352 ETERNAL, ELECTIO to save, he purposeth first to sanctify; neither have we any ground tosuppose, that we are-built on that foun- dation of God, which standeth sure, unless we depart from all iniquity. What further motives may be taken from the especial nature of this decree, shall be consi- dered when we have removed one objection out of our way. Sect. 7. Some there are, who apprehend that these things are quite otherwise: For, they say, that a suppo- sition of God's decree of personal election is a discou- ragement unto all endeavours for holiness, and an effec- tual obstruction thereof in the lives of men. And under this pretence, chiefly, is the doctrine concerning it blas- phemed and evil spoken of: ,, For," say they, if w God have freely from eternity chosen men unto salva- tion, what need is there that they should be holy? 6, They may live securely in the pursuit of their lusts, a and be sure not to fail of heaven at the last: for God's sa decree cannot be frustrated, nor his will resisted. And 6, ifmen be not elected, whatever they endeavour in the ., ways of holy obedience, it will be utterly lost; for e- 6, ternally saved they cannot, they shall not be. This 6, therefore is so far from being a conviction of the ne- ' cessity of holiness, and a motive unto it, as that indeed 6, it renders it unnecessary and useless, yea, defeats the 6, power and efficacy of ail other arguments for it, and ., motives unto it." Now, this objection, if not for the sake of those who make use of itas a cavil against the truth, yet of those who may feel the force of it in the way of a temptation, must be removed out of our way. To this end, I an- swer two things: 1. In general; that this persuasion is not of him that called, us. This way of arguing is not taught in the scripture, nor can thence be learned. The doctrine of God's free electing love and grace is fully declared there- in. And, withal, it is proposed as the fountain of all holiness, and made a great motive thereunto. is it not safer now for us to adhere to the plain testimonies of scripture, confirineil by the experienceof the generality of believers, captivating cur understandings to- the obe- dience of faith, than hearken unto such perverse cavils as would possess our minds with a dislike of God and his ways? Those who hate gospel-holiness, or would substi- tute something else in the room of it, will never want exceptions against all its concernments. An holiness N A CAUSE OF, they lay claim unto, and plead an interest in: for, as I said formerly, a confession in 'general of the necessity hereof, its almost the only thing wherein all that are called Christians do agree. But such an holiness they would have, as doth not spring from eternal divine elec- tion, as is not wrought in as originally by the almighty efficacy of grace in our conversion, as is not promoted by free justification, through the imputationof the right- eousness of Christ. Now, this is such an holiness as the scripture knoweth nothing of, unless it be to reject and condemn it. Wherefore, this objection proceeding only from the craft of Satan, opposing the ways and methods of God's grace, when he dareth not open- ly oppose the thing itself; it is safer for a believer to rest quietly in clear scripture - revelation, than to attend unto such proud, perverse, and froward cavillings. Sect. 9. -2 In particular; we are not only obliged. to believe all divine revelations, but also in the way, or- der, and method, wherein, by the will of God, they are proposed unto us, and which is required by the nature of the things themselves: for instance, the belief of eter- nal life is required in the gospel: but yet no man is o- bliged to believe, that he shall be eternally saved whilst he lives in his sins, but rather the contrary. On this supposition, which is plain and evident, I shall, in the ensuing propositions, utterly cast this objection out of consideration. Sect. 10.(l.) The decree of election, considered absolutely in itself, without respect unto its effects, tono part of God's revealed will, that is, it is not revealed, that this or that man is, or is not elected. This there- fore can be made neither argument norobjection, about any thing wherein faith or obedience are concerned: for we know it not, we cannot know it, it is. not our duty to know it; the knowledge of it is not proposed as of any use unto us, yea, it is our sin to inquire into it. It may seem to some to be like the tree of knowledge of good and -evil unto Eve; good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and much to be desiredto make one wise, as all secret forbidden things seem to carnal minds; but men can gather no fruit from it but death. See I)eut. xxix. 29. Whatever exceptions therefore are laid against this decree, as it is in itself, whatever inferences are made, on supposition of this or that man's being or not being elected, they are all unjust and unreasonable, yea, proved contending with God, who bath appointed ano-
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