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
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
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
therefore may craue a larger answering First therefore it is answered that there is no confusion nor disorder in these things for the confusion is onlie in respect of man and not of God or the things gouerned by him which are euermore excellently well disposed though the vaile of ignorance being before mās eies we are not able to discerne this excellent order The fleshlie man perceiueth not those things which are to bee discerned with a spiritual eie My waies saith the Lord are not as your waies neither are my thoughts as your thoughts so that vntill these men goe with Dauid into the house of God well may these things seerne confused vnto thē but whē they are enlightned by his holy Spirit they appeare otherwise A man that that is blinde or hath sore eies thinks it is darke when the Sunne shineth or at least thinks her beclipsed with diuers coloured mists when she is in her perfect beautie Simile the cause is the imperfection in his eies and not any obscuritie or confusion in the Sunne So is it with him that shall looke with a fleshly eie into Gods works be they neuer so excellently disposed yet through his inabilities to discerne they seeme confused That which in the night or a farre off we iudge a tree proues when wee come neerer or when the day appeareth a more excellent creature So in the night time of our ignorance and when we are strangers from Gods Law we iudge preposterouslie of his works but when this mist is dispersed or that we come to looke more neerelie vpon them in the glasse of his word they seeme so excellent that we are constrained to say O Lord how wonderfull art thou in all thy waies and holy in all thy works In great wisdome hast thou made them all But let vs come vnto the instances Thou saiest JJnstance 1. in that Stan tempted Adam and made him and his posteritie subiect to sinne Ans It is answered and alreadie prooued that herein no fault can be imputed vnto God Eccle. 28. for Adam was created righteous but his own inuentions made him euill Secondlie if God willed a declaration of his iust iudgment vpon the vessels of wrath and the manifestation of the exceeding riches of his grace vpon such as are ordained vnto mercie what right hath the clay herein to reason against the Potter Thirdly Gods children haue now more cause to reioyce by an infinite deale in regard of that blesse dnesse receiued from the last Adam then to be sorrie for their dignitie lost in the first Adam To which tendeth that of Paul concerning the sinne of our first Parents which is spread ouer all and the righteousnesse of Christ which is much more aboundant to the saluation of the Elect. And therefore we may say with Gregorie O foelix culpa quae talem tantum habere meruit Redemptorem O happie diseasewhich could not be cured but by such a diuine and heauenlie Physition That the wicked line in greatest honor prosperitie and abundance Jnstant 2. but the god'y in pouertie disgrace and affliction Ans HEalth wealth and honour are the hope of the worldlings labours and being obtained are their sole darlings of delight and pleasure Jn serm But as Bernard saith of Peter Vt nouum itr sic noui modi itineris Triplex est vita naturae gratiae gloriae A new iorney must haue new waies of iourneying so wee say of the godly when they begin to enter the new life that is the life of grace then they must haue new coutses of liuing Afflictions come by Gods decree And what are these That in following Christ wee should take vp his crosse that in liuing holily wee should suffer persecution that in our iourney to heauen wee should passe thorow many tribulations Therefore saith Augustine in the person of christ August in persona Domini Venale habeo quid Domine regnum coelorum quo emitur paupertate diuitiae dolore gaudium labore requies vilitate gloria morte vita I haue a thing to sell saith Christ what is it O Lord saith Augustine The kingdome of heauen but wherewith is it bought for pouertie true riches for griefe ioy for labour rest for basenesse glorie for life death So that pouertie griefe labour basenes and losse of life are the new paths that leade to new Hietusalem and the narrow waies that tend to ample blessednesse Now this being the decree of God the Creator who is wisedome it selfe why should it seeme preposterous in the eyes of the creature who is but meere foolishnes Quid obsit vel prosit medicus nouit non agrotus Augustine Gods decree of afficting groüded vpon great reason What is profitable or hurtful to vs that are patients that wise Physition knowes not we that are grieued Secōdly this decree of God is grounded vpon great reason both in respect of him afflicting and of vs afflicted What sets foorth more the wisdome of God then his ministring seuerall potions of affliction according to the seuerall conditions of his children as well in preuenting the diseases of sin whereunto they are subiect as in curing them whē they are grieued with them What more declares his mercie then the giuing of the staffe of his Spirit with the rodde of correction then the comforting vs in our distiesse then the putting our teares in his bottle then the making our bed in our sicknesse then the pitching his Angels about s then the not suffering the flouds to ouerflow vs though they come neere vs then the causing that although heauines continue for a while yet ioy shall come in the morning Wherein is the power of God more euident then in giuing vs strength to vndergoe so many troubles then in casting vs down vnto the graue and raising vs vp againe These things haue caused admiration in the very enemies of God and that amidst their tyrannies Is there not good reason then why those things should bee effected whereby Gods wisedome mercie and power are made euident and not onely to his children but euen to his enemies whereby they are left inexcusable in the day of the Lord if there were no persecutions how should Martyrs glorifie God by their sufferings If no trials how should patience haue been left for a vertue to be imitated If Satan had not been let loose to buffet Iob where had been his words of praise The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away and blessed be the name of the Lord. Secondly the afflictions of the godly are grounded vpon good causes 2. Gods decree of afflictiong is good and iust in regard of vs as it appeares 1. By our owne reason in regard of our selues as it appeares first by our owne reason secondly by our owne practise thirdly by the profit we reape from them In reason heauen could not be our sole place of blisse if here we had no sorrow if here our happinesse that could not be a
Especially to labour to be of Christes Church 3. To loue God aboue all 4. To feare him in his vvorks 5. To pray to him for a blessing on all things 6. The rich not to insult ouer the poore 7. The poore not to repine at the rick 8. None to depraue Gods gouernment 9. Thankefulnesse to God and not to sacrifice to our ovvne nets 10. To be patient in all troubles 11. To seeke to God and not vnto witches 2. From his manner of gouerning 12. To vse meanes both for sauing of soules and bodies 13. Not to despaire when meanes are vvanting 3. In that it belongs to him to punish sinne 14. To feare the committing of the least sinne FINIS A LEARNED AND PROFITABLE treatise of Gods Prouidence That all things in the World whether they liue mooue or haue a beeing are maintained and gouerned by Gods Prouidence IT is a main infirmitie crept into all and neuer cleane cured in any to be as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obtenebratum Ephes 4.18 darkened in the vnderstanding Experience teacheth the blind man to bee incident to many miseries though the way be plaine yet hee will stumble though the path bee straight yet hee will wander though the day bee cleere yet hee sees nothing and if any thing yet verie darkely Tit. 3.3 Sinne hath blind folded all none can see but those whom God doth enlighten and none are so enlightned but that they see obscurelie Hence it is that although the Prouidence of God is that plaine way that straight path that cleere light yet some stumble at it some wander from it some see it not at al. Democritus thought God made not the world Diuers opinions touching Gods Prouidence and therefore could not gouerne it Auerroes that although he made it yet hee is ignorant of what is done in it Protagoras worse then both that it hath neither Gouernour nor Maker Some thinke that God respecteth the heauens but hath no regard to that which is done vpon Earth Some that hee cares for all but yet commits the dealing in meane matters vnto the sonnes of men as kings ouerburthened with waightie affaires put ouer inferiour causes to their magistrates vnder them Some that God gouernes all things but without the vse of second causes Others attribute so much to their working thinking all things to bee carried away with such a violēt necessity as that God cannot alter their working when he would nor hinder their effects when it seemes good vnto him This being so I hold it conuenient first to prooue Gods Gouernment and then in the second place to define and shew the manner of the same And as wee see nature hath receiued of God that a master should haue a generall care of al that is vnder him and from this in the chiefest place to respect his children in the second his hired seruants and in the third and last his cattell and baser necessaries so vndoubtedly it is originallie in that great Master of the whole families of the Earth generallie to prouide for all yet chieflie for his children lesse for his disobedient seruants and least for other things subiected vnto them Vnto the proouing whereof in order First by Gods word whose authoritie cannot be reiected Secondly from the consent of the holy fathers whose iudgements are much to bee reuerenced Thirdly from the opinions of Heathē writers whose light of nature is not to bee contemned Lastlie from meere reason by men of least reason not to bee denied Gods generall Prouidence prooued by his word WHen God that reioiceth in mercie was constrained to open the dores of his iudgemēt house vpon the whole world Genes 6. because their great and their crying sins were still multiplied against him whereas the punishment might iustly haue redounded vnto all both reasonable and vnreasonable in as much as the reasonable had most grieuouslie sinned and the vnreasonable with the contagion of that sinne were wonderfully corrupted yet God would haue Noah to make an Arke wherein not onely some of mankind but of all other creatures also should be preserned A sure president of his infinite loue to his Church and great care ouer other things God saith Iob is wise in heart Iob 9.4.5.6.7.8 and mightie in strength He ruleth the earth he walkes vpon the sea he spreadeth the heauens hee commaundeth the sunne and it riseth not hee closeth vp Orion Arcturus the Pleiades and all the starres as vnder a signet Hee alone saith Dauid numbreth them Psalm 147. and calleth them by their names He couereth the heauens prepareth raine and maketh grasse to grow vpon the mountaines Ierem. 23.24 He is present as himselfe saith by Ieremie to all his creatures not as an idle beholder as some foolishly haue imagined but as a powerfull Gouernour as Paul teacheth the men of Athens giuing life and breath vnto al things Act. 17.24.25.26 making of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth But how and in what manner determining the seuerall times appointed and also the boūds of their habitations Yea as it followes in him wee liue wee mooue and haue our being But what more cleere then the words of Christ Ioh. 5.17 As yet the father workth I also worke But what worketh he and how worketh hee the latter Paul shewes Ephes 1.11 According to the purpose of his will to the former Dauid answers Psalm 113.5 He dwelleth in the highest and beholdeth the base things vpon earth Psalm 136.25 Hee feedeth all flesh both man and beasis He maketh the earth to bring forth fruite for the vse of man Psalm 138.6 Psal 145.16 Psalm 147. And who is like vnto the Lord that dwelleth in the highest and yet beholdeth the base things vpon the earth He giueth life vnto all creatures Deut. 30. Deut. 28. prolonging or shortning the same as best seemeth good vnto him He bestoweth his blessings vpon the righteous and punisheth the sinnes of transgressors Wherefore since God thus ordereth the heauens the earth and the sea feedeth all creatures sendeth raine in his appointed seasons openeth the fountaines of riuers causeth the Sunne to arise on good and bad worketh all in all according to the purpose of his will feedeth the little sparrowes and cloatheth the verie lillies of the field let vs conclude with Iob The Lord looketh vpon the ends of the world Iob 28.24.25.26 c. and hath a regard vnto all things God speciall Prouidence ouer his Church prooued his Word THe Church of God and the wonderfull loue our most gratious Father beareth vnto it being the cause why all other things were created and being created why they are maintained it seemeth fitter to fall with Paul and Peter into an admiration of Gods great mercie and goodnes vnto vs Ephes 1.3.1 Pet. 1.3 then to goe about to prooue the same Yet since it will mooue to that Angelicall worke of thankfulnesse Good
vses of Gods speciall prouidence teach patience in aduersitie minister comfort in affliction encourage the godly in their weldoing and be at least a corrosiue vnto the coÌ„sciences of the wicked if not a meanes to stay their malice and euill against Gods chosen the trueth of this his great goodnes shall be prooued vnto vs. Before the foundations of the world were laid The impulsiue cause of God speciall care ouer his Church Ephes 1. Rom. 8.2 it pleased God mooued through the riches of his grace and mercie alone to elect vnto himselfe and select from others the whole number of his Church vnto eternall glorie and felicitie Secondly from this worke of Election within himselfe he proceeded vnto the meanes of accomplishing Hee created them by his power yea holy righteous Our captiuitie by nature threefold but by our own inuentions we fell into a threefold captiuitie The first of error blindnes and ignorance of heauen and heauenly things Ephes 4.18 Tit. 3.3 The second vnto sinne and by consequence vnto Satan death and destruction eternall Rom. 6.20 2. Pet. 2.19 Ioh. 8.34 The third vnto corruption and dissolution of the soule from the bodie Rom. 8.19.20.21 But God that of grace elected Rom. 5.6 Ephes 1.10 Ephes 1.7 1. Pet 1.19 in mercie followes vs He sent his Sonne in an accptable time who by his most precious blood and offering himselfe once vpon the crosse effected our deliuerance and reconciled vs to God the father againe First from error and ignorance The manner and order of our redemption when hee calles by his Gospell and enlighteneth the eies of our vnderstandings by his holy Spirit Secondly from our seruitude to sinne Note in this redemptions two things 1. that is by a price so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and so Paul teacheth 1. Tim. 2. when by the same worke of his word and Spirit hee worketh faith within vs to take hold on Christ â—nd on his sauing promise the sole meanes of our deliuerance from eternall destruction whereunto our sinnes had made vs subiect Thirdly from our seruitude to corruption by the vertue and power of his resurrection working this assurance 2. a price of wonderfull value first because our Redeemer is the Sonne of God secondly most righteous 1. Pet. 1.18 1. Cor 6.20 Heb. 9.12.13.14 that as our head Christ Iesus could not be kept vnder the graue nor detained by death but is certainely risen to eternall glorie so wee his members vnseparablie vnited shall rise to felicitie with him Thus the Church being elected by God of his free grace and mercie a worke without repentance redeemed by the blood of his Sonne when it was vtterly lost reuiued by his word and Spirit wheÌ„ it was dead in trespasses and sinnes gathered when it was dispersed and so brought again vnto Christ the Shepheard Bishop of our soules and now by the bond of his Spirit vnseparablie vnited vnto him how can it bee denied that being thus blessed with all heauenly blessings Ephel 1.3 in heaueÌ„ly places in Christ Iesus it should not be in a most special manner guided and preserued by him Hath he done the greater and will he not doe the lesse Rom. 5.9 Hath hee when we were sinners iustified vs by his blood and now being iustified shall he not much more looke vnto vs If when we were enemies then much more being friends If when wee were wicked seruants then much more being blessed sonnes If when we were abiects then much more being his best beloued The natural head prouides especially for the members of the bodie the husband for his wife the deliuerer for his deliuered and shall not Christ our head the husband to his Church the Redeemer of his people especiall maintaine blesse and preserue his Church his members his Spouse his redeemed Our vertues are mixed with imperfections our loue with some dislike our care with want of prouiding yet what we haue we receiue from God who is loue it selfe Doth not hee then loue his Church abundantly and from this loue especiallie blesse and keepe it Cast backe thine eies to the time past behold the present and conclude of the future For the first looke vnto Noah when the wicked should perish hee being a figure of Christs Church must haue his Arke of deliuerance How miraculouslie did the Lord preserue his people in the land of Egypt euen foure hundred and thirtie yeeres from the promise made vnto Abraham A figure of our deliucrance from Satan How wonderfully by the hand of his seruant Moses did hee deliuer them from the bondage of Pharaoh first without munition secoÌ„dly with a mightie ouerthrow to the Enemie and hauing freed them from that slauerie how strangely did the Lord restore them safe into their promised Countrie The Arke to assure them of Gods continuall presence the heauens contrarie to nature to yeeld them foode the rocke to bee enforced to send forth her streames the pillar of a cloud to protect them from heate the shining fire to giue them light from heauen the nations to be cast forth before them and what not for the good of his children Esay 43.1 c. Therefore Esay 43.1 Feare not saith the Lord that created thee O Iacob and hee that framed thee O Israel feare not I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee When thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee for I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Sauiour I gaue Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee because thou wast precious in my sight wast honourable and I loued thee therefore will I giue man for thee and people for thy sake feare not for I am with thee I will bring thy seede from the East and gather thee from the West I will say vnto the North giue and vnto the South keepe not backe bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the ends of the Earth Esay 54.16.17 Esay 54.16.17 All the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper and euery tongue that shall rise in iudgement against thee thou shalt destroy and condemne For this is the heritage of the Lords seruants and their righteousnesse is of mee saith the Lord. Neither hath the Church of God had experience of the performance of this Gods speciall Prouidence in former ages onlie but euen wee also in a most gratious manner haue been especially blessed and delinered by the same How could this little Iland Applie in quantitie a handfull in number few enioy so manie so great such wonderfull deliuerances from the hands of Infidels Tyrants Hereticks bloodie Papists in number infinit some by open force abroad some by secret conspiracies at home did not our mercifull God most carefully
gouernment hath effected whence we conclude that hee is not so tied to second causes as that when they faile his Prouidence ceaseth vnto vs for sometimes he worketh without meanes and sometimes contrarie to their nature for the declaration of his mightie power and wonderfull goodnesse But it is to be obserued that when God worketh either of these two waies hee vseth an incomprehensible and innisible vertue of working proper to his Deitie only thereby teaching vs not to put any confidence in second meanes but euen thē when they wholly faile assuredly to hope for deliuerance from God who at the very time of greatest distresse is alwaies neerest vnto his children The third and vsuall way of Gods gouerning 3. Vsually by meanes is by second means appointed in his heauenly wisedome for that purpose As by the heate of the Sunne and dropping of the clouds the earth to yeeld her fruite the grasse of the mountaines to nourish the beasts man to bee maintained by the sweat of his browes to bee fed by bread to be warmed by the fire to bee kept from cold by his cloathes by studie to get learning Foolish conclusions from the immutabilitie of Gods decree are here condemned by learning to come to prefermēt by foresight to eschew dangers and so vsually in all other things So that the neglect of ordinarie meanes is a contempt of Gods ordinance and a sin of presumption This the Lord giueth vs to vnderstand when hee saith Hosea 2.21 I will heare the heauens the heauens shall heare the earth the earth shall heare the corne wine and oyle and the corne wine and oyle they shall heare Israel And thus much for these two first what Gods Prouidence is secondly the order hee vseth in gouerning by the same Now to the answering of certaine questions which offer themselues after this manner Quest. 1 The first Why God doth somtimes worke without meanes and sometimes against means that is contrarie to their naturall working Ans By one godly meditation the minde is led vnto another and by a diuine contemplation of Gods wonderfull working the soule is moued to take ioy and comfort and to stay it selfe on the Creator alone Therefore although Gods children are not curiously to fearch into the reasons of their heauenly Fathers gouernment yet the rules of godly humilitie being obserued we will enquire somewhat into them Reasons of Gods working sometimes without sometimes against meanes The first whereof may seeme to be this that wee should learne and know that hee doth not alwaies gouerne by meanes because hee cannot rule without them but that hee will at his pleasure manifest his infinite power ouer his creatures and his exceeding great mercie to those which loue and feare his name Secondly whereas it is the nature of men where they see no ordinarie meanes of effecting there to attribute the euents vnto chance and fortune the Lord therefore declareth this his wonderfull power to shew himselfe the sole effecter of all things Lastly God sheweth this his power in gouerning to the end wee should put no confidence in second causes but wholly relie vpon his power and goodnesse begetting in vs this double assurance the first that he is able the second euer readie to helpe in our greatest miseries Quest. 2 The second question is why God doth gouerne the world vsually by meanes whereas he is able to gouerne it without them Ans The answere is first Reasons of Gods gouerning vsually by meanes wheras be is able to gouerne without them to shew his wonderfull loue and goodnesse to his creatures in that by the vse of them he approues of what he hath created and further giues this honour vnto them to bee if I may so say coworkers with him in his wonderfull gouernment Secondly whereas we are naturally subiect to blindnes error and ignorance God vseth means in his gouernment to be as certaine steps to bring vs to the knowledge and acknowledgement of him A third reason is to manifest that he is the Creator of all things appearing in this in that hee hath the commaund and vse of all things for the accomplishing of that which in his heauenly wisedome he had decreed A fourth reason is to excite vs to heartie thanksgiuing If they prooue othervvise it is because of our bad vsing them in that all creatures are meanes of our good and ordained by God to bee helpes and furtherances both of soules and bodies vnto eternall glorie Indeede they often turne to our greater condemnation but this is by accident in respect of vs not of the creatures Simile As wholesome meate in a good stomacke is well digested but in a bad stomacke and a diseased bodie turnes into cruditie The cause is not in the meate for then it would worke the like effect in all but in the stomacke of the bodie that is euill affected Fiftly whereas God vseth all his creatures as meanes in his gouernment it is to teach vs that none of them are in their kinde to be contemned or despised because they are the creatures of God and instruments of his glorie Lastly God doth commonlie vse meanes in his gouernment because we should not presume of his power or Prouidence either by neglecting the meanes appointed by himselfe for the sauing of our soules or by reiecting the helpes ordained for the preseruation of the body For in all things we must haue respect vnto Gods will reuealed in his word and not vnto his secret wil wherof wee are ignorant Now the reuealed will of God teaching by his owne ordinance at first in the person of Adam Gen. 3. as also euer since both by precept and practise that wee must vse the meanes appointed 1. Tim. 4. Not the vvant but the contempt of meanes doth abridge vs of helpe from God being sanctified vnto vs by his word and prayer wee shall not only tempt God in the neglect of them but also become vnnaturall vnto our selues in that we regard not the meanes whereby our safetie is procured Lest therefore we should be guiltie of the one or faultie in the other it hath pleased God for our example commonly to vse them who otherwise because his power is infinite could as easily gouerne without them Quest 3 The 3. question is what these meanes are which God vseth in his gouernmēt Ans As Gods power is infinite and his creatures not to bee numbred so because GOD rules by all the meanes are not to bee counted They may bee reduced into two sorts heauenly or earthly concerning this life or concerning a better yet none can in very deede be so properlie said to concerne this life as that they doe not after a certaine maner concerne a better also But I will onely recite a few and those especially which concerne Gods children As the Law the Gospell the Administration of Sacraments the ministerie of men prosperitie aduersitie good Angels and the heauenly hoast as the Sunne the Moone the starres
nos quòd mutabiles sumus In that he is immutable but we subiect to alteration chāging The one proper to the Creator because he is God for to be God and immutable are both one the other peculiar vnto vs in that wee are creatures If any thing should bee left vndone or done otherwise then God in his infinite wisdome at first determined then must it needs bee either for want of wisdome for why should it be altered but vpon better consideration or else for want of power to bring it so to passe as he had before decreed for God still holding his determination how could it bee otherwise hindered Now it is the greatest iniurie either to suspect God of inconsideration who is wisdome it selfe or of inabilitie to performe to whom to will and to doe are both one What other thing is Prouidence in God then an euerlasting decree of bringing all things so to passe as before he had determined Therefore since this Prouidence in God is euerlastingly the same that is immutable as God himselfe is immutable it must needs follow that Gods actuall Prouidence which is the executiō of his Prouidence within himselfe is also immutable and vnchangeable in all things Malach. 3.6 Malac. 3.6 I the Lord am not changed that is neither in regard of my essence which is immutable neither in respect of the execution of my decree which at no time is altered Isai 14. The Lord hath decreed and who can alter it The Lords hand is stretched forth and who can turne it backe In the former the Prophet hath relation to the decree of God within himselfe In the latter to the execution of the same Isai 40. My counsell shall stand Isai 40. Iames 1.17 and my will shall be done Iam. 1.17 Euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights in whom is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Where it is plainely taught that although there is alteration in Gods creatures yet that with God himselfe is no such thing Prou. 19.21 Prou. 19.21 Many deuises are in mans heart but the counsell of the Lord shall stand In which words there is an opposition betweene mans purposes and Gods decree God teacheth vs that ours are many and diuers In one and the same thing our minds are diuersly affected with sundry doubtings troubled sometimes we wil haue it done sometimes not done If it be not done the not doing it often discontenteth vs If it be done the maner of effecting it commonly disliketh vs. Then in doing wee doe not namelie please our selues Thus in not doing we doe namely displease our selues Our seeking to please shewes our desires but our not being pleased declares they are variable But Gods decrees are alwaies one What he hath determined that he will haue done As he hath determined so it shall be done and when hee pleaseth to haue it done euen then it is effected Before it was done the not being done did not displease him now it is done the being done doth no whit dislike him so that the not doing doth not displease him nor the manner of doing at anie time dislike him And thus Gods pleasing of himselfe at all times admits of no discontent at any time his discontent in nothing shewes his immutabilitie in all things And therefore a certaine truth that Gods Prouidence is alwaies immutable Obiect But it may be obiected that the Lord said vnto Hezekias Isai 38. Thou shalt die and not liue and yet Hezechias liued fifteene yeeresafter Also that Nineueh should be destroyed within forty daies Ionah 3.14 and yet their destruction followed not within the time prefixed We must alwaies vnderstand Solution the denouncing of Gods iudgements against sinners not to bee absolute but with this condition vnlesse we repent for God willeth both alike that is if wee turne vnto him his iudgements shal not befall vs if wee persist in our wickednesse they shall certainely bee accomplished But admit that of Isaiah against Hezechiah Isai 38. Ionah 3.14 and this of Ionah against Nineueh are to be vnderstood without condition can it therefore bee inferred that Gods decree and by consequence his Prouidence is mutable and subiect to changing Surely no for there is a difference betweene his decrees and his threatnings The decree of God and his heauenly will not depending vpon second causes but vpon his infinite wisdom foreknowledge and counsell must needes bee immutable But his threatnings which are euer denounced vpon the consideration of second causes namely our sinnes are according to their increase or decrease As well mercie if we repent as iudgements if we do not altered and changed for God willing the one willeth the other also More plainely thus God doth sometimes denounce his iudgements against sinners according as their dangerous estate doth require and not that he hath so decreed thē in his euerlasting counsell and from thence so willed them but because second causes namely our sinnes doe crie for vengeance against vs the which God willeth shall befall vs if wee persist in our sinnes but if by the worke of his spirit wee forsake our wickednes Gods wil is his iudgements shall be turned to mercie So then his will is not altered though his iudgements are not executed because with his Threatnings doth euermore goe the condition of repenting alwaies vnderstood though not euer expressed It is true the grieuousnesse of Hezechiah his disease being considered and secondly that he was not likely to be cured by the helpe of man that he could by no ordinarie meanes liue long vpon which the Lord purposing to shew his mercie and power the Prophet might say vnto him Thou shalt die and not liue And yet for the declaration of Gods glorie it came to passe that his life was prolonged So likewise if wee consider the grieuous sinnes of the Nineuites crying for the full viall of Gods wrath to be powred downe vpon them it must needs bee that the destruction of their citie was euen at the doores but God who is rich in mercie and faithfull in all his promises did vpon their true repentance keepe backe his iudgements and saued their citie from subuersion a worke not mutable but agreeing with his mercie and iustice Obiect God would at first that legall ceremonies should bee kept but afterward it was his will that they should be abolished and therefore his will is mutable The argument doth not hold Solution when it is drawne from the changes of things to the change of the causes of those things working by free will as God euer doth much lesse can it bee a good reason to prooue that his will is mutable for it was Gods will that ceremonies should be kept at one time and abolished at another kept before Christs comming abolished after In this therfore is Gods will one and the same Jn an Epistle to Marcellus Augustine maketh this plaine by an example after this manner
Simile The husbandmans workes saith he are diuers At one time he soweth at another time moweth at another he ploweth his ground at another carieth forth his compasse is therefore his Art changed or his mind altered surelie no. Therfore to reason from the change of the effect to the change of the cause is no argument to make a man doubt of the immutabilitie of Gods Prouidence Quest. Hence it may be demanded in the second place whether Gods Prouidence being immutable doth impose a necessitie vpon all things or not that is whether it graunts a liberty of being or not being of falling out or not falling out according to the wil of him which worketh and the nature of the thing hee worketh by If the one be graunted then shall the Stoicks destinie seeme to be established If the other admitted then shall wee seeme to imagine such a decree in God as is oppositely contrary to his word For that there should be heresies that there should bee offences that Christ should be betraied by Iudas condemned by Herod crucified by the Scribes and Pharisies together with all other things which befell him in his course of finishing our redemption although to mē they were cōtingēt such as might fall out or not fal out yet with God they were simplie necessarie such as could not but so come to passe Therfore the question is thus answered Ans The Prouidence of God being the first immutable cause of all things doth impose such a necessity vpon all second causes that their effects cannot be hindred their manner of working altred nor their time of comming to passe any whit deferred yet because Gods Prouidence doth not take away the nature of second causes of the which some are ordained to worke certaine effects Gods Prouidence doth impose a necessitie vpon al things others appointed to no such certaine ends but doth continually preserue them hence it is euident that in respect of the first cause namelie God beholding all things clearely and gouerning certainely all things fall out by an immutable necessitie not possible to bee preuented But in respect of the nature of second causes working not by compulsion but according to their owne nature some things may be said to fall out necessarily One and the same thing may be said to fal out necessarily and contingently others contingently hauing a libertie of falling out or not falling out yet so as that the Lord doth continually guide and dispose them from their first beginning to their last end as best may be for the manifestation of his glorie for which they were ordained For the vnderstanding of this aright What is meant by necessarie we must know what is meant by necessarie and what by contingent That is said to bee necessarie which can consist no otherwise then it doth consist and which can worke no otherwise then it doth worke As a man to be endued with reason the Sunne to shine and such like From whence this conclusion followes Euerie thing that is as long as it is hath his being necessarily because it cannot but be as long as it hath a being Now because all things to come are present with God all one with him as if they were already effected therefore with God all things fall out necessarily so as that they can neither be hindred nor altered whence it is that a cause cannot but worke that which it doth worke and therefore that it worketh necessarily as it cannot be but the Sunne as long as it is the Sunne must needes shine and therefore that his shining is a necessarie worke which must needes be performed Now Necessarie and Contingent being directly contrarie since we perceiue what is the one we may easily conceiue what is the other We call that thing contingent VVhat is meant by contingent which before it had any being may be said to be hereafter done or not to be done to haue his being or not to haue his being I say before it was done because being done it is now no more contingent but necessarie according to that old saying Omne quod est dum est necessariò est Euery thing that is as long as it is hath his being necessarily For it is impossible that that which is alreadie done should not be done or that now hauing a being it should haue no being But before it was done it might haue bin said to be contingent An effect may may be said to be contingent in two respects So that the effect of a cause may be said to bee contingent when it is in the power of the cause to worke that effect or not to worke it Secondly when the natures of the causes simply considered their effects may be said to fall out or not to fall out Quest. But it may be demanded whence it doth arise that effects are necessarie and whence that they are contingent Ans Touching the first The necessitie of things proceedeth either from internall causes VVhence the necessitie of things ariseth that is frō the natures of things or else from an externall cause impossible to be eschewed or else from both of these ioyntly together A necessitie ariseth from internall causes after this manner 1. A rebus interuis The Sunne is said to shine necessarily because it is of such a nature that it cannot but shine for it is ordained by God to shine naturally The fire burneth necessarily because God hath giuen it such a nature that it must needes burne Euery creature must needes bee dissolued because their natures consist of corruptible contraries and therefore they cannot alwaies liue Now this necessitie ariseth from inward causes whether it be from the forme as in the Sunne and the fire or from that whereof they consist as in euery liuing creature So a man not regenerate doth necessarily sinne but this necessitie doth not arise so much from any externall cause as from his inward naturall corruption moouing thereunto Secondly 2. A rebus externis a necessitie ariseth sometimes from externall causes So the elect are said to bee saued necessarily but this proceeds not from any inward cause arising from themselues but from an externall cause namely God of the exceeding riches of his grace mercie freely electing them vpon which all other blessings and graces bestowed doe wholly depend So likewise it was necessarie that Christ should die at the age whereat hee did die neither could he liue any longer Whence ariseth this necessitie Not from any inward cause in Christs nature for in that respect hee was likely to liue long but hence it was as Peter teacheth because God of his determinate counsel and foreknowledge had deliuered him Act. 2.23 and therefore appointed the time of his death and speciall maner of the same Of his time Christ saith on this wise My houre is not yet come teaching vs that there was a certaine terme which could not bee exceeded Of the manner he also saith Behold we
go to Ierusalem and the Sonne of man shall be crucified Thus the necessitie of things doth arise sometimes from causes externall Thirdly 3. A causis internis externis coniunctim consideratis this necessitie doth arise partly from internall causes and partly from externall ioyntly considered As in the Sunne and the fire with infinite other though the shining of the one and heate of the other are from internal causes namely their natures yet both these effects come to passe by Gods decree and actuall power of continuall working which are externall And so in all other things in particular But for the vnderstanding of these things aright Causes are either definit or indefinite wee must know that causes are either definite or indefinite and what is meant by either of them Definite causes Causes definite are causes ordained by God to worke certaine effects necessarily In this sense the Sunne is ordained to giue light not so much by nature as Philosophers say but by the will of God as Diuines say Causes indefinite Causes indefinit are such as are not ordained to worke certaine effects but haue it naturally in their power either to worke or not to worke As for example It agreeth with the nature of man to write yet that hee should not write doth not disagree from his nature So that after that skill gotten he may be said to write or not to write naturally Whence it is that the Sunne and the Moone with such like are called necessarie causes of their effects but liuing creatures with others seruing to their vse are not necessarie but contingent But yet wee must vnderstand that causes are thus distinguished in regard of their natures and vertue of working giuen them by God in their creation for if wee respect Gods euerlasting decree and his diuine gouernment of euerie thing in particular then all causes are ordained to their certaine effects and euery thing appointed to his certaine end Iudas was not of his owne nature ordained to betray Christ for as he was naturally mā it lay in his power to doe it or not to doe it But if you respect Gods eternall will and counsell then is hee truly said to be a cause ordained for that purpose And therefore that which Iudas did vnto Christ was foretold long before by the Prophets of the Almightie as Peter in the Acts plainly teacheth Cyrus in his owne nature considered was not a definite cause of deliuering the Iewes yet if you respect Gods eternall decree hee was ordained as Isaiah saith for that excellent end Therefore in regard of Gods decree Cyrus deliuered the Iewes necessarily and Iudas betraied his master necessarily yet neither by compulsion but willingly and freely For it is as hard for the will to bee forced as it is impossible that it should will contraries at one and the same time One and the same effect may be said to be both cōtingent and necessarie Hence it is cuident that one and the same effect may bee both contingent and necessarie Contingent in respect of the nature and inward causes VVhy effects are called necessarie necessarie in regrad of Gods immutable decree and Diuine Prouidence Which necessitie is in two respects first because the creature of it selfe being so ordained by God cannot but naturally yeeld such an effect Secondly because the chiefe efficient in al things hath determined in his heauenly counsell that so it shall worke An act not to be reclaimed As for example the Sun doth shine of a twofold necessitie the one because the nature of it is such that it cannot but shine vnlesse Gods ouer-ruling power doth hinder it the other because it is Gods wil that in his ordinary course it should giue light vnto vs. There was a twofold necessitie that Christ should rise from the dead and ascend into heauen the one the will of God the other because he was without sin and therefore could not be swallowed vp of the graue nor detained by death In which respects as Peter saith it was impossible hee should be ouercome Adams sinne was committed freely and by consequence was contingent for his nature was of that sort that he could either sin or not sinne either will a thing or not will it according as seemed good vnto him If therefore you shall meerely respect Adams nature then his sinne was contingent but if Gods eternal counsell and immutable will then was his sinne necessarie for God had decreed that by his fall as thorow a pinching narrow doore we should passe to receiue a certaine assurance in O foolix culpa quae talem tantum habere meruit Redēptorem through Christ Iesus of a farre more excellent estate of glorie Christ died freely Isai 53. He was offered because it was his will to be offered Ioh. 10.11 I haue power to lay downe my life yet if you respect Gods decree Christ died necessarily both cōcerning the time and manner of the same It must needs be that Hierusalem should be destroyed by the Romanes yet not simplie in regard of the citie or matter whereof it did consist nor yet frō any necessitie in the persons of the Romans for they freely besieged it and willingly subuerted it and therefore it may be said the it lay in their power to spare it But if you respect Gods eternal decree thē they were necessary meanes of the subuersion thereof because God for their sinnes had so ordained it as himselfe had long before declared Wherefore we conclude that although Gods Prouidence doth impose a necessitie vpon all things yet that it doth not take away their naturall working And therefore in respect of God all things are done necessarily but in respect of second Causes some necessarily and some contingently Yet wee must obserue that whereas some causes are definite some indefinite some effects necessarie some contingent that this wholly proceeds frō Gods Prouidence for he ordained them such natures prescribed them such an order appointed their manner and ends of working Therefore this necessitie doth not impugne this doctrine of Gods Prouidence but rather confirmes the same This may suffice to proue this necessity yet for confirming thereof I will adde some reasons Those things which God hath foreknowne Reasons to proue that Gods Prouidence imposeth a necessitie vpon all things Reas 1. by his certaine and infallible knowledge those things fall out necessarily But all things are thus foreknowne Therefore all things fall out necessarilie That it must needes bee Si praescierat Deus quod non est praescientia iam non est Aug. de Praedest lib. 1.15 that those things fall out necessarily which God hath certainly foreknowne it is euident because otherwise his knowledge should bee deceiued which is impossible And that there is nothing which he hath not certainly foreknowne it is likewise apparent because he is an Al-seeing God to whom all times are present and therefore the conclusion is good Reas 2
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
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
their laughter their ioy their boasting their bodies are giuen to bee wormes meate and their soules are burning in the flames of euerlasting torments whither their bodies afterward come that those which haue been companions in their vaine pleasures may bee partners in most grieuous paines Quanta districtione feriat quos reprobat si bîc cruciat quos amat Gregor Si Deus tam asperè percutit vbi parcit quà m asperè percutiet vbi non parcet For if God corrects the godlie whom he spares in mercie how grieuously shall he wound the wicked with whom he deales in the strictnesse of his iustice If he sometimes whippe those whom hee loues in this life with what seueritie will he plague those whom he hates Bernard in the life to come If he will beat his holy sonne what shall become of his wicked seruant Iudg 4. Sisera giues milke vnto Iahel couer him warme and laies him to rest but then his destruction was neerer so the wicked are fed with sweete milke of delights couered with rich attire and luld asleepe in the cradle of securitie but in meane while the sharpe nailes of Gods iudgements doe suddenly pearce them Gregorie Vitulus mactandus liber ad pascua mittitur The oxe reserued for the butchers slaughterhouse goes at his pleasure in the greenest medowes so is it with the wicked whom the butcher of the soule must leade to his fearefull shambles I conclude then with Augustine August ad Marcellinum Nihil infoelicius foelicitate peccantium Nothing is more vnhappie then that which the wicked esteeme their happinesse who though they seeme to flourish quoniam splendor tectorum attenditur labes autem animorum non attenditur because men behold their outward beautie and not their inward filthines yet they are most miserable Dum enim hos pollere Deus permittat tunc indignatur grauius si impunitos dimittat tunc punit infestius For whilest God doth suffer them to flourish then doth bee most set himselfe against them and whilest he sends them away vnpunished therein they are punished a great deale more sharply And thus the afflictions of the godly prosperitie of the wicked agree excellently wel with Gods Prouidence and iustice The third instance of confusion to proue God gouernes not the world is Jnstance 3. in that the way to destruction is broad but to heauen narrow and few there be that walke in it Ans In very deed the way to heauen is exceeding broad in as much as the means which God hath giuen vs to haue vs walke in it are many and infinite Coelum terra omnia quae in ijs sunt August lib. Conf. 10. eccè vndique mihi clamant vt te amem domine The heauens the earth and all things therein contained behold they neuer cease crying vnto mee to loue thee O Lord saith August Adde Gods word to direct his mercies to allure his iudgments to whip vs on and what not to moue vs helpe vs and strengthen vs in this our iourney If then for all this we very hardly walke in it and so it proues narrow vnto vs this is by accident namely Simile through our own wilful blindnesse corrupt affections and obstinate wickednes A master makes a banquet for his seruants in an inner roome and to passe into it frames a dore both large and wide If these which are inuited will loade themselues with huge burthens that they cannot enter the doore is narrow in regard of the inuited and not of the inuiter So stands the case betweene Christ that inuites to his supper of glorie Luk. 14.24 and vs that loade our selues with infinite sinnes that we cannot goe to it Augustine Non ideò non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit In that men want grace Rom. 8.7 Rom. 3.4 it is not because God doth nor giue it but because they haue not grace to receiue it Ioh. 3.19 Herein saith Iohn is their condemnation iust in that that light is come into the world and men loue darknes more then light because their deeds are euill So that the way is narrow in regard of vs and not of God Secondly if many are called and few chosen if few vessels of glorie and many vessels of wrath Rom. 9. what hast thou to doe herein shall follie censure wisedome or the clay reason against the potter Obiect God either can take away euils and will not or would but cannot or neither can nor will If hee can but will not he is enuious if he would but cannot he is impotent if hee neither will nor can he is both weake and enuious none of which imperfections can be in God and therefore since there are euils all things are not gouerned by his Prouidence God can preuent all euils Solution whether of the punishment or of the sinne and therefore is not impotent but he doth suffer them Qui mala tollit prouidentiā tolleret Plotin yet therfore is not enuious for hee doth not suffer them as they are simplie euils but as from those euils his power mercie and iustice may appeare his power in turning euill to good his mercie in clensing and deliuering the elect of the riches of his grace his iustice in condemning the wicked and reprobate Obiection That which doth resist God is not gouerned by him But the diuels and wicked men resist God And therefore are not gouerned by him Though the diuels and wicked men doe resist God in respect of his will reuealed Solution yet God doth willingly suffer their resistance limit the same turnes it to his glorie So that he is not so resisted but that hee doth gouerne nor so opposed but that he could ouercome Therfore this neither takes away Gods prouidence not diminisheth his power Obiection If all things fall out by chance then there is no Prouidence But all things fall out by chance Eccles 9.11 and in many other places Therefore no prouidence The holie Scripture doth vse such words in regard of vs onely Solution to whom the causes of things and secret working of God is vnknowne and therefore the euents being simplie considered we say they come by fortune but not in respect of God to whom all causes are knowne and who worketh all in all by them If we respect the counsell knowledge purpose of him that by shooting the arrow at randome wounded Achab wee say Achab was slaine by chance but if you respect the decree of God to punish the wicked we say it came to passe by his heauenly Prouidence Secondlie whereas Salomon saith that neither the race is to the swift nor the battell to the strong nor bread to the wise nor riches to men of vnderstanding nor fauour to men of knowledge but that time and chance gouernes all things wee must vnderstand Salomon to speake in the person of the wicked who hauing
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
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
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
of saluation also And therfore as God doth predestinate to saluation so hee doth predestinate withall the vsing of the meanes whereby men shall be saued as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall plainly teacheth And howsoeuer we dare not teach that the omitting of these things is the cutting vs off from saluation because God is not tied vnto outward meanes yet we truly affirme that the contempt of thē knowing them to bee meanes of saluation ordained by God doth cut men off that they cannnot bee saued Now if it be an omitting of the meanes to haue a price in our hands to buy them and not to haue the hearts to disburse it whether our seeking of occasions to be absent from the word blessed Communion whether our backwardnesse to come when wee are so often inuited whether our small regard in hearing and lesse in practising be an omission or a contempt I leaue to God and mens consciences to determine only this I am sure it is too nice a distinction to stand vpon in matters of saluation the failing in the one is a signe of falling into the other and in thee that art not able to answere an idle thought it will bee Christian wisedome to preuent so vile a deede But let these men remember that since the Law leades vs to Christ The Gospell is the povver of God to saluation and the Gospell begets faith and repentance comforts vs in aduersitie humbles vs in prosperitie declares Gods loue vnto vs shewes how wee should loue him reueales his power our weaknesse his wisedome our folly his grace our naturall miserie enlightens our dark vnderstandings informes our iudgements confirmes our faith reformes our lines that therefore these blessed meanes with others ordained in them are sole declarers of the way to happinesse excite vs to walke in it who otherwise would not enter it and being entred doe keepe vs in the same And therefore as the man that desireth to be at a citie shall neuer come at it if he reiecte the waies leading to the same so many fooles wishing after many daies spent in the lusts of their flesh to bee at new Ierusalem and yet all their life time reiected the waies that God appointed for the leading vnto it will rather despaire in what they desire then haue any assurance of their comming thither Therefore howsoeuer the wicked and foolish desire to die the death of the righteous and at last to be partakers of their blessednesse and yet reiect the meanes whereby they should attaine it like men that desire their health and yet are neuer well but when they fall into surfets yet let the righteous haue these blessed meanes euermore in high estimation let them be sweeter to them then the honey and honey combe for by them Gods seruants are taught and in keeping them there is great reward Vse 2 Secondly whereas God is not so tied to meanes but that he sometimes worketh without them and sometimes against thē we learne euen thē to trust in the Lord when miseries doe most beset vs and when no apparent meanes of deliuerie can appeare vnto vs. God will diuide Iordan and make the sea to stand on heapes that his children may passe and be deliuered God can strike the stonie rocke cause the heauens to raine Manna make the walles of Iericho to fall at the sound of a trumpet put a hooke in the nostrels of Zenacherib make a little oyle and meale a long time to nourish his children hee can feed them by the fowles of the heauen he can cause the irons to fall off and the gates of the prison to open of their own accord hee can muster an armie of his meanest creatures able to subdue the mightest Princes therefore since this mightie and fearefull God is one and the same whose mercie is not diminished nor his arme of power shortned there is good cause why we should alwaies hope in him and then especiallie when we are most destitute of apparent helpe and comfort Luke 15. The father wil neuer declare his loue so euidently to his sonne as when others doe oppose themselues most stronglie against him and shall not God both in power and mercie infinite at such times especiallie regard his children Bern. in Cant. Nihil omnipotentiam deiclariorem reddit quà m quod omnipotentes facit omnes qui in se sperant Nothing more declares the omnipotencie of God then Gods making those to be conquerers in all things that put their trust in him And therefore saith Dauid They trusted in thee Psalm 18. and were not confounded No meruaile O Lord for thou art the rocke the shield the fortresse the horne the refuge the strength of thy people how then can they fall 1. Iohn 3. thou art iust in thy promises how then can they bee destitute of aide when thou hast promised that if they aske thou wilt minister it vnto them thou hast elected them of thy grace Luke 11. and redeemed them of thy rich mercie how then since thou hast giuen the greatest the dearest shouldest thou denie the lesse or that which is of smaller value Tria considero in quibus spes mea tota consistit charitatem adoptionis veritatem promissionis potestatem redditionis I consider three things saith Bernard wheron my whole hope is staid in the greatest troubles Jn Cant. Gods loue in adopting his truth in promising and his power in deliuering what then if the tempest grow strong Psalm 46.2.3 and the waues of this troublesome sea rise on high what if sands and rocks inuiron thee that thou art likelie to bee eaten vp of the one or broken on the other what if the tacklings breake and the mast blow ouer yet trust in the Lord this threefold cord fastned on Christ makes a strong cable and a firme anchor whereon whosoeuer relieth shall neuer perish in the greatest tempest though both the wind and the tide bee against them For if Gods Prouidence extends to his meanest creatures then much more to his children as Christ himselfe teacheth and if at all times Matth. 6. sure then especially when the greatest troubles dangers beset them Wherefore we conclude that since the Lord of hosts is with vs Psal 46.1.4.7 As Shiloah that comforted Hierusalem and the God of Iacob our refuge therefore there is a riuer whose streame shall euer make glad the citie of God therefore if we make him our hope and strength he will be a help readie to be found in the greatest troubles Lastly Jn that God is Inflicter of all punishment since it is a priuiledge belonging to God alone to bee the inflicter of all punishment we are taught in all Christian wisdome to repent vs of our sinnes to take hold on Christ to clense our selues from all filthines of the flesh and of the spirit and to grow vp vnto holinesse in the feare of the Lord that so he may be induced not to enter into
knoweth euil as it is euil doth no way conceiue of it to be good that mā doth not at any time will that euill for the wil is naturallie caried to that which is good and when it wils the contrarie it is from the corruption of the naturall instinct of willing and because man is deceiued through his corrupted nature and by the false shew set thereon by Satan to take that for good which indeede is euill Yea to those whose consciences tell them they refuse the good and chuse the euil euen to them doth the good for that instant seeme lesse beneficiall and the euill more cōmodious pleasing But God being an absolute pure goodnesse can will nothing corruptlie he knoweth euill in al respects it cannot deceiue him he is not deluded with a false shew to whom all things are apparent the outward painting hides not the inward corruption from him to whom all things are naked the nature of his owne effects cannot deceiue him to whom the verie secrets of all mens hearts are euident Satan may leade the blind awrie but hee cannot seduce the Al-seeing though his first assault ouercame Adam and Eue yet many attempts could not preuaile against Christ Therefore if good be the proper obiect of the will in the corrupted creature how much more doth the pure Creator the Al-seeing God will only that which is good Reas 6 Sixtlie those things which God willeth those he both liketh and loueth for it is the propertie of the will to bee caried with a certaine affection vnto that which it doth will But God doth no way affect sinne but both hateth and condemneth it Psal 44. Thou Lord hast hated iniquitie and loued righteousnesse And Zacharie after he had perswaded the people to eschue sin addes the reason wherfore they should obey namely For these are the things which the Lord of Armies hath hated And therefore the will being carried with a certen affectiō to the thing willed how can God hating sinne and iniquitie meerely will the same Reas 7 Seuenthly if God was the effecter of sinne in his owne person or did worke it by others then hee would not vse meanes for the preuenting thereof for therein he should crosse his own works But hitherto tend all his works of creation the whole Law and the Gospell namely vnto obedience vnto God and auoiding of sinne and for this purpose as Iohn saith that he might take away the sinnes of the world and destroy the workes of the diuell Ioh. 1.30 1. Ioh. 3.6 he gaue the greatest price euen his only begotten Son that which was most neere and deare vnto him Now what wisdome can we hold it to labour continually to preuent that which wee purpose continually to effect and why should wee doe that for which wee would giue the greatest price to haue it abolished Since wee hold this to bee follie in our selues how dare wee impute it to God being wisedome it selfe Reas 8 Eighty euery sinne is committed either by leauing that vndone which ought to bee done or by doing that which ought not to be done Sinnes are either of omnissiō or commission But God is tied to neither of these and therfore can faile in neither If hee should bee bound to any thing how should hee be ruler of all things for to be bound to a thing and yet to haue authoritie ouer that thing agrees not with reason Now since all of vs acknowledge God to bee Almightie which is to rule al and haue authoritie ouer all we must needs confesse he is not tied to any law and therfore cannot offend against the law Reas 9 Ninthly euery sinne is properly a sin from the next cause of the same and not from another cause further remoued A tree blowne down by the winde is called a windfall as attributing the cause of the fall vnto the winds and not vnto the heauens which drew vp the vapors whereby the winds were caused When a man is scald with hot water it is called a scalding as attributing the cause to the water and not a burning as hauing relation to the fire by whose vertue the water was heated As these effects are properlie imputed to their next causes so is sinne vnto vs and not vnto God being the cause farthest remooued in our actions whereunto our sinnes are ioyned Though the diuell was the setter deciuer and instigator in the sinne of eating the forbidden fruit yet the transgression was properlie Adams else how could Gods iustice haue taken hold vpon him and his whole posteritie for the same Reas 10 Tenthly what God punisheth in all that he cannot in iustice effect in any Either in the person of Christ or on these which commit it But God punisheth sinne in all And therefore being Iustice cannot effect it in any Reas 11 The eleuenth reason If God bee the author of sinne it must needs be as hee doth either foreknow it decree it or will it But God cannot be the author of sin any of these waies And therefore not at all The former part of the Argument is euident It remaines to proceed to the proofe of the latter part Touching the first namely that Gods foreknowledge cannot be the cause of sinne God is said either to know things or to foreknow them we must note that God is said either to know things or to foreknow them betweene his knowledge foreknowledge there is this difference The difference betweene Gods knowledge and foreknowledge Knowledge is general of all things both done and to be done but his foreknowledge is restrained to things that are to be done hereafter Secondly Gods knowledge extends to that within himselfe as well as to that without himselfe but his foreknowledge is onely of outward things and cannot be said to be of any thing within himselfe because whatsoeuer is in God is his essence which being from euerlasting in reason he cannot be said to foreknow the same We must further obserue Knowledge is either contemplatiue or actiue that this his knowledge is to be considered two waies The one absolutely and simplie as it is only in himselfe the other secundùm quid respectiuely as whē an Artificer maketh that whose maner forme he doth foreknow The former is a contemplatiue knowledge that is a knowledge without practise or effecting the thing foreknowne The latter is an actiue knowledge that is a knowledge ioyned with practise or a working the thing foreknowne Contemplatiue knovvledge no cause of sinne Out of which diuision this Argument ariseth If Gods knowledge is the cause of sinne it is either as it is contemplatiue or actiue But it is not a cause of sinne either of these waies And therefore not at all That Gods bare foreknowing a thing will come to passe Gods foreknowledge cannot be a cause of sin cannot be the cause of the thing foreknowne it appeares first by the naturall signification of Theorica contemplatiue which is a meere conceiuing and
vnderstanding of a thing without any working vpon that thing for then it should cease to bee contemplatiue and should become actiue Secondly the vnderstanding as it is in it selfe considered cannot properly be said to work any thing for it is proper to the vnderstanding to cōcciue of those things which are without and it is peculiar to the will to bee moued from the vnderstanding to the working of those things which the vnderstanding conceiueth Now knowledge doth belong to the vnderstanding and not to the will therefore of it selfe cannot worke any thing outwardlie and if it worke nothing it cannot be the cause of any thing Causa enim est cuius vires est For that is the cause of a thing by whose force or vertue that thing is effected The Physition knowes his patient will die shortly Simile The Carpenter knowes his neighbours house will fall quicklie the Mariner knowes a leake not stopt in a passengers ship will drowne him presentlie Is therfore the Physitiō the cause of his patients death the Carpenter the cause of the fall of his Neighbours house or the Marriner the cause of the sinking of the Passengers ship Surely no Therefore wee conclude that Gods foreknowing of sins cannot be a cause of them Secondly Gods actiue knovvledge cannot be a cause of sinne actiue knowledge cannot be a cause of sinne for it is not simple but is ioyned with the will neither doth knowledge work vpon outward things but the will onlie Simile A Shipwright from his knowledge prescribes the forme of a ship and directs the way of making it but his will going with his knowledge is actiue and only worketh in the same because it is from his will that he worketh himselfe and from thence also that hee commandeth others for a man doth not make a ship because hee knowes the way of framing it but because he desires and willes a ship therefore he labours to haue it Indeed with God there is neither time past nor to come yet by that order which we see he hath set downe in the course of things which is vsually called a naturall order we may say that knowledge goeth before the wil and the wil before the effecting of the worke for we worke nothing but that which we first will neither will wee any thing properlie but that which our vnderstanding doth first conceiue and our iudgement approoue Now I hold it lawfull by the consideration of this naturall course infused into the creatures Though not strictly in all yet in this vve now entreats of to ascend vnto the knowledge of the diuine order of working in the Creator and so in humilitie to reason from things naturall to supernaturall And this seemes Paul to warrant when hee saith Rom. 1.20 The inuisible things of God that is his eternall power and his Godhead are seene by the creation of the world the heauens declaring the glorie of God and the earth shewing his handiworke Therfore it is certaine that Gods knowledge is not a cause of any thing but that his knowledge and wil conioyned effect all things Wherefore wee conclude this truth with Augustine Lib. 7. de Anima Deus nos peccatores pranoscit non facit God foreknowes we will sinne but makes vs not sinne according to that of Hierome Non ideò peccauit Adamus quia Deus hoc futurum nouerat sedpraesciuit Deus Dial. 3. aduersus Pelag. quasi deus quidille erat propria voluntate facturus Adam did not therefore sin because Godknew hee would sinne but God as he was God did know what Adam of his owne will and accord was about to do And thus much for the proouing that Gods knowledge cannot properly bee the cause of any thing I come to the second Before I enter the prouing that Gods decree cannot be the cause of sinne Gods decree is not a cause of sinne we must obserue that it is to be considered two waies Gods decree considered two waies First as it is in himselfe before all beginnings not manifested vnto any secondly as it is put in execution and so made apparent to others The former is called an Act of decreeing within himselfe the latter the execution of this decree effected without himselfe Ephes 1.4 The first is that whereby God hath necessarilie yet freelie from all eternitie decreed all things the second is an Action of God by which al things in their appointed time are so accomplished as in his heauenly wisdome they were foreknowne and in his eternall counsell decreed Now Gods decree considered either of these waies cānot be an absolute cause of any actiō but only so far forth as God hath willed that action True it is that God willeth not any thing but that which in great wisdome he had decreed yet he cannot so properlie be said to be the cause of any thing in that he decreed it as in that respect that he willed it because his will effecteth what his decree appointeth whence this argument ariseth If Gods will is not a cause of any sinne then much lesse his decree But Gods will is not at any time a cause of sinne And therefore not his decree Of the proposition there is no question Gods vvill is not a cause of sinne It resteth to prooue the assumption being the third and last part of the disiunction The will of God Rom. 8.19 Ephes 1. Gods vvill is either efficiēt commanding or permissiue being that whereby he most freely and powerfully willeth all things and that with one and the same Act of willing is distinguished into efficient commanding and permissiue 1. Efficient His efficient will is that whereby hee either worketh absolutelie of himselfe without the meanes of any other or if by others yet so as that they doe not properlie worke but God in and by them 2. Commāding His commanding will is that whereby he worketh by commanding and setting of others to worke 3. Permissiue His permissiue will is that whereby he doth willinglie suffer sin to bee committed for the manifestation of his iustice and glorie The two former waies doe so comprehend Gods working as that the thing being effected according to the manner and end prescribed he is made the principall cause and author thereof But his latter way of willing namely his voluntarie suffering can by no meanes make him the cause of the euill he doth so permit But all is reduced after this manner If Gods will is the cause of any sinne then it is either as he doth effect it himselfe command others to commit it or because he doth willinglie suffer it But Gods will is not a cause of sinne any of these waies And therefore not at all Touching the former two because from a cause simplie good cannot proceede any euill neither can he which is Iustice it selfe punish that in another which hee commandeth that partie to commit by reason of these and many moe alreadie alleaged there is