Harmony between our Church and the Author above mention'd.

In

Reprobatio, quæ etiam Abjectio dicitur, defcriptio ad damnationem, & conftitutio ad iram.

XI. Illam autem ex lege contrariorum definimus Decretum iræ feu feveræ voluntatis Dei, qua ab æterno ftatuit infideles, qui culpa fua & jufto Dei judicio credituri non funt, ut extra unionem Chrifti pofitos, condemnare ad mortem æternam, declarandam iram & porentiam fuam.

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XII Quanquam fide in fefum Chriftum peccatorum omnium remifio impetretur, & peccata non imputentur credentibus: tamen Reprobi non tantum infidelitatis, per cujus contrarium poterant evadere pœnam reliquis peccatis commeritam, fed etiam peccatorum adverfus legem perpetratorum pœnam pendent exitii æterni a facie Domini & potente gloria ipfius.

XIII. Utrique huic Decreto, tum Prædeftinationis, tum Reprobationis, fua fubjungitur exequutio, cujus actus eo ordine peraguntur, quo in decreto ipfo & a decreto funt ordinati: objectaque tum decreti tum exequutionis funt eadem prorfus uniformia, five eadem ratione formali veftita.

XIV. Hujus doctrinæ ita ex Scripturis traditæ magnus eft ufus. Servit enim gloriæ gratiæ Dei adftruendæ, afflictis confcientiis folandis, impiis percellendis, & fecuritati illorum excutienda. Adftruit aurem gratiam Dei, cum totam laudem Vocationis, Juftificationis, Adoptionis & Glorificationis noftræ folius Dei mifericordiæ tranfcribit, ademptam viribus, operibus & meritis noftris. Confolatur confcientias cum tentatione lu&tantes, quando illas de gratiofa Dei in Chrifto ab æterno ipfis decreta, & in tempore præftita, æternumque duratura benevolentia, certiores reddit, eamque non ex operibus, fed ex vocante firmam oftendit. Valet ad terrendos impios, quia docet irrevocabile effe Decretum Dei de infidelibus, & qui veritati non obtemperant, obediunt autem mendacio, æterno exitio adjudicandis.

XV. Et propterea non modo intra privatos parietes & in fcholis, fed etiam in cœtibus Sanctorum in Ecclefia Dei fonare debet hæc doctrina: hac tamen cautione obfervata, ut extra Scripturas nihil de illa doceatur, modo Scripturis ufitato proponatur, & ad eundem finem, quem Scriptura illam tradens propofitum habet, referatur; quod nos feciffe cum bono Deo

arbitra

In fhort, the Cafe ftands thus. The Patrons of abfolute Predestination, and the Patrons of conditionate Predeftination, do jointly affert, that there is a Predeftination to Life, and that the faid Predeftination to Life is the everlasting Purpofe of God, whereby (before the Foundations of the World were laid) be bas conftantly decreed by his Counsel, fecret to us, to deliver from Curfe and Damnation those whom he has chofen in Chrift out of Mankind, and to bring them by Chrift to everlasting Salvation, as Veffels made to Honor. They are alfo agreed, that they who be endued with fo excellent a Benefit of God (that is, they who are predeftinated) be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due feafon: they thro' grace obey the calling: they be justified freely: they be made fons of God by adoption: they be made like the Image of his only begotten Son Jefus Chrift: they walk religiously in good works, and at length by God's mercy they attain to everlasting felicity. Thus far, I fay, both Parties are agreed. But wherein then do they differ? Why, 1. Concer ning the Ground of this Predeftination, viz. Whether those Perfons whom God has chofen in Christ out of Mankind, and whom by his everlasting Purpofe, before the Foundations of the World were laid, he has conftantly decreed by his Counfel, fecret to us, to deliver from Curfe and Damnation, and bring them by Chrift to everlasting Salvation, as Veffels made to Honor; were therefore fo elected and predeftinated, because God forefaw H 2 their

arbitramur, cui fit gloria in Ecclefia per Chriftum Jefum in omnes ætates feculi feculorum, Amen. Difp. 15. p. 283, 284, 285. See alfo Difp. 40, 41, 42, 43. P. 389 - 394. which are too long to be inferted: nor could I have prevail'd upon my felf to infert So much as i have done already, were it not to convince the most otfinate by producing such full and plain Testimonies.

their Obedience, that is (as we ufually fpeak) propter fidem prævifam, or no; 2. (as the Confequence of the former) Whether none be called according to God's Purpose by his Spirit working in due feafon, but fuch as through Grace obey the Calling, are juftified freely, &c. and whether all that did for a while obey the Calling, and were juftified freely, and made God's Sons by Adoption, and made like the Image of Chrift, and walked religiously in good Works; whether all these, I fay, muft neceffarily perfevere, fo as at length by God's Mercy to attain to everlasting Felicity. These are the Points, about which the Patrons of abfolute Predeftination, and the Patrons of conditionate Predeftination, do conftantly and widely differ.

Now with respect to the first Point in difpute, the Patrons of conditionate Predestination affirm, that the Elect were predeftinated, because God forefaw their Obedience, that is, propter fidem prævifam: whereas the Patrons of abfolute Predeftination utterly deny this, and affirm, that the Elect were Predeftinated (whether in the Supralapfariant or Sublapfarian Way, it matters not at prefent) by virtue of an abfolute Decree, without any regard to that foreseen Faith and Practice, which the others affirm to be the only Ground of Difference between those that are predeftinated to Life, and thofe that are reprobated or predeftinated to eternal Death or Damnation. And with respect to the fecond Point in difpute, the Patrons of abfolute Predeftination maintain, that none are called according to God's Purpose by his Spirit working in due feason, but fuch as thro' Grace obey the Čalling, and are juftified freely, and are made Sons of God by Adoption, and are made like the Image of his only begotten Son Jefus Chrift, and walk re

ligiously

ligiously in good Works, and at length by God's Mercy attain to everlasting Felicity: Whereas the Patrons of conditionate Predeftination maintain, that of those who were called according to God's Purpose by his Spirit working in due season, 1. Some might thro' their own Fault not at all obey that Calling, &c. 2. Others, tho' they did obey the Calling for a while, and were accordingly during that Space juftified freely, and made God's Sons by Adoption, and made like the Image of Christ, and walked religiously in good Works; yet might thro' their own Fault afterwards fall from Grace; and that both these Sorts, thofe that never obeyed at all, and thofe that after an Obedience for fome time did again return to their Impiety, and perfift in it, do not at length attain to everlafting Felicity.

Now let any Man seriously confider this, which is the true State of the Controversy between the respective Patrons of abfolute and conditionate Predeftination; and then I challenge him to find me any one Syllable in the First Paragraph of this Article, that favors abfolute Predeftination in Oppofition to that which is conditionate,

As for the Second and Third Paragraphs, that nothing therein contained does contradict the Doctrin of the Patrons of conditionate Predeftination, is fo evident, that it needs no Proof. Or if it does, I once more refer the Reader to Mr. Plaifere,

After fo much has been already faid, perhaps it may not be strictly neceffary; however, I ftill think it advisable to refolve this Article into its several Propofitions. It contains Six.

1. Predeftination to Life is the everlasting Purpofe of God, whereby (before the Foundati

H 3

ons

ons of the World were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his Counfel, fecret to us, to deliver from Curfe and Damnation those whom he hath chofen in Chrift out of Mankind, and to bring them by Chrift to everlasting Salvation, as Veffels made to Honor. 2. They which be endued with fo excellent a Benefit of God (that is, those who are predeftinated to Life) be called according to God's Purpose by his Spirit working in due feafon: they thro' Grace obey the Calling: they be juftified freely they be made Sons of God by Adoption: they be made like the Image of his only begotten Son Jefus Chrift: they walk religioufly in good Works, and at length by God's Mercy they attain to everlasting Felicity.

3. The godly Confideration of Predeftination and our Election in Chrift, is full of sweet, pleasant and unfpeakable Comfort to godly Perfons, and fuch as feel in themselves the Working of the Spirit of Chrift, mortifying the Works of the Flesh, and their earthly Members, and drawing up their Mind to high and heavenly things; as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their Faith of eternal Salvation, to be enjoyed thro' Chrift, as because it doth fervently kindle their Love towards God.

4. For curious and carnal Perfons, lacking the Spirit of Chrift, to have continually before their Eyes the Sentence of God's Predeftination, is a most dangerous Downfal, whereby the Devil doth thruft them either into Defperation, or into Wretchlefnefs of moft un

clean