Concerning Gods Decrees, Title page – Dedication
A Practicall Diſcourſe CONCERNING GODS DECREES.
In Two parts.
The Firſt concerning mans unfitneſſe to diſpute againſt the Decrees of God: out of Rom. 9.20.
The Second tending to Aſſert and Cleare Gods Abſolute Election of a Limited and certaine Number unto Eternall Life: out of Acts 13.48.
By EDVVARD BAGSHAVVE St. of Ch. Ch.
OXFORD, Printed by Hen. Hall Printer to the UNIVERSITY for Tho. Robinſon, 1659.
TO THE HONORABLE MY Lord BRADSHAWE Lord Chiefe Juſtice of Cheſter.
My Noble Lord,
A Late Author in his ſeverall Treatiſes wherein he endeavours to defend (I will not ſay the Arminian Tenets, Mr Pierce.becauſe he is unwilling to have them ſo ſtiled, but, which is all one) Freewill and Conditionall election, whether becauſe he was touched with compunction for his former errors, as he thinks them; or elſe to make his preſent opinions more taking and plauſible (as if he had not fell into them by chance, but got them after much and ſerious ſtudy) I find that he frequently doth uſher them in, by profeſſing that he was once a Calviniſt (for that it ſeemes muſt be the Name of Obloquie to thoſe, who, according to Scripture (of which Calvin was the beſt Interpreter, that God hath yet vouchſafed his Church) do maintaine Abſolute Predeſtination) but he was frighted into his wits (for ſo he is pleaſed to play upon himſefe) by conſidering the Horrible conſequences of Abſolute Reprobation.
Were I willing to make my ſelfe worke in this time of my retirement here, by engaging with a Perſon, who is, as ſome thinke very able, I am ſure very confident, and very Angry; I would not deſire greater advantage then theſe few words of his might give me: for to be an Arminian, I meane an Aſſerter of Univerſall Redemption, and of thoſe other Tenets which lead to it or flow from it, a very little paines will ſerve the turne; and every man is ſo Naturally apt to make himſelfe a ſharer with God, and to cozen himſelfe with hopes of mercy, that it is a much harder matter to eſcape thoſe opinions, then to attaine them. Beſides for any to be deferred from the maintenance of any truth in Theſi, becauſe it ſeemes attended with unanſwerable difficulties, and many ill conſequences, is to my thinking very unreaſonable: ſince if that may be admitted, all the myſterious part of our Religion which containes the Credenda muſt never expect either to be entertained or defended. I might adde farther, that for any to be frighted into his wits, is a thing altogether unuſuall: and if it hath indeed in this matter ſo fared with that Gentleman, he is the firſt who can boaſt of the Experiment.
But, my Lord, I am not deſirous to diſpute at all in theſe matters, much leſſe with one, who is ſo taken up with abuſing perſons of greater worth, that he cannot find leaſure to take notice of one ſo Inconſiderable as my ſelfe: onelyonly entending to handle ſome part of that queſtion which is now in conteſt, I muſt crave leave to profeſſe, that I never yet was ſatisfied, but that thoſe fatall conſequences, whatever they are, which are thought to attend Abſolute Reprobation, they do as farre as I can ſee equally Accompany Gods Preſcience, of which yet this Gentleman is a zealous aſſertour. For if God foreſees who will refuſe the meanes of Grace, he foreſees likewiſe that he will aſſiſt one and not another: and that without ſuch particular Divine aſſiſtance, it is impoſſible any ſhould believe and be ſaved. Now what is this elſe, but for men at long runne, after much time miſpent in wrangling, to have recourſe unto Gods Abſolute but yet diſcriminating Will and Power, which at their firſt ſetting out they were deſirous to decline.
As for thoſe Tragicall ſtories and dreadfull Nothings, wherewith that Gentlemans writings, and before him Acta Synodalia are ſtuffed, concerning God's cruelty, Tyranny and I know not what elſe— As alſo the vaine and impertinent declaiming from the common places of Gods Juſtice, and mercy, thereby to enervate or at leaſt to Enveigh againſt Gods Abſolute, Irreſiſtable, and Unaccountable Soveraignty. All this terrible talke is nothing but Noiſe and Flouriſh, fit indeed to amuſe a country Auditory, or to impoſe upon a lazy and ſuperficiall reader; but certainly of very little weight with them, who dare not be frighted from, nor talked out of their faith, and who thinke Scripture truths are to be embraced and followed, in ſpite of all mens corrupt and empty reaſonings againſt them.
Out of the Scriptures therefore I have undertaken briefly to demonſtrate theſe two things,
Firſt, That whatever opinion is manifeſtly revealed in Scripture, (ſuch as I take Abſolute Reprobation to be) to argue againſt it, and by Artifices of Humane Wit, and Eloquence to ſeek to overthrow and diſgrace it, this is nothing elſe but to diſpute againſt God, and impiouſly to be wiſe above what is written.
Secondly, That God hath from all Eternity deſigned a particular Number unto Eternall life, and that this Election is Abſolute. From whence it followes, that all thoſe who are not by God in that Act of Abſolute Election appointed to life, they are reprobated, i. Deſigned for deſtruction; which Decree is Abſolute, made by Soveraigne Will, but Executed in juſtice.
And this my Lord, is the ſumme of the Enſuing Treatiſes; for the publiſhing of which, next to the care, every Chriſtian ſhould have to ſee the Truths of God, ſo farre as they are revealed to him aſſerted and freed from cavill, eſpecially in a contradicting, and every way too quarrel ſome Age; I have no one outward motive more prevailing with me, then my, perhaps too great, Ambition of preſenting ſomething to your Lordſhip, whereby I might teſtify to the World, not onelyonly that reall eſteeme I have of your Lordſhip's ſingular worth and eminence in generall, but likewiſe to manifeſt in particular how mindfull I am of thoſe many ſignall and Unparallelled markes of Favour, which You have been pleaſed to conferre upon my ſelfe; for which, though the ſervice of my whole life will be too poore and meane a ſacrifice, and no endeavour can amount to deſerve the name of requitall, yet I could not but thinke it my duty to ſtudy an acknowledgment: which Zeale of mine, if your Lordſhip pleaſes either to accept or pardon, I have atteined my end; For I aime at nothing more then the Honour of being owned for
My Noble Lord Your Lordſhip's moſt Obliged, moſt thankfull, and moſt Humble devoted Servant EDVV. BAGSHAVVE. Ch. Ch. Decemb. 20.