Gods glory in mans happiness, with the freeness of his grace in electing us together with many Arminian objections answered / by Francis Taylor ...

There is an election.

The Scripture mentions the elected, and the Elector hand in hand in many places. Our Saviour Christ joynes them, Shall not God avenge his own elect? * 1.1 St. Paul followes his Masters steps, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? * 1.2 The like testimony he gives the Thessalonians as well as the Romans, Knowing brethren beloved your election of God. * 1.3

The book of God affords unto us a twofold divine election. Some God chooseth to glorious offices in this world: some to eternall glory in the world to come. Judas was chosen to be an Apostle on earth, but not to be a Saint in heaven. Christ puts him into the one, but shuts him out of the other, Have not I chosen twelve of you, * 1.4 and one of you is a Devill? The Thessalonians are ordained to heavenly glory, not to earthly Apostleship. Peter and Paul are elected to be Apostles in this world, and Saints in a better. This difference I mention by the way, that such as

are not elected to honourable imploy∣ments in Church or Common-wealth, may not be discouraged; they may be elected to eternall happinesse in hea∣ven. In the warres all that are chosen to be Souldiers, are not chosen to be Captains. In the Church, all that are chosen to be Saints in the Churches, are not chosen to be Angels of the Churches. * 1.5 Each Church hath many Saints, yet but one Angell. All that are chosen to be golden candlestickes, are not chosen to be starres. * 1.6 The builder among many stones chuseth one to be a corner stone, * 1.7 but layes by many first, not to shut them out of the building, but to reserve them to a convenient place. The bunch of grapes that is not pulled with the hand of the passenger to eat, is not cast away by the Master of the Vineyard, but kept to make wine to drink. In Gods Vineyard many that are not preferd be∣fore, may expect their preferment at the vintage.

Those that are not rulers of the Church, may be members of the Church: If the ear shall say, * 1.8 Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? It often hap∣pens in the Church, as it doth in the body, * 1.9 that lesse honoured members have more abundant honour put upon them, and finde it by experience in the end, that election to eternall goes beyond all temporall honours.

But what have I to do with uncer∣tain offices upon earth, my thoughts must follow St. Peter, and mount up to election, that leads to everlasting hap∣pinesse. Such an election there is, and it is well for them that are elected, that there is such an one, how ere it goe with others. Kings, Princes, Judges upon earth, have offices and honours to bestow upon their fa∣vourites. These they bestow upon whom they please, they deny to whom they list, and no man cals them to account for either. Shall that liberty be denyed to God, that is granted to Gods deputies upon earth? Shall any man question God for giving or deny∣ing, that sees men give and deny eve∣ry day without a reason? When I

look upon the face of such as are e∣lected, I know not how to deny an election. They are foolish, they are mean, they are feeble. The world chu∣seth the wise, and refuseth the foolish, takes the great, and puts by the mean, accepts the strong, regards not the weak. Surely such as these could ne∣ver be so highly advanced, were it not for Gods chusing them before greater personages. Where is their nobility? Where is their dexterity of apprehen∣sion, and deepnesse of understanding? Where is their martiall fortitude, and rare exploits of war? They that have these are refused: they that want these are received. This cannot be without an absolute and free election. Cast your eyes aside now a while: look off Gods elect, and view their children. Com∣pare Ishmael with Abraham, Esau with Isaac, Absalom and Ammon with David. How unlike are these children to these parents? If their parents bad got their free dome by their service, they would have pleaded the custome of the City to make their children free. Their children are partakers of their nature, but not of their grace. The purest wheat cast in the ground brings

forth corn full of chaffe and darnell. He that considers the corn mingled with trash, and compares it with the pure seed cast into the ground, must needs conclude, the seed was not so clean by nature, (else would this have been so too) but it was purifyed by the sowers labour. In like sort he that sees the wickednesse of Absalom, and compares it with the goodnesse of David, will be forced to confesse that Davids good came not from Ishaies seed, but from Gods election.

Lastly, consider the corrupt estate of all men by nature, and see if any man can come to God without election. We are the best of us too much cor∣rupted by nature to repent of our selves. Gods choise therefore must make the difference. Man is a creature that wanders from his Creatour, * 1.10 unlesse his Cre∣atour be mindfull of him, and chuse him freely, and love him freely, because be can neither chuse nor love, except he be first elected, beloved and hea∣led, who by reason of his blindnesse discernes not what is to be chosen,

and by reason of his weaknesse loathes what is to be beloved. Truely and deeply obser∣ved by St. Augustine. * 1.11 Prosper sutably, God must be his guide that comes to God. I conclude the point with his authori∣ty, that goes beyond both Augustines and Prospers, * 1.12 No man can come to me, ex∣cept the Father which hath sent me, draw him.

Marke this I beseech you, you that scoffe and deride at election, and at those whose greatest comfort is, that they have the eternall testimony of Gods Spirit, that they are elected. Your scoffes may keep you from sanctification, but cannot deprive them of their expectation. This is their greatest comfort. Take life and goods and all, only let them quietly enjoy the perswasion of Gods election, and they are well. No marvail if men scoffe at election, when they are taught a mock-election. Many maintain an•• election, that is no election, and teach a choise without choise. What did it profit Saul to boast, * 1.13 I have performed the commandement of God, when the sheep and oxen open their mouthes and stop his? What will it profit these men to cracke of election, when they

••verthrow all absolute and free choise? 〈◊〉〈◊〉 may be this charge is too loud to ••me out of my mouth, it will sound ••tter in the words of Augustine, and ••oid the imputation of novelty. ••hose that acknowledge no other ••ection but out of works or faith ••reseen, let them heare St. Augustines ••om, You have not chosen me, saith our ••viour) but I have ••••sen you. * 1.14 What were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 when we were chosen, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wicked and casta∣••es? For we had not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beleeved in him, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 should chuse us. For ••e chose beleevers, he ••se such as were chosen ••ore. Why should he ••n say, You have not ••sen me, but because his ••ey prevented us? This ••ly overthrows the vain ••soning of such, as de∣••d the foreknowledge of ••d against the grace of ••d, and say, God hath ••efore chosen us before the creation of the ••ld, because he knew beforehard that we ••ld be good, not because he would make us

good. He saith not so, that saith, Ye ha•• not chosen me, because if he had therefor•• chosen us, because he foreknew, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 would be good, he would withall have fore known, that we would have chosen h•• first. * 1.15 And not far after, Hearken O i•• gratefull person, O ingratefull person hear∣ken. Ye have not chosen me, but I ho•• chosen you. There is no reason for thee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 say, I was therefore chosen, because I d•• beleeve before. For if thou didst beleeve 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him first, thou hadst first chosen him. B•• hear, ye have not chosen me. So that i•• St. Augustines judgment an election o•• of faith or works foreseen is either 〈◊〉〈◊〉 election or a self election. And the that teach it, give occasion to pr••∣phane persons to scoffe at Go•• election. Let Gods elect not on•• not be discouraged by scoffers, n•• daunted by false teachers, but let the acknowledge a divine election, as t•• foundation of all their holinesse a•• happinesse.

What were you before God cho•• you, but unholy, unhappy? Wh•• would ye have been yet, if God h•• not chosen you, but what you w•• before? Let Augustine answer th•• question, What shall we then say, wh••

••••e hear, Ye have not chosen me, * 1.16 but that ••e were evill, but are elected, that we ••ight be good through his grace that hath ••lected us? In all the Scripture there 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no higher action then Gods electi∣••n. Acknowledge this therefore for ••he fountain, from whence spring the ••wo pleasant streams of grace and glory. ••nd thus much for the first and top ••ranch of this most glorious tree. We ••ave climed up to the highest, now let ••s go downward by degrees, slowly ••nd safely for fear of falling.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luk. 18.7.
• * 1.2

  Rom. 8.33.
• * 1.3

  1 Thess. 1.4.
• * 1.4

  Joh. 6.70. 1 Thess. 1.4.
• * 1.5

  Revel. 2.1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.
• * 1.6

  Revel. 1.20.
• * 1.7

  Video etiam ex electis seligi aliquos ad ali∣quid majus at{que} praestantius, sicut in militia cum tyrones electi fuerint, ex his quoque cliguntur ad opus aliquod majus armo∣rum. Et cum eliguntur in Ec∣clesia, qui fiant•• praepositi, non utique caeteri reprobantur, cum omnes boni fideles electi merito nuncupentur. El••guntur in aedificio lapides angulares, non reprobatis caeteris qui structurae partibus allis deputantur. Eliguntur uvae ad vescendum, nec reprobamus alias, quas relinquimus ad b•• bendum. Aug. de civ. Dei. lib. 7. c. 1.
• * 1.8

  1 Cor. 12.16.
• * 1.9

  1 Cor. 12.23.
• * 1.10

  Quid est homo? Aberrans a creat••re creatura: nisi creator ejus memor sit ••ius: et eligat cum gratis, et diligat gratis: quia non potest eli∣gere vel diligere, nisi prius electus d••l••ctus{que} curetur, qui cae••itate eli∣genda non cernit, et languore dili∣genda fastidit. Aug. de Temp. ser. 223.
• * 1.11

  Deo duce veni∣tur ad Deum. Pros. de. voc. gent. l. 1. c. 24.
• * 1.12

  John. 6.44.
• * 1.13

  1 Sam. 15.14.
• * 1.14

  Non vos me elegistis, inquit, sed ego vos ••legi. Quid ergo eramus, nisi iniqui, et perditi? Ne{que} enim jam credideramus in eum: ut eligeret nos. Nam si jam credentes elegit, electos elegit. Cur ergo diceret, Non vos me elegistis, nisi quia miscricordia ejus praevenit n••s? Hic certe vacat vana illorum ratiocinatio, qui praesci∣entiam Dei defendunt contra gratiam Dei: et ideo dicunt nos electos ante mundi constitutionem, quia praescivit nos Deas futuros bonos, non se ipsum nos facturum bonos. Non h••c dicit, qui dicit, Non vos me elegistis, quo∣niam si propterea nos elegisset, quia bonos futuros esse nos praesciverat, simul etiam praescisset, quod eum nos fuiss••mus prius el••cturi. Aug. in Joh. tract. 86.
• * 1.15

  Et paulo post. Audi ingrate, ingrate audi. Non vos me ele∣gistis, sed ego elegi vos. Non est ut dicas, ideo electus sum quia jam credebam. Si enim credebas in cum jam ele∣geras eum. Sed audi. Non vos me elegistis.
• * 1.16

  Quid ergo di∣cturi sumus au∣diendo, non vos me elegistis, nisi quia mali era∣mus, et electi sumus, ut boni per gratiam nos eligentis esse∣mus? Aug. in Joh. tract. 86.