shall they of like condition come and reason with God Why diddest thou choose him and refuse me there is the like in him as there is in me Why hast thou done so the answer shall be this Hath not the Potter power over the clay to choose one vessell to honour and another to dishonour So that we see that God may justly deny the grace of election Quest Why is it said that God actually hates and punishes men when they are wicked Answ Because he is just he may actually hate them when they are wicked he decrees it before but then he actually hates them we manifest it after this manner Whatsoever he decrees he executes not till he have cause because he is just Of the former namely that God should decree Augustine saith there are causes secret to man but there is no unjust cause Of the latter that he actually hates them the cause is manifest they are actually wicked Quest The last thing Why say you that he hates all iniquity Answ Because he is good and righteous and loving therefore he cannot choose but hate sinne nothing is more proper to love then to hate that which is an enemy to that which is beloved nothing more proper to God then to hate sinne as Saint Augustine it is apparant thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest iniquity So that you see I have opened this description out of which there may be made many Uses Vse 1. This teacheth us first what to beleeve and professe in those great and controverted points concerning universall grace election reprobation redemption c. in which we must be wise to sobriety that we dash not into errors God as hath bin said did love some above others with a speciall love for whom he hath prepared grace and glory those whom he did not love with this speciall love he passed over and for them he prepared neither grace nor glory and thus farre we goe without straights for it is granted by all that God may deny that grace and glory which he gives to others and passe them over because to some grace and glory are his owne free gift and he may doe what he will with his owne But say some God cannot justly destinate men to destruction before they are wicked to doe so would be tyranny c. To this we answer it is high presumption for dust and ashes to limit the soveraignty and absolute dominion of the almighty yea so much as to question what God may doe woe unto him that strives with his maker saith the Lord by Isaiah Who hath injoyned him his way saith Elihu if as the Potter out of the same lumpe makes one vessell to honour and another to dishonour who shall charge him with injustice Is God tyed to any who hath given to the Lord to make him a debtor Injustice is the violation of a right there is no injustice where there is nothing due indeede if God had destinated a creature to torment being innocent this had not bin an act of justice but of soveraignty yet was it not an act of injustice because of soveraignty But this problematicall question is to us needlesse there is no cause of flying to the absolute dominion and royall power of God to answer this objection To the Law and to the Testimony God hath sufficiently declared and justified the equality of his own wayes let us with meeknesse and humility of spirit seeke and submit to the revealed trueth God hath prepared grace and glory for some that were not worthy of it admire the richnesse and freenesse of his grace and goodnesse he hath not done the like for all sit downe in silence he hath done thee no wrong but he hath prepared some for destruction no man prepares himselfe for destruction by his sin Thy destruction is of thy selfe oh Israel God onely prepares destruction for the sinner he hath prepared Tophet of old and what injustice is there in this God made his creature holy and able to stand his creature left to himselfe forsakes his holinesse and sins God decrees to punish him for this sinne and doth punish him Are not the waies of God equall thus God cannot justly be charged with mans perdition Object But he is the cause of all his sinne if this doctrine of reprobation be true Answ God forbid he that prohibits and punishes sinne doth not procure and cause it let no man say saith the Apostle Saint Iames When he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evill neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and inticed Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth from the father of lights c. Neither doth the contrary follow from the doctrine that hath been taught God doth deny his grace to some but he doth not infuse corruption or sin into any and therefore cannot be charged as the author of sinne the deniall of grace is the antecedent of sinne but not the cause between the antecedent and the consequent there is no casuality the Sunne not giving his light there followes darknesse on the earth yet is the sunne the cause of light not of darknesse God witholding his grace and spirit from his creature there followes sinne and wickednesse in the creature yet is God the cause of the grace and holinesse of the creature not of sinne and wickednesse which is in it I stand not long on these things it is my purpose to teach not to dispute and these absurdities heaped upon this doctrine arise as directly and in as full force against the opinion of the objectors let them see how to salve themselves and the same plaister will serve us as well as them Againe they say it is injustice to hate where there is no sinne hatred signifies First to love one lesse then another as hath been shewed Secondly to decree Thirdly to denounce Fourthly to execute punishment In the first sense it is no injustice to hate without respect to sinne we may and why then may not God prefer one thing before another both being of the same goodnesse and in this act the thing preferred is loved the other hated In the three last exceptions there is no injustice for God doth not decree or denounce or execute punishment save onely against sinners and for sinne Take it in a similitude if a free Prince of two beggers advances the one to riches and honour and deserts the other and suffers him in his beggery there is no injustice in it If Pharoah restore his Butler and hang up his Baker both having offended there is no injustice in it If God set a speciall affection on some of his creatures which he denies to others why should any repine is thy eie evill because I am good No say they but God should not be made the author of mans sinne and misery there was something in man that did provoke God to passe him over and
infidelity and the more thou hearest the worse thou art what shall become of thee therefore look to thy self lest thou die as the most do and so in the estate with the most I shut up this if any man finde softnesse of heart so that he sorrowes because he cannot sorrow if a man finde in himselfe hatred of sinne love of righteousnesse poverty of spirit purity of heart c. that man may assure himself that he is not in the estate of reprobation and he is to magnifie God and to worke out his owne salvation with feare and trembling Vse 3. A third Use is this If God hath shewed this mercy to any and given them this favour they have cause to rejoyce herein not onely in respect of the greatnesse of it but because they are but few to whom it is given Haman rejoyced because he was bid to the Queenes feast and none but he how exceedingly should men value this mercy that wheras there are but few to whom God shewes this mercy they should be of that number Saint Augustine speaking of this man that shal be saved and of those that perish saith they are by nature both miserable alike Therefore if whilst this man abides in his misery God be more mercifull to thee that art saved be not high minded but feare and glorifie God and pitty others and be thankfull to God for thy selfe doth God actually punish none but when they are wicked then let no man when he is punished accuse God but blame himselfe for God punisheth no man but for his owne sinnes In condemnation there are two things the decree and the execution of the decree is no cause but the will of God the execution is alwayes for sinne he never punisheth any but for sinne Object But some will say unto me If God have decreed it a man cannot choose but sinne and as he saith Rom. 9. what shall a man doe Answ The answer is with the Apostle Rom. 9.19 who hath resisted his will if his will be not resisted why doth he complaine I answer Gods fore-knowledge is no cause of the evill for what if he did foresee it and fore-know it that was no cause of it Augustine concerning that objection of Pharaoh that he could not be converted by the miracles of Moses because God did fore-see he would not answers that God did fore-see this but saith he the fore-knowledge of God did not compell him to be wicked but he was wicked voluntarily To shut up this God doth not infuse any evill into men but denying them grace they of their owne nature necessarily fall into sinne and therefore are justly condemned and no man can accuse him as ignorant foolish men doe no cause shall be laid upon God but as the Prophet Hosea hath it None hath deceived thee thy destruction is of thy selfe O Israel but thy salvation is of me And so much shall suffise for the Hatred of God To explane the power of God the Grecians to expresse it use these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the Latines call Domini or potestatem and this potentiam that is to say Dominion or right and power or might In the first place we will stand upon dominion or right and therefore we have chosen this Text and the Question is this Quest What is the Dominion of God or of the Divine Essence Answ It is a communicable Attribute whereby he is first and chiefe absolute and most free Lord over all and over some more specially then others To open this This power is given to God that it might be knowne that whatsoever God doth by his might and strength he hath right to doe it he doth it not as tyrants but as a just Lord. I say this is a communicable Attribute because there is the shadow of it in man This power is attributed to God as 2 Chron. 20.26 Oh Lord God of our Fathers art not thou the God of all power c. in this case we may see that which is applyed to Christ 1 Tim. 16.15 he is called the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 17.14 The next thing we say he is chiefe for he receives not his dominion from any other but of him others have that power that they have therefore Salomon saith Pro 8.15 By me Kings reigne Againe he is free Lord as the Apostle Rom. 9.15 He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and in the 18. vers he will harden whom he will and in the 20. vers who art thou that wilt call him to judgement yet further over some more then others for 1 Tim. 4.17 as he is the Saviour of all but especially of those that beleeve so he is Lord of all but especially of his redeemed Psal 2.8 Aske of me and I will give thee the heathen c. if he give them to his Sonne he was Lord over them himselfe especially over those that are of the Church And this is the explication of the first Question Quest Why is such a Dominion attributed to God Answ Because he is creator and possessour of all first he is creator Gen. 1. That the creation of all was from him the Apostle Peter hath it 1 Pet. 4.17 He is the faithfull creator thereupon the name Ichovah is given to him he that hath a being of himselfe and gives being to the creatures the creator hath still power over the creatures As creator so possessour Gen. 14.22 when he made all things he kept a right unto himselfe and though he had given the earth to the children of men yet the right of possession he keepes to himselfe therefore dominion may well be attributed to him Quest Why is it said that he is first and chiefe Lord Answ For that his power is eternall Christ teaches to acknowledge it in his prayer Mat. 6.13 thine is the kingdome power and glory for ever and ever therefore this power is eternall it hath neither beginning succession nor ending If any say unto me How should that be that this power should be eternall seeing the things that were created were created in time Answ It is true he created things in time but his power was before time God is nothing but one essence and this power was eternall like himselfe and therefore the first and chiefe Lord. Quest Why say you that he is the most absolute and free Lord Answ Because he may use all that he hath made at his owne pleasure without let of any other for the salvation of his own and the destruction of the wicked for this is to be absolute Lord when one hath a power over all things to doe as he pleaseth hath no superiour either to call him to account or hinder him God is of such power he may do what he list without controle or hindering This appeares first in man for whom he made all creatures he may doe what he will with him he might make them as he made
manner represent him the molten Image is a teacher of lies saith the Prophet it is the originall of divers errors which they have justly fallen into and justly deserve to fall into that will not seeke God in his word but in painted walls from these the people of God have been preserved because they have ever sought him in his word and as all outward representations of God so all inward conceits of him besides the word are unlawfull to abstaine from Images is easie but to abstaine from inward thoughts is hard and that partly by reason of the corruption of our natures and partly by the suggestion of the divell therefore we should be more carefull not to conceive of God as like to any thing nor to make any resemblance of him in our minde and then this is the comfort that a man hath that though these thoughts come if he dislike them and strive against them they are infirmities that God will cure them and not condemne us for Vse 3. This teacheth us when we are about the worship of God to thinke of the nature of God what he is that he is a spirit without division or composition and though we should glorifie God with our bodies for God will have them yet especially we should doe it with our spirits which God in a speciall manner requires why because that is most agreeable to his nature and most pleasing to him he that will serve a man must labour to do it principally outwardly but he that will serve God must do it especially inwardly in the heart if he do it in the heart he cannot but do it in the outward man man respects more the outward then the inward but God respects more the inward then the outward if a man worship God in spirit though he be hindred in the outward by occasions God wil excuse it God never excuses a man for the want of inward affections but hath oftentimes taken the inward when the outward hath been wanting S. Gregory saith there is this difference between God and man man requires the outward and doth not so much looke at the inward but God requires the inward man can go no further then the outward but God measures the outward service by the inward affections there is no true service in the outward where the inward is wanting therefore when thou commest to praier hearing the word or singing of Psalmes whom hast thou to deal withall with God who is a spirit then thy worship must be spirituall if thou hast a mouth to speake to God in praier thou must have a mouth in thy heart also else thou art but an hypocrite and art abhorred of him David saith praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name therefore with thy outward service thou must joine the inward or else thy service is but a stinking thing to him Quest The next question is what meane you by that when you say he is most perfect Ans The answer is that he is sufficiently perfect and needs nothing out of himselfe nor retaines any thing from any other Gen. 17. I am God al-sufficient walk before me there God saith to Abraham I am God in my selfe and out of my selfe the same phrase is often used in Genesis the God al-sufficient be with thee when Izaack blessed his Sonne and in respect of this he is called the happy God 1 Tim. 1.11 the Gospell is called a happy Gospel and in the 6. chap. 15. verse hee is happy because hee is al-sufficient in himself Psal 16.12 thou art my Lord and all my well doeing extendeth not to thee God needs nothing whatsoever a man doeth it is nothing to him he made all mankinde God is not worshipt with mens hands as if he had need of any thing so that every part of this description is proved that he is sufficient and perfectly happy in himselfe c. Quest Have you any grounds for this you say Ans We have three first because he was thussufficient and happy before there was any creature made Secondly because he is the author and cause of all good and perfection in all creatures Thirdly that good and perfection that is in the creature was first and most perfect in him these we will explane Reas 1. First before there was any creature made he was sufficient and happy then it follows that hee must bee perfect of himselfe for of whom should he have this perfection that he was thus we prove Psal 92. Before the mountaines were made and before the hills were layd from everlasting to everlasting thou art God arguing that he must needs be sufficient the same is in Psal 102.25.26 speaking of the works of God They shall perish and goe away like a garment but thou art the same and thy yeares never faile that is the same thou wast the same thou shalt be still whence it appeares plainely that God was before any creature was made and though it be said Pro. 16.4 That God made all things for himself yea the wicked c. yet he made them without their helpe and though he made all things for himselfe yet he had need of nothing but made them that he might communicate his goodnes to them for this is the nature of that which is good not only to preserve it selfe but to communicate it selfe to others Reas 2. Secondly because he is the author of all the good and perfection that is in the creature Act. 17.25 He gives life breath and all things that is to say God gives a man his life breath and the good things that he hath This the Apostle asketh the question Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou hast not received what hath man If man have nothing what creature should have any thing as for man he received all from him he is the father of lightes of whom comes all good things This is his perfection that he is not onely sufficient for himselfe but for all others this is manifest for he gives all things to all creatures yet nothing diminisheth his owne store what good any creature hath it hath it from him as St. Basil saith This argues a man hath much when he hath sufficient for himselfe and to give to others This is a proofe that God is rich after another manner then men are for when men give they have the lesse but when God gives he hath nothing the lesse for that he gives to man he is like to a springing Fountaine saith the Father the more that you draw the more it hath What can you compare God to for he is perfect but we are glad to flye to imperfect things to shew his excellency so that this is the conclusion of this Reason that he is sufficient of himselfe because sufficient for all other things The third reason is this because that good and perfection that is in the creature was first in God Gen. 1.17 God made man after his owne Image the Image of
things that are to come hereafter that we may know that yee are gods c. Isaiah 40.21.22.23.26 Vse 2. The second use doth admonish men that they should not conceive too highly of themselves for any good that they finde in themselves nor yet to please themselves with this conceite that other men doe thinke well of them because the Lord is infinite in wisdome he knowes that by men that they know not by themselves nor doth any other know This is the eye of the world that every thing is manifest unto he knowes that by us that we know not by our selves therefore no man ought to please himselfe in his owne goodnesse God knowes all his thoughts though never so secret both past present and to come then no reason any should presume upon any grace The Prophet saith Psal 19. Who can understand his owne faults no man can but God can therefore reason after this manner as Saint Bernard saith I know and am knowne I know but in part but God knowes me and knowes me wholy but what I know I know but in part So the Apostle reasons I know nothing of my selfe yet am I not hereby Justified admit that thou keepest thy selfe so free and renewest thy repentance so daily that thou knowest nothing by thy selfe yet marke what the Apostle adds farther notwithstanding I doe not judge my selfe I am not hereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord This is the condition of all men he that is infinite knowes them therefore they should not dare to judge themselves but with the Prophet David in 19. Psal intreate the Lord that he would cleanse them from their secret sinnes Vse 3. The third use teacheth us that men ought to feare God because he is present in all places and infinite in knowledge Men may have things done behind their backs which they know not of but it is not so with God therefore every man should be wary of himselfe even in the secret thoughts of his heart for there is a God that knowes all things every man must beware of sinne in all places even in the secret places of their owne hearts for God knowes them we have a foolish proverbe that thoughts are free free indeed from the law of men because men know them not but if men did know them they were in danger of the law but they are free by reason of mans ignorance but to God all things are knowne There are many men that seeme to make conscience of many things because that God sees yet they take liberty to them selves in secret thoughts and they thinke God knowes not them yes God knowes thy heart better then thy selfe that which thou knowest not to be sinne he knowes to be sinne they that take away seeing from God saith Salvian they overthowe the Essence of God they are Atheists he sees all things and he knowes all things therefore take heed of secret sinfull thoughts that men see not Though thou carrie or colour things so that neither Master nor Servant nor Wife nor Husband see them thou hast a God that seeth and knowes all things and will bring every thing to judgment no thing so secret but he will make knowne therefore labour in the feare of God that thou walk secretly and openly doeing nothing that is displeasing to God because thou canst doe nothing but in the presence and privity of God OF THE WILL OF GOD. CHAP. XII ISIA 46.10 My counsell shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure IN order knowledge is before will for that we will we know and what we know that we may will therefore we have first handled the wisedome and the knowledge of God and now we are to speake of the will of God whereby he willeth those things that he knowes for which I have made choice of this text my will or counsell shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure In speaking of which we will keepe our order and first shew what his will is the question is Quest What is the will of the divine Essence Answ The answer is it is a communicable Attribute whereby it doth freely and immutably will it selfe and all other things whatsoever it doth will the opening of which in the severall parts will manifest this plainly unto us First we say the will of God and not the wills of God because there is but one will of God and this appeares in as much as usually the Scripture speakes of it in the number of one as in this place My counsell shall stand there is but one will the like we finde Prov. 19.21 My counsell shall stand Matth. 6.10 our Saviâ—ur hath taught us to pray Thy will be done Ephe. 1.5 According to the good pleasure of his will so then there is but one will Againe I say it is a communicable Attribute given to this divine Essence I call it communicable as I said before not because it is in any creature as it is in God but because there is the same in proportion in man there is some thing like it whereby it freely and immutably wills it selfe and all other things First the divine Essence most freely willeth it selfe for howsoever it willeth it selfe by necessity of nature yet it willeth freely without any compulsion so as the Apostle speakes in other things the Lord cannot deny himselfe so we say the Lord out of the necessity of his nature wills himselfe but yet voluntarily out of the goodnesse of his nature but when he wills other things there is no such necessity of nature but he wills them most freely but whatsoever he wills he wills freely out of his owne will there being no cause of Gods will but the will it selfe which is the cause of all causes as appeares Matth. 11.25.26 I thanke thee oh heavenly father that thou hast hid these things from the wise c. even so for it is thy good pleasure It is not lawfull for me to doe what I will with my owne saith Christ Rom. 9.18 It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy there is nothing in man that moves him it is still his will he wills freely The next thing is that this will is immutable that is when he hath willed it is without change this was drawne out of the mouth of the false Prophet Num. 23. The Lord is not as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he should repent the Lord cannot repent I am the Lord I change not Mal. 36. The Lord of hosts hath sworne saying surely as I have thought so shall it come to passe and as I have purposed so shall it stand Isai 14.24 He hath said and will he not doe it Num 23.19 So that whatsoever he doth will he wills it alwaies and eternally my will shall stand for ever God wills from eternity whatsoever he wills as the Apostle Acts 4.24 Thou
grounds given for every part there also were answered divers objections which we conceived were of two kindes some as if God had changed his will c. but these were spoken of the last day but now of one or two more that may be made Object And the next is that God in declaring his will Ezek 33.11 As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner yet there are many thousand sinners that die for all this therefore his will must be mutable Answ The answer to this is taken from the consideration of what kindes of sinners the Lord speaks of sinners some be penitent that see and acknowledge themselves sinners and sorrow for and turne from their sinnes and cry and fly unto Christ for salvation God doth not will the death of such sinners neither shall they die But he that confesseth and for saketh his sinnes shall finde mercy but others be obstinate and hardened in sinne that adde drunkennesse to thirst and rebellion to sinne without repentance God will laugh at these when their destruction commeth so then as long as God is pleased with repentance and pardoneth the penitent there is no alteration in God though the impenitent perish nay there would be alteration in him if they did not perish or it may be said and truly that God is better pleased with the repentance then with the perdition of a sinner there is joy in Heaven over one sinner that repents Object Againe it is objected the Apostle Paul saith in Tim. 2.4 That God would have all men saved How should it be then that any should perish unlesse his will be changeable Answ Ambrose upon this place of the Apostle expounds it thus God will have all men to be saved but so as they come to him he will have them saved if they will salvation to themselves and if this sense be admitted there is no shaddow of change in God though many be not saved because those many that are not saved doe not seeke salvation Saint Austin understands All not collectively for every singular man but distributively for some of all sorts of men in which sense it is used in other places of Scripture and so the meaning may be God will have all men saved that is all sorts of men Jewes Greekes bond free Kings and Subjects saved and therefore praiers must be made for all sorts of men and in this sense there is no change in Gods will though some of all sorts perish because some of all sorts be saved as in the Arke God saved from the deluge all living creatures not in the particular but in the kinde because he saved some of every sort againe Saint Austin in another place explanes it thus God wills all should be saved because all that are saved are saved by Gods will as a Physitian is said to cure all who cures all that are cured and for this cause the Apostle enjoines that praiers should be made to God for all because without God none can be saved and if we so expound it though many be not saved yet there is no change in Gods will who wills the salvation of all that are saved As in Christ all are said to be made alive 1 Cor. 15.22 because all that are made alive are made alive by Christ so in this place in the same respect may God be said to will the salvation of all men adde to these our faith thus God will have all men saved he wills the salvation even of the reprobate as a thing in it selfe good and sutable to the disposition of a gracious God but yet he doth not determine or appoint it and therefore though many perish there is no change in Gods will this place shewing what God might approve of being done not what he determined to doe he wills it by an antecedent will as in it selfe considered but not with a consequent will and here is no change in Gods will finally we answer that by all may be understood the all of the elect not of the reprobate as it is Rom. 5.18 The free gift came upon all men to the justification of life that is in the verse following By the righteousnesse of one many are made righteous this all is many so that when he saith that God would have all to be saved the meaning is all that he purposeth to save I determine nothing which of these interpretations should be followed but leave that to every learned and judicious readers choice secure of this that which soever is preferred Gods will doth still remaine Immutable and without shaddow of change Vse 1. The use is that if the will of God be free and no cause without God can move him to will then it followes that they er re that thinke and teach that God is moved to bestow some good thing on man because he foresees some good thing in him I say this confuteth their error for if this were so then Gods will were not free but it is free therefore this is erroneous Earthly Princes cast their benefits upon those that have no desert how much more doth God who is not as earthly Princes but much more great and more free in conferring of his benefits more blessed and glorious then that he can be either engaged or recompenced and indeed what could any man doe before he was to make God his Debtor what workes could he doe that was not Ob. But God might foresee he would worke Ans If God did foresee this the Apostle Rom. 9.32 would not have cried out Oh the depth both of the wisedome and counsell of God here is no place for Pelagians and Papists they cannot see the depth of his counsell though they be so quick and acute that they can see that which the Apostle could not Saint Ambrose pressing this against the Pelagians The Apostle saith he speakes after this manner Oh the riches of his mercy then not of workes then not for foreseen workes and indeed saith Ambrose could he not well have said but of future workes or workes to come but he knew that the will of God was free Then to shut up this Saint Augustine in a case of Infants the one is baptized the other not the one is saved the other not I demand saith he why God did save the one and destroy the other will you say it was because he did foresee the one would be good and the other evill this would be injustice in God to damne him for that he never did seeing he takes them away before they knew good or evill Vse 2. This teaches men that if they have any sense of Gods calling and that they are elected of God and made partakers of the grace and mercy of God not to be puffed up because it is the free will of God that hath chosen them the more any man hath received of God the more indebted he is and should learn to be the more humble let no man advance himselfe against another what
The Uses are first against those of the Church of Rome that teach a double grace there is grace say they that God freely gives Secondly grace that makes us gracious to God Bellarmine saith This is not the grace of God which is in himselfe but a created grace in man as faith love and hope this is false for we have shewed the grace of God which brings us to salvation is that which is seated in God and not in man this is apparant in I know not how many places The Apostle when he speakes of grace makes opposition betweene it and workes Why so that he might exclude all workes both externall and internall and whatsoever may be tearmed by the name of workes So that we see that the Papists doe erre for in all the Epistles of Saint Paul if he had meant inherent graces he would have named them but he saith we are saved by grace as speaking of one but never doth he speake in all the Scripture that we are saved by graces but by grace I conclude It is a sencelesse thing to say that a created grace in us should deserve supernaturall glory and to say a defiled grace for so it is as it comes from us should deserve undefiled glory therefore we see the foulenesse of these things Vse 2. The second Use is against the Pelagians They tell us first that God created all to glory when they had fallen from God by sinne he elected them all to glory againe and he sent his Sonne to redeeme them all and hath given to all sufficient nay efficient graee whereby all may be saved and there be some of us which too much bend this way which some of you love well this by the way All these are false and full of blasphemy First That God created all to glory at first is false for they make election follow after creation God did not create all to glory Why the Scripture is manifest Rom. 9.22 there are vessels of honour prepared for glory and vessels of dishonour prepared for destruction First the Apostle speakes there of things uncreated it was not upon a second thought that God ordained some to honour and others to dishonour Againe this position of theirs is against the power of God against the wisdome and immutability of God What did God create all to be saved why then are they not saved Is God frustrate of his end it must be either because he cannot or because he will not and to say either of these is not farre from blasphemy The Lord never willed any thing absolutely but he did accomplish it if he did in the creation of man appoint all to glory why are they not all saved There is a damnable Booke which hath bin written of late shewing that all shall be saved For the conclusion of this If God created all to glory Why is this man glorified and not that Is it from the will of man or from the will of God who puts the difference It must be man but of this when we come to it but now we see the Apostle Paul saith he hath prepared some to honour and others to dishonour and therefore it is needlesse for me to stand longer upon this The next thing that they hold is that there is a universall election Concerning this it is false Why you heard the reason before but we will adde a little more now Certainly there can be no universall election for where all are chosen there can be no election election is the choosing of some out of many if so then all cannot be chosen Again if God did chuse all Why then are not all saved If there be an election of all then the election of God doth determine nothing who then men and so men are made the cause of their owne glory and there be some which meane well say that God hath elected all to salvation if they will beleeve where the election of God is made conditionall depending upon the will of man In this case who is it that determines election none but man and therefore they say Gods election stands thus I beleeve therefore I am elected thus they teach if any man will beleeve God hath elected him he is elected this is to make man determine his owne election Besides if Gods election be conditionall then it shewes that God before the foundation of the world could determine no thing hath God elected all why are not all saved hath men frustrated God of his election is the divell strong enough to pluck any man out of Gods hands therefore c. Againe is election universall then we conclude there is a universall reprobation but to say so they account it odious but there cannot be universall election unlesse there also be universall reprobation there are many things that might be said concerning this point but it is so absurd that I will not stand any longer upon it They further say that Christ hath redeemed all by his satisfaction I answer to this that it is as impious as before we would offend no man but those that are of that minde do too much helpe forward the Arminian heresie indeed the Scripture saith that Christ hath redeemed all but the Scripture tells us againe that it is all sorts not every particular man but let us heare them reason Redeemption say they appertaines to the Church now the Church is Catholique we answer are all men that is every singular man that are in the Church saved no yet salvation belongs to the Church and in it some Kings and Princes and of all manner and sorts of men are saved as the Apostle saith some not many mighty c. Againe Christs death saith some is sufficient for all but all do not receive it These being Divines I am very loath to oppose them sufficient for all because they say Christs death was infinite saving their judgements I cannot see it this is that I say to say that Christs death is sufficient either in the intent of God for all men or that he sent his sonne to die for all men and that Christ in their person did die and gave himself for them I hold to be false therefore I would have them speake more sparingly of this that it was never the intent of God I make it manifest it cannot stand with the wisedome of God to send his sonne to die for those whom he had determined should perish he had made a decree of reprobation and so to destruction Rom. 9.22 when God had ordained some to destruction would he send his sonne to die for them 1. Pet. 2.8 It is said that Christ was set A stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence c. and the Apostle saith they were ordained of old to this condemnation and is it likely that God would send his sonne to die for them this cannot stand with common reason Againe to say that Christ had an intent to save all by giving himselfe to death is absurd in as much
we doe not contend against them if they understand hatred to be a passion of the minde which is seldome without corruption but when they take hatred as the Scriptures speake of it then as God loves that which is good so he hates that which is nought and evill for as God is said to love so he is said to hate Againe I say it is a communicable attribute because that there is the like in man next it is that by which he freely decrees not to shew mercy to the wicked to deny to them the grace of election To open this hatred in the Scriptures doth many times signifie to refuse to give and to deny favours to put behinde and make lesse account of one then another as our Saviour Christ saith Luke 14 26. He that hateth not his father and his mother c. that is he that doth not deny his father by putting him behinde him and neglecting him when he commands any thing and God another God saw that Leah was hated that is was not so dearely loved as Rahel so this hatred of God is to neglect to shew favour and to deny the grace of election to the wicked this is apparant Rom. 9.13 I have hated Esan and loved Iacob this is not put down but with opposition I have loved Iacob and hated Esau that is to say I have not decreed nor offered this grace and favour of election to Esau which I have allowed to Iacob it is that which is further manifest in the 18. verse of the same chapter I will have mercy on whom I will and whom I will I harden c. This God doth freely from his owne will his will is the solitary cause of denying the grace of election the cause why he chose Iacob and hated Esau was nothing but his will it is manifest Rom. 9.11.12 before they had done good or evil God said that the elder should serve the yonger that it might be of grace if you aske the Apostle a proofe of this he alledges a place out of Exodus if any man should wrangle with God and say God is unjust that he should love one and hate another the Apostle answers There is no unrighteousnesse with God ver 14. and for this he gives a proofe Exod. 23.19 I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and whom I will c. As God doth absolutely love whom he will so he doth absolutely hate whom he will he denies the grace of election to the most there are but a few that have favour Mat. 20.16 Many are called The next thing is that he destinates them to destruction as the punishment of sinne Iude 4. men were before of old ordained to this condemnation He hath prepared Tophet of old Esa 30. ult not that God doth delight in the torment of the creature or created any thing that he might destroy it but out of his hatred to sinne and love of justice did decree and prepare to punish all and onely such as should live and dye in sinne without repentance That negative act of reprobation or preterition findes all men alike in the same condition this positive act of predamnation respects men as sinners without repentance That first act is grounded onely on the absolute will of God I will have mercy on whom I will c. and whom I will I harden but this latter act is an act not so much of power as of justice and alwayes hath respect to sinne The third thing That he actually punishes them when they are wicked It is manifest that they that be born in sinne and live in sinne knowing it to be sinne be enemies to God and to the grace of God and them he actually hates when they are wicked This is apparant Thou hatest all those that worke wickednesse and that hatred carries the punishment as appeares by the next words of my Text and thou destroyest all those that tell lyes and therefore he doth not hate them as they are men and his creatures but as they are wicked Bernard saith man could not endure after Gods making but he would be better therefore he was cast out of Paradise Godhating all iniquity in whomsoever it was elect or reprobate Psal 45.7 Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest iniquity and this I might shew unto you that there is no sinne almost but I can bring you a plaine text of Gods hatred of it sometimes hating idolatry sometimes hating blood sometimes false weights sometimes contempt of his Word sometimes wicked thoughts all which shew that he hates iniquity two wayes he manifests he hates it in some because he destroyes them for it in others because he tooke it away by justice in his owne Sonne And thus much for this description Quest How justly can God decree and destinate men to hatred and destruction absolutely Answ The answer is thus Because he is the creator of all the Lord over all by either of which he may decree what he please concerning his creatures We manifest this first that he is the creator of all no man makes question then if he made all as he would and to what end he would deformed in body or destitute of good Esai 64.8 We are the clay and thou art the potter we are all the workes of thy hands may not he the Potter of one and the same lumpe make one vessell to honour and another to dishonor If he may make a vessell as he will then he may doe with it what he will Rom 9.20 21. when he had spoken of mans reprobation there may be some that would question with him and say How is this just he answers What are thou oh man that disputest with God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why madest thou me so So vers 20. The potter hath power over the clay and hath not the Lord much more power over us Secondly He is an absolute Lord over us What followes then he may therefore for the manifestation of the greatnesse of his mercy appoint some to glory and some to destruction Why because he is absolute Lord marke the place in which the Apostle speakes of the Potter What if God willing to shew his wrath to make his power knowne endure with much patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction that he may magnifie his wrath upon the one and his grace upon the other So also in 2 Tim. 2.20 in a great mans house there are vessels to dishonour and some to honour the absolute Lord may appoint what he will the Lord is absolute Lord of his house he may appoint some to honour and others to dishonour To conclude this with a speech of Saint Augustine against our universalists they plead that Augustine is all for them he uses a pretty speech the first man came into the world without originall sinne and was made of a pure masse God might then appoint some to destruction and who dares come to God and say Why hast thou done so
for which he did appoint him to wrath I answer is this the thing you desire agree then on this that God is the cause of mans grace and glory that there was nothing in man that did move God to chuse him and predestinate him to life how like you this This doctrine will not down with these disputers they as much mislike that Gods will should be taught the cause of grace as of sinne and would have a man the framer of his owne fortune a mans election grounded on his faith as his reprobation on his infidelity we know who answered the Apostles who made thee to differ from thy brother with Ego discrevi meipsum I made my selfe to differ from my brother this is aimed at though they blush openly to professe it it is but a pretence to cover this that they stand upon so much that by this absolute decree God is made the author of sinne or misery we only say with the Scripture that God to manifest the power of his wisedome justice grace mercy and other Attributes chose some to life and passed over other some If it be demanded why he chose those whom he chose and not the other whom he passed over The answer is because it pleased him there was no excellency in Peter above Iudas which should incline God to elect Peter when he passed over Iudas nor wickednesse in Iudas which was not in Peter which might provoke God to passe over or reprobate Iudas when he chose Peter according to that of the Apostle Rom. 9.11 For the children not being yet borne c. we say that they whom God passed over sinned and continued in sin and for sinne were decreed to be punished with everlasting torments and though sinne be not the cause of reprobation yet is there no man damned or decreed to be damned but for sinne Oh! but it seems contrary to the goodnesse of God thus to hate or passe over any I answer God is good and doth good and the whole earth is full of his goodnesse but it must be considered that the goodnesse of God doth not binde him to communicate to every creature all that goodnesse of which the creature is capable and he can bestow without impeachment of his justice who dare deny but God might have established the Apostate Angels that kept not their first estate that they should not have fallen he did it not was this contrary to goodnesse God dispences not amongst men equally riches honours friends c. is it contrary to his goodnesse it is sufficient that there is no creature much lesse no man which is not abundantly satisfied with the fruites of Gods goodnesse in some kinde or other it is not to be expected that this goodnesse should in the same kinde and measure be extended unto all God is a most free agent is not bound to any that we have any thing it is his bounty we have no cause to complaine we have no more but be thankfull we have so much it is Gods great goodnesse to some that he hath looked on them in a low estate and passed by them in time of love and drawne them to himselfe and prepared for them grace and glory and that he hath not done so much for all is no detraction from his goodnesse But why should God passe over anger Why dost thou dispute with God He hath done it because he would Rom. 9. He hath done it for himselfe Prov. 16.4 In a great house some vessels c. 2 Tim. 2. And why should they repine at this I demand this of them If God hath decreed all beasts of the earth to slaughter for the nourishment of men without injury to the beasts Why may he not decree men to destruction for his owne glory without injury to man is not God the absolute Lord as well of men as of beasts might not he who made thee a man have made thee a beast shall he lose his right of disposing of thee because he hath made thee a man is not ought not man to be as much subject to his glory as the beasts are to mans pleasure or nourishment I conclude we learne by the right understanding of this divine Attribute to keepe our selves from being intangled in the erroneous doctrine of Pelagianisme the very destruction of all true religion and piety of all sound comfort and peace as I might shew at large but of this use at this time so farre CHAP. XXI PSAL. 22.28 For the Kingdome is the Lords he is the governour amongst the Nations FRom the goodnesse of God I have shewed on the one side his love his grace his mercy and on the other side his justice his anger his hatred all of which are backed and assisted by his power and therefore in the next place the next Attribute we are to speake of is the power of God and before we come to that we are to adde a use or two more to the doctrin that was delivered of the hatred of God the use is thus much Vse Seeing Gods hatred is that by which he hath denied the grace of election c. then every man should labour to search and know whether he be under the hatred of God or the love of God the most are as we have shewed hated and this grace of election is given to few it is therefore good for a man to looke about him whether he be not one of the most that are hated if in the Gospell where Christ tells his disciples that one of them was a devill they fell all to searching themselves How much more when twelve for one is a devill ought we to search our selves when so many are reprobated it is reason every man should search to know whether he be beloved or hated But some will say unto me Sir it cannot be knowne and then how vaine is that search for who hath knowne the counsells of the Lord To this I answer directly no man knowes the counsell of the Lord and for any thing I know that is true that some stand so much on that every man is bound to beleeve that he himselfe is chosen rather then rejected yet a man may know whether he be in the estate of election or no how is that if a man be not in the estate of grace but in the estate of infidelity if he be in the hardnesse of his heart and in the blindnesse of his minde and be in a benummed conscience to make no care of sin and to conclude with wicked men if I be elected I shall be saved do what I will but if I be reprobated I shall be damned let me live never so holy that man is not yet in the estate of election when a man heares his sin reproved and is not bettered by it but spurnes against the reprover and the reprofe this is a fearefull signe of reprobation I say let every man examine himself because if this be the night that God shall take thee way if thou be in