THE Arminian Magazine, For the YEAR 1783. CONSISTING OF · EXTRACTS AND ORIGINAL TREATISES Ο Ν Univerfal Redemption. VOLUME VI. LONDON: Printed by J. PARAMORE, at the Foundery, Moorfields; And fold at the New Chapel, City-Road, and by all the The CALVINIST-CABINET UNLOCKED: in an APOLOGY for TILENUS, against a VINDICATION of the Synod of DORT. THE PREFACE. IT may conduce to our settlement, to confider how many of the most Learned these laft Ages have produced, even when they launched forth on purpose to oppose the Truth, have abfolutely yielded up themselves to the empire of it. Arminius undertakes the defence of Beza, but finding it impoffible, retreats unto those Opinions which have worn his name ever fince. Tilenus, while he fets himself in oppofition to Arminius, is awakened with fo clear a light, that he becomes a profelyte. Arminius' Arguments pressed so hard upon Junius, that he thought fit to give ground: and VOL. VI. A 2 Pifcator Pifcator flinchit a little more upon the impreffion made by his adverfaries. The Abfurdities which unavoidably follow from these doctrines, are very reproachful to the Majefty of heaven; they deflower the beauty of his Attributes, evacuate the merits of Chrifl's death, fruftrate the use of the holy Ordinances, and enervate the power of Godliness. For while they advance his Sovereignty, they impeach his Goodness; while they magnify his Liberty, they obfcure his Wifdom; while they fweeten his Mercy, they imbitter his Juftice; while they boaft his Grace, they confound his Truth and Sincerity. This doctrine attributes to God a power, not only above the laws he prefcribes, and the promifes he makes unto his fervants, but paramount to his own effential Equity. For it faith he hath ordained the greater part of mankind to deftruction, merely for his own pleasure. It makes God like. an unwife Potter, who makes vellels on purpose to dash them in pieces. It teacheth, that of men, amongst whom he found no disparity, he hath elected some, and rejected others; and that he introduced a neceffity of fining for the illuflration of his glory. It teacheth, that God fent Chrift to reconcile men to himfelf, whom he loved with an unchangeable love, before he decreed to give Chrift for them: that he courts others to be reconciled, whom he hates immutably: that he calls them to repentance, enlightens them, gives them a tafle of the heavenly gift, and zeal to do good works; and all this to ferve for a golden chariot to conduct them with the more formality to a worse execution: that he binds some men to believe in Chrift, for whom he never died: that he invites. them to a Covenant of Grace, and ties them to impoffible conditions under it, that he may inflict the greater torments upon them; that fome men's fins, (of what nature soever,) are privileges of their Adoption, confirmations of their Grace, and |