A BRIEF and PLAIN DISCOURSE UPON THE Decrees of God WHEREIN Mr. Grantham's Query IS Considered and Answered WITH Some short Reflections upon a few Expressions in his Book c. Job 6.25 How forcible are right words But what doth your arguing reprove Zeph. 2.1 2. Gather your selves together c. Before the Decree Bring forth c. Decretum Dei est Definitiva ejus Sententia de Rebus Omnibus per Omnipotentiam Secundum Consilium suum efficiendi Ames Medulla Theol. LONDON Printed by T. S. for Edw. Giles Bookseller in Norwich near the Market Place 1692. AN ANSWER TO Mr. Grantham's Question Which he was pleased to propound to all Rigid Calvinists as he calls them viz. Quest Whether our Gracious God did from all Eternity freely and unchangeably Decree that Mr. Toathby and Mr. Willet should come to the City of Norwich and slander me and others by such horrid Lies and Forgeries Mr. Grantham I was much concerned when I saw your Book in which you propound a Question to all the Rigid Calvinists as you are pleased to call us in Norwich and elsewhere and being much troubled at it thought it my duty to make some answer to it as I am able through the help and assistance of Gods Grace and accordingly have so done in this Paper I do much wonder that such a wise man as you pretend to be should propound such a question as this is in which you speak slightly of God and his Decrees Had you that sence and reverence of God and of the greatness of his Majesty and Soveraignty who may do what he will with us his Creatures I say had you this upon your Heart which I fear you have not you would not Quarrel with God and speak so slightly of his Decrees as you do The Lord humble you and give you repentance for it and also Wisdom to do so no more There are three things that I would offer to consideration about the Decrees of God Viz. 1. What the Decree of God is which you speak so slightly of 2. What are the Properties of Gods Decrees And 3. Speak something of the Execution of it For the first What are the Decrees of God Answ 1. The Word Decree is a Speech that is taken from the affairs of men but especially of such men as are in Authority in their determinations of Causes between such as are at variance whose Sentence accordingly is called a Decree 2. For God to Decree is Eternally to purpose fore-ordain determine and appoint what things shall be and come to pass c. Now the manner of Gods decreeing all things Is according to the Counsel of his own Will And being according to his Will it is most freely and according to his Counsel therefore most Wisely So that God has Freely and Wifely decreed all things that come to pass and let us but think of this that what God doth he doth well and wisely after the Counsel of his own Will as the Apostle speak Eph. 1.11 12. then we shall be silent and not quarrel so with God about his decreeing all things before time that come to pass in time as we are apt to do and let us well remember this Wherefore God hath Decreed all things that come to pass viz. for his own Praise and Glory as appears Psal 33.11 12. Rom. 9.22 23. and Eph. 1.4 and 11. c. 3. So then the Decrees of God are defined to be the Wise Free and Holy Acts of the Counsel of Gods Will who worketh all things after the Counsel of his Holy Will which is the Rule of Perfection Eph. 1.11 Rom. 11.33 whereby for his own Glory God hath unchangeably determined whatsoever comes to pass especially concerning his reasonable Creatures viz. Angels and Men Mr. Leigh in his Body of Divinity says That the Decree of God is that whereby the Lord according to the Counsel of his own Will hath determined with himself what he will do command forbid permit or hinder together with the Circumstances of the same Act. 2.23 and 4.28 Luk. 22.22 It is says he an Eternal determining of all things which have been or shall be So as himself saw fittest to have them for Good Reasons best known to himself tho not to us Therefore let us not Quarrel with God about his doings and determining all things c. Seeing he doth all he doth most wisely and for good reasons known to himself Let us be silent seeing his ways are in the Deep and beyond our shallow Capacity and say as Paul in Rom. 11.33 Oh! the Depth c. Thus much may suffice for the first thing We shall now come to the second 2. To shew what are the Properties of Gods Decrees and this through Gods help I shall do in these following particulars Pray mind them well First The Decree of God is Compleat i. e. that it doth comprehend the determining of all things from all Eternity that do or shall come to pass which might be evidenced from many Arguments grounded upon the Word of God which we must give Credit to unless we do believe the Scripture only to be the Invention of men and not indeed the Pure and Holy Word of God as in truth it is The Arguments are these viz. I 'le Just name them Arg. 1. Consider it well the smallest and most Casual things Decreed by God As the lighting of a Sparrow upon the Ground and the falling of a Hair from our Heads This I say is not without the fore-appointment of the Wise and Holy God as you may see plainly in the Words of Christ Mat. 10 28 29 30 31. Read and Mind this place well and you 'l find it True The very Drops that fall from Heaven and the Grass that grows upon the Earth is from the Appointment of God from Eternity See and consider well these Scriptures And the Lord give you to understand them aright and all of us which is his gift Prov. 16.32 33. Jer. 14.22 Jonah 1.6 Matt 6.28 29. The Words of Christ c. Arg. 2. Seeing none of these things doth come to pass without the Appointment of God what do you think Mr. Grantham concerning the Angels Don't you believe that some of them fell and the rest stood according as God did ordain and appoint as to be sure they did 1 Tim. 5.21 22. and I suppose you believe it for you in your Book speak of Elect Angels and pray Answer me this Why may not God as well Chuse and Elect some men to Eternal Life and let others alone to go on in sin and perish as to Chufe and Elect some Angels and pass the other by seeing they are all the Workmanship of his hands c. And he may dispose of them and do with them as he pleases Rom. 9.20 21 22 23 24. But Arg. 3. All things concerning men as to their Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Estate are Decreed by God and there is nothing can be found that Gods Decree doth not reach
and Earth whatsoever pleaseth him neither is there any Greater than he to command him Thus far Bishop Vsher Now answer this if you can I know you may make A Reply to it in some few Cavilling words being nothing to the purpose I might say something more to the answering this Objection But what has been said shall suffice as believing it is more than you truly can answer c. Secondly As to the other part of your Question viz. Whether God did from Eternity Decree that Mr. Toathby and Mr. Willet should come to Norwich to slander and abuse you and others as they have done by those horrid Lies and Forgeries I answer 1. That there thus vilifying and reproaching of you by such Wretched Lies and Forgeries of their inventing was their great sin and wickedness Lev. 6.2 3. Prov. 12.22 Mat. 12.36 37. Rev. 22.15 16. and they will see it to be so sooner or later I do wish they might see it in Time that they may repent of this and other their sins before to be too late 2. I say that God decreed to permit it but not as it is a sin but a Punishment or Correction to you for some sin tho God decreed sin yet we say he did not Decree it as sin but as a means of the manifestation of his Justice on the Wicked and his Grace on the Saints his Justice in punishing the one and his Mercy in Pardoning and saving the other Act. 2.23 and 4.28 1 Cor. 10.13 14. Eph. 1.4 and also we say that God is not the Author of sin Jam. 1.14 15. tho he is a wise permitter of it and the Powerful Disposer and Eternal Avenger of sin yet in no ways the Cause and Author of it But the proper and only cause of sin is the Will of Devils and Men whereby they fell from God c. Joh. 8.44 1 Joh. 3.8 Jude 4. There is by Gods Decree no violence offered to the Will of his Creatures but men go on as freely and willingly in their sins as if there were no Decree of God to give them leave Reverend Mr. Finch c. to be sure this we may and ought to hold and believe that God doth no sin at all tho he permit it to be done or else it could not be in the World and also that he hath a providence about it but for the manner how it is hard for to find but and determine you know it is said 2 Sam. 16.10 11. That God bid Shimei to Curse David we must not understand as if God did expresly Command Shimei out of his good Word so to do for this was an improper command and implies only that God did make use of Shimei's Tongue as a Whip to scourge David for his sins and thus far God did Decree to permit it as a punishment or correction to David for his Iniquities against God punishment you know is counted a Mortal good in that it is the part of a Just Judge to punish sin and thus saith Reverend Bishop Vsher p. 112 and 113. In his Body of Divinity p. 112 113. God Willeth the sin of the Wicked for their Punishment and this without sin in himself Rom. 2.26.3 and the last And he saith farther That that which is evil hath some respect of goodness with God and that 1. As it is a meer Action God being the Author of every Action Act. 17.28 But the Devil and our Concupiscence of the Evil in it and he gives this comparison that he which Rideth upon a Lame Horse causeth the Horse to stir but he is not the Cause of his Halting See also the same in Mr. Perkin's Order of Causes chapter the 6. p. the 16. So that tho God hath a Hand in meer Actions Yet he is in no wise the Cause of the Evil in any actions But the Devil and our selves are the cause of it 2. As it is a Punishment of and for sin but this I hinted before as you may find if you look a little back 3. As it is Chastisement a Tryal of Faith as Martyrdom or Propitiation for sin as the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ Act. 2.23 and 4.27 28. where saith he Acts 4.24 although the giving of Christ to the death of the Cross be attributed in the same words to God and Christ to Judas Pilate and the Jews yet diversly and in several respects they are declared to meet in one and the same action whereby there appeareth no less difference between God and Christs purpose and theirs than between Light and Darkness and he farther declares how God hath a hand in the things before named and yet be free from sin but let this suffice that hath been already named I shall need say no more to your Question only this which I hinted before that as this is a Punishment or Correction God did Will or Decree to permit it that it might be as a Whip to scourge you with for your sins and I hope you look upon it as such it 's a mercy to be kept from the strife of Tongues and it is the Promise of God if we hearken and be obedient to him to keep and hide us from it see it in Job 5.21 22. now whatever afflictions we meet withal and undergo if it be not as an evil doer but for well doing then happy are we 1 Pet. 3.19 20 21. and the 4. from 13. to the end and saith Christ Matt. 5.10 11. Rejoice and be exceeding glad Why for great is your reward in Heaven c. Now the Lord of his Mercy grant that whatsoever we suffer in this World from the wicked we may suffer it for Christs and the Gospels sake And thus I have done with your Question Matt. 5.10 11. The Lord grant that you may not Quarrel with the Truth any longer for you have fought against it with foolish Notions to long There are a few expressions in your Book that I shall a little take notice of and so conclude this discourse with a short word of Caution to the Reader First Your silly or rather wicked expressions are these viz You call us Rigid Calvinists who oppose those that Preach Gods Love to Mankind They are Rigid indeed that set themselves to oppose the Truth as it is in Jesus but I hope we are so far from opposing those that Preach Gods Love to Mankind as that we rejoice in it and desire to do it our selves tho may be not as you would have us viz. that God hath the same Love to all Mankind as he hath for some of them if he hath Why are not all Saved Surely that love that saves some may save all if it be alike to all but oh Mr. Grantham let You and I leave God to do what he will with his Creatures that he has made And let us Preach the Word to all as we desire to do and must do because we do not know who they be that God will save and
which argues that God hath decreed all things whatsoever see and read these following Scriptures for the proof of this third Argument viz. Matt. 22 from the 10 to the 16. and the 20.15 16. Act. 13.48 Job 14.5 Act. 17.26 Psal 139.15 16. 1. Thes 3.3 4. and 5.9 all which places shew that all things concerning men as to their Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Estate are Determined and Decreed by God Heb. 9.29 But to proceed Secondly God's Decree is most wise and therefore it is called the Counsel of his Will and that because his Will doth determine all things according to that Counsel see Eph. 1.11 12. 1 Tim. 1.17 Rom. 11.33 In decretis sapientum nulla litura Thirdly It is most Just for God is Just and Righteous in all he doth and there is no unrighteousness in God at all Rom. 9.13 14 15 16. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right Yes surely for he can do no otherwise Genesis 18.25 Fourthly Free because nothing moved the Decrees of God without or beyond himself his Grace and Mercy saith Christ Matt. 11.26 Even so oh Father For it seemeth Good in thy fight or it pleaseth thee Fifthly It is certain firm and unchangeable as appears Matt. 18.14 Jo. 23.13 Psal 33.10 11 12. 2 Tim. 19.6 Heb. 17. not but that men ought to repent mortifie sin believe and be holy for he who hath appointed to the end viz. Eternal Life hath also appointed to the means which tend to the end viz. Hearing and Reading the Word Praying Repenting and Believing in Christ and the like Eph. 1.4 2 Thes 2.12 13. Sixthly Gods Decree is Eternal or else he would be changeable contrary to that of Mal. 3.6 7. Jam. 1.17 That it is Eternal I mean Gods Decree see and read Act. 1.15 18. Eph. 1.4 2 Tim. 1.9 10. Zech. 6.1 2. Mountains of Brass i. e. Stable and Eternal Decrees c. So much for the Properties of Gods Decrees 3. I shall now speak a word or two in the third place to the Execution of Gods Decrees and so shall answer directly to your Question that you propounded as the Lord by his Spirit shall help and assist me Now as to the Execution of Gods * Note that Gods Decrees what he would do in the disposing of things for his own Glory were from all Eternity But the Execution of them are in time Decree it is twofold as first more General secondly more Special It is more Common or General viz. In his works of Creation and Providence for as Gods Decree is General which concerns all his Creatures so the Execution of it is the same as I might largely shew so that nothing comes to pass unawares but what was ordered by the Eternal Decree c. and this Execution of Gods Decree is an action of God effectually working all things in their time according to his Decree Act. 4. Act. 28. and the parts of it as I said before are Creation and Providence see Psal 33.6 to the 11. Jer. 10.11 12. Psal 146.6 7 8 9. 2. It is more Special which belongs to the reasonable Creatures viz. Angels and Men and so the Execution is in Angels and Men which I might have shewn largely had I handled the Special Decree of Election and Reprobation which I design not now to meddle with only set down a few Scriptures to prove that there is an Election and Reprobation That there is an Election see these places viz. Matt. 20.15 16. John 15.16 and 10.16 Act. 18.10 and 13.44 Eph. 4.5 Rom. 2.30 and 11.5 6. 1 Pet. 1.1 2. Eph. 1â— 4 5 6. 2 Tim. 1.9 Rom. 9.16 18. Titus 3.5 and Reprobation see also Matt. 13.11 Rom. 9.22 23. Matt. 11.25 26. Luke 8.10 11. Prov. 16 4 5. 1 Pet. 2.8 9 10. John 10.26 Jude 4. Now in as much as these Scriptures do plainly prove an Election and Reprobation we ought to believe it and to set to it our Seal that it is true because the Scripture says it And the Lord of his Mercy grant that we may believe his Word which is Pure and Holy and an unerring rule for us to walk by Gal. 6.16 Thus I have run over the three things that I propounded for to do I shall now say something through the Lords help to your Question which is this viz. Quest Whether our Gracious God did from all Eternity freely and unchangeably Decree that Mr. Toathby and Mr. Willet should cone to the City of Norwich and slander me and other 's by such horrid Lies and Forgeries Answ 1. That God hath freely and unchangeably decreed all things that have do or shall come to pass has already been proved and deny it if you can If you do you must deny the Scriptures to be true and so not to be the Word of God who is Truth it self and cannot Lye therefore his Word must be true and so not to be contradicted nor objected against by you Mr. Grantham Object But may be you will say that hereby we do make God to be the Author of all the sins of Men and Devils as you have already Branded us in Print because we say as the Scriptures affirm that God has unchangeably decreed before time what does or shall come to pass in time c. Answ For the Answer to this Objection or Cavil I have set down before you here what the reverend Bishop Vsher in his Body of Divinity pag. 93. saith in answer to the same thing that is here objected by you and others of your Judgment pray mind it well and judge rightly for he spake solidly his words are these viz. God says he is not the cause of sin and evil which he forbiddeth and condemneth but Satan and Men yet God in his secret will hath justly Decreed the evil works of the wicked for if it had not pleased him they had never been at all for most holy ends both for his Glory and their punishment as may be seen in the Jews Crucifying of Christ Act. 2.23 and Joseph's selling into Egypt Gen. 45.7 and the 50.20 for the thing that in its self by reason of Gods prohibiting of it is sin in respect of Gods decreeing of it for a Holy end comes in the place of a good thing as being some occasion or way to manifest the Glory of God in his Justice and Mercy for there is nothing sin as God decreeth it or commandeth it neither is there any thing of it self absolutely evil 1 Pet. 3.17 but because God hath forbidden it therefore is it evil and only unto them unto whom God hath forbidden it as Abraham killing of Isaac being commanded of God was to be obeyed and sin it were to have disobeyed it which otherwise by Gods Commandment forbidding to Kill was a sin for God forbiddeth not things because they are of themselves at first Evil. but therefore are they to man evil because God hath forbidden them for all sin is a transgression of the Law and God doth in Heaven