1. Who is the great Agent? It is no other ⟨p. 25⟩than God himself: He chooses us, Eph. 1. 4. he predestinates us, ver. 5. Hence the Elect are called God's Elect, Tit. 1. 1. and Election is styled God's Election, 1 Thess. 1. 4. the Elect are said to be God's own, John 17. 6. and Election is named God's own purpose and grace, 2 Tim. 1. 9. He that frames this high Design must be a God indeed, a Creator of Souls, and Infuser of Graces, one able to provide an infinite Ransom for the satisfaction of Justice, and a glorious Heaven for the patefaction of Mercy; no less than an Almighty Potter, able even out of the Mass of perdition to make Vessels of Mercy, and fill them with Glory. All Divines will at least in words confess God to be the great Agent; but how the Remonstrants according to their Principles can own him as such, is well worthy their consideration: for they assert that the Object of Gods Election is a Believer; and whether there shall be a Believer or not, after all the operations of Grace, ultimately depends upon the Will of Man; and if so, how can God choose at all? seeing the Act of his Election depends upon the Object, and the Object upon the Will of man. The Remonstrants will contend, That Man, with his petty ⟨p. 26⟩created Liberty, cannot choose as a man, if he be under the Pre-determining Will of God; and can God, with his Sovereign Supreme Liberty, choose as a God, if he be under the Pre-determining Will of Man? And what is he less than under it, when, whether he shall have an Election or not, depends upon the Object; and whether there will be an Object or not, depends upon the Will of Man? Man's Will must go before, and make the Object, or else for want of one, God's Will must stand still and not choose at all. And is this for God to choose like himself? Are not all Souls his own, and may he not choose which he pleases? Is not all Grace and Glory his own, and may he not do with his own what he pleases? But how can he do so, if as to the Act of Election he be under the Pre-determining Will of Man? But you'll say, God is not under it for all this: for he first, and antecedently to any foreseen Faith in Man, did decree in general to save Believers, and Believers only, as appears in the Gospel; and thereby did, out of his mere good pleasure, set down this Law or Rule to himself, That Believers, and Believers only, should be the Object of particular ⟨p. 27⟩Election;
1. Who is the great Agent? It is no other ⟨p. 25⟩than God himself: He chuses us, Eph. 1. 4. he predestinates us, ver. 5. Hence the Elect are called God's Elect, Tit. 1. 1. and Election is stiled God's Election, 1 Thess. 1. 4. the Elect are said to be God's own, John 17. 6. and Election is named God's own purpose and grace, 2 Tim. 1. 9. He that frames this high Design must be a God indeed, a Creator of Souls, and Infuser of Graces, one able to provide an infinite Ransom for the satisfaction of Justice, and a glorious Heaven for the patefaction of Mercy; no less than an Almighty Potter, able even out of the Mass of perdition to make Vessels of Mercy, and fill them with Glory. All Divines will at least in words confess God to be the great Agent; but how the Remonstrants according to their Principles can own him as such, is well worthy their consideration: for they assert that the Object of Gods Election is a Believer; and whether there shall be a Believer or not, after all the operations of Grace, ultimately depends upon the Will of Man; and if so, how can God chuse at all? seeing the Act of his Election depends upon the Object, and the Oject upon the Will of man. The Remonstrants will contend, That Man, with his petty ⟨p. 26⟩created Liberty, cannot chuse as a man, if he be under the Pre-determining Will of God; and can God, with his Soveraign Supreme Liberty, chuse as a God, if he be under the Pre-determining Will of Man? And what is he less than under it, when, whether he shall have an Election or not, depends upon the Object; and whether there will be an Object or not, depends upon the Will of Man? Man's Will must go before, and make the Object, or else for want of one, God's Will must stand still and not chuse at all. And is this for God to chuse like himself? Are not all Souls his own, and may he not chuse which he pleases? Is not all Grace and Glory his own, and may he not do with his own what he pleases? But how can he do so, if as to the Act of Election he be under the Pre-determining Will of Man? But you'l say, God is not under it for all this: for he first, and antecedently to any foreseen Faith in Man, did decree in general to save Believers, and Believers only, as appears in the Gospel; and thereby did, out of his mere good pleasure, set down this Law or Rule to himself, That Believers, and Believers only, should be the Object of particular
