A Stock of Divine Knowledge, Chapter 20
OF THE HATRED OF GOD. CHAP. XX.
PSAL. 6.6.
Thou hateſt all the workers of iniquity.
THE next thing is, the Hatred of God: and to hold the ſame courſe we have held before: our firſt Queſtion is this:
Queſt. What is the hatred of God?
Anſw. The anſwer is thus much; the hatred of God is a communicable Attribute, whereby he freely decrees not to ſhew mercy, but to deny to moſt the grace of election, deſtinating them to deſtruction, exactly puniſhing them when they are wicked, and ſo hating all iniquity.
This deſcription hath a great deale of matter in it, therefore we will explane it. Hatred, ſay ſome, is not to be attributed to God; we doe not contend againſt them, if they underſtand hatred to be a paſſion of the minde, which is ſeldome without corruption; but when they take hatred, as the Scriptures ſpeake of it; then, as God loves that which is good, ſo he hates that which is nought and evill: for as God is ſaid to love, ſo he is ſaid to hate. Againe, I ſay it is a communicable attribute, becauſe that there is the like in man: next, it is that by which he freely decrees not to ſhew mercy to the wicked, to deny to them the grace of election. To open this: hatred, in the Scriptures doth many times ſignifie to refuſe, to give and to deny favours; to put behinde, and make leſſe account of one then another, as our Saviour Chriſt ſaith, Luke 14 26. He that hateth not his father and his mother, &c. that is, he that doth not deny his father, by putting him behinde him, and neglecting him, when he commands any thing, and God another: God ſaw that Leah was hated, that is, was not ſo dearely loved as Rahel: ſo this hatred of God is to neglect to ſhew favour, and to deny the grace of election to the wicked: this is apparant, Rom. 9.13. I have hated Eſan, and loved Iacob: this is not put down but with oppoſition: I have loved Iacob, and hated Eſau: that is to ſay, I have not decreed nor offered this grace and favour of election to Eſau, which I have allowed to Iacob: it is that which is further manifeſt in the 18. verſe of the ſame chapter, I will have mercy on whom I will, and whom I will I harden, &c. This God doth freely from his owne will; his will is the ſolitary cauſe of denying the grace of election: the cauſe why he choſe Iacob, and hated Eſau, was nothing but his will: it is manifeſt, Rom. 9.11.12. before they had done good or evil, God ſaid, that the elder ſhould ſerve the yonger, that it might be of grace: if you aske the Apoſtle a proofe of this, he alledges a place out of Exodus: if any man ſhould wrangle with God, and ſay, God is unjuſt, that he ſhould love one, and hate another; the Apoſtle anſwers, There is no unrighteouſneſſe with God, ver. 14. and for this he gives a proofe, Exod. 23.19. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and whom I will, &c. As God doth abſolutely love whom he will, ſo he doth abſolutely hate whom he will; he denies the grace of election to the moſt: there are but a few that have favour; Mat. 20.16. Many are called. The next thing is, that he deſtinates them to deſtruction, as the puniſhment of ſinne. Iude 4. men were before of old ordained to this condemnation: He hath prepared Tophet of old, Eſa. 30. ult. not that God doth delight in the torment of the creature, or created any thing that he might deſtroy it; but out of his hatred to ſinne, and love of juſtice, did decree, and prepare to puniſh all, and onelyonly ſuch as ſhould live and dye in ſinne, without repentance. That negative act of reprobation, or preterition findes all men alike, in the ſame condition; this poſitive act of predamnation, reſpects men as ſinners, without repentance. That firſt act is grounded onelyonly on the abſolute will of God, I will have mercy on whom I will, &c. and whom I will I harden: but this latter act is an act not ſo much of power as of juſtice, and alwayes hath reſpect to ſinne. The third thing, That he actually puniſhes them when they are wicked: It is manifeſt, that they that be born in ſinne, and live in ſinne, knowing it to be ſinne, be enemies to God, and to the grace of God; and them he actually hates when they are wicked. This is apparant; Thou hateſt all thoſe that worke wickedneſſe; and that hatred carries the puniſhment, as appeares by the next words of my Text; and thou deſtroyeſt all thoſe that tell lyes: and therefore he doth not hate them, as they are men, and his creatures, but as they are wicked. Bernard ſaith, man could not endure after Gods making, but he would be better; therefore he was caſt out of Paradiſe, Godhating all iniquity in whomſoever it was, elect or reprobate, Pſal. 45.7. Thou loveſt righteouſneſſe, and hateſt iniquity: and this I might ſhew unto you, that there is no ſinne almoſt, but I can bring you a plaine text of Gods hatred of it; ſometimes hating idolatry, ſometimes hating blood, ſometimes falſe weights, ſometimes contempt of his Word, ſometimes wicked thoughts; all which ſhew, that he hates iniquity: two wayes he manifeſts he hates it; in ſome, becauſe he deſtroyes them for it: in others, becauſe he tooke it away by juſtice, in his owne Sonne. And thus much for this deſcription.
Queſt. How juſtly can God decree and deſtinate men to hatred and deſtruction abſolutely?
Anſw. The anſwer is thus: Becauſe he is the creator of all, the Lord over all; by either of which, he may decree what he pleaſe concerning his creatures. We manifeſt this: firſt, that he is the creator of all, no man makes queſtion; then if he made all as he would, and to what end he would, (deformed in body, or deſtitute of good, Eſai 64.8. We are the clay, and thou art the potter, we are all the workes of thy hands,) may not he the Potter, of one and the ſame lumpe, make one veſſell to honour, and another to diſhonor. If he may make a veſſell as he will, then he may doe with it what he will, Rom 9.20, 21. when he had ſpoken of mans reprobation, there may be ſome that would queſtion with him, and ſay; How is this juſt? he anſwers, What are thou oh man! that diſputeſt with God? ſhall the thing formed, ſay to him that formed it, Why madeſt thou me ſo? So verſ. 20. The potter hath power over the clay, and hath not the Lord much more power over us? Secondly, He is an abſolute Lord over us, What followes then? he may therefore for the manifeſtation of the greatneſſe of his mercy, appoint ſome to glory, and ſome to deſtruction. Why? becauſe he is abſolute Lord: marke the place in which the Apoſtle ſpeakes of the Potter, What if God willing to ſhew his wrath, to make his power knowne, endure with much patience, the veſſels of wrath, prepared to deſtruction; that he may magnifie his wrath upon the one, and his grace upon the other? So alſo in 2 Tim. 2.20. in a great mans houſe there are veſſels to diſhonour, and ſome to honour; the abſolute Lord may appoint what he will: the Lord is abſolute Lord of his houſe, he may appoint ſome to honour, and others to diſhonour. To conclude this with a ſpeech of Saint Auguſtine, againſt our univerſaliſts; they plead that Auguſtine is all for them, he uſes a pretty ſpeech; the firſt man came into the world without originall ſinne, and was made of a pure maſſe; God might then appoint ſome to deſtruction, and who dares come to God, and ſay, Why haſt thou done ſo? ſhall they of like condition come and reaſon with God, Why diddeſt thou chooſe him, and refuſe me? there is the like in him as there is in me, Why haſt thou done ſo? the anſwer ſhall be this; Hath not the Potter power over the clay, to chooſe one veſſell to honour, and another to diſhonour. So that we ſee that God may juſtly deny the grace of election?
Queſt. Why is it ſaid, that God actually hates and puniſhes men, when they are wicked?
Anſw. Becauſe he is juſt, he may actually hate them when they are wicked: he decrees it before, but then he actually hates them: we manifeſt it after this manner; Whatſoever he decrees, he executes not till he have cauſe, becauſe he is juſt. Of the former, namely that God ſhould decree, Auguſtine ſaith, there are cauſes ſecret to man, but there is no unjuſt cauſe. Of the latter, that he actually hates them, the cauſe is manifeſt, they are actually wicked.
Queſt. The laſt thing: Why ſay you, that he hates all iniquity?
Anſw. Becauſe he is good and righteous, and loving; therefore he cannot chooſe but hate ſinne: nothing is more proper to love, then to hate that which is an enemy to that which is beloved: nothing more proper to God, then to hate ſinne, as Saint Auguſtine, it is apparant thou loveſt righteouſneſſe, and hateſt iniquity. So that you ſee, I have opened this deſcription: out of which there may be made many Uſes.
Vſe 1. This teacheth us, firſt, what to beleeve and profeſſe in thoſe great and controverted points, concerning univerſall grace, election, reprobation, redemption, &c. in which we muſt be wiſe to ſobriety, that we daſh not into errors: God (as hath bin ſaid) did love ſome above others, with a ſpeciall love, for whom he hath prepared grace and glory: thoſe whom he did not love with this ſpeciall love, he paſſed over, and for them he prepared neither grace nor glory: and thus farre we goe without ſtraights; for it is granted by all, that God may deny that grace and glory, which he gives to others, and paſſe them over; becauſe to ſome grace and glory are his owne free gift, and he may doe what he will with his owne. But ſay ſome, God cannot juſtly deſtinate men to deſtruction, before they are wicked; to doe ſo, would be tyranny, &c. To this we anſwer; it is high preſumption, for duſt and aſhes to limit the ſoveraignty and abſolute dominion of the almighty, yea ſo much as to queſtion, what God may doe; woe unto him that ſtrives with his maker, ſaith the Lord by Iſaiah: Who hath injoyned him his way, ſaith Elihu? if, as the Potter out of the ſame lumpe, makes one veſſell to honour, and another to diſhonour, who ſhall charge him with injuſtice? Is God tyed to any? who hath given to the Lord, to make him a debtor? Injuſtice is the violation of a right; there is no injuſtice, where there is nothing due: indeede if God had deſtinated a creature to torment, being innocent; this had not bin an act of juſtice, but of ſoveraignty; yet was it not an act of injuſtice, becauſe of ſoveraignty. But this problematicall queſtion is to us needleſſe; there is no cauſe of flying to the abſolute dominion, and royall power of God, to anſwer this objection. To the Law and to the Teſtimony, God hath ſufficiently declared and juſtified the equality of his own wayes; let us with meekneſſe and humility of ſpirit, ſeeke and ſubmit to the revealed trueth: God hath prepared grace, and glory, for ſome that were not worthy of it: admire the richneſſe, and freeneſſe of his grace, and goodneſſe, he hath not done the like for all; ſit downe in ſilence, he hath done thee no wrong: but he hath prepared ſome for deſtruction; no, man prepares himſelfe for deſtruction by his ſin: Thy deſtruction is of thy ſelfe, oh Iſrael! God onelyonly prepares deſtruction for the ſinner, he hath prepared Tophet of old; and what injuſtice is there in this? God made his creature holy, and able to ſtand; his creature left to himſelfe, forſakes his holineſſe, and ſins: God decrees to puniſh him for this ſinne, and doth puniſh him; Are not the waies of God equall? thus God cannot juſtly be charged with mans perdition.
Object. But he is the cauſe of all his ſinne, if this doctrine of reprobation be true.
Anſw. God forbid; he that prohibits and puniſhes ſinne, doth not procure and cauſe it; let no man ſay, (ſaith the Apoſtle Saint Iames) When he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evill, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawne away of his owne luſt, and inticed. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and commeth from the father of lights, &c. Neither doth the contrary follow from the doctrine that hath been taught: God doth deny his grace to ſome, but he doth not infuſe corruption or ſin, into any; and therefore cannot be charged, as the author of ſinne: the deniall of grace is the antecedent of ſinne, but not the cauſe: between the antecedent and the conſequent, there is no caſuality: the Sunne not giving his light, there followes darkneſſe on the earth, yet is the ſunne the cauſe of light, not of darkneſſe: God witholding his grace, and ſpirit, from his creature there followes ſinne, and wickedneſſe in the creature: yet is God the cauſe of the grace, and holineſſe, of the creature, not of ſinne and wickedneſſe, which is in it: I ſtand not long on theſe things, it is my purpoſe to teach, not to diſpute, and theſe abſurdities heaped upon this doctrine, ariſe as directly and in as full force againſt the opinion of the objectors; let them ſee how to ſalve themſelves, and the ſame plaiſter, will ſerve us, as well as them.
Againe, they ſay, it is injuſtice, to hate where there is no ſinne; hatred ſignifies; Firſt, to love one leſſe then another (as hath been ſhewed.) Secondly, to decree. Thirdly, to denounce. Fourthly, to execute puniſhment. In the firſt ſenſe, it is no injuſtice, to hate without reſpect to ſinne; we may, (and why then may not God) prefer one thing before another, both being of the ſame goodneſſe? and in this act, the thing preferred is loved, the other hated: In the three laſt exceptions, there is no injuſtice; for God doth not decree, or denounce, or execute puniſhment, ſave onelyonly againſt ſinners, and for ſinne: Take it in a ſimilitude; if a free Prince, of two beggers, advances the one to riches, and honour, and deſerts the other, and ſuffers him in his beggery, there is no injuſtice in it: If Pharoah reſtore his Butler and hang up his Baker, both having offended, there is no injuſtice in it: If God ſet a ſpeciall affection, on ſome of his creatures which he denies to others: why ſhould any repine? is thy eie evill, becauſe I am good? No ſay they, but God ſhould not be made the author of mans ſinne, and miſery: there was ſomething in man that did provoke God to paſſe him over, and for which he did appoint him to wrath. I anſwer, is this the thing you deſire? agree then on this, that God is the cauſe of mans grace, and glory; that there was nothing in man, that did move God, to chuſe him, and predeſtinate him to life: how like you this? This doctrine will not down with theſe diſputers, they as much miſlike, that Gods will ſhould be taught the cauſe of grace, as of ſinne, and would have a man the framer of his owne fortune: a mans election grounded on his faith, as his reprobation on his infidelity: we know who anſwered the Apoſtles, who made thee to differ from thy brother? with, Ego diſcrevi meipſum, I made my ſelfe to differ from my brother: this is aimed at, though they bluſh openly to profeſſe it; it is but a pretence to cover this that they ſtand upon ſo much, that by this abſolute decree, God is made the author of ſinne, or miſery: we only ſay with the Scripture, that God to manifeſt the power of his wiſedome, juſtice, grace, mercy, and other Attributes, choſe ſome to life, and paſſed over other ſome: If it be demanded, why he choſe thoſe whom he choſe, and not the other whom he paſſed over? The anſwer is, becauſe it pleaſed him: there was no excellency in Peter above Iudas, which ſhould incline God to elect Peter, when he paſſed over Iudas; nor wickedneſſe in Iudas, which was not in Peter, which might provoke God to paſſe over or reprobate Iudas, when he choſe Peter: according to that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 9.11. For the children not being yet borne &c. we ſay, that they whom God paſſed over, ſinned and continued in ſin, and for ſinne, were decreed to be puniſhed with everlaſting torments; and though ſinne be not the cauſe of reprobation, yet is there no man damned, or decreed to be damned, but for ſinne: Oh! but it ſeems contrary to the goodneſſe of God, thus to hate, or paſſe over any: I anſwer, God is good, and doth good, and the whole earth is full of his goodneſſe: but it muſt be conſidered, that the goodneſſe of God, doth not binde him to communicate to every creature, all that goodneſſe of which the creature is capable, and he can beſtow without impeachment of his juſtice: who dare deny, but God might have eſtabliſhed the Apoſtate Angels, that kept not their firſt eſtate, that they ſhould not have fallen? he did it not, was this contrary to goodneſſe? God diſpences not amongſt men equally, riches, honours, friends, &c. is it contrary to his goodneſſe; it is ſufficient, that there is no creature, (much leſſe no man,) which is not abundantly ſatisfied with the fruites of Gods goodneſſe, in ſome kinde or other; it is not to be expected, that this goodneſſe, ſhould in the ſame kinde, and meaſure, be extended unto all: God is a moſt free agent, is not bound to any; that we have any thing, it is his bounty; we have no cauſe to complaine, we have no more, but be thankfull, we have ſo much: it is Gods great goodneſſe to ſome, that he hath looked on them in a low eſtate, and paſſed by them in time of love, and drawne them to himſelfe, and prepared for them grace, and glory; and that he hath not done, ſo much for all, is no detraction from his goodneſſe. But why ſhould God paſſe over anger? Why doſt thou diſpute with God? He hath done it becauſe he would, Rom. 9. He hath done it for himſelfe. Prov. 16.4. In a great houſe ſome veſſels, &c. 2 Tim. 2. And why ſhould they repine at this? I demand this of them? If God hath decreed all beaſts of the earth, to ſlaughter, for the nouriſhment of men, without injury to the beaſts; Why may he not decree men to deſtruction, for his owne glory, without injury to man? is not God the abſolute Lord, as well of men as of beaſts? might not he who made thee a man, have made thee a beaſt? ſhall he loſe his right of diſpoſing of thee, becauſe he hath made thee a man? is not? ought not, man to be as much ſubject to his glory, as the beaſts are to mans pleaſure, or nouriſhment? I conclude, we learne by the right underſtanding of this divine Attribute, to keepe our ſelves from being intangled in the erroneous doctrine of Pelagianiſme, the very deſtruction of all true religion, and piety, of all ſound comfort, and peace, as I might ſhew at large; but of this uſe at this time ſo farre.