) clean living, no less perilous than Defpera. tion. 5. We must receive God's Promises in such 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 Proposition is our Church's Definition of what the means by Predestination to Life. She faies, 1. 'Tis the everlasting Purpose of God. Now every Purpose of God is everlasting; because 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 inconstancy is impoffible in God. 3. He decreed before the Foundations of the World were laid. This muft 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 some are to be delivered from that Curse and Damnation, into which Original Sin had plung'd them, the whole Tenor of the Scripture shews. And that God has in Chrift chosen some out of Mankind, is evident. Because those that embrace Chriftianity, are upon this account frequently call'd the Elect or Chosen. But then those who embrace Christianity, are not all of them deliver'd from Curse and Damnation; because some 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 Perseverance in good Works, Now 'tis this Second, even the Eternal Election. which H 4 1 which the Church speaks of in this place. Because those that are here called the Chofen in Chrift, are delivered from Curse and Damnation: whereas such as enjoy the Temporal, but miss of the Eternal Election; do fall into that Curse and Damnation, from which the others are delivered. 5. Thofe that are chofen in Christ, viz. those that enjoy the Second or Eternal Election, God not only delivers from Curse and Damnation, but he also brings them by Christ to everlasting Salvation, as Vessels made to Honor. That he brings them to everlasting Salvation, and that this is done by Christ, that is, by the Merits of Christ, in whom they believe, and whose Gospel they obey; and that upon this account they are treated as Vessels 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 those Elect are, whom he has thus decreed to save, we know not. Because he alone can search the Heart; nor has he revel'd to us, what particular Christians will persevere. So that this Counsel of his, for the Salvation of particular Christians, must needs be secret to us. This Definition therefore of Predestination to Life, needs no farther Proof, being fo manifestly built upon the constant Doctrin of the Scriptures, repeated in almost every Page of the New Testament, that would be ridiculous to refer to particular Texts. And indeed the Doctrin of this Definition is universally allowed, except by such as deny God's certain Prescience of future contingent Events; concerning whose absurd Tenet see the Twelfth Question of Turretin's Locus Tertius. The Second Proposition sets forth the Manner of God's bringing this great Work to a Conclufion. The The Church faies, That, those who are endu'd with so excellent a Benefit, that is, those 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 Professors 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 justified freely; that is, they are esteemed righteous by God, who extends his free Mercy to them for Christ's fake. 4. They be made Sons of God by Adoption. You'll say, all Christians are such 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 Christ 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 Christ, that is, 6. They walk religiously in good Works; for without Holiness no Man thall see the Lord. 7. At length, viz. after they have finished their Chriftian Course, and persisted in fincere Piety to the end of their Daies, by God's Mercy they attain to everlasting Felicity. The Truth of all these Particulars is so 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 de scribes in this Propofition a certain Method and Order of bringing the Elect to Heaven; yet, 1. She therein speaks of the Cafe of those elect Persons only, who arrive at Years of Difcretion. For our Church Church teaches, that such as die in their Infancy, may be and are of the Number of those that are faved; and yet such Infants can't be saved 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 those from Salvation, who die in invincible Infidelity. Doubtless God did from everlasting know, whether any such Infidels should be saved. And therefore, if any of them be faved, there was a Predestination of them to Life; which Predestination of them to Life, was the everlasting Purpose of God, whereby (before the Foundations of the World were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his Counsel, secret to us, to deliver them from Curse and Damnation, and bring them to everlafsting 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; she determines nothing concerning them; as she does not acquit them, so neither does she condemn them: she confines her felf to the Cafe of those Elect, whom God saves by actual Faith in Chrift, and who alone are capable of being fav'd in such Manner and Order as she describes. The Third and Fourth Propositions are self evident. The Fifth Proposition imports, that we must apply general Promises to our selves; not doubting, but that if we perform the Condition, we shall enjoy the Mercy. The Reason is, because all Particulars are included in Universals; and confequently a general Promise is made a particular one to my felf, if I be fuch a Person as that general Promife is made to. The 1 The Sixth Proposition guards against Enthusiastic 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 HEY alfo are to be had accursed, that presume to I say, that every man shall be saved by Sect which he professeth, so that he be diligent to frame / This Article contains Two Propositions. 1. They are to be had accursed, that prefume to 2. Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the The First of these Propositions depends on the Second, in which there seems to be an Allusion made to Acts 4. 12. where St. Peter saies, Neither is there falvation in any other: for there is none other name under beaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now whether that Text ought to be understood of eternal Salvation, or of healing Distempers, it may be worth while to confider. See Dr. Whitby on the |