y behind, as to the
certain Marks of being of that Number. The Scripture must also as
clearly reveal the Marks, as it does the Doctrine, or we shall not
be able to apply with any Certainty to ourselves. Is believing the
Doctrine, &_c_. and thinking myself one of this happy Number, a Rule
sufficient to abide by? If so, no Man who has this Faith, concerning
the _Doctrine_ and _himself_, can ever depart from it. Yet, there
have been many Instances of Persons, zealous in that way, who saw
Occasion afterwards to renounce the Doctrine itself, and with it
that _imaginary_ and _ungrounded Conceit_ of their being, for no
Reason whatever, God's dear Children and Favourites, and embraced,
in its room, the Doctrines of _universal Grace_ and _Free-will;_ and
upon the best Reasons too, for as without the one, God cannot be
just, so without the other, Man, being no Agent, can be no Subject
of Rewards and Punishments. These very Men were before thought to be
elect, by their most spiritual and best judging Brethren, who
pronounced them chosen in _Christ_, and unshaken in the Faith; and
so indeed they judged concerning themselves: But the Grace of God
being once permitted freely to operate in the Mind, it soon expelled
that Ignorance, and Narrowness of Spirit, which (even in many well
meaning Persons) is the genuine Effect of such narrow Doctrines. If
having this Faith be no certain Mark, because a Man may depart from
it, what Proof have they? surely none: But allowing them an absolute
Certainty, as to themselves, that God hath told them, in Person,
that they are his Elect, it will (on their own darling Principle of
Sovereignty) amount to just nothing at all; because, as a Sovereign,
God may promise one thing, and intend, nay do another, or the
contrary; nor can they prove, or have they the least Assurance, he
will not thus deal with them, without recurring to other Principles,
which will hold equally strong against the Doctrines themselves--To
this Dilemma are these Gentlemen inevitably reduced; they must
either give up the Doctrines, or part with any Security of
Dependance on God himself, as to their own Happiness. It will be _in
vain_, here, to refer to the _Goodness of God_, though, on _my_
Principles, the Argument would be unanswerable; on _theirs_, it is
_stark naught_, and avails nothing. And pray observe the _double
Dealing_ this reduces them to; it is something like setting up _two
Gods_ instead of one, or, which is much the sam