Animadversions Upon a Sheet Printed for Francis Smith, Part

Animadversions Upon a Sheet Printed for Francis Smith · Part

p. 63The Doctrine of Quakers, Pelagians, Arminians, Grotians, Phariſees, Aſſidians, Papiſts, and Juſtitiaries.

ABſurdities from your Errours ariſing, That God gave his Son for all Univerſally, upon condition that they believe, repent, and, obey him; and ſo Election, upon condition of ſomething in the Creature; either naturally, as reſtored by Chriſt at once, as the Pelagians, or elſe wrought in them by the Spirit, upon the aſſent of their free will, as the Papiſts, and Council of Trent, only by Gods fore-knowledge, ab Eterno; but not determination, and free act, and without conſidering any thing in the Creature, and particular free Perſonal Election from Eternity, meerly of good pleaſure, without any thing in the Creature, but to be wrought in the Elected, as the purchaſe of Chriſts Blood after Election.

1. You make Chriſt the Miniſter of ſin, Gal. 2.17. for you make man's act of Faith, Repentance and p. 64Obedience, the formal cauſe of their Juſtification, not only without which (ſine quâ non) but by which they are juſtified before God, and not by Chriſts Merits only: But man's act of Faith, repentance and obedience, is ſin, and filthy rags, Iſay 64.6. Phil. 3. Ergo, that which is ſin you make to juſtifie, and conſequently Chriſt muſt be then the Miniſter of ſin, if his Righteouſneſs alone be not ſufficient to juſtifie (being imputed by God, and received by Faith) for ſomething that is ſinful, and of man's, muſt help to juſtifie, and Chriſts Merits only make it paſſable and acceptable: ſo then Chriſts Merits makes ſin paſſable and acceptable, for all our righteouſneſs is but filthy rags, Iſ. 64.6. Phil. 3. dung and droſs, yea loſs, which is worſe than ſin; for man hath no righteouſneſs, except it be wrought in him by the aſſiſtance of the Spirit; therefore it muſt be that righteouſneſs wrought in man that the Prophet means, and the Apoſtles; for in him we live, move, and have p. 65our being, Acts 17. Now the major is proved by all the Teſtimonies and Writings of Arminians, Baptiſts, of that Sect, and Pelagians and Papiſts, and is notoriouſly known; The minor is made good from Iſay 64.6. and Phil. 3. Ergo the COncluſion is true, That they make Chriſt the Miniſter of ſin.

The ſecond Abſurdity is, That thoſe of this Errour do make the Souls of Men, before Chriſt's coming, mortal, and to dye with the Body; which is contrary to the Apoſtle, Phil. 1.23, 24. worſe than the Papiſts, their Purgatory, For a live Dog is better than a dead Lyon; and agreeable to Atheists, Stoicks, and Heathens: Beſides, it makes all Chriſt's Sufferings on the Croſs (as they ſay) to remove the firſt Covenant of perfect works, and to bring in a Lex remediens, a milder Law, to be only Temporal Puniſhment: For ſuch as was our Deliverance, ſuch was his Paſſion, 1 Theſ. 1. ult. to deliver us from the Wrath to come, did he die. Ergo our firſt death is p. 66both Eternal and Temporal. Again ſuch was Gods promiſe to Adam, had he ſtood; ſuch was his puniſhment if he fell. But if he had ſtood, he had life Eternal; Ergo, falling, Eternal death; beſides, The wages of Sin is Death, Rom. 5. and Rom. 6. ult. and James 1.13, 14, 15. But all man's Sin entered with his firſt fall, Rom. 5.12. Ergo, the firſt fall is the ground of Eternal Death: And that Unbelief only is the cauſe of Damnation, is a Lye againſt the Scriptures. For 'tis true, Unbelief is the cauſe of all ſins efficiently — And Sodom and Gomorrah were damned inſtrumentally for Adultery and Fornication, Ep. Jude 2. Pet. 2. and not inſtrumentally and directly for Unbelief in the Son of God: Yea Originally becauſe they were reprobated from Faith, effectual Calling, and Glory, 2 Theſ. 2.10, 11, 12. and becauſe he did not taſte death for them nor deliver them, becauſe they were not elected, ab eterno, 2 Theſ. 2.13. p. 671 Theſ. 5.9. John 22.40. Heb, 2.9. foreign (v. 10. foreign) foreign. That by the Grace of God he might taſte Death for every Son.

The third Abſurdity is, 2 Tim. 2.19. then by theſe mens Doctrine the Foundation of God is not ſure, if the acceptance of Chriſt and his Merits depend on mans Free-will; for conditional is not certain, for Faith is no condition on mans part, but a Neceſſary Qualification wrought in the Elect to apply his Grace, and purchaſed by his Blood too, and wholly wrought by his Spirit in them, as effectual Calling, Rom. 9. Fph. 2. Cratia non offertur Deo ſingulis, animo communicandi eam, ſed ſolis Electis. Piſcator againſt Papiſts.

The fourth Abſurdity is, That God's Grace is not free, which is by his word declared to be moſt free, Rom. 7. and Rom. 4. not at all of our works wrought in us, for then it is not free: Now Election is the top of his free Grace from p. 68whence flows all the other Juſtification and effectual Calling and Glory, Rom. 8.29, 30, 31, &c. for if it be upon any condition in us, then it is not free; but it is moſt free, Ergo, upon no condition in or by us at all, Acts 13.48. None can believe but who are pre-ordained to live, Epheſ. 2.8, 9, 10. The Elect are created unto good works, according to his good pleaſure, Phil. 2. Huberus and Hemingius, the great Jeſuits, and Patrons of this Sophiſtry, ſay, non abſolué ſtatuit, ſed defixit in Chriſto, ut credant in eo, ſalvi fiant; but predeſtination is de ſcientia Dei & voluntate ejus, and Act of his Will, Epheſ. 1.4, 7. as well as of his preſcience, Rom. 8. Whom he knew he did predeſtinate; there is his Knowledge, act of Will, and determinate Counſel; and the word foreign prius denifinivit prepoſitus, ſignifies an act of his will, foreign pono & foreign terminus, by his determinate Counſel; and it was 500 years before this Errour was ſeen or heard in the p. 69Horrizon of the World, till in the fifth Century Pelagius preached it at Rome; and all the Fathers then, eſpecially St. Auguſtine oppoſed it. Now ſaith Tertullian, id eſt verius, quod eſt prius; & id eſt prius, quod eſt ab initiis, & ab Apoſtolis. Then in latter times, about ſix hundred years ago, when Popery and the Babylonian Whore brought forth her great Baſtard Antichriſt, ſhe laid him on the Foundation of this Metropolitane Errour: And then in Germany, Arminius and Grotius lick'd up the Duſt of the crooked Serpent; and King James tollerating it in England, then it began to ſpread and infect with its poyſonous Breath, the Univerſities and Doctors of our Iſland, and then ſince our Vineyard hath been rifled and undertrod by the croaking Jeſuits, they have filled every Puddle and Lake, not only Fountains anf Rivers, with their Horrible Spawn.

The fifth Abſurdity, that Man hath power and free will of himſelf p. 70to believe, and to convert, or help to convert himſelf; he would have all (ſay they, to believe) then all have power to do it, or elſe God mocks them: All in that Text is not Univerſal, but Definitive, all the Elect of Jew and Gentile; as in 2 Cor. 5. it is uſed, and ſo is All taken; for the whole World lies in wickedneſs, but we are of God: there all the World is taken for a part; and Chriſt healed all Diſeaſes, and John Baptiſt baptized all; yet Herod, and many more, were not by him baptized; all put for many, Iſai. 53.11. and Joh. 12.40. it is apparent, that God doth harden and ſoften whom he will, and it is no derogation to his Juſtice or Mercy; for Rom. 9. he may do with his Clay what he will; and he only offers Grace univerſally by the external Miniſtry, but by the Spirit internally, only to the Elect, and none elſe, Acts 13.48.

The ſixth Abſurdity, Man may reſiſt his Effectual Calling if he will; and the Juſuit Hemingius brings in p. 71Mat. 23.33. but that Bone will not be ſo picked, for Chriſt ſpeaks that in reference to his external Miniſtry and Manhood, as an external Miniſter; only in that place, and ſo in other places too, you may find him acting the part of an external Miniſter, though he was God bleſſed for evermore.

The ſeventh Abſurdity, is falling away from Election, and Faith, and Unbelief, the only cauſe of Damnation. This laſt I have elſewhere anſwered to; but to the firſt part of the Abſurdity, there are a Cloud of Witneſſes againſt Saints falling away; for Hypocrites falling away we admit readily, according to which acceptation, Heb. 6. and ſuch like places are to be underſtood. Tertul. Ireneus, Juſtin Martyr, and Jerom; yea all the Fathers of the firſt five Centuaries, yea and all the Orthodox ſince; and Bernard, though living in corrupt times, in the twelfth or thirteenth Cent. on Cant. 3.4.v. Venerunt flumina, venti ſlaverunt, & impegerunt in eam, & non p. 72recidit eò quòd fundata ſupra Petram & ea eſt Chriſtus. And Tertul Nemo ſapiens, nemo fidelis niſi Chriſtianus, & nemo Chriſtianus, niſi qui ad finem uſque perſeveravit. And S. Aug. on Joh. 10.26. Eorum qui Electi ſunt, ſi quiſpiam perit, fallitur Deus, ſed nemo eorum perit. quia non fallitur Deus. And Bernard on Rom. 5. Seoumdum tempus pro peccatoribus & inimicis ſed ſeoundum praedeſtinatinem pro amicis. And Auguſt. Cent. 5. Electi ſunt ad regnandum cum Chriſto. And Ambroſe, Cent. 4. Omnibus qui ſunt ex ejus corpore vitam acquiſivit. And Auguſt Illi Chriſto intelliguntur dari qui praeordinati ſunt. And John 10.26, 27, 28, 29. Joh. 17.2.6.9, 10. and Jon. 6.29.37.44. cum multis aliis, quae nunc longum eſt praeſcribendum.

The eighth Abſurdity, is general and univerſal Redemption, contrary to the Scriptures, and to Joh. the 6.37.44. and Joh. 10.26, 27, 29. and the whole Chapter; and Epheſ. 1.4.7. and to Acts 13.48. he only Heb. 2. 9, 10. taſted death for every p. 73Son whom, Joh. 17. the Father gave him from Eternity. If Chriſt died for all, he either died effectually, or ſufficiently; effectually he did not, becauſe all are not ſaved: ſufficiently he did not, becauſe his death only extends to them the Father gave him, who are beloved in the Womb, Rom. 9. before they have done good or evil: If he died for all, and all are not ſaved, then is his Death and Grace in vain; but that is againſt both the Honour of God, and Dignity of Chriſt. Compare Iſai. 49. to Iſai. 42.

The ninth Abſurdity, that Unbelief is the only cauſe of Condemnation. I have ſaid ſomething to this before; but this is contrary to Rom. 2.12. to Heb. 6. to Rom. 5.12.16. Then all the Gentiles before Chriſt and Faith was preached, were freed from condemnation, and all the Jews too, for ought I know, for Faith was not publickly preached to them till Chriſt came, Gal. 3. ult. Acts. 17.30. and 14.16.17. Then Infants of Unbelievers cannot be p. 74damned; contrary to Ezek. 9. for they were ſlain that belonged to the Parents that did not mourn for ſin — and if you ſay that was only but a temporal death. I anſwer, God did not, even under that temporal conditional Covenant, deſtroy his own People that were ſaved by Chriſt ſo raſhly, they were certainly the Reprobates.

The tenth Abſurdity: Why did the Apoſtle cry, Rom. 11.33. Oh the depths of God, &c. his Counſels, &c. if your Doctrine be the truth? there is no myſtery, no depth in that, for its built on Reaſon, and every Creature that hath but common Reaſon may fathom it eaſily, that God gave Chriſt for all. 1. To put them into a condition of peace, and re-inſtate them in Innocency, as before the Fall, that they have naturally free will in part, or whole, to convert themſelves, and to believe that Chriſt aboliſhed the Covenant of perfect obedience, and purchaſed a milder Law, that it they obey the Command of Chriſt in the Goſpel, and p. 75repent, and be ſorry for ſins committed, which they all have power to do, if they will, and that but ſincerely, in your ſenſe; for in the ſenſe of Truth, ſincerely is to do the Will of God without any flaw; as the word, and the uſe of it, truly imports: Sincerè, id eſt, ſine cerâ, all Honey without any drege of wax, foreign; the firſt word is derived of foreign, ſplendòr ſolis, and foreign ſecerno, to do ones works in the light of the Sun. A Metap. taken from the Eagles, that try their young, by holding them up to Sun-beams, which if they can't endure, they caſt them down as none of their own: it is to do all works, obedience, and repentance, & quid non, in the light of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, and Juſtification from all ſin, guilt, and wrath by Chriſt, and then 'tis freely done, and not for any reward; for repent, believe, obey, is to be juſtified, but ſincerity is to do them, becauſe I am freely juſtified by Chriſts tranſaction of my ſins, and his perfect Righteouſneſs p. 76imputed to me: This is the mark of Popery, and Phariſaicality, which in the end will batter you all to pieces. The 2d. word is foreign, which ſignifies. Innocence, and Simplicity; as it were non cornibus ferienſe, ex à privative, and foreign, not to ſtick with horns, or to be puſhed at, as only the innocent perfect Keepers of Gods Law, as freed from Deut. 27. ult. for except all ſin be clearly aboliſhed, without any ſpot, wrath will break out: Now is your Arminian Faith, and Repentance, and Obedience ſo ſpotleſs, elſe wrath will break out upon you one day or other; and foreign forum, foreign aufero: as if all ſin muſt be quite taken away, or elſe the work is not ſincere: but Faith and Repentance is our work, becauſe done in us, though by the Spirit. And the Apoſtle in 1 Cor. 2. ſaith, The natural man cannot receive the things of God; which it might, if yours were the things of God; for there is no Myſtery in your Arminian, Pelagian, Papiſtical, and Socinian Doctrines, p. 77but meerly Reaſon: And that word in 1 Cor. 2. may be well and properly read, the rational man, or reaſon it ſelf, cannot receive the things of God, for they are a myſtery; Pſeuchicos Anthropos, the rational man; for the Soul is the ſubject of Reaſon, and before Faith is given, is rational, but not ſpiritual; 'tis Faith in the Blood of Chriſt, wrought by the Spirit of Chriſt, that makes it truly ſpiritual. But Puckſius the Jeſuit anſwers for you to that place in Rom. 4. alledged, that the Apoſtle admired, becauſe he knew the depths of Gods Counſels; and that it was beneath ſo great an Apoſtle, not to know the depths of God. I leave his fooliſh Aſſertion, as not worth the anſwering, and refer you and all your Tribe to Doctor Willet againſt the Papiſts, in his Synopſis of the Controverſies between the true Proteſtants and Papiſts, where all your Doctrine is fully anſwered and confuted, by irrefragable Argumentsl, which when you have anſwered, we will prepare new ones for you.

p. 78The tenth Abſurdity: if this univerſally be true, then all have power to believe if they will, contrary to Rom. 3.3. then all have Faith given them, and then their unbelief reſiſts Gods gift.

Conſider which is the greateſt Myſtery, the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation of perſons freely from Eternity, or conditional Election, upon fore-ſight of works or Faith, or the Election of Seed, not perſons, as the Quakers prate; Arminians and Papiſts would be juſtified by obeying Chriſt without them, Quakers by obeying Chriſt within them. What difference is here, but as much as is between an Heretick or Papiſt, without doors in a plain dreſs, and a Papiſt dreſſed up in a Myſtery, or an arrant Whore in honeſt Womens apparel, ſic etiam.

But neither will be juſtified by the obedience of Chriſt for them, that they ſcorn that any man ſhould pay their debts for them, but give them but leave, and let God have patience, and they will pay him all their own way, Mat. 18.

p. 792. Conſider which is moſt for the glory of Gods Juſtice, Truth, Mercy and Love, and for exalting of Chriſt, and Gods free grace, for that of neceſſity muſt be the truth, and all men lyars.

3. Conſider which is moſt for the ſecurity of Gods Children, for that is Gods great care, either to leave all men to their free will; an invention much like the Popes Purgatory, of later years, congenerated out of the drunken Pates of filthy dreamers, Jude Ep. to overthrow the Grace of God, and Righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed; for this Doctrine knows, nor owns nothing of that kind of righteouſneſs; or to ſecure them in the hands of Chriſt without and above themſelves, and he and his Spirit to do all for and in them freely.

They object, that by Jacob and Eſau in Rom. 9. are meant two Nations and Peoples. I anſwer with Calvin, they do ſo; But the Apoſtle doth not bring them in ſo, but as two Perſons, ſignifying the Eternal p. 80free Perſonal Election and Reprobation of God; either Gods will or mans will are moſt prevalent: God deſires not the death of a ſinner, yet they do die, becauſe they will not believe, and repent, when the Miniſtry bids them; therefore to conclude, that mans is more prevalent, is blaſphemy againſt God; but if Gods Will is, then is there eternal free perſonal Election and Reprobation. I demand, when did God give this grace to all men? when did Chriſt reſtore all men? if as ſoon as they fell in Adam, then all are conceived, and born pure; contrary to Pſalm 51. to David's experience, and contrary to Pſalm 58.3. for then the wicked could not err from the Womb; and contrary to Prov. 22.15. for then is not iniquity bound up in the heart of a Child.

Now there are a parcel of Feminine and Womaniſh Objections drivelling at the unclean mouths of Quaking and Arminian Jezabels, all which, were they a thouſand more, p. 81and the ſtrongeſt that their Jeſuitical Tribe can bring, are anticipated with an Anſwer by our great Apoſtle, Rom. 9.19, 20. in the 19th verſe is the protoplot of all Objections, and the Anſwer in the 20th verſe.

Octject. foreign? Who hath reſiſted his Will then, if it ſtand in the Free and Perſonal Election before and without any thing in man, or of man? Why then doth he find fault? Or, Why doth he accuſe us, ſeeing we cannot help it? Or, Why doth he expoſtulate the Caſe with men? As Why will ye dye? &c. Anſ. v. 20. foreign. Yea, ſay you me ſo! O! man! But who art thou that replyeth againſt God? foreign. Or that judgeſt from the Truth againſt God, as the Word ſignifies. What will theſe buſie Bodies and Tatlers not ſtick to meddle with God? Shall the Clay oppoſe the Potter? Shall the Ax reſiſt the Hewer? O! monſtrum horrendum ingens cui lumen ademptum! for indeed theſe p. 82Sophiſters have but one Eye.

Object. 1. If Chriſt dyed for all what need preaching? Acts 13. ult. 48. He that ordained the perſons, hath ordained the end for them, and the means to come, as via regnandi, to that end. Let this ſuffice for an Anſwer.

Object. 2. If there be a particular Election, then they ſhall be ſaved, and the reſt damned. Anſwer, Sape etiam ſtultus opportunè loquitur, Fools may tell truth: and ſo in this do you.

Object. 3. This renders God unjuſt and unequal. And ſo thought the unbelieving Jews under the Law, ſo do you under the Goſpel, and with the ſame Irony as the Prophet did them I anſwer you. Go to then, make you a clean heart, and purge away all your ſins clean out of God's ſight; get you a ſinleſs Faith and Repentance; and fulfill the whole Law in your perſons perfectly, and then God will perhaps receive you. But, ſecondly, I anſwer, Who art thou that replyeſt againſt God?

p. 83Object. 4. The Scriptures bids all repent and believe. Anſwer, It ſpeaks eſpecially to all the Elect of Jew and Gentile: Or miniſterially to all univerſally, but ſpiritually and effectually, to the Sheep the Elect.

Object. 5. God don't deſire a Sinner's death, but that he repent. Anſwer, He dont deſire the death of Elect Sinners, nor never did; for he hath loved them with an Everlaſting love, a parte ante & poſt, Jer. 31.3.

Object. 6. Then is God a reſpecter of perſons. Anſwer, So he is: 1. by way of decree; for he reſpected Abel and rejected Cain, becauſe he had elected the one, and rejected the other; and ſo the perſon of Jacob, and hated the perſon of Eſau; before they did good or evil. Secondly, Officially he reſpects mens perſons; for Miniſters ſhall ſhine as the Stars; and I have ſaid, ye are Gods, to Magiſtrates, and not to all; and the Man is the Image and Glory of God, according p. 84to the place and Authority of an Husband: So is not the Wife as a Wife, and a Woman: See 1 Cor. 11. therefore they that contend, and deſpiſe, and rule over their Husbands, are meritricious Gentlewomen, and Amazon's, terrible Monſters, generated out of corruption and the worſer part of Evah, but the works done by his redeemed and juſtifyed Children—he reſpects not their perſons for their works, but for Chriſts Righteouſneſs imputed he reſpects both them and their works, and will reward them. Neither doth he reſpect the Beauty, Riches, or Wiſdom of any man, ſo as to reſpect the perſon for thoſe things, though good in themſelves.

Object. 7. He gave himſelf a ranſom for all. Anſwer, for all his Elect definitively; which ſhall be teſtify'd in their proper times, Kainois idiois, that is, when he by his Spirit calls, and doth convert them.

p. 85Object. 8. It is not our works, but Chriſt that works in us Free-will, Faith, Repentance, and new Obedience. Anſwer, Though he does, it is but filthy Rags, Iſay 64.6. Phil. 3. but Droſs, Dung, and loſs, as to our juſtification. Nothing can juſtifie in any Covenant, but a perfect Righteouſneſs performed in a perfect and righteous perſon, that never ſinned, Rom. 8.2, 3. Hab. 1.13. Rom. 7.

Object. 9. This Doctrine of Election and Reprobation will diſhearten people from uſing the means. Anſwer, It will not Gods Elect, but rather hearten them. Secondly, All are commanded miniſterially to uſe the means, and have Abilities to do it; yea the blind may hear, Rom. 10.10, 11, 12, 13. but ſpiritually the Spirit blows where it liſteth, John 3. the Spirit is but given to the Sons alone, Gal. 4.6. Mat. 13. John 12.40.

Object. 10. Diſobedience to the Law brought and incurred but temporal puniſhments, but to the Goſpel p. 86Eternal puniſhments, Heb. 12.2. Anſ. Diſobedience to every, or to one Tittle of the Law, incurs now, and ever did, Eternal Condemnation; for the wages of Sin is Eternal death, and Sin is but a tranſgreſſion of the Law; Ergo, the tranſgreſſion of the Law deſerves Eternal Death. But the Jews as they were under the Law given at Sinai, had a Temporal Conditional Covenant, to reſtrain their exhorbitant Spirits, and allure them by Temporal Bleſſings, 1 Tim. 1.5, 9. There were three ends of the giving the Law at Sinai. 1. To ſhew the dreadfulneſs of the fall and breach of that Law in Paradiſe; and that at the laſt Day God ſhall in Thunder and Flame, judge the Bodies and Souls of all that fell and are not reconciled by Chriſt, or covered with his Righteouſneſs, Rom. 4.6, 7, 8. Pſal. 32. or for whom he hath not fulfilled it in his moſt ſinleſs and excellent perſon; and ſo it is a demonſtrative Covenant of works, Rom. 3.19. ſhewing Sin, p. 87and breaking in pieces the ſelf-conceited carnal hearts of Gods Elect; that they may receive the Grace of God in Chriſt by Faith, Gal. 3.24. Iſay 42.18, 19, 20. And this was then Externally and Internally, and Spiritually and internally now, in them that are called, the uſe of the Law, to bring them (in the hand of Chriſt) to nothing but deſpiration, in and becauſe of ſin and ſelf-impotency within and without, that ſo they may, in emptineſs and poverty, receive by Faith a full and able rich Chriſt. Which when it hath done by Faith, the Law vaniſhes out of the Conſcience like a baffled Giant, and retires into the Fleſh to curb that to its duty; and is then a Commandment and Law of Love upon the new Covenant heart of a Believer, to freely move him, according to the External Rule and Matter of the means, to glorifie Chriſt in the World, 2 Cor. 3. and 2 Cor. 5. the love of Chriſt conſtrains us. Secondly, a ſecond end of the Law at Sinai, was to be a p. 88rule to the Elect Believers then, to walk with God, whoſe Heart and Will the Law repreſents. And ſo it was put in the Ark, A Type of Chriſt, in whom now the Law is for a Believers Rule. Thirdly, It was given as a Temporal, Conditional Covenant, to frighten the ſtubborn Jews from Rebellion, and to engage them to Righteouſneſs, a thing God did and does delight in: And ſo the breaches were, as in this reſpect, puniſhed, but with a Temporal Death and Puniſhment; and the Performers with Temporal Life and Bleſſings; and as ſuch a Covenant, its Epoca began at Sinai, and did end when Chriſt came in the Fleſh. The ignorance of this diſtinction is the root of all Errours and Hereſies: And ſo it was to the Jews under that Teſtament of Grace, as it is now to us under the new and laſt Teſtament of Grace, ſealed and confirmed, not with the Blood of Creatures and Beaſts, but with the Blood of Chriſt, the Son of God, to the p. 89everlaſting Comfort of the Elect Believers.

Object. 11. This Doctrine, General Redemption, ſets all on work to uſe the means and to endeavour. Anſwer, Have ye never read or heard of Penelope, that famous Wife, that when her Husband was gone to the Trojan-war, and thought to have been ſlain, by his long tarrying, and ſhe having many Woers perplexing her, not delighting her as they do the Ladies of theſe times, was ſpinning; for Ladies, in thoſe more ancient times, were good Houſe-wifes, though now they are many of them Sluts, and ſhe put back the ſharp importunities of her Rivals with this defence, That when ſhe had ſpun off her Web ſhe would anſwer them. Now to prove her ſelf Loyal to her Huſband, and deceptious to her Rivals, ſhe unſpun in the Night what ſhe had ſpun in the day. Hence we call all labour in vain, The ſpinning of Penelope's Web: And ſuch is the Works and Endeavours of all p. 90unconverted and unbelieving perſons whatſoever, though not to ſo good an end as hers was; and this is as good an Anſwer as your Objection. Add to it the Teſtimony of Chriſt, Mark 7.7. In vain do they worſhip me, and of Jer. 12.1, 2.

Object. 12. What if this Doctrine be Popery, yet if it be true it is not to be rejected. Anſwer, Philpot, the Martyr, ſaid to Bonner, Biſhop of London, That the Papiſts held not one Truth, but the Doctrine of the Trinity, and yet they held this of Univerſal Grace; and the Words of a Dying Man are true, ut aiunt, much more of a Dying Martyr, and Chriſtian Man.

Object. 13. 'Tis Life and Converſation that ſaves us and makes us like God, and not Opinion. Anſwer, The living Principles of the Doctrine of Chriſt are not Opinions but Fundamentals, preached by the immediate in ſpiration of the Spirit, confirmed by the ancient Teſtimony of the Prophets, and p. 91ſealed with the Signet of real Miracles; and atteſted to by the ancient Fathers of the firſt 500 years, and by all the true Churches to this day; and the Scriptures are the rule and ground of Faith, Epheſ. 2.20. But ſuch is the Doctrine of Election, ab eterno, and Reprobation, free and perſonal; a good Life and Converſation built upon Chriſt is the fruit of Chriſts Spirit working love in the called Elect: But ſuch a viſible Converſation, built on the Law and mans own Righteouſneſs, or mans Faith and Repentance, though wrought in time, is no other than the ſuperſtructures of the Scribes and Pariſees of old, and of Miſtical Papiſts. and Antichriſtians, the Baſtards of the great Whore, in this day, Rev. 17.1, 2, 3. Rev. 2.26. 'Tis Chriſt's works, Faith, and Converſation, in him that gives life to his—and not that wrought in them, though by the Spirit; that does but teſtifie that they have life in Chriſt to the World.

p. 9214 Ob. God then made man to damn him. Anſwer with the Apoſtle; But who art thou man that replieſt againſt God? Shall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, why haſt thou made me ſo? And beſide, the Scripture ſaith, He that made them, will not ſave them, Iſai. 27.11.

15. Ob. The eaſieſt way is the wrong, but eternal free Perſonal Election is the eaſieſt. Anſwer, you know not what you ſay, no man is ſaved, no man believes, no man truly repents, but it coſt Chriſt his deareſt Heart-blood, and muſt coſt us the farewel of deareſt delights, and ſin, and the loſs of our own hearts, ſelf, and intereſts, Luke 14.28, 29, 30. 2. That that is the rationalleſt way, is the eaſieſt, becauſe all men have naturally reaſon; but your General Redemption, and Conditional Election, and Free Will, is the moſt rationalleſt, and agreeable to reaſon; therefore the eaſieſt, and the way of God above reaſon, and is only fathomed by Faith; as Heb. p. 9311. Chap. appears: And that gate is ſtraight and narrow, Mat. 7. and few enter into it.

16. Ob. That whatever we do or ſin, we ſhall be ſaved by the way of Election. Anſwer, that is your carping Calumny againſt the Truth; Gods people cannot ſin that ſin that God cannot or will not forgive, 1 Joh. 5. ult. There is a ſin unto death, and a ſin not unto death: the Elect are beloved when they do no good, or evil; they are beloved when they do evil, their perſons, not their ſins, I mean, Gal. 2.20. Rom. 9.11. and 13. 2 Tim. 1.9, 10. and they are beloved when they do good, and they ſhall do good, becauſe they are beloved, Phil. 2.13. Heb. 12. two laſt verſes. Again, the Truths of Chriſt believed and received, and not Errours, is the only ground of ſobriety, righteouſneſs, and godlineſs, Tit. 2.12. and 13. 2 Cor. 5.14. And again, pray, inſpicite vobis, look upon your Peacocks feet, how much unlike the p. 94Devils they are; though, like the Phariſees, your Feathers be fine; your envy, your malice, your pride, your errours, your inſtability, your factions and ſchiſmes, and Popiſh Principles, back-biting, whiſpering, tale-bearing, vain diſcourſe, tatling, 1 Tim. 5. buſi-bodying in other folks matters, 1 Pet. 4.15. theſe, and ſuch like, are the Ingredients that your holineſs and righteouſneſs is compoſed of, crying out with the Phariſees, Iſai. 66. Stand far off me, I am more holier than thou art. And this is the manners of you Baptiſts, moſt of you, in this latter day, and Quakers, and others too, the more is the pity. Ob. But we love one another. Anſwer, O! Do you ſo, ſo do the Papiſts, ſo do the arranteſt Hereticks in the World; and 'tis but ſelf-love, and with diſſimulation neither, for to prop up Self, and honour Self, and ſecure your Reputations, that is dearer to you than Chriſt's Blood, or love: Prate not thus, See you what Chriſt ſaith, p. 95Mat. 5.46, 47. Luke 6.30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37. 1 Joh. 2.10, 11. and Chap. 4.20. Joh. 5.40, 41. Meaſure your life by theſe Scriptures, and deal truly with your hearts.

Becauſe you have Free Will, anſwer me theſe Queſtions.

1. Had the Angels Free Will to ſtand or fall? if they had, why did they fall? or did the Elect Angels ſtand by their Free Will, the other having no ſin to tempt them to fall, more than the Elect had? and why are they called Elect that ſtand, and the other not that did fall?

2. Had Judas free will to believe and repent, as much as Peter? if he had, why did he not do as Peter did? or did Chriſt pray for Judas, as he did for Peter? Mark that.

3. When Satan entred Judas and Saul, had they power to reſiſt and abandon him, or not? if they had, why was it ſo great a burden to them, that the one was mad, the other hanged himſelf?

4. If no ſin be damnable, but unbelief p. 96againſt the Goſpel, how came the Angels to be damned? and how came Sodom and Gomorrah to be caſt into Eternal Fire, if the ſin againſt the firſt Covenant be only the cauſe of a temporal death and puniſhment, as is by you aſſerted? Ocellos vobis Jehovah aperito, &c.

Per Johannem H.

FINIS.

End of the text · John Humfrey, Animadversions Upon a Sheet Printed for Francis Smith (1679)