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Q. WHat is the summe of this pe∣tition?
A. 1 That euery man in his calling may obey God.
2 In our callings to direct all thinges to the glory of God.
3 To take in good parte whatsoeuer God sendeth, whether it bee with vs, or against vs.
Q. Why is this next?
A. To shew that then Gods kingdome doth come, when his will is done.
Q. What is your meaning more
plainely?
A. I meane that the Lorde doth not rule in vs, if wee remaine vnwilling to o∣bey his worde, and striuing against his will.
Q. How may wée come to the true vnderstanding of this petition?
A. For the better vnderstanding of this petition, wee are to consider of three poyntes.
Q. Uery well, the poyntes are verie necessary, what say you then of the first poynt?
A. In respect of God himselfe, his will is alwayes but one, and that most simple, but in respect of vs,
The will of God is twofolde,
Q. What doth the Scripture speake of the secret will of God?
A. The Scripture compareth it to: great deepe or a bottomelesse sea, which cannot be sounded: and vnto hie moun∣taines which cannot be climed.
Q. What call you the secret will of God?
A. That counsel which he neuer reuea∣led in his worde, neither hath promised to reueale in this world.
Q. Whether may this secret will of God be searched after, or no?
A. No, it ought not.
Q. How proue you that?
A. In Iohn 21. 23. Act. 1. 7.
Q. What call you the reuealed will of God?
A. That which hee hath made knowne in his worde.
Q Whether may wee search after that or no?
A. Yea, we may and ought.
Q. How proue you that?
N. In Deut. 29. 29.
Q. Whether doe wée pray here for the doing of Gods secret will or no?
A. No, for that is euera done, and shal while the world endureth.
Q. Of how many sorts is the reuea∣leo will of God?
A. Of two sorts.
Q. In what places finde you that reuealed?
A. Our sauiour Christ saith. This is the will of him that sent mee, that euery man that seeth the sonne, and beleeueth in him, should haue euer lasting life, &c. And Saint Paul saith, Hee hath prede∣stinate vs, to bee adopted through Iesus Christ, in himselfe, according to the good pleasure of his will. And for the dooing of this will we pray here.
Q. But may wée enquire after the knowledge of this will?
A. Yea, and diligently we ought to en∣quire after it.
Q. But if we doe search after it, may wée know it?
A. Yea, for as it is reuealed in the scrip∣ture, so is it confirmed and sealed before our eyes in the Sacraments.
Q. What if we cannot at all times, or at any time, vnderstand, and knowe this will of God?
A. The faulte is in our selues, because we bea carnall, and destitute of the spirite of Christ.
Q. To whom then is this wil of God reuealed?
A. To euery one of Gods children this will is particularly reuealed.
Q How proue you that?
A. Paul saith, that this will of God was manifested vnto him, when hee saith that Christ loued him, and gaue himselfe for him.
Q. Yea, but Paul is not euery one?
A. No, that is true, but if all the elect are led by the same spirite that Paule had, it will also perswade them of this will of GOD as it perswaded Paul.
Q. But how prooue you that the same spirite is giuen to all the E∣lect?
A. It is manifest in Esa. 59. 21. Rom. 8. 11. 14. 15. 16.
Q. Will not this bréed carnall secu∣ritie in men?
A. No, but cleane contrarie, for when we are once armed with the knowledge of this will of God, we shall passe through fire and water, without any danger, with∣out feare of the world, or death, or the di∣uell, and triumphe ouer all our enemies, as Paul did.
Q. Whether is any thing done in the worlde, whether GOD will or no?
A. God forbid wee should thinke so, that were to denie the omnipotencie of God.
Q If nothing be done in the world•• against the will of God, then sinne is committed by the will of God?
A. Yea it is the will of God that sinne should remaine in the world.
Q. You meane that God doth suffer it to be in the world, doe you not?
A. Nay, I meane that God doth will it, and worke it, which is more then permit∣ting or suffering it to be done
Q. How proue you that?
A. It may be proued by these places of scripture:
As they regarded not to know God, so God deliuered them vp vnto a reprobate minde, to doe those things which are not conuenient.
Againe, Because they receiued not the loue of the trueth, that they might be saued, therefore God shall send them strong delusi∣ons, that they shoulde beleeue lies, this is more then suffering them to bee deluded, and to be deliuered vp.
Againe, My people would not heare my voyce, and Israel would none of me: So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnes of their heart, and they haue, &c. This is more then permitting them to be giuen vp.
Q. Is not GOD then the author of sinne?
A. He is, and he is not.
Q. How can that be?
A. For the better cleering of this poynt, we must consider two things.
Q. How many waies is sinne to bée considered?
A. Three waies.
Q. How proue you that God dooth punish one sinne with another?
A. By Rom. 1. 28. 2. Thes. 2. 11. 12. Psalm. 81. 11. 12.
Q. That God doth punish one sinne with another, I now sée it manifestly, but why dooth he so?
A. To punish sinne, standeth with his iustice, and euery punishment is a worke of his iustice, but how or which way hee wil punish sin, that is in his owne wil or pleasure: if not, who shall teach him, and direct him?
Q. It is true, I am satisfied for that poynte, now shew how many things are to be considered in euery sinne?
A. Two things.
Q. What meane you by the corrup∣tion of the action?
A. The swaruing from the rule of Gods worde, or the transgression of his lawe.
Q What say you of the action, is that of God?
A. Yea, the action so farre as it is an action, God dooth will it, and worke it, for without him wee can doe nothing, because (as the Scripture saith) In him wee liue, and mooue, and haue our bee∣ing.
Q. Is not God also the author of the euill, or corruption that is in the Acti∣on?
A. No, not of the euill in the Action, except it be (as we haue heard alreadie) a punishment of sinne past, and so a worke of iustice.
Q. How proue you that God is not the author of the corruption that is in the action?
A. It may bee proued by these places. Psal. 〈…〉〈…〉 1. 13. Zach. 8. 17. 1. Ioh. 2. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
Q How else can you proue that God is the author of the action, and not of the corruption that is in it?
A. By the very light of nature, & com∣mon reason. For,
Q. What other similitudes haue you?
A. A lame man, by the power of his [ 2] soule doth moue and goe, now his soule is the cause of his mouing and going, but not of his lame going. Euen so God may be the cause of an action, but not of the e∣uill that is in the action.
Q. Haue you any more such simi∣lies?
3 A. Yea. A liberall father giueth his children their portions, which they spend riotously, the fathers liberalitie is the cause of their spending, for without him they had nothing to spend, but their riotous spending commeth not of their father, but of themselues: and euen so God is the author of an action, but not of the e∣uill that is in the action.
Q. The case is cleare. Now shew me why God dooth let sinne bée still in our nature, when as hée could by his grace (if it pleased him) take it quite a∣way?
A. The cause is this: That hee may vse our sinnes to his owne glorie, for here∣by he maketh known vnto vs two things, which otherwise we had neuer knowne.
Q. How proue you that?
A. By the witnes of the Apostle in, Rom. 9. 22.
Q. Whether should the will of God be done, if we did not pray for the doing of it?
A. Yes, for his will standeth not vpon our prayers.
Q. Why then doe wee pray that his will may be done?
A. Therein we acknowledge 2. things:
Q. Whether may we by our prayers make the Lord to alter his will & pur∣pose in any thing, or no?
A. No, we cannot: for his decrees are, and alwayes haue been, and alwayes shal be fulfilled, and none shall hinder, nor al∣ter his purpose: for it is vnchangeable.
Q. How proue you that?
A. By these places following: Numb. 23. 19. Esai. 46. 10. Malac. 3. 6. Rom. 11. 29. Pro. 21. 30, 31. Iam. 1. 17.
Q. What may we learne hereby?
A. To pray alwayes according to the will of God.
Q. What if wee should desire any thing y• we know God will not graunt?
A. Then wee sinne against the com∣mandement of our Sauiour Christ: for he hath taught vs to pray that his wil may be done, not ours, and that his decrees may stand, and not be changed.
Q. What say you of praying for all men? is it not lawfull to pray for all men?
A. Yes, so farre as our prayers agree with Gods will: but no further.
Q. Yea, but may we not pray for the reprobate that they may be saued, aswel as the elect?
A. No: for it is against the wil of God.
Q. How doe you meane that it is a∣gainst his will?
A. I meane that it is a thing which shall neuer bee graunted: for God hath decreed the contrarie in his euerlasting counsell.
Q. But good prayers may preuaile much with God.
A. Yea, that is true, if they be agreeable with his will, or els they are not good prayers.
Q. Why? doth not the scripture say, that God will that all men shall bee saued, and come to the knowledge of the trueth? Now if all bée not saued, then the will of God is mutable, is it not?
A. The meaning of the Apostle is to be taken as well as his words.
Q. Why, the words are very plaine, what whould be his meaning?
A. Yea, but they be not so plaine as you take them to be: for if they be vnderstood of the reuealed wil of God, then the Apo∣stles meaning is one way: but if they bee vnderstood of the secret will of God, then ••is another way.
Q. What if he speaketh of the reuea∣led will of God?
A. Then his meaning is this, that God doth call all men by the preaching of the worde, to the knowledge of the trueth, and eternall life, if they will beleeue in Christ.
Q. What if that place be vnderstoode of Gods secret will?
A. Then the sense is three fold.
Q. But doth not this word (all) in∣clude euery particular person?
A. No not alwaies: for sometime it is put for the greatest part, or a great num∣ber, as in Gen. 47. 15. Matth. 21. 10. Mark. 1. 5. sometime for the elect onely, as in Luk. 3. 6. Rom. 5. 18. 1. Cor. 15. 22.
Q. How must wee then vnderstand such vniuersall and generall spéeches when we méete with them?
A. These generall speeches are to bee restrayned to their kinds: as for example.
| These are to be restrained to the faith∣full: But, |
| To the vnfaith∣full. |
Q. But did not Christ dye for all men?
A. The common receiued opinion is, that his death was sufficient for all, but
not effectuall vnto all: for all haue not faith.
Q. But I expect a direct answer.
A. Then I say that Christ dyed not for all men, but only for the elect, whom God had chosen to be saued by Christ and his merites, from euerlasting.
Q. Where do you reade of any that haue béen forbidden to pray for any in particular?
A. Ieremie was forbidden to pray for the obstinate Iewes whom God had cast out of his fauour: and the reason why he might not pray for them, was grounded vpon the will of God: For (sayth the Lord) I will not heare thee.
Q. What, is it in no case lawfull to pray for the enemies of Gods Church?
A. Yes, for temporall benefites, as, peace, and plentie, & libertie, &c. so farre as it may bee for the ease and benefite of Gods people which be amōgst thē: but o∣therwise, if they practise any thing against Gods Church, wee ought to pray against them, as Dauid did against Achitophel.
Q. How prooue you that wee may pray for the prosperitie of the wicked,
when it may serue for the ease and good of Gods people?
A. The Prophet Ieremie. willeth the captiue Church of the Iewes which were at Babylon to pray for the peace of Baby∣lon (now the Babylonians were Idolaters) and giueth this reason: For in their peace, (sayth he) you shall haue peace.
Q. Well then: Now I see that our prayers must be agréeable to the will of God, because his wil, and counsel must, and shall stand. Now shew how wée shalbe acquainted with the will of God which is to be done by vs, and for vs?
A. We must 1. looke what is required of vs in the word of God, wee must heare it, read it, mark it, & meditate in the same: 2. Pray for the spirite of vnderstanding to open our eyes that we may see, &c.
Psal. 36. 6.
Rom. 11. 33.
Esa. 46. 10. Numb. 24. 13.
Iohn 6. 40.
Ephe. 1. 5.
1. Cor. 2. 14.
Gal. 2. 20.
Rom. 8. 38. 39.
The second poynt.
Rom. 9. 19.
Esa. 46. 10.
Rom. 1. 28.
2. Thes. 2. 11.
Psal. 81. 11. 12.
Act. 17. 2••▪.
Similitudes.
The third poynt.
Of praying for all men.
Obiect.
1. Tim. 2. 4.
Iere. 7 16.
Iere. 11. 14.
Iere. 14. 11.
2 Sam. 15.
Iere. 29. 7.
Psalm. 119.