Some Stop to the Gangrene of Arminianism, Sermon 4
THE FOURTH SERMON.
ROM. 11.7.
But the reſt were hardned.
WE now come to the Decree of Reprobation.
1. For the word, oppoſite to Election, Iſai. 41.9.
2. For the thing, it may be gathered partly from the precedent Doctrine of Election, partly from expreſſe Scripture concerning it.
It is the eternal decree of God, whereby hee hath, meerly becauſe he would, hated the reſt of men, (the ſame is true of the Angells, but wee confine our diſcourſe to man) beſides his Elect, ſo as to appoint them to diſhonour and deſtruction for ever by ſinne, for the glory partly of his ſoveraigne power over man, partly of his revenging juſtice upon periſhing ſinners, and laſtly of the riches of his mercy upon his choſen and ſaved ones.
This deſcription wil be clearly made good in the particulars of it, by looking backe into the former diſcourſe, that we ſhal not need to be long upon it.
1. That there is in God a decree oppoſite to the eternal decree of Election, is manifeſt, Rom. 9.11. as hath by a threefold argument been proved, in opening that Verſe in the firſt Sermon, as likewiſe by opening the 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Verſes at the beginning of the ſecond Sermon, and the ſecond Obſervation upon them. (I muſt here, and divers times hereafter in this diſcourſe of Reprobation, refer the Reader to what hath been ſpoken in opening the ninth to the Romans, &c. both becauſe repetitions of the ſame thing would needleſly increaſe the bulke of this diſcourſe, and breed confuſion in the underſtanding.)
2. That it is his decree of hatred, this hatred oppoſed to electing love is manifeſt, Rom. 9.13. that it is ſuch an hatred, as refers to the excluſion out of the Covenant of life, and to eternal death, is there proved in handling the third inſtance upon Ver. 10, 11, 12, 13. joyntly in the firſt Sermon, as likewiſe in the third Sermon almoſt at the beginning, in handling the third particular, that Election is for eternal life: The proofe thereof carrying along with it the proofe of this too, that Reprobation is for eternal death. But for our more diſtinct apprehenſion, we have here three things to conſider.
1. Wherein this hatred conſiſts.
2. Who are the objects of it.
3. What is the ground of it.
For the firſt, it conſiſts in two things: 1. The decree of permitting ſin, in order to hardning in it: 2. The decree of hardning in ſinne, in order to condemnation for it; or rather in the decree of God for two things. Firſt, for permitting of ſin, in order to hardning in it: And ſecondly, for hardning in ſin, in order to condemnation for it.
That God decrees the being of ſinne in the world, hath been proved by divers arguments towards the end of the ſecond Sermon, and that it be by his permiſſion, without which it could not be. Now further, for the Reprobate he decrees the permitting of it in order to hardning, and their hardning in it in order to their condemnation: Hence the method whereby the Reprobates are carryed on to condemnation, which is according to the decree of God oppoſite to Election, is by hardning, Rom. 9.18. (He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy) looking back-wards to his love of Jacob, and fore-ward to the honour, verſ. 21. and glory, 23. of the veſſels of mercy prepared thereunto, as thoſe on whom he would make known the riches of his glory. (And whom he wills he hardens) looking back-wards likewiſe to his hatred of Eſau, and for-ward to the diſhonour of (v. 21.) his wrath and power againſt, v. 22. the veſſels of wrath fitted for deſtruction, which by abuſing the long-ſuffering of God towards them, they in the end incur, ſo Rom. 11.7. The Election hath obtained it, the reſt were hardned.
By divine permiſſion, then to fall into ſin is common to the Elect with the Reprobate, and that both in Adam and themſelves, but with different aime on Gods part, and different fruit or iſſue on mans, by the ſins of the Elect, way is made for their Redemption by Chriſt; by the ſins of the Reprobate, way is made for their finall hardning in ſin, and ſo for eternall death, that as the love of God to the Elect is expreſt, 1. In their effectuall call. 2. In their finall perſeverance; ſo his hatred to the Reprobate, 1. In leaving them to their ſins 2. In final hardning in ſin. For further clearing this point in hand, let us reſolve one queſtion.
Q. What is it to harden in ſin?
Anſ. It is the exerciſe of righteous judgement by God upon ſinners, whereby he gives them over ſo fully to the power of their own luſt, and to the dominion of Satan, that they are no longer capable of ſpirituall good, but on the contrary, not onelyonly by all temptations to ſin, but by the moſt powerfull meanes againſt ſinne they ſhall grow worſe and worſe.
We read of a two-fold hardning, one befalling the Diſciples of Chriſt; Mark 6 52. this expreſſeth it ſelf in ſottiſhneſs, oppoſite to due apprehenſion, foreign, they underſtand not, concerning the loaves, the other peculiar to the Reprobate, expreſſing it ſelf in ſtubbornneſs, oppoſite to due ſubmiſſion; thus Pharoah as, yet exalteſt thou thy ſelf againſt me? Exod. 9.17. It is this that we here ſpeak unto.
Concerning this three things.
1. What is the ſtate of a ſinner thus hardned? It is this, he is no longer capable of ſpirituall good, &c. So with Pharoah, when the Apoſtle inſtanceth as an example of Reprobation, he ſtill grew worſe and worſe by all the great works of God before him, and upon him, after every new plague, his heart hardned anew, Exod, 7.2.3.4. when the Magicians were forced to confeſs the power of God againſt them; ſtill his heart hardned, Exod. 8.19. ſo the Reprobate Jews, Iſa. 6.9.10. with Mat. 13. v. 14.15. their hardneſs of heart went on againſt all that they heard and ſaw in the word and workes of God by the Prophet, by Chriſt himſelf, and his Apoſtles, ſottiſhneſs and ſtubbornneſs, both prevailing in them.
2. What is Gods way of hardning the Reprobate? he gives them over ſo fully, &c. as it is in the deſcription; here are two particulars eſpecially to be taken notice of.
1. He gives them over fully to the power of their luſts, and this he doth by with-holding thoſe works of his ſpirit, for enlightning, convincing, awing, enclining, which formerly he afforded: There is a time when even the Reprobates (many of them) are in regard of meanes offorded, and the workes of Gods ſpirit upon them, by the means in a faire way for life, but they abuſing that light and thoſe motions of the ſpirit,; the Lord with-holds thoſe works of his, no longer reſtraining them as formerly, but ſuffering them to run headlong into all wickedneſſe wholly byaſſed by their luſts; hence God is ſaid to harden them, Iohn. 12.40 referring to that of Eſay 6.9, 10. he thus giving them over, and they are ſaid to harden themſelves, Mat. 13.15. (their eyes have they cloſed, conmpare the Context) they given over increaſing in ſtubbornneſs againſt the Lord, ſo in the Hiſtory of Pharoah; ſometimes God is ſaid to harden his heart, ſometimes he is ſaid to harden his own heart.
2. He gives them over to the dominion of Satan (whom they have choſen rather to ſerve then God) as the inſtrument of his wrath, to blind them more, to ſmite them with further hardnes of heart, to infuſe into them, and ſtir up in them more enmity againſt God, thus 2 Theſ. 2.10, 11.12. God gives over ſuch as received not the love of the truth, &c. to the effectuall deluſions of Satan, with certain aime at their damnation, thus 1 Sam. 16.14. and 18.10. and 19.9. there is an evill ſpirit from the Lord ſtirring up Saul to rage and murder, an evill ſpirit, therefore the Devil, from the Lord, therefore he had commiſſion from God (as the lying ſpirit in the mouths of Ahabs Prophets had) and Saul was given up of God, to the effectuall working and dominion of that evill ſpirit.
3. The Lord as the ſupream mover acts them thus deſtitute of his grace, and wrought upon by Satan; hence the Lord is ſaid to harden, to fatten, to ſtrengthen, to turn the heart of the Reprobate unto evill; ſo for turning their hearts, Pſal, 105.25. (of the work of God upon the wills of men, moving them when they move ſinfully, he himſelf free from their ſinne, ſee more fully in anſwer to the firſt Objection in the laſt Sermon.)
3. The ground of this hardning work, it is their former ſinnes; therefore we ſay it is the exerciſe of the Lords righteous judgement upon ſinners when he hardens, though the decree of permitting fin in order to hardning, and of hardning in order to condemnation, riſeth above ſin either acted or foreſeen as that which ſhall be, the Lord in this decree of his ſeeing that it ſhall be as formerly hath been proved; yet the execution of this decree in hardning, ever followes ſin committed, ſo 2 Theſ. 2. becauſe they received not the love of the truth, there was their ſin, God gave them up, &c. there their judgement, ſo Rom. 1.24.26. Thus have we ſeen wherein this hatred conſiſts, further clearing up to us, that ſuch a decree there is, and thus, and in this method do we underſtand that which is expreſt in the deſcription, that God appoints the Reprobate to diſhonour and deſtruction for ever by ſin. Hence they are called veſſels for diſhonour and of wrath, fitted to deſtruction, Rom 9.21.22. Hence the Apoſtle tels us by clear inſinuation, that ſome are appointo wrath, 2 Theſ. 5.9. ſpeaking of it as the great happineſſe of himſelf and the Saints there, that God had not appointed them to wrath, ſome he had appointed thereto, hence Iude 4. Certain men fore-ordained, or fore-written to that judgement: as Election is the book of life, ſo Reprobation of death, the names of the Reprobate there Regiſtred for deſtruction, in vain it is objected that fore-writing there is nothing but Enochs fore-propheſying, verſ. 14. For
1. How doth it appear that Enochs Propheſie was written?
2. In that they in S. Judes time were by Enoch propheſied of ſo many ages before, it is manifeſt they were ſo many ages before ordained to judgement, & if ſo many ages before, then from all eternity; there being no imaginable reaſon why in that age God ſhould firſt decree it, ſetting aſide that all the decrees of God are eternall, and that his love of Election, and hatred of Reprobation are not at all of works done or fore-ſeen. Hence 1 Pet. 2.8. There are certain men appointed formerly, or put (foreign) to ſtumble at the Goſpell, diſobedient thereto, hence Prov. 16.4. the wicked are made for the day of evill; God in the Creation of man, hath the condemnation of the Reprobate for his own glory in his eye, therefore are they veſſels deſigned to diſhonour and deſtruction when the Lord formes them, Rom. 9.20, 21, 22. Hitherto that there is ſuch a decree of hatred in God concerning the Reprobates, and wherein it conſiſts. Now
2. For the Object of this hatred, who are theſe Reprobates here ſpoken of?
Anſ. All but the Elect.
1. The Election hath obtained (ſaith the Apoſtle) but the reſt were hardned, ſpeaking of the Jews; but in his following diſcourſe he divides the whole world into theſe two ranks, as hath been formerly obſerved, in the ſecond Sermon, the ſecond obſervation upon the Context, from the 14. to the 19. verſ. of the ninth to the Romanes.
2. Foraſmuch as he hath choſen ſome, and but ſome to life; either he hath determined all the reſt to death, or elſe there are ſome men on whom the Lord hath paſt no certain determination, either for life or death; not for life, then he had choſen them, not for death as is here ſuppoſed. Then 1. He determines not how he wil be finally glorified by them. 2. Nor what ſhall be their …mall ſtate. 3. Nor what their way and courſe ſhall be in this life, but this is to make void a great part of his providence; then by the ſame reaſon the like may be affirmed of the Angels, and ſo the Kingdome of his providence ſtill more ſtraightned, and he in effect denyed the Univerall and ſupeam Ruler.
3. The deccree of Reprobation for ſome hath been already proved, and there being no reaſon any where hinted in the Scriptures, nor eaſily imaginable why ſome of the non-Elect ſhould be Reprobate, and not all; It muſt needs be granted of them all.
4 Foraſmuch as in Election, life and all bleſſings for life are prepared, and all depends upon Election that makes for his glory, and all men in the concluſion are ſaved or damned; hence it muſt needs be that all but the Elect are Reprobate, ſo Rev. 20.15. the condemnation of all thoſe that periſh at the day of judgement is ultimately derived from their non-Election; whence it is manifeſt that upon Election depends eternall life originally. We may therefore ſay of all but the Elect, as it is Hab. 1.12. but we ſhall not need further to inſiſt upon this, there being very few, if any, who grant the Reprobation of ſome, but they grant it likewiſe of all but the Elect.
3. For the ground of this hatred, why doth God decree to permit the reſt of men beſides the Elect to ſin, with certain aime at their hardning in ſin, and to harden them in ſin, with certain aime at their condemnation for ſinne?
Anſ. There is no ground at all but his own will for his own glory: therefore we ſay he hath hated meerly becauſe he would: for this the Apoſtle is clear, Rom. 9.
1. Expreſly removing all works of man, ſo as to aſcribe all to the purpoſe of God, v. 11.
2. Expreſly reſolving the difference betwixt the Elect and Reprobate meerly into the will of God, verſ. 15. to 24. The fuller clearing of this Scripture, making good the matter in hand, ſee in the firſt Sermon, beginning at the 11. verſ. of this ninth to the Rom. thence to the end of the ſecond Sermon, where we ſhall finde upon the 11. verſ.
1. Three arguments to prove that the purpoſe of God muſt be wholly of it ſelf.
2. The Apoſtles whole diſcourſe both in raiſing and refuting Objections from verſ. 14. to verſ. 22. clearly proving it.
Hitherto that Reprobation is Gods eternal decree, that it is his decree of hatred, that it is his decree for permitting to ſin, with certain aime at hardning in ſin, for hardning in ſin with certain aime at condemnation for ſin, that the object of this decree is all to a man, beſides the Elect.
Now follows the end of it, his own glory,
1. In his ſoveraigne power over man.
2. In his revenging juſtice upon periſhing ſinners.
3. In the riches of his mercy upon his choſen and ſaved ones.
That the glory of God is the end of all, that he is all manner of waies in all his attributes to be glorified; that whatſoever his wiſdom dictates to be for his glory muſt be brought to paſs: ſee towards the end of the ſecond Sermon, where we have ſpoken to the ſecond part of the Apoſtles anſwer, Rom. 9.22.23.
Now theſe attributes, the glorifying whereof the Lord had in his eye, eſpecially in the decree of Reprobation: Are
1. His ſoveraigne power over man, conſidered neither as pure, nor impure, but not as yet created; his decree ordaining the reſt but the Elect, unto ſin, and deſtruction by ſin, Rom. 9.20 21. And this is more fully diſcourſed, and (I think) clearly proved in the ſecond Sermon, beginning towards the beginning of the Sermon, at the fifth obſervation there, continuing to the end of the Apoſtles plea for Gods abſolute power, and the opening of that plea, verſ. 20.21. It is likewiſe further cleared in this Sermon where this hatred of God is opened, that which we have but now been upon.
2. His juſt wrath, or revenging juſtice upon periſhing ſinners, together with his power or might for their deſtruction, verſ. 22. where we may obſerve.
1. The power mentioned in this verſ, is his foreign, that is, his might for execution of his judgement upon the Reprobates to their deſtruction; the power mentioned verſ. 21. is his foreign, that is right or authority; this referring to the Creation of Man, God hath right to Create man to what finall ſtate he pleaſeth, and accordingly to order him thereto, that to the condemnation of ſinfull man.
2. The Reprobate are veſſels of wrath fitted or prepared for deſtruction, which neither only nor mainly relates to themſelves, as corrupting themſelves, and ſo bringing damnation upon themſelves, though it be true that ſo they do, but it primarily refers to God and his aime in their Creation, as is manifeſt both by the Metaphor: The Potter prepares or fits the Veſſell of diſhonour for it's diſhonourable uſe, and by the former diſcourſe, which hath been large-ſpoken to, agreeable to the Scripture otherwhere, Prov. 16.4. he hath made the wicked man for the day of evill, in his decree of Creation, then he had his finall deſtruction in his eye, and therefore whatſoever ſhould make for it, ſo 1 Pet. 2.8. and Jude 4.
3. His mercy towards his Elect, verſ. 23. this hath been formerly ſpoken to, at the end of the third Sermon, upon that part of the deſcription of Election, to the praiſe of his glorious grace.