that place imports a not giving the mollifying Graces of Faith and Repentance and withal a permission of final sin in the Reprobate for it is set in opposition to that mercy which bestows those mollifying Graces and thereby prevents final sin in the Elect. 3. It purposes to punish them with Eternal Damnation for their sin and this is stiled among Divines Pre-damnation or Positive Reprobation And hence Reprobates are said to be vessels of wrath Rom. 9. 22. made for the day of Evil Prov. 16. 4. and of old ordained to condemnation Jude Ver. 4. in the Original we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old fore-written or registred to this condemnation forewritten not as some would have it in Scripture-prophecies but in the Eternal Decree of God the ordained Event whereof is notably pointed out by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text. To say that men are fore-written in a Decree to condemnation is very proper but to say that they are forewritten in a Prophecy to condemnation is very incongruous for a prophecy is of an Event and not to it as a Decree is In that place where 't is said that Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports not a Decree but a setting forth or lively painting out of Christ for there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all as in the former Text but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom before the eyes Jesus Christ was set forth But the plain meaning of the former Text is they were decreed to this condemnation viz. to spiritual Judgments which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 specially points at and by consequence to Eternal Damnation also Now touching this Triple act of Reprobation I shall enquire 1. Who is the Author thereof 2. What are the things decreed therein 3. To whom those things are decreed 4. What is the Impulsive Cause thereof 1. Who is the Author thereof Even the same great God who is the Author of Election he who chuses some passes by others he who hath mercy on some hardens others Grace and Glory are at his dispose the Keys of Heaven and Hell are in his hands alone In some he prevents final sin by the mollifying Graces of Faith and Repentance others he leaves to final sin actual or at least original Some he raises up out of the Hell of their Corruption into an Heaven of Glory others he tumbles down from one Hell to another from the Hell of Iniquity to the Hell of Misery This is the Almighty Potter who out of the same lump of corrupted Mankind makes one Vessel to honour and another to dishonour and all the while the earthen Pitcher must not strive with his Maker or say Why hast thou made me thus but rather hasten down into the Abyss of his own Nullity and Pravity and from thence adore the infinite heights of Sovereignty and Equity in the Divine Decrees 2. What are the things decreed therein These I shall consider according to the Triple Act thereof 1. As for the first Act of Preterition or Non-election the thing decreed is the not giving of Grace and Glory to the Reprobates 1. 'T is the not giving of Grace unto them Not that there is a preterition of them as to all kind of Grace for Reprobates may be Children of the kingdom Matth. 8. 12. called to the marriage-supper Matth. 22. 12. and coming may eat and drink in Christ's presence Luk. 13. 26. they may be enlightned and partakers of the holy Ghost and taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come Hebr. 6. 4 5. and which is a very high expression they may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to believe in the name of Jesus Joh. 2. 23. But that there is a preterition of them as to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those better things which accompany and by a near contiguity touch upon Salvation Heb. 6. 9. as to such a precious Faith Love in incorruption Holiness of truth Repentance unto life real and thorough Conversion as are found in the Elect. There is not then a preterition as to all kind of Grace no nor all kind of preterition as to saving Grace for God doth will the Conversion of Reprobates in a double manner 1. God wills their Conversion Voluntate simplicis complacentiae Conversion even in a Reprobate would make joy in Heaven it would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grateful and well-pleasing to God if we believe him swearing by his life his pleasure or delight is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the wicked mans turning Ezek. 33. 11. God delights in his Image where-ever it be 2. God wills their Conversion Voluntate virtuali vel ordinativâ Mediorum for the right understanding whereof I shall lay down four things 1. The proper end and tendency of all means is to turn men unto God within the Sphere of the Church such is the end and tendency thereof Why did Christ come but to turn every one from his iniquities Acts 3. 26 Why did he preach but that his hearers might be saved Joh. 5. 34 Why did the Apostle warn and teach every man but to present every man perfect in Christ Col. 1. 28 John's Baptism was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 3. 11. Church-censures were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 10. 8. Even the delivering to Satan was for the destruction of the flesh 1 Cor. 5. 5. Conversion is the true Centre of the Means Nay without the Sphere of the Church the true end and tendency of things is such that God might be seen in every creature Rom. 1. 20. Sought and felt in every place Acts 17. 27. Witnessed in every showre Acts 14. 17. Feared in the sea-bounding sand Jer. 5. 22. Humbled under in every abasing providence Dan. 5. 22. Turned to in every judgement Amos 4. 11. In a word the end and tendency of all God's works is that men might fear before him Eccl. 3. 14. The whole World is a great Ordinance at it is in it self preaching forth the power and goodness of God who made it and as it is the unconsumed Stage of so many crying sins preaching forth the clemency and mercy of God who spares it and dashes it not down about the sinners ears All the goodness and forbearance of God leads men to repentance Rom. 2. 4. That piece of Gospel Whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy seems legible in his patience for it may be naturally and rationally concluded That that God who in his clemency spares men though sinners will in his mercy pardon them when repenting and returning This is the true duct and tendency of his patience even that men might turn and repent 2. The tendency of the Means to Conversion is such that if men under the administration thereof turn not unto God the only reason lies within themselves in their own corrupt hearts If God purge and men are not purged 't is because there is lewdness in their
done good or evil Artaxerxes decreed that Jerusalem should not be built again because upon search of his Records he found that it had been a rebellious City Ezra 4. 19 21. Should God have founded his Decree of Preterition and Non-election on a Prescience of humane Rebellion the holy City of the Church had never been built nor the divine Image ever repaired therein All men had eternally lay as Sodom and Gomorrah in the dust and rubbish of Adam's Fall with a line of spiritual confusion stretched upon them Who is there that lives and sins not What man on earth hath not rebelled and vexed God's holy Spirit Even little Infants rebelled in voluntate Adae and besides Imbecillitas membrorum infantilium innocens est non animus infantium Neither yet doth final Impenitency and Infidelity do it for there is no final Impenitency and Infidelity but such as is permitted and permitted it is not but out of the Decree of Preterition and Permission wherefore that Decree cannot be caused thereby Final Impenitency and Infidelity may be considered two ways either as being in actual existence or else as foreseen by the divine Prescience but neither way doth it cause the Decree of Preterition and Permission but presuppose the same Not as it is in actual existence for final Impenitency Infidelity come into being after Permission and Permission flows out of the Decree wherefore final Impenitency and Infidelity coming after Permission are not the Cause of the Decree out of which Permission doth issue Nor yet as it is foreseen by the divine Prescience for the Decree of Preterition and Permission is that very Glass wherein final Impenitency and Infidelity are foreseen for had God made no Decree of Preterition and Permission he had seen all men repenting and believing as the fruit of his effectual Grace unto all had he made that Decree universally touching all he had seen no man repenting and believing Wherefore final Impenitency and Infidelity as foreseen do not cause but presuppose the Decree In a word I conclude That the Decree of Preterition and Permission doth merely depend upon the supreme and sovereign Will of God Neither is there any colour of Injustice in all this for 1. Non-electio as Suarez hath it non est poena ut culpam praerequir at sed est quaedam negatio gratuiti beneficii quod Deus ut supremus Dominus negare potest God may do what he will with his own Election the primum indebitum is God's own therefore he may pass by whom he pleaseth the holy Spirit the fountain of all Faith and Repentance is God's own therefore it may breath only where it lists All Souls and Graces are God's own therefore he may infuse or not infuse Graces into Souls ad placitum Neither is it imaginable that God should be obliged to give restituent Grace to fallen Man when he was not obliged to give custodient Grace to the innocent Angels If Faith and Repentance are the gifts of God may he not suspend them If he be bound to give them why is there ae peradventure put upon some mens Repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25 Why a cannot upon some mens Faith John 12. 39 Why a perhaps upon some mens Forgiveness Acts 8. 22 Why aforbidding upon the means of Grace Acts 16. 6 Why a manifestation to disciples and not to the world Joh. 14. 22 Why a Revelation to babes and not to the wise and prudent Matth. 11. 25 In short God's Election must be either arbitrary or necessary If necessary how is his Election free If arbitrary how is Non-election unjust The donation of Faith and Repentance must be Grace or Debt If Debt why is not the Veil off from every Eye and the Stone out of every Heart Why is not Grace as common as Nature and Saintship as Humanity But if Grace then where it is conferred it is freely conferred out of self-moving mercy and where it is denied it is justly denied out of unaccountable sovereignty 2. In the Permission of final sin there is much of Sovereignty but nothing of Injustice the great God is absolutus faber suae permissionis he could let legions of Angels at once drop out of Heaven into Hell he could let innocent Adam as rare a piece as he was break himself all to shivers by a fall and what may he not permit sinful Worms to do What are Creatures to him If they miscarry how many thousand thousand Worlds are there in the bosom of his Omnipotence If he suffer all Nations to walk in their own ways he doth but let a drop fall off the Bucket or a small dust fly off the ballance he doth but leave Vanity to its own lightness and a Quasi-nothing to its own nullity and defectibility If he suffer sinful Man to run into sin and that finally he doth but leave the Dog to his own vomit the Swine to his own mire the Viper to his own poyson a corrupted piece of old Adam to act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of his own as the Expression is Joh. 8. 44. He doth but let the fountain of blood flow out the corrupt flesh putrifie the vitious womb of concupiscence conceive and bring forth and the depraved Will of man forge out its own iniquities and fetter and intangle it self with the cords and bonds of its own voluntary rebellions and what Injustice can be in all this especially seeing this Permission is not a subtraction of any inherent Grace but only a suspension of assistent Grace as de facto would impede sin If God be bound to afford such Grace where is the Charter of that engagement If he be not bound thereunto where is the Injustice of that suspension The Saints before a temptation cast down their Souls before God and cry out Nèinducas Lead us not into temptation and after a victory they cast down their Crowns before him and sing out Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ. Wherefore when sin is prevented God's free Grace is to be praised and when sin is permitted God's absolute Sovereignty is to be adored 3. Justice in God is agere juxta condecentiam bonitatis veracitatis suae therefore the Decrees of Preterition and Permission must needs be just because they cross not either his Goodness or his Truth Not his Goodness for that doth not necessitate him either to diffuse one drop of Grace unto fallen Man or to prevent one jot of sin in him nor yet his Truth for notwithstanding the Decrees of Preterition and Permission all the Promises in the great Charter of the Gospel are Yea and Amen not a tittle thereof fails or falls to the ground 2. As the Decree of Preterition and Permission is from God's Will as cloathed with Sovereignty so the Decree of Damnation is from God's Will as cloathed with Justice In the former God acts as supreme Lord according to his transcendent Sovereignty in the latter God acts as a Righteous Judge according to
divinae Majestati si hominibus tribuitur nihilo rectiùs tribuitur quà m si Divinitas ipsa eis tribueretur quo sacrilegio nullum esse majus possit Sovereign and Supreme Liberty is a perfection too high for any Creature for that by natural and intrinsecal Justice owes subjection to its Maker This is one of God's Crown-jewels who sitteth King for ever and ever dwelling in that light which no Creature can approach unto and in that Liberty which no Creature can attain unto 2. God is blessed for evermore blessed in all perfection and perfect in all blessedness in the fruition of himself he is infinite Light to see his own infinite Perfection he is infinite Love to embrace his own infinite Loveliness As he cannot comprehensively know his own infinite Perfection unless he have an infinite Understanding so neither can he adequately embrace his own infinite Loveliness unless he have an infinite Will God hath but one simple Nature and therefore but one simple Pleasure which is no other than the intellectual and amatorious reflexion of the divine Understanding and Will on the divine Goodness for ever 3. If there be no divine Will at all in God then the divine Arm must needs be shortned so that it can produce no creature at all for if it produce any thing it must do it either freely or necessarily not freely for want of a divine Will nor yet necessarily for then it must produce things ad extremum virium and so must produce all the possible Worlds and Creatures lying in the bosom of Omnipotence which would be infinite actual Beings and produce them all as early as Eternity it self and all those infinite actual Beings so produced should be necessary Beings as well as God himself In all which many great Contradictions are involved 4. If there be no divine Will in God then the Glass of the divine Prescience must needs be broken because as God knows all Essences in his own glorious Essence all Possibles in his own wonderful Omnipotence and all congruities and tendencies to his own Glory in his own unsearchable Wisdom so he knows all Futures in his own Will For all things future were in their own nature but mere possibles and could never of mere possibles become futures without the Divine Will and unless they become futures they could never be known as such no not by the Divine Intellect it self For as infinite Omnipotence cannot effect that which is not possible and potenter non potest so infinite Omniscience cannot know that which is not knowable for this were to erre and not to know and consequently a blemish in the clarity of the Divine Intellect 5. The Glory of God which passes before the faith of his Children is his Grace and Mercy and the Glory of his Grace and Mercy is the Freeness and Self-movingness of it and this Freeness and Self-movingness can no where be found but in the Divine Will alone into which all grace and mercy is resolved by God himself who saith I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy Exod. 33. 19. 6. God is a living God and lives the most perfect life because he is the most perfect Being and this Divine Life doth not merely consist in the comprehension of his infinite Understanding nor only in the exertion of his infinite power but also in the volition of his Divine Will With thee O Divine Will is the pure Fountain of Life the precious Well-head of Grace and Glory all the Saints and Angels must stand still and adore thee in the embraces of free Election and Crown of Eternal Glory in every Drop of Christ's Redeeming Blood and Gale of his gracious Spirit CHAP. III. Of the Decrees of God in general HAving proved that God hath a Will I proceed to the Acts thereof The Divine Will although one pure Act is considerable under a double Notion either as it is Voluntas Complacentiae or else as it is Voluntas Decreti Voluntas Complacentiae is that whereby God doth love himself and his own Image Himself for himself as infinite Love doth by an Amatorious Reflexion embrace himself as infinite Goodness And his own Image for where-ever that is found whether shining out in holy Laws or living in holy Creatures there is his delight Voluntas Decreti is that whereby God doth foreordain Events Both these are Acts of his Will and free Acts because they spring out of his divine Knowledge Even God himself through the intuition of his own Beauty loves himself as well as he makes his Decrees out of the Treasury of his Wisdom but herein they differ that God's Act of loving himself is such as cannot be otherwise but his Act of Decreeing if he had been so pleased might have been otherwise framed than it is Pretermitting his Complacential Will I shall direct my Discourse to his Decretive The Decrees of God may be thus described viz. That they are the Wise Eternal Immutable Immanent Acts of his Will whereby for his own glory he decrees whatsoever comes to pass in time Every Decree of God is an Act of his Will hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Will of God Acts 21. 14. 't is an Immanent Act hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a purpose in himself Eph. 1. 9. 't is a wise Act hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the counsel of his Will Eph. 1. 11. 't is an eternal Act hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a foreknowing and foredetermining Rom. 8. 29. 't is an immutable Act hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the immutability of his Counsel Heb. 6. 17. 't is an Act definitive of Events hence 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the determinate counsel of God Acts. 2. 23. and the end of all is his own glory whereby the whole Will of his Decrees circulates into that Will of his complacence whereby he loves himself himself being the ultimate end all meet there as in their true centre Now in the Decrees of God there are four things to be chiefly considered 1. That they are founded on infinite Wisdom 2. That they are situate in Eternity 3. That they are cemented with Immutability 4. That they are crowned with Infallibility as to the Event 1. The Decrees of God are founded on infinite Wisdom God hath a Mass and Treasury of all Wisdom in himself and from thence he draws out all those Orders and Series of things which through his Decrees are poured forth into being Extra Deum there is no Reason of his Decrees but within there is Summa Ratio God even as decreeing dwells in Light though to us unapproachable every Decree is irradiated with infinite Wisdom though our eyes cannot enter into it The Apostle calls the World the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 21. and no wonder for all the rare Artifices and Harmonies in the Sphear
apprehensive Faculty all the things of Godliness are given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through the knowledge of God 2 Pet. 1. 3. that 's the great Channel by which all Grace passes into the Will 2. As to the actual Conversion of the Will the Understanding is as a potent Perswader effectually inducing the Will thereunto There are three principal things in the Wills actual Conversion viz. a turning to God as its supreme End an embracing Christ as the only Way and a rejection of Sin as the great Obstacle and in all these the Will doth follow the Understanding 1. The Will doth follow the Understanding in its turn to God as the supreme End and this appears divers ways 1. The Scriptures clear it to us there we find in conjunction bethinking and turning 2 Chron. 6. 37. remembring and turning Psal. 22. 27. considering and turning Ezek 18. 28. understanding and turning Mat. 13. 15. and opening the eyes and turning Act. 26. 18. in all which places the Understanding goes before and the Will follows after There we find Conversion to be a thing wrought by Perswasion God shall perswade Japheth Gen. 9. 27. by Inshining God hath shined in our hearts 2 Cor. 4. 6. by Teaching they shall be all taught of God Joh. 6. 45. by Anointing you have an unction from the holy one 1 Joh. 2. 20. and by coming to a mans self Luk. 15. 17. first the Prodigal came to himself and then he returned to his Father the import of all which is plainly thus much That God doth actually draw home the Will unto himself through the Understanding Thy people saith the Psalmist shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth Psal. 110. 3. here are a willing People like the Dew for multitude but whence are they Whence but from the womb of the morning The morning of supernatural Illumination is the Womb out of which they issue As long as there is no morning in men as the Expression is Isai. 8. 20. there is no Will at all to God but as soon as the day dawns in their hearts out comes a willing People as Dew from the morning 2. The Nature of the Will holds forth thus much The Will naturally wills Blessedness or the ultimate End in general because it is a Good perfective and expletive of the Soul but the Will doth not naturally fix on this or that thing as its blessedness or ultimate End in particular One Man fixes on Mammon as his chief Good another makes his Belly his God a third is all for the Pride of Life whence is the Will thus determined Either it must be determined by it self or else by the Understanding not by it self for it is a blind Faculty and cannot of it self judg any thing to be a chief Good much less can it fix it self on it as such wherefore it must be determined by the Understanding One Man chuses Mammon to be his chief Good because as the Psalmist hath it his inward thought is that his house shall continue for ever Psal. 49. 11. that's lasting happiness saith his carnal Understanding Another makes his Belly his God because his inward thought is Eat drink and be merry Luk. 12. 19. there is nothing better saith his bruitish Understanding A third is all for the Pride of Life because his inward thought is to be a Lucifer in Self-excellencies that 's the top of Bliss saith his soaring Understanding In every one of these first the Understanding makes the Idol and then the Will doth fall down and worship Now if the Will may be determined by the Understanding to such false Beatitudes as these how much more may it be determined by the Understanding to God who is the true blessedness 3. This appears from the Excellency of that practical Understanding which draws the Will unto actual Conversion 'T is an excellent Understanding for the Object of it being in the Mount of Transfiguration it shews forth unto the Will not Creatures Chips of Being in the shell of Time but a Jehovah of Self-beingness a God of Allsufficiency dwelling in Eternity not Streams of Life or Goodness in the Creature-channel but a Fountain of living waters an Ocean of immense Goodness such as cannot be sailed over by Faith or Vision not golden or pearly Mountains but an infinite Mass of free Grace unsearchable riches of Mercy such as cannot be â—old over to all Eternity not shadows or little portions of Being but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 1. 4. the true I am the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the all things 1 Cor. 15. 28. in whom are all the rich Mines of universal Blessedness and which is the sweetness of all it shews forth this God not as reserving himself only to himself but as freely offering himself to poor worms Oh my Soul stand still and adore the opening of his Bowels and Self-motion of his Grace this Jehovah of Self-beingness and All-sufficiency will make over himself to thee this Fountain of Life and Goodness will flow out to thee this rich Mass of Grace and Mercy will portion thee this I am and ever-blessed All is an inheritance for thee and in inheriting him thou maist after a wonderful manner inherit all things This is the infinite Excellency of the Object but after what manner doth the Understanding shew it forth unto the Will Surely though as much below his worth as finite is below infinite yet in an excellent way the Understanding shews forth God unto the Will not in a dead or literal manner but with spiritual liveliness and as I may so say in sparkles of Glory for it is eternal life and Heaven it self dawns in it not darkly or at a distance but clearly and closely the day-star is up in the heart and God approaches near unto the Will his goodness passes before it and leaves some holy touches and savours thereupon not in a weak and languishing manner but powerfully and effectually The Apostle joins the demonstration of the Spirit and power together 1 Cor. 2. 4. There is such a Demonstration of the Spirit in the Understanding as cannot be denied and from thence such a Power upon the Will as cannot be frustrated not notionally only but practically it seriously presseth in upon the Will Here O rational Appetite here is a God indeed his Grace free his Mercy Self-moving take him and thou hast all lose him and thou hast nothing Now Oh! now is the accepted time the day of Salvation in his Favour there is Life in his Wrath nothing but Death If he bless thee none can curse if he curse thee none can bless now or never turn and live After this manner doth it practically press in upon the Will Now when the Understanding holds forth such an excellent Object in such an excellent manner unto the Will already principled with Grace how can it chuse but actually close in
How could God foreknow that is fore-love them who loved him before If they loved first the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must out it is not Pre-dilection but Post-dilection It remains then that they did believe and love consequently to God's Election and by a divine influence from thence But to go on What is the Predestination here but to a Conformity to the Image of Christ And are Sufferings all the Image of Christ Are and Glory no part thereof What Divine will not blush to say so And how then is not Predestination to these But if Sufferings were all Christ's Image yet are all Sufferings his Image What if they be mere Sufferings such as have no tincture of Faith and Holiness upon them Are these his Image also If not the Predestination to his Image must include in it a Predestination to Faith and Holiness And what is the Calling following upon Predestination Is it a Calling to Sufferings Such a Calling uses to be particularly expressed Hereunto were you called saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 2. 21. and We are appointed hereunto saith S. Paul 1 Thess. 3. 3. But where in all the Scripture doth the word Calling being put absolutely and without such addition ever signifie a Call to Sufferings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we meet with therein but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore the Calling is to Faith and Holiness And what is the Justification which hangs upon Calling If the Calling be to Sufferings are they not justified before that Calling No doubt they are in the instant of believing and how then is Calling set first and Justification last You 'l say this place speaks not of the Justification of their persons but of the Approbation of their cause And where in all this Epistle is the word justifie so taken And why so here Lastly the Called are Justified and the Justified Glorified saith the Apostle And are all those which are called to Sufferings Justified and Glorified The experience of thousands denies it You 'l say they are all justified and glorified if they bear the Cross with Faith and Patience But who dares add an it to Gods Word and in this Text to the two links and not to the former The Apostle faith expresly whom he did Predestinate them he also Called and whom he Called them he also Justified and whom he Justified them he also Glorified In the Original the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fasten every link to its precedent and that with appropriation to the very same persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fastens Calling to Predestination and Justification to Calling and Glorification to Justification and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appropriates all throughout the whole chain to the same persons If therefore any person predestinated or called within this Text be not also justified and glorified the chain is broken and the truth of the Text cannot for ought I see be salved Wherefore I conclude that this Text doth not treat of Predestination and Calling to Sufferings notwithstanding which many fall short of Justification and Glorification but of Predestination and Calling to Grace and Glory such as doth infallibly bring them to Justification and Glorification God's Electing mercy towards his chosen ones is sure and unfailable before they had any being free Grace embraced them in an Eternal Decree and laid them in its bosom and when they left the Common Nullity and in the first moment of their Being lay in the blood of their natural enmity and iniquity free Grace would not pass them by but there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Sept. hath it Ezek. 16. 8. a time for love to let out and dissolve it self in gracious operations to cast its skirt over them wash them in the blood of the Covenant anoint them with the holy Spirit and put a Chain of Graces about their necks And after all this when their Faith wavers like a Wave of the Sea his Faithfulness is as a Mountain of Brass when their Love cools and slacks his Love is ever the same and inflames theirs afresh when their Holiness is full of Creature-weakness and impersection there are with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy Mercies and Compassions which never fail when they sin and go on frowardly in the way of their hearts yet he will see their way and heal them as the Expression is Isai. 57. 18. How many millions of times after their Conversion might he have seen their way and damned them but because of his unchangeable Love he will see their way and heal them His Covenant is as the Waters of Noah Isai. 54. 9. When they sin again and again yet his pardoning Mercy and healing Grace will never suffer them to lie under water nor the deluge of sin to overwhelm them for ever In a word his Electing Love never leaves off till it hath lodged them safe in Heaven Thus the Foundation of God standeth sure and the Election infallibly obteineth Grace and Glory 3. To whom are these things designed I answer in two things 1. These are designed to some certain individual persons 2. These certain individual persons are considered as lying in the Mass of perdition 1. These are designed to some certain individual persons The Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. Their names are all down in the Book of life Phil. 4. ◠he called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by name Joh. 10. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith God to Ananias this individual persons this very Paul who but now was breathing out blood against tho Church this is a vessel of Election Acts 9. 15. The Elect are a determinate number What else were the 7000. which bowed not to Baal 1 Kings 19. 18 What the 144000. which were sealed in their foreheads Rev. 7. 4 If there were no set number why are they called a remnant according to the election of Grace Rom. 11. 5 What remnant can there be unless made up of individual persons What Election but of such A chusing or singling out if not of individuals is no chusing or singling out at all And this is one remarkable difference between the Will of God's Complacence and the Will of his Benevolence the Will of his Complacence is properly respective of Graces and that where-ever those Graces are without any distinction of persons in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him saith St. Peter Act. 10. 35. If Cain do well shall he not be accepted If a Judas believe shall he not be justified Without any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteousness of God is upon all them that believe Rom. 3. 22. His pleasure is in them that fear him Psal. 147. 11. A good man where-ever he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 draws out favour or complacence from the Lord Prov. 12. 2. And the reason is because this Will of Complacence issuing out of his perfect Sanctity cannot but embrace his Image where-ever he finds it but the Will of Benevolence
action and not his disposition the willing to do God's will is a gracious disposition but such as goes not before Faith Indeed the young man who yet had no true Faith had some kind of will to walk in God's Commandments Mark 10. 20. but it was not of the true stamp but with a reserve of his darling Covetousness To have a right Will to do God's Will is to be one spirit with the Lord which without Faith is unimaginable 'T is not to be conceived that an heart can indeed be either honest to God which is not purified by Faith or humble before him which is not irradiated by Faith As for the last objection That if these words import God's Preordination then all the Elect of that Assembly did believe at that one Sermon and all the rest were reprobated it is built upon two false hypotheses The one as if the Evangelist spake only of one Sermon whenas the Apostle had now preached two Sabbath-days there so that these words are most properly to be understood of the continued success of the Gospel according to that Acts 2. 47. The Lord daily added to the Church such as should be saved which continued success is also hinted out in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immediately following after the words Ver. 49. The other as if the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were always an universal Particle whenas in some Scriptures as Acts 4. 6. it doth not design universality for all the High Priest's kindred were not at that meeting but quality also in the Text in question the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather points out the condition of Believers than their number Wherefore I conclude that this famous Text holds out such an Eternal Preordination of God as is the very Well-head of Faith in men Every Believer is an Isaac a child of Promise wonderfully begotten begotten of God's own will saith St. James Chap. 1. 18. and begotten according to his abundant mercy saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 3. And what is this Will and Mercy but God's gratuitous design of Grace and Glory to his Elect The Will in St. James is such a Will as designs Grace and Consecration to God in holiness even as the first fruits were holy and the Mercy in St. Peter is such a Mercy as designs Glory even an incorruptible and undefiled Inheritance in Heaven and both places demonstrate that the Believer is generated out of Electing Love And as Faith is an effect of Election so also is Perseverance which is no other than Fides continuata Faith standing in the power of God 1 Cor. 2. 5. and fulfilled by the same power 2 Thess. 1. 11. God saith the Apostle shall confirm you unto the end 1 Cor. 1. 8. and as a Reason he subjoyns God is faithful Ver. 9. Faithful as in his gracious Promises so in his gratuitous Election therefore he confirms his own unto the end There are Rivers of living Water in the Godly but the eternal Spring thereof is Election there is the Seed of God in them but the vital Root of it is Election Hence the false Christs and false Prophets cannot seduce them Mark 13. 22. The canker of Hymenaeus and Philetus cannot eat into them 2 Tim. 2. 19. Now if Faith and Perseverance are the fruits of Election they cannot be the causes or antecedents thereof Let me shut up this Reason with that of Fulgentius Deus praedestinatione suâ donum illuminationis ad credendum donum perseveraniiae ad proficiendum permanendum donum glorificationis ad regnandum quibus dare voluit praeparavit nec aliter persicit in opere quà m in sua sempiterna incommutabili voluntate habet dispositum 4. My last Reason shall be taken from the grand Scope and Design of the Scriptures which is to exalt God and abase the Creature There God's glory is revealed and all flesh is but grass there God is all in all and all men are nothing the willer and runner are nothing and Gods mercy is all the planter and waterer are nothing and Gods giving the encrease is all There all men lie very low in a Dungeon of Darkness Grave of Sin and miserable Chains of Hardness and Unbelief and God sits very high and out of the sovereign Self-motion of his own Will shines into one Heart and not into another opens one Grave and not another frees one spiritual Prisoner and not another There Zions dust I mean the Creature-weakness and defectibility of the Church and all her inherent Graces appear on the one hand and the sureness of God's Mercy and the everlasting immutability of his Love and Counsel shines forth on the other and what 's the meaning of all this but to cut off boasting and stain pride abase the Creature and exalt God In nullo nobis gloriandum quando nostrum nihil est But if as the Remonstrants assert Election be built on Faith and Perseverance and this Faith and Perseverance be wrought by God in a superable way only so as men may believe or not or believing may persevere or not then the Crown is plucked off from Free Grace and clapt upon Free Will God is dethroned and man is exalted and so may fall a boasting in some such language as that of Theophylact 'T is God's part to call but mine to be elect or not 't is God's part to reveal Gospel but mine either to believe and persevere and so found the Decree of Election or else not to believe and persevere and so to impede it And if to silence such swelling words of vanity God should put forth such astonishing questions to him about the Spiritual World as he did to Job about the Natural yet might man return an answer to his Maker Should God ask Where wast thou when I laid the foundation of my Church in my divine Decrees when I laid the measures of her Graces in my Eternal purpose Man may say My Faith was there stretching out the Line and fastning the Corner-stone of Election Should he ask Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Predestination that it shall not cause a Spring of Faith and Holiness in my Church Man may say I can so bind them up that if I please God shall have never an Elect Vessel to fill with Mercy nor Christ any where to lay his Merits among all the sons of men Should he yet ask Who hath known the mind of the Lord or been his Counseller Man may answer My Free Will was consulted with from time to time even to the last gasp of Perseverance before the Decree of Election was concluded in Heaven Should he ask on Who made thee to differ from another The Believer may answer Adam did not difference me for he left me in the common Mass neither did God difference me for he gave me only the Common Grace but I my self have made the difference by freely embracing the very same Grace which others freely rejected In a word should he expostulate with
Acts as to the rest appear as Extraministerial Blots and Errata's those Invitations to the Gospel-feast which as to the Elect are the cordial wooings and beseechings of God himself as to the rest look like the words of mere men speaking at random and without Commission for alas why should they come to that Feast for whom nothing is prepared How should they eat and drink for whom the Lamb was never slain Wherefore I conclude that Christ died for all mens so far as to found the truth of the Ministery towards them 4. I argue from the Blessings purchased by Christ's Death one great Blessing is Salvation on Gospel Terms Lapsed Angels must be damned but Men nay all Men may be saved on Gospel-terms there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common Salvation to them and O what a blessing is this especially to such as live under the Gospel there is nothing stands between them and Heaven but their own Will they will not come to Christ that they may have life Oh! what would the damned Spirits in Hell give for such a door of Hope as hath no other bar but what is in their own Hearts how would they sweat and strive with tears and strong cries to enter in at it A second Blessing is the Patience of God which waits upon Sinners and by some glimmerings of Mercy leads them to repentance A third Blessing is the Dispensation of Gifts even in the Wilderness of the Pagan-world there are Moral Vertues and in the Eden of the Church there are even in those that perish some touches of the holy Ghost tastes of the heavenly Gift and feelings of the Powers of the World to come and whence are these but from the Death of Christ As David called the water of Bethlehem the blood of his worthies so may I call these Blessings the blood of Christ. Wherefore Christ died so far for all as to procure some Blessings for them 5. I argue from the Unbelief of Men which is wonderfully aggravated in Scripture through Jesus Christ there is a real offer of Grace made but Unbelief receives it in vain 2 Cor. 6. 1. great Salvation is prepared 〈◊〉 â—nbelief neglects it Heb. 2. 3. Eternal 〈◊〉 is promised but Unbelief comes short of it Heb. 4. 1. the Kingdom of Heaven comes nigh to men but Unbelief draws back from it Heb. 10. 39. God himself bears witness that there is Life in his Son even for all if they believe but Unbelief saith No to it and doth what it can to make him a liar 1 Joh. 5. 10. Christ is set forth before our eyes as the great Expiatory Sacrifice and evidently set forth as if he were crucified among us his Blood runs fresh in the Veins of the Gospel but Unbelief recrucifies the Son of God Heb. 6. 6. tramples his precious blood under foot Heb. 10. 29. and doth as it were nullifie his glorious Sacrifice so that as to final Unbelievers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there no more remaineth a sacrifice Heb. 10. 26. as to their Salvation 't is as if there were no Sacrifice at all for them But if Christ died not for all men how can these things be How can those men receive Grace in vain for whom it was never procured or neglect Salvation for whom it was never prepared How can they fall short of eternal Rest for whom it was never purchased or draw back from the Kingdom of Heaven which never approached unto them How can there be life in Christ for thosâ— for whom he never died and if not 〈◊〉 way doth their Unbelief give God the lye How can they recrucifie the Son of God for whom he was never crucified or trample on that precious Blood which was never shed for them The Devils as full of malice as they are against Christ are never said to do it and why are men charged with it I take it because men have some share in him and Devils none at all 6. I argue from the Death of Christ which hath a superexcellent Redundance of Merit in it not only because of its intrinsecal value but because of the divine Ordination there are unsearchable riches in Christ enough to pay all mens Debts there are Pleonasms of Grace in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace superabounded saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 1. 14. Salvation flows out from him actually upon all Believers and by a glorious supereffluence it would run over upon all men if they did believe As it was with the Widows litte Pot of Oil 2 Kings 4. 6. the Oil did run till all the Vessels were full and then it staid the Widow called for another Vessel and if she had had many more there the Oil in the Pot would have filled them all Even so pardon the Comparison it is with the immense Sea of Christ's Merits it actually fills all the Vessels of Faith and then it stays as it were for want of Vessels mean-while Christ calls and cries out for more and if all men would come and bring their Vessels to him he would fill them all doubtless if all men did believe all would see the Glory of God all would have the Rivers of living water flowing in them all would feel spiritual Miracles wrought in their Hearts by that Christ who sits at the right hand of Power and consequently all would find an experimental witness in themselves that Christ died for them all 7. I argue from the general and large Expressions in Scripture touching Christ and his Death Christ died for all 2 Cor. 5. 15. for every man Heb. 2. 9. he gave himself for the world Joh. 6. 51. for the whole world 1 Joh. 2. 2. he is stiled the Saviour of the world 1 Joh. 4. 14. and his Salvation is called a common salvation Jude Ver. 3. a salvation prepared before the face of all people Luk. 2. 31. and flowing forth to the ends of the earth Isai. 49. 6. the Gospel of this Salvation is to be preached to all nations Matth. 28. 19. and to every creature Mark 16. 15. there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace bringing salvation to all men Tit. 2. 11. a door of Hope open to them because Christ gave himself a ransom for all 1 Tim. 2. 6. I know not what could be more emphatical to point out the Universality of Redemption But you 'l say all these general Expressions do but denote genera singulorum some of all sorts the World of the Elect or the All of Believers In answer to which I shall only put two Quaeries 1. If those general Expressions denote only the World of the Elect or the All of Believers why is it not said in Scripture that God elected all and every man the World and the whole World in that sence 't is as true that God elected them all as 't is that Christ died for them all Why then doth the holy Spirit altogether forbear those general Expressions in the matter of Election which it useth in the matter of
Redemption Surely it imports thus much unto us that Redemption hath a larger Sphere than Election and therefore the Scriptures contract Election in words of Speciality only whilest they open and dilate Redemption in emphatical Generalities 2. If those general Expressions denote only the World of the Elect or the All of Believers why doth the Scripture use such very different language in the same thing Sometimes Christ is called the saviour of the world and sometimes the saviour of the body sometimes 't is said that Christ died or gave himself for all or for the world sometimes it is said that he died or gave himself for the Church or for his sheep Who can imagine that such words of universality and such words of speciality should be of the same latitude that one and the same thing should be imported in both Moreover the Scripture doth make a signal distinction when it speaks of his giving himself or dying for all it says only that he died for all or gave himself a Ransom for all But when it speaks of giving himself for his Church it says that he sanctified himself that it might be sanctified through the truth Joh. 17. 19. and that he gave himself for it that he might purisie to himself a peouliar people Tit. 2. 14. and that he gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the word and present it to himself a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5. 25 26 27. Never in all the Scripture is it said that he gave himself for all or for the World that he might sanctifie or cleanse it or make it a peculiar People or glorious Church which yet might have been truly said if the All were no more than the All of Believers or the World than the World of the Elect wherefore to me it seems clear from those various Expressions and the observable distinctions in them that the All for whom Christ died is larger than the All of Believers and the World for whom Christ gave himself larger than the World of the Elect. 2. Having laid down my own Reasons I procede to answer the Objections made against this Opinion Object 1. If Christ died for all men then all would believe for Christ's Death procures all Graces and in particular Faith seeing then all men have not Faith either Christ did not die for them all or else he loseth part of his Purchase I answer that Christ's Death is procurative of all Graces and particularly of Faith so far as it is a Price and it is a Price so far as it was paid down by Christ and accepted by God for that purpose for in a Price there must be both Sufficientia nuda consisting in the intrinsecal value of the thing and Sufficientia ordinata consisting in the intentional paying and receiving that thing as a Price Now Christ's death was paid down by him and accepted by God as a Price with a double respect As for all men it was paid and accepted as a Price so far forth as to procure for them a ground for their Faith viz. that they might be saved on Gospel-terms And as for the Elect it was further paid and accepted as a Price so far as to procure the very Grace of Faith for them Thus our Saviour Christ who best knew both upon what Terms he paid down the price and upon what Terms his Father received it opens this mysterious Dispensation I came down from heaven saith he not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me Joh. 6. 38. and what was that As to all men 't was that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life Ver. 40. and as to the Elect 't was that all those should by faith come unto him Ver. 37. and never be lost Ver. 39. Christ then died for all men not so far forth as to procure the Grace of Faith but so far forth as to procure Salvation on Gospel-terms for them therefore albeit all do not believe it follows not either that Christ did not at all die for them or that he loseth part of his Purchase Christ's Death is procurative of Faith not in reference to all but to the Elect. Object 2. If Christ died for all men why is not the Gospel revealed to them many Pagan Nations have no glimpse of a Christ. I answer two things 1. God hath not left himself altogether without witness no not in the Pagan-world the invisible Spirit renders himself visible in the Glass of the World Rom. 1. 20. and as it were palpable in the body of Nature the very Heathens may see and feel him in every creature Acts 17. 27. nay and in themselves too for his Presence is not far off from them his candle burns within them Prov. 20. 27. when by this Candle it appears that there is Justice in God and Sin in them yet that they may still seek after him he lets out some glimmerings of mercy placability towards them the very standing of the World utters somewhat of this This Psalmist tells us of a line in the heaven Psal. 19. 4. God in the Creation drew lines of Power and Wisdom over the Sphere of Nature but Christ in Redemption struck a line of Mercy quite through it and that legible even to the Heathens forasmuch as they know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vindictive justice of God Rom. 1. 32. and yet see the World standing and not dashed down about the Sinners Ears they know there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a divine vengeance Acts 28. 4. and yet they are not consumed they see Justice as it were winking Acts 17. 30. judgment slumbring 2 Pet. 2. 3. and infinite Patience and Long-suffering waiting and leading them to Repentance Rom. 2. 4. they have some glimpses of pardoning Mercy where there is no pardoning mercy at all there is no room for repentance but the Patience of God is a kind of temporal pardon of the punishment that temporal pardon of the punishment points out that Mercy which can give an absolute pardon of the Sin and the true duct and tendency of that Mercy is to lead men to Repentance and if there were any man in the Pagan-world who did in truth repent and convert to God I make no question at all but that he should be saved and probably not without the express knowledge of Christ indulged to him for upon all that fear Gods Name will the Sun of rigteousness arise with healing under his wings Mal. 4. 2. Here then is aliquid Evangelii though not the express knowledge of Christ. 2. As to the Argument let us weigh what may be deducted from Christ's death as universal If Christ died for all men it follows from thence that Christ may be preached to all but it follows not from thence that Christ shall be preached to all it follows that Christ may be preached to all for he who was offered for
redeem some from among men unless it merit for them that Faith which is the grand distinction between man and man in the matter of Salvation Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purchased the church with his blood Acts 20. 28. and purchased it in a special manner hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a purchased people is not a title common to all but proper to the Church 1 Pet. 2. 9. God's Children lay scattered up and down the wide World and Christ died that he might gather them all together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into one one Faith here and one Glory hereafter Joh. 11. 52. If Christ had died so for all all should have come into the same Unity We find in Scripture many signal distinctions made among men there are some on whom God will have mercy and others whom he will harden Rom. 9. 18. some written in the Lambs book of life and others left out of it Rev. 13. 8. some given unto Christ Joh. 6. 36. and others â—eft to themselves some are Gods own jewels Mal. 3. 17. and others but as dross Now how incredible is it that Jesus Christ who came to do his Father's Will should in his Death respect those whom God will harden as much as those whom he will have mercy on those that are out of the Book of Life as much as those that are in it those that are left to themselves as much as those that are given to him and those that are the dross of the World as much as God's own Jewels Believe it who can 't is a monstrous Opinion worthy of nothing but exile from Christians Seeing God's Will hath so distinguished men it is no more possible that Christ should die alike for all than that he should dissent from his Father's Will which to do was his great errand in the World Christ suffered between two Thieves a Type of the Elect and Reprobate World but who dare say that he had as much respect to the one as to the other 2. I argue from the Covenant of Grace Christ is the Mediator of the Covenant and the Covenant is the New-testament in his blood as then the Covenant is more or less respective of men so the Mediator's Death is more or less respective of them There are in the Covenant two sorts of Promises the one general and conditional such are those Whosoever believes shall be saved Whosoever will may take of the water of life If any man come to Christ he will not cast him out the other special and absolute such are those I will circumcise thy heart to love me I will put my fear in their hearts I will take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes I will put my Laws in their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people there is a vast difference between these Promises For 1. The general and conditional Promises are as it were the hands of the Covenant pointing out the true way and path leading to Salvation but the special and absolute Promises are as it were the Veins of the Covenant carrying in them the blood and spirit of life and power to enable us to walk in that way Here God himself engages to work all saving Graces in us Are our hearts hard he 'l roll away the stone from them do our hearts resist holy impressions he 'l give us hearts of flesh capable thereof are our hearts void of God's Law he will write it there and turn them into the Epistles of Christ and for the effectual doing hereof he will put his Spirit into us and as a real proof of it he will cause us to walk in his ways and in this Walk Love shall be the Motive for he will circumcise the heart to love him and Fear the Bridle for he will put his Fear in the heart never to depart from him and which is the Crown of all he himself will be a God to us and we shall be a people to him in an everlasting Covenant Stand still O Saints and adore here loe here is the ministration of the Spirit indeed 2 Cor. 3. 8. here are words which are spirit and life Joh. 6. 63. here is the supernal Jerusalem the mother of spiritual freedom Gal. 4. 26. here is the immortal seed which begets all the Sons of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. here is that Vis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or formative Virtue which moulds us into the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. here is the day of God's power which makes his people willing to serve him in the beauties of holiness Psal. 110. 3. Happy yea thrice happy they who dwell in this Land of Promise and drink of these Wells of Salvation 2. The general and conditional Promises are extensive to all men but the special and absolute Promises respect the Elect and them only for they are fulfilled in them and them only had these extended to all that God who cannot lye nor deny himself would have fulfilled them in all You will say He would have fulfilled them in all but that men themselves will not But what a strange word is this they will not Will they not if God give them a Will a new heart and a new spirit Will they not if God take away the nilling and resisting Principle the heart of stone Will they not if God write his Laws in their hearts and inward parts O what is this but by an absurd Blasphemy to change God's Truth into a lye his Omnipotence into weakness and his Glory into the old broken Idol of Creature-freedom Surely if God who is Truth and Power engage to make a new Heart the old one cannot hinder it if he promise to remove Hardness Hardness cannot resist it if he say that he will write the Law in the Heart the Heart will not say Nay to his Almighty Fingers Seeing then these Promises are not fulfilled in all but in the Elect only I may safely affirm that they respect not all but the Elect only These things being so it appears how in what manner Christ's Death respects men even more or less as the Promises of the Covenant founded on his Blood do more or less respect them As the general Promises extend to all men so the Death of Christ the Mediator proportionably extends to them all and as the special Promises point only at the Elect so the Death of Christ the Mediator hath a peculiar respect to them Christ by his Death over and besides the general Promises founded those special Promises for the Elect hence they come to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons of promise Gal. 4. 28. begotten by it to spiritual life which others standing only under the general Promises are not All the saving Graces of the Elect suting to those special Promises are no other than the fruits of Christ's Merits they