A30238:804
An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…
An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the second epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians by Anthony Burgess ...An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the second epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians by Anthony Burgesse ...
London: printed by A.M. for Abel Roper, 1661
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations UPON THE First Chapter of… › Sermon 35
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.
3. We do not enervate the mercy of God, in holding, the Election of some ⟨p. 155⟩only to eternal life, because God might justly, if he had pleased, damned all, and none could have accused him for want of mercy. For hath not God bound up in chains of darkness all the apostate Angels? Are not every one of them condemned to eternal torments? Yet they are more noble and excellent creatures, than man is. Oh then the mercy of God that any is saved, seeing that all might justly be damned!
3. We do not enervate the mercy of God, in holding, the Election of some ⟨p. 155⟩onely to eternal life, because God might justly, if he had pleased, damned all, and none could have accused him for want of mercy. For hath not God bound up in chains of darkness all the apostate Angels? Are not every one of them condemned to eternal torments? Yet they are more noble and excellent creatures, than man is. Oh then the mercy of God that any is saved, seeing that all might justly be damned!
Lastly, Not to enlarge on this, God is merciful in this Absolute Election, duly explained, because hereby a very great number are sure to be saved. God by this Decree of his, will so work in time, that they shall be called, justified, and at last glorified; for Election will obtain. Now doth not this Doctrine more commend the mercy of God, than the Arminians Conditional Decrees? Notwithstanding which, no man in the world may be saved. For notwithstanding Gods Decrees and Will, to save all men, notwithstanding Christs dying for all men, yet they acknowledge it possible, not any one man be saved. For God (they say) leaveth a man to the good use of his Free-will, he doth not alter or change by his efficacious and wonderful grace any mans heart; and if God do no more, who then can be saved? They cannot instance in one Heathen, that ever yet used his naturals well, thereby to partake of supernaturals. So that if all be left to man, and God should not show mercy, no one man would be saved. Therefore our Doctrine is a merciful one, and theirs is cruel.