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narchies, and the Revolutions in them; and concerning all the Wars, Commotions, Victories, Profperities and Calamities, of any of the Kingdoms, Nations, or Communities of the World, have all been without Knowledge.

So that, according to this Notion of God's not foreseeing the Volitions and free Actions of Men, God could forefee Nothing pertaining to the State of the World of Mankind in future Ages; not fo much as the Being of one Person that should live in it; and could foreknow no Events, but only fuch as He would bring to pass Himself by the extraordinary Interpofition of his immediate Power; or Things which fhould come to pafs in the natural material World, by the Laws of Motion, and Course of Nature, wherein that is independent on the Actions or Works of Mankind: That is, as he might, like a very able Mathematician and Aftronomer, with great Exactness calculate the Revolutions of the heavenly Bodies, and the greater Wheels of the Machine of the external Creation.

And if we clofely confider the Matter, there will appear Reason to convince us, that he could not with any abfolute Certainty foresee even thefe. As to the First, namely, Things done by the immediate and extraordinary Interpofition of God's Power, these can't be foreseen, unless it can be foreseen when there fhall be Occafion for fuch extraordinary Interpofition. And that can't be forefeen, unless the State of the moral World can be foreseen. For whenever God thus interpofes, it is with Regard to the State of the moral World, requiring fuch Divine Interpofition. Thus God could not certainly foresee the univerfal Deluge, the Calling of Abraham, the Deftruction of Sodom

and

and Gomorrah, the Plagues on Egypt, and Ifrael's Redemption out of it, the expelling the feven Nations of Canaan, and the bringing Ifrael into that Land; for these all are reprefented as connected with Things belonging to the State of the moral World. Nor can God foreknow the most proper and convenient Time of the Day of Judgment, and general Conflagration; for that chiefly depends on the Courfe and State of Things in the moral World.

Nor, Secondly, can we on this Suppofition reafonably think, that God can certainly foresee what Things fhall come to pass, in the Course of Things, in the natural and material World, even those which in an ordinary State of Things might be calculated by a good Aftronomer. For the moral World is the End of the natural World; and the Course of Things in the former, is undoubtedly fubordinate to God's Designs with Respect to the latter. Therefore he has feen Cause, from Regard to the State of Things in the moral World, extraordinarily to interpofe, to interrupt and lay an Arrest on the Course of Things in the natural World; and even in the greater Wheels of its Motion; even fo as to stop the Sun in its Courfe. And unless he can foresee the Volitions of Men, and fo know fomething of the future State of the moral World, He can't know but that he may ftill have as great Occafion to interpofe in this Manner, as ever he had: nor can He foresee how, or when, He shall have Occafion thus to interpofe.

Corol. 1. It appears from the Things which have been obferved, that unlefs God forefees the Volitions of moral Agents, that cannot be true which is obferved by the Apoftle James, A&t xv.

18. Known unto God are all his Works from the Beginning of the World.

Corol. 2. It appears from what has been obferved, that unlefs God foreknows the Volitions of moral Agents, all the Prophecies of Scripture have no better Foundation than mere Conjecture; and That, in most Instances, a Conjecture which must have the utmost Uncertainty; depending on an innumerable, and as it were infinite Multitude of Volitions, which are all, even to God, uncertain Events However, thefe Prophecies are delivered as abfolute Predictions, and very many of them in the most positive Manner, with Affeverations; and fome of them with the most folema Oaths.

Corol. 3. It also follows from what has been obferved, that if this Notion of God's Ignorance of future Volitions be true, in vain did Chrift fay (after uttering many great and important Predictions, concerning God's moral Kingdom, and Things depending on Men's moral Actions) Mat. xxiv. 35. Heaven and Earth fhall pass away; but my Words fhall not pass away.

Corol. 4. From the fame Notion of God's Ignorance, it would follow, that in vain has God himself often spoken of the Predictions of his Word, as Evidences of his Foreknowledge; and fo as Evidences of that which is his Prerogative as GOD, and his peculiar Glory, greatly diftinguishing Him from all other Beings; as in Ifai. xli. 22-26. xliii. 9, 10. xliv. 8. xlv. 21. xlvi. 10. & xlviii. 14.

ARGUM. II. If God don't foreknow the Volitions of moral Agents, then he did not foreknow the Fall of Man, nor of Angels, and fo could not

fore

foreknow the great Things which are confequent on thefe Events; fuch as his fending his Son into the World to die for Sinners, and all Things pertaining to the great Work of Redemption; all the Things which were done for four Thousand Years before Chrift came, to prepare the Way for it; and the Incarnation, Life, Death, Refurrection and Afcenfion of Chrift; and the fetting Him at the Head of the Univerfe, as King of Heaven and Earth, Angels and Men; and the setting up his Church and Kingdom in this World, and appointing Him the Judge of the World; and all that Satan fhould do in the World in Oppofition to the Kingdom of Chrift: And the great Tranfactions of the Day of Judgment, that Men and Devils. fhall be the Subjects of, and Angels concerned in ; they are all what God was ignorant of before the Fall. And if fo, the following Scriptures, and others like them, must be without any Meaning, or contrary to Truth. Eph. i. 4. According as he bath chofen us in Him before the Foundation of the World. 1 Pet. i. 20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World. 2 Tim. i. q. Who bath faved us, and called us with an holy Calling; not according to our Works, but according to his own Purpose, and Grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus before the World began. So, Eph. iii. 11. (speaking of the Wisdom of God in the Work of Redemption) according to the eternal Purpose which he purpofed in Christ Jesus. Tit. i. 2. In hope of eternal Life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the World began. Rom. viii. 29. Whom he did foreknow, them he also did predeftinate, &c. 1 Pet. i. 2. Elect, according to the Foreknowledge of God the Fa ther.

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9.

If God did not foreknow the Fall of Man, nor the Redemption by Jefus Chrift, nor the Volitions

of

of Man fince the Fall; then He did not foreknow the Saints in any Sense; neither as particular Perfons, nor as Societies or Nations; either by Election, or mere Forefight of their Virtue or good Works; or any Forefight of any Thing about them relating to their Salvation, or any Benefit they have by Chrift, or any Manner of Concern of their's with a Redeemer.

ARG. III. On the Suppofition of God's Ignorance of the future Volitions of free Agents, it will follow, that God muft in many Cafes truly repent what He has done, fo as properly to wifh He had done otherwife: by Reason that the Event of Things, in thofe Affairs which are most important, viz. the Affairs of his moral Kingdom, being uncertain and contingent, often happens quite otherwise than he was aware before-hand. And there would be Reafon to understand That in the moft literal Senfe, in Gen. vi. 6. It repented the Lord, that he had made Man on the Earth, and it grieved him at his Heart. And that, 1 Sam. xv. 11. contrary to that, Numb. xxiii. 19. God is not the Son of Man, that he should repent. And 1 Sam. xv. 29. Alfo the Strength of Ifrael will not lie, nor repent: for he is not a Man that he should repent. Yea, from this Notion it would follow, that God is liable to repent and be grieved at his Heart, in a literal Senfe, continually; and is always exposed to an infinite Number of real Difappointments in his governing the World; and to manifold, conftant, great Perplexity and Vexation: But this is not very confiftent with his Title of God over all, bleffed for evermore; which reprefents Him as poffeffed of perfect, conftant, and uninterrupted Tranquility and Felicity, as God over the Universe, and in his Management of the Affairs of the World, as fupreme and univerfal

Ruler.

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