Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	apostle_n	faith_n	grace_n	1,407	5	5.8253	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96265	A discovery, and confutation of the opinions, and practises of some false brethren, betwixt Bridge, and Lincolne: shewing how they agree in their opinions, with Pelagians; Papists; Arminians; in their practises, with Anabaptists. Wherein univerall redemption is confuted; and Gods absolute decree confirmed. / By John Wetherall, minister of Spridlington, near Lincolne. March 22. 1651. Imprimatur. John Downame.	Wetherall, John, minister of Spridlington.	1652 (1652)	Wing W1523; Thomason E661_1; ESTC R206761	53,660	88

persevere to the end whilest they are yet alive The Minor is true for they are the words of S. Luke and S. John ut suprà and I could prove it out of a hundred places therefore the Conclusion cannot be false Perseverance can be no condition in the Object of Election They even all of them Universalists Papists Arminians defend falling away from Grace and they prove it de facto by a fearfull Argument for they themselves have faln from the Faith and the Reformed Churches Arg. 2. They who were given to Christ antecedenter ad Fidem that they might be Faithfull they were Elect antecedenter ad Fidem that they might have Faith and Perseveranee not because they were such but some are given to Christ that they might have Faith and Perseverance therefore they were elect that they might be Faithfull not for their Faith the Major none can deny and the Minor may be proved out of Ephes 1. 4. Hee hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that wee should bee holy and without blame before him not because we were holy the Apostle saith the same Ephes 2. 10. Faith is the fruit not the tree the Effect not the Cause of Election we are elected to faith not for faith antecedenter ad fidem as I said not propter fidem there is no other Cause of our Election but only the Will of God Nay more the mediation of Christ is not the Cause of Gods Decree but Gods Decree è contra is the Cause of Christs mediation he Predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his owne will Ephes 1. 5. The Jewes were rejected for their unbeliefe the Gentiles were not elected for their Faith but they stood by Faith Rom. 11. 20. We never read that any People or particular Nation was elected for their Faith the contrary we often read as Deut. 7. 7. 8. Ezek. 16. First the Lord saith this is my People before the People can say the Lord is our God Zach. 13. 9. Vera Electio non invenit sed facit fideles true Election finds us not but makes us faithfull Qui enim de mundo mundum eligi fecit quod eligeret non invenit saith Augustin in Joh. 15. God chose a World out of the World for nothing that was in the World Indeed Arminius stands to it stoutly that Faith in Gods Decree of Election doth in order goe before not follow Election But yet that old Axiome is and will be truth when Heresies and Hereticks are dead with the Devill their Father Deus in negotio Predestinationis non egreditur extràse God in Predestination goes not out of himselfe Arg. 3. The Scriptures teach us that on some God will shew Mercy on others his Justice Exod. 33. 19. Rom. 9. 22. 23. of his owne Free Will or good pleasure which proves that Election is neither for Faith nor of all Of the same Clay the Potter maketh both the Vessels that serve for cleane uses and likewise also such as serve to the contrary but what is the use of either sort the Potter himselfe is the Judge Wisedome 15. 7. O house of Israel can not I doe with you as the Potter saith the Lord Behold as the clay is in the Potters hand so are ye in mine O house of Israel Jer. 18. 6. And if any man will strive against God for doing with us as he pleaseth the Prophet Isaiah pronounceth a woe against such an one Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker Let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth shall the Clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou Woe unto him that saith to his Father what begettest thou c. Isa 45. 9. 10. God hath got the upper ground doe not contend against him Arg. 4. Christ saith hee had sheep among the Gentiles Other sheep I have that are not of this fold John 10. 16 Therefore God had much people among them that had not heard of him now this cannot be by Election or in the Decree and Eternall Counsell of God therefore there is a singular Election even of such as never had Faith Arg. 5. Our Adversaries might remember Christ sayth But many are called and fewer chosen Matt. 20. 16. 22. 14. From which words it followes there is neither an universall Vocation nor an universall Election but I touched these things before and shall heereafter when I come to prove Gods absolute Decree Their Universall Vocation is of the same stampe with their Universall Election as counterfet coyne I proved it before and I may adde further This Opinion necessarily implies that God gives grace and means sufficient for salvation to all men and supposes that there is no mortall man old or yong Christian or Pagan from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof but God reveales to him the means of salvation and at least in some instant of his life he sets him in such a state that he may enjoy the means if he will and be saved the Consequence is thus proved because if God will onely save such as use the means of salvation well and damn such as use them ill and that consequently because they use them well or ill then he must in justice reveale and exhibit these means unto them because no man by himselfe can recover them and hee must reveale and exhibite them to man when he is in such a state that he hath the use of his Free Will as a King that wills the safety of his Subjects on condition that they keep his Lawes is bound to publish and make his Lawes known unto them else if he execute any of them it must be upon a new point and not upon their not keeping his Lawes so also it is impossible that God should reprobate any for the ill use of his grace and contempt of the means of salvation that never had those meanes nor ever heard of his grace as many millions of people in all Ages have beene and now are The first sort whereof are Infants that either die in the womb or unbaptized or reach not to years of discretion and the use of reason and Free Will now Predestination is of no other reason in Infants then in Old folke but upon the same grounds and in the same maner that God wills the salvation of the one he wills the salvation of the other then let the Universalist tell me how the means of salvation is applied to Infants or how they can make use of the means The second sort that never had or heard of the means of salvation are Idiots such as are born Naturalls without the use of Reason of whom the same may be sayd that is of Infants that for want of Reason and the use of Free Will they cannot be said to have sufficient means for to the sufficiency of the meanes must concurre not only the perfection of the helpe revealed but also the ability of

the Inke passively and brings nothing of its owne to the writing but being written on it becommeth an Instrument with me of the writing so is it in the Will of man at his Conversion It is God only that doth justifie Rom. 8. 33. For it is he onely that forgiveth sins Esa 43. 25. It is he only that can by makeing us righteous in Christ gives us right and title to the Kingdome of Heaven It is no action therefore of our owne or of any Creature neither is it wrought by our owne Preparations and Dispositions For although every man is bound to use all Meanes to attaine to Justification Yet it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. For if God bee the Agent in justifying us then are We the Patients and for that cause we are never in the Scriptures exhorted to justification or to the parts thereof which are not our officia or duties but Gods beneficia or blessings as we are to the duties of sanctification whereunto we being already justified and regenerated doe cooperate with the Spirit of Grace If the Sonne have made us free wee shall be free indeed Rom. 8. 36. We are made free for of our selves we are the servants of sinne Rom. 6. 18. 20. Better is it to ascribe too little then too much to Free Will if I offend be it rather in giving more to Gods Grace Absur 7. Seventhly hence it follows that Predestination is mutable all things being forelaid which are necessary sufficient for perseverance it remaineth still in the power of man to persevere or not to persevere saith Bertius in his Booke of the Apostacy of Saints and he endeavoureth to prove this bold I had almost said blasphemous Assertion by divers Texts of Scripture Non esse hominum alios ad vitam alios ad mortem aut perditionem deputatos sed de salute ad perditionem de perditione ad salutem transire posse there are not any particulars appoynted to life or death but they may passe from either state to the other sayd Pelagius and numerus Electorum potest augeri ac minui the number of the Elect may be lesse or more sayd G●evincho Thes exhibit pag. 137. Then Paul may or may not be saved and whosoever is Predestinated is but contingently Predestinated if he persevere then the Authour to the Hebrewes is out where he saith the Counsell of God is immutable Heb. 6. 17. Then the Papists may say there is no Predestination of the Reprobate they are onely fore-knowne which is true in sano sensu but not in their sence Absurd 8. Eightly hence it followes all men are disposed and ordained of God so as they may obtaine Eternall Life if they will their Predestination being like unto an Hypotheticall Proposition Absurd 9. Ninthly hence follows falling from Grace that the Seale of Gods Election is not sure that some who were given to Christ may be lost Or as if after our Regeneration there were as at our Creation a posse mori we might die from God woe to man if his condition were the same in the second Adam that it was in the first Indeed sides quae creditur may be forsaken but from or a side qua creditur we cannot fall away It is contrary to the sixteenth Article which is against a totall and finall falling from Grace for the Article speakes of falling into sinne after Baptisme and rising againe by the same Grace Now he that falleth finally cannot rise againe and he that falleth totally from Grace cannot rise againe by the Grace he had received because he is supposed to have lost all the Grace he received The Reformed Churches all of them united disclaime the Doctrine of falling from Grace Indeed the Righteousnesse required by the Law may be lost and it is of that the Prophet speakes Ezek. 18. But the Righteousnesse promised by the Gospel cannot be lost Card. Bellarm. himselfe speakes truth sometimes in this particular touching the Apostacy of Saints it is true saith he that the Predestinated or Elected are in no danger of losing Eternall Life and that the terrifying threats used by the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures are to this end to stirre up the Elect to watchfulnesse and diligence Lib. 3. de Justif cap. 12. so that Motives they are to and Meanes of Perseverance no Arguments at all to prove the Saints Apostacy Absurd 10. Tenthly hence Justification by God onely is utterly overthrowne even in the Nature of it which signifies justum facere to make just not invenire to finde us just for Justification is the Action of God without us To the Faithfull there belongeth a two fold Righteousnes the one of Justification the other of Sanctification the former is the Righteousnesse of Christ and therefore the Righteousnesse of God because it is the Righteousnesse of him that is God and is imputed onely to the Believer The latter is ours because inherent in us though received from God as all our good things are of this second there is no question and the first being ab extra cannot be from our fore-seene Faith or Workes Absurd 11. Eleventhly hence it followes that God cannot tell who are his till they persevere to the end and therefore Arminius was forced to make the Object of Gods Decree onely qui vixerunt quoties fideles statuimus objectum Electionis toties nos fidem perseverantiam in fide conjungimus saith Grevinchovius Our Register Bookes must first be given in such a man dyed such a day before his name can be written in the Register Booke of God contrary to Act. 9. 15. where Paul is called a chosen Vessell even whilst he was a Persecutor and was going to Damascus with that intent and contrary to Act. 13. 48. where in the first instance of their Conversion it is sayd As many as were ordained to eternall life did believe Absurd 12. Lastly Universall Grace or Universall Redemption was the opinion of that wicked Heretick Pelagius condemned in a Generall Councell held at Malta about the yeare 425. against the Pelagians and Donatists at which Augustine was present and 214. Bishops and at a Counsell in Affrick where all the Provinces came together in the time of Boniface and Celestine Bishops of Rome to condemne Pelagius Prosper in an Epistle which hee writ to Augustine de Reliquiis Pelagianae Haereseos hath these words Hane Pelagianorum definitionem professionemesse Universis hominibus propitiationem quae est in sacramento sanguinis Chriti sine exceptione esse propositam pro Universo humano genere mortuum esse Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum neminem prorsus a Redemptione sanguin●s ejus exceptum etiamsi omnem hanc vitam alienissimam ab eo mente pertranseat that is the Pelagians professe that the propitiation into or by the bloud of Christ without exception is common to all that Christ died for all mankinde and none is excepted although he be all

Charity and thus the Ministers may and doe apply Christs death and Redemption to All. There are many Objections of lesser Consequence but why should I teach my Adversaries who are as wilfull as they would be wicked the greatest comfort I have is that if I cannot convert them which I hope yet a vessell can hold no more then it is able to contain I conclude this Poynt therefore with that of Aquinas Christs merit according to the sufficiency thereof carrieth it self indifferently to all but not according to the Efficacy which comes to passe partly by Gods Election through which the effect of Christs merits is mercifully bestowed on some and partly by the just Judgements of Gods withholding his Grace from other some Now to fortifie rivet all this Building by yet more impregnable Reasons I will prove it no cruelty in God to doe with his Creature what he pleaseth that God may elect or reject whom he list and that there is no other cause of Gods Decree of Election but his owne Will The fancies of our Universalists I will confute by these Theses following I assert therefore That Predestination is an eternall Decree of God in time causing effectuall Grace in all those whom he hath chosen and by this effectuall Grace bringing them infallibly to Glory Now this Election or Dilection of some supposeth a passing by of others and a leaving them to their owne selves the cause of both is nothing else but the Will of God The Parts of this Decree are two Election and Reprobation the first Gods absolute Decree of preparing that Grace for some which will preserve them the second Gods absolute Decree of not preparing for others that Grace which would preserve them Now these Decrees are not founded upon any different foreseene Acts of men but upon the alone Will of God which is the most absolute supreame and soveraigne Cause of all things that are having nothing either above it selfe or out of it selfe to be any impulsive Cause to move or incline it Indeed mens Wils are moved and disposed by externall Causes out of themselves because they are to be ruled by Equity and Reason and a mans bare Will without a Reason is nothing but Gods Will is not ruled by another Will or Rule of Reason or Justice but it selfe is an absolute Rule both of Justice and Reason A thing is not first of all reasonable and just and afterward willed by God but it is first of all willed by God and thereupon it becomes reasonable and just Volitiones purè conditionales sunt alienae a sapientia divina Decrees meerly Conditionall agree not with the perfection of the Divine Nature such Volitions or Decrees are for us who have neither Knowledge whether the condition will be performed nor power to worke the condition upon which the future Act of our Will was suspended But in God who knoweth what every man will or will not do and hath power to make men do the good he will these Conditionall Decrees are not purely but mixtly Conditionall that is grounded on some absolute revealed Decree of God to the performance whereof he hath tied himselfe And we ought to observe that Reprobation and Damnation differ exceedingly much Reprobation is a bare passing by Damnation a punishment Ineptè faciunt qui Reprobationis decretum cum Damnatione confundunt cum hujus causa manifestà sit nempe peccatum illius vero sola Dei Voluntas Beza They are very simple that seen ot the difference twixt Reprobation and Damnation Gods Will is Cause of the first sinne of the last Peccatum non est Causa Rejectionis sed est Causa Damnationis Zanchy sinne is not the Cause of Reprobation but of Damnation Reprobation is not a deniall of sufficient Grace but a deniall of such speciall Grace as God knoweth would infallibly bring men to Glory and this Decree doth not shut up any man under a necessity of sinning or of being damned but it permitteth men volun●arily and freely to run into damnable sinnes and through their voluntary impenitency to incurre eternall damnation for the Sentence of Damnation lays not hold on men quà non electi sed quà impii not as non-elect but as wicked It is contrary to Gods nature causelesly and cruelly to destroy his creatures but it is not contrary to his nature to decree out of his mercy to bestow Grace and Mercy on some and to Decree out of the liberty of his Will to permit others through their owne voluntary default by abusing the meanes of Grace that is given them to fall into eternal misery he hath mercy on whom he will Exo. 33. 19. If man had been created Wicked or Evill then God had not had just occasion to punish the wickednesse whereof he himselfe was the Authour and Maker but being created good and having given him power to stand hee may justly punish him if he fall From this Decree of Preterition or Reprobation it well followeth Judas is reprobated therefore he will not use the meanes that God offereth for his salvation but it is not a good Consequence to say therefore God hath not given him sufficient meanes or remedies to escape damnation were not his owne wicked Will the onely hinderance These two Propositions may stand together I will that if Judas repent and believe he shall have remission and salvation I will not give unto Judas the gift of Repentance or Faith that he may attaine salvation As it is sencelesse to say Gods Decree of giving Faith to Peter was suspended till Peters Faith and Repentance so it is as sencelesse to say Gods permitting Judas to dye in Unbeliefe and Impenitency was grounded upon his Unbeliefe and Impenitency It 's true the Fathers were sparing in this Poynt till that Monster Pelagianisme was Midwifed into the World and yet Deus in negotio Predestinationis non egreditur extra se and the Cause of Predestination is sola Dei Voluntas so sayd all the Fathers and so say the best Reformed Churches for I say the Lutherans are yet defective in their Omnipresence and fore-seene Faith then how can there be any consideration of fore-seene Faith and Workes God goes out of himselfe if he have regard to Faith Perseverance or any thing that is not intrà se is it not non-sence to say the Decree of Predestination is intrà se if God have respect to any thing extra se And if any object that God doth nothing therefore not Reprobate without a Reason I say his Will is Reason sufficient doe we say and pray thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven and yet deny it in Predestination the Psalmist doth prove it true in despite of proud man Our God hath done whatsoever pleased him in Heaven and Earth Psal 135. 6. He did worke and he doth worke all things after the Councell of his owne Will Ephes 1. 5. Rom. 9. 19. Suppose that I with others come for entertainment to such a Gentlemans

house may hee not take them in and refuse to afford me that favour and for no other Reason but because he will not If I should say Sir shew mee a Reason wherefore you reject mee may he not answer it is because he will not accept me must there needs be a quarrell or hee may not So heere must there needs be infidelity evill Workes Originall sinne or some other ill condition in me or else God may not do with his owne as he lift sure none will say so against themselves then how can they suppose it so of God The Master whose Scholers we may nay wee must be Mat. 20. 15. said it was lawfull for him to doe with his owne as hee lifted and may not God have the same leave as that Parable seems to prove Stat pro ratione voluntas is most proper to Almighty God Reprobation by it selfe considered is no punishment therefore it supposeth no fault the name signifieth no more but not to allow of sola voluntas decretum beneplacitum propositum Dei all or any of these cannot stand with the fore-sight of Faith or Infidelity good or evill Workes Indeed God foresees all sinnes Originall and Actuall it were Atheisme to deny it but that any sin Originall or Actuall ought to goe before the first Act of God called Reprobation I utterly deny let them call Faith Infidelity good and evill Workes but Objects Motives Reasons Circumstances considerable in Gods Decree yet if they looke into their Logicke it will let them see that the least of Causes Causa sine quâ non is yet a Cause and God if hee regard any thing but his owne Will in Election or Reprobation must goe extrase to say as they say to salve the Justice of God that he could not Elect without looking on man in massa Corrupta and yet that he did not consider it as any Reason of his Decree is without Reason I know my wise Adversaries the Black-smith or whosoever sent abroad that bable Object against these things and so do the Papists because they will not seeme to play the Fooles without Reason that by this it followes the Freedome of mans Will must perish Gods Glory is obscured saith Mr. T. if he punish necessitated wickednesses The Papists and Pelagians are of this Opinion then a Murtherer saith Pighius when he killeth a man may be excused because he hath executed the Decree of God then all care diligence and endeavour is taken away if our Thoughts Words Deeds be determined of God to such I may answer or aske this Question Can they doe any thing that God hath not decreed They are almost Atheists that say they can then it followes they can doe nothing but it is decreed Let Pet. Mart. answer for me part 3. pa. 6. I wonder saith he speaking of these and other Objections of Pighius that any Divine could let such an old Wifes Talecome out of his mouth Can Judas be excused of his wicked treason against our Saviour because he heard the Lord fore-tell his mischievous designe John 13. 21. So then it is a simple nay it is a sinfull thing to excuse any sinne by the eternall or absolute Decree of God it is his owne Will not the Will of God that the mischiefe-munger or the murtherer regards he cannot doe otherwise nay but aske himselfe and hee 'l say he will not Such as maintaine Gods absolute Decree hold necessity infallibilitatis not coactionis they say that God determines mans Will and yet it is Free as I shewed before and followes the dictate of its owne Intellect to reason thus God hath eternally fore-seene Judas his impenitency therefore decreed him to eternall damnation therefore Judas shal infallibly continue impenitent and at length be damned is a true inference but this God hath eternally fore-seene Judas his impenitency therefore Judas shall by coaction or compulsion of his Will be made unalterably impenitent and so be damned is a false Conclusion The Agent is yet as free as if God had not foreseene the absolute will of God to worke faith repentance c. in Peter maketh not these actions compulsory but maketh the agent most free for it giveth him that spirit of which the Apostle sayth ubi spiritus ibi libertas true and perfect liberty and Gods Spirit goe both together and e contra non-Election denieth men that Grace which would effectually and infallibly make them produce good Actions but it depriveth them not of their owne naturall freedome neither doth it compell them to evill actions Divina Voluntas non tollit potentiam ad oppositum God hath determined to permit men to faile in attaining eternall life but he is not Authour of their sinnes whereby they incur eternall death In good Actions the Freedome of men Elected is not vaine though the End be determined because God hath determined together with the End that by their free Actions they shall attaine it and in bad their Freedome is not vaine because thereby their Consciences are convinced of their guilt and Gods Justice cleared in their damnation Reprobation and the permission thereto annexed importeth not a witholding of Grace necessary for the avoyding of sinne so permitted much lesse a necessitation of Sinners to their severall sinnes but a witholding of all Grace which would de facto be effectuall to the avoyding of sinne so that sinne flowes not from this 〈◊〉 and Permission as an Effect from the Cause but 〈◊〉 Consequence from the Antecedent necessitate infallibilitatis as the Sunne witholding his Beames causeth not darknesse yet darknesse is a Consequent Neither doth this Preterition or Reprobation imply a substraction of any Graces or helpes obtained but a non-Donation of such Graces without which God foresaw that Reprobates out of their own Free-Will would infallibly perish in their sins Deo Reprobante non irrogatur aliquid quo homo fit deterior sed tantùm non irrogatur quo fiat melior man is not made worser but he is not made better by this Act of Preterition or Reprobation Nay there is not only a bare permissive but there is also an energeticall and operative Will in God conjoyned with the permissive Will and this operative or energeticall Will of God is apparent in these six Circumstances 1. God eternally decreeth and accordingly when sinfull Actions are committed giveth the sinner power and use of Understanding and Free Will without which he could not sinne 2. God thereby eternally decreed to concurre and doth concurre ad materialem actum peccati to the sinne as it is an Action 3. God decreed the Circumstances or Occasions good as from God whereupon he saw the sinner would make evill use and sinne 4. God decreed to deny the Meanes that he knew would have prevented such sinnes and offered onely such as he knew the sinner would abuse to the committing of sinne 5. God limiteth and ordereth their sinnes so that they breake forth in no other measure at no other time upon no other persons then

moved to their Effects by the First and in their operations reduced to the motion of one universall prime Cause that is God Therefore it is the Scriptures say that the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to direct his owne steps Jer. 10. 28. It is God that gives a new heart and puts a new spirit in man Jer. 31. 33. God placed the members in mans body and orders them as it pleaseth him 1. Cor. 12. 18. It is God that worketh in us both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord and he turneth it as it pleaseth him Prov. 21. 1. He hardened Pharaohs heart Exod. 7. 3. as hard as a stone and he takes away our stony hearts and gives us hearts of flesh he hath done he doth and he will doe what he will The will of God was but fulfilled when Judas did betray Jesus Act. 1. 16. Herod Pontius Pilate and the whole Synagogue of the Jewes did no more then what God had determined to be done Act. 2. 23. and Act. 4. 28. The whole World united can doe nothing but what God will and God is not moved consequently by any thing which he as a superiour Cause moves and determines to the Effect but God himselfe antecedently as a superiour Cause moves and determines the Will of man to the Effect or that which it wils be it good or ill Therefore it follows God is not consequently moved by the good or ill use of the Free Will of man therefore the good use of mans Will foreseen moved not God to Elect him and the evill use of mans Will foreseen was not the Cause that God Reprobated him Therefore God had no Antecedent Will to save the Reprobate if they would by their Free Will receive and use his Grace aright therefore Gods Decree touching the Salvation and Reprobation of men is lastly and finally resolved into his owne pure Will Universalist thou tellest me of the love of God to Man and in that thou tellest me true for if all the World were full of Bookes if all the men in the world were Writers and if all the water in the Sea were Inke yet the Bookes would bee written the Writers weary the Inke spent and yet the Love of God to us poorely expressed but then let me tell thee that this Love of God to man should make a reflection towards this Sun and move man to love God againe and nothing but God and himselfe for this God that loved him when he was nothing submitting himselfe wholy and soly to the Will of God There are foure degrees of Love First a man loves himselfe for his owne sake for he is flesh and so naturally can love nothing but himselfe but when he sees that he cannot subsist without God then necessity compels him but for his owne sake still to flie to God and when he has begun to love God though but for his owne sake and begins withall to taste and see how sweet God is then he loves God no more for his owne sake but for Gods sake and when he has attained to this third step to love God for Gods sake he staies there and strives if it be possible for any man to obtaine this heavenly happynesse heere on Earth to love himselfe onely for Gods sake Thus the true love of God should both begin and end onely in God like a Circle which begins and ends in it selfe Now let Mr. T. take heed how hee preach against this absolute Will and Power in God and plead his owne Faith and Workes lest God at length be avenged on him God hath leaden heeles but iron hands he seemes to winke with his eyes but it is as Gunners use that they may hit surer when they shoot Origen in his second Booke against Celsus saith thus A certaine man gave counsell to his friend that was sick not to send for the Physitian because sayd he it is already appoynted by Destiny either that thou shalt recover of this Disease or that thou shalt not if it be appoynted by God or by thy Destiny that thou shalt recover thou shalt then not need the Physitian if it be not appoynted by God if it be not thy Destiny to recover the Physitian though hee come cannot helpe thee wherefore whether God have decreed thou shalt recover or not the Physitian will be called in vaine Another by the like Argument disswaded his Friend from Marriage Thou wilt marry a Wife sayd he to beget Children but if it be thy Destiny to have Children thou shalt have them without a Wife if it be not thy Destiny it will nothing further thee to marry a Wife for whatsoever Destiny hath decreed in this kinde will come to passe it is in vaine therefore to marry a Wife Thus wicked men deride and would rather that blind-man-buffle in the World then that God determine every Action and Event or fix his Decree But the first did send for the Physitian and the second did marry a Wife Hee us'd a wiser Argument who told them that God having Predestinated Men to such Ends Predestinated also that they should use the Means The sick man might safely answer nay rather if God have Decreed I shall recover therefore I will send for the Physitian that by his means I may attaine to that which God hath Decreed Thus Hezekiah had fifteen years added to his life by using the meanes and yet he 's a Devill that denies God did from all eternity determine the certaine number of his dayes And that other might answer if God have appoynted I shall have children seeing it can or ought to come to passe by no other meanes I will marry a Wife In this absolute Predestination we are far enough from the Stoicks Fate they subjected God himselfe to Fate we subject Fate that is the necessity of things to Gods most Free-Will they under the name of Fate understood a necessary connexion of naturall Causes and Effects we teach that God can and often doth suspend these Effects and works besides nay against Nature The Stoicks tooke away all contingency Wee admit contingency in respect of second Causes but we say there is a certaine prescience in the first Cause all things are ordered by the providence of God Indeed the Turks out of their obstinate beliefe of Predestination brutishly contemne all kindes of dangers for they say that as soone as man comes out of his mothers Wombe to enjoy the light of the world God writes in his forehead all the good or evill that shall happen unto him and particularly of what death hee shall dye the necessity whereof they say no humane power can avoyd and hence it came to passe that Anno 1611. there died of the Plague in Constantinople 200000. in five months every day 12 or 15 hundred for they will not turn away from a body dead of this disease nor forbeare to visit