Divine Predeftination and Fore-knowledge confiftent with the Freedom of Man's Will.

A

SERMON

PREACHED AT

CHRIST-CHURCH, DUBLIN,

May 15, 1709.

By his GRACE WILLIAM Lord Archbishop of Dublin.

THE SEVENTH EDITION

confiftent with the Freedom of Man's Will.

ROMANS VIII. 29, 30.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predeftinate to be conform'd to the Image of his Son, that he might be the FirstBorn among many Brethren. Moreover, whom he did predeftinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them be alfo juftified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

SI. N thefe Words the Apostle lays down the several Steps by which God proceeds in the faving of his Elect. ft, He knows and confiders thofe, whom he defigns for Salvation. 2dly, He decrees and predeftinates them to be like his Son Jefus Chrift, in Holiness here, and Glory hereafter, that he might be the First-born among many Brethren. 3dly, He calls them to the Means of Salvation. 4thly, He juftifies: And laftly, He glorifies them. This is the Chain and Series of God's dealing with his beloved; in which he is reprefented to us as firft defigning, and then executing his gracious Purposes towards them.

I am very fenfible, that great Contentions and Divifions have happened in the Church of God about Predeftination and Reprobation, about Election and the Decrees of God; that learned Men have engaged with the greatest Zeal and Fierceness in this Controverfy, and the Disputes have proved fo intricate, that the most diligent Reader will perhaps, after all his labour in perufing them, be but little fatisfied, and less edified by the greatest part of all that has been written upon this Subject. And hence it is that confidering Men of all Parties feem at laft, as it were by confent, to have laid it afide; and feldom any now venture to bring it into the Pulpit, except fome very young or imprudent

Preachers.

Not but that the Doctrine laid down in my Text, is undoubtedly true and useful, if we could but light on the Gg 3

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true and useful way of treating it; for fo our Church has told us in her feventeenth Article, where fhe informs us. That as the godly Confideration of Predeftination is full of fweet, pleafant, and unspeakable Comfort to godly Perfons, fo for curious and carnal Perfons, lacking the Spirit of Chrift, to bave continually before their Eyes the Sentence of God's Predeftination, is a most dangerous Downfal, whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into Desperation, or into Wretchedness of most unclean living.

The Case therefore being thus, I fhall endeavour to lay before you that which I take to be the edifying part of the Doctrine of Predeftination; and in fuch a manner (I hope). as to avoid every thing that may give occasion to ignorant or corrupt Men to make an ill ufe of it.

§. II. In order to this, I fhall

First, Confider the Representation that the Text gives of God, as contriving our Salvation; and shall endeavour to explain how thefe Terms of Fore-knowing and Predeftinating are to be understood when attributed to God.

Secondly, Why the holy Scriptures reprefent God to us after this manner.

Thirdly, What ufe we are to make of this Doctrine of God's fore-feeing, freely electing and predeftinating Men to Salvation.

As to the first of these, you may obferve that in the Representation here given of God's dealing with Men, there are five Acts afcribed to him, Fore-knowing, Predeftinating, Calling, Justifying, and Glorifying. And about each of thefe great Difputes have arifen among Divines, and Parties and Sects have been formed on the different Opinions concerning them. However, as to the three laft, Proteftants feem now pretty well agreed; but as to the two first, the Difference is fo great, that on account thereof, there yet remain formed and feparate Parties, that mutually refufe to communicate with one another: though I believe, if the Differences between them were duly examined and stated, they would not appear to be fo great as they seem to be at first view; nor confequently would there appear any juft reafon for thofe Animofities, that yet remain between the contending Parties.

$III. In order to make this evident, we may confider, (1.) That it is in effect agreed on all hands, that the Nature of God, as it is in itself, is incomprehenfible by human Understanding: and not only his Nature, but likewife his Powers and Faculties, and the Ways and Methods in which he exercises them, are fo far beyond our reach, that we are utterly incapable of framing exact and adequate Notions of them. Thus the Scriptures frequently teach us, particularly St. Paul in his Epiftle to the Romans, Ch. 11. v. 33. O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unfearchable are his Judgments, and bis Ways paft finding out. Ver. 34. For who hath known the Mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor.

§ IV. (2.) We ought to remember, that the Defcriptions which we frame to ourselves of God, or of the divine Attributes, are not taken from any direct or immediate Perceptions that we have of him or them; but from fome Observations we have made of his Works, and from the Confideration of thofe Qualifications, that we conceive would enable us to perform the like. Thus obferving great Order, Conveniency, and Harmony in all the feveral Parts of the World, and perceiving that every thing is adapted and tends to the Prefervation and advantage of the whole: we are apt to confider that we could not contrive and fettle things in fo excellent and proper a manner without great Wisdom; and thence conclude that God who has thus concerted and settled Matters muft have Wisdom: And having then afcribed to him Wisdom, because we see the effects and refult of it in his Works, we proceed and conclude that he has likewife Forefight and Understanding, because we cannot conceive Wisdom without these, and because if we were to do what we fee he has done, we could not expect to perform it without the Exercise of thefe Faculties.

And it doth truly follow from hence, that God must either have thefe, or other Faculties and Powers equivalent to them and adequate to these mighty Effects which proceed from them. And because we do not know what his Faculties are in themfelves, we give them the Names of thofe Powers, that we find would be neceffary to us in or

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