to himself a certain number of Persons to whom alone excluding all others that Promise of Grace and Salvation shall be made good But God hath made a Promise of Life and Salvation to some particular Persons only excluding all others therefore God hath elected and chosen to himself a certain number of Persons to whom excluding all others the Promise of Life and Salvation shall be made good That God hath made a Promise of Life and Salvation to some particular Persons only excluding all others is evident and plain to such as acknowledge the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be of Divine Authority Gen. 17.7 And I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee Here the Judicious and Unprejudic'd reader may plainly see that Abraham and his Seed were particular Persons distinct from all other Nations and People which were round about him And these it pleased God of his meer Soveraign Grace to single out for his own peculiar Use that they may be a Holy People to bear his Name and to give him a pure and spiritual Worship and Service which should be according to his own Holy Institution and Divine Appointment And that they may be made Partakers of the promised Inheritance which was the sure Possession of the Kingdom of Heaven of which the promised Land of Canaan was but a Type and Shadow The People of the Jews was but a small People when God fixt his Love on them and called them Deut. 7.6 7 8. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth The Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you because ye were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you And because he would keep the Oath which he had sworn unto your fathers hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and Redeemed you out of the hoâ—â—â— of Bondmen The same Promise which was made to Abraham and his Seed under the Old Testament Dispensation is confirmed by the New And evident it is that as God chose and called Abraham under that dark Dispensation with whom he entred into a Covenant of Grace the Benefit of which was to be of equal extent to himself and his Children even so many of them as were the Children of the Premise So under the Gospel Dispensation God who is a free Agent acting all he doth in a way of Soveraignty saw fit to make known by the Gospel that among the Gentiles also he had a select and chosen People on whom he had decreed to conferr the Riches of his free Grace through the plenteous Redemption that is in his Son Jesus Christ and that pursuant to his own immutable Decree and Purpose electing and choosing them before Time began Acts 2.39 for the Promise is to you and to your Children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Here is that Promise formerly mentioned which looks at Abraham and his Children and also discovers the gracious Design of God to make a certain number of the Gentiles actual Partakers of the self-same Grace and Blessing The manner of the Apostle's expressing himself is full of Clearness and Perspicuity proving that the promise of that Grace and Salvation is not designed for all and singular the Gentile Sinners that then were or in after times should be in the Word but he limits and restrains the Promise to a certain peculiar number least Sinners should mistake the Apostle and conclude that because he had laid down an universal Term saying And to all that are afar off he by way of Explanation shews what the Spirit means by that universal Term adding even as many as the Lord our God shall call in which he plainly shews and invincibly proves that none of the Gentile Sinners shall ever partake of God's special Grace but such as are in time effectually called out of a State of Nature to a State of Justification and Sanctification the which is never granted to any but in the Right of a Covenant-promise which Covenant-promise respects that gracious Act of God electing and choosing in Christ his Son as many of Adam's Posterity both of Jews and Gentiles as his own Soveraignty pleased according to that of the Apostle Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did praedestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified And our Saviour himself in Jo. 10.16 designs the Gentiles whom God had in his electing Love given in charge to him in those Expressions And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice c. Arg. 2. If among the many thousands of People who hear the Gospel Preached but some and that very few comparatively are savingly Converted receive Mercy are Justified and Sanctified and are made to Persevere in a course of Faith and Holy Life then God hath elected and chosen only a certain peculiar number of Men to Life and Salvation But among the many thousands of People who hear the Gospel Preached but some only are savingly Converted receive Mercy are Justified are Sanctified and do finally Persevere in a course of Faith and Holy Life Therefore God hath elected and chosen only a certain peculiar number of Men to Life and Salvation There is nothing more evident than that the greatest number even of those People who are outwardly called by the Gospel do slight and contemn the Gospel and the Grace offered therein Witness that of our Saviour Mat. 20.16 For many are called but few are chosen Luke 14.16 17 18 19. That Parable of the King who made a great Supper to which the King by his Servants invited the Guests notwithstanding which many of them made blind Excuses and shifted it off By which Practise in the Guests we are to understand that great slight and contempt which worldly minded Sinners put on the Lord Jesus and his great Salvation wrought for the Elect which God offers in the Gospel the which they undervalue preferring the Accommodations of this perishing World before that great and precious Salvation To this also pertinent is that of Paul Rom. 10.16 But they have not all obeyed the Gospel for Esaias saith Lord who hath believed our report Rom. 9.27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea a remnant only shall be saved Now then if among those many who are Externally called and the very many who make a Profession there are but very few who savingly Believe Repent and finally Persevere in a course of Faith and Holy Life then
it is beyond all Controversy that those few who so Believe Repent c. are particular Persons whom free Grace elected to that state of Believing and Persevering and the rest who were by far the greater number were left to inward Blindness and hardness of Heart according to Rom. 11.7 What then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded According as it is written God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear unto this day Arg. 3. If God hath chosen Persons by Name to be Partakers of Life and Salvation by Christ his Son then hath he chosen particular Persons But God hath chosen Persons by Name to be Partakers of Life and Salvation by Christ his Son Therefore God hath chosen particular Persons c. The major Proposition is not questioned the Minor or Assumption is secured by the express Testimony of the Spirit Rev. 13.8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship the beast whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life Luke 10.20 Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven Philip. 4.3 And I intreat thee also true yoke fellow help those women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow-labourers whose names are in the book of Life Argu. 4. If Jeremiah and Jacob c. were particular Persons Chosen and Lov'd of God before they were Born then God did Elect and Choose particular Persons to Life and Salvation but Jeremiah and Jacob c. were particular Persons Chosen and Lov'd of God before they were Born Therefore God did Elect and Choose particular Persons to Life and Salvation That Jeremiah and Jacob c. were particular Persons no Man of Sense will deny that they were Beloved of God before the natural Birth the word of God is full and express Jer. 1.5 Jer. 31.3 Rom. 9.11 Argu. 5. If God knows his Elect from all others before he calls them in Conversion then hath God Elected particular Persons to Life and Salvation But God knows his Elect from all others before he calls them in Conversion Therefore God hath Elected and Chosen particular Persons to Life and Salvation That Gods Praecognition or foreknowledge joyned with his purpose of Grace to Save his Elect goes before his actually calling them in effectual Conversion is beyond Dispute Rom. 8.29 30. 2 Tim. 2.19 Jo. 13.18 Argu. 6. If they who believe in Time were before their Believing ordained to Eternal Life then did God Elect and Choose particular Persons unto Life and Salvation But they who believe in time were before their Believing ordained to Eternal Life Therefore God hath Elected and Chosen particular Persons unto Life and Salvation That Gods Praeordination of Persons to Life and Salvation doth preceed or go before Believing and Repentance is plain from Acts 13.48 And as many as were ordained to Eternal Life Believed Rom. 11. The Election hath obtained it Jo. 10.26 But ye Believe not because ye are not of my Sheep as I said unto you From which Scriptures it is most plain that none do or can in time Believe and reput to Salvation but such Persons as are theretofore appointed by Gods gracious purpose Argu. 7. If the Term Elect doth signifie and presuppose a Calling or Choosing some particular Persons or Things out from among other Persons or Things then hath God out of so many Elected some particular Persons unto Eternal Salvation But the Term Elect doth signifie and presuppose a Calling or Choosing some particular Persons or Things out from among other Persons or Things Therefore God hath out of many Called and Chosen some particular Persons unto Eternal Life Argu. 8. If the Lord Jesus did lay down his Life but for a certain particular number of Sinners then did God Elect and Choose a particular number to Life and Salvation But the Lord Jesus did lay down his Life for a certain particular number of Sinners Therefore God did Elect and Choose a particular number to Life and Salvation That the Lord Jesus did lay down his Life for a certain particular number is obvious and plain to him that can but Read Jo. 10.15 As the Father knoweth me even so know I the Father and I lay down my Life for the Sheep With this accords that of Paul to Titus Chap. â— 14 who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purchase to himself a peculiar People Zealous of good Works Ephes 5.25 〈◊〉 love your Wives even as Christ also Loved the Church and gave himself for it c. The Sheep of whom Christ speaks can be understood to be no other but Believers even such as Dy'd in the Faith before his Incarnation with the Believers of that present day and all who in time to come were to Believe in him And these are the Souls who were by the Father committed to the Pastoral care and charge of Christ the Great Shepherd of the Sheep as Sheep are committed to the care and charge of an under Shepherd For these Christ lays down his Life To these he by his Spirit actually applys the virtue of his Death Over these he Watches And to these only excluding all others he gives Eternal Life That these were given to Christ by the Father to be redeemed and brought to Glory appears from Jo. 6.39 And this is the Fathers Will which hath sent me That of all which he hath given me I should loose nothing but should raise it up at the Last Day Jo. 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me c. And Verse 2. As thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him ☞ Mark this Reader To as many as thou hast given him This plainly proves that God did commit to the care and faithfulness of Christ his Shepherd a certain particular number to be Justified and Saved by him and therefore not all the Race of fallen Mankind as Papists Arminians Quakers Free-Willers c. vainly teach and hold Another Consideration which is full of clearness to convince and satisfie any right in their Minds That not Adams Posterity in General as the Hereticks above named would fain have it but a certain particular and definite number were Elected and Chosen by God and by him given to Christ his Son to be Redeemed and Saved is Christ his refusing to concern himself for any others in the discharge of his Office of Intercessor as appears from Jo. 17.9 I Pray for them that is for the Elect for whom he had undertaken as Vedemâ—â—y and Surety I Pray not for the World that is those of the World who were by God left in a Reprobate State and Condition as is evident from Jo. 17.14 I have given them thy Word
Hell in my own Apprehensions while I bordered so near the Confines of final Desparation finding in my self how vastly short my Personal Qualifications came of answering the Laws demand as a Condition of Life and Salvation I found that nothing could possibly quiet or satisfy my wounded despairing Conscience but what doth effectually appease and satisfy that Holy God against whom I have so many thousands of times offended which can be nothing short of an infinite Righteousness which Righteousness can be had no where but in Christ God Man and no way to be had but in a way of Believing of which Mystery my blind and perverted Reason was as ignorant as a Beast And not only so but my Heart and Soul were Zealously set against looking for Life and Salvation in any other way than that of Free-will and general Redemption This Principle so every way Quadrating with my Legal Frame of Heart which was acted by no other Principle But do and Live Here it might not be amiss or unseasonable for the relief and encouragement of a poor tempted Soul who as touching this very point of Election may be walking in Darkness having no light of Comfort in his own Spirit to answer or resolve this needful Question How shall a poor bewildred tempted Soul come to know that it self in particular was elected of God before time To this Question about which many of God's called ones are not a little distressed in their own Spirits I shall answer in three Particulars First The way to know thou art elected before time is to go about it in a right way or manner By this I mean thou art not to attempt to pry into the Secret Counsels of the most High concerning this Matter knowing that secret things belong to God and to none else until he pleaseth to reveal them Deut. 29.29 Therefore in order to know this Mystery to thy comfort do as thou wouldst do if thou wert to bring both ends of a Bottom of Thread or Yarn to meet together the way is not to begin at that end which is hid in the very centre of the Bottom but to take the end which is outmost and next to thee and by thus doing thou wilt soon bring both ends to meet whereas if thou go about it in any other way as by cutting or ravelling the Bottom to hasten the work thou wilt but fret and vex thy self and which is worse thou wilt marr and spoil the work Do not then attempt as the Devil and Carnal Reason would have thee to climb up to Heaven to inform thy self of this Matter God's Work must be done in the way of his own Appointment which is that thou begin first with thy own Heart See examine and search thy own Soul to find out whether his Holy Spirit hath ever been at work there The Cause must be known by its proper Effects not the Effects by the Cause 2 Cor. 13.5 Gal. 6.4 2 Pet. 1.10 Election the thing thou wouldst fain be resolv'd about is the cause this is a Secret in God's Breast which can be known by thee no other way ordinarily but by its Effects which are Faith in thy Heart and Obedience to Christ's Commands in thy Life and Conversation If the Spirit of God hath called thee to embrace and close with Christ held forth in the Gospel and if the Fruits of that thy closing with Christ do discover themselves in thy Life and Conversation thou hast no Ground or Reason to question thy Election but what the Devil and thy Carnal Reason suggest Acts 13.48 And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Jo. 10.26 But ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep as I said unto you In the Scriptures now quoted Election to eternal Life is held forth as the Cause of Faith and Faith or believing in Jesus as the undoubted Fruit or Effect of Election Secondly Art thou frequently tempted to doubt of and question thine Election to eternal Life This is an undoubted Argument that the Devil discerns in thee the Fruits and Effects of God's electing Love to thy Person which puts him upon tempting thee to question and doubt of God's Love to thee Where the Devil knows he hath the full and quiet Possession of a Sinner there he suggests that the Man is a good Christian His Faith is a good Faith and God is his Father and that he is elected and shall be Saved notwithstanding he lives after the Flesh On the contrary where the Devil sees and discovers the Fruits and Effects of God's Grace and Love appear there he pesters the Soul with Infernal Suggestions and Temptations to put the Soul on mis-believing and questioning the Truth of God's Grace bestowed on the Sinner Thou art but a painted Hypocrite thou art none of God's Elect it is in vain for thee to hope or expect to go to Heaven Thus he dealt with the Believers Redeemer Mat. 4.3 6. If thou be the Son of God c. And if the Adversary hath done this to the green Tree what will he not attempt to do to the dry Luke 23.31 Thirdly Dost thou find thine Heart fixedly resolved come Life come Death to cast thy Soul at the foot of Divine Soveraignty in the way of Duty shunning all known Sin and pressing after Holiness resting entirely on the Grace and Merit of Christ after Life and Salvation Thou art to know for thine everlasting Comfort and Encouragement that no Reprobate ever was or ever shall be able to do this Time will discover that thou art one of God's Elect go on in the strength of thy God Fear not CHAP. II. Of Reprobation BY what hath been discoursed out of the Holy Scriptures concerning the Act of God's Election of some to Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ to the praise of the Glory of his own Grace it unavoidably and by necessary consequence follows that the same Soveraign God hath Reprobated or Rejected the rest not so elected and that from all Eternity having decreed never to recover them by converting Grace but hath fixedly purposed for Sin to Damn them and that for the Praise of the Glory of his own Justice Nothing can be more plain than that if God hath elected and chosen a certain number out of the whole corrupted Mass or Lump of fallen Mankind in whose Salvation he hath purposed to Glorify his Mercy and free Grace by Jesus Christ then hath he refused or passed by the rest as will most evidently appear in all the parts of it The Decree of Reprobation hath in it four parts to each of which I will speak as plainly and as briefly as I can First God hath refused or rejected some particular Persons on whom he purposed never to have Mercy this is most evident from the Scriptures following Jo. 10.26 But ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep as I said unto you Rom. 11.7 But the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded Rom. 9.18 Therefore hath
THE Doctrine of Particular Unconditionate ELECTION Before Time Asserted and Prov'd by God's Word against the Quakers Papists and Arminians In Answer to a Challenge given the Author by the Quakers to make good by the Scriptures of Truth the abovesaid Doctrine Wherein is evidently discovered I. That the abovesaid Doctrine rightly understood and believ'd with Application to ones self is the great Enemy of Sin both in the Heart and Life of a true Believer and that which keeps the Believer from Despair in the deepest Desertion and Temptation II. That the Doctrine of Free-will and General Redemption c. is an Inlet to and an Encourager of Sin and which leads in the end to horrid Despair under powerful Awakenings in the natural Conscience of an Unregenerate Man For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great Signs and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect Mat. 24.24 Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure c. 2 Pet. 1.10 By Ja. Barry an unworthy Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed for the Author 1700. TO THE Impartial READER Courteous Reader I Am to inform thee that in the time of the Popish Government when Popery and Quakerism smil'd so amicably on each other as the two Religions if I might so call them which are nearest of Kin of all the Religions visibly profess'd in these Kingdoms the People called Quakers sent me a Thrasonical Challenge in Writing which was afterwards published in Print to prove from the Scriptures of Truth the Four Doctrines here following 1. The Doctrine of the Resurrection of this fleshly Body which Dies and turns to Duft 2. The Doctrine of Justification by the alone Righteousness of Jesus Christ freely imputed 3. The Doctrine of Imperfection in Sanctification in the most Mortified Believer while in this World 4. The Doctrine of Particular Unconditionate Election before Time All which the Quakers do stiffly and peremptorily deny as by their Printed Book against me doth evidently appear Their Challenge I was resolv'd to answer in Print to let the World see what Heterodox and Heretical Principles that deluded and seduced People do hold and teach for true Religion Besides my Resolution herein I oblig'd my self by promise to my Congregation that I would in the Strength of Christ prick the Bladder of their Blasphemous Pride by proving and making good by the Scriptures of Truth the abovesaid Doctrines For my Encouragement wherein my Congregation did unanimously stand by me resolving I should be at no other Charge hereabout but the Studying part Paper was Bought the Printer agreed with and just as the Press was ready to begin the Storm came so suddenly on the Protestants in Dublin that we were soon scattered asunder The Providence of God calling on us to secure our Lives instead of Printing Books The reason why I have been so long silent in this Cause is the want of that help I had from my Flock in Dublin If any generous noble Spirited Christians who love Christ's Cause better than they do the Mammon of this World will step in to my Encouragement in supplying the room of my absent Friends they shall in a very short time see the Four Doctrines above-mention'd clear'd up and made good from God's Word Maugre all the Jesuitical Craft and Subtilty whereof that People seem to be Masters The reason why I have singled out the last of the four Doctrines rather than any of the other three to discover and confute the Quakers pernicious Heterodoxy in the foundation Principles of true Christianity is twofold First because that in denying and opposing the Doctrine of particular unconditionate Election before time they do manifestly Rob God of his Soveraignty and Praise Secondly because of the Natural tendency which the denial of this Doctrine of a particular unconditionate Election before time and the holding and propagating its contrary viz. The Doctrine of Free Will to good in every Man of General Redemption and a Temporary Conditional Election with falling from Grace hath to encourage Men in Living a licentious loose Life and to necessitate Mens final despair of Salvation when the Naural Conscience in Vnregenerate Men comes to be under powerful Awakenings for Sin committed against the Law of God That I do the Quakers no wrong in charging them with Robbing God and encouraging Men to Live in Sin as also their laying a Foundation for Mens despair of ever being saved in their way of Conditional and Temporary Election will evidently appear to him who reads and compares with Gods revealed Will what is discovered in this small Tract And in case any noble Spirited Christians will but encourage the Work as already hinted I do not so much as doubt but that the Spirit of God will enable me to demonstrate from Gods own Word that the Quakers in denying the Resurrection of the Body and the Justification of a Sinner by the alone Righteousness of the Son of God freely imputed without any regard had to any Qualifications inhering in the Person of the Sinner Justified do deny all sound and saving Religion And as touching their Sinless Perfection attainable in this Life whereof they make such Brags it shall be made plain that herein they both belye the Spirit of God and contradict the experience of all saved Believers both in Heaven and Earth CHAP. I. Of Election before Time GOD did before all Time by his unchangeable Counsel most freely unchangeably and from all Eternity elect and choose unto himself out of Lapsed Adam's fallen Posterity a certain number of Persons which can neither be lessened nor encreased to partake of his special saving Grace to Salvation by Jesus Christ his Son to the Praise of the Glory of his own Grace What I have now asserted for truth if God enables me to demonstrate and make good by Scripture as I doubt not he will then will it unavoidably follow all the Wit and Malice of Men and Devils cannot overthrow it that God hath passed by and Reprobated others In the Proposition now laid down there are three things to be considered in order to a clearing up and making good the Point in Dispute First The Act of God and the Objects thereof which are both held forth and intended in the Scriptures following Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him Jo. 15.19 I have chosen you c. 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you c. In the Scriptures now quoted we have God Electing or Choosing and then the Objects of his Election or Choice viz. Particular Persons on whom that Election of God fixeth viz. Some particular Persons That God's Act of Election hath fixt on some particular Persons not on all in general as the Enemies of Election would fain have it the following Arguments will evince Arg. 1. If God hath made a Promise of Life and Salvation to some particular Persons only then hath he elected and chosen
Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the Thoughts of his Heart to all Generations What is Gods Election of some to Life Eternal and the means leading thereto but the Birth or Product of his own Counsel Rom. 9.11 The purpose of God according to Election must stand And Oh what an unspeakable cause of rejoycing is this very Consideration to that Man or Woman who find in themselves the Fruits or Effects of the New Birth to think and believe that they in particular are chosen to Life Eternal by him who cannot change that purpose of his wherewith he hath purposed to Save so poor and miserable a Sinner as the effectually called Sinner looks on himself to be Neither is the poor weak Believer to doubt but that those Sins and Backslideings both of his Heart and Life for which he will be but too apt to fear and conclude God will at length cast him off were all perfectly known to God even then when he Elected him to Salvation notwithstanding which God fixt his Love and embraced the poor Sinner in the Bosom of his irreversible Decree when nothing of Loveliness but rather the contrary appeared to the Eye of Gods Praecognition or fore knowledge in the Soul so pitcht on by his Decree Whom God once loves with that Electing Love he loves them to the end Jer. 31.8 Mal. 3.6 Jo. 13.1 Rom. 11.29 And as Gods Act in Electing is without change so in the third place it was from Eternity though the work of effectual Calling and Saving Conversion be in time yet Gods decree and purpose of bestowing that Grace and Mercy on the Elect Sinner was before time So witnesseth the Apostle Acts 15.18 Known unto God are all his Works from the beginning of the World Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World 2 Thes 2.13 From the beginning hath God chosen you Rev. 17.8 Whose Names were not written in the Book of Life from the Foundation of the World The Electing Love of God it is from one Eternity to another as it did commence before time so when time shall be swallowed up of endless Eternity this Love of God to his Elect and chosen in Christ will be and continue the same for ever And therefore let that Believer who feels himself inwardly and frequently annoyed with those discouraging Fits of fickleness and unconstancy in walking with God in the way of New Obedience take Sanctuary here by Faith applying to himself the sweet Benefits of these Properties of Gods Electing Love filling both his Head and Heart with the thoughts and fixed perswasion that the Blessed God who is the Infinite Soveraign of the World who Acts all things which pleaseth himself according to the Counsel of his own Will hath of his own good pleasure chosen him a poor unworthy empty nothing Creature to be a Vessel of Mercy through Jesus Christ to the Praise of the Glory of his own Grace And that Love wherewith God hath Loved him it began towards him before he had an actual Being yea before the World was And as that Love of God was set on him before time began so when time it self shall be no more that Love of God to him shall still be endless like God himself Nothing more conduceth under God to Heart Settlement in the ways of God then to be well Verst in Understanding and Believeing with application to ones fels these Fundamental Principles of Gospel Religion And this one thing I desire the Reader to remember and carefully to observe viz. That if there were no other Argument to evince and make good the Truth I have now asserted than the Arduous and Elaborate endeavours of Satan and his busy Agents both in Preaching and Printing against the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation it were sufficient The Devil and the Pope know full well how destructive and pernicious to both their Kingdoms the bringing Sinners to the Scriptural Knowledge and right Believing this Doctrine will be And therefore for preventing hereof the Doctrine it self must be expos'd in the blackest hue as a Doctrine which makes Men proud secure and careless of good Works and which leads Men to loose Living and in the end to final Desperation And as the Doctrine it self is shot at by the Romish and Arminian Archers so the most zealous and bold Assertors and Maintainers of it are set out in the most odious and black colours which Envy and Malice it self can devise but maugre all the Crast and Envy of Devil and his most subtil and industrious Tools the Doctrine of particular Election before time is plainly held forth and asserted in the Writings of Moses the Prophets and the Holy Apostles And in case Divine Providence calls to a suffering Condition for defence of it I do not doubt but God hath a Sealed number in these Kingdoms known to himself who will be enabled to Seal the Truth of it with their dearest Blood An Objection or two lyes in the way to be answered before I can proceed to what remains behind Object 1. The Doctrine of particular Election puffs Men with Pride Answ The contrary to this the Devil himself knows to be true For I doubt not but Satan hath made his Observations that none of all Gods called Children have more abounded with Humility and self Abasement than those who have had the highest assurance of Gods Electing Love None but these can rightly admire and adore the Grace and Love of God in Christ Jesus To me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace given c. crys that great Apostle of the Gentiles Ephes 3.8 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am the chief 1 Tim. 1.15 For I am the least of the Apostles that am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I Persecuted the Church of God 1 Cor. 15.9 But by the Grace of God I am what I am Vers 10. It is to be observed that among all the Apostles none was more highly advanced in respect of extraordinary Manifestations and Gospel Revelations than Paul was and yet among all the Apostles none more abased No greater admirer of Free Grace than he was and indeed not only Paul but others also both under the Old Testament and under the New whom Free Grace singled out to be Vessels of Mercy These were still addicted to go out of themselves in a way of self Abasement and crying up the Riches of Gods Grace and Mercy every way free and undeserved by them And herein I appeal most freely to the Personal Experience of every regenerate Believer now Living whether they do not find in themselves that the nearer they come to know and perceive the Love of God to themselves in particular the more vile they are in their own esteem and the more the Sight and Sense of their own Nothingness grows and abounds the more are they
inwardly stirred up to Adore and Magnifie the Riches of Gods Free Grace who hath vouchsafed to regard such poor contemptible Worms as they judge themselves to be Object 2. The Doctrine of particular Election cuts off the force and strength of all Threatenings and Warnings which are Recorded in the Scriptures as a Curb and Bit to restrain Men from Sin Answ The ever Blessed and Holy God who decreed to elect and choose a particular number to Salvation hath decreed also the means of bringing them to that End whereof those Threatenings and Warnings scattered here and there in God's Word are a part the which the good Spirit of God makes effectually useful to work and encrease in the Elect called to State of Grace the Filial and Reverential fear of God as also to Caution them against all kind of Declinings in the way of Holy walking with God in the way of new Obedience to his Holy Commandments the which God hath revealed in his Word to be the only way in which true Believers must go to an actual Possessing the purchased Inheritance according to Psal 1.1 2 3. Psal 119.1 2 3. Heb. 12.14 These Divine Threats and Warnings are through the saving Influence of the Spirit of Grace made a powerful Bit and Curb to restrain the savingly Converted from returning with Approbation and Delight to former and forsaken Folly and not only so but to keep them more close to their Duty in a Gospel Dependance on Christ their Mediatorial Head for all manner of Supplies till they come to Glory Those Threats and Warnings if they were ten thousand times more than they are will never curb or restrain any Reprobate from loving and liking Sin 'T is true that through the common Operation of the Spirit of God such Threats and Warnings may for a time influence a Hypocrite to a keeping him from the External gross Act of Sin and a putting him on doing many things which are Morally good in themselves But Alass what will this avail while the State of the Man is unchanged and his Heart unrenewed Sad Instances hereof are Recorded in God's Word witness Pharaoh Exod. 7.4 and Judas Mat. 26.15 Mat. 27.5 with many other Reprobates whose Names are left on Record in the Book of God who were neither restrained from Sin nor yet kept back from running headlong to Hell with this Bit in their Mouths The Spirit of God by the Holy Prophet gives a full Description of the natural Disposition of wicked Hypocrits as touching the Incorrigibleness of their Hearts in going on in Sin not only under God's Rod but also under his favourable Dispensation which one would think should win them to Repentance Jer. 5.3 Rev. 16.9 10 11. Esa 26.10 11. Rom. 2.4 5. Object 3. If I be elected to Life eternal before time I may live as I list I need neither to Believe to Repent or to use the means of obtaining Salvation And though I live after the Flesh I shall be Saved being elected Answ To this threadbare Objection which is commonly in the Mouths of all Cavillers against the Doctrine of Election I answer in two Particulars First This Objection doth not in the least find any Encouragement from the Doctrine of particular Election before time as will evidently appear by the Inseparableness of the End and the means asserted and held forth in the Word of God and constantly maintained by the Orthodox against Papists Arminians c. He who hath elected to Life eternal he hath also elected to the means such as believing in the Lord Jesus Christ held forth and offered in the Gospel Repenting for Sinning against God advancing in Holiness and Persevering in the same to the end From whence it plainly appears that he who makes this Objection is either wilfully ignorant not in the least understanding the Doctrine of Election according to Divine Revelation or which is unspeakably worse an affected Caviller and a wicked Subverter of the Gospel Suppose I should Query of the Papist the Arminian the Quaker and Freewiller who are all agreed in opposing and decrying the Doctrine of particular Election before time and Perseverance to the end whether they believe that God hath decreed or absolutely determined in himself how long he or they shall Live or continue in this World The Answer will undoubtedly be in the Affirmative viz. That God hath decreed or determined in himself how long he or they are to live or continue in this World If then say I you believe that God hath decreed in himself how long you are to live or continue in this World what need you to mind any of the Concerns of this World for the Support of Humane Life why will you so Insatiably covet the perishing Riches and the transitory Pleasures of the present World seeing God hath decreed how long you are to live The Answer again will be he that hath decreed how long I am to live in this World he hath also decreed and in his revealed Will commanded me to Exercise my Reason and my other natural Faculties in order to precure and make use of the ordinary means such as Food Ravment Physick and the like whereby in an ordinary way the Life and Health of the Body are secured and maintained Here in the Concerns of the Body they are sharp and witty enough even to an out-doing thousands of the Children of God But in the Concerns of the Soul they are as Corrupt and Heterodox as they are sound and rational in the other If a Papist or an Arminian should fix his Purpose of Building a House in such or such a place it cannot be rationally supposed that he intends to Build without Materials therefore my Reason tells me that in order to accomplish that his Purpose he hath also purposed to provide all the several Materials necessary for such a Purpose Qui seriò vult finem Media etiam ad finem illum tendentia vult He who in good earnest wills the end he also wills the means leading to that end is a sure Rule both in Logick and Divinity And why these Popish Arminian Cavillers should not allow it its proper place in the Doctrine of Election before time I can understand no other Reason for it than either because God hath Judicially smitten them with blindness of Mind that they should not be able to understand or believe this amazing Doctrine of Election before time or else because God hath left them as he did Pharaoh to harden themselves that they might with the greater Acuteness and Stubbornness oppose and withstand his Soveraignty in Electing some and Reprobating others of the same fallen and corrupted Mass and that before time Secondly As there can be no Argument more Cogent and Irrefragable to evince and prove a Man to be either a Fool or a Madman than his resolving to expect the Accomplishment of the end such as Building a House or Living in the World without the use of the proportionate means leading to such ends
for there is no Argument which more stongly proves a Man or Woman to be of the number of Reprobates than to expect or hope to go to Heaven in the continued and approved Neglect of Believing in the Son of God Repenting of Sin living a Holy Life and Persevering in the same to the end of Life Object 4. The Doctrine of Election before time doth not only encourage to Sin but it leads People to final Desparation for preventing of which all imaginable care ought to be taken to suppress and decry it Answ To this Horrid and Blasphemous Objection I shall in Christs strength Answer in four Particulars And First I do boldly affirm in the Name of the ever Blessed Trinity That this Blasphemous Objection did originally spring from that Spirit which charged the Son of God with casting out Devils by Beelzebub which if I mistake not is the unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost and such as peremptorily with allowance and approbation persist in making and liking the same against the Doctrine of Election so plainly revealed and so positively asserted by the Holy Ghost I am not afraid to declare and pronounce them the Children and Successors of those Pharisees now in Hell who vented that unpardonable Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Mat. 12 24.32 Let all Cavilling Adversaries who bring this Objection against the Doctrine of Gods absolute and free Election before time have a care they be not found Ranked among those mighty Sinners who in the height of their Wickedness run themselves most desperately upon the thick Bosses of the Almighties Buckler Job 15.26 Secondly If the Doctrine of Election be such a dangerous Doctrine as leads to Licentiousness and which in the end brings Men to Desparation I would fain know how it comes to pass that the Enemies of this Doctrine are such Slaves to their Brutish Lusts and why so many of them Die in Despair when under powerful Awakenings and common Convictions in their guilty Consciences Thirdly I do with greatest confidence and certain assurance grounded on the Word of God and backt with my own Personal experience affirm That as the right Knowledge and Believing of the Doctrine of Election before time with a particular application thereof to ones self is the only Doctrine that sets the Heart of a true Believer against all Sin and which secures and keeps the Believer from Desparation in the time of the deepest Desertion and most violent Temptation so the Doctrine of Free Will and general Redemption is a Doctrine which encourageth to Sin and which necessarily leads to Desparation Here two things are to be demonstrated First That the Doctrine of Election before time rightly understood and particularly applied by Faith is the only Doctrine which engages the Heart of a sound Believer against all known Sin and which fortifys and secures the Believer against Desparation in the time of the deepest Desertion and the most violent Temptation Secondly That the Doctrine of Free Will and general Redemption is a Doctrine which encourageth to Sin and which necessarily leads to Desparation The first of these will evidently appear to him that rightly considers and believes the Particulars following First the Purpose and Design of God the Father in Electing which was That his Elect and Chosen who were fallen into Sin and Misery in Adam their Natural and Faederal Head might be delivered and by strong hand rescued out of that state of Sin and Misery and made effectual Partakers of that Liberty and Redemption purchased by Christ his Son the Sponsor and Surety of his Elect. Secondly the design of Christ the Surety and Sponsor of the Elect in the whole Work of Mediation which he undertook to go through for the Elect which his Father had chosen in him which was to purchase for and in time to apply actually to the Elect the saving Benefit of that Freedom and Redemption purchased by himself Thirdly The design and office of the Holy Ghost which is to sanctify and renew the Souls of the Elect in effectual Calling and to carry on and maintain the Work of Grace begun in the Believer to the end Fourthly The design of the Gospel in revealing and discovering the Mistery of Gods Love and Grace to his Elect and Chosen which is that Believers might by virtue of Christs Death savingly applyed Dye unto all Sin and that they might by virtue of Christs Resurrection walk in newness of Life before God Fifthly The design of Divine Providence towards true Believers which is to purge them from the remains of indwelling Sin more and more and to make them more and more to abound in Holy Conformity to Christ their Mystical Head All these as so many Lines in a Center do meet in the Doctrine of particular Election the which when the Believer seriously considers and by Faith applys to himself he is so far from being drawn either to Sin or Desparation thereby as that he finds the quite contrary in himself viz. an admirable Aversion and Repugnancy to yield consent to the flattering Sollicitations of Sin and an Anchor hold which powerfully keeps him from descending into the Darksom Valley of Desparation which is as I may say the very entrance into Hell it self When the Believer is at any time attacked by Satan his enticing Instruments or by indwelling Corruption to yield to the motions of Sin he fetcheth Arguments against Sin from the Doctrine of Gods Election thus Hath God from all Eternity fixt his gracious purpose of Delivering and Rescuing me out of that state of Sin and Misery into which the Apostacy of Adam my Natural and Faederal Head plunged me and that by choosing out and fixing on his own Son to be a Surety and Saviour to purchase a liberty and to work out a perfect and compleat Redemption for me and shall I can I with approbation yield my full consent to grieve and offend this freely and this dearly Loving God I cannot do it neither can all the Craft and Pollicy of my Spiritual Enemies ever work me to a willingness to go back into that state of Spiritual Captivity under Sin and Satan from which the Grace of God in Election and effectual Calling hath set me free Secondly Hath Christ the Son of God pursuant to his Fathers Holy Decree and Gracious Purpose and in compliance with so noble and glorious a Design as Redeeming Captive Sinners and reconciling them to his Father consented to become a Mediator for me to work ou a work of perfect Redemption for me that I might be set at liberty from the Laws Curse from the dominion of Sin and the Usurpation and Tyranny of the Devil and shall I consent to commit Sin against such Bowels of Mercy and Love I cannot do it Thirdly Hath the Holy Ghost who in conjunction with the Father and the Son had a Hand in my Election to Eternal Life vouchsafed to take on him the Office of a Sanctifier to Sanctifie and Renew the Elect in effectual Calling
and who hath begun in me the Work of Special Sanctification and will never finally leave me till he hath perfected his Work begun in me and shall I can I willingly grieve and offend that Holy Spirit by whom I am Sealed to the day of Redemption I cannot do it Fourthly Is the Gospel appointed by Father Son and Holy Ghost to be a Word of Revelation to discover to me how the Heart of God his Christ and Holy Spirit stood affected towards the Elect and toward me in particular from Eternity and to endless Eternity and not only so but that the same might be a rule of Direction to me all my Days to discover the false ways I am to shun and avoid as also the Paths I am to walk in in order to a pleasing the Holy Trinity and coming safe to Heaven and shall I can I consent to abuse so sweet and excellent a Gospel I cannot do it Fifthly Is the design of Divine Providence in all its various Dispensations to the Elect and to me in particular to purge Believers from the remains of indwelling Corruption and to make them more and more to abound in Holy Conformity to Christ their Mystical Head and shall I abuse it by Sinning against it and taking an occasion therefrom to be vain and secure in my Conversation I cannot do it And as the true Believer is enabled being taught and guided by the Holy Ghost to fetch Arguments against Sin from the five Sacred Topicks now mentioned so is he in like manner enabled being savingly influenced by the Inhabitation of the Holy Ghost in him to fetch from the above Named Topicks Arguments to keep him from final Desparation in the most violent Hurrycane of Temptation which can attend on a deserted or an afflicted Condition To evince and clear up this Truth for the comfort and encouragement of the Poorest Believer in an Hour of sore Distress when the Waters of Affliction reach even to the very Soul to a sensible endangering the extinguishing the little Grace lodged in the Soul let it be seasonably and seriously considered that the Believer when he finds Satan his wicked Instruments and indwelling Corruption all conjunctly together pressing and working his Soul within to despair of Mercy and Salvation he falls on Arguing from the sweet Doctrine of Gods Election thus shall I can I who am secured of Life Eternal by the Gracious and Unchangeable Decree of the immutable God despair of Mercy and Salvation as Satan the wicked World and my own Carnal reason would have me do I cannot do it If it were possible that my finking Soul should drop through the very Jaws of Despondency into Hell it self from thence would Gods unchangeable purpose of Grace fetch and deliver it Secondly Shall I or can I for when Christ the Son of God hath undertaken as a Sponsor and Surety and for whom he hath wrought a perfect Reconciliation by his own Mediatorial Righteousness in which no Spot or Defect ever was or ever shall be found by God Angels or Men despair of Mercy and Salvation as Devil wicked Men and my own Carnal reason would fain perswade me to do I cannot do it Thirdly shall I to and for whom the Holy Ghost is become a Sanctifier and a Renewer of my Nature and who by his saving influential Presence dwells in me never finally to leave me till his good work of Grace begun in my Soul in effectual Calling be compleatly perfected despair of Mercy and Salvation as the Devil wicked Men and my own Carnal reason would have me do I can by no means do it Fourthly Shall I who have all the sweet and precious Promises of the Gospel of Gods Love and Grace to comfort and assure me that God Christ and the Blessed Spirit will never never fail or forsake me despair of Mercy and Salvation as mine Enemies would perswade me to do I cannot do it Lastly Shall I who have the Divine Providence engaged for me to uphold me to purge out the remains of indwelling Sin in me and to forward me in conforming to my Mystical Head Christ in Holiness despair of Mercy and Salvation as mine Enemies would have me I not do it This is the use which a true Believer makes of the Doctrine of Gods Election before time while Faith in the Believer is in its right Exercise none will stumble at it so as Eternally to Perish but such as are not by that Act of Gods Electing Decree given to Christ before time to be actually Redeemed in time Secondly The Doctrine of Free Will and General Redemption is a Doctrine which encourageth to Sin and which necessarily leads to Desparation I shall offer two things to consideration for evincing and clearing up this for Truth the which I desire the Reader to weigh and consider without prejudice First The use which all unregenerate Men make of the Doctrine of Free Will which sad experience teacheth is this I will turn to God by Repentance I will Believe in an Attoning Saviour I will fall on the work of Reformation and thereby prevent my perishing by the deserved Judgments of God when I see my own time and when I am thereto disposed who sees not except one Spiritually Blind how greatly this Doctrine doth encourage to Sin For saith my Carnal reason as often it hath while I was in a state of Nature if I do not return to God upon his Call and Invitation this Day this Month this Year I fully purpose and resolve to do it the next for God hath implanted in my Soul a Principle of Free Will whereby I am enabled to answer his Call by Repenting Believing and Reforming the which when I do though not at present God will have Mercy on me and I shall be accepted being secured by that General Redemption provided for all who so Repent Believe and Reform Woful and sad experience convinceth me that many God provoking Follys and Vanitys of Youth in my Heart and Life have been indulged by this deceiving cursed Doctrine Oh! how often hath Carnal reason within me cryed out when the common Notions of the Spirit of God hath toucht my Conscience to call on me to convert and turn to God I will Repent I will Convert I will turn to God to morrow to morrow As Augustin confesseth of himself he often put God off with his Free-will Cras Cras To morrow to morrow Till at length he grew both asham'd and weary of his graceless to morrow crying out to the Almighty in the very hour of his effectual Conversion Quam Diu Domine Clamabo Cras Cras Quare Non Hodiè Domine c. How long O Lord shall I cry to morrow to morrow Why O Lord should I not be Converted this veryday And as an Unregenerate Man takes Encouragement from this Principle to go on in Sin so it leads him to Desparation Of this also my sad Experience hath fully convinc'd me as plainly appears by the near approach I made to
the obtaining from God the true sense of the Scriptures so much boasted of he will plainly see how egregiously they are mistaken in both the one and the other for neither doth God intend the Death of his Son for Salvation to any of Adams Children save those whom he Elected and from Eternity Chose in Christ neither doth God make such an Universal tender of it to all Men as the Quakers rashly and boldly affirm he doth This lyes on me to demonstrate and make good against these boasting Universalists the which that I might do to satisfaction of the judicious and unprejudiced Reader I shall propound my Argument dilemma-wise thus The Terms All Any and Every on which they ground their Unscriptural Assertion they are to be taken either in an Universal sense intending every individual of Mankind or else they are to be taken in a limited and restrained sense as intending some of all sorts ranks and degrees of Men indifferently If by the Universal Terms above named some of all sorts ranks and degrees of Men indifferently be to be understood then the Assertion of the Adversaries is manifestly false and consequently the Doctrine of particular Election is true If by those Universal Terms all Men and Women without exception be intended as the Adversaries will have it then must I be allowed to demand of them how any of Adams Children come to be Damned For seeing that God willed that Christ should Redeem all the Children of Adam who fell by his Transgression I would fain know how any created Power can effect the hindering God of bringing about his own purpose or frustrate the end and design of Christ in laying down his Life for undoubtedly if God should absolutely will and purpose the Salvation of every individual Son and Daughter of Adam it is not to be questioned but that he being the Elshaddai the Mighty God every way perfect and all sufficient would find out ways and means to effect and bring about his own purpose seeing that he works all things according to the Counsel of his own most Holy Will As Paul witnesseth Ephes 1.11 It is in the Work of Regeneration as it is in the Work of the first Creation 〈◊〉 Cloaths his Word with a creating Power so that whenever and where-ever he sends forth that creating Voice of his Mighty Spirit neither Devil nor Self nor any other Enemy or Impediment whether internal or external shall ever be able to give any stop to his intended Work As the Lord himself tells his Church by the Prophet Esa 43.13 Yea before the day was I am he and there is none that can deliver out of my Hand I will work and who shall let it Whom God in Justice and Righteousness will Damn and Sentence to the Flames of his deserved Wrath for Sin who can rescue and save them Whom God in Sovereign Mercy and Grace purposeth to save and deliver who can hinder or prevent him Jo. 10.27 My Sheep saith the Lord Jesus hear my Voice and I know them and they follow me And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any Man pluck them out of my Hand My Father which gave them me is stronger than all and no Man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers Hand I and my Father are one Here 't is plain that from the invincible Power of God and Christ the cortainty of the Life and Salvation of the Elect is inferred and proved That many of Adams Children are already in Hell and that many more will be Lodged there the Scriptures affirm and the Quakers cannot deny How comes this to pass seeing God if we must Believe the Quakers designed a general Redemption for all Mankind and that the Son of God laid down his Life to Ransom them from the Curse and Wrath of God due for their Sin to say that God willed their Salvation but that their own Obstinacy and Wickedness hindred that his Will should be accomplished on them is in effect to say that God did seriously and efficaciously will and purpose that all the Children of Adam should be saved but indeed the grant est part of Adams Posterity fell by the Power of Satan and their own rebellious Will Now whether to think or say that either the power of the Serpent or the corruption in a Sinners Nature can or ever did or shall overturn or prevent the efficacious Will of God being accomplished be not Impious and Blasphemous I leave to every impartial and sober Reader to judge Thus the first Member or Branch of the Objection appears to be rotten and unsound neither is the second any better which affirms that God makes a general offer of that Salvation to every individual Sinner in the World the which if it be true as the Quakers affirm they are highly obliged to shew how it comes to pass that the greatest part of the World by far should remain in Darkness I mean with respect to the very external means of Salvation the which God hath seen sit to deny to many Nations in the World to which also the very Letter of the Holy Scripture bears witness A few Instances hereof I lay down that the Reader may plainly see how vain these foolish Beasters are in their Imaginations who would fain impose on all that God doth love all the Children of Adam with an equal Love and that the offer of his Grace in general is made to all without any exception or limitation wherein they prove themselves as false in their sayings as they appear vain in their deluded Imaginations They say and boldly affirm that the tender of Salvation is made to all alike I say they belye the Spirit of God in pretence of pleading for God by whose Instinct and immediate Inspiration they would make the World believe they themselves above all Men are guided and not only so but they egregiously thwart and contradict the very Letter of the Scripture which they seem to own and acknowledge to be Holy True and the Rule and Standard of Tryal of all matters in Religion wherein they and Christians differ For satisfaction herein let the Reader peruse and with serious consideration weigh in the ballance of Gods Sanctuary what is recorded in Psal 147 19.20 He sheweth his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgments unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation And as for his Judgments they have not known them Praise ye the Lord. Whether the place now quoted doth not evidently prove that when God chose called and settled a Church unto his own peculiar Use and Service to whom he gave his Word and Ordinances for a rule of Faith and Holy Obedience he did not leave the other Nations of the Earth out of whom he chose his People with a peculiar Love and Favour in their Native Darkness and Blindness is a matter to be enquired into That of our Saviour in Mat. 20.16 Many are called but few chosen Doth also