be once stopt and a trade rightly carried on for eternity he will raise what storms he can and send out many pyrats either â—o surprize or draw it back again Many are the snares and temptations hinderances and impediments which the Saints do meet with in their way to heaven whereas hypocrits and formall professors go on in their course without opposition or difficulty But let none mistake as if hereby a pretence were ministred unto the laziness stoth and negligence of such as are in the right way certainly the zeal activity and diligence of those who are without shall stop thy mouth and make thee inexcusable in the great day if thou thus rest upon an orthodox profession and if thou be in Christ and art led by his Spirit (p) 1 Joh. 4.4 Stronger is he who is in thee then he who is in the world thou hast another kind of help and assistance for doing good then others O then let thy work be answerable If in any good motion we can discern one or moe of those wicked designs we may be jealous least Sathan have a hand in it and should guard against his devices which when espied may serve as so many marks and characters whereby we may know the print of his foot though he be disguised appearing in white rayment To which these few may be added 1. As to the matter If in prayer our desires be meerly or mainly selfish and natural Sathan may concur and blow up the coal of carnal heat within And thus there may be much enlargement of affections much fervency and importunity without the help of the Spirit as in that people Hos 7.14 when they assembled themselves and howled for corn wine Isa 26.16 and when they multiplied their prayers and sacrifices Isa 1.15 11. Esau may weep for want of an earthly blessing Gen. 27.34 though he undervalued and little minded the marrow of the blessing the love and favour of God But none can without the Spirit of God say with David one thing have I desired that will I seek after that I may behold the beauty of the Lord Ps 27.4 And with Asaph whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth I desire besides thee Ps 73.25 Who is able seriously to pray for help to pluck out the right eye and cut off the right hand and to part with his darling lusts and affections unless he be acted and strengthned by the Spirit of God Who can with Agar say give me not riches least they proven snare Prov. 30.8 9. unlesse the Lord breath into his heart such a desire Sathan will not help thee to (q) Mat. 6.33 seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness and in thy desires to prefer holiness to riches heaven to earth and Gods glory to thy own self-interest 2. As to the end Sathan may stir thee up to (r) Jam. 4.3 ask that thou mayest consume what thou gettest upon thy lusts but who doth desire any thing from God that he may be (s) Ps 35.27 magnified and that what he giveth may be employed for his honour unless he get help from heaven Only the Spirit of God can elevate our desires to so high and noble an (t) Of the ends of prayer Part. 2. ch 1. end and make us honestly obey the exhortation 1 Cor. 10.31 He who must do all must also pray to the glory of God and this of our selves we cannot do 3. As to the maner Sathan can stir us up to pour out absolute and peremptory desires for outward things and faint lazy moderate and submissive desires for grace Sathan makes us invert the right order and method he will not protest though thou ask mercy pardon of sins c. that conscience may be stilled and satisfied but thou must not be too earnest and anxious concerning those things and thy desires must not be boundless and illimited a little of grace saith he will do the turn and any kind of desire though never so â—old and formall is sufficient 2. Sathan can move thee to ask the world for it self and to make self thy last end but the Spirit of God must enable us to deny our selves and to ask outward things in subordination and in relation to the great end If Sathan prescribe our lusts must reign and grace must be the hand-maid and be only so far sought as it is subservient to our carnall ends and for a quiet and peaceable fulfilling of our lusts 3. Sathan can beget in the heart a child-like expectation and confidence though thou be a stranger he can make thee expect the portion of a son he will not suffer thee once to question thy state and acceptance least if conscience were awakened thou shouldst seek after a change But it is the work of the Spirit to beget in us childlike affections and make us love God delight in a communion with him and be loath to grieve him and he only can enable us to call him in truth Abba Father Rom. 8.15.4 Sathan can move thee to what is good unorderly by making thee leave thy place and station and invade another mans office (u) 2 Sam. 15.4 Oh! that I were made Judge in the land said Absolom and mayest thou say prayer-wayes Thus also Saul would offer sacrifice 1 Sam. 13.9 and Vzziah burn incense 2 Chr. 26.16.19 They would go out of their own sphere and exercise the ministerial Function wherefore the Lord justly punished both the one and the other It was good and a commanded duty to offer sacrifice but it did not belong to Sauls office it was fit that supplication should be made to the Lord but it belonged not to Saul to do it in a publick and ministerial way as it would appear Saul then did v. 12 it was necessary that incense should be burnt before the Lord but it did not appertain to Vzziah as Azariah told him v. 18. but to the Priests the sons of Aaron who were consecrated to that office But the Spirit of Christ moveth orderly making us to contain within our own sphere and to abide in the same calling wherein we were called according to his commandment 1 Cor. 7.20.24 A heart acted by the Spirit can with David Psa 131.1 say when he maketh his supplication to God O Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great maters or in things too high for me The Lord will have all things done decently and in order and is not the author of confusion 1 Cor. 14.40.43 and as he leadeth not his children out of the way So neither doth he bring them to dark and unpassable paths it is not from him that weak Christians especially these of the female Sex do meddle and vex themselves with dark questions and intricat disputes or that the most strong and learned do dive too curiously in things not revealed and in the secrets of the Almighty He knoweth that to be an
not up our goings in his paths our feet would quickly slip Ps 17.5 If his right hand did not uphold us we could not follow after him Ps 63.8 There being 1. from within so much weakness and 2. so much indisposition and deadness yea and 3. so much contrariety opposition and enmity the flesh continually lusting and warring against the spirit and though there were no more this last were enough to render us unable to do Gal. 5.17 The old man waxing strong proveth a tyrant and often bindeth the new man hand and foot and leadeth him captive to the law of sin Rom. 7.23 Nay and 4. From without many and subtile snares and tentations from the world And 5. mighty and strong assaults from the (y) Luk. 11.21 strong-man that (z) 1 Pet. 5 8. roaring Lyon Sathan continually laying siege to the soul and storming it with fierce and fresh assaults from time to time so that we must not with Pelagians and (a) Though Jesuits and Arminians admit a moral perâ—wasion and som illuminati on of the mind and understanding yet they deny any power and strength to be communicated and imparted to the will and executive faculties Arminians think that the Spirt doth concur with and assist us in our spiritual performances according to that concurrence that is given to natural agents in their operations for they have a sufficient and compleat power and ability in their own rank and order for doing their works and producing their several effects though as creatures they be indigent and dependent both in being and working in esse operari As the infinit arm of the Almighty must uphold them otherwise they must instantly evanish and return to their mother nothing that womb from which they did come so that same arm of divine providence must help them and concur with them otherwise they can do nothing But yet a general concurrence and common work of providence is sufficient to (b) Viz. to actuat determinando and to assist concurrendo actuat and assist them they being in their own kind compleat agents and sufficiently thus proportionated for their several works and operations But the new man is a weak creature and hath no strength of himself to walk he is an incompleat agent and not able to work unlesse he get a continual supply of strength from heaven not only to actuat and assist the little strength and activity he hath but also to compleat and perfect the principle and fountain unless new water be put into our cisterns there can no water be drawn from them and therefore the Spirit doth not only actuat and concur but also supply the weakness impotency and defect of the cause it self in all our spiritual â—ctions And particularly as to prayer both in reference to innate weakness indisposition blindness opposition c. and to outward tentations and assaults there be several things which the Spirit doth perform and to speak now to the present point of corroboration and assistance as distinguished from the two following viz. the illumination and imboldning of the soul which also belong to this general head of supply and help but for distinctions cause shall be handled by themselves we shall not here speak of that common and as I may call it accidental supply which though it be required for the further perfection of the work yet is not necessary for its prevalency and acceptance as variety and plenty of matter decent and apt expressions and what else belongs to prayer as a gift of which we have already spoken But we shall now speak of the proper and more necessary supply whereby the Spirit doth provide and furnish help and assist the soul to all these (c) Spiritus sanctus non solum docet sed etiam monet movet docet rationem monet memoriam movet voluntatem docet ut sciamus sug gerit ut volimus roborat ut possimus Gerhard harm evang cont cap. 76. Illuminat mentem bominis ad intelligendum voluntatem instammat ad amandum virtutem ac robur praestat ad exequendum Dyd Alexandr desp S. apud eundum requisits and gracious qualifications to which the promise is made and which may promove the efficacy and acceptance of prayer and though none of these be common and no crumb of this bread which is the childrens allowance be at any time casten to the dogs all of them being spiritual and good of themselves yet some of them are more essential and necessary then others and in all of them there is a latitude some having these in a greater measure and degree then others yea one and the same supplicant may now find them in a greater and afterwards in a lesse measure and gradual perfection but we will not now stay on a comparison nor enquire what qualifications are necessary to the acceptance of prayer what not but remitting that question to Part. 2. chap. 3. we shall now speak to the point and since the qualification of prayer as of every duty may be measured 1. by the object 2. by its end and principles and 3. by its manner of performance so we shall consider prayer under all these respects and relations 1. Then as to the matter and object of prayer though we have some gift of apprehension and fancy whereby we may find variety of matter yet unlesse the Spirit illuminat the understanding and make a discovery of the excellency and expediency of fit objects how ready are we to mistake as shall be shown in the third particular But here we would show how the Spirit upon that discovery determins the will to close with and make choyce of fit objects and having thus enflamed the heart with love to spiritual objects and moderated our thirst after the creature he sends us to the throne with sutable desires and enableth us to ask what is good for us and agreeable to the will of God Rom. 8.27 Secondly as to the ends and principles we will not separate these two because we are not now speaking of physical principles but of moral viz. those motives which per modum finis do attract and draw alongst the heart and allure it to the duty especially those three which we find conjoyned 1 Tim. 1.5 where also they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end of the commandment and may also be called the end of our obedience endeavours and performances which are so many evidences and fruits of and means to strengthen them viz. faith (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love and conscience of our obligation and the duty we ow to God both by way of debt as his creatures and gratitude as his favourits and objects of his love and bounty and this our obedience becometh not a task a hard or unpleasant service and work especially since further it is sweetned by love and 2. by the expectation of a new reward whereof faith is an assurance and it is the work of the Spirit of
himself but alwaies for the good of his honest servants withdraw his Spirit in some measure from these who have not by their negligence or folly procured it they being most regular and exemplar in their walk yet 1. since most usually the Lord withdraws for sin and 2. since we alwaies deserve and may if the Lord would deal in justice with us by our failings provoke the holy Spirit to depart and forsake us and 3. Since the Lords high and holy ends and designs are secret and cannot well at the first view be discerned by us therefore it is alwaies our duty and should be our work when we meet with straitning deadness c which are the symptoms of the Spirits withdrawing to search after our waies and to examin our hearts that if our conscience condemn us not we may be comforted or having found out the cause and the particular sin for which the Spirit hath withdrawn we may repent and forsake it but we would not rest on a superficial veiw of our waies nor because we cannot at the first discern therefore conclude there is no cause in us but let us according to Elihu his counsel to Job say unto God that which I see not teach thou me Job 34.32 Let us impartially deal with our own heart and ask conscience and set it a work let us again ponder our waies and let our enquiry be more particular and of a larger extent and readily we will espie one of the following causes to have procured and brought on this malady and will perhaps be forced with him (o) Tu me non deseris nisi prior ego te deseram August tom 9. sâ—liloq cap. 14. fol. mihi 166. sto say Lord thou didst not leave me till I first left thee And thus we come to the second thing propounded what are these sins for which the Spirit is provok't to withdraw and forsake the Saints and not help them in prayer or any other spiritual performance at least not in such a measure or maner as formerly But it would be remembred that this question must be limited to the fourth and last case viz. when the Spirit doth hide his face for sin and when our iniquities separat between us and our God as Isa 59.2 For in the three former Cases when the Lord for our trial and for high and holy ends known to his majesty doth depart albeit then it be our duty to search and enquire whether by our folly we have procured that stroke that seeing our fault we may amend our waies and how ever we may walk more closely and circumspectly and follow after him while he withdraweth from us yet then no such cause can be discerned and found out because as is supposed the Lord in that dispensation doth not pursue a quarel against us 2. We would distinguish between the comforting presence of the Spirit and his quickning and strengthning presence there may be much life vivacity activity fervency and heart-melting in prayer or any other ordinance when through the want of assurance the Saints may mourn and pour out many a sad complaint before the Lord now albeit both those cases belong to the general head of desertion and have some place here in reference to prayer since our enlargement in that duty doth not a little depend upon and might be much promoved by the assurance of our adoption reconciliation and God's favour yet since there needeth nothing be here added to what belongs to the general case we shall remit that part of the question that concerneth the comforting presence of the Spirit to its own place and now only speak of the causes why the Spirit withdraws his help and assistance especially since the causes and cure both of the one and the other will be found the same and alike if not altogether yet for the most part as the Spirit useth to withdraw his comforting when he withdraweth his quickning presence So what means would be used for recovering the quickning may also prove instrumental for regaining the Spirits comforting presence albeit the one may prevent the other and the Spirit may for a while quicken and assist before be comfort Before we descend to particulars it would be observed that the holy Spirit may be provokâ—t to depart 1. more directly immediatly and by way of affront as when any indignity is immediatly offered to his majesty and holiness or to his work 2. mediatly as it were and indirectly by way of demerit when through our folly we transgress any of the commandments of God and thus more directly sin against him as Law-giver King and Lord rather then as our helper and comforter And here we shall especially speak of the (p) Yet not excluding the second nor denying its-influence in these provocations first sort of causes as being most proper to this place referring the other to the following Section As to the first the Scripture holds forth the unkindness affronts and indignities offered to the Spirit of God under several expressions as of 1. (q) 1 Thess 5.19 quenching 2. (r) Eph. 4.30 grieving 3. (Å¿) Isa 7.13 wearying 4. (t) Ps 78.56 provoking 5. (u) Act. 5.9 tempting 6. (x) Act. 7.51 resisting 7. (y) Isa 63.10 vexing 8. (z) Isa 63.10 rebelling against and 9. doing (a) Heb. 10.29 despite unto the Spirit of grace We will not enter upon an explication of these phrases nor particularly enquire after their importance or diffirence but we may at the first view take notice of some kind of gradation from the less to the greater for the most part if not in all according to the order they are here placed and albeit there must be an inequality for according to the measure and degree of the offence the provocation must be the less or the greater yet all and every one of these indignities in whatsoever degree doth deserve and may justly provoke the Spirit to depart but we shall now only instance some few particulars as being the most ordinary and the epidemical distempers of this generation and we shall name them as so many branches of the first head viz. quenching the Spirit which being most general may well be extended to the several particulars As (b) That we may improve the meâ—aphor and fimilitude used by the holy Ghost fire may be quenched either by with-holding fewel and matter whereon it should feed or by casting water upon it to choak and extinguish it so the Spirit may be said to be quenched either negatively by not cherishing or positively by opposing and abasing his office or work either by omission or by commission 1. Then negatively the Spirit may be quenched these three maner of waies 1. by not opening to him and yielding to his motions thus while Christ came to the spouse door knocking and crying open to me my sister my love my dove my und-filed c. She holds him out pretending trifling excuses for her folly and unkindness why she
aliis collectis hanccertaem conclusionem confirmat Durham in Apocalyp pag. 11 12. alike 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said (a) Nazianz. orat 37. Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While we adore one we must and ought adore all the three if we exclude any of the persons of the Trinity from the object of worship we deny him to be God And since their names are relative let the naming of the one lead us in to remember the other two and thus the Apostle while he requireth some conditions in those who call on the Father mentioneth the knowledge of the Son and sanctification of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.17 18 19 22. As if he had warned them in their acts of worship not so to mind the Father as to forget the Son and holy Spirit and accordingly the Saints in the close of their prayers yea and frequently also in the beginning (b) Vid. Voet sel disp 26. Forbes loc cit use expresly to mention all the three persons of the Trinity and though only in the close they did name those glorious persons ascribing glory and praise to the Father Son and holy Ghost yet thereby they declare that while in any part of that worship they did name any one of the persons yet they included the other two at least as to their habitual intention Concl. 5. But though it be fit that thus the meditation of the one should lead us in to contemplat the other two and though we must at no time in any point of worship so fix our heart upon any one as to exclude the other two from that act of worship yet we may upon occasion so look upon one as not (c) Peculiarl distincto mentis conceptu religionis actu tendimus in unam aliquam personam ut codem illo actu tunc directe explicite non tendamus in aliam quia preces gratiarum actiones distincto scorsim diriguntur ad Spir. sanctum aut ad Filium aut ad Patrem quod docet univer salis consensus devotio omnium fidelium Act. 7.60 Apoc. 22.20 2 Cor. 13 14. Voet. ubi supra disp 28. pag. 478. actually to meditate and think upon the other two The limited nature of our thoughts which cannot at one and the same instant of time seriously contemplat and be taken up with many different objects yea or different considerations of one and the same object and the experience of all Saints in their meditations doth show the necessity of this limitation Yet 1. that same divine nature that is in the other two is in this case the object of worship and therefore they being considered essentially and as God they may thus be said to be expresly worshiped no less then the glorious person that was named 2. Then and alwayes there must be in us an equal respect to all the three persons of the blessed Trinity habitually intentionally and as to the inclination and general bent of the heart Concl. 6. In singling out any one person of the blessed Trinity we may look upon and be directed by that appropriation of works and attributes and the different order of subsisting and working and accordingly fix our eyes upon that person to whom the Scripture in a special maner doth ascribe those attributes and dispensations as are most suitable to our condition and the present exigence according to that pattern 2 Cor. 13.14 Concl. 7. Yet we are not so limited by that appropriation or order that is among those holy persons that upon any occasion we may not indifferently name and particularly fix upon any or that in the contemplation of them severally we may not first fix upon any one thus the Son is invocated before the Father in that place now cited 1 Cor. 13.14 and the holy (d) The holy Spirit there is called the seven Spirits communi saith Parae us metalepsi effectorum pro ou aâ— He is called so not form â—â—y â—ut effectively and in reference to the seven Churchs and his spiritual gifts dispensed to each of them and since no created spirits can be the objects of worship from whom grace and peace may be askt as there these seven spirits must be the holy Ghost See Durham on Rev pag. 4.5 Ghost before the Son Rovel 1.4 5. Whereby is clearly held forth to us that notwithstanding there be a priority of order among those glorious persons yet no priority of dignity and perfection And thus as we may first fix upon any one So we may particularly make our address to any one not expresly men ioning the other two Thus Stephen and the penitent Thief do supplicate the Son Act. 7.59 Luk. 23.42 And the Apostle doth particularly wish and ask of the holy Ghost to the Corrinthians his communion whereby they might be united and have fellowship with Christ their Head and among themselves as members of his Body 2 Cor. 13.14 And as the Spirit particularly speaketh to the Church Rev. 2.7 why may not the Church particularly speak and pray unto the Spirit and accordingly Christians from time to time in their prayers meditations and ejaculations have particularly named and fixed upon any one of those glorious persons But here it may be askt whether or not as we may put up several petitions to the several persons of the Trinity So we may put up one and the same petition to several persons Ans Our learned antiquary (e) Forb loc cit cap. 23. sect Dr. Forbess denieth this to be a fit and decent maner of worship but 1. if we may ask several things from them continuedly and without interruption as 2 Cor. 13.14 why may we not as well ask one and the same thing from them severally the hazard of altering dividing and varying the object of worship which is the only inconvenience he objecteth is no less in that case then in this 2. If we may joyntly praise all the persons why may we not joyntly pray to them but I think none will scruple to praise them joyntly naming all the three particularly and it is most usual to close our prayers ascribing praise to the Father Son and holy Ghost for all and every one of our mercies and may we not as warrantably pray for mercy from all those glorious persons as to praise them for it while they give it 3. Since while we pray to God we understand and include all the three persons and must exclude none as hath been shown why may we not particularly name them all 4. Is not grace and peace particularly ask't from (f) By him which is which was and which is to come Diodat Mr. Durham and not a few learned Expositoâ—s will have the Father to be circumscribed and his eternal being all these blessed persons Rev. 1.4 5. according to the interpretation of several judicious Divines Yet here we do not reject Mr. (g) Mr. Durham loc cit pag. 12 15. Durham his caution Viz. Since our imagination
Father through the Son and by the holy (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ghost that this noble way doth not by any natural result flow from that original order that is among those blessed persons but rather from that voluntary and eternal transaction among the persons of the ever glorious Trinity for the recovery of lost man I do not deny that many ancient and modern Divines do speak of this order of working as importing no more but that natural order of procession and subsisting in reference to some operation and work towards the creatures and having been at some pains in perusing the writings of such as seemed more subtile and inquisitive I mean the popish (q) If any will be at the pains to trace the School-men here how will they see them evanish in their empty speculations Their old Master Lombard some hundred years since hath involved them in a labyrinth from which to this day they cannot extricate themselves sometimes they seem to affirm that any person may send another yea and that one and the same person may send himself vid. Thom. 1. part quaest 43. art 8. quaelibet personae Dom. Bannez in his gloss which is more clear then the text mittit se vel aliam But when they would speak more properly and acurately they tell us that permissionem nihil aliud intelligunt nifi aeternam processionem alicujus personae divinae cum habitudine ad effectum temporalem And thus they maintain that the Father is sent of none but the Son to be sent of the Father and the holy Ghost by both It were an easie thing here to fill whole pages with the vain speculations of Lombard Scotus Thomas and others whom I have perused on this subject to whom I went expecting some satisfaction to this dark question from such learned men but I found that it was lost labour to expect any solid knowledge from such luxuriant wits and this is all they say for explaining how the Father is said to work by the Son and holy Spirit they send us to the mission of those persons from the Father and for explaining this they recur to their procession from the Father Schoolmen they sent me away with less satisfaction then I came to them here if any where we would beware of curiosity and rashness and we need not be ashamed to profess our ignorance in this as in many other points of our belief concerning this mystery therefore we shall in all modesty propound some few things for clearing this covenant and voluntary transaction which seemeâ—â— so fully to explain that which was rather darkned then unfolded by School-speculations And 1. it would be observed that great (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil apud Forbes pag. 49. Basil long since spake of an economick mission of the Spirit which can hardly be conceived but in order to this voluntary transaction 2. It s granted on all hands that the Father from eternity did enter in covenant with the Son concerning the redemption of man and why might not the holy Ghost be included in that covenant in reference to his work for the sanctification and salvation of sinners nay he cannot be altogether excluded unless we make him essentially to differ from the other two now those arguments that may be brought against this transaction in reference to the holy Ghost will as forcibly militate against that covenant and transaction between the Father and the Son 3. That designation of the Sons maner of working doth manifestly relate to his mediatory office and should we not also conceive the holy Spirit to be there designed as the comforter and in relation to that peculiar work which he undertook in that eternal covenant Now that the Son is there designed not as the second person of the God-head but as the Mediator and not as the efficient but as the meritorious cause the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the very phrase it self compared with the like phrase Eph 2.18 may evince This is it that the Scriptures do so often inculcat and this is so necessary to be known and to be alwaies improven by us when we draw nigh to God but as to their mysterious different natural maner of working though the thing it self and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be asserted yet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the maner and way I know no where expressed as being above us and not very necessary for us to know but all that the Scripture saith concerning the different maner of working of these glorious persons may be applied to that gracious economy which the Lord would have us with admiration to consider and for our comfort improve in all our addresses to him 4. If their natural order of working be thus expressed then the Father and the Son may be thought to be remote causes and only the holy Ghost to work (Å¿) Unlesse the particles through and by be expounded by with as we did in propounding 9. Concl. which would make little for the purpose of these Authors immediatly 5. The difference as to this which is between the works of nature and grace doth very convincingly show that this different way of administration through the Son and by the Spirit doth not relate to that natural order of working but to this gracious economy otherwise the works of nature as well as the gracious habits and actions of the Saints might be ascribed to the Spirit as his work and might be said to be dispensed through Christ and for his sake That which here seemeth only to have difficulty is what is the fruit and special benefit of this economy as to the holy Ghost and what is it that thereby is superadded to that natural order of working which agreeth to him as the third person of the blessed Trinity Ans We may not think to satisfie all the cavils that carnall reason can suggest we should suppress and not give way to our curiosity nor labour to be wise beyond what is written and to that question we say no more but these two things 1. albeit that economy be voluntary and of free choice for who can give a reason that might have moved the Father to elect the Son to redeem and the holy Ghost to sanctifie any of the sons of Adam yet in that economy there is a respect had and proportion kept with that natural order that is among these glorious persons and here as in all Gods wayes there is a decency and fitness there is a congruity though no (t) Nulla ratio obligans vel determinans reason or motive which could oblige and determine the Lord for the Father having his being of none is sent by none and works from none the Son being begotten of the the Father is sent of the Father and acts as having in a special maner received commission from him and directs his actions and sufferings for the redemption of man unto the Father as a price and satisfaction