Ver[ 19,20,21. the Epifile to the Romans. 353 The will of God can- not be re- fined, be_ castle it is molt migh- ty, yet it is by no means un- juit, but roof up- tight. .Ami. Oti_ t.n. T I M O T H E I.l S. WFlat doth this Text contain? S i L. A new obje&ion againft predeflination, with an anfwer to it. The firft obje&ion was, touching Gods unfaithfulneffe, if he did reje& the Jews to whom he had promifed to be their God. The fecond was ofinjuflice, if he fhouldele& fome,andnot other tome, without refile& of any worthineffe or unworthineffe in themfelves. Now in this our Text they charge God with cruelty and extreme rigor. For if God harden whom he will, and after punifh them for that hardneffe, this teems unto carnal reafon to be cruelty. This obje- &ion is fortified and back by two rea- fons clofely coacht in this Text. The firft is this : It were cruelty in God to be revenged on that hardnefie which himfelfwilleth, verf. t9. But Pharaoh and al wicked men are hardened becaufe God will, (as before verf. 18.) there- fore he hath no caufe to be angry or to punifh ; or if he do, it feemeth to mans reafon to be all one, as ifa man ( hould. binde his fervant, and after beat him becaufe he did not his work : or as if a Magiftr ate fhould bid a prifoner break the Jayle, and yet hang him when he bath done.The other reafon is this:that God muff be accounted cruel, if he fhould punifh that which men cannot refift and avoid : but the omnipotent will of God whereby reprobates are hardened, cannot be refitted, therefore the hardened without cruelty cannot be reprehended and punifhed. T t bi. What are we to learn for our in- ffruEtion from this objellion, or firff part of our Text ? S t L. That the will of God cannot be withffood and made void. The rea- fon hereof is,becaufe God being himfelf Almighty, there is nothing to crofl-e and hinder what he willeth. T r se. let Stephen accufeth the jeres, Alf7.7hat they refilled the will of God : fo do the Prophets blame the _yews of brazen faces, iron fitters, fife necks, untanenèüé; S t L. Taste : the will of God is daily refilled ; to wit, his revealed will, his willnmapifef} in his word and works. But our Text fpeaketh of the fecret and hidden will of God. (De voluntate bene placiti, non figni, ) as Schoolemen write and diftinguifh. T t M. What ufe is to be made of this in- flruJion? S r L. It affords matter of fingular comfort to all the godly,who being af- fired by true faith and the fruits there- of, of the good will of God from ever - lafting, may furely refolve, that do Sa- tan, or fin, or the world,what they can agaínft them, yet Thal they never perifh fithence Gods will cannot be refitted. T I M. What other inf rudton are we to dra}v out of the 19. verfe ? S t L. That mans reafon corrupted, doth draw or gather falfe conclui.ions out of true propofitions, an example hereofwe have in this Text. For it is true,that God hardeneth whom he mil, and that his will cannot be rel ?ied; but hereof it followes not that he may not jufily complain of,and punifh obftinate frnners, which let and willingly fettle themfelves in a courfe of difobedience. Again, it is true, that we are freely ju- ffified by faith alone, but hereof it will not follow, that we need nit do good works, as Papifts blindly and badly colle&Alfo,becaufe in fonie Churches the Miniftry orLiturgie'may bé faulty, we ought nottherefore to conclude that we may not live in fuch Churches where fuch defe &ions be not amended : as if any would affirm a body to be no body,becau fe it is a lame one, or an eye no eye becaufe there is a.web and pin in it. T t M. But what error is iii the tionclufion ofthis objetiion? S a L. Firft, there Is a falfity or error herein, that they put the fecret will of God for the caufe ofperifhìng unto the reprobate, whereas none of them are deftroyed but, for the contempt of the known and manifeft will of God. Se- condly, though there be a neceflity that they be hardened, on whom God will.. flew no mercy, yet no reprobate is has.. dened againft his own will; for they are fo far from avoiding the, hardneffe of H h a their
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