is testified to be a word of truth after an eminent manner for three causes First it is occupied about Christ who is the truth and substance of all the shadowes legall which now are vanished Secondly the truth of this word is further confirmed to vs then the truth of any other by word by oath by the testimony of the great Apostle Christ Iesus by a iewry of solemne witnesses chosen for this purpose by a multitude of miracles Thirdly this property is the rather annexed to this Doctrine of the Gospell that thus our vnbeliefe might be holpen for our minde is corrupted with errour prone to any vnbeleefe but hard to beleeue these points so high aboue the naturall reach and apprehension of it Now as a Physitian doth say of his medicine that it is excellent not that it needeth commendations but that he may induce his Patient the better to take it So God and his Embassadours doe testifie of these things that they are true that wee might thus be brought to yeelde them beleefe But it may be obiected that word which biddeth many reprobates beleeue the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and life euerlasting that is not a word of truth but the Gospell doth so The reason of the former proposition is because that which biddeth me beleeue a lie cannot be true but to bid a reprobate beleeue his sins are forgiuen is to bid him beleeue a lye The summe put together commeth to this That word which biddeth a man perswade himselfe of that which is vntrue that is a lying word To beleeue that my sinnes are now pardoned me and that I am saued this is not the first act of faith but followeth them when now a man doth see himselfe to be iustified in Christ First I say this may be denied vnlesse I bid him perswade himselfe so with a minde of deceiuing him Abraham by Gods command was bound to perswade himselfe that Isaac was to dye vnder his owne hand yet was not that a lying word by which God spake to him because the intent of it was butto proue him Some say he was bound to thinke so vnlesse God should countermand and reuerse his former command Ans Abraham did absolutely beleeue it and Ergo did not comfort himselfe by thinking God might call backe his former precept but by considering that God could raise him from the dead Much more may God bid the reprobate belieue this or that while hee doth it but to euince their contumacy and doth see well how farre they are from belieuing any such matter Secondly I answere that the second part of the first reason is not true God doth bid them belieue on Christ to forgiuenes of fin he doth not bid any reprobate directly belieue that his sin is forgiuen Vse O then let vs take heed that we do not giue God the lye in al these things which he promiseth to vs Euery man will blesse himselfe from this iniquity from charging God with falshood in word yet no man is afraid to doe that with his deede which he trembleth to pronounce with his lips as wee may deny God not by word onely but by worke so wee may make him a lyer not onely by charging falshood on him by word of mouth but by our deed going away and not heeding all the grace he offereth vs in Christ He that beleeueth not maketh God a lyar 1 Ioh. 5.10 Should one promise me an hundred pound doing this or that though I should not tell him hee did but gull mee with words yet should I goe my way neuer heeding what had beene promised neuer endeauouring performance of the condition on which I might claime the benefit offered by doing this I should shew plainly that I did not take for truth that I heard spoken so it is betweene God promising to vs on belieuing and repenting and our turning our backes on him without endeauouring after these things Vse 2 This must strengthen our faith toward the promises of God O they are purer then siluer seauen times fined Should an honest man in telling vs any thing when he came to this or that which hee saw vs not easie to belieue should he intersert but this protestation that what he would tell vs he knew it most true we would the easlier receiue it and giue credit to it how much more when God doth condescend so farre to our infirmity as not onely to tell vs these things but to testifie to vs that they are truth it selfe Secondly it might be noted here that the Gospell is such a doctrine as worketh saluation Gods power to saluation it may well be called a good spell or word for it bringeth vs the tidings of all our good First it bringeth immortality and life to light Secondly it offereth vs the grace of forgiuenesse and life euerlasting Thirdly It is Gods instrument whereby hee worketh faith receiuing these things Fourthly it is the word of Grace which must build vs vp and bring vs to that blessed inheritance Acts 20.32 But I hasten to the things remaining in this verse Doct. 3 The 3d. general doctrine is that it is not enough to heare but we must belieue before we can be partaker of the good spirit of Christ Gal. 3 14. By faith we receiue the spirit of promise The Gentiles hauing heard and belieued God did giue them his spirit Acts 15.7.8 Hee that belieueth riuers of water shall flow from him which is spoken of that spirit which they receiue who belieue on Christ Iohn 7.28 This fore-promised spirit is first in the fulnes of it receiued by Christ our head Acts 2.33 and from Christ it commeth to vs for from his fulnesse wee receiue Grace for Grace Now looke as a member cannot receiue those spirits from the head which cause sense and motion in the body but they must be vnited with the head so it is heere wee cannot haue this spirit from Christ our head but wee must by this sinew or nerue of faith be vnited to him But how can we receiue the spirit by faith when we cannot belieue before we haue the spirit Some thinke that wee haue first actuall grace that is that the spirit as an ayde without vs doth make vs actually belieue that so the spirit afterward by habit of faith and all other sanctifying graces may come to dwell in vs. Now they would answere that though wee cannot belieue without the outward aide of the spirit yet we might belieue without the spirit by any supernaturall habit dwelling in vs but this is the error of the schoole for wee are said to haue a spirit of faith before we can bring forth the act of faith 2 Cor. 4. hauing the sefe-same spirit of Faith wee speake Againe no externe helpe can make vs bring foorth good fruit till it make vs first good trees and a blinde man may be â—ifted vp to see without a faculty of seeing as well as an vnbeleeuing man lifted vp to an act of Faith without a faculty
death being such contraries as haue no third thing betweene them which doth partake in them both the one may be changed into the other without any thing preparatory All things which God doth prepare to the receiuing of Grace and comming to him they make not of themselues any thing to the introducing of Grace further then God intendeth this effect by them Feare of hell conscience of sinne neuer such afflictions morall parts and all gifts which may be without sanctifying Grace and true beliefe many haue all these who yet neuer turne vnfeignedly to God When the sicknesse is now growne greater in quantity this absolutely taken maketh the patient further of health But the Physitian may intend this because he doth see his medicine will the better worke on it and educe it when it is growne to such ripenesse If a man fall out of a dead Palsie into a light Phrensie phrensie of it selfe is no paration to health but to the physitian who can worke on him more fitly in this taking then in the other it may be a preparatiue to health Thus to be like an aguish man on his good dayes or like to some madde men in the time of their intermissions is in it selfe as farre from state of health as otherwise but yet the Physitian may vse such a state as a way to health choosing rather to deale with him in this taking then in the fitte Thus it is not the height of sinne it is not feare of hell though contrary to the Apoplexie of deep security it is not a morall course which commeth not from true sanctification that of themselues can make neerer the state of grace but only in regard of God who doth intend to turne them hereunto Thus if God stirre vp a man to liue according to the light of nature virtuously it may be in regard of Gods intention a preparing him to receiue further Grace of effectuall vocation but all a man can doe from naturall strength of it selfe profiteth nothing Fourthly that where effectuall raising vp the hart to faith beginneth there Gods preparatiue workes take an end for as that which prepares the ground for seed now ceaseth when the seed is to be sowne so all these things which as they are preparations doe nothing but fit the soyle of the heart for Gods effectuall calling to be giuen they haue their end when this immortall seed commeth to be sowne in vs beside that a man is no sooner called then hee receiueth a spirit of faith by which hee is as by a new heauenly forme in some manner quickned Fiftly The Papists doctrine is heere very defectiue and false in part Defectiue for they speake nothing of preparatory courses by which God doth bring vs to come vnto him by faith but of such like operations by which God prepareth vs and we prepare our selues to be iustified Now we prepare our selues to iustification when the spirit doth without any habit of Grace lift vs vp to supernaturall acts of beliefe hope in God loue sorrow for sinne and feare of hell in which many things are erroneous as first that they make vs lifted vp to acts of this nature without habits which is to make a blinde man see without giuing his eye new sight to make vs bring good fruits while yet we are not made good trees to make vs be iustified by our faith come into grace by our faith stand in grace by another The schoole not vnderstanding the doctrine of preparation consider of it philosophically as a thing betweene Nature and Grace Now betweene the things we worke out of naturall strength and those we do meritoriously from Grace now infused into vs and inherent in vs they deuise a third kinde of workes which neyther come from any power of ours meerely nor yet from any supernaturall Grace inherent in vs and these are workes done by eternall ayde of the spirit whereas all the Scripture make that faith which is required to iustification to be the same with that which worketh by loue to be a faith fully formed comming from a spirit of faith that is an habituall guilt wrought by the spirit to be a faith belieuing on God which the best pillars of popish learning confesse to be an act of formed faith Beside they erre when they make feare of hell a thing immediately disposing to iustification when the work of this is to mooue vs to seeke out of our selues after some word of faith and this is cast forth proportionably as faith and loue enters It may prepare to our conuersion not to our iustification immediately Againe when they make loue actuall to goe before iustification whereas loue doth follow For we loue because we haue found loue first now no loue is felt from God till remission of sin and acceptance to life in some measure are felt perceiued should God lift vs vp to loue him before his iustification he should by making vs loue him prepare vs to be loued of him Shee loueth much because much is forgiuen her In a word setting aside the act of a true faith comming from an inward gift of the spirit inclining the heart to belieue there is no other thing preparing to iustification immediately where this is there together in time iustification is receiued there the spirit of loue and hope are not wanting Hee who belieueth is passed from death to life Neuerthelesse wee doe long after not feele our selues iustified nor perceiue Grace to dwell in vs so fully and manifestly as wee desire Hence it is that sometimes wee are in feare sometime belieue hope sometime we are in repentant sorrow and by these wee are led both to the manifest perceiuing of that which is wrought in vs and to the more full measure of Peace and Grace which we much desire The second question then In what order Gods power doth bring vs to belieue is thus answered That most commonly hee doth in some kinde change vs and make vs more fit that so his word may be reuealed in vs which accompanied with his mighty power doth bring forth that supernaturall habit of faith by which he doth incline vs to moue vnto him Now for the third thing Whether this help doth leaue the will at liberty actually to resist it yea or no the answere is it doth not That which the omnipotency of God is put forth to worke in the creature that the creature cannot resist But God putteth forth his omnipotency and by the effectuall working of it he may bring vs to beleeue The first part is not denied The second is here plainly set downe viz. That God doth bring vs to beliefe by the effectuall working of no lesse power then that which raised Christ from the dead That which maketh Gods aide and Grace put vnder the power of man and not mans will to be vnder it that is a Pelagian heresie But to say that notwithstanding Gods helping Grace man may resist is to put Grace in mans power not to put
verse 15 Hauing thus laid down the benefit he commeth to mention the effect which the consideration of it wrought in him which reacheth to the end of this chapter wherein two things may be obserued 1. The occasion in this 15. verse 2. The fact which hath two parts 1. His thankesgiuing 2. His prayer Concerning the latter first we haue set downe that he prayed 2. What hee prayed in the end of the 16. verse and so downward In setting downe the occasion 1. Wee are to consider the Apostle his hearing of them 2. What hee heard of them which was first their Faith et downe with the obiect of it in the Lord Iesus secondly their Loue which is amplified from the obiect to Saints from the quantity and extention of it to all Saints The verse hath nothing difficult to be explaned Doct. 1 Obserue first from this that Paul getteth heeresay say how the matter of grace went amongst them that Ministers must labour to know how grace goeth forward in those with whom they are to deale This was the newes that Paul asked after his desire was to be certified of this before all other things Thus Epaphras told him of the Colossians estate thus hee learned out the famous faith of the Romanes thus hee learned by some of the house of Cloe the state of the Corinthians Naturall men wil inquire hearken after the health of their friends how they are in body and estate Thus this spirituall man he was stil learning how the soules of the Churches prospered It behoueth shepheards to know their flocke Naturall parents if they haue children at the vniuersity they will inquire how they goe on in learning and vertue Thus this Father of soules absent from them could doe no other but bee delighted to learne how they did grow toward God Vse Which thing may checke many Pastors nowadaies whose Epistles if one reade you shall finde nothing they listen after but newes like those Athenians Acts 17. newes fitter for men that follow the Exchange then for those who are Fathers in Churches Againe this doth shew how wide they are who thinke it curiosity in Ministers if they look into the manners more neerly of their people What need they busie themselues thrust their oare into other mens boats For a priuate person without any calling to be inquisitiue and to prie into others that I may know how to come ouer them cast something in their teeth if they a little displease me is great wickednesse but for a Minister to the end he may discharge his duety more fruitfully it is no other thing then God requireth for the good of people Some who would heare nothing but omnia bene would haue Ministers quiet men stop their eares with waxe neuer weare their eyes about them but when they haue a booke in their hand but alas they consider not that Ministers are shepheards watchmen ouer-seers c. and that this is the key which openeth them the way into all the parts of their duetie viz. the knowledge of their states to whom they are to speake Doct. 2 Secondly obserue about what the faith of these Ephesians was occupied euen about the Lord Iesus Christ We reade sometime the faith of Christ sometime the faith on Christ sometime faith in Christ as here they note much the same thing but that the first may be conceiued as propounding Christ the simple obiect of faith The second phrase noteth Christ the obiect together with our adhering to him The third noteth Christ the obiect our innering in him together with the word prounded as the way and meane by which we come beleeuingly to inhere in him for that distinction which some make following some of the auncient is not by Scripture warrantable which doth indifferently appropriate these two phrases to the Saints to beleeue in the Lord Iesus and to beleeue on him Christ is euery where made the thing which faith imbraceth to saluation So God loued the world that he gaue his Sonne whom he hath set forth a propitiatory sacrifice through faith on his bloud Through faith on him we hope to be saued as others not that Christ is the onely obiect about which faith is exercised but it is the principall of all others and the sole obiect about which it is occupied that it may obtaine righteousnesse and life euerlasting otherwise as faith is called iustifying faith not that to iustifie is the sole adaequate or full act of it but because to iustifie to life is the most eminent act of all others 〈◊〉 i◠is said to apprehend Christ not that Christ is the adaequate the full obiect of faith as colour is of sight but because it is the most eminent of all other In like sort Loue is called the loue of God not that the same loue wherewith wee loue God doth not loue men also the contrary whereof see 1 Iohn 4.12 but because God is the most excellent obiect about which it is conuersant Further to open this point 2. Things must be showed first what faith in Christ or on Christ is secondly why faith as it iustifieth and saueth is carried to Christ onely Faith on Christ is not onely to know and with the eye of the minde to see that God sent his Sonne that he was borne and suffered for mankinde but to rest or stay on Christ that we may finde mercy in him to the forgiuenesse of our sins to stay on him for faith is not onely a knowledge in the minde but a godly affection in the will which doth goe to embrace rest vpon Christ or the grace offred in Christ Ergo receiuing is made an effect of faith Iohn 1.12 and going to Christ hee that beleeueth hee that commeth to mee Iohn 6. and the nature of faith is described by words which signifie to roule our selues on God to leane on him as one would stay himselfe vpon a staffe for the word of promise not onely containing truth but offering some good thing vnto vs we cannot fully receiue it with vnderstanding but the will also must moue toward it Againe let me be distressed for a hundred pound or so if one promise me I shall haue it of him I doe not onely know and thinke and perswade my selfe he saith true but I trust to him rest on him and write as we say on that hee hath spoken Besides if there were no particular confidence in a Christians faith the reprobate might haue all that is in his beleefe Now though our faith beleeue many other things yet it iustifieth and reconcileth vs to God as it doth see and rest vpon Christ As a malefactor though his hand will receiue innumerable matters yet as it receiueth the Kings pardon onely it doth acquit him and restore him to liberty so it is with vs condemned ones as our faith receiueth Gods pardon in Christ it doth obtaine remission of sinne and set vs free from feare of damnation The matter obiected may easily be answered if these
order of intention first God intendeth his owne glory then Christ then the Church then the World He who is elected and fore-knowne to be a Lambe taking away sinne a mediator redeeming from sinne and death he is elected himselfe after sinne foreseene and by consequent all in him But Christ is so foreknowne and elected Ergo. I should deny the first part of this reason for I see not why God should not choose predestinate him who should saue his chosen from sinne before he decreed or ordered that they should fall into sinne It is no ill prouidence to prepare my salue before I will let my childe out himselfe But some may say If God doe first appoint Christ to redeeme from sinne then hee must procure the being of sinne and so be the author of sinne Beside that this were nothing but to breake ones head that I may after heale it To this I say that it is good that sinne should be as Austin saith and that which is good so farre as it is good God may effectually procure it Praecipiendo mouendo non quiescendo consentiendo Hee is said to be the author of those things which he commandeth and worketh mouing the heart by habits which himselfe infuseth Ergo cannot be said to be the author of sinne If a man make a gash to prooue the excellency of some healing balme I see not why God may not prepare and giue way to the sinfull fall of his creature especially seeing hee knoweth how to mend better then his first making To the second part of the reason might be answered that Christ was not primarily and immediately chosen and predestinated a Lambe a Mediator of redemption but a Head and Prince of saluation who should saue all to the glory of Grace Now being chosen to this end hee is by force of this hee is chosen vpon sinne falling forth to be a sacrifice a Lambe taking away sinne for hee who is chosen to the end is chosen to the Meanes The second thing hence inferred is that foresight of Faith and perseuerance in it as a necessary condition before we can be elected Such who are chosen in Christ such are now fore-seene beleeuers when they are chosen for none are in Christ but such as beleeue But wee are chosen in him c. The first part of this reason is denied with the proofe of it There is a double being in any thing Virtuali continentia Actuali in existentia the one in vertue the other in actuall existing In the roote of corne there is blade eare in vertue but in haruest time the eare and blade are as it were actually hauing their existence in with the root So we are two waies in Christ First in vertue inasmuch as by force of Gods Election wee shall in time haue life and being from him Secondly when now by faith we come actually to exist in and with him who is the roote of vs. Now the first being in Christ requireth not faith but the second the first being heere to be vnderstood To the second part wee deny that this or any text saith we are chosen being now by faith in Christ for this sense maketh in Christ to belong to the obiect of relation whereas the scope of this place doth necessarily make it belong to the act of electing in this manner as for example He hath chosen vs in him viz. Iesus Christ my selfe with you Thus we might heere take occasion to discusse these two great questions 1. Whether man as now fallen be the subiect of election 2. Whether Election is of such who are in Gods foresight faithfull But I will handle the first in the next Doctrine the latter in the last conclusion or doctrine of this verse From this then that wee are beloued in Christ as our head wee may gather our happinesse O how firme is that coniunction which is begun in such a head who is God with God blessed for euer If Kings beare good will to some family if his loue begin in some chiefe one who is with him at Court as his speciall fauourite it is so much the firmer to all the rest of them Thus here how firme sure is his loue to vs whom he hath loued to life in Christ our Head and eldest brother who is his naturall Sonne from whom it is impossible that his loue should euer start and when it is sure to the head can the body be forsaken Doct. Before the foundation of the world Obserue what ancient loue the Lord hath born vs in Christ it is not of yesterday but before all worlds that his loue rested on vs electing vs to saluation such as should stand with the praise of his glory 2 Tim. 1.9 There is mention of Grace giuen vs before all worlds Ioh. 17.24 Make it manifest that thou louest them as thou louedst mee before the foundation of the world I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue saith the Prophet Earthly men will purchase to themselues and heyres when it is but a possibility whether they shall haue heyre of their body yea or no. Againe they will shew their care of posterity while yet they are vnborne by making sure intayles But our Father of all the Fatherhood in heauen and earth doth when wee were but possible creatures before him loue vs to this end of supernaturall blessednesse for by this phrase I take not onely eternity but the degree of order in eternity is noted that for order before the being of the world was willed by him hee did shew vs this grace of choosing vs to life Heere therefore is fit place to consider of that question Whether God foreseeth man as fallen before he elect him The question I should answer negatiuely but in determining of it we wil consider 1. The arguments which affirm it 2. The reasons which deny 3. Wee will shew what we take to be the trueth in this matter answering the arguments which are here propounded to the contrary 1 First then the execution is vrged to prooue our Election after sinne Those whom God now fallen into sinne iustifieth saueth and condemneth those now being in sinne he chose to saue and decreed to condemne But God saueth and condemneth men now fallen into sinne Ergo. 2 Those who are chosen out of mercy and reprobated out of Iustice they are now foreseene in misery by sinne But our Election is out of mercy and reprobation is out of Iustice Ergo. 3 Those which are not or haue not any way being they cannot be elected or reiected But before Decree of Creation men are not Ergo. The first part is plaine that which hath no being can haue no affections that cannot be thus or thus which is not at all 4 That which maketh God first decree mans reiection to the glory of his Iustice before his being or corruption is considered that is absurd But this Doctrine of choosing and reprobating before mans fall doth so Ergo. 5 That which maketh God
God shall infallably be brought to life Now the first part of the reason thus limited is false Such whom God saueth such he doth foresee them in his Decree of electing them to saluation for this taketh away all predestination of meanes seruing to bring the Elect to life and presupposeth falsly that God cannot choose any to life whom he doth not finde or foresee as actually fitted then when he doth choose them whereas he may choose though neuer so vnfit for the end if hauing chosen vs he can make vs fit for our vnfitnesse for the present to the end doth not make vs vnfit for Gods election as for example I may choose a pen to write which neuer so faulty for the present and vnfit to write with while I know I can mend it and make it fit for this purpose I answere thirdly Euen of the decree of Election this is true if rightly taken viz. Such whom God saueth in time such he elected to saluation such now when he was in electing them this is false Such he elected to wit becomming such through his election this is true The first presupposeth in Gods fore-knowledge an antecedency of faith before the act of electing The latter a concomitancie of faith in the person chosen to saluation and that by force of Gods electing For election doth choose men as well to meanes as to the end and these decrees though diuersly named and in our conceits different yet they are one thing in God Answered 3 To the third I answere That the first part is false for it presupposeth that whatsoeuer is a cause or an antecedent to life must be an antecedent going before election to life It is not necessary that all which is required to life should be required to election vnto life Say I haue twenty pounds a yeere which I may giue to any I shall choose and that my will is none shall haue my Land but he shall pay forty shillings a yeere to the vse of certaine poore whom I shall designe hauing many good friends I choose one amongst them all who shall haue my Land paying to such poore I name forty shillings a yeere In this example his paying forty shillings yeerely is a condition on which he hath the Land not any condition mouing me to choose him before others to haue my Land So God chooseth such to saluation vpon condition they beleeue this condition belongeth not to the action of God choosing but to the terminus to life to which wee are chosen Would they proue that God doth choose to life on faith they should reason thus Vpon what condition God offereth life vpon that he chooseth But on condition of our faith he offereth to choose vs with this eternall election Ergo. But we see the second part of this reason would be euidently false for in what Gospell is it written beleeue and thou shalt be elected Lastly I answere that we cannot gather the decree of God within himselfe by promise or threatning for then wee might truely gather that God had decreed the eternall death of all man-kinde but on sinning in the forbidden tree he did threaten ergo he did decree Arminius distinction of peremptory decree and not peremptory would not helpe any thing indeede this presupposeth that the signifying will of God may not any whit differ from his secret will which he keepeth within himselfe which is a most palpable false-hood Answered 4 Such who are bound to beleeue their saluation when the decree of God is not that they should be saued such are bound to beleeue a lye I deny the consequence for the truth of my faith dependeth not on a conformity with Gods secret will within himselfe but with that which he hath reuealed vnto me While I beleeue according to that he reuealeth I cannot beleeue a lye though the thing I beleeue agree not with that which God within himselfe hath purposed To illustrate the answere Abraham did verily beleeue that he was to offer vp his Sonne without any exception for he did sustaine his faith in thinking that God could raise him from the dead not thinking God would repeale his command yet Abraham beleeued not a lye because he beleeued according to that which was reuealed vnto him But then you will say God may bid vs beleeue this or that as if it were his will when hee knoweth it not to be his will within himselfe Doubtlesse he may to proue vs as he did Abraham whether wee will addresse our selues conscionably to obey him or carelesly out of wilfulnesse disobey his commandements As the goodnesse of the creature is not in doing what God within his secret will hath appointed so the truth of the creature standeth not alwaies in beleeuing what hee within himselfe hath determined To the second part I answere that God doth not binde any directly and immediately to beleeue saluation but in a certaine order in which they cannot but beleeue them truely for hee bindeth men first to beleeue on Christ vnto saluation and then being now in Christ to beleeue that he loued them gaue himselfe for them did elect them will saue them and none can truely beleeue on Christ to saluation but infallibly beleeueth all these other Answered 5 I deny that Gods loue to life and wrath executing death may not stand together to loue so as actually by his influence to execute life cannot stand with wrath executing death to kill and quicken actually God cannot at once but to loue to life so as to choose some persons to be brought to life through certaine meanes this standeth well with wrath to death for the present and God would neuer haue giuen nor called Christ to suffer death for vs now in sinne and death had he not thus loued vs. Looke as God may bodily inflict death on him whom he so farre loueth that he meaneth to giue him life by raising him from the dead by his almighty power so is it here He may yeelde him dead to his iustice whom he so loueth to life that hee will by meanes predestinated bring them from death to life Answered 6 The consequence of the first proposition is denied If he must haue some generall before hee choose particular persons Then he hath thus I will choose these if they beleeue it is inough that we conceiue some such generall as this I will choose whom I will choose We deny the assumption with the reason of it Let them tell we when God raised Lazarus or chose Lazarus whom he would raise from the dead such a blinde man whom he would restore to light such a piece of earth which he would make into the body of Adam what generall rules he did these by rules which presuppose that things or persons thus and thus qualified should be thus and thus vsed The reason is denyed For to measure God by our scantling is foolish to imagine as it were created generall verities in his vnderstanding like as it is in our selues is fitter