herit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor. vi, 9, 10; see Gal. v, 19—21. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. Luke xiii, 3, 5.This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light. John iii, 19.-The Lord shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance of them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thess. i, 7, 8; see Matt. xiii, 41, 42, 49, 50; xxv, 41, 42.—Wherefore if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out. Mark ix, 43—49. See Heb. xi, 6, xii, 14; Rev. xxi, 27; Ezek. xviii, 26; Matt. iii, 10, 12, v, 20. TENET III. And because sinful man could not possibly of himself, by his natural ability, believe in this Redeemer, and persevere in such faith, he decreed to afford man means sufficient and necessary, (as he saw befitting his own wisdom and justice,) for the working of faith and repentance, whereby man might be enabled to believe, or more and more prepared and in certain steps or degrees brought on at length to true faith. PROOFS OUT OF SCRIPTURE. Sinful man could not of himself," &c.] Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? Matt. vi, 27.If I speak of strength, lo! he is strong. Job ix, 19, 20.—Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help. Hos. xiii, 9.I,even I, am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour. Isa. xliii, 1; xlv, 21.—Trust in the Lord with all thy heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. Prov. iii, 5.-Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, but look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! Isa. v, 21; xxxi, 1. "Could not believe by his natural ability," &c.] Without strength. Rom. v, 6; viii, 3: see 2 Cor. iv, 6.-Not that we are sufficient of ourselves. 2 Cor. iii, 5. See Rom. xi, 32; Gal. iii, 22; John iii, 3, 5.—Make the tree good, and (then) the fruit good. Matt. xii, 33, 35.—God giveth the increase. 1 Cor. iii, 4.-Unto you it is given. Phil. i, 29.-Whose heart the Lord opened. Acts xvi, 14.-It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do. Phil. ii, 13; see Ezek. xxxvi, 22.-Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee. Matt. xvi, 17.-Every good gift is from above, &c. James i, 17.-Except the Father draw him. John vi, 44, 65.—Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Matt. xi, 27.-Without me ye can do nothing. John xv, 5.-No man can say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. xii, 3.-For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Eph. ii, 8; see Rom. iv, 16; v, 15, &c.; vi, 23.-By the grace of God I am what I am. 1 Cor. xv, 10; Gal. ii, 20. Who have obtained like precious faith with us, according as his Divine Power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. 2 Peter i, 1, 3; Eph. iii, 14, &c., vi, 23.— Grace and peace from God the Father, &c. Rev. i, 4--He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 1 Cor. i, 3; see Rom. i, 8; 1 Peter i, 3. "And could not persevere in such faith," &c. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John xv, 5.-Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Heb. xii, 2.-Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. 2 Thess. ii, 16, 17.—The God of all grace make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Pet. v, 10.-See Ephes. iii, 14, &c.; Phil. i, 6; Heb. xiii, 20. "He decreed to afford man means sufficient and necessary."] He that spared not his own Son-how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Rom. viii, 32. *—He hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ. Ephes. i, 3.—That thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house. I will give thee for a covenant to the people. Isai. xlix, 6, 8, 9; xlii, 7.—To perform the promise-that he would grant unto us a power] that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life. Luke i, 72-76.—His Divine Power hath given unto us all things, that pertain to life and godliness. 2 Pet. i, 3.— He gave unto them his talents. Matt. xxv, 14, 15, 27, 29.To you it is given to know. Matt. xiii, 11, 12.-The promise is to you and your children. Acts ii, 4, 5, 39, 41.-The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Luke x, 9.-I was made manifest to them that enquired not after me. Isai. lxv, 1; Rom. x, 20. -For the grace of God that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared:-the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which is shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Tit. ii, 11, 12; iii, 5, 6. †-Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law but under grace. Rom. vi, 14.—To him that hath shall be given. Mark iv, 23, 25; Luke viii, 18.—If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine. John vii, 17.-He will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask and obey him. Luke xi, 13; Acts v, 32.-What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Isai. v, 4. * See Rom. x, 14, &c.; 2 Tim. i, 9 10; Isaiah lix, 21. -Wherefore, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Heb. xii, 28. TENET IV. Whence ariseth the last decree, concerning the salvation of this or that man in particular, who by these means should be brought unto faith and persevere therein; this being the condition required in every one that is to be elected unto eternal life, and the consideration of this or that man in particular who should die in unbelief. PROOFS OUT OF SCRIPTURE. "The condition required in every one that is to be elected unto eternal life." Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith? James ii, 5.-God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, &c. 2 Thess. ii, 13, 14.-Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. i, 2. *-Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate. Rom. viii, 29.—If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel of mercy unto honour, &c. Rom. ix, 32; with Tim. ii, 21.-See Psalm iv, 3, and ciii, 17, 18; Rom. x, 10, 11; and all those texts cited above under these heads, "Who should believe (page 97) and persevere (page 98). Who have not bowed the knee unto Baal. See Rom. xi, 4, 5. "And the consideration of this or that man, who should die in unbelief." Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Exod. xxxii, 33.-As truly as I live, saith the Lord, because all those men which have seen my glory and my miracles, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice, surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it. And ye shall know my breach of promise. Numb. xiv, 21—35. †—And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see, that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Heb. iii, 18, 19.-Now these things happened unto them for [types, or ensamples unto us. 1 Cor. x, 6, 11.-Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural * Mark xiii, 20. + The very form of actual Reprobation. the application Heb. iv, 11. + See branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: On them which fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness; if thou continue in his goodness, otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. Rom. xi, 20.— If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast, thee off for ever. 1 Chron. xxviii, 9.-If we deny him, he will deny us. 2 Tim. ii, 12.-He that rejecteth me, hath one that judgeth him. John xii, 46, 48.-The angels which kept not their first estate, and Sodom-giving themselves over to fornication, are set forth for an ensample. Ungodly men turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, were before of old ordained to this condemnation, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. Jude 4, 6, 7, 13. See 1 Pet. ii, 7, 8; 2 Pet. ii, 4, 7; and 2 Thess. ii, 12; &c. See also the texts cited above, under this head, "Such as would not believe," &c. (Page 98.) TENET V. Christ is not only the Executor of election, but the foundation of the decree itself. PROOFS OUT OF SCRIPTURE. "Christ the Executor of election." So God loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son. John iii, 16.—Neither is there salvation in any other. Acts iv, 12.-This is life eternal, to know thee, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. John xvii, 3.—I am the way, the truth, and the life. John xiv, 6.— Abide in me, and I in you: as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. John xv, 4.-Christ in you, the hope of glory. Col. i, 27. See 1 Cor. ii, 2. According "But Christ is the foundation of the decree itself." to the eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: Ephes. iii, 11, 12.-According to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. 2 Tim. i, 9, 10.-Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, and of his fulness, &c. John i, 16, 17.—God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. See Col. i, 19, 20; 2 Cor. v, 19. -By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand. Rom. v, 2.-Blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ; God has chosen us in him, predestinated us by him, made us accepted in him; in whom we have redemption, forgiveness, and an inheritance.-See Ephes. iii, 11, 12, and i, 3,7,11. -Jesus Christ being the Corner-stone. Ephes. ii, 10, 21, 22.Other foundation can no man lay. 1 Cor. iii, 11.-See the texts cited above, under this head, "Made a sacrifice and suffered death," &c. (Page 96.) WHAT THE REMONSTRANTS DO UTTERLY DENY CONCERNING PREDESTINATION. REJECTION I. They do utterly DENY, that "God decreed to elect some to eternal life, and to reprobate others from the same, before he decreed to create them." THE REASON OF THIS. "God did not decree to elect some," &c.] For he hath chosen us in Christ. Ephes. i, 4.—But in Christ we cannot be, unless we be considered, (1.) As Sinners. (2.) As Believers, and therefore Creatures. (1.) As SINNERS. For Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. i, 15.-See Matt. i, 21; John i, 29; Matt. xviii, 11; Luke xix, 10; John vi, 5!; Heb. ii, 14, &c. ; 2 Cor. v, 19, &c. See all the places cited for "Salvation by faith." (Page 98.) (2.) As BELIEVERS. For, They that receive him, are they that believe in his name. John i, 12.-See Ephes. iii, 17. And not to reprobate others." For reprobation is an act of God's hatred, who hateth nothing but sin and for sin, which the creature could not be guilty of before it had a being.-Whosoever hath sinned, him will I blot out. Exod. xxxii, 33. *—The soul that sinneth, it shall die. Ezek. xviii, 4, 20.-See all those places where damnation is said to be for sin, especially for infidelity. (Page 98.) See also those places cited to shew God's hatred of sin, and his inclination to mercy, (page 94,) as Exod. xxxiii, 18, 19; xxxiv, 6, 7; Lam. iii, 33; Psalm cxlv, 8, 9 Ezek. xxxiii, 11; 2 Pet. iii, 9; Ezek. xviii, 23, 32.-Hell made for devils. Matt. xxv, 41. REJECTION II. They do NOT hold, that "any such decree, in order before the decree of Creation, was made for the demonstration of the glory of God's mercy and justice, or of his power and absolute dominion." * See Ezek. xviii, 23, and xxxiii, 11. |