A C 〈◊〉 N AND 〈◊〉 E TREATISE OF THE manner and order of Predestination and of the largenes of Gods grace FIRST WRITTEN IN LATINE by that Reuerend and faithfull seruant of God Master William Perkins late Preacher of the Word in Cambridge AND CAREFVLLY TRANSLATED into English by FRANCIS CACOT and THOMAS TVKE Romanes 8. vers 29. 30. For those which he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne that he might be â—he first borne among many brethren Moreouer whom he predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them be also glorified AT LONDON Printed for WILLIAM WELEY and Martin Clarke 1606. To the Right VVorshipfull Sir Peter Buck Knight And to the vertuous Lady his Wife Grace and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. RIght Worshipfull amongst the manifold points of Christian Religion the trueth of the Doctrine coÌ„cerning Predestination is worthy serious and sober study for the sound vnderstanding thereof For first it is something difficult obscure Secondly because it is by some eagerly impugned as a friuolous and forged inuention of mans braine Thirdly diuers opinions haue passed from diuers meÌ„ diuersly about this one point whereas notwithstanding there is but one truth and one definite and constant sentence to be found in holy writ concerning it Fourthly this one doctrine doth giue very good euidence and an ample demonstration of Gods infinite mercie and exact iustice Fiftly it affordeth some taste of his profound and impenetrable counsell Sixtly it doth notably manifest his admirable wisdome and policie and the incorruptible purity of his nature who wisely disposeth all things and vseth euen euils without iniustice and the least receipt or infusion of corruption and all for the manifestation of the glory of his Name and of the splendour of his renowmed properties Seuenthly it confoundeth the common cauill of many desperate and infatuated Atheists who would make Gods predestination the pillar of their sensuall security and secure sensualitie Lastly it ministreth exceeding comfort vnto those who renouncing the kingdome of Sinne do liue like Saints in the kingdome of Grace First because it is not possible for any such to sinne with full consent of heart Secondly because no personall merits are required of them Thirdly because the Spirit of God abideth in them who is busy within the hiue of their hearts as a Bee and worketh them like waxe Fourthly because God hath eternally predestinated them to eternall ioyes and those also incomprehensible and ineffable Fiftly because God hath in abundance vouchsafed that to them being but an handfull which hee hath denyed to whole heapes besides Sixtly for that they being elected can in no wise perish for the counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer Psal. 33. 11. And hee loueth them with an euerlasting loue Ieremy 3. 4. Though a Mother should forget her Child yet he will not forget them for he hath grauen them vpon the palme of his hand Isay 49. 15 16. therefore hee will confirme them vnto the end 1. Cor. 1. 8. and by his power keepe them vnto saluation 1. Pet. 1. 5. He will loue them coÌ„stantly though he visit their transgressions with rods Psal. 89. 32 33. He will neuer turne away from them though he Iere. 32. 40. Ioh. 16. 12. take them by the neck as Iob speaketh and beat them though he cut their reines and breake them and though he powreth their gall vpon the ground and runneth vpon them like a Gyant Ioseph did affect his brethren entirely though hee spake roughly to them Hee may also sometimes let them fall as a louing Nurse may her child but he will lift them vp againe therefore howsoeuer they may fall yet they shall not fall away Indeed Piptein they may leaue their first loue as the Ecpiptein Church of Ephesus did but they shall neuer leaue to loue at all if euer they loued Reu. 2. 4. truly For as Paul sayth Loue doth neuer fall away it may be lessened but it cannot 1. Cor. 13 8. be lost In like manner their faith may be couered as the Sunne with a duskie cloud in a gloomy day or as the trees are with snow sometimes in winter but yet it continueth firmely fixed though now and then eclipsed in the sphaere of the heart and keepeth sap in the roote For the righteous man is as a tree planted by the riuers of waters Psal. 1. 3. and is built by that great builder of heauen and earth vpon a rock Math. 16. 18. These comforts will this one doctrine affoord being throughly pondered and vnderstood And no doubt these and the like considerations mooued that holy and learned man of blessed memory to publish this present treatise for the benefit of the Church and the same haue also incited vs to turne it out of the toong wherein he wrote it into the English for their profit who are ignorant in the other and the rather because it is contriued and penned very plainely soundly and succinctly as the subiect will permit The which Right Worshipfull assuring our selues of your vnfeigned loue vnto the truth we do present and dedicate to you in token of deserued gratitude for vndeserued kindnesse not doubting of your courteous and kinde acceptance And thus we humbly take our leaues recommending you and all yours to the protection of Iehoua Rochester this 19. of February 1605. Your Worships in all dutie Francis Cacott and Thomas Tuke ¶ To the Right VVorshipfull Master Iohn Hayward Maior And the Worshipfull Iurates his Brethren And the whole Communaltiâ— of the Towne and Libertie of Fauersham RIght Worshipfull as many other wholsome and heauenly doctrines grounded vpoÌ„ the word of God haue beene and are to this day contradicted and impugned euen so it fareth with the diuine and deepe doctrine of Gods Predestination a doctrine not more heauenly then wholsome nor more commodious then comfortable yet as heauenly as commodions as any doctrine whatsoeuer which the Scriptures do affoord The Pelagians held that God predestinated men to life or death as he did foresee that they would by their naturall free will receiue or reiect grace offered They taught that it was in mans power to beleeue or not to beleeue they placed the causes of saluation in men themselues out of God and held that the Elect might fall from grace and perish Others hold that albeit the Lord electeth some of his meere mercy without respect of any thing in them that yet he reiecteth those which are reiected because he did foresee that they would reiect his grace offered vnto them in the Gospell Some Vbiquitaries hold that Adams fall came to passe without Gods decree or any ordination of 〈◊〉 secondly that no decree of God dependeth vpon his sample will concerning the saluation of the godly or the reiection of the Reprobate thirdly that God doth vtterly nill the reprobation of 〈◊〉 y
must afterward be propped and helped by his grace and that hee predestinated them vnto his kingdome who being freely called he foresaw that they would be worthie of election and that they would depart out of this life making a good end And that therefore euery man is prouoked to beleeue and doe good by godly institutions that no man may despaire of the attainement of eternall life seeing that there is a reward prepared for a voluntarie deuotion The difference I confesse consists in this that the Pelagians doe either wholly ascribe vnto nature the abilitie to do well or else partly to nature and partly to grace but this platforme ascribeth all things wholly vnto grace which indeede is very right but whilest they goe about to ordaine vniuersall grace they doe not free themselues but are rather more entangled For most true is that saying of Peter Martyr Whilest these men make grace so common to all they turne grace into nature And I would willingly Ioâ— Com. class 3. c. 1. be certified whether they who haue receiued this grace be regenerate or no if they be regenerate then all men are regenerate if they bee not regenerate then haue all men power to beleeue and to attaine saluation if they will yea euen whilest they remaine vnregenerate But this power if it bee in man before his conuersion will not differ much from nature And if so be that grace extend as farre as nature wee must not pray more for grace than for nature neither neede wee any more pray for the conuersion of vnbeleeuers because it is in their owne power by reason of generall grace to be conuerted if they will Prosper also ascribeth this platforme to the Pelagians in these verses Lib. car de ingratis Thus we determine of that grace that makes Vs Gods owne people and to him full deere But yee affirme that no man it forsakes But that the world from sinne it freeth cleere And passing none doth proffer meere saluation To all without exception yet they come Guided by their owne list to this vocation And motions of the mind directing some To the embracing of that offred light Which vnto all that will doth cleere the sight But afterwards he condemneth it in this sort Le ts see how you can prooue that Christ his grace Prossers Gods kingdome and true blessednesse To all men borne letting none ouerpasse To Whom it granteth not this happinesse WheÌ„ euen at this time thorough the whole worlds frame And compasse of the earth wherein we liue Christ Gospell is not knowne nor yet his name I cannot say but that he could it giue Euen at the first to all that breathe on earth Or euer in this world receiued birth And againe he saith If no man bee whom he will not redeeme No doubt but that his will shall be effected But of a greate part he makes no esteeme Who in infernall darkenesse liue reiected Now if the diuers motions of the mind And a peculiar perfect libertie Doe make a different cause to all mankind Gods will most free from inabilitie Either receiueth strength from humane pleasure Or wanteth strength when will attaines that treasure And againe hee answereth the Pelagians who say that by willing it wee are able to attaine Gods grace or else to resist it by nilling it after this manner How falls it out that this almightie grace Which saueth all reiects the worke it wrought When neither cause condition time nor place Can for a hindrance thereunto be brought And againe What would you say when you doe plainely see How Christ his grace in twins a difference makes And those who at one time conceiued be And whom the world into her bosome takes It doth distinguish granting one heauens blisse The other Hell where griefe and horror is To say the will directs you speake amisse And againe No man can hold them iustly culpabâ—s Or guiltie of this sinne to whom Gods might Did neuer shew it selfe so fauourable As to appeare no not in glimmering light Faustus the Semipelagian accused the Lib. 1. de lib arb cap. 19. Catholiques in that they said that our Lord Iesus Christ did not take vpon him mans flesh for all men nor died generally for all And on the other side the Catholiques accuse the Pelagians in that they say that God repelleth none from eternall life but is willing * Prosper ep â—d August indifferently that all men * should be saued and to come vnto the knowledge of the truth And againe that they say that our Lord Iesus Christ died for all mankind and that no man is vtterly exempted from the redemption of his blood although he leade all this his life estranged from him because that the sacrament of Gods grace appertaineth vnto all men whereby many are not therefore regenerated because they are foreknowne that they haue not a will to be regenerated and that therefore on Gods part eternall life is prepared for all men but in respect of the freedome of the will they say that they onely attaine euerlasting life who doe of their owne accord beleeue And againe they say that they will not admit of that exposition of that saying which is alledged out of Augustine which is that vnlesse bee will haue all men to be saued And againe not onely those which appertaine vnto the number 1. Tim. 2. of the faints but all men altogether without exception of any I wish also that thing were marked Hilar. epist. ad August namely that the Catholiques are accused by the Pelagians that vnder the name of predestination they did establish a certeine fatall necessitie and that they made a kind of violent preordination Which accusation hath also been laid against vs. And the like crime sheweth the like cause Lastly this platforme doth passing wel agree with that doctrine concerning predestination which is generally maintained in the schooles and Synagogues of the Papists yea verily to speake the truth it seemeth to bee borrowed euen from thence For if we well consider of the matter what else hath Pighius taught What else hath Cartharinus maintained and else at this day doe the grosse fat Monckes maintaine who imparke Gods actions in the case of predestination within these pales First say they God foresaw the natures and sinnes of all men Then prepared he Christ the redeemer Afterward he willed for the merit of Christ foreseene to bestow sufficient helpes of Grace vpon all men whereby they might bee saued through Christ And hee would it euen in this so much as in him was that all men might bee saued his will preceding Lasily he did mercifullie predestinate those whom he did see would end their liues in Gods fauour and hee did iustly reiect othersome either for originall or actuall sins in which he foresaw they would end their liues A Corolarie or addition A most certaine theoreme or vndoubted truth GOD HATH NOT REVEALED Christ vnto all and euery man The Proofes This is euident
fourthly that the Reprobate may bee conuerted and saued 〈◊〉 ly that Christ dyed for the reprobates and that it is the purpose and will of God simply that all men without exception should be saued Some do subiect Election vnto Gods eternall decree but not Reprobation Others putting no difference betweene Reprobation and Damnation do thinke as God doth passe by some men of his meere pleasure that he doth in like sort damne them of his meere will and pleasure whereas indeed sinne is the cause why men are damned Many of the Romish synagogue do teach that men are elected for their foreseene faith and meritorious works And it is the common opinion of all Papists that the Elect cannot be certaine and sure of their election vnlesse it be extraordinarily by some speciall reuelation and singular priuiledge Many also there are which would not haue this doctrine publickly taught by the Minister but without good reason For first as the Minister must not search the secrets of God which are not reuealed so he must not suppresse or hide that which is reuealed For things Reuealed belong to Deu. 29. 29. vs and to our children for euer as Moses teacheth Therefore as we may not search into those things which God will haue kept secret so we may in no wise be wholly ignorant of those things which he hath reuealed vnto vs. But this doctrine of Predestination is very plentifully and perspicuously reuealed and deliuered vnto vs in the Scriptures Secondly as the word of God omitteth nothing which is needefull to be knowne touching the saluation of our soules so wee must know that it teacheth nothing but that which is profitable and worthy to be learned of all For that speach of Paul to the Romanes is true of all the writings of the Prophets and Apostles also VVhatsoeuer things were written were written for Rom. 15. 4 our learning But the word of God doth teach this doctrine of Election and Reiection as is euident by many places therein therefore it is necessary and fit to be taught of the Minister and to be learned of the people Thirdly it is the duetie of all faithfull Ministers to teach all the counsell of God as Paul sayth Act. 20. 27. hee did but Predestination is a part of Gods counsell therefore it ought to bee deliuered of vs vnto the people of God alwayes remembring that wee applie our selues to your capacities and teach it orderly as occasion serueth keeping our selues in all sobrietie within the limits of the Word Fourthly Christ commaundeth the Gospell to be preached Mark 10. 15. to euery creature but this Doctrine belongeth to the Gospell and therefore is to bee preached vnto the vnlearned as to the learned Lastly all Ministers are bound to keepe back nothing which is profitable but to shew Act. 20 20. it as Paul did But the doctrine of Predestination is very profitable For first it letteth vs see the omnisciencie the omnipotencie the soueraignetie and immutable nature of God Secondly it serueth to increase and confirme our faith and hope concerning the eternall felicitie of our soules and bodyes seeing it is not founded vpon our selues or vpon any sandie foundation but vpon the constant and vnchangeable good pleasure of God Thirdly it teacheth vs not to wonder at the small number of beleeuers and at the hardnesse and blindnesse of many mens hearts and minds For it sheweth that God hath elected but a fewe and hath Math. 20. 16. passed by many leauing them vnto themselues and deliuering them vp into the hands of the Diuell Fourthly it serueth to strengthen and comfort vs in all afflictions and to arme vs against all the fiery darts of the Diuell and the fury of his lims For it sheweth that nothing can separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God and that all things Rom. 8. 28 39. worke for the best vnto them that loue God euen vnto them that are called of his purpose All stormes and waues of woe shall passe ouer and in the end we shall rest in the quiet hauen of euerlasting happinesse Fiftly this doctrine stayeth vs from taking offence at the Apostacy of many professors for it sheweth vs that all is not gold which glisters and that some stand for a time and some stand fast for euer If they had been of vs sayth Iohn they should haue continued with vs. Sixtly it teacheth 〈◊〉 Iohn 2. 19. vs to acknowledge Gods singular goodnesse towards vs who of his meere good will toward vs hath elected vs vnto eternall life and the fruition of immortall glory in the heauens Seuenthly it serueth to teach vs humility and to beate downe the pride of our harts For it sheweth that Gods grace and not our goodnesse is the originary cause of our welfare and saluation The cause which mooued God to choose vs rather then many others was not our foreseene preparations or meritoriouâ— works but his owne loue and free good will toward vs. Lastly to 〈◊〉 sundry vses which might be made of this one doctrine it teacheth vs to ascribe the glory of our saluation to God alone and to walke thankefully before him manifesting the gratitude of our hearts by our religious righteous and sober liues To conclude some are so far out of loue with this doctrine that they can scarce with patience indure to heare it spoken of And many licencious and prophane persons do very wickedly abuse it to take vnto themselues liberty of lasci 〈◊〉 us and loose 〈◊〉 For say they if I be ordeyned to 〈◊〉 ed I cannot be damned 〈◊〉 if damnation be my destiny I can neuer be saued And therefore it skilleth not how I liue for if God haue appointed me to be saued I shall be saued though I do iust nothing and it he haue determined that I shall be damned I shall neuer escape it though I liue neuer so well For Gods decree is constant his appointment shall stand whosoeuer sayth nay to it But these men forget that God doth predestinate men as well to vse the meanes as to atteine vnto the end As he hath appointed a man to liue so he hath appoynted the same man to vse those meanes which preserue life as meate drinke rest recreation labour phisicke Euen so as hee hath appoynted a man to be saued hee hath appoynted him to vse the meanes and to walke in the way of saluation as to beleâ—ue and therefore the scripture saith So many as were ordeined to euerlasting life beleeued Act. 13 48. And Paul shew 〈◊〉 that those God doth call 〈◊〉 bee hath predestinated and iustifieth those 〈◊〉 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth effectually call before he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them And in his Epistle to the Ephesians he teacheth that as God hath chosen vs vnto life eternall so he hath Ephes. 1. 4. also chosen vs in Christ that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue and that as hee hath ordeyned vs vnto saluation so hee hath created vs
it thus to this man and otherwise Lib. 1. ad Simpl. q. 2. to this O man who art thou that thou darest dispute with God And Gregorie Let Expos. in Ioan. ca. 37. no man desire to search wherefore one should bee elected when another is reiected because his iudgements are vnsearchable and his waies past finding out In this second act of reprobation there be two degrees a iust desertion or forsaking damnation for sinne So Fulgentius In such saith he Lib. aâ— Moâ— God begins his iudgement by forsaking and ends it in â—ormenting Diuine desertion is twofold The first is that whereby God doth forsake man only in regard of his assistance and strengthning by omitting the confirmation of the creature and by not conferring the second grace wherby the first might be made effectuall to resist temptations and to perseuere in goodnesse Desertio exploraâ—iâ—nis This is the desertion of triall and may happen to them who haue not theÌ„selues as yet forsaken God For it was in the first man Adam who receiued of God power to do that which he would but not will to do that which be could So Augustine He receiued saith he power if he willed De correp grat cap. 11. but he had not will answerable to his power for if he had had he should haue perseuered Againe He was able also to perseuere if he would and in that he would not it proceeded offree will which then was so free that he was able to will well and ill The cause of this desertion was that Adam and his posterity might know that they could fall by themselues but that they could not stand much lesse rise againe and therefore that they should wholly depend on Gods mercy Heere also it must be remembred that betweene this desertion and Adams sin there came also Adams will whereby he being left to his owne strength did by and by perceiue the very same his conscience telling and yet for all that he willed his owne fall by the free motion of his will The second desertion is a priuation and leesing of the gifts wherwith the mind is adorned and a deliuering into the power of Sathan that he may seduce men and more and more lead them into sinne This is a desertion of punishment and therefore Desertio poenae it followeth sinne And of this desertion and not of the former is the rule to be vnderstood A Deo deserti Deum priores deserunt those which are forsaken of God do themselues first forsake God And this is our doctrine of Predestination which sauoreth neither of the errors of the Manichees Stoickes Pelagians nor of Epicurisme but is as I am perswaded agreeable to the truth and orthodoxall but yet it is oppugned by sundrie criminations or false accusations which I will striue with all my strength to ouerthrow and that briefely The first Crimination is That we teach that certaine men and those but few are elected Answere Certaine men we say For all the elect are knowne vnto God and their number can neither be increased nor diminished Few we do not say but after a prescript and certaine manner For to omit the Angels if you consider the elect by themselues they are many Matth. 8. 11. I say vnto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Reuel 7. 9. I beheld and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all nations kindreds people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lambe clâ—athed with long white robes and palmes in their hands Yea there is as it were a world of elect Augustine The Church which is De doctr Chr. lib. 3. cap. 34. without spot and wrinkle and gaethered together out of all nations and which shall reigne with Christ for euer euen she is the land of the blessed and the land of the liuing Againe The reconciling world shal be deliuered out Tract in Joâ—n 111. Hist. lib. 4. 〈◊〉 15. of the maligning world Eusebius Christ suffred for the saluation of the world of those which are to be saued The Author of the booke de vocat gen lib. 1. In those which are elected foreknowne and seuered from the multitude of men there is a certaine speciall vniuersalitie counted that the whole world may seeme to be deliuered out of the whole world and that all men may seeme to be taken out of all men Beda calleth those a world to 〈◊〉 Tobiam be enlightned and healed who were predestinated to eternall life Thomas The crue light enlighteneth those who come into the world of In Catena in 1. Ioan. ex Orig. vertues not those which come into the world of vices Neuerthelesse if those same elect be compared with them that are iustly damned wee say according to the Scriptures that they are few Matth. 7. 13. 14. The gate is narrow and the way streight which leadeth vnto life and few there be which find it Againe Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 20. 16. The second Crimination is That we teach that God ordained men to hell fire and created them to the end that he might destroy them Answere Here the distinction of the double act in reprobation must bee repeated and retained First therefore I answere that reprobation in regard of the former act is absolute that is in regard of the purpose to forsake the creature and to manifest Iustice in it so we teach and beleeue For we cannot so much as imagine a cause in the creature why it was Gods wil to passe by it and to suffer some to fall finally from their blessed estate Yea sinne is it selfe after the desertion and iust permission of God and therefore it can by no meanes be the cause of the permission and desertion Whence it is that Lumbard the Lib. 1. dist 41. Master of all the Schoolemen saith that God hath reiected whom he would not for any future merits which he did foresee but yet most righteously though we cannot conceiue the reason thereof And Ierome long before him dothd thus expound y â— place of Paul Ad Hebid. quaest 10. Rom. 9. 11. Ere the children were borne and wheÌ„ they had neither done good nor euill If Esau saith hee and Iacob were not yet borne neither had done good or euill whereby they might winâ—â— Gods fauour or offend him and if their election and reiection doth not shew their seuerall deserts but the will of the Elector and Reiector what shal we say Afterwards If we grant this that God doth what soeuer hee will and that he either chuseth or condemneth a man without desert and workes it is not therefore in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Againe Therefore it is in vaine asked seeing that it is in his power and will either to chuse or to refuse a man without good and euill workes
and bestowing on him necessarie and sufficient helpe for the auoyding of sinnes now man being forsaken by him sinneth necessarily And yet the fault is not to be laid on God because that in this his forsaking him the will of man commeth betweene For God forsaketh man being willing to bee forsaken and not against his will and mind Secondly I answere to the aforesaid reproch of our doctrine that wee say not that sinne is from the decree or of the decree of God as from the efficient materiall formall or finall cause But wee doe teach and auâ—rre that sinne commeth to passe according to the prouidence or decree of God as the sole consequent thereof For wee assuredly thinke and iudge that the decree of God doth so go before the sinne of man as that it hath no respect vnto any cause vnlesse it be of such a one as is a failing and deficient cause So saith Augustin Therefore truely the great works Enchir. cap. 101. of the Lord are exquisite in all his wills so that after a wonderfull and vnspeakable manner that is not done beside his will which notwithstanding is done contrary to his will Againe it is obiected He that saith that the decree of God is the energeticall operatiue beginning of all things necessarilie maketh the decree of God the beginning also of sinne Whereunto I answer That the holy Ghost himselfe saith that the decree of God is the beginning of all things being and existent Eph. I. cap. II. verse God worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will And againe in the 17. of the Acts In him we liue we moue and haue our being Augustine saith The will of God is the very cause of all things which are Hugo De gene cont Manic lib. 〈◊〉 c. 2 de S. Vict. saith There is no cause of the will of God which is the cause of all things And this very thing common reason will teach vs because there must first some certaine ground be laid from whence euery thing should haue or take the being and existence thereof and this ground is euen the very will of God For a thing is not first and then afterward God willeth it to come to passe but because God hath decreed that a thing should come to passe or be done therefore it is And yet shall not God therefore bee the cause of sinne because sinne is not properly a thing action or being but a defect only and yet neuerthelesse it is not therefore nothing For whatsoeuer hath a being is either Eâ—s Realâ— Rationale Really and positiuely or else in Reason onely And vnder those things which are in Reason are contained not only notions and relations but also priuations because they haue not a reall matter and forme out of the vnderstanding But sinne hath not a positiue and reall being yet it hath a being in Reason as they terre it For so farre forth it is in the nature of things being as it may cause a true composition in the mind and although it doe not exist positiuely that is by matter or forme created yet it is priuatiuely because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by the remoue or taking away of originall righteousnesse that doth immediatly and truly follow and exist Neither doth it follow as some other naturall habit or as a pure negation but as a certaine thing betweene both that is a want and absence of the contrarie good Some vse to obiect that wee doe teach that God doth incline vnto sinne and that hee doth positiuely harden the heart Whereto I answere that wee allow not a bare permission seuered vtterly from his will neither doe we atribute a positiue or naturall action vnto God as though hee did infuse corruption and sinne and yet we say that hee doth actiuely harden the heart The action of Gods Prouidence as saith Suidas in the works of men is threefold The first is according to his good pleasure whereby God willeth any work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alloweth it effecteth it and is therewith delighted this action is onely in good workes which haue their beginning in vs from the holy Ghost The second action of Gods prouideÌ„ce is of sustaining wherby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God vpholdeth and maintaineth the being and all the faculties motions actions and passions of nature which offendeth Act. 17. 28. In him we liue and moue and haue our being And although God do sustaine nature offending and the action of nature yet is hee free from fault because he vpholdeth the creature onely as it is a creature not as it is euill For the second cause as the will of man can by it selfe doe euilly and corruptly yet it can doe nothing by it selfe vnlesse the effect thereof bee reduced to the first cause As may appeare more plainly by this similitude A man doth hault by reason that his legge is out of ioynt now heere are two things to be considered the very walking or motion it selfe and his haulting the haulting proceedes onely from his legge out of ioynt the walking both from his legge and also from the facultie of mouing In like manner a man sinning in that he doth it is of God but in that he doth euilly it is of himself We must therfore heere know that God doth vphold order as it is of nature but furthereth not the will violently breaking out against the order of the morall law The third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 action of Gods prouidence is according vnto concession whereby God in the euil worke of man worketh some things holily and this last action is threefold The first is permission whereby God forsaketh especially the wicked by withdrawing from them his grace and by leauing them according to their deserts vnto their owne wickednesse which hee had before restrained that it might not breake forth to so immoderate libertie And wee vse commonly to say that he which permitteth doth and effecteth some thing as when the rider giueth the reines vnto his wanton and sporting horse wee say that hee doth moue and encourage him and wee say that the hunter doth put his dog on the game when as hee letteth him slip The second action as I may so terme it is occasionall whereby God by proffered occasions in themselues good or indifferent outwardly draweth foorth stirreth vp and bringeth out sinne in those who of themselues openly runne into wickednesse to the intent that hee may either iustly punish their knowne impietie or else discouer it being closely shrouded The like haue wee ordinarily euen among our selues for the Physitian by his preseruatiue medicine stirreth vp inflameth and draweth foorth the humours out of the corruption of the bodie Admit a house be weakely timbred which being almost now already falne wilere loÌ„g fall and that I doe not with any engines or instruments throw or beate down the same but onely take away the outward hindrances and on euery side as it were open a way for the
downfall to the intent that when it falleth it may by the greater fall be broken in peeces After this sort dealeth God with the wicked and hereupon is it that the law is said to stirre vp and increase sinne in Paul Rom. 7. 8. This action is done many manner of waies as when the hindrances of sinne are taken away when as the way is opened to the committing of one especiall sinne and not of another when as obiects are offered which the vngodly vse as instigations vnto sinne These obiects are commandements threatnings exhortations and cogitations either good or indifferent put by God in the mindes of vngodly men from the which the wicked by reason of his wickednesse doth greedily take an occasion to doe ill And this is the manner and way truly whereby wee say that God stirreth man vnto euill without infusing the least drop or iot of euill For as in the middle region of the aire the heate groweth stronger by the antiperistasis or repulsion on euery part from whence proceeds the thunder and lightning and by the heate round incompassed the clowdes are condensated and made thicke euen so the wicked and vngodly when they are stirred vp by wholsome precepts doe grow more vngodly and euill doth so much the more begin to delight them by how much the more they know that it is lesse lawfull for them according to the saying of the Poet Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negara We still endeuour things forbid and couet that 's denide The third action is a disposing whereby God through the euill worke of an euill instrument finisheth his owne worke iustly and holily As for example The sale of Ioseph in his brethren was sin the iust action of God in this euill worke was the foresending of Ioseph into Aegypt for the common good and benefit of Iacobs familie And from this disposing proceedes it that God vseth the sins of men â—olily that hee prouoketh them holily and ordreth them as the Physition for a medicine ordreth poyson contrary to the nature thereof that he ordreth them holily both according to the causes and beginnings and also according to the ends and issue as when he disposeth the work of the diuell infusing corruption either to the punishment of correction vengeance or triall But concerning these let vs rather giue care to ancient writers Clemens Strom. lib. 1 Alexandrinus saith It belongeth to Gods wisedome vertue and power not onely to doe good which is the nature of God but also especially to bring vnto some good and profitable end that which hath been inuented by those which are euill and vse profitably those things which doe seeme euill Augustine saith God maketh and ordaineth iust men De gen ad lit imperf cap. 5. but hee maketh not sinners as they are sinners but ordreth them onely And againe As God is the most excellent creator of good De ciuit Dei lib. 11. cap. 17. Enchir. ad Laur. c. 101. De cor grat c. 14. natures so is he the most iust disposer of euill wils Againe God verily fulfilleth certaine of his good wils by the euill wils of euill men Againe God by those men which doe those things which hee will not doth himselfe those things which he will And againe God vsing well euen those that are euill as being himselfe absolutely good so farre foorth as in them lay they did that which God would not In this very thing that they did that which was contrarie to Gods will euen by them his will is done and againe Who would not tremble at these iudgements of God whereby De grat lib. arb c. 21 God doth in the hearts of euill men what soeuer hee will giuing vnto them according to their deserts And againe It is plaine that God worketh in the hearts of men to encline their wils whither soeuer he will either vnto those things that are good for mercie or else vnto those things that are euill for their deserts somtimes verily in his open iudgement sometimes in his secret iudgement but euermore in his iust iudgement And againe God maketh not euill wils but vseth them as Cont. Iul. lib. 5. cap. 3. he list because hee cannot will any thing that is vniust Fulgentius saith Although God be not the author of euill thoughts yet he is the disposer of euill wils and out of the euill worke of euery one he doth not cease to worke that which is good In respect of these diuers actions concerning sinne it commeth to passe that we finde it said in the Scripture That God doth harden doth make blinde doth deceiue 2. Sam. 12. 12. 16. 10. 24. 1 doth command a worke that is euill yea and doth the same and that hee deliuereth ouer to beastly affections c. Thirdly I answere to the aforesaid reproch of this our doctrine that wee doe vtterly abhorre and detest the Stoicall Fate because it appointeth an inherent necessitie in things themselues which should bind euen God himselfe and all other things and make them subiect thervnto For howsoeuer wee doe beleeue that the very decree of God is immutable and therefore necessarie yet in God himselfe it was most free for hee could either not haue decreed that which hee did decree or else otherwise haue decreed it I and he addeth to the second causes placed out of God a certaine necessitie but yet so free a one as that it is rather to be termed a libertie then a necessitie And this shall easily appeare to be as I say if I shall first shew what sortes of necessitie there bee and how farre forth it is agreeable vnto thinges First therefore a thing is necessary two waies absolutely conditionally That is obsolutely necessarie which cannot be otherwise or else whose contrarie is impossible as that God is omnipotent and iust And that is conditionally necessarie which cannot be otherwise but yet not simply but by the granting of one or many things and this kind of necessitie is either by nature or the commaundement or decree of God That is necessarie by nature which commeth to passe constantly and immutably by reason of that order which God hath set in the nature of things after this sort is it of necessitie that fire doe burne that the earth is carried downeward and the heauen moued That is necessarie by commaundement which is necessarily to be done because God hath commanded it After this fort it is of necessitie that one vndergoe the office of a magistrate Rom. 13. 5. That is necessarie by the decree of God which is so because God hath foreknowne it and willed either to effect it or at the least to permit it After this sort euery thing in respect of God is necessarie and the will De ciuit Dei lib. 5. 〈◊〉 8. q. 10. de genesi ad lit l. 5. c. 15. of God as Augustine saith is the necessitie of things Secondly necessitie is either of compulsion or
infallibility Necessitie of compulsion is that which inferreth violence to things by some cause working without and forciblie constraineth that they doe either this or that And this indeed is the Stoicall necessitie that a man Tull. de Finibus should doe any thing against his will being compelled by force and necessitie There is also such a like kind of necessitie of the Manichees condemned by the fathers who taught that there was no violence or necessitie offred vnto the will by God nor that it was forced by necessitie to sinne The necessitie of infallibilitie is that whereby a thing according to the euent shall certainly and immutably come to passe yet so as if we consider the cause of a thing by it selfe it may either not come to passe or else come otherwise to passe Of this manner of necessitie wee must vnderstand that principle Euerie thing that is when it is is of necessity And thus is necessitie distinguished now will I shew how farre forth it is agreeable to seuerall things The euents of all things haue reference either to the second causes or to God who is the first cause Now some things in respect of the second causes are necessary othersome contingent From causes which are necessarie must needs proceede that which is necessarie from those that are free that which is free from those that are naturall that which is naturall and to bee briefe such as are the next causes aforegoing such also is the euent of things But in respect of God all things whatsoeuer are partly changeable and partly necessarie In respect of Gods libertie which doth that which it doth freely all things are contingent and mutable howsoeuer according to nature and the order of the next causes they be necessarie and immutable In respect of Gods decree the second causes and the effects of them are all necessarie howsoeuer in themselues they bee vncertaine and conti 〈◊〉 nt And yet they are not absolutelie necessarie but by the supposition of Gods decree neither are they necessarie by the necessitie of compulsion but of infallibilitie only because God ordained before that those things which should come to passe should be And this kind of necessitie taketh not away the contingencie and libertie of second causes but rather establisheth and confirmeth it For that which is free worketh freely and that which is contingent worketh contingently by the necessarie decree of God Neither doth libertie and necessitie mutually ouerthrow each other but libertie and compulsion It is manifest therefore that Gods decree causeth an immutabilitie to all things of which notwithstanding some in respect of the next causes are necessarie and othersome contingent but all of them in respect of Gods liberty mutable And as the mutabilitie which thinges haue from Gods power taketh not away the necessitie which they haue from the second causes so the necessitie of immutabilitie by Gods decree consequently comming to passe taketh not away the contingencie which they haue from the next causes and Gods libertie Moreouer wee say that Gods decree ordaineth the second causes and the verie libertie it selfe also of mans will not by compulsion as if a man should violently throw a stone but by inclining and gentlie bending them by obiects outwardlie offred to the vnderstanding euen as a sheepe is said to be drawne when grasse is shewed her being an hungry that a man August de verb. Apost ser. 2. may choose by his owne free motion or refuse that which God hath iustly decreed from all eternitie These things being granted it is manifest also what we ought to thinke concerning the fall of Adam Which truely according to the euent is necessarie by the necessitie of infallibilitie by reason of the forcknowledge and decree of God yet so as that God is not guiltie of any fault because the decree of God howsoeuer it was necessarie in it selfe yet it planted nothing in Adam whereby he should fall into sinne but left him to his owne libertie not hindring his fall when it might and the same fall in respect of mans wil which doth that freely that it doth came to passe contingently and most freely But you will say that Adam could not withstand Gods will that is his decree whereto I answere that euen as he could not so also hee would not But you will say againe he could not will otherwise Which I confesse to bee true as touching the act and euent but not as touching the very power of his will which was not compelled but of the owne free motion consented vnto the suggestioÌ„ of the diuell But to the intent that these things may more plainely bee vnderstood wee must make distinction betweene three times the time going before his fall the present time of his fall and the time after his fall In the first moment of time the fal of Adam was necessarie in a double respect First by reason of the foreknowledge of God for that which he foreknew would come to passe must needes of necessitie come to passe Secondly by reason of the permissiue decree of God that fal was according to the euent necessarie immutably Honorius Augustodunensis saith It cannot otherwise Dial. de praed citat in Catalogo Illyrici â—e but that al things must come to passe which God hath predestinated foreknowne seeing that hee onely either doth all things or permitteth them to be done Hugo de S. victore saith Sinne followeth of necessitie by Quaest. in Rom. 44. the withdrawing of grace And the reason hereof is very easie because euill permitted must come to passe and cannot otherwise come to passe than God permitteth For to permit euill is not to stirre vp the will and not to bestow on him that is tempted the act of resisting but to leaue him as it were to himselfe and he whose will is not stirred vp by God and to whoÌ„ the act of resisting is not conferred howsoeuer he may haue power to withstand yet can he not actually will to withstand nor persist for euer in that vprightnesse wherein hee was created God denying him strength I confesse truly that this kinde of necessitie as touching the liberty of mans will was altogether euitable and to be auoided and yet according to the euent of the action it was ineuitable Yet I would not that any man should thinke that this necessitie did any way proceede from the decree of God which did onely follow the decree being granted and admitted and Adam in his temptation being destitute of the helpe of God cast himselfe of his own accord into this same ensuing necessitie of sinning In the second time his fall being present there was another necessitie thereof because when it was it was of necessitie In the third time man drew vnto himselfe by his fault his nature being now corrupted another necessitie of sinning insomuch that he made himselfe the seruant of sin Bernard saith I know not after what euill and strange manner the will it selfe corrupted or changed