Sion's prospect in it's first view.: Presented in a summary of divine truths, consenting with the faith profess'd by the Church of England, confirmed from scripture and reason: illustrated by instance and allusion. Compos'd and publish'd to be an help for the prevention of apostacy, conviction of heresy, confutation of error, and establishing in the truth, by a minister of Christ, and son of the church, R.M. quondam è Coll ̊S.P.C.

CHAP. VI. Concerning God's Decrees, Power, and Manner of working.

§. 1. GOD, who is the primary Cause, and supreme Agent, as he hath in himself a principle ofa knowledg, andb direction, hisc understanding a princi∣ple ofd determination ande command, hisf will;

so likewise a principle ofg operation and executi∣on, and that's hish power. His understanding di∣rects his will, his will actuates his power: Again, hisi will determines his understanding, and his power executes his will. God willing what he knows, that by an immanent act is hisk decree, residing in himself; and when by his power he effects what he wills, that by a transient act isl his work, termina∣ted in the creature.

§. 2. As in the Theory of God'sa absolute under∣standing, he doth know more, so in the might of hisb absolute power, he can do more, then what by the purpose of his will he doth determine to have done. So that hisc will is at once the determinati∣on of his understanding, and the limitation of his power, for thed decr••••ing of all things in himself from eternity, and thee effecting all things with∣out himself in their time. Thus God is the effi∣cient cause of all things in his understanding, will, and power; not singly, and in several acts, but joyntly, and in one causation; by his power effe∣cting, what in his understanding and will he doth know and determine to be done.

§. 3. The Power of God is said to be omnipo∣tent, not because he can do all he wills to do; for thus far the Angels, and the blessed may be said to be omnipotent, who certainly have a power to do, what they will to do, who will to do nothing but what God wills by them to be done. But in this is God omnipotent, that hea can do whatsoever he wills (not onely to do, but also) to be done; and is fully ably to do, what is any way possible to be done; and nothing is impossible to God, but what either implies a contradiction in it's self, or arguesb infirmity in him; the former is from an incapaci∣ty in the creature, the later from the excellency of the Creator; neither from any deficiency in God;

to say God can do what argues infirmity, (as to lie, to go, to sleep, and the like) would testifie a weak∣ness, not justifie his power; to deny these in God, is indeed to affirm his omnipotence, and to affirm these of God, is indeed to deny him omnipotent.

§. 4. Seeing the onely limits of God's power is his will, therefore hea doth effectually do, whatsoever he actually willeth to be done. And as there is nob might to overcome his power, so nor is there any power toc resist his will; his secretly ordaining, and powerfully effecting will; to whichd Heaven and Earth, and Hell; Angels, and Men, and Di∣vels, do, and must stoop, and submit. And what∣soever Gode actually willeth in time, he intentio∣nally decreed from all eternity; all whose decrees are mostl faithful and firm, he ordaining and dis∣posing all things according to them Counsel of his own will, to this their ultimate end, then glory of his own Name.

§. 5. From which Counsel of God's will, and purpose of his decree, it is, that the creatures have their eternala Idaea in God's minde, before their actual being in their own existence; every thing formed being (in it's own proportion) theb pattern and figure, declaring the minde of God who framed it. And thus God having ac knowledg of vision in the Counsel of his will, his Counsel is not of disqui∣sition, but of approbation; in that he knoweth and willeth, fore-seeth and fore-ordainethd all things, and every thing together at once.

§. 6. And as in the Trinity of Persons there is but one God, so but one will; and as but one will, so buta one working in all actions which relate unto the creatures; and therefore the works of Crea∣tion, and of Providence, areb sometimes attributed to the Father, sometimes to the Son, and sometimes to the Holy Ghost. All three Persons being one sin∣gle

and entire Cause,c working all in all; yet in this Trinity there is a diverse manner of working, according to the distinct manner of subsisting; Thed Father he works from himself, by the Son, and the Holy Ghost; Thee Son he worketh from the Father, by the Spirit; Thef Holy Ghost he Works from the Father, and the Son, by Him∣self.

§. 7. And thus when any one action is more pe∣culiarly appropriated to any one Person of the Tri∣nity, it is from some more immediate relation unto that Person; as, when thea Creation with theb Ori∣ginal of all Beings is more peculiarly appropriated to the Father;c Redemption with thed dispensati∣on of all Government more peculiarly appropriated to the Son;e Sanctification with thef communica∣tion of all gifts and graces more peculiarly appro∣priated to the Holy Ghost.

§. 8. And such is the near relation betwixt God's will, and his Works; his Decrees, and their effects; that whatsoever hea willeth is done, and whatsoever is done he willeth; whatsoever he doth effect, he hath decreed; and whatsoever he hathb de∣creed, he doth effect; so that this is certain; God hath not decreed sin, because he dothc not effect sin. And though God be said to havec decreed the permission of sin, yet is not that decree any way effectual to produce or cause sin; for the cause of any thingd permitted cannot be from the permis∣sion, where there is no Law natural, or positive, to oblige the pevention. Again, sure we are, sin could not be committed by man, if it were not per∣mitted by God. And God would not permit sin in time, if he had not determined to permit it from eternity; which permissive part of God's decree is accompanied with that which is effectual; effectu∣al for thee ordering to good, what is permitted

to be evil. And thus God he would not permit sin, were it not for good; yet is not sin there∣fore from God, for then were he not himself good.

§. 9. As the good pleasure of God's willa re∣ceiveth not from the creatures any moving causa∣lity; so nor doth the purpose of his decree impose upon the creatures any enforcing necessity. All fu∣ture events whatsoever, they have indeed anb in∣fallible certainty, but no forcible necessity from the determinate Counsel of God's will; which infalli∣ble certainty extendeth, not onely to all Agents, and events,c natural or necessary, but alsod free ande contingent, whether it be in thef greatest ef∣fects, or in theg smallest matters.

Notes

• God the primary Cause, and su∣preme Agent in his Ʋnderstan∣ding, Will, and Power.
• a

  1 Sam. 2.3. Job. 37.16. Psal. 94.10.
• b

  Gen. 1.26. Isa 40.13, 14.
• c

  Psal. 147 5.
• d

  2 Cro. 25.16 Acts. 2.23.
• e

  Lev. 25.21. Psal. 44 4.
• f

  Ephes. 1.5. Jam. 1.18.
• g

  Psal. 28.5. and 135.6. Isa 28 29.
• h

  Job 37.23. Psal. 62.11.
• i

  Isa. 46.10.
• What his De∣cree.
• k

  Rom. 8.28. and 9.11. Eph 1, 9.
• What his work.
• l

  Psal. 103. Isai. 64.8.
• a

  Mat. 11.21.23
• b

  Mat. 3.9.
• What his abso∣lute power.
• c

  Prov. 19.21. Ephes. 1.11.
• How limited by his will.
• d

  Ephes. 1 5, 9. and 3.10.
• e

  Ephes. 1.11. Rev. 4 11.
• Why, and how said to be om∣nipotent.
• a

  Phil. 3.21.
• b

  1 Tim. 6.16. Heb. 6.18.
• There is no overcoming God's power, no resisting his will.
• a

  Psal. 135.6. Psal. 115.3.
• b

  Luke 1.52. 2 Cor. 6.18.
• c

  Rom. 9.19. Isa. 46.10.
• d

  Psa. 135.6. & 103.20, 21, 22. Luke 8.24, 25.29, 30, 31. Rev. 20.1, 2. & 4 10, 11.
• What he acts in time, he hath de∣creed from eter∣nity.
• e

  Acts 15.18. & 2.23. 1 Cor. 2.7.
• l

  Pro. 19.21. Isa. 46.10.
• m

  Acts 4.28. Ephes. 1.11.
• n

  Ephes. 1.7. Isa. 63.14.
• How the crea∣tures are in God, before they are in them∣selves.
• a

  Psal. 139 16.
• b

  Rom. 1.20.
• c

  Rom. 8.29. 1 Pet. 1.2. Acts 15.18.
• What the Coun∣sel of God in his decrees.
• d

  Psal. 33.15.
• How the whole Trinity in one entire cause.
• a

  Exod. 20.11.
• b

  Heb. 11 3. Psal. 33.6. Job. 26.13. Psa. 104.29, 30.
• c

  1 Cor 12 6. Psal 33.6. Ephes. 2.22.
• What their di∣verse manner of working.
• d

  John 1.3. 1 Cor 8 6. Rom. 8.11.
• e

  H b. 9.14.
• f

  Luke 1.35. John 15.26.
• How some one action is ap∣propriate to some one person.
• a

  Heb. 1 2. Ephes. 3.9.
• b

  Ephes. 1.3. 1 Pet. 1.3.
• c

  Rev. 2 9. Heb. 1.8.
• d

  John 3.35. & 5.22.
• e

  Rom. 15 16.
• f

  1 Cor 12.8, 9 & 4.5.
• The firm relation between God's decrees, and his works.
• a

  Isa 44 7. Heb. 6.17. Psal. 135.6.
• b

  Psal. 133.11. Isa. 14.24, 27.
• God hath not de∣creed sin though he hath decreed to permit sin.
• c

  2 Chro. 19.7. Psal. 5.5.
• c

  Acts 2.23. & 4.28.
• What the effe∣ctual decree ac∣companying the permissive.
• d

  Rō. 9.20.21.
• e

  Gen. 50.2••. Acts 2.23, 36.
• a

  Rō. 11.34, 35.
• The purpose of God's decree im∣poseth no forcible necessity;
• b

  Mat. 2.28. John 19.36.
• But bringeth an infallable cer∣tainty to all A∣gents and Events
• c

  Psal. 104. Job. 3.8.
• d

  Prov. 16.1. & 21.1.
• e

  Exod. 21.13. Prov. 16.33.
• f

  Exod. 14.4, 5. Act 4.27, 28.
• g

  Mat. 10.29.30