OF THE WILL OF GOD,
AND THE
SOVEREIGNTY OF IT
John Gill
Having considered the attributes
of God which belong to his understanding, as an intelligent Spirit, his
knowledge and wisdom, I now proceed to consider his Will, and
the sovereignty of it. And shall,
1. Prove that there is a Will
in God; for in all intelligent beings there is a will, as well as an
understanding; as in angels and men, so in God; as he has an understanding
which is infinite and unsearchable; so he has a will, to do what he knows is
most fitting to be done. His understanding influences and
guides his will, and his will determines all his actions; and his will being
thus wisely directed, is called, "the counsel of his will", #Eph
1:11. A will is frequently ascribed to God in Scripture; "The will of the
Lord be done", #Ac 21:14. "Who has resisted his will", #Ro 9:19.
"Having made known unto us the mystery of his will", #Eph 1:9 and in
many other places; the will of God is no other than God
himself willing; it is essential to him; it is his nature and essence; it is
not to be separated, or to be considered as distinct from it, or as a part of
it, of which it is composed; which would be contrary to the simplicity of God;
or to his being a simple, uncompounded Spirit; which has been established. Will
is ascribed to each of the divine persons; to the Father, #Joh 6:39,40
to the Son, as a divine person, #Joh 5:21 17:24 and who also, as man, has a
will distinct from that, though subjected to it, #Joh 6:38 Lu 22:42 and to the
Spirit, who is said to forbid, and not to suffer some things to be done; that
is, to not allow them; and to not allow is an act of the will, as well as to
will, #Ac 16:6,7 and he is said to divide his gifts to each men, as he
"will", #1Co 12:11. And these three, as they are
the one God, they agree in one, in one mind and will.
2. I shall next show what the
will of God is: there is but one will in God; but for our better understanding
it, it may be distinguished. I shall not trouble the reader with all the
distinctions of it made by men; some are false, and others vain and useless; such as into absolute and conditional, antecedent and
consequent, effectual and ineffectual, &c. the distinction of the
"secret" and "revealed" will of God has generally obtained
among sound divines; the former is properly the will of God, the latter only a
manifestation of it. Whatever God has determined within himself, whether to do
himself, or to do by others, or to suffer to be done, while it is in his own breast, and is not made known by any event in providence,
or by prophecy, that is his secret will; such are the deep things of God, the
thoughts of his heart, the counsels and determinations of his mind; which are
impenetrable to others; but when these open, by events in providence, or by
prophecy, then they become the revealed will of God. God's secret will becomes
revealed by events in providence, whether it be considered
general or special; the general providence of God, with respect to the world
and church, is no other than the execution, and so the manifestation of his
secret will, with respect to both: to the world, its production, the origin of
nations, the settlement of them in the various parts of the world; the rise of
states and kingdoms, and particularly the four monarchies, and the succession
of them: to the church, in the line of Seth, from Adam, and
in the line of Shem, from Noah, and in the people of Israel, from Abraham, to
the coming of Christ: and the book of Revelation is a discovery of the secret
will of God with respect to both, from the coming of Christ to the end of the
world; the greatest part of which has been fulfilled, and the rest will be; as
the destruction of antichrist, and the antichristian states;
the conversion of the Jews, and the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles;
and the spiritual and personal kingdom of Christ. These are now already
revealed, though the time when they will take place is still in the secret will
of God. The providence of God may be considered as special with respect to
particular persons; there is a purpose or secret will of God, with respect to
every man; and there is a time fixed for every purpose; a
time to be born, and a time to die; and for everything that befalls men between
their birth and death: all which open in time, in providence; and what was
secret becomes revealed: so we know that we are born, who our parents, the time
and circumstances of our birth, as related to us; we know what has befallen us,
whether in an adverse or prosperous way; God has performed what
is appointed for us, as Job says of himself; but then, as he observes,
"many such things are with him", in his secret will. We know not what
shall befall us; and though we know that we shall die, that is revealed; but
when and where, in what manner and circumstance, we know not; that remains in
the secret will of God. Some things which belong to the secret will of God
become revealed by prophecy; so it was made known to
Abraham, that his seed, according to the secret will or purpose of God, should
be in a land, not theirs, four hundred years, and be afflicted, and come out
with great substance: nor did God hide from Abraham what he secretly willed to
do, in destroying Sodom and Gomorrah: and, indeed, it has been usual for the
Lord to do nothing but what he reveals to his servants the prophets; particularly all things concerning Christ, his incarnation,
offices, obedience, sufferings, and death, and the glory that should follow,
were all signified beforehand, to the prophets, by the Spirit of Christ in
them.
The will of God, which he
would have done by men, is revealed in the law, that is called
"his will", #Ro 2:18. This was made known to Adam, by inscribing it
on his heart, whereby he knew his duty to God, to be performed by him; this,
though sadly obliterated by sin, yet there are some remains of it in the
Gentiles, who do by nature the things contained in it; which show the work of
the law written in their hearts: a new edition of this law was delivered to the
Israelites, written on tables of stone, by the finger of
God; according to which they were to behave themselves, and hold the tenure of
the land of Canaan, and enjoy the privileges of it: and in regeneration the law
of God is put into the inward parts, and written on the hearts of God's people;
who being transformed, by the renewing of their minds, come to know what is the
good, perfect, and acceptable will of God, #Ro 12:2. This respects man's duty
both to God and men.
There is the revealed will of
God in the Gospel; which respects the kind intentions, and gracious regards of
God to men; and discovers what before was his secret will concerning them; as,
that he has chosen some to everlasting life and happiness; that he
has appointed these to salvation by Christ; and appointed him to be their
Saviour; that Christ undertook to do this will of God, and came from heaven to
earth to do it, and has finished it; and that it is the will of God that these
should be regenerated and sanctified; and "that they should never perish,
but have everlasting life", #Eph 1:4,5 Joh 6:38 1Th 4:3 Joh 6:39,40 Mt
18:14. But then, though all this is the revealed will of
God, in the Gospel, yet as to particular persons interested herein, it is, in a
great measure, a secret; election of God, and so the rest, may be known by the
Gospel coming with power into the heart, and by a work of grace upon it; and
the knowledge of it should be sought after; yet it is not attained to but by
such who are favoured with a full assurance of faith; and as to others, though
it may, in a judgment of charity, because of their declared
experiences, their savoury discourses, and holy conversation, be concluded of
them, that they are the elect of God, &c. yet it cannot be certainly known,
but by divine revelation, as it might be by the apostle, that Clement, and
other fellow labourers of his, had their names written in the book of life,
#Php 4:3. It is the revealed will of God, that there shall be a
resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust; and that all must appear
before the judgment seat of Christ; that after death there will be a judgment;
and though it is revealed, that a day is fixed, as well as a person appointed
to judge the world in righteousness; yet "of that day and hour knows no
man"; no, not the angels; but God only. So that, upon the whole, though
there is some foundation for this distinction of the secret
and revealed will of God, yet it is not quite clear; there is a mixture, part
of the will of God is, as yet, secret, and part of it revealed, with respect to
the same subject, as what has been observed plainly shows.
The most accurate distinction
of the will of God, is into that of precept and purpose; or
the commanding and decreeing will of God.
God's will of precept, or his
commanding will, is that which is often spoken of in Scripture; as what should
be done by men, and which is desirable they might have knowledge of, and be
complete in, #Mt 7:21 12:50 Col 1:9 4:12. This is the rule of mens'
duty; which consists of the fear of God, and keeping his commands; this is done
but by a few, and by none perfectly; every sin is a transgression of it; when
it is done aright it is done in faith, from love, and to the glory of God:
every good man desires to do it in the best manner, and, if it could be,
perfectly; even as it is done by angels in heaven. God, by the declaration of
this his will, shows what he approves of, and what is
acceptable to him, when done aright; and is made to render men inexcusable that
do it not, and to make it appear right in justice to inflict punishment on such
persons.
The decreeing will of God is
only, properly speaking, his Will; the other is his Word:
this is the rule of his own actions; he does all things in heaven and earth
after his will, the counsel of it; and this will is always done, cannot be
resisted, frustrated, and made void; he does whatever he wills; "his
counsel stands, and the thoughts of his heart are to all generations"; and
this is sometimes fulfilled by those who have no regard to his will of precept,
and have no knowledge of this, even while they are doing
it; as Herod and Pontius Pilate, the Jews and Gentiles, in doing what they did
against Christ, #Ac 4:27,28 and the ten kings, into whose hearts God put it to
fulfil his will, in giving their kingdoms to the beast, #Re 17:17 and this will
of God should be bore in mind in everything we intend to do or go about;
saying, if the Lord will, we will do this, and that, and the other, #1Co 4:19
Jas 4:13-15 and this should be owned and acknowledged, and
submitted to in every state and condition of life, whether of prosperity or
adversity, or in whatsoever befalls us in our own persons, or in our friends
and relations, #Ac 21:14 and this, properly speaking, is the one and only will
of God. I shall next inquire,
3. What
are the objects of it.
3a. First, God himself, not
his Being, perfections, and modes of subsisting; as the paternity of the
Father; the generation of the Son; and the breathing of the Spirit. These
naturally and necessarily exist, and do not depend upon the will of God: but it
is his own glory; "The Lord hath made all things for
himself"; that is, for his own glory, #Pr 16:4. He wills his own glory in
all he does; as "all things are of him", as the efficient Cause; and
"through him", as the wise Disposer of them; so they are "to
him", to his glory, as the final Cause, and last end of all; and this he
wills necessarily; he cannot but will his own glory; as "he will not give
his glory to another"; he cannot will it to another;
that would be to deny himself.
3b. Secondly, All things
without himself, whether good or evil, are the objects of his will, or what his
will is some way or other concerned in: there is a difference, indeed, between
the objects of God's knowledge and power and the objects of his will; for though he knows all things knowable, in his understanding, and
his power reaches to all that is possible, though not made; yet he wills not
all things willable, if the word may be allowed, or that might be willed;
wherefore, as Amesius {1} observes, though God is said to be omniscient and
omnipotent, yet not omnivolent or all willing.
3b1. First,
All good things.
3b1a. All
things in nature; all things are made by him, and all
were
originally good that were made by him, even "very
good";
and all were made according to his will; "Thou hast
created all
things, and for thy pleasure"; or by thy will,
"they are
and were created", #Re 4:11 even the heavens,
earth, and
sea, and all that in them are.
3b1b.
All things in providence. God's kingdom of providence rules
over all, and
extends to all creatures, angels and men, and
every other,
and to all events that befall them; not a
sparrow falls
to the ground without the will of God; "He
doth
according to his will in the army of heaven"; in the
heavenly
host of angels; "and among the inhabitants of the
earth",
#Da 4:35 there is nothing comes to pass but what God
has willed,
ordered, and appointed; "Who is he that saith,
and it cometh
to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?"
#La 3:37.
3b1c. All
things in grace are according to the will of God, all
spiritual
blessings in Christ, all grace given to the elect
in Christ,
before the world was; the choice of them in
Christ;
predestination to adoption by him; redemption
through
his blood; regeneration, sanctification, and the
eternal
inheritance; all are according to the good pleasure
of his will,
#2Ti 1:9 Eph 1:3-5,7,9,11 Jas 1:18 1Th 4:3.
3b2.
Secondly, All evil things are the objects of God's will;
3b2a.
"Malum poenae", the evil of afflictions; whether in a way
of
chastisement, or of punishment: if in a way of
chastisement,
as they are to the people of God, they are
according
to the will of God; they do not spring out of the
dust, nor
come by chance; but are by the will, order, and
appointment
of God; as to quality, quantity, duration, ends,
and uses,
#Job 23:14 Mic 6:9 1Th 3:3 and which are
consistent
with the justice, holiness, wisdom, love, and
goodness
of God. If they are in a way of punishment, as they
are to wicked
and ungodly men; there is no reason to
complain of
them, since they are less than their sins
deserve; and
not at all unworthy of a righteous God to will
to inflict on
them, #La 3:39 all judgments, calamities, and
distresses,
which come upon kingdoms, nations, cities,
towns, and
particular persons, are all of God, and according
to his will,
#Am 3:6. Not that God wills these things for
the sake of
them; or as taking delight in the afflictions
and miseries
of his creatures, #La 3:33 Eze 18:32 but for
the
sake of some good: the afflictions of his people are for
their
spiritual good, as well as for his own glory: and the
punishment of
the wicked is for the glorifying of his
justice.
3b1b.
There is "malum culpae", or the evil of fault and blame,
that is sin:
about this there is some difficulty how the
will of God
should be concerned in it, consistent with his
purity and
holiness: that the will of God is some way or
other
concerned with it is most certain; for he either wills
it
or not wills it: the latter cannot be said, because
nothing comes
to pass, God not willing it, #La 3:37 or he
neither wills
it, nor not wills it; that is, he has no care
about it, nor
concern at all with it; and so it is outside
the area of
jurisdiction, and not within the reach of his
providence;
which cannot be admitted, and which none will say,
but those who
are atheistically inclined, see #Eze 9:9
#Zep 1:12.
Besides, as Beza {2}, and other divines argue,
unless God
had voluntarily permitted sin to be, there could be
no display,
neither of his punitive justice, nor of his mercy:
to
which may be added, that God's foreknowledge of sin most fully
proves his
will in it; that God foreknew sin would be, is
certain; as
the fall of Adam; since he made a provision, in
Christ, for
the saving of men out of it, before it was; and
so other
sins; see #2Sa 12:11 16:22. Now certain and
immutable
foreknowledge, such as the foreknowledge of God,
is founded
upon some certain and immutable cause; which can
be no other
than the divine will; God foreknows, certainly,
that such and
such things will be; because he has determined
in his will
they shall be. To set this affair in the best
light,
it will be proper to consider, what is in sin, and
relative to
it: there is the act of sin, and there is the
guilt of sin,
which is an obligation to punishment, and the
punishment
itself. Concerning the two last there can be no
difficulty;
that God should will that men that sin should
become
guilty; be reckoned, accounted, and treated as such;
or lie under
obligation to punishment; nor that he should
will the
punishment of them, and appoint and foreordain them
to it for it,
#Pr 16:4 Jude 1:4. The only difficulty is,
about the act
of sin; and this may be considered either as
natural
or moral; or the act, and the ataxy, disorder,
irregularity,
and vitiosity of it: as an action, barely
considered,
it is of God, and according to his will; without
which, and
the concourse of his providence, none can be
performed; he
is the fountain and source of all action and
motion;
in him all live, move, and have their being,
#Ac 17:28 but
then the vitiosity and irregularity of it, as
it is an
aberration from the law of God, and a transgression
of it, is of
men only; and God cannot be said to will this;
he forbids
it, he abhors and detests it; he takes no
pleasure
in it; he is of purer eyes than even to behold it
with
approbation and delight. God cannot will it as sin, or
for the sake
of itself; but for the sake of some good to be
brought about
through it; as the fall of Adam, for the
glorifying of
his justice and mercy, in punishing some of
his
posterity, and saving others: the sin of Joseph's
brethren
selling him into Egypt, for the good of Joseph and
his father's
family, and others; and the sin of the Jews, in
crucifying
Christ, for the redemption and salvation of men.
And besides,
God may will one sin as a punishment for
another;
as it is most certain he has in the case of the
Israelites,
#Ho 4:9,10,13 of the heathen philosophers,
#Ro 1:28 and
of the papists, #2Th 2:9-12. Once more,
though God
may be said, in such senses, to will sin, yet he
wills it in a
different way than he wills that which is
good;
he does not will to do it himself, nor to do it by
others; but
permits it to be done; and which is not a bare
permission, but
a voluntary permission; and is expressed by
God's
"giving" up men to their own hearts' lusts, and by
"suffering"
them to walk in their own sinful ways, #Ps 81:12
#Ac
14:16 he wills it not by his effective will, but by his
permissive
will; and therefore cannot be chargeable with
being the
author of sin; since there is a wide difference
between doing
it himself, and doing it by others, or
ordering it
to be done, winch only can make him the author
of
sin; and voluntarily permitting or suffering it to be
done by
others. I proceed to consider,
4. The nature and properties
of the will of God. And,
4a. First,
It is natural and "essential" to him; it is his very nature and
essence; his will is himself willing; and therefore there can be but one will
in God; for there is but one God, whose nature and essence is one; for though
there are three persons in the Godhead, there is but one undivided nature
common to them all, and so but one will: they are one, and they agree in one;
God is "in one mind", or will; though there may
be distinctions of his will, and different objects of it, and divers ways in
which he wills, yet it is by one single eternal act of will he wills all
things. Hence also his will is incommunicable to a creature; the will of God
cannot otherwise be a creature's, but as that they approve of it, acquiesce in
it, and submit unto it; even it was incommunicable to the human nature of
Christ, though taken into union with the person of the Son
of God; yet his divine will, and his human will, are distinct from each other,
though the one is subject to the other, #Joh 6:38 Lu 22:42.
4b. Secondly, The will of God
is "eternal", as may be concluded from the attribute of
"eternity"; for if God is eternal, as he certainly is, even from
everlasting to everlasting God, then his will must he
eternal, since it is his nature and essence: and from his
"immutability"; who changes not, and with whom there is no shadow of
turning; but if any new will arises in God in time, which was not in eternity,
there would be a change in him; he would not be the same in time he was in
eternity; nor the same in eternity he is in time; whereas, he is the same
yesterday, today, and for ever: and from the
"foreknowledge" of God, which is eternal; "Known unto God are
all his works, from the beginning of the world", or from eternity, #Ac
15:18 and now as God's foreknowledge arises from his will, God foreknows what
will be, as has been observed, because he has determined, in his will, what
shall be; so if his knowledge is eternal, his will must be eternal. Likewise,
this may be illustrated by the decree of
"election"; that was, certainly, before men had done either good or
evil; was from the beginning, or from everlasting; even before the foundation
of the world, #Eph 1:4 and as the decree and determination of the will of God
was so early, the same may be concluded of all others: add to all which, the
will of God is concerned with "all things" that have been "from
the beginning" of the world, now are, or shall be to
the end of it; and therefore must be prior to the existence of the world, and
things in it; and if prior to them, then prior to time; and if prior to time,
must be eternal; for we know of nothing before time but what is eternal.
4c. Thirdly, The will of God
is "immutable": immutability is expressly ascribed to the counsel of God; that is, to the will and purpose of God,
#Heb 6:17 and may be established from the attribute of
"immutability"; for if God is unchangeably the same, as he is, then
his will must be the same, since it is his nature and essence: a change is made
in the will of a creature, either by beginning to will what it did not before,
or by ceasing to will what it has willed: now the cause of beginning a new will, or willing what it did not, supposes previous ignorance
of the thing now begun to be willed; not knowing the fitness and propriety of
it, being ignorant of its nature, excellence, and utility; for of an unknown
thing there can be no desire and will: but such a change of will can never take
place in God, on such a footing; since it is not only contrary to his eternity
and immutability, but to his knowledge, whose understanding
is infinite: or a creature changes its will, when it ceases to will what it has
willed; which is either of choice, or of obligation to it; of choice, when
something unforeseen occurs, which causes it to change its will, and take
another course: but nothing of this kind can befall God, before whom all things
are at once and together, naked and open; even from all eternity: or else of
force, being obliged unto it, because it cannot accomplish
its will, and therefore drops it, and takes another course: "But who hath
resisted his will", the will of God, so as to cause him to cease from it,
and drop it? If God changes his will, it must be either for the better or the
worse; and either way it would betray imperfection in him, and want of wisdom;
God may change his outward dispensations of things, but he never changes his
will: repentance attributed to him is no proof of it;
"He is in one mind, and who can turn him?" his will is not to be
turned nor altered, no not by the prayers of his people. But of these things
see more under the attribute of "immutability", before treated of.
4d.
Fourthly, The will of God is always efficacious; there are no wishes,
would-bes, or feeble degrees of volition in God; his will is always effected,
never made null and void; he does whatever he pleases, or wills; his counsel
always stands, and he ever does his pleasure; otherwise he would not be
almighty, as he is: it must be for want of power, if his will is not fulfilled,
which cannot be said; as he is omnipotent, so is his will;
yea, Austin calls {3} it, his most omnipotent will: if this was not the case,
there would be somewhat, or some one "superior" to him; whereas he is
God over all, the most High, higher than the highest; and can never be
contradicted by any: and was his will ineffectual, he would be
"frustrated" and disappointed of his end: but as nothing comes to
pass which man says, and the Lord commands it not; so everything
the Lord says, wills, and orders, most certainly comes to pass; "For the
Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it?" yea, he hath
sworn, saying, "Surely, as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and
as I have purposed, it shall stand", #Isa 14:24,27. Besides if his will
was not efficacious, or it failed of accomplishment, he would not be happy:
when a man's will is ineffectual, and he cannot accomplish
it, it gives him uneasiness, it makes him unhappy; but this can never be said
of God, who is the blessed, the blessed God, blessed forevermore.
4e. Fifthly, The will of God
has "no cause" out of himself; for then there would be something
prior to him, and greater and more excellent than he; as every cause is before its effect, and more excellent than that; and his will
would be dependent on another, and so he not be the independent Being he is:
nor can there be any impulsive or moving cause of his will; because there is in
him no passive power to work upon; he is purely act, "actus
simplicissimus", a pure, active Spirit: if he consisted of act and power,
he would not be the simple and uncompounded Spirit he is;
wherefore, to be impelled or moved by any cause, would be contrary to his
simplicity, before established: he may indeed be said to will one thing for
another; but then that which he wills for another, is no moving cause of his
will; these may have the nature of cause and effect between themselves; but
neither of them the cause of the will of God; nor is there any final cause of
what he wills and does but his own glory; and it would be
madness to seek for a cause of his willing that: and from this property of the
will of God, it may be clearly discerned, that foreseen faith, holiness, and
good works, cannot be the cause of God's will in the election of any to eternal
life; and so the contrary, no cause of his will in the rejection of others.
4f.
Sixthly, The will of God, for this same reason, is not conditional; for then it
would be dependent on the condition to be performed; and not the will of God,
but the performance of the condition, would be the first and chief in the
attainment of the end thereby. And, to say no more, if, for instance, God
willed to save all men conditionally; that is, on condition of faith and
repentance; and to damn them if these conditions are
wanting; who does not see that this conditional will, to save and to destroy,
is equally the same? destruction is equally willed as salvation; and where is
the general love of God to men, so much talked of? there is none at all to any.
4g. Seventhly, The will of God
is most free and sovereign; as appears,
4g1. From the
making of the world, and all things in it. That the
world is
eternal, few have asserted; that it was made, and
made by God, is
generally agreed; and by the will of God, as
the
scriptures assert, #Re 4:11 and the making of it, as to
time
and order, and things contained in it, is owing to the
sovereign
will of God; to what else but to his sovereignty
can it be
ascribed, that he has not made more worlds than he
has, who
could, if he would, have made ten thousand worlds?
or that he
should make this world when he did, and not
sooner,
when he could have made it millions of ages before,
if he would?
or that he should be six days making that, and
all things in
it, when he could have made them all in a
moment, if he
pleased? or that he made this world no larger
than it is,
and made no more kinds and species of creatures
than
he has, and those he has made no more numerous than
they be? no
reason can be assigned, but his sovereign will
and pleasure.
4g2. The
sovereignty of the will of God appears in providence,
and
in the various events of it; as in the births and deaths
of men, which
are neither of them of the will of men, but of
the will of
God; and there is a time for both fixed by his
will; and in
which his sovereignty may be seen; for to what
else can it
be ascribed, that such and such men should be
born,
and brought into the world, in such an age, and not
before? and
that they should go out of the world at the
time, in the
manner and circumstances they do? and that
there should
be such difference in men, in their states,
conditions,
and circumstances in life; that some should be
rich,
and others poor? riches and poverty are both at the
disposal of
God, as Agur's prayer shows; and God is the
maker both of
the rich and poor, not only as men, but as
rich and poor
men: and to what can this difference be
attributed,
but to the sovereign will of God? some are
raised
to great honour and dignity; and others live in a
very low,
mean, and abject state; but promotion comes
neither from
the East, nor from the West, nor from the
South; but
God puts down one, and sets up another, as he
pleases; and
these differences and changes may be observed
in
the same persons, as in Job, who was for many years the
greatest man
in all the East, and, on a sudden, was stripped
of all his
riches, honour, and glory, and upon a dunghill;
and then,
after a while, restored to twice the wealth and
riches he had
before. So Nebuchadnezzar, the greatest
monarch
then on earth, and when in the most flourishing
circumstances,
and in the height of his grandeur, was
degraded from
his dignity, as a man and monarch, and driven
to dwell
among beasts, and to become and live like one of
them; and,
after all, was restored to his reason, and to his
throne,
and former greatness; which extorted from him such
an
acknowledgment of the sovereign will of God as perhaps is
no where more
strongly expressed; "He doth according to his
will in the
army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the
earth; and
none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what
dost
thou?" #Da 4:35. Some are free from sickness and
diseases of
body all their days; their strength is firm, and
no weaknesses
in their death, but die in their full strength:
while others
drag on a life attended with a variety of
infirmities
and disorders, to their graves; and this is the
case
of the best of men: to what can it be imputed, but to
the sovereign
will of God? and how otherwise can be
accounted for
the many abortions, miscarriages, untimely
births,
infants that never saw light; and others, as soon as
their eyes
are opened in this world, are shut again; when
others
not only go through the stages of infancy, childhood,
and manhood,
but arrive to a full age, and come to their
graves like a
shock of corn fully ripe? And a multitude of
other things
might be observed, in providence; which, though
God has wise
reasons for them, are unaccountable to us, but
are
obliged to refer them to his sovereign will and
pleasure; who
gives no account of his matters to the
children of
men.
4g3. The will
of God appears to be sovereign in things sacred,
spiritual,
and religious, both with respect to angels and
men: as that
some of the angels should be elect, and
confirmed by
the grace of Christ, in the estate in which
they were
created, and be preserved from apostasy, while a
large number of
them were suffered to rebel against God, and
leave
their first state; for which they were cast down from
heaven to
hell, and reserved in chains of darkness, to the
judgment of
the great day, and no mercy shown to any of
them; as has
been to many of the apostate race of Adam. What
other reason
can be given for all this, but the sovereign
will
of God? Among men, some God loves, and some he hates;
and that
before good or evil are done by them; some he
chooses to everlasting
happiness, and others he passes by
and rejects;
he has mercy on some, and hardens others; just
as he, in his
sovereignty, wills and pleases: some are
redeemed
from among men, by Christ, even out of every
kindred,
tongue, people, and nation, whom he wills, and
resolves to
save; when others are left to perish in their
sins: for
which no other cause can be assigned than the
sovereign
will and pleasure of God. According to which also
he
dispenses his gifts to men, and these of different sorts;
some fitting
for public service, as to ministers of the
gospel; and
such he makes whensoever he pleases, and gives
them gifts
differing from one another; to some greater to
others less,
to some one talent and to others five, dividing
to
every man individually as he wills, according to his
sovereign
pleasure: the means of grace, the ministry of the
word and
ordinances, in all ages, have been disposed of,
just as
seemed good in his sight; for many hundreds of
years, God
gave his word to Jacob, and his statutes unto
Israel,
and other nations knew them not; and these have been
since
distributed among the Gentiles, sometimes in one
place, and
sometimes in another; and how apparent is the
sovereignty
of God in favouring our British Isles, these
Isles afar
off, with the gospel, and gospel ordinances, when
so
great a part of the world is denied them, and is covered
with Pagan,
Papal, and Mahometan darkness? and still more it
is manifest
in that these outward means are, to some, "the
savour of life
unto life, and to others the savour of death
unto
death." The special gifts of the grace of God, are
bestowed
upon men according to the sovereign will of God; of
his own will
he regenerates some, and not others; calls by
his grace,
whom he pleases, when and by what means,
according to
his purpose; reveals the gospel, and the great
things of it,
to whom he would make them known; and hides
them
from the wise and prudent; "even so Father", says
Christ,
"for so it seemed good in thy sight"; nor does he
give any
other reason for such a conduct. The graces of the
Spirit of God
are given to some, and not to others; as for
instance,
repentance, which is a grant from God, a gift of
Christ,
was bestowed on Peter, who denied his Lord; and
withheld from
Judas, that betrayed him. Faith, which is the
gift of God,
all men have it not; to some it is only given,
when others
have a spirit of slumber, eyes that they see
not, and ears
that they hear not. In short, eternal life,
which
is the free gift of God, through Christ, is given only
by him, to as
many as the Father has given him, and to these
alike; the
penny, which seems to mean eternal happiness, in
the parable,
is given to those who were called to labour in
the vineyard
in the eleventh hour, as to those who bore the
heat
and burden of the day: some do much service for Christ,
and others
very little, and yet all share the same glory. To
what can all
this be resolved, but into the sovereign will
of God? who
says, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will
with my
own?" #Mt 20:15. But though the will of God is
sovereign,
it always acts wisely: some sovereign princes
will things
rashly and foolishly; but God wills nothing
contrary to
his perfections of wisdom, justice, holiness,
&c. and his
will is therefore called "counsel", and "the
counsel of
his will", #Isa 25:1 46:10 Eph 1:11.
{1} Medulla Theolog. l. 1. c.
7. s. 47.
{2} Vide Maccov. Loc. Commun.
c. 24. p. 195.
{3} De Civitate Dei, l. 13. c.
18.