Antidote Against Arminianism, Discourse · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Objections againſt the Abſolute Decree.
THE Objections (which the Arminians raiſe againſt this Doctrine) follow to be anſwered: They deal with this Doctrine, as the Heathen Emperors did with the Primitive Chriſtians in the Ten firſt Perſecutions; who wrapp'd them up in the Skins of Beaſts, and then expos'd them to be torn in pieces by their fierce Band-Dogs: So do the Arminians with this great Truth, firſt dreſs it up in an ugly Shape with their own falſe Gloſſes upon it; and then lets fly at it one Cynical Sarcaſm after another, ſaying, This is to accuſe God, not only of Injuſtice, but alſo of Cruelty, and of Diſſembling Hypocriſie.
Objection 1. Of Injuſtice, in giving to Equal Perſons Ʋnequal Thing; and if ſo, there is Reſpect of Perſons with God.
Anſwer 1. This is Objected againſt Paul's Doctrine, Rom. 9.14. and ſeeing the Apoſtle brings it in as the Cavil of Carnal Reaſon againſt God's Decree, in that we have ſufficient Ground to reject it. God muſt not loſe the Honour of his Righteouſneſs, becauſe the Reaſon of it appears not to our ſhallow Underſtandings: We may not reprehend what we cannot comprehend, his Juſtice muſt not be meaſur'd by the Standard of our Reaſon; what is this but a ſpeaking wickedly for God, Job 13.7. and a plain robbing him of all Righteouſneſs that is not Conſonant to our Model: We muſt not deviſe a Righteouſneſs for God (that is the Work of his own Will, which is never ſever'd from his Wiſdom) much leſs draw it down to the Determinations of God's greateſt Enemy, to wit, Carnal Reaſon.
2. God is Righteouſneſs it ſelf, and Darkneſs may ſooner come from the Sun (which is the Fountain of Light) then any Unrighteous A… from God, who is the Abſtract of Righteouſneſs as he is the Summum Bonum, ſo he is the Primus Juſtum; Primum in aliquo Genere eſt Regula Poſteriorum. God's Will is not only Recta but Regula, yea, Regula regulans, the Rule ruling, not Regula regulata, as if regulated by Man's Depraved Reaſon: So that God's Ways are always equal, though Men think otherwiſe of them Ezek. 18.25. and though they be ſometimes ſecret (as Rom. 11.33.) yet are they always juſt▪ God is too kind to do us harm, and too juſt to do us wrong.
3. Qui ſuo Jure utitur Nemini facit Injuriam, i… the Law (indeed) of Reaſon: Jacob and Eſa… were equal in the Womb, yet had an Unequa… Diſpoſing Decree concerning them; this was God's Right and Power to do: This the Apoſtle demonſtrates, 1ſt. From Moſes Teſtimony, Exod. 33.16,19. God will be gracious to whom he will, &c. i… is his Right to do ſo. And 2dly. From the Example of the Potter, who hath [foreign] Power over his Pots, yet leſs than God over hi… Creatures; ſuprâ Now that which the Pot cannot do with the Potter, that Man may not do with his Maker; but the Pot (ſuppoſe it could ſpeak) could not blame the Potter of Injuſtice, in appointing Equal Lumps to Unequal Ends. Ergo.
4. God's Decree is not an Act of Juſtice, but of Lordſhip and Sovereignty; Juſtice always preſuppoſes Debt, but God (who was perfect in himſelf from all Eternity) could not be a Debtor to Man, who was not, and had his [All] from God. The Decree is not a Matter of Right and Wrong, but of free Favour; Grace is God's own, he may do what he will with it, Mat. 20.15. If he give it to ſome and not to others, 'tis no Wrong in him, that is not bound to give it to any.
5. God is not [foreign] a Reſpecter of Perſons, becauſe he doth not chooſe Men for their Works ſake; but before Jacob and Eſau had done either Good or Evil; he finds all alike in Maſſâ corruptâ, and nothing to caſt the Ballance of his Choice but his own meer Pleaſure; not as partial Judges, that reſpect the Rich (for their Bribes) more than the Poor, when their Cauſes are Equal, or worſe; but God is a Free Agent, and under no Law in giving Grace.
Objection 2. Sarcaſmus DiabolicusOf Cruelty, as if God were worſe to his Creatures than Tygers to their Young, than Rat-catchers, who ſtops up all Holes, then hunts them with their Dogs, to make them fly in their Faces: Or, Laſtly, than Tiberius, who (becauſe it was unlawful to ſtrangle Virgins) cauſed the Hangman firſt to deflour them, and then ſtrangle them: Quod libet licet, bad been a more Congruous Inſtance.
Anſw. 1. This is a charging God fooliſhly, ſeeing no Act of God can be a Means to damn Men, but Acts of Men, to wit, the fulfilling their own Luſts; the Negative Will of God (and no more is the Decree of Non-Election) cannot be the Cauſe of Man's Deſtruction, but the poſitive Will of Man does it. Reprobatio nil point in reprobato: As Reprobation gives not ſuch a Grace as infallibly to make them better, ſo it works nothing in them whereby to make them the worſe.
2. 'Tis a meer Fallacy, a [Non cauſa pro cauſâ] as if the Decree of Non-Election were the procuring Cauſe of Man's Damnation; which is an Antecedent only, but not the Cauſe; as Sin is the Conſequent of Reprobation, but not the Effect of it, ſo Sin is the Cauſe of Damnation, and only the Conſequent of Reprobation. David's Order to Solomon concerning Joab and Shimei, 1 Kings 2.5. was not the Cauſe, why either the One or the other came to an Untimely End, but it was Treaſon againſt Solomon in Joab, and running from Jeruſalem in Shimei, procured their Ends, v. 28, 40, 42. Death precedes Reſurrection, but procures it not.
3. 'Tis a falſe Hypoeheſis to ſuppoſe, that God in the Decree of Non Election doth by as Effectual Means intend to bring Men to Damnation, as in the Decree of Election to bring others to Salvation; for Salvation is a Favour undue to any Man, ſo God may abſolutely give it or deny it to any; but Damnation is a Puniſhment, ſo hath Relation to a Fault: Means to the former are Bona gratuita, but to the latter Mala voluntaria; it is God that fitteth Peter for Salvation, but Judas firs himſelf for Damnation.
4 God doth not make the Creature to damn it, for if that were God's End, he gives it a Nature and Quality to ſit it for that End; but that comes from the voluntary defection of Mens own Will, to fit themſelves for Deſtruction, Rom. 9.22. God endures it, but does not inſuſe it. Judas fitted himſelf for his own place, Acts 1.25. and the Carnal Jews fill'd up the Meaſure of their Fathers, Mat. 23.32. Veſſels of Wrath fills their Meaſure of Sin, and then God fills them with ſuch a Meaſure of Wrath: As Man is from God, he is capable of Salvation; ſo not made for Damnation.
5. Should God conſtrain the Creature to ſin, and then damn him for it, he delighted in the Deſtruction of his Creature, contrary to Ezek. 18.23. & 33 11. but God did not thruſt Adam (unwillingly) into his Sin, as he thruſt him (after it) out of Paradice, but his Sin came freely from himſelf and God's Delight is not terminated in the deſtruction of his Creature, but in the Manifeſtation of his own Glory, Hoſ. 14.9. Man's Puniſhment is from God, as a Judge; but Man's Deſtruction is from himſelf, as a Sinner.
6. God doth not reprobate Innocent Creatures: No Man is unworthy to be predertinated unto death; God might have reprobated all fallen Mankind, as he did all the fallen Angels, without Cruelty; for none deſerved better at God's Hands; 'tis not Cruelty in the Potter to make Veſſels of Diſhonour, Praeſtat eſſe matulam Principis, quam ſimplex lutum: Thus this [durus Sermo] was urg'd to Chriſt.
Objection 3. It is Objected againſt the Abſolute Decree, That it makes God guilty of Diſſimulation, in calling ſuch as are under the Negative part of it to repent, &c. which is, as if God ſhould bid blind Men (whoſe Eyes he had cloſed) to judge of Colours: This cannot (ſay they) be done ſeriò but ſimulatè.
Anſwer 1. The Non-Elect's not repenting is not only from want of Power, Joh. 6 44. but alſo from want of Will; John 5.40. None are damned becauſe they can do no better, but becauſe they will do no better. If there were not Will, there would be no Hell; and this will be the very Hell of Hells, that they have been Self-deſtroyers*Felones de ſe.. Ceſſet voluntas propria, et non erit Inſernas: That never dying Worm is nothing elſe but a continual Remorſe and furious Reffection of the Soul upon its own (once) wilful Folly, as well as upon its (now) woſul Miſery; but more of this in its place.
2. Paul did not diſſemble in bidding the Philippians work out their Salvation, yet tells them (withal) they could neither will nor do of themſelves, Phil. 2.12,13. no more than he ſets up a Tyrannical Power in God, when he tells us, that God does all Things out of meer Will and Pleaſure, and ſo with him [Quod libet, licet]
3. Man had a Power in Adam, God gave Knowledge in his Underſtanding, Rectitude in his Will, Purity in his Affections, &c. thoſe are loſt by the Fall. God muſt not loſe his Authority to command, becauſe Man hath loſt his Ability to obey: A Landlord may require his Rent, when his Tenant diſenables himſelf to pay it.
4. While God commands, he gives Power to obey: God's Commands are not like thoſe in Jam. 2.16. bids be warm'd, fed and cloath'd, but gives not wherewith; for here is ſomething given as well as required: When God bids, he does not only Verba dare, ſed Rem; as when Chriſt bad the Man ſtretch out the Hand that was withered, and Lazarus to come forth out of the Grave. The Call and Command of God, is the Virtutis Vehiculum, the Conduit Pipe of Strength and Ability; as when Paul was bid to receive his Sight, he was enabled the ſame Moment to look up, Acts 22.13. and being commanded to waſh away his Sins, had the Blood of Chriſt ready provided to do it, v. 16.
5. God commands us what we are unable to perform, to convince us of our Weakneſs; as we bid our little Children riſe, which by their own fault fell, to convince them of their Inability, and that they may know, they are the more beholden to us to help them up again; the Duty is ours, but the Ability is the Lords.
6. The Voluntas Praecepti, or declaring Will of God, ſhows that it is the Duty of all (as well of Judas and Cain, as of David and Peter) to repent; for it declares what ought to be: But the Voluntas Propoſiti, or decreeing Will of God, determines what ſhall be; not that all ſhall repent and believe, but ſuch only as receives his ſpecial Grace, 2 Tim. 2.25. God doth intend it ſhould be their known Duty to repent, not that they ſhall do ſo, for this would overthrow his Omnipotency, Who hath reſiſted his will? Rom. 9.19.
7. God commands to try, not to deceive; as Abraham to offer up Iſaac, and Pharaoh to let Iſrael go; theſe two Wills may have a Conſiſtency without Fraudulency: The One ſays, Thou ſhalt not murder, and the other that Chriſt ſhall be murdered, Acts 2.23. Beſides, the Decreeing Will of God (as it is not ad Alterum) can have no Diſſimulation in it.
But it may be more truly ſaid that the Arminians charge God with Folly in their Antecedent and Conſequent Will of God, repreſenting God in that Diſtinction, as diſappointed of his purpoſe, bringing him in as ſpeaking thus; I do indeed earneſtly deſire to ſave you, but ye hinder, that I cannot do what I deſire; I would, if ye would; therefore ſeeing I am fruſtrated of my Intention (by you) in my Antecedent Will, I will change my purpoſe of ſaving you, and my Conſequent Will ſhall be a Determination to deſtroy you. What is this but to make God Unwiſe (as well as Unable) to manage his own Platforms and Deſigns in the World; and to rank him with Jupiter, that knew not how to deliver his Sarpedon out of Bonds; and with Neptune, that know not how to binder Ʋlyſſes's Return to his Country; yea, and with Darius, that would gladly have delivered Daniel, but could not? There Vorſtius ſaith,Vorſtius Diſp. áe Deo. "Things may happen, that may bring to God ſome Grief, having tryed all Things in Vain. This is to ſpeak with the Alcaron, Alcaron Chap. 43."God and his Angels wiſh well to Mahomet, but cannot free him from Death. And with the Blind Talmud, Dr. Owen on Hebr. pag. 73. Doctr. Fidei Jud. Ord. 5. Tract. 8. & Ord. 1. Tract. Diſp. 7."That God lamented over fallen Man, and over the Burnt Temple, pouring out two Tears every day into the Ocean, and for Grief ſmiting his Breaſt with both his Hands. This is a thinking wickedly that God is ſuch a One as our ſelves, Pſal. 50.21. fond Men that goes not wiſely about our Works, ſo oft fail of our purpoſe; and to will that Judas and the Jews ſhould believe in Chriſt's Death (which if they had done, Chriſt had not dyed) is to will that they ſhould believe in nothing: Thus is the only Wiſe God abaſed by the Blaſphemous Notions of Men, fitter for Anthropomorphites than true Goſpellers.
Objection 4. God's Decree cannot be Abſolute and Infallible, becauſe it might have been fruſtrated by the Poſſibility of Adam's Standing.
Anſwer 1. It is granted, that Adam had a Poſſe non cadere, but not a Non poſſe cadere; his ſtanding was poſſible Reſpectu Rei, but not Reſpectu Dei. To ſay, that Adam might not have finned, is a Caregorical and Simple Propoſition, and will hold true in Senſu diviſo, as Adam is conſidered in himſelf, as cloathed with a Freedom of his own Will; and to ſay it could not be, but that Adam would ſin, is as True in Senſu compoſito, conſidering Adam as ſubordinate to the Decree of God determining, what Adam would do out of the Freedom of his own Will: This latter Propoſition is modal and qualified, ſo not not of the ſame kind with the former, and therefore not oppoſite to it, for Oppoſita ſhould be Ejuſdem Generis: As for Inſtance, 2 Kings 8.10. [Thou may'ſt certainly recover] was true Reſpectu Rei & in Senſu diviſo, becauſe his Diſeaſe was of it's own Nature curable; and yet [Thou ſhalt ſurely dye] was true alſo Reſpectu Dei, & in Senſu compoſito, as ſubordinate to the Divine Decree fore-ordaming that Hazael ſhould ſtiſle him by the Occaſion of this Diſeaſe; ſo 'tis a plain Fallacia Diviſionis, a Fallacy of Diviſion.
2. Adam might have ſtood (as well as fal'n) Reſpectu Rei, for God gave not his Creature a Law only, but furniſh'd him with Power ſufficient to keep that Law alſo, if he would; and if Man had not been mutable, he had been God and not Man, for not to be mutable is peculiar to God, whereby he is diſtinguiſh'd from all Created Beings: Yet reſpectu Dei, it was not poſſible he ſhould ſtand; for in God's Decree it was certain, that Man being left to the mutability of his own Will (upon Saran's tempting, and God's permitting) would voluntarily encline to Evil; and this was a Certainty or Neceſſity of Infalſibility, Quoad eventum, but not of Compulſion, Quoad modum agendi et eveniendi.
3. Adam ſinned freely in reſpect of himſelf, yet neceſſarily in reſpect of God; he acted as freely therein, as if there had been no Decree; and yet as infallibly, as if there had been no Liberty: God's Decree took not away Man's Liberty. God decreed that Man ſhould act freely in the Fall, and not by any Compulſion from his Decree [Non per Coactionem a principio externo eligebat, ſed perlubentem Inclinationem a principio interno] though God decreed it to be, yea, and concurred alſo as the Univerſal Cauſe, yet Man exercis'd the proper Motions of his own Will, ſaith Auſtin: The Liberty of Man (tho' ſubordinate to God's Decree) freely willeth the Self-ſame Thing, and no other, than what it would have willed, if (upon ſuppoſition of an Impoſſibility) that there had been no Decree.
4. It was a Truth from Eternity (before there was either Man or Sin) that Man ſhould certainly ſin, yet the Sin it ſelf was but poſſible in it ſelf; nevertheleſs that Poſſibility paſſed into a futurition by the Will of God; for God wills that Sin ſhould be [quia bonum eſt malum eſſe, non vult ipſum malum, quia bonum non eſt ipſum malum] becauſe it is good Sin ſhould be; but God wills not the Sin it ſelf, for Sin it ſelf is not good: Therefore God by decreeing Adam's Sin, did not ſubtract from Adam any Grace that he had, for he decreed that he ſhould ſin voluntarily, ſo did not diminiſh any power that he was endued with, but only he ſuper-added not that Grace whereby Adam would infallibly not have fallen, which Grace was no way due to Man, nor was God any way bound to beſtow it on him; ſo it was according to God's Will (not from it) for what God ſimply would not have done, that cannot be done at all.
5. If Man can determine his own Will, and not deſtroy the Liberty of it, how much more may God do ſo that is [Intimior intimo noſtro] more inward with us, then we with our ſelves. The Will is its own free Mover, yet is not the firſt Mover; 'tis only a ſecond Free Agent, and God the firſt: So the ſubordinate Free Agent (the thing being yet to do) may either do or not do the ſame Act; although which of the two Man will freely incline to, be infallibly ſoreordained: Thus Adam might ſtand in reſpect of himſelf, yet certainly fall in reſpect of God.
6. The Jews might have broke Chriſt's Bones in reſpect of their own Free-will in ſuch Actions, yet was it not poſſible they ſhould do ſo, as the Will of Man is ſubordinate to the Will of God:John 19.36. It was poſſible reſpectu rei, that Chriſt ſhould be delivered from his Paſſion by a Legion of Angels, yet impoſſible reſpectu Dei, for God had decreed that Chriſt ſhould dye: It was poſſible in reſpect of the thing, that God might have pardon'd Sinners without a Chriſt; but impoſſible it was, as God had decreed Chriſt to be the Ranſom: And to argue on their Hypotheſis of Freewill, reſpectu Rei, 'tis poſſible none may be ſaved, or none may be damned; yet reſpectu Dei, both are impoſſible, for then either Heaven or Hell would be ſuperfluous Things.
Objection 5. The Fifth Objection is The Predeſtinarians cannot agree about ſtating their Decree, ſome ſtating it before the Fall, as the Supralapſarian (ſuch be Creabilitarians and Exiſtentialiſts) and Others after the Fall, as the Sublapſarians.
Anſwer 1. The Arminians by the Law of Re…liation may be called Submortuarians, for their holding no full Election 'till Men dye, and Poſtdeſtinarians, for placing the Eternal Decree behind the Race of Man's Life: This plainly inverts the Apoſtle's Order, Rom. 8. 30. putting Predeſtination behind Vocation and Juſtification: Surely when Believers dye, they are Subjects of Glorification and not of Election, Paul expected then a Crown of Righteouſneſs; and Chriſt ſhould have ſaid (upon this Hypotheſis) to the penitent Thief, This day [thou ſhalt be fully elected] not Thou ſhalt be with me in Paradice: And may they not alſo be ſtiled Relapſarians, for ſaying, that the Elect may totally and finally fall away, and that he who is a Child of God to day, may be a Child of the Devil to Morrow?
2. Thoſe Notions of Sub and Suprd, are but Intellectus noſtri fictiones (as Dr. Davenant ſaith) Humane Conceptions of the Order of the Divine Decree, which ſo far tranſcends our Underſtandings, that our weak Capacities cannot comprehend it, but after the Manner of Men; and thoſe two Opinions of ſub and ſuprd, do not differ In Re, ſed tantum in modo explicandi; for if Mankind be conſidered (whether maſſa nondum condita, or condita ſed pura et nondum corrupta, or maſſa condita et corrupta) in a common equal Eſtate to be the Object of Predeſtination, there is no ſuch material Difference as is pretended, ſeeing all Men are look'd on In pari ſtatu both ways, eſpecially when one of theſe Perſwaſions doth not ſpeak Excluſively of the other.
3. The Arminians do worſe in founding the Divine Decree not In ſtatu integro, nor In ſtatu lapſo, but In ſtatu reparato, et tantum non glorificatos, in making Believers the adequate Object of Election; which cannot be, for there be many that believe, yet are are not Elect Ones (as Simon Magus, &c. that believed, yet had not the Faith of God's Elect) and there be many that are elected yet believe not, as Children: This Miſtake makes them ſay, that Apoſtates aequè verè ſideles ſunt non aeque dici, that he who perſeveres is not more elected than the Apoſtate, only he is longer ſo.
4. Yet far worſe is their Platform, in Marſhalling this Eternal Immanent Act of God into Firſt, Second, Third and Fourth; which muſt needs (ſaith Dr. Davenant) be a weak Imagination of Man's Brain; and ſo Uncertain, that amongſt many who give us ſuch Delineations, not Two of Twenty can be found agreeing in Numbring and Ordering their Decrees; but where One makes Four, another maketh Five, Six or Seven, &c. and that which one ſets the firſt, another ſets the laſt; therefore here Clodius accuſat Moechos, till themſelves be better agreed, they ſhould not upbraid us with Differences.
5. Thoſe ſeveral States of Man before and after the Fall, are not in the Divine Underſtanding as they are in ours (by a Succeſſion of Acts one after another) but God [uno Intuitu videt omnia] by one ſingle Act orders all things, and the Divine Idaea in the Decree is a Repreſentation of all thoſe States at once; they are not Subordinanda, but Co-ordinanda, not this after that, but altogether in one Inſtant of Eternity, for Non datur et poſterius in Deo; therefore we ſhould not contend about Priorities and Poſteriorities in God, which are but Humane Conceptions.
Objection 6. The Poſitive Part of the Divine Decree makes Men remiſs in Duty, ſaying, Si ſalvabor, ſalvabor; However I live, live as I liſt, I ſhall be ſaved.
Anſwer 1. God's Decree ſtabliſhes Means, but removes them not, unleſs by Accident, as the Goſpel hardens: For it doth not only ordain the End, but the Means to the End; 'tis a meer fallacy of Diviſion to ſever the Means from the End: As in Acts 27.30. Except ye abide in the Ship, ye cannot be ſaved; a Decree was paſt for their Safety, that not a Man of them ſhould periſh, v. 22. yet they muſt abide in the Ship: It was true in Senſu Compoſito, to wit, in the Connexion of the End and Means, but not In ſenſu diviſo, either that the Shipmen ſhould not abide in the Ship, or that any Man in the Ship ſhould not be ſaved.
2. Ludovicus the Eleventh King of France under this Temptation, was convinc'd in his Sickneſs of his fond Saying [Si ſalvabor, ſalvabor] by his Wiſe Phyſitian, who told him, If your Time be come, no Phyſick (I can give) will do you good: The King pondering that Saying, crys out, Muſt I uſe means for the good of my Body, and not of my Soul? Hereupon became he (upon further Conference and taking Phyſick) to be cured of Soul and Body.
3. God's Decree doth not nullifie the Property of Secondary Cauſes in Natural Things, but includes them, and diſpoſes of them to their Proper, End; and ſo in Things Spiritual, God decrees that the Earth ſhould be fruitful, this doth not exclude, but include, that the Sun muſt ſhine upon it, Showers muſt water it, and the Husbandman muſt till it, as his God inſtructs him. Iſa. 28.26. God decrees that fifteen Years ſhall be added to Hezekiah's Life, this made him neither careleſs of his Health, nor negligent of his Food; he ſaid not, Though I run into the Fire, or into the Water, or drink Poiſon, I ſhall live ſo long; but Natural Providence in the due Uſe of Means co worketh ſo, as to bring him on to that Period of Time pre-ordained for him: Man's Induſtry is ſubſervient to God's Decree; 'tis call'd the Life of [our] Hands, Iſa 57.10. we may not tempt the Lord our God, Ora labora, & admotâ manu Invocanda eſt Minerva.
4. The Golden Chain hath ſo link'd the Means to the End, and Sanctification in order to Salvation, that God doth infallibly ſtir up the Elect to the Uſe of the Means, as well as bring them to the End by the Means; therefore he promiſes to ſanctifie whom he purpoſes to ſave, Ezek. 36.26,27. two of thoſe Links (to wit, Predeſtination and Glorification) are kept faſt in God's Hand, but the Middle Links are let down from Heaven to us on Earth, that we ſhould catch hold on them: We may not pluck thoſe Parts of the Chain out of God's Hands, or break the Chain to make it Uſeleſs: The Elect Lady muſt look to her ſelf, 2 John ver. 8. though the Decree be abſolute, the Execution of it is not, which two may not be confounded.
5. The Arminian Eternal Preſcience iufers as abſolute a Certainty and Neceſſity of Events as our Predeſtination doth; for Things muſt be fore-ordain'd to be, before they can be foreſeen that they ſhall be, ut ſuprd; ſo Men may argue from their Grounds, If I be Eternally foreſeen to believe, I ſhall believe and be ſaved: And o contra, yet further, they teach Men to ſay, I can repent when I will, I may be elected though I live ſtill in Lewdneſs, I have a Free-will to repent on my Deathbed, ſo I may be ſaved: This will make Men remiſs indeed, but to read the Heart of God towards us thus Abſolutely, Everlaſtingly, Effectually, and Peculiarly, doth conſtrain and unite our Hearts to God for ever, Luke 1.74,75. and 1 Cor. 6.20. Cyrus acts freely, finding himſelf fore-ordained, Iſa. 44.21.
Objection 7. Reprobation (as abſolute) makes Men deſperate, Si damnabor, damnabor; Let me do what I can, I ſhall be danmed, I am under a fatal Neceſſity.
Anſwer 1. This is to ſuck Poiſon out of a ſweet Flower, and to daſh againſt the Rock of Ages; this is to Stumble at the Word, 1 Pet. 2.8. whereunto they were appointed; and like prophane Beaſts to fall into the Pit that was diggd for better purpoſes: why hath God order'd all things by an Abſolute Decree for ever? It is that Men ſhould fear before him, and not make ſuch deſperate Inferences, Eccleſ. 3.14.
2. The Stoical Opinion of Fate, puts God in Subjection to Nature (as in Homer's Jupiter & Neptune, ut ſupra, over-power'd by Fate) but the abſolute Decree (e contra) puts Nature in ſubjection to God, and does not neceſſitate Men to do ſo much Evil, and no more Good tha they do (as before largely) for God as an Infinite Cauſe can influence the Will of Man, Prov. 21.1. and determine it ſo as not to deſtroy the Liberty of it, becauſe he determines it in a way ſuitable to it's own Nature; God acting freely as the Firſt Cauſe, and Man acting freely as the Second Cauſe, in Concurrence, not by Conſtraint.
3. No Man may judge himſelf a Reprobate in this Life (excepting in that ſin unto Death) and ſo to grow deſperate; for final Diſobedience (the infallible Evidence of Reprobation) cannot be diſcover'd till Death: We are not to queſtion the Secret Will of God (which is the Rule of Events) but to mind his Revealed Will (which is the Rule of Endeavours) and to lay our Souls under his Commands: One may fulfil the ſecret Will of God and do ill, as Judas and the Jews in killing Chriſt, Acts 2.23. and one may croſs the ſecret Will of God, and do well, as David in praying for the Life of his Child, which God had decreed ſhould then dye: We muſt look into our own Boſoms, and ſo know what we are in the Boſom of God.
4. The Arminian Doctrine [God foreſaw what good Courſes I would take out of my Free-will, ſo did elect me] is miſerable Comfort to one, whoſe Heart is privy to Myriads of Deviations from God; and to tell Men they may be juſtified and ſanctified, &c. yet (for all this) may become Reprobates and be damned in the end, is deſperate Doctrine: Whereas our Doctrine is only liable to falſe Inferences, as Chriſt's was, Luk. 18.25. [Who then can be ſaved] not of it ſelf, but by corrupt Conſequences drawn from it.