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IS'i'J. % I «4\': iu' f • ..■' V % publisher's preface. mi ■ !■/,)« R«nl- ii written with such strength of ar- This little Book IS "'""'"'.., ,, „„oneoMS teneti of gmnenl and difplaj/^" fTJ^idMl^Zpublish tk doctrines of Christianity. I I 1 ■»»»' (^ \. •^N^ % tiof : the suck luiue THEdemand for this little tract has benn so great, that ail impression of one tliousand two hundred copies •went oft" in a few weeks. Several of the author's friends have v^xpressed a wish, that a second edition may be given to the public. To gratify them, and to supply those who are almost dally applying for the tract, the writer of it has given it a revisai, and made several, he flatters himself, additions of importance. Another reason for this impression is, that some have said, they did not believe Calvin is fairly quoted ; or if he is, that a wrong sense of his words is given in the translation. The proper answer to such objections is. Search for yourselves ; and if you find misquotation, or false translation, in any degree affecting the sense, let the author be exposed to public censure. But no- thing like this has been done, and therefore it may fairly be presumed, that nothing like it can be done. Idle, however, as such observations are, the author thinks it best completely to preclude them for the fu- ture ; and to that end, has given the Latin words, which were not given before. He has also translated them almost literally, which was not the case in the first edition, although the sense was strictly adhered to. Every one that understands the language can now judge for himself; and the few who can have recourse to Calvin's works, are bound either to consult them, or refrain for the future from such improper intimations' IV T1.0 author «a., '"f/^.^flllll^^To/i'.'l.al'c'Jnre short inetliocl to l>rc\ci)iinc;r i j,re disponed, impression upon the imnd, " ^''^"^^^X.n" Ivcs.^ And that he promises that tie win ioiqIv^ the s?kc of the ingenuity. lie me a» ed^ iiid ;aU cxt ake , as am, > do for FULL-LENGTH PORTRAIT Of <^j^a^Tiiiri^s(i% XT is tho observation of a great Poet — • , Huniano capiti ttrvirem f'.ttor cquiuam Juttperf si vein, ei variaa iridiwere pliirnaf ' L'ndique collath membris, Bic* " Suppose a painter to a liiiman lir»«d Should join a horse's neck, and widely spread The various plumage ot the iValher'd kiud O'er limbs of difterenl beasts, absurdly join'd ;— »♦♦♦♦•»• Would you not laugh luch pictures to behold ? Such is the book, that, like a sick man's dreams, Varies uU shapes, and mixes alt extremes." f Jutt such a book is Calvin's Institutes. It is distinguished for v\e- f;anf dictioDo and itceotains tnaoy beautiful thoughts ; but it is replete with horrid doctrines, and revolting views of the divine nature. At ooe time, the mind is delighted with the picture of divine benignity and mercy; at another, it turns away with disgust mingled with horror, at the description of arbitrary reprobation and tyrannic vengeance. A God who lov i his creatures now meets our eye ; and then^ a God who hates them with an everlasting hatred. Is this misrepresentatioo ? It is not, as the following passages will evince. 1. Calvin says, J " God not only foresaw that Adam would fall, bat also ordained that he should ;" or, (to translate all the words of (he ori- ginal) " When therefore they perish in their corruption, they do no- * Horace's Art of Poetry. + Franr.is'.s Tran.-.lation. t Inst. b. iii. s. 4 Quum ergo in sua corruptione percunt, nihil aliud quam pffinns luunt ejus calamitatis in qunm ipsius prfedestinatione Ispsus est Adam, ac posteros suos preecipites secum traxit. Et de pred. p. 607. j\rcanum Dei consi- lium, f|iio prscrdinatiis fuerat hcminir lapsus, bee also sections 7ih and ilh. 6 lliti.e but sulier the punihhtncnt of thai misery, into which, f>v his rGoa'h) preJestiiiation, Ach.n fell, and drew his po.steiity headlong tvith him :" conscqucully, Adam's eatir.g the forbidden fruit was llio necessary, unavoidable effect of the divine decree ; uud therefore was not a ««, but pure, formal, coramenduble ofttr/^ncf. And yet the Scriptures represent Adam's act as displeasing to the Alaugiity, and the ** cause of all our woa." ^ , , „ . , 2. Calvin vents his rage r gainst his opponents in the follovruig lan- auace : " These virulent drgs vomit out not one kind of poison only agaiust God. They denj that it is expressly asserted, tl'^t it was de- creed by God, Adam should perish by his falling ; as if God had cre- ated the noblest of all his creatures to uu uncertain end."* 3. « Many," says CaUin, " thinking to excuse God, (literally, f« drive avcoy hatred from God) so owd Election, as to drive away H«- probation. But this is too silly and childish ; for Election Uself, uu- less opposed to Reprobation, cannot staod."+ 4. Calvin darcB to assert that " All nieo arc not created for thr same end, (literally, in an equal condiliov) but some are foreordaineu to eternal life ; others to eternal damnaiion. Therefore according aa every man was created for the one end, or the other, wc ^ay he was predestinated to lifr, or to death."t Again : " God, of h.s will and pleasure, so ordains, that amongst meu, some should be so born, as to be devoted ffi... the womb to certain death, who, by their destruction, wight glorify lii* naine."^ . a. . i „•„„. 5 But, as if this horrible doctrine were not enough, this audacioo* interpreter of Scripture says, in the 5tb place, « Whom therefore he hath created unto the shame of life, and destruction <»fdeiith, that they shouhl be instruments of his wrath and examples of his severity, that they may come to their end ; at one iime he deprives them of the paw- cr of hearing his word; at another he the more blinds and stupiGc * 6?cilvin, in pursuance of his own horrid ideas of the diyine nature, • B iii ch.23. s. 2. Quia (amen non -innm spcr/irm virulentUiti tnnes cvo niunt contra Demn. a.UinguU.. prout res feret. '"'ir "^^'Tiletrlion'!: peH t lis verbis hoc estare negant, ilecretun. lui.->se a Deo, ut siia .Iplw-tion.. periret Adnm QuLi V erJ -dem ille Deus-ambiguo fi.e condiderit nob.l.^s.mam e. sui. "Tb\ ch 23 s 1. Ac nnlti qnidem. ac M invidiam a Deo repcUfiro vdlcnt, electionem Ua fatentxir ut negent'q.,cnc,uam rerrobari, «ed in.cite n.n.« et pueri- Jiter; quando ipsa elcctio nisi reprobationi "PP^^ita non staret ^yvi^^^,^. 1 ^on enim pari conditione creaatiu- omres ; sed abis v.ta •'^'c'-na, aliis^ m naL interna Z^ordinatur. Itaque, prout in altenUrum fmem qu.sque conditus e»t, ita vel ad vitain, vel ad mortem pr.xdcstinatum dicunu-,. „-,,„tur ab { Deusconsiliis,nutuqu-.£uoit«ordinat, ut mtcr hom.ncs ta nascantur, aD utero certa; morU deroti, q li suo exitio ips.us nomen gl«nfi|;eut. 1 Ouoserga in vitm conlvmeliam et inut.s eMt.um •^'^'^^'t' ,"*;™ "5,°X - forcnt, ot .cveritati. ^-.c-uiplu ; cos, f •- fi.iem suura perven.ant, nunc audit Jnyi , by his headlung it MllS llic efore was yet the gittjr, and iwiiig lan> ison only it was de- d had cre- erally, to iway R«- tself, UD- cd for thr reordaineu :cording M *ay he was lis will and born, as to lestruction, i audacions ercfore he , that they rerUy, that of the paw - id slupiiioi vine nature, li tanes cvo 5. 7th. Diger ;tione periret simnm ex suis cUfiro vellcnt, limit et pueri- rna, aliis dam- sque conditus nascantur, ab i-fc sua" organa , mine audit' • snyo, << nchold, God Calts to them jm reprobates ] that they may be msrddoaf: H.^ kindles alight, that they may be more blind : He brings his doctrine to them, that they may be utore ceafoanded ; and applies the remody ta them, hnt that Ihey may not be healed."* 7. '< The reprobates would bethought excusable in tinning, because they cannot avoid the jieceiftity of sinning ; especially since such ne- cessity is cast upon them by tlie ordination of God. But we deny that they are thence rightly excused." l" Thus it Is evident, from ('aWin's own words, which are perfectly ex- plicit, that the reprobates are placed in a situation in which they can- not possibl 7 help themselves, and in which they ttrc carefully prepared for that damnation, to which, frotd the womb, they a.te decreed. Sal- TAtton is ottered to them, but it is to mock them ; light is shed around them, but it is to blind tliem ; the voice of mercy is sounding io their ears, but it U to tantalize them ; God invites, and beseeches them to partake of heavenly bliss, but it is to thrust them down to the pit of hell. — O ye admirers of this Geneva doctrine^ how long will ye suffer yourselves to be deluded ? How long will ye delight in representing a benevolent, a gracious, a merciful God, in colours which suit none but the Great Advcrsarjj of humaii happiness ? How loag will ye repre- sent the sincerity of the Almighty as mockery i his truth as falsehood ; Ms compassion as cruelty ? 'i. hou sayest, O my God, that thou de- lightcst not in the death of a sinuer ; but worms of the earth audaci- ously and impiously declare that thou dost! Thou has declared, that thy beloved Son took upon him human nature, to redeem the whole world ; but thy presumptuous creatures confine thy abundant mercy ia Christ Jesus, to a comparatively small number! And this they call pure gospel, and the doctrine of grace, and brand as blind and carr^al, and unsanctified, those who declare in the words of thy Holy Spirit, that thy Son tn.tted death /or every man ! Be merciful unto them, O God, be merciful unto them, and give them better views of thy salva- tion, that infidels may uo longer mock, and thy gospel he no longer despised '. These are but a few of the passages that might be quoted from Calvio, to prove that he taught a system of nonsense and impiety ; — of non- sense, because it contradicts the genuine dictates of reason, and the common sense of mankind ; — of impiety, because it derogates from the honour due to God's name and attributes ; and ascribes to the Almigh- ty tyranny, cruelty, injustice, malignity, ic sincerity, and delight ia di varbi su: faeultate privnt ; nunc ejusprcdicationemagisexcaecat, eloli.tiipefncit. * B. iii. ch.i4. s. 12. Ecce, vocem ad eos dirigit, s«d ut inagis obsurdescaiit : lucem accendit, sed ut reddautur ceciores ; doctrinr.iti profert, s«d qua magif obstupescant : remedium adhibet, sed no sanentur. * Kxcusabiles peccando haberi voltint rcprobi, quia evadere nequeunt peccan- di necpssitatem ; prwsertini tiuaui ex Dei ordinatione sibi iujiclatur hujusmodi necessiLas, No» vai'oinde:ie;^'jr:r.n rits ascusiri, 'iist. b. [i] human misery* There is nothing forced, nofhing unfair i.i thi. reprf* wntatio... It U the necoHary, unaToi.bble rosuU ol Cul»i,,', pr.nc.pk.. The ...nerality of his follower*^ I beliete, do not know what his priii- ciple! were in their full extent, for it is Tery rarely that they hear r.ni the pulDits of Calfinistic ministers, any thing i*ld about reprobaUofu .Ithouch they hear enough about UnconJitional election, with all its comfort and assurance. ModcaU Calvinism* is the word now^a-days, in order to softer, the horrible doctrines of the system ; as if there caa be any such thing as absolute, arbitrary election, without the horrible decree of reprobatioo-[/.orn6i7c ilccrctwn are CaUin s own words.] I belieTe thousands, who profess themselves to bo Cal.mists, would, .1 thev knew the consequences of their principles, abandon them for eVer, and say, with Archbishop Usher, " Wl.at would not a man «y unto, rather ihaa yield that Christ did not die for the Reprobates and thatlione but the K/cc< hate any kind of title to him A"d J^V »•; ny thousands should be bound in conscience to be leve »'^ ^.e^ (or 'heoM aid to accept him for their Redeemer and Sat.our. Whereby they should have belieted that which in itself is m.st untrue, and laid hold of that in which they had no kind of interest." 5„,,ufihlfl Wifh particular redemptiou, u necessarily connected irresistiblo trace, and final perseverance. The former makes roan a mere machine, Jnd the latter is admirably calculated to lull him into a false security. If a man cannot take a single step in the way of saUalion till the mo- tneot of irresistible grace arrives, he is under an absolute necessity of UvingVnsin and so Calvin acknowledges This is good new. for ihietes, gamblers, swindlers, adulterers, and murderen. If men are bound hand and foot so that they cannot move, it is "'o/^kery and insult io exhorf them to come to the waters of life, and dr nk freely. Whea iSe Lord of the vineyard asked the labourers, "Why stand ye here ^W the dav idle ?" tlicv cave this answer, which is certainly a very led oncl«B cause no'man hath hire.l u.." But they might hare lone further, upon the principle of irresistible grace, and the otal Slf the smallest decree of power to do auJ thing lor ourselves. Th^V might have said, " Because we came into the world with cur legs b/renTaod God has'decreed, that the, never shal be -et ; ^ow the. are we to work ? Insult us not with such questions. Gif e as the power, and we will do the work." Is not this reasonable ? • .' The nnlv difference," says Mr. Daubeny, «' between ri^orouj an^ woJer-if. • "l he only '^'['"encf. , J. j^ t ^rt, in the different manner of describ- em ways." V. F.ccle. p 438, *»«. --^■yf 9 thU tepre* priiiciptut. t his prin- ' heitr frani 'prohulion^ vidi all it! f there caa tie horrible rn >Tord«i], ) would, it' II them for t a man lly ibuteSf aud lid yet, ma> d for them^ jereby they id laid hold irrekistiblo re machine, le security 4 till the mo- necessity o( d news for If men are y and insult ily. "Whea ind ye here kinly a very might hare nd the total )r ourselves. vith cur legs ; how then [rife as the J s and moderati ner of describe- y not to insist say with St. ; decree to sil- m rtprobation, i are to under- tliing in differ Tlir heart, and so totally inconsistent • with the prim ij»le. of human action, and with (hat amiable and capti. »atiiiji»iew of ibe divine nuluie which the Scn|»torPs i,rfj,.(,t to us, that it Is with reluctance 1 prosecute this jjuhjtct. It is i-imujjh to free/.a the blood in oiie's veins to road some parts of the wiitin^s of Calvin, and of his disciph?s. Of the master we ha»e said enough ; let us now hear what pome of his scholars assert. t. The Westminster divines, in their r.ifochism, dodarr, that "God did from aJI eternity unchangeablv ordain whatsoever comos to pass."* Conseqackfy, all the sins of all the men that h;:ve ever lived, or ever will lire, and of all tlie devils in h^ll, were inevitabl.-. And for these fiins, which they could no more prevent, than they could prerent the revolution of tho heavenly bodies, they are punished with everlasting dainnaUoH. Novr, what ditiereace is there between this doctrine and that of fate ?— The only diUereuce is, that the CaUinist terminates his chain of causes and elfects in a divine decree ;— the Stoic makes his chaiw depend upon the immutable nature of things, and binds even Jupiter himself with it. Hut to mankind, the clFccts are precisely the same. Men commit crimes, upon the Calvinistic principle, because Ood has decreed that it should be so ; and upon the principle of tho Stoics, because it is an essenrial part f<" a system of eternal causes and effects— Is it worth while for the damned to inquire which of these principles is true if * Chap. fii. + the aiiniorls a decided enemy to ridimk ns n (est of triuh. Yet thtrfi are some principles so oxtravngant and absurd, that ridin.ile may with proririt-tv be JIT. ^?r ^"/''':''^ ^^ "'-f "'"c»t. Even ti.e .acred Hcriptur. j have n'rourse to th., mode of attack :-' And it came (o pns, ,.t noon, t!,at Elijah mooked them.hndsa.d, C,ya.oud;forhe i. a Go'd : either ho is talking or he i» parsmng, or Leji m u jo.irn^y, or, perHdventure, he sleepeth' and m-.Kt he uwaked ! Under (hu sanction 1 present the render v ith tllc fuliowine h,i morons dialogue from Lucian, leaving out such luissage* u^ are not ne.eisary lo my purpose. ' Jmn^^''^^^"^^/ and murderer, is crrried l,y Mercury to the judgmrnt seat ot Mmos. The judge orders him to be thrown into the burning lake. But Sos- tratus begs of Mmos to hear him. Jlfffio*. Shall I hear yon again, SoMrnlns ' ITave you not been convicted of being a wicked man, and the destroyer of many ? Sost. 1 have indeed been convicted, but sec to it that I be justly punished. rited"'unis¥ ■ '"'^"^ ' ""'^^ '' '"^ ""^ ^"""^ "^ '''^'^''''*' '" ''^"'^'^'" '^ '^^^''^ °^^ '"^ Soit. Answer rac, however, Minus ; for T will interrogate yon brieny. judgToth. r^alTo '"■°''"'*"^ ^"" "*" "°' '"■""*' -^"^ ^ '^•'y '^^'e '* "' my'power to iii'!f;„^>*l''^'^?"/ * '"''''' ^""^ '" '""•' ''''*'^ * ^°"e it freely, or have I been des- Minos, ^y fttle., to hv. ^ine. A I 10 In miison with these reverend divines, Dr. Twi«« informs us that, " All things come to pass by the efficacious and irresislibia will of God."* Again. " It is impossible that any thing should be done, but that to which God impels the will of man."+ Once more, (I belicTe the reader will think it enough) " God is the author of that ac- tion hich is sinful, by his irresistible will."|— This U genuine CaUiii- isra, when stripped of the false colours which some put upon it for fear of frir^hteniog the voeak. But Calvin and Twiss were men of « Sterne; staff," A faithful disciple of the Geneva reformer was Piscator also. Tie was sa well acquainted with the counsels of the Almighty, that he as- sures us, " God made Adam and Eve for this very purpose, that they might bo tempted and led into sin—And by force of bis decree, it could not otherwise be but they must sin."^ Again, " We can do no more good than we do, nor less evil than we do. Because God from eternity has precisely decreed that both the good and the evil should be done."|i Further, " God procures adultery, corses, lyings."? In no degree behind this blessed, evangelical triumvirate, was Peter Martyr, Let us hear his Gospel—" He (God) supplies wicked men with opportunities of sinning, and inclines their hearts thereto. He blinds, deceives, and seduces them. He, by his working on their hearts, bends and stirs them up to do evil."** Sost. Do then dU the good, and we who seem to be wicked, perform these things in obedience to fate ? , , i Minoi. Yes, iu obedienetv to Clotho, who, at the birth of every one, bath en- joined upon him the things to be done. Soil. Ifthenany one, forced by another, hnlh killed a person, seeing he was under compulsion, ond could not effectually make oppesition ; for example, when an executioner or an officer, the one in obedience to a judge, the other to a tyrant ; v;ould you consider such a person to be guilty of murder ? Uinoi. It is clear that the judge or the tyrant is guilty ; for we cannot blame the sword. Sot. You see then how unjustly you act in punishing ui, who were only mi- nisters to do those things which Clotho commanded us ; for no one can say that it waa in our power to oppose what was imperiously enjoined upon us. Minoi. You may, Sostratus, see manyother things which are not done accord- ing to rtason, if you accurately examine. However, you shall enjoy the fruit ot your inquiry, tor you seem to be not only a robber, but a .running fellow also, fciamiss him, Mercury, and let him not be punished any more. But see that you do not teffch the other dead to ask such questions. c „ • Dial. 31. See also the dialogue between j^acns, Protesilaus, Menelaug&i 1 ans. ITpon the principle of absolute decrees with respect to the actions of men la this life, and their destiny in the next, we may say with the poet ManiUus— Solrite mortales, animos, curasque levate, Totque supcrvacuis vilara depleti querelis. Fata regunt orbem, certa 3taiit omnia lege. Vindici«, Sic. b. iii. p. 19. + ^ Uitput. Prffidist. prcff. p. 6. 1 Hetpous. ad Apolog. Bertii. Ibid. p. 10. t Pars. b. iii. p 21. U Respons. ad auiicum, &c. • • Cool. Rem, b. x.ixvl. 4 u IS us (hat, bte will of 1 be done, : more, (I of that ac- ine CuUiii* ipon it for e mea of also. lie that he as- e, that they I decree, it 3 can do no God from )vil shonld Ig3.»11 , was Peter tricked men ereto. He g oa their trfortn tlieee ae, hath en- ;eing he was for example, the other to r? cannot blame ere only ml- e can say that 1 Us. done accord- )y the fruit of ; fellow also, t see that you elauiS:. Fari^. IS of men in lanilius— . ill. p 21. m, &ic. x.ixvi. I will dUgost the reader with bat one more of those gracious pro phcts. ZutngUus says, " When God makes angels or men fin, he does not sin hituself, because he does not break any law. For God ii under no law, and therefore cannot sin."* Such, reader, are the hokrid doctrines which CalTtnistic writers en- dearour to impose on the human mind. If there be any such thing as truth — any thing which the reason of man can prove to be false — any thing which contradicts the clearest assertions of holy writ, it is that God is qow the author of sin, and that ha never created either men or angels for the purpose of making them miserable. His nature is at utter variance with impurity ; he therefore canuot tsilt it to e^Ist in ajiy of his creatures. He is a God of the roost consurama'e sincerity ; and therefore cannot mean differently from what he says. His darling attribute is mercy ; and therefore he cannot delight in the death of a sinner. He is justice itself ; and therefore cannot condemn the guilty for what they could not possibly avoid. Do these positions need proof ? They do not ; for no proof can render them more clear. They extort our acquiescence — the mind cauGot resist them — they havo all the cer- tainty' of self-evident truths. To explain the philosophy of the human mind is not an easy task. So far as we can build upon/acn afte/ "in the wilderness, through unbelief." (Dent. v. 29.) Again, Psalm 81 — " O that my people had htarkencd unto me, and Israel bad walked iu my ways, I should soon have subdued their ene- mies, and turned my hand against their adversaries," &c. And ir» Ifaiah it is thus written, (xlTJij. 17.) "Thus saith the Jjord, thy Re- deemer, the Holy Oi)e of Israel, I am the Lord thy God, which teach- eth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way thou shouldest go : O that thou hadst hearkened unto my commandments, then had thy peace been us a river, and tl/y righteousness as the wates of the sea." Again, (chap. Ixv. 2.) " I have spread cut my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which watketh in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts : a people that provoketh me to anger to my fac», that sacrificeth in gardens," <&;c. Upon this passage Calvin thus com- ments, in direct opposition to his own system : " By spreading forth the hands is meant a daily summoning them to draw and unite them un- to himself; and a little after, " the Lord never speaks unto us, but crssify, are proper enoiigli for fnlkn spirits to tcaze nndncrplex themselves with ; for tliey are essenlinlly iiisifinilicaiit and useles-i, Hiid they are naturally product- ivp of ;j;lo()in and ilespoiidcnce. For wliHt can he a more uncorafortable and jnclaniiholy doctrine, than that the final destiny of every individnal of the human rai f , that «v»'r exi:ilcil, or f vcr will exist, wasj from all eternity, absolutely seal- e.'\ HHil fiNpd liy a stern, iireverfililo decree r A eertnin Bishop of excellent un- dei';!a;,rling, ili?pulinf,'uaaiiisi St. Au.^ustin on this subject, makes this observa- tion : ' Jf one is doomed to lite, and another to perdition, we are not born to lie jiidKod, but all of us jud;;ud befure wo were born.' The remark is just, says Dr. ".lortin, m;d ten Augusliui aud Calvins cannot auswer it."— llarwood oa PreUcs- tiiiutiun. ■-.». ^. I 13 iFc posftFoni* ; that vrhori I become )t orwronjj, iitly, that! i>iogs being , we may be ) given from very certain ites agninst :e a concise ;e(I that rca- OD (bat God aa heart in idnricnts al- in for ever," ise carcase* )eut. V, 29.) Lo me, and 1 their ene- c. And \n d, thy Rc« riiich teacb- ouldest go : 3U had thy f the sea." he day uato good, after to n»y fac°, thus corn- nding forth to them un- ]to us, but iselves with ; •ally product- ifortable and of the human solutely seal- ;xcelient un- this ohserva- ot born to l»e just, says Dr. )d uu Predus- he thPfGwiJh sfrefcheth forth his hand to unite us unto hini.',e!/, and cuuseth us to feel that he is near onto us. Yea, he so mauifest!> hitf fatherly lave^ and so willingly accepts of us, that if we yield not obe- dience unto his Toice, we ought justly to ioipuie the same to our oisn froteardtiess.^' Upon these texts, and many more of the same import, I raise the following argumeot : If God really and uofeignedly desires the salvation of those who perish, then he really intended the death of Christ for all men. But God really and unfeipnedly desires the saivakioa of all men, as appears from the above passages. Therefore he y^lended the death of Christ for all men. To these texts I will add two more, and reason from them in a dir- ferent way. Jeremiah xlir. 45. *^ Howbeit I sent onto yon all my servants, the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, O do not this abominable thing that I hate. But they heark. led not, nor inclin- ed their ear to turti from their wickedness, to burn incense unto other gods." The other is, that pathetic lamentation of the Saviour over Jerusalem : " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have ga- thered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens un- der her wings, and ye wonld not. Behold your house is left unto you desolate !" &c. Matt, xxiii. 27. Upon these passages I thus reason : Either the Almighty and the blessed Redeemer were sincere, or they were not. To say ihet; were not, is ioo shocking to be uttered, too shocking to be even thought of. If sincere, there is an end of Calvinism. For these very Jews, whose salvation the Saviour bo earnestly desired, and, consequently, for whom he died, perished in their sins. Here again Calvin flies in the face of his own iystem<. He says, up- on the former text, that ** God was watchful, because he teas solicit' ousfor the people's safety^ even as a man that is intent upon his busi- ness, will not stay till the sun shines upon him, but will prevent the morning itself." Upon the latter he thus corameots — '* God attempt- ed, in a way of gentleness and fair speaking, to allure the Jews unto him; that his dc/ir^/ii/y was threat towards them ; that his invitations were more than motherlike ;" with much more to the same purpose. What acompouud of falsehood and inconsistency is Calvinism !* * Calvin, whatever his disciples may think of him, was as fallible and incon- sistent as most men. About n year belorc he published his Institutes, which con- fain so many horrid positions, he wrote a Preface to the Galliran edition of the New Testament, in which he maintains the doctrine of universal redemption. His words are—" By one Christ tht tehule human race were reconciled unto God. To that inheritance, (namely, of the Father's kingdom) we are called witiout re- sprct of persons, male and female, the highest tnd the lowest, &ic. No one is excUi- ded, who but receives and emhraces Christ as he is offered by the Father for the I 14 II t whom Christ did not die, can possibly be punished for not beliering that he did, the con- clusion is irresistible, that Christ died for all men without exception. My third argument against particular Election runs thus : If God did not iuteod the death of Christ for all men, in order to (heir salvation, then they bare not a su8iciency of means vouchsafed to them, whereby they may b« saved : But all men have a sufficiency of means vouchsafed to then*. Therefose Christ died for all men. The major proposition cannot be controverted, Th'j minor I thns prove : — If God does not vouchsafe to all men sufficient means of salvation, then those to whom they are not vouchsafed cannot be punish- ed for impenitency and unbelief. Forif to rnp(>nt. and belli *e be such acts of the soul as cannot be performed without the irresistible grace of God, it cannot be sinftil not to repent and believe when that grace is refused ; and, consequently, were God to punish u»en for me salvation of all ! !" — Peruniim Christum universum huwanum i,'ff?«s reooncilinndiiin erat Deo. Ad istam bereditatcm (regni Paterni scilicet) vocamur omnes sine personarum acceplafione, masculijferaina;, summi, infirai, Lc. Nemo hinc ex- cluditur. qui modo C/triatum, qualis oflartur a Patre in salutcni omniiim adrnittnt, etadmissuin complectatur. Frtefat. in Gall. /Edit. Nov. Te^t. 1535. Compare also his definition of predestination, Tnst b. iii. ch. ?!. sec 7. with his comjuenl ou the words of St. .Tohn— " Behold the Lamb of God," Jsic. and you will perceive the most dirtct and pointed contr^dlctioa. I 16 readers is the , then no one St. Not the s Reprobulcs, ie, as Christ} lictate of rom- he dcchiratioa demned ; but hcd to hini] is e name of the is declared by le condemucd. iteadfust, and impence of re- ioi)^ which at 3.) This im- 9 a sin highly punished ; for 3e he belie*«th ).) This pro- iii-n justly ob- OU1 Christ did ; dirf, the con- t exception, lus : [1, in order to ti)s vouchsafed ; a sufficiency r all men. i minor I thns ient means of not be punish- id belii've be he irresistible live when that sh men for me ; reconciliHiuiiiiu mur omnes sine. Nemo liinc <-x- Tiniiim adrnitlnt, 35. ?l. sec. 7. with jd,"Jsic. and you want of thesp q«ialificatloQ«, he would ptinish them for not doing im« pc'sibilities, which is Btterly incon»i*tent with the divine nature. A second proof of the minor proposition is the following :— If God does not voochtafo a faffirieucy of power to believe and repent to thoso who live and die in unbelief ftnd tmpeoiteDcy, then our Savieur, with- out the least cause, wondered «t the unbelief of many of bis hearers. " And he marvelled becaose of their unbelief." (Mark vi. 6,) Now, there certainly can be no reasoo for marvelling, that the thorn should not bring forth *;rapes j ner, that the thistle should not produce figs ; nor, that a blind man should not tee the sua when it shines. In like manner, there can be do room for marvelling at t.ie faith of men^ when it is produced in the soul by irresistible grace. " When Jesus heard it (the answer of the Centurion) he marvellad, and said onto them that followed, Verily, I sav uuto you, I tiafe not found so great faith, no not in Israel." (Matt'viii. 10.) If it requires, as the Calvinists say, irresistible grace to work fMth io the soul, it never can be reconciled with the wisdom of Christ, to wonder that faith should be produced by Omnipotence ; or, that wan should not act when he is totally desti- tute of power to act, and no aid whatever is given to him. I prove, in the third place, by the following argument, the truth of the minor proposHion, viz. That all men have sufficient means of sal- vation. If it be declared in scripture, that it is the design of the Almighty, In the last judgment, to stop the mouths of the ungodly by the equily of his proceedings, then all bmu must have sufiBcient po»*er to repent and believe. Now, this is declared in scripture—" We knoiv that what- ever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the \*orld become guilty before God." (Rem. iii. 19.) To deny the consequence resulting from this decla- ration, would be to contradict the plainest dictate of reason. If there be no means of of avoiding guilt, and acquiring the qualifications for future happiness, no punishment can possibly follow. It would be an outrage on common seusft to assert the contrary. The person who had not on a wadding garment, when asked the reason of it, xoas speech- less ; but had he been acquainted with the doctrine of irresistible grace, and with that which asserts tlmt the means of salvation are not extended to Reprobates, he might have given a very sufficient answer, viz. It was not possible for me to procure a wedding garment. The King, in his turn, must have become speechkts. So in the parable of the talents, if the unprofUabk servant could have plead a want of pow- er to Improve his talent as his fellow servants improved tkeirs^ the Kinor ^-ould never have ordered him to be bound hand atid/ootf and cast into outer darkness. t* • i The fourth and last proof of the minor proposition is this : If wick- ed BKiu, wh« perish iu their sios-^ have not the meacs of salvation, then #' It * ' \ 16 CJod, whon he graciously and affectionately in»lles them to repent and belicro, mocks (hem, and insults (heir weakness and misery. Hut this cnii nnver lie conceived of (he father of man Wtcd — It would be inipioo4 to maintain it. It therefore follows, that God sincerely de- sires the salvation of his creatures, and that consequently they hare sufficient means of repenting and turnibg from their traaigressions, that iniquity may not be their ruin. The minor proposition of my argument being thus, as I conceive, incontestibly established, it follows irresistibly, that God intended the death of Christ for all men. I might proceed to present to my reader several other conclusive tr- gunieiits in favour of general redemption ; but a^ I study brevity, I shall omit them, and exhibit without any comment, several texts of scripture, which expressly, and uuequtvocally assert the doctrine I aia contending for. St. John says, (vi. .'il.) " He is the propitiation for our sins , and not for ours only, bat also for the sins of the whole world." St. Paul de- clares, that Christ "gave himself a ransom for all." (I Tim. ii. 6.) *' Because we thus judge, that if one died for a//, then were all dead ; and that he died for aW, that they who live," &". (2 Cor.v. 14 15.) " That he by the grace of God should taste death for every roan.'* (Hcb. ii. f),) " Who will have all men to be saved," &c, (1 Tim. n. 4.) '* Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter iii. 8.) " Therefore as by the oflenre of cne, the judgment cams upon all men to condemnation ; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men to justification of life." (Romans ▼. 18.) "Destroy not him with thy meat /or Tshom Christ died ?" (Horn. xiv. 15.) " And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish/or whom Christ died?" (I Cor. viii. 11.) " Even denying the Lord (hut bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." (2 Pet. ii. 1.) " For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning." (2 Pet. ii. 20.) "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of Gorf, and hath count- ed tiie blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified^ an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace." (Ileb. x. 29.) '* Then bis Lord, after he had called him, said unto him, O thou vicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me — Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow ser- vant ( And his Lord was zoroth, and delivered him to the tormentors^ till he should pay all that was due to him. So likcrsise shall my hea- venly Father do also unto you ; if ye from your heart forgive not eve- ry one his brother their trespasses." (Matt, xvlii. 32, &c.) " The 5 ■jssuectTSKn-igssm^' n n to repent and misery. But —it would be I sincerely de- ttly they hare traaigreisions, as I conceive^ d iu leaded the ' conclusire ar- idy brefity, I everal texts of doctrine I am ir sins ;, and not St. Paul de- (l Tim. ii. 6.) were alt dead ; or, T. 14 15.) ever^ man.'* '&c, (ITiro. ill should come the oflcooe of ; ereii so by to justificatioa thy meat for My knowledge Cor. Tiii. 11.) )on themselves r have escaped he Lord and and overcome, [1 Pet. ii. 20.) he be thought nd hath count- ? erance, is in and bring it unto others, t is evident, ight have be- body in sub- 18 to prevent \y if the doc- have known as he would e, therefore, ^ow the juit shall have no . The word ipriety. The just shall live iure ia him." erable shifts, e, but hypo« )erseverance: , " The just y impossible ^an may, if Vlmighly, is &c. "For liure through uli/) escaped liberty, thejr man it over- :«r (bey have 19 .. .• - nf the world through the knowledge of the Lord escaped the pollntionj ^Vth^v are again entangled therein and over- .nd Saviour Je.us <;h"»^ /^Z^,* J JJ^, than the beginning. For It come, the /«««rm/.» worse ^^^^^ ^ay of righteou.neii, had^een better for them not to nave commandments than after they have known .tj^to^^^r".^ evidently supposes that delivered unto them." ««[Yam^^^ J j^,,, Christ, have dean, truly y they, - who by ^ '« ^^'^-^^^^^^^^^ ^M, being again entangled realhj escaped the pollutions oi , ^^^ condition will therein may be overcome ^^Jhat the ^^^^^^^ Relieved. .a worse at the ^^^^J'l^^l^^^^^^ Nothing can assert more sirongiy this passage. ^ account of his servants, totally rhe parable ^^/f^/^J^^^^fp^.e erance. The Lord forgave the destroys the d^^""e *>^^hn^^^^ he desired it. He was therefore wicked servant all his aems, "^^ ^. j ^ g^ow compassion to justified and accepted, ^ut because he d^a ^^^ tormentors. S<. ^^i!k:wr:;:ur«5^^^ !;:^:^;£)^sirp^---- prove .^^^ z::::^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^risrTuXect opposition to the 1. It makes God a respect o^^^^^^^^^^ JJa^ t,^ „g„,d. Holy Scripture, wh.ch ^^^^XV.gTous qualifications. The Elect, nothing la man but h.s moral «"f /\^^^^^^^^ children of God; when they fall into 6^'>»,«'»^»/;'ij ^ if\he same sins, are detested by while the Reprobates, ^b°//;8,tusUng destruction.' Is it possible the Almighty, and ^^^"'^f/**,^ ^ 'a„d ^'' ^^ no respecter of per- that God can lore an ^^^''f *°"""^ jjie, ^ The doctrine of final per- sons ? To me it does not Wea' P^ »^'^; character which the scrip- .everance is t^f f ^« '".^/J^^.t Than^ I li judge the world impar- ture gives us of the A>nj'ghty. J^^^'^^*;^^ ^^» 3 6. ^^ ^.^ ^^,^^j^^ „ tially ^f,^^f-'\^^::f^^^^^^^^ the ministry of the Gos- 2. If the doctrmc of pe^everanuc r possibly be a scripture pel useless with respect to/heJE/e^,t cannot po ^ J ^, ^^^ Soctriue. One great end «f f^^ »'^* ^j .'^'^ this can only be ef- righteous in faith and holines , *«^^;^,^"j%y exhortations, threaten, fected, so far as the m.ni.t y • f "^^^^';;';h; ^^e confident that they . ••" ' l»«f.*x«iJK .jy:tm^^^^ lA ' 20 wSm nTv aT.t r^ ""^ "' ''^ ^i" Produco a pJcntifal crop, blSa^^ o Mi'r "•>P^'''/.^''°»'d think that man a soler.;,; Jy cxl o t m! ^,1^ *" P''"*"''''' '"« ''"'' •^onvi'^'io", «oold grate- ios% mi„ I ' ":' ;^'''f''//«"«'=»^Jict. If then one ,rcat ind of the n f fjrt ieSn?o:5:r :?;:;: ''-^'*- -^ ^--"--' wil ah^dL7ic';h''"'''^'''';r''^' '''^'^'•"' wl.odocro„ the end, the FA./ „ ^'**"""'<' '^y^ f'O'N I'y I'is irresistible grace, cooTcrts k, hln 'thr:,r; "t '"'"'•'' ""'^ '-li'-stotL ^.d then Tlevetl^do l.r /'^?''°"'' t^'^««tening.s, and promises? ti.enirro i; i « "'^° '.'«' *=''"t"b"«« ^otheend proposed. If the;, do, In uS- J R •^':;; » """ecessary ; for a J.ss degree of grace than 'onot / V?"'''^''' "ouid answer the sa.n., purposed I? htj BurJe at Uem in'i^ '^l ''"'"^^'' then .hey 'ari toSllylS vvis lom of rod hT^ K T' '"''yr'^' «f <»'« lloly Scriptures ; the has cmlcred them n'' '" ^^^° j^^""' because the depravity of ma,, ranee Cannot bv .' "-f m"' ''''•"'^'ible grace and finni persere- must I^^^ a to.e\h.r '.'"'"?" ''f *^« Spirit upon the will of man misesnust ^J. ,7^ '^"'"^'' ^^"* ^-^hortations, threatcnin'*°*''''"^- ^^"ttnescriptaros do cer- I a f ?«n "'r 'l^'PP'""^ a" s. It i» upon iiiea ltd them course of ; but no he Cret< 21 for iPiiT confer eternal life npon those who art forcifd to yrrteirrti in thciiid; but as a reward iii always promised for (h purpoi»o of in- nioing (he will, and as that is, by the supposition, phyifiailli,' uctfd upon, there is no room whatcrcr for any »«<»«/ application, JiiKlconie- quently no rewHrd can be Riven. But it is evident from Holy Scrip- tore, that a reward i« promised for the purpose of CDCouragin!» men to persevere to the c.id. Thus when Christ saith to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna, " Be thoo faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of lif*-," can it be doubled that the croxcn of life is promised by way of motive, or encouragement to hold out to the end ? And when our Saviour said to his diciples, " He that shall endure to th» end, the same sJall be saved," his intention undoubtedly was, by the promise of so jjreat a reward, to animate and encourage them, which would be totally useless upon the principle of an irresistible, physical inlliience, forcing them to p(>rsevcrr to th« end. This is Calvin's own expofciitinn of the passage quoted.*' " Although the love of many, be- ing oppressed with the weight of iniquities, shall fiul, yet Christ admo- nisheth, (hat this obs(acle also must be overcome, lest the faithful, be- ing weakened by evil examples, should start back. Therefore he re- peats that saying, that none shall be saved, but he that shall strive law- fully, so as to persevere unto the end." This is cer(ainly good sense and good divinity ; but how it is consistent «ith irresistible grace and final perseverance, is beyond my comprehension. I conclude, (hen, that as the perseverance of believers is strictly and properly rewardablo by God, that they are not under any irresistible, physical influence, but that their obedience is perfectly voluntary, and that they may, or may not decline from the path that leadeth unto life. I will offer but one more argument against the doctrine of final per- severance. That doctrine, the natural tendency of which is to pro- mote vigilance, exertion, and diligence in our christian calling, must !)e according to godliness ; and such is the doctrine which teaches the possibility of believers falling totally and finally. For what doctrine can be better calculated to answer this purpose, than that which pro- mises a crown of glory to those who persevere in well doiiig, and threatens " destruction from the presence of the Lord" to those who " turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them ?" Whereas, that doctrine which promises with the utmost certainty a crown of glo- ry to the man who shall be at any time godly, although he may dege- nerate into vice and impiety, and remain in them for years, is most evidently calculated to encourage ungodliness. A reward promised eiinply and absolutely, in its very nature relaxes exertion, and abates vigilance, Ilcuce it is, that we find the scripture full of motives and coiidilional promises to all believers, to hold out to the end. The * Q'limvis ergo iniquitttum, tc- Commtnt. in MjU. xiir. 11. I! * t] n mhae tenor of the gwpel is .fter thi. m«nner-« Corocout fr<^ '"^J them, .n.! touch Sot the .nctwn tbin|, «"'' » '"» .'•""•, ^^^ '" J ^ill be a Father onto yoo, «nd ye »h.ll b« m; ,ons »nd d.oghter,, ja.th theUrd." This »e»ide.itJy and undeniably com-H-nn. and th^ Apostle, on account of the^e promiie., sul.joins-" HaT.ug, t»'"«*"'^» dearly belo.ed, these promise., let U!. cl....st3 ourseltes from all fiUh,- nessif the f..sh and spirit, perfecting holiness .n »^>« [«^«' r, ^3;, This is the uniform lanRdage of scripture ; nor can any text bo produ- ced in which the Holy Gh.st does not hold out the reward of eternal life, on the condition of persef eriog in faith and ItoliueH to the cod of '*"lconciade,then, from these clear and decisire passagr, of scrip- ture, and from the seTcral arguments 1 hare adraoced, «»'»* J';^;^";- trine of the final perseteranco of belicTers is not trua ; and that, con- ■equently, particular election, with whicl> it is inseparably connected, fulls to the ground. , . ... ^ , ^_ . This short ,iew of the doctrines of cJec^ton, reprol,atton, and fmnl perseverance, «111, 1 hope, be deen.d satisfactory by all tjfj^ ^^J"' down to examine this subjert with an hnparfjal ""'"J* Up«« '^^^^^ ..hose mind,, from their childhood, have been in the habit *f «^"»«^ " ing the idea of truth with these doctrines, ^^ave no hope of mak g any effectual impression. They have been so long used to c«>n .de tl e words eleclion and predestiHution, which they sometime, ';'««J wi.h n the scripture, as implying something 'absolute, and to ally .ndependcnt on faith and holiness, that it is scarcely possit, le, by the » «3»* 7»; sonings, and the clearest passages of holy writ, to divest them of this idea. Attending to the sound of words more than to the sense , id- ferpreting a few texts ia a detached, insulated manner, and P^yng no regard to the context and to the drift of the wrUer, hey make the stnp- ture iaconsistent with itself, with the nature and attributes of <;roi., Bad withthe plainest dictates of sound reason. -,•„:.;« The great store-house of Galfinian election and reprouat.on, is m the 9lh^ch. of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans. There arc sever I mspagesin this Apostle's epistles which are ""•^''"^^^'l'^ ''r, .^^^ inder^stood. This arises from several causes : 1. The Ap;«»^^; 'f^^ crowded thick upon him ; one thought started or ^^'^J JtZJ^To ther, and sometimes not precisely in the place which ';' "^^^"^^^ ° preserve the connection, and not directly bearing upon the main pon t of his subject—This renders it necessary to watch carclu-.y the writ- er's return to the principal thing he had in view. ,„ j„»p-™Jnetl 2. He sou.. u..s,iis the pronouns 7 and tre, in an ""^«t™"^^ manner. Tl U r ukes it difficult *o decide when he speaks in his oWa person, w.cu .. a.e ,.rson of a Jew, of a Gentile, -d of J bel^even But the principal cause of obscurity is the subject itsel. . 1 he t^o great errors which the Apostle bad to contend w;tb, were, the obitiaatt _^Jir.^iS^ti^e.^f--~ ut from amcmf eife 7 CO, tnd •Dghters, Mfth mx and ihw iug, thf reforr, from all fillhi- fcarof God." text bo proda- aril of etenml IS to Ok (n>d of Mgr» of icrip* that thedoc- and that, con- Etblj connected, joM, and finnl ill those who sit . Upon those ibit of connect- tiope of making 1 to consider tiie es meet wi'.h in illy independent le strongest rea- rcst them of thii > the sense ; in- , and paying no make the scrip- ributes of God, pro'uatioD, is in here arc several tedly hard to be e Apostle's ideas irkly after ano- »;•, necessary to a the main point rciu'ily the wril- an undetermined peaks in his oWa d of a believer, itself. The tw» ere, the obitio&tt «3 •dVerencc of tli« .Tcwi 1o the oeremonial Uw, the obserrancc of wblcW thpy deemed neceisary io salvation. The other was, their belief that Ihey inhpfited the promises of God merely in consequence of th''ir be- ing the diildrypt vain and contemptible. It is observable i\y^i iheScptuasiu }m translated the Hebrew of Moses by the word ,/m/crc//u., wh.cl, signifies, thou hm been preserved i th»t is, kept al.ve under all thc« tb give vnj law t. It would t) interpret the ord most cer- i hi.o disciples follow him, it it means uo lother, or pre- ihe l'2tii verse, D to be the fa- ul bpeuks, aud say then ? Is ,t has now the itig from Isaac heii should ho ? Even Mo- ional blessings .h to Moses, I have compas- lolof him that )wcth mercy," ) merciful and I depend upon e assigned why : first called tho [1 pleasure so to , for the very lews? 15«' uo len lie selected 1, and the ob- God takes his scripture saitit ;d tliee up, that ht be declared St reference to is plagues upon to Oe declared )cT, o)- exalted ate wretch, re- oice of thunder, , and the Idols ; the Scptuaginl '.crclhcx, vfhich uader all thckc nUtKvm for *i« very purpose, Thvs God confers national bitftin^t iowMue* md mvike% public; exampL's of ethers, without assigiiing his 9^»r>o% for » doing,— 18. " TUerefore hi^th he mercy oti whom, lie wiU ha»e wewy, i"»d whom lnj will he hardeneth." This nwaiis, tkit e said to herd^«« til? h««rt, wjVn his ju,dg.™e«>t-« prodoc^ an effect directly ctuvitzxy. t« ^h«*^th*y arecaUstlatpd ta produce, He is al>o> by a peculiar i^ioa^ ofthe-tiebrew l»u§^«aeP, said K> do, what he permits aoatlier to do. fbhs, in the first book of Chrwicles, it is said, ^' And Satan stood up agaiost fsrael, aod provok«d David to number Israel.'* Yet, t« tli« «4ih chap. 2 Samuel, U is sajd, « And again i^ an§9c4 was hindM aijainst Israel, at^d he mov^ Davfd against them,tQ s#y, Goi number Israel mX Judah.'* In the »ne text, God is said to^t# cnov«d Patid, ia the other, Satan. What then ought to be the soia- tinii ? Ce»Nnly^ that God p^mided Satan to t^mpt David, and not 4hAtG«i Ijimseif teo>p»ed^hio\ ; for if he did, bow owW ho with mr formed it. Why hait^hou made me thus ? 2!, Hath not th^ PPit«r power over ttU»«»d came t(» me sajing, O house of Israel, CMiiotl do with yoo as this potter ? saitU the Lord. Behold, as the clay ie in tfe^ potter's hand, so are t« •«> ">y ^an ^i ^ house of Israel. At what in- etant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdoai to pluak up, aud t4» putt down, and to destroy it— if it do evil 'vi\ my sight, that it obey not u»y voice, thep wi'i I repeat of the good wherewith 1 said li 1! II 26 I w»uld benefit them." There can be no quMtion of whom God Ii •peaking in these passage. It i» expressly said, of the Jewish nation^ and not of indi»iduals. This throws full light apon the design and meaning of the Apostle in the chapter under consideration. Nations are in the hands of the Creator, what clay is in the hands of the pot- ter. The Creator raises thera un, and puli" them down, as he see* fit. What then (" ■') ♦' If God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endureth with much long-suftering, the Tesieis of wrath fitted to destruction." What if he hath reserfed the impenitent Jews to be punished by one great, national rejection, in order to display ia the most signal manner, his indignation against ingratitude, impiety, and unbelief, would this admit of any reasonable objection ? They have fitted theroseltes for vessels ofzsralh, and sealed their own de- struction as a nation. And what if to display his grace and goodness, he hath adopted the Gentiles in their room, and thereby made them vessels of mercy, afore prepared unto glory^—ii, 23.) for this glo-. rious change in their condition, who hath a right to impeach the equity and faithfulness of God's proceedings ? Ycu Jews hare no right to find fault with God on this account : for the accession of the Gentiles will not deprive you of the favour of God, and the privileges of the gospel; nothing will produce that effect but your unbelief ; and just it will be, if you reject I'.ie Messiah, that you be rejected by God. Nor is this any new thing ; it was foretold long ago by your own pro- phets. V. 25. " As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people ; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 28. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said un- to them, Ye are not mv peoole, there shall they be called the children of the living God"— that is» I will form a church among the Gentiles, and make them partakers of the blessings of my covenant. The Apos- tle then sums up the whole with this question— 30. « What shall we say then ? That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith ; 31. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath notaitained to the law of righteousness. 32. Wherefore? because they sowht it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law ; for they stumbled at that stumbling stone ; 33. As it is written. Be- hold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offence : And who- soever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Thus, the Gentiles have obtained justification by the faith of the Gospel, which the Jews could not obtain by the observances of their law. Salvation by faith in a crucified Satiour, was to thera a stumbling block, as the 1 rophet foretold : and therefore thev were rejected. Thus, the conclusion of the whole argument shows clearly that the Apostle, throughout the chapter, is speaking of the election of nationt to corenant privileges, and not of individtials to eternal life ; and of the reprobation or rejec- 1 God is !h natioriy Btign and Nations the pot- e sees fit. make his of wrath ent Jews lisplay in impiety, ? They • own de- goodness, ade them this glo- the equity > right to ! Gentiles ts of the and just 1 by God. own pro* y people^ t belorcd. B said un- e children Gentiles, rhe Apos- shall we teousness, s of faith ; less, hath because the law ; itten, Be- Aiid who- I Gentiles I the Jews ) by faith J Prophet iclusion of ighout the privileges, I or rejec- ^1 27 :^ltt^»^^X«J ..her ■..«%..«.». .0 *«!..».("". - ■" o'T ';hoi".'°f«mT' ».«."« text. I h.T. q-oted, .ml from universal in the intention of the Father ^^^Xe'decree^f reproba- Iwiog .buDdan. means of JW'""' '^.t;',;"*.""] '» b..rine with ■surging, as beseeching them '» "« ''^°" "" '„ i„c|i„i„| their .heir P~'»5>''°°!'J°,Jfli°'r In . :a;TnSnt -i.h .heir'a.0,.1 rg:^^.o^xrhrh:9rJ.ea^nd.na^^^ "f ; 'VLt^°'wK:rhrb..n tt ™o« .oW vineyard. rh"N"*e?i do^in if™' Nothing consistently with G«l'. ,....c. •° oThe STerTntcaLlnisn, repre.«,l. God a. -""eeing the dam un me oincr ••»» , r j aggyreg them that ,;-;-.;ifiH;.'*w«— ^^8 -^ r u fire, ^fliich rcpresrtts Gjjd a9«**p>cs8lng^hf3 it«»*t alSwrcnce Af arnl The sertpture represents 'floil as rfddresslwg hMn as free artd irtorsl »gcill9, wheD, ai fhesanwtime, ihey hate Ho fk^'er of detettahifng H^ft' owti actions, bot are irresistibly impelled t© ittasihey'Soyhy Mi o*er^ ruling decree, wliich leaves do roo«» for freeuom of droke. In shdrt, GalTimsm represents the'Alrtii^hly as eond^Mnii^ id** for ittafikey conid not arofd, as comm^ilding them to do WhiV'Js' b6t*i 1i»(W«lly ailtl physically impossible ; attd >»hl)e the s^nripMires ^e e%Ufthg mtT^t& make their calling andilettibn tufe, atcordlftg td G^lt)o, Godt'd«erertf fpoTO eternity, that no efforts, no repentance, no , he determined to pass them by, and consequently to damn them, LITURGY OF THE CHURCH. Litany.— God the Son, Redeemer of the tcoHd. General Thankssiving. — We bless thee, for thine inestimable lofO in the redemption of the world by oar Lord Jesus Christ. Exhortation before the Conimunien — Above all things wq must give most humble uud hearty thanks to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for the redemption of the zcorld. Preface to the Communion on Easter Dai/. — He (Christ) is the eery Paschal Lamb which was offered for us, and hath taken away the ein of the world. Prayer of Consecration, — Almighty God, who of thy tender mer- cy, didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the croif ■""^.. aud 29 t»raurr'tfm?s 'eifeftoaMy rail, by t^)e inftsoim of :«» Holy St>ir,it,^ueh as he hirth ifecrted to.»ave, i»nd f»r .whom {,is S©ii hsth died. He infuses into Mwin »ucha inea»iiri[*<»f graco, as ^V}.1I. no« leave it in their power to .retiiMheir ^converiMNi to holiness , orf JVus* trate the decree of eiectioD. But as to those who are net of the own-, fctroftheetect, they »r«'ear/M/. »«ucr, .»oq ■Mlu}^1i^°''^^'J^^\^^'''^^^ PMd great respect to Ihe opinion .f Melancthon ; and as that was indubitably hostile to Calrimsm, it af. rords a strong presumption, that the 17th article was oot drawn up to favour, but to discountenance absolute predestination. "The Moical disputes about fate," says Melancthon in a letter to Cranmer, "which riou! *!!!'• r" w"."* "/ ^*r ''" beginning, wore too horrid and inju- nous discipline. Wherefore I beseech yon, not to thiokof any such formulary of doctrine."+ "u-^w any »n era «f Fi;afJ^J?r°rr^"":^''^'I' P'°'" ^^'^^ *^* '^<"=*^'"« •^»''* Church «f England is not Calr.ni.tic, is, that when a paraphrase of the New SnoT«"fVl??'''^^'"''^*°^r*°P '" the Church, that of Erasmus, «ni, Jr '"' ^" P'tc''«'l apon. Now, Erasmus was a decided decree'/ "Th"' '"''' ''ff^^^'^'}'' ^b<>rty of the wilt, and aUoluie decrees. The argument to be drawn from this circumstanc," says isL ,?^ ."^' 'r" ^"°" ""^ °" "f"""' "°* being what all Calvin- CahTnlf^Mr' ^^f/^P/*"^"""*? 'hem, is, it is presumed, such as no Cahinist will ever fairly answer. For if our reformers meant that the lTlAh!,r ^"""'^ should be received in the CaWinistic sense, nnd at the same tune, made use of a paraphrase calculated to conrev a different sense to her members, they were in fact polling down with one hand what they professed to be building up with the other."t .lA"f ""''nu 'T !""^" ^"*"'''' *«» theconclusion of the 17th arti- tw r'/;"'''''7'" P.^r''^' ('f ^' be not blinded with prejudice) irpL,f- '^?'^*"''^°[«"' Church can never be reconciled with LoluL predestination. That part of the article directs us to take God's pro! ciisesasthey are generally set forth in holy scripture. Now, these VTTr .ri^'T'"' ""^^ T^l-'onal « The sacred scripture," say, that excellent writer, Mr. Daubeny, "informs us, that redemp ion br Chr» 15 as general as the fall was by Adam, and,' consequently, «Z versaU Again it informs us, that the redemp:ion by Christ was oot ! S^'^'u ""■ •!] " J''**"*^ '° ^'«* "'^^<'°' 5n answer to J. R. 0. 4th\^.SM-Stp"eE p." 1?/"^'^" di.p„tationes, fcc.-S« Mr. Daub.ny's * LeUerJY. p. 160. K mm^i^smnMsisssp^i . at- ■ -»■'■■■» " ■■»>i plained ia be redeiaption naoDcr, fobs h« opinion of vinism, it af. 1 drawn up to "Tbe*to»cal mer, " which rrid and inju- of anj such f the Church of the New of Erasmus, as a decided Hid absolufe itanca," sayj it all Calvin. , such as no pant that the inistic sense, ed to conrey If down with ther."| e 17th arti- h prejudice) 'ith absolute God's pro« N^ow, these pture," sajs Jemption by ently, uni' ist was not [r. Daubeny'* SI mor» ttn;»«»r«ano lt<. pJan, than it was God's wish it should be in its af. «^ofl. «Asby the offence of one, judgment came unto all men to c^de«na.oo, even so (jo like manner) by the righteousness of one the free g.tca«e upon all men to justiGcation of Ufe," Ron,, t, I? "God will have all men to bo saved, and to come uuto the knowlediT* of be truth ; for the one Mediator, the man Christ Jesus' gar^ h.m! jelf a runsom/or all- I Tim. ii. 4. Now, unless it can be proied ^t promises to particular persons exc/««r./y, and promises toyman- Sonl.f . 7^» "7"?" ""^ *?'"«• *"^ *»•** absolute and uncond"- tional salvation, and salvation independent upon the performance of certain conditions, convey to the mind the same idea ; I see butoni jUernative in this case; either the Calvinistic sense of the article mu"t be given up, or the article itself must plead guilty to the char« of L eo««^stency This consideration makes it intre Ln probalJe^^^^^^^^^ the time of framing this article, though the Calvinistic doctrine "iJ{ have gamed some partial footing in England, yet the English Church so JUS ly esteemed the bul war^ of the reformation, had not been tho ro«gh^ infected with it ; andTf at all inclined to the Ca"vloistic view had chosen to present to her childmn only « the sweet and comfortlK' stdc of It, as more reconcileable to the general tenor of scripture and more consonant to the humane feelings of the christian hearL which i„ .mutation of the divine pattern, can - have no pleasure in the deal of B Sinner, * """"■'* "j ^•/!*!T.[''-''I^ follows from all these considerations-from f to reca. p.tulate)the leading men in the reformation being anti-CalvinistTd from Cranmer's consulting Melancthon, and not the Geneva Reformer -from the fact tlut Erasmus' anu^Calvinistic Paraphrase was set u« oken of in that aSe il not be understood in that ;,«,-f/c«/ar sense, which has been annexed to *^hL '*"'''' '^i'-''^'*/^^^"*'* that general plan of a Jaiio." ^hich was conceived in the divine mind from eternity-accordinrttt which, Godhasprenestinated to etornal life all who believe and obev the gospel, and to eternal misery all who obstinately persist in unbelief ««d disobedience. This is the predestination of the* Church of C- land, and not hat horrid senseless, impious doctrine of absolute elec- lion and reprobation, which saves and damns men without any respect to h«r good and evil deeds: and .rhich contradicts the holy sc SE la the Hwst direct and positive manner. ^ scupmre • A))p«ndh, LdttePiv. p. 13?— ,T f . i fl i tliaU cooelad6 whb ane rcOectioo :— ll.^ gratefd t6 tfce b«o«fo* Iwit oMiwl, t*rai(«'it, such k th« violfiice i(4Jo(!s t». th«comiW ««nM of qwfkkiwd, to4iit> f«<;iin(;tof di* UnmM iwart;, and (trihe vMi. {to 7. Whom will he gather ? His elect. LuKr; iv. 25-21). The rage at God's election a..l .overei^nfy of choice K. 20, 21 thi chct I* M;-!i;- 'HelJen" ™^j;,''j^2'-^^^?'-°""'!«frejoici„ij: « Vonr name ntaven. Oorl s choice is sovereiiin. s :;i'2 writteii in xii. aa. Such is the cood nleasure o? his w"! xvii. 31— 3(i. Wherefore? ' ' xviii. 7. The elect, God's peculiar care. i •\ 9 < I XV. !«, XV, 19. xvii. 2. Lord xvii. G. Joiix i. 13. The excluilon of nil other causes, and the work TvhoIIy of God ii» regeneration. ^'' ^J' ^^; n ^?'?' •'""*'* "" ^'^'''" '''"' "' '''^ ^"'''^'" ! ""'' '^i-' can lose nothii).' of th« gilt. All shall coinc tuliiai.aiid lie in nowibe cast out. VI. (J4, 6j No man tun come, cxicpt t!io leather draw liim ; and tl-ev arc known to luni from the beginning, who would disbelieve und betray him. 'Fore-know- ledjre includes the certainty of events, vii. 3U. Murk the reasons {liven. X. Ki. Why nuist he brin;,' them, and make them hear his voice ? X. y are given out of this world, God'b peculiar ones, xvii. 9, 10, 1 1. For them, not the world, he pravs, as given to him, and the Fa- ther s choice. All mine are thine, and tliine mine. In whose salvation he it to be glonhed in union with him, as ho is with theFather. Xone of them lost but the son of perdition, that the Scriptures mis,'lu lie liiirilled. ' xvii. f^O. Not a peculiar favour to the first disciples, but alike to all believers to the end oi time, -one fold and one Sheiihcrd. who knows his own sheep, and ix knosyn of them. The.e Oud has loved with the same love as his ow n Son • and It i» his will and pleasure that they be with him, wliere he is, to behold hi! {jlory ; and all this love is before the foundation of the world ! Acts i. I(], 2.5. The word of prophecy must needs be fulfilled : Bnd Judas "o tn his own place. " ii. y.'3. Unless so delivered by the determinate counsel and fore-knowIed^e of Cod, human power and craft had not prevailed. ° ii. 39. To whom is the promise fulullcd ? To as many as the Lord our God sliall call. ji. 47. Whom did the Lord add daily to the church ? Such as should be saved IV. -iH. What did they ? Whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel deteruiiuL;d be- lore to be done, ix. 1.1 Paul a chosen vessel. Acts xiii, 48. Who believed the word preached ? As many as were ordained to eternal lile. xxii. 10. VVhat he must do was appointed fur him. Xxii. IK The God of our Fathers liath dioaeu thee, h. Ill, none can I'l'iitiui), aiiil cxaspcratcU raycr of oivt and the Fa- Ivation lie it if tlieiu lost, believers t(j n sheep, and s ow n Son ; I beliold bi< Judas go tn lowledge of d our GoJ I be saved, jniiiuud be- ordaincd to )nin!j more I cIll"., and njiuaye and IS made, it r only ilius ve given an !urc on en- whc'cj'orc ; iia davs of (^ Ml. ],l. linliis»osadiusi.|,„rclicl|icr>L.n ' .. Co,,, i. 2„_o,,. c.,1 ,,.,h a„ ebaion, .,„J „„„,„ h„„ h, „„,„,, „^^ l'H»e, the de- bo niurvdtous 14 Oal. i. 15. Separated from his mother's womb. i ;i',.'t)U,li;lo,l ,„il„ ,l,e i„lo|„ioo of sons. Iw-ii. ii. 5, 10. The elerriV, o • r .1 .'' ,"^""-'' °':.'" ''''• '^^ "^^''^ than this ? pHndpics. . asx-iibcd so completely to i;race en any other iii. riti Col. iii. 12. Put on as the elect of God.-hoJy and beloved. JesnsC,,n.Nheend;s;rreasd,e'bc;:lrS^ "' '''^ ^'"'•^- "^ ^^ ^-undation of the world : P-guinst these the gates oi IIcU cannot pre vail. , Jtvii. 14. The Lamb's followers are chosen. XX \2 The Book of Life opened. • . • .i XX. 13. All cast into the Like of Fire, whosoever were not found written ,n the Xxl^ST.^'^Noni enter Heaven but they who are written in the Lamb's Book of life. These are the true sayinj^s of God. May they be read with prayer, weijrhed without prejuiUce, and produce divu>e couvict.ou Sn the conscience of every child of God. As to others it may be said, if they hear not Christ and his Apostles, neither would they hear though one should *ise from the dead. -f