The Plain Mans Senses Exercised to Discern Good and Evil, Chapter 6

The Plain Mans Senses Exercised to Discern Good and Evil · Chapter 6

p. 166CAP. VI.

Errors against Gods eternall Decree of

Election.Lond. Test p. 8.

Reprobation.

They are three, here recited by the Lond. Test. p. 8.

1. THat they labour to deny God and Christ, and their own Salvation, who falsifying and misconstruing the case of Election and Predestination, make as though none should ever be saved, but the Elect and Predestinated: And they which preach, that none shall be saved, but the Elect and Predestinate are notable liars.

2. That it is not suitable to God to pick and chuse among men in shewing mercy; (to one in misery, and to passe by another in the like condition in every respect) for he may as well cease to be, as to withhold mercy from any one in misery.

3. That the Reprobate condition of Men and Angels shall be regained; We call them Reprobates onelyonly for distinction sake.

It becometh every Creature rather to admire the depths of Gods Wisdome, Rom. 11.33.Rom 11:33and unsearchable Judgements, than curiously to prie into his Secrets, or to dispute the Reasons, and Methods of his Counsells and decrees; yet as on the one side, to examine and judge of them by the reach of humane reason is an high presumption: So totally to neglect the knowledge of so much as God is pleased to reveale of his purposes touching mans eternall estate, under a pretence that we cannot find out God to perfection, is on the other side great unthankfulnesse, and unexcusable lazinesse: therefore with all humility, and sobernesse of minde, I shall enter upon this Argument, confining my self to things revealed, and to the Scripture-expressions, as neer as possible.

Now to the intent you may have your senses exercised, to discern good and evill, truth from falshood in this high subject. p. 167I shall lay down the Truth of God in opposition to the forementioned Errors in these four Conclusions.

First, §. 1 the Scriptures teach that God did choose before the foundations of the world were laid out of lost mankind certain Persons to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ,There is an Election of pa ticular persons. out of his meer good pleasure to the praise of his glorious Grace, and pass by the rest, to perish in and for their sins, to the glory of his Justice.

See this truth proved in five several branches of the Conclusion: First, that God did elect and ordain certain Persons to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ, are the expresse words of the Apostle; 1 Thes. 5.9. God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ: Then some are appointed unto Wrath, and some unto Salvation. There is a separation made between men and men.

The Church of God is his House; But in a great house, there are not onelyonly vessels of Gold and Silver, but also of Wood, 2 Tim. 2.20, Rom. 9.22, 23.2 Tim 2:20Rom 9:22Rom 9:23and of Earth, and some to Honour, and some to Dishonour: So is it in the Church: And who these Persons are in particular, it is determinately known;2 Tim 2.19.2 Tim 2:19 The Lord knoweth them that are his; The Lord hath not onelyonly appointed a certain kind of men to be saved (namely) such as shall believe, and obey the Gospel, but who they are by name,John 13.18.John 13:18 according as it is said, Rom. 9.13 Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. I know whom I have chosen: God knows the Elect by their names; for their names are written in the book of life, Rev. 13 8. There is a peculiar personall distinction between the Elect and others, with their peculiar priviledges; All that dwell on the earth shall worship the Beast whose names were not written in the book of Life of the Lamb; they shall not be deceived, nor overcome by the Beast.Luke 10.20.Luke 10:20 So our Saviour bids his Disciples rejoice in this, because your names are written in Heaven. A comparison taken from the custome in great Cities, to enroll their free Denizons in a book by their names. God does not stand in need of any such Remembrancer as a Book, but that is written for our comfort, that we may rest assured of Gods eternall love to us in particular; and though our names be not written in Scripture, thou Thomas, or Peter, shalt p. 168be saved, yet they are written in heaven in Gods book of Predestination.

Secondly, 2This choice was made before the foundation of the world.Rev. 17.8. 2 Tim 1.9.Rev 17:82 Tim 1:9 Eph. 1.4. Our names were written in the Lambs book of life, not when we first came to believe, but before the world was. And so our Saviour shall welcome the Elect into his Fathers Kingdome, saying, Come ye blessed of my Father (blessed of my Father, because the Father chose them to be his Children) inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world: Here Christ gives them possession in time, but the Kingdome was prepared for them before the world was. Even as our Heirs do enter upon their Inheritances, when they come to be of Age, though it were purchased for them before they were born.

Thirdly, 3They were chosen out of lost mankind. In Adam all died, and forfeited that first Covenant; the Lord had mercy on some, drawing them out of that corrupted lump, to make us his Children by Christ:Ephes. 2.3.Eph 2:3 We are all of us, by nature, children of wrath, even as others, we were not so by our Creation, but by the Fall of Adam, therefore God of his infinite mercy, did choose us in Christ, and predestinate us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, Luke 3 38.Luke 3:38Eph. 1.5. Adam was the Son of God, and if he had so continued, we need not to have been predestinated to a new Son-ship by Adoption, but having lost our first Son-ship, and became children of Wrath, God predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ: Now a predestination in Christ doth presuppose a Fall, or a lapsed and forlorn Estate: Man fallen therefore is the object of divine Predestination.

Fourthly, 4God did choose some rather than others, out of his meer good pleasure: There was no cause, motive, or condition in the party chosen, moving the Lord to choose him and pass by others, But whereas God might have utterly rejected all, of his free grace and mercy he had compassion on some. Thus the Apostle teacheth, Eph. 1.5 That he did predestinate us according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace: If he had chosen some (as Peter for example) because he foresaw they would be good, and die in p. 169the Faith; and had refused others (as Judas) because he foresaw they would be wicked, and obstinate despisers of his Gospel: This had not been an act of Grace, it had not set forth the glory of that Attribute, but rather of his distributive Justice. But that which God mainly intended in this free choice, was the praise of the glory of his Grace, that man should find nothing to admire, or boast in, but in the rich grace of God. And of this free choice, Paul gives instance in Jacob and Esau. Rom. 9.11. The children being not yet born, neither having done good or Evill, that the purpose of God, according to election, might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth: It was said, the elder shall serve the younger, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. These two brethren were every way equall before the Lord, as the Clay before the Potter; and the difference between them stood not in works which the one had done, or should do, more than the other, but in the will of God, who hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, ver. 15.17. and whom he will, he hardeneth; on the one he sheweth the riches of his glory, on the other his just wrath, v. 22, 23. So then it remaineth a sure truth, that we are predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after the counsell of his own will, Eph. 1.11. He taketh counsel from none other, he goes not out of himself for a reason of this his doing, but his purpose stands upon the counsel of his own will.

Fifthly, and lastly, 5He passeth by others to perish in their sins, to the glory of his Justice and Power:Rom 9.22.Rom 9:22 In the Reprobate God doth shew Justice and his Power.

First, His Power and Soveraignty in not shewing mercy on them as well as on the Elect, who were in the same lump of misery: And

Secondly, His Justice, because in the party non elected, or passed by, there is enough to condemn him, so that the Lord doth freely, yet justly, reject them: In Esau God saw enough to hate him, there was his Justice; yet that he did hate him rather than Jacob, therein he shewed his free Power: As the Petter hath power over the Clay of the same lump, every way the same, to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour, Rom. 9.21.

p. 170Thus you see our first Conclusion proved, namely, that God hath chosen some unto life, and not others, and what Predestination is.

Now follows our second Conclusion, Conclus. 2 namely, that the Elect, and none but the Elect, shall be saved. That this is a truth, and no lie, is evidenced by four places of Scripture: Rom. 8.30. Whom he predestinated, them he also called; and whom he also called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified: The number of the glorified ones does not exceed the number of predestinated ones: Whom he predestinated, them also he glorified: Hos, non alios; In that golden chain of Salvation, the first and last links are joyned together by the two middle links: There is such a Concatenation of them all, that if ye break one link, the whole chain is broken, and if ye be holden by one link, ye be holden of all, and shall partake of all; these things are reciprocall, and of adequate extent: If it were hos, and alios, then first it were no advantage to these, (hos) that they are predestinate, or just fied, or called; secondly, if others besides the predestinate were glorified, then this must be the meaning of the words, Whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and a great many more; and whom he called, them, and many others besides them, he justified, and whom he justified, them, and many besides them, he also glorified: for according to their opinion) many besides the Elect are saved. But will any man that is in his wits dare affirm, that any be glorified, which were never justified? or that any are justified, which were never called? or that any are called, who were never predestinated? This they must affirm, that hold that others besides the predestinate shall be saved: But the demonstrative Article with the copulative, foreign, being thrice repeated (them also, them also, them also) must necessarily evince, that these, and none but these, are called, justified, or glorified.

The next place is John 17.9, 10. I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me out of the world, for they are thine, and all mine are thine, and thine are mine.

p. 171Note here four things; First, that there are two sorts of men, some are given to Christ out of the world, ver. 6. some are still in and of the world.

Secondly, note for what end they are given to Christ, namely, That he should manifest the name and will of God unto them, that is, that Christ should redeem them, and fit them for glory, v. 6.8.

Thirdly, They were thine (saies Christ) before they were mine; Thine they were, and thou gavest them me; Thou hadst a right of propriety in them, and therefore a right to give to me. But how were they thine? How they thine more than the rest of the world? Surely, because they were the Elect of God, thine they were by eternall Election.

Fourthly, note, that the Elect and the Redeemed are of equall extent, All thine are mine, and all mine are thine, as if he should say, as thou hadst made thine Elect members of my Body, to the end that I should redeem them; so I have made them thy Children, that thou mayest own them for thine, by communicating to them the love of friendship; All thine by Election, are mine by Purchase; and because they are mine, therefore they are thine; You are Christ's, and Christ is God's. None but the Elect are given to Christ, therefore none but they are saved.

The next place is Matth. 24.31. At the end of the world Christ shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other: Not one of them shall be lost, or forgotten: But for what end are they gathered? He shall set them at his right hand, Mat. 25.32, 34.Matt 25:32Matt 25:34and sever them from the rest, as a Sheepherd divideth the Sheep from the Goats, and shall say unto them, Come ye blessed Children of my Father, receive the Kingdome prepared for you. Here is a blessed gathering unto Christ; but who are thus gathered? They are his Elect, all his Elect, and none else: And surely, they that are left out of the number of these gather'd ones, shall not be received into the Kingdome of his Father, for it was never prepared for them.

My last sort of proofes shall be from those places, which p. 172testifie Gods special love in preparing for the Elect the means of salvation, and making the same effectuall to them, which yet are not so to others. When the seaventy returned, and had told our Saviour what good success their preaching had (Lu. 10.20, 21.) whereas the Jews repented not at his own preaching and miracles, Mat. 11.20. He breaketh forth into an admiration of Gods love to his despised ones, who believed on him, when wiser than they did not; I thank thee, O Father of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto Babes: It does not go by wit, or learning, or strength of naturall parts; but thus it is, even because it so seemed good in thy sight, ver. 25, 26. so amongst Paul's hearers, Acts 13.48. Some spake against the things which were spoken by Paul; But as many as were ordained to eternall life, believed: Gods free and eternal mercy ordained the means, as he had the end, eternall life; and withall, he blessed the means unto that end: Those Gentiles were not fitted for eternal life, before they believed, but being fore-ordained to life, they embraced the Word of Life, the means thereunto.

But most remarkable to our purpose, is that of Paul, Rom. 11.7. Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the Election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded: The Apostle having disputed that sad Theme of the Rejection of the Jews, and shewed how their Rejection might well consist with the truth of Gods Promises: He answers that doubt by distinguishing of their persons; there were two sorts of Jews (as of Abrahams Children) one carnall, the other spirituall; there was a Jew outwardly, and a Jew inwardly; the one sought righteousnesse by the works of the Law, Rom 9 32.Rom 9:32and missed it; the other sought it by Faith, and obtained what they sought; and so the one sort (which were the Body of that Church and State) are rejected, the other, being but a small remnant, or parcell, torn from the rest, are still within the Covenant. But whence proceeds this difference, that some obtained not what they sought, that Christ was a Rock of offence to some, and pretious unto others? The Text tells you, the Election obtained it, the rest were blinded: This is the Apostles resolution p. 173upon the Question propounded, Rom. 11.1. Hath God cast away his people? God forbid; he proves it first in himselfe, I am a Jew, therefore all are not cast away, because I am not.

Secondly, God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew, that is, whom he loved and marked out for his owne from everlasting. Gods approbation of us by reason of our faith, is an after-knowledge,Vostius Rom. 11.2.Rom 11:2 and doth follow in puncto rationis, and in mente divinâ, an act of mans will; fore-knowledge in this place cannot be expounded by approbation, but it imports as much as fore-ordaining or election.

Thirdly, As in the daies of Elijah, R…m. 11.5, 6.God had reserved a people from the common defection of those times, even so at this time there is a remnant; How so? According to the election of Grace, not whereby Men choose Grace, but whereby God chooseth us of his meer grace and mercy, it follows ver. 7. What then? Let us draw to some conclusion: How stands the matter? Thus it stands, and this is the conclusion, The Election hath obtained it, that is, Life and Righteousness, and the rest were blinded. Let men sweat out their brains, this must be yeilded; The Elect have a preheminence above the rest, they obtained it, the rest were blinded.

Out of these Scriptures laid together, it is clear: First, that when several persons hear the same Sermons, see the same Miracles, enjoy the same Doctrine, and means of Salvation, yet to some it proves a savour of life, a converting word, to others, a rock of offence. Secondly, that the God of grace doth shine into their hearts, 2 Cor. 4.4, 6.2 Cor 4:42 Cor 4:6the light o… the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ; But the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them.

Hence our Argument may be thus gathered, Argument. None are saved, but they to whom the means of grace are made effectual to their conversion; but the Elect onelyonly are thus effectually wrought upon, Therefore they onelyonly are saved; and we that preach this Doctrine, are not notable Liars, but the faithfull Witnesses of God.

p. 174To this Truth do all the reformed Churches bear witness, Let us hear the judgement and determination of our own Church of England in 39. Articles; Article 17. where both our Conclusions are thus confirmed, and soundly expressed.

Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God, Artic. 17. Of the Church of England.whereby, before the foundations of the world were laid, he hath constantly decreed by his Gounsell secret to us, to deliver from Curse and Damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde, and to bring them, by Christ, to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour; wherefore they which be indued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called according to Gods purpose, by his Spirit working in due season, they, through grace, obey the Calling, they be justified freely, they be made Sons of God by Adoption, they be made like the Image of his onelyonly begotten Sonne Jesus Christ, they walk religiously in good workes, and at length, by Gods mercy, they attaine to everlasting felicity.

This Doctrine is an hindrance unto Piety, Obj. 1 and unto the salvation of many, For to what (say they) should the Gospel be preached unto Reprobates? In vaine is all Prayer, and Preaching, and Seeking, if none shall ever be saved but the Elect; Let men do what they can, Mr. Hard. of Gods love to mankind. p. 94.if they be not elected, their endeavours be all in vain; and on the other side, if they be elected, they shall be saved, though they live in pleasure, and be regardlesse of good duties: There cannot one Soul's estate be altered, yea, the Gospel preached to Reprobates, does them no good, but rather mischief, encreaseth their Condemnation. These are the Cavils and Calumnies, usually cast upon this Doctrine to make it odious.

To these I answer: Answ.

First, That this Doctrine tells no man in particular, who is elected, or who rejected; we cannot tell who are Reprobates, nay, no man can know himselfe to be a Reprobate, for his Sins are not above Gods Grace: God can change his heart, even when he is breathing out curses and threatnings against the name of Christ,Acts 9.Acts 9 as he did Paul's; God is above thy naughty heart, and he can change it at the ninth, or eleventh, p. 175or at the last hour of the day. No man can know himself to be a Reprobate, and therefore we preach the Gospel to Men, as Sinners, not as Elect, or Reprobate, to all Sinners without exception, to the greatest of Sinners, we bid them come unto Christ, and he will refresh and heale them:Ma…. 11 28. we challenge all the world to name any one man or woman, that ever repented in vain, or sought the Lord in vain; and therefore to shut the doore of grace and mercy against thy self, which we set wide open, upon a conceit that the Gospel will do thee no good, if thou be a Reprobate, is a grievous temptation of the Devil, the enemy of thy Salvation: Art thou a Sinner? then reason thus, Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners, the chief of Sinners, I have patterns of great Sinners that were received to mercy: Therefore look upon Christ as he is offered to thee in the Gospel, Believe and live,Improbamus illos qui quaerunt extra Christum an sint ab aeterno electi. Helver. Conf. c. 10. Embrace him and live. It is a preposterous course, instead of obeying the Gospel, and studying to be found in Christ, to be inquisitive whether we were elected from Eternity or not. The last Clause of the 17 Article before mentioned, is very weighty to this purpose, the words are these, We must receive Gods promises in such wise, as they be generally set forth unto us in holy Scripture; and in our doings, that will of God is to be followed, which we have expressely declared unto us in the word of God: and that will of God is,John 6.37, 40.John 6:37John 6:40 that we preach the Gospell to every Creature; and that every Creature may come to Christ, and drinke of the water of life freely, and that whosoever cometh unto him, he will in no wise cast out. Praying, and Preaching, and Seeking are not in vain, for every one that seeketh findeth, and he that asketh receiveth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened, Luke 11.9, 10. It was a good saying of Sarah Wight to a Gentlewoman in spirituall distress, that came to be comforforted, Go, saith she, say to God, heale me, Hos. 14.2, 4. Job 34.30. Relation of Sarah Wight. p. 64.Hos 14:2Hos 14:4Job 34:30I have sinned heal my back-slidings, Oh, but I am no better for saying it, when I have no heart nor spirit to pray; Yet (said Sarah Wight) say it, though you be no better, because God bids you say it; Say it and say it again, till he heal you; it may be he will come in when you say it, if you can but say it with your lips, the everlasting armes of God will reach you when you cannot reach him. p. 176We must look at Gods revealed will, that we should pray and wait on him in his waies:Acts 8.22.Acts 8:22 Peter bade Simon Magus pray: In preaching the Gospel, light, motion and power, goes out to all, which they that resist are destroyed, not because they could not believe, but because they resist, and will not obey; Gods election takes no man off from duty.

Secondly, I answer, That the Gospel was, and is, intended onelyonly for the Elect, although many Reprobates do enjoy the ministration thereof, and many outward blessings, because they are mingled in the world with the Elect, to whom onelyonly it is directed (as Judas was among the Apostles.) This I take to be clear from the Scripture, which saith, that the hidden wisdome of God in the Mysterie of the Gospel, was ordained unto our glory (that is) to our glorification, that by the knowledge thereof, Gods people might obtain celestial glory, (1 Cor. 2.7.) But most plain & full is that of 2 Tim. 2.9, 10. where he saith, that the Doctrine which he taught, and the Afflictions which he indured in defence of it, were intended for the Elects sake, I endure all things for the Elects sake, that they may obtain the salvation which is in Jesus Christ: Acts 18.10.Acts 18:10All that he did, or suffered, was for the furthering of the salvation of Gods Elect. God gave this reason why Paul should preach at Corinth in despight of all opposition, because I have much people in this City.

By the like reason I suppose it may be gathered, that where God hath no people, there shall be no preaching and where he removes his Candlestick, it is a sad sign that he hath no people in that place: The Gospel is preached to the Reprobate accidentally onelyonly, neither does the Lord seek any advantage against them by it, he needs it not, he has enough against them for violating that first Covenant. See this Jo. 3.17. God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. This our Saviour proves by a dis-junction, ver. 18 Thus all the world is distributed into two sorts, they are either Believers or Unbelievers: Christ came not to condemn Believers, for he that believeth on him is not condemned: Nor did he come to condemn them that believe not, for he that believeth not is condemned already, to wit, p. 177by the sentence of the Law, Cursed is every one that sinneth, so that Christ should not need to come into the world to condemn it; God needs not seek any further matter of condemnation against them, we do not go to any Reprobate, and say to him, Believe in Jesus Christ, but we preach the Gospel to all sinners, because, for ought we know, all that hear us may be saved.

Thirdly, This Doctrine is no hindrance unto Piety, nor unto Christian endeavours after Grace and Salvation, as will appeare to any one, that shall consider, either the Nature of Gods Decree, or the Fruits and Effects thereof.

1. For the Nature of it: Gods Decree is not a simple, absolute, peremptory ordaining of an End without Means, but together with the End he decrees and ordains the Means thereunto; therefore it is said, that we are chosen in Christ, Ephes. 1.4, 5.Eph 1:4Eph 1:5and predestinated to the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, that foreign or good pleasure of his will, doth include Christ; and so the act of Predestination is not absolute, but relative, it is with respect unto Christ; For how can we be predestinated to the Adoption of Children, but in Christ the naturall Son of God? Thus 2 Thes. 2.13. we are said to be chosen unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the Truth, whereunto he hath called you by our Gospel. So doth Peter set forth Gods Decree: 1 Pet. 1.2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: You see how these things are complex and joyned together, Gods Act choosing us, the end subordinate (Obedience and sprinkling of Christs Blood) ultimate our salvation intended not abstractly, live how we list, but in and through sanctification and belief of the truth.

2. Gods Decree is every way holy, just, and good,Ephes. 1.4.Eph 1:4 if you consider the Effects and Fruits of it, He hath chosen us, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: So the Apostle describes an elect Vessel: 2 Tim 2.21. If a man purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, p. 178sanctified, and meet for the Masters use, and prepared unto every good work: The Elect are not a prophane, barren, unclean, fruitless kind of men, good for nothing; but sanctified, and fruitfull in good works. S. Paul makes it a sign of our election, 1 Thes. 1.5, 6. Because they received the Gospel, not onelyonly in word, but in power, and in the holy Ghost, and in much assurance.

3. Lastly, S. Peter (2 Pet. 1.10.) shews how we may make our calling and election sure to our own souls (namely) if we do these things, which he mentioneth, v. 5, 6, 7.

From these considerations I thus argue, That Doctrine, which teacheth men to get the knowledge of their election by good works, which teacheth, that the Elect depart from iniquity, who receive the Word of God in power, and obey it, and live holily and unblamably, and that all this is according to the purpose of Gods Decree, from whence it flowes, as from a fountain: This Doctrine, I say, doth mightily encourage and provoke unto Piety, and to all holy and godly Endeavours. But such is the Doctrine of Predestination, as it is taught by us; therefore they are injurious to God and his truth, who cast their contempt of Religion, and their wretched pretences of laziness and loosness upon Gods Predestination. See it in two particulars:

First,Predestination a sput to g…dlinesse to the unconverted. This Doctrine soberly taught and preached, is a singular encouragement to them that be as yet unconverted, to labour for holiness. The Lord freely offereth mercy and pardon in Christ, if I will but forsake my sins; he assures me, that if I seek and strive, I shall not seek in vain: he waits that he may be mercifull unto me. The Gospel assureth me, that though my present walking does lead to the chambers of Death, yet it doth not conclude, that my reprobation is sealed: God doth still call after me, and by the means of grace (which are a part of Predestination unto life) I am assured, that it is not in vain to take pains about my salvation; where means were used, the end will be obtained; Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, for they shall be satisfied. The Gospel assureth me, that if I receive the Word in power, and give it a divine authority over my Conscience, p. 179if I depart from iniquity, and labour to be holy, that then I have in my own bosom the seals of mine Election, that I am a vessel of Honour, that if I obey Gods Call, I may know that I was predestinated, and shall be glorified.

Hence I thus reason with my selfe, Is not the favour of God, and knowledge of my Election unto life, worth all these paines that I shall take in the duties of Religion, to attain it? And all those sweet and pleasant sinnes which I am to relinquish for it? If I live in them, will they recompence the losse of my Soule? of my God? of eternal Glory? Shall I for worldly advantages to my self or children, be contented to endure eternall torments? Is there not much more sweetnesse in the peace of a pure Conscience, washed and justified in the blood of Christ, than in all the Worlds contentments?

The proper result of such a Consultation, and the proper consequence upon such Principles, is this, I will strive to be holy, to purifie my Conscience from all iniquity, for by that I know I am elected, that I am a vessel of mercy, & shall be glorified: I will give all diligence to make my calling and election sure, for I know I shall not lose my labour, I shall never fall: Sarah Wight said she was sure to be damned, so said Mrs. Honiwood; but they were both of them safe in the everlasting armes of the Almighty; for they were holy, they hated Sin, and loved Godlinesse: I henceforth abhorre and detest that mad reasoning, if you be elected you shall be saved, live how you list; if not elected, do what you can, you shall not be saved; for they which do what they can are not reprobated, and they which live holily are elected: What stronger motive than this unto piety and holy endeavours, can be set before an unconverted man?

Secondly, Gods Election preached to Believers,And to them that be already converted. is unto them the strongest bond of Holinesse and Religion; and that three waies especially.

1. It is a sure rock of Consolation, because they see themselves in Gods everlasting armes, in the book of their purified Consciences, they read their names written in the book of Life, they comfort themselves in this, that the Lord knoweth p. 180them that are his, and his foundation is sure, not one of them is lost: it doth greatly establish and confirme their faith of eternall salvation to be enjoyed through Christ.

2. It doth fervently kindle their love towards God, who loved them first with such a free, undeserved, everlasting love; How does this ravish the soul of the Believer, when he remembreth how God did set his love upon him, before he was, how he hath pitied him in his blood, followed him with his grace, not suffering him to perish, though he himself were unwilling to return; what a weight of glory God hath prepared for him in heaven for evermore! This unconceivable Love doth yet more enflame our hearts with love to him again, when we consider, that he hath done all this for us, rather than for others, which were in the same condemnation with us. He chose us, and passed by many thousands, every way as good as our selves; there was nothing in us that could move him, but the good pleasure of his owne Will, Ephes. 1.5, 6, 7.Eph 1:5Eph 1:6Eph 1:7and the riches of Grace: Here is a glorious Grace, here is the riches of Grace, never sufficiently admired, never sufficiently magnified by us; whereupon the soul of the Believer is filled with praises of the Lord: O what am I, that the Lord should be thus mindfull of me? O what shall I render unto the Lord for all the riches of his mercy on my soul, when as he might have glorified his Justice on me as a vessel of wrath? This draweth up the Believers mind to high and heavenly resolutions, they count nothing dear to them for Gods sake, who thus loved them.

3. It makes them carefull to walk with God, to walk worthy of him, to embrace and hold fast all those blessed means, by which God hath decreed to bring us to himself, &c. Thus Piety is advanced, holy Endeavours encouraged by this Doctrine, both in them that believe, and in them that are yet unconverted: But neither is God, nor Christ, nor Mans salvation, denied by this Doctrine, as is falsly charged by the Adversary.

Another inconvenience wherewith they charge this Doctrine, Obj. 2 is this, If the love of God be limited to a few, it is far from being infinite. Lond. Test. p. 8.

p. 181The Answer is easie: Answ. The infiniteness of Gods love is not measured by the Object. For if all men in the world were taken to mercy, his love were nevertheless infinite, because all Creatures are but a finite Object: but infinite is that which is not bounded, nor hath any limits; and so Gods love in choosing a few, is infinite three manner of waies.

First, In regard of time; it is without beginning or ending,Gods love is infinite… …ee manner of waies. it is from everlasting to everlasting.

Secondly, In regard of the Efficacie put forth, to save, though but a few, though but one soul, requires an infinite price,1 Pet. 1.19.1 Pet 1:19 the precious blood of Christ to satisfie an infinite Majesty that was offended, an infinite power to raise dead souls, and dead bodies: Ephesians 2.4, 5. God who is rich in mercy, for his great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sinnes, hath quickned us together with Christ. Mans love is bounded, partly by the finiteness of our nature, partly by outward hinderances; we cannot pleasure, or help a friend that is absent, or in the hands of a powerfull Enemy, or in the Sea, out of our reach or knowledge, though we loved him never so dearly. But nothing can hinder Gods love, he hath mercy on whom he will; if he will have mercy, nothing can hinder it, because it is infinite in working, above all inward indisposednesse, or outward operation.

Thirdly, It is infinite in regard of its Fountain, and the extent of it, and the means of putting it self forth;John 3.16. Phil. 2.8.John 3:16Phil 2:8 it was an infinite love in God, to give his Son, his onelyonly Son, the Son of his love, to become a curse and a reproach, to save, not friends, but enemies that hated him. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because he sent his onelyonly begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, 1 Joh. 4.9, 10. This love is so immense, that it cannot be comprehended, as it is in it self.Eph. 3.18.Eph 3:18 It is without breadth, or length, or depth, or height; ye cannot fathome the bottome of it, nor reach the height of it, nor find out the breadth of it; when you have seen as far as you can, a new Horizon appeareth; it is yet farther than you see, there is no end of his goodness, and you shall live in the length of it, but never come to the end of it.

p. 182Now therefore it is a false inference to say, if the love of God be limited to a few, it is farre from being infinite. Blesse be his holy Name for his infinite love to my one poore soule! my soule, blesse thou the Lord for the depth of his love,Deut. 7.7, 8.Deut 7:7Deut 7:8 for he loved thee, because he loved thee; his Love, and the grounds of it, are unsearchable, past finding out! Blesse the Lord for the height of his Love, for it is above thy mightiest Sins,Psal. 103.11.Ps 103:11 Sins committed against Heaven! As the Heaven is high above the Earth, so great is his Mercy towards them that feare him: Yea, it is not onelyonly above thy Sins, but above thy Thoughts; when thou thinkest his Mercy is at a stand, and will pardon no more, then will he multiply to pardon; For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your waies my waies, saith the Lord; for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my waies higher than your waies, and my thoughts than your thoughts, Isa. 55.8, 9. Blesse the Lord for the breadth of his love,Psal. 1…3.3.Ps 1:3 which healeth all thy diseases, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, and knoweth thy soule in all adversities! The Plaister of his love is every way as large as the sores of thy soule or body. Lastly, blesse him for the length of his love; He hath loved me from the beginning, and whom he loveth, he loveth to the end: He hath pardoned thee from Egypt hitherto, and he will be thy God even unto death, and in death! Blesse the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever.

p. 183SECT. III. Of their Error, which say, that it is not suitable to God, to pick and choose among men, in shewing mercy to one in misery, and passe by another in like condition, &c.

A Gainst which Errour I lay down this truth for my third Conclusion, (namely) it suits well with the Wisdome,33Conclusion, or Doctrine. Truth, Justice, and Goodnesse of God, to shew Mercy to some in Misery, and to passe by others in the same condition, and that without the consideration or fore-sight of any goodness in them whom he chooserh, more than in them whom he passeth by, moving him thereunto: if there were foreseeen any goodness in one, more than in another, the condition were not the same: But their condition being every way the same, he sheweth mercy to one,Rom. 9.10.Rom 9:10 not to another. This is clear in those two Brothers, Jacob and Esau; they were every way equal, they had both one Father, and one Mother, born at one Birth; when they were not yet borne, and neither of them had done good or evill, yet even then (that the purpose of God according to election, might stand, not of works, but of him that cal…eth) it was said, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated: Consider these two brethren, either as Examples, or as Types of Gods Election and Reprobation; the matter is the same, for the Antitype must answer to the Type, and the Type, you see, excludes all difference in the Object; they were the same before God, yet the one was taken, the other left. And so stands the case in choosing, or rejecting of all others. God is a most free Agent, He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth, ver. 18. even as the Potter hath power over the Clay of the same lump, to make one vessell to honour, another to dishonour.

But if the Potter see his metall some to be finer than others, Object. will he not take the Best clay for the Choicest work?

p. 184But in the Text, Answ. the samenesse of the Clay is urged; if one part of the lump be fit, the other unfit, it were not the same; whereas the Apostles clear intent is, to prove that all men are the same before God, and that the difference made between one and another, does not arise from any diversity in the Object, but in the Will and Power of God, who hath mercy on some, because he will, not on others, because he will not.

Now, that you may have a clear judgement in this matter, you must consider the parties elected, or rejected, two manner of waies:

First, Distinction. Absolutely in themselves, as Objects presented before the Lord to be disposed of, either in a way of Mercy or Justice; and then we say, that Gods Act, electing unto Salvation, doth not exclude Christ, it doth not absolutely intend the end, Glory, but with relation unto Christ, in whom we are chosen, by whom, and with whom, we are glorified together. So for Gods Act reprobating, we say, that God rejected none but sinners; and for sin, we do not hold, that God would have men to perish, becauve it is his will, but because of their sins. The ground of this Assertion, is this, (Quaecunque Deus in tempore facit, ea ab aeterno decrevit facere) Look what men, and by what means, the Lord doth in time,Acts 15.18.Acts 15:18 actually save, or condemn; the same men, and by the same means, did he from everlasting, determine to save or to condemn; and therefore seeing in time God doth actually save in, and by, and for Christ, those onelyonly which believe in him, Rule. therefore such he decreed to save; and seeing in the execution of his wrath, he doth condemn none but sinners, and for sin, therefore he decreed none but such to be damned; Gods proceeding in the execution, doth manifest what was his purpose and intention from everlasting.

But secondly, consider the Persons elected or rejected comparatively, comparing the one with the other, and then we say, that they are both alike before God; God doth not choose Jacob, or Peter for any goodness that he saw in them, more than in Esau or Judas: neither does he reprobate Esau or Judas for any wickedness, or unbelief that is in them, more p. 185than in the other, but being both in the same condemnation, he chooseth one, and refuseth another, even because he will, according to the good pleasure of his will. This shall be proved anon.

But let us first go over again the severall branches of this distinction, for the better explanation and confirmation of the same. In the first Branch of this distinction there are two distinct things affirmed:

First, That Gods Act electing unto salvation,1st. Branch of our distinction hath this proposition. is with reference unto Christ; God did decree to save of lost mankind, those which should believe in his Son; I do not say that he did choose them because they believed in his Son; for amongst the lost Sons of Adam, where shall he find such Faith? In the lost Sons of Adam there can be no cause, or motive, why God should have mercy on them,Titus 3 4.Titus 3:4 but onelyonly his own infinite gracious disposition, which moved him to shew mercy where none was due. There is this difference between the degrees of Election and Reprobation; of Reprobation we may say, that the damnation, whereunto the wicked are adjudged, is for their sins; but of Election, we cannot say, that the salvation, unto which they are chosen, is for their goodnesse; if ye seek a cause why God shewed mercy on them, you shall seek and not find, for it is wholly of free grace, without respect of any goodness that God foresaw in us.Daven. determ. q. 26. p. 120. Quo spectavit Deus in toto hoc negotio praedestinationis, nisi ut gloriam suam illustraret per modum parcentis misericordiae erga electos, & vindicantis justitiae erga reprobatos? Why God should give Christ unto us, no reason can be rendred,John 3.16.John 3:16 but because he loved us: Why he shewed mercy upon any one at all of the lost Sons of Adam, nothing moved him but his own infinite goodness.

Lastly, Why he did choose some, and pass by others in the same condition, of sin and misery, no reason can be rendred, but his own will, for he hath mercy on whom he will: in the whole business of Predestination, God aimed at this (namely) in the one sort, to shew the glory parcentis misericordiae, of his sparing, pitying mercy; in the other sort, the glory of his punishing Justice,Titus 3.4.Titus 3:4 when the kindnesse and love of God towards p. 186Man appeared; that which was long hid in God did now appeare, and by that which appeared, we know what was hid, and what that is, see ver. 5. He saved us, not by works of righteousnesse, which we had done, but according to his mercy.

What respect then hath Gods Act electing unto Christ? Quest. How are we chosen in Christ?

I answer in the words of our Divines, Answ. in the Synod of Dort, Syn. Dort. Art. 1. Thesis 2.the second Thesis, Christus est caput & fundamentum electorum, &c. Christ is the head and foundation of the Elect, in whom are prepared and disposed all saving mercies, which in due time are actually bestowed on them; Gods grace is not communicated to us immediately, but in, and through Christ; if there were no Christ, there would be no Election of us: God hath loved us, and given his Son to us (first) and (then) us unto his Son;John 17.6.John 17:6 Thine they were, and thou gavest them me. Gods Act electing hath reference to Christ two manner of waies.

First, Christ is ordained Head of a new Body, or race of Men (opposite to the first, whereof Adam was head, in whom all men have sinned, Deodate in loc.and are dead) which God by his Election from everlasting, framed and appointed, that in him they might all be gathered together, and by him made partakers of his Grace, Life and Glory. This Decree God brings to pass in due time, bestowing all his favours upon his Church in their sacred Communion with Christ:Davenant. ubi supra. He hath chosen us in Christ, is, as if he had said, Nos planè perditos in primo Adamo, per praedestinationem donatos fuisse secundo, ut in eo, ac per eum Dei favorem & vitam aeternam consequeremur: Christus ipse praedestinatur incarnandus, & miser is atque lapsis in redemptorem mittendus, & in hoc incarnando Dei Filio homines praedestinati fuerunt ad vitam; We were presented unto God, as lost in our first Head, Adam; therefore God gave a second Head, Christ Jesus. But where be his Members, seeing none can descend from Christ by propagation? God makes them by Election; God predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ; he chose us out of lost Mankind, and gave us to his own Son, to be made Sons by our Communion with him.

p. 187Now although we know little of the order of Gods Decrees, by reason of our narrow understandings, and therefore it is not fit to move disputes thereupon; yet I conceive that they mistake, who think that God did first predestinate to life a certain number of men, and then by occasion of them, did ordain Christ, onelyonly as the subordinate means of executing that Decree, my opinion hereof is grounded on these Scriptures, Rom. 8.29. God did predestinate us to be conformed to the Image of his Son. Now seeing Christ is the pattern, according to which we are predestinated to be conformed, it must needs be that the pattern is first formed, and then they that are fashioned according to the pattern. Again, Ephes. 1.5. it is said, We are predestinated unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ. Our Adoption unto Son-ship is in the naturall Son; Christ is the naturall Heir,Rom. 8.17.Rom 8:17 we are Joynt-heirs with Christ: This is the order, I goe to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God; Christ is the first beloved, and we second beloveds. Christ is the Image of the invisible God, the first-born of every Creature, and he is before all things, Eph. 1.3, 4.Eph 1:3Eph 1:4and he is the Head of the Body, the Church, Col. 1.15, 17, 18. we are blessed in Christ; even as he hath God for his God by Covenant, so we have this blessing of Election in Christ, Godman, as the Head and first Elect, after whom, and in whom, all his Members (for order of Nature) are elected.

Secondly, We are chosen in Christ, as Mediator; for Gods purpose of giving eternall life, doth presuppose a purpose of giving a Mediatour, and his purpose of giving a Mediatour, doth presuppose an intention of satisfying his Justice for the Sins of his Elect, that so his love might justly save, and his giving of a Mediatour to satisfie his Justice for the Sins of his Elect, doth presuppose a good will and intention to save them; for it was an infinite love to mankind, when as it was not in the wit or power of man to satisfie for one soul, that God should provide a price out of his own store: His meer love gave Christ to us, the same love gave us to Christ.

Thus you see what reference Gods Act electing hath unto Christ: He hath chosen us in Christ, as our Head, and we p. 188Members to be conformed to him, and as Mediatour to make way for his love;1 Thes. 5.9.1 Thess 5:9 for he hath appointed us, not unto wrath but to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ; so then that word (in him) to choose us in him, doth not note the state of the person chosen, as if he were actually existing in Christ by Faith, when he is chosen: or as if his Faith were a condition to make him eligible, for Faith is the gift of God; neither doth it imply that Christs satisfaction is the meritorious cause of our election (for God loved us when we were enemies, Rom. 5.8. Ezek. 16.6. 1 Joh. 4.9, 14.Rom 5:8Ezek 16:61 John 4:91 John 4:14and chose us in our blood, and sent his Son to reconcile us to himself.) 2 Corinth. 5.18, 19. All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. God did not elect us, because Christ was sent to die for us; but because God would reconcile us to himself, therefore he sent his Son to die; the sending of his Son is the fruit of Gods love, not the cause thereof, as you shall see more anon.

To choose us in him therefore, doth relate to the Act of God electing, not to the Object, about which it is exercised, and so that phrase (in him) noteth the order, in which we come to be elected, not the cause of Election; and it carrieth this sense; it pleased the Lord of his infinite love and pity to lost Mankinde, to appoint Jesus Christ to take our Nature, to be an Head and Mediatour to all those whom he should choose out of that state of sin and misery; and because we were not capable of an immediate union with God, therefore God ordained that all good things, intended and prepared by the love of Election, should be enjoyed by our sacred Communion with him,Col. 2.3. Ephes. 1.3.Col 2:3Eph 1:3 in whom, as in the store-house of Grace, they are laid up, and disposed and in whom we are blessed with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things.

This first Branch of our distinction, cuts off all profane conceits about the Decrees of God, in as much as all the Elect have intimate and sacred Communion with Christ.

Now follows the second thing affirmed,2d. Proposition of the 1st. Branch. in our Distinction, which concerns Reprobation; and it is this, Consider the parties rejected absolutely in themselves, as Objects presented before the Lord to be disposed of in a way of Justice, and then our position is this, God doth not condemn, neither did p. 189he decree, or ordain any unto condemnation, but Sinners, and for Sin: God doth shew mercy, because he will, but he will not have men to perish, because it is his will, but because of their sins.Rom. 2.9.Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soule of man that d…th evill. That's the Rule.

Reprobation is a preterition or passing by,What Reprobation is. or a purpose not to have mercy upon some of the lost Sons of Adam, but to leave them to perish in their sins: Our Reformed Divines do warily distinguish of a two-fold Act in Reprobation; the first negative (namely) Propositum non miserendiseu pretereundi, a purpose not to have mercy on them:Syn. Dort Art. 1. pag 42. the other positive (namely) Propositum damnandi, & ordinatio ad exitium, ut justam poenam, a purpose to execute wrath on Transgressors, because of their sins, his Justice so requiring: But these two Acts are not to be severed, forasmuch as those on whom he will not have mercy, he intends to punish for their sinnes: for to my apprehension there is no other decree of Reprobation, but this purpose of God,The nature of Reprobation. to execute that judiciary Sentence of death on all mankind, for breach of the first covenant of Obedience made with Adam, which Covenant, the wicked do proceed to break more and more by their daily sins, and so work out their own Damnation, by their Hypocrisie, Disobedience, and wilfull contempt of Gods Word.

That first Covenant stands still in force against all the world, All are under it; and Gods justice must be satisfied for all the disobedience of the Sons of Adam; John 8.24. John 16.9.John 8:24John 16:9yet with this gracious and blessed difference; God punisheth the sins of the Elect in the person of Christ, but the sinnes of others in their own persons; on the one sort he shewes the severity of his Law and Justice; on the other, the rich mercy of the Gospel. This is the Grace of the Gospel so much magnified by the Apostle, not that the Law is made voyd by it: But whereas God might have required full payment and satisfaction in our own persons, he doth accept it in the person of Christ, and so we have a protection against the damnatory sentence of sin and the law; which seeing the unregenerate world, being out of Christ, have not, they must answer for themselves.

The state of Nature in which we remain untill we be regenerate,State of Nature miserable. p. 190and planted effectually into Christ, is first a state of Condemnation: John 3.3. Secondly, it is a state of Death in Sin. Ephes. 2.1. Dead in Sins and Trespasses. Thirdly, a state of Enmity, they are enemies to God, and God to them. Rom. 8.7.Col. 1.21.Col 1:21 The carnall minde is enmity against God, it is not subject to the Law of God: Fourthly, a state of Insufficiency to help our selves: Rom. 5.6. We were without strength: And is it a light thing to be found in such a state as this? Is it a light thing to be dead in Sins and Trespasses? to be an Enemy to God? to be a Child of wrath? May not God justly cast off, and punish such a generation and race of Men? And what shall we do, if God did not deliver us from this state of Death? In this state God finds us all, out of this state he chooseth some. In this state he leaveth others to go on in sin, and perish for ever: And this is it which I said before (namely) that God doth not condemn, nor decree to condemn any, but Sinners, and for Sin, originall and actuall: And so did our Divines conclude in the Synod of Dordt, Syn. Dort. 1. Art. pag. 15. Thesis 5.Deus neminem damnat, aut damnationi destinat, nisi ex consideratione peccati.

This is farther proved by these Reasons following: Reas. 1 No man is ordained unto punishment justly, but for some fault: But Damnation is an act of punishing-justice, therefore it doth presuppose a fault going before it: And hereof God will sufficiently convince the Reprobates; God will not deal with them by way of Soveraignty, or Power, but of Justice; they shall not say, that they are over-powered, and so cast into Hell, but at the day of the Declaration of Gods righteous Judgements, their mouths shall be stopped, and all ungodly ones be convinced of all their evill deeds which they have committed.

The Reprobates are called vessels of wrath, Reas. 2 Rom. 9.22. Now the wrath of God is against sinne,They are sinners before they are objects of Wrath. and onelyonly against sinne, according as it is said, Rom. 1.18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men.

Lastly, Reas. 3 Such as God doth punish in time, such onelyonly did he decree before time to be punished; for there is not one rule p. 191of punishing, and another of decreeing punishments; Gods Execution shews his Intention, and therefore seeing he doth actually punish none but for sin, therefore I conclude that he doth not reprobate or ordain unto punishment any but Sinners, and that for Sin.

Wherefore, as in our Protestant Writers, Ʋse. I judge it better to forbear those unscripturall termes of absolute, peremptory, irrespective Decree of Reprobation, because they minister matter of strife, by occasion of which, our Doctrine is misreported, and rendred odious with horrid consequences; so I humbly crave leave to declare on behalf of the Protestant Religion (accounting for the Protestants Doctrine, not what this or that Doctor doth hold, or teach, but what is set forth by the Protestant Churches in their publique Confessions of Faith, and in their Synodicall Acts) that we hold not, that God created men to shew his power in their destruction; neither do we hold, that God ever decreed to punish his reasonable Creatures, as it is a Creature, or that God would have men to perish, because it is his will, without respect of the Creatures sin deserving punishment. This branch of our distinction thus opened, cuts off all blasphemous conceits about Gods decree of Reprobation.

Now follows the second branch of our distinction,22Branch of our distinction. which saith thus, If ye consider the persons elected, or rejected, compared one with the other, that then they are both alike before the Lord; and God doth not choose one, nor refuse the other for any Goodnesse or Wickednesse, for any Faith or Unbelief, that he sees in one more than in the other,Comparative election and reprobation. but meerly because it is his good pleasure so to do. If ye ask why Peter is chosen rather than Judas, or why Judas is rejected rather than Peter, there is no cause, motive, or condition in the parties themselves, to be rendred of this discrimination, but onelyonly Gods good pleasure, which he purposed in himself, which the Apostle calls The mysterie of his Will, Eph. 1.9. and the counsell of his own will, ver. 11. And herein God shews the freeness of his Grace, and the soveraignty of his Power, I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy, and whom he will he hardneth, Rom. 9.15, 18.

p. 192This is that truth which I promised to prove (namely) that it is suitable to God to shew mercy to some in misery, Doctr. and to passe by others in the same condition, and that without consideration or fore-sight of Faith, or any other quality in them whom he chooseth, more than in them whom he rejecteth: In this Comparative sense the nature of Gods Election is best discerned; if God did love all to life, there would be Love indeed, but no Election; for he that taketh all, maketh no choice of any; if he did choose upon fore-sight of Faith, as a condition in the Object to be chosen, then Election should not stand in the will and purpose of him that calleth, but of him that is called; it would be of him that willeth, and of him that runneth, and not of God that sheweth mercy, Rom. 9.11, 16.

To make way to the proofs, I shall give you a short view of the Arminian Doctrine touching this matter, the rather that our adversaries may see from whose sparks it is that they have kindled their new lights.

At the Synod of Dort the Arminians do thus declare their opinion, touching Election and Reprobation. (Namely)

This is the summe and substance of their Doctrine, wherein they erre four waies:

First,Stegman pag. 229. In that they ascribe to God onelyonly a generall Decree to save, Quoddam genus hominum tantùm, non quosdam certos homines, not particular persons, but such a sort of men, Believers in generall,Arminians. 1. Error. they make election to be, not of particular persons, but of a quality, and those persons in whom he findeth that quality (namely) of Faith and Obediedce, those persons he electeth to salvation, for the quality he findeth in them: Though it be true, that God hath appointed Faith to be the means, by which he will actually bring his Elect to salvation, according to that of the Apostle, 2 Thes 2.13. God hath from the beginning, chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the Truth, yet this is not the decree of Election, much lesse the whole and entire decree of Election so much admired and celebrated by the Apostle.

For by his Decree God doth ordain certain persons to salvation, Reason. 1 not things, or qualities (as hath beene proved Sect. 1. of this 6. Chap.) these qualities come in as means subordinated for the fulfilling and execution of the Decree, as in the place now cited. Those words (Through sanctification of the p. 195Spirit and belief of the Truth) doe respect the end, Salvation, as the means leading to it, not the Act of God electing, as the cause and condition thereof, as shall be proved by and by.

Besides, this generall Election is no Election at all, Reason. 2 for by it, Peter (for examples sake) is no more chosen than Judas; if Peter happen to live and die a Believer, then he is chosen, and upon the same termes Judas is one of Gods elect, yea, Peter may be the Reprobate, and Judas the Elect, for any thing that God hath done for one more than the other; yea, Clement, and all those blessed soules,Philip. 4.3. Rev. 17.8.Phil 4:3Rev 17:8 whose names were written in the book of Life, were no more elected to Life, according to their Doctrine, than they that be now damned in Hell.

The Scripture speaketh expresly of an individuall, nominal, Reason. 3 particular Election of them that be heires of Glory, God hath chosen us and you, your names are written in Heaven: The Lord knoweth them that are his, 2 Tim. 2.19.2 Tim 2:19he knoweth them all by their names, distinctly, being built upon his own foundation, and sealed as it were with his own Seale in the book of Life, he knows them after another manner than he knoweth Hymeneus, or Philetus, he knoweth them to stablish them, when others slide away from the truth, to keep them, when others are lost, even as a man knoweth all his goods and cattell, and neighbours, but his wife and children after a speciall manner, to provide portions for them, according to that which is said, Mat. 25.34. Come ye blessed children of my father, receive the kingdome prepared for you. At the end of the world there shall be a separation made between Men and Men, as a Sheepherd divideth the Sheep from the Goats, ver. 32. Now upon the Separation, the Kingdom is given to them for whom it was prepared; it was not prepared for some, and given to others: it is at last given to certain particular persons, therefore for them it was prepared in Gods Predestination.

They erre in saying that there were many other things which God might have chosen to be the conditions of our Election and Salvation, but God, Error. 2 according to the good pleasure of his will, did freely make choice of Faith in Christ, p. 196to be that condition: First, Let it be considered, how basely these men doe obscure the glory of Gods Grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved; For by this account, those high and glorious expressions of our being predestinated according to the good pleasure of his will, Eph. 1.6, 7, 8, 9.Eph 1:6Eph 1:7Eph 1:8Eph 1:9to the praise of the glory of his Grace, according to the riches of his Grace, the mysterie of his Will, shall amount to no more but this, that God, instead of our persons, hath chosen a quality, and that without any great thanks or cause of admiration, for he might have made choice of other qualities as well as that; O what a flat, jejune, empty conceit is this of so high a mercy!

Secondly, but tell me in good earnest, Is there any other way? Yea, many other waies possible to make us the children of God, Gal. 3.26.Gal 3:26besides faith in Christ Jesus: Christ prayed, Father, if it be possible, let this cup passe from me: Christs prayer was heard, and if it had been possible by any other way, to save a sinner, Christ had not died. There is no other name under heaven given, Acts 4.12. Heb. 3.14.Acts 4:12Heb 3:14by which men must be saved, neither is there salvation in any other, but in Christ, nor any other means to be partakers of Christ, but by Faith. Thus is Christs righteousnesse obscured, and made void; for if there be many other conditions that would serve the turne, Christ died in vain.

Thirdly, How shamefully is the wisdome of God obscured by this Doctrine! It was beyond the wit of Man or Angel to devise a way, how a Sinner might be justified, and God remain just.1 Cor. 1.20, 21.1 Cor 1:201 Cor 1:21 Where is the Wise? where is the Scribe? where is the Disputer of this world? When the world by all their wisdome knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching, to save them that believe: None of the Princes of the world knew it;1 Pet. 1.12. Eph. 3.10.1 Pet 1:12Eph 3:10 nay, the holy Angels stand amazed, admiring the wisdome of God in contriving mans salvation; for to them is made knowne by the Church, the manifold wisdome of God, that wisdome, which is so highly extolled above all understanding, the wisdom of God in a mysterie, 1 Cor. 2.7. Eph. 1.8.1 Cor 2:7Eph 1:8the hidden wisdom of God, wherein he hath abounded unto us in all wisdome and prudence: Now why did God (as I may speak with reverence) set his wisdom on work to find out this way for his mercy, if this be p. 197but one way of many as possible as this? It is pity an Arminian wit had not been called to counsell, he could have told of twenty other waies as fit to be the conditions of Election and Salvation, as Faith in Christ Jesus: But we must not wonder at this, if we call to mind, that when they speak of Faith in Christ, they take it for the foreign credere, for the very Act of believing, as it is a quality, not an instrument, laying hold on Christ, and then indeed many other conditions might have been thought on and accepted, according to the good pleasure of his will. Thus God might have appointed Prudence, or Valour, or Charity, or Temperance, or Patience, to be the conditions of Salvation, and decreed that those persons, in whom he should find the quality resolved on, should be elected and glorified: But abandoning this carnall, Jewish, legall, dunghill conceit of setting up in our imaginations any other possible condition of mercy; let us labour to be found in Christ, not having any other righteousnesse, but the righteousnesse of Christ, which is by Faith.

Thirdly,Their third Error. They erre in saying that (fidelis perseveraturus) a Believer in the point of death, is the Object of Gods compleat, full, and irrevocable election unto life; they hold, that Believers in this life are elected, yet with an election that is incompleat, revocable and alterable, God is feigned to suspend his full determination of any man, till he be dying, and have actually performed the condition required in objecto eligibili, in the party to be chosen (namely) perseverance in the Faith: The ground of this Error is another Error (namely) that true Believers may fall away, and so he that is an elect Vessel to day, may be a Reprobate to morrow, or before he die: Fatemur enim non illubentes, eos qui ad tempus verâ fide credunt, pro isto tempore in gratiâ esse, & proinde non minore jure electos dici posse, quàm justificatos; quia videlicet in statu illo sunt, in quo si perseverarent, Acta Remonstr. Art. 1. pag 7.re verâ aeternam gloriam consecuturi essent, tamen à fide suâ deficere possunt, imò non raro deficiunnt. This is their judgement declared at the Synod of Dort.

I shall not here overthrow the ground of this Error, it shall suffice to discover the falshood of the oipnion by two Arguments:

p. 198First, Reason. 1 The Apostles order in that golden Chain, Rom. 8.30. is quite contrary to it, and is perverted by this opinion, for the links must be new placed, thus, whom he did fore-know, them he called, and whom he called, them he justified, and whom he justified (being now actuall Believers) them he predestinated (Predestination must come in there) and then immediately, whom he thus predestinated, them he glorified: The Text saies, that we are predestinated before we be called or justified; they say, nay, but we are first called and justified being actually in Christ by Faith, and then predestinated; The Text saies, we are elected before the world was made; they say, we are not elected till the world be ended, as to us: How can this opinion consist with those plaine words of the Apostle, 2 Tim. 1.9. He called us with an holy calling, according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began; Note first, that the purpose and grace of God there goes before our holy calling, for our calling is according to that purpose. Secondly, that this purpose and grace was given to us before the world began, we were the subjects of divine Election, when that grace was first given us, and that was not in the end of our lives, but before the beginning of them.

Secondly, Reason. 2 This opinion doth confound Predestination with Glorification, as if they were not two, but one and the same thing; for thus they teach, that Gods full and determinate election of certain persons to glory, is to be considered sub ratione praemii, Acta Remonstr. Art. 1. pag. 8.under the notion of a reward, cum illis actu & reipsâ conferre vult gloriam, tanquam fidei & obedien…iae, ab illis praestitae mercedem & praemium; Et hanc electionem ad gloriam hic intelligi volumus, quae peremptoria est & aeternae salutis communicationem actualem & realem sibi conjunctam habet; when Believers have finished their course, then do they receive eternall life as the reward of their Faith and Obedience, which they call Election; And of this kinde of Election, say they, we would be understood, which hath joyned with it the actuall communication of Glory. And wherein doth this Election differ from Glorification it self? The rewarding and crowning of the faithfull with eternall life, is it p. 199not their Glorification? At the end of our daies, when we receive the end of our hopes, the salvation of our fouls, we are not then to be looked upon as persons to be chosen, but already chosen, and now to be brought into possession which was so long ago prepared for them. I conclude with that of S. Paul, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. I have finished my Course, I have k…pt the Faith, henceforth, What henceforth doth he expect, that God should elect him to a Crown of life? No, but he expects that God should now bestow it; Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown; that is, upon the finishing of his Course, and keeping of the Faith, the very next thing is the giving of the Crown.

Lastly, Reason. 3 By this opinion Election and Predestination be quite thrust out of doore; there is no Election till we have finished our course say they, and when we have finished it, then immediately comes our Glorification, at which time, as there will be no need of Election; so there will be no place for it. Thus is the great mysterie of Gods Grace, that first Grace, from whence are derived all other Graces, and helps effectuall for the obtaining our blessed end, made void, and to have no place in the course of mans Salvation.

I come now to their fourth Error, Error. 4 which groundeth the act of Gods Predestination upon his fore-sight of mans Faith, or of some goodnesse in them whom he chooseth, more than in others whom he rejecteth.

Contrary unto which Error, I have laid my third Conclusion, and it is the summe of the second Branch of my distinction, (namely) if you consider the person Elected and Reprobated as compared one with the other, then they are both alike before the Lord: God doth not choose one for any Faith or goodnesse foreseene in him, more than in the other, whom he rejecteth, but meerely because it is his good pleasure so to do.

First, True it is, that they which believe and obey the Gospel, are the elect of God.

Secondly, It is also true, that God foresees all things that are to come, good and evill: But false it is, that our Election dependeth upon such conditions foreseen; The p. 200truth of my Assertion is evidenced by these following Arguments.

If Election doth go before our Faith and Obedience, Argument. 1 then Faith and Obedience are not the causes, or foregoing conditions, upon which our Election doth depend: But Election doth go before Faith and Obedience (we were elected before we had Faith, or considered, as having faith) Therefore Gods Election doth not depend on them. The first part of this Argument is cleare in common sense, for that which is done already, doth not depend upon a condition or quality that followes after.

The Minor Proposition (namely) that Election goeth before Faith, is proved by these two places of Scripture. First, that place Ro. 8.30. Whom he did predestinate, them he also called, &c. It is evident, that Glorifying cometh after Justifying, Justifying after Calling, Calling after Predestinating or choosing unto life; therefore these Graces are after Predestination, not causes of it, Faith and Obedience to the Gospel comes after Calling (no man has Faith till he be called by the Gospel) and Calling comes after Predestination; therefore Faith it self must needs come after Predestination.

Secondly, Faith and Holinesse are the fruits and effects of Election, therefore not the causes, or precedaneous conditions thereof; the Effect is ever after the Cause, the Fountain is before the Stream: Now Gods Love in our Election is the Fountain from whence the blessed Streames of Faith, Adoption,Ephes. 1.4, 5.Eph 1:4Eph 1:5 and Sanctification do flow, for so it is written, God hath chosen us in Christ, that we should be holy, not because we were holy, unto the Adoption of Children through Faith in Jesus Christ, not because we were so: Our Holinesse and our Adoption are things that we are chosen unto, and do follow Election; But are not things going before, and which we are chosen for:Titus 1.1. Phil. 1.29.Titus 1:1Phil 1:29 Hence Faith is called the Faith of Gods Elect, because to them it is given to believe, and to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of God, according to that saying, Acts 13.48. As many as were ordained to eternall life, believed: which plainly teacheth, that Gods ordaining to life went before their believing; it is not said, as many as believed (before-hand) p. 201were ordained to life; but as many as were ordained to life, believed; Gods mercy ordained the means, as he did the end, and the means proved effectuall to them, not to all that heard it.

If it be objected, That Election doth indeed goe before Faith, Obj. or any other condition actually performed, but not before the foresight of it.

The Answer is easie (namely) unto God, Answ. things foreseen are as if they were present; God beholdeth all things to come, as present, and therefore if Election do not depend upon actuall Faith, neither doth it upon the foresight of it, conditiones praestitae, and praescitae performed and foreseen, are all one in this dispute; and if one be excluded, so are the other also.

And surely, if Gods foresight had altered the case between the two Brothers, Jacob and Esau, he could have said,Rom. 9.11.Rom 9:11 that though for the present they were both alike, having done neither good nor evill, yet in Gods foresight they were not equall, and therefore God loved the one, and hated the other, but not allowing of any such quirk, he placeth the difference between them onelyonly in the purpose of him that calleth. These works of Faith, Holinesse, Obedience, and the like, as in time they flowed from the grace of God; so they were foreseene likewise no otherwise, than as effects of his Grace in us, and consequently not as Causes or inducements to God to Elect us to eternall life, as will farther appeare by the other Arguments that follow.

Our second Argument is this, Arg. 2 God foresees no good in the Creature, which himselfe does not intend to worke. Every spirituall good in us is of Gods owne working, therefore he cannot foresee it in us,Isa. 26.12. Phil. 2.13. Alvarez.Isa 26:12Phil 2:13 unlesse he have decreed to work it in us; for every thing that comes to passe, doth presuppose some act of Gods will (either permissive, and Ordinative, or Operative) seeing against or without his will nothing can be;Armin. p 712. and if a thing never be, it cannot be foreseen, Scientia visionis sequitur voluntatis decretum, is a true Rule, Quod praescivit Deus, praescit (saith Arminius) quia futurum est; Eph. 1.11.Eph 1:11& ideo futurum est, quia voluit Deus, qui operatur omnia secundùm p. 202Propositum voluntatis suae: That which God foresees, he foresees it because it shall come to passe, and it shall come to pass, because God hath commanded or willed it: Hence it is, that I said just now, God cannot foresee any good (Faith in us) unlesse he have decreed to work it in us: Where shall God finde Faith,Rom. 11.32. Gal. 3.22.Rom 11:32Gal 3:22 seeing he hath shut up all in unbelief? The Scripture hath concluded, or shut up all under Sin. There is not one that doth good, no not one. Faith is not of our selves, it is the gift of God. Ephes. 2.8.Eph 2:8So then he findeth not Faith in his Elect, but giveth them Faith. Secondly, and if he give it them, that he might elect us, the case is still the same, and the difficulty the same; for the Question will still be, Why doth God give faith to some, and not to others? Why doth not God make all men willing to believe and obey? And the Answer must be the same, which we give to them that ask, Why doth God choose some and not others in the same condition? It must at last be all resolved into his owne will, He hath mercy on whom he will. His grace is his owne, he may give it where he will, and if he have given Grace to any of us, let us praise him for his mercy, and when we see others left without Grace, let us reverence him for his unsearchable judgements.

This Argument may be presented in a more easie forme thus: Answ. I demand concerning Gods Elect, Did God find them good, and so choose them, or make them good, that he might choose them? or did he choose them when they were sinners to make them good and holy?

First, God did not find them good and so choose them, for then there is some good in the Creatures, which God hath not wrought, yea, that great good of turning our selves to God by Faith, whereas others having the same helps, turned not; This cannot be admitted of by Gods word for two Reasons:

First, Because then Man should have whereof to glory, as having made himself to differ.

Secondly, Because it would follow, that we first chose him, not he us, contrary unto that John 15.16. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you; for by the Doctrine of Election upon foresight of our Faith embracing Christ, it will follow, that we first chose Christ by Faith, and not he p. 203us, we embrace him first, and then God electeth us.

Secondly, Did God make us holy, that we might be eligible, or fit Objects of our Election? No; but he chose us when we were lost Sinners, he pitied us in our Blood, he chose us that we should be holy, he found us not holy;Rom. 4.5.Rom 4:5 Paul saith that God justifieth the ungodly; and if we were ungodly, when we were justified, then it is certain, we were so when we were chosen; for Justification is after Predestination, Rom. 8.30.Rom 8:30therefore he chose the ungodly, and unholy, and strangers, that they might be made godly, and holy, and children through Grace.

Thirdly, If God did give us Faith first, and then upon sight thereof, did choose us, yet this would no whit advantage the cause, or remove the inconveniencies and absurdities; for the removall of which, this Election, upon foreseen Faith, was first invented; for still it is Gods grace that maketh thee to differ, if he foresee in us nothing but what he himself worketh of his meer grace, then his Act of Election doth not depend upon any foreseen quality in us, as a condition thereof, moving God to elect; for all doth proceed from himself, and then the difficulty is still the same; for tell me, Why did God give grace to one, and not to the other? Why Faith to one, and not to others? That which answers this question will answer the other also; Why did God decree to save one, and not the other? And the answer to both, can be no other than because it so pleased him.

Our third Argument against foreseen Faith, Arg. 3 as the condition before-hand required in the party to be chosen, is this, Because it doth pervert, enervate, and overthrow the Apostles reasoning in Rom. 9. chap. for this provisionall Election being granted, you may read many verses of that backward;Rom. 9. Verse. 11.Rom 9 you must read verse 11. thus, The Children being before God, as already born, and having done the one good, the other evill, (Jacob being looked upon, as one that feared God, 13Esau as a profane person, that sold his Birth-right) that the purpose of God, according to election, might stand, not of him that calleth, 1415but of works, It was said, Godly Jacob have I loved, Profane Esau have I hated, and so there is no unrighteousness with Godf; or he saith, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; nay, not so, p. 204Verse 16.for then there were unrighteousnesse with God, Ver. 19.but I will have mercy on whom I finde cause to have mercy: So then it is of him that willeth, and of him that runneth, and not of God, that sheweth mercy: Thou needest not say then unto me, Why doth he yet finde fault? ver. 19. forasmuch as there is a plain reason of his will to be assigned (namely) God hath regard to Faith in one, and Infidelity in the other, and therefore O Man, who art thou, that repliest against God? Thou hast no cause to expostulate with God, seeing he can give this account to the Creature of his actions, that his Decree doth proceed not upon termes of Will, or Soveraignty, but of Justice and Equity, rendring to every man according to his deeds: It is free for God to choose Faith to be the condition going before Election, and it is just with God to cast away them that will not submit to this condition; for ver. 21. The Potter hath power of the Clay, to make one vessell to honour, another to dishonour, yet he is not to be blamed, if when he sees a good piece of Clay fit matter for a curious vessel, he does preferre that before a courser Clay, that will not endure to be wrought to a good vessel: According to that opinion this is the sense and drift of that Scripture, which because it doth directly contradict and overthrow the scope of the Apostle, it is to be abhorred, as measuring the mysteries of God by, and arraigning his unsearchable waies at the bar of carnall Reason.

To conclude this point, I note more particularly, four things in that ninth chapter to the Romans, which can no waies consist with this opinion of previsionall Election.

First, The Apostle discoursing of the casting off of some of the Jewes, and not others; he doth industriously, and accurately presuppose and presse an equality and parity, and exclude all consideration of inequality, by reason of good or evill in the persons, as the moving cause or condition, why one should be chosen, and not the other, as Jacob and Esau, Children of one Father, and one Mother, not yet born, having done neither good or evill, &c. And so in the comparison of the Potter, he doth shew Gods freedome to choose or refuse, when the Persons be every way as the same Clay, in the same Case, in the same Condition.

p. 205Secondly, By what Analogie of reason can Esau, which had as yet done no evill, be a type or figure of men rejected for doing evil, for persevering in unbelief; and how can Jacob, which as yet had done no good, be a type and figure of men elected, for the good they have done for their perseverance in Faith?

Thirdly, that instance of the Potter, if the Potter should thus reason and resolve with himselfe, if the whole lump be capable of an excellent form, then I will make it up all into Vessels of Honour, but else into Vessels for baser uses; if he should thus reason, then where were his power over the Clay? Would it not then follow, that it was in the Clay, and not in the power of the Potter, that this is a Vessel for best uses, and that for baser?

Fourthly, It would cease to be a mysterie, there would be no cause to wonder and admire at S. Paul's Doctrine of Election and Reprobation, neither were there any cause why S. Paul should move such an objection, Why doth God finde fault? for who hath resisted his will? v. 19. And at last answers the Objection, and stops mans mouth with the absolutenesse and freedome of Gods will, if there were any other cause or condition in the Persons themselves, of their Election and Reprobation.

The Answer had been easie: This hath God done, because he saw good in one, and obstinate impenitency in the other; although the will of God be alwaies grounded upon reason for whatsoever he doth, yet he is not to give an account to us of his actions, why he disposeth thus and thus of men; and therefore the Apostle here stoppeth the mouth of all that move such curious questions, with Nay, but O Man, who art thou that repliest against God? The Apostle saith, Eph. 1.11. that God worketh all things after the counsel of his own wil: note from thence, that the things, which he decreeth and purposeth, are most perfectly wise and good; there is reason enough in God for whatsoever he doth, for he doth all things by Counsel; yet secondly, it is a Counsel of his Will, and therefore unsearchable; we must not measure it by our reason; considering that the Will of God is unsearchable; No man hath been his Counsellour.

p. 206Thus I have at length dispatched my three Conclusions, (namely)

First, That there is such a Decree in Gods fore-ordaining mens future estate, and what that Decree is.

Secondly, That none but the Elect are saved.

Thirdly, That God doth shew mercy on some in misery, and passe by others in the same condition, and that without the foresight of any condition in the party chosen: And what hath the Adversary to reply against this Truth?

He saith, Obj. 1 It is not suitable to God, to pick and choose among men, in shewing mercy, because he may as well cease to be, as to withhold mercy from any one in misery; if he did, the defect must be in his heart, or in his ability; now know it is not for want of ability, Lond. Test. p. 8.if God shew not mercy to all, and to ascribe it to his heart, or his will, is to blaspheme his excellent Name and Nature.

The Answer is easie: Answ. First, God is a most free Agent, and therefore doth shew mercy, not by any necessity of Nature, but according to the freenesse of his will, I will have mercy on whom I will, and who shall challenge him for it?

Secondly,foreign. Gulpanda est in judicialibus, non in gratuitis. If God were to distribute Justice, then all men in the same case, should speed alike; but Election is an act not of Justice, but of Grace and favour; his Grace is his own, he may give it where he will, and none have cause to complain: Let it suffice, God oweth us nothing, except Death for our Sins; acts of Justice are deserved, but acts of Grace are free, not due, nor deserved by any one.

Thirdly, God will be glorified in his Justice as well as in his mercy. Rom. 9.17, 22, 23. For this cause I raised thee up, that my name might be declared throughout all the earth, therefore it is no blaspheming of his excellent name, to say, that God will not have mercy on all.

This Doctrine of Election is suitable, first, to Gods Wisdome, forasmuch as in contriving the salvation of a Sinner, is made known the manifold wisdom of God.

2. To his Justice, which taketh vengeance on all the sinnes of Mankinde, either in their own persons, or in the person of Christ.

p. 2073. To his Truth,Rom. 9 6.Rom 9:6 Who will perform his Govenant made with Abraham, though many of Abrahams posterity be cast away? What if some did not believe, shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid, Rom. 3.3.

4. To his Holinesse; for he ordaineth none to salvation, but through sanctification of the Spirit; he chooseth us in Christ.

5. And lastly, it is suitable to his Love and Goodnesse, who will make some partakers of his blessednesse, being not willing that all should perish, though all had destroyed themselves: These are conceits too weak to overthrow the eternall Decrees of God.

The strongest Arguments that I have met withall in English, against Gods Decree, of Reprobation especially, Obj. 2 Mr. Sam. Hurd. Gods love to Mankind, ann. 1636. I heare that his Book is answered by that judicious Bishop, Dr. Davenant, unto whom I refer you for the best satisfaction.are managed by the Author of that Book, intituled, Gods love to Mankinde, a close Disputant. And to confesse the truth, I think his Arguments against the Superlapsarian way, to be manswerable; But Mr. Hurd having set down our opinion, as he thought good himself, and not as the truth is; (for he feigneth us to hold an obsolute Decree of Reprobation by the Will of God, without respect to sin; his words are these, pag. 3. They both (saith he) (that is, both they of the Superlapsarian and Sublapsarian judgement) contend, that the moving cause of Reprobation is the alone Will of God, and not the Sin of Man, originall or actuall. I say, our Doctrine being thus misreported, and the Question mis-stated, as you may perceive by the Doctrine delivered in this Chapter; all his pains and Arguments serve to refute his own Fancies, not our Assertion.

The members and parts of the Distinction above mentioned, being fitly and warily applied, do discover the falshood, and inconsequence of most of his Arguments. As for example, We do not hold, neither does it follow of our Doctrine,Five absurdities falsly charged on out Doctrine of Predestination.

First, That God doth exercise any such absolute dominion or soveraignty over the reasonable Creatures, as to create such infinite multitudes of men, that he might torment them for ever, after a short life here ended, without any fault at all of theirs pre-existing in his eternal minde, for we have proved, p. 208that God does neither condemn, nor decree to be condemned, any but Sinners, and for Sin.

Nor Secondly, do we hold, that God decreed Adam to fall, otherwise than by permitting it; he never decreed either to do Sin, or command it to be done, neither did any Decree of God force Adam to sin: Adam sinned most freely, he brake a most easie Commandement (Thou shalt not eat of the tree of Knowledge) he had but one Commandement, he brake that; he believed the voice of the Tempter, which said, Thou shalt not die, more than the voice of God, which told him, He should die in the day that he did eat thereof.

thirdly, Nor doth it follow of our Doctrine, that God in permitting Adams Fall, was the author of his sin, or of any the sins that followed thereupon. It is true, that God doth suffer sin to be, else there could be none; if God would absolutely hinder it;Acts 14.16.Acts 14:16 And it is as true, that a permissive decree is no cause of sin, because it is meerly extrinsecall to the sinner, and hath no influence at all upon the sinne: If a feeble house be upheld by props, he that shall take away those props, is the cause of the fall of that house: But the case is not so between God and Adam; Adam was made not feeble, but upright, and able to stand; God did not instill into his mind any evil; nay, God did not withdraw or take from him any Grace or strength formerly given him, onelyonly he did not hinder him from falling, who was able to stand if he would; no power or fraud of Sathan, could have vanquished him, unlesse he himself would voluntarily yeild, which he did, and therefore had no excuse for his sin, when God called to an account:Gods love to … mankind, p. 53, 55. Eccles. 7.29. Rom. 5.17, 19.Eccl 7:29Rom 5:17Rom 5:19 wherefore Mr. Hurd doth ill to charge our Doctrine with this foul aspersion, that God did bring men into an estate in which they cannot avoid sin, and then leave the Reprobate irrecoverably in it: For God made man upright, but he found out many inventions. By one mans disobedience, many were made sinners; By one mans offence, Death reigned by one; We ow our sin and misery unto our first Parents breach of Covenant. To shew it in a comparison, Suppose some Father, or Master of a Family, should cast out of his house the Mother, that hath played the Harlot, and all her Bastardbrood, p. 209were not this just? And if the Children should complain of hard usage, and plead their innocency, saying, What evil have we done? Might not the Master of the house say to them, Go plead with your Mother, she is not my Wife, neither are you my Children, therefore away with the Mother and Brats together? Thus did God say to a generation of Idolaters, who were upon the point of being divorced from God, and cast off from being his people, Lo-ammi, ye are not my People, and I will not be your God, Hos. 1.9. They are brought in complaining of Gods dealing with them; the Lord stops their mouths, and sayes to them, Plead with your Mother, as if he should say, do not contend or quarrel with me, but plead with your Mother, Hos. 2.2. For she is not my Wife, she hath broken Covenant with me by her Idolatries, neither am I her Husband, and therefore I will not have mercy upon her Children, for they be Children of whoredome, ver 4. In like manner may God say to all that charge God for their being rejected in their naturall estate; go plead with Adam, for he brake Covenant with me, he wilfully disobeyed my voice, and so brought on himself and his posterity, the sentence of Death threatned, in case he should transgresse: Of this I shall speak again in the next chapter of Originall Sin.

Fourthly, We do not hold, nor doth it follow of our Doctrine, that Gods Decree does determine mans will to sin, or lay any necessity of sinning upon it; Adam, and all men after him, sin voluntarily of their own will,Gods love to mankind, pag. 35. James 1.13.Jas 1:13 and by way of choice they refuse to hearken; wicked men are Authors of their own offences, they choose them, plot them, purpose and commit them; God tempteth no man to evill, Reason. much lesse forceth, or necessitateth any to evill: The reason is, because, wheresoever these two things concur (namely) Freedome from Violence and Necessity, with the full consent of Reason; there is the whole and true nature of Liberty. Though Gods Providence ordereth and governeth the evill wills and actions of men, yet he determines them not to evil;White's way, p. 267. they act from principles of their own reason and judgement, whereby they judge of things good or evill, which accordingly p. 210they freely choose, or refuse, doe, or leave undone.

It doth not follow then, that all things come to passe of necessity, because of Gods Decree or Fore-knowledge; our memory is not the cause of things past, neither is our foreknowledge of things to come; God doth foresee all things that are to come, both things certain, and things contingent, and his fore-knowledge is not deceived, yet his will and foresight laies no necessity upon mans will; Wicked men act wickedly and freely, because Wickednesse is in their wils; Godly men act graciously and freely, because Grace is in their wils: Grace is in their wils moving and inclining them to the thing that is good; their wils are set at liberty by Grace, which sanctifieth their reason and judgement, their consultations and the bent of their wils: God doth not infuse any Constraint into the mind of man to enforce it, nor any Error to seduce it, nor impose any Necessity to bind it: All things work according to the Law of their Creation, natural Agents naturally, contingent Things contingently, voluntary Agents voluntarily; the Godly are not good against their wils, for of unwilling God makes us willing to the thing that is good: and as for the Wicked, he needs not force or make them willing to Evil, or unwilling to Good, for they are so by nature.

Fifthly, It doth not follow of our Doctrine, that all endeavours after Life and Salvation are in vain,a Pet. 1.10. for by giving diligence, we may make our Calling and Election sure: And certainly he doth not labour in vain, that attains to that Knowledge and sweet Assurance; if ye seek, knock, hearken and obey, ye are the Elect of God, as is declared above.

I shall examine two or thre of Mr. Hurds strongest Objections, and so conclude this Section.

It is objected, Obj. 1 That our Doctrine of Predestination doth make God a Liar, Ezek. 18.23, 32. Ezek. 33.11.Ezek 18:23Ezek 18:32Ezek 33:11a Dissembler; the Scripture saith, that God willeth not the death of a sinner, that he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth; and yet you say, that he hath shut up many millions of men, lying in the fall under the sentence of death, under the hars of an everlasting and irrevocable Decree. How can these stand together?

p. 211I answer: First, Answ. If God had pleasure in the death of a sinner, he would not have been at such costs for the saving of so many millions of souls, as he hath been by the Incarnation, Death, Sufferings, Resurrection, Ascension of his deare Son, and by establishing such a course of Ordinanances for the conversion and salvation of Sinners.

Secondly, God is resolved to execute the sentence of death upon many of the lost Sons of Adam, for breach of that first Covenant; and so he told Adam beforehand, that he would do; here is no dissembling in all this.

Thirdly, Both these Propositions are true; God willeth the death of a Sinner, and God willeth not the death of a Sinner: Sinners that enjoy the means of Grace, of be two sorts; some there be whose hearts do melt and relent when they heare Gods voice; they hearken and obey, and turn from the evil of their doings; and God willeth not the death of such: Others there be that stop the ear, refuse to return, they will not come up to the terms of the Gospel; and God willeth the punishment of such, that is, their death; The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousnesse of men: Rom. 1.18.Rom 1:18This is plain dealing, here is no dissembling in all this: And this is the very case of them, in Ezek. 18.21, 23, 32. If the wicked turn from his sins that he hath committed, he shall surely live and not die; Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord, and not that he should return from his waies and live? Here God commends his Love to poor Sinners that repent, and his unpartial Justice against all that commit iniquity, ver. 26. God willeth not the sin of a Sinner, nor his obstinacy in sin; yet he willeth the punishment of obstinate Sinners, which is death; if God did not in some sort will the death of a Sinner, how could he judge the World? To punish for Sin is a work of Justice, as to pardon Sin, is a work of Mercy; and God willeth the work of his own Justice, God will wound the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their wickednesse.

Yea, but How can it stand with the truth and justice of God, Obj. 2 Gods love to Mankind, pag. 67.to offer Christ and Salvation by the Gospel to many thousands of Reprobates, to whom he hath precisely in his absolute purpose, p. 212denied both a Power to believe, and a Christ to believe in? And how can he in equity require Faith in such, and be angry with them for not believing? Can we say, that God doth in good earnest will that those men should believe, Pag 68.whom he will not furnish with necessary power to believe?

I answer two things: Answ. 1

First, That though Christ, together with the gift of Faith and Grace, effectual to Conversion, be given only to the Elect; yet Salvation by the Gospel is generally and promiscuously offered unto all Sinners for two Reasons: First, because we do not know who be Elect, nor who be Reprobates; the Gospel finds them all sinners alike, and all alike capable of Salvation; the time of Separation is not yet come, neither are we able to make such a Separation, neither is it our office, the Angels shall do that at the end of the world; He that is not converted to day, may be converted to morrow; our Commission is, Preach the Gospel to every creature. The second Reason; the offer is general, to the intent that none of the Elect might be lost, and that all mouths might be stopped; seeing none are excluded that do not exclude themselves, they might all finde mercy, if they would but submit to the Gospel.

Secondly, Answ. 2 I answer out of Rom. 9. where you have First, our Doctrine, ver. 18. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth: Secondly, there is your Objection, ver. 19. Thou wilt say then, why doth he yet finde fault? for who hath resisted his will? Thirdly, you have S. Paul's Answer to your Objection, ver. 20. Nay but O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Hath not the Potter power over the Clay? &c.

In the Doctrine note two things: First, That those which be under mercy, he mollifieth, the rest he hardneth; that one is softned, it is of mercy, the other are hardned by withholding his Grace and Mercy; even as darknesse and frost are caused by the absence of the Sun, the Sun is not the cause of darknesse, nor of the Waters congealing into Ice, but yet both follow upon the absence of the Sun naturally.

Secondly, If the Question be asked why God doth mollifie p. 213some, and harden others? the Text saies, it is because he will (whom he will he hardneth) upon this doth arise your Objection if God will not have mercy on us, but will leave us to be hardned, why then doth he find fault with us for our hardness of heart, seeing his will must stand? This is the force of your Objection: Now mark the Apostles Answer, ver. 20. O man, who art thou that repliest against God? The meaning of his Answer is this (namely) God may justly find fault with thy hardnesse of heart, though he for his part will not mollifie it; and with thy unbelief, though he intend not to give thee effectual means of Faith. He may justly find fault with thy ungodly courses, though he give thee no account; besides his own will why he will not soften thy heart: as if he should say, Who art thou that repliest against God? It is enough to tell thee that God will give Grace and Mercy to others, and not to thee. His Grace is his owne, his Gifts be his owne, he may give them to whom he will, and who shall challenge him for it? He ows thee nothing, but Death for thy Sins; he is not bound to restore thee.

It is true, that God simply and absolutely is bound to no man, Obj. 3 because he is a most free dispenser of his owne favours, where, and to whom he will; but yet he is conditionally bound two waies:

First Promittendo, Promise is a Debt; if therefore God hath made a Promise of any Gift, or Grace to any man, his Promise bindeth him to performance.

Secondly, Legem ferendo, by giving men a Law to keep, which without supernaturall Grace, they can no more keep than eat a rock: God indeed is not bound to restore those abilities, Gods love to mankind pag. 73.which we once received and lost in Adam; but now seeing God hath vouchsafed to enter into a new Covenant of peace with men, when he needed not, and in that Covenant requireth Obedience at mens hands, even at theirs that perish, with promise of eternall life to every man, if he obey and keep the Covenant, and punishing with everlasting death the disobedient: These particulars supposed, the most free God is now engaged to give ability of believing unto men; nor can he justly, without this gift, punish the disobedient; the giving of the new Covenant doth presuppose p. 214either an ability in the Sinner to believe and repent, or a purpose in God to give them that ability, else he could not justly punish the disobedient and unbeliever.

I answer three things: Answ. 1

First, That to believe in God, and every word of his, either promising Life or threatning Death, was a duty and an ability given to Adam; (Adams Sin was Unbelief) and therefore he may justly require to be believed and obeyed of all Adams Posterity: Habitual Faith doth respect all possible Objects that shall be revealed, as well as those that are actually revealed; And God does not give a new specifical Faith, when he presents a new Object to be believed; Abraham believed the Creation of the World; by the same Faith he believed that he should have a Son: and therefore though it were not suitable to the state of Innocency for Adam to believe in a Mediator actually, yet by the Faith which he had, he could, and ought to believe every Promise that should proceed out of the mouth of God: As we need not new Eyes to see new Objects; the same visive faculty which sees things present, can see things which shall be laid before it. Adam had no need to behold the Brazen Serpent, because he was not stung; but if Adam had been in the Wildernesse when that Serpent was lifted up, he could have seen it with his Paradise eyes, as his Posterity did: So is the present case in regard of Habitual and Actual Faith in order to Christ to be revealed.

But to come nearer home to the purpose, Answ. 2 I grant, that the giving of a Law to the Creature does presuppose an ability in the Creature already received, or to be given to perform the conditions therein required (God doth not propose Life and Death to his Creatures upon a condition impossible) and such an ability doth God engage to bestow in the new Covenant;Jerem 31.33.Jer 31:33 so runs the Tenour of the New Covenant, Hebr. 10.11, 12. This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those daies, saith the Loed, I will put my laws in their minde, and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people, and I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse, and their sins and iniquities will p. 215I remember no more. Here are three things distinctly to be considered:

1. The Matter, and chief Blessing of the Covenantion Gods part, I will be to them a God, &c.Gen. 17.7.Gen 17:7

2. There is expressed the Bond and Condition of it on our part, and that is Faith and Obedience, signified in those words, of putting Gods Lawes in our mindes, &c. So God required of Abraham; Gen. 17.1. Walk before me, and be thou perfect.

3. There is also a Promise and Declaration, that God will work this Condition, by which men shall have an interest in this Covenant, and a right to the blessing thereof, I will put my lawes in their mindes: The matter of our Duty is the matter of Gods Promise; that which God requireth of us, he undertakes to work in us: He requires that we should know the Lord, and he promiseth we shall be all taught of God; He requires that we walk in Obedience uprightly before him; and because we shall not faile of doing our duty on our parts; He promiseth to write his Laws in our hearts. First, the grand blessing of the Covenant is, I will be their God, and pardon their sins. Secondly, the qualifications of the Persons, to whom this promise is made, They are such, in whose hearts Gods Laws are written, that is, such as believe. Thirdly, the efficient of this their Faith, I will write, I will change their hearts, I will give them Faith. Thus you see that God doth perform what he is bound unto, legem ferendo, by giving a new Covenant.

Yea, Obj. but he does not write his Law in the minds of the Reprobates.

His Covenant is not with them, Answ. and therefore his Covenant does not bind him to give them Faith;Rom. 9.6, 7.Rom 9:6Rom 9:7 All are not Israel which are of Israel, neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children, but in Isaac shall thy seed be called: The Covenant is made with the Children of the Promise, and therefore though he give not ability of believing to them that are not of his Covenant, he is not to be blamed; Gods Promises are still verified and performed in his Elect, in whose behalf they were made.

p. 216Yea, Obj. but then the Reprobate are punished for not fulfilling and observing the conditions of a Covenant, which was never made with them; Why does God punish them for their unbelief?

They outwardly embrace the Covenant being accidentally taken into the Congregation of the faithfull; Answ. by reason of their mixture and joynt profession of the same God with them, when as all the while they are in the state of Nature, and so go on in Rebellion against God, against greater Light, against their own Knowledge, and are justly punished, not because they cannot believe and repent, but because they will not; not for what they cannot do, but for not doing what their own conscience tells them they might have done, as you will see in my third Answer.

Hitherto you have seen, First, that God gave ability to all in Adam.

Secondly, That he doth renue his gifts of Grace, towards all them, whom he hath taken again into a new Covenant.

Thirdly, Answ. 3 The rest are justly punished, because they love their Sins more than God, and go on in Disobedience against Gods revealed Will, and walk in the Flesh, even as others do, that know not Christ; and therefore they having received more,White's way, p. 40.48, 269. God may require more at their hands: It is true, we can do nothing till God does enable us, yet they do not what they are able, And what's that? Though I cannot by my own strength rise from death in sin, yet an earnest care whereby I deliberate, is that means which the Spirit useth to prevent me, Deliberat. 1 and therefore if I will be saved or reclaimed from sin, I must admit deliberation and consultation about my spiritual Estate (as the Prodigall did) as the first motion that God casteth into my mind for the effecting thereof, and not stay till I feel some violent and sensible impulsions enforcing me, but accept even that small motion of care and consultation, the which to cast away, is to reject Gods offer inviting me to my uprising.

Next, 2though we have not power to convert our selves, yet all men have power to use the outward meanes and liberty to p. 217hear the voice of Gods Word and Spirit inviting them to consider of their Estate, which is sufficient to make them unexcusable, if they resist it.

God worketh some things in us without us, 3as good motions, which by his Spirit he casts into us, as we lie plunged in sin, whereby he awakes us, and bids us think of our uprising. God worketh some things in us, and with us, as a good will to receive those motions, and not to resist the Spirit: God worketh some things in us and by us, as all such good works, as the motion of the Spirit teacheth us to do. Thus far that learned Author hath taught us. These things the reprobate have ability to do (namely) to consult, to use outward means, to yield to good motions, which seeing they have no will to doe, God may justly punish their wilfull impenitency.

Thus through the assistance of Gods holy Spirit, I have finished this weighty point; The conclusion of all is, Our destruction is from our selves, but our salvation is from the Lord, who sheweth mercy: How unsearchable are his judgements, and his waies past finding out; for who hath known the minde of the Lord? or who hath been his Counsellour? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompenced unto him againe, Rom. 11.33, 35.

SECT. IV. Of their Error, which say, Lond. Test. pag. 8.that the reprobate condition of Men and Angels shall be regained.

AGainst which Error I oppose this Truth, that the state of reprobate men and Angels in Hell, is unchangeable, and never to be regained. I say of Men in Hell, or after this life; for of such I suppose the Author speaks, because he joyneth them with the reprobate Angels, who are kept under everlasting chains of darknesse, to the Judgement of the great Day; their state in misery is unalterable; the Devils shall never recover Heaven again, and Reprobate men shall never p. 218be made Elect; of miserable they shall never be made happy, they shall never regain the happinesse of Adam in an earthly Paradise, nor of the glorified Saints in the Kingdome of saved ones. Arminians tell us of a Reprobation of men in this life, which is but conditionate, and incompleat, and therefore reversible, if they repent; but after this life their Damnation is sealed, in the Grave there is no Wisdome, and in Hell there is no Repentance, and from Hell there is no Redemption; the Scripture is plain and full in this point. Mat. 25.41. Christ shall say to them on the left hand, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels. The wicked shall then be parted from the godly for ever; ver. 46. These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternall. Hel was first prepared for the Devils, but because men cleave to the Devil, and forsake God, therefore their portion is with the Devils in Hel for evermore. If their condition were alterable, then the fire were not everlasting; but the Scripture tels us, that ungodly men, Jude v 6, 7. Mark 9.44.Mark 9:44together with the Angels that kept not their first estate, shall suffer the vengeance of eternall fire; their worme dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, the remorse of an evil Conscience for ever afflicts them, and their pain is endlesse.

The reason hereof is, because after Death and Judgement, Reas. there is no means of Recovery; if men desire to escape that Judgement, they must now, whilst they are in this life, hearken, and be obedient to the Gospel of Salvation; eternall life is gained or lost in this world, after Death comes Judgement, there is no place for Repentance, no preaching, nor warnings, nor means of Conversion, nay, nor yet any heart or will to repent.

This unalterable condition of the Damned is taught in that Parable, Luke 16.26. Besides all this, there is a great gulf fixed, so that they which would passe from hence to you, cannot, neither can they passe from us that would come from thence. There is a vast distance, so that none can passe from Heaven to Hell, nor from Hell to Heaven; as the Blessednesse of these, so the Misery of the other is unchangeable, and everlasting: The means to keep men from coming into this place p. 219of torment, is appointed for the living; ver. 29. They have Moses and the Prophets, let them heare them; if they neglect that salvation whilst it is offered them, if they will not be perswaded by the Word of God, there is no other means left, they will certainly come into that place of torment, and perish everlastingly.

O that men had hearts to believe, and be affected with this Truth: Ʋse. 1 Take off thy thoughts awhile from the deluding World, and suffer thy heart to be fixed upon Eternity: Sequester & set thy self sadly to consider what Eternity is, what it is to be eternally miserable. Cast in thy mind so many thousands of years, as thou canst number, and when thou hast brought it to the highest number, there is ten thousand times more yet to come; if a Sparrow should drink but once in a year one drop of the Sea-water, yet in time he would drink up all the water in the Sea, because the Sea is a finite Creature, and is made up of many drops; if thou lay in Hel so long as a Sparrow is drinking the Sea dry, and then be delivered, yet there would be an end; But when that is done, yet there is ten thousand times as many Seas and years more to come of thy misery, it is for ever, for ever: O that word (for ever) is a killing word, it is a despairing word, it is an heart-breaking word: O that it might prove an heart-breaking word to thee here, that it may not prove a heart-tormenting word to thee hereafter.

Try and consider, Canst thou endure thy finger in the flame now for an hour? Were it not a great torment to be kept alive in flames of fire for the space of an houre? of a whole day? of a thousand years? How woful then is their case, that must endure it for ever in Hel with the Devils? Pray, O pray, that God would give thee a believing heart, a melting heart, a relenting heart, to lay to heart the things that belong to thy everlasting peace, before they be hid from thine eyes. Believe not vain words of vain men, which serve to harden fools in their sin, whilst they perswade them that there is no Hel, or that the state of the damned is recoverable: If thou wilt not believe this truth now, thou shalt believe and feel it hereafter to thy cost: Is it not a strange thing said, that there should be p. 220Atheists on Earth, and none in Hel? poor souls, they know there is a just God, which taketh vengeance, though they would not believe it whilst they lived: if the damned in hel had leave to enjoy but one of the daies of the Son of Man of Grace, which you now enjoy, O what zealous Creatures would they be for their own salvation? How fervent in spirit serving the Lord? How restlesse, till they had gotten the pardon of their Sins sealed to their Consciences? How infinitely would they despise all worldly Honours and Riches in comparison of the peace of Conscience, or one dramme of Grace, one good look from the pleased face of God, would be worth all the world to them? O let it be thus precious to thee now! 'Tis the property of a fool to say, would God I had done this or that, when it is too late. Let every wisehearted Christian strive to be such an one now, as he shall wish at that day, that he had been: Cast away every thing, every lust, every desire, every dearest contentment, that may betray thy soule to eternall misery: Remember the words of our blessed Saviour, Mark. 9.43. If thy hand offend thee, Cut it off, if thy foot offend thee, cut it off, ver. 45. If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, ver 47. It is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God maimed, than having two hands, or two feet, or two eyes, to be cast into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched, where the worm dieth not, & the fire is not quench'd. The fire is not quenched, it is thrice repeated, to shew how hard we are of belief of the Judgement to come, how willing we are to go to Heaven, and yet injoy all our Lusts, and our carnal Desires: How grievous it is to our Nature, to part with a right hand, or a right eye, that is, with our sins of gain, of credit, of esteem in the World, which are as dear to us, as useful to us, as necessary to us, as our right hands, or right eyes: yet this must be done, And it is better to be without them all, to cast them all from us, than with them to be cast into Hel, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Learn hence to judge of the odious and dangerous nature of Sin, Ʋse. 2 which casts the soul into eternal misery; the heart of man is apt to quarrell with this Truth, to dispute and say, How p. 221can it stand with the goodnesse, yea, with the justice of God, for a momentany small offence, to punish so severely for evermore? Divines answer, that it is just, because men sin against an infinite Majesty; the higher the person is, against whom we offend, the greater punishment is inflicted, and that is true. Secondly, we answer, that men sin in aeterno suo, if they should live here for ever, they would rebell against God for ever, and therefore they are justly punished, in aeterno Dei, and that is true too: But surely it is our ignorance of the malignant nature of Sin, and of the infinite holinesse and justice of God, that makes us astonished hereat:Rom. 9.12.Rom 9:12 God endureth with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath; if we were so provoked and abused, as God is, we should not forbeare them so long: if we would but ascribe unto God as much as we do unto an earthly Judge, we should learn to tremble before him, and not suffer our hearts to rise against him: when we see a Malefactor to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, or hanged alive in iron chains, we conclude, that surely that man was some grievous offender; by the greatness of his Punishment, we gather the greatness of the Offence: Let us conclude so for our righteous God, and say, surely Sin is a most bitter and hainous thing, else God would never punish it so severely: Let God be true, and every man a liar; Let us say with David, I acknowledge my transgressions, I have done evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be cleere when thou judgest; God will be found cleer and without blemish in his Judgements, that all mouths may be stopped, Psal. 107.42.