The Riches of Gods Love, Part 2 · Treatise · Type of argument 3 · Section 1
SECT. I.
Thirdly, it is contrary to the nature and end of Gods giftes conferred upon, men which gifts are of two ſorts:
1. Gifts of nature, our creation, ſuſtentation; preſervation; together with health, ſtrength, beauty, wiſdome; &c.
2. Gifts of grace, which have a more immediate relation to everlaſting life, and are means either, 1. Of purchaſing ſalvation, viz. the coming of Chriſt into the world to be made a ſacrifice for ſinne; or. 2. Of applying the ſalvation purchaſed, namely, the Miniſtry of the Word and Sacraments, the long ſuffering of God, the illumination of mens underſtandings, the plantation of many excellent vertues in their hearts, and many more of the like ſort.
What the true uſe and end of theſe gifts of nature and grace is, the Scripture doth plainly and particularly ſhew us. Firſt, for the gifts of nature, we find that they are beſtowed on all that have them, for the encouraging and enabling of them to ſerve God, and ſave their ſoules: for, Act. 14. 16, 17. the Apoſtle ſaith, that God (even in theſe times wherein he permitted the Gentiles to walke in their own wayes, and with-held from them the light of his holy word,) did give unto the people of the world, raine from Heaven, and fruitfull ſeaſons, filling their harts with food and gladnes, by theſe not leaving him ſelfe without witneſſe: which implyes that he gave them theſe good things, make himſelfe known unto them, and ſo that he might draw them to glorify him, according to their knowledge of him, Acts. 17. 26. The Apoſtle ſaith directly, that men are therefore made and placed in this world, and appointed to their ſeverall times and dwellings; that they may ſeeke God and finde him, that is, that they may ſerve him and ſave themſelves; for what is it to ſeeke God but to ſerve him? And what is it to finde God, but to enjoy his face and favour here and in Heaven? Caelum quippe & terra & mare, omniſ que creatura quae videri & intelligi poteſt, ad hanc praecipue Proſper de vocat. gent. l. 2. c. 4. p. 428.diſpoſita eſt humani generis utilitatem; & natura rationalis de contemplatione tot ſpecierum, & de experimentis tot bonorum, de perceptione tot munerum, ad cultum & dilectionem ſui imbueretur authoris, implentis omnia ſpiritu Dei, in quo vivimus, movemur, & ſumus. They are the words of Proſper: therefore is every creature made and ordained, eſpecially, that mankind which is indued with knowledge and ability to diſcourſe, might by the ſight of ſoe many goodly ſorts of creatures, and the raſt of ſo many bleſſings, be drawne to the love and ſervice of his and their maker. And a little after, in the ſame Chap. he ſaith, Quod ergo in Iſrael per conſtitutionem legis, et prophetica eloquia gerebatur, hoc in univerſis nationibus totius creaturae teſtimonia et bonitatis Dei miracula ſemper egerunt: looke of what uſe the law and Prophets were to the Iſraelites; of the ſame uſe were the gifts of creation and providence to the Gentiles. God intended not to doe to the Gentiles (as the Manichees ſay he dealt with the Iewes) to feed them and fat them up with more outward bleſſings, as ſo many hoggs and ſwines with huſks and acornes, but to draw them up by theſe to an exſpectation of better things, and a carefull endeavour to pleaſe God, that ſoe they might obtaine them. The end of all creatures and of all created gifts beſtowed upon man is ſubordinate to the end of man; mans end is to glorify God on Earth and to enjoy perpetuall ſociety with him in Heaven. And their end is to encourage and direct man to atchieve that high and noble end which his Creator hath appointed him.
TWISSE Conſideration.
HEre we have a roaving diſcourſe: I muſt pick out of it what I can, to draw it up to ſome ſenſe of argument: the ground of all the pith and ſubſtance of it, is two places in the Acts, and two paſſages out of Proſper. The firſt out of Acts 14. 16, 17. God in times paſt ſuffered all the Gentiles to walke in their own waies; nevertheleſſe he left not himſelfe without witneſſe, in that he did good, and gave us raine from heaven, and fruitfull ſeaſons, filling our hearts with food and gladneſſe. Now as for the firſt verſe of duplicate page duplicate page theſe, he is content to ſay nothing at all thereof; neither to deliver what thoſe wayes were, nor in what ſenſe God is ſaid to ſuffer them to walke therein: which yet may eaſily be cleared, by comparing it with what is delivered, Acts 17. 30. Where the times preceding the Goſpell, are called times of ignorance. The times of this ignorance, and this agreeth with the comparative difference made between Jewes and Gentiles, Pſal. 147. 19. He ſheweth his words unto Iacob, his ſtatutes and judgements unto Iſraell. v. 20. He hath not dealt ſo with any Nation: and as for his judgements, they have not known them. So that by the wayes of the Gentiles, I underſtand the wayes of Ignorance; and theſe are no other than the wayes of darkneſſe, and can bring forth no better fruit, than the works of darkneſſe; according to that of the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 5. 8. Ye were darkneſſe but now are light in the Lord, walke therefore as children of the light. And againe, the night is Rom. 13. 12.paſſed, the day is at hand, let us therefore caſt away the workes of darkneſſe, and put upon us the armour of light. And as for Gods ſuffering of them to walke in thoſe wayes, that is expreſſed in another ph…aſe, Acts 17. 30. thus, And the times of this ignorance God winked at; and the meaning thereof appeares by the Antitheſis, in the adverſative following, thus, But now he admoniſheth every man every where to repent. Thus formerly he dealt with the Jewes, giving them a law, and ſending Prophets from time to time, to call them to obedience, to repentance: but ſuch were not his gracious proceedings with the Gentiles. But give we him leave to follow his own advantage. God left not himſelfe without witneſſe, in ſending raine and fruitfull ſeaſons. So it was in moſt places, I know none but Egypt excepted, and that is to be excepted; not only by evidence of Phyloſophicall inquiſition after the cauſe thereof, in that queſtion, Utrum Aegyptus ſit impluviata? but by evidence out of Gods word. Deut. 11. 10, 11, 12. The land whether thou goeſt to poſſeſſe, is not as the Land of Aegypt, from whence ye came, Deut. 11. 10, 11, 12.where thou ſowedſt thy ſeed, and wateredſt it with thy foot as a garden of hearbs; but the land whither ye goe to poſſeſſe it, is a land of mountaines and vallies, and drinketh water of the raine of heaven. This Land doth the Lord your God care for; the eyes of the Lord thy God are upon it, from the begining of the yeare to the end of the yeare. Yet had they fruitfull ſeaſons by the inundation of Nilus; but this was not ſo apt to diſpoſe them, to take notice of a divine providence, as the common courſe of fructifying the Land by raine. But yet the whole world in the frame thereof, was ſufficient evidence of the Eternall power and Godhead. Rom. 1. 20. and Pſal. 19. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament ſheweth his handy worke. And albeit Ariſtotle, the greateſt of Philoſophers, maintained the eternity thereof without beginning; yet he confeſſeth ingeniouſly in his Book De coelo, that all that went before him maintained mundum genitum eſſe; neither was his diſcourſe of power to raze out that naturall inſtinct hereof, which ſeems to be graven in the hearts of men, and was the chiefe ground of that univerſall acknowledgment of a divine power ſupreame. Now as God made himſelf known by his works ſo I nothing doubt but herewithall it was their duty to know him, and according to their knowledge to ſerve him and glorifie him, in acknowledgment of his glorious nature, ſo farre as they took notice of it; But as for a rule whereby they ſhould worſhip him, I know none that God had given them, or that they could gather from contemplation of the creatures. And ſurely the knowledge of God, as a Creator only, is nothing ſufficient to ſalvation; but the knowledge of him as a redeemer: And therefore ſeeing the World by wiſdome knew not God in the wiſdome of God, it pleaſed God by the fooliſhneſſe of Preaching to ſave them that believe. 1 Cor. 1. 21. And the Gentiles are ſet forth unto us in Scripture, as ſuch who knew not God. 1 Theſ 4. 5. 2 Theſ. 1. 8. And had they means ſufficient without, and ability ſufficient within to know him? How could it be that none of them ſhould know him? Was it becauſe they would not? How abſurd a conceit is this to every one that underſtands, and conſiders common Principles of Philoſophy, namely, that the things that are ſubject to our free-will, are contingentia aequaliter, as ſoon falling out one way as the other? And it is well known not only what paines they have taken, but alſo with what ſtrange ſucceſſe, in ſearching after the nature of the firſt mover, as appears by Ariſtotle in the 12th of his Metaphyſicks. Yet did not he attain (for ought ever I could find) to the acknowledgement of his free agency, in the making of the world, and in the government thereof. Yet were they inexcuſable (and thus farre their knowledge brought them. Rom. 1. 20.) in changing the glory of the incorruptible Rom. 1. 23.God, to the ſimilitude of the image of a corruptible man, and of birds, and of fourefooted beaſts, and of creeping things. The other place is Acts 17. 26. That he takes to be more full for his purpoſe; there the Apoſtle ſpeaking in an Univerſity, and which had been miſerably corrupted with the Atheiſticall doctrine of Ariſtotle, concerning an eternity of the World, and Gods working neceſſarily, not freely, tending to the quenching of that light of naturall inſtinct, which is more or leſſe found in all, as touching the Divine providence; yet the Apoſtle even amongſt ſuch makes bold to ſuppoſe the creation of the World by God; and that therefore he is Lord of Heaven and Earth; and alſo obtrudeth upon their naturall conſciences, that God it is who giveth life, and breath, and all things; and that he of one bloud (whom we know to be Adam) made all mankind, to dwell on all the face of the Earth; that he hath aſſigned the ſeaſons (of the yeare, and what are they but Spring, Summer, Autumne, Winter, depending upon the motions of the heaven above) and the bounds of their habitations, what is that but the ſeverall habitable parts of the earth, for the habitation of all creatures, in whoſe Noſtrills is the breath of life; not that every man, or Nation, hath his place of habitation appoynted by God, (though this alſo be true, but nothing agreeable to Arminian Divinity, which like an Eaſt wind, blaſts the providence of God throughout) this the Apoſtle doth not obtrude upon them; but the former generalls only; and all this God hath done foreign, that they ſhould ſeeke the Lord; now this may be underſtood two waies, either de facto, God did intend that this indeed ſhould be done by them; or ex officio, that it ſhould be their duty: of this diſtinction this Author takes no notice, but hand over head, takes it in the firſt ſenſe, as it were in ſpight both of the Apoſtle, ſaying, Who hath reſiſted his will? And of the Pſalmiſt, profeſſing that what he willeth he hath done, both in Heaven and Earth. But indeed this is mans duty to endeavour to know him that made him: to this purpoſe he hath indued him with an underſtanding heart; The ſpirit of man being as the lampe of God which ſearcheth all inwardneſſe; But as for the words following, if happily they might Prov. 20. 27.ſeeke after him and find him; though he be not farre from every one of us; ſo that though he be not farre from every one of us, in as much as in him we live and move, and have our being, and though they ſhould ſeeke after him, yet upon an if, the Apoſtle plainly puts the finding of him. For albeit Durand profeſſeth, that by the very light of nature we may attaine to the knowledge of God, touching theſe things that belong to the unity of his nature; yet who ever amongſt the Gentiles attained hereunto, after all their ſearch? God hath ſet the World in mans heart, ſaith Solomon, yet can he not find out the worke that he hath wrought from the beginning to the end: we are yet to ſeeke in the Eccleſ. 3. 11.knowledge of the creature, how much more in the knowledge of the Creator? Yet what ſhall all ſuch knowledge profit a man, if he be ignorant in the knowledge of him as a redeemer?
I come to Proſper l. 2. De vocatione Gentium cap. 4. God hath ſo diſpoſed of the World, as that the reaſonable creature, by the contemplation of Gods workes, and taſt of ſo many bleſſings, imbuerctur, he doth not ſay might be drawne, but imbueretur, might be indued, to wit, with the knowledge of God in ſuch ſort, as to move him ad cultum & dilectionem Dei. And all here mentioned both as touching the knowledge of God, and touching the ſervice and love of him; is but as the object of mans duty, ſignifying what ought to be done by him, not as the object of Gods decree, as whereby he determined what ſhould be done indeed by him. For had he determined this, who could have reſiſted him? Shall we ſay that voluntatis omnipotentis effectus impeditur a voluntate creaturae, as Auſtin Enchirid. cap. 96.expreſſeth the abſurdity hereof? As for that which followeth, not in the ſame Chapter, as this Author writes, (whether out of his own reading or miſtaking anothers dictates I know not) but in the chapter following, to wit, c. 2. the former place being indeed c. 1. according to my book, not cap. 4. As this Author quotes it. And it is a truth conſidered in generall, for foreign, to ſeeke the Lord, God did move both Jewes and Gentiles; the Jewes by his word over & above his workes; but the Gentiles only by his workes. But the manner of the revelation made to the one and to the other, was farre different, as the ſame Author expreſſeth cap. 3. Aliter eos juvit quos ad cognoſcendum ſe caeli & terrae teſtimoniis conveniebat, aliter illos, quibus non ſolum elementorum famulatu ſed etiam doctrina legis Prophetarum, oraculis, miraculorum ſignis, & Angelorum cooperationibus conſulebat, &c. God (he ſaith) intended not to feed the Gentiles with outward and more common bleſſings, but to draw them up by theſe to an expectation of better things, and a carefull endeavour to pleaſe God that they might obtain them. But what bleſſings had the Gentiles more than common bleſſings; doth he particulate any? And as for the expectation of better things, than the things of this world, whereunto he pretends God doth draw them hereby; what oracle hath he for this? Proſper in the Book wherein he inſiſts hath nothing at all of any poſſibility of knowledge of God unto ſalvation, arriveable unto by the meere contemplation of the creature; neither have I found any ſuch Oracle throughout the Nation of the Arminians. Nay he profeſſeth plainly, that that knowledge of God, which is attaineable by the contemplation of the creature is not ſufficient, unleſſe he enjoy the true light, to diſcuſſe the darkneſſe of mans heart. De vocatione Gent. l. 2. cap. 6. his words are theſe. Tam acerbo natura humana vulnere ſauciata eſt, ut ad cognitionem Dei neminem contemplatio ſpontanea plenè valeat erudire, niſi obumbrationem cordis vera lux diſcuſſerit. And the Apoſtle more than once profeſſeth of the Gentiles, that they were without hope; And the taſt of the powers of the world Epheſ. 2. 12. 1 Theſ. 4. 13.to come, ſeemes to be, by the Apoſtle, aſcribed to the word of God as the cauſe of it. Heb. 6. Yet 'tis true, the Heathen had odde notions of a condition after death, (as many as believed the immortality of the ſoule) but where I pray, was it upwards in heaven, or downewards rather under the earth, as Styx, Phlegeton? and the Campi Eliſii? yet Cicero looks upwards I confeſſe in his Tuſculans queſtions, but yet he goes no farther than the ſtarres; and this was their expectation of better things; though Adrian an Emperour and a Schollar too, bemoans himſelfe, that he knew not what ſhould become of his poore ſoule, Animula vagula blandula, Hoſpes comeſ que corporis; Quae tu abibis in loca, nec ut ſoles dabis jocos, horridula, rigida, nudula. But this Author moſt confidently ſuppoſeth, that theſe better things are manifeſt by the creatures; by the contemplation whereof, he might attaine to the knowledge of them: and then I doubt not, but he might entertaine a hope to attaine them; provided he carefully endeavoured to pleaſe God, (which this Author conceaves to have been very poſſible) and therewithall knew what that was, by doing whereof, he might be ſure to pleaſe God: And all this he obtrudes upon his Reader, by a moſt diſſolute courſe, without one crumme of reaſon for it. In like ſort, he diſcourſeth very confidently of the end of man, without diſtinction of any relation hereof; as if the end of man were equally known as well by light of nature, as by revelation of Gods word. Solomon telleth us, That God made all things for himſelfe, even the wicked againſt the day of evill. Was this known to the Gentiles by the light of nature? Not one of all the Prov. 16. 4.Philoſophers of old acknowledged the Worlds creation out of nothing; and who ever manifeſted any ſuch faith among them, as of enjoying a perpetuall ſociety with God in heaven? But it may be they all erred in interpreting the book of nature aright, and underſtanding the language thereof concerning this poynt of faith. This Author may doe well to cleare the World of this errour, and that out of the book of the creatures, and then proceed to interpret unto us therehence, a generall reſurrection alſo. And if he could find Chriſt there too, togeather with the Incarnation of the Sonne of God, and his death and paſſion, reſurrection and aſcenſion, and ſitting at the right hand of God to make requeſt for us, and our juſtification by faith in him, togeather with regeneration alſo, and the generall judgement; then no doubt though the Goſpell ſhould continue 1 Cor. 1. 32.to be a ſcandall to the Jewes, yet ſurely through the incomprehenſible benefit of his comfortable atchievements, it ſhould continue no longer to be fooliſhneſſe unto the Gentiles; only our faith ſhould then ceaſe, and be turned into ſight, before we are brought to the ſeeing of the face of God. And yet I ſee no great need of Chriſt, if it be in the power of an Heathen man to know what it is to pleaſe God, and to have an heart to pleaſe him; For certainly as many as know what it is to pleaſe God, and have an heart to pleaſe him, God will never hurt them, much leſſe damne them to hell. Yet the Apoſtle telleth us, that they that are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God: Rom. 8. 8.but whether this Author thinks Heathens, to be amongſt the number of them that are in the fleſh, I know not. But I little wonder, when an Arminian ſpirit of giddineſſe hath poſſeſſed him, if he proceed to the confounding not only of the Law with the Goſpell, but heatheniſme alſo (ſuch as might be) with Chriſtianity. But ſuppoſe a man might attaine to as much knowledge, by the meere contemplation of the book of nature, as we doe obtain by the Revelation of Gods word, yet we that conceive the knowledge of Gods word to be no impediment to the abſoluteneſſe of reprobation, muſt needs find our ſelves as much as nothing ſtreightned herein, by this Authors roaving diſcourſe, as touching the generall providence of God in his works: as long as that of the Apoſtle (he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardneth) ſhall ſtand Rom. 9. 18.and be received for the word of God; we ſhall never want ground for maintaining the abſoluteneſſe both of election by the one, and by juſt proportion, of Reprobation alſo by the other. For ſo long as God doth abſolutely, and according to the meere pleaſure of his will, decree to have mercy upon ſome, by giving them faith and repentance, for the curing of their infidelity and hardneſſe of heart, this is very ſufficient to maintain the abſoluteneſſe of election unto grace, and if God doth abſolutely, and according to the meere pleaſure of his will decree, to harden others, by denying them the grace of faith and repentance, ſo to leave their naturall infidelity and hardneſſe of heart uncured, this ſhall be as ſufficient to maintaine the abſoluteneſſe of Reprobation from grace. As for election unto ſalvation, though the decree thereof can admit no cauſe, yet we ſay that God by this decree, doth not decree to beſtow ſalvation on any man of ripe yeares, but by way of reward of faith, repentance, and good workes: as for the decree of Reprobation from glory, and to damnation; though the decree hath no cauſe, yet we ſay that God by this decree, doth not decree to inflict damnation on any, but for ſinne unrepented of: only I confeſſe, that as touching the interpretation of thoſe words of Saint Paul, (He hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will Rom. 9. 18.he hardneth) I doe not know how it may be charmed by good witts, leaſt it may ſeem repugnant to ſome reaſon gathered by contemplation of the creatures; for ſome affect, ſuch a courſe in theſe daies, namely to temper Gods word according to the light of naturall reaſon; whereas in the ſimplicity of inſtitution wherein I have been brought up, I have been taught that the light of naturall reaſon ought rather to be regulated by the word of God.