193 / 808
VER.19.
Ephefian.r,Chap.r.
1St,
the latter
is
true, for
God
cannot
fee thefe things
as
exifting
forth
of
the
caufes
from eternitie
to
eternitie,but they mutt havecoeternall exiftence
with
him
:
he
bath
in
eternitie
allthings
thus prefent, becaufe
Gods
in-
divifible eternitie
is
before,
in, and after all meafure
of
time
;
but
that
he hath them prefent from eternitie to eternitie,
is
an unconceiveable
abfurditie.
If
God doe not determine
and apply
the creature
to
will
and
worke
3
that which
he worketh
in
the creature, then the creature
is
the
caufe
why God worketh,
and
by
confequent
why
he willeth this
or that
:
but the
creature
is
not the
caufe
why God worketh
and willeth.
The
firft
part
Is
plaine, for
Gods
concourfe working this
or
that,
mull
ei-
ther
goe before the
Will,
and
fo caufe
it
to
will,
elfe
it
muff
follow,
accomplifhing
that which
mans
Will
willeth.
Now
the
fecond
part
Fame
openly graunt, but it
is
molt abfurd,
both
bccaufe it
maketh
God
follow
and caufe
a
kinde
of
tendance on mans
Will,
as
allo
by
reafon
itmaketh
theWil
of
man
have acaufalforce on
God
himfelf.I4mes
faith,
Wee
may not
fay,
I
willgae
to
fuch
a
place,
wileffe
Gad will,
This doctrine
makcth
God
fay,
I
will worke
Converfion, Faith, Repentance,
in
fuch
aPerfon,if
he
will.
If
the liberty
of
Will
Hand in fuch
a
power
free
for
exercife, then
4
Chrift
had not
liberty or
freedome
of
will: for God the
Sonne owing
it
as a
conjoyned inftrument
to
it
felfe
guidance
in
every
thing, Mould
it
have failed
in
any
circumftance
of
due
obedience, God
hitnfelfe
fhould have beene
guilty
:
Now
Chrift
had liberty, and
fuch
as
is
the
ground not onely
of
working
that
which
is
good and
praife-
worthy, but
that which
was
in
fome fort meritorious. But we will
not
profecute
thefe points; which we
fhall
have occafion
in
other
places
to
unfolde
;
The
truth
is,
that whether
we looke at
the preparation God
maketh in
fome,
or at the
faith
it
felfe,
both
are wonderful!.
What
a
power
is
that
which
fhaketh the hearts
of
the moil
fecure (inners
t'
It
is a
thong
winde
which fhaketh
an
Oake, but to bring
a
heart
like
theJaylorsto tremble,
is a
matterarguingamighty
power. Againe,
to
give a hand or eye
to
one
blinde
and
mayined were much ; but the hand
and eye
of
faith, great
is
the power by which they are reftored.
Wherefore
let
us
looke to him
who
hath thus mightily brought
us
Vii
r;
to beleeve,
that
he would
finifh
our faith by
the
fame
power;
the
fame
power which maketh thefe
things, conferveththem
alto:
happy
is
hee
who
cloth fee
this power ready
to
confirme him
in
beleeving,
to the
end.
Wee
fee
how they
are deceived,
who
make
God by
his
grace
to
con-
r
a.
vert
us
fo
that
he
leaveth
it in
our power,whether wee
will
come to him
by
faith or no
:
As
if
God
did
let
his
grace forth,as Chapmen
doe wares,
which the
Cuftomer
may
choofe whether he will buy or
no
:
But who
can refift in
that which Gods almighty power
is
put forth to worke
Could
his
power
be
refilled,
it
were not almightie.
Laflly,
we may
fee
hence
how
many perfons
deceive
themfeves,
who
thinke
Faith but
a
matter
of
opinion;
or
imagination
of
things
R
abfent;