Reprobation asserted, or, The doctrine of eternal election & reprobation promiscuously handled in eleven chapters wherein the most material objections made by the opposers of this doctrine are fully answered, several doubts removed, and sundry cases of conscience resolved / by John Bunyan.

The Fourth REASON.

Fourthly, God commandeth that the Tender of the Gospel, and the Grace thereof, be in general offered to all, that Means thereby might be sufficiently provided for the Elect, both to beget them to faith, and to maintain it in them to the end, in what place, or state, or condition so∣ever they are. God, through the operation of his manifold Wisdom, hath an end and an end in his Acts and Doings amongst the Children of Men: And, so in that he commandeth that his Gospel be tender'd to all, an end, I say, to leave the Damned without excuse, and to provide suf∣ficiency of means for the gathering all his Elect. O that God would speak, saith Zophar, and open his mouth against thee, and shew thee the secrets of Wis∣dom, that they are double to that which is. For though God worketh with and upon the Elect, otherwise then with and upon the Reprobate; yet he worketh with and upon the Elect, with and by the same Word he com∣mandeth should be held forth and offered to the Reprobate. Now the Text thus running in most free and universal terms, the Elect then hea∣ring thereof, do through the mighty Power of God close in with the Tenders therein held forth, and are saved. Thus that word that was of∣fered to the reprobate Jews, and by them most fiercely rejected, even that word became yet effectual to the Chosen, and they were saved there∣by. They gladly received the Word, and as many as were ordained to eternal Life, believed. Not as though the Word of God had taken none effect; God hath not cast away his People whom he fore-knew. The Word shall accom∣plish the thing for which God hath sent it, even the salvation of the few that are chosen, when tendred to all; though rejected by most, through the rebellion of their hearts. Ephes. 1. Job 11.5, 6. Act. 13.44. to 48. & 28.28. Heb. 4.1, 2, 3. Rom. 9.6. & 11.12.

Object. 2. But if God hath elected, as you have said, what need he lay a Foundation so general for the begetting faith in his chosen Particulars, seeing the same Spirit that worketh in them by such means, could also work in them by other, even by a word, excluding the most in the first Tenders thereof, a∣mongst men?

Answ. I told you before, that though this be a principal Reason of the general Tenders of the Grace of the Gospel, yet it is not all the rea∣son why the Tender should be so general, as the three former Reasons shew.

But again, In the Bowels of Gods Decree of Election, is contained the means that are also ordained for the effectual bringing of those Ele∣cted to that Glory for which they were fore-appointed; even to gather together in one, all the Children of God: Whereunto he called you, saith Paul, by our Gospel, to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God's Decree of Election then, destroyeth not the means which his wis∣dom hath prepared, it rather establisheth, yea ordains and establisheth it; and maketh that means which in the outward sound is indefinite and general, effectual to this and that man, through a special and particular application: Thus that Christ that in general was offered to all, is by a special Act of Faith applied to Paul in particular; He loved me, and gave himself for me. Joh. 11.51, 52.2 Thes. 2.13, 14. Gal. 2.20, 21, 22.

Further, As the design of the Heavenly Majesty is to bring his Elect to glory by means, so by the means thus universal and general, as most behooful and fit; if we consider not onely the Way it doth please him to work with some of his Chosen, in order to this their glory, but also the trials, temptations, and other calamities they must go thorow thereto.

1. Touching his working with some, how invisible is it to those in whose Souls it is yet begun? How is the Word buried under the Clods of their Hearts for months, yea years together? Onely thus much is discovered thereof, it sheweth the Soul its Sin, the which it doth also so aggravate and apply to the Conscience (Jesus still refraining, like Joseph, to make himself known to his Brethren) that were there not general Tenders of Mercy, and that to the worst of Sinners, they would soon miscarry and perish, as do the Sons of perdition. But by these the Lord upholdeth and helpeth them, that they stand, when others fall for ever. Psal. 119.49.

2. And so likewise for their trials, temptations, and other calamities, because God will not bring them to Heaven without, but by them; there∣fore he hath also provided a Word so large, as to lie fair for the support of the Soul in all conditions, that it may not die for thirst.

3. I might adde also in this place, their imperfect state after grace re∣ceived, doth call for such a Word; yea, many other things which might be named: Which God onely wise hath thought fit should accompany us to the Ship, yea in the Sea, to our desired Haven.