A Confutation of the Heresies and Errors of Thomas Collier, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Of Election.
I Shall for the better order ſake paſs over his ſecond Chapter at preſent and conſider in the next place what he propoſeth in his third, of Election.
Only this I deſire the Reader to take notice of once for all, that I intend not to make Mr. C.'s diſcourſe an occaſion of going over the Heads of the Controverſie betwixt us and the Arminians, in a full ſtating and handling of thoſe points: It hath been ſufficiently done by others both formerly and of late; but my preſent deſign is only to remove thoſe ſtumbling-blocks, that he in this Book hath endeavoured to caſt before weak Chriſtians. Thus he begins, p. 18.
Of this I have ſpoken ſomething too in my Confeſſion of Faith, or Body of Divinity; but in this I ſhall ſpeak a little more full and plain.
I will not undertake to juſtifie all he hath ſaid about Election in his Body of Divinity: but I muſt ſay, that in this he is gone farther out of the way of truth; and inſtead of ſpeaking more full and plain to the buſineſs, he involves himſelf in many abſurdities and groſs errors which before he kept off from. He proceeds to explain the term;
Election, or to elect or chooſe, from foreign, or foreign, in Scripture ordinarily imports to chooſe, or to be choſen.
What Mr. Collier deſigns in getting theſe Greek words into his Book, I know not: one that underſtands not the Greek can tell him, that to elect or chooſe, ordinarily imports to chooſe. But I confeſs he muſt have more learning then I, that can readily conceive how, to elect or chooſe, ſhould import to be choſen, which Mr. C. adds: Election indeed is ſometimes put to ſignifie …erſ…ns choſen; the abſtract being put for the concrete.
He proceeds to his diviſion of Election; unto which I ſhall oppoſe a brief account thereof from the Scripture, and ſo free the te…m from ambiguity, that we may proceed without interruption.
Election as it is attributed to God may be variouſly conſidered: 1. There is frequent mention in Scripture of Election unto ſome function or office either Eccleſiaſtical or Political.
2. There is an Election unto a participation of ſome peculiar benefits and favours from God; and this may be diſtinguiſhed into that which is,
1. General; In which ſenſe a Perſon or Nation is ſaid to be choſen of God, when they partake of ſuch an adoption as that they are brought into ſome covenant with God, and are reputed his people: ſo the Iſraelites, were an Elect Nation.
2. Special; and that is Gods chooſing unto Eternal life, and it is either of Angels, or Men: And it is this Election, and the concernment of men therein, that we are to conſider; and as Mr. P…lhil well obſerves, (p. 24. of the Div. Will) this is variouſly expreſs'd in the Scripture: It is called foreign, Rom. 8. 28. becauſe it is Gods purpoſe: foreign, 2 Tim. 1. 9. becauſe his gracious purpoſe: foreign, Rom. 11. 6. becauſe he ſeparates or ſingles out ſome to mercy in a way of choice: foreign, 1 Pet. 1. 2. becauſe he knows them as his own in a way of ſingular love: foreign, Rom. 8. 29, 30. becauſe he infallibly predeſtinates them to Grace and Glory: and foreign, Eph. 1. 5. becauſe all is out of the pure ſelf-motion of his own good will. This Election of God then is,
G…d …illing or decreeing to glorifie his Grace in the Salvation of a certain number of the poſterity of fallen Man, through ſanctification of the Spirit▪ and belief of the truth.
And other Election unto Eternal Life, the Scripture knoweth not.
So then what Mr. Collier diſcourſeth p. 19. concerning a General Election in the Goſpel, hath no foundation but in the ambiguity of the …erm, which I have removed: And indeed in the New Teſtament there is no countenance given to the uſing of the term in that ſ…nſe as he doth: when whole Churches are ſaid to be Elect; it is rather becauſe in the judgement of Charity each Member in a Goſpel Church is ſo to be eſteemed, then for the reaſon which he ſuppoſeth. That which he drops in that Section concerning …lling from Grace▪ ſhall be examined afterwards.
He proceeds p. 20. To diſcourſe of Special Election, which he mak… twofold.
The firſt is of thoſe who are choſen in Chriſt before the foundation of the world, unto the obtaining of Grace and Glory: A brief account of which I have already given. The reaſon he gives for this is, That the undertaking of Chriſt might be aſsured not to be in vain on the moſt ſpecial account, &c.
He acknowledgeth then; That if there had not been a certain number given to Chriſt by the Father, who by effectual Grace ſhould be brought to believe in him, his undertaking might have been in vain: But this muſt not be: very true: But then if the whole of his undertaking muſt not be left at uncertainty; why ſhould any part of it be ſo? How Mr. C. will reconcile this with his other notions I know not. He goes on,
The ſecond ſort of ſpecial Election in the Goſpel is of All that do believe and obey the Goſpel in truth, perſevering therein to the end.
Afterwards he accounts theſe diſtinct from the ſpecial Elect; but for the preſent he makes this one branch of ſpecial Election: I ſhall allow him to alter his terms as he pleaſeth, if he find them unfit, and conſider his preſent notion, which is built upon this ſuppoſition, That many may and ſhall believe and obey the Goſpel, and perſevere therein to the end, that receive no ſpecial Grace from God in the purſuit of his Electing Love, to enable them thereunto, or preſerve them therein, (which notion ſhall be examined in its proper place) And theſe are Elected on the foreſight of their Faith and Obedience and perſeverance therein. And here we might reaſonably expect, that Tho. C. in his Add. word, ſhould have confuted the arguments urged againſt ſuch an Election by Th. C. in his B. of D. p. 444, 445, 446. But this he ſilently paſſeth over; and this ſudden change is the more to be taken notice of, becauſe he tells us in his Preface to that Book, That they are not the notions of ſudden conception, but the fruit and birth of many years travel; that he there preſents us with: and that he would have all his Doctrine to be compared with that Book; and either reconciled therewith or rejected. I know ſome will be ready to ſay,
Inconſtans levitas, levis inconſtantia vulgi!
Nunc vult, nunc non vult, & nunc ne que vult, neq, non vult!
But I ſhall rather mind that ſeaſonable exhortation of the Apoſtle, Eph. 4. 14. & Heb. 1…. 9. and ſo addreſs my ſelf to conſider what proof of this notion he offers to us.
Election (ſaith he) under this conſideration is declared in theſe and the like Scriptures, Joh. 6. 40. & 3. 16. & 8. 31. Rom. 2. 7. Heb. 5. 9. Col. 1. 21, 23. Rev. 22. 14. All theſe Scriptures hold forth no more but the inſeparable connexion (as of the means with the end) of Faith and Obedience perſevered in, with Eternal Life and Salvation; not a tittle of the Election of any on the foreſight of theſe. He that holdeth out to the end ſhall be ſaved, which all the Elect ſhall do, being kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation; but this Grace, as well as future Glory, floweth to them from the eternal ſpring of Electing Love.
Yea Mr. C. himſelf can tell us at another time, That Faith is no where ſtated in the Scriptures as the condition of Election; neither in reaſon can it be ſo, if we conſider what perſons are Elected to, and that is to believe and obey the Goſpel, to be holy here and happy hereafter, 1 Pet. 1, 2. Bod. of Divin. p. 445.
And if Mr. C. will conſult thoſe that have written on this controverſie, he may find other arguments urged againſt this errour alſo; but perhaps his own may have the greateſt influence on him. I ſhall therefore leave that with him, and attend him in his farther offer of proof of the contrary opinion now; Thus he proceeds, p. 21. We may not ſo underſtand particular and ſpecial Election, as to derogate from the univerſal Grace and love of God to all men; nor from the truth of the Law of Grace, which calleth upon all, and encourageth all, and promiſeth life to all that do believe and obey the Goſpel, &c.
What Mr. Collier means by the univerſal Grace and love of God to all men he doth not here explain: But by the tenour of his diſcourſe in other places in his Book, his ſenſe appears to be; That God intended the Redemption and Salvation of all men in the death of his Son, and hath recovered them all out of their fallen ſtate, and put them into a capacity of obtaining Heaven, without his ſpecial Grace. And it is true, that the Doctrine of Election as revealed in the Scriptures, doth overthrow this fiction; but muſt it therefore be rejected, becauſe it will not comport with his errors? And whereas he ſuppoſeth that the Decree of God concerning the ſalvation of the Elect oppoſeth his revealed will, and gracious invitations unto ſinners in the Goſpel; this muſt be imputed to his ignorance of theſe things: He tells us not wherein he ſuppoſeth the oppoſition doth lye; And whatever he thinks, their harmony is ſweet and full. There is a ſufficiency in Chriſt to ſave the whole world if they did believe on him; and there is a ſure promiſe of ſalvation to every believer: And it is the will of God that ſalvation by Chriſt ſhould be tendered unto all where the Goſpel comes on the terms mentioned therein; But the wickedneſs of mans heart, and his natural enmity to God being ſuch, as would render all this fruitleſs if … w…re left to himſelf; the moſt high did from Everlaſting Decree, (that which in time he effects) by his powerful Grace to draw a remnant unto Chriſt, that they may obtain ſalvation by him, and to leave the reſt to periſh in their obſtinacy. Where then is our making null the revealed will of God by his Decree, that Mr. C. talks of? He adds, The Lord himſelf makes this diſtinction, with ſuitable promiſes alike to both, i. e. He allows a latitude beyond the firſt and ſpecial Election, or gift t… hi… Son, with promiſe of life on the univerſal account of Grace, Joh. 6. 37. which Text he miſerably wreſts in his following lines; unto the whole my anſwer is briefly this:
The Decree of God is one thing; his Command another; It is the latter that conſtitutes our duty, not the former. It doth not therefore follow, that becauſe many are called, and commanded to believe, and Life is tendred to them on Goſpel-terms; therefore many are choſen beſides the ſpecial Elect. But to the Text; All that the Father giveth me ſhall come to me, and him that cometh unto me I will in no wiſe caſt out. In the context Chriſt declares, 1. That there was a certain number given to him by the Father; which Mr. Collier owns to be the ſpecial Elect. 2. That concerning theſe the will of God was, that they ſhould be brought to Inherit Eternal Life by Faith in Chriſt, v. 40. 3. That although the natural pravity of men is ſuch, that no man without ſpecial Grace can come to Chriſt, v. 44. yet theſe ſhould by the drawings of the Father be brought to him, All that the Father hath given me, ſhall come to me. 4. That theſe coming ſhould in no wiſe be rejected by him; and the reaſon thereof he renders, v. 38, 39. It is evident therefore the ſame perſons are ſpoken of in the end, that are intended in the beginning of v. 37. and Mr. Colliers ſuppoſition of the contrary is without ground; and his reaſon for it ridiculous; It cannot be ſuppoſed (ſaith he) that him that cometh, &c. is a promiſe to the firſt gift, for they ſhall come; that is,
All the Elect ſhall believe in Chriſt; Ergo, There is no promiſe made of their ſalvation by him. Apage nugas!
That which he diſcourſeth concerning the Book of Life, p. 22. if his notion of it were granted, makes nothing for him, unleſs he ſuppoſe that the revealed will of God, that declares and determines our duty, what we ought to do; and the Decree of God, or what himſelf will do; to be all one. However we will conſider what he ſaith, viz.
That Rev. 3. 5. & 20. 12, 15. & 22. 19. muſt be underſtood to ſpeak of the Goſpel-book of Life, in which all Believers are written, and not the firſt Book of Life in which the ſpecial Elect are written.
I anſwer▪ 1. The ſpecial Elect and true Believers are terms convertible, where the one are written▪ the other are written: And it is Mr. Colliers great errour to ſuppoſe the number of the one to exceed the other: As many as are ordained to Eternal Life believe; ſo the Election obtain, and the reſt are blinded, Acts 13. 48. Rom. 11. 7.
2. A Book is attributed to God in Scripture, not properly, but by a Figure called Anthropopatheia; the metaphor being taken from wiſe men, who are wont diligently to ſet down in a Book thoſe notable things that they would keep in mind, and ſignifieth his providence with reſpect to, and moſt exact knowledge of all things, and in the Scriptures cited by Mr. Collier it ſignifies Gods ſpecial knowledge of his ſaved ones, concerning which the Apoſtle ſpeaks 2 Tim. 2. 19. which is as a certain Catalogue of thoſe whom God hath choſen unto Eternal Life by Faith in Chriſt: But Mr. C. ſaith, they muſt be otherwiſe underſtood: His ſaying they muſt is no proof; and his reaſons are too weak to inforce it, His firſt is, Becauſe out of the Book of Life here mentioned many may be blotted. I anſwer, The expreſſion is Figurative, and is to be interpreted according to the ſcope of the place; as God is ſaid to blot out ſin, when he doth not impute it, ſo to blot out the name of one out of the Book of Life, that he doth not reckon among his ſaved ones, which he will make manifeſt in the day of judgement, when all the world ſhall know that he had no part therein; thus the affirmative being put for the contrary negative; the ſenſe is briefly this, God ſhall take away his part out of the Book of Life, Rev. 22. 19. i. e. He ſhall have no part at all in it, and ſo likewiſe e contra, ch. 3. 5. I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, i. e. I will reckon him amongſt my own Sheep, and it ſhall appear by my confeſſing him before my Father, &c.
His ſecond reaſon is, Becauſe this Book is one of th…ſe by which men ſhall be judged, Rev. 20. 12, 15.
In the Text this Book is mentioned diſtinct from thoſe by which men ſhall be judged; and the opening of it in that day ſignifies the glorious diſcovery that ſhall then be made of the Lord, his h… ving ordered all things in his holy and righteous government of the world, ſo as to fulfill his own Decree, and that all his ſaved ones are alone beholding to free Grace diſpenſed according to the purpoſe that God purpoſed in himſelf before the foundation of the world; for in the iſſue (when men have talked their pleaſure of their own ability) it ſo comes to paſs, That whatſoever was not written in the Book of Life, was caſt into the Lake of Fire; not ſimply becauſe they were not written there, but becauſe they being left to the way of their own heart, did wilfully perſiſt in their rebellion againſt God, for which they muſt then ſuffer the vengeance of Eternal Fire.
Election (he ſaith) is no ground to diſcourage any from believing; who ſaith it is? That crimination hath been abundantly anſwered by others without the help of his Scriptureleſs notion.
The tenders of Life in the Goſpel are full of Grace, the command to believe, equal and rational; and the promiſe of Life to the believer ſure and ſtedfaſt: Election is a ſecret and hidden thing, as to the concernment of particular perſons in it, which belongeth unto God; and as none can know their Election of God before Faith, ſo is it no way neceſſary that they ſhould do ſo in order to believing: for revealed things belong unto us and our Children, and we are bound to attend to them in that ſame order in which God hath revealed them: Now in the Goſpel is the Salvation of God revealed to loſt ſinners, and they, ſimply conſidered as ſuch, commanded to accept of it upon the terms propoſe… to them; none are called to believe under the formal conſideration of Elect perſons; but as weary and heavy laden ſinners; undone thirſty ſinners; in which terms every one ſenſible of his condition by nature, finds himſelf preſently, and equally with others concerned. Now▪ that God hath purpoſed to make this call effectual unto ſome; and theſe upon believing; through the Doctrine of Elect on, have a proſpect into the heart of God towards them, and his Everlaſting purpoſe of Grace concerning them, and find their ſpiritual and glorious joy increaſed, by a knowledge that their names are written in Heaven; being rightly weighed may on divers accoun…s incourage, but on no account can diſcourage the Faith of any.
We come now to his laſt Section in this Chapter, which is worſe then all that goes before; yet here he gives us but a taſte of what he intends more largely to purſue afterwards. Thus he writes p. 23.
The Scripture ſeems to import that many, yea very many (compared with the firſt elect and eſpouſed relation) ſhall obtain ſome great priviledge, though below that of Election, and eſpouſed relation to Jeſus Chriſt.
That which he was to prove is, That beſides thoſe that are choſen to the obtaining of Grace and Glory, there are others choſen to be heirs of Glory on foreſight of their faith, &c. ſo that they obtain Election thereby. To make this good, he tells us of very many that ſhall obtain ſome great priviledge, though below that of Election. Such impertinencies are his writings full of, But we will take his meaning to be, That they he now ſpeaks of ſhall obtain the ſecond Election, but not the firſt; which is a great priviledge, but below that of eſpouſed relation to Chriſt. But then is he at variance with himſelf again; for thus he writes a little before, p. 16. Whoever among the ſons and daughters of men, do ſincerely believe and obey the Goſpel, ſhall have the ſpecial relation to God and Chriſt therein, and the ſpecial benefit and ſalvation thereof. And this he ſuppoſeth many do beſides the ſpecial elect; And in this very Chapter he tells us, That faith and obedience with perſeverance therein, renders perſons the objects of this Election; and certainly the Scriptures know no other eſpouſed relation to Chriſt, but what we have by Faith; neither are there greater promiſes in the Book of God, then thoſe that are made to perſons perſevering in faith and obedience; They ſhall inherit all things, Rev. 21. 7. But Mr. C. ſuppoſeth that theſe believe, and perſevere with leſs help from God then the ſpecial Elect have. Be it ſo: there is no reaſon that this ſhould leſſen their Glory; why therefore Mr. Collier ſets theſe beneath the ſpecial Elect, I know not. But indeed theſe are Saints of his own making, and therefore he may preferr, or poſtpone them as he pleaſeth. The Scripture ſpeaks of no true Believers, but the Elect that are enabled to believe by ſpecial Grace.
He proceeds to his proof; Elſe (ſaith he) what means th…t Pſa. 45. 14. The Virgins her companions that follow her ſhall be brought unto thee, i. e. to Chriſt, where the only one ſpouſe is diſtinct from the Virgins her companions. Mr. C. it ſeems is confident this can have no other meaning but what favours his notion. But here it were eaſie for me to fill up divers ſheets in tranſcribing the Commentaries of many learned men on this Text, of which not one gives countenance to his opinion; but that ſuits not with my preſent deſign? Briefly therefore I reply,
In this Pſalm, and in Solomons Song, (from whence he takes his next teſtimony) the Holy Ghoſt doth ſet forth things ſpiritual and heavenly by Types, and Metaphors, taken from things t…rrene, and uſages among men; which neceſſarily fall ſhort of the compleat expreſſion of the Glory of the things of Gods Kingdom; and therefore as there is ſomewhat of ſimilitude, ſo is there alſo of diſſimilitude betwixt the things compared, and the parallel muſt not be run farther then the ſcope of the Texts themſelves, and warranty of other plain Scriptures will allow: Hence it is alſo that divers Metaphors are uſed to expreſs the ſame thing, of which ſome do adumbrate …t under this r…ſp…ct, and ſome under that. Now in this Scripture the manifeſt deſign of the Pſalmiſt is, to ſet forth the Majeſty and Grace of Chriſts Kingdom, as he is the head and husband of his people, together with the glorious priviledges of the Church his Spouſe, in her marriage relation to him: And therefore in his deſcription of the Church, in that ſtate and honour unto which Chriſt hath advanced her, ſhe is compared to a Queen richly adorned, and attended (as with her Ladies of Honour) by the Virgins her companions; becauſe ſo it uſeth to be with Queens when brought in ſtate unto their Lord and Husband. And if we ſtrain the Metaphor (or Type) no farther, we have a good ſenſe of the words, and that which ſuits the deſign of the Text. Although I am inclined to think, that the ſame Church and Spouſe of Chriſt is in various reſpects ſhadowed, by either term, both of Queen, and of the Virgins her companions: As ſhe is repreſented by the Queen, reſpect is had to the then flouriſhing ſtate of the Jewiſh Church; as by the Virgins her companions, that ſhould alſo be brought to Chriſt, the bringing in of the Gentiles, and their gathering into divers particular Congregations is reſpected, which in the fulneſs of time ſhould be, though then they were as a little Siſter that had no breaſts. More might be added▪ bu… this ſufficeth to ſh…w that he hath failed of his purpoſe in the citation of this Text. He proceeds,
And that Song 9. 6. (he means the 6. 8, 9.) where are multitudes, beſides the …ſpo…ſed relation of Queens. (but …ertainl… if they be Queens indeed they are eſpouſed to him whoſe Queens they are) Concubines and Virgins, bleſſing and praiſing the holy and happy eſtate of the undefiled Spouſe; called ch. 5. 8. the daughters of Jeruſalem: ſo that there may be many friends and followers, that may come ſhort of the eſpouſed relation, and yet have a part at that day.
As to Cant. 6. 8, 9. Here ſeems to be two things of a different nature, one referring to the ways of the Kings of the Earth, and another referring to Jeſus Chriſt; the Kings of the Earth uſe to have many Queens and Concubines, many ſingle perſons for their pleaſure and recreation, and Solomon himſelf was greatly preſumptuous in this kind; But ſpeaking of Chriſts diſpoſition, he is not like the world, but ſaith, …y Love, my Dove is but one, and ſhe is the only one of her Mother, and the choice one of her that hear her: as there is but one Chriſt, ſo in matter of Salvation there is but one Church. And therefore I ſee not at preſent any juſt exception againſt the account that Mr. Ainſworth gives of it in his annotations, which is to this purpoſe,
There are ſixty, or be their ſixty Queens, i e. Though there were ſixty, &c. yet one is my Do…e, or there is but one my Dove, ſo this one only is oppoſed to the many Queens, Concubines, &c. beforementioned: Here the ſpouſe of Chriſt, which is but one (as there is but one body, and one ſpirit, one hope, one Lord, one Faith even as we are called in one hope of our calling, Eph. 4. 4, 5.) is preferred before the multitude of other, which in their own, and the worlds eſteem are Queens, Ladies, &c. Rev. 18. 7. Iſa. 47. 7.—and they praiſed her. The ſpouſe is counted happy for the great bleſſings of God upon her; as it is ſaid of Iſrael, Deut. 26. 19. That God had made them high above all Nations which he had made, in praiſe and in name, and in honour; ſo the People magnif…d Chriſtians, Acts 5. 13.
By the Daughters of Jeruſalem in this Book we may underſtand …oſe that under ſome common …r preparatory work of the ſpi…it, have ſome reſpect to Chriſt and his Church, though they are not perfectly brought over to him, or fully inſtructed in his way, but enquiring after it, ſee ch. 5. 8. 9. & 6. 1. Now in ſuch either the Lord carries on this work unto a through converſion, and ſo the uniting of the Soul unto himſelf by Faith, and then are they among his eſpouſed and ſaved ones; or elſe they ſin away their convictions, and return again with the Sow that was waſhed to wallowing in the mire; and the latter end of ſuch is worſe then theirs who never made a profeſſion.
Hitherto then Mr. C. can find out no perſons in the Scripture to …l up his imagined middle room betwixt Heaven and Hell. If perſons belong not to that number which make up the Bride the Lambs wife, the new Jeruſalem (notwithſtanding his idle talking) there will be no other place found for them in the day of Chriſt, but amongſt thoſe mentioned Rev. 21. 8. & 22. 14, 15. He adds,
And that Mat. 25. 1, to 12. ſeems to ſuit with thoſe Scriptures; though the Lord and Bridegroom will ſay to the fooliſh Virgins, I know you not; that may be; in the eſpouſed relation to go into the wedding he knew them not; but as Virgins that had been his ſpouſes companions.
Certainly Mr. C. eſteems himſelf able foreign to overturn things immoveable by a blaſt of his corrupt Doctrine, or elſe he had never had the confidence to produce this Text for the proof of what he brings it for; viz. That many (of which number he reckons theſe fooliſh Virgins) ſhall be Elected for their Faith and Obedience, and obtain ſome great priviledge in the day of Chriſt. Let us therefore conſider the character of the perſons that he ſuppoſeth ſhall be thus dignified: All indeed that are mentioned in the parable were Virgins, viz. in profeſſion; the fooliſh as well as the wiſe pretended to purity, and were outwardly conformable to the Laws of Chriſt; but for all this five were fooliſh, i. e. ſinners, ſuch as never in truth knew the things that did belong to their peace; and theſe had no Oil in their Veſſels, i. e. no true Grace in their hearts; they were Hypocrites in the midſt of their profeſſion; and when Chriſt came they were found unready, i. e. without a wedding garment of Faith and Holineſs, (and this account he gives of them himſelf in effect in his Bod. of D. p. 135, & 136.) and the Lord proteſts, that he knows them not; but he knows all that are his; They belong not therefore unto Chriſt, but to the God of this world; they were in heart his Vaſſals; though with their Lips they pretended kindneſs to Chriſt: and yet this man endeavours to perſwade ſuch that they ſhall have peace; and for all this Hypocriſie, becauſe they kept company with others that were ſincere, though they were painted Sepulchres all the while; they ſhall have a place in the Kingdom of Glory, though not full out ſo excellent as that which the ſpecial Elect obtain! I… this Doctrine be according to Godlineſs, I know nothing that deſerves to be eſteemed contrary thereto. But let not men truſt in this refuge of lies▪ nor cheat their Souls with vain hopes becauſe of the ſmooth things that Mr. C. doth prophecy unto them. What in truth will be the condition and ſtate of ſuch as theſe in the day of Chriſt, you have graphically deſcribed in theſe Texts of Scripture, Mat. 22. 12, 13. & ch. 13. 40, 41. compared with ch. 24. 51. and this very Text compared with ch. 7. 21, 22, 23. and Prov. 1. 28.
As for the other Texts cited by him, viz. Mat. 10. 41, 42. & Mat. 20. v. 16. &c. I cannot deviſe which way he thinks to put the firſt of them upon the wrack▪ ſo as to make it ſpeak to his mind. That which it teacheth us is, That they which love the members of Chriſt, and deſire the furtherance of his work, do give evidence of their own being in him, and relation to him, and therefore ſhall be glorified with his Servants. This gives no countenance to his notion. In the other, viz. Mat. 20. 16. with Mar. 20. 31. If the ſcope of the parable be attended, the ſenſe will appear to be this, Many that are firſt, viz. in appearance, as to the earlineſs of their profeſſion, and their outward forwardneſs and ſeeming earneſtneſs therein, ſhall be laſt, i. e. ſhall at the laſt be found caſt-aways, empty of good, and left behind unto deſtruction; and the laſt, i. e. many that a while, and to mans eye ſeemed laſt, it being either long e're they were profeſſors, which was Pauls caſe; or for a while very timorous and cloſe, which was the caſe of Joſeph of Arimathea,—ſhall be firſt, i. e. ſhall at the laſt be found real and precious, and accordingly received and accepted in Chriſt.
For many are called, viz. not only having had the Goſpel preached to them, but being alſo thereby brought outwardly into the viſible Church: but few choſen, i. e. few of the aforeſaid many, be Gods choice ones taken to himſelf in Everlaſting mercy, according to his Eternal purpoſe of ſaving them. See ch. 22. 14. Haec ex notis manuſcriptis docti cujuſdam ſimul ac pii jam foreign excerpta ſunt.
Mr. C. proceeds, Elſe what meaneth that of the firſt fruits to God and to the Lamb: Rev. 14, 14. if it do not intend the ſpecial ſaved ones in the Election, and the multitudes that may obtain beſides according to the metaphor, as the Harveſt to the firſt fruits. I anſwer this Text with Jam. 1. 18. hath a meaning very different from what Mr. C. ſuppoſeth: The whole number of Elect regenerate ones are ſet apart for God as his peculiar people and portion; even as in the time of the Law, the firſt-fruits were ſet apart for God, and ſanctified unto him: So then as the firſt-fruits are but an handful to the Harveſt, ſo are the ſaved ones but a remnant, when compared with the multitudes of the world that periſh in their ſins. For wide is the Gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Becauſe ſtrait is the Gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it. Beware of falſe Prephets, Mat. 7. v. 13, 14, 15. But, ſaith he,
It would be beneath the ſpirit and charity of the Goſpel, to allow no ſalvation (during the old Covenant) to any in the world beſides the elect Church of the Jews, and contrary to the Scripture, Act. 10. 34, 35.
In what ſenſe the Nation of the Iſraelites was choſen of God, I ſhewed before: That all are not Iſrael (elect of God to eternal life) that are of Iſrael, (according to the fleſh) is certain; and I grant alſo, that in the time Mr. C. ſpeaks of God had his remnant (though we have reaſon to think not many) in other Nations, unto whom he did by means ordinary or extraordinary manifeſt himſelf; and theſe did fear God, and work righteouſneſs, by which their Election of God was manifeſted: But that theſe did not belong to the number of the ſpecial Elect, nor were of that Church which is Chriſts Spouſe, is utterly untrue, neither doth he attempt to prove it. He ſaith moreover,
—Or to allow no ſalvation now under the Goſpel, to any among the Gentiles that have not heard of Chriſt; and contrary to the Scripture, Rom. 2. 14, 15, 16.
Mr. C.'s notion about this matter, we ſhall meet with again and examine afterwards: At the preſent I muſt tell him, that without the Spirit and Grace of Chriſt, which may not be ſeparate from the knowledge of him, and Faith in his name; all that perſons can do, is from a principle of ſelf-love to yield ſome obedience to the Law of God externally, and ſo live honeſtly among men: But by the deeds of the Law ſhall no fleſh be juſtified in Gods ſight; for by the Law is the knowledge of ſin, Rom. 3. 21. and that the Law of nature, where the written Law is wanting, will ſo far ſupply the place thereof, as to convince of ſin, and leave the ſinner inexcuſable in his diſobedience, is the deſign of the Apoſtle to evince, Rom. 2. 14. When the Gentiles which have not the law, (viz. written) do by nature, (i. e. by a knowledge and conſcience which God cauſeth to remain in mans nature, though corrupt) do foreign, the offiees of the law, viz. condemning evil and in the…r conſciences approving good, not ſo as to love good and hate evil, but this they did ſufficiently unto full inexcuſableneſs; Theſe having not the law, are a law unto themſelves, &c.
So Mr. C. cloſeth this Chapter without proof of his opinion.