all men to walk in their own ways;' Acts xiv. 16. And for experience, not to multiply particulars, do but ask any of our brethren who have been at any time in the Indies, and they will easily resolve ye in the truth thereof.

The exceptions against this argument are poor and frivolous, which we reserve for a reply. In brief, how is it revealed to those thousands of the offspring of infidels, whom the Lord cuts off in their infancy, that they may not pester the world, persecute his church, nor disturb human society? How to their parents, of whom Paul affirms, that by the work of God they might be led to the knowledge of his eternal power and Godhead, but that they should know any thing of redemption or a Redeemer, was utterly impossible.

CHAP. II.

Containing three other arguments.

IF Jesus Christ died for all men, that is, purchased and procured for them, according to the mind and will of God, all those things which we recounted, and the Scripture setteth forth, to be the effects and fruits of his death, which may be summed up in this one phrase, eternal redemption; then he did this, and that according to the purpose of God, either absolutely or upon some condition by them to be fulfilled. If absolutely, then ought all and every one, absolutely and infallibly to be made actual partakers of that eternal redemption so purchased for what I pray, should hinder the enjoyment of that to any, which God absolutely intended, and Christ absolutely purchased for them. If upon condition, then he did either procure this condition for them, or he did not? If he did procure this condition for them, that is, that it should be bestowed on them, and wrought within them, then he did it either absolutely again or upon a condition. If absolutely, then are we as we were before; for to procure any thing for another, to be conferred on him, upon such a condition, and withal, to procure that condition absolutely to be bestowed on them, is equivalent to the absolute procuring of the thing itself. For so we affirm in this very business, Christ procured salvation for us, to be bestowed conditionally if we do be

lieve, but faith itself, that he hath'absolutely procured without prescribing of any condition. Whence we affirm that the purchasing of salvation for us, is equivalent to what it would have been, if it had been so purchased as to have been absolutely bestowed, in respect of the event and issue. So that thus also must all be absolutely saved. But if this condition, -be procured upon condition, let that be assigned, and we will renew our quare concerning the procuring of that, whether it were absolute or conditional; and so never rest until they come to fix somewhere, or still run into a circle. But on the other side, is not this condition procured by him, on whose performance all the good things purchased by him, are to be actually enjoyed? Then, first, this condition must be made known to all, as arg. 2. Secondly, All men are able of themselves to perform this condition, or they are not? If they are, then seeing that condition is faith in the promises, as is on all sides confessed, then are all men of themselves by the power of their own free-will able to believe: which is contrary to the Scriptures, as by the Lord's assistance shall be declared. If they cannot, but that this faith must be bestowed on them and wrought within them, by the free grace of God; then when God gave his Son to die for them, to procure eternal redemption for them all upon condition that they did believe, he either purposed to work faith in them all by his grace, that they might believe, or he did not? If he did, why doth not he actually perform it, seeing he is of one mind, and who can turn him? why do not all believe? why have not all men faith? Or doth he fail of his purpose? If he did not purpose to bestow faith on them all, or (which is all one) if he purposed not to bestow faith on all (for the will of God doth not consist in a pure negation of any thing, what he doth not will that it should be, he wills, that it should not be), then the sum of it comes to this: that God gave Christ to die for all men, but upon this condition, that they perform that which of themselves, without him they cannot perform, and purposed, that for his part, he would not accomplish it in them. Now if this be not extreme madness, to assign a will unto God of doing that which himself knows, and orders that it shall never be done, of granting a thing upon a condition, which without his help cannot be fulfilled, and which help he purposed not to grant, let all judge. Is this any

thing but to delude poor creatures? Is it possible that any good at all should arise to any by such a purpose as this, such a giving of a Redeemer? Is it agreeable to the goodness of God, to intend so great a good as is the redemption purchased by Christ, and to pretend that he would have it profitable for them, when he knows that they can no more fulfil the condition, which he requires, that it may be by them enjoyed, than Lazarus could of himself come out of the grave? Doth it beseem the wisdom of God to purpose that which he knows shall never be fulfilled? If a man should promise to give a thousand pounds to a blind man upon condition that he will open his eyes and see, which he knows well enough he cannot do; were that promise, to be supposed to come from a heart pitying of his poverty, and not rather from a mind to elude and mock at his misery? If the king should promise to pay a ransom for the captives at Algiers, upon condition that they would conquer their tyrants and come away, which he knows full well they cannot do, were this a kingly act? or as if a man should pay a price to redeem captives, but not that their chains may be taken away, without which they cannot come out of prison? To promise dead men great rewards upon condition they live again of themselves? Are not these to as much end, as the obtaining of salvation: for men upon condition that they do believe, without obtaining that condition for them? Were not this the assigning such a will and purpose as this to Jesus Christ? I will obtain eternal life to be bestowed on men, and become theirs by the application of the benefits of my death, but upon this condition that they do believe; but as I will not reveal my mind and will in this business, nor this condition itself to innumerable of them, so concerning the rest I know they are no ways able of themselves, no more than Lazarus was to rise, or a blind man is to see, to perform the condition that I do require, and without which none of the good things intended for them can ever become theirs neither will I procure that condition ever to be fulfilled in them; that is, I do will that, that shall be done, which I do not only know shall never be done, but that it cannot be done, because I will not do that, without which it can never be accomplished.' Now whether such a will and purpose as this, beseem the wisdom and goodness of our Saviour, let the reader judge. In brief, an intention of doing

good, unto any one, upon the performance of such a condition as the intended knows is absolutely above the strength of him, of whom it is required (especially if he know that it can no way be done, but by his concurrence, and he is resolved not to yield that assistance, which is necessary to the actual accomplishment of it, is a vain fruitless flourish, that Christ then should obtain of his Father eternal redemption, and the Lord should through his Son intend it for them, who shall never be made partakers of it), because they cannot perform, and God and Christ have purposed not to bestow the condition, on which alone it is to be made actually theirs, is unworthy of Christ, and unprofitable to them for whom it is obtained; which that any thing that Christ obtained for the sons of men should be so unto them, is a hard saying indeed. Again, if God through Christ purpose to save all if they do believe, because he died for all, and this faith be not purchased by Christ, nor are men able of themselves to believe, how comes it to pass that any are saved?

God bestows faith on some, not on others. I reply, is this distinguishing grace purchased for those some comparatively, in respect of those that are passed by without it? If it be, then did not Christ die equally for all; for he died that some might have faith, not others; yea in comparison, he cannot be said to die for those other some at all, not dying that they might have faith, without which he knew that all the rest would be unprofitable and fruitless; but is it not purchased for them by Christ, then have those that he saved no more to thank Christ for, than those that are damned, which were strange and contrary to Rev. i. 5. To him that hath loved us, and washed us with his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father,' &c. For my part, I do conceive that Christ hath obtained salvation for men not upon condition if they would receive it, but so fully and perfectly that certainly they should receive it; he purchased salvation, to be bestowed on them that do believe, but withal faith that they might believe. Neither can it be objected, that according to our doctrine, God requires any thing of men that they cannot do, yea faith to believe in Christ: for, first, commands do not signify what is God's intention should be done, but what is our duty to do, which may be made known to us, whether we be able to perform it or not: it signifieth no

intention or purpose of God. Secondly, For, first, the promises which are proposed together with the command to believe; they do not hold out the intent and purpose of God, that Christ should die for us if we do believe, which is absurd; that the act should be the constitutor of its own object, which must be before it, and is presupposed to be before we are desired to believe it: nor, secondly, the purpose of God that the death of Christ should be profitable to us if we do believe, which we before confuted; but, thirdly, only that faith is the way to salvation, which God hath appointed: so that all that do believe shall undoubtedly be saved, these two things, faith and salvation, being inseparably linked together, as shall be declared.

6

If all mankind, be in and by the eternal purpose of God, distinguished into two sorts and conditions; severally and distinctly described and set forth in the Scripture, and Christ be peculiarly affirmed, to die for one of these sorts, and no where for them of the other, then did he not die for all; for of the one sort he dies for all and every one, and of the other for no one at all. But, first, there is such a discriminating distinguishment among men by the eternal purpose of God, as those whom he loves and those whom he hates. Rom. ix. 11, 12. Whom he knoweth, and whom he knoweth not. Johnx. 14. I know my sheep.' 2 Tim. ii. 19. God knoweth who are his.' Rom. viii. 29. 'Whom he did foreknow.' Rom. xi. 2. The people whom he foreknew:' 'I know you not;' Matt. vii. 33. so John xiii. 18. 'I speak not of you all; I know whom I have chosen;' those that are appointed to life and glory; and those that are appointed to, and fitted for, destruction, elect and reprobate, those that were ordained to eternal life, and those who before were of old ordained to condemnation; as Eph. i. 4. He hath chosen us in him.' Acts xiii. 48. ‘Ordained to eternal life.' Rom. viii. 30. 'Whom he predestinated, them he also called; whom he called them he also justified; and whom he justified them he also glorified:' so on the other side, 1 Thes. v. 9. God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation: Appointed to wrath.' Rom. ix. 1821. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth: thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he then find fault? for who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the