are evidently confuted by it, as you may see in the notes there; nor was any such inference from those words owned by any of the fathers till St. Austin's time, as you may learn from the commentaries of Origen, St. Chrysostom, and Theodoret upon the place. As for their other patrons, St. Austin, Prosper, and Fulgentius, it must be granted they were good Latin schoolars, but yet they wanted skill both in the Hebrew and the Greek tongues; and so it was not be expected that we should learn the true sense of the scripture from them. Some there be who tell us that these decrees and dispensations of God in reference to men's eternal state are mysteries; and truly as they are managed and asserted by them, I fear they may be so in the worst sense. And if they understand the word as it seemeth to be still used by St. Paul, for a doctrine not yet revealed, (see the note on 1 Cor. ii. 7.) they grant that which I chiefly have endeavoured in these discourses to make good, viz. that their doctrine is not taught in holy scripture. Others perhaps may say that some things here asserted are Pelagianism, and others, Semipelagianism, it being usual for men hard pressed to fall to railing; but the first chapter of the third discourse will be sufficient to convince them they cannot justly fasten either of these names upon me, though Semipelagianism never was condemned by the church of God, and they who in St. Austin's time maintained it, were by him owned as good catholics and christian brethren, as you may see in Vossius. (Hist. Pelag. 1. 6. Th. 18. p. 621.) IV. Lastly. If any man say I contradict the doctrine of the church of England touching these points, he will condemn almost the whole body of that church, it being certain that, after the restoration, almost all the bishops, and the great body of the clergy, who were eminent for learning, were of my opinion concerning these FIVE POINTS, and still, I believe, are so. He therefore, out of reverence both to the living and the dead, ought rather to affirm only, that I expound some of her articles otherwise than he would do, or thinks they ought to be expounded. It has been usually said that the church of England contrived her articles in such a latitude as to leave place for men of contrary judgments to subscribe them; and if it be considered that in her catechism she declares, that she learns, from her creed, "to believe in God the Son, who hath redeemed me and all mankind;" that, in her prayer at the consecration of the sacra◄ C ment, she declares, that "Jesus Christ by his own oblation of himself upon the cross, hath made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world :" And, in her third collect on Good-Friday, she prays, that "all Jews, Turks, infidels, and heretics may be saved among the number of true Israelites;" and that the other doctrines here pleaded for, do follow from that of universal redemption, as hath been shewed in the close of that discourse; there will be sufficient reason to be of this opinion.-But of this, more in the bishop of Sarum's excellent discourse upon that article, p. 168, 169. In fine, the church of England by "canon doth enjoin all preachers, "especially to take care that they never teach any thing to their people, as religiously to be believed and held, which is not agreeable to the doctrine of the Old and New Testament, and that which the catholic fathers and the ancient bishops gathered from that very doctrine." That this rule hath been carefully observed by us, and is as constantly transgressed by them who do maintain the contrary doctrines to be articles of christian faith, I hope hath fully been demonstrated in these papers, which are submitted to the judgment of the learned reader, BY HIS FRIEND, AND SERVANT IN THE GOSPEL, D. W. pImprimis vero videbunt nequid unquam doceant pro concione quod a populo religiose teneri et credi velint, nisi quod consentaneum sit doctrinæ Veteris aut Novi Testamenti, quodque ex illa ipsa doctrina Catholici Patres et veteres Episcopi collegerint. (Sparrow's Collection, page 238-) CONTENTS. PREFACE. THIS Preface shews, I. How the Author, who had his I. THAT the word adóximos hath no relation to any decree of reprobation, but only to God's disapproving of the corruption of men's faith or manners. II. This pretended decree of reproba- tion is not proved (1.) from those words of Solomon, that "God made all things for himself, even the wicked for the day of wrath." Prov. xvi. 4. III. Nor (2.) from those words of St. John xii. 38. "Therefore they could not believe because Esaias said, He hath blinded their eyes, &c." IV. Nor (S.) From those words, "They stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed." 1 Pet. ii. 7. 8. V. Nor (4.) from those words, "Men of old ordained to this condemnation." Jude 4. VI. An answer to some other texts produced by Dr. Twiss in favour of This doctrine is contrary to the perfections of the divine I. What absolute election doth import; and that the election mentioned in scripture (1.) is not of particular persons, but of whole churches and nations. (2.) That it imports rather an elec- tion to enjoy the means of grace tendered in the gospel, than to a certainty of salvation by those means. (3.) That it is a condi- tional election to be made sure by good works. II. This is pro- ved (1.) from the import of the word throughout the whole Old Testament. III. (2.) From the places where the word is used in the New Testament. IV. The import of the words wpóyvwois, wpó- Deois, wgowgiouòs, and that they do not prove an absolute election. V. An answer to all the other places produced to prove it, as (v. g. 1.) “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.” John vi. 37.39. VI. (2.) " As many as were ordained to eternal life be- lieved." Acts xiii. 48. VII. (3.) "That all that love God are called according to his purpose, justified and glorified.” Rom. viii. The doctrine of absolute election confuted, I. From God's sinned," and "By the disobedience of one many were made sin- CHAP. V. I. That the doctrine of absolute election and reprobation is con- trary to the sentiments of the fathers, is proved, from their unanimous declarations, that "God hath left it in our power to be good or bad, vessels of honour or dishonour, wrath or mercy, &c." II. From the exposition they all gave, before St. Austin, of the 8th and 9th chapters of the Romans. III. From their decla- rations that God predestinates men to life or death from a presci- ence of what they would be. IV. From the confession of Prosper, that "all the ancient fathers were against the doctrine CONCERNING THE EXTENT OF CHRIST'S REDEMPTION. I. THE scripture frequently and expressly saith" Christ died "He gave himself a ransom for many, and he laid down his life for his sheep, &c." II. This is proved (1.) From those words, by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men to jus- tification of life," Rom. v. 18. III. (2.) From these words, " He died for all, that they who live might not henceforth live to them- selves." 2 Cor. v. 15. IV. (3.) “God would have all men to be saved; Christ gave himself a ransom for all.” 1 Tim. ii. 4. 6. |