SECTION X.

The doctrine of Free-grace, is farther maintained against Honestus; and that of Free-will and just Wrath against Zelotes, who is presented with a scriptural explanation of some passages about the Will, Power, Repentance, Faith, the Dispensation of the Father, and the Dispensation of the Son, which are frequently pressed into the service of necessitating Grace, Bound-will, and Free-wrath. With two notes: The one to clear the Remonstrants from a charge of Heresy, published by the Rev. Mr. Madan: And the other, to vindicate our Lord from the scandalous imputation of immediately raising an actual unbeliever, and an absolute reprobate, to the highest dignity in his church.

The Scale of FREE-GRACE and JUST-wrath

in God.

Resistible Free-grace is the spring of all our graces and mercies.

The Father, as Creator, gives to the Son, as Redeemer, the souls that yield to his paternal drawings; and they who resist those drawings, CANNOT come to the Son for rest and liberty.

1. Ir is God, who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. [That is] God, as Creator, has wrought in you the power to will and to do what is right: God, as Redeemer, has restored you that noble power, which was lost by the Fall: And God, as Sanctifier, excites and helps you to make a proper use of it. Therefore grieve him not for, as it is his good pleasure to help you now so if you do despite to the Spirit of his grace, it may be his good pleasure to give you up to a reprobate mind, and to swear in his anger, that his Spirit shall strive with you no more. [That this is the Apostle's meaning, appears from his own words to those very Philippians in the opposite scale.] Phil. ii. 13.

1. Thy people [shall or will be] willing in the day of thy power: [or, as we have it in the reading Psalms;] in the day of thy power shall the people offer free will offerings. Psalm cx. 3.

The Scale of FREE-WILL in Man, without
FREE-WRATH in God.

Perverse Free-will is the spring of all our sins
and curses.

The Son, as Redeemer, brings to the Father, for the promise of the Holy Ghost, the souls that yield to his filial drawings; and they who resist those drawings, CANNOT come to the Father for the spirit of adoption.

2. Wherefore, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: [Arise and be doing, and the Lord be with you, 1 Chron. xxii. 16.] DO all things without disputing, &c. that I may rejoice, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. I follow after if that I may apprehend that, for which I am apprehended of Christ.-This one thing I DO, &c. I press towards the mark, &c.-Be followers of me :-For many walk-enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction. -Those things, which ye have seen in me, DO, and the God of peace shall be with you, Phil. ii. 12, &c.—iii. 13, &c.—iv. 9, &c.

2. I am not (personally) sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.—But my people, &c. would none of me, Matt xv. 24. Psa. lxxxi. 11. He came to his own, and his own received him not, John i. 11.-The power of the Lord was present to heal them, &c. but the Pharisees murmured.-They rejected the counsel of God against themselves, Luke v. 17, 30, vii. 30-If I by the finger [i. e. the power] of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God [the day of God's power] is come upon you, Luke xi. 15, &c.-He did not many mighty works [i. e. he did not mightily exert his power] there, because of their unbelief. He could there do no mighty work [consistently with his wise plan,] and he marvelled because of their unbelief, which was the source of their unwillingness,] Matt. xiii. 58. Mark vi. 5, 6.-Now the things which belong unto thy peace, &c. are hid from thine eyes, because thou knewest not the day of [my power, and of] thy visitation, Luke xix. 42, &c. How often would I have gathered thy children, as a hen does gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not? Luke xiii. 34. [Any one of those scriptures shews, that freegrace does not necessitate free-will; and all of them together make a good measure, running over into Zelotes's bosom.]

1. God hath exalted him [Christ] to give repentance, Acts v. 31.-God peradventure, [i. e. if they are not judicially given up to a reprobate mind, and they do not obstinately

2. God is willing, that all should come to repentance, 2 Pet. iii. 9-God's goodness leadeth thee to repentance, Rom. ii. 4.-And the rest of men, which were not killed by

these plagues, yet repented not, Rev. ix. 20Then began he to upbraid the cities, &c. because they repented not, Matt. xi. 20-I gave her space to repent, and she repented not, Rev. ii. 21.

2. Faith cometh by hearing, [the work of man] Rom. x. 17.—Lord, I believe, [not THOU believest for me,] help thou my unbelief, Mark ix. 24 -He upbraided them with their unbelief, Mark xvi. 14.-HOW is it, ye have no faith? Mark iv. 40.-How can you believe, who receive honour one of ano. ther? John v. 44.-The publicans believed, &c. And ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterwards, that ye might believe, Matt. xxi. 32.-Thomas said, I will not believe, John xx. 25.-Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith, 1 Tim. v. 12.

2. These [the Jews of Berea] were more noble [or CANDID] than those of Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily,

The Rev Mr. Madan in his Scriptural Comment upon the xxxix Articles, 2nd Edit. p.71, says, "This method of construction is attended with the disadvantage of giving the Greek language a sense which it disowns, and therefore to be rejected." And in support of this assertion, and of Calvinism, he quotes Mr. Leigh's Critica Sacra: but, I think, most unfortunately, since in the very next page we have it under Mr. Leigh's, and of course under Mr. Madan's own hand, that the learned scholiast" Syrus renders it [the controverted word] dispositi, [disposed] for he knew not, that the Heretics of our day would dream of understanding TEтaɣμεvol, &c. to signify inwardly disposed." Now as "the Remonstrants" are immediately after by name represented as "the heretics of our day," I beg leave to vindicate their" heresy:" though, I fear, it must be at the expense of Mr. Madan, and Mr. Leigh's "orthodoxy."

First then, take notice, Reader, that these gentlemen grant us all we contend for, when they grant, that the word, which our translators render ordained, means also disposed, placed, ordered, or ranged, as soldiers that keep their ranks in the field of battle; which is the ordinary meaning of the expression in the classics. Now, according to Mr. Madan's scheme, the disposition of the persons that believed, was merely "extrinsic, outward:" They had no hand in the matter, God disposed them by his necessitating grace, as Bezaleel disposed the twelve precious stones, which adorned Aaron's breastplate. But according to our supposed" heresy," the freewill of those candid Gentiles, (in subordination to free-grace) had a hand in disposing them to take the kingdom of heaven by violence :" They were like willing soldiers, who obey the orders of their general, and range or dispose themselves to storm a fortified town.

2. But, says Mr. Madan, “the Greek language disowns this sense." To this assertion I oppose all the Greek Lexicons I am acquainted with, aud (for the sake of my English readers) 1 produce Johnson's English Diction ary, who, under the word Tactics, which comes from the controverted word Tatto, informs us, that Tactics is The art of ranging men in the field of battle:" and every body knows, that before men can be ranged in the field, two things are absolutely necessary: an authoritative, directing skill in the general; and an active, obedient submission in the soldiers. This was exactly the case with the Gentiles mentioned in the text: before they could be disposed for eternal life, two things were absolutely requisite: the helpful teaching of God's freegrace, and the submissive yielding of their own free-will, touched by that grace which the indisposed (at least at that time) received in vain.

3. It is remarkable, that the word TεTayμɛvoc occurs but in one other place in the New Testament, Rom. xiii. I. The powers that are, are TεTayμɛvaι, ordained, or placed: And I grant, that there it signifies a divine, “extrinsic" appointment only: But why? Truly because the apostle immediately adds, vπo T8 Oɛ8, They are ordained or placed of God. Now if the word TεTayμɛvos alone, necessarily signified ordained, disposed, or placed oF GOD. as Mr. Madan's scheme requires, the apostle would have given himself a needless trouble in adding the words, of God, when he wrote to the Romans: And as St. Luke adds them not in our text, it is a proof, that he leaves us at liberty to think, according to the doctrine of the gospel-axioms, that the Gentiles who believed, were disposed to it by the concurrence of free-grace and free-will,-of God and themselves. God worked, to use St. Paul's words, and they worked out.

4. A similar scripture will throw light upon our text, Rom. ix. 22, we read that " God endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath Karηoriσμεva fitted for destruction." The word fitted, in the original, is exactly in the same voice and tense as the word ordained or disposed in the text. Now if Mr. Madan's observation about "the Greek language" is just, and if the Gentiles who believed, were entirely disposed of God to eternal life, so these vessels of wrath were entirely fitted of God for destruction. But if he, and every good man, shudders at the horrid idea of worshipping a God who absolutely fits his own creatures] for destruction; if the word Katηptioμeva εis awλɛιav means not only inwardly fitted but SELF fitted, rather than GoD-fitted for destruction, why should not Tεтayμɛvoi ɛig Ewyv atwior mean SELF-disposed, as well as GoD disposed for eternal life?

5. St. Luke, who wrote the Acts, is the best explainer of the meaning of his own expression. Accordingly Luke ii. 51, we find, that he applies to Christ a word answering to, and compounded of, that of our text. "He was (says he) UTOTAσσOμEVOG subject, or subjected to his parents." Now I appeal to Mr. Madan's piety and charity, and ask, whether the Remonstrants deserve the name of "dreaming heretics" for believing, 1. That our Lord's subjection to his parents was not merely outward" and passive, as that of an undutiful child, who is subject to his superiors, when rod in hand, they have forced him to submit: And 2. that it wss "inward" aud active, or to speak plainer, that he subjected HIMSELF of his own free-will to his parents.

1

1. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith, Rev. ii. 7.

1. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, and the leopard his spots; then may ye also do

whether these things were so: Therefore many of them believed, Acts xvii. 11, 12.

2. Thay have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house, Ezek. xii. 2. 2 [It is very remarkable that the Lord, to show his readiness to help those obstinate

6. St. Paul informs us, that the veil of Moses is yet upon the heart of the Jews, when they read the Old Testament; and one would be tempted to think, that Calvin's veil is yet upon the eyes of his admirers, when they read the New Testamant. What else could have hindered such learned men as Mr. Leigh and Mr. Madan, not to take notice, that when the sacred writers use the passive voice, they do it frequently in a sense, which answers to the Hebrew voice Hithpael, which means to cause ones self to do a thing. I beg leave to produce some instances: 1 Cor. xiv 32. The Spirits of the Prophets Unwraσσɛtaι are subject, (i.e. subject themselves) to the Prophets."-Rom. x. 3. Ovx UπεTaynoav, They have not been subjected, or, as our transla tors, (Calvinists as they were, have not scrupled to render it) "They have not submitted themselves to the righ teousness of God.”—Acts ii. 40. owŋTε, Be ye saved, or save yourselves.-Eph. v. 22. “Wives, UπоTaoσede, be subject, or submit yourselves to your own husbands.”—1 Pet. v, 6. таπεivшInтe, Be humbled, or humble yourselves.-James iv. 7. UπоTayntɛ, Be ye submissive, or, as we have it in our Bibles, submit yourselves to God, &c. &c. I hope these examples will convince Mr. Madan, that, if our translators had shewn themselves "Heretics," and men unacquainted with the "Greek language," supposing they had rendered our text, "As many as (through grace) had disposed themselves, or were (inwardly) disposed for eternal life, believed," they can hardly pass for orthodox or good Grecians now, since they have so often been guilty of the pretended error, which Mr. Leigh supposes peculiar to the "dreaming heretics of our day."

7. All the scriptures show, that man and free-will have their part to do in the work of our salvation, as well as Christ and free-grace. If this is denied, I appeal to the multitude of passages, which fill my Second Scale; and I ask, is it not strange, that a doctrine, supported by such a variety of Scripures, should be called "heresy" by men that as "real protestants" profess to admit the Scriptures as the rule of their faith. If I designed to amuse, and not to inform my readers, might I not on this occasion borrow from one of my opponents a couple of satiric stanzas, and put them into the mouth of every protestant, who extols the Scriptures and free-grace, and yet decries the second Gospel-axiom and Free-will?

But as I had rather deal in scriptural arguments than in versified puns, I shall conclude this note by an appeal to the context.

8. Acts xiii. 40. St. Paul having called the Jews to believe in Christ, bids them Beware, lest they were found among the despisers that perish in their unbelief. Now how absurd would this caution have been, if a fo.cible decree of absolute election, or reprobation, had irreversibly or duined them to eternal life, or to eternal death? Would the Apostle have betrayed more folly, if he had bid them Beware, lest the sun should rise or set at its appointed time? Again, verse 46, we are informed, that these unbelievers judged THEMSELVES Unworthy of eternal life, and put the word of God's grace from them. But if Mr. Madan's scheme were scriptural, would not the historian have said, that God from the foundation of the world had absolutely judged THEM unworthy of eternal life, and therefore bad never PUT, or sent To THEM the word of his grace? Once more: We are told, verse 45, that indulged envy which the Jews were filled with, made them speak against those things which were spoken by Paul: that is, made them disbelieve, and shew their unbelief. Now, is it not highly reasonable to understand the words of the text thus, according to that part of the context; As many as did not obstinately harbour envy, prejudice, love of honour, or worldly-mindedness:-As many as did not put the word from them, and judge themselves unworthy of eternal life, believed? Nay, might we not properly explain the text thus, according to the doctrine of the talents and the progressive dispensations of divine grace, so frequently mentioned in the scriptures. As many as believed in GOD, believed also in CHRIST, whom Paul particularly preached at that time. As many as were humble and teachable, received the engrafted word, for God resisteth the proud, bu giveth grace to the humble: His secret is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant." 9. But what need is there of appealing to the context? Does not the text answer for itself? while Mr. Madan's sense of it affords a sufficient antidote to all, who dislike absurd consequences, and are afraid of traducing the Holy One of Israel? Let reason decide. If as many as [in Antioch] were calvinistically ordained to eternal life, believed under that sermon of St. Paul, [for almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God] it follows; that all who believed not then, were eternally shut up in unbelief; that all the elect believed at once: that they who do not believe at one time, shall never believe at another; and that, when Paul returned to Antioch, few souls, if any, could be converted by his ministry: God having at once taken AS MANY as were ordained to eternal life, and left the devil all the rest. But

10. The most dreadful consequence is yet behind: If they that believed did it merely because they were absolutely ordained of God to eternal life; it follows, by a parity of reason, that those who disbelieved, did it merely because they were absolutely ordained of God to eternal death; God having bound them, by the help of Adam, in everlasting chains of unbelief and sin. Thus, while proud, wicked, stubborn unbelievers, are entirely exculpated, the God of all mercies is indirectly charged with free-wrath, and finished damnation!

I hope, that if the truly reverend Author, at whose mistake I bave taken the liberty of levelling this note, condescends to read it with the attention of an enquirer after truth; he will see, that Mr. Leigh had neither scripture por reason on his side, when he painted out the Remonstrants" as the heretics of our day:" that he himself had acted with more good nature, if he had cast a veil over Mr. Leigh's black picture, instead of holding it out to public view as a good likeness; and that, when he rests his doctrines of grace upon his quotation from the Critica Sacra he might as well rest them upon Mr. Berridge's distinction between if and if.

good [without my gracious help] that are, accustomed to do evil, Jer. xiii. 23.

1. Neither knoweth any man the Father, save, &c, he to whomsoever the Son will rereal him; [and he will reveal him unto babes, as appears from the context,] Mat. xi. 25, 27.-Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, [that Jesus is the Christ, &c.] but my father, Mat. xvi, 17.

To understand aright some passages in St. John's gospel, we must remember, that, wherever the gospel of Christ is preached, the Father particulary draws to the Son as Redeemer, those that believe in him as Creator. And this he does, sometimes by cords of love, sometimes by cords of fear, and always by cords of conviction and humiliation. They that yield to these drawings, become babes, poor in spirit, and members of the little flock of humble souls, " to whom it is the Father's good pleasure to give the kingdom. For he giveth grace to the humble ;"-yea, he giveth grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that follow his drawings, and lead a godly life. Those convinced, humbled souls, conscious of their lost estate, and enquiring the way to heaven as honest Cornelius, and the trembling jailor;-those souls, I say, the Father in a particular manner gives to the Son, as being prepared for him, and just ready to enter into his dispensation. They believe in God, they must also believe in Christ; and the part of the gospel, that eminently suits them, is that which Paul preached to the penitent jailor; and Peter to the devout Centurion.

The Jews about Capernaum shewed great readiness to follow Jesus: but it was out of curiosity, and not out of hunger after righteousness. Their hearts went more after loaves and fishes, than after grace and glory. In a word, they continued to be grossly unfaithful to their light, under the dispensation of the Father, or of God-Creator. Hence it is, that our Lord said to them, "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth to everlasting life :" Mind your souls as well as your bodies, be no more practical atheists. To vindicate themselves, they pretended to have a great desire to serve God. "What shall we do, said they, that we may work the works of God?" This is the work of God, replied our Lord.-This is the thing

offenders, says just after,] O Jerusalem, wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it once be?

2. God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble, [i. e. to babes:] &c. therefore yourselves to God, &c. humble yourSubmit selves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up, James iv. 6, &c. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, John vii. 17.-The se cret of the Lord is with them that fear him, Psalm xxv. 14.

which God peculiarly requires of those, who are under his dispensation,-that ye believe on him whom he hath sent ;-i e. that ye submit to my dispensation. Here the Jews began to cavil and say, "What sign shewest thou, that we may believe thee?" Our Lord, to give them to understand that they were not so ready to believe upon proper evidence, as they professed to be, said to them, Ye have seen me and my miracles, and yet ye believe not. Then comes the verse, on which Zelotes founds his doctrine of absolute grace to the elect, and absolute wrath to all the rest of mankind: All that the Father (particularly giveth me, because they are particularly convinced, that they want a Mediator between God and them; and because they are obedient to his drawings, and to the light of their dispensation ;)-all these says our Lord, shall or will come unto me, and I will be as ready to receive them, as the Father is to draw them to me, for him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out:" I will admit him to the privileges of my dispensation; and, if he is faithful, I will even introduce him into the dispensation of the Holy Ghost ;-into the kingdom that does not consist in meat and drink, nor yet in bare penitential righteousness; hut also in peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost ;And this is the Father's will, that, of all which he has given me, that I may bless them with the blessings of my dispensations, 1, should lose nothing, by my negligence as a Saviour, or by my carelessness as a shepherd: Although some will lose themselves by their own perverseness and wilful apostacy. That this is our Lord's meaning is evident from his own doctrine about his disciples being the salt of the earth, and about some losing their savour, and losing their own soul: But above all, this appears from this express declaration concerning one of his opostles.-This being premised, I balance the favourite text of Zelotes thus:

2. I have manifested thy name [O Father] to the men, whom thou hast given me out of the world. Thine they were [they belonged to thy dispensation, they believed in thee] and thou gavest them me, [they entered my dispen