4. FIVE POINTS. CHAP. III. Concerning Predestination or Absolute Election. TH [Continued from page 349.] HE other words by which it is conceived such an Election is taught in the New Testament, are these three, πρόγνωσις, the fore-knowledge; πρόθεσις, the purpose; προωρισμὸς, the fore-appointment of God. Of all which let it be noted, 1st. That none of them relate to individual persons (fave only when they are used of our blessed Lord and his sufferings for us) but only to churches and nations in general. To the whole church of believing Jews and Gentiles whom God had chosen προορισας, fore-appointing them to adoption by Jesus Christ, Eph. i. v, in whom alfo, faith he, ἰκληρώθημεν, we were VOL. VIII. 3 C - made made his portion or peculiar people, being fore-appointed to to be according to his purpose, ver. 11. God having purposed that this should be the portion of all the converted Jews, they being elected according to the purpose of God the Father, 1 Peter i. 2. And, lastly, of the pofterity of Jacob and Efau; of whom, that the purpose of God, according to Election might fland, it was faid, The elder shall ferve the younger, Romans ix. 11. adly. That this fore-knowledge, purpose and appointment, is only that of calling men to the knowledge of falvation by Chrift Jesus. Thus the Apostle teacheth, that he was appointed to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Chrift, according to the ancient purpose which God had made in Chrift Jefus our Lord, Eph. iii. 11. 3dly. This calling is by God designed, That they who are thus called, might obtain falvation through fanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the Truth, 2 Theff. ii. 13. All chriftians being chosen to this end, That they might be holy and unblamable before God in love. But hence it cannot be argued, that this Election is no larger than the Holiness produced by it; for the riches of God's goodness, patience, and long-fuffering was certainly designed to lead all those to whom it was vouchsafed to Repentance; but can it be hence argued that this goodness, patience, and long-fuffering, is exercised to none but those who truly repent? Why then doth the Apofile complain of those who still continued To treasure up wrath against the day of wrath? Rom. ii. 4. The end of the Meffiah's coming to the Jews was, That he might fave his people from their fins; but it was far from having that effect upon them. The saving grace of God appeared to all men to teach them to deny all ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, foberly, and godly in this present world; but it is too sadly evident it hath not this good effect on all to whom it doth appear. 4thly. As men were appointed to be called from the beginning, so the gospel which is the wisdom of God through faith to fulvation, was that, ἣν προώρισεν, which God had foreappointed to preach to them for that end, 1 Cor. ii. 7, the word of God giving the hope of that falvation which he had promised before all ages, so by virtue of this fore-appointment, men were in time called by the gospel to faith in Chrift; whence they who were thus called, are faid to be called according to the purpose of God, Romans viii. 28, from the foundation of the world; of sending Christ to die for the remission of fins: whence he is faid to be given up to death according to the fore-knowledge of God, and his fore-appointed council, Acts ii. 23; and they who flew him are faid to have done only what his council had fore-appointed to be done, Acts iv. 28. And though these observations will direct us how to answer what is argued from these and such like places for absolute Election, I shall proceed to a particular confideration of what is farther offered to that purpose. And, 1ft. Christ expressly faith, All that the Father giveth me fhall come to (i. e. believe in) me, John vi. 37. 39. Ergo. I answer, 1. That to be given to the Father cannot signify to be absolutely chosen by God to eternal life; for then the Jews could not be reasonably accused for not coming to Chrift, or not believing on him; much less could it be im puted to them as their great crime that they would not come unto him; seeing, if only those whom God had chofen to eternal life could come unto him, they could not come unto him who were not thus elected; and so it could not be imputed to them as their crime, that they did not that which it was never in their power to do. (2dly.) Hence it must follow, that Christ could not reasonably have invited Them to come to him, who were not given him of the Father; for this was to invite those to come, whom he well knew could never come, as being chosen to obtain that life: much less could he have told them, this was the work which God required 3C 2 required them to do, or that the Father had given them this bread from heaven; this being to require them, according to this supposition, to believe a lie, viz. that Chrift was sent to be the bread of life, and a Saviour to them for whom the Father never did intend salvation by him. And yet Chrift manifestly says to them who seeing him, did not believe, and therefore were not given to him by the Father, Labour for that meat which nourisheth to life eternal, which the Son of Man shall give to you, ver. 27, and that this is the work, i. e. the commanded of God, that Ye believe in him that he hath fent; and my Father giveth you the true bread that cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world, ver. 32, 33; and therefore not only to the Elect. I therefore here enquire, Was our Lord truly willing that they to whom he spake should have life? If not, why doth he say, These things I speak to you that ye might be saved? If so, why did he say he did always those things which pleased him? seeing it was not the Father's will that they should come unto him that they might have life, whom he had not given to him, that is, had not elected to salvation. And 3dly. Were this fo, the Jews must have had just occasion to complain of Christ, and his doctrine, as being that which revealed to them their eternal and inevi. table Reprobation, and made it be not oniy neceffary, but ever equitable to reject him, because the blessings which he tendered belonged not to them in general, but only to fome few who by the Father should be given to him. 4thly. Observe that Chrift here gives a reason why they believed not, viz. Ye have feen, and believe not, because ye are not given to me of my Father. Now it is reasonable to conceive this reason would agree with all the other reasons of their infidelity, which yet are manifestly founded, not on any thing wanting on the part of God, but on something wanting in themselves, that they might do so, viz. 1st. That they came not to the light, Because their works were evil, John v. 34. |