over all For he is both good and mercifull and patient and saves whom he ought nor is here wanting to him the good effect of a just Judge nor is his wisdome diminish'd for he saves whom he ought to save and judges those that are worthy of Judgement yet is not his justice to be counted cruelty considering his foregoing and preventing goodnesse 2. This Opinion avoideth the imputation of Stoicall Fate which the 3. first cannot possibly avoid though they put it from them for they make mans salvation or damnation necessary by an externall and an antecedent necessity of a Decree of God But this Opinion placing Gods Decree after his foreknowledge makes mans salvation or damnation only infallible to Gods knowledge but free and contingent to man Gods knowledge as knowledge causing nothing and his Decree not altering or crossing but ratifying that which he knew would be the worke of Man working out his owne salvation by co-working with the Grace of God or working his owne damnation by forsaking his owne mercy 3. It avoideth the accusations laid against the fourth Opinion for it maketh the Election of God absolute definite inconditionall complete irrevocable and immutable It maketh God to chuse man and not man first to chuse God It hath no affinitie with Pelagianisme in the matter of Predestination at all nor in the matter of Grace unlesse this be Pelagianisme to hold that under the aydes of Grace the will is yet free to evill of which we shall dispute in the third part It maketh Predestination the root and cause of Calling justifying glorifying of faith repentance perseverance and of all the good that is in us which are the effects of Predestination and effect of the love of God predestinating them unto us 4. It ministreth no matter of despaire nor of Presumption but cherisheth both hope and feare Not of Despaire For 1. No man is decreed against but upon the foreknowledge of his owne refusall of life offered him 2. The Promises are generall and hee may truly thinke them to belong to him 3. There is sufficient Grace in the means of Conversion to remedy all the weaknesse or perversnesse that is in mans depraved nature He may hope therefore Not of Presumption For 1. No man is decreed for but with the foreknowledge of his owne acceptance of life offered him 2. The Promises of God are generall but they have conditions which he must be carefull to observe that will inherit the things promised 3. The Grace that is in the meanes of Conversion is not tyed unto them by any physicall connexion but is dispensed by the good pleasure of God who may offer and unite it to the World when and how long hee will or may withhold the influence of it and so harden or forsake the carelesse or the proud Hee may feare therefore 5. It ministreth as much sweet comfort to all godly persons that finde themselves walking in the wayes that leade to life and confirmeth their Faith of eternall salvation to be enjoyed through Christ and as fervently kindleth their love to God as any way or order of our Election conceived otherwise 6. Lastly it acknowledgeth the deepnesse of Gods judgements and the unsearchablenesse of his Counsels for who can tell why God by his Decree settled upon Peter rather than upon Judas why hee loved Esau lesse than Jacob why hee suffered one man to perish and not another when he was able out of the treasures of his wisdome and knowledge to have disposed their course calling and government to quite contrary ends who can tell a reason why hee distributed the gifts of Nature and of Grace so diversly why hee beareth some with so long patience and cuts off others in so great severity why some have so much some so little both of temporall and spirituall blessings Quis novit sensum Domini or who hath beene his Counsellour Or who hath first given unto him for of him and through him and to him are all things To whom bee glory for ever The end of the first Part. The Transition to the second Part. NOw having propounded that which I conceive to bee the Truth and commended it by comparison with other Opinions that seeme defective I have yet one thing more to doe necessary for the confirming and testifying of this truth against all exceptions either of haeresie in generall or of schisme at home in this Church of England I am therefore to shew how all the Articles or heads of Divinity that necessarily runne into this question being rightly declared doe cohere and consent to this Doctrine that wee may make it good which the Philosopher saith Ethic. 1. c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am to declare then the Orthodox Doctrine both of the ancient Church and of the Church of England First of these things as Eternall Of Gods Knowledge Will Providence Predestination Election Reprobation These shall make a second Part. 2. Of these things as done in Time Of the Creation of the fall of Man the effects of the Fall the Restauration of Man his Vocation Conversion Of Grace Freewill Perseverance and of the last judgement which is commonly neglected and left out by them that dispute of these matters And these shall make a third part of this worke through God Goodnesse and assistance CHAP. I. Of Gods Knowledge ST James saith Acts 15. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowne from everlasting are unto God all his Workes S. Paul saith Rom. 8. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he foreknew he Predestinated S. Peter saith 1 Pet. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the strangers Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father There be that interpret these two places rather by the Word Precognition than by the Word Prescience and tropically as to signifie approbation and love rather than Knowledge properly taken and they complaine of the ignorance of the Latines that understood not the Greeke and of the ignorance of the Greekes that understood not the Hebrew phrase in this word and that by the Word Prescience they occasioned the Pelagian Heresie of election upon prescience of workes So Pareus yet Origen is hee to whom they are beholden for this their interpretation one neither ignorant of Greeke nor Hebrew nor thought guiltlesse by them of giving occasion to Pelagius his Heresie But if it be their mindes by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so to include approbation as they would exclude 1. Foreknowledge properly taken I will fetch a poore Almanake to wipe away this Glosse by the common use of the word Prognostication 2. Next I will say that an Hebraism or Grammaticall quillet is too weake a thing to sway a cause of this weight and value 3. I say that it is very improbable that S. Paul and S. Peter being not in any poeticall or popular veine but in a sad and grave discourse doe use any figurative or improper term where most propriety and perspicuity and
more excellent power over Mankinde his Masse than any Potter hath of his Clay to make Vessels to honour or dishonour whereby at last all is resolved into the Will of God but as it is the supreme and universall cause which doth allow all inferiour causes to move and worke according to their Natures which movings and workings hee orders and applyes to his owne Glory of Justice or Mercy as seemeth agreeable to his Will Vide Epiphan Haeres 64. contra Orig. p. 246. Et Hieronimum Hebdiae Quaest. 10. Thus much for the first branch of the first paragraph viz. The Definition of Predestination to life Now followeth the second Branch which is a Description of the Execution or of the manifestation of our Predestination to life which is expressed in these words Wherefore they that be endued with so excellent a benefit of God bee called according to Gods Purpose by his Spirit working in due season This straine seemes to be an Imitation of S. Paul Rom. 8. 29. and it is a good explication thereof saving that S. Paul tyeth the Linkes together one unto another by a repetition or replication Those whom hee foreknew hee did predestinate And whom hee did predestinate them hee also called whom hee called hee also justifyed and whom hee justifyed hee also glorifyed But our Article uniteth all these latter unto one the first as so many effects of one cause and implyeth the connexion of one of them to the other onely by the order of their enumeration saying thus They that bee endued with so excellent a benefit of God which is as much as they that bee elected by Christ as foreknowne they be called they be justifyed they be glorifyed So the imitation agreeth well without any materiall difference The Explication our Article makes appeares most by the additions which it putteth to S. Paul 1. As first instead of whom hee foreknew it calleth our Predestination praeclarum Dei Donum those that hee endued with so excellent a benefit with reference to the Definition afore 2. That it esteemeth this excellent benefit the Fountaine and the cause of all spirituall blessings that follow in the Article viz. Calling Justifying Glorifying for it saith Vnde qui tam praeclaro Dei beneficio sunt donati vocantur wherefore they that be endued with so excellent a benefit of God are called 3. That to S. Pauls words called according to purpose the Article addeth by his Spirit working in due season and they through grace obey the Calling By which two additions the Article declareth what Calling according to purpose is viz. when Gods Spirit worketh in Calling and not the outward word alone and when by grace that Calling is obeyed for these two are in the course and plot approved by God 4. When to S. Pauls justifyed the Article addeth They be made the Sonnes of God by adoption they bee made like to the Image of his holy Sonne Jesus Christ they walke righteously in good Workes These are added as so many effects of our Election originally and as so many effects of our Justification immediately and as so many pledges and signes of our future Glorification for upon this is concluded that at length by Gods Mercy they attaine to everlasting felicity Out of this Declaration which the Article maketh of the Execution and Manifestation of Predestination there bee foure things especially to bee learned 1. That the Article intendeth the same thing which Melanchton sayes S. Paul intended Rom. 8. 29. Totum ordinem complecti voluit quo Ecclesia condita est à Deo To the end that our Faith of eternall Salvation by Christ might bee established and confirmed since God hath contrived the whole course whereby hee will build his Church that is whereby hee will have on Earth a chosen Generation that shall inherit in Heaven everlasting felicity And this wee may certainly beleeve because the Knowledge of God which is infallible his purpose which is unchangeable his Calling according to purpose which cannot bee frustrate his justifying which cannot be controuled and his glory which is invincible are all found in this order and course here set downe besides the Scripture saith The Counsell of the Lord standeth sure and the thoughts of his heart to all Generations Psal 33. 11. 2. Secondly whereas in this chaine there is one linke which is put not onely as the first in order but also as the cause and fountaine of all the rest which are not onely tyed to it but derived from it namely the excellent benefit of our Election and Predestination in Christ which was given unto us by God and settled upon us by his purpose before the Foundation of the World 2 Tim. 1. 9. from whence doe flow all the lower blessings of Calling according to purpose justifying glorifying as effects as issues out of the first and highest Therefore wee are bound to blesse God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as S. Paul doth who hath blessed us with all Spirituall blessings viz. with calling justifying and according as hee hath chosen us in him that wee should be holy and unblameable before him in love Eph. 1. 3 4. for the latter blessings doe call upon the first not onely as a patterne but as a Fountaine and root of them all Now if it should seeme strange that those should be the Effects of Predestination and yet bee foreknowne before Predestination according as S. Paul setteth Foreknowledge before Predestination and Calling after it as the Effect this doubt is cleered by the remembring that the foreknowledge that S. Paul speaketh of is that onely of Simple understanding which is not the cause of any thing absolutely to bee but onely as possible or futurum but sub Hypothesi if the Will of God say it and by remembring secondly that the Will and Decree of God wherein Predestination properly consisteth is onely the cause why any thing comes to act and into being absolutely God willing it to be indeed after that manner as hee knew it might be before hee willed it to bee So by this it is plaine that the things which were the Objects of the Understanding foreknowing them first as possible are after the Effects of the Will of God when they are commanded by a Decree absolutely to be and to come into act The knowledge of God being unto him a light and a guide but his Will being to us the Fountaine of all our good and the ground of the duties of thankfulnesse 3. Thirdly whereas the lower linkes say whom hee predestinated hee called c. we learne from hence that the ministery of the Word whereby the holy Ghost calleth justifyeth sanctifyeth the Elect people of God chiefly intendeth the Execution of Predestination according to S. Paul Eph. 4. 12. That Pastors and Teachers are given for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the Edifying of the Body of Christ Non ergo alios sed quos praedestinavit vocavit justicavit ipsos glorificavit
ac fine ipso beatorum praevisis Molina q. 23. Art 1. Desp. 2. pag. 305. The predestinating to some Men but those meanes which God foreknowes through their owne fault will not bring them to life is the Reprobating of them namely with that Reprobation which is Negative That those meanes bring them not to life is not ever from the insufficiency of the meanes for by the same meanes in the Church of God others come to life but from the personall fault and disobedience of them that use not the meanes or their fault that have charge of them That no better meanes are given them which Gods knowledge understood would save them if they were given ariseth only from the just Will Pleasure of God Neither can this be disgraced by a nick-name of Post-destination because it is after the knowledge of Gods simple understanding for that knowledge is not of things absolutely to be but onely conditionally if God please to say They shall be seeing these things are not known scientia Visionis it is Praedestination properly that gives them being CHAP. IV. Of Election and Reprobation BEcause in these acts God useth both his Knowledge and his Will therefore the holy Scriptures name the Elect sometimes from one head sometimes from the other sometimes those whom God foreknew as Rom. 11. 2. Sometimes those Whom he did Praedestinate according to purpose Rom. 8. 28. whence Election and Reprobation may be defined either of these wayes 1. Election is the foreknowledge of those benefits of God whereby a man will be saved if they be given him and the Will to give them unto him Or thus 2. Election is the purpose or Will of God to give to one man those benefits whereby he knoweth the man will be saved if they be given him These agree with the old definition Praedestinatio est praescientia praeparatio beneficiorum dei quibus certissmè liberantur quicunque liberantur 1. Reprobation is the foreknowledge of those benefits of God under which a man through his owne ingratitude will perish if no other be given unto him and the will to give him no other Or thus 2. Reprobation is the Decree of God to give to a man no other benefits than those under which he doth foreknow the man through his owne ingratitude will perish if no other be given him Here foreknowledge looks directly uppon the ingratitude of the man neglecting benefits and the Will denyes to give any new or more benefits than these ineffectuall to Salvation onely by the abuse or neglect of the ingratefull Thus God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth not alwayes taken immediately for I except Infants not surviving out of the Masse of Originall sinne giving to one man the Grace of most certaine repentance and leaving another in his corruption without releefe able to save him But thus in the dispensation of his benefits and meanes of Grace outward and inward granting unto one those benefits which he infallibly knowes will save him and denying another those Graces which he likewise knowes would save him if they were granted Not that he gave him no grace at all sufficient unto life for he gave him much which the man received in vaine through his owne fault but more God pleased not to give For to harden is not to deny all Grace sufficient to Salvation but to deny that high secret Grace hidden in the Treasury of Gods power which God knowes would speed convert and save if it were given Thus doth man first harden his owne heart disobeying the Grace which God doth offer Ps 95. 8. and God doth harden mans heart in not adding or increasing a stronger grace to the former which would overcome all the hardnesse and disobedience of man if it were the pleasure of God to give it which if it were so to all he should permit no man to perish rather it is his pleasure to exercise his justice upon the despisers of his sufficient Grace and to make them Vessels of his wrath to teach the Creature what it is to tempt the Creator to put forth the uttermost of his wisdome and power to save the sloathfull and ingratefull CHAP. V. The Transition to the third part THus have I spoken sparingly and with reverence of these high things conceived by us as eternall and before all time Next I am to declare the things done in time opening revealing of those Eternall Counsels which two parts I think good to unite as it were by a strong joynt set betweene them taken and transcribed out of that judicious Divine M. Richard Hooker lib. 5. par 56. Wherein let the Ingenuous Reader tell me whether I do not shew him faire prints of my fifth Opinion That which moveth God to work is Goodnesse R. H. and that which ordereth his work is Wisdome and that which perfecteth his work is Power All things which God in their times seasons hath brought forth were Eternally and before all times in God as a work unbegun is in the Artificer which afterward bringeth it unto effect Therefore whatsoever we doe behold now in this present world it was inwrapped within the bowels of divine Mercy written in the booke of Eternall wisdome and held in the hands of omnipotent Power the first foundation of the world being yet unlaid so that all things which God hath made are in that respect the off-spring of God they are in Act. 17. 28 29. him as effects in their highest cause he likewise actually is in them the assistance and influence of his Deity is their life Let hereunto saving grace be added and it bringeth forth a speciall off spring amongst men conteyning them to whom God himselfe hath given the gracious and amiable name of Sons We are by Nature the Sonnes of Adam when God created Adam he created us and as many as are descended from Adam have in themselves the root out of which they spring The Sonnes of God we neither are all nor any one of us otherwise than only by Grace and favour The Sonnes of God have Gods owne naturall Sonne as a second Adam from heaven whose care Progeny they are by Spirituall and heavenly birth God therefore loving eternally his Sonne he must needs eternally in him have loved and preferred before all others them which are spiritually sithence descended and sprung Eph. 1. 3. out of him These were in God as in their Saviour and not as in their Creator onely It was the purpose of his saving goodnesse his saving wisdome and his saving power which inclineth it selfe towards them They which thus were in God eternally by their intended admission to life have by vocation or adoption God actually now in them as the Artificer is in the worke which his hand doth presently frame We are therefore in God through Christ eternally according to that intent and purpose whereby we were chosen to be made his in this present world before the world it selfe
Faith for their recovery after notice taken of their impotency to rise again of themselves it seems an insulting mock and not a Call to say to sinners Turne repent believe and live unlesse there be some grace prepared for them whereby they may be able to repent and believe 2. Because it attributeth the Effect of obeying the Calling to the kinde of Calling it selfe and onely to one cause the operation of the Spirit as if many causes did not concur to produce an Effect and if any one faile the Effect faileth As if obedience to the Calling of God were not an Act of the will of Man under the ayde of the Spirit of God as if the ayde of the Spirit were never refused nor the Grace of God never received in vaine For though God be almighty and able to draw all second Causes unto his part and side yet he doth not use to disturbe or crosse the Nature of Causes nor the order of things which himselfe hath established 3. Because it maketh Gods Covenant to differ from all Covenants in humane affaires even in that which is essentiall to a Covenant yet this terme and title is borrowed from men the better to conceive of the Grace of God the duty of man In our Covenants each party hath something to performe and no one party doth all in a Covenant but by this distinction God is supposed both to provide infallibly to have the conditions fulfilled and also to fulfill his owne promises whereas all that he undertaketh for us is to make the conditions possible and not to be wanting in his helpe so far as is needfull for us Esay 59. ult And check me not that I am afraid to give too much to God lest I check you againe that you looke to be so much favoured as to be tyed to nothing Truth flattereth neither God nor Man Non est bonae solidae fidei c. T is not the part of a good and sound faith so to referre all things to Gods will and so to flatter every one by saying Nothing can come to passe without Gods permission that so we may imagine our selves are to doe nothing Tert. de Exhort Castitatis not far from the beginning CHAP. VIII Of Conversion THe Conversion of a sinner is the End which God seeketh in sending his Word and in Calling men Act. 3. 26. The Effect of Calling when it speedeth It may shortly be defined The Obedience of him that is called for it his part Vocantem audire obedire In Conversion there be two Termes A quo Ad quem From the power of Satan unto God Act. 26. 18. It is in all parts of Man In his Vnderstanding he is turned from darknesse to light In his Will from Idols of all sorts to serve the living God 1 Thes 1. 9. In his whole life from unrighteousnesse to Holinesse Rom 6. The Conversion of a sinner is also to be considered as Prima or Posterior The first is when a man of a naturall man is made a regenerate man and a member of Gods Church as the Gentiles called by the Apostles Act. 15. 3. Such were we all that are converted unto God having been first averted foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts Tit. 3. 3. The latter Conversion is when a regenerate man having committed iniquity and fallen into sin returneth unto God by repentance of that sinne Thus Peter that was foretold of denying Christ and that yet his faith should not finally faile was willed that he being converted should strengthen his Brethren Luk. 22. 32. See Bilson of supremacy pag. 278. 279. in 4. Next the Causes of our Conversion are to be considered without question Gods holy spirit working upon the heart of a sinner is the prime principall efficient powerfull Cause of his Conversion Turne us and we shall be turned Lam. 5. 21. in the beginning in the middle and in the end of it The word preached is the ordinary Instrumentall Cause Psal 19. 7. Adjuvant Causes are the Crosse that chastneth Jer. 31. 18. Blessings that draw and allure the prayers of others the holy example of others already converted c. But it is in question what part the Sinner himselfe who is the subject to be converted beareth in his owne Conversion being a living and reasonable Subject Whether he be active or passive in it when and how far whether he can further it or hinder it or whether it be possible for two supposed equally called one to be converted and not the other If so then whence this difference shall arise whether from God or from Man The determination of these questions cannot be cleare nor the manner of our conversion opened untill we have declared what is to be holden according to the Scriptures touching Gods free Grace and Mans freewill which we will indeavour to bring into more manifest light after so vehement Conflicts of the learned in all Ages which have raised clouds of obscurity to the losse of Truth amongst the strivers for it CHAP. IX Of Grace OF Grace and Freewill I will speak by Gods grace first severally then joyntly that so we may returne to the point of our Conversion to behold what be the parts of God therein and what of Man Of Grace I shall endeavour to declare the Thing the Distinctions the Necessity the Amplitude the Power and force thereof By Grace may be understood all that proceedeth from God out of free favour to an unworthy sinner tending to his Salvation yet here by Grace I will not understand the remaines of Nature as some light of Reason some sense of Conscience and the like though it was of Grace that these were spared and left to remaine in Man fallen Neither will I by Grace understand the Law describing the righteousnesse of works though the preacher of Grace doth use the Law to shew a sinner his Estate and to prepare him to Christ Nor will I understand the bare outward word of the Gospel though it be called Verbum gratiae Act. 20. 32. if not rather it be so called because the internall Grace of God goeth with it But by Grace I understand the internall Illuminations Teachings Motions Tractions Inspirations Operations Gifts of the holy Ghost merited by Christ to be given to the sinfull Sons of Adam in their fit time and order to the end to raise them fallen and to save them lost whence I shall call it with Saint August Gratiam Christi There is in man no merit of Grace for then grace were no grace there is only an occasion namely the wofull misery of Man which yet was in Gods pleasure to take as an occasion or to refuse it Even the good use of former Graces is no merit or cause of the giving of following Graces but the second are as freely given as the first for Gods good pleasure alone is the Author and Cause of that order and succession that is in graces in which he hath appointed to doe one thing in
order after another and not one thing for the sake of another If any thing be named Grace and tend not to mans recovery and Salvation or be not in some degree fit sufficient potent and available to further this work it is not to be esteemed worthy of the Noble and blessed name Grace The Distinctions of Grace The same Grace and power of Gods Spirit which in essence is no way diverse yet hath diverse denominations according to the diversities of relations and effects as the same Sunne first warmeth the Earth and then makes it fruitfull and beautifies it with flowers Quae enim in verbo pro ejus singulari divinae naturae simplicitate unum sunt unuÌ„ tamen effectuÌ„ in animâ non habent sed ad ejus varias diversas necessitates veluti diversa sese participanda accommodant Bern. in Cant. Ser. 85. The most antient and usefull distinction of Grace is that which we have in the tenth Article of our Church and in divers Collects of the booke of Common-prayer Into preventing following working coworking exciting helping Againe Grace is in Scripture set forth as standing without calling knocking Prov. 1. 20. Rev. 3. 20. Entred in inhabiting as in a Temple house 1 Cor. 3. 16. Againe God doth work in us these three things after these manners Bonum Cogitare sine nobis Velle nobiscum Perficere per nos Bern. de gratia libero Arbitrio Cornelius Muss 4. Ciner The Distinction of Grace into Sufficient and Effectuall is a frivolous distinction one member having too little the other too much to be found in rerum natura for how can that be a Grace or sufficient that never as such produceth any Effect but must have something more put to it in the entity of Grace to bring forth an Effect and then it loseth the name of Sufficient and winneth the title of Effectuall 2. What effect flowes except it be in miracles from one sole cause which is certaine and infallible and despising all other causes claimes to it selfe the title of Effectuall All Grace is in it selfe sufficient and efficient no lesse no more See Paulum Bennium de efficaci Dei auxilio purposely written to explode this distinction If there be a defect in the Effect it proceedeth from a defect in some other cause or the Subject or some other thing than from the defect of Grace Yet I will not stick to acknowledge Grace Effectuall to be well so called from the Event and as proceeding from Gods speciall mercy guided by his foreknowledge if that will satisfie their desires which affect this distinction Prevent us O Lord in all our doings with thy most gracious favour and further us with thy continuall help that in all our workes begun continued and ended in thee we may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy mercy obtaine everlasting life c. Almighty God we humbly beseech thee that as by thy speciall grace preventing us thou dost put in our mindes good desires so by thy continuall helpe we may bring the same to good effect through Jesus Christ our Lord. Collect on Easter day The Necessity of Grace In the defence hereof Saint August deserveth highly of the Church of God against Pelagius who denyed the Necessity of Grace For Pelagius denying Originall Sinne and not acknowledging any losse to Adams posterity by Adams transgression but holding mankinde to be now as sound as the Creator made it he must needes by consequence hold Grace to be superfluous which the Church held was prepared to supply that losse and hath its whole occasion out of the Fall He then that confesseth the effects of Adams sinne as fully as any man cannot be counted of Kindred to Pelagius in sleighting the necessity of Grace I subscribe to S. Augustine pressing home that Text Joh. 15. 5. Without me you can doe nothing Lib. 2. cont duas Epistolas Pelagii c. 8. alibi Autor operis imperfecti in Matth. c. 7. Hom. 18. in illud Petite dabitur vobis c. Because the Commandements were greater than to be fulfill'd by mans strength he directs us to God to whose grace nothing is impossible and that rightly because 't is exceeding just the Creature should stand in neede of its Creators help Se Saint Augustine de Genesi ad literam lib. 8. cap. 12. Mâ—â—i autem adhaerere Deo bonum est c. It is good for me to stick close to God for neither is the Creature any such thing as that without his Maker he should be able of himselfe to doe any good thing But his chiefe good worke is to be converted to his Maker and by him continually to be made Just Godly Wise and Blessed c. As the Ayre light being present is not made a lucid Body like the Sun which gives light but onely becomes light because if it were made such it could not possibly be but that even in the absence of light it should continue lucid Even so man God being present with him is illightned but being absent is immediatly darkned from whom we depart not so much in distance of place as in forsaking him wilfully This is even like Gods owne a glorious power such as wrought in Christ when God raised him from the dead Eph. 1. 19 20. and 3. 20. Whence our Conversion is called a new birth a new creation the first Resurrection 1. For first the power to will that which is good is created in us againe as it was at the first 2. When this power is as it were in actu primo by that gift or Creation it is not brought forth in actum secundum by our selves alone using that power but by the helping and co-operating of the divine power here again as Bernard saith Conatus nostri nulli sunt nisi excitentur cassi sunt nisi adjuventur 3. Bee we never so willing The habits of faith or love are no more in our power than it is in the power of a blind man to give himselfe sight though he be most willing to see and say Lord that I may receive my sight or no more than it is in him that hath present within himself to will but to doe that which the law commandeth he findeth not Rom. 7. 18. except the Spirit help him Rom. 8. 3. So that after we are willing and ready to receive the mighty power of God worketh and giveth that which we desire For our prayers implythree things First That we want something and feele our want Second That we cannot help our selves to supply our want but therefore goe to another Third That he alone to whom we goe as supplyants we confesse to be able and ready to help us and therefore we goe to him This is that which Saint Paul teacheth Phil. 2. 13. exhorting them that received and obeyed the Gospel to worke out their Salvation having received the power to worke yet because they might feare their owne weaknesse and infirmity even in using the
Hee shall not pronounce thus But what then shall he say Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire for yee saw me an hungry and fed mee not c. But these are not the common sinnes of all mankinde but the particular faults of every particular man which therefore shall then be specially objected to every one lest in that sharpe torment and griefe of minde they should presume to beg mercy of God who themselves have denyed mercy to their poore Brethren craving it CHAP. XX. An Abridgement of the whole Doctrine of this Booke TExts the Foundation of it Acts 15. 18. Knowne unto God are all his Workes from everlasting Psal 135. 6. Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in Heaven and in Earth Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did foreknow he did predestinate 1 Pet. 1. 2. To the Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father Ephes 1. 3 4. Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ according as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World To conceive aright of the Order and Manner of the Divine Predestination in the Minde of God revealed unto us in the holy Scriptures after our manner of Understanding It is necessary to consider something of the Nature of God who did predestinate and something of the Nature of man who was predestinated Of the Nature of God chiefly in this matter must be considered with humble Reverence His infinite Vnderstanding or knowledge His just Will His Soveraigne Dominion His knowledge may be conceived of two sorts that which is called Scientia Visionis knowledge of Vision or that which is scientia simplicis intelligentiae knowledge of simple or meere Understanding that is called also scientia libera because it followeth some free act of the Will of God this is called Naturalis Naturall because it is in God who is of Infinite Understanding before any act of his Will be supposed to have passed His knowledge of Vision or of sight is onely of those things which either have or shall have a being and therefore this knowledge is after Predestination and builded upon it for when Predestination hath decreed what things shall be then God by his Understanding of Vision doth know them as beholding them Seeing then this knowledge is after Predestination is finished and concluded it hath no place in the Act of God predestinating neither can any thing that is under such knowledge or sight be any cause or rule of Predestination whence it appeareth that Rom. 8. 29. Whom he foreknew he did predestinate such foreknowledge of Vision cannot be understood seeing there Foreknowledge goes before Predestinating as Predestinating goes before Calling and Calling before Justifying So that they speak improperly that use the termes of praevisa fides for fides Praecognita in the Question whether Faith foreknown have any place in Gods Predestination with this knowledge then of Vision we have no more to doe in this matter Gods knowledge of pure or simple Vnderstanding is of the same things that are predestinate to be but before they were predestinated and of infinite things more besides them all which it understood and compared together before any thing was decreed or determined to be This knowledge is founded on Gods Omnipotency for he knoweth his owne power and so it is of things but as possible to be if he please to give them being and he knoweth also by this his Understanding if he please to give them being what will be their Operations and effects and what may flow or issue from them either as they are Naturall Agents or Voluntary So by this meanes the knowledge of God ariseth to an infinitenesse and to be without number as the Psalm saith 147. 5. But if it should be limitted to these things alone which have a being and are within the circle of heaven or within the compasse of the ages of the world the knowledge of God should in a sort be finite since these things though to us they be many yet certainly they are finite Now the first act of Predestination was in choosing these things to be which now are and the decree to put them into being refusing and rejecting infinite other things which God knew as possible as these and which might have beene if it had pleased him But of this predestination of all things that are and the rejection of such things as are not our inquiry and dispute is not but of Angels and Men that have a being in what order and manner some were predestinated to life and some rejected To which my answer is that this was not done without that selfe-same foreknowledge of simple Understanding of this part of the world Angels and Men which was used in the predestinating of the whole That is to say 1. That God did Understand that if it pleased him to create among other his glorious workes some creatures endued with reason and of a free Nature they would be more fit than the rest for him to shew forth in them his wisdome goodnesse bounty justice mercy fidelity and all his glorious properties yet it remained at his pleasure to create them or not 2. That he did understand that such creatures according to their freedome would vary in their choices some cleaving fast to good some declining to evill he knew this not onely in generall and as possible but particularly the very persons if they were created and put to the tryall yet it remained at his pleasure to create them or to try them or no to permit or hinder any of them in their choices which he knew how to doe if he would 3. That he did understand that of them whom he knew would forsake their first good estate if he permitted them hee might justly forsake some and punish them for their rebellion or he could find means to restore them and reconcile them to himselfe but yet he determined neither 4. That he understood that it might be more justifiable and equall not to spare Angels but to shew mercy to Men as more fraile and weake as also deceived by Angels Yet he would consider what to doe 5. That he understood that if he should out of that mercy provide excellent meanes sufficient to raise men fallen and to restore to them power and freedome to work like reasonable and free Agents in the Use of those meanes to their Salvation he understood I say that among many some would thankfully receive his mercy some ungratefully reject it for the sake of the pleasures of sin the very particulars he knew of al his own mercies in their several degrees and varieties of all the Persons in their severall conditions and events but still the determination what should be done or permitted of all this was as it were held in suspence 6. That he understood that if he should condemne them that had refused his many mercies and should receive them to favour that returned to him he should doe justly to