Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	let_v	people_n	pharaoh_n	1,979	5	10.4708	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96425	The doctrines of the Arminians & Pelagians truly stated and clearly answered: or, An examination and confutation of their ancient errors, which by the Church of Christ in former ages were justly abhorred, but of late under the names of Comfortable truths to be embraced are newly published. Concerning I. The universality of Gods free-grace in Christ to mankind. II. Concerning election. III. Redemption. IV. Conversion. V. Perserverance. Wherein the principal arguments brought to maintaine the orthodox faith are propounded, and the principal objections against them answered. / By Thomas Whitfield, minister of the gospel at Bugbrook in Northampton-shire. The Tares of Arminian heresie showed in former times (and by the help of prelatical influence then given to them increasing) and now growing up so much in these; I conceive this book wherein the author doth learnedly state and confute those opinions, is very worthy the publike light. Joseph Caryll.	Whitfield, Thomas, Minister of the Gospel.; Carly, Joseph, 1602-1673.	1651 (1651)	Wing W2006; Thomason E646_7; ESTC R208798	87,011	101

can come to Christ unlesse the Father draw him Ioh. 6.44 If it hath reference to God so that Christ by his death hath purchased a possibility for God to save men this doth much extenuate the infinite excellency and vertue of Christs death and make the work of mans salvation to be thereby very little advanced and set forward It being possible for God even before Christ was given to die to save men by what way and means himself should think best and Christ by his death hath purchased no actuall but a potentiall salvation namely apossibility for God to save whom he pleaseth 4. If the effect of Christs death be only a possible or potentiall salvation how comes it to bee made actuall If it be said by mans beleeving and applying it by faith it may be replyed 1. That Faith can apply no other salvation then what is purchased for our application changeth not the nature of the thing How then can man be actually redeemed and saved by a redemption and salvation that is only potentiall or possible 2. If man by his application doth make it of potentiall to become actuall then mans work should be more perfect then Christs worke for an actuall redemption or salvation is a more perfect worke then a potentiall only If it be said that Christ works this also by putting a spirit of faith into men this confirms what we have said before namely that Christ hath purchased not only a potentiall but actuall salvation for men Therefore by his death hath purchased not only salvation but all that belongs to it namely that spirit which works faith and all other graces needfull to salvation according to that of the Apostle hee hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in Christ Ephes 1.3 and so is a perfect Redeemer both by making satisfaction to God for us and making application of that satisfaction to us by his Spirit Object But if Christ died not for all then there is not a doore of salvation set open to all Answ 1. The doore of Salvation can be said properly to be set open to no more then those to whom the Gospel is preached for if the Gospell bee hid it is hid to those that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 and the Apostle speaking of such as these saith they were without hope Ephe. 2.12 and that the Scripture hath concluded or shut them up under sinne 2. It followes not that the doore of Salvation is shut to those unto whom the Gospell is preached although Christ both in Gods intention and his owne died not for all because in the Gospell Christ is offered to all all are commanded to looke out to him for salvation and promise is made to all that if they will beleeve they shall be saved which promise shall certainly be made good Object But they want a foundation of their faith if Christ died not for all Answ No for the foundation both of our faith and obedience is not the secret but the revealed will of God which injoynes every man to beleeve on him whom the Father hath sent finding himself lost to seek out to him and rest on him for Salvation Object But can God in Justice require any man to looke out to his Sonne for Salvation if hee hath not given his Sonne to purchase Salvation for him Answ What art thou O man that disputest with God Rom. 9.20 It may as wel be said how could God in justice send Moses and Aaron to charge Pharaoh that he should let his people goe when at the same time hee said he had hardened Pharaohs heart that he should not let them go Exod. 7.2.3.4 Object But how then is mans destruction of himselfe Answ 1. Because no man shall be destroyed but for his owne sinne and for that sinne which his owne conscience shall tell him hee hath willingly committed 2. Because the ground of his refusall of Christ when he is offered is not because God hath not given Christ to die for him which is more then he knowes but something else arising from some corrupt principle in himselfe as that he will not believe what a lost estate he is in what excellency and worth is to be found in Christ or is not willing to subject himselfe to the rule and government of Christ or some other like Object If Christ hath not died for all how then can he be their Head Lord and King Answ 1. Christ is the Head only of his own body which is the Church of which also he is the Saviour Christ is the Head of the Church and the Saviour of the body Ephes 5.23 there is a mutuall relation betweene the head and members the faithfull onely and such as are saved by him are the members of him for hee is the Saviour of his owne 2. There is a twofold rule and government which Christ exerciseth over men 1. Generall which he exerciseth over all all power in heaven and in earth is given to him Mat. 28.18 Thus hee reigneth in the midst of his enemies Psal 110.2 and by him Kings reigne Pro. 8.15 2. There is a speciall rule and government which he exerciseth over his own People and thus he is King and Lord of his Church only for there is a mutuall relation betwixt King and Subject and thus he is King only over those in whose hearts hee reignes by his Word and Spirit who willingly subject themselves to him and of such as these are those places understood 2 Cor. 5.15 Rom. 14.9 of such as live unto the Lord and die unto the Lord. 3. It follows not that because he is Lord of all hath power and command of all that therefore he died for all he hath power comand over the divels yet he died not for them his dying for the elect is a sufficient ground to entitle him so that prerogative making him capable of that priviledge to be Lord of all because he humbled himself to the death of the Crosse God hath exalted him and given him a name above every name Phil. 3.8 not onely honour and dignity but power and authority that to the Name of Jesus to his Person invested with this power and authority All things in Heaven and Earth Angels Men and Divels should be subject Ground 3 A third ground which Tho. More brings to prove that Christ died for all is those generall expressions which the Scripture useth in speaking of Christs death as that he gave himself a ransome for all tasted of death for every man was a propitiation for the sins of the World yea of the whole World c. 1. He cannot be ignorant that the doctrine and truth of holy Scripture lies not alway in the literall signification of the word but in that sense and meaning which is agreeable to that place where those words are used and to other places of Scripture where the same thing is spoken of He counts it blasphemy to deny that those words all every man world and the like when

insisted upon because it is one of the Arminians strong holds Object 6 If the decree of election be absolute without any foresight of sin then such also is the decree of reprobation then as God hath decreed the end so he hath decreed the meanes namely the fall of man and so he shall be the authour of sin Answ Though where he decrees the end he decrees the means also yet he doth not decree to work all the means but only such as are agreeable to his own nature It follows not therfore though God hath decreed Adams fall that he is the authour of it because he hath not decreed to work it but onely to permit it that God decreed to permit the fall is plain because otherwise it could not have come to passe for nothing can come to passe against Gods will And none can deny that God could hinder the fall if he would If therefore he would not hinder it he was willing it should be And the Arminians themselves grant that God gave to man sufficient grace but not effectuall for then he had actually stood now if he did deny him effectuall grace without which he saw certainly that he would fall being tempted to what end or purpose did he deny him this effectuall grace but that by permitting of his fall he might make way for the manifestation of his justice and mercy 2. In mans first transgression by eating the forbidden fruit as in all other sinfull acts there was natures work and so Gods worke for though the deformity was from man yet the act it selfe was from God in whom we live and move and what God doth in time he hath determined to do before all time therefore the fall must needs be decreed Object But here not only the manner of eating but the very eating it selfe was forbidden and therefore sinfull Answ Yet in this eating we must distinguish betwixt the eating it selfe and the vitiosity of it as being things in their own nature separable and distinct otherwise they might be praedicated the one of the other which they cannot be for the vitiosity is only an accident to the act of eating And it cannot be denyed that God doth concurre in the act and is the authour of that as he is the authour of every naturall act and therefore if the vitiosity could not be separated from it he should be the authour of that also Object God doth indeed decree to concurre with reasonable creatures in their actions but this is conditionally modo ipsi velint so they themselves will do this or that Answ God did concurre with man not only in the outward act of eating but in the inward act whereby he willed to eat for not only the hand and mouth but the minde and will move by him suppose that he did decree to concurre with man in the outward act of eating upon condition that man did will to eat yet upon what condition did he decree to concurre with him in this act of his will if it shall be said on this condition if man himselfe would it may as well be said that God did decree to make man eat so be it that he hid eat what need he to concurre with him in the act of his will when man willed the thing already 3. It follows no more that God is the authour of sin by decreeing this sin then by decreeing other sins now it is plain that he decreed the death of Christ for it s said that Herod Pontius Pilate and the people were gathered to gether to do whatsoever his hand and counsell had determined should be done against Christ Act 4.27 28. therefore the crucifying of Christ was determined and decreed of God and what greater wickednesse then those things which Herod Pilate and the Jews did against Christ Object But Gods decree is an energeticall decree and what he decrees he effectually procures to come to passe neither is his permission such a bare permission wherein he hath not a working hand as those hold who hold the absolute decree Answ It cannot be denyed that God hath a working hand in the sin that man commits for the Scripture plainely affirms thus much the Lord saith that he would harden Pharoahs heart Exod. 7.3 and that he had hardned it 10.1 He threatens to David that what David had done in secret he would do in the sight of the sunne speakeing of Absoloms sin with his fathers Concubines 2 Sam. 12.12 compared with 16.12 and he gave up the Gentiles to vile affections Rom. 1.28 and many other like expressions whereby it appears that there was more then a bare permission in the committing of these sinnes yet it followes not hence that God is the authour of sinne Quest How can God be free from blame if he works with man in the same blame-worthy action Because he works in a divers manner Answ As the law works in sin so God works for it is Gods agent and instrument that the law hath a work in sin appeares because it is said that where there is no law there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 and that when the Commandement came sin revived Rom. 7.9 yea the Gospell it selfe is the savour to death to some 2 Cor. 2.16 yet here neither Law nor Gospell are faulty causes of these things because they are onely causes by accident and do not per se in themselves and their owne nature tend to these ends but to the contrary the law tends to keep men from sin and the Gospell to bring life though by accident they worke sin and death God hardned Pharaohs heart not by instilling any hardnesse into it but by giving Pharaoh a charge and command to let his people go the command was good and in it self tended to a good end namely to make Pharaoh yeeld obedience and do his duty and it was good in God to propound this command and yet by accident it did irritate and stir up the stubbornnes and rebellion of Pharaohs heart so as he was hardned more then before He that stops a running stream hereby causeth the water to rise higher not by putting any more water to it but by stopping the course of that which runs already A Physitian by prescribing wholsome Physick to a distempered body may cause greater sicknes yea somtimes death yet here neither physick nor Physitian are justly to be blamed The Sun by the same beams raiseth a sweet smell from a Garden and an ill smell from a dunghill yet no fault in the Sun He that in felling of Wood by the slipping of the iron from the helve should slay his Neighbour Deut. 19.5 was the cause of his Neighbours death but not a faulty cause because only a cause by accident not intending it but man is causaper se of the sin he commits 2. Because man works to a divers end For God wrought with Iacobs sons in selling their brother into Egypt for it s said that he sent a man before them Psalm 105.17 but he had

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 doth●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

stone is not he hath in him potentiam remotam convertendi though not proximam a remote power of being converted though not a next an immediate power and fitnesse both which other things want 2. In mans conversion a double act may be considered 1. An act of preventing Grace whereby God comes upon man as he finds him dead in sin and infuseth new principles of life into his soule new habits of Grace whereby he is enabled for spirituall actions c. in this man is a meer patient and Conversion is like to Creation In which man is no agent 2. There is an act of exciting or assisting Grace whereby men are stirred up and moved to work according to these habits of Grace and Principles of life which God hath put into them namely actually to repent and turn to God to believe and lay hold of Christ c. now the worke of conversion is not made up without the concurring of both these and in this latter man is an agent and instrument his Will being moved by GOD joyns it selfe with Gods will in this acti agimus we being acted upon by Grace do likewise act and work our selves In this is that of St. Augustine true he that made me without me will not save me without me Object 8 But if man hath no power to will his owne conversion but bee wholly flesh and this be contrary to the Spirit how can this work stand with the liberty of mans will is he not converted thus against his Will Answ Though he be altogether unwilling before God begins to work upon him yet by the first act by the work of preventing Grace mans heart is wholly changed and of an heart of stone it is turned into an heart of flesh his Will of an unwilling Will is made to become a willing Will and then in the second act of Conversion his Will joyns with Gods Will and he willingly workes with God in obeying his call and doing what he requires The Egyptians willingly gave their gold and jewels to the Israelites at their departure but this they were unwilling to before their hearts were changed and God gave the Israelites to find favour in their eyes Exod. 12.31 Object 9 The Jewes resisted the Holy Ghost therefore Grace is resistable Act. 7.51 Answ They resisted the Holy Ghost in Stephen that spake not in themselves that heard holy men spake as they were acted by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.19 2. Though some Works of Gods Spirit may be resisted by wicked men yet not that Worke whereby he works Conversion in those that are converted or works faith in those that believe for this is a work of mighty power Ephes 1.18 as hath been shewed Object 10 The Jews resisted Christ when he would have gathered them Mat. 23.27 therefore the Work of Conversion is resistable Answ 1. They resisted the Will of his command whereby he called them to repent but not the Will of his decree and purpose which is accompanied with effectuall Grace making men willing and able to repent 2. Christ here speaks as a Minister of the Circumcision as a servant of God and ordinary Agent not as the Sonne who is Lord of all as appears by this clause how oft how oft have I come among you and how oft have I used means to gather you by propounding invitations to repentance Object 11 But though it be granted that Christ speaks here as a Minister of the Circumcision and that the Will here mentioned is not the Will of Gods purpose but of his precept and command yet we know that the Ministers mind and Gods mind meet in the call to Repentance for both Minister and Word preached are Gods Agents and instruments look what they worke God Workes what they intend God intends but the proper end whereto the Work of the Minister and Word it selfe tends is Salvation therefore this God intends and accordingly gives Grace which man makes frustrate when hee will not yeeld to his call Answ Here we must distinguish betwixt finem operis operantis the end of the Worke and the Workman the end of the Ministers Work and of the Word preached is Salvation yea God wills that his Word in its own nature should alway tend to this end and be fit to bring forth this effect namely to be in it selfe the favour of life But he doth not alway Will and intend to worke Salvation by the Word and that the Word shall have that effect whereto it tends per se and in its own nature The Lord hath not given them a heart to understand and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day Deut. 29.4 But sometimes God intends that it shall worke per accidens that it shall bring forth an accidentall effect goe speake all that I command thee but I will harden Pharaohs heart Exod. 7.2.3 When the Gospell is the favour of death yet it is a sweet savour unto God 2 Cor. 4.15 though the Word in its own nature alway tend to life yet God doth not intend to cause it to worke alway according to its owne nature for then how could the Gospell be a sweet savour unto God not only in them that are saved but in them that perish yea from this argument a contrary conclusion may be drawn the Word is Gods Agent what that doth God doth but somtimes the Word through mans fault works destruction therefore somtimes God works destruction by the Word and what he doth he wills and intends to do Object But if God offers Christ to men and calls upon them to take him and yet neither hath given nor ever will give power to do this then he dallies with them and deludes them making shew of what he intends not Answ God forbid that any should speak or think so unworthily of him But that no such imputation can be justly raised from the former ground appears because all that is included in the offer may be referred either to a precept or promise by the precept hee commands men to believe by the promise hee holds forth that good which will follow from believing now on neither of these can dissimulation be fastned though man wants power to believe because God may enjoyne man to do his duty though he wants power to do it and if he doth it God will certainly fulfil his promise and no whit frustrate mans expectation Object But in exhorting men to believe hee seems to will and desire that they should repent believe c. when indeed he doth not Answ When it is said that God Wills and desires men should repent and believe this must be understood either of the Will of his command or of his effectuall Will if of the Will of his command here is no simulation for in that he doth plainely make known to men that it is their duty to do these things if of the Will of his purpose here is no simulation because he no where tels man that it is his purpose to