Gods Goodness Vindicated, Opinions
II. I am next briefly to detect the falſe opinions, which do ordinarily cauſe theſe perſons errours,
1. It is falſe doctrine to affirm that God condemneth the greater part of his Intectual Creatures (as I have ſhewed) though he condemn never ſo many of this ungodly world.
2. It is not true that God decreeth to condemn any man but for ſin (for ſin, I ſay, as the cauſe of his damnation.)
3. God decreeth to condemn none at age (which I add but to exclude fooliſh cavils) for Adam's ſin only; nor for any other ſin only that is not conjoyned with an obſtinate final impenitencie, and rejecting offered mercy, and neglecting means appointed for their ſalvation.
4. Gods Decrees do cauſe no mans ſin, (nor his damnation any further than as as ſuppoſing ſin:) for Dr. Twiſſe himſelf ſtill profeſſeth, 1. That Reprobation is an Immanent act, and nihil ponit in objecto, putteth nothing at all into the perſon. 2. And that Reprobation inferreth no neceſſity of ſin or miſery, but that which is called neceſſitas conſequentiae, and not any neceſſitas conſequentis; and Arminius and all confeſs that Gods bare foreknowledge cauſeth or inferreth a neceſſity conſequentiae; which truly is but a Logical neceſſity in order of argumentation, when one thing is proved by another; and not by Phyſical neceſſity in order of cauſation, as one thing is cauſed by another.
And whereas they ſay [Then man might have fruſtrated Gods decree] I ask them, whether man can fruſtrate Gods fore-knowledge; ſuppoſe God to foreknow ſin without decreeing it (of which more anon) is not this a good argument (All that God foreknoweth will certainly come to paſs. But God foreknoweth, e. g. Judas ſin, Therefore it will certainly come to paſs) And what of all this? It doth not come to paſs becauſe God foreknoweth it, no more than the Sun will riſe to morrow, becauſe you foreknow it.
And if you ſay, That no power can fruſtrate Gods foreknowledge, I anſwer, They are deluſory words of one that knoweth not what he ſaith: For it is one thing to have power to make God Ignorant, and another thing to have power to do otherwiſe than that which he foreknoweth you will do. No man hath power to make God ignorant: But all ſinners may have power to do otherwiſe than that which God foreknoweth we will do. For God doth not foreknow that e. g. Gehezi, ſhall not have Power to forbear a lye; but only that he will not forbear it: Yea more, Gods foreknowledge doth prove that ſinners have power to do otherwiſe; For that which God foreknoweth will be. But God foreknoweth that men will abuſe their power to ſin, or will ſin when they had Power to do otherwiſe, Therefore it will be ſo in the Event.
Now if you will call their power to do otherwiſe, a power to fruſtrate Gods foreknowledge, you will but ſpeak fooliſhly: For the Power it ſelf is foreknown: And the object of knowledge in eſſe cognito, is not after the act of knowledge: And if the perſon will not actually ſin, God could not foreknow that he will ſin: So that foreknowledge is here (when it is not cauſal) but a medium in a Syllogiſme, and inferreth only the neceſſity of the conſequence in arguing and doth not cauſe the thing foreknown.
Now when Dr. Twiſſe ſaith that all the Schoolmen agree that no neceſſity Conſequentis or of Cauſation, but only Conſequentiae, doth follow the decree of Reprobation, ſee how far he and Arminius are in this agreed, (Though I know ſome give another fence of neceſſitas conſequentiae:) But I come cloſer to the matter yet.
4. God Decreeth no mans ſin: Neither Adams nor any others. He may decree the effect which ſinners accompliſh (as the death of Chriſt) And he may overrule men in their ſin, and bring good out of it, &c. But ſin is not a thing that he can will or cauſe, and ſo not Decree, which ſignifieth a volition.
5. God cannot be proved to Decree, or Will the Permiſſion of mans ſin: For to Permit is nothing. It is but, not to hinder; which is no act: And to Decree and Will is a Poſitive Act: And if you fain God to have a Poſitive Volition or Nolition, of every nothing, or Negative; then he muſt have poſitive decrees of every meer poſſible Atome, Sand, Worm, Name, Word, Thought of Man, &c. That ſuch and ſuch a nothing ſhall never be: whereas there needeth no more to keep any thing from being (in this caſe) than Gods not Cauſing it, not Willing it, not Decreeing it. The Creatures Active Nature, Diſpoſition, Objects, and Circumſtances, are here preſuppoſed: And the Impedition neceſſary, is by Act, (or ſubſtraction of theſe aforeſaid) And Gods nonagere needs no poſitive decree; I muſt tell the Learned Reader that this room will not ſerve to Anſwer his foreſeen objections: but I hope I have done it ſufficiently elſewhere.
6. God hath not only Decreed to give, but actually given a great deal of mercy to them that periſh, which had a natural tendency to their Salvation. Chriſt hath ſo far dyed for all, as that none ſhall periſh for want of a ſufficiency in the ſatisfaction made; He hath purchaſed and given for all, a grant or gift of himſelf, with Pardon, Juſtification, Adoption and right to glory, on condition of acceptance (where the Goſpel cometh.) In a word, ſo that none of them ſhall periſh, that do not finally refuſe the Grace and Salvation offered them.
7. Men are not Impenitent and Ʋnbelievers for want of that called natural faculty, or Power to chooſe and refuſe aright; but for want of a right diſpoſition of their own wills: And by ſuch a moral Impotency which is indeed their viciouſneſs, and the wickedneſs of their wills, and doth not excuſe but aggravate the ſin (ſee Mr. Truman of Natural and Moral Impotency.)
8. To rectifie mens wicked wills and diſpoſitions, God giveth them a World of means; The whole Creation, and Documents of providence; all the precepts, promiſes, threats, of Scripture; Preaching, Example, Mercies, Judgements, Patience, and inward motions of the ſpirit: All which might do much to mens Converſion and Salvation, if they would but do what they could on their own part.
9. Adam could have ſtood when he fell, without any more Grace than that which he abuſed and neglected. Gods grace which was not effectual to him, was as much as was neceſſary to his ſtanding, if he would have done his beſt: And it was left to his free-will, to have made that help effectual by improvement: He fell; not becauſe he could not ſtand, but becauſe he would not.
10. For ought any can prove, multitudes that believe not, now, but periſh, may have rejected a help as ſufficient to their believing, as Adams was to his ſtanding.
11. All men have power to do more good, and avoid more Evil than they do; And he that will not do what he can do, Juſtly ſuffereth.
12. Heathens and Infidels are not left unredeemed under the remedileſs Curſe, and Covenant of Innocency which we broke in Adam; but are all brought by the Redemption wrought by Chriſt, under a Law or termes of Grace. 1. God made a Covenant of Grace with all mankind in Adam, Gen. 3.15. who was by Tradition to acquaint his poſterity with it, as he did to Cain and Abel the Ordinances of Oblation and Sacrifice. 2. This Covenant was renewed with all mankind in Noah. 3. This Covenant is not repealed, otherwiſe than by a perfecter Edition to them that have the plenary Goſpel. 4. The full Goſpel Covenant is made for all, as to the Tenor of it, and the command of Preaching and Offering it to all. 5. They that have not this Edition may yet be under the firſt Edition. 6. The Jewes under the firſt Edition were ſaved without believing in this determinate perſon of Jeſus, or that he ſhould die for ſin, and riſe again, and ſend down the ſpirit: For the Apoſtles believed it not before hand, Luk. 18.34. Joh. 12.16. Luke 9.45. Mark 9.34. Luk. 24.21, 25, 26. Act. 1.6, 7, 8. yet were they then in a ſtate of ſaving grace as appeareth by Joh. 14. & 15. & 16. & 17. throughout. 7. The reſt of the world that had not the ſame ſupernatural Revelation were not then bound to believe ſo much as the Jewes were, about the Meſſiah. 8. God himſelf told them all, that they were not under the unremedyed curſe of the Covenant of Innocency, by giving them a life full of thoſe mercies which they had forfeited, which all did tend to lead them to repentance, and to ſeek after God, Rom. 2.4 Act. 17.27. and find him yea the left not himſelf without witneſs, for that which may be known of him, and his inviſible things are manifeſted and clearly ſeen in his works, ſo that the wicked are without excuſe, Rom. 1.19.20. Act. 14.17. So that all Heathens are bound to believe that God is, and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him, Heb. 11.6. and are all under the duty of uſing certain means in order to their own recovery and ſalvation, and to believe that they are not commanded to do this in vain: So that Gods own Providence by a courſe of ſuch mercies, which cannot ſtand with the execution of the unremedyed violated Law of Innocency, together with his obliging all men to Repentance, and to the uſe of a certain courſe of means, in order to their ſalvation, is a promulgation of a Law of Grace, according to the firſt Edition, and diſtinguiſheth man from unredeemed Devils.
And they that ſay that all the Infidel World have all this Mercy, Duty, Means, and hope, without any Redemption or Satisfaction of Chriſt as the procureing cauſe, are in the way to ſay next, that the Churches Mercies too, might have been given without Chriſt. 9. Of a truth, God is no reſpecter of perſons, but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteouſneſs is accepted with him; Act. 10.34, 35. For God will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well-doing ſeek for glory, and honour and incorruptibility, eternal life, Rom. 2.6, 7. Glory, honour and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew firſt and alſo to the Greek, v. 10. For there is no reſpect of perſons with God. v. 11. For when duplicate page duplicate page the Gentiles which have not the Law, do by nature the things conained in the Law, theſe having not the Law are a Law unto themſelves. Which ſhew the work of the Law written in their Hearts, their Conſciences alſo bearing witneſs, and their thoughts the mean while accuſing or elſe excuſing one another, v. 14, 15. And they ſhall be Judged according to that Law which they were under, (Natural or Moſaical,) even by Jeſus Chriſt, v. 12.16. (And it is the work of the ſpirit promiſed, to believers, to write the Law of God in their hearts.)
10. Though a ſpecial promiſe was made to Abraham, as an Eminent believer, and the Jewiſh Nation were the peculiar people of God, advanced to greater priviledges than any others in the World; yet were they not the whole Kingdom of God the Redeemer, nor the only people that were in a Covenant of Grace, or in a ſtate of Salvation: For Sem was alive after Abrahams death, who was not like to be leſs than a King, and to have a Kingdom or people Governed according to his Fidelity. And Melchizedock was a King of Righteouſneſs and Peace (not like to be Sem by the Scituation of his Countrey.) And a Righteous King would govern in Righteouſneſs: Job and his friends are evidences of the ſame truth. And we have no proof or probability that all Abrahams ſeed by Iſhmael and Eſau, and Keturah, were Apoſtates (for they continued Circumciſion.) And what all the reſt of the World was, we know not ſave that in general moſt grew Idolatrous, and the Canaanites in ſpecial. But that they all apoſtatized from the Covenant of Grace made with Adam and Noah there is no proof: We have not the Hiſtory of any of their Countreys fully, ſo as to determine of ſuch caſes. In Nineve God ruled by that Law of Grace, which called them to repent, and ſpared them upon their Belief and Repentance; Becauſe he was a gracious God and merciful, ſlow to anger, and of great kindneſs, and repenteth of the Evil, Jonah. 4.2.
And that God dealeth not with mankind now as the meer Judge of the violated Law of Innocency, he declareth not only by the full teſtimony of his Providence or Mercies given to the ſinful World, but alſo by the very name which he proclaimeth unto Moſes (which ſignifieth his nature, and his mind towards others, and not what he is to the Jewes alone,] Exod. 34.6, 7. [The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long ſuffering, and abundant in goodneſs and truth, keeping mercy for Thouſands, forgiving iniquity, and tranſgreſſion, and ſin,] (All which is inconſiſtent with the Relation of God as a Judge of a people only under the Curſe of an unremedied violated Law, and unredeemed, though he add, [and that will by no means clear the guilty, &c.] that is, will neither Judge them innocent that are guilty of the Crime, nor Judge them to Life, that are guilty of Death, according to the tenour of the Law which they are under; [Purificando non purificabit] as the literal verſion; that is, will not Judge unjuſtly by acquitting him that is to be condemned, or, as the Chaldee Paraphraſe hath it, [not Juſtifying thoſe that are not converted.]
It is enough for us therefore to know that the viſible Chruch hath manifold priviledges above all others, Rom. 3.1, 2, 3. &c. And that ſalvation is more eaſie, ſure and plenteous where the Goſpel cometh than with any others, and that we have therefore great Cauſe to rejoice with thankfulneſs for our lot, and that the poor World lyeth in wickedneſs and muſt be pittyed, prayed for, and helped to our power, and that God is the Saviour of all men, but eſpecially of them that believe, and that he is good to all and his mercies are over all his works, and that he will never damn one ſoul, that loveth him as God. But what is in the Hearts of all men in the World, and conſequently how they ſhall be uſed at laſt, he only that ſearcheth the heart can tell, and it is neither our duty nor our intereſt nor poſſible to us, to know it of all particulars; much leſs to conclude that none among them have ſuch Love, who believe him to be infinitely good, and to be to them a merciful pardoning God. And we know withall, that all they that know not Jeſus Chriſt as this determinate perſon that was Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was Crucified, Dead, Bu…ied, Roſe again, &c. do yet receive all the foreſaid mercies by him, and not by any other Name or Mediation, nor yet without his purchaſing Mediation.
13. And if beſides all the mercy that God ſheweth to others, he do antecedently and poſitively Elect certain perſons, by an abſolute Decree, to overcome all their reſiſtances of his ſpirit, and to draw them to Chriſt, and by Chriſt to himſelf, by ſuch a power and way as ſhall infallibly convert and ſave them, and not leave the ſucceſs of his Mercy, and his Sons preparations to the bare uncertainty of the mutable Will of depraved man, What is there in this that is injurious to any others? or that repreſenteth God unmerciful to any, but ſuch whoſe eye is evil, becauſe he is good, and as a free Benefactour may give more mercy to ſome than others of equal Demerits? If they that hold no Grace but what is univerſal, and left, as to the ſucceſs, to the will of man, as the determining cauſe, do think that this is well conſiſtent with the mercifulneſs of God; ſurely they that hold as much univerſal Grace as the former; and that indeed all have ſo much as bringeth and leaveth the ſucceſs to mans will, and deny to no man any thing which the other give, do make God no leſs merciful tha… they, but more, if they moreover aſſert a ſpecial Decree and Grace of God, which with a choſen number ſhall antecedently Infallibly ſecure his Ends in their repentance, faith, perſeverance and ſalvation; Is this any detraction from, or diminution of, his univerſal Grace? or rather a higher Demonſtration of his Godneſs? As it is no wrong to man that God maketh Angels, more holy immutable and happy.
14. And what if men cannot here tell how to reſolve the queſtion, Whether any, or how many are ever converted and ſaved, by that meer Grace which we call ſufficient, or rather Neceſſary, and common to thoſe that are not converted; and whether mans will ever make a ſaving determining improvement of it; muſt plain truth be denyed, becauſe difficulties cannot eaſily be ſolved? And yet in due place I doubt not but I have ſhewed, that this queſtion it ſelf is formed upon falſe ſuppoſitions, and is capable of a ſatisfactory ſolution.
15. I conclude in general, that nothing is more ſure than that God is moſt Powerful, Wiſe and Good, and that, All his works, to thoſe that truly know them, do manifeſt all theſe in conjunction, and perfect Harmony, and that as to his Decrees and Providences, he is the Cauſe of all Good, and of no ſin in act or habit, and that our ſin and deſtruction is of our ſelves, and of him is our Holineſs and Salvation: And that he attaineth all his ends as certainly as if mans will had no liberty, but were acted by Phyſical neceſſitation: And yet that mans will hath as much natural Liberty, as if God had not gone before it with any Decree of the Event, and as much moral liberty as we have moral virtue or holineſs.
And theſe Principles I have laid down in a little room that Tempted perſons may ſee, that it is our dark and puzzled braines, and our ſelfiſh diſeaſed hearts that are the cauſe of our quarreling with God, his Decrees, and Providences, and as ſoon as we come to our ſelves and are cured, theſe odious apprehenſions vaniſh, and God appeareth, as the unclouded Sun, in the Luſtre of his Amiable Goodneſs; And when we come to Heaven we ſhall ſee to our Joy and his Glory, that Heaven, Earth, and Hell declare him to be all perfectly Good, without any mixture of evil in himſelf, or in any of his word or works. And we ſhall find all our ſinful ſuſpicions and murmurings turned into a joyful conſent to the Angelical praiſes; Pſal. 136.1.2, 26, &c. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is Good, for his mercy is for ever. O give thanks unto the God of Heaven, for his mercy is for ever. Rom. 4.8, 11. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come — Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory, and Honour, and Power: for thou haſt Created all things; and for thy Pleaſure they are, and were Created.— Rev. 7.12. Amen, Bleſſing and Glory and Wiſdome and Thanksgiving, and Honour, and Power, and Might, unto our God for ever and ever Amen. The Lord is Good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his works. The Lord is gracious and full of compaſſion, ſlow to anger and of great Mercy. Pſal. 145.8, 9. The Word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done in truth: He loveth righteouſneſs and judgements; the Earth is full of the goodneſs of the Lord. Pſal. 33.4.5. O how great is thy Goodneſs which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee; which thou haſt wrought for them that truſt in thee before the ſons of men. Pſal. 31.19. O therefore that men (inſtead of quarrelling with his unknown myſteries) would praiſe the Lord for his Goodneſs, and for his wonderful works to the Children of men, Pſal. 107.8, 15, 21, 31.