cannot abide in contented manner to looke vpon sinne or behold iniquitie in another much lesse doth he will it himselfe But we will reduce the Arguments after this manner This is impossible that there should proceede any euill from a cause which is simplie and absolutely good But God is a cause in all respects simplie and absolutely good And therefore no euill can proceede from him That it is impossible that there should proceed euill from a cause which is simplie The proposition proued and absolutelie good who so wilfull that will not conceiue it who so blind that cannot see it How can that be absolutelie good from whence proceedes some euill Wherein should an absolute good cause differ from an euill cause if euill did proceede as well from the one as the other Whence is it called absolutely good if it be mixed with euill Is it because there is more goodnesse in it then euill then is it no more absolutely good but partly good and partlie euill Can a compound be a simple or a colour obscured with darke perfectlie white No more can a cause partlie euill bee said to bee absolutely good Therefore being prooued that GOD is a cause absolutely good it must needes bee that no euill can proceede from him Therefore in the next place to the proouing of this truth vnto vs. We call that sincere friendship The assumption proued which is neither mixed with the gall of harred nor coloured with the glosse of dissimulation We hold that true faith which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincere and without diffimulation and therfore shall neuer faile These though neuer so perfect yet haue their imperfections and what goodnes is in them or in vs from them proceeds from another but God is goodnesse absolutely perfect his perfection is of himselfe his goodnesse his essence and his essence goodnesse it self frō whence the goodnesse of all other things proceedes he of himselfe euery thing from him he infinite without time or measure we in part for the time appointed by him Thus is God such a goodnesse as is perfectly absolute and absolutely perfect in all things Therefore when Moses desired of the Lord to shew him his glorie Exod. 33.18.19 the answere was I will make all my goodnesse goe before thee that is I will shew vnto thee a certaine semblance of that my goodnesse which is infinite I will manifest my selfe gratious and good so that so farre foorth as the shallownes of thy vnderstanding will attaine vnto thou shalt perceiue the same Gods goodnesse and himselfe are all one It is no idle qualitie whereby hee is good onely vnto himselfe but his goodnesse is such as doth continually by sundrie and infinite meanes communicate it selfe vnto others Vpon this ground Dauid excites vnto thankfulnes Psal 117.22 saying Praise ye the Lord all ye nations All yee people praise him for his louing kindnes is great toward vs the truth of the Lord endureth for euer that is the restimonies of his fatherly grace and goodnesse neuer haue end Where the heauēly Prophet describeth no idle goodnesse but such a one as is euer taking pitie euer working for the best euer doing good and therefore hauing his minde busied with this consideration and his heart full fraught with the sense of what his minde did meditate he breakes foorth into a most thankfull admiration The earth O Lord is full of thy goodnesse So that God is not such a goodnesse as sometimes ceaseth but euer worketh that which is good and is neuer wearied in his weldoing But what needes long proose since God and his goodnesse are all one it must needes be that himselfe being infinite his goodnesse is infinite and therefore extends vnto all and so impossible is it that himselfe should not be himselfe as it is possible for euil to proceed from his goodnesse which is himselfe for such as is the fountaine such are the streames that flow from it God hath left a certaine impression of this his goodnesse in his workes of creation And therefore Moses saith that all things which God had made were very good If the goodnesse of the creatures was such how great is the goodnesse of the Creator The blasphemy of Marcion confuted Most blasphemously therefore did Marcion affirme that God which created heauen and earth was not a good God If he is not good how should he create so many good things Nay if his goodnesse was not infinite how could the earth which our sinnes had caused to bring foorth nothing but brambles yeeld so many diuers and excellent fruites This wonderfull goodnesse of God is most euidently seene in his worke of maintaining gouerning and blessing all things which we call his diuine Prouidence Is not he good which maintaineth gouerneth and blesseth the world with euery particular therein contained Is not hee good which giues life motion and being Hee which beautifies the heauens with the starres the day with the Sunne the night with the Moone he whose Spirit by the vertue of the Sun the operation of the Moone the influence of the starres the motions of the heauens giues life vnto al things Who made Marcion of such corruptible matter to be an excellent creature who gaue him a diuine minde an vnderstāding soule with other admirable gifts of nature O blind and vnnaturall man that could not see or durst denie him to be good of whom hee himselfe had receiued so many good things this goodnes of God is so much more manifest in that he neuer ceaseth to do good vnto his enemies of which sort was Marcion and others as yet I feare mee innumerable who resisting this goodnesse of God by their open wickednesse recompence his long suffering with carnall securitie turne his blessings into wantonnes and harden their hearts at his deferring of iudgements which men neuer thinke that his mercies are to worke a louing obedience his iudgements to cause a godly feare and that his long patience expects a repentant reformation God could destroy these men in a moment Deferendo non auferendo modò non poeniteant yet he doth not he could inflict present punishment for their sinnes yet he deferres it hee could shew the tokens of his furie and wrath as vpon Sodome and Gomorrha but his mercie breeds delaies Why so because it reioyceth against iudgement testifying his goodnesse exceeds our iniquities This is that goodnesse which Christ perswades to imitate as neere as wee may saying Be ye perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect who suffers the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall both on the good and the bad But this goodnesse of God is seene in nothing so much Ephes 2.4.5 as in the manifestation thereof to his Church Therein consists infinite and perfect goodnesse hence it is that hee calles it home when it wandred gathers it when it was dispersed awakes it when it was in the slumber of sinne Rom. 5. reuiues it being dead in
doth suffer the same Simile Admit there is a gappe open into my neighbours Orchyard I see it yet not bound to stop it leaue it open if afterward another mans cartell go in and spoile the fruits shall I bee liable to the trespasse surely noe The Lord sees there is a gap broken into his vineyard by our fall in Adam The heresie of the Secentians Aug. de hares and of Florinus and Blastus Euseb lib. 5. cap. 13. 28. teaching the contrarie is verie damnable he sees wee will play the wilde bores breake downe his vines spoile his Church persecute his holy ones and so both injury him and his If therefore he makes not a stay by his holy Spirit changeth not our minds alters not our affections nor preuents our purposes and thereupon we worke all this villany against his Diuine Maiestie is he therefore a trespasser in his owne wrong It cannot be for hee doth not the hurt in his owne person nor is any way tied to preuent it in others which being granted hee can no waies bee blamed for what we commit Quest 1 But some not contented with this demaund why God doth suffer the sin which he could so easily hinder Ans Paul answeres In that he suffers with long patiēce the vessels of wrath prepared to destructiō Rom. 9.22.23 it is to shew his wrath De pradest l. 1. and make his power knowne ouer the wicked and that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie In which as Augustine saith the Lord doth well for he doth not suffer sinne but by his iust iudgement and whatsoeuer is iust is good For although sinnes are not good in that respect that they are simplie sinnes yet it is good that there should be sinnes otherwise God to whom it is as easie to hinder euill from being done as when it is done to cause good to arise from the same would neuer haue suffered it to be committed Fulgentius for how can we imagine that he who is goodnesse it selfe and also Al-omnipotent Ierem. 23. wuld suffer any euill to be done vnlesse by that euill hee effected some good Clemens Alexandrinus the sins of the reprobate declare his iust iustice and iudgement vpon the vessels of reprobation the fallings of the godly his exceeding riches of grace vpon the vessels of mercie Rom. 9.17.32.33 And thus in the depth of his wisdome hee hath shut vp all vnder sinne Gal. 3.22 Rom. 11.31 that his iustice and mercie might appeare vnto all men Secondly note that before this suffering of sinne there doth euer go an offering of mercie to preuent the sinne so that if we are not staid frō our iniquities the cause is not the want of Gods mercy in not offering grace but in the hardnes of our hearts in not receiuing it when it is offered And therefore saith Augustine Augustine Non ideò non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit Men want the grace of God to keepe them from sinne not because God doth not offer it but because when it is offered they haue not harts to receiue it Christ is the way to the wanderer but he seeketh by-pathes will not follow him A light to them in darknesse but they winke with their eyes and will not behold him An inuiter to his blessed Supper Luk. 14.24 Ioh. 6.35 but men wil not taste it He knocks at the doores of our hearts but we will not let him enter He brings the bread of life but we will needs starue in our sinnes Prou. 1. He makes proclamation that all may freely haue it yet men must bee drawne or none will receiue it Per totum vbique iacet agrotus Aug. in Matth. 9.11 Euery soule is sicke of sinne ideoque magnus de coelo venit Medicus and therefore that great and gratious Physition is come from heauen to cure vs hee seekes vnto vs knockes at our doores and offers his heauenly potions imò pharmaca benedicta immensique valoris yea blessed potions and of an exceeding great value Simile but such are our waiward natures such our affections meere repugnant to that which is good that we will not be healed So that meritò perit aegrotus qui medicum vlerò venientem respuit the sicke patient doth deseruedly perish which peruersly refuseth the good Physition when hee willingly offers his helpe vnto him Musculus The lame in the ditch doth wilfully perish whilest hee reiects his neighbours hand when it is offered vnto him so if men darkened in their vnderstandings and hauing the vaile of ignorance as yet before their eyes doe tread the paths of sinne till they stumble at the threshold of hell and so fall into the pit of eternall destruction the cause is not the want of Gods gracy that would not enlighten them but their wilfull blindnes that would not be enlightned Ioh. 3.19 For herein is their condemnation in that as S. Iohn saith that light is come into the world but men loue darknes more then light because their deeds are enill Quest 2 Others demaund why God gaue m a nature mutable and subiect to sinning Ans To these lunius answers that it may as well be demanded why hee made him not God because immutabilitie is proper to the Deitie onely neither is it in the iudgement of the learned as praise worthie to haue a nature not subiect to temptation as hauing a nature subiect vnto it to resist the same when we are tempted Thus it is euident that God can by no meanes be the Author of sinne Delapsu Adami neither because hee foreknowes it Si diabolus seductionis potestatem non accepisset home probationis mercedem non accepisset Chrysost Oper. impers homil 55. decrees it willingly suffers it or made man by nature subiect to commit it It rests in the next place to shew first that Satan and our selues are the causes of the sins we commit Secondly that although in euery of our actiōs there are three caudes and that euery of these worke that which is good yet notwithstanding the action may bee euill and that this euill proceedes from our selues Thirdly that two things must be obserued to make our actions pleasing to God and that a failing in either makes them abominable That Satan and our selues are the sole causes of the sinnes we commit FIrst touching Satan that he is primitiuus peccator Ioh. 6. the first and originall offender from whom sinne flowing as out of a maine sea conueieth it selfe into the whole posteritie of all mankind the Scriptures are very copious in prouing the same Ioh. 8.44 When the diuell speaketh a lie saith Iohn then speaketh he of his own for he is a lier and the father thereof 1. Ioh. 3.8 So that hee which committeth sinne is of the diuell because the diuell sinneth from the beginning To this
end therfore is the Sonne of man made manifest that hee might dissolue the workes of the diuell Secondly man is the cause of sinne for after that it was conucied from Satan into Adam Maxey in his golden chaine in him it ariseth as out of a spring from this spring it is reserued in nature as in a conduit Rom. 5.12 from nature conueied to concupiscence as by a pipe which working in our corrupted natures causeth sinne and iniquitie to bee effected so that now because euery action hath his qualitie from the roote of the affection and from the intention of the next author therefore is sinne properly attributed vnto our selues as the causes thereof And therefore the Lord for the disobedience of his people Israel in not hearkening vnto him saith that hee gaue them vp vnto their owne hearts lusts Psalm 81. Genes 6.5 and they walked in their own waies And what are these waies of men Surely to haue all the thoughts of their hearts set vpon wickednes at all times Genes 8.21 To be inclined to cuil from our youth Iob 15.16 To drink in iniquitie as it were water To loue darknesse more then light Tit. 3.3 To bee vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures 1. Cor. 6.11 liuing in malitiousnesse and enuie hatefull and hating one another Rom. 3.4 Rom. 8.7 So that the wisedome of our flesh is emnitie to God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be Hence it is that euerie man is tempted to euill of his own concupiscence Iam. 1.14 that Pharaoh hardens his owne heart Genes 8.16 that Israel and not the Lord Ierem. 5.3 Hos 13.9 make their faces harder theÌ„ brasse that what helpe they haue is from the Lord but their destruction from themselues for Deus est prior in amore God first offers grace Matth. 23.37 Luk. 13.34 he would gather them vnder the wings of his mercie but in that they are not gathered it is because themselues would not Therfore I conclude this truth with Paul In that men are the children of wrath it is from their corrupted natures for in that they transgresse Gods lawes they are moued and ruled therein by the Prince of the aire Ephes 2.2.3.4 yet so as that they follow the course of the world and are led by the lusts of their owne flesh which carrie them as directly in the paths of sinne as it is naturall to the birds to flie in the aire and to the fishes to swimme in the seas And thus it is manifest that sinne is iustly attributed wholly to Satan our selues to him as the originall and mouer to vs as naturally and desirously effecting what we are moued vnto for hee propounds a deceiueable price posteáque currentibus velocitatem addit and afterward helpes vs forward in the race of sinne wherein we are running as fast as we may The second point followeth That although in euery of our actions there are three causes and that euerie of these worke that which is good yet that it is from our selues that our actions are euill THat it may appeare how farre forth God worketh in euery of our actions and wherein the committing of sin doth consist I hold the handling of this point very needfull Touching the first part Three causes of euery Action which may bee propounded by way of obiection against the truth of the former position we acknowledge it a certaine truth that of euery of our actions there are three causes the first God the second common nature the third our will The first cause is of himselfe the second and the third proceed from the first God working by them â—nd they by a certain vertue strength â—eceiued from him The first being an â—bsolute good cause must needs worke only the which is good both in heaueÌ„ and earth The second considered as it proceeds froÌ„ the first namely God working by it it by a vertue receiued froÌ„ God is also good and so worketh naturallie in it selfe and in the parties vnder the same contained The third cause namelie our will considered as the second workes of the one nature as I haue alreadie prooued that which is good for Paul saith Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles which haue not the Law doe by nature the things contained in the Law So that it is truth that these are the causes of euery action Obiect and that these causes worke that which is good Ephes 2.3 Rom. 3.4 and yet notwithstanding that we are by nature the children of wrath the wisdome of the flesh being enmitie to God Solution Mans estate to be considered tvvo vvaies Natural is twofold For the vnderstanding of this we must know that mans estate is to be considered two waies First as it was in Paradise pure and holie Secondlie as it is since our fall wicked and sinfull so that naturall is now twofold vel innatum vel agnatum either borne in vs as naturally proceeding from common nature Common nature good or else borne with vs ouer and aboue nature the first is good being that which God created The second euill because it is a corruption and wicked inclination added vnto nature by the fall of Adam The corruption of nature euill How corruption is become naturall Hovv our actions are good Hovv euill which by reason of the generall infection of euery part and impossibilitie to haue it remooued is now become in vs as naturall as the former Yet those things which are naturally in vs as proceeding from common nature are good but as our actions are considered to come from this corrupted nature they are euill Common nature considered in it selfe as it proceeds from God doth only cause that from a man should proceede a man from a sheepe a sheepe from a Lion a Lion and so in particular But if you shall consider nature according to the next meanes it worketh by and as it is by that meanes stained and corrupted then doth it cause that from a leaper should proceede a leaper from one troubled with the palsie one subiect to the palsie from a nature corrupted with sinne a creature defiled with iniquitie Genes 2.3 Adam at first was free from this corruption of sinne and had he not tasted on the forbidden fruit no doubt his posteritie had remained in the same condition but after his disobedience he was infected with this corruption and so in that respect that he was the next meanes of him which succeeded him and his son the next meanes of him which came from his loines and so all considered as they come from their next parents euen from Adam vnto themselues by an ordinarie succession as Adam begat Sheth Sheth begat Enoch Enoch begat Kenan Kenan begat Mahalaleel and so in particular til thou commest to the next cause of thy selfe namely thine owne parents hence it is thou art corrupted for in that respect thou wast
begotten by a man thou also art a man but in that respect that man which begat thee was corrupted thou also art corrupted Admit a leaper beget another leaper Simile the sonne is not a leaper in respect his father was a mā but because he was a leaprous man So mankind is not defiled with sinne in that respect we proceede from common nature or because we are begotten by man in that hee is a man but because all from Adam to thy selfe are defiled with sinne hence it is that thou thy self art polluted with iniquitie So that since the corruption of our first parent Adam we may now crie out with the Psalmist Psalm 14.3 There is none that doth good no not one Thus you see how man may be said to doe naturallie that which is good and naturallie that which is euill and therefore that our actions in diuers respects may be both good and euill good in that respect God common nature and the will not disturbed doth worke in and vpon them bad in that respect they proceed from a nature corrupted and from wils not directed by the good Spirit of God euer since the fall of Adam wonderfully disturbed which corruption and disturbing since it proceeds not from the three former causes but from a defect of puritie and a priuation of good crept into Adam by his disobedience and from him deriued to his whole posteritie for though it is a defect yet it is properly said to bee in vs Simile as blindnesse is said to be in the eies which is no more but a defect and want of the sight hence it is that God working in and by these causes is yet notwithstanding free from all sinne and we our selues the Authors of the euils going with our actions I say going with them for we must conceiue a difference betweene our actions and the sin which is nothing but a priuation and want of the good The actions are effected by God but the euill going with them wrought by our selues God giues strength to worke and a facultie to wil but in that the action is euil it is because we worke indirectly and will preposterouslie As for an instance Iudas betraied his Master In this action God gaue strength and a facultie of willing to Iudas as his creature yea wrought in and by that power and those faculties which hee had giuen him in his creation but when Iudas thus maintained and mooued by the hand of Gods power came to the adding of his owne couetous desire and malitious mind to this worke of God therein hee made the action euill and himselfe the Author of it Simile As for example the heauens giue moouing to the Planets by a direct motion but the Planets though thus mooued take an indirect and ouerthwart course Whence is it not frō the motion of the heauens which is euer direct but from the naturall inclination of the Planets to bee cartied indirectlie from a direct motion Simile A man spurres forward a lame horse if in his going he halteth the cause is not in the man which put him forward but in the horse which wanted soundnesse Simile The soule in a lame man mooues a halting bodie if this partie halt the fault is not in the soule for it only mooues such a bodie as it is but in the partie halting because he was lame and therefore being mooued could not but halt God is this soule of the world hee giues life and motion to all if they halt in their motion that is if man mooued by his Creator doth sinne against his Maker it is because hee doth as it were spurre a lame horse and mooue an halting bodie wherein there can bee no fault in the Moouer but in the parties mooued When the Sunne sendeth his beames vpon a dead corps Simile the stinch will come the sooner and bee the stronger the fault is not in the Sunne for then it would yeeld the like effect in al whereas shining vpon flowers it causeth them smell sweeter but in the corruption of the corpes enclined vpon the shining of the Sunne Simile to yeeld such a sauour The Earth giues life and nourishment vnto all plants alike yet some trees yeeld sower fruits as well as others pleasant the fault then is not in the earth but in the stock which bore them Good wine put into a tainted vessell looseth quicklie his naturall sweetnesse so good faculties put by God into a corrupted soule and good motions into a bad disposed mind alas how soone they are peruerted and become euill within them Simile A barren and drie soile makes seede which is good when it is sowed to bee often pinkt when it is reaped other ground againe is often so barren that it will yeed no fruit at all Christ is the good Sower his word the seede our hearts the ground which are either so extreme hard that they will yeeld no fruit as the hearts of the vnregenerate or if watered by the sweete continued dewes of Gods holy spirit the seede takes roote and yeelds forth some fruit as in the harts of the godly yet alas the kirnels are pinkt that is their best actions mingled with many imperfections The fault is neither in the sower nor in the seede but in the ground that is the hearts of such as should receiue it For Vunum quodque recipitur secundum modum recipientis Euerie thing is receiued according to the measure qualitie and disposition of the thing receiuing Good meate conueied into a bad stomack Simile turnes rather into choler then to wholesome nourishment but as the cause is not in the meate but in the stomacke that is euill affected so in that life and motion are abused the cause is not in God which giueth both but in such as from Gods blessing enioying them doe wickedlie vse them Simile The word of God of the one nature is the sauour of life vnto life and therefore is truelie called the glad tidings of saluation but when it is not receiued by faith in those that heare it as it was not by the Scribes and Pharisies in the daies of Christ nor as yet is by wicked liuers in the happie continued time of his holy Ministers then it prooues the sauour of death vnto condemnation Surely so the case stands betweene God and vs Actions in that respect they are maintained disposed and receiue a power of being effected frō God they are good but in that they become euill and witnesse with other his good blessings against vs in the day of his great visitation this is from our owne corrupted natures for in that men turne from God as Augustine saith it is of themselues De peccatorum meritis lib. 2. cap. 5. Quest. But it may be demanded since God is free and our selues culpable how thē doth the holy writ sometimes attribute sinne vnto God Psalm 105. as the Lord turned the hearts of the Egyptians that
should reape some commoditie from the Egyptians at their departure As vsurie permitted to Gods enemies but not among his people Lastly many things may be done to the professed enemies of God very lawfully the which to enterprise toward any that professe his name is a grieuous sinne the which in no wise can be imputed to the Israelites and that so much the lesse because they tooke nothing away of malice or desire of gaine but onely to obey the will of God Obiection If God punish one sinne with another sinne then he is the author of sinne because hee is the author of all punishment But God often doth thus Solution and therefore he is often a cause of sinne Sinne is to be considered either as it is simplie a sinne or as it is a punishment of former sinnes by reason it is a begetter of moe sinnes and makes the committer more miserable as it is euident in the ignorant Gentiles Ephes 4.18 and in the hard hearted Iewes Rom. 1.21 22 23 c. God onely willing lie permits the former and in his iustice inflicts the latter Lib. 5. cap. 3. as Augustine in his Treatise against Iulian plainly teacheth Obiection Whatsoeuer is committed the Lord doth will the same But sins are committed And therefore God doth will them Gods will is efficient commanding Solution or permissiue the two former make God an absolute cause the latter doth not So that we confesse that God doth will all both good and bad the bad by a willing permission the good by his command and by a powerfull effecting Obiect God commanded or at least willed the selling of Ioseph into Egypt by his brethren which fact of theirs was a sin and therfore God willeth some sinnes God willed the selling of Ioseph into Egypt Solution as it did make for the declaration of his exceeding power and mercie to his Church Gen. 48. for thereby Iosephs deliuerance was seene his honour aduanced the future good of the faithfull procured as it appeares by his supplie of the want in the time of famine in which respect Ioseph was sent aforehand by the Lord into Egypt as himselfe declareth but none of these were respected by Iosephs brethren but only an intent to make him away for the satisfying of their malitious mindes toward him therfore it was good in God as proceeding from his infinite loue to his children but euill in Iosephs brethren as proceeding of an euill minde in them Obiect God willeth the actions of the diuell and of wicked men but these actions are sinnes Therefore willeth some sins God doth not command them Solution nor effect them himselfe as they are simply sinnes but doth only willingly permit them which permission as I haue proued cannot make him a cause of the sin committed Secondly though God giue strength to the actions of the diuel and wicked men and that to a purpose making for his owne glorie and good of his children hee doth will the same yet hee is farre from the intents of the diuell and wicked men in their actions being that which makes them to bee sinnes 1. Pet. 4.19 God willed the redemption of mankinde and therefore the crucifying of his sonne whereby it was to be effected but the malice and hatred of the Iewes toward him for which cause they did it came of themselues God willes the chastisement of his children for the trial of their faith and patience but that Tyrants should imprison them or put them to death vniustly this proceedes from a hatred in them toward Gods children and therefore God wils only the good but the euill that is effected comes from themselues Obiection He which willeth the end willeth also the meanes whereby it is to bee accomplished but God willeth the end of sinning namely his glorie And therefore the meanes whereby it is manifested that is sinne it selfe Solution 1 God doth will a willing permission of the meanes but not an effecting of them for he only intendeth that by the suffering of such a meanes his iustice should take place and so his glorie bee manifested But this is cleane contrarie to the expectation of him which sinneth because he doth sinne only to satisfie his owne lusts and not to bee punished or to haue Gods glorie manifested by the same Secondlie sinne is not of it selfe a meanes of Gods glorie but in that respect Gods iustice is declared in punishing it or his mercie shewed in pardoning it So that Gods permission of the sinne is the meanes of his glorie and not the sinne it selfe because God respects not the purpose of man in sinning but his owne purpose in permitting Obiection Whosoeuer can hinder sin and will not that partie doth offend But God can hinder sinne and yet often doth not And therefore seemes often to offend The Proposition is true Solution being vnderstood of those that are bound to hinder sinne or of those that doe approue of sinnes in that respect they are simplie sinnes but God is aboue his law and therefore not tied to it Secondly in suffering sinne he no way approues of it for he punisheth him that commits it yea rather then it should goe vnpunished doth punish it in his only begotten Sonne so that the argument holds in vs that are his creatures but not in God the Creator Obiection He which doth euill that good may come thereof doth sinne Rom. 3. But God by permitting euill doth euill that good may come thereof And therefore God seemes sometimes to sinne The Assumption is false Solution because it is not Gods permission which is euill but the sinne it selfe Obiect The want of Gods grace is the cause of sinne both in the godly and in the wicked And therefore since hee doth not bestow it vpon them it seemes he is the cause of the sinnes both of the one and the other I confesse as Augustine saith that men doe sinne Deo gratiam non concedente Solution in that God doth not giue them his grace yet God being not tied to giue it and secondly his detaining it making for his iustice and glorie how can he be blamed for not bestowing it Yet further note Non ideò non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit Man is destitute of Gods grace Rom. 6.12 not because God doth not giue it but because men haue not hearts to receiue it when it is offered Aug. in Matth. 9.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Magnus de caelo venit Medicus quia per vbique terrarum iacet aegrotus That great and wise Physition is come from heauen because the whole world lay sicke of sinne if men are not cured this only is the cause Muscujus Medicum vltrò venientem respuunt they wilfullie refuse him that would willingly helpe them Thus is Christ the bread of life the light the way the truth in that our soules are not nourished our
is cast into the lap but the euent proceedes from the Lord. Ionas by casting of lots was found out to be the partie for whose sake God sent the storme vpon the Seas which could not be done by chance nor yet vndone because being thereby cast into the Sea swallowed of a Whale and remained in his bellie three daies three nights but afterward cast vpon the land again he was therein a figure of Christs lying in the earth and of the time it should containe him In the election of a new Apostle the Lot fell vnto Matthias but not as hauing a libertie of falling vpon the other for it was to shew that hee which knew al things as the text saith had chosen him Act. 1.24 Therefore if these things seeming meere contingent fall out necessarilie in respect of GOD though vnto vs to whom future euents are vnknowne farre otherwise how can wee denie the same necessitie in all other things to which the like libertie is not granted Further it is to be obserued that although causes in their own natures not definite may encline vnto either part as the will to chuse or refuse yet these by Gods decree encline to one part only According to that of Salomon Man 's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the riuers of waters and whither he pleaseth hee turneth the same yet so as that which we doe that wee thinke for that instant best to bee done But you must vnderstand me of things propounded to our choice whereof there is in vs a libertie of chusing or refusing either In which case euery of vs may say by experience that we are moued to incline rather to the one then to the other Otherwise wee cannot be said to make a choice of any Now this inclining of the will comes from God Psalm 105. Prou. 16.1 20.24 hee worketh in vs both the will and the deede according to his good pleasure Philipp 2.13 The Lord August de Gratia Arbitrio Tom. 7. cap. 21. saith Augustine doth incline the willes of men whither it pleaseth him but yet so as that he doth not disturbe their natures neither violently worke vpon them but doth it by a pleasing inclining and gentle mouing them forward According as Boaethius in his Topicks Vid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken by him for destinie or Prouidence indifferently very well noteth Thus wee see that men will freely yet necessarily freely because they are only inclined and moued neuer forced nor compelled necessarily because GOD doth moue them to one part only according to his act of decreeing which cannot be altered Obiect If such things as are of their own natures appointed to no certaine ends but may fall out this way or that way in regard of themselues are so gouerned by God as that they can fall out no otherwise and therefore are necessarie then we cannot call this cause definite that indefinite this effect necessarie that contingent but must needs agree with the Stoicks that there is no libertie of working granted vnto them Euery thing doth take his name from his owne nature Solution the matter whereof it consists and the manner of subsisting and not from the externall cause of the same Adam was not called God from the externall cause of his being from whom hee receiued the breath of life but hee was called Adam of the earth being the matter whereof hee was framed Wee doe not call such things as we doe against Gods law good works from the externall cause farthest remoued from their working but wee call them transgressions of Gods law sins and such like from a defect within our selues and from our own corrupted natures Euen so when wee consider the natures of causes within themselues we call some definite some indefinite some effects necessarie some contingent Yea in this sense we say that our willes haue some freedome But if wee looke vnto Gods certaine foreknowledge his immutable will and act of gouerning then hath his infallible knowledge taken away chance his heauenly will limited our willes and his act of gouerning imposed a necessitie that cannot be eschewed And thus much touching the immutability of Gods Prouidence and the necessitie it imposeth on all things THE FOVRTH PART wherein is especially contained That although God doth gouern all things and that so as his gouernment can neither be altered nor hindered yet that he cannot be the author of sin although he is the principall cause of euery action with the which the sinne concurreth SVndry are the opinions cōcerning this point Diuers opinions thouching the author of sinne The Libertines affirme that God so willeth sinne as that he is the cause thereof The opinion of the Libertines And therefore that sinnes should not be reprooued because they are the workes of God For say they it is not mā which sinneth but the Lord by man If you contradict them their answere is You are not regenerate by Gods Spirit and therefore cannot iudge aright of his workes But this opinion tendeth wholly to the libertie of the flesh and therefore is diuellish and damnable The Manichees haue thought The opinion of the Manichees that God cannot so suffer sinne as that he should any way wil it and therefore concluded that there are two onely Authors of all things the one the chiefest Good the principall Efficient of all goodnes the other the chiefest Euill the sole Effecter of all wickednes as well the sinne as the punishment for the same And so they will haue sinnes to be committed whether the Author of all goodnes will or not Others there are which neither consenting to these nor agreeing with the former would haue God to will sin and that he is the cause thereof yet that no fault can be imputed vnto him but vnto men who commit it Their reason is Gods will is a rule of equitie and therefore whatsoeuer hee willeth the same is iust and right Thus you see the diuersitie of iudgements whence ariseth the necessitie of handling this doctrine In the entreating whereof it is necessarie to touch these three points How farre foorth God doth will sinne That he can in no respect be Author of any thing as it is simplie sinne That the diuell is the setter and wee the effecters of it For the vnderdanding How God doth will sinne how far forth God doth will sinne we must obserue that there is a double euill The one the euil of the offēce 1. Malum culpae which is the sinne the other the euill of the punishment which is the reward of sin 2. Malum poenae called euill in respect it is hurtfull to him which suffers it The Euill of the offence Sinne is to be considered three waies which is the sinne is to be considered three waies The first as it is simplie contrarie to Gods law in which respect onely it is
called a sinne The second as it is a punishment of sins before committed for God doth vsually punish one sinne with another Rom. 1.21 Because when the Gentiles knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull but became vaine in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were full of darknesse therefore the Lord gaue them vp vnto their hearts lusts and vnto vncleannesse Thirdly as it is a cause of sinnes afterward committed Such was the ignorance of the Gentiles Ephes 4.18 Such the blindnesse and hardnesse of hearts in the Iewes whereof Isai chap. 6. and Paul Rom. 12. For these sinnes of theirs were punishments of their former sins secondly sinnes of the mselues thirdly causes of their infinite other sinnes as Augustine in his Treatise against Iulian teacheth excellently well Lib. 5. cap. 3. Thus we see that God may will a sin as it is a punishment and yet not be the Author of sinne as it is simplie sinne Note further Three things concurring in sinne that three things concorre in sins The first the deed or action and that is either inward or outward inward are those which are either of the mind Actions inward or outward as euill thoughts or of the heart as wicked affections or of the will as an euill choice and an agreement to that which is wicked Outward are those which are actions of the senses wrought by the externall instrumēts of the bodie Secondly the breach of Gods law going with this action which is an absence of the purity commāded and a presence of a defect and corruption forbidden noted by the Heathen man Tull. in his Parad when he saith Peccare est transilire lineas praefixas à scopo aberrare to sin is to passe the boūds prescribed and to wander from the marke expressed by the Grecians when they call it What sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and defined by the holy Ghost to be the Transgression of the law 1 Ioh. 3.4 Thirdly there is in euery sin a guilt and an obligatiō wherin we stand most firmely bound vnto God to vndergo the punishment which our breach of his law hath deserued This guilt hath his ground in sinne Rom. 6.23 Death is the reward of sinne this death is from Gods Iustice which willes that euery one shall haue his due this death is our due because the soule that sinnes by Gods law shall die the death this law is giuen in equitie for he hath the right of commanding we of obeying he our Creator we his creatures and therefore by the law of equitie and right of creation haue entred a statute both of soules and bodies to be obedient vnto him Now all are guiltie in as much s all haue sinned and this guilt is the bond whereby in iustice we are tied through the committing of our sinnes to vndergo the punishment they haue deserued And so is the third things considered in sinne Concerning the first of these three God is the Author of the first thing considered in sinne viz. the Actiō which is the Action It is true that God is the principall Efficient and Author thereof for in him we liue we mooue and haue our being Touching the third thing confidered in sinne namelie the guilt God is author of the third namely the Guilt whereby we stand bound to vndergoe the punishment our sinnes haue deserued there is no question but that God doth in like manner will the same But the second namelie the transgressing of Gods Law which expelles the puritie in the action and makes it wicked breedes a doubt whether God doth wil it or not For the satisfying whereof I will first shew what it is to wil. Secondlie how farre forth God doth will the same To will is taken two waies To will taken two waies 1. Properly properlie or improperly properly when wee will a thing in respect of it selfe because we iudge it good indeede or at least in appearance seemes to be so Improperly when we will a thing 2. improperly in respect of another thing that is because of some good that will ensue the same and not in respect the thing we desire is of the one nature good In which sense men doe often wish a naturall euill A man often desireth the cutting offan infected member Simile he doth not properly will the want of that member for euery creature aimes at his perfection but the good he hopes will follow the same namelie the health of his bodie So that there is an improper willling of the one because we whollie desire the other So that the cutting away of that member may rather be called a voluntarie permission then an effectuall willing because the will according to the owne nature willeth that which is good either in truth or at least in appearance and if at any time it is carried to the contrarie this commeth from a certaine disturbing of the mind whereunto none can say that God is subiect Further those things which we properlie will those we like loue and take pleasure in but a knowne euill is neuer thus affected and therefore at no time we properly desire the same Since this then is thus with men much more is it so with God Whence it necessarily followes that hee doth willinglie suffer sinne and that he doth will that which followes the same namelie his owne glorie but is no cause of sinne as it is simplie a transgression of his law as shal be more at large declared But care is to be had lest in going about to set downe the meane we fall into the extreame or labouring to eschew some danger wee slip into a greater He that shall say God doth will sinne as it is a transgression of his law shall not goe vnpunished neither may he which affirmeth that sinne is committed against his will or without his knowledge goe vnreprooued the former is to rob God of his goodnes the latter of his infinite power and knowledge In shewing how far forth God doth will sinne seuen things to be obserued Therefore that we may escape the danger keepe the meane and obtaine our desires these things are to be obserued That God doth will his owne glorie principally as the sole end wherefore all other things are effected Secondly that he willeth the euill of the punishment and that so as he is the sole effecter and inflicter thereof Thirdly that hee willeth sinne as it is a punishment of sinnes before committed Fourthly that he doth will sinne as it is an action either inward or outward Fiftlie that he doth will sinne as it is a guilt or obligation wherein we stand bound vnto God to vndergoe the punishments which our sinnes haue deserued Sixtly that God doth not will sinne as it is a transgression of his Law but doth onelie willinglie permit it Lastly that there is a difference between his willing of that which is good and that which is euill
Before we enter the seuerall handling of these it is to be marked that to will and to doe with God are all one Hee doth not any thing which hee willeth not neither willeth any thing which by the vertue of his willing it is not presētly effected Therfore in shewing how farre forth God willeth these things is also declared how farre forth hee is the Author and Effecter of them To which in order That God willeth his owne glory principally Position 1 as the sole end wherefore hee willeth all other things IF a knowne good thing as reason teacheth is properly the obiect of the will then doth God will his owne glorie especially because it is most excellent in his sight This end was propounded in his admirable frame of the world and especially in the creation of his Angels in heauen and men vpon earth 1. Cor. 10.22 Deut. 6.5 Exod. 2.3 Isai 48.11 Prou. 16.4 To this tended his precepts his mightie power and charge of sanctifying his name to this end is the execution of his iustice vpon the wicked both in this life and in the life to come to this tendeth the shutting vp of all vnder sinne the sending of his Sonne the redemption of his Church their saluation in heauen with all other mercies forth of the exceeding riches of his grace for the accomplishing thereof bestowed vpon them Yea in a word for this is a knowne and confessed truth to this tended the Law and the Prophets Christ and his Gospell the Apostles and Ministers of our Lord and Sauiour with all Gods works of wisdome power iustice and mercie Therefote I conclude this with Paul 1. Cor. 10.22 Do all things to his glory Rom. 11.33 To him bee glorie for euer Amen That God so willeth the euill of the punishment Position 2 as that he is the principall cause and inflicter thereof THere is no euill in the citie which the Lord hath not done The error of the Coluthiani teaching the contrary Aug. de haeres is here condemned Amos 3.6 Punishment is a good thing because it is the execution of iustice which sets forth Gods glorie and therefore befitting him who is goodnes it selfe Hence it is that Adams high presuming hand was punished by God himselfe Hence it is that he prouided a Law for his Successors and promised punishment by his owne person vpon the violaters thereof 1. Sam. 2.31.32 And therefore the man of God denounced Elies punishment in the name of his master Therefore the Lord taketh this authoritie to himselfe with an abridgement of the like vnto others not onelie saying I but I and none others forming the light and creating darkenes making peace and creating euill Surely hee is the inflicter of punishment in whom is the right and power of punishing but these two belong both vnto God And therefore he alone the inflicter of the same That the right belongs vnto God it is plaine because he alone giues the law and takes an account of the breach thereof that this power is proper vnto him it is in like manner euident because experience teacheth that man by strength or policie doth often escape from man But if hee be neuer so strong he cannot resist the Al-omnipotent If hee goe downe into the sea or flie to the vttermost parts of the earth euen there will the Al-seeing God finde him out and his power sease vpon him If hauing this right and power he should not punish accordinglie there should be a disorder and continuall neglect of his glorie because of an vsurpation and challenging of that by the creature which so wonderfullie sets forth the glorie and iustice of the Creator Therefore without doubt God is sole inflicter of punishment But it is obiected Obiect The Magistrates of the earth doe punish and to this end God hath put the sword of authoritie into their hands and therefore not God alone God doth punish somtimes by himselfe Solution sometimes by others yet alwaies it is he which punisheth He exalts men to that honour giues knowledge to iudge wisedome to distribute power to execute The chaire of Authoritie is his the sword is his and hee giues strength to vse them And therefore we cannot properly say that Magistrates doe punish but God by the. In this respect they are called his Vicegerents Kings yea Gods vpon earth to this end that wee might know that hee which is the King of all Kings and God of all Gods hath giuen them this honour and that he will both rule and punish the world by them also giue them some names of exceeding dignitie and honor wherby wee might see it and acknowledge his Maiestie in them Yet all this while the names the authority the power and wisedome being giuen and vpholden by God and that so as that we cannot say that they execute punishment but God by them without question men are but second meanes and the Angels ordained ministers God only is principall efficient in executing iustice and iudgement And therefore both the good and bad Angel is still at his command the one must into the King of Ashurs armie when he is commanded the other may not touch his seruant till leaue be granted Iob 1 And thus much to the obiection It is further to be obserued in the execution of punishment that God doth not will it as it is simply a destruction of his creatures but as it is an execution of iustice and declaration of his glorie for being a perfect goodnesse he would neuer inflict a naturall euill vnlesse it had respect to a morall good And thus it appeares that God is the author of all punishment and wherefore hee inflicteth the same Hence is confuted the vaine imaginations of such as would haue two Gods The opinion of the Manichees confuted the one sole efficient of al goodnesse the other of all euill as well the sinne as the punishment and the punishment as the sinne it selfe But sinne is no other thing then a priuation and absence of the good neither being considered only in it selfe hath any being in the nature of things For what is a disease want of health What is hunger a want of being satisfied What is barrennesse an absence of fruitfulnes So what is sinne An absence of that vprightnes and equitie which ought to be in euery action Now this priuation or absence cannot arise whēce they would haue it for it must needes bee in some subiect the disease hangs not in the ayre but in the bodie of a liuing creature capable of health Blindnes which is an absence of sight must needs be in eyes capable of seeing Now the subiect of any priuatiō is good because it hath his being and is vpholden by God neither indeed as Philosophers teach can euill be in any other as his subiect then that which is good And therefore nothing so euill be it substance or action which is not good One and the same thing good and euill in of 〈◊〉 spects
third thing which much troubleth vs The small account had of the godly must not trouble vs. is that the godlie liue in disgrace are reuiled and often preuailed against by such as haue no feare of God before their eies That this is thus experience prooues it true but all this turnes to Gods glorie and the good of his children The godly haue oftentimes their grieuous fals sometimes secure in their sins luld asleepe in the cradle of iniquitie is it not good then that God should vse his trumpet to awake them Shemei cursed Dauid called him murtherer or man of blood but Dauid saies 2. Sam. 16.7 It may be the Lord will looke on mine affliction 2. Sam. 16.12 or teares and doe me good by his cursing this day And howsoeuer Gods children are reuiled yet surelie the blessing doth therby redound vnto them in as much as Christ hath said Blessed are yee when men reuile you and speake all manner of euill against you for my names sake falselie c. And howsoeuer they are in disgrace with the world yet they are verie gratious with God for if they were of the world the world would loue his owne but because they are not of the world but God hath chosen forth of the world therefore the world hates them And howsoeuer they are preuailed against yet Gods honour is thereby exalted and their owne good procured Iosephs brethrē preuailed against him but greater was Gods glorie Genes 45. greater his honor and greater the good of the Church Satan was let loose to vexe Iob and the Caldeans suffered to spoile him of his goods but thereby God was glorified by his words of praise The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away and blessed bee the name of the Lord. Thereby the Church receiued a good for his patience is alleaged and left for an example to all posterities and thereby Iobs good was greatlie procured for first now God had tried him found him faithfull he is more gratious in his sight Iob 42.7.8 and therefore Eliphaz the Temanite and his two friends that before so much condemned Iob must now intreate him to pray to God for them because he is found faithfull and therfore shall be accepted Secondly Iob in losing gained for the Lord that suffered others to take his goods away gaue him afterward twice as much as he had before And thus in all these things there is no cōfusion Iob 42.10.11.12 but an excellent harmonie all things considered For as the bodies so the soules of men and women haue their diseases Some troubled with the burning feauer of malice hating when they should loue some with melancholie mourning for the world Some with a dead palsie that they cannot tread the pathes that leade vnto Sion Some with a spirituall slumber that the sound of the Gospell entreth not their eares Some senseles not feeling Gods mercies Some phrentick reioicing whē they should weepe Some haue their dropsie of thirsting after pleasures Some blind in iudgement coūting godlines losse and earthly riches of greatest value So that wonderfull neede is there of healing potions and what these shal be and when ministred the fond affection of the patient is not to bee respected but the receits of the wise Physition Christ Iesus willingly receiued because Quid obsit vel prosit Augustine magnus hic diuinus Medicus nonit non agrotus What doth hurt or profit a man this great and diuine Physition knowes verie well and not he that is grieued The bodie is a smoaking house and must be perfumed an euill seruant and must be corrected an vntamed horse and must be brought vnder a false friend and must be tried a domesticall enemie and must be weakened an euill counseller and must be disclosed If God which is wisdome and mercie will do this can there bee any disorder in his most wise and mercifull effecting it But to bring vnder the vaine reioycing of the wicked and for the setling of the minds of the godly in a grounded assurance of Gods iustice and exceeding rich mercie vnto them howsoeuer afflictions befall them 5. Things to he respected in the persons of afflicted Christiās besides the forenamed commodities which aduersitie of what sort soeuer bringeth with it let vs obserue these things in the persons of the godly which do endure them First 1. That they are conquerers in all that they ouercome all afflictions and miseries whatsoeuer Many saith the Psalmist are the troubles of the righteous Psalm 34.19 but the Lord deliuereth them forth of all And though the flouds came neere his soule Psalm 32.8 yet they did not ouerwhelme him May not euery one of Gods children from the experience of this truth Nahum 1.7 say of himselfe as Dauid said of himselfe Psalm 71.20 How great troubles and aduersities hast thou shewed vnto me but yet thou hast returned and reuiued me againe Yea the poore Christian contemned in the eyes of the world 1. Cor. 10.13 cries vnto the Lord and the Lord heares him Psalm 46.7 and saues him from all his troubles And how can it be otherwise Psalm 59.19 The Lord is with vs and the God of Iacob is our refuge he is our helper deliuerer Psalm 40.17 Luke 21.18 Matt. 10.13 Though we be poore and needy yet he thinketh on vs hee numbreth our haires he puts our teares in his bottle we are as deare vnto him as the apple of his eye hee hath loued vs with an euerlasting loue and therefore we are conquerers in all through him that loued vs. And though the righteous beare the wrath of the Lord because they sin against him yet he will pleade their cause Micah 7.9 Edod 14.13.14 he will execute iudgement for them he will bring them forth to the light and they shall see his righteousnes 2. Cor. 4.8.9 So that although we are afflicted on euery side yet we are not in distresse though we often doubt yet we neuer despaire though wee are persecuted yet wee are not forsaken Rom. 8.36 though we are cast downe Nulla nocebit aduersitas si nulla dominetur iniquitas Gregor yet wee perish not Afflictio arguit non interficit angit non frang it extollit non deijcit Affliction corrects a mā it doth not cause him to perish it bends him it breakes him not in pieces it lifts him vp to heauen it buries him not in the pit of forgetfulnes For as the fire in the bush consumed it not Exod. 3.2 Simile Gen. 32. but made it shine brighter so the fire of affliction consumes not the godlie but makes them more glorious Iacob stroue all night with the Angel but in the morning got the victory so in the night-time of our pilgrimage we striue with many troubles but when the morning of Gods grace and mightie power appeareth we triumph ouer them Miea 7.8 Reioyce not therfore against the righteous
Thus a good Iudge giues his charge to preuent stealing at one Sessions Simile and punisheth those which haue broke it at the next Sessions Secondly if you respect Gods reuealed will that is the meanes he vseth for our cōuersion keeping of his lawes in this sense he willeth the death of none but if you respect his secret will that is his decree of reprobation Esay 1.24 Matth. 11. Luke 10. then God may be said to will the death of infinite many and that therein he reioyceth and taketh pleasure in as much as his power and iustice is thereby exalted His iustice in that hee punisheth sinne his mercie in that of his grace through his sonne hee saueth some his power in that he can ordaine for his owne seruice both vessels of wrath and vessels of glorie Thirdlie 1. Tim. 4.2 whereas God is said to will the saluation of all we must vnderstand by All some of euerie nation and degree whatsoeuer Thus Paul noteth when he saith Pray for kings and all in Authoritie because it pleaseth God that some of euerie countrie nation and degree should be saued Thus the generall vsed by Esay 43.9 is expounded in the sixt verse to be ment of the sons and daughters of God But some replie Replie 1. Tim. 4.10 that this cannot bee thus because it is said that although God is especially a Sauiour of the faithfull yet that he is a Sauiour of all as wel as of them Ans Sauiour hath relation to this life not to the life to come so that the meaning is that although God especiallie preserueth and deliuereth the godly yet that he giueth food raiment and other things necessarie for this life euen vnto the wicked also In this sense speaketh Dauid Psalm 33.6 Thou Lord sauest both man and beast Where saue must needs be vnderstood for preserue and maintaine and so in the place before alleaged Obiection The will of man agreeing with Gods will is good But whensoeuer one man doth kill another False conclusions inserred there is mans will agreeing with Gods will because it was his pleasure that such a thing should fall out In regard of the right of punishing And therefore man for killing man is not to be punished though it lies in God to punish him for it Where mans will agreeth with Gods will in all respects Solution the argument doth hold but in this and all other there is infinit contrarietie God wils a voluntarie permission man a wilfull effecting God often willes the death of a man if hee bee holie as a blessing to giue him the life of the soule for the death of the bodie and for momentarie troubles eternall ioies if he be wicked as a punishment for his sinne and to cut him off from infecting his Church but the murtherer in killing of a man respects none of these ends but the satissying of his malitious mind the occasion being as often vniustly taken as of weaknesse giuen So that in this and al other such like God willes his owne glorie in the execution of iustice and in shewing mercie to his children Rom. 12.9 but the manslaier regards neither but whollie the satisfying of his bloudie desire whereby he multiplies his sinnes in approching to the seate of iudgement 1. Thes 4.6 for vengeance is the Lords and to him only it belongs to repay Obiection Our vnrighteousnes commends the righteousnesse of God therfore though God hath the right of punishing yet he cannot in iustice punish vs because our sinne sets forth his glorie Our vnrighteousnesse doth not commend Gods righteousnesse Solution as it is simplie sinne but by accident namely because when we doe sinne God doth punish vs for the same which punishment being the execution of iustice his righteousnesse is thereby commended therfore let vs not sinne nor sinning without repentance thinke to goe vnpunished for it is for the honor of the Iudge of the world to execute iudgement Gen. 25. Obiections alleaged to prooue God the Author of sinne with the Answers vnto them Obiect IF God created the wicked man against the euill day or day of wrath Thus taught the Seleutians Aug. de haeres Thus taught Floring and Blastus at Rome Euscb lib. 5. cap 13. 28. Solution then it seemes he is the cause of sinne But God hath done so Prou. 16. And therefore seemes to be cause of sinne God created not the euill man to sin and therefore cannot be a cause of it but sinning to punish him for the same In which case none can complaine Psalm 6. because God will giue to euery one according to his worke Obiect If there be no euill in the citie which the Lord hath not done then it seemes he is the cause of sinne But God is the cause of all euill in the citie Amos 3.6 Esay 4. and therefore of sinne There is a double cuill Solution the morall and the naturall the morall euill is the sinne the naturall euill is the punishment for the sinne God is the Author of this but not of the other And therfore the Prophet Amos theacheth in this place that afflictions come from God and not by chance and fortune as some were perswaded Obiect God commanded Abraham to kill his innocent son Shemeus to curse Dauid Gen. 32.2 Sam. 15. But these are sinnes Therefore God seemes to be a cause of sinnes God commanded not Abraham to sacrifice his sonne of superstition Solution as they that offered their sons and daughters to the idoll Moloch nor yet to satisfie any malice or wicked thought in Abraham toward his sonne for this was farre from so holie a father but onlie as it was a point of Gods deuine seruice to trie the faith of Abraham who therby was to be made a father of al beleeuers And therefore God did well in commanding and Abraham well in obeying Secondly though the commandement was giuen to trie Abraham yet the secret purpose of God was to deliuer Isaac as the sequeale did manifest But on the contrarie Shemeus his railing on Dauid was from a malitious minde and to satisfie his furie against him the which was not commanded by God but only willingly permitted and in the permission so ordered as that it turned vnto Dauid to be a correction for his sinne in which sense Dauid saith the Lord bad him doe it And therefore by neither of these can God seeme to be the author of sinne Obiection God caused the Israelites to spoyle the Aegyptians of their iewels Exod. 12.25 chap. 3.22 contrarie to his owne Law Exod. 20. and therefore seemes a cause of sinne What God commaunds to be done Solution the performance of that can be no sin because sinne is a transgression of Gods lawe Secondly the Israelites being Gods people and hauing liued in great seruitude in Egypt and by their labours encreased the treasures of Pharaoh very exceedingly there was good reason why they
vnderstandings enlightned Ioh. 3.19 this way not walked the truth not receiued nor our soules cured Luk. 14.24 It is because wee reiect the truth Ioh. 6.35 refuse this way winke with our eies will not taste this foode Apoc. 3.20 but shut the dores of our hearts lest hee should enter and heale vs. Obiection The actions of the diuell and wicked men are sinnes But these are maintained by God And therefore some sinnes are maintained by him Whatsoeuer the wicked doth Solution it is euill in Gods sight because it proceeds from a person not sanctified by his spirit yet we must make a difference between the actions and motions of euill mē and the disorder and sin which goeth with them God is the cause of the one but not of the other A good Musitiō may giue a good tuch vpon a string Simile yet the soūd may be bad because the string is bad or the instrumēt naught so God may moue the actions of the diuell and wicked men yet their actions good in respect of God though euill in regard of them Obiect Hee which maintaineth nature sinning maintaineth also the sinne it selfe But God doth thus And therefore maintaineth some sinnes Aliud est innatum Solution aliud agnatum It is one thing to vphold common nature as a creature of God another thing to vphold the corruption of our nature the one is naturall as proceeding from common nature and is good in vs the other is naturall as proceeding from the corruption of our nature that is our sinne in Adam and is euill in vs the former is vpholden and maintained by God and it shewes his goodnesse because it is his creature the latter came first from our selues and is still continued by our owne wicked lusts and so is euill in vs. Isai 30. In this sense Isaiah saith vnto vs Woe be to you declining sonnes Obiect The second cause cannot work without the first cause But the second cause namely mans will is a cause of sinne And therefore the first cause namely God hath a stroke in it Solution 1 Truth it is that the first cause doth preserue maintaine and moue the second cause but in that being moued it runs into an euill this proceeds from a defect and corruption in the second cause only as in the handling that Satan and our selues are the sole causes of sinne it plainly appeares Secondly the faculties of willing and nilling are not simply the causes of sinnes but the corruption of our faculties and the diflurbance of our willes by reason of the contagion of sin which raigneth in vs. Obiect The hardning of the heart of Sihon King of Heshbon of Pharaoh King of Egypt of the Iewes and many other proceeded from God Dent. 2. Exod. 3. But these are simply sinnes And therefore God is the cause of sinne God doth harden Solution Augustine non malum obtrudendo sed gratiam non concedendo not by effecting sinne in vs but by not exhibiting of his grace whereby it is preuented For touching sinne God hath no positiue will In cludere est clausis non aperire but onely a priuation of his grace in respect of former sinnes committed In this sense God is said then to shut vp vnder sinne when hee doth not open his doore of mercie Gregor Destruit cum deserit and then to destroy when he doth forsake And thus much the Hebrew Dialect signifying as the learned haue obserued a permission and not an action doth teach vnto vs. This shall suffice for the answering of the obiections The vses follow THE SIXTH PART Containing the vses of the Doctrines deliuered The vse THe euident proofe that all things are gouerned by Gods prouidence doth teach vs a voluntary yeelding to this certain truth not suffering our mindes foolishlie to thinke on chaunce nor our mouthes fondly to attribute any thing to fortune For since it is the propertie of wisedome to dispose of all things and the wiser any one is the more he ordereth particulars it is strange that with one consent wee acknowledge God to be wisedome it selfe and yet abridge him of the properties thereof which is to gouerne all things Then it necessarilie followes that euery one that acknowledgeth God should abandon fortune and that deseruedly for whēce doth she come surely from ignorance the mother of superstition VVhat fortune is her first inuenters by likelihood her best acquaintance paint her blinde standing on a bowle and turning with euery winde Reason teacheth the blinde cannot guide the wauering cannot stablish that which is tost it selfe cannot settle others For how can he steare certainly which floteth himselfe on the waters how should fortune then gouerne any thing being more vncertaine then vncertaintie it selfe But what is she a word without substance begotten by a fond conceit brought foorth with fading breath no sooner come but gone no sooner heard but forgot againe That which is fortune to the seruant VVhence foreune ariseth is none to the master that which is fortune to the childe is none to the father that which is fortune to the foole is none to the wise that which is fortune to those which are darknesse is none to those which are light in Christ So that take away ignorance and her daughter chance will be quite banished The master lets a thing fall to see whether the seruant will giue it againe or steale it the seruant thinkes it fell by chance but his master did it to trie him So many things fall out amongst vs Gods ignorant seruants the causes and ends whereof lie hid to vs yet in all God hath his proper purpose and working Away then with fortune wherewith the mindes of the godly ought not to bee corrupted Vse 2 Secondly whereas Gods prouidence extendeth to all things but especially to his Church blessing and preseruing those that feare him in a speciall and particular manner it teacheth that aboue all things we should labour to be of the number of these priuiledged persons to be one of these sheepe whereof Christ is the shepheard that carefull shepheard that alwaies watcheth ouer them that louing shepheard that giues his life for them that mightie shepheard that alwaies deliuers them And indeed since all blessednesse doth consist in this namely to heare his voyce for those are of Gods Church and these are his sheepe and ouer them is he that carefull shepheard I will by the way and though vnfitly yet I hope profitably lay downe some reasons to moue the contemners to heare those which doe heare to bee more attentiue in hearing and forward in obeying And knowing there is no other meanes then poena praemium the Law and the Gospell for though this only works repentance yet that other is a schoolemaster and leades vs to Christ these two shall bee the heads from which my arguments of perswasion shall be taken The rewards concerne this life or a better The benefits of
is often taken for a suffering of the one of two euils that a greater euill should not ensue After this manner do Princes oftentimes in wisdome suffer a traitour to rest in his conspiracy that it may be the more euidently proued against him and that other his complices may more apparently be knowne As also when they suffer the wickednesse of some to goe vnpunished lest by cutting them off the land should bee weakened or by some sinister meanes the countrey brought to ruine In which cases Princes do not approue of the wickednes of their subiects but in great wisdome do suffer them a while that by apparēt iustice they might suppresse them or by vertuous lenitie at length conforme them The third way of suffering is when we do not preuent the euill which we could hinder but do at our pleasure suffer the same As when by our skill in aduising we could free a ship from being swallowed vp of the seas by our strength we could pluck our neighbour or his cattell forth of the ditch by our abundance we could relieue the distressed cloath the naked feed the hungrie and such like yet in these cases it is our purpose to yeeld no helpe at all and therefore do willingly suffer them to perish After this manner doth God permit sinne and is excellent good in him because he is aboue the law yet doth it to an excellent end mixed with no maner of ataxie or disorder at al but is euill in vs in regard we are vnder a law which commāds we should do vnto others as we would others should do vnto vs. God seeth that man being naturally euill cannot but sinne vnlesse he be preuented with the special assistance of his holy Spirit he cannot but fall Psalm 23 vnlesse the staffe of his Spirit doth hold him vp God knoweth this and can by his al-sufficient grace stay him vp yet it pleaseth him sometimes to suffer him to sinne and to permit him being of himselfe not able to stand sometimes to fall but this is vpō great cōsideration and in wonderfull wisdome namely A threefold cause of Gods suffering of sin 1. The declaration of his iust iudgement either for the declaration of his iust iudgement by punishing his sinnes or for the manifestation of the riches of his grace 2. The manifestation of his exceeding mercie by pardoning his iniquities Rom. 9.22 Neither doth God permit sinnes as certaine men imagine vnwillingly or at least no way willing them for this doth not agree with his omnipotencie 3. That we might know our ovvne weaknesse and wholly relie on his grace but he doth so suffer them as that he doth will the suffering of them the which is added lest men should thinke that God suffered any thing the which he did not will which is impossible because omnipotent Neither doth God willingly permit sinne in such sort as that he doth like of it in that respect that it is simplie sinne for his lawes are to preuent it and his iustice takes hold vpon it much lesse then doth he put it into their minds or is in the least measure Author of the same so that it followes that his permission is voluntarie and we sole effecters of our owne miserie Psalm 81.13 I gaue them ouer saith the Lord vnto the lusts of their hearts and they walked in their owne waies Act. 14.16 God suffered the Gentiles saith the text to walke in their owne waies That this permission was in al respects voluntary Matth. 10.29 it is plaine in that a sparrow shall not fall on the top of the house without the will of our heauenly father much lesse then shall greater matters be effected without his voluntarie permission as that Tyrants should persecute his chosen of which kind offsinnes Christ in that place speaketh Therefore since no one hath resisted the will of God at any time Rom. 9.19 Tom. 3. de Trinit lib. 3. cap. 4. wee may safelie conclude with Augustine that the same is the principall cause of euery thing as well of the substance as of the seuerall motions nothing being done which hath not either his commandement or permission forth of the court of the great Emperour of heauen and earth from the riches of his grace and mercie in bestowing of rewards or from the rule of his iustice in inflicting punishment to which opinion of Saint Augustines the learned of this age doe easilie agree That there is a difference betweene Gods willing of that which is good Position 7 and that which is euill GOd is properlie said to will those things which are good because he doth both approoue and also loue them in that respect that they are good and so doth effect them immediatelie himselfe or mediatelie by others But he doth condemne hate those which are euill much lesse doth hee approoue nad loue them yet he doth willinglie suffer them and that in wonderfull wisdome and for excellent ends So that the difference betweene the one and the other is in that the good is powerfully effected the euill willinglie permitted The first thus wrought because of it selfe it tends to the end or dained and secondly is the sole things whereunto Gods will is carried The second thus permitted because the exceeding riches of his grace may the more redound to some and the strictnesse of his iust iudgement more declared vpon others both iointlie tending to his owne glory and good of his Church Note three wonderfull things in Gods effecting of this 1. His infinite vvisdome 2. Povver 3. Goodnesse in that his power knowledge and will concurre to make sinnne being simplie euil to tend vnto another end then the nature therof will admit or was in the purposes of such as did commit it once imagined And thus much briefely for the difference betweene Gods willing of that which is good and that which is euill Thus hauing touched these seuerall positions wherein is especially shewed first the proper obiect of Gods wil and secondly in what sense hee willeth sin now it remaines to prooue the consequence of all namelie that God is principall Efficient of all goodnesse but neuer Author of sinne as it is simplie considered That God can by no meanes be the Author of sinne as it is simplie a transgression of his law THe truth of this position appeares Two waies of prouing that God cannot be Author of sin 1. By his Word 2. By meere reason first from Gods word secondlie from meere reason From his word afthis manner Psalm 5.4 Thou art not a God saith Dauid that louest wickednesse neither shall any euill dwell with thee As though he should say Thou God shall free mee from Saul and his conspirators because thou art a God which neither willest nor any way approuest of wicked dealing Habac. 1.15 Thou art of pure eies and canst not see euill Thou canst not behold wickednesse In which place the Prophet doth teach that the nature of God is such that hee