by Christopher Ness
In ePub, .mobi and .pdf formats
Formatted, annotated (in blue), corrected, and modernized by William H. Gross www.onthewing.org Sep 2015
A Treatise to Enervate and Confute all Five Point of Arminianiam ... VIZ.:Predestination Grounded Upon Man's Foreseen Works – Universal Redemption – Sufficient Grace in All – The Power of Man's Free Will in Conversion – And the Possibility of the Saints Falling Away totally and finally – with extracts from Dr. john Gill, Dr. isaac Watts, Augustus Toplady, john Newton, J Hart. etc.,
Recommended by Dr John Owen and Published for Public Good.
I present to you a new edition of a book, diminutive in size, yet large and exceeding ponderous in relation to the glorious foundation-truths and doctrines of the gospel, which are handled so scripturally throughout, and so luminously, that (as expressed by some very competent judges) "there is no work of the kind that can excel it."
Arminianism is here completely stripped of its deceitful covering; and (as it were) anatomically dissected, laid open, and made bare. Free-will, the great idol of fallen man, is thrown down from its assumed eminence, and cast to the moles and the bats; and free-grace, yes, the God of all grace, is exalted, and viewed as seated on the throne of His Glory.
I would honestly tell the reader at the very onset, that he will not approve of the contents of this work, if he is the least dependent on any performances of his own, to recommend him to the notice and approval of the great I am. The characters who eat their own bread, and who wear their own apparel (Isa. 4.1), will find no food that they can relish, and no raiment suited to clothe their self-righteous persons. There is nothing in these pages except what must ever prove obnoxious to the pride of the human heart, as unhumbled by divine grace. So masterly proved here are the sovereignty of Jehovah; the free-love of God as displayed in the choice of the Church in Christ Jesus before time; divine Predestination in its various properties; Redemption as limited by price; the redeemed ones discovered by invincible power; and the glorious certainty of true saints persevering to the end. For,
"The feeblest saint shall win the day,
Though death and hell obstruct the way;"
Or in a word—salvation all of grace, from first to last, from election to glorification—the creature nothing, and the triune God, all in all. Yes reader, by long experience, I know that an unflinching statement of these glorious truths cannot fail to draw out the latent rancor of the unregenerate mind. But let the case be fairly stated. And in the strong and energetic language of the great Toplady, let me inquire—"
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE EDITOR'S PREFACE TO THIS FOURTH EDITION.
a SHORT ACCOUNT of the AUTHOR.
Author's Preface
Of Arminianism in General
CHAPTER I - OF PREDESTINATION
The Doctrine of Predestination
The First Property of the Divine Decree - It is ETERNAL
Inferences drawn from the foregoing.
The Second Property of the Divine Decree of Predestination: It is UNCHANGEABLE
Inferences drawn from the foregoing.
The Third Property of the Divine Decree: It is ABSOLUTE
Inferences drawn from the preceding.
The Fourth Property of the Divine Decree: It is FREE
The Fifth Property of the Divine Decree: It is DISCRIMINATING
The Sixth and last Property of the Divine Decree: It is EXTENSIVE
Of Conditional Predestination
Objections Against the Absolute Decree of Predestination Answered
CHAPTER II - OF UNIVERSAL REDEMPTION
The Extent of the Atonement
Objections Against Particular Redemption Answered
CHAPTER III - OF FREE-WILL IN THE FALLEN STATE
How Free is the Free-Will of Man?
Objections in Favor of Free-Will Answered
CHAPTER IV OF FINAL PERSEVERANCE
First Inquiry. What is saving Grace?
Second Inquiry. What is it to fall totally and finally?
Third Inquiry. What evidence is there that saving grace cannot be lost?