their sins. Matt. i, 21; see Rom. vi, 1, 2; Ephes. i, 4, 6.—I am come to call sinners to repentance. Matt. ix, 13.-That he might redeem us from all iniquity, and from our vain conversation; Tit. ii, 11-14; and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 1 Peter i, 18.-He hath redeemed us unto God, that we might become servants to God, Rev. v, 9; see 1 Peter iv, 1,2; might have our fruit unto holiness, Rom. vi, 22 ; and live unto righteousness; 1 Peter ii, 24; that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us; Rom. viii, 3, x, 4; that the Lord God might dwell amongst us, Psalm lxviii, 18; and that we might live to him, 2 Cor. v, 14, 15; Rom. xiv, 9; Heb. v, 9; and set forth his praise and glory. 1 Pet. ii, 9; 1 Cor. vi, 30.-Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. 2 Cor. v, 17. TENET II. Upon the consideration of his blood, as shed, he decreed that all those who should believe in that Redeemer, and persevere in that faith, should, through mercy and grace, by him be made partakers of salvation; but such as would not believe in him, but die in infidelity, should therefore be punished with eternal death; reprobation being decreed upon precedent infidelity and dying therein. PROOFS OUT OF SCRIPTURE. Upon the consideration of his blood as shed." The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Rev. xiii, 8.-Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth. Isa. xlii, 1; see 1 Peter i, 20.-Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Isa. xlix, 3.-According to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. 2 Tim. i, 9. "Who should believe in that Redeemer." That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. John iii, 14—16, 36.— And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life. John vi, 40; see verses 47, 54, 58.-I live by the faith of the Son of God. Gal, ii, 20.-Whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded. 1 Peter ii, 6, 7; see Rom. ix, 30, 33.-He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved. Mark xvi, 16.—Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. I Peteri, 2,5. Now the just shall live by faith. Heb. x, 38.-Thou standest by faith. Rom. xi, 20.--Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, &c. Rom. iv, 16.-The Saviour of them that believe. 1 Tim. iv, 10.-Verily, verily I say unto you, He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation ; but is passed from death unto life. John v, 24.-These things have I written unto you that believe, that ye may know that ye have eternal life. 1 John iv, 13. We believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved. Acts xv, 11. "And persevere in that faith, should be made partakers of salva tion, &c. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing, &c. Rom. ii, 7.—But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Matt. xxiv, 13, 46; 1 Tim. ii, 15.— He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath the Father and the Son. 2 John 9.-If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you. 1 John ii, 24.—If ye continue in his goodness. Rom. xi, 22.—If ye continue in the faith, rooted and built up. Col. 1, 23; ii, 5-8.—If ye hold fast stedfastly unto the end. Heb. iii, 6, 12, 14.-If ye mortify the deeds of the body. Rom. viii, 13.-Cast not away your confidence. Heb. x, 35. to the end.-Hold fast till I come, that no man take thy crown. Rev. ii, 25; iii, 11.-Receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 Cor. vi, 1.-Beware lest, being led away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace. 2 Pet. iii 17, 18-Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Phil. ii, 12.—If a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully. If we deny him, he also will deny us. 2 Tim. ii, 5, 12.-To him that overcometh will I give of the hidden manna and grant to sit with me on my throne, and make him a pillar, and he shall not be hurt of the second death. Rev. ii, 11, 17, 26; iii, 12, 21.-Be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Rev. ii, 10.I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. 2 Tim. iv, 7, 8; see Job xxvii, 3-6; Luke viii, 15. "Such as would not believe, but die in infidelity, should therefore be punished with eternal death." He that believeth not, shall be damned. Mark xvi, 16.-He that believeth not is condemned already, the wrath of God abideth on him. John iii, 18, 36.Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. 2 John v, 9: see Isa. xxvii, 11.-Because of unbelief they were broken off. Rom. xi, 20.-For the wages of sin is death. Rom. vi, 23.-The wicked shall be turned into hell. Psalın ix, 17.-Upon the ungodly he shall rain snares, &c. Psalm xi, 6.-But the fearful and unbelieving and abominable &c., shall have their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. Rev. xxi, 8; xxii, 15.-Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Ephes. v, 5, 6.-Be not deceived,-the unrighteous shall not in herit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor. vi, 9, 10; see Gal. v, 19-21. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. Luke xiii, 3, 5.— This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light. John iii, 19.—The Lord shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance of them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thess. i, 7, 8; see Matt. xiii, 41, 42, 49, 50; xxv, 41, 42.-Wherefore if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out. Mark ix, 43-49. See Heb. xi, 6, xii, 14; Rev. xxi, 27; Ezek. xviii, 26; Matt. iii, 10, 12, v, 20. TENET III. And because sinful man could not possibly of himself, by his natural ability, believe in this Redeemer, and persevere in such faith, he decreed to afford man means sufficient and necessary, (as he saw befitting his own wisdom and justice,) for the working of faith and repentance, whereby man might be enabled to believe, or more and more prepared and in certain steps or degrees brought on at length to true faith. PROOFS OUT OF SCRIPTURE. "Sinful man could not of himself," &c.] Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? Matt. vi, 27.If I speak of strength, lo! he is strong. Job ix, 19, 20.—Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help. Hos. xiii, 9.— I,even I, am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour. Isa. xliii, 1; xlv, 21.—Trust in the Lord with all thy heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. Prov. iii, 5.-Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, but look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! Isa. v, 21; xxxi, 1. "Could not believe by his natural ability," &c.] Without strength. Rom. v, 6; viii, 3: see 2 Cor. iv, 6-Not that we are sufficient of ourselves. 2 Cor. iii, 5. See Rom. xi, 32; Gal. iii, 22; John iii, 3, 5.—Make the tree good, and (then) the fruit good. Matt. xii, 33, 35.—God giveth the increase. 1 Cor. iii, 4.-Unto you it is given. Phil. i, 29.-Whose heart the Lord opened. Acts xvi, 14. It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do. Phil. ii, 13; see Ezek. xxxvi, 22.-Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee. Matt. xvi, 17.-Every good gift is from above, &c. James i, 17.-Except the Father draw him. John vi, 44, 65.-Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Matt. xi, 27.-Without me ye can do nothing. John xv, 5.-No man can say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. xii, 3.-For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Eph. ii, 8; see Rom. iv, 16; v, 15, &c.; vi, 23. By the grace of God I am what I am. 1 Cor. xv, 10; Gal. ii, 20.-Who have obtained like precious faith with us, according as his Divine Power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. 2 Peter i, 1, 3; Eph. iii, 14, &c., vi, 23.— Grace and peace from God the Father, &c. Rev. i, 4-He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 1 Cor. i, 3; see Rom. i, 8; 1 Peter i, 3. "And could not persevere in such faith," &c. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John xv, 5.-Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Heb. xii, 2.-Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. 2 Thess. ii, 16, 17.-The God of all grace make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Pet. v, 10.-See Ephes. iii, 14, &c.; Phil. i, 6; Heb. xiii, 20. "He decreed to afford man means sufficient and necessary." He that spared not his own Son-how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Rom. viii, 32. *-He hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ. Ephes. i, 3.—That thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house. I will give thee for a covenant to the people. Isai. xlix, 6, 8, 9; xlii, 7.—To perform the promise-that he would grant unto us [a power] that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life. Luke i, 72–76.—His Divine Power hath given unto us all things, that pertain to life and godliness. 2 Pet. i, 3.He gave unto them his talents. Matt. xxv, 14, 15, 27, 29.— To you it is given to know. Matt. xiii, 11, 12.-The promise is to you and your children. Acts ii, 4, 5, 39, 41.-The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Luke x, 9.—I was made manifest to them that enquired not after me. Isai. lxv, 1; Rom. x, 20. -For the grace of God that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared:-the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which is shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Tit. ii, 11, 12; iii, 5, 6. †-Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law but under grace. Rom. vi, 14.-To him that hath shall be given. Mark iv, 23, 25; Luke viii, 18.—If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine. John vii, 17.-He will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask and obey him. Luke xi, 13; Acts v, 32.-What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Isai. v, 4. See Rom. x, 14, &c.; 2 Tim. i, 9 10; Isaiah lix, 21. + See Heb. iv, 12; 1 Cor. xiv, 24, 25; James i, 18; 1 Cor. iv, 15. -Wherefore, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Heb. xii, 28. TENET IV. Whence ariseth the last decree, concerning the salvation of this or that man in particular, who by these means should be brought unto faith and persevere therein; this being the condition required in every one that is to be elected unto eternal life, and the consideration of this or that man in particular who should die in unbelief. PROOFS OUT OF SCRIPTURE. "The condition required in every one that is to be elected unto eternal life." Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith? James ii, 5.-God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, &c. 2 Thess. ii, 13, 14.-Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. i, 2. *-Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate. Rom. viii, 29.-If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel of mercy unto honour, &c. Rom. ix, 32; with Tim. ii, 21.-See Psalm iv, 3, and ciii, 17, 18; Rom. x, 10, 11; and all those texts cited above under these heads, "Who should believe (page 97) and persevere (page 98). Who have not bowed the knee unto Baal. See Rom. xi, 4, 5. "And the consideration of this or that man, who should die in unbelief." Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. Exod. xxxii, 33.-As truly as I live, saith the Lord, because all those men which have seen my glory and my miracles, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice, surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it. And ye shall know my breach of promise. Numb. xiv, 21—35. †-And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see, that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Heb. iii, 18, 19.-Now these things happened unto them for [types, or ensamples unto us. 1 Cor. x, 6, 11.-Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural * Mark xiii, 20. + The very form of actual Reprobation. the application Heb. iv, 11. + See |
