that he knew God had determined to destroy him because he had done that and had not hearkned to his Counsel Which may haply seem to some to imply that Gods purposes of mens ends are previous to the consideration of their ways and that therefore some are left to sinful ways because fore-determined to such an end as destruction as others are therefore made to believe because fore-ordained to Life Everlasting Act. 13.48 And so that mens disobedience or obedience are but evidences because effects fruits infallible and necessary consequents of those fore-determinaons of their ends To which instances it is to be noted that God indeed who is the supream Governour and Disposer of all things is able both to save and to destroy and the power of ordering this Creature to life by aâ—act of mercy or that to destruction by an act of severity is only with him as the Soveraign Disposer and Judge of all And he acts all his Acts of Mercy or Judgement not according to any Rule imposed upon him or proposed to him by any Creature but according to the counsel of his own Will And so as he purposed to harden and destroy the Angels falling but to shew mercy to fallen man so to sinners for whom he gave his Son and to whom he hath made known his Mind and Will in some measure and they are disobedient thereto and deserve his anger again he shews mercy in affording yet more grace for their conversion thereby incouraging sinners to repentance or else gives them up to and hardens them in their sins and corruptions that they might be admonitions to others to stand in a we him according to his pleasure accoâ—ing to that in Rom. 9.16 18. He 〈◊〉 have mercy on whom he will have meâ— and whom he will he hardens and so a cording to his good pleasure he gave 〈◊〉 and hardned Pharoah sinning and do 〈◊〉 evilly against his people and had merâ—on sinning Israel when they had maâ— their molten Calf and still shewed futher savour to them in the preservation 〈◊〉 them or many of them to the land 〈◊〉 Canaan So he withdrew his mercy froâ— Saul rebelling against him and yet hâ— mercy on David and Solomon sinning anâ— left them not to â—eir hardness but gavâ— repentance to them So he hardned thâ— Jews when they had crucified Christ anâ— rejected his Gospel and shewed mercâ— to the sinful Gentiles in opening a doâ— of Repentance and Conversion to them And doubtless as he did enact in time 〈◊〉 he purposed in the Counsel of his Wilâ— to act and do toward them And so wâ— may say to the instances concerning Eliâ— Sons and Amaziah that God willed tâ— destroy them and therefore gave theâ— up and hardned them against the reâ—proofs given them that they might go on in the ways of ruine But then it s to be noted too that that was neither his purpose concerning them as simply considered as either his creatures made in Adam or as only fallen in Adam but as sinners against the grace of God shewed â—em through Christ as persons that reâ—sed to take his yoke upon them and â—o Sons of Belial that knew not the Lord â—hough the Lord was so made known amongst them that he might have been made known by them Yea that concerning Amaziah may be so read and understood as rendring the reason not so much of the Prophets knowing that the Lord had determined to destroy him as of the determination it self that God therefore determined to destroy him because he had done that and had not hearkned to his Counsel And such he hath purposed according to his pleasure to give up and harden and destroy and then their refusing good Instructions and Counsels that tend to their conversion and escape from Judgement may be and is a consequent to and sometime to some discerning persons a discovery of Gods purpose to make those persons examples of his Judgments and just severity and so it agrees with what was said above Sect. 2. though to some such as deserve such judgements sometimes he may give repentance to the escaping the wiles of Satan and recovering themselves out of his snares as 2 Tim. 2.25 26. according to that prerogative and power in the dispose of his creature that he keeps in his own hand and as in his wisdom he sees fitting for which cause the servants of God unless they discern the mind of God as the Prophet did concerning Amaziah that their sin is unto death are with meekness to instruct such and patiently to wait to see Gods mind and pleasure concerning them Those in Acts 13.48 ordained to eternal life and believing were instances of Gods mercy and grace afforded to sinful and undeserving persons after and notwithstanding their abuse of and sinnings against former means and mercies to whom yet God afforded such grace in his call of them that they were thereby ordained ordered ranked marshalled or disposed as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies unto or for eternal life or else as some understand they were worshippers of God before as such there were scattered up and down amongst the Gentiles to whom this further grace was therefore now afforded that they believed also the tidings of the Gospel but however that says nothing of any ordination of them to or purpose of eternal life to them Previously to the consideration of Christ appointed to dye for them as if some were first purposed to life and then for them Christ was purposed to be sent forth no nor of any fore-purpose of causing them absolutely to believe or to bestow eternal life upon them infallibly and inevitably considered simply as men or fallen men for neither are the words fore-appointed or fore-ordained to eternal life But speaking of the efficacy the Gospel had in them viz. that they believed Vers 46. Vers 48. that is held fast the word of God in distinction from those that either rejected it as the Jews or only rejoyced in it for a time as divers other Gentiles it shews the reason or ground of it and says they were ordained ordered set or disposed for eternal life which may also be looked upon as the efficacy of the word of God in them making them as good ground that therefore received and retained the seed and brought forth fruit to perfection And though God doubtless purposed to afford that grace to them that he did then actually afford for the enabling and bringing them eventually to believe according to the counsel and good pleasure of his will yet that was purposed in through and with respect to Christ and their end the having eternal life was no otherwise purposed to them to be their portion than as by that grace purposed to be afforded to them and accordingly in time afforded them they were set for disposed and ordered to it and so believed held fast and retained the message sent them So that these purposes or rather dispensations of the Providence and Government of
one of God by whom God raising him up out of the dust and exalting him would lift up and exalt his Servants also and judge the world righteously And then by Samuel God began to reveal his word more familiarly again 1 Sam. 3. and to teach the knowledge of his Son and of his ways till after David was anointed by him yea till within a little of his reign So that in all those times of the Judges which as the Apostle tells us Act. 13.20 According to Bishop Vsher 443. years was about 450. years the knowledge of God was vouchsafed to and continued with his People of Israel though through manifold calamities and sometime some eclipsings of it yet it was never quite lost from amongst them SECT 6. Of the times from David to the Captivity of Israel UNto David God yet further and more clearly opened his mysterie Psal 89.1 2 3 19 20 c. 132. over and above what was before so plainly opened giving him the Covenant of an everlasting Kingdom to be possessed by his Seed even Christ for ever of whose Kingdom the Kingdom setled on his natural seed was a Type and Pledge Yea 110.3 4. to and by him it was declared that Christ should be both a Priest and King a Priest after the Order of Melchisedeck 22. that he should offer up yea himself be the perpetual mighty Sacrifice 2.1 2 6 7. 16.9 10 11. and through manifold oppositions of Jews and Gentiles the Kings and Rulers and generality of Mankind yea through Sufferings and Death attain and enter into his Glory and manage his Kingdom for the good of Mankind so as that Nations should have cause to sing aloud to God for his Goodness through him Psal 87. 88. 100. 117. 145.9 17. to them to serve him with gladness and come before him with rejoycing to enter into his Gates with Thransgiving and his Courts with Praises c. 2 Sam. 23.3 4. He being through him good to all and his tender Mercies over all his Works and all the ends of the Earth seeing his Salvation But indeed the knowledge of Christ flowed in so abundantly to and by him the Spirit of the Lord speaking by him and his Word being in his Tongue that to mention all that was dispensed to and by him would require the writing out of a great part of the Psalms yea and many Volumes in explication of them The knowledge of the Lord growing now as a River as to the fuller and more abundant revelation of it which in the first Ages was but like a Spring the light grew more and more full and bright as to its shining as the day of Christs coming in the Flesh and accomplishing therein the Prophecies concerning him grew nearer And this revelation also was continued and held forth in the days of Solomon and in the succeeding Ages Prov. 1.20 21 22 23. 8.1 2 3 4 5 6 32 33 34 35. 9.1 2 3 4 5 6. Solomon speaking many things most divinely of the preparation made by wisdom for men and her gracious invitations and calls of men to the participation thereof with much desire of their good and great longsufferings towards them yea her universal good-will to the sons of men the simple and void of understanding the Scorners and Fools that hate knowledge c. a great torrent of Wisdom flowed forth to and by him much too full to be here particularly mentioned 1 King 11.1 2 13 14 c. 'T is true he grew loose and degenerate in his latter times through the love of strange women and provoked God to rend away ten Tribes from his Kingdom in his Sons days and so to eclipse the Glory of Davids outward Kingdom leaving him and his posterity only two Trides that so it might the more appear that the Promise and Covenant made to David was touching Christ and his Kingdom rather than touching any wordly Kingdom to be here injâ—d by his natural Seed 2 King 4. Solomon also buiâ— stately Temple for Gods Worship which was a Type too of Christ and what was prayed for and promised in behalf of people repenting of their sins and praying in 〈◊〉 8. and towards that Temple respected Christ as the truth of it and is to be met with in looking to him But both that Temple with the worship of God therein together with the House of David the ten Tribes rejected setting up through their carnal policy another way and form of worship in other places in which they did immediately reject Christ and so their own mercy and salvation till persisting therein for about two hundred and sixty years space notwithstanding divers Prophets raised up of God and sent unto them as Elias Elisha Ahijah Hosea Amos and divers others by whom God abundantly held forth the knowledge of himself and his truth unto them to reclaim them to the right way of worshipping God they were at last carried captive by Salmanester King of Assyria in the beginning of the reign of Hezekiah King of Judah All which time the knowledge of God was more purely retained with Judah and Benjamin who clave to the House of David and to the Temple and Worship of God ordered therein as also did many from the other ten Tribes And though they were not without many imperfections and sometimes great miscarriages and evils yet still the Promise and Covenant made with David and the order for worship setled by him with Gods appointment and approbation was retained by them and those Ages contained about the space of 330. years from the beginning of Davids reign to Israels Captivity according to Bishop Vsher 327. SECT 7. Of the times of the Prophets from about the Captivity of Israel to the Restauration of the Temple and so on till the coming of Christ in the Flesh ABout the time of Israels Captivity or somewhat before God raised up and sent more Prophets and with more dear and full discoveries still of his mind concerning them and concerning the mysterie of Christ and the right worship of God through him with more full and sharp rebukes and denunciation of judgements against them for their casâ—ing off God and his Worship as appointed in his Temple as the ten Tribes oâ— also for their carnal apprehensions of the Seed of David and Kingdom promised him and of the Temple-worship appointed to them as Judah neglecting Christ the vision of all signified and aimed at in them Isa 28.14 15. 66.1 2 3 4. Mica 5. Jer. 7.3 4 7 c. 22.5 6 c. and foolishly promising themselves mercy and blessing in their adhering to Davids carnal and natural Seed and worshiping in that material Temple neglecting the grace of God in Christ and not yeilding up themselves to obey and walk with him as is abundantly to be seen in the Prophecies of Isaiah Micha and Jeremiah for which cause also be gave up the Temple
in Deut. 6. 8. 〈◊〉 be ware of being lifted up to forget â—d sin against him and that Deut. 29.18 19 20. left there should be amongst them man or woman family or tribe that shouâ— turn away c. and bless himself in 〈◊〉 heart and say Tush I shall have peace God will not curse me because I am such 〈◊〉 such a one and have done such or suâ— things though I walk after mine own inâ— ginations The Lord will not spare him whatever he be but his wrath and â—ger shall smoak against him till he hâ— utterly destroyed him And of the same Israel when they were broken oâ— through unbelief and were blinded and hardned it is said by the Apostle Paâ— that they if they continued not in unâ— lief 〈◊〉 rejection of the Gospel shoâ— be grafted in again for God is able graft them in again Rom. 11.23 〈◊〉 unworthiness and Gods present judgâ—ments upon them notwithstanding 〈◊〉 which purpose also the same Apostle prâ—ed for even those of Israel whâ— stumbled at the stumbling stone and 〈◊〉 his heaves desire was that they might 〈◊〉 saved yea and to that purpose provâ—ked them by his writing to jealousiâ— Rom. 9.32 with 10.1 2. 11.16 〈◊〉 seems then that he knew that it was 〈◊〉 Gods power to save or destroy them 〈◊〉 he pleased True it is that the gifts anâ— calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 But that was such a gift anâ— calling them in their Fathers and out 〈◊〉 love to them as that a seed of them shâ— not fail of the blessing which God coâ— have performed to the Fathers in Moseâ— and a generation to have been brought â—t of him though he had destroyed the â—hole Congregation besides Exod. 32.10 â—a the Baptist told them that God is â—le of stones to raise up Children unto Araham Matth. 3.8 9 in and upon â—hom the promises made to him should 〈◊〉 accomplished Let these consideratiâ—s move us then to stand in awe and â—e heed of presuming upon the account any favours priviledges choice of us 〈◊〉 promises to us or righteousness done 〈◊〉 us to sin against him least we fall and 〈◊〉 hardned and cut off as they through â—h presumption sinning also were we â—nd by faith be we not high-minded 〈◊〉 fear yea let him that thinks he â—nds most surely and that God is so inâ—ed to him that no sin of his can posâ—ly make him fail of the Kingdom take â—ed least he fall remembring that which â—poken by the Lord in the Prophet Eâ—el Chap. 33.13 when I say to a â—hteous man thou shalt surely live as 〈◊〉 will say so to none but those which â—e in Christ and so truly righteous yet that righteous man so under the proâ—se of life trust in his righteousness in â—s believing loving and being accepted God and so commit iniquity he shall â—ely dye Nor let us listen to those that â—ing led aside with that errour of the â—ws shall say when the righteous man â—th so ay but when 's that as if it was 〈◊〉 impossible supposition for that is to render vain the sayings of God as the Devil would have us that we might look upon the serious Cautions and exhortations grounded thereupon as ridiculous such as theirs would be that telling us 〈◊〉 Noahs Flood come again we shall all bâ— drowned unless in such an Ark as his was should exhort to get us such Arks wheâ— as the foresaid supposition in it self is of 〈◊〉 thing not to be feared nor possible to faâ— out considering Gods absolute promise to the contrary they might as well to thaâ— supposition in Ezek. 33.14 when a wicked man turneth from his wickedness c. 〈◊〉 shall live reply say true but when 's that How can that be that a wicked maâ— should do so gracious an act as to turn to God from his iniquity Seeing a baâ— tree as every wicked man is can bring forth no such good fruit as repentance and turning to God is Besides that righteous men may turn from their righteousness to commit iniquity is actually proved to be too often true as is evidenâ— in David Solomon and others now to say God cannot in such a case leave and givâ— over and harden such a one is all onâ— in effect as to contradict the Apostle and say God cannot harden whom he will and to contradict David who by cryinâ— for mercy and not to be cast out of God sight implyed it to be mercy to him nâ— engagement towards him not then 〈◊〉 cast him away and destroy him But 〈◊〉 wave such frivolous cavils take we hâ— of sinning presumptuously or having sinned of challenging the favour of God upon the score of our former righteousness or services but let us rather as David in such a case beg for mercy from God not to cast us away or take his holy Spirit from us whereby our hearts might be hardened from his fear acknowledging Gods power our former believing or doing righteousness notwithstanding for our rebellions or departures from the way of righteousness to harden and destroy us He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardens in which is yet again implyed further 3. The Power Force and Irresistibleness of Gods Will and Decree when it comes or is brought forth by any thing that man can do there against As he will have compassion on whom he will have compassion whoever say against it or are discontented at it and endeavour to hinder it As the Father of the Prodigal would have mercy upon his repenting Prodigal Son shew him respect pass by his former miscarriages and with gladness entertain him with the highest demonstrations of his love however the Elder Brother murmured at it and was displeased with it signifying that so God will extend mercy to the Publicans and Sinners in calling them to repentance when he will and accepting those of them that obey the call forgiving all their former more notorious sinnings for all the Pharisees discontents and murmurings at it and would call in mercy the Gentiles and justifie the obeyers of his call though the Jews murmured at it and opposed it persecuting the Apostles who were instruments imployed thereto by him so when he will harden blind any persons it shall prevail whom he will he hardens however the persons hardned by him might suppose themselves priviledged there against or might think by their wisdom or strength to prevent or hinder it And so in both those senses God might be said to raise up or as the Hebrew word signifies cause to stand preserve and raise out of former judgements Pharaoh to shew in him his power his liberty and power to harden and destroy the greatest and mightiest that sin against him and the power and force of his hardning operations when and so far as he will harden and so to make his Name to be declared in all the earth for the admonishing all others to fear and tremble before him
to Satan and their own hearts to stir up envy and hatred against them Thus we find too God threatning obstinate people that refuse to walk in his ways or be warned by the sound of his Trumpet that he will lay stumbling blocks before them and the Father and Son shall fall together upon them Jer. 6.17 Isa 8.13 14. Rom. 9.33 18 21. Such was Christ's weakness Cross and abasement and the Fathers withdrawing from him 1 Cor. 1 2â— on the Cross to the Jews and Pharisees who out of envy put him to Death and the Preaching of the Cross to the generality of them 4. Yea we may add if we can conceive otherwise of it then as included in what is said By cursing his Blessings and even his own Ordinances to Men as Mal. 2.1 2. That they should be made as snares and traps to them for their abuse of them as in Psal 69.22 23 24 25. Let their table become a snare and that which was for their welfare a trap c. Yet this is so accidentally as it were by reason of their pride covetousness c. which apts them to take offence and boggle at the Word of God which altogether speaks in such was against them vexing galling and inraging them they loving their deeds that are evil and so becoming a Savour of Death unto Death to them Yea the very Spirit of God may work such Discoveries of their resisting and rejecting them to their very hearts as may occasion the heart retaining its love to iniquity to exert its wickedness and so occasionally harden it to desperate Rebellion and so may his Judgment too as in Rev. 16 8 9. And thus I conceive of God's hardening Operations or such Operations as attributed to him I shall close up this Chapter with Mr. Mallers Exposition of those Words in Psal 105.25 He turned their hearts to hate his people Not that God saith he was the Author of Pharaohs and the Aegyptians evil Counsels or that he put those crafty and wicked counsels into their minds For God is a God that wills not Iniquity c. Which sentence is repeared often in the Scriptures as in Deut. 32. Hos 11. Psal 92. Ezek. 33. Which with both hands or rather with our whole Soul is to be held fast by us that we may know that God is not the cause of any Sin nor doth he will effect or approve of the wickedness and obstinacy of the Wicked but the cause of Sin is the corrupt will of Man and the suggestion of the Devil but God is said to have perverted or turned Pharaâ—hs and the Aegyptians hearts in that he forsaking them left their preverse hearts such as they were naturally that they might pour out their hatred conceived against Israel which hatred was not of God but of their inbred malice pride covetuousness which because God did not correct or take away by his Grace he is said to have perverted or turned their hearts that the Godly might understand that those things which happen to them from such evil men come not unto them without his will This says he is the most sincere meaning of it and most consonant to the Scriptures To which agrees Aug. Tom. 2. contra Pelag. p. 300. God hardens not by putting Malice into men but by withdrawing his mercy from them And in his First Book against the 2 Epist of Pelag. chap. 18. No man is compelled by the power of God against his will either to good or evil but God forsaking men deservedly they go into evil and helping them undeservedly they are converted to good That Phrase of perverting them and hardning them used sixteen times in Exodus is not to be understood of any efficacious action of God but of his permission and forsaking as Aust Lib. 5. contrae Julianum For it is usual in the Hebrew Tongue that Verbs or words signifying Actions are put for the causes of Actions either truly such or such as without which they would not be which seeing they are the Will Power Permission it often falls out that they are to be expounded by I will I can I suffer or permit and by their own infinitive as Gal. 5. So many as are justified by the Law that is desire to be justified 1 Cor. 10. I please all men that is desire or endeavour it Luk. 8. Hearing they bear not that is will not hear Why hast thou made us to erre from thy ways and hardned our hearts from thy fear that is Why hast thou left us and suffered us to erre c. And not rather drawn us back and governed us by thy Spirit that by our negligence malice or wickedness we rush not into evil c. Thus he which soberly construed and looked upon as the Judicial acts of God after Grace extended and rejected I conceive to be very right and Orthodox For which cause I have thus noted and transcribed it as worthy to be credited and received And thus much for the kinds of God's operations in which also we have shewed the manner of God's working in operations of this latter kind which respect the working of men to Sin or rather in what sense such operations may be Attributed to God I might have noted also That the same sentence of Truth or providence of God may have diverse operations in divers men as that saying of Christ to the Jews Joh. 8.32 If ye continue in my words then are ye my Disciples indeed and Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free As it occasionally offended and inraged those Jews so it might comfort others and instruct others in the way to obtain freedome and admonish others of and cause them to fear departing from his words and as the same cloud that protected the Israelites blew the Aegyptians into the Sea But I pass it and come to what remains viz. The manner of God's working in his Gracious Operations which are more properly directly and effectively his CHAP. X. Of the manner of God's working in Men by his grace preventing accompanying and following them SECT 1. That God's gracious operations are according to the counsel of his will and in some sense different and unlike IT is most certain that God as the Apostle says Ephes 1.11 worketh all things according to the counsel of his will All things namely that he worketh or we may not say That he worketh â—ens Sins and Evils in them or the works of the Devil which he came to destroy 〈◊〉 all things that he worketh he worketh according as his most infinitely wise â—nderstanding directeth and his will â—herein determineth without asking advice of or submitting himself to the guiâ—ance of any Creature whatsoever â—hough yet heither doth the Apostle thereâ— mean that he worketh nothing with respect to our wills and works for sureâ—y that is not so but in all his punishments and rewards as properly such he hath respect to the wills and workings of Men and so the counsel of his will