Free
Grace by John Wesley
Notes
to the reader.
1.
My outline of the sermon is given below in bold enlarged type. The
numbering of paragraphs is from the 1872 edition of Wesley's sermons but the
sentence numbering is mine. From the content, this sermon can be titled
"A Refutation of the Church of England doctrine of Election" though he
titled it, "Free Grace" (more generally, it might be titled simply
"Election" or "Election Reconsidered"). He uses election and
predestination coextensively and does very little exposition of Romans 8:32, his
text. Using Wesley's cues by numbered paragraphs, but focusing the theme as a
refutation of election, I arrive at the following outline:
·
Definition/Clarification
of election 1-9
·
Refutation of election
10-28
·
Re-interpretation of
election 29
·
Conclusion 30
Within
the refutation section, Wesley identifies seven reasons to reject the
reformed doctrine of the church of which he was a member (the first is paragraph
10, and the seventh begins at paragraph 23, so the sixth must be 20-22).
Some of the seven can be combined because they develop the same point, but for
clarity we can best follow his sevenfold outline (that contains 18 interrelated
arguments). Also, paragraph 29 is where Wesley presents a positive
argument for the view of election he holds in light of the critique he has
given.
2.
Wesley and Whitefield reason extensively in proclaiming the gospel and they both
do so in a heartfelt way with much passion. So appreciate their passion, drink
it in, but also look beyond it to their arguments. We need to be passionate in
the ministry of the word. We ought to boil within as we behold the glory of God
in the face of Christ. But our zeal is to be informed so that when we boil over
what spills out will honor the Lord in accordance with truth.
R.
Ostella (
FREE GRACE
by John Wesley
Preached at
SERMON 128
(text from the 1872 edition)
TO THE READER
1Nothing
but the strongest conviction, not only that what is here advanced is "the
truth as it is in Jesus," but also that I am indispensably obliged to
declare this truth to all the world, could have induced me openly to oppose the
sentiments of those whom I esteem for their work's sake: At whose feet may I be
found in the day of the Lord Jesus! 2Should
any believe it his duty to reply hereto, I have only one request to make, -- Let
whatsoever you do, be done inherently, in love, and in the spirit of meekness. 3Let your very disputing show that you have "put on, as the elect of
God, bowel of mercies, gentleness, longsuffering;" that even according to
this time it may be said, "See how these Christians love one another!"
ADVERTISEMENT
1Whereas
a pamphlet entitled, "Free Grace Indeed," has been published against
this Sermon; this is to inform the publisher, that I cannot answer his tract
till he appears to be more in earnest. 2For
I dare not speak of "the deep things of God" in the spirit of a
prize-fighter or a stage-player. 3"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us
all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Romans
8:32
Definition:
the reformed doctrine of election & where it leads 1-9
Preface
argument (# 1): paragraphs 1-4
Rightly understood, those who believe the reformed
doctrine deny free grace defined in Rom. 8.32 (1.1-4.1) to be for all; they do
so by affirming that some are ordained to life (4.2) and the rest to death
(4.3), which means that those ordained to death are hated by God (4.4a),
destined before birth to eternal death (4.4b, born to be destroyed, 4.6),
without the possibility of redemption (4.7) because of God's absolute decree,
His good pleasure, and His sovereign will (4.5). RAO
1. 1How freely does God love the world! 2While we were yet
sinners, "Christ died for the ungodly." 3While we were "dead in our sin," God "spared not his own
Son, but delivered him up for us all." 4And how freely with
him does he "give us all things!" 5Verily, FREE GRACE
is all in all!
2. 1The grace or love of God, whence cometh our salvation, is FREE IN ALL,
and FREE FOR ALL.
3. 1First. It is free in all to whom it is given. 2It does not depend on any power or merit in man; no, not in any degree,
neither in whole, nor in part. 3It
does not in anywise depend either on the good works or righteousness of the
receiver; not on anything he has done, or anything he is. 4It
does not depend on his endeavors. 5It does not depend on his good tempers, or good desires, or good
purposes and intentions; for all these flow from the free grace of God; they are
the streams only, not the fountain. 6They are the fruits
of free grace, and not the root. 7They are not the
cause, but the effects of it. 8Whatsoever
good is in man, or is done by man, God is the author and doer of it. 9Thus is his grace
free in all; that is, no way depending on any power or merit in man, but on God
alone, who freely gave us his own Son, and "with him freely giveth us all
things.
4. 1But it is free for ALL, as well as IN ALL. 2To this some have answered, "No: It is free only for those whom God
hath ordained to life; and they are but a little flock. 3The greater part of God hath ordained to death; and it is not free for
them. 4Them
God hateth; and, therefore, before they were born, decreed they should die
eternally. 5And this he
absolutely decreed; because so was his good pleasure; because it was his
sovereign will. 6Accordingly,
they are born for this, -- to be destroyed body and soul in hell. 7And they grow up
under the irrevocable curse of God, without any possibility of redemption; for
what grace God gives, he gives only for this, to increase, not prevent, their
damnation."
Preface
argument (# 2): paragraphs 5-9
Rightly understood, the reformed doctrine of election
entails the doctrine of reprobation (9.1-2). Some try to hold to election
without reprobation, but if you hold that God ordained them to this very thing
(some to glorification & the rest to themselves and thus to destruction)
then you believe in predestination in the full sense (5.1-6.4, you hold both
election and reprobation), if you believe that God hardens hearts then
you hold all that has been said of predestination (6.5-9), if you believe that
all being dead in sin, God decreed to say to some of the dry bones, live,
leaving the rest to abide in death (7.1-8.1) then you hold with softer words the
self-same thing, reprobation (8.7, you are where you was, 8.4a-c) because you
believe that only those thus elected will be saved (8.2), you believe that it is
not possible for any to be saved unless thus elected (8.3), you believe that
none can save them but God, and He will not save them (8.4d), you believe God's
decree to not save them is absolute (8.5), and you believe that all are dead,
and altogether unable to make themselves alive and that God has absolutely
decreed he will make only some alive and not others. RAO
5. 1This is that decree of predestination. 2But methinks I hear one say, "This is not the predestination which
I hold: I hold only the election of grace. 3What I believe is
not more than this, -- that God, before the foundation of the world, did elect a
certain number of men to be justified, sanctified, and glorified. 4Now, all these will be saved, and none else; for the rest of mankind God
leaves to themselves: So they follow the imaginations of their own hearts, which
are only evil continually, and, waxing worse and worse, are at length justly
punished with everlasting destruction."
6. 1Is this all the predestination which you hold? 2Consider; perhaps this is not all. 3Do not you believe
God ordained them to this very thing" 4If so, you believe
the whole degree; you hold predestination in the full sense which has been above
described. 5But
it may be you think you do not. 6Do not you then believe, God hardens the hearts of them that perish: Do
not you believe, he (literally) hardened Pharaoh's heart; and that for this end
he raised him up, or created him? 7Why, this amounts to
just the same thing. 8If
you believe Pharaoh, or any one man upon earth, was created for this end, -- to
be damned, -- you hold all that has been said of predestination. 9And
there is no need you should add, that God seconds his degree, which is supposed
unchangeable and irresistible, by hardening the hearts of those vessels of wrath
whom that decree had before fitted for destruction.
7. 1Well, but it may be you do not believe even this; you do not hold any
decree of reprobation; you do not think God decrees any man to be damned, not
hardens, irresistibly fits him, for damnation; you only say, "God eternally
decreed, that all being dead in sin, he would say to some of the dry bones,
Live, and to others he would not; that, consequently, these should be made
alive, and those abide in death, -- these should glorify God by their salvation,
and those by their destruction."
8. 1Is not this what you mean by the election of grace? 2If it be, I would ask one or two questions: Are any who are not thus
elected saved? or were any, from the foundation of the world? 3Is it possible any man should be saved unless he be thus elected? 4If you say, "No," you are but where you was; you are not got
one hair's breadth farther; you still believe, that, in consequence of an
unchangeable, irresistible decree of God, the greater part of mankind abide in
death, without any possibility of redemption; inasmuch as none can save them but
God, and he will not save them. 5You believe he hath
absolutely decreed not to save them; and what is this but decreeing to damn
them? 6It
is, in effect, neither more not less; it comes to the same thing; for if you are
dead, and altogether unable to make yourself alive, then, if God has absolutely
decreed he will make only others alive, and not you, he hath absolutely decreed
your everlasting death; you are absolutely consigned to damnation. 7So then, though you
use softer words than some, you mean the self-same thing; and God's decree
concerning the election of grace, according to your account of it, amounts to
neither more not less than what others call God's decree of reprobation.
9. 1Call it therefore by whatever name you please, election, preterition,
predestination, or reprobation, it comes in the end to the same thing. 2The sense of all is plainly this, -- by virtue of an eternal,
unchangeable, irresistible decree of God, one part of mankind are infallibly
saved, and the rest infallibly damned; it being impossible that any of the
former should be damned, or that any of the latter should be saved.
First
#
3 Preaching is made vain, 10:1-4, 11:1
10. 1But if this be so, then is all preaching vain. 2It is needless to them that are elected; for they, whether with
preaching or without, will infallibly be saved. 3Therefore, the end of preaching -- to save souls -- is void with regard
to them; and it is useless to them that are not elected, for they cannot
possibly be saved: They, whether with preaching or without, will infallibly be
damned. 4The
end of preaching is therefore void with regard to them likewise; so that in
either case our preaching is vain, as your hearing is also vain.
11. 1This then, is a plain proof that the doctrine of predestination is not a doctrine of God, because it makes void the ordinance of God; and God is not divided against himself.
Second
#
4 Holiness part one, 11:2-8
11.
2 Second is, that it directly tends to destroy that holiness which is the
end of all the ordinances of God. 3I do not say, none
who hold it are holy; (for God is of tender mercy to those who are unavoidably
entangled in errors of any kind;) but that the doctrine itself, -- that every
man is either elected or not elected from eternity, and that the one must
inevitably be saved, and the other inevitably damned, -- has a manifest tendency
to destroy holiness in general; for it wholly takes away those first motives to
follow after it, so frequently proposed in Scripture, the hope of future reward
and fear of punishment, the hope of heaven and fear of hell. 4That these shall go away into everlasting punishment, and those into
life eternal, is not motive to him to struggle for life who believes his lot is
cast already; it is not reasonable for him so to do, if he thinks he is
unalterably adjudged either to life or death. 5You will say,
"But he knows not whether it is life or death." 6What then? -- this helps not the matter; for if a sick man knows that he
must unavoidably die, or unavoidably recover, though he knows not which, it is
unreasonable for him to take any physic at all. 7He might justly say, (and so I have heard some speak, both in bodily
sickness and in spiritual,) "If I am ordained to life, I shall live; if to
death, I shall die; so I need not trouble myself about it." 8So directly does this doctrine tend to shut the very gate of holiness in
general, -- to hinder unholy men from ever approaching thereto, or striving to
enter in thereat.
#5
Holiness Part two, 12:1-10
12. 1As directly does this doctrine tend to destroy several particular branches of holiness. 2Such are meekness and love, -- love, I mean, of our enemies, -- of the evil and unthankful. 3I say not, that none who hold it have meekness and love; (for as is the power of God, so is his mercy;) but that it naturally tends to inspire, or increase, a sharpness or eagerness of temper, which is quite contrary to the meekness of Christ; as then especially appears, when they are opposed on this head. 4And it as naturally inspires contempt or coldness towards those whom we suppose outcast from God. 5"O but," you say. "I suppose no particular man a reprobate." 6You mean you would not if you could help it: But you cannot help sometimes applying your general doctrine to particular persons: The enemy of souls will apply it for you. 7You know how often he has done so. 8But you rejected the thought with abhorrence. 9True; as soon as you could; but how did it sour and sharpen your spirit in the mean time! 10you well know it was not the spirit of love which you then felt towards that poor sinner, whom you supposed or suspected, whether you would or no, to have been hated of God from eternity.
Third
#
6 Comfort argument, part 1: regarding those who believe themselves reprobate,
13:1-4
13. Thirdly. 1This doctrine tends to destroy the comfort of religion, the happiness of
Christianity. 2This
is evident as to all those who believe themselves to be reprobated, or who only
suspect or fear it. 3All the great and precious promises are lost to them; they afford them
no ray of comfort: For they are not the elect of God; therefore they have
neither lot nor portion in them. 4This is an effectual
bar to their finding any comfort or happiness, even in that religion whose ways
are designed to be "ways of pleasantness, and all her paths peace."
#
7 Comfort argument, part 2: regarding those who believe themselves elect, 14-16
14. 1And as to you who believe yourselves the elect of God, what is your
happiness? 2I
hope, not a notion, a speculative belief, a bare opinion of any kind; but a
feeling possession of God in your heart, wrought in you by the Holy Ghost, or,
the witness of God's Spirit with your spirit that you are a child of God. 3This, otherwise
termed "the full assurance of faith,: is the true ground of a Christian's
happiness. 4And
it does indeed imply a full assurance that all your past sins are forgiven, and
that you are now a child of God. 5But
it does not necessarily imply a full assurance of our future perseverance. 6I do not say this is
never joined to it, but that it is not necessarily implied therein; for many
have the one who have not the other.
15. 1Now,
this witness of the Spirit experience shows to be much obstructed by this
doctrine; and not only in those who, Believing themselves reprobated, by this
belief thrust it far from them, but even in them that have tasted of that good
gift, who yet have soon lost it again, and fallen back into doubts, and fears,
and darkness, -- horrible darkness, that might be felt! 2And
I appeal to any of you who hold this doctrine, to say, between God and your own
hearts, whether you have not often a return of doubts and fears concerning your
election or perseverance! 3If
you ask, "Who has not?" 4I answer, Very few
of those that hold this doctrine; but many, very many, of those that hold it
not, in all parts of the earth; - many of those who know and feel they are in
Christ today, and "take no thought for the morrow;" who "abide in
him" by faith from hour to hour, or rather, from moment to moment; - many
of these have enjoyed the uninterrupted witness of his Spirit, the continual
light of his countenance, from the moment wherein they first believed, for many
months or years, to this day.
16. 1That assurance of faith which these enjoy excludes all doubt and fear,
It excludes all kinds of doubt and fear concerning their future perseverance;
though it is not properly, as was said before, an assurance of what is future,
but only of what now is. 2And
this needs not for its support a speculative belief, that whoever is once
ordained to life must live; for it is wrought from hour to hour, by the mighty
power of God, "by the Holy Ghost which is given unto them." 3And
therefore that doctrine is not of God, because it tends to obstruct, if not
destroy, this great work of the Holy Ghost, whence flows the chief comfort of
religion, the happiness of Christianity.
#
8 Comfort argument, part 3: regarding the basis of unchangeable doom, 17
17. 1Again: How uncomfortable a thought is this, that thousands and millions
of men, without any preceding offense or fault of theirs, were unchangeably
doomed to everlasting burnings! 2How
peculiarly uncomfortable must it be to those who have put on Christ! to those
who, being filled with bowels of mercy, tenderness, and compassion, could even
"wish themselves accursed for their brethren's sake!"
Fourth
#
9 Good works argument, 18
18.
Fourthly. 1This
uncomfortable doctrine directly tends to destroy our zeal for good works. 2And this it does,
First, as it naturally tends (according to what was observed before) to destroy
our love to the greater part of mankind, namely, the evil and unthankful. 3For whatever lessens our love, must go far lessen our desire to do them
good. 4This
it does, Secondly, as it cuts off one of the strongest motives to all acts of
bodily mercy, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and the like, --
viz., the hope of saving their souls from death. 5For
what avails it to relieve their temporal wants, who are just dropping into
eternal fire? 6"Well; but run and snatch them as brands out of the fire. 7Nay, this you suppose impossible. 8They were appointed
thereunto, you say, from eternity, before they had done either good or evil. 9You believe it is the will of God they should die. 10And "who hath resisted his will?" 11But you say you do not know whether these are elected or not. 12What then? 13If
you know they are the one or the other, -- that they are either elected or not
elected, -- all your labour is void and vain. 14In
either case, your advice, reproof, or exhortation is as needless and useless as
our preaching. 15It is needless to them that are elected; for they will infallibly be
saved without it. 16It
is useless to them that are not elected; for with or without it they will
infallibly be damned; therefore you cannot consistently with your principles
take any pains about their salvation. 17Consequently, those principles directly tend to destroy you zeal for
good works; for all good works; but particularly for the greatest of all, the
saving of souls from death.
Fifth
#
10 The "Christian revelation unnecessary" argument, 19
19. But, Fifthly, 1this doctrine not only tends to destroy Christian holiness, happiness,
and good works, but hath also a direct and manifest tendency to overthrow the
whole Christian Revelation. 2The
point which the wisest of the modern unbelievers most industriously labour to
prove, is, that the Christian Revelation is not necessary. 3They
well know, could they once show this, the conclusion would be too plain to be
denied, "If it be not necessary, it is not true," 4Now,
this fundamental point you give up. 5For supposing that eternal, unchangeable decree, one part of mankind
must be saved, though the Christian Revelation were not in being, and the other
part of mankind must be damned, notwithstanding that Revelation. 6And what would an infidel desire more? 7You allow him all he asks. 8In making the gospel
thus unnecessary to all sorts of men, you give up the whole Christian cause.
"O tell it not in
Sixth
Reductio
of election in three parts
# 11 Part 1, 20.1-10
20. 1And as this doctrine manifestly and directly tends to overthrow the
whole Christian Revelation, so it does the same thing, by plain consequence, in
making that Revelation contradict itself. 2For it is grounded
on such an interpretation of some texts (more or fewer it matters not) as flatly
contradicts all the other texts, and indeed the whole scope and tenor of
Scripture. 3For
instance: The assertors of this doctrine interpret that text of Scripture,
"Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated," as implying that God in a
literal sense hated Esau, and all the reprobated, from eternity. 4Now,
what can possibly be a more flat contradiction than this, not only to the whole
scope and tenor of Scripture, but also to all those particular texts which
expressly declare, "God is love?" 5Again:
They infer from that text, "I will have mercy on whom I will have
mercy," (Romans 9:15) that God is love only to some men, viz., the elect,
and that he hath mercy for those only; flatly contrary to which is the whole
tenor of Scripture, as is that express declaration in particular, "The Lord
is loving unto every man; and his mercy is over all his works." (Psalm
114:9) 6Again: They infer from that and the like texts, "It is not of him
that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy,: that he
showeth mercy only to those to whom he had respect from all eternity. 7Nay, but who replieth against God now? 8You now contradict the whole oracles of God, which declare throughout,
"God is no respecter of persons:' (Acts
#
12 Reductio of election part 2, 21.1-3
21. 1And "the same Lord over all is rich" in mercy "to all
that call upon him:" (Romans
#
13 Reductio of election part 3, 22:1-7
22. 1If you ask, "Why then are not all men saved?" 2the whole law and the testimony answer, First, Not because of any decree
of God; not because it is his pleasure they should die; for, As I live, saith
the Lord God," I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth."
(Ezek. 18:3, 32.) 3Whatever
be the cause of their perishing, it cannot be his will, if the oracles of God
are true; for they declare, "He is not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance;" (2 Pet. 3:9;) "He willeth that
all men should be saved." 4And
they, Secondly, declare what is the cause why all men are not saved, namely,
that they will not be saved: So our Lord expressly, "Ye will not come unto
me that ye may have life." (John 5:40.) 5"The
power of the Lord is present to heal" them, but they will not be healed. 6"They reject
the counsel," the merciful counsel, "of God against themselves,"
as did their stiff-necked forefathers. 7And therefore are
they without excuse; because God would save them, but they will not be saved:
This is the condemnation, "How often would I have gathered you together,
and ye would not!" (Matt. 23:37.)
Reductio
summary, 23:1
23. 1Thus manifestly does this doctrine tend to overthrow the whole Christian
Revelation, by making it contradict itself; by giving such an interpretation of
some texts, as flatly contradicts all the other texts, and indeed the whole
scope and tenor of Scripture; -- an abundant proof that it is not of God.
Seventh
Blasphemy
argument introduction, 23:2-5
23.2But neither is this all: For, Seventhly,
it is a doctrine full of blasphemy; of such blasphemy as I should dread to
mention, but that the honour of our gracious God, and the cause of his truth,
will not suffer me to be silent. 3In the cause of God, then, and from a sincere concern for the glory of
his great name, I will mention a few of the horrible blasphemies contained in
this horrible doctrine. 4But
first, I must warn every one of you that hears, as ye will answer it at the
great day, not to charge me (as some have done) with blaspheming, because I
mention the blasphemy of others. 5And the more you are grieve with them that do thus blaspheme, see that
ye "confirm your love towards them: the more, and that your heart's desire,
and continual prayer to God, be, "Father, forgive them; for they know not
what they do!"
#
14 Part 1: Blasphemy of the Son, 24:1-10
24. 1This premised, let it be observed, that this doctrine represents our
blessed Lord, "Jesus Christ the righteous," "the only begotten
Son of the Father, full of grace and truth," as an hypocrite, a deceiver of
the people, a man void of common sincerity. 2For it cannot be denied, that he everywhere speaks as if he was willing
that all men should be saved. 3Therefore,
to say he was not willing that all men should be saved, is to represent him as a
mere hypocrite and dissembler. 4It cannot be denied that the gracious words which came out of his mouth
are full of invitations to all sinners. 5To say, then, he did not
intend to save all sinners, is to represent him as a gross deceiver of the
people. 6You
cannot deny that he says, "Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy
laden." If, then, you say he calls those that cannot come; those whom he
knows to be unable to come; those whom he can make able to come, but will not;
how is it possible to describe greater insincerity? 7You
represent him as mocking his helpless creatures, by offering what he never
intends to give. 8You describe him as saying on thing, and meaning another; as pretending
the love which his had not. 9Him,
in "whose mouth was no guile," you make full of deceit, void of common
sincerity; -- then especially, when, drawing nigh the city, He wept over it, and
said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou killest the prophets, and stonest them
that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children
together, -- and ye would not;" [Gk. of "I would…and you
would not"]. 10Now, if you say, they
would, but he would not, you represent him (which who could hear?) as
weeping crocodiles' tears; weeping over the prey which himself had doomed to
destruction!
Part
2: blasphemy of the Father
#
15 Attributes of God are destroyed, 25-26
25. 1Such blasphemy this, as one would think might make the ears of a
Christian to tingle! 2But
there is yet more behind; for just as it honours the Son, so doth this doctrine
honour the Father. 3It destroys all his attributes at once: It overturns both his justice,
mercy, and truth; yea, it represents the most holy God as worse than the devil,
as both more false, more cruel, and more unjust. 4More false; because the devil, liar as he is, hath never said, "He
willeth all men to be saved:" More unjust; because the devil cannot,
if he would, be guilty of such injustice as you ascribe to God, when you say
that God condemned millions of souls to everlasting fire, prepared for the devil
and his angels, for continuing in sin, which, for want of that grace he will
not give them, they cannot avoid: And more cruel; because that
unhappy spirit "seeketh rest and findeth none;" so that his own
restless misery is a kind of temptation to him to tempt others. 5But God resteth in his high and holy place; so that to suppose him, of
his own mere motion, of his pure will and pleasure, happy as he is, to doom his
creatures, whether they will or no, to endless misery, is to impute such cruelty
to him as we cannot impute even to the great enemy of God and man. 6It is to represent the high God (he that hath ears to hear let him
hear!) as more cruel, false, and unjust than the devil!
26. 1This is the blasphemy clearly contained in the horrible decree of predestination! 2And here I fix my foot. 3On this I join issue with every assertor of it. 4You represent God as worse than the devil; more false, more cruel, more unjust. 5But you say you will prove it by scripture. 6Hold! What will you prove by Scripture? that God is worse than the devil? 7It cannot be. 8Whatever that Scripture proves, it never can prove this; whatever its true meaning be. 9This cannot be its true meaning. 10Do you ask, "What is its true meaning then?" 11If I say, " I know not," you have gained nothing; for there are many scriptures the true sense whereof neither you nor I shall know till death is swallowed up in victory. 12But this I know, better it were to say it had no sense, than to say it had such a sense as this. 13It cannot mean, whatever it mean besides, that the God of truth is a liar. 14Let it mean what it will it cannot mean that the Judge of all the world is unjust. 15No scripture can mean that God is not love, or that his mercy is not over all his works; that is, whatever it prove beside, no scripture can prove predestination.
#
16 The Father's work renders useless the work of the devil, 27
27. 1This is the blasphemy for which (however I love the persons who assert
it) I abhor the doctrine of predestination, a doctrine, upon the supposition of
which, if one could possibly suppose it for a moment, (call it election,
reprobation, or what you please, for all comes to the same thing,) one might say
to our adversary, the devil, "Thou fool, why dost thou roar about any
longer? 2Thy
lying in wait for souls is as needless and useless as our preaching. 3Hearest
thou not, that God hath taken thy work out of thy hands; and that he doeth it
much more effectually? 4Thou, with all thy principalities and powers, canst only so assault that
we may resist thee; but He can irresistibly destroy both body and soul in hell! 5Thou
canst only entice; but his unchangeable decrees, to leave thousands of souls in
death, compels them to continue in sin, till they drop into everlasting
burnings. 6Thou temptest; He
forceth us to be damned; for we cannot resist his will. 7Thou fool, why goest thou about any longer, seeking whom thou mayest
devour? 8Hearest
thou not that God is the devouring lion, the destroyer of souls, the murderer of
men?" 9Moloch caused only children to pass though the fire: and that fire was
soon quenched; or, the corruptible body being consumed, its torment was at an
end; but God, thou are told, by his eternal decree, fixed before they had done
good or evil, causes, not only children of a span long, but the parents also, to
pass through the fire of hell, the 'fire which never shall be quenched; and the
body which is cast thereinto, being now incorruptible and immortal, will be ever
consuming and never consumed, but 'the smoke of their torment,' because it is
God's good pleasure, 'ascendeth up for ever and ever.'"
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17 The Father's work causes the devil to rejoice, 28
28. 1O how would the enemy of God and man rejoice to hear these things were so! 2How would he cry aloud and spare not! 3How would he lift up his voice and say, "To your tents, O Israel! 4Flee from the face of this God, or ye shall utterly perish! 5But whither will ye flee? 6Into heaven? 7He is there, Down to hell? 8He is there also. 9Ye cannot flee from an omnipresent, almighty tyrant. 10And whether ye flee or stay, I call heaven, his throne, and earth, his footstool, to witness against you, ye shall perish, ye shall die eternally. 11Sing, O hell, and rejoice, ye that are under the earth! 12For God, even the mighty God, hath spoken, and devoted to death thousands of souls, form the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof! 13Here, O death, is they sting! 14They shall not, cannot escape; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. 15Here, O grave is thy victory! 16Nations yet unborn, or ever they have done good or evil are doomed never to see the light of life, but thou shalt gnaw upon them for ever and ever! 17Let all those morning stars sing together, who fell with Lucifer, son of the morning! 18Let all the sons of hell shout for joy! 19For the decree is past, and who shall disannul it?"
Re-interpretation
of Election:
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18 The argument for election by foreknowledge of the soul that chooses life,
allowing Christ to make him alive, 29
29. 1Yea, the decree is past; and so it was before the foundation of the
world. 2But
what decree? 3Even this: "I will set before the sons of men 'life and death,
blessing cursing.' And the soul that chooseth life shall live, as the soul that
chooseth death shall die." 4This
decree whereby "whom God did foreknow, he did predestinate," was
indeed from everlasting; this, whereby all who suffer Christ to make them alive
are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God," now standeth fast,
even as the moon, and as the faithful witnesses in heaven; and when heaven and
earth shall pass away, yet this shall not pass away; for it is as unchangeable
and eternal as is the being of God that gave it.5This
decree yields the strongest encouragement to abound in all good works and in all
holiness; and it is a well-spring of joy, of happiness also, to our great and
endless comfort. 6This is worthy of God; it is every way consistent with all the
perfections of his nature. 7It
gives us the noblest view both of his justice, mercy, and truth. 8To
this agrees the whole scope of the Christian Revelation, as well as all the
parts thereof. 9To this Moses and all the Prophets bear witness, and our blessed Lord
and all his Apostles. 10Thus
Moses, in the name of his Lord: "I call heaven and earth to record against
you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing;
therefore choose life, that thou and thy seed may live." 11Thus
Ezekiel: (To cite one Prophet for all:) "The soul that sinneth, it shall
die: The son shall not bear" eternally, "the iniquity of the father. 12The righteousness
of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be
upon him." (18:20.) 13Thus
our blessed Lord: "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink."
(John 7:37.) 14Thus his great Apostle,
Conclusion
30. 1
O hear ye this, ye that forget God! 2Ye cannot charge
your death upon him! " 3Have
I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?' saith the Lord God."
(Ezek. 18:23ff.) 4"Repent, and turn from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall
not be your ruin. 5Cast
away from you all your transgressions where by ye have transgressed, -- for why
will ye die, O house of