Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Section 27
SECT. 27.
THirdly, 3Theſe exhortations are not yet in vain. 1. Not in regard of the reprobate, who thus are told what they ſhold have done. Luke 12.47.and laſtly: I… ſay, that yet ſuch Exhortations and Commandments are not in vaine, but ſerve for very good ends, and that both in regard of the reprobate and Elect.
1 The reprobate, are hence put in minde what they ſhould doe, or ſhould have done, and what once they had power to have done.
Secondly thus they are left without excuſe, 2They are thus convinced as was Pharach. Exod. 8.1.as knowing Gods will, but not doing it; and Gods juſtice is thus made more manifeſt in their condemnation, they cannot ſay they now periſh for want of meanes, but becauſe they are awanting to the meanes. Such commands then are not in vain, though the thing commanded bee not performed; for God hath other ends, (which hee is not bound to make knowne to us) why …he commands ſuch things. God ſends Moſes to Pharaoh, …bidding him ſay unto him: Let my people goe, that they may ſerve me…; Which was often repeated, yet the e…ent ſhewed that the ſecret pleaſure and purpoſe of God was, that hee ſhould not let them goe: yea God alſo told Moſes ſo much ſaying: Exod. 11.10Pharaoh ſhall not hear…en unto you, (and a reaſon …s given,) that my wonders may be multiplied in the Land of Egypt. (And ſee Rom. 9.17. and Exod. 9.16. (And then it is added: & the Lord hardened Pharaohs heart, ſo that he would not let the Children of Iſrael goe out of his Land.
Now though Pharaoh (as others his like now) ſtood bound to obey this Commandement, And the Cōmandment in regard to God is not in vaine.yet Gods chief ayme herein was not Ph… raohs obedience, but to convince him of Rebellion and hardneſſe of heart; and ſo according to Gods intention it was properly a Commandement of Conviction, ſo I may ſay as ſound Divines have ſaid before me … Gods Word in the miniſtery of it, where the command is given to all to Repent and believe, is not to delud… men, though effectuall grace be not given to all ſo to doe; That Commandement, though it ſhould of all in duty be obeyed, and though in the intent of the Miniſter (who is to preach Faith and Repentance, 2 Tim. 2.25and to call them thereunto, even thoſe that oppoſe themſelves) it have onelyonly one end; namely, the Salvation of thoſe hee preaches unto, yet (as the event makes it plaine, by which God declares at length what his purpoſe was) in the intention and counſell of God it hath diverſe ends; in them that are ordained …o eternall Life it is a precept of obedience, becauſe God will fully enable them to doe that which hee commandeth: In the reſt, it is a Commandement of tryall or conviction; that to unbelievers, their ſin might be diſcovered, and all excuſe cut off. Thus when the precept is given to believe, but not the grace of Faith, God doth not delude, but reprove and convince men of unbeliefe, and that in his juſtice, becauſe when they believe not, they ſinne againſt grace offered them, and in ſome meaſure given them. So that from ſuch Exhortations made in common to all, wee may not conclude, that God hath the ſame and alike good minde and intent infallibly to ſave all.
Object. Yet God is not unjuſt in ſo doing.Though God thus ſhould attaine his end, and ſo in regard of him the Commandement ſhould not be in vaine; Yet ſhould not this ſavour of great injuſtice and cruelty, to require a thing impoſſible to man left to himſelfe?
I anſwer, True, Why? 1. 2. 3. 4.if God had not given man power and a poſſibility. 2. If Man had not willingly diſabled himſelfe, and drawne it upon himſelfe, by his owne fault. 3. If man ſhould now by grace aske (as he ſhould) this ability to obey God, and to acknowledge his owne impotency, and bewaile it. Yea 4. If God were bound to give it without asking; for man was at firſt made according to the Image of God, and had power ſufficient given him, to have done whatſoever God ſhould at any time have required of him. Sothat if man through his own default hath loſt this power to obey God, yet God hath not loſt his right to require his Obedience, wch he may juſtly doe, though he know man unable to diſcharge it. Hee may require it of a proud ſinner to convince him, and to leave him without excuſe, as a man may require, and call for a debt of a great valew, which the debtor (falling into decay through his own ryotouſnes & careleſſenes) cannot now repay, eſpecially if the debtour carry himſelfe inſolently and malepartly againſt the Creditour (as ſuch men doe againſt God,) who may thus ſtoppe his mouth, and put him to ſilence, yea to ſhame. But ſeeing they, in a ſenſe of their own inability, doe not aske this grace and power from God, God is not bound to give it unto them. But fifthly the truth is, man in the Goſpell is not left wholly to himſelfe: God both offers and gives more grace then he anſwers▪ ſo that if man repent and believe not when God calls him to it, hee ſinnes againſt grace offered him, and againſt the Goſpell through his owne default (whether contempt or negligence) and ſo incurres greater condemnation then ſuch as have not the ſame helpes meanes and grace offered them. 3. 3 They are thus reſtrained, and the godly live more peaceably by them.Theſe Exhortations and precepts (unto which are annexed curſes and puniſhments upon diſobedience) are howſoever to reſtraine their naturall corruption (as in Herod) which elſe would breake out unto all outrage; So that there would be no living for the godly in the world if the feare of puniſhments upon their diſobedience did not reſtraine the wick…d Or howſoever, God 4. (in his juſtice) may doe this for the increaſe of their ſin, their further hardning (after they have once hardned themſelves againſt his grace) and juſt Condemnation, as Iſa 6.9.10. Heare ye. but underſtand not; and make the heart of this people fat.