A44687:211
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.
§. XXVII.
Now hereupon we say further, There is the like congruity, upon as valuable (though not altogether the same) reasons that, in the affairs of Grace, There be somewhat correspondent. That, ordinarily, it be sought and expected, in the use of ordinary means. And that, sometimes, its sovereignty show it self in preventing exertions. And in working so heroically, as none have, before hand, in the neglect of its ordinary methods, any reason to expect.
Now hereupon we say further, There is the like congruity, upon as valuable (though not altogether the same) reasons that, in the affaires of Grace, There be somewhat correspondent. That, ordinarily, it be sought and expected, in the use of ordinary means. And that, sometimes, its sovereignty shew it self in preventing exertions. And in working so heroically, as none have, before hand, in the neglect of its ordinary methods, any reason to expect.
And we may fitly add, That where Sovereignty is pleased thus to have its exercise and demonstrate it self, It is sufficient that there be a general congruity, that it do so sometimes, as an ⟨p. 139⟩cedent reason to the doing of some such extraordinary things, but that there should be a particular leading congruity or antecedent reason, to invite these extraordinary operations of grace, to one person more than another, is not necessary. But it is most congruous, that, herein, it be most arbitrary. Most agreeable to the Supremacy of God; to the State of Sinful Man, who hath infinitely disobliged him, and can deserve nothing from him; Yea, and even to the nature of the thing. For, where there is a parity, in any objects of our own choice, there can be no leading reason to this, rather than that. The most prudent man, that is wont to guide himself by never so exquisite wisdom, in his daily actions, where there is a perfect indifferency,