bubling up of Carnal Reason against Divine Dispensation the same Answer occurs here for Substance as to the former 1. Certain it is that these two Terms Righteous Judgement and Accepting of Persons are differently Opposite But here is no respect of Persons the Working of God on which the Object is founded is actus Poteâ—tiae Liberae potius quam Justitiae an act of free Power rather than of Justice And Divines have received it for a Principle That Accepting of Persons is not found in Gratuitis in Acts of Bounty wherein the Donor is at Liberty to dispose of his free Gift as pleaseth himself but in Debitis in Acts of Justice and Righteousness wherein lieth an Obligation on him that Distributeth to give every man his due Hereon they Conclude that in Divine Choice God is no Debtor to any of his Creatures but Acteth therein not as a Judge but as a Soveraign Lord and Liberal Benefactor choosing some and passing by others as without Injustice or Wrong to any so without shew of accepting of Persons Augustin disputing this Question largly against the Pâ—lagians brings in the Instance of a man that hath two Debtors of whom he forgives one and requires full Payment of the other if any demand the Reason he answereth It is my Will and so God giveth Effectual Grace to one and not to another this is his Free Power 2. It is just because according to his Will and Wisdom Rom. 9.18 Therefore hath he Mercy on whom he will c. And therefore not injust because hidden to us If this do not satisfie I shall refer such to consider what one of our Antient Writers did to their Forefathers Heron in Epâ—st ad Câ—esiphontem viz. The Apostle saith he having discoursed of this Mystery acknowledgeth their depths and adoreth the Wisdom of God in them Dignare tu ista nescire concede Deo potentiam sui nequaquam te indiget Defensore Be thou also willing to be ignorant of such things Leave God to himself in modâ—lling of his Decrees and Dispensations he will be sure to do it so as not to stand in need of any Apology or Defence from thee 4. Objected it is What Justice is it in God to command a man by his Word the perfâ—râ—…ce of which cannot be done by him without the inward help of hâ—s Spâ—rit and yet in the mean whilâ— deny that help â—f the Spirit to him Answ Fair words but a trick whereby men of towring Thoughts labour to bring the Royal Prerogative of Converting Grace into the hands of sinful Clay and so derogate fâ—om the honour of him who is the Former of all things But must it needs be a blemish to Gods Honour and a stain to his Justice to command man to perform his Duty though he have no strength to perform it Once he hâ—d strength â—nd hath lost it but Gâ—d hath not lost his Right to command though man hath lost his Ability to obey A Drunken Servant is not disobliged to serve nor a broken Merchant to pay his Creditors It is a Right Rule to be observed in unknitting this Knot Mandata Dei non sunt Mensura nostrerum virium sed Regula Officii materia praecum as Molinus Contr. Amyrald Precepts and Exhortations ordinarily signifie the approving Will of the Commander and his Duty to whom they are propounded although sometime the Duty of the Hearer rather than the Will of the Speaker be declared by them They shew us what we ought to do not what we can they assure us what God will do when he pleaseth not what he is bound to do Grace is free Nâ—ither can any Creature challâ—…gâ—â—…fâ—ctâ—…l Grace at Gods hands as a dâ—e Debt eiâ—her to his Nature or his Labour however some sawcilâ— wâ—… and spâ—…k of God as if he weâ—… bouâ—d to do this or that to givâ—â—his or the other Grace even whâ—… 〈…〉 produâ—e no Promise by 〈…〉 mâ—de himself a Debto◠〈…〉 is the zeal of Petâ—r L â—…rd Lib. â— Sentâ—n Dâ—stinct 43. against such men Vt mihi videtur hoc verbum Debet venenum habet nec Deo proprium competit quia non est debitor nobis nisi forte expromisso To me saith he this word he ought or he is bound seems to have much poison in it and cannot properly belong to God who is no Debtor to us save only in those cases wherein he hath passed some free Promise And I am sure our Saviour tells his Disciples plainly It is given to you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven to others it is not given Math. 13.11 And the Housholder in the Parable stops the Mouths of those Murmurers that repined as expecting more from him than it was his pleasure to give with the sole consideration of its being his Will so to have it Friend I do thee no wrong c. Math. 20.10,13 Dei judicia nemo plene comprehendit nemo juste reprehendit 5. It is Objected God commanded Abraham to kill his Son Answ 1. He may do that which he hath forbid us to do as appears out of Deut. 24.16 Compared with 2 Kings 14.6 For although by an express Law Magistrates be forbidden to put Children to Death for their Parents Sins yet God who is the Author of Life and Death hath reserved to himself a Liberty of so doing whensoever it shall so please him by Reason of his supream Dominion over all and therefore for him to Inflict inferiour temporal Punishments in that case cannot but be accounted just and the rather if we Consider that Children may be accounted part of their Parents for as a mans Wife is himself divided so his Children are himself Multiplyed 2. Gods command to Abraham was but Mandaâ—um Explorationis not Seductionis a Command of Tryal not of Seduction God is said to Tempt when he puts us upon the Trial of our Faith and Obedience that he may do us good in the latter end Deut. 8.26 but to Seduce he cannot be said to do The Author of 〈◊〉 Good cannot be the Author of Sin as before is Noted Object Did he not bid Shimei to curse David Answ True as a Punishment on David but it was a Sin in Shimei his caâ— was to drive David to Despair but God directed it to Humble him 6. It is Objected How it could stand with Justice in God to set forth his Innocent Son to suffer From this the Sâ—cinian party cry out against us as if God were charged with Tyranny in laying the Punishment of Offendors on our Innocent Saviour which also drew from Brentius a Lâ—tâ—eran thiâ— Blâ—sphemy Dâ—us Pater in cruce Tyrannus egit erga Filium c. Answ To which I answer 1. It was with his Will which is the Rule of Justice wiâ—h 〈◊〉 to his Infinite Wisâ—om 〈◊〉 â—st jusâ—…â—…si quia Volitum quâ—mvis non tâ—…um qua Vâ—litum sâ—d quâ—â—nus Sâ—…lâ—ntia dictatum Dei Vâ—…tatâ—s est semper licet non Câ—usâ— This was concluded on as the most Congâ—nous and
not Dispair looks on things through black Spectacles and gives all for lost Hope doth the contrary Q How is it possible to hope against Hope Answ 1. Because of the Power of Christ upon which the Soul doth in great Straits rowl it self Whatever Lets and Impediments do arise between the Promise and the fulfilling of it though they be as high as Mountains and as the Gates of Hell yet the Believer can by Faith look upon them all but as Difficulties which cannot check the Power of Christ but only Magnifie it For as jealous Thoughts of the Divine Arm or fear that it may be encountred with some insuperable opposition makes the Hope of Promised Good to be weak and uncertain so the faithful and serious consideration of Gods Power a resting upon it produceth Hope against Hope it turns every Valley of Achor into a door of Hope administers Manna in the Wilderness and draws water out of the Rock brings light out of darkness comfort out of every Tryal Thus Miconius wrote to Calvin upon view of the Churches Enemies reflecting upon the Power of Christ Gaudeo quod Christus Dominus est alioquin totus Desperassem I am Glad that Christ Reigns otherwise I should utterly despair So the Believer in the midst of Straits rejoyceth in the Power of Christ who lives and Reigns for ever and ever 2. The Spirit of Christ inwardly works and nourisheth some Sparks of Hope always in the Hearts of his people Thus it was with Job David Paul and a vast number of other faithful Souls who sparkling with the lightning Rays of Hope have lift up their Palms in the midst of Hazzards and Gain'd Heaven by Violence still laying the degrees of their Honour in the depth of suffering This like an Anchor holds the Ship of the Soul in her greatest Storms and like an Helmet keeps off the Blows of the Sword or Arrows from entring 1 Thessal 5.8 Let us who are of the day be sober putting on the Breast-Plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation In time of publick Calamities the Righteous have Hope Joel 3.16 The Lord will roar out of Zion the Heaven and Earth shall shake but the Lord will be the Hope of his People So that if all outward hope be taken away their hope in God is not taken away Upon this account it was that the Jews being Prisoners in Babylon are called Prisoners of Hope Zech. 9.10 If Heaven and Earth be ready to come together yet through the strength of the Divine Spirit working in their Hearts Believers have Hope which as a Bow in the Heavens all furnished with Emeralds never loseth it force 3. Their former Experiences are a Foundation of Hope against Hope Rom. 5.4 And Experience Hope Hos 2.5 I will give the Valley of Achor for a door of Hope This Valley of Achor so called from Achans Sacriledge to deter men from Sin some think to be the same with Engeddi mentioned so often in the Canticles however both are neer to Jericho and in it they tasted the first Fruits of Canaan as an earnest of the rest in it they saw abundance of Plenty and were Delighted and Refreshed therewith all that the Lord did then for his People and now saith he will give it to the Church for a door of Hope A Believer brings in a Catalogue of Experiences Psal 119.65 Thou hast dealt well with thy Servant In how many Cases hath he had Experience of God when Sin and Temptation have been strong he hath come in with Auxiliary Forces and his Grace hath proved sufficient When the poor Soul hath been even sinking under Fear God hath recovered him out of the Quick-Sands and lifted his head above the deep Water Psal 33. O Lord thou art my Glory and the lifter up of my Head When David was in the Mouth of Danger the Lord delivered him I was pluckt out of the Mouth of the Lyon so Saint Paul The Believer hath many Experiences and these beget Hope Thou hast and wilt Deliver saith Experimental David 4. By looking on things not as they are at present or in their own power but as they shall be by the Lords promise Surely saith the poor Believer He is faithful that hath promised As he is able to fulfil the least Iota of whatever he hath spoken so he is infallible in what he promiseth As no impediment can arise to hinder his Power so no contingency can fall out to alter his Will all his Promises being in Christ Jesus yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 These and such like Meditations serve to uphold and keep Believers from being injurious to God or themselves and to believe in Hope against Hope Vse 2. This Doctrine administers incomparable Comfort whosoever is Christs is enabled to believe in Hope against Hope When Comfort can neither be seen felt nor apprehended when Fears and Distresses are on every side and all hope of safety is taken away when nature affords no ground of Hope or encouragement to expect the fulfilling of a Promise but suggesting many posing arguments to impede and gainsay the Truths of it and to make Faith as feeble as their Bodies when old and Crazy then to hope against Hope 1. That the Church shall be raised and preserved from so many Enemies is against Hope 2 Chron. 20.12 O our God wilt thou not judg us for we have no Might against this great Company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee 2. That a Wound shall be Healed It is against Hope Prov. 18.14 A Wounded Spirit who can bear 3. That many and strong Lusts shall be vanquished and subdued Rom. 7.24 O Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin and Death 4. That an impure Soul shall be prepared for and received into Heaven it is against hope yet see Isa 1.18 Come let us reason together saith the Lord though your Sins be as Red as Crimson I will make them white as Snow To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice Oh strive for this Heavenly Hope Q. How may it be Attained A. As other Graces are wrought so is this It is the work of God wherefore he is called The God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5.10 He is the first Planter the Promoter and Finisher of Grace God is called the Father of Lights and he must light up this Candle in your Souls More particularly it is obtained 1. By Experience Rom. 5.4 as David argued 1 Sam. 17.37 And Holy Paul 2 Cor. 1.20 Experience breeds Confidence Thou hast thou shalt is the ordinary argument used by the Psalmist And so the Church comforted her self and Nourisheth her Hope Lament 3.21,24 This I Recalled to mind therefore I hope in thee And The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul therefore will I Hope in him The observation of Gods Merciful Acts of Providence to his Church in general as to any of his People in
Ordain some of his Creatures to Punishment and Damnation without Fault and Desert Answ Divine Purposes are very unsearcheable they lye wrapt up in everlasting Darkness and are covered in a deep Abyss none can Fathome the Bottom Yet to this Objector I say it is most false and a Calumny usually cast upon the Doctrine of Predest nation and which the Rhetorick of our Adversaries is wont to blow up to the highest pitch of Aggravation even to the Impeaching of Gods Justice which is most Blasphemous But to the Answer 1. God Created man for his own Glory Vltimately and if any Miscarry through their own Default as it will be found they do God will be glorified in them as well as in others The Howlings of them which perish shall render forth his Praise as well as the Hallelujahs of them that are Saved They both sing unto the Glorious Attributes of the Blessed Trinity an everlasting Canticle Only in this great Consort of the Intelligent Creation the designedly Conspiring Voices are as differing as the Condition of the respective Singers Hell's Darkness shall as well contribute to Gods Glory as Heavens eternal Splendours As shadows Judiciously placed do no less praise the Painter than do the livelier and better Colours 2. In Ordaining he is to be Considered as a Lord not as a Judge Election and Reprobation being Acts of Power and Prerogative so that in these the matter of Right and Wrong are not concerned Gods Volitions and Decrees are not depending on any temporal Objects as Motives thereunto but determine without any Respect to any Disposition in the Creature and what Injustice can be therein The clay should not dispute with the Potter None should argue against Divine Prerogative Ratio quosdam elegit quosdam reprobat non habet rationem nisi Divinam Voluntatem Aqu. 1 part 4. 23. Art 5. 3. He doth punish none without fault nor condemn any without Desert God who is pure Justice inferreth no prejudice upon the Creature but as provoked by some Criminal miscarriage though it be certain that the Reprobate shall dye yet Sin not the Decree is the cause of Death Rom. 5.12 By Sin Death entred into the World To crown or to damn is an Act of judiciary Power and proceeds according to the Tenour of the Revealed Gospel The Eternal Decree of the Damnation of the very Devils was never determined to be Executed otherways than for their own Misdeeds 2. It is objected The Author of Sin cannot be just Ergo. Answ Innocency it self cannot be protected from Imputations though the Reproach will stick no faster than a Bur that is cast against a Cristal fot it will easily appear that God is neither Autho or Actor Peccati He makes Sin no more than the Sun makes the Night Though Bellarmin labour to impose this Blasphemy on Calvin Beza and Zuinglius as their opinions Yet the Dominicans and some of his own Society clear him as saying 1. That he willeth Sin permissively otherwise it could not be Miro inâ—ffabili modo non fit praeter ejus voluntatem quod etiam fit contra ejus voluntatem Quia non fieret nisi sinerit nec utique nolens sinit sed volens As Aug. Enchirid. And again Non sinerit bonus fieri male nisi Omnipotens etiam de malo posset facere bonum Ibid. The Lord thought it better to do good with evil than not to permit it And it is acknowledged that Sin the worst thing that is but the Existence of Sin is not Evil otherwise saith Aug. God would not permit it 2. God concurs ad Actum Determinationem voluntatis in particulari non ad obliquitatem Actus God doth concur to the Action and sustains the Agent For 't is sain by him all things consist Coloss 1.17 and Acts 17.28 In him we live and move c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are acted by him So that the bare Action is good and the fault wholly remains with the Creature Obj. But he that doth not hinder Sin when he may is guilty So a wicked Mâ—rcian asketh why the Loâ—d who foresaw the event did suffer Eve and the Devil to confer and if â—e were able why did he not hinder Sin to be Answ Thus men presuming upon certain Aâ—ioms of Crooked and Distorted Reason will undâ—rtake to pass Sentence upon God The Rule will hold true in Respect of men qui non vetat peccare cum possit jubet but not in Respect of God who is bound to no Law neither did he suffer Sin unreproved or unpunished Prosper and Hilarius both with Austin make answer to this Question why God did not hinder Sin the cause may be unknown it cannot be unjust 3. It is Objected God doth Distribute unequally evil things to good men and good things to evil men Answ This is a bad and common Charge The seeming Disregard and Inequality of Providence hath caused some to charge God foolishly Among Heathens of old we find Brutus an able Assertor of Divine Providence such as he knew when finally vanquished by Antonius and saw such bad Success in so good a Cause as he thought his to be disclaimed all Vertue and derided all Endeavours of living well as vain and bootless And Pompey when discomfited by Caesar blamed Providence as if there were a Mist over it But both blamed the Sun because of their own sore eyes And these well-tempered Heathens were not alone but men of other make have stumbled at the same Stone It was Davids Case Psal 73.2.3 As for me my Step were almost gone my Feet had well nigh slipt for I was envious at the Foolish c. and the Prophet Jeremiah Chap. 12.1 Why doth the way of the Wicked prosper c. Which is as though he had said Why shall such Weeds as Cumber the Ground be watered so plentifully and grow so exceedingly when good Coâ—n is so thin and Lean Why shall the Lyon and Raven those unclean Creatures be spared when the innocent Lamb and Dove are Sacrificed The wiâ—ked flourish like a Bay-tree and enjoy a Constant Spring and Summer though without Fruit when the Saints like good Apple-trees have their Autumn and Winter This hath touched good men to the quick sore eyes could not behold the gloâ—ious Sun-shine of wicked mens Prosperity without much pain But however God is just Therefore to answer the Objection I say he that doth so finally is unjust Differt nunc Dâ—us non Determinat God will have men to be known Some serve him only for a Livery dayes of Adversity are Gods fans or Furnace non Approbat facta Impiorum he approves not the ungodly in their wayes though at Gods Connivance and present Immunity of their Hellish Practices they make damnable Inferences of his approving them Because they have no Changes they fear not God Object 4. Suppose two persons for natural Disposition Equal the one is taken and effectually called the other left is not here Respect of Persons Answ Here is more