N02384:1289
A complete body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the…A compleat body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the…
A complete body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the Assembly's Shorter catechism wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are unfolded, their truth confirmed, their excellence displayed, their usefulness improved; contrary errors & vices refuted & exposed, objections answered, controversies settled, cases of conscience resolved; and a great light thereby reflected on the present age. / By the Reverend & learned Samuel Willard, M.A. late Pastor of the South Church in Boston, and vice-president of Harvard College in Cambridge, in New-England. ; Prefaced by the pastors of the same church. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]A compleat body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the Assembly's Shorter catechism wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are unfolded, their truth confirm'd, their excellence display'd, their usefulness improv'd; contrary errors & vices refuted & expos'd, objections answer'd, controversies settled, cases of conscience resolv'd; and a great light thereby reflected on the present age. / By the Reverend & learned Samuel Willard, M.A. late Pastor of the South Church in Boston, and vice-president of Harvard College in Cambridge, in New-England. ; Prefac'd by the pastors of the same church. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]
printed by B. Green and S. Kneeland for B. Eliot and D. Henchman, 1726
AN EXPOSITION OF THE ASSEMBLY's SHORTER CATECHISM: IN Two Hundred a… › Sermon 47 (Question 11 cont.)
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.
5. THIS common Government of God is exercised upon the Creature, by a Sovereign Predetermination of all the actions of it. Rational Agents as well as Natural, come under this predetermination, but because it is common to all, I therefore mention it under common Government. And here we are to observe, that God doth not only predetermine the Event, but also the Actions themselves in order thereunto. In which observe, (1) THAT there is a previous Motion or Divine Influence exciting the Creature to its Action, so far as concerns the bringing it forth into act. ⟨p. 147⟩It is certain that the same Power and Goodness that Created the Sun, must also give Being to the motions of it: All Creatures must lye still, if God stirs them not; they are mere Pictures which let out no Virtue or Efficacy till he excites it. And therefore the insensible cessation of the Influence of the First Cause, gives a full stop to the Operation of the […] God not only gives to, and maintains in the Creature a virtual Power, but he also draws it forth, ( […] 17.28.) so that his Pleasure fore-determines whether it shall Act or no. (2) THIS Pre-determination applies all the Actions of the Creature unto the proper Objects, about which they are to be employed. 2 Sam. 16.10. So let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. It is true, He useth them in their natural way, but he fixeth all their particular Actions to the determinate and individual Object, according to His own Purpose. The Creature's Nature, tho' it hath it's specific inclination, yet it hath an indifferency with respect to Individuals. The Bear is naturally a Beast of Prey; but that Two of them should come in the way of those Children who mocked the Prophet, and destroy Forty-two of them; or a Lion in the way of that Prophet who disobeyed the command of God, and Kill him, & not the Ass on which he rode, not devour either of them, these things were determined by God's Sovereign-Influence. (3) THIS Pre-determination, overrules, orders and disposeth of all the Actions of second Causes […] pleasure. This will be evident if we consider, 1. THAT when God pleaseth, He controls and countermands their Actions, so as they do not put forth their natural Activity: This withdrawing binds the Creature under an utter impotence of putting forth it's natural Actions;
5. THIS common Government of God is exercised upon the Creature, by a Sovereign Predetermination of all the ctions of it. Rational Agents as well as Natural, come under this predetermination, but because it is common to all, I therefore mention it under common Government. And here we are to observe, that God doth not only predetermine the Event, but also the Actions themselves in order thereunto. In which observe, (1) THAT there is a previous Motion or Divine Influence exciting the Creature to its Action, so far as concerns the bringing it forth into act.