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"in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion, which cannot be re"moved, but standeth fast for ever."1 "The path of the just "is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." "A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again but the wicked shall fall into mischief."" "I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them "in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things "will I do unto them, and not forsake them." "Israel shall be "saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not "be ashamed or confounded, world without end." "For the "mountains shall depart, and the hills shall be removed: but my kindness shall not depart from thee; neither the covenant " of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy upon "thee."" "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, "that I will not turn away from them to do them good: I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall not depart from

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If these texts are not a full proof, that all the special points of doctrine now called Calvinistic are found in the Old Testament; (and if so, certainly in the New;) it cannot be denied, that so many passages, on each of these points, are not to be found in any writings of the Anticalvinists: and that, in quoting many of them, they would deem it indispensable to add some comment, to prevent their readers from misapprehending them, and supposing them to mean any thing Calvinistic. I am confident, therefore, that I have proved some intimations of all these tenets to be coeval with every part of revelation: and, as to any subsequent history of them, it may be useful, as other ecclesiastical history is, for various purposes, but it proves nothing at all concerning the truth or falsehood of them. "To "the law and to the testimony."

Ps. cxxv. 1.

3 Prov. xxiv. 16.

5 Isa. liv. 9,

10.

2 Prov. iv. 18. John iv. 14.

4 Isa. xlii. 16. xlv. 17.

6 Jer. xxxii. 40.

No II.

EXTRACTS FROM THE ENGLISH REFORMERS PRIOR TO THE REIGN OF MARY.

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2

TINDAL.

'SHE' was first chosen of God, and called by grace, both to 'know her sin, and also to hear the word of faith, health, and glad tidings of mercy in Christ, and faith was given her to 'believe, and the Spirit of God loosed her heart from the 'bondage of sin.-Then consented she to the will of God again, ' and above all things had delectation to hear the word, wherein she had obtained everlasting health, and namely, of his own mouth which had purchased so great mercy for her.-God 'chooseth us first, and openeth our eyes to see his abundant love to us in Christ; and then love we again, and accept his ' will above all things, and serve him in that office whereunto 'he hath chosen us." -Though God's elect cannot so fall, that they rise not again;-yet they forget themselves oft'times, and sink down into trances, and fall asleep in their lusts 'for a season. But, as soon as they are awaked, they repent, ' and come again without resistance. God now and then with'draweth his hand, and leaveth them unto their own strength, 'to make them feel, that there is no power in them to do good, 'but of God only; lest they should be proud of that which is none of theirs.'-' Peter, as soon as he had denied Christ, 'came to himself immediately, and went out, and wept bitterly 'for sorrow. And thus ye see that "his faith failed not," though ' it were oppressed for a time. Moreover therewith,' (namely with good works,) the goodness, favour, and gifts of God, 'which are in thee, not only shall be made known to others, but also unto thine ownself: and thou shalt be sure that thy

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3

Luke x. 38-42.

Tindal, Vol. i. p. 123, Fathers of the English church.
Ibid. Vol. i. p. 264-267, Fathers, &c.

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'faith is right, and that the true Spirit of God is in thee, and that thou art called and chosen of God unto eternal life, and loosed from the bonds of Satan, whose captive thou wast: as Peter exhorteth,-through good works" to make our calling "and election (wherewith we are called and chosen of God,) "sure." For how dare a man presume to think, that his faith is right, and that God's favour is on him, and that God's Spirit is in him, when he feeleth not the working of the Spirit, ' nor himself inclined to any godly thing?' In the ninth, ⚫ tenth, and eleventh chapters' (of Romans) 'he,' (Paul)' teach'eth of God's predestination, whence it springeth altogether, 'whether we shall believe, or not believe, be loosed from sin, or 'not be loosed. By which predestination, our justifying and our salvation are wholly taken out of our hands, and put into ⚫ the hands of God only: which thing is most necessary of all. For we are so weak and so uncertain, that if it stood in us, 'there would of a truth no man be saved; the devil no doubt 'would deceive us. But now God is sure, his predestination 'cannot deceive him; neither can any man withstand or let him; and therefore have we hope and trust against sin. But here a mark must be set unto those unquiet, busy, and high 'climbing spirits, how far they shall go; which begin first from

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on high to search the bottomless secrets of God's predestina'tion; whether they be predestinate, or not. These must needs ' either cast themselves down headlong into desperation, or else 'commit themselves to free chance careless. But follow thou 'the order of this epistle, and noosel thyself with Christ,' (or take refuge in Christ, and cleave close to him, as a child to his mother's bosom,) and learn to understand what the law and 'the gospel mean, and the office of both the two: that thou 'mayest in the one know thyself, and that thou hast of thyself ' no strength, but to sin; and in the other the grace of Christ: and then see that thou fight against sin and the flesh, as the seven first chapters teach them. After when thou art come to 'the eighth chapter, and art under the cross and tribulation, the necessity of predestination will wax sweet, and thou shall 'feel how precious a thing it is. For except thou hast borne the cross of adversity and temptation; and hast felt thyself

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'Tindal, Vol. i. p. 95.

2 Compare this with the latter part of our 17th article.

No II.

EXTRACTS FROM THE ENGLISH REFORMERS PRIOR TO THE REIGN OF MARY.

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TINDAL.

'SHE' was first chosen of God, and called by grace, both to 'know her sin, and also to hear the word of faith, health, and 'glad tidings of mercy in Christ, and faith was given her to 'believe, and the Spirit of God loosed her heart from the 'bondage of sin.-Then consented she to the will of God again, ' and above all things had delectation to hear the word, wherein she had obtained everlasting health, and namely, of his own 'mouth which had purchased so great mercy for her.—God 'chooseth us first, and openeth our eyes to see his abundant love to us in Christ; and then love we again, and accept his 'will above all things, and serve him in that office whereunto 'he hath chosen us." Though God's elect cannot so fall, that they rise not again;-yet they forget themselves ofttimes, and sink down into trances, and fall asleep in their lusts ' for a season. But, as soon as they are awaked, they repent, ' and come again without resistance. God now and then with'draweth his hand, and leaveth them unto their own strength, ' to make them feel, that there is no power in them to do good, 'but of God only; lest they should be proud of that which is none of theirs.'-' Peter, as soon as he had denied Christ, 'came to himself immediately, and went out, and wept bitterly 'for sorrow. And thus ye see that "his faith failed not," though ' it were oppressed for a time.". -' Moreover therewith,' (namely with good works,) the goodness, favour, and gifts of God, 'which are in thee, not only shall be made known to others, but also unto thine ownself: and thou shalt be sure that thy

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Luke x. 38-42.

Tindal, Vol. i. p. 123, Fathers of the English church.
Ibid. Vol. i. p. 264-267, Fathers, &c.

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'faith is right, and that the true Spirit of God is in thee, and 'that thou art called and chosen of God unto eternal life, and ⚫ loosed from the bonds of Satan, whose captive thou wast: as • Peter exhorteth,-through good works "to make our calling "and election (wherewith we are called and chosen of God,) “ sure.” For how dare a man presume to think, that his 'faith is right, and that God's favour is on him, and that God's 'Spirit is in him, when he feeleth not the working of the Spirit, ' nor himself inclined to any godly thing?' In the ninth, ' tenth, and eleventh chapters' (of Romans) 'he,' (Paul)' teacheth of God's predestination, whence it springeth altogether, ⚫ whether we shall believe, or not believe, be loosed from sin, or 'not be loosed. By which predestination, our justifying and our salvation are wholly taken out of our hands, and put into ⚫ the hands of God only: which thing is most necessary of all. For we are so weak and so uncertain, that if it stood in us, 'there would of a truth no man be saved; the devil no doubt 'would deceive us. But now God is sure, his predestination 'cannot deceive him; neither can any man withstand or let him; and therefore have we hope and trust against sin. But here a mark must be set unto those unquiet, busy, and high 'climbing spirits, how far they shall go; which begin first from ' on high to search the bottomless secrets of God's predestina'tion; whether they be predestinate, or not. These must needs ' either cast themselves down headlong into desperation, or else ' commit themselves to free chance careless. But follow thou the order of this epistle, and noosel thyself with Christ,' (or take refuge in Christ, and cleave close to him, as a child to his mother's bosom,) and learn to understand what the law and 'the gospel mean, and the office of both the two: that thou 'mayest in the one know thyself, and that thou hast of thyself no strength, but to sin; and in the other the grace of Christ: ⚫ and then see that thou fight against sin and the flesh, as the 'seven first chapters teach them. After when thou art come to the eighth chapter, and art under the cross and tribulation, 'the necessity of predestination will wax sweet, and thou shall 'feel how precious a thing it is. For except thou hast borne 'the cross of adversity and temptation; and hast felt thyself

6

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6

Tindal, Vol. i. p. 95.

2 Compare this with the latter part of our 17th article.

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