with faith in those that heard it And again Heb. â— 1â— They could not enter in because of unbeliefe Here we sâ—e that unbeliefe did bar out the old people from entring into the Land of Promise which was a figure of Gods eternall Kingdome And sure it is that the same unbeliefe doth barre out thousands of us For many will beleeve nothing but their owne fantasies They will not beleeve the Word of God especially when it is contrary to their lusts and likings profits and pleasures Though things be manifestly proved to their faces and both the Chapter and the Verse shewed them yet will they not beleeve or though they say they beleeve yet will they never goe about the practice of any thing but reply against God in all their actions And for the most part when God saith one thing they will say another when God saith yee they will say nay and so give God the lye Some againe will say If all be true that the Preachers say then God help us Thus you see how infidelity doth bar men out of Heaven and cast them into Hell Phil. Let us heare of the second gate which is Presumption of Gods mercy Theol. This is set downe in the 29. Chapter of Deuteronomie where the Lord saith thus When a man heareth the words of this curse and yet flattereth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkenness to thirst that is one sinne to anotâ—er the Lord will not be mercifull unto him but the wrath of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against that man and every curse that is written in this booke shall light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under Heaven Here we see how the mighty God doth thunder downe upon such as goe-on in their sins presuming of his mercie and saying in their hearts If I may have but a Lord have mercy upon mee three houres before death I care not But it is just with God when these three houres come to shut them up in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart as a just plagne for their presumption Therefore the Prophet David seeing the grievousnesse of this sinne prayeth to be delivered from it Psal 19. Keep me O Lord saith he from presumptuous sins let them not reigne over mee Let all men therefore take hood of presumptuous sins For though God be full of mercy yet will hee shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy But they shall once know to their cost that justice goeth from him as well as mercy Phil. Let us come to the third gate which is the Example of the multitude Theol. This is proved in the 23. of Exodus verse 22. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evill In another place the Lord saith Levit. 18.3 After the doing of the Land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt shall ye not doe and after the manner of the Land of Canaan whither I will bring you shall ye not doe neither walke in their ordinances Against this Law did the children of Israel offend when they said in the stubbornnesse of their heart to the Prophet Jeremie The word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord wee will not heare but we will do whatsoever goeth out of our mouth and we will do as we have done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem Jer. 44.16 Note here how they doe altogether refuse the Word of the Lord and how they follow the example of the multitude Wee see in these our dayes by lamentable experience how thousands are violently carried downe the stream and for defence of it some will say Do as the most men do and the fewest will speak ill of you Which is a very wicked speech For if we will follow the course of the most we shall have the reward of the most which is eternall perdition Let us therefore take heed of bending with the sway for the sway of the world doth weigh down all things that can be spoken out of the Word of God and openeth a very wide passage into hell Phil. Proceed to the fourth gate into hell which is the Long custome of sinne Theol. This is noted by the Prophet Jeremy to be a very dangerous thing For hee saith Jer. 13.23 Can the Black moore change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then may yee also doe good which are accustomed to doe evill Noting thereby that it is as hard a matter to leave an old custome of sinne as to wash a Black-moore white or to change the spots of a Leopard which because they are naturall is most impossible So when men through custome have made swearing lying adultery and drunkennesse as it were naturall unto them oh how hard it is to leave them For custome maketh another nature and taketh away all sense and feeling of sin Phil. Let us heare of the fifth gate which is the Long escaping of punishment Theol. This is avouched by the Wise man in these words Ecclâ—s 8.11 Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe evill Where hee sheweth that one cause why men are so hardened in their sinnes is because God winketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediatly after they have sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raine fire and brimstone upon another and cause the earth to swallow up a third then men would feare indeed But it hath beene shewed before that God taketh not that course but though he meet with some in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall never come to their answer even as an old theefe which hath a long time escaped both prison and gallowes thinkes he shall alwaies so escape and therefore goeth boldly on in his thefts But let men take heed For as the Proverb saith Though the Pitcher goeth long to the Well yet at last it cometh broken home So though men escape long yet they shall not escape alwaies for there will come a day of reckoning a day that will pay it home for all Thus you see how impunity leadeth numbers to destruction that is when men are let alone and neither smitten by the hand of God nor punished by the Law of the Magistrate Phil. Let us come to the sixth gate which is the Hope of long life Theol. This is affirmed by our Lord Iesus concerning that rich worldling who when hee felt the world come in upon him with full streame said he would pull dâ—wne his barnes and build greater and say to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares Luke 12.19 live at ease eat drinke and take thy pastime But our Saviour calleth him
his opportunity against us that hee may infect and breathe into us all filthy lusts and adulterous desires when wee lye open unto him by idlenesse Wisely therefore to this point saith the Greeke Poet Hesiodus Much rest nourisheth lust And another Poet saith Quaeritur Aegystus quare sit factus adulter In promptu causa est dâ—sidiosus erat Slothfull lazinesse is the cause of adultery And therefore another saith Eschew idlenesse Our 〈…〉 and cut the very sinews of lust The fourth cause of Adultery is wanton apparell which is a minstrellesse that pipes up a dance unto whoredome But of this enough before The fift and last cause of adulterie is the hope of impunity or escaping of punishment For many being blinded and hardened by Sathan think they shall never bee called to any account for it and because they can blear the eyes of men and carry this sinne so closely under a cloud that it shall never come to light they thinke all is safe and that God seeth them not And therefore Job saith Job 24.15 The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twi-light and saith No eye shall see mee And in another place Job 23.13 How shall God know Can hee judge thorow the dark cloud But verily versly though the adulterer do never so closely and cunningly convey his sinne under a canopy yet the time will come when it shall be disclosed to his eternall shame For God will bring every work to judgement Eccl. 12.24 with every secret thought whether it be good or evill Psal 9â— For hee hath set our most secret sinnes in the sight of his countenance 1 Cor. 4. And hee will lighten the things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest For this cause Job saith Job 10. When I sinne thou watchest mee and wilt not purge me from my sin Phil. Now you have shewed us the causes of adultery I pray you shew us the remedies Theol. There be six remedies for adultery which no doubt will greatly prevail if they bâ— well practised Phil. Which be they Six remedies of adultery Theol. Labour Abstinence Temperance Prayer Restraint of our senses Shunning of womens company and all occasions whatsoever Phil. Well Sir now you have waded deepe enough in the second signe of damnation I pray you let us proceed to the third which is Covetousnesse And as you have laid naked the two former so I pray you strip this stark naked also that all men may see what an ugly monster it is and therefore hate it and abhor it Theol. I would willingly satisfie your minde but in this point I shall never doe it sufficiently For no heart can conceive nor tongue sufficiently utter the loathsomenesse of this vice For covetousnesse is the foulest fiend and blackest Divell of all the rest It is even great Beelzebub himselfe Therefore I shall never be able fully to describe it unto you but I will doe what I can to sttip and whip it stark naked And howsoever the men of this earth and blind worldlings take it to bee most sweet beautifull and amiable and therefore doe embrace it entertaine it and welcome it as though there were some happinesse in it yet I hope when I have shewed them the face thereof in a glasse even the true glasse of Gods Word they will be noe more in such love but quite oâ—t of conceit with it I will therefore hold out this glasse unto them St. Paul to Timothy brandeth this stâ—ne in the forehead and boareth it in the eares that all men may know it and avoyd it 1 Tâ—â— â— 1â— when he saith Covetousnesse is the root of all evill Our Lord Iesus also giveth us a watch-word to take heed of it saying Take heed and beware of covetousnesse 〈◊〉 12.15 As if hee should say Touth it not come not neare it it is the very breath of the Divell it is present death and the very ratsâ—bane of the soule The Apostle layeth out the great danger of this sinne and doth exceedingly grinde the face of it â—â—il 5 19. when he saith That the end of all such as mind earthly things is damnation Let all carnall worldlings and muckish minded men lay this to heart and consider well of it lest they say one day Had I wist Phil. Good Sir lay open unto us the true nature of covetousnesse and what it is that wee may more perfectly discerne it Theol. Covetousnesse is an immoderate desire of having Phil. I hope you do not think frugality thriftinesse and good husbandry to be covetousnesse Theol. Nothing lesse For they be things commanded being done in the feare of God and with a good conscience Phil. Doe you not thinke it lawfull also for men to doe their worldly businesse and to use faithfullnesse and diligence in their callings that they may pâ—ovide for themselves and their families Theol. Yes no doubt And the rather if they doe these things with calling upon God for a blessing upon the workes of their hands and use preyer and thanksgiving before and after their labour taking heed all the day long of the common corruptions of the world as swearing cursing lying dissembling deceiving greedy getting c. Phil. Wherein I pray you doth covetousnesse especially consist Theol. In the greedy desire of the mind For we may lawfully doe the workes of our calling and play the good husbands and good huswives but wee must take heed that distrustfullnesse and inward greedinesse of the world doe not catch our hearts For then wee are set on fire and utterly undone Phil. Sith covetousnesse is especially of the heart how may we know certainly when the heart is infected Theol. There be four speciall signes of the hearts infection Phil. Which be they Theol. The first is an eager and sharp set desire of getting Therefore the holy Ghost saith Pâ—oâ— â—8 Hee that hasteth to be rich shall not be unpunished Pâ—o. 20.2 And againe An heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed Deâ—â—stâ—â—nes in Olinth 2. The heathen man also saith No man can be both justly and hastily rich The second is a pinching and niggardly keeping of our owne that is when men being able to give will hardly part with any thing though it be to never so holy and good use And when at last with much adoe for shame they give something it cometh heavily from them God wot and scantly The third is the neglect of holy duties that is when mens mindes are so taken up with the love of earthly things that they begin to slack and cool in matters of Gods worship The fourth and last is a trusting in riches and staying upon them as though our lives were maintained by them or did consist only in them which thing our Lord Iesus flatly denyeth saying Though a man have abundance Luk. 12.15 yet his life consisteth not in the things that
impenitent sinner the carefull and the carelesse sinner the sinner whose sins are not imputed and the sinner whose sins are imputed the sinner that shall be saved and the sinner that shall be damned For it is one thing to sin of frailty another thing to live in it dwell in it and trade in it and as the holy Ghost speaketh to suck it in as the fish sucketh water Esay 5.18 and to draw it unto us with cart-ropes and cords of vanity To conclude therefore there is as great difference betwixt a sinner and a sinner as betwixt light and darknesse For though Gods children be sinners in respect of the remnants of sin within them yet the Scriptures call them just and righteous because they are justified by Christ and sanctified by his grace and holy Spirit And for this cause it is that S. John saith Hee that is borne of God sinneth not 1 John 4.6 Antil What I pray you did you never sin Theol. Yes and what then what are you the better Antil You Preachers cannot agree amongst your selves one saith one thing and another saith another thing so that you bring the ignorant people into a mammering and they know not on which hand to take Theol. The Preachers God be thanked agree very well together in all the main grounds of Religion and principall points of salvation But if they dissent in some other matters you are to trie the spirits whether they be of God or no. You must trie all things and keep that which is good Antil How can plaine and simple men trie the spirits and doctrines of the Preachers Theol. Yes For the Apostle saith The spirituall man discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 And S. John saith to the holy Christians 1 John 2.26 You have received an ointment from that holy One and know all things that is all things necessary to salvation Those therefore which have the Spirit of God can judge and discerne of doctrines whether they be of God or no. Antil I am not book-learned and therefore I cannot judge of such matters As for hearing of Sermons I have no leisure to goe to them I have somewhat else to doe Let them that are bookish and heare so many Sermons judge of such matters For I will not meddle with them they belong not unto me Theol. Yet for all that you ought to reade the Scriptures and heare the Word of God preached that you may be able to discerne betwixt truth and falshood in matters of Religion Antil Belike you thinke none can be saved without preaching and that all men stand bound to frequent Sermons but I am not of your mind in that Theol. Our Lord Iesus saith My sheep heare my voice John 10.2 And againe hee saith â—â—hn 8.47 Hee that is of God heareth Gods Word Ye therefore heare it not because yee are not of God You see therefore how Christ Iesus maketh it a speciall note of Gods children to heare his Word preached Antil But I thinke we may serve God well enough without a Preacher For Preachers are but men and what can they doe A Preacher is a good man so long as he is in the Pulpit but if hee be out of the Pulpit hee is but as another man Theol. You speak contemptuously of Gods messengers and of Gods sacred ordinance But the Apostle doth fully answer your objection saying Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. and hearing by the Word of God and how can they heare without a Preacher In which words the Apostle tels you flatly that you caâ—â—â—ver have faith nor serve God aright without Preaching Antil When you have preached all that you can you can make the Word of God no better then it is and some put in and put out what they list The Scriptures are but mens inventions and they made the Scriptures Theol. We preach not to make the Word better but to make you better As for putting in and putting out it is a meere untruth And whereas you say The Scriptures were made by men it is blasphemy once to think it and you are worthy to receive your answer at Tiburne Antil Now I see you are hot I perceive for all your godlinesse you will be angry Theol. I take it to be no sin to be angry against sin For your sin is very great and who can beare it Antil All this while you speake much for preaching but you say nothing for prayer I think there is as much need of prayer as preaching For I find in the Scriptures Pray continually but I find not Preach continually Theol. No man denieth but that Prayer is most needfull alwaies to be joyned unto Preaching and all other holy exercises for it is the hand-maid to all But yet we preferre Preaching above it because Preaching is both the director and whet-stone of Prayer yea it steereth us aright in all spirituall actions and services whatsoever without the which we can keep no certaine course but are ever ready to erre on this hand or that Now whereas you say you find Pray continually but not Preach continually you might if you were not wilfully blind find also Preach continually For the Apostle saith to Timothy 2 Tim. 3.1 Be instant preach the Word in season and out of season that is alwaies as time and occasion shall serve Antil You extoll preaching but you say nothing for reading I beleeve you condemne reading Theol. Doth hee that highly commendeth gold condemne silver I doe ingenuously confesse that both publike and private reading of the Scriptures is very necessary and profitable and would to God it were more used then it is for it is of singular use both to encrease knowledge and judgement and also to make us more sir to heare the Word preached For such men as are altogether ignorant of the History of the Bible can heare the Word with small comfort Phil. It seemes that this man neither regards the one not the other because for ought that I can see hee cares not greatly if the Scriptures were burnt Antil Oh sirrah you speak very malapertly you may speake when you are bidden Who made you a Judge You are one of his Disciples and that maketh you to speak of his side Phil. No Sir I hope I am Christs Disciple and no mans But assuredly I cannot hold my peace at your vile cavilling and most blasphemous speeches Antil I cry you mercy Sir you seeme to be one of these Scripture-men you are of the Spirit you are so full of it that it runneth out at your nostrils Phil. You do plainly shew your self to be a scoffing Ismaelite Antil And you doe plainly shew your selfe to be one of the folk of God which know their seats in heaven Phil. I pray God be mercifull unto you and give you a better heart For I see you are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity Antil You thinke there is none good but such as your selfe and such as can please
fill you full of joy and peace in beleeveing that you may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Antil The Sunne drawes low Asunetus it is time for you and mee to be going Phil. Indeed the night will approach by and by and therefore we must of necessity break off Theol. Sith it is so wee will here surcease and go no further Asun Sir I will now take my leave of you I can never be thankfull enough for all the good instructions and comforts which I have heard from you this day I hope I shall remember some of them whilest I live I do therefore praise God for you and for your counsell and for this day which I hope shall be the first day of my repentance and true conversion unto God Theol. The Lord for his infinite mercies sake grant it And I most humbly beseech the Almighty God to establish you with his free spirit that you may proceed and go forward in a Christian course unto the end Phil. I pray you good M. Theologus pardon my boldnesse for you see I have been very bold to propound many questions unto you wherein you have fully satisfied me to the great joy and comfort of my soule I do therefore praise God for you and I hope I shall never forget some things you have uttered But I will now commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build us further Theol. Farewell good Philagathus The Lord blesse you and keepe you in all your wayes and the God of heaven preserve us all and continue us in his feare unto the end All glory be given to God A Table containing all the principall matters handled in this Booke and directing to the Page where they are set down MAns naturall corruption pag. 5 Mans misery in nature pag. 6 Mans nature corrupted but not destroyed by Adams fall ibid. Some sparks of Gods image still remain after the fall pag. 7 Man in the state of nature cannot do any thing that pleaseth God pag. 8 Man naturally neither sees nor feeles his misery ibid. Man in nature is under the tyrannie of Satan and curse of the Law pag. 10 Man growne to yeeres living and dying in the state of nature perisheth for ever pag. 12 Man continueth cursed till he be borne againe ibid. None can be saved but onely the Regenerate ibid. Regeneration what pag. 13 The quality of Regeneration pag. 14 Remnants of sin after Regeneration ibid. Regeneration unperfect in this life pag. 15 Meanes of Regeneration pag. 24 Eight infallible signes of salvation pag. 30 Eight signes of damnation pag. 31 Nine manifest tokens of damnation ib. Pride described pag. 33 Pride of gifts condemned pag. 35 Pride in apparell condemned pag. 42 Rules of the Word for apparel pag. 52 53 54 Whoredome and the dangers thereof pag. 58 Excuses of whoredome pag. 59 The fearfull effects of whoredome pag. 60 The punishment of whoredome pag. 61 62 The causes of whoredome pag. 65 66 Remedies against whoredome pag. 69 Covetousnesse what pag. 70 Covetousnesse wherein it doth consist ibid. Foure notes to discerne the inward covetousnesse of the heart by pag. 72 The evill effects of covetousnesse pag. 74 The vanity of this world and all worldly things pag. 77 Excuses of covetousnesse pag. 94 Remedies against covetousness pag. 101 102 Gods providence for his children in the things of this life pag. 103 For the things of this life Gods blessing is all in all pag. 119 Outward meanes alone doe not uphold us pag. 120 Gods children sometimes are brought to great distresse pag. 123 Gods children alwaies sure to be delivered out of trouble pag. 128 The great priviledges of Gods children pag. 129 Contempt of the Gospel a grievous sin pag. 135 136 Contempt of the Gospel punished pag. 137 Contempt of the Gospel the sin of this Age. pag. 138 Contempt of the Gospel a sure signe of wrath to the Land pag. 147 Swearing and the punishment thereof pag. 154 Excuses for swearing pag. 163 Causes of swearing pag. 166 Remedies against swearing pag. 167 Lying flattering and dissembling ibid. Punishments for lying pag. 175 176 Excuses for lying pag. 177 Causes of lying pag. 178 179 Remedies against lying ibid. Drunkennesse and the evil effects thereof pag. 110 181 Excuses of drunkennesse pag. 184 Causes of drunkennesse pag. 185 Remedies of drunkennesse ibid. Idlenesse and the wofull effects thereof pag. 190 Causes of idlenesse pag. 197 Remedies against idlenesse ibid. Oppression a most horrible sin pag. 198 Many woes denounced against oppressours pag. 199 Sundry kinds of oppression pag. 200 201 Causes of oppression pag. 215 Remedies of oppression ibid. Sinne hurts men in their bodies goods and name pag. 216 Sinne brings great danger to the whole Land pag. 224 Nine predictions of wrath to the Land pag. 229 The prayers and teares of the faithfull keep back the wrath of God from the Land pag. 322 323 Prayers of the Elect of great force ibid. The wicked fare the better for Gods children pag. 242 The best course to prevent Gods judgements and to keep backe his wrath from our Land pag. 244 Ten speciall things concerning the continuance of our peace pag. 250 251 Nine signes of a sound soule pag. 252 Saint Peters eight markes of salvation ibid. Seven infallible tokens of salvation pag. 253 Assurance of salvation in this life proved pag. 254 255 Objections against the assurance of salvation answered pag. 259 The ground-worke of our salvation pag. 261 Some doubts may stand with the assurance of faith pag. 262 It is no presumption to be perswaded of our salvation pag. 265 The wicked cannot be assured of their salvation pag. 266 The security of salvation which the wicked brag of is vaine pag. 267 268 Nine things required of all that shall be saved by Christ pag. 271 272 Many say they hope to be saved by Christ but few can give a reason why Christ died for them particularly and by name pag. 273 Few shall be saved proved by Scriptures reasons and examples pag. 277 278 But few even in the visible Church shall be saved pag. 284 Objections against the small number of the Elect answered pag. 285 Objections of Atheists and unbeleevers answered pag. 286 Reading of the Scriptures much commended pag. 294 Deferring of repenting dangerous pag. 299 God no Authour of mans condemnation but himselfe pag. 300 Objections against Predestination answered pag. 301 302 Gods decree no cause of Adams fall pag. 305 The decree of reprobation proved pag. 306 Prescience in God what pag. 307 The decree of election proved pag. 308 The first motive of election is in God himselfe pag. 309 Fore-seen faith and fore-seen workes no motives of salvation ibid. Faith dependeth upon election not election upon faith pag. 311 A reason yeelded why there is no end of cavilling and objecting against the truth pag. 315 Nine bars out of heaven pag. 316 Nine gates into hell ibid. The ignorance of the world pag. 32â—
that onely might appeare and shine forth in all his workes Yet certaine it is that God for just causes albeit unknowne and hid to us hath rejected a great part of men The causes I say of reprobation are hid in the eternall counsell of God and knowne to his godly wisedome onely They are secret and hid from us reserved in his eternall wisedome to be revealed at the glorious appearing of our Lord Iesus Psal 36. Rom. 11. His judgements saith the Scripture are as a great deepe and his wayes past finding out It is as possible for us to comprehend the Ocean in a little dish as to comprehend the reason of Gods counsell in this behalf Antil What reason justice or equitie is there that sentence of death should be passed upon men before they be borne and before they have done good or evill Theol. I told you before that we can never comprehend the reason of Gods proceeding in this behalfe yet wee must know that his will is the rule of righteousnesse and must be unto us in stead of a thousand reasons For whatsoever God willeth in as much as hee willeth it it is to be holden just Wee cannot conceive the reason of many naturall things and things subject to sense as the motion of the celestiall bodies their unconceiveable swiftnesse their matter and substance their magnitude altitude and laâ—itude Wee cannot throughly finde out the causes of the thunder lightnesse winds earth-quakes ebbings and flowings of the sea and many other things under the Sun how then can wee possibly ascend up into the privie Chamber and Councell-house of God to sift and search 〈◊〉 the bottome of Gods secrets which no wit or reach of man can any wâ—â— attaine unto Let us therefore learne in Gods feare to reverence that which we cannot in this life comprehend This one thing I must say unto you that whatsoever God decâ—â—eth yet doth he execute no man till he hath ten thousand times deserved it For betwixt the decree and the execution thereof cometh sinne in us and most just causes of condemnation Antil If God have decreed mens destruction what can they do withall who can resist his will why then is he angry with us For all things must needs come to passe according to his decree and determination Theol. First I answer you with the Apostle Rom. 9.22 O man who art thou that pleadest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus Hath not the Potter power of the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour Moreover I answer that Gods decree doth not enforce the will of man which worketh and moveth of it selfe It hath in it selfe the beginning of evill mâ—tâ—on and sinneth willingly Therefore though the decree of God imposeth a necessity upon all secondary causes so as they must needs be framed and disposed according to the same yet no coâ—ction or constraint for they are all carried with their voluntary motion Even as we see the plumbe of a clock being the first mover doth cause all the other wheeles to move but not to move this way or that way for in that they move some one way and some another it is of themselves I meane of their owne frame so Gods decree doth move all secondary causes but takes not away their owne proper motion For God is the Authour of every action but not of any evill in any action As the soule of man is the originall cause of all motion in man as the Philosophers dispute but yet not of lame and impotent motion for that is from another cause to wit some defect in the body so I say Gods decree is the root and first cause of motion but not of defective motion that is from our selves Likewise that a bell soundeth the cause is in him that ringeth it but that it jarreth the cause is in it selfe Againe that an instrument soundeth is in him that plaieth upon it but that it jarreth is in it selfe that is in its own want of tuning So then to shut up this point all instruments and middle causes are so moved of God being the first Mover that hee allwayes doth will holily and justly in his moving But the instruments moved are carried in contrary motions according to their owne nature and frame If they be good they are carried to that which is good but if they be evill they are carried unto evill So that according to the double beginning of motion and will there is a double and divers work and effect Antil But from whence comes it that man of himselfe that is of his own free motion doth will that which is evill Theol. From the fall of Adam whereby his will was corrupted Antil What was the cause of Adams fall Theol. The Divell and the depravation of his own will Antil How could his will incline unto evill it being made good and hee being made good Theol. He and his will were made good yet mutably good For to be immutably good is proper onely to God And Adam did so stand that he might fall as the event declared Antil Was not the decree of God the cause of Adams fall Theol. No but the voluntary inclination of his will unto evill For Adams will was neither forced nor by any violence of Gods purpose compelled to consent but he of a free will and ready mind left God and joyned with the Divell Thus then I doe determine That Adam sinned necessarily if you respect the decree or event but if you respect the first mover and inherent cause which was his owne will then he sinned voluntarily and contingently For the decree of God did not take away his will or the contingency thereof but only order and dispose it Therefore as a learned Writer saith Volens peccavit proprio mâ—tu Bâ—â—â— He sinned willingly and of his owne motion And therefore no evill is to be attributed unto God or his decree Antil How then doe you conceive and consider of the purpose of God in all these things Theol. Thus That God decreed with himselfe â—no actu at once That there should be a world That Adam should be treated perfect That he should fall of himselfe That all should fall with him That he would save some of the lost race That hee would doe it of mercie through his Son That he would condemn others for sin Antil How doe you prove the decree of reprobation to wit that God hath determined the destruction of thousands before the world was Theol. The Scripture calleth the Reprobates Rom. 9.22 The vessels of wrath prepared to destruction The Scripture saith 2 Thes 5. God hath not appointed us unto wrath Therefore it followeth that some are appointed unto wrath The Scripture saith of the Reprobates that they were even ordained to stumble at the Word 1 Pet. 2.8 The Scripture saith They were of old ordained to this condemnation Jude