three things Rather reconciled then â—pposed in the first first the genus or common nature in it secondly the subiect and thirdly the ende for the first Counsell cannot be the genus of predestination because it shewes the manner how Predestination is effected so that Predestination is not Counsell but that which is done by Counsell Eph. 1.11 where predestination is said to be wrought after the counsell of his owne will To this I answer that by Counsell M. Perkins vnderstands the decree it selfe by an vsual Trope of the cause for the effect to wit Counsell for a decree by counsell so then Predestination is a decree by counsell and thus both of them are rather reconciled then opposed For the second The subiect of Predestination is of man qua peccator as sinnefull and in this Arminius doth triumph as the only ground whereby he ouerturnes all other opinions of predestination so that if we be able to discouer an other subiect of Predestination the cause wil easily be euicted in all the rest Now for this purpose let vs first see how God wrought his decree and this must be done by resolution Analysis and genesis of Gods decree the only way to know it which alwaies begins with the most speciall and goes backward to the most generall secondly when we haue brought it to the most generall to carrie it along as God wrought it He that will view the bodie of a man by Anatomie must first of all lay open the outward parts and so by cutting enter into the secrets of the bodie vntill he come vnto those parts where sense life and motion haue their beginnings so wee that will looke into the secret decree of God as it is reuealed in his word must begin with the most specialls so ascend till we come to the highest which though it be last in our resolution yet will it be the first in Gods working Genesis Gods knowledge direct Αλφα God Ωμεγα Glorie Goodnesse His Vertues Intellectuall Morall Iustice Mercy Analysis Gods knowledge indirect Creation A world Man Made Holy Vnholy Redeemed A Church à latere Faihtfull Singular Analysis The most speciall subiect that can be imagined The first subiect in resolution which is last in composition is one indiuiduall and singular man and in this regard men are said either to be written or blotted out of Gods booke that is either chosen by name or put out by name as in a register wherein men are intitled vnto some honour he that brags of it and yet when the register is searched hath not his name therein is put to greater shame and this book is called in the Scriptures the booke of life wherein God is said to write and blot out mens names not that any is blotted out but that God manifests that he neuer had them in his election And this is made of Arminius his fourth and last decree wherein he inserts two most vncomfortable points First that the basis and foundation of this is nothing but Gods foreknowledge in the vse of sufficient meanes administred which beeing receiued and kept men should be saued Gratâ—â— praeueniens subsequent if otherwise damned Secondly though by preuenting grace men might beleeue and by subsequent grace perseuere yet he might loose both and of a beleeuer become no beleeuer which first of all breakes in peices the chaine Rom. 8.3 the consequent of iustification is glorification this is contradicted by Arminius a man may be iustified that neuer shall be glorified for I am sure he that beleeues is iustified yet he that beleeues may fall from grace and therefore a man may be iustified that neuer shall be glorified But the Apostle saies the contrarie Whome he hath iustified them also he hath glorified Againe it breakes the next linke for God calls all seeing he giues meanes sufficient to know and beleeue and therefore effectuall meanes are vsed whereby men are called yet neuer shall be iustified when the Apostle saies the contrarie whome he calls effectually and sufficiently they are iustified So then a man may be called but neuer iustified and iustified but neuer glorified Secondly it makes against our redemption Ioh. 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice and follow me c. Here he contradicts three maine things in v. 28. First eternall life he that beleeues hath it but he may loose it therefore eternall life may suffer death and so eternall should become temporall and immortall mortall Secondly they shall neuer perish a good consequent from eternall life yet Arminius contradicts it and saies Christs sheepe may perish Thirdly No man shall plucke them out of his hand but they may fall saies Arminius and therfore shall they be taken from him but he will say it is of themselues but that makes the coÌ„tradiction much the worse For then 1. Christs sheepe may not heare his voice 2. Christ may not know them 3. they may not follow him 4. they may extinguish that life for which they are content to loose their naturall life and their eternall life may be as subiect to casualtie as their mortall and miserable life 5. they that shall neuer perish may perish of themselues therefore Christ shall not be as good as his word that said neuer 6. Christ shall fuffer that of his owne which he would neuer permit vnto others and therefore should be weaker to oppose the violence of his owne then the tyrannie of others 7. his fathers gift and greatnesse shall be surprised his Gift committed to the trust of his Sonne shall not faithfully be restored and his Father that is greater then all though he shall preuaile against all others yet his owne shall ouercome him Thirdly it takes away all Christian confidence how durst Paul so triumph Rom. 8.31 challenge principalities and powers Paul saies If God be for vs who shall be against vs Why Paul thou may be against thy selfe God spared not his Son to giue vs à ll things yet Paul he gaue vs not perseuerance Who can charge Gods chosen who Paul there is an answer They can do it theselues God iustifieth who shall condemne The answer is easie they may condemn themselues Christ is dead yea rather risen makes intercession but Paul for all his dying we may die for all his resurrection we may rise to condemnation for all his intercession we may liue not onely in purgatorie but hell it selfe But to stoppe the mouthes of such disputers the Apostle in the 35.38 39. makes an ennumeration of all that can befall vs as tribulation anguish persecution famine nakednes perill sword death life angels principalities powers things present things to come height depth or any other thing and what more then these can be found If thy selfe be more then all these then thou art assuredly a most wretched person that when all is taken away that might draw thee from Christ then thou wilt draw away thy selfe what more desperate then this In all these things saies the Apostle we are
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
place First it brings sinne to Gods goodnesse then along to Gods law and thirdly to Gods plagues They that tame vnruely creatures first bring them to the thing and place where they haue done the iniurie then labours to let them see the fault by beating of them So the Lord first brings vs to our selues and his silence le ts vs see what we haue done against our selues and his silence and then doth he let vs feele the power of his wrath that hereafter he may be our feare either filiall or slauish for he will haue euerie knee to bowe vnto him either a knee of power or of reuerence of loue or constraint from heart or from bodie Vse 1. reprehension First confutation of all those that denie Gods prouidence because they see not present execution of iudgement for sinne and present reward for weldoing the Lords times are in his owne hands and he is verie wise in them all therefore it is my wisdome to rest content with patience and expect Gods leasure Secondly correction of the godly that are too importunate with the Lord to destroy the wicked Wilt thou not breake the heauens and come downe but hee that beleeues will not make hast Vse 2. instruction First admonition to the wicked that they agree with their aduersarie while he is in the way least he deliuer them to the iudge and they be cast into prison and there lie vntil they haue paid the vttermost farthing Secondly direction to the godly neuer to be at rest vntill they know themselues reconciled vnto God in Christ Iesus for that is Gods heartie loue no bare silence for one may hold his tongue and yet be extreamely angrie Vse 3. From Gods direct knowledge consolation First in weldoing surely if God can agree with a sinner for a time how shall hee reioyce to doe his child good that labours to serue him Secondly in miserie this may affoard comfort that God will not bee worse vnto me then he is vnto the wicked nay he will spare me as a father spareth his child that hee sees endeauour to do well CHAP. IIII. Of the simple inuention First of Gods knowledge NOW I come to the simple inuention and consider euery reason by himselfe the sentence hath two parts Gods truth Gods holinesse Gods truth in these words these things hast thou done wherein we haue knowledge without all error secondly integritie without all partialitie thirdly equity without all contradiction Obser 1. Gods knowledge is a most exact and particular knowledge of all things these things are knowne vnto the Lord to wit the verie consent vnto adultery and theeuery the very running of the heart though the world could neuer coÌ„demne them of any such crimes this knowledge therefore is most particular of sinnes persons things causes ends effects and all circumstances that accompany them Reas 1. Because all things are in God long before they exist in the world Hence is God called the most perfect idaea of all things a skilfull workeman hath the plot of his building in his head long before he begin his worke out of himselfe Psal 139.2 thou vnderstandest my thought afarre off and v. 16. thine eies did see me when I was without forme for in thy booke were all things written which in continuance were fashioned when there was none of them before 2. Reason As all things were in God From creation so all things were from God and that which was from him must needes be knowne of him Psal 94.9 He that planted the eare shall he not heare he that formed the eye shall he not see Psal 139.13 Thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe therefore thou hast possessed my reynes v. 15. My bones are not hid from thee though I was made in a secret place and fashioned beneath in the earth And it is a most cleare knowledge for Heb. 4.13 Neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open vnto his eyes with whome wee haue to doe The word in the originall is taken from a beast that hath the skinne fleaed off his necke so that all the nerues and arteries that runne that way may plainly be seene or els from a man cast on his backe with his face toward heauen which may be seene of all Neither is this a bare knowledge but with care and counsell Eph 1.11 Which worketh all things after the counsell of his will and most particular Matth. 10.39 A sparrow falls not to the ground without Gods will yea and all the haires of your head are numbred and most certen Numb 23.19 God is not as man that he should lie neither shall it be resisted Exod. 4.11 he will giue a mouth to man make the dumme speake it and the deafe heare it before it shall be silenced by man the very stones shall speake out of the wall and the timber before man shall burie Gods truth or obscure that which he would haue reuealed 3. Reason As all in God and from God From proâ—dence so for his prouidence and preseruation of them they liue mooue and haue their beeing continued from him Act. 17.25 And therfore seeing the Lord hath gone with vs all our daies he must needes be priuie to all our doings There is not a motion in the heart a stirring of the hand a turning vp of the eye or a foote of ground troden but the Lord knoweth it because he was in that motion Againe for our liuing whether generall or speciall the Lord taketh notice of it generall with what conscience good or euill with what faith or infidelitie whether we haue had our conuersation in heauen or vpon earth particular first to himselfe what pietie in his worship thankfulnes for his blessings praier in our needes prouidence in the vse of meanes and without meanes Secondly towards man first all in generall what charitie iustice peace loue in speciall towards superiours what reuerence equalls humilitie inferiours kindnes lastly to thy selfe what modestie temperance sobrietie 4. From the ende Reason God must dispose of all things for himselfe therfore must he know them Rom. 11.36 For in him and through him and for him are all things c. 5. From circumstances of time place and person Reason In that the Lord knoweth not all things as in himselfe from himselfe and working by himselfe and for himselfe but also in that he knoweth euery circumstance of time place person Of place Psal 139. first for the positions of it v. 3. Thou compassest my pathes and my lying downe and art accustomed to all my waies thou holdest me straight behind and before and laiest thy hand vpon me Againe for the place it selfe v. 7. Whether shall I goe from thy spirit or whether shall I flee from thy presence if I ascend into heauen thou art there if I lie down in hell thou art there let me take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the
and affections they proceede to strange disorder in life and conuersation and therefore v. 28. they are said to do◠those things which are not conuenient which in particular are expressed in the 29 30 and 31. v. The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which includes two things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither dutie nor decorum so that they misse euery action in the substance and in the circumstance Dutie is wanting therefore the forme of the action is spoiled decencie is also vnperformed and therefore no good manner is obserued by the wicked Therefore wicked men are like to themselues within and without for knowledge will and affection they are disordered at home for life and conuersation abroad Observ Hence then it followeth that Sinne is nothing but disorder and confusion and that sinners are the onely disordered and confused persons in the world First for the confusion of sinne see it in regard of all times God hath from the beginning of the world made the times of his mercie and Iustice appeare and yet sinne hath so obscured them that a man can not discerne whether men were more holy in the time of the Law or now in the Gospel Indeede in the 2. of Tit. v. 11. it is said that the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlines and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly and righteously and holily in this present world but alas vngodlines and worldly lusts put forth themselues as euidently as they did when the Lord kept backe his glorious appearance of grace Some Christians celebrate a Christmas day indeede which if the name onely were changed a man might iudge it to be a day of Bacchus the feast of Epicures rather then the feast of Saints Againe it hath made a confusion of all places for how shall Christians distinguish betwixt the heathen gentiles that neuer knewe the Lord and them that haue made a profession of his name surely if it were not the worke of the Lord many of their workes would testifie that Gentilisme Iudaisme Atheisme and Christianisme were all one Thirdly it hath made a confusion of all Callings insomuch that no man can distinguish by the liues of men betwixt a calling and a recreation for if recreations be not callings then many a gentleman will prooue himselfe to haue no calling Fourthly in actions good or bad neceffarie or indifferent seasonable or vnseasonable sinne makes all one Fiftly of persons old or young prince or people magistrate or meane persons superiour or inferiour Pastour or flocke all is one for sinne will set the boy against the aged people Prince inferiours superiours and all shall be of the same profession And God tells Israel Ose 4.9 there shall be like people like priosts which beareth the same sense in all the rest And therefore if we looke into court and country citie towne village and house we shall see sinne will be the quarter-master Hence ambition wil order all in the court couetousnesse in the country pride in the city deceit in the towne drunkennesse theft swilling in villages contentions and brawling in families the wife against the husband and the husband against the wife father against the sonne and seruant against master so that he that would espie out any order in the world may not with Diogenes take a candle at noone day go vp and downe the market to spie out an honest man but if he were compassed about with all the starres in heauen and had all the light in the world he were not able to spie out any order in any corner of the world except that which the Lord himselfe hath done will perfectly accomplish hereafter And as sinne is in all these so are sinners the oxe knowes his owner and the asse his masters crib the crane turtle swallow their appointed times but euen Israel hath not knowne Gods people hath not vnderstood For place if God shall say vnto man as he did vnto Moses Exod. 3.5 Moses Moses put thy shooes off thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Christ may say my house shall be called a house of prayer and the Preacher may say to euery one take heed vnto your feet when ye come into the house of God yet none shall with Moses put off his shooes hide his face be afraid to looke vpon God for they will stare him in the face euen standing in all their filthines they will make the house of God a denne of theeues and for all that the Preacher hath said be so farre from hearing that they will offer without all controlment the sacrifice of fooles For Callings it is as easie to pull the starres from heauen as to make some gentlemen leaue their pleasures or they that are giuen to a wandring life to set themselues to some honest calling whereby they may glorifie God profit Church Common-wealth and liue honestly among their neighbours For actions men neither care for honestie nor dishonestie but rush into sinne as the horse doth into the battell and drinke in iniquitie as the fish doth water As for persons what care and conscience make men of their companie they can shake hands with euery bodie be most at ease with the wicked and solace themselues with those that hate God And therfore the point is cleare that the world is full of disorder and confusion The reasons whereof are these Reas 1. Because that sinne and sinners breake all Gods limits and wil be kept within no compasse vntill the Lord take sinne and sinners and chaine them vp for euer with the deuill in hell Reas 2. Because sinne confounds all mens memories for take a sinner either in Church or Common-wealth to giue accounts either to God or man of that which they trusted him withall and you shall finde him so confounded with the spending of his masters goods that he cannot tell iustly how any penie is put forth for his masters profit therefore at the day of iudgement when the Lord shall call for his talents wicked men shall be so confounded that they haue nothing to say but away with me wretch into the place of my torments Reas 3. Is from the nature of sinne which accepts of all without distinction it careth not how it comes by any thing whether by hooke or by crooke as we say and therefore sinne beeing a great gatherer and keeping no booke either of receits or expences must needes make confusion when it comes to the reckoning and therefore neither the giuer nor the spender shall haue any profit by it 1. Vse reprehension First confutation of the wicked that make no account of the day of Gods reckoning with them but let them be assured that Gods booke is neither crossed nor made vp in this world and therefore must they looke to answer hereafter Secondly correction to the godly that can not be content to let God be crossing