A44687:170
The reconcilableness of God's prescience of the sins of men with the wisdom and…The reconcileableness of God's prescience of the sins of men with the wisdom and…
The reconcilableness of God's prescience of the sins of men with the wisdom and sincerity of his counsels, exhortations, and whatsoever other means he uses to prevent them / in a letter to the Honourable Robert Boyle Esq.The reconcileableness of God's prescience of the sins of men with the wisdom and sincerity of his counsels, exhortations, and whatsoever other means he uses to prevent them / in a letter to the Honorable Robert Boyle Esq.
London: printed for Brabazon Aylmer, 1677
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.
§. XXI.
The truth is (unto which we must esteem our selves obliged to adhere, both by our assent, and defence) that God doth really and complacentially will (and therefore doth with most unexceptionable sincerity declare himself to will) that to be done and enjoyed by many men, which he doth not, universally, will to make them do, or irresistibly procure that they shall enjoy. Which is no harder assertion, than that the impure will of degenerate sinful Man is opposite to the Holy Will of God; and the malignity of Man's will to the benignity of his. No harder ⟨p. 109⟩than that there is sin and misery in the World, which how can we conceive otherwise, than as a repugnancy to the good and acceptable Will of God?
The truth is (unto which we must esteem our selves obliged to adhere, both by our assent, and defence) that God doth really and complacentially will (and therefore doth with most unexceptionable sincerity declare himself to will) that to be done and enjoy'd by many men, which he doth not, universally, will to make them do, or irresistibly procure that they shall enjoy. Which is no harder assertion, than that the impure will of degenerate sinful Man is opposite to the Holy Will of God; and the malignity of Man's will to the benignity of his. No harder ⟨p. 109⟩than that there is sin and misery in the World, which how can we conceive otherwise, than as a repugnancie to the good and acceptable Will of God?
Methinks it should not be difficult to us to acknowledge, that God doth truly, and with complacency, will, whatsoever is the holy righteous matter of his own Laws. And if it should be with any a difficulty, I would only make this supposition. What if all the World were yet in innocency, yielding entire, universal obedience to all the now extant Laws of God, which have not reference to Man as now fallen (as those of repentance, Faith in a Mediator, &c.) would it now be a doubt with any, Whether God did truly and really will, and were pleased with the