Ghost createth and so we may say of the works of gouernment and of redemption and of all outward actions of the persons to the creatures But some againe may say howe then can the worke of creation beeing an outward action of God to the creature be peculiar to the first person the father I answere the work of creatiō is not so proper to the first person the father as that it cannot also be cōmon to the rest for all the three persons ioyntly created all things of nothing only they are distinguished in the maner of creating For the father is the cause that beginneth the worke the sonne puts it in execution the holy ghost is the finisher of it And againe the father createth by the sonne by the holy ghost the sonne createth by the holy ghost and from the father the holy ghost createth not by the father nor by the sonne but from the father the sonne And this is the reason why the worke of creation is ascribed here vnto the father because he alone createth after a peculiar manner namely by the sonne and by the holy Ghost but the Sonne and the holy Ghost create not by the father but from him Thus hauing answered the obiection we come to speake of the creation it selfe In handling whereof we must withall treat of the Counsell of God as beeing the cause therof and of the Gouernment of the creatures as being a work of God whereby he continunes the creation And the order which I will obserue is first to speake of the Counsell of God and secondly of the exequution of his Counsell which hath two speciall branches the first the creation the second the preseruation or gouernment of things created The Counsell of God is his eternall and vnchangeable decree whereby he hath ordained all things either past present or to come for his owne glorie First I call it a decree because God hath in it sette downe with himselfe and appointed as soueraigne Lord what shall be what shall not bee I adde further that all things whatsoeuer come vnder the compasse of this decree as Paul saith He worketh all things according to the counsell of his will And our Sauiour Christ saith that a sparrowe cannot fall on the ground without the heauenly father yea further he tels his disciples that the very haires of their heades are numbred meaning that they are knowne and set downe in the counsell of God And considering that God is King of heauen and earth and that most wise yea wisdome it selfe and most mightie yea might and power it selfe it must needes bee that he hath determined how all things shall come to passe in his kingdome with all their circumstances time place causes c. in such particular manner that the very least thing that may bee is not left vnappointed and vndisposed The counsell of God hath two properties eternitie and vnchaungeablenes It is eternall because it was set downe by God from euerlasting before all times as Paul saith God hath chosen the Ephesians to saluation before all worldes And he saith of himselfe that hee was called according to the purpose of God which was before all worldes Againe the same counsell once set downe is vnchangeable God saith I am Iehouah and I chaunge not With God saith S. Iames there is no variablenesse nor shadowe of chaunge Nowe such as God is such is his decree or counsell And beeing vnchangeable his counsels also are vnchangeable Gods counsell hath two parts his foreknoweledge and his wil or pleasure His foreknowledge whereby he did foresee all thinges which were to come His will whereby in a generall manner he wills and ordaines whatsoeuer is to come to passe and therefore such things as God altogither nilleth cannot come to passe Now these two-parts of the counsell of God must be ioyned together and not seuered Will without knowledge is impotent and foreknowledge without will is idle And therefore such as holde that God doeth barely foresee sundrie things to come no manner of way either willing or decreeing the issue and euent of them doe bring in little better then Atheisme For if we say that any thing comes to passe either against Gods will or God not knowing of it or not regarding it we shall make him either impotent or carelesse and rase the very foundation of Gods prouidence And this decree of God must be conceiued of vs as the most generall cause of all things subsisting being first in order hauing all other causes vnder it and most principall ouerruling all ouerruled by none Thus wee see what is to be held touching Gods counsell nowe for the better clearing of the trueth three obiections of some difficultie are to be answered First may some man say if God decree and ordaine all things whatsoeuer then he decreeth and ordaineth sinne but God decrees not sinne in as much as it is against his will and therefore he decrees not all things Ans. Wee vse not to say that God doth simply will or decree sinne but onely in part adding withall these caueats I. That God willeth and decreeth sinne not properly as it is sin but as it hath in it sundry regards and respects of goodnes so farforth as it is a punishment or chastisement or triall or action or hath any existence in nature II. God can so vse euil instruments that the work done by them beeing a sinne shall neuerthelesse in him bee a good worke because hee knowes howe to vse euill instruments well If it be further alleadged that God willeth no wickednesse Psal. 5.5 we must knowe that Gods will is two-folde generall and speciall Generall whereby God willeth and decreeth that a thing shall bee and by this kinde of will he may be saide to will sinne and that without sinne For though he decree it thus yet doth he not instill wickednesse into the heart of any sinner and his decree is onely for a most excellent ende For in regard of God which decreeth it is good that there should be euill To this purpose Augustine saith excellently By an vnspeakeable manner it comes to passe that that which is against Gods will is not without his will Nowe the speciall will of God is that whereby he willeth any thing in such manner that he approoueth it and delighteth in it And thus indeede we cannot say without blasphemie that god willeth sinne Thus then we see in what manner and how farforth God may be said to decree sinne that is to will and appoint the permission of it Againe it may be obiected thus If all things be determined by the vnchangeable decree of God then all things come to passe by an vnchangeable necessitie and men in their actions haue no freewill at all or libertie in doing any thing Answer This must be learned as a certaine rule that the necessarie decree of God doth not abolish the nature of the second causes and impose necessitie vpon the will of
man but onely order and incline it without any constraint to one part As for example when a people is gathered togither to heare gods word there is none of them but they knowe that they come thither by Gods prouidence In that respect necessarily yet before they come they had all freedome and libertie in themselues to come or not to come and Gods eternall counsell did not hinder the libertie of our wills in comming or not comming nor take away the same but onely incline and turne them to the choice of one part An other example hereof we may haue in our Sauiour Christ whose state and condition of bodie if we regard he might haue liued longer yet by the eternall counsell of God he must die at that place at that time at that houre where and when he died Whereby we may see that Gods counsell doth not hinder the will of man but only order and dispose it Which answer being well marked we shall see these two will stand togither the necessarie and vnchangeable counsell of God and the free will of man And againe that the same action may be both necessarie and contingent necessarie in regard of the highest cause the counsell of God not necessarie but contingent in respect of the second causes as among the rest the will of man Thirdly some will yet obiect against this doctrine that if all things come to passe according to Gods vnchangeable decree then what needes the vsing of any meanes what needs the preaching of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments what needes any lawes Princes Magistrates or gouernment what needes walking in mens ordinarie callings all is to no ende for let men play or worke sleepe or wake let them doe what they will all is one for Gods eternall counsell must needes come to passe therefore it may seeme in vaine for men to busie themselues about such things Answ. But we must know that as God hath appointed all things to come to passe in his eternall and vnchangeable counsell so in the same decree he hath together set downe the meanes and waies whereby he will haue the same things brought to passe for these two must neuer be seuered the thing to be done and the meanes whereby it is done We may read in the Acts in Pauls dangerous voyage towardes Rome and Angel of the Lord tolde Paul that God had giuen him all that sailed with him in the shippe now the soldiers and marriners hearing this might reason thus with themselues Seeing God hath decreed to saue vs all we may do what we will there is no danger for we shall all come to land aliue but marke what Paul saith except these abide in the shippe ye can not be safe where we see that as it was the eternall counsell of God to saue Paul and all that were with him so he decreed to saue all by this particular meanes of their aboad in the shippe King Ezechias was restored to his health and receiued from God a promise that he should haue 15. yeares added to his daies and the promise was confirmed by signe now what doth he cast off all meanes no but as he was prescribed so he applieth a bunch of drie figges to his sore and vseth still his ordinarie diet Therefore it is grosse ignorance and madnesse in men to reason so against Gods decree God in his vnchangeable counsell hath decreed and set downe all things how they shall be therefore I will vse no meanes but liue as I list nay rather we must say the contrarie because God hath decreed this thing or that to be done therefore I will vse the meanes which God hath appointed to bring the same to passe Now follows the Creation which is nothing else but a worke of the blessed Trinitie forming and framing his creatures which were not before and that of nothing The points to be knowne concerning the creation are many The first is the thing by which God did beginne and finish the creation And we must vnderstand that at the first God made all things without any instrumēt or meanes and not as men doe which bring to passe their busines by seruants and helps but onely by his word and commandement as the Psalmist saith He commanded and all things were made In the beginning God saide Let there be light and there was light and by the same meanes was the creation of euery creature following The very power of the word commandement of God was such as by it that thing was made and had a beeing which before was not It may be demaunded what word this was by which God is saide to make all things Answ. The word of God in Scripture is taken three waies for the substantiall word for the sounding or written word for the operatiue or powerfull word The substantiall word is the second person begotten of the substance of the father Now howsoeuer it be true that God the father did create all things by his word that is by his Sonne yet doth it not seeme to be true that by these words God said let there be this or that that the Sonne is meant For that word which God gaue out in the creation was in time whereas the Sonne is the word of the father before all times and againe it is a word common to the three persons equally whereas the Sonne is the word of the father onely Furthermore it is not like that it was any sounding word standing of letters and syllables and vttered to the creatures after the vsuall manner of men that was the cause of them it remaines therfore that all things were made by the operatiue word which is nothing but the pleasure will and appointment of God and is more powerfull to bring a thing to passe then all the meanes in the world beside For Gods willing of any thing is his effecting and doing of it And this is prooued by Dauid when he saith He spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created Hence we must take out a speciall lesson needfull to be learned of euery man Looke what power God vsed and shewed in making the creatures when they were not the same power he both can and will shew forth in recreating and redeeming sinnefull men by the pretious blood of Christ. By his word he created mans heart when it was not and he can and will as easily create in vs all new hearts specially when we vse the good meanes appointed for that ende As when Christ said to dead Lazarus Lazarus come forth he arose and came forth of his graue though boūd hand foot so when the Lord speaks to our dead hearts by his word and spirit we shall rise forth of the graues of our sins corruptions In the creation of the great world God saide let there be light and presently darknes gaue place and the same he can do to the little world that is to man We are by
away the equalitie of essence and power but declareth the order of the persons Ioh. 5â—18 Therefore the Iewes sought the more to kill him not onely because he had broken the Sabboth but said also that God was his Father and made himselfe equall with God Phil. 2.6 Who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God Although the Son be begotten of his Father yet neuertheles he is of by himselfe very God for he must be considered either according to his essence or according to his filiatioÌ„ or Sonship In regard of his essence he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. of and by himselfe very God for the Deitie which is commoÌ„ to all the tâ—ree persons is not begotten But as he is a person and the sonne of the Father he is not of himselfe but from another for he is the eternall Sonne of his father And thus he is truely said to be very God of very God For this cause also he is the WORD of the father not a vanishing but an essentiall word because as a word is as it were begotten of the mind so is the Sonne begotten of the Father and also because hee bringeth glad tydings from the bosome of his Father Nazian in his Oration of the Sonne Basil in his preface before Iohns Gospel The propertie of the Sonne is to be begotten His proper manner of working is to execute actions from the Father by the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 8. 6. Our Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and we by him Ioh. 5.19 Whatsoeuer things he doth the same doth the Sonne also The holy Ghost is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne Ioh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter shall come whom I will send vnto you from the Father euen the Spirit of truth which proceedeth of the Father he shall testifie of me Rom. 8. 9. But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit seeing the spirit of God dwelleth in you But if there be any that hath not the spirit of Christ he is not his Ioh. 16.13,14 But when the Spirit of truth shall come he shall conduct you into all truth for he shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer he heareth he shall speake and shall declare vnto you such things as are to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receiue of mine and shew it vnto you What may be the essentiall difference betwixt proceeding and begetting neither the Scriptures determine nor the Church knoweth The incommunicablâ— propertie of the holy Ghost is to proceed His proper manner of working is to finish an action effecting it as from the Father and the Sonne And albeit the Father and the Sonne are two distinct persons yet are they both but one beginning of the holy Ghost CHAP. 6. Of Gods workes and his decree THus farre concerning the first part of Theologie the second followeth of the workes of God The workes of God are all those which he doth out of himselfe that is out of his diuine essence These are common to the Trinitie alwaies reserued the peculiar manner of working to euery person The end of all these is the manifestation of the glorie of God Rom. 11.36 For him are all things to him be glorie for euer The worke or action of God is either his decree or the execution of his decree The decree of God is that by which God in himselfe hath necessarily and yet freely from all eternitie determined all things Eph. 1. 11. In whome also we are chosen when we were predestinate according to the purpose of him which worâ—eth all things after the counsell of his owne will and vers 4. As he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world Matth. 10.29 Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and not one of them falleth on the ground without your Father Rom 9. 21. Hath not the potter power on the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell â—â— dishonour and another to honour Therâ—fore the Lord according to his good pleasure hath most certainely decreed eâ—ery both thing and action whether past present or to come together with their circumstances of place time meanes and ende Yea he hath most iustly decreed the wicked workes of the wicked For if it had not so pleased him they had neuer beene at all And albeit they of theiâ— owne nature are and remaine wicked yet in respect of Gods decree they are to be accounted good For there is not any thing absolutely euill 1. Pet. 3.17 For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing then for euill doing The thing which in the owne â—ature is euill in Gods eternal counsel comes in the place of a good thing in that it is some occasion and way to manifest the glorie of God in his iustice and his mercie God his foreknowledge is conioyned with his decree and indeâ—â—e is in nature before it yet not in regard of God but vs because knowledge goeth before the will the effecting of a worke For we doe nothing but those things that we haue before willed neither doe we will any thing which we know not before God his foreknowledge in it selfe is not a cause why things are but as it is conioyned with his decree For things doe not therefore come to passe because that God did foreknow them but because he decreed and willed them therefore they come to passe The execution of Gods decree is that by which all things in their time are accomplished which were foreknowne or decreed and that euen as they were foreknowne and decreed The same decree of GOD is the first and principall working cause of all things which also is in order and time before all other causes For with Gods decree is alwaies his will annexed by the which he can willingly effect that he hath decreed And it were a signe of impotencie to decree any thing which he could not willingly compasse And with Gods will is conioyned an effectuall power by which the Lord can bring to passe whatsoeuer he hath freely decreed This first and principall cause howbeit in it selfe it be necessarie yet it doth not take away freedome of will in election or the nature and propertie of second causes but onely brings them into a certaine order that is it directeth them to the determinate ende whereupon the effects and euents of things are contingent or necessarie as the nature of the second cause is So Christ according to his Fathers decree died necessarily Act. 17.3 but yet willingly Math. 25. 39. And if we respect the temperature of Christs bodie he might haue prolonged his life and therefore in this respect may be said to haue died contingently The execution of Gods decree hath two branches his operation and his operatiue permission Gods operation is his effectuall producing of all good things which either haue beeing or moouing or which are done Gods operatiue permission is that
mercie in that he pardoned their sinne for the merites of his Sonne Eph. 1. 18. That the eies of your vnderstanding may be lightned that ye may knowe what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in his Saints 19. And what is the exceeding greatnes of his power towardes vs which beleeue according to the working of his mightie power 20. Which he wrought in Christ. Chap. 3.18 That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height 19. And to knowe the loue of Christ. All these things the Lord himselfe hath thus decreed and in his good time will accomplish them to the glorious praise of his Name Pro. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the daie of euill CHAP. 50. Concerning the order of the causes of saluation according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome THere are two things requisite to obtained saluation Predestination and the Execution thereof Predestination is a foreordaining of the reasonable creature to grace in this life glory in the life to come Sebast. Cattaneus Enchirid. tract 1. chap. last This in regard of the first effects thereof which are vocation election and ordination to eternall life hath the cause of it in God namely his will but in regard of the last effect which is the execution of such an ordinance and the obtaining of eternall life it hath the cause of it from man because according to the common opinion Gods predestination is by reason of workes foreseene in men that is God doth therefore predestinate or reiect some man because he foreseeth that he will well or badly vse his grace But for the more euident declaration of this these seuen conclusions must be set downe I. The Predestination and Reprobation of God do not constraine or inforce any necessitie vpon the will of man II. God hath predestinated all men that is he hath appointed and disposed all men so as they might obtaine eternall saluation III. Man is neither by necessitie nor chance saued or condemned but voluntarily IV. God hath predestinated some other hath he reiected V. Those whome God hath predestinated by his absolute predestination which can not be lost they shall infallibly die in grace but they which are predestinate by that predestination which beeing according to preâ—ent iustice may be lost by some mortall sinne which followeth are not infallibly saued but oftentimes such are condemned and loose their crowne and glory Hence ariseth that position of theirs that he which is iustified may be a reprobate perish eternally Torrensis Aug. Confess 2. booke 4. chap. 20. Sect. Therfore predestination is not certaine seeing it may be lost VI. God alone doth know the certaine and set number of them which are predestinate VII There is one set number of them which are predestinate or reprooued and that can neither be increased nor diminished The execution of Predestination is either in infants or those of yeres of discretion Concerning infants the merite of Christ is appliyed vnto them by baptisme rightly administred so that whatsoeuer in originall corruption may truely and properly be accounted for sinne it is not onely as I may say not pared away or not imputed but vtterly taken away For there is nothing that God can hate in such as are renued Concil Trid. 5. sect 5. Can. Neuertheles they are vrged to confesse that there remaineth yet in such as are baptized concupiscence or the reliques of sinn The which seeing it is left in men for them to wrestle withall it hath not power to hurt such as yeeld not vnto it The execution of predestination in such as are of riper yeares hath sixe degrees The first is vocation whereby men not for their owne merits but by Gods preuenting grace through Christ are called to turne vnto God The second is a preparation to righteousnesse whereby men through the inherent power of free-will do apply themselues to iustification after that the same power is stirred vp by the holy Ghost For free-will is onely somewhat diminished and not extinguished and therefore so soone as the holy Ghost toucheth and inlighteneth the heart it worketh togither with the same spirit freely assenting vnto the same This preparation hath seuen degreesâ— Biel. 4. booke 14. dist 2. quest The first is faith which is a knowledge and an assent whereby men agree that those things are true which are deliuered concerning God and his will reuealed in the word of God This is the foundation of iustification and prepareth the heart because it stirreth vp free-will that it may affect the heart with those motions by which it is prepared to iustification I. The act of faith is to apprehend the ouglines of sin the wages therof II. After this followeth a feare of Gods anger and of hell fire III. Then begin men to dislike and in some sort to detest sinne From these ariseth a certaine disposition which hath annexed vnto it the merite of congruitie yet not immediate nor sufficient but imperfect IV. At the length faith returneth to the contemplation of Gods mercies beleeueth that God is readie to forgiue sinnes by the infusion of charitie into those which are before sufficiently prepared and disposed V. Out of this contemplation proceedeth the act of hope whereby faith beginneth to desire and to waite on God as the chiefest good VI. Out of this act of hope ariseth loue whereby God is loued aboue all things in the world VII After this loue followeth a new dislike and detestation of sinne not so much in regard of feare of the punishment in hell fire as in regard of the offence of God who is simply loued more then all other things VIII After all these followeth a purpose of amendment of life and here comes in the merit of congruitie that is sufficient or els the immediate sufficient and last disposition before the infusion of grace The third degree of Predestination is the first iustification wherby men of vniust are made iust not only through the remission of their sinnes but also by a sanctificatioÌ„ of the inward maÌ„ by his voluÌ„tary receiuing of grace gifts The efficient cause of this iustification is the mercy of God and the meritorious passion of our Sauiour Christ whereby he purchased iustification for men The instrumentall cause is baptisme The formall cause is not that iustice which was inherent in Christ but which he infuseth into man and that is especially hope and charitie The fourth degree is the second iustification wherby men are of iust made more iust the cause hereof is faith ioyned with good workes It is possible for such as are renued to keepe the commaundements And therefore it is false that a iust man committeth so much as a veniall sinne in his best actions much lesse that he deserueth eternall death for the same The fift degree is the reparation of a sinner by the
sentence of the law of God to which man was bound from the first creation But God is aboue all his laws and not bound to them he is an absolute lord and law-giuer and therfore his actions are not within the compasse of morall lawes as mens are Whereupon it followes that though he did foresee mans defection yet is hee free from all blame in not preuenting of it For with him there be good causes of permitting euill And though God be no cause of mans fall yet must we not imagine that it came to passe by chance or fortune whereas the least things that are come to passe with Gods prouidence Neither was it by any bare permission without his decree and his will for that is to make an idle prouidence neither did it happen against the will of God he vtterly nilling it for then it could not haue beene vnlesse we denie God to be omnipotent It remaines therefore that this fall did so proceede of the voluntarie motion of Adam as that God did in part ordaine and will the permitting of it not as it was a sinne against his commandement but as it was further in the counsell of God a way to execute his iustice and mercie Against this which I say diuers things are obiected First that if Adam did that which God in any respect willed then he did not sinne at all Answ. He that willeth and doth that which God willeth for all that sinnes vnlesse he will it in the same manner with God and for the same ende Now in the permitting of this fact God intended the manifesting of his glorie but our first parents intending no such thing sought not onely to be like but also to be equall with God Secondly it is alleadged that Adam could not but fall necessarily if God did decree it Answ. Adams fall that came not to passe without Gods decree and therefore in that respect was necessarie was neuerthelesse in respect of Adams freewill contingent and not necessarie Gods decree not taking away the freedome of will but onely ordering it Lastly it is alleadged that Gods will is the cause of Adams will and Adams wil the cause of his fall and that therefore Gods will shall be the cause of the fall Ans. It must be granted that Gods will is a moouing cause of the wills of euil men yet marke how not as they are euill wills simply but as they are wills and therefore when God inclines the euill will of his creature to his good purpose he is nothing at all intangled with defect or euill of his will Touching the time of the fall the receiued opinion in former ages hath beene that our first parents fell the same day in which they were created and therefore Augustine writes that they stood but sixe houres And though we cannot determine of the certen time yet in all likelihood was it very short For Moses presently after that he had set downe the creation of man without the interposition of any thing else comes immediatly to the fall And considering the nature of the deuill is without ceasing to shew his malice no doubt he tooke the first occasion that possibly might be had to bring man to the same damnation with himselfe And our Sauiour Christ saith that the deuill was a man-slayer from the beginning namely from the beginning not of the creation of the world or of time but of man And Eue saith We shall eate of the fruit of the trees of the garden it may be insinuating that as yet shee had not eaten when the deuill tempted her Touching the greatnes of mans fall some haue made a small matter of it because it was the eating of an apple or some such fruit But we must not measure the greatnesse or the smalnesse of a sinne by the obiect or matter whereabout it is occupied but by the commandement of God and by the disobedience or offence of his infinite maiestie And that this fact of Adam and Eue was no small fault but a notorious crime and Apostasie in which they withdraw themselues from vnder the power of God nay reiect and denie him will euidently appeare if we take a viewe of all the particular sinnes that be contained in it The first is vnbeleefe in that they doubted and distrusted of the truth of Gods word which he spake to them The second is contempt of God in that they beleeued the lies of the deuill rather then him For whē God saith In the day that ye shall eate thereof ye shall die the death it is as nothing with Eue but when the deuill comes and saith Ye shall not die at all that shee takes hold on The third is pride and ambition For they did eate the forbidden fruit that they might be as gods namely as the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost The fourth is vnthankfulnesse God had made them excellent creatures in his owne image that is nothing with them to be like vnto him vnlesse they may be equall vnto him The fifth is curiositie whereby they affected greater wisdome then God had giuen them in creation and a greater measure of knowledge then God had reuealed to them The sixth is reprochfull blasphemie in that they subscribe to the sayings of the deuill in which he charged God with lying and enuie The seuenth is murder For by this meanes they bereaue themselues and their posteritie of the fellowship and graces of Gods spirit and bring vpon their owne heads the eternall wrath of God The eight is discontentation in that they sought for an higher condition then that was in which God had placed them In a word in this one single fact is comprised the breach of the whole law of God And we should often thinke vpon this that we may learne to wonder at the iust iudgements of God in punishing this fall and his vnspeakable goodnesse in receiuing men to mercie after the same And here we must not omit to remember the largenesse of Adams fall Sinnes are either personall or generall Personall are such as are peculiar to one or some fewe persons and make them alone guiltie Generall that is common to all men and such is Adams fall It is a sinne not onely of the person of one man but of the whole nature of man And Adam must be considered not as a priuate man but as a roote or head bearing in it all mankind or as a publike person representing all his posteritie and therefore when he sinned all his posteritie sinned with him as in a Parliament whatsoeuer is done by the burgesse of the shiere is done by euery person in the shiere As Paul saith By one man sinne entred into the world and so death went ouer all for as much as all haue sinned And here lies the difference betweene Adams fall and the sinnes of men as Cains murder which makes not the posteritie of Cain guiltie because he was neuer appointed by God to be the roote of his posteritie
nothing regarded A blinde man neuer seeing the sunne is not brought to wonder at it and earthly minded men neither seeing nor feeling what an excellent thing it is to bee the childe of God cannot bee brought to seeke after it But let all such as feare God enter into a serious consideration of the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God comforting themselues in this that God the father hath vouchsafed by his owne sonne to make them of the vassals of satan to be his owne deere children Nowe followe the duties which are two First we beleeue that Iesus Christ who was to be the Sauiour of mankinde must needs be God what is the reason hereof surely because no creature no not all the creatures in heauen and earth were able to saue one man so vile wretched and miserable is our estate by Adams fall And therefore the sonne of God himselfe pitied our estate and beeing king of heauen and earth was faine to come from heauen and lay downe his crowne and become a seruant and taking vpon him our nature was also faine to take vpon him our case and condition and suffer death for our sinnes which otherwise euery one of vs should haue suffered both in bodie and soule world without ende To make this more plaine let vs suppose that some one hath committed an offence against a prince and the trespasse to be so grieuous that no man can appease the kings wrath saue only the kings onely sonne and which is more the kings sonne himselfe cannot release him vnlesse hee suffer the punishment for him in his owne person which is due vnto the malefactour Nowe what is to be thought of this mans estate surely all men will say that he is in a most miserable taking and that his trespasse is notorious and so it is with euery one of vs by nature whatsoeuer we are No man could saue our soules no not all the angels in heauen vnlesse the king of heauen and earth the onely sonne of God had come down from heauen and suffered for vs bearing our punishment Nowe the consideration of this must humble vs and make vs to cast downe our selues vnder the hand of God for our sinnes and pray continually that the Lord would send some Moses or other which might smite the rockes of our hearts that some teares of sorrowe and repentance might gush out for this our wofull miserie Secondly whereas God the Father of Christ gaue his onley sonne to be our Sauiour as we must be thankefull to God for all things so especially for this great and vnspeakable benefit Common blessings of God as meat drinke health wealth and libertie must at all times mooue vs to be thankeful but this that Christ Iesus the onely sonne of God redeemed vs beeing vtterly lost this I say must be the maine point of all our thankfulnes but alas mens hearts are so frozen in the dreggs of their sinnes that this dutie comes little in practise nowe adaies When our Sauiour Christ clensed ten lepers there was but one of them that returned to giue him thankes and this is as true in the leprosie of the soule for though saluation by Christ be offered vnto vs daily by Gods ministers yet not one of tenne nay scarse one of a thousand giues praise and thankes to God for it because men take no delight in things which concerne the kingdome of heauen they thinke not that they haue neede of saluation neither do they feele any want of a Sauiour But we for our parts must learne to say with Dauid What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits yea we are to practise that which Salomon saith My sonne giue me thy heart for we should giue vnto God both bodie and soule in token of our thankefulnesse for this wonderful blessing that he hath giuen his onely sonne to bee our Sauiour and we are to hold this for trueth that they which are not thankfull for it let them say what they will they haue no soundnes of grace or power of religion at the heart And thus much of the third title The fourth and last title is in these wordes our Lord. Christ Iesus the onely sonne of God is our Lord three waies first by creation in that he made vs of nothing when we were not secondly he is our Lord in the right of redemption In former times the custome hath bin when one is taken prisoner in the field he that paies his raunsome shall becom alwaies after his Lord so Christ when we were bondslaues vnder hell death and condemnation paide the ransome of our redemption and freed vs from the bondage of sinne and satan and therfore in that respect he is our Lord. Thirdly he is the head of the Church as the husband is the wiues head to rule and gouerne the same by his word and spirit And therefore in that respect also Christ is our Lord. And thus much for the meaning Nowe followe the duties And first of al if Christ be our Soueraigne Lord we must performe absolute obedience vnto him that is whatsoeuer he commandes vs that must we doe And I say absolute obedience because Magistrates Masters Rulers and fathers may command and must bee obeyed yet not simply but so farre foorth as that which they command doth agree with the word and commandement of God but Christs will and word is righteousnesse it selfe and therfore it is a rule and direction of all our actions whatsoeuer and for this cause he must be absolutely obeyed Thus he requires the obedience of the morall lawe but why because he is the Lord our god And in Malachie he saith If I be your Lord where is my feare And againe we must resigne both bodie and soule heart mind wil affections and the course of our whole liues to be ruled by the will of Christ. He is Lord not onely of the bodie but of the spirit and soule of man he must therefore haue homage of both As wee adore him by the knee of the bodie so must the thoughts and the affections of our hearts haue their knees also to worship him and to shewe their subiection to his commandements As for such as doe hold him for their Lord in word but in the meane season will not indeauour to shewe their loyaltie in all manner of obedience they are indeede no better then starke rebels Secondly when by the hande of Christ straunge iudgements shall come to passe as it is vsuall in all places continually we must stay ourselues without murmuring or finding fault because he is an absolute Lorde ouer all his creatures all things are in his handes and hee may doe with his owne whatsoeuer he will and therefore wee must rather feare and tremble whensoeuer we see or heare of them so Dauid saith I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it And againe My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy iudgements Thirdly before wee vse
A golden Chaine OR THE DESCRIPTION OF Theologie containing the order of the causes of Saluation and Damnation according to Gods word A view whereof is to be seene in the Table annexed Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1600. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader there are at this day foure seuerall opinions of the order of Gods predestination The first is of the olde and new Pelagians who place the cause of Gods predestination in man in that they hold that God did ordaine meÌ„ either to life or death according as he did foresee that they would by their natural free-will either reiect or receiue grace offered The second of them who of some are tearmed Lutherans which teach that God foreseeing howe all mankinde beeing shutte vp vnder vnbeleefe would therefore reiect grace offered did hereupon purpose to choose some to saluation of his meere mercie without any respect of their faith or good workes and the rest to reiect beeing mooued to doe this because hee did eternally foresee that they would reiect his grace offered them in the Gospell The third Semipelagian Papists which ascribe Gods predestination partly to mercie and partly to mens foreseene preparations and meritorious workes The fourth of such as teach that the cause of the execution of Gods predestination is his mercie in Christ in them which are saued and in them which perish the fall and corruption of man yet so as that the decree and eternall counsell of God concerning them both hath not any cause beside his will and pleasure Of these foure opinions the three former I labour to oppugne as erronious and to maintaine the last as beeing trueth which will beare waight in the ballance of the Sanctuarie A further discourse whereof here I make bold to offer to thy godly consideration in reading whereof regard not so much the thing it selfe penned very slenderly as mine intent affection who desire among the rest to cast my mite into the treasurie of the Church of England and for want of gold pearle and pretions stone to bring a rammes skinne or twaine and a little Goates haire to the building of the Lords tabernacle Exod. 35.23 The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ grant that according to the riches of his glorie thou maiest bee strengthened by his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in thy heart by faith to the end that thou being rooted and grounded in loue maiest bee able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and height thereof to knowe the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that thou maiest be filled with all fulnes of God Amen Farewell Iulie 23. the yeare of the last patience of Saints 1592. Thine in Christ Iesus W. P. A GOLDEN CHAINE OR THE DESCRIPTION OF Theologie THE CONTENTS 1 Of the bodie of Scripture and Theologie pag. 1 2 Of God and the nature of God ibid. 3 Of the life of God pag. 3 4 Of Gods glorie and blessednes pag. 5 5 Concerning the persons of the Godhead pag. 6 6 Of Gods workes and his decree pag. 8 7 Of Predestination and creation pag. 10 8 Of Angels pag. 11 9 Of Man the state of innocencie pag. 12 10 Of sinne and the fall of angels pag. 13 11 Of mans fall and disobedience pag. 15 12 Of Originall sinne pag. 16 13 Of Actuall sinne pag. 19 14 Of the punishment of sinne pag. 22 15 Of Election and of Iesus Christ the foundation thereof pag. 23 16 Of the vnion of the two natures in Christ. pag. 25 17 Of the distinctioÌ„ of both natures pag. 27 18 Of Christs natiuitie and office pag. 27 19 Concerning the outward meanes of executing the decree of Election and of the Decalogue pag. 36 20 Of the first commandement pag. 38 21 Of the second commandement pag. 42 22 Of the third commandement pag. 54 23 Of the fourth commandement pag. 61 24 Of the fift commandement pag. 66 25 Of the sixt commandement pag. 73 26 Of the seuenth commandement pag. 82 27 Of the eight commandement pag. 88 28 Concerning the ninth commaundement pag. 95 29 Of the tenth commandement pag. 100 30 Of the vse of the Law pag. 101 31 Of the Couenant of grace pag. 102 32 Of the Sacraments pag. 103 33 Of Baptisme pag. 107 34 Of the Lords Supper pag. 111 35 Of the degrees of executing Gods decree in election pag. 113 36 Conceâ—ning the first degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 114 37 Concerning the second degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 121 38 Concerning the third degree of the declaration of Gods loue pag. 124 39 Of Repentance and the fruit thereof pag. 128 40 Of Christian warfare pag. 129 41 Of the first Assault pag. 130 42 Of the second Assault pag. 131 43 Of the third Assault pag. 134 44 Of the patient bearing of the Crosse. pag. 136 45 Of the calling vpon God pag. 138 46 Of Christian Apologie and Martyrdome pag. 139 47 Of edification and Almes among the faithfull pag. 140 48 Of the fourth degree of the declaration of Gods loue and of the estate of the Elect after this life pag. 141 49 Of the estate of the Elect at the last day of iudgement pag. 143 50 Of the estate of the Elect after iudgement pag. 144 51 Concerning the order of the causes of Saluation according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome pag. 146 52 Concerning the decree of Reprobation pag. 163 53 Concerning the exâ—â—â—tion of the decree of Reprobation pag. 164 54 Concerning a new deuised doctrine of Predestination taught by some new and late Diuines pag. 167 55 Of the state and condition of the Reprobates when they are dead pag. 175 56 Of the state of the Reprobates in hell pag. 176 57 Of the Application of Predestinanation ibid. AN EPOSITION OF THE SYMBOLE OR Creede of the Apostles THE CONTENTS The Creede pag. 185 Faith pag. 187 God pag. 198 The three persons pag. 202 The Father pag. 205 Gods omnipotencie pag. 212 The creation 217. 221 Gods counsell pag. 218 The creation of heauen pag. 228 The creation of Angels pag. 231 The creation of Man pag. 236 Gods prouidence pag. 242 Adams fall and Originall sinne pag. 252 The couenant of grace pag. 259 The title Iesus pag. 262 The title Christ. pag. 266 The title Sonne pag. 271 The title Lord. pag. 278 The incarnation of Christ. pag. 279 Christs humiliation pag. 295 Christs passion pag. 297 Christs arraignment pag. 300 Christs execution pag. 328 Christs sacrifice pag. 350 Christs triumph pag. 356 Christs buriall pag. 376 The descension of Christ. pag. 372 Christs exaltation pag. 370 Christs resurrection pag. 379 Christs ascension pag. 396 Christs sitting at c. pag. 407 Christs intercession pag. 409 Christs kingdome pag. 417 The last iudgement pag. 420 The holy Ghost pag. 436 The Church 451.488 Predestination pag. 453 The
by which he onely permitteth one and the same worke to be done of others as it is euill but as it is good he effectually worketh the same Gen. 50.20 You indeede had purposed euill against me but God decreed that for good that he might as he hath done this day preserue his people aliue And Gen. 45.7 God hath sent me before you to preserue your posteritie in this land Esai 10. 5 6 7. Woe vnto Asshur the rod of my wrath and the staffe in their hands is mine indignation I will send him to a dissembling nation and I will giue him a charge against the people of my wrath to take the spoile to take the praie and to tread them vnder feete like the myre in the streete But he thinketh not so neither doth his heart esteeme it so but he imagineth to destroy and to cut off not a few nations God permitteth euill by a certaine volunâ—arie permission in that he forsaketh the second cause in working euill And he forâ—aketh his creature either by detracting the grace it had or not bestowing that which it wanteth Rom. 1.26 For this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections 2. Tim. 2.25 26. Instructing them with meekenes that are contrarie minded proouing if God at any time will giue them repentance that they may know the trueth and that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the diuell which are taken of him at his will Neither must we thinke God vniust who is indebted to none Rom. 9.15 I will haue mercy on him to whome I will shew mercie Yea it is in Gods pleasure to bestowe how much grace and vpon whome he will Matth. 20.15 Is it not lawfull for me to doe as I will with mine owne That which is euill hath some respect of goodnes with God first in that it is the punishment of sinne and punishment is accounted a morall good in that it is the part of a iust Iudge to punish sinne Secondly as it is a meere action or act Thirdly as it iâ— a chastisement a triall of ones faith martyrdome propitiation for sinne as the death and passion of Christ. Act. 2.23 and 4.24 And if we obserue these caueats God is not onely a bare permissiue agent in an euill worke but a powerfull effectour of the same yet so as he neither instilleth an aberration into the action nor yet supporteth or inteÌ„deth thesame but that he most freely suffereth euill and best disposeth of it to his own glorie The like we may see in this similitude Let a man spurre forward a lame horse in that he mooueth forward the rider is the cause but that he halteth he himselfe is the canse And againe wee see the sunne beames gathering themselues into a sunne glasse they burne such things as they light vpon now that they burne the cause is not in the sunne but in the glasse The like may bee said of Gods action in an euill subiect CHAP. 7. Of Predestination and Creation GOds decree in as much as it concerneth man is called Predestination which is the decree of God by the which he hath ordained all men to a certaine and euerlasting estate that is either to saluation or condemnation for his owne glorie 1. Thes. 5.9 For God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath but to obtaine saluation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. Rom. 9.13 As it is written I haue loved Iacob and hated Esau. and vers 22. What and if God would to â—hewe his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessells of mercie which he hath prepared vnto glorie The meanes of accomplishing Gods Predestination are two fold The creation and the fall The creation is that by which God made all things very good of nothing that is of no matter which was before the creation Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heauen c. to the end of the chapter Gods manner of creating as also of gouerning is such as that by his word alone he without any instruments meanes assistance or motion produced al sorts of things For to will any thing with God is both to be ableâ— and to performe it Heb. 11.3 By faith we vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God so that the things which wee see are not made of things which did appeare Psal. 148.5 Let them praise the name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created The goodnes of the creature is a kind of excellencie by which it was void of all sinne that is free from punishment and transgression The creation is of the world or inhabitants in the world The world is a most beutifull palace framed out of a deformed substance and fit to be inhabited The parts of the world are the heauens and earth The heauens are threefold the first is the aire the second the skie the third an inuisible and incorporall essence created to bee the seate of all the blessed both men and Angels This third heauen is called Paradise 2. Cor. 13.4 The inhabitours of the world are reasonable creatures made according to Gods owne image they are either Angels or men Gen. 1. 26. Furthermore God said Let vs make man in our owne image according to our likenes Iob. 1.6 When the children of God came and stood before the Lord Satan came also among them The image of God is the integritie of the reasonable creature resembling God in holines Eph. 4. 24. And put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse CHAP. 8. Of Angels THe Angels each of them beeing created in the beginning were setled in an vpright estate In whome these things are to be noted First their nature Angels are spirituall and incorporall essences Heb. 2. 16. For he in no sort tooke the Angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham Heb. 1.7 And of the Angels he saith he maketh the spirits his messengers and his ministers a flame of fire Secondly their qualities First they are wise 2 Sam. 14.18 My lord the king is euen as an Angel of God in hearing good and badde 2. They are of great might 2. Thes. 1.7 When the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels 2. Sam. 24. Dauid sawe the Angel that smote the people 2. King 19.35 The same night the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the campe of Ashur an hundreth fourescore and fiue thousand 3. They are swift and of great agilitie Esay 6,6 Then flewâ— one of the Seraphims vnto me with an hotte cole in his hand Dan. 9 21â— The man Gabriel whome I had seene before in a vision came flying and touched me This is the reason why the Cherubins in the Tabernacle were painted with winges Thirdly they are innumerable Gen. 3.2 Now Iacob weÌ„t forth on his iourney and the angel of God met him
the course of Gods iustice to vndergoe the punishment Here a doubt may be mooued whether sinne be a thing existing or not The answere is this Of things which are some are positiue other primitiue Things positiue are all substances together with those their properties effects inclinations and affections which the Lord hath created and imprinted in their natures The thing is called priuatiue which graunteth or presupposeth the absence of some such thing as ought to bee in a thing Such a thing is sinne the which properly and of it selfe is not any thing created and existing but rather the absence of that good which ought to bee in the creature Sinne hath two parts A defect or impotencie and is a confusion or disturbance of all the powers and actions of the creature Impotencie is nothing els but the very want or losse of that good which God hath ingrafted in the nature of his creature The fall was effected on this maner First God created his reasonable creatures good indeede but withall changeable as we haue shewed before For to bee vnchangeable good is proper to God alone Secondly God tried their obedience in those things about which they were conversant Deu. 13.13 Thou shalt not hearken to the wordes of the Prophet or vnto that dreamer of dreames for the Lord your God prooueth you to knowe whether you loue the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soule Thirdly in this triall God doth not assist them with new grace to stand but for iust causes forsaketh theÌ„ Lastly after God hath forsaken them and left them to themselues they fall quite from God no otherwise then when a man staying vp a staffe from the ground it standeth vpright but if he neuer so little withdraw his hand it falleth of it selfe The fall is of men and Angels The fall of Angels is that by which the vnderstanding pointing at a more excellent estate and of it own accord approouing the same together with the will making especiall choice thereof they albeit they might freely by their integritie haue chosen the contrarie were the sole instruments of their fall from God 2. Pet. 2.4 If God spared not the angels which sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darkenes to be kept vnto damnation c. Iud. 6. The Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserued in euerlasting chaines c. Ioh. 8.44 He was a murtherer from the beginning and continued not in the trueth for their is no trueth in him In the fall of Angels consider First their corruption arising from the fall which is the deprauation of their nature and is either that fearefull malice and hatred by which they set themselues against God or their insatiable desire to destroy mankinde to the effecting whereof they neglect neither force nor fraud 1. Ioh. 3.8 He that committeth sinne is of the diuell because the diuell sinned from the beginning For this cause was the Sonne of God reuealed to dissolue the works of the diuell 1. Pet. 5.8 Your aduersarie the diuell goeth about like a roaring lyon seeking whom he may devoure Eph. 6.12 You striue not against flesh and blood but against Principalities and powers and wordly gouernours the princes of darkenes of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are in supercelestiall things II. Their degree and diuersitie for of these Angels one is cheife and the rest attendants The chiefe is Beelzebub prince of the rest of the diuels the world farre aboue them all in malice Matth. 25.41 Away from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell his angels 2. Cor. 4.4 Whose minds the god of this world hath blinded Revel 12. 7. And there was warre in heauen Michael and his Angels fought with the dragon the dragon his angels fought Ministring angels are such as waite vpon the diuell in accomplishing his wickednesse III. Their punishment God after their fall gaue them ouer to perpetuall torments without any hope of pardon Iude vers 6.2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darkeâ—es to be kept vnto damnation This he did first to admonish men what great punishment they deserued Secondly to shew that grieuous sinnes must more grieuously be punished The fall of Angels was the more grieuous because both their nature was more able to resist and the diuell was the first founder of sinne Their punishment is easier or more grieuous Their easier punishment is double The first is their deiection from heauen 2. Pet. 2.4 God cast the Angels that sinned into hell The second is the abridging and limitation of their power Iob. 1. 12. The Lord said vnto Satan Behold all that he hath is in thine hand onely vpon him lay not thine hand The more grieuous paine is that torment in the deepe which is endlesse infinite in time and measure Luk. 8.31 And they besought him that he would not command them to goe downe into the deepe CHAP. 11. Of mans fall and disobedience Adams fall was his willing reuolting to disobedience by eating the forbidden fruite In Adams fall we may note the manner greatnesse and fruite of it I. The manner of Adams fall was on this sort First the diuell hauing immediately before fallen himselfe insinuateth vnto our first parents that both the punishment for eating the forbidden fruite was vncertaine and that God was not true in his word vnto them SecoÌ„dly by this his legerdemain he blinded the eies of their vnderstanding Thirdly being thus blinded they begin to distrust God and to doubt of Gods fauour Fourthly they thus doubting are mooued to behold the forbidden fruit Fiftly they no sooner see the beautie thereof but they desire it Sixtly that they may satisfie their desire they eate of the fruit which by the hands of the woman was taken from the tree by which act they become vtterly disloyall to God Gen. 3.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 Thus without constraint they willingly fall from their integritie God vpon iust causes leauing them to themselues and freely suffering them to fall For wee must not thinke that mans fall was either by chance or God not knowing it or barely winking at it or by his bare permission or against his will but rather miraculously not without the will of God but yet without all approbation of it II. The greatnes of this transgâ—â—â—â—â—â— must be esteemed not by the externall obiect or the basenes of an apple but by the offâ—nâ—â— it containeth against Gods maiestie This offence appeareth by many trespasses committed in that action The 1. is doubting of Gods word 2 want of faith For they beleeue not Gods threatning In that day ye eate therof you shal die the death but being bewitched with the diuels promise ye shal be like gods they cease to feare Gods punishment and are inflamed with a desire of greater dignitie 3. Their curiositie in
counted as sheepe for the slaughter 37. Neuerthelesse in all these things we are more then conquerours thorough him that loued vs. Psal. 89.32 I will visit their transgressions with the rodde and their iniquitie with strokes 33. Yet my louing kindnes will I not take from him 2. Cor. 12.7 There was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me because I should not be exalted out of measure 2. Sam. 7. 14. I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a sonne and if he sinne I will chasten him with the rodde of men and with the plagues of the children of men IV. They haue dominion ouer all creatures yet so as that in this life they haue onely right to the thing but after this life also in the same Whence it is apparant that the faithfull alone haue the true vse of the Lords goods I. because their persons are in Christ acceptable vnto him in whom also they haue restitution made vnto them of those goods which they lost in Adam that they may with a good conscience vse them II. They vse them with thanksgiuing to their ends appointed by God 1. Cor. 3.22,23 Whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euen all are yours Heb. 2.7 Thou madest him little inferiour to the Angels thou crownedst him with glorie and honour and hast set him aboue the workes of thine hands 8. Thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete Last of all they may haue the Angels as ministring spirits attending vpon them for their good Hebr. 1.14 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation Psal. 34.7 The Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them CHAP. 38. Concerning the third degree of the declaration of Gods loue THe third degree is Sanctification whereby such as beleeue beeing deliuered from the tyrannie of sinne are by little and little renued in holines and righteousnes 1. Ioh. 3.9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Sanctification hath two parts Mortification and Viuification The mortification of â—inne is the first part of sanctification whereby the power of sinne is abated and crucified in the faithfull Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein 3. Know ye not that all we which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptized into his death 4. We are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glorie of the father so we also should walke in newnes of life Eccles. 5.6 7 11 12 13. Galat. 5.24 They which are Christs haâ—e crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof The meanes that worke mortification is the death buriall of Christ froÌ„ whence sinn being by it at the first nipped in the head proceedeth such a vertue as doth both keepe vnder the strength that it caÌ„not break out as it would and in man as it were in a graue doth cause it to die and eke putrifie Rom. 6.6 Our old man is crucified with him that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed The power of Christ his death is a certaine power issuing into his humanitie suffering and dying from his deitie whereby he did in the â—ame his humanitie both concerning the guilt and also the punishment vanquish our sinne imputed vnto him beeing our suretie that in like sort he in vs his members might by the same power abolish the corruption of sinne Viuification is the second part of sanctification whereby inherent holines being begun is still augmented and enlarged First we receiue the fiâ—st fruits of the spirit then a continuall encrease of them Eph. 4.23 Be renued in the spirit of your minde 24. And put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines Eph. 2. 1. And you hath he quickned that were dead in trespasses and sinnes Gal. 2. 20. Thus I liue yet not I now but Christ in me and in that I now liue by the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me Rom. 8.23 We which haue the first fruits of the spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodies 1. Cor. 15.45 The first man Adam was made a liuing soule â—nd the second man Adam was made a quickning spirit The efficient cause of them both is the holy Ghost who doth by his diuine power conuey himselfe into the beleeuers hearts and in them by applying the power of Christ his death and resurrection createth holinesse Iob 3â— 24 25. Rom. 8.9 Now ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit because the spirit of God dwelleth in you but if any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his 11. But if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies because that his spirit dwelleth in you The preseruatiue of viuification is a vertue deriued from Christs resurrection to those that are quickned which maketh them to rise vp to newnesse of life Philip. 3.10 That I may know him and the vertue of his resurrection The power of Christs resurrection is that whereby he â—irst did in his owne â—lesh as conquerer ouer death and sinne beginne to liue with God and to be exalted aboue euery name and then by it he in his members sinne beeing dâ—ad and buried doth cause in them a studie and purpose to liue according to the will of God Furthermore this inherent holines is to be distinguished into parts according to the seuerall faculties of the bodie soule of man 1. Th. 5.23 The very God of peace sanctifie you throughout And I pray God that your whole spirit soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. I. The holines or renuing of the minde which is the illumination thereof to the knowledge of the will of God Coloss. 1.9 We cease not to pray for you and to desire that ye might be fully filled with knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spirituall vnderstanding 1. Cor. 12.8 To one is giuen by the spirit the speech of wisdome to an other the speech of knowledge by the same spirit Illumination is either spirituall vnderstanding or spirituall wisdome Spirituall vnderstanding is an illumination of the minde whereby it acknowledgeth the knowne truth of the word of God Spirituall wisdome is also an illumination of the minde whereby the same truth is applied to the
be graunted then would it follow of necessitie that the foreknowledge of God must be made void his power weakened and his will changed each of which is impious once to dreame of For he which changeth his coūsell or his will doth therefore change it either because he at the length seeth that he might haue taken better aduise or els in that he seeth that he could not bring his former purpose about as he would Either of these are farre from our Lord God IV. If we resolue that the counsell of God is any waies mutable it will by this come to passe that euery man must bee vncertaine whether he be predestinate to life or not whereby that notable staie ground of our full assurance to be saued is vtterly shaken ouerturned Wherefore let this truth be maintained of vs namely that both the election and reprobation of God stand immutable so that neither the elect can become reprobates nor the reprobates elect and consequently neither these be saued nor they condemned Against this doctrine the popish sort except If you speake in a compound sense or meaning in sensu composito it is very true that the predestinate can not be saued nor such as are foreknowne perish but if in a sense diuided in sensu diuiso it is not so This distinction is plaine by this example White colour in a compound meaning cannot be blacke because blackenesse is repugnant contrarie to whitenesse But in a deuided sense white colour nowe may afterwards be made blacke In like sort one predestinated to saluation may by reason of the free-will he hath sinne so be damned Ans. These are silly shifts and meere sophismes because such as are predestinated to the end namely saluation are necessarilie predestinate to the meanes of saluation the which they cannot but vse and by them come to the end it selfe The III. errour All men are predestinate that is disposed and ordayned of God so as they might attaine eternall life Sebast. Cattaneus in his Enchirid. chap. of Predest The Confutation This is manifestly false For I. Infants who so sonne as they are borne depart this life seeing for want of time they cannot in this life vse the meanes of saluation albeit they may haue life eternall yet obtaine they it not by vsing the meanes vnto the same II. That which the Lord indeed actually doth the very same hath he determined to doe For he doth nothing either vnaduisedly or vnwillingly but he actually forsaketh a very great part of mankind the which being shut vp vnder contumacy he doth leaue to it selfe Act. 14.16 Who in times past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies Hence also is it that Eph. 2. all the Gentiles are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without God in the world Therefore God decreed to forsake some men in this life and consequently he ordained not all men to the obtaining of eternall life Nay if God once but would in his secret will that all men should be saued it were vnpossible for any to perish because Gods willing is his doing of it and if he that was ordained to saluation perish then must God now needes haue left off to will that which he would from all eternitie or els begin to will that which before hee would not the which cannot be said of God without blasphemie III. Paul 2. Thes. 2.10 saith that there be certaine men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which perish and them he distinguisheth from the elect v. 13. Rom. 9.21,22 Hath not the potter power c. Where there is not onely mention made of vessels of glorie and mercie but also of certaine made and fashioned in Gods eternall counsell as vessels of wrath Now looke whome God hath made to wrath and destruction them he neuer disposed to obtaine eternall life The IV. errour Predestination in regard of the last effects thereof hath this cause in man that is in mans free-will and workes for they whome God had foreseene that they would receiue grace offered in Christ and lead their life according to the lawe thē he predestinated not of works but of his mercie yet so as that he had respect vnto works or to deale with them according to their workes or as others say to ordaine them by their works foreseene As for example God did from all eternitie foresee and foreknow that Peter should be saued and Iudas condemned because he from the same eternitie did both foresee foreknow that Peter would accept of the grace offered vnto him and after vse the same aright and he did also foresee that Iudas should receiue the grace offered yet notwithstāding by reason of his peruerse will vse the same peruersly The Confutation This their forged deuise of foreseene workes I. Paul doth shewe to bee plainely counterfeit when as he saith that the Ephesians were elected in Christ before the foundations of the world were laide and that not because he did foresee that they would be holy but that they might be holy and vnblameable before God with loue And 2. v. 10. he saith they were created to good workes in Christ that they might walke therein In which places good workes they are made effectes of predestination but the effect foreseene cannot bee the cause of his cause for that euery cause in the order both of nature and knowledge doth goe before his effect II. Tit. 3.5 Not of workes which we haue done but according to his mercie did God elect and saue vs. III. God in electing vs did not regard any thing out of himselfe but in himselfe did he elect vs. Eph. 1.4 and 9. Therefore did he not regard future workes IV. Some of the popish schoolemen confesse that Predestination doth put nothing in the partie predestinated in respect of him for which God did predestinate him Thom. 1. primae quest 23. art 2. V. Election is onely on Gods mercie Rom. 9.16 VI. God saw no grace in man but that which he himselfe must bestow vpon him whence it is apparant that in election the beginning thereof proceedeth from grace VII Seeing there is nothing either aboue God or greater then God it must needes be impious to assigne any cause of his will either out of or aboue his maiestie and therefore that his foreknowledge of faith workes should bee accounted the impulsiue cause of his decree concerning mans saluation we doe rightly denie The V. errour By Baptisme rightly administred not only the guiltines but also the corruption of originall sin is so washed away as that it is not afterward properly accounted a sinne The Confutation We contrarily doe thus distinguish of sinne Sinne in regard of the guiltines of Gods wrath and also in regard of the punishment togither by one act is taken away in Baptisme but in regard of that errour and corruption of nature it is not at the first quite taken away but successiuely and by little and little it is extinguished euen as our renouation wrought by
whereby the Reprobate I. doth acknowledge his sinne II. Is pricked with the feeling of Gods wrath for sinne III. Is grieued for the punishment of sinne IV. Doth confesse his sinne V. Acknowledgeth God to be iust in punishing sinne VI. Desireth to be saued VII Promiseth repentance in his miserie or affliction in these words I will sinne no more Math. 27.3 Then when Iudas which betraied him saw that he was condemned he repented himselfe and brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer to the chiefe Priests and Elders Heb. 12.17 For yee know how that afterward also when hâ— would haue inherited the blessing he was reiected for he found no place to repentance though he sought the blessing with teares 1. King 21.27 Now when Ahab heard those wordes he rent his clothes and put sackcloath vpon him and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went softly Numb 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last ende be like his Psal. 78.32 For all this they sinned still and beleeued not his wondrous workes 33. Therefore their daies did he consume in vanitie and their yeares hastily 34. And when he slue them they sought him and they returned and sought God earely 35. They remembred that God was their strength and the most high God their redeemer The third degree is a temporarie faith whereby the reprobate doth confusedly beleeue the promises of God made in Christ I say confusedly because he beleeueth that some shall be saued but he beleeueth not that he himselfe particularly shall be saued because he beeing content with a generall faith doth neuer applie the promises of God to himself neither doth he so much as conceiue any purpose desire or endeuour to applie the same or any wrastling or striuing against securitie or carelesnes and distrust Iam. 2. 19. Thou beleeuest that there is one God thou doest well the deuils also beleeue it and tremble Math. 13.20 And he that receiued seede in the stony ground is he which heareth the word and incontinently with ioy receiueth it 21. Yet hath he no roote in himselfe and dureth but a season Ioh. 2.23 Now when he was at Ierusalem at the Passeouer in the feast many beleeued in his Name when they saw his miracles which he did 24. But Iesus did not commit himselfe vnto them because he knew them all The fourth is a tasting of heauenly gifts as of Iustification and of Sanctification and of the vertues of the world to come This tasting is verely a sense in the hearts of the Reprobates whereby they doe perceiue and feele the excellencie of Gods benefits notwithstanding they doe not enioy the same For it is one thing to tast of dainties at a banquet and another thing to feede and to be nourished thereby Heb. 6.4 For it is impossible that they which were once lightened and haue tasted of the heauenly gifts and were made partakers of the holy Ghost The fifth degree is the outward holines of life for a time vnder which is comprehended a zeale in the profession of religion a reuerence and feare towards Gods ministers and amendment of life in many things Mark 6.20 For Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a iust man and an holy and reuerenced him and when he heard himâ— he did many things and heard him gladly Act. 18.13 Then Simon himselfe beleeued also and was baptized and continued with Philip and wondred when he saw the signes and great miracles which were done Hos. 6.4 O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I entreate thee for your goodnes is as a morning cloud and as the morning dewe it goeth away The second degree of the execution of Gods counsel of reprobation in meÌ„ of ripe age which are called is a falling away againe which for the most part is effected and wrought after this manner First the reprobate is deceiued by some sinne Secondly his heart is hardened by the same sin Thirdly his heart being hardened it becommeth wicked and peruerse Fourthly then followeth his incredulitie and vnbeleefe whereby he consenteth not to Gods word when he hath heard and known it Fiftly an Apostasie or falling away from faith in Christ doth immediately follow this vnbeleefe Hebr. 3.12,13 Take â—eed brethren least at any time there be in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart awaie from the liuing God 1. Tim. 1.19 This Apostasie is sometimes sinne against the holy Ghost In the sinne against the holy Ghost we haue haue these seuerall points to be considered I. The Name it is called a sinne against the holy ghost not because it is done against the person or deitie of the holy Ghost for in this respect he that sinneth against the holy Ghost sinneth in like sort against both the father the Sonne but it is so called because it is done contrarie to the immediate action namely the illumination of the holy Ghost For albeit this be an action common to the whole Trinitie yet the Father and the sonne doe effect the same by the holy Ghost II. The efficient cause of it which is a set obstinate malice against God and against his Christ. Therefore when a man doth in the time of persecution either for feare or rashly denie Christ he doth not commit this sinne against the holy Ghost as may appeare by the example of Peter who denied Christ. Mat. 26.73.74.75 Neither doth he which persecuteth Christ and his Church vpon ignorance fall into this sinne Paul persecuted the Church of Christ and yet God had mercie on him because he did it ignorantly 1. Tim. 1.13 Many of the Iewes crucified our Sauiour Christ who afterward because they committed that grieuous fact vpon ignorance repenting at Peters sermon they did obtaine remission of their sinnes Act. 3.17 37. III. The Obiect namely God himselfe and the Mediatour Christ Iesus For the malice of this sinne is directed against the very maiestie of God himselfe and against Christ. Hebr. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be worthie which treadeth vnderfoote the Sonne of God and counteth the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing wherewith he was sanctified and doth despise the spirit of grace Therefore this sinne doth directly respect the first table of the morall law and is not some particular slipping aside from the obseruation of those commandements which are contained in this first table such as are some doubtings concerning God or of the truth of the scriptures or of Christ c. but it is a generall defection apoâ—tasie from God and that totally IV. The subiect in which it is This sin is found in none at al but such as haue been enlightened by the holy Ghost and haue tasted of the good gift of God Heb. 6.5,6 Neither is it in him a bare cogitation alone but an externall action or rather such a blasphemie against God as proceedeth from a malitious and obstinate heart Matth. 12. 31. V. The Elect cannot commit this sinne and
cause but for that it so pleased him Rom. 9.18 V. If this opinion should be true then would it follow that men should be condemned for nothing else but incredulitie the which is not so Ioh. 3.36 Christ speaking of vnbeleefe saith not that for it the wrath of God came vpon man but remaineth vpon him And why should we daily aske pardon for our sinnes if nothing but incredulitie or vnbeleefe condemned vs nay although that there were neuer any contempt of the Gospell yet that corruption of originall sinne were sufficient enough to condemne men VI. Also that admiration which Paul hath Rom. 9.20 O man who art thou which disputest with Godâ— doth plainly shew that the cause of the decree of God in reiecting some is vnsearchable and that it doth not at all depend vpon any foreseene contumacie towards the grace of God offered in the Gospel For if it were otherwise we might easily giue a reason of Gods decree August epist. 105. saith very well Who saith he created the reprobates but God and why but because it pleased him but why pleased it him O man who art thou that disputest with God! Some Diuines perceiuing that this is an hard sentence they goe about to mitigate it in this sort The matter say they or obiect of predestination is a reasonable creature and that not simply or absolutely considered but partly as it fell partly as of it selfe it was subiect to fall and thereupon God preordaining men from euerlasting considered them not simply as he was to make them men but as they were such men as might fall into sinne and againe be redeemed by Christ and after called to the light of the Gospel The efficient or first motiue cause was not any foreknowne cause either this or that but the meere will of God For he disposeth all things not of and by his foreknowledge but rather according to the same But these things albeit they may seeme to be subtile deuises yet are they not altogether true Reasons I. The potter when he purposeth to make some vessell doth not consider the clay and regard in it some inherent qualitie to make such a vessell but he maketh it of such and such a forme to this or that vse euen of his alone free-will and pleasure II. Rom. 9.21 Hath not the potter power to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour In which place we may not vnderstand by the name lumpe all mankinde corrupted and fallen and so to be redeemed in Christ for then Paul would not haue said that God made vessels of wrath but rather that he did forsake them after they were made III. This seemeth preposterous that God did first foreknow mankind created fallen and redeemed in Christ and that afterward he ordained them so foreknown to life or to death For the ende is the first thing in the intention of the agent neither will a most skilfull workman first prepare meanes by which he may be helped to doe a thing before he hath set downe in his minde all the endes both such as are most neere and them that are very farre off Now we know this that mans creation and his fall in Adam are but meanes to execute Gods predestination and therefore are subordinate vnto it but the ende of Gods decree is the manifestation of his glorie in sauing some and condemning others Therefore we may not once imagine that God did first consult of the meanes whereby he determined to execute his decree before he deliberated of the election and reprobation of man The IIII. errour Gods calling to the knowledge of the Gospell is vniuersall yea of all men and euery singular person without exception The Confutation This is a very vnreasonable position Reasons I. God would not haue all men called Math. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen He saith not that all but many are called Christ in his Disciples first ambassage chargeth them that they should not preach to the Gentiles of his comming and to the Cananitish woman he saith It is not lawfull to giue that which is holy vnto dogges Mat. 13.11 It is not giuen to euery one to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God Rom. 16. 25. The mysterie of the Gospel whether it be meant of Christ or the calling of the Gentiles was kept secret from the beginning of the world II. There be many millions of men which haue not so much as heard of Christ. Act. 14.16 God in times past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies III. The greatest part of the world hath euer beene out of the Couenant Eph. 2. 12. Ye were I say at that time without Christ and were aliants from the common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world but now ye are no more strangers and forrenners but citizens with the Saints Obiect They are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not simply alienated but abalienated from God now how could they be abalienated except either they or their predecessors had beene in the couenant Ans. The Gentiles are not said to be abalienated from the couenant but from the common-wealth of Israel because that God had then by certaine lawes rites and ceremonies vtterly seuered and distinguished the people of the Iewes from all other nations Obiect This generall calling is not to be vnderstood simply of the ministerie of the word but of the will of God deliuered presently after the fall in his vnwritten word but afterward in his written word and this all men ought to know although many through their owne default know it not Ans. But the Scriptures were committed to the custodie of the Church of God and euery one was not credited with them Rom. 3.2 Vnto the Iewes were of credit committed the Oracles of God 1. Tim. 3. 15. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth Psal. 147. 19. He shewed his words vnto Iacob and his statutes and lawes to the house of Israel 20. He hath not dealt so with euery nation therefore they haue not knowne his lawâ—s Psal. 76. 1. The Lord is famous in Iudea and in Israel is his name great Obiect The couenant of Grace was made with Adam and Eue and in them all mankind was receiued both into the Church and couenant and also called to the knowledge of God Ans. I. This reason wanteth euen common reason and sense to say that God giuing his promise in the daies of Adam and Noah did in them call all mankind that should come after II. Adam before his fall did indeede receiue the grace both for himselfe and for others also and in the fall he lost it both for himselfe and for all others but after the fall he receiued the promise for himselfe alone and not for the whole world otherwise the first Adam should not onely haue beene a liuing creature but a quickning spirit the which is proper to the second
who beeing tempted of the deuill and asked how he beleeued answered that he beleeued as the Church beleeued beeing againe asked how the Church beleeued he answered as I beleeue whereupon the deuill as they say was faine to depart Well this fond and ridiculous kind of faith we renounce as being a meanes to nuzle men in blindnes superstition and perpetuall ignorance yet withall we doe not denie but that there is an implicite or infolded faith which is when a man as yet hauing but some little portion of knowledge in the doctrine of the Gospel doth truly performe obedience according to the measure thereof and withall hath care to get more knowledge and shewes good affection to all good meanes whereby it may be increased In this respect a certaine ruler who by a miracle wrought vpon his child was mooued to acknowledge Christ for the Messias and further to submit himselfe to his doctrine is commended for a beleeuer and so are in the like case the Samaritanes And thus much of weake faith which must be vnderstood to be in a man not all the daies of his life but while he is a yong babe in Christ. For as it is in the state of the bodie first we are babes and grow to greater strength as we grow in yeres so it is with a christian man First he is a babe in Christ hauing weake faith but after growes from grace to grace till he come to haue a stroÌ„g faith example wherâ—of we haue in Abraham who was strong and perfect both in knowledge and apprehension This strong faith is when a man is indued with the knowledge of the Gospell and grace to apprehend and apply the righteousnes of Christ vnto himselfe for the remission of his owne sinnes so as he can say distinctly of himselfe and truely that he is fully resolued in his owne conscience that he is reconciled vnto God in Christ for all his sinnes and accepted in him to life euerlasting This degree of faith is proper to him that beginnes to be a tall man and of ripe yeares in Christ. And it commeth not at the first calling of a man vnto grace And if any shall thinke that he can haue it at the first he deceiueth himself For as it is in nature first we are babes then as we increase in yeares so we growe in strength so it is in the life of a Christian first ordinarily he hath a weake faith and after growes from grace to grace till he come to stronger faith and at the last he be able to say he is fully assured in his heart and conscience of the pardon of his sinnes of reconciliation to God in Christ. And this assurance ariseth from many experiences of Gods fauour and loue in the course of his life by manifold preseruations and other blessings which beeing deepely and duly considered bring a man to be fully perswaded that God is his God and God the father his father and Iesus Christ his redeemer and the holy Ghost his sanctifier Now howesoeuer this faith be strong yet is it alwaies imperfect as also our knoweledge is and shall so long as wee liue in this worlde be mingled with contrarie vnbeleefe and sundry doubtings more or lesse A great part of men amongest vs blinded with grosse ignorance say they haue faith and yet indeede haue not For aske them what faith they haue they will answere they beleeue that God is their father and the Sonne their redeemer c. aske them how long they haue had this faith they will answer euer since they could remember aske them whether they euer doubt of Gods fauour they will say they would not once doubt for all the world But the case of these men is to bee pitied for howesoeuer they may perswade themselues yet true it is that they haue no sound faith at all for euen strong faith is assaulted with temptations and doubtings and God will not haue men perfect in this life that they may alwaies goe out of themselues and depend wholly on the merite of Christ. And thus much of these two degrees of faith Nowe in whome soeuer it is whether it be a weake faith or a strong it bringeth forth some fruit as a tree doth in the time of sommer And a speciall fruite of faith is this confession of faith I beleeue in God c. so Paul saith With the heart a man may beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation Confession of faith is when a man in speech and outwarde profession doth make manifest his faith for these two causes I. That with his mouth outwardly he may glorifie God and doe him seruice both in body and soule II. That by the confession of his faith he may seuer himselfe from all false Christians from Atheists hypocrites and all false seducers whatsoeuer And as this is the dutie of a Christian man to make profession of his faith so here in this Creede of the Apostles wee haue the right order and forme of making confession set downe as we shall see in handling the parts thereof The Creede therefore setts downe two thinges concerning faith namely the action of faith and his obiect which also are the parts of the Creed The action in these wordes I beleeue the obiect in all the wordes following in God the Father Almightie maker c. And first let vs beginne with the action I beleeue in God Wee are taught to saie I beleeue not vvee beleeue for two causes First because as wee touched before in the Primitiue Church this Creede was made to bee an aunswere to a demaunde or question which was demaunded of euery particular man that was baptized for they asked him thus What doest thou beleeue then he aunswered I beleeue in God the Father c. And thus did euerie one of yeares make profession of his faith and it is likely that Peter alluded hereunto saying the stipulation or aunswere of a good conscience maketh request to God The second cause is howesoeuer we are to pray one for another by sayingâ— O our Father c. yet when we come to yeares we must haue a particular faith of our own no man can be saued by another mans faith but by his owne as it is said The iust shall liue by his faith But some will say this is not true because children must be saued by their parents faith the aunswere is this the faith of the parent doth bring the child to haue a title or interest to the Couenant of grace and to all the benefits of Christ yet doth it not applie the benefits of Christs death his obedience his merits and righteousnesse vnto the infant for this the beleeuer doth onely vnto himselfe and to no other Againe some may say if children doe not apprehend Christs benefits by their parents faith howe then is Christs righteousnesse made theirs and they saued Answer By the inwarde working of the holy Ghost who is the principal applier
can take is this he is comming to iudgement let vs therefore meete him and fal downe before him and humble our selues vnder his mightie hand And the holy Ghost by the Prophet would mooue the people to meete God by serious repentance by a reason framed thus If God who is their iudge be able to create the winds and to forme the mountaines and to make the morning darknes then he is also able to make an eternall iudgement for their confusion And therfore all such as be impenitent sinners let thē prepare thēselues to turne vnto him surely if men had grace to lay this to their hearts they would not liue so long in their sinnes without repentance as they doe nay rather they would prepare thēselues to meete him in the way before he come to iudgement because he is a Creator and therefore able to bring infinite punishments vpon them at his pleasure and to bring them to nothing as he made them of nothing And let them know it whosoeuer they be that go forward in their sinns that God the creator whensoeuer he will can open hell to deuoure them and that he can shew himselfe as mightie in his iudgement to mens destruction as he was mightie in the beginning in giuing vs a beeing when we were nothing Wherefore notable is the practise of Dauid who inures himselfe to the feare of God by the consideration of his creation saying I am fearefully and wonderfully made c. Lastly those which haue beene impenitent sinners through all their life past must not onely learne to repent for their sinnes but also endeauour to performe obedience vnto Gods word God is a creator and the thing created should in all respects be conformable to his will for Dauid saith Thine hands haue fashioned me and framed me giue me vnderstanding therefore that I may learne thy commandements And good reason for there is no man of any trade but he would faine haue all that he maketh and deuiseth to be vsed but yet so as the vse thereof must be conformable to the will of the maker For this cause Moses that faithful seruāt of God saith that the people of Israel dealt wrongfully with the Lord why for he hath created them and proportioned them he is their father and be bought them yet they haue dishonoured him by corrupting thēselues towards him by their vice All creatures in heauen and in earth doe the will of the Creator except man and the deuill and his angels for the Sunne the Moone and the Starres they keepe that course which God hath appointed them but man though he be bound to doe the will of God because God is his Creator yet he rebells against him The potter if in tempering his clay he can not make and frame it according to his minde at length he will dash it in pieces so God he createth man not that he should doe his owne will but Gods will and therefore the Lord in his wrath will confound him eternally who soeuer he be that followeth the lusts of his owne wicked heart and will not be brought to be conformable to Gods will but goes on his rebellion without stay For this cause it stands euery man in hand to yeelde himselfe pliable vnto Gods will to indeauour to obey it by keeping a good conscience before God and all men and by walking faithfully in his calling least the ende be confusion If a man haue a trade and other men come into his shoppe and vse such tooles and instruments as be there to wrong ends he will in no wise brooke it but take the abuse in great displeasure now the world is as it were an opened shoppe in which God hath set forth vnto vs his glorie and maiestie and the creatures of all kinds be instruments appointed for excellent vses and specially man for the accomplishment of his will And therefore when he rebells against the will of God and by sinne puts the creatures to wrong ends he can not but most grieuously offend God And thus much of the duties Now in the third place follow the consolations vnto Gods Church and people First as S. Peter saith God is a creator yea a faithfull creator The properties of a faithfull creator are two I. He will preserue his creature no man is so tender ouer any worke as he that made it for he cannot abide to see it any way abused God therefore beeing a faithfull creator tenderly loues all his creatures So Iob reasoneth with God that he will not cast him off because he is the worke of his handes II. God will beare with his creature to see whether it will be brought to any good ende and vse before he will destroy it And to vse the former comparison the potter will turne and worke the clay euery way to make a vessell vnto his minde but if it frame no way then will he cast it away and dash it against the wall And so God who created man still preserueth him and vseth all meanes to make him conformable to his wil before he cast him off The Lord did long striue with men in the old world to turne them from their wickednesse but when nothing would serue them it is said It repented the Lord that he made man on the earth And in like manner if wee which are the creatures of God shall rebell against this our creator it may be he will beare with vs for a time but if we continue therein and do not turne to him by repentance he will bring vpon vs a finall destruction both in bodie and soule Yet I say before he doe this his manner is to trie all meanes to preserue vs and turne vs vnto him and afterward if nothing will serue then will he shewe forth his power in mens confusion and therefore it standes vs in hand to looke vnto it betime Secondly looke what power the Lord did manifest in the creation of all things the same power he both can and will make manifest in the redemption of mankinde In the beginning God made all things by his word and so likewise he is able still to make by the power of his word of a wicked man that is dead in sinne a true and liuely member of Christ which the Prophet Esay signifieth when he saith The Lord that created the heauens and spread them abroad he that stretcheth forth the earth and the bodie thereof c. I the Lord haue called thee in righteousnesse This must not incourage euil men in their wickednes but it serueth to comfort the people of God considering that the same God which once created them is also as able to saue them and will shew himselfe as mightie in their redemption as he was in their creation of nothing And thus much of the creation in generall Nowe it followeth that wee come to the handling of the parts thereof For it is not said barely that God is a Creator but particularly that he
in the very middest of all confusion there is order to be founde because he can and doth despose it to the glorie of his owne name and to the good and saluation of his chosen as also to the confusion of his enemies Againe it may be obiected that with vngodly and wicked men all thinges goe well and contrariwise with the godly all things goe hardly For through the world none are more molested and more vnder outward miserie then they but if there were any prouidence of God then it should be otherwise the godly should flourish and the wicked perish Ans. The consideration of the outward estate of men in the world was to Dauid an occasion of a sore temptation For when he sawe the wicked to prosper alwaie and their riches to increase he brake forth and said Certenly I haue clensed my heart in vaine and washed mine hands in innocencie Now if we would repell this temptation as Dauid afterward did then wee must goe into the Lords sanctuarie with him and learne to be resolued in these points I. Though the godly bee laden with miseries yet euen that by the especiall prouidence of God turnes to their great good For euery man since the fall of Adam is stained with the loathsome contagion of sinne Now the child of God that is truly regenerate and must be fellow heire with Christ after this life in the kingdome of glory must in this life be cast into the Lords furnace that in the fire of afflliction he may more and more be skoured and purified from the corruption of his nature and be estranged from the wickednes of the worlde II. The prosperous successe of the wicked their spoiles their reuenewes and all their honour turnes to their greater woe in the ende as doth appeare in Iobs historie in the examples of the Chaldeans of Dauids enimies and of Diues and Lazarus Thirdly it may be obiected that many things came to passe by chance and therefore not by Gods prouidence because chaunce and prouidence cannot stand togither Ans. We must distinguish betweene chance and meere chance Chaunce is when any thing comes to passe the cause thereof beeing vnknowne not simply but in respect of man aad therefore in regard of men which knowe not the reason of things we may say there is chaunce and so the spirit of God speaketh Time and chaunce commeth to them all And againe By chaunce there came downe a priest the same way Now this kind of chance is not against the prouidence of God but is ordered by it For things which in regard of men are casuall are certainely knowne and determined by God Meere chaunce is when things are said or thought to come to passe without any cause at all But that must be abhorred of vs as ouerturning the prouidence of God Thus seeing it is plaine that there is a prouideÌ„ce let vs in the next place see what it is Prouidence is a most free and powerfull action of God whereby he hath care ouer all things that are Prouidence hath two parts knowledge and gouernment Gods knowledge is whereby all things from the greatest to the least are manifest before him at al times As Dauid saith His eies will consider his eie lids will trie the children of meÌ„ And againe He abaseth himselfe to beholde the things that are in the heauen and the earth And the Prophet Hanani said to Asa The eies of the Lord behold all the earth And Saint Iames saith From the beginning of the world God knoweth all his workes This point hath a double vse First as Saint Peter saith it must mooue vs to eschewe euill and doe good why Because saith he the eies of the Lord are vpon the iust and his countenance against euill doers Secondly it must comfort all those that labour to keepe a good conscience For the eies of God behole all the earth to shewe himselfe strong with them that are of perfect heart towards him Gouernment is the â—econd part of Gods prouidence whereby he ordereth all things and directeth them to good endes And it must be extended to the very least thing that is in heauen or earth as to the sparrowes and to oxen and the haires of our heades And here we must consider two things the manner of gouernment and the meanes The manner of gouernment is diuers according as things are good or euill A good thing is that which is approoued of God As first of all the substances of all creatures euen of the deuils themselues in whome whatsoeuer is remaining since their creation is in it selfe good Secondly the quantities qualities motions actions and inclinations of the creatures in themselues considered with all their euents are good Againe good is either naturall or moral Naturall which is created by God for the lawefull vse of man Morall which is agreeable to the eternall and vnchangeable wisdome of God reuealed in the morall lawe Now God gouerneth all good things two waies First by sustaining preseruing them that they decay not secondly by moouing them that they may attaine to the particular endes for which they were seuerally ordained For the qualities and vertues which were placed in the Sunne Moone starres trees plants seedes c. would lie dead in them and be vnprofitable vnlesse they were not onely preserued but also stirred vp and quickened by the power of God so oft as he imploies them to any vse Euill is the destruction of nature and it is taken for sinne or for the punishment of sinne Nowe sinne is gouerned of God by two actions the first is an operatiue permission I so call it because God partly permitteth sinne and partly worketh in it For sinne as it is commonly taken hath two parts the subiect or matter and the forme of sinne the subiect of sinne is a certaine qualitie or action the forme is the anomie or transgression of Gods lawe The first is good in it selfe and euery qualitie or action so farre forth as it is a qualitie or action is existing in nature and hath God to be the author of it Therefore sinne though it be sufficiently euil to eternall damnationâ— yet can it not be said to be absolutely euill as God is absolutely good because the subiect of it is good therfore it hath in it respects regards of goodnes In respect of the second that is the breach of the lawe it selfe God neither willeth nor appointeth nor commandeth nor causeth nor helpeth sin but forbiddeth condemneth and punisheth it yet so as withall he willingly permitteth it to be done by others as men and wicked angells they beeing the sole authors and causes of it And this permission by God is vpon a good ende because thereby heâ— manifesteth his iustice and mercie Thus it appeares that in originall sinne the naturall inclination of the minde will and affections in it selfe considered is from God and the ataxie or corruption of the inclination in no
wise from him but onely permitted againe that in actuall sinne the motion of the bodie or minde is from God but the euilnes and disorder of the motion is not from him but freely permitted to be done by others As for example in the act of murder the actions of moouing the whole bodie of stirring the seuerall ioynts and the fetching of the blowe whereby the man is slaine is from God for in him we liue mooue and haue our beeing but the disposing and applying of all these actions to this ende that our neighours life may be taken away and we thereby take reuenge vpon him is not from God but from the wicked will of man and the deuill Gods second action in the gouernment of sinne is after the iust permission of it partly to restraine it more or lesse according to his good wil and pleasure and partly to dispose and turne it against the nature thereof to the glorie of his owne name to the punishment of his enemies and to the correcting chastisement of his elect As for the second kind of euill called the punishment of sinne it is the execution of iustice and hath God to be the author of it And in this respect Esai saith that God createth euill and Amos that there is no euill in the cittie which the Lord hath not done And God as a most iust iudge may punish sinne by sinne himselfe in the meane season free from all sinne And thus the places must be vnderstood in which it is said that God giueth kings in his wrath hardeneth the heart blindeth the eies mingleth the spirit of errours giueth vp men to a reprobate sense sends straunge illusions to beleeue lies sends euill spirits giuing them commandement to hurt and leaue to deceiue c. Thus hauing seene in what manner God gouerneth all things let vs nowe come to the means of gouernment Sometimes god worketh without means thus he created all thinges in the beginning and he made trees and plants to growe and flourish without the heate of the sunne or raine sometimes hee gouernes according to the vsuall course and order of nature as when he preserues our liues by meate and drinke yet so as he can and doth most freely order al things by meanes either aboue nature or against nature as it shall seeme good vnto him As when he caused the sunne to stand in the firmament and to goe backe in Achas diall when he caused the fire not to burne the three children when he kept backe dewe and raine three yeres in Israel when hee made waters to flowe out of the rocke when he caused Elias cloake to deuide the waters of Iorden when he caused Iron to swimme when he preserued Ionas aliue three daies and three nights in the whalles bellie when he cured diseases by the strength of nature incureable as the leprosie of Naaman the issue of blood and blindnesse c. Among all the meanes which God vseth the speciall are the reasonable creatures which are no passiue instrument as the toole in the hand of the workman but actiue because as they are mooued by God so againe being indued with will and reason they mooue themselues And such instruments are either good or euill Euill as wicked men and angels And these he vseth to do his good will and pleasure euen then when they doe least of all obey him And considering that the sinning instrument which is mooued by God doth also mooue it selfe freely without any constraint on Gods part God himselfe is free from all blame when the instrument is blame-worthie In directing the instrument God sinneth not the action indeede is of him but the defect of the action from the instrument which being corrupt can it selfe doe nothing but that which is corrupt God in the meane season by it bringing that to passe which is very good The whole cause of sinne is in Satan and in vs as for God he puts no wickednes into vs but the euill which he findes in vs he mooues that is orders and gouerns and bendes it by his infinite wisdome when and in what manner it pleaseth him to the glory of his name the euil instrument not knowing so much nay intending a farre other ende As in the mill the horse blindfolded goes forward and perceiues nothing but that he is in the ordinary waie whereas the miller himselfe whips him and stirres him forward for another ende namely for the grinding of corne And this is that which we must hold touching Gods prouidence ouer wicked men and angels and it standâ—s with the tenour of the whole Bible Iosephs brethren sold him into Egypt very wickedly euen in the testimonie of their own consciences yet Ioseph hauing respect to the counsell and worke of God which he perfourmed by his brethren saith that the Lord sent him thither And the Church of Ierusalem saith that Herod and Pontius Pilate did nothing in the death of Christ but that which the hand counsell of god had determined to be done because though they wickedly intended nothing but to shewe their malice and hatred in the death of Christ yet God propounding a further matter by them then euer they dreamed of shewed forth his endles mercy to man in the worke of redemption On this manner must all the places of Scripture be vnderstood in which it is said that God gaue the wiues of Dauid to Absalom that God mooued Dauid to number the people that he commanded Shemei to raile on Dauid that the Medes and Persians are his sanctified ones that the reuolt of the tenne tribes was done by God c. By all these examples it appeares that wee must not seuer Gods permission from his wil or decree and that we must put difference betweene the euill work of man and the good worke of God which he doth by man the whole matter may yet be more clearely perceiued by this comparison A theefe at the day of assise is condemned the magistrate appoints him to be executed the hangman owing a grudge to the malefactour vseth him hardly prolongeth his punishment longer then he should Now the magistrate and the hangman doe both one and the same worke yet the hangman for his part is a murderer the magistrate in the meane season no murderer but a iust iudge putting iustice in executioÌ„ by the hangman so god though he vse euil instruments yet is he free from the euil of the instrumeÌ„ts And further we must here marke the difference which must be made in Gods vsing of all kinds of instruments When he vseth good creatures as angels he worketh his will not onely by them but also in them because hee inspires them and guides them by his spirit so as they shall will and doe that which he willeth and intendeth As for euill instruments he worketh by them only and not in them because he holds backe his grace from them and leaues them to themselues to put in
hereby confuted otherwise in respect of the diuers estate and condition of men sinnes are either veniall or mortall Veniall they are to the elect whose sinnes are pardonable in Christ but to the reprobate all sinnes are mortall Neuertheles we holde not all sinnes equall but that they are greater or lesse according to the diuersitie of obiects and other circumstances Thus much of sin in generall nowe we come to the parts of it The first sin of all that euer was in man is the sinne of Adam which was his disobedience in eating the forbidden fruite In handling whereof sundrie points are to bee opened but let vs begin with the causes thereof The outward efficient cause was the deuill And though he bee not named by Moses in the historie of the fall yet that is not to trouble vs for wee must not conceiue otherwise of the serpent then of the instrument and mouth of the deuill For it is not likely that it beeing a bruite creature should be able to reason and determine of good and euill of trueth and falshood Nowe in this temptation the deuill shewes his malice and his fraud His malice in that whereas he cannot ouerturne God himselfe yet he labours to disturbe the order which he hath set downe in the creation and especially the image of God in the most excellent creatures on earth that they may be in the same miserable condition with himselfe His fraud first in that he begins his temptation with the woman being the weaker person not with the man which course he still continues as may appeare by this that more women are intangled with witchcraft and sorcerie then men Secondly he shewes his fraude in that he proceeds very slily and intangles Eve by certaine steppes and degrees For first by moouing a question he drawes her to listen vnto him and to reason with him of Gods commandement Secondly he bringes her to looke vpon the tree and wishly to viewe the beautie of the fruite Thirdly he makes her to doubt of the absolute truth of Gods word and promise and to beleeue his cōtrarie lies Fourthly hauing blinded her minde with his false perswasions shee desires and lustes after the forbidden fruit and therevpon takes it eates it and giues it to her husband The inward cause was the wil of our first parents euen in the testimonie of their owne consciences as Salomon saith This haue I found that God made man righteous but they haue found many inuentions But it may be obiected that if Adam were created good he could not be the cause of his owne fall because a good tree cannot bring forth euill fruit Answer Freedome of wil is fourefold I. freedome to euil alone this is onely in wicked men and angels and is indeed a bondage the second is freedome to good alone and that is in God and the good Angels by Gods grace the third is freedome to good in part ioyned with some want of libertie by reason of sinne and this is in the regenerate in this life the fourth is freedom either to good or to euill indifferently And this was in Adam before his fall who though he had no inclination to sinne but onely to that which was acceptable to God yet was he not bound by any necessitie but had his libertie freely to choose or refuse either good or euil And this is euident by the very tenour of Gods commandement in which he forbids Adam to eate the forbidden fruit and thereby shewing that hee beeing created righteous and not prone to sinne had power to keepe or not to keepe the commandement though since the fall both hee and wee after him cannot but sinne Wherefore Adam beeing allured by Satan of his owne free accord changed himselfe and fell from God Nowe then as the good tree chaunged from good to euill brings forth euill fruite so Adam by his owne inward and free motion changing from good to euil brings forth euill As for God he is not to be reputed as an author or cause any way of this sinne For he created Adam and Eue righteous indued them with righteous wills and he told them what he would exact at their hands and what they could performe yea he added threatnings that with the feare of daunger he might terrifie them from sinne Some may say whereas God foresaw that Adam would abuse the libertie of his will why would he not preuent it Answ. There is a double grace the one to be able to will and doe that which is good the other to be able to perseuere in willing and doing the same Nowe God gaue the first to Adam and not the second And he is not to be blamed of vs though he confirmed him not with new grace for he is debter to no man to giue him so much as the least grace whereas he had alreadie giuen a plentifull measure thereof to him And God did hold backe to conferre any further grace vpon iust grace I. It was his pleasure that this fact should be an occasion or way to exercise his mercie in the sauing of the Elect and his iustice in the deserued condemnation of impenitent sinners And vnlesse Adam had fallen for himselfe and others there should haue beene found no miserie in men on whome God might take pitie in his Sonne nor wickednesse which he might condemne and therefore neither manifestation of iustice nor mercie II. Againe it was the will of God in part to forsake Adam to make manifest the weaknes that is in the most excellent creatures without the speciall and continuall assistance of God III. There is a double libertie of will one is to will good or euill this belongs to the creature in this world and therefore Adam receiued it The other is to will good alone This he wanted because it is reserued to the life to come And though he knew no cause of this dealing of God yet is it one steppe to the feare of God for vs to hold that good and righteous which he appointeth or willeth and not to square the workes and iudgements of God by our crooked reason And yet to come to reason it selfe Who can here complaine of God Can the deuill but God did not cause him to tempt or deceiue our first parents Can Adam and Eue but they fell freely without any motion or instigation from God and their owne consciences accused them for it Can the posteritie of Adam but the Elect receiue more in Christ then they lost in Adam and the reprobate ouerwhelmed with the burden of their owne sinnes and thereupon receiuing nothing but due and deserued damnation can not finde fault But some may further replie and say he that foreseeth an euill and doth not preuent it is a cause of it but God did foresee the fall of man and did not preuent it Answ. The rule is generally true in man that the foreseer of an euill not preuenting it is in some sort a doer of it for it is the
estate whereas he might as iustly haue damned all men for the fall of our first parents as he did the wicked angels for theirs for God is not bound to any creature behold then a matter of vnspeakeable ioy let vs therefore receiue and embrace Christ our Sauiour flie to him for the pardon of all sinnes and praise his name therefore Now we come to the second title of the sonne of God whereby he is tearmed Christ which title is as it were the surname of the second person as some doe thinke yet according to the opinion of some others it is no name at all but onely a meere appellation as when in the like case a particular man is called a Duke or a King It is all one with Messiah in Hebrewe wherewith the redeemer was named in the old Testament and both signifie annointed Among the Iewes before the comming of Christ three estates or orders of men were annointed with oile First of all Kings as Saul Dauid and the rest of the Kings of Iuda Secondly the priests that serued in the Tabernacle and Temple before the Lord when they were ordained and as it were installed into the priesthood were annointed with oyle as first of all Aaron and his sonnes but afterward the high priests alone Thirdly Prophets were thus annointed as Elisha Nowe this legall annointing was a type and figure of the annointing of Christ which was not with bodily oile but by the spirit and it was more excellent then all other annointings were For Dauid saith he was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes signifying that neither king priest nor prophet was euer annointed in the same manner as he was Christs annointing is according to both his natures for in what nature â—e is a Mediatour in the same he is annointed but according to both his natures ioyntly he is a Mediatour the godhead is no mediatour without the manhood nor the manhood without the godhead and therefore his annointing extends it selfe both to his godhead and to his manhood Christs annointing hath two parts both of them figured by the annointing of the Iewes The first is his consecration whereby he was set apart to do the office of a Mediatour betweene God and man and therfore to be a king a priest a prophet a king to gather and withall to gouerne his Church and people a priest to make satisfaction and intercession for the sinnes of the elect a prophet to reueale and teach his people the will of God his father And though it be true that Christ is set apart to the work of mediation as he is mediatour or as he is man yet as he is God he doth designe and set himselfe apart to the same worke For to designe the mediatour is a common action of the three persons the father the sonneâ— and the holy ghost and yet considering the father is first in order and thâ—refore hath the beginning of the action for this cause he is said especially to designe as when S. Iohn saith Him hath God the father sealed The second part of Christs annointing is the powring out of the fulnesse of the spirit or grace into the manhood of Christ and it was particularly figured by the holy oile For first that oile had no man but God alone to bee the author of it so the most excellent and vnspeakeable graces of the manhood of Christ haue their beginning from the godhead of Christ. Againe though the same oile was most precious yet was it compounded of earthly substances as myrrhe calamus and Casia and such like to signifie that the spirituall oile of grace whereof the manhood of Christ was as it were a vessell or storehouse did not consist of the essentiall properties of the godhead as Eutiches and his followers in these daies imagine but in certaine created gifts and qualities placed in his humaine nature otherwise we should not haue any participation of them Thirdly the sweete sauour of the holy oile figured that the riches of all grace with the effect thereof in the obedience of Christ doth take away the noisome sent of our loathsome sinnes from the nosthrilles of God and withal doth make our persons and al our actioÌ„s acceptable vnto him as a sweete perfume as Paul saith we are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ c. And Christs death is for this cause tearmed a sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour And we must further vnderstand that theâ—e gifts of Christs manhood are not conferred in a small scantling or measure for Iohn saith God giueth the spirit not by measure because the graces which are in Christ are farre more both in number and degree then all men or angels haue or shall haue though the good angels and the saints of God in heauen are very excellent creatures stored with manifold graces and gifts of God For this cause Christ is called the head of man because he is euery way the most principal and glorious man that euer was Yet for all this are not the gifts of Christs manhood infinite any way because it is a creature and finite in nature and therefore not capable of that which is infinite By Christs annointing the people of God reape great benefit comfort because they are to be partakers thereof For this cause the oile wherewith he was annointed is called the oyle of gladnes because the sweete sauour of it gladdeth the hearts of all his members and brings the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding The holy oyle poured vpon Aarons head came downe to his beard and to the very skirts of his garments and it signified that the spirituall oyle of grace was first of all poured vpon our head Christ Iesus from thence consequently deriued to al his members that by that meanes he might be not onely annointed himselfe but also our annointer Nowe the benefits which we receiue by his annointing are two The first is that all the elect when they are called to the profession of the Gospell of Christ are in and by him set apart and made spirituall kings priests and prophets as S. Iohn saith He hath made vs kings and priests vnto his father And S. Peter out of Ioel I will poure saith the Lord my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie The second benefit it that all the faithfull receiue the same oile that is the same spirit of God in some little conuenient measure which he receiued aboue measure as Saint Iohn saithâ— The annointing which ye haue receiued of him dwelleth in you and teacheth you all things where by annointing is meant the holy Ghost And hence it is that men are called Christians of the name of Christ that is annointed with the same oyle wherewith Christ was annointed And the holy oyle might not be giuen to a straunger to signifie that to haue the spirit of Christ and to be guided by it is peculiar
Adam lastly as it is a farre greater matter by death to ouercome death and to turne it into eternal life then to commaunde that to exist and be which was not before so is the worke of redemption begunne in the birth of Christ more vnspeakable and admirable then the first creation of man Hereupon not 6. cherubims as in the vision of Isaiah not 24. elders as in the Apocalyps but a great multitude of Angels like armies were heard to praise God at the birth of Christ and no doubt the like sight was not seene since the beginning of the worlde And the Angels by their example put vs in minde to consider aright of this benefit and to praise God for it But alas this practise is very rare in this fruitlesse and barren age of the worlde where sinne and iniquitie abounds as may be seene by experience for by an old custome we retaine still in the Church the feast of the natiuitie of Christ so commonly called which neuerthelesse is not spent in praising the name of God who hath sent his sonne from his owne bosome to be our redeemer but contrariwise in rifling dicing carding masking mumming and in all licentious libertie for the most part as though it were some heathen feast of Ceres or Bacchus Secondly Christ was conceiued and borne in bodily manner that there might be a spirituall conception and birth of him in our hearts as Paul saith My little children of whome I trauell till Christ he formed in you and that is when we are made newe creatures by Christ and performe obedience to our creatour When the people said to Christ that his mother and his brethren sought him he answered He that doth the will of God is my brother my sister and mother Therefore let vs goe with the sheapheards to Bethlehem and finding our blessed Sauiour swadled and lying in the cratch let vs bring him thence and make our owne hearts to be his cradle that we may be able to say that we liue not but Christ liues in vs and let vs present vnto him our selues our bodies soules as the best gold mirrhe and frankincense that may be and thus conceiuing him by faith he remaining without chaunge wee shall be chaunged into him and made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh The world I know neuer so much as dreameth of this kinde of conception and birth for as Dauid saieth Men trauell with wickednesse conceiue mischiefe and bring forth a lie And S. Iames saith Men are drawne away by their owne concupiscence which when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne And these are the ougly and monstrons birthes of these daies But let vs I pray you contrariwise waile and mourne for the barrennes of our hearts that doe so little conceiue the grace of Christ in heart and bring it forth in action The mother of Christ vndoubtedly was a blessed woman but if shee had not as well conceiued Christ in her heart as shee did in her wombe shee had not bin saued and no more can wee vnlesse doe the same The birth of Christ to them that haue touched hearts is the comfort of coÌ„forts and the sweetest balme or confection that euer was Behold say the Angel to the sheâ—pheards we bring tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people but wherein standes the ioy they adde further vnto you this daie is borne in the citiâ— of Dauid a Sâ—uiour which is Christ the Lord. And no maruel for in that birth is manifested the good will of God to man and by it we haue peace first with God secondly with our selues in conscience thirdly with the good Angels of God fourthly with our enemies lastly with al the creatures For this cause the Angels sang Peace on earth good will towards men In the last place the Creede notes vnto vs the parent or mother of Christ the Virgine Mary And here at the verie first it may be demanded howe hee could haue either father or mother because he was figured by Melchisedech who had neither father nor mother Ans. Melchisedech is said to be without father and mother not because he had none at all For according to the ancient and receiued opinion it is very likely that he was Sem the sonne of Noe but because where hee is mentioned vnder this name of Melchisedech in the 14. chapter of Genes there is no mention made of Father or Mother and so Christ in some sort is without father or mother as he is man he hath no father as he is God he hath no mother And whereas Christ is called the sonne of Ioseph it was not because hee was begotten of him but because Ioseph was his reputed father or which is more because he was a legall father namely according to the Iewes lawes in that as sundrie diuines think he was the next of his kin and therefore to succeede him as his lawfull heire Mary became the mother of Christ by a kind of calling thereto which was by an extraordinarie message of an angel concerning the conception birth of Christ in and by her to which calling and message shee condescended saying Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy worde And hereupon she conceiued by the holy ghost This being so it is more then sensles folly to turne the salutatioÌ„ of the angel Haile freely beloued c. into a praier For it is as much as if we should stil call her to become a mother of Christ. And shee must be held to be the mother of whole Christ God and man therfore the ancient Church hath called the mother of God yet not the mother of the godhead Furthermore the mother of Christ is described by her qualitie a virgin and by her name Mary Shee was a virgine first that Christ might be conceiued without sinne and be a perfect Sauiour secondly that the saying of the prophet Esay might be fulfilled Behold a virgine shall conceiue beare a sonne according as it was foretold by God in the first giuing of the promise the seede of the woman not the seede of the man shall bruise the serpents heade Nowe the Iewes to elude the most pregnant testimonie of the prophet saie that Alma signifies not a virgin but a young woman which hath knowne a man But this is indeede a forgerie For Esay there speakes of an extraordinary worke of God aboue nature whereas for a woman hauing knowne man to conceiue is no wonder And the word Alma through the whole bible is taken for a virgin as by a particular search will appeare As Maâ—ie conceiued a virgin so it may be well thought that shee continued a virgine to the ende though wee make it no article of our faith When Christ was vpon the crosse hâ—e commended his mother to the custodie of Iohn which probably argueth that she had no child to whose care and keeping shee might be coÌ„meÌ„ded
humiliation and then into glorie so it is with his members first they must be abased in this life and secondly exalted in the world to come He that will raigne with Christ and be exalted must first suffer with him and be humbled he that will weare the crowne of glorie must weare first a crowne of thornes they that will haue all teares wiped from their eyes must here first in this life shedde them And the children of God before they can sing the song of Moses and of the seruants of God and of the lambe must first swimme through the sea of burning glasse whereby it is signified that those which after this life would sing songs of praises to Christ must in this life be cast into a sea of miserie And if this be true then we may heare learne that it is a wretched case for a man in this life to haue perpetuall ease rest and quietnes both in bodie soule goods good name for we see by Christs example that through aduersitie we must come to happines and if a man would haue rest and peace in the life to come then in this life he must looke for trouble persecution and sorrow Indeede in the iudgement of the world they are blessed that alwaies liue at rest but before God they are most miserable and as oxen which are made fatte in the best pasture readie for the slaughterhouse euery day Secondly here is an excellent consolation for those which professe the Gospel of Christ in the time of trouble and persecution they must reioyce because the state of humiliation in this life is a signe that they are in the plaine and right way to saluation and glorie A man is to take his iourney into a farre countrey and inquiring for the way it is told him that there are many plaine waies but the straight and right way is by woods and hills and mountaines and great daungers now when he is trauailing and comes into those places he gathereth certenly that he is in the right way so the childe of God that is going to the kingdome of heauen though there be many waies to walke in yet he knowes that there is but one right way which is very straight and narrowe full of trouble sorrowe and persecution full of all manner of crosses and afflictions and when in this life he is persecuted and afflicted for good causes whether in bodie or in minde if he be content to beare his crosse it argueth plainely that he is in the right way vnto saluation for through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of heauen The humiliation of Christ is first of all set downe in the Creede generally and secondly by his parts or degrees Generally in these words Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Where we must consider two things the Passion it selfe and vnder whome it was For the first that we may the better conceiue the passion in his owne nature seuen speciall points must be opened I. The cause efficient The principall cause of the passion as it is the price of our redemption was the decree and prouidence of God as Peter saith expressely that Christ was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God The impulsiue cause that mooued God to worke our saluation by this meanes was nothing in man for al mankinde was shut vp vnder vnbeleefe and therefore vnable to procure the least fauour at Gods hand but the will and good pleasure of God within himselfe The instruments which the Lord vsed in this busines were the wicked Iewes and Gentiles and the deuill himselfe by whome he brought to passe the most admirable worke of redemption euen then when they according to their kind did nothing els but practise wickednes and malice against Christ. II. The matter of the passion is the whole malediction or curse of the Law containing in it all manner of aduersities and miseries both of bodie and minde All which may be reduced to three heads the temptations of Christ his ignominies and slaunders his manifolde sorrowes and griefes especially those which stand in the apprehension of the vnsupportable wrath of God III. The forme of the passion is that excellent and meritorious satisfaction which in suffering Christ made vnto his father for mans sinne We doe not rightly consider of the passion if we conceiue 〈◊〉 to be a bare and naked suffering of punishment but withall we must conceiue it as a propitiation or a meanes satisfactorie to Gods iustice The passion considered as a passion ministers no comfort but all our ioy and reioycing stands in this that by faith we apprehend it as it is a satisfaction or a meanes of reconciliation for our offences In this very point standes the dignitie of the passion whereby it differs from all other sufferings of men whatsoeuer Therefore most damnable and wicked is the opinion of the papists who besides the alone passion of Christ maintaine workes of satisfaction partly of their owne and partly of the Saints departed which they adde to the passion as an appendance thereof IV. The ende of the passion is that God might bring to passe a worke in which he might more fully manifest his iustice and mercie then he did in the creation and that is the reconciliation betweene God and man And here remember with the passion to ioyne the actiue obedience of Christ in fulfilling the law for Christ in suffering obeyed and in obeying suffered And they must be ioyntly conceiued together for this cause In reconciliation with God two things are required the remoouing of sinne in regard of the guilt of the fault and the punishment and the conferring or giuing of righteousnes Nowe the passion of Christ considered apart from his legall obedience only takes away the guilt and punishment frees man from death and makes him of a sinner to be no sinner and that he may be fully reconciled to God and accepted as righteous to life euerlasting the legall obedience of Christ must also be imputed And therfore in the Scriptures where all our redemption is ascribed to the death and passion of Christ this very obedience which standes in the perfect loue of God and man must be included and not excluded V. The time of the passion was from the very birth of Christ to his resurrection yet so as the beginnings onely of his sufferings were in the course of his life and the accomplishment thereof to the very full vpon the crosse VI. The person that suffered was the sonne of God himselfe concerning whome in this case two questions must be resolued The first how can it stand with Gods iustice◠to lay punishment vpon the most righteous man that euer was and that for grieuous sinners considering that tyrants themselues will not doe so Ans. In the passion Christ must not be considered as a priuate person for then it could not stand with equitie that hee should be plagued and punished for our offences but as one
plunged into a sea of most grieuous afflictions and ouerwhelmed with the gulfes of most dreadfull temptations euen then then I say we should not be discouraged but lift vp our hearts by feruent praier to God Thus did Christ when in the garden he was about to drinke the cuppe of the wrath of God and to sucke vp the very dregges of it and Dauid saith that out of the deepes he called of the name of the Lord and was heard The fifth point what is the matter and forme of this prayer Answ. Christ praies to be deliuered from the death and passion which was to come saying on this manner Father let this cuppe passe from me yet with two clauses added thereto If it be possible and Not my will but thy will be done But it may be demanded how it could be that Christ knowing that it was his Fathers will and counsell that he should suffer death for man and also comming into the world for that ende should make such a request to his Father without sinne Answ. The request proceedes onely of a weaknes or infirmitie in Christs manhood without sinne which appeareth thus We must still consider that when he made this prayer to his father the whole wrath of God and the very dolours and pangs of hell seazed vpon him whereby the senses and powers of his minde were astonished and wholly bent to releeue nature in this agonie For as when the heart is smitten with griefe all the blood in the bodie flowes thither to comfort it so when Christ was in this astonishment the vnderstanding and memorie and all the parts of his humane nature as it were for a time suspending their owne proper actions concurred to sustaine and support the spirit and life of Christ as much as possibly might be Now Christ beeing in the middest of this perplexed estate prayeth on this manner Father if it be possible let this cuppe passe And these words proceede not from any sinne or disobedience to his Fathers will but onely from a meere perturbation of minde caused onely by an outward meanes namly the apprehension of Gods anger which neither blinded his vnderstanding nor tooke away his memorie so as he forgot his fathers will but onely stopped and staied the act of reasoning and remembring for a little time euen as in the most perfect clocke that is the motion may be staied by the ayre or by mans hand or by some outward cause without any defect or breach made in any part of it It may be obiected that Christs will is flatte contrarie to the wil of his father Ans. Christs will as he is man and the will of his father in this agonie were not contrarie but onely diuers and that without any contradiction or contrarietie Now a man may will a diuers thing from that which God willeth and that without sinne Paul desired to preach the word of God in Asia and Bithynia but he was hindred by the spirit For all this there is no contrarietie betweene Paul and the spirit of God but in the shew of discord great consent For that which Paul willeth well the spirit of God willeth not by a better will though the reason hereof be secret and the reason of Pauls will manifest Againe the minister in charitie reputing the whole congregation to be elect in holy manner seeketh and willeth the saluation of euery one which neuerthelesse the Lord in his eternall counsell willeth not Now betweene both these wills there may be and is a difference without contrarietie For one good thing as it is good may differ from another but it cannot be contrarie vnto it It may further be alleadged that in this praier there seemes to be a combate and fight in the minde will and affections of Christ and therefore sinne Ans. There are three kind of combates the one betweene reason and appetite and this fight is alwaies sinnefull and was not in Christ the second is betweene the flesh and the spirit and this may be in Gods child who is but in part regenerate but it did not befall Christ who was perfectly holy The third is a combate of diuers desires vpon sundrie respects drawing a man to and fro This may be in mans nature without fault and was in Christ in whome the desire of doing his Fathers will striuing and struggling with another desire whereby nature seekes to preserue it selfe caused him to pray in this manner The sixth point is in what manner Christ prayed Answ. He praied to his Father partly kneeling partly lying on his face and that with strong cries and teares sweating water and blood and all this he did for our sinnes Here then behold the agonie of Christ as a cleare chrystall in which we may fully see the exceeding greatnes of our sinnes as also the hardnes of our hearts We goe vaunting with our heads to heauen as though it were nothing to sinne against God whereas the horrour of the wrath of God for our rebellions brought downe euen the sonne of God himselfe and laide him groueling vpon the earth And we cānot so much almost as shed one teare for our iniquities wheras he sweates blood for vs. Oh let vs therefore learne to abase our selues and to carrie about vs contrite and bleeding hearts and be confounded in our selues for our sinnes past The last point is the euent of the prayer which is to be heard as the author of the Hebrewes saith Christ Iesus in the daies of the flesh did offer vp vnto his father prayers and supplications with strong cries and teares vnto him that was able to saue him and was also heard in that thing which he feared But some will say how was Christ heard seeing he suffered death and bare the pangs of hel and the full wrath of God if he had beene heard he should haue beene deliuered from all this Answ. We must know that God heares our praiers two waies I. when he directly graunts our request II. when knowing what is good for vs he giues not vs our requests directly but a thing answerable thereunto And thus was Christ heard for he was not deliuered from suffering but yet he had strength and power giuen him whereby his manhood was made able to beare the brunt of Gods wrath And in the same manner God heareth the praiers of his seruants vpon earth Paul praied to be deliuered from the angel Satan that buffeted him but the Lord answered that it should not so be because his grace whereby he was inabled to resist his temptation was sufficient and Paul finding the fruit of his prayers on this manner protests hereupon that he will reioyce in his infirmities Others pray for temporall blessings as health life libertie c. which notwithstanding God holds backe and giues in stead thereof spirituall graces patience faith contentation of minde Augustine saith God heares not our prayers alwaies according to our wills and desires but according as the things asked shall be
we pollute our soules and bodies with any manner of sinne we make them euen stables and styes for our wretched enemie the deuill to harbour in For when Satan is once cast out if afterward we fall againe to our old sinnes loosenes of life and so defile our bodies they are then most cleane and neat for them to dwell in whereupon he will come and bring seuen other deuills worse then himselfe so a mans last end shall be worse then his beginning Now what a fearefull thing is this that the bodie which should be a temple for the holy Ghost by our sins should be made a stable for the deuil Furthermore S. Paul biddeth vs not to quench the spirit The graces of the holy spirit in this life are like sparkes of fire which may soone be quenched with a little water Now so oft as we sinne we cast water vpon the grace of God and as much as we can put out the same therefore it stands vs in hand to make conscience of euery thing wherein we may offend and displease God And we may assure our selues that so long as we liue and lie in our corruptions and sinnes the holy Ghost will neuer come and dwell with vs. He is a spirit most pure and chast and therefore must haue an vndefiled temple to dwell in Thus we haue heard what is to be beleeued concerning the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Now looke as we beleeue in God distinguished into three persons so we must remember that when we performe diuine worship to him we may distinguish the persons but we are not to seuer them when we pray to the Father we must not omit the Sonne or the holy Ghost but make our prayers to them all for as in nature they are one and in person not deuided but distinguished so in all worship we must neuer confound or seuer the persons but distinguish them and worship the Trinitie in vnitie and vnitie in trinitie one God in three persons and three persons in one God Hitherto we haue intreated of the first part of the Creede concerning God now followes the second part thereof concerning the Church and â—t was added to the former vpon speciall consideration For the right order of a confession did require that after the Trinitie the Church should be mentioned as the house after the owner the temple after God and the citie after the builder Againe the Creede is concluded with points of doctrine concerning the Church because whosoeuer is out of it is also forth of the number of gods children and he can not haue God for his father which hath not the Church for his mother Question is made what the words are which are to be supplied in this article the holy Catholike Church whether I beleeue or I beleeue in and ancient expositours haue sufficiently determined the matter One saith In these words in which is set forth our faith of the godhead it is saide In God the father in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost but in the rest where the speech is not of the Godhead but of creatures aud mysteries the preposition In is not added that it should be in the holy Church but that we should beleeue there is an holy Church not as God but as a companie gathered to God And men should beleeue that there is remission of sinnes not in the remission of sinnes and they should beleeue the resurrection of the bodie not in the resurrection of the bodie therefore by this preposition the Creatour is distinguished from the creatures and things pertaining to God from things pertaining to men Another vpon these words This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him saith If ye beleeue in him ye beleeue him not if ye beleeue him ye beleeue in him for the deuills beleeued God but did not beleeue in him Againe of the Apostles we may say we beleeue Paul but we doe not beleeue in Paul we beleeue Peter but we beleeue not in Peter For his faith that beleeueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly is imputed to him for righteousnes What is it therefore to beleeue in him by beleeuing to loue and like and as it were to passe into him and to be incorporated into his members Now the reasons which some Papists bring to the contrarie to prooue that we may beleeue in the creatures in the church are of no moment First they alleadge the phrase of Scripture Exod. 14.31 They beleeued in God and in Moses 1. Sam. 27. 12. And Achis beleeued in Dauid 2. Chron. 20.20 Beleeue in the Prophets and prosper Ans. The Hebrewe phrase in which the seruile letter Beth is vsed must not bee translated with a preposition that ruleth an accusatiue or ablatiue case but with a datiue case on this manner Beleeue Moses Dauid the Prophets and it doth not impart any affiance in the creature but onely a giuing of credance by one man to another Secondly they alleadge that ancient fathers read the article on this manner I beleeue in the holy Catholike Church Answ. Indeede some haue done so but by this kind of speech they signified no more but thus much that they beleeued that there was a Catholike Church Thus hauing found what words are to be supplied let vs come to the meaning of the article And that we may proceede in order let vs first of all see what the Church is The Church is a peculiar companie of men predestinate to life euerlasting and made one in Christ. First I say it is a peculiar company of men for Saint Peter saith Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation and a peculiar people He speakes indeede of the Church of God on earth but his saying may be also extended to the whole Church of God as well in heauen as in earth Nowe because there can be no companie vnlesse it haue a beginning and a cause whereby it is gathered therefore I adde further in the definition predestinate to life euerlasting Noting thereby the ground and cause of the Catholike Church namely Gods eternall predestination to life euerlasting and to this purpose our Sauiour Christ saith Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers will to giue you the kingdome signifying thereby that the first and principall cause of the Church is the good pleasure of God whereby he hath before all workes purposed to aduance his elect to eternall saluation Therefore one saith well onely the elect are the Church of God And further because no companie can continue and abide for euer vnlesse the members thereof be ioyned and coupled together by some bond therefore I adde in the last place made one with Christ. This vnion maketh the Church to be the Church and by it the members thereof whether they be in heauen or in earth are distinguished from all other companies whatsoeuer Now this coniunction betweene Christ and the Church is auouched by Saint Paul when
he saith Christ is the head to his bodie which is his Church and when he ascribes the name of Christ not onely to the person of the Sonne but to the Church it selfe as in the Epistle to the Galatians To Abraham and his seede were the promises made he saith not and to his seedes as speaking of many but and vnto his seede as speaking of one which is Christ that is not the redeemer alone but also the Church redeemed For Christ as he is man is not the onely seede of Abraham And this definition of the Church is almost in so many wordes set downe in the Scriptures in that it is called the Familie of God partly in heauen and partly in earth named of Christ and it is also called the heauenly Ierusalem the mother of vs all and the celestiall Ierusalem and the congregation of the first borne Nowe for the better vnderstanding of the nature estate and parts of the Church two points among the rest must bee considered the efficient cause therof Câ—â—s predestination and the forme the mysticall Vnion In handling the doctrine of Predestination my meaning is onely to stand on such points as are reuealed in the worde and necessarie tending to edification And first I will shewe what is the trueth and secondly the contrary falshoode In the trueth I consider foure things I. what Predestination is II. what is the order of it III. what be the parts of it IV. what is the vse Predestination may thus be deâ—ined It is a part of the counsell of God whereby he hath before all times purposed in himselfe to shewe mercy on some men to passe by others shewing his iustice on them for the manifestation of the glorie of his owne name First I say it is a part of his counsell because the counsell or decree of God vniuersally extends it selfe to all things that are and Predestination is Gods decree so farre forth as it concernes the reasonable creatures especially man Nowe in euery purpose or decree of God three things must be considered the beginning the matter the ende The beginning is the will of God whereby he willeth and appointeth the estate of his creatures it is the most absolute supreame and soueraigne cause of all things that are so farre forth as they haue beeing hauing nothing either aboue it selfe or out of it selfe to bee an impulsiue cause to mooue or incline it and to say otherwise is to make the will of God to be no will Indeede mens wils are mooued and disposed by externall causes out of themselues borrowed from the things whereof deliberation is made because they are to be ruled by equitie and reason and a mans bare will without reason is nothing Nowe Gods will is not ruled by another rule of reason or iustice but it selfe is an absolute rule both of iustice and reason A thing is not first of all reasonable and iust and then afterward willed by God but it is first of all willed by God and thereupon becomes reasonable and iust The matter of his purpose is a decreed manifestation of two of the most ptincipall attributes of the godhead mercy and iustice and that with a limitation or restraint of mercy to some of the creatures and iustice to some others because it was his good will and pleasure And we are not to imagine that this is a point of crueltie in God for his very essence or nature is not iustice alone or mercy alone but iustice and mercy both togither and therefore to purpose the declaration of them both vpon his creatures ouer whome hee is a soueraigne Lord and that without other respects vpon his very will and pleasure is no point of iniustice The supreame end of the counsell of God is the manifestation of his owne glorie partly in his mercy and partly in his iustice For in common equitie the end which he propoundes vnto himselfe of all his doings must be answerable to his nature which is maiestie and glorie and as I haue said iustice and mercy it selfe And because Pauls disputation in the 9. to the Romanes giues light and sufficient confirmation to this which I nowe teach I will stand a little to open and resolue the same From the 1. verse to the 6. he sets downe his griefe conceiued for his brethren the Iewes and therewithall that it might not bee thought that he spake of malice he doth onely in close and obscure manner insinuate the Râ—iection of that nation This done in the 6. v. he answers a secret obiection which might be made on this manner If the Iewes be reiected theÌ„ the word of God is of none effect that is then the couenant made with the forefathers is void but the couenant can not be voide therefore the Iewes are not reiected The assumption he takes for graunted and denies the consequence of the proposition And the ground of his deniall is because there is a distinction betweene man and man euen among the Iewes whereby some are indeede in the couenant some not And this distinction is prooued by three examples the first in this verse that of the children of Iacob the common parent of all the Iewes some are Israel that is truely in the couenant as Iacob was and some are not Israel Now it might be further obiected that the Iewes are not onely the posteritie of Iacob but the seede of Abraham in whome all nations of the earth are blessed and therefore not to be reiected And to this Paul answers vers 7. alleadging a second example of the distinction betweene man and man out of the familie of Abraham in which some were indeede sonnes some were not For the proofe of this first he sets downe the words of the text in Moses In Isaac shall thy seede be called and secondly makes an exposition of them with a collection on this manner Al they which are the sonnes of the promise are the seede of Abraham or the sonnes of God but Isaac is a sonne of promise and not Ismael therefore Isaac is the seed of Abraham and heire of the blessing and not Ismael The proposition is in the 8. verse the assumption in the 9. vers the conclusion in the 7. verse Here marke I. howe he makes a double seede one according to the flesh the other spirituall and two kinde of sonnes one of the flesh the other sonne of the promise or the sonne of God for he puts the one for the other II. that the distinction betweene Isaac and Ismael whereby one is in the couenant of grace the other not standes not in their foreseene saith and vnbeleefe and the fruites of them but in the purpose and will of God it selfe For Isaac is called the childe of promise because by the vertue of it he was borne and beleeued and was adopted the child of God and made heire of the couenant giuen to Abraham and therefore consequently the right of apoption befell him by the meere good pleasure of
Whereby he denies the consequence of the proposition on this manner Though God should elect some to saluation and reiect some others and that vpon his will yet were there no iniustice with God The reason of this answer followes in the 18. verse God hath absolute power or freedome of will whereby without beeing bound to any creature he may and can first of all haue mercie on whome he will and secondly harden whome he will For the proofe of the first that God hath mercie on whome he will he laies downe the testimonie of Moses vers 15. I will haue mercie on him on whome I will shew mercie and I will haue compassion on him on whome I will haue compassion And in verse 16. makes his collection thence that it namely the purpose of God according to election verse 11. is not in him that willeth or in him that runneâ—h but in God that sheweth mercie Whereby he teacheth that the free election of God in order goes before all things that may in time befall man and that therefore neither the intentions and endeauours of the minde nor the workes of our life which are the effects of election can be the impulsiue causes to mooue God to choose vs to saluation The second that God hardens whome he will is confirmed made plaine by the testimonie of Scripture concerning Pharao verse 17. In the 19. verse there followes an other obiection arising out of the answer to the former on this manner If God will haue some to be hardened and reiected and his will can not be resisted then with no iustice can he punish theÌ„ that are necessarily subiect to his decree but God will haue some to be hardened and reiected and his will can not be resisted therfore saith the aduersarie with no iustice can hee punish man that is necessarily subiect to his decree Here marke that if there had beene an vniuersall election of all men and if men had beene elected or reiected according as God did foresee that they would beleeue or not beleeue the occasion of this obiection had beene cutte off But let vs come to Pauls answer In the 20. verse hee takes the assumption for graunted that some are reiected because God will and that the wil that is the decree of God can not be resisted and onely denies the coherence of the proposition checking the malipert pride of the aduersarie and shewing that the making of this wicked and blasphemous collection against the will of God is as if a man should sue God at the lawe and bring him as it were to the barre and plead against him as his equall whereas indeede the creature is nothing to the creatour and is absolutely to submit it selfe to his will in all things In vers 21. he proceedes to a second answer shewing that Gods will is not to be blamed because by his absolute soueraigntie and the right of creation hee hath power to choose men or to reiect and harden them And where there is right and power to doe a thing the will of the doer is not to be blamed Now that God hath this right and power ouer his creature it is prooued by a comparison from the lesse to the greater on this manner The potter hath power ouer the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessel to honour and another to dishonour therefore may God much more make some vessells of mercy and some vessels of wrath prepared to destruction The first part of the comparison is vers 21. the second part vers 22 23. And least any man should thinke that God makes vessels of honour and dishonour without sufficient and iust cause in himselfe as the potter may doe therefore he sets downe endes of the will of God he makes vessels of dishonour to shewe his wrath and to make manifest his power and againe he condemnes no man til he haue suffered him with long patience And he makes vessells of honour that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon them Hence it is manifest first that the ende of predestination is the glorie of God which is to be made manifest partly in his iustice and partly in his mercy secondly that men are not elected or refused of God for their foreseene corruâ—tions or vertues for then Paul would not haue said the God made vessels of dishonour but that being so alreadie he left them in their dishonour Thus from the 6. verse of this chapter to the 24. Paul hath described vnto vs the doctrine of Gods eternall predestination and that by the iudgement of Diuines in all ages The order of Gods Predestination is this It is the propertie of the reasonable creature to conceiue one thing after another whereas God conceiues all things at once with one act of vnderstanding and all things both past and to come are present with him and therefore in his eternall counsell he decrees not one thing after another but all things at once Neuerthelesse for our vnderstanding sake we may distinguish the counsel of God concerning man into two acts or degrees the first is the purpose of God in himselfe in which he determines what he wil do and the end of al his doings and that is to create al things specially man for his owne glory partly by shewing on some men his mercy and vpon others his iustice The second is an other purpose whereby he decrees the execution of the former and laies downe meanes of accomplishing the ende thereof These two acts of the counsell of God are not to bee seuered in any wise nor confounded but distinctly considered with some difference For in the first god decrees some men to honour by shewing his mercy and loue on them and some againe to dishonour by shewing his iustice on them and this man more then that vpon his will and pleasure and there is no other cause hereof known to vs. In the second knowne and manifest causes are set downe of the execution of the former decree For no man is actually condemned yea God decrees to condemne no man but for his sinnes and no man is actually saued but for the merit of Christ. Furthermore this latter act of the counsell of God must be conceiued of vs in the second place and not in the first For euermore the first thing to be intended is the ende it selfe and then afterward the subordinate meanes and causes wherby the end is accomplished Againe the second act of Gods counsell containes two other one which setteth downe the preparation of the meanes whereby Gods Predestination beginnes to come in execution and they are two the creation of man righteous after the image of God the voluntarie fall of Adam and withall the shutting vp of all men vnder damnation the other appoints the applying of the seuerall meanes to the persons of men that Gods decree which was set downe before all times may in time bee fully accomplished as shall afterward in particular appeare Predestination hath two
He must not vtterly despaire but be resolued of this that though he want assurance nowe yet he may obtaine the same hereafter And such must he aduertised to heare the word of God preached and beeing outwardly of the Church to receiue the Sacraments When we haue care to come into the Lords vine-yarde and to conuerse about the wine-presse wee shall finde the sweete iuyce of heauenly grace pressed forth vnto vs plentifully by the word and sacraments to the comfort of our consciences concerning gods election This one mercy that God by these meanes in some part reueales his mercy is vnspeakeable When sickenesse or the day of death comes the dearest seruants of God it may bee must encounter with the temptations of the deuill and wrastle in conscience with the wrath and displeasure of God as for life and death and no man knowes howe terrible these things are but those which haue felt them Nowe when men walke thus through the valley of the shadowe of death vnlesse God should as it were open heauen and streame downe vnto vs in this world some lightsome beames of his loue in Christ by the operation of his spirit miserable were the case euen of the righteous Thus much of Election nowe followes Reprobation in handling whereof we are to obserue three things I. what it is II. howe God doth execute this decree III. how a man may iudge of the same For the first Reprobation is Gods decree in which because it so pleased him he hath purposed to refuse some men by meanes of Adams fall and their owne corruptions for the manifestation of his iustice First I say it is a decree and that is euident thus If there be an eternall decree of God whereby he chooseth some men then there must needes be another decree whereby he doth passe by others and refuse them For election alwaies implies a refusall Againe what God doth in time that he decreed to doe before time as the case falls out euen with men of mean wisdome who first of al intend with themselues the things to be done and after do them But god in time refuseth some men as the scripture testifieth and it appeareth to be true by the euent Therefore God before all worlde 's decreed the reiecting of some men Nowe in this decree foure points are to be considered The first is the matter or obiect thereof which is the thing decreed namely the reiection of some men in respect of mercie or the manifestation of his iustice vpon them This may seeme strange to mans reasonâ— but here wee must with all submission strike our top-sailes for the worde of God saieth as much in plaine tearmes The Apostle Iude speaking of false Prophets saith that they were of olde ordained to this damnation And Paul saith in emphaticall tearmes that God makes vessells of wrath prepared to destruction and that some are reiected whome he opposeth to them which are elected to saluation The second point is the impulsiue cause that mooued God to set downe this decree concerning his creature that was nothing out of himselfe but his verie will and pleasure Hee hardened Pharaoh with finall hardenesse of heart because he would and therefore he deceed to doe so because he would And our Sauiour Christ saith I thanke thee O father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes But vpon what cause did God so It followes in the next wordes It is so O father because thy good pleasure is such And if it be in the power and libertie of a man to kil an oxe or a sheepe for his vse to hunt kill the hare and partridge for his pleasure then much more without iniustice may it be in the will and libertie of the creator to refuse and forsake his creature of his glorie Nay it standes more with equitie a thousand folde that all the creatures in heauen and earth should ioyntly serue to set forth the glorie and maiestie of God the creator in their eternall destruction then the striking of a slie or the killing of a slea should serue for the dignitie of all men in the worlde For all this it is thought by verie many to be very hard to ascribe vnto God who is full of bountie and mercy such a decree and that vpon his very wil but let vs see their reasons First of all they say it is a point of crueltie for God to purpose to create a great part of the world to damnation in hell fire the answer is that by the vertue of this decree God cannot be said to create any man to damnation but to the manifestation of his iustice and glorie in his due and deserued damnation and the doing of this is absolute iustice Secondly it is alleadged that by this meanes God shall hate his owne creature and that before it is but it is an vntrueth Wee must distinguish betweene Gods purpose to hate and actuall hating Now indeede God before all worlds did purpose to hate some creatures and that iustly so farre forth as his hating of them will serue for the manifestation of his iustice but he neither hates them indeed nor loues them before they are and therefore actuall hatred comes not in till after the creation Whome God hath decreed to loue them when they are once created he beginnes to loue in Christ with actuall loue and whome hee hath decreed to hate them being once created he hates in Adam with actuall hatred Thirdly it is obiected that by this doctrine God shall be the author of sinne for he which ordaines to the ende ordaines to the meanes of the end but God ordaines men to the ende that is damnation therefore he ordaines them to the meanes thereof that is sinne Ans. The proposition beeing thus vnderstood he which ordaines a man to an ende in the same order and manner ordaines him to the meanes is false For one may be ordained to the end simply the ende beeing simply good and yet not be simply ordained to the meanes because they may be euill in themselues and onely good in part namely so far forth as they haue respect of goodnesse in the minde of the ordainer Secondly the assumption is false for the supreame ende of Gods counsell is not damnation but the declaration of his iustice in the iust destruction of the creature neither doth God decree mans damnation as it is damnation that is the ruine of man and the putting of him forth to perishment but as it is a reall execution of iustice Thirdly wee must make distinction betweene sinne it selfe and the permission thereof and betweene the decree of reiection and actual damnation nowe the permission of sinne and not sinne it selfe properly is the subordinate meanes of the decree of reiection For when God had decreed to passe by some men he withall decreed the permission of sinne to which permission men were
ordained and sinne it selfe is no effect but onely the consequent of the decree yet so as it is not onely the antecedent but also the efficient and meritorious cause of actuall damnation The third point is the reall foundation of the execution of this decree in iust condemnation and that is the voluntarie fall of Adam and of all his posteritie in him with the fruite thereof the generall corruption of mans nature For howesoeuer God hath purposed to refuse men because it so pleased him yet when his purpose comes to execution he condemneth no man but for his sinnes and sinne though it were not in the counsel of God an impulsiue cause that mooued him to purpose a declaration of iustice and iudgement yet was it a subordinate meanes of damnation God in wonderfull wisdome ordering disposing the execution of this decree so as the whole blame and fault of mans destruction should be in himselfe And therefore the Lord in the Prophet Ose saith One hath destroyed thee but I will helpe thee that is saluation is of God and the condemnation of men is from themselues Nowe whereas many deprauing our doctrine say that wee ascribe vnto God an absolute decree in which he doth absolutely ordaine men to damnation they may here bee answered If by absolute they vnderstand that which is opposed to conditional then we hold and auouch that all the eternall decrees of God are simple or absolute and not limited or restrained to this or that condition or respect If by absolute they vnderstande a bare and naked decree without reason or cause then we denie Gods decrees to be absolute For though the causes therof be not knowne to vsâ— yet causes there be knowne to him and iust they are yea the very will of God it selfe is cause sufficient it beeing the absolute rule of iustice And though men in reason can not discerne the equitie and iustice of Gods will in this point yet may wee not thereupon conclude that therefore it is vniust The sunne may shine clearely though the blinde man see it not And it is a flatte mistaking to imagine that a thing must first of all be iust in it selfe and then afterward be willed of God Whereas contrarise God must first will a thing before it can be iust The will of God doth not depend vpon the qualitie and nature of the thing but the qualities of things in order of causes followe the will of God For euery thing is as God wills it Lastly if it be called an absolute decree because it is done without al respect to mans sinne then we still denie it to be absolute For as God condeÌ„nes man for sinne so he decreed to condemne him for and by his sinne yet so as if the question be made what is the cause why he decrees rather in his iustice to condemne this man then that man no other reason can be rendred but his will The last point is the ende of Gods decree namely the manifestation of his iustice as Salomon saith The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake and the wicked for the day of euill And Paul saith that God made vessels of wrath to shew his wrath and to make his power knowne Thus we haue seene what Reprobation is nowe followes the execution thereof for that which God decrees before time in time hee executes And here a speciall rule to be remembred is this Those which are ordained to iust daÌ„nation are likewise ordained to be left to themselues in this worlde in blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart so as they neither shall nor will repent of their sinnes The trueth of this we may see in Gods word For S. Peter speaking of the priests and Doctours and cheife of the people among the Iewes saith plainly They stumbled at the word and are disobedient Why so the reason is there set downe because they were ordained to it of olde And so Paul saith to the Corinthians that he handled not the word of God deceitfully but in the declaration of the trueth he approoued himselfe to euery mans conscience in the sight of God Nowe hereupon it might be saide howe then comes it to passe that all receiue not the Gospel in Corinth and to this hee answers with a terrible sentence If saith he our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish giuing vs to vnderstand that God leaues them to themselues in this world whome he purposeth to refuse And the Lord by the Prophet Esai saith of the Iewes By hearing they shall heare and not vnderstand and by seeing they shall see not perceiue least they should heare with their eares and see with their eies and vnderstand with their hearts and so turne and be saued The vse of this is manifolde first it serueth to ouerthrowe the opinion of carnall men which reason thus If I be ordained to damnation let me liue neuer so godly and well I am sure to be damned therefore I will liue as I list for it is not possible for me to alter Gods decree Blasâ—hemous mouthes of men make nothing of this and like speeches and yet they speake flatte contraries For whome God hath purposed in his eternal counsell to refuse them also he hath purposed for their sinnes to leaue to the blindenesse of their mindes and hardnes of their hearts so as they neither will nor can liue a godly life Secondly this rule doth as it were lead vs by the hand to the consideration the fearefull estate of many people among vs. We haue had for the space of thirtie yeares and more the preaching of the Gospel of Christ and the more plentifully by reason of the schooles of learning But what hath bin the issue of it I doubt not but in many it hath beene the meanes of their conuersion saluation but to speake generally of the greater part there is little or no fruite to be seene The most after this long preaching remaine as blinde as impenitent as heard hearted and as vnreformed in their liues as euer they were though they haue heard the Lord calling them to repentance from day to day and from yeare to yeare Well if this rule bee the trueth of God as no doubt it is then I say plainely that there is a most fearefull iudgement of God among vs. My meaning is not to determine or giue sentence of any mans person of any towne or people neuerthelesse this may be auouched that it is a terrible and dangerous signe of the wrath of God that after this long and daily preaching there is still remaining a generall hardnesse of heart impenitencie and want of reformation in the liues of men The smithes stithie the more it is beaten the harder it is made and commonly the hearts of men the more they are beaten with the hammer of Gods worde the more dull secure and senselesse they are This beeing so it standes euery man in hand to looke to his owne estate
a thing is done God not regarding it we bring in an idol of our owne braines and stablish the idle-god of the Epicures But it is obiected to the contrarie that if God any way decreed and willed the fall of Adam then he was the author of sinne which once to say is blasphemie Ans. The argument followes not There be three actions in the will of God one whereby he doth absolutely will any thing and delight in it and of all such things God himselfe is the author The second is wholly or absolutely to Nill a thing and all things thus nilled can not possibly come to passe or haue the least beeing in nature There is also a third action which comes as a meane betweene the two former which is remissely or in part both to nill and will a thing wherby though God approoue not euill as it is euill and therefore doth it not yet he willeth the permitting of it to be done by others or the being of it because in respect of God that decreeth the permitting of euill it is good that there should be euill And on this manner and no otherwise God willed the fall of Adam and therefore in the reason of any indifferent man though he decreed the fall yet shall he be free from the blame thereof which lies wholly vpon the doer these two caueats alwaies remembred first that God by his will did not constraine or force the will of Adam to sinne or infuse into it any corruption and that therefore he sinned willingly and freely onely by the necessitie of immutabilitie and not by the necessitie of coaction secondly that God willed the fall for a most worthie ende which was to lay downe a way tending to the manifestation both of iustice and mercie Againe it is alleadged that if God willed Adams fall then his will is flat contrarie to it selfe because he wills that which he had by expresse commandement forbidden Answ. Indeede if God should both will and forbid one and the same thing in one and the same respect there should be a contradiction in Gods will but that God doth not He forbad Adams fall as it was sinne for so in euery commandement sinne as it is sinne is condemned and punished and yet because it was in a new respect a meanes of manifesting his glorie who is able to bring light out of darknesse therefore he willingly decreed the permission of it Incest as it is sinne it is condemned in the seuenth commandement and punished with death yet as incest was a punishment of Dauids adulterie God is said to take his wiues and to giue them to his sonne Absolom Some againe as it appeares by their writings feare to ascribe vnto God so much as a permission of Adams fall but no doubt they are deceiued For if these rules be true that God is omnipotent that he works all things that are by the counsell of his will and gouernes them that he hath care and regard ouer man that nothing is hid from him that he is vnchangeable there must needes be permission of euill If the deuill could not enter so much as into an heard of swine without Christs permission shall we thinke that he could compasse the fall and ouerthrow of man without a permission Indeede to permit is not to hinder euill when one may and with men it is a fault but not with God because he is not bound to hinder the euill which he permits The second fault is that they make the Prescience of mans faith and vnbeleefe to be the impulsiue cause of Gods decree For they say that God eternally decrees to saue or refuse men because he did foresee that they would beleeue or not beleeue But indeede it is a manifest vntruth Among the causes of all things that are there is an order set downe by God himselfe in which order some causes are highest some lowest some in the midst Now the highest cause of all is that which ouerrules all and is ouerruled of none and that is Gods will beyond which there can be no higher cause for God is placed aboue all and subiect to none And this very will of his is the cause of all things that haue beeing for we must not imagine that a thing first of all existeth and then afterward is willed of God but first of all God wills a thing and then afterward it comes to haue a beeing Now to say that foreseene faith or vnbeleefe are the moouing causes whereby God was induced to ordaine men either to saluation or to iust damnation is to vndoe this diuine order of causes and to displace the linkes in that Gods will is made a secondarie or middle cause subordinate to other causes placed aboue it yea this is to make the will of God to depend vpon the qualitie and condition of the creature whereas contrariwise all things depend vpon Gods will Againe Paul saith that God hath opened the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed to himselfe whereby he makes a distinction betweene the creature and the Creatour Men when they purpose the doing of any thing borrow reasons of their purposes and wills out of themselues from thâ— things to be done because mans bare will is no sufficient cause to warrant the doing of this or that in this or that manner vnlesse there be iust reason But Gods will is a simple and absolute rule of righteousnesse and a thing is good so farre forth as God wills it Therefore there is no cause why he should goe forth of himselfe for externall inducements and reasons of his eternall counsell his very will in himselfe is a sufficient reason of all his purposes and decrees And hereupon Paul saith that Gods purpose was in himselfe to shew that there is no dependance of his will vpon the creature and that in ordering and disposing of his decrees he had no reference or respectiue consideration of the qualities and workes of men Thirdly by this doctrine there is fastened vpon God want of wisdome who is wisdome it selfe and that is very absurd A simple man that hath in him but a sparke of the wisdome of God first of all intends with himselfe the ende and euent of the businesse to be done and then afterward the means whereby the ende is accomplished but in this platforme God is brought in in the first place to foresee and consider with himselfe the meanes which tende to the ende namely faith and vnbeleefe of men and then afterward to determine with himselfe what shall be the ende and finall condition of euery man either in life or death as if a man should purpose with himselfe to build an house without any consideration of the ende why and afterward conceiue with himselfe the particular vses to which he will applie it Fourthly hence it followeth that faith shall not onely be an instrument but also an efficient cause in the acte of
iustification of a sinner before God For the cause of a cause is also the cause of the thing caused but foreseene faith is an impulsiue cause whereby God was mooued to choose some men to saluation as it is saide and therefore it is not onely an instrument to apprehend Christs righteousnesse but also a cause or meanes to mooue God to iustifie a sinner because iustification proceedes of Election which comes of foreseene faith now this is erroneous by the doctrine of all Churches vnlesse they be Popish Fifthly this doctrine takes it for graunted that all both young and olde euen Infants that die in their infancie haue knowledge of the Gospell because both faith and vnbeleefe in Christ presuppose knowledge of our saluation by him considering that neither ordinarily nor extraordinarily men beleeue or contemne the thing vnknowne But how false this is euen common experience doth shew Lastly this platforme quite ouerthrowes it selfe For whereas all men equally corrupt in Adam are effectually both redeemed and called the difference betweene man and man standes not in beleeuing or not beleeuing for all haue power to beleeue but in this properly that some are confirmed in faith some are not Now when all without exception are indued with grace sufficient to saluation I demaund why some men are confirmed in grace and others not confirmed as also of Angels some were confirmed and stand and some not confirmed fell No other reason can be rendered but the will of God And to this must all come striue as long as they will that of men beeing in one and the same estate some are saued some iustly forsaken because God would Againe as the foreseeing of â—aith doth presuppose Gods giuiâ—g of faith vnlesse men will say it is naturall so the foreseeing of faith in some men alone doth presuppose the giuing of faith to some men alone But why doth not God conferre the grace of constant faith to all no other reason can be rendered but because he will not Thus then those men whose faith was foreseene are saued not because their faith was foreseene but because God would The third fault is that they ascribe vnto God a conditionall Purpose or counsell whereby he decrees that all men shall be saued so be it they will beleeue For it is euery way as much against common sense as if it had bin saide that God decreed nothing at all concerning man A conditionall sentence determines nothing simply but conditionally and therefore vncertenly and when we speake of God to determine vncertenly is as much as if he had determined nothing at all specially when the thing determined is in the power of mans wil and in respect of God the decree may come to passe or not come to passe Men if they might alwaies haue their choise desire to determine of all their affaires simply without condition and when they doe otherwise it is either because they know not the euent of things or because things to be don are not in their power No reason therefore that we should burden God with that whereof we would disburden our selues Againe the maiestie of God is disgraced in this kind of decree God for his part would haue all men to be saued why then are they not men will not keepe the condition and beleeue This is flat to hang Gods will vpon mans will to make euery man an Emperour and God his vnderling and to change the order of nature by subordinating Gods will which is the first cause to the will of man which is the second cause whereas by the very law of nature the first cause should order and dispose the second cause But for the iustifying of a conditionall decree it is alleadged that there is no eternall and hidden decree of God beside the Gospel which is Gods predestination reuealed Ans. It is an vntruth There be two wills in God one whereby he determineth what he will doe vnto vs or in vs the other whereby he determineth what we shall doe to him Now Predestination is the first whereupon it is commonly defined to be the preparation of the blessing of God whereby they are deliuered which are deliuered and the Gospel is the second Againe Predestination determines who they are and how many which are to be saued and hereupon Christ saith I know whom I haue chosen but the Gospel rather determines what kind of ones and how they must be qualified which are to be saued Lastly Predestination is Gods decree it selfe and the Gospel is an outward meanes of the execution of it and therefore though the Gospel be propounded with a conditionâ— yet the decree of God it selfe may be simple and absolute The fourth defect is the opinion of Vniuersall sauing grace aâ—pertaining to all and euery man which may be fitly tearmed the Schoole of vniuersall Atheisme For it pulls downe the pale of the Church and laies it wast as euery common field it breeds a carelesnes in the vse of the means of grace the word and Sacraments when as men shall be perswaded that grace shal be offered to euery one effectually whether he be of the Church or not at one time or other wheresoeuer or howsoeuer he liue as in the like case if meÌ„ should be told that whether they liue in the market towne or no there shall be sufficient prouision brought them if they will but receiue it and accept of it who would then come to the market Vniuersall grace hath three parts Vniuersall Election vniuersall Redemption vniuersall Vocation Vniuersall Election of all and euery man is a witlesse conceit for if men vniuersally be appointed to grace without exception then there is no electing or choosing of some out of mankind to grace and if some alone be appointed to grace as it must needes be in election then is not grace vniuersall And it is flat against the word of God For Christ auoucheth plainely that fewer be chosen then called and as afterward we shall see all are not called And he further saith that all which are giuen vnto him shall be one with him and haue life euerlasting but all men shall not be one with him and haue life euerlasting and therefore all men are not giuen to Christ of the father that is ordained to saluation And the Scripture saith that all mens names are not written in the booke of life and that the kingdome of heauen was not prepared for all And whereas men build this their vniuersall election vpon the largenesse of the promise of the Gospel vpon the like ground they might as well make an vniuersall decree of Reprobation whereby God decrees all men to be damned indefinitely vpon this condition if they doe not beleeue Now if vniuersall Reprobation be absurd as it is indeede then vniuersall Election of all and euery man must take part therewith As for the vniuersall Redemption of all and euery man it is no better then a forgerie of mans braine There shall be many
miserie to the vngodly as S. Iohn saith they that haue done euill shall come forth to the resurrection of condemnation If they might cease to liue after this life and die as the beast doth O theÌ„ it would be well with them for then they might haue an ende of their miserie but the wicked must after this life rise againe to condemnation which is the accomplishment of their eternall woe and wretchednes a rufull and dolefull case to consider and yet is it the state of all vnbeleeuing and vnrepentant sinners If a man were bidden to goe to bed that after hee had slept and was risen again he might go to execution it would make his heart to ake within him yet this yea a thousand fold worse is the state of all impenitent sinners they must sleep in the graue for a while theÌ„ rise againe that a secoÌ„d death may be inflicted vpon theÌ„ in bodie soule which is the suffering of the full wrath of God both in bodie soule eternally This being so let vs imbrace the good counsel of S. Peter who saith AmeÌ„d your liues turne that your sinnes may be done away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. If a man die repeÌ„tant for his sinnes it is a day of refreshing but if he die in his sinnes impetent and hard hearted it is a day of eternal horrour desperation confusion Againe if we beleeue that our bodies shall rise againe after this life stand before God at the last daie of iudgement wee must daily enter into a serious consideration of this time and haue in minde that one daiâ— we must meet the Lord face to face A traueller comes into an Inne hauing but a penny in his purse he sits downe and cals for all store of prouision and dainties now what is to be thought of him surely in the iudgement of all men his behauiour betokens folly or rather madnes But why because he spendes freely and hath no regard to the reckening which must follow howe foolish then mad is the practise of euery man that liueth in his sinns bathing himselfe in his pleasures in this world neuer bethinking how he shal meet god at the last day of iudgement and thâ—re make reckening for all his doings An ancient diuine wâ—ites of himselfe that this saying ran in his minde and sounded alwaies in his eares Arise ye dead and come vnto iudgement And this ought alwaies to be sounding in our eares that while we haue time wee should prepare our selues to meete God at the last day Thirdly if we beleeue the resurrection of the bodie we are not to weepe mourne immoderatly for our friends deceased Our Sauiour Christ did weep for Lazarus and when Steuen was stoned to death certaine men that feared God buried him and made great lamentation for him and therefore mourning is not condemned and wee must not be as stockes that are bereft of all compassion yet remember we must what Saint Paul saith to thâ— Thessalonians I would not brethren haue you ignorant concerning those which are asleepe that ye sorrowe not as others which haue no hope For the godlie man properly dieth not but laies himselfe downe to take a sleepe after his manifolde labours in this life which beeing ended hee must rise againe to ioyes euerlasting and therefore we must needes moderate and mingle our mourning for the deceased with this and such like comforts Fourthly we are taught hence to labour and striue against the natural feare of death for if there be a resurrection of our bodies after this life then death is but a passage or middle way from this life to eternall life If a begger should be commanded to put off his old rags that he might be cloathed with rich costly garments would he be sorrie because he should stand naked a while til he were wholly bestripped of his rags No surely well thus doeth God when he calls a man to death he bids him put off his old rags of sinne and corruption and be cloathed with the glorious robe of Christs righteousnes and our abode in the graue is but for a space while corruption be put off This is Pauls argument saying Wee knowe that when our earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolued we haue a building giuen of God which is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens Fifthly whereas the godly are subiect to manifold afflictions and miseries both in bodie and minde in this life here they shall finde a sufficient staie to quiet and calme their mindes if they consider that after this short life is ended there will ensue a ioyfull resurrection Iob in the extremitie of all his temptations made this the comfort to his soule that one daie he should rise again in which he should enioy the glorious presence of his Creatour And the Holy Ghost saith that the seruants of God in the daies of Antiochus were racked and tormented and would not bee deliuered why so because they looked for a better resurrection Lastly the consideration of this point serueth to be a bridle to restraine a man from sinne and a spurre to make him goe forward in all godlines of life and conuersation Saint Paul had hope toward God that the resurrection of the dead should be both of the iust and vniust Nowe what did this mooue him vnto Marke Herein saith he that is in this respect I endeauour my selfe alwaies to haue a cleare conscience towards God and towards man And let vs for our partes likewise remember the last iudgement that it may bee a meanes to mooue vs so to behaue our selues in all our actions that wee may keepe a good conscience before God and before men and let it also be a bridle vnto vs to keepe vs backe from all manner of sinne For what is the cause why men daily defile their bodies soules with so many damnable practises without any remorse of conscience Surely they neuer seriously remember the daie of the resurrection after this life wherein they must stand before Christ to giue an account of that which they haue done in this life whether it be good or bad Thus much of the duties nowe marke it is further said The resurrection of the bodie If the bodie rise it must first fall Here then this point is wrapped vp as a confessed trueth that all men must die the first death And yet considering that the members of the Church haue the pardon of their sinns which are the cause of death it may bee demaunded why they must die Ans. Wee are to know that when they die death doth not seaze vpon them as it is in his own nature a curse for in that respect it was borne of Christ vpon the crosse and that for vs but for two other causes which we must thinke vpon as being speciall meanes to make a man willing to die I. They must
Lead vs not Or carrie vs not into temptation To be led is to be ouercome of the temptation when it preuâ—iles and wholly gets the victorie so as men tempted are brought to perdition Then the meaning is thisâ— When wee are mooued or entised to sinne Lord keep vs that we bee not ouercome and giue thou an issue with the temptation Quest. God is iust and cannot sinne but if he lead men into temptation shal he not be the author of sinne Ans. Indeed many fearing to charge God with sinne read the words thus Suffer vs not to be ledde But the text is very plaine Lead or carrie vs not And the scriptures elsewhere vse the like phrases of god Exod. 7.3 God is said to harden Pharaohs heart 2. Sam. 24. 1. The Lord mooued Dauid to number the people 2. Thess. 2.11 God sent strong delusions that men might beleeue lies These and such like places haue a speciall meaning thus to be gathered There is no action of man or of the deuill absolutely euill but although in some respects it be euill yet in some other it is good for wee are not to thinke that as there is a maine or absolute good so also there is a maine or absolute euill Thus then temptation being an action it is not in euery respect euill but in some good in some euill And so farre forth as it is good the Lord workes it but as it is euill he doth not worke it but willingly permits it to be done by man and Satan 1. And there be foure respects in which God may be a worker in temptations and yet be free from sinne I. First he tempteth by offering occasions obiects to trie whether a man will sinne or not A master suspecting his seruant which in word professeth fidelitie laies a purse of money in his way to trie if he will steale it which if he steale he hath found by watching him a secret thiefe and so hath laid him open for deceiuing any more Nowe this trying of him is no sinne though he sinne in stealing In the same manner tempteth God his owne seruants to prooue and trie them Deut. â—3 3 Thou shalt not harken vnto the wordes of the prophet or dreamer of dreames for the Lord thy God prooueth you to knowe whether ye loue the Lord your God with all your heart 2. Secondly God leades into temptation by withdrawing his grace Neither can this be a sinne in God because he is bound to no man to giue him grace And here is a difference between the tempting of God and Satan God holds backe grace when he tempts the deuill suggests euill motions 3. Euery action so farre forth as it is an action is good and of God Act. 17. 28. In him we liue mooue and haue our being Therfore god is a worker in temptations so farre forth as they are actions One man kils another the very moouing of the bodie in the doing of this villanie is of God but the wickednes of the actioÌ„ is from man and the deuil A man rides vpon a lame horse and stirs him the rider is the cause of the motion but the horse himselfe of the halting in the motion So God is authour of the action but not of the euill of the action 4. The fourth way is in regard of the end God tempts his seruants onely to correct and humble them for their sinnes and to trie howe they will abide the crosse and to mooue them the more to loue him Deut. 8.2 God afflictes the children of Israel to trie them whether they would keepe his commandements 2. Chr. 31.31 He trieth Ezechias to see what was in his heart The deuils ende in tempting is onely to bring the partie to destruction Thus we neede not feare to say that God in some respects doth tempt his owne seruants Deliuer vs from euill That is free vs from the power of the flesh the deuil and the world Some take euill in this place onely for the deuill but wee may take it more largely for all spirituall enemies 1. Ioh. 5.19 The whole world lieth in euill vz. Vnder the power of sinne and Satan These words as I haue said are a proofe and explanation of the former for when a man is deliuered from euill he is not led into temptation the cause being taken away the effect ceaseth 3. The vses 1. HEnce we learne what a righteous God Iehoua is that can worke in euill actions and yet be void of sinne 2. Whereas we say lead vs not c. Wee note that the deuill in temptationâ— can goe no further then God permits him 3. We are not to pray that temptations be quite taken from vs or that wee be wholly freed from them but that they doe not ouercome vs. For it is the Lords wil that his Church should be tempted Nay Dauid desired some kind of temptations Psal. 26.1 Prooue me O Lord. And Iames saith Account it for exceeding ioy when ye shall fall into diuers temptations Iam. 1.2 4. Note also that euery man by nature is the bondslaue of sinne and Satan For where is deliuerance there was a bondage first This confutes the Papists who maintain free wil for we are dead in sinne by nature as a man in a graue and we must still pray thus till we be fully deliuered 4. Wants to be bewailed THe corruption which in this petition we ought to mourne for is the coÌ„tinuall rebellion of our wicked natures and our pronenesse to yeeld vp our selues in euery temptation to sinne Satan And the remnants of the old bondage vnder Satan must be grieuous and irkesome vnto vs and wee must bewaile them bitterly The Iewes in a bodily captiuitie wept when they remembred Sion Psal. 1.27 How much more should wee weepe when wee feele the lawe of our members rebelling against the lawe of our mindes and leading vâ— captiue to sinne 5. Graces to be desired THe contrarie blessing to be desired is that God would stablish vs by his free spirit Psal. 51.12 Which is so called because it sets vs euery day more and more at libertie out of the reach of sinne and Satan For thine is the kingdome the power and glorie for euer 1. The meaning THese wordes containe a reason of all the former petitions whereby wee are mooued to craue things needfull at Gods hand Thine is Earthly kings haue kingdome power and glorie Dan. 2.37 Yet not from themselues but from God whose vicegerents they are on earth Therefore to make a difference betweene Gods kingdome power and glorie and those of earthly kings it is said Thine is the kingdome c. that is that God hath all these in himselfe and from himselfe and men from him The kingdome These words 1. Chro. 26.11 are fully expounded Thine O Lord is greatnesse power and victorie and praise and all that is in heauen earth is thine thine is the kingdome and thou excellest as head ouer all c. The kingdome is said to bee Gods
Christ these words as I take it are an exposition of the former for to comprehend the loue of God is nothing els but to know the loue of Christ considering that all whome the father loueth he loueth them in Christ which passeth knowledge that is which for the greatnes of it no man can fully know The fourth thing is the fulnesse of Gods graces v. 19. Here the fulnesse of God doth not signifie fulnesse of the Godâ—ead or diuine nature but the perfection of the inner man which shall not be till after this life Now followes the thankesgiuing or the praise of God v. 20 21. containing these points The matter of praise his power and bountifulnes wherby he can worke exceeding aboundantly aboue all we aske or thinke and both these are not onely to be conceiued in minde but also may be felt in the heart according to the power that worketh in vs. 2. The forme of praise glorie vnto God by Christ as all benefits are receiued from the father by Christ. 3. The proper place of true praise of God the Church 4. The continuance of his praise thorow all generations for euer Philip. 1. 9. ANd this I pray that your loue may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all sense 10. That ye may discerne things that differ to the ende ye may be pure and without offence to the day of Christ. 11. Filled with fruits of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God The Exposition THis praier containes three parts In the first Paul praieth for increase of loue in the Philippians whether it be to God or men v. 9. and he shewes the meanes of increase which are two knowledge and sense or feeling For to goe backeward the more a godly man feels Gods loue and hath experience of Gods word in himselfe the more he knowes of Gods word and perceiues his loue vnto him the more he loues God againe and his neighbour for his sake The second thing praied for is the gift of discerning whereby men know what is true what false what is to be done what to be left vndone the endes of this gift are two The first that by meanes of it they may be pure and sincere that is keepe a good conscience before God and men in their liues and calings The second is to be without offence that is innocent giuing no occasion of euill to any and not taking them offered by others and the continuance of those is noted to the day of Christ which is the time in which he commeth to vs either by our death or by the last iudgement Thirdly he praieth that they might abound in good workes which are described by a similitude fruits of righteousnes Christians beeing fruitfull trees Ezech. 47. 12. Esay 61.3 2. By the cause efficient which are by Christ. 3. By the end vnto the glorie and praise of God Coloss. 1. 9. I Cease not to pray for you to desire that ye might be filled with knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding 10. That ye might walke worthie of the Lord and please him in all things fructifying in all good works and increasing in the acknowledgement of God 11. Strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse 12. Giuing thanks to the father which hath made vs â—it to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light 13. Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his owne sonne The Exposition THese words containe a prayer and a thankesgiuing In the prayer three things are asked The â—irst is the increase of the knowledge of Gods reuealed will in his word and he deuides it into two parts wisdome which is not onely to know Gods word but also to applie it to euery action for the right and holy performing thereofâ— and spirituall vnderstanding which is when men by the assistance of Gods spirit doe conceiue the will of God in generall without applying Secondly Paul praies for the fruits of this knowledge which are foure 1. To walâ— worthie of God as good seruants doe who in their apparell gesture and all their doings so behaue themselues that they may credit their masters 2. To please God in all things by approouing their hearts vnto him 3. To be plentifull in all good workes 4. To increase in the acknowledgement of God For the more any increase in knowledge and experience in Gods word the more shall they acknowledge God the father to be their father Christ to be their redeemer and the holy Ghost their sanctifier Thirdly he praies that the Colossians may be strengthened v. 11. where he notes the cause Gods glorious power and the effects which are three 1. Patience because it is necessarie that the godly suffer many afflictions 2. Long suffering because oftentimes the same afflictions continue long 3. Ioyfulnesse because the crosse is bitter The thankesgiuing is for a benefit that God had made the Colossians fitte for the kingdome of glorie and the reason is because he had made them members of the kingdome of grace 1. Thess. 3. 12. THe Lord increase you and make you abound in loue one towards an other and towards all men euen as we doe towards you 13. To make your hearts stable and vnblameable in holinesse before God euen our father at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his Saints 2. Thess. 2. 16. IEsus Christ our Lord and our God euen the father which hath loued vs and hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace 17. Comfort your hearts and stablish you in euery word and good worke 1. Thess. 5. 23. NOw the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that you whole spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. A Song gathered out of the Psalmes containing the sobbes and sighs of all repentant sinners LOrd heare my prayer hearke the plaint that I doe make to thee Lord in thy natiue truth and in thy iustice answer mee Regard O Lord for I complaine and make my suit to thee Let not my words returne in vaine but giue an eare to mee Behold in wickednes my kind and shape I did receiue And lo my sinfull mother eke in sinne did me conceiue And I with euills many one am sore beset about My sinnes increase and so come on I cannot spie them out For why in number they exceede the haires vpon my head My heart doth faint for very feare that I am almost dead Thus in me in perplexitie is mine accombred spright And in me in my troubled heart amazed and afflight The wicked workes that I haue wrought thou setst before thine eye My secret faults yea eke my thoughts thy countenance doth espie O Lord my God if thou shalt weigh my sinnes and them
redemption you must waite for it till after this life you would bee kissed with the kisses of Christs mouth but here in this worlde you must bee content if you may with Marie Magdelen kisse his feete For the perfection of a Christian mans life standes in the feeling and confession of his imperfections And as Ambrose saith obedience due to God standes more in the affection then in the worke Christian. But why will God haue those whome hee hath sanctified labour still vnder their infirmities Minister The causes are diuers First hereby he teacheth his seruants to see in what great neede they stand of the righteousnes of Christ that they may more carefully seeke after it Secondly he subdueth the pride of mens heartes and humbleth them by counteruailing the graces which they haue receiued with the like measure of infirmities Thirdly by this meanes the godly are exercised in a continuall fight against sinne and are daily occupied in purifying themselues Christian. But to goe on forward in this matter there is another cause that makes me feare least I haue no true repentance Minister What is that Christian. I oftentimes find my selfe like a very timberlog voide of all grace and goodnes froward and rebellious to any good worke so that Iâ— feare least Christ haue quite forsaken me Minist As it is in the strait seas the water ebs and flowes so is it in the godly in them as long as they liue in this worlde according to their owne feeling there is an accesse recesse of the spirit Otherwhiles they be troubled with deadnes and dulnes of heart as Dauid was who praied to the Lord to quickeâ— him according to his louing kindnes that he may keepe the testimonies of his mouth And in another place he saith that Gods promises quickened him Which could not be vnles he had beene troubled with great dulnes of heart Againe sometimes the spirit of God quite withdraweth is selfe to their feeling as it was in Dauid In the day of my trouble saith he I sought the Lord and my soule refused comfort I did think vpon god and was troubled I praied and my spirit was ful of anguish Againe Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shewe no more fauour hath God forgotten to be mercifull c. The Church in the Canticles complaineth of this In my bed I sought him by night whome my soule loued I sought him but I found him not And againe My wellbeloued put in his hand by the hole of the doore and my heart was affectioned towards him I rose vp to open to my welbeloued and my hands did drop down mirrhe my fingers pure mirrhe vpon the handles of the barre I opened to my welbeloued but my welbeloued was gone and past mine heart was gone when he did speake I â—ought him but I could not finde him I called but he answered me not Contrariwise God at some other times sheds abroad his loue most aboundantly in the hearts of the faithfull and Christ lieth betweene the breasts of his Church as a posie of myrrhe giuing a strong smell Christian. But how can he bee a Christian that feeles no grace nor goodnes in himselfe Minister The child which as yet can vse no reason is for all that a reasonable creature and the man in a swowne feeles no power of life and yet hee is not dead The Christian man hath many quames come ouer his heart and he fals into many a swown that none almost would looke for any more of the life of Christ in him yet for all that he may bee a true Christian. This was the state of Peter when he denied our Sauiour Christ with cursing and banning his faith onely fainted for a time it failed not Christian. I haue now opened vnto you the chiefe things that troubled me and your comfortable answers haue much refreshed my troubled minde The God of all mercie and consolation requite you accordingly Minister I haue spoken that which God out of his holy word hath opened vnto me if you find any helpe thereby giue God the praise therfore carrie this with you for euer that by many afflictions both in the bodie and the minde you must enter into the kingdome of heauen Raw flesh is noysome to the stomack is no good nourishment before it be â—odden and vnmortified men and womeÌ„ be no creatures fit for God and therefore they are to be soaked and boyled in afflictions that the fulsomnes and rankenes of their corruption may be delayed and that they may haue in them some relish acceptable vnto God And to conclude for the auoiding of all these temptations vse this sweete praier following which that godly Saint Master Bradford made Oh Lord God and deere father what shall I say that feele all things to bee in manner with me as in the wicked Blind is my minde crooked is my will peruerse concupisceÌ„ce is in me as a spring of stinking puddle O how faint is faith in me how little is my loue to thee or thy people how great is my selfe loue how hard is my heart by reason whereof I am mooued to doubt of thy goodnesse towards me whether thou art my mercifull father and whether I be thy child or no indeed worthily might I doubt if that the hauing of these were the cause not the fruit rather of thy children The cause why thou art my father is thy merciful goodnesâ— grace trueth in Christ Iesus which cannot but remaine for euer In respect whereof thou hast borne me this good wil to bring me into thy Church by baptisme and to accept me into the number of thy children that I might be holy faithfull obedient and innocent and to call me diuers times by the ministerie of thy word into thy kingdome besides the innumerable other benefits alwaies hitherto powred vpon me All which thou hast done of this thy good will which thou of thine owne mercie barest to me in Christ before the world was made The which thing as thou requirest straightly that I should beleeue without doubting so wouldest thou that I in all my needs should come vnto thee as to a father make my mone without mistrust of beeing heard in thy good time as most shall make to my comfort Loe therefore to thee deare father I come through thy sonne our Lord our Mediatour and Aduocate Iesus Christ who sitteth on thy right hand making intercession for me I pray thee of thy great goodnes and mercie in Christ to be mercifull to me a sinner that I may indeed feele thy sweet mercie as thy child the time oh deare father I appoint not but I pray thee that I may with hope still expect and looke for thy helpe I hope that as for a little while thou hast left me so thou wilt come and visit me and that in thy great mercie whereof I haue great neede by reason of my great miserie Thou
art wont for a little season in thine anger to hide thy face from them whom thou louest but surely O Redeemer in eternall mercies thou wilt shew thy compassions For when thou leauest vs O Lord thou doest not leaue vs very long neither doest thou leaue vs to our losse but to our lucre and aduantage euen that thy holy spirit with bigger portion of thy power and vertue may lighten and cheere vs that the want of feeling of our sorrow may be recompenced plentifully with the liuely sent of hauing thee to our eternall ioy and therefore thou swearest that in thine euerlasting mercie thou wilt haue compassion on vs. Of which thing to the end we might be most assured thine oath is to be marked for thou saiest as I haue sworne that I will neuer bring any more the waters to drowne the world so haue I sworne that I wil neuer more be angrie with thee nor reprooue thee The mountaines shall remooue and the hills shall fall downe but thy louing kindnes shall not mooue and the bond of thy peace shal not faile thee thus saiest thou the Lord our mercifull redeemer Deare father therefore I pray thee remember euen for thine owne truth mercies sake the promise euerlasting couenant which in thy good time I pray thee to write in my heart that I may know thee to be the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent that I may loue thee with all my heart for euer that I may loue thy people for thy sake that I may be holy in thy sight through Christ that I may alwaies not onely striue against sinne but also ouercome the same daily more and more as thy children doe aboue all things desiring the sanctification of thy name the comming of thy kingdome the doing of thy will on earth as it is in heauen c. through Iesus Christ our Redeemer Mediatour and Aduocate Amen A DECLARATION OF CERTAINE SPIRItuall Desertions seruing to terrifie all drowsie Protestants and to comfort them which mourne for their sinnes AMong all the works of Gods eternal counsel there is none more wonderfull then is Desertion which is nothing els but an action of God forsaking his creature Furthermore God forsakes his creature not by withdrawing his essence or beeing from it for that cannot be considering God is infinite and therefore must needes at all times be euery where but by taking away the grace and operation of his Spirit from his creature Neither must any thinke it to be crueltie in God to forsake his creature which he hath made for he is soueraigne Lord ouer all his works and for that cause he is not bound to any and he may doe with his owne whatsoeuer he will And this his will is not to be blamed for men are not to imagine that a thing must first be iust and then afterward that God doth will it but contrariwise first God wills a thing and thereupon it becomes iust Againe sinne is so wretched a thing in the eyes of God that he vtterly forsakes his creature for a punishment thereof Now euery thing so farre forth as it is a chastisment or punishment is good considering that the inflicting therof is the execution of iustice And God neuer forsakes the creature against the will thereof but in the very time of Desertion it voluntarily forsaketh and refuseth grace and chooseth to be forsaken wherefore if any hurt or miserie insue thereof let the creature blame it selfe and praise the Lord. Desertions thus described are of two sorts eternall and temporarie Eternal desertions are those wherby God vpon iust causes known to himselfe forsakes his creature wholly and for euer Thus the deuill with his angels and that part of mankinde which is prepared to destruction is forsaken For first God before all worlds did decree according to the purpose of his owne will to refuse them without the graunt of any mercie Secondly after they are created and liue in the world he giueth them no Sauiour For Christ is onely the redeemer of the Elect and of no more which may thus appeare For whoÌ„ Christ makes no Intercession for theÌ„ he hath wrought no Redemption But for them onely which are elected shall beleeue in him he makes intercession I pray saith he not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me And againe I pray not for these alone but for them also which shal beleeue in me through their word Wherefore Christ is a redeemer to none but to the Elect. Thirdly he reserueth them to eternall damnation for their sinnes which is a totall separation from God and the accomplishment of all other Deseâ—tions For the effecting of this God exerciseth wicked men and reprobates in this life with diuers particular desertions and that after this maner He bestoweth all sorts of benefits on them as on his owne seruants but yet so as that he withdraweth that part of his benefit which hath the promise of life eternal annexed to it in the word And in this matter he dealeth as a maÌ„ that sets many trees in his orchard but so as he takes away the heart or the pith thereof And this the Lord doth either in temporall or spirituall benefits I. For temporall benefits as wealth honour libertie outward peace the Lord dealeth very bountifully with them He makes his sunne to shine vpon the iust and vniust he fills their bellies with his hid treasures and as Dauid saith I fretted at the foolish when I saw the prosperitie of the wicked for there is no bondes in their death but they are lustie and strong they are not in trouble as other meÌ„ neither are they plagued as other men But yet he holdes backe that which is the principall thing and the very glorie of these benefits that is the right vse of them For that a man may purely vse Gods creatures two things are required First his person must stand iust and sanctifieed before God by faith in Christ. For vntill a mans person please God his worke shall neuer please him Secondly he must vse the same creatures purely which is done partly by inuocation of Gods name and partly by referring them to their set and appointed endeâ— which are Gods glorie a mans owne and his neighbours good But all this is flat contrarie in the vngodly man For first he is forth of Christ so that his person standes vniust before God And therefore all his actions euen those which otherwise are lawfull and good in him are meere sinnes Secondly he vseth Gods gifts and blessings with an euill conscience For by reason of his want of grace to beleeue he cannot resolue himselfe that God as his father doth bestow his blessings on him as his beloued child in Christ yet as a theefe and an vsurper against his conscience he vseth them Adde further the creatures are vsed of him without inuocation for such an one can not pray and therefore he doth but as the swine
God a member of Christ in respect of coniunction with him and shall be restored to his former estate after serious repentance And God permits these foiles for weightie causes first that men might be abashed and confounded in themselues with the consideration of their vile natures and learne not to swell with pride because of Gods grace Paul â—aith thâ—t after he had beene rapt into the third heauen the angel Satan was sent to buâ—fet him and as we say to beate him blacke and blew that he might not be exalted out of measure The second that we may learne to denie our selues cleâ—ue vnto the Lord froÌ„ the bottom of our hearts Paul saith that he was sick to death that he might not trust in himselfe but in God who raiseth the dead Thus much of the manner of the combat now followes the cause of it The cause is the contrarietie that is betweene the flesh and the spirit As Paul saith The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie to God Hence we are taught that since the fall there is no free-will in man in spirituall matters concerning either the worship of God or life euerlasting For flesh is nothing else but our naturall disposition and man is nothing else but flesh by nature for the spirit comes afterward by grace and the flesh is flatte contrarie to the spirit which makes vs doe that which is pleasing vnto God Wherefore the will naturally is a flat bondslaue vnto sinne Againe hence we may learne that it is not an easie matter to practise religion which is to liue according to the spirit to which our naturall disposition is as contrarie as fire to water wherefore if we will obey God we must learne to force our natures to the duties of godlines yea euen sweate and take paines therein Lastly here we may learne the nature of sinne The spirit is not a substance but a qualitie and therefore the flesh which is nothing else but originall sinne and is contrarie to the spirit must also be a qualitie for such as the nature of one contrarie is such is the other There is in euery man the substance of bodie and soule this can not be sinne for then the spirit also should be the substance of man There is also in the substance the faculties of bodie and soule and they can not be sinne for then euery man should haue lost the faculties of his soule by Adams fall Lastly in the faculties there is a contagion or corruption which carieth them against the law and that is properly sinne and the flesh which is contrarie to the spirit The fourth point is touching the persons in whome this combate is Paul shewes who they are when he saith So that ye can not c. where it appeares that such as haue this combat in them must be as the Galatians men iustified and sanctified and yet not all such but onely they that be of yeares for the infants of the faithfull howsoeuer we must repute them to belong to the kingdome of heauen and therefore to be iustified and sanctified yet because they doe not commit actuall sinne they want this combat of the flesh and spirit which stands in action As for those which be vnregenerate they neuer felt this fight If any say that the worst man in the world when he is about to commit any sinne hath a strife and fight in him It is true indeede but that is an other kinde of combat which is betweene the conscience and the heart The conscience on the one part terrifying the man from sinne the will and the affections hailing and pulling him thereunto the will and the affections wishing and desiring that sinne were no sinne and Gods commandement abolished whereas contrariwise the conscience with a shrill voice proclaimes sinne to be sinne This fight was in Pilate who by the force of his conscience feared to condemne Christ and yet was willing and yeelded to condemne him that he might please the people Furthermore this combat is in the regenerate but during the time of this life For they which are perfectly sanctified feele no strife If any shall say that this combat was in Christ when he said Father if it be thy will let this cuppe passe from me yet not my will but thine be done Indeede here is a combat but of an other sort namely the fight of two diuerse desires the one was a desire to doe his fathers will in suffering the death of the crosse the other a naturall desire which was no sinne but a meere infirmitie of humane nature whereby he in his manhood desires as the manner of nature is to seeke the preseruation of it selfe to haue the cursed death of the crosâ—e remooued from him The fifth point is the effect of this combat which is to make the man regenerate that he can not doe the things which he would and this must be vnderstood in things both good and euill And first he can not doe the euill which he would for two causes First because he can not commit sinne at what time soeuer he would Saint Iohn saith He that is borne of God sinneth not neither can he sinne because he is borne of God that is he can not sinne at his pleasure or when he will Ioseph when he was assaulted by Putiphars wife to adulterie because the grace of God abounded in him whereby he answered her saying Shall I doe this and sinne against God he could not then sinne Lot because his righteous heart was grieued in seeing and hearing the abominations of Sodom could not then sinne as they of Sodom did Hence it appeares that such persons as liue in the daily practise of sinne against their own consciences though they be professours of the true religion of Christ haue no soundnes of grace in them Secondly the man regenerate can not sinne in what manner he would and there be two reasons thereof First he can not sinne with full consent of will or with all his heart because the will so farre forth as it is regenerate resisteth and and draweth backe yea euen then when a man is carried headlong by the passions of the flesh he feeles some contrarie motions of a regenerate conscience It is a rule that sinne doth not raigne in the regenerate For so much grace as is wrought in the minde will affections so much is abated proportionally of the strength of the flesh Wherefore when he commits any sinne he doth it partly willingly and partly against his will As the marriners in the tempest cast Ionas into the sea willingly for otherwise they had not done it and yet against their wills too which appeares because they praied and cast their goods out of the shippe and laboured in the rowing against the tempest and that very long before they cast him out And herein lies the difference betweene two men committing one and the same sinne the one of them beeing regenerate the other vnregenerate For the latter sinnes
with all his heart and with full consent and so doth not the first Secondly though he fall into any sinne yet he doth not lie long in it but speedily recouers himselfe by reason of grace in his heart Hence it is manifest that sinnes of infirmitie are committed onely of such as are regenerate As for the man vnregenerate he can not sinne of infirmitie whatsoeuer some falsly thinke For he is not weake but starke dead in sinne And sinnes of infirmitie are such onely as rise of constraint feare hastinesse and such like sudden passions in the regenerate And though they sin of weaknes often by reason of this spirituall combat yet they doe not alwaies for they may sinne against knowledge and conscience of presumption To come to the second point the regenerate man can not doe the good which he would because he can not doe it perfitly and soundly according to Gods will as he would Paul saith To will is present with me but I finde no meanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfitly to doe that which I would In this point the godly man is like a prisoner that is gotten forth of the gayle and that he might escape the hand of the keeper desires and striues with all his heart to runne an hundred miles in a day but because he hath straight and waightie bolts on his legges cannot for his life creepe past a mile or twaine and that with chasing his flesh tormenting himselfe So the seruants of God doe heartily desire and endeauour to obey God in all his commaundements as it is saide of King Iosias That he turned to God with all his heart with all his soule with all his might according to all the lawes of Moses c. yet because they are clogged with the bolts of the flesh they performe obedience both slowly and weakely with diuers slippes and falls Thus much of the combat now let vs see what vse may be made of it First of all by it we learne what is the estate of a Christian man in this life A Christian is not one that is free from all euill cogitations from rebellious inclinations and motions of will and affections from all manner of slips in his life and conuersation for such an one is a meere deuise of mans brain and not to be found vpon earth But indeed he is the sound Christian that feeling himselfe laden with the corruptions of his vile and rebellious nature bewailes them from his heart and with might and maine fights against them by the grace of Gods spirit Againe here is ouerthrowne the Popish opinion of merit and iustification by workes of grace on this manner Such as the cause of workes is such are works themselues The cause of works in man is the mind will and affections sanctified in which the flesh and the spirit are mixt together as hath beene shewed before Therefore works of grace euen the best of them are mixt workes partly holy and partly sinnefull Whereby it is euident to a man that hath but common sense that they are not answerable to the righteousnes of the law and that therefore they can neither merit life or any way iustifie a man before God If any reply that good works are the works of Gods spirit and for that cause perfectly righteous I answer it is true indeede they come from the H. Ghost that can not sinne but not onely or immediatly For they come also frō the corrupt minde will of man and in that respect become sinnefull as sweete water issuing out of a pure fountaine is by a filthy channell made corrupt Thirdly we doe hence learne that concupiscence or originall sinne is properly and indeede sinne after baptisme though it please the Councill of Trent to decree otherwise For after baptisme it is flat contrarie to the spirit and rebells against it Papists obiect that it is taken away by baptisme Answ. Originall sinne or the flesh is taken away in the regenerate thus In it there be three things the guilt the punishment the corruption the first two are quite abolished by the merit of Christs death in baptisme the third that is the corruption remaines still but marke in what manner it remaines weakned it remains not imputed to the person of the beleeuer Lastly hereby we are taught to be watchfull in praier Watch and pray saith Christ c. for the spirit is readie but the flesh is weake Rebecca when two twins stroue in her wombe was troubled and saide Why am I so wherefore shee went to aske the Lord namely by some Prophet So when we feele this inward fight the best thing is to haue recourse to God by praier and to his word that the spirit may be strengthened against the flesh As the children of Israel by compassing the citie of Ierico seuen daies and by sounding rammes hornes ouerturned the walls thereof so by serious inuocation of Gods name the spirit is confirmed and the turrets and towres of the rebellious flesh battered The voice of a man 1. Carnall of Euill I doe that which is euill and I will doe it Good I do not that which is good and I will not do it 2. Regenerate of Euill I doe the euill which I would not Good I doe not doe the good which I would 3. Glorified of Euill I doe not that which is euill and I will not doe it Good I doe that which is good and I will doe it A salue for a sicke man OR A TREATISE CONTAINING THE NATVRE DIFFERENCES AND KINDES OF DEATH AS ALSO THE right manner of dying well And It may serue for spirituall instruction to 1. Marriners when they goe to sea 2. Souldiers when they goe to battell 3. Women when they trauell of child PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT PRINTER to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1600. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND VERTVOVS LAdie the Ladie Lucie Countesse of Bedford THe death of the righteous that is of euery beleeuing and repentant sinner is a most excellent blessing of God and brings with it many worthie benefits which thing I proue on this maner I. God both in the beginning and in the continuance of his grace doeth greater things vnto his seruants then they do commonly aske or thinke and because he hath promised aide and strength vnto them therefore in wonderfull wisdome hee casteth vpon them this heauie burden of death that they might make experience what is the exceeding might power of his grace in their weakenes II. Iudgement beginnes at gods house the righteous are laden with afflictions temptations in this life therefore in this worlde they haue their deaths and hells that in death they might not feele the torments of hell and death III. When Lazarus was dead Christ said He is not dead but sleepeth hence it followeth that the christian man can say My graue is my bedde my death is my sleepe in death I die not but onely sleepe It is thought that of all terrible things death is most
suffereth for his sinne It is true indeede there bee other causes of the wantes of the bodie and of sickenesse beside sinne and though they be not knowne to vs yet they are knowne to the Lord. Hereupon Christ when he sawe a certaine blind man and was demaunded what was the cause of the blindnesse answered neither hath this man sinned nor his pareÌ„ts but that the work of God should be shewed on him Yet wee for our parts who are to goe not by the secret but by the reuealed will of God must make this vse of our sickenes that it is sent vnto vs for our sinnes When Christ healed the man sicke of the palsie he saieth bee of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and when he had healed the man by the poole of Bethesda that had bin sicke thirtie eight yeares he bids him sinne no more least a worst thing happen vnto him giuing them both to vnderstand that their sickenesse came by reason of their sinnes And thus should euery sicke man resolue himselfe Nowe when wee haue proceeded thus farre and haue as it were laid our finger vpon the right and proper cause of our sicknes three things concerning our sinnes must bee performed of vs in sickenesse First we must make a new examination of our heartes and liues and say as the Israelites said in affliction Let vs search and â—ry our waies and turne againe to the Lord. Secondly we must make a newe confession to God of our new and particular sinnes as God sends new corrections and chastisements When Dauid had the hand of God verie heauie vpon him for his sinnes so as his verie bones and moisture consumed within him he made confession of them vnto God and thereupon obtained his pardon and was healed The third thing is to make newe praier and more earnest the euer before with sighes and grones of the spirit and that for pardon of the same sins and for reconciliation with God in Christ. In the exercise of these three duties standes the renouation of our faith and repentance whereby they are increased quickened and reuiued And the more sickenesse preuailes and takes place in the bodie the more should we bee carefull to put them in vre that spirituall life might increase as temporall life is decaied When King Ezechias lay sicke as he thought vpon his death-bed hee wept as for some other causes so also for his sinnes and withall he praied God to cast them behind his backe Dauid made certaine Psalmes when he was sicke or at the least vpon the occasion of his sickenes as namely the 6. the 32. the 38. the 39 c. they all are psalmes of repentance in which we may see howe in distresse of bodie and minde he renewed his faith and repentance heartely bewailing his sinnes and intreating the Lord for the pardon of them Manasses one that fell from God and gaue himselfe to many horrible sinnes when hee was taken captiue and imprisoned in Babylon he praied to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and praied vnto him and God was intreated of him and heard his praier and brought him againe into Ierusalem into his kingdome and then Manasses knewe that the Lord was God Nowe looke what Manasses did in this tribulation the same thing must wee doe in the time of our bodily sickenesse Here I haue occasion to mention a notorious fault that is very common in this age euen among such as haue long liued in the bosome of the Church that is this Men nowe a daies are so farre from renuing their faith and repentance that when they lie sicke and are drawing toward death they must bee Catechised in the doctrine of faith and repentance as if they had beene but of late receiued into the Church Whosoeuer will but as occasion is offered visit the sicke shall finde this to bee true which I say What a shame is this that when a man hath spent his life and daies in the Church for the space of twentie or thirtie or fourtie yeares he should at the verie ende of all and not before begin to inquire what faith and what repentance is and howe his soule might bee saued This one sinne argues the great securitie of this age and the great contempt of God and his worde Well let all men hereafter in time to come be warned to take heede of this exceeding negligence in matters of saluation and to vse all good meanes before hand that they may be able in sicknesse and in the time of death to put in practise the spirituall exercises of inuocation and repentance Nowe if so be it fall out that the sicke partie cannot of himselfe renewe his owne faith and repentance he must seeke the helpe of others When the man that was sicke of the dead palsie could not goe to Christ himselfe hee got others to beare him in his bed and when they could not come nere for the multitude they vncouered the roofe of the house and let the bed downe before Christ euen so when sicke men can not alone by themselues do the good duties to which they are bound they must borrowe helpe from their fellowe members who are partly by their counsel to put to their helping hand and partly by their praiers to present them vnto God and to bring them into the presence of God And touching helpe in this case sundrie duties are to bee performed Saint Iames sets down foure two wherof concerne the sicke patient and other two such as be helpers The first dutie of the sicke man is to send for helpe where two circumstances must be considered who must be sent for and when For the first Saint Iames saith Is any sicke among you let him call for the elders of the Church Whereby are meant not onely Apostles and all ministers of the gospell but others also as I take it which were men ancient for yeares indued with the spirit of vnderstanding and praier and had withall the gift of working miracles and of healing the sicke For in the primitiue Church this gift was for a time so plentifully bestowed on them that beleeued in Christ that souldiers cast out deuills and parents wrought miracles on their children Hence we may learne that howesoeuer it be the dutie of the ministers of the word principally to visit and comfort the sicke yet is it not their dutie alone for it belongs to them also which haue knowledge of Gods worde the gift of praier Exhort one another saith the holy Ghost while it is called to daie And againe Admonish them that are disordered and comfort those that are weake And indeede in equitie it should be the duty of euerie Christian man to comfort his brother in sickenesse Here wee must needes take knowledge of the common fault of men and women when they come to visit their neighbours and friends they can not speake a work of instruction and
and put his houshold in order and went and hanged himselfe And the fiue foolish virgins contented themselues with the blasing lamps of a bare profession neuer seeking for the horne of lasting oyle of true and liuely faith that might furnish and trimme that lampe both in life death But let vs in the feare of God cast off this damnable folly first of all seeking the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and leading our liues in faith and obedience that we may die accordingly And thus much of the first point of doctrine namely that there is a certen way whereby a man may die well now I come to the second Whereas therefore Salomon saith that the day of death is better then the day of birth we are further taught that such as truly beleeue theÌ„selues to be the children of God are not to feare death ouermuch I say ouermuch because they must partly feare it partly not Feare it they must for two causes the first because death is the destruction of humane nature in a mans owne selfe and others in this respect Christ feared it without sinne and we must not feare it otherwise then we feare sicknes and pouertie and famine with other sorrowes of bodie and mind which god wil not haue vs to despise or lightly regard but to feele with some paine because they are corrections and punishments for sinne And he doth therefore lay vpon vs paines and torments that they may be feared and eschewed and that by eschewing them we might further learne to eschew the cause of them which is sinne and by experience in feeling of paine acknowledge that God is a iudge and enemie of sinne and is exceeding angrie with it The second cause of the feare of death is the losse of the Church or Commonwealth when we or others are depriued of them which were indeede or might haue bin an helpe stay and comfort to either of them and whose death hath procured some publike or priuate losse Againe we are not to feare death but to be glad of it and that for many causes First of all in it we haue occasion to shew our subiection and obedience which we owe vnto God when he calls vs out of this world as Christ saide Father not my will but thy will be done Secondly all sinne is abolished by death and we then cease to offend God any more as we haue done Thirdly the dead bodie is brought into a better condition then euer it was in this life for by death it is made insensible and by that meanes it is freed from all the miseries and calamities of this life and it ceaseth to be either an actiue or passiue instrument of sinne whereas in the life time it is both Fourthly it giues the soule passage to rest life and celestiall glorie in which we shall see God as he is perfectly know him and praise his name for euer keeping without intermission an eternall sabbath therefore Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and be with Christ for that is best of all Fifthly God exequutes his iudgements vpon the wicked and purgeth his Church by death Now in all these respects godly men haue cause not to feare and sorrow but to reioyce in their owne death and the death of others Thirdly if the day of death be so excellent yea a day of happines then it is lawfull to desire death and men doe not alwaies sinne in wishing for death Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and againe O miserable man who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Yet this desire must not be simple but restrained with certaine respects which are these First death must be desired so far forth as it is a meanes to free vs from the corruption of our nature secondly as it is a meanes to bring vs to the immediate fellowship of Christ and God himselfe in heauen thirdly death may be lawfully desired in respect of the troubles and miseries of this life two caueats beeing obserued the first that this desire must not be immoderate the second it must be ioyned with submission and subiection to the good pleasure of God If either of these be wanting the desire is faultie and therefore Iob and Ieremie and Ionas failed herein because they desired death beeing carried away with impatience On the contrarie also a man may desire a continuance of life Ezechias praied and desired to liue when he heard the message of present death that he might doe seruice to God And Paul desired to liue in regard of the Philippians that he might further their faithâ— though in regard of himselfe to die was aduantage to him Lastly if death ioyned with reformation of life be so blessed then the death of the vnbeleeuing and vnrepentant sinner is euery way cursed most horrible Reasons are these First it is the destruction of nature and the wages of sinne Secondly in it there is no comfort of the spirit to be found no mitigation of paine and no good thing that may counterâ—aile the miseries thereof Thirdly that which is the most feâ—reful thing of all bodily death is the beginning os eternall death desperation and infernall torment without hope of deliuerance Therefore as I began so I end haue care to liue well and die well FINIS An addition of things that come to my minde afterward THe last combat with the deuill in the pang of death is oftentimes most dangerous of all For then he will not vrge men to desperation knowing that by this meanes he shall stirre them vp to resist him but he labours with them that they would not resist him when he assaults them and by this means he indeauours to extinguish hope And this is not done in any other temptation in which faith or hope alone are impugned whereas in this they are both impugned togither This must be thought vpon for when the deuills temptation is not to resist his temptation it is most deceitful of all and it is more easie to ouercome the enemie that compells vs to fight then him that disswades vs from it The temptation of M. Iohn Knox in the time of his death is worth the marking He lay on his death-bedde silent for the space of foure houres very often giuing great sighes sobbes and grones so as the standers by well perceiued that he was troubled with some grieuous temptation and when at length he was raised in his bedde they asked him how he did to whome he answered thus that in his life time he had indured many combats and conflicts with Sathan but that now most mightily the roaring lyon had assaulted him often said he before he set my sinnes before mine eyes often he vrged me to desperation often he laboured to intangle me with the delights of the world but beeing vanquished by the sword of the spirit which is the word of God he could not preuaile But now he assaults me another way for the wily serpent would perswade me that
debt due vnto him And so soone as any man beginnes to know Christ crucified he knowes his owne debt and thinks of the paiment of it Thus we see howe Christ is to be knowne nowe wee shall not neede to make much examination whether this manner of knowing and acknowledging of Christ take any place in the world or no for fewe there be that knowe him as they ought The Turke euen at this verie daie knowes him not but as he was a prophet The Iewe scorneth his crosse and passion The Popish Churches though in word they confesse him yet doe they not knowe him as they ought The Friers and Iesuits in their sermons at this daie commonly vse the Passion as a meanes to stirre vp pietie and compassion towards Christ who beeing so righteous a man was so hardly intreated and to inflame their hearts to an hatred of the Iewes and Iudas and Pontius Pilate that put our blessed Sauiour to death but all this may be done in any other historie And the seruice of God which in that Church stands nowe in force by the Canons of the Councill of Trent defaceth Christ crucified in that the passions of martyrs are made meritorious and the very wood of the crosse their only help and the virgin Marie the Queene of heauen and a mother of mercie who in remission of â—innes may command her sonne and they giue religious adoration to dumme crucifixes made by the hand and art of man The common protestant likewise commeth short herein for three causes First whereas in word they acknowledge him to bee their Sauiour that hath redeemed them from their euill conuersation yet indeede they make him a patrone of their sinnes The thiefe makes him the receiuer the murderer makes him his refuge the adulterer be it spoken with reuerence vnto his maiestie makes him the baud For generally men walke on in their euill waies some liuing in this sinne some in that and yet for all this they perswade themselues that God is mercifull and that Christ hath freed them froÌ„ death and damnation Thus Christ that came to abolish sinne is made a maintainer thereof and the common pack-horse of the worlde to beare euery mans burden Secondly men are content to take knowledge of the merit of Christs passion for the remission of their sinnes but in the meane season the vertue of Christs death in the mortifying of sin and the blessed example of his passion which ought to be followed and expressed in our liues conuersations is little or nothing regarded Thirdly men vsually content themselues generally and confusedly to know Christ to be their redeemer neuer once seeking in euery particular estate and condition of life and in euery particular blessing of God to feele the benefit of his passion What is the cause that almost all the world liue in securitie neuer almost touched for their horrible sinnes surely the reason is because they did neuer yet seriously consider that Christ in the garden lay groueling vpon the earth sweating water blood for their offences Againe all such a by fraud and oppression or any kind of hard dealing sucke the blood of poore men neuer yet knewe that their sinnes drewe out the heart blood of Christ. And proud men and women that are puffed vp by reason of their attire which is the badge of their shame and neuer cease hunting after strange fashions doe not consider that Christ was not crucified in gay attire but naked that he might beare the whole shame and curse of the lawe for vs. These and such like whatsoeuer they say in word if we respect the tenour of their liues are flat enemies of the crosse of Christ and tread his pretious blood vnder their feete Now then considering this so weightie and speciall a point of religion is so much neglected O man or woman high or lowe young or olde if thou haue beene wanting this waie begin for verie shame to learne and learning truly to knowe Christ crucified And that thou maiest attaine to this behold him often not in the wooden crucifix after the Popish manner but in the preaching of the word and in the Sacraments in which thou shalt see him crucified before thine eies Gal. 3.1 Desire not here vpon earth to beholde him with the bodily eie but looke vpon him with the eie of true and liuely faith applying him and his merits to thy selfe as thine owne and that with broken and bruised heart as the poore Israelites stung with fierie serpents euen to death behelde the brasen serpent Againe thou must looke vpon him first of all as a glasse or spectacle in which thou shalt see Gods glorie greater in thy redemption then in thy creation In the creation appeared Gods infinite wisdome power and goodnesse in thy redemption by the passion of Christ his endlesse iustice mercie In the creation thou art a member of the first Adam and bearest his image in thy redemption thou art a member of the second Adam In the first thou art indued with naturall life in the second with spirituall In the first thou hast in the person of Eve thy beginning of the rib of Adam in the secoÌ„d thou hast thy beginning as thou art borne of God out of the blood of Christ. Lastly in the first god gaue life in commanding that to be which was not in the second he giues life not by life but by death euen of his owne forme This is the mysterie vnto which the angels themselues desire to looke into 1. Pet. 1.12 Secondly thou must behold him as the full price of thy redemption and perfect reconciliation with God and pray earnestly to God that hee would seale vp the same in thy verie conscience by his holy spirit Thirdly thon must behold Christ as an example to whome thou must conforme thy selfe by regeneration For this cause giue diligence that thou maist by experience say that thou art dead and crucified and buried with Christ and that thou risest againe with him to newnesse of life that he enlightens thy minde and by degrees reforms thy will and affections and giue thee both the wil and the deed in euery good thing And that thou maist not faile in this thy knowledge read the historie of Christs passion obserue all the parts and circumstances thereof apply them to thy selfe for thy full conuersion When thou readest that Christ went to the garden as his custome was where the Iewes might soonest attach him consider that he went to the death of the crosse for thy sinnes willingly and not of constraint and that therefore thou for thy part shouldst doe him all seruice freely and frankely Psal. 110. 3. When thou hearest that in his agonie his foule was heauie vnto death know it was for thy sinnes and that thou shouldest much more conceiue heauines of heart for the same againe that this sorrow of his is ioy and reioycing vnto thee if thou wilt beleeue in him therefore Paul saith I say againe reioyce
I answer that they to whome Christ came not neither hath spoken vnto them haue an excuse not of euery sinne but of this sinne that they haue not beleeued in Christ. Againe It remaines to inquire whether those who before Christ came in his Church to the Gentiles and before they heard his Gospell haue bin or are preuented by death may vse this excuse Doubtles they may but they shall not therefore escape damnation For whosoeuer haue sinned without the law shall perish without the law As for the reasons which some of the schoolemen haue alleadged to the contrarie they are answered all by men of the same order and I will briefly touch the principall First it is obiected that the holy Ghoâ—t shall iudge the world of sinne because they haue not beleeued in Christ Ioh. 16.9 I answer that by the world we must not vnderstand all and euery man since the creation but all nations and kingdomes in the last age of the world to whome the Gospel was reuealed Thus hath Paul expounded this word Rom. 11.12 The fall of them is the riches of the world and the diminishing of them is the riches of the Gentiles v. 15. The casting of them away is the reconciling of the world Secondly it is obiected that the law binds all men in conscience though the greatest part of it be vnknowne to them Answ. The law was once giuen to Adam and imprinted in his heart in his first creation and in him as beeing the roote of all mankind it was giuen to all men and as when he sinned all men sinned in him so when he was enlightened all were enlightned in him and consequently when his conscience was bound by the law all were bound in him And though this knowledge be lost by mans default yet the bond remaines still on Gods part Now the case is otherwise with the Gospel which was neuer written in mans nature but was giuen after the fall and is aboue nature Here a further replie is made that the couenant made with Adam The seede of the woman shal bruise the serpents head was also made with his seede which is all mankind and was afterward continued with Abraham to all nations I answer again that Adam was a root of mankind onely in respect of mans nature with the gifts and sinnes thereof he was no roote in respect of grace which is aboue nature but Christ the second Adam And therefore when God gaue the promise vnto him and faith to beleeue the promise he did not in him giue them both to all mankinde neither if Adam had afterward fallen from faith in the Messias should all mankind againe haue fallen in him Moreouer that the promise of grace was not made to Adams seede vniuersally but indefinitely it appeares because when God did afterward renew the couenant he restrained it to the familie of Noe and Abrahamâ— and in Abrahams familie it was restrained to Isaac In Isaac saith the Lord shall thy seede be called yea in the very tenour of the couenant there is a distinction made of the seede of the woman and the seede of the serpent which seede of the serpent is a part of mankind and it is excluded from the couenant And whereas the Lord promised to Abraham that in his seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed the promise must not be vnderstood of all men in euery age but of all nations in the last age of the world And thus Paul hath cleared the text Gal. 3. 8. The Scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the Gentiles through faith which was done after Christs ascension he preached before the Gospel to Abraham In thee shall nations be blessed Lastly it may be obiected that if any man be ignorant of the doctrine of saluation by Christ it is through his owne fault it is true indeede that all ignorance of the doctrine of saluation comes through mans fault sinne but sinne must be distinguished it is either personall or the sinne of mans nature Now in them that neuer heard of Christ their ignorance in this point proceedes not of any personall sinne in them but onely from the sinne of mans nature that is the first sinne of Adam common to all mankinde which sinne is punished when God leaues men wholly to themselues Now many things there be in men proceeding from this sinne which neuerthelesse are no sinnes as the manifold miseries of this life and so I take the ignorance of things aboue mans nature altogether vnreuealed to be no sinne but a punishment of originall sinne Thus much of the persons which are bound by the Gospel now let vs see how farre forth they are bound by it God in the Gospell generally reueales two points vnto vs the first that there is perfect righteousnes and life euerlasting to be obtained by Christ the second that the instrument to obtaine righteousnes and life eternall is faith in Christ. Moreouer when this Gospel is dispensed and preached vnto vs God reueales vnto vs two points more the first that he will make vs particularly to be partakers of true righteousnes and life euerlasting by Christ the secoâ—d that he will haue vs without doubting to beleeue thus much of our selues And for this cause euery man to whome the Gospel is reuealed is bound to beleeue his owne election iustification sanctification and glorification in and by Christ. The reasons and grounds of this point out of the word of God are these I. 1. Ioh. 3.23 This is his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaué vs commandement Now to beleeue in Christ is not confusedly to beleeue that he is a Redeemer of mankind but withall to beleeue that he is my Sauiour and that I am elected iustified sanctified and shall be glorified by him This is graunted of all men yea of the Papists themselues which otherwise are enemies of this doctrine For Lumberd saith To beleeue in God is by beleeuing to loue and as it were to goe into God by beleeuing to cleaue vnto him and as it were to be incorporate into his members II. Paul Gal. 2. 16. â—irst of all propounds a generall sentence That a man is not iustified by the workes of the law but by the faith of Christ. Afterward he addes a speciall application Euen we namely Iewes haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ and in v. 20. he descends more specially to applie the Gospel to himselfe I liue saith he by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And in this kinde of application there is nothing peculiar to Paul for in this very action of his he auoucheth himselfe to be an example vnto vs 1. Tim. 1. 16. For this cause saith he was I receiued to mercie that Iesus Christ should shew first on me all long suffering vnto the ensample of them which
the sacrament So the 29. canon of the Councill of Gangres must be vnderstood As for the Canons of the Apostles so falsly called and the 8. Councill of Toledo I much respect not what they say in this case Arg. 14. Gods authoritie binds conscience magistrates authoritie is Gods authoritie therefore magistrates authoritie binds conscience properly Ans. Gods authority may be taken two waies first for that soueraigne and absolute power which he vseth ouer all his creatures secondly for that finit and limited power which he hath ordained that men should exercise ouer men If the minor namely that magistrates authoritie is Gods authoritie be taken in the first sense it is false for the soueraigne power of God is incommunicable If it be taken in the second sense the proposition is false For there be sundrie authorities ordained of God as the authoritie of the father ouer a child of the master ouer the seruant the authority of the master ouer his scholler which doe bind in conscience as the authoritie of Gods lawes doth By these arguments which I haue now answered and by many other beeing but lightly skanned it will appeare that necessarie obedience is to be performed both to ciuill and Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction but that they haue a constraining power to bind conscience and that properly as Gods laws doe it is not yet prooued neither can be as I will make manifest by other arguments Arg. 1. He that makes a law binding conscience to mortall sinne hath power if not to saue yet to destroy because by sinne which followes vpon the transgression of his law comes death and damnation But God is the onely Lawgiuer that hath this priuiledge which is after he hath giuen his law vpon the breaking or keeping thereof to saue or destroy Iam. 4. 12. There is one Lawgiuer that can saue or destroy Therefore God alone makes lawes binding conscience properly and no creature can doe the like Answer is made that S. Iames speakes of the principall Lawgiuer that by his owne proper authoritie makes laws and doth in such manner saue and destroy that he neede not feare to be destroied of any and that he speakes not of secondarie lawgiuers that are deputies of God make laws in his name I say againe that this answer stands not with the text◠For S. Iames speakes simply without distinction limitation or exception and the effect of his reason is this No man at all must slaunder his brother because no man must be iudge of the law and no man can be iudge of the law because no man can be a lawgiuer to saue or destroy Now then where be those persons that shall make lawes to the soules of men and bind them vnto punishment of mortall sinne considering that God alone is the sauing and destroying Lawgiuer Argum. 2. He that can make lawes as truly binding conscience as Gods lawes can also prescribe rules of Gods worship because to binde the conscience is nothing else but to cause it to excuse for things that are well done and therefore truly please God and to accuse for sinne whereby God is dishonoured but no man can prescribe rules of Gods worship and humane lawes as they are humane lawes appoint not the seruice of God Esa. 29. 13. Their feare towards me was taught by the precept of men Mat. 15.6 They worship me in vaine teaching doctrines which are the commandements of men Papists here make answer that by lawes of men we must vnderstand such lawes as be vnlawfull or vnprofitable beeing made without the authoritie of God or instinct of his spirit It is true indeed that these commandements of men were vnlaweful but the cause must be considered they were vnlawfull not because they commanded that which was vnlawefull and against the wil of God but because things in themselues lawefull were commanded as parts of Gods worship To wash the outward part of the cup or platter and to wash handes before meate are things in respect of ciuil vse very lawfull and yet are these blamed by Christ and no other reason can be rendred but this that they were prescribed not as things indifferent or ciuil but as matters pertaining to Gods worship It is not against Gods word in some politicke regards to make distinction of meates and drinkes and times yet Paul calls these things doctrines of deuills because they were commaunded as thinges wherein God should be worshipped Arg. 3. God hath now in the new Testament giuen a libertie to the conscience whereby it is freed from all lawes of his owne whatsoeuer excepting such lawes and doctrines as are necessarie to saluation Col. 2. 10. If ye be dead with Christ ye are free from the elements of the world Gal. 5.1 Stand yee in the libertie wherewith Christ hath freed you and be not againe intangled with the yoke of bondage Now if humane lawes made after the graunt of this libertie binde conscience of themselues thē must they either take away the foresaid liberty or diminish the same but that they cannot doe for that which is graunted by an higher authoritie namely God himselfe cannot be reuoked or repealed by the inferiour authoritie of any man It is answered that this freedome is onely from the bondage of sinne from the curse of the morall lawe from the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes of Moses and not from the lawes of our superiours And I answer againe that it is absurb to thinke that God giues vs liberty in conscience from any of his owne lawes and yet will haue our consciences still to remaine in subiection to the lawes of sinnefull men Argum. 4. Whosoeuer bindes conscience commandes conscience For◠the bond is made by a commandement vrging conscience to doe his dutie which is to accuse or excuse for euill or well doing Now Gods lawes command cōscience in as much as they are spirituall commanding bodie and spirit with al the thoughts will affections desires and faculties and requiring obedience of them all according to their kind As for the lawes of men they want power to command conscience Indeed if it were possible for our gouernours by lawe to command mens thoughts and affections then also might they command conscience but the first is not possible for their lawes can reach no further then the outward man that is to body and goods with the speeches and deedes thereof and the end of them all is not to maintaine spirituall peace of conscience which is betweene man and God but onely that externall and ciuill peace which is betweene man and man And it were not meete that men should command conscience which cannot see conscience and iudge of all her actions which appeare not outwardly and whereof there be no witnesses but God and the conscience of the doer Lastly men are not fitte commaunders of conscience because they are no Lordes of it but God himselfe alone Argum. 5. Men in making lawes are subiect to ignorance and errour and therefore when they haue made a lawe as neere
and alteration For he which hath a good coÌ„science hath also care to keepe good conscience in all things V. Presumption is peremptorie without doubting whereas the testimonie of conscience is mingled with manifold doubtings Mark 9.24 Luk. 17. 5. yea otherwhiles ouercharged with them Psal. 77.7,8 VI. Presumption will giue a man the slip in the time of sickenes and in the houre of death and the testimonie of good conscience stickes by him to the ende and euen makes him say Lord remember nowe â—owe I haue walked before thee in trueth and haue done that which is acceptable in thy sight Isa. 38.2 The duties of conscience regenerate are two in speciall manner to giue testimonie and to excuse The speciall thing of which conscience giues testimonie is that we are the children of God predestinate to life euerlasting And that appeares by these reasons I. Rom. 8.16 The spirit of God witnesseth togither with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Now the spirit of man here mentioned is the minde or conscience renewed and sanctified To this purpose saith Iohn He that beleeueth hath a witnesse in himselfe 1. Ioh. 5.10 II. That which Gods spirit doth testifie to the conscience the conscience can againe testifie to vs but Gods spirit doth testifie to the conscience of a man regenerate that he is the childe of God 1. Cor. 2.12 Therefore the conscience also doeth the same III. He that is iustified hath peace of conscience Rom. 5.1 Nowe there can bee no peace in conscience till conscience tel the man which is iustified that he is indeed iustified IV. That which the conscience may know certenly it may testifie but conscience may know certenly without reuelation the mans election and adoption as I haue before prooued therefore it is able to giue testimonie of these Againe the regenerate conscience giueth testimonie of a certaine kinde of righteousnesse beeing an vnseparable companion thereof and for this cause it is called of some the righteousnesse of a good conscience Now this righteousnes is nothing els but an vnfained earnest and constant purpose with endeauour answerable thereto not to sinne in any thing but in all things whatsoeuer to please God and doe his will Hebr. 13.18 Pray for vs for wee are assured that we haue good conscience in all things desiring to liue honestly 2. Cor. 1.12 Our reioycing is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisdome wee haue had our conuersation in the worlde 1. Cor. 4.4 I knowe nothing by my selfe Esa. 38.2 Lord remember now howe I haue walked before thee with an vpright heart and haue done that which is acceptable in thy sight I adde this clause in all things because that obedience which is the signe or fruit of good conscience of which also it giues testimonie is generall shewing it selfe in all and euery commandement of God Philosophers haue said that Iustice is vniuersall because he which hath it hath all vertues But it is more truely said of this Christian righteousnes or new obedience that it is vniuersall and that he which can performe true obedience in one commandement can doe the same in all Act. 23.1 Men and brethren I haue in all good conscience serued God till this day Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not bee confounded when I shall haue respect to all thy commandements Act. 24.16 In the meane season I endeaâ—our my selfe or take paines to haue a conscience without offence towards God and towards men This shewes that there is a great number of men professing the Gospell that want good conscience For though they shew themselues very forward and willing to obey God in many things yet in some one thing or other they vse to follow the swinge of their owne wills Many are diligent to frequent the place of Gods worship to heare the word preached with liking to receiue the Sacraments at times appointed and to approoue of any good thing all this is very commendable yet these men often when they depart home from the congregation say in effect on this manner Religion stay thou here at the Church doore till the next Sabbath For if we looke into their priuate conuersations the gouernment of their families or their dealings in their particular callings we shall with griefe see much disorder and little conscience It is a common practise with sicke men when they make their wills on their death beds in the very first place to commend their bodies to the graue and their soules to God that gaue them in hope of a better resurrection and all this is well done but afterward they bequeath their goods gotten by fraud oppression and forged cauillation to their owne friends and children without making any recompence or satisfaction But alas this should not be so for obedience that goes with good conscience must be performed to all Gods commandements without exception and if it be done but to some alone it is but counterfait obedience and he that is guiltie in one is guiltie in all As regenerate conscience giues testimonie of our new obedience so it doth also by certaine sweete motions stirre men forward to performe the same Psal. 16.7 My reynes that is the minde and conscience inlightened by the spirit of God teach me in the night season Esai 30.22 And thine eares shall heare a word behind thee saying This is the way walke ye in it when thou turnest to the right hand and when thou turnest to the left Now this word is not onely the voice of Pastours and teachers in the open ministerie but also the voice of renewed conscience inwardly by many secret cogitations snibbing them that are about to sinne A Christian man is not onely a priest and a prophet but also a spirituall king euen in this life and the Lord in mercie hath vouchsafed him this honour that his conscience renewed within him shall be his solliciter to put him in minde of all his affaires and duties which he is to performe to God yea it is the controller to see all things kept in order in the heart which is the temple and habitation of the holy Ghost The second office of conscience regenerate is to excuse that is to cleare and defend a man euen before God against all his enemies both bodily ghostly Psal. 7.8 Iudge thou me O Lord according to my righteousnes and according to mine innocencie in me Againe 26.1,2 Iudge me O Lord for I haue walked in mine innocencie c. Prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my reynes and my heart That the conscience can doe this it specially appeares in the conflict and combat made by it against the deuill on this manner The deuill beginnes and disputes thus Thou O wretched man art a most grieuous sinner therefore thou art but a damned wretch The conscience answereth and saith I know that Christ hath made a satisfaction for my sinnes and freed me from daÌ„nation The deuill replieth againe
thus Though Christ hath freed thee from death by his death yet thou art quite barred from heauen because thou neuer didst fulfil the law The conscience answereth I know that Christ is my righteousnes and hath fulfilled the law for me Thirdly the deuill replies and saith Christs benefits belong not to thee thou art but an hypocrite and wantest faith Now when a man is driuen to this straight it is neither wit nor learning nor fauour nor honour that can repulse this temptation but onely the poore conscience directed and sanctified by the Spirit of God which boldly and constantly answereth I know that I beleeue And though it be the office of the conscience after it is renued principally to excuse yet doth it also in part accuse When Dauid had numbred the people his heart smote him 2. Sam. 24.10 Iob saith in his affâ—iction that God did write bitter things against him and made him possesse the sinnes of his youth Iob 13. 26. The reason hereof is because the whole man and the very conscience is onely in part regenerate and therefore in some part remaines still corrupt Neither must it seeme straunge that one and the same conscience should both accuse and excuse because it doth it not in one and the same respect It excuseth in that it assureth a man that his person stands righteous before God and that he hath an indeauour in the generall course of his life to please God it accuseth him for his particular slippes and for the wants that be in his good actions If any shall demaund why God doth not perfectly regenerate the conscience and cause it onely to excuse the answer is this God doth it for the preuenting of great misâ—hiefes When the Israelites came into the land of Canaan the Cananites were not at the first wholly displacedâ— Why Moses rendreth the reason least wild beasts come and inhabit some parts of the land that were dispeopled and more annoy them then the Cananites In like manner God renues the conscience but so as it shall still accuse when occasion serueth for the preuenting of many dangerous sinnes which like wild beasts would make hauocke of the soule Thus much of good conscience now follows euill conscience and that is so called partly because it is defiled and corrupted by originall sinne partly because it is euill that is troublesome and painefull in our sense and feeling as all sorrowes calamities and miseries are which for this very cause also are called euills And though conscience be thus tearmed euill yet hath it some respects of generall goodnes in as much as it is an instrument of the execution of diuine iustice because it serues to accuse them before God which are iustly to be accused It hath spread it selfe ouer mankind as generally as originall sinne therefore it is to be found in all men that come of Adam by ordinarie generation The propertie of it is with all the power it hath to accuse and condemne and thereby to make a man afraid of the presence of God and to cause him to flie from God as from an enemie This the Lord signified when he said to Adam Adam where art thou When Peter saw some little glimbring of the power and maiestie of God in the great draught of fish he fell on his knees and saide to Christ Lord goe from me for I am a sinnefullman Euill conscience is either dead or stirring Dead conscience is that which though it can doe nothing but accuse yet commonly it lies quiet accusing little or nothing at all The causes why conscience lieth dead in all men either more or lesse are many I. Defect of reason or vnderstanding in crased braines II. Violence and strength of affections which as a cloud doe ouercast the minde and as a gulfe of water swallow vp the iudgement and reason and thereby hinder the conscience from accusing for when reason can not doe his part then conscience doth nothing For example some one in his rage behaues himselfe like a madde man and willingly commits any mischiefe without controlment of conscience but when choller is downe he beginnes to be ashamed and troubled in himselfe not alwaies by grace but euen by the force of his naturall conscience which when affection is calmed beginnes to stirre as appeareth in the example of Cain III. Ignorance of Gods will and errours in iudgement cause the conscience to be quiet when it ought to accuse This we find by experience in the deaths of obstinate heretikes which suffer for their damnable opinions without checke of conscience Dead conscience hath two degrees The first is the slumbring or the benummed conscience the second is the seared conscience The benummed conscience is that which doth not accuse a man for any sinne vnlesse it be grieuous or capitall and not alwaies for that but onely in the time of some grieuous sicknes or calamitie Iosephs brethren were not much troubled in conscience for their villanie in selling their brother till afterward when they were afflicted with famine and distressed in Egypt Gen. 42. 2. This is the conscience that commonly raignes in the hearts of drousie Protestants of all carnall and lukewarme gospellers and of such as are commonly tearmed ciuill honest men whose apparant integritie will not free them from guiltie consciences Such a conscience is to be taken heede of vs as beeing most daâ—gerous It is like a wild beast which so long as he lies asleepe seemes very tame and gentle and hurts no man but when he is roused he then awakes and flies in a mans face and offers to pull out his throate And so it is the manner of dead conscience to lie still and quiet euen through the course of a mans life and hereupon a man would thinke as most doe that it were a good conscience indeede but when sicknes or death approcheth it beeing awaked by the hand of God beginnes to stand vp on his legges and shewes his fierce eyes and offers to rend out euen the very throat of the soule And heathen Poets knowing this right well haue compared euill conscience to Furies pursuing men with firebrands The seared conscience is that which doth not accuse for any sinne no not for great sinnes It is compared by Paul 1. Tim. 4.2 to the part of a mans bodie which is not onely bereft of sense life and motion by the gangrene but also is burnt with a searing yron and therefore must needes be vtterly past all feeling This kind of conscience is not in all men but in such persons as are become obstinate heretikes and notorious malefactours And it is not in them by nature but by an increase of the corruption of nature and that by certaine steppes and degrees For naturally euery man hath in him blindnes of minde and obstinacie or frowardnes of heart yet so as with the blindnes and ignorance of minde are ioyned some remnants of the light of nature shewing vs what is
power but God workes to wil in vs. For looke at what time God giues grace at the same time he giueth a will to desire and will the same grace as for example when God workes faith at the same time he workes also vpon the will causing it to desire faith and willingly to receiue the gift of beleeuing God makes of the vnwilling will a willing will because no man can receiue grace vtterly against his will considering will constrained is no will But here we must remember that howsoeuer in respect of time the working of grace by Gods spirit and the willing of it in man goe togither yet in regard of order grace is first wrought and mans will must first of all be acted and mooued by grace and then it also acteth willeth and mooueth it selfe And this is the last point of consent betweene vs and the Romane Church touching freewill neither may we proceede further with them II. The dissent or difference The point of difference standeth in the cause of the freedome of mans will in spirituall matters which concerne the kingdome of God The Papists say mans will concurreth and worketh with Gods grace in the first conuersion of a sinner by it selfe and by it owne naturall power and is onely helped by the holy Ghost We say that mans will worketh with grace in the first conuersion yet not of it selfe but by grace Or thus They say will hath a naturall cooperation we denie it and say it hath cooperation onely by grace beeing in it selfe not actiue but passiue willing well onely as it is mooued by grace wherby it must first be acted and mooued before it can act or will And that we may the better conceiue the difference I will vse this comparison The church of Rome sets forth the estate of a sinner by the condition of a prisoner and so doe we marke then the difference It supposeth the said prisoner to lie bound hand and foote with chaines and fetters and withall to be sicke and weake yet not wholly dead but liuing in part it supposeth also that being in this case he stirreth not himselfe for any helpe and yet hath ability and power to stirre Hereupon if the keeper come and take away his bolts and fetters and hold him by the hand helpe him vp he can and will of himselfe stand walke and goe out of prison euen so say they is a sinner bound hand and foot with the chaine of his sinnes and yet he is not dead but sicke like to the wounded man in the way betweene Ierico and Ierusalem And therefore doth he not will and aâ—fect that which is good but if the holy Ghost come and doe but vntie his bands and reach him his hand of grace then can he stand of himself and will his owne saluation or any thing els that is good We in like manner graunt that a prisoner fitly resembleth a naturall man but yet such a prisoner must he be as is not onely sicke and weake but euen starke dead which can not stirre though the keeper vntie his bolts and chaines not heare though he sound a trumpet in his eare and if the said keeper would haue him to mooue and stirre he must giue him not onely his hand to helpe him but euen soule and life also and such a one is euery man by nature not onely chained fettered in his sinnes but stark dead therein as one that lieth rotting in the graue not hauing any abilitie or power to mooue or stirre and therefore he cannot so much as desire or do anything that is truly good of himself but God must first come and put a new soule into him euen the spirit of grace to quicken and reuiue him and then beeing thus reuiued the will beginneth to will good things at the very same time when God by his spirit first infuseth grace And this is the true difference betweene vs and the Church of Rome in this point of freewill III. Our reasons Now for the confirmation of the doctrine we holde namely that a man willeth not his owne conuersion of himselfe by nature either in whole or in part but by grace wholly and alone these reasons may be vsed The first is taken from the nature and measure of mans corruption which may be distinguished into two parts The first is the want of that originall righteousnesse which was in man by creation the second is a pronenes and inclination to that which is euill and to nothing that is truly good This appeareth Gen. 8.21 the frame of mans heart saith the Lord is euill froÌ„ his childhood that is the disposition of the vnderstanding wil affections with all that the heart of man deuiseth formeth or imagineth is wholly euill And Paul saith Rom. 8.7 The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God Which wordes are very significant for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated wisdome signifieth that the best thoughts the best desires affections and indeauour that be in any naturall man euen those that come most neare to true holines are not onely contrarie to God but euen enmitie it selfe And hence I gather that the very heart it selfe that is the will and minde from whence these desires and thoughts doe come are also enmitie vnto God For such as the action is such is the facultie whence it proceedeth such as the fruit is such is the tree such as the branches are such are the rootes By both these places it is euident that in man there is not onely a want absence or depriuation of originall righteousnes but a pronenesse also by nature vnto that which is euill which pronenesse includes in it an inclination not to some fewe but to all and euery sinne the very sinne against the holy Ghost not excepted Hence therefore I reasons thus If euery man by nature doth both want originall iustice and be also prone vnto all euill then wanteth he naturall freewill to will that which is truly good But euery man by nature wants originall iustice and is also prone vnto all euill Ergo Euery man naturally wants freewill to will that which is good Reason II. 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can know them because they are spiritually discerned In these wordes Saint Paul sets downe these points I. that a naturall man doth not so much as thinke of the things reuealed in the Gospell II. that a man hearing and in mind conceiuing them can not giue consent vnto them and by naturall iudgement approoue of them but contrariwise thinketh them to be foolishnes III. that no man can giue assent to the things of God vnlesse he be enlightened by the spirit of God And hence I reason thus If a man by nature doth not know and perceiue the things of God and when he shall know them can not by nature giue assent vnto them then hath he no power to will
waies first not as causes thereof either conuersant adiuvant or procreant but onely as consequents of faith in that they are inseparable companions and fruits of that faith which is indeede necessarie to saluation Secondly they are as necessarie as markes in a way and as the way it selfe directing vs vnto eternall life III. We hold and beleeue that the righteous man is in some sort iustified by works for so the holy Ghost speaketh plainely and truly Iam. 2.21 That Abraham was iustified by workes Thus farre we ioyne with them and the very difference is this They say we are iustified by workes as by causes thereof we say that we are iustified by workes as by signes and fruits of our iustification before God and no otherwise and in this sense must the place of S. Iames be vnderstood that Abraham was iustified that is declared and made manifest to be iust indeed by his obedience and that euen before God Now that our doctrine is the truth it will appeare by reasons on both parts Our reasons I. Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law Some answer that ceremoniall workes be excluded here some that morall works some works going before faith But let them deuise what they can for themselues the truth is that Paul excludeth all works whatsoeuer as by the very text will appeare For v. 24. he saith We are iustified freely by his grace that is by the meere gift of God giuing vs to vnderstand that a sinner in his iustification is meerely passiue that is doing nothing on his part whereby God should accept him to life euerlasting And v. 27. he saith iustification by faith excludeth all boasting and therefore all kind of works are thereby excluded and specially such as are most of all the matter of boasting that is good workes For if a sinner after that he is iustified by the merit of Christ were iustified more by his owne workes then might he haue some matter of boasting in himselfe And that we may not doubt of Pauls meaning consider and read Eph. 2.8,9 By grace saith he you are saued tâ—rough faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe Here Paul excludes all and euery worke and directly workes of grace themselues as appeares by the reason following For we are his workemanshippe created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that weâ— should walke in them Nowe let the Papists tell me what bee the workes which God hath prepared for men to walke in and to which they are regenerate vnlesse they bee the most excellent workes of grace and let them marke howe Paul excludes them wholly from the worke of iustification and saluation II. Gal. 5.3 If ye be circumcised ye are bound to the whole lawe and ye are abolished from Christ. Here Paul disputeth against such men as would bee saued partly by Christ and partly by the workes of the lawe hence I reason thus If a man will be iustified by workes he is bound to fulfill the whole lawe according to the rigour thereof that is Pauls ground I nowe assume no man can fullfill the lawe according to the rigour thereof for the liues and workes of most righteous men are imperfect and stained with sinne and therefore they are taught euery day to say on this manner forgiue vs our debts Againe our knowledge is imperfect and therefore our faith repentance and sanctifiâ—atioÌ„ is answerable And lastly the regenerate man is partly flesh and partly spirit and therefore his best workes are partly from the flesh and in part onely spirituall Thus then for any man to bee bound to the rigour of the whole lawe is as much as if he were bound to his owne damnation III. Election to saluation is of grace without workes therefore the iustification of a sinner is of grace alone without workes For it is a certen rule that the cause of a cause is the cause of a thing caused Now grace without workes is the cause of election which election is the cause of our iustification therfore grace without workes is the cause of our iustification IV. A man must first be fully iustified before he can doe a good worke for the person must first please God before his works can please him But the person of a sinner cannot please God till he be perfectly iustified and therefore till hee be iustified he cannot doe so much as one good worke And thus good workes cannot be any meritorious causes of iustification after which they are both for time and order of nature In a word whereas they make two distinct iustifications we acknowledge that there be degrees of sanctification yet so as iustification is onely one standing in remission of sinnes and Gods acceptation of vs to life euerlasting by Christ and this iustification hath no degrees but is perfect at the very first Obiections of Papists Psal. 7.8 Iudge me according to my righteousnesse Hence they reason thus if Dauid be iudged according to his righteousnes then may he be iustified therby but Dauid desires to be iudged according to his righteousnes and therefore he was iustified thereby Ans. There be two kindes of righteousnesse one of the person the other of the cause or action The righteousnes of a mans person is whereby it is accepted into the fauour of God into life eternall The â—ighteousnes of the action or cause is when the action or cause is iudged of God to be good and iust Nowe Dauid in this psalme speaketh onely of the righteousnesse of the action or innocency of his cause in that he was falsely charged to haue sought the kingdome In like manner it is said of Phineas Psal. 166.31 that his fact in killing Zimri and Cosbie was imputed to him for righteousnes not because it was a satisfaction to the lawe the rigour whereof could not be fulfilled in that one worke but because God accepted of it as a iust worke and as a token of his righteousnes and zeale for Gods glorie II. Obiect The Scripture saith in sundrie places that men are blessed which doe good workes Psal. 119.1 Blessed is the man that is vpright in heart walketh in the lawe of the Lord. Ans. The man is blessed that indeauoureth to keep Gods commandements Yet is he not blessed simply because hee doth so but because he is in Christ by whome he doeth so and his obedience to the lawe of God is a signe thereof III. Obiect When man confesseth his sinnes and humbleth himselfe by praier and fasting Gods wrath is pacified and staied therefore praier and fasting are causes of iustification before God Answ. Indeede men that truely humble themselues by praier and fasting doe appease the wrath of God yet not properly by these actions but by their faith expressed and testified in theÌ„ whereby they apprehend that which appeaseth Gods wrath euen the merits of Christ in whome the
commaundement we are taught what opinion to carrie of the present church of Rome It is often demaunded whether it be a church or no and the answer may hence be formed on this manner If by this church be vnderstood a state or regiment of the people whereof the Pope is head and the members are all such as doe acknowledge him to be their head and doe beleeue the doctrine established in the Councell of Trent we take it to be no church of God Because Babylon which I haue prooued to be the church of Rome is here opposed to the church or people of God and because we are commanded to come out of it whereas we may not wholly forsake any people till they forsake Christ. Some will happily say the church of Rome hath the Scriptures and the Sacrament of baptisme I answer first of all they haue indeede the bookes of holy Scripture among them but by the rest of their doctrine they ouerthrow the true sense thereof in the foundation as I haue prooued before And though they haue the outward forme of baptisme yet they ouerturne the inward baptisme which is the substance of all standing in the iustification and sanctification of a sinner Againe I answer that they haue the word and baptisme not for themselues but for the true church of God among them like as the lanterne holdeth the candle not for it selfe but for others Secondly it may be and is alleadged that if the Pope be Antichrist he then sittes in the temple that is the church of God and by this meanes the Romane church shall be the true church Ans. He sittes in the temple of God but marke further how as God that is not as a member but as a manifest vsurper like as the theefe sittes in the true mans house For the popish church and Gods church are mingled like chaffe and corne in one heape and the church of Rome may be saide to be in the church of God and the church of God in the church of Rome as we say the wheat is among the chaffe and the chaffe in the wheat Againe he is said to sit in the temple of God because the Romane church though falsly takes vnto it selfe the title of the true catholike church Some goe about to delay and qualifie the matter by comparing this church to a man lying sicke full of â—oares hauing also his throat cut yet so as bodie and soule are ioyned together and life is remaining still But all things well considered it is rather like a dead carkasse and is void of all spirituall life as the popish errours in the foundation doe manifest Indeede a knowne harlot may afterward remaine a wife and be so tearmed yet after the bill of diuorcement is giuen shee ceaseth to be a wife though shee can shew her marriage ring now the church hath receiued the bill of her diuorcement in the written word namely 2. Thess. 2. and Reu. 13.11,12 c. Furthermore in this commandement we may see a liuely portraiture of the state of all mankind Here we see two sorts of men some are pertaining to Babylon a people running on to their destruction some againe are a people of God seuered from Babylon and reserued to life euerlasting If any aske the cause of this distinction I answer it is the very will of God vouchsafing mercy to some forsaking others by withdrawing his mercy from them for the better declaration of his iustice Thus saith the Lord Rom. 11.4 I haue reserued seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal the prophet Esai saith Vnles the Lord had reserued a remnant we had bin as Sodome and Gomorrha By this distinction we are taught aboue al things to seeke to be of the number of Gods people and to labour for assurance of this in our owne consciences For if all should be saued lesse care would snffice but this mercie is not common to all and therefore the more to be thought vpon Lastly here I notâ— the speciall care that God hath ouer his own children He first giueth theÌ„ warning to depart before he begin to execute his iudgement vpon his enemies with whome they liue that they might not be partakers of their sinnes or punishments Thus before God would punish Hierusalem an angel is sent to marke them in the forehead that mourned for the abominatious of the people And in the destructioÌ„ of the first borne of Egypt the angel passed ouer the houses of the Iewes that had their posts sprinkled with the blood of the paschal lamb this passing ouer betokeneth safety preseruation in the coÌ„mon destruction to those that haue their hearts sprinkled with the blood of Christ. This blessing of protectioÌ„ should mooue vs all to become true hearty seruants of God Men vsually become members of those societies corporations where they may inioy many freedoÌ„es priuiledgesâ— Wel behold in the societie of the Saints of god which is the true Church there is the freedom from danger in all coÌ„mon destructions from eternall vengeance at the last day When Hester had procured safetie for the Iewes and libertie to reuenge themselues vpon their enemies it is said that many of the people of the land became Iewes EueÌ„ so considering Christ hath procured freedom froÌ„ hell death and damnation for all that beleeue in him we should labour aboue all things to becom new creatures ioyning our selues alwaies to the true church of God Hitherto I haue spoken of the commandement now followeth the reason thereof drawne from the end that they be not partakers of her sins and that they receiue not of her plagues Here I might stand long to shew what be the sins of the church of Rome but I wil only name the principal The first sin is Atheisme and that I prooue on this manner Atheisme is twofold open coloured Open Atheisme is when men both in word and deed denie God and his word Coloured Atheisme is not so manifest and it hath two degrees The first is when men acknowledge God the creator and gouernour of heauen and earth and yet deny the father sonne and holy Ghost Thus the EphesiaÌ„s before they receiued the gospell are said to bee without God whome in their naturall iudgement they acknowledged because they denied Christ and coÌ„sequently worshipped an idol of their owne braine in that they worshipped God out of Christ. And in this respect though the Samaritans worshipped the God of Abraham yet our Sauiour Christ saith they worshipped they knewe not what And the Psalmist saith of all the Gentiles that their Gods are Idols In this degree of Atheisme are placed Turkes and Iewes at this day the Anti-Trinitaries and Arians and all that conceiue and worship God out of the Trinitie The 2. degree is wheÌ„ men do rightly acknowledge the vnitie of the godhead in the Trinitie of persons yet so as by other necessarie consequents partly of their doctrine and partly of the seruice of
sacrament of Penance The which is as it were the second boord after a shipwracke The cause why this reparation is necessarie is because men loose the grace of iustification by euery mortall sinne The last degree is the fruit of iustification namely the glory of eternall life the which works done in grace doe ex condigno condignly merit of sufficient worthinesse Condigne merite is when as the reward is after such sort due as that if it be not giuen iniustice will be committed This by the rigor of iustice is due Two conditions are requisite to make a merit I. That a reward should by some compact or bargain be due And this condition is in works in regard of God For God in the Scriptures hath promised a reward to such as work wel II. That besides this compact whereby the debter is bound there should bee also some worthines in the worke or some proportion of the worke to the reward The worthinesse or dignitie of the worke dependeth I. on Christ because Christ did not only merite that his owne proper actions should be meritorious but the actions also of his members II. On the holy Ghost For the holy Ghost doth inspire excite and mooue men to doe III. On an Habituall grace which is a certaine participation of the diuine essence Thus much concerning the degrees of executing Predestination Nowe followeth the applying of Predestination particularly to the persons of men No man so long as he liueth in this mortall life ought so much to presume on the secret mysterie of Gods predestination as to determine vndoubtedly that he is in the number of them whome God hath ordained to eternall happines For no man without especiall reuelation can know whome God hath chosen to be his heires Sess. 6. c. 12. The summe of all these is this God by a certaine grace giuen freely or rather a grace preuenting or comming before the which is tearmed an especiall aid doth mooue a man that he may dispose himselfe vnto his iustifying grace namely that he may beleeue feare repent loue propound to himselfe newnes of life c. Furthermore if a sinner do by his free-will yeeld his assent vnto this diuine motion and doth consequently and accordingly rightly dispose himselfe God doth incontinently forgiue him his sinne and withall doth infuse into him iustifying grace by which he may doe good workes and so by them merit eternall life Bellarmine Errours of the Papists in their distributing of the causes of saluation And thus is the doctrine of the Church of Rome surely a very blasphemous doctrine and no better to be accounted of then as a gallowes set vp for the torture and massacre of mens consciences And that this may the more manifestly appeare to be so I will set downe the most principall points of popish doctrine in this case The I. errour Predestination is onely of the Elect the Reprobate they are onely foreknowne The Confutation The name of Predestination by a figure called Synecdoche the whole for the part is taken indeed sometimes in the good part and spoken of the Elect and faithfull called as Rom. 8.30 Whome he predestinated them also he called and whome he called them also he iustified and whome he iustified them also he glorified So are the Ephesians saide to be predestinate into the adoption of the sonnes of God Eph. 1.5 Yet may this word Predestination neuerthelesse generally be extended vnto the decree of God whether it be that of predestination to eternall life or the other vnto eternall death The reasons I. Act. 4. 27,28 They gathered themselues together against thine holy sonne Iesus to doe whatsoeuer thine hand thy counsel had determined or foreordained or predestinated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before to be done II. August de Bono persev chap. 17. he calleth Predestination the disposition of future workes and in his 15. booke of the Citie of God chap. 1. he deuideth all mankinde into two cities whereof one is predestinate to raigne with God eternally the other predestinate to vndergoe eternall punishment with the deuill And in his Manuel to Laurentius chap. 100. he saith That God hath iustly predestinated wicked men vnto punishment and mercifully predestinated the good vnto grace Thomas of Aquine 1. part quest 23. artic 4. It mattereth not in regard of the name of predestination whether a man be said to be predestinate to life eternall or not Furthermore for a man to say that the Reprobates are foreknowne not predestinate it is very iniurious because Gods foreknowledge may in nothing which is to be be seuered from his will and eternall decree For that which beeing hereafter to be is foreknowne of God that assuredly will come to passe and shall be and that either by the will of God or without his will if with his will then no doubt he both decreed preordained the same if without or against his will how is God then said to be omnipotent And surely euill it selfe albeit god wil it not in his approouing or allowing will yet willeth he the free and willing-permission thereof August in his Manuel or Enchiridiō to Laurētius chap. 100. hath an excellēt saying to this purpose Although saith he that those things which are euill in that they are euill cannot be good yet that there are not onely good but also euill things it is very good to the intent that after a marueilous and vnspeakeable manner that thing may not be besides or without his will which also is done against his will because it should not be done vnlesse he suffered it neither doth he suffer it against his will but willingly The II. errour That Predestination is mutable For according to the common opinion of the Papists whosoeuer is predestinate he is contingently predestinated as well on Gods part as on mans whence it followeth that he which is predestinated that is appointed to saluation may be condemned and he which is foreknowne that is appointed to damnation may be saued The Confutation The contrarie to this their doctrine is most true Namely that the decree of God concerning euery mans eternall both saluation damnation is from all eternitie set downe and immutable The reasons I. Testimonies of scripture Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are without repentance Mat. 24.24 There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall doe great signes and miracles so that if it were possible they should deceiue euen the elect Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who shall condemne 2. Tim. 2.19 The foundation of god standeth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his II. Election reprobation they are in God not in men nowe there can be nothing in God which is not immutable Mal. 3.6 I Iehouah am not changed Esay 46.10 My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will III. If this Popish conclusion should