a golden chaine: or, the description of theologie, containing the order of the causes of salvation...
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H/ DESCRIPTION OF/TheologieyGods word. A viewTablef\
/
OR,
itaining the order
ofthe caufes ofSald^-
tion andDanination,accordingto
Vv
Tfhereofis to befeene in the
annexed.
[Hereunto
is
adioyned the order which
UW. Thfihiore 'Be'^A vfidin cmforting aJUSicd
T
Printed byloHNthe Vniuerfitie
Legat,i
of Cambridge,
6
'.A!
"s^..
To the Qhyijlian ^R^deiHriftian Rcadlcr^thcrcarcat this day fow,
^
ii
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pinions ofthcotdcr of Gods prcdellinatio.-Y^^^g is,of the oldc and new Pelagians; who place1
^cai
of Gods predeflinatfon in man ; inihal they hojeither to life or death,accoj he did forcfee.that they would by their natural vvilljcither rcicft or rcceiue grace ofFercd.Thc fcdi of them,wh0(offomc)are tearmed Lutherans; w forefeeing.howc all mankindebceing fhuttc vp vnder v^tcachjthat God fcefe.woU'ti therefore reie{ubicdncs,or hisJVlerdFC. The Goodrics of God ^ is that by which he beeing in himfelfe abfolutelygood^doth freely exerdfe hisbbcralitie vpon ios creatures. Matth. 1 9 .1 ; .Pf^hy calhjl'th(iHifi^^t>^d;thgrii6 fioii^ g^odhm fe^- iufticlfyistbarbywhiell doing, then for entlldoinj^.
The thing which in the owne nature is euill,in Gods eternal counfel comesin the place of a
good thing j
in that it
is
fome occafion and way to manifeft
the glorie of God in his iufl:ice,and his mercie.
God his foreknowledge,is conioyned with his decree*,and indeede is in naof God,but vs ; becaufe knowledge goeth bewe doc nothing,but thoCe things that we haue before willed,neither doc we will any thing which we know notture beforeit:
yet not in regard
fore the will,5cthe effefting ofa worke.For
before.
God his foreknowledge in it felfe, is not a caufe why things arejbut as it is conioyned with his decree For things doe not therefore come to pafTe, becaufe that God did foreknow diem ; but becaufe he decreed and willed them:.
therefore they come to pafle.
The execution of Gods decree, is that by which all things in their time are accomplilhed which were foreknowne,or decrced,and that eucn as tli ey wereforeknowne and decreed. The fime decree of D, is the firft and principall working caufe of all things, which alfb is in order,and time before all other caufes For with Gods decree is alwaies his will annexed, by the which he can willingly effed that he hath decreed. Andit were a figne of impotenGie,to decree any thing which he could not willindycompafTe.And with Gods will is conioyned an efteftuall power, by which the Lord can bring to palTe, whatfoeuer he hath freely
GO
.
decreed.
This firft and principall cau(e,howbeit in it felfe it be nece{Iarie,yet it doth not take away freedome ofwill in cle