The Great Mystery of Godliness Opened, Exposition on verse · Verse 19
VERSE. 19.
Thou wilt ſay then unto me, Why doth he yet complain? Who hath reſiſted his Will?
OUr Apoſtle having cleared God from the imputation of inconſtancy, and of unfaithfulneſſe in his promiſes, notwithſtanding the rejection of the Jewes for the body of them, from the ſixth verſe of this Chapter, to the 14. verſe: and having proved from the 14 verſe to the 19. verſe, that God is not unjuſt, in that he hath out of his own abſolute good will and pleaſure, choſen ſome to life and ſalvation, and hath paſſed by and rejected others, and that without reſpect had to any thing in them, or foreſeen in them; having I ſay cleared God from this ſlander, He now in this 19. verſe, falleth upon a new and a further Cavil and reaſoning of the fleſh, namely, ſuch a Cavil, as doth charge God with no leſſe then cruelty, and with Tyrannical dealing with ſome men, and from this the Apoſtle cleareth God alſo.
Now the occaſion of this Cavil is from the verſe foregoing, where the Apoſtle ſaith, God hardeneth whom he will; hereupon fleſh and blood beginneth to cavil againſt God, and to riſe up and ſwell againſt him, and to charge him with no leſſe then cruelty, and extream hard dealing, in that the Lord ſhould harden men, and then complain of the hardening of man. And this Cavil which might haply be charged upon God, by humane Reaſon, he firſt propounds, and then Anſwers unto it: he propounds it in this 19. verſe, and anſwereth unto it, in the 20, 21, 22, and 23. Verſes.
Now in propounding this Cavil, the Apoſtle maketh way unto it, in the firſt place, by putting down of the perſon of a Caviller, and by bringing the Caviller ſpeaking thus, (Thou wilt ſay then unto me,) and ſecondly he ſetteth down the matter of the Cavil, or Objection, and that by way of interrogation, very emphatically, Why doth he yet complain? And thus the Objection may be framed; Reprobates and wicked men are hardened, becauſe it is the Will of God that they ſhould be hardened; as you have taught us in the verſe before; and therefore God cannot juſtly blame, or puniſh them for their hardneſſe, for it is according to his will: For if God do blame and puniſh them for their hardneſſe, ſurely it ſeemeth to the Reaſon of fleſh and blood, to be extream cruelty and rigour, God ſeemeth to be extremely rigorous, and a cruel God, in puniſhing men for their hardneſſe.
And this Cavil is further backed, by a proof, for who hath reſiſted his will? as if the Caviller had ſaid; Why none can reſiſt Gods will, his will is irreſiſtible, and it cannot be withſtood; and therefore if God firſt of all harden, and then complain, it is extreme rigour and cruelty; ſo that if wicked men and Reprobates be hardened, it is according to the will of God, and ſo they are hardened unavoidably, and of neceſſity; God hath decreed their hardening, and he will have it ſo, and none can gainſay his will: And therefore it is no leſſe then Tyranny in God, to blame and puniſh men for it. And thus much we are to conceive of the generality of this 19. verſe, firſt, the Cavilling perſon, Thou wilt then ſay unto me; ſecondly, the Cavil, why doth he yet complain? and thirdly, the proof of the Cavil, for who hath reſiſted his will?
Come we now to the ſenſe and meaning of the words.
Thou wilt ſay then unto me,] Thou; who is this the Apoſtle meaneth? that is, thou, whoſoever thou art, that art a carnal Reaſoner, and reaſoneth according to carnal Reaſon, thou wilt ſay unto me, (why doth he yet complain?) that is, why doth God complain of ſuch as be hardened? why doth God find fault with them, and threaten ſuch as are hardened? what cauſe hath the Lord to complain, threaten, or puniſh ſuch as are hardened, they being hardened according to his will? thus the carnal Caviller reaſoneth: for ſaith the Caviller, who hath reſiſted his will? that is, none was ever able to ſtand againſt, to fruſtrate, or make void the will of God; the purpoſe of God was never reſiſted, none was ever able to ſtand againſt his will, and to hinder it from taking place, and being effected: Gods decree and purpoſe is irreſiſtible, that none can withſtand it, therefore ſaith the Carnal Reaſoner, God hath no juſt cauſe to complain; ſo that the ſenſe in brief is thus much, Thou that art a Carnal Caviller art ready to except againſt my ſpeech, in that I ſay, God hardeneth whom he will; thou wilt ſay, if this be ſo, Paul, why doth God threaten Judgement, hell, and damnation, againſt thoſe that are hardened? what cauſe is there that God ſhould complain, find fault, threaten, and puniſh them with hell and damnation? for who ever reſiſted the will of the Lord? was there ever any man that was able to ſtand againſt the will of the Lord? no, no man! and ſo they are hardened of neceſſity, unavoidably, according to your own Doctrine, Paul: ſo that this is the meaning of the Apoſtles ſpeech.
Now come we to matter of Obſervation and Doctrine. And firſt of all obſerve here, the Apoſtle bringeth in a Caviller, and a Carnal Reaſoner, as it were objecting, and inferring upon his former ſpeech, that God hardeneth whom he will; this Concluſion, the cauſe being ſo, God hardeneth whom he will, then God hath no juſt cauſe to complain of mans hardening: ſo that hence ariſeth this Concluſion,
That mans carnal reaſon, Doctrine. doth commonly gather and infer wrong Concluſions from true grounds of Religion, and true points of Divinity. And therefore from Divine and holy truths of God, and eſpecially ſuch truths as are of a high Nature, (as Gods election and reprobation are) doth mans corrupt and carnal reaſon, commonly infer, inforce, and bring erroneous and falſe Concluſions; it is a common thing with mans reaſon: ſee this is manifeſt by farther places of Scripture, in Rom. 3. from the fifth verſe to the ninth verſe, The Apoſtle having delivered this truth of God, that Gods goodneſſe, and Gods truth are commended, and ſet out by mans ſin, (accidentally God bringeth good out of evil,) hereupon ſome Carnal Reaſoners are ready to except againſt this Doctrine; Oh ſay they, how can God juſtly puniſh ſin? this the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in the perſon of the Caviller, if our unrighteouſneſſe ſet forth Gods righteouſneſſe, then God cannot juſtly puniſh ſin. So in the ſeventh verſe of the ſame Chapter, If Godt glory hath abounded through my lye, why then am I puniſhed? ſaith the carnal man, God cannot then juſtly puniſh me for my lying: ſo in Joh. 3.3. The Lord Jeſus having put this down as a certain truth, that except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God. Nicodemus, hearing this after a carnal manner, and reſting in his own carnal reaſon; ſee what an abſurd concluſion he bringeth in upon this, then it ſeemeth that a man muſt enter into his mothers womb and be born again. So in John 6.53, 54. Chriſt ſhewing, that except a man eat his fleſh, and drink his blood, he hath no life in him: Now ſome that heard this, they heard it with great indignation, and ſtumbled at it, and they ſaid, This is a hard ſaying, who can bear it, muſt we eate this mans fleſh, and drink his blood? and they ſo conceiving carnally, concluded as the Papiſts doe now in their Doctrine of of Tranſubſtantiation, that we muſt eat the body of Chriſt, and drink his bloud corporally, and after a carnal manner; yea, they ſo ſtumbled at it, that they forſook him; inſomuch that he ſaid to his Diſciples, What will you be gone from me alſo, doe you conceive of my words as the Capernaits did, ſaith Chriſt, My words are ſpirit and life, and you conceive of them with carnal reaſon, and gather from my points falſe concluſions.
Becauſe carnal reaſon Reaſon. is blinde in Divine matters, in things that be heavenly and ſpiritual, it cannot diſcern and look into the depth of them, it ſticketh in the rine, barke and outſide of Spiritual and divine Truths; it cannot find out the pith and marrow of it, carnal reaſon ſticketh in the very letter of the truth, and never looketh to the Divine myſterie of it, ſo that it is no marvel that carnal reaſon is ſticking in the rine and outſide of truths becauſe it is blind.
Hence then take we notice of it, whence it is that erring ſpirits do commonly Ʋſe 1: faſten foul and falſe concluſions upon the Holy and Divine truths of God, becauſe they look upon them with a carnal eye. As from that ſound and Holy Doctrine of God, touching his abſolute Decree to life and ſalvation of ſome, and his rejection to damnation of others; hereupon ſome erring ſpirits do conclude, and they think it followeth neceſſarily, that therefoe God is a Tirant, and dealeth tirannically with his people.
So again, ſome hearing this Holy Truth of God, that God hath a hand in every act of man that cometh to paſſe, and in the act of every creature, that Gods providence is in every thing that cometh to paſſe in the world, then the carnal reaſoner bringeth in this falſe concluſion, that then God is the authour of ſinne, and he thinketh in his judgement it followeth neceſſarily that God is the authour of ſinne, becauſe ſin is an act. And (beloved) do not the Papiſts deal thus in the matter of Juſtification of a ſinner in the ſight of God? They hearing that a ſinner is juſtified in the ſight of God onelyonly by faith, then (ſay the Papiſts) this Doctrine hath a foule taile coming after it, for it doth diſpoſſeſſe mans heart from all care, and indevour of good works, and hereupon (ſlanderouſly) they give out this falſe report of us, that in this Doctrine that men are juſtified onelyonly by Faith, they ſay we are utter enemies to God, utter enemies to Gods Law, and utter enemies to all good works, this they think they may lawfully charge upon us.
Thus theſe and many others doe wreſt falſe concluſions from the Holy Truth of God; and why? Becauſe they look upon them by the rule of natural reaſon, which is the ground of all Atheiſtical concluſions, there catching and ſnatching, and carping againſt the Divine Truths and myſteries of God, becauſe they ſtick in the rinde, and dive not into the depth of them.
Again, beloved is this ſo, that carnal reaſon doth wreſt falſe concluſions, Ʋſe 2 from the holy and Divine truths of God? Then this muſt teach every one of us our dutie, to take heed that we meaſure not divine Truths by the meatyard and rule of our own carnal reaſon, eſpecially ſuch holy Truths of God as are of a high nature and ſtrain, ſuch as are tranſcendent, ſuch as goe beyond and extend the compaſſe of natural reaſon, ſuch truths as are matters of Faith, and above reaſon. Oh▪ take heed of meaſuring theſe by the rule of natural reaſon.
For if we ſeek to bring theſe Truths, within the model, ſcantling, and rule of our natural reaſon, we ſhall run into many by-paths and erroneous conceits and opinions, as he muſt needs loſe his way, that knoweth not the way, and followeth blinde guides. So (Fides eſt oculus animi) Faith is the eye of the ſoul, and if we in matters of Divinitie and high points of God, follow your own blind reaſon, we ſhall aſſuredly run into many groſs errours; yea beloved, let me tell you, it is a dangerous thing to hear or read the Word of God with a carnal underſtanding, and an unſanctified wit; for if we ſo doe, we ſhall abuſe the holy word of God, and wreſt from it ſuch concluſions, as are not there to be found: doth yet experience ſhew it to be true?
Are there not ſome, who looking upon that place of the Apoſtle, in 1 Timothy 5.8. where he ſaith, He that provideth not for his own, and namely, for them of his Family, is worſe then an Infidel: doe not ſome I ſay looking upon this with a ſhut eye and carnal underſtanding, gather and conclude, that therefore they may pinch, and ſpare, and ſcrape together by all means and live a baſe and ſordid life, and not part with a farthing token to the poore, or to any good uſe but niggardly utter theſe words, they muſt provide for themſelves, and they may come to live by the almes of the Pariſh themſelves, and will not ſpare a pennie more then by the Law they are enforced and compelled, and ſo pervert the Scripture.
Again, ſome others looking upon that place in Ezekiel 16.11, 12, 13. verſes, where the Lord ſaith, He decked Hieruſalem with Ornaments, with Bracelets, with goodly Jewels, with golden Crowns, and with Gold and ſilver, and Imbroydered works; Doe not ſome hereupon gather, that therefore they may be vain in their Apparel, and may follow every new faſhion, and may goe like ruffians in their long haire and foretop: and think this is their warrant; whereas they are deceived, for the Lord there ſpeaketh by way of ſimilitude, tropically that the Lord had bleſſed them with all good things, and ſo expreſſeth it after that manner figuratively, and they would have him ſpeak properly, and ſo they draw a falſe concluſion from the holy word of God.
Thus I might inſtance in many particulars, that it is a dangerous thing to hear or read the Word of God with a carnal eye; yea, I dare boldly affirm that we ſhall never rightly conclude from any part of the Word of God, whether touching manners, or touching heavenly things, if we conſult with fleſh and bloud, unleſſe our eyes be annointed with the eye ſalve of the ſpirit of God. Therefore to conclude, learn we in reading the word of God to lay aſide our own reaſons to come with the eyes of the minde ſhut, and to look with the eye of Faith and of the Spirit of God, lay aſide thy owne reaſon, yea, thy owne wiſedome; for the wiſedome of man is enmitie to God, Romans 8.7, Yea, the beſt act and exerciſe of the mind of man not ſanctified, it is enmitie to the will of God; therefore let us yeeld our ſelves to be guided onelyonly by the will of God; and then we ſhall certainly tread the paths that lead to true happineſſe and ſalvation.
Thou wilt ſay then unto me, Why doth he yet complain? Who hath reſiſted his Will?
IN theſe words, Why doth he yet complain? is ſomething to be obſerved generally: For they being conſidered as an Objection of carnal perſons, they make directly againſt that opinion of the Arminians, who hold, that God did decree to reject ſome amongſt men, upon a foreſight of their wilful obſtinacy in ſin, and their wilful rebellion againſt him. Now, beloved, if this were a true Poſition, and a truth of God, then God juſtly complaineth of ſuch as were hardened, and that in the Reaſon of man; for though God did decree their rejection, and conſequently their hardening, yet the reaſon, and the cauſe of Gods decree, was his foreſight of their wilful obſtinacy and rebellion in a courſe of evil and ſin; and this being ſo, then what can carnal reaſon ſay againſt it; the prophaneſt wretch hearing this, that God did decree to reject ſome out of fore-ſight, they would continue obſtinate and rebellious in their wilful ſins, and then to harden them, ſurely the prophaneſt wretch in the world muſt needs be ſilent, and glorifie the Juſtice of God, in leaving of ſuch perſons to themſelves, and ſo to harden them, even mans reaſon can go thus far, that then there was juſt cauſe why God ſhould complain, and no cauſe of this Objection, even in the ſenſe, reaſon, and underſtanding of man, becauſe if man will be wilful in ſin, it is juſt with God to harden them. And ſo they put aſide the abſolute decree of God, and make it to depend upon the obſtinacy of man: ſo that we ſee they quite cut away this Cavil, and leave no place for it, and ſo they pervert and quite overthrow the purpoſe of this text; but this which they alledge is falſe, for this is that which reaſon doth ſtumble at, and cannot conceive that God ſhould harden mens hearts. and then complain of their hardening; that God out of his own mere will and pleaſure hardeneth them, and then puniſheth them for hardening, this cannot poſſibly but be unjuſt; this is the ſtumbling block of the carnal reaſoning of man, this is that which maketh carnal reaſon to riſe up and inſult againſt God; why doth God complain, when he doth of purpoſe harden men? ſo that the Arminians reaſoning, and this Objection cannot ſtand together.
Come we now to ſtand upon this carnal Objection more particularly; why doth he yet complain? That is, (as I ſhewed you in the opening of the Text,) doth God harden whom he will? why doth God then blame, threaten, and puniſh them? what reaſon hath the Lord ſo to do; ſeeing they are hardened according to his will, and ſo the fault and blame lyeth upon the will of God. Here we ſee how ready mans carnal reaſon is, to put off the blame from themſelves, and to lay it where it ought not to lye, and ſo conſequently we may hence note thus much.
Doctrine. That men naturally uſe to put off the blame of their ſinnes from themſelves, and they commonly ſeek to lay the blame and fault thereof, upon ſomething out of themſelves, yea ſometimes upon God himſelf, and ſay that he is in the fault of them. This we find was the practice of our firſt parents, (ſo ancient is it, as from the beginning of the world,) for when Adam had ſinned, and God cometh to call him to account for his ſin, we ſee Adam putteth off the blame of his ſin from himſelf to his wife, and in her to God himſelf; for he ſaith, Gen. 3.12. The woman which thou gaveſt me, gave it me; and when he came to the woman, ſhe put it on the Serpent; ſo that here is a putting and poſting off of the blame from one to another, Adam to his wife, yea to God himſelf, and ſhe to the Serpent: and we, beloved, have ſucked the ſame milk, and drawn out the ſame poyſon, and this corruption we have naturally; every one by nature will ſeek to ſhift off the blame of their ſins from themſelves. As to appeal to our own experience, common experience ſheweth it; Do not ſome when they are convinced of ſin, lay the blame upon the times which they live in, ſaying, Oh we live in a hard time, and we muſt do according to the time; ſome again on their callings and conditions of life; Oh they are of ſuch and ſuch a calling and vocation, that they cannot keep a good conſcience, they muſt lye, and ſwear, and deceive as others do, or elſe they cannot poſſibly keep open ſhop, ſome upon the provocation of others they were provoked to it, and ſome upon the Command and example of others, ſuch and ſuch a one did the like, and his example led me to it, or ſuch a one commanded me; as if a Maſter comand his ſervant to lye, he is excuſable, becauſe his Maſter commanded him. And ſome lay the fault upon their deſtiny, it was my chance, my lot, my evil fortune, I was ordained to ſuch a ſinne. And ſome lay the blame upon the Devil, and ſay they had not become guilty of Whoredome, Adultery, Murther, and the like, but that the devil owed them a ſpite, and now he hath paid them home: and thus they ſeem to poſt off their ſin upon others, either upon the time, their callings, the provocation, example, and command of others, or upon their evil fortune, and the devil himſelf, they care not where, ſo they may draw their own neck out of the collar; yea ſometimes Gods own children are hardly brought to this, to lay the fault of their ſin where it ought to lye; they will ſay, Oh I was too blame, wretch that I was, I was drawn unto it by ſuch and ſuch a mans company; and ſo they ſeek to extenuate, and to leſſen their ſins, and to put off the blame from themſelves.
But beloved take we notice of it, Ʋſe. and learn we to lay the blame of our ſins where the blame ought to lye; Do not belye the devil. It is true indeed, that the age and the time wherein we live, the callings and conditions of life, the provocation, example, and command of others, and the devil, may be occaſions of ſin unto us, but cauſes they are not; for the cauſe, and the root of ſin is from our ſelves, the curſed corruptions of our hearts, and the vile luſts of it, that is the very ground, cauſe, and root of ſin, and were it not for the vile corruptions in our ſelves, neither could the devil, nor the world, nor any thing draw us to the practiſe of our ſin, if we were freed from that vile curſed inmate, our own corruption, that lodgeth and abideth in our hearts, we could never be drawn to any ſin, therefore let this teach every one of us, to learn to lay the fault and blame of our ſins upon our ſelves, and not upon any thing elſe.
Again further, this Cavil and this reaſoning of the fleſh, it is farther to be conſidered, together with the proof of it, in the words following, for who hath reſiſted his will? As if the carnal Reaſoner ſhould ſay thus; That men are hardened it is the will of God it ſhould be ſo, God hardeneth whom he will, and Gods will cannot be reſiſted, none can ſtand againſt his will; and ſo men that are hardened, they are hardened unavoidably, out of neceſſity, for they muſt be hardened whom God will harden; and therefore they cannot juſtly be blamed, or taxed. Now then from hence ariſeth this Queſtion to be diſcuſſed.
Whether men are excuſable and free from blame, Queſt. and not to be taxed for their hardneſſe, and for the ſins they commit and fall into, by reaſon of their hardneſſe, becauſe Gods will is that they are hardened, and Gods will is irreſiſtible, and cannot be withſtood, and ſo they are hardened unavoidably, and of neceſſity, are they then to be blamed?
Now to anſwer this queſtion, that men are excuſable; Anſw. mans reaſon will yeeld unto, and that they are to be freed from blame, becauſe Gods will is ſo, and Gods will is irreſiſtible: But the true Anſwer is, that men are not free from blame; but they are juſtly to be taxed, and God doth juſtly puniſh men for their hardneſs & ſins, and for their evil doings, they are blame-worthy. And why? becauſe though Gods will and work, be in mens hardening, and in the ſinnes that come from the hardening of their hearts; yet doth not Gods will enforce hardneſſe upon them, making their hearts hard, that were before ſoft, neither doth Gods will compel men, to the committing of thoſe ſins which they run into, there is no ſuch matter, Gods will doth neither harden being ſoft, nor thruſt their ſins out from them. But for the underſtanding of this, we muſt know, that our firſt parents, they broke the Commandement of God, in eating the forbidden fruit willingly, being not forced thereunto by Gods Decree, as the Arminians, and Anabaptiſts hold, but they fell willingly, they had free will to ſtand or to fall. And Adam and Eve, of their own accord, put out their hands, and did eat of the forbidden fruit. And thereupon having broken Gods Commandement, they brought upon themſelves, and upon all their poſterity, ſin, and hardneſſe of heart; all that come from them by natural generation, have ſucked the ſame milk, and have natural hardneſſe of heart: and now men being in their natural hardneſſe, the Lord is pleaſed to withhold his ſoftening grace from ſome amongſt men, and to leave them in their natural hardneſſe; the Lord in his juſt Judgment doth inflict farther hardneſſe upon the hearts of men, as a juſt Judgment of their hardneſſe before, they themſelves by nature being willing to continue in their hardneſſe; ſo that God doth not thruſt further hardneſſe upon the hearts of men unwillingly, whether they will be hardened or no.
And again, thoſe ſinnes that follow upon the hardneſſe of their hearts, are not drawn from men againſt their will whether they will or no, but they doe freely and willingly conſent unto ſinne, they give their free voluntarie conſent unto ſinne, they ſinne with a delight, they doe according to their own will, and according to the natural inclination thereof, the Lords will moving their will as he moveth the Heavens in a round Circle, according to the motion of it; ſo he doth move and order mans will according to the motion of it, being evil, and ſo they freely and voluntarily commit ſinne, and ſo they ſinne of neceſſitie, but how? not of neceſſitie of coaction or compulſion, as if they were inforced to ſinne, but by the very neceſſitie of mans nature, they are naturally inclined to evil and readie to commit evil, Gods will bending them to their own proper motion, and ſo they chooſe ſinne, and ſinne of neceſſitie of nature, and that will not excuſe them, they have brought the neceſſitie upon themſelves, and that will not free them from blame.
As for example, was Judas compelled to that ſinne for betraying his Maſter? No, his will was inclined unto it, and the will of God together with his will in that act inclined it as it were to betray the Lord Jeſus: ſo that this will not excuſe men that they doe ſinne of neceſſitie.
As for example, the Devil himſelf can doe nothing but evil, neceſſarily he doth evil, yet therefore he is not excuſable, becauſe he doth evil neceſſarily by the ſtrength of his corrupt nature, that will not excuſe him.
So then thus conceive we concerning this matter, that men are not excuſable nor free from blame, but the Lord may juſtly puniſh and plague them for their hardneſſe, and ſins proceeding from their hardneſſe, though it be ſo that Gods will is that they are hardened, and Gods will is irreſiſtible, becauſe though Gods will be in their hardening, and hath a ſtroake in it, yet Gods will doth neither force hardneſſe upon their hearts, nor cauſe them to ſin, but the Lord finding them naturally inclined to hardneſſe, and that they are hardened by nature, they being willing to continue in it; neither doth the Lord force out thoſe ſins that come from the hardneſſe of mens hearts, but they do it freely, out of their own free conſent, for the Lord doth neither take away the will of man, nor the power of mans will, but the Lord doth onelyonly order, govern, and diſpoſe their wills, and move it according to their own inclinations, they freely conſenting, being not thereunto forced, and therefore are juſtly to be blamed.
And for the application of it, Ʋſe. let no man think out of the hardneſſe of his heart, to go on in a courſe of evil and ſin, and to excuſe himſelf in this, that the will of God hath a ſtroake in his ſin. It is true, the will of God hath a ſtroake in thy hardneſſe, and thou ſinneſt of neceſſity and nature; yet this will not excuſe thee to ſay, it is my nature, and I cannot do otherwiſe: no, beloved, though we are tainted by nature, and prone to ſin by nature, yet never did any of Gods children hereupon excuſe themſelves, but rather judge and condemn themſelves, in regard of the accurſed corruption of their hearts, Pſal. 51. David confeſſeth his ſins of Adultery and Murther, yet he ſaith not, it was my nature, but he condemns himſelf, ſaying, O Lord, I lay the fault upon my ſelf, it was my own wicked heart, I was born in iniquity, and in ſin my mother conceived me. And ſo the Apoſtle Paul, feeling there was a law in his members, reſiſting the law in his mind, Rom. 7.24. layeth not the fault upon any thing elſe, but himſelf, ſaying, O wretched man that I am▪ who ſhall deliver me from this body of death! And thus thoſe that will find mercy, muſt lay the fault and blame upon themſelves, and give glory to God, that is the onelyonly and right way to find mercy; go unto God, lay open thy hard-heartedneſſe, crying for mercy, as a priſoner ready to go to execution, and thou ſhalt find mercy with God.
Thou wilt ſay then unto me, Why doth he yet complain? for who hath reſiſted his will?
HEre is further matter offered unto us from this verſe, In that the Carnal Reaſoner backeth his Argument thus, That if the will of God be ſo, that men ſhall be hardened, then who hath reſiſted his will? none can reſiſt the will of God: and this he doth, to ſtrengthen his Cavil, that the will of God cannot be hindered from taking effect; thus he laboureth to fortifie his concluſion. Now this being a truth which the Carnal Reaſoner putteth down, the Apoſtle doth not confute him by gainſaying, or denying this, that Gods will is irreſiſtible, but he doth anſwer the Caviller another way, as appeareth plainly in the verſes following; therefore hence this ground of truth lyeth plain before us,
That the will of God is irreſiſtible, and cannot be withſtood, Doctrine. neither men, nor devils, nor all the creatures in heaven, in earth, or hell, are able to fruſtrate, and make void the will of God. Indeed, (to prevent an objection in the beginning,) the will of God revealed, is and may be daily withſtood and reſiſted; the Jewes did reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt in the Miniſtry of the Prophets, as their Fathers did, Act. 7.51. And the Prophets do continually complain of this, that they are brazen-faced, ſtiff-necked, of iron ſinews, rebelling and reſiſting the will of God. But the ſecret will of God, the purpoſe of God, that cannot be withſtood. And to this purpoſe read the prayer of Jehoſhaphat, in the 2 Chron. 20.6. O Lord God of our Fathers, art not thou God in heaven? doſt not thou reign over all the Nations and Kingdomes of the heathen? in thy hand is might and power, and none is able to withſtand it. None can reſiſt thy will, it muſt needs take effect. And to this purpoſe ſpeaketh Job, Job 9.4. who ever withſtood the Lord, and proſpered? none was ever able to ſtand againſt the will of the Lord, and prevail. And in Eſay 46.10, 11. the Lord ſpeaketh by his Prophet, that he doth whatſoever he will; as if he had ſaid, What is he that can withſtand my purpoſe, and hinder me from effecting what I have purpoſed? Thus Nebuchadnezzar after he had been caſt out from the fellowſhip and ſociety of men, and reſtored to his underſtanding again, then confeſſed to the glory of God, that according to his will he ruleth in heaven, and in earth, and none can ſtay thy hand in any thing thou purpoſeſt to do, in Dan. 9. 32. And in Pſal. 33.11. The counſel of the Lord ſtandeth for ever and ever. And thus we may ſee it made good, by plentiful evidences, that neither men nor Angels, good nor bad, are able to make the will of God void, and not to take effect.
Reaſon. Becauſe God is a God of infinite power, able to do whatſoever he will; ſo ſpeaketh the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 115.3. yea the Lord is able to do more then either he doth, or will do; he is Almighty, and therefore his will is irreſiſtible, and cannot be withſtood.
Object. If Gods will be irreſiſtible, and cannot be withſtood, then if Gods will be to beſtow grace upon ſome men, they cannot chooſe but receive grace, it cannot be withſtood, and they receive grace of neceſſity; and if Gods will be to harden men, they are hardened of neceſſity, and ſo the will of man is made of neceſſity to yeeld to the will of God, and the freedom, and the liberty of mans will is quite taken away, and the will it ſelf quite overthrown; for take away the liberty of the will, and you deſtroy the will; how is this?
Anſw. To this I anſwer, it is not true, that becauſe the will of man is determined to one part, either to good or evil, by the will of God, that therefore the liberty and freedom of mans will is taken quite away, and overthrown; No, for theſe two may well ſtand together, the determination of mans will to good or evil, and yet the freedom of will remain; ſome mens will is limited, and determined of God to receive grace by the will of God, and ſo he cannot but of neceſſity receive grace, and cannot withſtand, nor reſiſt the receiving of grace. But mans will in this reſpect, receiveth not grace by compulſion, but freely, the will of man being then inclined, and then moved ſo to do, by the gracious will of the holy Spirit of God, and ſo it receiveth grace freely, and voluntarily, being made willing by the work of grace, and power of the Spirit. As God himſelf is by an abſolute neceſſity the willer of good, and his will cannot but will good, yet when he willeth good, he is not conſtrained to will good, but he willeth good moſt neceſſarily and freely. So on the contrary, ſome mens will is limited and determined to do evil, ſo as that he willeth evil of neceſſity; yet this mans ſo willing of evil, is free, and not by compulſion, it coming from the natural propenſion of his own will; ſo that though mans will be limited and determined to evil by the will of God, and to good, yet the will of man is free, becauſe in the very Act of willing he is not compelled either to good or evil; ſo that this we are to hold as a certain truth, notwithſtanding this objection, that the will of God is irreſiſtible, and cannot be withſtood either by men or Angels.
This muſt therefore teach us to learn to be reſolved upon this truth of God, Ʋſe. and to take heed of abuſing it; ſome there be that do abuſe, wreſt, and pervert the holy truth of God, if it be ſo, the will of God be irreſiſtible, what will it avail us, to uſe any meanes for the attaining of good, or the eſchewing of evil, when Gods will and his purpoſe cannot be by any means avoided, but muſt needs ſtand and take place, what need we then to uſe means for the obtaining of grace, or avoiding of evil? and this is the reaſoning of fleſh and blood; but we muſt know, that God willeth and worketh nothing ordinarily, but by ordinary means, that are effectual to that purpoſe, and we are to think, and to hope our endeavours ſhall be proſperous, and leave the iſſue of that ſecret unto God: yet admit that ſome men did uſe the means of grace, and the eſchewing of evil in vain, and the will of God is, that their endeavours ſhall not be bleſſed; what then? do they fail altogether of obtaining any good from the hand of God? though the will of the Lord be ſo, that they ſhall not obtain grace, nor avoid evil, yet they loſe not their labours, they come not ſhort of their reward; for by uſing the ordinary meanes of ſalvation, ſurely many of them procure many temporal bleſſings upon them, from the hands of the Lord; yea hereby they come to have reſtraining grace wrought in them; and to be reſtrained from the outrage and extremity of ſin, and to have an outward external formality, and ſo they eſcape many fearful plagues, and many fearful Judgments, that are poured out upon ſuch as are contemners, and are rebellious in their ſins; take the example of Ahab; Ahab upon his hypocritical, counterfeit, humiliation, brought a temporal bleſſing upon himſelf, that he ſhould eſcape the Judgments which God had denounced, 1 King. 21.28, 29. for as he ſhall that walketh in the ſun, receive ſome change in the colour of his face, ſo for his counterfeit humiliation, the plagues ſhould be brought in his ſons dayes; ſo alſo thoſe that uſe the means of grace, ſhall have ſome bleſſing, and thereby ſhall eſcape the Judgment that falleth upon other wilful rebellious perſons; yea hereby they ſhall eſcape the greateſt torture in hell, they ſhall have no ſuch great damnation as they that wilfully run on in ſin, they ſhall have ſome leſſe torture, and ſome leſſe pain then the other. And therefore let us labour to uſe the means of ſalvation, and not refuſe it, ſaying, let God work his will, but uſe the means carefully.
Again, Is this ſo, that Gods will doth determine and limit mans will? Ʋſe 2 conſider then, haſt thou uſed the means, and got ſome aſſurance of Gods good will unto thee in Chriſt Jeſus? Oh then comfort thy ſelf upon this ground, Gods good will unto thee cannot be fruſtrated, let the world, let ſin, and let all the enemies of ſalvation do what they can, thou ſhalt not periſh; Gods will is revealed unto thee, and thou haſt aſſurance of it; therefore thou maiſt reſolve thou ſhalt never be pulled away: for the will of God cannot be made void, and ſo thy ſalvation is built upon a ſure ground, more firme and ſtable then heaven, and earth, it ſtandeth upon the good will and purpoſe of God; this wee ſee, that Gods will is irreſiſtible and cannot be withſtood; ſo that this point may yeeld much comfort to thoſe that are aſſured of ſalvation, that they ſhall certainly be ſaved, for the will of the Lord cannot be made fruſtrate.1 Pet. 1.8.