Wesley Corpus

4. So much for the former part of the question: Let us now consider the latter:-- “Hatred ascribed to God implies a resolution not to have mercy on such and such men. So, “Esau have I hated;’ that is, I did from all eternity determine not to have mercy on him.” (Chap. 1.) In other words,-- I by my dire decree did seal His fix'd, unalterable doom; Consign'd his unborn soul to hell, And damn'd him from his mother's womb. Well, then, does it not follow, by unavoidable consequence, that such and such men, poor hated Esau in particular, “shall be damned, do what they can 7” “Reprobation denotes God’s eternal preterition of some men, and his predestination of them to destruction.” And is it possible for them, by anything they can do, to prevent that destruction? You say, “No.” It follows, they “shall be damned, do what they can.” “Predestination, as it regards the reprobate, is that immut able act of God’s will, whereby he hath determined to leave some men to perish.” And can they avoid it by anything they do? You affirm, they cannot. Again, therefore, it follows, these “shall be damned, do what they can.” “We assert, there is a predestination of particular persons to death, which death they shall inevitably undergo;” that is, “they shall be damned, do what they can.” “The non-elect were predestinated to eternal death.” (Chap. 2.) Ergo, “they shall be damned, do what they can.” “The condemnation of the reprobate is necessary and inevitable.” Surely I need add no more on this head. You see that, “The reprobate shall be damned, do what they can,” is the whole burden of the song. 5. Take only two precious sentences more, which include the whole question : “We assert, that the number of the elect, and also of the reprobate, is so fixed and determinate, that neither can be augmented or diminished;” (chap. 4;) and “that the decrees of election and reprobation are immutable and irreversible.” From each of these assertions, the whole consequence follows, clear as the noonday sun,--Therefore, “the elect shall be saved, do what they will; the reprobate shall be damned, do what they can.” 6. I add a word, with regard to another branch of this kind, charitable doctrine. Mr. Toplady says, “God has a positive will to destroy the reprobate for their sins.” (Chap.