you of what is written in the hundred fourty and sixth Psalm Happy is he that Psal 146. 5. hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God EXERCITATION 4. Exerc. 4. The first Inference grounded upon Isaiah 55. 1 2. by way of invitation backed with three encouragements to accept it viz. The fulness of that soul-satisfaction which God giveth the universality of its tender and the freeness of its communication The second by way of expostulation and that both with worldlings and saints A conclusion by way of soliloquy § 1. IN the synagogues of old upon the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles called by the Jews Hosanna Rabbah the great Hosanna and by the Evangelist The last day the great day of Jos 7. 37. vid. Ludov. de Dieu in loc the feast four portions of Scripture were wont to be read viz. The close of the fifth book of Moses called Deuteronomy the last words of the Prophet Malachy the beginning of Joshua and that passage concerning Solomons rising up from his knees after his prayer and blessing the people with a loud voice in the eighth chapter of the first book of Kings Then did Jesus who was the end of the Law and the Prophets the true Joshua and Solomon stand up saying If any man thirst let him John 7. 38. come unto me and drink He that beleeveth on me as the scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water But why did he then speak of waters Tremellius giveth this account of that out Annot. in loc of the Talmud The Jews saith he upon that day used with much solemnity and joy to fetch water from the river Siloah to the Temple where being delivered to the Priests it was by them poured upon the altar the people in the mean time singing out of Isaiah With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells Isa 12 3. of salvation Our Saviour therefore to take them off from this needless if not superstitious practise telleth them of other and better waters which they were to have of him according to what he had elsewhere said by the ministery of the same Prophet in these most emphatical words Ho every one Isa 55. 1 2. that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money Come ye buy and eat yea Come buy wine and milk without money and without price Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Words that besides an intimation of the forementioned truths concerning the creatures inability and the sufficiency of God in Christ to satisfie souls clearly hold forth a double improvement thereof one by way of invitation the other by way of expostulation § 2. The Invitation is set on with vehemence and importunity Ho come but as not content with that he doubleth it yea Come ye and tripleth it yea Come Not Come and look on or Come and cheapen but Come and buy buy and eat They may be rationally said to Come who frequent the Ordinances wherein Christ is usually to be found They to buy who part with somewhat are at some cost and pains in pursuit of him They to eat who feed on him by a lively faith Careless wretches will not so much as vouchsafe to Come by reason of their oxen or farms or some other impediment the Lord must have them excused Formal professours Come indeed but refuse to Buy will lay out no serious endeavours in searching the Scriptures and their own deceitfull hearts but are merely superficial in such undertakings Temporary beleevers whose hearts are really though not savingly wrought upon seem to have bought yet do not eat for want of that spirit of faith which ingrafts men into Christ and makes them as truly one with him as the body is with the meat it feeds upon Want we encouragements to accept of this invitation The place it self presents us with three § 3. One from the fulness of that satisfaction which is here tendered under the metaphors of water wine milk and bread the last whereof is implied partly in those terms of opposition For that which is not bread as if he had said ye might have had that of me which is bread indeed partly in the verb Eat which cannot so properly be applied to any commodity here mentioned water wine and milk being liquids as to bread Now there is somewhat in Christ to answer each of these His flesh is bread his bloud is wine his John 6. 51. Matth. 26. 28 29. John 7. 38 39. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Spirit is waters his doctrine is milk But because I conceive the Holy Ghost in this place doth not so much intend a parallel of these as a declaration of that sufficiency which is to be found in Christ and his benefits for saving to the utmost of all those that shall come unto God by him I shall onely pitch upon that consideration and by adding unto this a like place in the Revelation briefly demonstrate from them both how all-sufficient a Saviour he is This in Isaiah holds forth somewhat proper to every sort of true beleevers Milk for babes water for such Vinum Lac senum as are young and hot wine for the aged bread for all The other is that of Christ to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea I counsel thee to buy of me gold Rev. 3. 18. tried in the fire that thou maist be rich and white raiment that thou maist be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou maist see where he commends his gold for such as is tried in the fire his raiment for such as will take away shame and his eye-salve for a special vertue to make the blinde see Take them together and there is in them enough to supply our principal defects viz. unbelief in the heart for which there is here gold tried in the fire whereby we may probably understand the grace of faith concerning which we read in Peter That the tryal of your faith 1 Pet. 1. 7. being much more pretious then of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise And unholiness in the life for which there is the white raiment if by it we understand inherent righteousness according to that in the Apocalypse To her was granted that she Rev. 19. 8. should be arraied in fine linen clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints Lastly Ignorance in the minde for which there is his Eye-salve to remove it according to the Apostles prayer for his Ephesians that God would give them the spirit of wisdome Ephes 1. 17 18. and revelation the eyes of their understanding being enlightned c. § 4. A second encouragement is from the universality of this offer Ho every one that thirsteth come so
servants He would have such a person a despiser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and contemner of others which is plainly Pharisaical thinks all that savoureth of humility unworthy of his magnanimous man whereas Solomon telleth us It is better to be of an humble Prov. 16. 19. spirit with the lowly then to divide the spoil with the proud Yea he alloweth him in case of contumely to speak evil of his adversaries whereas our Saviours rule is Bless them that curse you pray for them Matth. 5. 44. that despitefully use you EXERCITATION 3. Oracles of God vocal or written Books of Scripture so called in five respects viz In regard of their declaring and foretelling their being consulted prized and preserved § 1. IN the epistle to the Hebrews these two phrases The first principles Hebr. 5. 12. and 6. 1. of the oracles of God And the principles of the doctrine of Christ import one and the same thing implying also that Scripture Records are the onely Store-house and Conservatory of Christian Religion I shall therefore from hence take occasion to shew That books of Scripture are oracles of God why they are so called and wherein they excell other oracles For the first There were two sorts of Oracles belonging to God vocal and written The vocal were those answers he gave from between the Cherubims on the top of 1 Kings 6. often and Chapt. 8. 6. the Mercy-seat which covered the Ark by reason whereof the Holy of Holies where that Ark stood was styled the Oracle The written are the two tables Exerc. 3. of the Law called by Stephen the lively Acts 7. 37. oracles and the Canonical books of Scripture as well those of the old Testament of which Paul speaketh when he declareth it as the great priviledge of the Jews that to them were committed the Rom. 3. 2. oracles of God as those of the New to which Peter is like to have had a peculiar respect in that saying of his If 1 Pet. 4. 11. any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Especially if his meaning be to admonish such as speak in congregations publick teachers or as another Apostle styleth them Ministers 2 Cor. 3. 6. of the new Testament that they be carefull to deliver Scripture-truths in Scripture-words New-Testamentmatter in New-Testament-language taking the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that text for a note not of similitude but of identity as when it is said We beheld his John 1. 14. glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father it is not meant of a glory like his but the very same So let him speak as the Oracles of God that is the self-same things which Vid. Gerhard Coment in 1 Pet. 4. pag. 631 634. God hath spoken in his word § 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby heathen writers had been wont to express their oracles chiefly such are were uttered in prose while such as were delivered in verse went under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was enfranchised by the holy Ghost and applied to the books of Scripture to intimate as I conceive that these books were to be of like use to Christians as those oracles had been to Infidels whereof take a five-fold account I. Those declared to heathen men the will of their Idols whence also they had their names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oracula from orare quod inerat illis Deorum oratio as Tully giveth the etymologie because they contained what the Gods spake and delivered to be their minde The Scriptures in like manner contain the minde of Jehovah Somewhat of his nature we may learn from the creatures but should have known little or nothing of his will had not canonical Scripture revealed it We use to call a mans Testament his last will because in it he makes a final declaration of what he would have his executours do He that would exactly know the will of God must look into his two Testaments there he shall finde it fully expressed and no where else § 3. II. Those foretold future events which made them to be so much frequented by such as thirsted after knowledge of things to come These reade every one his destiny and acquaint him aforehand with what he may or may not infallibly expect according to his present and future qualifications Not to mention prophesies in the New testament whereof the principal magazine is the Apocalypse the old contains very many predictions beyond the activity of humane foresight For although such effects as depend upon natural causes which are uniform in their workings may be foretold by a skilfull naturalist and a wise Statesman observing the present constitution of a government may prognosticate what events are like to ensue upon those counsels and courses which he sees taken yet the quickest eye upon earth cannot foresee such future contingents as have their dependance upon the mere free-will of persons yet unborn and whereunto when they are born not common principles but heroick impulses must incline them Whereas in the Scriptures we meet with the names of Josiah and Cyrus and with their performances long before they had a being We finde old Jacob foretelling the respective fates of all his children and of their posterity Isaiah speaking of Jesus Christ as if he had written an history rather then a prophesie And Daniel who lived under the fitst describing the severall revolutions under all the other Monarchies as if he had seen them with his eyes § 4. III. Those gave advice in doubtfull cases and were in all undertakings of moment consulted with by devout Heathens who as Strabo testifies Lib. 16. in descript Judaeae in their chief affairs of state relied more upon the answers of their oracles then upon humane pollicies These were Davids delight and his counsellours Psal 119. 24. as we use to advise with those friends whom we take most pleasure in He had many wise men about him but in all their meetings for advice the word of God was still of the Quorum and nothing to be concluded of in the result without its consent Scripture must not onely be heard in all our debates but when any thing comes to be voted always have a negative voice Concerning Achitophels advice it was said what he counselled in those days was as if a man had enquired at the Oracle of God 2 Sam. 16. last which words being as it is well said by Peter Martyr Comparatio non aequiparatio a comparison onely not a parallel sufficiently intimate that all the Oracles of God are to be consulted and also that their counsel is to be rested in I shall therefore be bold to say to him that reads whoever he be as Jehoshaphat once did to Ahab Enquire I pray thee 2 Chron. 18. 4. of the word of the Lord to day As Paul to his Colossians Let the
their interest in him I do not mean an haughty spirit swelled with pride for that is altogether unsutable to a saving interest in God who beholds the proud afar off but Psalm 138. 6. an humble spirit greatned by continual converse with the great God who by raising vp his servants hearts to the contemplation and fruition of higher objects maketh them too big for this world It is reported of Moses that when he was come to years or according to the original when he was waxed great Hebr. 11. 24 25 26 27. in spirit perhaps as well as in stature he did overlook the preferments pleasures and riches of the world which are all there intimated yea the menaces of it too for it is there also said He feared not the wrath of the king but endured as seeing him who is invisible His conversing with the great God had made all these to appear to him as petty things To a soul truly great no Animo magno nil magnum worldly matter hath any true greatness in it As if one could take a station in heaven whatsoever is here below would appear but small in his sight by reason of its distance It is accounted by some a great matter to have the frowns and ill word of a great man But St John whose conversation was in heaven made nothing of it Speaking of Diotrophes his malignancy and reproachfull speeches he phraseth it thus prating against us with malitious John 2 epistle v. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words The term properly signifieth trifling Though Diotrephes were a great prelate and his words very malitious yet the Apostles spirit was raised so far above them that with him all were but trifles and by him contemned as such APHORISME V. The Goodness and Greatness of God are both abundantly manifested by his decrees of Election and Preterition together with his works of Creation and Providence EXERCITATION 1. Exerc. 1. How predestination cometh to be treated of here Election described from the Nature Antiquity Objects Products and Cause of it Rom. 11. 33. 2 Tim. 1. 9. with Tit. 1. 2. Ephes 1. 4. with Matth. 25. 34. opened Of Acts supposing their objects Of Acception of persons what it is and that Predestination doth not import it Acts 13. 48. Expounded and vindicated Whether one Elect may become a reprobate The negative maintained and 1 Cor. 9. 24 25 26. cleared Ephes 5 and 11. enlightned Concerning the good pleasure of Gods will and the counsel thereof § 1. I Durst not wholly wave the doctrine of Predestination no not in this Treatise of Principles after I had duely Aph. 5. pondered that grave admonition of Ambrose or according to others of Prosper Quae Deus occulta esse voluit non sunt scrutanda quae autem monifesta fecit non sunt neganda ne in illis illicitè curiosi in istis damnabiliter inveniamur in grati De vocar Gent. cap. 7. Such things as God would have kept secret must not be pried into by us nor such denied as he hath openly declared lest we be found in the former attempt unlawfully curious in the latter damnably unthankfull And also laid to heart the endeavours not of foreiners onely but of certain late English writers to possess their readers with vehement and strong prejudices against the long-received truth in those points One of them telleth us It is sacrilegious to grant that God hath I. G. Red. Redeem pag. 243. lin 7. Ibid. pag. 278. lin 46. from eternity elected a certain number of men personally unto salvation whom he purposeth to bring thereunto infallibly c. Elsewhere styling it That capitall errour of personal Election and Reprobation Another speaking of preterition or negative reprobation hath these words This is T. P. Divine philanthropy defended c. 4. § 2. one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which have been infamously invented to disguise and palliate the frightfull rigidness of their doctrine Not long after he calleth it canting pretends the lamentable distinction as it is there by him styled to be no more then a trick insufficient to buoy up a sinking cause and in another book of his The dream of absolute preterition Mean Divine purity defended pag. 97. while where alas is the reverence and submission due to Scripture that onely card and compass by which we are to sail in this ocean that onely clue by the help whereof this labyrinth is to be traversed It directly opposeth Rom. 11. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Electi and Reliqui the elect and such as were passed by in that saying The election hath obtained and the rest were blinded In it we reade of a book of life containing Revel 13. 8. 21. 27. 26. 15. the names of all those whom God hath chosen and of others whose names were not written in that book Of some whom the Lord knoweth for 2 Tim. 2. 19. Maâ—th 7. 23. his and others to whom he will say I never knew you Of Christs sheep given John 10. 26 28 29. to him by the father and of such persons as were not his sheep nor accordingly so given to him This I hope is no canting there is neither Errour nor Trick in all this but to proceed § 2. Election as to our purpose which concerns the choise of men onely not of Angels is that secret unsearchable decree of God wherein he did from everlasting single out of the rest of mankinde a definite number of particular persons ordaining them infallibly unto the attainment of holiness here and happiness hereafter according to the counsel and good pleasure of his Will Which description offers to the readers consideration as things material and not unfit to be treated of provided it be soberly done the Nature Antiquity Object Products and Cause of Election First The Nature of it It is a secret unsearchable decree of God The two principall emanations of God's Will respecting intellectual creatures are his Decrees and his Commands They differ as in sundry other things so in point of perspicuitie The Commands are plain he that runs may read his duty in them the Decrees abstruse Our destinies cannot be so easily read as our duties may And whereas divers secret things may yet be discovered upon diligent search according to that Proverb of Solomon Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water Prov. 20. 5. but a man of understanding will draw it out The Decrees of God are so secret as to be withall unsearchable Whence the Apostle O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of Rom. 11. 13. God! How unsearchable are his judgements and his waies past finding out where by Judgements it is as I conceive most proper to understand the Decrees of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence cerno decerno decretum his Will by Waies the Administrations of his Providence in order to the execution of those
is a preservation from greater evils by less No poyson but providence knoweth how to make an antidote so Jonah was swallowed by a whale and by that danger kept alive Joseph thrown into a pit and afterwards sold into Egypt and by these hazards brought to be a nursing father to the Church Chrysostome excellently Fides in periculis secura est in securitate Homil. 26. operis imperf in Matt. periclitatur Faith is endangered by security but secure in the midst of danger as Esthers was when she said If I perish I perish God preserveth us not as we do fruits that are to last but for a year in sugar but as flesh for a long voyage in salt we must expect in this life much brine and pickle because our heavenly father preserveth us as those whom he resolveth to keep for ever in and by dangers themselves Pauls thorn in the flesh which had much of danger and trouble in it was given him on purpose to prevent pride which was a greater evil Lest I said he should be exalted above measure through abundance of the revelations there was given 2 Cor. 12. 7. me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure Elsewhere having commemorated Alexander the copper-smith 2 Tim. 4. 14 15 17 18. his withstanding and doing him much evil yea Nero's opening his mouth as a lion against him and the Lords delivering of him thence he concludeth as more then a conquerour And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdome to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen EXERCITATION 3. Hard-heartedness made up of unteachableness in the understanding untractableness in the will unfaithfulness in the memory unsensibleness in the conscience and unmoveableness in the affections metaphors to express it from the parts of mans body stones and mettals A soft heart Mischief searedness and virulency attendants of hardness God concurring thereunto by way of privation Negation permission presentation Tradition to Satan Delivering up to lusts and infliction § 1. OUr fourth proposition is still behinde viz. Divine providence is an actour even in sin it self I shall single out hardness of heart a sin common to all sorts of men though in different degrees intending to declare I. What hard-heartedness is II. That it is a sin III. That God is an actour in it For the first This word Heart is of various acceptions in the Scripture Sometime it signifieth the understanding as when it is said God gave Solomon 1 Kings 4. 29. largeness of heart as the sand that is He had an understanding full of notions Exerc. 3. as the sea-shore is full of grains of sand Sometimes put for the will as when Barnabas exhorteth the Christians of Antioch to cleave to the Lord with purpose Acts 11. 23. of heart that is with the full bent and inclination of their wills For as to know is an act of the understanding so to cleave is an act of the will Sometimes for the memory as when the blessed Virgin is said to have laid up all Luke 2. 51. our Saviours sayings in her heart that is kept them under lock and key like a choice treasure in her remembrance Sometimes for conscience So the Apostle speaketh of a condemning and not 1 John 3. 20 21. condemning heart Now Gods deputy in point of judicature is conscience which Nazianzen therefore calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a domestical tribunal or a judge within doors Lastly Sometimes for the affections So the Prophet Ezekiel saith of people that when they sate hearing the word their heart went after their covetousmess Ezek. 33. 31. that is their fears and hopes their desires love and other affections were upon shops ships land and other commodities even while they were busied in the worship of God Each of these faculties called Heart in the book of God is liable to its peculiar indisposition and distemper All put together make up the hard-heartedness of which we are treating the particular ingredients whereof are these that follow I. Unteachableness in the understanding Scripture joyneth blinding of eyes and hardning of hearts as near a kin He hath John 12. 40. blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted It is proverbially said Lapidi loqueris One had as good speak to a stone as to an unteachable man and we are all so by nature Whence that of Paul The natural man receiveth not the 1 Cor. 2. 14. things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Such are often present at Sermon so are the pillars of stone in the Church and they understand both alike § 2. II. Untractableness in the will There was reason enough spoken to Sihon by Moses his messengers but all would not incline him to yield a passage to the army of Israel in an amicable way because he was hardened Sihon king of Heshbon saith Moses would not let us pass by him for the Lord thy God Deut. 2. v. 27 28 30. hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate c. So was there enough said and done to Pharaoh but still the burden of his story is this He hardened his heart and would not let Israel go Steep a stone in oyl it continueth hard still Pharaoh had sundry mercies showen him being delivered from one plague after another upon Moses his prayers but the oyl of mercy could not soften him Beat upon a stone with an hammer it is a difficult thing and in some cases impossible to make an impression The hammer of Gods word in the mouth of Moses and Aaron held as it were by the handle of ten notable miracles gave ten mighty blows at Pharaohs will yet could make so little impression that after the ten plagues his heart was ten times harder then before III. Unfaithfulness in the memory Pertinent hereunto is that upbraiding passage of our Saviour to his Disciples Have ye your heart yet hardened do ye not Mark 8. 17 18. remember they seemed to have at present forgotten two of Christs miracles and are therefore charged with hard-heartedness Let water fall upon flesh it moisteneth it upon earth it soaketh in and rendereth it fruitfull let it fall upon a rock it runneth presently off and leaveth no footsteps behinde it Where hardness of heart prevaileth as Vers 19 20. here it did not and therefore the disciples a little awakened by Christs interrogations were able to give an account of his miracles there is commonly no more of a chapter sermon or pious discourse remaining in the hearers memory then there is moisture upon a rock after a good showre of rain IV. Unsensibleness in the conscience St Paul speaketh of some past feeling Ephes 4. 19. 1 Tim. 4. 2. and
neck of the true Spouse of Christ which makes her to look pleasingly and amiably in the eyes of her Beloved and distinguishes her from all false and counterfeit lovers To all this we may finally add what it is in the very work it self and the contrivances of it wherein not to anticipate the thoughts of others that shall peruse it soundness of judgement with elegancy of expression Sublimity of Notion with sobriety of spirit Variety of reading with accurateness of composure Sweetness of wit with savouriness of heart do seem to be linked together in so rare and happy a conjunction as which makes this Chain of Principles to be a chain of Pearls The Lord by his holy spirit set home the Truths in it upon the hearts of all those who shall be made partakers of it To him be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen Cambridge Novemb. 2. 1659. THOMAS HORTON WILLIAM DILLINGHAM A Collection of the several Aphorismes and Exercitations contained in the ensuing TREATISE APHORISME I. Pag. 1. MAns blessedness consisteth not in a confluence of wordly accommodations which are all vanity of vanities but in the fruition of God in Christ who onely is the strength of our hearts and our portion for ever EXERCITATION 1. Pag. 2. Psal 144. end opened Blessedness what Solomons scope in Ecclesiastes Why he stiles himself Coheleth His testimony concerning the creatures Their threefold transcendent vanity Intellectual accomplishments brought under the same censure by reason of the folly enmity anxiety and insufficiencie that attend them An apostrophie to the world EXERCITATION 2. Pag. 20. A gloss upon Psalm 36. 8. God in Christ a soul-satisfying object The circular motion of humane souls and their onely rest A threefold fulness of God and Christ opposite to the threefold vanity of the creatures EXERCITATION 3. Pag. 29. Two conclusions from Psalm 73. 25 26. The Psalmists case stated The frequent complication of corporal and spiritual troubles How God strengtheneth his peoples hearts against their bodily distempers how under discouragements of spirit The secret supports of saving grace What kinde of portion God is to the Saints A congratulation of their happiness herein EXERCITATION 4. Pag. 43. The first inference grounded upon Isaiah 55. 1 2. by way of invitation backed with three encouragements to accept it viz. The fulness of that soul-satisfaction which God giveth the universality of its tender and the freeness of its communication The second by way of expostulation and that both with worldlings and Saints A conclusion by way of soliloquy APHORISME II. Pag. 61. We are conducted to the fruition of God in Christ by Christian Religion contained in the divine oracles of holy Scripture EXERCITATION 1. Pag. 61. The safe conduct of Saints signified by the pillar in Exodus performed by the counsel of God himself the abridgement whereof we have in the doctrine of Christian Religion How that tends to blessedness EXERCITATION 2. Pag. 72. The insufficiencie of other Religions for bringing men to the enjoyment of God inferred from their inability to discover his true worship John 4. 24. opened God to be worshipped in and through Christ a lesson not taught in natures school Faults in Aristotles Ethicks EXERCITATION 3. Pag. 84. Oracles of God vocal or written Books of Scripture so called in five respects viz. In regard of their declaring and foretelling their being consulted prized and preserved EXERCITATION 4. Pag. 95. How Scripture-Oracles far excel those of the heathen in point of perspicuity of piety of veracity of duration and of Authority The divine authority of Scripture asserted by arguments An inference from the whole Aphorisme APHORISME III. Pag. 111. Scripture-Oracles supposing it sufficiently clear by the light of Nature that there is a God make a further discovery of what he is in his Essence Subsistence and Attributes EXERCITATION 1. Pag. 111. 1 Corinth 15. 34. expounded Opinionists compared to sleepers and drunkards Three observations from the end of the verse What knowledge of God is unattainable in this life What may be had The knowledge we have concerning God distinguished into Natural Literal and Spiritual EXERCITATION 2. Pag. 120. That there is a God the prime dictate of natural light deducible from mans looking backward to the creation forward to the rewards and punishments dispensed after death upward to the Angels above us downwards to inferiour beings within our selves to the composition of our bodies and dictates of our consciences about us to the various occurrences in the world EXERCITATION 3. Pag. 129. Reasons three ways of discovering God fall short of manifesting what he is The expression in Exod. 3. 14. most comprehensive A brief exposition thereof Satans impudence Nature and art both unable to discover the Trinity What Scripture revealeth about it Basils memento Julians impiety Socinians branded The three Persons compared to those three wells in Genes 26. EXERCITATION 4. Pag. 143. Divine Attributes calling for transcendent respect They are set down in the Scripture so as to curb our curiosity to help our infirmity to prevent our misapprehensions and to raise our esteem of God Spiritual knowledge superadding to literal clearness of light sweetness of taste sense of interest and sincerity of obedience APHORISME IV. Pag. 155. Goodness and Greatness are Attributes so comprehensive as to include a multitude of divine perfections EXERCITATION 1. Pag. 155. God described from goodness and greatness both without and within the Church A lively pourtraiture of his goodness in the several branches thereof Exod. 34. 6 7. Bowels of mercy implying inwardness and tenderness Our bowels of love to God of compassion to brethren Mercy not to be refused by unbelief nor abused by presumption EXERCITATION 2. Pag. 169. Grace what From it spring Election Redemption Vocation Sanctification Salvation A Caveat not to receive it in vain It purgeth and cheereth Glosses upon Tit. 2. 11 12. and 2 Thess 2. 26 27. The exaltation of free grace exhorted to Long-suffering not exercised towards evil Angels but towards men of all sorts It leadeth to repentance is valued by God and must not be sleighted by us A dreadfull example of goodness despised EXERCITATION 3. Pag. 181. The bounty of God declared by his benefits viz. giving his Son to free us from hell his Spirit to fit us for heaven his Angels to guard us on earth large provisions in the way and full satisfaction at our journeys end John 3. 16. James 1. 5. and Psal 24. 1. Glossed Isai 25. 6. Alluded to Inferences from divine Bounty beneficence to Saints not dealing niggardly with God exemplified in David Paul and Luther Truth in God is without all mixture of the contrary It appears in his making good of promises and threatnings teaching us what to perform and what to expect EXERCITATION 4. Pag. 201. Keeping mercy for thousands explained Men exhorted to trust God with their posterity Luthers last Will and Testament Iniquity transgression and sin what Six Scripture
word of Christ Coloss 3. 16. dwell in you richly in all wisdome yea as Christ to his hearers Search the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. Other books may render men learned to ostentation none but these can make them really wise to salvation Philosophical speculations quaint notions and strains of wit if compared w th these oracles are but as so many spiders webs to catch flies fitter for the taking of phansies then the saving of souls § 5. IV. Those were exceedingly prized by such as enjoyed them as the great advantage of their States and the great donative of their Gods who were thought to gratifie their worshippers by nothing more then by oracular discoveries These are certainly the highest priviledges wherewith a people can be gratified witness that discourse of Paul in the beginning of his third chapter to the Romanes where he handles and decides the controversie between Religionum vincula sunt arctissima Religionum odia sunt acerbissima Reddimus obstoenae convitia debita genli Quae genitale caput propudiosa metit Septima quaeque dies turpi damnata veterno Tanquam lassati mollis imago Dei Rutil Itiner lib. 1. Jew and Gentile about precedencie Consent in Religion is wont to tie the fastest knots of mutual accord but there are no greater animosities then those that arise from diversity of professions The Jews of old abhorred the Gentiles as uncircumcised ignorant Idolaters the Gentiles on the other side derided the Jews for their circumcision as savouring of obscenity for their sabbaths as favouring idleness Paul who was by birth a Jew by office a teacher of the Gentiles well knew what fewds and also what odds there were between them yet equally involves them in the guilt of original sin throughout the whole second chapter And because the Jew who stood upon his points esteeming himself every way the better man would be ready to take offence at this and to say as it is in the first verse of the third chapter What advantage then hath the Jews or what profit is there of circumcision The Apostle answereth by way of concession and though he hold his conclusion firm which is that both Jews and Gentiles considered in their naturals are all under sin and that in this Rom. 3. 9. 22. respect there is no difference yet he readily granteth that in some regards the Jews far excelled the rest of the world Divers of their priviledges are insinuated in the former part of the second verse Much every way in the latter one instanced in as most considerable Chiefly because unto them were committed the Oracles of God § 6. V. Those were preserved with much solicitude History telleth us how great care the Romanes took for Vid. Molinaei Vates lib. 3. cap. 12. the safe custody of the Sibylline oracles in their Capitol after Tarquin had bought them when the Capitol was burnt and those books in it what means were used to get other copies out of Greece and how a Colledge of Priests was appointed to keep them safe These do surely deserve as much and more care in every suitable possible way The antient Jews preserved the letter of Scripture entire but lost the sense as the Papists now keep the text but let go the truth A good Christian will not be backward in giving all diligence to hold-fast both by laying the Scripture up in his judgement conscience and memory We are all desirous to have fair and well-printed Bibles Beleeve it the fairest impression of the Bible is to have it well printed on the readers Acts Monum vol. 3. edition last p. 705. heart Mr Fox telleth us of one Crow a sea-man who being shipwrackt lost all his wares and also cast five pounds in money into the sea but kept his New Testament hanging still about his neck so swimming upon a broken mast till after four days all the rest of his company being drowned he was discovered and taken up in that posture alive The onely way of preserving souls from being drowned in eternal perdition is having the grace and truth of Scripture so bound upon the heart as to be willing to part with money or any thing else for the safety of them It is well worthy of our best consideration how much and how often Solomon in the proverbs presseth this It is known how carefull the most are to get and keep silver and gold but Receive Prov. 8. 10. my instruction saith Wisdome there and not silver and knowledge rather then choice gold Yet as well as men love money they will rather let go that then lose their members whereof none are more dear then the apple of the eye My son saith Chap. 7. 1 2. he keep my words and lay up my commandments with thee keep my commandements and live and my law as the apple of thine eye Yet skin for skin and all a man hath will he give for his life if the loss of a member or two will save that they shall go His advice to his son is Take fast hold of Chap. 4. 13. instruction let her not go keep her for she is thy life Yet the martyrs parted even with their lives to save their souls our keeping of these is really as of great concernment as the keeping of our very souls for so saith Solomon He that Chap. 19. 16 keepeth the cōmandment keepeth his own soul EXERCITATION 4. How Scripture-Oracles far excell those of the heathen in point of perspicuity of piety of veracity of duration and of authority The divine authority of Scripture asserted by two arguments An inference from the whole Aphorisme § 1. HAving shewed wherein they Exerc. 4. agree I am now to make known wherein these Scripture-Oracles differ from and excell those other viz. I. In point of perspicuity Apollo's oracles were delivered in so dark and ambiguous terms as gave the Grecians though they were his chief worshippers occasion to style him by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he seldome answered directly in doubtfull cases but Euseb praeparat Evangelic lib. 4. used such a form of words as might be diversly interpreted to the end his credit might be salved whatever event the business had about which he was consulted with Whereas Scripture is so framed as to deliver all things necessary to salvation in a clear and perspicuous way There are indeed some Pascimur apertis exercemur obscuris illic fames pellitur hic fastidium August obscure passages in it to exercise our understandings and prevent our lothing of overmuch plainness and simplicity yet whatsoever is needfull for us to satisfie hunger and nourish our souls to life eternal is so exprest I do not say that it may be understood but so as men that do not wilfully shut their eyes against the light cannot possibly but understand it § 2. II. In point of piety The heathen were put upon many ungodly practises Plutarch in Publicols Livius lib.
know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9 10. When that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away nor at all by the sole improvement of reason The lesser cannot comprehend the greater God is greater then our heart 1 Joh. 3. 2. faith St. John therefore incomprehensible by the shallow reason of shipwrack'd nature He and the Sun are alike in this both refresh wary beholders but put out the eyes of curious pryers However faith may look upon God with much comfort for reason to stare too much upon him is the way to lose her sight When she hath tired and wildered herself in searching after the true God her return must be Non est inventus He is not to be found at least not by me Faith onely can finde him out yet not to perfection neither although to salvation it may and doth § 5. Which is the latter kinde of knowledge above-mentioned and that I am now speaking to as attainable here Even the lowest rank of Christians whom John styleth his little children are described by their having known 1 John 2. 13. the father And because the new covenant runneth thus They shall all know Jerem. 31. 33. me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. But although it be most true that there is a saving knowledge of God attainable here yet for any man to presume that whatever knowledge of God he attaineth it will certainly save him is a most strong delusion For whereas there is a Natural and a Literal as well as a Spiritual knowledge it will be manifest by the sequel of this discourse that none is saving but the third The first is that which may be fetched out of the book of nature without any further manuduction of higher principles Antony the religious Monk when a certain Philosopher asked him how he did to live without books answered he had Socrat. Eccles histor lib. 4. cap. 23. the voluminous book of all the creatures to study upon and to contemplate God in Beleeve me said Bernard to his friend as one that speaketh out of experience Bern. epist 107. Aliquid amplius invenies in sylvis quà m in libra There is sometimes more to be found in woods then there is in books Trees and stones will teach thee that which is not to be learned from other masters The Book of Scripture without doubt hath the preeminence in worth by many degrees but that of the creatures had the precedency in time and was extant long before the written word We may therefore well begin with it EXERCITATION 2. That there is a God the prime dictate of natural light deducible from mans looking backward to the creation forward to the rewards and punishments dispensed after death upward to the Angels above us downwards to inferiour beings within our selves to the composition of our bodies and dictates of our consciences about us to the various occurrences in the world § 1. THere are six several acts which every man of understanding is able to exert in a way of contemplation He may respicere prospicere suspicere despicere inspicere and circumspicere Whosoever shall advisedly exercise any of these will undoubtedly meet with some demonstrations of a Deity much more if he be industriously conversant in them all I. If he do respicere look backward to the creation of the world which the light of nature will tell him had a beginning he will see and understand Exerc. 2. the invisible things of God by the things that Rom. 1. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hex are made even his eternal power and Godhead as Paul speaks Basil therefore called the world a school wherein reasonable souls are taught the knowledge of God In a musical instrument when we observe divers strings meet in an harmony we conclude that some skilfull musician tuned them when we see thousands of men in a field marshalled under several colours all yeelding exact obedience we infer that there is a General whose commands they are all subject to In a watch when we take notice of great and small wheels all so fitted as to concur to an orderly motion we acknowledge the skill of an artificer When we come into a Printing-house and see a great number of different letters so ordered as to make a book the consideration hereof maketh it evident that there is a composer by whose art they were brought into such a frame When we behold a fair building we conclude it had an architect a stately ship well rigged and safely conducted to the Port that it hath a Pilot. So here The visible world is such an Instrument Army Watch Book Building Ship as undeniably argueth a God who was and is the Tuner General and Artificer the Composer Architect and Pilot of it § 2. II. If he do prospicere look forwards to the rewards and punishments to be dispensed in another world which the heathens Elysium Vid. Livium Galant Christian Theolog cum Platonica comparat lib 12. pag. 341. sequent and Tartarus shew them to have had a sleight knowledge of by the light of nature he cannot but acknowledge some supreme Judge whom they are dispensed by and that he is a searcher of hearts wherein piety and sin do chiefly reside seeing it were impossible for him otherwise to pase righteous judgement without mistaking good for evil and evil for good Some discourses of Plato and some verses of Menander besides many other testimonies make it appear that the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menand these things was entertained by the wiser sort both of Philosophers and Poets and that which they held of a world to come is a topick sufficient to argue from for the being of a God in the world that is III. If he do suspicere look upwards to a rank of creatures above himself I mean good and evil spirits of which the heathens were not ignorant witness their large discourses of Demons of Intelligences and of a bonus malus Genius For if such creatures as Angels be acknowledged so good holy wise and powerfull as they are said to be by all that take notice of them they must have a maker better holier wiser and powerfuller then themselves seeing the cause is always more noble then the effect and hath that perfection which it communicates much more eminent in it self If there be Devils whose mischief and might are both of them so confessedly great there must needs be a God to restrain and countermand them else the world would soon be turned into a a mere hell full of nothing but abominations and confusion § 3. IV. If he do despicere look downward to things below himself whose nature is inferiour to that of man the contemplation of elements plants and brute beasts will extort the confession of a Deity The heavens declare Psal 19. 1. the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his
common souldier The vast Ocean overfloweth both the lowest sands and the highest rocks that of Gods pardoning grace removeth both the smaller prevarications and the grosser abominations of all such as are truly penitent beleevers VI. Blotting them out as in Davids petition Have mercy upon me O God according Psal 5. 1. to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wherein he alludeth to the custome of Creditours who use to set down what every one oweth and when debts are either forgiven or paid to blot them out Our sins are called debts in the Lords Prayer Christ as our surety hath given satisfaction to divine Justice for them When this is once apprehended and applied by a lively faith God issueth out a pardon drawing as it were the lines of Christs Cross over the lines of his debt-debt-book so as he may still see the sum we were indebted in but sees it cancelled never to be exacted more § 5. Be we then advertised from hence in the first place to acknowledge the singular goodness of God to us in this particular of forgiving our iniquity transgression and sin David in the place last cited speaketh of it as a special evidence of loving kindness and tender mercies The Apostles Creed having premised the articles concerning Christ by whom all blessings were procured for the Catholick Church when it comes to recite them nameth forgiveness of sins in the first place as the choisest priviledge on this side heaven And in that compendious prayer which our Saviour taught us there is a remarkable connexion of two petitions by a conjunctive particle not to be found in any of the former Give us this day our dayly bread And forgive us our trespasses To shew that as our dayly sins make us unworthy of dayly bread so there is no sweetness in them till the other be pardoned Bread and all other outward mercies a man may receive from an angry God pardon of sin never cometh but from favour and special love yea riches of grace as Paul expresseth it speaking of Christ In whom we have redemption Ephes 1. 7. through his bloud the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace § 6. In the second to beleeve and repent that we may be found in the number of those to whom this choice blessing is imparted Scripture telleth us men must be turned from darkness to Acts 26. 18. light from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in Christ Also that God hath exalted him with his right hand to be a Acts 5. 31. Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Observe the method Repentance first and then forgiveness God doth not bestow his distinguishing favours upon all men promiscuously Pardoning mercy doth indeed come from him with ease he is called a God ready to pardon but Nehem. 9. 17. droppeth not from him at unawares that I may allude to what Seneca said Sinum habet facilem sed non perforatum de benefic of his liberal man He will know whom he bestoweth his forgiveness upon Unbeleeving unrepenting sinners never obtained it faithfull penitents never yet went without it They may perhaps not be so sensible of it in times of temptation and of desertion but to make use of a known distinction whereas there is a double forgiveness one in the high Court of heaven of which the Lord speaketh in his answer to Solomons prayer Then will 1 Chron. 7. 14. I hear from heaven and forgive their sins all authentical pardons are coined there the stamping of them is a part of prerogative royal and it is no less then high treason in the Pope to have his mint of Indulgences going at Rome Another in the Court of conscience spoken of in the epistle to the Hebrews The worshippers once purged should have had no Hebr. 10. 2. more conscience of sins it may safely be asserted that forgiveness is certainly passed in the Court of heaven whensoever Christ is received by faith according to that Be it known unto you that through this man meaning Christ is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Yet may there for some space of time after this not determinable by any man be wanting a seal upon earth to this pardon and the beleever continue not so fully acquitted in the court of his own conscience as to be assured of forgiveness till the Lord hath taught him by experience to see and acknowledge that assurance of pardon is a free gift of his as well as faith or pardon it self § 7. In the third place To be followers Ephes 5. 1. and 4. 32. of God as dear children tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us We should First Forgive one another The equity and necessity whereof are both exceedingly pressed by our Saviour to the end we might not look at it either as unreasonable or as arbitrary The former by his parable in the eighteenth of Matthew The wrongs we suffer compared to the sins we commit are Matth. 18. from verse 23. to the end but as an hundred pence to ten thousand talents great odds both in number and weight for number ten thousand to one hundred and for weight the one sort are talents the other pence What more equal then that we who have so many talents forgiven us should be ready to forgive so few pence The latter in an express declaration annexed to the Lords prayer If ye forgive men their trespasses your Matth. 6. 14 15. heavenly Father will also forgive you But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses Whence it followeth that persons addicted to revenge so oft as they repeat that petition Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us do in effect make a dreadfull imprecation against themselves and fetch down a curse from heaven in stead of a blessing For he that saith with his tongue Lord I pray thee forgive me as I forgive others but meanwhile saith in his heart I cannot I will not forgive such an one doth he not by consequence say to God Forgive not me doth he not pronounce himself unworthy of pardon and in effect subscribe to the sentence of his own condemnation Yet alas how common a sin is revenge As the heart in the natural body is the first member that liveth and the last that dies so revenge in the heart is a lust that soonest appeareth in children and is often longest ere it be healed in the regenerate Molanus telleth us that the Christians Augustiâ—i seculo ad vocem Nobis quilibet Christianus pectus suum tundebat Jo.
Decrees Some innovatours there are indeed who have so modelled the mysterious Doctrine of Predestination as to leave little or nothing of mysterie in it Our Remonstrants think themselves able to wade where our Apostle was past his depth and forced to crie out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their way pretends to give a clear reason why one is elected another reprobated one converted another not but for my part I had much rather with St. Paul be ignorant still then over-learned that I say not over-sawcie with Arminius and his followers § 3. Secondly the Antiquitie 'T is from everlasting An eternal Decree So Paul According as he hath chosen us in Ephes 1. 4. him before the foundation of the world This expression notes eternity The kingdome we are elected to is said to have been prepared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the foundation Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared Math. 25. 34. for you from the foundation of the world in reference to the third heavens that place where the kingdome is to be set up and inherited which was in the beginning of time created by the builder and maker of it as God is stiled But the Decree whereby we were Hebr. 11. 10. designed thereunto to have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the foundation of the world That is from everlasting as may be further gathered from other phrases in the writings of our Apostle this by name Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our 2 Tim. 1. 9. works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began This both Erasmus and Calvin interpret of predestination Compare we it with another speech of the same Apostle to Titus In hope of eternal life which God that cannot Tit. 1. 2. lie promised before the world began The meaning whereof will no longer be obscure if it be considered that the first-born of election was Christ himself who applied to himself that which God said of old by the Prophet Isaiah Behold my servant whom I have chosen my beloved in whom my soul is well-pleased Matth. 12. 18. That certain persons were from eternity given to Christ whom the Father had constituted Head of all his elect to be his members by him brought to eternal blessedness according to what we read in St. Johns Gospel Thou hast given him power over all flesh John 17. 〈◊〉 that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him That in this transaction there passed promises from the Father to the Son in the behalf of himself and all his members And that this is the grace which was given us in Christ Jesus these the Promises of eternal life before the world began spoken Promisit vitam aeternam non tantum initio mundi praedicando eâ—m primis parentibus in paradiso sed etiam paciscendo de ea ante conditum mundum cum Filio designato mediatore nastro in soedere redemptionis David Dicson Exp sit Analytic in Tit. 1. 2. August l. de Praedestin grat cap. 5. of in the forecited places to Timothy and Titus upon the latter whereof I meet with the same Gloss from a Reverend Scotish writer whose name and words are here presented in the Margine I shall add no more concerning the antiquitie of this Decree save onely a brief saying of Austin Intra mundum facti sumus ante mundum electi sumus We were made within the world but chosen before it § 4. Thirdly the object of election is a definite number of particular persons singled out of the rest of mankinde We learn from St Luke that the Luke 18. 7. Elect cry unto God day and night And St John in his Apocalypse telleth us what one of their principal cries is They Rev. 6. 10 11. cried with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud As also what answer they had from heaven It was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season untill their fellow-servants and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled From the collation of which texts it may be inferred that their number is set and shall in due time be completed for that is the thing related to in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be fulfilled It is then a definite number and that of particular persons whose names are elsewhere said to be Luke 10. 20. Phil. 4. 3. written in the book of life Names in Scripture being often put for persons as in the Acts The number of names together Acts 1. 15. were about one hundred and twenty and in the Revelation In the earth-quake were Apocal. 11. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slain of men seven thousand it is in the original Names of men They do certainly shoot beside the mark who so confidently teach that predestination is terminated not upon persons but qualifications and that not this or that man in particular is elected or reprobated but onely in general whosoever beleeveth and persevereth belongeth to election whosoever continueth in unbelief to reprobation and that so as the same person may be to day under the one and to morrow under the other decree according to the change of his qualifications But if so it would not in likelyhood have been said The foundation of God standeth sure 2 Tim. 2. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Novit Deus qui sint sui Non quales sed qui. Rom. 9. 15 18. having this seal The Lord knoweth who are his but rather what kinde of men are his Nor to the Romanes I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy And again He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth which doth clearly relate to persons but rather what sort he will § 5. Against what hath been said in this and the former paragraph there are two principal objections whereof neither is to be waved lest it should be thought unanswerable The first is borrowed from philosophy and runs thus Acts suppose the being of their objects The decrees of God are divine acts and therefore could not pass upon mens particular persons before the world was because there were then none in being I answer that whereas the Acts of God are either Immanent abiding within or Transient passing from him and terminated upon somewhat without himself His transient Acts do either suppose or produce the being of their objects suppose it as his Rewarding and Punishing produce it as his creating acts But those that are immanent of which rank his Decrees are do not necessarily require the preexistence of their objects in esse reali in a way of reality for it sufficeth that they have it in esse cognito in the forekowledge of God Jesus Christ our Mediatour is styled a Lambe foreordained before
elsewhere We are bound to give thanks alwaies to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God 2 Thes 2. 13. hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth Here we finde not onely Sanctification in general but faith which is the flower of holiness derived from Election The same Apostle stiles it The faith of Gods elect Tit. 1. 1. And St. Luke in the Acts speaking of the success which St. Pauls preaching had among the Gentiles saith expresly As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Acts 13. 48. A Text which the soundest divines look at as a most pregnant place to prove a causal influence of Divine Predestination upon the work of saving faith Others I know there are and they not a few nor inconsiderable who have strongly endeavoured to turn the edge and strength of this place another way by rendering the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as we do Ordained but Disposed or well-affected to eternal life Unto whose corrupt Gloss I oppose the following considerations First If it were to be so read then all that heard the Apostles Sermon there recorded even all and every one without exception should have beleeved seeing there is not a man in the world and therefore none in that congregation who was not disposed and well-affected to the reward of eternal life the will of man being necessarily carried to the desire of blessedness which none are so bruitish as not to affect for that unto which these are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not conversion but life eternal Secondly Disposedness in their sense doth not alwaies precede faith nor faith alwaies follow it When Saul was in the full career of his persecuting madness against the Saints what disposedness was there in him unto conversion unless fury be a disposition to faith yet then did he first believe In that young man who came to our Saviour of whom it is testified That he was not far from the kingdome of God which of their dispositions was wanting yet he went away sorrowfull and believed not Thirdly Faith it self is the first saving disposition that any man hath because it first laies hold upon Christ and of life by him in so much as none is formally disposed to eternal life till he have believed Fourthly St. Luke doth no where use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either in his Gospel or in the Acts for disposedness but for ordination and constitution divers times therefore our reading here As many as were ordained to eternal life is to be retained § 8. But learned Grotius will by no means allow of this interpretation They saith he who apply this Text to Predestination Nihil vident see nothing at all Yet by his favour a man that saw as far into the Mysteries of Divinity as also into the idioms of the Greek tongue as Grotius himself be it spoken without disparagement to his great learning Chrysostom I mean applys it so in his Commentary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Hom. 30. in Act. Apost upon the place And his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded Erasmus translates Praefiniti à Deo Predestinated of God Three things are alleadged by Grotius for overthrowing of this sense but all in vain His first plea is that 't is not usual for all of a city a congregation that are predestinated to believe at one and the same time therefore that which we assert is not like to be the meaning here For answer I acknowledge it is not usual no more is it to have three thousand inhabitants of one city brought in to God on one day But what if God willing to glorifie his Gospel and the power of converting Grace as he called three thousand Jews in one day by Peters Ministry Acts the second so here by St. Pauls at his first solemn undertaking to preach unto the Gentiles Acts the 13. were pleased to work upon as many in that congregation as did belong to the election of grace shall any man dare to prescribe and plead custome to the contrary His second Argument runs thus All that truely believe are not Predestinated unto life Therefore that for which we contend is not to be thought a proper sense Answer This reason is founded upon a grand mistake viz. That faith is common to all whether elect or non-elect although Paul stile it the Faith of Gods elect as before and Christ tels the Jews Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep John 10. 26. He argues in the third place from St. Lukes unacquaintedness with the secrets of God It was not in his power to tell who of that company were elected who not therefore by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he must not be conceived to have understood such as were in that sense ordained to eternal life I answer Although the pen-man did not the inditer viz. the Holy Ghost did exactly know whose names were written in the book of life and whose were not Now he it was that in the history of the Acts suggested and dedicated to his secretary both matter and words § 9. The second product of election is happiness hereafter Accordingly the objects of this Decree are those whom God hath not appointed unto wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus 1 Thes 5. 9. Christ Salvation is that which they are said to be chosen to and that wherein their names are written called The 2 Thes 2. 13. book of life For as in military affairs Phil. 4. 3. Commanders have their Muster-rolls wherein are contained the names of all the souldiers whom they have listed whence the phrase of Conscribere milites and in Common-wealths there are Registries kept wherein are recorded the names of such as are chosen to offices of trust and other preferments whence the title of Patres conscripti ascribed to the Senators of Rome So the Scripture condescending to our capacities and speaking of God after the manner of men attributeth to him a book of life wherein it supposeth a legible writing and Registring the names of all those persons whom he hath irreversibly predestinated to life everlasting I say irreversibly for if that of Stoicks be true In sapientum decretis nulla est litura In the decrees of wise men there will be no blotting and blurring how much more may it be asserted concerning those eternal Decrees of the onely wise God If it became Pilate to say What I have written I have written it would certainly mis-become the great John 19. 22. God to blot so much as one name out of the Lambs book of life written by himself before the world was We may take it for granted that this book will not admit of any Deleatur or of any See my Tactica Sacra lib. 3. cap. 2. §. 9 10 11. sequent Expurgatorie Index whatever
some pretend to the contrary whose arguments have been elsewhere sufficiently answered I shall onely here propound and endeavour to satisfie another objection whereof no mention is there made Paul knew himself to be a chosen vessel for Ananias had told him Acts 9. 15. so from Christs own mouth yet speaks of himself as of one in some danger at least in some possibility of becomming a Reprobate in these words I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any 1 Cor. 9. 27. means when I have preached to others I my self should be a castaway or as other translations have it a Reprobate Ergo the decree of Election is not irreversible Resp To prepare the way for a full answer let it be considered 1. That the places cited in the objection are not fitly opposed because the former is not necessarily to be understood of election to salvation but may probably be limited to Pauls being chosen an Apostle Neither is the latter infallibly meant of that reprobation which is contradistinct to the said election but of somewhat else Yea although it be true and may strongly be inferred from other texts that Paul knew his own election to life eternal the reprobation spoken of in the end of the verse is not to be taken in the most rigid sense but in a milder 2. That our Apostle according to his custome in sundry epistles was in the end of this chapter fallen upon the use of terms agonistical borrowed from the Olympick and other Grecian games in that age as appeareth in the foregoing verses Know ye not that they 1 Cor. 9. 24 25 26. who run in a race c. Every man that striveth for the mastery c. I so run not as uncertainly So fight I not as one that beateth the air And that in the last verse he hath no less then four allusions to these exercises One in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cuffing wherein the combatants were wont with their blows to make one another livid under their eyes so did he by acts of mortification beat himself as it were black and blue A second in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the exercise of wrestling wherein the antagonists mutually strove to cast each other to the ground and to keep them under So he the better to subdue his body of sin was carefull to keep down his body of flesh which if pampered is apt to rebell A third in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We reade in the second to Timothy chapter the second verse the fifth of their striving lawfully that is according to the rules and laws prescribed for that game respectively in which they were to strive for the mastery The officer by whom these laws were propounded to the combatants was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul in allusion thereunto saith of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because in the discharge of his Apostolical office he had acquainted them with the rules laws of Christianity A fourth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unapproved a term of disgrace put upon those whom such as were to judge and pass sentence upon the combatants disallowed Whereas those whom the judges rewarded were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 approved ones 3. That this unapprovedness may either relate to God himself or to good men If to God the supreme judge then whosoever carrieth himself amiss in any particular course of living offendeth the Lord falleth under his fatherly displeasure and is as to this particular a person disallowed and rejected how firm soever his station may be as to the main If to good men who are subordinately to judge of their preachers doctrine and conversation a teacher is then said to be unapproved of them when upon observation of some unfaithfulness or looseness in his demeanour some sensuality or unlawfull indulgence to his body they begin to disesteem him in comparison of what they did before yea perhaps to cast him out of their affections and of their prayers of which till then he was a partaker These things premised let it now be observed whether the meaning of the place contested about be not clearly this or to this effect I Paul well remembring what I am a member and minister of Jesus Christ am and shall continue carefull to exercise my self in all the duties of mortification not making provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof lest I who by mine office am bound to declare unto others the grand rules of Christian practise particularly of temperance which I urged but now saying Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things should by any sensual demeanour of mine own not onely prove a castaway as to the esteem I formerly had in the hearts and consciences of good people and to the interest I enjoyed in their devotion which I should account a loss far exceeding that of honour or estate but also fall under the wrath and fatherly displeasure of my God and be cast out of fellowship with him though but for a short space of time which to me who have lived in the sense of it under the constant light of his countenance and found his loving kindness better then life would be worse then any death And if this really be the utmost importance of the text as for ought I know it is without extending it to further or other kinde of reprobation I hope the objection built upon it will not need any further or other kinde of answer § 10. Fifthly The Cause of divine Electionis tuae causam in te quaere nec invenies quod quaeris quod invenisse te existimas jam perdidisti quia ibi quaeris Heins homil in Job 17. 9. pag. 38. election about which the world is so filled with disputes is not to be found in any thing without God himself the disputers indeed of this world lay out many thoughts and put out many books concerning such contrivements as our corrupt reason would perhaps better allow and our corrupt wils better affect but holy Scripture resolveth all into the sole will of God the good pleasure and Counsel whereof the Apostle celebrateth as the causes of our predestination Having predestinated us Ephes 1. 5 11. unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will And again Being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will Words so very plain and full as would certainly have put an end to altercations and silenced disputes in these points but that corrupt reason is extremely talkative and the wisdome of flesh direct enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. and therefore such as will never yield till its corruption be removed for enmity cannot be reconciled the enemies may Whence that excellent speech of Melancthon worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance Dulcescet nostra de predestinatione sententia ubi impiae rationis judicium
much as he doth not will to all men the chief good viz. eternal life he is said to hate and to reprobate them § 3. Fourthly His purpose was to deny unto the non-elect that special grace which brings infallibly to glory those whom God bestows it upon No creature can challenge effectual grace at the hands of God as a due debt either to his nature or to his labour There be many that speak and write of God sawcily as if he were bound to give this and that and the other grace even where they can produce no promise by which he hath made himself a debtour I cannot but commend the zeal of Peter Lombard against such men To me saith he this word Vt mihi videtur hoc verbum Debet venenum habet nec Deo proprie competit qui non est debito◠nobis nisi forte ex promisso Lib. 1. sententiarum Dist 43. He ought or he is bound seems to have much poyson in it and cannot be properly applied to God who is no debtour to us save onely in those cases wherein he hath passed some promise Sure I am our Saviour telleth his Disciples plainly It is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven but to them it is not given Matth. 13. 11. And the housholder in the Parable stops the mouths of those murmurers that repined as expecting more from him then it was his pleasure to give with the sole consideration of its being his will to have it so Friend I do thee no wrong Take what is Matth. 20. v. 10 13 14 15. thine I will give to this last even as unto thee Is it not lawfull for me to do what I will with mine own Fifthly The consequents of the forementioned denials are 1. Permission of sin particularly of unbelief John 10. 46. Ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep 2. Obduration in sin Romans 9. 18. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth 3. Condemnation for sin Revel 20. 15. Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire This last is that which by Divines is usually styled Positive Reprobation and is clearly distinguishable from the Negative in that the one is an act of punitive justice respecting sin committed and continued in But the other an absolute decree of Gods most free and Sovereign Will without respect to any disposition in the creature I call them consequents not effects because though Negative Reprobation be antecedent to them all it is not the proper cause of them This difference between the decrees Aquinas long since took notice of Election saith he Thom. part 1. quaest 23. Artic 3. ad ◠um is a proper cause both of that glory which the Elect look for hereafter and of that grace which here they enjoy Whereas Reprobation is not the cause of the present sins of the non-elect though it be of Gods forsaking them but their sin proceeds from the parties themselves so passed by and forsaken But I am under a promise of brevity and therefore shall add no more but onely advise the English Reader who is desirous of further information in these deep points to procure and peruse that excellent piece of the profound Doctor Davenant printed at Cambridge Ann. 1641. under this Title Animadversions written by the right Reverend John Bishop of Salisbury upon a Treatise intituled Gods love to mankinde where he will not onely meet with the doctrine of Predestination modestly handled but also with ample satisfaction to most of those wicked cavils which flesh and bloud have been wont to suggest against it § 4. Having thus finished that preamble which the daring Heterodoxie of some modern writers put me upon a necessity of I proceed to the making good of two Assertions tending to cleare the former part of our present Aphorisme viz. That the Goodness of God is abundantly manifested in his Decree of our Election and his Greatness no less in that of Preterition In order to a demonstration of the former I desire to have it considered how free how peculiar how ancient how leading how lasting a favour Election is First A free favour It is therefore called Election of Grace and spoken of Roman 11. 5. as tending to the praise of the glorie of free grace The Lambs book of life Ephes 1. 6. so named because the Lamb Jesus stands there inrolled in the head of it as the head of all the Elect and the Captain of that salvation whereunto they are chosen is a book of love Behold my servant whom I have chosen my beloved Ma◠12. 18. in whom my soul is well pleased It was so said of Christ and may be applied to all the Elect in their measure Hence Paul stileth his Thessalonians Brethren beloved of the Lord because God had chosen 2 Thess 2. 13. them to salvation and God expresseth the Election of Jacob by Jacob have I loved to shew that free love on Gods part is the fountain of this favour We love persons or things because they are lovely God loveth them first after makes them lovely then loves them more for being so The cause of our love is in the objects of Gods in himself we are predestinated aster the Ephes 1. 11. counsel of his own will not after the good inclinations of ours Secondly A peculiar favour Rarity much enhaunceth a benefit Immunities and priviledges are therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Privilegium gaudet paucitate much valued and stood upon because they are not common to many and are therefore more rejoyced in because but few partake of them There were but eight persons saved from the Deluge of waters in Noahs time who is accordingly said to have fround grace in Gen. 6. 8. the eyes of the Lord in that he and his were preserved when all the world beside perished And in regard the Deluge of fire that came upon Sodom and Gomorrah swept away all the other inhabitants but Lot onely and his nearest relations were exempted from it God is said to have magnified his mercy toward them as Lot acknowledged saying Behold thy servant hath found Gen. 19. 19. grace in thy sight and thou hast magnified thy mercie which thou hast shewed unto me We should all have perished in the Deluge of fiery indignation had not God elected some few whom he hath not appointed to wrath but to obtain salvation by 1 Thess 5. 9. our Lord Jesus Christ. They are but few as Scripture tels us again and again Many are called but few chosen Mat 20. 16. 22. 14. The goodness of God is therefore to be more acknowledged in so peculiar a favour § 5. 3ly An ancient favour Old things if evil are so much the worse for that Old leaven is to be purged out and the 1 Cor. 5. 7. Ephes 4. 21. old man to be put off But every