God sealing our salvation for his owne names sake Q. What things are to be observed therein A. Two The causes thereof and the effects Gen. 2.17 Ezek. 18.2 Rom. 6.23 Sinne and death are as in separable in the cause as fire and burning death is a necessary consequent of such a cause Q. How many sorts of causes be there A. Two the one blameable and guiltie the other blamelesse and guiltlesse The law and sinne as well s the law and obedience worke together though in a distinct manner for of obedience the law is the principall cause but of sinne an accidentall as working beside his owne scope and maine drift which is to savour nothing but life and also as a contrary to sinne hence a sinner stands in violent opposition to the law and they striue the more because the one is readie to hinder the others act as bankes or flood-gates staying the streame make it either burst them downe or else swell over them and doe we not see how all such as are bent vpon any villany are more exasperated by disswasion then if they were let alone Pharaoh is better to Israel whiles they willingly obey then when Moses and Aaron come to preach their deliuerance then as a beast he turnes madde with baiting And so all the Martyrs should haue had the Heathen Emperours better tutors then tyrants if they had not provoked them by opposition of their wickednesse Nay doe we not see how the best mindes when they are troubled yeeld inconsiderate motions as water that is violently stirred sends vp bubbles Rom. 7.11.11.13 Q. How many be the causes blameable A. Two The principall and ministeriall the Devill a chiefe agent in mans apostasie abused the Serpent and the woman as his instruments to seduce man Gen. 3.2 Cor. 11.3 Satans policie was to take the subtill Serpent and simple Woman to defeat man of his happinesse as now he doth the Iesuites and females to draw men to Antichrist Q. What are the principall causes A. The Devill and Man though Eue was first in the motion yet was Adam principall in the action for he is first called to the barre to answere the transgression Gen. 3.9 1. Tim. 2.13.14 First he was the head of his wife and therefore it was his sinne that he gaue her no better instruction Secondly the Covenant of life was made principally with him and therefore it is said that when he had eaten both their eyes were open Gen. 3.7 She did eate before her husband and sinned personally but when he did eate with her then they both saw that they and all their posteritie were accursed Thirdly It is probable that Adam stood by all the time of the disputation and therefore his sinne was the greater that he rebuked not the Serpent and rescued his wife from all such suggestions or if he was absent whereof the Text makes no mention then should he shew himselfe a weaker vessell then his wife who had all the bad Angels in one craftie beast to set vpon her whereas he had onely one weake woman in his purest integritie to overthrow him Neither could his affection then to his wife be so preposterous as are now of corrupt naturalists who are blinded in loue His loue to his wife was created pure and therefore except his iudgement had beene first perverted as it was in his wife he could not so easily haue consented of meere affection to his wife I cannot beleeue but that the Devils in the Serpent did as well tempt Adam as Eue though first they began with her as a further meanes of inticing him The text sayes not that Eue went to seeke her husband but that shee tooke and gaue to her husband with her c. Genesis 3.6 Q. How were the Devils the cause of it A. They were by creation good and appointed of God to be mans keepers yet of their owne accord and free will they disdained and contemned their standing with God Iud. ver 6. and became proud rebellious and abominable lyers and blasphemers of God and of malice and hatred of man became seducers and murtherers of him Ioh. 4.44 It may well be disputed whether the Angels were Apostataes in heaven or Paradise If I may shew my iudgement and leaue it as a probable opinion it is this The third heaven is a place of puritie and absolute felicitie and therfore cannot for a moment or instant of time be the subiect of any pollution or misery If sinne had ever beene in heaven the place should haue beene polluted by it The very earth was stained with the sinne of his proper inhabitant and so should heaven if the proper and peculiar inhabitants had there sinned but such was the wise providence of Almightie God that at once he would giue a iust occasion of triall of the Angels in their obedience and saue heaven from all polution which he then and now and ever preserues most pure for his elect both Angels and men The occasion was giuen in their ministration to man not the celebration of Gods glory in heauen that they might see more fitting their place then the other but shall wee the most excellent of Gods creatures stoop so low as to become mans servants and subiect our selues to ourinferiours c Let vs thinke of a course to subvert his estate and bring him out of grace and favour with his creator so shall we according to our excellencie Lord it over him So that here might very well be a conioyned Apostasie in the ruine of them both O blessed God how farre is thy decree from all staine of sin and yet how full of Mercy and Iustice Thou wouldst not try all thy Angels some thou keptst at home whiles others fell in ministring abroad And all this that thy sonne might be exalted neither Angel or man ever prevailing without him Rev. 12.6.7 They that fight vnder this head are all saued if they warre vnder their owne power they cannot but perish The good angels were but lookers on till a Messias was promised and then are they all ministering spirits for the good of their fellow heires of salvation Heb. 1.14 Who can say blacke is the eye of Gods providence intending to glorifie his Iustice in the condemnation of some Angels and some men when he might haue executed all Let vs all sing with the sweet Singer of Israel Psal 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and vpright are thy iudgement Q. How was man a cause thereof A. By the abuse of Gods law and his owne free will being seduced by Satan and induced into sinne by the strength of his temptation subtiltie of his suggestion and is owne free reception of both voluntarily harkning thereunto contrary to Gods commandement when being assisted thereby he might easily haue resisted the same Gen. 3.6 Man was made a most free beginner of his owne action neither did God withdraw or with-hold any necessary grace from him he gaue him sufficient not to sinne neither was he bound to
and wicked men feele not the full extent of Gods wrath God will haue them to exercise the graces and vertues of his servants and so by accident they are preserved and reserved to the generall assize and fire of hell Christ shall come in fire and that fire shall be the melting of the elements which shall be confounded as in one masse The ayre is oyly and the earth is full of combustible matter as coales and brimstone Many pits are full of slime and as the Countrey where Sodome and Gomorrah stood was very bituminous clammie clay and glewish ground with store of slime pits and so very fit for the exhaling of that matter which was afterwards rained downe vpon them so the place that God is now a preparing for the damned may very well be in the confusion of all the elements together where fire shall fearefully seize vpon all things and God even prepare all as matter or fuell for his rage I heare not that the fire shall be quenched againe in which Christ shall come And the fire of hell is vnquenchable and may even in this become vtter darknesse because the Starres shall fall and melt away and the powers of heaven shall be shaken and as it were driuen to the earth and therefore the subiect of light being destroyed vpon the earth and within the earth may be this horrible darknesse and woefull fire Ier. 17.13 Some shall haue their names written in the earth and be as the Parables of the dust as others in heaven opposite shall be the places of the elect and damned and as it were a gulfe betwixt them Luk. 16.26 The reprobate shall then be more narrowly confined and more fearefully tormented To conclude learne further by this punishment of the Devils that their first sinne was in tempting of man for we see that the punishment of them is onely inflicted for this their rebellion and their continuing in it yea marke further how God hath punished the rebells in their enuie they enuied mans estate by creation and scorned to serue him they shall now see him advanced into their roomes and themselues imprisoned vpon that miserable earth which they converted from a Paradise into a prison from a delicate palace into a most damnable dungeon Thus whiles enuie feeds on others evils and hath no disease but his neighbours well fare it hath all those favours fall beside it selfe which it grudged to see in others It is nothing but a pale leane carcase quickned with a Fiend it keepes the worst diet for it consumes it selfe and delights in pining A thorne hedge covered with netles that cannot be dealt withall either tenderly or roughly What peevish interpreters of good things were the Devils that had rather step into hell then stoop a little to their Creator in seruing of an inferior creature which now they see more honoured then ever before Q. What punishment was inflicted on the Instruments and first vpon the Serpent A. A curse aboue all the beasts of the field enmitie betweene him and the woman and a sensible feeling of paine in his going vpon his belly and eating of dust Gen. 3.14.15 All things were for man and his comfort therefore it was an odious thing to be his over-thrower God layes a reasonable punishment on the vnreasonable Instrument These wormes were worthy creatures of God but now most wretched and ashamed to appeare abroad and therefore liue in the earth and are seldome to be seene Their skins paine them if they liue long and alwayes it is painefull vnto them to crawle or creepe because the belly is their softest part and oppressed with the guts and body lying vpon it In winter they stirre not being almost dead with cold Their meat is the earth a grieuous diet and the greatest enemie to life consisting of heat and moysture Wee may see by the wormes that feed on the earth how in dry weather they are withered and pined to nothing and what adoe they haue to thrust out their earthy food in a raynie morning Lastly this beast was cursed in this that now woman should take heed how she came neere him and he likewise stricken with a feare of her c. Q. What was inflicted vpon the woman A. Besides that which she hath common with man her inforred subiection to her husband and her manifold griefe in conception bearing and bringing forth Gen. 3.16 She should not now be so bold with her husband her limites were to be shortned and her yoke made more grievous Shee was an instrument of his hurt and is now to feele it by her liuing with him conceiuing by him bearing and bringing forth of his of spring The blessing of God before was great and should haue taken away all paine which now is iustly inflicted for her dissobedience The paine of the belly is to both instruments a memorandum of medling with forbidden fruit Q. What is inflicted vpon Adam and consequently vpon all his posteritie A. Sinne and death One sinne begets another and the second is an effect of the former both properly and accidentally properly as a branch of so bitter a root accidentally as inflicted by divine Iustice One and the selfe same effect may haue diverse causes as for example Iob 1.21 with 15. vers c. Satan Sabeans Chaldeans c. as well as God afflict Iob. Act 2.23 wicked hands as well as Gods crucified Christ Exod. 7.13.14.22 and 8.15.32 and 9.7.12.14.34.35 and 10.20.27 c. Pharaoh and God both harden the one in punishing the other in sinning God wills to punish one sinne with another the sinne he wills by accident the punishment by counsell It enters not into the minde of God to commit sinne Ier. 32.35 and yet it is his minde to punish the abominâ—â—â— with their owne abominations They that are ambitious of their owne destructions never want the plagues of God to seize vpon them He that setteth and selleth himselfe to sinne shall find God as readie to offend him with lustice as he can be to offend God with iniustic As man sowes so shall he reape and if there be a brewing of death tunn'd vp in vessels of sinue it is good reason that the sinner should drinke it CHAPTER XIX Of originall and actuall Sinne. Question WHat sinnes are inflicted Answere Both originall and actuall Adams transgression turned the Chariot of the soule cleane out of the tract of good so that now it is impossible he should ever get into his way againe Small sinnes are like to slips and slidings whereby men fall and hurt themselues but great sinnes are like downefalls which wound lame dis-ioynt or breake some member c. Mans first sinne was a miserable downe-fall for it did wound and wast the whole man and made him euery way vnable to stirre hand or foot to please God Gal. 6.1 Catartizein is to let a ioynt and man is restored againe when God of his goodnesse doth bring euery facultie of soule and member of
Taverne Tyrants in their houses and Cheators in their shops He sees those daintie Dames that vnder a cloke of modesty and devotion can hide their pride and fiendishnesse It will not be long ere thou wilt iudge all our secrecies with severitie The sunne of my sinnefull life hath passed the meridian and I am now in the after-noone of my age The night of nature will come fast vpon mee when death as Gods sergeant will arrest my body vpon debt due vnto nature my soule vpon trespasse committed against my all-seeing Creator The one must be bound hand and foote and committed close prysoner to the ground the other arraigned in the high Court of heauen where he that hath seene me sinne shall be both party and judge to answere to all obiections as well of ignorance as of contempt Onely this is my stay and staffe that hee will both forgiue and forget yea put himselfe out of office if I betimes judge my selfe and repent of my evill Q. What as his Will A. That whereby he wills most freely what is good Exod. 33.19 Psal 5.4 and 115.3 and 135.6 And here might something be sayd of diverse affections attributed to God But they will appeare better vpon the occasions they manifest themselues and for which they are giuen to God And here must wee learne our counsell and comfort Counsell to submit to whatsoeuer he commandeth and comfort to admit whatsoever he promiseth Oh vaine studies of men how to walke thorow streets all day in the shade how to square circles how to salue the celestiall motions how to correct mishapen copies to fetch vp old words from forgetfulnesse and a thousand other points of idle skill whiles the maine care of knowing Gods will is neglected This makes the best of all these inferiour creatures to liue in more sorrow and discontentment then the worst of them yea that very reason wherein he excells them by which he might advantage his life is abused to suspicious distrust of God and his will How many haue wee found of the fowles of the ayre lying dead in our way for want of provision they can eate rest sing c. onely man toyleth careth loatheth and lamenteth his present O the coldnes of care in casting it vpon God as if he wanted will to prouide best for them for whom he hath prouided all things I will so depend on my makers will that my trust therein may not exclude my labour and so labour vpon my confidence thereon as that my endevour may be voyd of vexation Math. 10. Q. What are Gods Vertues A. The qualities whereby he is absolutely good Math. 19.17 Why callest thou me good there is none goad but God Deut. 32.4 He is a rocke his worke is perfect for all his workes are iudgement a God of truth and without iniquitie iust and right is he 2. Sam. 22.31 God must needs haue all vertues because he wants no perfection As the Ocean receiueth all streames and yet hath proper waters in farre greater abundance so in God there is a confluence of the perfections of all creatures and yet his owne perfections doe infinitely exceed them What are the pleasures of this life to our drinking of his pleasures as out of a ryver Psal 36.8 At the best they are but as beames of that sunne sparkles of that fire which most purely and perfectly are contained in him Yet as we haue made them they are as a smoakie fire in cold weather whereof the smoake is more noysome then the heat is comfortable O giue me of that abundance which both in cause and continuance plentie and place so farre excells the other Q. What are the sorts of these Vertues A. Two either his intellectuall or morall vertues God must haue the best vnderstanding and the best will and therefore must needs enioy the vertues of both Rom. 3.4 Let God be true and euery man a liar Psal 51.4 God is iust when he speaketh and pure when he iudgeth his will and vnderstanding are purely good By this our hearts being ravished with the loue admiration of this light which so brightly shineth vnto vs as men with the Sunne who are newly drawne from dungeon and bottome of basenesse should readily follow him who carrieth so faire a lampe before vs. Shall the marchant refuse no adventure for hope of gaine the hunter shrinke at no weather for loue of game the Souldier decline no danger for desire either of glory or spoyle And shall we frame to our selues either an ease in not vnderstanding or an idlenesse in not vsing the meanes whereby we attaine both immeasurable and immortall glory pleasure and gaine I know as the proverbe is a dead woman will haue foure to carry her forth so we cannot easily be beaten out of our homes to hasten to this inheritance laid vp for the Saints in light Q. What are his intellectuall Vertues A. Whereby he is most prompt in vnderstanding all his purposes most exactly and distinctly Psal 139.4 There is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it wholly Rom. 11.33 and 16.27 Onely wise and a depth of wisedome and knowledge is to be found in God Iob 21.1 Act. 15.8 1 Ioh. 3.20 His deepe iudgement hath waded and weighed all considerations and the way he taketh is ever best The minde of man is weighed as euery wind of passion dooth puffe Lust and pride desire to spend avarice to spare envie to detract feare or favour to extoll ambition to adventure suspition to hold backe wrath sweetneth revenge with delight deceit cloaketh it with dissimulation Onely God is exact and distinct in all his enterprises Q. What are his morall vertues A. Whereby most holily readily and purely he performes the act of his will Gen. 18.15 Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe iustly Deut. 32.4 A God of truth and without iniquitie iust and right is he in all his wayes According to these two heads of vertues were all things created The whole world manifesteth the wisedome of God and all his intellectuall vertues Men and Angels his iustice and mercy the top of all his morall vertues But the particular handling of these vertues we leaue to the places where they doe most manifest themselues O my Soule thou art pent within the clay-walles of my body and mayest often looke through the grates in thy busie thoughts when this holy God will send for thee Surely to be dissolved is best of all onely he that gaue our soules their mittimus into our bodies must giue them a re-delivery with returne yee sonnes of Adam If in the interim he crosse vs in our bodies yet haue we no cause to complaine as long as wee haue him in feeling in faith in earnest and pledges yea in possession O the madde insolence of nature that dares controll where it were more fit to wonder Should presumptuous clay be bold to check the potter Me thinkes this should ingender a very curious advantagious warinesse in all
Mahomet himselfe did dreame hee saw God in a vision so bigge as the Papists haue made Christ Let them neuer flee to Gods omnipotencie to maintaine their I doll vpon the Altar for it contradicts the very nature of a created bodie to be in two or many places at once or extended further then the nature of the creature will beare if Christ had in his body all the 4 elements wholly it could not be extended to fill the third heauen and the earth at once for they are all formally extended to their perfection by God and can fill no greater a place then is vnder the highest heauen Christ therefore hauing but a little part of all these in his body it were beyond a miracle to extend that little further then the whole Againe Christ hauing a glorified body it must not loose proportion now the extension of any one member more then is fit makes a deformitie Theresore the bodie of Christ loosing none of the perfections of nature and receiuing greater perfections of glory must be contained in the third heaven in such a length breadth and thicknesse as is fit for a body So that it neither stands with the power or the wisedome of God to worke such a miracle as the Papists obtrude vpon the world Q. But how can we attribute power to God who is pure act A. It cannot be giuen to God in respect of himselfe but onely of the creatures which may feele his worke which they never felt before The fire alwayes burneth in it selfe yet in regard of this or that combustible matter it is in power to burne that is the matter is in power to feele the act of the fire So God ever acteth or worketh in himselfe Ioh. 5.17 But the creature doth not ever feele it Psal 139.16 All things are said to be done of God long before the creature feeles his worke Hence creation as an action is eternall as a passion in time Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth In regard of heauen and earth creation hath a beginning but in regard of God it hath none Time is the companion of creatures not of the Creator Q. What further appeareth from his omnipotencie and efficiencie together A. His decree which is a definitiue sentence concerning the effecting of all things by his mightie power according to the counsell of his will Whatsoeuer God doth in his efficiency and can doe by his omnipotencie that he decreeth I doe not simply say what he can doe he decreeth for the decree is onely of things to be done his omnipotencie of things to be done or not to be done but thus I reason What he doth that he can doe and what he can doe and doth that he decreeth to be done Ephe. 1.11 According to the purpose of him that worketh all things after the counsell of his will Efficiencie and omnipotencie manifest the decree but it is before them both and a cause of them So that there is nothing either in creation or providence whereof the decree of God is not some wayes a cause yet must we not so much stand poring vpon the decree of God as runne presently to that place in Gods providence which will cleare manifest vnto vs that Gods decree is without all fault The decree of Adams fall went before that part of Gods providence which did gouerne his fall and as providence workes it so God decreed to haue it wrought Q. What attributes appeare by the manifestation of his decree A. Constancie truth and fidelitie for the decree must bee most constant true and faithfull Isa 14.24 As I haue purposed it shall come to passe and what I haue consulted shall stand Vers 27. The Lord hath determined who shall disanull it his hand is stretched out and who shall turne it away Rom. 9.19 Q. What is his constancie in decreeing A. Whereby his decree remaineth constant and vnchangeable Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord which change not and yee sonnes of Iacob are not consumed Isa 46.10 My counsell shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure Rom. 11.29 Heb. 6.17.18 Q. What is his truth A. Whereby he deliuereth nothing but that which he decreeth Truth is properly to pronounce as the thing is but the thing is ever as God pronounceth it to be You stand before me therefore I see you is a good consequence with man but the cleane contrary is true with God God seeth you therefore you stand there For truth is in God before it be in the things and in the things before it can be in me The truth therefore of Gods definitiue sentence is before the existence of any creature or action It is not true that the prescience of God follows the thing done or to be done for then the truth of a thing should be before God decreed it to be As for example God decreed this truth that Adam should fall this thing followes the foreknowledge of God in decreeing it to be so that it followes more directly thus God foresaw that Adam would fall therefore hee fell then on the contrary Adam fell therefore God foresaw it If truth should not more immediately followe the will and counsell of God then the nature of things then should decreed truths be mutable and some-times false but comming immediately from God they are ever delivered as he decreeth them Num. 23.19 Ier. 10.10 Deut. 32.4 Psal 145.17 Dan. 4.34 Rom. 3.4 Tit. 1.2 All which places free God from all possibilitie of lying and make him the Author of all truth Q. What is his fidelitie A. Whereby he effecteth most faithfully whatsoeuer hee hath decreed 1. Ioh. 1.9 He is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes Confession is no cause of the remission of sinnes as being after it in nature Yet God hath so decreed to linke things together that he will faithfully as though iustice required it performe remission of sinne to true confession 2. Tim. 2.13 He abideth faithfull and cannot deny himselfe Q. What appeareth by his decree beside these three Attributes A. His counsell for no decree is made without counsell and when Divines say that Gods decree is his eternall counsell they speake improperly for it is a thing wrought by counsell and as the effect shewes the cause so doth the decree of God his counsell For now we goe backward way to bring our selues to the highest cause of all things in which we are to rest without any further inquiry Ephes 1.11 Gods purpose for the effecting of any thing is framed according to the counsell of his will Q. What is his counsell A. It is his deliberation as it were for the best effecting of euery thing that seemeth good in his wisedome and will Act. 4.24 Christ died by the determinate counsell foreknowledge of God but that is the same with the decree for counsell more properly determines then is determined and therefore the new Translation speakes more aptly to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell
What is this manifold wisedome of God in respect of the vertues of the vnderstanding A. It is either the knowledge of all principles or truthes to befetched out of them or conclusions that may ensue vpon on these truthes or of the methode and order of disposing euery truth in his proper place or the practise of them so disposed according to the rules of any Art Iob 9.4 Hee is wise in heart and mightie in strength who hath hardned himselfe against him and hath prospered There is no wise workking against God Exod. 1.10 come and let vs deale wisely with them Pharaohs policies might have prevailed if a wiser then himselfe had not taken their parts against him Q. What are these intellectuall vertues A. They are in number fiue which are thus named first intelligence secondly science thirdly sapience fourthly prudence fiftly art or skill The first vertue knowes all inventions the two next all iudgements true or false together with all direct conclusions or deceitfull sophistications the fourth fits for the orderly practise of any thing and the last makes vs skilfull in whatsoeuer we doe The observation of these fiue vertues makes a man proceed fully vpon any theame To preach by them is a most full and effectuall way by intelligence wee open the text and bare the severall principles or reasons contained in it By science we gather the doctrines that those principles and reasons will yeeld By sapience we deduct or conclude further matter which was obscure till we did sift it out by making one truth force another By prudence wee make vse and application as may be fit for time place and person and so orderly vrge the truthes we haue found out by discourse Lastly by art we further the practise of all those duties which wee haue formerly pressed Some explaine their Text well yet neuer aptly lay downe doctrines others doe both these but misse in the conclusion others hit the conclusion too but wrong themselues or their auditors in application eyther making none or that which is amisse And lastly others leaue at the vse hauing warmed the affections and pegge it no further by letting them see the way of practise and so hammering not home the naile which should be fastened by the masters of the assembly let it slip againe or leaue a chinke Salomon the preacher Eccl. 12.10.11 observed all these vertues By intelligence of principles he sought to finde out acceptable words by science he looked for an vpright writing and by sapience tried them to be the words of truth and then by prudence made his words as goads to pricke forward vnto practise and then by art as a skilfull master of the assembly fastned the naile to the head Q. What is Gods intelligence A. That vertue of vnderstanding whereby he worketh euery particular concerning euery thing there is no argument or reason but he can finde it out Psal 139.16 All things in Gods booke ver 2.3.4.5.7.11.12 Euery thought word deed with their circumstances of time place person c. are all together knowne to God God needs no intelligencers for his eyes are over all his workes Q. What is his science A. That vertue of vnderstanding whereby hee knoweth all truthes in the things which as they are to come is called prescience or foreknowledge and in regard of past present and to come omniscience Ioh. 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things and therefore canst iudge whether I speake truely or not for foreknowledge there is none in God properly for to him all things are present yet speaking of his indirect knowledge in reference to the creature we terme that foreknowledge that goes before the existence and being of the creature Q. What is his sapience A. That vertue of vnderstanding whereby he vnderstandeth whatsoeuer may follow or ensue of euery thing Iob 12.13.16 Such wisedome with God that he knowes how to handle both deceiuer and deceiued their fallacies can no wayes prevaile with him Q. What is his prudence A. Whereby he knoweth the fittest opportunitie for the dispatch of all things Gen. 15.16 The wickednesse of the Amorites is not yet full 2. Pet. 2.9 The Lord knowes how to deliuer the godly and reserue the wicked to punishment 2. Thes 1.6.7 It is a righteous thing with God and most ag reeable with his prudence in applying of rewards to recompense tribuiation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs c. Q. What is his art or skill A. Whereby he knoweth how to effect euery thing most skilfully Psal 104.24 In excellent wisedome hast thou made all Heb. 11.10 For he looked for a citie which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God the originall word is Technitees an Artificer God hath manifested great skill in the creation of these lower parts of the world but in the third heauen his art passeth all excellencie Q. Seeing his good-pleasure appeares last what is it A. The most free act of his will in euery thing as it pleaseth him Psal 115.3 Our God is in heauen he doth whatsoeuer he pleaseth Mat. 11.26 Euen so father for so it seemed good in thy sight Math. 20.15 Is it not lawfull for me to doe with mine owne as I list Ephes 1.5.9.11 Q. How doth it respect himselfe A. As the chiefe good Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountaine of life and in thy light shall we see light Col. 3.11 Christ is all and in all His good-pleasure must needs first respect himselfe then his creatures because from him as the fountaine of goodnesse they haue all their goodnesse deriued 1. Cor. 15.28 God is said to be all in all Q. How the creatures A. As they beare his image in which regard they are onely good Gen. 1.4.10 c. God saw it was good that is he so approued of his creatures as they answered his goodnesse in making of them Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to this world but be yee transformed by the renewing of your minde that ye may proue what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Conformitie with the world pleaseth not the Almightie because it agreeth not with his image being mightily deformed with sinne Then doth hee acknowledge vs for his when we are changed by the spirit of sanctification into that image which we lost by the fall of Adam Q. What learne you from thence A. That the good pleasure of God being most freely set vpon his creatures is the first and most absolute cause of all things and therefore he must needs doe all that hee doth with the greatest libertie of will hauing no higher cause to checke him Dan. 4.35 He doth according to his will in the army of heauen and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say vnto him what doest thou Ier. 18.6 Mat. 20.15 Rom. 9.18.21 2. Sam. 16.10 Isa 45.9 In all which places as God workes most freely so he is bound to render account to none of all his
giue him so much as he might prevent and prevaile over euery violent temptation god might haue kept Satan from him or in the combat haue giuen him the conquest but it was Gods meaning to try him with the grace of his Creation that now he may see the greater loue of his Creator in putting him vnder a second Adam who prevailed against Satan and in whom all the elect shall be sure of victory Hence learne that since the fall in the hardning of Reprobates as in Pharaoh God neither withdrawes grace for he had none nor with-holds it for he is not bound to giue it Christ is onely a head and fountaine of sauing grace for his elect Angels and men Q. What were the instrumentall causes A. The Serpent and the Woman Gen. 3.1 The Devill to further his temptation vsed visible instruments and plotted by the subtiltie of the one and simplicitie of the other the woefull down fall of Adam and all his posteritie All the Legions of the reprobate Devils entred into one beast to conferre with the woman and by the Poitho and Suada of that viperous tongue crept into the bosome of Eue as it were by all the topicke places in Logicke figures of Rethoricke and other engines of guile deceit till they had brought her into a fooles Paradise with the losse of the earthly and hazzard of the heauenly Q. What is the vnblameable cause A. The commandement of God for had there beene no law there had beene no transgression Rom. 7.7 Gal. 3.22 And here comes in the act of Gods providence in the apostasie of Angels and men A law is giuen by which God will haue them both ruled but of this they make no account for it is the very first thing they begin to contest withall and at length by plaine deniall opposeit The law was giuen to moue man to his dutie even as that Spirit in Ezekiel moued the wheeles Ezek. 1.21 The law was spirituall Rom. 7.14 And placed in the very heart of man and was of a divine nature to haue drawne man to good but the spirit of Satan enters to graple with the law and turne the wheele of the minde in a cleane contrary course to Gods will the law resists but man forsakes his mouer and is turned of Satan the bie way and so the good law of God becomes the savour of death vnto death 2. Cor. 2.16 And that by an opposite motion to his owne nature The tree was a seale both of good and eâ—â—â— and the fruit tasted could leaue a tang of death behind it The law was as able to guide to death as life to life by his free motion to death by his opposition He that runnes against a wall or a tree is throwne backe againe by violence and bruised in peeces by his ownefall and folly or by this comparison may you see the worke of the law by casting Angels and men into hell An earthen pitcher is dashed by a foolish and furious hand against an hard stone wall that the wall breaketh it is not the fault of the wall but rather a commendation all the evill is in the hastie hand that rashly hurles it against so apparent a death and danger so wilfull and witlesse man by the suggestion of Satan in the serpent and woman takes himselfe and of his owne free accord flings or rather flies in the very face of the law and by it is miserably stricken in peeces Doe we not now see how the law makes him shiver and shake even as a vanquished enemie vnder the hands of his Conquerour and how he seeks to ease himselfe of such a governour He might as well haue knocked his head against the stone-walles as his wits to frustrate the power of the law within him A silly shift to stop a little torrent with sodds and turfs will it not breake over with roaring A foolish fancy to stanch bleeding by stopping our nosthrils will it not breake out at the mouth or runne downe the throat into the stomacke A man may with many piles of greene wood smoother and suffocate the fire for a season but when the moysture is mastered the fury of the burning will be more fearefull and the flames and flashes more dreadfull to behold Alas alas how doth euery sinner pile vp the fagots of his future fire and warme the worme in his owne bosome that shall gnaw for ever Conscience shall reade him a lecture euery day because he would not heare the lecture of the law for his eternall good Rom. 7.10.11.12 Q. What followes from hence A. That as the law was the cause of sinne by accident so was God and no otherwise Here was no omnipotencie to constraine man to fulfill the will of his creator here was a law to restraine him from sinne and distresse him in committing it yea and thrust him head-long into all out-rage being once opposed by man Let men rot in their sinnes and they will die quietly but stirre them by the liuely word and sinne will reviue Rom. 7.9 and either kill worse by impenitencie or be more happily killed by repentance Mud in a glasse when it is shaken runnes all over that which before seemed pure and crystall The poyson of the snake whiles he is benummed with cold beareth no danger but warme him and he will hisse and sting The Sea in calme weather is as still and quiet as any river but let the windes once blow and bluster and you shall see nothing but raging storming and foaming out mire and dirt Hos 2.1 When I would haue healed Israel namely by admonitions and rebukes of the word then the iniquitie of Ephraim was discovered c. The law had an intent to saue man but man would not hearken thereunto so that his perdition was of himselfe Q. What secondly may be learned A. That God was no bare permitting or forsaking cause but a working cause even in the fall of man Gen. 3.1 It is Satans first on-set hath God said ye shall not eate c. Like an eare-wig did he wrigle in by sophisticating the holy law of God for he knew well enough he could not get in except he did driue that out which was not done but by a mightie wrestling and wreathing on both sides And Gods worke was first to hold out Satan then in contempt to thrust man vpon his adversary when he left him to cleaue vnto a lyer 1. Sam. 2.30 They that despise me shall be lightly esteemed God in an holy indignation might well reiect them that had so shamefully reiected him and as it were even push man vpon the pikes of his owne punishment It was no ioy to God to see his beloued creature so vilely to cast away himselfe and yet God intended wrought it without all blame not as an author or fautour of mans finne but as a judge casting him in his owne act and taking revenge vpon him for his sinne Q. What will follow in the third place A. How God
wrought in mans fall yea and from all eternitie for Gods act began before mans And this is safely to be done by our anatomie or resolution of Gods composition in this worke First God did it by his law and speciall government of man Secondly as he did it so had he power to doe it and such a power as neither Devils nor men are able to resist Man might resist the law Math. 23.37 but not the power by which the law worketh for man not the law shall suffer for the irruption and breach of it The law will be sure one way or another to make his part good with the most masterlesse monsters Thirdly as God did it and could doe it so he decreed it to be done and omnipotencie and efficiencie are but two executours no composors of Gods decree and therefore it shall stand infallible in the greatest contingencie It was possible for man to fall or not to fall and his act was contingent so true that it might haue beene false yet the decree was as certaine before as after the event seeing all things are present to God when they are absent to vs. Fourthly as he decreed it so it was done by counsell Ephe. 1.11 both in the scope and plot God had an end in mans fall neitheir was it otherwise executed then himselfe had plotted it The Devils and our first parents together with the Serpent time and place could never haue so met together except God had set it downe so will I haue it acted even to euery circumstance Fiftly It seemed good to his wisedome so to haue it done and no otherwise Pharaoh deales wisely by sinning Exod. 1.10 but God is wise in decreeing how Pharaoh shall sinne Sixtly that which is done by the wisedome of God is good and iust Hence sinne opposite to all good and the enemie of iustice was both good iust not in it selfe but as God decreed it to be a meanes of his glory which it is not by his owne nature for God is clishonoured by it but by accident as God can bring light out of darkenesse good out of evill and life out of death Therefore as God did it it was no sinne euery cause is to be examined by his manner of working Man sinnes by counsell and God by counsell orders it so to be done and in doing workes as much as he willed Lastly as it was good and iust so God willed it but as simply evill he willed it not but did hate the being of it Psal 5.4 Will is the highest step we must stand vpon and thus may we goe downeward by the same staires we came vp God did will nothing but that which was good and iust and so it seemed good to his wisedome by counsell to decree it and by his power to effect it CHAPTER XVIII The effects of the first Sinne. Question VVHat are the effects of Adams transgression Answere Blame and then guilt and punishment Man was blame-worthy for eating against the expresse commandement of his God then was he made guiltie of all the debt and danger that the law contained and by punishment to suffer or satisfie whatsoeuer the law could challenge at our hands Rom. 5.12 One man sinnes there is the blame by it entrance is giuen to death there is our guilt that we haue so intangled our selues in the snares of sinne and death and it runnes over all there is the punishment Q. What is blame A. Gods iust censure of finne Gen. 1.14 Because thou hast done this thou and all thine are accursed The blame is laid vpon our selues and it was a peece of Adams wretchednesse to cast it vpon his good God Gen. 3.12 Wee haue brought vpon our selues the scorne and scourge of all our sinnes Q. What is the guilt A. Whereby they are tyed to vnder goe the punishment Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Blame respecteth vice as prayse vertue and guilt iustice as libertie mercie By the first sinne is evill and naught by the second a debt Wee properly owe nothing to God but loue and dutie yet by forfaiture for non payment of the principall we runne into further arrerages with God and so are bound to a double discharge first of the principall secondly of the forfaiture It is a strange opinion to thinke if wee satisfie for the forfaiture wee are freed from the principall The law is still in force and except Christ pay both for vs we shall never come by a full discharge He suffered to satisfie the forfaiture and obeyed to pay for the principall Our debts are now growne infinite and onely he that is infinite can discharge them We might of our selues haue payed the principal but now like Bank-rupts we haue for ever dis inabled our selues and are not able to pay a penie in the pound for our release God hath a bill a bond or a booke wherein all our debts stand to be seene and must remaine vncancelled and vncrost till all be payed O good God draw the red lines of thy Christs-Crosse yea and the white lines too of his most holy life over the blacke lines yea the best lines of thine owne debt booke Thou seest better then our owne consciences euery peccant act of ours in thought word or deed oh let all our billes and Items in thy booke be cleared crossed and cancelled by the precious bloud of thine owne sonne and our Saviour and suretie He alone is able to expunge cover nullifie abolish wholly to take away the guilt of our defilement and the gall of our punishment In him wee know that thou our Creator wilt pardon all our sinnes debts bearing action against vs or obliging vs to any penaltie Yet not euery hypocrite or profligate professor that liues as he list must looke for this loue Faith is no Pandar to sinne it will make vs both see the vlcer and the washing of it Neither will it leaue vpon vs the slander of Solifidians but will tell the cleansed that he is to goe away and sinne no more It will never bid him drinke and take Tobacco sinne and beleeue get a pardon of the old and a licence for the new It will teach him to turne over a new leafe and learne a better lesson First to see his owne misery secondly the mercy of God thirdly how both will restraine him from all licentious libertie Q. What then is the punishment A. The iust anger of God vpon all that sinne Rom. 2.5.8.9 Heb. 10.31 with Chap. 11.29 Isa 33.14 Q. What Attributes doe here put forth themselues A. His holinesse and that both in his Iustice and Mercie Rom. 2.4.5 It shall well appeare that God will not winke at sinne or giue vnto it the least allowance 1. King 20.42 Ahabs life is to goe for Benadabs this is but a shadow of Gods holinesse If men must wash away bloud with bloud then assuredly God will wash his hands in innocencie and by punishing of sinne free
obiects by reason of this naturall exorbitation An instrument put out of tune is dissonant in all harmonies Rom. 3.13.14.15.16.17.18 Throat tongue mouth feete actions c. are all without Gods feare Rom. 1.29.30 Psal 50.16.17.18.19.20 Psal 10.4 and 14.1 Hainous crimes neither sparing God nor man Psal 10.6.11.13 and 40.13 and 74.8 Isa 28.15 Math. 12.24 Luk. 12.19.45 and 18.11.12 1 Cor. 2.14 Gal. 5.17 These and many more declare plainely how man in all his outward actions swarues from the prescript rule of righteousnesse And here the Lord beside the order of consequence and contrarietie in punishing one sinne with another and making both bitter and stinging to the conscience hath a double act First he limites the sinne what way and how farre it shall goe He hath a bit and bridle to curbe any sinner Psal 32.9 and when he is gone to the vtmost of his teather he can pull him backe againe to his taske with shame The very Devils can be no more malicious in their mischiefe then God will haue them 1 King 22.21.22 Iob 1.12 Secondly God directeth sinners evermore to his glory they shall honour him when they thinke least of it They that never learned to lispe a word of a better life shall liue for God when they die to damne themselues If good thoughts by restraining grace looke into a wicked heart they stay not there as those that like not their lodging and therefore are soone gone They scarce find an Inne to baite in before they be baited out againe with mis-rule onely that light of Gods loue and countenance that shines into an holy heart is constant like that of the Sunne which keepes due times and varies not his course for any of these sublunary occasions yet blessed be God who restraines the plots and practises of the wicked for the good of his elect Q. What are the degrees of this sinne A. It may be greater or lesser in respect of whom or against whom it is committed likewise in respect of the matter manner or measure of working it as whether it be done of knowledge or ignorance of infirmitie or stubbornnesse or with an high hand Iam. 1.14 A wicked obiect brings in suggestion suggestion delight delight consent consent practise practise custome custome obstinacy obstinacy hardnesse of heart and that a reprobate mind 1 Tim 1.13 Rom. 2.5 1.28 Ier. 5.3 Lust is lesse then adultery hasty anger is lesse then Racha and that then foole Math. 5.22 The sinne of a Iew is greater then of a Pagan of a teacher then a scholler Rom. 2.18.20.21 He that knowes Gods will and doth it not is to be beaten with more stripes then one that is meerely ignorant Luk. 12.47 A professors sinne is greater then the sinne of a prophane man Againe it is a lesse sinne to strike a common man then a Constable a Constable then a Iustice of peace a Iustice of peace then a Iudge a Iudge then a Prince a Prince then to put out the hand against God It is a greater vnkindnesse for a sonne to offend his father then another man c. Habituall sinnes are worse then actuall and a railing habite is worse then a slip or error of the tongue Here may a question be demanded whether the sinnes of the first Table or the second are greater Answere compare person with person and then euery sinne against God is more vile then against my neighbour but other circumstances may aggravate and make a sinne greater in the second Table then the first Idle taking of Gods name in vaine As O Lord O Iesus are not so ill as Murther and Adultery Negligence on the Sabboth and stealing a nap by chance at a Sermon is not so vile and villanous as to robbe and kill by the high wayes side but let circumstance goe with circumstance as person with person degree with degree c. and then euery sinne against the first Table is worse then against the second Q. How many sorts be there of actuall sinnes A. Two the sinnes of commission and the sinnes of omission Ier. 2.13 And man doth vsually omit good before he commit any evill The want of doing worthlly makes a man wanton in doing wickedly Q. What is the sinne of omission A. The not doing of that good which should be done Mat. 25.43.44 2 Thess 1.8 Negatiues in goodnesse are positiues in evill at the last day shall men be judged for not doing good It is not what harme or hurt haue you done but what health and helpe haue you beene to the needie God made nothing to be idle but euery thing to worke vnto his end that the great worke-master of all might be glorified in his handy worke This sinne is not properly an act but not acting and for want of a tearme we call it actuall It springs from originall sinne which makes vs vnapt to good Q. What is the sinne of commission A. The doing of that evill wee should not doe Rom. 1.28 These two branches or streames of originall sinne shew vs the nature of the fountaine it selfe that as it is dry and barren of good so it sends forth an Ocean of evill As it is a privation of good so it makes vs omit all duty as an inclination to evill it makes vs commit all villanies Ier. 4.22 Wise to doe evill but to doe good no vnderstanding Prompt to vice vnapt to vertue Ex peccato originis sumus ad omne bonum inepti ad omne malum procliues To conclude this punishment of sinne and iustifie God in his act Sinne runnes with the act and is more in the agent then the action yet it glewes them both together and by meanes of this concretion it selfe is both cause and effect For as arts are concreted and concreated with things that is God did as it were clap the art and the thing together so the Devil hath conglutinated and compacted the sinne and the substance together A Logician doth reason It is not so much the man as his Logicke that performes the art so it is not so much the man that makes a Garment as the Taylor c. Hence we learne in the blacke Art of the Devill that it is not so much the substance as the sinne that doth evill and that subiect onely sinneth which is glewed together with the sinne God therefore running along with the substance as well as the sinne and being in the action of the sinner as well as the sinne may doe that by his owne art which neither the sinne nor the sinner can be said to doe and so very well may punish the sinner with his sinne and yet be no cause of it Rom. 1.24 Gods contact will ever be free from sinnes contagion even as the Sunne-beames raise a stinke and ill savour out of a dung-hill without any infection at all The fire can soulder two peeces of iron together and yet goe in and come out againe without being made irony or hard at all so God by stirring in the
them so farre and in such measure as pleaseth him to the good of his who dwell amongst them but all this restraint of evill maketh them not good before God neither those actions which are done by them Eph. 2.10 Men are to be the new workmanship of God before they can be his workemen Tit. 2.14 Purgation of sinne must goe before zeale in good workes Tit. 3.8 They onely which haue beleeued in God know how to be carefull in the maintenance of good workes Rom. 8.1 Wee must be in Christ before we can walke after the Spirit Gen. 20.6 I know sayth God that thou hast done this in the vprightnesse of thy heart Some particular actions may haue a charitable construction in the very wicked and yet the whole course of their life be sinfull and wicked onely the godly are vpright in their way Psal 119.2 Dauid was vpright in all things saue onely in the matter of Vriah A godly man is habitually good when he is actually evill and a wicked man is habitually evill when he is actually good Hence it may be sayd the godly keepe those commandements they breake and that the wicked breake those commandements which they keepe And therefore except the habite of obedience be infused the out ward act is nothing with God and lesse to the Agent Heb. 9.14 The liuing God is not serued as long as the conscience is not purged from dead workes Q. How is the Law further considered in man A. As it is knowne of man in it selfe and in his reward and applyed to the fact good or bad it is called conscience for conscience is either the reading of the law in the heart or the law read vnto it by the vnderstanding It is Gods spie or Pinnesse sent out to make discouery of the coast and to returne advertisement Onely sinne so over-clouds her way that often shee comes home againe and sayes nothing For blind and ignorant consciences speake peace or hold their peace because they haue not skill enough to accuse and find fault they swallow downe not onely flies and gnatts but camels and beames and digest all well enough Surely if the Soule were not fallen well asleepe and had drawne the curtaines about it it could not concoct so well Whiles the scales were vpon Pauls eyes he was aliue and quiet and thought concupiscence the sinke and breeder of all sinne to be no sinne Alas how many thinke because conscience is an Inmate that she must stand by heare and say nothing And because it is now vacation thinke tearme time will come no more and that they shall never be vexed and troubled with any law cases but they are to know that this calme is but the mother of a storme and that ere long they shall espie a weather-gawle in the ayre And the little cloud will bring a dashing shower of fire and brimstone vpon the Soule The watch of the Clocke goes not and the wheeles stand still being clam'd and rusted in their ioynts but when the heauy waights of sinne shall be hung vpon the lines by the hand of God no mercy counterpoyzing them then shall the hammer strike thicke and indistinctly and his tongue blab out his owne shame Oh how pitifull a knell shall that be when the Lord shall knole the great bell of the conscience and make his sinnes sound loud in his eares Oh the dolefull passing bell that finners shall heare when they are giuing vp the Ghosts to their Creator and Maker Let vs in the feare of God thinke of it and suffer conscience to doe his office for thereby we shall prevent Satan by accusing our selues and God by iudging our selues betimes What can Satan the Accuser of Man say when man by his conscience hath said it before him Truely this will stop his mouth for wee being accusers of our selues God will become our discharger and then Satan shall but be our slanderer Againe God hath left conscience to keepe his Court here below and to sit as judge and God will not either ex mero officio or promoto call vs againe if we will discharge our selues there Indeed in iudging of others wee must not iudge least wee be iudged Math. 7.1 but in iudging of our selues iudge that we be not iudged 1 Cor. 11.31 If this inferiour court be corrupt then there is a court of Parliament to reforme it and God himselfe will call it and make our iudge a witnesse against our selnes for God left conscience with man as a iudge to absolue or condemne and he will bring it before himselfe as a witnesse to excuse or accuse Rom. 2.14.15 Q. Can wee then that are Christians performe it A. Wee are to vnderstand that God renewed his law to his Church and did write it againe in their hearts by his blessed spirit Ier. 31.33 First that cur sinnes might be the better discovered vnto vs and that wee might see how we had eaten the law out of our hearts Secondly that by it we might see what we ought to doe and finding thereby the evill we would not doe to be done by vs. Rom. 7.15 and that good omitted which wee should doe wee might as by a Schoole-master be driuen to Christ who hath both suffered for our sinnes and performed the law throughly for vs which being made ours by imputation wee also may be reputed doers of it and so be iustified as before hath beene said Gal. 3.24 Q. But hath the law no further vse for vs A. Hauing brought vs to Christ it is thence forth to be the rule of the reconciled man to walke thereby according to the measure of sanctification wrought in him by the holy Spirit Eph. 2.10 Q. Can he then perfectly keepe it in himselfe A. No he cannot so long as corruption dwelleth in him for the old man will be still marring the best act which the recouered man shall doe or cause to be done as much as he can so that it cannot be answerable to the law in euery respect Isa 64.6 Luk. 17.10 1 Ioh. 1.8.9.10 Q. How can this lame obedience be pleasing vnto God A. Whatsoever in it is sinne is couered by Christs righteousnesse and pardoned in and for him for he is our advocate with the Father and propitiation for our sinnes so that that which is good is accepted of God because it is done in obedience to him and the rest is not layd to our charge because it is discharged in Christ 1 Ioh. 2.2 Q. Can it merit any thing with God A. No for it is very imperfect and if it should haue his right merit it might more iustly expect punishment then reward For as in a rude eare that musicke may passe for currant which a skilfull iudgement will condemne for course so in the sight of God there will appeare both errors and defects in all those actions which in our iudgement were perfectly performed Let vs but once begin to throw our thoughts freely into euery corner of our consciences and wee