with man to this necessary act then should man haue done his will Answered from Gods concourse with his creatures Concerning the concourse and confluxe of Gods grace with man in his operation is a matter of great difficulty The schoolmen haue so clouded this point with distinctions that our men haue looked for the mysterie of it in them but euen thereby haue beene so damped that they haue spoken they knowe not what for my selfe I knowe I shall come farre short of that which I aime at yet leauing the school-men I am bold to extract what I can from the obseruation of Gods wisedome in his creatures and for the conceiuing of this truth I lay downe foure generall axiomes 1. All beeings are from God 2. They are made of God for an ende 3. They are made with power to worke for this ende 4. That they may obtaine it God hath stamped vpon them his wisedome In these fowre Euery beeing working vnto his end by the power God hath giuen it is guided by a rule I trust in God to shew how God is said in some sort to concurre with man But a little to expresse the propositions by some examples God made man therefore for some ende for some end therefore to be able to work vnto it and how should he doe this without his guide and some rule of wisdom must be giuen him which rule is able to guide him in euerie action vnto his ende therefore Gods concourse or confluxe with his creature is nothing but the stamping of this wisdome vpon him whereby he is carried vnto his Creator that gaue it him God hath giueÌ„ man a will this wil of man is for an end this end is to please his Creator that he may please his creator he must be doing of good that he may do good he must attend vnto diuinity the rule that God hath giuen him to bring him to this ende Hence I dare boldly say that the concourse of this rule with the facultie of mans will in euery speciall action had beene able to make man happie But let vs haue a fewe more examples before we come to application and resolution God hath giuen man his reason this beeing is for some end this end is bene disserere to reason well now for this end the facultie must exercise it selfe and that the facultie may exercise it selfe God hath stamped vpon mans reason the rule of Logick or discerning wel of euery thing that god hath made for all things were made for man and therefore must God bestow an eye vpon him whereby he may see all things and this eie is the eie of reason guided by Logicke so that Logicke concurring with my reason is able to make me produce any act directly carried vnto his ende God hath giuen me speech this is for some end as to speake wel or eloquently for this ende must I exercise my speech and that I may not exercise in vaine he hath giuen me the rule of Grammar and Rhetoricke which rules concurring with my speech I speak both truely and eloquently The Apostles many of them vnlearned spake languages The Apostles spake tongues by the rules of Grammar and that as Grammatically and Rhetorically as euer did Tully or Demosthenes and God did that for them immediately which others come vnto by long practise Now how did God concurre with them surely no otherwise then by the true rules of art immediately taught them of the holy Ghost The sunne in the heauens runnes his race with ioyfulnesse and if you aske me by what concourse of God I answer peremptorily by no other then the rule of naturall Philosophy which God created with the sunne That this may a little the better shewe it selfe consider that all beeings besides himselfe were made of nothing for himselfe in all these things God can but haue the respect of two causes the first is efficient the second finall hence God is called Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the ende and hence hee can giue a beeing vnto things but not his owne beeing and so his beeing must be out of creatures and therefore must other causes be giuen by him The efficient the end giue to the effect but not themselues matter and forme giue all they haue which cannot onely giue a being but their owne beeing and these be two matter and forme the wood and forme of a table are in the table it selfe but the carpenter onely giues a beeing of efficiencie and not himselfe and thus God made all his workes stand out from himselfe to himselfe and that with their matter and forme and thus all the creatures became beeings from God not onely of that esse that God gaue them but also of that essentia which gaue beeing and his owne beeing that so in themselues by the forme extending it selfe ouer the matter qualities and faculties beeing araised it might haue power to act and worke not only for the glorie of his creator but also for that speciall good which God sawe in all that he had made when he said they were good yea and very good Hence I would entreat these obseruations First that euery creature owes vnto God Acceptum referre in causis effectis subiectis adiunctis first his beeing secondly his nature from that being for natura est res nata thirdly all his wel-beeing because all these they came from God either mediately or immediately Secondly obserue that the whole glorie of the creature is the glorie of the Creator because the glorie of a thing lies especially in his end which ende is an indiuiduall companion of matter forme which matter and forme were giuen of God Thirdly all things in the creature are depending vpon the Creator the beeing nature welbeeing eupraxie vertue actions and life it selfe in him we liue mooue and haue our beeing 4. The end of euery thing is necessarie Observ If all depend vpon God then are all gouerned by him first because a thing dependent workes mutably yet the end of this mutable nature is necessarie and therfore must he be guided by him that is immutable vnto the end Hence obserue that the ende which God hath appointed his creature is necessarie though the creature it selfe bee contingent and mutable And this hath deceiued our Diuines not distinguishing betwixt Adams fall and the ende the ende is necessarie yet the action and agent were both mutable the reason is because it is absolutely impossible to conceiue any action but it is for some ende the ende is essentiall to the action but the action it selfe beeing dependent was contingent and so was the agent Observ 5. The same â—â—dom that 〈◊〉 gouernes The selfe-same wisdome that produced the creature gouernes him beeing produced First because for the selfe-same end he is both produced gouerned to be for an ende and not to be gouerned to that ende are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incompatible Therefore mutually affirming or
vertues which are able to proclaime his name for vertue is the onely thing to blaze abroad the name of Iehouah these vertues are mercy and compassion more speciall Chap. 34.6.7 strength mercie grace patience bountifulnesse longanimitie gentlenesse c. Here you see is speciall mention of mercie and iustice Mercy and iustice Gods cheife glorie as though in regard of them all the rest were obscured these are as the two great lights the one to rule the day of his election the other to rule the night of mans misery Now all these are simply willed of the Lord and therefore as we haue come vpward by analysing so now may we boldly compose againe the whole matter First God wills his glory secondly his goodnesse Genefis or the order of Gods proceeding as farre as the Scripture guideth vs. thirdly his verues fourthly the vertues of vnderstanding fiftly the vertues of will sixtly the principall vertues of his will iustice and mercie this is all done in himselfe absolutly without all respect vnto the creatures But God wil manifest all this out of himselfe First therefore he will create secondly by creation he will make a world thirdly in the world he will haue a man fourthly that he may haue him he will make him fiftly he will make him in his owne image sixtly man thus made may by his own free will become vnholy seuenthly man beeing vnholy may be receiued vnto mercie or plagued with iustice eightly that mā may be receiued vnto mercie Christ shall redeeme ninthly that Christ may redeeme him he must bring him to his sheepefold and saue him in the arke of his church tenthly that he may be saued in the Church he must create in him the spirit of faith lastly he must bring him to those heauenly mansions where his name was written long before the foundations of the world the rest beeing left in their sinnes must dwell out of heauen where there names are written in the earth And thus much of the subiect Now I come vnto the end Concerning the third thing in the definition which is about the ende where I wil shew three things first the end it selfe secondly the manifestation of it thirdly the order The end on all parts is graunted to be Gods glory for as he is the supreame efficient cause of all things so is he the last end and before him and after him nothing is to be found Secondly all agree that the manifestation must be in regard of his essentiall properties only all the question is of the last in what order they are to be manifested That this may appeare we will shew what the order of endes is Subordination of ends to some last secondly which ende is exactly the last in this order thirdly the order of the meanes fourthly the order of subiects out of which these meanes are produced Order of ends is the subordination or bringing vnder of all ends to one last ende the reason of this is because order is alwaies of things comming betwixt an absolute first and an absolute last this the heathen Philosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eruditio in cinculo wisdome running round in a circle In a circle you know that there must be the same beginning and ending so God the beginning and ending of all things makes his wisdome in all his creatures runne round from him to him This the heathen Poet Homer called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 auream catenam quae de coelo vsque ad terram descendebat a golden chaine comming from heauen to earth in which euery footsteppe or impression of Gods wisdome is as a golden lincke coupled with some-other from the beginning to the ende So then the first point is plaine that all things are vnited together for some last ende Many lines meete in one center and so all make but one yet being drawn vnto the circumference spread themselues abroad For the second The last end consists in all Gods attributes which are one as himselfe is one all Gods attributes are the last end his glorie is the last his goodnesse is the last his vertues are the last and so of the rest If it bee inquired which of all these wee are to conceiue of as the last exactly I answer iustice and mercie This shall the better appeare if we consider how God is the best in euery thing If we speake of beeings then God is the best and most absolute beeing if we speake of life then God is the best life therefore will and vnderstanding which belong vnto the best life Now will and vnderstanding are considered of vs either for facultie or vertue for facultie then the Lords vnderstanding beeing the best must be able to vnderstand together and at once all truths and his will most free to will all good facultie we say makes able but vertue makes prompt and readie as the intellectuall vertues make a man prompt and readie to vnderstand the morall vertues prompt and readie to wil that which is good Vertue is whereby God is knowne vnto vs to be absolutely good therefore absolute happines both for vnderstanding and will These beeing premised let vs see where we may note the greatest perfection and excellencie First vertues are more excellent then faculties and so the Lord had rather shew his goodnesse then his omnipotencie Secondly morall vertues are better then intellectuall in so much as the will is better then the vnderstanding therefore I dare boldly say the Lord had rather shew his morall vertues then intellectual The best vertues iustice and mercy for it is a greater praise to be iust and mercifull then wise and vnderstanding Lastly among morall vertues none comparable to iustice and mercie why then may I not conclude that exactly the last ende that God would haue manifested is the glorie of his iustice and mercie and if this be the last then all other must be brought vnder these and aime at these principally Reasons of this assertion are many First that which brings out of the creature the speciall manifestation of Gods glorie is the last and best ende but iustice and mercie doe this Exod 33.19 I will proclaime the Name of the Lord before thee and what is especially proclaimed iustice and mercie and mercie more then iustice so Rom. 9. God will get him a name on Pharaoh a reprobate by his iustice and a name on his Elect by his mercie and therefore God is often said in the Scriptures to delight himselfe in iustice and mercie Secondly iustice and mercie are the chiefe because they are the vertues of the will which is properly conuersant about good Thirdly these make vs conceiue of God as the chiefe good It is worth our obseruation to see euen how by the light of reason the Heathen haue ascended to this consideration they referred all things to foure heads 1. Such as haue onely beeing 2. that haue beeing and life 3. that haue beeing life and sense 4. that haue beeing life
the Lord hath two parts Holinesse both which are contained in the second part of this sentence and they are mercie and iustice for a holy God must be a mercifull God and a iust God his mercie in these words I held my tongue and thou thoughtest that I was like thee his iustice in the rest Mercie Gods mercie is described by foure things First by his adiunct or qualitie silence 2. By the subiect about which it is conuersant and that is the doings of the wicked 3. By his accidentall effect and that is the thoughts of the wicked 4. By the forme and manner of these thoughts and that is to make God like themselues or measure God by themselues The second part of Gods holinesse is his iustice Iustice described by power and comely order by power in these words I will reprooue thee where wee haue foure things to manifest the power First the efficient cause the Lord and therefore most powerfull iustice Secondly the forme reproofe iustice vindicatiue or punishing not remunaratiue or rewarding and therefore so much the stronger the touch of his little finger is able to doe much and therefore what shall be the power of his whole hand and the strength of his arme his breath which in man is nothing yet in himselfe makes smoaking coles and flames of fire issue out of his mouth to the destruction of all sinners 3. From the obiect sinne which all the iustice of man is not able to find out yet shall this iustice search it to the quicke and ransacke it to the bottome 4. Because of the person which is an hypocrite who for the most part deceiues the whole world yea and his owne soule too yet now woe vnto him for hee hath fallen into his hands that can not be deceiued The comely order in these words And set them in order before thee First giuing vs to vnderstand that sinne is confusion and disorder and all sinners are confused and disordered persons 2. That there is an order to be taken with all sinne and sinners 3. That when God shall haue taken order with them then the conscience shall take horrible notice of their sinne and the punishment thereof to their euerlasting shame and confusion in plagues and punishments that neuer would see any disorder in sinne and wickednesse V. 22 The application followeth in the 22.23 v. and it is twofold First to the wicked an earnest admonition Secondly to the godly a serious instruction the earnest admonition to the wicked is in the 22. ver amplified first from due consideration Oh consider this make good vse of my iudgements let them not be idle speculations but profitable instructions to your soules Secondly from the forlorne negligence of all wicked men which is to forget God euen in the time of iudgement Thirdly from the imminent danger and that is tearing in peeces of the Lord Fourthly from the ineuitablenesse of it and the vaine confidence of helpe in these words And there be none that can deliuer you V. 23 In the conclusion of all which is the application to the godly vse is made of the whole Psalm for the glorious comming of the Almightie his mercifull proceeding with his Saints and the fearefulnes of his iudgments with the wicked ought to be a threefold cord to drawe them to true obedience and learne the instruction of their God See therefore the vse of the first part of Gods proceeding He that offereth praise shal glorifie mee would you know my mind O my louing Saints Why this it is in briefe and take it for your conclusion The best sacrifices are praise for they alone shall glorifie mee and giue mee full contentment For the second the vse that you ought to make of my conviction of an hypocrite is this in breife that seeing he hateth to be reformed and casteth my words behind his backe and therefore must needs be condemned though hee haue made a faire shew in preaching of my ordinances and talking of my couenants see you therefore vnto it for I promise faithfully to cuery one that disposeth his way aright shall be shewed the saluation of God and therefore God grant that euery one of vs may haue more of the power of religion in the heart then a shew in outward profession CHAP. II. Of the particular explication of the words ANd thus haue I vnfolded the whole Psalme which if I shall perceiue to be a profitable way for the instruction of Gods Church I shall proceed in the rest but if it shall be disprooued I will trouble the world with no more discourses for wee haue alreadie bookes enough which make vs wast our times vnprofitably but I trust in God seeing that I am not guiltie vnto my selfe of any priuate motion that it is the worke of the Lord and therefore as alreadie it is approoued of some so I doubt not but they that loue the Lord will beare the like affection And therefore I pray with the Apostle that both I and they may consider what is said and the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things I. Part. Of the arraignement day and persons The generall discourse of the Psalme is alreadie cleared only I haue selected this one verse for the ground of all my future proceedings I call it Gods arraignement of hypocrites first because the Lord himselfe brings in the euidence against theÌ„ Euidence These things hast thou done Patience in tryall Secondly because the Lord hath made long tryall of their repentance I held my tongue Thirdly Abuse of Gods patience because they had fulfulled the measure of their sinne by making God an idle iudge of them thou thoughtest that I was like thee Fourthly because God vpon good euidence long experience and the full measure of impietie could contain no longer from the sentence of condemnation Sentence of iudgement I will reprooue thee and set them in order before thee the cheife Iustice must handle the cause euen in the court of conscience because no reproofe will serue the turne but that which arraignes him before himselfe and makes his conscience his own executioner I might well tearme it the Criticall day of an hypocrite Dâ—â—â—indicances 〈…〉 Physitians obserue two kind of dayes in the sickenesse of their patients first the indicatiue dayes and then the criticall dayes the indicatiue dayes goe before and shew what hopes are approaching of death or life these dayes I may well say went before from the 16. verse to this 21. ver euery day prognosticating nothing but some horrible accident to befall on the criticall day first he will no wayes bee reformed in his life and for counsell he casts all Gods words behind him hee no sooner sees the way of death but he runnes into it and for any vncleane behauiour he will become a partaker with the worst his mouth is as blacke as though the fire of hell were within him and his tongue is so scorched that it can forge
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
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
together not as Samsons foxes by the tayles euery one to drawe sundrie waies they sustaine no double persons single will they be in all their waies they are troubled with no contrary laws they can make all agree well enough and therefore when cry they in the very desperation of their soules who shall deliuer vs they giue thankes to God not for Christ but for themselues that they are not like other men Therefore the spirit hauing not pulled downe the old building how shall it be possible to set vp the newe which is plainly to be seene in the chap. following Rom. 8. First where is their freedome from the law of sinne and of death neither Christ nor the spirit hath purchased it for them and I doubt that their owne paiment will not stand good in Gods court Secondly if things may be known by their sauours surely euerie man may see they sauour of the things of the flesh Thirdly if the wisedome of the spirit and the wisedome of the flesh be enemies I admire what peace and life can be in hypocrites when they will not denie their owne wisedome for as yet the bodie is not dead and quickned again by the spirit still are they debters to the flesh and will liue after him How will they prooue themselues to bee the sonnes of God if the spirit of bondage be gone and the spirit of adoption be entred into their hearts let vs heare the cry of Abba father let them prooue the witnesse of the spirit if they bee heires of God euen annexed with Christ let vs see how they can suffer with him how they esteeme of afflictions in comparison of their glorie doth the creature groane for them nay alas I feare against them because they subiect him vnto vanitie Let vs heare how they with patience looke for their redemption Is their hope for things not seene nay alas all for the present How doth the spirit assist them in their infirmities how is he with them in their prayers what requests doth he bring out of their soules where be their deepe sighes that cannot be expressed can they search the meaning of the spirit according to the will of God surely nothing lesse for all is but lip labour Againe haue they assurance that all works together for their good can they tell it from their predestination vocation iustification and glorification can they from hence conclude that God is for them and no man can be against them that there is no charges for them to pay that there is no condemnation no separation from the loue of God in Christ all afflictions cannot doe it no death no angels no principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come no place not heauen aboue is too high for them nor hell below is able to make them sinke into his depth yea in breife not any creature is able to doe it therefore no hypocrite is in Christ and therefore impossible that he should bee washed from his filthinesse beeing not washed hee must remaine in it And that will appeare if we mark his life and death life prosperitie aduersitie In prosperitie for his profession he is all courage and verie full of brags like the coward that before he come in the field is fire and towe but when he comes to the tryall is the first that flees the field when the couragious champion is very silent but when there is neede of him will shew that hee hath more tried sortitude in him then a thousand cowards So hypocrites make all the world ring with their Master though all the world forsake thee yet will I not forsake thee I will lay downe my life for thee yet when Christ shall come with a this night shall yee be put vnto it then will they flee with the first and if Christ haue no better champions then they he shall be left all alone Secondly come to the hearing of the word all promises they will make their owne all iudgements threatened they will put vpon others and for application of both it shall be as in this place God is like them he fauours them aboue all with his mercies and his iudgements passe ouer their houses Thirdly for his life no reformation For aduersitie if God be gone he is gone no more stout words no comming to Church no more outward reformation but labour to make the best of all Gal. 6.12 they will seeke to please to the face and labour to constraine to their profession that they may suffer no persecution for the crosse of Christ In speciall for their sinnes when they are in miserie it may be they will let a word come out against some knowne actuall sinne but with Dauid Psal 51. they neuer strike at the roote to wit their originall sinne for the punishment Mic. 6.6 they will part with any thing they haue to be freed from the stroaks of Gods rod but the thing required shall not once come neere them And for the thoughts of death many a Balaams wish but that is all for their life is nothing And lastly for death it selfe they either die like stocks and stones or else like bulls and bears roaring and bellowing out their shame and confusion Secondly this may be a direction to Gods children to approoue their sinceritie vnto God by alwaies setting themselues in the presence of the Lord. 3. Vse consolation First in trouble to reioyce when it shall please God to try vs in the fornace of affliction that so we may come forth as tryed gold refined and made the more fit for Gods kindome Secondly in our welfare to trust more in God then in our selues and to count the lifting vp of Gods countenance vpon vs in the face of his anointed more ioy of heart then when the corne wine oyle and all the pleasures and profits of this world are increased And thus much of the first part of Gods iustice to wit the power of it from the efficient in the forme and execution of it vpon the sinne and person of an hypocrite Now followes the orderly proceeding of this iustice Of the order of Gods iustice First in the cause Order In the handling of the methode vsed by the Lord in this place wee are to consider of the arguments Order is described first from the cause I thee Lord secondly from the effect which is to set or place things thirdly from the obiect in that word them that is thy sinnes 4. from a testimony drawn from the notice of the conscience which shall sufficiently witnesse of the worth of Gods methode For the cause of this order it is the Lord. Surely Gods wisedome is to be seene in nothing more then in methode and order for order is not from any brutish nature but the best and wisest so that the changes and multitude of alterations in this world are no casuall matters left in the hands of blind fortune If indeed we looke into Gods Church and see the varietie of colours and the instabilitie
his sleepe forsakes him when he speakes he is little bettes when he keeps silence he boyles in disquietnes the light doth not comfort him and the darknes doth terrifie him All other afflictions are tolerable because temporall and pursue but to death yet this beeing not â—uâ—ed endeth not in death Mens lawes transgressed may be helped by bribing of the magistrate or if the offence be capitall that there can be no pleading for him yet he may flie his country and so escape but God will not be bribed neither is there any flying from his presence Psal 139. nay alas we shall neede no seeking out we shal neede no apparitor to summon vs no baylâ—ffe to fetch vs no accuser to giue in euidence against vs sinne it selfe will arrest vs for he lieth at the doore our conscience will impanell a quest against vs our hearts will giue in sufficient euidence to conuict vs and our owne iniquities will plead guiltie to our faces This made the heathen to kill themselues thinking death to be an end of all miserie and thus like fond fishes they leape out of the pan into the fire out of the hell of their consciences into hell it selfe Let them doe the best they can get them to merrie companie laugh their sinnes out of countenance yet let them know that with Nero they may change their chamber but their chamber-fellow shall neuer leaue them They may sacrifice vnto the Lord humble themselues weepe with Esau confesse with Iudas lay hold on the hornes of the altar to mitigate their paine but onely the expiatorie sacrifice of the immaculate lamb is able to giue them rest and quietnes of soule Indeede this distresse of conscience soone becommeth melancholike vile and base turneth reason into foolishnes and disgraceth the beautie of the countenance How conscience may disiguâ—e the body and transformeth the stoutest Nebuchadnezzer becomes a beast so easily is the bodie subiect to alteration of minde and soone looseth with anguish and distraction thereof all the support of his excellencie In melancholie the heart is troubled with vaine seares vpon euery small obiect the very eye by a false apparition may strike him the eares with the imagination of euery voice sounding may dolefully appale him a very touch may make him startle and many such like troubles which are whelps of that melancholie litter bred of that corrupted state of bodie altered in spirit in blood in substance and complexion This may increase the terrour of the afflicted minde double the feare and discouragement How distemper of body may increase this wound and hinder all cure by counsell and aduise and shut vp all meanes of consolation for it must enter by the senses to the minde Now the instruments of sense beeing altered by the humour and their sinceritie stained with the obscure and darke spots of melancholie receiue not indifferently the medicine of consolation As the braine the original and fountaine of all sense and motion is thus euilly disposed so the heart the cherisher and refresher of our nature beeing in no better case and acquainted with terror and ouerthrowne with that searefull passion imptisoneth the spirits contracts it selfe and hardly yeilds to perswasion of comfort whatsoeuer it bringeth of assurance For though the griefe strike down at the first respecting no time place person condition or opportunitie of working but breaketh through all such considerations and beareth downe all resistance yet the comfort requireth them all and the missing of one makes the affliction to be long and hard in the cure The Comforters person his manner of handling the patient the time and place of performance with the braine and heart which are as the gates and entrance vnto the soule may hinder or aide the consolation No distemper can hinder the inward comfort of Gods grace But all this is to be vnderstood of outward meanes for the inward meanes to wit the grace of God and his mercie his comfortable spirit and gratious fauour in like swiftnes without meanes may restore the minde thus distressed which lieth open equally to the kind of cure euen as it lay to the wound Therfore seeing the body workes nothing vpon the mind altogether impatible of euery beeing sauing of God alone and secondly that the efficient can do it without helpe of the bodie and thirdly that the comfort is not procured by any corporall instrument nor the discomfort directly procured by the same lastly because all is done by causes in subiects nothing corporall and producing effects of an other nature then corporall it must needes bee concluded that there is great difference betwixt these two troubles The punishment of bodily racking is not the passion of the heart but a cause of it so that racking of the soule by sinne is not a melancholie passion but yet may it cause it and therefore makes the distinction not so cleare for oftentimes the symptome of a disease is taken for the disease it selfe The affliction of mind The persons which are hable to this sorrow to what persons it falleth and by what meanes is thus to bee resolued All men are subiect to this by reason of our fall the breach of Gods lawe and the wrath of God that followeth thereupon yet of all sorts of men melancholie persons are most subiect vnto it not from the humour but because he is most doubtfull and iealous of his estate for life temporall and life spirituall For temporall physitians and apothecaries shops will beare sufficient witnes for if they be able to walk we find them for the most part in these places And I would to God they were as readie for their spirituall life to bee with Gods spirituall physitians and in the shops of the true balme of Gilead By experience we find that when they beginne to examine how their actions answer the naturall and written line of righteousnesse and wanting the arch-pillar of faith and assurance in Christ Iesus our hope presently feele the very anguish due vnto sinners and in that most miserable condition fall into flat despaire The manner how this is done is when the curious melancholie person carrieth his mind into the senses of such mysteries How it befalls them as exceed humane capacitie and is desirous to knowe more then is reuealed in the word of truth and yet being ignorant of that which is reuealed he suddenly falls into the gulfe of Gods secret counsells which swalloweth vp all conceit of man or angel and measuring the truth of such depths by the shallow modell of his own wit is caught and deuoured of that which his presumptuous curiositie mooued him to attempt to apprehend Of this we haue a memorable example of a vertuous gentlewoman in this land who was carried along in this course doubting verie often of her saluation and making her case known vnto a worthy minister of God he often couÌ„felled her to take heede of inquiries further then Gods word and trust assuredly that shee might
the sheild of faith nor fierie darts peirce the soule or drie vp the waters of the spirit but faith hath such a riuer flowing vp and downe the soule to eternall life that euery dart be it neuer so red and scalding hote is presently quenched The helmet of saluation wil be sure to saue the head for which the hand would be content to be cut off before it should receiue the least blow therefore the head beeing free we need lesse to feare the danger and for our hands we haue the sword of the spirit which is the onely weapon that the deuill may not endure buckle on this armour by prayer and watchfulnes and still looke the deuil in the face and we shall neuer receiue hurt by him but if we turne back then shall we haue not any peice of armour to saue vs from danger They are princes but we haue the Prince of peace and angels their superiours and I doubt not but as many in number as they to fight for vs and these haue gotten the vpper ground of the deuills and for spirituall wickednesse we haue gotten the spirit of grace and goodnes that can mooue swifter then the deuils to stand by vs and assist vs in all our infirmities let them all make vp a god in this world yet he that rules heauen and earth will laugh them to scorne trust therefore in Gods power and his aids and be quiet a little and these enemies that you see and feele in this world yee shall neuer see them or haue cause to seele them hereafter The three children Dan. 3. tell the King they care not for his command and why because they know that the God whom they-serue can deliuer them and if he will not death shall be as good to them Christ saies his sheepe heare his voice and follow him none shal take them out of his hands the reason is because God that gaue them him is stronger then all Be of good comfort little children yee haue ouercome the world because he that is in you is stronger then he that is in the world 1. Ioh. 4.4 The leper cries if thou willt thou canst make me cleane many be our leprosies and happie are we that we haue so good a remedy We pray for many strange things but if we obserue but the conclusion of the Lords prayer we may soone gather vp our spirits seeing we knowe that power belongs vnto God thine is the kingdome power and glory We beleeue a resurrection and many other strange things but our faith needs not to fall seeing we say and beleeue that God is almightie I beleeue in God the Father almightie this made Paul to challenge principalities and powers height and depth c. Rom. 8. neuer had he the least feare that they should euer be able to separate him from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Let vs see what comforts in speciall may be giuen to Gods children in affliction for surely euery soule shall find with Elijah 1. kin 19. fleeing from Iezebel comfort from the verie angels of God yea when they are brought to stand vpon the mount before the Lord they shall see the Lord passe by and a mightie strong wind rend the mountaines and breake the rocks before the Lord but the Lord was not in the winds and after the wind came an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake after the earthquake came fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire came a still and foft voyce and in that was the Lord found Oh the goodnesse of the Lord that in all the winds earthquakes and fires that he makes to passe before his children will not be seene in them for then should euery one of vs be consumed and vtterly confounded yet will he be found in the still and soft voyce It is an vsuall custome before great Potentates come vnto their palaces to haue a peale of ordinance to be shot off before their approach so the Lord by this feare makes way that the King of glorie may come in and dwell with the soule God hath diuerse meanes to bring vp his children lawe and gospel iudgement and mercie in the giuing of the lawe there was thunder lightning and earth quakes yet the Lord was heard in a stil voice to deliuer his law Gods schollers must stand as well at the foote of mount Ebor to heare the curse as at mount Gerison to heare the blessings the one prepares the other enters more easily to giue the heart her due comfort Moses Deuter. 28. is full of curses and blessings God hath many a good Dauid to rule ouer his people as wel as hard hearted Pharaoh to schoole them he hath more good Prophets to blesse them then wicked Balaams to curse them he hath an euangelicall Isaiah to lift them vp with promises of the Gospel as a lamenting Ieremiah to cast them downe with woes and lamentations he hath an Hosea and Zechariah to teach them in Enigmaes and darke sentences and many other to bee as plaine as heart can wish he hath many a Paul I beseech you brethren as wel as sons of thunder to make vs quake and tremble yea and alwaies this is the ende of all afflictions a gracious sufficit 2. Sam. 24.16 it is sufficient hold now thy hand Now what the Lord doth either in prosperity or aduersitie often wee see not and therefore we loose the comfort of it The birth of an infant borne and encreasing is not apprehended presently euen so is it with vs in our heauenly birth spirituall regeneration the spirit worketh without our leaue and acquainteth vs not with his maruailous working more then is expedient at his pleasure when and in what measure for our comfort Therefore let vs take heed that God say not vnto vs as he did vnto Iob cap. 38.2 who is this that darkeneth the counsell by words without knowledge who are you that interrupt the wayes of God and labour to preuent his counsels be sober and patient and you shal in the ende receiue the cuppe of saluation instead of these bottles of vineger and teares and in stead of the bread of affliction the heauenly manna and the bread of life from the table of God and of Christ In the meane time I commend vnto euerie soule in affliction these heads of comfort which I will shewe vnto him in all the causes First in the efficient causes principall lesse principall Principall first the promise of God 1. Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull therefore will he suffer no temptation to be aboue our abilitie but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that we may be able to beare it Secondly his promise is grounded vpon his power Col. 1.11 Strengthened with all might through his glorious power vnto all patience and long-suffering with ioyfulnesse which power is manifested in those two things which grounds the confidence of al in the world and that is that the promiser bee a man
be assured that all this is either to free me froÌ„ some sinne or els confirme me in some good worke begunne in me Secondly if in wisedome we would so prouide that afflictions might not quaile vs when they come then let vs in the time of prosperitie and quietnesse of soule cut off all head strong affections as greife sorrow and such like and then shall they not in our trouble preuaile against vs. Lastly learne to denie our selues and all our owne reason Luk. 9.23 if any man will come after me let him denie himselfe and take vp his crosse daily and follow mee The last thing requisit in all these is the keeping of a good memorie yea though our trouble be past yet still with feare to remember the hand of the Lord. The deliuerance of the children of Israel is often repeated in the Scriptures and surely for good endes because naturally wee forget the workes of God and his noble actes of ancient time which if they were faithfully treasured vp would doe vs much good in our times of need for either wee must thinke that God is not able to helpe vs or if hee be able yet wee are vnworthy of his helpe if wee doubt of his power see what hee did for Israel in Egypt in the red sea the wildernesse and among all their enemies If wee thinke wee are vnworthy then still thinke on Israel the worst people on the face of the earth for they were alwaies prouoking the holy one of Israel Psal 34.5.6 Yee shall looke vnto him and runne vnto him and their faces shall not be ashamed this poore man cried and the Lord heard him and saued him out of all his troubles And thus much of the efficient causes the matter followes out of which we are to draw some speciall comfort The matter of affliction is punishment and action Punishment therefore a morall good action therefore a positiue good The morall good first it corrects sinne past by opening our eyes to see it by humbling of vs and bringing of vs to meditation of heauen and heauenly things Secondly it cures sinne present by crossing of our nature Thirdly it preueÌ„ts sinne to come Fourthly it tries what is in our hearts All this doth a wicked man no good for the punishment is nothing but an execution of gods vengeance vpon them but to the godly it is a schoole-master to bring them vnto Christ For the second the worke of affliction though in it selfe a positiue good because an action yet it works but wofully in the vngodly but most comfortably in the children of God Heb. 12.11 it brings forth the sweete and quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto all them that are exercised for it is a most certaine thing in Gods children that the more their afflictions growe the more their faith groweth the more Sathan striues to drawe them from God the more they drawe neere vnto God although in feeling they see not so much The third cause is the forme making an essentiall difference betwixt the afflictions of the godly and of the wicked They are in the godly corrections of loue for their good but in the wicked the vengeance of God to their euerlasting perishing The fourth last is the ende first in regard of Christ Phil. 1.20 to magnifie him and therfore an honour vnto his Saints Secondly in regard of our selues 2. Cor. 1.9 not to trust in our selues good to lay aside vaine confidence Thirdly for our vocation 1. Pet. 2.21 good to accomplish the end of our vocation Fourthly good in their owne vse all his well that ends well Ioh. 16.20 Your sorrow shall be turned into ioy To proceede to another demonstration that afflictions are good and comfortable may appeare in the fruits of it which are either within vs or without vs. The first is called the mortification of the flesh or the crucifying of the lusts thereof The second is called the mortification of the outward man by manifold afflictions To this is required a good cause Secondly patience voluntarie not perforce not mercinarie but to shew our obedience Thirdly constant not for a brunt Fourthly for a good end Now their is nothing in these afflictioÌ„s but ioy these will neuer gall the conscience but make it stout and couragious therefore let vs see the effects of the other First it openeth the eare Iob. 33.16 then he openeth the eares of men euen by their corrections which he hath sealed Secondly it brings forth greife and is verie necessarie to bring on other effects Greife we know would faine haue ease whereof it is and it laboureth alwaies to lay it selfe open and to mooue pitie it seareth nothing more then to be hidden for which cause nature hath giuen more helps to bewray this affection then any other as heauinesse of countenance hanging downe of the forehead moouing of the eyes teares sighs and grones it teacheth eloquence and maketh vs to change our speeches and so we learne to amplifie the causes of our woe so that falling on any obiect of our greife we are loth to depart from speaking of it we double our speeches on that theame we know the matter of Ezekias greife forced his tongue to touch it twise my tongue my tongue shall praise thee When our Sauiour Christ spake of doctrine he neuer doubles his words but is content to vtter it in a word but when he came to the rebellion of Ierusalem it touched him so neerely that he cryes Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem and Dauid when he lights vpon his sonne Absolon O Absolon Absolon O my sonne Absolon Thirdly after greife it makes vs loath and detest our selues Iob. 42.6 therfore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Fourthly to seeke vnto God Hos 5.15 Psal 78.34 when he slew them they sought him and they returned and sought the Lord early Ier. 31.18 I haue heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected mee and I was chastised as an vntamed calfe conuert thou mee and I shall be conuerted after that I conuerted I repented and after that I was instructed I smote vpon my thigh I was ashamed yea euen confounded because I did beare the reproach of my youth Lastly from the subiect Colos 1.24 I fullâ—ill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my body an excellent subiect that may be annexed vnto Christ 1. Pet. 4.13 reioyce in so much that ye are made partakers of Christs sufferings that when he shall appeare ye may be glad and reioyce Phil. 1.29 a high priuiledge to be a sufferer for it is giuen vnto vs as a speciall donation and therfore their be heads enough of yeilding comfort to euerie afflicted soule I know none to be tossed and turmoiled more in soule then the godly and yet none more free from danger then they Psa 88. Dauid hath all Gods waues go ouer him v. 17. They came round about him daily like water and compassed him together A sea-faring man labours for nothing more when he is vnder a dangerous storme