God aske all good things of him that wee may know that God taketh especial care of his church that we iudge not rashly of the works counsels of God that we contemne not others because God of his free boūty hath bestowed better giftes vpon vs that in all things wee follow the will and order prescribed vnto vs by God 10 OF SINNE 1 ONly the doctrine of the church sheweth entirely the nature causes and effects of sinne 2 Sinne is whatsoeuer disagreeth with the lawe of God that is any defect or inclination or actiō against the law of God offending God and making the offender guiltie of temporall punishmēt and eternal except remission be granted for our meadiator the sonne of God 3 Every sinne is either actuall or originall 4 Originall sinne is the guilt of all mankinde for the fall of our first parentes and a privation of the knowledge and will of God in our minds and of our inclination to obey God in will and hart with an inclinatiō in both to resist the law of God following the fall of our first parents and derived from them to al posterity so corrupting our whole nature that for this corruption we are all guilty of Gods everlasting wrath and can doe nothing acceptable to God except remission be granted for the sonne of God our mediator renuing of nature by the holy spirit 5 Actuall sinne is every action in minde will or heart or in externall partes and members erring from God or a leaving of those things vndone which the law of God commandeth to be done 6 Every sinne is either raigning or not raigning in vs which some call mortall or veniall 7 Sinne raigning is that against which the sinner doth not resist by the grace of the holy spirit renuing him to eternall life therefore he is endaungered to eternall death except he repent and obteine remission by Christ 8 Sinne not raigning is that against which the sinner doth resist by grace of the holy spirit renuing him vnto eternall life and therefore he is not eudangered to eternal death because he repenteth and obteineth remission by Christ 9 Everie sinne in its own nature is mortal that is deserueth eternal death but it is made venial that is it doth not bring eternall death in the regenerate by reason of grace for Christes sake 10. Everie sinne is either against conscience or not against conscience 11. Sinne against conscience is when hee which knoweth the will of God of set purpose doth against it 12. Sinne not against conscience is that which is cōmitted by one ether not knowing the wil of god or else is acknowledged by the sinner to be a sin and is bewailled yet cānot perfectly be avoided in this life as originall sinne and manie sinnes of ignorance and infirmitie 13. Every sin is either vnpardonable against the holy Ghost or pardonable not against the holy Ghost 14 Sin vnpardonable or against the holy Ghost is an oppugning or casting away of Gods truth of set purpose after the mind by testimony of the holy Ghost is instructed confirmed in the truth which sin they that cōmit are punished by God with blindnes so that they neuer repēt consequently neuer obtaine pardon 15. Sins pardōable or not against the holy Ghost are al other sins wherof some repēt and some doe not 16. Al that are elected by God vnto eternall life are so vpheald by him that they neuer sin against the holy Ghost 17. There doe abide some reliques of sinne in all the regenerate as long as they are in this life first original sinne secondlie manie actual sinnes of ignorance omission and infirmitie which notwithstanding they acknowledge and bewaile resist them and therfore they retaine a good conscience remission of sinnes thirdly some runne oftē times into errors crossing the verie groūds or into sins against conscience for which they loose their good conscience and consolation and gifts of the holy Ghost and should be damned if they did perseuere therein to their liues end they perish not in them because they repent in this life 18. There is a threefold difference wherby sinners regenerate differ from the wicked first a perpetual purpose which God hath to saue them secondely certaine and sure repentance at the last thirdely some beginning of faith cōversiō ever in their sinnes which at some times is greater of more force and so wrastleth against sin that they slip not into errors against the groundes nor into sins against conscience at other times lesser more feeble is for a time ouercome by temptations yet preuaileth so far that they never quite revol◠frō God which were once truely conuerted And therfore sin in the regenerat is either to be termed only not raining or els if errors against the foūdatiō or sins against cōscience may be called raining sins as some tearme thē this raigne of sin must needes be diligently distinguished in those that be regenerated and those that be not as that God is in deed grievously angry even with the regenerate when they sinne yet ever with a purpose of amēding and saving them and that in them all waies remaineth some sparkle of faith and conversion some hatred of sinne which is an enemy there vnto so that they do not simply without any resistance giue over themselues vnto sin delight therein as do the wicked which sinne without any resistance and with all their hearts 19 Every sinne is either a sinne of it selfe and in its owne nature or els by accident 20 Sinnes of themselues or in their owne kinde and nature are all such as are forbidden by the law of God 21 Sinnes by accident are such actions of men not regenerate as are indeede commanded by God yet displease him for many defects and sins cōcurring in the wicked or actions indifferēt which are done with scandal 22 God is the cause of no sinne but the wil of divels and men of their own accord turning themselues from God is the efficient cause of al sinnes the efficient cause of originall sinne in men is the fall of our first parents but originall sin is the precedent cause of all actuall sinnes which followed vpon the first fall 23 The effectes of sinne are punishments temporal and eternal and because God punisheth sins with sinnes therefore sinnes following are effectes of sinnes precedent 24 But although all sinnes deserue eternal damnation yet all sinnes are not equall but as there are degrees of punishments so also there are degrees of sinnes in Gods iudgement 11 OF FREE WILL. 1 FReedome of wil in God reasonable creatures is a faculty of chusing or refusing that which reason perswadeth to be chosen or refused of their owne proper motion without any constraint 2 And that is called free which is indued with that facultie the word arbitrium signifieth the wil it selfe but such a will as followeth or refuseth the iudgement of
Sacraments testimonies or scales of Gods promise Luther will haue that promise to be of present iustificatioâ— Caluin of eternall election And least he should 〈◊〉 to say an vntruth he cites a place out of Calâ—â—n Antidor conciliâ— Sess 6. ca. 5. as if he should there say that infants are baptized not to the end they might be receiued into adoption of the sonnes of God but that vnto them the promise of life might be sealed vnto whome before by grace of predestination it pertained And out of the 7. Session and 8. Canon as if there hee should wright that the right end and vse of sacraments is this to ascertaine vs of the eternall adoâ—tion grace whereunto before the foundation of the world we were predestinated Thus farre the Iesuite but all impudently without shame For Caluin in neither place speaketh one â—ote of eternall electioÌ„ or the grace of predestination Only in the former this he saith Insants are for this reason baptized because they are heires of the promise For vnlesse the promise of life did before pertaine vnto theÌ„ that man should prophane baptisme whosoeuer did but minister it vnto them In the latter these are his wordes Allthough baptisme be the hand-wrighting of that mutuall obligation which is betweene God vs yet the especiall vse thereof is to assure vs of free remission of our sinnes and perpetuall grace of adoption But is this to deny that sacraments are seales of the promise of preseÌ„t iustification Is this to restraine sacraments onely to thinges past as namely to the grace of electioÌ„ But this is Bellarmines trust and fidelity in citing the wordes and sentences of the Fathers and our Doctors Such are his two whole volumes of disputations namely a rude rable of false quotatioÌ„s which if the learned shall vouchsafe in courtesie to examine they shall soone see this doubtie disputant left as as dry as a kexe But to the purpose That the sacraments are seales of our eternall election although I deny not but that in the lawfull vsing and worthy receiuing of them it is most true yet remember I not that Caluin hath any where thus written nay the Vbiquitaries of our daies slander Caluin Beza as maintainers of a cleane contrary error to witt that they vtterly deny the sacraments to be seales of our election which also is altogether false But the simple naked truth of Calvines doctrine is this Sacraments profite beeing vsed a righte and doe exhibit seale and confirmâ— grace vnto the worthy receiuer not in regard eyther of the worke wrought or the deserte of the worker but in respecte of the promise of God instituting or ordaininge them as also through the faith of the worthy receiuer And here by grace he vnderstandeth euen our saluation it selfe together with all the precedent causes meanes and consequentes thereof such as are our free election remission of sinnes regeneration sanctification and life eternall So that by the name of grace he coÌ„priseth both grace past and already giuen togither with that which is preseÌ„t and to come but especially that which is there in the sacramente exhibited and present For euen our election before the world was is sealed and and assured vnto vs by the sacraments not as it is from aleternities decreed by God or as a thing done heretofore and past but as the present and constante decree of God reuealed in the Gospell concerning our saluation in Christ and by the same sacramentes everlasting life is confirmed not as a future good but as already we haue takeÌ„ possession thereof by faith For confirmation of this truth I could produce an infinite number of testimonies out of Caluin his Christian institution but it shall suffice to refute the Iesuite by the couÌ„ter-poyson of his CouÌ„sels Can 7. on the sacraments Caluin saith thus God in the sacrameÌ„ts doth promise grace not only of election but also of iustification Can. 4. Sacramentes are seales of the Gospell And can it bee denied but that the Gospell is a promise of actuall present iustification by faith Can 8. In baptisme God washeth vs by the bloode of his son by his spirite doth regenerate vs. In the sacrament of the supper he feedeth vs with the body and blood of Christ Can 7. of baptisme this is a principall part of baptisme that is assureth us of free remission of all our sins what is this els but present sustification and these may serue to coÌ„vince the Iesuit of a militious slaÌ„der coÌ„cerning the seals of our electioÌ„ that Calvâ—â— vnderstandeth them not onely of things past But who seeth not his absurd collection that if the Sacraments may goe for seales of our eternall election that then they shall not be seales of present iustification Are not election iustification subordinate and consequents one of the other so farre are they from abolishing one the other that the contrary should rather be infered they are seales of our eternall election therefore of iustification present grace For iustification is so proper naturall an affecte of election that there can be had no certainty of the latter without assurance of the former For they who are iustified in Christ are also chosen to him before the foundation of the world Whome God hath prâ—destinated these also hath he called iustified and glorified Now then let the Iesuite with open mouth exclaÌ„e on Caluins opinion as false absurde dangerous and impious And why forsooth false Because saith he Caluin contrary to that which the Scripture teacheth restrayneth Sacraments only vnto the thinge past namely to the grace of election But this cauill is already refuted And why absurde Because saith he he reacheth that by the Sacraments the promises are sealed vnto our consciences yet that infantes are lawfully baptised which noyther haue vse of reason nor conscience But we haue already sufficiently proued that neyther infantes borne in the Church of beleeuing parentes are altogether voyde of reason oâ— faith if we respecte the promised grace although actually they haue neyther the faith nor reason which is in those of riper yeares nor that baptising of Children confirmation of their faith by Sacraments is therfore to be differred because they doe not beleeue seeing of the Sacramentes there are other endes purposes whereunto they are ordained But why pernicious and dangerous Because he teacheth that the children of the faithfull are borne iust and holy and hath perswaded many that the sacraments are not necessary vnto the receiving of the grace of Christ Whence it is come to passe that many contemne the said sacraments and in the meane while the soules of many infantes never purified by the saving vvaters of baptisme abide in perpetuall corruption And is it in deed pernicious to teach that the children of the faithfull are borne holy that is not straungers but heires of the covenaÌ„t according to that promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seede That
one and the same Christ consisteth of both natures is in every place by nature of the godhead and contained in some one place according to the nature of his humanity So that the same Christ was both created without beginning subiect to death and yet immortal the one by nature of the worde as he is God the other by nature of the flesh as the same God is also man Being therefore both the son of God man he hath a beginning was created is compreheÌ„ded in some place by nature of his flesh being otherwise before all beginning vncreated and without limitation of place according to the nature of his godhead He is inferior to the Angels in respect of his flesh but equall to the Father as touching his Deity deade sometimes in his maÌ„hood ever-living in his godhead This is the catholique faith and confession which the Apostles delivered martyrs coâ—firmed and the faithfull to this day hâ—ue retained Wâ—â—rfore impiously as tainted with the pâ—â—enous heresie of Eâ—â—yches you presume to taxe Leo whiles by the different actions of one Lorde Châ—â—st hee proveth the verity of both natures in him so that what he wrought for demonstration of the 〈◊〉 of two natures you pervert as if it were a prooâ—e of two persons OF PREDESTINATION A letter of Vrsinus to his friend briefely conteining a full and learned discourse of predestination with wholsome advise for the weaker sorte to follow HItherto I haue not had leasure to peruse your discourse of predestination Neither haue I now but I steale so much time from other my affaires which I deferre that I may at leÌ„gth satisfie your request which in my opinion is not so necessarie if it would please you to read D. Beza and P. Matyr on this question whervnto I thinke you were before directed by me Hereby also I would giue you to vnderstaÌ„d that hitherto I haue rather wanted abilitie then will to gratifie you Of you let me entreate this courtesie that you do not by disputation trouble others who either will not heare ought besides that which they haue before conceiued or can not readilye vnderstand those thinges whereof they never thought before and haue in their infancie learned false in steede of trew principles foundations And were I not fully perswaded that in this question you would frame your selfe to Christian wisdome and patient for bearance of the weaker sorte I would not answeare one worde to your demaunde The doctrine of predestinatâ—â—â— is not in my iudgment as you wright the most difficult point in all Christianitie if we read holy scripture without preiudice or affectioÌ„ with serious purpose not to reforme God after our phansies but to learne of him and to yeeld all glorie vnto him none to our selues For by these meanes that is now become easie to me which before seemed very difficult whilest I depended on the authoritie of men who neuer vnderstoode themselues nor could resolue me There is no one common place of Divinitie wherof more is wrighten by the prophets and apostles then this verie place of Prouideâ—ce Election and free will in so much thâ—â— I can not but marvell learned Christians 〈◊〉 so doubt thereof Do you as I haue don who for this onely reason that I might gather weigh and conferâ—e whatsoeuer â— conteined as well in sermons as examples of holy scripture to this purpose haue diligently perused the whole bible euen from the begining of Genesis to the end of the Revelation Which after I had don I did partely percâ—iue pâ—rteâ—y detest that skumme of disputation and foggie fume of fallacie and sophâ—strie labouâ—ing but to no purpose to eclipse the gloriouse sunne-shine of this doctrine You may at your better leasure do this in Italie where you shall haue no exercise of religion besides reading the bible priuâ—te prayer Which libertie some verie good â—en heretofore haue wanted who otherwise had neuer ben so entangled But eveâ— be are this in â—inde whereof before I warned you Yf for the present every thinge be not plaine and easie to you be not therfore troubled but by leasure diligently meditate with your selfe callinge vpon God and houlding that foundation which amogst the godly is without coÌ„trouersâ—e remembring alwaies that not your selfe but God is author of your salvation and of all besides whatsoeuer you are haue or dâ—e be it great or little So shall you be sure not to erre with any danger of conscience and salvation although you be not able to conceaue and vnfolde whatsoeuer you desire Knowledge puffeth vp but charitie edifieth First you must put a difference betweene providence predestination aâ— betweene the whole and the part For Providence is the eternal immutable and most excellent counsaile or decree of God whereby all things haue their event teÌ„ding to the glory of the creatour and salvation of the elect Predestination is the eternal purpose of God of beginning and perfiting the salvation of the elect forsaking or vtter casting of the reprobate to eternall punishment Wherefore it containeth Election and Reprobation as partes of it selfe Secondly distinguish betwixte Providence of good â—nd evill of offence for the evill of punishmente hath a reference to good namely to iustice and in that respect is found in God God doeth provide that is in his provideÌ„ce purpose wil perfourme in purposed time order and manner and in this respect he is said to be the cause efficient and author of things These things are not only done according to providence but also by the provideÌ„ce of God As for evill or sin that hee foreseeth from eternity that is hee decreeth or is willing to permit it or not to hinder others from doing it but him selfe iâ— in no wise an agent either in them or by them Wherfore himselfe is not the cause of evill but in iustice excellency and depth of wisedome he suffereth others to be the causes therof So that these things are done according to Gods providence but not by it because God did not decree to doe but to suffer others to doe them now to permitt or suffer is nothing else but not to hinder sinne in any action or not to cause men to be conformable to the law of God and nature And in this sence God doth tolerate or suffer siâ— when he doth not either lighten our minds with his holy spirite knowledge of his will or turne our hearts to make this the principall ende of our actions that we doe the knowne wil of God and by this our obedience honor him Which two things except it please God to worke in vs what ere we doe how good iust and holy so ever it is but sinne and corruption in the sight of God Thirdly make a distinction betweene God his creatures or second causes especially â—n matters concerning the government of the worlde First the creatures are bounde one to further the safety hinder the destructioÌ„ of an
other whersoever they can because God hath so commaunded all and themselues may deserue it one of an other And being converted thy selfe remember to coÌ„firme thy brethren God is bound to none as not to create them of nothing so neither to preserâ—e them either in their being or in that good innocent and happie being wherin they were created Because whatsoeuer good wee all enioy we haue it from him neyther can he receaue any good fellcitie and commoditie of any man because of his infinite and most absolute all-sufficiencie in himselfe Who hath giuen vnto him first that he should be recompensed Is it not lawfull for me to do with mine owne as pleaseth me Secondlie Gods iustice requireth that being himselfe the cheifest good and author and end of all thinges he should referre all to his owne glory and if need were rather suffer all the creatures of the worlde to perish then any part of his glory should be left vnsatisfied As for the creatures they owe both themselues and all they haue not to themselues nor to others but to God Therefore Paule desired euen to be accursed from Christ if by the saluation and conversion of his brethren he might aduance the glorie of Christ Thirdely God may therefore most iustly permit tolerate the sinnes of his creatures that is not hinder them because by his infiâ—â—te wisdome power iustice and goodnesse he knoweth how to vse this toleration and permission to his owne glory and the saluation of his elect This the creatures can not do and therefore they are subiect to the law of hindering offences as much as in them lieth Fourthly God is the first cause and author of all good in the worlde the creatures are onely instruments of such good thinges as are by them performed whome God in the absolute freedom of his excellent will pleasure vseth by his prouidence preserueth in that nature and manner of doing which he hath prescribed Fiftely God alone is simply immutable I am God and am not changed All creatures are mutable some of their owne nature which worke onely by vncertaintie 〈◊〉 the vnstable action of elements matter and motion of creatures or by vncertaintie or contingency and yet freely to as the wils of angelles an◠〈…〉 are in deede of their owne immutable and therfore necessarie agents in that which they doe yet are as easie to be altered by God as the rest so the motion of the sonne is naturally such as we see yet God at his pleasure can either stop or interrupt the course therof Sixtly God alone is simply absolutely free that is of himselfe moving all things in himselfe moved and depending of none hauing in himselfe the reason cause of al his purposes with greatest power and authority of disposing al things otherwise from eternity if so he had beene pleased imposing necessity or contingence vncertainety vpon al things himselfe not tied to such conditions by any thing Eph. 1. 9. According to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himselfe But the liberty of reasonable creatures is not absolute that is depending of no other for although they moue themselues by some internal cause vnderstandinge offering some obiect and will of his owne accorde without constraint chosing or refusing it yet are they over-ruled by an other agent namely God who both offereth obiects of what nature quality howsoever to whoÌ„soeuer it pleaseth him and also to them and by them affecteth moveth inclineth and boweth the wils of whomsoeuer whensoeuer and how far soever he will himselfe That mans conceipt of God is too contumelious which putteth no difference betweene the liberty which is in God and his creatures Wherefore Gods providence and working in all things doth not destroy but vphold and encrease the libertie of our wils For the more God mooveth or forsaketh them the more violently consequently with more freedome and fervencie of desire they are carried eithâ—r to good or evill Wherefore theÌ„ indeed we shall with greatest freedome will that which is good when God shall so be all in al that wee can will or wish nothing but what is good which shal be with the favor and grace of God in the life to come Fourthly we must distinguish the manner of effects or things done For the same effect proceeding from divers causes may in respect of theÌ„ bee diversly taken For as it proceedeth from a good cause so it is good as from an evil so evill as from a cause contingent and mutable or necessary immutable so may it be accounted contingent mutable or necessary and immutable Wherfore in respect of God in whoÌ„ we haue our being life motion all things which were made are good as well bad as good considering that God is absolutely immutably good and therefore can neither will or do any thing but what is good and agreeable to his nature and the law wherein hee hath revealed vnto vs his nature and iusâ—ice In respect of creatures all good thinges as they are good are by God vpheld in their goodnesse al evill things as they are evil degeneraâ—e from that goodnes wherein they were creâ—ted God suffering and forsaking them and are not therevnto restored by God So in respect of the liberty and freedome of God al things are done contâ—â—gently and by vncertainety yea even those thinges which seeme to depende most necessarily on second causes as the motion of the heavens but in respect of Gods immutable decree all events are necessary as when the souldiers crucifying Christ did not breake his bones but pierced his side with a speare which in respect of second causes were meerely contingent Fiftly we make distinction of sinnes whereof some in themselues and in their owne nature are sins namely such things as are forbiddeÌ„ by God not are by special law or exception commanded as the robbing of the Aegyptians the offering of Isaac others by occasioÌ„ or accident namely such thinges as are either commaunded or allowed by God but perverted by the creature and not perfourmed in such sort as they were commaunded as are the sacrifices praiers and almes-deeds of wicked men and hypocrites Whether of these two sorts of sinne a maÌ„ commit either that which is sin in it selfe or the other which is sin by accideÌ„t and occasion certaine it is that through his owne fault imperfection he committeth it But that which God intendeth in these actions of men is ever good and iust Lastly we must distinguish the necessity of coÌ„straint and immutability for it were too grosse to confounde them For the former moveth violently and by externall cause the latter naturally some internall cause in the agent moving and being moved as by nature it is apt These thinges when I perceiued GOD opening my eies I did not reckon one â—ote of those foolish fables that GOD was made the cause of sinne that contingence or casualitie and libertie were taken awaie
And all this I learned out of infinite places of scriptures as Genesis 20. Therefore haue I kepte thee that thou shouldest not sinne against mee nor did I suffer thee to touch her Genesis 45. GOD sent mee before you for your safety And againe I was not sent hither by your purpose but by the will of God who hath made me as it were a father vnto Pharaoh Gen. 50. Feare not can we resist Gods will You thought evil against me but God turned it to good that hee mighte exalte mee as you novve see and preserue manie people Exodus 4. 7. 10. 11. 14. I vvilt harden the heart of Pharaoh and of his servauntes and I will shew my wonders in the lande of Aegypt And in the 9. chap. Therefore haue I placed thee in the kingdome that I might shew my power in thee and my name might be declared in all the world Exod. 12. God gaue his people favour in the sight of the Aegyptians so that they lent iewels vnto them and they robbed the Aegyptians Exod. 21. If a man hath not laide waite for him vvhome hee hath slaine but God hath given him into his handes which he speaketh of murder done by misfortune or chance Exod. 22. Every man slay his brother his friend and his neighbour They which did this are commended who without this commaundemente had done very evill yet had not God so coÌ„manded them but vpon some other occasion provoked their minds therevnto he might as iustly haue punished those isolaters by sinning instrumentâ— as he did by these iust executers of his iudgement because they were not governed by â—ecret provideÌ„ce but by the manifest and open will of God Exod. 33. I wil shew mercie to whom I will shew mercy and I will haue compassion on whom I will haue compassioÌ„ Num. â—3 God is not as maÌ„ that he should be or as the son of man that he should be changed Hath he therefore said and shall bee not doe it 〈…〉 he spoken and shal it not be fulfilled I am sent to 〈◊〉 I cannot forbidâ—e a blessing Deut. 5. O that there were 〈…〉 such an heart to feare me ever to keepe all 〈◊〉 commandements that â—t might go well with them and with their children for ever By these the like pâ—aces God sheweth what he liketh wherein he is delighted and what pleâ—seth him â—ut by Exod. 33. I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy and the like he sheweth what he wil effect or bring to passe amongst men and in whom Deut. 13. If a Prophet shall say let vs go and foâ—low strange Gods tho◠〈…〉 to his voâ—ce because the Lord â—empteth you that it may appeare whether you loue him or no. And in the same place Let the Prophet he slaine because he hath spoken to turne you from the Lorde your God Deut. 29. And God gaue you not an vnderstaÌ„ding hart even vntilâ— this day Ios 11. 〈◊〉 pleased God to harden then he 〈◊〉 that they should fight against Israell be overthrowen and should not finde mercy but perish as God had commanded Moses Iudg 2 3. God forsooke the nations which he coÌ„manded to be rooted out 1. Sam. 2 They did not haâ—ken to the voice of their father because God would slay them And in the same booke the 10. cap. Parte of the house wente with him whose heartes God had touched And againe 10. The spirit of the Lorde departed from Saule and an evill spirite of the Lord or from the Lord did vexe him 2. of Sam. 12. Behould I will stâ—rre vp evill against thee from thine owne house and I will take thy wiues before thy face giue them to thy neighbour and thy sonne shall be with thy wife 's openlie For thou diddest it secretlye but I will do this thing before all Israel and in the sight of the sunne ca. 17. The counsaile of Achitophel is overthrowne by the Lordes countenance ca. 24. The wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel and hee mooued Dauid to say vnto Ioab 1. Chron. 21. Satan rose vp against Israel and prouoked Dauid to nomber the people 2. Sam. â—2 And. 2. Chron. 10. Rehoboam suffered not the people to be at rest for it was Gods will And â— Chron. 11. This is don by my will 1. Kinges 22. God gaue the spâ—rite of lying 2 Chron. 36. God stirred vp the heart of Cyâ—â—â— Esdâ— 6 God had tourned the kinges hearte vnto them Iob. 1. The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken awaie Iob. 12. He bringeth counsailers to a foolish end Iob. 14. Thâ—â— hast appointed the boundes thereof which cannot be passed Psal 105. He tourned their heartes to hate his people Psa 115. He hath doâ— what soever he would Ps 16. The Lord hath made al things for his owne sake 〈◊〉 even the wicked for the day of evill ver â—3 The 〈◊〉 is cast into the lap but the wholâ— dâ—sposition herof is of the Lord ca. 2â— The heart of the kinge is in the 〈…〉 hand he turneth it as rivers of waters whether 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastes the seventh Consider the vvorkes of the Lord that none can amend him whom he hath desposed Wisdom 8. Wâ—sdome reacheth from one end to an other shee hath a sposed all thinges mightely and orderly Read the 12. and 19. Chapters of the same booke and Sâ—rac 17. They cannot make their hearts of sâ—onie to become fleshlie Esai 10. O Aâ—shur the rod of my wraâ—h c. in his hand is mine indignatioÌ„ I will send him to a dissembling nation that shall take the 〈…〉 of them Reade the whole place which alone sufficeth to refell that obiection of the cause of sinne Like places are â—ound in the 13 cap. And Esa 14 The Lord of hostes hath decreed and who can alâ—er it Esa 43. Everie one that calleth on the name of the Lord him haue I created for my glorie him haue I fashioned him haue I made And in the same place I will bring it to passe and who shall withstand it Esa 45. I am the Lord making peace creating evill And 46. Cap. My determination shall stand c I haue spoken and I will bring it to passe I haue proposed and will do it Ierem. 13. If the Aethiopian can chaunge his skinne or the leoparde his spottes you also will be able to do well hauing learned to do ill Ierem 30. God hath opened his treasurie and brought forth vesselles of his wrath Lament 3. Who is he that saith and it cometh to passe and the Lord commaundeth 〈◊〉 Doth not evill and good proceede out of the mouth of the 〈◊〉 high Ezech. 12. I will speake a word and bring it to passe Ezech. 14 When a Prophet hath cried and spoken ought amisse I the Lord haue deceaved that Prophet Ezec. 18 I will not the death of him that dieth Much like that Deu. 5. O that there were to them c. As aboue hath been said Ezech. 20. I gaue them commaundements which were
but calleth inviteth all men vnto himselfe though not all after one sort But that hee would effect or bring to passe that all without exception should obey and be saved he not only said it no where but in many places expresly said the contrary So that the Scripture is not contrary to it selfe teaching that God reioiceth in the salvation of all and yet hath left some to reprobation Thirdly I thinke that distrusting the waight of your arguments you meant to carry it away with multitude and did therefore vse the same argument both in first and also in the third place vnlesse perhaps you will rather haue it an amplification taken from the name of Enthusiastes that you may not be thought to haue omitted this ornament But go to what agreement betweene vs and them you say that neglecting the word we expect ravishments of the minde from the body but in which of our wrighters haue you heard or red any such thing this is spoken of vs with as little modestie as that before when you said we departed froÌ„ the revealed will of God We say that God doth worke in vs faith and our conversion but by his word after his ordinarie maÌ„ner of working where vnto he hath bound vs reserving to himselfe liberty of working extraordinarily when soever he wil as also of moving by his word whoÌ„ when and how far it pleaseth him As inconsideratly you adde and I know not whether against your conscience hauing bin so long an auditor of our profession that according to our doctrine the will of a man doth nothing In both arguments againe you dispute from admitting the first cause to the excluding of the second The will of man is an agent but being before mooued acted inclined softened and renued by God through his worde I meane not forced as a stone or a blocke but alured and invited by some obiect offered to the minde The will of Paul was Gods worke in that he would do those thinges which the Lord woulde It was Gods iudgment and the Iewes offence that they would not be gathered to geather by Christ It is in vaine that grace goeth before vnlesse it do effect the accompanying of our will What say you then of like maÌ„ner of working why rather harkeÌ„ you not to that doctor of the church which saith It is God which worketh in vs both to will and performe I will now tell you a great matter but verie trew Wee can in no wise maintaine the puritie of the article of free and certaine iustification against that sorte of merit which the Papistes terme meritum coÌ„grui except that impious devise of Gods generall grace leaving the acceptaunce vse or refusall of it selfe in our owne power be coÌ„deÌ„ned the eternal immutable loue of God towards his elect be freed from obscurity sophismes Fourthlie you vvould seeme to doe a thing ordinary extraordinarily placing the streÌ„gth of your arguments in the maine battaile filling your forward and reâ—â—-vvard with pioners and base hang bies contrary to that custome which you knowe to be obserued and commanded by Rhetoricians in their schooles Your chiefe argument is this which you set forth to the vtmost If God haue decreed to giue over some to blindnes sinne death then God by this meanes is made the cause of sin But this is easily answered First here againe I finde your waÌ„t of coÌ„mon ingenuity wheras you say that these are the words of many of our wrighters that God doth effectually worke sin in the reprobate You talke of many but do I am perswaded caÌ„not produce one For we froÌ„ our harts detest this opinioÌ„ as infinite testimonies of our writers will easilie proue But you wil say it followeth vpon our doctrine For he which decreed to suffer men to fin is the author of sinne See what an argument you haue made which if it be turned the other way is enough to confute you in your own conceit For he which permitteth sinne not being bound to hinder any man from sinning having besides authority and righte to punish vvith forsaking and casting of to eternal tormentes he is neither author nor favourer but sufferer and iudge of sinne But in this sorte GOD permitteth sinne therefore God is not any vvaie the author of sinne If you proceede and vrge but that privation or withdravving of grace vvhich he inflicteth insteed of a punishmente is sinne you commit a fallacie of accident For the punishment of it selfe as it is inflicted by God is most iust by accident as being plucked by men on their owne heads by the first sinne of Adam and the rest ensuing so it is sinne Your argument had carried more colour if from Gods providence you had concluded this effecting of sin although in deed it had beene but the same fallacy For God did most effectualie and vehemently will the crucifying of his sonne by them who aftervvardes executed it yet did he not will but suffer their murder which hee aftervvardes horriblye punished to concurre with his most iust most holy and beyonde all others most admirable and glorious worke vvhich by them hee perfourmed Hee vvould the warres of Nabuchadnezar but hated his wickednesse His vvill it vvas that Absolon shoulde vvarre against his Father David and defile his vviues but these thinges in respect of GODS vvill vvere most iust punishmentes vpon David but as Absolon did them onlie to vsurpe the kingdome and oppresse his Father not having therein any commandement of God to follovv so they were treason incest This wickednes of Absoloâ— by accident concurreth with Gods iudgment which he executeth by him As much you shall prevaile if you saie that God is theÌ„ made the author of sinne when as men forlorne and forsaken by him cannot choose but sinne For you accuse the scripture and God himselfe often saying as much as this but without daÌ„ger of such blasphemie Because mankind of their own free wil did in Paradise pul on theÌ„selves this necessity of sinninge Fifth you tell vs this is a doctrine of the law What then is it therefore false is not the law as true as the Gospell furthermore you say it is drawne from reason it selfe You had neede be more eagle-sighted in Plato Aristotle his books then I and all men besides haue bin which could never finde it there But in a word know that it is learned out of the hidden mysteries of the gospell Doe you thinke that Paules intent was in the 9. 10. 11. and 12. to the Romanes and 1. to the Ethesians to preach the Law I doe not thinke you beleeue it And what doth neerer concerne the very mâ—rrow of the Gospel then the eternal free and immutable loue of God towards his elect which Christ sâ—ith was the cause why heâ— gaue his onely begotten son for vs much more saved vs everlastinglie being once engraffed into him through faith and finished in vs the worke which hee had begun I know
so great a benefiâ— which God through Christ in this life bestowed on vs namely the certaintie of our saluation purchased for vs by Christ which is the summe and foundation of our comforte and religion For what comforte were it to know that indeed Christ did ones purchase saluation for vs but everie moment it is a thousand waies subiect to be lost we must therefore know that our life is with Christ in God and there as safely kept as is the life of Christ him-selfe reigning in heauen This is a thousand times saide in scripture Read Melancthon vpon the 7. ca. of Mat. in the place aboue cited Read the 5. and 8. chapt to the Rom. I see you doe not put difference betweene securitie of the spirit of the flesh and that you stagger even in the verie grounds of Christianity if in heart you maintaine this tedious opinions If it be so I am verie sorrie for you and doe exhorte you to read the scriptures diligently That also is a meere cavill that we should saie the elect cannot forgoe the holie spirit Nay they often loose manie giâ—es of the same spirit but recouer them againe by repentance For they do not quite revolt from God and become professed enimies of the truth that is they sinne not against the holy Ghost nor so fal that finally they perseuere in their errours against the foundatioÌ„ and in their sinnes against conscience Neyther doth this comforte make men secure because it concerneth them onely which haue a purpose to beware of falling abhor nothing more then offending God there is therefore a manifest contradiction in that diuelish scoffe of the wicked which say If I be elected I wil do what pleaseth me because it shal not hurt me For God will haue vs be sure that we are elected but this we can not do without faith and repentance All thinges worke for the best trew vnto them that loue God There is no condemnation to them which walke according to the spiritâ— These two ioyned togeather exclude securitie stirre vs vp to cheerefulnesse and alacritie to runne our race according to the commaundement make your election certaine On the other side they sleep securely in their sins which dreame that it is in their owne handes to take and lay aside repentance whensoeuer and as often as they list and play with GOD at their pleasure But say you I woulde faine shifte of this triall wherevnto the certainetie of saluation doeth call That is it the Divell woulde haue Those sayings Matthew the two and twentith and tenth Hee vvhich continueth to the ende c Revelations the second and tenth To him that overcommeth I vvill giue a crowne c. Doe not derogate from the certaintie of saluation but are exhortations wherby God vpholdeth vs in that certainetie stirring vp in vs a desire of godlinesse and hatred of sinne The like slaunder it is when you say that vvee teach men to iudge of election a priore or by the cause Eyther malitiously they dissemble our opinion or else they vnderstande neither themselues nor vs. VVee iudge by the effect that is by faith and repentaunce of the cause that is of election But to iudge thus is to iudge a posteriors that is by the effect That wee ought not to determine of any before the ende of his life whether hee shall bee saued or no if you meane it of others you say well if of our selues or of euerie mans ovvne conscience and certainetie in himselfe it is a detestable wicked diuelish and blasphemous sayings overthrowinge the whole foundation and grouÌ„dworke of saluation Hee that taught you this taught you a doctrine of diuels though he were an angell from heauen But I will tell you an other lesson except you be certaine before the end of this life whether you shall be heire of eternall life you shall neuer so be after this life For faith in this veâ—â—e certainetie which is the beginning of eternall life this all must haue in this life vvhich looke for that other life If you haue thought on the nature and definition of hope that it is a sure and certaine expectation of eternall life you should haue found no such thing there My hart doth stand on end to think of your blasphemy I would not for an hundred thousand worlds be so seperated from Christ as to be vncertaine whether I were his or noe These are heathenish blasphemes the verie entrance of hell Wherefore you do well to confirme it with testimonies of the heathen for these thinges refarre wide of the worde of God Why doe you so coâ—rupt the wordes of scripture wresting them from a â—onne like to a seruile feare what mystere what blindnesse is it for a man to boast of vniuersall promises and not to sifte himselfe and trie whether he be of their nomber of whom the promises speak This is in deede to bring in amongst men carnall security and a shadow of faith which in the conflâ—ct driueth vs head-long into desperation I do not thâ—nke Luther Melancthon taught any maÌ„ so to babble and fome out these vniuersall promises But the carrier calles for my letters and I haue to my great paines spent the whole night in wrighting these lines Farewell Let me entreat you to provoke me no more with such disputations Fare-well hartily this 2 of september 1573. OF THE CAVSE OF SINNE Parte of a letter of Vrsinus to his friend concerning the cause of sinne ONe terrible bug-beare they haue of the cause of sinne all the rest is foolish and not worthy the aunswearing But even that also is a childish fallacie of accident For by accident that is through defect fault and error of the will of the Divel or man sin commeth to bee that worke which God by will most iust most agreeable to his nature the Law wil haue done permitting in the mean time the sins of the creature that is not so correcting directing it that it may do iustly togither with God doing iustly or els while he doth not enlighten it with the knowledge of his will or doth not so turne it by his spirit that it may doe that which it doth for obedience sake to the revealed will of God So that God ever doth well both by those that are good and also by those that are evill But the creature doth well togither with God in that goodnes wherein it is created preserved or therevnto againe restored by God The good therfore which it doth is the work of God which himselfe doth will and effect the evill which it doth is froÌ„ it selfe Now this euill is not done but permitted by God whiles he doth not cause the will of the creature to become good and to do good togeather with God doing good For the same worke in respect of diuerse causes is both good euil mutable immutable contingent free as the causes them-selues are diuerse which concuâ—â—e in producing therof Hee which
produce the opinions of Fathers and the sounder Schoole-meÌ„ who thus interpret the Scripture with vs I should lead you into a large field of discourse Notwithstanding it is not vnfitting my purpose to cite at the least some few of them for confirmation Let vs heere Cyrill thus recoÌ„ciling those words of Christ I pray not for the world with that sayinge of Iohn He is a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole worlde Iohn saith he seemeth to dissent from us Sauiour For our Sauiour heere refuseth to pray for the world but Iohn affirmeth that he is the propitiation and reconciliation not for our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the whole worlde But the blessed Euangelist S. Iohn because he was a Iewe least the Lord should seeme to be an aduocate with his father for the Iewes onely not for other nations which as soone as they were called obeied of necessirie added for the whole world But the Lord Iesus separating you from them which are none of his saith I pray for them a loue who keepe my sayings and haue takeÌ„ my yoke For whose mediatour and high Priest he is he doth for good cause imparte vnto them alone the benefite of his mediation Hitherto Cyrill Let vs hear Prosper also in this answeare to Vicentius obiections clearly distinguishing on this manner As far forth saith he in his answere to the first obiection as you respect the greatnes and power of the price Or as you respect the our whole cause of mankinde so the bloud of Christ is the redemption of the whole world but they who passe the time of their life heere without faith and without the Sacrament of regeneration they haue no part in this redemption Wheras then in regard of the one whole cause of mankinde truely vndertaken by our Lord Iesus Christ all are well saide to be redeemed yet all are not freed from captiuitie withovt doubt the appropriation of redemption is theirs out of whome the prince of this worlde is cast dislodged and are nowe no longer â—ims of the diuell but meÌ„bers of Christ whose death was not so coÌ„municated vnto all mankind that it should effect the Redemption of these who were not to be regenerated and renewed in the spirit but so as that that which was by one example performed in behalfe of all might by the Sacrament be confirmed in some particulars For the potion of immortalitie being a confect of our infirmitie and Gods truth is of force in it selfe to profite all but if it be not drâ—nke it salueth not The same Prosper making answere to the demaÌ„ds of the FreÌ„ch-meÌ„ in plaine tearms alloweth of this phrase Christ died for the faithfull alone which these men condeÌ„ne as smelling of Turcisme his wordes are these Wheras then our sauiour is rightly said To haue beene crucified for the redeÌ„ption of the whole world in regard of the true and reall taking vnto him mans nature and in regard of the common losse wee sustained in the person of the first man Adam yet he may well be saide to be crucified only for those to whome his death was availeable For the evangelist saieth that Iesus should die for the nation and not for the nation onely but that he should also gather togeather in one the childreÌ„ of God which were scattered Thus far Prosper Gregorie saith The author of life gaue himselfe over vnto death for the life of the Elect. Innocentius 3. who liued a bont the 1200 yeere of our Lord thus writeth The bloud of Christ was shed FOR THE PREDESTINATE ALONE as touching the efficacy therof For the shedding of the righteous bloud for the vnrighteous was of so rich a price that if the whole world would beleeue in their Redeemer the snares of the Deuill should take bold of none Bernard saith Christ according to the fulnes of time indeed died for the wicked but according to Gods decree of Predestination for his brethren and friends Thomas on the 5. of the Apoc. writteh on this maÌ„ner Of the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ purchased by the passioÌ„ of Christ we may speak in a double sence signification either respecting the sufficiency therof so his passioÌ„ redeemed all because as coÌ„cerning himself he deliuered al For his passioÌ„ is sufficient to serue redeeme al yea if there were a thousand worldes as saith Anselme in his 2. booke and 14. Chapter Cur Deus homo c or els we speake therof respecting the efficacy in this sence he redeemed not all by his passion because all cleaue not fast vnto the Redeemer and therefore feele not nor perceiue the virtue of redemption The same authour againe saleth The merite of Christ as concerning the sufficiency thereof equally belongeth vnto all but not concerning the efficacy which happeneth partely by reason of free-wil partly by reason of Gods election by whome the effectes and fruites of Christs merits are mercifully bestowed on some and by the iust iudgment of God are withheld froÌ„ other some Lambard in his third book Distinct 22. ca. Christ offered himselfe vp to God the Trinity for almeÌ„ as touching the sufficieÌ„cie of the price paid but for the elect alone as touching the efficacy because he wrought salvation only for the Predestinate What should I say more where as these present proofes declare sufficiently that this interpretation of holy Scripture is not vpstart or profane but of ancient received in the Church and grounded on evident truth One only place of Peter Galatine a Monke indeed but yet a learned Divine and skilfull in the Hebrew I intend to alleadge that these clamorous punies novices in divinity may better see how that whatsoever is either vnknowne vnto them or standeth not with their monstrous inventions is not presently new-fangled heathenish Thus therefore he wel truely commenteth on these words of Esay My righteous servant shall iustifie many c. Although the passion of Christ ought to bee sufficient to wash away the sins of all men yet it washed not them all away but their sins only who shoulde beleeue in him repeÌ„t For this cause he saith And himselfe bare the sinnes of many Now omitting authorities let vs bring forth the reasons which this vpstart Pelagian progeny by their profane absurd opinion doth especiallie oppose against vs. They labour tooth and naile to prooue that Christ died for all why no man denieth it For this is the voice of Scripture They adde heerevnto that he died for all and everie particular man We deny not simply this their assertion although wee finde not where the scripture speaketh on this maÌ„ner They farther vrge that he died for all and evrâ—e particular both elect and reprobate for Cain David for Iudas and Peter for them which shall bee damned in like sorte as for them which shal be saved without all respect either of their faith or infidelitie This is a hard saying They run on still
signifie that in scripture we are taught that GOD promiseth or performeth vnto menne either before or since the manifestation of Christ in the flesh and what he requireth againe of them and for what cause 9. Which also the scripture intendeth professing to teach Christ 10. For whatsoeuer is therin deliuered eyther it pertayneth to the trew knowledge of Christs person or his office 11. The differences betweene the doctrine delivered in scripture and the religions of other sectes are these First in the doctrine of the trew church is taught the whole Gospell of Christ but other religions either knowe it not at all or to their owne errours ioyne some part thereof whose vse they neyther know nor conceaue 12. Secondly in the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles is delivered the whole lawe of God that rightely vnderstoode other religions cutt of the cheife points therof namely the trew knowledge and worship of God or the first table of the commaundements and the internall and spirituall obedience of the second table retaininge onelie a parte therof namelie the precepts of Disciplines or externall and civill duties towardes men 13. But though even they also doe boast and glorie of the trew God and his worship yet doe they erre from him for 3 causes First because naturall testimonies are not sufficient to the knowledge of the trew God Secondly because vnto theÌ„ men ioyne many errors of their owne Thirâ—ly because for want of the light of Gods worde they vnderstaÌ„d not even those thinges which in word they truely professe but corrupt them with an evill interpretation 14. Either they commaund onely so much touching affâ—ections and inclinations disagreeing with the secoÌ„d table as may serue to bridle them which is but a parte of this doctrine or they doe accuse and condemne all or els they doe not so much accuse and condemne them as doth the doctrine of the church 15. Other sectes admit approue some things against the externall obedience of the second table God by his iust iudgment giuing them over into a reprobate sense 16 We pronouÌ„ce the doctrine of holy scripture to be true not for the authority of the church but because we know it was delivered vnto vs by God 17 That it is from God we know by testimonie of the holy Ghost in the hearts of the godly by our deliuerance from sinne and death whereof this only religion doth assure vs by the puritie integritie of the lawe which is founde onely in the church by the prophecies and the fulfilling therof by miracles proper only to the church by the antiquitie of this late vpstarte newnesse of others by the consent and agreement of everie parte in this doctrine and the disagreement in others by the hatred of Satan and all the wicked against this doctrine by the miraculouse preseruation defence therof against the Diuell and the worlde by the punnishmentes inflicted vpon the enemies therof by the constancie of martyrs and confessors who had sure comforte euen in death by their holy life by whom it was deliuered and spread abroade 18. No opinion of God or his will and worship must be receaued which is not set downe in scripture we must so faâ— giue credit to other doctors of the church as they confirme their doctrine out of the prophets and apostles 19. This is not only proued by testimonie of holie scripture whereby we are commaunded in cases of religion to depende on it alone but also by the nature definition of faith and the worship of God both which must needes be grounded on Gods worde also by the perfectioÌ„ of this propheticall apostolicall doctrine and by the diverse callings of Prophets apostles other doctors teachers of the church 3. OF THE CERTAINETIE AND AVTHORITIE OF HOLIE SCRIPTVRE 1. It is certaine that onely this doctrine of religion which is coÌ„teined in the bookes of the prophets apostles is deliuered by God himselfe doth not only nor principally relye vpon the authoritie of the church but most especially vpon the testimonie of God the scripture it selfe 2. The first and principall argument wherby this authoritie of holy scripture is established amoÌ„gst vs is the witnesse of Gods holy spirit in the hearts of the faithfull 3. This witnes as it is peculiar to the godly so it only causeth vs in true faith to embrace the doctrine of the prophets apostles all the rest may be vnderstood even of them which are not regenerate and do indeed conuince or forceablie perswade vs of the truth of this doctrine but except we haue also this witnesse of the spirite they can neuer moue our mindes to embrace and giue credit to them 4. The seconde argument is because this doctrine only sheweth men the causes of evill deliuerrance from sinne death agreeing with the perfect iustice and goodnes of God and also satisfying our consciences 5 The third because only the doctrine of the prophets and Apostles retaineth Gods law entire pure but all other Religions frame vnto theÌ„selues Gods and their worship without any authoritie from God and approue many things contrary to the law naturally knowne vnto vs. 6 The fourth because history and experience doth witnesse that the eveÌ„t hath answered those predictions which haue beene heere and there set downe in scripture 7 The fift is the miracles added to this doctrine 8 The sixt antiquity because this religion vvaâ— the first and hath continued the same from the beginning of the world vntill this day 9 The seventh the consent and agreement of all parts of this doctrine betweene themselues which is not in other religions 10 The eighth is the hatred of Satan and all the wicked against this doctrine 11 The ninth is Gods preservation and defence of this doctrine against all his enemies 12 The tenth the punishment of such enemies as persecute or corrupt this doctrine 13 The eleventh the constancy of Martyrs and confessors Tertullian The bloud of Martyrs is the seed of the church The Martyrs of the church differ from othersâ— in multitude 2 in alacrity cheerefulnesse in vndergoing dangers death it selfe 3 the defenders of wicked doctrine suffer when they are convicted of errors but the godlie are by tyrannicall force carried awaie to punishment 14 The twelfth their holinesse of life by whom it was delivered and spread abroad farre exceeding the vertues of heathen men and such as followed other religions 15 Seeing therefore this only doctrine of religion is true and Divine no opinion can binde our consciences to beliefe or obedience which is not established by testimonies of holy scripture rightly vnderstood but no opinion disagreeing therewithall is to be so much as receiued OF GOD AND THE TRVE KNOWledge of him 1 MAn being destitute of the true knowledge of God is most vnhappy 2 It is no true knowledge of God which agreeeth not with Gods own opening of himselfe nor is ioined with true loue and feare of God 3
church Sitting at the right hand of his father iudge of quick and dead c. Also that the holy ghost is called a sanctifier that is a person immediately lightning vs regenerating vniting vs to God comforting and confirming vs. OF THE CREATION OF THE WORLD 1 THe order in nature the minde of man the knowledge of principles civill discipline final causes the finite orderly chaine of causes do shew that it was created by some principall creating spirite 2 Yet because of the knowledge of God now obsâ—ured in men by sin for the continuall change of corruption and generation for the absurditie of imagining the creator to bee idle and for losse of the historie of the creation and originall of the world there is no truth certainety to be found concerning the creation of the worlde but in the doctrine of the church 3 Therefore the sacred scripture teacheth vs that al things begaÌ„ to be to haue bin created by the only true God the eternall father sonne and holy Ghost according to the eternall purpose and pleasure of this true and eternall God 4 But this eternall father created all thinges of nothing by his sonne and the holy Ghost most freely without any alteration or chaunge of himselfe or any labour so that all was verye good 5 The ende of the creation of the worlde vvas chiefly the glorie of God other ends subordinate vnto this are the manifestation and contemplation of Gods wisedome power and goodnesse in his workes his providence or preservation and perpetuall governing of all things especiallie the goodnesse bountie of God toward his church and to conclude that al other things might seruâ— for the life and safety of man 6. OF THE SAME 1 VVHatsoeuer is is either the creatour or his creature 2 All other things which haue begun to be besides this one onely eternall and trew God manifested in his church were created by the one trew God 3. In that beginning of time wherein it pleased God to haue it so 4. And that of the eternall father by the sonne and holy Ghost 5. By the most free purpose decree of Gods will 6. With out anie motion change or laboure of the creator 7. And that of nothinge 8. And so that al things were most excellent in their kind 9. Not that the creator might thereby be made better or more perfect 10. But that in the creation he might impart his goodnesse and ioy to reasonable creatures 11. And afterwardes preseruinge ruling and sustaining by his providence al thinges which he had created he might for ever be beneficiall vnto them especially to his church 12. And that being willing that other creatures should serue especially for mans vse and saftie 13. He might declare vnto them his wisedome goodnesse power and ioy 14. And being knowne by his workes â—ee might for euer be praised by reasoÌ„able creatures for his wisedome bountie power and ioy 7. OF THE ANGELS 1 IT is certaine that there are angells both good and bad 2. But both good and bad angelles are spirites that is incorporall substances not subiect to sense liuing intelligent excellent in strength and wisedome 3. Finite in nature and proprieties 4. Created by God of nothinge then when other things were created 5. In trew holinesse iustice and blessednesse 6. Wherin the good Angells are by the singular grace of the creator confirmed 7. That they may agnize and praise him for ever 8. And be Gods ministers to finish the saluatioÌ„ of the elect and represse and punish the euill 9. But the evill angells by their proper and free will aâ—d by their owne fault fell from God and are made enemies of God and the good angels and mankind 10. And therefore through hatred against God they force men to sinne practize their destruction 11. And these are immutable evill cast of from God into eternall punishment 12. But God suffered them to fall and saueth them being fallen that he may shewe his anger and iustice in their punishments and by them may punishe chastize and exercise the elect 9 OF GODS PROVIDENCE 1. Not onely the doctrine of the prophets and apostles but also the testimonies of God shininge in nature doe proue that the world is preserued gouerned by Gods prouidence As the order which is seene in the principall partes of nature the minde or soule governing the actions of men with her prouidence the lawe of nature giuen to men that it might be vnto them a rule of their life rewardes and punishments conscience the ordering of politique affaires heroick motions vertues the fore-tellinges of future eventes the ends whereunto things are ordained and lastely the verie nature of the most omnipoteÌ„t wise iust and excellent God 2. Gods prouideÌ„ce is the eternall counsell of God most free and immutable most wise iust according to which God bringeth to passe all good in all his creatures suffereth sin to be committed and directeth all both good and evill to his glory and the saluarion of the elect 3. This purpose or counsell in God is not onlie a knowledge or science in God but also the forcible decree and will of God wherby he hath determined from all eternitie both what he himselfe will doe what he will haue become of his workes whatsoeuer he hath decreed he also effecteth in fit time order 4. Good thinges are the substaunces of al things the properties faculties giuen vnto theÌ„ by God al motions mutatioÌ„s actioÌ„s events of al things as they are naturall motioÌ„s or obedience to Gods wil or benefites and blessinges of God or punnishments of the evill 5. That all these thinges are done by the powerfull will of God as manie most euident testimonies of scripture so also these reasons do confirme 1 Because of Gods omnipotencie nothing can be done in the worlde which God simplie wil not haue done And therfore what soever is done God must needes either simplie or in some sorte be willing that it should be done 2 Because a most wise governour such as God is suffereth nothing of al that is in his power to come to passe besides his will and purpose 3 Because he which is willing the ends of thinges should come to passe is also willing either simplie or in sorte that all thinges and events by which we compasse those ends should come to passe 4 Because Gods purposes decrees depend not on the actions of secoÌ„d causes 5 Because the immutable fore knowledge of God cannot be grouÌ„ded but on an immutable cause that is gods wil decree 6 Because God is the first cause of al naturall good things amongst which also are reckned the motioÌ„s of each thing 6 Wheras evill is of two sorts one of offence the other of punishment and that which is a punishment is an execution of iustice therfore good it ought likewise to be referred vnto Gods will as the principall cause thereof 7 But the evil of offence
or sin as it is a motion or triall or exercise or chastisement of the godly or a punishmeÌ„t of the evil so it is from Gods prouideÌ„ce effectiuely that is so that God is the author of it but as it is sin not effectiuely but permissiuely 8. Now this permission is not a ceasinge of Gods prouidence and working in the actions of evill men wherby it may come to passe that those actions may seeme not to depend of any other cause then of the creatures which aâ—â—â—gents but a withdrawing of his heauenly grace wherby God executinge the decree of his will by reasonable creatures eyther doth not reveale vnto the creature his will which will haue that action done or ells boweth not the will of the creature to obey this diuine will in that action Which so standing the creature sinneth necessarilie in deed but with all voluntarilie and freely by Gods most iust iudgment whiles God by it bringeth to passe the iust good worke of his will prouidence 9. God therfore will haue those actions motions which the Divells men by sinning doe effect to come to passe as they are motions and executions of Gods iust iudgment but as they are sins he neither willeth nor appoueth nor effecteth them though he forbid hate horiblie punnish them yet notwithstanding in Divels men â—e suffereth them to concur with his iust actions whilest for verie good reasons most iust causes he doth not effect in them by his spirit the performance of these actioÌ„s iustely that is according to the prescript of Gods will 10 Neither is God therfore the author of confusion which is in the actions of the evill for what they will do inordinatlie that is against the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of God that God will haue done in excellent most wise order Lastly euen sinnes themselues as they are sins be done by Gods providence though not effecting yet permitting prescribing them boundes directing theÌ„ whither it pleaseth him 11 Neither is God by this doctrine made the author of sin because the sin of the sinfull creature doth by accident concur with the good and iust worke of God which he in his owne couÌ„sel determineth by the sinfull creature executeth And therefore in respect of Gods will those actioÌ„s are iust and right which in respect of the wicked by whom they be done are sinnes 12. And these things are manifest first by the vniversall nature causes effects being such of theÌ„selues naturally or by accideÌ„t For wheÌ„ the same effect hath many causes some good some badde that same effect in respect of good causes is good in regard of bad causes is bad good causes of theÌ„selues naturally are the causes of good effects but by accideÌ„t of euil effects or sins which is fouÌ„d in the effect by some other euill or sinful cause coÌ„trarywise euil causes are of theÌ„selues the causes of evil but by accideÌ„t they may be causes of that good whith is fouÌ„d in the effect 13. Secondly the truth of these matters appeareth by the immutable nature of God the fouÌ„taine and author of all good For Gods wokes are equaly good whether he effect theÌ„ by evil or good instruments neither are they battered by good or made worse by evill instruments seeing their iustice and goodnes dependeth not on the nature of the instruments but of God which maketh vse of the instruments but on the other side the creatures can neither be nor continue good nor do anie thing that is good except God make them good vphold theÌ„ in goodnes so governing theÌ„ that they may work that which is good with God who by theÌ„ worketh that good which he will 14 Yet hereby we do not attribute vnto God coÌ„trary wils For God wil wil not the same actioÌ„s in divers respectes Hee will as they are conformable to his most iust iudgement and order and he will not but rather hateth and detesteth yet permitteth them to be done as they are contrary to his order and law against which they are committed by the wicked 15 Neither doth the necessity of consequence which happeneth to the events by the immutable decree of Gods providence take away that contingeÌ„ce or casuality which they haue froÌ„ the mutable nature of second causes or from the power liberty of God whereby he so decreed from al eternity if we distinguish rightly betweene both as that there is a respect betweene causes working immutablie or mutablie For thereby euerie man may see that the same effect proceeding froÌ„â—auses partly mutable partly immutable may wel be called coÌ„tingeÌ„t in respect of mutable causes and necessary in respect of causes immutable 16 Neither doth this immutable providence of God derogate ought from the vse of teaching our desire of wel-doing as if these things were in vaine or to no purpose for admitting a first cause it is not necessarie to denie the second causes nor the first admitting the secoÌ„d And God hath promised to saue vs not without but by these means and hath for this reason coÌ„manded vs to vse theÌ„ expecting the good successe of them from him 17 But when God in scripture is denied to will the actions of Divels or sinful men that is to bee vnderstood as they are sins or to that end wherevnto they are done by divels meÌ„ not as they are actions or done vnto that end which God in the order of providence respecteth For actions are distinguished by their endes 18 The church thus perswaded her selfe and teaching others of Gods provideÌ„ce doth vtterly coÌ„demne detest the furies madnes of Epicures and Academiques with the devises of all others which wil haue gods provideÌ„ce either to be none at al or not to exteÌ„d vnto all things in the world or els to be only a certain kinde of fore-knowledg in God not any decree and execution 19 As much it condemneth the blasphemies and errours of the Manichees Stoickes Libertines and others which make GOD the authour of sinne or take from him his libertye whereby from all eternitie hee made his decrees or else abolish the operations and vse or differences of second causes working either necessarily or contingently or voluntarily freely 20 This doctrine is to be retained in the Church for Gods glory that so it may appeare that God is the governour of all things yet not the author of sinne but the most free and excellent effector giver of all good things It is also so necessarie for our instruction and comfort that we may become thankefull vnto God as being the well spring of all goodnes and patiently suffer evils as happening vnto vs by his will perswading our selues that all things shal serue for our salvation that acknowledging God to bee the author of punishments we might amende not despaire of Gods helpe though we be left destitute by second causes that we trust not in our selues but in feare of
2. Our salvation God converteth saveth such as are of age vnderstaÌ„ding by knowledge of this doctrine as the chiefe instrument of his word Of the efficacy and power of the holie spirit by the ministry against the Swencke-feldians Causes why the ministry was ordeined Three trials of a Christian man The preseruation and propagatioÌ„ of pure sincere religion to prosterity 4 The capacity of youth and â—uder sort Heb. 5. 13. 14. 1. Cor. 3. 2. 3. The continuall custome of the church 6. The heresies and dangers of the last times Mat. 24. 23. Mat. 24. 4. 7 The reward of the embracing of the Gospel and the punishment of the contempt therof Es 5. 24. 26. Amos. 8. 11. 12. Ioh. 5. 43. The persecution in England in Q. Maries daies Luc. 13. 3. 8 Church-doctrine especiâ—â—â—y oughâ—t to be known vnto scholers Ioh. 5. â—â— 1. Tim. 4. â—3 Col. 3. 16. Philip Melancthons examen Therefore contrariwise if the flesh bee found every where how comes it that the nature of the flesh worde which is every where is not one The doctrine of Predestination is not difficult I Difference betweene provideÌ„ce predestination II Distinction betweene good evil offence What it is to 〈◊〉 or suffer III The difference betâ—â—â—ne the 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 second 〈◊〉 〈…〉 11. 〈◊〉 20. 15. Rom. 9. 3. IV. The difference of effectes in respect of V Difference of sinnes VI Two sortes of necessity Testimoniâ—s out of the New Testament Out of the New testament ArgumeÌ„ts 〈…〉 Aâ—ioms of eternal immutable Election Answere to obiections Election doth not lead vs froÌ„ the revealed to the hidden will of God Answere to the instaunce of Paule Rom. 11. 33. Dotage of the Stoickes Manichees falsly obiected Eph. 1. 4. 2. Tim. â— 9. Act. 15. 18. Enthusiasmes or Revelations falsly obiected The will of man is not â—â—le Phil. 22. God is not the cause of sinne 〈◊〉 no docâ—â—â—ne of râ—â—son but of the gospell The promises are vâ—iuersall vnto those that beleiue Ioh 10. 28. 6. 39. Maâ— 24. 24 Rom. 8. 30. 1. Tim 2. 4. God will haue all men saued In God are not contradictorieâ— willes God is no respecter of persons Rom. 10. 12. Two nay three sorts of election in scripture Three sortes of vocation Voluntas signi beâ—â— placiâ—i The doctrins of persâ—uerance doth not mâ—ke vâ—presumptuous but beleeue eternall life Col 3. 3. 1. Pet. 1. 5. The elect may loose the spirit of God out not wholy noâ— finally Ioh. 10. You may referre this discourse 〈◊〉 to the fifte question on that Article of the Creede He died The fruites of Christs Resurrection belong to all the faithfull to them alone Ioh. 3. 36. 5. 24. Rom. 5. 1. 1. Pet. 1. 3. Act. 15. 9. 1. Thess 4. 14. 1. Cor. 10. 5 Heb. 11. 6. Ioh. 3. 18. 36 Rom. 8. 9. Chriist died for all men All that beleeue Ioh. 17. 9. Mat. 7. 23. Ioh. 3. 36. Mat. 7. 6. For the vnbeleevers only in respect of the sufficiency of the price which he paied Why we must distinguish betweene sufficiencâ— and the efficacie of Christs satisfactioÌ„ Heb. 29. 1. Tim. 2. 6. 1. Ioh. 2. 2. Ioh. 17 9. Ioh. 10. 15. Mat 20. 28. Isai 53. 11. Mat. 26. 28. Rom. 8. 9. 2. Pet. 2. 1. 2. Pet. 1. 9. Heb. 10. 29. 2 Tim. 2. 26. The Authority of Fathers and Schoolemen Cyrill in Ioh li. 11. cap. 19. Looke August Tom. 7. Cap. 9. Ioh. 11. 51. 52. On Ezech. lib. 1. hom cap 2. Inn. li. 2. ca. 21. Myst mys Serm. 10. de 9. vers in Psal 91. Serm. de verit maie 26 Quaest 7. Isai 53. 11. De Brâ—anis Catholicâ— verit li. 8. cap. 14. The Vbiquitarie Pelagian opinioÌ„ touching the restoring of all into favor and grace with God by the death of Christ bee they reprobates or dogs and swine The falshood and impiety of the foresaid opinion The absurdity therof 1. Cor. 6. 10 Mat. 11. 28. Ioh. 3. 16. Rom. 3. 22. Gal. 3. 22. Ioh. 3. 36. Act. 10. 43. Lib. 1. ca. 3. A speciall vniversity of the faithful elect Against the sâ—â—under of pure particulars 1. Cor. 15. â—2 Ibid. 23. Luc. 22. 19. 20. The chaÌ„ge of the things in the Sacraments â—â—s the cause of the change of the naÌ„es Obiect Auns The Consubstantials retaine the errors of the Transubstantials The true catholique opinion keeping a iust meane betweene the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Consubstantials offending in the excesse the 〈◊〉 offending in the defect Augustine ad Dardan epist 57. Read the place Three persons of one God What is meant by essence What a person is The Sonne 〈◊〉 person of the 〈◊〉 or a subsistence The holy Ghost a person That these persons are distinguished That the persons be equall That the persons are consubstaÌ„tiall Two sortes of differences in the persons Internall Externall That all things are done by thâ—â—â—â—â—table providence of God Evill of punishment offence Contrarie wils are not in God ProvideÌ„ce taketh noâ— away the vse of meanes The vse of this doctrin of providence Dist Distinct 2. Distinct 3. Distinct 4. Distinct 5. The difference betweene sinners regenerate and not regenerate Distinct 6. The cause of sinne The effects â—f sinne 4. States of men Fredericke the third RepentaÌ„ce necessarie What repentaÌ„ce is Come vnto me all yee c. Heare yee him c. Renuing of infantes Imperfect renewing ConuersioÌ„ must be all our life ConuersioÌ„ truely begon is not exâ—inguished THE certaintie of perseueriÌ„g breedeth not carnal securitie Causes of coÌ„uersion Diverse meâ—nes of conversioÌ„ Effectes of repentaÌ„ce The reprobate never truely repent SacrameÌ„ts confirme our faith Mar. 16. 16. Leuit. 1. 4. Psal 51. 9. Deut. 3. 6. Rom. 6. 3. 1. Cor 10. 16. The ends of sacraments in respect of vs. Exo. 12. 45. Rom. 3. 1. Eph. 2. 11. Gen. 17. 1. Cor. 11. 26. Exod. 12. 14. Exod. 13. 9. Luc. 22. 19. Epe 4. 5. 1. Cor. 10. 12. Eze. 16. 59. NOTE Abraham had a more excellent faith then any in the new testament not for plaines but for stedfastnes The defnition or nature The endes How the Lords supper confirmeth our faith The signes of the Lords supper The maÌ„ner of Christs presence in the Lordes supper Sacramental speech 1. Cor. 10. 16. 1. Cor. 12. 18. Sacramentall vnion A twofolde feeding on the body of Christ Ioh. 6. The lawful vse How the wicked ear The coâ—â—â—â—mation DiffereÌ„ces of baptisme and of the Lords supper Who may not come to the Lords supper Who may be admitted