God's Will, it signifieth two things; either his Decree concerning future Events, or else that which God hath revealed concerning our Duty; his intended or commanded Will. The first is spoken of, Rom. 9. 19. Who hath resisted his Will? that is, his Decree, and his Purpose. And the second, his revealed Pleasure concerning our Duty, is spoken of, 1 Thess. 4. 3. This is the Will of God, even your Sanctification: The Will not of his Purpose, but it is his Law, his revealed Pleasure. Now it is not meant here of God's Decree, or secret Will. Why? God's secret Will, that is not known, therefore how can it be done upon Earth? To that all are subject, Reprobates, Devils. But here this Petition speaks of a Will, which is to be done in conformity to the good Angels. Again, we may (without Sin) will that, which God wills not by his secret Will; as the Life of a sick Parent, which God purposeth to take away. Nay, a Man may fulfil this secret Will, and yet perish for ever, as Judas, and many which break his Commandments, and yet fulfil his Decrees; that do that which God had determined before to be done in his secret Purpose, as it is said, Acts 2•. 2•. To do that which his Hand and Counsel had determined before to be done. Therefore his secret Will is not here meant, but ⟨p. 245⟩the Will of God revealed. Therefore let me here distinguish again: The Will of God is revealed two ways; in his Word, and in his Works; the one to be done by us, the other to be done upon us: the one is, Voluntas de nobis, God's Will concerning us; the other, Voluntas in nobis, God's Will in us, and to be done by us; the one maketh way for our Active, the other for our Passive Obedience. Our Active Obedience hath respect to his Laws and Commands, but our Passive to his Providence; we show as much Obedience in the one, as in the other, in Patience, as in Holiness: For as in Holiness, we own God as the supreme Law-giver; so in Patience, we own him as the supreme Lord, that hath a Dominion over all Events, and all things which fall out in the World. In the one we pray, Ut nihil Dei displiceat nobis, that nothing which comes from God may provoke us to unseemly Passion; in the other we pray, Ut nihi• nostrum displiceat Deo, that nothing which comes from us may provoke God by unseemly and undutiful Carriage. We principally pray for the latter here, that we may fulfil his Will revealed in the Word;
God's Will, it signifieth two things; either his Decree concerning future Events, or else that which God hath revealed concerning our Duty; his intended or commanded Will. The first is spoken of, Rom. 9. 19. Who hath resisted his Will? that is, his Decree, and his Purpose. And the second, his revealed Pleasure concerning our Duty, is spoken of, 1 Thess. 4. 3. This is the Will of God, even your Sanctification: The Will not of his Purpose, but it is his Law, his revealed Pleasure. Now it is not meant here of God's Decree, or secret Will. Why? God's secret Will, that is not known, therefore how can it be done upon Earth? To that all are subject, Reprobates, Devils. But here this Petition speaks of a Will, which is to be done in conformity to the good Angels. Again, we may (without Sin) will that, which God wills not by his secret Will; as the Life of a sick Parent, which God purposeth to take away. Nay, a Man may fulfill this secret Will, and yet perish for ever, as Iudas, and many which break his Commandments, and yet fulfil his Decrees; that do that which God had determined before to be done in his secret Purpose, as it is said, Acts 2•. 2•. To do that which his Hand and Counsel had determined before to be done. Therefore his secret Will is not here meant, but ⟨p. 245⟩the Will of God revealed. Therefore let me here distinguish again: The Will of God is revealed two ways; in his Word, and in his Works; the one to be done by us, the other to be done upon us: the one is, Voluntas de nobis, God's Will concerning us; the other, Voluntas in nobis, God's Will in us, and to be done by us; the one maketh way for our Active, the other for our Passive Obedience. Our Active Obedience hath respect to his Laws and Commands, but our Passive to his Providence; we shew as much Obedience in the one, as in the other, in Patience, as in Holiness: For as in Holiness, we own God as the supream Law-giver; so in Patience, we own him as the supreme Lord, that hath a Dominion over all Events, and all things which fall out in the World. In the one we pray, Vt nihil Dei displiceat nobis, that nothing which comes from God may provoke us to unseemly Passion; in the other we pray, Vt nihi• nostrum displiceat Deo, that nothing which comes from us may provoke God by unseemly and und•tiful Carriage. We principally pray for the latter here, that we may fulfil his Will revealed in the Word;
