another end in it then they had they did it out of envy to avenge themselves of their brother but he out of love for the advancing of Ioseph and preservation of his father and brethren Ashur was Gods Axe and Saw Esa 10.5 therefore wrought not alone without a hand guiding him yet he aimed at destruction God at correction Therfore it is said that Ashur was Gods rod yet he thought not so but imagineth to destroy and cut off Nations Esa 10.7 God oftentimes punisheth one sin with another thus Arminius himself confesseth that God permitted Ahab to murder Naboth that so he might fulfil the measure of his sins which is the most grievous punishment but to punish is an act of justice Therefore here God did so permit as withall he did work 3. There is no Law to tye God from the permitting of sia and from working with man in the same action which man doth sinfully for if there were then no sin at all should be committed for man is bound not onely not to commit it but not to permit it if it be in his power to hinder it by which law if God himself were bound there should never any sin at all be committed therfore it is no good Argument to reason from man to God in those things which man doth sinfully he not being subject to the same law Object But he is a law to himself the justice and holines of his nature being stronger then any law to keep him from doing evill Answ But he may work in the same action with man and what man doth ill he may do well because as already hath been shewed he works upon other grounds in another manner and to other ends then sinfull man doth He hardned Pharaohs heart but in another manner then Pharaoh did he sent Ioseph into Egypt but to another end then his brethren did he punished Israel by Ashur but to another end then Ashur did it He delivered his Sonne to be crucified but to another end then the wicked Jews did it Object But causa causae est causa causati the cause of a cause is the cause of the effect also which ariseth from that cause removens prohibens c. that which with-holdeth or taketh away a thing which being present wold hinder an event is the cause of that event as he that with-draweth a Pillar from a House that is ready to fall without it is the cause of the fall of that House but the want of supernaturall grace and of that power which being granted would keep men from falling into sin is the cause of their falling into sin and God is the cause of this want who denies to reprobates this supernatural grace and withholds this power whereby they should be kept from falling into sin therefore he is a true and proper cause of their sinne Answ God gave to Adam in the first Creation power wherby he might have stood he gave him posse si vellet as Divines speak for he created him in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes 4.24 which habituall righteousnesse was a power whereby the faculties of his soul were fitted to work according to the rule of righteousnesse both by abstaining from evill and doing of good and in Adam he gave this to all his posterity who were in the same covenant with him 2. Man did willingly lose this power and habituall righteousnes which God gave him in the first Creation God did not so take it away from him but he himself also cast it away yea God withdrew no thing which he had bestowed on him till man had merited such withdrawing Had God taken away originall righteousnes from man against his will or without his desert then might there have beene some shew of injustice but there was no such matter for God had made man righteous but he found out many inventions Ecclesiastes 7. last Object But Gods will is the only cause why the guilt of Adams sin rests not only on himself but his posterity also and why they are deprived of that originall righteousnesse which was bestowed on him Answ It is a just cause but not the only cause but Adams will which willingly yeelded to that sin which was the meritorious cause of the punishment that came both on himself and his posterity which punishment was justly inflicted not only on himself but his posterity because they being in his loins were to be considered as a part of himself and he being the head of mankind both might and did enter into such a covenant with God as should bind not only himself but all those which should arise from him Hence it is that the Apostle saith that by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed over all men for that all bad sinned Rom. 5.12 all men had sinned in that sin of one man and therefore death came justly on all men and further it is said by the offence of one judgment came on all to condemnation Object If Reprobation be without foresight of the fall then God doth destinate or appoint the innocent or guiltlesse Creature to destruction which is such cruelty and injustice as can in no sort agree to God Answ It doth not follow for Reprobation is such a decree wherby God appoints not innocent and guiltlesse but sinfull and wicked creatures to be destroyed for he hath appointed such to be destroyed as are destroyed but none are destroyed that are not sinfull and wicked before they be destroyed and this sin and wickednes is a cause of their destruction yet though this be a cause of their destruction and goes before that it is no cause of the decree whereby they are appointed to destruction neither dothâ—t go before that because the decree of God is from all eternity whereas mans sin is committed in time As on the other side God doth save none but such as live holily and obey his Commands and doth decree to save onely such as these yet though holines and obedience go before salvation they do not go before Election which is Gods purpose and decree of salvation so it is here though sin goes before the execution yet not before the decree that was from all Eternity That the foresight of sinne is not the cause of reprobation is thus proved 1. No temporall thing can be the cause of that which is Eternall but sin is a temporall thing there being no sin before the world was and the decree of God is Eternall 2. The foresight of sin is no more efficacious to move God to appoint some to be vessels of wrath then the foresight of good works is to move him to appoint others to be vessels of mercy God being in his own nature no lesse prone to shew forth mercy by bestowing reward then to shew his justice by punishing but the foresight of good works is not the cause of Election 3. How can the foresight of sin be the cause of reprobation when as the foresight
Prov. 16.4 and contrary to the course of every artificer who makes not his worke but himselfe the end of his action as the manifestation of his skill ability and the like so as may tend to his praise and commendation No man builds a house for the house sake but for his owne sake The end of every agent in working is his own good in one kinde or other and the desire of this is the moving cause of his worke 2. The conservation of the creature which is a continued creation hath the same end with creation but how can this be said to be done to the praise of his abundant goodnesse to some creatures Are the devils reserved in chaines of darknesse for the praise of his abundant goodnesse toward them 3. If the manifestation of his power and goodnesse be the last end of creation then God hath attained his last end so soon as ever man was created for then he had shewed forth his abundant power and goodnesse and then God had shewed the same goodnesse both in the elect and reprobate both equally partaking of the benefits of Creation 4. If by goodnesse be understood the manifestation of his owne goodnesse as it must needs be this is the manifestation of his glorious attributes so the Lord tels Moses that he would cause all his good to go before him he would proclame his name before him Exod. 33.19 especially the manifestation of those attributes whereby he comes at length to have his greatest glory which are his justice and mercy Lastly If therefore the foresight of sin must go before the decree of reprobation because sin goes before condemnation which seems to be the chief if not the only ground of the necessity of such foresight by the same reason the foresight of repentance and good workes must go before election because these goe before Salvation Objections of the Arminians whereby they seeke to prove that election is out of the foresight of sin and faith Object 1 We are elected in Christ Eph. 1.4 none are in Christ but believers therefore the foresight of believing goes before election Answ 1. To be elected in Christ is no more but to be chosen and appointed to obtaine salvation by Jesus Christ as the Apostle expresseth it 1 Thes 5.9 God hath appointed us not to wrath but to obtaine Salvation by Jesus Christ here Christ is made a cause foregoing our salvation but not our election to salvation 2. We were in Christ when God elected us but not actually but onely virtually because at the same time when God elected us he purposed to set us into Christ for when he elected us to the end he elected us also to the means 3. By this reason it might be proved that not onely faith but our effectuall calling regeneration sanctification and all other spirituall blessings go before our election because we are blessed with all spirituall blessings in Christ Ephes 1.3 Object 2 Election is a purpose of shewing mercy but mercy presupposeth misery therefore the foresight of sin goes before election Answ 1. Election is a purpose of shewing mercy to such as shall be miserable before God executes or shews forth his mercy on them but not such as were miserable before he intended or purposed to make them vessels of mercy so that misery goes before the execution only not the decree 2. This mercy which at last God shews on the elect is such a mercy as whereby not only originall but also all actuall sins are pardoned therefore by this reason the foresight of all actuall sin must go before election as well as the foresight of originall sin 3. Faith repentance and good works go before the executing of mercy and bestowing of salvation therefore by this reason the foresight of these also must goe before the purpose of shewing mercy Object 3 Look in what order God doth save men in that order he decreed to save them but sin and faith go before salvation therefore the foresight of these must go before the decree to salvation Answ This is a false forme of reasoning and by the like many absurdities may be concluded as thus 1. Look in what order God doth save men in that order he decreed to save them but repentance and good works go before salvation therefore they go before the decree to salvation 2. Or thus Look in what order a man builds a house for habitatition in that order he purposed to build it but the providing of timber and stone go before the building of his house therefore the cousideration of these went before his purpose and intent of making a house for his habitation Let the argument be put into a right forme and it will conclude nothing contrary to the question for then it will run in this manner Look in what order God brings men to salvation in that order he purposed to bring them to salvation but in bringing them to salvation he causeth faith to go before their salvation therefore in his decree of salvation he purposed that faith should go before their salvation Here all may be granted without prejudice to the Question Object 4 Every act is in nature after his object but man is the object of predestination and man is that he is by creation therefore predestination cannot goe before the foresight of the fall and of mans Creation Answ A possible being not an actuall onely is sufficient to make man a fit object of Gods predestination otherwise we may reason in this manner man is the object of Gods decree of creation the object is in nature before the act therefore man is before the decee of creation and so God should consider man as having being before ever he purposed to create him and give him being therefore that rule non entis nulla est confideratio must be understood of such things as have neither actuall nor possible being Object 5 If the fall of man in Gods foresight doth not go before but follow the decree then is his fall decreed then is the liberty of his will taken away for what God hath decreed must necessarily come to passe Answ Gods decree doth not take away the libeâ—â—y of the second cause as appears 1. No man can deny that the death of Christ was decreed of God for Saint Peter saith that he was delivered to death by the determinate counsell of God Act. 2.23 yet Christ dyed freely for he saith of himselfe that he layd downe his life yea he laid it down freely when no man had power to take it from him Joh. 10.17 18. besides if Christs death were not voluntary it could not be meritorious not being an act of obedience 2. Our faith repentance obedience and such good works as by grace we are enabled to performe are voluntary actions such as we are not carried unto either by any natural or violent necessity yet these are decreed of God who hath elected us unto faith and sanctification as well as unto life 2 Thess 2.13 as
this notorious untruth who sayes we have redemption by his bloud even the forgivenesse of sinne according to his rich grace Ephes 1.7 what is redemption by his bloud but paying the ransome what is forgivenesse of sinne but justification so when he makes Gods justifying of us and Christs dying for us to be unseparable companions It is God that justifieth who shall condemne it is Christ that is dead Rom. 8.33.34 2. Vnto the other part of the Argument namely that Justice cannot require a double payment of the same debt to let passe his oft begging of the question and tedious tautologies all that hee replies to purpose is this Object 1. That God punisheth his own children for whom there is no doubt but Christ hath made satisfaction Answ He cannot be ignorant that punishments mentioned in Scripture are of two sorts satisfactory and castigatory Of the first sort are such as Christ hath suffered for his people and which wicked men suffer in hell Of the second sort are such as God inflicts upon his own Children and causeth them to suffer not thereby to make satisfaction to his justice but to correct and chastise them for their faults and thereby bring them to amendment these being wholsome and healing medicines to cure their spirituall diseases Object 2. He objects that what God will require of others is a new debt namely sins against the Gospell covertly carrying it as if they were discharged of their old debt namely sinnes against the Law P. 101. Answ 1. But how can this stand with the perfection of Christs satisfaction if it reacheth only to some sinnes not to all or with the infinite vertue and efficacie of Christs bloud which cleanseth from all sinne with the fulnes of his redemption who gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 shall unbeliefe shut men out from mercy and the benefit of Christs death How then hath God concluded or shut up all under unbeliefe that hee might have mercy on all both Jew and Gentile Rom. 11.32 Is not unbeliefe a fruit of the flesh a branch of the old man a principall member of the great body of sinne and was not Christ crucified that our old man might be crucified and the body of sinne might bee destroyed Romans 16.6 2. If Christ hath freed all men from their sins against the Law how then come they to be judged by the Law Rom. 2.12 how are they said to be under the Law Rom. 6.14 why are wee bidden so to speak and so to do as those who shall be judged by the Law Iam. 2.12 which can be no other Law then the same which hee spoke of in the vers before which saith a man must not commit adultery must not kill neither doth that hinder because he cals it a law of liberty for so it is to all that are in Christ that are led by his free spirit for so saith the Psalmist I shall walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts Psal 119.45 I shall runne the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart ver 32. The Commandements of God are not grievous to those that love him and obey out of love 1 Ioh. 5.3 Therfore notwithstanding all that Tho. More hath said still the Argument remains firme for if Christ hath payed the Ransome for all and thereby made satisfaction and perfect satisfaction then divine justice requires that it should be accepted If perfect satisfaction be made and accepted then perfect justice cannot require another satisfaction and so a double payment of the same debt namely that a poore sinner should suffer for ever in hell to satisfie divine justice for those sins which Christ already suffered for upon the Crosse and by his sufferings hath made perfect satisfaction such as hath been accepted If it be said that the sinner suffers himself because he will not apply Christs suffering and satisfaction to this it may be answered that if Christ loved him so far as to suffer and make satisfaction for him he will take order that application shall be made for Christ is a perfect Saviour and will not suffer the fruit of his suffering to be lost nor have the effect of them to mans arbitrement Object 4 Against the Argument drawn from Christs intercession that for whom Christ would not vouchsafe to pray he would not vouchsafe to die now he saith plainly that he did not pray for the world but for those whom the Father had given him Iohn 17.9 Tho. More objects many things and takes great pains to find out evasions wherby he may avoid the force of this Argument amongst which three only are to the purpose 1. Hee tels us that by the World here which our Saviour would not pray for is not meant the wicked ungodly world but all the Elect in the World which were yet uncalled p. 110. 2. That Christ doth not say he will not pray for the World but onely that he doth not pray speaking of the present time 3. That the word not is not so exclusive as to signifie not at all but not so much not in such manner so privily and chiefly for these as the other p. 111. Answ For answer here we may take notice that Tho. More grants that the word World may sometime be taken for the better part namely the Elect at least for a part of them which elsewhere he seemes not willing to grant but that the World cannot bee so taken here appears 1. Because our Saviour here opposeth the World to those whom the Father had given him out of the World now those whom the Father had given were all Elect as appears ver 2. all those to whom he should give eternall life Therefore he doth not oppose the Elect to the Elect one part of the Elect to another but all the Elect to the wicked World for which he would not pray 2. The manifestation of his Name ver 6. is the same with effectuall calling and giving of some to him by the Father is made the ground and cause of this manifestation and so in order of nature goes before it Hence our Saviour saith that he manifesteth himselfe to those whom the Father hath given him when had he given them namely before he manifested himself to them for the word is in the praeterperfect tense and speaks of a thing already past and done besides in the words following he shews plainly the same thing Thine they were saith he and thou gavest them me How were they Gods but by Election and by Election he gave them to his Sonne appointing them to obtaine salvation by Iesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 So that giving here is not effectuall calling but that which goes before it as the ground and cause of it namely Election according to that of the Apostle whom he hath predestinated those also he hath called Rom. 8.30 3. Our Saviour mentions this praying as a choice priviledge belonging only to the Elect and as to the Elect only so to all
the Elect standing in opposition to the wicked World from which therfore none of the Elect are to be excluded for he prayes for all those whom the Father had given him both called and uncalled I pray not onely for these but for those who shall believe in me Iohn 17.28 4. Those uncalled ones whom our Saviour prayes for ver 20. he distinguisheth from the World ver 21. 23. and therefore it is not likely he would expresse them by the name of the world in ver 9. And this which hath been said may likewise answer the two last objections for if the World here cannot signifie the Elect uncalled but only the wicked World then Christ doth not pray for them at another time or in another manner then for his own for he doth not pray for them at all So that the Argument still holds good if Christ would not pray for wicked men such as shall perish in the end hee would not die for them for to lay downe his life was an action of the greatest love and for whom he hath done the greater he will also do the lesse His love in dying and thereby making satisfaction being the foundation of his intercession and all other benefits belonging to our Redemption Object 5 Against the Argument drawne from Election namely that the Sonne died for no more then the Father had elected to son-ship and to the eternall inheritance there being a connexion betwixt Election calling Justification and Glorification Rom. 8.30 Ephes 1.13 but all are not Elected therefore Christ died not for all Tho. More replies very little to the purpose 1. He saith that the proposition is directly contrary to the Scripture Heb. 2.9 1 Tim. 2.6 but he should have sayd to those Scriptures taken in his sense but not taken in the true sense for is it not agreeable to the Scripture to say that those whom God elected or predestinated those he appointed to obtaine salvation by Jesus Christ for those Christ dyed those hath he called justified and to which he adds that it is so grosly false as it deserves rather abhorring then answering pag. 114. But it may be better sayd this kinde of language deserves rather to be abhorred then answered which makes the language of Scripture a thing to be abhorred 2. He saith that it overthrows the distinction which the Gospell makes betwixt common and speciall salvation Answ It may well overthrow that which hath no foundation in the Gospell which his common salvation hath not as before hath been shewed 3. He denyes that there is any such connexion betwixt these priviledges that he who partakes of one must needs partake of all pag. 117. All that is in the common salvation pertains to the speciall but not on the contrary Answ 1. It hath been already shewed that there is no such common salvation if salvation be taken properly and in a spirituall sense namely for eternall life or any thing which necessarily belongs to it 2. That there is such a necessary connexion betwixt election and redemption may thus be proved All those and onely those who are elected are likewise redeemed called justified glorified But all are not elected nor shall be called justified glorified therefore all are not redeemed The proposition is proved by those Scriptures which make the love of election to be the ground and cause of redemption and all the rest God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son which cannot be meant of a common love because it tends to everlasting life Joh. 3.16 to salvation 1 Tim. 1.16 we love him because he loved us first and gave himselfe to be a propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.10 God setteth out his love in that while we were sinners he gave Christ to dye for us Rom. 5.8 so that Gods love is the cause of giving his son where that goes before this must needs follow neither is this ever to be found where that hath not gone before To this purpose also the Apostle sayth we are chosen in him Eph. 1.4 not as the foundation of our election which is onely from the good pleasure of his will ver 5. but of our redemption and salvation in that he hath appointed us to obtayne salvation by Jesus Christ 1 Thess 5.9 In both which places Christ is made the fruit and effect of election therefore of equall extent with it reaching neither shorter nor farther then that doth so that he is given for all and onely those that are appointed to salvation For if God therefore gives Christ for men because he hath appointed them to salvation it follows on the other side that if he hath not appointed all men to salvation he hath not given Christ for all and how can we in reason thinke that God should give his sonne to purchase salvation for those whom he never intended to save yea more for such whom he intended to destroy For it cannot be denyed that God will bring destruction upon a great part of men and what he doth in time he intended to do before all time 2. The Apostle sayth we are chosen to salvation through the beleese of the truth 2 Thess 2.13 Now saith is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and such a gift as he doth not give to all Now if it should be asked why God doth give this gift to some men rather then to other it must be answered because he hath chosen them to salvation so many as were ordained to eternall life believed Act. 13.48 If it should on the other side be asked why doth he not give faith as well to others since he is able to do it the answer must needs be because he hath not appointed them to salvation Now if God will not give faith to those whom he hath not appointed to salvation shall we thinke that he hath given Christ for them which is farre the greatest gift of all For the rest which follows it is but a venting of his owne private notions about election wherein either he affirms that which is not denyed or proves not that which is denyed Object Against that place Act. 13.48 that so many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Tho. More objects that the word ordaining is to be understood of an actuall ordaining constituting preparing furnishing making meet and not of Gods eternall purpose pag. 150.151 Answ 1. This he sayes but this he proves not but the contrary may be proved from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as it is most usually taken in Scripture is not put for preparing furnishing or fitting but for ordaining or appointing so it is sayd the powers which be are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 and it was told Paul all things which were appointed for him to do Act. 22.10 In both which places the same word is used 2. This ordaining to life is made the cause of beleeving which ariseth not from any furnishing or fitnesse in our selves but is the free gift of God Eph. 2.8 3. How
can we be sayed to be actually constituted freed and prepared for eternall life before beleeving when as faith is the first thing that fits us for life 4. The word here used is in the praeterperfect tense and doth not signifie any present condition or disposition in them but something which had beene done long before so many as were ordayned to eternall life long before this time of their hearing Paul preach Object 6 To the argument drawne from the equall extent of Christs offices that to whom Christ is a priest he is also a prophet to teach them and a Prince to rule them but these offices pertaine onely to his Church and chosen therefore the other also T. M. replyes that in all Christs offices there is something more generall which belongs to all something more speciall which belongs to the elect pag. 125. Answ But that great worke of his priestly office whereby he hath offered himself as a ransome for sinne which Tho. More makes common and generall pag. 192. to all is the foundation of all the rest being not onely satisfactory but meritorious such whereby he hath not onely satisfyed for sinne but purchased righteousnesse and life and therefore those who have their part in this shall have their part in all the rest as hath been already shewed He that spared not to give his owne sonne how shall he not together with him freely give all things also Rom. 8.32 Object 7 To the argument drawne from Gods denyall of giving to a great part of men the meanes of comming to the knowledge of Christ and therefore he hath not given Christ for them Tho. More replies that God doth use some meanes toward all to bring them to knowledge Answ But whether hath he given to all men since the beginning of the world sufficient meanes to bring them to the saving knowledge of Christ if he hath not then what he saith of giving them some means of knowledge is nothing to the purpose If he hath how then can that hold true that the Gospell was a mystery which had been hid from all ages and generations Col. 1.26 That the Gentiles before Christs comming were strangers from the life of God through ignorance Eph. 4.18 That they were strangers from the covenant without Christ without God in the world Eph. 2.12 that in times past he suffered all nations to walke in their owne wayes Act. 17.30 this was a night time a time of darkenesse with them Eph. 5.8 Rom. 12.12 2 Cor. 4.6 If the Reader desires further satisfaction touching this point of Christs dying for all let him passe on to the next treatise and looke into the Article of redemption where he shall finde that handled which here is omitted An Examination and Confutation of the Arminian erronious Tenets concerning ELECTION IN the Article of election the principall question is whether it be absolute or conditionall that is whether it ariseth meerly from Gods free purpose his gracious good will and pleasure or whether it ariseth both from the foresight of mans fall as also of his faith repentance and the like To this the Arminians answer negatively denying Gods election or decree of mans salvation to be absolute and affirming that both the foresight of sinne as also of faith and perseverance doe go before not onely mans salvation but also Gods purpose and decree whereby he hath appointed him unto salvation For in the decree of mans salvation they make God to proceed in this order 1. That upon foresight of the fall God decrees to give Christ 2. To save beleevers and damne unbeleevers 3. To give to all men sufficient meanes of faith 4. To save such particular persons as he foresees will beleeve and to damne the other That such a foresight as this doth not go before election or Gods decree touching the salvation of particular persons may appeare by these reasons Argument 1 We are elected unto faith and unto beleeving therefore election is not out of the foresight of faith neither doth faith goe before election either as a cause or condition but follows it as an effect or fruit of election In order of nature the effect alwayes followes the cause That we are elected unto faith the Apostle shewes plainly when he saith that we are chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame Eph. 1.4 Now faith is a part of sanctification being one of the fruits of the spirit yea a principall one And Saint Petor saith we are elected unto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 Now Christs bloud is sprinkled on us by faith and all true obedience ariseth out of faith being therefore elected to the one we are elected to the other also and the Apostle tels the Thessolonians that God had chosen them to salvation through the sanctification of the spirit and the beleefe of the truth 2 Thes 2.13 Sanctification and beliefe of the truth are made meanes whereby they were to come to salvation therefore in order of nature the purpose of salvation must go before these they being meanes that tend to it none can deny that faith is the gift of God and a grace which he workes for the Apostle affirmes it Eph. 2.8 Now if God workes faith he must needs do this to some end and what can this be but that whereto faith tends and which at last it effects and brings forth namely salvation receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your soules 1 Pet. 1.19 Argument 2 The Apostle makes Gods election and rejection to be acts of his free will and pleasure he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Rom. 9.15 But if election and rejection be out of the foresight of faith and infidelity and preseverance in these then they are acts of justice not of will and pleasure For if God makes a covenant with man to give him salvation if he believes on Christ and perseveres in doing so and on the other side to condemne him if he rejects Christ and persists in unbeleefe he cannot in truth and justice deny him salvation if he sees him persevering in the faith nor purpose to give it him if he sees him persevering in unbeliefe So that this way he should be led to elect or reject by a necessity of nature not a freedome of will Besides they make election to depend upon prescience and this prescience to be necessary and so upon this ground also election to be necessary Argument 3 If election be out of foreseen faith then God chuseth such as have chosen him before and loveth such as have loved him first contrary to that which Saint John sayth we love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.19 the love whereby we love God immediately flowes from faith for faith worketh through love and by this faith and love we chuse God to be our God cleaving to him as our chiefe Good Whether therefore upon foresight of our faith he purposeth to chuse us or
said upon this condition namely if they do not resist Gods call he decrees to give them the act of believing and so actuall faith But not to resist is to obey and to obey God calling to believe is to believe So then by this doctrine God should decree to give men faith if they have faith and to make them believe if they do it already for upon condition of obeying his call to believe that is of their believing he purposeth to bestow faith upon them and this is the happy issue of the conditionall decree he decrees to give men faith if they have it already 4. Antecedent and consequent wills are such as cannot agree to God as they understand them For his antecedent will they make to be such wherby he wills and earnestly desires the salvation of all men the consequent will that wherby he wills the damnation of some namely such as persist in unbelief and the salvation of others namely such as persevere in the faith now these cannot agree with the nature of God for 1. For this antecedent will hath sometimes an end and the consequent will alway a beginning the absolute or peremptory decree of damnation never taking place till the antecedent or conditionall will touching salvation be expired and so likewise the peremptory decree of salvation not taking place till the ceasing of the other Now the acts of Gods will are immanent acts therfore eternall like himself Object But God foresees who will persevere in believing and upon this foresight grounds his purpose Answ Then upon this foresight he only purposeth to will their salvation when they do believe and persevere but he doth not actually will it that is will it with his consequent and pâ—remptory will till they do believe which cannot stand with the Eternity of his will 2. This antecedent will they make rather to be a velleietas Si Deus nou potest est impotens si potest sed non efficit quia non licet tum Deus vellet aliquid quod non licereâ— D. Turss then a volitio rather a wishing and desiring then a willing which cannot agree to God who is totus actus all act yea actus purissimus et perfectissimus the most pure and perfect act therfore no imperfect wishes and desires belong to him 3. If God by his antecedent will doth seriously and heartily desire the salvation of all men when some of these come to be damned then this desire either still continues in him or not If it doth not continue then his will is changeable but he saith of himself I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3.6 besides they make this antecedent will wherby he wills the salvation of all to flow from his nature and being naturall to him it must be unchangeable as his nature is If it doth continue then God continues earnestly to desire the salvation of wicked men when they are damned so never hath his desire accomplished which cannot stand with perfect felicity yea if it doth continue then God doth seriously will their salvation and damnation at one time and so wills a flat contradiction or else when he damns men he doth not will to damn them and so his actions are not guided by his will 4. If he doth will their Salvation why doth he not work it for he is in heaven and doth whatsoever he will he works all things according to the pleasure of his will Ephes 1.11 Object But though he wills their Salvation yet he wills it shall be effected convenienti modo after a fit manner Answ If he doth seriously will and desire it he is able to work it convenienti modo for he can change mens hearts and heal their rebellions and look as he works the Salvation of some convenienti modo so he can work the salvation of others also he can give effectuall grace as well as sufficient to all if he please Object But though Gods decree of Election doth not follow the foresight of mans faith yet doth not his decree both of Election and Reprobation follow the foresight of the fall Answ Some of the grounds before mentioned hinder this also not permitting that Gods decree touching mans last end should in the order of nature follow the foresight of mans fall for 1. In the examples of Iacob and Esau the Apostle excludeth not only good works but evill works and both these upon the same ground that both shewing mercy and hardning might be referred to Gods free will and pleasure as to their first originall And how ever these two when they were in their mothers womb were stained with originall sin yet here they are brought in by the Apostle in the same manner that Melchisedec Heb. 7. is brought in without father or mother though he had both father and mother yet there he is considered as being without them so here Jacob and Esau are considered as having done neither good nor evill when the divine Oracle was pronounced of loving the one and hating the other yea the Apostle speaks of these as things which began not then but long time before it being said Iacob have I loved and Esau have I hated 2. Conditions can no more agree with Gods decree of reprobation then of Election because necessary conditions have the nature of causes and means of preparation and so cannot stand with the decree of God which is absolute independent and from all Eternity and therfore can have nothing go before it 3. God cannot foresee the fall as a thing that certainly shall be till he hath decreed to permit it now as the foresight of the fall presupposeth a decree of permitting this fall so also this decree of permission must presuppose some end for which the Lord would permit it and what can this be but the manifestation of his greatest glory in the free salvation of some and just damnation of others so that in order of nature the purpose of this must go before the purpose of permitting the fall or the foresight of it 4. The foresight of mans fall presupposeth the decree of mans creation if therfore the foresight of the fall goes before the decree of Election and reprobation either God should decree to make man to no end or to some other end then he at last comes to and so should fail of his end Object He decrees to make man for his glory Answ If for his glory then to that particular Estate and condition wherby God comes at last to be glorified but he comes at last to receive his glory either by the just damnation of some or mercifull salvation of others Object He creates man to this end to shew forth the glory of his abundant power and goodnes Answ If by goodnes we understand such agoodnes wherby God only doth good to the creature then the last end of Gods worke in creating should be the creature not himselfe which is contrary to that which Solomon saith that the Lord doth all things for his own sake
and repent if he will and accordingly as he seeth him to use the liberty of his will so is ready to concurre or not concurreâ— if he seeth him to use it well then to concurre with him and to cause the act of believing also if otherwise then to withhold then it is in him that willeth and runneth which contradicts the Apostle for as God sees man to will so he is ready to worke If it be said it is not in him that willeth and runneth because it is not the worke of mans will alone without Gods shewing mercy then the Apostle might as well have said it is not of God that sheweth mercy but of him that willeth c. because Gods grace works not conversion alone without the concurrence of mans free-will yea according to Arminians is led by it for as man wills so God workes if mans will moveth then God joynes his worke if man be unwilling then Gods worke is stopped 6. If all the imaginations of mans heart be onely evill and that continually Gen. 6.5 if that light that is in him be darkenesse Eph. 5.8 If the naturall man doth not nor cannot understand the things of God because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 if he hath not sufficiency of himselfe to thinke any good 2 Cor. 5.3 if the wisedome of the flesh be enmity with God Rom. 8.7 if the wisedome of God seems foolishnesse to it 1 Cor. 2.14 then there needs more then gentle perswading to take away this blindnesse and darknesse this impotency and weaknesse this enmity and opposition against God and the worke of his grace then it is vaine to say that God stands ready to concurre with man when he sees him moving his owne will to what is good when he knowes that he hath neither will nor power for any good till himselfe hath put it into him by the grace of true conversion 7. If God gives only power to men to repent and believe if they will and leaves the acting of these things to the liberty of their owne wills dispensing his co-operating grace as they call it according as he sees the will of man carrying it selfe in receiving or not receiving the preventing grace then man separates himselfe when he is converted and makes himselfe to differ from another man contrary to that of the Apostle who hath made thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received 1 Cor. 3.7 yes may some man say I have something which I have not received namely the right motion of mine owne will in not resisting grace offered for according to this doctrine when two men have the same power inwardly and the same means outwardly grace being offered to both at the same time by the same person and in the same manner the reason why one receives and the other doth not that one repents and beleeves and the other doth not is because the one wills and the other wills not the one useth his liberty well the other ill it being equally in the power of both to receive grace offered or to refuse it and so by this reason not God but man should separate himselfe 8. According to this doctrine man should be the principall agent in the worke of conversion and beare a better part therein then God and his grace for act is more excellent then power and it is better to will the doing of good then onely to be able to doe it God gives onely power but man by putting forth his will causeth this to come into act mans will first moves and this motion leads the way to Gods grace to move and concurre in the act of conversion and so is made the more excellent worker 9. From both these it follows that man hath cause of glorying or boasting in himselfe because he hath separated himselfe and his will hath borne the better part in the worke of conversion contrary to that of the Apostle why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received 1 Cor. 3.7 of grace not of workes lest any man should boast Eph. 2.8 may not a man justly glory in himselfe when the reason why he is converted and another is not both having the like means and helpe from God is because he used his liberty of willing well when another used it ill he applyed himselfe to receive that which another rejected the motion of his owne will hath as it were led the way to Gods will in the worke of conversion 10 If Gods worke in conversion should be onely by way of swasion and propounding objects then he and his grace should be no more powerfull and efficacious in converting men then the devill is in perverting and seducing for he workes in propounding objects and that in the most congruous time and manner that may bee contrary to that of the Apostle greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 which he brings as an argument to prove that they had and should overcome temptations and seducings because the spirit of grace which was in them was greater in regard of his powerfull manner of working then he which was in the world that spirit of Antichrist which went about to seduce and pervert men vers 3. yea there should be no difference betwixt God and the Ministers in the worke of conversion for the kinde and manner of working though there may be for the measure and degree for the Minister workes by perswading and propounding objects and God workes no otherwise though he may perswade more strongly yea upon this ground it differs not in measure and degree because in an ordinary course God perswades no man by his owne voice immediately but doth this by the mouths of his Messengers and Ministers who are Gods Embassadours beseeching men in Christs stead to be reconciled to Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 and he saves men by the foolishnesse of preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 Can it be fitly said of the Minister that he opens mens eyes or hearts that he takes away the heart of stone and gives a heart of flesh that he creates a new heart in men that he writes Gods lawes in their hearts and causeth them to walke in his statutes c. which might be both truly and fitly sayd of him if he did worke after the same manner that God doth 11. If God workes mans conversion onely by way of swasion and by such a grace as ofttimes is resisted and alwayes may be then as one man doth resist this grace and make it ineffectuall so may another and another yea so may all men do and so it is possible that all men may partake of the grace of conversion and yet never a man in the world be converted which is contrary to the excellency and efficacy of the grace of God and to that of the Prophet convert thou me and I shall be converted Jer. 31.18 If nature doth nothing in vaine much lesse doth grace How can faith be the gift of God and