Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	belong_v	contrary_a	great_a	41	3	2.0788	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96425	The doctrines of the Arminians & Pelagians truly stated and clearly answered: or, An examination and confutation of their ancient errors, which by the Church of Christ in former ages were justly abhorred, but of late under the names of Comfortable truths to be embraced are newly published. Concerning I. The universality of Gods free-grace in Christ to mankind. II. Concerning election. III. Redemption. IV. Conversion. V. Perserverance. Wherein the principal arguments brought to maintaine the orthodox faith are propounded, and the principal objections against them answered. / By Thomas Whitfield, minister of the gospel at Bugbrook in Northampton-shire. The Tares of Arminian heresie showed in former times (and by the help of prelatical influence then given to them increasing) and now growing up so much in these; I conceive this book wherein the author doth learnedly state and confute those opinions, is very worthy the publike light. Joseph Caryll.	Whitfield, Thomas, Minister of the Gospel.; Carly, Joseph, 1602-1673.	1651 (1651)	Wing W2006; Thomason E646_7; ESTC R208798	87,011	101

qualities not the men but their faith accidents without a subject but there is no touch in Scripture tending this way for the Apostle tels the Ephesians that God had chosen not their faith but them Eph. 1.4 and the Thessalonians that he had appointed them to obtaine salvation 1 Thessa 5.9 not their faith and that he loved Jacob and hated Esau before they were borne Rom. 9. not the ones cleaving to the righteousnesse of faith and the others following the righteousnesse of the law but themselves so every where persons not things are named upon the like occasions Neither can it stand with reason for that cannot be the object of Gods decree which neither hath nor never shall have being qualities never have any being but in their subjects faith considered by it selfe abstracted from his subject never had nor shall have being neither have believers any being but in Peter Paul and other particular believing persons It is a true rule in Logicke that universalia non existant nisi in singularibus Humanity hath no being but in Socrates Plato and other individuall person so neither believing nor believers have any existence or being but in the particular individuall persons of faithfull Abraham Moses and other the like And the decree of saving believers is nothing else but a decree of bestowing salvation upon Abraham or other-like faithfull person when he is a believer where salvation hath reference to the decree and believing to the execution and it is no more but this that God decrees to bring Abraham to Salvation by faith and to bestow this Salvation upon him when he is a believer and in Gods decree Abrahams person plainly goes before his Faith going in this order I decree to save Abraham and that he may be saved I decree to give him faith without which he can never come to enjoy Salvation 3. For the decrees themselves a conditionall decree is such as cannot agree to God for thus it runs I decree to save Peter if he will believe which either must beare this sense that God will save Peter being a believer and then it is all one with the absolute decree whereby he hath decreed to bring Peter to salvation by believing or else God decrees Peters salvation upon condition of his faith so as if afterwards Peter shall come a believer then he will absolutely decree to save him if otherwise he will absolutely decree to damne him now in this sense it cannot agree to God 1. For first in this conditionall decree of Salvation God puts no difference betwixt Iudas and Peter betwixt such as come to enjoy Salvation in heaven and such as come to be damned in hell for he decrees likewise to save Iudas as well as Peter if Iudas will believe and to damne Peter as well as Iudas if Peter will not by this decree Esau and Iacob are loved and hated both alike And what a decree of Salvation may we thinke this to be that belongs to the Reprobate as well as to the Elect to the damned in hell as to the Saints in heaven by this it is all one to be loved or hated elected or rejected How then can Election be an act of greatest love 2. There is no certainty in this decree for it hath no certain object damnation being the object of this decree as well as salvation it respecting the one equally with the other now both these cannot be certain because they cannot both stand together the one being contrary to the other so that if Salvation be certaine damnation is uncertaine and so on the contrary 3. It is true that God decrees conditions but these conditions belong to the execution not to the decree God decrees to bring men to Salvation by the conditions of faith repentance and the like these are therefore necessary for effecting Salvation but not for establishing the decree to Salvation these must go before mans Salvation but not before Gods decree All conditions are as means fitting for the end and means have the nature of a cause and are all one with it food is the means of nourishment and so the cause of it so Physick is the means and cause of health thus it is with Faith and Repentance they are means and so causes of Salvation though not meritorious yet preparing and disposing causes though not causes why God gives it yet causes fitting us to receive what he freely gives if therefore these should necessarily belong not only to Salvation but to the decree whereby we are appointed to Salvation then the decree should have causes as well as the execution of it which were it so how can Gods will and decree be the first and highest cause of all other things 4. God when he decrees life to believers or to Peter if he will believe knows certainly that he will believe and therefore his decree is not conditionall but absolute If a man determines to take a journey to morrow if it be faire weather and knows certainly at the same time that it will bee faire weather this is an absolute determination Object Faith and Repentance goe not before as causes but as necessary conditions Answ If they be necessary conditions they have in them the nature of a cause there is nothing needfull for bringing forth an effect but the causes if therefore they be no causes God may establish his decree without them and so there is no necessity of them as going before the decree Object But God alway propounds Salvation to men upon conditions therefore he hath decreed it on conditions Answ God hath decreed to execute his purpose of Salvation by meanes and these are conditions of Salvation as Faith Repentance and the like these therefore must be made known to men because no man can come to Salvation without them God having decreed the means as well as the end but though these go before Salvation and are the causes of that they follow the decree and are effects of that for Gods decree is the first cause of Salvation and all that belongs to it the ignorant mistaking or wilfull jumbling together of these two namely the decree and execution is the cause of much confusion in mens thoughts touching the nature and order of Gods decrees Hence it comes to passe that because the Scripture propounds certaine conditions as necessary to mans Salvation some take occasion to inferre a necessity of these unto Gods decree touching mans Salvation whereas these belong only to the execution not to the decree and therfore cannot be brought into that A man cannot build an house without Timber and Stone cannot he therfore purpose the having of a fit habitation for himself unlesse the consideration of Timber and Stone first come into his mind 4. If God decrees to give men Salvation conditionally yet how doth he decree to give men faith conditionally He gives to all men absolutely the power of believing as Arminians teach but upon what condition doth he give the act of believing if it be

insisted upon because it is one of the Arminians strong holds Object 6 If the decree of election be absolute without any foresight of sin then such also is the decree of reprobation then as God hath decreed the end so he hath decreed the meanes namely the fall of man and so he shall be the authour of sin Answ Though where he decrees the end he decrees the means also yet he doth not decree to work all the means but only such as are agreeable to his own nature It follows not therfore though God hath decreed Adams fall that he is the authour of it because he hath not decreed to work it but onely to permit it that God decreed to permit the fall is plain because otherwise it could not have come to passe for nothing can come to passe against Gods will And none can deny that God could hinder the fall if he would If therefore he would not hinder it he was willing it should be And the Arminians themselves grant that God gave to man sufficient grace but not effectuall for then he had actually stood now if he did deny him effectuall grace without which he saw certainly that he would fall being tempted to what end or purpose did he deny him this effectuall grace but that by permitting of his fall he might make way for the manifestation of his justice and mercy 2. In mans first transgression by eating the forbidden fruit as in all other sinfull acts there was natures work and so Gods worke for though the deformity was from man yet the act it selfe was from God in whom we live and move and what God doth in time he hath determined to do before all time therefore the fall must needs be decreed Object But here not only the manner of eating but the very eating it selfe was forbidden and therefore sinfull Answ Yet in this eating we must distinguish betwixt the eating it selfe and the vitiosity of it as being things in their own nature separable and distinct otherwise they might be praedicated the one of the other which they cannot be for the vitiosity is only an accident to the act of eating And it cannot be denyed that God doth concurre in the act and is the authour of that as he is the authour of every naturall act and therefore if the vitiosity could not be separated from it he should be the authour of that also Object God doth indeed decree to concurre with reasonable creatures in their actions but this is conditionally modo ipsi velint so they themselves will do this or that Answ God did concurre with man not only in the outward act of eating but in the inward act whereby he willed to eat for not only the hand and mouth but the minde and will move by him suppose that he did decree to concurre with man in the outward act of eating upon condition that man did will to eat yet upon what condition did he decree to concurre with him in this act of his will if it shall be said on this condition if man himselfe would it may as well be said that God did decree to make man eat so be it that he hid eat what need he to concurre with him in the act of his will when man willed the thing already 3. It follows no more that God is the authour of sin by decreeing this sin then by decreeing other sins now it is plain that he decreed the death of Christ for it s said that Herod Pontius Pilate and the people were gathered to gether to do whatsoever his hand and counsell had determined should be done against Christ Act 4.27 28. therefore the crucifying of Christ was determined and decreed of God and what greater wickednesse then those things which Herod Pilate and the Jews did against Christ Object But Gods decree is an energeticall decree and what he decrees he effectually procures to come to passe neither is his permission such a bare permission wherein he hath not a working hand as those hold who hold the absolute decree Answ It cannot be denyed that God hath a working hand in the sin that man commits for the Scripture plainely affirms thus much the Lord saith that he would harden Pharoahs heart Exod. 7.3 and that he had hardned it 10.1 He threatens to David that what David had done in secret he would do in the sight of the sunne speakeing of Absoloms sin with his fathers Concubines 2 Sam. 12.12 compared with 16.12 and he gave up the Gentiles to vile affections Rom. 1.28 and many other like expressions whereby it appears that there was more then a bare permission in the committing of these sinnes yet it followes not hence that God is the authour of sinne Quest How can God be free from blame if he works with man in the same blame-worthy action Because he works in a divers manner Answ As the law works in sin so God works for it is Gods agent and instrument that the law hath a work in sin appeares because it is said that where there is no law there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 and that when the Commandement came sin revived Rom. 7.9 yea the Gospell it selfe is the savour to death to some 2 Cor. 2.16 yet here neither Law nor Gospell are faulty causes of these things because they are onely causes by accident and do not per se in themselves and their owne nature tend to these ends but to the contrary the law tends to keep men from sin and the Gospell to bring life though by accident they worke sin and death God hardned Pharaohs heart not by instilling any hardnesse into it but by giving Pharaoh a charge and command to let his people go the command was good and in it self tended to a good end namely to make Pharaoh yeeld obedience and do his duty and it was good in God to propound this command and yet by accident it did irritate and stir up the stubbornnes and rebellion of Pharaohs heart so as he was hardned more then before He that stops a running stream hereby causeth the water to rise higher not by putting any more water to it but by stopping the course of that which runs already A Physitian by prescribing wholsome Physick to a distempered body may cause greater sicknes yea somtimes death yet here neither physick nor Physitian are justly to be blamed The Sun by the same beams raiseth a sweet smell from a Garden and an ill smell from a dunghill yet no fault in the Sun He that in felling of Wood by the slipping of the iron from the helve should slay his Neighbour Deut. 19.5 was the cause of his Neighbours death but not a faulty cause because only a cause by accident not intending it but man is causaper se of the sin he commits 2. Because man works to a divers end For God wrought with Iacobs sons in selling their brother into Egypt for it s said that he sent a man before them Psalm 105.17 but he had

dyed for all Christ is so skilfull and carefull a Phisitian as he hath not onely provided a soveraigne medicine for us but also applies it unto us if we be his else he should provide it to no purpose we being not only extreame sicke and weak but also dead in sinnes and trespasses Eph. 2.5 and therefore as unable to apply it to our selves as a dead man to take a potion that is ready tempered for him untill Christ quickens us by putting his spirit into us the Apostle saith that we are quickned in and by Christ and that we are saved by grace Eph. 2.5.8 this must needs be such a grace as Christ hath purchased for us but the purchase of this grace onely will neither quicken nor save us unlesse it be applyed and given to us therefore for whom he hath purchased grace to them he applyes it Argument 2 For whom Christ hath dyed he hath shewed greatest love to them for greater love then this hath no man Joh. 15.13 But he hath not shewed greatest love to all Ergo he hath not dyed for all If Christ hath dyed for all then hath he shewed as great love to Pilate and Judas as to Peter and John to Kain and Pharoah as to Abraham and David to the reprobates in hell as to the Saints in heaven which is fearfull to thinke The Apostle makes Christs speciall and peculiar love belonging to his Church onely for he bids husbands love their wives as Christ loved his Church Ephes 5.25 but husbands are to love their wives with a peculiar love above others for a man must leave father and mother and cleave to his wife If here shall be said that the greatest love of al is not only to merit salvation but to bestow it for answer of this it is plain by Christs words that the greatest act of love is to merit salvation by laying downe his life and where he hath performed this act of love he will performe the other in giving salvation However if they never be saved it stands firme that he hath performed an act of greatest love for them Una est dilectio quae nostram fidem praecedit altera quae fidem nostram et dilectionem erga Deum subsequitu● Coll. Hagiens p. 194. Or if it shall be answered by distiguishing betwixt the antecedent and consequent love of Christ and saying that the purchase of salvation is an act of antecedent love and the giving of salvation an act of consequent love which is the greatest neither will this stand with Christs speech for what ever kinde of love it is that caused Christ to give himselfe to death it is the greatest because greater love then this hath no man to lay downe his life for his friend besides the Apostle comparing these two loves together the love which goes before justification and that which follows makes that which goes before to be the greater Rom. 5.8 10. God setteth out his love towards us that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more then being justified by his bloud shall we be saved from wrath for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saved by his life That love whereby Christ loves men before they were beleevers and whereby he loves them after are not two kindes of loves but one and the same love of which the first is the greater both by the comparison of the Apostle as also because in manifestation it is the cause of the Second Argument 3 Christ doth not pray for all therfore he hath not died for all Iohn 17.9 I pray not for the world but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world The World here is opposed to those who are given to Christ of the Father and for this World he prayes not now for whom he wil make no intercession for those he hath made no satisfaction for both of these are parts of the same perfect Sacrifice of Christ and therfore unseparably joyned together Iohn 17.19.20 and how do we think that Christ should refuse to poure out a prayer for them for whom he hath powred forth his bloud it being an act of greatest love to lay down his life as hath been shewed and where he hath done the greater he will do the lesser Object To this the Arminians answer by distinguishing of Christs intercession for they make a double intercession one common to all Collat. Hagiens pag. 198. Corvin contra Molin cap. 27. part 7. whereby Christ prayes that they may believe repent c. Luk. 23.34 the other proper to the faithfull whereby he prayes that they may be saved that they may be one c. Ioh. 17.20 Answ 1. To this it may be answered that this is a newly coyned distinction which hath neither ground in Scripture nor any sound writer but framed purposely for evading the strength of the former Argument 2. For that place Luk. 23.34 where Christ prayed for his persecutors it may be answered 1. That he made that prayer as a man subject to the Law as he yeelded subjection and perfect obedience to the Law in all other things so in this that he would pray for his enemies and in the act of suffering seek mercy for those who were instruments of his suffering Mark 5.44 teaching us both by precept and example what we ought to do 2. If he made this prayer as a Mediator yet it will not follow that Christ made this prayer for all and every one of those that crucified him but only for those who did it of ignorance and whose sins afterward were remitted Acts 3.17.2.37 because Christ is alway heard in what he prayes for Ioh. 11.42 and he knowing what is in man Iohn 2.25 and that some of these had sinned that sinne for which prayer is not to be made 1 Iohn 5.16 It is not likely hee would pray for these 3. If Christ desires and prayes that all may repent and believe then he desires and prayes also that all may be saved for Salvation is the end whereto faith tends Ephes 2.8 we are saved by faith 1 Peter 1.19 receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls and to what end should Christ pray that men might have faith to believe if he did not desire the salvation of their souls 4. If Christ make intercession for all that they may repent and believe then all should repent and believe for he is heard in what he prayes for Ioh. 11.42 Object To this they answer that this is with condition if they do not reject the first grace when it is offered Answ But if he prayes that all may believe then he prayes that they may not resist for when God by the Gospell calls men to believe not to resist this call is to obey and to obey the call or command of believing what is it else but to believe 5. If Christ prayes for all that