Some Stop to the Gangrene of Arminianism, Sermon 5
THE FIFTH SERMON:
ROM. 11.7.
But the reſt were hardned.
HAving laid down the poſitive doctrine of Reprobation, we come now to anſwer Objections.
1 Expreſs texts of Scripture.
2. Other arguments faſtening in the Adverſaries opinion, great abſurdities upon the Former Doctrine.
1. For the Texts of Scripture, they are mainly theſe, wherein there is as much ſeemingly for them, as in all other texts of Scripture, 1 Tim. 2.4. where it is ſaid, Gods wills the ſalvation of all men, and that they ſhould come to the knowledge of the truth, 2 Pet. 3.9. where it is affirmed that God is not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance, Ezek. 33.11. where the Lord affirmes with an oath, that he hath no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live, Ezek. 18.23. the Lord hath no pleaſure at all that the wicked ſhould dye, and verſ. 32. he hath no pleaſure in the death of him that dyes: Theſe Scriptures they are wont vehemently to urge an edge, the Lord ſay they here declares himſelf poſitively, he wills all to be ſaved negatively, not willing that any ſhould periſh; further, that they might be ſaved, he wills their ſaving knowledge and repentance as having no pleaſure, no none at all in the death of a ſinner, no not of him that dyes, but the contrary that he turn and live; and for this the Lord engageth his own life.
For Anſwer.
1. We muſt give generall anſwers to thoſe Scriptures wreſted by them joyntly.
2. Particular anſwers to them ſeverally.
Anſ. 1. Conſider on the other hand what hath been formerly cleared by Scripture: that ſome the Lord hates in order to condemnation, this hatred, his decree for permitting ſin in order to hardning, for hardning in ſin in order to condemnation; this decree ariſing above all reſpects of ſin in man, though not without reſpect of ſin in him: that as the Potter of the ſame lump, makes ſome Veſſels to honour, ſome to diſhonour; ſo the Lord out of man-kind equally repreſented to his decree, not as yet Created, fits ſome for glory as veſſels of mercy; others for deſtruction as veſſels of wrath, that the different decrees of Election and Reprobation, are the originall ground of that difference which is found in the ſpiritual and eternal ſtate of men, (the Election hath obtain'd, the reſt were hardned) That in both theſe the will of God raigns; I wil have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and whom I will, I harden; that ſome were of old ordained, fore-written to this condemnation, Jude 4. that as God hath made all things for himſelf, ſo the wicked man for the day of evill, Prov. 16.4. that ſome are appointed or ſet to ſtumble at Chriſt, and his word, diſobedient thereto, 1 Pet. 2.8. and theſe oppoſed to the Elect or choſen people, verſ. 9.
We muſt ſo interpret the Scripture as it may ſtand with it ſelf; and therefore ſo the former Texts of Scripture, as that we overthrow not theſe, and the main truths held forth in them.
Anſ. 2. By diſtinction of the will of God.
The will of God is taken two wayes, ſometimes for his decreeing will, or will of intention; ſometimes for his declaring will, or will of adminiſtration.
1. His Decreeing wil determines what ſhall, or ſhall not be, of this Pſal. 115.3. and Rom. 9.19. whatſoever he wils by this, is certainly brought to paſs; whatſoever is not brought to paſſe, it is moſt certain he thus wil'd it not; for this will of his cannot be fruſtrate, as the Pſalmiſt affirmes, and the Apoſtle grants; for this will, all the moſt croſſe wills of men and Devils to his commands, fulfill it. *Lib. de Corrept. & grat. c. 14.To will and to nill is ſo in the Liberty of him that wills or nills, as that he can neither hinder the will of God, nor overcome his power: S. Auſtin.
2. His declaring will ſhews what is mans duty, what being done or undone, God approves or diſproves, it is expreſt, partly in commanding, partly in affording meanes; the Lord herein dealing with men, ſpeaks after the manner of men, what they command, or for what they afford meanes, it is commonly (though not alwaies) their intention it ſhould be done: This will is ſo often fruſtrate, as the command is broken, or the means abuſed; this will reſpects not alwaies the event; when God commands Abraham to offer Iſaac, here is his declaring will for it, it was Abrahams duty to go about it, God approved of his ready obedience, but that Iſaac ſhould be ſacrificed, he intended not, as is manifeſt by the iſſue; this is not properly his will, but the ſigne of his will, as to us, which ſometimes agrees to his wil of intention, ſometimes not; in reſpect of the Event, it being many times his decreeing will, that his declaring will ſhould not be fulfil'd; which (beſides other caſes, as in that of Abraham for offering up his Son) is alwaies when ſin is committed; of this will, Levit. 13.34. I would, ye would not; I would, by all my Prophets formerly, now by my ſelf; I called upon you, and afforded you meanes for turning to me, ye would not, ye have reſiſted my call, and abuſed the means afforded you.
Hence when God is ſaid to will the ſalvation of all, not that any ſhould periſh, not the death of him that dyes &c. either the note of univerſality (All, not any) is ſo to be limited, or the Will of God, ſo to be diſtinguiſhed, or both, as nothing may be aſcribed to the will of Gods intention, but what certainly comes to paſſe in the event.
This concluſion therefore we lay downe for further anſwer to thoſe Texts of Scripture joyntly, and to all of the ſame purport: God never intended the ſalvation of any, but thoſe who are and ſhall be ſaved; for then ſhould his will of intention be fruſtrate, which that it cannot be.
1. We have ſeen Pſal. 115.3. Rom 9.19.
2. The truth of this concluſion will appear by enquiry into that will of intention, which in God they imagine for the ſalvation of all without exception, it is either a compleat and determinate act of the will of God, or a naturall inclination in him, not in compleat operation.
If the former, then is he not unchangeable, firſt determining all men to life, then reverſing that determination; but with God there is no change nor ſhadow of turning, neither can there be, all change proceeding from imperfection, whether of wiſdome, or power, or happineſſe, therefore God wills not now one thing, then another, though he executes his Will part by part, and time by time, but his Will is alwayes one and the ſame conſtant act from all, to all eternity.
But the adverſaries here chuſe the latter rather, affirming it a naturall inclination in God, not in compleat operation, to this end diſtinguiſhing the Will of God into antecedent, or fore-going, and conſequent, or following.
The antecedent they define a naturall inclination in God, whereby he wills the ſalvation of all, before he conſiders a certaine act (as Adams ſin) or ſome certain acts, as other ſins in man: The conſequent will whereby he determines actually the condemnation of many, this determination iſſuing from the laſt judgement of Divine Wiſdom, upon the conſideration of certaine acts in the creature fore-ſeen as thoſe which ſhall be, without his decree that they ſhall be. For anſwer.
1. If this diſtinction were admitted, it could not reach; for this which they call the conſequent Will of God, hath it not taken place in the breaſt of God long ſince? Hath not God to this day conſidered of all things that can fall within conſideration concerning his creature, in order to eternall life or death? Or, by what ſlow degrees do they conceive the conſideration of God to move forward? Nay, can they forme to themſelves ſuch groſſe apprehenſions of God, as that he ſhould not have conſidered all things conſiderable before the world was? If ſo, then his conſequent will is paſt for the condemnation of many by their own grant.
2. This diſtinction is not to be admitted, as that which transformes God into a worthleſſe Idol; Being,
1. Againſt the ſimplicity of his ſpirituall nature, whereby he is what he is purely, and compleatly in act: And this is manifeſt from the perfection of his nature, the more all pure inclinations are in operation, the more perfection there; in Angells and men the more not only an inclination to the love and feare of God, &c. but the more actuall love and feare is found in them, the more perfect is their ſtate; what light is in the Sun, it alwayes actually ſhines; But the nature of God is a nature of utmoſt perfection, therefore no inclination in him, but what in compleat operation; hence he hath been by all Divines Orthodox in this point of the perfection of his nature accounted a pure Act.
2. It is againſt the perfection of his Wiſdom, there is no time nor moment can be conſidered, wherein God doth not actually conſider whatſoever can fall within conſideration concerning the creatures acts, and all things thereupon depending, and therefore no moment can be conſidered wherein God doth not compleatly and determinately will whatſoever he wills concerning his creature.
3. The Concluſion ſtands good from the power of God; If he wills the ſalvation of all, and hath power in his hand for it, then all ſhal be ſaved: It is a ruled Caſe, Quod volunt potentes agunt omnes, whatſoever any one really wills, if he have power in his hand he wil do it; what is further imaginable for doing a thing but wil and power? What ſaith Arminius here? he wils the ſalvation of all, but mode convenienti, after a fit manner: For anſwer briefly; The ſalvation of all either may be brought to paſſe after a fit manner, or it may not; if it may, then ſtill the argument ſtands good, he wils it, and it may be fitly done, and he hath power to doe it, why is not then done? And indeed that it might be done after a fit manner if he pleaſed, is manifeſt, becauſe after the ſame manner he gives grace to ſome, and perſeverance in grace, he could do it to all; If it may not be done after a fit manner, and yet according to their ſuppoſall God wills it, then he wills ſomething which cannot be done after a fit manner; how great an abſurdity is here faſtened upon the Will of God, which is the rule of all cleare, righteous, and fit proceedings? This is a will beſeeming a child rather then God; Or, what will they ſay further? Though he wills it, yet for as much as it makes more for his glory that all be not ſaved, therefore all ſhall not be ſaved.
Anſw. But if it makes againſt his glory that all ſhould be ſaved, then he wills it not, if God could will what makes againſt his own glory, and that way whereby he hath determined finally to be glorified, he could ſin againſt himſelfe; according to this ſuppoſall, there are lines running croſſe in the breaſt of God, and he is at ſtrife with himſelfe. That what the Poet ſpeakes of the weake elements amongſt themſelves, theſe Prophets ſpeaks of the one, perfect God.
Frigida pugnabant Calidis, humentia ſiccis,
Mollia cum duris, ſine pondere habentia pondus.
Cold things with hot, moiſt things with dry did fight,
Soft things with hard, and weighty things with light.
This laſt expreſly, weighty things with light, his former Will, as a thing of no weight, makeing againſt the weighty aime, and way of his own glory, (which is the end, and meaſure, and rule, and poize of all) muſt give way to this latter Will, as that wherein there is true weight.
4. From the happineſſe of God; Bradwardina, l. 1. c. 1.8 parte Corollarii.If he be perfectly happy, whatſoever he wills ſhall certainly be brought to paſſe, happineſſe is an intire and perfect good, and it is more happy to have whatſoever is willed, then to want it; for if the wanting of one thing willed doth not in any degree diminiſh happineſſe, then neither doth the want of another thing willed, for nothing added to nothing makes but nothing ſtill, then neither doth the want of a third, fourth, and ſo on in the concluſion then he may be as happy who hath nothing that he wills, as he that hath all things that he wills: But this common ſenſe abhors.
5. From the Knowledge of God; If from all eternity he knowes who ſhal be condemned, then did he will their condemnation, and that antecedently to this knowledge, he therefore knowing it, becauſe he hath willed it; for whatſoever he knowes as that which ſhall be, he knowes either in it ſelfe, or in himſelfe; hee knowes it not in it ſelfe, whilſt as yet it is not, but nothing but himſelfe was before the creation of the world, therefore nothing in it ſelfe could then be knowne to him.
Object. But as we ſee what is preſent in certain moments of time, ſo he in his eternity comprehending at once and together all time, (for his eternity is the entire poſſeſſion together and at once of a boundleſſe life) ſees before all time whatſoever is in any part of time.
Anſw. That in his eternity he may ſee any thing in it ſelfe, there is required not only the exiſtence of his boundleſſe life together and at once but the co-exiſtence of the thing it ſelfe to be ſeen, and therefore as man ſees not any thing in it ſelf in one moment of time, which is not in that moment, but ſhal be in an after moment, ſo neither doth God ſee any thing in it ſelfe before all time which is not, but in time, otherwiſe he ſhould ſee time in it ſelfe before all time; which is a contradiction, and here is no ſhadow of imperfection in God, but an impoſſibility in the thing; and what is here ſaid for the thing it ſelfe, is as cleare for all created cauſes of the thing, they cannot in themſelves be ſeen before all time, they themſelves being but in time, what he knowes then from eternity as that which ſhall be, it is in himſelfe that he knowes it, if in himſelfe, in his will.
1. In God there is a threefold knowledge Firſt, an apprehenſion of the nature of things, this may be ſhadowed by thoſe formes which we finde in our owne minds, when we think of any thing meerly according to the ſimple nature of it, as when a builder hath the Platforme of a houſe in his mind, but proceeds no further, either to determine it ſhall, or ſhall not, may or may not be built: thus in the Divine Nature there is the apprehenſion of all things, poſſible, impoſſible, poſſibilities, and unpoſſbilities, but that herein he doth not determinately know what ſhal be is manifeſt, becauſe thence it would follow, that he apprehends no more then the things that are, and ſhall be.
1. The knowledge of what is poſſible, what may or may not be determinately; and this he knows in his own power, whatſoever is poſſible to be done, is therefore poſſible, becauſe he hath power to bring it to paſs; but herein doth he not determinately know what ſhall be, becauſe then he ſhould be of power to do no more then he doth.
3. It remaines then that the knowledge of what ſhall be, is founded in his will; how did he know the world ſhould be, and ſhould be this and no other, before it was? in his mind are thouſands of other formes and repreſentations, and he was able to have made it of annother form, and other kind of Creatures, ſo that here he could not know it ſhould be, and that it ſhould be this; but herein he knows both that it ſhould be, and that it ſhould be this, and no other, becauſe he wil'd that it ſhould be, and that it ſhould be this, that it is: If God knew then from all eternity, that all ſhould not be ſaved, and who they were, herein he knew it, becauſe it was his will that all ſhould not be ſaved, and that theſe ſhould be they which ſhould not be ſaved: But as hath been formerly noted, the Arminians are very creperous in point of Gods knowledge of the ſtate of man, in order to eternal life, allowing no determinate and certain ground of it, either in God or Man.
Thus much for anſwer in generall to theſe Scriptures joyntly, now more particularly.
1. To thoſe two Scriptures, 1 Tim. 2.4. where it is ſaid God would have all men to be ſaved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth, and 2 Pet. 3.9. where it is ſaid, that God is not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance: theſe Scriptures free themſelves from that generall interpretation, ſo he that wills that all ſhall be ſaved, as he wills that they ſhould come to the knowledge of the truth; ſo he is not willing that any ſhould periſh, as he wils that all ſhould repent; But is it the Lords will of intention, or his decreeing will, that all without exception ſhould come to the knowledge of the truth, and to repentance? the contrary is manifeſt.
1. From the denyall of meanes.
2. From the denyall of his ſpirit to many who have the means.
1. For the denyall of meanes. 1. He affords not to all the neceſſary means; inſtances of this are ſo evident, as cannot be gain-ſaid: for the firſt 4000 years well nigh, the world generally was over-looked, the means of knowledge, the diſcovery of the Covenant of God, onelyonly in the Church, and that Church ſhut up firſt in the families of the Patriarchs, afterwards in the little nation of the Jews; hence that of the Apoſtle, Acts 17.30. and 16. Rom. 25.26. hence the Jews ſo ſtartled when the door of faith was ſet open generally to the Gentiles; The Apoſtle Peter himſelf, muſt by a Viſion from heaven, be taught the counſell of God, for the call of the Gentiles, Act. 10.
Since the comming of Chriſt, to this day, is the Goſpel preached in every Nation without exception? are there no Pagan Nations in the world?
2. He hath ſometimes denyed the means to thoſe whoſe hearts he hath ſeen leſs obſtinate in caſe the means had come to them, then others unto whom he hath ſent the means, and left them to periſh in the obſtinacy of their hearts againſt the means ſent; thus it was betwixt Tyre and Sidon, on the one hand, and Capernaum on the other, by our Saviours own Teſtimony.
Object. All in Adam were taken into the Covenant of Grace.
Anſ. 1. If it was true, it reacheth not, how ſhall his poſterity in after generations, come within the call of Grace, or to the knowledge of the Goſpel, meerly upon that ground that Adam was once poſſeſt of it for them.
2 It is utterly falſe, for then ſhould Adam have been a root of Goſpell righteouſneſs to his poſterity, whereas it is Chriſt in oppoſition to Adam, that is ſo, Rom. 5.
Object. They had the meanes of knowledge in their Ancestours long ſince, who by their unworthy working have loſt them, for themſelves and poſterity.
Anſw. 1. If that was granted, it would not thence follow that God would that their poſterity ſhould come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 This ſuppoſeth their Anceſtours a common Stock, forfeiting for their poſterity, Goſpell priviledges all the world over; but it is plain that there were ſome Nations which never had the Goſpel among them, till many years after the death of Chriſt.
Object. The Creation holds forth ſo much of God, that if man would improve it ſo farre as he might by the power of nature, God would then reveale the Goſpel to him, and give him preventing grace; and this law he made with Chriſt, for the merit of his paſſion, ſo that thus all men have the meanes of ſaving knowledge initially in the Creature, and it is in their hands to improve thoſe initiall meanes to the obtaining of the ultimate meanes in the word of the Goſpell, hence they teach that the Sun, Moon, and Stars, preach the Goſpell Rom. 10.
Anſ. This Tenent is meerly Jeſuitical, overthrown by the more Orthodox of the Papiſts themſelves, by theſe, or ſome of theſe following Arguments.
1. God in revealing the Goſpel, is found of thoſe that ſought him not, &c. Rom. 10.20.
2. It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that ſheweth mercy, Rom. 9.16. whereas according to this Tenent, onelyonly to him that by the improvement of naturall power, wills and runs, mercy ſhould be ſhown.
3. He will have mercy, on whom he wil have mercy, and whom he will he hardens, Rom 9.18. where the originall ground of ſalvation is aſcribed meerly to the will of God, but according to this Tenent, his will is ſuſpended upon mans work.
4. Who made thee to differ? and what haſt thou that thou haſt not received? 1 Cor. 4.7. the graduall difference found amongſt the Saints themſelves, is from God by what they receive; much more that ſpecificall difference betwixt Saints and Sinners.
5. The greateſt of ſinners who have moſt abuſed their naturall Talents, as Publicans, Harlets; and ſuch as the Apoſtle reckons up, 1 Cor. 6.9.10. are called, when many more reſtrained, and better qualified for moral vertues are paſſed by. Non habeo &c. There is nothing that I can behold in chuſing men to ſaving grace; ſhould I in my thoughts be permitted to the tryall of this Election, but either greater wit, or ſmaller ſinnes, or both; let us add if you pleaſe, boneſt and profitable acts; whoſoever therefore he is, who is intangled and defiled with the ſmalleſt ſins, (for from all who can be free?) and of quick wit, and accompliſht with the choiſeſt acts, ſeemes a fit man to be choſen to grace; but when I ſhall thus determine, ſo will he laugh at me, who hath choſen the weak things of the world that he may confound the ſtrong, and the fooliſh things of the world, that he may confound the wiſe, that I beholding him, and with ſhame corrected, laught at many, who both compared with ſome ſinners, are more chaſt, and with ſome fiſhermen, are Orators, &c. Anguſtine. Ad Simplic. Lib. 1. ad finem fere.
6. According to this ſuppoſition, there is no place for preventing grace, but it is prevented debt, when a ſinner is converted, ſo that it overthrows it ſelf; not grace, becauſe it is of works, and ſo not preventing, becauſe prevented by fore-going works, in the improvement of naturall powers.
Object. But it is for the merits of Chriſt, and therefore of grace.
Anſ. But where it is of works, it is not of grace, ſaith the Apoſtle; therefore this, hath Chriſt no more merited, it (being the overthrow of grace) then that we ſhould be juſtified by works; by both which, grace would be made no grace: as for that Text, Rom. 10.18. compared weth the 19. Pſalme, it is a moſt ridiculous wreſting, to apply it to this purpoſe; It is plain there, that they whoſe ſound goes forth, &c. are the Apoſtles, and ſent teachers preaching the word of the Goſpel, to the eare; by whoſe preaching faith is immediately begotten, upon hearing, verſ. 14.15.16, 17 not the Sun, Moon, and ſtars, holding forth the works of God to the eye, by which men are remotely prepared for the Goſpel, and faith by it; and what is alleadged out of the 19. Pſalme, is ſpoken alluſively; the courſe of the Goſpel in the hands of the Apoſtles and their Succeſſors, compared to the courſe of the Sun in the ſkie: Thus much for the denyall of means.
2. For the denyall of his ſpirit in regard of ſaving operation, to many who enjoy the means: The ſame word preached is to one the ſavour of life to life, to another the ſavour of death to death; whilſt ſome are converted, others are hardned: obſerve here,
1. It is God that makes the difference. 1 Cor. 4.7. the effectual call of a ſinner in ſaving illumination, faith and repentance is the guift, Ephe. 1.17. and 2.8. Phil. 1.29. 2. Tim. 2.29. Ezek. 36.26.27.
2. It is of meer grace, without reſpect of former works, 2. Tim. 1.9. Rom. 11.5.6. Rom. 9.11.
3. The Lord herein uſeth an abſolute liberty, Jo. 3.8.
4. He gives in the call of a converted ſinner, both the power, and the acting of that power; to ſuch as are not converted he gives neither: the former part of this is clear by the forementioned Texts, proving it to be his gift; both the former and the latter is clear, Joh. 6.44.45. no man can come without the fathers drawing and teaching; therefore where this is not, there is not ſo much as the power, but where this is; not onelyonly can they, but they do come; hence the converſion of a ſinner is an effectuall and a peculiar work of God; and if God did the ſame for thoſe who are not converted, which he doth for thoſe that are, they ſhould be converted too; but this we have ſeen before.
5. The Lord in this proceeds according to his decree, for converting ſome, by hardning others againſt the means, Rom. 9.18. for converſion, Act. 13.48. Rom. 8.30. Ephe. 1.4.5. for hardning, Ioh. 12.37. to the 42. that the Jews were not converted by the powerfull miniſtry of Chriſt, was hence, ſaith the Evangeliſt; becauſe the Lord had long before determined their hardning, and foretold it; Eſay in his time beholding the glory of Chriſt, as he was to be revealed by his coming in the fleſh, and preaching, (adding miracles to his Sermons) to the Jews; propheſied of theſe Jews, that they by his word and works ſhould be hardned: Hence then it will be manifeſt upon the ſumming up of theſe particulars, that by all here, cannot be meant every one without exception; not ſo much as the declaring will of God, in affordding the meanes being for all in that ſenſe; much leſſe his decreeing will, according to which he diſpenſeth himſelfe thus differently, both in affording and applying the meanes; we will here conclude with *Lib. de Geneſ. ad literam. c. 10.S. Austin, God could (ſaith he) turn the will of the wicked into good, he could 'tis plain, becauſe he is omnipotent, why therefore doth he not? becauſe he will not; why he will not, it is with himſelfe, (penes ipſum eſt) for we ought not to be wiſe above what behoves. Here the wiſdom and Soveraignty of God betake themſelves to their height, he that will here ſtraine his eye, ſhall loſe his ſight; he that will needs be ſounding theſe depths, ſhall loſe his plumb; he that will ſearch out the majeſty, ſhall be over-whelmed with the glory. Thus much for the particular Anſwers to thoſe two Scriptures joyntly, now in the laſt place to each apart.
For the firſt, 1 Tim. 2.4. It is manifeſt by the Context, it is meant of all rankes and orders of men, whether Kings, and thoſe in Authority, or Subjects, and thoſe under Authority, (as in Gal. 3.28. no difference of Nation, ſex, condition, exclude from Chriſt) and there was ſpeciall reaſon from the ſtate of thoſe times for the Apoſtle to ſpeake to this; The Kings and Rulers of the world being then great perſecutors of the truth, and profeſſed enemies to it, it might ſeem labour in vaine to pray for ſuch a deplored kind of men; therefore the Apoſtle uſeth this reaſon, that of that order of men as well as others, God hath his Elect whom hee will ſave.
For the ſecond, 2 Pet. 3.9. To us-ward ſaith the Apoſtle, who are theſe? The Apoſtle an Elect and Believing perſon writing to the diſperſed Jews, who for the Goſpell ſuffered perſecution, themſelves Elect Believers and ſanctified, 1 Pet. 1.1, 2. and 2 Pet. 3.1. The ſum then is this, God delayes the day of his great judgement, that he might firſt gather in all his Elect ones, not willing that any of them ſhould periſh, and as this is applied to them of that generation amongſt the Jewes, ſo it looks further to that harveſt of Gods Elect amongſt them, which in their great call, yet to come, is to be gathered in, Rom. 11.28. &c.
For the other two Scriptures, Ezek. 33. and 18.
1. The Lord wills not their death by his declaring will, for as much as he hath commanded them to return, and given them means for it.
2. For his decreeing Will, the Lord by it wills not their death, according to the purport of their charge againſt him, to which here he anſwers.
They charge the Lord, firſt, as unjuſt, puniſhing the children for the Fathers offences, the children themſelves free, Ezek. 18.2. Secondas unmerciful, as though inexorable againſt repentant ſinners; this the Lord ſhewes to bee charged againſt him in his anſwer to them, chap. 18. mentiening ſo often that the wicked returning ſhall find mercy, and both theſe we find charged upon him, chap. 33. unmercifulneſſe, v. 10. injuſtice, v. 17. had this charge been true, the Lord had delighted in the death and torments of periſhing ſinners, as a Tyrant delights in the blood of his Subjects, had not willed their death as a righteous judge wills the death of a Malefactor. The Anſwer then is, That God doth not ſo will the death of a ſinner, as that he is liable to the Charge of Injuſtice, condemning without fault, or to the charge of unmercifulneſſe, inexorable againſt repenting ſinners, but for their juſt and true incouragement, hath he ſo fully expreſſed himſelfe, not to will the death of a ſinner, no not of him that dies, in the meane time upon immovable grounds formerly laid downe, the Lord wills the death of thoſe that die, for the glory of his own power and juſtice, ſeen in their condemnation.
[The like Anſwers in generall are to be given to thoſe Seriptures ſo frequently alledged, and as often perverted, for Ʋniverſall Redemption; which Scriptures the adverſaries are wont to object againſt the Doctrine of Predeſtination. Further and particular anſwers, 1. The main Texts alledged by them, do of themſelves, together with the Context afford: 2. The Analogie of Faith in many fundamentall Doctrines clearly taught in the word of truth, amongſt which this of Predeſtination hath the leading place; in which whoſoever is truly inſtructed, is ſurely anchor'd againſt that windy error.]
Hitherto we have anſwered theſe two laſt Scriptures, Ezek. 18. and 33. upon ſuppoſition that eternall death was there ſpoken of, whereas it is indeed temporall judgements which they there complaine of, and about which the Lord cleares himſelfe, as is manifeſt, Ezek. 18.2. with Jer. 27. to the 31. verſ. and Ezek. 33. from the 24. to the 30, verſ. where it is evident, the deſolation of their Land was the matter of their quarrel and complaint, they were ſo far from complaining, that God had given them over to hardneſs of heart, ordering them thereby to eternall death, as that they juſtifie themſelves as ſuffering undeſervedly; That was indeed the complaint of an humble and repenting people, Iſai. 63.17. but theſe were quite of another ſtraine. To this the ſum of the Lords anſwer is; That they are the Authors of their own wo, he is ſo far from taking pleaſure in their undeſerved ſufferings, that would they be righteous they ſhould be free from miſerie, to this end hath he commanded them to turne from their iniquities, and afforded them means for the ſame, that obeying they might live. A great ſtir the Arminian Nation is wont to make with theſe Texts of Scripture, diſputing all the while upon a falſe interpretation, and meerly perverting the queſtion here held forth.