of all sortes are appointed to wrath 1. Tim. 2.3 Rom. 9.22 AEnig 66. How doth God prepare many to destruction yet their destruction is of themselues Resolution In destruction wee are to consider two things the purpose and the execution of it The first is from God decreeing destruction as the punishment of Sinne but mens owne faults and their impenitencie goeth before the latter as the proper cause of it Osea 13. 9. O Israell thy destruction is of thy selfe AEnig 67. How can things be done contrary to the will of God yet not be done besides the will of God If Gods will bee doth reuealed and secret how is it but one will Resolution All sinnes are done contrary to the reuealed will of God which forbiddeth them Exod. Yet they do not fall out besides the secret will of God for they should not bee at all if God were vnwilling they should bee Howbeit Gods will is but as himselfe is that is but one and it is alwaies like it selfe as he is vnchangeable yet of this one will much is manifested in his word and much is reserued vnto himselfe That which concernes the way to saluation and the rule of good life is manifestly reuealed that which concernes the euents and endes of persons and thinges of their councels and actions is kept secret to God himselfe till time bewray it hence commeth the distinction of his will into secret and reuealed Deut. 29. 29. Secret things to God reuealed things to vs. AEnig 68. How can that will be sinnelesse which doth will sinne Resolution That may be sinnelesse will which willeth sinne not as it is sinne and a breach of the law but as punishment of some foregoing sinne or as occasion and meanes of future blessing and safety Thence did God will Adams fall Pharaohs hardening Iudas treason AEnig 69 70. What is that that makes all euill things yet is the cause of no euill and how may this be What is that that drawes euill out of good yet it selfe is most good and how may this be Resolution It is Gods most iust and wise prouidence which maketh all euill of affliction Esay 45. yet is he not cause of any euill of crime which God indeede ordereth and conuerteth to the great benefit of his children by his maruellous goodnesse and wisedome Himselfe still remaining most holy As the Sun is not defiled by shining vpon a dunghill so neither is God polluted by turning bad actions to good ends AEnig 71. How is it that God appointes meanes yet himselfe worketh against meanes Resolution Meanes are appointed for vs to bee helps of our weakenesse and not for him who is almighty and most free neither needing them nor tied to them but working with them without them or against them as hee will Examples hereof in sauing Daniell and opening the blind mans eies with clay AEnig 72. How is it that God commandes vs to vse meanes yet some sinne as much in vsinge them as others in refusinge them Resolution To vse meanes with trust in them as King Asa vsed the Phisition and couetous men vse riches is as great a sinne as it is to refuse meanes when wee may haue them in this later wee doe tempt God Math. 4. in the former we make the meanes our God in placing our confidence in them Col. 3. AEnig 73. How can dead things preserue life Resolution Through Gods effectuall and mightie blessinge our dead meates maintaine life and make vs liuely and our cold cloathes to minister warmth to vs. AEnig 74. How is it that some men haue a good cause with good meanes which they vse well yet speede ill when others who lacke meanes or vse them ill yet speede well though their cause be naught Resolution It pleaseth God to withdraw successe where both the cause and the meanes be good for that he saith that the meanes were either trusted in or vsed without prayer and repentance or a good cause dealt in with no good affection or because God will try the Faith and patience of his children whereas to euill men which haue an euill cause though they lacke meanes or abuse them yet they often speede well that God may the more declare his lenitie and goodnesse in being kinde to the vnkinde or may the better manifest his Iustice in their punishment if they amend not by his bountie AEnig 75. How are the righteous deliuered euen then when they are killed Resolution Death is one meanes of deliuerance vnto the Distressed children of God and the best meanes for after that they rest from all their labours Reuel 14. 13. AEnig 76. How are many of the Saints put to vile deaths yet their death is euer pretious Resolution Their death is vile sometime for the manner of it in the world and in the account of worldlings but in respect of the cause for which they die their constant cleauing to the truth vnto death their cruell and vile death is alwaies precious vnto God Ps. 116. AEnig 77. How can hell bee an help to bringe any man to heauen Resolution The feare of hell paines deserued by sinne and the feeling of hellish sorrowes after some sinne bee sanctified and blessed to the elect of God to bee meanes to keepe them from sinning and either to driue or hould them closer to Christ who is the only way that leades to heauen Thus hell helps to heauen the Deuill against his will proues a Phisition to the iust AEnig 78. What is that that is both a medicine and a poyson at once and how this may be Resolution Sathans temptations and sinnes motions in their owne nature be poysonfull but by Gods mercifull prouidence they prooue medicines too being preseruatiues to the Godly against many sins and the occasiou of more humblenesse warinesse feruencie and prayer The Sacrament of the supper which is an healthfull potion to the contrite sinner to the vnbeleeuers and impenitent it becomes poysonfull and extreame hurtfull through their owne fault 1. Cor. 9. 27.29 AEnig 79. What bitter thing is that that hath a sweet fruit and how it may be Resolution They bee outward afflictions and inward conflict of conscience for sin also the seuere threatnings of the law they all be greeuous and bitter to the flesh but to the inward man they bring foorth in the end the sweet fruits of righteousnesse and peace euen of a good life and a quiet conscience Heb. 12.11 AEnig 80. How is it that God tempteth no man yet leadeth many men into temptation Resolution God being most holy cannot tempt any to sinne by inspiring the motion of sinne for this were against his most pure nature which can abide no iniquitie Psal. 5. 4. Yet as a iust iudge hee leadeth some into temptation by deliuering them vp vnto the lusts of sinne and Satan as a Iudge deliuers the malefactour to the executioner Rom. 1. 24. 26. Let all flesh
also to remember vs and assure vs the better of the giftes promised in the worde and offered to vs in the Sacraments that they are giuen vs together with the signes this is a Sacramentall metonimie the obseruing whereof preserues from Transubstantiation The authority and strong credite which scripture hath with vs is from God whose word and voice it is so certified to our consciences by that spirit which indited it and is not deriued from the Church whose office is faithfully to interpret and preserue this word in purity by the vse of an holy ministery and so is the piller and ground of truth not a Mistris and Queene to commande and ouer-rule but an handmaide and seruant to expound it to the Saints therefore truly saith a learned author that the authority of Church in expounding Scriptures is ministeriall not absolute and soueraigne Men know by the scriptures such things as were otherwise vnpossible to be knowne of vs yet are of necessity to be knowne August de ciuitat dei l. 11. cap. 3. The whole mistery of Christ of which wee had neuer dreamed except it had beene reuealed in scripture neither can we ordinarily bee saued without knowledge of it Ioh. 17.3 the resurrection iudgement and things following were shewed in no other writers saue the sacred scriptures as God hath reuealed no superfluous thinges and vnprofitable matter so they had been still secret except hee had opened them All heresies haue risen from the corrupt and naughty vnderstanding of scriptures Hilarius aduersus Arrianos As from the ill vnderstanding of that 1 Tim. 2.4 Photius drew his heresie Christ to be man only not God Philip. 2.7 Marcian gathered the body of Christ to be not true but phantasticall and imaginary of those wordes in Iohn My father is greater then I Arrius grounded the inequallity between the god head of the father and of Christ. This happeneth by no fault of Scriptures but of men euilly vnderstanding them which cannot but breede errour as of well vnderstanding comes truth A particular example will afford a generall instruction when the equity of the thing done is vniuersall and the cause common otherwise not Iunius As we may not follow the examples of Ehud Sampson and Elias calling for fire because of these actions there were particular respects and speciall warrant no law to command to all what was done by them few The true cause why men erre in expounding scripture is for that they want the spirit of God inwardly to inlighten the iudgement and do not vse by plainer places of scripture to seeke light for those which bee more difficult and obscure else because they come with preiudice imposing a sense from themselues in fauour of their owne false opinion or bring not humble hearts and holy affections desirous to know the truth that they may obey it For men cannot know the trueth vnlesse they continue in his wordes Iohn 8. 32. Master White in his Treatise of the way to the true Church The scripture in the manner of teaching diuine things hath great respect both to our capacity and vtility Orig. contra Celsum lib. 4. God so speaking to man as if he were a man as Scholemasters fitt themselues to their yonge pupils and Nurses to their yonge infants whose meat they chew for them See Iohn 3. 12. Rom. 6. 19. I speake after the manner of man because of the infirmity of your flesh Where scripture dispraiseth and condemneth any man all actions which that man did are not dispraised absolutely As is to be seen in Iudas in Saul in Iehu and others Also where it commendeth the person of a man it followes not all his actes to be commended as in Peters deniall and Dauids adultery is very apparant but like a true glasse the scripture shewes what is faire and what deformed in euery one August contra Faustum If this had beene thought on that the Saints are not to bee followed but in good things nor in those neither if they be personall many would neuer haue made infirmities of the Saints a buckler for their iniquitie The scripture prophesieth both of good and euill things to come aswell of the abounding of iniquity and perils in the last daies and of the paines of hell as of the happinesse of the Saincts in heauen August Epist. 137. Because men being forewarned are halfe armed and that no man should be taken vnawares or be able to pretend ignorance In Scripture take knowledge of two generations one of good men the seede of Christ the other of wicked men the seede of the Serpent it must be marked what belonges to the one and the other and what is spoken of each particularly Hieron in Math. 23. See Psal. 1.2 and Psal. 3.7 throughout Because if these two generations and the things spoken of them be not wisely distinguished one shall not bee able to apply scripture rightly either to the vse of others or themselues Some sentences taken from heathenish authors are to be found in holy scriptures Hieron Acts 17.28 1. Cor. 15.33 Tit. 1.12 As the Egyptians spoiles furnished the Israelites Dauid holpe himselfe with the speare of Goliah so the holy Ghost strikes the heathens with their owne weapons and causeth heathnish books as handmaides to waite vpon diuine truth and as spoiles to enrich sacred diuinity But let others be wary and sober in the practise of this point It would be vsed wisely and religiously without preiudice to holy scriptures authority or hurt to the hearers or ostentation in the teachers It is a sure rule to be followed as in other actions so especially in sermons Let all things be done to edification Profundity and depth of Gods counsels and iudgements are not too narrowly and curiously to bee searched but wondred at with astonishment Aug. de vocat gent. lib. 1. cap. 4. After the example of Paul Rom. 11.33 O the depth c. The reason is because Gods waies are vntraceable and past finding out and secret things belong to God Deut. 29. vlt. As it is contempt to despise things reuealed which belong to vs and were written for our learning and comfort so it is a wicked curiositie to search into vnreuealed things which God hath kept in his owne power as why he would elect Peter and not Iudas c. Such things as wee cannot know them so it were not for our profit know them as what day the Angels were made and what God did before the world and in what place hell is and the iudgment shall be and such like All this checks such as search the time of Christs second comming and determine the ranks and orders of Angels Whatsoeuer things are written in Scripture are to bee referred vnto Christ who is author obiect matter and mark of old and new Testament for he is the end of the law Rom. 10.4 whereunto the law
yet was not God substantially which is but one wheras a wicked man of corrupt nature and manners may be and is a God representatiuely in respect of his office and power being a Magistrate and executing the iudgments of God Psal. 82.6 I haue said yee are Gods AEnig 41. Who was hee that had neither Father nor Mother being but a meere man and was a man ere he was a child and how that may be Resolution This man was Adam who came into the world not by naturall generation as other men but by supernaturall creation wherein he was made euery way perfit in graces members proportion stature c. AEnig 42. How are Kings and beggers equall while they liue Resolution They are equall by profession being both worshippers of one God Eph. 4. and by creation being both the workman-ship of God in these two things they quarter Armes being for degree and gifts very vnequall AEnig 43. How can he be but one man in whom all men at once were Resolution Adam was but one man personally his person was but one and singular but God so decreeing it he was all men potentially and orginally as Leui was when Abraham was Heb. 7. 9.10 so all men were when Adam was because they all were in his loynes Also Adam being the head and root of our kinde though himselfe were but one person yet he bare and susteined the persons of all men who were to stand with him or to fall with him as the euent declared AEnig 44. Who was he that needed not sinne if he would yet must needs sinne and how this may be Resolution It was Adam created with perfect liberty of will who might alwaies haue chosen righteous things if he would and therefore when he sinned he sinned freely his will of it owne accord inclining it selfe to eat of the forbidden tree yet God hauing decreed his Fall not as it is a sinne but as a meane to effect his own counsell to the praise of his name in the iust punishing of the reprobate for sinne and in the mercifull sauing of the Elect by Christ. Hence it is that there was a necessitie that he should sinne a necessitie I say in regard of the euent by Gods decree the first cause yet no necessitie in regard of Adams will the second cause which had power not to haue done it AEnig 45. Who is he that sinned ere hee had any euill concupiscence Resolution It was Adam who was created holy without any euill lust yet God not confirming his will he freely yeelded vnto an euill temptation outwardly suggested and so euill concupiscence came in as a punishment of his voluntary disobedience and now it is become to all his issue the root of all their sinnes Rom. 7.7 Iam 1.14.15 Adam sinned actually first and then originally we sinne first originally and then actually AEnig 46. How can the fault of one make all other men sinners without iniustice Resolution The fault of one of vs cannot doe it because our sinnes be personall hurting our selues or some few other The Soule that sinneth shall die Ezech. 18. but Adam being the originall and beginning of man by God ordinance when he sinned all men sinned in him his sinne was the sinne of the whole and by the guilt of his disobedience imputed all were made sinners and miserable Ro. 5. 12.19 If in case of high treason earthly Princes punish children with their Fathers without iniustice how much more may God doe this and yet not doe vniustly AEnig 47. How can one offence being done in a moment bring eternall death vpon all men without iniquitie Resolution The act of Adams disobedience being but one and of short continuance also the obiect of his sinne but meane yet an euerlasting God being offended in that one act the guilt thereof bindes him and his to punishment for euer if it be not pardoned Rom. 6.23 It standeth with iustice that an eternall paine bee rendred to the offence of an eternall essence and sinnes are to be measured by the dignitie of the person against whom they are commited AEnig 48. How was it that Adam did liue after he had eaten the forbidden fruit yet he was threatned that hee should die the death if he did eat Resolution Adam hauing sinned by eating the threatning of death was fulfilled because vpon his fault his soule was spiritually dead and his body thenceforth liable to naturall death and to all miseries as fore-runners thereof God reptiued him and spared the full execution of the sentence to commend his abundant mercy and patience in giuing him both space and occasion of repentance 2. Pet. 3. Ro. 2.4 AEnig 49. What is that which at once is both sin the cause of sinne and the punishment of sinne and how may this be Resolution It is originall lust which is properly sinne being a transgression of that Law which saith Thou shalt not lust Ro. 7.7 and fighting against the gouernment of the Spirit in a renued soule Ro. 7. 21.22 Also it is the punishment of Adams willing and witting disobedience and the cause of all other sinnes which do arise out of that bitter root Iames 1.15 AEnig 50. What is that one thing that at once is both most happy and most miserable of all other things Resolution It was Adams fall which in its owne nature and in regard of the effects which followed enfolding all men within sinne and euerlasting death was the most miserable thing that euer hapned no euill like to it for extent and force But in regard of the euent which fell out by the maruellous wisdome and goodnes of God it did accidentally prooue as one saith of it foelix crimen an happy fault giuing occasion to the redemption of the elect by Christ incarnate purchasing a constant and heauenly felicitie AEnig 51. How can one who is like to God offend by desiring to be as God Resolution Adam in his creation was like God that is perfectly iust and wise as a creature might be wherewith not being contented but aspiring to be as God that is equall to him this was his horrible offence Gen. 3. AEnig 52. Now is it said we all sinned in Adam yet the woman was in the transgression Resolution The woman indeed was first in the transgression for she entised and deceiued hir husband 1. Tim. 2. 14. yet it is written that wee sinne in Adam not in Eaue because the man being the principall agent in generation sinne is rather deriued by him into his ofspring 2 Though Eue were first yet Adam was more in fault because of his greater preheminence in dignitie of sexe and excellencie of graces whereby he was enabled and bound to haue kept himselfe and Eaue both from sinning therefore the denomination is from the man as more excellent AEnig 52. How is it that our first parents did not know good and euill till after their sinne yet were created with perfect