their thoughts his wayes by their wayes they wil find out a cause off sin before the World was finding that the Almightie hath decreed al thinges that come to passe that off him through him al thinges are they wil do conclude most blasphemously that God hath foredecreed that sin should come to passe not content to stay thēselves here they runne on with an high hand because they see sin enters by actiō that God is the moveing cause off al thinges For in him wee live and move ād have our being Act. 17.28 These men by their natural art from their harts that are carnal must do necessarily conclude that God is the moving cause in the action off sinne But yet by the craste subtiltye off Sathā who lieth in wait hereby to deceive vnder a culler they say that God is not the author off sinne nor actor off sin But he is the author actor off every action they Wil have Gods providence in everie action although the action bee sinfull but not Gods providence in the sin off the action as in Adams eating off the forbidden 〈…〉 moveing cause in the action off eating but not in the sinne not seeing that that action was the sinne Thus do they walke by their owne ymaginations and intents deceaving being deceaved pretending not to lay sin vpon God when indeed in truth they directly make God the author off sin Our best thoughts off them is that they do it ignorantly the Lord give them harts to repent all whose conversions should bee the ioy off our soules To deale in this high point mistery off godlines who more vnfit then we to deale with these men off al wee are most vnfit but yet to shew our selves Faithfull with that talent that God hath given vs we have through the grace off God taken in hand to do our best service vnto the Lord herein hopeing off his assistance acceptāce And first thus much to these their reasons conclusions to shew wherein we differ from them they digresse From the truth Wee confesse that God hath decreed al the good that cometh to passe that off him through him are all good thinghs that the Lord is the author actor moveing cause in to every good action that his providence is in every good action But God hath not decreed that any evil should come to passe neither is he the author actor or moveing cause to or in anie evil action neither is his providence over or in anie action wherein is evil Iam. 1.13 18. Al these forealleged reasons collectiōs how many mo we knowe not are brought to mainteine that Faire glorious deceaving opinion off perticuler Election perticuler reprobation so off perticuler Redemption which to speake to the vnderstanding off the simplest is that God hath out off his eternal decre wil especially chosen appointed some perticuler mē to be saved they off necessity must be saved out off his owne Fore purpose wil he hath cast away some to be daned which he would not should be saved they of necessity must be damned so hath perticulerly redeamed some left others to perish To conclude vtterly destroy vnder one ground off truth a these al other distinctions conclusions devices produced to mainteyne this opinion we wil by the grace off God take the most plaine easie and short way that by the direction off his Spirit our harts can device which is a way most fitting our owne capacities wee hope wil be most profitable for the vprigt harted reader And to proceed to this we wil first set downe what is the cause off condemnation that is shewed in these words off th'Appostle Rom 5.12 Death entred by sin vers 18. by Offence the fault came on all men to condemnation Whereby it is proved that Syn is the cause off cōdemnation which al wil graunt that knowe God And all that feare God might graunt here seeke no Further that iff sin be the cause off condemnation then Gods decree is not the cause this wee knowe will not give satisfaction But to give ful satisfaction we must seeke to find out who or what is the first cause off sin and this must be found out by the first sin in the first sinner In the which passage by the grace off God wee will labor withal our poore endeavours to shew that the Almightie hath cleared himself by his word works That he did not decre nor was the author actor nor moveing cause in or to the first sin then off no sin which being proved we hope it wil appeare vnto al that do not either willingly or necligētly shut their eies that no man is condemned because God hath decreed him to condemnation mans sin being the cause off condemnation as is proved the Holie one being no cause off mans sin To prove that God did not decre nor was the author actor nor moveing cause in or off the action off sin let vs be guided by the holy word workes off God both wch wil prove this so evidently as it shal never be gain said with anie cullor or shew off truth First then to come to a due consideration off Gods worke in the Creation off Adam which though al men knowe yet it should appeare few do throughly consider off God Created him a perfect man according to his owne ymage and likenes Gen. 1.26.27 in righteousnes and true Holines Ephes 4.24 Giveing him free power over his owne wil as is proved when he saieth Thou shalt eate freely of every tree of the gardē Gen. 2.16 But of the tree of knowledg of good and evill thou shalt not eat of it For whensoever thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Thus giveing him free power over his owne wil bodie to eate or not to eate yet the Lord restraning him off the forbiddē Fruit by his commaundement threatning judgment but not by his omnipotent power This perfect Holy worke off God this perfect Holy word off God doth shewe not to bee gaine-said that God did not decree Adam should sin then was God no author actor nor moveing cause in or off the action off sin In that wee purpose not because wee think wee have no need to stand vpon anie otherground for the whole tryal off this great waighty cause wee will strive to make it as plaine as possibly wee can by Gods assistance that in these few words it is proved that God decreed not that Adam should sin thus then wee proceed It is proved heere that God gave Adam free-wil power to eat or not to eate this al men doe confesse how then can it bee said with anie Spiritual vnderstanding that God decreed he should sin For Gods fore coūsel decree must off necessitie come to passe as the Propheth David sheweth Psal
33.11 The Counsels of the Lord shal stand for ever and the thoughts off his hart throughout all ages The Lord cannot bee prevented by men or Angels but what in his Eternal decree before al beginings hee hath decreed it must off necessitie come to passe Now therefore it could not bee the decree off God that man should sinne seing that God gave him Fre-wil power not to have sinned iff man had not sinned as it was in his owne free choyce then Gods decree had bene prevented which cānot bee Therefore off necessitie it must neede bee yeilded that God did not decree that man should sinne except anie wil deny that mā had not free wil that were to speake directly plainely against the Holines off God which though men doe in maintayning this opinion that God hath appointed off his owne wil some to condemnation yet they do it vnder a cullor Is it not then plaine that every one that hath an eye may see That to give Adam a Free wil not to sinne an Eternal decree off God that man should sinne can never stand together in the Almightie that is one and the same with whome there is no variablenes neither shadowe of turning jam 2.17 Can men make Freedome bondage in one the same action all in one man al at one time how shall men bee able with any good conscience to make thinges so contrary hang together Moreover wee see the Lord by his commaundement commaunded Adam that he should not sinne will anie notwithstanding this say that it was God Eternall purpose will that Adam should sinne doth God commaund anie thinge against his Eternal wil. In the feare off God let men take heed how they go about by subtil arguments to prove God contrary to himselff which they Plainely do when they say it was the eternal wil off God that man should sinne yet God commaunds he should not sinne Thus doth it appeare by the excellent perfect holy worke off God in mans Creation that God hath freed himselff From decreing that Adam should sinne as also by his holy word in that he cōmaunds him not to sinne layes death before his eyes for a judgmēt iff he sinned What could the Lord do more for Adam then he hath done He made him a perfect mā in righteousnes true holines he blessed him gave him his commaundemēt with power abilitie in himself to kepe it And wil mē for all this say that God decreed he should sinne bee condemned or that God was any actor author or moveing cause in or to his sinne And iff men will deny say they do not hold that God hath decreed or was the author actor or moveing cause in Adams sinne then let them also deny that their opinion that God hath decreed anie man especially to condemnation For iff God decreed not man to sinne then God decreed not man to condemnation in that sinne is the cause off condemnation For iff sinne had not bene there had bene no condemnation This then is the decree off God concerning condemnation that God decreed that iff man sinned he should dye the death but God in no wise decreed that man should sinne as wee have shewed both by the word off God by the works off God which we wish mē to hold them vnto iff they wil stil contradict not runne after vaine inventions Wee wil now set downe the fairest deceaving shewe that al the contrary mynded have for their opiniō that God hath decreed appointed some to condemnatiō they must be condemned making Gods decree the cause off their condemnation But let it alwaies be remēbred that it is proved by the word off God that sinne is the cause off condemnation not Gods decree This is thē the whole substāce off that they say That God hath decreed to forsake leave those that he hath appointed to condemnation to themselves with holdeth his grace from them leaving them to sinne so to perish for their sinne we wil not put thē to prove this because we knowe they cānot but we wil shewe by the mercy off God that it is an old conceived ymagination hath no ground off truth In this their fained ground wee must vnderstand thē that they hold that God leaues forsakes man first And this wee haue vtterly disproved already in that we have shewed proved that God did not leave Adam first who was the first that fell vnder condemnation By whose Offence the fault came on all men to condemnation This will seeme straing but let God have the glorie that God hath decreed no mans condemnation no otherwise then hee decreed Adams For both Gods mercie his justice in all things perticulerly concerning salvation condemnation is one the same to all man-kind as it was to Adam after his fall For Gods decree was before the World was To make this plaine so by the grace off God to make an end off all Lett vs consider with holie vpright harts with willingnes to bee enformed From the Word off God by the meanest earthen vessell that God shall strr vp For the witnessing off anie parte off his truth Lett vs I say consider the estate off Adam affter his Fall First hee was Fallen by him all man-kind Roman 5.12 18. Vnder the condemnation which God had pronounced against him Genes 2.17 And can anie man device or ymagine that anie off his posterity who were yet all in his loynes and had not yet sinned affter the same manner off transgression were fallen Further vnder the Condemnation off God then hee It could not bee that anie should Although it may be that some may ymagine that they did fal further But it could not bee that anie should fal further vnder the decree off condemnation then he in that he fel vnder the depest judgment off Gods decree off condemnacion which God had or hath declared by his word For wee knowe no deeper decree off judgment then the decree off condemnation vnder this was Adam fallen And this went over him over al by his transgression When Adam was thus fallē had off his owne Freewil first forsaken God did God yet leave him No such was the mercie off God everlasting glorie praise bee given to his name as he would not yet leave Adam but gives him Freely off his owne grace deliverance by the promissed seed Gen. 3.15 And as the Apostle hath shewed Rom. 5.12 21. That by Adams sinne the fault came on al to condemnation so doth he in the same Chapter verses equally shewe with equal like words reasons yea with the selff same words reasons that as by the offence off one that was Adam the Fault came on al to condemnation Even so by the justifying off one that is Christ Iesus the benifit abounded towards al men to the justification off life That as sinne reigned vnto death
doubting as the Holy Prophet Davids did manie times In the 40. psalm he saith My sinnes have taken such hold vpō me that I am not able to looke vp Yea they are no in number then the hayres of my head therefore my hart hath fayled me Iff thou fal vnder such an estate condition which the most Godly do where shal be thy comfort In the mercies off God Why thou knowest not whether God have decreed to shew mercie on thee or no Wilt thou say thou knowest God hath decreed to shew mercy on al that beleeve so say we but how knowest thou that God hath decreed that thou art one off those that shall beleeve seeing thou haist much more cause to feare thou art none off them thou mayst ymagine thy selff to bee one but this opinion that God hath decreed some especially to bee saved some perticulerly to bee condemned overthrowes thy Faith vtterly For thou canst not certenly knowe it then thou canst not beleeve it And let this bee well observed off all that have any vnderstanding or love off Gods truth that this opinion setts Faith before knowledg For thou must first beleeve that Christ is given a Saviour for thee before thou canst knowe that hee is a Saviour for thee which cannot bee that a man should beleeve that he knowes not For how shall they beleeve in him off whome they have not heard Roma 10.14 And iff a man must first knowe that God hath sent his Sonne a Saviour For him before he can beleeve it which iff men bee not void off all religion they must confesse then lett the misterie off iniquitie the man off sinne himselff devise whose device this perticuler redemption is how any man shal knowe by the word off God that Christ is given a Saviour For him but by knowing that he is given a Saviour for all men except he can shewe his name especially set downe in the Word They that see not this let it not offend are blind cannot see at noone day These are some off the Fearefull proper Fruyts off this opinion That God hath decreed some perticuler men to salvation they cannot but bee saved some perticuler men to bee damned they must bee damned and cannot bee saved because God hath decreed their condemnation And thus Far off that Now will we endeavor to shew what vnderstanding God hath given vs in this high misterie great worke off Redemption iff wee can prove by plaine evidence off Scripture that Christ by his death sufferings hath redeamed all men then is this whole cause at an end And First to prove that the first promisse concerning Christ was generall to all it is evident Gen 3.15 Where the promisse off Christ is made off Adam Hevah which were al mankind in whome were al mankind in whome al had sinned for the takeing away off the condemnation due for that sinne Christ was there promissed given not for a parte which is Further proved 1. Ioh. 22 And he is a reconsiliatiō for our sinnes speaking off al the Faithfull to whome he writ and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes off the whole world how is it possible that the holy ghost should speake more plainely to shew that Iesus Christ is a reconsiliation for the Faithful which are not off the world and For the vnfaithful which are the World Moreover 2. Cor. 5.15 Thus reasoneth the Appostle to prove that all were dead in that one was dead for al. That if one bee dead for al then were al dead and he died for al and vers 19. God was in Christ ād reconsiled the world to himself not imputing their sinnes vnto them and 1. Tym 2.5.9 There is one God and one Mediator betwene God and man the mā Christ Iesus who gave himself a ransome for al mē Thus we se Christ is a reconsiliatiō for the sinnes off the Faithful not so onely but also of the sinnes off the whole world that al were dead he is dead for al that God in Christ recōsiled the World to himselff that Iesus Christ hath givē him selff a ransome for al men This might be sufficient to satisfie every vpright hart but let vs yet see Further. The Holy Ghost by the Apostle Peter 2. Pet. 3.9 speaketh thus vnto those Mockers which said where is the promisse off his comming The Lord of that promisse is not slack as some men count slacknes but is patiēt towards vs ād would have no mā perish but would al come to repentance Here doth the Apostle shew that it is not slacknes in the Lord that he comes not to judgment but it is his patience the reason off the lords patience is because hee would have no man to perish but would al men come to repentance therefore certenly he hath redeamed al 1. Tym. 2.4 God wil that all men shal be saved and come to thee acknowledging of the truth Furthermore Col. 2.20 ād through peace made by that blood of that his crosse to reconsile to himselff through him through him I say al things both which are in earth and which are in Heaven What shal we need to allege any moe grounds of scripture to prove that Christ hath redeamed al men that he would have no man perish These may suffice oh that they might suffice what gladnes should come to our soules to see men tractably mynded to submitt thēselves to the Word off truth which is so evident in this point Far bee it from any feareing God either off a Froward or necligent mynd to passe by this great point though hād led by so weake meanes by reason off which exceeding weaknes wee are not able to the ful desire off our soules to discover the depth off the misterie off iniquitie in this opinion off particuler Election Reprobation so off perticuler Redemption nor to shew furth the great misterie off Godlines in the true holy vnderstanding off vniversal or the general Redemption off al by Christ yet let us in a few words shew vnto you how greatly the mercy of God towards mankind is advanced by Christs redeaming off all In that when man had off his owne Fre wil being tēpted yeilded vnto the tēptation off the serpent neclecting the comaundement off his God Creator brought condemnation vpon himselff al mankind God of his infinit mercy would not leave Adam in him al mankind to perish vnder that condemnation but hath sent a Saviour to redeame Adam al mankind frō that sinne shewing himself equally merciful equally just vnto al being no respecter of persons not perdoning Adā giveing him a Saviour condemning the greatest part of his posterity for that his sinne but hath givē his sonne a Saviour For al iff through vnbeleefe they deprive not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ves And what a comfortable doctrine is this vnto al whē every poore soule may knowe that there is grace
A SHORT AND PLAINE proofe by the Word and workes off God that Gods decree is not the cause off anye Mans sinne or Condemnation AND That all Men are redeamed by Christ As also That no Infants are Condemned Collos 2.8 Beware least there be anie man that spople you through Philosophie and vaine deceipt Psal 119 113. I hate vaine inventions but thy Law doe I love Printed 1611. To the ladie Bovves Grace and vvisedome from aboue WOrthy Ladie when I began to consider to whome I might best commend the care of this so great a cause my hart could conceiue of none so fitt as you that for two causes the third may not be wanting The first is because I knowe your faithful vnfained loue to God his truth that in manie thinges according to knowledg The second because I knowe there is none in that Land that hath better meanes to procure a cause of religion to be handled according to the judgmēt of the best The third is the faithful reverēd loueing respect I beare to you that from your owne worthie deserts in the best things in all good vnto me I pray beseech you by that loue of God that hath bene in you of long time the which I wish may abound in you more more that you faile not my hopes herein which are That you wil either plainely see an upright consionable sound answere from the word of truth to this groūd here propounded or els giue glorie to God receiue it for the blessed truth of God The ground is easilie plainelie set downe which is that God giueing Adam freewil and power in himself not to eate of the forbidden fruit and live or to eate and dye could not in his eternal decree ordeyne or appoint him to life or death for then had his Freewil bene overthrowne if Adam had not eaten sinned which was to his owne power then had not death entred Therefore God did not decree that death should enter then Gods decree is not the cause of anie mans condemnation I now pray you Ladie with all the loue off my soule ' entertaine this great cause off God into your thoughts lett it take vp your best meditations that good thereby being produced you may stil be an instruement to advance the gospell off Iesus Christ you shal be sure off an high recompence off reward at the hands off the most high in heauen your remembrance shal be blessed amonge the Saints upon earth Thus praieing the Lord to blesse you and to giue you his holie Spirit with a gracious wise vnderstanding hart to descorne a right the thinges that differ I take leaue withal the grace faithfull honestie off my hart as I haue cause desiering your best good Tho Helvvys Iune 2. 1611. Psal 111.2 The works of the Lord are great ought to be sought out off all them that love them To all that waite for salvation by Iesus Christ Grace and peace from God WHereas we formerly in a little treatise intituled a Declaration off Faith of English people remayning at Amsterdam have in the fifth Article in short set downe our faith of Election and Reprobation concerning salvation and condemnation there haveing bene som eprivate opposition since wee writt it the love of God and vnto his truth constraineth vs to speake thus much more as we are able for the mainteynance of this cleere light of truth that God hath not in his eternal decre apointed some perticuler men to be saved and some perticuler men to be condemned and so hath redeamed but some But that Christ is given a ransome for all men yea even for the wicked that bring swift damnation vpon themselves denying the Lord that hath bought them 2. Pet. 2.1 It may and wil seeme straing that we of all others should take in hand to denie in a cause of so great controversie and so deepe a misterie to which we aunswere that it concernes vs asmuch as anie and therefore though we be not so able as we desire we were yet because we ought we are readie to shew our selves willing with the best abilitie we have and in that it is a deepe misterie as the whole truth of God is the more need had wee to search into i◠that by the grace of God we might find the depth of it so far as God hath revealed in his word as al men ought to doe And we pray the Godly Reader not to bee deceaved by that old deceipt of the misterie of iniquitie the man of sinne which is to perswade that it is to high a point and to deepe a misterie for thee to enter into for by this deceipt hath the misterie of iniquitie prevailed ād doth to this day prevaile with thousands and ten-thousands not to search into anie part off the Scriptures at all But to rest vpon the faith of the Church ād though manie blessed be God be broken out from that depth of darknes yet they are not come to that cleare fountaine of light to knowe professe and practice that the Lord doth require at their hands to search into ād knowe his whole truth revealed in the scriptures And for this misterie in had let it be plaine vnto the that if thou oughest to knowe that a Saviour is sent then thou oughest also to knowe to whome he is sent ād if thou thinke to satisfie thy self in that thou knowest he is sent a saviour to thee therein dost thou not seeke the glorie of God nor the good of thy brother and then the love of God is not in thee Therefore cast away all excuse and applie thy hart withall care full diligence and faithful vprightnes to search and find out the depth of this high point ād misterie that thou maist give glorie to God for sending his sonne a Saviour for all Men. And so praying the God of light to make this truth also to breake furth and increase amongst you as blessed be his name it hath done and doth daylie breake furth and increase in these partes and that amongst them which your selves accomt best reformed Churches Wee require thy loveing patience to beare with our wants and thy conscionable consideration of that which is spoken to the from the word of God whose Spirit bee vpon thee Amen AMonge the rest of the fearefull works of the misterie of iniquitie this is not the least if not the greatest that men seduced by Sathan sinne through ignorance are growne to that hight off evil as they do call the Creator who is a Spirit to accōpt they wil have a natural reason off al his works And to come to one particuler they will have a reason how sinne came who or what was the first cause thereoff the word off God cannot restraine these men they will not be kept within the bounds thereoff But they will enter into the secret counsels off God by their vanie Philosophy measuring Gods thoughts by