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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55305	The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By Edward Polhill of Burwash in Sussex Esquire	Polhill, Edward, 1622-1694?; Owen, John, 1616-1683.; Seaman, Lazarus, d. 1675.	1695 (1695)	Wing P2754; ESTC R212920	238,280	559

of Nature are but the Shadows and Picture of his wise Decrees all the excellent Shows in time are but the Apocalypse or Revelation of the wise Co●trivances in Eternity God possessed Wisdom in the beginning of his way even in the framing of his Eternal Decrees not only when he prepared the Heavens in Creation but also when he prepared all things in his Ideal Counsel not only when he set a compass on the face of the Depth but also when he set the Compass of his Decrees upon the face of all Futuritions Every one of his Decrees is most wise and rational hence 't is called his Counsel and the Counsel of his Will In the Eternal Rolls Causes and Effects Means and End Modes and Methods of Being are all set down but not a tittle without the advice of an infinite Understanding there is no such thing as mere Will in God no caecus impetus but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a depth of Knowledge in every one of his Decrees 2. The Decrees of God are situate in Eternity Mutable Creatures and their Acts are measured by Time which is a perpetual Flux but God and his immanent Acts have no other Measure but Eternity which is a perpetual Instant Scripture and Reason will both assert this 1. Scripture will do it When that speaks of the Decree of Election it saith that God hath chosen us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the foundation of the World Eph. 1. 4. Heaven was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the founding of the World Matth. 25. 34. but God's chusing of us to it was long before his mercies are from everlasting to everlasting Psal. 103. 17. reaching as I may say from one end of Eternity to another So also when it speaks of other pieces of Providence it intimates an eternal Preordination of things before the great Hour-glass of Time was set up There were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foreappointed times Acts 17. 26. Not a Sand of Time but it runs out according to an Eternal Decree not a member in the body but it is written in the eternal Book Psal. 139. 16. not a place of habitation but it was eternally bounded Acts 17. 26. not a Sparrow falls to the ground but by an eternal Will not an hair but it was numbred in Eternity not a Particle of Being among all the hosts of Creatures but it was registred in Eternity All God's works are known to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternally Act. 15. 18. Known eternally as Essences they might be in the Divine Essence known eternally as Possibles they might be in the Divine Power but known eternally as Works to be done by God they could not be but only in his Eternal Decree which is Rerum omnium amantissima Genetrix suavissima Nutrix 2. Reason also will make out the Eternity of his Decrees for 1. The Act of God's Will is all one with God's Will and his Will is all one with his Essence and his Essence is one pure Simple Act God is Love essentially Love Amat Deus nec aliunde hoc habet sed ipse est unde amat ideo vehementiùs quia non amorem tam habet quàm ipse est All the Decrees of God are but Deus volens and as God being and God knowing inhabit Eternity so likewise doth God willing the very Creatures willed as they are in God in Esse Indeali are Eternal Notable is that of Anselm Creaturae prout sunt in Deo sunt Essentia Creatrix Sutable is that of S. Austin who on those words in ipso vita est distinguishes between arca in arte arca in opere arca in opere non est vita sed arca in arte est vita quia vivit animâ Artificis Sapientia Dei per quam fact a sunt omnia secundùm artem continet omnia antequam fabricet omnia terram vides est in arte terra coelum vides est in arte coelum Solem Lunam vides sunt ista in arte sed foris corpora sunt in arte vita sunt Videte si quo modo potestis magna enim res dicta est Oh the Comprehensions of the Divine Essence Wisdom Power and Will Essences are Life and Eternity in the Divine Essence Congruities are Life and Eternity in the Divine Wisdom Possibles are Life and Eternity in the Divine Power and Futuritions are Life and Eternity in the Divine Will 2. The Eternity of Futures doth demonstrate the Eternity of the Divine Decrees 't is impossible that any thing should begin to be future Si aliquid nunc non futurum saith Bradwardine incipiet esse futurum ergo post aliquod instans futurum erit ergo erit ergo est futurum ergo aliquid non futurum est futurum Now if it be impossible that any thing should begin to be future then all futures must needs be Eternal and if so whence are they Not from themselves for in their own nature they were but mere possibles and if one possible might by a self-motion become future all the infinite possibles lying in the bosom of Omnipotence might also become such Nor from any Creature for that which is but temporal cannot be the Cause of that which is eternal The Spring then of eternal futures cannot be found any where but in the Eternal God and where in him not in the Divine Essence for that in it self and abstractively from the Divine Will worketh no Change in any thing at all not in the Divine Prescience for that doth suppose and not make its objects And how then without eternal Decrees can there be any foundation of Futures I may conclude with that of Anselm Nihil est futurum nisi in summa veritate If then God should make any Decree in time the thing decreed would begin to be future which is impossible 3. The Decrees of God are cemented with Immutability Aristotle by the light of Nature saw the Simplicity of God's Nature and from thence rationally concluded the Simplicity of God's pleasure The Eternal and Immanent Acts of his Understanding and Will are ever immoveably the same or else infinite Simplicity could not take pleasure in them God saith of himself Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not Should he change he would lose his Name I am that I am I know saith the wise Preacher that whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever Eccl. 3. 14. His Decrees are Unchangeable The Apostle speaking of the Decree of Election saith The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. Every word hath its weight Election is not a structure upon Faith but a foundation humane foundations may be destroyed but this is the foundation of God laid by him nay in him in the bosom of the divine Will there is no standing much less sure standing in the flux of Time and Matter but this foundation because of God and in God standeth sure it standeth

the Language of it unto this concerning which every one may judg as he pleases Truth is little concerned therein nor is it thereunto that I assign that perspicuity which appears in the main parts of this Discourse but unto the clear and distinct stating of the things themselves in the Authors mind which alone enables any to speak with evidence unto the understanding of others And hence it is that although he be forced to make use sometimes of Scholastick Notions yet he hath so expressed the matter intended as to make it obvious unto the meanest Capacity any whit exercised in the knowledge of these things Having said thus much of this Discourse which I hope God will bless unto good use and fruit I shall not need to mind the Reader of how great importance it is to have the Truths here pleaded for well vindicated and established the fulness and frequency of the Scriptures in the Revelation of them the great influence into our Faith Obedience and due Reverence of God with the eminent tendency unto the exaltation of his Glory and the debasement of the pernicious Pride of corrupt Nature which they have the Opposition made unto them by all sorts of persons for saking the Truth who however differing and fiercely contending among themselves as Papists Socinians Arminians Quakers and others yet all agree in contradiction unto the Sovereignty of God in his Decrees the special fruits of eternal Redemption by the Blood of Christ and the infallible Prevalency of Divine Grace do all sufficiently evince both the weight of these Truths themselves and the eminency of the Service which is done to the Church of God in their Vindication John Owen A Preface to the Reader concerning the Author of the Tract ensuing IT may well be reckoned among Problems or hard Questions whether it were better for those who write and print to publish their Names or conceal them because many things Pro and Cou might be argued upon that Subject especially about things Polemical when they are handled But when Causa Dei the Cause of God as our learned and famous Bradwardine intituled his Book when he wrote against the Pelagians comes to be treated of all Circumstances are duly to be weighed Quis Quid Quare Quando Quomodo c. Who What Why When and How Among those of this kind it 's very momentaneous to know for one that this Gentleman is one of the Sages of the Law an Oracle in the Country where he lives An Eirenarches well worthy of that Name and Place A Justice of Peace and not of Trouble according to the distinction which our unhappy times have made Conformable himself yet one who affects rather to be Orthodox and to mind the Power of Godliness more than the Form thereof I write this Testimony of him though be neither needs desires or knowes of it because I have bad knowledge of him à teneris from his Childhood and have been certified of his Domestical Piety and Exemplariness in all which appertains to the Practice of Piety Concerning the Book it needs not Patron or Advocate Let it speak for it self Aetatem habet It quickly shews Arma Virúmque the Spirit of the Man and his Weapons This pleases me above all the rest that though it treats of most intricate and mysterious Controversies yet that is done humbly reverently freely and with Candor I make not my self his Hyperaspistes or Second or a Party to his Opinion but because his Habitation is remote in a Corner of the Land his Converse more with Books than with Men he seldom sees London and is not yet in these parts any of our Anshe Shem noted or famous Persons Lest any Reader should cast him off with a scornful Ignoramus I know not the man I have presumed to prepare this little Lenitive that no offence should be taken in such respects as are herein mentioned I shall not conclude with Ecce hominem but ad rem Lazarus Seaman ERRATA PAg. 25. lin 27. read object p. 28. l. 24. betwixt Election and And insert 2. What the things designed p. 37. l. 8. r. Predefinition p. 43. l. 6. r. person p. 82. l. ult r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 94. l. 28. r. forbearance p. 97. l. 3. r. nolition p. 148. l. 16. r. crea●rix p. 180. l. 8 for nail r. vail p. 204. l 22. r. agony p. 212. l. 3. after that Law add and that it was p. 272. l. 9. for Rom. 20. r. Acts 20. p. 291. l. 26. r. mea p. 295. l. 3. r. little p. 376. l. 11. r. vegetative p. 384. l. 7. for Creature-deadness r. Creature-comforts p. 433. l. 17. r. actively p. 456. l. 6. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 470. l. 11. r. no object Chap I. That God is THat God is is a Primordial Verity from whence all other Verities derive their Original If God were not which is the highest Contradiction there could be Nothing but perfect Nullity because Nullity can never pass that infinite vast Gulf which lies between it self and Being without an infinite God If God were not he could not be a mere possible God is utterly impossible for a God he cannot be unless he be supreme Perfection a pure Act immoveable Eternity and eternal Necessity in suprema essendi vehemontia This glorious Truth that God is can no where be doubted of not in Heaven where his glorious face is opened to the blessed Spirits not in Hell where his righteous Breath as a River of Brimstone doth kindle the fire unquenchable nor on Earth whilest any glimpses of Heaven irradiate the godly or any sparks of Hell flame out in the guilty Consciences of the wicked whilest the Candle of the Lord shines within men or the Heavens and the Earth those Natural Preachers declare a Deity without and wonderfully render the invisible Power and Godhead as it were visible unto them Every Particle of being in heaven and earth leads us to the infinite Being of Beings every Motion within the Sphear of Nature and Grace draws us to adore a first immoveable Mover every breath of life in the old and new Creature tells us of the great Fountain of Life every beam of Light in the natural and spiritual World owns the high Father of lights every drop of Rain natural on the earth and spiritual on the heart witnesses a Deity This truth is so indubitable that none but a fool in his greatest folly can deny it Cur dixit stultus non est Deus cur nisi quia stultus est CHAP. II. That God hath a Will GOd's Being being laid down as a sure foundation I proceed to prove that God hath a Will Which may be evinced by these Reasons 1. God is an immense Sea of infinite Perfections or rather one infinite transcendent Perfection and a Will the fountain of Liberty cannot be wanting in him but there will be a Maim in his perfection Liberum Arbitrium saith Luther est nomen planè divinum solùm competit