11.13 both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the saved and in the lost i. e. We do God good and acceptable Service when we preach the Word whether it serves to Save or to Condemne for in the one Gods Mercy in the other Gods Justice is manifested Those that come in will find mercy for thereto they were appointed those that stand out shall be sure of Justice because when they were summoned as well as others yet they would not because they would not They did voluntarily contemne the Word of Life and therefore can blame none but themselves if at last they find it a Word of Death If any think this Harsh and Severe I cannot deny but it is so and thus the Apostle thought it Rom. 9.22 when he sayes that God herein did manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Anger as well as his Power Nay he goes somewhat farther and speaking of the same Decree Rom. 11.22 he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Extreme Rigor and sharp Severity of God but from thence he doth not take occasion to enveigh against it as our Bold and Blasphemous disputers doe but concludes as it were in a Rapture v. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the Depth c. As for those many Expressions wherein God is said to declare his willingnesse that All should be saved as 1 Tim. 2.4 c. they may either be Interpreted of Gods will as declared by the Preachers of it which is Indefinite to All that Believe and Repent or else they may be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and spoken after the manner of men in the same sense that God is said to have Eies and Eares and other Bodily Parts whereby he is pleased to render himselfe Intelligible by us For if God did indeed Will the Salvation of All then it is Certaine that All would be saved for God can do whatever he wills but since it is manifest that All are not Saved it is evident likewise that God did not will All should be saved for who hath resisted his Will As for that Velleity i.e. a kind of Longing Wishing or Woulding disposition in God which some rashly bring in to salve their Phenomena by since it is Ineffectuall and consequently Imperfect it is altogether unfit to be ascribed to God for it is nothing else but Infirmity and Want of Power in Man So much for the First Observation D. 2. The second Observation was this that the Reason why one man believes i. e. embraces the meanes of Salvation and another doth not is finally to be resolved into Gods eternall Election of the one and Reprobation of the other or more briefly thus that onely those who are ordained unto eternall Life either do or can believe And the Reason is briefly this because onely those who are designed to the End shall be made effectuall Partakers of the Meanes which leads unto it Thus our Saviour Math. 13. rendring a Reason why some did not understand his Doctrine he gives this because to them it was not given and the Apostle calls the Gospell a Savour of Life onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Saved 1 Cor. 1 i. e. Actually designed to Salvation And the same Apostle exhorting the Thessalonians to Faith and Love he gives this as a Motive 1 Thes 9. because they were not appointed to Wrath but to obtaine Salvation by Jesus Christ Where by the way we may take notice that a Certaine Knowledge of our Eternall Election is so far from hindering any in the Practise of Godlinesse that it is by the Apostle used as an Argument to quicken their Endeavour as if he had said because God hath Appointed you unto Eternall Life therefore labour after the Meanes which leads unto it There is a setled Chaine and Connexion of Causes which do immutably inferre one another To be saved presupposes Obedience That Faith That the Gift of God and that runs up to the Highest Link which is the Grace and Favour of God to every poor believer It is certaine that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all have not the Grace because they want the Gift of Faith that being not thrown at Randome on all but reserved as a Peculiar Blessing for Gods chosen ones and them he calls while he leaves others to their Naturall Hardnesse and Impenitence It is not in Vaine or Figuratively spoken onely 2 Cor. 5.17 that every Believer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said to be new borne againe created and Fashioned c. but these Phrases imply this Necessary Truth that as none but those who are created men can put forth the Acts of men and such Creation they could not procure nor contribute to themselves because as yet they were not so none but those who are Created unto Good Workes can live in them because Naturally they want a Principle whereby they should understand or Relish them And this is the Benefit of that Eternall Election whereby God workes in all that he loves all their workes both in them and for them Phil. 2.13 that they might know and Confesse to the praise of his Glorious Grace that it is not in him that Wills nor in him that Runs but only in God that shewes Mercy Rom. 9.16 Before I make any Use I must prevent an Objection which every man Naturally is ready to Urge and not to take Notice of it were to prevaricate with the Truth The Objection is this if it be so that Some and that a Limited Number are Appointed to Life and onely such can believe then it follows that we may live as we list for if we are Appointed to Life we shall be saved God will in his good time Accomplish his Purpose concerning us which all our Endeavour can neither Promote nor Alter To this Objection which most Carnall Minds do not onely Reason but Live by I may Answer as the Apostle did when having asserted the Freenesse of Grace and how altogether undeserved it was on our part he brings in a profane person asking this Question shall we continue in Sin that Grace may Abound Rom. 6. i.e. what shall we put God to it and Try if we can Out-sin the Riches of his Mercy To this the Apostle replies only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let it not be or it may not be such a Thought can never arise in any ones Heart who does Truly understand what Mercy meanes So may I say here if any who conceives himselfe Elected shall draw this Conclusion from hence because God hath chosen me and I am sure of my Salvation therefore I will run on and provoke him daiely and strive as it were to blot out and Crosse his Decree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou canst not do it thou canst not apprehend that God loved thee with an everlasting loves and singled thee out from the lumpe of mankind when so many millions were to be undone eternally but it will worke upon thee and melt all thy affections into a gratefull returne
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 Free-will 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 onely 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 onely 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. 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
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 T is 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 onely 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 onely because God is so pleased to order and turne the balance FINIS Acts 13.45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as many as were ordained to Eternall-life believed THe Apostle Paul having in a large discourse deduced Christian Religion from its very Originall and shewed how in the severall ages of the World God still carried on the same designe for the salvation of men by Jesus Christ as he that was not onely foretold but figured in all their Legall Worship you find v. 45. the Jewes contradicting and blaspheming i. either railing on Christ or else reviling Paul and ignominiously slighting and traducing the Doctrine which he had delivered Whereupon the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. speaking freely or plainly tells them that the losse and damage by so doing would onely redound to themselves for hereby viz. by refusing the tender of Salvation so freely offered they evidenced that they judged themselves unworthy so great a mercy and therefore they being as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men selfe-condemned he would have no more to doe with them but from thence forward publish the Doctrine of the Gospell to the Gentiles intimating that God till then had empaled his Church and confined it to the narrow circuit of Judaea thereby as it were imprisoning that sun in a lanterne but now God would resumc his whole right that the earth might be the Lords and the fulnesse thereof excluding no place restreining no people from the benefit and comfort which would flow from the light of the Gospell steaming in and shining amongst them Whereupon it followes v. 48. That when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and Glorisied the Word of the Lord And as many as were ordained to Eternall Life believed From the words I entend to insist upon and cleare two Propositions 1. First That there are some and that a definite and limited number which are by God from all eternity ordained unto Eternall life or salvation 2. Secondly that the reason why one man believes i. embraces the means of salvation and another doth not is finally to be resolved into Gods eternall Election of the one and reprobation or rejection of the other Both these doctrines are cleere from the words of the text for this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As many as were Ordained believed implies first that some certaine persons were ordained whereby they are distinguished from the rest of the common hearers and likewise it is added as a reason why these believed while the others continued in their impenitence they were Ordained therefore they Believed Before I prove the first Proposition viz That there are some and that a certaine number appointed unto life which I think is evident in the text I must not omit that this Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
of service unto that God to whom thou art obliged for so infinite and undeserved mercy But if any who hath a mind to live wickedly shall Argue If If I am not designed to life I shall be damned let me do what I can I answer First that there is no possibylity for any truth to be so cleare but that evill men may abuse it to their own destruction and I believe every one sees how the making Gods decrees conditionall will lead a corrupt mind to the same Inference For he may as well say If God foresee that I shall believe I shall believe and so in the meane while take his liberty But Secondly Consider that as Gods decree of Election hath no influence to Necessitate the will of any but he that believes though ordained to it yet believes freely and willingly so the Decree of Reprobation hath no influence at all to the Damning of any because though those who are Reprobated shall certainely be damned yet sentence shall not passe upon them according to the act of Gods Reprobation but according to the merit of their works Gods decree is made by power but it 's executed by Law and therefore while thy damnation is yet uncertaine doe not dispute thy selfe into such a state as to endeavour to make it just Lastly The Rule of our Obedince is not Gods decree but Gods command Moses when he had given the Law exhorts them to walke according to it and to check their Inquisitivenesse tells them that they were not to Ascend into Heaven there to pry and search into Gods Decree concerning themselves but the word was nigh them in their hearts that they might do it Deut. 11.12 And the reason is bottomed upon that eternall and unanswerable truth Secret things belong to God but things revealed to us that they may be our rule to walke by So that in short we are so to ascribe all Power Praise to God as to looke upon and acknowledge him the great and supreme disposer of all things but yet we are so to live in our obedience and submission to his command as if nothing was at all decreed concerning us but that we were wholly left to the counsell and power of our own will For if we conclude against our selves and live like reprobates we are sure to perish But if with hearty and zealous endeavour we strive to doe the will of God and leave the event unto his mercifull providence against such I dare boldly affirme it there is no condemnation and the world shall sooner perish then such a soule miscarry Therefore the Vse I shall make of this discourse so necessary for these cavilling times is to exhort us all that we would leave off disputing and fall to practise Since it is certaine that the foundation of God standeth sure which is this that God knoweth who are his i. knoweth them definitely we may vexe and distemper our selves by wrangling but we shall not be able to shake or alter that All the while we are disputing we are like Abrahams Ram caught by the hornes in the Thicket when we should be offered up in sacrifice we are vainly strugling to entangle and snare our selves with our own Dilemmas It would be counted madnesse in a Traveller who has a great way to goe and but a little time to performe his Journies in if he should leave his road and needlessely run into a wood where besides the troublesomenesse of the passage he is sure to loose his time if not himselfe and in the end sit down to lament his folly No lesse unwise are we if we leave the safe and known path of Gods Commandments to wander in the endlesse maze and Labyrinth of Gods decrees If in worship when a man strives to serve God more strictly or in a more specious manner then the rule warrants him his whole devotion is slighted with a Quis Requisivit haec who bad you trouble your selfe with these things how much more severely shall he be reproved who ventures upon a forbidden as well as undoing curiosity In short all the while we are arguing we are out of Gods way and in the way onely of our own inventions and till we get out of it we may justly feare that the issue will be confusion amazement doubting and at last despaire If men would but once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be sober in their reasonings it would appeare but a modest request that God and his word alone should have the honour above and beyond our private conceptions For he will be found just when he comes to Judgment but woe be to that man who daires arraign him Whatever vaine men may anogate to themselves and upon the confidence of superficiall and empty Rhetorick venture to entern edle with and to passe their censure upon matters so infinitely above their reach yet they will find at last that obedience is better then knowledge that selfe denyall is the onely Gospell-sacrifice and of all Christians the humblest Christian is the best Therefore Secondly Since there are certaine Number appointed unto Eternall Life let us give our selves no rest till we can comfortably pronounce to our selves that we are of that Number Many are the signes by which a man may judge of his eternall condition and one of them is expressed here in the Text That who were Ordained unto Eternall life believed i. Believed the word of the Lord concerning salvation by Christ So that goe presently and aske your selves this question do I believe i. Am I willing to receive Christ and Salvation Yes perhaps you will say I am willing Then go on farther and aske but am I willing to receive Christ upon his owne Termes to acknowledge my owne wretchednesse without him to fly to him as I would to Shore out of a Tempest Do I see my selfe in so Undone and lost a Condition that nothing but his satisfaction can relieve me then goe to Christ he calls thee he calls thee as effectually as if thou heardst a voyce from Heaven saying Come Come unto me thou weary and laden Soule and I will give thee rest Mat 2.28 Come with all thy Sins nay with all thy Feares upon thee and I will take thy Burden I will settle thy Distractions and speake to thy soule in the midst of its Disquiets Soule be at peace I can make up all thy Wants and am able to save to the uttermost If after this thou canst be content with nothing but Christ if thou art willing to quit all for him and to count the world only as a stage where either thy Faith or Patience must be daily exercised if thou dost find that sweetnesse in the Face of a Reconciled God as no earthly enjoyment could bribe thee to a willing commission of any knowne sin against him then goe and enter into thy Rest and take an earnest of thy future joy For if the case be thus with thee and thou perseverest in it Heaven and Happinesse are as surely thine as if thou wert allready there and even while thou livest thou art placed in so high a sphere of Felicity and content as all the laboured and perishing comforts of this world cannot amount to fill up one minute of thy entire satisfaction This deserves to be more particularly insisted upon and some motives likewise might be used to presse all unto this duty of examining their future state But certainly they who know what Eternity is and how neare they are to it how every minute for ought they know may wast them thither they will not long put off or deferre the enquiry for all the while they doe so they evince to themselves that they have no lot nor portion in the Heavenly Inheritance For though both Grace and Glory are bestowed Freely yet wee may sadly conclude that they are not designed for those who looke not after them FINIS