not consent Quitacet consentire videtur yet he will spare mee for a time or howsoeuer I will hold mine own conclusions whatsoeuer the Lord shall doe vnto me IIII. Part. Of Gods reproofe and order in sinne Reprooue This word signifieth foure things First to argue or reason vpon any matter secondly by reasoning to prooue or disprooue any cause thirdly by proouing or disproouing to absolue or condemne any person fourthly after condemnation to punish or execute This fourth signification is specially meant in this place for he had his conuiction before therefore to reprooue in this place is as much as to plague for the reason following makes it plaine Oh consider this least I teare you in peeces shewing plainly what his reproofe was nothing but vengeance Set This word presupposeth things out of place secondly the placing of them againe in their rankes and orders shewing vs the nature of sinne First that sinne is gotten out of his own place for neuer a creature of God by his creatioÌ„ did acknowledge him and God himselfe did alwaies abhorre him therefore before the fal of men and angels Gods erâ—ation a deadly â—uemie to sinne sinne was like vnto that which we call in nature vacuum which is so abhorred of nature that the verie fire will descend and the verie water ascend before they wil yeeld him the least corner in the world so sinne by Gods creation was wholly excluded and God giueth his testimonie that euery thing that hee made was good and very good therefore that sinne should obtaine that in nature as to get him a place in the best of Gods creatures was neuer the placing of the Lord therefore the Lord cannot bee said to set sinne in this manner The way of Gods placing Cane The second setting is here vnderstood to wit bringing that into his proper place which hitherto hath beene out of his place and is done two manner of wayes First by bringing it vnto himselfe and the rule of his wisedome and so sin is set in the decree of God and ordered by his wisdome for that of the Philosopher is true Veritas iudex sui obliqui but what need we the testimonie of the Philosopher seeing that we haue the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.7 I knewe not sinne but by the lawe and without the law sinne is dead now the rule is alwaies before the breach of the rule therfore must needs determine of euerie fault Secondly sinne is set in order when it is brought vnto man by making him feele what his sinne was by the punishment of it Order Includeth three things Confusion diâ—ontion iâ—â—â—uâ—ination first confusion secondly comely disposition thirdly plaine reuelation as in the creation of the world Gods order is set forth vnto vs in the confusion of the first matter wherein all things were buried as in a dark dungeon Secondly how the Lord proceeded to bring out of this the heauens in their ranke with all the host thereof the firmament in his place the water and all therein in his place the earth and all thereupon in their place and thus was the worke of the Lord comely and full of beautie Thirdly the Lord brought foorth a light to separate from the darkenes and so was there a plaine reuelation of his workes so in this place here is sinne a greater confusion in mâ—n then euer was in that first chaos Secondly as the Lord brought all things out of that into their place so will he bring all the sins of man vnto a comely order so that plainly in the third place euery man shall see what he hath done to the dishonour of his creator This order is threefold according to a threefold booke the first is the booke of decrees 3. Bookes Gods decâ—es Law Consâ—ence the second is the book of Gods law the third the books of conscience and these three bookes doe most plainely order sinne The first booke being secret ordereth sinne secretly yet most iustly because most wisely for if the wisedome of God should not be seene in sin then should not God haue his glorie out of sinne therfore to answer all obiections that may arise out of this ordring of sin the prouing of the truth of this point I will in a few words take in hand the clearing of these two things first the remoouall of that which may obscure the truth secondly I will bring reasons for the confirming of this difficultie Answer The first obiection may be out of the words of the Psalme I will set them in order before thee therefore the order that is taken for sinne is after that sinne is committed For first God saith These things hast thou done 2. these things will I order 3. before thee all which plainely prooue that this order followeth sinne Answer To which I answer that in this place we are to vnderstand that the third booke which is the booke of the conscience is here to be vnderstood not excluding the former as though they were not but onely shewing that the bookes of conscience for the condemnation of a wicked man are sufficient and the onely cause of the execution of Gods plagues vpon him as appeareth plainly Reuel 20.12 And the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their works Here is mention of two bookes the booke of Gods decree and the booke of the Conscience Why the Lord tearmes the booke of conscience bookes called bookes because of the manifold bills and inditments that are written in the leanes of the conscience which are sufficient for the iudgement of the wicked therefore as often as we heare of Gods executions in punishing we heare nothing of the booke of his decree because to what purpose should God bring in his decree to conuince a wicked man when his conscience giueth in euidence sufficient against him it might rather cause cauill then true conuiction But in the execution of his mercie we heare of the booke of life because therein lieth a principall cause of our saluation Therefore I take it in this place Death only froÌ„ finne and therfore hath no â—â—gher cause further then the cause no inquiâ—â—e that the Lord speaking of bookes and of a booke would haue vs take notice that for iudgement we neede to looke no further then the bookes of conscience therefore I take it that the Scripture neuer speaketh of a booke of death Againe when we looke vpon our saluation we must eye the booke of life that so we may ascribe all the praise of our saluation vnto the Lord. So in this place the Lord is about his execution vpon the wicked God in himself workes out of all time in the are â—ure in due time therefore he pulls not out the booke of his decree but appeales vnto their owne consciences so that order which was before the Lord from all
parents Gen. 3. the Lord exaamines the matter and saies vnto the serpent because thou hast done thus thou are accursed vnto the woman I will greatly encrease thy sorrowes vnto Adam Because thou hast obeyed the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree whereof I commaunded thee saying Thou shalt not eate of it cursed is the earth for thy sake Thus dealt he with the whole world Gen. 6.5 When the Lord saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were only euil that continually therefore v. 7 I will destroy from the earth the man whom I haue created c. Thus dealt he with nations Ezech. 18.2 The fathers haue eaten the sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge this prouerbe hath no good meaning for the soule that sinneth it shall die Therefore O house of Israel are not my waies equall and are not your wayes vnequall surely I will iugde you euery one according to his wayes Againe for particular cities Gen. 18. I will goe downe to see whether the cry which is come vp vnto me be so or no. Lastly speciall persons Gen. 4.9 Where is Abel v. 10. what hast thou done the voice of thy brothers blood crieth vnto me from the earth now therefore v. 11. Thou art accursed from the earth c. Reas 1. Drawne from the nature of punishment which is alwaies a consequent of sinne and therefore cannot goe before the doings of men Reas 2. The conscience of wicked men which must needs containe in them the bills of Inditement according vnto which the Iurie must proceed and the Lord himselfe wil giue sentence Reu. 20.12 The dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes Reas 3. That all may be without excuse for what shal man say vnto his Creator when the Lord hath told him These things hast thou done surely lay his hand vpon his mouth and confesse that the Lord is iust in all his workes Vse 1. reprehension First of such as complaine with Israel in Ezek. 18. thy fathers haue sinned and we haue borne their punishments It is not so O house of Israel for Gal. 6.5 euery man shall beare his owne burden 1. Cor. 3.8 euerie man shal receiue his wages according to his labour therefore to thee O Lord mercy for thou rewardest euerie one according to his worke Psal 62.12 Secondly a correction of the godly that murmure at the silence of God toward the wicked and are grieued for his hand vpon themselues conceiuing it an iniurie done vnto themselues because they iudge themselues better then the wicked but let them also knowe that the cause of their afflictious is their owne doings Iam. 1.13 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euil neither tempteth hee any man but euery man is tempted when hee is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is inticed then when lust hath concâ—iued it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Vse 2. instruction First a direction to the wicked that they be more carefull of their actions Secondly a direction to the godly 〈◊〉 2.12 that they learne to deny all vngodlines and worldly lusts and liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Vse 3. consolation First in trouble 2. Theff 1.6.7 For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you but to you which are troubled rest with vs. Secondly in weldoing thou maiest haue this consolation Psa 37.3 trust thou in the Lord and doe good dwell in the land and thoushalt be fed assuredly delight thy selfe in him and hee shall giue thee thy hearts desire for the Lord is a most equall God and will not suffer either the doings or the sufferings of his children to go vnrewarded CHAP. V. Of Gods silence in generall THE second part is the holinesse of the Lords sentence which is twofold mercy and iustice Mercy Silence I held my tongue Iustice but I will reprooue thee Mercy is described by sowre arguments first by his qualitie silence secondly by his obiect about which hee is exercised and that is the doings of the wicked thirdly by the accidentall effects and they are wicked thoughts fourthly by the forme and manner of these thoughts and that is to make God like themselues First of Gods silence which is nothing else but Gods clemencie in his patience and long suffering with his bountifulnesse and generall goodnesse toward sinners That this may more clearly appeare we are to vnderstand that the Lord which is absolute beeing in himselfe Exod. 3.14 can haue nothing giuen vnto him which is not himselfe for I am that I am is a proposition that hath no more in the consequent then was in the antecedent for I am is the antecedent and I am is the consequent therefore euery consequent in God is God God is silent God the antecedent is I am and silent the consequent is I am for nothing is giuen to God that is lesse then I am and greater then I am is impossible Hence God is one most simple beeing and impossible to be vnderstood of our shallow capacities therefore hath it pleased his maiestie that we might vnderstnd some thing of him to shew vs his backe parts Exod 33.23 which are his glorious attributes Exod. 34. v. 6 7. among which we haue this silence of God slowe to anger and aboundant to goodnes and truth Now these attributes are of diuers sorts Absolute attribateâ— Conditionall some absolute some conditionall some both absolute and conditionall absolute which at all haue no arise from the creatures but follow his absolute beeing as his infinitnesse eternitie and the like which doe follow from that he is without causes not looking at him for his effects in his creatures others meerly conditionall as in creation omnipotencie which is only in God in regard of his creatures which in time might feele the worke of an euerlasting worker For in God creation was alwaies act and neuer power otherwise should the Lord haue begun his act and then it should not haue beene eternall Indeede his creature felt the beginning of it for once it was nothing and to make that something we tearme it omnipotencie which is in the creature alone for God is not ommpotent in the generation of his sonne neither the sonne and the father omnipotent in the proceeding of the holy Ghost because this is an absolute and eternall genreation and procession that was neuer out of act and therefore vncapable of any power In the fall of man this silence is meerely conditionall for if there had bin no sinne then should God haue had no silence So in the state of redemption grace is giuen to God only from that worke in the creature receiuing him to mercy for Christs sake For attributes that may be said
the Lord hath two parts Holinesse both which are contained in the second part of this sentence and they are mercie and iustice for a holy God must be a mercifull God and a iust God his mercie in these words I held my tongue and thou thoughtest that I was like thee his iustice in the rest Mercie Gods mercie is described by foure things First by his adiunct or qualitie silence 2. By the subiect about which it is conuersant and that is the doings of the wicked 3. By his accidentall effect and that is the thoughts of the wicked 4. By the forme and manner of these thoughts and that is to make God like themselues or measure God by themselues The second part of Gods holinesse is his iustice Iustice described by power and comely order by power in these words I will reprooue thee where wee haue foure things to manifest the power First the efficient cause the Lord and therefore most powerfull iustice Secondly the forme reproofe iustice vindicatiue or punishing not remunaratiue or rewarding and therefore so much the stronger the touch of his little finger is able to doe much and therefore what shall be the power of his whole hand and the strength of his arme his breath which in man is nothing yet in himselfe makes smoaking coles and flames of fire issue out of his mouth to the destruction of all sinners 3. From the obiect sinne which all the iustice of man is not able to find out yet shall this iustice search it to the quicke and ransacke it to the bottome 4. Because of the person which is an hypocrite who for the most part deceiues the whole world yea and his owne soule too yet now woe vnto him for hee hath fallen into his hands that can not be deceiued The comely order in these words And set them in order before thee First giuing vs to vnderstand that sinne is confusion and disorder and all sinners are confused and disordered persons 2. That there is an order to be taken with all sinne and sinners 3. That when God shall haue taken order with them then the conscience shall take horrible notice of their sinne and the punishment thereof to their euerlasting shame and confusion in plagues and punishments that neuer would see any disorder in sinne and wickednesse V. 22 The application followeth in the 22.23 v. and it is twofold First to the wicked an earnest admonition Secondly to the godly a serious instruction the earnest admonition to the wicked is in the 22. ver amplified first from due consideration Oh consider this make good vse of my iudgements let them not be idle speculations but profitable instructions to your soules Secondly from the forlorne negligence of all wicked men which is to forget God euen in the time of iudgement Thirdly from the imminent danger and that is tearing in peeces of the Lord Fourthly from the ineuitablenesse of it and the vaine confidence of helpe in these words And there be none that can deliuer you V. 23 In the conclusion of all which is the application to the godly vse is made of the whole Psalm for the glorious comming of the Almightie his mercifull proceeding with his Saints and the fearefulnes of his iudgments with the wicked ought to be a threefold cord to drawe them to true obedience and learne the instruction of their God See therefore the vse of the first part of Gods proceeding He that offereth praise shal glorifie mee would you know my mind O my louing Saints Why this it is in briefe and take it for your conclusion The best sacrifices are praise for they alone shall glorifie mee and giue mee full contentment For the second the vse that you ought to make of my conviction of an hypocrite is this in breife that seeing he hateth to be reformed and casteth my words behind his backe and therefore must needs be condemned though hee haue made a faire shew in preaching of my ordinances and talking of my couenants see you therefore vnto it for I promise faithfully to cuery one that disposeth his way aright shall be shewed the saluation of God and therefore God grant that euery one of vs may haue more of the power of religion in the heart then a shew in outward profession CHAP. II. Of the particular explication of the words ANd thus haue I vnfolded the whole Psalme which if I shall perceiue to be a profitable way for the instruction of Gods Church I shall proceed in the rest but if it shall be disprooued I will trouble the world with no more discourses for wee haue alreadie bookes enough which make vs wast our times vnprofitably but I trust in God seeing that I am not guiltie vnto my selfe of any priuate motion that it is the worke of the Lord and therefore as alreadie it is approoued of some so I doubt not but they that loue the Lord will beare the like affection And therefore I pray with the Apostle that both I and they may consider what is said and the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things I. Part. Of the arraignement day and persons The generall discourse of the Psalme is alreadie cleared only I haue selected this one verse for the ground of all my future proceedings I call it Gods arraignement of hypocrites first because the Lord himselfe brings in the euidence against theÌ„ Euidence These things hast thou done Patience in tryall Secondly because the Lord hath made long tryall of their repentance I held my tongue Thirdly Abuse of Gods patience because they had fulfulled the measure of their sinne by making God an idle iudge of them thou thoughtest that I was like thee Fourthly because God vpon good euidence long experience and the full measure of impietie could contain no longer from the sentence of condemnation Sentence of iudgement I will reprooue thee and set them in order before thee the cheife Iustice must handle the cause euen in the court of conscience because no reproofe will serue the turne but that which arraignes him before himselfe and makes his conscience his own executioner I might well tearme it the Criticall day of an hypocrite Dâ—â—â—indicances 〈…〉 Physitians obserue two kind of dayes in the sickenesse of their patients first the indicatiue dayes and then the criticall dayes the indicatiue dayes goe before and shew what hopes are approaching of death or life these dayes I may well say went before from the 16. verse to this 21. ver euery day prognosticating nothing but some horrible accident to befall on the criticall day first he will no wayes bee reformed in his life and for counsell he casts all Gods words behind him hee no sooner sees the way of death but he runnes into it and for any vncleane behauiour he will become a partaker with the worst his mouth is as blacke as though the fire of hell were within him and his tongue is so scorched that it can forge
9. Hardnesse of heart desperation the blacke-moore will not wash for hee may as soone wash his skin off as take away his colour the leopard cannot change his spots and so is it with them that are accustomed to doe euill Lastly 10. Presumption the hope of a good day as we say makes men put off their washing as they will wash at Christmas on Sunday or when a holy day comes or some feasting day so many a soule vnder the hope of mercie puts off the day of his visitation and meanes to repent in his old age But alas repentance is the gift of God and therefore not to be commaunded at their wills I remember the good counsell that one gaue to one of these delayers who inquired the best time to repent the answer was made according to his mind one day before his death that is well saies he but yet I am not resolued for I know not when I shall die neither doe I saies his Counsellor yet this is my counsell to preuent that danger repent euerie day and then shall you bee sure to repent the day before your death And these may be some of the reasons why men will not bee ordered by Gods lawe and therfore verie requisite that God should haue another booke for the ordering of sinne and sinners and that is the conscience which is to be vnderstood in this place yet so that the other ought not to be excluded for this can doe nothing but by the information of the former for this booke is as I may tearme it the application of the former this makes vse of the precepts laid downe in them and therefore conscience is verie necessarie that the law might haue his worke in commaunding and forbidding sinne now the conscience from the euideÌ„ce that the law giues in either absolues or condemnes and so the Lord hath made it a little Iudge sitting vpon his throne in the soules of men Before The proposition in the originall giues vs to vnderstand that after the ordering of sinne sinne should be so visible that it were impossible for a wicked man to looke off it it shall still meete him in the face and suffer his conscience to take no rest night nor day Thee The originall hath it in thine eyes Eye of the body man hath a threefold eie first the eie of the bodie but that is no discerner of sin for wicked men haue this eie actiue enough to behold vanity and pleasure Hence riseth the extraordinarie sensualitie of mankind after the pleasures and profits of this world they liue all by sense blinded in their vnderstanding and conscience but this eye is not meant in this place The second eie is the eye of vnderstanding Eie of reason no sufficient iudge in the matters of sin which is the true discerner of all Gods works for God hauing made all for man he must needs giue him an eie to behold all things that were made for him By this eie Adam was able to name the creatures to knowe their natures ends and vses this eie since the fall is notably bleered in heauenly things which truely concerne God hee can see nothing at all because the obiect is too farre distant and cannot be reached vnto by any facultie in him euen as an aged man can see things about him but to looke afarre off he is not able neither can he discerne any thing so our aged vnderstandings can see some things at hand as what belongs to this estate as hee is a man for ciuill societie hee can doe some morall duties exercise himselfe in ciuil matters and labour to maintaine his naturall life Yet in all these his eye is so dimme that he commits many disorders in them all for his morallitie see how he abuseth it in the first of the Romans for his ciuillitie see how he breaks the legs of iustice makes him lie in the streets for strange be the contentions that are in the world betwixt men to supplant one another in their rights to infringe good titles and make vp broken and for this purpose many a lawyer hath euen sould himselfe to bee a man of contention for himselfe and his neighbours and so farre he makes himselfe for euery bodie if so be he can make euery bodie for himselfe Lastly in naturall things he hath lost the vse of sobrietie and therefore in eating and drinking he becomes either a glutton or a drunkard therefore this eie cannot be quicke enough for the sense and feeling of Gods iudgements Lye of conscience the best iudge therefore God aboue sense and reason hath giuen a third eye which is the eie of conscience and this is a most powerfull eye in so much that the learned haue affirmed that conscience is supra hominem infra deum aboue man vnder God Concerning the third booke which is the Conscience Conscience in signification is nothing els but knowledge with an other when I am perswaded that another knoweth with me and that all my secrets are as well knowne vnto him as they are vnto my selfe Hence conscience may be said to act three parts Conscience the Lawyer Register and Iudge first part is the Lawyer which pleads the cause and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pure part of the conscience Saul if he had pleaded with his conscience and taken counsell of this best part hee should haue beene informed that rebellion was as the sinne of witchcraft but we blind this eye of our conscience and therefore we will do what pleaseth our selues be it right or wrong Second part is the act of a register which enâ—oules all matters of fact against the times of inquisition so the conscience is called a booke or bookes Reuel 20.12 the act of this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assuming part of the conscience for as the first laid downe the propositions maximes and generall rules so this assumes from them as for example Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft but I Saul haue rebelled constat de facto and this my rebellion shall for euer be written in the leaues of my conscience which page and line shall bee easie to turne vnto as often as God shall call me to an account The third part is performed by the conscience as a Iudge that concludes the sentence and this is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All these parts are alwaies contained in a syllogisme the proposition is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that explaines the cause and layes downe the controuersie like a skilfull lawyer the assumption which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and pleads guiltie and the conclusion out of both is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that giues sentence Proposition Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft Assumption But I Saul haue rebelled Conclusion Therefore I Saul haue committed a sinne as the sinne of witchcraft After the conscience hath thus propounded assumed and concluded the disposition of the heart may be seen
eternity is now before the eyes of the hypocrite For the Lord saies not before me but before thee for the Lord neuer begins his work in himselfe therefore in himselfe he did this from all eternitie but now he will manifest his ordering of sinne which he alwaies doth by the booke of his law but because this was cast at his backe and set at his heeles which ought to haue lien at his heart the Lord will open the third booke which shall pricke him to the quicke and make him most fearefully to looke about him Obiect 2 The second obiection is drawne from his attributes Attributes simgle conditional some of them not following the nature of the creature as omnipotencie power goodnes immensitie eternitie and the like but others haue no worke in the creature vntill the creature haue had his worke as no mercie can be wrought vpon the creature vntill his miserie be presupposed and no iustice executed vpon the creature vntill he haue bin sinnefull For mercie cannot be where there is no miserie neither iustice where there is no sinne for that ius dominij is an abuse of Gods wisdome for there is no rule for it and for the Lord to doe any thing in punishing as dominus and not as iudex is to make him vniust Indeede by the law of creation as he made man of nothing so may he annihilate him and bring him againe to nothing but to let him liue and punish him standing in his innocencie is to doe against the law of his iustice Sol. The answer to this point it this in briefe The distinction is not good for Gods attributes in himselfe are equally absolute eternall infinite but beeing manifested in his creatures become conditionall and to haue respect vnto the creatures therfore creation makes manifestation of power goodnes wisdome eternitie and the like as wel as mans fall of mercie and iustice therefore mercie and iustice were equally first in God with the rest for God was in himselfe both iust and mercifull before man was either sinnefull or miserable for the execution of iustice or mercie I confesse to be in regard of sinne and miserie but there is one reason of the execution another of the decree the iust cause of the one is his will the iust cause of the other is mans sinne Gods decree must haue a subiect Obiect 3 The subiect of Gods decree therefore either beeing or no beeing no beeing can vndergoe no decree for it can haue no end and therefore it must be a beeing therefore either the first beeing or that beeing which is from the first beeing not the first beeing for he can haue no end nor beginning and therefore no decree can passe of him so that onely remaines the other beeing which is from God therefore created therefore man created is required for a subiect of Gods decree now the ende of creation can not be reprobation for the ende of creation is mans happines with his Creator therefore a second estate of man must be considered and that is the fall of man in which estate a iust ground is giuen of Reiection and Election The answer It is graunted that Man is the Subiect Sol. The subiect and his manner of consideration yet we distinguish of man and answer that in euery subiect two things are required res considerata modus considerandi the thing considered is alwaies one but the manner of considering maketh diuers speciall subiects in this one subiect As for example being frō God is the subiect of all Gods reuealed wisdome yet this one subiect hath diuers manner of considerations according to diuers acts and operations that lie in him As for example Reason is a particular act and therefore becommeth a particular subiect of Gods wisedome to wit the Art of Logicke so the will a particular worke in Gods creatures becomes the subiect of Diuinitie so speach a particular worke becomes the subiect of Rhetoricke and Grammar Now that generall Subiect is before all these particular subiects and the foundation of all the rest and in them the thing considered as common to them all but the manner of considering it is proper and speciall to euery one So man is the thing considered in Gods decree therefore the most generall going before all particular considerations of creation fall redemption saluation damnation for all these are but particular considerations of man therefore keepe their order appointed of the Lord for the obtaining of his owne ende which is the glorifying of himselfe in his Iustice and Mercie therefore as man is the Subiect of Gods decree so creation the fall redemption saluation and damnation are but the meanes for the accomplishment of his will Againe euery one of these particular actions haue their speciall ends not opposing but concurring to the generall ende of the whole subiect so that the ende of creation is happines with the Creator and no miserie at all but this is the speciall end and therefore no opposite of the generall Againe the speciall ende of mans fall is miserie of bodie and soule in the first and second death yet no opposite of glorifying God in the demonstration of his mercie Thirdly the speciall end of mans Redemption is saluation to all that are in Christ and damnation to all that are out of Christ therefore all these ends beeing speciall must needes ayme at the generall for so goes the Rule of all true reason that subordinata non opponuntur 2. that fines intermedij sunt pro subordinatione finium ad vltimum finem And this shall suffice for the opposition now I come to the confirmation Arguments proouing the decree of sinne first drawne from ends The first Argument That which hath any ende is decreed but sinne hath an ende therefore is decreed The first proposition is prooued from the true distinction of ends laid downe by the Philosopher in the first booke of his Ethicks and the first Chapter where the Philosopher disputes most excellently for the subordination of arts and so consequently of beeings by an argument drawne from the distinction of ends to wit that all ends are either the last ende or ends tending vnto the last now the last end giues goodnes and amabilitie to all other ends and doth virtually containe them all in himselfe therfore must they needes be appointed for him This ground is a most enident proofe that sinne is decreed for the end of sinne must either be the last ende or tending to the last ende now it cannot be the last end for that alone is chalenged of the first being therefore an end tending vnto this last end And who dare denie but that all endes vnto the last ende are decreed for they make for the manifestation of his glorie Obiect Sinne is euill and therfore hath no ende seeing ends goodnes are the same But it will be obiected sinne is euill and therefore hath no ende for finis and bonum conuertuntur Vnto this I answer