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THE DOCTRINE OF Absolute REPROBATION, According to the WESTMINSTER Confession of Faith, Refuted: And the UNIVERSALITY of the Saving Grace of God asserted.

By BENJAMIN EASTBURN.

To which is added, A POSTSCRIPT by another Hand, wherein those several Texts of Scrip­ture generally perverted, to vindicate the aforesaid Doctrine of Reprobation, are set in a true Light.

PHILADELPHIA. Printed and sold by Samuel Keimer, in High-street. 1723.

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THE DOCTRINE OF Absolute REPROBATION REFUTED.

SEEING there is a Sect of Men, which (I charitably hope) for Want of duly reflecting upon, judiciously weighing, and reve­rently considering the injurious Conse­quences and absurd Inferences of the Doctrine of absolute Reprobation, accord­ing to the Westminster Confession of Faith, hath entertained the same for Truth, which implies thus much, viz. ‘That God by an eternal and immutable Decree, hath predestinated to eternal Damna­tion the far greater Part of Mankind, not considered as made, much less as [Page 4] fallen, without any Respect had to their Disobedience or Sin, but only for the demonstrating the Glory of his Ju­stice; and for the bringing this about, he hath appointed these miserable Souls necessarily to walk in their wick­ed Ways, that so his Justice may lay hold on them; and that God doth therefore not only suffer them to be liable to this Misery in many Parts of the World, by with-holding from them the, preaching of the Gospel, and Knowledge of Christ, but even in those Places where the Gospel is preached, and Salvation by Christ, is offered; whom, tho' he publickly invite them, yet he justly condemns for Disobedi­ence, albeit he hath with-held from them all Grace, by which they could have laid hold on the Gospel, viz. Because he hath by a secret Will un­known to all Men, ordain'd and de­cr [...]ed, (without any Respect had to their Disobedience or Sin) that they shall not obey, and that the Offer of the Gospel shall never prove affectual [Page 5] for their Salvation, but only serve to aggravate and occasion their greater Condemnation.’ The which Doctrine, when I had seriously pondered, and in the Fear of the Lord solidly weighed and considered it: understanding it to be received for Truth, and boldly promul­gated by the Preslyterious, in this Pro­vince of Pennsylvania, as also by the Bap­tists in a Catechism printed in Philadel­phia; which briefly comprehends the whole, viz. ‘That God for a Purpose of his own Glory, hath fore-ordain­ed whatsoever comes to pass;’ I found it incumbent open me to reply to it, both as it is inconsistent with the Truth, and derogatory to the Justice and Mercy of God: As also, if any simple Hearts have received Hurt by it, they may be undeceived.

Something of this Kind has indeed of late been pa [...]singly touched upon, but (in my Opinion) considering the Tendency and Import of that Doctrine, it is there­in too easily passed over; and the Absur­dity and Injuriousness thereof not rendred [Page 6] obvious enough, or at least not so [...]ully [...]llustrated as it might be, (and I hope profitably) to its poor deluded Believers. [...]t is an amazing Thing to think, how any Men that render to God the Epithets [...]f Just, Righteous, Merciful, Gracious, Long-suffering, Loving, Pitiful, Tender and True, could ever conceive an Opi­ [...]ion so blasphemous, so injurious, and [...]o opposite to them all; the natural Con­sequences of which are such as these that f [...]llow, viz.

First, It makes God the Author of Sin, which is of all Things the most disagree­able to his Nature; it being antipathe­ [...] to his Holiness and Righteousness. And that this is a natural Consequence of [...]his Doctrine, is easily proved. For if God (as the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chap. 3. saith) "has ordain'd such as are not elected, for Dishonour and Wrath, to the Praise of his glorious Ju­stice": And again, in the same Chapter, ‘Nothing future, or what was to come, [...] as foreseen by God, was the Cause [Page 7] of God's Decree:’ And if it be only of his own Pleasure that he hath so de­creed; and if to the End that his Justice may lay hold on them, he hath decreed long before they were in Being, or in a Capacity to do Good or Evil, that they should walk in those wicked Ways, by which Means they should justly be led to that End: Then, they in committing Sin and Wickedness, are fulfilling and ac­complishing the Will and Decree of God, which then he must be the Author of, seeing it is undeniable, that he is the Au­thor of all his own Decrees.

Secondly, It is injurious to God, in that it makes him a meer Hypocrite and Dis­sembler, (abfit Blasphemia) when he ut­ters his Mind in so many seeming seri­ous and strong Asseverations, Com­plaints, Commands, and compassionate Compellations; and makes him only to deceive People, and belie himself, when he says,

I have no Pleasure in the Death of [Page 8] him that dieth. Wherefore turn your selves and live.

As I live, I have no Pleasure in the Death of the wicked; but that the wic­ked turn from his Way and live: Turn ye, turn ye from your evil Ways, for why will ye die?

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye Ends of the Earth.

Behold my Servant; I have given him a Light to the Nations, to be my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth.

Hearken unto me, and let your Souls delight in Fatness; hear and your Souls shall live.

The Spirit and the Bride say, Come; and let him that is a thirst come; and whosoever will, let him come, and take of the Water of Life freely.

Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the Waters, and he that hath no Money, come; yea come, and buy Wine and Milk, without Money and without Price.

The Son of Man is come to seek out and to save that which is lost.

[Page 9]I am come, that they might have Life abundantly.

Ye will not come to me, that ye might have Life.

He hath laid Help upon one that is mighty, who is able to save to the utmost, all that come to God by him.

Him that cometh unto me, will I in no wise cast out.

In the Lord is Compassion, and with him is plenteous Redemption.

Let the wicked forsake his Way, and the unrighteous his Thoughts; and turn to the Lord, for he is gracious; and to our God, for he will abundant­ly pardon.

He is long suffering; not willing any should perish; but that all should come to Repentance.

Wills that all should be saved, and come to the Knowledge of the Truth.

His tender Mercies are over all his Works.

God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that who­soever [Page 10] believeth in him, may not pe­rish, but have everlasting Life.

For he sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World; but that the World through him might be saved.

He that believeth not, makes God a [...]iar, because he believeth not the Testimony God gives of his Son.

In him is Life, and his Life is the Light of Men: And the Light shineth in Darkness, but the Darkness com­prehends it not.

He came a Light into the World, but the World knew him not.

This is the true Light which en­lightens every Man that cometh into the World.

He would have all Men to come to the Knowledge of the Truth, and be saved.

Glory be to God on high, on Earth Peace, and Good Will towards Men,

Glad Tidings of great Joy, which shall be to ALL People.

[Page 11]He shall save his People from their Sins.

To you is born a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord, the one Mediator between God and Man,

JESUS who gave himself a Ran­som for ALL.

Who died for ALL and by the Grace of God tasted Death for every Man.

God commendeth his Love to us, in that when we were Sinners, Christ di­ed for us.

"Died for the ungodly.

"The Saviour of the World.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thee, as a Hen gathers her Chickens under her Wings, but thou wouldst not.

And the Wisdom of God cries out, How long ye Scorners, will ye de­light in Scorning, and simple ones love Simplicity, and Fools hate Knowledge?

Turn at my Reproof, I will pour out my Spirit upon you, make known my Words to you. Because I call, [Page 12] and ye refuse; and stretch out my Hands to a rebellious and gainsaying People; and no Man regardeth; but ye set at nought all my Counsel, and will none of my Reproofs; I also will laugh at your Calamity, and mock when your Fear cometh; when your Fear cometh as Desolation, and your Destruction as a Whirlwind, when Distress and Anguish cometh upon you; because ye hated Know­ledge, and did not chuse the Fear of the Lord. For the turning away of the Simple slays him; but whoso heark­neth to me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from Fear of Evil.

And a Number more like to these, of solemn Compellations, Complaints, Counsels, Consolations, Compassions, Wishings and Wouldings, Adjurati­ons, Corrections, Condemnation, In­treaties, Threatnings, Perswasions, o­penly poured out to all Men; which yet according to the aforesaid Doctrine (tho' tendred by a true and merciful [Page 13] God) is only Deceit and Hypocrisy to Millions of miserable Sinners, to whom its never intended, that they ever must be shall come within the Bounds of so much as a Possibility of it; nor have to much as a Liberty allowed them to take or refuse, but be kept down under a cer­tain Necessity of perishing, contracted to them (as is supposed) from one sin­gle Sin of one whom they never chose to be their Proxy or Representative of their Persons to God; so as that they should live or die, as he should stand or fall; from whose Loins is derived ine­vitable Damnation upon all Individuals, that for Want of a sufficient Light and Grace vouchsafed them to lead out of it, to escape it, the most must necessarily, unavoidably, unalterably (as by God's particular private Decree, without Refe­rence to their final Rejection of God first) Sin from the Womb to the Tomb; that they may, by filling up their Mea­sure, become Vessels of Wrath sit so Destruction; and upon Account of the personal Decree still concerning them [Page 14] not so much as possibly escape the Con­demnation of Hell.

Thirdly, This makes God a most un­just and merciless Tyrant, like to, or worse than Pharaoh himself, whom he plagued for the self-same Cruelty and Tyranny; even a rigorous Requirer of Men, with many and sore Stripes, yea, on pain of his eternal Wrath and Vengeance, to make Bricks without any Allowance at all of Straw, fit for such a purpose; an austere Man, a hard Ma­ster, a tyrannical [...]ack-Master, (as the [...]ille unprofitable Servant falsly repre­sented him) that expects to reap where he never sowed, and to gather where he hath not strawed; that calls on Pe­ [...]l of for ever perishing, for a Crop of good Works, from those in whose [...]ts he never sowed the good Send o [...] [...] Word; Fruits of the Spirit, from [...] Souls into whom he never sent his Spirit; from whence only they can [...] up; and commandeth all Men e [...]ery where to repeat; and yet he [Page 15] knows, without him and his Grace, they can do nothing; all their Suffi­ciency to will and to do, must come from him; This is utterly contrary to the Wisdom of God in Scripture, which justifies him still, as accepting every Man according to what he hath, or hath had; not expecting (much less with Rigour exacting) of any Man ac­cording to what from him he neither hath, nor ever had; as requiring from Men no otherwise than according to what is committed to them, and re­quires no more of any Man than Im­provement of his own Money he com­mits to him to trade with; which Mo­ney, if every one put into the Bank, that the Lord at his coming may receive but his own with the Use thereof, and In­crease in the same Kind of Grace that he freely gives, he will never enter into Judgment with them to Condemnation.

Fourthly, It renders the Coming, Death and Suffering of Christ ineffec­tual▪ For if the far greater Part of [Page 16] Mankind be by an irrevocable Decree preordinated to eternal Damnation, without any Respect had to any fore­seen Sin to be committed in Time by them how can the Death and Suffering of Christ be to them beneficial, seeing they are not thereby put into a Capa­city of Salvation▪ Little Reason then had the Angel to sing (Gloria in excelsis) [...] to God on high, on the Earth Peace, and good Will to Men, or to say, I bring you good Tydings of great Joy, which shal [...] be to all People, if so great a Num­ber were excluded from any Share or Interest therein; this would make the Message of God by the Angel to all People to be a salacious Lie; seeing he neither intended ALL nor half of them to be in the least Measure benefitted by it; but rather to leave them in the more fore Condemnation. For, tho' he by his Son call and invite ALL, yet ALL can't come, nay not one, except God who calls give them his special, saving and electing Grace; and most, accord­ing to this Doctrine can never come, be­cause [Page 17] God never did [...] to vouchsafe it to the [...] hath a Reserve in hi [...] Min [...], [...] [...]tain secret Will within himself, not known to Man which runs otherwise [...] his revealed Will in the Holy Scripture does; even a secret Purpose (which yet, as se­cret as it is, it seems the Propogators of this Doctrine, as if they had been upon the secret Council of the Almighty, pretend to know it, and must be babling about it, to the shaming and contradic­ting themselves in the other) to give this Salvation but to a certain small Number, in Comparison of the rest, whom from Eternity he hath reprobated, and purposed personally upon Adam's Score shall go without it; which Sin of that single Person shall so remain on the Score with him for ever, that upon the Account thereof the greatest Part of Mankind, his Posterity, tho' yet he would (in Words) shew himself more rich in Mercy to them all, than severe, to take Advantage against any, so as [Page 18] to have it told thus in universal Terms, THAT HIS SON DIED FOR THEM ALL, for EVERY Man, the WHOLE World, &c.) should be left without any Interest or Share in it, or any Potential Title thereunto. And howbeit he will have them all called to come, and lay hold on it, and Promises of Life made to them on Condition they come, and believe in his Son, and his Love to them in him; yet, he so hates them (perso­nally) before ever born, or doing Good, or Evil, that they shall never from him be sufficiently impowered to come, or believe; nor by him be put into any Capacity to chuse the Life, tho' set before them, as well as the Death; with a CHUSE LIFE THAT YE MAY LIVE; but be left, for Want of a Will set at Liberty, under a Neces­sity of having the Evil, but cannot chuse the Good; and must therefore either chuse the Evil, or none: And yet if they do not chuse the Good too, that Ad­vantage shall be taken the more against [Page 19] them, to double Vengeance on their Heads, for that helpless, unavoidable Fault of refusing the Good; and a Quar­rel pick'd against them (upon the Ac­count of the old intended Praeterition) and so double Execution be done upon them, now, as rebellious against the Gospel of God's Grace; whereby he would (in Words, alias seemingly, tho' secretly he never would, nor intended it) have saved them: And for not believing in his Son as theirs, when yet he left them locked up (when he call'd to them to believe,) so fast, that he knew they could not answer, and would not so much as unloose them neither, to see if they would accept his Love, believe, repent, and make Use of the Remedy, Yea or Nay; in whom also, if they had all believed, most of them had (as the Case stood) been deceived, and belie­ved but a Lie; a Matter that was no such Matter, viz. That Christ died for every Individual of them, if they would believe it; and so his Wrath shall abide on them the more heavily for ever; even [Page 20] because they believed not the Testimo­ny God gave by his Ministers, openly of his Son, that he died for them; whom yet he died not for, but only for a few Elect ones, according to this Doctrine; and so, whereas God says, He that believeth not the Testimony that God gives of his Son, (viz. that he gives eternal Life by him to every Man that believeth in him) makes God a Liar, if every Man should believe in him, (as they are all bid) and take the Testi­mony of the Life by him to themselves to be true: Either some must believe a Lie. (since he died not for every Man, but for some only, as they say) else their Testimony is a Lie, and they ALL lie, (which is indeed the Truth) who testify that God gave his Son intentionally but for a few, when God's own Testimony of him, is, That he gave him a Ransom for ALL.

Fifthly, It is injurious to Christ, in that it renders his Mediation ineffectual, and his Intercession vain: For, if by an [Page 21] eternal and immutable Decree a certain Number be p [...]de [...]ated to eternal Damnation, what can the Mediation and Intercession of Christ avast them, seeing the Decree is unalterable, and that they must necessarily Sin, and therefore pe­rish? How consistent this is with the Testimony of the Apostle [...], let the Reader judge, viz. If my Man, [...]i [...] we have an A [...]v [...]te with the Father; Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the Pr [...]pi­tiation for our Sons, and not for ours on­ly, but also for the Sins of the whole World.

Sixthly, It renders the Preaching of the Gospel a meer Mock and Illusion: For if many of these to whom it is preached be by an irrevocable Decree excluded from being at all priviledged by it, it wholly makes useless the Preaching of Faith and Repentance; and the whole Tenor of the Gospel-Pro­mises and Threatnings, Wrestlings a­gainst Sin and Corruption, Fasting, Pray­er and Humiliation, and all other pious [Page 22] and religious Exercises whatsoever. For they that are under the Decree of Electi­on, can never miss of Salvation; let their Omissions o [...] Commissions be what they will; All Works to them are use­less; they need do nothing but wait for that irresistable Juncture which will come, tho' at the last Moment of their Lives: But if they are under the Decree of Reprobation, let their Labours be what they will, they must inevitably undergo eternal Damnation.

Seventhly, It is injurious to Mankind. For it puts them in a worse Condition than the Devils in Hell. For these were sometimes in a Capacity to have stood; and do only suffer for their own Guilt. But according to this damning and dam­nable Doctrine, Millions of Men suffer and are for ever tormented for Adam's Sin, which they were never accessary to, nor in a Capacity to prevent, nor ever knew of. This puts them into the Condition of a Man fa [...]t chain'd, and setter'd in a Dungeon; to whom when [Page 23] he is almost starved, one comes near to him with a Dish of Meat in his Left Hand, and a Club in his Right Hand; and standing aloof off from him, says, ‘;Why wilt thou starve, thou self-mur­dering Man? come to me, and here is Meat for thee; I am freely willing thou shouldst have it, and not perish, (never coming near to loose him all this while, nor bringing the Meat within his Reach) but if thou wilt not come, I will b [...]t out thy Brains;’ and so be­cause he comes not, when yet he knows he cannot, he runs on him pretending to do just Vengeance on him, for his wil­ful refusing his own Help, when he might (alias never might) have had it; and like a mocking merciless Tyrant, beats out his Brains indeed: which is just the Measure God metes to Men, according to this blasphemous Doctrine. For he that on Pain of Puni [...]hment, Death and Condemnation if the Terms be not per­formed, tenders Life and Salvation, on Terms and Conditions utterly impossible to be, or ever to have been performed, [Page 24] by the Person to whom the Tender is, unless a Grace be given him, which ne­ver shall be, is an arrant Hypocrite, and a merciless Tyrant. And such an one this Doctrine makes God; who yet is no such, (but that it belies him) but just, righteous, merciful, gracious, com­passionate, long-suffering, pitiful, tender and true; and no Mocker of poor Man­kind, but truly means and intends as he says, and doth not unjustly and unmer­cifully tyrannize over them.

Eighthly, It makes the Publishers of the Gospel to be meet mock Ministers, not worthy of hearing, (seeing they cannot profit the Hearers) much less of feeding, and so richly rewarding; yea, such as thereby make themselves the most hateful Extortioners; and might be ashamed to force Maintenance from Men, for running on such a sleeveless Errand as this is to all Men; for if this Doctrine be true, the Elect shall be sa­ved without either their Preaching, or any Endeavours of their own▪ But the [Page 25] Reprobated shall never be benefited by either, and the Ministry is then fruit less; and the Priests Trade utterly vain: But yet, such is the Force and Strength of Truth, that it compelleth them, to call ALL to come to Christ for Salvation; and to believe it every Man for himself, that Christ died for him, is tendred truly and sincerely from God to him: And in particular, each is to believe him as his Lord and Saviour, or perish: And that he is now freely profered, and as truly and unfeignedly offered from God to him, as he did once offer himself to God for him, as his Ransom as well as for any: And that there is this good Ground for each particular Man to be­lieve it for himself, because without Ex­ception of any Sinner in the World, that does not exclude himself, by his not coming, are freely without Respect of Persons invited to come, and this Ground also, that as he is truly without Mockage, held out to ALL, and all bid to come, so God is willing they should come, and have the Salvation; and to [Page 26] that End hath sent his Son not to con­demn, but to save them; and his Son, his Ministers to entreat them to be wil­ling as he is, and reconciled to him, as he is to them; and they declare for him according to God's Words in the Scrip­ture, that he died for all and every Man; is a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World; and died for the ungodly, and came to save them, and heal the Sick, and seek the Lost, and such like; and therefore every Man may conclude it's for him as well as any other, that can say he is a Man lost, sick, sinful, un­godly, and of the World; and that God hath also wrought in them, of his own good Pleasure to will, and to do; and therefore now they must up and be do­ing; and work out their own Salvati­on, which if it be not wrought out, God hath done his Part; and the Fault is only in their own particular Persons; and God is no hard Master, but hath given to every one, one Talent at least, which if he hides, he will be cast into utter Darkness, and weep and gnash his [Page 27] Teeth at the Remembrance of it, that once he might have been happy, had he not been wanting to himself, and been an unprofitable Servant with what he had; and had not (in his own Per­son) still put the Salvation from him; and hated the Light and Instruction; And that God requires of Men but the Improvement of his own, and much more to this Purpose; which is all sound, true, plain, wholesome, saving Doctrine: And then to the ridiculizing, confounding and contradicting them­selves, belying the holy Scriptures, and blaspheming God, they come round a­gain with a new Tale, whereby all the good Grounds, before laid for every Man that is called thereto, to come and believe upon, are utterly razed and re­moved; and to tell them, tho' they are ALL called, and invited outwardly, yet the greatest Part, a Hundred to one, are by a Decree in God's secret Council, so secluded by Adam's Sin, that they can­not come, nor have any Right to Christ; he did not so much as die for them, but [Page 28] only for a few Elect ones; nor offer him­self a Ransom for the most, but a s [...]w, Tho' God indeed says, ALL, EVERY Man, Sinners, ungodly, the Lost, the whole World, &c. yet, by ALL, and such universal Terms, we must under­stand God and Christ meaning another Matter, far otherwise than they say. — O H [...]sphemous and damnable Doctrine! any Hand almost trembles to write it. Is not this Doctrine of Devils? And was the Devil himself to turn Preacher, could he ever publish any Doctrine, which if Men practised according to, would more surely secure them to his Kingdom; for if Men receive for Truth the aforesaid Doctrine, viz. That God hath so un­alterably decreed a certain small Num­ber for Election, and all the rest for Reprobation, without any Respect had to Good or Evil, to be by them com­mitted, in vain is all their working, waiting, striving, and Diligence: For, if they be elected, they cannot escape Damnation. Under which Delusion, all Men esteeming at vain and fruitless, [Page 29] might (in the Day of their Visitation) neglect to work out their own Salvati­on, till the Night overtake them, and they be indeed reprobated, and eternally excluded from any Part or Portion in the Kingdom of God.

Many are the Absurdities and Confu­sions that are concatenated to this dark, and Grace-darkning Doctrine: Which, what an incredible Kind of Creed; what a braky Mess of Belief, what a Laby­rinth of Lightness and Nonsense, what a Wilderness of wondrous Wisdom; what a blasphemous Heap of Confusion, these already adduced do render it, is evi­dent to every one, whose Eyes the God of this World hath not blinded, and who are not of the Mind of the unpro­fitable Servant; but that God is, in Deed and in Truth, just and merciful, and that he truly says, He wills not the Death of him that dies; but that his Destruction is of himself; and that he hath put all Mankind into a Capa­city of Salvation; and hath pre-ordain­ed none to Damnation; which is in­deed [Page 30] the Truth: And what I will abun­dantly prove by the following Argu­ments.

ARGUMENT I.

Those to whom God calleth to come to him, and be saved, he hath not pre-ordained to Damnation, but hath made Salvation possible to them. But,

He calls all, (even all the Ends of the Earth) to come to him and be sa­ved. Therefore,

He hath not pre-ordained any to Damnation, bat hath made Salvation possible to ALL. Again,

ARGUMENT II.

Those for whom Christ died and of­fered himself a Propitiatory Sacri­fice, are not pre-ordained to Dam­nation, but to them Salvation is possible. But,

[Page 31]Christ tasted Death for every Man; is in Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World. Therefore,

None are pre-ordained to Damnation, but Salvation is possible to every Man. Again,

ARGUMENT III.

Those wham Christ doth savingly en­lighten, to them Salvation is pos­sible, &c.

But Christ doth savingly enlighten every Man that cometh into the World. Therefore,

Saving Grace is not with-held from any; but Salvation is made possible, and offered to all. Again,

ARGUMENT IV.

Those to whom the saving Grace of God appeareth. Salvation is pos­sible, (seeing it is for that very Purpose that it appeareth to them.) But,

[Page 32]The saving Grace of God, or the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation, appeareth to all, and every of Men. Therefore,

Salvation is possible to all Men; and none are by a Predestination to Damna­tion under an Impossibility thereof. Again,

ARGUMENT V.

If the Commandments of God be not grievous, not impossible to be o­bey'd, God requires not that of Man, which he never will impower him to do, nor what is by him altogether impossible to be done. But,

God commands every Man, every where, to repent and believe in his Son, to the End that he may be saved. Therefore,

He hath not for Adam's Sin prede­stinated any to Damnation, but is wil­ling to save, and offers Salvation to ALL. Again,

[Page 33]
ARGUMENT VI.

For whomsoever it is lawful to pray, to them Salvation is possible. But,

It is [...]awful to pray for every indivi­dual Man in the whole World. There­fore.

Salvation is possible to every Man. Again,

ARGUMENT VII.

That which every Man is bound to believe, is true. But,

Every Man is bound to believe that God is merciful to him, (seeing his tender Mercies are over all his Works.) Therefore,

He cannot (if he be merciful and just to every Man, which is true for ever) have pre-ordained any Man to Damnation, for not doing of that which he never was, nor will be, capacitated by him to do. Again,

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ARGUMENT VIII.

If God did not give to ALL Men, at one Time or other, such Grace, Liberty, Light and Power, as is sufficient to bring them to Life, if they will chuse the Life, and well improve the Light and Pow­er, to the working one their own Salvation, when he bids them, by it; Then God could not to ALL Men tender Life by his Ministers; nor say, Work out your own Salva­tion; Chuse Life that ye may live; else ye shall perish; My Soul shall chuse your Destruction, &c. without mocking Men in their Misery, be­fore that Time, wherein he says, He will only, and may justly mock at their Calamity; (which is only when they have filled up their Measure of Scorning at him, set at nought all his Counsel, and utterly rejected his Reproof, Prov. [Page 35] 1.) nay, nor yet without horrible Cruelty, Absurdity, and Nonsense, say, Behold I have set Life and Death before you; chuse which of these two you will; and yet leave them under a Necessity of taking the worst, and put them into no Possibility of taking the other, but rather lay it utterly out of their Reach, so that they must either have the worst, or none such Choice, (as the Proverb is) is no other than Hebson's Choice, which is, Chuse whether thou wilt, Have this, or none. But,

It is certain, God speaks after no such horribly cruel, absurd, nonsensical Manner, but truly and sincerely means as he says. Therefore,

God hath undoubtedly vouchsafed a measure of his saving Grace and Power to every Man, sufficient to lead him to Life, if he will use, improve, fol­low and obey it. Again,

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ARGUMENT IX.

If Christ the Saviour, and Salvation of God it self be a common Salva­tion given in common to all and every Man without Exception, so that all who will, may have it; Then that sufficient saving Light that lea [...]s to it and the Gift of that Grace of God, that puts them in­to a [...]l [...]er and [...]ossibility to work it out, to themselves, brings it to them; and being not neglected, but improved, brings them to it, is given also in common to all, and e [...]ery Man, else it cannot be said properly, that they are in posse to it; or so much as that they may have it. But,

The Sa [...]vation of God is given in common to ALL, and every Man: so that all were will, may have it. There­fore.

None are excluded from the Offer of Life and Sa [...]ation; but ALL may lay hold of the Means that God freely [Page 37] and sincerely renders to them; and there­by (if the Fault be not their own) obtain Salvation.

ARGUMENT X.

If God had predestinated a certain Number to eternal Damnation; and to the End that his Justice may lay hold on them, appointed them necessarily to walk in their wicked Ways; Then he could not truly and honestly say, without a Lie, (which Blasphemy, far be it from us to believe) that his Ways are equal, and that he had rather the Wicked turn from his Wicked­ness, and live; than die in it and for it. But,

God's Ways are equal; and he had rather the Wicked return from his Wick­edness and live, than die in it, and for it. Therefore,

He hath not (to the End that Justice may lay hold on them) fore-ordained any necessarily to walk in their wicked [Page 33] Ways, but wills (and to that End has impower'd) ALL to return therefrom, that they may obtain Salvation. Again,

ARGUMENT XI.

If the Son shall not bear the Father's Iniquity; then the Son's Offspring of Adam are not predestinated to eternal Misery for Adam's Trans­gression. But,

The Son shall not beat the Father's Iniquity; but the Soul (only) that sin­neth shall die.

Thus Reader, thou seed this horrid, blasphemous Doctrine, according to the Pr [...]sbyterian and Westminster Confession of [...]aith, and the Baptists Catechism solidly refu [...]ed by Scripture-Testimony, and the Universality of the saving Grace of God substantially and plentifully pro­ved, by the reverenced Authority of sacred Writ; which were this Doctrine of the Presbyterians and particular Bap­tists true, would be rendred but a meer Complex of Lies; and God be made [Page 39] the Author of all the Devil's Works; and Mankind be put into an inexpressi­bly worse Condition than the Beasts of the Field, which, far be it from us to believe; but that God is holy, just merciful and righteous, &c. and that the holy Scriptures contain no such Deceit or Hypocrisies, but precious and unfeigned Truths; and that Men have truly and sincerely Life and Death set before them, and that if they perish, their Destruction is of themselves. God hath done his Part, and their Blood is upon their own Heads; and that God is clear thereof, and just for ever; to whom with the Son and holy Spirit, be all Glory for ever. Amen.

[Page 41]

A POSTSCRIPT. By ANOTHER HAND,

HAVING perused the fore­g [...]ing Confutation of that dan­gerous, destructive, and Soul destroying Principle, and Doctrine of Personal and particular Election and Reprobation, fairly deduced from holy Scripture and right Reason,

A Concern came upon me, in Chri­stian Love to the honest-hearted of the Presbyterian Way, to shew unto them, how their Teachers have misled them, and misrepresented the Words of God, in their pretending to prove that mise­rable [Page 42] Doctrine; and wresting the Scrip­tures to their own (and others) Destruc­tion.

The Texts of Scripture, whereby they vainly endeavour to defend, and whereupon they chiefly sound their evil Tenet, are such as these, viz.

First, Concerning Jacob and Esau, Rom. 9.13. Mal. 1.2, 3.

Secondly, Concerning the Lord's hard­ning Pharaoh's H [...]t, Exod. 9.10, Rom. 9.17.

Thirdly, He that made them, will not have Mercy on them, and he that formed them, will shew them no Favour, Isa. 27, 11.

Fourthly, Hath not the Potter Power over the Clay, of the same Lump to make one Vess [...]l [...] Honour, and another unto Dishonour; ser 18 [...]. Rom. 9. [...]1.

[Page 43] Fifthl [...], Therefore he hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and whom he will be hardeveth, Rom. 9.18.

As to the first of these, relating to Jacob and Esa [...], the Case is thus, the Almighty shewed Rebbecc [...], the Mother of them both, while the Children were yet unborn, that the Elder should serve the Younger, (Gen. 25.23. Rom. 9.12.) not that the Elder should be damned to Eternity, and the Younger only sa­ved; as 'tis hoped will appear plain and clear from the Sequel; and the contra­ry plainly proved, both from Scripture and right Reason.

1. then, These Two were the Sons of godly Isaac, to whom with Abraham, was the Promise of God, and to their Seed, (Gen. 22.17, 18.) and both Ja­cob and Esau were blessed in Faith too: For says the Author to the Hebrews (a very good Author, whom some think to have been the Apostle Paul) Isaac blest [Page 44] Jacob and Esau, by Faith, (Heb. 11.20.) when he was illustrating the invincible Power of Faith, by the many mighty Works that were done thereby. And doubtless, the Faith there spoken of, was true Faith. And whatever is done In, By or Thro' true Faith, will most certainly come to pass; as, (and which will be evident by what follows,) this great and significant Blessing of good old Isaac to his Sons, did. The good old Man calls his eldest Son to him, be­ing disposed to bless him, and bids him seek Venison, and make him savoury Meat, Gen. 27.3, 4. (such as he knew his Father loved) that my Soul may bless thee before I die (says he;) and Re [...]c­ca their Mother knowing, from what God had shewed her, that the Elder should serve the younger, (Chap. 25.28.) for whom she had tho the greatest Love, s [...]e calls Jacob, and opens the Matter to him, and bids him get sa­voury Meat for his Father, (Chap. 27, 1 [...]. 1 [...], 18.) which thro' her Importunity he did, and got it prepared, and brought [Page 45] it to his Father, before his Brother came. And his Father blessed him in Faith, ver. 28. but he did it against his natural Inclination; for he would have had his Son Esau to have had the Bles­sing of Preference, (ver. 24, 25.) be­cause he was eldest Son: and by Nature it was his Birthright; but by Grace it was ordered otherwise. He in his pro­fane State and Condition despised and sold it for a thing of little Value, to his Brother Jacob; so that Jacob had it on a double Account, both by Purchase and Promise: By Promise of God, before he was born; and by Purchase of his Brother, after. But, pray observe, That was the [...]le [...]sing of PREFERENCE, the Blessing which Esau sought with Tears, but could not find it, (which was not the Divine Blessing, for he had that pronounced to him by his Father, thro' Faith, Chap. 27.39.) for he was now in a profane Spirit, (Heb. 12.16.) and in Enmity and Malice against his plain, honest Brother Jacob, as appears by that murthering, persecuting Mind [Page 46] that then was in him; for says he, The Days of Me [...]rring will come for my Fa­ther Isaac, and then I will kill my Brother Jacob. Gen. 2 [...].41. Well might God hate such a profane Wretch, that instead of mourning for the Loss of a pious Father, was for killing his Brother, who, (tho' a plain Man) a much better than himself. But then, as his Wickedness was great, so his Conversion must needs be glorious. It would be well if all murdering Persecutors would (in this) take him for an Example; for in­stead of killing his Brother Jacob, when he met him in his Return to his Father's House, (from whence he had fled from Esau,) he fell on his Neck, and kissed him, and wept, Gen. 33.4.

It's hoped, no Christian Ear will be offended to hear of the Conversion and great Change of this profane Person, who, tho' he was nor favoured with the Blessing of Preference, or the natural Blessing of Birthright, which he sought with Tears, but could not find, Gen. [Page 47] 2 [...].38. yet the Blessing of Grace he had, being the free Gift of God to him, Heb. 12.17. and pronounced by Faith to him, as saith the Apostle, in the forecited Epistle to the Hebrews; which Blessing was, by their Father Isaac, thus expressed to each of them; First to Ja­cob, (that the Purpose of God according to Choice or Election might stand, Rom. 9.11, 12. which Choice or Election, before they were born, or had done Good or Evil, was, that the Elder should serve the Younger, or the Younger be preferr'd before the Elder, not one dam­ned, and the other saved. Here's no Damnation to Eternity that we read of concerning Esau, but a Blessing of a quite different Nature. To Jacob, he pronounces thus; God give thee of the Dew of Heaven, and the Fatness of the Earth. Be Lord over thy Brother, and let thy Mother's Son bow down to thee, &c. Gen. 27.28, 29. And to Esau he says, (exceedingly trembling, thro' the Power of Faith, (ver. 33.) [...] Hand of God being upon him) [...] [...] ­ling [Page 48] shall be of the Fatness of the Earth, and the Dew of Heaven from above; and by thy Sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy Brother. And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt have the Domini­on, [which Dominion is in Christ,] that thou shalt break his Yoke from off thy Neck, ver. 39.40.

These Blessings have not only Res­pect to their own proper Persons, but also to their Posterity; far from pre-ordaining them, or any of them to Damnation. And we have good Ground to believe, (from what is abovesaid, to­gether with the Reformation afterwards wrought in Esau himself) much better Things of him, as it is written, At what Time soever a wicked Man turneth from his Wickedness, the Wickedness which he hath committed, shall be remembred no more, Ezek 18.27. so, When a righ­teous Man turneth away from his Righ­teousness, and committeth Iniquity, and dieth in them, for his Iniquity which he hath done, shall he die, ver. 26.

[Page 49]Having thus far taken Notice of the Purport of the Blessings of Jacob and Esau, relating to their Persons, who were both blessed with the Dew of Hea­ven and the Fatness of the Earth, I make this Remark, None can curse him or them whom God hath blessed. And whereas the Apostle saith, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated, (Rom. 9.13) this was not said of them before they were born, or had done either Good or Evil, (but pointed to the Elder's ser­ving the Younger, therefore it is wrest­ing the Scripture to infer he loved one and hated the other before they were born) but many Years after, Mal. 1.2, 3. relating to the Ways they had walk­ed in, and to their Posterity, as they followed the Steps of their Predecessors; the Posterity of the one professing the true God; and the other walking in the Way of the Gentiles. God loves Righteousness, and hates Iniquity; and for so doing, CHRIST our Lord was anointed with the Oil of Joy and Gladness [Page 50] above his Fellows, or Followers, Heb. 1.8.9.

And so, next we n [...] [...] note, how it came to pass, that Isaac's Prophecy was full lied on the Children of Jacob and Esau. Jacob has allotted to him, and his Seed, the Dew of Heaven first, and the [...]t [...]ess of the Earth afterwards, Gen. 2 [...].28, 29. but Esau the Fatness of the Earth first, and the Dew of Heaven last, ve [...]. 39, 40. This is worth our while to take some special Notice of, because it seems to predict the Conversion of the Gentiles, and breaking of the Yoke of the Ceremonial, or Shadowy Part of the Law. Now the Lord and his Divine Goodness was with Jacob, and his Seed; and powerfully wrought for them, in bringing them out of E­gypt, and thro' the Red-Sea, and feed­ing of them with Angel's Food, or with Manna from Heaven, Exod. 14.21. du­ring all which Time, they had but little of the Fatness of the Earth, but the mighty God of Jacob was wonderfully with them. While on the other Hand, [Page 51] Esau was rich and flourishing, and had (as his Father predicted) the Fatness of the Earth, in great Plenty; having di­vers Kingdoms, and many Dukedoms, Gen. 36. about thirteen Kings, and thir­ty odd Dukes; but we read nothing of their Righteousness, or true worshipping of the God of good Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; so that they had the Fatness of the Earth, and seem to have prized it above the Dew of Heaven, which Jacob had first: But that Expression is of great Signification to the Heathen Gentiles, that were of the Stock of Esau, and points to the Gospel-Day, and Coming of Christ, viz. When thou shalt have the Dominion, thou [...] break his Yoke from off thy Neck, Gen. 27.40. which shews forth the Power of the Gos­pel, and Dominion of Christ, and [...]on­version of the Gentiles; for Esau's S [...]ock according to the Flesh, is some Part of the Gentiles, as the Jews are of Jacob's. And now is Salvation offered freely thro' Christ to those Gentiles, that are of the Stock of Esau, and to all others, [Page 52] both Jews and Gentiles, that truly be­lieve in him, Acts 10.34, 35. through­out all Nations; which caused the Angel to sing, Glory to God on high, Peace on Earth▪ and good Will towards Men, Luke 2.14. Happy would it be if Men had good Will one towards another, then would they joyn in the High Praises of God, in and thro' the blessed Visita­tion of his dear Son. And now is the latter Part of that Blessing to Jacob ful­filling, viz. the Enjoyment of the Fat­ness of the Earth; for the Jews are gene­rally a rich People, and have great A­bundance of the Fatness of the Earth; as is evident in all Parts where they are allowed to live and traffick. But the Dew of Heaven, the immediate Power and Manifestation of the Presence of God, is much lost as to them, which we have Cause to believe, is for the Hard­ness of their Hearts, and Unbelief in Christ the Lord, Heb. 11.20. So that the Blessing of Faith by Isaac to his two Sons, and their Posterity, is come to pass, as may plainly be seen with an [Page 53] Eye of Faith; the which, may our good and gracious Lord open more and more in the Hearts of all People. And may every one that seeth this, truly lay, A­men, even so come holy Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Furthermore, these dark Divines, the Propagators of the aforesaid Doctrine would also grant, if they would once come to the Light of Christ that they might see, that 'tis one Thing to be denominated afore-hand by God (who foreseeing future Events, oft calls those Things which are not, as if they were) loved or hated respectively; before ei­ther Good or Evil be actually done, or the Doers born, with Reference to the Good and Evil he foresaw would be done in Time; and another to be absolutely and actually loved and hated, not on­ly without any Reference or Respect to Good and Evil foreseen that it would be done: But also before the Subjects and Doers thereof are as yet in so much as any actual Being: And that these [Page 54] two Persons were Types of the two See [...]s; that (and not Persons, but so) as they are Children of the one or the other, are the only, absolute, everlast­ing, unchangeable Subjects of God's peremptory, unalterable and eternal Decrees of Election and Reprobation, viz. the Seed of the Woman and that of the Serpent; which, the Seed of the Righteous who are ever blessed, and the S [...]ed of evil Doers who are never to be renowned, are respectively born of, and adhering to. And tho' they will needs misunderstand it as spoken of those Per­sons only, yet it is not so, but of the two Nations that strove in the Womb of Rebecca, Gen. 25.23. and the two Man­ner of People that were to go forth of her Bowels; viz. Israel and Edom, which two Nations, (but that what is most right, is mostly a Riddle to them) they might read (as born after the Flesh) were Types yet of a more mystical and Spiritual Israel and Edom than they are yet well acquainted with; and that [Page 55] God's loving the one, and hating the other of these, was (as is most evident in Mal. 1.2, 3, 4.) not without, bu [...] with Respect to Evil; and not any foreseen Evil already done neither, but on Ac­count of the wicke [...] Works and Re­bellion of Esau and his Po [...]terity that walked in his [...]ays, (as Jacob's were not) they became the Objects of God's Hatred, and (whilst they [...]emain in their Rebellion) a People against whom God hath Indignation for ever.

But there was no such Thing as Ja­cob have I loved, Esau have I hated, said of these two single Persons before they were born; for the Text says, that Be­fore they had done Good or Evil, (or were born either) it was said to her, the elder shall serve the younger, Rom. 9.11, 12. And it's certainly true, that he did so, both in the single Type and the foresaid double Anti Type. And this is witnessed in the Saints, whom the World knows not, to be Truth at this Day, that the Elder doth serve the younger, which hath been kept under a great [Page 56] while; but of the other, it's said thus, (not as it was said to her, but) as it is written, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated, ver. 13. And when was this written? Was it before the two Per­sons of Jacob and Esau were born, or had done either Good or Evil? I trow not, but by Malachi the last Prophet, Mal. 1.2, 3. whose Time was long af­ter they had done all the Good and E­vil they ever did in the Body; yea, Hundreds of Years after both their Dissolutions.

Secondly, The next under Considera­tion, is, that the Lord hardened the Heart of Pharaoh, Exod. 7.13. (who first harden'd his own Heart against God and his People, and then God harden­ed him yet harder to shew his great Power to Mortals,) which is true, that he did [...] [...]fter Day of his Visita­tion was over, and that Pharaoh had first hardened his own Heart; so that God was clear of that evil Heart of Unbelief in him; and it is but just, [Page 57] and also reasonable, that when Man having been often visited, refuseth the O [...]fers of God's Love, that God visits him in his just and righteous Judgment, when he hath slighted his Mercy, and Grace; and then according to Holy Scripture, his Destruction is of himself, but his Help is in the Lord, Hos. 13.9. So that God is true, and every Man (contradicting him) a Lyar, Rom. 3.4. Wherefore, let all and every Body have a Care of hardning their Heart as Pha­raoh did, for that is provoking to the Almighty; and then he justly gives them over to an evil Hear [...] [...]f Unbelief, or to a Reprobate Mind, and they depart from the Living God. The Lord said to Pharaoh, Let my People go, (over and over) and it was the Mind of God, he should have done it, and he might also have done it if he would, bur he refu­sed, saying, Who is the Lord that I should obey his Voice, to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Is­rael go, (Exod. 5.2.) and so continued to harden himself against God and his [Page 58] People, cruelly persecuting and forcing them to make Brick without Straw, un­til God hardned him yet more. Also, may all hard-hearted and unbelieving People take Warning by him, in Time, before it be too late.

Thus, it's clear, he might have let the People go, because God by Moses com­manded him so to do. It is absurd to think, that God spake one Thing and intended another, therefore it was pos­sible for him to have done what God required of him, and he was not pre­destinated to that Obduration, until he hardened his own Heart, and then he was given up to a Reprobate Mind, Rom. 1.28.

Thirdly, The following Scripture is falsly made Use of, viz. Isa 27.11. He that made them, will not have Mercy on them, and he that formed them, will shew them no Favour. This Text has been met with in the Writings of some of those that espouse the aforesaid Doc­trine, adduced to vindicate that Prin­ciple [Page 59] of Pre-ordination to Destruction: But it is therein grosly perverted; for in the same Verse, the Cause thereof is fairly stated, and the Reason clearly shewn, Isa. 2 [...].11. viz. because they were withered Branches, and a People of no Understanding, therefore he that made them, would not have Mercy on them; and he that formed them, would shew them no Favour. So that it's clear they might have been fruitful, but would not, and had been green, but were wi­ther'd from their Greenness, much like those whom Christ expostulates with, when he says, How often would I have gather'd you, as a Hen gathers her Chick­ens under her Wings, but you would not, (Mat. 23.37. Luke 19.42.) O that thou had [...]t known in this thy Day, the Things that belong to thy Peace, but now they are hid from thine Eyes: Which shews the great and fervent Desire of Christ, and his tender Love to poor Mortals, far from ordaining them to Destruction; so that God and Christ is fully clear [Page 60] of the Blood of all Men, and their De­struction is of themselves.

Fourthly, They argue from the Words of the Apostle, Hath not the Potter Power over the Clay, to make of the same Lump one Vessel to Honour, and another to Dishonour? (Rom. 9.21.) Yes, doubt­less, he hath; but the Potter doth not make Vessels designedly to break them to Pieces, or to destroy them, but for the Use and Service of his House; and it is an Honour to be the meanest Ves­sel in the House of God, tho' some Vessels are more honourable than others; and if the Vessel mar in the Hand of the Potter, it is not the Fault of the Pot­ter, but of the Clay, as we have it in the Instance of the Prophet, concern­ing Israel, Jer. 18.4. And the Lord in his Wisdom, and to shew his Power, doth make Souls more or less honoura­ble, as he pleaseth; but 'tis plain, he makes none with Design to destroy them, both from Scripture and right Reason.

[Page 61] Fifthly, They urge the Apostle's Words, Rom. 9.18. but to as little Pur­pose as the former, He will have Mer­cy on whom he will have Mercy, and whom he will be hardeneth. 'Tis true; God hath abandantly shewn us in the Ho­ly Scriptures on whom he will have Mercy, viz.

He hath Mercy on the Poor.
The humble he teacheth of his Ways.
Guides the Meek in Judgment.
Cloaths the Meek with Salvation.
Hath the Righteous in everlasting Remembrance.
Loves them which loves him.
Saves them who loves his Son, and be­lieves in him; and gives to them ever­lasting Life.

And Christ loves them, and manifests himself unto them; and wills not to harden any but the Wicked and ungod­ly, and such who slight their own Mer­cy, and neglect their own Salvation; [Page 62] and are malicious and uncharitable, per­securing and unmerciful; but the mer­ciful shall obtain Mercy, as saith Christ, in his most excellent Sermon which he preached upon the Mount, Mat. 5.7. well worth the often reading and peru­sing of all professing the Name of Jesus Christ. There was never any Sermon in all the World, preached by any Man since the Creation, like that of Christ's. And now, all who make a Profession of the holy Name of Jesus, are desir'd and entreated to take a View of the Lives and Conversations of People, for with those who walk most consonant to the Doctrine of our blessed Saviour, they may most safely joyn in Communion and Fellowship, and in the Worship of the Father and the Son with them. But 'tis of dangerous Consequence to join with those that walk, and talk, and be­lieve contrary thereto.

Thus it was in my Mind, and hath been for some Years, to shew to the Presbyterian People, the Weakness of some of their own Proofs, (as they ima­gine [Page 63] them) and strongest Arguments for this corrupt Doctrine of theirs; and their Misapplication of those Texts of Scripture, which they advance, to main­tain their absurd Notion of particular and personal Election and Reprobation of Souls to eternal Destruction and Damnation, before they were born, or having done either Good or Evil, that they might come to true Repentance, add lay hold on eternal Life, thro' Je­sus Christ our Lord, and dwell in the Sense of the universal Love of God and Christ to all Mankind; in the tender Bowels thereof, to all those of the Pres­byterian, Independent or Baptist Perswa­sion, or any other who hold the afore­said gross Error, are those Lines writ­ten; and in great Love and Tenderness, they are invited to search the Scriptures, and see whether the whole Scope of them do not shew the contrary, and wonderfully and excellently set forth the Love and Goodness, Grace and Mer­cy of God and Christ to poor Mortals.

[Page 64]Oh that People might lay hold of it, and come to Christ, that they might have Life; for tho' it is Good to search the Scriptures, 'tis better to come to Christ. A Man may search the Scrip­tures, and not come to Christ as the Jews did, John 5.39.40. But [...]f a Man come rightly to Christ, he will not be negligent in searching the Scriptures, for they contain rich Treasure to the seeking Soul. And they are able thro' Faith in Christ Jesus, to make the Man of God wise to Salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. And what is therein clear to the Un­derstanding, That lay hold of, embrace, and put in Practice: But be careful not to meddle with what is obscure to thy Understanding; for there is enough there­in which is plain and apt to most States and Conditions. And if thou wantest any Thing for thy Soul, which thou canst not readily find Satisfaction about in the Scriptures; then I advise thee, in the Love of Christ, to seek to him, who is near every true seeking Soul. He is not far away from every one of you, saith [Page 65] the Apostle, Acts, 17.27. He is in the true Believers the Hope of Glory, as saith the Scriptures.

Wherefore, O tender Soul, come to Christ, pour out thy Soul to him, make thy Complaint to him; He being the Good Samaritan, the great Physician of Value, will in his own Time (if thou continue in well doing) help and heal thee. Do not let in that dangerous Principle, that thou art predestinated to De [...]truction; for that is a dangerous Snare of the Enemy; and many Souls have been lost thro' that deceitful, dark Doctrine, being thereby doubting and fearful of Damnation, and ready thus to express themselves; ‘It is in vain for me to [...]rive, to seek or to pray; for I fear I am a Vessel of Wrath and predestinated to Damnation; for I have no Heart to any good Thing, and am so [...]ely buffeted by Satan.’

[Page 66]Oh Soul! In Order that thou mayest be disentangled from this Snare and Stratagem of Satan, is the foregoing written, in Christian and tender Love to thy Soul.

[Page]

Lately Publish'd, A LETTER to a Friend in Ire­land, containing a Relation of some sorrowful Instances of the sad Ef­fects of Intemperance, as a Warning to Young People. The Third Edition. By Thomas Chalkley. Price Two-Pence.

Sold by S. Keimer in High-street.

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