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γενησόμενοι

it is not the fault of God, a gyinwoner ny geroomerol adina, that those who are foreknown and fhall be unrighteous, whether angels or men, that they are wicked; but 'tis through their own fault that every one is fuch as he appears to be." And a little further, he adds; "Wherefore if the word of God intimates before hand, that fome angels and men fhall be punished, because that, προεγίνωσκεν αυτες αμετάβλητες γενησομε vus @ounges, be foreknew that they would. be immutably wicked; it has foretold thefe things, but not that God has made them fuch; feeing, if they repent, all, Boλoμevoi, / that are willing to obtain the mercy of God may." To which we heartily agree. We fay, that God makes no man wicked, but he makes himself fo; That neither the foreknowledge of God, nor his decrees, neceffitate men to fin; and that God damns no man, nor has he decreed to damn any but for fin and that whoever is truly defirous. of the grace and mercy of God, may obtain it through Chrift.

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3. This antient and valuable Chriftian writer not only fpeaks of the people of God under the title and appellation of the Elect, as he does at the clofe of an epistle" of his to fome perfons for whom he prays, that "the Lord of glory, who exifts for ever,

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Epift. ad Zenam & Seren. p. 515.

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would give to them all to enjoy honour and rest, μɛla Twv exλenlev, with the elect;" but he alfo fpeaks of them as a fpecial people, felected out of every nation, and as a fixed number to be compleated. In one place difputing with Trypho the Jew he has thefe God, out of all nations, took your nation to himself, a nation unprofitable, difobedient, and unfaithful, thereby pointing out, τις απο πανίος γενος αιρεμένες, thofe that are chofen out of every nation to obey his will, by Chrift, whom alfo he calls Jacob, and names Ifrael." And addreffing himself to the fame few he fays P, all these difcourfes I have brought all my proofs, out of your holy and prophetic writings, hoping that fome of you may be found εκ το καλα χάριν την από το κυριό σαβαώθ περιλειφθέντος εις την αιώ τον σωτηριαν, of the number which through the grace that comes from the Lord of fabaoth is left, or reserved to everlasting falvation." And in another treatife of his he obferves, that "God introduced Chrift into heaven after his refurrection from the dead, and detains him there until he has fmitten his enemies the devils, και συντελέσθη ο αριθμός των προεγνωσμένων αυτώ αγαθών γινομένων και εναρείων, and the number of them that are foreknown by him to be good and

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virtuous is compleated, diss, for whofe fake he has not yet made the determined confummation." Which perfectly agrees with the doctrine of the apoftle Peter, and gives light into the fenfe of his words in 2 Pet. iii. 9. where the fame reafon is given for the deferring of Chrift's coming to judg

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There is but one paffage out of Justin produced by Dr. Whitby in oppofition to the doctrine of abfolute election, and that properly belongs to the article of free will, under which it will be confidered.

NUM B. IV.

MINUTIUS FOELIX. A.D. 170.

MInutius Foelix was a famous counsellor

at Rome; according to Monfieur Daille, he was cotemporary with Fronto the orator, who lived in the times of Antoninus Pius, which emperor died A. D. 161. and following him I have placed him in the year as above, though by others he is commonly put at the beginning of the third century. He wrote a Dialogue between Caecilius an Heathen, and Octavius a Chriftian, which

• Difcourfe on the five points, p. 96. Ed. 2. 95.
f Apolog. par. 4. P. 756.

is

is entituled, Octavius, and is ftill in being, In this dialogue Caecilius the Heathen objects to the Chriftians thus, "Nam quicquid agimus, ut alii fato, ita vos Deo addicitis; fic fectae veftrae non fpontaneos cupere fed eledos. Igitur iniquum judicem fingitis, qui fortem in bominibus puniat, non voluntatem." i.e. "Whatfoever we do, as others afcribe it to fate, fo you to God, and fo men defire your fect not of their own accord, but as elect, wherefore you fuppofe an unjust judge, who punishes in men lot or fortune, and not the will." To this Octavius replies ", " Nec de fato quifquam aut folatium captet aut excufet eventum. Sit fortis (fortis, Ed. Oxon. 1662.) fortunae, mens tamen libera eft & ideo actus hominis, non dignitas judicatur. Quid enim aliud eft fatum, quam quod de unoquoque Deus fatus eft? Qui cum poffit praefcire materiam, pro meritis & qualitatibus fingulorum etiam fata determinat, ita in nobis non genitura plectitur, fed ingenii natura punitur" i. e. "No man may either take any comfort from fate, or excufe an event, for let it be of lot or fortune, yet the mind is free, and therefore the act and not the worth of the man is judged of. For what elfe is fate but what God fays of every one of us? Who fince he can foreknow matter, even

* Min. Foclix, Octav. p. 363. ad Calcem. Arnobii, p. 11. Edit. Oxon. 1662.

"Ib. p. 397. Ed. Elmenhorft. p. 39. Ed. Oxon.

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determines the fates according to the merits and qualities of every one, fo that not our -nativity (ie, as depending on the position of the ftars) but our natural difpofition is punifhed." From whence I obferve,

1. That there was a doctrine held by the Chriftians in those times, which feemed to have fome affinity with, and to bear some likeness to the ftoical fate, or Caecilius could not have thus objected with any face; nor does his objection appear to be altogether groundless, as many of his certainly were, fince Octavius, in his reply, does not deny the doctrine of fate rightly understood, tho' he would not have men fhelter themselves under it, and excufe their actions on the account of it; nay, he does not reject the use of that word, but explains it in a Chriftian fenfe, faying, What is fate, but what God fays, or determines, concerning every one of us? Now no doctrine, but that of predestination, as held by fuch who are called Calvinifts, can be thought to bear any likenefs to the doctrine of fate, or be liable to the like objections; wherefore 'tis reasonable to conclude, that the fame doctrine was generally taught and received by the Chriftians then, as it is by them that hold it now, fince the same charge is brought against it.

2. That the faints in thofe times went under the name of the Elect; and that it was a current opinion among them, that

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