A27064:1218
Universal redemption of mankind, by the Lord Jesus Christ stated and cleared by the…
Universal redemption of mankind, by the Lord Jesus Christ stated and cleared by the late learned Mr. Richard Barter [sic] ; whereunto is added a short account of Special redemption, by the same author.
London: printed for John Salusbury, 1694
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. The obligation of the new Law both binding their former guilt on them by a peremptory irreversible Decree, and condemning them for contempt of recovering Mercy, to a sorer Punishment: This last I mention as belonging only to final Unbelievers. The first obligation lieth on the Elect themselves till they Believe: And moreover the New Law pronounceth them all that time, non-liberatos, unpardoned, and doth not give them any remission; though it pass not on them the peremptory irreversible Sentence.
2. The obligation of the new Law both binding their former guilt on them by a peremptory irreversible Decree, and condemning them for contempt of recovering Mercy, to a sorer Punishment: This last I mention as belonging only to final Unbelievers. The first obligation lyeth on the Elect themselves till they Believe: And moreover the New Law pronounceth them all that time, non-liberatos, unpardoned, and doth not give them any remission; though it pass not on them the peremptory irreversible Sentence.
Obj. If this be so, then God should do the Elect themselves no wrong if he did damn them before they Believe.
Answ. None at all; nor dare any •ober knowing man tell God, that he had wronged him if he had so done: But on the contrary ⟨p. 410⟩it's the use of all Godly Orthodox men, Ministers or private persons (so far as ever I could observe) to confess to God in their Prayers, that he might justly have cut them off before their Regeneration, and have cast them into Hell; and that it was then their due; yea, that he might have sent them to Damnation from the Womb: yet it followeth not that God might Damn the Elect: For he hath Decreed the contrary: But the Purpose or Decree of God doth no more give them a Right to Pardon or Salvation, than my Purpose to make such a man my Heir, or to give him 100 l. doth give him right to that 100 l. or to my Inheritance. So that God Damns not any of his Elect: but the reason is not because that Damnation was not due to them before they believed, or because God could not damn them in Justice, or without wronging them; but because he cannot change his Purpose or Will; which properly is to say, God will not Damn the Elect, rather than, He cannot.