Chap. 43. AnExpofation upon the Book ofJolt. Verf. 8. fpeaks of thofe that went to Peek God with their face&towards Zion, who foaght to worfhip God in the exaEteft manner ) and. their adverfarier faid,weofend not..( They thought they might eat.,. up a man, with as little. offence to God or man, as to their own ítomacks, when theyhad. this to fay for it;) &ale the) havefin- ned againß the Lerd, thehabitation of inflict, even the Lord, the Mope oftheir fathers. Thefe menhavefirmed againft God, and we hope we mutt net bear with fuch If we didnot ,find.them in au, errour, did they not wrong God and his 'truth, we would not do thus ; but weofendnot, for they havefinned agajnff the Lerd, the habitation of julfice,fiven the Lord, the hopes'. theirfathers They concluded they might ufe them as they lift when they had this plea, it is for the Lord. That's the reafon of Chrifts premo- nition (job. z6. 2.) They 'hall calfy u out of the fynagogue.t,yea the time cometh, that whofoever killethyou will think that he doth God fervice.'Tis poffiblefor mento Iteminflamedwith a zeal for God, while theyput their brethren into flames. And as this is true in regard of theperlons of men, fo-of their doEtrine: Some fay God is honoured by filch an opinion, and therefore it muff needs be right. Papifts maintain the'doElrine of free-will, . -and tell us it isthat God may be glorified* how elfe ( fay they) canwe anfwer thofe exhortations and commands to rep.nt and obey his voyce, if manhave not free-will or apower to obey ? Were it not a mock if God flaould bid man do that. which he cannot do? Therefore that the honour of God may not be stained, the will of man molt be advanced. Arminians hold univerfal redemption , or-that Chrift died e-, - qually for all men. Now as the Papi¡ts pretend zeal for Goa in maintaining free-will , left he fhould feem to mock in his com-. mands ; fothefe maintain univerfal redemption,- lett:God 1hould feem tomock in his promifes : For,fay they,God offers grace and mercy, forgivenefs of fins and life eternal unto all ; hence they argue, ifChrift died not for all, he cloth but delude us in making thofeoffers : Thusout ofarefpea to the perfon of God,they de- ¡troy the truthsof God. For the truth is, man,hathno.free-will ( before convertion) either to obey the commands ofGod, or to believehis promifes ; andyet the Lord in unfpeakable wifdom, . and juftice,yeaandinmercy too,commauds hsrn.toobey,and pre- feats him promifes to believe. Thefe adminifirations ofGod are not arguments ofmans ability, but of hisduty; and while.God in. them 81 w
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=