Prop. 3. Because God only is Lord and Master of freewill and of the actings of all creatures,1 we are not to be idle, and upon that account to act nothing; for then should not the husband-man plough, sow, and labour; for God only is Lord and Master of the actings of the husband-man; and without the influences and blessing from on high, the husband-mans labours from the beginning of the year to the end, were no better then to plant Vine-trees in the bottom of the river Euphrates, or to sow Barley or Wheat in the Ocean sea. And so should the Sea-man never sail; for God only can create winds and tide, and God only is Master of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, and of sailing, and of right steering of the Vessel; for since the Lord declares not his mind on the contrary, by forbidding men to pray,2 and others to plough and sail. 2. Since the Lord offers no positive violence to hinder these actings; And 3. because he commandeth us to do them, it becomes us to set to work, and to act with and under him, and to commit the event and blessing to him. Indeed, if the Lord were so Lord of our actings, as he did all and whole the work, and we did act nothing at all in praying, yea and in ploughing, but were mere dead and useless patients, as Libertines dream, something might follow to justify our idleness; but our corruption following Satan teacheth us either to sacrifice to our own net, and say vainly, either we do all, and God does nothing, and so we darken his glory who works all our ⟨p. 127⟩works in us, and for us, or then we say on the other extreme we do nothing, and God does all; and therefore must we say let God pray, labour the earth, trade and sail, and put our hand in our bosom and sleep? but the former is sacrilege and idolatry, and robs the Lord of his glory, and the latter is proclaimed disobedience; Yea, and whether the influence of God antecedently master the creatures actings, or we jointly and collaterally be mastered and determined by the creature, we are in both cases to act and do what is good, and are not to make God's influence our rule of doing, or not doing.
Prop. 3. Because God only is Lord and Master of freewill and of the actings of all creatures,1 we are not to be idle, and upon that account to act nothing; for then should not the husband-man plow, sow, and labour; for God only is Lord and Master of the actings of the husband-man; and without the influences and blessing from on high, the husband-mans labours from the beginning of the year to the end, were no better then to plant Vine-trees in the bottom of the river Euphrates, or to sow Barley or Wheat in the Ocean sea. And so should the Sea-man never sayl; for God only can create winds and tide, and God only is Master of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, and of sayling, and of right steering of the Vessel; for since the Lord declares not his mind on the contrary, by forbidding men to pray,2 and others to plow and sayl. 2. Since the Lord offers no positive violence to hinder these actings; And 3. because he commandeth us to doe them, it becomes us to set to work, and to act with and under him, and to commit the event and blessing to him. Indeed, if the Lord were so Lord of our actings, as he did all and whole the work, and we did act nothing at all in praying, yea and in plowing, but were meer dead and useless patients, as Libertines dream, something might follow to justifie our idleness; but our corruption following Satan teacheth us either to sacrifice to our own net, and say vainly, either we doe all, and God does nothing, and so we darken his glory who works all our ⟨p. 127⟩works in us, and for us, or then we say on the other extreme we doe nothing, and God does all; and therefore must we say let God pray, labour the earth, trade and sayl, and put our hand in our bosome and sleep? but the former is sacriledge and idolatry, and robs the Lord of his glory, and the latter is proclaimed disobedience; Yea, and whether the influence of God antecedently master the creatures actings, or we joyntly and collaterally be mastered and determined by the creature, we are in both cases to act and doe what is good, and are not to make God's influence our rule of doing, or not doing.
- 1There is no warrant for us not to act, because God is Lord of our actings.
- 2How we are to do, though God only work in us to do.How we are to doe, though God only work in us to doe.
