God over and toward these persons no ways clasht with his general purposes of mens ends according to their believing and obeying or disobedience to God in Christ before mentioned The two former being particular purposes perhaps only of temporal destructions for their persâ— wickednesses or at the highest judiâ— purposes of their final estates upon 〈◊〉 foresight or consideration of and with â—â—spect unto their abuses of Gods grace aâ— goodness which yet he purposed accoâ—â—ing to the counsel of his Will to theâ— because it was in his Power and Choâ— whether to make them examples anâ— instances of his severity in resolving theâ— destruction upon the account of their forepast sins or to have purposed further patience and grace to them for the rescuing them from the ways of sin unto salvation as the latter may speak of it intimately it being not so much a purpose of their end peremptorily and absolutely decreed to those persons I suppose as a purpose or rather a dispensation oâ— grace to dispose and order them to oâ— for such an end as he hath purposed to those that believe SECT 5. Of the distinction of Gods Purposes into Respective and Irrespective GOds purposes of mens ends then appear to be not irrespective and previous to the consideration of their way and works but respective to them as rewards for of Gods purposes some aâ—â— Irrespective and some Respective Respective I say not only to men as their object nor only to Christ in whom Gen. 3.15 16 17 c. and with respect to whose undertakings some things yea all that follow thereupon are purposed but with respect also to something veiwed or foreseen in men to Isa 48.3 4 5 6 7 8. and concerning whom they are purposed foreseen I say and so respected either as occasions of or apt dispositions to or meritorious causes of the things purposed with respect to them According to this distinction God did absolutely and irrespectively purpose the Creation of the World and all things therein The Creation of man in a good condition the leaving him to his liberty to obey or disobey his Law purposed also to be given him So the giving forth of Christ and preparing him to be a meet Saviour for us and the preventing men with his grace more or less clearly through him according to his good pleasure were purposed in some consideration irrespectively for though they had respect to the sin and fall and misery of man thereby as occasioning a need of those things yet as to any works of righteousness found in men or to be found in men as deserving them or as preparing and disposing men to such salvation to be wrought in and by Christ for them and for grace to call them they were irrespective But then Gods purposes of hardning rejecting and condemning this or that man were respective and lookt upon them as sinning against his grace and truth rejecting his Son and refusing him as deseâ—ving and rendring them worthy suâ— hardning rejecting and condemning And his purposes of giving more specâ— favour and salvation to such and such men believing as are properly consequent to or rewards of faith respected Christ not only as obtaining such grace but also a received and believed in by those men and so rendring them worthy in a Gospeâ— sense of such grace to be dispensed to them Unto this branch of respective purposes clearly appertain purposes of punishing and rewarding as such though most clearly it is seen in purposes of punishing either by giving up to sin or inflicting destructive vengeance upon menâ— such doubtless was his purpose of casting Adam out of Paradise it had respect to his sin sure he did not absolutely purpose to cast him out whither he sinned or not or to necessitate his sin that he might cast him out The like may be said of his purpose of drowning the World destroying Sodom establishing the Kingdom to Saul or taking it from him and so that such or such a man shall dye of such a death as their wilfull sinnings bring upon them in which though t is true that their days are determined yet its true also that they dye before their times namely before the times they should have lived to had they not ran into such sins Eccles 7.17 As Ahitophel Haman Judas Pharaoh though they must have dyed had they not sinned in such wicked ways as they did yet they should not have dyed such deaths been given up to and destroyed in such a way of judgement had they not been wicked or had they timely thereof repented Such was the purpose of God for hardning Pharaohs heart it had respect to his stubbornness and wickedness foreseen He see he would oppress his people and not let them go Exod. 3.19 20. 4.21 and with respect thereto purposed to harden him that he should not no not by many mighty Signs and Judgements be willing to let them go Such also the purpose of God concerning the believers sufferings of which it 's said 1 Thes 3.3 That we were thereunto appointed surely not as this or that man simply considered but as Believers in and confessors of Christ and so all such as such were appointed to sufferings especially in those times Such surely was Gods purpose and determination concerning Herod Pontius Pilate with the Jews and Gentiles opposing Acts 4.27 28. with 2.23 persecuting and crucifying or rather of his delivering him up to them and determining and fore-bounding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what they should do to him his determining counsel therein was joyned with his foreknowledge and with respect to what he foreknew they would be he determined to yeild them up to them and what they should do to him God did not purpose to make them wicked and stir them up or impel them to crucifie him as some over-rashly speak making God the Cauâ— Contriver and Author of their sin bâ— foreseeing what they would be and do if permitted he determined to permit them to do what he pleased to permit what should be done Suffering their malice so far to break forth as might be to his praise and restraining the remainder thereof as Psal 76.10 Not that he needed their crucifying him or Judas betraying him to work mans redemption by nor was it his dying as the effect of their wickedness that did properly ransome us nor did their betraying and crucifying him necessarily bring forth his death No man took his life from him but he laid it down of himself Acts 2.23 3.15 5.30 7.52 John 10.18 though yet they are truly and properly chargeable with killing and slaying him and putting him to death both as to their desire and intention and as to the consequent of what they did to him but he yeilded his life voluntarily to his Father who made his soul an offering for sin And his Death as needful for and effectual to our ransoming and redemption was that which the Fathers wrath or curse of the Law
they are not â—s works or doings in a proper way 〈…〉 speaking or in a direct or proper way 〈◊〉 operation no more then darkness can 〈◊〉 properly ascribed to the Sun how â—uld so holy a Tree bring forth fruit so â—trary to his Holiness Or how should 〈◊〉 punish men for their Iniquities if he â—o work incite or frame men unto wickâ—ness It would be great iniquity in a â—dge or Magistrate to provoke incite to â—uch more to necessitate men to things â—idden by the Law and yet more if 〈◊〉 be a Law whereof he was Law giver 〈…〉 and then to hang and draw him â—r what he was so the cause himself of â—nd shall God be like to such unjust Perâ—ns God forbid yet after some manner â—f speaking and in some way suitable to â—s holiness those things also are ascribed 〈◊〉 him which remains with sobriety to â—e inquired into by us SECT 2. That those Operations as ascribed to God are Judiciary Acts consequential both to Gods preventing grace and mens abuse of it DOubtless this first may be Asserted That these kind of Acts or Operations as ascribed to God are ever Judiciary acts and ordered to men by way 〈◊〉 Punishment and Judgment for their abuses of and Rebellions against his goodness and gracious Operations first preventing them These are none of his first operations in and with men but he first extends his goodness and mercy leading to Repentance yea mixeth such too with these sadder operations and for mens hardning and blinding themselves there against hardens and blinds them according to that in Isa 66.3.4 They have chosen their own ways and their soul delighteth in their abominations I also will chuse their delusions and will bring theâ— fear upon them Because when I called none did answer when I spake they did not hear but did evil before mine eyes and chose that in which I delighted not And that in Rom. 1.21 26 28. â—use when they knew God they did not 〈◊〉 him as God neither were thankful c. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections c. And even as they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge God gave them up to a Reprobate mind This also may be seen in those instances of Gods hardning and blinding before mentioned For certain it is That Pharaoh was a proud Tyrannical Oppressor of Israel See Exod. 3.14 with 4.21 before God hardned his heart God says of him That he knew surely that the King of Aegypt would not let them go but by or no not by a mighty hand before he spake of hardning his heart And we and that upon Moses's first speaking to him in the Name of the Lord to let the people go to Worship or hold a Feast to the Lord in the Wilderness Chap. 5.1 2 3. which was but a reasonable demand yet he behav'd himself proudly against the Lord and said Who is the Lord that I should they his voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Yea and after Moses had told him who the Lord was even the God of the Hebrews and had used Arguments to perswade him to let them go yet Vers 6 7 8 9. he was so far from hearkning to them that he increased their burdens and oppressions exacting their â—umber of Brick but denying them necessary Materials to be brought to them as before to the greater imbittering of their Spirits and to the exposing them to their Taskmasters rage and cruelty yea and after God had bid Moses work Miracles before him and the Aegyptians and shew them some Signes that God had â—â—t him to him on that Message yet it 's said Chap. 7.13 That Pharaohs heart hardned as Ainsworth reads it suitable to the Hebrew Vers 14. Or Pharaoh hardned his heart as the Greek reads it And God says of him Pharaohs heart is hardned Vers 23. he refuses to let the people go And after their Waters were turned into Blood Pharaoh turned and went into his house and it 's said Neither set he his heart to this also And after God had smitten him with the Plague of the Frogs and his heart began to yield so that he promised upon God's removal of that Plague Chap. 8.8 to let the people go yet when God had at Moses's request removed it it 's said That when Pharaoh saw that there was respite he hardned his heart and hearkned not to them as the Lord had said namely that he would do Chap. 3.10 Yea and when God had sent the Third Plague the Plague of Lice in which the Magicians could not do so but confessed it to be the Finger of God yet it 's said That Pharaohs heart was hardned and he hearkned not unto them as the Lord had said Yea and yet again when God had threatned him with the Judgment of Flies Vers 28. and inflicted it because he would not by the threatning be admonished and that also made his heart to bow again and yield so as to promise upon the removal thereof they should go and worship God in the Wilderness Yet after that Judgment was removed Vers 32. it is said Pharaoh hardned his heart at this time also neither would he let the people go Yea and after the Fifth Judgment upon their Cattle in which as in the former Chap. 9.7 God severed between the Aegyptians and the Israelites smiting the Aegyptians Cattel onely and not Israels yet it 's said Pharaohs heart was hardned remained in that stiffness and obstinacy of purpose to which he had set it upon the former respite and not all this while is it said That the Lord had hardned his heart Till after the Sixth Judgment Chap. 9.12 And then is it said The Lord hardned Pharaohs heart And yet after and in the Seventh Judgment he made it yield again so as to confess his Sin and justifie the Lord and intreat their Prayers for him with promise thereupon of letting them go and they should stay no longer yet Chap. 10.1 after it was over it is said His heart was hardned And God says Chap. 10.1 Go in unto Pharaoh for I have hardned his heart and the heart of his servants c. So that it appears that Pharaoh was proud and wicked and hardned his heart against the Lord before God is said to have hardned his heart Aud the like we may say of Sihon King of Heshbon and the Canaanites Josh 11.20 The measure of their Iniquity was now full so as it was not in Abrahams time Gen. 15.16 And yet more plain it is in that of Israel in Isa 6.10 To which that in Joh. 12.40 Isa 1 2 3 〈◊〉 5. hath reference it is Go make the heart of this people fat And it was such a people whose eyes he blinded as of whom he had said I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me a sinful Nation a people laden with iniquity a
and take heed of provoking him to these kind of judiciary proceedings against them such is the import of those sayings worthy our diligent consideration SECT 4. That God in hardning and blinding men doth it by degrees and with such mixture of mercy that till they be totally hardned there may be remedy YEt it 's to be minded too that this hardning and blinding men is not done at once usually but by degrees and till it be fully done there is hope for mercy yea the hardning men in part so as that they run upon their own ways and counsels is ordered of God who is slow to wrath and ready to fongive and delights not in the death of the wicked but rather that they turn and live as a means to bring men upon such rocks and difficulties as by which they may be forced to cry to God for and accept of his mercy and so it 's said Israel is in part blinded Rom. 11. â—5 32. or blindness is in part happened to them till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and that God hath shut them all up in unbelief that he might have mercy upon them all and so in Isa 63.17 when through their hardness they have run themselves upon miseries and then begin to see the error of their ways they are put upon crying mightily to God look down from Heaven and behold the habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory where is thy zeal and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercy towards me are they restrained and O Lord why hast thou madeus to err from thy ways and hardned our hearts from thy fear Return for thy Servants sake the tribes of thine Inheritance yea we may see that Gods hardning Pharaoh occasion'd him to rush himself upon such judgements as somewhat softened him and made him cry for mercy and forgiveness and upon crying for it he had it so rich in mercy is God even to his enemies when by his judgements they are moved to repentance and to relent from their purposes Exod. 9.27 28. yea and had he not then hardened his heart again he and his Servants and so provoked God to harden it too vers 33.34 Chap. 10.1 he might have escaped further judgements But he there again hardening his heart God hardned it more or gave him up to greater hardness even to his surther misery and destruction but we may see how long it was before God came to that with him he had before that hardened his own heart as we noted before Hardening himself after the judgment of the Frogs Exod. 8.8.12 his heart was or remained hardened so as not to take notice of the following judgments tho confessed by his Magicians to be by the finger of God and not by any such arts as they practised and that rushed him upon a another judgment in and by which his heart was some what softened and made 〈◊〉 yield so as to promise to let the people go and to intreat Moses to cry to God for him Who also readily heard him yet then also hardening his own heart again he provoked the Lord to harden it too till he threatens him to send all his Plagues upon his Heart and upon his Servants and upon all his People to make him know that there was none like Him in all the Earth And sure that might have such tendency as in Psal 83.16 That knowing him to be such a one he might seek his Name and indeed adds the Lord for this cause or purpose have I raised thee up made thee to stand or as the septuagint reads it preserved thee namely from perishing in the former plagues from which he was raised up or out of that I might shew in thee my power and that my Name may be declared in all the Earth which might have been all accomplished too without his ruin had he by that forbearance and long suffering in which God yet endured him though a Vessel of wrath madeup or fitted to destruction been led to repentance as his long suffering and goodness doth lead to that Rom. 9.21 with 2.4 5. God says not as some rashly from that conclude that he raised him up much less created him that he might destroy him But he preserved and endured him yet that he might shew his power in him and that his Name might be declared which might have been also in his overcoming his obstinacy and making him yield to seek him as at length he did make him yield to let Israel go upon their own terms and had he then also submitted to have sought Gods Name his power had appeared and his Name might have been declared by him or by occasion of him throughout the Earth with his safety and welfare as it was by Nebuchadnezzer after wand humbling himself before God after judgment executed upon him Dan. 4.1.2 3.34.35 36 37. But he then also yet retaining his wickedness and not seeking the Lord who had so clearly and notoriously made known himself both in the power of his wrath and readiness to shew mercy in his humbling himself before him Exod. 14.3 4. provoked God to harden him further even to give him up to a total hardness to run himself into utter ruin and so accomplish Gods purpose that ways by opposing him And yet that also even his total bardning men to Destruction as destruction follows thereupon and his destroying men when fully hardened as it is a judgment that he is slow in passing and bringing upon men he had rather the issues of their own ways in and upon his hardening them in part might a waken them to repentance Ezek. 33.11 18.32 and that they would thereupon turn to him and live so when he is provoked to it and doth it it is in mercy to other men and for their admonition and warning to listen to him not rebelling and hardening their hearts against him or upon sight of former Rebellions and Self-â—dnings which hath provoked God to â—rden or blind them in part to return to God and put away their iniquities that he may have mercy upon them and not â—ave them and give them up also to â—ter ruine So it 's said That God would harden Pharaohs heart at the last to pursue after Israel when he had let them goe and when his heart and the heart oâ— his Servants turned against Israel to lay Why have we done this that we have 〈◊〉 Israel go from serving us yea Exod. 14.3 4 5 8. he did also accordingly after their so recoyling actually harden it to this end That the â—gyptians might know him to be the Lord even that the remainder of them might know him and so as in Psal 83.6 Seek his Name as also is implyed in the last Verses of that Psalm That the â—ter and everlasting shame trouble confusion and perishing of the obstinate Enemies is ordered to this end That men may know that he whose Name is Jehovah is most high over all
the Earth But SECT 5. How and in what sense the foresaid operations of hardning blinding c. are Attributed unto God and how he worketh in and unto them LEt us view now how or after what manner God may be said to harden blind deceive men and turn their heart to hate his people as Psal 105.25 tho that might be rendred their heart returned to hate his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Exod. 14.5 Their heart was turned against the People Seeing it is said That God is not a God that hath pleasure in iniquity he hates the workeâ— of it Psal 5.4 5. Ezek. 33.11 and he himself swears that he hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked namely that they should continue in their Sins and dye but rather that they should turn and live Surely they are not his operations properly and directly aâ— those of his mercy in drawing men to himself and framing them to his mind 〈◊〉 but by a kind of indirect permissive accidental operation as the Sun may be said to cause darkness by leaving the Horizon or to make men blind that look against it and not by it or the like 〈◊〉 yet they are ascribed to God because against his will setting it self to hindâ— them effectively they could not be wrought or because also it is with 〈◊〉 will as a just and righteous thing that such things as hardness blindness deceâ— should befal them for their punishment by running therethrough upon their own Calamities and because they are occasioned by something properly and directly wrought and done by him we may say that by such ways as these God may be said to do them 1. By permitting leaving and giving to men to themselves and to their own imaginations and lusts to be hardned by them not giving forth his grace any further as to such and such a particular or in a total hardning not at all to hinder and keep them back from such hardness and blindness but letting them have their wills and liberty to follow after their â—wn devices and purposes and so to run themselves into desperate stiffness of heart against God and his counsels as in Psal 81.11.14 Israel would none of me So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own counsels And so the Gentiles becoming vain in their own imaginations and not likeing to retain or have God in their Knowledge God give them up to vile affections and to a mind void of Judgment Rom. 1.21 25 26 28. And so as the Sun going from us causes darkness so Christ who is the Light of the World hiding himself from a people it follows upon it Joh. 12.39 40 42. that their â—ryes are blinded and he hath blinded their eyes namely by taking away his Light from them not by imparting or â—utting malice into them but by withdrawing his mercy from them as Augustine well says Non impartiendo malitiam sed non impertiendo misericordiam 2. By giving leave and commission permissively to Satan to enter into them as it were and possess them with lying and false imaginations hopes and fears and so to deceive Job 1. and blind and harden them So the Lord took away all that Job had by permitting 2 Sam. 24.11 with 1 Chron. 21.1 1 King 22.20 21 22 23. and giving leave to Satan to do it And he is said to have moved David against Israel to say Go number the people in letting Satan provoke David to it So he hardned Ahabs heart by giving leave or commission to a lying Spirit to intice him to go to Ramoth Gilead by promising him by the mouth of his false Prophets success and prosperity in his so doing And he may be said to have deceived those Prophets not by his Spirit dictating any deceit to them far be it from us so to Blaspheme him but by giving way and leave to the False Spirit to enter into them and deceive them as in the same way he is said to send men strong Delusions that they may believe a lye c. namely by letting Satan who is forward to such work 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. if permitted bring strong Delusions to men and insinuate them into their sancies as he might be said to * Mark 5.12 13. with Math. 8.31 32. Luk. 8.32 33. send the unclean Spirit into the Herd of Swine when upon their desire of it he gave them leave to go 3. By ordering such good and holy Providences to men as by which their hearts especially if left to themselves and Satan will take occasion to harden â—lind and stiffen themselves in their resolutions for Sin and against God So his very suffering the Magicians to do such â—ings by their Inchantments as Moses and â—aron did by his Finger or ordering Moses and Aaron to do such things as they could do the like occasion'd Pharaoh to 〈◊〉 light by those Judgments yea his gradous readiness to remove the Judgment and give respite to Pharaoh so easily at his promise of doing better and intreaty of Moses to pray for him hardned â—baraoh ' heart or rather as the Apostle says Rom. 2.4 5. He after his hardness and impenitency despising or looking overly upon God's easiness to be intreated and so upon his goodness and long-suffering which should have moved him to Repentance hardned his heart against God and treaâ—red up wrath to himself against a day of Wrath according to that in Psal 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a me as thy self c. And that in Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against an evil doer is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Sons of Men is fully set that is is hardned and made obstinate in them to do evil So that accidentally and eventually God's goodness and forbearance to them hardens them and blinds them because they take boldness thence-through their wickedness to presume to Sin yet more and becoming 〈◊〉 in their imaginations blind themselves and are made uncertain whither God dislike their ways or not or whither there be any God or providence of God because he doth not punish the evil of their ways Again by ordering Israel to march through the Wilderness where according to probability it might be thought they would be intangled and so by ordering a kind of Tryal to Pharaoh whether by all his fore-past Judgments he would yet stand in awe of him seeing he would yet hold fast his covetous design of enriching himself by their bondage He also permitted Satan to put into his heart such a thought that now he might have a good advantage to force them back and so he was strengthned and animated to pursue after them to his Destruction And so God turned the hearts of the Aegyptians to hate his people by ordering such blessings and multiplication to his People as provoked them being evil to envy and fear them and then permitting them
to Satan and their own hearts to stir up envy and hatred against them Thus we find too God threatning obstinate people that refuse to walk in his ways or be warned by the sound of his Trumpet that he will lay stumbling blocks before them and the Father and Son shall fall together upon them Jer. 6.17 Isa 8.13 14. Rom. 9.33 18 21. Such was Christ's weakness Cross and abasement and the Fathers withdrawing from him 1 Cor. 1 2â— on the Cross to the Jews and Pharisees who out of envy put him to Death and the Preaching of the Cross to the generality of them 4. Yea we may add if we can conceive otherwise of it then as included in what is said By cursing his Blessings and even his own Ordinances to Men as Mal. 2.1 2. That they should be made as snares and traps to them for their abuse of them as in Psal 69.22 23 24 25. Let their table become a snare and that which was for their welfare a trap c. Yet this is so accidentally as it were by reason of their pride covetousness c. which apts them to take offence and boggle at the Word of God which altogether speaks in such was against them vexing galling and inraging them they loving their deeds that are evil and so becoming a Savour of Death unto Death to them Yea the very Spirit of God may work such Discoveries of their resisting and rejecting them to their very hearts as may occasion the heart retaining its love to iniquity to exert its wickedness and so occasionally harden it to desperate Rebellion and so may his Judgment too as in Rev. 16 8 9. And thus I conceive of God's hardening Operations or such Operations as attributed to him I shall close up this Chapter with Mr. Mallers Exposition of those Words in Psal 105.25 He turned their hearts to hate his people Not that God saith he was the Author of Pharaohs and the Aegyptians evil Counsels or that he put those crafty and wicked counsels into their minds For God is a God that wills not Iniquity c. Which sentence is repeared often in the Scriptures as in Deut. 32. Hos 11. Psal 92. Ezek. 33. Which with both hands or rather with our whole Soul is to be held fast by us that we may know that God is not the cause of any Sin nor doth he will effect or approve of the wickedness and obstinacy of the Wicked but the cause of Sin is the corrupt will of Man and the suggestion of the Devil but God is said to have perverted or turned Pharaâ—hs and the Aegyptians hearts in that he forsaking them left their preverse hearts such as they were naturally that they might pour out their hatred conceived against Israel which hatred was not of God but of their inbred malice pride covetuousness which because God did not correct or take away by his Grace he is said to have perverted or turned their hearts that the Godly might understand that those things which happen to them from such evil men come not unto them without his will This says he is the most sincere meaning of it and most consonant to the Scriptures To which agrees Aug. Tom. 2. contra Pelag. p. 300. God hardens not by putting Malice into men but by withdrawing his mercy from them And in his First Book against the 2 Epist of Pelag. chap. 18. No man is compelled by the power of God against his will either to good or evil but God forsaking men deservedly they go into evil and helping them undeservedly they are converted to good That Phrase of perverting them and hardning them used sixteen times in Exodus is not to be understood of any efficacious action of God but of his permission and forsaking as Aust Lib. 5. contrae Julianum For it is usual in the Hebrew Tongue that Verbs or words signifying Actions are put for the causes of Actions either truly such or such as without which they would not be which seeing they are the Will Power Permission it often falls out that they are to be expounded by I will I can I suffer or permit and by their own infinitive as Gal. 5. So many as are justified by the Law that is desire to be justified 1 Cor. 10. I please all men that is desire or endeavour it Luk. 8. Hearing they bear not that is will not hear Why hast thou made us to erre from thy ways and hardned our hearts from thy fear that is Why hast thou left us and suffered us to erre c. And not rather drawn us back and governed us by thy Spirit that by our negligence malice or wickedness we rush not into evil c. Thus he which soberly construed and looked upon as the Judicial acts of God after Grace extended and rejected I conceive to be very right and Orthodox For which cause I have thus noted and transcribed it as worthy to be credited and received And thus much for the kinds of God's operations in which also we have shewed the manner of God's working in operations of this latter kind which respect the working of men to Sin or rather in what sense such operations may be Attributed to God I might have noted also That the same sentence of Truth or providence of God may have diverse operations in divers men as that saying of Christ to the Jews Joh. 8.32 If ye continue in my words then are ye my Disciples indeed and Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free As it occasionally offended and inraged those Jews so it might comfort others and instruct others in the way to obtain freedome and admonish others of and cause them to fear departing from his words and as the same cloud that protected the Israelites blew the Aegyptians into the Sea But I pass it and come to what remains viz. The manner of God's working in his Gracious Operations which are more properly directly and effectively his CHAP. X. Of the manner of God's working in Men by his grace preventing accompanying and following them SECT 1. That God's gracious operations are according to the counsel of his will and in some sense different and unlike IT is most certain that God as the Apostle says Ephes 1.11 worketh all things according to the counsel of his will All things namely that he worketh or we may not say That he worketh â—ens Sins and Evils in them or the works of the Devil which he came to destroy 〈◊〉 all things that he worketh he worketh according as his most infinitely wise â—nderstanding directeth and his will â—herein determineth without asking advice of or submitting himself to the guiâ—ance of any Creature whatsoever â—hough yet heither doth the Apostle thereâ— mean that he worketh nothing with respect to our wills and works for sureâ—y that is not so but in all his punishments and rewards as properly such he hath respect to the wills and workings of Men and so the counsel of his will
have procured by our former slightings of him as the Spiritual Manna and food of Life Psal 2.1.6 with Act. 4.27 10.38 John 1.50 2.20 21. Col. 2.9 Luk. 4.18 19. Isa 61.1 2 3. Zech. 4.6 7 9. Eph. 4.5 5.25 26. 1 Pet. 2.5 lifted up by God's Will that whosoever believes in him might not perish but have everlasting life Yea He is the Anointed of the Lord the King The Temple the Restorer of our Breaches The Returner of our Captivity The Builder of the House of God His hands have laid the Foundation and his hands shall finish it bringing up the Top-stone with shootings and crying grace grace to it Yea He is the orderer of God's House and Service The Master of the Musick the tuner of our Hearts that they might make sweet Melody in the Ears of God Coll. 3.16 being filled with Grace In a Word He is All and in All in the New Creature 7. Nay all the Excellencies of the Creatures as well as All the Ordinances of the Law are but shadows to him Col. 3.9 10. Mal. 4.2 3. Rev. 22.16 Psal 84.11 Rev. 5.5 6. Gen. 22.8 John 1.29 Psal 18.1 2. Deut. 32.4 1 Pet. 2.4 5 6. Isa 28.16 Zech. 3.2 Verse 8. 6.12 Isa 11.1 10 11. Jer. 23.5 6. Cant. 2.2 3 4 5. John 15.1 Psal 52.8 106.2 He is the Son of Righteousness The bright and the Morning Star A Sun and Shield that will give Grace and Glory c. The Lyon of the Tribe of Judah The meek and Innocent Lamb even the Lamb of God which he hath found and provided for himself for a Burnt-offering to take away the Sins of the World The Rock the Fortress the Stone of Strength graven by the Lord. The one Stone upon which are seven Eyes graven for the removing of the iniquity of the Earth and laid as a sure Foundation in Sion The Branch The Root of Jesse and Branch of Righteousness and Plant of Renown The Apple Tree amongst the Trees of the Wood full of Fruit and fragrancy and pleasant of Shadow The true Vine The Olive Tree in the House of God always green and flourishing c. Yea who can set forth all his Praises which according to the Gospel and what it asserts as done and suffered by him and received as the reward of his Sufferings to furnish him for our Salvation are to be ascribed to him Isa 55.1.2 Rev. 22.17 Such things the Gospel declares of him as true in themselves and the benefit of them open and free to and for all Men so as that whoever will may come and partake of them in submitting to and believing on him CHAP. III. Of things further contained in the Gospel-Faith and thence observable as implyed and signifyed therein SECT 1. Of the Hope of the Gospel SUch is the Doctrine or Faith of the Gospel as hath been said in the former Chapter and it is true in it self and praedicable as truth to all Men. The Everlasting Gospel of God neither is 〈◊〉 less true for mens not hearing or believing of it nor the more true for their heating and believing it But besides There is something contained in that Doctrine that is called the hope of the Gospel Col. 1.23 As the Covenant and Promises of God so far as yet future to any man Indeed all that is declared in the Gospel as done and accomplished in Christ in his Personal Appearing Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension was to the Fathers before Christ as to Abraham Isaac Jacob David with whom he is said to have made his Covenant and so to the Prophets and Holy Men matter of Hope because as then not actually performed but now as accomplished and declared to us they are to us matter of Faith onely and the Foundation of the things to be hoped for which is that of God's Covenant or Promises as yet unaccomplished to any of us which as the Promises partly concern the time of this Life partly and most properly and fully the Life to come I shall instance God assisting in either of them briefly 1. For this Life The Gospel declares as matter of hope 1. That God will so hear and help Christ and through him his Servants making him in their faithful Ministration of and through all means of his appointing so a Light to the Gentiles and God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth that through the dispensations of his Spirit with the means to Men they may be put into a capacity of hearing turning at his reproofs and seeking after him according to God's Promise to Christ Isa 49.7 8 9. And Christ's Prayer for and Promise to his Disciples John 17.9 18 Psal 95.8 Heb. 3.7 20 21 22 23. Matth. 28.19.20 Whence it is said To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts as implying That during the day of Grace God in Christ will not be wanting to speak to men so as they may hear him if they will not stop their Ears and harden their Hearts But this is a matter of daily Dispensation from Christ and as well matter of Faith to as of the hope and expectation of his Servants for men therefore I wave it and shall speak to it under that Head of Gods operations in Men. 2. That whosoever in Christs preventing them with his Grace and Calling do hear and turn at his reproofs Prov. 1.22 23. Ezek. 33.16 Act. 10.43 13.37 38 39. John 1.12 Eph. 2.14 18 19 20. 1 Pet. 2.9 and seek and close with him for them the Gospel Promises and accordingly it is matter of hope and expectation by and for them that God will forgive and pardon all former Iniquities and Trespasses to them and graciously receive and own them and put them amongst his Children give them the priviledges and favour of being a people nigh to him of his Houshold yea his Sons and Daughters As the Gospel Preaches The forgiveness or not imputation of Sins through Christ to men as a thing verily true and extended to them before their Believing so far as that them notwithstanding he is Administring his Grace to call and enable them to listen to him that they might Believe 2 Cor. 5.19 20. 6.1 2. Luke 24.45 47. so it also promises and gives well grounded and assured hope of the forgiveness of them in the further sense above mentioned so as to the justifying of them from them accepting and owning of them and making them his Sons and Heirs the Subjects of his special grace and favour in their returning in that grace afforded and believing on him Yea and also that he will have more choice care of theirs Acts 16.31 Gen. 17.5 6 7. than of theirs that reject him till any of them also do reject him 3. To the Believer Prov. 1.23 33 2.1 5 6. Matth. 13.11 12 13 15. yet further the Gospel propounds this as matter of hope and expectation That God in his owning him will further
know his Presence with them even while to appearance and in his body absent from them c. His comforting Operations may be many or fewer according as he pleases and as he sees good to give and the conditions of his people require and they are meet for but they are all in and through his goodness and grace in Christ discovered as all his other gracious Operations be while he by his Spirit minds men of and opens to them his Love Power Wisdom Faithfulness his undertakings for them promises to them examples of his goodness and faithfulness to others in like cases and therein also sets before them the inconsiderableness of their Enemies Dangers Sufferings the lightness and momentaniss of them in comparison of the good afforded and promised them he raises up and incourages their hearts and fills them with assured hope and consolation 2 Thess 2.16 17. 2 Cor. 4.15 16 17 c. 6. His strengthning and confirming Operations are many of them of the same import and from the same spring with his comforting and healing Operations they are spoken of 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 1.6 7 8. 16.7 8. Eph. 3.15 16. 1 Pet. 5.10 And they differ little the one from the other and therefore I put them both together as under one Head onely his confirming Operations be such efficacies of his grace and workings of his Spirit as in and by which he opening his Truth more clearly to the heart and therein discovering the weakness of all opposite Principles or otherwise also evidencing his Presence with his Truth People and Ways doth make the heart more firm in belief of his Truth and so in resolution to cleave and adhere to it and to him in it and to his people and ways according to it begetting in the heart more assurance of their Rightness and of good success therein His strengthening Operations besides what hath been hinted of them in the foregoing Operations more respect oppositions resistances and assaults against men in Gods way either by Sin in men or by Satan and men from without them as also Afflictions Pressures and the like from the hand of God to stand under which and against all assaults the grace of God in Christ as it is sufficient to strengthen men so it doth it also by presenting such Motives from Rom. 5.5 6 7 8 9 10 11. and considerations of Gods love and goodness Christ's faithfulness to them and care and watchfulness over them and power and promises to save them the good and gracious ends of God in them and assurance of a good Issue out of them with other Arguments as the Gospel or Truth Revealed affords therethrough putting courage and resolution virtue and man-hood as it were into them so as to stand it out with patience and magnanimity to the end 7. His conforming Operations are of the like nature with his Renewing and healing and by the same means or mediums even the beholding the glory of Christ and of God in Christ as opened to men and by his Spirit effectually and by a certain creative force or power working therein as also by the same Spirit he will conform the body to his own glorious body at his coming onely there is this difference that in conforming the Soul Mind and Spirit to himself he works upon men in a way suitable to men living voluntary agents and in their exercise of themselves in the ways in which he leads them as in beholding his Glory presented by him before them and therefore men are capable of hindring themselves of their own good in that by turning away their minds from him unto vanity As Naaman might have hindred the healing of his Leprosie by coming out of the Waters of Jordan too soon viz. before he had washed the Seventh time though in continuing so to wash he could not hinder it God effecting it in him by a creative power But in the Resurrection and conforming of the Body to Christs glorious Body Christ will work purely Physically or Hyperphysically rather and irresistably as he wrought in creating things that had no voluntary agency in themselves at least none before he had made them or as he works upon natural agents or things as to make the Earth to Bud or the Corn to grow or more irresistibly then so to even as in making Heaven and â—arth But this pertains to the manner 〈◊〉 God's operation in these his gratious Workings before we speak to which we shall as we propounded consider the other kind of operations attributed to God and see what the Scriptures signifie to us concerning them CHAP. IX Of Operations in Wrath and Judgment attributed to God as Hardning Blinding Deceiving Men c. SECT 1. That the Scriptures Attribute these kind of Operations to God and that yet we are so to conceive of him in them as not to make him the Author of mens Sinnings GOd is said in the Scriptures to harden blind and deceive men and therefore that such Operations or Workings as tend to these things are Attributed to him is evident both in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles for God is said by Moses to have hardned Pharaoh's heart and he said to Moâ— when he sent him to him that he wouâ— harden his heart so as he would nâ— let the people go Exod. 4.21 and 7.3 aâ— 9.12 And so he is said to have hardnâ— Sihons Spirit and to have made his heâ— obstinate that he might deliver him inâ— Israels hand Deut. 2.30 And Isaiâ— says by way of Expostulation Lorâ— why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayâ— and hardned our hearts from thy feâ— And Paul saith of God whom he will 〈…〉 hardneth And the Prophet Isaiah 〈…〉 quoted by the Evangelist said God haâ— blinded their eyes and hardned their heartâ— Joh. 12.40 It being God who bade thâ— Prophet go and make the heart of thâ— people fat and their ears heavy and shâ— their eyes lest they see with their eyes anâ— hear with their ears and understand witâ— their hearts and be converted and healed 〈…〉 Isa Zeph. 3.5 Jam. 1.13 17. 6.10 And God said to Ezekiel 〈…〉 If the Prophet be deceived I the Lord have 〈…〉 deceived that Prophet Ezek. 14.9 But 〈…〉 how may these things be looked upon aâ— the works and doings of God seeing the 〈…〉 just Lord will not nor can do iniquity 〈…〉 Let no man say when he is tempted 〈…〉 am tempted of God for God cannot beâ— tempted with evil neither tempteth hâ— any man every good gift and everâ— perfect giving is from above and cometâ— down from the Father of Lights with 〈…〉 whom is no variableness nor shadow oâ— turning Surely those things to deceiveâ— â—nd harden and make men obstinate and â—o blind men are the works of Satan â—nd how then can they be ascribed to God â—e most holy God who is of purer eyes â—en to behold iniquity much less then â—ay he make or impel or stir men up â—o do evil Surely therefore
his calling and preventing them even to Spiritual things or actions as to see behold and mind the Grace discovered by him to listen to and attend upon him in the means of Grace and seek God in them though not spiritually till or further than the Grace of God complied with or received into the heart doth spiritualizeit Isa 5.3 4 5. 50.1 2. Ezek. 24.13 Hos 11.3 4. Matth. 22.12 Prov. 1.22 23 29. Matth. 13 14 15. 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Rom. 1.18 19 20 21. 4. That God gives men such liberty by his said preventing Grace to the end that men might listen to obey and seek him with it and not abuse it to their own hurt and his dishonour Jer. 7.9 10. and therefore bids counsels and excites them with his following operations to use it well chusing the good and refusing the evil and apply themselves to the means of his appointment made known by him to them and wait upon and seek him therein according to the power and liberty thereto given them Isa 5.3 4. Hos 11.3 4. Prove 1.20 21 22 23 29. Deut. 30.11 12 13 14 19. Rom. 10.7 8 9. Isa 55.1 2 3 4 6 7. reproving them for the contrary both by words and chastisements Jer. 2.13 17 18 19 20 21 22. Hos 7.13 14 15. Prov. 17.16 5. That men having such liberty effected in them by God's grace and to such ends may possibly use it better or worse and one man better or worse than another Prov. 17.16 Matth. 11.21 23. 12.40 41 42. Ezek. 3.5 6 7. 5. â— 6 7. Prov. 1.5 7. 6. That where men in the power and liberty given them of God do improve or use it well in seeking after or listening unto God hearing and learning of him God will more inlarge them and set them at liberty He will be found of them that seek him and by degrees open their understandings and work upon their hearts to renue and spiritualize them and bring them to himself Prov. 1.23 and 8.17 32 33 34. and 9.12 Isa 55.2 3 4. Hos 6.3 Psal 25.8 9. John 8.31 32 36. and 7.17 Matth. 13.11 12. 2 Chron. 15.2 7. That where and when men neglect God in the liberty given them by him and improve it not to seek after him but love darkness and vanity rather and will hold them fast winking with the eye lest they should see and stopping the ear like the deaf Adder refusing to hear lest they should hear and hardening their hearts while it is called to day and they might hear his voice lest they should understand with their hearts and be converted to him and healed by him they greatly thereby provoke him to wrath against them even to harden them also and give them up to their own delusive choices and ways that they might run themselves into destruction 〈◊〉 free for this Psal 81.9 10 11 14 c. 〈…〉 5.6 7 8 11. Prov. 1.23 24 29 30 31 32. Isa 5.1 to 7. 6.10 11. Jer. 6.16 17 18 19 21 28 29 30. Ezek. 24.13 Hoâ—â— 1.3 4 5. Matth. 13.12 13 14 15. with 〈◊〉 12.40 Rom. 1.18.21 26 28. Thess 2.9 10 11 12. 8. That through the mediation of Christ God is gracious and long-suffering to such also not ready to leave and give them up but waits often long upon them and renews his preventing operations and means for their good And if at any time while he is striving with them they listen to him and return from their evil ways in the strength and force of his light and grace he gives them he is ready to pass by their rebellions and be gracious to them Psal 68.18 19 20. Luke 13.6 7 8 9 10. Prov. 1.22 23. Ezek. 33.11 15 16. Isa 55.6 7. and 30. 18. Hos 11.8 Jer. 3.1.2.9.12.14 Luke 15.17.18 19 20 21 22.2 Pet. 3.9 Yet herein God uses his liberty for hardning or shewing mercy giving up sooner or striving longer and with what means he pleases as Rom. 9.18 19. Jer. 6.29 3. Gen. 6.3 Luke 13.3 4 5. Rev. 3.7 He can rise up and shut to the door Luke 13.25 26. and turn the key against men when he pleases 9. That those who through his Grace preventing and assisting them do obey his voice and with Mary chuse the better part the fear of the Lord yet the whole work of their Renovation new creation bringing into and â—ing with Christ and conforming to 〈◊〉 their coming to Christ and trusting 〈◊〉 him c. is the effect and product oâ— Gods Grace in them wholly and solely â—ed thereby even as Naamans cleâ—g and the blind mans restoring to hiâ—ght was so as that their Regeneration and yet much more clearly their justification is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth although in such willing and running as the Grace of God moveth to and effecteth but of God that sheweth mercy nor are they born of bloods or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man though in such use of their liberty effected in them as grace leads to but of God even as Naamans cleansing was not of his own or other mens wills though in his willingly abeying the voyce of the Prophet and perswasion of his servants to wash in Jordan John 1.12 13. and 3.3 5. Jam. 1.18.19 20 21. Ephes 2.8 10. Rom. 9,16 1 Cor. 9.24 25. with 2 Kings 5. and John 9. 10. That as Christ in working Miracles for the cure of men did prevent some as he pleased with healing them before they asked it of him that they might be as means to divulge his fame and draw others to him whom he did not so heal but as upon their hearing of him they came to him turning away none that came to him and not healing miraculously those that upoâ—â—ch hearsay of him not belesving reâ— or despised his healing refusing th◠〈◊〉 their pride to come or be brought 〈◊〉 so God may and probably doth pâ—â—nt some more especially and signally 〈◊〉 pleases and draws them to himself 〈◊〉 extraordinarily as also when drawâ—â—ore extraordinarily gifts and furnishes some that they might be as more choice means to divulge him to others that they by more ordinary means might be drawn to him and in an ordinary way none of which so ordinarily drawn to him coming to him he casts away or rejects but the generallity of those that neglect by such ways to come to him and that through pride and unperswasibleness persists rejecting him he gives up and justly suffers to perish in their sins Mark 1.23.24 25 26 27 28. and 3.1.5.10 and 5.2.13.17 18 19 20. and 6.4 5 6. Luke 4.23 24 25 26 27. John 5.5 6 7 8 9. Math. 13.57 58. Jer. 1.5 6. Luk 1.13 14 15 16. and 5.27 28. Math. 11.25 26 27 28 29 John 6 36. 37. Mark 16.15 16. 1 Pet. 2.5 6. 7 8. c. These be the positions I intended for my sometime Neighbour Minister to which let me add one or two more viz. 11. That the main and
with the spoils of them and to the stumbling and hardening of them withholding the light of the truth of God as with us from them and not minding to carry it amongst them or so to walk amongst our selves and in our trafficking and commerce with them as might manifest the favour of God to and amongst them or draw them unto us to seek God with us It were much to be wished that the Nations that are called Christian did more heartily believe and adorn the Gospel-truths that are held forth in the Scriptures amongst them and leaving off their pride ambition covetuousness and so their corruptings of the truth and contentions with each other for the Earth and all of us too much against Heaven they would set themselves and make it their design to indeavour the calling in and conversion of others that lie yet without the Scriptures and Oracles and Ways of God therein expressed to the more clear means of the knowledge of God and his Christ and so to their own happiness and endless bliss But by reason of the contrary found generally with us we have great cause to fear that reproof and judgment sometimes for the like miscarriages pronounced against Jerusalem in Ezek. 5.5 6 7. Thus faith the Lord God This Jerusalem I have set it in the midst of the Nations and Countries round about her and she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the Nations and my statutes more than the Countries that are round about her for they have refused my judgments and my statutes they have not walked in them Therefore thus saith the Lord God because ye have multiplied more than the Nations that are round about you and have not walked nâ—wy Statutes nor kept my Judgements neither have done according to the judgment of the Nations that are round about thâ— â—erefore thâ— saith the Lord God behold I eve◠〈◊〉 am against hee and will execute judgments â—n the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations c. That so the Nations might be taught to fear God by his judgments on us that have neglecteâ— to teach them to fear God by his judgments or Ordinance of truth deposited withus Vse 4 4. To warn us â—ot to sin presumptuously against God or neglect to receive his Grace effectually in the Dispensations of it and operations therein and therewith afforded in upon pretence of our need of some Irresistible operations and waiting for them in such a way as we fancy to our selves lest we do as Naaman in such a like misprision 2 Kings 5.11 12. or as saying 〈…〉 hearts that we can do nothing toward our oâ—â—fulâ—ess or hinderance in the way of salvation if God purpose to save us we shall be saved and cannot fail of it none can hinder his operations or workings to that purpose and if not so purposed to be saved it 's in vain to strive for it But minding what hath been said about his purposes of Salvation and Damnation and the way of his operation and working receive the Grace brought to us and yield up our selves to God in it to be saved by it not hardening our hearts against him while it is called to day but hearkening to his Voice such as it is in and with the Dispensations vouchsafed us and so working out our Salvation with fear and trembling as he by his Grace is working in us of his good pleasure lest by grieving and quenching his good Spirit in the workings of it in and with us and sinning presumptuously against him we provoke him to withdraw from us leave us to our selves and so harden and blind us and give us up to sin and Sathan to our utter ruin 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Heb. 3.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15. Psal 95.7 8 9 10 11. Isaâ— 1.3 4 5 6. 5.1 to 6. 6.9 10 11. Jer. 6.16 17 18 28 29 30. 5. To bless God for such as he either 〈…〉 ages or now more especially and signally â—th prevented with his grace so as more extraordinarily and â—ly to frame them to himself and raiâ— them up to 〈…〉 instruments of declaring to us â—is Salvation â—ing his grace by them as instruments brought 〈◊〉 us But not to limit God to deal with us or all his Saints just as he dealt with them but in what he vouchsafes us wait we upon him seek after him and serve him Vse 6 These and such like uses the foresaid Considerations might be of to us As also 6. Lastly to provoke others to examine and try these things whether they be so or not by the Scriptures of truth and not by mens traditions and Phylosophy rules And to give occasion to them to help my shortness or correct my mistakes in these things where any such appeareth and iâ— evident to any But let none out of pride arrogarcy or strife because these things clash with their thoughts therefore rashly lift up themselves against them but in Sobriety consider them and in meekness iâ—â—e if in any thing I be out of the way as knowing that the wrath pride passion arrogance and larshness of man against what he apprehends wrong doth not accomplish the righteousness of God And so I shall conclude leaving these my Considerations and Endeavours to find out and propound the Truth as also my self to the merciful judgment protection blessing and disposal of the All-wise and Glorious God the Creator of all things and the Father oâ—mercies to us lost Creatures And of Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour the Son of the Father in Gracâ— and Truth To whom with by and in his holy Spirit be everlasting honour and glory and thanksgiving throughout all ages and in all places of his Dominions for ever and ever Amen Amen FINIS Laus Deo The former Copy was finished March 10. 1658. This November 18. 1663.