Lamb's book of life.

2. That it is absolute and unconditional, not depend

ing on the will of men, nor on any thing to be done by the creature.

3. That

it is wholly owing to the will and pleasure of God; and not to the faith, holiness, obedience, and good works of men; nor to a foresight of all or any of these. 4. That both elect, and non-elect, are considered alike, and are upon an equal foot in the decree of predestination; as those that are for the corrupt mass they suppose that they were both considered in it equally alike, so that there was nothing in the one, that was not in the other, which was a reason why the one should be chosen and the other left; so those that are for the pure mass, suppose both to be considered in the same, and as not yet born, and having done neither good nor evil. 5. That it is an eternal act in God, and not temporal; or which commenced not in time, but from all eternity; for it is not the opinion of the Sublapsarians, that God passed the decree of election after men were actually created and fallen; only that they were considered in the divine mind, from all eternity, in the decree of election, as if they were created and fallen; wherefore, though they differ in the consideration of the object of election, as thus and thus diversified, yet they agree in the thing, and agree to differ, as they should, and not charge one another with unsoundness and heterodoxy; for which there is no reason. Calvin was for the corrupt mass; Beza, who was co-pastor with him in the church at Geneva, and his successor, was for the pure mass; and yet they lived in great peace, love and harmony. The Contra-remonstrants in Holland, when Arminianism first appeared among them, were not agreed in this point; some took one side of the question, and some the other; but they both united against the common adversary, the Arminians. Dr. Twiss, who was as great a Supralapsarian as perhaps ever was, and carried things as high as any man ever did, and as closely studied the point, and as well understood it, and perhaps better than any one did, and yet he confesses that it was only apex logicus, a point in logic; and that the difference on ly lay in the ordering and ranging the decrees of God: and, for my own part, I think both may be taken in; that in the decree of the end, the ultimate end, the glory of God, for which he does all things, men might be considered in the divine mind as creable, not yet created and fallen; and that in the decree of the means, which, among other things, takes in the mediation of Christ, redemption by him, and the sanctification of the spirit; they might be considered as created, fallen, and sinful, which these things imply; nor does this suppose separate acts and decrees in God, or any priority and posteriority in them; which in God are but one and together; but our finite minds are obliged to consider them one after another, not being able to take them in together and at once.

IV. The date of election is next to be considered. And certain it is, that it was before men were born; The children not being yet born-that the purpose of God according to election, might stand, Rom. ix. 11. nor can there be any difficulty in admitting this; for if there is none in admitting that a person may chosen and appointed to an office before he is born, as there can be none, since

God has asserted it of Jeremiah; Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee, or set thee apart, and Į ordained thee a prophet unto the nations, Jer. i. 5. then there can be none in admitting that a person so early may be chosen to grace and glory. And this also is before the new birth, or before calling; for calling is the fruit and effect of election; the apostle says of the Thessalonians, God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation, 2 Thess. ii. 13, not from the beginning of the preaching of the gospel to them, or of the coming of that unto them; for that may come to, and be preached among a people, but not to their profit; may be without success, yea, be the savour of death unto death, Heb. iv. 2, 2 Cor. ii. 16. and when the gospel first came to the Thessalonians, and was preached among them, some believed, and others did not; yea the Bereans are preferred unto them, for their ready reception of the word; indeed, to some at Thessalo nica, it came not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost; and which was an evidence of their election, and by which they might know it, But then this was only a manifestation of their election; that itself was previous to the gospel's coming to them, and its operation on them; it was displayed therein, and thereby; but it commenced before; see Acts xvii. 1–11. 1 Thess. i, 4, 5, nor was the choice of them from the beginning of their conversion, or when they were effectually called by the gospel; for that, as haş been observed, is the effect and evidence of election; election is that according to which vocation is, and therefore must be before it; Whom he did predestinate them he also called, Rom, viii. 30. see 2 Tim. i. 9, Nor is this phrase, from the beginning, to be understood of the beginning of time, or of the creation; as in John viii. 44. 1 John iii. 8. for though election began to operate and display itself in the distinct seeds of the woman, and of the serpent. in Abel and Cain, the immediate posterity of the first man, and the distinction has continued ever since; yet the thing itself which makes this distinction, or is the ground of it, was long before; to which may be added, that this phrase is expressive of eternity; I was set up from everlasting; from the beginning; or ever the earth was, Prov. viii. 23. that is, before the world began, even from all eternity; as its being inclosed by such phrases as express the same shews; and in this sense is it to be taken in the text in the Thessalonians; and it is in so many words affirmed by the apostle, that this choice of men to holiness and happiness, was made in Christ before the foundation of the world, Eph. i. 4. and elsewhere it is said, that the book of life of the Lamb, in which the names of God's elect are set down, and the names of others left out, was written as early, Rev, xiii. 8. and xyii. 8. And that this act of election is an eternal act, or from eternity, may be concluded,i. From the foreknowledge of God, which is eternal; God from all eternity foreknew all persons and things; there is nothing in time but what was known to him from eternity, Acts xv, 18. Now men are elected according to the fore-knowledge of God; and "whom he did foreknow he did predestinate," 1 Pet. i. 2. Rom. viii. 29. wherefore as

the fore-knowledge of God is eternal, the choice he makes upon it must be so too; and especially as this fore-knowledge is not a bare prescience of persons and things, but what has love and affection to the objects of it joined unto it: wherefore, -2. The eternity of election may be concluded from the love of God to his people; for it is to that it is owing; electio præsupponit dilectionem, election presupposes love; hence the apostle sets the character of being beloved of the Lord first, to the Thessalonians being chosen by him to salvation 2 Thess. ii. 13. it is the immediate effect of love, and is inseparably connected with it; yea, is expressed by it; Jacob have I loved, Rom. ix. 13. Now the love of God is an everlasting love; not only endures to all eternity, but was from all eternity: God loved Christ, as he affirms, before the foundation of the world; and in the same place he says, his Father loved his people as he loved him, John xvii. 23, 24.3. It may be argued from the covenant of grace, which is an everlasting covenant, from everlasting to everlasting; in which the goings of Christ as Mediator were of old, and promises were made before the world began; and grants of grace were made, and blessings of grace provided as early; and which covenant was made with the chosen of God; with Christ, the chosen Head, and with his people, as chosen in him; so that if this covenant was from everlasting, and made with chosen ones in Christ, their representative, then the choice of them in him must be as early, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. Tit i. 2. 2 Tim. i. 9. Psal. lxxxix. 3. Mic. v. 2. and nothing is more clear than that he was set up as Mediator of this covenant from everlasting; and that this people were chosen in him, their covenant Head, before the foundation of the world, Prov. viii. 22. Eph. i. 4.-5. This appears from the early preparation of grace and glory: grace was given them in Christ before the world was, and they blessed so soon with spiritual blessings in him; as they are a people afore-prepared for glory, that is, in the purpose of God; so glory is the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world; which is no other than a destination, or rather a predestination of that for them, and of them to that, 2 Tim. i. 9. Eph. i. 3, 4. Rom. ix. 23. Matt. xxv. 34. -6. From the nature of the decrees of God in general, it must appear that this is eternal; for if God's decrees in general are eternal, as has been proved from his fore-knowledge of whatever comes to pass; which is founded upon the certainty of his decrees, that so they shall be; and from his immutability, which could not be established if any new thoughts and resolutions arose in him, or new decrees in time were made by him; and therefore it may be reckoned a sure point, that such a special decree as this, respecting so important an affair as the salvation of all his people, as well as his own glory, must be eternal: and, indeed, the whole scheme of man's salvation by Christ, the fellowship of the mystery hid in him, in which there is such an amazing display of the wisdom of God, is according to the eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, Eph. iii. 9-11. and which is no other than his purpose according to election, or respecting that.

or sense of it, by using the one instead of the other. This doctrine of rejecting some angels and some men from the divine favour, is spoken of but sparingly in scripture, yet clearly and plainly; though chiefly left to be concluded from that of election, and from whence it most naturally and rationally follows.

I. The rejection of some of the angels, which consists of two parts: — 1. A non-election, or preterition of them, a passing over them or passing by them, when others were chosen; and which may be concluded from the choice of others; for if some were elect, others must be non-elect; if some were chosen, others were not; if some were taken, others must be passed by and left: that some of them are elect is certain, they are expressly called elect angels, 1 Tim. v. 21. and consequently are distinguished from others who are not elected; or otherwise the title and character of elect must be insignificant and impertinent. Both these were considered alike, upon an equal foot, when the one were elected, and the other not; they were viewed as not yet created and fallen, but as lying in the pure mass of creatureship or creability; God saw in his power what creatures of this kind he could produce into being, as he also saw in his will whom he would; and of those he could and would create, he determined to choose some and leave others, and both for his own glory; for they could not be considered as fallen creatures, or in the corrupt mass, since the elect angels never fell; and the moment they were elected, the others were passed by or rejected; and so must be under the same consideration; and consequently the election of the one, and the rejection of the other, must be wholly owing to the sovereign will of God: both these were brought into being as God determined they should, and are equally his creatures, Psal. civ. 4. and were both made pure and holy creatures, angels of light, bright morning-stars, shining in the purity and holiness of their nature; for such were Satan and his angels in their original creation; the devil, our Lord says, abode not in the truth, John viii. 44. which implies that he had been in the truth, though he continued not in it; in his allegiance and fidelity to God his creator; in his integrity, purity and holi ness, as a creature of veracity; but framing lies, he became the father of them. What he was in, but abode not in, is the first estate, of integrity, innocence and happiness, in which he was created, but kept it not, Jude 6. To some angels God decreed to give, and did give grace to confirm them in the state in which they were created; these are the elect angels, who are said to be mighty, and to excel in strength; not only in natural, but in spiritual strength. To others he decreed not to give confirming grace, but to deny it to them; and which he was not obliged to give, it being what could not be challenged by the laws and dues of creation, and was mere favour to those on whom it was bestowed; wherefore the others were left to the mutability of their will, which is that weakness and folly the angels were chargeable with in their creation-state, Job iv. 18. hence of their own free-will they sinned and fell, and left their habita tion, 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jude 6. what their sin was by which they fell, will be con

sidered in course, when we come to the fall of Adam, and of theirs; this leads on to observe the other part of the decree respecting them.-2. The appointment of them to wrath and damnation; in this they were viewed as sinful, fallen creatures; this decree is meant by their being reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day, Jude 6. 2 Pet. ii. 4. for by chains are meant the purposes and decrees of God, by which they are bound and held fast, and from which they cannot lobse themselves; and as the decrees of God are called mountains of brass, Zech. vi. 1. so they may be called chains of iron and brass for the same reasons, namely, their firmness, immutability and duration; they are everlasting chains, and in these they are reserved under darkness; meaning either the state of darkness in which they are, being deprived of that light and knowledge they had; and also being under horror and black despair, without the least gleam of the light of joy and comfort; or that state of darkness to which they are appointed and reserved, even that blackness of darkness to which the wandering stars, as these may be said to be, are reserved, Jude 13. and moreover they are appointed and reserved to the judgment of the great day, to the great day of the last judgment; when they will be brought forth in chains before the judgment-seat of Christ, and will have their final sentence passed and executed on them which as yet seems not to have bec. done, Matt. viii. 29. then will Christ sit on the throne of judgment, and saints will stand by, together with the good angels, as approvers of the righteous sentence: and therefore saints are said to judge angels, as well as the world of the ungodly, 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. that is, the evil angels, to which judgment they are appointed by the decree of God; and to endure eternal wrath and damnation; signified by everlasting fire, prepared, in the decrees and purposes of God, for the devil and his angels, Matt. xxv. 41.

II. The decree concerning the rejection of some of the sons of men. It may be observed, that we can hear and read of the non-election and rejection of angels, and of their pre-ordination to condemnation and wrath, with very little emotion of the mind: the devils may be cast down to hell, to be everlastingly damned, and be appointed thereunto, and it gives no great concern; no hard thoughts against God arise, no charge of cruelty, want of kindness to his creatures and offspring, and of injustice to them; but if any thing of this kind is hinted at, with respect to any of the apostate sons of Adam, presently there is an outcry against it; and all the above things are suggested. What is the reason of this difference? It can be only this, that the latter comes nearer home, and more nearly affects us; it is partiality to ourselves, our nature and race, to which this is owing; otherwise far greater severity, if it may be so called, is exercised on fallen angels, than on fallen men; for God has not spared one of the angels that sinned, provided no saviour for them, nor so much as given them the means of grace; but consigned them all over at once to everlasting wrath and ruin: whereas, not only a Saviour is provided for fallen men, and means of grace allowed them, but thousands, and ten thousands, milions and millions of