Answer to Granthams Book, Chapter 9
CHAP IX. An Anſwer to the Author's Queries at the End of his Book.
THis Author did ſend me a Letter containing Six Queries; now he hath added a Seventh, and hath ſtyled me Preacher to the independents, which he did not in the Letter which he ſent to me.
As for the Title of Independents, we own it not; we are Dependents upon God, his Word, and upon other Churches, for Help, and Brotherly Advice, and Counſel in the Lord: But we deſire to keep our ſelves independent upon this Author, or any other that ſhall pretend to have any ſpiritual Juriſdiction over us; for we hold, that there are no Churches of Chriſt's Inſtitution, under the New Teſtament, but particular Congregations; and that thoſe particular Congregations have not power over one another, but ought to be helpful and aſſiſting one to another, as the Matter ſhall require.
Independent is too high a Title for any Saints on Earth, or in Heaven; yea, it is too high a Title for the holy Angels; it is only fit for the Almighty and Everlaſting God: And I heartily wiſh that this Author would but acknowledge God to be Independent, Abſolute and Ʋncontrollable, and then he would never write ſuch a Book as he hath. Arminianiſm is a Quarrelling with God about his Independency and Soveraignty in his Decrees and Diſpenſations; as if God were not Independent, Abſolute and Uncontrollable, but muſt be, and muſt do, as Men ſhall enjoyn him his Way, Job 36.23.
If this Author ſaw fit to publiſh his profound Queries, it had been but common Honeſty to have publiſhed alſo mine Anſwer; for I ſent him an Anſwer in a few Days, and had another Letter from him, which I alſo anſwered: And out of that ſecond Letter of mine, he takes occaſion for his Seventh Query. It was well that I kept a Copy of my Letters.
A true Copy of my Anſwer to Mr. Grantham, when he ſent me his queries.
SIR,
INſtead of Anſwering directly to your Quarrellings, I do, out of true Love to you, beſeech you, in the Fear of God, to conſider of theſe following Particulars, that may give you more Light into thoſe Points about Election, Redemption and Converſion.
1. Conſider the Infinite and Incomprehenſible Majeſty of God, and the Inconſiderableneſs of all the Children of Men, the Graſhoppers and Worms of the Earth, Iſa. 40.15, 17, 22. This may prepare our Hearts to think of his Decrees and Diſpenſations to the Children of Men, with an holy Fear and Trembling.
2. Conſider that God hath made all things for himſelf, for the Manifeſtation of his own Glory, one way or other; for the Glory of his Mercy, or for the Glory of his Juſtice. This was God's End, Prov. 16.4. Rom. 11.36. Rev. 4.11.
3. Conſider that God hath an abſolute Soveraignty, an abſolute Lordſhip and Dominion over the Children of Men, to do with them as he pleaſeth, Iſa. 46.10. Exod. 33.19. Rom. 9.15, 16, 17, 18.
4. Conſider that none of us hold, that God puniſheth any but for Sin, and that all having Sinned, and come ſhort of the glory of God, he might have ſpared none of the Children of Men, and his Throne have been guiltleſs from our Blood for ever. Rom. 3.19, 23. — 5.12.
5. Conſider that the exceeding Riches of God's Grace, is to be adored for ever, that God ſhould Predeſtinate any of the Children of Men, to the Adoption of Children by Jeſus Chriſt, give him to Redeem them, and his Spirit to Sanctifie them, Epheſ. 1.4, 5, 6, 7. 1 Pet 1.3.
6. Conſider well, that it is one part of the Corruption of our Nature by the fall, to quarrel with the Great and Holy God, concerning his Diſpenſations; Gen. 3.12. Adam diſcovered this Temper, when once his Nature was Corrupted; The Woman which thou gaveſt me, ſhe gave me of the Tree, this was nothing but quarrelling with God; and Eve ſhe ſaid, the Serpent beguiled me, as if ſhe had ſaid, why didſt thou permit the Devil to tempt me? Ah, let there be an Holy Trembling, and if the Lord do not for one, as for another, ſhould Men quarrel with the Lord: Luke 4.23. to 30. When our Saviour told the People, that none could come to him, except it were given unto him of the Father, John 6.65. from that time many of his Diſciples went back, and walkt no more with him, V. 66. In ſtead of being humbled at their own Impotency and Inability, to come to Chriſt, and looking to God to give them Faith by ſpecial Grace, they quarrel with this Doctrine of the Effectual Grace of God, and fall off: We may conceive it to be the temper of the Damned in Hell, to quarrel with the Holy Soveraignty of God, as, why did God ſuffer the Devil to tempt our firſt Parents, which was the firſt inlet to all our Miſery, ſeeing he could have hindered it? Why did God make our firſt Parents mutable in their Eſtate of Holineſs and Happineſs, when as he fixt the Elect Angels in their Holineſs and Happineſs? Why did God ſuffer the Devil and falſe Teachers to draw us to Errours of Judgment, and Sins of Life, which encreaſe our Condemnation, when he knew how prone we were to Sin? Why did God chooſe the other Company in Heaven, and leave us to our ſelves? Why had he not the ſame Love for us? Why did he not give his Son to be an abſolute and compleat Redemption for us, and ſend his Spirit to turn us Effectually and Infallibly, as he could have done, and hath done for ſome as bad or worſe than we by practice, till the Lord turned them? I ſay, we may conceive, that the Damned in Hell do thus quarrel with the Soveraignty of God in his Diſpenſations, which ſhould make us on Earth to have a care of all things that tend to a quarrelling with God's Diſpenſations, for it is the Spirit and Frame of the Devils and Damned in Hell: Therefore the way we are to take for our Salvation, is to lay to Heart the Soveraignty and Greatneſs and Holineſs of him with whom we have to do, to be ſenſible of the Heinouſneſs of Sin, and to acknowledge that God is Righteous, though he ſhould take Vengeance on us, to hearken to the Report of the Goſpel, that Jeſus Chriſt came into the World to ſave Sinners and that he that believes on him, ſhall be ſa ved, and to pray and wait upon God to work upon our Hearts, by an Invincible overcoming Power of his Spirit, to believe that Jeſus is the Son of God, to rely on, and truſt in his Mediation and Righteouſneſs, and to give up our ſelves to be governed and ſanctified by him.
7. Conſider that the Ʋniverſal Common ſufficient Grace to all Mankind, which Men cry up, though the Preachers of it may do it in the Simplicity of their Hearts, and think they advanced the Glory of God by it, yet, it is Satans deſign thereby to rob God of the Glory of the Salvation of thoſe that ſhall inherit everlaſting Life, and to make them their own Saviors; for if, notwithſtanding what the Father did for any in Election, the Son in Redemption, the Holy Spirit in working upon their Hearts, they might have periſht for ever, then the chief praiſe muſt be to themſelves, to their ingenuity, towardlineſs and care for themſelves.
8. Conſider that if there were no other Election, Redemption and Power of the Spirit for Converſion than Arminians ſpeak of, there had never any of the Children of Men been ſaved, or would be.
9. Conſider, that though the Lord do Condeſcend to ſpeak after the manner of Men, as for Inſtance Pſal. 81.13. Deut. 32.29. Yet all ſuch Expreſſions muſt be underſtood, ſo as to comport with the Immutability and Omnipotency of God.
10. Conſider, that the true State of the Queſtion between us and the Arminians, is whether Chriſt dyed for any? For whilſt the Arminians make a great Noiſe of Chriſts dying for every Man and Woman of the Race of Adam, they do indeed deny that he dyed for any in a Scripture Senſe, that is, abſolutely to make ſatisfaction for all their Sins, abſolutely to purchaſe Converting and Keeping Grace for them, to be infallibly beſtowed on them in the Lord's appointed time, and ſo indeed, they make but a mock of that glorious Redemption by our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, they make it an inſignificant thing, they make little, or rather nothing of it.
Sir, I perceive you take it ill, that I do not ſeek Acquaintance and Familiarity with you, truly it is my Natural Temper to love Retirement, and not to have much Acquaintance; but as to your ſelf, I confeſs I do not deſire intimacy with you, becauſe I told you the firſt time, I ever ſpake with you about fifteen years ſince, that one of your own Judgment about Baptiſm, had charged you in Print, that you ſet the Houſes of God on fire, where ever you came, and that you pretended to be an Arch-biſhop, and to have Juriſdiction over other Churches, or words to that purpoſe; and ſince you came to live at Norwich, you have been ſo quarrelſom with thoſe of your own perſwaſion about Baptiſm, and likewiſe with my worthy Friend Dr. Collings, that I would obſerve the Counſel of the Scripture, Prov. 22.24. make no Friendſhip with an angry Man, and with a furious Man, thou ſhalt not go. If any of my Friends have ſpoken ſo rudely and harſhly of you, as you write, I am ſorry for it, it doth not become Chriſtians, Tit. 3.23. and if you, or any other that differ from me, are Inſtruments of Real good to any, I do therein rejoyce, if you draw any to Error, and make the weak to ſtumble, I pray God to Convert them from the Error of their way. I love all Men, I hope the beſt of them that differ in Judgment, I hope many hold ſome Errors but notionally, and that in their dealing with God about their Eternal Conditions, they make uſe of better Principles than they profeſs. You find fault with Preachers having Curled Periwigs, truly I am not for Preachers having frizled Periwigs, or Pluſh Capes upon their Coats, I like them not, ſome are for a greater Latitude in theſe things, than I am; but I Love and Honour Godly Men, though they can do ſome things that I durſt not do my ſelf. Sir, I pray do not trouble me with more Letters, I have ſomething elſe to do, than to ſpend my time in vain janglings. The God of Love and Peace be with you.
Your Affectionate Friend, M. F.
After this, I Received an Anſwer to mine, wherein he doth not own that he was the Perſon intended in that Book I ſaw, ſo I deſire however, that the Reader of my Letter would wholly wave that part of the charge againſt him.
Well, in my firſt Letter to him, I did not directly Anſwer to his queries, but it ſeems I muſt do it, but I would be very brief in it, for I have ſpoken of Election and Reprobation already.
It ſeems that in a Sermon which I Preacht twenty four years ſince, from this Text, 2 Cor. 13, 14. I had two paſſages that do not pleaſe this Author; it being ſo long time ſince, it was with Difficulty that I got the Sermon.
The paſſage, pag. 13. opening that Scripture, the Grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghoſt be with you: I ſhewed that the meaning of the Apoſtle, is amongſt other things, That theſe Believers might always have the Sence and Comfort of the Love of God, in chooſing them before the Foundation of the World, to be Veſſels of Mercy; it is as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, Oh! That you may always ſee the ſpecial and diſtinguiſhing Love of God the Father towards you, that when he had ſo many Millions of Souls in his Eye, that he ſhould chooſe you to everlaſting Life, and paſs by ſo many that you ſhould be Jacobs, whom he hath loved, and not Eſaus, whom he hath hated; that he hath not appointed you to wrath, but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; the Sence and Comfort and Aſſurance of this Unſpeakable Love of God be with you. This is the firſt paſſage in that Sermon, that offended this Author.
Now upon this, ſaith this Author, both ſorts being ſuppoſed to be living, when you wrote thus;
Qu. Wherefore did the Lord paſs by the Millions? And after what manner did he hate them? Did he afford them no Means; that they might be ſaved? I anſwer,
1. This Author ſaith, both ſorts being ſuppoſed to be living, when you wrote thus; How impertinent is this? Did I write, 2 Cor. 13, 14. did not the Apoſtle Paul write it to the Church at Corinth, and Prayeth that the love of God may be with them (as I have opened it in ſome meaſure) no doubt there are of the Elect, and of thoſe that are paſſed by, now living on the Earth, both in the Sence that I hold Election, and in the Sence that he holds Election; but that which I ſaid was to open the meaning of the Apoſtle Paul's Benediction or Prayer for the Church at Corinth, not mentioning the perſons to whom I ſpake, whether they were Elected, or not Elected.
2. But for the Query, wherefore did the Lord paſs by the Millions, and after what manner did he hate them? did he afford no means, that they might be ſaved?
I Anſwer, that the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the Love of God (in the Text I opened) which to be ſure, muſt be underſtood of the ſpecial Love of God, it ſeems that, becauſe Paul is not now alive for you to quarrel with, therefore you muſt ſend Queries to me about God's Eſpecial Love, and wherefore God had not the ſame Love for all Adam's Poſterity, and you muſt know of me, how God hated thoſe whom he did not chooſe to Salvation? It is ſufficient to tell you, that he did not Love them to Elect them to Salvation, to Grace and Glory, but Decreed to leave them to their Sins, and to glorifie his Juſtice upon them for their Sins; and who are you that ſhall ſay unto God, What doſt thou? muſt God give you an Account? He ſaith, I will be gracious, to whom I will be gracious; He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardens.
Yea, but you ſay, did he afford no means whereby they might be ſaved?
I Anſwer, 1. The fallen Angels that were far more glorious Creatures, than the Children of Men never had any means that they might be ſaved.
2. As for the Children of Men, the greateſt part of Mankind never had ſo much as the Outward means of Salvation, and none but the Elect, have inward, ſufficient Means of Salvation; there is nothing ſhort of God's giving actually a new Heart, and infuſing Grace, ſo as to make dead Souls live, is ſufficient to Unite the Soul to Chriſt; indeed the Quakers hold, and they grow upon the Root of Arminianiſm, that all Men have a ſufficient Light within, to bring them to Salvation, if they would but heed it; but if the Light in us be Darkneſs, how great is that Darkneſs?
Q. 2. What are the People, to whom you write, better than other Men, and why do you call them Jacobs?
I pray, who did I write to? I only opened what Paul wrote to the Corinthians, and if you ask what were they better than other Men? The Apoſtle ſheweth, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10, 11, 12. they to whom he wrote, had been ſome of them much worſe than many other Natural Men, but through the Exceeding Riches of God's grace in Chriſt, they were waſhed, they were Juſtified, they were Sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and by the Spirit of our God; And this was a Fruit and Effect of Gods free and eternal Love to them.
This Author adds, Or did you mean it of the Dead? Truly all the Corinthians are dead, to whom Paul wrote concerning this ſpecial Love of God; but no doubt there are many now living, that are partakers of the ſame grace; and as to thoſe that are not Elected, I ſuppoſe you do not queſtion but there are Millions, who are ſo paſſed by, as that they are now in the Priſon of Hell.
Q. 3. You take your ſelf for a Jacob, and me for an Eſau (as I ſuppoſe.)
I Anſwer, Truly Sir, I am ſorry you ſhould thus diſgrace your ſelf; If you had not written your Name to the Queries you ſent me, I ſhould have thought they had been ſent me by ſome Impertinent Woman, rather than by a Man. Why do you ſay, that you ſuppoſe, I take you for an Eſau? You may be Elected to Salvation for any thing I know; Our Doctrine doth not allow us to ſay of any particular Man yet living, that God hath appointed him to Wrath, except we had grounds to think that he hath committed the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, which is a ſin that is very rarely committed, and I never knew that perſon in my whole Life, that I was ſo uncharitable to, as to think that perſon had Committed that ſin.
But you ſay, that you are mine Ancient Acquaintance and Neighbour, and now a Stranger in this City, and I never had the Humanity to invite you to my Houſe; had a Neighbor's Dog come to you out of Lincoln-ſhire, would you not have been more kind to him, than you have been to me?
I anſwer, That thoſe that do not know things may think that you and I have been great Acquaintance in Lincolnſhire, and that we lived very near together, either in the ſame Town, or within a few miles one of another: Sir, Recollect your ſelf, I cannot remember that ever I ſaw your face more than three times in my Life, before I ſaw you lately in Norwich. The firſt time I ſaw you, was upon the Road on Horſeback, I met a Friend upon the High-way, that you were travelling with, I ſaluted him, and he told me your name, and ſo after a few words, you went your way, and I mine. The ſecond time was about fifteen years ſince, going to ſee a Neighbour that lay Bed-rid (he was one of your way, but I think a Godly Man, and I viſited him ſeveral times in Love) you was there, and we had two Hours Diſcourſe, and all about Controverſies. The third time was about eight Years ſince you came into a Friends Houſe, where I was upon a Journey, and ſtayed about an hour. This was all our acquaintance, and as for our being Neighbours, it is true, that in ſome ſence, all are our Neighbors: but I ſuppoſe you and I liv'd twenty Miles Diſtant, though I am not certain where you lived, for as you never were at mine Houſe in Lincolnſhire, ſo I never was at yours. What a poor buſineſs is it, that the World ſhould be troubled about our Acquaintance and Neighbourhood? Sir, though you and I differ in ſeveral points of Religion, yet I love all Men, and though I do not deſire intimacy with any Man, that is of a Contentious Spirit (I love Peace and Quietneſs) yet if you pleaſe to let me know when you are in any want, you ſhall find that not only my ſelf will relieve you; but that I ſhall get others of my Friends to Miniſter unto you, otherwiſe I do not deſire Acquaintance with you, whilſt you are ſo violent and abuſive.
Then you ſay, that ſome of my Jacobs have called you Rogue, and wiſht that you were put out of the Town: I am ſorry that you ſhould uſe ſuch paſſionate Speeches, as to call any perſons my Jacobs; and as to calling you Rogue, I hope none of the Congregation that I belong to, ever uſed ſuch unſeemly words of you, for my part, I have always ſpoke of you in Company with good Reſpect, till you put forth the Book: I love to ſpeak the beſt I can of every Man.
Q. 4. You tell me, that in pag. 19. God choſe us, ſo many, and no more; I pray, who are thoſe us whom you call us, ſurely you ſpeak of the Living? I anſwer, Let the Reader hear with Patience what is ſaid Pag. 19. the words are theſe, This is eſpecially applied to the Father in Scripture, to chooſe us before the Foundation of the World, to foreknow us, to predeſtinate us to be conformable to the Image of his Son; therefore in that Scripture, 1 Pet. 1.2. where you have the proper and diſtinct Work of Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt about the Veſſels of Mercy, the Apoſtle ſaith, We are Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through Sanctification of the Spirit, unto Obedience, and ſprinkling of the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt; obſerve here, our Election is aſcribed to God the Father, he choſe us, ſo many and no more, this Man and not the other, Jacob and not Eſau; then you have the proper work of the Son in thoſe words, the ſprinkling of the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, it is he who waſheth us from our Sins in his own Blood, he purchaſeth all good things, the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity: He is the Lord our Righteouſneſs, he is the Propitiation for our Sins, he is our Mediator; it is not the Father that is Mediator, nor the Holy Ghoſt, but the Son; it is he that took upon him our Nature, it was the Word that was made Fleſh; not the Father nor the Holy Ghoſt; it was the Son that died upon the Croſs for our Sins, not the Father nor the Holy Ghoſt; then you have the ſpecial Work of the Holy Ghoſt about our Sanctification, in theſe words, through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience: It is the Holy Ghoſt, who in our Converſion doth Sanctifie us, and bring us to the Obedience of Faith; he applieth Redemption as the Son hath wrought Redemption; when the appointed time, when the fulneſs of time is come to call home an Elect Veſſel, he convinceth the Soul of Sin, he revealeth Chriſt to the Soul, he infuſeth the Habit of Grace, and after Converſion, is with us, to mortifie our Corruptions, comfort us, and lead us and to carry us to the Heavenly Kingdom.
Now, What Cauſe had this Author to ſay, Who are theſe, Ʋs? Surely, you ſpeak of the Living?
I anſwer, I ſpeak, as the Scripture ſpeaks in thoſe Texts that I have mentioned, of all the Elect, of all the Redeemed, of all that are or ſhall be ſanctified; and how ſtrange and captious is it for this Author to go on, and ſay, You have good Thoughts of your ſelf, for you muſt be one of the Ʋs: And ſhew me how many, and no more; or, at leaſt, name One, to make good the Word Ʋs; and prove by the Word of God, that You Two were undoubtedly choſen to Salvation? Surely, this Author was not in frame when he wrote thus; this is juſt like a Woman ſcolding and quarrelling in the Streets, I am heartily ſorry for him.
Qu. 5. and 6. Are both about the ſame thing, about Jacob and Eſau? Now, concerning Jacob and Eſau, note,
1. That Eſau was not ſaved appears by Heb. 12.15. Leſt there be any Fornicator, or profane Perſon, as Eſau, who for one Morſel of Meat, ſold his Birth-right. This Obſervation may give much Light into this Matter, that when any that were real Saints under the Old Teſtament are ſpoken of in the New Teſtament, all their ſinful Failings are covered, and their Grace only mentioned: So it is with Abraham, Sarah, Job, Sampſon, Lot; though they had many ſinful Failings, yet (I ſay) they are covered in the New Teſtament, and their Faith, Patience and Holineſs only mentioned. Or if there be an hint of their ſinful Failings, as of Rahab and Elijah, there is mention alſo of their Faith and Prayer, and the Grace of God beſtowed upon them. But when Eſau comes to be mentioned in the New Teſtament, the Holy Ghoſt leaves him upon Record, that he was a profane Perſon, [foreign,] one that deſpiſed, ſet light by, and contemned holy things. So that let it be obſerved, that Eſau, after he had been ſo long dead, is, in the New Teſtament, duplicate page duplicate page where the ſinful Failings of the Saints of the Old Teſtament are covered, is left under this black Character, that he was a profane Perſon.
2. As to what is ſaid, Rom. 9.13. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Eſau have I hated, let it be obſerved that the Apoſtle, in that Chapter, from the Beginning to the End, is not treating about outward things, but about ſpiritual things; and to ſhew them, that amongſt them that enjoy Church State, and Church-Privileges and Ordinances, ſome are from Eternity elected to Salvation of God's mere Grace, and others are paſſed by: And the Apoſtle maintains the Sovereignty of God, that he might do ſo for his own Glory. That this is the Apoſtle's Scope, appears from Ver. 11, 12, 13. Eor the Children not being yet born, neither having done Good or Evil, that the Purpoſe of God according to Election might ſtand, not of Works, but of him that calleth; it was ſaid unto her, The Elder ſhall ſerve the Younger: As it is written, Jacob have I loved, and Eſau have I hated. As if the Apoſtle had ſaid, You may ſee a Type of Election and Reprobation in Jacob and Eſau, that before they were born, and conſequently from Eternity, God had determined their Eternal Eſtate for his own Glory, as it pleaſed him. Let Men cavil what they pleaſe, God will be God, and do whatever he will.
Yea, but ſome may ſay, How doth Paul make out this from what was ſpoken to Rebekah, The Elder ſhall ſerve the Younger?
I anſwer, The Apoſtle knew by the Spirit of God, that there was a Myſtery in theſe Words; not only that two Nations were to come out of Jacob and Eſau, but that which was primarily intended was, that the Perſon of Jacob was loved, and choſen to Eternal Life, and not Eſau.
Yea, but how came the Apoſtle to mention what is written in Malachy, concerning Jacob and Eſau's Poſterity?
I anſwer, The Apoſtle brings what is written there, by way of Accommodation and Alluſion, thus: That as God made a great Difference as to Jacob's and Eſau's Poſterities, ſo much more as to Jacob's and Eſau's Perſons. Some of Jacob's Poſterity were afflicted in Egypt, and at other times, as well as Eſau's; and Jacob perſonally did never get Dominion over Eſau, as to outward Things, but the Apoſtle ſheweth that the Perſon of Jacob was from Eternity elected of God, and not Eſau. If we cannot ſee how the Apoſtle could collect this from that place in Geneſis, and that in Malachy, yet, I pray, let us reverence and believe the Scriptures, and not quarrel with the Pen-men, who were infallibly inſpired. I have heard indeed of an Arminian Preacher, that wiſhed that Paul had never writ any thing, and eſpecially not Rom. 9. that Chapter will confute all the Arminians in the World.
Now, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks here of God's Eternal Decree and Purpoſe concerning Jacob and Eſau, doth evidently appear by what followeth: Is there Ʋnrighteouſneſs with God? That is, in not purpoſing to beſtow his Grace upon ſome, Job 36.3. but paſſing them by, the Apoſtle ſaith, God forbid: Surely, we ſhould aſcribe Righteouſneſs to our Maker, Ver. 14. And Ver. 15, 16. For he ſaith to Moſes, I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy, and I will have Compaſſion on whom I will have Compaſſion. So then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth Mercy. As if he had ſaid, There is no Unrighteouſneſs with God, it is infinite Mercy that he ſaveth any; for he might glorifie his Juſtice, in the Damnation of all for their Sins: And that God ſhould ſhew Mercy to one, and not to another, who ſhall dare to queſtion God about this? I will do, ſaith God, what I will; I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy. Ver. 17. The …poſtle ſheweth, that God raiſed up Pharaoh for that very purpoſe, to manifeſt his own Glory; made him a Man, a King, gave him Power over the Children of Iſrael, left him to the Corruption of his own Heart, for the ſame purpoſe, to manifeſt his Glory in his Confuſion and Deſtruction. If any contend with God about his Soveraignty, I pray God give him Repentance here, or elſe they will be confounded before his terrible Majeſty hereafter. The Apoſtle goeth on, Ver. 18. Therefore he hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and whom he will he hardneth. Yea, but then if all be as God wills, as God will have it, Ver. 19. Thou wilt ſay then to me: Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath reſiſted his Will? The Doctrine of God's Soveraignty cannot go down with unhumbled Men, that never were made truly ſenſible of their own Meanneſs and Sinfulneſs, and of the Infinite Majeſty of God; therefore, Ver. 20, 21. Nay, but, O Man, who art thou that replieſt againſt God? That muſt be challenging, and diſputing, and quarrelling with God? Shall the thing formed ſay unto him that formed it, Why haſt thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over his Clay, of the ſame Lump, to make one Veſſel unto Honour, and another unto Diſhonour? And, as he ſheweth in the following Verſes, What if God, willing to ſhew his Wrath, and to make his Power known, endured with much Long-ſuffering the Veſſels of Wrath, fitted to Deſtruction? And that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Veſſels of Mercy, which he had afore prepared unto Glory.
God is from Everlaſting, he was infinitely happy in himſelf; that he made Angels and Men was merely from the pleaſure of his Will: He could have made all the Angels, and all the Poſterity of Adam, Eternal and Immutable Veſſels of Honour, if ſo it had pleaſed him. But what if God, the great and glorious God, who is to be adored and feared of all; What if God pleaſed to make Angels and Men, for the Manifeſtation of his own Glory, one way or other? Who ſhall ſay unto him, Why did God make Angels and Men at all, of whom, ſo many ſhall be ſo miſerable, that it had been good for them that they had never had a Being? But what if the great and glorious God, willing to ſhew his Wrath and holy Juſtice, and to make his Power known, did decree to leave ſome to themſelves, and to their Sins, and to glorifie his Juſtice upon them? Yea, but may ſome ſay, As to the Children of Men, they were all left to fall in Adam, and are alike by Nature: But what if God have afore prepared ſome to Glory by his Eternal Election, and redeems them by the Blood of his Son, and calls them in due time by his Grace and Spirit, as thoſe whom he hath choſen to be Veſſels of Mercy, who ſhall queſtion God for what he doth? They that periſh, periſh for Sin; the Throne of the Holy God is guiltleſs for ever: They that are ſaved, are ſaved by the exceeding Riches of his Grace and Kindneſs towards them, through Chriſt Jeſus.
Thus I have anſwered the Author's Six Queries, he ſent me in a Letter: Now I come to his Seventh and laſt Query.
Qu. 7. Becauſe, ſaith he, I preach God's Love to Mankind to be ſuch, that he gave his Son to be the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World, this you call Arminianiſm, the Life and Soul of Popery? I anſwer,
This is utterly falſe, that ever I ſaid ſo: Let him look upon my Letter, and ſee how he hath wronged me in print. I wrote to him in my ſecond Letter, that Arminianiſm was the Root of Quakeriſm; and that a good Divine ſaith, that it is the Life and Soul of Popery. But as for God's giving his Son to be a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World, it is a Scripture-Truth, 1 Joh. 2.2. And the meaning of that Phraſe, as I have made it evident, when I opened that Text in this preſent Book, is only this; That Chriſt died for the Elect, not only for the Jews, but alſo for the Gentiles, throughout the whole World. But I maintain, that Arminians deny that God gave his Son to be a Propitiation, in a true Scripture-Senſe, for the Sins of any one Man or Woman in the World: Whilſt they pretend to hold Univerſal Redemption, they hold not Redemption at all; but do acknowledge that, notwithſtanding any Propitiation Chriſt made, there might not one Man or Woman in the World ever have been ſaved.
I ſaid in that Letter, (though he did not think fit to mention it,) that Arminianiſm was the Root of Quakeriſm; which I ſhall now demonſtrate thus: Arminians hold that Men have ſufficient Grace to bring them to Salvation, if they improve their Talent; that is, Nature, and what Helps they have, as they ſhould do: Hence the firſt Quakers, being Arminians, formed this into other Words, but the ſame for ſubſtance; That there is a ſufficient Light in all Men, that if they do but heed, it will bring them to Salvation: And ſo Arminianiſm is the Fundamental Point of that Sect.
I ſaid alſo in my ſecond Letter, that a good Divine (I did not name him, but it was Mr. L.) ſaid, that Arminianiſm is the Life and Soul of Popery. Upon which, he ſaith, Sure, you do not know what Popery is!
I will maintain what this Divine ſaid, thus: Though the Papiſts hold many other Errours, yet the Life and Soul of Popery is, their Doctrine of Man's Merits, either by way of Condignity, or Congruity; the Generality of them being ignorant of Chriſt's being an abſolute Propitiation and Purgation for Sin, by his Death: They look to be reconciled and purged by their own Merits, and thinking that Faith alone in that Propitiation and Purgation by the Blood of Chriſt, is not ſufficient to juſtifie them that come unto God by him, therefore they truſt to the Merit of their own Works; and thinking that ſuch good Works as are appointed in the Word are not ſufficiently meritorious, they have invented many ſuperſtitions Obſervations; and then, leſt all ſhould fail, they count upon a Purgatory after this Life, where they ſhall be purified from their Sins, by their ſuffering the Pains thereof. So that Arminianiſm, which makes the Dving of Chriſt for a Perſon, ſuch a low, inſignificant thing, makes them look out for better Helps, as they think, than from Chriſt the only Mediator: And I ſuppoſe that upon ſuch grounds that Divine called Arminianiſm the Life and Soul of Popery.
As for what he adds Whether your conceit, that God hated ſo many millions before there was any cauſe of hatred in them; yea, before they had a Being; yea, before the World was; yea, from Eternity, be not the life and Soul of Calviniſm? I anſwer, God from Eternity had all in his Eye, knew them as really as if they had then had a Being, and loved and choſe to Salvation through Chriſt, whom he pleaſed; and for the reſt, let it be obſerved, that God is not ſaid properly to hate any (no not the Devils and damned in Hell) all that we ſay is, that he never purpoſed to beſtow that Grace upon them that periſh, which of his good Pleaſure, he purpoſed to beſtow upon others, but to leave them to their Sins, and to Condemnation for their Sins: And whereas he ſpeaks of the Life and Soul of Calviniſm, as I had done of the Life and Soul of Popery, it ſhould ſeem as if he made Calviniſm as ill as Popery (yea, it may be he thinks it much worſe) It puts me in mind of what I have often heard, that ſome of this Author's Judgment ſhould ſay, That truly, if they were to change, they would turn Papiſts rather than to any other Perſwaſion in the Land. I ſpeak this by the way; not that I charge this Author with any thing more than he will freely own himſelf.
But to ſhew what Promoters the Papiſts are of Anminianiſm, I would have two things remembred and taken notice of.
1. A Letter dated, March 1628 from a Jeſuit to the Rector of Bruxels, wherein there are theſe words, Whilst King James lived (you know) he was very violent against Arminianiſm, and interrupted (with his peſtilent Wit, and deep Learning) our Deſigns;— Now we have planted that Sovereign Drug, Arminianiſm, which we hope will purge the Proteſtants from their Hereſie, and it flouriſheth and will bear Fruit in due ſeaſon. This Letter was long ſince Printed.
2. In the Year 1653, Pope Innocent the Tenth, by a ſolemn Bull, or Papal Conſiſtorial Determination, in the Caſe of Janſenius. Biſhop of Ypres, declared for the Pelagian Tenets: Now the Arminians follow the Pelagians. I have ſet down theſe things, that Proteſtants may take notice, that Pelagianiſm and Arminianiſm are more ſuited to the Popiſh than to the Proteſtant Religion. It came into my Mind, upon this Author's talking of Calviniſm, to ſet down theſe two Paſſages, which, it may be, few have been acquainted with.
Now I have done with this Author, and do appeal to any Sober, Judicious Perſon. Whether this Author hath in his Queries dealt like a modeſt man; yea, like a fair, honeſt, moral man? He hath put me to a great deal of pains to Anſwer his Book, conſidering my Age, and what bad Eyes I have had ſome years, whereby both …eading and Writing are made hard to me. If he write again, I do not intend to meddle with him any more; I know in ſome meaſure all the Sophiſtry, Cavils, and Evaſions of the Arminians, and whatſoever he can write, will be but a meer ſhew and ſhadow of an Anſwer, a quarrelling at ſome by-expreſſions, I know that what I have written already, will ſtand as an Anſwer to all that he can write hereafter.
I bow my Head, and worſhip the Father of Lights, who hath ſo far enabled me to clear up theſe Points, that I hope the Faithful ſhall underſtand them, and be rooted and grounded in the Truth. All the Weakneſs and Imperfection in handling theſe things, is mine; all that is good to the uſe of Edifying the Church in my Labours, is from God, to whom be Glory for ever and ever. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Martin Finch, Answer to Granthams Book (1691)