THE REASON OF THIS.

(1.) The vessel that he made of clay, was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Jer. xviii, 4,-See to the 10th, 12th verses.

*

(2.) I will give thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the preserved of Israel, and to enlighten the Gentiles. Isaiah xlix, 8, 5.-Thou art my servant, O Israel, [Christ] in whom I will be glorified: Verse 3.-See John xv, 8, and Proverbs xiv, 28. Consider what is noted before, and what followeth, for further evidence of this.

REJECTION III.

They do utterly DENY, that "God did, with this intent, create all men in Adam, ordain the fall and permission thereof, withdraw from Adam grace necessary and sufficient, or procureth the gospel to be preached, and men to be externally called, and bestoweth certain gifts of the Holy Ghost upon them, and all this with this intent, that these should be means whereby he would bring some unto life, and disappoint others of the benefit thereof according to such decree."

THE REASON HEREOF

In the several branches, is to be collected from the proof of the foregoing and following articles. Yet, that it may further appear,

1. "That God did not create," &c., CONSIDER,

(1.) That He made man after his own image: Gen. i, 27. (2.) Gave him the tree of life. Gen. ii, 9.

(3.) That he hates sin: Psalm v, 4, 5; Habak. i, 13. (4.) And cannot be tempted with evil. James i, 17.

(5.) And desireth not the death of a sinner: Ezek. xviii, 31 ; xxxiii, 11.

(6.) That sin was from the suggestion of the devil: Gen. iii, 1. (7.) And man's voluntary compliance with him: Eccles. vii, 29. 2. "That he procureth not the gospel," &c., CONSIDER,

(1.) He is merciful to all: Psalm clxv, 8, 9; Acts xiv, 16, 17; xvii, 26, 27.—Would not that any should perish: Ezek. xviii, 23, 31; xxxiii, 11. t-But that all should come to faith and repentance: 1 Tim. ii, 4; 2 Pet. iii, 9.-And,

* See Isaiah xxvii, 11, the last part; Hosea ix, 15.

+ See John iii, 17; 2 Chron. xxiv, 19.

(2.) Christ having died for all: 2 Chron. v, 19, 20; Heb. ii, 9. -he invites all: Matt. xi, 28.-and upbraids such as wilfully refuse to embrace his offered grace and salvation. John v, 34, 40.

REJECTION IV.

They do utterly DENY, that "Christ the Mediator is only the Executor of the decree of Election, and not the Foundation thereof."

The places cited (above) in proof of the affirmative, is sufficient REASON HEREOF. And note here once for all, that "whensoever the affirmative is sufficiently proved, the negative is thereby utterly overthrown; because both parts of a contra"diction can never be true."

REJECTION V.

They do utterly DENY, that "the cause why some are effectually called, justified, persevere in faith, and are glorified, is, because they are absolutely elected to eternal life.”

THE REASON.

God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. Acts x, 34, 35. *-For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him, shall not be ashamed: for the same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him. Rom. x, 11, 12.-See James ii, 5; 2 Thess. ii, 13, and all the rest of those places cited above for the affirmative Conditional Election. (Pages 97, 101.)

REJECTION VI.

They do utterly DENY, that "the cause why others are left in the lapse [full] and Christ not given to them, and that they are, not at all, or uneffectually, called, and so hardened and damned, is, because they are reprobated from eternal life by an antecedent decree."

THE REASON.

His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin. Prov. v, 22. †-But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your

sins have hid his face from you. Isa. xlix, 2.-See the places cited above for the affirmative, viz. for Respective Reprobation. (Page 101.) Also the texts cited for Christ's Satisfaction, and the Administration of Necessary and Sufficient means unto salvation. (Pages 96, 100.)

REJECTION VII.

They do utterly DENY, that "God did decree, without respect unto actual sins coming between, to leave, in the fall of Adam, the far greater part of mankind shut out of all hope of salvation."

THE REASON.

Christ is promised and given for a Covenant and means of restoration. Gen. iii, 15; ix, 8, 9; xxii, 16, 18; Isa. xlix, 8. See Rom. i, 18; ii, 8; Deut. xxiv, 16; 2 Kings xiv, 6; Eph. v, 7, 11. See the texts cited for his satisfaction. (Page 95). What mean ye that ye use this proverb?, The Fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge. As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb. Behold all souls are mine, as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Ezek. xviii, 2, 3, 4.---They shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape and the children's teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity, every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. Jer. xxxi, 29, 30. See Isa. xxvii, 11. It is a people without understanding, therefore he that made them will have no pity on them, Gen. iv, 6, 7. The wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience. Ephes. v, 5, 6.---Because I have called, and ye refused, &c. Prov. i, 24, &c.---I keep under my body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away. 1 Cor. ix, 27. See Proverbs v, 22; Isa. lix, 2.

REJECTION VIII.

They do utterly DENY, that "God did destine by an absolute decree, to give Christ a Mediator only to the elect, and to give faith to them alone by an effectual calling, to justify and continue them in the faith, and glorify them alone.

THE REASON OF THIS

Appears in the texts cited above for Christ's Satisfaction (page 95,), and those which follow for the Universality of his Merit,

in the Second Article or Question, (page 115,) to which nothing is needful to be added.

REJECTION IX.

They do utterly DENY, that "many, even all the reprobates, are rejected from eternal life and from means sufficient thereunto, by an absolute and antecedent decree, so as neither the merit of Christ, nor vocation, nor any gift of the Spirit, can or do avail unto their salvation."

THE REASON.

Because God created man after his own image and approved him to be VERY GOOD. Gen. i, 27, 31. And to the Judge of all the earth the righteous are not (dealt with) as the wicked. Gen. xviii, 25. For he is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works. Psalm cxlv, 8, 9. He willeth not the death of a sinner. Ezek. xviii and xxxiii, almost throughout. xxxiv, 23; 1 Tim. ii, 4: 2 Peter iii, 9.

Man's destruction is of himself. Hosea xiii, 9: Rom. vi, 23, i, 32. For he despiseth mercy. Rom. ii, 4, 5: Luke vii, 30: Acts xiii, 46. See Matt. xxii, 2---15: Luke xiv, 24; Heb. x, 26 &c : John iii, 19; 2 Chron. xxiv, 19, xxxvi, 15, 16. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world; and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. Ezek. xxiv, 13. In thy filthiness is lewdness; because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee. 2 Thess. ii, 10---12. See Prov. i, 29--31; Romans ii, 8, i, 18. Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved: For this cause, God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who be lieved not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. See likewise all the places cited for the affirmative, viz. Respective Reprobation, page 101.

REJECTION X.

They do utterly DENY, that "God hath destined REPROBATES (as they are called,) to infidelity, impiety, and sins, as means and causes of their damnation.”

THE REASON.

1. God himself hath stigmatized Jeroboam with this character, as a brand of infamy: "Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made

Israel to sin." 2 Kings xxiii, 15.--Wo unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also; that thou mayest look on their nakedness. Hab. ii, 15.

2. If a Prince should make a decree to take away the life of his subject, and then necessitate him by force, or wind him in by subtlety, to be instrumental (and subservient to his own ends,) in the perpetration of an act which the said prince himself had made to be criminal, that the execution of his said subject might appear to be just,---this argues clearly, that his first decree against him, even by the verdict of his own conscience, was unjust, and so is his execution also.

3. It is accounted an act of horrid tyranny in Tiberius, who, because it was unlawful to strangle virgins, caused the hangman first to deflower a virgin, and afterward to strangle her.---See also the reason of the next.

REJECTION XI.

They do utterly DENY, that "God is the Author of sin."

THE REASON.

1. Because He is holy, and a pattern of holiness. Lev. xi, 44, xix, 2; 1 Pet. i, 15, 16.

2. His ways are right and equal, and he can do no iniquity. Ezek. xviii, 25, 29; Hosea xiv, 19; Psalm xlv, 7, xcii, 16; Zeph. iii, 5; Deut. xxxii, 4.

3. He hates sin. Psalm v, 4, 5, xlv, 7 ; Prov. xi, 20; Isa. lix, 2; Deut. xii, 31; Isa. lxi, 8; Zech. viii, 17; Amos vi, 8; Jer. xliv, 4; Hab. i, 13.

4. It is a burden to him. Isa. vii, 13, xliii, 24.

5. He forbids sin. Exod. xx, 1, &c; Job xxxvi, 21; Ezek.

xlv, 9; Rom. vi, 12; 1 Cor. xv, 34.

6. He cannot be tempted with evil. James i, 13---15.

7. He is provoked to anger by it. Isa. iii, 8; Hosea xii, 14; Exod. xxiii, 21; Mark iii, 5.

8. It is enmity to him. Romans viii, 7.

9. It is the work of the Devil. John viii, 44; Genesis iii, 1.

10. He sent his Son to destroy it. 1 John iii, 8; Titus ii, 14; 1. Peter i, 18.

11. He doth revenge it and punish the sinner for it. Jer. v, 25, 29; Deut. xviii, 12, 13; Rom. i, 18; Eph. v, 6; Psalm xi, 5, 6.

V,

12. Man's destruction is from himself. Hosea xiii, 9; Prov. 22.