Page images
PDF
EPUB

Divine Predestination and Fore-knowledge consistent with the Freedom of Man's Will.

A

SERMON

PREACHED AT

CHRIST-CHURCH, DUBLIN,

May 15, 1709.

By his GRACE

WILLIAM Lord Archbishop of Dublin.

THE SEVENTH EDITION

1

Divine Predestination and Fore-knowledge consistent with the Freedom of Man's Will.

ROMANS VIII. 29, 30.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conform'd to the Image of his Son, that he might be the FirstBorn among many Brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them be also called; and whom he called, them be also justified; and whom he justified, them be also glorified.

§ I.

I

N these Words the Apostle lays down the several Steps by which God proceeds in the saving of his Elect. 1st, He knows and confiders those, whom he designs for Salvation. 2dly, He decrees and predeftinates them to be like his Son Jesus Christ, in Holiness here, and Glory hereafter, that he might be the First-born among many Brethren. 3dly, He calls them to the Means of Salvation. 4thly, He justifies: And lastly, He glorifies them. This is the Chain and Series of God's dealing with his beloved; in which he is represented to us as first designing, and then executing his gracious Purposes towards them.

I am very sensible, that great Contentions and Divisions have happened in the Church of God about Predestination and Reprobation, about Election and the Decrees of God; that learned Men have engaged with the greatest Zeal and Fierceness in this Controversy, and the Disputes have proved so intricate, that the most diligent Reader will perhaps, after all his labour in perusing them, be but little satisfied, and less edified by the greatest part of all that has been written upon this Subject. And hence it is that confidering Men of all Parties seem at last, as it were by consent, to have laid it afide; and seldom any now venture to bring it into the Pulpit, except some very young or imprudent Preachers.

Not but that the Doctrine laid down in my Text, is undoubtedly true and useful, if we could but light on the

Gg3

true

true and useful way of treating it; for so our Church has told us in her seventeenth Article, where she informs us. That as the godly Confideration of Predestination is full of Sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable Comfort to godly Persons, so for curious and carnal Persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their Eyes the Sentence of God's Predestination, is a most dangerous Downfal, whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into Desperation, or into Wretchedness of most unclean living.

The Case therefore being thus, I shall endeavour to lay before you that which I take to be the edifying part of the Doctrine of Predestination; and in such a manner (I hope) as to avoid every thing that may give occasion to ignorant or corrupt Men to make an ill use of it.

§. II. In order to this, I shall

First, Confider the Representation that the Text gives of God, as contriving our Salvation; and shall endeavour to explain how these Terms of Fore-knowing and Predestinating are to be understood when attributed to God.

Secondly, Why the holy Scriptures represent God to us after this manner.

Thirdly, What use we are to make of this Doctrine of God's fore-feeing, freely electing and predestinating Men to Salvation.

As to the first of these, you may observe that in the Representation here given of God's dealing with Men, there are five Acts ascribed to him, Fore-knowing, Predestinating, Calling, Justifying, and Glorifying. And about each of these great Disputes have arisen among Divines, and Parties and Sects have been formed on the different Opinions concerning them. However, as to the three last, Protestants seem now pretty well agreed; but as to the two first, the Difference is so great, that on account thereof, there yet remain formed and separate Parties, that mutually refuse to communicate with one another: though I believe, if the Differences between them were duly examined and stated, they would not appear to be so great as they seem to be at first view; nor consequently would there appear any just reason for those Animosities, that yet remain between the contending Parties.

III.

§ III. In order to make this evident, we may confider, (1.) That it is in effect agreed on all hands, that the Nature of God, as it is in itself, is incomprehensible by human Understanding: and not only his Nature, but likewife his Powers and Faculties, and the Ways and Methods in which he exercises them, are so far beyond our reach, that we are utterly incapable of framing exact and adequate Notions of them. Thus the Scriptures frequently teach us, particularly St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, Ch. 11. v. 33. O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments, and his Ways past finding out. Ver. 34. For who hath known the Mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor.

§ IV. (2.) We ought to remember, that the Descriptions which we frame to ourselves of God, or of the divine Attributes, are not taken from any direct or immediate Perceptions that we have of him or them; but from fome Observations we have made of his Works, and from the Confideration of those Qualifications, that we conceive would enable us to perform the like. Thus observing great Order, Conveniency, and Harmony in all the several Parts of the World, and perceiving that every thing is adapted and tends to the Prefervation and advantage of the whole: we are apt to confider that we could not contrive and fettle things in so excellent and proper a manner without great Wisdom; and thence conclude that God who has thus concerted and fettled Matters must have Wisdom: And having then afcribed to him Wisdom, because we fee the effects and result of it in his Works, we proceed and conclude that he has likewise Forefight and Understanding, because we cannot conceive Wisdom without these, and because if we were to do what we fee he has done, we could not expect to perform it without the Exercise of these Faculties.

And it doth truly follow from hence, that God must either have these, or other Faculties and Powers equivalent to them and adequate to these mighty Effects which proceed from them. And because we do not know what his Faculties are in themselves, we give them the Names of those Powers, that we find would be necessary to us in or

Gg4

der

« PreviousContinue »