their own Hands God works in Conversion because the Will works saith Bellarmine but we answer by querying Whether we should judg of the Church's Doctrine by her Collect and Catechism or by her Articles of Religion surely by the latter Again Are we to pray for Turks Jews and Infidels Conversion without this addition if it be the Will of God to convert them I think not This Term all Mankind so general no more is signified thereby than Christ died for Mankind in Opposition to Angels kind and we say the same The ground for praying for Turks Jews and Infidels ariseth from the Scripture prophesying of the Jews Conversion and bringing in of the Fulness of the Gentiles which is plainly notified in the 11th of the Romans But that Christ died for all and every one with his own and Father's Intent to save them we deny and offer those Arguments drawn up lately by that Learned and Reverend Brother Mr. Isaac Chauncey in his late Book entituled The Doctrine which is according to Godliness there cannot be better Arguments produced The Preface swells else I would have transcribed them all take but one sutable to the following Subject and I will bid the Reader farewel It is not fit Christ should die for all seeing his Father elected not all and gave not all to him For Christ to redeem more were to disobey his Father's Will and not to do it If any say God elected all it is most absurd to talk of chusing some from among many others when a Man takes the whole Number this is no Election Or if any say Election is conditional provided if a Man will this also is no Election for if Election be upon the Condition of Man's Free-will neither one nor another is chosen but all have equal pervious Designation to the end and so there is no Election at all Farewel EPHES. 1.5 Having predestinated us to the Adoption c. THis Text speaks this Truth viz. That particular Persons are decreed unto Eternal Life and the Means thereof are decreed in their effectual working Some singular Persons are the immediate Objects of Election the word us denotes it it speaks Persons still All the Adversaries grant Persons are elected but here is the difference some think that Persons are in God's Eye first and his Love was first cast upon them as soon as he thought of glorifying himself out of himself among the Sons of Men and whatever Means some calls them Conditions by which they may come to this Salvation they are chosen to they shall have Strength from God to perform The other think that Persons are elected but out of fore-sight that they do fulfil such Conditions and those Conditions are first of all ordained and Persons so far as they come under them Some of them say that the Object of Election is Man dying past the use of Reason who in all probability will not return and live to enjoy the Means wherein they may use the Power of their Will to take or leave Some will say a Man is not elected while he is a Man of this World Therefore this Order they that are of this Opinion make of God's Decrees 1. God decrees to send his Son into the World that he dying his Justice might be satisfied he might be free upon what Terms he would save Men. The second Decree that Men shall have no other Terms for Salvation but Perseverance in believing on him who hath died for them Third Decree to give fit Means to make them believe 4. God picks out particular Persons as his chosen ones as they fulfil the Conditions at the Point of Death Or thus God considered all the ways possible that may bring to Salvation and of all pitch'd upon the way of Faith this they call Predestination unto Life 2. Then there is a particular Decree of this Man or the other to Life according as he hath fulfilled that Condition By what hath been said you may see the difference This is not God's Election to say if Men believe and persevere in believing then they shall be elected and saved then I will pitch upon you rather than others to Life but this is God's Election I do take thee and therefore will enable thee and not others to do all the things I require of thee I will call thee and I will not depart from thee till thou art partaker of Eternal Life the Question then is great about the Cause of God's Election what makes a compleat Act of God's electing God chuses particular singular Persons John Peter Paul these are those God immediately pitcheth upon not Conditions first and then Persons as they fall under these but Persons first and appoints them to all the Means I prove this 1. By Scripture 2. By Reason 3. I will show the danger of the other Opinion The Scripture saith that the very Hairs of our Head are numbred Mat. 10.30 Acts 27.34 not one falls without your Heavenly Father 2 Sam. 14.11 Much more surely hath God a Care of all the Heirs of Salvation of all that shall be made partakers of that Inheritance in Glory things that are numbred are that they may not perish If superfluous things are taken care of by the Providence of God and it reaches to minute things as Hairs of the Head doth it not extend think you to the Persons of them that are saved The Proofs of Scripture for this are three 1. That the Scripture is silent about any such way as the Adversaries speak of now the Scripture is the Light that is given to know the Mind of God by in this matter The Silence of the Scripture in this thing speaks aloud what it saith nothing of is not to be believed For in this lieth the very Nature and Essence of a Rule that what is not according to it is not right nor authentick not to be supposed in the Scripture are all the Truths that are to be received and view it throughout and there is not a word of this viz. That there are Conditions made of Election if we believe and repent and persevere indeed of Salvation there are Conditions the Scripture speaks of taking Conditions in a general sense as they signify Means to a thing or a Connexion betwixt one thing and another but Salvation is much differing from Election as much as the Effect from the Cause and the End from the Means we are saved by Grace therefore in the use of Means but Election gives that Grace Some Scriptures seem to be for them but of them I shall speak afterwards 2. The Scripture speaks of particular Persons singular Persons elected where-ever it speaks of Election or Predestination in this of the first of the Ephesians predestinated us i.e. the Ephesians in distinction from others In the second Chapter he saith they were Children of Wrath by Nature as others till God made known his Purpose to them by calling of them It must have been instead of this word us all Men predestinated all Men
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
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
Men not because they had Faith but because they said they had Faith and made Profession of it That is the Language of the Holy Ghost in Scripture James 2.14 Tho a Man say he hath Faith according to that Phrase if thy Brother sin and say it repents him i.e. professeth his Repentance so Men say they have Faith and yet it is but a dead Faith for the Life of Faith is immortal and passeth not away Object But I doubt whether I have Faith Answ By this thou mayst know it if the Gospel hath come to thee in Power not in Word only 1 Thess 1.4 i.e. when thou camest to hear the glad Tidings of Salvation by Christ which is the Gospel-Doctrine when thou camest to hear of the Love of God that is so free and large and the Spring of all Good from God and of Holiness in thee these things thou didst not give a bare hearing to but they came pressing on thee as the things that must be believed that were necessary to thee and commanded thy Spirit When thou camest to be in Affliction thou couldst truly say if thou mightst have thy Wish it would not be to be freed from Trouble but to honour Christ in Trouble thou carest not what Trouble thou hast so thou mayst but get more hold on him Tho thy lazy Spirit begins to be weary in toiling in the use of Means or Suffering for Christ thou countest thy self vile and unworthy because of it This Work will prove thy Election to be true Object But I have but little Faith if any Answ 1. It is not the degree but true Faith that argues Election 2. Love also is a Sign of Election as well as Faith Faith is our chusing of God so it is a sign of God's chusing us thus our Love to God is a sign that God loves us As the Sun in the Firmament by its Reflection upon a Cloud makes another Sun the Seal leaves it self upon the Wax when impressed A Father begets a Child in his own Likeness so Love in us is the very Image of Election Love is but a Reflection of God's Love upon us We love him because he first loved us I Joh. 4.19 How may we know that we love God 1. God by electing us wills us Good so we by Love will Good and Honour unto God We say O that his Name may be glorified and his Will done on Earth as it is in Heaven he longs for this prays for this acts for this desires nothing more than God's Glory to be set up on Earth that all might honour him 2. God by Election takes Pleasure in us we by Love take Pleasure in God above all things he saith as in Psal 73. Whom have I in Heaven but thee whom on Earth besides thee He prefers him to all things God is his Portion and Treasure all things are Dung in comparison 3. God loves us in Election because he loves us he cannot but love us so we cannot but love God The Love of God lays a Law upon himself Love puts a Law upon us The Love of God is said to constrain 2 Cor. 5. 4. God's electing is free there is no Motive so our Love to God is free Love Benefits indeed to us are Motives but Love is pitched chiefly upon himself on his Holiness Goodness Truth which are his Nature Benefits are Motives and they be the first in Order but not in Strength and Worth We come to love him at length more than his Gifts A word of Caution in the Close That tho by these two you may know you are elected yet one may be elected in whom these are not yet wrought Election is known by Grace inherent but Grace is not wrought in every one that is elected until God's time is come Election is an Act of God concerning the Creature not upon the Creature as Sanctification is and therefore makes a real and present Change A Man may have a purpose to build a House a long while before he lays one Stone towards it so God purposes to give Grace long before he gives it God purposed to create us that are now long before the World was So God purposed to create his Image in some Men whom he le ts go on a great while in their Sins Let not then the want of Grace make you conclude against your Election Election it 's true is to Qualifications and cannot be known but by the working of them in us but we may be elected and have no present Qualifications The Signs of Election are given that you may comfort them that do believe already but you must not conclude that you shall never believe that do not now believe the Scripture gives not Signs for any such end as that It 's true it 's said in Joh. 12.39 40. They could not believe for God had hardened their Hearts and blinded their Eyes c. That is dreadful but mark that you may not be discouraged These Persons to whom God doth declare they are not elected they were not Persons that only lived in Sin for so do all the the Elect till they be converted Nor 2. such only who had the Means and yet not wrought upon by the Means for God calls at the eleventh Hour in the Parable Mat. 20. i.e. when they have stood out obstinately to the very last of their Days going out of the World 3. Nor such as despise the Means the Word and Gospel Acts 13.41 Behold ye Despisers he calls to them there is Hope In Rom. 10. they sought him not never minded him never prayed to him yet he was found of them 4. Nor those that hate Christ and Holiness for all of us do so by Nature Rom. 1.30 Haters of God yet some of those were elected and converted It is impossible we being sinful by Nature but that we should strive and make all the Resistance we can till it be overcome by the Power of God Resist so as to overcome converting Grace we cannot for we strive with one that is stronger than we but to resist so as to oppose the Offers of Grace that we cannot but do by Nature Who that is evil can take Pleasure in any thing that is good All these may stand with Election that I have named I conceive in this 12th of John he speaks of them that had sinned unto Death and therefore given up of God they had sinned in Malice against God and his Word and God in Justice revenged their Malice in giving them up Therefore do not conclude against your selves that you are not elected but use the Means altho the Means cannot bring you to Election the Means show to you your Election they are things by which you read your Names written in the Book tho they are not the Ink and Pen by which they are written in the Book of God Faith may come to the worst of you that are now in your Sins and then you may know your Names are certainly written in the Book of Life from Eternity FINIS
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
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