133 / 808
V
E
R.
[
I.
Epbeffans,Chap.
I.
tioned
;
Let
us
firít then confider
ofthe
meaning
ofthe
words.
Second-
ly
of
the fcope,
for
which they are brought in. Thirdly,
of
the
doétrines
to
be marked
in
them.
Firft, this word [warketh,]
Both
fignifiefuch
á
working, which hath
efficacieto
the bringing forth the
being
of
that which it worketh.
All
things.] Noteth
outwhatfoever things
are,whether good or
evil!.
counfell.]
Noteth
fometime the
facultie
of wifdome, which giveth
advife
touching things
to
be done, and meanes
of
doing
them:.
And
thus, according
as
the nature
of
the thing hath
it felfe
to
him
whogiveth
advife,
is
fomething prefent
and
ready, fometime
needing delibera-
tion
;'-but
deliberation
fo
farre
as
it
is
grounded
in
imperfection
of
knowledge, and argueth doubtfulneffe, cannot be afcribed, but onely
fo
farre
as
it
fignifieth
the
maturity
and ripeneffe
of
counfell. Second-
ly, counfell
fignifieth
not the faculty, but theeffeét, wife advife given
in
any cafe
from
that
facultie
of
wifdome which giveth counfell.
Thus weunderftand when we
fay
;
What
counfell
did fuch
a
one give
yourNow
thus it
is
here taken for
that
wife
order
of
things,and means,
which
Gods wifdome
fuggefted.
Laftly
, it
is
to
be
confidered,
why
it
is
called counfell
of
his
will. Firft, becaufe it
is
propounded
to
his
will
;
Secondly,
it is
accepted
of by
his
will: The
meaning
is,
we
obtaine
all
thefe bleffings
before
named, having beetle predeftinated
according to
that
gracious purpofe
of
God towards
us,
whofe
working
bringeth about
all
things, according
to that
wife
order which
his coun-
fell
did
propound,
and
his
will
for the liberty
of
it
did freely accept.
Now
the fcope
of
this defcription tendeth
hither, to prove that
we
attaine
the
benefits before
named,
having beene predettinatetVby
Gods
counfell(for predeftination
is
an
ad of
Gods
counfell,as
I
have faid
be
fore)thereunto
;
he
proveth
this particular,
by
this
general!; He who
worketh
all
things after
the
counfell
of
his
will,
he
doth
worke
thefe
benefits
in
us, his counfell
having predeftinated
us
to them
;
But
God
worketh
all
things, &c.
Thefe
are frivolous exceptions,
that God
fpea-
keth onely
of
the things before, which he
doth
out
of
his
gracious
pleafure
:
for
this were
an
impertinent
fuperfiuitie,
to
fay
that God
had
wrought
us
thefebenefits,
when
his
counfell had
predeftinatedus,who
doth
worke thefe benefits according to
his
counfell
;
He
hath wrought
them
in
us
according to
his
counfell, who
doth worke them according
to
his
counfell.
Secondly, whatfoever things are according
to
Gods counfell, thofe
he
is
faid
to worke
;
for thefe
Taft
words may
as
well determine
the
fub-
jeet,
as Phew
the
manner
of
his
working.
Thirdly, what
reafon
is
it
to
fay, he
worketh there things after
coun-
fll
as
if
all
the
workes
of
God
were
not
alike after counfell.
Lafily, to
fay he fpeaketh
of
things he
doth
out
of
gracious plea
-
fure,
is
in
their
felfe, who
excepr,frivolous
:
for
he
faith
not; the
coun-
fell
of
his
dt.Poxfa,
but
of
his
skin a.
Betide
that,the
Scripture
doth attribute
thofe
things; which
as
judgments
God
doth
execute
in
reprobates,
to
Gods
4,f`.xfa,
meere free pleafure
,Mat.I1.25
and
13.11.7houk fthidden
M
thefe.