A Chain of Principles, Aphorism 5

A Chain of Principles · Aphorism 5

p. 277APHORISME V. The Goodneſs and Greatneſs of God are both abundantly manifeſted by his decrees of Election and Preterition, together with his works of Creation and Providence.

EXERCITATION 1.Exerc. 1. How predeſtination cometh to be treated of here. Election deſcribed from the Nature, Antiquity, Objects, Products and Cauſe of it. Rom. 11. 33. 2 Tim. 1. 9. with Tit. 1. 2. Epheſ. 1. 4. with Matth. 25. 34. opened. Of Acts ſuppoſing their objects. Of Acception of perſons, what it is, and that Predestination doth not import it. Acts 13. 48. Expounded and vindicated. Whether one Elect may become a reprobate? The negative maintained, and 1 Cor. 9. 24, 25, 26. cleared. Epheſ. 5, and 11. enlightned. Concerning the good pleaſure of Gods will and the counſel thereof.

§. 1. I Durſt not wholly wave the doctrine of Predeſtination, (no not in this p. 278Treatiſe of Principles) after I had duelyAph. 5. pondered that grave admonition of Ambroſe, or according to others of Proſper, Quae Deus occulta eſſe voluit, non ſunt ſcrutanda; quae autem monifeſta fecit non ſunt neganda: ne in illis illicitè curioſi, in iſtis damnabiliter inveniamur in grati. De vocar. Gent. cap. 7.Such things as God would have kept ſecret muſt not be pried into by us; nor ſuch denied as he hath openly declared: leſt we be found in the former attempt unlawfully curious, in the latter damnably unthankfull. And alſo laid to heart the endeavours, not of foreiners onelyonly, but of certain late Engliſh writers to poſſeſs their readers with vehement and ſtrong prejudices againſt the long-received truth in thoſe points. One of them telleth us, It is ſacrilegious to grant that God hath I. G. Red. Redeem. pag. 243. lin. 7. Ibid. pag. 278. lin. 46.from eternity elected a certain number of men perſonally unto ſalvation, whom he purpoſeth to bring thereunto infallibly &c. Elſewhere ſtyling it, That capitall errour of perſonal Election and Reprobation. Another ſpeaking of preterition, or negative reprobation hath theſe words. This is T. P. Divine philanthropy defended. c. 4. § 2.one of the foreign which have been infamouſly invented to diſguiſe and palliate the frightfull rigidneſs of their doctrine. Not p. 279long after he calleth it canting, (pretends the lamentable diſtinction (as it is there by him ſtyled) to be no more then a trick inſufficient to buoy up a ſinking cauſe) and in another book of his The dream of abſolute preterition. Mean Divine purity defended. pag. 97.while where alas! is the reverence and ſubmiſsion due to Scripture, that onelyonly card and compaſs by which we are to ſail in this ocean, that onelyonly clue by the help whereof this labyrinth is to be traverſed? It directly oppoſeth Rom. 11. 7. foreign.Rom 11:7Electi and Reliqui, the elect and ſuch as were paſſed by, in that ſaying, The election hath obtained, and the reſt were blinded. In it we reade of a book of life containing Revel. 13. 8. 21. 27. 26. 15.Rev 13:8Rev 13:21Rev 13:27Rev 13:26Rev 13:15the names of all thoſe whom God hath choſen, and of others whoſe names were not written in that book. Of ſome whom the Lord knoweth for 2 Tim. 2. 19. Ma…th. 7. 23.2 Tim 2:19his, and others to whom he will ſay, I never knew you. Of Chriſts ſheep given John 10. 26, 28, 29.John 10:26John 10:28John 10:29to him by the father, and of ſuch perſons as were not his ſheep, nor accordingly ſo given to him. This, I p. 280hope, is no canting; there is neither Errour nor Trick in all this, but to proceed.

§. 2. Election (as to our purpoſe which concerns the choiſe of men onelyonly, not of Angels) is that ſecret unſearchable decree of God, wherein he did from everlaſting ſingle out of the reſt of mankinde a definite number of particular perſons, ordaining them infallibly unto the attainment of holineſs here, and happineſs hereafter, according to the counſel and good pleaſure of his Will. Which deſcription offers to the readers conſideration as things material, and not unfit to be treated of, provided it be ſoberly done, the Nature, Antiquity, Object, Products and Cauſe of Election.

Firſt, The Nature of it. It is a ſecret unſearchable decree of God. The two principall emanations of God's Will reſpecting intellectual creatures, are his Decrees, and his Commands. They differ, as in ſundry other things, p. 281ſo, in point of perſpicuitie. The Commands are plain; he that runs may read his duty in them; the Decrees abſtruſe: Our deſtinies cannot be ſo eaſily read, as our duties may. And whereas divers ſecret things may yet be diſcovered upon diligent ſearch, according to that Proverb of Solomon, Counſel in the heart of man is like deep water: Prov. 20. 5.Prov 20:5but a man of underſtanding will draw it out. The Decrees of God are ſo ſecret, as to be withall unſearchable. Whence the Apoſtle, O the depth of the riches both of the wiſdome and knowledge of Rom. 11. 13.Rom 11:13God! How unſearchable are his judgements and his waies paſt finding out! where by Judgements it is, as I conceive, moſt proper to underſtand the Decrees of foreign, from foreign, whence cerno, decerno, & decretum.his Will; by Waies, the Adminiſtrations of his Providence in order to the execution of thoſe Decrees. Some innovatours there are indeed, who have ſo modelled the myſterious Doctrine of Predeſtination, as to leave little or nothing of myſterie in it. Our Remonſtrants p. 282think themſelves able to wade, where our Apoſtle was paſt his depth, and forced to crie out, foreign! Their way pretends to give a clear reaſon why one is elected, another reprobated, one converted, another not, but for my part I had much rather with S^t. Paul be ignorant ſtill then over-learned, (that I ſay not overſawcie) with Arminius and his followers.

§. 3. Secondly the Antiquitie. 'Tis from everlaſting: An eternal Decree. So Paul, According as he hath choſen us in Epheſ. 1. 4.Eph 1:4him before the foundation of the world. This expreſsion notes eternity. The kingdome we are elected to, is ſaid to have been prepared foreign, from the foundation. Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the kingdome prepared Math. 25. 34.Matt 25:34for you from the foundation of the world; in reference to the third heavens, that place where the kingdome is to be ſet up and inherited, which was in the beginning of time created by the p. 283builder and maker of it, as God is ſtiled. But the Decree whereby we were Hebr. 11. 10.Heb 11:10deſigned thereunto, to have been foreign, before the foundation of the world. That is, from everlaſting; as may be further gathered from other phraſes in the writings of our Apoſtle; this by name, Who hath ſaved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our 2 Tim. 1. 9.2 Tim 1:9works. but according to his own purpoſe and grace, which was given us in Chriſt Jeſus, before the world began. This both Eraſmus and Calvin interpret of predeſtination. Compare we it with another ſpeech of the ſame Apoſtle to Titus, In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot Tit. 1. 2.Titus 1:2lie, promiſed before the world began. The meaning whereof will no longer be obſcure, if it be conſidered that the firſt-born of election was Chriſt himſelf (who applied to himſelf that which God ſaid of old by the Prophet Iſaiah; Behold my ſervant whom I have choſen, my beloved in whom my ſoul is wellpleaſed.) Matth. 12. 18.Matt 12:18That certain perſons were p. 284from eternity given to Chriſt, whom the Father had conſtituted Head of all his elect, to be his members, & by him brought to eternal bleſſedneſs, according to what we read in S^t. Johns Goſpel, Thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, John 17. ….John 17that he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou haſt given him. That in this tranſaction there paſſed promiſes from the Father to the Son in the behalf of himſelf and all his members. And that this is the grace which was given us in Chriſt Jeſus, theſe the Promiſes of eternal life before the world began, ſpoken Promiſit vitam aeternam, non tantum initio mundi praedicando e…m primis parentibus in paradiſo, ſed etiam paciſcendo de ea ante conditum mundum cum Filio deſignato mediatore naſtro in ſoedere redemptionis. David Dicſon Exp ſit. Analytic. in Tit. 1. 2. Auguſt. l. de Praedeſtin. & grat. cap. 5.Titus 1:2of in the forecited places to Timothy and Titus: upon the latter whereof I meet with the ſame Gloſs from a Reverend Scotiſh writer, whoſe name and words are here preſented in the Margine. I ſhall add no more concerning the antiquitie of this Decree, ſave onelyonly a brief ſaying of Auſtin, Intra mundum facti ſumus, & ante mundum electi ſumus. We were made within the world but choſen before it.

p. 285§. 4. Thirdly, the object of election is a definite number of particular perſons ſingled out of the reſt of mankinde. We learn from S^t Luke that the Luke 18. 7.Luke 18:7Elect cry unto God day and night: And S^t John in his Apocalypſe telleth us what one of their principal cries is, They Rev. 6. 10, 11.Rev 6:10Rev 6:11cried with a loud voice, ſaying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, doſt thou not judge and avenge our bloud? As alſo what anſwer they had from heaven, It was ſaid unto them that they ſhould reſt yet for a little ſeaſon untill their fellow-ſervants and their brethren that ſhould be killed as they were, ſhould be fulfilled. From the collation of which texts it may be inferred that their number is ſet, and ſhall in due time be completed; for that is the thing related to in the word foreign ſhall be fulfilled. It is then a definite number, and that of particular perſons, whoſe names are elſewhere ſaid to be Luke 10. 20. Phil. 4. 3.Luke 10:20Phil 4:3written in the book of life, Names in Scripture being often put for perſons; as in the Acts, The number of names together p. 286Acts 1. 15.Acts 1:15were about one hundred and twenty. and in the Revelation, In the earth-quake were Apocal. 11. 13. foreign.Rev 11:13ſlain of men ſeven thouſand; it is in the original, Names of men. They do certainly ſhoot beſide the mark, who ſo confidently teach that predeſtination is terminated not upon perſons, but qualifications; and that not this or that man in particular is elected or reprobated, but onelyonly in general, whoſoever beleeveth and perſevereth belongeth to election, whoſoever continueth in unbelief, to reprobation; and that ſo as the ſame perſon may be to day under the one, and to morrow under the other decree, according to the change of his qualifications. But if ſo, it would not in likelyhood have been ſaid, The foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, 2 Tim. 2. 19. foreign. Novit Deus qui ſint ſui; Non quales ſed qui. Rom. 9. 15, 18.2 Tim 2:19Rom 9:15Rom 9:18having this ſeal, The Lord knoweth who are his, but rather, what kinde of men are his. Nor to the Romanes, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. And again, He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth (which p. 287doth clearly relate to perſons) but rather, what ſort he will.

§. 5. Againſt what hath been ſaid in this and the former paragraph there are two principal objections; whereof neither is to be waved, leſt it ſhould be thought unanſwerable. The firſt is borrowed from philoſophy, and runs thus. Acts ſuppoſe the being of their objects; The decrees of God are divine acts, and therefore could not paſs upon mens particular perſons before the world was, becauſe there were then none in being. I anſwer that whereas the Acts of God are either Immanent abiding within, or Tranſient paſsing from him, and terminated upon ſomewhat without himſelf; His tranſient Acts do either ſuppoſe, or produce the being of their objects; ſuppoſe it as his Rewarding and Puniſhing, produce it, as his creating acts. But thoſe that are immanent (of which rank his Decrees are) do not neceſſarily require the preexiſtence of their objects p. 288in eſſe reali in a way of reality; for it ſufficeth that they have it in eſſe cognito, in the forekowledge of God. Jeſus Chriſt our Mediatour is ſtyled a Lambe foreordained before the foundation of 1 Pet. 1. 19, 20.1 Pet 1:191 Pet 1:20the world; yet had he no exiſtence as ſuch till after his incarnation. God who had deſigned Joſiah to ſpecial ſervices, 1 Kings 13. 3. vid. Junium & Piſcat. in locum.1 Kgs 13:3called him by his name, and foretold what ſhould be done by him, full three hundred and thirty years before he did it. So elſewhere (Cyrus is See Scultetus on Eſai. 45. pag. 623. fin.Isa 45named, and hath a ſervice allotted him in the foreknowledge of God one hundred and fourty years before he was born. It is reported by Procopius Procopius.that when Miſdates king of Perſia was dead without iſſue, but had left his wife with childe; the Perſian nobility ſet the crown on the Queens belly before ſhe quickned, thereby acknowledging her iſſue that ſhould be for their lawfull Sovereign. So as Sapores (which was afterwards the childes name) began his reign before his life. p. 289If ſuch acts when done by men ſeem not irrational, why ſhould any think it ſtrange for the onelyonly-wiſe God to ſet the crown of election upon the head of certain perſons, while as yet they have no being, ſave onelyonly in the womb of his decree?

§. 6. The other objection is taken from ſuch places of Scripture as deny God to be an accepter of perſons, which they ſay he muſt needs be, if conſidering mankinde in an equal condition he choſe ſome to life, and paſſed by others.

In order to the ſolution hereof, I ſhall firſt Distinguiſh between Acceptation and Acception of perſons. We finde them both mentioned by S^t Peter as it were with one breath, in that ſhort ſaying of his, (Of a truth I perceive Acts 10. 34, 35.Acts 10:34Acts 10:35that God is no respecter of perſons: But in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteouſneſs is accepted with him) the one as attributable to him, the other as not. Were it not for his acceptation of p. 290perſons, wo and nothing but wo to the ſons of men. It is the joy of their hearts to conſider that there are certain men of his good will; as ſome reade that foreign Luke 2. 14.Luke 2:14in the Angels ſong: and to remember that the Church is by her head and huſband ſtyled Hephzibah that is my delight is in her; becauſe the members thereof are, as Paul ſpeaketh, accepted in Epheſ. 1. 6.Eph 1:6the beloved. Next Declare the true notion of Proſopolepſie or acception of perſons in Scripture-dialect.

Beſides the prime importance of theſe words foreign in Greek, and Perſona in Latine for an individual intelligent ſubſtance, (ſo, The gift beſtowed 2 Cor. 1. 11.2 Cor 1:11upon us by the means of many perſons is the bleſsing of recovery granted upon the prayers of ſundry men and women) They have a ſecondary importance, and are ſometimes put to ſignifie a vizard, property or counterfeit reſemblance aſſumed by any ſuch individual. So in Seneca, Nemo poteſt perſonam diu ferre, that is, None can play p. 291the hypocrite long: and in the Epigrammatiſt a gray-haired man having put on a black periwig to conceal his age, is told of it thus,

—Inveniet Proſerpina canum,

Perſonam capiti detrahet illa tuo.

Now becauſe theſe vizards and properties are things external, not at all belonging to the Eſſence of the party aſſuming them, hence it cometh to paſs that theſe words at the next remove ſignifie ſuch relations, accommodations Thom. ſecunda ſecundae. q. 63. artic. … 1. in Concluſ. Ad perſonam refertur quaecunque conditio non faciens ad cauſam.and and accompliſhments as being external to the eſſence of a man, as alſo to the merit of his cauſe, ought not to incline a Judge to pronounce a ſentence on his behalf, or in the diſtribution of juſtice to regard him above others to whom ſuch helps are wanting. He who is ſwayed in judicial proceedings by ſuch outward things is in the Scripture ſaid to be an accepter of perſons. So in Leviticus, Ye ſhall do no Levit. 18. 15.Lev 18:15unrighteouſneſs in judgement: thou ſhalt not reſpect the perſon of the poor, nor honour the p. 292perſon of the mighty; but in righteouſneſs thou ſhalt judge thy neighbour. And in the New Teſtament theſe two terms foreign righteous judgement, and foreign Rom. 2. 5. compared with v. 11.Rom 2:5accepting of perſons are directly oppoſed. Divines have received it for a Thom. prima ſecundae qu. 98. art. 4. in reſp. ad ſecundum. Pererius ſuper Rom. 2. pag. 157. in 4^o.Rom 2maxime. That acceptation of perſons is not found in gratuitis, in acts of bounty, wherein the doner is at liberty to diſpoſe his free gifts as pleaſeth himſelf, but in debitis in acts of juſtice and right, wherein there lieth an obligation upon him that diſtributeth to give every man his due. Hereupon they conclude that in divine praedeſtination Almighty God, who is no debtour to any of his creatures, and who acteth therein not as a Judge, but as a Sovereign Lord and liberal benefactour, chooſeth ſome and paſſeth by others, as without injuſtice or wrong to any, ſo without any ſhew of that which the Scripture properly calleth Acception of perſons, becauſe he was not moved by any external thing in doing ſo.

p. 293If any Reader think it not ſafe to credit this upon my ſingle teſtimony, behold in the margine further ſecurity, Poteſt Deus abſque vitioſa perſonarum acceptione non modo ex duobus hominibus prorſus aequalibus unum eligere ad vitam aeternam alio praeterito; ſed etiam illum eligere quem praeſcivit pluribus & gravionibus peccatis implicandum, illo relicto quom praevidit pauciora & leviora admiſſurum. Bannes in 1^am. Thomae quaeſt. 23. artic. 51. Injuſta perſonarum acceptio locum non habet ubi quis ex mera liberalitate de ſuo dat inaequaliter aequalibus; ſed ubi in diſpenſatione rerum debitarum quis uni ſavcat prae altero ex reſpectu ad aliquam perſonae circumſtantiam quae eſt extra cauſam meriti. Jam vero Deus eligens ad regnum gloriae unum prae alio non agit ex debito juſtiti…e, ſed ex dono munificentiae; neque reſpicit nobilitatem. divilias, ingenium, aut aliam qualitatem quamcunque, (unde foreign nomen invenit) ſed liberalitatem & bonitatem ſuam juxta illud Matthaei 20. Licet mihi quod velo facere de meo. Davenantius in diſſerto de Praedeſtin. & Reprobat. cap. 3. p. 133.to which it were eaſie to add. much more, if need were.

§. 7. Fourthly, The products of Divine Election are chiefly two. Firſt, Holineſs here. God is ſaid to have Epheſ. 1. 3, 4.Eph 1:3Eph 1:4bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſſings in Christ, according as he hath choſen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we ſhould be holy. Where ſpiritual bleſsings are pointed at as the ſtreams, and election as the fountain from whence they flow. It as the root, and holineſs as the fruit. So elſewhere, We are p. 294bound to give thanks alwaies to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, becauſe God 2 Theſ. 2. 13.2 Thess 2:13hath from the beginning choſen you to Salvation, through Sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. Here we finde not onelyonly Sanctification in general, but faith, which is the flower of holineſs, derived from Election. The ſame Apoſtle ſtiles it, The faith of Gods elect. Tit. 1. 1.Titus 1:1And S^t. Luke in the Acts, ſpeaking of the ſucceſs which S^t. Pauls preaching had among the Gentiles, ſaith expreſly, As many as were ordained to eternall life, beleeved.Acts 13. 48.Acts 13:48

A Text which the ſoundeſt divines look at, as a moſt pregnant place to prove a cauſal influence of Divine Predeſtination upon the work of ſaving faith. Others, I know, there are, (and they not a few, nor inconſiderable) who have ſtrongly endeavoured to turn the edge and ſtrength of this place another way, by rendering the word foreign, not (as we do) Ordained, but Diſpoſed, or well-affected p. 295to eternal life. Unto whoſe corrupt Gloſs, I oppoſe the following conſiderations.

Firſt, If it were to be ſo read, then all that heard the Apoſtles Sermon there recorded, even all and every one without exception ſhould have beleeved, ſeeing there is not a man in the world, and therefore none in that congregation who was not diſpoſed, and well-affected to the reward of eternal life (the will of man being neceſſarily carried to the deſire of bleſſedneſs, which none are ſo bruitiſh as not to affect) for that unto which theſe are ſaid to be foreign, is not converſion, but life eternal.

Secondly, Diſpoſedneſs in their ſenſe doth not alwaies precede faith, nor faith alwaies follow it. When Saul was in the full career of his perſecuting madneſs againſt the Saints, what diſpoſedneſs was there in him unto converſion, unleſs fury be a diſpoſition to faith? yet then did he firſt p. 296believe. In that young man who came to our Saviour, of whom it is teſtified, That he was not far from the kingdome of God, which of their diſpoſitions was wanting? yet he went away ſorrowfull, and believed not.

Thirdly, Faith it ſelf is the firſt ſaving diſpoſition that any man hath, becauſe it firſt laies hold upon Chriſt, and of life by him; in ſo much as none is formally diſpoſed to eternal life till he have believed.

Fourthly, S^t. Luke doth no where uſe foreign. & foreign, either in his Goſpel, or in the Acts for diſpoſedneſs, but for ordination and conſtitution divers times, therefore our reading here, As many as were ordained to eternal life, is to be retained.

§. 8. But learned Grotius will by no means allow of this interpretation. They (ſaith he) who apply this Text to Predeſtination, Nihil vident, ſee nothing at all. Yet by his favour, a p. 297man that ſaw as far into the Myſteries of Divinity, as alſo into the idioms of the Greek tongue, as Grotius himſelf (be it ſpoken without diſparagement to his great learning) Chryſoſtom I mean, applys it ſo in his Commentary foreign Chryſ. Hom. 30. in Act. Apoſt.upon the place. And his foreign, by which foreign is expounded Eraſmus tranſlates Praefiniti à Deo, Predeſtinated of God. Three things are alleadged by Grotius, for overthrowing of this ſenſe; but all in vain. His firſt plea is, that 'tis not uſual for all of a city, a congregation that are predeſtinated, to believe at one and the ſame time, therefore that which we aſſert is not like to be the meaning here. For anſwer, I acknowledge it is not uſual; no more is it to have three thouſand inhabitants of one city brought in to God on one day. But what if God willing to glorifie his Goſpel, and the power of converting Grace, as he called three thouſand Jews in one day, by Peters Miniſtry, p. 298Acts the ſecond; ſo here by S^t. Pauls, at his firſt ſolemn undertaking to preach unto the Gentiles, Acts the 13. were pleaſed to work upon as many in that congregation as did belong to the election of grace? ſhall any man dare to preſcribe, and plead cuſtome to the contrary? His ſecond Argument runs thus. All that truely believe are not Predeſtinated unto life. Therefore that for which we contend is not to be thought a proper ſenſe. Anſwer. This reaſon is founded upon a grand miſtake, viz. That faith is common to all, whether elect, or non-elect, although Paul ſtile it, the Faith of Gods elect, as before; and Chriſt tels the Jews, Ye believe not, becauſe ye are not of my ſheep. John 10. 26.John 10:26He argues in the third place, from S^t. Lukes unacquaintedneſs with the ſecrets of God. It was not in his power to tell who of that company were elected, who not; therefore by his foreign, he muſt not be conceived to have underſtood ſuch as were in that p. 299ſenſe ordained to eternal life. I anſwer, Although the pen-man did not, the inditer, viz. the Holy Ghoſt did exactly know whoſe names were written in the book of life, and whoſe were not. Now he it was that in the hiſtory of the Acts ſuggeſted and dedicated to his ſecretary both matter and words.

§. 9. The ſecond product of election is happineſs hereafter. Accordingly the objects of this Decree are thoſe whom God hath not appointed unto wrath, but to obtain ſalvation by our Lord Jeſus 1 Theſ. 5. 9.1 Thess 5:9Chriſt. Salvation is that which they are ſaid to be choſen to; and that wherein their names are written, called, The 2 Theſ. 2. 13.2 Thess 2:13book of life. For as in military affairs, Phil. 4. 3.Phil 4:3Commanders have their Muſter-rolls, wherein are contained the names of all the ſouldiers whom they have liſted, whence the phraſe of Conſcribere milites; and in Common-wealths there are Regiſtries kept wherein are recorded the names of ſuch as are choſen to offices p. 300of truſt and other preferments, whence the title of Patres conſcripti aſcribed to the Senators of Rome. So the Scripture condeſcending to our capacities and ſpeaking of God after the manner of men, attributeth to him a book of life, wherein it ſuppoſeth a legible writing and Regiſtring the names of all thoſe perſons whom he hath irreverſibly predeſtinated to life everlaſting. I ſay, irreverſibly, for if that of Stoicks be true, In ſapientum decretis nulla eſt litura, In the decrees of wiſe men there will be no blotting and blurring; how much more may it be aſſerted concerning thoſe eternal Decrees of the onelyonly wiſe God? If it became Pilate to ſay, What I have written I have written, it would certainly miſ-become the great John 19. 22.John 19:22God to blot ſo much as one name out of the Lambs book of life written by himſelf before the world was. We may take it for granted that this book will not admit of any Deleatur, or of any See my Tactica Sacra. lib. 3. cap. 2. §. 9, 10, 11. & ſequent.Expurgatorie Index, whatever ſome pretend p. 301to the contrary, whoſe arguments have been elſewhere ſufficiently anſwered. I ſhall onelyonly here propound, and endeavour to ſatisfie another objection, whereof no mention is there made. Paul knew himſelf to be a choſen veſſel, for Ananias had told him Acts 9. 15.Acts 9:15ſo from Chriſts own mouth: yet ſpeaks of himſelf as of one in ſome danger, at leaſt in ſome poſsibility of becomming a Reprobate, in theſe words, I keep under my body, and bring it into ſubjection: leſt that by any 1 Cor. 9. 27.1 Cor 9:27means, when I have preached to others, I my ſelf ſhould be a caſtaway, or, as other tranſlations have it, a Reprobate. Ergo, the decree of Election is not irreverſible.

Reſp. To prepare the way for a full anſwer, let it be conſidered, 1. That the places cited in the objection are not fitly oppoſed; becauſe the former is not neceſſarily to be underſtood of election to ſalvation, but may probably be limited to Pauls being choſen p. 302an Apoſtle: Neither is the latter infallibly meant of that reprobation, which is contradiſtinct to the ſaid election, but of ſomewhat elſe. Yea although it be true, and may ſtrongly be inferred from other texts, that Paul knew his own election to life eternal, the reprobation ſpoken of in the end of the verſe is not to be taken in the moſt rigid ſenſe, but in a milder. 2. That our Apoſtle, (according to his cuſtome in ſundry epiſtles) was in the end of this chapter fallen upon the uſe of terms agoniſtical, borrowed from the Olympick and other Grecian games in that age; as appeareth in the foregoing verſes. Know ye not that they 1 Cor. 9. 24, 25, 26.1 Cor 9:241 Cor 9:251 Cor 9:26who run in a race &c. Every man that ſtriveth for the maſtery &c. I ſo run, not as uncertainly. So fight I, not as one that beateth the air. And that in the laſt verſe he hath no leſs then four alluſions to theſe exerciſes. One in foreign to cuffing, wherein the combatants were wont with their blows to make one another p. 303livid under their eyes; ſo did he by acts of mortification beat himſelf as it were black and blue. A ſecond in foreign to the exerciſe of wreſtling, wherein the antagoniſts mutually ſtrove to caſt each other to the ground, and to keep them under. So he, the better to ſubdue his body of ſin, was carefull to keep down his body of fleſh, which if pampered, is apt to rebell. A third in foreign. We reade in the ſecond to Timothy chapter the ſecond, verſe the fifth, of their ſtriving lawfully, that is, according to the rules and laws preſcribed for that game reſpectively, in which they were to ſtrive for the maſtery. The officer by whom theſe laws were propounded to the combatants was called foreign, Paul in alluſion thereunto ſaith of himſelf foreign, becauſe in the diſcharge of his Apoſtolical office he had acquainted them with the rules & laws of Chriſtianity. A fourth in foreign unapproved, a term of diſgrace put upon thoſe whom ſuch as were to judge and p. 304paſs ſentence upon the combatants diſallowed. Whereas thoſe whom the judges rewarded were called foreign approved ones. 3. That this unapprovedneſs may either relate to God himſelf, or to good men. If to God the ſupreme judge, then whoſoever carrieth himſelf amiſs in any particular courſe of living, offendeth the Lord, falleth under his fatherly diſpleaſure, and is as to this particular, a perſon diſallowed and rejected, how firm ſoever his ſtation may be as to the main. If to good men, who are ſubordinately to judge of their preachers doctrine and converſation, a teacher is then ſaid to be unapproved of them, when upon obſervation of ſome unfaithfulneſs, or looſeneſs in his demeanour, ſome ſenſuality or unlawfull indulgence to his body, they begin to diſeſteem him, in compariſon of what they did before, yea perhaps to caſt him out of their affections, and of their prayers, of which till then he was a partaker.

p. 305Theſe things premiſed, let it now be obſerved whether the meaning of the place conteſted about be not clearly this, or to this effect. I Paul well remembring what I am, a member and miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, am and ſhall continue carefull to exerciſe my ſelf in all the duties of mortification, not making proviſion for the fleſh to fulfill the luſt thereof: leſt I who by mine office am bound to declare unto others the grand rules of Chriſtian practiſe, particularly of temperance, which I urged but now, ſaying, Every man that ſtriveth for the maſtery is temperate in all things, ſhould by any ſenſual demeanour of mine own, not onelyonly prove a caſtaway as to the eſteem I formerly had in the hearts and conſciences of good people, and to the intereſt I enjoyed in their devotion; (which I ſhould account a loſs far exceeding that of honour, or eſtate) but alſo fall under the wrath and fatherly diſpleaſure of p. 306my God, and be caſt out of fellowſhip with him, though but for a ſhort ſpace of time; which to me who have lived in the ſenſe of it, under the conſtant light of his countenance, and found his loving kindneſs better then life, would be worſe then any death. And if this really be the utmoſt importance of the text, (as for ought I know it is) without extending it to further or other kinde of reprobation, I hope the objection built upon it will not need any further or other kinde of anſwer.

§. 10. Fifthly, The Cauſe of divine Electionis tuae cauſam in te quaere, nec invenies quod quaeris, & quod inveniſſe te exiſtimas jam perdidiſti quia ibi quaeris. Heinſ. homil. in Job. 17. 9. pag. 38.Job 17:9election, about which the world is ſo filled with diſputes, is not to be found in any thing without God himſelf. the diſputers indeed of this world lay out many thoughts, and put out many books concerning ſuch contrivements as our corrupt reaſon would perhaps better allow, and our corrupt wils better affect: but holy Scripture reſolveth all into the ſole will of God; p. 307the good pleaſure and Counſel whereof the Apoſtle celebrateth as the cauſes of our predeſtination. Having predeſtinated us Epheſ. 1. 5, 11.Eph 1:5Eph 1:11unto the adoption of children by Jeſus Chriſt to himſelf according to the good pleaſure of his will. And again, Being predeſtinated according to the purpoſe of him, who worketh all things after the counſel of his own will. Words ſo very plain and full as would certainly have put an end to altercations, and ſilenced diſputes in theſe points; but that corrupt reaſon is extremely talkative, and the wiſdome of fleſh direct enmity againſt God, Rom. 8. 7.Rom 8:7and therefore ſuch as will never yield, till its corruption be removed; for enmity cannot be reconciled, the enemies may. Whence that excellent ſpeech of Melancthon, worthy to be had in everlaſting remembrance, Dulceſcet noſtra de predeſtinatione ſententia, ubi impiae rationis judicium Spiritus Dei ſtultificaverit. Then and there onelyonly will our doctrine of predeſtination have a ſweet relliſh, when and where the Spirit of p. 308God ſhall have befooled the conceits of wicked reaſon. That which Paul celebrateth as the true cauſe of our election is,

1. The good pleaſure of Gods will, according foreign.to which he diſpoſeth both of perſons and things arbitrarily, as himſelf liketh beſt. And in this our reaſon would better acquieſce were it throughly defecated by grace: That of Chriſt, which never had any corruption in it, fully did: as appeareth by that famous addreſs of his to God the father; I thank thee, O father, Matth. 11. 55. 26. foreign.Matt 11:55Matt 11:26Lord of heaven and earth, becauſe thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes. Even ſo, Father, for ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight.

2. The counſel of his will. Although foreign.God may be truly ſaid to act arbitrarily, yet he never doth any thing unadviſedly, but according to the counſel of his will, which is always rational, though our ſhallow reaſon in this ſtate of degeneracy and mortality be not able to p. 309fathome the depth of its contrivements, and thereupon ready to cavil at, and call in queſtion the equity of them. Such as do ſo; (if any ſuch ſhall caſt an eye upon theſe papers) muſt give me leave to ſay unto them, as one of our ancient writers did to their forefathers. The Apoſtle (ſaith he) having diſcourſed of theſe myſteries acknowledgeth Hieron. in epiſtola ad Cteſiphontem.their depth and adoreeth the wiſdome of God in them. Dignare & tu iſta neſcire. Concede Deo potentiam ſui Nequaquam te indiget defenſore. Be thou alſo willing to be ignorant of ſuch things. Leave God himſelf in the modelling of his decrees and diſpenſations. He will be ſure to do it ſo, as not to ſtand in need of any apology or defence of thine. To which let me add a ſaying of Luther, and with it conclude Tu, Ratio, ſtulta es, non ſapis quae ſunt Dei. Itaque nè obſtrepas mihi, ſed ta…e, non judica, ſed audi verbum Dei & ….this Exercitation. Reaſon (ſaith he) thou art a fool, and doſt not underſtand the matters of God. Wherefore be not obſtreperous, but hold thy p. 310prating; make not thy ſelf a judge of theſe things, but attend to the word of God and beleeve.

EXERCITATION 2. Preterition deſcribed. The term defended. Epheſ. 1. 4. compared with Revel. 17. 8. Epheſ. 1. 9. and Rom. 9. 13. expounded. God not bound to any creature, except by promiſe. The parable in Matth. 20. urged. The three conſequents of negative reprobation. D^r Davenants Animadverſions against M^r Hoards book recommended. The goodneſs of God manifeſted in Election, as in a moſt free, peculiar, ancient, leading, and ſtanding favour.

§. 1. HAving ſo fully diſcourſed of Election, (by which the Decree of preterition is to be meaſured) there will be leſs need of enlarging much upon that. Take onelyonly this deſcription of it; after a brief explication whereof, I intend, if God will, to proceed unto other concernments. Preterition or negative Reprobation is an eternal decree of God purpoſing p. 311within himſelf to deny unto the Non-electExerc. 2. that peculiar love of his, wherewith election is accōpanied, as alſo that ſpecial grace which infallibly bringeth to glory: Of which negations, permiſſion of ſin, obduration in ſin, and damnation for ſin, are direct conſequents. This deſcription carries in the face of it a clear reaſon, why the thing deſcribed goeth under the name of Negative reprobation, becauſe it ſtandeth mainly in the denial of thoſe free favours which it pleaſeth God to beſtow upon his elect. As for the term of preterition, we neither are, nor ought to be aſhamed thereof, however ſome bold writers have jeered it, becauſe it is very ſignificant, and hath been made uſe of by their betters. Prosper by name, and that both in verſe and in proſe. For in one of his Poems he recordeth this as a Pelagian tenent

—Quòd gratia Chriſti

Nullum omnino hominem de cunctis qui

generantur

Praetereat.—

p. 312That of all mankinde the Grace of Chriſt paſſeth by none. And in his Treatiſe de Vocatione Gentium he beginneth the thirteenth chapter of his firſt book with this ſaying, Quòd ſi aliquos Salvantis gratia praeterierit &c. If ſaving grace have paſſed by any, it is to be referred to the unſearchable judgements of God, and thoſe ways of his which are paſt finding out by us in this life. This premiſed, let us take a tranſient view of the chief particulars in the deſcription.

§. 2. It is Firſt an eternal decree, coeternal with that of election; for the very chooſing of ſome to ſalvation implieth a paſsing by of ſuch as were not choſen. Let the Reader compare that paſſage in Epheſ. 1. 4. He hath choſen Agnoſcendum eſt ſecreti hujus profunditatem nobis in hac vita patere non poſſe.us before the foundation of the world, with that parentheſis Rev. 17. 8. whoſe names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world.

Secondly a decree which God purpoſed in himſelf. We reade in one place p. 313of the purpoſe of God according to Election, and in another of Gods good pleaſure, Rom. 9. 11. Epheſ. 1. 9. Deus in negatio praedeſt nationis non egreditur extra ſ…ipſum. Inſtitut. l. 3. cap. 22.Rom 9:11Eph 1:9which he hath purpoſed in himſelf. The like may be ſaid of preterition. His good pleaſure is the ſole fountain of both. The root of both is within himſelf and not in any thing without him; as hath been well obſerved by Calvin.

Thirdly, the eternal purpoſe of God was to deny the Non-elect that peculiar love, wherewith his election is accompanied; in which reſpect he is ſaid to hate them. Jacob have I loved, but Eſau Rom. 9. 13.Rom 9:13have I hated. A term by which ſome Divines are willing to underſtand no more, then his not being willing to beſtow everlaſting happineſs upon them: becauſe Hatred in Scripture is often put to ſignifie a leſs degree of Love. We may not beleeve that Leah was odious to her husband; yet the text ſaith, God ſaw that Leah was hated, which is certainly to be expounded out of the verſe foregoing, where it is ſaid of Jacob that he loved Rachel more p. 314Gen. 29. 30, 31.Gen 29:30Gen 29:31then Leah. He loved Leah perhaps leſs then he ought, ſurely leſs then he did her ſiſter, and in that reſpect is ſaid to have hated her. That to the Romanes concerning Eſau, ſome interpret in proportion to what is there ſaid concerning Leah, and among the reſt Aquinas. God (ſaith he) loveth all men In quantum quibusdam non vult hoc bonum, quod eſt vita aterna dicitur eos habere odio vel reprobare. Tho. part. 1. qu. 23. art. 3. ad … ^um.in as much as he willeth ſome good to all; but in as much as he doth not will to all men the chief good, viz. eternal life, he is ſaid to hate and to reprobate them.

§. 3. Fourthly, His purpoſe was to deny unto the non-elect that ſpecial grace, which brings infallibly to glory thoſe whom God beſtows it upon. No creature can challenge effectual grace at the hands of God, as a due debt either to his nature, or to his labour. There be many that ſpeak and write of God ſawcily, as if he were bound to give this and that and the other grace, even where they can produce no promiſe by which he hath made himſelf a debtour. I cannot but commend the p. 315zeal of Peter Lombard againſt ſuch men. To me (ſaith he) this word Ʋt mihi videtur hoc verbum Debet venenum habet—nec Deo proprie competit qui non eſt debito…, nobis niſi forte ex promiſso. Lib. 1. ſententiarum, Diſt. 43.He ought, or he is bound ſeems to have much poyſon in it; and cannot be properly applied to God, who is no debtour to us, ſave onelyonly in thoſe caſes wherein he hath paſſed ſome promiſe. Sure I am, our Saviour telleth his Diſciples plainly, It is given to you to know the myſteries of the kingdome of heaven, but to them it is not given, Matth. 13. 11. And the houſholder in the Parable ſtops the mouths of thoſe murmurers that repined, as expecting more from him then it was his pleaſure to give, with the ſole conſideration of its being his will to have it ſo. Friend, I do thee no wrong. Take what is Matth. 20. v. 10, 13, 14, 15.Matt 20:10Matt 20:13Matt 20:14Matt 20:15thine, I will give to this laſt even as unto thee. Is it not lawfull for me to do what I will with mine own?

Fifthly, The conſequents of the forementioned denials, are, 1. Permiſſion of ſin, particularly of unbelief. John 10. 46. Ye believe not, becauſe ye are p. 316not of my ſheep. 2. Obduration in ſin. Romans 9. 18. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth. 3. Condemnation for ſin, Revel. 20. 15. Whoſoever was not found written in the book of life, was caſt into the lake of fire. This laſt is that which by Divines is uſually ſtyled Poſitive Reprobation, and is clearly diſtinguiſhable from the Negative, in that the one is an act of punitive juſtice reſpecting ſin committed and continued in. But the other an abſolute decree of Gods moſt free and Sovereign Will, without reſpect to any diſpoſition in the creature. I call them conſequents, not effects; becauſe, though Negative Reprobation be antecedent to them all, it is not the proper cauſe of them. This difference between the decrees Aquinas long ſince took notice of. Election (ſaith he) Thom. part. 1. quaeſt. 23. Artic. 3. ad … ^um.is a proper cauſe both of that glory which the Elect look for hereafter, and of that grace, which here they enjoy. Whereas Reprobation is not p. 317the cauſe of the preſent ſins of the non-elect, though it be of Gods forſaking them; but their ſin proceeds from the parties themſelves ſo paſſed by and forſaken. But I am under a promiſe of brevity, and therefore ſhall add no more but onelyonly adviſe the Engliſh Reader, who is deſirous of further information in theſe deep points, to procure and peruſe that excellent piece of the profound Doctor Davenant printed at Cambridge, Ann. 1641. under this Title, Animadverſions written by the right Reverend John Biſhop of Salisbury upon a Treatiſe intituled, Gods love to mankinde: where he will not onelyonly meet with the doctrine of Predeſtination modeſtly handled, but alſo with ample ſatisfaction to moſt of thoſe wicked cavils which fleſh and bloud have been wont to ſuggeſt againſt it.

§. 4. Having thus finiſhed that preamble, which the daring Heterodoxie of ſome modern writers put me upon p. 318a neceſsity of, I proceed to the making good of two Aſſertions, tending to cleare the former part of our preſent Aphoriſme, viz. That the Goodneſs of God is abundantly manifeſted in his Decree of our Election; and his Greatneſs no leſs in that of Preterition. In order to a demonſtration of the former, I deſire to have it conſidered, how free, how peculiar, how ancient, how leading, how laſting a favour Election is.

Firſt, A free favour. It is therefore called Election of Grace; and ſpoken of Roman. 11. 5.as tending to the praiſe of the glorie of free grace. The Lambs book of life Epheſ. 1. 6.Eph 1:6(ſo named, becauſe the Lamb Jeſus ſtands there inrolled in the head of it, as the head of all the Elect, and the Captain of that ſalvation whereunto they are choſen) is a book of love. Behold, my ſervant whom I have choſen, my beloved, Ma…. 12. 18.in whom my ſoul is well pleaſed. It was ſo ſaid of Chriſt, and may be applied to all the Elect in their meaſure. Hence p. 319Paul ſtileth his Theſſalonians, Brethren, beloved of the Lord, becauſe God had choſen 2 Theſſ. 2. 13.2 Thess 2:13them to ſalvation: and God expreſſeth the Election of Jacob, by Jacob have I loved, to ſhew that free love on Gods part is the fountain of this favour. We love perſons or things, becauſe they are lovely. God loveth them firſt, after makes them lovely, then loves them more for being ſo. The cauſe of our love is in the objects; of Gods, in himſelf: we are predeſtinated aſter the Epheſ. 1. 11.Eph 1:11counſel of his own will, not after the good inclinations of ours.

Secondly, A peculiar favour. Rarity much enhaunceth a benefit. Immunities and priviledges are therefore foreign. Plato. Privilegium gaudet paucitatemuch valued and ſtood upon, becauſe they are not common to many, and are therefore more rejoyced in, becauſe but few partake of them. There were but eight perſons ſaved from the Deluge of waters in Noahs time, who is accordingly ſaid to have fround grace in Gen. 6. 8.Gen 6:8the eyes of the Lord, in that he and his p. 320were preſerved when all the world beſide periſhed. And in regard the Deluge of fire that came upon Sodom and Gomorrah ſwept away all the other inhabitants, but Lot onelyonly, and his neareſt relations were exempted from it: God is ſaid to have magnified his mercy toward them, as Lot acknowledged, ſaying, Behold thy ſervant hath found Gen. 19. 19.Gen 19:19grace in thy ſight, and thou hast magnified thy merciemercy which thou haſt ſhewed unto me. We ſhould all have periſhed in the Deluge of fiery indignation, had not God elected ſome few whom he hath not appointed to wrath, but to obtain ſalvation by 1 Theſſ. 5. 9.1 Thess 5:9our Lord Jeſus Christ. They are but few, as Scripture tels us again and again, Many are called, but few choſen. Mat 20. 16. & 22. 14.Matt 20:16Matt 22:14The goodneſs of God is therefore to be more acknowledged in ſo peculiar a favour.

§. 5. 3^ly. An ancient favour. Old things, if evil, are ſo much the worſe for that; Old leaven is to be purged out, and the 1 Cor. 5. 7. Epheſ. 4. 21.1 Cor 5:7Eph 4:21old man to be put off. But every good p. 321thing is commended by its antiquity. One ſaid well that Old wood is beſt to burn, old friends beſt to truſt, and old Sir Fr. Bacon.books beſt to read. What price do Scholars put upon an ancient Manuſcript? Doubtleſs the oldeſt of all Manuſcripts, is the book of life: and the writing of our names therein the firſtborn of all Gods favours. If God ſo value the firſt-fruits of our ſervices, as he doth; how carefull ſhould we be to magnifie the firſt-fruits of his goodneſs? If old charters be of ſo great eſteem as they are in the world, how great an eſtimate ſhould we ſet upon the moſt ancient Magna Charta of our Election, having this ſeal, The Lord knows who are his.2 Tim. 2. 19.2 Tim 2:19

Fourthly, A leading favour. Thoſe are the moſt valuable bleſsings that have influence upon ſundry others, which they draw infallibly after them. Such is Election. Paul makes it the firſt linck of his golden chain, and ſhews how introductive it is of all the p. 322reſt. whom God did predeſtinate, them he alſo called; and whom he called, them he alſo Rom. 8. 30.Rom 8:30justified; and whom he juſtified, them he alſo glorified. Here is a chain which God Quatuor annuli ſunt unius catenae, quâ è coelo demiſſa Pater in coelum trahit electos. Primus eſt Pr…deſtinatio ad vitam in Chriſto. Secundus, Vocatio efficax ad Chriſtum; Tertius, Juſtificatio per Chriſtum; Quartus, Glorificatio cum Chriſto. Zanch. Tom. 7. col. 177.lets down from heaven that by it he may draw up his Elect thither. The firſt linck of it is Predeſtination, taken in a reſtrained ſenſe for the Election of grace. The next Effectual Vocation; into this the former hath a cauſal influence according to what the Lord once ſaid by his Prophet Jeremy, chap. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlaſting love, therefore with loving kindeneſ, have I drawn thee. Election having once pitch't upon a man, it will finde him out, and call him home, where ever he be. Zacheus out of curſed Jericho; Abraham out of idolotrous Ur of the Chaldeans; Nicodemus and Paul out of the Colledge of the Phariſees, Chriſts ſworn enemies; Dionyſius and Damaris, out of ſuperſtitious Athens. In what dunghil ſoever Gods jewels be hid, Election will p. 323both finde them out there, and fetch them out from thence. The third linck is Juſtification; the dependance thereof upon Election may be gathered from that paſſage in the ſame chapter to the Romans, Who ſhall lay Rom. 8. 33.Rom 8:33any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that juſtifies. As alſo from the viſion in Zechary, where Joſhuah the high prieſt repreſenting the people, appeared clothed with filthy garments in ſigne of guilt by them contracted, Zechar. 3. 34.till God had commanded, ſaying, Take away the filthy garments from him. Ib. v. 5.Behold, I have cauſed thine iniquitie to paſs from thee. Whereupon there was a fair Miter put upon his head, and he clothed with change of garments, in reference to their change of condition from guilt to free juſtification; the ſpring whereof is hinted to in that ſpeech, The Lord ſaid unto Satan, The Lord rebuke Ib. v. 2.thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath choſen Jeruſalem rebuke thee. p. 324The Fourth and laſt is Glorification, That takes in both the beginnings of glory in ſanctification (of which Paul in his ſecond to the Corinthians the third chapter and laſt verſe, We all with open face beholding as in a glaſs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord: and of which he telleth us elſewhere, that all the graces of which it conſiſts proceed from this prime grace of Election, (ſaying, God hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſsings in Chriſt, according Epheſ. 1. 3. 4.Eph 1:3Eph 1:4as he hath choſen us in him) and the conſummation of glory in heaven; the foundation whereof is by our Saviour clearly laid in the Fathers giving us to him by Election at firſt, This, ſaith he, is the Fathers will which hath ſent me, that of all which he hath given me I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe John 6. 39.John 6:39it up again at the laſt day. So true is that of a Modern writer, Election depends Caetera pendent ab Electione, Electio à Deo. Heinſ. Hom. in Job. 17. 9. p. 46.Job 17:9upon God alone, all other bleſsings upon Election.

p. 325Fifthly, A ſtanding favour. The favours of men may be ſuddenly changed into frowns; as thoſe of King Ahaſhuerus towards Hamon were: who but he over night in the Kings eſteem? next day he will not endure the ſight of him. But God's are immutable. All the bleſsings of the Covenant of grace are ſure mercies, according to that by the Prophet Iſaiah, I will make an everlaſting covenant with Jſai 55. 3.Isa 55:3you, even the ſure mercies of David; Election in a ſpecial manner. Our Apoſtle accordingly intimates in one place, that the purpoſe of God according Rom. 9. 11.Rom 9:11to election muſt ſtand: and affirms in another, that this foundation of God ſtands 2 Tim. 2. 19.2 Tim 2:19ſure, having this ſeal, The Lord knows who are his. In which few words, we have no fewer then three grounds of its ſtability; a Foundation, a Seal, and a Science. Election is the Foundation of God; a firm Foundation that ſtands ſure. With us things founded upon a rock, have great ſtability; the p. 326rock of ages, as he is called, even God himſelf, his good pleaſure and counſel Iſal. 26. 4.is that upon which our Election is founded. With us, writings once ſealed receive a confirmation thereby, and become unrepealable. God hath ſet his ſeal to this Decree. With us, knowledge or ſcience is of things certain and unalterable, not as opinion, which being of things onelyonly probable may be changed; The ſeal here is, The Lord knows who are his. No wonder then if the Lord be for ever found to make good that which he ſaid by his Apoſtle, God hath not caſt away his people whom he foreknew. If having named Election in the foregoing verſe, he preſently ſubjoyns, The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.Rom. 11. 2. Rom. 11. 29.Rom 11:2Rom 11:29

p. 327EXERCITATION 3.Exerc. 3.

An Introduction to Romans 9. Moſt part of that chapter expounded, together with ſundry paſſages in chapter 10, and 11. for proof of theſe two concluſions. 1. That Paul in Rom. 9. doth upon occaſion propound and proſecute the doctrine of Predeſtination. 2. That he derives the Decree of preterition from the Sovereign greatneſs of God. A Conſectary ſhewing how uſefull the ſaid doctrine is to ſober mindes.

§. 1. FOr a full proof of our ſecond Aſſertion, That the greatneſs of God is abundantly manifeſted by his decree of Preterition, we muſt of neceſsity have recourſe to the ninth chapter of Pauls Epiſtle to the Romans, as unto the proper ſeat of that argument; although divers from abroad, and ſome at home by forreign interpretations, forced Gloſſes and ſtrained Paraphraſes, have endeavoured to carry the ſenſe quite another way; againſt the poyſon of whoſe endeavours our people may perhaps ſtand in need of an Antidote.

p. 328It ſhall be my care, by Divine aſsiſtance, (which is alwaies needfull, eſpecially in the debating of ſuch myſteries) to preſent them with one: and in as calm a way as may be, without provoking, however without reproching ſuch as are contrary minded, to demonſtrate theſe two Concluſions, viz. That Paul in the ninth to the Romans doth upon occaſion propound, and proſecute the doctrine of Predeſtination. And that he plainly derives the Decree of Preterition from the Sovereign greatneſs of God. But before we enter upon ſo great a depth (which I do with fear and trembling) let it be obſerved that our Apoſtle from the end of the eight, to the beginning of his twelfth chapter, continues a profound complicate diſcourſe wholly about the main concernments of his countreymen the Jews; and that the beſt help we have for enlightening certain clauſes in the ninth, ought to be fe…ched from paſſages in the tenth and eleventh p. 329Chapters: the neglect whereof, I verily think, hath occaſioned the miſcarriages of ſo many in their interpretations of that Scripture. I ſhall hope to improve the Obſervation to good purpoſe.

§. 2. Concerning the former of our Concluſions, there will be no need of going far to ſeek the occaſion of Pauls falling upon this Doctrine. He had carefully and continually preached faith in Chriſt, as the onelyonly way of ſalvation, in oppoſition to all others. This, however embraced by divers Gentiles, could by no means finde entertainment with the Jews. Be pleaſed to compare Chapter 9. 31, 32, 33. Iſrael which followed after the Law of righteouſneſs, hath not obtained to the Law of righteouſneſs. Wherefore? becauſe they ſought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law: for they ſtumbled at that ſtumbling ſtone. As it is written, Behold I lay in S… on a ſtumbling-ſtone, and rock of offence: p. 330and whoſoever believes on him, ſhall not be aſhamed, with Chapter tenth, verſe 2, 3, 4. I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of Gods righteouſneſs, and going about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs, have not ſubmited themſelves to the righteouſneſs of God. For Chriſt is the end of the law for righteouſneſs to every one that believeth. This their ſtumbling at Chriſt, as they generally did, cauſed a great ſtumble in the thoughts of conſidering men, who could not but ſtand amazed to ſee, that whereas God had ſet up but one onelyonly way to be laid hold upon, for the attainment of bleſſedneſs, his own onelyonly people in the eye of the world, ſhould almoſt univerſally decline that, and venture their ſouls upon another. Yet this they did, even they who are here ſo magnificently deſcribed, Chapter 9. verſe 4, 5. Who were Israelites; p. 331to whom pertained the Adoption, and the glorie, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the ſervice of God, and the promiſes: Whoſe were the fathers, and of whom as concerning the fleſh Chriſt came, who is over all, God bleſſed for evermore, Amen. Hereupon ſome were apt to crie out, All is undone, The word of God it ſelf hath taken no effect. The Promiſe to Abraham is fallen to the ground. All Sermons and other Ordinances have been but a sſo much rain upon rocks that glides off and leaves no impreſsion. Our Apoſtle to recover them out of theſe dumps, leads them by degrees into the knowledge of Divine Predeſtination, as the root of all this: giving them firſt to underſtand, that all who bore the name of Iſraelites, and enjoyed the Ordinances, were not indeed ſuch children of God, as belonged to the Election of grace, and therefore did not cloſe with Chriſt in the uſe of them▪ as ſome few did, upon whom the word p. 332of grace weas effectual, and in whom (as few as they were) Gods promiſe to Abraham was preſerved. As for thoſe unto whom his Goſpel was hid, they were as he elſewhere tels the Corinthians, a ſort of loſt men and women. 2 Cor. 4. ….2 Cor 4For this ſee Chapter 9. verſe 6, 7, 8. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Iſrael, which are of Iſrael. Neither becauſe they are the ſeed of Abraham are they all children. But in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called. That is, They which are the children of the fleſh, theſe are not the children of God; but the children of the promiſe are counted for the ſeed. Where the Elect people of God (who onelyonly are accounted the ſpirituall ſeed, and who onelyonly in the concluſion will concur to conſtitute Chriſt Myſtical) are ſtyled children of the Promiſe, perhaps in reference to that grace and Promiſe of eternal life, given to them in Chriſt Jeſus before the world began, to which I have ſpoken before in this p. 333Aphoriſme, Exercitation the firſt, Paragraph the third: however in alluſion to the birth of Iſaac, who was produced above the power of nature, by vertue of a promiſe declaring Gods will and pleaſure to have it ſo; for the Elect in the reſpective hours of their converſion, are all of them born again John 1. 13.John 1:13not of bloud, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God Who of his James 1. 18.Jas 1:18own will begetteth them with the word of truth, that they ſhould be a kinde of firſtfruits of his creatures.

§. 3. Having thus given a more obſcure intimation of ſome few elect ones complying with the Goſpel, although moſt part of the Jews were recuſants as to that intereſt; he goeth on to profeſs it more openly in the beginning of the eleventh chapter, God hath not caſt away his people which …e foreknew verſe the ſecond, the infallible meaning whereof may be gathered from that in Peter, Elect according to the 1 Pet. 1. 2.1 Pet 1:2foreknowledge of God the Father. And p. 334more plainly yet in verſe the ſeventh and eighth of the ſame chapter, The Election hath obtained, and the reſt were blinded; According as it is written, God hath given them the ſpirit of ſlumber, eyes that they ſhould not ſee, and ears that they ſhould not hear unto this day. But to return to our ninth chapter. Who can adviſedly reade that paſſage in his diſcourſe about Jacob and Eſau, That the purpoſe of God according to Election might ſtand, and conſult the circumſtances of of it (viz. the childrens not yet being born, nor having done good or evil; as alſo a choice no way founded upon him that willeth, or upon him that runneth, but upon God alone who ſheweth mercy) and not reflect upon that election by me deſcribed in the firſt Exercitation under this Aphoriſme §. 2.? Add hereunto thoſe Apoſtolical diſtributions of men into thoſe on whom the Lord will have mercy, and thoſe whom he will harden in verſe the eighteenth, that is in other terms, Elect and Reprobate. Alſo p. 335into veſſels of mercy, and veſſels of wrath verſes 22, 23. What if God willing to ſhew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-ſuffering the veſſels of wrath fitted to deſtruction. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the veſſels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory? Where I deſire to have it punctually obſerved that the veſſels of wrath are onelyonly ſaid to be fitted to destruction, without naming by whom, God, Satan, or themſelves; whereas on the other ſide God himſelf Electio non eſt cauſ… tantum ſalutis, ſed & o…nium corum quae cauſae rationem habent ad ſalute…. R…probatio v…rò neque damnationis, …eque pe…ati quod meretur dann ationem est prop…iè cauſa ſed antecedens tantum. Ameſ. medu…. l. 1. c. 25. theſ. 40.is expreſly ſaid to have prepared his choſen veſſels of mercy unto glory. Which was purpoſely done (as I humbly conceive) to intimate a remarkable difference between election and preterition; in that Election is a proper cauſe not onelyonly of ſalvation it ſelf, but of all the graces which have any cauſal tendency thereunto; and therefore God is ſaid to prepare his elect to glory: Whereas negative reprobation is no proper cauſe, either of damnation it p. 336ſelf, or of the ſin that bringeth it, but an antecedent onelyonly; wherefore the Non-elect are indeed ſaid to be fitted to that deſtruction which their ſins in the concluſion bring upon them, but not by God. I call it a remarkable difference, becauſe where it is once rightly apprehended and truly beleeved, it ſufficeth to ſtop the mouth of one of thoſe greateſt calumnies and odiums which are uſually caſt upon our doctrine of predeſtination, viz. that God made ſundry of his creatures on purpoſe to damn them: a thing which the rhetorick of our adverſaries is wont to blow up to the higheſt pitch of aggravation. But is as ſoon blown away by ſuch as can tell them in the words of the Excellent D^r Davenant, B. Daven. Ani…adve…ſ. on Gods l…ve to mankinde. pag. 89.It is true that the elect are ſeverally created to the end & intent that they may be glorified together with their head Chriſt Jeſus: But for the Nonelect we cannot truly ſay that they are created to the end they may be p. 337tormented with the Devil and his Angels. For we may then ſay, God maketh ſuch a thing for ſuch an end, when he giveth the thing a nature and qualities fitted for ſuch an end. (e. gr. that he made the ſun to enlighten the world, becauſe he filled it with lightſomeneſs.) Now no man is created by God with a nature and quality fitting him to damnation. Yea neither in the ſtate of his innocency, nor in the ſtate of the fall and his corruption doth he receive any thing from God which is a proper and fit means of bringing him to his damnation. And therefore damnation is not the end of any mans creation.

§. 4. We have ſeen our Apoſtle propounding the doctrine of predeſtination in this his diſcourſe; ſee how he proſecutes the ſame more ways then one.

I. By producing certain inſtances. The perſons he inſtanceth in, if not as ſolemn p. 338examples, yet, as types and figures are at leaſt, of election Iſaac and Jacob; of reprobation, Iſmael and Eſau. It is the grand priviledge of Gods elect to have his covenant eſtabliſhed with them in ſpecial manner. The Meſsias, ſaith the Angel in Daniel, was cut off, Dan. 9. 26, 27.Dan 9:26Dan 9:27but not for himſelf; And he ſhall confirm the Covenant with many. The word is Larabbim with thoſe excellent ones, by whom Piſcator underſtandeth the elect, thoſe Many whom God's righteous ſervant is ſaid to juſtifie, Iſaiah 53. 11. where we meet with the ſame word. If ſo, who more fit to figure out them then our father Iſaac? concerning whom the Lord ſaid to Abraham, I will eſtabliſh Gen. 17. 19.Gen 17:19my Covenant with him for an everlaſting Covenant, and with his ſeed after him. Again, the ſtyle of all thoſe who are written in heaven, that is, of the Elect, is Hebr. 12. 23.Heb 12:23the generall Aſſembly, and Church of the … ſtborn. If ſo, who more fit to typifie them then Jacob, a man of all others moſt famous for procuring a primogeniture p. 339in an extraordinary way? As for reprobation, the obiects whereof are caſtaways, well might Iſmael ſtand for a figure of them, becauſe of him Sarah ſaid unto her husband, Caſt out Gen. 21. 10, 12.Gen 21:10Gen 21:12this bond-woman and her ſon, for the ſon of the bond-woman ſhall not be heir with my ſon, even with Iſaac. And her word was ratified by God himſelf, ſaying to Abraham, In all that Sarah hath ſaid unto thee, hearken unto her voice, for in Iſaac ſhall thy …eed be called. As alſo Eſau, who here falleth under two ſad characters; One of Gods hatred, then which nothing more dreadfull, Jacob have I loved, but Eſau have I hated, verſe 13. the other of ſervitude, verſe 12. The elder ſhall ſerve the younger. Concerning which, M^r Ainſworth hath theſe words, Servitude came in with a curſe and figureth reprobation, Ainſworth on Gen. 25. 23.Gen 25:23Gen. 9. 25. John 8. 34, 35. Gal. 4. 30, 31. Therefore from hence the Prophet teacheth that God loved Jacob, and hated Eſau, and the Apoſtle gathereth the doctrine of election p. 340and reprobation, Romanes 9. 10, 11, 12, 13. So he.

§. 5. The main exception, which our adverſaries hitherto have been wont to take at this and the like expoſitions, ariſeth thus. Jacob and Eſau are conſiderable in a double capacity, the one Perſonal, as they were this and that individual member of mankinde; the other Patriarchal, as they were heads of ſeveral Nations, Jacob of the Iſraelites, Eſau of the Edomites or Idumeans. They ſuppoſe we cannot ſafely apply the oracle delivered to Rebecca unto their perſons, ſeeing Malachy long ſince expounded it of their poſterity in theſe words, Was not Eſau Jacobs brother? ſaith Malach. 1. 2. 3.Mal 1:2Mal 1:3the Lord? yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Eſau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waſte for the dragons of the wilderneſs &c.

My conceptions concerning this matter (which as I would not impoſe upon any, far be ſuch preſumption from me, ſo I would have no Reader p. 241contemn, till he have conſidered them) are as followeth. According to their double capacity, the anſwer of God to Rebecca about them ſeemeth to have had a double aſpect: One to their poſterity regarding temporal things eſpecially, of which Malachy ſpeaketh, another to their perſons eying chiefly their ſpiritual concernments; and of that Paul treats in Romanes 9. as the context importeth. Nor can this be wondered at by ſuch as conſider how uſuall it hath been with God, as to diſcover himſelf by degrees (witneſs that in Deuteronomy, The Lord came from Sinai, Deut. 33. 2.Deut 33:2and roſe up from Seir unto them, he ſhined forth from mount Paran) ſo to reſerve more ſpiritual diſcoveries for Goſpeltimes.

§. 6. Whereas it is further objected that the Elders ſerving the Younger was never verified in the perſon of Eſau, who did never ſervilely ſubmit to Jacob; I anſwer. 1. He that ſhould go about to prove that negative, would p. 342finde an hard task; but ſuppoſe it proved, yet in point of right Eſau as having ſold his birth-right became ſervant to him that bought it. For in this reſpect it is ſaid to Cain the elder brother concerning Abel, Unto thee ſhall Gen. 4. 7.Gen 4:7be his deſire, and thou ſhalt rule over him. 2. In point of fact, time was when Eſau became a very humble ſuppliant to Jacob for a meſs of pottage. Feed me▪ I pray thee, with that ſame red pottage, for Gen. 25. 30.Gen 25:30I am faint. Now The borrower, ſaith Solomon, is a ſervant to the lender. How Prov. 22. 7.Prov 22:7much more he that craves to him that giveth? Beſides if the word ſerve be taken in a large ſenſe, Eſau ſerved Jacob wel-nigh all his life long, and brought him much nearer to God by vexing him. Non obſequendo, ſed perſequendo, as one ſaith, not by obeying, but by oppoſing. Which put me in minde of that ſtory in Bromiardus concerning an apprentice that had ſerved an hard maſter, by whom he had been often ſore beaten. Theſe blows the p. 343Lord had made a means of the mans converſion; whereupon, lying upon his death▪bed, and his maſter ſtanding by, catched faſt hold on his hands and kiſſed them, ſaying, Hae manus perduxerunt me ad paradiſum, Theſe hands have helped to bring me to heaven. 3. The Patriarchal capacity doth not exclude, but comprehend the Perſonal; for Jacob and his Iſraeli…es, Eſau and his Edomites make a Nation. In which reſpect, when David put garriſons in Edom; 2 S…m. …. 14.throughout all Edom put he garriſons, and all they of Edom became Davids ſervants; Eſau himſelf in his off-ſpring might not unfitly be ſaid to have ſerved Jacob in his. Laſtly, If no more can be had then this bare acknowledgement that our expoſition muſt be confined to their poſterity, even that will go nigh to ſerve our turn, and to ſuit with the Apoſtles ſcope, if it be conſidered, how exceeding fit the Iſraelites were to typify election, of whom God ſaid, Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the p. 344Deut. 14. 2.Deut 14:2Lord hath choſen thee to be a peculiar people unto himſelf, above all the nations that are on the earth. The Edomites to figure out reprobates, ſeeing of them it is ſaid by the Prophet, They ſhall call them Malac▪ 1. 4.Mal 1:4the border of wickednes, and the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever.

§. 7. 11. By reſolving certain queries. The firſt whereof is that in verſe 14. What ſhall we ſay then? Is there unrighteouſneſs with God? God forbid. Had the doctrine of predeſtination which Paul taught been the ſame with that of our modern Remonſtrants, viz. God's electing upon foreſight of mens being in Chriſt by faith, and reprobating upon foreſight of their final unbelief and impenitencie, there would then have been no occaſion for the quere; for reaſon how corrupt ſoever would ſoon have cloſed with the equity of ſuch decrees to render par pari, like to like. It is God's awarding paribus imparia unlike deſtinies to men of like conditions conſidered in the ſame p. 345lump, and doing this arbitrarily, according to the good pleaſure and counſel of his own will, that ſetteth it on crying out of iniquity in Gods proceedings. But what doth Paul anſwer? He abhorreth the thoughts of ſuch a thing. God forbid, it is as if he had ſaid, far be it from every one that pretends to a rational being, much more then every Chriſtian to entertain the leaſt thought of a poſsibility of injuſtice in any decree of God, whoſe will is the ſupreme rule of righteouſneſs. The judgements of God (as Auſtin hath ſaid truly of them) can neither be fully Dei judicia nemo plenè comprechendit, nemo juſtè reprehendit. Auguſt, de Civi…. D…i. lib. …. cap. 2…. Iſaaci Junii Antapologia in paraeneſ. ad Remonſtrant…s. pag. …1, & 2▪ Freti axiomatib…s rationis obliqu… & diſtort…e.—Revocatis omn… Dei conſilia ſub humanam incudem &c.comprehended, nor juſtly reprehended of any. Let me deſire ſuch as are ſo very apt to be cavilling at them, to ſwallow and digeſt by a ſerious conſideration, thoſe admonitions and reproofs which a late Belgick Contra-remonſtrant hath handed to their fellows. Calceati Deum aditis &c. You draw near (ſaith he) with ſhoes on your feet to him that dwelleth in an p. 346unacceſsible light, and preſuming upon certain Axiomes of crooked and diſtorted reaſon, paſs ſentence upon the decrees of God.—we blame you in this regard eſpecially, for intruding your ſelves into things which ye have not ſeen, and giving anſwers about the ſecrets of heaven with ſo much confidence, as if ye ſate at Gods counſel-table. You examine his counſels by the rules of humane proceedings; and if any thing concur that ſuits not with your preconceived opinions about free-will expunge it quite out of the number of Gods deſigns as unworthy of him.

Yea, Our Apoſtle not content with a bare expreſsion of abhorrency, goes on to free the decrees of God from all iniquity, each by it ſelf. Election, becauſe it is an act of mear bounty & free grace, in performing whereof God cannot poſsibly be unjuſt, as being under no law, but at abſolute liberty to diſpoſe of his free undeſerved favours according p. 347to the good pleaſure and counſel of his own will, to which purpoſe that is cited out of Exodus 15. For he ſaith to Moſes, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compaſsion upon whom I will have compaſsion and that inferred v. 16. So then it, that is the the purpoſe of God according to election, of which before v. 11. is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy. As for reprobation rightly ſtated, no iniquity will be found therein, if the grand laws of the univerſe be duly heeded, which is that all creatures be ſubſervient to their makers glory according to the proverb. The Lord hath P…ov. 16. 4.made all things for himſelf, yea even the wicked for the day of evil: Seeing the end of reprobating any is mainly this, that God may thereby be exalted, as Paul tel's us here v. 17. in the inſtance of Pharaoh. For the Scripture ſaith unto Pharaoh, even for this ſame purpoſe have I raiſed thee up, that I might ſhew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

p. 348§. 8. The nex Querie is that in v. 19. Thou wilt ſay then unto me, Why doth …e yet finde …ault? for who hath reſiſted his will? He had ſaid concerning God in the words immediately foregoing, He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Corrupt nature catching at the latter clauſe, is ready to impute unto God himſelf, (as injuſtice before, ſo from hence) rigour and cruelty, for that notwithſtanding his own willing in a ſenſe the hard-heartedneſse of Reprobates, he yet findes fault with them for it. yea, and damns them in the concluſion, although his will be irreſiſtible. The ſubſtance of this cavil, namely what influence the Will and Providence of God hath into mens induration, and how guilty themſelves are of it, ſhall hereafter be made to appear (if the Lord will) in explication of the following Aphoriſme. Meanwhile, it is carefully to be obſerved how S^e. Paul, as provoked by the malapartneſs p. 349of men, who though conſcious to themſelves of their own hardening themſelves, will be laying the blame upon God, ſtrikes in with his Apoſtolical authority, and gives them this ſevere check, Nay, but O man, who art thou that replieſt againſt God? Qui ex adverſo reſpon…as Deo, as it is well rendred by Beza in reference to the continual and manifold bublings up of carnal reaſon againſt divine diſpenſations N…lo à me quaera…, &c. Audiat hon…o, ne pereat …omo propter quem D…us ſactus eſt homo. Aug…ſtin. de ver…. Ap…ſt. Ser…. 7. & 11. Quis … ille att…nde, quis ſis … a…tende. Ille D…us …, … h… me. Se…m. 22. de verb. Ap…ſt. Quar… tu ra…ionem, …go exp… veſcam altitudinen▪ Turatiocinare, ego miror. T… diſ…u…t, ego credam. Altitudinem …idc…, ad preſundum non perve…io. ib. Serm. 22. prope ſia…m.and decrees, that which our Engliſh Proverb calls chopping Logick with god. A vice which our very being men ſhould ſuffice to wean us from. So as the word, O man here ſeems to carry an emphaſis in it, which Auſtin long ago obſerved in ſundry paſſages of one and the ſame ſet of his Sermons. Ask me not an account (ſaith he) of Divine diſpenſations, why things are carried ſo and ſo, towards this and that perſon. I am a man of whom thou askeſt; thou that enquireſt art a man. Let p. 350us both attentd to the man that ſaid, O man! Who art thou that replieſt againſt God? Let man hear, leſt man periſh, for whoſe ſake God himſelf became man. And again: minde it well who he is againſt whom thou replieſt, and who thou thy ſelf art that replieſt againſt him. He is God, thou art but a man. And yet again moſt fully. Thou askeſt a reaſon of this and that, I will tremble at the depth; thou argueſt, let me wonder. Do thou diſpute, I reſolve to believe. I ſee the depth, but the bottom I cannot reach.

§. 9. His third way of proſecution is, by alledging certain teſtimonies out of Moſes and the Prophets. I ſhall onelyonly fix upon one, namely that in Romans 9. 27. Eſaias alſo crieth concerning Iſrael; Though the number of the children of Iſrael be as the ſand of the ſea, a remnant ſhall be ſaved. Who ſo liſt, may ſee this and the following verſes expounded to our purpoſe by the learned Ludovic. de Dieu p. 351of Gods, Decrees, yea which (is more) Paul himſelf interpreting the remnant of Gods Elect in Rom. 11. 2, 3, 4, 5. where the concluſion is, Even ſo then at this preſent time alſo, there is a remnant according to the Election of grace.

And now, Reader, judge I pray thee between us; and tell me after all this, that hath been produced, whether a vehement agitatour in theſe points, had J. G. Expoſit. of Rom. 9. in his epiſtle to the Reader. …. 3.Rom 9any juſt cauſe to ſay as one did, That to him who ſhall narrowly and attentively weigh and conſider the tenour, and proceſs of the Apoſtles diſcourſe, Romans 9. from verſe 6. to the end, it will be found as clear as the light at noon day, that there is nec vola nec veſtigium, neither print nor footſtep, neither little nor much of any ſuch thing, as either Election or Reprobation in it. Meaning (as he there expreſſeth himſelf) a peremptory Election and Reprobation from eternity of a determinate number of men, under a meer perſonal conſideration.

p. 352§. 10. As for the proof of our ſecond Aſſertion, thoſe words in verſe 20. 21, 22. Shall the thing formed, ſay to him that formed it, Why haſt thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the ſame lump to make one veſſel unto houour, and another unto diſhonour? What if God willing to ſhew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-ſuffering the veſſels of wrath fitted to deſtruction? clearly hold forth to my apprehenſion the Sovereign greatneſs and power of God, as the fountain of Negative Reprobation; and contain a direct alluſion to that in Iſaiah, 45. 9. Wo unto him that ſtriveth with his maker. Let the potſheard ſtrive with the potſheards of the earth. Shall the clay ſay to him that faſhioneth it, What mak…ſt thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Now if the Prophet and Apoſtle, or rather the Holy Ghoſt by them, do rightly infer the ſilence and ſubmiſsion of the clay from its relation to the Potter; much more may the quiet p. 353ſubmiſsion of Non-Elect perſons to the diſpoſing will of God, be from hence concluded; (as Leſsius demonſtrates) ſeeing mankinde hath much more dependance See L…ſsius de perfection. divinis l. 10. c. 3. §. 19.upon the Sovereign Lord of all, then a Potter can challenge over any veſſel whatſoever: and this notwithſtanding they are not yet fully convinced of the reaſon of all Gods proceedings with them. Such as ſtill expect that, and therefore flie in the face of God for want of ſatisfaction in this and that particular, muſt give me leave to ſend them to the Morals of Gregory Semetipſum homo conſiderans tacet, & divina judicia diſcutere metuit, qui eſſe ſe pulverem agnoſcit.—Rationem de occul…o Dei conſilio quaerere, nihil eſt aliud quam contra e…us conſilium ſuperbire. Cum ergò factorum cauſa non depr…henditur, reſtat ut ſub factis illius cum humilitate taccatur: quia nequaquam ſufficit ſenſus carnis, ut ſecreta penetret majeſtatis. Qui in factis 'Dei rationem non videt, infirmitatem ſuam conſiderans, cur non videat, rationem videt. Gregor. Expoſi…. moral. in Job. 9. cap. 8.Job 9for the learning of better manners. Man (ſaith he) conſidering himſelf, holds his peace, and he that acknowledgeth himſelf but duſt, is afraid to diſcuſs the judgements of God. For him to ſeek a reaſon of Gods ſecret Decrees, is nothing elſe but to riſe up proudly againſt the counſel of his Will. Wherefore when the cauſe of any fact of his p. 354is not diſcerned, it calls for our ſilence and humility; for the ſenſe of fleſh ſufficeth not to pierce into the ſecrets of Majeſtie. So as he that ſees not a reaſon of that or that Divine diſpenſation, by conſidering his own infirmity, ſees a clear reaſon why he ſees it not.

§. 11. But, ſay Gregory what he can, yea and Paul himſelf what he will, the fault is not like to be mended ſo long as carnal mindes have to do with theſe points. We are all by nature Enemies in our mindes, as our Apoſtle Coloſſ. 1. 21.Col 1:21tels the Coloſsians: yea, the carnal minde, or the wiſdome of the fleſh (as he ſpeaks to the Romans) is enmity againſt Roman. 8. 7.God: for it is not ſubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be: whence it is that one or other of the great Maſters of Reaſon (as they would be accounted) although they be not unwilling to yield an independant Sovereignty and Arbitrary working to ſome men, as in the Eaſtern parts of the world moſt do to their abſolute Monarchs as at p. 355this day, and the Romane Senate did of old to Auguſtus Ceſar, witneſs Dion foreign. Dion Caſſ. Roman. hiſt. lib. 53. p. 516. in ant. edit. Graec. Lat.Caſsius in his hiſtory; The Senate, ſaith he, freed him from all the neceſsity of law, ſo as he might do or not do what he list, as having both himſelf and the law at his diſpoſal: yet out of their deep enmity and malignity againſt God, deny him the like prerogative, and will therefore be always found oppoſing his Decrees, and thoſe moſt, that are moſt Arbitrary. This hath been the root of that notorious piece of oppoſition in labouring that the decrees of God ſhould be wholly ſilenced, and either not ſtudied, or if ſtudied, not diſputed, or if diſputed, not preached of. Some ſuch there were in Auſtins time, againſt whom he bends his diſcourſe in the 14, 15, and 16. Chapters of his book, De Bono Perſeverantiae. And ſome there are at this day that ranck the points of Predeſtination among Fruitleſs and Sapleſs Speculations.

p. 356Holy Bucer was of a far different judgement. He in one of his firſt Lectures S…h…jus Electionis memoria & meditatio nobis auferretur, Bone Deus! quomode reſiſteremus Diabole. Quoties enim Diabolus tentat fidem noſtram, (nunquam autem non tentat) tunc ſempe… ad Electionem eſt nobis recurreadum.at Cambridge upon the epiſtle to the Epheſians, after publiſhed by Tremellius. Si hujus electionis &c. If the memory and meditation of Gods election were taken from us, good Lord, how ſhould we reſiſt the Devil! For ſo often as Satan tempts my faith, which he is ever tempting of, then do I always betake my ſelf to free election &c. A little after he aſſerts the doctrine of election as a principle ground not of ſolid comfort onelyonly, but of ſolid piety, and of true love to God; in which regards he would by… all means have it preached in coetu fidelium, in the open congregation. Verily this famous Univerſity is likely to continue famous, ſo long as it continueth orthodox. We may expect to ſhare in the Apoſtles benediction, and hope that the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the love of God, and the fellowſhip of the Spirit will be with us, ſo long as we teach, p. 357to the praiſe of the glory of free grace, the love of God in electing freely what perſons he will; the grace of Chriſt in dying freely, and with a ſpecial intention for thoſe whom the Father had elected; and the communication of the Spirit in freely converting and finally preſerving thoſe whom the father had ſo choſen, and the Son ſo died for. Sure I am our bleſſed Saviour once ſaid to his Diſciples, In this Luke 10. 20.Luke 10:20rejoyce that your names are written in heaven; and that nothing doth more inflame a Chriſtians love then a firm belief of his perſonal election from eternity, after he hath been able to evidence the writing of his name in heaven, by the experience he hath had of an heavenly calling, and an heavenly converſation. When the Spirit of God (whoſe proper work it is to aſſure, as it was the Fathers to elect, and the Sons to redeem) hath written the law of life in a Chriſtians heart, and therewith enabled him to know aſſuredly p. 358that his name is written in the book of life; he cannot then but melt with flames of holy affection, according to that moſt emphatical ſpeech of Bernard, Amat ille non immeritò, qui amat… eſt ſine merito. Amat ſine …ine, qui ſine principio ſe cognoſcit amatum. Bern. epiſt. 107.God deſerveth love from ſuch as he hath loved long before they could deſerve it. And his love to God will be without end, who knoweth that Gods love to him was without any beginning. I confeſs indeed that the book of life, like the tree of life in paradiſe, hath a tree of knowledge growing hard by which cannot with ſafety be taſted of. There are ſome nice and needleſs queſtions ſtarted about it that might be ſpared, and ſhould be forborn. But theſe high walls and ſons of Anak ſhould by no means prevail with us to play the unworthy ſpies, and bring up a bad report, or give way to any brought up by others upon a land that floweth with ſo much milk and honey as the doctrine of predeſtination doth. Surely for men to ſilence it, were to ſtop up thoſe wels, which the Prophets p. 359and Apoſtles, eſpecially Paul, Exerc. 4.have digged in their writings for the refreſhing of thirſty ſouls; yea to endeavour the cancelling of that firſt and great charter of our ſalvation.

EXERCITATION 4.

Creation what. Pythagoras and Triſmegiſt. Hebr. 6. 3. opened. Scripture-Philoſophy. Ex nihilo nihil fit, how true. Creature what. Gods goodneſs in works of creation, particularly in the framing of Adam. The conſultation upon which, pattern after which, parts of which he framed. Two hiſtories, one of a Prieſt, the other of a Monk. The original of body and ſoul improved.

§. 1. THe word Creation hath divers acceptions. It is taken either largely, for the production of any thing remarkably good or evil; ſo magiſtrates in a Common-wealth, and Graduates in an Univerſitie are ſaid to be created, God is ſaid to create a clean Pſal. 51. 52. Eph… 2. 20.Ps 51:52Eph 2:20heart, and we are called his workmanſhip oreated in Chriſt unto good works: p. 360and for evil, Moſes in Numbers ſpeaking of the remarkable judgement inflicted on Kora… and his complices uſeth this expreſsion, Si creationem creaverit Deus, if God created a creature: the radix is foreign Or limitedly, with ſome reſtraint; and that either ſtrictly, for the generation of living creatures in a natural way, ſo in Horace, Fortes creantur …ortibus & bonis, and in Virgil, Sulmone creatos quatuor h…c juvenes. Whence alſo, procreare, or more ſtrictly, for the making of a thing out of ſome praeexiſtent matter, but ſuch as is naturally indiſpoſed and unapt for that production, whereas in generation there is always materia habilis & dispoſita; as when God created man of the duſt of the earth, and woman of mans rib, or moſt ſtrictly, for the production of a thing without any praeexiſtent matter at all out of mere nothing; we are to ſpeak of it in the two latter ſenſes, for ſo it belongeth to God alone. Thus Iſ…. 44. 24.ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer, and he that p. 361formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things, that ſtretcheth ſorth the heavens alone, that ſpreadeth abroad the earth by my ſelf. Yea ſo neceſſary was the confeſsion of this truth with the utmoſt hazard to diſtinguiſh God from Idols, that to the end the Jews, who were then captives in Babylon, might not be wholly to ſeek for a profeſsion of their faith, they had this verſe in the Hebrew Bible written then, and ſo ſtill in Chaldee letters, Thus ſhall ye ſay unto them, The Gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they ſhall periſh from the earth, and from under theſe heavens. Jerem. 10. 11. 'E… foreign. Juſt. Mart. de Monarthia Dei. foreign. Triſmegiſtus.Jer 10:11Not unſutable whereunto is that of Pythagoras long ſince cited by Juſtin Martyr, Whoſoever would from hence…orth challenge any Diety to himſelf, muſt be able to ſhew ſuch a world as this, and to ſay in truth, This is of my making. and that of Triſmegiſt (an heathen too) in one of his books; There are mainly three to be conſidered; God, the World, and Man: the world made for man, and man for God.

p. 362§. 2. But we have a more ſure word of Propheſie, and to that let us take heed: It will ſhew us, Firſt, How we Chriſtians by faith underſtand that the Hebr. 11. 3.Heb 11:3worlds were framed by the word of God, ſo that things which are ſeen were not made of things which do appear. Well might a Gilb. Voetius Diſput. Theol. part. 1▪ p. 881.late writer conclude his Diſcourſe of Creation with this Epiphonema, Quantum eſt quod neſcimus! The truth is it is but little that we can learn from Philoſophers, even concerning Creation it ſelf, (the onelyonly Article of the Creed which they ſpeak fully too) unacquainted with Scripture. Which made Maximilian the firſt to ſay, that the Audi…ndi ſunt Eth…ici, non …anquam Philome…e, ſed tanquam Ranae. Apud Voetium ibid. pag. 680.Ethnicks were to be heard not as ſinging Nightingales, but as croaking frogs: And two great Phyſicians betake themſelves to the ſtudy of Scripture for underſtanding the ſecrets of Nature. One Sennertus, who findeth much fault with thoſe who perverted the text of Moſes, and interpreted him out of heathen writers, auſu infelici, (ſaith he) & p. 363non tolerando by an unhappy and intolerable undertaking. The other Valleſius, Huic lectioni conſecrari ſenectutem.—ſtatui in his philoſophari &c. Valloſius.who in the Preface to his Sacra Philoſophia telleth us that whereas he had in the former part of his life commented upon all Ariſtotles Acromaſticks, and many pieces both of Hippocrates and Galen, he was reſolved to devote the remainder of his days to the ſtudy of the holy Scriptures, and to ſeek his Philoſophy out of them for time to come. By faith we underſtand. A Chriſtian firmly beleeves thoſe truths concerning the time and manner of the worlds creation, becauſe he hath Scripture teſtimony for them. That the worlds were framed, ſpeaking after the Jewiſh mode, though there be indeed but one world, in the plurall number; for the Hebrews then were wont to mention a three…old, viz. an inferiour, a middle, and a ſuperiour world, as Camero Cameron. Myrothec. pag. 288.telleth us. Framed by the word of God, ſaith this place. When Solomon was to build a magnificent Temple, he needed p. 364many workmen, and they many tools. Not ſo God, who did all without any coadjutour, any inſtrument, by the ſole word of his command. By the word of Pſa…. 33. 6.the Lord were the heavens made, and all the hoſt of them by the breath of his mouth. Let Pſal. 148. 5.Ps 148:5them prai…e the name of the Lord, for he commanded, and they were created. Art can work, if Nature firſt afford it ſome complete matter: Let an artificer have a ſtone, he can make a ſtatue, otherwiſe not. Nature can work if there be a principle to work upon, though incomplete; Let there be ſeed, it can produce a plant, let there be ſpawn, a fiſh. But to work without praeexiſtent matter, D^r Jackſons Commentary on the Creed 2^d part. chap. 6. § 4. pag. 64.ſo as to bring forth the firſt plant without ſeed, the firſt fiſh without a ſpawn, yea the firſt principles of theſe and all things elſe out of nothing, by his ſole word, is proper to God. So that things which are ſeen (as it followeth here) were not made of things which do appear. That Rule, Ex nihilo nihil fit, holds in natura constituta, now that God hath p. 365ſet nature in a courſe of working by ſecondary cauſes enabled to produce effects like themſelves; but in natura conſtituenda: it was otherwiſe, when God wrought by his word of command, and is therefore called Elohim by Moſes two and thirty times in his hiſtory of creation, as Mercer obſerveth.

The Schoolmen for the moſt part expreſs that which is here called, Things that do not appear, by the term Nothing, either ſimply Nothing, or No ſuch thing, as it appeared to be at firſt: yet when they ſpeak of Non-ens, they take not the word materially, as if mear Nothing were the matter of which any Being were framed; but Terminatively, as the term from which the Creatour moved. For example, the Angels, they ſay, and the ſouls of men, together with the Eſſential forms of natural bodies were not then educed ex potentia materiae, (as they are ſince in the ordinary courſe of generation by p. 366V…ſſii Theſ, p. 12.particular agents;) but induced in materiam by God himſelf the univerſal cauſe, and had an immediate Production by the Creatour: whereas ſome other things, as the Sun & Mans body, had a mediate creation, as being produced ex non-ente tali from ſuch things as of themſelves could not have cauſed ſuch effects, but by virtue of Gods creative word. B. Hall contemplat. of creation.Doctor Hall hath given us the true notion of this in a compendious ſaying of his, God made ſomething out of nothing, and of that ſomething, all things. So as if all things be run to their firſt Original, they will be found to come up out of the womb of Nothing, from whence nothing but Almightineſs could have fetch't them.

§. 3. That although the creatures be now ſubject to vanity, yet the goodneſs of God did ſhine forth in their firſt production, and is ſtill abundantly manifeſted in them. The creature, ſaith Paul, ſpeaking of its preſent ſtate, Rom. 9. 21.Rom 9:21was made ſubject to vanity. Whatſoever p. 367thing had any being of it ſelf, and was not for ever, but did receive a being in time, and that from God, is a creature, ſaith Daneus well: thereby excluding the Divinity of Chriſt which was Creatura eſt res omnis quae neque à ſci…ſa eſt neque ſemper fuit; ſed ut aliquando & à Deo producta eſt. Daneus Phyſic. Chriſt. in p. 59.from everlaſting, as the Angels were not, but produced by God in time; and ſins of all ſorts, becauſe though God be ſomeway an actor about, yet he is no author of them; as alſo works of art, for which God enables men, but produceth them not. The vanity which all ſuch things are ſubject to, is partly Negative, a non-ability to ſerve man as they did before the fall; after it the Lord ſaid to Adam, Curſed is the Gen. 3. 17.Gen 3:17ground for thy ſake; in ſorrow ſhalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Partly Poſitive; whence that of Solomon, Behold, all is vanity and vexation of ſpirit. Eccleſ. 1. 14.Eccl 1:14Yet if any ſhall hereupon conclude, that it was ſo from the beginning, Moſes will expreſly confute him, by whom we are told, that when God at the very end of his creation Saw every p. 368Gen. 1. 31.Gen 1:31thing that he had made, and behold it was very good; which to me is a demonſtration that the Angels were not then fallen. Yea if any ſhall deny that the goodneſs of God is ſtill viſible in them, let that ſaying of the Pſalmiſt ſtop his mouth, The earth is full of the goodneſs of the Lord. What he predicates Pſal. 35. 5.Ps 35:5of the earth, I am not afraid to extend to the ſea, and to all other parts of the Univerſe, They are all at this day full of the goodneſs of the Lord: the ſea eſpecially, which we Iſlanders are eſpecially bound to take notice of by way of rejoycing, and to glorifie God for, according to theſe direct places, Glorifie ye the Lord, even the name of the Iſaiah. 24. 15.Isa 24:15Lord God of Iſrael, in the iſles of the ſea. And in the Pſalms, The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoyce, let the multitude of the Pſal. 97. 1.Ps 97:1iſles be glad thereof. Well may the earth rejoyce herein, becauſe if the Lord did not ſo reign as to ſet bounds to that (whoſe natural place is above the earth, as Pſalm 104. informs us) it p. 369would all quickly be overflown. Well may the multitude of the iſles be glad thereof: for what are they in regard of the Ocean that ſurrounds them, but as ſo many nutſhels in a great veſſel of water; how ſuddainly drowned, if God did not reign ſo as to reſtrain that element?

§. 4. But I muſt not allow my ſelf too much ſcope, I ſhall therefore reſtrain my future diſcourſe upon this head to the ſole creation of man, and ſhew how goodneſs appeared in it. It is reported as the ſpeech of Favorinus; Nihil eſt in macrocoſmo magnum praeter microcoſmum.That in the vaſt world of creatures, there is nothing truly great except the little world of man. Surely, next to the knowledge of God, there is nothing of more concernment to us; and therefore let none wonder at me, who cannot go over all, for ſingling out his creation to be inſiſted upon: concerning which I intend to ſhew out of certain texts in Geneſis, the conſultation upon which, the pattern after which, and p. 370the parts of which he was made at firſt.

For the firſt, It is the manner of Artificers to deliberate much, and to put themſelves to more then ordinarie pains about their Maſter-pieces. Man was to be the Maſter-piece of this viſible world, and accordingly Moſes ſpeaking of God according to the manner of men, brings him in conſulting about ſo prime a piece. God ſaid, Let us make man: whereas moſt other Gen. 1. 26.Gen 1:26things were made with a word ſpeaking, Let there be light, and there was Gen. 1. 3, 24.Gen 1:3Gen 1:24light. Let the earth bring forth, and it was ſo. Here the Creatour calls as it were a ſolemn Councel of the ſacred perſons in Trinity, when he is about to proceed to the making of man. Which is to be taken notice of, both becauſe other Scriptures uſe the plural number where mans creation is ſpoken of (as in Eccleſ. 12. 1. Remember thy creatour: according to the Original, Creatours; and Job. 35. 10. Where is God my maker? Hebrew, p. 371Makers: and becauſe it ſhould reſtrain us from deriding any mans deformity, for fear of our reproching his Maker. To which purpoſe that hiſtory is very remarkable. An Emperour Fitz Herb. of policie and religion. Part. 1. pag. 54. out of Guil. Malmſ. l. 2. c. 10.of Germany came upon a Lordsday morning unattended to a poor countrey Church, where, pretending himſelf a ſouldier, he was preſent at Maſs, which was ſaid by the pariſh Prieſt, a man ſo deformed, that he was ſaith mine Authour, Poenè portentum naturae, almoſt a monſter in nature. And as the Emperour wondred with in himſelf, that God, (whoſe beauty and Majeſty is infinite) would be ſerved by ſo deformed a creature, it came to paſs that the Prieſt reading the hundred Pſalm, which was in the courſe of his Liturgy to be rehearſed upon that day, pronounced the ſecond verſe thereof, Know ye that the Lord he is God, it is he that hath made us and not we our ſelves, in ſuch a different tone and voice from that which he before uſed, p. 372that the Emperour apprehended it as a thing ordained by Almighty God to meet with and anſwer his preſent cogitation, and began to entertain ſo reverent an opinion of the Prieſt, that having informed himſelf after Maſs of his great virtue, he made him Arch-Biſhop of Colen, much againſt the good mans will: who notwithſtanding behaved himſelf in that great charge with ſingular commendation, and left a moſt ſweet ſavour behinde him.

§. 5. For the ſecond. The pattern after which man was made, is ſometimes called Image alone. So, God Gen. 1. 27.Gen 1:27created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; ſometimes likeneſs Gen. 5. 1. Gen. 1. 26. Mos eſt Hebraeis duo ſubſtantiva ita conjungere ut diuerſae res eſſe videantur, cùm tamen alterum adjectivi & epitheti ſignificationem habeat. Andr. River. in Gen. Exercit. 4.Gen 5:1Gen 1:26alone, In the day that God created man, in the likeneſs of God made he him. Sometimes both, Let us make man in our image, after our likeneſs: which makes a wiſe interpreter think that when they are joyned, it is by Hendiadys, and that the Holy Ghoſt meaneth an Image p. 373moſt like his own, ad imaginem & ſimilitudinem ſuam, that is, ad quàm ſimillimam ſui imaginem. It is exceeding much for mans honour, that he is an Epitomie of the world, an abridgement of other creatures, partaking with the ſtones in being, with the ſtars in motion, with the plants in growing, with beaſts in ſenſe, and with Angels in ſcience. But his being made after Gods Image is far more. As great men are wont, they often erect a ſtately building, then cauſe their own picture to be hung up in it that ſpectatours may know who was the chief Founder of it: ſo when God had created the Fabrick of this world, the laſt thing he did was the ſetting up his own Picture in it, creating man after his own image. Now there is a threefold ſenſe of this phraſe: for the image of God is taken, firſt, in a large ſenſe, and ſo it is appliable unto all men in regard of the ſubſtance of their ſouls, which are inviſible, incorporeal. and p. 374intelligent, as God is. Whoſo ſheddeth mans blood, by man ſhall his blood be ſhed, for in the image of God made he man. And Gen. 9. 6.Gen 9:6again in James, Therewith curſe we men James 3, 9.Jas 3:9which are made after the ſimilitude of God. We read of the Emperour Theodoſius, that having exacted a new tribute from the people of Antioch, there aroſe See Theodor. hiſt. lib. 5. c. 21.a commotion, in which the people broke down the Statue of the Empreſs Placilla his late wife. He in a rage ſent his Forces againſt the city to ſack it. One Macedonius a Monk interceded thus. If the Emperour be ſo much, and ſo juſtly offended that the image of his wife was ſo defaced, ſhall not the king of heaven (ſaid the Monk) be angry at him if he ſhall deliberately deface and break the image of God in ſo many men as are like to periſh in this Maſſacre. What a vaſt difference is there betwixt reaſonable creatures, and that brazen image? we for that image are eaſily able to ſet up one hundred, but the Emperour with p. 375all his power is not able to reſtore ſo much as an hair of theſe men, if once he kill them. upon which admonition Theodoſius, it is ſaid, forbore his deſign. Secondly, in a ſtrict ſenſe. So 'tis appliable onelyonly to Chriſt, who is the image of the inviſible God; the brightneſs Coloſ. 1. 15.Col 1:15of his glory, and expreſs image of his Heb. 1. 3.Heb 1:3perſon. For all the three things that go to make a perfect image, viz. Likeneſs, Derivation, and Agreement in nature are concurrent here. The kings image is in his coin, and in his ſon, but after a different manner. In his coin there may be likeneſs and derivation, but not identity of Nature, which is alſo added in his ſon. In Saints there are the former; they are like to God in their qualities derived from him; but in Chriſt all three. Thirdly in a middle ſenſe, neither ſo largely as to extend to all men, nor ſo ſtrictly as to be reſtrained unto Chriſt alone, but between both. So taken, it is nothing elſe but that conformity p. 376to God from which all men fell in the firſt Adam, and unto which none but Saints are reſtored by the ſecond.

§. 6. For the third, The parts of which man conſiſteth, are body and ſoul; Moſes at firſt ſpeaks to both, The Gen. …. 7.Lord God (ſaith he) formed man of the duſt of the ground, and breathed into his noſtrils the breath of life: and man became a living ſoul. God had before made Spirits by themſelves, and bodies by themſelves, ſome celeſtial, others terreſtrial; now on the ſixth day for a concluſion of his works, he frames a creature conſiſting of a ſpirit and a body joyned together, in whom he includes the choice perfections of all the former. One obſerves that God Weemſe Portracture. p. 41.hath joyned all things in the world by certain Media. The earth and water are coupled by ſlime; the air and water by vapours; Exhalations are a middle between air and fire; Quick ſilver a middle between water and mettals; p. 377coral between roots and ſtones, ſo man between beaſts and Angels. Manilius hath comprehended much in Manil. lib. 4. apud Lip…. Phyſiolog. l. 3. diſſert. 2.few verſes,

—Quid mirum noſcere mundum

Si poſsint homines, quibus eſt & mundus in ipſis,

Exemplúmque Dei quiſque eſt in imagine parva?

In Engliſh thus,

—What wonder if men know the world

Since they themſelves the world epitomize,

Yea every one a medal of God is?

Where he doth in effect call his body foreign a little world, and his ſoul foreign a little God. In the purſuance Charron of wiſdome pag. 16.of the former, the Stoicks were wont to ſay, That it was better being a fool in an humane ſhape, then being wiſe in the form of a beaſt. Yea Solomon himſelf in the twelfth of Eccleſiaſtes findeth in his head both Sun, Moon, and Stars. Well therefore may his head reſemble the heavens where theſe lights p. 378are (as our eyes alſo are in our upper parts) without which the world would be a dungeon; his heart the fire, it being kept hot by continual motion, and conveying natural heat to the whole body; his bloud and other humours the water; his ſpirits the air; and his fleſh and bones the earth. In proſecution of the latter, Tully a Platoniſt Scito te Deum eſſe &c. Lib. de ſomn. Scip.goeth ſo far as to bid a man take notice that he is a God, and ſome Divines Bonaventurae Amatorium. pag. 601. col. 2.finde a reſemblance of the Trinity in mans ſoul. The underſtanding, will and conſcience, three faculties, but one ſoul; as Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt, three perſons but one God: Let us all mean while, taſte and ſee how good the Lord is in preparing us ſuch bodies, and infuſing ſuch ſouls into us: but withall ſo as to conſider and improve the Original of both.

§. 7. Seeing Adams body had its original from the duſt of the earth, the conſideration hereof ſhould be an antidote againſt pride in all his poſterity. p. 379Art not thou the ſon of Adam? was not he the ſon of duſt? was not that the ſon of nothing? when the Lord would humble Adam after the fall he put him in minde of his being duſt. In the ſweat of thy face ſhalt thou eat Gen. 3 19. Gen. 18. 27.Gen 3:19Gen 18:27thy bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it waſt thou taken: for duſt thou art, and unto duſt ſhalt thou return. And when Abraham would be low before God, he ſtyleth himſelf duſt and aſhes, Behold now I have taken upon me to ſpeak unto the Lord, who am but duſt and aſhes. Ecclus 10. 9.Sir 10:9Why art thou proud O duſt and aſhes? ſaith Siracides, and Bernard, Cùm ſis humi limus, cur non es humilimus? Why art not thou moſt humble, O man, ſeeing thou art but the duſt of the earth. As for the ſoul, that was purely from God, Divinae particula aurae as an ancient Poet calleth it, for God ſaith Moſes, breathed into his noſtrils the breath of life; and man became a living ſoul. This ſhould render us reſtleſs till that Image after which Adam was made be renewed in us by p. 380regeneration. The relicks of it found in men unconverted what are they but magni nominis umbra, the mere ſhadow of a great and glorious name. How unlike are natural men to God for all them? Our Queen Elizabeth once in her progreſs obſerving ſome pictures of hers hung up for ſigns to be very unlike her, cauſed them to be taken down and burnt. Burning muſt be the end of thoſe that continue unlike to God; whereas ſuch as are by converting grace changed into the ſame 2 Cor. 3. 18.2 Cor 3:18image (as Paul ſpeaketh) from glory to glory ſhall at length arrive at that perfection of glory, which is alſo the image of God, as David hath it, As for me, I ſhall behold thy face in righteouſneſs; I ſhall be ſatisfied when I awake with thy likeneſs.

p. 381EXERCITATION 5.Exerc. 5. The ſame and other attributes of God declared from his providentiall diſpenſations, the interchangeableneſs whereof largely diſcourſed of and applied from Eccleſiaſtes 7. 14. A gloſs upon Iſaiah chap. 10. 11. Chearfulneſs a duty in ſix reſpects; Croſſes how to be conſidered.

§. 1. THe viciſsitude of divine diſpenſations (which I am to treat of next) is exactly recorded by Solomon, ſaying, In the day of proſperity Eccles 7. 14.Eccl 7:14be joyfull, but in the day of adverſity conſider: God alſo hath ſet the one over againſt the other, to the end that man ſhould finde nothing after him. It is moſt clear from hence, that there is an intermixture of diſpenſations, adverſe and proſperous, in the courſe of divine Providence, and that we may ſee much of God therein. It will appear in ſix particulars.

There are times. I. Wherein things go very ill with a man in reference to his private affairs, yet well with the publick, which keepeth him p. 382from ſinking into deſpondency. Mephiboſheth was cheated by Ziba of half his lands; yet Let him take all, ſaid he, 2 Sam. 19. 29, 30.2 Sam 19:292 Sam 19:30for as much as my Lord the king is come again in peace unto his own houſe. The woman of Sparta, whom we reade of And. Camerar. cent. 3. pag. 174.in Plutarch, being told that all her five ſons were ſlain in the battel, but withall that the enemies were worſted, and her countreymen victours, uttered this Heroick ſpeech. Lugeant ergò miſerae; Ego victrice patria beatam me eſſe judico. Let ſuch as are miſerable lament; I cannot but account my ſelf happy now that my countrey hath had the better.

II. Wherein a mans perſonal comforts are multiplied, but the Churches miſery damps his mirth. Nehemiah was much in favour at the king of Perſia's Court, yet his countenance could not but be ſad when he heard that the city Nehem. 2. 3.Neh 2:3the place of his fathers ſepulchres lay waſte, and the gates thereof were conſumed with fire. We read of Terentius an orthodox p. 383captain under Valens an Arrian Emperour, who having done ſome eminent Theodoret. lib. 4. cap. 2. 8.ſervice was willed by the Emperour, who intended him a juſt recompence, to ask of him what he would. He preferred a petition in behalf of the orthodox Chriſtians, that they might have a Church allowed them by themſelves to worſhip God in. Valens diſpleaſed, tore the petition and threw it away. He gathered up the ſcattered pieces, and profeſt that ſeeing he could not be heard in the cauſe of Chriſt, he would make no ſuit for his own advantage. That of Eſaias, Rejoyce ye with Iſa. 66. 10, 11.Isa 66:10Isa 66:11Jeruſalem &c. that ye may ſuck and be ſatisfied, is both preceptive and argumentative. Jeruſalem is compared to a nurſing mother, beleevers to her ſucking children; If the Nurſe be in health, the Childe hath cauſe to rejoyce in that, and ſhall fare the better for it: If ſhe be diſtempered, the childe will go near to ſuck the diſeaſe from her.

p. 384§. 2. III. Wherein long proſperity followeth after much adverſity, as in Joſephs caſe. He had been envyed, ſold, impriſoned; His feet were hurt in Pſal. 105. 18.Ps 105:18the ſtocks, the iron entred into his ſoul. Yet afterward, Pharaoh giveth him his own Gen. 41. 42, 43.Gen 41:42Gen 41:43ring, arrayeth him in veſtures of fine linen, putteth a gold chain about his neck, maketh him ride in the ſecond chariot he had, cauſed the people to cry before him. Bow the knee, and appointed him Ruler over all the land of Egypt, in which height of honour he lived and died.

IV. Wherein adverſity treads upon the heels of long proſperity, as in Jobs caſe. The candle of God had long ſhined upon his head, and the ſecret of God been upon his tabernacle. His children then were about him, he had waſhed his ſteps with butter, and the rock poured him out rivers of oyl. His Verſ. 3, 4, 5, 6, 19, 20.root was ſpread by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon his branch. His glory was freſh in him, and his bowe p. 385renowned in his hand, which are his own expreſsions Job 29. But ere long, his ſervants are ſlain with the edge of the ſword, his caſtle taken away by the enemy, all his children killed at once vvith the fall of an houſe in vvhichwhich they vvere feaſting, he himſelf afflicted in body, vexed in ſpirit, grieved by his comforters, in a vvord brought from the throne to the dunghil, ſo as to give juſt occaſion to the proverb, As poor as Job.

Fifthly, Wherein croſſes and comforts take it by turns, ſo as a man goes out of one into another, in a ſucceſsion of viciſsitudes. Thus it fared with Ezechiah. After his comming to the Crown for divers years the Lord was with him, and he proſpered whitherſoever he went forth. But in the fourteenth year of his reign, the tide of proſperity begins to turn. Sennacharib comes up againſt him with a moſt formidable hoſt, and took his fenced cities. He betakes himſelf to prayer, and the p. 386Lord delivers him by a miracle, ſending an Angel to deſtroy one hundred eighty five thouſand of his enemies in Chap. 20. 1. &ca night. But the next news we hear, is that Ezechiah was ſick unto death; yet he dies not, but had fifteen years added to his life, and was aſſured by a ſign from heaven of his recovery. Yet preſently after all this he receives a ſad meſſage from thence concerning the loſs of all his treaſure, and the wofull condition of all his poſterity. See what a ſtrange ſucceſsion is here; after glorious victories, comes the loſs of his fenced cities, and an alarm given to Jeruſalem it ſelf. After that a miraculous deliverance, then a mortal ſickneſs, then a cheering ſign, but e're long a Meſſage of very ſad concernment.

§. 3. VI. Wherein pleaſure and ſorrow, joy and grief are ſo interwoven one with another, as a man may ſeem happy and miſerable both at once. Jacob is at once ſcared with hearing p. 387of Eſau's four hundred men, and cheered with the ſight of an hoſt of Angels ſent to gaurd him. He doth at once receive an hurt in the hollow of his thigh, and a bleſsing from the Angel that wreſtled with him. David at once is hated by Saul, and loved by Jonathan. Ahaſhuerus at once enjoys the glory of an abſolute Monarch, and is ſleighted by his own wife. Haman at once ſwims in an ocean of Courtdelights, and is tormented for the want of Mordechai's knee. As one the one ſide, Out of the ſtrong comes ſweetneſs; … Pet. 4. 14.when the spirit of glory and of God reſt upon a ſuffering Saint, becauſe he is a Saint and a ſufferer: ſo on the other, Even in laughter the heart is ſorowfull.Prov. 14. 13.Prov 14:13

—Medio de fonte leporumLucret. l. 4.

Surgit amari aliquid, quod in ipſis floribus angat.

That is,

Some bitter thing from midſt of ſweetneſs breeds;

p. 388And that which vexeth from the flowers proceeds.

§. 4. This God doth for divers good ends and purpoſes. As firſt to manifeſt his wiſdome in compounding paſſages of Providence, ſo as one ſhall qualifie another: proſperity allay the ſowreneſs of adverſitie; & this aſſwage the ſwellings of that. As the painters skill appears in tempering bright colours, and dark ſhadows; the cooks in mingling ſweet & tart ingredients; the muſicians in raiſing harmony out of diſcords; Oratours in making up curious Librat in Antithetis.ſentences by a fit oppoſition of contrarieties.

II. To magnifie his goodneſs. The frame of our ſpirits is ſuch, that if proſperitie were continued without interruption, we ſhould be apt to ſwell and preſume; if adverſitie without intermiſſion, to ſinck and deſpair. Our weakneſs ſuch, that we ſhould never give a due eſtimate to bleſsings, were we not ſometimes taught by experience what it is to p. 389be under preſſures. We learn by ſickneſs to prize health, & by reſtraint to value libertie. A calm is much more pleaſing to us after a tempeſt; and the ſhining forth of the Sun after an elipſe. It is therefore an act of much mercy in God thus to intermingle favours & croſſes, leſt by a conſtant courſe of the former, we ſhould grow wanton and effeminate, or by continuance of the latter, ſottiſh and ſtupid.

III. To keep up and maintain his reſpect in the world. God will be known to be the Sovereign Lord of all perſons and things; the great diſpoſer of all affairs in ſuch a way as ſeemeth beſt to himfelf, & therefore gives out bleſſings and croſſes interchangeably, ſo as man ſhall be at no certainty what to expect, but live in a conſtant dependance on him, who keeps the diſpoſal of proſperity and adverſity in his own hands, to the end that man ſhould finde nothing certain but this, that there is a great uncertainty of future events. Wherefore,

p. 390§. 5. Firſt, take notice from hence what we are to look for in our pilgrimage here. viz. viciſsitudes and changes from one condition into another. If Solomon had no where ſaid, There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh, experience Eccleſ. 3. 4.Eccl 3:4would ſoon have forced us to acknowledge that our whole courſe is chequered with proſperity and adverſitie; that moſt of a Chriſtians drink in this life is Oxymel, moſt of his food, Bitter-ſweets. Whileſt Iſrael marched throughout the wilderneſs, the blackeſt night had a pillar of fire, and brighteſt day a pillar of cloud: ſo in this world, things never go ſo well with the Iſrael of God, but that they groan under ſome affliction; never ſo ill, but that they have ſome comfort afforded them.

Secondly, Learn to maintain in our ſelves a mixture of affections ſuitable to this mixture of Divine diſpenſations. Rejoyce with trembling. Leaven and Honey were both excluded under the p. 391Pſal. 2. 11. Levit. 2. 11.Ps 2:11Lev 2:11Law from offering by fire: Leaven for its exceſsive ſoureneſs; Honey for its exceſsive ſweetneſs; To ſhew (ſaith Ainſworth) that in Saints there ſhould neither be extremity of grief, nor of pleaſure, but a mediocrity. We ſhould be carefull in time of proſperity to fear affliction with a fear of expectation, though not of amazement; with ſuch a fear as may cauſe preparation, but no diſcouragement. Look at a very fair day, as that which may prove a weather-breeder, and uſher in ſtorms. On the other ſide, in time of adverſity hope for refreſhment. The Pſalmiſt did ſo, Pſal. 42. 7. 8. Nemo conſidat nimiùm ſecundis; Nemo deſperet meliora lapſus. Sen. Trag.Ps 42:7Ps 42:8All thy waves are gone over me, yet the Lord will command his loving-kindeneſs.

Thirdly, Obſerve the difference that is between this preſent, and that other world. Dying Aristotle is reported to have ſaid, I rejoyce that I am now going out of a world of contraries. This indeed is ſo. But that which dying men go into is without ſuch mixture. All tears p. 392ſhall be wiped from the Saints eyes; & impenitent ſinners ſhall have judgement without mercy. Briefly, in this militant Church, as in the Ark of old, There is a rod, and a pot of manna Here upon earth we have little Manna without ſome rods, little welfare without ſome ſharp affliction; few Rods without ſome Manna, not many afflictions without ſome meaſure of conſolation: whereas in Heaven there is nothing but Manna, in Hell nothing but Rods, or Scorpions rather.

§. 6. IV. Keep we our ſelves in a frame of cheerfulneſs, that we may be alwaies prepared in the day of proſperity to rejoyce. This will appear a duty which we are bound to,

I. Becauſe God doth not onelyonly approve and like it. (He loveth a cheerfull giver, ſo a cheerfull thanks-giver 2 Cor. 9. 7.2 Cor 9:7and worſhipper. Nehemiah was afraid Nehem. 2. 2.Neh 2:2to be ſeen ſad in the kings preſence. Mordechai durſt not go into the court gates with his ſack-cloth on: dejected p. 393Eſther. 4. 2.Esth 4:2looks, and the ſack-cloth of an uncheerfull carriage do ill become the ſervant of the king, the followers of the court of heaven:) But alſo require and command it, Serve the Lord with gladneſs. Pſal. 10…. 2.Ps 10:2The Jews of old were commanded to rejoyce in their ſolemn feaſts: Deut. 16. 14. 15.Deut 16:14Deut 16:15which were accordingly to be kept in the moſt cheerfull ſeaſons. The Paſs-over at the firſt ripening of corn, Pentecoſt at the firſt reaping, and the Feaſt of Tabernacles at the end of Harveſt.

II. Becauſe Jeſus Chriſt was anoynted to give us the oyl of joy for mourning, Iſa. 61. 3.Isa 61:3and the garment of praiſe for the ſpirit of heavineſs. He himſelf indeed was anoynted with the oyl of gladneſs above his fellows, but ſuch as are received into fellowſhip with him ſhould, and ſhall, if the fault be not in themſelves, partake with him in ſome degree of the ſame unction.

III. Becauſe the Spirit of Chriſt is a ſpirit of cheerfulneſs. His two firſt p. 394fruits mentioned Galat. 5. 22. are Love and Joy. Yea when it is ſaid, Grieve not Epheſ. 4. 30. Sanctam hilaritatem admitte. Nè quis nimio moerore magnum illum hoſpitem oſſendat. Heinſ. in locum.Eph 4:30the holy ſpirit of God, Heinſius thinketh this to be part of the meaning. Be cheerfull after an holy manner. Let none offend that great gueſt, the ſpirit of God by overmuch ſadneſs. And Druſius telleth us in the Preface to his Praeterita of an uſual ſaying among the Hebrews, Spiritum ſanctum non reſidere ſuper hominem moeſtum, that the holy Ghoſt is not wont to reſide upon a ſad-ſpirited man.

IV. Becauſe our adverſary the Devil, being a melancholy ſpirit himſelf, delighteth in our ſadneſs. The prince of darkneſs loves to ſee the ſervants of God in a dark condition. He is gratified and gets advantage by our uncheerfulneſs. Therefore Paul writeth to his Corinthians concerning the inceſtuous perſon, that upon his repentance they would comfort him and prevent his being ſwallowed up with overmuch ſorrow, leſt Satan, ſaith he, p. 395ſhould get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices.2 Cor. 2. 7, 11.2 Cor 2:72 Cor 2:11

V. Becauſe if we look to our ſelves, cheerfulneſs is advantageous both to our bodies, therefore compared to the beſt food, ſuch as men uſe to have at feaſts. He that is of a merry heart hath a Prov. 15. 15.Prov 15:15continual feaſt. and the beſt phyſick too. A merry heart doth good like a medicine: Prov. 17. 22.Prov 17:22but a broken ſpirit drieth the bones. And alſo our ſpirits. Uncheerfulneſs maketh the ſoul of a man drive heavily, as the chariots of Pharaoh did in the red ſea; but the joy of the Lord oyleth the wheels. Cheerfulneſs ſupples the joynts of our hearts, and ſo rendereth them nimble and active in holy performances. See Nehemiah 8. 10.

VI. Becauſe if we caſt our eyes upon others, the uncheerfulneſs of profeſſours often bringeth a bad report upon the profeſsion; and maketh the world ready to beleeve that Chriſtians ſerve a bad maſter, or have but an hard ſervice of it, whereas their rejoycing p. 396in the ways of the Lord would help to bring others in love with religion, See Acts 9. 31. and Eſther 8. the two laſt verſes.

§. 7. Fifthly, Endure afflictions ſo as in the day of adverſity duly to conſider the Nature, Authour and Ends of Croſſes.

I. The Nature of thoſe afflictions that befall men in Chriſt. They are not Inter vincula carniſicis & Chirurgi. Chamier. Panſtrat.from vindicative juſtice, which is wholly removed from ſuch by the mediation of him in whom they have beleeved, and ſo not formally puniſhments: but from fatherly diſcipline, whereby it cometh to paſs that although the matter be the ſame, there is as much difference between the ſufferings of beleevers, and of ungodly perſons out of Chriſt, as there is between the cords wherewith an executioner pinioneth his condemned malefactour, and thoſe wherewith the indulgent Chirurgion bindeth his patient; the ones deſign being to kill, the others p. 397to cure. They are croſſes indeed which beleevers undergo, but no curſes, and have no ſuch malignity in them as the world imagineth.

II. The Authour, Well might Eliphaz Job 5 6.Job 5:6ſay, Trouble ſprings not out of the ground, for it cometh from heaven, and that out of love. As many as I love, Rev. 3. 19.Rev 3:19ſaith Chriſt, I rebuke and chasten. How bitter ſoever the cup be, which I am to drink, and by whomſoever it is handed to me, the comfort is, it was of my heavenly fathers mixing, who I am ſure would not put any poyſonfull, although he do put ſome diſpleaſing ingredients into it. I will therefore ſay, Chriſt enabling, as Chriſt himſelf did; The cup which my father hath given me, ſhall John 18. 11.John 18:11I not drink it?

III. The Ends, Which are ſpecially three. 1. The mortifying of our corruptions. By this ſhall the iniquity of Jacob Iſa. 27. 9.Isa 27:9be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his ſin. All the harm which the fiery furnace did the young men in Daniel p. 398was to burn off their cords; our luſts are cords, cords of vanity in Scripture-phraſe; the fiery tryal is ſent on purpoſe to burn and conſume them. Afflictions help to ſcour off this kinde of ruſt. Adverſity like winter-weather is of uſe to kill the vermine; which the the ſummer of proſperity is wont to breed. 2. For the enlivening and quickning of our graces. I ſpake unto Jerem. 22. 21.Jer 22:21unto thee in thy proſperity and thou ſaidſt, I will not hear. But elſewhere, Lord in Iſa. 26. 16.Isa 26:16trouble have they viſited thee; they poured out a prayer when they chaſtening was upon them. Theſe two places compared ſhew how apt proſperity is to make men Gallio's, adverſity to render them Zelots. As bruiſing maketh aromatical ſpices to ſend out their ſavour; and colliſion fetcheth fire out of the flint, which was hid before; ſo preſſures excite devotion. The cold water of perſecution is often caſt in the Churches face to fetch her again when ſhe is in a ſwoon. 3. For the p. 399furthering of our glory. Chriſt went from the Croſs to Paradiſe; ſo do Chriſtians. He was made perfect through Heb. 2. 10.Heb 2:10ſufferings; ſo are they. It became him to Luke 24. 26.Luke 24:26ſuffer, and to enter into his glory: It becomes them to tread in their maſters ſteps. When the founder hath caſt his bell, he doth not preſently hang it up in the ſteeple, but firſt try it with his hammer, and beat upon it on every ſide, to ſee if any flaw be in it. Chriſt doth not preſently after he hath converted a man, convey him to heaven, but ſuffers him firſt to be beaten upon by manifold temptations, and after advanceth him to the crown ſpoken of Jam. 1. 12. Bleſſed is the man that endureth temptations, for when he is tried he ſhall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him. this crown the croſs makes way for; although no croſs can merit it but that of Chriſt. Yet as law is ſaid to work wrath occaſionally. So Our light afflictions which are but for a moment work 2 Cor. 1. 17.2 Cor 1:17for us a far more exceeding & eternal weight of glory.