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'free will, being put to an unavoidable necessity 'to do, or not to do, whatsoever they do, or do ' not, whether it be good or evil; being thereunto predestinated by the eternal and effectual secret ' decree of God.

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'ART. IV. Of the Manner of Conversion.

'That God, to save his elect from the corrupt mass, doth beget faith in them, by a power equal ' to that whereby he created the world, and raised the dead; insomuch, that such unto whom ' he gives grace cannot reject, and the rest, being ' reprobate, cannot accept it.'1

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REJECTION OF ERRORS UNDER THE THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS.

The orthodox doctrine having been set forth, the Synod rejects the errors of those,

1. Who teach, That it cannot properly be said, that original sin (peccatum originis) 'suffices of itself for the condemnation of the 'whole human race, or the desert of temporal and 'eternal punishments:" for they contradict the apostle, who says, Rom. v. 12. By one man "sin entered into the world, and death by sin; " and so death passed upon all men, for that all

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'Let the candid reader compare carefully the seventeen articles above given, with these two abbreviated articles, and then judge for himself, whether such a reporter deserves the least credit or confidence.

"have sinned." And ver. 16. " By one man the "offence entered unto condemnation." Also, Rom. vi. 23. "The wages of sin is death."1

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2. Who teach, That spiritual gifts, or good habits and virtues, such as kindness, sanctity, and justice, could have no place in the will of 'man when he was first created, and therefore, 'neither could they in the fall be separated from

it.' For this opposes (pugnat) the description of the image of God, which the apostle states in Eph. iv. 24..where he describes it (as consisting) "in righteousness and holiness," which have a: place in the will altogether.

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3. Who teach, That spiritual gifts are not separated from the will of man in spiritual death, <as it (the will) never was corrupted in itself, but only impeded by the darkness of the mind, and 'the irregularity of the affections; which impe'diments being removed, it may be able to exert

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the free power planted (insitam) in it; that is, ' of itself to will or choose, or not to will or ' choose, whatever good is proposed to it.' This is new and erroneous; and causes the power of free will to be exalted, against the words of the prophet Jeremiah, xvii. 9. "The heart is deceitful "above all things and perverse:" and of the apostle, Eph. ii. 3. "Among whom (contumacious "men) we all had our conversation in times past,

16 Original sin is so base and execrable, that it suffices to the condemnation of the whole human race.' Belgic Con'fession, Art. xv. God saw that man had so cast himself into the condemnation of death, both corporal and spiritual, and * was made altogether miserable and accursed.' Ibid. Art. xvii. In every person born into the world, it deserveth God's wrath ' and damnation.' Art. ix. Church of England.

"in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of "the flesh and of the thoughts."1

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4. Who teach, That man unregenerate is 'neither properly nor totally dead in sins, or des'titute of all power for what is spiritually good; 'but that he can hunger and thirst after righteousness or life, and offer the sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit, which is accepted by "God' for these things are contrary to the open testimonies of scripture, Ephes. ii. 1, 5. " Ye were "dead in trespasses and sins:" and Gen. vi. 5, and viii. 21. "The imagination of the thoughts " of man's heart is only evil continually." Moreover, to hunger and thirst after deliverance from misery, and for life, and to offer unto God the sacrifice of a contrite spirit, is the part of the regenerate, and of those who are said to be blessed. Ps. li. 19. 1 Chron. xxix. 14. Matt. v. 6.

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5. Who teach, 'That man, corrupt and animal,2 can so rightly use common grace, which in them is the light of nature, and the gifts remaining after the fall, that by this good use he may 'obtain greater grace, for instance, evangelical or saving, and gradually may obtain salvation it'self: and that on this account God shews him

The apostle says, that "it is God who worketh in us, both 'that we should will and that we should do, of his own free ' benevolence;" for no mind, no will, acquiesces in the will of 'God, in which Christ himself hath not first operated.' Belgic Confession, Art. xiv. 'We have no power to do good works, 'pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by 'Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will; and working with us, when we have that good will.' Art. x. Church of England.

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'self ready, on his part, to reveal Christ to all, seeing that he administers to all, sufficiently and efficaciously, the necessary means to the revela'tion of Christ, to faith, and repentance.' For, besides the experience of all ages, this is testified to be false by the scripture: Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20. "He sheweth his words unto Jacob, his statutes "and laws unto Israel: he hath not done so unto any other people, neither have they known his "laws." Acts xiv. 16. "God permitted in past 66 ages all the nations to walk in their own ways." Acts xvi. 6, 7. They were forbidden (Paul and "his companions) by the Holy Ghost to preach "the word of God in Asia." And, "When they "were come into Mysia, they endeavoured to go towards Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them "not."

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'The matter of fact, that not all those who enjoy the means of grace in the greatest abundance do profit by them, is as undeniable as that all nations are not favoured with the means of grace: but to speak of those things as sufficient and efficacious, which in the case of a vast majority prove insufficient and inefficacious, must surely be unreasonable; especially as to them the gospel itself proves 66 a savour of death unto death." That "Paul may plant and Apollos may water," but that God alone can 66 give the increase," is most manifest to those who have the deepest experience, and have made the most accurate and long-continued observation, on the event of the wisest, most loving, and most scriptural instructions. 1 Cor. iii. 6, 7.Enough has been quoted from the Belgic Confession to shew that this error was as contrary to that document, as to any article of the Synod of Dort. The condition of man after the 'fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn or prepare himself, 'by his own natural strength and good works, to faith and 'calling upon God.' 'Works done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to God; 'forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ: neither

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6. Who teach, 'That in the true conversion of 'man there cannot be new qualities, habits, or

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gifts, infused by God into his will: and so that faith, by which we are first converted, and from 'which we are called the faithful, is not a quality or gift infused by God, but only an act of man ; nor that it can be otherwise called a gift, than 'with respect to the power of attaining it.' For these things contradict the holy scriptures, which testify that God doth infuse new qualities of faith, obedience, and a sense of his love into our hearts. Jer. xxxi. 33. “I will put my law into their mind, "and will write it in their heart." Isa. xliv. 3. "I will pour water on him that is athirst, and "rivers upon the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on thy seed." Rom. v. 5. "The love of "God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us." They also contradict the constant practice of the church, thus praying with the prophet, "Convert thou me, " and I shall be converted." Jer. xxxi. 18, 19.1

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7. Who teach, That the grace, by which we are converted to God, is nothing else than gentle 'suasion; or (as others explain it,) that the most

'do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the school ' authors say,) deserve grace of congruity: yea rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to ' be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.' Art. x. xiii. Ch. of Eng.-He, who is well versed in this controversy is aware, that the doctrine here condemned comprises the very hinge, on which the whole turns: if it be false, Calvinists (in the modern use of the word,) are right; if true, Anticalvinists are right.

See also Ezek. xi. 19, 20. xxxvi. 25-27. Eph. i. 19, 20. ii. 8-10.

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