of Samaria whose eyes were opened to let them then see how they were in the midds of their enimies that meant to doe a mischiefe vnto Gods messenger so the deuill hath lead these men blindfoulded into the midds of hell and there the Lord hath opened their eyes to let them see what they haue done against himselfe and all his Saints The summe then of the words is thus much A briefe recapitâ—â—ation these things that is these sinnes before mentioned done that is committed and I held my tongue that is was mercifull in sparing and thou thoughtest that is framed me and my silence to thy owne conceit and liking like thee that is of the same mind nay more then that one altogether like thee and that which is most shamefull should neuer alter my mind toward thee but I wil reproue thee that is most certainly I will plague thee and set them that is sinne shall be brought vnto his own place In order that is make the booke of conscience most euident that thou may read in it distinctly without all confusion and haue it so fixed before thine eyes that I will keep thee to thy reading though thou would faine turne thine eyes another way Before thee that is in the eyes of thy conscience which shall be so vnlocked that it shall be impossible for thee euer to get them shut againe And thus much of the words CHAP. III. Concerning the disposition and reasons NOw I come vnto the reasons contained in the words The logicall analysis and as I goe along with them I shall raise my doctrines and my vses which after resolution is our imitation of Gods worke And therefore I first enter the consideration of the disposition of the words secondly of the simple inuention the first shewes how reasons are ioyned together the second what they are asunder For the first the bond that tyes them is twofold generall or speciall the generall bond is in this word but all that goes before it is called the antecedent all that followes the consequent The nature of the bond is to set apart such things as doe not disagree in themselues but in respect of some third thing vnto which they cannot both bee giuen and this alone makes them disagree So in this place the antecedent which containes the mercie of God and the consequent which containes Gods iustice do agree in themselues for mercie and iustice kisse each other and therefore the hypocrite hath set them at variance that God must no longer bee mercifull but iust in punishing him Partiuâ—◠〈◊〉 partium discreâ—es Therefore in this bond are two things to be iudged first the truth of both parts secondly the distinction or disagreement Truth is required on both sides for falsifie the one side and the other will not stand good because both of them make but vp one ioynt truth from whence these obseruations are truely gathered Obser 1. First that that God is equally iust and mercifull hee that will haue his mercy must be sure that he falsifie not his iustice for a breach of the one makes a breach of them both Reason 1. Because they are equall in God for they are indeed his verie beeing Hence ariseth an impossibilitie in God to forgiue an offence against his iustice by his mercy vntill a satisfaction of his iustice be made for the Lord cannot denie himselfe indeed men may passe by offences committed against them without satisfaction because their iustice is not their being but a qualitie in it and therefore the iniurie is lesse but in nature we see that whatsoeuer makes against the beeing of it cannot be indured or any peace made with it and therfore sinne beeing against the very beeing of God God can make no peace with man vntill reconciliation bee made by Christ that hath giuen a ful satisfaction to Gods iustice for the sinnes of his children Reas 2. Is the manifestation of his glorie God will equally haue the glorie of them both wicked men should neuer glorifie God except it were for his iustice Indeede we graunt that in regard of man there is an inequalitie for God may be said to be more mercifull vnto them that are saued then iust to them that are condemned for of condemnation the iust cause is in man but of saluation it is wholly from grace yet in himselfe they are both equall and also by them he is equally glorified seeing that nothing in God can receiue augmentation or diminution Reas 3. Is to leaue man without all excuse for he shal haue no cause to complaine of his iustice aboue his mercy but shall confesse that the Lord is equall in all his doings Vse 1. For confutation of errour 1. If God be equal in iustice and mercie then no mercy to bee expected but that which will stand with the iustice of God therefore mercie in Christ must stand with the iustice of God and Christ must bring in mercy by perfect fulfilling of the law Christ is the cause of life and saluation In Adam dying to die was necessarie vpon the transgression els peraduenture we shall die had been true therefore die we must either in Christ or in our selues if in Christ then by his death we are freed from that sentence of the lawe In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death being dead in Christ we are iustified from the sentence of condemnation But yet there is an other more effentiall part of the lawe Passiue obedience might free from death but actine brings life and that is doe this and thou shalt liue and God may as well free vs from death without dying as bring vs to life without doing We grant then that the passiue obedience of Christ hath taken away death and this is legally done on Christs part but most mercifully in regard of vs if then no more but this righteousnesse were imputed it would prooue of workes in regard of Christ though of grace in regard of vs. So then this mercie of our deliuerance from death is equall with Gods iustice Here is dying in stead of dying and so that part of the law that is sinne and die is repaired and fully answered but as yet all righteousnesse is not fulfilled for I am sure that this is a righteousnesse of the lawe as well as the other doe this and thou shalt liue and if this bee not done then Christ hath not fulfilled the speciall part of the righteousnes of the law for vs To doe and liue was our debt vnto God and therefore Christ our suretie must fulfill it for vs. And this wil prooue a wonderfull mercy to miserable man that hath Christ to pay his debts and bestowe the whole purchase of life and saluation vpon him It is a false dreame to think that non peccator and iustus a iust man and no sinner are equipollent tearmes For non peccator is a contradiction to peccator but iustus is an opposite habite and in act an
aduerse to a sinner and so the arguments differ Adam by creation was a iust man in habite but not in act and according to that which the Lord required and so death beeing taken away we are in the way to iustification but not actually iust vntill actually the law be performed in our selues or another And because the point is in controuersie thereasons to establish this truth may be these Arg. 1. Lex regale 〈◊〉 iustiâ—e That which is the perfect righteousnesse of the lawe is both actiue and passiue but that whereby we are iustified is of this nature For I demaund by what rule of righteousnesse is life and saluation conuaied vnto vs If they say by faith then I demaund what is that righteousnesse of faith is it the verie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then assuredly it excludes both the righteousnesse of Christ and that of the law and yet faith is said to establish both If it be the righteousnesse of Christ then I demaund is not that morall if morall then either perfect or imperfect if perfect then actiue and passiue That we apprehend Christs righteousnesse that is of grace but that Christ hath it for vs that is of the law The second Argument against this opinion may be this Christ did all as a nâ—ediator for those that haue need of a mediator That which Christ did as a Mediator was not onely for himselfe but for vs and for vs more principally then himselfe but all that Christ did were the actions of a Mediatour his humane nature had no subsistence but by the diuine and euery action beeing in supposito was of him as a Mediatour and therfore for vs and so both actiue and passiue obedience were for vs. But they will say his actiue obedience did fit him for our Mediatorship To this I answer if his actiue obedience be the obedience of a Mediator then in his whole latitude it was for vs and as soon as he was born he was fit to redeeme so neuer an action but it was for vs. If then these actions of fitting bee properly the actions of a Mediator then they tautologise speak no sense for so that fitting was nothing but redeeming for I am sure euery action of our Mediatour is to redeeme and to redeeme is to seeke those that were lost and so his actiue obedience was for those which were lost and if that then had we neede of all Christs obedience Argum. He fulfilled the ceremoniall law both actiuely and passâ—â—ely for others ergn the moral 3. Christ fulfilled all righteousnes morall ceremoniall The ceremoniall was not fulfilled by passiue obedience but also by actiue if the ceremoniall required both then much more the morall Deut. 4.1 Sam. 22. Hos 6.6 mercie more then sacrifice and knowledge more then burnt offerings and this in both was done for others he was circumcised for others for he was without sinne and therefore in Christ to signifie any pollution circumcision had no vse so was he baptized but it was not for the washing away of his owne filthines but ours The reasons why he must keepe the law for others are these 1. because perfect obedience depended on him for the performer 2. both the law morall and ceremoniall acknowledge him for Mediator for seeing it was impossible to be fulfilled of vs it was possible vnto him 3. because he did establish and fulfill both 4. he alone is the bond of both seeing then he performed actiue obedience to the Ceremoniall law and that not for himselfe but for vs. the like must be confessed of the morall especially the ceremoniall law beeing but an appendix and addition to the morall Argum. Against reason that death should cause life 4. Christs death could not bring life because no death can be the cause of life seeing they are contraries Fire cannot cause cold neither water heat blindnes cannot cause sight neither sight blindnes Christs death to take away death is good reason but to cause life is against all reason This is very agreeable with the Scriptures reason that as Christs death doth free vs from death so Christs life doth bring vs vnto life He died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Dan. 9.24 the slaying of the Messias brings in the expiation of sinne and his liuing againe brings euerlasting righteousnesse Sinne brought in death therefore righteousnes must bring in life for if death should bring in life then life should be the reward of sinne for I am sure that the Scriptures affirme that death is the reward of sinne and the reward of sinne can neuer be the cause of life What hath a schoole-boy deserued when his master hath whipped him so what haue we deserued in Christ when we are onely punished in him Sinne and the reward of sinne haue no agreement with life Therefore it is true that the expiation of sinne is wrought by Christs passiue obedience and life by his actiue Argum. 5. All types whereof Christ is the truth Types prooue both actine and passiue obedience to bee found in Christ point at this assertion first in the couenant of grace there was the Arke and the Table Exod. 24.7 in the Arke was the booke of the law and so the booke of the lawe went with the couenant and was to be found in Christ for vs. Exod. 25.22 the Mercie-seat was betweene the two Cherubims and these were vpon the Arke of the Testament Mal. 3.1 therefore no seat of mercie without the Arke of the Testament The pascall lambe must be without spot eaten with sweete bread and sowre hearbs both must be in Christ therefore not onely the soure hearbs of his death and passion but the sweet bread of his righteousnesse Vrim and Thummim must be on the Priests breast when he carries the peoples iudgement before God and this must be had beside blood therefore righteousnes beside passion Ar. 6. From similitudes familiarly applied in the Scriptures whose end purpose are to prooue this First the wiues debt is made the husbands and we beeing married vnto Christ the debt that we owe God by our creation must be payed before he will admit of vs now that debt was Do and liue and this Christ hath done and so we shall liue Secondly Christ is the head of his Church and therefore must he giue vnto his members life motion and all things needfull Thirdly the suretie must pay and discharge the whole debt of him for whome he is bound all of vs are bankerupts and stand in neede to haue a great debt discharged for vs and likewise a new stocke purchased To conclude it is foolish to make such a distinction as this seeing all the actions of our Mediator are as wel actiue as passiue his life is not taken from him but he laies it downe willingly and euen from his conception his humanitie being assisted by his deity which could not suffer turned all Christs sufferings into actions I haue bin drawne to inlarge
not consent Quitacet consentire videtur yet he will spare mee for a time or howsoeuer I will hold mine own conclusions whatsoeuer the Lord shall doe vnto me IIII. Part. Of Gods reproofe and order in sinne Reprooue This word signifieth foure things First to argue or reason vpon any matter secondly by reasoning to prooue or disprooue any cause thirdly by proouing or disproouing to absolue or condemne any person fourthly after condemnation to punish or execute This fourth signification is specially meant in this place for he had his conuiction before therefore to reprooue in this place is as much as to plague for the reason following makes it plaine Oh consider this least I teare you in peeces shewing plainly what his reproofe was nothing but vengeance Set This word presupposeth things out of place secondly the placing of them againe in their rankes and orders shewing vs the nature of sinne First that sinne is gotten out of his own place for neuer a creature of God by his creatioÌ„ did acknowledge him and God himselfe did alwaies abhorre him therefore before the fal of men and angels Gods erâ—ation a deadly â—uemie to sinne sinne was like vnto that which we call in nature vacuum which is so abhorred of nature that the verie fire will descend and the verie water ascend before they wil yeeld him the least corner in the world so sinne by Gods creation was wholly excluded and God giueth his testimonie that euery thing that hee made was good and very good therefore that sinne should obtaine that in nature as to get him a place in the best of Gods creatures was neuer the placing of the Lord therefore the Lord cannot bee said to set sinne in this manner The way of Gods placing Cane The second setting is here vnderstood to wit bringing that into his proper place which hitherto hath beene out of his place and is done two manner of wayes First by bringing it vnto himselfe and the rule of his wisedome and so sin is set in the decree of God and ordered by his wisdome for that of the Philosopher is true Veritas iudex sui obliqui but what need we the testimonie of the Philosopher seeing that we haue the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.7 I knewe not sinne but by the lawe and without the law sinne is dead now the rule is alwaies before the breach of the rule therfore must needs determine of euerie fault Secondly sinne is set in order when it is brought vnto man by making him feele what his sinne was by the punishment of it Order Includeth three things Confusion diâ—ontion iâ—â—â—uâ—ination first confusion secondly comely disposition thirdly plaine reuelation as in the creation of the world Gods order is set forth vnto vs in the confusion of the first matter wherein all things were buried as in a dark dungeon Secondly how the Lord proceeded to bring out of this the heauens in their ranke with all the host thereof the firmament in his place the water and all therein in his place the earth and all thereupon in their place and thus was the worke of the Lord comely and full of beautie Thirdly the Lord brought foorth a light to separate from the darkenes and so was there a plaine reuelation of his workes so in this place here is sinne a greater confusion in mâ—n then euer was in that first chaos Secondly as the Lord brought all things out of that into their place so will he bring all the sins of man vnto a comely order so that plainly in the third place euery man shall see what he hath done to the dishonour of his creator This order is threefold according to a threefold booke the first is the booke of decrees 3. Bookes Gods decâ—es Law Consâ—ence the second is the book of Gods law the third the books of conscience and these three bookes doe most plainely order sinne The first booke being secret ordereth sinne secretly yet most iustly because most wisely for if the wisedome of God should not be seene in sin then should not God haue his glorie out of sinne therfore to answer all obiections that may arise out of this ordring of sin the prouing of the truth of this point I will in a few words take in hand the clearing of these two things first the remoouall of that which may obscure the truth secondly I will bring reasons for the confirming of this difficultie Answer The first obiection may be out of the words of the Psalme I will set them in order before thee therefore the order that is taken for sinne is after that sinne is committed For first God saith These things hast thou done 2. these things will I order 3. before thee all which plainely prooue that this order followeth sinne Answer To which I answer that in this place we are to vnderstand that the third booke which is the booke of the conscience is here to be vnderstood not excluding the former as though they were not but onely shewing that the bookes of conscience for the condemnation of a wicked man are sufficient and the onely cause of the execution of Gods plagues vpon him as appeareth plainly Reuel 20.12 And the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their works Here is mention of two bookes the booke of Gods decree and the booke of the Conscience Why the Lord tearmes the booke of conscience bookes called bookes because of the manifold bills and inditments that are written in the leanes of the conscience which are sufficient for the iudgement of the wicked therefore as often as we heare of Gods executions in punishing we heare nothing of the booke of his decree because to what purpose should God bring in his decree to conuince a wicked man when his conscience giueth in euidence sufficient against him it might rather cause cauill then true conuiction But in the execution of his mercie we heare of the booke of life because therein lieth a principall cause of our saluation Therefore I take it in this place Death only froÌ„ finne and therfore hath no â—â—gher cause further then the cause no inquiâ—â—e that the Lord speaking of bookes and of a booke would haue vs take notice that for iudgement we neede to looke no further then the bookes of conscience therefore I take it that the Scripture neuer speaketh of a booke of death Againe when we looke vpon our saluation we must eye the booke of life that so we may ascribe all the praise of our saluation vnto the Lord. So in this place the Lord is about his execution vpon the wicked God in himself workes out of all time in the are â—ure in due time therefore he pulls not out the booke of his decree but appeales vnto their owne consciences so that order which was before the Lord from all
mercie if that then either I must be saued or damned but alas that is a harsh conclusion both in regard of God and in regard of my selfe well consider that it is one thing to determine of thy sinne and another thing to punish thee assure thy selfe that this is good reason that euery law of God must determine before thou doe any thing els were the rule no wisdome of God but also take this with thee that thou shalt neuer take any hurt by the law vntill thou thy selfe haue done some hurt vnto it the Law will not sting vntill thou haue stung thy selfe and then take heede of poison vnto death And therefore seeing Gods wisdome runnes along in this order to determine all matters not casually but certenly long before they come to passe we should yeild it and not denie it because of the execution which followes after which hath other iust causes then Gods decree but none to exclude it Argum. 3 God is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the ende therefore nothing before him neither any thing after him therfore he closeth all things in these two tearmes therefore euery thing must haue something to doe with this first and last as from him and to him therefore must they be decreed els should they not be from him and to him Hence sinne comming within the limits of this circle that incloseth all things must needes some way come from God and be for God and therefore decreed How sinne may be from God and to God is hard to explaine yet in my poore iudgement vnder the correction of my betters I iudge this the most true and safest that the good the Lord will haue out of euil is from God and to God all the rest that remaines is nothing at all for Gods purpose and therefore he hath no hand in it he will haue the gold by his owne fining but the drosse he will leaue to the first inuentors that digged vnto themselues such kinde of pits that would hold no water for the Lord of hosts but such as he drew out by his prerogatiue royall ouer all his creatures and their actions Therefore thus is sinne decreed and the Lord had his hand in it For the other consideration of sinne as sinne it is a by-respect in it selfe nothing tending to Gods purpose but onely as the Lord drew his owne goodnes out of him And this makes vs speake so of sinne that he is decreed meaning the goodnesse out of sinne which the Lord hath appointed for himselfe II. Part in the ordering of sinne concerning his entrance and progresse This point would a little more be insisted vpon for the slanders that Bellarmine hath laid vpon Calvin Luther Martyr and sundrie other of the greatest Diuines of the Reformed Churches making them to defend That God by reason of his decree is made the cause of sinne Of this sinnefull wicked and lying report we are sure God is not the author but the deuill For the clearing of this point two things offer themselues to our consideration the first entrance of sinne Entrance prâ—gresse causeâ— of sinnes entrance principall instrumentall accidentall and secondly his progresse For his first entrance sinne had two causes one blameable the other holy and good The blameable cause is either principall or instrumentall principall the deuill and man The deuills beeing Apostates and rebells through their pride against God and malice against man became lyars and murtherers of man by bringing him into his fall man by his free receiuing of the tentation and hearkning thereunto contrary to the commandement of God when he might haue resisted the same The instrumentall causes were the serpent and the woman the serpent abused by the deuill was vsed as an instrument of seducing Evah the woman deceiued by the deuill and the serpent became an instrument to deceiue man The vnblameable cause was God and his lawe for as his law did it so he himselfe did it and if there had been no law there had been no transgression yet the law of it selfe sauoured nothing but life vnto life which thorough mans default became the sauour of death vnto death But how could this bee seeing mans will was created good How mans will beeing good could produce euill I answer First it was created mutably good secondly though there was no imperfection for kind of beeing yet his beeing was defectiue and imperfect in regard of absolute beeing therefore man compared to God was defectiue and imperfect and so might come short of his created perfection and fall away from that wherein he was created Hence man might fall but how should this power come into act here diuines lay downe a substraction of grace which they affirme to bee double first of that without which man could not but fall and without which he could not continue in his integritie if God had denied man this grace it could not bee imagined but that God should haue beene the author of sinne 〈…〉 this was debitum naturae due to his nature this God gaue him and would haue continued with the supply of actual grace to haue liued for euer if he had once pleased God A second substraction or rather withholding of grace was that without which God saw hee would not continue though both in dutie he ought 〈◊〉 posse si veâ—â—â—t sed non veile 〈…〉 and in respect of abilitie he might if he would God gaue him not a would to his might yet a might if he would neither was God bound vnto this by law of creation for it was expedient giuing him freedome of will to trie him how he would exercise it yet most certain hee would abuse it no man denies but that God might haue giuen grace to Adam in such degree measure and kind as might haue preserued him from all possibilitie of falling and haue holden him inseparably to himselfe for euer which while he denied he gaue way vnto the fall of man Thus then we conceiue of the entrance of sinne First God purposed eternally to make man a rationall and intellectuall creature indued with knowledge of all things Vnderstanding and facultie and power to make choice of what he would Secondly man could not be thus made and be naturally free Election from possibilitie and danger of making an euill choice disposing himselfe amisse and offending against the lawes of his righteous Creator Thirdly Meanes God wanted not gratious meanes whereby to hold him inseparably to himselfe and to preserue him infallibly from falling away though he were not nor could be Fall contingent naturally free from possibilitie of falling Fourthly God knew man beeing so left would sinâ—efully depart from him not necessarily but contingently yet most certenly not by any constraint but by his owne created free will Fiftly God saw this to be the best for the manifestation of his glorie and of that good which otherwise the world could neuer haue knowne Sixtly
from the obligation of the law That which is bound to the lawe is properly the subiect of the breach of the law now men and angels are only bound to Gods law therefore men and angels may only be tearmed the subiect their actions therefore onely as belonging vnto them are sinfull that is flowing from sinners and so are their workes so that mans nature worketh and sinne and God mans nature worketh and hath God working in it and so the action is good againe God beside his general influence concourse with his creature hath a speciall worke in the action which concernes himselfe and that is likewise good yea and verie good for it is the last end of the creature but the other cause which is sinne cleauing so fast vnto our nature qualifies our nature to doe sinfully The sunne-beames comming thorough a red glasse shines on the opposite wall with the tincture of the colour of the glasse now the question is whether the red colour be onely in the glasse or likewise in the shining surely it seemes that the whole colour remaines still in the glasse and rather dimmes the shining then infects it so the beames of Gods wisedome shining through our corrupt soules seemes to be an action tainted with sinne but surely the corruption stickes in our soules and onely hindred the bright beames of Gods glorie from appearing in our actions Reason 3. from the sole nature of an effect That which is onely an effect can neuer be a subiect nowe the motion is onely an effect and can no otherwise be considered and therefore is alwaies ioyned with his cause as a sinfull action is in sense and reason the action of a sinneful man that is whereof sinnefull man is the cause Hence beeing an effect it must needes exist or stand out by many causes and therefore according to euery cause hath his speciall affection so a sinfull action hath one reference vnto man an other vnto God and yet may stand out of both Christs death had many causes and all subordinate causes were according to Gods determinate counsell the action was sinfull yet the sinne did inhere in Pilate Herod and the accursed Iewes Reason 4. from the nature of goodnes That which is simply good cannot bee the subiect of sinne now actions are of this nature the reason is because causes giue beeing vnto things and therefore are absolute as causes now motion hauing no other being but that which it receiues from causes Causa cuius vi res est This vis must needs be Gods and causes producing that by a motiue force in themselues which force is from God cannot any wayes leaue in the effect an euill inherent but onely in themselues which wanted true force whereof the effect should haue existed hence we call sinne rather a deficient cause then an efficient cause Rom 6.12 Rom. 7.5 Indeede sinne in vs is said to raigne and haue force in our members and so sinne with his subiect is exceeding powerful but it is by turning Gods created force the wrong way euen as a wheele set a running wrong way is carried with as great force as when it runne the cleane contrarie so mans nature set a rebelling against God turnes Gods created forces against himselfe that the force is put into the action it is Gods but that it was put in by the hand of a rebell it became sinfull yet God will acknowledge his owne force in the action and turne the fault and crime to the proper owners That the Iewes and Pilate laid hands on Christ it was Gods created force in them but the abuse of it is their owne and takes vp a proper habitation in their miserable soules then causation beeing a created force and motion onely acknowledging the same well may the motion be Gods and yet no cause at all of sinne Reason 5. from priuation Sinnes are properly the priuation or want of action and therfore though they may bee both in one subiect yet neuer can the one be the subiect of the other for so should deadly enemies become louing freinds and the worst kind of opposites be reconciled for I am sure that priuation though he be no being yet he denies a beeing in the selfe same subiect which is capable of it Blindnes is a worse not being then not seeing for not seeing may be in a stone which is neuer the worse for it but blindnes can be no where but where sight may be and therefore the eye is much worse for it if then sinne bee the priuation of an action it can neuer bee in an action but alwaies against an action Reason 6. from action and passion which seeme to differ but in respect of the agent and patient and therefore the patient should sin more then the agent seeing the action wherein lies the sinne is most properly in the patient but frō the agent The action from the worker is a passion in the receiuer and therefore if sinne were in the action it should goe along with it to the patient yea rather should it be in the patient then the agent seeing the action rests most in the patient Hence murther should rather be the sinne of the patient then the agent seeing the action of murther as it is from the agent so most properly is in the party slaine and therefore the murtherer should be the murthered which is against reason It is plaine then that sinne abides in the murtherer the action is good let this therefore be obserued that God may be iustified euen in sinnefull actions yet no cause of sinne because sinne alone rests in the bosome of fooles and will not stirre one iotte out of that subiect it is therefore dangerous to defend that an action is the materiall cause of sinne for so should sinne not onely be said to be in the action but of the action and then I know not how God should worke the action and bee freed from sinne for causa causae est causa causati The words then are thus to be expounded Things are here put for actions by a metanomie of the cause for the effect for actions proceed frō things then actions for the sinnes which are committed by sinnefull things and so the action is an effect of the sinnefull man and is put for his cause which be sinnes in the things Neither is this any newe opinion Motus modus actionis for all agree that the motion is good onely the manner of doing is euill Now examine the point well and we shall alwaies find the manner in the doer and not in the thing done and therefore the euill is properly in the doer and not in the thing done onely it is said to be in it in that regard that an euill cause wrought it and so the motion is both Gods and mans yet not both of one manner of working Mans fall was an action therefore Gods and mans but man wrought it one manner of way and
permissiue act He that strikes against God shall be so stricken againe that he shall suffer and therefore as the smiths hammar striking against his hands hardeneth them by opposition so God the hearts of men by his iust iudgements opposing them Solution of the second Argument drawne from Gods decree The first part of the Argument resting vpon that Sophisme of Arminius is alreadie cleared To the second Gods decree not the workes of sinne but conuersant in it in ordering and disposing concerning the necessary copulation of Gods decree and sinne First I answer they are not cause and effect because Gods decree is an act vpon sinne and therefore subiect and adiunct But you will inquire what necessitie is there of the connexion of these two parts I answer Gods decree and mans fall doe not make a necessarie sentence but contingent yet most infallible and true because it was the act of an infinite wisdome that could not be deceiued and hereupon his iudgement was most infallibly true of mans fall If an expert Physitian should foretell the death of his patient and were most certen of it must it therefore be necessarie when it comes to passe Determination no cause of necessitie because he foretold it no for the truth is the same that it was before onely it is now more euident to others that knew it not so God most certenly knew the fall of man and determined of it euen as the Physitian determines of the fit in an ague wherein his patient shall die and farre more certenly he will not misseit a minute of time Could the deuill tell Saul yea and determine of it To morrow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me and yet shall not God be able to set downe the exact time of mans apostacie And if the Lord haue determined the day and houre wherein Adam should die shall he therefore be the necessarie cause of his death You will not accuse the Physitian as a murtherer because he foretold the time wherein his patient should depart nay you will scarse accuse the Deuill because he said to morrow but confesse that Saul himselfe fell on his own sword onely this makes vs say the Deuill did it because he hath bin a murtherer from the beginning And as God saies Is there any euill of punishment in the citie and I haue not done it so dare I say is there any euill of sinne in the world and Sathan hath not done it Therefore I must craue pardon to hold a certentie but no necessitie that man infallibly should fall yet most freely and contingently but not necessarily at all for necessitie is against Gods decree Things necessaâ—â— neede no decree for their consequents God neuer decrees the fire to burne because if it be fire it is good reason it should burne God neuer decrees man shall haue reason for if he will haue him a man then it is necessarie he should haue reason but to decree in all proprierie of speech both with God and man is of things contingent Man he decrees vpon deliberation and consultation and the subiect matter thereof is some contingent thing which hee would produce or hinder for if it be a necessarie thing he can neither produce it or hinder it man is not a stone he can neuer produce out of this the arffimatiue part man is a stone God is iust is a necessarie truth let him bring all the arguments he can inuent or deuise out of his wit and yet he shall neuer produce this that God is the author of sinne or vniust Suppose an armie of men were comming against England would not the King and his Councill assemble to deliberate and consult that they might preuent them and therefore though the thing be most certain yet it is not necessarie The towne is on fire if it were necessarie it should burne the town what then should men do crying for helpe yet it might bee some knewe for a certentie that the towne would be burnt is it therefore necessarie But you will say euery thing when it is is necessarie that it should be I answer that this beeing should become existent was neuer necessarie A thing to bee when it is is not necessarie for the cause but that it is a kind of beeing vnder some head of entity where it is necessarie yet that this beeing should be something is most necessarie And therfore I admire that though many meane wel yet they should neuer distinguish betwixt an an effect and a species of beeing The effect lookes onely at causes now the causes of mans fal were no wayes necessarie either when they were in power to act or when they did really produce and therefore as man was a contingent cause till he fell so when he was fallen he was stil the same cause onely his power was brought into act and all our dispute is on this head as mans fall was an effect But now you come and say this effect was necessarie how I pray you because you say quicquid est quando est necessarium est esse marke your predication which is of that word esse vpon quicquid est quando est now what is that esse to quicquid est quando est I tell you no effect but a species now the species of any genus is a necessarie axiome when it is disposed And therfore that which is existing in the world to be brought vnder some head of beeing is most necessarie for God is the God of order sinne therefore or rather the action of sinne for sinne cannot haue an est though it may haue a quando est as beeing referred to the predicament of action One thing as an action is an example of that order and another thing as produced into that order or the catagorie of effects is necessarie because this action or this effect is an example or species of that generall nature and with that generall nature he is necessarie hence Logitians call these arguments disposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second degree of necessarie affirmation but recall these actions to their agents these effects to their efficients and the argument is changed therefore dispose Adam and his sinne together as cause and effect Gods decree and mans fall as subiect and adiunct and both are but contingent axiomes the former contingent and vncertaine vnto Adam vntill he had committed his sinne the second contingent and most certaine because God that decreed it knewe all things and with whom all time was present Argument repeated Further it is vrged from commission and omission from commission because God did concurre to the doing of it seeing it could not be done without him and beeing the first in it is the principall actor man but his instrument and that so necessarily vrged that hee could not resist God the first moouer From omission because God did not giue him so much grace as was necessarie to keepe him from omitting his dutie for if God had concurred
necessarily must needes be a cause The answer is it is a necessarie conclusion by way of ratiocination or discourse but not from the argument it selfe the disposition makes it necessarie but the third reason is no necessarie cause seeing that the action of Gods decree as out of himselfe and in the creature is externally and materially to be considered and so is not necessarie but contingent temporarie and mutable and therefore if it had pleased God it might haue fallen out otherwise for euery necessarie truth is an eternall truth And therefore that which is in time and not eternall is contingent mutable and alterable That which is said to the interceding cause betwixt Gods decree and the fall Of the interceding cause to wit mans free will to exempt God from sinne is most true for God did not immediatly worke mans fall But you obiect that the remote cause is as well sinfull as the next because the deuill was the remote cause and yet guiltie of the same sinne Adam commited A speciall neuerprooues a generall The answer is when the causes are vniuocall homogeniall and of the same order of working but in causes heterogeniall and equiuocall which are of diuerse natures the remote cause is neuer tainted with the same fault that the next cause is As wine is a remote cause why a man is drunke yet no faultie-cause of his drunkennesse The Gospell and our Sauiour Christ came to send a sword into the world but yet were no true causes of sedition and quarrels among men The Sunne raiseth putrified creatures out of dead carkases it can harden as well the clay as melt the waxe A sonne desires the death of his father so doth God One thing effected of diuerse causes may bee faultie in one but not in another but the sonne breaks Gods commaundement God doth it according to the true rule of iustice a sonne would haue his father liue God would the contrarie yet a sinne in neither And therfore a remote cause is onely guilty of the same offence with the next when they worke all after one forme and manner otherwise the immediate cause is the onely author of the sinne al the rest by accident and by abuse The Gospel is the sauour of death vnto death as well as the free will of man but not eodem genere causandi after the same manner of working Pharaoh hardneth his owne heart so doth God but the one immediatly the other mediatly by the abuse of mans freewill Therfore the answer is from the distinction of remote causes in vniuocall causes the remote cause is as guiltie as the next and therefore the deuills will In causes vniuocall all are guiltie of the same crime but not in equivocall and mans will working vnivocally are both in the same offence but Gods will and mans worke equiuocally the one one way and the other another and therefore no neede of participation seeing they haue no next genus of a cause in which they should communicate Answer to Gods desertion To the third euasion betwixt infallibilitie and necessitie it is granted that man fell infallibly but not necessarily except we vnderstand it of Gods decree in himselfe and then the truth was an eternall truth And in this sense our Diuines hold it not of any necessitie in mans will therefore it was only necessarie in Gods wll but contingent in mans yet the truth it selfe in the thing is to God and man contingent to God most certen but to man vncertaine For desertion we hold that God did not forsake man in any necessarie requisite for his true obedience vnto the law onely he with-held his confirmation of man If a man were set in some office for triall of his gifts is it necessarie that he should be confirmed in it I trow not and therefore this desertion was of confirmation and not of necessarie helpes for execution And here our Orthodoxe writers when they answer to that argument that iustice and mercie presuppose misery Misâ—rie potentiall reall habituall make answer of a threefold miserie first actuall which is in sense and feeling secondly habitual which is in the bosome of a man but as yet puts not forth it selfe the third potentiall into which a man may fall and this they call a miserie in comparison Iob 4.18 Behold he found no steadfastnesse in his seruants and laid folly vpon his angels Iob 9.2 Howe should man compared vnto God be iustified Habituall and actuall miserie had no place in man by his creation but possible or potentiall miserie was laid in the freedome of his will which if God had inclined vnto good and man so determined then had he come into the estate of the blessed Angels and so miserie had been impossible and his estate should haue been confirmed vnto him with God for euer not from the freedom of his will but from his obedience and Gods promise thereunto Therefore that desertion and not collation of necessarie helpe to auoide sinne is to be vnderstood of this third grace which was not a grace of creation but a further liberallity which God might haue bestowed if it had pleased him But I dare not rest satisfied with this answer because I see this third grace was onely to be obtained by the obedience of the creature that is if he did the will of God then would God haue beene as good as his promise thou shalt liue therefore in my iudgement Confirmation of life by creation was to follow our obedience vnto the 〈◊〉 confirming grace was a subsequent grace to followe obedience and not an antecedent grace to goe before it and so the angels obtained it by their obedience and from their obedience are confirmed if then without their obedience they could not be confirmed then must confirming grace belong vnto the law of creation as well as any other for what grace should man haue receiued by creation but that which God would haue communicated vnto him by the rule of obedience doe this and thou shalt liue to confirme him in life was vpon his doing I answer therefore Desertion 1. in not rebuking Sathan 2. In diuiding of the lawe and his facultie 3. In that God suffered man to be distracted and did not hold him close vnto his law in despite of the deuill that desertion is no cause of mans sinne but that God was wel-pleased to suffer the deuill to worke more strongly in the temptation then mans will should be able to oppose not for power giuen but for present act and as in this temptation the law forsooke man so God may most iustly bee said to forsake him I haue before declared that two things are most necessary for euery good action rule and power which if both concurre not the action cannot bee produced Now the law concurred not and therefore man was forsaken of the lawe not actiuely but passiuely euen as a master should promise his seruant all aide and succour as long as hee would
third of such things as would bee if such and such things went before If Caine doe well he shall be accepted Gen. 4. if Dauid stay in Keilah the lords of the citie will deliuer him if I continue in beleeuing then I shall be saued if I continue in sinne I shall bee damned And on this knowledge for any thing that I can perceiue doe the Papists and Lutherans hang all predestination and so make Gods will the consequent in decreeing and mans will the antecedent in giuing God the occasion The deceit is this that from the connexion of things they iudge of Gods will about things which is most indirect and a knowledge that agrees not to God but at the second hand It is true that the first knowledge beeing iudged according to logicall inuention is of things possible for arguments or reasons afore they come to bee disposed are onely in potentia ad arguendum haue an affection to argue and so many things that might be haue this potentiall kind of reason and so we say they are knowne of God because we so conceiue of them The second knowledge which is more actuall is properly science the laying together of those things which before were onely in affection to argue The third is of these things which beeing laid together can no otherwise haue force of reason but vpon connexion and supposition and in this head would they tie Gods decree and knowledge when indeed God followes no such suppositions but absolutely knowes and wills what he pleaseth yet seeing his decree is as large as all reason it cannot otherwise be imagined but that in the manifestation of it all reason should appeare And so we grant a connexion supposition condition and occasion in all Gods works that is in the effects of his will but none of all these in the will it selfe Therefore they doe amisse to put that vpon his will which is the cause which ought to be in the effect of his will and thereupon no antecedent of Gods will but meere consequents That creation should go before the fall the fall before redemption redemption before saluation and sinne before damnation are all of them most necessarie suppositions connexions conditions and if you please occasions And thus much for that occasion which is to Arminius delphicus gladius but it cuts asunder such knots as God hath tied together whose will in all things drawes the first linke and cannot be drawne of any M. Per. 3. Principle in sense is this that God does all by counsell therefore he hath his scope which he knowes wills and disposeth vnto most prudently and therefore decrees euery thing therevnto I. Ar. The most wise God doth all things for some ende and purpose euen that which he doth not yet hee permits it for some ende and purpose therefore first it is a fault to say that God must either agere be doing or otiose spectare become an idle beholder which is no good distribution for agere and permittere to doe and permit are really distinguished and both these are for good purpose and therefore God must either be doing or an idle beholder are too scant for he may permit Secondly prudence is too short a word to inlarge it selfe to all Gods wisedome Thirdly adhibito certo fine the ende applied finis gratia and for the ende are not all one for no man workes for the ende applied but for the good therein implied Fourthly Deus non vult aut non decernit quod non potest God neither wills nor decrees that which he cannot here no sense except it be further added which he cannot do or permit and therefore the conclusion is most imperfect so God decreed to doe except this be added or permitted Collat. Agere prudenter to doe wisely will beare the sense of permission for permission comming from Gods wil is considered of vs as an effect this effect is produded by counsell therefore for a good ende and purpose so then that which God doth permittere he doth prudenter agere grant then that Gods permission comes from his counsell and aimes at his glorie and then it must bee more then a negatiue act But to speake the truth permission as it is expounded of Arminius maintaines nothing but absurdities First in regard of the cause for saies he permission is voluntatis remissae now such a will as this cannot be in God whose will is meere act and therefore cannot admit of degrees all remissiuenesse of Gods will is in regard of the subiect which is quantum and may be lesse and more but in regard of himselfe it is impossible Secondly a remisse will doth either will or not will or suspend to suspend is neither to hinder nor further the act and so the Lord should haue no stroke in sinne which is the deniall of his prouidence in the apostacie of man if his prouidence did not suspend nor his power then his wil was not to suspend in that action if he did more then suspend then it was either to will or not to will if not to will then sinne should not haue beene therefore God did will it per modum actionis That this may appeare Gods manner of working in sinne we are to consider what manner of efficient causes true reason laies downe vnto vs And the first manner of causes efficient are either to beget or preserue the second to worke alone or with others the third by himselfe or by accident and agere is giuen to euery one of these Let vs then see where Gods action in sinne comes in and because it is most apparent in the third I answer God is the cause of sin by accident And this will appeare if we consider how many causes wrought by an internal principle these were foure the deuill and Adam principally the serpent and the woman instrumentally and all these were blameable causes The externall cause was the lawe and will of God which in mans transgression did all they did by an externall facultie for the lawe is made the sauour of death vnto death not by his own facultie but by the deuills and mans free will and this work of the law was most holy and iust And this is a working cause iustified by the true rule of reason and not a bare permission If a man take a knife and thrust it into his bowels it is the cause of murder and no permission if man therfore was thrust thorow and wounded to the death by the law of God it was no bare permission but a working cause yet in all things vnblameable And therefore to denie Gods will all causation is impossible If a man would faine kill himselfe and could finde no instrument to effect it withall he would be kept from the fact for want thereof so if the Law had not bin man could not haue died Therefore it is most true when our Diuines speake of permission that they doe not in the generall latitude of action exclude it
credentes in gratiam reoipere eosque perseuerantes ad finem vsque saluos facere in Christo propter Christum per Christum impenitentes vero infideles in peccato sub ira relinquere atque damnare tanquam alienos à Christo that is I will receiue vnto my grace and mercy all that repent and beleeue perseuere and continue vnto the end in thorough and for my Christ On the contrarie all that are impenitent infidells leaue them in their sinnes to their euerlasting condemnation and both these are peremptorie The third decree is to be found in the Church militant that is Volo omnia media ad resipiscentiaÌ„ fidem necessaria sufficienter administrare c. I will decree all meanes necessarie to repentance and faith and sufficiently and effectually administer them c. Fourth and last is of euerie singular person which belongs to the opening of the books at the day of iudgment speciall or generall and this is all that he can say for Gods decree And because wee are come to his first decree which is that which he presseth in all his book we wil shew that when he hath pressed all his arguments he prooues no more then Christ to be the cause of redemption but none of election Ephes 1.4 Elegit nos in Christo he chose vs in Christ v. 6. he accepted of vs in his beloued Rom. 8.39 2. Cor. 5.16 the argument is framed thus If God can will any to haue eternall life without respect of a mediator then can he giue eternall life without satisfaction of a mediator but this is impossible Secondly if God can loue no man but in Christ then can hee elect no man but in Christ for he elects none but those which he loues These and all other places concerning Christ the redeemed in Christ Christ a meanes of election but a principall cause of redemption are thus to be answered Christ is either considered as a means appointed of God or as a principle and proper cause in the first he is subordinate in the second supreame as a meanes appointed of God so he is subordinate to Gods decree of election and therefore neither as cause nor meanes nor condition goes before the decree but as Christ is considered in redemption he is the principall supream and maine cause of all that come within the limits of redemption we are chosen in Christ not to be elected but redemed not as the cause of election but as meanes appointed of God in our election yet a meritorius cause of our saluation and redemption so then it is most true that God elects no man but in Christ loues saues and redeemes no man but by Christ in the one the cause in the other the effect So then election can not presuppose faith in Christ remission of sinnes by Christ renouation of the spirit and perpetuall assistance because they follow election the cause of redemption and redemption the cause of all these So then while Arminius disputes his decree in redemption he commits these errors first he makes the cause to follow the effect as election to follow redemption secondly he makes Christs loue in redeeming to be the cause of Gods loue in electing thirdly he makes the meanes appointed for the ende to goe before the end it selfe fourthly hee makes the fruits of redemption as faith remission of sinnes renouation by the spirit perseuerance c. occasions antecedent to Gods decree of election So that these shal be no fruits of our election which if he graunt on the contrarie then must they as occasions follow our election for the fruit is no wayes before his cause neither any occasion why the cause should produce them fiftly though he denie it yet he must confesse that these occasions as they are holden of him must be causes for Gods decree to saue vs by Christ by faith by repentance by remission of sinnes by renouation by perseuerance in weldoing what are these but causes of eternall life I am sure saluation is giuen vnto Christ as a meritorious cause Arminius forgets him selfe when he saies we are chosen in Christ as a meritorious cause for so his occasion at vnâ—wares slips into a cause so in Christ to all the rest These then going before Gods election to left and saluation can no wayes be considered but as causes and indeed his words sound so much when he saies we are chosen in Christ not as a meanes but also as a meritorious cause of what effect I beseech you if he say of redemption then we are all of one mind but if he say of election then we reiect him but his meaning is we are chosen in Christ as a meritorious cause of that choice and so the occasion was not taken from thence but the true and onely cause Many other absurdities followe from this but I passe them ouer and yet before I ascend to the next step let me tell you how Arminius contradicts himselfe First hee saies that the subiect of election is man fallen but how can that be seeing no men are elected before they be in Christ I am sure that he dare not denie but that they were sinners before they were in Christ and therefore they were elected before they were elected Secondly he saies that we are elected in Christ as a redeemer and yet Christ is a redeemer before we be in him for application followes redemption Againe both man fallen man to be redeemed are all alike and Christ is equall to all where then is election Thirdly a man must be in the Church before he can be of the number of the faithfull and vntil he be faithfull he cannot be elected therefore election comes after the fall redemption and the Church Fourthly a faithfull man may fall and so election may change and therefore no certaine election but of singular persons Thus then the first subiect of election that he can finde is either a faithfull person or a singular person so that it is lower then the Church redemption or the fall And hee may as well begin with the creation of the world as with any of these three for all are but media precedanea and though some of them shewe more iust occasion for election or reprobation yet the proper subiect by his doctrine cannot be found out vntill we come to the consideration of a man as a beeleeuer or an infidel neither here is it fixed but it must skip againe to a singular person for saith hee that former decree is rather qualitatum then personarum of qualities then persons so that he is vncertaine in all his notions The next steppe that we ascend vnto Homo peccator the fift step in ascending is man fallen where God shewes these attributes First his holinesse in that the Lord was free from all fault Secondly his iustice whereby he beeing most iust in himselfe cannot but execute iustice as in wel-doing to them which doe well so in inflicting
ouershot my selfe with God in forgetting his long silence if ought crosse my corrupt nature I haue griefe at will if I haue broken a day and not kept touch with men I would not looke them in the face if my seruant haue loytered he blusheth and is ashamed to come before me and shall not I change my countenance if I were displeased my affections would come afore they were sent for but when God is displeased euen for the abuse of his mercies I can not haue my affections although I would send many a messenger for them so ponderous is my corruption which presseth downe that vnlesse Habour by a better spirit I shall neuer giue the Lord the answer of his mercies Let vs therefore helpe our selues a little at these dead lifts first with some rules to ouerwrastle them secondly with some motiues to blow vp our deuotion Consider therefore for the first rule how little we are bound vnto the flesh Rom. 8.13 If ye liue after the flesh ye shall dye a heauie reward for a flauish seruice but on the other hand for the second rule see how we are debt-bound vnto the spirit But if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the Spirit ye shal liue From these two rules we haue motiues innumerable and inualuable to praise the silence and mercie of God for what a miserie would it haue bin to haue bin debt-bound to the flesh which rewardeth with nothing but hell death and damnation therefore happie soules that haue cast off this yoke and againe what a ioy and felicitie to be vnder the yoke of Christ and debt-bound to his spirit we neede no more to make vs sing ioyfully vnto the Lord. But alas sinnefull passions preuent our wills and come as we say of foule weather before they are sent for but holy affections in these most admirable mercies of God are often quenched for want of zeale for alas when doe we beat our braines not suffering the temples of our heads to take any rest till we haue giuen our God some argument of our thankefulnes We vse our God as if it skilled not greatly how he were dealt with when he deales most gratiously with vs. If a man bids me to supper once a quartar I thanke him then and thanke him again when I am come next time after not onely of my present beeing with him but also of my last beeing with him I tell what kind welcome what good cheere bidde him sometime againe or checke my selfe if I forget it but for some great matter what kindnes what speeches what seruice will I tender vnto my friend Shall one supper and not daily bread shall riches and not Christ deserue a thousand thanks for a small benefit I will be at command and shall I not surrender my selfe vnto God who hath paid my debt and purchased me a new stocke euen the hope of eternall life shall I blush at small vnthankfulnes towards man and not condemne my selfe before God surely when the Lord shall take away his mercies we shall come to had I wist and doe so much more penance by how much we were more careles We will not let goe our leases to men for want of payment of the rent therefore let vs giue God no cause to enter and straine vpon vs and all that we haue for not magnifying and praising him and let this follow euery repetition of a fauour that Dauid hath taught vs Psal 136. For his mercie endureth for euer A second instruction is to imitate God in his silence in being kind towards others 1. Tim. 1.16 For this cause was I receiued to mercie that Iesus Christ should first shew on me all long-suffering vnto the ensample of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life especially Christians must obserue it 2. Tit. 2.3 Shewing all meekenes vnto all men for we our selues were also in times past vnwise disobedient seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures liuing in malitiousnes and enuie hatefull and hating one an other Thus Dauid approoues himselfe a man of God 1. Sam. 24. by his innocencie vnto Saul in cutting off his garment when he might haue cut his throat Motiues to this we haue many Matth. 5.7 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall receiue mercie againe for this shall they be receiued into the kingdome of heauen Matth. 25.34 thirdly because it makes vs walke worthie of our vocation Eph. 4.2 Walke worthie the vocation whereunto ye are called with all humblenes of minde and meekenes with long suffering supporting one an other through loue fourthly it prooues vnto vs our election Coloss 3.12 Now therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercie kindnes humblenes of minde meekenes long suffering c. lastly this serues for instruction of all to take care for displeasing of God Matth. 5.25 Agree with thine aduersarie quickely whiles thou art in the way with him least thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the sargeant and thou be cast into prison c. Esperially those must looke vnto it that haue had long time of Gods silence Rom. 11. Behold therefore the bountifulnes and the seueritie of God toward them which haue fallen seueritie but toward thee bountifulnes if thou continue in his bountifulnes or els shalt thou be cut off Vse 3. consolation First in miserie to consider that God spared vs when we were sinners was reconciled vnto vs when we were his enemies therefore much more beeing iustified by Christ made his sonnes will he loue vs and bee well pleased with vs Rom. 5. Secondly consolation in our welfare because we haue the silence of God in regard of the true cause of it and therefore haue hope that it shall bee continued vnto vs. And thus much of Gods silence Section 2. The obiect of Gods silence The obiect is the doings of the wicked for the explication whereof let vs first see what the word of God makes the obiect of Gods silence First it cannot endure any silence at sin because it teacheth plainely that as soone as sinne is committed God speakes the law speakes and the conscience as we may see Gen. 3. and therefore must it bee in regard of the consequent of sinne which is first of all the fault 2. the guilt 3. the punishment now the two first are equall with the sinne and therefore will they suffer no silence therefore must it be in the punishment threatned or executed in threatning the Lord is neuer silent therefore must it bee in the execution Silence in regard of the miserie of sinne and not of sin it selfe which is either present or in comming present originall and actuall sinne wherein there hath appeared no silence of God for presently vpon the fall man became exorbitant and his freewill ran only vnto euill therefore must it be in the punishment comming which is the sensible miserie of man to wit the first and second death wherein plainly we
men neither are they plagued with them but pride is as a chaine vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment What then can be answered for God surely still the consequence is not good bruit beasts may goe to the slaughterhouse without all baiting and it were questionlesse the part of a mad man to disturbe them that goe as heart would wish neither would the deuill for a thousand worlds that these men should once be disquieted to turn back againe and therefore yet you sticke in the question What then will you answer to an argument drawne from their life their eyes stand out with fatnesse they haue more then heart can wish they haue their tongues at libertie power to oppresse boast of it and yet presume thēy shall not be controlled for they dare speake against heauen and suffer their tongues to walke thorough the earth therefore God neither doth neither can he do any good to Israel Let Moses come to Pharaoh with let my people goe he shall be answered not as the deuills answered the Exorcists Act. 19.15 Iesus we acknowledge and Paul we knowe but who are yee It had been well if he had but said Aaron and Moses God I acknowledge and his p eople I know but who are yee that are so impudent with your king this is not his voice but who is God and Exod. 10.10 Let the Lord so bee with you as I will let you goe and your children behold for euill is before your face Here is blasphemie and execration of Gods people he imagines euill against them the Lord shall not preuent it and he desires that the Lord had no better affection to them then he was minded to let them goe What shall be answered to this proud argument that brings all into it they haue the controlment of heauen and earth and therefore how shall the Lord be good to Israel Well O flesh yet is God good to Israel this is but a small matter for neither heauen nor earth are in their hands it is an easie matter to turne their owne swords into their owne bowels for they haue fedde indeede but it is become a surfet and therefore if presently they be not like oxen knocked in the head they will pine away and neither God nor man shall haue profit by them they haue been licentious but soone may they be cooled they haue spoken wickedly of their oppression but a small matter will grauell them and bring them vnto an non plus they haue presumed but soone may they despaire they haue set their mouths against heauen but suddenly while they are about their mischiefe there may shine a most fearefull light yea lightning and thunder from heauen strike them to the ground make euerie ioynt breake a sunder the whole bodie tremble and the heart astonied neither shall they heare any voice from heauen Send for Ananias to put his hands vpon them that they may recouer their sight and haue their hearts comforted yet shall they heare a voyce from heauen Why haue you persecuted me it is hard for you to kicke against my prickes I will make your consciences pricke you to the death the sting shall neuer out of it there shall not be a Moses nor an Aaron to pray for you though you confesse with Pharaoh we haue sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Surely the spirit of God is strong my owne testimonie is answered the death and life of the wicked cannot euince the cause therefore I bring a third sort of reasons euen from the godly themselues v. 10. his people turne hither for waters of a full cup are wrung out to them Hence euen they say how doth God knowe it or is there knowledge in the most high wee dare boldly say the wicked prosper and increase in riches we haue clensed our hearts in vaine and washed our hands in innocencie to no purpose for daily haue we beene punished and chastened euery morning What may be said to this argument surely the testimonie of my brethren doth presse mee sore that they should bee so discouraged yet I hope when they shall haue considered my arguments propounded for the defence of their cause they shall recant their errour and say If I iudge thus behold the generation of thy children are vp against mee I haue therfore trespassed the reason was because I thought to finde out the discourse by my naturall reason but I confesse it was too painefull for mee therefore O Spirit the comforter of thy Church let me heare the arguments that will beare waight in the ballance of Gods sanctuarie First therefore I will begin with an artificiall argument which all men may gather out of the workes of God euen of his iustice They are set in slipperie places they stand but vpon the yee and therefore God may soone cast them into desolation which all the world may see to be done for how suddenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed all is but a dreame of their prosperitie but when I am awaked to see it and they to feele it then shall I consider my heauenly felicitie contemne all their vaine pompe and know assuredly that God makes all their image to be despised therefore I ingeniously confesse that the vexing of my heart and the pricking in my reines was because I was too foolish euen as a beast before God yet was I happie in all this for by faith I was alwaies with God and that my faith might not fall he hath holden me by his right hand Secondly for my selfe I haue taken this arguemnt that God will guide mee by his counsell and afterward receiue me to his glorie Thirdly I dare appeale vnto mine owne soule from both these arguments vnto a third whom haue I in heauen but God and I haue desired none in earth before him Fourthly I drawe an arguments from mine owne weakenesse and the daily experience I haue had of Gods goodnesse my flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer Therefore now I come to the determination of the question and thus I determine it for the wicked Loe they that withdrawe themselues from God shall perish thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from thee and for my selfe I haue found that the deepest disputations doe alwaies bring forth the best conclusions and safest determinations therefore thus I resolue That as for me it is good for mee to drawe neere to God therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all his works See but one place more Psal 77. When I entred the consideration of the dayes of olde and the yeares of auncient time called to remembrance my song of thankesginug in the night which vsually I sung in my prosperitie and now thinking vpon God am troubled and when I pray my spirit is full of auguish Thou keepest myne eies awaking all the long night it is time therefore to commune
setting euen as a false peice of latin is set to the eye of the boy from the master by the rule and both of them corrected the boy by rods the latine by pulling it in peices because it is so farre wanting that nothing can be made of it that will beare good construction Indeede the godly are set againe into the image of their creation by Christ Iesus which hath turned man wholly againe vnto his creator and these haue their faults daily corrected become good proficients in the schoole of Christ and therefore one day shall celebrate the happie day of their commencing where euerie one shall be made an absolute Doctor free of all professions not to teach but read a continuall lecture of the praise of God to rauish his heart with ioy Obs Gods iustice is able to place all sinne in his order and ranke that so it may be easily seene and iudged of all men If I came into a roome and faw al the plate set forth to the view euery dish on the table in his due place all the furniture for the chamber in answerable proportion and euery guest in his due order and place set downe to meat I could easily iudge of the excellencie of the feast So surely the wicked alas they must expect no feast whē God shal haue mustered vp all their sinnes and ranked them vnder their seuerall heads according to his law and Gospel shall be able sufficiently to iudge what they haue done amisse to the great disquiet of their soules First therefore they shall see their apostacie from God that kept them from pleasing of him and made them displease him continually from this will the Lord descend to let him see the transgression in this apostacie with the propagation of it to all posteritie he will shewe him that the trangression in eating of the forbidden fruite was an offence of an exceeding great maiestie because it was a sacrament of the couenant of loue betwixt God the creator and man his creature and God forbad him as he would loue him not to eate thereof The loue on Gods part was extraordinarie because man being by nature changeable had this sacrament as a seale of his constant estate of goodnes and therefore was it called the tree of the knowledge of good Again on mans part it was required that he should loue constantly or if he should leaue to serue the Lord then was affured vnto him by the same sacrament vnder Gods broad seale his change from good to euill therfore was it also called the tree of the knowledge of euil From this trāsgression wil the Lord lead him by the hand to take notice of the causes and the effects that followed vpon those causes In the causes he shall vnderstand that one sort were blameable an other holy good the blameable causes both principall and instrumentall principall the deuill which through pride against God and malice against man became liars and murtherers of man by bringing him into sinne Man the second principall cause by his free receiuing of the deuills temptation and hearkning thereunto contrary to the commandement of god when he might haue resisted the same became a ioynt rebell with the deuill The instrumentall causes first the serpent the instrument of the deuill abused to the seducing of the woman the second instrument was the woman deceiued of the deuill by the serpent became an instrument to deceiue man Then shall he be brought to the vnblameable cause to wit the law and commandement of God for had not this bin their had bin no sinne as the Apostle saies therefore the law which in it self is the sauour of life vnto life through the default of man became the sauour of death vnto death that most iustly for as an earthen pitcher dashed by the hand against a stone wall is truely broken of the wall yet no fault in the wall but in the hand that threwe it against the wall contrarie to the command of his superiour so man like this earthen pitcher beeing dashed by the deuill his owne free will the serpent and the woman vpon the lawe of God and so broken in peices is no fault in the law but theirs that dashed him against the law Therefore the lawe is no faultie cause but a iust and holy cause of mans fall and as the law did it so God did it Now the lawe was no bare permitting cause or a forsaking cause but a working cause euen in that fall of man Who sees not the wall to haue an hand in the breaking of the pitcher and therefore it is idle to say that the Lord was but only a looker on gaue man leaue to transgresse or did forsake him in the act for all these are false therefore that which he did he was able to doe that which he was able to doe he decreed vnto his owne glorie and so it seemed good vnto his wisedome and therefore might absolutely will that as good and iust But God committeth no sinne true as he did all this you see there was no fault for what fault was there in the wal that brake the pitcher what fault is there in the water that drownes a man if he cast himselfe into it in the fire if it burne him surely none therefore that which God did was iust and holy but that which man did was a hainous sinne For God made them the fountaines and beginnings of their owne actions because they were indued with free will to doe well that thereby they might deserue both praise and price I meane ratione pacti non absolutè meriti of bargaine and not of simple merit for that which the law would haue giuen them that we may say was iustly deserued and on the contrarie by paritie of consequence for ill doing they deserued both dispraise and punishment If then you say God might will sinne and not will it which is to defend contradictions in his wil very true is the antecedent God did will and not will yet the consequent is false for contradictions must be of the same thing in the same respect I may say Appius est coecus non est coecus Appius is blind and not blind which are no contradictions for they are not ad idem there is not the same thing affirmed and denied but diuers he is blind in bodie but not in soule so of the Lord that which he doth in sinne he wills because so sinne hath a respect of good and he wills it iustly but that which man doth in sinne he willeth not but is sore displeased with it Thus when the Lord hath let many see their transgressions he will carie them on a long vnto the effects that flowe from these causes as the streames from the fountaine and these are in number three blame guilt and punishment blame the fault of his action in breaking Gods lawe guilt whereby hee is tyed to vndergoe his punishment and punishment which is the iust anger of God