quality or action belongs not to euery creature but only to the reasonable creature Angell or Man for God gaue his law vnto these only Of this being which we say is the matter of sinne God himselfe is the author and principall efficient for it is he alone that calleth those things which are not as if they were and that createth all things both substances and accidents But the creature neither is nor is called the principall efficient of any being Therefore that being which is the matter of sinne seeing God is the principall efficient thereof necessarily in and by it selfe is good for that whatsoeuer God createth or maketh hath an ingrafted forme of goodnesse in it Gen. 1. 31. When God saith he saw whatsoeuer he had made behold it was very good This forme of goodnesse is so naturall and essentiall to Being whether quality or action which God made that there from it can neuer be separated But now I graunt that this same Being hath put on another forme to wit * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The cause of sin Lawlesnesse the cause whereof is an euill instrument as we shall shew hereafter for this Lawlesnes is from another cause neither doth it destroy that essentiall forme of the goodnesse of being it selfe which proceedeth from God the creator and maker thereof For as for the being which God maketh nothing can be put to it or taken from it that in it selfe it may be better or worser So much concerning the matter of sin Now as touching the forme The forme of sinne is called Lawlesnes that is the want of conformitie with the will and law of God 1. Ioh. 3. Sinne by his forme is thus The forme of sin defined Sinne is the transgression of the law This Lawlesnesse or transgression which wee call the forme and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manner of sinne is not a beeing or a thing positiue but a thing meerely priuatiue to wit a priuation and want of conformitie with the law of God This trangression happeneth through the cause and fault of an euil instrument which God vseth in that being or in doing his owne worke and this instrument is either the Deuill or an euill man and vnbeleeuer For when the Diuell or an euill man concurreth with God to bring forth his work he is not the principall efficient of the being it selfe or of the worke done but only an instrumentall or ministeriall cause but the Deuill or man is the principall efficient cause of the transgression or of the deformity or sin of that action And this transgression the efficient whereof is an euill instrument is euill either for that the action it selfe or Causes of sinne worke is contrarie to the law of God as when a man committeth murther the action of murther is expresly Causes of sinne condemned by the lawe Thou shalt not murther or for that the fountaine and beginning of the action or worke is against the law of God although the action in it selfe be conformable to the law for as the law of God commandeth the action or worke it selfe so hath it regard of the fountaine and beginning of the action commanding that the whole worke which is commanded by the law proceed from a pure holy and beleeuing heart of that instrument which God vseth in doing his worke An example of this kind of transgression may be this When any man giueth almes which worke indeed is commanded of God and yet not done of charitie it is reiected see 1. Cor. 13. Or lastly it falleth out to be a sinne for that the end which the euill instrument in doing or working together with God proposeth to it selfe is against the lawe of God For as the law of God commandeth the worke it self and the fountaine and beginning of the worke euen so it commandeth the end as the chiefe and principall to wit the glorie of God himselfe Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glorie of God 1. Cor. 10. And in this respect a man sinneth when he doth ought not for God nor for his glory but for himselfe his owne profit and only for his owne glorie Here it is to be noted that whosoeuer sinneth as touching the fountaine and originall of the action the same man alwaies sinneth touching the end and so contrarily Wherefore these two last wayes of transgression are alwayes ioyned together Againe it is to be noted that he who sinneth touching the original and the end doth not alwayes sin in the action it self For the action or work of any instrument how euil soeuer in it self may be good The person must please God otherwise the worke shall displease conformable to the law Wherfore the first way of transgression the two last are not alwaies conioined Now then this transgression which we cal the maner forme of sinne comming or put to that Being the author wherof is God and which in it selfe is good whether it be a qualitie or an action maketh vp that which we call sinne and which is so called of the forme thereof and not of the matter seeing all things haue their denominations from their formes These things thus declared it shall bee easie to gather some definition of sinne That sinne is a quality or action of a reasonable creature lawlesse or contrarie to the law of God The generall proprietie of sinne or the consequent thereof is guiltinesse and guiltinesse is that which meriteth or deserueth punishment as therefore guiltinesse followeth after sin so after guilt followeth punishment both temporall and eternall Let this suffice concerning sinne in generall which being knowne it is easie to answer those questions which are wont to be made touching sin and namely to this Three questions concerning the causes of sin which they aske If Sinne be of God or if God be the author of sin Answ In sin there are two things a Being and a transgression God is the Author and principall efficient of that Being but of that transgression God is not the author but the euill instrument is Againe it is asked whether this transgression be any way from God Answ It is from God not effecting but permitting it for he suffers it to be done by an euill imstrument Thirdly it is demanded if God permit sin in as much as it is transgression of his law Answ Not so which euen by this one reason may be shewed He permitteth it vnto his glory and all the meanes of Gods glory so farre as they haue such respect are good and darknes it selfe as it is permitted of God vnto the glory of his name becōmeth light Againe if here it be asked If therfore the transgression of Gods lawe in so farre as a transgression bee not permitted of God doth it not of necessity follow that sin in respect or as it is a transgression is done against * Deo inuito whether he will or no. Gods will Ans It followeth not for that
image of God which is the soule as it were of our soule and without which our soule is as it The image of God were dead For which cause the Apostle saith Ephe. 2. 1. That without this holinesse wee are truly said to be dead in sinnes and trespasses Whence I conclude that the libertie of will is properly a power or facultie which is a consequent of sanctity as of the formall cause and as it were the very soule of the will Wherby it commeth to passe that the will in this state without constraint doth incline onely to good and doth decline from euill for this libertie of a mans will is according to the similitude image of the libertie of God himself Vnto this liberty constraint is opposite proceeding from some outward agent is contrarie to the nature of the will for it is not a wil if it be constrained neither is it said that the will is constrained albeit man himselfe in whom the will is may be said to be constrained I say that constraint is opposite to libertie and not necessity for those things which wee will or nill freely we will or nill those things of necessity first because of the necessity of Gods decree secondly because of the incident forme of the will it selfe as of holinesse of corruption of both As when man was holy in his creation so long as that holinesse continued of necessitie he did will that which was good and nill the euill So the blessed Angels of a certaine necessitie will that is good and nill the euill and at length when man is glorified he shall incline to good and decline from euill So The will of the vnregenerate man being wholy corrupt before his regeneration of a certaine necessitie he wils the euill and nils that is good and notwithstanding after his manner he doth will freely albeit this be not a true libertie as we shall hereafter see To conclude a man regenerate partly of necessitie doth will good in respect of his new birth partly of necessity hee doth will euill for that he is as yet partly corrupt yet in both respects hee willeth freely for we must distinguish betwixt necessity and constraint for necessitie is more generall and large then constraint is for that which is constrained is necessarie but on the contrarie that which is necessarie is not cōstrained And thus much concerning the libertie of the will in generall There is then a foure fould hate of man to diuers conditions 1. State or states of man to be considered The first state of his innocency before his fall secondly the state of his corruption after his fall thirdly the state of regeneration fourthly the state of glorification First then concerning the first state it is a question whether man in his innocency had liberty of will I answere if you follow the former definition of liberry which is a faculty or power respecting inclining to either side I graunt that in things indifferent it had a liberty but in things simply good and euil man had not in that state of innocency that liberty of wil whereby when he did will good he might nill it and when he did nill euill he might will it except you vnderstand a remote power for in respect of his neer power he was inclined to good only because of the form of sanctity and goodnes in the will which was in him according Propinqua potentia to the image of God but if you follow the latter definition of liberty which is when the wil of it self of an inward motion without coaction or constraint of any externall agent is carried to that which is good only if I say you follow this definition I answere that man in the state of innocency had a liberty of will Concerning the second state of man the question is whether man in the state of corruption now hath liberty 2. State of will I answer if you follow the former definition of liberty I doe not deny that in things indifferent he hath his liberty But in things simply good and euill he hath not liberty For man which is wholy corrupt doth not so will euill as that he may or can nill it neither dooth he so reiect that is good as that he may or can will it except yee vnderstand a power remote for in man vnregenerate that neere power of the will is only inclined to euill because of the form of corruption of impurity which doth wholy possesse his will But if you follow the latter definition of liberty then verily we cannot ascribe that liberty of the wil which is according to the image of the liberty of God himselfe and is a neere power or faculty and wherby without constraint he is caried to that only which is good we cannot I say truly attribute this vnto the vnregenerate and his will For a faculty to euil cannot truly be said a liberty but rather a certaine seruitude And in verity the vnregenerate mans will is not free but bound yet because the vnregenerate dooth not will euill by constraint but of his owne accord and meere motion in some sort it may be said that his will is free Here our aduersaries dissent from vs ascribing liberty of wil to the man vnregenerate whereby also of his owne meere power he may will good where as this liberty or Papists of free will selfe power before preuenting grace lyeth indeede a sleepe yet notwithstanding say they it is in him like as a man though he be a sleepe yet he is both a man and liuing From whence it followeth necessarily as they would haue it that there is some holines and integritiy in the will of a man vnregenerate For there is no selfe power of the will to good vnlesse there be in it the form of sanctity and integrity which is as it were the life of the will and quicknes of this selfe power in the will vnto good The Papists therfore erhere two manner of waies first because they will haue some sanctity and integrity to remaine in the wil of man vnregenerat now after the fal secondly because they wil haue this self power of the wil which necessarily is a consqeuent of the formall cause thereof which is holines as is aforesaid they will haue this selfe power I say vnto good to be in the will For as touching holines and righteousnes it is certaine that all the image of God was lost in the fall of man and what portiō soeuer hereof we shal haue in this life it is repaired as it were created a new by Iesus Christ for which cause it is called a new creature And if this in any respect bee old wherefore is it called new And if any sanctity which is the soule of our soule remaine in man after the fall why is man said after the fall before regeneration to be dead and not halfe dead We forbeare to vse testimonies of scripture in this matter which
wil desire euen that which of it own nature is indifferent because he doth wil it neither in that manner nor to that end he ought Now concerning the estate of regeneration the question is whether the regenerate man hath his free-will I answer if you define free-will to be a liberty or power to choose or wil they say any of both sides First in things indifferent we say that he hath this liberty Secondly wee do not denie vnto him this liberty also in things good euil for seeing there is double act a double form in the wil of the regnerat man to wit the forme of holines and the form of corruption because he hath the first fruits of the new man and the remnant of the old it cannot be but that the neere power of his will be double also one inclining vnto good the other declining vnto euill So that this receiued definition of free-will seemes vnto mee to agree best with the will of the regenerate person But if you define liberty to consist of a power not constrained tending to good only and not to euill then verily the man regenerate is not so free but proceedes only to this liberty which shall at length be perfected in another life Finally concerning the estate of glorification the question is whether man whē he shall be glorified shall haue this liberty of will I answer if you define free-will a power to make choise of either part euen in good things and in euill then I say man in this state of glorification shall not haue it For hee shall haue that neere power to good only because of that forme of holinesse or glorie rather wherewith then his will shall be indued withall I deny not that there shall be in him also a remote power to euill in respect of the necessarie mutability of the creature but this remote power shall neuer be a neere power because God shall for euer strengthen him and sustaine him in y t state of glorie But if you follow that latter definition of free-will the glorified person shal at length be set free for he shal wil that only which is good and acceptable to God and that without constraint and for euer Man had free wil in the state of innocency according to the image of that diuine liberty but in the estate of glorification wherein he shall come more neere vnto the image of his God and shall beare the image of that heauenly man Iesus Christ his wil shall be much more free and far more ready to that which is good only And thus haue we spoken hitherto of the liberty of will that is of that propriety or naturall quality of the wil. Now we be to speake of * free-will But there be which referre the word Arbitrium to the mind for that they deeme it is nothing els but the iudgement of the mind which goeth before the free action of the will but the word free they say doth pertain to the wil notwithstanding I think the word Arbitrium doth signify the decree of the wil it self that is that by this word we vnderstand the fūction of the will whatsoeuer it be whether it wil or nill whether it choose or reiect We ascribe liberty to this purpose or endeuour of the will and it is said to bee free euen as the will it self is called Free-will for that euer the propriety of the cause doth predicate as the Logitians speake both of the effect and of the action of the same cause Free-wil then is nothing els in my iudgment but the decree or endeuour of the wil which is without constraint and which proceedeth from some inward motion of the will and not from any externall constraining power A question may be demaunded whether the will when it doth freely execute his function office in willing freely or nilling any thing whether I say the mind and vnderstanding haue not some working herein I answer that obiect whatsoeuer it be which the wil y e free functiō therof doth respect is first discerned by the mind The iudgment aiso of the mind is two fold first simple Iudgment of the mind twofold and intelligible as when without any discourse and reasoning it iudgeth that this is good that is euil this is to be followed and that to be auoyded This iudgment of the mind is of the end or of some meanes seruing to the end which is but only one Next the iudgement of the mind is when as by discourse and arguing it iudgeth any thing to be good or euill to bee auoyded or to be followed This iudgment is where diuers meanes fall out of which after discourse had in the mind one is chosen and the other is reiected Now the obiect which by the mind and vnderstanding is in some sort shewed and discerned the will doth freely will or nill choose or refuse howbeit since the fal of man such is the confusion of these faculties or powers of the mind of man that what the vnderstanding iudgeth to be euill and disalloweth the very same doth the wil chuse and prosecute The disorder and confusion which is by nature in the soule of man and on the contrary that which the mind approueth for good and alloweth that very same the wil reiecteth Of the mind it may be demaunded whether it can discerne betweene good and euil approue the one improue the other This question must be answered by the consideration of that fourefold state of man But because the question chiefly is of the vnderstanding of man in the state of corruptiō whether that can approue or accept the good and reiect the euill our answer shal be accordingly We say therefore that if you vnderstand that neere power which is a consequent of that corrupt essential forme the mind of man in this state can but only allow that which is euil It may also allow that which is good in it selfe but not as it is truly good because it cannot allow it neither in the manner nor to the end it ought as is aforesaide of will But to approue that good which we call humane good the mind of man in the state of corruption is more inclinable but far is from intertaining any spirituall good at all for as the Apostle Saint Paul saith 1. Cori. 1. 2. 4. It iudgeth euery spirituall grace to be folly for the things which are of the Spirit of God are foolishnesse vnto him And thus farre haue we spoken concerning the freedome of mans wil or of free-will It followeth now that we speak next of the grace of God which is contrary to free will or to nature and which is not onely the principall efficient cause of Faith Hope repentance but also the sole efficient cause of them It followeth then that we treate next of the free grace of God CHAP. XXXVIII Concerning the free grace of God THe grace of God is the vndeserued fauour of God or it is that
of faith 167 31 The opinion of the aduersaries concerning faith 176 32 Of hope 191 33 Of Charitie or Loue. 198 34 Of Repentance 202 35 How farre a wicked man may proceede in repentance 210 36 What the iudgement of Papists is of repentance 213 37 Of mans free-will 216 38 Concerning the free grace of God 226 39 Of the meanes whereby God from the beginning hath reuealed both his couenants vnto mankinde 238 A TREATISE OF OVR EFfectuall Calling and of certaine common places of Theologie contained vnder it CHAP. 1. Of our effectuall Calling GOds effectual calling is that wherby God calleth out of darknesse into 1. God cals by his word preached his admirable light from the power of satan vnto God in Christ Iesu those whom hee knew from eternitie and predestinated vnto life of his meere fauor by the promulgation of the couenant of grace or preaching of the Gospell Such also as be called by the same grace of God answer 2. Man answers by beleeuing and beleeue in him through Iesus Christ This answer is of faith which is in verie truth the condition of the promise which is in the couenant of grace Wherefore our effectuall calling doth consist of the promise of the couenant which is vnder condition of faith and in faith also which is nothing els but the fulfilling of the condition Therefore there be two parts of our effectual calling the first is the outward calling of such as are predestinate Two parts of our effectual calling vnto life from darknesse vnto light and that of Gods meere grace and that I say by the publication of the couenant of grace or preaching of the Gospell The latter part is their inward faith wrought in them by the same grace and Spirit of God whereby they are conuerted from Sathan vnto God for I cannot see how this second part of our effectual calling can differ from faith it selfe In the first part of our effectual calling first we are to consider the persons calling called The person which calleth vs properly to speake is God himselfe for he only promiseth in his couenant calling those things which bee not as though they were Roman 4. ver 17. The persons called are they whom God knew before and hath predestinated vnto life for whom he hath predestinated them he hath called Rom. 8. Secondly in the first part of our effectuall calling the cause which moued God hereunto is his owne speciall grace for the cause of all Gods blessings vpon vs is in himselfe For as hee did predestinate vs in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his owne will Ephe. 1. 5. so hath hee called and iustified vs in himselfe and shall glorifie vs in himselfe to the praise of the glorie of his grace that all glorie may be wholy ascribed vnto him Thirdly we be to obserue the instrument of our vocation which is the couenant published Instrument of our vocation or the Gospell preached Fourthly in this former part of our effectuall calling we bee to consider the estate from which and the estate whereunto we be called The condition from which we be called is darknesse the power of Sathan and that miserable plight which is without Christ in sin and death The state whereunto we be called is light God himselfe and that blessed condition of man in Christ Hence it is euident that these common places of Diuinitie Of Gods word and of sinne and the miserie of mankind must bee referred to this argument of our effectuall calling as to a most generall head in religion In the second part of our effectuall calling these branches must be noted First that the cause wherefore we answer Gods calling or beleeue in God is Gods own grace which worketh in vs this faith by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs with his word For like as God of his meere grace calleth vs outwardly vnto himselfe so the same his grace and free loue in Iesus Christ kindleth this faith in vs whereby we answer his heauenly calling And in this 2. part of our calling which we say doth 2. Part of our calling faith consist in faith if we desire yet more deeply to search it there is a double grace or working of God in our hearts The 1. is whē he inlightneth vs by his holy spirit pouring a new a heauenly light into our mind before so blind as that it neither saw nor could see the things which doe belong to the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 14. 15. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them In the wil which is altogether froward and quite fallen from God he worketh an vprightnesse and in all the affections a new holinesse Hence proceedes the new creature and that new man which is created after God in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephe. 4. 24. The Papists call this first grace in the faith and work of the holy Ghost not the creation of any new creature which was not before but the stirring vp of some goodnesse and sanctitie which as they say was left in nature Free-will after the first fall of man which they call also free-will which they say was not quite lost in the fall but lessened and weakened But this free-will whereof they speake is in verie truth nothing els but that holinesse of nature and life of God and the spirituall light of man in his first creation and innocencie But of this more in place conuenient This they say then that after the fall man retained not only the faculties of his soule but also the holy qualities of those powers only hurt and weakened And this is that free-will which they say is quickned by Gods preuenting grace which they define to be an externall motion standing as it were without and beating at the doore of the heart In this first grace of God which we call a new creation of diuine qualities in the soule man standeth meere passiuely before God and as the materiall cause of Gods worke For in this first renewing of the soule of man what diuine vertues hath man to work with Gods Spirit or to helpe the worke of grace Yet we say not that man in this new birth is no more then a trunke or dead tree for that there is in man that so I may speake a passiue power to receiue that diuine grace and life of God as also the vse of reason which dead trees haue not The aduersaries say that in quickening of free-will there is a libertie or strength in it to reiect or to receiue that grace which they call preuenting grace Therefore they giue a fellow-working vnto grace and a fellow-working vnto freewil The second grace or the second worke of Gods spirit The action of faith in the second part of our effectuall calling or in faith is the verie act of faith or an action proceeding from this new creature the action of
of light or of naturall knowledge not in whole but in part for there do remaine euen in the vnregenerate certaine generall notions of good and euill things which are commanded and condenmed in the law but they be such as serue only to make men inexcusable for that they are but lame and corrupt Rom. 1. 19. The mind also wants spirituall 2. VVant of spirituall light light not in part but in whole for it is vtterly void of this light for as concerning those things which appertaine to the kingdom of heauen the vnderstandings is so darkened that it doth not only not perceiue them but also hath no power to conceiue them 1. Cor. 2. 14. To be short the minde wants holinesse for the things it vnderstandeth 3. VVant of holinâ—sse in the mind it neither conceiueth them rightly and holily but impiously and prophanely all things euen the things which in and by themselues are good For the facultie of vnderstanding albeit it be not vtterly lost yet that holynes of this facultie wherein it was created after the image of God was vtterly lost in the fall of man This want of this naturall light the Apostle sheweth Rom. 1. 21. Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God These latter wordes plainly shew that the naturall light of the minde is but a dim light and soone vanisheth away The want of the spiritual light the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God The want of sanctitiy in y e vnderstanding the Apostle sheweth Rom. 8. 7. The wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God euen then when it vnderstaÌ„deth those things which otherwise be in themselues true good 2. Cor. 3. 8. Not that we are sufficient of ourselues to thinke any thing to wit well and holily Eph. 4. 18. Hauing their cogitation darkened being estranged from the life of God And there ver 23. And be ye renewed in the spirit of your minde And thus farre of the want or defect which is in the mind There is also a quality in the minde which hath succeeded or stept in place of that light and holinesse which was lost in the fall of man For darknes hath taken possession in the very seate of light Ephesi 5. 8. Yee were in times past darknes but now ye are light in the Lord. In place of sanctitie integrity haue crept in impuritie and a certaine malitiousnesse of nature which euidently appeareth when it is said Rom. 8. 5. For they that are after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh This wisdome is of some euill quality 1. Cor. 1. 18. The preaching of the crosse is to them that perish foolishnesse And 1. Cor. 2. 14. For they are foolishnes vnto him This word foolishnes argueth the peruerse iudgment of the minde Thus far of the want of the mind the contrary quality crept thereinto Both these in like manner are to be seene in the will and in euery affection The want of integrity The will corrupted and vprightnes in the will the Apostle testifieth saying I find no meanes to performe that which is good Rom. 7. 18. and Phil. 2. 13. It is he which worketh in you both the will and the deed The corruption and frowardnes of the will and of the motions thereof is testified by many scriptures As Gen. 6. 5. 6. The conceit of a mans heart is only euill Eph. 2. 3. Doing the will of the flesh and of the minde Finallie this I say that mans will is more poisoned by this originall corruption then the minde is for which Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor cause the very heathen could say I see approue by the light of reason the better things but through the corruption of my will I incline to the worser And this the Apostle saith Eph. 4. 18. Affirming that the ignorance The will worse then the mind which is in men is by reason of the hardnesse of their hearts Rom. 1. 28. They regarded not to know God therefore God deliuered theÌ„ vnto a reprobate mind Note how the obstinate will resisteth the light of the mind and causeth the mind to be ouerclouded And thus far of the threefold matter of originall sinne These parts of the materiall cause of originall sin because they are so many Beings * Entia and are of God euery one of them must retaine in them some goodnes as we say in respect of their being for that very apostasie and falling away was good in it selfe as so the want of originall iustice because it is athing in nature and a consequent of that Apostasie this want I say as it is of God is good in it selfe and to conclude that positiue qualitie which succeedeth in place of that holinesse and image of God for the being thereof is of God as principall efficient and is good in itselfe The forme of originall sinne followeth And this is a The forme of originall sinne very speciall repugnance against the law of God causing a very speciall kind of sinne And like as the matteriall cause of originall sinne is threefold so there is in it a threefold * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repugnance against God and his law For euery part of the materiall cause hath a repugnance against the law in it and so a forme which is from another in respect whereof it is sinne The first Apostasie hath in it a repugnance against God and so the want of originall iustice and the positiue quality also which succeeded in place thereof This threefold iniquitie * Or breach of Gods law is not of God as efficient but from the euill instruments the deuill first next Adam and lastly the very man which is of Adams progenie For we also which are sick of this hereditarie euill are the very causes of our sicknes And thus far of the forme of originall sin Now we be to define originall sinne of the matter and forme thereof on this wise Originall sinne is an apostasie from God a want of Originall iustice and a certaine positiue qualitie repugning against the law of God The threefold Originall sin defined materiall cause stands for the genus of it and for the forme the threefold breach of Gods law And like as guilt in general is the consequent of sin in general so a speciall guilt Guilt following originall sin is consequent to originall sin and this is threefold also as the matter and forme of this sinne is threefolde For the apostasie hath his speciall guiltinesse following it so also the want of originall iustice and that positiue quality And euery guiltinesse merits death and eternall damnation It resteth now that seeing we see this sinne originall is deriued by propagation from the parents to the children that we search out the manner thereof and this may bee expressed on this wise The propagation of sin must be by one of these 3. waies
all naturall knowledge Whereupon Ephe. 3. 18. 19. it is thus said That ye being rooted grounded in loue may be able to attaine with all Saints what is the length and breadth and depth and height and to know that loue of Christ which passeth all knowledge I doe not thinke that this knowledge was in Adam in his first creation before his fall For all the knowledge in Adams mind Adams knowledge before his fall before the fall as it was holy so it seemeth it was natural it seemeth it was a naturall knowledge of God himselfe it seemeth it was a naturall knowledge of the things created Neither did he before his fall see God in the mediator Christ nor was it needefull he should see him so Besides this light which I speake of is kindled in our minde by looking on the face of Christ the Mediator as it were in the glasse of the Gospell 2. Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are transformed into the same image from gloxy to glory Also 4. chap. ver 6. To giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ But Adam before his fall as he heard nothing concerning the Gospell of Christ so he saw not his face in the glasse of the Gospel Besides 1. Co. 15. 45. of Adam it is said the 1. Adam was made a liuing soule but of Christ the last Adam was made a quickening spirit Out of which words the difference betwixt Adam and Christ is seene that Adam was made only naturall yet holy but Christ was made spirituall and supernaturall for spirituall things are supernaturall Againe out of this difference wee gather that that spirituall and supernaturall light which we haue only by the benefit of Christ that is the second Adam was not in Adam before the fall For in the same place vers 48. 49. Our heauenly or spiritual condition is ascribed vnto Christ But of this thus farre and but sparingly Also in the will or heart faith is a supernaturall abilitie put into it by the Spirit of Christ of which * Or the saith of the operation of God Ephe. 3. 20 According to the power that worketh in vs. Col. 2. 12. By the faith of God that worketh mightilie in vs. This power also as I thinke was not put into Adams heart before the fall being induced by the same reasons which wee alleaged before And seeing that light of the mind and efficacie of the heart are supernaturall it followeth also that the functions of that light efficacie namely the knowledge of the mind and the apprehension of the heart are likewise supernaturall Wherefore vnto that definition of saith before set downe we adde this branch supernatural as the last so that iustifying faith in Christ with al his nofits offered vnto vs in the word and Sacraments is not onelie Iustifying faith defined an holie but also a supernaturall knowledge of the mind and apprehension of the wil. Thus thē we define faith as we admonished before as the name of faith is taken for the function and worke of faith For so the Diuines do commonly define it so also in the Scriptures is the name of faith wont to be taken namely for the function or worke of faith as it is tearmed 2. Thess 1. 3. But if the description of faith properly and as it is taken for an infused qualitie do like any man better thus also he may haue it described that Faith is a light of the mind and an * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effectuall action in the hart supernaturally put into them both for the knowing and apprehending of Christ with all his benefits offered in the word and Sacraments Now it remaineth that we speak something touching the effects of faith That knowledge and apprehension of Christ which we speake of sith the seat of it is in the principall and reasonable faculties of the soule namely the mind and the will it cannot be idle neither doth it Effects of faith in the mind and heart c. containe it selfe within the bounds of those higher faculties of the soule the mind the wil but is effectuall also in the lower heart that is in all the affections and there is not anie of al the affections but is affected some way or other by this knowledge apprehension being not only sanctified by it but also rapt vp aboue it self the nature therof For as we said of faith y t it is a supernatural knowledge and apprehension the same is true also of the functions of all the affections for they are al not onely made holy but also supernatural by a certaine supernatural facultie put into them by the Spirit of Christ But to speake distinctly of the effects of Faith Christ with all his benefits being once knowne and apprehended an hope of good to come a feare of euill to come Note the specivll effects which follow faith the loue of Christ and the desire of him and ioy gladnesse are in a wonderfull manner kindled in the soule as 1. Pet. 1. 8. Beleeuing in him ye reioice with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Griefe also which is according to God is kindled with grones which cannot be expressed Ro. 8. 26. To conclude the whole heart burnes to Godward By faith also our affectiōs toward our neighbour are stirred vp and that for God Christ as loue of our neighbour and delight in the Saints Psal 16. 3. And these are the first effects of faith and those are inward in the lower heart or affections There be also outward effects of faith hauing their being in the body and in all the members of the bodie and those are outward actions of the body into which the inward motions of the affections breake forth And those are first such as respect God then such as respect our neighbour for Gods cause And thus much of the effects of faith both inward and outward as also of faith which is properly so called which they commonly tearm iustifying faith CHAP. XXX Of the improper significations of Faith IT followeth that we speake of the improper significations of faith For this word faith is Diuerse acceptions of faith ambiguous and signifieth many things Properly 1 it signifieth this faith which they call iustifying for that is properly and simply termed by this name Secondly it signifieth that faith which 2 they call historicall or dead which is nothing els but as it were the carcase of iustifying faith for it lacks the soule that is the full assurance of the mind and the confidence of the heart in the speciall assent of the minde and in the trust and apprehension of the heart Thirdly it signifieth faith which they call temporary 3 which is as a certaine Ape of iustifying faith Fourthly 4 last of al that faith which they terme miraculous These three last significations of faith are
that distinction of temporall and eternall punishments to be allowed for it is certaine that whosoeuer are punished temporally for their sinnes and in that respect and for that cause such also without repentance shall be punished for their sinnes eternally for temporall punishments of the vngodly in this life are the very beginnings of eternall punishments to be suffered in another life And thus farre of repentance CHAP. XXXVII Of mans Free-will AFter the doctrine of Faith Hope and Repentance the doctrine of Free-will is to follow because the Aduersaries do attribute Faith hope repentance or as they call it Penance to the liberty of our will as to the principall agent or cause but they assigne to grace the second place in the worke of Faith hope and repentance for they say after that Free-will is stirred vp by a preuenting grace man by the benefit of his free-will doth of his owne strength beleeue hope and repent him of his sinnes And as for grace that is only a fellow-worker say they and a helper of mans Free-well which principally worketh in faith hope and repentance But to this we haue answered before in the doctrine of repentance we shal hereafter answer it a little more plainely Now hauing thus far shewed the occasion why after the doctrin of Faith hope and repentance we speake of Free-wil let vs come to the point it selfe and discourse of it The will of man is a facultie The wil described of the reasonable soule following next after the facultie of reason for the mind first vnderstandeth and thē iudgeth The function and vse thereof is in willing in nilling in choosing in refusing and in doubting of those things which were before concealed and considered of in the vnderstanding The obiects therof are things simply good and euill and things indifferent I call those things simply good which are commanded by some expresse Things simply good law of God I call those things simply euill which are forbidden by the some expresse lawe of God And those things I count indifferent which are neither expresly commanded nor expresly forbidden in the law of God And if they be commanded or forbidden by anie law of God that is by accident to wit so farre forth as they further or hinder the edification of our neigbour These obiects of the will I subdiuide again into their final causes or ends and into those meanes which tend and leade vs to the ends And thus I apply the functions of the wil to the ends and to the meanes We be said as well to will and nill the meanes as the ends vnto which they serue for to will and nill are things generall but we are said onely to accept and to reiect and to doubt of the meanes for these things are speciall And thus farre of the will according to our present purpose There is ascribed vnto the will a certaine propertie which the Latines call Libertie the Greekes a Power as Libertas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9. 20. where the Apostle speakes of the power the Potter hath ouer the clay And 1. Cor. 7. 37. He that hath power ouer his owne will As if he should haue said hee that hath libertie or power of his will in our vulgar tongue it is called Soueraingtie This libertie of the will is as it were a royall power and the Greeke word is vsed to set forth the power of a king or some supreme Magistrate Rom. 13. 27. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher power For this cause the will in the soule of man is receiued as a Queene and in that respect is said to haue as it were the iurisdiction in her owne hand But to come to some description of Free-will This freedome of will is a libertie whenas a thing being offered to the wil as to a certain Queene whether it be good or euill or indifferent the will euen then can by it own A descripttion of free-will proper right and power either will it or nill it reiect or receiue it or hold a man in suspence For which cause commonly in schooles it is defined to be a power or facultie to like or dislike things that are directly opposite that is to incline to either part of the contradiction to receiue or reiect the one or the other and thus commonly they describe it Yet I like best this descriptiō to wit that libertie of will should bee in respect of good and euill things for concerning them the controuersie is it is I say a power of the will or a certaine right it hath whereby of it selfe and of it owne inward and naturall motion without constraint it wils onely that is good it chooseth the good it wils not that is euill it reiecteth that is euill In one word libertie of will is a power vnto good not to euill I am induced to like best this definition of libertie by the example of the libertie of God himselfe who by the confession and grant of all men most freely wils and Gods free-will doth all things notwithstanding the libertie of God is not so defined that it should be a certaine power whereby he doth so will good as though he might nill it or doth not so will euill as though he might will it but the liberty of God is this of his owne right without constraint onely to will that which is good and nill that is euill Againe the same is plaine by the example of the blessed Angels who haue liberty to that is good onely and not vnto good and euill that is they do not so will good as if they might nill it for they are so gouerned Freedome of Angels strengthened of God that their will onely is inclined to good doth abhor from euill To conclude the same is shewed in the example of Adam of his state before his fal for then truly the liberty of his will was to will good Adams freedom in his innocencie only not both good and euil that is he did not so will good as if he might nil it except you vnderstād a remote power wheras we by this word Liberty to speake properly do vnderstand a more neere faculty of the soule I call that a remote facultie which is incident to the matter as is the power or propertie of laughter in the bodie of a man before it hath either forme or life I call that Remota potentia a neere facultie which is incident to the forme as laughter Propinqua potentia in a man that hath life So in the will of man there is a remote power as appertaining to the matter and there is a neere power as pertaining or consequent to the forme but we as a little before we spake by liberty vnderstand not that remote power which is incident to the matter but that neere power which is consequent to the forme and by the forme we vnderstand that sanctitie which is according to the
are infinite And as concerning the liberty or selfe power which they ascribe to the will of man how many euidences of scripture might be produced to refell y e same Ioh. 6. 44. No man can come Propiqua materia to me except the father which sent me draw him Rom. 8. 5. The wisdome of the flesh it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things which are of God for they are foolishnesse to him neither can he discerne them These places of scripture and other such like are to be vnderstood of that neere power of the wil vnto good which therfore the scripture denieth to man in his corruption because there is in him no holinesse left since the fall of Adam For as touching the remote power of the will vnto good which is a consequent of the matter not of the forme we do not deny that it is in the wil of a man vnregenerat And that this also becomes of a remtoe power a neere power so soone as any holynesse is wrought in the will of man by the spirit of Iesus Christ Seeing then we leaue this remote power to the will of the vnregenerate man that is a certaine power of the cause materiall there is no cause why our aduersaries should say that we make men very stocks and blocks because we denie free will vnto them For this power of the materiall cause vnto good which we ascribe vnto the will of man vnregenerat may not truly be ascribed to any dead stock or trunke We must vnderstand in this place that wheras we deny this neere power to the vnregenerate that is a liberty to good we meane hereby that which is good as it is truly good For euen the vnregenerate person may wil that which is good in it selfe as the conseruation of his countrey iustice equity c. But that which in it selfe is good becomes euill in some sort in regard of the man vnregenerat who dooth not will well that which is good in it selfe that is to say neither in that manner nor to that end doth he will it as he ought to will it because himselfe is not good and cleane and to the vncleane all things are vncleare as to the cleane all things are cleane Tit. 2. 15. Againe be aduertised that in this matter of free will I hold that there is one the same reason of good things of what kind soeuer they be naturall or ciuil and humane or spirituall for the vnregenerat man hath not this liberty or neere power to any good thing as it is good and acceptable to God and agreeable to his law albeit by nature his will is most farre estranged from spirituall things which the naturall man perceiueth not which as the postle saith He cannot know yea they are foolishnes vnto him By spirituall good things I meane faith hope repentance iustification eternall life it selfe There is no cause therefore why our aduersaries should ascribe faith hope repentance to the liberty of our will that is to say to the strength of nature as to the principal efficient cause of the same as if we by nature the strength thereof could beleeue could hope and truly conuert our selues vnto God But to the intent this thing may yet be more manifest we must vnderstand that there bee two kinds of good things the one is of humane good things the other is of kinds of good things diuine and spirituall good things Humane good things are either morall and pertaine to euery priuate man or Oeconomicall and pertaine to a mans family or they are Politicall and pertaine to the whole common-wealth or to the whole City Spirituall good things are faith hope repentanceiu stification sanctification life eternall To both these kinds of good things mans will is not like affected for vnto humane things or vnto humane good things it is somewhat more inclined as for example nature doth incline vnto temperancy fortitude liberality iustice albeit it doth neither will nor choose these things which in themselues are good in that manner or to that end it ought Whereby it commeth to passe that those things which in themselues are good yet in respect of him who is vnregenerate become euill and very sinnes before God And concerning things spirituall the nature of man is more estranged from them and when they offer themselues to the will nature it selfe doth wholy abhorre from them This thing may be yet more plain by example experience There are two certaine good things to wit iustice by works and iustice by faith which is called the iustice Righteousnes by works naturall or rightcousnes of God we all haue experience that our will naturally is inclined to that righteousnesse which is by works and which is a certain humane good thing Hence it comes that euen to this day all the world following nature seekes to be iustified by good works But the same will doth wholy abhorre and vtterly dislike that righteousnesse whichis by faith the reason is because it is a certaine spirituall vnknown good thing Hence it comes to passe that so few seeke to be iustified by faith and by the alone mercy of God in Iesus Christ By this and other such like examples it appeares that mans will is more inclined by nature to humane good things and wholy to abhorre spirituall good things Albeit in truth to speake exactly it is inclined to no good at all as it is truly good It is not inclined at all no not to those humane things as they be truly good and acceptable vnto God for it wils them neither in that maner neither to that end it ought So far forth then as it willeth them euen those things that are good in themselues are sins and vnpleasing to God Notwithstanding they differ from those euils and sinnes which euen in themselues in their own nature are sinnes as manslaughter adultery theft and in which I graunt there be more degrees of sin for in these things men sinne both in the substance of the things themselues and in the manner of doing and in the end And the will of man vnregenerate is more inclinable vnto these things by it owne nature then vnto those things which are good in themselues For first it is caried of it owne accord to those which are euill in themselues Secondly it hath but some inclination to things humane which in their owne kind are good Lastly it doth wholy abhorre spirituall good things before regeneration Againe I conclude that humane good things so farre forth as mā vnregenerate doth wil them become in som sort euill and the man vnregenerate doth sin in the very desire of them which thing also is true in things indifferent which are neither good nor euill in themselues For so far forth as man vnregenerate doth will them so far forth they become euill and the vnregenerate man doth sin when he doth