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'salvation, incomplete and not peremptory, is 'made from foreseen faith, repentance, and sanctity and piety begun, and for some time persevered in but that complete and peremptory election is from the foreseen final perseverance ' of faith, repentance, holiness, and piety: and 'that this is the gracious and evangelical worthiness, on account of which, he who is elected is 'more deserving than he who is not elected and 'therefore faith, the obedience of faith, holiness, piety, and perseverance, are not the fruits or effects of immutable election to glory, but the 'conditions and causes required before hand, and 'foreseen as if they were performed in the persons 'to be elected, without which there cannot be

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complete election.' This is what opposes the whole scripture, which every where assails (ingerit) our ears and hearts with these and other sayings: "Election is not of works, but of him that calleth." Rom. ix. 11. "As many as were ordained to "eternal life believed." Acts xiii. 48. "He chose

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us to himself, that we might be holy." Eph. i. 4. "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.' John xv. 16. "If it is of grace, it is not of works." Rom. xi. 6. "Herein is love; not that we loved "God, but that he loved us, and sent his own "Son." 1 John iv. 10.1

6. Who teach, That not all election to salva'tion is immutable, but that some elect persons, 'no decree of God preventing (obstante), may

Some of the texts here adduced seem not decidedly conclusive, but may be otherwise explained; but others might easily be substituted, Eph. ii. 4, 5, 9, 10. 2 Tim. i. 9. James i. 17, 18. 1 Pet. i. 2.

'perish, and do perish eternally.' By which gross error, they make God mutable, subvert the consolation of the godly concerning the stability of their election, and contradict the sacred scriptures, whereby we are taught that the elect cannot be deceived: Matt. xxiv. 4: that "Christ loses not "those who were given to him by the Father:" John vi. 39: that "those whom he (God) hath predestinated, called, and justified, them he also glorifies." Rom. viii. 30.1

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7. Who teach, That in this life there is no 'fruit, no sense, no certainty of immutable election 'to glory, except from a mutable and contingent condition.' But, besides that it is absurd to mention an uncertain certainty, (ponere incertam certitudinem,) these things are opposite to the experience of the saints, who, with the apostle, exult in the consciousness of their election, and celebrate this benefit of God; who rejoice with the disciples, according to Christ's admonition, "that their names are written in heaven;" Luke x. 20: who finally oppose the sense of election to the fiery darts of diabolical temptations, inquiring, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's "elect." Rom. viii. 33.2

2 Thess. ii. 13, 14. 1 Pet. i. 5. 23-25.

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1 John x. 27-30. 1 John iii. 9. v. 18. 2 See Article xvii. on Predestination. The godly considera'tion of predestination and our election in Christ is full of sweet, 'pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons; and such as 'feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing ‹ up their minds to high and heavenly things; as well because it ⚫ doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently 'kindle their love towards God.'

8. Who teach, That God has not decrced from 'his own mere just will, to leave any in the fall of Adam, and in the common state of sin and 'damnation, or to pass them by in the communi'cation of grace necessary to faith and conversion.' For that passage stands firm, " He hath mercy on "whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he "hardeneth." Rom. ix. 18. Also, "I glorify thee, "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for that "thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. "Even so Father, for so it hath pleased thee." Matt. xi. 25, 26.

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9. Who teach, That the reason why God sends 'the gospel to one nation rather than another, is 'not the mere and sole good pleasure of God; but 'because this nation is better and more deserving 'than that to which the gospel is not communi'cated.' Yet Moses recals the people of Israel from this, saying, "Behold the heaven, and the heaven of "heavens, is the Lord thy God's; the earth also, "with all that therein is: only the Lord had a

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delight in thy fathers to love them; and he chose "their seed after them, even you, above all people, "as it is this day." Deut. x. 14, 15. And Christ: "Wo unto thee Chorazin! Wo unto thee, Beth"saida! for if the mighty works that are done in "thee, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they "would have repented long ago in sackcloth and "ashes." Matt. xi. 21.1

That we thus think and judge, we testify by the subscription of our hands.

'This shews that the election of nations is really as opposite to the Anticalvinist's ideas of divine justice as the election of individuals.

BY THE TRANSLATOR.

Then follows a list of the names of all those who subscribed and attested the several series of articles and rejections of errors on all the five points: among whom are found, George, Bishop of Landaff; John Davenant, presbyter, doctor, and public professor of sacred theology in the University of Cambridge, and president of Queen's College; Samuel Ward, presbyter, doctor of sacred theology, Archdeacon Fauntonnensis, and master of Sidney College in the University of Cambridge; Thomas Goad, presbyter, doctor of sacred theology, and precentor of the cathedral church of St. Paul, London; Walter Balcanqual (Scoto-Britannus), a Scotchman, presbyter, bachelor of sacred theology; with very many others from various parts of the continent of Europe, amounting to above eighty. These were deputed by churches, differing from each other, in various respects, episcopalians, presbyterians, and those in some of the regions which are generally accounted Lutheran, and men that occupied the most important stations in the church and universities of their several countries ; yet they all subscribed these articles of the Synod, agreeing in this respect though not in others. For it cannot be supposed, that they who opposed, or were much dissatisfied with any of the conclusions, would thus voluntarily and solemnly attest and subscribe the same decisions. This consideration should, in all reason, at least induce us to give these articles a candid and attentive examination, comparing them carefully with the

scriptures of truth, and praying for the teaching of the Holy Spirit, that we may not be so left "to "lean to our own understanding," as to reject and even to revile that, which perhaps may, in great part at least, accord with the "sure testimony of "God."

THE SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE,

Concerning the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men thereby.

Art. 1. God is not only supremely merciful, but also supremely just. And his justice requires (according as he hath revealed himself in the word,) that our sins committed against his infinite majesty should be punished, not only with temporal but also with eternal sufferings, of soul as well as of body; which punishment we cannot escape, unless the justice of God be satisfied.'

2. But, as we cannot satisfy it, and deliver ourselves from the wrath of God, God of infinite mercy gave to us his only begotten Son as a surety, who, that he might make satisfaction for us, was made sin and a curse on the cross for us, or in our stead.2

3. This death of the Son of God is the only and most perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for sins; of infinite value and price, abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world.3

Isa. xlv. 21. Rom. iii. 25, 26.

Isa. liii. 4-6.10, 11.

2 Cor. v. 21. Gal. iii. 13. 1 Pet. ii. 24. iii. 18.

3 John i. 29. 1 John ii. 2. Prayer of consecration in Communion Service. Catechism, second instruction from the articles of the creed.

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