defended against the detractions and slaunders of those which hold varietie of opinions that is a doctrine of greater labour and circumstance For the accomplishment whereof the hand must be filled not with a short Enchiridion but the breast inflamed with a vehement affection CHAP. 7. In the Apostles Creed and the Lords Praier those three principall positions touching the seruice of God namely Faith Hope and Charitie be contained and most briefly deliuered FOr this matter looke vpon the Creede and the Lords praier Then the which what is there to bee heard or read of greater breuitie or what more easily committed to memorie Because therefore mankinde in respect of sin was pressed down with the heauy burthen of miserie and stood in neede of Gods mercie and that the Prophet foreseeing the time of Gods fauour saith And euery one which calleth vpon the name of God shall besaued for this cause was the Lords praier vsed Howbeit the Apostle after hee had cited that Propheticall testimony to set forth the mercy of God hee forth-with laieth down this also saying How can they call vpon him of whom they haue not beleeued For which cause the Creed was deuised In which two wordes looke vpon these three things Faith beleeueth and Hope and Charitie bee our Orators But without faith these two cannot be by which reason faith also is a partie in our petitions Whereupon it is said How shall they call vpon him of whom they haue not beleeued CHAP. 8. What difference there is betweene Hope and Faith of what things Faith doth consist and of what also Hope Also what Christian Faith did properly appreheÌ„d Finally that the knot and bond of these three vertues namely Faith Hope and Charity was not to be seuered or diuided amongst themselues NOw what can be hoped for which is not beleeued But yet on the contrary something may bee beleeued which is not hoped for For which of the faithfull doe not beleeue that there be punishments ordained for the wicked yet doth he not hope to taste therof Which punishments who so beleeueth may fall vpon himselfe and is inwardly troubled with the horror thereof in the vanishing coÌ„ceit of his own minde that man is more rightly said to feare in this case then to hope Which two wordes Lucan distinguishing doeth thus describe them The feareful man may yet haue hope Howbeit on the other side it is not so properly spoken by an other Poet though he be the better in reputation If I could hope for no more griefe but this Finally diuers in the rules of Grammar doe borrow this word for an example to shewe how improperly it is vsed who say he vsed that word sperare which is to hope for or in stead of timere which is to fear Ther is a faith therefore both of euill things of good because both good and bad be beleeued and that with a cheerefull and not a fearefull faith There is a faith also of things past things present and things to come For we beleeue that Christ died which is already past We beleeue that he sitteth at the right hand of his father which is at this instant We beleeue that he shall come to iudge a thing that shall be A. faith likewise of things appertaining to our selues and also of things concerning other men For euery man beleeueth that he had a beginning and therefore that hee was not from euerlasting whereof there bee many semblable instances Neither do we onely beleeue many things touching other men in matter of religion but likewise also of Angels Hope also is not but of good euents and not also but of things to come properly likewise concerning him who is thought to put a trust and confidence in the same Which being so Faith is to bee distinguished from Hope as well by a difference agreeing with reason as with the sense of the word For as touching those wordes non videre that is to say not to see in that sense Faith and Hope be all one For in the epistle to the Hebrewes which testimony the famous defenders of the Catholique doctrine haue vsed Faith is said to be a knowledge of things which be not seene Although on the other side when any man shall say that he beleeued not either wordes witnesses or any reasons but things present which he plainely saw that is to say grounded his faith thereupon seemeth not to be so absurd â—s that he may be rightly repreheÌ„ded in the sense of the Word out of the which it may be said vnto him Thou didst see therefore thou didst not beleeue Wherupon may be gathered that it is no consequence that the thing is not to be seene which is to be beleeued But indeede wee doe more properly call that faith which as the sacred scriptures haue taught vs is of things inuisible Touching Hope also the Apostle saith that that hope is no hope at all which is of things visible For to what ende doth a man hope in those things which he seeth But if wee hope for those things which wee see not we patiently tarry in expectance thereof Whereas the godly doe beleeue that good things shall fall vnto their portion it is as much to say as they bee hoped for of the good But now what shall I say of Loue without which Faith is of no force for indeed Hope cannot bee without Loue. Finally as the Apostle Iames saith The very Diuels doe beleeue and tremble howebe it they neither hope nor yet loue but rather feare in belieuing that the same shall come to passe hereafter which wee doe hope for and affect For which cause the Apostle Paul doth allow of that faith which worketh by loue and which also cannot bee without hope To conclude therefore neither loue can bee without hope nor hope without loue nor either of them without faith CHAP. 9. For the vnderstanding of Christian Faith the tedious and darke knowledge of naturall causes is not needfull but only the knowledge of that cause which is the efficient of all things the same beeing God that trinitie that is to say the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost WHen the question is therefore What we ought to beleeue in matter of religion in this case the nature of things is not so curiously to be looked into as it is of them whom the Greekes call Naturall Philosophers Neither let it be fearefull to any Christian if hee bee ignorant in some thing touching the force and number of the elemeÌ„ts the motion order and effects of the planets the celestiall globe the kinds and natures of liuing creatures hearbs stones springs riuers mountaines as also of the distances betvveene places and times the signes of imminent stormes and sixe hundred the like matters which they haue found out or else doe impute to their ovvne inuention Because they haue not been the Authors of these things albeit they vvere inducd vvith excellent vvits feruent in desire full of leasure discouering some things by humane coniecture and
other things againe by historicall obseruation and in those things also which they do appropriate to their owne inuention they do in most matters rather guesse at them then knovv them certainly It is enough for a Christian to beleeue that the cause of all things which bee created either in heauen or vpon earth visible or inuisible is not othervvise then of the goodnesse of the Creator which is the onely and true God and that there is no nature which either hee himselfe is not or else is not deriued from him himselfe beeing the Trinitie that is to say the father and the sonne begotteÌ„ of the father and the Holy Ghost proceeding from the same father hovvebeit one and the selfe same spirit as vvell of the father as of the sonne CHAP. 10. All things were created good of God howbeit not without their mutation or change ne yet absolute nor of one correspondencie amongst themselues OF this absolute correspondent vnchangeable good Trinitie all things vvere created beeing yet in themselues neither absolutely semblably or vnchangeably good hovvbeit euery one of them particularly good and beeing also vnited they are likevvise in that vniuersall body or masse of all-together exceeding good Because of this generalitie and all-together that vvonderfull beauty of the vvorld is composed CHAP. 11. The reason why God doth suffer euils to raigne in the world That euill is none other thing then a priuation of naturall goodnesse which priuation is not a thing of it selfe IN which matter that also which is called euill beeing vvell marshalled and rightly placed doth more visibly commend those things which be called good to the end they might be more plausible and commendable beeing compared vvith those things which be euill For neither vvould the omnipotent God which the infidels also doe confesse in as much as himselfe is vniuersally good by any meanes suffer any euill to bee in his ovvne vvorkes but that also his omnipotency and goodnesse is such as that he maketh that e-euill to be beneficiall vnto vs. For God either in reforming or in punishing of the integritie of nature beeing corrupted and vitious doeth turne it to the good of man By which meanes consequently that which is euill shall not be a perpetuall blemish because it is not any thing when it is purged remooued For what other thing is that which is called euill than a priuacion of that which is tearmed good For it fareth as it is in the bodies of liuing creatures wherein to be infected vvith diseases and hurtes is nothing els but to vvaÌ„t health Neither doeth it fall out when there is a remedie applied that those euils which had gotten possession of the bodie that is to say diseases and hurts should remooue from thence and remain or be else-where but rather that they should haue no beeing at all For that which is called a disease or hurt is not any substance or matter of it selfe but rather a corruption or infection of a carnall substance Seeing therefore flesh is onely that which is called substance certainely there is some good whereunto those euils be accidentall that is to say priuations of that good which is called health Euen so whatsoeuer faults be in the minde they bee the priuations of naturall goodnesses Which when they be cured they be not translated to any other place but they which had a locall beeing haue now no beeing at all seeing they shall not haue any place or abode in that which is cured and made whole CHAP. 12. Albeit all creatures as they be natures be made good by God yet because they be not immutably good certain of them may bee corrupted And that their corruption or vice is nothing els but a losse or depriuation of that good which God did graft in them insomuch is wheresoeuer there is left no sparke of naturall goodnesse there likewise is there abiding no corruption neither is sin or vice predominant solely remaining ALl natures therefore because God their creator is absolutely good and perfect bee also good Howbeit because they be not like as their maker is absolutely and vnchangeably good therefore may that good which is in them be both decreased increased But that diminution of good is that which is called euill although notwithstaÌ„ding howsoeuer it bee diminished something consequently remaineth and is abiding still if nature be not vtterly extinguished whereof it hath a beeing and is nature still For howsoeuer and in what quantitie or measure soeuer nature is yet liuing that good which is called nature caÌ„not be vtterly consumed vnlesse nature her selfe be vtterly extinguished and consumed therefore is nature worthily commended Further if that be incorruptible then without all question is shee much more praise-worthy Now when it is corrupted that corruption therof maketh it therefore euill because it depriueth and spoileth it of all goodnesse whatsoeuer For if it bereaue it not of any good it is not consequently obnoxious or hurtful but it is hurtfull in depriuing it of that which is good As long therefore as nature is corrupted so long is it possessed of a good whereof it is againe dispossessed By which reason if there bee a dramme of good remaining which cannot be cleane put out then without all doubt is nature also incorruptible And againe if it be subiect to continuall corruption there is also a permanent good whereof that corruption hath a power to depriue it Which naturall facultie if that which is called euill shall vtterly and wholy consume by that reason there shall bee no good at all abiding because nature also is dead and extinguished Corruption therefore cannot vtterly abolishe and consume that which is good but by the consumption also of nature All that which is called nature therefore is good beeing great and diuine if it canot be polluted and on the other side little and weake if it be subiect to infection and yet can it not be absolutely denied to be good without note of folly and ignorance Which thing called nature iâ—ut bee vtterly extinguished by corruption neither can that corruption also haue any continuance as hauing no being where no nature is left to harbour or entertaine the same CHAP. 13. Two strange positions maintained contrary to the vulgar opinion the one that there can bee no euill said to be there where there is not any good and the other that good is called euill that is to say one and the selfe same thing is both good and bad BY this agument there is not any euill if there be not any good But good which is void of euill is absolutely good On the other side in whom euill hath gotten a possession in that person good is either more or lesse polluted neither can there bee by any means any euill where ther is no good at all There is a great mysterie therefore herein as wherein because all nature in as much as it is nature is of it selfe good it can haue none other meaning or construction
yet the first death whereby the soule is compelled to forsake his body nor the second death whereby the soule is not suffred to depart out of the body that shall bee punished should euer haue happened to man if no man had sinned And truely the punishment of such persons shall be most easie who besides the guilt of originall sinne haue not added more thereunto of themselues and amongst those additionall sinnes euerie mans damnation shall be the more tolerable by how much the lesse hee hath sinned in the first life TOVCHING ETERnall life CHAP. 94. That the blessed in the state of eternall life which by Gods mercie they shall obtaine shall most fully perceiue the force of Gods grace WHen the reprobate of Angells and men shall remaine and haue their being in the place of euerlasting punishment then shal the blessed more sensibly feele and vnderstand what the fauour and grace of God hath voutsafed vpon them Then shall appeare in the euidence of things themselues that which is written in the Psalmes To thee O Lord shall I sing mercie and iudgement Because no man is deliuered from euerlasting destruction but by a mercie not due vnto vs by any specialtie of debt nor any againe condemned to eternall death but by a iudgement duely inflicted vpon him CHAP. 95. In the life eternall wee shall knowe why rather they then the other were the chosen of God AT that day it shall bee reuealed which now is concealed as touching the two infants whereof the one through the mercie of God was to bee chosen the other in his secret iudgement to bee refused in which iudgement hee that shall bee elected shall vnderstand what in iustice was due vnto him vnlesse mercy had holpen him why he rather then the other was elected wheÌ„ the cause was alike to both Why miracles or strange works were not done amongst some which if they had beene done such persons should haue repented and yet were done amongst those concerning whom God did know that they would not beleeue For the Lord doth plainely affirme Woe to thee Corazin Wo to thee Bethsaida for if in Tyre and Sidon those great workes had been done which were doâ—e amongst you they had long sithence repented in sacke-cloath and ashes Neither therefore would not God vniustly haue them to bee saued when as they might haue beene saued if they woulde Then shall that appeare in the clearest light of wisedome which the godly in this world doe apprehend by faith That is to say howe certaine immutable and most effectuall the will of God is how much he can do and yet will not and that he willeth not that thing which he cannot performe as also how truely it is sung in the Psalme Our God which is in heauen aboue hath done all things in heauen earth which hee would Which assertion is not true if hee would haue had somthings yet did theÌ„ not and which had been more derogatorie did not therfore accomplish it by reason the wil of man did hinder the performance of that which the omnipotent would haue done And therfore there is not any thing acted vnlesse the omnipotent would haue it so either in suffering it to be done or effecting it himselfe TOVCHING GODS Omnipotencie CHAP. 96. That God is said to be omnipotent because all thinges that bee are by his wil or permission neither can hee bee crossed by any creature NEither ought wee to doubt that God doth well in suffering of euills whatsoeuer to bee done For his permission thereof is not without a iust iudgement And no doubt but that euerie thing is good which is iust Although therefore these thinges which be euill in that they are euill cannot be also good yet is it good that there be not onely good but euill actions also For if this were not good that there should be also euils the Almightie who is good would not by any meanes suffer the same To which Almightie as it is no doubt easie to doe what hee will so is it as easie for him not to permitte that which hee will not haue done Which vnlesse wee doe beleeue it shaketh the verie foundation and beginning of the confession of our faith whereby wee doe confesse that we do beleeue in God the father almightie Neither is he truely called omnipotent for any other cause but because he can doe whatsoeuer hee will Neither is the will of the Almightie interrupted by the will of any creature TOVCHING GRACE and Predestination of the Saints CHAP. 97. The question is whether certaine things which God would haue done may bee crossed by men that they cannot take effect WHeÌ„refore wee are to consider how it is said of God in that which the Apostle most truely affirmed Forasmuch as God would that al should be saued For seeing not all but the most part or greater number is not saued it seemeth therefore that that which God wold haue done is not done mans will forsooth resisting Gods will For when the cause is examined why all bee not saued it is wont to be aunswered because they themselues will not haue it so Which saying cannot bee extended to infants in whom ther is no power to will or nill For that which infants do by instinct of nature if the same were ascribed to their wil when in baptisme they resist and shrinke from that water as much as they can by that reason wee should affirme that they were saued against their wils But the Lord speaketh more plainely in his Gospel talking with the wicked Citie How often sayth he would I haue gathered together thy children euen as the henne doth her chickens and thou wouldest not as though Gods will were ouerruled by mans will and that men being most weake of all creatures by their vnwillingnes hindering the same the most mightie could not accomplish that which hee desired Where then is that his omnipotencie whereby hee did all things in heauen and in earth which hee would if hee would haue brought home the lost children of Israell and did it not Or rather would not that Citie that hee should bringe home her Children and yet notwithstaÌ„nding whether shee would or noe did not the Lorde reduce such of them as hee would for as much as both in heauen and in earth hee did not will certaine thinges and doe them not dooing some other things which hee would haue done but hee did whatsoeuer hee would CHAP. 98. Albeit God can when hee will conuert the euill dispositions of men yet doth hee iustly although hee doe not reforme the same and when hee turneth them vnto him hee doth it of his owne meere grace and mercie WHo moreouer is so wickedly vnwise as that hee will affirme that God cannot make good when hee will the euill dispositions of men which of them hee will when he will and where hee will Howbeit when hee doth it hee doth it of his owne mercy and when hee doth it not he doth it not by reason of
And those inuisible things concerning our saluation bee most true and certaine though they be vnseene which if they be not beleeued it is impossible to come to euerlasting life which is not otherwise but eternall I know not therefore whether we may say as they say who bee so farre from thinking that they shall liue for euer as they know not whether they do liue while they be in this world wherein they doe plead ignorance although it bee a thing which they cannot but know For there is no man admitted in reason to say that hee knoweth not whether hee liueth or not because if hee bee not a liuing creature hee hath no sense or vnderstanding at all because not onely to know but also not to know be properties incident onely to the liuing Howebeit in denying that they doe liue they would seeme to preuent error when as in very deede by that matter of error they are coÌ„uinced as by a consequence that they beleeue hee cannot erre which liueth not As therefore it is not onely true but also very certaine that wee liue so likewise bee many things true and very certaine whereof for vs to giue allowance and approbation God forbid but that it should bee rather accounted wisdom than madnesse in vs. CHAP. 21. Although to erre is not alwaies a sinne yet is it a perpetuall effect and note of mans infirmity and wretchednes IN certaine things therefore it is not materiall to saluation whether they bee beleeued or not as whether they be belieued indeed or reputed â—o to be or els be deemed false In which things to be deceiued that is to say to mistake or take one for another is not to bee adiudged a sin or if it be it is the least lightest sin Finally let it be of what quality soeuer it is no part of that way which bringeth vs to God which way is faith in Christ working by loue and charitie Out of this way were not those parents misled in that acceptable error and mistaking of their twinnes Neither did the Apostle Peter wander out of this path when as supposing he sawe a vision he tooke one thing for another in such sort as through the shadow of those bodies wherin he thought he was he did not know the true bodies wherein he walked vntil such time as the angel parted from him by whom hee was seâ— at libertie being a prisoner Neither did Iacob the Patriarke waÌ„der out of this way in supposing that his son was sâ—aine by a wild beast when as he was yet liuing In these and such like falsities we be deceiued without shipwrack of our â—aith in God and goe also amisse althogh we leaue not the way which leadeth vs vnto him Which errors or mistakings although they bee no sins yet are they to bee accounted in the number of the euils of this life which is so prone to vanity as in this world vntruths bee entertained for trueths trueths discarded for lies and things vncertaine retained for certaine For although these things be set apart from that faith which bringeth vs to the true vndoubted and eternall felilicitie yet be they not separated from that miserie wherein we liue beeing in the flesh For we shall in no sort be deceiued either in any sense of the mind or body if we were once inuested in that perfect state of felicity CHAP. 22. That euery lie is a sinne yea euen that which is called an officious lie that is to say a lie made for the safetie of another albeit it is not so hainous as that lie which is made with an intent to doe hurt MOreouer euery lie is therefore said to be a sinne because euery man not onely when himselfe knoweth what is true but also if at any time hee erre and is deceiued as a man ought to speake as he thinketh in his heart whether it bee the truth indeed or a reputed veritie and yet not the same For euery one that lieth in any thing which his conscience telleth him to bee otherwise that man speaketh with a will to deceiue Words therefore were deuised not as meanes for men to beguile one another but whereby they might open their thoughts each to other To make therefore wordes the instruments of deceipt beeing not ordained to that ende is a sinne Neither is any kinde of lie not to bee deemed a sinne for that wee may thereby perhaps pleasure one another For we may happily do good to some by stealing from others as in case the poore man to whom that is openly giuen which we haue stolne â—eele benefit thereby and the rich man whom we haue priuily robbed feeleth not the losse hee hath sustained Let therefore no man hold that such a theft is not a sinne Wee may in like manner by committing adulterie make shewe of a good turne done vnto her who beeing in case to die for loue if a man doe not coÌ„sent to her desire howsoeuer shee may be purged by repentance if shee happen afterwards to recouer and liue Neither by that reason shall any such sinne bee denied to bee adulterie For if chastitie doeth please vs in the strict obseruation thereof what doeth then that word truth I pray you imply that chastitie should not be broken by fornication beeing done for the good of another and that truth on the contrary should bee violated by lying in respect of any like sequel of profit to others A lie therefore cannot at any time deserue praise or allowance although wee lie sometimes for other mens safetie It is therefore a sinne although a veniall sinne beeing on the one side excusable by reason of our affection to doe good condemned on the other side because it is fraudulent For it cannot be denied but that men doe greatly further other mens profit and good who do not lie but for the preseruation of some other body Howbeit in that their actioÌ„ their kindnes and affection and not the fraude or deceipt vsed therein is vnworthily commended in respect of the fact or else is recompenced in this world which to bee remitted and pardoned is sufficient and enough although also it bee not made common especially to the heirs of the new Testament to whom it is said Let yea yea no no bee in your mouthes For whatsoeuer is beyond the limitation therof proceedeth from the motion of euil In respect of which euil neuer ceasing to vndermine vs while wee liue in the flesh the co-heires of Christ doe therefore vse this saying Forgiue vs our trespasses OF THE CAVSES OF good and euill CHAP. 23. The chiefe and onely cause of good is Gods goodnesse defection or falling from God beeing also the originall cause of euill THese matters therefore beeing thus handled according to that brruâ—tie whereunto I am tied forsomuch also as the causes of good and euill are to bee vnderstood and learned as also our selues so farre forth instructed touching the way it selfe as may suffice to lead vs to that kingdome where
there is life without death truth without error and felicitie without interruption we ought not to doubt that the cause of good effects or things pertaining vnto vs doth growe out of any other ground than of the goodnesse of God and that the reuolting will first of angels and afterwards of men reiecting an immortall good and imbracing the contrarie was the originall cause of euill or sinne CHAP. 24. There be foure secondarie causes of euill namely Ignorance Concupiscence Sorrow and Pleasure THe first and originall euill which happeneth vnto man beeing a reasonable creature is his priuation of good Afterwards also ignorance in the actions of this life did creepe in whether man would or no as also a concupiscence or feruent desire of things hurtfull and pernicious with whom as companions be brought in priuily error and griefe or sorrow Which two euils after they be sensibly perceiued to hang ouer our heads that motion of the minde which mooueth vs to shun theÌ„ is called feare Moreouer the mind after it hath obtained the things it earnestly desireth although they bee hurtfull and friuolous yet the same beeing voide of sense and vnderstanding therof by reason of error wherewith it is blinded or else beeing bewitched with a contagious delight and pleasure therein it is carried as it were this way and that way with a false conceit of ioy From which fountaines as it were of corruption not of fulnesse but of enptinesse all mans miserie and wretchednesse doth spring OF THE SINNE OF Adam CHAP. 25. That the damnation both of angels and men because they sinned was iust howbeit their punishment not alike or the selfe same Also what was the condition or state of man before he fell into sinne WHich nature notwithstanding amidst his miseries could not leese his desire to obtaine eternal life Howbeit these euils were generall both to meÌ„ and angels who were damned in respect of their malice by the iustice of God But man hath his peculiar punishment in the death of his body For the Lord did threaten death vnto him in case hee sinned And God so induing him with free-will as that yet hee would haue him subiect to his will and kept in awe to fall for feare of destruction did also place him in the blisse of Paradise as it were in the shadow of life from which he should haue beene aduanced to greater felicities if hee had kept himselfe righteous CHAP. 26. The sinne of the first man and his punishment fell not onely vpon Adam but flowed also to all his posteritie And so by one man sinne came into the world HEreupon Adam after he had sinned beeing a banished man did binde ouer vnto death and destruction his whole posteritie and off-spring whom by sinning hee did pollute in himselfe as in the roote insomuch as whatsoeuer issue was begotten in the concupiscence of the flesh in which a punishment of quality like to disobedience was inflicted by Adam and his wife who was the cause of his transgression being ioyntly damned should draw original sinne from them by which also they should be drawen by errors and many agonies into those endlesse punishments with the reuolting Angels the corrupters of mankind the possessors of that infernall place and with their consorts companions Thus came sinne into the world by one maÌ„ and death by sinne and so it is conuaied into all mankinde all hauing sinned in and through one For the Apostle in that place calleth the world All mankinde CHAP. 27. It was wrought by the onely and great mercy of God that onely men of sinnefull nature should hope for reformation that is to say redemption which hope is not either in the angels that sinned or in the diuels IT followeth therefore that the whole masse and lump of maÌ„kind lay damned in sinnes or rather wallowed therein and ran head long from vices to vices and beeing combined with the angels that sinned receiued most condigne punishment for their wicked reuolting Whatsoeuer therefore the wicked doe wittingly commit in their blinde and vnbridled concupiscence whatsoeuer punishments they do outwardly suffer in the face of the world against their wils is to bee imputed to the iustice of Gods wrath neither doeth the iustice of God cease to giue life and strong coÌ„stitution to the wicked angels who die if his diuine helpe bee withdrawen And likewise to giue forme and life vnto the â—eedes of men in what progenie or stocke soeuer beeing either defiled or damned fashioning the limbes and parts of the body betweene times quickening the senses by degrees and in their places as they lie in the body and giuing them inward nutriment For hee thought it better to drawe goodnesse out of euils rather than not to tolerate any euills to be at all And in case it had beene his will not to haue had any reformation in man to make him better as it was in wicked angels in whome there is no amendment might it not very condignely haue comne to passe that that nature which hee hath spurned vnder his feete by abusing the power or will hee had giuen him the commandement of his Creator and transgressed the same which he might very easily haue obserued which hath blemished the image of his Creator being in him by a contemptuous turning away from the light thereof which wickedly violated by the power of free-wil the wholsom seruitude that hee should haue performed to his lawes should vniuersally therefore bee forsaken of him and sustaine an euerlasting punishment by due desert Truely thus hee should haue done if he had beene onely iust and not mercifull also and had not giuen more euident demonstration of his mercie which he was no waies bound by promise or duty to haue performed especially in the redemption of such as were vnworthy thereof OF THE FALL AND sinne of the Angels CHAP. 28. The reuolting and wicked angels did all of them sinne together dwell together perpetually damned But the good angels and such as cleaned vnto God doe inioy eternall felicitie CErtaine therefore of the angels which left God by their sinfull pride were throwen downe from the high habitation of heauen to the vttermost darkenes of the ayre or element belowe and the number of angels which remained had their dwelling with God in euerlasting happinesse and holinesse For neither were the rest of the angels begotten of that one angell which fell and was damned whereby originall sin did binde them as it did mortall creatures in the chaines of guiltie posteritie drawing the whole multitude into the punishments due to the offenders But that one Angell who exalted himselfe with his associates impitie and is therefore made a diuel by that his pride and exaltation is cast downe with them the rest which cleaued vnto God in godly obedience receiuing a certaine light and knowledge which the others had not wherby they rested assured of their eternall and permanent estate CHAP. 29. To supply the places of the Angels that fell certaine are