A DISPLAY of the over ofthe haferiour caufes, feems beyond the reach of mortals,:neither isan exalt comprehenffon thereof any way neceffary, fo that we make every thing behold- ing tohis power for its being, andto his affiflante for its operation. ((gg)) His fùpream dominion exercifeth it felf in difpofingof all things, to certain and determinote ends for his own gory: and is chiefly difcerned, advancing it felf over thofe things which'are moil contingent, and making them in fome fort necefpary, inaf- much as they are certainly difpofed of to force propofec&ends. Between thebirth and deathof a man, how many things merely contingent do occur ? Howmany chances; how many difeafes, in their Own nature all evitable ; and in regard of the event not one of thembut to force prove mortal ? Yet certain it is, that a man's days aredetermin- ed, tf a number of his months are with the Lord, he bathappointed his boundswhich he cannot pats, Job. xiv. 5. and oftentimes by things purely contingent and accidental heexecuteth his purpofes, beftoweth rewards, inflifteth pumfliments, and accomplifheth his judg- ments ; aswhen he delivereth a man to be flail by the headof an axe, flyingfrom the helve in the hand of a man cutting a tree by the way but in nothing is this more evident, -than in the ancient carting of lots, a thing as carnal and accidental as can be imagined, birdied Marecapat a venture ; yet Godover ruleth them to thedeclaring of his'pnrpofe, freeing truth from doubts, and manifoflation of his power, Prey. xvi. 33. The let it calf into the lap, but the whole difpnfing of it isfrees the Level : as you may fie inthe examples of Achan, PJh vii. 16, 17. Said, r. Sam. x. 21. ponathan, i. Sam. xiv. q1. anah, Chap. i. 8. Mattbiae, AP. i. 26. and yetthis over ruling aft of God's provi- dence, as no other decree or aft of his, lothnot robthings contingent of their proper nature : for cannot he whoeffeftually caufeth that they {hall come toparss,caufe alfo that they fiall come topats contingently? ÿ God's predetermination of fecond caufes (which I name not laicas though-it were theaft aft ofGod's providence about his creatures, for indeed it is the fief} that concem- eth their operation) is that effeftual working of his, according to hiseternal purpofe, whereby though force agents, as the wills of men, arecaufes moil free andindefinite, or unlimited Lords oftheir own aftions, in refpeit of their internalprinciple of ope- ration, that is, their ownnature, are yet all in refpe& of his decree, and by hispower, fai working determined to thisor that effe£[, in particular : not that they are cow peltedto do this, or hindered from doing that ; but are inclined anddifpofed todo this orthat, according totheir proper manner of working, that is.moil freely. Fortruly fach tefftmoniesare every whereobvious in fcripture, of the nirriing up of mess wills and minds, of bending and inclining them to divers things : ofthe governingofthe ,ferret thoughts and motions of the heart ; as cannot by any means be referred to 's naked permiffion, with a government of external aillons, or to a general influence, whereby they fhould .have power to do this or that, or any thing elfe, wherein as force fuppof Its whole providence confifteth. Let us now joyntly pply thefe revere( ails to free agents, working according to choice, or relation, fach as thewills of men and that will open the may to take a view of Armini so heterodoxies, concerning this 'article of chriflian belie.. And here two thingsmullbe premifed, Fi f that they be not deprived of their own radical, or original internal liberty, Secondly, that they be not exempt from the moving influence and gubeniation ofGod's providence; the fill whereof, wouldleave no jufl room for rewardsand,punifhments; the other, aslfaidbefore, is injurious to the majef}y and power of God. (a) $t. Augultin judged Ciceroworthy of fpecial blame even among the heathens, for fo attempting to make men free, that he made them fücrilegious : by denying them to be fubjei to anoverruling providence : which grofserreur was dlreEt- ly maintained by (b) Damafcen, a learned chriftian, teaching, things whereofwe have any power-net todepend on providence, but on our osen free-will : an opinion fitter for- a hog of the epicures herd , than for a fèholsr in the fchool ofChrifl : and yet, this proud prodigious error is now, though in other terms, nifty maintained: For what do they elfe, whoafcribe fachan abfolute independent liberty to the will ofman; it fhould have in its own power every circumfiance, every condition whatfoever, that belongs to operation; fo that all things required on the part of God, or otherwife to theperformance of anaftion being accomplifhed, it remaineth folely in the power of a man's nediwith fu whether he will do micontrolable powerand dominion lover all his 'liberty, j 1 6 ,á leGals úfwr wpea.iys ds,t i (a) (i ì fie Jasmines voluitefíe liberos, ut £cent Cacrilegos, Aug. O yr avvsç`eavaíe, Damafcen. altlOPS,
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