Neither doth this make void any heavenly and divine truth at all. For though all be under sin and wrath and curse till Christ by his blood redeem them, and by his heavenly voice call them, by his Spirit beget them: yet Christ was a Lamb slain (in respect of the virtue and efficacy of his death) from the beginning of the world. And though elect vessels may be under the curse till they be called and regenerated from above, yet are they at one and the ⟨p. 71⟩same time under grace, but in divers respects: Under the curse and wrath by nature; under grace by the election of God, and the Covenant of their fathers. At one and the same time Apiathar was a man of death by desert, and yet by the Kings favour a man of life, 1 Kings 2 26. The Israelites at one and the same time were enemies for our sakes, and yet beloved for their fathers sake, Rom. 11.28. And in very truth, if the elect children of God were not under grace before Christ call them by his heavenly voice, or before he regenerate them by his Spirit, how is it possible they should be effectually called, or regenerate at all? For in the fear of God consider, is not effectual calling a regeneration, a work of Gods grace in Jesus Christ? is it not a fruit of Gods electing and redeeming grace in Christ? The one wrought for us before the world was made, the other before we were borne? And can the sin of our nature which followed after, extinguish or make void the rich grace of Christ, which was before all causes in us? If effectual calling and regeneration be the work of Gods grace, then it is the effect of Gods grace; and if it be the effect of Gods grace, then the grace of Christ is the efficient cause of our effectual calling and regeneration; and the efficient cause is always in nature, and ordinarily in time before the effect. And therefore it cannot be, but that the elect children of God are under grace before their effectual calling and regeneration. It is not our Doctrine therefore but yours, that maketh void many heavenly and divine truths, even the fundamental truths of the free grace of Christ. which your predecessors in this way did plainly discern; and therefore they thought it best not to contradict themselves as you do, To say, that children are not under grace, nor under a Covenant of grace, till they be called by Christs heavenly voice, and by his Spirit begotten from above;
Neither doth this make void any heavenly and divine truth at all. For though all bee under sinne and wrath and curse til Christ by his blood redeem them, and by his heavenly voice call them, by his Spirit beget them: yet Christ was a Lambe slaine (in respect of the vertue and efficacy of his death) from the beginning of the world. And though elect vessels may bee under the curse till they bee called and regenerated from above, yet are they at one and the ⟨p. 71⟩same time under grace, but in divers respects: Under the curse and wrath by nature; under grace by the election of God, and the Covenant of their fathers. At one and the same time Apiathar was a man of death by desert, and yet by the Kings favour a man of life, 1 Kings 2 26. The Israelites at one and the same time were enemies for our sakes, and yet beloved for their fathers sake, Rom. 11.28. And in very truth, if the elect children of God were not under grace before Christ call them by his heavenly voyce, or before hee regenerate them by his Spirit, how is it possible they should be effectually called, or regenerate at all? For in the feare of God consider, is not effectuall calling a regeneration, a worke of Gods grace in Jesus Christ? is it not a fruit of Gods electing and redeeming grace in Christ? The one wrought for us before the world was made, the other before wee were borne? And can the sin of our nature which followed after, extinguish or make voyd the rich grace of Christ, which was before all causes in us? If effectuall calling and regeneration bee the worke of Gods grace, then it is the effect of Gods grace; and if it be the effect of Gods grace, then the grace of Christ is the efficient cause of our effectuall calling and regeneration; and the efficient cause is alwayes in nature, and ordinarily in time before the effect. And therefore it cannot be, but that the elect children of God are under grace before their effectuall calling and regeneration. It is not our Doctrine therefore but yours, that maketh void many heavenly and divine truths, even the fundamentall truths of the free grace of Christ. which your predecessors in this way did plainly discerne; and therefore they thought it best not to contradict themselves as you doe, To say, that children are not under grace, nor under a Covenant of grace, till they be called by Christs heavenly voice, and by his Spirit begotten from above;
