ARMINIANISM. 2I ^rrr ávrt ajt?r+artir W .,4,.. á 44 r4 fir / 4c 4" r10die, like r rrrr>dJ CHAP. V. Whether the will andpurpofe of God may be refilled, andhe befruffrate ofhis intentions. J_KJ Ythe former fteps is the Altar ofAhaz feton the right handof the altarofGod : the Arminian Idol, in a dire& oppofrtion exalted to an equal pitch with'ehe power and will of the molt high: I (hall now prefent unto you the fpirit of God once more contending with the towring imaginationsofpoor mortals, about a tran- fcendent privilege of greatnefs, glory and power. For having made his decrees mutable, his prefcience fallible,and aimed} quite divertedhim ofhis providence ; as the fum and iffueofall their endeavours, they affifm, that his will may be re tfted, he may fail of bis in- tentions, be fiufirate of hù ends, he may, and doth propofefuch things, as he neither Both, norcan at any timeaccomplifh : and that, becaufe the execution of fach a&s of hiswill, might haply claar againftthe freedomofthe willsof men. Which ifitbe not an expreffionof fpiritual pride, aboveall that ever the devil attempted inheaven, di- vinesdo not wellexplicate that fin of his. Now becaufe there may feem fome difficulty in this matter, by reafon ofthe feveral acceptations of the will of God : efpecially in regard ofthat whereby it is affirmed, that his law andprecepts are his will, which alas'! we allof us too often refift or tranfgrefs, I will unfold one dillin&ionof the will ofGod, whichwill leave it clear, what it is that the Arminian oppofe, for which we count them worthy offo heavy a charge. Divimsmvas eß ejus of, fay the (a)School-men, the mill ofGod is nothingbut God willing, notdiffering fromhis effence, fecundum rem, in the thing it felf, but onlyfocundumra- tienem, in that it importeth a relation to the thingwilled : the effence of God then be- ing a molt abfolute pure fimple aft orfubfance, hiswill confequently can be but limply one, whereofwe ought to make neither divifion,nor diftin&ion : ifthatwhereby it is fig- nified, were taken always properly and ftri&ly for the eternal will ofGod : the differen- ceshereofthat are ufually given, are ratherdiftiu&ions ofthe fignificatious oftheword, than of the thing. In which regard, they are not only tolerable, but limply necef- fury ; becaufe without them it is utterly impoffible to reconcile foam places of Scrip- ture, feemingly repugnant, Genefis xxii. z. God commandeth Abraham to take his only fon /pee, and offer him for a burnt offeringin the land of Moriah. Here thewords ofGod aredeclarative offome will ofGod unto Abraham, who knewit ought to be, and little thought, but that it Mould be performed : but yet, when he a&ually addreffedhimfelfta his duty in obedience to the will of God, he receiveth a counter- mand ; verfe t z. that he lhould not lay his hand upon the child tp fäcrjce him: the event plainly manifefteth, that it was the will of God that ¡fur fhoüld not be facrificed ; and yet notwithf}anding, by reafon ofhis command, Abraham feems before bound to believe, that it waswell-pleafng unto God, that he lhould accomplifh what hewas enjoined : ifthewill ofGod in the fçripture beefed but in one acceptation, here is a plain contra- di&ion. Thus God commands Pharaoh to let his people go: could Pharaoh think otherwife, stay, washe not bound to believe, that itwas the will of God, that he lhould difmifs the Ifiaelires at the fill} hearing of the meffage? Yet God affirms, that he would harden his heart, that he Mould' notfitffer them to depart, instil that he had Mewed his Egos and wonders in the landof Egypt : to reconcile there, and the like places offcripture, both the ancient Fathers, and School-men, with modems divines, do af- firm that theone will of Godmay be fain tobe divers or manifold, inregard of thefun - dry manners, wherebyhe willeth thofe things tobe done, which he willeth, as alfo in other refpefts, and yet taken in its proper fignifrcation, is (imply one andthe fame. (a) Aquin. p;q. ro. ar. ad s. H The
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