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CALVIN.

he introduces God not as a mere spectator, but as the author of our salvation. So the same Peter, by calling the faithful to whom he writes, "elect according to the foreknowledge of God," properly expresses that secret predestination by which God has marked out whom he would as his children. And the word purpose, which is added as a synonymous term, and in common speech is always expressive of fixed determination, undoubtedly implies that God, as the author of our salvation, does not go out of himself.--Institut. l. 3. c. 22. s. 6.

But the discriminating election of God, which is otherwise concealed within himself, he manifests only by his calling, which may therefore with propriety be called the testification or evidence of it. "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called and whom he called, them he also justified †," in order to their eventual glorification. Though by choosing his people the Lord has adopted them as his children, yet we see that they enter not on the possession of so great a blessing, till they are called: on the other hand, as soon as they are called, they immediately enjoy some communication of his election. On which account, Paul calls the spirit received by them, both the spirit of adoption, and the seal and earnest of the future inheritance ;" because, by his testimony, he confirms and seals to their hearts the certainty of their future adoption.-Institut. l. 3. c. 24. s. 1.

Dr. Tomline states his opinion on Predestination in the following manner: "Predestination to life is not an absolute decree of eternal happiness to certain individuals, but a gracious purpose of God, to make a

* 1 Pet. i. 2. Eph. i. 13, 14.

Rom. viii. 29, 30.

Rom. viii. 15, 16.

conditional offer of salvation to men, through the merits of Christ." p. 266. While the objects of "Predestination to life" are described in the Article, as "those whom God hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and constantly decreed to bring by Christ to everlasting salvation"-his lordship describes them as "those to whom God decreed to make known the gospel of Christ." p. 266. He then introduces a question, "Are all to whom the gospel is made known predestinated to life?" and, inconsistently with himself, answers it in the negative. For, if "predestination to life" be "a purpose to make a conditional offer of salvation to men through the merits of Christ ;" p. 266. and if salvation has been offered to all to whom the gospel has been made known, since its first promulgation;" p.193. how can we avoid the inference, that “all to whom the gospel is made known are predestinated to life?" The absurdity of this inference proves some fallacy in the premises. If, as the Article asserts, "those which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God," as "predestination to life," do "at length by God's mercy attain to everlasting felicity;" then "PREDESTINATION TO LIFE" must be something more than " A GRACIOUS PURPOSE TO MAKE A CONDITIONAL OFFER OF SALVATION,"-and can be no

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thing short of " AN ABSOLUTE DECREE OF ETERNAL

HAPPINESS TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.'

Heylin, who is frequently quoted by Dr. Tomline, was a violent anticalvinist; yet how different is his interpretation of the 17th Article from the unnatural' and inconsistent exposition given by his lordship!

"Predestination to life is defined in the 17th Article; in which definition there are these things to be observed: 1. That predestination doth presuppose a curse, or state of damnation, in which all mankind

was presented to the sight of God. 2. That it is an act of his from everlasting: because from everlasting he foresaw that misery into which wretched man would fall. 3. That he founded it, and resolved for it, in the man and mediator Christ Jesus, both for the purpose and performance. 4. That it was of some special ones alone; elect, called forth, and reserved in Christ, and not generally extended unto all mankind. 5. That, being thus elected in Christ, they shall be brought by Christ to everlasting salvation. And 6. That this counsel is secret to us for though there be revealed to us some hopeful signs of our election and predestination to life, yet the certainty thereof is a secret hidden in God."-Life of Laud. Introd.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

As the godly consideration of predestination and our election in Christ is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such 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 salvation, to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently

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The certainty of it, indeed, we are to seek here; for, if we attempt to penetrate to the eternal decree of God, we shall be ingulfed in the profound abyss. But when God has discovered it to us, we must ascend to loftier heights, that the cause may not be lost in the effect. For what can be more absurd and inconsistent, when the Scripture teaches that we are illuminated according as God has chosen us, than our eyes being so dazzled with the blaze of this light as to re

CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

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kindle their love towards fuse to contemplate election? God. Art. 17.

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At the same time I admit, that in order to attain an as

surance of our salvation, we ought to begin with the word, and that with it our confidence ought to be satisfied, so as to call upon God as our Father. For some persons, to obtain certainty respecting the counsel of God, "which is nigh unto us in our mouth and in our heart," preposterously wish to soar above the clouds. Such temerity therefore should be restrained by the sobriety of faith, that we may be satisfied with the testimony of God in his external word respecting his secret grace; only the channel which conveys to us such a copious stream to satisfy our thirst, must not deprive the fountain head of the honour which belongs to it.-Institut. l. 3. c. 24. §. 3.

While the Article represents this doctrine as agreeably only "to GODLY persons, "Dr. Tomline insists, that "The PROUD and SELFISH nature of man falls an easy victim to the fascinating doctrines of election and grace." p. 283. Dr. T. does indeed say, in reference to HIS statement of Predestination, “THIS godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort." But it has been shown that the doctrine of Predestination, as stated by him, is completely at variance with the doctrine of the Church. While the Article states, that "it (the godly consideration of Predestination and Election in Christ by godly persons) doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation"-his lordship's gloss on this part of it is, that "their faith of eternal salvation is greatly

* Deut. xxx. 14.

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established and confirmed from a consciousness of their own obedience and religious walking in good works.' p. 267.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND. So, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlesness of the most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation. Art. 17.

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When miserable man endeavours to force his way into the secret recesses of divine wisdom, and to penetrate even to the highest eternity, that he may discover what is determined concerning him at the tribunal of God; then he precipitates himself to be absorbed in the profound of an unfathomable gulf: then he entangles himself in numberless and inextricable snares; then he sinks himself in an abyss of total darkness, For it is right that the folly of the human mind should be thus punished with horrible destruction, when it attempts by its own ability to rise to the summit of divine wisdom. This temptation is the more fatal, because there is no other to which men in general have a stronger propensity. For there is scarcely a person to be found whose mind is not sometimes struck with this thought, Whence can you obtain salvation, but from the election of God? and what revelation have you received of election? If this has once impressed a man, it either perpetually excruciates the unhappy being with dreadful torments, or altogether stupefies him with astonishment. Indeed, I should desire no stronger argument to prove how extremely erroneous the conceptions of such persons are, respecting predestination, than experience it

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