of that manner electing and reiecting which are heere expressed and for the two conclusions hee doth argue from these words The first is true but not a thing heere to be prooued for the Apostle had said that ergo the word was true notwithstanding the multitude of Israelites were reiected because that all Israelites were not that Israell and all the seede of Abraham were not those children to whom the word belonged This is then that which here is to be concluded that those who are the seede of Abraham and Israelites in course of nature were not that Israell and that seede to whom the word signifying Gods election and adoption belonged the force of the argument therfore is in this not that the decree is after election but that Iacob onely was in decree of election and Esau borne alike of Isaac was not The second syllogisme concludeth a thing that neuer came into the Apostles minde and cannot be accommodated to these types vnlesse types in that wherein they are types may be contrary to the thing testified by them as I haue shewed aboue Beside who will yeeld him that Gods calling is heere put for faith obeying God calling when the sight of faith and euery thing else was before excluded in this election of Iacob and therefore the decree electing him excludeth and opposeth it selfe in workes to this faith aswell as any other thing Now then we see that this decree electing and adopting is so from Gods will that nothing in man is considered in it as a meane or cause but onely his meere pleasure for cleering which I entred the explication of this place to this only the context following will agree which seeing I am thus far entred I will shew so shortly as I can What shall wee say then saith the Apostle is there iniustice with God God forbid For hee saith to Moses This is plaine that the doctrine next before deliuered giueth occasion to this obiection Let any iudge then whether Arminius his sense is made probably a ground of this imagination we see this doth naturally arise from our construction for if God from his meere pleasure doth choose one cal him to adoption and the heauenly inheritance reiecting another euery way equal to him Then God seemeth vniust for vpon his meere pleasure to deale so vnequally with equals vpon meere pleasure seemeth very hard doe but lay that of Arminius by it and there neede no other confutation If God decree to reiect such as reiect his grace offered in Christ stiffely cleauing to their own righteousnes if out of his meere pleasure none deseruing it he decree to saue such as shal by faith lay hold on his mercy offered in Christ then he seemeth vniust I answer Here is no shew of iniustice to the reason of man for that which he supposeth to be the groūd of their suspecting iniustice namely that God shold of his meere pleasure decree that beleeuers on Christ not followers of the Law should be saued contrary to his former decree in the couenant with Adam for had this beene the ground of their imputation the Apostle should haue answered that God did not of meere pleasure decree otherwise about attaining life then at first he had but he came to this couenant of the Gospell by reason that we had broken the former and through weake flesh made it impossible to vs But he maintaineth the will of God from meere pleasure showing mercy to Iacob to haue beene iust in him it followeth Hee who hath power to shew sauing mercy where himselfe pleaseth he is not vniust in showing to some without any consideration on their parts and denying to other some But God hath power to shew mercy electing adopting calling to the heauenly inheritance to whom he will This is the expresse testimony of Moses which tendeth to proue God free from iniustice in his grace to Iacob and in denying it to Esau For if hee may show it to such as he please hee may refuse it others by the same liberty He doth amplifie this by a consectory deduced That which is wholly in the free pleasure of God that commeth not from any thing in the power of man But this mercy electing adopting calling is meerely in Gods free pleasure it is not therefore in man to procure it but in Gods liberty to show this mercy This answere doth plainely shew that the point which distasted was this That God should at his meere pleasure show mercy to Iacob which he refused Esau which would make our election calling adoption quite out of our power meerely depending on Gods free pleasure For both these are here auouched to stand with iustice in God what euer might be surmised And marke here that the Apostle doth maintaine it without iniustice to show and refuse mercy when he considereth not any thing in the persons which might make this equall For were the equity of Gods mercy shewed to Iacob and denied Esau in this that now all were become children of wrath whom God might pardon and restore or leaue and execute at his pleasure then the Apostle should in the honour hee owed to the name of God haue here expressed this consideration that God might iustly show mercy to some and deny it to othersome who were no◠such that they had by sinne brought themselues vnder sentence of condemnation For if he had not shewed it to any hee had not beene vniust but Saint Paul did know that he had affirmed that God looking neither at merit in the one nor demerit in the other had chosen and loued the one refused lesse loued the other Here marke Arminius If that purpose God reiecting such as seeke righteousnesse by their owne workes electing beleeuers depend onely on his mercy then it is not vniust But that purpose is neither from him that runneth c. but dependeth on Gods meere mercy Ergo it is not to be accused of iniustice First Marke how he maketh the Apostle not answer the difficulty of the Obiection which was this How could God goe from one Couenant decreeing saluation on workes and decree contrary that not workers but beleeuers should be saued for Gods mercy cannot be the cause nothing else comming betweene why God should change his order and goe from one vnto a contrary Secondly Let him show how mercy can be the onely cause why a iusticiarie cleauing to his own righteousnesse is reiected from saluation Thirdly The Apostle doth not proue this decree that beleeuers shal be saued to be iust in God but Gods shewing mercy in destination and execution to one before another Now this decree I will saue all that shall beleeue doth not show any mercy to one before another but offers mercy to all alike Lastly Who would euer accuse the mercy of God for decreeing in a iust course to bring men to saluation when now they had made themselues guilty of wrath Marke how he depraueth that consectorie which showeth that it is not in our power
of loue which here is begun in vs thus when Christ saith Blessed are the poore in heart hee doth not so much note any singular vertue as a state to which some heere come aboue othersome in vertue and thus I thinke it is taken heere both because these words doe signifie a state of Christian perfection and because here is Loue expressed as the subiect the life in which wee shall attaine this perfection For that second circumstance those words before him doe note sometime this presence of God which wee haue heere in state of Grace by sight Luke 1. But heere it doth directly signifie that presence which wee shall haue of God when now we are brought to state of perfection when we shall walk by sight and see him as he is Lastly when hee saith in Loue hee noteth that supernaturall life in which wee shall be brought to this perfection as if hee should haue spoken more largely Who hath chosen vs as who should haue that supernaturall being and life of Loue yea that wee should grow to such a state in it that we should be pure or holy without the least spot and that in his glorious presence whom we shall then see as he is Three things then heere offer themselues to obseruation Obs 1 1. That God hath of Grace chosen vs to that supernaturall life of loue which is to be perfected in the heauens Obs 2 2. That he hath not onely of grace chosen vs to this life but to the perfection of it Obs 3 3. That hee hath of grace taken vs to haue this perfection of life to his owne glorious presence To handle them briefly in order 1. First for the former S. Peter saith the faithfull was chosen of God to the sanctification of the spirit that is in effect to be made partakers of a Diuine nature and when we are said chosen to saluation or glory This is chiefly perfection of Loue which doth make the soule glorious euen as whitenesse maketh the wall white thus God hath loued vs that wee should not onely haue such a life of God giuen vs in the first Adam as was due to our nature and created together with it but such a life as is both for kinde and degree aboue all that nature created did know the root whereof is that second Adam Christ Iesus Looke as all of vs who haue this naturall life and being which now as men and women all of vs haue we were loued of God so farre as to receiue it in Adam and be brought to it through him and looke as all that shall be borne to the end of the world and be in time men and women were loued of God and chosen as it were that they should in their times haue the nature of man so heere wee who now haue this life of God liue and all that euer shall haue the holy life which the spirit of God worketh in the hearts of beleeuers wee and they were from eternity chosen that in time wee should haue it deriued and propagated through Christ Now this is to be marked that beeing chosen to haue this holy loue the Diuine nature wee are chosen to faith also for looke as all who are loued to the receiuing of this naturall and bodily being and life are together chosen to this that they shall be borne of Adam and haue a naturall natiuity from him so all who are chosen to haue the being of holinesse and loue are together taken to this that they shall haue a supernaturall natiuity from Christ that is they shall be brought to beleeue He that beleeueth is borne of God 1 Iohn 5.1 Vse 1 Let vs then first recount his wonderfull loue to vs whom his spirit hath in any measure sanctified and made vs to partake in that Diuine nature which commeth from Christ wee deeme it his fauour and worthily that hee hath made vs Men and Women not Toades or Creatures of such vile being but how much more are wee bound to him that hee hath made vs Christian men and not left vs to such a state in which men shall come to worse passe then if they had neuer beene Because God doth not rayse all who are dead nor giue all sight who are blinde therefore wee thinke them to haue found great fauour whom God did choose to this that he would restore their sight though they were borne blinde and raise them to life though they were dead But what loue hath he shewed vs in chusing vs whom hee would make light when now we were darknesse make to liue when now we had beene dead in sinnes trespasses for this wee haue to thanke his gracious pleasure For as his will is the chiefe cause why one is poore another rich one in excellent state another in vile condition so heere why one is left in that miserable estate into which sinne hath brought vs others deliuered from it Vse 2 Secondly wee see heere how they take this Doctrine who thinke it maketh men licentious and giueth them leaue to liue as they list for all that are chosen of God are chosen of him to this that they should be holy in loue and therefore such as resolue to goe on in vnrighteousnesse they may feare least the sentence be thundered out against them Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I neuer knew you Nay there is no more effectuall argument perswading Christians to sanctification then this of our election Now as the Elect of God put on meekenesse Colos 3. If wee heare that we are chosen to any place or condition on earth which is beneficiall this that wee are chosen to it maketh vs ready and stirreth vs vp to get possessed of it Vse 3 Thirdly we see here that God doth not choose because of faith and holinesse and perseuerance foreseene seeing hee chooseth vs to these things these things follow by force of his election and therefore cannot be the cause of that which is before them for euery cause must needs be before that it causeth Now heere is fit place to consider of that question Quest Whether God in foresight of beleefe and perseuerance in faith and holinesse doe choose vs to saluation I will discusse the question after the former manner in which I will propose diuers Articles First then the Arguments affirming which I haue obserued are these 1. They who are chosen in Christ are chosen on Faith foreseene But all the Elect are chosen in Christ Ergo. 2. Such whom God doth adopt and saue such he decreed to adopt and saue He adopteth and saueth beleeuers c. 3. On what condition God offereth life vpon that condition foreseene hee chooseth to life But he offereth life vpon belieuing 4. If God choose not all on condition they will belieue then some are bound to belieue a lye for they are bound to beleeue that God will saue them But we are not bound to belieue a lye c. 5. If God chose some to saluation before faith and perseuerance
to whom God reuealeth it as none but the Son knoweth the Father such to whom the Son reuealeth it 2. God onely knoweth his celectiuely taken that is the whole vniuersity of his chosen no meere man nor creature doth in this sense know who are Gods Obie Could we know that we haue true faith holines we might know our Election but wee cannot for many who haue them not thinke they haue them many who haue them in some sort fall from them many who haue them so as they shall not faile yet may misse in iudging of their estates as Peter If all should forsake thee c. To this I answere First though a man dreame he eate or be in this or that condition and be deceiued yet a man who is that or that waking doth know it and is not deluded So here though the dreaming man who is a sleepe in sinne may mocke himselfe the man who is awake and walketh with God is not mistaken To the second I answere Many who haue temporary graces fall from them but this letteth not but a man who hath that grace which maketh the heart honest may know that his grace shall abide and is such as shall be accompanied with perseuerance Because some thinke counterfeit money good siluer it followeth not but that we may know that which is good from that which is otherwise Finally though a true sanctified man may be deceiued in iudging of his measure of loue or strength it followeth not that therefore hee cannot iudge at all truely of his estate I may be deceiued in iudging how wise I am how strong but not in iudging that I liue haue sense moue so it was with Peter But this is by the way Vse 1 The Vse of this Doctrine is to let vs see that we may come to know our Election If we finde that our hearts haue that faith on Christ by which they are purified he who may know he hath that faith which is the faith of the elect he may know he is elected also Wherefore let vs striue to make our election sure We will diue into the affections of men we cannot be at rest till wee know how they are minded toward vs. What beseemeth a childe more then to labour that he may know his fathers goodnesse to him We should seeke to God to witnesse to vs by his spirit this grace to make vs vnderstand it through the word we should trie our faith and sanctification this is the counterpane written out by the originall copie that will of God within himselfe choosing vs to holinesse The want of this paines maketh some that they come to call in question Gods loue election yea whether euer they had grace yea or no. Should any corporation choose vs to any place of dignity profit we would quickly learne it and if wee had but an inckling wee would not rest till we had found the whole matter I would faithfull soules were as wise in this matter Vse 2 They are hence rebuked who thinke that those that are elect cannot be knowne that it is presumption to goe so farre But shall wee giue thankes as Paul doth for that we doe not know besides are we bid to beleeue the Gospell a part whereof this is we must not be proudly arrogant to thinke wee can search these things to the full for to see things vnuisible and search things vnsearchable are a like vnpossible We must not therefore be arrogant aboue that is written nor yet vnthankefully negligent so farre as to neglect that which is written for our instruction In him Doct. 3 Obserue in what order we are chosen This grace of election beginneth first with Christ our head and descendeth to vs in him it noteth the order in which we are elected not the cause of election wee must not thinke that wee are first elected and that Christ then by occasion of our fall is elected no he is the first begotten amongst all his brethren hauing the praeeminence He was sealed and set a part to be the Prince of our saluation to the glory of grace before for nature that we were elected Hee was fore-knowne before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. The wise prouidence of God doth dispose euery thing so much more principally and timely by how much it is more excellent Hence it is that it doth not thinke of electing predestinating vs who are as a body and come by occasion to thinke on him who is the head afterward 2. We are predestinated to be made like vnto him Now that master picture and first patterne is before that which is drawne by it and done after Christ was the chiefe patterne of the election of grace And looke as it were an vnnaturall thing for the feete to come forth of the wombe before the head So for vs to come forth of this wombe before our head to me seemeth very preposterous yet I say though he is first chosen to that glory which became him as a head he is not the cause why we are chosen Euen as the first Adam is not the cause why God did loue one so that I should be a man and haue this naturall life and being though in and through him I come to haue this being So Christ is not the cause why God would haue me rather then others haue this being and life aboue nature though I attaine to and receiue this being in him for his sake and through him The loue of God as immediately commeth from himselfe to me as to Christ this loue whereby he would haue me to receiue supernaturall life and blessednesse with himselfe But here two weighty Obiections are to be answered for hence two erroneous conclusions are inferred in this wise Obiect 1 The first proueth that we as elected are now considered as fallen into sinne Those who are chosen in him whose promise and exhibition commeth in after sinne they are considered as now in sinne before they are chosen But we are chosen in him c. Rep. The first part is not true as which presupposeth that things are in Gods intention in the same order in which we see them in execution Things in their materiall existing haue one order in their intending another I want a house to dwell in I must hire or build one I cannot get any let to me say I well then I intend to build me a dwelling house I cannot without workemen I intend in the third place to hire Carpenters and Masons but because my workemen can doe nothing without matter hence I decree to prepare stone wood Now in executing I first set stone and wood the matter then I hire workemen then I rayse the frame then I enter and dwell in it In order of materiall existing Christ is reuealed promised exhibited after sinne but he was intended before sinne the Apostle reckoned the order in which things exist 1 Cor. 3.22.23 the world you the Elect Christ God but he giueth vs to vnderstand the
to create mankinde out of necessity not out of liberty that is absurd But choosing some and reprobating others to ends forenamed maketh him create out of necessity 6 He who cannot doe worse then annihilate his creature cannot reiect it to the glory of Iustice God cannot doe worse for hee giues it but being Ergo can doe no worse then take away that he giueth it Ergo. 7 Such who are chosen to saluation through faith and sanctification such are in sinne But we are chosen Ergo. 8 Such who were all alike loued in Creation amongst such was no election nor reiection but we are all alike loued receiued like fauours had all life alike offred vs. 9 That which maketh the fall of man necessary so as man was not free to fall is not to be granted Gods decree to haue mercy glorified in some and iustice in other some doth impose necessity of falling Ergo. These be the chiefe reasons which I haue obserued for the vouching our election to be both after the decree of creating vs and permitting vs to fall into sinne Now then let vs set in equall pareill the arguments which shew that Gods electing of vs cannot be after the consideration of our creation and fall 1 That which is a meane by which God bringeth some to saluation vnto the glory of Grace and others to glorifie his iustice in deserued punishments that is after these ends decreed But the permission of the fall is vsed by God as a meane c. The first part is plaine for the ends must be in nature before the meanes to the end The second part may be thus cleared We see some by occasion of the fall saued to the glory of mercy which without the fall they could not haue beene Had Adam stood it is manifest that iustice should immediately and properly had the glory in all our saluations for we should haue liued according to Couenant Doe these things and liue in them Againe that sinne in whose punishment iustice doth glorifie her selfe the permitting it could not but be a meane but the punishment of Adams sinne lyeth vnremoued on all vnpenitent and vnbeleeuing persons for wee are by nature the children of wrath and Gods wrath abideth on him who beleeueth not abideth I say intimating that the wrath is not first inflicted vpon vnbeleefe but further continued whereas could wee by faith come to God he would be reconciled That which some obiect that the sinne of Adam not as it was contracted by him condemneth any but as it is continued by our vnbeleefe this is nothing to the matter For first it is false that many remaine not in the death of sinne and trespasse in which by nature they are conceiued Now these who haue the punishment of that sinne neuer remooued from them must needs be vnder that sinne once contracted by him And though the latter part of that exception is true in this sense that by reason of vnbeleefe that sinne hurteth them which otherwise would not yet in this sense it is not true viz. vnbeleeuers are onely condemned for that sinne of vnbeleefe not for that sinne they sinned in Adam also and other actuall transgressions But whither as first contracted or after continued it condemnes This is sure that vnlesse it may be verified that the sinne doth not by any meanes stand on any mans score so as to be condemned for it that it must needs be yeelded a meane whereby iustice is glorified in the iust reuenge of some Argument 2. No word teacheth that God had any other euent for doe this liue doth not proue that God propounded to attain this as his end that wee might all liue no more then in what day thou eatest thou shalt die the death doth argue that God had this end viz. that all mankind breaking his Law should die eternally Eyther God had no end in making his creature or this end which now hee compasseth or some other which he hath not attained But he could not be without his end in making him nor haue any other end which he hath not attained The first proposition is vndoubted the second is as cleare for to haue no end in working agreeth not to God a wise and vnderstanding agent to haue an end and not attaine it standeth not with his blessednesse for to haue a primary principall end which one affecteth is more blessed then not to haue it Againe he whose prouidence is so perfect that no inferiour cause can default beside his intention and permission his end cannot be disappointed Now it is plaine that no instrument can default further then hee intendeth it shall and chooseth to permit it for if any defect befall an instrument which the Artificer chooseth not his worke is troubled and it argueth ignorance or impotency in him that so worketh Argument 3. Either God did by his antecedent prouidence propound this end or he commeth to it by occasion of some euent But he doth not come to this end of sauing in Christ by occasion First this after-prouidence is imperfect not beseeming God when one after a thing is fallen out maketh the best of it and is rather post videntia then prouidentia Secondly this maketh God vse a more imperfect prouidence about his most excellent workes and come to that besides his primary intention which is far more glorious then the first end could haue beene intended Thirdly This maketh God like men to doe as hee may when hee is hindred from that he would Argument 4. That which doth take away the vnsearchable mistery of Election and reprobation is not to be admitted But to choose reiect after the fall doth euacuate this mistery For though God deale diuersly with men now in equall condemnation yet the iustice of this fact is apparant for God may punish with death or make that treason trespasse which is committed against him Who will challenge this fact of iniustce Argument 5. That which maketh God will some of his creatures conditionally that is not to be granted But to make God choose after the fall maketh him to haue willed ineffectually some other end Gods will were not omnipotent should it not effect what euer it willeth Gods velle is posse neither can he haue a conditionall will I will giue my creature life if he keepe this commandement For either he must suppose that his creature must doe some thing which he will not make him and then he were not omnipotent or think that he will make him doe that thing and on doing it giue him life and this in effect a will most absolute or he must know that hee neither will nor can doe it and yet will this on a condition which he doth see impossible and this were friuolous Argument 6. That which maketh God looke out of himselfe for determining his will But to elect and reiect after the fall suspendeth that determination of his will on qualification fore-seene in the creature Ergo. The first part is manifest For it
God shall infallably be brought to life Now the first part of the reason thus limited is false Such whom God saueth such he doth foresee them in his Decree of electing them to saluation for this taketh away all predestination of meanes seruing to bring the Elect to life and presupposeth falsly that God cannot choose any to life whom he doth not finde or foresee as actually fitted then when he doth choose them whereas he may choose though neuer so vnfit for the end if hauing chosen vs he can make vs fit for our vnfitnesse for the present to the end doth not make vs vnfit for Gods election as for example I may choose a pen to write which neuer so faulty for the present and vnfit to write with while I know I can mend it and make it fit for this purpose I answere thirdly Euen of the decree of Election this is true if rightly taken viz. Such whom God saueth in time such he elected to saluation such now when he was in electing them this is false Such he elected to wit becomming such through his election this is true The first presupposeth in Gods fore-knowledge an antecedency of faith before the act of electing The latter a concomitancie of faith in the person chosen to saluation and that by force of Gods electing For election doth choose men as well to meanes as to the end and these decrees though diuersly named and in our conceits different yet they are one thing in God Answered 3 To the third I answere That the first part is false for it presupposeth that whatsoeuer is a cause or an antecedent to life must be an antecedent going before election to life It is not necessary that all which is required to life should be required to election vnto life Say I haue twenty pounds a yeere which I may giue to any I shall choose and that my will is none shall haue my Land but he shall pay forty shillings a yeere to the vse of certaine poore whom I shall designe hauing many good friends I choose one amongst them all who shall haue my Land paying to such poore I name forty shillings a yeere In this example his paying forty shillings yeerely is a condition on which he hath the Land not any condition mouing me to choose him before others to haue my Land So God chooseth such to saluation vpon condition they beleeue this condition belongeth not to the action of God choosing but to the terminus to life to which wee are chosen Would they proue that God doth choose to life on faith they should reason thus Vpon what condition God offereth life vpon that he chooseth But on condition of our faith he offereth to choose vs with this eternall election Ergo. But we see the second part of this reason would be euidently false for in what Gospell is it written beleeue and thou shalt be elected Lastly I answere that we cannot gather the decree of God within himselfe by promise or threatning for then wee might truely gather that God had decreed the eternall death of all man-kinde but on sinning in the forbidden tree he did threaten ergo he did decree Arminius distinction of peremptory decree and not peremptory would not helpe any thing indeede this presupposeth that the signifying will of God may not any whit differ from his secret will which he keepeth within himselfe which is a most palpable false-hood Answered 4 Such who are bound to beleeue their saluation when the decree of God is not that they should be saued such are bound to beleeue a lye I deny the consequence for the truth of my faith dependeth not on a conformity with Gods secret will within himselfe but with that which he hath reuealed vnto me While I beleeue according to that he reuealeth I cannot beleeue a lye though the thing I beleeue agree not with that which God within himselfe hath purposed To illustrate the answere Abraham did verily beleeue that he was to offer vp his Sonne without any exception for he did sustaine his faith in thinking that God could raise him from the dead not thinking God would repeale his command yet Abraham beleeued not a lye because he beleeued according to that which was reuealed vnto him But then you will say God may bid vs beleeue this or that as if it were his will when hee knoweth it not to be his will within himselfe Doubtlesse he may to proue vs as he did Abraham whether wee will addresse our selues conscionably to obey him or carelesly out of wilfulnesse disobey his commandements As the goodnesse of the creature is not in doing what God within his secret will hath appointed so the truth of the creature standeth not alwaies in beleeuing what hee within himselfe hath determined To the second part I answere that God doth not binde any directly and immediately to beleeue saluation but in a certaine order in which they cannot but beleeue them truely for hee bindeth men first to beleeue on Christ vnto saluation and then being now in Christ to beleeue that he loued them gaue himselfe for them did elect them will saue them and none can truely beleeue on Christ to saluation but infallibly beleeueth all these other Answered 5 I deny that Gods loue to life and wrath executing death may not stand together to loue so as actually by his influence to execute life cannot stand with wrath executing death to kill and quicken actually God cannot at once but to loue to life so as to choose some persons to be brought to life through certaine meanes this standeth well with wrath to death for the present and God would neuer haue giuen nor called Christ to suffer death for vs now in sinne and death had he not thus loued vs. Looke as God may bodily inflict death on him whom he so farre loueth that he meaneth to giue him life by raising him from the dead by his almighty power so is it here He may yeelde him dead to his iustice whom he so loueth to life that hee will by meanes predestinated bring them from death to life Answered 6 The consequence of the first proposition is denied If he must haue some generall before hee choose particular persons Then he hath thus I will choose these if they beleeue it is inough that we conceiue some such generall as this I will choose whom I will choose We deny the assumption with the reason of it Let them tell we when God raised Lazarus or chose Lazarus whom he would raise from the dead such a blinde man whom he would restore to light such a piece of earth which he would make into the body of Adam what generall rules he did these by rules which presuppose that things or persons thus and thus qualified should be thus and thus vsed The reason is denyed For to measure God by our scantling is foolish to imagine as it were created generall verities in his vnderstanding like as it is in our selues is fitter
are some things in which he is not omnipotent not to name the same things he would haue of vs he hath couenanted to worke them in vs I will put my spirit in your hearts and make you c. and that there is no power in God which is not infinite and omnipotent true it is that the verse setteth downe iust ends and that therefore God hath power to purpose and worke most iustly that which is decreed and done to so iust purpose These are collections which his head hath deduced but not once imagined by the Apostle and marke now how the Apostle hath foyled the cause of God by strugling so laboriously and mystically against that which might so easily be answered They seeme to murmure against God if he be angry at them who are hardned by his will or a decree of his will irresistable The plaine answere is God is not vniust though he be angry because the decree of his will did determine the hardning of none but such who should first by their vngratefull and horrible vnbeleefe prouoke his iust anger and induration whereas you thinke that hee did decree to bring you to this with a will vnresistable the truth is he did decree nothing about you but conditionally putting also the condition so in your power that you might haue kept your selfe from comming into the number of those who are in his anger hardned if you would but you would not The manner ergo laid downe preuenteth such a thought in as much as this might be deduced from it That word which doth signifie such an election and adoption as doe not depend nor once respect any merit in the creature that word is sinne though the Iew righteous in comparison of the Gentiles be reiected and the sinfull Gentiles receiued The end shewing why God would not looke at any thing in such whom hee elected and called viz. that his decree and word about some whom he had elected might abide surely taking effect while the stability and efficacy of it depended on him freely calling not on vs for did Gods decree or word touching saluation depend on men it would proue more vnstable then a decree in Chancery as we see in Arminius his decrees I will saue them all if they will obey me I see they will not but they will sinne Well I must let them but I will condemne them all I but my mercy heere must moderate Iustice this decree must not be peremptory I will send Christ to redeeme all that I may saue all againe I decree to saue all if they will beleeue but I see they will not I will saue such as I see now beleeue with perseuerance and reiect others that order was fit in electing which doth make Gods decree most firme and of most effect to his elected but to choose them without any respect to their workes was fit to this end Ergo hee did choose in this order not looking at any thing in them but at his gracious pleasure and in these examples as in types are laid downe all the high points of election viz. that God doth choose vs before we are that God doth not looke at any thing in vs for which to choose vs for though it is true they were in their causes yea in some degree out of them yet they are brought in as now chosen when they were not manifestly in the nature of things but creatures to be borne afterwards and though they both had in Adam offended yet this is excluded in their typicall consideration and they are heere brought in as hauing done nothing Like as Melchisedeck had Father Mother length of daies but as hee is a type none of these things come to be considered in him What saith Arminius heere He maketh the 10.11.12.13 verses to contain these two things the Type the explication of the Type the Type set forth with sundry circumstances which are not so much to be heeded as the things typified expresly set downe in these words That the purpose of God according to his choyce of some or in which hee chooseth some to life reiecting others might be firme while it dependeth not on works of the Law but on faith obeying him that calleth From which explication he gathereth two syllogismes proouing things to his thought which goe before 1. That purpose which is according to election of some with reiection of other some that purpose may stand sure though many be reiected But Gods word and purpose is according to election or is such as discerneth and choseth some from other some to saluation ergo the word of God is not made of no effect though many of the Iewes be reiected 2. That purpose which dependeth not on workes but on faith obeying him that calling that purpose comprehendeth not such as seeke by the works of the Law saluation But this is such Ergo. Esau the first borne is hated of God Esau is a type of such as seeke righteousnes in the Law Ergo such as seeke righteousnes in the Law are hated of God Iacob the younger was loued Iacob was a type of all who follow life by grace of calling Ergo all who thus follow life are beloued of God To answer which things briefly the persons named are heere to be considered personally and typically Personally because else he doth not proue that Israelites the seede of Abraham may be reiected Typically because they are heads of all the chosen and reiected both in the seed of Abraham in the Gentiles also But that they are types here of persons qualified with zeale of the Law or faith on Christ this is a dreame without proofe meerely presumed which before hath beene sufficiently refuted and shall be further touched in this which followeth First then to the circumstances why are we not to stand vpon them seeing betweene types and things typified there is such analogie as that thereby one doth lead vs to the other But he doth see well that these things here set down in the types cannot stand with that hee would haue typified How can Esau now considered without workes good or euil when he is reiected be a type of those who are reiected as sinners for righteousnesse by workes of the Law Or how can Iacob as he is considered without faith or any other worke when now hee is chosen and called be a type of such who are now chosen when God doth see beliefe with perseuerance in them Againe this decree electing Iacob did offer him grace aboue Esau but the decree of sauing Iacob if hee would beleeue and obey the heauenly calling doth offer no lesse to Esau or any other Now his conceiuing the Apostle to explane his type in that parenthesis is most absurd doth the note of a final cause or euent that or to the end that his purpose doth thus begin the accommodation of a type propounded it is an example not to be seconded nothing is more plaine then that it is added to note the end or euent
be partakers in his spirit Hearing is euery where made the beginning of our comming to God He that heareth and learneth from the father Ioh. 6. If ye haue heard and learned Christ as the truth is in Christ Ephes 4.21 The word hath beene fruitfull in you from what time you heard c. Col. 1. This was the sense by which first death entred Eue hearing the Serpent was seduced and this is the sense by which wee are restored Looke as the ground cannot be quickned with fruits till it receiue seede and the dewes from heauen no more can our soyle be quickned with the spirit and fruits of the spirit till by hearing it hath taken in this seede immortall drunke in this heauenly shower of Gods word Now it is not euery hearing which is accompanied with the spirit but hearing with the heart so as the heart is affected to doe that it heareth There is a hearing with the eare bodily thus many may heare who doe not vnderstand Ergo heare doe not heare If out-landish men were here such as did onely know their owne forraigne language we might talke lowd enough in English not fearing their hearing of vs. There is a hearing ioyned with vnderstanding when yet the heart is not affected to doe after it and this hearing is no hearing also If one heare vs asking him to doe this or that if he haue no minde to performe it we say hee cannot heare on that side It must Ergo be such hearing as Lydea heard with whose heart God opened to attend to Pauls preaching Vse 1 The Vse of this is to let vs see that where there is much hearing yet the word is not there heard as it should be Who commeth to haue his heart burn within him to be filled with the spirit by hearing by being taught being admonished It is pittifull We may obserue some like Iudas who was when now he had heard Christ and taken the sop he was filled but with Sathan they are viler after hearing then before the most like children when Schooling-time is ended Nay it is to be feared that some with hearing are growne past hearing as those who dwell neere the continuall roaring of mighty waters they waxe deafe through continuall hearing such vehement noyse so that they cannot heare any thing at all so many the sound of Gods word hath so long beatē their eares that they cannot discerne any thing in it what euer is spoken Vse 2 Secondly this must teach vs to attend on hearing Wouldst thou keepe the spirit from being quenched despise not prophecie hearing the Scriptures opened to thy vse Euen as the Conduit-pipes carry the water hither and thither so doth the word conueigh the graces of the spirit into our hearts It is a peale to bed when men can be without hearing not feeling neede of it as some times they haue done Doct. 2 Secondly obserue what word heard bringeth vs the quickning spirit the word of the Gospell A mans drooping heart vpon the comming of some good newes to him it feeleth as it were new spirits returne to it so our dead hearts when God hath made this glad tydings of saluation and pardon of sinne be brought them there doth returne to them a quickning spirit of peace and ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Receiued you the Spirit by hearing the Law or by the Doctrine of faith preached Gal. 3.3 And for this cause the ministery of the Gospell is called the ministery of the Spirit not of the Letter because this doctrine doth onely bring vs to receiue the quickning spirit which doth worke in vs a life eternall The Law may bring vs to feele our selues dead Rom. 7. but it cannot quicken any Though when the Gospell hath now quickned vs it may instruct vs reforme vs yea delight vs in the inner man Rom. 7. many things may helpe vs when now wee liue which could not be meanes of restoring vs from death to life But it may be obiected the Gospell is said a sauer of death as well as the Law is said a a killing letter I answere The Gospell is said so not that directly the nature of it is to kill but by accident of mens corruption who reiect and will not obey it it turneth to their further condemnation As the Kings pardon cannot kill any by it selfe yet despised by a malefactor it may double his guilt and bring him to more hasty and fearefull execution So the gracious pardon of God offered in the Gospell killeth not any by it selfe saueth many who receiue it yet despised it may by occasion worke heauier death and destruction But the Law doth of it owne nature hold a man now in state of sinne vnder death and condemnation and cannot of it selfe bring any to life who now hath offended The words I speake to you saith Christ they are spirit they are life Euen as the body of the sunne diffuseth as an instrument the beames of this materiall light so it is the Gospell that instrument of God by which hee sendeth out the light of his gracious spirit into our hearts Vse 1 The Vse of it is to stirre vs vp earnestly to desire this sincere milke of the Gospell Euen as there goeth out naturall spirits with the milke the babe draweth from the mother so the Lord doth accompany this word of his which the Church ministreth as milke with that supernaturall spirit which giueth quicknance to life euerlasting Euen as we doe daily renew our feeding to repaire the decay of naturall spirits in vs so must we neuer be weary of renewing and encreasing that supernaturall life and spirit which we haue receiued from Christ If thou hast the spirit heare that thou maist keepe it if thou wouldest haue it and wantest it attend on hearing remembring how the Eunuch receiued the spirit Acts 8. and how while Cornelius and his friends heard Peter opening the good word of saluation the holy Ghost did fall on them to the wonder of the beleeuing Iewes who accompanied Peter Doct. And here before wee passe to the generall Doctrine note from this that the Gospell is called the word of truth that all Gods promises made in Christ are true and faithfull They are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. They are true and worthy all entertainement 1 Tim. 15. The whole word is true For like as the witnesse is like is the testimony or deposition which commeth from him Now God is faithfull and cannot lye but this is attributed to the Doctrine of the Gospel as agreeing to it with a certaine excellency before other parcels of the word For the Gospell is sometime called by generall names as a doctrine of godlinesse a Law a Testimony Sometime it is described by the author the Gospell of God sometime from the obiect the Gospell of Christ of the kingdome sometime from the property as an eternall Gospell a good word a true word as here sometime from effects as in the next words a Gospell of saluation Now it