THE Arminian Magazine, For AUGUST 1783. The CALVINIST-CABINET UNLOCKED: in an APOLOGY for TILENUS, against a VINDICATION of the Synod of DORT. [Continued from page 341.] HAVING gotten footing upon fuch firm ground, as he supposed, he proceeds to expoftulate very magifterially, and fays, "Where now is the odious error that Tilenus put fuch a face upon?" Sir, It hath a more ugly face of its own than any Tilenus can put upon it; and neither the Synod's mask, nor your painting can hide it, much lefs make it beautiful. But where is it to be feen? You afk, "Is it in the number? If he thinks a greater number are faved, or decreed to falvation, than they do, he should speak out." I promised you already not to quarrel with you about the number. But what if Tilenus fhould speak out? I hope it is no felony, or treafon. I will therefore tell you plainly, he VOL. VI. 3 B is THE Arminian Magazine, For AUGUST 1783. The CALVINIST-CABINET UNLOCKED: in an APOLOGY for TILENUS, against a VINDICATION of the Synod of DORT. [Continued from page 341.] HAVING gotten footing upon fuch firm ground, as he supposed, he proceeds to expoftulate very magifterially, and fays, "Where now is the odious error that Tilenus put such a face upon?" Sir, It hath a more ugly face of its own than any Tilenus can put upon it; and neither the Synod's mask, nor your painting can hide it, much lefs make it beautiful. But where is it to be feen? You afk, "Is it in the number? If he thinks a greater number are faved, or decreed to falvation, than they do, he should speak out." I promised you already not to quarrel with you about the number. But what if Tilenus fhould fpeak out? I hope it is no felony, or treafon. I will therefore tell you plainly, he VOL. VI. 3 B is is fo far from thinking a greater number are absolutely decreed to falvation than they do, that he doth not think so of any fingle perfon whatsoever. But do they think that any number are abfolutely decreed to falvation? Absolutely? That is, without any regard to their Faith or Obedience whatfoever. And are they come to this already? But perhaps, by the word absolutely, you intend absolutely in respect of motives on God's part. And what if we grant you an abfolute decree, in refpect of fuch motives? If we afcribe it wholly to God's good pleafure; will you then condefcend to it, that there is any qualification at all in him, unto which the wisdom of God thought fit the decree of election should be terminated? Grant this and we fhall foon agree. But what qualifies perfons for their election? It can be no other than what may make us capable, in the account of the divine wifdom, of which the holy gospel is the best repofitory, to receive the highest act of God's deareft love towards us in Chrift Jefus; and fuch is our election unto glory. Our Saviour's Come ye blessed children of my Father, at the general judgment, being nothing else, but the folemn judicial publication of it. But if fo, What manner of perfons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness? For it should seem, that a holy faith and a blameless life, are made the previous difpofitions to our immutable election unto glory. But this will ufher in a new objection. For if he thinks, that God forefaw they would believe and obey, before he decreed to give them faith or obedience, and confequently, that thefe are of themselves, and not of God, he must condemn Auflin, as well as the Synod. Here we have a very perverfe infinuation, if I may make fo bold with Mr. Baxter, as to ufe his own expreffion. Believe and obey (you mean the gospel) before a revelation of it, or a call to it? Was Adam obliged to do fo, or could he do fo in his fate of innocency? And will poor, lapsed Tilenus pretend to it? No: he hath fludied the myfteries of grace better. better. God hath not only a forefight, which is bounded within the compass of things future, in their due time exiftent; which cannot be without his decree: but also a foreknowledge, which extends to all things poffible, though no decree ever did, or ever fhall pafs for the existence of them. Thus he foreknew that the men of Keilah would have delivered up David into the hands of Saul, if he had ftayed amongst them; and thus he foreknew that Tyre and Sidon would have repented, if they had been placed under the fame difpenfation as Chorazin and Bethfaida were. Now fuppofe God to confider men under such a state of means; though he hath not as yet, (to speak after the manner of men) decreed to establish fuch men under it, yet he infal libly foreknows what creatures of fuch capacities would do, being put into fuch a pofture. But for Faith and Obedience, these duties relating to fome authority and revelation, and requiring power far above what remains in us fince the fall of Adam, it implies a contradiction to fay, man can believe and obey the gospel, before he receives, as well a competent ftrength, as a proper object for it. But God having put fuch and fuch capacities into us, and placed us under fuch and fuch means and difpenfations, in his eternal wifdom, he foreknows what ufe every one will make of thofe capacities and difpenfations; and then making a decree according to his foreknowledge, he fees who will believe and obey, not before he decrees to give them Faith, or the grace of Obedience, as Mr. Baxter previoufly infinuateth; but after it (though confidering them under fuch an order of means, he foreknew it before his decree) and confequently, this Faith and Obedience are not of themfelves, but of God: and this is confonant to the doctrine of the primitive Church, in all the pureft ages of it. ! Mr. Baxter fays, "I wifh no more in this, than may confift with rational prayers and thankfgivings." |