A27038:223
A sermon of judgement preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord Major and aldermen…A sermon of iudgement preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord Maior and aldermen…
A sermon of judgement preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord Major and aldermen of the city of London, Dec. 17, 1654 and now enlarged / Rich. Baxter.A sermon of iudgement preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord Maior and aldermen of the city of London, Dec. 17, 1654 and now enlarged / Rich. Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1655
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A SERMON Of Judgement, Preached at Pauls before the Honourable Lord… › Part 9
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.
Answ. 1. Gods Judgements are more plain, but his Decrees▪ or secret purposes are mysterious; And to darken certainties, by having recourse to points obscure, is no part of Christian wisdom. God told you your Duty in his word, and on what terms you must be Judged to Life or Death; Hither should you have recourse for direction, and not to the unsearchable mysteries of his mind.
2. God decreeth not to Condemn any but for sin. Sin, I say, as the Cause of that Condemnation, though not of his Decree.
3. Gods Decrees are acts Immanent in himself and make no change on you, and therefore do not necessitate you to sin, any more then his fore-knowledge doth. For both cause only a necessity of Consequence, which is Logical, as the Divines on both sides do Confess. And therefore this no more caused you to sin, then if there had been no such Degree. And its a doubt whether that Decree be not negative; A willing suspending of the Divine will, as to evil; or at most▪ A purpose to permit it.