neceffary that they be faved after an unavoidable manner, who are ordained to falvation, fo that it is not poffible they fhould perifh: but they who are deftined to deftruation (who are far the greatest number) must be damned necessarily and inevitably, fo that it is not poffible for them to be faved. So the Supralapfarians fpeak. II. God (as the Sublapfarians fpeak,) willing from eternity to make a decree concerning the election of some men, and the rejection of others; confidered mankind not only as created, but also as fallen and corrupted in Adam and Eve, our first parents, and thereby deferving the curfe and decreed, out of that fall, to fave fome by his grace, to declare his mercy but to leave others (both young and old, yea certain infants, of men in covenant, and thofe infants baptized, and dying in their infancy) in the curfe, to declare his juftice: and that without all confideration of repentance and faith in the former; or of impenitence or unbelief in the latter. For the execution of which decree, God ufeth alfo fuch means whereby the Elect are unavoidably faved, and the Reprobates unavoidably perish. III. Therefore Jefus Chrift, the Saviour of the world, died not for all men, but for those only who are elected either after the former or this latter manner: he being ordained Mediator to fave thofe only. IV. Confequently, The Spirit of God doth work in thofe who are elected, that way or this, with fuch force, that they cannot refift it: fo that they muft turn, believe, and be faved. But this irrefifiible grace belongs only to thofe elected; not to Reprobates, to whom not only that irrefiftible grace is denied, but grace necellary for converfion; for faith, and fal vation is not afforded: to which converfion and faith indeed, they are called, invited, and folicited outwardly by the revealed will of God: though the inward force neceffary to faith and converfion is not beflowed on them, according to the fecret will of God. V. So many as have once obtained true and juftifying faith, by fuch irrefiftible force, can never totally lofe it, no not although they fall into the most enormous fins: but are fo kept by that fame irresistible force, that it is not poffible for them finally to perish. After the Synod of Dort had declared their judgment upon these five heads, the Remonftrants abridged the fame as follows. J. Almighty God, out of all mankind confidered in the fame ftate, chofe certain men to eternal falvation, without any respect of their faith, repentance, converfion, or of any good quality; but that he might bring those elect ones to the appointed falvation, he decreed that his Son fhould fuffer death for them only; that he might reconcile unto God them only; that he might in them only work faith, by a moft powerful force; no less than that put forth in the creation of the world, or in raifing the dead; that he might preserve, in that faving faith, unto their lives end, thofe men although fallen into the fouleft wickedneffes, and flicking fome while therein; and at laft might bring them to eternal life, for no other cause, but becaufe fo was his good pleasure. But on the contrary, I. Almighty God (would pafs by) the far greatest part of mankind, without any confideration of their own unbelief and impenitence, (and) would not elect (them) to falvation, or have his Son die for them, or give them power fufficient for their converfion, even then when he invites, intreats, befeeches, and begs of them to anfwer his calling them to falvation, under the promife of the faid falvation, and the penalty of eternal damnation: but will have them born into the world to eternal torments of hellfire, and at length throw them headlong thereinto, for no other cause, but because it was his pleasure fo to do. II. That God would that Jefus Chrift fhould fuffer death, not for all men, but only for the Elect, that for them alone, by the fhedding of his own precious blood, he might pur chafe faith, and all other faving gifts of the Holy Ghoft, that by his blood he might cleanse them from all their fins, both original and actual, committed as well after as before their faith, might keep them to their laft breath, and at laft beftow on them eternal life. But on the contrary, That God would not that Chrift fhould die for other mortals, that he might obtain for them any faving gifts of the Holy Ghoft, but would that they fhould be left in original fin, and fhould by confequence, rush headlong into other fins, which neceffarily flow therefrom, (that they) fhould continue deftitute, not only of power whereby they might turn and repent, but also of all hope of grace and falvation, till at length, being enwrapped in an unavoidable neceffity of finning, they should be thrust down with damned devils to eternal and infinite torments, both of foul and body. III. and IV. That God doth infufe into his Elect, not only a power to believe, but also the will to believe, yea the very act of believing, or faith, by fuch an operation, as, in its power, is no lefs than that, whereby the world was made, or the dead raised: fo that they cannot but be converted and believe. On the other fide, That God doth call and invite to faith. and repentance infinite myriads of men, with threatenings of eternal damnation, yet fo as he wills not to communicate to them either faith or the power to believe and repent; fo that, though they be called of God to faith, yet they cannot but remain unbelievers. And that notwithstanding he will punish eternally with moft grievous and horrible torments, thofe very perfons for that unbelief of theirs, that was unavoidable. V. God will preserve in the faith, all those who are abso lutely elected from eternity, and are, in time, brought to faith by an almighty and irresistible operation, fo that, although they fall into foul and deteftable wickedneffes, and continue in them them fome time, yet the faid villanies do not hinder fo much as a straw, their election or falvation, neither do they because of these, fall from the state of Justification, or lose their faith, but all their fins how great foever, both which heretofore they have committed, and thofe which hereafter they shall commit, are affuredly forgiven them; yea, and moreover, they themselves, though it be at their last gafp, fhall be recalled to repentance, and brought to falvation. [To be continued.] བཞིའི་དུས་ལུས III. SERMON On HEBREWs i. 14. [Concluded from page 13.] XIII. perfectly are the Angels of God qualified for their high office. It remains to enquire, How they difcharge their office? How do they minifter to the heirs of falvation? 1. I will not fay that they do not minifter at all, to those who through their obftinate impenitence and unbelief, difinherit themselves of the kingdom. This world is a world of mercy, wherein God pours down many mercies even on the evil and the unthankful. And many of these, it is probable, are conveyed even to them, by the miniftry of Angels: especially fo long as they have any thought of God, or any fear of God before their eyes. But it is their favourite employ, their peculiar office, to minifter to the heirs of falvation; to those who are now faved by faith, or at least seeking God in fincerity. 2. Is it not their firft care, to minifter to our fouls? But we must not expect this will be done with obfervation: in fuch fuch a manner as that we may clearly diftinguifh their working from the workings of our own minds. We have. no more reason to look for this, than for their appearing in a vifible fhape. Without this they can, in a thousand ways, apply to our Understanding. They may affift us in our fearch after truth, remove many doubts and difficulties, throw light on what was before dark and obfcure, and confirm us in the truth that is after godliness. They may warn us of evil in disguise, and place what is good in a clear, ftrong light. They may gently move our Will, to embrace what is good, and fly from that which is evil. They may many times quicken our dull Affections, increase our holy Hope or filial Fear, and affift us more ardently to love him, who has firft loved. us. Yea, they may be fent of God to anfwer that whole. prayer, put into our mouths by pious Bishop Kean, "O may thy Angels while I fleep, May they celeftial joys rehearse, And thought to thought with me converfe!" Although the manner of this we shall not be able to explain, while we dwell in the body. 3. May they not minifter alfo to us, with respect to our bodies, in a thoufand ways, which we do not now underfland? They may prevent our falling into many dangers, which we are not fenfible of? And may deliver us out of many others, though we know not whence our deliverance comes? How many times have we been firangely, and un- . accountably preserved, in fudden and dangerous falls? And it is well if we did not impute that prefervation to Chance, or to our own wifdom or ftrength. Not fo: it was God |