Serle - BT590 N2 S47 1776

CONCLUSION. g93 defiring the Salvation of fome Sinners, who, notwith- ftanding his Will and Defire, do never obtain Salva- tion. Hence it follows, that Chriß either, hath not Power to accomplifh what He wills, or that He can will the Accomplifhment of any good thing, without an Exertion of his Power. In the firft Cafe, he is ab- folutely undeified ; and, in the fecond, he is thoroughly difgraced. The former Idea is unfcriptural; the latter quite unphilofophical. Yet Chrift is GOD, fays the Arminian. But what kind of GOD ? As the Deitiesof Homer are perpetually quarrelling with each other; fo, in the Arminian's GOD, all his Attributes are at Variance. He works without Defign, and wills with- out Effect. Nay, more; the Attainment of his own Will depends upon the Wills of his Creatures : And thus the almighty Agent ofGood is defcribed, as wait- ing in his Operations upon a Set of Beings, who of themfelves can will and do nothing but Evil. If one did not know it to be true ; it would be almoft im- poflible to believe, that fuch . a Solecifm in Divinity could obtain the leaft Credit in the Underftanding of Man. By thus robbing Chrifi of his Divinity, and by thus exalting the Powers of human Freewill above him, the Arminian confounds the whole (Economy of Salvation, and reprefents the wife Counfels and Defigns of the 'ETERNAL THREE, but little better than a Chaös of Withes and Intentions. And, if all thefe grand and im- portant Concerns go on without a Plan, and are left to Chance and Uncertainty, or (which is juft the fame) to the fickle Will of Man ; what has Faith to do in fo precarious a Bufìnefs ; or how can Hope be properly éxercifed upon what may never come to pats ? How are GOD's Promifes and Oath immutable ; when they alto- gether depend upon the vile Mutability of finful Crea- tures ? And what Comfort can be derived to the Soul, as to its Acquifition of Life eternal; when it is per- fuaded to believe, that GOD's Beflowment of it refis ppon the Exertion of its own Will and Power; though the 1

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