Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	apostle_n	epistle_n	write_v	1,746	5	6.0427	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33930	A confession of faith, published on special occasion wherein is contained the substance of the most material principels of the Gospel and Christian faith, in contradistinction to the errors and heresies by some held and maintained, in opposition thereunto : whereunto is annexed a postscript, with brief animadversions on some things contained in a confession of faith, lately published in the name of the elders and brethren of many congregations in London and the countrey / written by Thomas Collier.	Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691.	1678 (1678)	Wing C5275; ESTC R32494	30,415	69

Secondly What ever the Divine Decree might be in this matter is not material for proof of the thing asserted if we should suppose that God decreed them to do it without respect had to any condition in them as the cause thereof which can never be proved Yet it being so great a Mystery of Grace and that on which the Life of the World depended I shall choose rather to lose my self in this Mysterious Decree leaving it to God alone than from this Example and bottomless Mystery to draw up so impious a Conclusion that God hath from his own Will from all Eternity determined by an immutable Decree all the wickedness both of Devils and Men that ever hath been is or shall be in the World And as for the Scriptures referr'd to for proving God's ordering all things by his Providence for the accomplishing of his Decrees relative to the sins of both Angels and Men Providence powerfully over-ruleth all things for the accomplishment thereof 2 King 19. 28. Ps 76. 10. the prudent may easily discern how far wide it is from proving this matter And as for Rom. 9. 15 18 22 23. so frequently referr'd to I have I suppose before said enough to discover their fallacy in so applying thereof viz. to understand these several sayings of the Apostle contrary to the whole volumn of the Book of God and contrary to the very Name Nature and Truth of God must needs be very impious and very probably these may be some of the hard things to be understood written by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle mentioned 2 Pet. 3. 15 16. which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction So that this Principle not only abuseth God in his Decrees to decree all sinful actions but likewise in his Providence and Government in powerfully over-ruling and ordering all things and to so bad an end and abusing the holy Scripture for proof thereof 2. As it 's unscriptural and so belieth God so its impious laying all the sins and wickedness in the World both of Devils and Men at God's door for if he hath decreed all and that not by a bare permission but wisely and powerfully ordereth it to his own ends there is then no avoiding it but the Decree must be accomplished So that by this Doctrine all the sins in the World are committed by the unchangeable Decree of God and powerful over-ruling Providence in order thereunto And so as an effect hereof all the Judgments and Plagues threatned and inflicted in this Life and that which is to come as a punishment of sin flows from the eternal and immutable Decree of God and so impossible by any means to be prevented which is most impious to imagin and contrary to the Scripture Jer. 18. 7 8. Isa 55. 6 7. Thirdly It renders God to take pleasure in the Sin and Judgment of his Creatures for in the accomplishing of his own free immutable Will must be his supream and absolute pleasure that which he hath immutably determined being done must needs be well pleasing to him So that it renders God to take pleasure in the Sin and Judgment of Men contrary to his own word 1. For Sin he hateth it and therefore decreed it not Pro. 6. 16 to 19. Jer. 44 4. ● 2. And for Judgment he pitieth poor sinners who wilfully expose themselves thereunto Hos 11. 8 9. Luk. 19. 41 42 43 44. Lam. 3. 33. He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men. Therefore he decreed it not any otherwise than as a punishment for Sin which might by repentance have been avoided Jer. 18. 8. So that it not only renders God by his Eternal Decree to be the first cause of all the Sin of all the Hatred Wrath Murders Adulteries Drunkenness Treasons Idolatries Witchcrafts and Rebellions in the World and so of all the Judgments which are the effect thereof but that it s well pleasing and delightful to him it being the effect of his eternal and unchangeable Decree which is contrary to his word most and impious to imagine Fourthly It 's that which renders God to be contradictory and inconsistent to himself and uncertain in any part of his Word and Will to Men it renders it full of contradiction to command one thing and hath decreed the contrary to command Men to believe repent and be holy and hath decreed the contrary hath decreed all the Wickedness and Abominations in the World and yet commands the contrary and will damn people for breach of his Commands which himself decreed from all eternity that they should not keep which is most impious to imagine Fifthly And so it renders his Word which is his absolute revealed Will to Men to be incredible and so destroyeth the ground of Faith which is the truth and faithfulness of God in his Word for if it were true that he commands one thing and hath decreed another directly contrary to it by the same rule and reason may he promise one thing when he hath decreed the contrary especially all his Promises being on condition of doing his Precepts and if his Decrees be contrary to his Precepts so may they be contrary to his Promises and so there be no truth neither in his Precepts nor his Promises and it lays a foundation for to teach people so to believe and therefore its most impious to be imagined Sixthly It 's that which renders the most wicked and vile to be the truest and best Servants of God for 1st If this were true they do his Will most freely and naturally and such are reputed to be his best Servants whereas as is by them confest Believing Repenting and Obeying the Lord in his revealed Will is hard and difficult and is attended at best with many weaknesses and sometimes in some things unwillingness whereas the others serve him in his absolute decreed Will most freely and voluntarily 2. They serve him most perfectly answering his decreed Will in all things whereas the Saints are attended with many failings and coming short in service the others not and therefore must needs be the best Sarvants of God if this Doctrine were true which is most impious to imagine Seventhly It 's that which renders God in his eternal Will to take more pleasure in sin and wickedness than in holiness in that he hath decreed so much sin and wickedness to be in the World and so little holiness which is most impious to imagine Eightly It 's that which renders God to love Judgment more than Mercy having from his own Will freely decreed so much Sin Judgment and Damnation to the World and so little Mercy and Salvation to Men which is contrary to his Word and Oath Exod. 34. 6 7. Ezek. 33. 11. Joh. 3. 16. and is therefore most impious to imagine Ninthly It 's that which tends to end all Christian Religion in the World for if God Command one thing and hath Decreed another it leaves us at a loss in all things no Man