Concerning Gods Decrees, Part 1
Romans 9.20.
Nay but O man who art thou that replieſt againſt God.
THe Apoſtle in this Chapter handling that great queſtion, why the Jewes, who were, by the Apoſtles own confeſſion, heires and Children of the Promiſes, ſhould now be omitted and caſt off; and the Gentiles, that before were Aliens, ſhould now be admitted and taken into the Covenant of Grace in Chriſt; he fixeth it upon God's Election: who being a moſt free Agent chooſeth one and refuſeth another, according to His good pleaſure, and not out of any foreſight of their Workes, whether good or bad; for Jacob was loved and Eſau hated, even before they had done either good or Evill—verſ. 11.
This Doctrine ſo much detracting from the merit, and thereby abaſing the pride of man, the Apoſtle foreſaw would not be eaſily digeſted, and therefore he Repeats and Anſwers the moſt obvious of thoſe objections, which were likely upon a rationall account to be made againſt it; and which in ſhort doe containe the ſumme of whatever can be urged in this point.
The firſt Objection is couched verſ. 14. What ſhall we ſay then is there unrighteouſneſſe with God—?
As if the Apoſtle had ſaid.—You may object: if it be ſo, that the reaſon why one man believes, and another doth not; and conſequently that one man ſhall be ſaved and another damned be only from God's Election, and not from their merit, doth not this argue ſome unrighteouſneſſe in God? a kind of injuſt foreign, or reſpect of Perſons, thus to preferre one man before another? For as all men are equall by nature, ſo it ſeemes to be moſt juſt and reaſonable, that they ſhould be equall in condition too; & not this vaſt difference, as to their finall eſtate, to be put between thē, without any deſert or merit of the parties.
To the Objection thus framed, the Apoſtle returnes a double Anſwer.
1. In a phraſe of abhorrency-Is there unrighteouſneſſe with God? God forbid; let not ſuch a thought enter into our hearts; for whatever the iſſue of Gods dealings may be, yet, as to the cauſe of thē, this foundation ſtandeth ſure, that God is righteous in all his doings; and will be juſtified when he is judged.
2. By inſtancing in the example of Pharaoh, whom, God ſaith, he raiſed for this very purpoſe, to manifeſt His Glory; from whence the Apoſtle concludes—v. 18. That God hath mercy, on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth— i. that we are not to looke for any outward cauſe of Gods actings; for he is not tied to mans endeavour, ſince all our good is from him, and therefore can merit nothing at his hands: He ordaines happineſſe, and beſtowes holineſſe on whom he pleaſes; they are both freegifts, we cannot naturally deſerve the one, nor are we willing to deſire the other—God therefore hardens— i.He lets the ſinner be a ſinner ſtill; he doth not remove the ſtone, but lets men perſiſt and goe on in their naturall hardneſſe; for he is not obliged to his creature, but acts all things, both in mercy or otherwiſe, according to the Dictates of his Abſolute, Soveraigne and Ʋnaccountable Will.
This Anſwer being ſo ſtrict and ſevere, as leaving the greateſt part of mankind in an hopeleſſe and irrecoverable conditiō, it is objected again. v. 19—Thou wilt then ſay unto me, why doth he yet find fault, for who hath reſiſted his will? i. If it be ſo, that it is not in him that wills, nor in him that runs, but only in God that ſhowes mercy: if by any action of ours, barely as ſuch, we can neither merit Heaven, nor eſcape Hell; if our wills are tyed up ſo cloſe to the will of God, that like leſſer wheeles they move onelyonly as that great mover doth guide them?—then, why is God ſo Angry with ſin and ſinners? Why doth he forbid, dehort, and threaten by his Prophets! To what end ſerve all thoſe examples of vengeance, which we tremble to read of? for if it be ſo with us, we may be miſerable, but we cannot be ſinfull; if our ſpirits be put into an unſuitable frame, ſo as that we walke contrary to God, it is our ſad neceſſity and not our fault; ſince none can alter, much leſſe reſiſt the will of God, which alone hath made us ſo.
And now the Objection being preſſed to ſuch a degree of impiety, that it doth tacitely lay the guilt of all mens Tranſgreſſions upon God, the Apoſtle thinkes it high time to cut off all farther Arguing, which he doth in theſe words—Nay, but what art thou, O man, who replieſt againſt God? As if he had ſaid—Doſt thou know who thou art, thou bold inquiſitive creature, or who it is thou dealeſt with? Conſider that thou art but a man, and wilt thou queſtion thy Maker's Juſtice? Forbeare vaine preſumptuous man, ſtand off, and lay thy hand upon thy mouth, for God is in the Buſh, God is at the bottome of this diſpute, and therefore admire with reverence, what thou canſt not comprehend with reaſon.
So that the words are a ſhort, but yet ſharpe, confutation of all carnall reaſonings in the matters of God: ſuch Debates are evinced not onelyonly to be ſinfull, but likewiſe unreaſonable, by a threefold Argument lying in theſe words.
1. The firſt is taken from the meanneſſe and contemptibleneſſe of the perſon diſputing; and that is man: The Apoſtle brings him in with a Quis Tu! What art Thou! as if he was of ſo ſlight a make and value, that he fell under no definition. What art thou O man!
2. From the Greatneſſe and Incomprehenſible Excellence of the Perſon diſputed againſt, and that is God—a name able to ſtrike dumbe and coufound the moſt exalted reaſon. —What art thou O man who diſputes againſt God?
3. From the Abſurd, Sawcy and Malapert manner of carrying on the Diſpute; it is not modeſtly making an Objection, or propoſing a doubt and ſo away; but a reſolved perſiſting in the Cavill; a kind of challenging God to vy Arguments with him. The word is—foreign—To anſwer againe and againe; never to give over; to chop Logick with God, to ſeek to nonplus him, and to drive his Almighty Power and Wiſdome to an abſurdity.
So that here is man, vaine man, not diſputing but Cavilling, and that not with his fellow-creature but with God—put all this together—Empty, Ignorant, Wretched Man, conteſting with a Perfect, Wiſe and Allmighty God; and that in ſuch a way too, as if Man were the better, & the wiſer of the too. Strange folly, madneſſe & impudence, this! & yet whoever gives his reaſon the reines, & will reſolve to diſpute when he ſhould obey, muſt needs be guilty of it.
The words thus explained and divided may be ſummed up in this one Propoſition—or Doctrine—viz.
Doct. Man, in whatever Capacity conſidered, is not a Competent Judge, of the Equity and Juſtice of the proceedings, waies and Counſells of God, in the diſpeſing and Ordering of his Creatures.
This may be demonſtrated two waies
1. Firſt, from the quality and nature of the Perſon Judging, and that is Man.
2. Secondly, from the Quality and nature of the things to be judged. The Wayes and Counſells of God.
In the Firſt I ſhall prove that man is not fit to Judge.
In the Second I ſhall prove that the Counſells of God, neither do nor can fall under mans Judgement.
For the Firſt, viz. That Man is not fit to Judge, it will be cleare, if we conſider that there are Two things, eſpecially requiſite to qualify a man to be a Judge.
1. Ability or Skill.
2. Authority or Power. And Man wants both in this Caſe.
1. Firſt, Man wants Ability or Skill. Vaine man, cap. 11.12.ſaith Job, would be wiſe, though he be borne like the wild aſſe Colt. — i. e. Man would ſtill reteine his Ambitious Humour of pretending to know Good and Evill; he would ſtill exalt himſelfe, and be like God; although that very Deſire has made him become, like the Beaſts which periſh, Raſh, Heady, and Impertinent. For ſince our Fall, Pride has taken up the Place of Reaſon; and Arrogance fills that Roome, which Knowledge poſſeſſed before. As in a veſſell, when Water, or the more ſolid body goes out, preſently Aire comes in.
To take a Briefe Survey of mans Weakneſſe and Inability, we will conſider him
1 In Himſelfe.
2 As compared to God.
1 Firſt, Conſider Man in himſelfe, and then I may aske the Queſtion, which our Apoſtle doth here, What art then O Man? Declare us thy Originall, diſcover thy Excellence; where lies thy Worth? whence comes thy Preheminence? Survey thy Out-ſide, and tell me what ſeeſt thou? a rotten periſhing Carkaſſe! As our Saviour ſaid of the Tombes, how glorious ſoever they ſeemed; yet they were but Tombes, i.e. Charnell-houſes; Faire without, but Rotten within. So the moſt Beautifull and Specious out-ſide, Deck it, Diſguiſe, Trimme and Adorne it how you will, yet it is ſtill but Duſt; you may change and vary its ſhape, you cannot change and alter its ſubſtance. Gen. 11.19.Duſt thou art, ſaid God to Adam, and to duſt ſhalt thou returne. Was not this a ſad ſtory for Adam to heare; when he thought of nothing elſe, but of being, as the Divell had promiſed him, like unto God knowing goood and evill: God doth preſently undeceive him, by minding him of his Originall, and telling him what would be the Exit of all his Borrowed Glory. This no doubt did levell his Thoughts, and lay low thoſe Proud Imaginations, which otherwiſe might have ceazed him; ſince a Casket of ſo meane a value, can ſcarce be conceived to conteine in it a Jewell of any Excellent Price.
I will not, Gen. 6.3.ſaies God, alwaies ſtrive with man, for that he alſo is fleſh: which may be interpreted, for that he is of the ſame weak, Fraile, and Infirme Nature with other Creatures. Wherein God ſeemes to make it as an Argument of his Bearing with man, becauſe Man was Fleſh, i.e. unable to beare what God was able to lay upon him. But if God drawes an Argument of Compaſſion from Mans Frailty, ought not we from thence likewiſe to draw an Argument of Submiſſion? If God is pleaſed to forbear puniſhing and ſtriving with us, becauſe we are but Fleſh, ought not we for the ſame Reaſon much more to forbear judging of, Gen. 18.27.and contending with him? This uſe did Abraham make of it. Behold, ſaith he, I have now taken upon me to ſpeake unto the Lord, who am but Duſt and Aſhes: Abraham lookes upon it as a Boldneſſe, for which he ſeems to aske Pardon, that he undertook ſo much as to ſpeak to God, ſince he was but Duſt and Aſhes; how much leſſe do we thinke for the ſame reaſon would he have offered to have diſputed with him? But
Secondly, look into man a little nearer, and ſearch his Inward and Hidden worth: what is that Principle which men ordinarily do ſo much boaſt of and magnify? They call it Reaſon! and pray what is Reaſon? Is it not that foreign that Carnall or Animall man, 1 Cor. 11.14.which cannot conceive the things of God, and looks upon all the Actings of the Holy Spirit as Folly! Certainly a ſmall wind will fill our Saile, if ſuch a Principle of knowledge as this can puffe us up: little cauſe have we to boaſt of that, which coſt us ſo deare, and is ſo little worth: for as to get Reaſon, we loſt Paradiſe; ſo till we renounce our Reaſons, we can never recover it.
But take Reaſon at its beſt and higheſt Elevation, Prov. 20.27.Salomon ſayes it is the Candle of the Lord: and ſhall the Candle ſay to the Sun, thou haſt no Light in thee? Shall our Faint, Glimmering, and Derivative Luſtre, preferre or oppoſe it ſelfe to the Fountaine, from which it iſſued? There is a Spirit in man, ſaith Job, cap. 32.8.but the Inſpiration of the Almighty giveth underſtanding: and do we think he gave it for theſe purpoſes, to argue and diſpute his doings? ſo much to abuſe and miſimploy our Talent, is certainly a greater ſin, and will bring down a greater Puniſhment, then barely not to uſe it.
In ſhort, mans Reaſon at its beſt and utmoſt extent, is a Narrow, Shrunke, and Limited thing; in Spirituall things altogether blind and perverſe: in Naturall things either Ignorant, or onelyonly changing Ignorance into Uncertainty: and ſhall a man ſo much ſtretch this Principle, as by it to condemne his Maker? ſhall we with this ſcantling meaſure Infinity? or ſet our ſelves Judges in the higheſt adminiſtrations of Providence, who cannot demonſtratively prove the Motion of the ſmalleſt Atome? what is this but to darken Counſell by words without knowledge; Job 38.2.to put a Falſe Comment upon a Cleare Text, and to blurre the beauty of Providence with our Perverſe and ſhort-ſighted Interpretations.
Secondly, Mans Inability doth yet farther appeare, if you conſider him as compared to God. It is not for nothing here that the Apoſtle doth put this Queſtion, Who art thou, O Man, that replyeſt againſt God? but he does it, thereby to aggravate the Sinfull Preſumption of the Diſputer; it was againſt God, therefore the more heinous. And indeed a man can never know his owne Weakneſſe and Imperfection aright, till he has loſt himſelfe in contemplating the Vaſt Abyſſe and Ocean of Gods Perfection: as if we would exactly know whether a thing be little or not, we do not uſe to ſet it by ſomething that is leſſe, but to compare it unto ſomething Greater, as a Sparke to the Flame, a Drop to the Ocean, and the like. So in this caſe, while a man Centers in himſelfe, and drawes all his Lines inward; he may perhaps pleaſe himſelfe with ſome thoughts of Selfe-ſufficiency; but when he once goes out of himſelfe, and takes a ſtrict view of the Amazing Greatneſſe and Majeſty, which God diſcovers even in his works of Providence, then doth a man preſently begin to perceive his own Emptineſſe. For ſuppoſe a man were kept up cloſe impriſoned in a Dungeon all his dayes, and if after ſome time of Durance there in that Horror and Darkeneſſe, he ſhould by chance have a little Glimpſe of light let in to him at a ſmall Cranny, how infinitely would he be delighted and pleaſed with it; but if afterwards he were taken from thence, and by degrees fitted to endure, and then placed in full Sun-ſhine, how ſtrangely would he loath his former place of Reſtraint and Bondage? It is juſt ſo with a man, who by degrees is taken off from himſelfe, and prepared to a gracious Diſcovery of Gods excellence. When I conſider, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, the Heavens, which are the worke of thy hand—it followes preſently, what is man that thou art mindfull of him, Pſ. 18. v. 3, 4.or the Son of Man that thou conſidereſt him? Look upon God in the Glory and Brightneſſe of his Appearance, and then all Conceits of Humane Excellence will preſently vaniſh, as Starres do diſappeare at Noon-day.
Certaine it is, that if men were more frequent and ſerious in the contemplating of Gods Power and Wiſedome, they would not be ſo taken up with thoughts of their own; a want of comparing our own emptineſſe to Gods fullneſſe, is the only thing that doth moſt puffe us up and ſwell us. A pregnant Inſtance of this may be ſeen in the Caſe of Job; he finding himſelfe under a great Preſſure, and feeling, as he thought, hard meaſure from God, grows Impatient, and ſeems to long for nothing more, then that he might diſpute with God; thinking no doubt but he had ſo much to ſay in his own behalfe, as would poſe even God himſelfe to anſwer. Hence are thoſe Paſſionate Expreſſions,—Oh that a man might plead with God, as a man pleades for his Neighbour; and Oh! cap. 16. cap. 32.3, 4.that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his Seat! I would order my Cauſe before him, and fill my mouth with Arguments. i.e. I would Diſpute and Argue the Caſe with him: his Friends diſſwade him from this Attempt all they can, they tell him over and over, that he forgets himſelfe in turning his Spirit againſt God, cap. 15.13.and in letting ſuch words goe out of his mouth. And when that would not take him off, Elihu undertakes to anſwer in Gods behalfe, and urgeth againſt him, that God is greater than Man, and gives no account of his Matters. cap. 34.23.That his Counſells are Inſcrutable, for touching the Almighty who can know him, or ſearch him out unto Perfection. cap. 37.23.With many other arguments to the ſame purpoſe; yet ſtill Job remains unſatisfied, and nothing but diſputing with God himſelfe will content him. Well! at laſt God doth condiſcend to anſwer his Curioſity: and what is the Iſſue? when once God doth mind him of his Power, that all we ſee or feele is only an Effect and Product of his Goodneſſe: when even the moſt common and ordinary Phaenomena of Nature, viz. Job. 38.Haile, Snow, Raine, &c. are evinced to be beyond the reach of mans Reaſon to comprehend, then Job preſently alters his Note, he is not now for Diſputing any longer, but ſinkes into an humble Acknowledgment. Behold I am vile, cap. 40.2, 3, 4.ſaith he, what ſhall I anſwer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.— A dejected ſenſe of our own vileneſſe is moſt likely to be the Reſult of comparing our ſelves to Gods Excellence.
Thus man wants Ability to Judge.
2o. Secondly, as man wants Ability, ſo likewiſe he wants Authority, which is the Eſpeciall Requiſite to conſtitute a Judge. When one came to our Saviour to ask his Reſolution in a caſe of a Civill concernment; our Saviour, though he had all power in him, yet acting as Man, refuſed to meddle, Luc. 12.14.and askes him, Who made me a Judge? So I aske thee, thou Bold Diſputer, whoever thou art, who made thee a Judge? and by what Authority doſt thou argue theſe things? if thou haſt no Warrant, nothing in the Word of God to ſhew to juſtify thy Confidence, thou art not only a Raſh and Ignorant Cenſurer, but an Impudent Intruder. I find in Scripture murmuring reproved, Diſputing forbidden, and nothing but Obedience required. Wilt thou then upon no better a Ground, then becauſe thou art unſatisfied with the Juſtice or Reaſonableneſſe of ſuch and ſuch a Proceeding, take upon thee to ſound the Depths of God, and to call him to thy Tribunall? what? ſhall the Judge of all the Earth be now arraigned at thy Barre, and give the Account of his Matters? or elſe thou wilt charge upon him Folly, Injuſtice or Cruelty, with other things, which I Tremble to Thinke of. Quo jure! how comes this about, let us know when God parted with his Prerogative, and made you his Overſeer?
The Apoſtle James commanding thoſe to whom he writes, not to ſpeak evill one of another, he gives this Reaſon for it, becauſe thereby they ſhould judge the Law, which forbids all Uncharitable Backbitings. But, ſaith he, if thou Judge the Law, thou art no longer a Doer of the Law, Jac. 4.11.but a Judge, i.e. Thou art a Thing which God never intended thee; he gives his Law to be a Rule of thy Obedience, and not a Subject of thy Reaſoning. So ſay I here, if any takes upon him to Judge Gods proceedings, i.e. if thou weigheſt his wayes in thy Ballance, if thou meaſureſt him by thy Line, if thou doeſt Limit & circumſcribe him by thy Compaſſe, and ſo proceedeſt to paſſe Sentence upon him; in this caſe thou art no longer a Servant of the Lords, but a Judge: and then thou mayeſt expect and feare what will follow; for if ſo many periſhed at one time barely for looking into the Arke; and if he that judges another, though his fellow-creature, is threatned to be Judged, how much ſorer Puniſhment, how much ſeverer Judgment ſhall he expect, who thus provokes the Lord by Judging, Cenſuring, and even Condemning him?
So much for the firſt Reaſon: that Man is not fit to Judge.
The ſecond Reaſon is taken from the Nature and Quality of the things Judged, they are the Wayes, Counſells, and proceedings of God, and ſo cannot fall under Mans Judgment. Thus the Apoſtle doth argue à pari: As no man can know the things of man, but the Spirit of man that is in him; ſo none can know the things of God, 1 Cor. 11.11.but the Spirit of God. Shall God be God, and not have peculiar wayes and Methods of Acting, not to be fathomed or underſtood by man? He himſelfe hath told us to prevent our ſearch, that his wayes are not as our wayes, Iſ. 4.8.nor his thoughts as our thoughts. He is not tied to our Narrow Definitions of Juſt and Injuſt, they are words onelyonly that bind us, but can lay no conſtraint upon him, who acts, like himſelfe, in a Soveraigne and Ʋnlimited manner. Now, as in an Engine, if we do not ſee the Springs and Wheeles that move it, it is impoſſible we ſhould know how or which way it will turne; ſo ſince we cannot diſcerne or diſcover the Principle, upon which the Great Mover and Diſpoſer of all things acts, this being locked up and hid in the Cabinet of his own Will, to which only his Son and Spirit have a key, we have nothing to doe but to ſubmit in Silence. Whatever God doth, ſaith the Preacher, however it may appeare outwardly Deformed or Miſ-ſhapen, yet nothing can be added to it or taken from it: Eccl. 3.14.it hath in it ſelfe an Entire and Abſolute Perfection; and the reaſon why God doth ſometimes bring ſtrange and perplexing things to paſſe, is, that men might diſpute! no, but that they might feare before him.
The uſe is, Vſe. if it be ſo, that no man is a Competent Judge of the Equity and Juſtice of Gods Proceedings, then it ſhould Teach us, to ſilence our Vaine Reaſonings in the Matters of God: we ſhould look upon them as Myſteries beyond our Reach, and therefore infinitely above our Cavill. Perhaps it is not a Rationall, I am ſure it is not a Chriſtian way of Arguing, Non intelligo, ergo non Credo. This I do not underſtand, I cannot perceive how ſuch or ſuch a point can be made out by Reaſon, or can conſiſt with thoſe Concluſions which I have embraced, therefore I will not believe it. It is the Taske, and it ſhould be the Triumph of Faith, to break through all ſuch Difficulties, & to remove even Mountaines of ſeeming Contradictions. 1 Joh. 5.4:The Apoſtle calls Faith our Victory, by which we overcome the World; and if Faith overcomes the World, how much more ought it to overcome our Doubts, and our Reaſonings, which are but as it were the Clouds and Miſty part of the World. When our Saviour had diſcourſed concerning that great Myſtery of Living and Feeding upon him by Faith; John 6.60.the Apoſtles preſently cry out, This is an hard ſaying, who can beare it? this is ſo Abſurd and Irrationall, that there is no enduring it. Our Saviour perceiving how they ſtaggered, he doth gently acquaint them with the Reaſon of their Erroneous Apprehenſion, viz. becauſe they judged according to fleſh, and humane appearance, the Spirit, ſaith he quickneth, the fleſh profiteth nothing, my words they are ſpirit and they are life. v. 63.
To apply this—doth any dealing of God, put thee into an Anxious and a diſputing State, by all means ſuſpend thy cenſure, leaſt thou ſhouldſt charge God fooliſhly; and ſearch firſt into the principle by which thou proceedeſt, whether it be Fleſh or Spirit: for reaſon it ſelfe, till it be purged, till the dreggs be taken off and refined by the ſpirit of God, it is ſtill but Fleſh, a weake, low and carnall Principle, not at all fit for a Chriſtian to own: but is indeed one of thoſe earthly members, which we are commanded to ſubdue and Mortifie. To diſtruſt our own underſtandings, not to paſſe ſentence upon the firſt bluſh and offer of things, nor in ſpirituall concernments to be led by Humane appearance, this is the firſt and moſt Neceſſary part of ſelfe-deniall.
This uſe may be improved in many Particulars, but there are two things I mainly intend it for.
1. Firſt, to fix, and ſettle our ſpirits, in that great, and ſo much Controverted Doctrine, concerning Gods decrees of eternall Election and Reprobation.
2. Secondly To ſuppreſſe and ſilence our murmurings, and repinings againſt God, in his Acts of Providence and outward dealings with us.
Firſt the conſideration of mans unfitneſſe to Judg in the matters of God, ought to ſettle and fix us in the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation. That God hath from all eternity choſen ſome, on whom he will have mercy: and hath, out of his good pleaſure, reprobated others, is cleare from this and many other places of Scripture. But to reconcile this to Humane reaſon, or to ſatisfy all the Objections which may be brought from Philoſophy againſt it, I think the Apoſtle himſelfe did not pretend to doe. Here in this verſe, he ſeemes to Imply, that the beſt way to decide this controverſy, is not to diſpute it and in another place, when in a kind of Extaſie he cries out foreign;—Oh the Depth, of the Riches of the knowledge and wiſedome of God: How inſcrutable are his Judgments, and his waies unſearchable? Rom. 11.33. certainly he did thereby intend to put a ſtop unto our enquiry, that we might not venture into a depth, which we could not fathome.
What is ſaid by all ſides in this diſpute, I have often, as farre as my weakneſſe would give me leave, conſidered, but yet could never find ſatisfaction in any thing, but in that queſtion of the Apoſtles, and in bringing my reaſon to a Non pluſſe.
For whatever the Arminians pretend that the Doctrine of Abſolute Predeſtination is Blaſphemous, and I know not what, becauſe it ſeemes to make God the Author of Sin; yet indeed it doth no more do it, if it be well weighed, then their Doctrine of Preſcience doth: for which reaſon, Socinus, who very well underſtood the Controverſy, did not feare to deny even Preſcience it ſelfe: ſince whatever is infallibly fore-known, muſt infallibly come to paſſe, that is neceſſarily. For to diſtinguiſh between the neceſſity of the event, and the neceſſity of that which cauſes the event, is, I confeſſe a ſubtilty that I underſtand not, and am hopeleſſe ever to be ſatisfied in.
Leaving therefore the Diſputers of this Age, to the mercileſſe Fury of one anothers Penns, I ſhall give ſome few Practicall rules, whereby whoever guides himſelfe, will be freed from all thoſe perplexities which his reaſon otherwiſe would engage him in.
Firſt, In all doubts never enquire what is rationall, but what is revealed: the Word of God alone, which is the ground of our Faith, ought to be the object of our ſearch. If you find this Doctrine, that God hath prepared ſome, even for everlaſting deſtruction, whilest he hath compaſſion on others, and that meerely to manifeſt his own Glory—if this Doctrine be plainly laid down thee, then farewell Reaſon, and ſet your Faith on worke, to find out carefully of which number you your ſelves are. For there are the foreign and the foreign the Saved and the Loſt, whoſe condition is as ſure and Irreverſible as if they were in Poſſeſſion of it already.
Secondly, Let no doubts or Perplexities take you off from your obedience. As no man needs feare to embrace Goſpell-Truth upon its own termes, ſo neither ought he by any conſequences of vaine & Carnall reaſoning to be withdrawn from the doing of his duty. He that finds in himſelfe ſuch a frame, that he is reſolved to goe on, and leave the Iſſue to God; though he periſh yet he will truſt in him; he will find at laſt all his darkneſſe and doubtings cleared up and ſcattered: for then we believe indeed, when with Abraham we act even againſt & beyondall Humane Probability.
Thirdly—Be often asking your ſelves this Queſtion with the Apoſtle—what am I, that I ſhould limit the Almighty, or Iudg the Holy one of Iſrael? What are we, poore duſt and aſhes, that we ſhould looke up to God except it be with trembling and amazement: to admire and not to diſpute his doings? For what are we, that we ſhould be preſcribing rules to him, and finding out new waies and methods of ſalvation, others then God himſelf hath been pleaſed to diſcover? What are we, that we ſhould ſit upon the Decrees of God, and ſtaine the wiſedome of his counſells, with the dirt and mire of our own fancies? This Impartiall ſelfe examination will ſerve to cure, or at leaſt to allay our Curioſity.
Laſtly—In all diſputes and doubts: ever think that part of the tenet ſafeſt, which doth leaſt Humor mans Pride, and doth moſt advance Gods Glory: we cannot think too meanly and humbly of our ſelves, nor can we too much advance and exalt Gods Soveraignty. Tis this on which the Juſtice of all Gods proceedings is grounded: iet God be Great and Glorious, though every man be miſerable. To make God all in all, beſides that it is our duty, is likewiſe nothing elſe but an Anticipation of happineſſe, and is by the Apoſtle recorded—to be the Bleſſed Poſture, of our ſuture ſtate. 1 Cor. 15.28.
Secondly, Vſe. 2 The conſideration of our Incompetence to Judge the equity of Gods proceedings, ſerves to ſuppreſſe and moderate all repinings at the Providence of God in his outward diſpenſations. No one thing is ſo great an inducement to Atheiſme, & direct denyall of God; as to diſtruſt the wiſedome & equity of his Providence. David confeſſeth that the temptation ariſing from hence, did ſo farre prevaile upon him, that his feet had at moſt ſlipped—i. he was juſt then ſliding, Pſalm. 73 even almoſt going into ſome erroneous and blaſphemous conceit about this matter. The temptation was taken from the proſperity of the wicked—I was envious at the fooliſh-ſaith he, v. 3. when I ſaw the proſperity of the wicked. Cur malis benè ſit, has been a queſtion that much puzled the Heathen world, and ſome of them have many excellent ſayings about it: but to ſpeak the truth, they ſeeme to be only things of wit, rather then of ſerious judgment: for this is certaine, who ever ſticks long upon this queſtion, cannot be guiltleſſe: ſince reaſon cannot reſolve it—When I ſought to know this, ſaith David, it was too painfull for me. v. 16. I did endeavour to debate and argue the caſe by my own reaſon, and from thence to anſwer my ſcruples, but I could not doe it, the objection did ſtill prevaile and overmaſter me. What did David then? we find that he went into the Sanctuary of God, v. 17. he conſulted the Oracle, and there he found the reaſon of their Advancement—And then he concludes that diſcourſe, with taxing himſelfe of great folly, for not taking this courſe ſooner, but giving ſo much ſcope and latitude to his corrupt reaſoning—So fooliſh was I and ignorant, I was as a Beaſt before thee. v. 22.
That which was Davids practiſe ought to be ours, when we are ſet upon with the ſame temptation, we have lived to ſee as great variety of ſtrange providences as any nation under Heaven; nor is the reaſon of this as yet revealed, we cannot yet ſpell out Gods meaning, but certainly he has a great worke doing, which will in due time be accompliſhed.
So likewiſe in all particular events which concerne us, let us not ſo much conſider and reflect upon the things we ſee and feele, as upon the hand which ſent them. This will either eaſe our burdens, or at leaſt make us bear them with more cheerfulneſſe if we conſider that God laid them on, whoſe Power we cannot reſiſt, whoſe wiſedome we ought not to queſtion.
Let us ſtop our mouths, and quiet our diſcontents with this, that God is in the cloud, that he workes all things not according to his will barely, though that was enough, but according to the counſell of his will. There is a wiſedome and deſigne in every thing though we cannot reach it.
Many impatient Jonahs there are in the World, who think it becomes them to quarrell and conteſt with God, though they have but loſt their gourd. Whoſe ſpirit is like a troubled Sea, any ſmall wind will raiſe a ſtorme and beget a tempeſt in them.
Let all ſuch hearken to that advice of Hamah—Talke no more ſo exceeding proudly, 1 Sam. 2.2.let not Arogancy come out of your mouth, for our God is a God of knowledge, by him Actions are weighed—And not Actions onelyonly, but events likewiſe: there are no ſuch things as raſh, caſuall and unpremeditated events: but that part of the skale, which falls to our lot, whether for good or bad, comes onelyonly, becauſe God is ſo pleaſed to order and turne the balance.
FINIS.