it

scriptural doctrine, constrains me to oppose from the same principle whereon I labour to save souls from destruction. Nor is it sufficient to ask, are there not also many who wrest the opposite doctrine to their own destruction? If there are, that is nothing to the point in question for that is not the case here. Here is no wresting at all: the doctrine of absolute predestination naturally leads to the chambers of death.

:

Let an instance in each kind be proposed, and the difference is so broad, he that runneth may read it. I say, "Christ died for all. He tasted death for every man, and he willeth all men to be saved. O, says an hearer, then I can be saved, when I will; so I may safely sin a little longer." No, this is no consequence from what I said: the words are wrested to infer what does not follow. You say, "Christ died only for the elect and all these must and shall be saved. O, says an hearer, then if I am one of the elect, I must and shall be saved. Therefore I may safely sin a little longer; for my salvation cannot fail." Now this is a fair consequence from what you said: the words are not wrested at all. No more is inferred than what plainly and undeniably follows from the premises. And the very same observation may be made on every article of that doctrine. Every branch of it, as well as this, (however the wisdom of God may sometimes draw good out of it) has a natural, genuine tendency, without any wresting, either to prevent or obstruct holiness.

LXXXVIII. Brethren, would ye lie for the cause of God? I am persuaded ye would not.

190 Predestination Calmly Considered.

Think then that as ye are, so am I: I speak the truth, before God my judge; not of those who were trained up therein, but of those who were lately brought over to your opinion. Many of these have I known, but I have not known one in ten of all that number, in whom it did not speedily work some of the above-named effects, according to the state of soul they were then in. And one only have I known among them all, after the closest and most impartial observation, who did not evidently shew, within one year, that his heart was changed, not for the better, but for the worse.

LXXXIX. I know indeed, ye cannot easily believe this. But whether ye believe it or not, you believe, as well as I, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. May we not then, at least, join in this, in declaring the nature of inward holiness, and testifying to all the neces sity of it? May we not all thus far join, in tearing away the broken reeds wherein so many rest, without either inward or outward holiness, and which they idly trust will supply its place? As far as is possible let us join in destroying the works of the devil, and in setting up the kingdom of God upon earth, in promoting righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Of whatever opinion or denomination we are, we must serve either God or the devil. If we serve God, our agreement is far greater than our difference. Therefore, as far as may be, setting aside that difference, let us unite in destroying the works of the devil, in bringing all we can from the power of darkness into the kingdom of

God's dear Son. And let us assist each other to value more and more the glorious grace whereby we stand, and daily to grow in that grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

TRACT VII.

THE CONSEQUENCE PROVED.

1. MR. Toplady, a young, bold man, lately published a pamphlet, an extract from which was soon after printed, concluding with these words:

"The sum of all is this: One in twenty (suppose) of mankind are elected; nineteen in twenty are reprobated. The elect shall be saved, do what they will: the reprobate shall be damned, do what they can.”

2. A great outcry has been raised on that account, as though this was not a fair state of the case and it has been vehemently affirmed, that no such consequence follows from the doctrine of absolute predestination.

I calmly affirm, It is a fair state of the case: this consequence does naturally and necessarily follow from the doctrine of absolute predestination, as here stated and defended by bold Mr. Augustus Toplady.

Indeed I have not leisure to consider the matter at large. I can only make a few stric

tures, and leave the young man to be farther corrected by (one that is full his match) Mr. Thomas Olivers.

3. "When love is predicated of God, it implies 3. His everlasting will, purpose, and determination, to save his people."* I appeal to all men, whether it is not a natural consequence even of this, that all these shall be saved, do what they will."

You may say, "O, but they will do only what is good." Be it so. Yet the consequence stands. "Election signifies, that sovereign, unconditional, immutable act of God, whereby he selected some to be eternally saved." Immutable, unconditional! From hence then it undeniably follows, "These shall be saved, do what they will."

"Predestination, as relating to the elect, is that irreversible act of the divine will, whereby God determined to deliver a certain number of men from hell." Ergo, That certain number shall infallibly be saved do what they will. Who can deny the consequence?

"Not one of the elect can perish, but they must all necessarily be saved," chap. 3. Can any assert this, and yet deny that consequence, therefore all the elect shall be saved, do what they will? Unless you would say, it is the proposition itself, rather than a consequence from it. 4. So much for the former part of the question: but let us now consider the latter.

"Hatred ascribed to God, implies, a resolution not to have mercy on such and such men.

* Mr. T.'s tract, chap. 1.

So

Esau have I hated; that is, I did from all eternity determine, not to have mercy on him." (chap. 1.) In other words;

I by my dire decree did seal
His fixt, unalterable doom;

Consign'd his unborn soul to hell,

And damn'd him from his mother's womb.

Well then, does it not follow by unavoidable consequence, that such and such men, poor, hated Esau in particular, “shall be damned, do what they can ?"

"Reprobation denotes God's eternal preterition of some men, and his predestination of them to destruction." And is it possible for them, by any thing they can do, to prevent that destruction? You say, no. It follows, they "shall be damned, do what they can."

"Predestination, as it regards the reprobate, is that immutable act of God's will, whereby he hath determined to leave some men to perish." And can they avoid it, by any thing they do? You affirm they cannot. Again therefore it follows, these "shall be damned, do what they can."

"We assert, there is a predestination of particular persons to death: which death they shall inevitably undergo." That is, "They shall be damned, do what they can."

"The non-elect were predestinated to eternal death," (chap. 2.) Ergo, "They shall be damned, do what they can.'

"The condemnation of the reprobate is necessary and inevitable." Surely I need add no

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