Baxter's bare word for such a Test he that would not be deceived must learn to distrust Indeed it appears that there was a great deale of wash and Fucus c Deus bone Vidimus atque experiundo didicimus quanta illi arte quanto studio sententiam suam incrustare tegere ac caelare semper conati fuerint bodieque adhuc conentur Vix credo humanam industriam comminisci plura posse quam commenti sunt isti mortales ut sententiae ipsorum à sententiae Supralapsariorum differre non videretur ibid. of daubing and paintry used at the drawing up the Canons touching the severall Articles to make them look of the same complexion but if we examine the Doctors as Daniel did his Elders apart we shall finde their opinions to stand at push o'pike one against another For instance If you would inquire Whether the Election be necessarily made out of the Corrupt Masse some of those Divines will tell you it is and some as positively affirm it is not That the Decree of Election is of certain men out of mankind fallen into sin and lost is collected out of Rom. 9.15 16. I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy and verse 23. The vessels of mercy prepared unto glory and verse 22. the Reprobates are called vessels of wrath But the wrath of God towards men doth presuppose their sin Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against the ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men Also Eph. 1. we are said to be elected in Christ that we might be holy Also we are said to be predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ which cannot be said but with respect to sin The Belgick Professors Act. Synod Dort Part. 3. Pag. 4. And the Divines of Zeeland ibid. pag. 43. That Election is made out of mankind fallen is proved out of Rom. 9.15 16. where the purpose of Election is called Having mercy and vers 23. the Elect are called vessels of Mercy Now mercy supposeth misery Rom. 11.32 God hath shut up all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all and 2 Tim. 1.9 He hath called us according to his purpose and grace c. That mercy given to us in Christ doth presuppose sin and shew us the remedy of it But the Deputies of the Synod of South-Holland are of another judgement ibid. pag. 34. f. Whether in his election God considered man as faln or not faln they think it not necessary to determine so that it be concluded that God considered all men in a like state in his election that the Elect were no better then the Non-elect whether in themselves or in Gods gracious estimation And Gomarus is most positive in this opinion and therefore he profest in the open Synod that he could not approve of the judgement of the foure Belgick Professors concerning the object of Predestination because he thought God did consider man as not faln in his predestination of him Vt supra in Sess 107. part 1. Whereupon he set down his own judgement apart by it self wherein he makes mankind simply considered the object of the Decree part 3. pag. 21. II. If you inquire whether Christ be the foundation of Election you will finde them divided in their judgement here too The Drent Divines say that Christ is the foundation of Election not as he is God nor as he is man but as he is God-man our head and eternall Redeemer by whom we are saved because he by his merit hath procured the grace of God for us and by his spirit he effecteth faith in us Eph. 1.4 5 6. Art Syn. Dord part 3. pag. 80. f. Thes 8. And the Hassien Divines to the same purpose ibid. part 2. pag. 25. But Pet. Molin saith otherwise ibid. part 1. pag. 290. m. Christ as he is man and the mediator he is head of the elect but not the cause of election seeing he himself as he is man is elect He is the meritorious cause of our salvation and our Ransome But of two alike sinfull he is not the cause why the one is preferred before the other The Cause is to be sought in Gods beneplaciture and free love which in order goes before the intercession of the Son For the Father sent the Son and gave him to be the Redeemer This is his Answer to that Question whether Christ be the Foundation of Election which is negative III. If you inquire whether the elect be beloved out of Christ they are at odds here too for some of them say When we affirme that the love of the Father whereby he chose us goes in order before the intercession of the Son our meaning is not that the elect are beloved of God out of Christ For though the love of the Father went before the sending of his Son yet he never loved us but in consideration of his Son neither would he ever confer any benefit upon the elect but in and through his Son Pet. Molin ubi supra Yet the Synod rejects it as an errour in them who teach that Christ neither could nor ought to die for those whom God dearly loved and chose unto eternall life seeing such stood in no need of Christs death Cap. 2. Reject 7. pag. 253. part 1. Act. Syn. Dord IV. If you inquire whether Reprobation hath respect onely or not at all to the fall of Mankinde They run division likewise upon this Article for some of them say it hath and others as confidently averre that it hath not Sibrandus Lubbertus saith We do not teach that God by his absolute will and decree without any respect to sin hath ordained any to damnation But we say God would declare his iustice in the damnation of the Reprobate and therefore he would not appoint any to damnation but for sin Act. Syn. Dord part 3. pag. 14. And the Divines of Great Britaine say Reprobation or Non-election is Gods eternall decree whereby for his own most free good pleasure he determined not to have mercy upon some persons faln in Adam so farre forth as to deliver them effectually from the state of misery by Christ and bring them infallibly unto blessednesse De Reprob Thes 1 pag. 11 part 2. But Gomarus saith God had no respect at all to sin as going before it in the Decree of Reprobation For saith He Peremptory Reprobation is the Decree of God whereby for his own most free pleasure to the declaration of his avenging justice he determined to give neither grace nor glory to certain men out of universall mankind but to suffer them freely to fall into sin and to leave them in their sins and at last justly to condemn them for their sinnes ibid. part 3. pag. 24. Thes 2. And their Deputies of the Synod of South-Holland to the same sense making mankind in generall not considered as fallen and in the corrupt masse the object of the Decree of Election and Reprobation ibid. pag. 35. p. V. If you inquire concerning the
and Existentialists p 412 The Syn. Canonicall Description of Election p 413 The Apostles Doctrine inverted by M. Perkins order of Causes p 414 The Elect beloved most flagrantly and unchangeably out of Christ which evacuates his satisfaction and merits p 415 That Christ died to procure salvation for them to whom it was as sure before as Gods Love and Decree could make it ib. That no sin can hinder the effectuall calling of the Elect not put them out of the road to Glory p 416 That the sins of the Elect are of a better rank then those of the Reprob p 417 The Creabilitarians hold that the greatest part of mankind are Reprobates before Creatures in Gods purpose 418. That they have no interest at all in Christ ibid. Being under Gods implacable hatred at least as the most modest Calvinists hold upon the Fall of Adam ibid Though they improve their calling to the uttermost yet by the sway of the Fatall Decree they shall be brought into a Relapse and finally perish p 419 The Glory which God aimes to reap from his creature according to the Calvinists consists chiefly in the execution of his decrees of Election and Reprobation contrary to the Scriptures p 420 421 M.B. will have a parting blow at his dissenting Brother p 427 That the Justified cannot fall from their justification no fundamentall point with M.B. p 428 Good Christians are not made per saltum ordinarily 428. The elect have such a Magazine provided they need consult and take care for nothing p 429 430 But the Scripture teacheth another Doctrine 431 And many that warp to the other opinions are convinced of it ibid. p 432 Christianity a matter of choise p 433 Confirmation of such as are eminently faithfull in a state of indefectibility very probable p 434 435 Every single act of every grosse sin doth not cancell the state of Justification probable 436 What will cancell it p 437. The danger of backsliding 438. That the Regenerate may fall totally and finally 439 440. and that David did so p 440 c. 444 445 Hardning goes along with presumptuous sins p 442 David a servant of sin 443 444. though he had not served out a Apprentiship to the trade of sinning ibid. Adoption not absolutely granted but upon condition of Persever p 446 447 Regeneration and Sanctification may be repeated 448 449. so may conversion the new creation repentance words of the same importance 451 452 453 454. proved from the Discipline of Penance 455 456 457 458. Heb. 6.10 cleared p 459 460 The good ground Objection from thence answered 461 462 463. Objection from Davids prayer Psal 50. answered p 464 Every degree of love will not secure the state of justification p 465 c. Not safe to rely upon Gods mercy beyond the measures reveal'd to us p 467 No depending upon an habituall estimation of God in our Actuall disobedience p 468 A saving Faith no more separable from chastity c. than from charity p 470 Men may perish for want of consideration p 471 How the hearts of the regenerate relapsing are turned into as gracelesse a frame as theirs who were never sanctified p 472 Some single Acts of sin may exclude a man out of heaven p 473 The sin of David and Peter were not single Acts onely p 473 474 479 Habits infused may be lost p 475 476 477 478 Some single Acts of sin do surmount some Habits p 479 Peters sin mounted up by very many and great Aggravations p 479 480 Men may lie in a state of sin and yet pursue a course of Religion p 481 c. Christs prayer did not secure Peter from a totall falling away but from a finall onely p 484 Peter did not constantly build upon the Rock p 487 M.B. expounds the sacred text by Satans Comment 488. M.B. insnared in a Fallacy p 489 The House built upon a rock may be blown up though it be not blown down 489. a caution to prevent it p 490 The Doctrine of the Synnod touching Election and Perseverance not acording to Godlinesse 491. By it the vilest sinners may be certain of their Salvation without the renewing of Repentance 492 to 500. They hold every man ought to be certain of his Election 492 493. He that is once certain of his Election may fall into grosse sins 495. yet they cannot fall quite away 496 497. Therefore once certain and for ever certain 449 This Doctrine takes away from some gross sinners the fear of Gods displeasure of hell fire and of judgement to come which are the preservatives against sin 501 And is the foundation of the Antinomians Doctrine which M. B. accounts so grosse and absurd p 500 501 M. B. holds that no man hath such a certainty of his own sincerity c. as to exclude all doubting p 503 514 The Doctrine of Perseverance in M. Baxters judgement gives advantage to security p 504 M. B. interfering ib. 505 And incongruity of expression p 506 The word Grace one of the three that makes so many controversies c. p 506 The opinion of the Remonstrants and Lutherans touching falling from Grace not against Grace 506 507. Nor against Gods Fidelity 507. Ibid. Not. Marg 3. r. adde 1 Pet. p 4.19 Gods Fidelity is not impeached by mans Apostasie p 507 c. The Holy Ghosts Custody doth not secure the Faithful without their own vigilancy p 508 509 The falling away of the Regen not against Gods wisdome or power p 509 510 M. B. opinion against the Grace and wisdom of God 511. God by M.B. doctrines invites the Reprobate to ingage themselves in covenant with him yet he keeps himself disingaged to them p 511 512 M.B. contradiâ—ts himself in saying the opinions of the Arminians are against the peace of the Saints p 513 The certainty of perseverance serves onely the interest of the flesh p 514 No Cordials are to be provided for men in their wickednesses p 515 The opinion of the Remonst a better foundation of comfort for the lapsed than that of Calv. p 115 516 M. B. provides as ill for the peace of the Saints as do the Remonstrants p 516 That Men are to be judged godly according to the Predominant estimation and operation of their soul understood with restrictions p 517 A continued Sedition and Rebellion must not go for single Acts No more must the sins of David and Peter p 517 A relapse in the last stage of life very dangerous p 518 One Act of sin sets a man more backward than one Act of vertue can set him forward p 518 That the Habituated cannot change how to be understood p 518 519 M B. a supercilious Censor rather then a charitable Monitor of M. P. and why p 519 520. M. B. chooseth to die in the state of an Adulterer and Murderer and of one that hath denyed his Saviour with execrations whom he confesseth in an incapacity of salvation than in the state of a person by whom he knows no
Act of Reprobation whether it be Negative onely or Negative and Affirmative also The Synodists are not all of one minde in this point neither For the Hassien Divines say The Divines of the Reformed Churches do think we must accurately distinguish betwixt the two Acts of Reprobation whereof one is negative viz. The purpose of God not to have mercy or preterition The other affirmative viz. his purpose to damn or ordination to destruction as a just punishment Act. Syn. Dor. pag. 33. part 2. And the Churches of Wedderav There are two acts of Reprobation Preterition or Non-election and Damnation or preparation of punishment ibid. pag. 40. Thes 2. item pag. 45. th 2. But the Divines of Great Britain were of another opinion For they say The proper acts of reprobation as it is opposed to election we think to be no other then the deniall of the same glory and the same grace which are prepared for the children of God in election And in the Decree of election are prepared for them Glory and effectuall Grace and with that intention that it should be effectuall that is that by such grace they may be brought infallibly to the said Glory That such Grace and Glory is prepared for the Reprobates we deny ibid. pag. 11. a. m. These differences we observe amongst them in matters that relate to Tilenus his first Article So in reference to the Second Article If you inquire I. Whether Christ hath dyed for All or onely for the Elect you will finde them whatever they seem to say in the full Synod according to their Chamber Practice to contradict one another For the Divines of Great Britain do determine That God pitying mankind faln sent his Son who gave himself a price of Redemption or a Ransome for the sins of the whole world Acta Syn. Dor. pag. 78. Thes 3. part 2. Martinius giving in his Suffrage upon this Article doth resolve thus There is a certain Philanthropy of God whereby he loves all mankinde fal'n and seriously would have them all to be saved ibid. pag. 103. Thes 1. Th. 8. If this Redemption be not supposed as a common benefit bestowed upon all that indifferent and promiscuous preaching of the Gospell committed to the Apostles to be performed amongst All nations will have no true foundation Et thes 9. And seeing we abhorre to say this it is to be considered how much they speak against most clear and known principles who at their pleasure do plainly deny that Christ died for all men Thes 10. Neither will it satisfie to propose such a sufficiency as might be enough but such as is altogether enough in God's and Christ's account For otherwise the command and promise of the Gospell will be overthrown For Thes 11. from a benefit that is sufficient indeed but not designed for me by a true intention how can there be deduced a necessity of my believing it to belong unto me And Thes 26. he gives the chief Reasons which induced him to be of this opinion which are three 1. That the Scriptures might be reconciled without wresting 2. That the Glory of Gods truth mercy and justice in the commands promises and threatnings of the Gospell might be preserved lest by these God should be thought to will and do something otherwise then the words signifie 3. That it may be manifest that the blame of the destruction of the wicked may be in themselves not in the defect of a remedy by which they might be saved Thus Martinius sent to the Synod from Breme Act. Syn. Dord part 2. pag. 104. c. And Ludovicus Crocius another of the Bremish Divines sets down his opinion somewhat to the same purpose though not so well or so fully as M. Baxter doth intimate See ibid. pag. 117. Thes 2.3 But the Divines of the Palatinate were of another judgement for they say That the generall love of God to sinners is remarkable But that Love is more excellent which moved God to give his Son to save us from our sins This is not generall but speciall not common to all and every man but proper to the elect ibid. pag. 83. And the Divines of Geneva to the same purpose Christ out of the Fathers good pleasure merely was destin'd and given to be Mediator and Head to a certain number of men constituting his body Mysticall by Gods election Thes 1. pag. 100. Thes 2. For these Christ who best understood his own office would and decreed to die and to adde the infinite price of his death a singular and most effectuall intention of his will And Iselburg saith Christ died or laid down his life for all and every one of his elect sheep or Faithfull and in their stead and for their good onely Ibid. pag. 111. Thes 3. And the Ministers of Emden say Christ according to the intention counsil and decree of his Father died onely for the Elect. Ibid. pag. 119. q. 4. The Belgic Professors say If you consider the proper end and the singular and saving efficacie of Christ's death we affirm that according to his Fathers and his own counsil Jesus Christ died not for the Reprobates and those that perish but onely for the Elect and those that do believe Act. Syn. Dor. part 3. pag. 88. f. The Brethren of North-Holland say The Scripture saith Christ died for All that is for All the Elect out of all sorts of men Ibid. p. 107. p. 108. They say That of the Remonstrants is false that the intention of the Father delivering his Son to death and of the Son in undergoing death was that by the same he might save all and every one though through the fault of many of them the matter happens otherwise The Brethren of Zeeland offer these Arguments such as they are against Christ's death for all ibid. pag. 112. Thes 2. 3. If Christ paid a price of Redemption for all and every man then All and every one ought to be saved and none to perish But this is false c. If reconciliation with God and remission of sins be impetrated for all and every man then the word of reconciliation is also to be preached to all and every one But the Consequent is false Ergo. The Deputies of the Synod of Groningen say we do believe that according to the Father's intention delivering his Son to death and the Son 's in suffering it reconciliation with God and remission of sins is obtained onely for the elect Ibid. p. 138. The Deputies of the Synod of Gallo-Belgia say That according to the Scripture Christ really died for none but believers And the will of the Father in sending his Son and of the Son in dying was no other Pag. 151. Thes 2. The Deputies of the Synod of Gelderland shall conclude this part of the contradiction and the Reader shall have their very Syllogismes that he may learn Logick with his Divinity Whosoever God calls to salvation purchased by the death of Christ for them Christ died But
ipso facto put in the order of men certainly to be damned Damnation being the unavoidable execution of that Decree whereof Preterition and Predamnation are but severall †Synopsis Purioris Theologiae Disp 24. th 49 52. Respects I must therefore preferre to such collusion the ingenuity of those men who speak their opinion fully out and tell us that all the Dispensations of Grace administred to these Non-elect are designed but to make them the more inexcusable You alleadged above in the words of the Synod that it is not through any insufficiency or defect of the sacrifice of Christ that men Perish in their Infidelity and may not as much be said in respect of the Devils that it is not through any defect or insufficiency of Christs Sacrifice that they are damned eternally The Reason is the same for both according to the Principles you go upon namely because God wills to have it so And I wonder with what confidence you can tell the Non-Elect and them you must be supposed to speak to the Elect not being concerned in it as you do in your popular Sermon of Making light of Christ Pag. 52. That It were better for him he had been a Turk or Indian that never had heard the name of a Saviour and that never had salvation offered to him For such men have no cloak for their sin Joh. 15.22 Besides all the rest of their sins they have this killing sin to answer for which will undo them And this will aggravate their misery That Christ whom they set light by must be their Judge and for this sin will he judge them Oh that such would now consider how they will answer that Question that Christ puts to their Predecessors Mat. 23.33 How will ye escape the damnation of Hell or Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Can you escape without a Christ or will a despised Christ save you then If he be accursed that set light by Father or Mother Deut. 27.16 What then is he that sets light by Christ c. How I say can you say this unlesse you lay better grounds to glorifie Gods Justice in punishing the Non-elect for their Infidelity For by that Doctrine the most part of the Christian world are so farre from being design'd a benefit by the exhibition and tendries of Christ to them that they receive far more hurt by it and so their condition is rendred a great deal worse than that of Devils to whom Christ was never offer'd For the most they could say of Christ was to expostulate or cry out Art thou come to torment us before the time but these may complain that though there was as little benefit intended them by the offer of Christ as the Devils to whom he was never tendred yet it did serve to aggravate their sin and made them guilty of infidelity and liable to a greater condemnation Be not startled at thi news if it seems so to you for it is the very Doctrine of Gomarus This is the difference Thes 31. de praed Disput 1604. saith he betwixt the Reprobation of men and Angels that the Angels never have Christ tendred unto them but unto men he is tendred often outwardly in the word and inwardly by the Spirit that being convinced of Infidelity and a stubborn heart they may by that means be rendred the more inexcusable Now I Conjure every Christian Reader as he tenders the Glory of our ever Blessed God and the Honour of his most Holy Ordinances and the eternall Salvation of mens precious souls sadly to weigh and consider the pernicious influences of such a Doctrine that his understanding may be awakened to apprehend and his will inclined to entertain more solid practicall principles of Divinity that every mouth that utters such wickednesse may be stopped For certainly this cannot be the purpose or purport of Gods Generall love towards mankind in sending his Sonne to die for them and be preached unto them †See and consider Joh. 3.16.17 And now Master Baxter perhaps will rub up his memory a little better What! Doth neither Tilenus nor Master Pierce nor the Remonstrants ascribe one jot more to the death of Christ for all than this amounts to Doth that Grace of Christs purchasing which they account sufficient rise to no higher a pitch no not so high as to put them into a possibility of being restored by Christs mediation into at least as good a condition as that of Devils This is a very strange story But God be thanked there is no truth in it The difference is so wide betwixt the two Parties in this Point that nothing can well be wider For 1. Sufficient Grace in your sense is that which never did and never will and never can bring salvation unto any man for let him use his utmost diligence to cooperate with it it will not it cannot sanctifie him being not through the Receivers default but of its own kind and nature uneffectuall◠For thus the Professors of Leiden speak of it Concedimus omnes illos c. Censura in Confess cap. 17. par 3. Pag. 235 236. We grant that all who are called by the Gospel are sufficiently called that is God is not obliged in justice to call them otherwise then he doth call them and by that Calling they are sufficiently deprived of all pretence of excuse before Gods Tribunall if they be not converted because the fault of their non-conversion resteth in themselves onely This is their definition of sufficient Grace and the Compiler of this work was the Synod I shall referre the Reader to the Remonstrants Descant upon this Definition in their Examen Censurae cap. 17. parag 3. But sufficient Grace in the Remonstrants sense which is like to be Master Pierce's and Tilenus his sense too is Gods Grace which bringeth salvation unto All men to whom it hath appeared Tit. 2.11 For they say To the end man may not onely be able but also freely and heartily willing to performe the Divine commands God willeth to do all things on his part necessary to the effecting of both in him that is he hath determined to conferre such Grace upon sinfull man whereby he may be rendred fit and able to perform all that is required of him in the Gospel and in their next Thesis God therefore when he calls sinners by his Holy Gospel Confess Remon c. 17. Thes 1. he bestows upon them Grace not onely necessary but also sufficient to performe faith and obedience the Requiries of the Gospel 2. They do not deny but God may and many times doth conferre Imparia Paribus Paria Imparibus Potiora Pejoribus They acknowledge God hath not past any Decree whereby he hath debarred either Himself of Liberty to bestow or men of a Possibility to receive such severall Dispensations And although they confesse there is a sufficient calling Ibid. Thes 3. which yet is uneffectuall yet they say the reason