A12202:96
The spiritual favourite at the throne of grace. By the late learned, and reverend…The spirituall favorite at the throne of grace. By the late learned, and reverend…
The spiritual favourite at the throne of grace. By the late learned, and reverend divine Richard Sibbs Doctor in Divinity. Published by the authors own appointment, subscribed with his hand; to prevent unperfect copiesThe spirituall favorite at the throne of grace. By the late learned, and reverend divine Richard Sibbs Doctor in Divinity. Published by the authors owne appointment, subscribed with his hand; to prevent unperfect copies
London: printed by Thomas Paine for Ralph Mabb, 1640
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
You see what great good, a good man may do in a State. The Innocent man delivers the Island, as it is in Job. And the poor wise man delivers the city, as it is in Ecclesiastes. A few holy gracious men, that have grace and credit in Heaven above, they may move God to set all things in a blessed frame below. And surely if this holy means were used, things would be better then they are: and till this be used, we can never look for the good success and issue of things that otherwise we may hope for.
You see what great good, a good man may doe in a State. The Innocent man delivers the Iland, as it is in Iob. And the poor wise man delivers the citie, as it is in Eclesiastes. A few holy gracious men, that have grace and credit in Heaven above, they may moove God to set all things in a blessed frame below. And surely if this holy meanes were used, things would bee better then they are: and till this be used, we can never look for the good successe and issue of things that otherwise we may hope for.
Diverse things might be spoken of the doctrinal ⟨p. 96⟩part, I will give you but a word of it. That God hath our hearts in his government more then we our selves.1 I speak it to inform our judgement in a point of doctrine, whether God foresee and determine of things below upon foresight which way they shall go; or whether he foreordain, that they shall go this way, because he directs them thus; that is to make God, God indeed: He determines that these things shall be, because he determines in the series, and order of causes to bring things to pass, and to guide Kings and Princes ⟨p. 97⟩and Magistrates, and all this way. Again, whether God hath set all men at liberty (in matters of Grace especially) that they may apply grace at their liberty, which way they will, and in fore-sight which way they will apply their liberty to determine thus, or thus of them. This is to make every mans will a God, and to divest God of his honour, as if God could foresee the inclination of the creature without foresight that he meant to incline it this way, or that way.