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clean living, no lefs perilous than Defpera

tion.

5. We must receive God's Promifes in fuch wife as they be generally fet forth to us in Holy Scripture.

6. In our Doings, that Will of God is to be followed, which we have exprefly declared unto us in the Word of God.

The First Propofition is our Church's Definition of what the means by Predeftination to Life. She faies, 1. 'Tis the everlasting Purpose of God. Now every Purpose of God is everlafting; becaufe God from all Eternity knew all contingent Events; and was refolv'd concerning them, either to permit or prevent them. 2. By this Purpose he constantly decreed. For inconftancy is impoffible in God. 3. He decreed before the Foundations of the World were laid. This must needs be true, because his Purpose was everlasting. 4. He thus decreed to deliver those whom he has chofen in Christ out of Mankind, from Curfe and Damnation. Now that fome are to be delivered from that Curfe and Damnation, into which Original Sin had plung'd them, the whole Tenor of the Scripture fhews. And that God has in Christ chofen fome out of Mankind, is evident, Because those that embrace Christianity, are upon this account frequently call'd the Elect or Chofen. But then those who embrace Chriftianity, are not all of them deliver'd from Curfe and Damnation; because fome of them do not perform the Conditions of the Gofpel: and confequently tho' they enjoy the First or Temporal Election, yet they do not enjoy the Second or Eternal one, which is unattainable without Perfeverance in good Works, Now 'tis this Second, even the Eternal Election. H 4 which

which the Church speaks of in this place. Because those that are here called the Chofen in Christ, are delivered from Curfe and Damnation: whereas

fuch as enjoy the Temporal, but mifs of the Eternal Election; do fall into that Curfe and Damnation, from which the others are delivered. 5. Those that are chofen in Chrift, viz, thofe that enjoy the Second or Eternal Election, God not only delivers from Curfe and Damnation, but he alfo brings them by Christ to everlasting Salvation, as Vessels made to Honor. That he brings them to everlafting Salvation, and that this is done by Chrift, that is, by the Merits of Chrift, in whom they believe, and whofe Gospel they obey; and that upon this account they are treated as Veffels made to Honor; none can question. 6. All this is done by God's Counsel fecret to us. For God is the only Contriver and Finisher of the Happiness of the Elect; and what particular Men thofe Elect are, whom he has thus decreed to fave, we know not. Because he alone can fearch the Heart; nor has he revel'd to us, what particular Chriftians will perfevere. So that this Counfel of his, for the Salvation of particular Chriftians, muft needs be fecret to us. This Definition therefore of Predestination to Life, needs no farther Proof, being fo manifeftly built upon the conftant Doctrin of the Scriptures, repeated in almoft every Page of the New Teftament, that 'would be ridiculous to refer to particular Texts. And indeed the Doctrin of this Definition is univerfally allowed, except by fuch as deny God's certain Prescience of future contingent Events; concerning whofe abfurd Tenet fee the Twelfth Question of Turretin's Locus Tertius.

The Second Propofition fets forth the Manner of God's bringing this great Work to a Conclufion.

The

The Church faies, That, those who are endu'd with fo excellent a Benefit, that is, thofe who are predeftinated to Life, are called according to God's Purpose by his Spirit working in due feafon; that is, they not only become Profeffors of Chriftianity, but are inwardly moved and prompted by God's Grace to the Performance of his Will. 2. They thro' Grace obey the Calling; that is, they are effectually wrought and prevailed upon thereby. 3. They be juftified freely; that is, they are efteemed righteous by God, who extends his free Mercy to them for Chrift's fake. 4. They be made Sons of God by Adoption. You'll fay, all Chriftians are fuch by Virtue of their Profeffion. But then those that are thus effectually chofen, do come to the Poffeffion of that Inheritance, which their Elder Brother Chrift has purchased for them with his Bloud: whereas others, tho' for a while they are honor'd with the Name of Adopted Sons, are afterwards caft off by their Father upon the account of their Difobedience. 5. They be made like the Image of his only begotten Son Jefus Chrift, that is, 6. They walk religioufly in good Works; for without Holiness no Man fhall fee the Lord. 7. At length, viz. after they have finished their Chriftian Course, and perfifted in fincere Piety to the end of their Daies, by God's Mercy they attain to everlasting Felicity. The Truth of all thefe Particulars is fo readily acknowledg'd by all Parties, that I need not refer to particular Texts or Authors for the Confirmation of them.

But I must observe, that tho' the Church defcribes in this Propofition a certain Method and Order of bringing the Elect to Heaven; yet, 1. She therein speaks of the Cafe of thofe elect Perfons only, who arrive at Years of Difcretion. For our

Church

Church teaches, that fuch as die in their Infancy, may be and are of the Number of thofe that are faved; and yet fuch Infants can't be faved exactly in the Method and Order above described; particularly, because it can't be faid of them, that they walk religiously in good Works. 2. The Church does not hereby exclude all thofe from Salvation, who die in invincible Infidelity. Doubtless God did from everlafting know, whether any fuch Infidels fhould be faved. And therefore, if any of them be faved, there was a Predestination of them to Life; which Predeftination of them to Life, was the everlasting Purpose of God, whereby (before the Foundations of the World were laid) he hath conftantly decreed by his Counfel, fecret to us, to deliver them from Curfe and Damnation, and bring them to everlasting Salvation. And if this be at all done, I prefume, the Merits of Chrift are applied to them in an uncovenanted Manner. But I fay, the Church speaks nothing at all of their Cafe; fhe determines nothing concerning them; as fhe does not acquit them, fo neither does the condemn them: fhe confines her felf to the Cafe of thofe Elect, whom God faves by actual Faith in Chrift, and who alone are capable of being fav'd in fuch Manner and Order as she describes.

The Third and Fourth Propofitions are self evident.

The Fifth Propofition imports, that we must apply general Promifes to our felves; not doubting, but that if we perform the Condition, we shall enjoy the Mercy. The Reason is, because all Particulars are included in Univerfals; and confequently a general Promife is made a particular one to my felf, if I be fuch a Perfon as that general Promife is made to.

The

The Sixth Propofition guards against Enthufiaftic Imaginations, and teaches us to make God's Word the Rule of our Lives. This needs no Proof.

The EIGHTEENTH ARTICLE.

Of obtaining Eternal Salvation only by the Name of Chrift.

HEY alfo are to be had accurfed, that prefume to Jay, that every man fhall be faved by the Law or Set which be profeffeth, fo that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law, and the Light of NaFor Holy Scripture doth jet out unto us only the name of Jefus Christ, whereby men must be saved.

ture.

This Article contains Two Propofitions.
1. They are to be had accurfed, that presume to
fay, that every Man fhall be saved by the
Law or Sect which he profeffeth, so that he be
diligent to frame his Life according to that
Law and the Light of Nature.

2. Holy Scripture doth fet out unto us only the
Name of Jefus Chrift, whereby Men must be
faved.

The First of these Propofitions depends on the Second, in which there feems to be an Allufion made to Acts 4. 12. where St. Peter faies, Neither is there falvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be faved.

Now whether that Text ought to be understood of eternal Salvation, or of healing Diftempers, it may be worth while to confider. See Dr. Whitby on

the

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