The doctrine of absolute predestination stated and asserted

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CHAP. I. Explanation of Terms .... 107

II. Of Predestination at large . . . 117

III. Of Election in particular . . 129

IV. Of Reprobation 140

V. On the Preaching of these Doctrines 163

Short Dissertation concerning Fate .... 200 Caveat against Unsound Doctrines .... 209 A Letter to the Rev* John Wesley .... 367

RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE.

OF *ft the devices formed by Satan, and employed to sully the glory of divine truth, that which is now commonly called Arminianism, is the most ancient, the most dangerous, and the most successful. Since the fall of man, it has existed in the world, in every age and in every country. It may be called the Religion of our fallen nature ; and will never want friends and advocates on earth, so long as the spirit of error and the corrupt heart are permitted to exert their W T icked influence. It is a system of principles, stated in direct opposition to the sovereignty of God, displayed in the distribution of his favours among men ; and is utterly eversive of the whole plan of grace revealed in the gospel. It proclaims open war against the essential prerogative of Deity — his absolute right of determining the final state 1 of rational beings, considered as guilty and fallen ; and makes the divine purpose entirely dependent on the creature's will. The great God is impiously dethroned, that the vile idol of free will may be exalted in his room. The proud usurper, being seated on the throne, dares to arraign at his bar, every thing human and divine ; and presumes to judge, approve, or condemn every article of the divine testimony, and every piece of divine conduct, as they appear right or wrong to the corrupt heart — the depraved will.

This is a system founded in ignorance, supported by pride, fraught with atheism, and will end in delusion. But it is well calculated to gain general consent among all who were never thoroughly convinced of the evil of sin, nor felt the burden of guilt pressing their consciences ; nor have seen the purity of the divine law, their own lost and helpless state, and the absolute necessity of Christ's righteousness for justification and eternal life. The carnal heart is naturally proud, and regards, with fond attention, whatever tends to flatter its vanity and self-importance. Such is the palpable tendency of the Arminianism scheme. It gently whispers us in the ear, that, even in a fallen state, we retain both the xvillaxid the power of doing what is good and acceptable to God :— . that Christ's death is accepted by God as an universal atonement for the sins of all men ; in order that every one may, if he will, save himself by his own free will, and good works : — that, in the exercise of our natural powers, we may arrive at perfection even in the present life, &c. These, and the like unscriptural tenets, are so much adapted to the legal bias of the corrupt heart, that we need not wonder at the favourable reception they have met with in every period of the church.

If we consult the history of past ages, it will be found, that this set of corrupt principles has always occupied a chief place in the faith and profession of corrupt churches. In the latter times of the Jewish church, the body of that people were so strongly attached to this legal scheme, that they utterly rejected Christ and his righteousness, and went about to establish a righteousness of their own. The gospel church was no sooner planted, than the spirit of error began to work. The Arminian leaven in the heart w r as set a working by the Arminian or Judaizing teachers of these days, which produced such a strong fermentation in some churches, that they seem to have almost entirely departed from the faith. Of this melancholy change the church of Galatia presents an affecting instance. The apostles and other ministers of Christ, by their sermons, their disputations, and writings, laboured hard to stem the torrent, and prevent the infection from spreading through the church : But alas, this mystery of iniquity continued to work, through the fostering care of the father of lies, and by the craft and assiduity of his numerous emissaries. During the three first centuries of the o RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE.

Christian church, it was continually on the increase ; and, about the beginning of the fourth, it broke out with open violence under the name of the Arian heresy.

This was little else but a new name clapt upon an old mass of error which had been lying in detached fragments, up and down in the Christian world from the beginning. By Arins they were all gathered up and artfully formed into one complete system of falsehood and blasphemy. His opposition was chiefly directed against the doctrines of Christ's Eternal Sonship — of His co-essentiality and co-equality with the Father : but his system included in its bosom the very essence of the Socinian and Arminian errors.

In the year of our Lord 325, the pastors of the church assembled in a general Council at Nice, in Bythinia, to concert measures for checking the spreading infection. They drew up that admirable form of sound words, called the Nicene Creed, or Confession of Faith. It was subscribed by all present ; and even by Arias himself, that temporizing arch-heretic ; merely to serve a present turn, and with a fixed design of throwing off the mask as soon as a favourable opportunity should offer. In a few years he openly retracted ; and, gaining the ear of the Roman emperor, he filled the church with tumult and blood, and attempted to banish truth, and exterminate its professors from the earth.

The spirit of error and delusion seemed to be let loose from all restraint. Multitudes of new heresies suddenly sprung up in almost every corner of the church. Pelagius, a British monk, in the beginning of the 5th century appeared on the stage to plead the cause of error and decry the doctrines of grace. The Scripture doctrine of absolute and unconditional Predestination he boldly denied — asserting that God was directed in determining the final state of sinful men by his foreknowledge of human actions — Original Sin, both imputed and inherent, he counted a mere figment — He maintained the modern Arminian tenet of Free Will in its utmost extent ; affirming that a man retains full power to chuse what is good, and to do what is well-pleasing to God, without any supernatural aid — That men in the present state may attain sinless perfection if they only suitably improve their natural powers, and the common means of grace— That Justification before God is by works, and not by faith in the righteousness of Christ.

This many-headed monster was hatched long before the days of Pelagius ; but never till then did it assume an aspect so alarming and formidable. Its venom soon overspread the whole continent of Europe, and reached the British Isle. As every poison has its antidote, so the cause of truth did not then w T ant many noble champions, who stood up in its defence. Among others the Lord raised up the justly celebrated Austin, who, with a bold and well directed stroke, cut off this Hydra's head. But the deadly infection had al~ \ # ready spread too wide to be easily cured. It lurked in the bowels of a corrupt and apostatizing church, until it made its way to the Papal chair, gained the consent of general councils, and became the avowed creed of the antichristian church.

At the commencement of the protestant reformation, the standard was again lifted up in defence of the doctrines of grace. The scriptures, which for many ages had lain concealed in the musty cabinet of dead languages, were now translated into the vulgar tongue of every country where the reformation got footing. The invention of printing greatly accelerated the diffusion of knowledge ; and the writings of the ancient fathers, particularly of Austin, were eagerly sought after, carefully read, and publicly taught by the most illustrious reformers, such as, Calvin, Luther, Zuinglius, Bucer, Melancthon, Zanchius, and others. Men were filled with astonishment of their former ignorance and infatuation. Satan fell, as lightning from heaven, before the preaching of the everlasting gospel. His kingdom was full of darkness ; but his heart burned with rage, and he set every engine to work to prevent the total ruin of his interest and empire. He moved earth and hell against the witnesses of Christ, and the earth was soaked with the blood of the saints. But truth prevailed over all the fury of persecution.

The old and more successful method of opposing the cause of God was then tried. Floods of error broke in upon the church. Socinus, a man of great cunning and considerable learning, sent abroad a new edition of the old Avian heresy, with additional strokes of bold blasphemy. After him arose Arminius, in Holland, who revived in a new dress the old Pelagian heresy. It caused great convulsions in the seven United Provinces ; and occasioned the meeting of the famous Synod of Dort^ at which the errors of Arminius and his party were solemnly tried, and condemned. But the old leaven continued still to ferment in the bowels of the church. It stole into Britain about the beginning of the last century ; but dared not openly to shew its blotched face, until Archbishop Laud introduced it to court, and made it the Shibboleth of his party. The execution of that haughty and arbitrary prelate, with the dispersion of his powerful faction, had nearly cleared the island of the Arminian plague : when lo, a second inundation broke in upon the land, at the restoration of king Charles II. By his debauched court, every thing serious was treated with buffoonery and scorn ; but, because the Arminian clergy were found more pliant tools for the ruling party; divines of this stamp were generally preferred to the more considerable ecclesiastical benefices. England was soon overrun with Arminianism, and the old-fashioned doctrines of grace were every where run down as gross fanaticism^ and their abettors stigmatized with the name of enthusiasts*

The noxious weed was openly transplanted into our Scotch soil after the restoration ; when our Presbyterian pulpits were invaded and forcibly seized by an army of curates of the corrupt communion of the Church of England. The prelatical form of church government was indeed pulled down in North Britain, at the revolution : but not a few of the episcopal incumbents were continued in their charges, and embodied into our national church, upon very general and equivocal terms. From this impure source has sprung much of that corruption of doctrine which now overspreads the whole land.

Deism, or absolute Scepticism seem, in the present day, to be the prevailing and fashionable creed among many who move in the higher spheres of life. Socinianism has of late years made very rapid progress among professors of different descriptions. But Arminianism of all others, is the most prevalent ; and may be styled the vulgar error. It comes soliciting our ac^ ceptance with all the false charms of a harlot, decked out in such captivating colours, as too well suit the vitiated and depraved taste of corrupt nature. It finds an advocate in every man's bosom. Its cause is plead by all the strength and subtlety of carnal reason.

As a seasonable antidote against this growing evil, the following short treatise and sermon are sent abroad, warmly recommended to the attention of the public. Many volumes have been wrote, on the Arminian controversy : but I have met with nothing that more completely, and in so concise a manner, cuts it up by the roots. This valuable translation pf Zanchy^ on predestination, came into my hands about two years ago ; with some other pieces of Mr. Top lady's own works* The manly boldness of the learned translator and author, his fervent zeal for purity of gospel doctrine, and his masterly way of dissecting and exposing error very much struck and pleased me.* I felt much regret that his writings should be so little known in Scotland, where they are so much needed. To have republished all his works would have required several volumes, and, consequently put it out of the reach of the poor to become acquainted with them. Besides, they are not all equally adapted to general edification. Some of them are professedly composed for the meridian of England ; and directly pointed against the reigning errors of the English clergy. The two pieces selected are no less suited to the state of matters on this, than on the other side of the Tweed. This edition is chiefly intended for the accommodation of such as are in narrow worldly circumstances,

* The greatest men have their peculiarities, their favourite modes of expression, and are liable to be mistaken in some things. The admirable Augustus Toplady, with all his excellencies, is not an unexceptionable author, either as to matter or manner. But where shall we find such among' uninspired men ? Humanum est errare.

and can spare very little for the purchase of books. It is put into circulation at one fourth of the original cost of the London edition. May the Divine Spirit make it extensively useful for convincing and reclaiming the erroneous, and for comforting and confirming all the true friends of the precious doctrines of grace, through the churches of Christ.

ALEXANDER FRINGLE.

PERTH, How 9, 1723.

A SHORT SKETCH

OF THE LIFE JJYD CHARACTER

OF

AUGUSTUS MONTAGUE TOPLABY,

RECTOR OF BROAD-HEMBURYj DEVON.

iVlR. Toplady^ was second son to Richard Toplady, Esq. a major in the army. He was born at Farnham, in Surrey, on Tuesday, the 4th of November, 1740, The first rudiments of his education he received at Westminster School. He very early discovered an uncommon vigour of mind, and made proficiency in the languages much beyond most of his contemporaries. He used to employ his by-hours, while at the grammar-school, in writing exercises for such idle or dissipated young nobility as either could not, or would not write them themselves. By this means he sometimes gained three or four shillings a day.

* The substance of this short account of Mr. Toplady's life is taken from the Christian's Magazine, for January, 1791, with some additions and alterations.

16 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF

After his father's death, his mother (having some claims upon an Irish estate) took him with her into that kingdom ; and entered him a student in Trinity College, Dublin, where he soon took his degree of Bachelor of Arts. He was an indefatigable student in every branch of literature and science ; but, as he very early devoted himself to the service of Christ in the church, he chiefly cultivated those studies which were best calculated to make him (through the divine blessing) an able minister of the New Testament. He took much pains to render himself a proficient in the Hebrew and Greek languages, that he might be qualified to read and study the scriptures of truth iii their sacred originals. His writings abundantly shew that he was, in a high degree, master of them both.

About the 15th year of his age, it pleased God to bring him under awakenings of conscience, on account of the guilt and misery of his natural state ;*and to shew him his absolute need of Christ. He was a considerable time in great perplexity and doubt between the Armiman and Caivinisttc schemes. He read with avidity many books on each side. At last a kind of Providence brought in his way Dr. Manton on the 17th of John: which was made the happy mean of giving his strong Arminian prejudices the first effectual blow. By the time he arrived at his 18th year, he had (through the Spirit's supernatural teaching) attained a clear and settled belief of the doctrines of grace ; and continued to the day of his

AUGUSTUS MONTAGUE TOPLADY. 17

death a bold and determined enemy to the Arminian heresy. He used often to say among his intimates, " that he should, when in heaven, remember the year 1758, (the 18th of his age) with gratitude and joy.

He entered into orders on Trinity Sunday, the 6th of June, 1762. He was soon after inducted into the living of Blagdon, in Somersetshire, and afterwards into that of Broad-Hembury, in Devonshire. In both charges he shewed himself an able, faithful, and zealous servant of Christ; "a labourer that needeth not to be ashamed ; rightly dividing the word of truth." It was during his residence at Broad-Hembury that he composed the greater part of those valuable works, which will perpetuate and endear his memory to all the friends of truth through succeeding ages. He occasionally visited London, and soon contracted an intimacy with an extensive circle of friends there. The lustre of his pulpit talents could not be hid. He was much followed, and much admired. Three years before his death his health began to be much impaired by close study and excessive application. He began to apprehend that the air of Devon was too moist for one of his delicate constitution. By the advice of friends he removed to London in the year 1775. But he had not well arrived, when he was earnestly solicited by his numerous friends, to engage to preach in the chapel belonging to the French Reformed, in Leicester Fields. Their pressing importunities, and an ardent desire of being useful 2

18 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF

to immortal souls, prevailed over every other consideration. For a short time he statedly supplied that charge. But intense application to study, and late sitting, soon wasted his remaining strength, and accelerated the premature end of his ministry and labours. He fell into a consumption, and entered into his Master's joy on the 11th of August, 1778, the 38th year of his life, and the 16th of his ministry.

His bodily frame seems to have been rather tall and slender ; and his natural temper extremely keen and boisterous. Impatient of contradiction, he was in the heat of disputation, apt to be hurried on by the mere impetuosity of his passions, to a degree of warmth bordering on dictatorial insolence.

His mind was endowed with vast powers of conception. His understanding was clear and capacious, his judgment solid and correct, his imagination lively, and his invention uncommonly prompt and fertile. His great natural powers were much improved by a liberal education and close study. His early acquaintance with the power of religion induced him to delight much in the study of the scriptures. He soon acquired, under divine influence, a very accurate and extensive knowledge of the word of God. In his public labours he eminently deserved the noble character of Apollos, " A man mighty in the scriptures." His writings clearly show his intimate acquaintance with the ancient fathers and systematic writers. He seems to have inherited a

AUGUSTUS MONTAGUE TOPLADY. 19

large portion of the zeal and spirit of Austin and Broadwardin : and, like them too, to have bent the whole force of his genius against the Pelagian and Arminian heresies. The narrow escape which, through the grace of God, he made, from being entangled in the fascinating toils of Arminianism might, perhaps, determine him the more to embrace every opportunity of exposing the danger to others.. Being born and educated in the bosom of a church which was overrun with this error, he boldly stood forth as a resolute defender of the doctrines of grace, from both pulpit and press. Arminians of every denomination smarted under his lash* This error seems to have been his favourite game ^ and, whenever it started, he followed the chace until he run it down. So fully was he versed in this controversy, that he never seems more master of his subject than when dissecting and confuting Arminianism. Many a sore drubbing poor Mr. Wesley, and his adherents, received from his able pen. Upon the whole, he was a burning and shining light— a skilful champion in the cause of God— and a lively and zealous Christian. He died as he lived — glorying only in the cross of Christ, and triumphing in the freedom and riches of adorable grace.

A little before his death, a report was in circulation, raised and industriously propagated by the Arminian faction, that he had recanted those Calvinistic doctrines which he had all along publicly maintained with such strength of argument ajid warmth of zeal* When the false rumour

20 THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF

came to his ears, he was filled with much indignation at this weak and wicked effort of his enemies against him. And, although he was very much weakened through long and severe distress, yet he determined openly to contradict this lying invention from the pulpit, and close his ministry by exhibiting an open testimony in vindication of the doctrines of grace. With the greatest fortitude of soul he executed his resolution ; although his voice was now become so weak that he could not be distinctly heard.

Speaking to a friend about this matter, he said* " My dear friend, these great and glorious truths which the Lord, in rich mercy, has given me to believe, and which he has enabled me, though very feebly, to stand forth in the defence of, are not (as those who believe not, or oppose them say) dry doctrines, or mere speculative points— No :. but, being brought into practical and heart experience, they are the very joy and support of my soul : and the consolations flowing from them, carry me far above the things of time and sense." In his last moments, he was favoured with much comfortable experience of the divine presence ; and finished his course under a strong gale of sensible assurance. " Oh, what a day of sunshine this has been to me !*' (would he sometimes say) U I want words to express it- — —it is unutterable. Oh my friends, how good is God !— almost without interruption, his presence has been with me ! -—What a great thing it is to rejoice in death !« — Christ's love is unutterable !" Some passages of

AUGUSTUS MONTAGUE TOPLADY. 21

scripture he frequently repeated ; and descanted with peculiar emotions of joy and rapture upon the latter part of Rom. viii. When very near the end of his conflict, on his awaking from a slumber, he cried out, " Oh what delights ! who can fathom the joys of the third heavens ! — I cannot find words to express the comforts I feel in my soul !— they are past expression. The consolations of God to such an unworthy wretch are so abundant, that he leaves me nothing to pray for but a continuance of them. I enjoy a heaven already in my soul. My prayers are all converted into praise. — Nevertheless, I do not forget, that I am still in the body, and liable to all those distressing fears which are incident to human nature, when under temptation, and without any sensible divine support : but so long as the presence of God continues with me, in the degree in which i now enjoy it, I cannot but think that such a desponding frame is impossible."

Within an hour of his death he called his friends and servant, and asked them, If they could give him up ? they replied in the affirmative, since it pleased God to be so gracious to him : then said he, " I bless the Lord you are brought so cheerfully to part with me, and give me up into the hands of my dear Redeemer ! it will not be long when God will take me ; for no mortal man can live, (bursting into tears of joy) after the glories which God has manifested to my soul." Soon after this, he closed his eyes, and slept in Jesus* 2 *

22 THE LIFE AND (JHARACTER, ETC.

Thus died this great and good man. Maysuch striking displays of divine love and sove reign grace encourage all who truly believe in the Lord Jesus, to trust him more confidently, to love him more ardently, to follow him more submissively, and to serve him more zealously; in the well-grounded hope, that they too, in the end* shall find death prove their unspeakable gain*

WHEN I consider the absolute independency of God, and the necessary, total dependence of all created things on him their first cause j I cannot help standing astonished at the pride of impotent* degenerate man, who is so prone to consider himself as a being possessed of sovereign freedom* and invested with a power of self-salvation ; able^ he imagines, to counteract the designs^even of /n- Jinite Wisdom^ and to defeat the agency of Omnipotence itself. Ye shall be as gods, said the tempter, to Eve, in Paradise : and ye are as gods, says the same tempter now, to her apostate sons. — One would be apt to think, that a suggestion so demonstrably false and flattering, a suggestion the very reverse of what we feel to be our state ; a suggestion, alike contrary to scripture and reason, to fact and experience ; could never meet with the smallest degree of credit* And yet, because it so exactly coincides with the natural haughtiness of the human heart ; men not only admit, but even relish the deception* and fondly incline to believe that the father of lies doesj in this instance at least, speak truth*

The scripture-doctrine of predetermination, lays the axe to the very root of this potent delusion. It assures us, that all things are of God. That all our times, and all events, are in his hand. Consequently, that man's business below is to fill up the departments, and to discharge the several offices, assigned him in God's purpose, from everlasting : and that, having lived his appointed time, and finished his allotted course of action and suffering, he that moment quits the stage of terrestrial life, and removes to the invisible state.

The late deservedly celebrated Dr. Young, though he affected great opposition to some of the doctrines called Calvinistic ; was yet compelled, by the force of truth, to acknowledge, that " There is not a fly but has had infinite wisdom concerned, not only in its structure, but in its destination. " # Nor did the late learned and excellent Bishop Hopkins go a jot too far, in asserting as follows : " A sparrow, whose price is but mean, two of them valued at a farthing (which some make to be the 10th part of a Roman penny, and was certainly one of their least coins,) and whose life, therefore, is but contemptible, and whose flight seems giddy and at random ; yet it falls not to the ground, neither lights any where, without your Father. His all-wise Providence hath before appointed what bough it shall pitch on; what grains it shall pick up : -where it shall

* Centaur not Fabulous Letter JL lodge, and where it shall build ; on what it shall live, and when it shall die. — Our Saviour adds. The very hairs of your head are all numbered. God keeps an account, even of that stringy excrescence. — -Do you see a thousand little motes and atoms wandering up and down in a sunbeam ? It is God that so peoples it ; and he guides their innumerable and irregular strayings. Not a dust rises in a beaten road ; but God raiseth it, conducts its uncertain motion, and, by his particular care, conveys it to the certain place he had before appointed 'for it : nor shall the most fierce and tempestuous wind hurry it any farther. — Nothing comes to pass but God hath his ends in it, and will certainly make his own ends out of it. Though the world seem to run at random, and affairs to be huddled together in blind confusion and rude disorder; yet God sees and knows the concatenation of all causes and effects, and so governs them, that he makes a perfect harmony out of all those seeming jarrings and discords. — It is most necessary, that we should have our hearts well established in the firm and unwavering belief of this truth ; That whatsoever comes to pass, be it good or evil^ we may look up to the hand and disposal of all, to God — In respect of God, there is nothing casual, nor contingent, in the world. If a master should send a servant to a certain place, and command him to stay there till such a time ; and, presently after, should send another servant to the same fplace ;] the meeting of these two is wholly cas& al in respect of themselves, but ordained and foreseen by the master who sent them. So it is in all fortuitous events here below. They fall out unexpectedly as to us ; but not so as to God. He foresees, and he appoints all the vicissitudes of things."^

To illustrate this momentous doctrine, especially so far as God's sovereign distribution of grace and glory is concerned, was the chief motive that determined me to the present publication. In perusing the works of that most learned and evangelical divine, one of whose performances now appears in an English dress ; I was particularly taken with that part of his Confession of Faith (presented A. D. 1562, to the Senate of Strasburgh,) which relates to Predestination. It is, from beginning to end, a regular chain of solid argument, deduced from the unerring word of divine revelation, and confirmed by the co-incident testimonies of some of the greatest lights that ever shone in the Christian church. Such were Austin, Luther, Bucer. Names that will be precious and venerable as long as true religion has a friend remaining upon earth.