deny the place of Forgiveness to fuch as truly

repent.

Concerning this Article in general, fee Mr. Plaifere's Appello Evangelium, Part 3. Chap. 16. p. 291, &c.

The First Propofition. Touching the diftinction of mortal and venial Sins, fee Limborch's Syftem, Book the Fourth, the Fourth Chapter, Sect. 19, 20, 21,22,23. That every deadly Sin willingly committed after Baptism is not unpardonable, fee the Fifth Book of Limborch's Syftem, Chapter the Eighty fifth. And confequently every fuch deadly Sin can't be the Sin against the Holy Ghoft; because the Sin against the Holy Ghoft is unpardonable, Matth. 12. 31, 32. Tho' by the way, it must be observed, that our Church does not determin, what the Sin against the Holy Ghoft is, nor need any Perfon be able to determin it in order to his Satisfaction touching this Propofition; fince the Argument already of fer'd plainly proves, that every deadly Sin willingly committed after Baptifm is not the Sin against the Holy Ghost.

The Second Propofition is the neceffary Confequence of the Firft. For who fhall dare to deny Repentance, that is, to deny the Poffibility of Repentance, in thofe Cafes, wherein God, who alone has Power fo to do, has not made it impoffible?

The Third Propofition. That we may depart from Grace given, and fall into Sin, after we have received the Holy Ghoft, fee the Fifth Book of Limborch's Syftem, from the Eightieth Chapter to the Eighty fourth inclufively: and that by the Grace of God we may arise again, and amend our Lives, appears from the Firft Propofition. G 2

The

The Fourth Propofition neceffarily follows from the Third.

The SEVENTEENTH ARTICLE.

PR

Of Predeftination and Election.

REDESTINATION to life, is the everlasting purpofe of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he bath constantly decreed by his counsel, fecret to us, to deliver from curfe and damnation those whom be bath chofen in Chrift out of mankind, and to bring them by Chrift to everlasting falvation, as veffels made to bonor. Wherefore they which be endued with fo excellent a benefit of God, be called according to God's purpofe by his fpirit working in due feafon : they thro' grace obey the calling: they be justified freely: they be made fons of God by adoption: they be made like the image of his only begotten fon Jefus Chrift: they walk religiously in good works, and at length by God's mercy they attain to everlasting felicity.

As the godly confideration of Predeftination and our EleEtion in Chrift, is full of fweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly perfons, and fuch as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things; as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal falvation, to be enjoyed through Chrift, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God: fo for curious and carnal perfons, lacking the Spirit of Chrift, to have continually before their eyes the fentence of God's Predeftination, is a most dangerous downfal,whereby the devil doth thrust them either into defperation, or into wretchlesness of most unclean living, no less perilous than defperation.

Furthermore,

Furthermore, we must receive God's promifes in fuch wife, as they be generally fet forth to us in Holy Scripture: and in our doings, that will of God is to be followed, which we have exprefly declared unto us in the word of God.

For the right understanding of this Article, I intreat the Reader feriously to confider the Twenty first Chapter of the Third Part of Mr. Plaifere's Appello Evangelium, p. 334, &c. which when he has done, he may perufe what follows.

The Doctrin of Predeftination has fill'd many Volumes of Controverfy, and the English Patrons of the feveral Schemes or Hypothefes have endevor'd to fhew, that the Church of England does in this Article, either plainly maintain, or at least not contradict their respective Opinions.

Now that the Doctrin of our Church is in fome Places utterly irreconcilable with the abfolute and irrefpective Predeftination of both the Supralapfarians and Sublapfarians, is to me indifputably clear. For, First, The Church prays to God, juft before a Child is baptiz'd, that it may receive the fulness of his Grace, and ever remain in the Number of his faithful and elect Children; and after 'tis baptiz'd, fhe thanks God, that 'tis regenerated with his Holy Spirit. And yet furely all Children that are baptiz'd, are not fav'd. Wherefore, in our Church's Judgment, fome Perfons that had receiv'd the fulness of God's Grace, and were Elect, and regenerated with the Spirit, do afterwards fall away. Secondly, In the Burial Office, we pray God, that he would not fuffer us in our last Hour for any Pains of Death to fall from him. This Petition is to be faid by the Elect, if there be any fuch amongst us. 'Tis poffible therefore, in the Judgment of our Church, for thofe that are Elect, not

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barely

barely to fall from God, but even to fall from him in their laft Hour, that is, totally and finally.

Now thefe Particulars, not to mention others, do in my Opinion deftroy all abfolute Predeftination; infomuch, that could I think abfolute Predeftination true (whether in the Supralapfarian or Sublapfarian Way) I could not fubfcribe to the Ufe of the Liturgy. Wherefore, tho' I do by no means cenfure fuch abfolute Predeftinarians, as think the foregoing Particulars confiftent with their Notions, and do conform accordingly: yet I must own, I do not fee how I could get over thofe Difficulties, were I perfuaded of the Truth of their Notions. And confequently I muft, till I receive greater Light, believe that our Church condemns thofe Notions, by injoining and afferting fuch things as are irreconcilable to them.

But then, with refpect to this Seventeenth Article, I do not determin, whether our Church does condemn abfolute Predeftination, or no. If those who maintain it, think themselves able to reconcile this Article to their Doctrin, I am fatisfied : tho' I must add, that I will not be bound to do the fame. As for conditionate Predeftination (if fhe does not affert or favor it, yet) that the Church does not in this Article condemn it, Mr. Plaifere has demonftrated, in the Chapter before mentioned, beyond all poffibility of Contradiction.

And indeed, 'tis to me a moft aftonishing thing, that the Patrons of abfolute Predeftination are able to perfuade themfelves, as they very frequently and confidently maintain, that conditionate Predeftination is condemned in this Article by our Church. For every body that understands their Notions, must be forc'd to fee, one would think, that there is not one Syllable in this Article, but

what

what the Patrons of conditionate Predeftination moft heartily approve and teach. 'Twould be endlefs to enumerate all the Authorities, by which this might be made appear. Let it therefore fuffice, that the only Part wherein any Difficulty can be pretended, is the Firft Paragraph; and that Arminius himfelf (not to mention others his profefs'd Followers)does manifeftly affert every Branch of it, as appears from his own Words quoted in the (a) Margin, which the Reader may easily com

pare

(a) Atque hactenus quidem, cum eas fententias declaraverim, quæ circa Articulum de Prædeftinatione in Ecclefiis noftris, atque etiam in Academia Leidenfi inculcantur, atque à me improbantur: fimul véro etiam rationes meas produxerim, cur eo modo de illis judicem ; deinceps meam ipfius fententiam in medium proferam: quæ talis eft, ut ego quidem arbitrer eam verbo Dei quam maxime conformem effe.

Primum & abfolutum Dei decretum, de homine peccatore fervando, effe, quo decrevit Filium fuum Jefum Chriftum ponere in Mediatorem, Redemptorem, Salvatorem, Sacerdotem & Regem ; qui peccatum morte fua aboleat, amiffam falutem obedientia fua impetret, & virtute fua communicet.

Secundum præcifum & abfolutum Dei decretum effe, quo decrevit refipifcentes & credentes in gratiam recipere, eofque perfeverantes ad finem ufque, falvos facere in Chrifto, propter Chriftum, & per Chriftum; impœnitentes vero & infideles in peccato & fub ira derelinquere, atque damnare tanquam alienos à Chrifto.

Tertium Dei decretum eft, quo decrevit media ad refi pifcentiam & fidem neceffaria fufficienter & efficaciter adminiftrare. Hanc adminiftrationem inftitui juxta fapientiam Dei, qua fcit, quid mifericordiam & feveritatem fuam deceat, itemque juxta juftitiam ejus, per quam paratus eft, fapientiæ fuæ præfcriptum fequi atque executioni mandare.

Hinc fequi quartum Decretum, quo decrevit fingulares & certas quafdam perfonas falvare & damnare. Atque hoc decretum præfcientiæ Dei innititur, qua ab æterno (civit, quinam juxta ejufcemodi adminiftrationem mediorum ad converfionem & fidem idoneorum, ex præveniente ipfius gratia credituri

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erant,