thee good and evil, choofe the good, Sec. and alfo by EJ'aias the prophet, fpeak- ing thusjn the name of God ; if you be willing and obedient % yejliall eat the good of the earth ; but if you will not hear, 'you Jhall be devoured by thefword^for the mouth of the Lord hathfpoken it. The prophecy of ll'aiah, faith, (k) -Clemens of Alexandria^ faith, ijyou be wiRivg&G.tywiMvpsfajvx $u&4vyp- ca. x.a.1 TV* aipzGiv, >tal Tr,v EKTfosrriv, demoTiftrating that both the choice and the refufal (viz. of faith and obedience of which Ire there fpeaketh) are in our own power. (I) Tcrtullian pronounces them unfound in faith, and corrupters oj the chr\flian difci- flinc, and excufcrs of all fin, who Jo refer all things, to the will of God : Dicenno nihil fieri fine ej us nutu, ut non intelliga*. mus aliquid e{fe in nobis, ipfis, by faying nothing is done with- cut his appointment, as that we cannot under/land that any thing is left to our/elves to do ; whereas though we learn from his precepts both what he would, and would not have dene, tarnen nobis eft voluntas, et arbitrium .?^ OE (j,upiz, "ivpji T\S av x^tv rots Qziois Zuzyy edi- cts KV rofi ro;v ATTOS-^WOV fft/yy^a^t^affi tfo}XVT48 v&J<; Try riv wfytrttuv $i/(jEOJs ro (x.u9z.ipzrov, ten thoufand tJ/.ings of this na~ tare may bejound both in the go/pels and other writings of the ape/lies, clearly manifeJHng the liberty, orftljdetlion of the na- ture of man^ (pj St. Chryjojlom fpeala thus, God faith if you Will, and if you Will not, Y.V$,(H<, y^/xar 7ro;& v rr/s a^rr/j" v.a\ xxxiz.?, y.u,\ s97i v rriAvou(jir, rr> irfA&ripariQcis, giving as power, and putting it in our own option to be virtuous or vicious. The devil faith, thou canjl not avoid thy fate ; God faith, I have put bejore thee fire and water, life and death, /{retch jot lit thy hand to whether oj them thou ivttt. The devil faith, it y.v not in liter, to Jlretch fk) Strom, i. p. 314.6. (1) Exhor. ad Caftit. Cap. 2. (m) Teft. ad Qviirin. t. 3. c. 52. ( n/ Her. 16. adv Pharis bettion 4. (9) Adv. Gr. Senn. 5. To. 4- p 543. (P ) To. 6. Horn. 2. I>e Fate-. p. 868. K :: 258 Freedom of the Will of Man. forth thy hand to them. And (q) St. Cyrz'/eftabliflieth this cloc- ine from the fame texts of fcripture. And (r) St .Aujlin proves from thofe words of Chrift, either make the tree good and the tret will be gocd, or make the tree evil and the jruit -will be evil, in noflra poteitate fitum efle mutare voluntatem, that it is put in our own power to change the will. It would be endlefs to tranf- cribe all that \hzfathers fay upon this head.* zdly. To the fame effeft they fpeak, when they fay the fcripture teftifics that God hath left man in a capacity of do- ing good or evii. Thus (a) Irenccus having laid down this as a rule, that it is in the power of man to work and retain what is good ; and again >, not to do, or to lofe the good he hath done : For this caufe, faith he, do the prophets exhort men to work righteoufnejs, and to do good, us e(J>'- ^pt,Tv CVTOJ r5 TOJHTH, as having it in their power Jo to do, as we have fnewed by many tejlimomes, and our Lord doth the fame in many places, viz'. Matth. v. 16. xxiv. 48, 51. Luke vi. 46. xii. 35, 36, 47. xxi. 34. ra-vroc. yxp Travra TO a.vrc^naiQv ETiiSeiwjGi TK clyQpott'KH, ail which words demon/Irate the free will of man. And the a- .ipcjile exhorts men in many places to do good works, which he 'could have no reafon to do, fi in nobis non eiTet facere hxc, aut non facere, ij it were not in our power to do, or not to do what our Lord and his apojllts do exhort us to do. Then he goes on to prove that God hath preserved to man, non tan- turn in operibus, fed etiam in fide liberum effe et fuse potefta- tis arbitrium, that man hath free will, or hath it in his power not only to do % but alfo to believe, from Matth. viii. 13. ix. 29. Mark ix. 23. And he concludes, that all thefe texts JJiew man to be fu'ae poteftatis fecundum fidtm,free as to his faith ; for as (b) Cle?nens Alexandnnus faith, TO srweiJeiv TE xal, 9ret- 6c(?6ai gius t doth induf- trioufly purfue, or command, or teach any thing, or exhort any man to obey, or not, to fin, or not ; or reproves any for fin, or commends any for doing well, is he not thereby plainly convinced that He only retains the name of fate, TO /%sv spyov y.x- TzXiTruv r trap r;/x7v xai T ai/r^?i', but leaves the actions to our liberty and our own power? (m) Clemens of Alexandria declares, that neither pr&ifis nor rtprehenfions, rewards or (i) lb ; d. Cap. 4- fk) Cap. !o. (1) Praep. Evang. 1, 6, c, 6. p. 244. -fix} Strom, i. p. 311. A. freedom of the Will of Man. 26 1 punijliments arejitft, rris xaxt'tfs- *W, if the foul hath not the power of choofing, or abflaining, but evil is involuntary ; yea, he makes this the very (n) foundation of falvation, without which there could be neither any reasonable baptijm, nor divine ordering of our natures, becaufe Ja^dh would not be in our own power. Sui Arbitriieft anima,et in quam voluerit partem eil ei liberum declinare, the foul, faith foj Orige??, ails by her own choice, and it is free for her to incline to whatever part Jhe will; and therefore God's judgment of her is jufi, becaufe of her own accord Jhe complies with good or bad monitors. Upon this fup- pofition, faith he, it is that (p) good men are praifed, and that God faith reajonably, well done good and faithful /ervant ; and again, thou wicked and Jlothjul f ervant ; that he faith to them of the right hand, come ye bltffed. See. and to them of the left hand, depart from me ye. curjtd, c. One of theje two things arenecsffary, faith fqj Epiphamus, % r ysvi) That it be in our power to perform or to forbear it ; for, as Origen, and all \1\^. fathers fay, w^elr fc'cMvarov ,ar/ Troiyvxs 4/5*T6.\A. (e) Apud Eufeb. Pnep. Ev. L. 6. c. 11. p. 287. (f) Jcr. xiii- 27, (g) Jer. *v, 7. (b) Luke xiii. 34. L L 266 Freedom of the Will, of Man. would I have gathered iky children as a hen gathereth her cJnckens\ under her wings, and ye. would not ? and again, (i) you. will not. comz unto me ikat yz rnighthave life. ; how could we help it ? might they truly anfwer ; provided they were difabled. feot^h from coming, and from being willing Co to do, CHAPTER IV. Shewing the Affinity of the Opinions of our Adverfari-es concerning Liberty, -with that of Mr. Hobbs ; and with the, Fait of the Philcjophers, condemned by the Chrijlian Fathers. JL HE peculiar notions of Mr. Hebls % and of thofe who "con* cur with him in thefe opinions (that our liberty is well con* fiflent with neceflity, as being only a power to do what we will, though we lie under a neceflity to have that will ; and that it is fufficient that we choofe to do what we do, though we lie under a neceflity, if we choofe at all, to choofe as we do) lie underthisconfiderable difadvantage, that they were univerfally 'condemned by all ckriftians for the firfl four centuries, who af- ferted, that a liberty from neceflity was a fundamental princi- ple, without which there was no place for vice or vir- tue, praife or difpraife, rewards or punifhments, heaven or hell ; but an introduction oljloical fate ; confuting that and ?rianickeijm, and other herejies on this very account, that they deltroyed the. liberty of man's will, and left them under a ne- ceflity, and a determination to one. I therefore {hall endeav- our to (hew, ifl. That there is a plain agreement betwixt the doftrine of Mr. Hobbs, and of thefe men concerning this matter, as t$ the great concernments 01 religion. (I) John v. 40, Freedom 'of the Will of Man. 267 idly'. That their opinion differs very little, nnd in things fcnly of little moment, from tkefoital fate, and lies obnox- ious to the fame abfurdities which the philofophers and -chrif- iians did objeft againft it. %dly. That their doctrine hath been condemned by all the primitive chrijlians for the firft four centuries. And, ^thly. That St. Aujlin, who firft introduced the contrary doctrine, is forced by it to contradict his former felf, to re- nounce what he had faid in confutation of the mahichees ; is unable to anfwer hts own arguments, and faHeth into manifeft abfurdities. And, SECTION I. ~i/?. -That there is a mdnifeft agreement be- twixt their opinion and that of Mr. Hobbs, will be evident from an exact comparifon of their words together. Mr. Hobbs then a {fens, \ft. That though the. will be necfffitated, yet the doing what we iil is liberty ; which is perfectly the fame with their affer- t4on, that (k) the liberty of the -will conf/Jls not in a freedom from necejjify ) but only in a freedom from coatlion or compid- Jion. zdly. That (/) he who takes away the liberty rf doing accord- ing to our will, taketh away the nature of fin : but he that denies the liberty -to will, doth not dofo. And do not they fay this who teach (?n) that though fallen ?nants become, fo jar ajlavt- to fin, that whatever he does he cannot but fin ; yet that necef. Jity of doing evil takes not away his natural -liberty, and therefor* not his Jin $dly. That (n) if liberty cannot fland witli necejjity, it can- not Jl and with the decrees of God ; of which decrees neceffity is a confequent. And what do they fay lefs who teach fo) that them whom God calls according to his purpofe, he Jo moves to believe in Gojkandto love God and Ins brother, that Jaith, and love infallibly thence follow ; andzuhen. that motion conies^ it is impoffiblcfor man not to believe and love God. (k) *Ex(7iov. quod eft liberum poteft confiftere cum af*ai^, fed non cum otxttffia. Urfin. fl) Bramh. Cafl. p. 803. ( in ) Qjnamvis enim, abfenre Gratia, homo fit peccati fervus, et quic- qviid agat nonpoffir nifi peccare, ifta tauien male agendi neceffitas natura- lem ejus libertatern non tollit. Le Blanc de Lib Horn. Arb. circa bonum Morale Part. 2. Sec. 39. (n) tir. p. 828 ( ' o ) Dcus homtnem quern fecund win pr<;pofitum vocat, flc rnovp*- ad credendam Deo et ad diligendum Deurn et proximum, IH infallibiliter inde fequatur fides et dilectio, et pofita tali motione irnnoilibile eft hnmi- nem non credere atque diligere. Le Blanc, de Lib. Horn. Arb. Par. 3. Sec. 17. and Sec. 21. Ulrique in eo convcniuat, necelfe elle ut aga - ille quern ad agemiiun movet, atque impeUit Divinze Gratue, vel providen- tiae vis et effieacia, quoniam ab ilia adtione Dei adio hominis feparari noil poteft. s68 Freedom of the Will of Man. qthly. That a man's will isfo met king ; but the liberty of his will is notliing. And moil proteftants, faith (p) Le Blanc, deny that after man* s fall there remained any liberty in him to do what is morally good. thly. That (q) he is free to a thing, who may do it if he have the will to do it, and may forbear if he have the will to forbear ; and yet it it be neceflary that he fhould \&\zfrj the will to do, the aElion is nectffarily to follow ; and if then bt. a necejjity that heJJiallhave the will to forbear \ thejorbearing aljo will be necrjjary. So that according to him, he that hath a will to do, lies under a neceflity to have that will, and he that hath a will to forbear, lies under a. neceflity to have the \vill to forbear ; his choice being determined to what he (hall choofe by precedent neceflary caufes. Now is he not under a neceflity to have the will to forbear what is inorally good, who hath loft his liberty to what is fo ; and is not he under a like neceflity of willing only what is evil, who, whatfoever he doth, and therefore whatfoever he wills to do, can only do evil? 6thly. He adds, that (f) the necejjity of an a&ion doth not make the law that prohibits it unjuji; for it is not the necejjity ; but the will to break the law that makes the aflion unjuji ; and what necejfary caufefoever precedes an attion, yet if that ac- tion beforbidden t he that doth it willingly may jujily be pun- i/hed. And do not they fay the fame who make it neceflary lor man in a lapfed ftate to fin ; that is, tranfgrefs the law of God ; and yet add, (b) that this hinders not that, q.uo minus Jibereinpeccatum feratur, et bonum lege praeceptum averfetur ct omittat, his finning and omitting the good required by the law is done freely. ythly. And laftly, he aflerts, that (c) things may be necef- Jary and yet praijeworthy, and alfo neceffary, and yet difpraif^ d ; which plainly is the fame with the dotlrine of thofe men \vho fay that, inevitabile non tollitrationemmeriti,aut demeriti, the inevitable necejjity of an aElion hinders not the merit or de- merit, reward or punifhment of that action. And further to Complete the parallel, obferve. ift. That fin having no efficient, but only a deficient caufe, to lie under an uhfruftrable defecl; of doing that which is after that defecl: commanded, and under a like difability of avoid- ing that which is afterwards forbidden, is to be determined to and lie under a neceflity of finning, that is, of tranfgrefling (p) Negant proteftantium plurimi port peccatnm in homine rranfiffe liberum arbitrium refpeftu boni moralis. Le Blanc, de Lib. Horn. Arb. circa bonum Morale , Par. 2. Sec. 43. (qj Bramh. p. 651. (r) Bramh. p. 654,^60, 666. (f) Bramh. f, ^8.^ (*) Le Blanc, ib. Sec. 56. fc) Br, p. 679. Freedom of the Will of Man, thefe laws, becaufe it is to lie under a neceflity of being thu* deficient. idly. That though it feemeth certain, that this neceiTary defect is ab extnn/tco, from an external caufe, it being, faith St. Auftin, Poena Peccati, the punifhment of fin, and fo the aftionof the judge ; it being, faith Bifhop Davenant, the re- fult of God's arbitrary imputation when he wasfree.^ if he had pleafed to do otherwife ; it being, dly, a defe6t immediately J-efulting from the action of others, the tranfgreflion of Ad^m* that -is, of one perfon, and the birth of all men from him, arid without anv othet requifite than that of being born ; yet were it ab intrmfeco, from an internal caufe, as blindnefs, deafnefs, difability to fpeak, is in them who are born blind, deaf or dumb, it mufl be ftill as inevitable as the deleft is in thefe instances ; and lapfed man thus born, mu ft be as much difabled by it, as he could be from any extrinfic caufe whatsoever ; and therefore feeing by it he lies under as great neceflity of being thus ae- feclive as he who is determined by an extrinfic caufe to be fo ; and that extrinfic neceflity is allowed to render the aclion of him who lieth under it unculpable, it mull be Hkewife thus with him who lies under the like neceflity from an intrin- fic caufe immediately refulting from his birth; %dly. Obferve, that it is the fame thing as to my obedience or difobedience to have a difability by nature, as to have it from the fubftance or matter of which I am ccmpofed ; be- caufe by having it from the (in of my nature before I had a being, I come into the world as much difabled as 1 could be by the other, from the performing due obedience, or the avoid- ing difobedience to the laws of God. qtkly. Obferve, that it is the Urne thing as to my eternal interelt to have no free will at all, as to have none in- refer- ence to the conditions on which that intereft depends ; and therefore it is no great difference betwixt the opinion of thefe men and that of Mr. Hobbs, that the one deuroys the liberty of all our aclions, and theirs onlydeftroys our liberty in fpir- itual and moral aclions ; feeing both equally deflroy our lib- erty of choofing life eternal, and of avoiding everlafting death. SECTION II. With thefe we may compare the fate aflert- ed by the Stoitks and by many others ; for though they talk. more than others of the to ty *puv and the dvr&Haiov, the. things we have in our power, and the power we' have over our- ftlves ; yet all this at the laft amounts only to an Gtvrs&mov sg avayxTJf, a liberty of doing what mvjl be done out of necejjlty ; for all the liberty they allow to the will ot man is this* that he may freely do what if he doth refufe to do, fate will compel him to do ; or may refufe to do what if ne vvoyld do, fatewill compel him to leave undone. This they explain by the ex- Freedom of the Will of ample b a dogfdj tied to a cart's tail ; he may follow with* out being drawn, but if he doth not, he muft follow by being drawn. To at/ro Sri v* KO\ 87ri rav 'avQutoeov xai yocp axoXHcsV avayxaarovTat Ttvrus ts TO y/W M! j alfo is the cafe of men, for if they will not Jollow fate, they fliall by all means be neceffitated to come under tfie laws of fate. Their wife man, faith (e) Seneca, doth nothing unwil- lingly ; Neceffitatem effugit quia vult quod ipfa coadura eft, he avoids necejffity by doing willingly what otherwifejhe would compel him to do ; and this is the plain import of the prayer of (f) Epicletus out of Cleanthes, lead me, fate, to that to which thou haft ordained, that I may Jollow willingly ; for if I do not follow fo, IJhall be compelled to do it. zdly. This neceffity, fay they, proceedeth from external and antecedent caules ; as either ; iJL The eternal decree of God difpofing all things to happen as they do. fgj Omnia certa, et in seternum difta lege decurrunt, all things, faith Seneca^Jollow by a certain law ejlabhjlied from eternity ; Olim conftitutum eft quidgaudeas quid fleas, it is oj old ordained at what weflwll rejoice or weep, (h) Fata nos ducunt, we are led by fate ; and the firft law of fate is this, ftare decreto, that God will /land to his decree, and not be moved from it bv ?rayers or facrifices. If any man doth profitably ufe them, d ipfum quoque in fato eft, it is alfo his fate to ufe them. * Accordingly ( i ) the concourfe ofcaufes, {ziih^ir.Hobbs, where- of every one is determined to befuch, may well be called the de- cree of God in this refpecl, that they were all Jet and ordered by the eternal caufe of all things, God Almighty. Or, 2dly. being an eternal feries ofcaufes upon which ail eflfefts depend, (k) ordinem rerum fati Sterna feries rotat, caufa ex caufa pendet, the eternal courfe. of fate turns about all things, faith Seneca, one caufe depends upon another. It is, fay all, (I) an immutable fenes oj caujes.by virtue of which thus knit to one another, all things are produced ; or a fatal neceffity, by virtue of which whatfoever happens flows from a continuation ofcaufes. Now- here obferve with Bjfliop (d) Liber ined. apud Menaque in illud Stoicorum apud Laert. vftAttifi <5*E Qa,c". sravrct ytvicSsn. 1, 7. p 459. />/Ep. 5 4. ( rj Aye n/.s cry /? Trf&futAtvn yot "/ro T v^v si//.i u$ Eii/c/xat yl aoMoq r,v ?e -yl ^ fauu$lt> ^lov E^c^aa. Enchirid. p. 37. (gj De ProvU. c. 5. (h) Natural. %u. c. 36, 37. (i) Br. p. 665. {k) Ubi {"up i a. (I) Immutabilis caufarum cohnereritium feries,'S>. ad Hel*vid.e. 8. Fatalis q use darn nccn.Tit^s uaa, quicquid ac^idit, id ex caufarum conti- nuatione fluxiflfe dicitur C'/>. de Nat. D.l. i. . 30, 39 V Z)/a/. /. i. . 106. DC Fa;o, n.it,. Pint, de PL Fhilof. /. ^. t. 77, 28. /)* ^//V. Re- freedom of the Will of Man. 27 i i//, That/,% ) " it is not much material whether they af, cribe this neceffity to Gcd's decrees, or to the ftars, or to a connexion of caufes, fo as they eftablilh neceflity ; for necef- fity upon what ground foever it beeilablifhed lenders the doom of all the fame.'* Either they muft run into this abfurdi.ty, t ; hat the effect is determined,* the caufe remaining undetermined ; or elfe hold fiich a connexion of caufes as the Stoicks. did. zdly. That whereas they fay the Sioicks took away liberty and contingency, but they allow them ; as this is falfe as to their notion of liberty joined with neceflity, fo is it little ta the purpofe, fince they allow it oi;ly in actions which will do us no good as to our fpiritual and eternal interests, depriving men without that grace God hath decreed not to afford to re- probates, of liberty to choofe what is fj>iritually good fo^ furely men thus determined to one, that is, to do evil only, have only the liberty to choofe by what actions they will incuv damnation. Now the natural reafon of mankind induced the heathen fkilofopktrs to condemn this do&rme of fa,tal neceffity upon, thefe feveral accounts. SECTION III. ift. That it fundamentally deftroyed the liberty of humane actions, and left nothing in our power ; for no man can be fpaiv, do not things convenient, or what they ought to do, evert the netejjity oj Jate, eFtni$&&&i Je y.z. Tfoisis 2> "AwoXXov, thou dealeji not with us jujlly, Apollo ; thou doejl not righteoujly puniJJi us who have net offended ; and why doth Jupiter himjelf v\ rys rt^r^ccs dvx. r yy.r l s a'vayxri, the. impulfive cauje of our neceffity, puniJJi us rather than him- fdj who hath impojed upon us this necejfity. Cea/e, Jupiter^ to be angry, eV* yp o TitTrpcJlxi x} T&TO 9ro<7T6T,z>c7a Troiii 6 acr sippet Cast's- e KQOS THTOV s'v iaMiVjjcrfhdt is only done which Jate, and the feries of caujes ordered to be done, and ice are net able to rejift. We jujllyfay to you (b) Oh ye Gods that you permitteid us not to be good ; and not only fo, aXXa ^ sCi^tf- wowipiss, but ye have alfo laid upon_us a neccjjity to b& Note, . That this fate was brought into the church by the (c) Colobarjians, the followers of Bardefanes, and the Prifcilhan- ifts, and before them by the (d) Marcionites ; who abftaiced from matrimony on this opinion, that nature was evil by rea- Ton of the evil matter of which we were compofed ; and this doftrine, faith Clemens of Alexandria, they learned from the philofophers, to all whom it was common fe) fato adfcriberc converfationes hominum, to afcribe the aclions of mm tojate. Now the dofcTrine of the chriflians is this, faith (J) Jujlin Martyr, that nothing is done or fuffered, x6' ei^a^/xc'y/vv ac~ cording to fate, dXXx x&rx /txsv fr^oa/^sdrtv Ixas"ov Karo^0v, r t otpapravsiv ; but that every man doth good or evil according to his own jree. 'choice. And in this they all agree for thefe rea- fons, \Jl. Becaufe no man can be worthy oJ punimment for what he was made, and cannot alter : No man, faith (g) Jujlin Mar- tyr, would be. worthy of reward and praife, x ^st, cyy //--yjS'fcv ro;v cc:".7r,vv s5 o\y.ziy.s r /v>tj.r : s XiaJFevptiyfiewf-, abjolvesfmners, a ing nothing- on their own accords which was evil, and would cajl all the blame cf all the wickednefs committed in the world upon God, and upon his providence ; if that were admitted by the aff'ertors nj this fate, whether he himj'df didntcefjilate them to do tkefs things, or ordered matters fo that they Jhuuld be con- jftrained to do it byfome other caufe. See the like arguments in Epiphanius's liar, 16. p. 35. 3/y* They add, that this opinion renders all commands, admonitions and exhortations not to do evil, or to do good, ufelefs ; he who is thu's, adinonifted, being inftrufled by it, to reply atter this manner, ftj ri ^\ Z> av^wrs vB2-e7sTr, to what end doft thou admomjli me, man, when fate hath foreftalled me, and not left it in mv power to change my mind? ri A. <7i>vrz.~rsaQat Tr^of a hot Tr^&u/j.ve'ivQxi ocw/!o -j^y.1 ; To what pur pojt 'therefore is it to Jlrive after that winch I have not the power to 'defire. or will, unU/'s alj'o 'it be my fate thus to will ? 'that wen lie under no necejjity jrom God^s foreknowledge, [which was of old the chief argument of \ks.fatalijh % efpoufed of late by Mr. Hobbs, and is ftill made the refuge of the predeftinarians'] ma\ 'be thus proved, faith ffj Ongen, becaufe the prophets are exhort - ed in the holy fcnpturcs to call men. to repentance, and to do this in fuch words, as if it were unknown whether they zuould 'turn to God, or would continue in their Jins ; as in thoj'e words . , (a) Apol. I p. 80. - (b) Apud Eufeb. Pnep. Ev. 1. 6. c. u. p. 282. B. --- ( c ) P. 287. A.- (d) Prcep. Kv. 1. 6. c. 6. p. 151. per Tot. and '.:. 7 5-- - ~(fj Eiajfeb. Ibid. p. 243. - (fj Apud tvufcb. ibid. c. u. y. ^89 B. C. Freedom of the Will of Man. 275 of (gj Jeremiah, perhaps they will hear and turn every man from his evil way, &c. and this isfaid, not that God under- flood not whether they would do this or nof t >,x' OIOVEI TO J ct^errj ; if I'ice and virtue zuere not in their power. And if men, faitii Chryfojlom, do thus pardon their fellow men when they are necej- jitatea to do a thing (i) ra.< a vxo sl^z^iws- TroXKa; ft>-.X.ov arT- 7iva/o-xv %PWV much morz Jhould this be done to men compelled by fate to do' what they do ; jor if it be abfurd to punijli them who by th? force of barbarians are compelled to any allicn, it muji be more, fo, TOV VTIV Svvd'V&ripois ovvz./j.tous >irt-rvaJx5t^o//,voy oi'x75v $t$ovai,to puwjll him who is compelled by a flrongcr power. $thly. They add, that if fate obtain, then the divine judg- ment muft be overthrown ; for they, faith (h) Origen,who take away, ro s$' rj/xTv, this liberty, take away with it praifc and dif- praije, and good and evil atlions, with them a future judgment, and all threats again/I and punijhment of offenders, and all the promijes made, and the rewards annexed to a life of holinefs, '" yy.% STI T^rcyv tvlJjyajs ft yjvopcsvov ; for upon this juppofi- tion none of theft things will rationally be done. If fate be cf- tablifhed, faith (1) Euftbius, om^crsfat 0t\oao$ia, Qixwelau 'iLv- aiSeta, philofophy and pidy are overthrown ; there can l>e no religion, no praife for pefjans fludioits *f virtue, no blame of men addicled to the greattji imputy, all thcfe things depending, 4.f,s upon the neceflity introduced by the ftars, and not upon meditation and exerci/e proceeding from our own free choice, Y^JChap. xxv'. 3, xxxvi. 3. - /'A^Legat. pro Ghrift. p. 27. - (i) De Fato Orat. 3. - (k) Grig, apud Eufeb. Prasp. Ev. 1. 6. c. u, p. 2SI.C-D. --- (I) Ibid. c. 6. p. 242. D. p. 243. A. Freedom of the Will of Man, CHAPTER V. Shewing that thefc late notions, concerning the Liberty or rather Servitude of the Will of la f Jed Man, were gen- erally condemned by the Primitive Chriflians. T HIS will be evident from thefe following confidera- tions. SECTION I. ifl. That they place the freedom of the will from neceflity amongft the doftrines, quae per praedica- tionerp apoftolicam manifefte traduntur, which were manifeft- ly delivered to the church by the preaching of the apojlles, and by ecclejiaflical tradition. c H/y.e7$-, we chriftians, faith (a) Juftin Martyr, do not think as do the Stoicks, that all things are. done according tojate; oCt^a, y.a.ra piev Trpodigzciv Ixas-ov xa- rogQav, -n apt,ag>raviv ; but that every man doth well or ill accord? ing to the freedom of his will or choice, (b) Origen fpeaks thus, Eft et illud deiBnitum in Ecclefiaftica Prcedicatio'ne om- nemanimum efle rationaoilem liberi arbitrii, et voluntatis ; this alfo is defined by eccUfiaftical tradition, that all fouls are ration- al, and have free will and choice. Whence we may gather, that they are not fubje&to'neceflity fo as to be compelled to do good or evil ; for we are under no neceflity to do well or ill. And though there is in the rational foul a power to do evil, it is not evil upon that account, faith (c) Didymus Alexandrinus ; but becaufe t ffie will Jreely ufe. that power ; bx. ^/,o;v ptovcv -n <>o%x Kvrv, aXXa ^ TravrwvX^t *$ wsgl rav Xoyixo/v (^a&v (^tXoyo(pn3- de Duab, Animab, n, 12, of the Will of Man. 277 ment, qui id non faciat quod facere non poteil,y^r not doing that which he hath no power to do ; and that if fin be worthy of dijpraife and punifliment, it is not to be doubted, tune efie peccatum cum et liberum eft nolle. Thefe things, faith he, the Jliepherdsjing upon the mountains, and the poets in the theatres, and the unlearned in their affemblies, and the learned in the li- braries, and the dodorS in thejchools, et Antiftites, in facris locis, et in orbe terrarum genus bumanum, (f) and the hi/hops in the churches, and mankind throughout the whole earth. Yea this, faith he, is Jo marnj'tjl, nuila hinc do&orum paucitas, nulla indociorum turba diffentiat, that it hat.li the umvcrjal confent of the learned and unlearned, fg) Gennadius, in his account of eccleftajlical do&rines, lays down. this. for. one, that no man perijlieth by the will of God ; fed per feipfum ele&ione Arbitrii, ne ingenuitatis libertas atque poteftas femel homim attributa, ad fervilem cogatur neceflitatem, but only byhirnfelj, and his own free choice, left the free choice, liberty and povn* once granted to man, Jliould be reduced to -a fervile neccfjity. SECTION II. zdly. This will be flill more evident .frorri what St. Aujlin, with the concurrence of all the ancient fathers, have faid in confutation of the Manichees who taught thefc three things. ijl. That there were two pri nciples, the one good, and the au- thor of good, the other evil, and the author of evil. idly. That the God of the law was not the true God, ai:a that therefore the Old Tejlament was to be rejected. %dly. That Jin arofe not from the free will of man, but from the jabftance of matter \ and Jo fome fouls were wicked not by choice, but by nature. Now againft this wicked herefy Sr. Aujlin urgeth many arguments, in which he hath the fuffr^gc of the ancient fathers. And (iftj he lays down thefe ag certain and iiidifputable fhj rules, viz. de quo refiilere non valente quifquam quicipi- am mali fecit jufle damnari nullo modo poteii:, that no man can juflly be condemned for doing that evil which he was not able to rejijl ; for all men, faith he, will pronounce without any hefitation, nihil iftos omnino peccafle, that theje men have done no evil. For if fouls be fo compelled to aft, in refiftendi poteftas nulia fit, non peccant, that they have no power to refiji. they Jin not. If therefore, as Le Blanc faith, tht reformed teach (f) De Vera Rel, c. 14 (g) Cap. ivi. (bj Lib. de Duab. xo. 278 Freedom of the Will of Man. men are fo depraved by the fall, ut non poflint nifi male agerc, that they cannot but do evil ; they offend not in fo doing. <2,dly. This he propounds as a thing manifeft,-/"^ non pecca- re animas ex eo quod non funt tales quales effe non pofTunt, that no fouls offend in not being fuch as they cannot be ; See- ing then they who cannot do what is truly good, cannot be good ; it muft be alfo manifeft that if the fouls of lapfed men cannot do what is, truly good, they offend not in not being good. %dly. HeafTerts, that no man is zoorthy of difpraife, or pun- iJJiment, (k) quid id non faciat, quod facere non poteft,/c?r not doing that which he c-annot do ; and this, faith he, will be own- ed by every man whoconjults, fecretaconfcientiae fuse, legefque divinas penitus nature infitas apud animam, thefecrets of his confcience, and the divine laws written in his heart. Whence alfo it moft clearly follows, that lapfed men cannot be worthy of difpraife or punifhment, for not doing that good they can- not do. \thly. His fourth rule is this, (I) Ex eo quod non accepit nullus reus eft, no man is guilty Jor not having that which he kath not received ; and his inference this, that no man can duly blame another for being deficient, quia non ultra effe ac- cepit, where he hath no power bo go farther ; [ince he owes only what he hath received, and cannot exceed the bounds Jet him :. If then man by the fall hath loft all power of doing good, and hath not fmcc received (Irength to do it, this deficiency cannot be his guilt. Now in thefe rules the ancient fathers ex- aclly accord with him ; for we have heard already from Jujlin 'Martyr, Pfeudcclemens, Origen, Eufebius and Epiphanies, that a necelJity of finning frees men from all fault, for that which he cannot avoid, or for being that which he could not ceafe to be (b) Origtn lays it down as a moft certain rule, that no man can be blameworthy for not doing what he cannot do ; and that as lor Judas himfelf, **. av e \J/of" oivrui Tz^ariTr- rcr? el ggravaJxij- zyf^orv.s %v, he could not have been blamed h&d he been'ti traitor out of neceffity, and could not have been Like the rsft of the apnjtlts. Methodius, in anfwer to Origen, laying that the fleih makes the foul to fin, replies, (c)i\ auryv rr,v czzy.y. eX&yg ; :w Suvy-iSxi vzjorzQGCiQoii ru voao; T (S)~H, that if he faid this fiejli could not be fubjefl to the law of God, no man could be blamed for theft or adultery, Sec. by a ji{ft judge, dt/v*T*fs f-yj+vM rri<; -,i>vpuv /ar/ Tioirxrxs 7riiaiva.ovva.ra.L i '&ai>x j tixi>Ev3vv',that no man is criminal for not doing that which is beyond his pow- er, and therefore is to him impoJjibU) anfvvers, that God con- demns us not for not doing what is impojfible, but for not will- ing to do what is pojflble ; rots r /0

i^erJ, us ava/XT] ^SeiV, that men may not accufe, God as being bound under a necejjity of doing evil. Man, faith (m) St. Cyril Alexandria hath a free incli- nation to what lie will choofe to do, xj ava/xTjy t\svspov rr,v ep' sxayw /'osrrjv, #W under a mcefjily of whoring, why hath God prepared hell? If faith (o) Macarius, the bodies of chrifiians Jhould have been made im- mortal, the world beholding TO xapectioZov ru c^al/x.^?- the, jlrangencfs of the thing, would have been converted to good, a-vsJ/x'T} rivi, aXX T fex. EKtsaip yvu^ri, not by their own free will, but by a kind of neceffity, and therefore God to prefervc the liberty of man s will, /'offered their bodies to die, that it might be in their choice to ~turn to good or evil ; Jor man is not bound to do evil, ava&ip rm, by any necejjity, but hath a liberty^ T-SysvsffQct GX&V& ExXoy5if, to become a veJJ'd of eleilion and life, and they who are a fled by the holy fpiiit, xx dvduty rm xsx^a- r-/3v?ai, are not held under any neceffity, but have a liberty to turn themftlves, and do what they will in this life. 3etAr/, ayiov etvai, TJ TO I- vavn'ov, of his own free will be either a holy feed, or be the con- trary. God, faith (d) Pfeudo Jujlin, is not the caufe that we are good, or, wicked, >A' vj t^oai^scnr, but our own choice, by which, xaT^wrev r,/MX$ xv^ivs, ^ rxs oiyoiQ&s fyj&s stvat 7) XXX8S", he hath put it into our own power to be good or bad. And in his anfwer to the ninth queilion, we have received, faith he, from God, (e) the power of a cling, or not a&ing, ts^drlsiv /AEV tx <$ixtzi rt^oiv THS xoflopQavrcx.?, andjhewed that we had power to choofe either of them, by pun- ijliingfinners, 'and honoring them that do well ; For, faith he, ( gj xiotot y/pLsiV Iff/XcV 7^ T?8 xaxs/V8, >^ T zis ys'svvav l/ATrsffeiv, x^ T fia ^yvapt/evw TQotlF'nvxi tis duJtyolcOve, Tot [j'if,'f,, to him that can turn to both parts, i. e. obey or tranfgrefs it ; ts bound by nature. qthly. f^J St. Aujlin difputes againfl the dolrine of the Manichees, from the equity of the divine judgment, declaring that if men did not fin voluntarily they would be judged un- juftjy ; for, if God, faith he, had not given free will, judicium puniendi nullum juftum effe poflet, nee meritum recle faci- endi, nee prasceptuin divinum ut agerctur pcenitentia de pec- catis, there could be no juftice in pumjliing the offender, nor a- ny reward for well doing, nor any divine precept requiring men to repent of their fins ; for neither the wages of good or evil can be duly given to him, qui aut bonus aut malus ne- ceffitate fuerit inventus, non voluntate, who was good or evil, not out of freedom but necefjity ; nor is any man to be blamed at all who doth not freely do evil. And in this we have feen the agreement of Origen and fufebius, apd the words now cited from him (1) Tertullian t Irenaus, Clemens of Alexandria and Qthers who are of the fame judgment. God hath given ta man, faith (m) Tatian, freedom of will, faus 6 /x,sv toavfas $i- ' I VX *\ 9 \ \ /\ t II T xaioK jtfAa^rjrai di eaurov ysyova's (Aoyftypos, that ba.d men may be juftly puniffied, as being wicked Jrom them/elves ; and that goc,d men may be praifed, xar' yrg^ffiov, whojredy do comply with the will of God. God always pr curved the liberty of the will tnman, faith (n) Irenozus, ut juile damnentur qui non oj^ediunt ci, quoniam non obedierunt, et qui obedierunf, et credide- runt ei, honorentur incorruptibilitate ; thai they might jujlly be damned for their a i /'obedience who did no't obey him, and that they who believed and obeyed, might be hon* ored with incorruptibility. And Athcnogaras proves ft) Horn. 16. p. 165. D. 166. A. B. (k) L. "De Fid. cont. Man. c. 8. L. Contr. Fortun. Man. p. 167. Vide euadem de lib. Arb. 1. i. c. i. 1. 2. c. i. 19. 1. 3. c. 17. L. De vcra Rcl. c. 14. (1) Tertul. contr. Marcion. 1. 2. c. 6. -(in) Contra Gent. p. 146. C. (nj L. 4. C. 29. 284 Freedom of the Will of Man. to the Emperors Antoninus and Commodus, that man is, ayflaiV ptros, free of himfelf to choofe virtue or vice; for, neither, faith he, would you honor the good, or puniJJi the wicked, ei //,-ri iw'ai'ToTs rv xsa ri xax/a xai ?> a^sryi, ?/ 2/ &W5 w T Trors aTsr/rw ^erccvota ^1 r,v atysoir xfj.'zpriuv ; where 'is that repentance of the unbeliever by which he obtains remif- Jion of his fins ? 6ihly. (r) St. Aujlin faith, the Manichees held that the nation of darknefs waged war with God, before the foundation cf the world, and that in this war, nos, hoc eft, animas quas modo indigere liberatore manifeftum eft commixtas efle omni md!o, et niorti impiicita, we, that is, the fouls which now want a deliverer, were blended with all evil, and entangled or detain- ed in death. Now againfl this abfurd imagination St. Auflin argues, that this (fj renders God cruel, in being willing to fend the foul intojuch miferies ; and therefore he inquires ot Fortu- watus, Quarc hanc animam ad milerias, ad errorem, ad ifta quae patimur mifit ? Why did he fend the foul into the world to bejubjett to thofe miftries, thai error, and thofe evils which toe j&jfer? He alfo introduces the foul thus expoftulating the-c, in'f; with God, and pleading in its own excufe, Quid fe- ci ? Quid rommifi ? Apiid te fui, integer fui, nulla labe con- taminatus fui, tu me hue mififti, ft) What have 1 done, or committed? I was with thec, I was upright, and undefiled by (o) To. 2. L. 2. Adv. fovin. F. 26. i. (p) L. 2. De a&is in Pel. Man. p. 515. (q ) Strom. 2. p. 363. (r j L contr, Fortun, Man.' C> i. p. t 62. Cf} P. '7*> *13> ftj P. 168, 169. freedom of the Will of Man. 285 Any ftain, thou Jentejl me thither. Cum ergo noveris necefli- tatein qua his oppreilus fum, qua refpirarc non potui, cui re- fiftcre non potui, quid meaccufas quafi peccantem ? Juice. th;:n thou knowejl the neceffity with which ^ I am oppre/fed, from which I can have no'refpite, and which I am not able to rtfijt, why doft thou accuft me for fin ? Some fmall resemblance of this mac! dottrine of Manes was found in that opinion of ( u) Origen, that the fouls of men had fumed in heaven (faid he, in Adam fay others) and therefore were united to fuch bodies as were the clog and prifon of the foul, and that the Jhjli laid up- on it a ncceffity of Jinning ; which he endeavored to prove from the fame fcriptures, which thefc men ufe to prove that man, fmce the fall, lies under a neceflity of doing evil only. Now there be three advantageous differences betwixt this o- pinion of Origen, and that of thefe Dccretalijh. ift. That he made the fouls to fuffer for their perfonal fin alone; they make them fuffer tor another's fin, or tor a thing impoffible, viz. a perfonal fin committed by them when they were no perfons. zdly. His punifhments were medicinal and purgative, and fo defigned for their eternal good, whereas the punifhment in- flicled^on the pofterity of Adam for his fall, are, in moft perfons, according to their doctrine, only a fad preface to eter- nal punifhments. %dly. He was fo merciful as to aflert and believe that after thefe fouls had fuffered in thefe bodies for fome time, they fhould at lafl be faved and admitted to the enjoyment ot God, whilft thefe men leave the generality of them infallibly to fail of falvation, and obnoxious to eternal mifery. And ye: againft this and other doctrines of Origen allied to it, the fa* thers argue from thole grounds which do as raanifeftly de- ftroy the neceflity of finning they affert, and the founda- tion ot it, -viz. the imputation of the fin of Adam to all his pofterity. For ift.fv) Methodius fpeaks thus, If, as Origen faith, the Soul Jor Sin was united to the Body, c n'^^ o<<% r*ro ^^^pretVQV o jtA-xi rv j*ri$iftu t 'hoit) did they fin by that zvhich yet was not. Anfwer. (w) hven as the wills of all men finned in Adam when as yet they were not? And becaufe Origen attempted to prove his doftrine from tliofe words of the Apoflle^ I am carnal, fold under fin. He aiks him how he could reconcile his fenfe of thefe words with the liberty of the will ? s*)' ^//."v yap xai TO THSZVCOU xsTrai, xai TO //. Wife'Offa*, (xj Jor 'it llfS in our power to believe or not ; e f that it may be honored or blamed for what is properly its own, muft necejfarily be ex- empted from all fault. %dly. He adds, that according to the do&rine of Origen, neither foul nor body could be judged ; for if the foul, faith he, be placed before the judgment feat, it will plead that Jin proceedeth not from me, aXX' arc' EKSI'V^ T QQapru xat yy,iv . Ep. ad Job. Hierof. F, 57. Lit. F. Freedom of the Will of Man. 287 +rtafe their offspring. And again, were this fo, increafe and multiply would be no ' blejjing to Adam and Eve, Cum caufa peccati malediftionem potius mereretur, fmce that which is the caufe of fin ought rather to be deemed a curfe. And if theft things bejoy why doth St. Paul fay, I will that the young women marry, and breed children ; for then they muft do this t not for the order of generation, fed propter pcenas animarum, but for the punijhment of fouls ; which far be it from us to believe. Si enim propter peccata in Ccelis pnecedentia, ad terras miflae funt animae, ut corporibus ligarentur, for if fouls were fent from heaven to be united to bodies Jor their preced- ing fins, Paul lied when hefaid marriage is honorable, and the bed undejiled ; nor can the fame thing be a benediction, and a punijhment. Now the fin of Adam being the caufe of all the fins of his pofterity, and they having all fouls fent pure from heaven into thofe bodies, by the fole union to which they in- ftantly become fmful and corrupted, and moftly lie under a neceflity of doing evil to their inevitable ruin, it may with much more truth and certainty be faid, that fuch a generation turns God's blefling into a curfe, endangers fouls, and increaf- eth pofterity by the lofs and ruin of them. Cyril, the fucceifor of Theophilus, in hisy ysyovoTes 1 8os ^/x^ravov, when being not yet born, they had not Jinned ; was yip w //.r, VQ&SUGO, Y.Q\ a//,afTcTv ^o^varo ; Jor how can the foul Jin that did not exift ? (Add, or that foul which had no being when Adam finned ?) Moreover they condemn Origen's opinion concerning the refurreflion, not of the fame body, on this fcore, fej that it was unjuft that one body finning another fliould be puniflied ; and mu ft it not be more unjuit that one Adam finning all mankind fhould be punifhed ? Againft his other opinion, (f) St. Jerome thus difputes ; if it be an offence to be born of hu- mane bodies, quomodo Ifaac, Sampfon et Johannes Baptifta de repromiflione nafcuntur, how were Ifaac, Samp [on and John the Baptift born by promife ? And if it be no offence to be thus born, it can be no offence to be born of lapfed Adam ; if the caufe of vice and virtue be not, as he faith, fgj in the jc.ed, but in the will of him that is born. If he could not fin by the body, as Met nodi us faith, who yet was not ; neither could men fin by the foul which yet was not. If, as he faith, they who aft intemperately cannot be worthy of reprehenfion by a juft judge, dSvvzrojs sy^Kcris rris ffotfKQf i/TZOTvvjsafy&i r vo/txw TH 6cP, if the flefli could not be fubject to the divine law, nei- ther can the Ions of Adam, lying under the fame difability by reafon of the flem, be fubjecl to reprehenfion. In a word, (h) Epiphanius truly blames Origen m&}ohnoi Jerufale?n, for fay- ing that the irnageand fimilitude of God was lojl in man after the cxpuljion of Adam out of paradife ; and yet according to the doctrine ot thefe men this mufl be a moil certain article of faith. SECTION IV. Now be it fo that St. Aufiin, to defend himfelf againft himfelf, renounced in his difcourfes againft the Pelagians moft of thofe things which he had faid in confu- tation ot the Manichees ; yet feeing the things he had then faid were evidently the voice ot nature and by his own conteffion the voice of every man's confcience, and that which learned and unlearned, poets and orator sand civilians, heathens and chrTJiia/is didunanimoullyown; feeing the chnjli an fathers who lived be- fore him, in his time, and after him, and equalled or much excell- ed him in learningand judgment, faid conllantly the fame things, . - .AvHieron. ad Pam. Tom. 2. t. 62. E.(fJ Hleron. ad Pam. Tom 2'. t'6i. K. -- (g) Ibid. - (hj Apud Hicroa, lorn. a 57, 58, 59. Freedom of the Will of Man. 289 and never thought fit to renounce one tittle of any thing they had thus faid, or ever excepted, as he did afterwards, the cafe of infants, or original /In ; it is manifeft that his innovations and difcord from his former, and better felf in this manner ought not to be regarded in oppofition to the conftant fenfe, and the concurring judgment of all thekjathers of the church '; efpe- cially if we confider, \Jl. That he hath been able to fay nothing in anfwer to fome of the arguments produced by him in confutation of the Man- ichees, viz. (ifl-J To the arguments taken from the divine precepts, the Mofaical precepts, do this and do not that, being given to fallen man, and therefore if it be, as he hith,Jblly and injuftice to lay them upon him who hath no power to do what is commanded or omit what is forbidden, it cannot confi ft with divine equity, to lay thefe precepts upon fallen man, had he no power of himfelf, and no aiTurance of divine afliflance to ena- ble him to do them. Such, zdly, is his argument taken from: the duty of repentance ; for if that teftifies that the penitent hath done ill when he might have done well, when was it that the pofterity of Adam might have done well before they were his poflerity ? But then they were not ; if after, then if they contracted the guilt of original fin, they had done ill, when they were not able to do well. zdly. That the exceptions which he makes to fome of his own rules, and the anfwers he attempts to make to fome of his own arguments are vain, falfe and abfurd. Thus when in defenfe of his definition of fin, that it is the. zuill to do that from which we have the pozuer to abflain ; he faith, that he defined that which was only fin, and not that v;hich is alfo, pcena peccati the punijhment of Jin. He fpeaks a contradiction to himfelf, and to the plaineit reafon, it being evident that what is properly fin, can never be the punifliment of fin ; for fi) all punijhment, faith he, being from God, mujl bejuft; et bonum eft omne quod eft juftum, peccaturn ergo quod eft pcena peccati erit peccatum et bonum et juftum, and, whatfoever isjuft is good ; that Jin therefore which is the pun- ijkment of fin , mujl be, a good and a jujl Jin. Moreover, all punifhment inflicted by God, is the a6tion of a juft judge, proceeding from his holy will ; whereas fin cart never be the a6Uon ot God, or ifTue from his holy will. By fin all men are worthy of punifhment ; but no man tan deferve pun- ifliment for being punifhed. By punifhment fome fatisfa6lion is made for fin ; but no man can make fatisfaftion for a paft fin by another fin. zdly. Whereas he adds, that this penal necejffity of finning conjifts well with the nature of original Jin; (ij L. Retract. c 9 26. O o 2 go Freedom of the Will of Man. this may be fufficiently confuted from his own words, the. defecl which is called fin, if it feized on a man again/I his will, recle injufla pcena videretur quse peccantetn confequitur, et quas damnatio nuncupatur, the punijhment which follows the. finncr, and is flyled damnation, might rightly be efteemcd unjujl ; feeing therefore original fin is a difeafe neceffary, and more Inevitable than a fever, and comes upon us before we can will any thing; the punifhment and damnation inflicled for it cannot, according to this principle, be juft. Laflly. Whereas, he fays it is natural and well appointed, ut malum meritum prioris natura fequentis fit, (I) that the ill defert of a former fin fJwuld be the nature of the following ; this is very abfurd from his own principles. For if, as he fays, no man is wife, valiant, or temperate with the wifdom, -valor or temperance, of another, aut juflus juflitia alterius quifquam efficitur or righteous with the righteoufnejs of another ; how comes he to be made willing, with the will of another, or {inful with the fin of another ? lifpecidlly when he not only adds, that (m) no nature, can be corrupted by the vice of another, nullo ad- jtmfto vitio fuo, without an addition of a fin of its own; and if it could be fo, injufte vituperaretur, it would unjuflly be blam- ed on that account. But proveth this ; fift.J Becaufe, (n) nemo debet quod non accepit, ex eo igitur quod non accepit nemo reus eft, no man owes what he hath not received, and Jo no p erf on can be guilty j or the want of that original righteouf- fle/s he never did or could receive. zdfy. Becaufe, fi homo ita faftus eft, ut neceflario peccet, hoc debet ut peccet, if man befo made that he necejfarily Jins, he owes Jin as a debt to na- ture ; and then when he Jins, quod debet iacit, he does only what he ought to do, which yet it is wickednefs to fay. In a word he faith, fince no man is compelled to fin by his own nature, or by the nature of another, reilat ut propria volun- tate peccetur, it remains that every one fins by his own proper will, oTTsp seta (k) De vera Rel. c. 14. - (I) De Lib, Arb, 1. 2. c. i<).(m) I# 3, e, 13, 14, - (n J Ibid, c, 16. DISCOURSE V. CONCERNING THE PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS, CHAPTER I, The State of the Queflion. OR the better dating of this queftion, ~-~-., it will be ufeful to premife that which is granted on both fides ; for by that it will be eafy to difcern, iy?. That many of thofe fcriptures, which are produced to prove the doc- trine of the faints perfeverance, do riot reach the point ; they proving only that they who do thus perfevereare preferv- ed by divine a(li fiance, and not that God hath absolutely engaged to afford them that affi (lance which will unlruftrably pieierve them. 2.dly. That many of the arguments produced to confirm this doftrine, are inconfiftent with the foundations on which .alone they ground that iio6irine. 292 P erf entrance of Saints. SECTION I. \Jl. Then we own that they who are preferred to falvation, are fo preferved (a) by the power of God through faith ; and thai they who are thus kept are (b) kept by Chnjl, he alone being able (c) to keep them unblameable ; but then \ve deny that God hath aMolutely promifed to keep them by his power from making fhipwreck of this faith ; or that (d) the jujl man who lives by faith, (hall never draw back to per- dition. zdfy. We own that God hath engaged his faithfulnefs, that all who do not wickedly depart Itom him, fhall never be forced from him by the power of any adverfaries ; for (e) none JJiall ever be able to pluck them out of his hands, not death itfelf ; for (f) the gates of Hades JJiall not prevail a- gainj} them ; not perfecutions, or the moft fiery trials. He who requires us to be faithful to the death, being obliged in equity and honor to enable us with chriflian patience to bear them ; iof fg) he is fo faithful that he will notfujfer us to be tempted above what we (in this fallen ftate) are able, but will with the temptation (fo far) make a way to efcape that we ??iay be able to bear it ; fo thht we may triumphantly cry out, (h) who Jhall Jeparate us from the love of God which is (mewed to us] in, i. e. through Chrift Jefus? Shall tribulation, or dijlrefs, or perfecution, or famine, or nakednefs, or peril, or f word? nay in all thefe things we (who continue in his love) are more than conquerors, through (the afliftance vouchfafed by) him that loved us. And after fuch happy experience of the divine afli fiance, / am perfuaded, faith the Apojile, that nei- ther (fear of) death, nor (hope of) life, nor (evil) angels, nor principalities, nor powers (perfecuting us for Chrift's fake) nor (the) things (we endure at) prefent, nor (the) things (we may fuffer tor the time) to come, nor height (ot honor) nor depth (of ignominy) nor any other creature (or thing) Jliall be able to Jeparate us from the love of God which is (vouchfafed to us) in (and through) Chrift Jefus our Lord ; but then the fame God requiring them who were come to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerufalem, and to the general affem- bly, and church of the fir ft born who are written in heaven to^ look diligently, ^ t\s, lejl any of them fall from the grace of God, and to holdfajl that grace by zvhich alone they canftrve God acceptably, "becaufe our God is (to them who do fall from it) a confuming jire y Heb. xii. 15, 29. and to take heed left there Jhould be in any of them an evil heart of unbelief in de- parting from the living God; and that for this reafon that (a) i Pet. i. 5. (b) Jud. i. 24. (c) i Tim. i. 19. (d) Heb. x. 38, 39- (e ) John x. 28, 24. (fj Malth. xvi. 18. fgj i Cor. X ij. (b) Rom. viii. 35, 39. Perjeverancc of Saints. 293 they could be made partakers of the bleflings of Chrifl only on this condition, that they held fajl the beginning of their confidence (or expectation) jleadfafi to the end, Hen. iii. !2, ^4, That they continue rooted and grounded in thejaith, and be not -removed away^ from the hope of the gofpcl, Col. i. 23. Seeing he bids them" who were already in grace, and had re- ceived (i) like precious faith with them, to beware left being led away by the error of the wicked, they fall from their own Jleadfajlnefs, 2 Pet. iii. 17. Hence we conceive we have juft reafon to deny that God hath from eternity decreed, or abfo- lutely promifed to preferve them from falling into thofe fins which he thus cautions them to avoid, or to perform himfelf what he requires, as their duty. %dly. We grant that God hath promifed perfeverance iu the ways of righteoufnefs to the end, to tiiofe who con- firmly and confcientioufly ufe the means by him prefcribed for that end ; he will prejent us holy and unblameable and un- reprovcable in his fight, if we continue in the faith rooted and fettled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gofpel t ColofT. i. 22, 23. He hath affured us, that if we caft not a- zuay our confidence, but patiently continue to do the will of God, we Jliall inherit the proimfcs, Heb. x. g^, 36. That if we give all diligence to add to our faith, virtue, knowledge, god- linefs, patience, temperance, brotherly kindnefs and chanty, we Jliall never fall, 2 Pet. i. , 10. That if we build our/elves up in our holy faith, and pray fervently in the Holy Ghoft, we Jliall keep our/elves in the love of God, Jude xx. 21. That if we hold Jajl till he come, and keep his zuorks to the. end, we Jhall reign with Chrijl, Rev. ii. 25, 26, 27. But then we de- ny that God hath abfolutely promifed to interpofe his power unfruitrably to engage all true believers to ufe thefe means, and judge thefe very texts to be fo many*" evidences to the contrary. The aflertors of this doctrine hold, SECTION 11. iy?. That the foundation of this perfever- ance is the abfolute election of thofe that perfevere unto fal- vation, and coflfequently to the means which mail unfruftra- bly conclude in their falvation. And this fhews the incon- fiftency of two of their arguments for perfeverance, taken from the prayers of the faints that they may perfevere. and from the fuppofed imercefTiori of Chrift to the fame effect ; for, as it cannot be proved, that either Chrift intercedes, or "the faints pray more for perfeverance to the end, than for their prefervation from thofe fins to which experience ?nd fcripiiire mews they are obnoxious to; fo is it as abfurcl lo pray or interced I which God hath abfolutely decreed 294 Perfeverance of Saints. from all eternity {hall come to pafs, as to pray and intercede that the world may not be drowned again ; or that Chrift may come to judgment ; or be the judge of the quick and dead ; or that the bodies of the faints may arife ; or for any ther thing which mall infallibly come to pafs by virtue of God's abfolute decree from all eternity ; it being, upon this fwppofition, as certain that this abfolute decree concerning their perfeverance mall come to pafs, though Chrift did never intercede, or the faints pray it might do fo ; as that the other decrees now mentioned mall certainly have their effeft, with his or our interceflion that it may be fo. 2.dly. They alfo grant that it is not from the flrength of the new nature in them, from the fteadinefs of the renewed mind, the immutability of the renewed will or affections, that true believers cannot fall away ; but purely from the promife of God, that though they are obnoxious in themfelves to fall a- way, he will keep them by his power from falling finally. And hence it is obvious to difcern that all the arguments pro- duced in this caufe from the nature of true faith, conversion, or the new birth, are inefficient to prore this doclrine ; becaufe it is granted that it is not from the nature of this faith, the flrength of this converfion, or the immutability of this new birth that they thus perfevere; but from the pow- er of God, by virtue of his promife, preferving them from that fall, to which they in themfelves are flill obnoxious. When therefore they argue for the perfeverance of the faints to the end, from the words of thcPJalmift, (k)he whofe ddight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates in it day and night, his leaf jhall not wither. (I) That he who hears C/i rift's Jayings and doth them, ftiall be like to a wife man who built his houje upon a rock; and fo when the wind and the Jloods came it Jell not. From the good ground which (m) brought forth fruit with patience. From St. Paul's queftion, (n) how Jhall we that are dead to fin live any longer therein ? And from the words of St. John, (o) this is the victory over the world^ even our faith. As all thefe places are manifeftly impertinent, becaufe 'they only ftiew the effcft of good difpo- fitions remaining with us, or how it will be with the man who always delights in the law of God, who flill doth Chrift's commandments, hears the word and keepeih it, as the good ground did ; is ilill d?ad to fin, and ftill lives by faith ; but not that thefe good difpofitions mufl be always in us. jja'/y. They grant that though true believers cannot fall to- tally and finally, yet may they 1*11. into drunkennefs and in- ccft, as Noah ; fo into murther and adultery, as David ; into (k) Pfal. i. ?, 3. - (I) Vnttli. \ --(w) Luke viii. 8, 15. -- (n) Rom. vi. 2. / oj t ' Perfcverancc of Saints, 295 grofs idolatry, as Solomon ; into denials of our Lord, with oaths and imprecations, as St. Peter did ; and into fuch horrid fins as render them at prefent unfit to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and which require a renewal of their faith, and their repentance ; and that by the guilt of thofe fins they ftand con- demned, till they are renewed by faith and repentance. And this demonftratively mews the falfehood of their arguments from fuch texts as thefe ; (p) he, that is born of God finnttk not, neither can fin ; he keepeth himfelf fo that the wicked one toucheth him not. (q) The Lord is faithful, who JJiall ejlab- lifli you, and keep you from evil. CHAPTER II. Containing Arguments from Scripture again/I trh& Doc- trine of the Perfevtrance of Saints to the End. HE fcriptures which do exprefsly aflert the poffibility that true believers, true penitents, men truly juft and righteous may fall away from their righteoufnefs, and die in their in- iquity, are, among many others, thefe following. i/?. (aj When the righteous turneth away from his right- eoufnefs and committeth iniquity, and doth according to all the. abominations which the wicked man doth, Jliall he live ? All his righteoufnefs that he hath doneJJiall not be mentioned, in the trefpafs th'at he hath trefpsffed, and in the fin that he hath finned, in them Jliall he die. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteoufnefs, and committeth iniquity and di- eth in them, for his iniquity that he hath donejliall he die. (b) When IJJiall fay to the righteous he Jhall jurely live, ij he triifl to his righteoufnefs, and commit iniquity, all his righteoufnefs Jliall not be remembered, but for his iniquity that he. hath com- fp) i John iii. 9. v. 18^ (q) 2 Theff, iii, 3, f; Ezek, xviii, ?.t fi 26,- (b)Chz$. xxxiii, 13, 18. 296 Perjevtrance of Saints. mitted he Jliall die. (c) When the righteous turneth away from his righteoufnefs, and commtteth iniquity, he Jliail die thereby. Where, obferve, ift. That God is here aliening the righteoufnefs of his ways againft the munnurings and the repinings of the Jews, that they died for their fathers fins ; for that this was the im- port of their proverb, the fathers have eaten four grapes, and the children* teeth are Jet on edge ; is evident from God's an- fwer to this proverb, that every onejlwuld die for his own in- iquity ; Jer. xxxi. 29. and to thefe murmurers, that the foul that finneth, it Jlialt die-; Ezek. xviii. 3. This fenfe of thefe murmurers the prophet reprefents more plainly in thefe words ; Chap, xxxiii. 10. If our iniquities and our fins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how Jhall we then live ? And this (hews the vanity of that arifwer, which fome return to this argument : That the prophet here {peaks of afflictions and not death ; to which may be added, that this anfwer contradicts the exprefs words of the prophet about twenty times. 2.dly. Obferve, that the righteous man here fpoken of is one truly righteous ; for he is one who fd) Jinneth not, com- mitteth not iniquity, and turneth not away from his righteouf- nefs ; one who waiketh in God's ftatutes and keeps his judg- ments ; yea, (e) who waiketh in the Jlatutes of life, without committing iniquity ; and therefore afTuredly is one who is truly and inwardly righteous, and not in outward profeilion only. For, faith Dr. Pridcaitx* mould he only turn away from his counterfeit and hypocritical righteoufnefs ; mould he not rather live than die, inafmuch as he would put off the wolf to put on the lamb. " To affirm, faith (f) Mr. Thorn- dyke, that the prophet of God fpeaking in God's name, and of the efteem and reward which God hath for the righteous and unrighteous, fpeaks only of that which feemeth righteoufnefs and unrighteoufnefs to the world, or which an hypocrite him- felf thinks fuch, is fuch an open fcorn to God's word, as can- not be maintained but by taking righteoufnefs to fignify un- righteoufnefs, and turning for not turning, but continuing in ( c ) Sicut juftu-m antea peccatorem noil pra>gravant antiqua delifta, fie peccatorem qui prius jufliiie. iaerit ;ion juvant veteres juftitise. Hie- ron, in Ezek.. 18. l'\ iq5. L. Qjjb'ts omnibus denion-ltrauir nee pecca- torem falutem dcfperare debere'ii aj;at posnitentiam, nee juiiiminfua juftitia confidere fi pvirdiderit negli^enter qa os p e'XAEiv fignifies to draw back, refufe, and fly from a thing ; and fo the objecl of it being here faith, iri lift fignify the drawing back of the perfon fpoken of from the faith, or refufing dill to profefs it, and fo, as it here fol- lows, mufl be his drawing back unto perdition ; and becaufe this is done ufually as here, Ver. 33, 34, out of fear of perfe- cutions. and want of patience to bear them, Ver. 36. Hence it is joined with fear ; as Gal. ii. 12. Peter ^rsfsXXsv ECWTOV, withdrew himj'df fearing the circumcifion, and often fignifies fear, as Dent. i. 17. //,- vtzosziKr,, thou Jhalt not be afraid of the face of man ; and becaufe men's cowardly fears make them to hide and conceal their profeflion, to diflemble and play the hypocrite; hence it alfo fignifies, to (o) conceal and hide; and by HifycMitt and Suidas, is rendered v&oxpivsrai, SoXtgiJe- TZI, he plays the hypocrite^ and deals deceitfully ; all which, in things which do TefpecVour God and our religion, are perni- cious to the foul ; efpecially if we confider that he that draw- eth back ftands oppofed to him that believtth, Ver. 159. and here to him that liveth by faith, and therefore can have none, or only a dead faith ; and iaflly, that God here folemnly de- clares }\\ffoul Jkall have no pleajure in him, and then he muft ilill lie under his fad difpleafure ' Note, zdly. That sctv vm^iXwrai, if he draws back, refers plainly to the juft man who lives by Jus faith ; and in the prophet, to him who is with faith and patience to wait for the accomplifh- ment of the vifion ; and Ver. 39. 5 z^os-ejXa.aevof, the draw- back ftands oppofed to him that believes to the jalvation of his foul; the words do therefore plainly fuppofe, that the juft man who liveth by that faith, in which if heperfifted he would fave his foul, may draw back to perdition ; and this is alfo evident from the enfuing words, my jouijliall have no pleafure in him; for they do plainly intimate that God took pieafure in him before his drawing back ; for otherwife this threat would fignify nothing, the Lord taking pieafure only in ju(! men, and fuch as live by faith. Note, foj See Suicerus in Verbo. Perfeverance of Saints. 301 That KO\ ev, may be rendered not hypothetically, and but, and when the juft man drawtth back ; for that this is a very common fenfe of the particle, eav, fee note on Heb. iii. 15. But if we read the words hypothetically, the fuppo- fition cannot be of a thing impoflible, for then God mull be fuppofed to fpeak thus ; if the juft man do that which I know it is impoflible for him to do, and which I am obliged by promife to preferve him from doing, my foul mall have no pleafure in him. Which is to make God ferioufly to threaten men for fuch a fin of which they are not capable, and of which they are obliged to believe they are not capable, if they be o- bliged to believe the doclrine of perfeverance, and fo to make his threatenings of none effeft. SECTION V. Argument , $thly. This may be ftrongly argued from thefe words of the apoftle Peter, (a) they allure through the lulls of the flefii, through much wantonnefs, (or to lafcivioufnefsj thofe who were clean efcaped from them that live in error ; for if after they have efcaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord ana Savior Jejus Chrift, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the lat- ter end is worfe with, them than the beginning ; for it had been letter for them not to have known the way of righteoujnefs t than after they have known it to turn from the holy command- ment delivered to them. But it is happened to them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the fow that was wajhed to her wallowing in the mire. Where note, ift. That the apojlle fpeaks in the beginning of this chapter of fome who (hould bring in damnable herejies, i. e. herejies which they who embraced {hould receive damnation ; and thefe men, faith he, ' eiA&opeuawroii, (b) Jhall ?nake merchandize of, or gain over to thefe damnable htrefies (cj fome of you, who have received like precious faith with us. And here he proceeds to mew how they mould do it, viz. by tempting them to filthy lufts; they therefore who were thus allured, niuft have once had like precious faith with the apojlles, and therefore muft have been good chriflians. Note, zdly. That thefe perfons whom they thus allured to un- cleannefs, had once, ovrwr, truly and really efcaped from thofe who lived, ev raXav/), in error, not of judgment, but of deceit- ful lufts ; for fo this, wXav-y), error, is expounded in the epif- tle by St. Peter, when he faith, (d) beware lefl being led away, rri TV dQsfff/Mn wt.eivYi, by the deceit of men, pralifing thefe un- natural lufts, j/tiji ienct, which Jome ha\ put away concerning Jaitli Itai-e madejhipwrtck; ofzvhom rs Hyrryenaius and Philetus. Now to put az; ay a good con- faience, belongs to them alone who once had and ought to have (c) Tit* ;. i. (f) ; Tim. iii. ?, ~fs) ? Tim. ii. 25, 26. P erf e'U trance of Saints. 303 retained it, and to made fliipwreck of the faith , fo as to blaf- pheme that doftrine which they once profeffed, is furely to fall off from the profeflion of it. Laflly. The faith and that good confciene he charges Timothy to retain, is doubtlefs a fmcere faith, and a good confcience, that (h) unfeigned faith, and that good confcience he then had; by faying therefore that others had laid afide both thefe, he, in effect, declares that they were totally fallen away, which is fufficient confu- tation of all their arguments produced {fomjcnpture for the do6lrine of perfeverance ; which if they prove any thing, they prove that true faints cannot fall totally, nor can it reafonably be thought that when fo many do thus fall away, all ot them fhould return by a fmcere repentance. A fecond inftance is that of Hymen&us and Philetus, who, faith the apoftle, (i) have erred Jrom the truth (wsp rr,v have fallen off from the truth) and overthrown the faith of Jo me, (k) (fo izspl tsfciv a cozens i Tim. vi. 21. is to tall away from the faith, and is another inftance of this na- ture ;) for feeing chriftians believe to the falvatwn of their fouls, Heb. x, 39. and the end of their faith, is the Jalvation of their fouls, i Pet. i. 9. they who do overthrow their faith muft overthrow that in them which had it continued, would have ended in their falvation. %dly. We have juft rcafon to fufpect this of many Judai- zers in the church of Galatia ; for as the apojlle declares, that they had (I) received the fpirit through the hearing of faith ; that they were all made (m) the fans of God by faith in Chrifl Jefus, and by baptifm had put on Chrift, and that (n) becaufe they were Jons, Godhad Jcnt the fpirit of his fon into their hearts, crying Abba Father ; that they once (oj ran well ; fo doth he marvel that they were (pj fo foon removed from him that called them in the grace of Chrift to another gofpel, by which Chrijl's gofpel was perverted. He inquires, (q) Who had bewitched them that they JJiould not obey the truth ? And how it was (r) that after they had known, or rather were known of God, they returned again to the beggarly elements of the world to which they dejired to be in bondage ; declaring that he was (f) afraid of them Icjl. he had bejlowed upon them labor in vain ; and that he (tj travailed in birth with them to remw in them that faith from which they were (h) 2 Tim. i. 5. - (i) z Tim. ii. 18. (k) So, pv ra% yyaxo? o-opifc xj *yaO?f, depart not from a wife and good wife, and ro%iV eAjrl^ *} T 9%9ff$ui&ifll6i- 9 is to fall from our hopes and expectations^ Oecum. in locum. (1) Chap. iii. 2, 5. - (m) Ver. 26, 27.. - ( n ) Chap. iv. 6. - (o) Chap. v. 7. - (PJ Chap. i. 6 ^. (qj Chap, iii. i, -- (r) Chap, iv, 9. - (f) Vrr ; Ver, 19. 304 Ptrfe-verance of Saints. fallen, and to (u) form Chrifl in them ; that they now did not obey the truth. And feeing they now defired to be cir- cumcifed, and to be under the law, he plainly tells them that (w) if they were circumcifed Chnjl Jhould profit than noth- ing ; that kt was become of none effetl to as many of them as f o ught Jorj unification by the works of the law, they being falle?i from grace, and therefore muft have been formerly in a flate of grace. It is therefore evident that the apojlle believed that they who had begun in the fpirit might end in the flejh ; that fney who were made the fans of God by faith in Chrifl Jefus, might be fo changed that Chnjl Jliould profit them nothing, and b& of none ejfeft to them, and that they who were once known of God, might fall from his grace and favor. To this head alfo are to be referred the predictions of the fcripture concerning perfons who mould fall away ; for be- ing divine predictions they muft come to pafs, and being pre- di6tions of things which were to happen long before our times they muft be alfo inftances of what hath come to pafs. Now* fuch are, i/?. Chrift's declaration that by reafon of the extreme af- fli&ion of the times, in which JerufaUm was to be deftroyed, many mould be offended ; i. e. mould fall off from the faith : And that becaufe iniquity Jliall abound, the love of many Jhall -wax cold ; but he that endures to the end Jliall be faved, Mat. xxiv. 12, 13. Where that Chrift fpeaks not of an hypocrit- ical outward profeffion of affe&ion to him, may be gathered from his ftyling it not pretence, but love ; his fuppofition that it was fervent love; for what was never hot cannot wax cold; yea fuch love in which had they continued they would cer- tainly have been faved ; and yet he doth- not only intimate that feme would not continue in that love to the end, but plainly doth foretell that it in many would wax cold. As our Lord here foretold that there mould be then an apojlafy of the believers of the JewiJIi nation ; fo alfo did St. Paul fpeak of the fame apojlafy, as a thing that was to happen before the coming of the man of fin , 2 ThefT. ii. 3. adding, that the fpirit faid exprejsly that in the latter times t (the times then inftant,' Ver. 6.) fome Jhould depart from the faith. Now to prevent this apoflafy of the believing Jews, the epiftle to the Hebrews was manifeftly written. And as the excellent Dr. Barrow ufed to fay, that it was written again ft the doftrine of perfeverance ; fo is it certain that it contain- cth many cogent arguments again ft that doftrine, befides thofe three produced already from it. . As will be evident, (u) Chap. 5. 7. - (wj Ver. 2. P erf ever ance of Saints. 305 ift. From the manifold exhortations, to hold faft their hope, which gave them ground of rejoicing, Chap. iii. 16. To hold fafl their confidence Jledfajl to the end, Ver. 14. To hold faft their profefjion, Chap. iv. 14. To hold faft the pro- fejjion of their faith without wavering, Chap. x. 23. To re- tain grace whereby to ferve God acceptably, Chap. xii. 28. To tabor to enter into the rejl prepared Jor the people of God t left any of them (who believing had aprefent right to it, Chap, iv. 3. as the Jews had to enter into the land of Canaan, whilft they believed in God, and believed his fervant Mojes, Exod. xiv. %i.)Jhould fall from it after the fame example of unbelief , Chap. iv. 11. they being excluded from entering into that land by their following unbelief, Numb. xiv. 11. Chap. iii. ig. To fliew the fame diligence to the full affurance of hope to the end, and to be followers of them who through faith and patience did inherit the promifes, Chap. vi. 11, 12. To con- fider him who endured fitch contradiclion of finners, lejl they be wearied^ and faint in their minds ; to lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, and to make Jlraight paths for their feet, left that which is lame be turned out of the way^ Ver. 12, 13. Where we have four agonijlical terms, all im- porting fainting in our chriftian warfare or race, and giving over the fight as being able to hold out no longer ; for xa/xveiy is to give over the fight as being weary ; SKX^SIV is to faint and be difpirited, fo that we can run or fight no longer ; to have, rartyajoeifAsv^s 1 yfipas, hands hanging down is to give over the % combat, they ftretching out their hands ; and to have, yonzrcc rx roa/iaXgXvpt^wr, knees languiming, or paralytic knees, im- ports the fame thing ; they fighting in the Olympic games, 6 pQosctSriv, Jianding upright, and to make ftraight paths, is not to turn out of the way of chriftianity for fear of perfecution, and by our example to teach the infirm chrijiian fo to do. See the notes there. zdly. From his frequent cautions to them who believed, to beware lejl there fliould be in them an evil heart of unbelief in. departing from the living God ; or lejl any of them fhould be. hardened through the deceitjulnefs of 'Jin., Chap. iii. n, 12. To look diligently to it lejl any of them fliould fall from the grace of God, lejl any root of bitternefs ffioidd fpnng up a- mong them by which many fliould be defiUd ; left there Jhould be among them any fornicator or profane perfon as Efau, who for one mefs of pottage fold his birthright ; and, to fee to it, that they did not, d&orptysiv, turn away from him that Jpake. from heaven. $dly. Frorn. his promifes to them that perfevered, as in thefe words, cajl not away your confidence which hath great nfe of reward, for you have n 17. And, laflly, that they might turn away from Perfcvtrance of Saints. 307 tuko fpake from heaven to them, Ver. 2^5. and fo unqueftion- ably might tall away both totally and finally. SECTION VII. Argument 3. A third head of arguments againft this doftrine is to this effeft, that all the commands and exhortations dire&ed by God to the faithful to pcrfevcre in well doing, and to continue faithful to the end ; and to fear left they mould fall away ; all cautions dirccicd to them to take heed they do not do fo ; all places which contain a fuppofition that they may do fo, and which fufpend our fu- ture happinefs on this condition that we. contrail? Jltdfaft to the end, and promife falvation upon fo doing, and which pro- nounce the moft dreadful and abiding threats to them who do not fo, are fo many pregnant evidences of the podibility of doing fo, and are plain indications, that God hath made no abfolute decree, or promife, that good men fhall not do fo ; for, as when thefe motives are ufed to induce men to embrace ckriftianity, or perform any other chrijlian duty, they contain an evidence that it is poflible for men to do otherwife ; fo al- fo when they are ufed to induce men to perfevere in that pro- feflion which they have undertaken, they muft neceffarily, for the fame reafon, contain an evidence that it is poffible for any man who is induced by them to perfevere in the courfe of a chrijlian^ not to perfevere. For whereas fome think fit to an- fwer that thefe commands and exhortations, thefe cautions, promifes and threats directed to true believers, are well con- fiftent with God's abfolute decree and promife of their perfe- verance, as being the means appointed for the accomplifhment of that which he hath made neceiTary by his decree and prom- ife ; the falfhood of this an fwer, fhall be fully detefted under all thefe heads. At prefent let it only be obferved, \ft. That this is the fentimcnt of all mankind ; for how- much foever they vary in other things, they all agree in this, not to exhort men to what they know they never can refufa to do ; not to fear they mould neglect fuch things, not to teiv ify them by threats from neglecling, or allure them by prom- ifes to perform them ; on the contrary they generally agree, that as a proraife, fo a threat of what I know 'to be impoffible, is as none at all; that (a) there is no need of exhortations to incite men to what they certainly will do. That a promife muft be of forne thing which at prefent is uncertain, and fuf- pended on a condition which may not be performed ; and that a command or in us a land or law obliging us to will and do, muft fuppofe freedom not to will, or to coufent to th.it which is re- (a) Supervacaneum eft enim, in quod imus, impelli ; ->emo in arao- rera ftii cohortandiu eft, qucHi, rii;u r ;icitnr, trahi:. Sen. dc Bcn % I. 4. 16, 17. 308 Perfewrance of Saints. quired ; for he only wills, fay the fbj Civilians^ and confents, who hath it in his power to be unwilling and difient. zdly. Obferve that God himfelf approves of this deport- jnent ; for though the cleft angels are yet under the law of love and obedience, yet are they not exhorted to that obedience, they have no promifes to move them to it, nor are they threat- ened with God's difpleafure if they neglect to do it, hecaufe, being confirmed in their blefTed ftate, they cannot fail of do- ing it. Again, our blefled Lord, as he was a prophet, fpake as his father gave him co?nmandment, for fo all tegats muft do; as he was a priejl he became obedient to the death ; but I know of no exhortations directed to him to perform faithfully the office of a priejl or prophet ; no threats, fhould he neglect to do fo ; no promifes to encourage him to do that duty of which he could not fail, but only a declaration of that glory which would fucceed'his fufferings. Laftly, we find no ex- hortations directed to the evil angels not to tempt God's fer- yants, not to be adverfaries to Chrift's kingdom ; no threats denounced upon their doing fo, but only a declaration of their prefent ftate, and of their future doom. Now feeing the cleft on earth, according to this do&rine, can no more fail of perfe- verance to the end, than the elecl: angels, feeing they can no more finally neglect, or be unfaithful in the ufe of the means which will unfruflrably produce that pejfeverance, than Chrijl could fail of faithfully difcharging his prophetic and his priejl- ly office, how is it the divine wifdom fees it meet to ply us on earth continually with thofe exhortations, threats and promif- es which he faw needlefs in the cafe, and inconfiftent with the ilate of the elecl; angefa and our bleffed Lord ? Have we not reafon to conceive it isjsecaufe we have a liberty ad utrumque, which they had not, and are at prefent in a ftate of trial, wheth- er we will Hand or fail, whereas they both were under no fuch poffibility of failing in their duty ? And, %dly. This is evident from the nature of thefe things, for v/hatfoever isa means for the producing an efifecl, or the bring- ing it to pafs, muft contain in it nothing repugnant to, but only fubordinate to that end ; but fuch exhortations as thefe, (c) hold f aft your prof effion without wavsring ; (d) hold till I co?ne, that no man take away thy crown ; fe) look diligently that you fall not from the grace of God, (f) left being led away by the error of the vncked you fall from your own jlec nefs, &c. do in their proper nature and tendency import a dan- (bj Ejift efl velle qui poteft nolle. Ulpian Ae Reg. Jur. Leg. 3. ( fenfire non potelt cum nee diflentire poilit. Tryp&on. 1. IK Bella. S. dio D. d? Captivis. (c) Heb. x . 23. (d) Rev. ii. 25. (e) Heb, xii, i;. fj Pet, iii, i7. Perje-vtrancc of Saints. 309 ger, and tend to raife a fear in men, left what they are cau- tioned to beware of, (hould happen to them ; whereas an un- fruftrable decree and abfolute promife made known to all be- lievers that they {hall perfevere to the end, tends to exclude all dangers, and prevent all fear of falling from the grace of God, and therefore muft be contrary to the purpofe of thefe exhortations ; and fo thefe exhortations can be no means to beget perfeverance in them. And fince threats are more nat- urally defigned to beget in us a fenfe of the fame danger, and an imprefiion of the fame fear, which thefe decrees and prom- ifes entirely exclude, thefe decrees and promifes muft be re- pugnant to thofe threats. Since, laftly, promifes tend to ex- cite hope, inflame endeavors, and render us folicitous, left we fhould fail of the ble fling promifed ; and where we know fuch abfolute decrees are made, and promifes engaged to confer the promifed bleffing, there can be no ground for this folicitude, no need of hoping for that which faith makes certain to us, or of quickening our endeavors after that in which it is im- poflible we mould mifcarry ; hence alfo it muft follow that thefe abfolute decrees and promifes muft be repugnant to thefe conditions' of perfeverance laid down by way of promife in the holy fcripture, (g) we foall reap if we faint not ; (h) if ye continue in thejaith^ and be not moved away from the hope of the gofpel, ye a>re made partakers of Chriji ; (i) if ye hold fa/I your rejoicing in hope, and the beginning of your confidence Jirm to the end ; and fo I come to a particular confideration of thefe refpeftive heads. And, SECTION VIII. ift. All commands to perfevere and to Jlandfaji in the faith, ihew that they to whom they are direft- ed may not ftand faft, or perfevere unto the end; for, as Su- arez well argues, all laws, that is, commands of our fuperiors, are made concerning aBions to be done, or left undone by man as a free agent, who hath potejiatem ad utrumlibet, a power to obey or not ; but in commands refpefting what it is not poffible to leave undone, there can be no fuch liberty to leave undone, what is commanded, and therefore in fuch things there can be no law properly commanding that. zdly. Laws are at- tended with the fanclions of a penalty to the tranfgreflbr of them, and a reward to the obedient ; but where there is no power of obeying, it cannot be our fault that we do not obey, and fo our difobedience can deferve no punifhment, nor ccn it be rewardable to do that which is (imply nerrifary for us to do. Now fuch commands are thefe, (k) watch y, praying at ull times, that ye may be worthy to efctpc ail thefe things, and fg) Gal. vi. 9. Luke xxi. 36. (h) Heb. iii. 14. (i) Coloff. i. 23, -fkj $io Ptrjtvtrance of Saints. tofiand before the fon of man. (1) Watch ye,Jland fafl in th& faith, quit yourfelves like men. (m) Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to /land againfl the wiles of the devil. Take to yourfelves the whole artnor of God, that ye may be able to with/land in the evil day, and having done all to Jland. fnj Cajl not away your confidence which hath great recompcncc of reward, (o) But ye beloved, building up your*. fdves in your moji holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghojl ; keep yourfelves in the love of God. To the church of Thyati- ra, Chri'ft fpeaks thus, fpj What thou haft attained to hold fafl till I come : To that of Philadelphia, holdfajl till I co?ne, that no man take away thy crown. Now do not thefe things plainly feem to intimate that their falvation depended on their patching, their ufing the whole armor of God, their ftedfaft- nefs in the faith, without cafting away their confidence, and that they might loofe their crown by neglecting fo to do, and be unable to withjtand temptations, or to ftand before the fou of man ? SECTION IX. * and having dont all to Jland, He exhorts the (tj Saints at Pkilipfi, in whom God had began the good work, E^^SIV^O hold fajl the word, of life, and to Jland f aft in the Lord. To the (u) Saints and faithful brethren who were at Colofs, and had an hope laid up for them in heaven, a fruitful converfation and love, in the. Jpirit, he fpeaks thus (w) as ye have received Jefus Chrift, f& walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and ejlabliflied in the faith. Having told the converted Jews that he hoped of them things which accompanied falvation, God being not (x) un- righteous to forget their work, and labor of love which they hadffiewed to him ; he defires them to (y) Jlitw the fame dil~ igence to the end, to the full afjurance of hope, and not to be Jlothful, but followers of them zuho' through faith and patience. did inherit the promifes ; and to retain grace, by which they might ferve God acceptably in reverence and godly fear, be- caufe he is to the wicked a confuming Jire. To the (z) eleft, according to the foreknowledge of God, St. Peter writes thus ; (a) befober, be vigilant, becauje your adverfary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about feeding whom he may devour ; whom refijl Jledfafl in the faith. To them who had fbj ob- tained like precious faith with the apojlles, he faith ; (c) add to your faith, virtue, knowledge, godlinefs, &c. for he that lacketh thefe things is blind, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old fins. Wherefore brethren be diligent to make your calling and election fure ; for if you do thefe things you Jliall never fall. To them (d) who ft fins werejorgiven, and who had overcome the wicked one, St. John writes thus, love not the world; neither the things of the world ; for he that loveth the world, the love of the father is not in him ; and the world paffeth away, and the lujls thereof \ but he that doth the will of God abideth forever. Now do not thefe exhortations plainly intimate, that chriftians may receive the grace of God in vain ; that they may render the labors of the minifters of (q) 2 Cor. vi. i. (r) Eph. i. i, 3, 4, 5. (f) Chap. vi. i^-ft} ' Phil. i. i. 11. i6.iv. i. (ujColoft. i. i, 4, 5. 7. (lu) Chap. ii. 6,7. (x ) Chap. vi. 9, 12. (y ) Chap. xii. 28, 29. (z) i Pet. i. i. (a) Chap. v. 8, 9 . (kj a Pet, i, j, (cj Ver, 5, 10, (d) i John Perfeverance of Sdints. the gofpel vain, by not holding faft the word of life ; tha* Satan may devour them if they be not fober, vigilant and ftedfafl in the faith ; and that their afTurarice of not falling, depends upon their diligence in the performance of their du- ty? SECTION X. And %dly. This will be ftill more evident from all the exhortations direled to churches and perfons to fear left they mould fall away, and finally milcarry ; fe) for fear is that paflion which raifes in us an apprehenfion of fome approaching evil, which may poffibly befal us, which is not - eafily refiftible by our flrength, and which when it befals us, will either be very burthenfome or definitive to us. Now it is impoffible to fear that evil mould be irrefiftible by our flrength, which God hath engaged to fupport us under, or be conceived deftru6Hve to us, from which he ftands en- gaged to exempt us ; fmce it is irnpofTible to fear that his de- cree mould be fruftrated, or his promife fail. Even the na- ture of a religious fear, tends to engage us to ufe our greateft diligence that we do nothing which may forfeit the divine fa- vor, or render us obnoxious to his juft difpleafure ; and if we are obliged to (p) ferve God always in reverence and godly /ear ; if happy is the man that feareth always ; if it be our wifdorn to be thus (q) in the fear of the Lord all the day long, then muft there be juft ground or reafon for this fear ; and the more inconfiftent are thefe fears with an abfolute de- cree or promife of exemption from the evil feared, the ftrong- er evidences do thefe exhortations thus to fear, adminifter a. gairift the pretenfions of any fuch decree or promife. Now exhortations and directions of this nature are very frequent in the fcripture : Thus, to thofe were grafted in, and partook of the root and fatnefs of the olivetree, St. Paul fpeaks thus : fr) Be not high minded, but fear left thou alfo Jhouldft be broken off, as the unbelieving Jews now are. For if thou doft not con- tinue in his goodnefs thou alfojhalt be broken off ; and if God f pared not the natural branches, thou haft cauie to fear left he "alfo /pare not thee. To them who were at prefent in a ftate of favor with God, and in whom God had (f) begun the good work, the apoftle directs this exhortation, to work out their falvdtion with fear and trembling. Now what ground of fear can there be, where God hath abfolutely decreed to confer this falvation, and Hands obliged by promife, to afford thefe means which will infallibly produce it ? Let us, (t) who have believed, fear, faith the a p of tic, left a pro imfe being made us of (e) See Dr. Reynolds of the paffions, Chap. 25. (p) Heb- xii. 28, l - J > 3 Pcrfrvtranct of Saints. 313 entering into reft, any of us Jkould fall Jliort of it. Now feeing no man can fall fhort ot it but by negleft of the means to which God hath annexed this promife ; if all true believ- ers have a ftire promife from God both ot the end, and of the means infallibly conducing to it, and it is abfurd to fear left God mould be unfaithful to his promife, what ground can any fuch perfon have to fear led he fhould fall fhort of the promifed reft ? To them who had fanQ.if.td their fouls through thefpir- it to obey the truth, St. Peter faith (z) if ye call on him who Without re/peel of perfon s judgeth every man, pafs the time of your fojourning here in fear (viz. of condemnation from this righteous judge;) which fear is furely inconfiUent with a promife that they mall never be condemned. Now is it not hence evident that thefe apojlles believed, or at the leaft knew nothing to the contrary, but that they who at prefent ftood by faith, might afterwards be broken off and not continue in God's good nefs ? Or that believers who had a conditional promife of entering into reft might yet fall mort of it ? And hence mull it be alfo evident that they believed and knew nothing of the doclrine of the faints perfeverance to the end. SECTION XI, But ^thly. The fears of the apojlles affift- ed by the fpirit of God, left pious pcrfons fhould mifcarry, add yet a farther ftrerigth to this argument. For, if they, by the dictate of the holy /pint, had declared that God had abfo- Jutely promifed, that men once truly pious, mould perfevere to the end, how could they reafonably exprefs their fears left it fhould be otherwife ; i. e. left God mould fail of the per- formance of his word of promife ? And yet the apojlle jfpeaks to his Corinthians thus, fa) I am jealous of you with agodfy jealoufy ; for I have efpoufed you to one hujband Clirijl ; but I fear Itft as the ferpent beguiled Eve by his fubtilty, fo your minds Jliould be corrupted from the fimpli city that is in Chrijl. In the epiflle to the Galahans he declares, that he was (bj a- Jraid of them left he Jkould have bejlowed among them labor in vain. He declares concerning the Thejfalomans, that they had fcj received the word with much affliction, and yet with joy of the Holy Ghojl, and ?nuch affurancc, not in word only, but in power ; that they had (d) Jliewed the work ofjaith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in Chrijl Jefus, and were the elect of God in whom the word wrought effectually ; and yet he doth exprefs his fears, left (e) Satan JJwuld havetempt- td them fo far as to render all his labors among them vain* He therefore thought them not fecure by the election mention- ed Chap. i. 4. from falling fo as that his labor among them might have been {pent, in vain. (z) i Pet. i. 17, 23.- (a) 2 Cor. xi. i, j, 3. (bj Chap. iv. DC, (c) i Their, i, 3, *. (*) Chap, ii. I3 ; (e) Chap. iii. 5. R R 314 Pirfeverance of Saints. frthly. All cautions directed to good chriftians not to fall away, not to fall from grace, from their own ftedfaftnefs, fo as to loofe their reward, are alfo evidences, and even fuppofi- tions that they may do f o ; arid it cannot reafonahly be con- ceived that the fame Jpirit of wifdom mould abfolutely de- clare they could not fall away, and yet be thus concerned to caution them again ft what he had told them was as impofiible as that God mould fail of performing his promife ; for what we have jufl reafon to caution any man again-ft, muft be fome- thing which may come to pafs, and without his care and dili- gence to prevent it, will in likelihood come to pafs, and when it comes to pafs, will be very dangerous and hurtful to us. Now fu.ch caution Cknfl gives all his difciples in thefe words, (f) take, heed to your/elves left at any time your hearts be over- charged with forfeiting and drunkennefs, and the cares of this life, and that day (of judgment fay mod interpreters) come up- od you unawares ; watch and pray always that ye. may be ac- counted worthy to e/cape ail the/e things, and to Jland before the I on of man. Now fure this care, vigilance and conltant prayer required for this end, mews that without it they were not likely to efcape thefe judgments, and alfo that they might be fubjei to thofe mifcarriages which would render them un- provided for that day, and unable to ftand before the foil of man. To the Corinthians, whom the apojih had reprefented as the temple, of God by virtue of his fpirit dwelling in them, St. Paul fpeaks thus (g) our fathers were, once as dear to God as you chnjiians are, yet many of them fell under the difpleafure oi God, and were overthrown in the wildernefs ; adding, that thefe examples fliould make them careful that they liifled not after evil things as they did. Then he pro- ceeds to fhe\v the judgments of God upon them for their idol~ atry, fornication, unbdi'f zu& murmuring; adding, that thejc things were written for our admonition, that we be not guilty of the like fins, and fo fall under the like judgments ; and then concludes, let him that thinketk he flandeth take heed lejt he Jail. Where it is obfervable, ift. That fornication, idol- atry and unbelief, are by the apojile pronounced things incon- fiitent with a Hale of grace ; for he that doth thefe things, faith he, hath no inheritance in the kingdom of God, or of Chrijl. And yet thefe are the fins he admonifhes them to avoid, and to ..-be careful that they be not overtaken with them. Qttly. Ohferve, that he that thinheth hejlandsmuft. comprehend him that truly thinketh fo, as well as him who miilakes in judg- ing fo ; for the afoflU fpeaks to the whole church of Cor. (f) Luke xxi. 34, 36. (g) i Cor, x. n, 13. Perfeverance of -Saints, 315 among whom there were many truly pious. And therefore the apojlle plainly fuppofes that he who truly flood might tall, and would do fo if he ufed not great diligence to keep his landing; for had not this taking heed been the condition of their {landing ; had they been of the number of thofe who by God's decree or promife infallibly were a flu red of ft and in L; ; this exhortation to take heed muft have been fuperiluous, (ince men can need no admonitions to do that, which God's decree and promife fecnres them they cannot omit, much lefs to do it to prevent what cannot pofiibly befai them. To them who holding the beginning of their confidenc fajl to the end, would have been made partakers of falvatiou by Chnft, St. Paul fpeaks thus ; (h) take heed, brethren, icjl there be in any oj you an evil heart of unbelief, caufmg-you to depart from the living God, and to fall from the reft promifcd to you; fi) look diligently to it Icjl any man jail from the grace of God. So that according to St. Paul's dolnne, they who were in a condition of falvation, may apollatize from the living God, mifs of the reft prepared for them, and fall oil" from the grace and favor of God. The fame apojile declares to his Coloffians, that they were tranjlated from the power of Satan into the kingdom oj the Son of God ; and yet he bids them (k) beware lejt any man jlwuld beguile them (i. e. feduce them from Chrijl) with enticing words; and faith to them whofe fledfailnefs in the faith he then beheld with joy, beware left any man make a prey of you through philojopky and vain deceit, feducing you to walk aj- ter the tradition oj men, ajter the rudiments of the world, and not after Chrift ; (1) let no man beguile you oj your reward by feducing you to the worJJtipping oj angels, and io feducing you irom Chrift your head. So that, in his apprehenfion, they were ftill liable to be ieduced from Chrijl, and fo to fail of their reward. To them who had like precious faith with the apoflles ; St. Peter faith, fm) beware -left being Ud away by the error oj t'ne wicked you jail from your own jted/a]!nejs. Ke therefore did not look upon this as a thing impoihble. Lciflly. St. John faith to the children of the deft lady, ( a ) walking in the truth, and having the truth dwelling \ n them, look to yourfelves that we loojt not the things that we have, wrought ; but that we may receive a juii reward. Whence it doth plainly feem to follow that they who once walked in the. truth as they had received a commandment, Vcr. 4. and had thtiftian charity, Yer. 5. might loofe -thole things which they had wrought. (h) Heb. iii. 12, 13, u. (i) Ch;ir>. xii. i<;. fk) Ci'loff. n. -^ (1) Ver. 18. (m) * Pet. iii. 17. - (a) ^ K\\ V< $16 Perfevcrance cf Saints. SECTION XII.- 6thly. It feems incongruous id imaging that God fhotild make an abfolute promife, 1 that true believers fhould perfevere to the end, and be unfruftrably faved, and yet fufpend their happinefs and reward on this condition that they do perfevere unto the end ; for a conditional proinife rnuil have thefe two requifucs, that it hath in it a power of fufpending the obligations, and that the event exprefTed in it be yet dubious or uncertain till the condition be performed^ Moreover, this is to make his own proinife to be performed on his part or by himfelf, the condition to be performed on their part in order to the obtaining the fame end, and to fuf- pend the end upon his own engagement. And yet this, ac- cording to this hypothecs, mult be done by Chrift himfelf, when after he had faid, that (b) b'tcaufe tribulations do abound, the love of many JJiall wax cold ; he' adds, but he that endures to the end Jhall be Javed ; and when he faid to the church ot Smyrna, (c) be thov. faithful to the death, and I will give thee. a crown of life. This alfo mull be done by i\\tfpirit of God, or by vSt. Paul, afiifled by him, when he faith to the Colojfians, (d) Chriji zuill prefent you holy and unblameable before him, if you con- tinue in the faith rooted and fettled and be not moved away Jrom the hope of the eofpel : And to the believing Jews, (e) you are Chnjfs lioufe, if ye hold f aft the confidence, and the re- joicing of hope to the end; you are made (f) partakers of Chrift, if you continue the beginning of your confidence Jledfaji to the end. Thefe words were plainly directed to the Colojj- lans and Jews to deter them trom wavering in, and departing from the chriftian faith. And is it credible that the apoftle fhould ufe this argument to deter them from thofe fins, and yet declare and require them to believe it was impoMible they fhould do thefe tilings ? And thereby render his own motive wholly ineffectual ? Sure it is irnpoilible to believe that the fame divine wifdom mould fay that God hath abfolutely en- gaged to preferve you from departing from him, or being moved from the hope of the gofpel ; and yet it highly con- cernetb you to fear and to take heed left you depart trom him, or fhould be moved from this hope; that is, it highly doth concern you to tear !eit the God of truth ihould be unfaithtui to his promife. SECTION' XIII. La/l'y. This is apparent from many threats God hath denounced again ft thofe who (hall tali away, and not continue fled fa 11 in their faith ence to the end ; for as a promife made on a condition im- (l) M..ith. sxiv. 12, n. ---- (c) Kcv. ii. 10. (S) Co 1 Perfcverance of Saints. 317 poflible to be performed, fay the civilians , is as none at all, fo is a threat of that which cannot poffibly befal us, becaufe it cannot rationally excite me to dread, and therefore to decline the threatened evil. All rational threats fuppofe the evil to which the punifhment is threatened may be done, and declare fuch punimrnents (hall follow when it is done. Now of thefe threateuings, the moil dreadful are thofe which we have already mentioned ; that it is impofjible to renew them to repentance ; that there, remains no more facrifice for their Jin ; that they draw back to perdition ; and that it 'had been better for them not to have known the zuay of life, than afterwards to depart from the holy commandment. Our Lord tells his dijciples, that fa) if any one abidt not in him, he. is to be caft cut as a withered branch, gathered up, and burnt ; where it is obferv- able, that he fpeaks of that abiding in him, in which if they continued, //e would abide in them, Ver. 4. and they would bring forth much fruit , Ver. 5. He faith to the church of Ephefus, (b) remember whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do tliy firft works ; elfe I will come unto thee quickly, and re- move thy candkjiick oat of its place, if thou repent not. Now would Cfinjt exhort them to return to thofe xvorks which were not the works of a true ckriftian ? Or could this puniihment be infiiclcd, and no foul penfh by it that otherwife might have been faved ? To the church of Pergamos he faith, (c) repent, or I will come unto thee quickly, and fight againjt the* with the Jword of my mouth. To the church of Sardis, fd) remember how thou haft received and heard, and hold f aft and repent, or I will come unto thee as a thief. Now, that he himfell mould threaten what his own decree and promiie had rendered i;:i- poUible, is very difficult to believe. To ftrengthen thefe arguments, let it be ferioufly conlidercd how unlikely it is that all thefe exhortations and commands, thefe cautions, threats and conditional provifions, fhoukl pro- ceed from the fame God who had before made known to the fame perfons his abfolute decree and promiie that, they ihould certainly be preferved to the end; and made it one article of that taith, which is the expectation of thin ^s ti.cpcdjor, the ev- idence of things not feen, that they (hall be infallibly thus pre- ferved : Seeing, according to this doctrine, God mull be iup- pofed to fpeak thus to them. " 1 lay upon you Uriel commands, to hold fqfl till I come, that no man take your reward jrom you, and to keep yoinji-lves in the love of God ; but know that I have abfoluicly engaged v.6. ftj Rev. ii. 5. -(c) Ver. 16. (d) Chap. 3x8 Pcrfcverancc of Saints. for your ftedfaftnefs and perfeverance in my love, and fo have rendered it impofiible that your reward fhould be taken from you. " I frequently, and with fome fecming earneflnefs, exhort you, not to receive the grace of God in vain, to take to your- felves the whole armour of God, that you ?nay be able to jiand in the evil day ; and having done all, to Jland ; to {lability in the faith, and diligence in order to the jull aflurance of hope, that you may make your calling and election fare; but then know it is as fure, and hath been fo from ail eternity, as my decree can make it : You have of this {lability and diligence as full a'lurance of hope, as the promife of that God who cannot lie, can minifter. " I indeed require you to workout v cur falvation with fear and trembling^ and to pafs the time of your fojourning here in fear : And though you do at prefent ftand by faith, and in my favor, to fear left you fliould not continue in my goodnefs, and I mould notfyare \cu ; yea, to fear left you jhould fail fliort of that reft which I have prcmijed to believers ; but then know that all this is fear where no fear is, and in eflfeft to fear left my abfolute decrees fliould be made fru (irate, or my promife fail. " My Apqftlcs indeed, out of their great affeclion to you, feem jealous lejl you Jlwuld be corrupted Jrcm the Jimplicity that is in Chrijl, or that//2ezr labor Jhould be in vain among you; but fince they write thus to you, knowing your eleclion of God, you may be fure their fears proceeded not from their judgment, but affeclion only. " 1 alfo give you many caution?, left the tremendous day iliould come upon you unawares, to take heed left you jail from r.'iy grace, and favor, and fail of your reward ; but who Jliall jet>arateyoujrom the. love oj God, which hath chofen you to falvation from all eternity, and hath engaged infruftrabiy to confer it on you, {ince he is faithful that hath pr&mifed ? *' 1 do indeed, in words, fufpend your falvation, and your crown of life, on being foithful to the death, and enduring to the end, and on holding your confidence and hope cf rejoicing Jledfajl to the end ; but be not troubled or concerned for that, for I require nothing OE you but what I Hand myfclf engaged to perform for, and work in you ; and fo you are as fare of this falvation, as if 1 had engaged for it without thefe, conditions. '" 1, Li/Hy, have threatened in,it if true penitents, and men who live by faith, ami have obtained remillion of their fins, fiq fail away, there remains no more /aerifies for their Jin^ nor fhall my foul r uif in th'.m ; bur. tb.cn 1 llkii:d en- Perfeverance of Saints. 319 traged by my decree and promife that they (hall not thus fall away, and fo I have fecured them from thofe fears." SECTION -XIV. Laftly. This follows from many places, which plainly do fuppofe, that Saints, or true believers, or men once truly good, may ceafe to be fo. And, \ft. Tliis is fuppofed in that metaphor in which our Lord cornpareth his difciples to fait, faying, f&jys are. the [alt of the world, but if the fait hath loft its favor, therewith Jliall it be faltcd ? It is thenceforth good jor nothing but to be cajl out, and trodden under Joot of men ; for fure good Jalt mult fignify good men, the Jalt of the earth, fuch men as by the purity of their doclrine, and by the favor of their good con- verfation, are to purify the world from that corruption in which it lies : Nor can this fait lofe its favor, and become good for nothing, but by ceafing to be good fait, and unfit for thefe ufes any longer. zdly. Such alfo is the fimilitude in which our Lord faith, that (J) as a piece of new cloth is not to be put to an old gar- ment, left the rent be made, worfe ; nor new wine into old bot~ ties, left the bottles bur ft ; fo his young difciples mufl not prefently be. put upon fevere duties, left they mould be dif- couraged, and fall off from him. Such, %dly. Is that commination againft them who {hall offend one oj Chrift's little ones believing in him, viz. that (g) it were better for him that a millftone were hanged about his neck, and he cajl into the midft oj the Jea ; where that to offend one of thofe little ones, is to occafion his ruin, and falling off from, the faith by the Jcandal which we lay before him, hath been proved in the note there, from the import of the words axav- a?J s lejt the righteous put iS forth their hands unto ini- quity; for thefe words feem plainly to infmuate, that great and long oppreffions might have this effett upon them ; and furely that which God is thus Careful to prevent, might pof- fibly befal the righteous, there being no need of care to pre- vent that which he abfolutely hath engaged to preferve them from. CHAPTER III Containing an Anfioer to thofe Texts of Scripture 'which are produced to prove, that true Saints cannot fall jinally from Grace, but will ajfuredly p erf evert to the End. JTlAVING thus proved the poflibility, that perfons truly regenerate may fall from grace, and fo eternally mifcarry ; I proceed to anfwer the objections offered to the contrary, from icripture, and from reafon. Some of the arguments produced from fcripture need very little anfwer, as being wholly alien from the purpofc. As, v. g. ijt. That paflage of St. John, fk) Ckrifl having loved his t which were in the worjd, he loved then to the end. tor (1) Pfal. cxxv. s.ft* John xiii. i. Pcrfcverance of Saints. 321 thefe words only fignify, that he loved them to the clofe of: his lite, and (hewed this affection to them by wafhing their feet when he was to leave them. This paffage therefore can af- ford no argument to prove that the regenerate cannot fall a- way, becaufe Chrift fpeaks not of them whom he had chofeu to eternal life, but of them only whom he had chofen to be his apqjiles, Chap. xv. 19. not of his love of them to the end of their lives, but of his own life on earth. zdly. Of like irnpertinency is that other paflage, (I) thofe whom tkou haft given me. have I kept, and none of them is Ipjj, but the [on of perdition. For (ift.) That this was fpoken on- ly of the twelve apo files is evident from the whole context, and fo there rs no reafon to extend it to all true believers, (zdly.) The very next chapter {hews that this was fpoken of their prefervation from temporal death ; Chrift. reque fling that his difciplts might be permitted to go away when he was apprehended, that this faying of his might be fulfilled, John xviii. 8. And (%dly.) This paflage taken in the fenfe of the objeclors, is rather an argument that fome of them who were given by God to Chrijl may perifh, becaufe it is aflirmed that one of them who were thus given to Chrijl did fo. Such, 3^/y. Is that paffage cited from Rom. xi. 29. that the gifts and callings of God are without repentance ; this being evi- dently fpoken of thofe Jews who were then hardened, given up to a fpiritual {lumber, broken of from their own olive tree^ .arid in that ftate of infidelity in which they have continued almoft 1700 years, and only intimates that God will in his good time receive them again into his favor. The arguments which feem to have a greater force in. them,' are taken either from thofe fcriptures which feem plainly, or by juft confequence, to afTert this doftrine, or elfe to promife this perfeverance of the Saints. SECTION I. Argument!. And (ift.J If the cleft cannot be feduced, or deceived, they cannot fall away ; but that they cannot be thus deceived, Chrift plainly Teems to in- timate in thefe words, (m) falfe Chrift s and falfe prophets Jhall arife, who Jhall deceive, if it were pqffible, tlie very elett. But that this text proves not that the cleft can never fall away, is evident, Anfwer i. (ift.) Becaufe Chrijl fo folemnly exhorts them to ufe the greateft caution, that they be not feduced by thefe men, faying, Ver. 4, 5. Let no man deceive you , for manyflialL come in my name, faying, I am Chrift and-jnall deceive many ; and Ver. 23. If they fay here, and there is Chrift, believe them not ; for many falfe Chrifts 9 and falfe prophets Jhall arij'e t (I ') John xvii. 12. (m.) Matth, xxiv. 24. Ss 322 Ptrf entrance of Saints. deceive ike elttl ; look ye therefore to it, behold I have foretold you all things, Mark xiii. 22, 23. Now is it fuitabie to the wifdorn of our Lord to exhort his difciples to ufe fo great diligence and caution, left th?y fhould be deceived by thofe men, and at the fame time to a flu re them it was utterly impof- fible they mould be deceived ? Moreover I afk to whom doth he direct this exhortation to the eltcl 9 Then mu ft he do it to them who could not poflibly be deceived, and fo his words muft bear this uncouth fenfe, be very careful, left ye be deceiv- ed by theft men^for I affure you, it is abfolattly impojjible they Jhould elective you. Or was he thus concerned only for rep- robates ? And why then did he decree they mould be from ail eternity, and never mould have grace effectual, or fufficient to preferve them from the wiles of Satan ? 2t//v. In the fame chapter, our Lord exhorts them to fee. to it, to (n) watch and pray, leil the day of affliction, the hour of temptation, coming fuddenly upon them, JJwuld find them Jlecpwg ; and left their hearts JJiould be overcharged with fur- jkitin*s and drunkenmfs, and that day Jhould come upon thtm unawares ; to watch and pray that they may be counted wor- thy to efcape all theft things. Now are thefe fuppofitions which can agree to men who cannot poflibly be found Jleep- ing in this fpiritual fenfe, on whom the ' Chrijl here declares, that bv reafon of the extreme affliction of thofe times many JJwuld be offended ; that is, fho ft Id fall off from the faith. See the note on Matth. xviii. 6. and adds, that beiaufe iniquity Jhall abound the love of many Jliail wax cold, but he that endures to the end fliall be faved, Ver. 12, 13. where, that Chri/i fpeaks net only of an hypo- critical outward affection to him, may be gathered from his flyling it not pretence, but love ; his fuppofition that it was fervent love, tor what was never hot, cannot wax cold ; yea, fuch love in which had they endured, they would have cer- tainly been fayed ; and yet he doth not only intimate, that fome would not continue in this love to the eird, but plainly cloth toretel, that it in many would, wax cold. To anfwe* fnj Mark xiii. 33, 55, 3$. Luke xxi, 34? 36. Perjeverance of Saints. 323 therefore direclly to the argument urged from this text, I fay, Anfwer 2. ifl. That the phrafe el ouvzrw, if it be pqffible-^ if it may he, doth rot denote an ahfolute impoffibility, but only a great difficulty in the performance of an aO pofhble. So A6ls xx. 16. Paul kaftened, E\ tMvarov WJJ, ij it were poj- fible for him, to be at Jerujalem before Pentacoj} ; and yet fure he made not all this hafte to do what was impullible. The apofile commands us, si o^varov, if it be pojtble, as much as in us lieth, to have peace with all men, Rom. xii. 18. and yet doth not exhort us to uie our utmoft endeavors to do what was impoflible. Ei &/varov, if it be pojjible, faith Chrifl, Uf this cup pafs from we, Matth. xxvi. 39. and yet he adds, all things are poffible to thee, Father, -Mark xiv, 35, 36. And hence the phrafe is changed by St. Lukt into EJ I-HASI, if-thotv willejl. Now that the deceiving of chriflians in thole times of miraculous endowments was very difficult, is evident ironi that fpeech of Galen concerning a thing hardly feafible, birrov rls TW awo X/JifS y^ ra$diaLZ.i J Jboner may a c'hriftian be turned from Chrift. zd/y. This phrafe imports not what the event would be upon the elec~r, but the veheraency of the endeavors of fedu- cers, that they would do the utmofl. they could to feduce the chriflian from his ftedfaflnefs ; and this is evident from the words of St. 'h'lark, (a) they will JJiew ftgns and wonders, is fa TO *tsa&\os;V9 E! ^varov, to deceive, if they are able, the elect., Now to fay fuch a one will do you a mifchief if he can, is finely no fecurity that he will do you none. And, %aly. Should this phrafe refpeci the event, it may do it not absolutely, but only with relation to the means. here mentioned ; i. e. they jh&U Jhew figns and wonders which lhall prevail to feduce Jews, Samaritans and Heathens and even cfafiftzans, were it poflible for impo/hrs by lying Jigns and wonders, to deceive them who are invefted with a power of working great- er figns and wonders by the am* fiance* of the holy ghoil, and will attend to the things wrought among them, or by them. SECTION II. ObJMon 2'. It isffy the will of the father, tltat every one that be.lieveth in Chri/i, and is given to iiun. h- y God, Jliould not penjh, but have ever la fling life : But this he cannot have, unlefs he perfevere to the end; therefoie every true believer fliall thus perfevere. Anjwer. Now in anfwerto this, and to all other promifes, or declarations ot like nature, which engage that God will give eternal life to the believer, I fay that nothing is more certain than that they aie only to be understood of inch a faith ,-- f'ij Mark xiii, 22. (b) John vi. 324 Perjevtrance of Saints. doth endur^ to the end, and fo includeth perfeverance in it,, Matth. xxiv. 13. For either thefe promifes are made to tem- porary believers, which is dif owned in the objection, and is contrary to the tenor of thejcrifture, and makes the promifes of eternal life, and the threats of perdition belong to the fame perfons ; or elfe they belong only to fuch as do continue in the faith, and then it is demonftratively evident that perfever- ance is included in them, and therefore cannot be proved from them without begging the queftion. JReply. If it be ("aid that the promife of eternal life being made to the believer, argues that they who fall away were never true believers ; Anfwer. To this I anfwer, (\fl.J That they are as exprefsly flyled true believers as others are. The little ones who are fuppofed fuch as may be offended, and perifh, are thofe that believe in C/irift, Matth. xviii. 6, 14. Thofe reprefented by the ftony ground aVe fuch as for a while believe and their only fault is, that afterwards they are of ended, and Jail away from this faith. So the weak injaith who may perifh through the icandal of the ftrong, have a true, though a weak raith ; fuch a one is Ckrift'sjervant, Rom. xiv. 14. one for whom Chrift, died, Ver. xv. i Cor. viii. 1 1. and his faith is the work of God, Rom. xiv. 20. among the Samaritans many believed in Chrift John iv. 39, 42, and yet they all fell off from him to Simon Magus, Arts viii. i. and many of thofe Myriads of Jews that believed, Afts xxi. 20. fell away afterwards, as hath been proved already. Now what ground hath any man to fay, that the word believers doth not bear the : fame fenfe, when it is tffeci of fuch perfons, as when it is ufed of thofe who do not fall away P That they believe only for a time, that they are not ftedfaft and rooted in the faith, who are after moved away from the hope of the goj'pd, is faid by the fpirit of God; but that they did not truly believe as well as others, is never faid. * zdly. That this faith, as to its kind, is true, is evident from this confideration, that Chrift and his apoftles require fuch psrfons not to change it, but only to continue in it ; not to Dclieve with a faith, true and real as "to kind, but to be iled- faft in the 'faith they had already. Thus when the Jews believed in Chrift, "Jejus faid to thofe that believed on him, if you continue in my word, then are ye my di/cipks indeed, John viii. 30. i. r.:..ile--.i to believers on their ecu- Perfcvcrance of Saints. 325 iinuancein the faith (it being certain that no fuch benefits can belong to them which continue in a falfe faith) as, v. g. Ye Jliall beprefenttd blamelefs, (b) if ye. continue in the faith root- ed and grounded, and be not moved away from the hope oj the gofpd. (c) They jhall be faved if they continue in faith, (d) Ye are Chrift's houfe, if ye hold your rejoicing of hope firm to the end. (e) Ye are made partakers of Chnfl, if ye hold the beginning of your confidence jledfaji to the end. (f) If that which ye have heard from the beginning, abide in you, yefliall continue in the Son, and in the Father ; thou Jlandejl by faith, if thou continue in his goodnefs. And, 4^/z/y. It enervates all the exhortations of the Holy Spirit to hope to the end, i Pet. i. 13. to be Jledfajl in the faith, i Cor. xv. ^58. i Pet. v. 9. and to take heed that we fall not from our Jledfajl nefs, 2 Pet. iii. 17. and all the declarations of the fcripture : That fg) we muji be faithful to the death, that zee may inherit eternal life ; (h) we muji endure to the end, that we may be faved ; and that (i) if the jujl man who lives by faith draw back, God's foul will have no pleajure in him ; for if he that hath true faith and hope muft believe and hope to the end, he cannot fall from his ftedfaftnefs, and fo thefe ex- hortations muft be needlefs ; the fuppofition that he may draw lack to perdition muft be falfe ; and he that is once faithful muft be fo unto the death. In a word, the only difltincliqn betwixt a living and dead faith is this, that the firft is fruitful in good works, the fecond is faith without works ; fo that as long as faith is attended with the good works required of the faithful, the man lives by faith ; and when it ceafeth to do fo, his faith is dead. Nor is there any other difference betwixt temporary and faving faith but this, that the temporary be- liever is (k) moved, and falls away from his faith and hope, and (I) holds not the beginning of his confidence firm to the end, as the other doth, as is demon ftrable from this, that the only fault of the man that believes only for a time is this, that he after Jails away, and when pcrfecution or temptations do a- rife, he is offended ; and the only thing that renders the faith of the other faying, i3D before all ih: people that are on the face oj the earth, Deut. vii. 6. x. 16. now to be chofen, and to be known of God, are the fame thing m fcnpture, and therefore the phrafe is eifewhere vari- ed thus, you have I known, Michol, bejore all the fa?nilies oj the earth, Amos iii. 2. And thofe words of Hojea, Chap. xi. 12. Judah yet ruleth with the Lord, and is Jaithjul with the. Jaints, are by the Septuagint thus rendered, xal 'ibo vvv syvcn duTMS 6 9zo$ xai o Xauy u. r /io$ KKf^ffsfxt T;J 6s a?, as for Judah now God hath known them, and he Jliall be called the holy people of God : So that the people whom he foreknew, may be here on- ly a Periphrafis of the Jewijli nation, as will be evident (ijtj from this consideration that thefe words, HX. d-auffxro 6 6s 5- TOV Xaov du~H, the Lord hath not caft off his people, are plainly cited from Ffal. xciv. 14. xcv. 3. in both which places they are fpoken of the whole Jewifli nation, and therefore it is reafonable to conceive that the words added to them by the apojlle muft relate to the fame people, efpecially if we confid- er that the whole argument of the apoftle here confirms this^ interpretation ; for (tJL) He proves that God had not cajl off his people, utterly, and without exception, becaufe he was an Ifraelite. vdly. Pie confirms this from what the fcnpture faith in the hiftory of Julias, complaining ol a revolt fo gen- eral, that he only feemed to be left among them who adhered to him ,; and receiving this anfw.er from God, that they were not all revolted from God ^ he fuppofed, he having referved .7000 perfons who had not boiled ike knee to Baal, and thence concluding, that fo it was now with the fame people, there being now a remnant of then that believed according to that eMlion of gra.it ^ which hath cliolVn them to be members of :he bfon k oi Ch v :fl. And %dly\ 'ihc r.!>::!icn, faith he, hath of Saints. 327 obtained, but the re/I were blinded, Ver. 7. Who fees not now that all this is fpoken ot God's people Ifrael, and confe- quently that the people whom he foreknew mud fignify that very people ? S p. e T i o N IV. Objection 4. Whom God juftifies, them he alfo glorifies, Rom. viii. 29. And therefore they who are once juftified can never fall from grace, becaufe they cannot fail of glory ; and becaufe nothing can Jtpafdti them from the love, of God which is in Cfirifl Jefus. Ver. 35. Anfwer i. To this argument I have returned one fatisfac- torv anfwer when I difcourfed of this text under the head of (a) tleElion, viz. that all the fufferings of thofe who loved God, and were called according to his purpofe of making them fons of God, and joint heirs with Chrift, fhall work together for their good, In y wposyvo;, for whom he thus foreknew, he pre- deftinated to be conformed to the image of his fon, i. e. to be like him infufferings, ver. 17. 2 Tim. ii. 1 1. whofufferedjirft, then entered into his glory, leaving them an example thai they fnoiild follow his [pint, i. Pet. ii. 21. and whom he thus fore- appointed to fufferings, i ThefT. iii. 3. he in due times called to differ ; and whom he thus called, upon their faith and pa- tience under their fufferings, for his fake, he juftified, i. e. he approved of them as faithtul fervants to their Lord, and after- ward gave them a glorious reward of all their fufferings, they having through faith and patience, inherited thepromifes, Heb, vi. 12. or he made them glorious under fufferings by the fpir- it of glory and of God retting on them, and rendering them happy fufferers, i Pet. iv. 14. This interpretation I have there confirmed, and if it ftand good, it affords a double an- fwer to this argument, viz. that to be juftified here, doth not import to have their paft fins pardoned, but to be approved of God as patient fufferers. zdly. That upon their being faith- ful to the death, he hath given them the crown of life. Anfwer 2. zdly. The word goaffs, he hath glorified them., upon the fenfe of which the whole ftrength of this argument depends, is by the fathers thus interpreted, he hath made them glorious, by giving them his holy fpirit, to enable them to work the greatejl miracles, and to endow them with j'piritual gifts^ and all thofe chriflian virtues which are the fruits of the fpir- it, and to be to them an earned and confirmation of that future glory he hath prornifed to them ; and according to this fenfe of the word, it is evident that this argument is of no force, as being wholly built upon a falfe fenfe of this word. Now according to this interpretation the import of thefe Words is thi, all things Jhall work together for good to (a) AnJtVer to Argument 3* 328 Perfeverance of Saint*. that love God', to tlit called according to his purpofe of bring- ing ions to glory by Ckrift Jfas, on *s rafoc'yvw, for whom he hath thus foreknown, i. e. hath chofen for his church and people now, as he did the Jews of old, them he predeflinated or foreappointed to be conformed to the image of his fon, their elder brother, that is to be Jons of God, and joint heirs with Chrifl ; and the method he ufed to bring them to this adop- tion was this, fift.J To call them to the faith uiChrift ; zdly. To juftify them upon their cordial embracing of this faith from their paft fins, fo that there might be no conde?nnation to them being m.ChriJi J&fitf, Rom. viii. i. and %dly. To render them a gloriou-s people by the holy Jpirit given to them, be- caufe they are fons, as an earned, of their future glory, To confirm this interpretation let it be noted,. ifl. That the connective particle, on, ver. 29. mews that the words following are introduced as a proof of the preced- ing words, all things fliall work together for good to them that love God, that are called according to his purpofe ; for whom he foreknew. Note, zdly. That this whole proof refers not to any thing yet to tome relating to the perfons called according to his purp&fe, but to the time paft, and what hath been done for them alrea- dy ; for the words are whom he hath foreknown, he hath pre- dejiinated, he hath called, he hath glorified. Note, ^dly. That, $ rarpotjyva;, whom he hath foreknown, doth not relate to God's knowledge of thefe perfons from all eternity, but to his affectionate knowledge of chriflians as his church, his chofen generation, his peculiar people, i Pet. ii. o. as the Jews are ftyled, Chap. xi. 2. See the anfwer to the forego- ing objection. Thefe who are thus converted and become his peculiar people before, and above other nations, are faid to be known of God in a peculiar manner, and with an affectionate knowledge ; as in thefe words, i Cor. viii. 3. If any man love God, he is known of God. Gal. iv. 8. But now that ye know God, or rather are known of God 2 Tim. ii. 19. The Lord knoweth who are his. Thefe things being thus noted, I con- ceive the fenfe of the whole to be this ; all thefe affliciing things Jhall work together for good to them that are called ac- cording to his purpofe ; for thole whom he hath fo foreknown, as to make them, yaws s'jtXetrov, his elec~l, and his peculiar peo- ple before others ; for them he hath defigned the choiceft bleifings, even the adoption of fons, and their being coheirs with Chrift, and in order to this it is. that he hath chofen them out of the world to be his church, an holy nation, and a pecul- iar people to himjdf, and hath juilificd them, or given them a full remiffion of their fins, and hath already made them glo- rious by Cva&ngtkejfirit of glory and of God to rejl upon thtm'j Per] "entrance of Saints. 329 he hath made them all glorious within by adorning them with the fruits of the holy fpirit, he hath made them glorious in the fight of the world by giving them thofe gifts and powers of the Holy Ghojl which caufe men highly to efleem of them, and to glorify God in their behalf, he hath hereby conformed them already in a great meafure to the image of his fon ; for they with open face as in a glafs, beholding the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, with him, from his glory to glory derived upon them by the fpirit of the Lord, 2, Cor. iii. 18. To proceed to anfwer the fecond part of the objection from thofe words, who Jhall feparate us jrom the love of Chrift, or the love of God in Chrift Jefus ? Note ift. That this inquiry is not who fhall feparate us from the love with which we love God or Chrift ; but who fhall feparate us who love God, and teftify that/0z/<> by keep- ing his commandments, John xv. 10. from his affeclion to- wards us. The apoftle therefore only intimates that fuch per- fons continuing in the love of God, (hall be preferved by him from the temptations here mentioned, and fo fupported by his grace and fpirit, as to be able to bear them ; but he doth not fay the love of no chriftian mail wax cold, Matth. xxiv. 12. That none of them mail lofe his firji lave, Rev. ii. 6. Were there no caufe to fear this, why doth Chrift exhort his difci- ples to abide in his love, John xv. 9. and his apo/llcs exhort others ta keep themfelves in the love of God, Jud. xxi. to look dilligently to it that they fall not from the grace and favor of God, Heb. xii. 15. and to continue in the grace of God, A6~ts xiii. 43. zdly. I anfwer that the apoflle doth not fay that nothing can feparate true believers from the love of God or Chrift ; but. only declares his perfuafion that nothing would do it, or that they had no caufe to fear thefe things, or to be fliaken from their ftedfaftnefs in expectation of thofe ineftimable bleffings God had promifed to, and Chrift had purchafed for diem, by any of thefe tribulations, thefe light affliclions being not wor- thy to be compared with the glory that Jhall be revealed, Ver, 18. And they having good ground to hope that all the evils they fhall bear fhall conduce to their good, that Chrift will ftiil be ready to fupport them under them by his power, and to help their infirmities by his fpirit, and at laft give them the fflory prepared for the fons of God ; he might well perfuade himfelf they fliould not feparate them from the love of God. The apojlle therefore doth not by thefe words intend to teach believers that they could not be Oiaken by any of thefe things ; for that would have contradicted the drift ot all his cpiftles^ \n .which he doth fo oft exprefs his fears- left they Ihould be TT g30 Pcrfeverancc of Saints. en with them, and fo far tempted by them as lobe moved from the hope of the gofpel, and render all his labor vain, and offers fo many arguments and motives to prevent this effect of thefe temptations ; but only doth intend to fay, that from thefe conliderations, they had fo great inducements to perfe- vere and continue Jledfaft in the love of God, as gave him a ilrong ground of perfuafion that they Would do fo. SECTION V. ObjeBion 5. If true believers have that fpirit of God whojeals them up to the day of redemption^ Eph. iv. 30. and is the earnejl m their hearts of the inherit- ance of lije^ 2 Cor. i. 21, 22. Eph. i. 13. then all who are once the fons of God, and therefore have the fpirit of God dwelling in them, mull be aifured that they {hall enjoy this in- heritance ; but true believers have this fpirit of God ; for be- cauft they are fons, God hath Jent the fpirit of hit Jon into their hearts, Gal. iv. 6. Anfwtr i. That thefe Metaphors neither do, nor can fignify that they who have once the [pint can never lofe him, or caufe him to depart from them, is evident from thefe confidera- tions. \Jl. That they who have been the temples of God, by virtue of his fpirit dwelling in them, may fo corrupt this temple as to be themfelves deftroyed as is demonflrable from thefe words of St. Paul to the Corinthians, (b) know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the fpirit of God dwelleth in you ? If any man defile the temple of God, him willGod dejlroy ; for the temple of the Lord is holy, luhich temple ye are. See the note there. He adds, that they whofe bodies are (c) the members ofChriJl, and who are one fpirit with him, may make thefe 'bodies the member of an Harlot, and may defile that body with fornication, which is the temple of the Holy Ghojl, and fo may deprive themfelves of their interefi in Ckrift's king- dom ; for (d)nofornicatorjhall inherit the kingdom of God. So certain is that of Hilary, that membra adhzerentia meretri- ci, defmunt efle membra Chrifti, they who are guilty of forni- cation, ceaj'e to be the members of Chrijl, and fo agreeable to all fe) antiquity, who generally teach that God dwelling in us by his fpirit may be provoked to quit his habitation ; and that he whofe body is the temple oj the Lord by virtue of hisjpint (b) i Cor. iii. 16, 17. (c) Chap. yi. 15, 19. (d) Ver. 9. 19. ( e ) Cum omnes Templum iimus Dei, illato in nos et confecrato Spi- ritu Sancto, ejus Templi ncditua et Antiftita pudicitia eft, quse nihil im- mundum, nee profanum inferri finat, ne Deus ille qui mhabitat in- uuinatam feed em offenfus derelinquat. Tertul. de cuhu fcem. 1. 2. c. i. liTrti^ 'a,y\<&> Efiii o vocoq yoi' EP^WK rlv Efoixypra. w ^vara* tat o wop' k'at; &es. Oecum. in locum. Toiya^v b wog Ktt&u elvat ay^ iwetSn fo vaof EiKzt K,xx\irsv i&M$iti / &' Tt? ayu* l ovl& ctvlli TT*^]O{. Tbeoph. in. hcum, Perfiverance of Saints. 331 dwelling in him, may defile that temple, to his own ruin, and caufe the holy fpirit to depart from it. And, idly. This is farther evident from the apojllz s fears that Satan might fo far have tempted his Tktffalonians as to render (f) all his labor vain among them ; for he acknowl- edges that thefe Thejfalonians had fgj received the word with much affliclion, and yet with the joy of the Holy Ghojl ; that they received it not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghojl, and in much ajfurance ; that they had (hewed fhj the work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in Chriji Jejus, and were the eleft of God in whom the word wrought eff'tclually. They therefore had affuredly received the fpirit of God, and yet he fears they might fo fall away as to render his labor among them vain, and therefore fo as to caufe this holy fpirit to depart from them. And, %dly. This is. farther evident from the exhortations in thcfe epiftles, directed to thofe men who are faid to have this feal, and earned of the holy fpirit ; for to the Corinthians thus fealed the apoflle fends this exhortation, (i) I beftech you that you do not receive the grace of God in vain, plainly fuppofing that this might be done : He adds, that he was (j) jealous, over them, left having efpoufed them to one hujband, Chriji t their minds Jhould be corrupted from the fimplicity that is in Chrift ; and doth exprefs his fears left he mould (k) bewail many who had Jinned already by uncleannefs, fornication and lafcivioufnefs ; i. e. by fins which did corrupt the temple oi God, which made the members of Chrift the members of an harlot, and excluded them from the kingdom of God and had not repented oj thofe fins. Again in that epillle to the Ebhejians, in which the apoflle faith, they were fealed with the fpirit of promife, *and made an habitation of God through the Jfirit; he exhorts them to a- void all fornication, uncleannejs and covetoufnefs, as knowing that \\Qfornicator, unclean or covetous per/on hath any inher- itance in the kingdom oj Chriji, and of God; and therefore no fuch perfon can have the Jfirit of God abiding in him. (I) Let no man, faith he, deceive you with vain words ; for becaiife of thefe things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of di [obedience. Now if this fealing, this earneft of the fpint % had absolutely fecured them from thefe fins, and from thQ wrath of God, due to as many as are guilty of them ; why is he fo concerned to deter them from them ? And to e>;hort ; them not to be fo deceived as to fall under this wrath ? Such cautions naturally tending to exprefs the danger men lie under (f) i Their. Hi. 5. (g) Chap. i. 4, ;. vi. 3. (k) Clnp. ii. 13. - (i) Chap. vi. i. (j) Chap. xi. 3.- -( kj Ch?p. v.i- 3p, 21. (1) Chap. v. 3, 6. 33 2 Perfeverance of Saints. of the judgment threatened. Yea, why doth he defire that (m) they faint not at his tribulations ; and exhort them to (n) put on the whole armor of God that they may be able te withftand (the temptations which might befal them) in the evil day, and having done all to ftand, if he thought them abfo- lutely fecure horn fainting or falling in that day ? Anfwer. 2. Thefe expreflions therefore cannot be defigned to teach us that they who have once received the holy fpirit cannot qutnck him, or grieve him fo as to caufe him to depart from then), that being the natural confequence ot grieving him, as hath been fhewed in the note there ; but only to in- form us that the holy f pit it vouchfafed to Chrift's church and members, gave them a juft affurance of the truth of chrijlian faith, and confequently of the farther blefiings Chrijl had proraifed to his faithful perfevering fervants in the world to cofine. To give a true account of this, corifider that chriflian- ity, when it firil came into the world, required of all who fhould embrace it, the duties of felfdenial, taking up the crofs, aqd being faithful to the death, and the encouragements it gave them to perform all this was only the promife ot the holy fpirit to be with them, and be their comforter at prefent, and the promife of eternal life hereafter. Now that thrift made good to them this firft promife, and that the primitive chriflians were plentifully, and wonderfully endowed with the gifts and graces of the holy fpirit, is fully evident from the epijllcs and ads of the apofiles, and hath been fully proved in the preface to them both and by the vouchfafement of this fpirit they are faid to have an earneft of their future inheritance, and to be fealed up to the day of redemption, they through this fpirit (oj groaning for the redemption of the body, and knowing that (p) if this earthly tabernacle were diffolved^ they had a building mads without hands eternal in the heavens. Whence it is evi- dent that they who had thefe firft fruits of the fpirit, had there- upon an argument to fatisfy them of the future bleflings prom- ifed to them ; and hence they by this fpirit are faid to have the earnejl of their future inheritance, and to be fealed up to the day of redemption. SECTI o N VI. Objection 6. Whereas fome from thefe words, (q) 'the foundation of Godjlandeth fure, the Lord knoweth who are his, argue thus, that the foundation of God is his eleftion ; and that though the faith of fome be overthrown, yet the Lord knoweth his e!et ; and will not fuffer their faith to be fo : 1 anfwer, Anfwer. That this argument depends upon two fuppofitions already proved to be falie, viz. (iJL) .That the foundation of (m) Chap. iii. 13. (*) Chap, vi. 14. foj Rom. viii, 23. fj. 2 Cer. v. i, 5. (q) 2 Tim. ii. iB, J9 . P erf ever ance of Saints. 333 God is his election ; whereas it is indeed the doftrine, and promife of a blefled refurreftion, denied by Hymenaus and Philetus. zdly. That God's knowledge of his, is his knowl- edge of his cleft ; whereas in truth it only fignifies that the Lord knoweth and approves of them who are commifiionated to preach his do&rine to the world, or that he loves his faith- ful fervants. See this proved in the difcourfe of election in the anfwer to the fourth obje&iori. SECTION VII. Objedion 7. They whtt are kept by the. power of God through faith to falvation cannot fall away; but all the faithful are fo kept, i Pet. i. 5. Anfwer. To this 1 anfwer, (ift.J That this place only proves that all who are preferved to falvation are fo kept by the pow- er of God ; but not that all believers are fo kept. zdly. It proves only that they are kept through faith , i. e. if they con- tinue in the faith rooted and grounded, and are not removed from the hope of the gofpel, Col. i. 23. If they hold the begin- ning of their confidence Jledfaji to the end, Heb. iii. 14. For this faith being the ftedfaft expectation of things hoped for ; the evidence of things not feen, will render us victorious over the world, i John v. 4. Enable us to refift the temptations of the devil, i Pet. v. 9. To prefer affliction with the people of God before the pleajures of Jin for a feafon, Heb. xi. 25. 26. And even tofujfer death, not accepting a deliverance, in expec- tation oj a better refurreclion, Ver. 35. And, laftly, This faith engageth the power of God in our prefervation, and fo caufeth us out of weaknefs to be jlrong, Ver. 34. But this place proves not that they {hall certainly continue in the faith. SECTION VIII. Objedion 8. If they who fall away were never truly faithful, they who are truly fo can never fall away ; but the firft is proved from thefe words of St. John, They went out from us, but they were not all of us ; for had they been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, &c. i John ii. 19. Anfwer. To this I anfwer, that the whole force of this argu- ment depends upon thefe things ; i. That to be of us is to be elefted, truly juitified and fmcere believers. 2. Not to be of us is never to have been elected, or fincerely chriftians.- 3. That to go out from them is to renounce the church of Chrijl, fo as only reprobates could do. 4, That to abide with them was to continue faithful and fincere chriftians ; all which things are uncertain, if not plainly falfe : For that thefe words, they were not of us, cannot fignify they were not of the num- ber of the ele6t, but only they were not of the church in gen- eral, and of the mind of the apoJiUs, and the church that ad- hered to them, is evident from this ; that from them they went put, and with them (hey might have remained : Whereas they 334 Ptrfewrance of Saints, could not go out from the cleft only who are not vifible ; nor could they have remained with them who were never of them. zdly. Their going out from them for a feafon was no certain argument that they were not of the cleft, fince it is confefTed they may fall totally, though not finally. Anfwer 2. 2.dly. The true fenfe of the words feems plainly to be this, thefe antichrijls or deceivers went out from us of Judea; for fome, xareXOovTe* oltzo TYIS IttSzixf, ( r ) going out from Judea taught the brethren that except they were encum- cifed after the manner of Mojes, they could not be faved. They went out alfo from the apojiles ; for fjj we have heard, fay they, that nvls E ^/otv l^g^flovTsr, fome going out from us have troubled yc>u with words, perverting your foul, faying that ye ought to be circumcifed and keep the law. The per- fons who taught thefe doftrines are ftyled, (t) Jalfe brethren, falfe apojiles, deceitful workers, minijiers of Satan, dogs, evil workers, the concijion. Their doclrine tended to the fubver- fion of fouls, to the corrupting and turning mens' minds from the fimplicity that is in Chrijl t to hinder the truth of the gof- pel from continuing with them, to make Ckrifl die in vain, to caufe chrijlians to fall from grace, fo that Chrijl flwuld profit them nothing, fo that they were falfe prophets, falje apojiles and antichrijls in the word of fenfes. And by their going out from the apo/lles and churches of Judea to preach this deftruftive doftrine, to the Gentiles, which both the church of Judea and the apojiles afTembled for that ptirpofe, flatly dif- owned and cenfured, it fufficiently appeared that all the preach- ers of thefe doctrines were not of them ; thefe therefore muft be fome ot thofe many antichrijls which the apojlle writing to the Jews here fpeaks of, and they alfo divided and feparated from the church, and became heretics under the names of Ce. rmthians, Nazareens and Lb-ionites, and their herefy prevailed in Afia M. where St. John's province was. 2 Tim. i. 15. Objection 9. He that cannot fin, and that for a perpetual reafon, cannot fall away and perifh by fin ; but every one that is born oj Godjinneth not ; Jor his feed abideth in him, neither can he Jin, becaufe he is born of God. i John iii. 9. Artfwer i. That thefe words cannot be intended to fignify that he who is born of the Jpirit and the word can never fall from that ftate, is evident partly becaufe it hath been proved already that the holy Jpirit may depart, and quit his habitation, and fo he who was once born of the fpirit may ceafe to be fo, partly becaufe men may not continue in the word, but may be removed Jrom the hope of the gojpel, as is apparent from the words of this apojlle, who having toid the converted Jews (r) Attsxv. i. (f) Ver. 24. (t) 2 Cor. xi. 13, 15. Gal. iu 4. Philip iii. 2. Afts xv. 14. aj Cor. xi. 3. Gal. ii. 5, zi. v. 2, 4. P erf entrance of Saints. 335 (u) That the old commandment was that which they had heard from the beginning, he adds, (v) let that which ye have heard from the beginning abide in you ; for if that which you have, heard Jrom the beginning abide in you,ye.Jhall abide in the Son and in the Father. And again, Little children, abide in him, that when hejhall appear you may not be ajliamed at his com- ing; clearly intimating by thefe exhortations that they might not abide in him, and his word might not abide in them. In his fecond Epiftle, he tells the eleft lady and her children, (w) That many deceivers were gone out into the world who denied that Jefus Chrift was come in the Jlejh i and therefore bids them look to themfelves that they lofe not the things that they had wrought, viz. by embracing the do&rines of fuch deceiv- ers ; and to make them the more cautious, he adds, (x) Hs. that tranfgreffeth, and abideth not in the doclrine of Chrift, hath not God, plainly infinuating, that they might fo be drawn away by thefe deceivers as not to abide in the doclrine of Chrift, and fo might lofe their intereft in God, and the thing* which they had wrought. And this he learned from his great mailer, who declared that they only were his true difciples who continued in his word, and that they who did not ktep his word, did not truly love him. Anjwer 2. As thofe words of Chrift, a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, to wit, becaufe it is corrupt ; and thofe of the apoftle, (y) the carnal mind is not fubjett to the law of God, neither indeed can be, viz. becaufe it is carnal ; and tk&y that are in the Jlejh cannot pleafe God for the fame reafon, do not prove that a corrupt tree cannot ceafe to be corrupt, or become good, or that the carnal mind cannot ceafe to be fo, and become fpiritual ; fo neither do thefe words, Be that is born of God cannot Jin, becaufe he is born of God, prove that he who is born of God cannot ceafe to be fo, and then go on in a courfe of fin to his own deftruclion. Again, As thefe words How can you that are evilfpeak good things, the world cannot hate you that are of it, the Jews could not believe, the world cannot receive the jpirit, do not fignify an impoflibility that it mould be otherwife, but only their prefent indifpofition to the contrary, and the averfation of their minds from thofe things which it is faid they cannot do: So thofe words, He that is born of God cannot Jin, do not im- port any impoffibility that they mould do fo, but only that they have at prefent that irame of fpirit which renders them ilrongly averfe from (in, and indifpofed to yield to any temp- tations to commit it. (u) i Johnii. 7. ( Jer. xxxii. Perfeverance of Saints. 337 3^, 39, 40. / will betroth thee to me forever, yea I will be- troth thee to me in righteoufnefs, and judgment, and loving kindntfs, and mercies. An/'wer. (ijl.J It is exceeding evident that all thefe places fpeak of nations in the general, and not of a few private per- fan's among them ; of her who was, when Ifaiah prophefied, as (a) a woman forfaken in widowhood, and grieved in /pint ; and yet had the holy one, of Ifrael for her hit/band and her re- deemer ; of Zion and Jacob ; of the fbj children of Ifrael and Judah to be gathered out oj all countries into their own land : Olt themfcj who came out of the I and of Egypt, who had burnt incenfe to Baalim, and whofe feaft days were new moons and fabbaths. Now from this obfervation arife thefe arguments to prove thefe places cannot concern the cleft only, or their final perfeverance. For (ift.) If here be any promife of final perfeverance, it muft be made good to all to whom the promife doth belong, and fo it muft be made good to all who came out of Egypt firft, and afterwards out of the captivity ; to all that dwelt Jafely in their own land ; which the whole tenor of the fcrip- tures both of the Old, and the New Teftament difproves. zdly. If thefe fpiritual prornifes relpeft the eiet, then the promifes of temporal bleflings being made to the fame perfons, muft refpeft them alfo, and fo they muft all (d) abide fafely in the land of Canaan, and buy there fields for money ; they muft be (e.) far from opprejjion, from fear and terror ; they- muft (f) abound with corn, and wine, and oil; which yet were never looked upon as promifes made to the elecJ, much lefs as things peculiarly belonging to them. And, 3^/y. If thefe promifes belong to theelecl:, the feed of thefe eleci, and their feed's feed, mult be ehtled alfo ; for fo the promife runs, Ifa. lix. 17. The promife alfo in Jeremy isjor the good of their children after them, Jer. xxxii. 39. And this the everlajling covenant, the covenant of peace which (hall not be removed, feem plainly to require, as it is made to be a covenant refpecling the eleci ; whereas it is certain from ex- perience that the feed of the eletl are often very wicked per- ions, and therefore not eletl, but reprobates. Anfwer 2. zdly. All thefe are only promifes that he would not wholly forfake that nation fo as never to have any farther thoughts of kindnefs to them, he having made an everlafting covenant with their fathers to be the God of their feed aftet them, Gen. xvii. 7. whence the apojlle concludes, that though (a) Chap. liv. 5, 6. (b) Jer. xxxii. 32, 37. (c) Hof. ii. ii, i 3 , ^. (d) Jer. xxxii. 37, 41. () Ifa, iiv, 14. (f) Hof. ii, 42U Uw 338 P erf ev trance of Saints. \.\\z J<:ws are now broken off, thcyjhall be grafted again into their own ohvstree, becaufe if the root be. holy, Jo are the bran~ c/u-s, Rom. xi. 16. and adds, that even after their rejection they were {till beloved Jor the fathers Jake, for the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, Ver. 28, 29. They alfo chiefly do concern the time of the Jews general conver- fion to the faith, to which St. Paul plainly refers the words of Ifiiiah, Ch. iix. 20. proving; there fhall be fuch a converfion from thofe words, there Jliall come a deliverer out of Zi on, who fliall turn away iniquity from Jacob. And St. John, Rev. xxi. 23, 25. refers the like words, Ch. ix. i, 2, 3. to the fame time. This alfo is the time of which the famtdrofkct fpeaks, Chap. 54. as is evident fromthefe words, / will lay thy Jloncs -with fair colors, and thyjoundations with fapphires ; I will a/ a':e thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of plcajant flones, as is evident from the like de- fcriptionot the New Jtruf ditto t Rev. xxi. and Tobit xiii. 16, 17. xiv. 5, 6, 7. And of the prophecy of Jeremy, the learned and judicious Dr. Gataher fpeaks thus, Note on Jer. xxxii. 40. Whence may well be gathered, that when this people fJiall be brought home to Chrijt, thty Jhall never Jail off from him a- gain ; Ifa. Iix. 20, 21. Nor can any other time be probably ailigned when thefe great promifes were accomplifhed ; not the time following their return from their captivity, when fo many of their princes, rulers and people were joined in affinity with the heathens againft God's expreis law, and could not /land before God by reafon of their trefpaffes, Ezra ix. when they were in great affliction and reproac/t, when they werejervants, and others had dominion over their cattle, and their bodies at pleaf- tire, and they were in great dijtrefs, Neh. ix. 36, 37. For fure- ly then they did not live in fajcty and far from opprejjion, when the pnsft dejpifed and prophaned the name of the Lord, and offered polluted bread upon his altar, and brought the torn, the lame and the frck Jor offerings^ Mai. i. 6 13. When they departed out cj the way, caufed many to Jiumble at the law, and corrupted the covenant oj Levi, Chap. n. 8. When Judah dealt treacherou/ly, and an abomination was committed in J/rael and in Jernjalem, by profaning the holinejs of the Lord, and marrying the daughter oj a Jlrange God, fo that he regarded not their offerings, any more, Ver. 11, 13. When they f aid (profanely] every one that doeth evil is goad in the fight oj the Lord, and he delighteth in them, and where is the God of judgment, Ver. 17. when they were all under a curfe lor robbing God in tithes and offerings, Chap. iii. 8, 9. Yea, when they atheiflically faid, it is vain to fcrve God, and what projti is it that we, have kept his ordinances ? Complaining Perfevtrance of Saints. 339 that the proud zvere happy, and they that work wicbednefs were Jet up, and they that tempted God were delivered. Ver. 14, 1,5. Or could thefe promiles be fulfilled in the times of the A/c/1 Jiah, that is, in thofe very times when (gj the axe was laid to the root of the tree to cut it down ; when they were (h) given up to afpiritualjlamber; when (i) the kingdom of God was to be taken from them ; when they were (k) % broken, off from their own olive tree, and (I) wrath cams, upon them to the uttermojl ? Anfwer 3. The promife made to Ifrael, Hof. ii. 20. is on- ly made to her returning to her frjt hujband, Ver. 9. the promiie, Ifa. liv r . of a covenant of peace that mould not fail was made under a like condition, as thefe words in the foi- l-owing chapter fhew ; (m) incline your ear and come unto me, hear and your foul jhall live, and I will make an everlajl- ing covenant with you. The promife, Jer. xxxii. 39, 40. / iv ill give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me ; I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their heart that they may not depart from me, is not an abfolute promife that they ihould tear him al- ways, but only an indication that his kind providences mould be fuch towards them, as mould lay upon them the highefl obligations to continue fled f aft in his fear, Le, and Lebalti he- ing often ufed, not to fignify the certainty of the event, but the defign and purpofe of God in affording the means : So Deut. x. 13. The Lord requires thee to keep his command- ments, and his jlatutes, letob leca, that it may be well with thee, Chap. xvii. 19, 20. The king Jfiall read in the book of the law, that he may learn to fear the Lord, that he turn not a fide from the csmmandment, that he may prolong his days. And, Chap. iv. 10. I will make them learn my words, that they may fear me. So John xvi. i. Thefe things have I fpoken to you that you may not be offended ; and efpecially in thofe, Ezek. xi. 16 21. viz, / will gather you from the people, and ajfemble you from the countries where you have been fcattered, and I will give you the land of Ifrael, and I will give them one heart, and will put a, new fpirit within, you, and will take the ftony heart out of their flejli, and will give them. an heart ofjleJJi, u'D 1 ? that they may walk in my Jlatutes % and keep my ordinances, and do them. And to (hew that this fig- nities not the event, but only God's defign; and that thefe means are proper to produce this end, it follows, Ver. 21. But as for them whoft heart walketh after the heart of their detejlable things and their abominations, (which I faid', Ver, fg) Matth. iii. 10. (h) Rom. xi. 8. (i) Manh. xxi. 43,-, - (kj Rom. xi. 20. (I) i Thefl*. ii. 16. ( mj Chap. Iv. 3. 34 P erf entrance of Saints. 18. they fhall take away) / will recompenfe their way upon their heads. SECTION II. Argument 2. Our Lord hath promifed that he who dnnketh of the water that he fhall give him Jhall nev- er thirft, becaufe that water Jhall fpring up in him to eternal tjf e J onn iv. 14. and that the comforter given to believers Jhall abide with them forever, John xiv. 16. That he. who comes to him JJiall never hunger, and he that believeth in him JJiall never thirjl, John vi. 33. Therefore he that is once a believer; fhall be ever fo, and he that hath once the Jpirit, ihall never lofe him. Anfwer i. I have already fhewed, in anfwer to the fifth objection of the former chapter, that the holy fpirit may en- tirely depart from them in whom he once inhabited ; whence it muft follow that two of thefe texts cannot bear the fenfe this argument requires. I have alfo proved, in anfwer to the fecond objection, that the promifes made to believers in the gofpel of St. John, refpecl only fuch believers as fhall con- tinue ftedfaft in the faith, and fo have anfwered the third text alledged. Anfwer 2. zdly. To anfwer to thefe places in particular. (ift.J The promife of the abode of the fpirit with any chrif- tian, John xiv. 16. is only made on this condition, that they continue fo to love Chrijl as to keep his commandments, zdly. It is a promife made to recompenfe Chrift's departure from them, and fo feems only to concern Chrijl 's apojttes, with whom he was then corporally prefent, or to concern only the /pint's prefence with his church in general, not in the heart of every chriftian, for fo Chrijl himfelf abode not with them. idly. The other two texts may be both underftood of Chrift's dofrrine, he that cometh. to learn my doclrine, and believeth it, when he hath learnt it fhall need no farther teaching in or- der to his future happinefs, becaufe the obfervance of what he hath learned from me -already, will bring him to eternal Jife. And %dly. If you expound the words, John iv. 14. of the receiving of the holy fpirit, they can be only meant of him in whom this [pint ftill abides ; for therefore fhall he never thirft.., faith the text, becaufe the water given Jliall be in him as fountain water fpringing up to life eternal ; whereas it can no longer fpring up than it abideth in him : The im- port of the words feems therefore to be this ; that whereas tic- xvater which we drink to quench our natural thirft, will nei- ther abide long in us, nor Jong quench our thirft, this holy fpirit will abide forever with them who do not by their fins expel him, and fo abiding, he will forever quench and fatisfy their thirft after eternal life, as being in them the earneft of their future inheritance. Perfeveranct of Saints. 341 SECTION III. Argument 3. If Chrift hath allured his 0ieep that they Jhall never perijh, and that none Jhall fnatch them out of his hands, then hath he affured them that they fhall never fall away finally, feeing they who fo fall away will perifh ; and alio that no tempter, or temptation (hall effectually feduce them from the way of piety, fince then they would fnatch them from Ckrift'.s hands. Anjwer i. The frequent cautions and exhortations direft. cd in the fcripture to Chrift 's (zj fheep not to fall from grace, but continue ftedfaft in the faith, are certain demonftrations that they may do fo ; for if the fheep of Chrijl can no more ceafe to be fo, than a man, whilft he lives, can ceafe to be a man ; theie exhortations to take care they fall not off from being fo, muft be as vain as a caution to a man would be, not to outlive his manhood. To anfwer therefore dire61iy to this text, I add, zdly. That Chrift here only promifes his fheep mould nev- er periih through any deleft on his part, or by the force of any plucking them by violence out of his hands, fo the par. ticle xa, which is here illative, fhews, viz. they therefore fhall not perifh, yv dvr^Haiojv av- paQvpiav, through the negligence of men who have the reedom of their wills; for fuch men, who by the allurements of the world, the flelh and the devil, thus ceafe to obey Chnfis laws, are not fnatched out of his hands, but choofe to go from him. %dly. This text feems only to fpeak of fuch fheep who have already perfevercd fo as to receive the reward of their o- bedience, eternal life, affuring them that their, felicity fhall be incapable of interruption ; for fo the whole verfe runs, / give to them eternal life, and they Jhall never perifJi. And this feems fairly gathered from the former verfe, where he de- fcribes his fheep as fuch who hear his voice and follow him ; and then he adds, to them who do fo, I give eternal life. He therefore cannot reasonably befuppofed to promife that which he here affirms they did, that they mould hear his voice, and follow him, ftill unto the end ; but rather that which is thq fure reward of them who do fo. (zj John x. 18. QP~ fr 34 2 Ptrjtmranct of Saints. SECTION IV. Argument 4. If God's fidelity be engaged to confirm them unblameable to the end whom he hath called to the communion of his Son, i Cor. i. 9, 10. if his faithfulnefs will notfujfer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear, Chap. x. 13. if St. Paul had ground of confidence that he who had begun the good work in his Philippians, would per/eft it unto the day oj the Lord Jefus, Philip, i. 6. if it be part of God's fidelity to fan&ify them whom he hath called zuholly in body, foul and Jpirit, i Theflf. v. 23, 24. and to ef- tablijli them, and keep them from evil, 2 Theff. iii. 3. then muft they perfevere to the end ; but all thefe are the exprefs affer- tions of the holy fcripture. Ergo, Anfwer i. Now for a general anfwer to all thefe texts, let it be confidered, that God in fcripture is often faid to do a thing, when he does that which hath a proper tendency to the effect, and i^fufficient to procure it, and hath done all that was requifite on his part, in order to it ; fo that if the effect be not wrought in us, it is by reafon of fome defect in us, or fome neglect of doing that which he hath given us fiifEcient means and motives to perform. Thus is he faid to have (a) purged Jerufalem, though flie was not purged, becaufe he by his prophets had vouchfafed proper and fufficient means tor her purgation, by his frequent admonitions, exhortations, expof- tulations, promifes and threatnings, and by the ftrivings of his holy fpint with them, though by their obftinacy in their fin- ful courfes, they obftru61ed the influence of God's word and Jpirit upon them. He caufed the whole fb) Houfe of Ifrael to cleave to him, as a girdle cleaves to a ?na?is loins ; though all that he had faid and done in order to it proved ineffectual, becaufe Jhe would not hear. He is faid (c) to teach them to projit, and lead them by the way that they JJwuld go, who nei- ther were led, nor taught, becaufe (dj they hearkened not to his commandments ; and faith, (e) This people have I formed Jcr my praife ; and yet he adds, but thou hajl not called upon me, Jacob, thou hajl been weary of me, IJrad ; thou hajl not honored me with thy Jacrificcs, but thou hajl made me to Jerve with thy /ins, thou haft wearied me with thine iniquity ; and of Babylon, he faith, Riphenu, (f) we healed Babylon, and file was not healed. Thus are they laid to know God, who had fuch means to know him imparted by his providence, as rendered their ignorance of him, and their idolatry fgj with- out excufe. (h) The riches of God's goodnefs, patience and ' longfujf'ering, is faid to lead them to repentance who continued fa) Ezpk. xxiv. 13. (b) Jer. xiii. IT. (c) Ifa. xlviii. 17, 18. fd) Cbap. xliii. 21. (f) Ver. 22, 23. (f) Jer. li. 9>(g} Rom. j. so, 21. fhj Horn. ii. 3, 4. Perfeverancc of Saints. 343 in the hardnefs, and the impenitency of their hearts ; and God is faid to be in Chrijl reconciling the world to himj'elf, not im- puting to them their iniquities, becaufe he had made him ( i) a facriikejor their fin, that they might be made righteous through. faith in him ; and yet that he was doing this for them who were not aftually reconciled to him, and fo whofe fins were not forgiven, appears from the words following, we therefore. befeech you to be reconciled unto God. Thus the grace of God is called (k) faving grace, becaufe it teacheth us to do that which if we confcientiouily perform we (hall be faved. The con verted^z*; .rare ftyled, ol aoj\^^Qi,(l) the faved ; though many of them after fell away, as hath been proved, note on 2 ThefT. ii. 3. And all the members of the church of Co- rinth are ftyled (m) the faved, though there were found many among them who had (n) not repented of the lafcivioufnejs, uncleannefs and fornication which they had committed, and fo lay under the guilt of thofe works of the flefh, which they who do, faith the apoftle,^%3// not inherit the kingdom j)f God. Anfwer 2. To proceed to a particular anfwer to the texts alledged : i/?. The words cited irom i Cor. i. 9, 10. Who Jhall conjirm you to the end, that you may be blamelefs in the day of our Lord Jefus Chrijl, Ver. 10. God is faithful, by whom ye were called to the fellowjliip of his Son Jefus Chrift : 1 fay thefe words cannot contain a promife ot perfeverance made to the eleff only among the Corinthians, (ift>) Becaufe the apoftle plainly fpeaks to the whole body of the church of Corinth ; to the church of God which is in Corinth, to all that call upon the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift. zdly. Becaufe he fpeaks not only of their not falling away finally, but of their being preferved unblameable ; whereas it is certain that the elecl are not always fo preferved. zdly. Thefe words are by the ancients thus interpreted ; God in the day of the Lord jfefus which you expect, will confirm you forever blamelefs ; for, fay they, God is faithful who hath promifed to them that obey the gofpel, vloQzaixv, (oj the adoption, that is, the re- demption of the body, or that they mall be partakers of that kingdom arid glory to which he hath called them, i Theff. ii. 12. Or, dly. They are well expounded by Grotius thus, he will do, quod Alarum eft partium, all that is requi/ite on his part to render you unblameable to the end ; fo that you {hall not fail of being fo through any want of divine grace re- quifite to that end, or any unfaitlifulnefs on his part to his promife, who hath already reconciled you to himfelf through the death of Chrijl, to reprefent you holy and unblameable, and (l}^ Cor. v. ig, 20, *i*(k) Tit. ii. n, 12. - (I) A6h ii. 47. (m) i Cor, i. iS. - (nj a Cor. xii, 20, 21. ~ fo} Rom, via. 23. 344 Ptrf ever ance of Saints. unreproveable in his fight, if ye continue in the faith ground" ed and fettled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gof- pel, Coloff. i. 23. zdly. To thofe words, i Cor. x. 13. God is faithful, who will notfufftryou to be tempted (by perfections) above what you are able (by his grace) to [ujfer ; but will with the tempta- tion make a way (fo tar) to efcape, that you may be able to bear it ; and therefore if you will ufe the ftrength which he is ready to afford, {hall do fo. I anfwer, (\ft.) That thefe words ought not to be reftrained to the cleft ; for the preceding words, no temptation hath happened to you, butfuch as is common to men, are fpoken to the whole church of Corinth. More- over, God hath doubtlcfs engaged to all that enter into cov- enant with him, to enable them to perform the conditions of that covenant, fince a covenant upon an impoflible condition cannot be performed, and all are bound to pray in faith that thcyrafly not be tempted above what they are able, through his ftrength, to bear. ndly. This text muft be impertinently al- ledged, becaufe it only contains a promife of ability fufficient to refift temptations if men will ufe it ; but doth not contain an engagement that this ftrength mail be effectual, or certain- ly improved to that end. And 3^/y. I have (hewed whea I difcourfed of the cautions given to believers, that in the words immediately preceding, wherefore let him that thinketh hejland- eth take heed left he jail ; and in the words following, where- fore, bdoved, flee from idolatry, there is a plain indication that they who truly think they ft and may fall, as did the Jews there mentioned ; and might be guilty of idolatry, which he himfelf declares to be a (in exclufive from the kingdom of Chrift. i Cor. vi. 9. 3/y. To the words cited from Philip, i. 6. viz. being con- fident oj this, that he who hath begun the good work in you will perform it to the day oj Jtfus Chrift ; I anfwer, that it is evident the apoftle fpeaks not out of any opinion of the elec- tion of any, much lefs of all the Philippians to eternal life, or of the certainty of their perfeverance to the end ; for why then doth he exhort them (p) to work out their jalvation with fear and trembling, (q) to ji and fa ft in the Lord, and to retain the word of life, that he might have joy in the day of Chrift ^ that he had not run or labored in vain among them ? He fpeaks this therefore from a judgment of charity ; becaufe faith he, it is juft or fity^r me to conceive thus of you, by reafon of that great affeftion you have for me, and your patience under the like fuffcrings. Now he who only gives thefe reafons of his con- . fidence, gives us juft reafon to conceive he knew nothing of (pj Chap, ii. 12. ~rj^ Chap. iv. J, ii. j6, Perfeverance of Saints. 345 the neceflity of their perfeverance by virtue of their elettion to falvation. q.thly. Thofe words, i ThefT. v. 23, 24. I pray God your fpirit,faul and body may be preferved blameiefs to the coming of the Lord Jefus : Faithful is he who hath called you, who alfo will do it ; do only fignifiy that he will not be wanting on his part towards it : I fay his part ; for if the fidelity Of God required that he fhould fan&ify and preferve them blamelefs to the end without their care and induftry, or (hould work in them certainly and absolutely that care, and the apoflle believed this ; how could he fear left thefe Theflalonians fhould be fo overcome byfatan's temptations as that (r)his labor with them might have been in vain ? This being in effect to fear that God might be unfaithful to his promife. And for the fame reafori the words cited from 2 Theff. iii. 3. muft be thus interpreted, the Lord is faithful, who (therefore) will (do all that is requik ite on his part to] ejlablijh you, And prefdrve you from evil. CHAPTER V. Enquiring which of the two ofpofite Opinions tends mofl. to adminijler true Comfort, and to promote Holinefs of Life. JL HE only objection from reafon againft this doftrine that faints may fall away from grace, is, that it is obftruclive of the peace and comfort of believers, it impairs their humble confidence in God, and fills them with continual fear and dread of falling from that happy ftate. Whereas, indeed our doclrine only teacheth, with the holy fcriptures, that a well grounded peace is (a) the fruit of right-' eoufnej}, and confequently that by going out of the way of righteoufnefs, we go out of the way of peace. That all true peace and comfort arifeth from the teftimony of an upright confcience ; this being the foundation fbj of our rejoicing* even the tejlimony of our confdence, that in /implicit^ and god- ly Jincerity, we have had our converfation in this world ; that then only have we ground of confidence with God, when (c) cur heart doth not condemn us of wilfully departing from (r) i Theff, iii, 5, /*; Jam, iii, 18, f*J * Cor, i, M . (<) t Jehaiii, 3,1, X x ,346 .Perfeveranee of Saints. him. That we ought (d) to work out cur falvation with/tar and trembling ; and feeing we ferve that God, (ej who with~ out rtfpeEl of ' perfons judgeth every man according to his works > to pafs the tune, of our fojourning Jure in fear. That fJ'J happy is the. man thatjeareth always with that fearr of caution which renders him more watchful againfl fin ; this being a demon- ftration of his uprightnefs. And further let it be confidered, i/?, That a doftrine is not therefore true becaufe it is com- fortable ; if it be liable to juft exceptions upon other ac- counts. For very comfortable to the Jews was the doclrine of their Rabbins, fff) That all that were of the feed ^Abraham according to the flefli (ftyled in the Old Teftament the eleclj Jhould inherit the everlajhng kingdom, xav apoa^rwXoi <j,oifTuXoi wji fisov 5s yr;eyffxffi, though they were /inner s,ye\. t ij they k new God, he would not impute to them their iniquities. zdly. Comfortable to his followers was that doclrine of (h) Simon Magus, That they who believed in him, and his Helen, might freely do what they pleafed, as being to bej'aved not by good works, but by his grace ; which aifo was the dofirine of the Valtntinians, who alfo held that they were pcrfetl, and, c-^if^y.ry. l>O,.oyr,s, children oj the election, receiv- ing grace from the unexprcjjibU conjugation, (i) fo that it was impojjible they Jhould oe corrupted whatever they did. To which I might add the doclrines of our Antinomians and oth- er Solijidians, all very comfortable to men of carnal minds ; but very oppofite to, and deflruclive of, that doclrine which is according to Godhnejs. idly. That a poffibility of falling into a very great evil, though it be fuch a one into which I fee daily others fall, and to which I may be obnoxious, creates no trouble or anxiety to any man, provided he knows he cannot fall into it unlefs he will, and clioofeth fo to do, and unlefs he als contrary to all the rules of reafon and difcretion, and the flrongeft motives and fufficient means vouchfafed to avoid it. Men may very poflibly, and too often do embezzle their eflates by gaming, whoring, drinking, gormandizing and contention ; they often iorfeit them by miidemeanors, hazard and lofe their lives by duelling, (edition, rebellion, pride and ambition ; and yet no wife in an'is therefore tormented with continual fears that this (d) Phil. ii. is. (e}\ Pet. i. 17. ff) Prov. xxviii. 14. xxiv. =. CsJ J"ft- M. Dial, cum Tryph. p. 369, 370. f h J Ut liberos agerc qu:e velint, feciinduni enim ipfius Gratiam fal- vari homines, fed non feci'.ncUim operas juftas, Ircen. Lib. i. cap. 20. Ato Xy tAEfSc'pa-'s waiTa jrpct^av '.oiva, iv r,otvl (&we t0la$ *) C. 9. 61. Kd. Ox. ibid. p. 31! (i) 'AUVVXT Ibid* p. 30. P erf ever ance of Saints'.. 347 may be his own cafe, becaufe he knows he cannot fall i thofe vices but by his own choice ; that God hath given him reafon and underftanding fufficient to preferve him from them, and all, the motives which pleafure, honor, temporal advantage, and his eternal intereft can miniiler to refill all temptations to them. And in like manner it being certain that no good Chriflian can tall from grace unlefs he will, and even choofe to do fo ; that he hath wifclom to difcern the unfpeakable folly and danger of fo doing, that God hath giv- en him a new nature, and fo a irame of fpirit oppofite to all temptations fo to do, and the greateft aids,: encouragements, and the moft powerful motives to continue constant to the end j \vhy mould he have any ground to live uncomfortably, or to abate of his inward peace, becaufe he is under a remote pofli- bility of falling from the divine favor, and not rather believ- ing. to rejoice in hope, of the glory of God ? Note, 3^/y. That this doclrine of the impoflibility of faints fall-, ing finally from grace, cannot be truly comfortable for two fig- nal reafon s. ift. Becaufe though it fecms comfortable to a man, who thinks himfelf a good Chriflian, to believe he ever (hall con- tinue fo ; yet the reverfe of this doftrine is as uncomfortable, viz. that he who does not fo continue to the end, let him have been never fo fruitful in the works of righteoufnefs, or in the labor of love, or in religious duties, or in a zeal for God and goodnefs, was never better than an Hypocrite. And then how few can be allured of their own fincerity, or prove the truth of their faith, by better works than they themfelvcs confefs an hypocrite may do ? Now it is at leaft as uncomfortable to be in doubt of my fincerity, as of my continuance in the way of righteoufnefs, though I am fincere at prefent. zdly. Let men hold what doclrines they pleafe ; yet as it is with them who queilion Providence and a future judgment, their impious perfuafions cannot remove their fears arifing from the dictates of a natural conference ; fo neither can mens theological perfuafions remove the' fears and doublings which do as naturally arife from the dictates of a confcience enlighu cned by the word of God. When therefore that condemns, and doth pronounce us guilty of any wilful fin, we can have no peace from any thing but our affurance that our fincerg repentance hath removed the guilt ; but {hall be either doubt- ful of -our fincerity, or our continuance in it. Whilft we can fay with David, (d) I have, kept the. ways of the Lord^ and have not wickedly departed from my God : I zvas aljb up- right before, him, and kept my j elf .from mine : Whilft (d) Pfal, xviii.22, 23. 348 Perfeverance of Sainis. confcience doth not condemn us of wilful violations of our covenant, there is as much confidence in God from our opin- ion, as from the other. We can affure all men that whilft they love God, they (hall be beloved by him; and that his Countenance will favorably behold the upright. And the oth- er do&rine can afford true comfort to none whofe confcience doth condemn them ot wilful violations of God's law ; that is, of breaking the conditions of the new covenant, or of not keeping his commandments, which is fo often made the teil of a fincere affeHon to our God and Savior. Either then we would have peace and comfort, though our hearts depart from God, and deal unfaithfully in our covenant, or only while our hearts do cleave unto him, and we be not unfaith- ful to it ; if we defire comfort in the laft cafe only, our doc* trine doth as fully yield it as the other. If in the cafe of the departure of the heart from God, and breach of covenant. (\fl.J We defire that comfort which God's word plainly and frequently denies us, as is apparent from the very condition of the covenant of grace, fincere- obedience, and from the threats it hath denounced again ft afojlatizsrs. zdly. We would have comfort when our own heart cannot afford it, be- caufe it cannot at the fame time thus condemn, and yet fpeak comfort to us. %dly. We would have that comfort which even the do&rine of perfeverance cannot yield, feeing the patrons 'of it do confefs that when men fall into wilful fins, though they lofe not the title to the divine favor, they lofe the comfort of it till they have repented ; that this at prefent cuts off their afiurance of being God's children, and confequently of their perfeverance to the end. So that the difference in this cafe feems only to be this, that when men's hearts do thus condemn them, if they believe our do6lrine, they have reafon to fufpecl: their fall from grace, by violating the conditions of the covenant of grace ; if they be of the other perfuafion, they have caufe to fufpecl: their fincer- hy, and fear that they were never upright chn/lians. And the advantage on our fide is this, that our opinion naturally tends to render men more careful to avoid all wilful violations of the laws of God, and more fpeedy in their repentance, and their return unto their duties, than the other doth, this being 3 mofl certain rule that that motive is more forcible to engage us to an aftion, which renders the afclion to which I am en- gaged of abfolute neceflity for the obtainment of the mofl im- portant end, of which I am affured by performance of it, than that which either renders this end attainable without the per- formance of that aclion, or declares that another fiands abfo- 1'utely engaged to caufe me to perform it. Ptrfewrance of Saints. 349 SECTION II. Let us now take a viewof the contrary doc r trine ; and feeing it aflerts that they who have once attained to the favor of God can never fall from it, and alfo grants that Lot, David, Solomon and Peter were fuch perfons ; they muft own that drunkennefs and inceft, murther and adultery, d6 not put men out of God's favor ; that men's hearts may (e) be turned Jrom the Lord to the moft grofs idolatry, even that of Aflitaroth, the goddefs of the Zidomans, and of Mi/com the abomination of the Ammonites ; that after tfte moil folemh engagements to the contrary they may deny Chrifl before men, and that with oaths and execrations ', and ft ill continue high in favor with God ; which as it feeras the plaineft contra- diction to thofe numerous places vtfcripture, which declare thefe are fuch (ins, which they who do have no inheritance in the kingdom of God or of Chri/l, and that they are fins to which the law of Mofes threatened death without ad million of any atonement by facrifice, and the feverefl of God's judgments, even the cajling of them off for ever ; fo doth it give a great encouragement to thofe who have once gotten an opinion that they are the children of God, to indulge themfelves in the like iniquities ; as being never able to feparate~them fro?n the, love of God ; This doclrine tending evidently to abate the force of all the prohibitions of fin, of all the exhortations to avoid it, of all the cautions to refift and flea from all tempta- tions to commit it, and of all the dreadful judgments denounc- ed without exception againft all who do commit it ; for when once perfons being to think that they are out of the reach of the fevereft of thefe judgments, and that they cannot poflibly belong to them, they cannot rationally be moved by the fear of them to depart from that iniquity to which they are denounced. zdly. It leflens the force of all the motives offered r in the fcripture to engage us to perfevere in righteoufnefs and good- nefs, and to have our fruit unto holinefs, that the end may be eternal life ; for an abfolute promife both of the reward, and of all means conducing to it, cannot fo powerfully engage us to the purfuit of the faid means, as fuch a promife as fulpend- eth the reward upon our own diligence in the life of the means, and fo gives place for hope and fear, the two great principles of aftion, both which muft be excluded by an abfolute prom- ife, fince as we cannot rationally fear what cannot poffibly be- ial us, fo what we are already lure of, we do no longer hope for, but with the greateft confidence expe&. %dly, It feems not well confiftent with the truth, righteouf- nefs and holinefs of God to give an abfolute aifurance of his (eji Kings xi. 5,9. 350 PerfevtYttnce of Saints. favor, and the fruition of him felf for ever to any creature though he fall into the fins forementioned ; for though it may be faid he doth this only by affuring them that they (hall re- pent ot thofe fins, and return to their obedience, yet doth not this feem fuitable to his threats of the fevereft of his judg- ments again ft all perfons whatfoever, who mall thus offend fince they were certainly defigned to deter them from thofe fins by tear of falling under thofe moft dreadful judgments, whereas thcfe promiies are plain aflurances that though thexr do commit them, they fliall not be obnoxious to thofe judg- ments. They alfo feem contrary to the divine purity on the fame account as tending to diminim in others the dread of thofe iniquities which they are thus allured cannot prove fatal to them. In a word, there is not even the fhadow of a prom- ife in \hzholy fcripture, that though fuch or fuch perfons fall into murder, adultery, heatheniflz idolatry, he will not fuffer them to die in them, but will affuredly caufe them to repent and turn to their obedience ; but there is an exprefs declara- tion, that (u) when the righteous turneth aw ay from his right- eoi'fncfs and wmmitteth iniquity, and doth according to all the. abominations that the wicked man doth, all the righteoufnefs that he hath donejliall not be mentioned, in his trefpafs tnat he hath trefpojfed, and in the Jin that he hath finned, in them Jhall he die. The promifes of the Old Tejlament rim in another ilrain ; viz. fw) The Lord will be with you while ye be with him, but if ye forfake him he will forfake you ; yea, he will ou off forever ; (x) but as for fuch as decline to their perverfe ways, the Lord will lead thnn forth with the workers of iniquity ; and the promifes of the new, that he will eflab- lijh them, and keep them from evil, and preferve them holy and unblameable ; but I find not one promiie in the Old or the New Teflament, that when the righteous wickedly depart from God, and do after the abominations of the wicked, they (hail yet Jive, and not die in their iniquities. SECTION III. It were eafy to confirm this doclrine from the concurrent fuffrage of the ancient Fathers, but this feems to me unneceffary after the confeflion of the learned (y) Vof- Jius, Communem hanc fuiiTe antiquitatis fenteritiam, that this was the common fentence of antiquity ; arid that antiquitas tota indeficibilitati adverfatur, all antiquity was contrary to this doftrine of the indeftcl ability of the faints. The words of the Greek and Latin Fathers which he cites to prove this may be feen in (z) John Goodwin's fifteenth chapter on that futjeft, who alfo adds to them the confent of many Pr'otcjlants . fxJEzek. xviii. 24. r (w)\ Cliron. xxviii. 9. a Chron. xv. 2. -(x) Pfal. cxxv. 5. --- (y) Hilt. Pelag. L. 6. Chap. xii. ---- (xjRt* ^rinp. Redeemed, ironi Settion 5. to the 14111. DISCOURSE VI. CONTAINING AN ANSWER TO THREE OB- JECTIONS AGAINST THE DOCTRINES ASSERTED, AND THE ARGUMENTS BY WHICH THEY ARE CONFIRMED. CHAPTER I. Objtftion i. HE firft grand objection againfl the force of many of the arguments ufed in thefe difcourfes is this. That they feem as ftrongly to conclude againit God's tore- knowledge of future contigencies, as a- gainfl his abfolute decrees ; for that comprehending the knowledge ot what all men will do, it feems as unreafona- ble to command, exhort, or tender mo- tives to men to perform what God beforehand fees they will not do, as in cafe of what he knows they cannot do ; and as 352 Anfwcr to Three Objections contradictory to his goodnefs to bring them into the world whom he foreknows will certainly be miferable through their own fault, as thofe whom he refervethto be miferable through the fault of Adam. It alfo feems as vain, fuperfluous and delufory, to feem paflionately concerned that they may be* faved, or to ufe patience, longfuffering, or any other means to prevent their ruin, or to lead them to repentance whom he certainly forefaw would not be by thefe means induced to re- pent, that they might be faved, and who infallibly would perifli ; as to al thus towards them who lie under a decree of reprobation. Now, SECTION I. Anfwer. (\ft>) It is obfervable, that though this argument be. offered in favor of the decrees of abfolute election, and that efpecial grace which is vouchfafed to the objects of it, which makes it neceflary for them to be veffels of mercy, and of that abfolute reprobation, which makes it neceflary for all the objects of it to be vejfcls of wrath, and in- fallibly to fail of falvation, yet doth it plainly overthrow them, or render them fuperfluous ; for be it that thefe decrees were made from eternity, yet feeing God's foreknowledge of the events of all men, was alfo from eternity, muft he not know what would be the condition of all men when he made thefe decrees ? And what need then could there be of a decree for that event which was infallible, by virtue of his foreknowledge without that decree ? Either he forefaw thefe events inde- pendently on, and in the fame moment that he made thefe de- crees ; and then feeing the objects of both thefe decrees are the fame individual perfons which he faw then would certain- ly be faved, or pcrifti independently upon them, what need could there be of thefe decrees to afcertain that event, which his own prefcience had rendered certain and infallible ? Or elfe it muft be faid, that God only forefaw thefe future con- tingences, by virtue of his decrees, that they mould come to pafs ; and then his decrees muft be before his knowledge, and the reafon of it, and fo as this argument doth not at all leflen the horror of them, fo is it obnoxious to thefe dreadful con- fequences. ift. That it plainly renders God the author of fin ; for to fay with Calvin* Dr. Twi/f t and Rutherford, Deum non alia ratione providere quae futura ftint, quam quia ut fierent de- crevit, God only doth jorcjce. things juture, becaufe he. hath de- creed they jliQuld be Jo, is, faith Lc Blanc, to fay God moves and predetermines the wills of men to thofe things which are evil. Now, who can affirm, faith he, that God antecedently decrees and determines the wills of men to hate and blafphcme him, and therefore fore fees that they will do fo, and not make Gud the author of tliofe fins ? Nor is this lefs evident from againft the Botfrines Afftrttl. 353 the way that Alvarez, and many other fckoolmen take to falve this matter, viz. that God forefees the evil men will do, in decreto fuo de non dando efficax auxilium ad vitandum pec- catum, quoniam Deo deferente, aut non adjuvante peccatorem ne cadat, infallibilitef eft peccaturus, in his decree not to give them efficacious help to avoid Jin ; for God thus deferring them t or not thus ajfifting thejinner, that he may not fall, he infalli- bly will Jin ; for either God did not forefee the fin of fallen angels, or of falling Adam ; or elfe, according to this doftrine, nuift render their fin neceflary by his decree not to afford them efficacious afliftance to avoid it, and fo their fin will be no fin at all, according to St. Auftin's definition of it, that it is the will to do that from which we have freedom to abftain. 2. Prefcience thus Hated muft be attended with a fatal necefii- ty, though in this cafe it is not God's -foreknowledge, but his decrees which creates that neceflity ; all things, upon this fuppofition, being neceflary ; that is, fuch as cannot other- wife be, not becaufe God foreknows them, but becaufe by his immutable decrees he hath made them neceflary, i. e. he foreknows them becaufe they are neceflary, but doth not make them neceflary, by foreknowing them. Confider, zdly. That if there were any itrength in this argument, it would prove that we fhould not deny the liberty fuppofed in all the arguments we have ufed againft thefe decrees, but rather preference itfelf ; for if thoie two things were really inconfiftent, and one of them muft be denied, the introducing an abfolute neceflity of all our actions which evidently de- (troys all religion and morality, would tend more of the two" to the diflionor of God> than the denying him a foreknowl- edge. $dfy. Obferve that if thefe Decretalifts may take fancluary in the foreknowledge God hath of things future, the Hob- bifts> and the Fatanjls may do the fame ; for as I cannot know how God's foreknowledge is confident with the free- dom of the will of man, fo am I as little able to difcern ho^ it is confiftent with any freedom in his actions, or how God can foreknow them whilft they are future, without foreknow- ing that there are fuch caufes as certainly and rieceflarily mail and muft produce them. And it is very worthy of their ob- fervation that the Hobbifls having knowledge of <;hrijiianity^ found their doftrine of the neceflity of all things, and the no -freedom of the will to will, upon the ninth chapter to the Romans. Thus when Bifliop (a) Bramhall had obje&ed againft Hobbs, that from his do&rine of the neceflity of all events, it follows that praifc and repreherifion, rewards and (a) P. 668, 669, Y Y 354 Anjwer to Three Objections puniJJiments are all vain and unjuft, and that if God Jhould openly Jorbid, and fecretly necejjitate the. fame aclion, punijk- ing men for what they could not avoid, there would be no be- lief among them of heaven or hell ; Mr. Hobbs replies thus : " I muft borrow an anfwer from St. Paul, Rom. ix. 11. to the i8th verfe : For there is laid down the very fame objec- tion in the cafe of Efau and Jacob, &c. for the fame cafe is put by St. Paul ; and the fame objeftion in thefe words fol- lowing, thou wilt ajk me then, why doth God complain, for who hath refijled his will ? To this therefore the apojlle an- fwers, riot by denying it was God's will, or that the decree of God concerning Efau was not before he had finned, or that E/au was not neceffitated to do what he did ; but thus : Who art thou, man, that replie/l againjl God? Shall the work fay unto the workman, why haft thou made me thus ? Hath not the potter power over his clay, to make one vejjel to honor, and an- other to diJJtonor ? To lay then that God can fo order the world that a fin may be neceflarily caufed in a man, I do not fee how it is any difhonor to him ; I hold nothing in all this queftiori between us, but what feems to me not obfcurely, but moll exprefsly faid in this place by St. Paul." It alfo deferves to be obferved by them, that the Fatalijls of old founded their do&rine upon the certainty of divine prefcience and predilions, which they faid could not be certain, (b) Nifi omnia quae fiunt, quaeque futura funt ex omni asternitate definita efTent fataliter, if all things done, or to be done, had not been certainly determined jrom all eternity. It was the fear of this, faith (c) Origen, which made the Greeks embrace this impious dolrine, that God did not foreknow things fu- ture and contingent, ojo/y-cv TO v cre^i at/T VJfoyvuyiv, not that God's prefcience is the caufe of things future, but that their being future is the c^uje of God's prefcience that they will be* And this, faith Le Blanc, is the trueft refolution of this diffi- culty, that prefcience is not the caufe that things are future t but their being future is the caufe they are forefeen ; whence it muft follow, that man's periming by his own wilfulnefs, when he might not have done fo, muft be the caufe that God forefees that he will do fo ; the reafon is, becaufe God's fore* (b) Cic. de. "bivin, 1. 2, n. 14, (c) Apud Eufeb. Praepar, v. 1- C. c. n. p. 286, 287. agalnji the Doftrines AJfertcd. 355 knowledge neither makes, nor changes its objel but fees it as it truly is, and fo muft fee that action to be freely and con- tingently future, which indeed is fo, and that neceffarily to be future which is fo. This is fo evident, that it is owned by (d) Mr. Hobbs, in thefe words : " That the foreknowl- edge of God Ihould be the caufe of any thing, cannot be truly faid, for foreknowledge is knowledge, and knowledge depends on the exiflence of the things known, and not they on it." And therefore let it be obferved, ^thly. That God's prefcience hath no influence at all upon our actions. This Mr. Baxter proves thus : The word fu- ture, and poffible, applied to things is terminus diminuens ; for to fay this \s futurum pojjibile, is only to fay this may be; and to fay that is futurum, is only to fay it will be. Now to fay a thing will be, or may be hereafter, is to fay that now it is not in being, that is, it is nothing ; now nothing is no effecl, and therefore can have no caufe ; therefore God is no caufe of the eternal futurity, or poffibility of things. But if this way of arguing feems too nice and fubtle, 1 inquire farther : Should God by immediate revelation give me the knowledge of the event of any man's ftate or aftions, would my knowl- edge of them have any influence upon his aftions ? Surely none at all, and yet my knowledge, as far as it is thus com- municated, would be as certain and infallible as is that of God's. To illuftrate this in fome meafure by the compari- fon of our own knowledge, we know certainly that fome things are, and that fome things will be, as that the fun will rife tomorrow ; and when we thus know they are, or will be, they cannot but be ; yet manifefl it is that our knowledge doth not at all affecl; the things we thus know, to make them either more certain, or more future than they would be with- out it : Now foreknowledge in God is knowledge ; as there- fore knowledge has no influence on things that are, fo neither has foreknowledge on things that (hall be, and confequently the foreknowledge of any action that would be otherwife free, cannot alter or diminifh that freedom ; whereas God's decree of election is powerful and aftive, and comprehends the pre- paration and exhibition of fuch means as {hall unfruflrably produce the end ; and his decree of reprobation is aclive, as far as aclion is required to render any man deficient, and therefore fmful of neceflity, it being a decree of withholding from the objecls of it, that grace which can alone enable them to do what God commands, or to avoid what God forbids on the fevered penalty. Now fin having no efficient, but only a deficient caufe, it confiiling only in not doing what is com- (d.) Br. p. 665. 356 Anfwer to Three Objections inanded, and not avoiding what is forbidden, that which ren- ders it neceffary for me to be thus deficient, muft lay me un. der a neceffity of finning. Cor oil. Hence (zdly.J arifeth another fignal difference be- twixt God's prefcience and his decrees ; that God's prefcience renders no aclions neceflary, though it fees fome are in their own natures fo, fince otherwife it would lay a neceflity on his own aHons, he foreknowing both what he can and will do ; and from all eternity foreknowing what he did, and will do in time. For example ; he foreknew that he would create a world, angels and men in time, that he would fend his fon into the world to die for finners, and many things of a like nature; but this did not make it neceffary that he fhould create the world, angels or men, or fend his fon into the world, or do all this then only when he did fo ; and if his foreknowledge lays no neceffity upon himfelf to aft, nor any way impairs the ireedom of his own alions ; why fhould it be conceived that it lays any neceffity upon humane actions, or impairs the free- dom of them ? Now if this prefcience doth not impair the freedom of our actions any more than if God had no fuch pre- fcience, and it be reafonable to give precepts, and tender ex- hortations and motives to men free to perform what is requir- ed, and what they are exhorted, and thus moved to, it muft be reafonable thus to deal with men, notwithstanding God's fore- knowledge 61 their aclioris ; but it is not fo with refpecl to God's decrees, his decree of election comprehending not only .the end, but the means to it, as to be wrought by his efpecial grace, and his unfruflrable operation, which I cannot refift, if 1 cannot have the will to refift it ; and that I cannot have, if this operation determines my will to acl in compliance with it, and where the fin confifts in a deleft, i. e. the not doing what is required and the not avoiding what is forbidden, the decree, of withholding that grace without which that effeft is neceiTa- ry, is a decree that the fin (hall be inevitable, and to theobjecls of it neceffary. frtkly. God's knowledge reaches not only, ?* /xs'XXovra, to ^future, cent in gen cits ; but alfo, ra. ^vwr a, future, pojjibilities, viz.' He knows 'that fuch things may be, though they never' will be, that I might will and do, what I neither do nor will, and abftain from that I do not abflain from, and that I will this when 1 might will the contrary ; fmce otherwife I coujd not but will, and do what 1 will and do, and could not but abflain from what I do abflain, and fo both my will and aftions muft be neceffary, that being fo, quod non poteft aliler fe haberc, which cannot beotkerwife. Moreover he forefees not only what iviil be done, but alfo after what'manner it will be done, that .Vce aftions will be done freely, and fo this prefcience rathe: lagainjl the Doftrines Averted. 357 tnuft eflablifh than take away the freedom of our a&ions ; for if God forefees I might abftain from what he fees I will not abftain from, and that 1 might both will and do what he fees 1 will neither will nor do, as he muft if he fees that I aft free- ly ; then he fees that I may not perifh, when he fees that I will perilh, and he fees that I may be willing and obedient, and fo n.ay be faved, when he fees that I will not be faved ; and then there mufl be place and equitable ground for all his admonitions, exhortations and motives not to perifh, but to turn and live ; becaufe they are only exhortations, commands and motives to do, and to abftain from that which he fees that J may freely do, or may abilain from, and therefore mull have power fo to do. If you puzzle me with thefe inquiries, how then can God certainly know I will do what he fees I may net do p Or, how can that be certainly known which neither in itfelf, nor in its caufes hath any certain being ; but may as well not be, or not be done, as be, or be done ? This brings me lajliy to obferve, SECTION II. That this argument only oppofeth a great difficulty arifmg from a mode of knowledge in God, of which we have no idea, againft all the plain declarations of his re- vealed will, produced in great abundance, againft the imagin- ary decrees which men have impofed upon God without juft ground. The judicious ffj Le Blanc, after he had confid- ,qred all the ways the wit of man had invented to rid their hands of this difficulty, how God's prefcience could conjift with man s liberty ; breaks forth into this ingenuous confeflion, " Such darknefs every where furrounds us, fuch inextricable difficulties occur in this matter, that I think it fafeft for us here to confefs our ignorance, and feriouflv to profefs the knowledge of this is too excellent for me, and fo fubiime, that I cannot attain unto it ; and to believe this is one of thofe myf- teries of which the fon of Syrac faith, (g) feck not after that which is too hard Jor thce ; and fearch not into the things that are above thyfirength.'' Nor is it any Jliamc, faith (h.) ivlr. Thorndyke,for a chnjtian, or a divine to profefs igno- rance, when the quejlion is how a matter of faith is, or may be true ; but that in a matter fofubjeft to common under/landing, as the determination of the will by its own choice, experience jujtifying that which faith makes the ground of chnjhanity, and reafon of morality, I Jhould make the whole tenor oj the Bible, the. tender of chriftiamty, the whole treaty of God loith man concerning his happrnejs, delufory and abvjive, as condi- (f) De Con. Libert, hum. cum prsefcient. n. 43. (g) Ecclef. iii, 21, (bj Epil. part 2. p. soo. 358 'Anfwer to Three tiojiing for that which no man can flir hand or foot for , tilt being determined he cannot do otherwife, becaufe I cannot an- fwcr an objection arijingfrom God's prefcience of future con- tingences, of zuhich I can have no idea, feems to me very rea- f enable. I anfwer therefore to thefe objections, that God's foreknowledge is well confiftent with the freedom of man's will, and the contingency of events, fmce otherwife all mens actions ma ft be necelTary, though I know not how it is fo, and it is therefore well confiftent with his power to do the con- trary, and therefore his foreknowledge that what may not be, certainly will be, though I know not how it is fo, and there- fore is confiftent with his commands and prohibitions, exhor- tations, admonitions and motives to engage me to do what I will not do, and with all his commands and admonitions to abftain from that from wjiich I will not abftain, becaufe the fame J'cripture which afcribes this foreknowledge to God, doth alfo affert my liberty to do, or to refufe thefe things, charges mens fins and final ruin on themfelves, and Jets before them lift and death, blejjing and cur/ing^ re- quiring them to chooje the one, and avoid the other, though 1 know not how both thefe things are confiftent ; the reafon of my inability to difcern this confiftency being only my ig- norance of what this foreknowledge of God is, or how he doth foreknow future contingencies ; thus alfo is it in other incom- municable attributes of God ; v. g. I know that the firft be>- ing muft be, ens aje, from itfelf, though I have no idea 'of being from himfelt ; and alfo muft be from eternity, though 1 have no idea either of an eternity, nuncjlans, or an eternal fucceffion. I know that God is omniprefent, totus ubique, though I know not what omniprefence is, whether a multi- plication, or an extenfion of himfelf to every ubi+ or how a fpirit can be extended, the reafon is becaufe I am ignorant what this omniprefence is, or how God is, or can be fo ; as there- fore in this cafe I am fatisfied with my experience or knowl- edge of his actions in all places that he is fo, fo ought I to be fatisfied with the like experience that not with ft and ing God's foreknowledge I have as much freewill as if there were no fuch foreknowledge, though I arn not able to reconcile my freewill to God's foreknowledge. Obj. But then why may it not be faid in like manner, that all that you have offered againft thefe decrees from the confid- eration of divine juftice, holinefs, truth and fincerity, good- nef's and mercy, may be confiftent with thofe attributes though \ve know not how they can be fo. , Anfatr. To this I anfwer, i//. That this is one fignal dif- fcrerice between thce two cafes, that the divine preference hath been always ov.-ncd by all chriftians from the beginnings againft the Dottrines Afferted. 359 as a neceflary part of chriflianity, tijl Socinus began to quef- tion it ; whereas thefe abfolute decrees were never known, much lefs afferted by any chriflian^ till St. Aujlin's time. Now againft a controverted point we have a right to argue from the evident abfurdities which follow from it, and the contradiction that it bears to the communicable attributes of God ; whereas againft a neceifary article of faith, viz. the refurrection of our bodies, we can plead no difficulties of ap- prehending how they can be raifed, and againft an avowed attribute of God ; viz. his eternity or omniprefence, we can raife no objections from the TO ro^s-, or an inquiry, how can this be ? becaufe incomprehenfibility is owned as an attribute of the divine nature ; i, e. we own his nature and incommuni- cable attributes cannot be comprehended by a finite mind, and fo our arguments about the manner of their exiftence, or their actions, only do betray our ignorance. But then, zdly. As to God's communicable attributes, the matter is far otherwife, fotwe are called to imitate, and torefemble him in them ; to be holy as God is holy, righteous as heis righteous, kind and merciful as our heavenly father is merciful ; his truth and jaitkjuliujs and his fincerity is the ground of our faith, hope and dependance on him, and our expectation of good things from him, and therefore we muft have juft and true ideas of thefe things, though thefe ideas in this ftatc of imperfection will be ftill imperfect. This I find very well illuftrated and confirmed by Dr. Sherlock, in his anfwer to that inquiry how far the unfearchablenefs of God's judgments is an anfwer to the difficulties of providence ; v. g. " There is great reafon for this inquiry that no man may prefume to at- tribute any thing to God which can never be reconciled with the common notions of good and evil, juft and unjuft, upon this pretence, that the ways and judgments (add, and the at- tributes) of God are unfearchable and unaccountable, and that. we ought not to demand a reafon of them. " That there are fuch men in the world is fufficiently known to thofe who underftand any thing of fome modern contro- verfies in religion ; I need inftance at prefent only in the doctrine of eternal and abfolute election and reprobation, on, which a great many other fuch like unaccountable doctrines depend, that God created the fargreateft part of mankind on. purpofe to make them miferable, or at leaft as others ftate it, that he ordered and decreed, or, which is the fame thing, ef- feclually permitted the fin and fall of Adam, that he might glorify his mercy in choofing fomc few out of the corrupt mafs of mankind to be veflelsof glory, and to glorify his juftice in the eternal punimment of all others, even of reprobated infants, as involved in the guilt of Adam's fin. Now thus far I confefs 360 Anfwer to Three Objections that they are in the right that thefe are very unaccountable doc- trines ; for to make creatures on purpofe to make them mif- erable, is contrary to all the notions we have of juft and good. " But though we readily confefs that the ways and judg- ments of God are unfearchable, yet men muft not think, upon this pretence, to attribute what they pleafe to God, how ab- furd, unreafonable and unjuft foever it be, and then fhelter themfelves againft all objections by refolving all into the un- accountable will and pleafure of God ; for God hath no fuch unaccountable will as this is, to do fuch things as manifeftly contradict all the notions which mankind have of good and evil. " God himfelf declares his abhorrence of all fuch imputa- tions as thefe. as infinitely injurious to him, and appeals to the common notions of what is juft and equal, to juftify the general rules of his providence againft the imputations of in- juftice in punifhing the Jews for their father's fins, by fay- ing firft, fi) all fouls are mine t as well the foul of the fon, as of the father ; and therefore he could not be thus partial to one of them above the other, and by declaring that the general rule of his providence was this, to do good to them that were good, and who continued in his goodnefs, and to punifh them who continued in their wickednefs without repentance, or turned away from their righteoufnefs ; and then leaving it to their own judgments fk) whether his zoays were not equal; and elfewhere declaring what he had done to his vineyard to make her fruitful, and yet how unfruitful fhe remained after all his care, and leaving all men to judge betwixt him and his vineyard. " Thus it is too certain, that much the greateft part of the \vorld will be finally miferable ; and this is very reconcileable to the juftice of God, if the greateft part of mankind will be wicked-, and fo deferve to be miferable : But to fay that God created the greateft part of mankind, or that he created any one man under the abfolute decree of reprobation, that he made them to make them miferable, can never be juftified by the unaccountable will and pleafure of God ; becaufe it is notorioufly unjuft, if mankind are competent judges of what is juft and unjuft." In fine, this is all the Atheifl endeavors to prove, and all that he defires mould be granted hiin, to confute the belief of a God and a Providence ; that God does fuch things as we can give no fatisfaftory account of, does him little fervice, becaufe the unfearchable wifdom of God anfwers fuch diffi- \ (ij Ezdc. xviii. and Chap, xxxiii, (kj Ifa. v. 3. againft the Doftrines AJferttd. 361 culties; but if we will grant him that God a6ls by fuch rules as all men who judge impartially, according to the natural notions and the natural fenfe which we have of juflice, muft think unjuft, this is what we would have ; and he will give us leave to talk as much as we pleafe of the arbitrary and fov- ereign will of God, but he will believe no fuch God : For this is not the natural notion of a Goxl to be arbitrary, but to be juft and good ; and to fay that God is good and juft, but not good and juft, as men underiland goodnefs and juflice, is to fay that we have no natural notion of the goodnefs and juf- tice of God, and then we can have no natural notion of a God; for if the natural notion of a God be this, that he is juil and good, it feems hard to think that we mould have the natural notion of a good and juft God, without having any natural notion what his goodnefs and juflice is ; but infiead of that, fhould have fuch natural notions ot juflice and goodnefs, as (if we believe \vhatfome men fay of God) can never be recon- ciled with his being juil and good. Add to this thofe excel- lent words vi(a) Dr. Tillotjon : " However we may be at a lofs in our conceptions of God's infinite knowledge and pow^ er, yet goodnefs, and juflice and truth, are notions eafy and familiar, and it we could not underfland thefe, the whole Bi- ble would be infignificant to us ; for all revelation from God fuppofeth us to know what is meant by goodnefs, juflice and truth, and therefore no man can entertain any notion of God, which plainly contradicts thefe, and it is foolifh for any man to pretend that he cannot know what goodnefs, and juflice^ and truth in God are ; for if we do not know this, it is all one to us whether God be good or not, nor could we imitate his goodnefs ; for he that imitates, endeavors to make himfelflike fomething that he knows, and inuflof neceflity have fome idea of that to which he aims to be like. So that if we had no certain and fettled notion of the goodnefs, juflice and truth of God, he would be altogether an unintelligible being ; and religion, which confifls in the imitation of him, would be ut- terly impoffible." And thofe words of his in his fermon on God's foreknowledge, (b) " If God's exhortations were not ferious, he could not f orefee the final impenitency of men ; for to forefee mens final impenitency is to forefee their wilful contempt ot God's warnings and exhortations, and their re- jection of his grace ; mens wilful contempt of his warnings and exhortations cannot be forefeen, unlefs God forefee that his exhortations are ferious, and in good earneft." SECTION III. Objtftion 2. zdly. It is objected, that by our doctrine we weaken the providence of God ; for if he (a) Serm, of the perfeftion of God 3 p, 15, 16, (1) p. 161, Z z 362 Anfwer to Three Objections doth not order, and effectually move the wills of men, he can- not compafs the defigns of providence. Anjwer. This objection will receive the fhorter anfwer, becaufe it falls into this great abfurdity, that it makes God as much the author of all the evil as of all the good that is done in the world ; for as his providences have for their object, evil actions as well as good, fo is it evident that it is as ne- ceifary for accompliihing the ends of it, that he mould as ef- fectually move the wills of men to the one as to the other ; as in the cafe of jfofeph's brethren, Judas betraying his maf- ter, and the Jews clamoring for his death. So that we may anfwer this argument with that of the fon of Syrach, (c) Say not thou, he hath caufed me to err, for he hath no need of the fuij 'ul man. But, Anjwer 2. idly. To anfwer more particularly, thefe tld^s feem only neceflary to accomplilh all the defigns of provi- dence. ift. That God hath a perfect profpect of the events of all actions, as well of thofe which proceed from the free will of man, as of thofe which iffue from natural caufes, for if he can difcern as well what moral caufes will produce fuch ef- fects in free agents, as what phyfical caufes will produce their effects in natural agents, it muft be evidently the fame thing as to all the interefts and concerns of providence, to compafs his defigns by moral, as by phyfical and natural caufes. zdly. That he hath infinite wifdom to direct thofe actions to their proper ends, and caufe the good and evil done by men to ferve the ends of his providence, both towards them- ielves and others. 3d7y. That he hath power to reftrain them from the execu- tion of thofe purpofes which would thwart the defigns of his providence, either by difabling them from bringing their de- figns to pals, or by withdrawing the fubject or the object of them, or by fuch difpenfations as he fees will turn the bents of their hearts another way, or by infinite other means his wifdom can difcern and order, and his power can effect with- out laying any force or neceflity upon the wills of men ; for if there be no action of any free agent which he cannot thus reftrain, when it thwarts the defigns of his providence, if he permits no action which he cannot order fo as to accomplifh the defigns of it, it is evident that nothing is, or can be fur- ther requifite to the due ordering of all events according to his providence. But, SECTION IV. Anfwer 3. %dly. Though this argument from providence doth not concern us in the leaft, yet it feeras (c ) Chap. xv. 13. again/I the Doctrines Afferttd. 363 evidently to overthrow the contrary do&rine ; for what an- fwer can they return to thefe inquiries ? ift. Is it confiftent with the juitice o( providence to wrap up all mens fate in that of (d) Adams ? So that had he con- tinued in his righteoufnefs all the time before he begat a fon, none of his poflerity fhould have been the better for it, pro- vided that he had finned the day before; but if he once tranf- grefTed, all his poftcrity, to the end of the world, fhould be oh that account the objets of God's wrath, and obnoxious to e- ternal damnation : Yea, that if he finned but once, all men, even the new born infant, fhould be liable to all thefe mifer- ies on that account ; but though he repented of that fin a thoufand times, not one of them fhould be the better for it, though the fame arbitrary will and decree of God could have made the penitent will of Adam, before he had begotten any children, the penitent will of us all, as well as the fmftil will of Adam^ tke fmful will of us all ; and could have made him to fuflajn the perfon of all mankind when he repented, as well as when; he finned in eating the forbidden fruit ; or could have made a compafl with him, that if he repented of that fin, all men mould be reftored to his grace and favor by it, as well as he is fuppofed to have made a compact, that if he finned, all his poflerity mould become the objecls of his wrath upon that fole account. <2.dly. Is it not one great part of providence to give men laws for the direction of their actions, prefcribing what he would have men do and leave undone ; and that under a promife of reward to the obedient, and a declaration that he will certainly and feverely punifh the wilful and impenitent offender ? Now do not they deilroy both the juftice and wif- dom of this providence, who introduce God after the fall, (which, fay they, had made man utterly unable to do any thing truly good, or avoid doing evil in any thing he doth) giving laws pofitive and negative for the direction of his ac- tions, with threats of the fevereft andmofl laflingpunifhments if he neglecl to do what is required, and to avoid what is for- bidden ; and that after his own decree, de non dando efficax auxilium ad vitandum peccatum, of withholding from him the. qffiftance abfolutely neccffary to his doing the good required, or avoiding theforbidden evil. From whence it necefFarily follows, that he to whom 'thofe precepts were given, was then incapable without that affi fiance of doing the good required, or avoid- ing the forbidden evil, efpecially if we confider, that in the nature of the thing, and in the opinion ot philosophers, Caufa deficiens in rebus neceflariis, ad caufam per fe cfRr ientem rc- (dj Gen. v. 3. Anfwer to Three Objections ducenda eft, in things neceffary, the deficient caufe mufl be re* duced to the efficient .; and in this cafe the reafon of it is evi- dent, becaufe the not doing what is required, or not avoiding what is forbidden, being a deleft, muft follow from the pofi- tion of the neceffary caufe of that deficiency. $dly. Is it confident with the juflice of providence, to ag- gravate the fins of reprobates on this account, that they knew their Lord's zvill and did it not, provided that knowledge ren- dered them no more able to do it than the moft ignorant of men, or to make it fuch an aggravation of the fins of chrif- tians, that they are committed agairiil greater light, and ilronger motives to perform their duty than ever was vouch- fafed to the Heathen world ; if, after this, they of them who lie under God's decree of preteritipn, are as unable to perform that duty as the worft of Heathens ? ^Jthly. Is it fuitable to the holinefs of providence, or to that purity which is effential to the divine nature, and makes it neceffary [or him to bear a ftrong affe6iion to, and to be high- ly pleafed with the holinefs of all that are thus like unto him, and to reward them for it with the enjoyment of himfelf, not- withftanding abfolutely to decree not to afford to the greateft part of them to whom he hath given his holy commandments, that aid, which he fees abfolutely neceflary to enable them to be holy, and without which they lie under an abfolute inc^ pacity of being holy ? : $thly* Is it reconcileable to the goodnefs of providence, oj to the kindnefs, philanthropy, the mercy and compaflion of our gracious God in all his providential difpcnfations, fp highly magnified in holy fcripture, to deal with men accord- ing to the tenor of thefe doctrines ? v. g. Can we conceive he is a God full of companion, and one whofe. tender mercies are over all Ins works, who feeing fo many millions of mil- lions of precious fouls which he had made and fent into the T .vorld, equally wanting, and equally capable of his favor, (he having alfo equal reafon to afford it as well to them as any other fouls which were his offspring) paffed an abiolute de- cree to vouchfafe his favor only to a little remnant of them, leaving the far great eft part of them under a fad neceffity of perifhing evcrlaftingly for the offence of their forefather Ad- am, committed long before they had a being ; fo that they rouil be as fure to be damned eternally, as they are to be born in time. Can he be truly ftyled a God of great goodnefs, or of rich mercy to fuch men ? Or a true lover of their fouls P Can he uprightly declare he ufed all his difpenlations to re- cover them from a periihing condition, becavfe he had com- fi'jffion on Limn ? And yet have determined from all eternity to leave them in a remedilcfs condition ? Can he afk in good again/I the Doftrines AJferlcd. '65 earned what he. could have done more to make them fruitful in good works than he had done ? Can he declare he was long- Juffering towards them becaufe he was not willing they JJiould peri/li, but rather by his patience mould be led unto repent- ance ; and yet, from all eternity, decree to leave them under a fad neceflity of perifhing, and to deny them that aflift- ance which could alone produce within them repentance unto life ? 6lhly. Doth it comport with the wifdom of providence, to promife or to threaten upon impoflible conditions, an impoflible condition being in true conftruclion, none at all ; ho\v much lefs will it comportwith the fame wifdom to tender the convenant of grace to all mankind to whom the gofpel is vouchfafed upon conditions which the moft part of them, before that convenant was eftablifhed, were utterly unable to perform, and who by God ? s decree of preterition were inevitably left under that dif- ability ; or to declare he exercifed fuch providences towards his people to try them, thus difabled, whether they would obey his commandments or not, i. e. whether they would exercife thofe faculties which, under that difability, they could not ex- ercife ? Is it agreeable to this wifdom to be dill foliciting, entreating, chailifmg, punching, alluring and fending prophets, preachers, mefTengers to engage them to do what his decree, de non dando auxilium neceflarium, oj not affording the aid necef- fary for thofe ends, had rendered it impoflible ior them to do ? Surely thefe dealings muft import this, that God faw they might have done what, through want of due attention, confideration and reflection, they did not ; or that he pafTionately defired that might be done, which only was not done, becaufe he did not unfruflrable work the change in them ? That is, he feri- oufly defired and wifhed they had been of the number of his cleft, when he himfelf, by an abiblute decree from all eternity, had excluded them out of that number. jthly. On the oilier hand, can it accord with the fame wif- "dom of providence to threaten the fevereft judgments to them, \\they repented not, or if they turned away from their right- eoufnefs, or Jell away from their own fledfajlnefs, or endured not to the end, whom he had abfolutely decreed to give repen- tance to, and by continuance in welldoing to preferve them to a biefled immortality ; or to caution them not to do fo, or to inquire whether temptations had not prevailed upon them fo to do, or bid them fear left they fhould do fo. ^thly. Is it fuitable to the fmcerity of his providential dif- penfations, of which his dealings with men by his revealed will towards them, make fo great apart, to move them to the per- formance of their duty only by motives which he knows can- p.qt work upon them without that farther aid he from eternity 366 'Anjwcr to Three Objections hath determined to deny them ; or to call heaven and earth t& witnefs that he had Jet before them life and death, good and evil, and therefore required them to choofe the good, and refufe the evil, when he before hand knew it was irnpoflible for moft of them to do either ; and after all to inquire what could he have done more to render them obedient, to afk why they would not be made clean ? Or when this would once be ? And to wonder at their unbelief, and upbraid them Jor their i?npenitence, and to complain that, after fuch engaging difpenfations, and fuch judgments, they repented not, they turned not to hi?n, or only did this feigncdly ? Or, laftly, to fend his meflengers to them with this encouragement, it may be they will confidtr,it may be they will return from their evil ways, it maybe they will reverence myfon ; for what room can there be for any of thefe fuppofitions, where the effecT: depends on God's own imme- diate acnngupon the heart, and not upon any hearing, orcon- fideration of man without it, or upon any difpofitions in them, or any means that they can ufeto move him to enable them to do it. Or laftly. Is it fuitable to the fame wifdom and fincerity to move fuch perfons by promifes to repent and believe, and to require them, having fuch promijes to cleanfe themfelves from all filthinefs offlejh and fpint, perfecting holinefs in the fear of God ? For feeing to call men to faith and repentance, is to call men to believe to the falvation of their fouls, and to repent that they may live and not die, and therefore to be ferioufly willing they mould be faved and not perim, and to pafs ante- cedently a decree of preterition on the fame men, is ferioufly to will they {hall not be faved, but mail inevitably perifh ; what wit of man can fhew how God can be ferious in calling fuch men to faith and repentance, much lefs in his concern, that they might do fo, or in his trouble, that they have not done fo, and yet be ferious and in good earneft in his ante- cedent decree to deny them that aid, without which they never can believe or repent ? againjl the Doflrints Averted. 367 CHAPTER II. JL HE third and laft objection refpeling the ftate of Heathens , to whom the gofpel either never hath been tendered, or who for many ages have been deprived of the knowledge of it, be- ing of more importance, requires a more large confideration, and therefore in this chapter 1 fhall offer what I can produce in the difcuflion of it. Objettion. The difficulty, as it is abftracled from this con- troverfy, is propounded by fej Dr. Sherlock thus : " That fmce all men have immortal fouls, and muft be happy or mif- erable forever, God mould for fo many ages fuffer the whole world, excepting the Jews, to live in ignorance, and in Pagan idolatry and fuperftition, that Chrift came fo late into the world to reveal the true God, and to publifh the gofpel to them ; and that fo great a part of the world ftill are Pagans and Mahojnetans, and that fo little a part of the chrijlian world retain the true faith and worfhip of Chrift. This is ten thou- fand times a greater difficulty than any prefent evils and ca- lamities ; becaufe the confequences of it reach to eternity.'* Anfwer. " But then the whole difficulty is no more than this, that we know not what the condition of fuch men is in the other world, who lived in invincible ignorance of the true God, and of our Savior Jefus Ckrift in this ; this we confefs we do not know, but believe fo well of God, that we are ver- ily perfuaded, could we fee what their ftate will be in another world, we mould fee no reafon to quarrel with God, only be- caufe we know not how he deals with the ignorant Heathens in the other world ; if we knew how God dealt with thefe men, and knew that he dealt hardly by them, as far as we could judge, this would be a difficulty ; but what diffiulty is there in know- ing nothing of the matter ? For if we know nothing of it, we can judge nothing of it. Now feeing we cannot look into the world to come, and cannot otherwife know any thing of the future ftate of ignorant Heathens but by revelation, that fcrip- ture which containeth all our Revelations, faying nothing of it ; it follows that we can judge nothing of it certainly. " Some men indeed, but without any authority ttom/crifm ture, confidently affirm that ignorant Heathens fhall fuffer the fame condemnation which Chrift has threatened againft wilful (e) Difc. of Previdence, p, uo, Sec, Anfwcr to Three Objections infidels, and wicked chriftians, and then it may well be thought a great difficulty that God fhould as feverely punifh men for not knowing Chnjl, when he was never preached to them, and they had no other poffible way of knowing him, as he will punifh thofe who have had the gofpel of Chrifl preached to them, but refufed to believe in him, or have profefTed the faith of Chrift, but lived very wickedly ; but this is a difficul- ty of their own making, and it would be much more fafe for themfelves, and much more honorable for God, to confefs their own ignorance of fuch matters, as they have no poffible way to know, and to refer all fuch unknown cafes to the wif- dom, ju (lice and goodnefs of God, than to pretend to know what they cannot know, and thence to raife fuch objections as they cannot anfwer." SECTION I. As this objeQion refpe&s this controverfy, it runs thus : That God feems to have dealt as feverely with the Heathens, to whom the knowledge of his will and gofpel hath never been revealed, as we can imagine him to have dealt with men according to the do6lrine of abfolute election and reprobation, and of fpecial grace vouchfafed only to fome few chri/iians, whilft others are left to the defeclive rule of their own wills without fufficient grace to enable them to turn to God and to do works meet for repentance. For, i/?. It may be faid that we are forced to grant that the grace of conveying the gofpel to any perfons, and calling them to be his church and people when other nations were left in darknefs, was of free grace without confederation of any worth in them to whom the gofpel was vouchfafed above thofe who neverhadthe knowledge of it. Now the vonchfafement of the means of grace being from fuch a free election, without confid- eration of any worth in the perfons, it fcems reafonable alfo to believe that the decree itfelf concerning the end, viz. the fal- vation tendered to us by the gofpel is alfo free ; and that it is not always applied to them whom God forefaw would ufe it better than others, appear: words of Chrift, that (a) i/ the mighty works which wen ernawn, Cho- razrn and Bethjaida^ had been done in 'iy>\ 'don they would have repented. Moreover ieeing it is in lacl certain, that the greated part of mankind have been always left deilitute of thefe means of grace which were vouchfafed to the Jew firft, and after to the Gentiles, we need not wonder why that God who freely communicates the knowledge of birnfelf by the gofpe! to fome nations, denying it to others, mould hold the fame methods with individuals, that he doth with whole bodies ; for the (a) .Matth. xi. ai, 24, again/I the Doftrines AJfcrttd. 369 rejecting of whole nations by the lump for fo many ages is much more unaccountable than the felecling of a few to be in- fallibly conduced to falvation, and leaving others in that ftate t>f difability in which they (hall inevitably fail of it. Now t6 this I reply, Anfwer. i. -i^. That this objection doth by no means aft. fwer the chief arguments produced again ft thefe decrees ; it faith indeed, that God may as well make Juch decrees, as leave the greatefl part of mankind void of the means of grace ; which will be afterwards confidered. But what is this to our chief arguments which are all taken from the inconfiftency of thefe decrees, with the truth and fmcerity of his following declara- tions made injcripture viz. with his commands to all to whom the gofpel is vouchfafed, to repent, with his exhortations and defires that they would do fo, with his threats of ruin to them if they do not, with the fending his mefiengers to perfuade them to it, with his declarations that he ufed great patience and longfuffering to lead them to repentance, and did this out of a fincere defire that they mightnot perifh, with all the prom- ifes, motives and encouragements he hath fpread before them to induce them to it, with his inquiries, why they would die ? With his admiration at their continuance, after all his deal- ings, in their impenitence, and his upbraiding them for not re- penting ; with his qiaeftions when they would be made clean ? With his declarations that he would have cleanftd them, and they would not be cleanjed ; he would have gathered them, and they would not be gathered ? With his appeal to them, what he could have done more than he had done to effect it, and innumerable things of the like nature, jdifperfed through the whole body of thefcripture ? When thofe of the contrary per- fuafion can {hew the like inconfiftency betwixt God's declar- ations, touching the Htathtn world, and his dealings with them, then, and then only will they (hew this difpenfation is obnoxious to the fame difficulties which we objecl againft, thefe abfolute decrees. zdly. I confefs there is, and ought to be allowed in reafon, a greater depth in the divine providence, and in his dipenfa- tions towards the fons of men, than we can fathom, by cur ihallow.reafon ; for (b) he doth great things and v.nfcarcha- ble, and fuch whofe iootfteps we can never trace, his judg- ments are a great abyfs^ his greatnefs is unjearchable, his un- der/landing is infinite. We therefore may put the queftion of Zophar the Naamathite. to the pretended wife and prudent, and moft fagacious inquirers into wifdom, (c) can/I thou by wifdomfind out God? Canjlthou fcarch out the Almighty te xxxvi. 6. cxlv. 3. cxlvu. $>>~~-f<:J Job si, 7, 8; ? A A a 370 Anfwcr to Three Oljtttions perfection.? Now from this very topic the apojlle doth con- clude that we are, in fuch cafes. as thefe are, even that or' the rejection oi his once heloved people, after all that we can fay 1o vindicate his juftice, and his goodnefs, to end in this divine apo/trophe, (d) oh the depth of the, wifdom, and the knowledge of God ! How unsearchable are his judgments^ and his ways 'pajl finding out I But then as it would be in us an intolerable piece of infolence to fay, againfl the plaineft declarations of the JcripturC) that God did not in wifdom make the world, becaufe we are not able to difcern the wifdom of all things framed in it ; fo rnuft it be an equal infolence in us to fay God doth not at in the preferving it, and in the ordering of affairs in it ac- cording to the meafures of true goodnefs, becaufe we who are unacquainted with the inward difpofitions of men, and fee not the end, and cannot dive into the reafons of his difpenfations, cannot difcern the footfieps of that goodnefs in all his various tranfaclions towards men. Now hence it clearly follows. SECTION II. That what God hath plainly and frequent- ly revealed concerning his goodnefs, ought firmly to be own- ed arid believed, although we are not able to difcern how it comports with thofe phenomena we have obferved in the world, becaufe from that of which we have no clear or com-' prehenfive notion, we can make no clear and certain infer- ences, and fo can have no certain evidence that fuch and fuch things are not Well confident with the love and goodnefs of God to mankind ; but of things clearly and frequently taught concerning the divine philanthropy, we have a full and clear idea, which therefore we in reafon ftand obliged to own, though we are Hill unable to difcern how the tran factions of God in the world comport with our imperfect knowledge, and weak notions of immenfe and boundlefs goodnefs, and perhaps falfe conceptions how it ought to acl. We need not, faith an excellent writer, trouble ourfelves with that queftion which is made concerning the converfion oi all, or not of all men, (e) fi ea qux clara Hint non de his quac occulta funt obfcurernus, ij we. do not obfcure thofe things which are clear by thofe which are fccrtt ; that is, faith Dr. Barrow^ if we do not obfcure fo clear a truth as that God is the Savior of ail rhen, by debating how his grace is imparted to them, and by laboring overmuch in reconciling of it with other difpenfa- tions of providence. Seeing then God hath fo often and To clearly tatighi us that ke is good to all % and that his tender mercies are over all his works, and that he car nth for all alike, and the whole earth js^ full oj his goo dnej's^ that he is abundant in goodnefs t and id) Kom. xi. 53. (e) DC Voc. Geut. 1. J. c, againfl the Doflrines AJfcrted. 371 to the unthankful and the wicked, that lit 1 would not the death of him that dies, but rather that he Jhould be converted and live ; and hath confirmed this faying with an oath : See- ing it is exprefsly faid, that he is the Savior of all men, '-though efpecially of them that believe ; and that he would have all men- to be Jdved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth ; 1 fay feeing the revelations of this nature are clear and copious, and are to them who do believe the fcripture. clear and certain, dembhflrations of divine goodnefs to the whole race of man- kind, and all the inftances propounded to the contrary in the 1 objection depend upon our apprehensions of what this good- nefs would be apt in our conceits to do, in which we may be fubjeft to great mifapprehenfions and miftakes ; have we not reafon to believe thefe clear and copious revelations, rot with-- Handing thofe little fcruples which from our fond ideas, and imperfect notions of divine goodnefs, we do make againft them ? Now to apply thefe things to our ftibjeft. \fl. We know from fcripture how dreadful for quality, how endlefs for duration will be the punifliment of every chrijlian who fails of the falvation tendered, and that as death leaves them, judgment will find them ; but we know fo little of the future flate of Heathens, from ihatjcriptitre, which can alone acquaint us with his dealings with them ; that we are uncertain both as to the meafure and the duration of their punimments : Yea we have no afTurance that providence may not put them into a better ftate, before their filial doom, who have wanted any opportunity here to improve themfelves bet- ter* St. Paul informs the Athenians that '(/) God overlooked' the times of Heathen ignorance, but now, by the promulgation of the gofpel, he commands all men every where to repent , le- caufe he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteoufnejs ; and of this, ro/-r*v ^jxfsa^v, he gave them a proof by raifing our Lord Jeftis from the dead, by which words he fcems to intimate, that where there hath never been any call by prophet or apojile to repentance, or any affurance- of a future judgment, there is like reafon for his overlooking ilill thofe times of ignorance ; for parium par ratio eft. zdly. We know that God hath made a tender of the cove-' rant oi Grace upon conditions of faith and repentance, to all that live under the gofpel difpenfation ; and that thefe de- ' crees of abfolute reprobation, and of denying the help necef- fary to the performing thefe conditions, are incohfiftent with that tender ; whereas we know of no fucli tender made to the Heathen world, but rather that they are ftill ft rangers to iht- covenant ofpro-mije* Ephef. ii. 12. TV A&S xvii. 31* 37 2 Anjwer to Three Objections %dly. We know not any promifes God hath made to them, nor what are the conditions he requires in order to his ac^ ceptance of them through Chrift jejus ; but we know that according to thefe decrees God tenders his promifes to the* leprobate part of mankind only upon impoflible conditions, and after he had pafled upon them an al of preterition, and fo had left them infallibly to fail of ever obtaining the bleflings promifed. qthly. We know from fcripture that the Heathens who never heard of Chrift, and never had Chrift preached to them, are not bound to believe in him ; for howjhall they believe in him of wkvm they have not heard, or how fhall they hear with-* cut a preacher ? Saith St. Paul, Rom. x. 14. but we know irom the fame fcripture, that this is the command of God to all that have heard of Chrift, (a) that they believe in tht Son of God ; and yet we know, according to the doctrine of our adverfaries, that he died not for them, and that they can- not, without that aid God hath decreed to withhold from them, believe unto falvation, and therefore muft be damned for that unbelief, they, from the hour of their birth to the clofe of their days, were never able to prevent. tlily. We know that God fent his Prophets and Mejfengers 9 Apofiks and Evangelifts, to move the Jews unto repentance, and thofe Gentiles to whom the gofpcl was offered to embrace it ; and that under both thefe difpenfations he eftablifhed an order of men to call all men indifferently to repentance, and to walk worthy of that vocation to which they were called ; and we know this to be inconfiftent with thofe decrees which others do contend for, unlefs God can feriouily call them to repent and believe, whom he hath left under an impoffibility ot doing fo ; but we know not that any thing ot this was done towards thofe Heathens to whom the gofpel never hath been preached, nor ever any meffenger or prophet fent, and fo can make no like objections againil his dealings with them And thus I might difmifs this fubjecl: ; but I farther add, SECTION 111. Anjwer 2. %dly, This objection ftippof- eth it the fame thing to oe without a gofpel revelation, and to be without any means of grace at all ; to be without thofe means the gofpel tenders to the chrijlian, and the law tenders to the Jew, to do what is well pleafing to God, and is rewardable by his goodnefs, and f o be without any means at all to do fo ; which fuppofition feems plainly con- trary to the declarations of the holy fcripture touching the Heathen world, and contrary to the exprefs declarations of ths ancient fathci s, and allo to be of dangerous conference, (aj John vi, 39. "(tgalnft the DoSrincs After ted. And, j/?. This fuppofition feems plainly contrary to many declarations made injcripture concerning the condition of the Heathen world ; for as God plainly faith even in refpecl: to their j unification, that he is the God not of the Jews only, but a/fo of the Gentiles, Rom. iii. 29. and that he is the fame Lord who is rich unto all that call upon him t Rom. x. 12. So has he alfo by St. Peter taught, that he is no rej'peclcr of perfons, but that in every nation he that ftartth God, and worketh righteoufnefs is accepted of him , A 61s x. 34, 35. Whence it appears, t/2. That fome of all nations owning the true God, as did Cornelius and his friends who gave occafion for theic words, not only might, hut actually did jear God, and work r, eoufnefs, for otherwife they very ill deferved the titles given to the pro/elytes oj the gate belonging to ail nations, Acts ii. 10. that they were pious and devout ?nen t and jnch as feared God, as hath been {hewed, note on Ac~is x. 2. Nor could St. Peter perceive that God was no refpeEler oj perfons on the ac- count of a thing that never did or could happen ; and though it be commonly laid, that there is no refpecl of perfons in gra- tuitis, in things Jreely given ; yet is that only true where no duty is required, and no lervice is demanded in order to that gift ; where therefore God requires under penalty that Hea- thens mould do him fuch and fuch fervice, if he' gives the grace neceffary to the performance of that fervice to others in like circumftances, and not to them, tfyere Kr: is a rcfpefter of perfons ; and where he makes a promife of acceptance, or gives juil reafon to expel it, as he muft do where he requires duty, fince there can be no motive to perform that duty which will not be accepted, there the acceptance of one before an- other ftanding upon equal terms with him, is an accepting perfons : Nor could St. Peter otherwife have proved from the example of Cornelius s alms accepted by God, that he was no refpefter of perfons, had not God fome way obliged himfelf without diftinftion of perfons or nations, to accept every one that worketh righteoujnefs. It therefore is a manifeft abfurd- ity to fay that God requires the fame moral duty from ckrif- tians, Jews and Heathens upon condition of reward, or under penalty, and yet is no refpefter of perfons, if under equal cir- cumftances he affords grace fufficient to obtain that reward, and to avoid that penalty to one, and will not do it to anoth- er, fince this moft plainly is in matters of reward and punifh- ment to have refpecl: to one above another, without regard to the worthinefs oi the one, or the unworthincfs of the other. zdly. Hence it appears that God accepts men not on the account of their deicent or circumcifion, or of his own de- 374 'Anfwer to Three crees, but only becaufc theyjfazr God and work righteoufn'cfs* Now the inference from this text is this. Coroll. That thofe Heathens who have at any time attain- ed to the knowledge of the true God, may in that ftate per- form thofe righteous aftions which {hall be acceptable in his fight. Argument 2. idly. This may be gathered from thefe words of St. Paul, God who in times pqftfujfered all nations to walk in their own mays, nevertheless left not himfelf loithout a wit- nefs in that he did them good, and gave them rain from heav- en, and fruitful feafons t &c. Acls xiv. 16, 17. Where ob- ferve, i/t. That God did not fo far fuffer them to walk in their own ways, as to allow of their manners, or to leave them \vithout fufficient means to convince them of the error of their ways, or their idolatrous worfhip ; for this he had done fo effectually as to leave them zuithout excuje, in that they did not worjhip him as God, nor were thankful for his benefits, Rom. i. 20, 21. but he fo far permitted this, as that he fent them no prophet to inftru6l them better, and gave them no pofitive revelation of his will, no written inftru6Uons of that way in which he would be worfhipped, as he had done unto the jezvs. zaly. From verfe the i/th it appears, (\ft.) That the giv- ing rain in its feafon, and fruitful feafons of the year, is even to the Heathens a teftimony of the divine providence ; for this rain coming from the clouds of heaven, and thofe fruitful feafons depending fo neceffarily on the fun and moon, and the celeftial influences, and being fo conflantly produced by them, demonflate that they mutt drive them from, and owe them to him whofe power and wifdom made the heaven and the earth, and therefore that they ought to worfhip, and to be thankful to him for them, ('idly.) Thefe being good things and fuch as filled their hearts with food and gladnejs, and being confer- ed freely and conftantly on them who daily provoked him by their idolatries and ingratitude, werealfo a clear teftimony of his goodnefs to them, and therefore an alfurance that'if they, knowing him by thefe means to be God, would turn from their dumb Idols, and worfhip him as God, they might find grace and favor in his eyes, who was fo good to them even whilft they did continue to provoke him. Now the knowl- edge of that God who made heaven and earth as the only true God who is to be worfhipped, and whofe providence affords us all the bleffings we enjoy, and the belief that he is well in- clined to mew mercy to all that thus turn to him, and to re- ward all that thus fear him, and are thankful to him, feems to. again/I the Dottrines A/ertcd. 375 l>e all that God expefted from the Gentiles, as may be gather- ed from Rom. i. 20, 21. Argument %*%dly. From thofe words of the fame apoflle^ God that wade the world and all things in it, made all nations oj l one blood , and hath determined the times before appointed (i. e. the fixed feafons of the year ) and the bounds of their habitations, that they might feek the Lord, if haply they might fed after him, and fi nd him, A6ls xvii. 24, 26, 27. Where we learn, i/?. That God made the world with this defign, that men by contemplation of the power, wifdom and goodnefs, vifible in the creation of it, mighty^ after the author of it, and feeking^W him ; and therefore mud have made it fo as that it doth afford fufficient evidence that it was framed by his power and wifdom. zdly. That to feek after God in the fcripture phrafe is fo to feek him out that we may give him that worfhip which is due to him ; as when the apojlle faith, 'he that cometh to God muft believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that dili- gently feek him, Heb. xi. 6. To find him, is to obtain his grace and favor, or to find him good and propitious to them that feek him ; for to what other end mould men fo folicitoufly feek after him, but to obtain his grace and favor ; or why (hould they defire to find him, but to obtain fome benefit from him thus found ? Is it not upon this account that all men come unto him, and do him fervice ? And would any one do it if ihey expecled no advantage by it ? And in this fenfe God faith, if from thence thou JJialt feek the Lord, thou Jtialt find him, if thou feek him with all thy heart, Deut. iv. 29. And ij you feek him he will be found of you. 2 Chron. xv. 2. 3 make is this, Inference. That Heathens may have faith in God, even that faith which is the expectation of things hoped f or > and may en* courage them to feek him diligently. Argument 5. This may be further evident from thofe words, fb) The wrath oj God is revealed from heaven againft all Un- godlinefs, and unrighteoufnefs of men, who hold the truth in unrighteoufnefs ; where obierve, i/f. That the apojlle. there is fpeakingof theHtatken world,, of the Gentiles, Ver. 16. of them who changed the image of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man 9 Ver. 23. and worjhipped the creature more than the. creator > Ver. 25. zdly. Obferve that this wrath of God was revealed from, heaven, fift-J againft their ungodlinefs, i. e, againft their im- piety in robbing God of his honor, and giving it to them which by nature were no Gods, and in being ungrateful to him who was the author oi all their bleffmgs, Vr. 21. (idly) for their unrighteoufnefs^ i. e. the violation of the laws of juftice, char- ity and mercy towards one another, of which the Apojlk fpeaks from Ver. 26. to the goth. %dly. Obferve that they did this againft fufficient evidejKe and manifeftaticn of the truth delivered to them, holding the truth in unrighttoufnsfs ; that is, by a&ing contrary to the notions they had, or might have learned from the law of na- ture, and by fupprening or corrupting the dictates of their own natural conferences ; and this is ftiil more evident from the feafon of this wrath of God revealed againft there, the fbj Rom- i, i?, B Bb 378 Anfwtr to Three Objections faying* fift.J That they were thus ungodly when God hacl fhewed and made manifeft to them by his works, that which might be. known of him by the light of nature, Ver. 19, 20. zdly. That when they had thefe fufficient means of knowing God, and many of them by thefe means did know him, they did not glorify him as God, nor were they thankful to him for the blem'ngs he had conferred upon them, Ver. 21. and fo they robbed him of his glory, and the acknowledgment of his good- nefs, againft that light which he had given them to difcern thefe things, and that becaufe they liked not to retain God in. their knowledge, Ver. 28. %dly. That upon this account they were avaoX6y*}r6i, without excufe ; for J think that interpreta, tidn of thofe words which makes this manifeftation of himfelf to be given with this intention only to render them inexcufablt in their damnation, unworthy of a confutation, it being to be rejecled, as it is by Oecumtnius, with an awaye, or with the utmojl deteflation ; this being the vileft imputation that can be call upon our gracious God, to fay that he vouchfafes the manifeflation of himfelf to men only to aggravate their con- demnation, and give himfelf a fpecious pretence to renderthem forever miierable ; it is therefore certain from the reafon fol- lowing (they zvere incxcufable, Sun, becaufe knowing God, they did not glorify him as God) that the true import of thefe words is this ; that God had fo far manifefted himfelf unto them by the works of his creation and his providence, that they who were not by thefe means induced to glorify him as God, and were not duly thankful to him for the benefits he alone ha-i conferred upon them, were without any reafonable excufe for their neglect to do fo. Now both the reafon and fuffrage of mankind proclaim this an excufe fufficient, for not doing any thing, that they had never power or fufticient means for the performance of it ; and if they had this power, and thefe means, it is certain that thefe Heathens might have thus g!o- rified God, and have been thankful, and that doing fo they would have been free from the neglect of that which by this revelation God had made their duty. ^thly. Moreover what is it to glorify him as God ? Is it not to own him as the only God, to give him the worihip due from creatures to their great creator ? To obey his known commands ; to fubmit to his good pleafure ; to repent of all their wilful violations of his holy laws, and when they have deviated from them, to return to that obedience which they owe to him ; to conform to all his imitable perfections, or in the language of the Heathens, tmtyv, G'jfAtzo'htTcUc'rQj.i, ofAotubr,- VSM, ojuuyyyajitowffai ro> 65^, to live the lift of God, to converfc Jlitl with him, to be like to, and of the fame. ?nind with him ; to call upon him who is the giver of all good things, aad < againft the Dottrines A f tried. 379 depend upon him for all the bleffings they did want ? Is it not certain from the writings of the wifer Heathens, that they knew all this to be their duty ? Or could they glorify him as God, if they neglected fo to do ? Again, could they be thankful to him for his bleflings, un- lefs they acknowledged him the author of them, and owned their obligations to improve them to his honor, to love him for his bounty, and to live to him by whom they lived ? thly* ObfervCj that the great reafon of the wrath of God revealed again/I them was this ; that they thus finned againft the knowledge and confcierice of their duty, by holding the truth in unrighteoufnefs, as is more clearly delivered in thefe words, Ver. 32. that knowing y TO &xai'a>pc,a, the righteous fen- tence of God that they who did fuch things were worthy of death, (they themfelves pafTmg this fentence upon thofe who denied the dignity, or worfhip ot their Gods, and againft many afts of unrighteonfnefs here mentioned) they not only did the fame, but took plenfure in them that did them. Now hence the inference is this. Inference. That all the acls of ungodlinefs and unrighieouf- nefs, here mentioned as things too commonly praHfed in the Heathen world, were done againft fufficient light and con- viclion ; that they did thefe things againft the natural light ot their own confidences, and the knowledge of that duty which was due from them both to God and man, Argument 6. This alfo feemeth evident from what the a- pojlle hath declared touching the Gentiles who had not the law ; to wit, that God would judge them according to their works, Rom. ii. 6. for a righteous God will only judge and condemn them for the neglect of that which they knew to be their duty, and might have done, but did not ; and for the doing that which they knew to be evil, and might have avoid- ed, but did not ; and both thefe things fuppofe they had fuf- ficient grounds, even from the light of nature, to know, and might have by their fincere endeavors obtained fufficient help for the performance of it ; for, as Ongen well reafons, if God condemned the Heathens for holding the truth in unrighteouf- nefs, and becaufe when they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, neither were thankful ; it feems agreeable to rea- fon to believe that had they done what they culpably neglect- ed, and therefore might have done ; i. e. had they glorified him as God, and been thankful, they would have done that which was acceptable to God, and fit to be rewarded by his goodnefs. 2dly. When the apoflle adds, that the Gentiles which knew not the law of Mofes did by nature (i. e. by virtue ot the law of nature written in their hearts) the things contained in th& 383 Anfwer to Three Oljeftions moral law, he muft infmuate that they had the natural prin- ciples of good and evil difcovered to them by their own rea- fon and difcretion. Hence when they did that which was naturally evil, their confcience, faith he, did accufe themj or it, Ver. 15. whence it follows that they muft have both the knowledge of the principles of natural religion, and an ability ,to perform them ; and to avoid thofe fins againft the light oi nature for which their confcience did accufe them ; for a confcience rightly informed will accufe no man for doing what he was not able to avoid. Again, when confcience in them is faid, asroXoysn/, to apologize, or plead for them, fince confcience plainly doth imply a knowledge of a rule by which our actions are to be direcled, and that our actions have been done according to, or in repugnance to that rule, it cannot o.therwiie plead for them than by an inward fenfe that they have aied fuitably to that rule, or to the knowledge of theif duty towards God and man, they from the light of nature or the conviclions of their reafon had difcovered. And fo much for the teftimonies of holy fcripture. SECTION IV. It feemeth alfo evident from reafon, that if God would be wormipped, ferved and obeyed by his ra- tional creatures, he muft nave given them fufficient knowl- edge of that being whom they are to ferve, worihip and obey, *md ot thofe laws which he requires them to obey ; and alfo inuft have given them abilities to do them as far as he requires this to their acceptance, and motives fufficient to induce them thus to ferve and to obey him ; for all mens reafon muft con* vince them that a righteous God will not require any peribn in order to his acceptance of him, to da that good, or to a- void that evil which he hath given them no means to know, no ability to do, and no motive to perform ; fince what they cannot know to be their duty, or knowing cannot do, they cannot be obliged to do ; and what they can have no motive, to do or to avoid, they can have no juft ground or reafon to do, or to avoid. Now hence arife thefe ufeful corollaries. CorolL i. 1/2. That they who fay the Heathens want fuf- ficient means to know, or to perform thofe natural duties "which they owe to God or man, fo far deftroy both natural religion and morality, becaufe they muft abfolvethe Heathens irom any obligations to perform them ; and why then are they ftyled duties of natural religion, or morality ? CorolL 2. 2,'dly. That they who fay there are fome pre- cepts which the Heathens cannot perform at all, viz. Thou,. Jlialt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, &c. and tkou flialt not covet any thing that is thy neighbor 's, muft either fay thefe are no duties of natural religion, or morality, and that God therefore hath not required the Heathens to perform againjl the Dotfrines A/erted. 381 them ; or that God doth require them to whom he only hath vouchfafed the light of nature to do that which can never be performed by them, who only have the guidance and direo tion of that light, and of thole fee-ret influences which he af- fords them. dly. That they who fay that all thofe a&ions of the Hea- thens which are for the matter good, yet are formally fins, becaufe they are not done out ot love to God as the principle, and to God's glory as the end ; muft either fay that Heathens cannot, by the light of nature, know they are to do them from fuch principles, and to fuch ends, and then they cannot be obliged fo to do them ; or elfe that though they know they ought to do them from this principle, and to this end, yet they want power fo to do them ; and then they muft affirm that they lie under an abfolute neceflity of doing all their aclions with thefe two effential defects, and fo under an abfolute ne- ceflity of finning ; againft the judgment of all antiquity, St. jiuftin not excepted, that no man is to be judged or condemn* d as a finner, for that which he lies under a fad necefluy to do, or to omit. One would be tempted to conceive they who fo confidently aver thefe things, had never read thofe fayings 0f the (a) Heathens who place their confidence in this, That it Jhall be well with them both in life and death becaufe they truly love God, and do endeavor to be as like him as they can,, And that this is the bejl way of doing honor to him ; declaring as fully againft doing thofe things out of vain (b) glory, and chiefly to obtain applaufc from men as chrijlians do, and (ay- ing that they are to do them out of refpecl: to confcience, and ought even to lofe their reputation to prejerve it, and thatfcj to live according to nature, and, iseiQeo&ai ru sw, xai 37c u,)$f uTTDHiv Ti aviv 7535 Snt Ta SS Antoninus, 1. 3. Seftion 13. Hinc. Thaletis monitum illud, *; T; aiuvx.$Tuv ciiZvxv raai&ttt Von S^v, apud Clem. Alex. Strom, ^. P- 594. D, 382 'Anfwer to Three OljeSions divine, things: (d) That God is to be revered above all things^ to be owned, thought upon, and refpecled in all things^ to be. in- voked that we may obtain them, and to be celebrated for them ; to omit many things of a like nature. idly. If God hath given to all men immortal fouls, it feem- eth plainly hence to follow, that he hath put them fome way in- a capacity of being happy after death, and hath not left them under an inevitable neceflity of being always miferable; for fince, according to our Savior's words, It had been better for fuch men that they had not been born, and according to right reafon, it is better not to be, than to be mijerable : And fince all fuch men mufl be fubjeft to a neceflity of being miferable only by being born into the world, that is only by God's own atHon in giving them life, and infufing a fpiritual foul into them, and all their offspring muf I be miferable by that which God himfelf hath called his benediclion on our firfl parents, by which they were enabled to increafe and multiply : I fay, feeing thefe things are fo, it follows that either we mufl deny the immor- tality of the fouls of thefe Heathens, and fay that they will die with their bodies, and be liable to no account hereafter or al- low that they are placed by divine providence in a capacity of avoiding the being ever miferable in that future flate. And that God hath vouchfafed fome means of grace and kindnefs even to the fouls who by his providence have wanted that light which he imparted to the Jew and Chrijlian, may be concluded from his goodnefs to them in things temporal ; for fince he is that God who doeth good to all, and whoje tender mercies are over all his works, who giveth to all men liberally, Jilling their hearts with food and glad nefs ; Is it likely that he fliouid wholly negle6l their fpiritual concerns leaving their precious fouls entirely deflitute of help, and under a fad ne- ceflity oi pining away in their iniquities, and being miferable forever ? And to be fatally expofed to eternal death, without affording them any means of redrefs. This even to a Heathen feemed a inofl unworthy apprehenfion, that God fhould be (t) Tffpzs fj*zv TZ tyoLv),?. xctKciJs Kxl dfyQwus zs&pocffxsuofAevor, -&pof roe. xpeirrw atzopof, liberal in be/lowing mean things, and /par- ing in better things ; why therefore ihould we chnflians, who have clearer difcoveries of the divine goodnefs, think that he who gives to all men life, breath, and all things, fhould' utterly withhold from any the means of ferving him accepta- bly ? They furely might infer from his declarations that he is the Savior of all men, and that all fouls are his, (which is plainly faid to anfwer the complaints of thofe who thought he dealt hardly with them) that he is the God of the Gentiles as. (d) Vide Gat;;k. vccc Dcus. (e) Max. Tyr. Dilf. 21. p. 216, again/I the Doflrines Afferted. 383 \uell as of the Jews ; the fame God who is rich unto all that call upon him, that he hath not left himftlf without at teftimo- ny of his goodnefs, that hs made them to feck after him, in or- der to the finding him, and fo far manifefleel himfelf to them that they might know him fo as to worjhip him as God, and to be. thankful to him for his benefits : That, Laftly, He hath made them fo as to be a law unto tkemfelves, by virtue of that light of reafon he hath implanted in them, fo that they have an inward fatisfa&ion in doing well, and an accufmg con- fcience when they do that which is naturally evil ; they, I fay, may more rationally conclude he is not utterly deficient in communicating interior affiftancij, and promoting the good ufe and improvement of thefe talents ; fince otherwife they are not only beftowed in vain, and fo as to produce no good effeft ; but are really unkindnefles, as being only apt to pro- duce ill effecls on thofe on whom they are conferred, viz. the aggravation of their fin, and consequently of their future punifhment. CorolL Hence then it follows that no Heathen nations are wholly left without foine means of knowing arid fome ability of doing thofe things God hath made abfolutely requifite to free them from his future wrath, fmee otherwife they mull be born under an abfolute neceffity of being ever miferable. SECTION V. %dly. I add that it cannot be confident with divine equity and goodnefs to make that a condition of any man's happinefs which he cannot know to be his duty, or knowing cannot do ; fince this muft certainly fubjel him to an impoflibility of being happy, and therefore to a certainty of being miferable ; which, by the former proportion, raufl be repugnant both to the juftice and the goodnefs of God. Coroll. Hence it is evident that the knowledge of any rev- elation made to Jew or Chrijlian, cannot be neceffary to the happinefs of the Heathens in general, and much lefs the prac- tice of any purely chriflian duty ; becaufe it is morally im- poflible that many of them fhould come to the knowledge of thefe things ; and therefore faith in Chrift Jefus cannot be neceflary to the falvation of as many of them as have never heard ot him ; for how, faith the apojlle, (f) Jliall they be- lieve in him of who?n they have, not heard ? And to whom no preacher of thrift Jefus hath been ever fent ; for how Jliall thty hear without a preacher ? SECTION VI. ^tkiy. This I think certain, that God will only judge men at the laft for finning againft the means he hath vouchsafed them to know, and to pe-rform their duty, and only by that law which he hath given them ; for fin being (fj Rom. x. 14, Anfwer to Three Objections only a tranfgrejjton of a faw, where God hath given no law- forbidding any aftion, there can be no imputabie tranfgref- Con of it ; and where he hath given no law commanding, there can be no negleft of duty. Coroll. Hence it muft follow, that thofe Heathens to whom the law of nature hath been only given, can be judged only for the violations of that law ; that is for the negleft of that which by that law they might difcern to be their duty to per- form, or their fm to commit ; God's wrath being only reveat- tdfrom heaven againft them who held the truth in unrighteouf- fie/s. And therefore as almoft all the Thefes laid down by VoJJius^m his difputation de Virtutibus Gentilium, are abfurd; fo the firft Thefis which makes this a requifite of a good ac- tion, that it be done according to the taw of God, if he under- {lands this of a written law of which the texts alledged by him only fpeak, is the firftborn of abfurdities ; as requiring the Heathens to know the revealed will of God, in order to their doing good, without a revelation, and faying that a righteous judge will judge the Heathens by a law he never had revealed to them, and condemn them for not walking by that rule he never gave them for the direction of their actions. As abfurd is hisjifth The/is which requires this condition as neceffary to render the actions of the Heathens profitable to them, ut pro- miferit Dens remunerari fe ea veile aeterna vita, that God Jhould have promijed to reward them with eternal life; this being to make it necefTary in order to any motive they can have, that is, to any hope they fhould be better for any good they do, that they fliould have a promife of eternal life, who zxtjlrangers to the covenant of promife, and are incapable of having it, no fuch promife being ever made to any without a revelation ; Sure it is, from the words of the apojlle, that if they have any motive to ferve God, they muft have reafon to believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently Jeek him, and fo their fervice muft be done in faith ; but then what that reward will be, it being not of debt but grace, it is impoflible for them to know without a promife. And this I think fo far tmneceffary to their good actions, that 1 rather incline to be- Jieve that they among them who endeavored to liveholily and righteouily with refpecl to a recompence without a promife, on the account of divine goodnefs, and of his love to virtue wherever it was found, will find a fuitable reward from God; and that he highly did approve that noble refolutionof Socrates, That being perfuaded that good men living and dying Jhould be happy, and bad men puwjhed ; fg) I. faith he, bid adieu to iht applaufes of the world, v.a,\ c-w&u Ztsws fs) P^to Georg. p. 358. againft the Doctrines AJfcrted. 385 262'// w0/k zV #ry care ^0zw / ffz0y appear before my judge, with a moft purtfoul, and how I may Live and die the bcjt of men : As alfo that of (k) Scipio, who being told in a dream by Africa- nus, certum effe in ccelo et definittim locum ubi beati zvo fempiterno fruantur, that there was a certain place in heaven where the bleffed lived for ever t and that the way to it was that of piety and nghteoufnefs ; enters into this ferious refolution, fij I have always had fame regard to thefe things, nunc autem tanto- praemio propofito enitar multo vigilantiiis, but now in prof- pe& of this high reward, I will purfue them with the greater diligence. SECTION VII. gthty. God having laid down this meth- od in the difpenfation of his gifts, that he who is t ev Ixaxif^ isisos, faithful in the leajl talent, Jhall have a fuitable rcward t and that to him that hath, fo as to improve what he enjoys, Jhall more be given, and vice verfa, \vemayhencerationally conclude that he who diligently endeavors to do good accord- ing to that light he hath received, (hall find fome tokens of the favor of God ; and that if any farther aid be requifit^ to ena- ble the Heathens acceptably to perform their duty, the divine goodnefs will impart that alfo to them by thofe fecret difpen- lations of his providence which we are not acquainted with f for as to idiots and infants, among ckrijlians, God's mercies are vouchfafed, and our Savior's meritorious performances are applied in a manner not underftood by us, without any- capacity in them to know or believe any thing, fo may God's grace be communicated to, and the merits ol thrift avail for, ignorant Heathens, in a way unknown to, and unfearchable by us. And therefore as the Heathens did acknowledge that the divine afliftance was necefTary to the performance of their duty> fo did they accordingly expecl: it and declare that (I) nullus unquam vir magnus fuit fine aliquo afflatu Divino, no man ever was or could be excellent without fome divine ajjifi- ante ; and that by reafon of mens pronenefs to vice, and the difficulty of a virtuous life, they flood in need, (m) & &v\- XwizTopos xal cvvz f /ctjvi<>ov, of God to be their helper, and their coadjutor. Whence we may argue, that where this was want- ing, it is not for want of knowledge, or of power, but folf their flothfulnefs, and the abufing of their talents, they fhall be condemned, SECTION VIII. And Laflly, We may reafonably co'rU elude God will deal with them in refpeft both to the accepta^ (b) Som. Scip. apud Cicer. . 8. (\) N. 11. N. ii.-(l) Cic. ** Nit, Pew, 1, 3, n. i2*> 125- - (m) Max, Tyr. DiO; **, $* **** C c c 386 Anfwcr to Three Objections tion and reward of their good, and his difpleafures againft, and punimmem of, their evil aftions according to the meaf.. ures of their ignorance and knowledge, the abilities, motives and inducements afforded to them to do or to avoid them ; and that in thefe particulars, i/?. That their good actions done upon lefs convictions, aids and motives, may be more acceptable to God than the like actions done by chrijlians upon much ftronger evidence, and better aids, and more powerful inducements to the fame actions, becaufe this ftiews a greater readinefs to affent to the ohjecls of our faith, and better inclination to the performance of our duty. Hence Cknji (peaks thus to Thomas, (n) Hajl thou feen, and therefore believed? Biffed are they who have not feen, and yet have believed. -From which words both inter- preters audfckoolmcti gather, that faith upon leffer evidence is of greater meVit, becaufe it (hews a greater promptitude in the will to embrace, and a ftronger affection to the obje6ls of faith. And the (o). Centurion's faith is commended above that of Ifrael, becaufe he believed in Chrifl upon leffer evi- dence than they, who were acquainted with Mofes and the prophets, had ; and upon thofe words of Chrift to the Syro- phaniddri woman, (p) woman, great is thy jaith, I have deicantcd thus, " Great is thy faith, that having no promife to rely upon, and differing fo many repulfes, and fuch feeming contempt, thou flill retained fo good hope of my kindnefs and mercy." The faith of thofe who firmly rely upon God's promife, and are not by great temptations and afflictions mov- ed from their confidence is praifeworthy ; but highly excel- lent is their faith who depending only upon his goodnefs, do place their humble confidence in God, embracing the faith of Socrates as mofl certain truth, (a), that no evil could happen to a good man, living or dead, Nee unquam ejus res a Diis. immortalibus negligentur, becaufe the -immortal Gods couH never negletl his affairs. " Whence we may learn that the faith of Gentiles is not only pleafing to God, but fametimes more e'xcelient than that of thofe to whom the promifes be- long, viz. when upon leffer motives it brings forth equal fruits." Thus, v. g. it is praifeworthy in a chriftian, to take no 'thought for tomorrow, , but to depend on the affurance Chfijt hath givn him that he (hall want neither food nor rai- ment; but it is more noble in an Heathen, (a) Epi cletu s, to believe that afervant of Cod Jhould not be foliatousfor the morrow y and put the queftion thus-, $?$iirz.i r\s vr>p dya^s, can 'again/I the Dottrines Afferted. 387 Any good man fear he may want food ? Doth God fo neglefl kis fervant s, and his witnejfes oj 'his care and providence ? It is a ckriftian virtue to be contented, and to acquiefce in all God's providences, even under all the comforts, the a Hi fian- ces, the promifes and hopes which ckrtftianity affords ; but for a poor flave or fervant, as (b) Epidetus was, to be able thus to appeal to God, Did I ever, Lord, accnfe thee, cr -com- plain of thy government ? Was I not always willing to be fie k when it was thy pleafure that I Jliould be fo ? Did I ever de- Jire to be what thou wouldjl not have me to be? Was I ever the lefs pleafed upon that account ? Am I not always ready to do zuhat thou commandejl ? Did I ever tranfgre/s thy precepts, or abuje the faculties that thou haft given me ? Wilt thcu have me to quit the plays ? I go from them full of thanks that thou, admittejl me to fee thy works, and. under/land the adminijlra- tiohs of thy providence? Wilt thou have me to continue here, I will freely do as thou willejt ? Woaldjl thou have me to depart hence, I will freely do it at thy command ? (cj I have always had my will Juljecl to that oj God. fdj Would he have me to be feverifh, I would be fo ? To defire or attempt any thing, I will defire and attempt it 9 Would he not have me to enjoy il, I would not have it ? Would he have me die, I am willuip- to die ? (e) Deal with me according to thy pleafure ; I am al- ways of the fame mind with tkee : I refuft nothing which thou art pleafed to lay upon me ; lead me wither thou willeft clothe me as thou pleajefl ; I will be a magijlratc, or private perfon ; continue me in my country or in exile, I will not on- ly Jubmit to, but defend thy proceedings in all things.. Let me fee in chriflians a more entire fubmiflion to the will of God, that 1 may prefer their chriflian virtues before his fplendid fins. zdly. The Heathens alfo may expecl a reward upon per- formance of lefs duty ; for as fjj much will be required of them to whom much is given, fo to whom, lefs is given, of them lefs _ will be required, iaith-our 'Lord. We fee it is thus in refer- ence to all other thing?, of a like nature, the lefs our fub fiance Ls, the left charity is required from us ; the lefs ft/ength they fiave. to perform it, the lefs fervice will he expecled from a child or fervant; the lefs time men can (pare from their necef- fary labor, the lefs time will God require to be employed in his immediate fervice ; and the weaker men's intellectual fac- ulties are, the lefs meaiureof knowledge we require from them: what reafon have we to believe God will not deal with A pud Arrian. 1. 3. c. 5. p. 273, 274. -fcj L. 3- c. 24. p. 343. d) Ibid. c. 2<5. p. 361, 363. Vide p, 388, 401. H\a- 0isiv, to grope after God, as in the dark, if h$ply they might fiid him ; and who are often by him ftyled darknefs, and 'children of darknefs, before the light of the gofpel {hone upon them, and therefore thefe times of ignorance, faith he, Gdd overlooked. Acls xvii. 30. 4thly. They may expeft that God {hould be more patient and long fuffering towards them before he punifheth, becaufe the lefs the light is they enjoy, the lefs is their offence againfl it ; (m) Poffunt effe vitia paria, fed in his vi- tiis rieceffe eft peccata noftra effe graviora, fo that where, the. vice may be equal, the fin, faith Salman, rttuft be the greater, and fo deferve a fwifter vengeance. Ths God bore with the Amorites four hundred years, after his promife made to Abra- kam> (a) that his Jtedjliould inherit their land, becaufe the fins of tilt Arnorite's Were not yet full, there being then, doubt- lefs feme g#od men among them, under the government of Mdckifedsck, the priejl of the mojl high God ;. and probably among the confederates of Abraham, Efchol, Mamre and A- ner t aud the fubjetls of King Abimelech ; whereas, when- the time came for their deftru&ion, we find not one worthy to be faved from deftruclion, but Rakttl), and (he was an Harlot. (g) De Guburn. Dei. 1. 5. p. 155. ~(h) Liik^xxiii. 34- (i) AdU iii. 17. ^c.- (if) Adh xtii. 17 (1) i C*r, ii. 8.- (**\ L. 4. p. again/I the Doftrincs AJJerttd. 389 And when the old world was grown fo generally, and fo pro- digioufly wicked, that the imaginations of their hearts were only evil, and that continually, and there was not one good man left among them beiides Noah, God ftill grant* t&em one hundred and twenty years fpace for their repent- ance ; and this is that time as St. Peter faith, fpj the longfuf* firing of God waited in the. days of Noah ; whereas Ckfyf* admonition to the churches of Ephefus and Smyrna runneth thus, fq) Repent, or I will come unto thte quickly. SECTION IX. Laftly, It is alfo reafonabie to conceive that God may be more gentle in thepunifllment of their iniqjai'* ties, according to our Lord's own aphorifm, (r) Hz thai knete not his Lord's will and therefore did itnot,Jhall be beaten wi^k few ft rip es, becaufe his fin has fo much lefs of wilfultfefs ^ whereas he that knew his Lord's will, and yet did- it not, jh& be beaten with manyjlnpes, becaufe he fins out of preTuinptu- ous contempt of known duty. Now, faith St. James, (f} T* him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is fin^ imputable to his condemnation. And here let it be noted, that in the opinion of ftj Origen, TertulLian arid Salviart, the perfon to be beaten with many ftripes is the Jew, that knew t&e will of God ; the perfon to be beaten with few is theGcit* tile who knew it not. We may pafs a fevere fentence on then* as if they were like brute beafts made to be dtflroyed ; but it would be more charitable to fay \t\\hSalvian (u) Qualiter in. die judicii puniendi funt nullus poteft fcire nifi foius Judex, kow theyJJiall be hereafter p^mjked God only knows. However God exerciies greater patience to them here, than towards us chriflians, Cum fciat eos ea facere quae nefciunt, noilros au-^ tem negligere quas credunt, becaufe they know not that which they do is evil, but we ncgleft what we know to be our duty. Hence Chnjl declares it will be more tolerable J or Sodom in, the day of judgment, than for Capernaum ; for Tyre and Sidon, than *for Chorazin and Bethfstida ; becaufe, had the mighty works Chrifl did in thofe days, been done in- Tyre and &idan 9 they would have repented in fackdoih and afhes. And this brings me to the confederation of the inference made ih the objection from thefe words, 022. Hence it appears that the means of falvation are not always applied to them whom Godforefaw would ufe them better. Anfwer. Now to this inference I aaiwer, that it is wonder. ful to hear thofe very men making this inference from thefe (p) i Pet. iii. 20. - (q) Rev. ii. 5, 16. - frj Luke xii. 47. - (f) Tam. iv. 17. - (tj Vapuubit multis; hie eft Judxua ; qui non cognovit Graeeus, id eft Gentilis, v^pulabit paucis. Grig, in Rom. ii. F. 136. D. Tertullian. Ac Poenit. c. 5. Salv. dc Gubcrn, Dei, 1, 5, p f j$$, *(#} Pe Gubern. Dei, 1. 5. p. 154, 390 ' Arfaer to Three Objections words, who when they are preffed with this plain inference from them, that if the miracles Chri/i did in thefe cities to con- firm that heavenly doctrine by which he called them to repen- tance had not been fufficient for that end, without that unfruf- trable impulfe which the event {hews he was not pleafed to afford them, he muft not only have upbraided, but pronounc- ed the heavieft judgments ag'dinft thofe cities for not doing that which they had no fufHcient means afforded them to per- form ; they anfwer that thefe words do not (hew that God fore- faw thefe means wouid have had 'actually this effect on Tyre and Sicten, but only that in humane probability, they might have had this effect upon them, or that men might have rea- fonably expected this fruit from them. Or, zdly. That thefe words do contain fuch an hyperbolical exprejfion, as Chrifl ufed in faying, fx) if thefe /hould hold their peace, the flones would immediately cry out / or which we ufe by faying this would make ftones fpeak, a blind man may fee this, or a child may underftand it ; and fo thefe words ferve only to fhew the unreafonablenefs of the impenitency of thofe cities (with- out the divine impulfe abfolutely necefTary to that end) but never were intended to intimate the fincerity of the repentance thefe miracles would have wrought in Tyre and Sidon; thefe fubterfuges I have confuted in the note upon thefe words, Matth. xi. 24. To which I add thefe words of (y) Mr. Thorn, dyke ; " I find no good reafon to infer pofitively, as our Lord doth, that Chorazin and Bethfaida mail be tormented more than Tyre and Sidon, becaufe, probably, Tyre and Sidon would have repented. The fame I fay to others who would have our Lord fay only this, (z) That had theft miracles been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented, but not from the heart, becaufe miracles are notable to convert anyone to God from the heart ; for in confcience is there any reafon that Cho- razin and Bethfaida fhould fare worfe than Tyre and S:don, .becaufe they would have repented as Hypocrites, continuing 1tt> lefs. Tinners than if they had not repented. To fay as oth- ers do, That had God ordained thofe miracles to be done at Tyre 'and Sidon, he would have determined their wills by his immediate acl to be converted, is to fay that our Lord, by a mental refervation, fays that, whereof he exprelfeth not the reafon, and fo cozens them who fatisiy themfelves with the reafon which he doth exprefs." When ('idly.) they do in favor of thefe falfe.interpretations add, That it would be an acl of cruelty in God to have denied fx) Luke xi5j> 40. b'J Fpii.Parta-p. T 93- (zJCwero. in locum, again/I the Dottrines AJfcrtid. 391 them thofe means which he forefaw would have produced in them repentance to falvation, 1 reply three things, ijl. That they here fay more than can be neceflarily infer- red from Chrift's words, who faith indeed that Tyre and Sidon would have repented in fackcloth and afhes, i. e. with repent- ance at prefent true and fincere, and in which they perfever- ing might have remained to thofe days. But fo did Ninevek repent at the preaching of Jonas in fackcloth and afiies ; and the text faith, God /aw their works that they returned from their evil ways, but then they afterwards relapfed into them to their utter ruin. Philip converted the people of Samaria by miracles, but they were foon perverted again by the for- ceries of Simon Magus ; the ftony ground believed for afea- fon, but in time of perfecution fell away ; and fo did many of the Jews who had once truly owned the faith of Chrift, fa that (a) it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteoufnefs, than after they had known it, to depart from the holy commandment ; and who can tell whether God might not forefee that the repentance of Tyre and Sidon, though for a feafon true, would not have ended in a like apojlajy ? zdly. I add that it is moft abfurd to fay that God is cruel towards any perfon or nation, provided he apply not to them all the means his wifdom can difcern to be effectual to bring them to repentance and falvation, this being to condemn our gracious God of cruelty in the whole courfe of his Provi- dence ; for, doubtlefs, his infinite wifdom could have found out means, throughout all ages, to have converted more than actually were converted, yea to have turned the hearts of all mankind unto him. Even this o miracles might have been as effectual to any other people, as it would have been to Tyre and Sidon, to the converfion of infidels in any age, as in the firft ages of chriftianity. The appearance of Chrift to them in the like miraculous manner as he did to Saul, might have been as effectual to convert any o-ther Jew, and God in hi* infinite wifdom might have forefeen they would be fo ; muft he be therefore cruel becaufe in all ages, from the firft degen- eracy of mankind to this day, he did not always ufe thefe means for their converfion, and if he doth not ftili continue them whilit the world lafls ? Who then can free his provi- dential difpenfations from this blafphemous charge ? Surely* if means fufficient for the performance of that duty which God requires from any perfon or nation, and for neglect of which he will condemn them at the laft, be all that can bere- quifite to exempt God from this charge of cruelty, even thoje of Tyre and Sidon had, or might have had, them ; God fend- Anfwer to Three ing his mefTages to them by his prophets, and they living irf the land of Canaan, being not unacquainted with the miracle* God wrought for his own people, Chrifl alfo being fbmetimes in their coafts, and they being as able as others were to come from the coafts of Tyre and Sidon (b) to hear him, and to be keakd of their difeajes. And if other Gentiles had not fuch means, Why was God's wrath revealed from heaven againft that ungodhnejs and unrig hteoufnefi which they had not fuf- ficient means to avoid ? And why doth God complain of th impenitent, the difobedient and unbelievers, becaule they o- feeyed not his precepts, and hearkened not to his calls and in- vitations, and were not induced by his promifes and threats, bi patience and longfuffering, and all the other methods of his providence, to faith, repentance and obedience ? Why 4oth he marvel at, complain of, and upbraid them for that, which they had no fufficient means to alter or amend ? 3^/y. If means unfruftrably effectual be neceflary on this account, who lay this odious charge upon God fo evidently as they do who tell us he hath left the greateft part of all mankind under an abfolute decree, not to afford them thofe means which he fees abfolutely neceflary for the performance of that duty without which they cannot be happy, or for avoiding that fm by which they fhall inevitably be miferable to all ctei* fcity ? CHAPTER III. JL OR a clofe I mall briefly add fome testimonies of the primitive father s concerning God's general goodnefs to the world throughout all ages, and more efpecially towards the heathens. SECTION \.~~-Cent. i. ClemtnsRomanus, in his epiftle to the Corinthians, fpeaks to them thus, Let us diligently infptR nil ages, and w.e fhall Jind that in all ages God gave place for repentance to all that would turn to him. This Noah preach* td to th& old world t and Jonas to the Nintvites ; and they (b) Luke vi. 17. again/I the Doctrines A/crted. 393 repenting of their fins, e^iXafavro rov 6eov *xsTw?vns l xc "Surnpiaiv xafat-p d^\orpioi TW 0sS ovrgr, appeafed God by prayers* and obtained falvation, though they were aliens from God ; i. e. not in covenant with him as the Jews were. Cent. 2. Jujlin Martyr highly approves of that faying of Plato, (a) That they who feek to appeafe God by vows and Jacrifices, ought, TO wat/s^Sa* xai to repent of, andforfake their fins ; which if they conceive God inflexible, they will never do, tj^ev ocpeXor x r-ns /xeravotW s^eiv olo^evoi, fl-J" expecting to receive no benefit from their repentance. He adds, (bj That wicked Demons did perfecute t THS (TZTB&awsv olov 2o;xf aro/v, xal rvs o/xotBr, the good, as Socrates, and thofe that were like him, Heraclitus and Mufonius, xai ZJO.VTXS THS Kciv OTZ&S SrittOTs Kxrcc Xcjyov /Slav of, by participation of the Logos, which is, Chrijl. fdj That God made all mankind with under [landing. and liberty of will, aupeTyQzi r dXyQw xat ttrGrpdrrefv, tQ choofe the truth and do good ; fo that they who nrgltl to do fo are, avctwoX^yiroi wapa roJ 6ew, inexcu/able before God. (e) And that, ol posra X.oy SIUGGCVTES xpivrazvoi crt oi r ov 2wx^ar*j$:" x:z! 'H/?a>cXsiro5r, they who live according to reafon areChriJl- ians, as was Socrates and Heraclitus, on which place fee the note of Langius. Athenagoras faith, ffj That Gcd made than, sis rr,v ael &a- povriv, ^ /z^ forever, who bearing the image of God in them- felves, did participate of a mind and rational judgment ; that knowing their maker ', and his power and wifdom,vo^y re GVVSZJO- ptcVOI KO.I SlKri THTOiJ ^ (TyV^aiWVl^O/fTiV d'KOVUS OlS T'/jV TZpoXz.fioVffXV expdrvvov ^wriv,fgjT/iat walking according to the law (oj nature) andjuftice, they might live forever in thofe things by which they hadjlrengthened the life they formerly received. And a~ gain, f /i ptsv rr t s ywiffscas oliria. vsifov'rxi TW lis 1 a'et S'iK^ovr/v, Mfl caufe of mans production confirms his perpetual duration, God having made him with an immortal foul, and given him, vouv re xal vopwv e.a^rov, ^ mind, and natural law to direct all his actions, and made him the fp-ectator &f his magnificence and wifdom in all things ; xai s;5c7t roTs -sipos- Jta/LWVMV eHo^vjje-v, ^/z^f adorned him with all things necejfaryfor that duration, accord* ing to his will and purpofe, and the nature which he hath re* ceived. (a) Cohort, ad Gr. p, 23. B. - (b) Apol. i. p. 45- D. 4^. C. -- fc) Pag. 48. C. - (d) Apol. 2. p. 71, C. - (e) P. 83* C. -- (f) D-s Refar. p. 53. B, - (gj P. 54- C. D D d Anfwer to Three Objections Cent. 3. Clemens of Alexandria, handles this fubjel fully, proving this from the title of God that he is the Lord and Savior of all ; for, faith he, fh) the. Lord both of the Greeks and the Barbarians perjuadeth all that are willing, but corn- pells none, % d'jTov Sd/rio/j/av ?,a/3s7v, to receive falvation from him, becaufe he may choofe it ; for he that is Lord of all, takes care of all as far as it belongs to him fo to do, 2,curr>p yap !$; isyu ro/v /xsv, Tft/vSe *t,for he is the Savior not oj fome only, and not of others ; but as every one is Jittedjor it, rr>,v savrov chs'vej- jxev It/g^xfdrfv xai "ETw^r/Tt, xi Bap,6apos", he dijlnbutes his good- nefs both to the Greeks and the Barbarians. He adds, (i) that the law from the beginning was this, that whoever would, might chooje virtue ; and therefore the precepts in the law, xzi TZps rot) VQ/X. rov /U.HV sXo/XcVov o;r/v atowv, xau {A and before the law, appointed every one that would to receive eternal life, and the bltffcd reward ; toUai yz? 13X.VTZ. Iffoc. x.~Ty.i mstpot rot) 6sot>, Jtt ouuTos d^^'hsy fkj for all things are alike afforded by God, and he is blameUfs ; but lei him choofe them that can, xzl o CaXr/Osls- la%vsi t and he who is willing can do it. To that inquiry of Celjus, why God dsth not free all men from their vices ? Origen anfwers, (1) that God doth not al- zuays fend correctors of them, ol yxp ewl rz. $tKt\$oi zspvnxt-A Xoyot 6eov y.vt'as ^e^wKorof f(V ev xvQpouidoiv ; for the rea- fons which provoke men to choofe the befl things, are by God put into the hearts of men. To his inquiry why God ajter fo many ages attempted to juftify men ? Origen anjwers, fmj that ax S"tv or' ^ ECwXr^r) ^iKxiSJazt rov dvQ{/ifrt6(tri ^"lov o sos". there was no time when God was not willing to render the lives of men righteous ; for he was always regardful of this by giv*. ing them occafions of virtue, and the amendment of their lives^ To that imputation of Ce/fus, that chriflians held that Go.d neglecting all. other men, took care only of them, (which in the language of our adverfaries is true of the elel only among ckriftians) Origen anfwer's, (n) that this doElrine wasfalfely imputed to chrijiians, they knowing from the fcriptures that God loveth all men, and hateth nothing that he hath made ; that the earth is full of his mercy, and that it reacheth to alt flejh. Cent. 4. Nazianzen faith fo) that there being many things for which God is to be celebrated or admired, yet is there, ov- Stv 8-rws d's TO TzrdvTOJv EvtpyzTsiv t^ia'Twror, nothing fo proper to kirn, as to do good to all. And Chryfoftom fpeaks thus, fp) fb) Strom, 7. p. 702. C. D. - (i) Pag. 704. D. - fk) P. 710. D. - (1) Lib. 4. p. i^.-^(m) P. 165. - (n) P, 178.- -{*J Qrat, ^l. - (p) In Matth. Hem, 36* p. 34-S. againft the Dottrines Averted. 395 before the coming ofChrift, Iwv xa /x-/i o/ rors ffaQrivai, they that believed not in Chrifl might be faved, T7JT /u,V ya0 el* ^airQfiav ripKci TO TUV 6so.v s'i^c'vi'i poovov ; Jor then the knowledge of the true God, and freedom from idolatry was fufficientforfalvation. And this he proves from thefe \vords of the apoftle, fqj glory, honor and peace to every one that doth good, to the jewfirjl, and alfo to the Gentile. St. Jerom al- fo faith, that from thofe words of St. John concerning Chrifi, f-rj he is the true light that enlighteneth every^ one that comes into the world ; it is plain, natura omnibus inefTe Dei r,oti- tiam, nee quenquam fine Chrrfto nafci, et non habere in fe fe- rnina fapientiae, et juftitise reliquarurnque virtutum ; unde niulti fine fide, et Evangelic Chriili, vel fapienter faciunt ali- qua, vel fanfte ; that the knowledge of God ?s by nature in all men, and that no man is born without Chnjl, or who hath not in himfelf the feeds of wifdom and fit/lice, ana 1 of all other vir- tues, whence many, without faith and the gofpel of 'Chrift y per- form fame things either wifdy or holily. Cent. 5. The author of the treaties de vocatione Gentium faith (fj we firmly believe, and pioujly conjefs according to the Jcriptures, that the care of the divine providence was never want- ing to mankind in general, who, though he chofe to himjelf & peculiar people injlrucledby his laws, nulli tamen Nationi hom- inura bonitatis fuai dona fubtraxit, yet hath he not withdrawn. from any nation the gifts of his goodnefs-, but let them receive the voices oj the prophets, and of the law, in Teftimoniis Ele- mentorum, in the evidence of the elements (or firft principles of natural religion ;) ft} for he gives them his laws in their minds, eafque in cordibus eorum digito fuo infcribit, and writes them with his finger in their hearts, that they may obtain the knowl- edge of God, not by humane reafon, but by his inflruclion. And we believe that the kelp of the divine grace was never wholly withdrawn from any ; (u) for the eternal goodne/s of God doth not fo withdraw itfelf from thofe men, ut illos ad cogn.ofcendum fe atque rnetuendum nuliis fignificationibus admoneret. as to admonifk them by no intimations that they Jhould know and fear him ; (w) for the heaven and earth, and every creature is Jo ordered to the advantage of man, that by the contemplation of them, by the experience of fo great good- nefs, and the receipt of fo many gifts, ad cultum et dile6lioneni fui imbuerentur Authoris, iniplente omnia fpiritu Dei, they may be injlru&ed to worfkip and love that God whofc fpirit Jilleth all things. For, faith he, fxj datur unicuique fine irierito unde tendat ad meritum, et datur ante ullum laborera, fg) Rom. ii. ic. - frj In Gal. c. i. f. 70. M. -- ff) L. r. c. 2. -v 3, - (u) Cap. 7, -- foe; Lib. 2. c, i. - (xj Cap.. ?. 396 'Anfwer to Three Objections, &c. uncle quifque mercedem accipiat fecundum fuum laborem, to every one is given that, without any worthinefs, by which he may tend to what is worthy, and that is given, without his la. bor,from whence he. may receive a reward according to his la- bor ; (y) for the experience of all ages teaches us thejuji mer- cy oj 'God, and his merciful jujiice, that he was never wanting in nounJJiing metis' bodies, nee docendis juvandifque eorum jnentibus dei'uiffe, or in inftru&ing and affijling their minds ; (z) for there was always exhibited to all ?nen a certain meaf- ure of teaching from above, in r which though the grace was -more /paring and obfcurc, fufficit tamen ficut Deus judicavit quibufdam ad remedium, omnibus ad teftimonium, was yet fufficient in God's account for a remedy to fome, and for a teftimony to all ; and they who never heard of the gof pel were yet men, (a) quibus ilia menfura Generalis auxilii quas defu- per omnibus hominibus eft praebita, non negatur, to whom is not denied that general meafltre of aid which is afforded to all men from above, the mamjoid and ineffable goodnefs of God, jo far confulting the good of all men ; ut neque ulli pereun- titim fuppetat excufatio de abnegate fibi himine veritatis, that none that periJJi Jhall be. able to fay in their excufe, that the light of t lie truth was denied them ; feeing it may be proved that not only in the loft days, but in all ages f aft, fy/ gratiam Dei. omnibus hominibus affuijffe, the grace of God was afford* ed to all men. (y) Cap. 3. (zj Cap. 5. faj Cap. 9 . (I) Cap. 10. HEN I had put thefe papers to theprefs I met with a treadle of the Rev. Dr. John Edwards, in which he hath done me the honor frequently to attempt the refutation of the expofitions given in my Annotations of texts relating to thefe controverfies ; all which fhall, by divine afliftance, be fully vindicated from his exceptions in clue time. But leaving that work to a farther opportu- nity, I (hall at prefent only confider his weak attempts to free the doctrines he hath fo zealoufly efpoufed, from the impu- tation of novelty ; and to demon (Irate, that not one of them was, in his fenfe, maintained before St. Auflin's time, and that fome of them were not owned by any ecclefiajlical writer for a long time after. And, i. Whereas he abfolutely denies that election to life and falvation is on the account of faith, or works forefeen, VoJJius^ in his pelagian hiflory, declares, that (a) all the Greek fathers always, and all the Latin fathers, who lived before St. Auflin, hdd that they were prede/linated to life, whom God forefaw that they would live pioujly and righteoufly ; or, as others Jay > whom he forefaw, would believe and perjevere to the end. And (a) Graeci Patres Temper, Patrum Lafinorum vero illi qui ahte Au- guftinum vix runt, dicere fblent, eos elfe prse ie ftinatos aa vitam, quos JDeus pie red:eque vidturos prasvidit, live, nt alii loqiutntur, quos, prac- Vidit credituros et perfeveraturps. Lib, 6. Thef, 8, p. 538 545* Vide etiam Petavium de Deo, Lib. 9. Cap. 3, 398 Pojlfcript. this he proves from the tefti monies of Juftin M. Irtn&us, Clemens of Alexandria^ Chryfojlom, Theodoret, and others of the Greek church. And among the Lations, from the tefti- monies ofTertullian, Hilary, St. Ambrofe, Hilarius Diaconus, and St. Jerom. Prafper, in his epiftle to St. Aujlin, inquires of him how he may avoid this imputation of novelty ; for, faith he, (b) having had recourse to the opinions of almojl all that went before me, concerning this matter, I jind all of them holding one and ihe fame opinion, in which they have received the pur- pofe and the predejlinotion of God according to his preference ; thatjor this caufe God madefome vejfds of honor, and others vejfels of diJJionor, becaufe heforefaw the end DJ every one, and knew before hozu he would will and acl under the aid of grace. And, after this ingenuous confeflion, was this very Prcfper fit to be produced by the doElor as a witnefs of the antiquity of thefe dolrines ? To what end a!fo, doth he cite St. Aujlin as a witnefs of their antiquity, who manifeftly owns, that he was formerly of the other opinion ? This his own words im- port, as you may fee in Voffzus, p. 545, 546, 547. Again, is it not wonderful to find the doftor faying fo dog- matically, that (c) this election without the jorejight of good works is afferted by that St. Jerom, who on that place of Mai- achy, Jacob have I loved, and Efau have I hated, faith, (d) the love and hatred of God arifet'h either from his foreknowl- edge of things future, or from works? in his comentary on tfaGalatians, he brings in the Rereticks, i.e. the Valentinians, Bafilidians and hianichces, difputing thus, fe) that ajujl man would not be chofcn before he had done any good, nor would the fmner be hated before he had finned, unle.fs the nature of thoft that per ijli, and of th of e. that are favtd were different ; and anfwers, (f) that tin $ hap p encth from the far cknow ledge of God, (I) liUicl a -item, qnaliter diluatur, quxfumus patienter infipientiam npftram ferendo dcmonltres, quod rerractatis priorum de hac reopinio- nibus pene omnium par invenitnr et Una Sententia, qua propofitum et prsedertinationem Dei fecundum Praefcientiam recepernnt, utob hoc Deus alios vafa honoris, alios contumcliac feccrir, quia finera uniufcujufque prasviderit, et ftib ipfo Gratis adjutorip in qua futurus e(Tet vpluntate, etactione, prxfcivetit. Ed. Coiooi Agrip. p. 88&. (c ) Page 503. (d) Porrodiieclio et odium Dei, vel ex prxfcientia nafcitur futuroruoi vel ex operihus, alioquin noyirnus quod omnia Deus diligat, nee quic- quam e< rum oderit quoe crravit. F. 127- H, , f-ej Nunqtiam autjultusdiligeretur, antequarn aliquid bcni face^et, aut Pecearor odiretur ante delictiim, nifi cflei pereuntium, ct falvandorum natura diverfa. (f) Ad quod poteft fimplicirer refponderi, hoc ex Dei prK r cientia ev- enire, HT quern fcit juftum futurum, prins diiigat quam oriatur ex u'erp, et quern yeccatorem, oderit antequarn peccet, non quod in araore. et m odio iniquiias Dei lir; fed quo noR alittr eos habere dcbeat, quos fci| vel petcatorcs futures elle, vel juftos, Cpm. in Gala'. P. 7- L ix. Poftfcript, 399 who loves him whom he knows will hereafter be. righteous, be* fore he is born, and hates him whom he knows will be wicked, before he fins ; not that there is iniquity in the love and hatred of God, but becaufe he ought not to deal otherwife with them, whom he knows will be hereafter jujl, or wicked. And fpeak- ing of thofe words, Eph. i. 4. God hath chofen us in him, be- fore the foundation of the world, that we Jhould be holy, he faith, fg) that this belongs to the foreknowledge of God to whom all future things are as already done, and to whom all things are known before they be done, even as St. Paul was prc~ dejlinated in his mother's womb. And {till more wonderful is it, that the doclor fhould attempt to prove this was St. Jerom's fentiment from his firfl book againft Riiffinus ; when in the only place relating to that matter, he repeats the very words laft cited, and immediately adds, (h) certe in expofuione ilia nullum ci-imen, furely there is no fault in that expofition. He, indeed, in that place rejefts the opinion of Origen, that fouls were elected before the foundation of the world, propter Sanc- titatem, et nullum vitium peccatorum, for their holinefs, and freedom from all fin, by this good argument, that the text faith they were chofen, not becaufe they were holy in anoth- er world, but that they might be holy in this. But then he adds, that he refers this election not to the original oi fouls, Sed ad Dei Pratfcientia7n, to the foreknowledge of God: To proceed to his fecond article concerning free will : Here he afferts in the general, (i) that the opinion of fever al of the father s concerning man's free will and God's grace, is ike very fame that he hath maintained. Now to fhew the man- ifeft falfehood of this aflertion, let it be noted, i/L That the freedom he allows to man's will in this mat- ter is only (k) a freedom fro?n coaclion, not fuch a freedom from neceflity, as confiils in not being determined to one part; whereas, faith Voffius, (I) " The liberty of the will, accord- ing to the ancients, is a liberty not only from coa6lion, but from neceflity ; and ahnoil all of them ufed this argument a- (g) Quod aut-em eleftos nqs ut effemns fancli, ct immaeulati coram Sib, hoc eil Deo, ante fabricara mundi teftatus eft ; ad Prccicieatiam ei pertinet, cui omnia futura facia funt, et antequam fianr, univerfa iunt nota. Sicut et Paulus ipfe prsedeftinatur in utero niatris iiiae. Cora, in Ephef. F. 90. C. (h) F. 73. Lit H. M. (i) P. 503. (k) P. 151. 152, 258. (I) Libertas Arbitrii, fecundum vcteres, non folum eft libertas a co- aflione, fed etiam a necefiitate. Hilt. Pelag. 1. 7. Th. i. p. 699. Abfque hoc eflTet, rueret miperium parernum, heriie, civile, quando ut homines fponte agant, tamen, fi necefiario a^ant, non mandato aut prohibition^ non prasmiis aut poenis ulius fit reliftus locus. Itaque hoc Argumento Patres plerique oiiuies adUruere folent arbitrii libertatem adverfus Man- ichaes, qui et ipfi, fuie dubio, fponte, nee coade, homineni agere iateban- tur, fed necelfario omnia a^ere credebant. P. 702. 4O9 Pojlfcript. gain ft the Afanichtes, (who doubtlefs held that man acled fpontaneoufly, and not by compulfion) that if man afted neceffarily, there was no place left for precepts or prohibi- tions, for rewards or punimments." The Dottor proceeds thus ; (m)^ " St. Bq/tl in many places of his writings doth clearly and plainly affert the abfolute ne- ceflity of the grace of the Holy Spirit, in order to the profe- cution of good works acceptable to God, and he depreffes the power of free will. Gregory Nazianzen doth in fome part imitate him in his ^Sth poern ; and as thefe were the only men of the Greek Fathers, fo Cyprian is the firft of all the Latin ones ihat fpeaks out concerning the degeneracy and in- iirmity of man, and the neceffity of divine and fupernatural Grace. LaBantius is the next that plainly owns thefe." - Now this is very artificially faid upon feveral accounts ; i//. Upon an account, too x frequent with the Dottor, that it is nothing to the purpofe ; for no Remonjlrant or Arminian that 1 know of, denies the neceffity of Divine Grace in order to the profecution of good works ; none of them denies the degeneracy and the infirmity of man : The Doctor's affertions are (n) " That men unconverted have a will only to evil ; for the liberty of the will to good was taken away from all men by Adam's fall, (o) All the will and power he hath is to incline to evil, and to aft it. Thus it is with every man whilft he is in his unregenerate ftate." Irf which affertions he was fo convinced, that even his great patron St. Auftm had declared the found Catholic faith was againft him, that in his citation from his 4/th epiflle, he fraudulently leaves out the words that do evince it. For thus they run, (p) In fide fana Catholica perfeverent, quasnequeliberum arbitrium negat, (thefe words the (qj Do6tor left out] Sive in vitam malam, jive in bonam, neque tantum ci tribuit ut fine gratia Dei ali- quid valeat, five ut ex malo convertantur in bonum, five ut in bono perfeveranter proficiat, live ut ad bonum fempiter- num perveniat. The. found Catholic faith, faith St. Auftin, denies not the liberty of the will in order to a good life. (The liberty > oj the will to good was taken away Jrom ail men by Adam's fall, faith the Do&or.) zdly. It is alfo very artificially done to cite the names of Eafd, St. Cyprian and Laftantius, without citing either \vords or book. For 1 am very confident that Lafiantius, hath not one word to his purpofe, and that Nazianzen faith only that human induflry without the ailiflance of God's grace and ho- ly fpirit, is not fufficiewt to refill temptations, or to enable us P. 503, 524. - (n) P. 250- - foj P. 253- - (PJ ?' 164- (qj P. 534* Poftfcrift. 401 to perform our duty, (r) St. Cyprian, not with {landing all he is pretended to fay concerning the degeneracy of man t proves that he {till hath credendi, vel non credendi libertatem in arbitrio pofitam, a liberty of will to believe, or not believe, from Deut. xxx. 19. Ifa. i. 19. As alfo generally the Fathers^ St. Aujlin not excepted, do. And in his epiftle to Cornelius he adds, (s) That Chnjlfaid to his Apojlles, Will you go away ? preferving the law by whi-ch man being left to his liber- ty ', and to his own will, choofes to himfelf either death or fal- vation. St. Baftl doth not fo far deprefs the power of free zvill, but that in his commentary on thefe words, If you be willing and obedient, &c. Ifa. i. 19. He> faith he, (i) here ejlabliflied tht free will of man, and that with reference to the preceding words, Wajh you, make you clean, put away the evil of your do- ings, ceafe to do evil, learn to do well ; and then he truly recon- ciles this with the grace of God by afcribing the fruits of holinefs to the Holy Ghoft ; but adding thatj^Vy? we muft will, and then our willjhall be eflablifhed. On the i,jth chap- ter of Ifaiah, ver. 21. he faith, (u) Every man is able by his own choice, either to be an holy feed, or the contrary. Elfe- where he faith ( x) it depends on our own choice either to ab- Jlainfrom iniquity, or to be wicked. St. Jerom is introduced (y) as a great and hearty op- pofer of freewill, as it imports a natural ability in all men to tnoofe good, without the affijlance of Juper natural grace ; and what is that to us who only do affert it fub ipfo gratiae adju- torio, by the ajjiftance of that grace ? But let us hear St. je- rom, in his commentary on thofe words of Ifaiah, If ye lie willing, &c. He, faith (zj the prophet, preferves the liberty of the will to both parts, that the pumfliment, or the reward may be not from theforejudgment of God, but from the good works of every one. In his third book againit the Pelagians, he (r) Teft.ad Q.uirinum, 1. 3. (f) Servans fci licet legem (jua homo libertati fuae reliftus, et in Arbi- trio proprio conftitutus, (ibimet ip-fi vei mortem appetit> vel falutem. Ep. 59. Ed. Oxon; p. 130, 131. (t) To tm|acrov ItTtvSev nct^rtov (j.oihir T^? ru d-tyuwus tyvfftus, TroL" 01 y&(> rot",; isgojietytsWc rjya/xe^a rriv ifrccyayw raylw, ap^o^wv. Xo. 2 pi 56. C. wpoTsgoi i*.\9 TOJ ytJwcrcii o*7 i'y. TO ttp' yjfATv axatTaayxaron ?. P. en. B (u) Avsalce.1 uv aro$ ex TJJ? lay] tppo&tgiffews ^ cr'srepfxcc aytov iiva.i % jj ri ivavriov. P. 25^. C. iivou. To. i. p. 365, 365. (y) y . - (z) Liberum fervat Arbitrium, ut in utramque partem non ex pras- judicio Dei, fed ex mentis fingulorum, vel pna, vel premium (it. F, 4. G. 402 Pojljcnpt. fpeaks thus (a) to Critobidus, This is what I had told thee in the beginning, that it is put into our power either to Jin or not to Jin, and either to extend our hand to good or evil, that the lib- erty oj the wiil may be preserved. It is in the fame book that he cites thofe words of thrift the Doflor infifts on, No man can come unto me except my Father draw him ; where he adds thefe words, Where (b) mercy and grace is, freewill in part doth ceafe, which confijis only in this, that we will, and dejire, and ajfent to the things probofed ; but it is in the power of God that what we dejire, labor after, or endeavor, by, his aid and kelp) we may be able to Juljil ; to which we heartily fubfcribe. The (c) Do&or in his citation from his fecond book againfl jfovinian, fhews again his artifice in leaving out the preceding Words, which plainly make againft him, and beginning with an imperfect fentence. The whole fcntence in (a) St. Jerom runs verbatim thus, Liberi arbitrij nos condidit Deus, nee ad viitutes, nee ad vitia neceilitate trahimur, alioquin ubi necef- fitas eft, nee damnatio, nee corona eft, ficut (then follow the words cited) in bonis operibus perfeclor eft Deus, non volentis neque currentis fed miferentis et adjuvantis Dei (there they end) ut prevenire valeamus ad calcem, fie in malis et peccatis, icmiria noftra funt incentiva, etperfeftio diaboli ; that is, God hath created us with free will, nor are, we drawn by necejjity cither to vice or virtue ; for otherwije where there is necejjity t there is neither (place for) condemnation or reward. And as in good works, it is God that perfects them, for it is not oj him that li'ills, or runs, (there is the office of the will) but of God wkoJkeWttk mercy, and ajfifis us to be able to bring our works unto perfection ; fo as tojins and evil alions, we have in our- ftlves the feeds of evil, inciting us to do them, but the devil per- fetls the work. And that this is the true expofition of St. Jerom 's words, is evident from himfelf; for having cited thofe words of the apoftle, It is net of him that zuilletk, &c. He immediately adds, (e) Hence we under/land that it belongs to us to will and run, but that our will and running may be com- (a) Hoc eft quod tibi in principle) dixerhn, in nofira eile pofitum pa- tefiate v^l peccaie, vel non peccare, et vel ad bonaiu, vel ad malum ex- tendete manuni,ut liberimi iervetur Arbitrium* Fol. io8.Lit. I. (b J Ubi au'rem mifericordia et gra'ia eft, libeium ex pane ceilat Ar- bitrium, quod ia o tanturn pofitum eft, ut veiimus, et cupiamus, et p!a- citis tnbuamus afien'fum. jam yi Domini potentate eft ut quod cupimus, quod labor arnus, et nilimur, illius ope et aiixilio imolere valeamus. Ibid, Lt. D. E. (c) P. 505. : ffl)L. 2 adv. Jovinian. F. 26. Lit. I. (eJJLx. quibns intelliginVus noftrum quidem efle, velle, et currere, fed ut volunt.-is noltra ccmpieatur, et curia--, ad del mifericordiam pertinere, "Alqncitu fieri ut et in voluntate noftra, rt in curfti, libcrum fervetur Ar biuurn, ct in coniummatiuHe volunratis, et cuiius, 'D-ri culiita p ;-.jjntur Lib, i, contr. Pelag. F 94- A, Pojlfcript* 403 pleted, belongs to the mercy of God ; and fo it comes to pafs that . in our willing and running, our free will is preferved, and in the perfecting, or confuminatwn of our will and courfe, all things are left to the power of God. Moreover, in the fame book againft Jovinian he introduces our Lord (peaking thus to his difciples, In my Father's houje are many man/ions ; I would have told you, I go to prepare a manfion for you, (f) Si non unufquifque maniionern libi non ex largitate Dei, fed ex propriis operibus praepararet, et ideo non eft meurn parare, fed veftrum ; i. e. If every one did not prepare a manjion for himfelf, not from the bounty of God, but his own proper works, whence it is not my part, but yours to do it. And on Chrifl's anfwer to the petition of the Jons ofZebe- dee, to fit on my right hand, and my left, is not mine to give, he difcants thus, fgj It is not of the Son, to give, and how then is it of the Father to prepare? Diver fe. wanjions, laith Chrifl, are prepared in heaven for manifold and divers virtues, Quas non perfonue accipiunt fed opera, which men receive not on account of their perfons, but their works. Fruftra ergo a me petitis, quod in vobis fitum eft, you therefore in vain qjk that of me which is in your own power to obtain, which my Father hath prepared for them, who, by their worthy virtues, are to afcena to fo great dignity. Prof per ofAqmtain, who writ of grace and free will, though faith the Doctor, he owns the latter, yet requires the former as abfolutely ncceffary to the producing of any good work ; and fo do we. (h) St. Auflin, faith he, was as much for free will as any father, as his books. again/I the Manichees tejrify. But then this was the difference betwixt him and them, that they itood firm to all that they delivered on this fubjeft ; but he retracts almoft all he had delivered in thefe books, with an irrefiftible evidence of reafon, and as the voice of all mankind, of which I have faid fuffrcient under this head. Article 3, As for the antiquity of the irrcfiiliblencfs of grace, he hath only one, St. Aujlin, to produce againft an. hundred teftimonies of the fathers, cited by Vojjius, to prove that God laid no neceflity upon mens will to aci, as he muft do, it he act irrefiflibly upon it, that being neceifary, quod non poteft aliter fe habere, which cannot be otkerzoife. The citation* of Vofjius begin Hift. Felag. 1. 7... p. 712. and end p. 716, with thefe words, Sed tandem ailegandi Veteres finis eito, guando, non dico, fi omnia omnium indicare veliaius (quoq* ne poffemus quidem) fed vel fola quae polfumus, nullus LL (f) F. 33. A. (gj Ibid. -(h) ?. 5 oi, 404 PoJlfcripL futurus finis, (i). Calvin faith, that voluntatem movet Deus non qualiter multis feculis traditum eft, ut noftrse ele&ionis fit motioni Dei obtemperare, vel refragari. And that this is true of the firfl four centuries I have fully .proved. Article 4. The fourth article concerning the extent of Chrift's redemption, being that which draws all the reft after it, on which fide foever the truth lies, the DoElor rnufters up all his ftrength to free his limited extent of it from the charge of novelty, but all in vain ; he begins thus, (k) What fome of the fathers taught, concerning the limited extent of Chrijl' s re- demption is the fame that I have delivered in one of the forego- ing difcourfes. To which words I oppoie the contrary af- fertion of VoJJius in thefe words : (1) Veteris Ecciefis judi- cium fuit, Chriftum pro culpa univerfali hominibus providifle a remedio univerfali, folverido Xurpov infiniti pretij, ne ejus defeHu periret quifpiam ; i. e. it was the judgment of the an- cient church^ that Chrijl provided an univerfal remedy for the univerfal fin of man by paying a price of infinite value, that no man might per ijh for want of it. And this he proves by- plain teftimonies from p. 658 to 670. The learned (m) Dally proves from about a thoufand teftimonies of one hundred and twenty fathers the fame doftrine, and concludes thus, Certe qui Chriftum pro folis Eleftis mortuum abfolute, et ut vulgo loquuntur, in terminis dixerit, ofto primis Chriftianifmi fas- culis invenio neminem ; throughout eight centuries of chrif- tianity, I find not one jingle perfon wht direclly, and in terms faith, that Chrijl died only for the elefl.. This Doftrine, faith (n) VoJJius, the Fathers proved from all thofe places ojfcripture, which fay Chrifl. died for all, and efpecially for the unbelievers, impenitent, and thofe that perijli ; nor did they think that thofe places which Jay Chrijl died for the Church, or that the benefits of his death belonged only to believers were repugnant to ihejt tejlimonies, for thefe Dottors of the Church not obfcureiy taught thai the death of Chrijl is confidered two ways ; Vel quod ad Virtutem, et vim mortis, et turn Chrifti mcrientis, turn Patris eum mittentis volunta- tern, quam antecedentem vocant, either as to f he force and vir- tue oj it, and as to the antecedent will both of Chrijl dying, and the father fending him ; and in this Jenfe Chrifl died for, and redeemed all and fingular without exception : Or Chrijl's death may be. confidered, quod ad effeftum, fruclumqne ex ea, pro- manantem, et voluntatem Chrifti, et Patris quam dicunt con- fequentem, as to the effecl and fruit accruing to men from it t and as to the confequent will oj Chrijl, and of the father ; and (ij Inftit. 1. 2. c. 3. Seftion n. (k) 506. (I) Hirt. Pelag- 1. 7- art. r. Th. 3 . p, 756, (m) Apol. Part 4 P- 944, S 4 5' (*' Ibld< , 657. Poftfcript. 405 in this refpeft it i-s conftjfed, that as the fruit of Chrifl's death belongs not to all, that depending on the will of man applying Chrijl's merits to himjelf,fo neither can Ckrift be f aid to die JOT 'all ; which words contain a full anfwer to all the Dottor hath offered from the fathers on this head. And Dally doth par- ticularly, and copiouOy confute him in every father that he hath alledged, Thus to his citation, from the letter of the church v{ Smyrna, which faith we can never forfake Chrift, (n) whofuffered for thefalvation of the whole world of thofe that are Javed, Mr. Dally faith, this is impertinent, as faying only what we all con- fefs, hut not denying that which is in controverfy, viz. That Chrift died alfo for them who are not a6tually faved, as al- moft all the ancients fay he did, (and among them Polycarp : liimfelf, the perfon mentioned in this letter, who faith, that God will require the blood of Chrift, (o) a^ro rwv a'wgtQSvzwv dvr^from thofe that have not believed in him, or have not o- beyed him.) He alfo adds, that Rujjinus tranflated thefe very words, thus, Qui mortem pro totius mundi falute fuftin- uit, who Buffered death for the falvation of the whole world. zdly. He cites (pj Origen faying, there is a world of the Saints, and a world of the wicked. Now to mew the artifice of this citation let it be obferved, that Origen there fpeaking of the world above the ftars, faith it is not fubjecl: of corruption, Sanclorum quippe eft, et ad liquidum ^perfeclorum mundus ille,/0r that'is the world oj the faints made compUatly perftcl, et non impiorum ficut ille nofler, and not as is that in which we live, the world of the wicked. Now whether it be fair deal- ing to ufe fuch citations, let the learned judge. In his fecond citation he fends us to Origen s commentary on St. John, which contains 422 pages ; but the place referred to is in p. 147, 148. Where he doth not positively fay that John i. 2g. i John ii. 2. are to be interpreted of the church only, but by way of inquiry faith, r t xo-TjOow, he. labors to take, it nwayfrom every man in the world, that fin may be took awayjiom the whole world. Now let the (n) Of^i T^J T Travlo; Mfp&tug cuto^v^v c-wzY.f'cu;, Seftion 13. Seaion 2,fpJTlip u$% 2 , C. 3" Fcl, 116. A. -- (?) P. 35- Pojlfcript. Doffor underftand this either oi the guilt, or the dominion of fin, it is all one, for Chrift delivers no man from the dominion of fin, whom he delivers not alfo from the guilt of fin. What he thought of the other place, we learn from his own words but a little before the place referred to, viz. that this lamb of God was facrificed, fr) c lvz apy otpxprian ** o\iyuv t aXXa o>,8 rot) x6rine of the church was contrary to thefe fentimerrts : So prosper by declaring To ex- prefsly that thefe accufations were unjuft reproaches, indented to blaft the memory of St. Auftin, that they were prodigious and blafphsmous lies, that they objecled to him impious and profane opinions^ not one of which ever came into the heart of St. An/tin, fufficiemly (hews that neither he nor St. Auflin ever held^iny of thofe doclrines, and that he looked wponthem as impious and profane opinions. See Dally, p. 856. Laftly. As for the article of the faints final pcrfeverance, the doftor had not the confidence to cite one father for it, Vof- Jius having fo exprefsly toldliim, that all antiquity impugned the indefetlibility of ' tht * faint /,and that they only could deny the contrary to be the common doElrine cf antiquity, qui in anti- quitate plane funt Hofpites, who are mere Jt rangers toit y Hifh Pelag. 1. 6. p. 566. No\v from what hath been thus eftablifh- ed, two things do evidently follow, viz. ift. That all the members ot the church, oi England t are o bilged, by the exprefs precepts of the church of England not to teach or propound to the people, as an article ot taith, any of thofe Doflrines which Dr. Edwards hath fo zealoufly maintained in his late book upon thefe five articles, they be- ing fuch as (o) the Catholic Fathers and Ancient BiJfiOps did cj Imprimis vero videbunt (Ep'/copi) HP quid unquam d ocean t pro co"cione (ccrcienafore?) QUid a populo religiole tenen et eredi velinf, i\\C: qi:od confenfantuni (it DoCtrinse veteris et novi leftamenti; quodque ex ilia ip'-i Dottrina Cathciici Patres, et veter.es Epifcopi collQ^ennt. jiies, Edit. A. D. 1571. Cap. Cont ; onatores, Table of Texts, 41;, never gather from the holy feriptures ; for that the generality of the fathers taught the contrary to thefe doctrines from the holy fcripturcs, hath been fully proved. zdly. Whereas it hath hitherto been thought, and by the divines of the church of England religioufly maintained, and to have been the glory of the church ot England^ that both in her doctrine and difcipline fhe kept clofe to the fentimems of primitive antiquity ; if thefe do6trines, which I have (hewed to have been the common fentiments of the church of Chrifl, do contradict her avowed doclrines, it muft be owned that in thefe doclrines (he hath departed from the common fentiments f the beft antiquity. A TABLE of TEXTS EXPLAINED, IjTENESIS, Chap. vi. 5. page 244. PSALMS, Chap. li. . page 243 PROVERBS, Chap. xvi. 4. page 24, 25, 82. ISAIAH, Chap. liv. 10- lix. 21. page 336, 337, 339. JEREMIAH, Chap, xxxii. 39, 40. page 217, 218, 336, 339. EZEKIEL, Chap, xviii. 24, 26.- xxxiii. 13, iS^page 295, 297. xxx vi 23, 27. page 219. MATTHEW, Chap. vii. 18. page 212.- xx. 28. page $6, 97-: xxiv - 12, 13 xxiv. 24. page 304, 321. MARK, Lhap. iv. it, 12. page 29, 30. LUKE, Chap. viii. 9, 10. page 29, 30. x. 20. page 34. xviii. 7. page 47. JOHN, Chap. iii. 3, 4, 6 page 207, 245. iv. 14. vi. 35. page 340.- vi. 33. page no. vi. 37. page 53, 37, vi. 39, 40. page 323, 325. 44. page 2 ; i, 212. x. 15. page 97, 98 28. page 341. xii. 39, 40. page 24, 2/5. xv. 5. page 2 ic,- xvii. 9. page ie6, 107. ACTS, Chap. x. 34, 3,5. page 373. ~xi. 18. page 213, 214. xiu. 48. page 57, 58. 7 xiv. 16, 17: page 374- xvi - 14- page 2 14, 215, xvii. 24, 26, 2 7- page 37-5- Table of TcxtT. ROMANS, Chap. i. 18. page 377, 378. ii. 6. p. 380. ~ v. 18. page 99.- 19. page 96. vii. 17, 19. page 246. viii. 28, 29. page 52, 58, 63, 327. 32. page 123, 124. 34. page 123. 35- P a S e 3 2 9* 33- X1 - 2 - P a S e xi. 5 . page 48. 29. page 321. xiv. 15. page 113. i CORINTH. Chap. 11. 14. page 209.- iv. 7. page 221, 222. viii. 11. page 113, 114. x. Ai) 13 . page 314. CORINTH. Chap. 111.5. page 210, 211. ~ v * X 5- page 99. 17. page 206. 19. page in- C- A L AT! AN s, Chap, vi. 1.5. page 206. EPHESIANS, Chap. i. 3, 4. page 50, 51. 19, 20. page 206. ii. 2. page 209. -8. page 213. iv. 30. page 330 333. . PHILIP. Chap. i. 6. page 344'. i THESSA. CJiap. v. 23, 24. page 345. is THESSA. Chap. iii. 3. page 345. i TIMOTHY, Chap. i. 19. page 302, 303. ii. i 6, page 100. is TIMOTHY, Chap. ii. 19. page 63, 64. ii. 18. page 333, TITUS, Chap. ii. it, 12. page 101, 102. HEBREWS, Chap. ii. g. page 102. vi. 4, 5, 6. page 298. ix. 28. page 9&, 97 x. 26. page 114. 38. page 300. xi. 6. page 376. xiii. 21. page 220, 221. s PETER, 'Chap. i. 5. page 115. -11.7, 8. page 30, 31 9- P a g. e 45^ 46- s PETER, Chap. ii. i.page 115, 116. 1821. page 301. tii. 9. page 104. i JOHN, Chap. ii. 2. page 109. 19. page 333, 334. iii. 9. page 334, 335. JUD'E, Chap. iv. page 32, 33. GENERAL LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED This book is due on the last date stamped below, or on the date to which renewed. Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. I * p ^MAR9 1968 ^iCID LD Ff 2f.gg LIBRARY USE _ .$ -5 'JUL9 1357 |W ' REC'L 4-^ MAY 17 1368, JUL9 1357 TUN 1:C'DLD^G307 -10 AM 5 7 L/ 9AM4 ft W DEC 1 LD 21-100m-l,'54(1887sl6)476 \C189302 TTts* Wr UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Wm $m\ m