be elected there needs no Election of particular Persons afterwards 4. It will not sute the Government of God to have his Will depend upon Man's frail fickle Will and that in the highest Things that concern his Glory to wait upon Man's Will to lacky it after Man's Will and be determined by it 5. It 's against the Nature of a Decree the Decree of Election is a severing some from others as it 's said in Scripture many are called few chosen Mat. 20.16 the Election obtains it the rest are hardened Rom. 11. See here they are distinct from others but now it belongs to all to be under a Condition viz. if you believe 6. This will follow upon it then those that are elected may be damned and those that are for the present Reprobate and do not fulfil the Condition may afterward fulfil the Condition and be elected and saved which is ridiculous and clean contrary to the whole Current of Scripture 7. If God chuses Conditions and not Persons until such time as they fulfil those Conditions then Christ is made a King without a Kingdom a Shepherd without a Flock a Husband without a Spouse a Head without Members a Saviour without a Body a Prophet tho he reveals not God's Will to any a Priest tho none be reconciled for it is possible none of these Conditions may be fulfilled 8. Yea this supposeth a Power in Man as to his own Conversion that it lies in him whether he will turn or no be converted or not be converted tho God hath done what is fitting for him and tho he hath done what he can do according to the Rule which he hath appointed to work by 9. It supposeth a Falling from Grace 10. It supposeth plainly Justification by Works for if a Man is elected if he continues in Faith and Obedience then is he also justified by Works The Consequence is easy Object 1. John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth should not perish c. Now they form the Objection thus there is a Love of God common to all the World that upon Condition they do believe they may be saved therefore no difference of Persons only as they believe or not believe This they say it proves that God gives Christ for this End that every one might be elected if he would believe 1. The first Answer might be as to the word World here it is the Elect of God and this word is so used in other places God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself 2 Cor. 5. John 17. that the World may believe that thou hast sent me 2. Doth not the Text speak of our fallen Estate for it speaks of perishing but surely God did not then begin to elect when Man was fallen no the Fall of Man was decreed as a Means unto the Accomplishment of the Election what was done against the second Adam Christ was done by the determined Counsel of God Acts 4.28 so as to the first Adam all was decreed God who is infinitely wise and governs to accomplish his own End would not let Sin be in the World but that he knew how to make Grace abound thereby Grace began to appear at the Fall broke out was manifested thereby but Grace was given us in Christ before the World began 2 Tim. 1.9 therefore before God did consider or think of any thing or had any thing in his eye of what was done in the World by us 3. This Scripture tells you that what God did he did out of Love God so loved the World Now this Love of God must either be natural Affection in him or else it must be a Decree Natural it was not for then it must extend to all to the Devil and his Angels as well as to Men those that conceive that there is naturally in God an Affection unto those that are in Misery must needs conceive that Affection to be as well to the Devil and his Angels which were in greater Misery than Men as well as unto Men themselves no it cannot be that for those Affections that are in Men are to be ruled by Reason and their Will so are God's Affections likewise So that the Love spoke of here is God's Electing Love Love in his Decree Love with Choice 4. So loved It is the greatest highest Love God could show to us nothing able to parallel it nothing that can go beyond it so it is said Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his Love to us in that Christ was sent to die for us i. e. he could not have set out his Love more to us In this was manifested the Love of God to us because that God sent his only begotten Son that we might live through him 1 John 4.9 This Love is made equal to that Love that he gave Eternal Life by therefore it must be electing Love the highest Love now to elect upon Conditions is not the highest Love it 's greater Love to elect without a Condition than to elect after the Condition is fulfilled Object 2. If particular Persons be elected then they shall certainly be saved their Salvation is necessary and if it be necessary what need any Endeavours what need Men use the Means who shall be saved and it cannot be otherwise but Election makes it necessary that those Persons be saved and so takes away Endeavours we may live as we list Answ There is a double Necessity 1st Of Nature as a Stone that goeth downward and a Necessity of Compulsion when things are made to act against their own Nature as Stones to move upwards to ascend this Necessity takes away all Endeavours 2d There is a Necessity of Infallibity or Unchangeableness and this stands with Freedom As for Example the Apostle Paul said he must go to Jerusalem and yet he went freely Christ ought to suffer it 's said the things he was appointed to and yet he did suffer very freely he laid down his Life very willingly When things are ordained to some End they are so ordained that that End shall certainly be accomplished So when God saith we shall obtain eternal Life through Holiness we shall be holy that we may attain thereunto Look into Scripture and ye shall find that notwithstanding the Salvation of the Saints hath been certain this hath been so far from taking them off Endeavours that it hath been as a great Weight upon the Wheel to make them very obedient their Obedience and Holiness hath not been slackned at all but increased by this viz. that God hath taken so much care of them in his Election that they should not come short of Glory but certainly obtain it Paul said Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect and who shall condemn and who shall separate Rom. 8.33 34. And yet who more diligent than he abounding in Goodness and stirring up others thereunto his Spirit too big to be enticed with the Pleasures that are in Sin to sin against
wills Men to be saved and gives them sufficient Means would not they be saved infallibly if God put forth all his Power or else his Power is but weak he is not Omnipotent 12. How can God be happy that desires and hath not his Desire satisfied and accomplished he desireth the Salvation of all say these and yet hath it not Happiness is having every good Desire satisfied Thus the other Doctrine wrongs God takes off from the Glory and Praise of the Godhead Motive 2. Take heed of the other Doctrine cleave to this if you receive the other it will corrupt you in all the great Points of Religion it influenceth you in all When the Blood is poisoned all the whole Body will soon be poisoned so here If upon Faith and Obedience Man is elected 1. Then Man is converted by Works and the Obedience of his own Will and no Man otherwise converted 2. A Man then is justified by Works Justification follows Election no Man is saved but by Works and so all that Glory and Beauty and bright-shining Vertue of Grace which God hath manifested in the Gospel vanisheth and comes to nothing for if it be of Works it is no more Grace Rom. 11.6 3. It is then to bring in another Gospel to bring in this other Opinion of Election upon Conditions now there is a Curse upon any that shall bring in another Gospel Gal. 1. Hear then are you willing in the matter of Salvation to trust to your selves and lean upon your selves Hath Christ died and laid down a Price that you might live at your own Hand and be upon the same Terms for Eternal Life and Heaven as Adam was before he fell in a Covenant of Works Then it was Do and live and so now Do this viz. Believe and persevere and live God hath given you Power to do this so he did to Adam he gave him more Power than you for you are full of Infirmities and Weakness and Failings daily but he was perfect and strong Now is this the Gospel of Grace to require as much of a poor weak fallen Man as of Adam before he fell who was perfect and not subject to Infirmities All the Duties thou dost all the Acts of Faith all thy persevering in good being done for this end that God may elect thee they are but Acts of high Pride and Arrogancy every one of them hath this Language in them I do this that I may be elected rather than another and to put a difference betwixt my self and those that shall go to Hell I do this and this and elect God at first and after I have walked on all my days to the end in good Works he will elect me for this is the Condition he hath made of my Election If I persevere to the end he will then infallibly and peremptorily set his Love upon me and chuse me Now thus God doth made a Bargain with Man barters and sells his Love as Laban his Daughter If thou wilt have my Daughter then serve seven Yeers or else thou shalt not have her So doth God sell Heaven and Glory for a Life's Perseverance in Faith and Holiness Motive 3. To make you take heed of this false Doctrine it destroys all the Fruits of Election if not elected till Death then no benefit of Election in this Life let us see the Fruits of Election and how they are brought to nothing if Election of particular Persons be made void 1. Love to God 〈◊〉 a Fruit God's electing Persons sets out the Greatness of God's Love and fills the Heart with Love to God again Thus the Soul that hath any Intimation that God hath chosen him saith God hath passed by Millions and some of my Neighbours Kindred Friends and they are walking on in Ignorance Evil Unbelief God hath called me in which I read my Election he hath chosen me before the World from Eternity not respecting any thing that would or could be in me for I was a Sinner in my Blood when he visited me and by this Love of his he will enable me to do whatever is required of me to Salvation Who can think of this free eternal Love of God and not love God again God doth therefore in Scripture speak of this peculiar special free Love as an Argument to stir us up to Thankfulness Deut. 7.6 7. God hath chosen thee to be a special People and it was not for any Qualifications in them but because he loved them Chap. 10.15 Only the Lord had a delight in their Fathers to love them What for any thing in them no Was it for fulfilling Conditions No it is over and over in Deut 9. Not for thy Righteousness sake no a base wicked People they were And what could he see in their Fathers why Abram was an Idolater Josh 24.3 and called Now this free Love is brought as an Argument to press them to love God and walk in Holiness Deut. 7. Thou shalt therefore keep the Commandments and Statutes c. Circumcise therefore the Foreskin of your Hearts c. Deut. 10.16 Deut. 14.2 you shall see the same Argument there the Lord hath chosen thee therefore thou shalt not do so and so Object None of these Scriptures speak of God's eternal Love or of singular Persons chosen out of that Love Answ The Text speaks of Love shewed to particular Persons and how that such free Love is a Motive to love God and obey him Now this Love that God had to the Jews is a Type of that Love that God bare to the Elect. Compare Isa 1.9 with Rom. 9.29 Except the Lord of Hosts had left us a very small Remnant c. this is spoke concerning the Temporal Preservation of the Jews the Apostle takes it and applies it to the Elect Isa 8.18 Behold I and the Children whom the Lord hath given me are for Signs c. this is spoken of God's delivering the Jews from their Enemies the Apostle Heb. 2. brings this and speaks it of Christ having all the Elect considered in him God's electing Persons provokes to love God to think that God freely chose thee from Eternity thy Person appointed for thee all the Means hearing c. that thou mightst be saved blessed them to thee and gave thee Faith then in the use of them this is to stir up Love to God From the other way let us hear how it promotes Love to God God hath given Means to all and left them Talents and commands to improve and manage these well Now what if any of these be saved what may Christ say to them Have not I shewed you great Love should not you love me Yea may it be answered It was great Love to come 〈◊〉 the Flesh to redeem me from my Sin in Adam to give me Means to believe and Power to believe but there is no more Love laid out for me than for them that are in the Flames of Hell Can these love Christ so well as the other in the other
elected or no 1. Look after your Faith 2. Whether the Love of God be in you through Jesus Christ Beside these I shall propound no more for tho there be a great help oft-times in the number of Signs and Marks as many Stars make the Darkness Light yet it comes to pass oft-times that being weak in Understanding and not well able to manage them we are more perplexed by Number He that hath many Notions and is not able to master them is but the weaker for them so he that hath many Signs and Marks and hath not his Mind truly instructed that is not able to go into the bottom of them grows but into more Doubts and Perplexities and as I instance but in two so in these two because they are such as are in all Christians every one that is born of God believes on him and loves him And I may truly call these two to be as the two great Lights that God hath given to the Souls of Men in this Business like the two great Commandments all that can be said on any other Head hangs on these take what you will as a Sign what Duty you will if it comes not from Faith and Love take what Graces you will if they be not all turned upon these two Hinges Faith and Love they will give no Assurance at all if you can find Faith and Love you may be sure there are other Graces for they are never alone 1. Faith is a Sign of a Man's Election and that I take to be the meaning of all those Scriptures which make Calling and Conversion to be the Fruit and Mark of Election the out-going of Election 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath called us according to his own Purpose 1 Thess 1.4 5. Knowing your Election for our Gospel came not unto you in Word only but in Power And Calling and Conversion is put sometimes for Election 1 Cor. 1.26 You see your Calling Brethren ver 27. But God hath chosen c. All these prove that Faith is a Sign of Election By Faith we answer God's Call He that hath heard and learned of the Father comes to me Joh. 6.45 The Gospel comes unto Men in Power when it is the Power of God to make Men believe Rom. 1.16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth the meaning is not that first Men have Faith and then the Word of God is the Power of God to Salvation for that implies a Contradiction he that believes hath Salvation and a Power whereby he may come to Eternal Life but it is the Power of God to Salvation to every one that believes i.e. by making every one that shall be saved to believe whether they be Jews or Greeks But to make it more clear 1. Faith is in no Person but one that is elected that particular Person is elected which hath Faith therefore the Apostle describes Faith by the Subject of it and calls it the Faith of God's Elect i.e. the Faith which the Elect and only the Elect have Tit. 1.1 Act. 13.48 As many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed For the opening of which you must know that the Apostle doth not mean by ordaining to Eternal Life Mens disposing of themselves or being in a good Disposition or Aptness to improve and make use of the Means of Eternal Life and whatever be meant by ordaining Faith doth follow upon it certainly but it doth not follow upon Mens disposing of themselves till such time as Men do believe they are natural and what can that which is natural do to that which is supernatural We neither by Nature are able to resist the Temptation of Satan nor are able to ingenerate in our selves a Principle of Faith no more than a Beast can do the things of a Man or a Man the things that belong to the Being of an Angel By ordaining the Apostle means God's ordaining and they and they only believed so the words as many are to be understood As many he doth not mean that all that were in that place believed but only those were ordained Faith is a meer Fruit of Election there had been no such Grace but for Election other Graces are necessary to make a Man innocent other Graces come from God's Holiness and the love of his Creation God cannot but make Man good if he will make Man at all but Faith comes from God's Love to save Man and it is nothing else but only a Soul 's reposing it self for Life being guilty and liable to Condemnation upon God the Father through Jesus Christ this Adam had not this God would not have bestowed but that he would throw a Cord from his Love for sinking Man to lay hold on that he may be saved 2. It is a Sign of Election for where God begins it he never leaves it till it be grown up from the least degree to Perfection till the small Mustard-seed become a great Tree This is the Character of all things that come from Election that God never repents of them Rom. 11.29 for the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance he sets out the Certainty of God's Election by this God never repents of the Work of Faith But he that believes shall have Eternal Life As in Joh. 6.35 He that believes shall never thirst Ver. 37. He that comes I will in no wise cast out Every one that believeth on him shall have Eternal Life Ver. 40. This is the Will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have Everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last day These words are put in because Men will be apt to say Death and the Grave will devour and how can this sinful Dust scattered into all the Corners of the Earth ever come to be Partakers of Glory Take you no care for that my Father hath said I have Power enough to do it it shall be my Work I will raise him up at the last Day Ver. 47. he saith it and he saith it with an Oath Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath Everlasting Life Rom. 10.11 For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded So 1 Pet. 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a chief Corner-Stone elect precious and he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed This might be brought as a Sign of Election because it is of such Power with God as to prevail with God for every thing Mat. 21.22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believing ye shall receive it Object If any say that the Scripture speaks of many that believed and yet perished and therefore how do you say Faith is the Gift of Election and is only in those that are elected What was Simon Magus and those in Joh. 2. that Christ would not commit himself to them Answ They are called Believers after the manner of
to the Adoption of Children now according to them we are no otherwise adopted to be Sons but as we our selves by our well-doing make our selves Sons We are elected after we have persevered in Faith and well-doing to the end Rom. 8.39 Whom he hath predestinated are not these Persons spoke of the Romans in distinction from others when the Apostle saith in the 28th Verse All things work together for good to them that are the called according to his purpose here is a Purpose of God spoke of that hath determined some Persons that they shall receive Profit and Good by all Afflictions that shall befal them there it cannot be as they would have it spoke of all Men. Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained unto Eternal Life believed This Scripture speakes of Ordination unto Eternal Life something that was done before believing no Man can dispose himself as some would have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read and understood for Eternal Life before Faith this ordaining to Eternal Life is an Act of God not any Act of ours and it is spoken of Persons in distinction from others for the words are brought in to give a Reason why some Men did believe the Doctrine preached by Paul and others contradicted they that were ordained there believed the Doctrine as Christ saith in another place Joh. 10.26 Ye believe not because you are not of my Sheep None can believe but those that are elected Rom. 9.18 He hath Mercy on whom he will this having Mercy is God's Election unto Eternal Life making a Man a Vessel of Mercy now are not here Persons spoke of To put it out of doubt there are Persons named in the 9th of the Romans Isaac and Jacob now he speaks of them not as Persons who came to their Estate of Election through any Conditions for he saith they were elected before they had done any good Object They will say these two were only Types of such a sort of Men as are elected upon Faith not Works Answ They were not only Types but they are Examples also The Conception of Isaac was not typically only but a thing that was done so also is the difference that God put between him and Ishmael at his Conception and the declaring of his Love concerning him but if they were Types only which is not so for it was verified as to their own Persons being elected yet not of such as upon believing come to be elected for God it 's said loved Jacob before he had done any good so that he was not considered by the Lord as one that did believe or was to believe and seek Salvation by Christ in the way of Faith and not for his Works for then he should be considered as one who had exercised Faith which the Scripture denieth Rom. 9. that Similitude of the Potter shews that God makes a distinction of Persons The Potter of the same Matter forms one Vessel to Honour another to Dishonour so God makes one Person to be an elect Person and therefore puts him into an Estate differing from all others which are not so Rom. 11.7 the Election i. e. Persons elected have obtained it the rest were hardened what were those rest but Persons those that are elected they are such Persons as are severed and plucked out from the rest 3. The Scripture that speaks of Election speaks also of Means and tells us we are ordained to all Means which lead unto Eternal Life Whatever are the Condition or Conditions of Salvation we are elected to the fulfilling of them Election carries with it a Power to enable us to fulfil what is required of us as well as signifies the Love of God who by the Means will give Eternal Life Ephes 1.3 Who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ if with all then with Faith and Perseverance for they are Blessings and spiritual ones then are they given to us in Christ chosen in him the Head ver 4. chosen that we should be holy and without Blame why then we have Holiness by Election Ephes 5.25 26 27. Christ gave himself for the Church Now this giving of himself an Offering it was according to the Will of God Gal. 1.4 which Will of God is Election Now wherefore was it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without Blemish So then it so be that the Persons that be elected be distinguished from others in that Act then God doth not first chuse a Condition because in that they are alike with others Again if so be God do undertake the Condition then Election lieth not upon their fulfilling of it Thus much from the plain Scripture it self now secondly Reasons and Arguments from the Scriptures that Persons are elected not Conditions or Persons upon Conditions if they believe and repent c. 1. There is but one Election of Head and Members now the electing of the Human Nature into Personal Union is the Pattern of God's electing us to have Communion with himself the Human Nature of Christ was elected unto personal Union with the Divine and unto Grace and Glory Mat. 12.18 Isa 42.1 Mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World he speaks of the Human Nature of Christ for he saith there he was manifested in these last Times Now the Human Nature of Christ was not chosen of God to be united upon any Condition he required not the Human Nature to do any thing that it might be united thiâ— is impossible for the Human Nature of Christ had no Subsistence of it self out of the Divine so then it could not do any Action for then it must be a Person and united before it was united which is a Contradiction God took the Human Nature into Union before it was in an Estate of doing any thing or acting any thing then the Argument lieth thuâ— so as the Head is elected so are the Members so as Christ is predestinated so are all those which are considered by God the Fathâ—r in hâ—m but he was not predestinated or came out to his Election by fulfilling of any Condition 2. Reason The Scripture doth plainly hold out that Infantâ— that die as soon as they be born or those that die in the Womb or before they come of Years if any of them be saved as who dare deny that then they are elected of such the Scripture saith is the Kingdom of God he means such Children as were brought to him whom he blessed Children of Disciples that followed him and believed on him The Branches are holy Rom. 11. and in the same Chapter the Jews are said to be be beloved with the Love of Election for their Fathers sake Children are elected if any are saved none are saved but the Elect
it 's said Rom. 11.7 the Election hath obtaiâ—… but now what Conditions did these Infants fulfil of obeying and perâ—â—â—â—ing when as they were cut off before they were capable of doing any thing or using any Means and God had decreed and determined them unto Death in their Infancy Remember now that elect Infants dying in Infancy make but one Body together with us of those that shall be saved Here are some elected without Conditions 3. Reason The Number of those that shall be saved is certain the Number can neither be increased or decreased added to or taken from there is a Book of Life spoke of in Scripture Rev. 20.15 it is a figurative Speech borrowed from Men it signifies the unchangeable Purpose of God in giving Salvation to some now as it is among Men Names are written in Books so the Names of them that shall be saved are in God's Mind and known to him certain as if they were written in a Book now this Book is so kept that none that are written here can be blotted out nor any written that are not already written from Eternity ther fore this is given as a Reason why some Men stood and persevered in Apostaâ—izing Times when others fell it was this their Names were written in this Book i. e. God had chosen them they must stand their Names could not be blotted out Rev. 13.8 All that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him and whose Names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World Rev. 21. ult None shall enter into the City new Jerusalem but they that are written in the Lamb's Book of Life that Number written there and none but that Number shall be saved Rev. 20.15 And whosoever was not found written in the Book was cast into the Lake of Fire All went to Hell but they not any added to them the Number is definite Mat. 24.24 it 's said if it were possible the very Elect But if it were upon Condition that Men are elected this could not be for thâ—s â— are tendered to aâ—l Men and sufficient Means to believe and they have Power to believe or not then the Number must increase or decrease as they believe or not persevere or fall off to day there are more tomorrow less more again â—nd â—ess again as Men will hold on or not the Election of a definite certain Number to which not one can be added nor taken from doth diametrically oppose the Election of Conditions which all must be under equally and no onâ—â—eparated from the rest 4. If Election was upon Conditions if we believe and repent and persevere then would he have given Means to all to have known those Conditions else vâ—r little Love in God to set Terms upon which all Men may be saved and yet not to let all Men know these Terms now it is clear from Scripture that none knows the way to Eternal Life but those that have the preaching of the Gospel or the reading of the Scripture Rom. 1.16 it 's said of the Gospel it is the Power of God to Salvation to every one that believes for therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith here is the Reason he tells after what the Gentiles could attain to by their Helps it was only to know there was a Godhead full of Power and Wisdom but they could not reach this to understand the Righteousness of God and how the Just should live by Faith and depend upon another for Salvation and receive the Righteousness of God 1 Cor. 1.21 it 's said the World by Wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe Acts 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life This was when the Apostles came among them and preached to them till then notwithstanding all their Helps they were in Darkness and in the shadow of Death 5. To elect upon Conditions is to turn the Grace of God into a Covenant of Works and to put us into that Covenant This makes a Covenant of Works viz. That there is a Condition of Life given to us and it lies upon our Hands to do it we are to perform it be it what it will if we are to do it for Life the Condition to Adam was Do this and live but now it is Believe and live but it is all one as if he had said Do and live in case that our Election depends upon it The Article is changed only or the Act to be done but the Obligation and manner of Treaty is the same it lies upon us to do it otherwise we shall not have the Election of God or Salvation Object But we have Faith given us Answ This makes not a difference this alters it not to say we have Power given us or the Grace of Faith to believe for so had Adam Power given him to do whatever God should command or did command this Power he had given him before he sinned all his Abilities were given him with his Being from God so that they did not arise as some think I say his Abilities whereby he was to walk upon Terms of Justice did not arise from his natural Principle Thirdly Now hear the Inconveniences that follow upon their Doctrine that seems so plausible if you believe and persevere then God chuses you if you perform the Conditions he elects them first then Persons as they fall under them 1. This is against the Perfection of God for to will upon a Condition is but an imperfect Act of the Will it is but a Velleity a wishing or woulding because whatever is willed upon a Condition is willed disjunctively either I will do or I will not do it Now to say God doth imperfectly will is not becoming God who can do what he will do it only saves God's Credit however it falls out but it sutes not his Greatness and Goodness to wish a thing that is never accomplished 2. It doth not sute the Wisdom of God to proceed from Generals to Specials first he wills Conditions and then Men as they fall under these Conditions particular Persons as they fulfil them This argues Weakness in God's Knowledg as if he knew not who they should be before-hand 3. It makes void all Election of Persons thus their Election runs viz. He that believes shall be saved what needs any more except God's Fidelity be suspected If a Prince should say all Rebels that come in shall be pardoned what need any more mentioning of Persons except you will not give Credit to the Prince there needs no Act of Pardon to be granted when they do come in all that do come in enjoy their Pardon and it is not given them by any new Act except there be cause to suspect the Prince's or Magistrate's Fidelity There is no cause at all to suspect that God will not keep his Word and make it good for he hath said whosoever believes shall
the Grace that so much abounded towards him Vse I. If this be true that there are Persons particular Persons elected unto such Conditions then do not say because thou canst not find the Condition as yet that thou art not in the Election Election doth not depend upon the having of Faith It is an Act of God and it is manifested and declared when he makes thee believe this is not the Method of God Go and do thus much and when you have done thus much I will elect you and bring you to Glory but this I have passed the Sentence that you are mine and shall be mine and I will fill you with my Spirit and enable you to Obedience and bring you to Glory But suppose we find it not so we have no Faith Holiness Obedience yet say not ye are not in the Election for it depends not upon these things They are not the Causes of it and you may be in the Election for all that tho you cannot know it but by Faith You know Paul ran an ill Course in Sin he persecuted the Saints thought he ought to do so with Zeal yet saith God he is a chosen Vessel unto me Acts 9.15 yea he was in the Election then so it 's said in Acts 18.10 I have much People in this City God calls them his People before Conversion and in John 10.16 Other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold them also I must bring They are called Sheep before they are brought in And of the Jews it 's said that they were very refractory would not receive the Gospel because the Gentiles did thinking it a Breach of Promise Rom. 11.28 As concerning the Gospel they are Enemies for your sake but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Father's sake Enemies and yet beloved Now say not because thou hast nothing written in thy Heart that therefore thy Name is not written in the Book of Life thou hast no ground to exempt thy self tho thou canst not know it till Faith come thou canst not be worse than those Jews to be angry with God because he is merciful to others Who knows but God may yet give Faith to thee if thou wert to bring Faith with thee thou wert in an ill Case on a splitting Rock thou wouldst never get off But seeing thou art to have Faith as an Effect of Election it is the Gift of God he gives it to the Persons he sets his Love upon be silent then conclude nothing against they self Vse II. Doth not Election depend upon Conditions to be fulfilled then measure not God's Love to thee according to the Grace thou findest in thy self judg not of his Purpose according to the Purpose thou hast of serving him Without Faith we cannot know that we are chosen of God but by a little we may come to know it 1 Thess 1.4 5. The Apostle he knew the Thessalonians Election because the Word came unto them in Power i. e. it did prevail with them and overcome their Hearts Yet they were but newly converted and in divers Errors Signs and Tokens are to be taken from the least Degrees of Grace Altho then our Faith be low and scanty we are not received according to the Measure of our Gifts but according to his Purpose his Purpose to do thee Good is compleat tho yet thou hast by little Good in thee He worketh all things according to the Counsel of his own Will Ephes 1.11 He worketh to will and to do of his own good Pleasure Phil. 2. He doth not work a Will because we have had a Will before gives the first good Will to them that had none before to any Spiritual Good he gives a Will to do great things to work out their own Salvation If Election were upon Conditions of Grace then you might measure God's Chusing of you loving of you to eternal Life to be according to your Grace there is this practical Error in us or this Error in us practically that we hang God's Electing Love upon Conditions here is the Root and Bottom and first Seed of many Doubts and Troubles in the Saints that their Eyes are not only upon Qualifications as desirable or the things they should labour after but they are upon Qualifications as the Movers of God's first Love of Election they think because of their Sin God will repent and hath no purpose of any Good to them this wrongs the Grace of God When he took us at first his Love was not for any thing he saw in us or for any thing he knew would be in us he was resolved to make us lovely but he will so do it as you shall acknowledg his free Love and Grace Our Loveliness is not the cause of his Love tho it makes you a sutable Object to his Love And when his Love at first was pitched upon thee what a Case wast thou in then Ezek. 16. Thou wast in thy Blood cast out loathsom no Eye pitied thee When God did call thee to consider of eternal Life thou wast minding nothing but Ways of eternal Death thou wast found of him when thou soughtest not after him Did God pitch his Love upon thee at first he doth not alter in his Love his Love is fixed on thy Person still thou alterest but he changeth not thou art the same Object for him to do Good to tho thou art not the same it may be in regard of Disposition of Spirit Consider but this you that are in Christ you are loved not because you are fruitful as Leah thought and said now will my Husband love me Gen. 29.32 We are not loved because we are beautiful but loved that we may be holy and this should make us cleanse our selves and walk answerably to the Love of God Judg thy self condemn thy self for every Sin but do not think God cannot be good because thou art not good for his Love is not upon Conditions Vse III. If God hath given thee any Knowledge of thy Election rejoice with exceeding Joy So the Lord bad his Disciples above all things Rejoice that their Names were written in Heaven Luke 11.20 The Elect are a peculiar People that he hath severed from all other his Heart is to you in a singular Manner as the Heart of a chaste Husband to his Spouse forsaking Father and Mother and all else in Comparison in regard of that Relation When the King picks out from the rest one for his Favourite or one for a Pardon out of many Offenders how should it rejoice his Heart that he had not only his Pardon but the King 's special Love Know this for thy Comfort thou shalt certainly be saved the Love of God will be to thee as when we love the Person of any our Love holds and continues because upon thy Person If a Man marries for an Estate when Poverty comes his Love his gone if for Beauty when Sickness comes to blast it then no Love but if Love be to the Person
Love holds as long as the Person holds God hath pitched his Love on thy Person therefore whatever hath been thy Hazard in the Way to eternal Life it is all but suffered for this End to make thee cleave to Christ in whom thy Strength is and to prize him and the Gospel the more Thou shalt never come into Condemnation tho thou may'st say God hath cast thee off I am but Reprobate Silver Why what is the matter why I have done Evil so and so why thy doing Good so and so was not the Cause of God's electing thee thy doing Evil is displeasing to him but his Love was not pitched upon thy doing so and so Well neither doth it cease when thou dost so and so Ill but if thou dost so he will bring thee by Weeping-cross because of his Love unto that eternal Glory to which he appointed thee Vse IV. That as to your Judgments ye would stand fast in this Doctrine viz. That God hath chosen Persons singular Persons and Means for them and will enable them to perform those Means believe repent and persevere and bring them infallibly to Glory Receive this and stand fast in it in this day when it is so much spoke against every where The other Doctrine as hath been said before casts great contempt upon the Godhead 1. To make God to be at the Will of the Creature is a very bad thing Now this is evident their Way by Election upon Conditions for according to them God that is the first Cause cannot determine of Love or Hatred whether the Man shall be elected or reprobated till such time as the Creature hath tried and so shewed whether he will chuse and embrace the Means or not he waits to see what the Creature will do before he determines any thing as to particular Persons It was so under the Law that if a Child or Wife had made a Vow without the Father's or Husband's Consent it was null and void Now to make God stand in the same Obedience to the Creature is a great Evil according to this Doctrine Man can make void all God's Desires and Ends that he hath as to particular Persons 2. Things wherein Contempt is cast upon the Godhead by this their Doctrine Bucer affirms that if any say there is any Good done which God doth not do he denies God for God is the Author of every good thing But now there is some Good done according to these by the Creature that is not done by God for it is Man makes that Love special which God made but common This is a Good done and makes those Means effectual which he did but leave at liberty and at the Will of Man Come to the Height and Critical Question Whether that which determined the Will and cast the Soul upon Christ by Faith and chuseth him be any thing on God's part or from it self If as they must say from it self he did it his Will determined the Business for that is the very thing we dispute about then some Good may be done which God doth not if from God on his part then we have done the Cause is ours 3. God cannot know who shall be saved and who not as to the Persons he cannot certainly know for there cannot be in God a Fore-knowledg of that which is uncertain but now nothing more uncertain than this what the Will of Man will do tho is hath the best Means God can give yet it must be left to its own Inclination how it will act otherwise the Nature of Free-will is destroyed according to them Now to say God doth not certainly foresee who shall be saved is to take away his Prescience and make him no God But the very Light of Nature will show you that God foresees all things 4. The Love of God is wronged mightily For what a Love is that worth Little be sure that doth not save a Man from Hell effectually that doth not effectually deliver him from the Danger he is in whenas he could very easily do it What Love had that Parent that seeing a Knife in the Hand of his Child and should know that his Child would certainly cut himself to Death with the Knife would so wound it self as to kill it self yet leaves the Child to it self to do as it will when as he could save the Child from killing it self satisfying it with some other thing as well as the Knife Now surely God is able to make our Wills consent and that infallibly and yet preserve their Freedom make us freely believe in Christ as he is able to raise from the dead create the World of nothing What Love then is that which is spoke of nothing but a poor low common Love that effects nothing You see God is abused by this Doctrine of the Adversaries 5. It wrongs the Soveraignty of God He may not do with his own as he pleaseth but according to the Law of distributive Justice He is bound up to such a Rule to respect Persons to give what is due to very one what he deserves Mat. 20.15 Is it not for me to do with may own as I will 6. It wrongs the Wisdom of God For according to this Man is not made to a certain End Now what wise Man is there but makes every thing he makes to some certain End or else God makes Man to such an End as he cannot attain without his Good-will 7. It takes off from the Grace of God for he gives eternal Life only for a Life of Faith and Works it is not Grace every way and so no way 8. It 's against his Perfection God wills that which shall never be giving them Conditions with a Desire they all may be saved and yet they are not saved and that befals God which he would not have come to pass viz. that any are reprobated and damned Is this for God's Perfection 9. It makes God changeable God's Will was that all shall be saved and thereupon gave them Means Preaching and Scripture or Light of Nature helped by the Works of Creation and Providence but upon their not fulfilling those Conditions of Faith and Perseverance he casts them off reprobates them is not this then a Change to love and hate the same Persons in a small time to elect and reprobate the same Persons 10. It makes God's governing the World to be in Weakness For his Government according to this Doctrine of Conditions is ordered according to the inconstant Mind of Man sometimes he hath this End to glorify his Mercy if Men accept believe obey sometimes to glorify his Wrath when Men refuse thus he is unsteady weak in his Goverment it makes as if God had not without depending upon Man determined from Eternity how his Mercy and Wrath should both be glorified 11. The Omnipotency of God is greatly wronged in this thing it makes Man stronger than God tho God puts forth all his Power yet if Man will he can refuse and disobey surely if God really