A Pacific Discourse of Gods Grace, Part 1

A Pacific Discourse of Gods Grace · Part 1

p. 1A Letter of full Accordance, Written to D. ROBERT SANDERSON, CONCERNING Gods Grace and Decrees.

Dear Sir,

§. 1. HAving had a ſight of the Letter which you ſent M.—about the Antiremonſtrant Controverſies dated Mar. 26. and obſerving one of the reaſons, which you render of your having avoided to appear on that theme, [A loathneſs to engage in a quarrell whereof you ſhould never hope to ſee an end] I thought my ſelf in ſome degree qualified to anſwer this reaſon of yours, and thereby to do acceptable ſervice to many, who do not think fit that any conſiderations, which have not real and weighty truth in them, ſhould obſtruct that which may be ſo much to the common good, I mean, your writing and declaring your mind on any profitable ſubject.

§. 2. That which qualifies me more then ſome others, to evacuate the force of this one reaſon of yours, and makes me willing to attempt it, though not to appear in oppoſition to any other paſſage, that ever you have written, is the true friendſhip that hath paſſed between us, and the ſweet converſation that for ſometime we enjoyed, without p. 2any allay or unequableneſs, ſharp word, or unkind, or jealous thought. The remembrance whereof aſſures me unqueſtionably, that you and I may engage in this queſtion, as far as either of us ſhall think profitable, without any the leaſt beginning of a quarrel, and then that will competently be removed from ſuch, as of which you cannot hope to ſee an end.

§. 3. And before I go any farther, I appeal to your own judgement, whether herein I do not at leaſt ſpeak probably, and then whether it were not a miſpriſion, which you are in all reaſon to depoſite, to apprehend ſuch inſuperable difficulties or impoſſibilities at a diſtance, which when they are prudently approached, and examined, ſo preſently vaniſh before you. If this one reflection do not convince you, it remains, that the ſpeculation be brought to practice, and exemplified to your ſenſes.

§ 4. You ſet out with a mention of ſome Five Poſitions agreed on by all.poſitions, wherein, you ſay, Divines, though of contrary Judgements, do yet all agree. And then it is not credible that you and I ſhould be ſo ſingular, as to differ in them endleſly; of this number you propoſe five, 1. That the will of man is free in all his actions. 2. That very many things in the world happen contingently. 3. That God from all eternity foreſeeth all, even the most free and contingent events. 4. That whatſoever God foreſeeth ſhall infallibly come to paſs. 5, That ſinners are converted by the effectual working of Gods grace. Of each of theſe you ſay we have from Scripture, Reaſon and Experience, as good and ful aſſurance, as can be deſired for the foreign, or truth of them, that they are ſo.] And I who fully ſubſcribe p. 3to the undoubted truth of each of the Propoſitions, and do it alſo upon the very ſame three grounds (of Scripture, Reaſon, and Experience) which you mention, need not the interceſſion of our friendſhip to render it impoſſible to give you any the leaſt trouble of ſo much as explaining your ſence in any of theſe.

§. 5. Next, when you reſolve, that all the Three heads of difficulty.difficulty is about the foreign (referring that to no more then three heads) 1. How to reconcile the certain futurition of what God foreſeeth, with the liberty of the rational creature, and the contingency of caſual effects, as they proceed from inferiour cauſes. 2. In what manner or meaſure the effectual Grace of God cooperateth and concurreth with the free will of man, in the converſion of a ſinner. 3. How to cut ſo even a thread, as to take the whole of what we do amiſs to our ſelves, and leave the whole glory of what we do well to his grace.] You are again as ſecure as any amulet can make you, that this reſolution of abbreviating the Controverſies, and confining them to theſe few heads, ſhall never engage you in the leaſt degree of Debate: And then I ſhall challenge you to feign, how it can remain poſſible, without contradicting ones ſelf (which ſtill is not quarrelling with you) to engage you in any uneaſie contention, unleſs it be on one of theſe three heads,, and when I have by promiſe obliged my ſelf, which now I do, not to raiſe any Diſpute, or attempt to enſnare or intangle you in any of theſe three, you have then nothing to retract but your fears, to which if I tell you, you cannot adhere, diſcerning a ſure and near period to that which you apprehended endleſs, this is all the victory I ſhall project, or be capable of in this matter.

p. 4§. 6. Of the firſt of theſe three Difficulties, Of reconciling Praeſcience with Liberty of Contingency.the reconciling the certain futurition of what God foreſees, with the liberty of the rational creature, and the contingency and caſual effects, It falls out, that you have in your ſhorter Letter, dated Ap. 8. given that account, which evidenceth it to be, in your opinion, no invincible difficulty, your words are theſe, [That Gods praeſcience layeth no neceſſity at all upon any event, but that yet all events, as they are foreſeen of God, ſo ſhall they certainly and infallibly come to paſs, in ſuch ſort as they are foreſeen, elſe the knowledge of God ſhould be fallible, which certainty of the event may in ſome ſort be called neceſſity, to wit, conſequentis or ex hypotheſi, according as all the moſt contingent things are neceſſary, when they actually exiſt, which is a neceſsity infinitely diſtant from that which praedetermination importeth.] This I take to be ſo clear an explication of that difficulty, and ſo ſolid a determining of the foreign, the manner of reconciling praeſcience with contingency, that as I fully conſent to it in every part of your period, ſo I doubt not but the laſt part alone hath made it as intelligible to any ordinary underſtanding, as whole books of Philoſophers have attempted to do.

§. 7. For Gods praeſcience from all eternity being but the ſeeing every thing that ever exiſts, as it is, contingents, as contingents, neceſſary, as neceſſary, can neither work any change in the object, by thus ſeeing it, (convert a contingent into a neceſſary) nor it ſelf be deceived in what it ſees, which it muſt be, if any thing in proceſs of time ſhould be otherwiſe, then from all eternity God ſaw it to be.

§. 8. I was lately adviſed with by a Divine, to p. 5me unknown, but one that ſeems to be a man of good learning, about the diſtinction frequently made in this matter, betwixt inevitably and infallibly, and my anſwer and replyes to his ſeverall objections, (becauſe I would demonſtrate the perfect accordance betwixt you and me in this, which, within this year or two is put into a very grave attire, and revered as a great difficulty) I will give you at large by way of Appendage at the end of this Letter, having by hap a copy retained by me, and though it coſt you ſome minutes to ſurvey them, yet I know your patience of all ſuch exerciſes ſo well, that I doubt not of your willingneſs to be thus detained by me, which yet here you ſhall not, loco non ſuo.

§. 9. Then for the ſecond, In what manner and meaſure the effectuall Grace of God cooperateth, or Of the manner and meaſure of the cooperation of Effectuall Grace with the free will of man.concurreth with the free will of man in his converſion] you ſeem to me to have given a punctuall account of each part of that alſo, in the ſaid ſecond Letter, in theſe words, That God worketh not by his Grace irreſiſtibly, but yet ſo effectually on thoſe whom he hath ex beneplacito appointed to ſalvation, in ordering the means, occaſions and opportunities with ſuch congruity to that end, as that de facto it is not finally reſiſted] Here it is evident your reſolution comes home to each terme in the difficulty; For if effectuall Grace worke not irreſiſtibly, then we ſee in what manner it cooperates with the free will of man, viz. ſo as it ſtill remains poſſible for him to reſiſt it. And if the effectualneſs of his working conſiſt in ordering the means, occaſions, and opportunities with ſuch congruity, &c. then as that ſtateth the meaſure of the cooperation (the onelyonly ſecond part of the difficulty) p. 6and doth it expreſly in Biſhop Overals way, ſo this ſuppoſeth Grace ſufficient to converſion and ſalvation to be given to thoſe, who are not converted, and ſaved, quite contrary to the three grand praetenſions of Doctor Twiſſe, the Supralapſarians, and Sublapſarians, and whether it be true or no, is preſently freed from all the odious conſequences charged on the ſeveral Schemes of the Antiremonſtrants, and ſo may ſafely be granted, or not oppoſed by them, who yet want evidence of Scripture to eſtabliſh it, and ſo this is not likely to bring any uneaſie engagement upon you.

§. 10. And then as there remains no more difficulties, but the third, ſo, if you mark it, the How to attribute all good to God, and evil to our ſelves.grounds are already laid, whereby that is unqueſtionably reſolved, for having granted that God gives ſufficient Grace, and yet, when he cooperates moſt effectually, he doth it not irreſistibly, this is the very thred you ſeek to cut by, ſo as to devolve the whole blame of all our miſcarriages on our ſelves, and the entire glory and praiſe of all our foreign, good performances, or good ſucceſſes on his Grace. Were any of us ſo left or paſt by, as to be denyed ſufficient grace, and yet deſtined to periſh, meerly through want of neceſſaries; the whole blame could not rationally fall on our ſelves, it could not be ſaid of Chriſts yoke, that it were **Matth xi.Matt 11eaſie, or his ††Rom. x.Rom 10Commandment not far from us, the fault that was found with the Moſaical oeconomy, Heb. viii. 8. and which made another (the Evangelical) neceſſary, would ſtill lye againſt this, viz. that men were not enabled to perform what was required, and yet the non-performance eternally revenged on many of them. p. 7But ſufficient Grace being tendred by God, and by no default, but their own, proving ineffectuall, the entire blame falls unavoidably on thoſe, who do not thus open to him that knocks, ſo receive, as to make uſe of it, but reſiſt, or grieve, or quench what was ſo mercifully deſigned, and might have been improved by the humble and diligent receivers unto their greateſt advantages.

§. 11. On the other ſide, if our nature being univerſally corrupted by Adam's fall, all poſſibility of riſing out of that grave of ſin be the effect and benefit of the Grace, as that is of the death of Chriſt, if it be God that worketh in us both to will and to do, of his good pleaſure, the firſt by his preventing, the ſecond by his aſſiſting Grace, and both thoſe bottom'd meerly in his foreign good pleaſure, nothing in us any way meriting the firſt act, or purpoſe of Giving Grace, any farther then our wants and miſeries rendered us the proper objects of his compaſſions and reliefs; and the ſubſequent aids in like manner challengeable, onelyonly from his promiſe, and the purport of the parable of the Talents, of Giving to him that hath, rewarding the uſe of the lower, with the gift of an higher degree of Grace, then ſtill is this, the attributing nothing to our ſelves, but demerits, and provocations, and giving the whole glory to God.

§. 12. Having gone thus far without any conſiderable diſagreement, about the foreign, how to reconcile theſe three ſeeming repugnancies, wherein you apprehended the greateſt difficulty to lye, and being hereby, as by ſo many poſtulata accorded between us, competently provided and furniſhed of a ſtandard, and umpire, (in p. 8caſe any light difference ſhould ariſe) what objection can S. Pauls foreign, Rom. xi. 33. (belonging Saint Pauls O the Depth.expreſly to another matter, the cutting off the obdurate, and gathering all perſwaſible believing Jews and Gentiles, and no way applicable to this) interpoſe, why we ſhould not proceed together to the conſideration of the Doctrine of Decrees, as it hath been variouſly debated by others, and by you perſpicuouſly recapitulated in the proceſs of your papers?

§. 13. To this therefore I preſume of your good leave that we now proceed, and whereas you have prudently choſen to begin with an hiſtory of your own thoughts on this ſubject, which you have laid down with great particularity, I ſhall ſet out with a bare tranſcript of that, which will need no comment of mine, to render An Hiſtory of Doctor Sanderſons thoughts in theſe points.it uſefull to the Reader, in diſcovering to him the true and ſole originall of the thriving (for ſome time) of thoſe Doctrines among us, and how ſo many of our Church came to be ſeaſoned with them, and in giving him a but neceſſary caution for the laying the grounds of the ſtudy of Divinity in the writings of the antient Church, rather then in our modern ſyſtemes and Inſtitutions. Your words are theſe,

§. 14. When I began to ſet my ſelf to the Study of Divinity as my proper buſineſs, (which was after I had the degree of Maſter of Arts, being then newly xxi. years of age) the first thing I thought fit for me to do, was to conſider well of the Articles of the Church of England, which I had formerly read over twice, or thrice, and whereunto I had ſubſcribed. And becauſe I had then met with ſome Puritanicall Pamphlets written againſt the p. 9Liturgie, and Ceremonies; although moſt of the Arguments therein were ſuch as needed no great skill to give ſatisfactory anſwers unto, yet for my fuller ſatisfaction (the queſtions being de rebus agendis, and ſo the more ſuitable to my proper inclination) I read over with great diligence and no leſs delight that excellent piece of Learned Hooker's Eccleſiaſticall Politie. And I have great cauſe to bleſs God for it that ſo I did, not onelyonly for that it much both cleared and ſetled my judgement for ever after in very many weighty points (as of Scandall, Christian Liberty, Obligation of Laws, Obedience, &c.) but that it alſo proved (by his good providence) a good preparative to me (that I ſay not, Antidote) for the reading of Calvin's Inſtitutions with more caution then perhaps (otherwiſe) I ſhould have done. For that Book was commended to me, as it was generally to all young Scholars in thoſe times, as the beſt and perfectest ſyſteme of Divinity, and fitteſt to be laid as a ground work in the ſtudy of that profeſſion. And indeed being ſo prepared as is ſaid, my expectation was not at all deceived, in the reading of thoſe Inſtitutions. I found, ſo far as I was then able to judge, the method exact, the expreſſions clear, the ſtyle grave, equall and unaffected: his Doctrine for the moſt part conform to S. Auguſtines, in a word, the whole worke very elaborate, and uſefull to the Churches of God in a good meaſure; and might have been (I verily believe) much more uſefull, if the honour of his name had not given ſo much reputation to his very errours. I muſt acknowledge my ſelf to have reaped great benefit by the reading thereof. But as for the queſtions of Election, Reprobation, Effectuall Grace, Perſeverance, &c. I p. 10took as little notice of the two firſt, as of any other thing contained in the book; both becauſe I was alwayes affraid to pry much into thoſe ſecrets, and becauſe I could not certainly inform my ſelf from his own writings, whether he were a Supralapſarian (as moſt ſpeak him, and he ſeemeth often to incline much that way) or a Sublapſarian, as ſundry paſſages in the book ſeem to import. But giving my ſelf moſtly ſtill to the ſtudy of Moral Divinity, (and taking moſt other things upon truſt, as they were in a manner generally taught both in the Schools and Pulpits in both Vniverſities) I did for many years together acquieſce without troubling my ſelf any farther about them, in the more commonly received opinions concerning both theſe two, and the other points depending thereupon. Yet in the Sublapſarian way ever, which ſeemed to me of the two, the more moderate, rationally and agreeable to the goodneſs, and juſtice of God: for the rigid Supralapſarian doctrine could never find any entertainment in my thoughts from firſt to laſt. But MDCXXV. a Parliament being called, wherein I was choſen one of the Clerks of the Convocation for the Dioceſſe of Lincoln, during the continuance of that Parliament (which was about four moneths, as I remember) there was ſome expectation that thoſe Arminian points (the onelyonly queſtions almost in agitation at that time) ſhould have been debated by the Clergy, in that CONVOCATION. Which occaſioned me (as it did ſundry others) being then at ſome leaſure, to endeavour by ſtudy and conference to inform my ſelf, as throughly and exactly in the ſtate of thoſe Controverſies, as I could have opportunity, and as my wit would ſerve me for it. In order whereunto, I made it my firſt buſineſs p. 11to take a ſurvey of the ſeverall different opinions concerning the ordering of Gods Decrees, as to the ſalvation or damnation of men; not as they are ſuppoſed to be really in Mente Divina (for all his Decrees are eternall and therefore coeternall, and ſo no priority or poſteriority among them:) but quoad noſtrum intelligendi modum, becauſe we cannot conceive or ſpeak of the things of God, but in a way ſuitable to our own finite condition, and underſtanding: Even as God himſelf hath been pleaſed to reveal himſelf to us in the holy Scriptures by the like ſuitable condeſcenſions and accommodations. Which opinions, the better to repreſent their differences to the eye, uno quaſi intuitu, for their more eaſie conveying to the underſtanding by that means, and the avoiding of confuſion and tedious diſcourſings, I reduced into five Schemes or Tables, much after the manner as I had uſed to draw Pedigrees (a thing which I think you know I have very much fancied, as to me of all others the moſt delightfull recreation) of which Schemes, ſome ſpeciall friends, to whom I ſhewed them, deſired copies: who, as it ſeemeth, valuing them more then I did (for divers men have copies of them, as I hear, but I do not know that I have any ſuch my ſelf) communicated them farther, and ſo they are come into many hands. Thoſe are they which Doctor Reynolds, in his Epiſtle prefixed to Master Barlees Correptory Correction, had taken notice of. Having all theſe Schemes before my eyes at once, ſo as I might with eaſe compare them one with another, and having conſidered of the conveniences and inconveniences of each, as well as I could, I ſoon diſcerned a neceſſity of quitting the Sublapſarian way of which I had a better liking before, as well p. 12as the Supralapſarian, which I could never fancy.]

§. 15. Thus far your hiſtory, which, I verily believe to have perfect truth in every ſtep of it, without any diſguiſe or varniſh, and ſo I paſs from it without any farther Reflections.

§. 16. Next then follows your diſtincter view of the ſeverall wayes, which have been embraced by thoſe of the Antiremonſtrant perſwaſion, and the motives on which you were forced to diſſent and depart from each of them, and to this I am obliged to attend you foreign. And the wayes being eſpecially three, the method of greateſt advantage will be to begin with a tranſient view of thoſe, each of which you with great reaſon reject, and to ſet Doctor Twiſſes firſt (though it came laſt into the world and adorn'd it ſelf with the ſpoiles of the other two) becauſe that ſets the object of Election higher, then the other do, homo creabilis, man conſidered before he is created. His deſign and ſcheme you have perſpicuouſly drawn, thus, [That God making D. Twiſs his way.his own Glory the only end of all other his Decrees, all theſe decrees of creating man, of permitting ſin, of ſending Chriſt, of preaching the Goſpel, of Electing ſome, of Reprobating others, and the reſt, make up one entire coordinate Medium, conducing to that one End, and ſo the whole ſubordinate to it, but not any one part, or joynt thereof ſubordinate to any other of the ſame.] Againſt this, your objection I profeſs to be very convincing, taken from his Cauſes of rejecting it.own beloved axiome, ſo oft repeated by him, (and borrowed from him, and built upon by others) that whatſoever is firſt in the intention, is laſt in the execution. For as it is moſt evident, p. 13that of theſe his ſuppoſed coordinate decrees ſome are after others in execution (the fall after the creation, the coming of Chriſt after both, and ſo of the reſt) ſo if he will ſtand to his principle, he muſt, as you ſay, grant, that thoſe that were thus after any other in the execution, were in Gods intention before them, which will neceſſarily bring in a ſubordination among them, and ſo quite overthrow this (as you call it) new crochet of coordination.

§. 17. Your other cauſes of diſlike to His way are equally rational, 1. the falſneſs of that his Logick Maxime, which he builds ſo much upon, which yet hath no certain truth, or other then caſuall, but when it is applyed to final cauſes, and the means uſed for the attaining any end. 2. The prodigiouſneſs of his other doctrine, that there are more degrees of bonity in damnato quam annihilato, (becauſe the bonitas entis) and ſo that it is better for the Creature to be in eternall miſery, then ſimply not to be; when Chriſt expreſly pronounceth the contrary of wicked men, that it had been better for them never to have been born, to have a milſtone about the neck, and to be caſt into the ſea, (a figure to repreſent annihilation) then to be involved in thoſe dangers that attend their ſins. 3. His reſolving Gods Election of a man to life eternall to be **L. 1. digr. 9.no act of his mercy, and likewiſe his ††Ibid. digr. 10.reprobating and ordaining to damnation to be no act of his Justice, but of his pleaſure.] A few ſuch Propoſitions as theſe are competent to blaſt and defame any cauſe, which requires ſuch aids, ſtands in need of ſuch ſupporters, and therefore you will be confident I concurr with you in rejection of that, though I think neither of us likely to undertake the travel of refuting of his whole work.

p. 14§. 18. Next then for the Supralapſarians, with whom the object of the decree is homo conditus, The Supralapſarians way, The Sublapſarians.man created, not yet fallen, and the Sublapſarians, with whom it is Man fall'n, or the corrupt Maſs, your rejections and reaſons thereof are twined together, and are eſpecially two, which you juſtly call very weighty, and ſo I ſuppoſe they will be deem'd by any man, that ſhall conſider the force of them, without prejudice, I ſhall therefore ſet them down from your letter in your own words.

§. 19. The firſt reaſon is, becauſe though it might perhaps be defenſible, as to the juſtice of Reaſons againſt both.God, in regard of his abſolute power over his own creature, yet it ſeems very hardly reconcileable with the goodneſs of God, and his exceeding great love to mankind, as they are plentifully and paſſionately ſet forth in his holy word, to decree the eternall damnation of the greater part of mankind, for that ſin, and for that ſin onelyonly which was utterly and naturally impoſſible for him to avoid, for the Decree of Reprobation according to the Sublapſarian Doctrine, being nothing elſe but a meer preterition or non-election of ſome perſons whom God left, as he found them, involved in the guilt of the firſt Adams tranſgreſſion, without any actuall perſonall ſin of their own, when he withdrew ſome others, as guilty as they, without any respect to Chriſt the ſecond Adam, it muſt needs follow that the perſons ſo left are deſtin'd to eternall miſery, for no other cauſe, but this onelyonly, that Adam ſome thouſand years ſince did eat the forbidden fruit, and they being yet unborn could not help it.

§. 20. The other reaſon was, becauſe the Scripture not onelyonly ſaith expreſly, that God hath choſen us in Chriſt before the foundation of the world, p. 15Eph. 1. 4, 5. and conſequently the decree of ſending Chriſt muſt be praecedaneous to that of Election, but alſo doth every where, and upon all occaſions hold forth the death of Chriſt, as intended by God for the benefit of mankind, in the utmoſt extent, [the world, the whole world, mankind, every man, &c.] and not for the benefit of ſome few onelyonly, the reſt by an antecedent peremptory decree excluded. To which it would be conſequent, that according to the tenure of (the more moderate of theſe) the Sublapſarians doctrine, Jeſus Chriſt the Judge at the laſt day, when he ſhould proceed to pronounce ſentence upon the damned, ſhould beſpeak them to this effect, Ite maledicti, voluit enim Pater meus pro beneplacito, ut Adam peccato ſuo vos perderet, noluit ut ego ſanguine meo vos redimerem, Go ye curſed, for my Father of his meer pleaſure will'd that Adam by his ſin ſhould deſtroy you, will'd not that I by my blood ſhould redeem you, the very thought whereof (you ſay) your ſoul ſo much abhorr'd, that you were forced to forſake that opinion of the Sublapſarians, (having, as you profeſs, never phanſied the Superlapſarians) and conclude it unſafe to place the decree of Election before that of ſending Chriſt.

§. 21. Theſe two reaſons of changing your judgement, are, I confeſs, ſo worthy of a conſidering man, who makes Gods revealed will his Cynoſure, and doth not firſt eſpouſe doctrines of men, and then catch at ſome few obſcure places of Scripture, to countenance them, nor makes his retreat to the abyſs of Gods unfathomable Counſels, as the reaſon of (that which is its contradictory) his attempting to fathome and define them, that I doubt not but the tendering of them to all diſpaſſionate ſeekers of truth, that have not ſo me p. 16intereſts to ſerve by adhering peremptorily and obſtinately to their prepoſſeſſions, will be of the ſame force to diſabuſe and extort from them the ſame confeſſions, which they have from you, cauſing them fairly to depoſite theſe two Schemes, and either not to deſine at all, or to ſeek out other ſolider Methods, and more Catholick Grounds of defining; and if the wiſe heathen were in the right

Virtus eſt vitium fugere, & ſapientia prima Stultitia caruiſſe—

this will be ſome degree of proficiency, which they that ſhall with unſpeakable joy have tranſcribed from you, will alſo have temptation to accuſe your fears, or waryneſs, that they received not this leſſon ſooner from you, eſpecially when they are told, what here you expreſs, that theſe have been your thoughts, ever ſince the year 1625. i. e. 34. years ſince, which is an age or generation in the Scripture-uſe of the word.

§. 22. That none may be any longer deprived of this means of their conviction, or permitted to think or teach ſecurely and confidently, and as in accord with you, what you profeſs your ſoul thus long to have abhorred the very thought of, I deſire you will at length communicate your thoughts your ſelf, or elſe allow this letter of mine to be your foreign and do it for you, under ſome teſtimony of your full approbation of this your ſence.

§. 23. But all this, thus far advanced, is but the rejection of the ſeverall erroneous wayes, and onelyonly the negative part of your thoughts, which p. 17yet, by the way let me tell you, is fully ſufficient both to the peace of Churches, and of particular The negative part ſufficient to Peace, &c,ſouls; If the erroneous wayes be rejected, from whence all the miſapprehenſions of God, and ill conſequences thereof flow, the Church is competently ſecured from tares, and then what need expreſs articles, and poſitive definitions come in to her reſcue?

§. 24. This I ſuppoſe the reaſon both of our Churches Moderation in framing the Article of Our Churches moderation. The Kings Declaration in order to Peace.Predeſtination, and of our late Kings Declaration, in ſilencing the debate of the queſtions. For if by theſe methods the Church could but have prevailed to have the definitions of the ſeveral pretenders forgotten, all men contenting themſelves, as our Article preſcribes, with the promiſes of God, as they are declared in Scripture, (which ſure are Ʋniverſal and conditionate, not abſolute and particular) the turmoil and heat, and impertinence of Diſputes had been prevented, which now goes for an engagement in Gods cauſe, the bare fervour and zeal in which is taken in commutation for much other piety, by many the moſt eager contenders. The doctrines being deemed doctrines of God, are counted evidences of ſanctified men, and affix the cenſure of carnality on oppoſers, and from hence come bitter envyings, railings, and at the leaſt evil ſurmiſings, and theſe are moſt contrary to the outward peace of a Church or Nation.

§. 25. And for particular mens ſouls, if the rigid Good life.doctrines be found apt to cool all thoſe mens love of God, who have not the confidence to believe themſelves of the number of the few choſen veſſels, and to beget ſecurity and preſumption in others, who have conquered thoſe difficulties, and p. 18reſolved that they are of that number, and to obſtruct induſtry and vigorous endeavours, and fear of falling, and ſo to have malignant influences on practiſe, yet ſeeing it is the believing the Antiremonſtrant Schemes (one or other of them) to be the truth of God, which lyes under theſe ill conſequences, the bare laying them aſide, leaves every man indiſpenſably under the force of Chriſts commands to diſciples, terrours to the unreformed, and conditional (moſt expreſly conditional) promiſes to all; and thoſe being ſubſtantially backed with the firm belief of all the Articles of the Creed, particularly of the judgement to come, are by the grace of God abundantly ſufficient to ſecure Evangelical obedience, the true foundation of peace to every Chriſtian ſoul, and therefore I ſay, eſt aliquid prodire tenus, your negative part, if there were no more behind, will be of ſoveraign uſe to all that have been ſeduced into any liking of thoſe errours, which are by a man of your moderation and judgement, in deſpight of contrary prepoſſeſſions, on reaſons ſo convincing and perſpicuous, rejected.

§. 26. But in the ſpace of thirty four years, though you have permitted your genius to lead you to other ſtudies (which if your rejections be granted, I ſhall willingly confeſs to be more univerſally profitable, then any minuter ſearches into the decrees) thoſe of moral or practical Divinity, yet it ſeems you have not liv'd ſuch an obſtinate Recluſe from the diſputes and tranſactions of men, but that occaſions you have met with to excite your faculties, to wade a little farther into the Poſitive part of theſe Doctrines: and indeed it is hard to conceive how a man can have ſpent ſo many hours, as the Survey of Doctor Twiſſes Vindiciae Gratiae, p. 19were it never ſo ſlight and deſultory, muſt have coſt you, without ſome other reflections, beſides thoſe of bare averſation to his Hypotheſes.

§. 27. To theſe you at length proceed, propoſing them with difference, owning ſome of them, as your preſent thoughts, and opinion, whilſt in others you profeſs to be purely ſceptick, and to propoſe them onelyonly as conjectures, that ſeem to you in the mean time not improbable, untill you meet with ſome other more ſatisfactory. And in making this difference I fully accord with you, diſcerning that undeniable evidence of grounds in the former, which is not ſo readily diſcoverable in the latter. I ſhall therefore follow your direction herein, and rank theſe ſeverally, ſetting down Difference between Opinions and Conjectures.thoſe which you own as your opinion firſt, and afterward, with that note of difference, proceed to your Conjectures.

§. 28. Concerning the Decrees of Election and Three Propoſitions concerning Gods Decrees,Reprobation, your preſent opinion is contained in theſe three propoſitions (prefaced with two more, which are but the diſavowing the three wayes of Maſſa nondum condita, condita ante lapſum, & corrupta.)

§. 29. I. That man being made upright, and ſo left Mans Fall.in manu conſilii ſui (God permitting him to act according to that freedome of will wherewith as a reaſonable creature he had endowed him) did by his own voluntary diſobedience, through the cunning of Satan, tempting him thereunto, fall away from God, caſt himſelf into a ſtate of ſin and miſery, under the bondage of Satan, without any power, poſſibility, or ſo much as deſire to recover himſelf out of that wretched condition; All which God did decree not to hinder, as purpoſing to make uſe thereof, as a p. 20fit occaſion for the greater manifeſtation of his power, wiſdome, goodneſs, mercy, juſtice, &c. Of this my opinion is, that it is, in every branch of it, ſo undeniably founded in the expreſs affirmations of holy Writ, that there can be no doubt of it to any Chriſtian.

§. 30. II. That man being thus falln, God out of his infinite compaſſion to his creature, made after The giving of Chriſt for Mankind.his own image (and that Satan might not finally triumph in ſo rich a conqueſt, if the whole maſs of mankind ſhould periſh) decreed to ſend his onelyonly begotten Son Jeſus Chriſt into the world, to undertake the great work of our Redemption, and to ſatisfie his Justice for ſin, that ſo notwithſtanding the ſame, the whole maſs of mankind loſt by the fall of the firſt Adam, might be reſtored to a capability of ſalvation, through the mercy of God, and the merits of Jeſus Chriſt, the ſecond Adam.

In this, compared with what you before ſaid, and afterwards add, I diſcern your full agreement to the words of our Church-Catechiſm, as thoſe are exactly conſonant to the manifold teſtimonies of ſacred Writ, that Chriſt dyed for, and thereby redeemed all mankind; your words being not (to my apprehenſion) capable of any of thoſe evaſions, that others are willing to reſerve themſelves in this buſineſs, as of his dying ſufficiently, but not intentionally for all, for that foreign is ſuperſeded by your words of Gods ſending Chriſt &c. that ſo mankind &c.] which muſt needs import his unfeigned intention, that mankind ſhould be reſtored to a reall capability of ſalvation, which is not with truth affirmable, if any one individuall of that whole kind be abſolutely paſſed by, or left, or excluded from his part in this reſtauration, and p. 21capability of ſalvation, which yet we muſt reſolve many millions to be, if that which is perfectly neceſſary to the recovery of thoſe which were ſo totally loſt, as your former propoſition truly ſuppoſed, be not really and effectively made up to them by Chriſt. And as in this full latitude I am obliged to underſtand you, ſo I wiſh not any more pregnant words to expreſſe it, then thoſe which you have choſen.

§. 31. III. That man having by his fall rendred The new Covenant,himſelf uncapable of receiving any benefit from the Covenant made with him in his firſt Creation, God was graciouſly pleaſed to enter into a new Covenant with mankind, founded in his Son Jeſus Chriſt, conſiſting of Evangelical but conditional promiſes, of granting remiſſion of ſins, and everlaſting life, upon the condition of faith in Chriſt, repentance from dead works, and new obedience: and gave commandment that the ſaid Covenant by the preaching of the Goſpel ſhould be publiſhed throughout the world. this, you ſay, you conceive to be that which the Arminians call the generall decree of Predeſtination, but is rejected by the Calviniſts,] And that all theſe Decrees are (according to our weak manner of underſtanding the way of Gods counſells, ſalva coexiſtentiâ & praeſentialitate rerum omnium in mente divinâ ab aeterno) antecedent to the decrees of Election and Reprobation.]

To this alſo I fully aſſent, both as to the truth, and fulneſs of the expreſſion in every part, eſpecially in that of Gods entring with mankind (without any reſtraint) the new Covenant, founded in Chriſt: of the conditionateneſs of the promiſes of that new Evangelical Covenant: of repentance and new obedience, together with faith in Chriſt, making p. 22up that compleat condition: of the antecedency of this Covenant in Chriſt (and the command of publiſhing it throughout the world) to the decrees of Election and Reprobation: which ſeems to me to be expreſly ſet down from Chriſts words Mar. xvi. 15, 16. And he ſaid unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature, he that believeth and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved, he that believeth not, ſhal be damned.] which evidently founds thoſe two decrees in the precedaneous preaching, and mens receiving or rejecting of the Goſpel.

§. 32. And when the Goſpels are all ſo expreſs in ſetting down that command of Chriſt to his Apoſtles The Decree of publiſhing the Goſpel to all the world,of preaching the Goſpel to all the world, to the whole Creation, i. e, the whole Gentile, as well as Jewiſh world, (and the travels of the Apoſtles witneſs their obedience to it) and when the command of Chriſt is equivalent with a decree, and his giving of that in time an evidence of its being by him predeſtin'd from all eternity, it is very ſtrange that this ſhould be denyed or queſtioned by the Calviniſts, or the Arminians rejected by them, when in effect they do but repeat Chriſts own words, who if he gave command to publiſh the Goſpel to all, then muſt the publiſhing of the Goſpel be matter of a general decree, there being no other ſo ſure a way of diſcerning what was ab aeterno predeſtined by God in his ſecret counſel, as the Scriptures telling us what was by the Father, or Chriſt in time actually commanded.

§. 33. Thus far and no farther reach thoſe which you own to be your preſent opinions, and pronounce of them, that you are ſo far convinced from the phraſes and expreſſions frequent in Scripture, that you cannot but own them as ſuch, And then let p. 23me tell you, it were very happy that all men would agree in theſe, and yet more happy, it inſtead of more curious enquiries, they would ſit down, and betake themſelves uniformly and vigorouſly to that Evangelical Obedience,task, which the…e data bind indiſpenſably upon them, and which is of that weight, that it may well imploy the remainder of their lives to perform it to purpoſe, I mean the work of Evangelical obedience, the condition of the new Covenant, without which the capability of pardon and ſalvation, which was purchaſed for mankind in general and for every man, ſhall never be actuated to any.

§. 34. Beyond theſe therefore what you add, Matters of Conjecture.you acknowledge to be but conjectures, which though to you they ſeem not improbable, yet you profeſs to maintain your foreign or Scepticiſme in them. And if in any of theſe I ſhould, on the ſame terms of conjecture, or ſeeming probability, differ from you, this ſtill were fully to accord with you in the general, viz. the ſuſpenſion of belief, and proceeding no farther then conjectures in theſe things.

What the iſſue will be, ſhall now be ſpeedily experimented, by proceeding to a view of them, remembring ſtill that you propoſe them but as conjectures.

§. 35. The firſt is, That the object of the decrees of Election and Reprobation, as they are ſet forth in The firſt.the Scripture, ſeemeth to you to be man preached unto, Thoſe being elected to eternal life, who receive Christ, as he is offer'd to them in the Goſpel, viz. as their Lord and Saviour, and thoſe reprobated, who do not ſo receive him.] Herein I not onelyonly perfectly agree with you, but more then ſo, I do think it an unqueſtionable truth, which carries it's evidence p. 24along with it, and ſo will be acknowledged by any that obſerves the limitation by you affixt to the ſubject of the propoſition, the object of the decrees [as they are ſet forth in the Scripture] For he that ſhall but conſider, that the holy Scripture is a The object of Scripture Election.donative afforded us by God, and deſigned for our eternal advantages, not to enable us to judge of others, but our ſelves, not to diſcover all the unſearchable receſſes of his cloſet, or ſecret counſels (abs condita Domino Deo noſtro) but to reveal to men thoſe truths, which themſelves are concern'd in, would make no difficulty to conclude, that the Scripture ſpeaks onelyonly of thoſe, to whom it ſpeaks, and as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. v. 12. What hath he to do to judge them that are without? leaving them wholly to Gods judgement, ſo doth the Scripture declare Gods dealing onelyonly with thoſe, to whom the Scripture comes, to whom ſome way or other (whether by writing or preaching it matters not) the Goſpel of Chriſt is revealed.

§. 36. This as it appears by innumerable evidences in the Scripture, ſo it is put beyond all diſpute by that even now recited text, at Chriſts farewell, Mar. xvi. his commiſſion to his Apoſtles, and declaration of the fixed determin'd conſequences of it, an expreſs tranſcript of Gods eternal deſtinations or decrees in that matter, Go into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature, He that believeth and is baptized ſhall be ſaved, and he that believeth not ſhall be damned] In which words what can be the meaning of [ſhall be ſaved, and ſhall be damned] but this, that God hath decreed ſalvation and damnation to ſuch? Thoſe therefore are the object of thoſe divine decrees, who are the ſubject of that propoſition, and thoſe are evidently men p. 25preached to, of which ſome believe, and are baptized, and thoſe have their parts in the firſt decree, that of election to ſalvation, ſome reject the Goſpel, and believe not, and thoſe fall under the ſecond branch, that of rejection to Damnation.

§. 37. Againſt the evidence of this, no oppoſition All Scripture decrees conditionate,can be made, and to this it is undeniably conſequent, that all the Decrees whereof Scripture treateth, are conditionate, receiving Chriſt as the Goſpel offers him, as Lord, and Saviour, the former as well as the latter being the condition of Scripture-election, and the rejecting or not receiving him thus, the condition of the Scripture-reprobation.

§. 38. As for any other which can be phanſied diſtant from this (and ſo all abſolute Election or inconditionate Reprobation) it muſt needs be reſolved to be the meer invention and fabrick of mens brains, without the duct of Gods Spirit in Scripture, which if at leaſt it hold not a ſtrict analogy with that which the Scripture hath thus revealed to us, will never be excuſed from great temerity, Temerity of introducing abſolute Decrees.and the ſin of dogmatizing, the rifling Gods ſecrets, and ſetting up our own imaginations, if not prejudices, for the oracles of God. If this were well thought of, it would infallibly ſet a period to all further diſputes, on this ſubject. And the propoſition, which I have laſt ſet down from you, is ſo irrefragably convincing, that I hope it may be ſucceſsful to ſo good an end, and all men that read it, reſolve it their duty to preach no other Decrees of God from Scripture, but this, that all that receive the Goſpel preached, and live according to the praeſcript rule thereof, (for that is to receive Chriſt as there he is offered to them, as a Lord and p. 26Saviour) ſhall be ſaved, and all they that reject it, when it is thus revealed, or live in contradiction to the terms whereon it is eſtabliſhed, ſhall be damned. This would probably change curioſity into induſtry, unprofitable diſquiſitions into the ſearch and trying of our own wayes, and working out our own ſalvation.

§. 39. To this propoſition, if it ſhall be granted, you annex two Corollaries, and I that have not onelyonly yielded but challenged the undoubted truth of the Propoſition, can make no queſtion of the Corollaries, The firſt is this,

§. 40. That it will be impoſſible to maintain the Doctrine of Ʋniverſal Grace in that manner as the Remonſtrants are ſaid to aſſert it, againſt the objection which is uſually made by their adverſaries, how evangelical Grace can be offer'd to ſuch nations or perſons, as never had the Gospel preached unto them.]

§. 41. The truth of this Corollary (as of all other) muſt be judged of by the dependence from Whether the heathens have Evangelical Grace.the Principle, the connexion it hath with the former propoſition; That ſpake of the Decrees, as they are ſet forth in Scripture, and of the condition required of them that are elected to ſalvation, receiving Christ preached, as he is offered in the Gospel, and accordingly it is moſt evident, that they that will found their Doctrine on Scripture, muſt find not onelyonly difficulty, but impoſſibility to maintain the gift of evangelicall Grace (which I ſuppoſe to be a ſupernaturall power to believe and obey the Goſpel) to thoſe, to whom the Goſpel hath never been revealed. What the Remonſtrants are ſaid to aſſert in this matter, I ſhall forbear to examine, becauſe I deſign not to engage in any controverſie at p. 27this time with any; onelyonly as on one ſide it is evident, that their adverſaries can receive no benefit by the objection, the ſalvability of all to whom the Goſpel is preached, being as contrary to their Doctrine of onelyonly the Elect, as it would be, if extended to the heathens alſo, all Chriſtians being not with them in the number of the Elect; ſo on the other ſide, I ſhould think it ſtrange, that in our preſent notion of Evangelical grace, for a ſtrength from God to receive and obey the Gospel preached, it ſhould, by the Remonſtrants, or any other, be affirmed from Scripture, that it is given, or offered to thoſe to whom the Goſpel hath not been revealed: S. Paul ſtiles the Gospel, the power of God unto ſalvation, and the preaching of it the foreign adminiſtration of the ſpirit, and indeed the ſpirit is in Scripture promiſed onelyonly to them who believe in Chriſt, and therefore ſpeaking of what may be maintained by Scripture, and confining the ſpeech to evangelical Grace, the Univerſality of it can no farther be by that maintained to extend, then to thoſe to whom the Goſpel is preached, for if Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word, i. e. preaching the Goſpel, it muſt follow, they cannot believe, and ſo have not Evangelical Grace, or ſtrength to believe, without a Preacher.

§. 42. And therefore I remember the Learned Biſhop of Sarisbury, Doctor Davenant in his Lent Sermon (I think the laſt he preached before the King) declared his opinion to be (as for Ʋniverſal Redemption, ſo) for Ʋniverſal Grace within the Church; and as for this he was, I think, by none accounted an Arminian, ſo I never heard any that was of the Remonſtrant perſwaſions, unſatisfied p. 28with the ſcantneſs of that declaration, but thought it as much, as, ſpeaking of Grace in the Scripture notion of it, evangelical Grace, could with any reaſon be required of him.

§. 43. As for the ſtate and condition of heathens, to whom the Goſpel is not revealed, and yet it is no fault of theirs that it is not, as all thoſe that lived before Chriſt and many ſince, as it is evident the Scripture was not delivered to them, nor conſequently gave to us Chriſtians rules for the judging of them, ſo it is moſt reaſonable which you add in your ſecond Corollary, which is this,

§. 44. That into the conſideration of Gods Decrees Of the condition of thoſe to whom the Goſpel is not revealed,ſuch nations or perſons are not at all to be taken, as never heard of the Gospel, but they are to be left wholly to the judgement of God, ſince he hath not thought fit to reveal to us any certainty concerning their condition, but reſerved it to himſelf, amongſt his other ſecret counſels, the reaſons of his wonderful and unſearchable diſpenſations in that kind.] To which I moſt willingly ſubſcribe in every tittle, and challenge it as the juſt debt to the force of that reaſon, that ſhines in it, that no man paſs fatall decretory ſentences on ſo great a part of mankind, by force of thoſe rules, which they never heard of, nor without hearing could poſſibly know that they were to be ſentenced by them. And this the rather Four Conſiderations concerning them. The first.upon four conſiderations which Scripture aſſures us of. Firſt, that as all men were dead in Adam, ſo Chriſt died for all, that were thus dead, for every man, even for thoſe that deny him, and finally periſh: which as it muſt needs extend and be intended by him, that thus taſted death for them, to the benefit of thoſe that knew him not (for if he died for p. 29them that deny him, why not for them that are leſs guilty, as having never heard of him, eſpecially when 'tis not the Revelation of Chriſt, to which the Redemption is affixt, but his Death) ſo the certain truth of this is moſt expreſly revealed and frequently inculcated in the Scripture (though nothing be there found of Gods decrees concerning them) upon this ground eſpecially, that no perſon of what nation ſoever ſhould have any prejudice to Chriſtian Religion, when it ſhould be firſt revealed to him, when he finds his intereſt ſo expreſly provided for by ſo gracious a Redeemer, who if he had not dyed for every man, 'twere impoſſible for any Preacher to aſſure an Infidel, that he dyed for him, or propoſe any conſtringent reaſon to him, why he ſhould believe on him for ſalvation. To this it is conſequent, that whatſoever Gods unrevealed wayes are, to deal with any heathen, what degree of repentance from Dead works, obedience, or performance ſoever he accept from them, this muſt needs be founded in the Covenant made with mankind in Chriſt, which you moſt truly have eſtabliſhed, there being no other name under heaven, no ſalvation poſſible to lapſed man by any other Covenant; Which, being ſet in oppoſition to the firſt Covenant of perfect unſinning obedience, and therefore called a ſecond and Evangelical Covenant, on condition onelyonly of ſincere obedience, of doing what by Gods gift, purchaſed by Chriſt, men are enabled to do, it follows ſtill, that whatſoever acceptation or mercy they, who never heard of Chriſt, can be imagined to have afforded them by God, muſt be conformable to the tenure of the Evangelicall Covenant, and ſo to the praiſe of the Glory of that Grace, whereby whoſoever is accepted p. 30by God, is accepted in the beloved.

§. 45. The ſecond Conſideration is the analogy, The ſecond,which, in one reſpect, is obſervable between thoſe to whom the Goſpel is not revealed, and all children and Idiots within the pale of the Church, for although believing in Chriſt were ſuppoſed equally by the law of Scripture to be exacted of all, and ſo of both thoſe ſorts (nay by the intervention of the vow of Baptiſm to be more expreſly the obligation of thoſe that are baptized, then thoſe that are not) yet there is no reaſon producible to free the Chriſtian children and idiots from the blame of not believing, which will not with equall force be producible for thoſe heathens, to whom the Goſpel was never revealed, it being as impoſſible to ſee without the preſence of the object, as without the faculty of ſight, without the Sun, as without eyes, without the revelation of Chriſt, as without the intellective faculty; which if it be not part of the importance of that decree of heaven, Go and preach, and then he that believeth not ſhall be damned, yet it is fully accordant to it, and ſhews that that Text was not deſigned to give ſuffrage to the damnation of all but Chriſtians, which is all that your Corollary, or my obſervations have aſpired unto; to which it is yet farther neceſſarily conſequent, that theſe Scripture Decrees which you ſpeak of (and whoſoever ſpeaks of any other muſt be reſolved to ſpeak from ſome other dictate, then that of Scripture) comprize not all men, no nor all baptized Chriſtians under them, being terminated onelyonly in thoſe to whom the Goſpel is revealed, and thoſe certainly are not all that are brought into the world, or even to Baptiſmal new birth.

§. 46. The third conſideration is, that ſeeing p. 31The third.the Scripture aſſures us, that they which have received more, of them more ſhall be required, and that he that knoweth and doeth not, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes, this muſt needs advertiſe us, that whatever priviledges Chriſtians may have beyond heathens, this is not one, that a ſmaller degree of obedience and performances ſhall be accepted of them, then of heathens would be, but the contrary, that to whom leſs is given, leſs will be required, according to that of S. Auguſtine, Ex De lib. A… bit. l. 3. c. 16,eo quod non accepit, nullus reus eſt, No man is guilty from that which he hath not received.

§. 47. The fourth Conſideration is, that God rewards thoſe that have made uſe of the ſingle talent, The fourth.that loweſt proportion of Grace, which he is pleaſed to give; and the method of his rewarding is by giving them more grace, which as it is in ſome degree applicable to heathens, who have certainly the talent of naturall knowledge, and are ſtrictly reſponſible for it, ſo if they uſe not that, but retain the truth in unrighteouſneſs, Rom. 1. 18. that makes their condition but the ſame with ours, (who are finally loſt alſo, and at the preſent have our talent taken away from us) if we make not the due uſe of it.

§. 48. This, 'tis viſible, hath befaln thoſe Nations who once had the Goſpel preacht to them, and after the knowledge of the truth, return'd to their heathen ſins, and ſo had their candleſtick taken from them (to which and not to Gods primary denying them Evangelical Grace, their preſent Barbarity is to be imputed) And the onelyonly concluſion which we can hence duely make, is the acknowledgement of Gods juſt judgements on them, and reaſonable fear leſt he deal in like manner with us, p. 32if we tranſcribe their copy, imitate them in their demerits. Should God moſt juſtly thus puniſh this nation at this time, could it either now or in future ages be reaſonable hence to argue againſt the Doctrine of Ʋniverſal Grace, in caſe there were a concurrence of all other evidences for the truth of the Doctrine? Certainly it could not. In like manner then it cannot be reaſonable to argue thus from the like fate, and effects on other Nations.

§. 49. To which I may add, that Chriſt being, we know, in Gods decree and promiſe, the Lamb ſlain from the beginning of the world, if this argument be now of force againſt the heathens, it muſt equally hold againſt all that underſtood no more of the Predictions of Chriſt, then the Pagans do now of the Hiſtory.

§. 50. And then it muſt, ſhould it have force, follow, not onelyonly that the Sacrifice of Chriſt was intended to be of avail to none but the Jews, to whom onelyonly the Oracles of God were committed, (which yet you acknowledge was intended to all) but alſo that as far as we have wayes of judging, a very ſmall part of thoſe Jews received the ſalvifick Grace of Chriſt, if it were confined and annext to the revelation and belief of him; For if we may judge of other ages by that wherein Chriſt appeared, the Prophecies of the Crucified Meſſias were very little underſtood by that people. All this makes it more prudent, and rationall, and pious to ſearch our own wayes, then to paſs ſentence on other men, which is the onelyonly thing I have aimed at in theſe four Conſiderations.

§. 51. Your ſecond Propoſition, which you p. 33tender as a Conjecture, I cannot but own under an The ſecond Conjecture an undoubted truth.higher ſtyle of an evident truth of Scripture, It is this, That there is to the outward tender of Grace in the miniſtry of the Gospel annexed an inward offer alſo of the ſame to the heart, by the ſpirit of God Inward grace annexed to the Miniſtry of the Goſpel.going along with his word, which ſome of the Schoolmen call auxilium Gratiae generale, ſufficient in it ſelf to convert the ſoul of the hearer, if he do not reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt, and reject the Grace offerr'd: which as it is grounded upon theſe words, Behold I ſtand at the door and knock, and upon very many other paſſages of Scripture beſide, ſo it ſtandeth with reaſon, that the offer, if it were accepted, ſhould be ſufficient ex parte ſui to do the work, which if not accepted, is ſufficient to leave the perſon, not accepting the ſame, unexcuſable.] This I ſay I am obliged to aſſent to in the terms, and upon the double ground both of Scripture and reaſon, whereon you induce it. If there were but one text of Scripture ſo convincingly inferring it, that ſure would advance it above a barely probable Conjecture. But I think the whole tenure of the new Teſtament inforceth the ſame, and though you name but one, you ſay there are many other paſſages of Scripture, on which 'tis founded. I ſhall mention but two, 1. that of the Apoſtle who cals preaching the word, foreign the adminiſtration of the Spirit, which the Father expreſſes by verbum vehiculum Spiritus, the word is the chariot in which the Spirit deſcends to us, 2. that deſcription of reſiſting the holy ſpirit, which S. Stephen gives us, Act. vii. 51. by their being like the Jews, which perſecuted the Prophets which ſpake unto them, which concludes the holy ſpirit to be given with the preaching of the Gospel, elſe how p. 34could the rejecting and perſecuting the one be the reſiſting of the other? So likewiſe though you mention but one reaſon, yet that is as conſtringent as many, nothing but ſufficiency of ſupernaturall Grace being competent to render him, that is acknowledged naturally impotent, unexcuſable. And therefore deeming that abundantly confirmed to advance it above a diſputable probleme, I proceed to the next Propoſition, the third, which you rank under the ſtyle of Conjectures, It is this,

§ 52. That becauſe the ſufficiency of this General The third Conjecture of effectual Grace and Scripture-Election and Reprobation.Grace notwithſtanding, through the ſtrength of naturall corruption it might happen to prove uneffectuall to all perſons, God vouchſafed out of the ſupereffluence of his goodneſs, yet ex mero beneplacito, without any thing on their part to deſerve it, to confer upon ſuch perſons as it pleaſed him to fix upon, (without inquiring into under what qualifications, preparations or diſpoſitions conſidered,) a more ſpeciall meaſure of Grace which ſhould effectually work in them faith and perſeverance unto ſalvation] This (you ſay) you take to be the election eſpecially ſpoken of in the Scriptures, and if ſo, then the Decree of Reprobation must be nothing els but the dereliction or preterition of the reſt, as to that ſpecial favour of conferring upon them this higher degree of effectuall Grace. Againſt this, you ſay, you know enough may be objected, and much more then you esteem your ſelf able to anſwer, yet to your apprehenſion ſomewhat leſs then may be objected againſt either of the extreme opinions.]

§. 53. Of this Propoſition, as being the firſt by you produced, to which your caution ſeems to be Animadverſions on this Conjecture.due, ſome things may in paſſing be fitly noted.

Firſt, that for the ſtating of that community p. 35The firſt.which is here ſet down as the object of Election and reprobation, and expreſt by a generall ſtyle [all perſons] this Caution is neceſſarily to be taken in, that the propoſition is not to be interpreted in the utmoſt latitude, that the ſtyle [all perſons] is capable of, but as analogy with your former doctrine ſtrictly requires, for the generality of men preach'd to: and ſo neither belongs to heathens, nor to the Infants or Idiots, or uninſtructed among Chriſtians, but to thoſe that having the Gospel revealed to them, and ſufficient grace to enable them to receive it, are yet left in the hand of their own counſell, whether they will actually receive it, or no.

§. 54. Now of theſe (which is the ſecond thing to be The ſecond from Scripture.obſerved in your propoſition) it is manifeſt, that if (as you ſuppoſe both in the former, and in this Propoſition,) they have grace truly ſufficient afforded them, then they want nothing neceſſary to a faln weak ſinful creature, to converſion, perſeverance and ſalvation, and if ſo, then by the ſtrength of this Grace, without addition of any more, they may effectually convert, perſevere and be ſaved; and then though what may be, may alſo not be, and ſo it be alſo poſſible that of all that are thus preach'd to, and made partakers of this Grace, no one ſhall make uſe of it to theſe effects, yet this is but barely poſſible, and not rendred ſo much as probable, either upon any grounds of Scripture or Reaſon. In the Scripture there is no word revealed to that ſenſe, or, that I ever heard of, produced or applyed to it, but on the contrary, in the Parable of the Talents (which ſeems to reſpect this matter particularly) they that received the Talents to negotiate with, did all of them, except one, make profit of them, and bring in that account to their p. 36Maſter, which received a reward, which is utterly unreconcileable with the hypotheſis of Gods foreſeeing that the talent of ſufficient Grace would be made uſe of by none that received no more then ſo. As for that one that made not uſe of it, all that is intimated concerning him, is, that if his ſhare comparatively was mean, yet by the Lord he is charged as guilty for not putting it into the bank, that at his coming he might receive his own with uſury, which certainly evinces, that that lazy ſervant is there conſidered as one that might have managed his ſtock as well as the reſt, and that that ſtock was improvable no leſs then the other, according to their ſeverall proportions, and ſo herein there is no difference taken notice of in favour to your Conjecture.

And in Reaſon it hath no ſound of probability, that of ſo great a number of Chriſtians, ſufficiently And Reaſon.furniſhed by God, no one ſhould make uſe of it to their ſouls health; 'tis evident in the Apoſtles preaching at Jeruſalem and elſwhere, that at the firſt propoſal of the truth of Chriſt to them, and the Doctrine of Repentance, whole multitudes received the Faith, and came in, and no doubt many of them proved true, and conſtant Chriſtians, and it is not amiſs to obſerve of the heads of Doctrine, which the Apoſtles agreed to publiſh in all their peregrinations, that they are of ſuch force (and were on that account pitcht on by them) as might reaſonably and probably, with the ſuppoſed concurrence of Gods Grace, beget repentance, and new life in all, to whom they were preach'd over the whole world, (and then what the Apoſtles deemed a rationall and probable means to that end, there is no reaſon or probability to think ſhould p. 37never in any produce this effect) according to that of Athanaſius, that the Faith confeſt by the Fathers In Ep. ad Epictes.of Nice, according to holy Writ, is foreign, ſufficient for the averting of all impiety, and the eſtabliſhment of all piety in Chriſt. To which may be applyed that of S. Auguſtine of the Creed, Quae pauca verba fidelibus nota ſunt, In libel. de fide & ſymbolo, in Tom. iii.ut credendo ſubjugentur Deo, ut ſubjugati recte vivant, recte vivendo, cor mundent, corde mundo, quod credant, intelligant. Theſe few words are known to believers, that by believing, they may be ſubjugated to God, that by being ſubjugated, they way live well, that by living well they may cleanſe their hearts, that by cleanſing their hearts they may underſtand what they believe. And herein the allwiſe providence and infinite mercy of God ſeems to be engaged, who in the Parable of his dealing with his Vineyard, Iſa. v. not onelyonly expoſtulates, What could I have done more to my vineyard which I have not done] but alſo affirmeth that he looked it ſhould bring forth grapes, and as a farther evidence of that, built a wine-preſs, in expectation of its bearing fruit by ſtrength of what he had done to it, which could not well be affirmed by, or of God, if it were not probable and rational, that in ſome it ſhould have the deſired effect.

§. 55. And if what, on account both of Scripture And the unreconcile ableneſs of this conjecture with making man preach'd to, the object of the Decrees.and reaſon (the onelyonly wayes left us to judge by in this matter) is thus far removed from improbable, may be ſuppoſed to have any truth in it, i. e. if the ſufficient Grace annexed to the authorized ſufficient means, have without farther addition, ever converted any, it then follows neceſſarily in the third place, that the Election and Dereliction p. 38now propoſed by you muſt have for its object not indefinitely (as before you ſet it) man preach'd unto, or all that part of mankind to whom the Goſpel is offered, and that Grace annexed thereto, but onelyonly that portion of ſuch, as are not wrought upon, or who God in his infinite preſcience diſcerns would not be wrought upon effectually, and converted by that meaſure of ſufficient Grace, which he hath annext to the word preach'd. For without enquiring what proportion of the number of men preach'd unto may probably be placed in that rank (or without aſſuming any more, then that it is neither impoſſible nor improbable that there ſhould be ſuch a rank) of men converted, and perſevering by the ſtrength of that foreſaid ſufficient Grace, annexed to the word, the inference is undeniable, that all, whether few or many, that are of this rank (it being no way probable there ſhould be none) ſhall certainly be ſaved by force of the ſecond Covenant, which decreed eternall life to all that ſhould believe on him and receive him, as the Gospel tenders him, as their Lord and Saviour, and ſo cannot be compriſed in the number of them to whom this ſupereffluence of goodneſs is ſuppoſed to be vouchſafed, in the granting of which ex mero beneplacito your conjecture makes the Scripture-Election to conſiſt, and in the Dereliction and Preterition of the reſt (in reſpect of that ſpeciall favour) the Decree of Reprobation.

§. 56. The plain iſſue whereof is but this, that if this conjecture, thus explicated, be adhered to, then many not onelyonly of Children, Idiots, heathen (formerly reſerved to Gods ſecret judgements) but of adult baptized Chriſtians alſo, either are or may be ſaved, who are not of the number of the p. 39Scripture-Elect. Which whether it be reconcile able with the purport of thoſe places, which in Scripture ſeem to you to reſpect Election, or to favour this opinion, I muſt leave to farther conſideration, being as yet incompetent to interpoſe any judgement of it, becauſe I know not what thoſe places are which moſt ſeem to favour it.

§. 57. As for the Doctrine it ſelf, of ſupereffluence of Grace to ſome, (abſtracted from making The Doctrine of ſupereffluence of Grace to ſome, acknowledged.it any account of Gods Decrees of Election and Reprobation) It is ſuch as I can no way queſtion, for certainly God being granted to give ſufficient Grace to all, there is no objection imaginable againſt this ſuperabounding to ſome ex mero beneplacito; Nothing more agreeable to an infinite abyſs and unexhauſtible fountain of goodneſs, then ſuch ſupereffluence, and he that hath not his part in it, yet having his portion, and that ſuppoſed ſufficient, ought not to have an evil eye, to complain and murmure at this partiality, and inequality of diſtribution of Gods goodneſs, or if he do, the words of the parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard muſt here have place, Friend, I do thee no wrong, did not I agree with thee for a penny, take that is thine, and go thy way, is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Mat. xx. 13, 14, 15. And it is there obſervable, that all the occaſion of murmuring aroſe from the order there obſerved in accounting with, and paying the Labourers, beginning with them that came laſt into the vineyard, for by that means they being allowed a dayes wages for an hours labour, the others expectation was raiſed to an higher pitch, then probably it would, if they had been paid, and diſcharged firſt, for then not ſeeing the liberality that others taſted of, they p. 40would in all probability have expected no more, then the hire for which they agreed; And then why ſhould ſo caſual a circumſtance, as the being paid laſt or firſt, have any influence on their minds, or tempt them to murmure at Gods goodneſs, who from the nature of the thing had no leaſt temptation to it?

§. 58. OnelyOnly by the way it muſt be yielded to But this of ſupereffluence no part of the Covenant of grace.the force of that parable, that that ſupereffluence of which ſome are there ſuppoſed to taſt, was no part of the Covenant of Grace, (his agreement with them being but in theſe words, Go into the vineyard, and what is right you ſhall receive, v. 7.) but, above what his bargain or covenant obligeth, of his good pleaſure, though, on the other ſide, it be obſervable, 1. That an allowable account is there given by thoſe men of their not coming ſooner into the Vineyard, and conſequently of their not bearing the heat of the day, in which all the diſproportion between them and others, all the ſeeming ſupereffluence is founded, viz. they were no ſooner called, or hired by any man, and 2. that by the application of the parable to the foreign and foreign, to thoſe that came firſt, and thoſe that came later into the Apoſtleſhip, to Peter, and Paul, there might ſtill be place for more abundant labouring in thoſe that came laſt, and ſo for reward, in proportion (though through mercy) to that more abundant labouring, according to the way of ſetting down the ſame parable among the Jews, in **…d. Bera…th.Gemara Hieroſol where the Kings anſwer to the murmurers is, He in thoſe two hours hath laboured as much as you have done all the day.

§. 59. But without examining the Acts of Gods munificence, according to any rules but thoſe of p. 41munificence, and again without inſiſting on the method which God himſelf ſeems to direct us to in this matter, in the parable of the Talents, where the Rule is generall, that to him that hath ſhall be given, and he ſhall have abundance, i. e. that the ſupereffluence of Grace is ordinarily proportioned to the faithful diſcharge of former truſts, making uſe of the foregoing ſufficient Grace, there will be little reaſon to doubt, but that God out of his meer good pleaſure, without any deſert on our part, doth thus diſpenſe his favours to one, more then to another, to one ſervant five talents, to another ten, but to all ſome, onelyonly the difficulties will be, 1. whether Difficulties concerning ſupereffluence.it be not as poſſible, though not as probable, that the ſupereffluence of Grace may be reſiſted, as the lower, but ſufficient degree, and then, whether the condemnation be not the greater, there will be no doubt; Paul that is the moſt pregnant example of the ſupereffluence, is ſtill, under a woe, obliged to preach the Gospel, and whileſt he preacheth I. Whether it be not Reſiſtible.to others, ſuppoſes it poſſible, that himſelf, if he do not bring his body in ſubjection, may become a caſtaway, and till he hath fought his good fight, and finiſh'd his courſe, and conſtantly kept the faith, we never find him confident of receiving his crown, which then he challenges from Gods righteouſneſs, or fidelity; 2. whether the extraordinary favour II. Whether it belong not rather to providence then Grace.of God, which ſome men receive, and by vertue of which, over and above the ſufficient Grace, they may be thought to be wrought on effectually, may not rather be imputed to Gods ſpecial providence, then his ſpecial Grace? ſo in Biſhop Overals way it ſeems affirmable, for in his Scheme the effectualneſs ſeems to be attributed to the giving what is given, tempore congruo, at a time when (whether p. 42by ſickneſs, or by any other circumſtance of their ſtate) they are foreſeen by God to be ſo qualified and diſpoſed, that they ſhall infallibly accept Chriſt offered, on his own conditions, and ſo convert, and receive the ſeed into good ground, and ſo perſevere and be ſaved, when the ſame man, out of thoſe circumſtances, would not have been wrought on by the ſame means. And if this be it which you mean (as I doubt not but it is, and that herein you perfectly agree with Biſhop Overall) then I ſay the queſtion is, whether the ſeaſonable application or timeing be not rather to be imputed to ſpeciall Providence, the mercy of Gods wiſe and gracious diſpoſal to thoſe men that are thus favoured, then to ſpecial Grace, as that ſignifies an higher degree of Gods grace, then is that ſufficient meaſure, which is afforded to others; it being poſſible that an equall, nay a lower degree of Grace, being congruouſly timed and tendred, may prove effectual, when the like, nay an higher, at another time, proves uneffectual. And though all acts of Gods good providence may in ſome ſenſe be ſtyled acts of his Grace, and ſo extraordinary providences may be ſtyled ſpecial Graces, in which ſenſe, the ſtriking Paul in his journey to Damaſcus, and calling to him out of heaven with grace proportionable to that call, may fitly be called a work of Gods ſpecial Grace; and ſo is every ſickneſs or other judgement, that is ſent to melt any, ſuppoſeable to have a proportionable, and that is an extraordinary and ſpecial Grace annext to it; and the providence, and ſo the grace is the greater, if it be applyed tempore congruo, when there is no potent obſtacle or principle for reſiſtance; yet ſtill the queſtion is ſeaſonable, whether this p. 43be all that is meant by this ſpeciall meaſure of Grace, which ſhall work effectually, or if more be meant, what ground there is for it in the Scripture.

§. 60. To this ſecond queſtion your advertiſement by letter hath given the ſatisfaction I expected, that you were not curious to conſider the diſtinction between the Grace and the Providence of God, there being no neceſſity for ſo doing, as to your purpoſe, which was onelyonly to expreſs your ſenſe, that it muſt be the work of God (whether of Grace or Providence it matters not) that must do the deed, and make the ſufficient Grace effectuall. This anſwer I accept, and make no farther return to it, onelyonly from the uncertainty of the former, as to any eſtabliſhment from Scripture-grounds, and ſo likewiſe of this latter, till it ſhall appear by any ſure word of promiſe to have any reall influence on the mattèr in hand, there is way made for a third queſtion,

§. 61. Whether granting the truth of all that is pretended for the ſupereffluence of Gods goodneſs III. Whether this be it to which Election is determined.to ſome, this can fitly de defined the thing, whereto Election is determined, and whether all that have not their part in this, are in Scripture-ſtyle ſaid to be Reprobated. This I ſay, not to propoſe any new matter of diſpute, or to require anſwer to all that may be objected againſt this notion of Decrees, which you (and other very Learned and ſober men) have propoſed by way of conjecture onelyonly, but rather to demonſtrate my concurrence with you, that this can amount no higher at moſt, then to a matter of conjecture.

§. 62. And having ſaid this, I ſhall propoſe it Conſiderations from Scripture oppoſed to the former conjecture.to your impartial conſideration, I. Whether the Scripture ought not to be our guide in all even opining p. 44and conjecturing in ſuch matters, which are ſo much above our reaſon? II. Whether the Scripture do not furniſh us with theſe expreſs grounds, 1. that there are ſome ſort of auditors that come to Chriſt, become his Proſelytes, embrace the Goſpel, when 'tis preach'd unto them, that are foreign, fit, or prepared, or diſpoſed for the kingdome of God, obedience Luk. ix, 62Luke 9:62to the Goſpel, foreign, dispoſed for eternall life, on file for it (in oppoſition to others Act. xiii. 48.Acts 13:48who are foreign v. 46. not worthy of, meet, or qualified for the Evangelical ſtate) 2. that probity of mind is ſpecified to be this temper, a willingneſs Jo. vii. 17.John 7:17to do Gods will, that (in the parable) of the good ground, and the honeſt heart meant by it. 3. that the Evangelical diſpenſations are governed Mat. xiii. 8.Matt 13:8by the maxime of habenti dabitur, to Luc, viii, 15,the humble he gives more grace, the poor are Evangelized, the children, and poor in ſpirit, of ſuch, Mat, xiii, 1…,and of them is the kingdome of heaven; and laſtly, Jam, iv, 6, Mat, xi, 5, Mat. xix. 14. and v. 3. Luc. vi. 22. 1 Cor. 1. 27. The ground of Effectualneſs of grace more probably deduced from probity of heart.Matt 19:14Luke 6:221 Cor 1:27that God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world, the weak, the degenerous, the vilified, thoſe that are not, in oppoſition to the mighty, powerful, noble and wiſe. III. Whether on theſe and many other the like fundamentall Truths of the Goſpel, it be not more reaſonable to fetch the ground of the effectualneſs of that ſufficient Grace to one, which is not effectuall to another, from the temper and diſpoſition of the heart, to which the Goſpel is preached, then from any other circumſtance (eſpecially when this doth not deny, or exclude the proper efficacy of thoſe circumſtances, whatſoever they or it ſhall any way appear to be) God having made the Baptiſt the forerunner to Chriſt, repentance to Faith, the **…er. iv. 3.breaking up our fallow p. 45grounds, to his not ſowing among thorns, and the very nature of the Goſpel being ſuch, that all that are truly ſenſible of their ſins, the odiouſneſs and danger of them, and heartily deſirous to get out of that ſtate, the weary and heavy laden, the humble, docile, tractable, honeſt heart, willing to take Chriſts yoke upon them, are conſtantly wrought on, and converted, when the promulgate mercies, or promiſes of the Goſpel, and the Grace annext to it, are addreſt to them, whereas the very ſame, nay perhaps a greater degree of light and Grace, meeting with a proud, refractary, pleaſurable, or any way hypocritical, and deceitful heart, either is not at all heeded and received, or takes no firm root in it.

§. 63. And if now (the onelyonly objection I can foreſee) it be demanded, whether this of probity, This probity no natural preparation, but of Gods planting by preventing grace.humility, &c. the ſubactum ſolum, ſoyl mellow'd, and prepared for this effectuall work of Grace, be not ſome natural quality, of the man, for if ſo, then the efficacy of grace will be imputed to theſe natural, or moral preparations, which is groſly prejudicial to the grace of God, and to the owing of all our good to his ſupernatural operations, the anſwer is obvious and unqueſtionable, that this (I ſhall call it Evangelical) temper is far from being natural to any corrupt child of Adam, where ever 'tis met with, 'tis a ſpecial plant of Gods planting, a work of his preparing, ſoftning, preventing Grace, and as much imputable to the operation of his holy Spirit, as any effect of his ſubſequent or cooperating Grace is, which I challenge to be the meaning of thoſe words of Chriſt, Joh. vi. 37. All that my Father giveth me, ſhall come to me; where ſuch as theſe, are firſt fitted by God, and then by p. 46him are ſaid to be given to Christ, works of his finger, his ſpirit, and then by the authour of them preſented to Chriſt, as the perſons rightly diſpoſed for his diſcipleſhip, and his kingdome in mens hearts, and this work of Gods in fitting them, is there called his drawing of them to Chriſt, v. 44. and as there it is ſaid that none but ſuch can come to Christ, ſo verſ. 37. all ſuch ſhall come to him, which is an evidence that the coming, wherein the effectualneſs of the grace conſiſts, is imputable to this temper wrought in them by God. And if ſtill it be demanded why this is not wrought in all Chriſtians hearts, I anſwer finally, that the onelyonly reaſon the Scripture teaches us is, becauſe ſome reſiſt that ſpirit, that is graciouſly given by God, and purpoſely deſigned to work it in them.

§. 64. And if it ſtill be ſuggeſted, that ſome are naturally more proud and refractary, and voluptuouſly The one objection againſt this ſatisfieddiſpoſed then others, (an effect of their temper, owing oft to their immediate parents, who may transfuſe their depravations and corruptions immediately to their children, as well as Adam hath done to us all mediately) and ſo a greater degree of grace will be neceſſary to the humbling and mollifying them, and a lower, which might be ſufficient for meeker tempers, will be unſufficient for them, and ſo ſtill theſe are as infallibly excluded, and barred out, as if it were by a fatal decree paſſing them by in Maſſa, this will be alſo ſatisfied, by reſolving, that God in his wiſe diſpoſals and abundant mercies, proportioned according to mens wants, gives a greater degree of preventing Grace to ſuch as he ſees to be naturally in greateſt need of it, or els applies it ſo advantageouſly by congruous timing, as he knows is ſufficient p. 47even to them, to remove theſe naturall obſtacles, but all this (to them, as to others) reſiſtibly ſtill, and ſo, as though it ſucceed ſometimes, yet is frequently reſiſted.

§. 65. By this means he that is proud and obſtinate, and continues, and holds out ſuch againſt all the ſoftning preparations of heaven, (ſufficient to have wrought a kindlier temper in him) being ſo ill qualified for the holy ſpirit of diſcipline, is not converted, but hardened by the ſame or equall means of the word and grace, by which the humble is converted, and then repleniſhed with higher degrees; And when the Scripture is ſo favourable to this notion, ſaying expreſly that God chooſes one and not the other, gives more grace to one, and from the other takes away that which he hath, reſiſts the proud (when they refuſe diſcipline) **Mat. xiii. 13.Matt 13:13ſpeaks to them onelyonly in parables, becauſe ſeeing they ſee not, i. e. reſiſt and fruſtrate Gods preventing graces, and infinite the like, why may not this rather be the Scripture-election, then that other which ſeems not to have any, at leaſt not ſo viſible grounds in it?

§. 66. Should this be but a Conjecture too, it is not the leſs fit for this place, where our diſcourſe hath been of ſuch, and the onelyonly ſeaſonable inquiry is, either 1. which is of probables the moſt, or of improbables the leaſt ſuch, (and that I ſuppoſe is competently ſhew'd already) or 2. which may be moſt ſafe, and leaſt noxious, in caſe it ſhould fail of exact truth.

§. 67. On which occaſion I ſhall add but this, that the onelyonly conſequence naturally ariſing from The ſafeneſs of this ſtating.this Scheme is, that we make our elections after the pattern of God, chooſe humility and probity, and p. 48avert pride and hypocriſie, that before all things in the world, every man think himſelf highly concerned 1. not to reſiſt or fruſtrate Gods preventing Graces, but chearfully to receive, cooperate, and improve them, to pray, and labour, and attend and watch all opportunities of Grace and Providence, to work humility and probity in his heart, impatience of ſin, and hungring and thirſting after righteouſneſs, as the onelyonly ſoyle, wherein the Goſpel will ever thrive, to begin his diſcipleſhip with repentance from dead works, and not with aſſurance of his election and ſalvation, to ſet out early, and reſolutely, without procraſtinating, or **foreign, Tit. Boſtr.looking back, Luk. ix. 62. and 2. if he hath overſlipt ſuch opportunities, to bewail and retrive them betimes, leſt he be hardened by the deceitfulneſs of ſin. and 3. whatſoever good he ſhal ever advance to, by the ſtrength of Gods ſanctifying and aſſiſting grace, to remember with the utmoſt gratitude, how nothing hath been imputable to himſelf in the whole work, but from the beginning to the end, all due to ſupernatural Grace, the foundation particularly (that which if it be the moſt imperfect, is yet the moſt neceſſary part of the building, and the ſure laying of which tends extremely to the ſtability of the whole) laid in Gods preventions, cultivating our nature, and fitting us with capacities of his higher donatives; And what can leſs prejudice, nay more tend to the glory of his grace, then this?

§. 68. Whereas the other Scheme, as it takes Compared with the other.ſpecial care to attribute all the work of converſion to Grace, and withall not ſo to limit that communicative ſpring, as to leave any deſtitute of a ſufficient portion of it (in which reſpect I have p. 49nothing really to object againſt it, if it could but approve it ſelf by Gods word to be the Truth) ſo when it bears not any ſuch impreſs of Divine Character upon it, it may not be amiſs to conſider, Whether he that is perſwaded that the ſufficient Grace is ſuch as may, and (as ſome ſet it) God ſees will never do any man good, without the addition of his ſupereſfluence, which he affords to few, (and that if that come, it will infallibly do the work, if it come not, he is ſo paſt by, as to be reprobated by God) may not have ſome temptations to deſpair on one ſide, and not do his utmoſt to cooperate with that ſufficient Grace, which is allowed him, and ſo with the fool in Eccleſiaſtes **Cap. iv. 5.fold his hands together till he comes to eat his own fleſh, or els to preſume on the other ſide, and expect ſecurely till the coming of the congruous good time of Gods choice, which ſhall give the effectualneſs to his Grace, and ſo be ſlothfull and periſh by that preſumption?

§. 69. Whether the Scheme, as it is ſet by learned men, (abſtracting now from the truth of it) be in any conſiderable degree lyable to this danger, I leave thoſe, that are favourable to it, to conſider, preſuming that if it be, it will not be thought fit to be pitcht upon, as the moſt commodious, without either the authority of Scripture, or ſome other preponderating advantages tendred by it, which to me are yet inviſible. And thus much may ſerve for the doctrine of Gods Decrees, which if I miſtake not, leaves them in relation to man, in this poſture, (as far as the Scripture-light leads us)An Anacephalaecſis of the Doctrine of Gods Decreess

§. 70. 1. That God decreed to create man after his own image, a free and rationall agent, to p. 50give him a Law of perfect unſinning obedience, and conferr on him grace and faculties to perform it, and to reward that obedience with eternal bliſs, and proportionably to puniſh diſobedience.

2. That foreſeeing the willfull fall of the firſt Of Election.Man, with whom, and with all mankind, in him, this Covenant was made, and conſequent to that, the depravation of that image, and that Grace, (the image of Satan, corruption of the will, and all the faculties, taking the place of it) he decreed to give his Son to ſeek and to ſave that which was lost, making in him, and ſealing in his blood a new Covenant, conſiſting of a promiſe of pardon and ſufficient Grace, and requiring of all the condition of uniform ſincere obedience.

3. That he decreed to commiſſionate meſſengers to preach this Covenant to all mankind, promiſed to accompany the preaching of it to all hearts with his inward ſufficient grace, enabling men to perform it in ſuch a degree, as he in this ſecond covenant had promiſed to accept of.

4. That the method which he hath decreed to uſe in diſpenſing this ſufficient Grace, is, 1. to prevent and prepare mens hearts by giving them the grace of humility, repentance and probity of heart, i. e. by awaking and convincing men of ſin, and giving them (in anſwer to their diligent prayers) grace ſufficient to produce this in their hearts, and then upon their making uſe of this Grace to the deſigned end to add more powerfull aſſiſtances and excitations, enabling them both to will and to do, and upon their conſtant right uſe of theſe, ſtill to advance them to an higher degree of ſanctification, and perſeverance, till at length he accompliſh and reward them with a crown of Glory.

p. 51§. 71. On the other ſide, to forſake them in juſtice, that obſtinately reſiſt and fruſtrate all theſe Of Reprobation.wiſe and gracious methods of his, and having moſt affectionately ſet life and death before them, and conjured them to chooſe one, and avoid the other, ſtill to leave unto them, as to free and rationall Agents, a liberty to refuſe all his calls, to let his talents lye by them unprofitably; which if out of their own perverſe choices they continue to do, he decrees to puniſh the contumacy finally, by aſſigning them their own options, to take their talents from them, and caſt them into outer darkneſs, where ſhall be weeping and wailing and gnaſhing of teeth.

§. 72. How clearly every part of this Scheme is agreeable to the ſeveral parables, whereby Chriſt The Concluſion.was pleaſed to adumbrate the kingdome of heaven, and innumerable other paſſages in the Goſpel, and the whole purport of the new Covenant, I leave to every man to conſider, and then to judge for himſelf, whether it be not ſafer and more Chriſtian to content our ſelves with this portion, which Chriſt hath thought fit to reveal to us, then to permit our curioſities to deeper and more pragmatick ſearches, eſpecially if thoſe ſhall either directly, or but conſequentially undo, or but darken what is thus explicitly ſettled.

§. 73. I proceed now to your ſecond head of Diſcourſe, (which alſo I ſuppoſe, is, by what hath Of the Efficacy of Grace.been already conſidered, competently eſtabliſhed) concerning the efficacy of Grace, &c. where your Propoſition is thus ſet down.

§. 74. That in the converſion of a ſinner, and the begetting of Faith in the heart of man, the Grace of God hath the main ſtroke, chiefeſt operation, yet ſo, that the free will of man doth in ſome ſort cooperate p. 52therewith (for no man is converted or believeth without his own conſent) all parties pretend to agree. The point of difference is, how to ſtate the manner and degree of the cooperation, as well of the one, as of the other, ſo as neither the glory of Gods Grace be eclipſed, nor the freedome of mans will deſtroyed. In which difficult point, you ſay, you think it fitter to acquieſce in thoſe aforeſaid acknowledged truths, in which both ſides agree, then to hold cloſe to either opinion]

§. 75. In this propoſition, it being by you in the Concluſion moſt undeniably and Chriſtianly The Power of Grace in converſion, &creſolved, that the one care ought to be, that neither the glory of Gods Grace be eclipſed, nor the freedome of man's will deſtroyed, It would not be amiſs a little to reflect on the former part, and demand whether your expreſſion were not a little too cautious, in ſaying, the grace of God hath the main ſtroke and chiefeſt operation] did I not diſcern the ground of that caution, becauſe you were to expreſs that whereunto all parties muſt be ſuppoſed to conſent. This being abundantly ſufficient to account for your caution, I ſhall not doubt of your concurrence with me, that it may with truth be ſaid, and I ſuppoſe alſo by the agreement, if not of all Chriſtians, yet of both parties in this debate, particularly of the Remonſtrants, that the Grace of God is in lapſed man the one ſole principle of ſpirituall life, Converſion, Regeneration, Repentance, Faith and all other Evangelical vertues, and that all that can juſtly be attributed to our will in any of theſe, is the obeying the motions, and making uſe of the powers, which are thus beſtowed upon us, by that ſupernatural principle; To work and work out our own ſalvation, upon the ſtrength of p. 53Gods giving us to will and to do; by [giving us to will and to do] meaning his giving us power to each, as foreign, Luke 1. is giving us power to ſerve him in holineſs and righteouſneſs all the dayes of our lives, every initiall and more perfect act of holineſs, eſpecially perſevering in it all our dayes, being wholly imputable to that power, which is given by Gods Spirit. For indeed when it is conſidered, what the ſtate of our corrupt will is, being naturally averted from God, and ſtrongly inclined to evil, it ſeems to me ſcarce proper to call this, in relation to ſupernatural vertues, a free will, till God by his preventing Grace hath in ſome degree manumitted it, till Chriſt hath made it free; Being then what it is, i. e. in ſome degree emancipated by Gods Grace, and by Grace onelyonly, (this act of Chriſts love, and Grace being reached out to enemies, to men in their corrupt ſtate of averſion and oppoſition to God) the will is then enabled (ſtill by the ſame principle of Grace) to chooſe life, when it is propoſed, and What the freedome of will now it.the wayes and means to it, and though it be left free to act or not to act, to chooſe or not to chooſe, yet when it doth act and chooſe life, it doth it no otherwiſe (to my underſtanding) then the body doth perform all the actions of life, meerly by the ſtrength of the ſoul, and that continuall animation it hath, it receives from it; which makes the parallel compleat, and gave ground to the expreſſion and compariſon betwixt giving of natural life, and regeneration.

§. 76. What freedome the will naturally (under this corrupt ſtate) hath to other things, of all ſorts, I do not now conſider any farther, then that it is fully furniſhed with ability to ſin, and p. 54Ability to ſin.ſo to refuſe and contemn, and to receive in vain the Grace of God, and Grace it ſelf doth not deprive it of that part of its corrupt patrimony: As for an uniform conſtant choice of thoſe things that belong to our peace and ſpiritual end, for the beginning of that, and every ſtep of motion through, and perſeverance in it, Its freedome, and ſtrength, and every degree of life, or action, is wholly and entirely from Grace, and then he that without him can do nothing, can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthens him. And ſo the onelyonly remaining queſtion is (which to me, I confeſs, is a poſing one) What exception can poſſibly be ſtarted againſt this ſtating, and conſequently what farther doubt there can be in this matter.

§. 77. I have of my ſelf by my natural Generation, (but this is alſo from God) power for natural, All good due to Grace.nay ſinful actings, for this I need no farther principle, and the ſupervenience of a ſupernatural takes it not from me; Our experience aſſures us, what the Scripture ſo oft mentions, that we often reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt, which we could not do, if at leaſt it were not tendred to us: But for all degrees of good, from the firſt good motion toward converſion, to the enſtating us in glory, it is wholly received from the Spirit of God, and the glory of it cannot in any degree, without the utmoſt ſacriledge, be arrogated or aſſumed to our ſelves, as the work of our free will; and ſeeing it is one act of ſuperabundant grace to enable us to do any thing, and another to reward us for doing it in ſo imperfect a manner, (and with ſuch mixtures of manifold pollutions) and a third to exerciſe us in, and reward us for thoſe things, which are ſo agreeable and gratefull to our reaſonable nature, p. 55Commandments far from grievous, a gracious yoke, as well as a light burthen, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy Name, give we the praiſe. Praiſe the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me, praiſe his holy Name.

§. 78. What you add on this theme, is by way of reflexion, on the inconvenient opinions of the oppoſite parties in this matter.

1. That on the Calviniſts part theſe two things, viz. the phyſical predetermination, and (which muſt Predetermination and irreſiſtibility,neceſſarily follow thereupon) the Irreſiſtibility of the work of Grace, ſeem to you to be ſo inconſiſtent with the natural liberty of the will, and ſo impoſſible to be reconciled therewith, that you can not yet by any means fully aſſent thereto] The ſtyle wherein this concludes [cannot yet fully] ſignifies to me, that you have, with great impartiality (if not with favour and prepoſſeſſion of kindneſs to the Antiremonſtrant ſide) endeavoured your utmoſt to reconcile theſe two Doctrines of Predetermination and Irreſiſtibility, with the common notions of Morality How unreconcileable with Chriſtian principles.and Chriſtianity, and you cannot find any means to do it; and I fully conſent to you in it, and cannot but add, that the very being of all future judgement, and ſo of heaven and hell, conſidered as rewards of what is here done in our bodies, whether good or bad, nay the whole oeconomy of the Goſpel, of giving, and giving more, and withholding and withdrawing Grace, and the difference betwixt the Grace of Converſion and Perſeverance, and the force of exhortations, promiſes, threats, commands (and what not?) depends immediately and unavoidably on the truth of the Catholick Doctrine of all ages, as in theſe points of Predetermination and Irreſiſtibility, it ſtands in oppoſition p. 56to the Calviniſts. The ſhewing this diffuſedly, according to the merit of the matter, through the ſeverall ſteps, were the work of a volume, of which I ſhall hope there can be no need, after ſo many have been written on the ſubject.

§. 79. Your next reflexion is on the Arminians, of whom you ſay,

On the other ſide, me thinks, the Arminians aſcribe leſs to the grace of God, and more to the free Of Arminians attributing too little to Grace.will of man, then they ought, in this, That according to their Doctrine, why of two perſons (as Peter and Judas) ſuppoſed to have all outward means of converſion equally applyed, yet one ſhould be effectually converted, the other not, the diſcriminating power is by them placed in the will of man, which (you ſay) you ſhould rather aſcribe to the work of Grace] If this be the right ſtating of the caſe between the Arminians and their oppoſites, I am then without conſulting the Authors, aſſured by you that I am no Arminian, for I deem it impoſſible (I ſay not for any man, not knowing what miracles the magick of ſome mens paſſions may enable them to work, but) for you that have written what I have now ſet down from you, to imagine you aſcribe more to the Grace of God, and leſs to the will of man, then I have thought my ſelf obliged to do, making it my challenge and intereſt, and requiring it to be granted me (and not my conceſſion onelyonly) that all that any man is enabled to do, is by Chriſts ſtrengthening him,

§. 80. But not to queſtion what others do, or to accuſe or apologize for any, let us conſider the caſe you ſet, and allow the truth to be judged of, in this whole queſtion, by what this particular caſe ſhall exact.

p. 57§. 81. But 1. in the ſetting of it, I cannot but Of Judas whether he were not converted.mark two things, 1. That the perſons made uſe of to ſet the caſe in, are Judas and Peter. 2. That to the word [converted] is prefixed [effectually.] This would make it probable that you think a man may be converted, and yet not effectually converted, or however that Judas was not effectually converted. That Judas was converted, and, as far as concerned the preſent ſtate, abſtracted from perſeverance, effectually converted, I offer but this one teſtimony, the words of Chriſt to his Father, **Joh. xvii. 12,John 17:12[Of thoſe whom thou gaveſt me I have loſt none, ſave onelyonly the ſon of perdition] That whoſoever is by the Father given to Chriſt, is converted, and that effectually, is concluded from Chriſts univerſal propoſition, All that my Father giveth me, ſhall come to me, Joh. vi. 37. and here it is expreſly ſaid that Judas (though by his apoſtacy now become the ſon of perdition) was by God given to Chriſt, and therefore he came to Chriſt, i. e. was converted, which alſo his being loſt, his very Apoſtacy teſtifies, for how could he Apoſtatize from Chriſt, that was never come to him? From hence it ſeems to me neceſſary either to interpret your ſpeech of final perſeverance, as if none were effectually converted, but ſuch who perſevere, (which as it belongs to another queſtion, that of perſeverance, to which you after proceed, and not to this of reconciling irreſiſtibility and free will, ſo it would ſeem to ſtate it otherwiſe, then I perceive you afterwards do) or, to avoid that, to underſtand no more by Judas and Peter then any other two names, ſuppoſe Robert and Richard, John at Noke and John at Stile, (as you ſince tell me your meaning was) the one converted effectually, i. e. p. 58really, the other not, when both are ſuppoſed to have the ſame outward means of converſion equally applied to them.

§. 82. Now to the queſtion thus ſet of any two, and ſuppoſing what hath been granted between you and me, that the outward means are accompanyed to both with a ſufficient meaſure of inward Grace, My anſwer you diſcern already, that the Whence diſcrimination comes.Diſcrimination comes immediately from one mans reſiſting ſufficient Grace, which the other doth not reſiſt, but makes uſe of: In this ſhould I add no more, there could be no difficulty, becauſe as it is from corruption, and liberty to do evil, (that meeting with the reſiſtibility of this ſufficient grace) that one reſiſts it, ſo it is wholly from the work of Grace upon an obedient heart, that the other is converted; And ſo this ſtating aſcribes all the good to the work of Grace, i. e. to that power, which by ſupernatural Grace is given him, and all From mans liberty to reſiſt.the ill to man and his liberty, or ability to reſiſt.

§. 83. But from what hath been ſaid, there is yet more to be added, viz. that the obedience of the one to the call of Grace, when the other, ſuppoſed to have ſufficient, if not an equal meaſure, obeyes not, may reaſonably be imputed to the humble, malleable, melting temper, (which the From Gods Preventions.other wanted) and that again owing to the preventing Graces of God, and not to the naturall probity, or free will of Man, whereas the other, having reſiſted thoſe preparing Graces, or not made uſe of them, lyeth under ſome degree of obduration, pride, ſloth, voluptuouſneſs, &c. and that makes the diſcrimination on his ſide, i. e. renders him unqualified and uncapable to be wrought on by ſufficient Grace, and ſo ſtill, if it be attentively p. 59weighed, this attributes nothing to free will, conſidered by it ſelf, but the power of reſiſting Nothing imputed to man but power of reſiſting.and fruſtrating Gods methods (which I ſhould think, they that are ſuch aſſertors of the corruption of our nature, ſhould make no difficulty to yield him, but that they alſo aſſert the irreſiſtibility of Grace, and that is not reconcileable with it) yielding the glory of all the work of converſion, and all the firſt preparations to it, to his ſole Grace, by which the will is firſt ſet free, then fitted The whole work of converſion to Grace.and cultivated, and then the ſeed of eternal life ſucceſsfully ſowed in it.

§. 84. If the Remonſtrants yield not this, you ſee my profeſſion of diſſent from them, if they do, as for ought I ever heard or read (which indeed hath been but little in their works, that I might reſerve my ſelf to judge of theſe things, without prepoſſeſſion) they doubt not to do, you ſee you have had them miſrepreſented to you. But this either way is extrinſecall and unconcernant to the merit of the cauſe, which is not to be defended or patronized by names (but arguments) much leſs to be prejudged or blaſted by them.

§. 85. You now add, as a reaſon to inforce your laſt propoſition, That although the Grace of God Of the congruous manner &c. making Grace effectuall.work not by any phyſical determination of the will, but by way of moral ſuaſion onelyonly, and therefore in what degree ſoever ſuppoſed, muſt needs be granted ex natura rei poſſible to be reſiſted, yet God by his infinite wiſdome can ſo ſweetly order and attemper the outward means in ſuch a congruous manner, and make ſuch gracious inward applications and inſinuations, by the ſecret imperceptible operation of his holy Spirit, into the hearts of his choſen, as that de ſacto the will ſhall not finally reſiſt. That (you ſay) p. 60of the ſon of Syrach, Fortiter & Suaviter, is an excellent Motto, and fit to be affixed, as to all the wayes of Gods providence in generall, ſo to this of the effectuall working of his Grace in particular.]

§. 86. This for the ſubſtance falls in with the This a member of the former Conjecture.laſt of thoſe which you ſo cautiouſly ſet down for meer conjectures, ſeeming to you not improbable. And ſo here you continue to propoſe it, 1, as that, which God can do, (and thus no Chriſtian can doubt of it) 2. by the one teſtimony which you tender for the proof of it, the words of Eccleſiaſticus [ſtrongly but ſweetly;] which though Fortiter & ſuaviter.it be there moſt probably interpreted of the works of Gods providence, not particularly of his Grace, ſo if it were, moſt fully expreſſes their thoughts, who building on the promiſe of ſufficient Grace, and the way of the working of that by moral ſuaſion, will apply the fortiter to the ſufficiency, and the ſuaviter to the ſuaſion, and yet reſolve (what frequent experience tells us) that thoſe that are thus wrought on, ſtrongly and ſweetly too, and as ſtrongly and ſweetly (if not ſometimes more ſo) as they that are converted by it, are yet very (very) many times, not converted.

§. 87. Here therefore the point lyes, not whether God can thus effectually work upon all that he tenders ſufficient grace unto, nor again, whether ſometimes (and whenſoever he pleaſeth) he doth thus work, (for as this is the moſt that you demand, ſo this is moſt evident, and readily granted) but 1. whether all are effectually converted and perſevere, and ſo are finally ſaved, on whom God What is the only queſtion here.doth work thus ſweetly and powerfully, attempering the outward and inward means, applications and inſinuations, by the ſecret imperceptible operations p. 61of his ſpirit, and that in a congruous manner (I add time alſo) 2. Whether his doing thus is ſuch an act of his Election, as that all to whom this is not done, ſhall be ſaid in Scripture to be left, paſt by, and reprobated.

§. 88. If thus it is, (not onelyonly can be) and if it may be convincingly teſtified by any text of Scripture, that this really is the Scripture Election, it ſhall be moſt willingly and gladly yielded to: But till this be done, 1. that other Scheme, which I ſo lately ſet down, may be allowed to maintain it's competition againſt this, and 2. it is to be remembred from the premiſes, that the glory of Gods Grace in every one's converſion is abundantly taken care of, and ſecured, without the aſſiſtance of this: 3. that the ground of the Antiremonſtrants exception to the Arminian occurrs in this way of ſtating too, for ſince 'tis here affirmed, that Grace even thus applyed is poſſible to be reſiſted, why may not the accepting this higher degree be as imputable to mans wil, as of the other barely ſufficient Grace the objecter ſuppoſes it to be?

§. 89. Laſtly, the ſaying of our Saviour Mat. xi. 21. is of no ſmall moment in the caſe, and Mat. xi. 21. a ſpecial prejudice to the Conjecture.Matt 11:21yields a ſubſtantial prejudice to this way. For 1. it is expreſly affirmed verſ. 20. of thoſe Cities wherein were wrought foreign his most abundant powers or miracles, that foreign they repented not; His miracles I ſuppoſe had his grace annexed to them, and it is hard to believe that where his moſt numerous miracles were afforded, they ſhould all want the advantage of the congruous timings to give them their due weight of efficacy: However there is no pretence p. 62of believing it here, where it is ſaid, Chriſt foreign began to reproach and upbraid them, that the miracles had been ſo ſucceſsleſs among them, which he could with no propriety do, if any circumſtance needfull to their efficacy had been wanting to them: and v. 22. the more intolerable meaſure of damnation, which is denounced againſt them, puts this beyond queſtion, that theſe wanted not the more ſuperabundant advantages of Grace. Secondly, it is alſo as explicitly pronounced by Chriſt, that thoſe miracles and that Grace which were not effectuall to the converſion of thoſe Jewiſh cities, Chorazin and Bethſaida, would have been ſucceſsful to the converſion of others, and made them Proſelytes and penitents of the ſevereſt kind, in ſackcloth and aſhes. Whereupon I demand, Had thoſe means, thoſe miracles (the inſtruments and vehicles of Grace, that were then uſed to Chorazin and Bethſaida) the timings and other advantageous circumſtances, which the opinion, now under conſideration, pretends to be the infallible means of the ſalvation of the elect, or had they not? If they had, then it ſeems theſe may fail of converting, and ſo have not that ſpeciall efficacy, which is pretended, it being expreſly affirmed, that here they ſucceeded not to converſion. But if they had not the timings &c. then it remains as undeniable, as the affirmation of Chriſt can render it, that thoſe means, that Grace, which hath not thoſe advantageous circumſtances, may be, nay, if granted to Tyre and Sidon, heathen cities, would actually have been ſucceſsfull to them. And what can be more effectuall to the prejudice of a conjecture, then this double force of the words of Chriſt confronted expreſly to both branches of it? p. 63And then I hope I may with modeſty conclude, that there remains no viſible advantage of this way, to recommend it, in caſe the Scripture be not found to own, and more then favour it in ſome other paſſages.

§. 90. Your laſt Propoſition on this Theme is, that Sith the Conſiſtence of Grace and free will is a Myſtery ſo tranſcending our weak underſtandings, that it hath for many years exerciſed and puzzled the wits of the acuteſt Schoolmen to find it out, inſomuch as hundreds of volumes have been written and daily are de concurſu Gratiae & liberi arbitrii, and yet no accord hath hitherto followed, you ſay, you have ever held, and ſtill do hold it the more pious and ſafe way, to place the Grace of God in the throne, where we think it ſhould ſtand, and ſo to leave the will of man to ſhift for the maintenance of its own freedome, as well as it can, then to establiſh the power and liberty of free will at the height, and then to be at a loſs how to maintain the power and efficacy of Gods Grace,]

§. 91. But if what hath been clearly laid down, for the attributing all our ſpirituall good to the work of Grace, and aſſuming nothing of this kind to the innate power of free will, but a liberty to reſiſt Grace, the reſt being humbly acknowledged to be due to a ſupernaturally conferred freedome, or emancipation, whereby we are enabled to make uſe of Grace, and by the power thereof to cooperate with it; Then 1. the conſiſtence of Conſiſtance of Grace and free will.grace and free will in this ſenſe, is no ſuch tranſcending Myſtery, and I think there is no text in Scripture that ſounds any thing towards the making it ſo. 2. 'Tis evident, that the difficulties that have exerciſed the Schools in this matter ariſe from p. 64their endeavouring to ſtate it otherwiſe, ſome by maintaining Predetermination and irreſiſtibility, The difficulties in the Schoolmens way whence.which all the powers of nature cannot reconcile with Man's free wil ad oppoſitum; And ſome few that go another milder way, are yet afraid of departing too far from the former, and inſtead of irreſiſtibility ſubſtitute efficacy, as that ſignifies infallibility of the event to the Elect, and ſo find difficulty to extricate themſelves; whereas Grace ſufficient, but reſiſtible, given together with the word to all, to whom Chriſt is revealed, hath 1. it ſelf How eaſily ſuperſeded.nothing of difficulty in the conception, and 2. being underſtood, utterly removes all farther difficulty in this matter. For hereby we place the Grace of God in the throne, to rule and reign in the whole work of converſion, perſeverance, and ſalvation, (and what can be more demanded, that we have not aſſerted? certainly nothing by you, who in ſetting down the conſent of all parties, expreſt it by no more then its having the main ſtroke and chiefeſt operation) and need not put the will of man to ſhift for the maintenance of its own freedome, as long as we can do it with much more ſafety and temper, then either by ſetting it at the height with the Pelagians, or endangering to convert it into a meer trunk, or leaving men to the duct of their own humours, either to advance it above its due, and grow inſolent, or depreſſe it below what is meet, and ſo give up themſelves to ſloth, and indifferency.

§. 92. On the third or laſt head concerning Grace and perſeverance, your propoſitions are three, the two former I ſhall ſet down together, becauſe the firſt is but a preparative to, or one way of proof of the ſecond, which onelyonly concerns our purpoſe.

p. 65I. That Faith and all holy Graces inherent in us, Love, Patience, and Humility, &c. are the gifts Of falling from Grace.of God wrought in us by his Grace and holy Spirit, none will deny; But that they are wrought in us by infuſion and in inſtanti (as Philoſophers teach forms to be introduced into the matter by naturall generation in inſtanti,) at leaſt that they are alwayes or ordinarily ſo infuſed, you ſee no neceſſity of believing, or why it may not be ſaid of theſe foreign (ſpirituall Graces) notwithstanding they be acknowledged the gifts of God, as well as of thoſe foreign (ſpirituall gifts, as we tranſlate them) which are certainly the gifts of God as well as the other, and ſo acknowledged; that they are (after the manner of other habits) ordinarily acquirable by induſtry and frequented acts, and the bleſſing of God upon our prayers and endeavours. To what purpoſe els were it for Miniſters in their Sermons uſually to preſs motives to ſtir up men to labour to get Faith, Love, &c. and to propoſe means for their better direction, how to get them?

II. Whence (you ſay) it ſeemeth to you further probable, that Faith and all other inherent Graces, as they may be with Gods bleſſing attain'd, may be alſo loſt again by ſloth, negligence, and carnall ſecurity, and therefore you cannot but doubt of the truth of that aſſertion which the Contra-remonſtrants do yet averre with great confidence, That Faith once had, cannot be loſt, and other the like. The diſtinction that they uſe, as a ſalvo in this Queſtion, of a true and temporary Faith, ſignifieth (ſay you) little or nothing, for it at once both beggeth and yieldeth the whole Queſtion: It 1. beggeth the queſtion, when it denyeth that Faith that may be loſt, to be true Faith, and withall 2. yieldeth the queſtion, when it granteth p. 66a temporary Faith, which term is capable of no other conſtruction, then of ſuch a Faith, as being once had is afterwards loſt. It is one of the Articles of our Church, that after we have received the holy Our Article.Ghoſt, we may depart from Grace given.]

§. 93. In theſe two there is nothing for me to queſtion, and as little to add to them, unleſs I annex, what I ſuppoſe you did not think needfull, the expreſs conſent of Scriptures and Fathers, whereon our Churches Article muſt be reſolved to Grounds of it in Scripture. In the old Teſtament.have been founded. In the old Teſtament the examples of the Angels in Heaven, of Adam in Paradiſe, and in a remarkable manner of two to whom God had given eminent teſtimony, 1. David, in the matter of Ʋriah, an odious murther added to adultery, and continued in impenitently, till after the birth of the child, the blemiſh whereof ſtill ſticks to him, and remains upon record, as an allay to all his excellencies, now that he is in heaven. 2, Solomon, whoſe heart was by his multitude of wives and concubines taken off from God, and debauched to Idols, no way being left us to diſcern whether ever he returned or no, unleſs his Eccleſiaſtes be a declaration and fruit of his Repentance; And as theſe and many other examples, even of that whole Old-Teſtament-church, the Jews, make this evident, ſo the words of Ezekiel are expreſs both for totall and finall falling away. If the righteous turn from his righteouſneſs, in his unrighteouſneſs Ch. iii. 20. & xviii. 24.ſhall he die.

§. 94. The new alſo is parallel, in the example of Peter, thrice, with time of deliberation between, In the ….and after expreſs warning from Chriſt, and his reſolute promiſe to the contrary, denying and abjuring of Chriſt, whoſe return from this fall with p. 67bitter tears, is called by Chriſt Converſion, and the ſin upbraided to him thrice after his reſurrection, Luk. xxii. 32Luke 22:32Simon, ſon of Jonas loveſt thou me more then theſe? Joh. xxi. 25.John 21:25in reference to his confident undertaking, though all men ſhould deny thee, or be offended, yet will not I. Mar. xiv. 29, 31.Mark 14:29Mark 14:31And if the argument from Chriſts expreſs words, formerly produced, be of force, then is Judas (one of thoſe that was by God given to Christ, and came Joh. xvii. 12. & vi. 37.John 17:12unto, and believed on him) an example of the blackeſt ſort, teſtifying to this ſad truth, That a believer and Diſciple of Chriſt may betray him to his Crucifixion, and die in deſperation,

§. 95. To theſe two inſtances, the former greatly aggravated with circumſtances, the latter finall, and of the higheſt degree imaginable, It is not needfull to add more, els it is obvious to increaſe the catalogue with thoſe that were polluted by the Gnoſticks, by name, Hymenaeus and Alexander, who putting away a good conſcience, concerning Faith 1 Tim. 1. 20.1 Tim 1:20made ſhipwrack, and again Hymenaeus and Philetus, 2 Tim. ii. 17.2 Tim 2:17who fell off ſo far, as to the denyall of any future Reſurrection, of whom the Apoſtle there ſpeaking, ſaith, if God peradventure will give them repentance, and they may recover themſelves out of the ſnare of the Devil] looking on their eſtate as that of lapſed believers, and though not utterly hopeleſs, yet extremely dangerous, And this exemplified in whole Churches, Apoc. ii. and iii. which are therefore threatned preſent deſtruction, if they do not ſpeedily return.

§. 96. To which purpoſe the Texts in the ſixth and tenth to the Hebrews are unanſwerable, In the ſixth, that it is impoſſible, i. e. extremely difficult, for thoſe that were once enlightned, &c. if they fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, adding p. 68the ſimilitude of the reprobate earth, whoſe end is to be burned. From which how diſtant is the Doctrine of thoſe, that either imagine it impoſſible for ſuch to fall away totally, or if they are fallen away, not to be renewed again to repentance? In the tenth alſo, twere vain to make ſo ſevere interminations againſt thoſe who ſin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, (as we read v. 26.) if there were no poſſibility of ſo ſinning, but eſpecially the 38. verſe is remarkable, The juſt ſhall live by faith, foreign, And if he (the juſt) ſhall draw back, my ſoul hath no pleaſure in him] explicating v. 39. what drawing back he ſpeaks of, even drawing back unto perdition, and that is finall, as well as totall, and both, it ſeems, very poſſible, as every where appears by the exhortations to him that thinketh he ſtandeth, to take heed lest he fall, when if he do, It had been better never to have known 1 Cor. x. 12. 2 Pet. ii. 21.1 Cor 10:122 Pet 2:21the way of righteouſneſs, then after he hath known it, to turn from the holy Commandment, and this in ſuch a degree, as is expreſt by returning to the vomit, and wallowing in the mire, the acts and habits of the fouleſt ſins, in forſaking of which their converſion conſiſted.

§. 97. The Teſtimonies of the Fathers are too long to be ſet down, and indeed unneceſſary to the confirmation of that, to which the Scripture hath teſtified ſo plentifully, eſpecially ſince it is not (it cannot be) denyed by the contrary-minded, that Saint Auguſtine, the onelyonly fautor of their cauſe, in the point of decrees, and effectuall Grace, granteth S. Auguſtin.poſſibility of falling, both totally and finally, from a juſtified eſtate, and uſeth it as a means to prove his abſolute Decrees.

I now proceed to your third and laſt propoſition in theſe words,

p. 69§. 98. Yet I believe wee may ſecurely admit the Of perſeverance of the elect.doctrine of perſeverance of Gods elect, and the certainty thereof, ſo as it be underſtood. 1. Of their finall perſeverance onelyonly, leaving roome for great (perhaps totall) interruptions and interciſions in the meane time. 2. Of the certainty of the thing, (certitudo objecti,) in regard of the knowledge, and purpoſe of God, but, not of any undoubted aſſurance, that the elect themſelves have thereof, (certitudo ſubjecti, as wee uſe to diſtinguiſh them,) there being a great deale of difference between theſe two propoſitions, it is certain that the elect ſhall not fall away finally, and the elect are certain that they ſhall not fall away finally.]

§. 99. In this propoſition I can fully yeild my concurrence, if by rendering my reaſons for my conſent, I may be allowed to expreſſe what I mean by it. This I ſhall do through the ſeverall branches of it.

1. I believe not onelyonly that ſecurely we may, but that of neceſſity (and under the pain of contradiction in adjecto,) we muſt admit the doctrine of Perſeverance of Gods Elect, and the certainty, (moſt unqueſtionable certainty) thereof, Gods Election of any perſon to the reward of the covenant, being undoubtedly founded in the perſeverance of that perſon in the faith, this perſeverance being the expreſſe condition of the covenant, He that endureth to the end, the ſame ſhall be ſaveá, he and Mat. 24. 30.Matt 24:30none but he, but if he draw back, Gods ſoule hath no pleaſure in him.Heb. 10. 30.Heb 10:30

§. 100. Which that it is nothing available toward concluding that they which can fall totally from their juſtified ſtate, may not yet fall finally alſo, I infer to be your ſence from your great p. 70diſlike to the Calviniſts Salvo, taken from the diſtinction of a true and temporary faith, which Temporary faith may be true.aſſures me, you take that faith for true, which yet is but temporary, then which nothing is more contrary to the eſtabliſhing the perſeverance of all the faithfull, unleſſe there be ſome promiſe that all temporaries ſhall ſo recover again before their death, as finally to perſevere, (which as I think, 'twill not be pretended, ſo if it be, they are no longer temporaries,) or unleſſe it ceaſe to be in their power to continue in their ſins, into which they are fallen, which ſure it cannot, unleſſe the grace of perſeverance be irreſiſtible, which if it were, there is no reaſon, why that of converſion, to all that are converted, ſhould not be irreſiſtible alſo.

§. 101. 2. For their great, (perhaps totall) interruptions and interciſions in the meane time, The elect ſubject to interciſions.I can no way doubt, but thoſe are ſubject to them, who yet upon Gods foreſight of their returne, and perſevering conſtancy at length, are elected to ſalvation. It is certain, which the Article of our Church ſaith, that as they which have received the holy Ghoſt may depart from grace given and fall away, ſo by the ſame grace of God they may returne again, and then returning they may no doubt perſevere, and then 'tis certain they are elected to ſalvation, the mercy and pardon in Chriſt extending not onelyonly to the ſins of an unregenerate ſtate, and the infirmities and frailties of the regenerate; but alſo to all the willfull ſins and falls of thoſe that do timely returne again by repentance, as David and Peter did (but Judas certainly, Solomon poſſibly did not,) and then continue ſtedfaſt unto the end. And ſo 'tis onelyonly the finall perſeverance p. 71that is required indiſpenſably of the elect, which is reconcileable with their great, perhaps totall interciſions.

§. 102. But 'tis not amiſs here to advert, that this doth no more ſuppoſe or include the reconciliation The falls of thoſe that have been once regenerate no more reconcileable with Gods favour then of the unregenerate.or favour of God, to thoſe that have been once regenerate, when they are fallen into groſſe ſins, then to the unregenerate remaining in the ſame or greater ſinns, it being as poſſible in reſpect of us, (perhaps more probable in reſpect of God,) that the unregenerate may convert and perſevere, (and then they are approved to be the elect,) as that they that were once regenerate, but now fallen, may return again. It is as certain from before Paul's birth, and from all eternity, that he was elected, as that David or Peter was, and then either his blaſphemous perſecuting the name of Chriſt muſt have been at the time when he was guilty of that, reconcileable with Gods favour, viz. before his converſion, (and then for the gaining of Gods ſavour what needed his converſion?) or elſe Peter's denying and abjuring of Chriſt, Davids adultery and murther muſt not be reconcileable, notwithſtanding their ſuppoſed Election. For as to the ſonſhip of their former life, that will no more excuſe their contrary waſting ſins, then the future Nay the advantage is on the unregenerates part.ſonſhip of the other, nay it will ſet the advantage on the other ſide, the unconverted Saul obtaines 1 Tim. 1. 13.1 Tim 1:13mercy, becauſe he did it ignorantly, in unbelief, Whilſt their ſins have the aggravation of being ſins againſt grace, and forſaking, and departing from God, which reſpect makes the ſtate of Apoſtates as the moſt unexcuſable, ſo the moſt deſperately dangerous ſtate.

p. 72§. 103. 3. That there is a Certitudo Objecti to Certainty of the object.all the Elect, cannot be doubted, for if they be elected to ſalvation, they will finally perſevere, if they perſevere not, they were not elected. Again this certainty of the object, is a certainty in regard of the knowledge and purpoſe of God, 1. Of his knowledge that either they will not fall, or if they do, that they will riſe again, and then finally perſevere. 2. Of his purpoſe or decree of election, that every ſuch, finally perſevering, though formerly lapſed Chriſtian, ſhall be ſaved.

§. 104. 4. For the Certitudo ſubjecti; as I conſent Certatinty of the ſubject.to you fully in diſclaiming any neceſſity of that, ſo I ſuppoſe it is wholly extrinſecall to this ſubject, devolving to this other queſtion, not whether every one that is elect, be ſure he ſhall not fall away, but whether every believer be or ought to be ſure of his election? Of which if he were ſure, I could not reſiſt his being obliged to believe himſelf certain of his finall Perſeverance; Election and finall failing being incompetible.

§. 105. Having given you this interpretation of my ſence, and ſo conſent to each branch of your propoſition, I have no more to add, but that if you mean it in a farther ſence, proportionable to your former conjecture on the head of decrees, of Biſhop Overall's opinion, I ſhall no otherwiſe debate or queſtion it, then I did that, and ſo the fate of this and that, are folded up the one in the other, and if the Scripture ſhall be found favourable to the one, it ſhall be yeilded, and then there will be no controverſy of the other.

§. 106. OnelyOnly I deſire to add, that it will deſerve ….our ſpeciall care and warineſſe, ſo to deliver our thoughts in this matter, that we leave no man any p. 73ground of hope, that in caſe he depart from his duty, and ſo fall from Grace, or into any willful act or habit of ſin, he ſhall yet be ſo preſerved, whether by Gods Grace, or by his power, and providence, that he ſhall not finally dye without repentance: for as there is no promiſe of God to found that hope, ſo in time of temptation to any pleaſurable, tranſporting ſin, &c. it will be in danger to betray and ruine him, that hath a good opinion of himſelf, eſpecially if he hath been taught, that faith is a full aſſurance of his Election.

§. 107. The ſame I ſay of Grace, as it ſignifies Of Gods favour to rebellious childrenthe paternall favour of God to his Elect children, which is thought by ſome to be onelyonly clouded, and, as to their ſenſe and preſent experience and comfort, darkned by their moſt willfull ſins, ſo as God may be highly diſpleaſed with them, as David with his ſon Abſolom, and yet continue his paternall Love and favour to them, as David did his to that ungracious ſon, in the height of his Rebellion.

§. 108. 'Tis poſſible this Example of David may have ſome Rhetoricall Energy in it, to perſwade and deceive ſome. If it have, then 1. I may not unfitly ask this queſtion, whether they think God had then that kindneſs to Abſolom that David had? If he had not, how can it be drawn into example to God? If he had, how then can it agree with it, to cut him off in the midſt of his Rebellion, which 'tis manifeſt David would not have done. But omitting that, I anſwer 2. that 'tis viſible, that this in David was paſſionate indulgence, ſuch as men (as Joab tells him) diſliked, and to this kind of humane paſſionate, I oppoſe that other kind of Divine diſpaſſionate love, producing in God bowels of pity, frequent admonitions and warnings, powerfull p. 74Meſſages, ſtrong and earneſt calls, and propoſition of all rationall motives to repentance. But if thoſe prevail not, the juſt ſtill continuing to draw back, Gods ſoul hath no pleaſure in him, and the greater obligations of Love and Grace they are, againſt which he hath ſinn'd, the greater the provocations are in the ſight of God, and nothing conſequently but the greater degree of puniſhment to be expected. How God is affected toward rebellious ſons is ſet down Iſ. 1. 2, 10, 11, 12, &c.

§. 109. And then to put any man in hope, that what is not ordinarily revealed in the Goſpel, may yet be laid up for him in the cabinet of Gods ſecret counſels with this ſeal upon it, The Lord knoweth thoſe that are his, as if they might be his ſtill in No comfort for ſuch from 2 Tim. ii. 19.2 Tim 2:19Gods acceptation, which walk moſt contrarily to him, this may prove a moſt dangerous ſnare of ſouls, and it is ſtrange it ſhould ſeek ſhelter in that Text 2. Tim. 2. 19. which was moſt expreſly deſigned to the contrary, as is evident both by the notation of the foreign in the beginning of the verſe, which in all probability ſignifies the Covenant of God, the foreign ſtability whereof, there preſt, muſt aſſure us that there is no ſalvation to be expected, but according to the contents of that great indenture, once for all ſealed in the blood of Chriſt, of which as that indeed is one part, which is inſcribed on one ſide of the ſeal [The Lord knoweth thoſe that are his] i. e. he will never fail to own thoſe that continue faithfull to him; ſo the other, on the other ſide, is moſt emphatical, [Let every man that nameth the name of Chriſt, depart from iniquity] which if he do not, he hath forfeited all the Priviledges of his Chriſtianity.

§. 110. The Gnoſtick hereſie, one branch of it p. 75eſpecially, noted in Marcus's Scholars, in Irenaeus, is a ſeaſonable warning to all ſober Chriſtians The Marcuſians hereſie in this point, a good warning.in this matter, He told them of an foreign, a redemption, or kind of Baptiſm, which rendered them foreign, naturally and immutably ſpirituall, no more to be polluted by ſin, then gold by lying in the mire, or the Sun beams by lighting on a dunghill, and that whatever they did, they ſhould (as with the helmet of the mother of the Gods) be rendred foreign, inviſible to the Judge, The effects whereof, as to all carnality, &c. were ſo deteſtable, that it becomes every man moſt ſollicitouſly to guard and ſecure his Schemes of Election and Doctrine of Perſeverance of the Elect, from all probability, if not poſſibility, of miniſtring to the like, and that cannot well be by any other method of reſolution, but this, that thoſe that perſevere unto the end ſhall be ſaved, and none els; our tenure in all the Priviledges of Election, 1. Gods favour, 2. the continuall aſſiſtance of his Grace, and 3. the inheritance of ſons, being inſeparably relative and annext to the conſtant filiall obedience, which he indiſpenſably requires of us, under the Goſpel of conditionall promiſes.

§. 111. Thus have I paſt through all your Letter and given my ſelf the liberty of theſe ſtrictures, The Concluſion.by way of reflexion on all and every paſſage therein, which belonged to this ſubject of God's Decrees and his Grace; And without the addition of any unneceſſary recapitulation of the ſeveralls, it is already evident, how perfect the agreement is between us in all that you in any degree poſitively aſſert, or own as your opinion: And if in one particular which you are ſo carefull to propoſe, as a bare conjecture, and not allow it your favour in any other p. 76quality, it ſhould happen that we finally diſſent (though in propriety of ſpeech conjectures are not ſentiments) yet it were ſtrange the diſpute betwixt us ſhould be of any length. And ſo you diſcern the utmoſt of uneaſineſs, which is likely to be given you by this addreſs of

Dear Sir Your moſt affectionate brother and ſervant H. HAMMOND.