that God plagueth and scourgeth sin with sin and the sins which follow are the punishments of sins which went before Actuall sin Wherefore also God gave them up to their hearts lust unto uncleannesse they wrought filthinesse and received in themselves such recompence of their errour as was meet Objects of sin Rom. 24 27. 2 Thes 2.1 Therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve lies c. But whereas the wit of man to such a height of insolency it is grown is accustomed to frame the like arguments for the excusing of it selfe and shifting and posting it from it selfe unto God we must here enter some large discourse of the causes of sin and shake off mans frivolous pretences in his owne behalfe Destiny Some derive the originall cause of sin from the destiny of the Stars saying Foure pretended causes of sin I have sinned because I was borne under an unluckie Planet The Divell Others when they sin and are rebuked for their sinne they make answer Not I but the Divell was in fault that committed this deed Gods will Others leaving excuses directly cast the fault upon God saying God would have it so for if he would not I should not have sinned Gods permission Others When God say they might have hindered me and yet did not himselfe is the authour of my sin With these and the like pretences it is no new thing for men to sharpen their blasphemous tongues against God For our first Parents when they had sinned and were accused of their sin by God they translate and passe over the fault committed from themselves to others neither ingenuously confesse the truth Adam returneth the fault not so much upon his wife as upon God himselfe The woman saith he which thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree Gen 3.12 13. and I did eate as if he should say Except thou hadst joyned her to me I had not sinned The woman simply imputeth the fault to the Divell saying The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate These are the false impious and detestable judgements concerning the originall of sinne whereby the majesty truth and justice of God is grievously offended For the nature of man is not the cause of sinne for God created it good and perfect according as it is said And God saw all things which he had made and lo they were very good Sin is an accessary quality which took possession of man after the fall and no substantiall property although after the fall it became naturall and is fitly so termed by Augustine because now we are all borne in sinne Ephes 2.3 and are by nature the children of wrath as well as others But this point would be more amplified and enlarged 1. They who make Destiny a cloak for sinne define Destiny to be a linked order through all eternity and a certaine perpetuall necessity of intents and workes according to the counsell of God or according to the evill Planets Now if you aske them Who made the Planets God say they Therefore these men lay their evill to Gods charge but such a destiny did not all the sounder Philosophers maintaine Destiny is not the cause of sin Lib. 2. cap. 6. much lesse Christians Saint Augustine against two Epistles of the Pelagians unto Boniface They saith he who hold destiny maintaine that not only actions and events but also our wils themselves depend on the position of the Planets at the time of every ones conception or nativity which they call constellations But the grace of God surpasseth not onely all the stars and all the heavens but also the Angels Let us conclude these things with the word of the Lord by his Prophet Jeremy pronouncing to this sense Jer. 10.2 3. Thus saith the Lord Learne not the way of the Heathen and be not affraid for the signes of heaven though the Heathen be affraid of such for the customes of the people are vaine Wherefore that the Astrologers call the Planet of Saturn unmercifull sharp and cruell and the Planet of Venus favourable and gentle it is the vanity of vanities for the stars have no force of doing good or ill and therefore the fault of sinners ought not to be imputed unto them 2. That the Divell is not the onely authour of sin who when as wee commit sin The Divell not the only author of sin should beare alone the blame of the sin and our selves be free from fault it is most of all declared in this that he is able to induce and entice a man to evill but not to compell him For God keepeth under the Divell by his power that he cannot doe what he will but only what and so much as God permitteth him Nay hee hath not so much as power over filthy Swine much lesse over the most noble Soules of men He hath indeed a subtilty great force in perswading but God is stronger who also never ceaseth himself to put good motions into mans mind neither permitteth he more to Sathan then he maketh profitable for man Which wee may see in that most holy man Job in the example of Paul and in his words 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted above that you be able Wherefore they are vain men who unload the blame of their wickednesse on the Divels shoulders 3. It remaineth that we shew also that God is not the authour of sin God is no cause of sin God say these miscreants would have it so for if hee would not I should not have sinned Againe When he might have hindered me and yet did not himselfe is the author of my sin These are meere cavils and foisty Sophismes of the impious rout God might by his absolute power hinder evill but he will not corrupt his creature man being just and righteous Wherefore he dealeth with man after the order of man he proposeth lawes unto him he proposeth rewards and punishments he willeth him to imbrace good and flye evill To the doing of which thing neither denieth he his grace without which we can do nothing neither refuseth he our diligence and labour Here if a man cease and give over the sinne and negligence is ascribed to man not to God though he could have hindred it and did not because he ought not to hinder it lest he should trouble his appointed and settled order and destroy his owne work Wherefore God is not author of evill or sin Now in the processe of this our discourse wee will gather in one the testimonies of Scripture resolve certain doubts and discover the very fountain and originall of sin Many are the testimonies of Scripture which teach us that God is not the author of sin of which it shall suffice to propose only some few God made not death Wisd 1.13 Ezek. 13.11 Psal 5.4 5. neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living I desire not
Churches consent therein 22. What wee beleeve concerning the holy Catholike Church 346. 347. What the Church is 347. how many waies taken 348. The difference between the visible and invisible Church ibid. Her markes 349. Why shee is called One Holy Catholike Church 350. Seven differences between Church and Common-wealth 351. Whence ariseth the difference between the Church and the rest of mankind ib. Whether any can be saved out of the Church 352. Of Church-discipline Vid. Discipline or Ordinances 542. c. Circumcision What and why instituted 422. Why abolished 423. Baptisme succeedeth it ibid. How Baptisme and Circumcision agree and how they disagree ibidem Why Christ was circumcised 424. Comfort What. 31. The true comfort proper to the Church 32. How many parts there are of this comfort ibidem Why spirituall comfort is the onely good and sound comfort 33. How many things are required for the attaining of this comfort 34. Communion What is meant by the Communion of Saints Vide Saints 360. Conception Three things to be observed in Christs conception 271. The full meaning of the Article of Christs conception page 272. Concupiscence What. 614. How it differs from Originall sin ibid. How it is naturall unto us ibid. Conscience How it frameth a practicall Syllogisme pag. 39. How the Elect may sinne against conscience but not unto death pag. 55. Of sinning against conscience and not against conscience pag. 59. Consubstantiation What it is 450. It s Age and Parentage ibidem The Schisme of the Consubstantials 451. 452. Two principall grounds thereof pag. 452. The refutation of the opinion pag. 452. 453. c. 473. 474. 476. c. Contentednesse What. 608. Contracts Ten sorts of them 607. Conversion What worketh our conversion pag. 90. The parts of it pag. 500. 502. What it is and why necessary pag. 501. Why the latter part of our conversion is called quickning pag. 504. The manifold causes of it 504. 505. The effects pag. 505. Whether our conversion be perfect in this life ibidem In what a godly mans conversion differs from an ungodly mans 506. Covenant Of the Covenant of GOD and what a Covenant is 124. Diverse sorts of it ibidem Why a Covenant is called a Testament ibidem How a Covenant can be made betwixt God and Man pag. 125. Whether there be one or moe Covenants ibidem How the Sacrament is called a new Covenant 435. Creation The end of our creation pag. 40. 41. To create signifieth three things pag. 181. How the creation is unknowne to Philosophers pag. 182. Their Arguments against it ibidem Why God would have the doctrine of the creation held in the Church 188. Credulity What it is 612. Creed The Creed expounded pag. 142. 143. c. Two reasons why it is called Apostolike pag. 143. Foure reasons why other Creeds were received into the Church ibidem Why that is to be received before other Creeds ibid. The parts of that Creed pag. 144. The great wisedome and order of the Spirit and Church in disposing the Articles of the Creed 220. Crosse Foure causes for which God would have Christ to suffer the death of the crosse pag. 295. Ancient types of that death ibidem Curse What cursing is and what kindes of it are lawfull 558. D DEath How Christ is said to be dead pag. 296. Whether it were requisite that Christ should die pag. 297. For whom hee died and whether hee died for all pag. 298. Whether Christs death hath taken away our death 301. The benefits 301. Debts What Christ in the Lords Prayer calleth debts 647. Decalogue It s division pag. 527. Rules for the understanding of it pag. 528. The differences between the first and second Table in the Decalogue 529. Deceive How God is said to deceive a deceived Prophet 163. Deliver Deliverance Why the knowledge of our delivery is necessary pag. 34. 35. What mans delivery is and wherein it consists 108. Three causes of the possiblenesse of mans delivery 108.109 Arguments against it answered 110.111 Whether it be necessary certaine and absolute 111.112 two meanes for it ibidem Descension Of Christs descending into hell Vide Hell 303. c. Devils Their sundry appellations with the reasons 191. They are unchangeably evill 192. Discipline Reasons why civill discipline is necessary among the Vnregenerate 63. Of mens authority in the Church-discipline 542.543 A difference betweene Civill and Ecclesiasticall laws 544. E ELect Election That the Elect may sinne against conscience yet not unto death page 55. How farre knowne unto us 358. Whether the Elect are alwaies certaine of their election ibidem Whether they be alwaies members of the Church ibid. Whether they may finally fall 359. Equity What. 595. Erre Errour The Papists boast of their Church not erring pag. 16. Essence Vide Person Excommunication What. 482.494 Two sorts of it ibidem Persons that are to be excommunicated and the order 486. The ends and uses of excommunication 487. The abuses of it ibidem Objections against the word alledged for excommunication 492.494 F FAith Faith what it is with its nature and divers names kinds and differences 133.134 What Justifying Faith is with the causes 136.137 Faith and Hope how differing 137. The properties of justifying faith ibid. The principall cause of faith 138. Its effects 139. To whom justifying faith is given ibid. Faith with its profession necessary for five causes 140. Three waies to know that we have faith ibid. Faith may faint but not fall finally ibidem How we may be made righteous by faith onely 385.386 Three causes of it and foure reasons why it ought to be maintained against the Papists 386. Faith commeth of the holy Ghost 393. differently wrought by the Word and Spirit and Sacraments ibid. Vices contrary to faith 535. Fall Whether God doth leave the fall of man unpunished 101. The faith of Gods children shall not fall away finally 140. Fathers The use of the Fathers testimonies in points of doctrine 18. Father God called Father in divers respects 179.629 Five sorts of Superiors understood by the name of Father and Mother 590. Vide Parents Father in the Lords Prayer how taken 630. Eight causes why we are to call God Our Father in heaven ibid. Feare The feare and love of God how they differ 337. Three differences betweene son-like and slavish feare ibidem The feare of God taken for his whole worship 538. Fidelity What. 608. Flattery What. 612. Flesh The Word made flesh expounded 242.243.254 Of the resurrection of the flesh 364.365 c. What it is to eate the flesh of Christ in the Lords Supper 430.431 Forgive Forgivenesse What forgivenesse of sinne is 362.647 Who giveth it ibid. By whom 363. Whether it agreeth with Gods justice ibid. To whom and how it is given 364. Why we are to desire forgivenesse 648. How they are forgiven ibid. Fortitude What. 599. Fortune Fate or chance how accepted 214. the difference betweene Stoicks and Christians herein 215. What fortune is denied 216. Free Freedome In what God is
that he made himselfe equall with God which Christ was so far from denying or reproving that through the whole Chapter he confirmes it by notable documents taken from the equality and identity both of his owne and Fathers workes and operations power and authoritie honour and worship Whatsoever saith he the Father doth the Son doth the same also For as the Father raiseth the dead and quickneth them so doth the Son quicken those whom he will c. The Father hath committed all judgement to the Son that all may honour the Son as they honour the Father As the Father hath life in himselfe so he hath given to the Son to have life in himselfe c. There needs no more Christs owne witnesse alone of himselfe is sufficient to confirme our faith and to overthrow heresies John 8.14 For if saith he I testifie of my selfe my testimony is true but hee testifieth of himselfe that God is his proper Father and that he is equall with God the Father therefore his testimony of himselfe is true Hence the malicious stupiditie of Hereticks derogating authoritie from his testimony is more to be detested then that of the Jewes According to his divinity Not according to his humanity otherwise hee were not true man therefore the doctrine of Schwenckfeldius if false which equals Christs humanity in all things to God or which makes Christs humanity equall to God 17. Lesser then the Father And this Christ witnesseth of himselfe saying My Father is greater then I John 14.28 to wit by reason of my Incarnation as man I am lesser then the Father Which because Arius drew this to the inequalitie of the divinitie hee brought in the heresie of the Anomaei Cyril l. 2. thes c. 3. So far is the Son equall to the Father in that he is by nature God but in that he was made man and as a man was crucified and died he is lesse then the Father The definition of Chalcedon afterwards against Eutyches thus declares it Consubstantiall to the Father according to the divinity consubstantiall to us according to the humanity In all things like to us except the filth of sin Hebr. 2.17 and 4.15 ARTICLE IV. Of the Creed the XII 18. Who though he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ 19. One not by converting of the divinitie into flesh 20. but by assuming of the humanitie into God 21. One altogether not by conversion of the substance 22. but by unitie of the person 23. For as the reasonable soule and flesh are one man so God and man is one Christ The Declaration 18. WHo though God Hitherto of the truth of the two natures of the Son of God incarnate now of their union or of the personall unitie The Article in the beginning hath a Prolepsis or anticipation whereas God and man are two divers subsistances therefore if Christ be God and man hee will not be one but two Yet one Christ God and man not two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the union of the natures God indeed and man are different subsistences without the personall union but Christ is God and man in the personall unitie Upon this part of the Article pitcheth that heresie which about an hundred years after Athanasius Nestorius the Patriarch of Constantinople brought into the Church but was condemned by the Councell of Ephesus 19. One not by conversion The reason of the unitie consisteth not in the conversion of the divinitie into flesh which heresie was devised two hundred yeares after Athanasius by Eutyches a Monk of Constantinople who expounded the words of John The word was made flesh of the conversion of the word into flesh As the water is said to be made wine that is converted into wine John 2.8 affirming that after the incarnation not two natures did remaine but one onely to wit the flesh made of the Word But not without cause he was suppressed by the authority of the Councell of Chalcedon For how can the divinity be turned into flesh or an uncreated nature void of mutation be converted into a creature By this meanes Christ should neither be God nor man truly because he must lose both the Divinity and the humanity together 20. But by assuming the humanity into God In the Greek into the Deity yet not absolutely but into one of the persons of the Deity or of the Word For this alone not the Father not holy Ghost assumed humane flesh into the unitie of the hypostasis See the 8. and 1. Note Of this assumption the Apostle thus Hebr. 2.14 He was made partaker of flesh and bloud And ver 16. He took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham that is he united it to himselfe personally as the Schooles speak that there might be one hypostasis of the Word and flesh The true reason or manner then of the unitie of Christs person is not the conversion of the Word into flesh but the hypostaticall union of the Word with flesh 21. Not by confusion of the substance That is not by commixtion of the nature and naturall properties of them both into some third thing such as is the confusion of water and honey in Metheglin which was the heresie afterward of the Monophysits sprung out of Eutyches his follies against which Damascen disputes at large lib. 3. orthod fidei c. 3. 22. But by unity of the person To wit of God-man or the Word incarnate the natures of the Word flesh and their essentiall properties remaining distinct and safe as after Athanasius the Councell of Chalcedon Act. 20. hath more fully explained in these words We all acknowledge our Lord Jesus Christ in two natures inconfusedly immutably indivisibly inseparably the diversity of the two natures being no waies made void by reason of the union rather the propriety of each nature agreeing in one person is preserved so that he is not divided or severed into two natures but Jesus Christ is one and the same only begotten Son God the Word 23. For as the reasonable soule The manner of the union of the Word flesh is illustrated by a Similie which before Athanasius Justin Martyr a very ancient Writer in his Exposition of the Faith did make use of whose words we thought good to set down that we may understand how much they agree Let no man saith he enquire of me the maner of this union for I am not ashamed to confesse my ignorance yet I will rather glory that I beleeve those hidden mysteries with which I was initiated which are not perceptible to reason and understanding Some there are who understand this union as they doe that of the soule and body and so they teach And the example agrees if not in all yet in parts For as man being one hath two different natures and with one part he consulteth and with the other he puts his counsell in execution with his mind he decrees to build a ship
that had not the Sonne of God revealed it unto us out of his Fathers bosome no wit of men or Angels could have attained unto it In their subjects They vary in their subjects and matter which they handle For the doctrine of the Church comprehendeth the full perfect and entire sense both of the Law and Gospel but Philosophy is quite ignorant of the Gospel and omitteth the principall parts of the Law and rawly and obscurely propoundeth that small portion it retaineth concerning discipline and externall duties drawn but out of some few precepts of the Decalogue It teacherh us also other arts and sciences meete and serviceable for mans life as Logick Physick and the Mathematickes all which are not delivered in Church doctrine but have their proper necessary use in handling and learning the same In their effects They concurre not in their severall effects For the doctrine of the Church alone sheweth us the originall of all evils and mans misery to wit the fall disobedience or sin of our first parents Moreover it ministreth true and lively comfort unto our consciences pointing out the meanes by which wee may wade out of the danger of sin and death and assuring us of life eternall through Christ As for Philosophy it knoweth not the cause of our evils neither yeeldeth it us any sound comfort or consolation Philosophy hath certain comforts common unto her with Divinity Comforts common both to Philosophy and Divinity such are 1. The providence of God 2. The necessity of obeying of God 3. A good conscience 4. The worthinesse of vertue 5. The finall causes or the ends which vertue proposeth 6. The examples of others 7. Hope of reward 8. A comparing of events because a lesse evil compared unto a greater carrieth a shew and shadow of good but true comforts against sinne and death are proper to the Church Comforts proper to Gods Church such as are 1. Free remission of sins by and for Christ 2. The grace and presence of God in our very miseries 3. Our finall delivery and life everlasting Wherefore Philosophy though in respect of Divinity it be unperfect and faile in these premisses yet it never impugneth Divinity Whatsoever erroneous opinions contrary to the true doctrine of the Church occurre in the writings of Philosophers or are cited out of Philosophy to overthrow Scripture all these are either no way Philosophicall but the vaine sleights of mans wit and very biles and sores of true Philosophy such as was the opinion of Aristotle concerning the eternity of the world and of Epicurus touching the mortality of the soule and such like or else they are indeed Philosophicall opinions but unfitly applyed to Divinity The use of these differences in doctrine These maine differences between Christian doctrine and other Religions and Philosophy also are very worthy observation for these ends 1. That Gods glory be no way impaired of us but reserved wholly unto himselfe which cannot be unlesse wee acknowledge and confesse in the face and eye of the world whatsoever he hath precisely commanded us to beleeve either concerning himselfe or his will and that wee adde nothing of our owne braine unto that which hee hath revealed For God cannot be mingled with Idols nor his truth confounded with Satans forgeries without high dishonour to his name 2. That we hazzard not nor endanger our salvation which might happen if erroneously we should imbrace for true Religion any Schismaticall doctrine or heathenish Philosophy 3. That our faith and comfort in Christ Jesus might be strengthened and confirmed which falleth out when wee discerne the perfection of the doctrine of the Church before all other Religions how many important and weighty matters are found in our Religion which are wanting in others What are the causes why they alone are saved who professe this doctrine and other Religions with their Sectaries and adherents are damned and of God rejected Finally that we separate our selves from Epicures and Academicks who either make a mockery of pietie and godlinesse or so rack Religion that they thinke every man in every Religion shall be saved wresting in this sense that saying of the Apostle The just man shall live by HIS faith Now these Epicures are not worthy the answering Rom. 1.17 Hab. 2.4 as for those Academicks they manifestly falsifie the sentence and meaning of the Apostle and are easily refuted For the pronoune HIS in no sort signifieth whatsoever faith every man frameth unto himselfe but the true Catholike faith particularly appropriated unto every man and this word HIS standeth in opposition against any other mans faith though it be a true and good faith and thwarteth and crosseth also the opinion of Justification by works So that the naturall sense of that Text is The just man is justified not by the works of the Law but by faith alone in Christ and that by his owne private faith not by the faith of another man 4 Whence it may appeare that the doctrine of the Church alone was delivered of God 5 By what testimonies the certainty of Christian Religion or Church-doctrine is confirmed GOD in the very creation of the world put this bridle in the mouth of all reasonable creatures that no man without extreame and manifest impudeney such as was the Divell in Paradise durst say that any thing if it were once apparently known to have been spoken or commanded by God might be called into question or that any man might refuse to obey it Here-hence are those things so often inculcated in the Prophets Hearken O heavens and hearken O earth for the Lord hath spoken Thus saith the Lord. The word of the Lord came to Esaias Jeremias c. Sith therefore it appeareth that the bookes of the Old and New Testament are the words of God there is no place left of doubting whether that be the true Religion and Doctrine which is contained in them but whether these books were written by divine instinct and by what proofes and testimonies we are certaine of so great a matter this is a question not to be let passe of us Wherefore this question is necessary For except this above all other things remaine stedfast and immoveable that whatsoever we read in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles doth as truly declare the will of God unto us as if we did heare God openly speaking tous from heaven it cannot chuse but that the very foundation and whole certainty of Christian Religion must be weakned Wherefore it is a consideration worthy those who are desirous of the glory of God and doe seek for sure comfort to enquire whence it may appeare unto us The first part The authority of the Scripture doth depend on the Church that the holy Scripture is the Word of God To this question now long since answer hath been made by the Papists that forsooth it is not otherwise certaine then because the Church doth confirme it by her testimony But we
time after it and are Novices in respect thereof Whereas then undoubtedly the ancientest Religion is most true for men received the first Religion that ever was immediately from God it followeth that the doctrine of the Church alone is true and divine Miracles The miracles whereby God from the beginning of the world confirmed the truth of this doctrine such as the Divell is not able to imitate in deed nay not to resemble in shew I meane The raising of the dead the standing still or going backe of the Sun Luke 7. Josh 10.13 2 Kin. 20. Exod. 14. 2 Kin. 2. Gen. 18. the dividing of the sea and rivers the making of the barren fruitfull and such like which miracles whereas they are the workes of God alone wrought for the confirmation of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and God cannot give testimony unto a lye do powerfully evince that this doctrine is most true and proceedeth from God For albeit mention is made also of some miracles of the Heathen 1 Object Others also have miracles Ans It is not true and it is said of Antichrist and false prophets that they shall worke signes and great wonders so that the very elect themselves if it were possible should be seduced yet these neither in number not in greatnesse are equall unto the miracles of the Church and by the end for which they are done it may easily be discerned that they are not wrought by any divine power Wherefore there is a double difference especially by which true miracles are severed from false For first Those miracles which are vaunted of by the enemies of the Church are such as without changing course and order of nature They differ 1 In the substance may be done by the sleights and jugglings of men or Divels and seem therefore to others to be miracles because they perceive not the causes of them and the means wherby they are wrought Furthermore they have this as their chiefe end that they confirme Idols superstitions 2 In the ends manifest errours and mischiefes But the miracles with which God hath set forth his Church are workes either besides or contrary unto the course of nature and second causes and therefore not wrought but by the power of God The which that it might be the more manifest God hath wrought many miracles for the confirming of his truth whose very shew the divel is never able to imitate or resemble as the aforesaid miracles raising of the dead to stay or call backe the course of the Sunne to make fruitlesse and barren women fruit full But specially the miracles of God are distinguished by their ends from the divellish and feigned For they confirme nothing but that which is agreeing with those things which aforetime were revealed by God and that in respect of the glory of the true God of godlinesse and holinesse and the salvation of men And therefore it is said of the miracles of Antichrist 2 Thesâ—â— That his coming shall be by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse among them that perish c. Now 2 Object They are doubtfull if any be so bold as to call in question whether or no the miracles which are reported in the Scriptures were done so indeed he is out of all question of very great impudency Ans The Antecedent is false For hee may after the same manner give the lye to all both sacred and profane histories But let us first understand that as other parts of the holy story so especially the miracles are recited as things not wrought in a corner but done in the publike face of the Church and mankind In vaine should the Prophets and Apostles have endevoured to get credit unto their doctrine by miracles which men had never seen Furthermore the doctrine which they brought was strange unto the judgement of reason and contrary to the affections of men and therefore their miracles except they had been most manifest would never have found credit Also it cleerly appeareth both in the miracles themselves and in the doctrine which is confirmed by them that they who writ them sought not their own glory or other commodities of this life but only the glory of God and mens salvation To these arguments agreeth not only the testimony of the Church but the confession also of the very enemies of Christ who surely if by any meanes they could would have denied and suppressed even those things that were true and knowne much lesse would they have confirmed by their testimony ought that had been forged or obscure Oracles The Oracles and Prophecies of things to come verified by their events of which sort many are found in the books of either Testament whose heavenly fountaine and head-spring is evidently demonstrated in that it is the property of God alone to utter true Oracles Consent in the parts of doctrine The consent of each part of the doctrine of the Church For that doctrine which is contrary unto it selfe is neither true nor of God sith that truth consorteth with truth and God contradicteth not himselfe But the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles alone except all other Religions manifoldly jarre discord and mutinize within themselves even in their very foundation and chiefe points Wherefore the doctrine of the Church alone is true and divine Enemies confession Luke 4.41 The confession of very enemies Because the Divell himselfe is enforced to cry out Thou art the Christ the Sonne of God and other enemies are constrained to confesse that this our doctrine is true for whatsoever goodnesse and truth they have in their Religions the selfe-same hath our Religion and that more cleerly and soundly disciphered and they may easily be convicted to have stollen it from our Religion and intermingled it with their owne forgeries as indeed it is the custome of the Divell through Apish imitation of God to mingle some truth with his manifold falshoods that thereby he may the more cunningly and easily deceive men Whence it ariseth that these things which other Sects have agreeable with our doctrine cannot therefore be refelled because they have borrowed them of us but those things which are contrary to our doctrine are at the first on set overthrown because they are the inventions of men Sathan and wicked mens hatred thereof The hatred of Satan and his instruments exercised against this doctrine For certainly that doctrine is true and divine which all the wicked yea and Satan himselfe with joynt conspiracy despite and endevour to abolish For Truth hatcheth hatred and John 8.44 The Divell is a lyar from the beginning and abode not in the truth But Satan and the world oppugne not nor hate more eagerly any doctrine then the doctrine of the Church because forsooth it accuseth them more sharply and handleth them more rigorously it oftner calleth their cavils into tryall sifreth and discovereth their
holy Ghost b John 3.3 5. 1 Cor. 12.3 2 Cor. 3.5 The Explication THe Question of Free-will or of the power of mans will in well-doing and performing obedience to God occurreth next in order after the tract of Mans Misery For necessary it is to know what ability man was of before his fall and of what strength after the same that thence descrying aright the effects of the first sin we may be the more pricked forwards and provoked to humility and to an earnest desire of Gods divine grace and protection and finally unto thankfulnesse towards him For this doctrine of Free-will is a view or contemplation not of mens ability and excellency but of their weaknesse and misery OF FREE-WILL The state of the maine question about Free-will THE principall scope and question of this disputation is Whether as man averted himselfe from God so on the other side hee be able by his owne strength to returne to God to receive grace offered by God and to amend himselfe And further Whether the Will of man be the first and principall cause why others are converted others persist in their sinnes and as well of the converted as not converted others are more others lesse good or evill and in a word doe either good or evill some after one manner some after another To this question the Pelagians and the like adversaries make answer That so much grace is both given of and left by nature to all men that they are able to returne unto God and obey him neither ought wee to seeke any other cause before or above mans Will for which others receive or retaine others refuse or cast away divine succour and aide in avoiding sinne and doe after this or that manner order and institute their counsels and actions Contrariwise we have learned out of the sacred Scriptures That no worke pleasing to God can be undertaken or performed by any man without regeneration and the sâ—â—â—all grace of the holy Spirit neither can more or lesse good be in any mans counsels or actions then God of his free goodnesse doth cause in them neither any other way can the will of any creature be inclined then whither it shall seeme good to the eternall and good counsell of God and yet all the actions of the created will both good and bad are wrought freely For the clearing hereof we are to consider 1 What the liberty of the will or free-will is 2 What difference there is of the free-will which is in God and that which is in reasonable creatures Angels and Man 3 Whether there be any liberty of mans will 4 What manner of liberty of will is in man or how many are the degrees of free-will according to the foure estates of man 1 What the liberty of will or free-will is Liberty from bond bondage and misery LIberty sometime signifieth a relation or respect to wit the power or right that is the ordering either of person or thing made either by ones will or by nature to deale at his own arbitrement or motion according to honest lawes or order agreeable to his nature and to enjoy commodities convenient for him without inhibition or impediment and not to sustaine the defects and burdens or encombrances which are not proper to his nature This liberty may be termed a liberty from bond and misery and it is opposed unto slavery So God is most free because he is bound to no man So the Romans and the Jewes were free that is stood not charged with forraigne governments and burdens So a Citie is free from tyranny and servitude after a civill kind of freedome So we being justified by faith are by Christ freed from the wrath of God the curse of the Law and Moses Ceremonies But this signification of liberty appertaineth not to this present disputation of free-will because it is agreed upon on all sides that we all are the servants of God and are obliged by his Law either to obey him or to suffer punishment Our Will also willeth many things freely the liberty or power of performing whereof notwithstanding it hath not Liberty from constraint Secondly liberty is opposed unto constraint and is a quality of the Will or a naturall power of a reasonable creature concurring with the Will that is a faculty of chusing or refusing any object or action represented unto it by the Vnderstanding by it owne proper motion without any constraint the nature of the Will remaining still entire and free to doe this or that or also to suspend forbeare and deferre any action as a man may be willing to walk or not to walk And this is to put any thing in action upon mature deliberation which is the proper manner of the working of the Will This liberty of Will is in God Angels and men and their free-will is called free Arbitremen That thing is called free which is endowed with this faculty and liberty of willing or nilling But Abitrement is the Will it selfe as far as it followeth or refuseth in her choice the judgement of the Understanding for it compriseth both faculties of the mind to wit both the judgement of the mind or understanding of the object What free-will is the Will either receiving or refusing it Free Arbitrement therefore is a faculty or power of willing or nilling or of chusing or refusing any object represented unto it by the Vnderstanding by proper motion without constraint And this faculty or power of the soule is called Arbitrement Arbitrement in respect of the mind shewing unto the Will an object to be chosen or refused and it is called free in respect of the Will following of her own accord and without constraint the judgement of the mind or understanding Free For that is called free which is voluntary and which is opposed to that which is involuntary and constrained not which is opposed to that which is necessary For that which is voluntary may well stand with that which is necessary but not with that which is involuntary As God and the holy Angels are necessarily good yet not involuntarily and constrainedly against their will but with most free will because they have the beginning and cause of their goodnesse within themselves I mean Constrained free-will But that is said to be constrained which hath only an externall beginning and cause of motion and not also an internall whereby it may move it self to do on this or that manner Necessary Wherefore there is such a difference between necessary and constrained as is between a generall and a speciall For whatsoever is constrained is necessary but not contrariwise whatsoever is necessary is constrained Whence there ariseth a double necessity A double necessity A necessity of Vnchangeablenesse and a necessity of Constraint The former may stand with that which is voluntary the latter cannot Contingent The like difference is between things contingent and free For Whatsoever is free is contingent
whereby wee are out of Gods word informed and instructed unto faith or assent and beleefe as when wee use to say The Christian faith the Apostolike faith Oftentimes it is used for the fulfilling of ancient promises or the things themselves which are beleeved as Before faith came we were kept under the law and shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed Gal. 3.23 How faith differeth from all other kindes of knowledge Furthermore albeit there be also other certain notices whereunto we firmly give assent as understanding or apprehension of principles science sapience art prudence for the assent coming unto the notice doth confirme and perfect it so that what knowledge of a thing it had without assent it is imperfect and unprofitable yet none of those are that faith especially the Theologicall such as a little before is described for to those notices or apprehensions we do assent either because they are naturally engraffed in our minds or for that they bring demonstrance or some other true and certain proofs But the Theologicall assent or faith is not neither ariseth it out of the instinct of nature neither out of sense or experience neither out of demonstrations or reasons borrowed from Philosophy but cometh and dependeth of a peculiar and supernaturall revelation or divine testimony That therefore which is added in the former description for the asseveration of God himselfe distinguisheth Theologicall faith from all other knowledges even the most certain And this generall definition of Theologicall faith is necessary that wee may not think that out of Philosophy or such principles as are naturally known to all are to be drawn reasons or arguments sound and sufficient to confirme the articles of our faith but may know that the word of God and those good and necessary consequences and arguments which are framed out of it are a supernaturall light and more certain then all though most exact and exquisite demonstrances either Naturall or Mathematicall of Philosophers 2. How many kinds of faith there are in Scripture FOur sorts of faith are found rehearsed in Scripture 1. Historicall 2. Temporary 3. Working miracles 4. Justifying or saving faith The difference of these kinds one from the other appeareth out of their definitions Historicall faith is to know and think all those things to be true which are manifested from above What historicall faith is either by voice or by visions or by oracles or by any other manner of revelation and are taught in the books of the Prophets and Apostles and thus to be perswaded of them for the asseveration and testimony of God himselfe It is called historicall because it is a bare knowledge of such things as God is said to have done to do or that he will do hereafter of this faith these testimonies of holy Scripture make mention 1 Cor. 13.2 If I have all faith so that I could remove mountains c. Which saying notwithstanding may be construed of all the sorts of faith James 2.19 justifying faith only excepted The divels beleeve and tremble for the divell knoweth exactly both what things are written in the word and also what are not written because hee is a spirit witty quick and learned hee is present and seeth whatsoever things are done in the Church and also through long experience hath known the doctrine of the Church to be true Acts 8.13 Simon Magus beleeved to wit that the doctrine was true which the Apostle Peter propounded but he had not a justifying faith Temporary faith is to assent unto the doctrine of the Church together with profession and joy therein What temporall faith is though not true and unfained that is to say not springing from a lively sense of the grace of God towards them but of some other cause whatsoever therefore it endureth but for a time and in the instant of affliction vanisheth Or It is to assent unto the heavenly doctrine which is delivered by the Prophets and Apostles to professe it to glory therein and to rejoyce in the knowledge thereof for a time not for the application of the promise to themselves to wit not for any feeling in their hearts of Gods grace towards them but for other causes and therefore without any true conversion and finall perseverance in the profession of this doctrine This definition is drawn from the parable and words of Christ He that receiveth seed in the stony ground is he which heareth the word and incontinently with joy receiveth it yet hath hee not root in himselfe and dureth but a season Mat. 13.20 21. for as soon as tribulation or persecution cometh c. The causes of this kind of joy are in a manner infinite and diverse in divers persons yet all of them temporary at whose fading such faith also as is grounded on them flitteth and vanisheth Hypocrites rejoyce at the hearing of the Gospel Temporary faith is led in a string with the commodities of the world and with them doth live and die either because it is a new doctrine in their ears or because it seemeth to sooth and flatter their affections whilest it disburdeneth them of mens traditions as doth the doctrine of Christian liberty of justification c. or because they haunt a licentious custome of sinning or hunt after profits and commodities whether publike or private as riches honour glory c. which then appeareth when the crosse overtaketh them For then because they have no root they are parched and wasted with the heat thereof Thus hypocrites rejoyce they rejoyce not as true beleevers I mean on a sense and feeling of Gods grace working in them and on an application unto themselves of the blessings offered in the word which one thing only in the faithfull is the cause that they are rapt with exceeding true and perfect joy and the removing of this cause sufficeth to make faith temporary The difference of temporall and historicall faith This time serving faith differeth from historicall only in that joy which accompanieth it and not the other for the historicall faith hath a bare and naked knowledge only but temporary faith besides this knowledge rejoyceth therein for time-serving men receive the word with joy whereas divels beleeve historically and yet are hereon touched with no joy but rather tremble they I say joy not in that knowledge they have but wish it were quite extinguished Nay farther they professe not themselves to be followers of that doctrine though they know it to be true but horribly persecute and maliciously oppugne the same Notwithstanding in men historicall faith is sometimes coupled with profession and sometimes also severed from it for oftentimes men professe for I know not what causes that religion and truth which in heart they hate many also which are resolved and know assuredly the verity of Christian doctrine notwithstanding oppose themselves and set their faces against it and these are they which sin against the holy Ghost Object Yea but the
wit as touching their accomplishment and consummation Some reconcile the difference of these two in this manner Faith apprehendeth the promises proposed in the Creed concerning things to come Hope the things themselves promised which are to come But this reconcilement is not so popular and easie to be conceived by the vulgar fort as is the other Object 2. Faith is the evidence of things which are not seen Therefore not of things present Answ It is the evidence of things which are not seen to wit by the outward sense but they are seen by the eyes of the mind even as if they did lie open to the eyes of the body Again they are not seen as is afore-shewed in respect of their accomplishment and consummation 5. What are the causes of faith How the H. Ghost is the principall efficient cause of faith Ephes 2.8 THe first and principall efficient cause of faith both historicall temporary and of working miracles is the holy Ghost howbeit hee is cause of these by his divine generall working only but he is cause of justifying faith by a speciall kinde of working By the grace of God ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God who enlightneth the minde that it may understand the word and moveth the will that it may assent unto the word once understood Object The divell hath historicall faith It is therefore wrought in him by the holy Ghost Ans Yea even whatsoever faith is in the divell is wrought by the Spirit of God but that by a generall and universall working only as hath been said whereby he worketh in all not by a speciall and proper action because by such a kind of working the holy Ghost fashioneth and frameth a justifying faith in the elect alone For verily whatsoever knowledge and understanding is in divels and hypocrites God effecteth it by his Spirit but not so as to regenerate or justifie them that they might rightly acknowledge him to be the authour of this gift and magnifie him therefore for after this manner hee worketh faith in the elect alone The divels therefore and hypocrites have faith from the Spirit of God but the elect from the Spirit of God sanctifying them The word of God preached the instrumentall cause of faith Rom. 1.16 Rom 10 17. 1 Cor 4.15 The instrumentall cause of faith in generall is the whole word of God comprehended in the books of the old and new Testament in which writings also are contained many works and miracles of God besides the word But the chief and proper instrument of justifying faith is the preaching of the Gospel The Gosel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God This instrument doth the holy Ghost use yet not as necessary in regard of his working but arbitrary and at his own good pleasure both to stir up faith in us and to nourish strengthen and increase the same Wherefore ordinarily justifying faith is never engendered in those who are of yeers to receive it without the preaching of the Gospel Speciall revelation the cause of faith of miracles The formall cause of faith The object of faith The subject of faith The ends of faith The cause of that faith which worketh miracles is not simply the word of God but there must necessarily come thereto an especiall or immediate revelation from God The formall cause of justifying faith is a certain knowledge and confidence in Christ The object of it is whole Christ and his benefits promised in the word The subject or part of man wherein it remaineth is the understanding will and heart of man The end or finall cause 1. The glory of God to wit the celebration of his truth justice bounty mercy which hee hath shewed in the sending of his Son and in the giving of faith in him 2. Our salvation that wee may receive the blessings which are promised in the word 6. What are the effects of faith The effects of faith THe effects of justifying faith are 1. The justifying of us before God 2. Joy resting on God and peace of conscience Being justified by faith we have peace with God 3. Our whole conversion regeneration and all our obedience which followeth faith and beginneth at the same time with faith For by faith God purifieth our hearts Rom. 5.1 To the effects of faith appertaine also the consequents thereof that is increase of spirituall and corporall gifts and the receiving of the things themselves which faith aimeth at Acts 15.9 The first then and immediate effect of justifying faith is justification from this afterwards flow all other benefits purchased by the bloud of Christ which all we beleeve to be given us by faith faith it selfe being the cause of them for That which is the cause unto any cause of any effect is likewise a cause of that effect If thererefore faith be the next cause of our justification in respect of us it is also a cause of those things which necessarily follow justification Thy faith hath saved thee Luke 8.48 In a word The effects of faith are justification and regeneration which is begun here and is to be perfected in the life to come Rom. 3.28 10.10 Acts 13.39 7. Unto whom faith is given Justifying faith is given to all the elect and to them only Joh. 6.44 10.26 Matth. 13.11 Acts 13.48 Rom. 8.30 Ephes 2.8 Rom. 10.16 2 Thes 3.2 Mat. 7.22 JUstifying faith is only proper to the elect and that to all of them for it is given to the elect alone and to all the elect even to infants as concerning some inclination No man can come to mee except the Father which hath sent mee draw him Ye beleeve not for ye are not of my sheep It is given to you to know the secrets of heaven but unto them it is not given And they beleeved as many as were ordained to everlasting life Whom he predestinated them also he called and whom hee called them also hee justified Faith is the gift of God All have not hearkened to the Gospel For all men have not faith Temporary faith and the faith of miracles is given to those who are members of the visible Church only that is hypocrites Have wee not by thy Name done many great works Cast out divels But now neverthelesse this faith of miracles ceaseth which flourished in the primitive Church for that now the doctrine is sufficiently confirmed Historicall faith all they have who are by profession of the Church whether they be of the godly or reprobates yea and they also who are not members of the Church but enemies as divels and tyrants Historicall is a part of justifying faith because there can be no assent or perswasion of a thing which is not first known Object Historicall faith is a good work The divels have historicall faith Therefore they have good works Answ Historicall
Jerem. 32.19 50.45 Acts 2.23 Ephes 1.11 The explication and confirmation of each part of this definition severally Counsell The providence of God is called in Scripture the counsell of God The counsell of the Lord shall endure for ever My counsell shall stand God willing to shew the stablenesse of his counsell Out of these testimonies it is cleer and apparant that we are to understand by the name of providence not only the bare science or knowledge of things present and to come but also the decree and effectuall will of God for the name of counsell comprehendeth both to wit An understanding or prescience and fore knowledge of things to come or to be done and of the causes for which they are Two parts of Gods providence 1. His knowledge 2. His decree or are not to be done Likewise A will effecting or working a thing for certain causes and that in due time and order Providence therefore is not the bare fore-seeing or fore knowledge but the fore-knowledge together with the will of God even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which wee translate providence signifieth with the Greeks both a knowledge and a care of things 2. Eternall Eternall Because seeing neither the ignorance of any thing nor increase of knowledge or change of wilâ— falleth into God it is certain that hee knew and decreed all things from everlasting The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way Prov. 8.22 Isa 40.10 Ephes 1.4 1 Cor. 2.7 Which declare the last things from the beginning and from old the things that were not done Hee hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world Wee speak the wisdome of God which he had determined before the world 3. Most free Most free That is a decree which was made from everlasting of all things and events as it pleased him of his great wisdome and goodnesse when he had perfect power otherwise to have directed his counsell or else to have omitted it or to have things otherwise then he decreed to do them by his counsell Psal 115.3 Jer. 18.6 He doth whatsoever he will As the clay is in the potters hand so are you in mine hand 4. Unchangeable 1 Sam. 15.29 Malac. 3.6 Unchangeable Because neither errour of counsell nor any change or mutation falleth into God but what he hath once decreed from everlasting that as being most good and right doth he will everlastingly and at length bring to passe The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent I am the Lord I change not So Numb 33.10 Job 23.13 Psal 33.13 Prov. 19.21 Isa 14.24 25 26 27. 46.10 Ezek. 12.28 James 1.17 Rom. 11.29 Heb. 6.17 5. Most wise Job 12.13 Most wise This is shewed both by the wonderfull course of things and evenâ—s in the world and by the Scripture it self With him is wisdome and strength hee hath counsell and understanding Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the wisdome and knowledge of God! So 1 Sam. 16.7 1 King 8.39 1 Chro. 28.9 Psal 33.11 Job 36.23 Psal 33.15 139.1 2 3 4 5 6. 147.5 Prov. 8.30 6. Most just Most just Because the will of God is the only fountain and the chiefe rule of justice and is manifested and declared in the law Whatsoever therefore God will or hath decreed or doth work it is simply and in it self just whether wee know or not know the manner 2 Chron 17.2 how it is just There is no iniquity with the Lord our God neither respect of persons So Nehem. 9.33 Job 9.2 Psalm 36.7 119.137 Daniel 9.7 14. 7. Effectuall in working Whereby God worketh This is added that wee may know the counsell of God not to be idle but effectuall and forcible in working For God not only once created things and bestowed on them a vertue and force whereby to work but also doth preserve and move by his presence and continuall working all things at his pleasure John 5 17. according as Christ speaketh My Father worketh hitherto and I worke No creature whether great or small can either be or move or doe or suffer any thing Acts 17.28 except God effectually preserve move and govern it In him wee live and move and have our being And God worketh all things by his sole and eternall will without any labour or motion for to will in him is both to be able and to doe and contrarily his power and action is his very eternall and unchangeable will For in God the will is not dis-joyned from his efficacy and working as it cometh to passe in creatures The working or operation of God is two-fold generall The generall and speciall working of God whereby he sustaineth and governeth all things especially mankind Speciall whereby he beginneth the salvation of his chosen in this life and perfecteth it in the life to come 1 Tim. 4.10 Rom. 8.14 Psal 33.16 The immediate working of God God is the Saviour of all men especially of those that beleeve As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous Another division there is of Gods working whereby it is divided into immediate and mediate working Immediate working is When beside or contrary to the meanes and order setled by him in nature hee worketh what hee will as in all miracles which are described and declared to this end that wee might learn that God doth work most freely either by means or without them For that all those miracles are not wrought without divine power both experience teacheth us inasmuch as they cannot bee wrought by the power of any creature and the Scripture witnesseth Psal 136.4 Exod. 8.19 Gods mediate working Deut. 8.3 Isa 38.21 Syrac 38.1 as Which only doth great wonders This is the finger of God Mediate working is When God by creatures or second causes produceth those effects to which those creatures or causes are by the accustomed and common order of nature fit and so made of God as when hee sustaineth us by nourishments and driveth away diseases by medicines Take a lump of dry figs and lay it upon the byle and hee shall recover So likewise God by his word written read heard sheweth unto us both his will and himselfe Luke 16.26 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Moreover The mediate working or action of God is done sometimes by good His mediate working sometimes by good means sometimes by bad sometimes by vicious and sinfull instruments as well naturall as voluntary Yet so that the work of God in them and by them is alwayes most good most just and most holy For the goodnesse of Gods works depends not upon the goodnesse wisedome and rightnesse of the instrument but of God As touching good instruments that by them God worketh very well there is no controversie among the godly but of evill instruments all think not the same
and corruption to will and permit that together with the action which God worketh by his creature and in respect of God most just the sin of the creature may concurre by the comming whereof that action in respect of the creature is made evill and highly displeasing God 3. Because notwithstanding God so moveth inclineth and ruleth by his secret and generall providence the will and all the actions of the creature so forsaken as that by the creature sinning himselfe doth execute the most just decree of his owne will For such is the liberty wisedome goodnesse and power of God that no lesse by vicious than by good instruments he moâ—t well justly and holily worketh what he will Neither is Gods worke by reason of either the goodnesse or badnesse of the instrument more or lesse good as neither the worke of the wicked men is made good for that God doth well use it For God doing in all things what he will willeth alwayes doth that which is right The creature worketh together with God working well if God correct him Now that together with him working well the creature may also worke well it is necessary that the speciall working of God therin concurre with his generall working that is that he correct the creature by his spirit When as therefore God doth move the creature only by a generall working and not by a speciall the creature doth necessarily though yet freely swerve and defect from rightnesse God himselfe notwithstanding working holily and accomplishing by his creature the just good worke of his will and providence God correcteth whom he will If any man demand why then God doth not correct vicious instruments that God using them well themselves also may worke well God himselfe answereth him I will have merry on whom I will have mercy O man Exod. 33.19 Rom. 9.15.20 11.35 who art thou that pleadest against God Hath not the Potter power of the clay who hath given unto him first and it shall be recompenced God performeth nothing of duty but all of mercy unto his creatures It is free therfore to him to do what and in what sort how far forth and to whom he will according as it is said Is it not lawfull for me to doe as I will with mine owne Math 20.15 What permission 15. Permission therefore is the withdrawing of the grace of God whereby God when hee executeth the decrees of his will by reasonable creatures 1. Either doth not open his will wherby he would have that worke done to the creatures 2. Or doth not incline the will of the creature to obey his will in that action Or Permission is the secret providence or will power of God 1. Whereby he effectually willeth moveth and moderateth the motions actions even of men sinning as they are actions and punishments both of them and others 2. But sin it selfe he neither willeth nor worketh neither yet hindereth it but in his just judgment suffereth it to concurre with their actions 3. And this also he useth to the illustrating of his glory This description of Gods permission of sins Permission of sin confirmed by sundry places of Scripture according as it was before described Psal 5.4 is confirmed by many places of Scripture For first that God neither willeth nor worketh sins as they are sins is confessed by all the godly and all such as are of found judgment seeing both the infinite goodnes of God cannot be the cause of evill which hath in it no respect and quality of good and God himselfe doth often avouch this of himselfe I am not a God that loveth wickednesse Neither are there fewer places of Scripture which teach most clearly that the actions of the wicked which they doe when they sin are done and ruled though by the secret yet by the good and just will of God Joseph saith Gen. 45.8 That he was sent of God into Egypt We learne Exod. 7. 10. 11. Deut. 2. Jos 11. Judg. 3. 4. that the indurating hardning of Pharaoh other enemies of the Israelites was wrought by the Lord and that to this end thereby to punish his enemies and to shew forth his glory 2 Sam. 12.11 16.10 24.1 Job 12.25 Psal 119.10 Esay 20.6 63.17 Lam. 3.37 Jer. 48.10 Acts 2.23 4.28 Rom. 11.8 13.23 These the like places of holy Writ doe shew by two reasons or arguments That God did not permit without some working also of his owne but did effectually will that working of Pharaohs will and others whereby they opposed themselves against Israel For 1. These Scriptures referre the cause of their indurating wrought by themselves to an indurating wrought by God that is that therefore they would not the dismissing of the people or the entering of a peace or league with them because God did incline their wils to this that they should not will it 2. These Scriptures adde further the finall causes of this counsell and purpose of God even that his enemies might be punished and the glory of God magnified For seeing God would the ends hee would also most justly the means by which he would come unto them the Kings notwithstanding and people themselves neither respecting nor knowing it neither being inforced or constrained thereto and therefore sinning and perishing through their owne fault and demerit Moreover by these few and other infinite places of Scripture it is apparent that God though by his secret yet effectuall consent motion instinct doth most justly work those actions or works by his creatures which they with sin perform for because that they being destitute of the grace of the holy Ghost either are ignorant of the will of God concerning those works Or when they doe them they respect not this to execute the knowne will or commandements of God but to fulfill their own lusts against the law of God Therefore they working together with God work ill when God worketh well by them For neither doe the creatures therefore sin for that God doth by their will and actions execute his judgments for then also should the good Angels sin by whom God sometimes punisheth the wickednesse of men but because in their action they have no respect to Gods commandement neither doe it to that end as thereby to obey God Further that God doth in such sort permit sin Permission is the withdrawing of Gods grace as that he doth not illighten their minds with the knowledge of his will or doth not bend their hearts and wils which by his arcane and secret efficacy he inclineth whither himself listeth unto this as for the obeying of God to pursue or flie these or those objects that is doth not conforme the wils of sinning creatures to his will Rom. 14.23 Deut. 13.1 2 3. these sayings of Scripture witnes Whatsoever is not of faith is sin If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of dreames saying Let us goe after other gods
ends of all events are wrought by the will of God God is the first cause The first cause is that which doth not depend of any other but whereof all second causes and their actions and motions depend and are governed But God is the first cause of all things Therefore God and his counsels and works do not depend or are governed of any other but all other things of him neither according to others actions doth he determine of his but himself decreeth all things so to be done that is God hath not therefore determined or decreed any thing for that he fore-saw the second causes would so doe but therefore all things shall be so for that they are so determined or decreed by him Now to depend of another is upon consideration first had of anothers action whether present or past or to come to be moved thereby to determine and doe a thing The unchangeablenesse of God fore-knowledge What God unchangeably fore-knoweth he also unchangeably willeth from everlasting But God from everlasting fore-knoweth unchangeably all things even those things which are most mutable Therefore hee would from everlasting unchangeably all things either simply or in some sort and respect The Minor is manifest The Major is thus proved All certain and unchangeable prescience or fore-knowledge dependeth on an unchangeable cause But there is no unchangeable cause besides Gods will for all second causes are in themselves changeable and might not have been Therefore Gods will alone is the cause of his unchangeable prescience that is God therefore fore-knoweth that a thing shall be so because he willeth and decreeth it to be done so either simply or in some respect For if he simply would it not it could never have been done and fore-known of him The summe is Gods wil and decree is the cause both of the event and of the foreseeing or knowing of it but the fore-seeing is not the cause of the effect Moreover prescience in God is not severed from his will and working as in creatures but they are both but one thing differing in consideration only Hath he said it Mum 23 19. and shall he not doe it And hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it God the cause of all good as it is good All naturall good things are from God as the first cause But all the faculties motions actions of all things as they are meerly such are naturall good things that is things made and ordained of God in nature Therefore all are from God their authour and effecter and are wrought by Gods providence In him we live Acts 17.28 and move and have our beeing A confutation of certaine Sophismes or Cavils which are wont to be objected against the providence of God moving and governing all and every particular whether good or bad great or small most justly The first of confusions and things disordered in nature NO confused or disordered things have their beeing or are governed by the providence of God But whatsoever things are under the Sunne are confused 1 Cor. 14.3 Eccles 1.4 because all are vanity Therefore they are not ruled and governed by divine providence Answ The Confusions as they are such are not from God as efficient of them but directing them Major proposition consisting of doubtfull termes is to be distinguished No confuse things true if they be simply confuse are governed by the providence of God that is the providence of God working them as they are confuse All things that are under the Sunne that is humane things are confuse and vaine true but not simply so that no order and good at all lyeth hid and is found in that confusion For if they were such God for his great goodnesse and justice would not permit them to be done Wherefore if by the confusion of the world they collect and conclude that there is no providence there is more avouched in the conclusion then was contained in the premisses or they proceed from that which is in some respect so to conclude the same to be simply and absolutely so For whereas many things in the world are well ordered as the celestiall motions the preservation of the kinds of all things common-weals the punishments of the wicked men many more it may not by this argument be concluded of all things but of those only which are done against the order by God appointed that they are not governed by his providence but those things in which a most manifest order doth appeare shall be an evident testimony of Gods wisedome and effectuall working But if then they conclude that those disordered things are not ruled and governed of God so also shall there be more said in the conclusion than was in the premisses For it followeth thereof Not that the things confuse and troubled but that the confusion or troubling of order which is in them is not of God As the wicked were created of God albeit their wickednesse proceeded not from God but from themselves For every thing is not necessarily avouched of the concrete or subject so qualified which is affirmed of the abstract or quality it selfe Wherefore if it be again replied putting this Major That disordered things are not or are not ruled of God and therfore many things in the world not done by his providence even thus too is the Major diversly faulty For 1. Be it that it be granted that things disordered if they be simply such are not or are not ruled of God There is order even in disordered things yet cannot this be granted of them if both confusion and order in divers respects be found in them Now neither Divels nor men commit any thing so repugnant to the order settled by God wherein albeit in respect of their corrupt will it be most disordered there is not yet the most wise order of divine justice power and goodnesse lying hid under that consusion which themselves had caused and for the most part also the same doth manifestly appeare the event or God himselfe by his word declaring it Great confusion was there in the Jewes detestable murther when they crucified the Sonne of God and yet notwithstanding the hand and counsell of God hath defined and determined nothing with more wonderfull order and wisedome than the death of his Sonne for our sins All humane things therefore are vaine not in respect of the will and decree or providence of God for if we respect it they are most well ordered even such as in mens judgements seeme most disordered but in respect of men as concerning both the fault and punishment For 1. All our things God not illightning correcting and directing us by his Spirit are evill and displeasing God 2. They obtaine not their expected and hoped events or those at leastwise not firme and stable neither such wherein sound and solide felicity and blessednesse doth consist 3. That wisdome also which is the knowledge of Gods will and a true desire to be
obedient thereunto in this life is joyned with manifold errours sinnes and calamities Therefore humane matters are not ruled of God that is working them as they are confuse and sins but are ruled of God permitting sinnes even as they are sins and directing them to most good ends but working all that is good even those things which lye hid in things disordered and confuse Moreover The evils which just men suffer and the good which the unjust enjoy seem disordered in mens judgements but according to the judgment of God there is a most just order in them for those causes which are uttered in the word of God And those things are to be removed from the will and working of God not which in our judgement but which in the judgement of God are disordered Repl. They who are against God are not ruled and guided by God Divels and wicked men are against God Therefore they are not ruled and guided by his divine providence Answ Wee grant the whole reason in some respect namely that Divels and wicked men are not ruled of God by his speciall providence that is The wicked are not ruled of God so manifestly as the godly they withstand Gods revealed will but not his secret wil. by his holy Spirit lightning their mindes with the knowledge of Gods will and inclining their hearts not to respect and execute in their actions their owne lusts but the knowne will of God and so themselves to worke well together with God who by them worketh well But they are ruled and governed of God by his generall secret providence or government so that they cannot doe any thing but what God hath decreed to doe by them and are the instruments of his punishments and benefits though themselves thinke and respect some other thing According to his will he worketh in the army of heaven Dan. 4 3â— and in the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand nor say unto him What doest thou The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of waters Prov. 21.1 he turneth it whither soever it pleaseth him God moveth inclineth Gen. 45.5 7. and ruleth the wicked wil of Josephs brethren in such wise as not to kill Joseph but freely to sell him to the Ismaelites that by this means he might transport the family of Jacob into Egypt nourish multiply them and being oppressed by long servitude and bondage gloriously deliver them Assur though a wicked and proud King yet is called The rod of the Lords wrath Likewise the Assyrians are called The sanctified of God hired souldiers Esay 10.5 doing service to God whom yet their own ambition cruelty and coveteousnesse carried to take weapons against the Jewes Likewise every-where in Scripture God is said to infatuate and besot the wicked to strike them with a giddinesse to mad and amase them to effeminate them to fill them full of feare so that their spirits faile them at the noise of the falling of a leafe to rule the swords of the wickedwith his hand to obdurate and harden their hearts By these and the like it is manifest that even the deliberations counsels and actions of the wicked are subject to his divine providence and government and that it is not an idle permission in them but an effectuall working of God inclining their wils and guiding their actions at his good pleasure The second Sophisme of the cause of sinne OBject 1. All the actions and motions of all creatures are done by the will and working of God Many actions as the selling of Joseph the Assyrians warring against the Jewes are sinnes Therefore sinnes are done by the will and working of God and by force of consequent the opinion of universall providence maketh God the authour of sin Ans There is a fallacy of the accident in the Minor proposition Actions are sinnes Actions are no sins in themselves but by an accident not in themselves and as they are actions but by an accident by reason of the corruption of the instrument in those actions which God worketh most justly by him he not respecting this as to obey therein the known will of God This corruption or defect of the creature and the action which God worketh by the creature concurre together by an accident For neither is essentiall to other neither the cause of other but each is to other accidentary For both God would have wrought that selfe same punishment which he inflicted justly on the Jewes by the Assyrians sinning by an instrument not sinning and the Assyrian if it had pleased God to correct his will might gave been notwithstanding the instrument of Gods wrath and yet good how great soever severity he had exercised toward the Jewes As when God by his good Angels slayeth the wicked hoast of the Assyrians Sin therefore which is in the actions of the creature is not done by the will and working of God but by an accident to wit as God willeth and worketh those actions which are sins by the fault of the creature The summe of all cometh to this The good action of God exercised by an evill and corrupt instrument is no otherwise the sinne of the bad instrument than water which cometh pure out of the fountaine is made impure running through uncleane places or the best wine coming out of a good vessell wexeth sowre and eager being put in a corrupt vessell according to that of Horace Vnlesse the vessell bee pure Horat. lib. epist 2. whatsoever thou powrest in sowreth or further than the good worke of a good Judge is the evill worke of an evill servant or minister or the riding of a good horse-man is the halting of a lame horse In all these is a Paralogisme or fallacy of the accident that is there is a proceeding from the essence or thing it selfe to that which is but an accident to the thing and doth but by an accident concurre with it after this manner The going of a lame horse is a plaine halting The horse-man willeth and worketh the going of the lame horse Therfore he willeth and worketh the halting In like sort the Divel is created and sustained by God The Divel is wicked Therefore the wickednes of the Divel is from God as the author and effecter thereof Both which reasons are alike sophisticall and false Many things in respect of the creatures are sins in themselves Repl. 1. Those things which are in their owne kind sinnes or unto which the definition of sin agreeth they are in themselves sins Many actions are in their own kind sins as theft lying adultery murder Therfore they are sins in themselves Ans It is a fallacy reasoning from that which is in some respect so to that which is simply so For the whole argument is granted concerning actions prohibited by God in respect of the creatures as they are committed of them against the law of God knowne unto them either by generall or special
consequence or by supposition which is the immutability and unchangeablenesse of those effects which follow of causes which causes being supposed or put the effect must necessarily follow but the causes notwithstanding themselves might either not have been or might have been changed So are those things necessary which God hath decreed that they should be done in respect of the unchangeablenesse of his decree which decree yet God most freely made that is hee might from everlasting either not have decreed it at all or have decreed it otherwise according to those wordes Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and hee will give mee moe than twelve legions of Angels Mat. 26.53 How then should the Scripture be fulfilled Likewise Those things are called necessary which are done indeed by such second causes as are so made of God that by their owne nature they cannot doe otherwise than they doe but yet may be by God himselfe either taken away or hindered or altered and changed As the Sun and the shadow going forward in consequence or order of nature with the Sun and yet consisting and standing still in that battell of Joshua and returning backwards in the daies of Ezechias the fire burning bodies within the reach thereof which are capable of burning and yet not burning the three Children in the furnace of Babylon or those things which are indeed in their own nature apt to produce a contrary or diverse thing or to forbeare producing of their effect and yet notwithstanding cannot doe otherwise because they are so moved by God or by other causes which although they be not changed yet might have been changed or when they worke so cannot withall not worke or worke otherwise because two contradictories cannot be both at one time true Fortune and Chance Fortune and Chance are sometimes taken for the events themselves or effects which follow causes that are causes but by an accident by reason of such causes as are causes by and in themselves but not knowne to us as when we say good or evill fortune happy or unhappy chance Sometimes they signifie the causes of such events either the manifest causes which are causes but by an accident as when any thing is said to be done by fortune or by chance or the hidden and unknown causes which are causes by and in themselves As it is said in the Poet Omnipotent fortune and fate inevitable And they are wont to call that fortune which is a cause by an accident in voluntary agents whose actions have some event that seldome happeneth besides their appointment As he that digging with purpose to build findeth treasure Chance they call an accidentall cause in naturall agents whose motions have effects neither proper to them neither alwaies happening and that without any manifest cause directing it as if a tyle falling from an house kill one that passeth by Fate or destiny The difference between the Stoickes the Churches doctrine concerning Gods providence By the name of Fate or Destiny sometimes is understood the decree and provideâ—ce of God As that of the Poet Leave off to hope that the fates of the Gods are moved with entreaty But the Stoickes by this word understood the immutable connexion and knitting of all causes and effects depending of the nature of the causes themselves so that neither the second causes are able to work otherwise than they work neither the first causes can worke otherwise than doth the second and therefore all effects of all causes are absolutely necessary This opinion of the Stoickes because it spoyleth God of his liberty and omnipotency and abolisheth the order and manner of working in second causes disposed by Gods wisedome not only sounder Philosophy but the Church also rejecteth and condemneth and doth openly professe her dissenting from the Stoickes 1. Because the Stoickes tie God to second causes as if it should be necessary for him to work by them as their nature doth bear and suffer But the Church teacheth that God worketh not according to the rule or lore of second causes but second causes according to the prescript of God as being their chiefe and most free Governour and Lord and therefore are subject and tied to his will and pleasure 2. The Stoickes were of opinion that neither God nâ—r second causes can doe any thing of their own nature otherwise than they doe The Church affirmeth that not only second causes are made and ordained by God some to bring forth certain and definite effects some variable and contrary but God himself also could from everlasting either not have decreed or have decreed and wrought otherwise either by second causes or without them and by them either changeable in their own nature or unchangeable all things whose contrary are not repugnant to his nature and that he hath so decreed them and doth so work them not because he could not doe otherwise but because it so pleased him as it is said Our God is in heaven he doth whatsoever he will With God shall nothing be impossible that is which is not against his nature Psal 115.3 Luke 1.37 or whereby his nature is not overthrowne as it is said 2 Tim. 2. Out of this then which hath been spoken we answer unto the argument which was That which is done by the unchangeable decree of God is not done contingently but necessarily All things are done by the unchangeable decree of God nothing therefore is done contingently neither by fortune or chance but all necessarily First wee say there is more in the conclusion than in the premisses when the opinion of the Stoickes is objected to the Church For albeit the Church confesseth all events in respect of Gods providence to be necessary yet this necessity is not a Stoicall fate and destiny because the Church detendeth against the Stoickes both liberty in God governing things at his pleasure and a changeablenes in second causes and sheweth out of Gods word that God could both now doe and from everlasting have decreed many things which neither he doth nor hath decreed And therefore the Church also hath abstained from the name of fate lest any should suspect her to maintaine with the Stoickes an absolute necessity of all things Secondly necessity of consequence or supposition doth not take away contingency If removing Stoicisme yet notwithstanding the necessity of all things and the abolishing of contingency fortune and chance be objected wee make answer to the Major by distinguishing the words For those things which are done by the providence and decree of God are done indeed necessarily but by that necessity which is by supposition or of consequence not by simple necessity or absolute wherefore it followeth that all things come to passe not by simple and absolute necessity but by that of supposition or consequence And necessity of consequence doth not at all take away contingency The reason of this is Because the same effect may have causes whereof some may produce
and faith in us 8. By whose power and by whom the Resurrection shall be THe resurrection and raising of the dead shall be wrought by Christ for by the force and vertue of Christ our Saviour We shall rise John 6.54 I will raise him up in the last day which speech of Christ is to be understood of the body For he doth not raise up the soules because they die not Now Christ-man shall raise us by the voice of his man-hood and by the vertue of his God-head John 5.28 Acts 17.31 The houre shall come in the which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of man God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead The use of this doctrine is to beleeve this our raising which shall be hereafter both because the raiser is of sufficient power seeing he is Almighty God and of a prone and ready will because he is our head And hence ariseth unto us great consolation and comfort Because he is true man who shall raise us therefore he will not neglect his owne flesh and members but will raise them even us will he raise to eternall life for which cause he took our flesh and redeemed us Object But the Father is said to raise us yea to raise Christ himselfe He that raised up Christ from the dead Rom. 8.11 shall also quicken your mortall bodies because that his spirit dwelleth in you Therefore we shall not be raised by Christ nor by the power of Christ Ans The externall works of the Trinity performed on the creatures are undivided or common to them all alwayes observing an order of the persons in working As therefore the Father is not excluded when raising is attributed to the Son so neither is the Son excluded when it is attributed to the Father or the holy Ghost The Father therefore shall raise us by his Son mediatly But the Son shall immediatly raise us with his spirit as being our only Redeemer Phil. 3.20 21. and Judge We look for our Saviour from heaven even the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working John 5.21 whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them so the Son quickneth whom he will But the Spirit shall immediatly raise us up himselfe Rom. 8.11 If the spirit of him which raised up Jesus c. 9. For what end and to what estate we shall rise THe last end of the Resurrection is Gods glory For to this end shall the Resurrection be The ends of the Resurrection 1. Gods glory 2. The salvation and glory of the Elect and the damnation of the Reprobate Rev. 3.21 7.13 Dan. 12.3 that God may manifest and together fully and perfectly exercise both his mercy towards the Faithfull and his justice towards the Reprobate and so may declare the unutterable certainty of his promises in both The next and subordinate end to the former is the salvation and glory of the Elect and of the contrary the damnation and punishment of the Reprobate For the Elect or Saints of God shall rise to everlasting life To him will I grant to sit with me in my throne They shall be arrayed in long white robes They shall shine as the Sunne But the wicked shall rise to be drawne to everlasting paines and torments Mat. 25.41 Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the Devill and his Angels And a little after And these shall go into everlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall Object Christs resurrection is the cause of our resurrection and also the benefit of Christs resurrection is our resurrection But this cause and this benefit belongeth not to Unbeleevers and Infidels Therefore they shall not rise For to whom the cause of the resurrection appertaineth not to them the resurrection it selfe no way belongeth Answ We thus make answer to the Major that To whom no cause of the resurrection belongeth they shall not rise But although this cause namely the resurrection of Christ concerneth not the wicked that is though the wicked shall not therefore rise because Christ is risen yet they shall rise for some other cause to wit for the execution of Gods just judgement whereby he shall deliver and give them to eternall paines For one and the same effect may have many and divers causes if not in number yet at least in kind especially being in divers subjects The cause therefore of the resurrection of the godly is the resurrection of Christ who is as their Head the cause of the resurrection of the wicked is not Christs resurrection for they are not the members of Christ but the justice of God and the truth of Gods menaces and judgements In a word there is no coherence in this reason They shall not rise because of Christs resurrection Therefore they shall not rise at all because they shall rise in respect of another cause which is that they may be punished There is but one end indeed of our resurrection in respect of God which is glory but the maner of coming to this end is diverse Quest 58. What comfort takest thou of the Article of everlasting life Ans That forasmuch as I feele already in my heart the beginning of everlasting life a 2 Cor. 5.23 it shall at length come to passe that after this life I shall injoy full and perfect blisse wherein I may magnifie God for ever which blessednesse verily neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard neither hath any man in thought conceived it b 1 Cor. 2.9 The Explication THis Article is placed in the end 1. Because it is perfectly fulfilled after the rest 2. Because it is an effect of all the other Articles that is we beleeve all the other Articles because of this and all things that we beleeve in the rest were done that we might beleeve this Article and so at length injoy everlasting life This Article therefore is the end and proofe of our salvation The chiefe questions touching everlasting life are these 1. What everlasting life is 2. Of whom it is given 3. To whom it is given 4. Wherefore it is given 5. When it is given 6. How it is given 7. Whether in this life we may be assured of everlasting life 1. What everlasting life is THe question What everlasting life is may justly seem unexplicable seeing the holy Ghost hath pronounced thereof The things which neither eye hath seene Isay 64.4 1 Cor. 2.9 nor eare hath heard neither came into mans heart God hath prepared for them that love him Notwithstanding by analogy and proportion of that life whereof Philosophers dispute and Scripture speaketh
in some sort made ours even by application The subject indeed wherein this justice is inherent is Christ we are the object to which this justice is directed sith it is imputed unto us 2. That the word Imputation is more strict than Application The former is spoken of God only the latter of God and us 3. That God otherwise applieth Christs justice unto us than we doe God applyeth it by imputation and we apply it by faith and acceptation 4. That this phrase of the Church To justifie The signification of the phrase To justifie proved by the Grammaticall derivation of it in divers languages In hipâ—â—â— signifieth not legally that is To make one just who is unjust by infusing the quality of justice but evangelically that is To repute him which is unjust for just and righteous and to absolve him from all guilt and not to punish him and this for anothers justice and satisfaction imputed unto him So the Scripture useth this word and almost in all tongues it beareth no other signification for the Hebrew word Hadzdik Exod. 23. â— Prov. 17.15 signifieth To absolve a guilty person To pronounce him guiltlesse I will not justifie a wicked person He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth sometime To pronounce a man just and righteous and sometimes To punish an offender and both on good knowledge of his cause by due examination and judiciall processe as Suidas well observeth Mat. 12.37 So saith Christ By thy words thou shalt be justified The former signification is used two waies in Scripture For either it signifies not to condemne but To absolve in judgement Rom. 8.33 as Who shall condemne the Elect of God it is God that justifieth Hee departed justified rather than the other or it signifieth To pronounce and proclaime just Luke 18.14 As Wisedome is justified of her children That thou mayest be justified in thy sayings Howbeit both significations in this Question come to one end But that to justifie should be used for to make just or to infuse an habit of justice is no where found amongst the Latines and were it read in Latine Authours yet in Scripture and in the Church it is otherwise used as the alledged places apparently prove which can be understood no other way than of the absolution and free accepting a sinner to grace and favour Who shall accuse Gods Elect it is God that justifieth The Publicane departed justified that is absolved and more accepted of God than the Pharisee Acts 13.39 For from all things from which yee could not be justified by the Law of Moses by him every one that beleeveth is justified Here To be justified doth evidently signifie to be absolved Rom. 3.24 26 28. 4.5 5.9 10. to receive remission of sins All are justified freely by his grace A justifier of him which is of the faith of Jesus A man is justified by faith without the workes of the law To him that worketh not but beleeveth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Being now justified by his bloud Reconciled to God by the death of his Son 6. Why Christs satisfaction is made ours or in what sort God imputeth it unto us for righteousnesse The cause of Christs satisfaction applyed and imputed is in God only not in us THe perfect fulfilling of the law performed by Christ for us is made ours or applyed unto us through the alone and free mercy of God as who from everlasting did predestinate us to this grace and freely chose us in Christ to whom he might apply of his meere grace of faith that justice and righteousnesse at his appointed time according to the good pleasure of his will as the Apostle speaketh that is according to his meere good pleasure not being moved with any holinesse which hee foresaw would be in us The reason is because there can be no good thing in us except God first worke in us Wherefore all imagination and affirmation of merit is to be taken away as which fighteth with the grace of God and is a deniall of his divine grace For the grace and mercy of God is the only cause of both applications He of his goodnes infinite and passing measure applyeth Christs merit unto us and maketh that we also may apply the same unto us The cause therefore why this application is wrought is in God alone but not at all in us that is it is neither any thing foreseen in us neither also our apprehension and receiving of this justice for all the gifts and graces which are in us are effects of the application of Christs merit and therefore that merit of Christ is no way applied unto us for the works sake which wee doe but this is done as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 1.5 According to the good pleasure of his will Whereupon also it is said What hast thou that thou hast not received 1 Cor. 4.7 By grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Christ is then in respect of our justification 1. As the subject and matter wherein our justice is 2. As the impellent cause because he obtaineth it 3. As the chief efficient because he together with his Father doth justifie us and giveth us faith whereby wee beleeve and apprehend it The mercy of God is as the impellent cause thereof in God Christs satisfaction is the formall cause of our justification giving the very life and being unto it Our faith is the instrumentall cause apprehending and applying unto us the justice or righteousnesse of Christ We must note therefore How we are justified by the grace of God how by Christs merit and how by faith that we are justified by the grace of God by the merit of Christ and by faith but by each of these in a severall sense and meaning The first position is understood of the impulsive cause which is in God the second of the formall cause in Christ the third of the instrumentall cause in us We are justified by the mercy or grace of God as a principall impellent cause wherewith God being urged and moved justifieth and saveth us We are justified by the merit of Christ partly as by the formall cause of our justification inasmuch as by Christs obedience applied unto us we are accepted of God and being clothed as it were with this raiment are reputed just partly as by an impulsive and meritorious cause inasmuch as God absolveth us for his sake Wee are justified by faith as by an instrumentall cause whereby we apprehend Christs righteousnesse imputed unto us The common received opinion saith We are justified by faith correlatively that is we are justified by that whereunto faith hath relation to wit the merit of Christ which faith apprehendeth For faith and the
of this Syllogisme is evidently proved out of the law Hee that doth these things shall live in them Cursed is every one which abideth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to doe them The Minor is out of doubt Levit. 18.5 Deut. 27.26 Why our workes are imperfect seeing wee doe many evill things which we ought to leave undone and we leave many good works undone which we should doe yea we mingle much evill with that good we doe that is we doe it amisse The complaints and daily prayers of Saints are witnesse hereof Forgive us our sins Enter not into judgment with thy servant Wherefore imperfect works can make no perfect righteousnesse Psal 143.2 This is the first cause why we cannot be justified by our works namely Ten causes why wee cannot be justified by workes or partly by faith and partly by workes 1. Because our justice should by this meanes be imperfect seeing our works are imperfect Many other causes there are For 2. Though our workes were perfect yet are they due debt so that by them we cannot acquit our sins that are past When ye have done all those things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to doe 3. They are none of ours but Gods who worketh them in us 4. They are temporary and have no proportion with eternall rewards Luke 17.10 whereas between a merit and reward there must be some proportion 5. They are the effects of justification therefore not the cause 6. If by them we were justified we should have whereof to boast but the Scripture saith Not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe 7. The conscience should be destitute of solid or sure comfort 8. Christ should have died without a cause 9. There should not be the same way to salvation in both Testaments if Abraham were justified by faith onely and wee by works Ephes 2.9 Rom. 4.16 whether by works alone or works joyned with faith it skilleth not 10. Christ should be no perfect Saviour because some part of our righteousnesse and salvation should be without him Gal. 2.21 Quest 63. How is it that our good works merit nothing seeing God promiseth that he will give a reward for them both in this life and in the life to come Answ That reward is not given of merit but of grace a Luke 17.10 The Explication IN this Question is contained a prevention of an argument of the Papists brought for justification before God for our workes and merits Obj. 1. Reward presupposeth merit so that where reward is there is also merit for Reward and Merit are correlatives whereof if one be put the other is put also But everlasting life is proposed as a reward for good workes Therefore also the merit of good workes is everlasting life Answ The Major is sometimes true as concerning creatures as when men may merit or deserve of men But neither alwaies among men doth it follow that there is merit where there is reward for men also oftentimes give rewards not of merit or desert Now it is unproperly said of God that he proposeth eternall life unto our works as a reward for we can merit nothing at Gods hand by our works Or if they thus presse and urge their reason Object That is a merit whereunto a reward appertaineth But a reward appertaineth to good workes Therefore by order of justice good workes are merits Answ That is a merit whereunto a reward appertaineth by force of covenant or bond But the reward of good works is of grace In reward two things are to be considered 1. Obligation or binding 2. Compensation or recompensing Here is no obligation but compensation followeth works through grace There is therefore a reward of workes because compensation followeth them and God for this cause especially promiseth to reward our workes 1. To testifie unto us that good workes please him Three causes why God promiseth to reward our workes 2. To teach us that eternall life is proposed onely to them that strive and labour painefully 3. Because hee will as surely give us a reward as if wee had deserved it Hither may be referred all such like arguments of the Papists whereby they labour to establish the merit of workes Object 2. Wee are justified by faith Faith is a worke Therefore wee are justified by workes Ans 1. The consequence of this reason is denied because more is in the conclusion than in the premisses of which premisses this onely followeth Therefore wee are justified by that worke which wee grant to wit as by an instrument or meane not as any impellent cause as themselves understand it for wee are justified by faith as by a meane of attaining our justification and wee are not justified for faith that is for the merit of faith 2. The kind of affirmation is diverse For in the Major faith is understood with relation to Christs merit in the Minor it is taken absolutely and properly Object 3. Our justice is that whereby wee are formally or essentially just Therefore wee are by faith formally and essentially just Answ The consequence of this reason is to be denied because the kinde of affirmation is diverse For the Major is meant properly but the Minor correlatively and figuratively * Per Metalepsin else it were false For properly not faith but the correlative object of faith namely Christs merit which faith beholdeth and applieth to it selfe is our justice 2. Either there are foure termes in this Syllogisme because the Major treateth of Legall justice the Minor of Evangelicall or else the Major is false For Evangelicall justice is not formally in us as whiteness is in a wall but is without us even in Christ and is made ours by imputation and application through faith Object 4. That which is imputed unto us for righteousnesse for it we are righteous Faith is imputed to us for righteousnesse as Paul saith Therefore For faith we are righteous and not only By faith Ans Againe the kind of affirmation is of proper in the Major proposition made figurative in the Minor The Major is true of that which is properly and by it selfe imputed for righteousnesse The Minor is true of that which is correlatively imputed for righteousnesse because by faith is correlatively understood the object of faith unto which faith hath relation for Christs merit which is apprehended by faith is properly our justice and the formall cause of our justice The efficient of our justice is God applying that merit of Christ unto us The instrument all cause of our justice is faith And therefore this proposition we are justified by faith being Legally understood with the Papists is not true but blasphemous but being taken correlatively that is Evangelically with relation to Christs merit it is true For the correlative of faith is the merit of Christ which faith also as a joynt Relative or correlative
in the Supper 8. Who are to come to the Supper 9. Who are to be admitted to the Supper The three former of these belong to the 75. and 76. Questions of the Catechism the fourth to the 77 78 79. the fifth to the 80. the sixth seventh eighth and ninth to the 81. and under them they shall be placed and handled 1. What the Supper of the Lord is The names given to this Sacrament and the reason of the names FIrst we will see by what names the Supper of the Lord is called then we will in few words define what it is This action or ceremony or rite instituted by Christ a little before his death is called The Lords Supper It is called 1. The Lords Supper from the first institution of it that is in respect of the originall or first beginning of this rite or in respect of the time wherein this ceremony was instituted which circumstance of time the Church for her liberty in case of this quality hath changed For it was a matter of casualty that this ceremony was instituted of Christ rather in the evening at supper time then in the morning or at noon day to wit because of the eating of the Paschal Lamb which by the law was to be celebrated in the evening and was afterwards to be abolished by this new Sacrament It is called of S. Paul 2. The Lords Table The Table of the Lord. It is likewise called Synaxis that is a covenant 3. A covenant of assembly in respect of the assembly and convent of the Church because some either few or many must assemble and meet together in celebrating of the Supper for in the first celebration the disciples were present to them it was said Take this and divide it among you Wherefore it must needs be that there was some number there which also appeareth by the Apostle repeating the first institution where in the end he addeth 1 Cor. 11.20 35. When ye come together to eat tarry one for another And further that moe ought to come together to celebrate the Supper this end of the Supper doth evidently enough shew in that it was instituted to be a token and even a bond of love For wee that are many 1 Cor. 10.17 are one bread and one body It is called also the Eucharist 4. The Eucharist because it is a rite and ceremony of thanksgiving Last of all 5. A Sacrifice it is called also a Sacrifice not propitiatory or meritorious as the Papists dream but gratulatory because it is the commemoration of Christs propitiatory sacrifice And at length it was also called Missa from the offering or from the dismissing of the rest who might not communicate after the Sermon which went before the celebration was finished We retain the name left in Scripture and call it The Lords Supper Now let us come to define the Lords Supper The definition of the Lords Supper The Lords Supper is a ceremony or Sacrament instituted and appointed of Christ unto the faithfull for a memoriall of him whereby Christ doth certainly promise and seal unto me and all the faithfull first That his body was offered and broken on the crosse for mee and his bloud shed for me as truly as I see with mine eyes the bread of the Lord to be broken unto me and his cup distributed And moreover That hee doth as certainly with his body crucified and his bloud shed feed and nourish my soul unto everlasting life as my body is fed with the bread and the cup the Lord received from the hand of the minister which are offered to me as certain seals of the body and bloud of Christ It may be also more briefly defined on this wise The Lords Supper is a distributing and receiving of bread and wine commanded of Christ unto the faithfull that by these signes he might testifie that hee hath delivered and yeelded his body unto death and hath shed his bloud for them and doth give them those things to eate and drink that they might be unto them the meat and dâ—ink of eternall life and that thereby also hee might testifie that hee would dwell in them nourish and quicken them for ever And again That of the other side he might by the same signes binde them to mutuall dilection and love seeing Christ spareth not to give his body and bloud for us This is confirmed not only by Christ in the Evangelists but also by Paul who expresly saith The cup of the blessing which wee blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ Moreover The signe and things signified in the Lords Supper the signes in the Sacrament are bread and wine bread broken and eaten wine distributed and taken The things signified are 1. The breaking of the bodâ— and the shedaing of the bloud of Christ 2. Our union and conjunction with Christ by faith so that wee draw life everlasting from him and are made partakers as of Christ himselfe so also of all his benefits as the branches are made partakers of the life of the vine Wee are advertised of this our union and communion with Christ 1. By the proportion which the signes have with the things 2. By the promise which is adjoyned And the proportion doth chiefly propose and shew two things unto us 1. The sacrifice of Christ 2. Our communion with Christ because the bread is not only broken but is also given us to eat Breaking of the bread a part of the ceremony Now the breaking of the bread is a part of the ceremony because unto it a part of the thing signified doth answer namely the breaking of Christs body of which signification of this signe Paul doth testifie when he saith 1 Cor. 11.24 This is my body which is broken for you Here receiving and eating is part of the ceremony whereunto doth answer the thing signified to wit the eating of Christs body Now this divine and spirituall thing namely the breaking and communicating of Christs body is signified and confirmed by this ceremony which is the breaking and receiving of bread for two causes 1. Because Christ commandeth these rites unto which we ought to give no lesse credit then if Christ himself did speak with us 2. Because he annexeth a promise that they who observe these rites with a true faith must be assured and certain that they have communion with Christ. Wine is added that wee should know the perfection and accomplishment of our salvation to be in his sacrifice and that there was nothing which could be further desired The wine is severed from the bread to signifie the violence of his death because the bloud was sundered from his body 2. What are the ends of the Lords Supper THe ends for which the Lords Supper was instituted are Confirmation of our faith That it might be a confirmation of our faith that is a most certain testification of our communion and union with Christ
this warfare there is no end but in death You may to this purpose reade the Sections immediatly following as farte as to the fifteenth in which the whole disputation touching the remnâ—nts of sin in the Saints is learnedly maintained against the Cathari and Anabaptists 7. In what the conversion of the godly differeth from the repentance of the wicked THe name of Repentance is attributed as well to the wicked as to the godly because they both agree in some things to wit in the knowledge of sinne and the griefe for sinne but in the rest there is great difference Their griefe is divers In the impulsive cause of repentance which is Grief The wicked are grieved onely for the punishment and torment ensuing not for that they offend and displease God So was Cain grieved onely in respect of his punishment Gen. 4.13 My iniquity that is the punishment of mine iniquity is greater than I can beare Behold thou hast cast mee out this day from the earth Now the godly hate indeed the punishment but they are grieved especially for that God is offended and for their sin So David Psal 51.4 Against thee against thee onely have I sinnned my sin is ever before mee The good hate to sin for the love they beare to vertue the wicked for the feare they stand in of punishment So in Peter was a sorrow and griefe for that he had offended God in Judas for his torment ensuing not for the Sin it self This difference hath the Heathen Poet Horace described in this his Poem Horat. lib. 1. Epist 16. The good avoide offence for vertues sake The wicked to abstaine base feare doth make The cause of their griefe is divers In the cause which breedeth repentance in both The wicked repent by reason of a despaire distrust and diffidency so that they run more and more into desperation murmuring and hatred against God But the Godly repent by reason of faith and a confidence which they have of the grace of God and reconciliation through Christ The manner of their repentance is diverse In the forme and manner of their repentance For the repentance of the godly is a returning unto God from the Divell from their sins and from their old nature because they doe not only grieve but also comfort and erect themselves againe by confidence in the Mediatour they trust in God and rejoyce in him and relye on him with David Purge mee with Hysope and I shall be cleane The repentance of the wicked is a back-sliding from God unto the Divell a hatred of God a flight from him and a murmuring or repining against him and a beginning of desperation The effect of their griefe is diverse In the effect which their repentance worketh in them In the wicked new obedience doth not follow repentance but they goe forward in their sins and returne to their vomit though they counterfeit repentance for a time as Achab did They are mortified in feed themselves and quite destroyed but the old corruption of their nature that is sin is not crucified in them and how much the more they give them selves to repentance so much the more is in them a hatred of God murmuring flying and turning away from God and an approaching unto the Divell But in the godly new obedience followeth and accompanieth repentance and how much the more they repent so much the more dieth the old man in them and the study and desire of righteousnesse and living well is in them so much the more increased Quest 91. What are good workes Answ Those onely which are done by a true faith a Rom. 14 23. according to Gods law b Levit. 18.4 1 Sam. 5.22 Ephes 2.10 and are referred only to his glory c 1 Cor. 10.31 and not those which are imagined by us as seeming to us to be right and good or which are delivered and commanded by men d Ezek. 20.18 19. Esay 29.13 Mâ—tthew 15.7 8 The Explication UNder this Question is contained the Doctrine of good works the chief questions whereof are 1. What good workes are 2. How they may be done 3. Whether the workes of Saints be pure and perfectly good 4. How our workes though not perfectly good please God 5. Why wee are to doe good workes 6. Whether good works merit any thing in the sight of God 1. What good works are GOod workes are such as are done according to the prescript rule of Gods law with a true faith to the glory of God only Three things are here to be considered 1. The conditions and circumstances required for the making a good work 2. The difference between the works of the regenerate and the unregenerate 3. In what sort the morall works of the wicked are sins 1. That a work which we doe Three things required to a good work may be good and acceptable to God these conditions are required necessarily unto it Gods commandement Mat. 15.9 How morall and naturall good differ That it be commanded of God In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrine mens precepts No creature hath the right or wisdome and understanding to institute and ordaine the worship of God But good workes we speak of morall good and the worship of God are all one Now morall good is far different from naturall good inasmuch as all actions as they are actions even those of the wicked are good naturally that is they are some-thing framed by God in nature but all actions are not good morally that is agreeing with the justice of God And thus is excluded by this condition all will-worship and that coyned device of good intentions when as namely men doe evill things that good things may come thereof Likewise when they devise and imagine workes which they thrust upon God instead of worship Neither doth it suffice if a work be not evill or not forbidden 1 Sam. 15.22 Fizek 20.19 Mat. 15.9 Esay 29.12 but it must also be commanded if it shall serve for Gods worship according to the Scripture Obedience is better than sacrifice Ye shall walk in my statutes Object But you will say Things of indifferency that is things in themselves neither good nor evill and such as may be done or left undone by men at their pleasure are not commanded of God and yet many of them please God Answ They please him not of their owne nature but by accident inasmuch as they are contained under the generall of love that is they are done in respect and regard of charity and to avoid offence and to further the salvation of the weaker brethren For in this regard they are in generall though not in speciall commanded by God True faith That the worke have his originall from a true faith which faith must be grounded and depending on the merit and intercession of the Mediatour and by which thou mayest know both thy person and thy work to be accepted of God for the Mediatours sake For
and give light as it were unto all the other Commandements both of the second and the first Table and be included in them This rule is delivered by the Apostle Whether therefore yee eat or drink 1 Cor. 10.31 or whatsoever yee doe doe all to the glory of God By these two former rules many things are made more cleere and manifest namely That no man in this life performeth entire and perfect obedience unto the Law That the vertues of the unregenerate are sinnes in the sight of God because they are neither joyned with inward obedience nor come from the obedience of the first Commandement neither are referred unto it seeing they doe not know the true God and therefore they are but a shadow of obedience and are hypocrisie which God most severely condemneth Esay 29.13 Because this people come neere unto me with their mouth Rom. 14.23 and honour me with their lips but have removed their hearts farre from me I will againe doe a marvellous worke in this people Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Moreover by these rules it is manifest that true obedience cannot be begun but by faith through the knowledge of the Mediatour and the gift of the holy Ghost Purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15.9 Galat. 2.20 John 5.23 In that that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Sonne of God For God is not truly knowne or loved without faith in Christ Hee that honoureth not the Sonne honoureth not the Father which hath sent him Againe by these rules it is declared that our obedience in this life seeing it is but begun onely cannot please God but through and for the satisfaction of Christ imputed unto us Hee hath freely made us accepted in his beloved Ephes 1.6 Lastly by them it is manifest that in true conversion obedience is begun according to all the Commandements For who truly loveth God he submitteth himselfe without exception to all his Commandements 1 John 3.6 He that is borne of God sinneth not 4. That we may judge aright of the meaning of every Commandement or Law we must above all things consider the drift or end thereof For the end of the Law sheweth the meaning thereof and by the end which God in every Commandement intendeth we shall judge aright and easily of the meanes This rule also is of force in humane Laws But we are to understand it of the next and neerest end of the Law For not those things which are necessary to the attaining of such ends as are remote or a far off but those which are necessary to the attaining of the neerest and subordinate ends are to be comprised in the sentence and prescript of one law which except it be observed the sentence and substance of all or many laws will be brought all into one The furthest end and therefore the end of the whole Law is the worship of God It requireth therefore the whole obedience of the Law The end of the second Table is the preservation of the society of mankinde this requireth all the duties of the second Table The end of the fifth commandement is the preservation of civill order it compriseth therefore the duties of superiours towards inferiours and inferiours towards superiours because without these civill order cannot be preserved 5. The same vertue or the same worke is often in a diverse respect commanded in divers Commandements that is the same vertue is required for the performing of obedience to many Commandements because the ends of actions put a difference betweene them and the same vertue may serve for divers ends As fortitude is a vertue both of the fifth and sixth Commandement because it is required in a Magistrate who is to take upon him the defence of others This we are to know lest we in vaine trouble and vexe our selves in distinguishing and placing the vertues 6. The Law giver doth in an affirmative Commandement comprehend the negative and contrariwise in a negative he comprehendeth the affirmative that is in the commanding of vertues the forbidding of the contrary vices is contained and so contrariwise in the forbidding of vice the commanding of the contrary vertue is included For wheresoever any good thing is injoyned there the speciall evill opposed unto this good is inhibited because the good cannot be put in execution unlesse the contrary evill be abandoned Now by evill is meant not onely the doing of that which is evill but also the omitting of that which is good 7. We must take heed that we restraine not the Commandements too much and take them too straitly For they are so to be taken and understood as that in the generall all the specials be contained and in the chiefe speciall the next allied specials and in the effect the causes and in one of the correlatives the other also So when manslaughter and adultery is forbidden all wrongfull violence and all wandering lusts are likewise condemned when chastity is commanded temperancy is also commanded without which this effect is not When subjection which is the one relative is commanded magistracy also which is his correlative is commanded 8. The obedience or commandements of the second Table yeeld unto the obedience or commandements of the first Table and the commandements concerning Ceremoniall worship to commandements concerning Morall worship Object Mat. 22.39 What similitude or likelihood is between the first second Table But the second commandement is like unto the first Therefore the second Table yeeldeth not unto the first Ans This is a fallacy in taking that to be simply and generally spoken which is meant but of some part or points of the second Table The second Commandement we grant is like unto the first but not simply and in every point but as heretofore hath beene shewed it is like 1. As concerning the kinde of Morall worship which is alwayes to be preferred before the Ceremoniall For the ceremonies must give place to the duties of charity expressed in the second Table 2. As concerning the kinde of punishment to wit everlasting punishment whereunto they are subject who breake the second as well as they who breake the first 3. As concerning the necessary coherence and connexion of the love of God and our neighbour the one being a cause and the other an effect so that neither can be kept without other For God is not loved except our neighbour be loved neither is our neighbour truly loved except God be loved If any man say I love God and yet hate his brother he is a lyar 1 John 4.20 for how can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seene love God whom he hath not seene And this is the purpose of Christ in the fore-alledged Scripture For there the Pharisees equalled divine Ceremonies and their owne superstitions with the obedience of the second Table for the detection of which errour Christ faith that the second Table is like unto the first that is as
estimation of others h 1 Pet. 4.8 The Explication THe drift or end of this Commandement is the ordinance and maintenance of the truth among men Neither is in this Commandement onely bearing false witnesse forbidden but all things which are of neere affinity therewith the generall whereof is lying Thou shalt not beare false witnesse of thy neighbour or against thy neighbour In this negative Commandement is comprehended an affirmative which is Beare therefore true witnesse of or for thy neighbour that is be true and desirous of learning and knowing the truth Wherefore the originall and generall head of those vertues which are here commanded is truth or truenesse in our speech opinion judgement covenants and in our doctrine For the name of Truth here is taken for the agreement or correspondence of our knowledge or speech with the thing whereof our speech is True wee terme the speech it selfe agreeing with the thing Contrariwise the generall head of such vices as are here condemned is false-hood in any of the fore-alledged premisses The vertues of this ninth Commandement together with their vices THe chiefe and principall vertue which is here commanded is Truth 1. Truth or truenesse is a vertue 1. Vertue Truth whereby wee love true opinions or speeches and seek after them and receive them and gladly professe and defend them according as both our dutie and persons places times and other circumstances require unto the glorie of God and the safety of our neighbour This end maketh that the divell cannot be said to be true although hee sometimes speake that which is true For he is true who speaketh and loveth the truth and doth affection it for the glory of God and the safety of his neighbour Of this vertue Aristotle briefly but learnedly disputeth in his Moralls and referreth truth in bargaines to justice Hee calleth him properly a true man who when it steedeth him nought at all yet is true in his speech and whole life and is habitually such an one Truth may also be defined on this wise What truth is Truth is a firme election in the Will whereby we constantly imbrace true sentences and opinions speake that which is true keep covenants and promises and avoid all deceitfull dissemblings both in speech and outward gesture True confâ—ssion is commanded both in this and in the third Commandement How confession of truth here differeth from that which is required in the third Commandement as oftentimes the same vertue is required to the obedience of diverse commandements But in the third Commandement true confession is required as it is the honour and worship of God immediately respecting God and here it is commanded as there is a will in us not to deceive our neighbour but to wish his safety and wel-fare Under the name of truth wee comprise liberty of speech which is a vertue whereby as much as the time place and necessity requireth wee professe the truth freely and boldly and are not with-drawne through the feare of dangers Unto Truth The contrary vices in the defect are repugnant Lying Lying unto which appertaine all guiles dissembling lies of courtesie slanders back-bitings evill speakings which kindes of lying are repugnant also unto fairenesse of manners and conditions Likewise Negligence in understanding the truth of things and searching true opinions and wilfull Ignorance which is a lâ—ing in the minde Vanity A Vaine man A Lyer Lying To lye Mentiri est adversus mentem ire Vanity or Levity which is a readinesse to lying Hee is vaine who lyeth much often and easily and that without any shame A Lyer is he who hath a desire to lye Lying is to speake otherwise or to signifie otherwise by outward gestures than thou thinkest and than the thing it selfe is For to lye is as much as to goe against thine owne knowledge All lying which doth expresly and plainely dissemble the truth is here condemned neither are officious lyes or lyes of courtesie excused Lyes of courtesie because evill is not to be done that good may come of it And well saith Lactantius In Epit. Wee must never lye because a lye either alwaies hurteth or deceiveth some man But a truth which is uttered by a figure is no lie Truâ—h uttered in a figure whether hee understand it or no with whom wee deale This is to be observed that wee be not rigorous in examining the actions of the Saints and also that wee excuse not those things which have no need to be excused Exod. 1.15 20 21. Officious lyes are commonly defended by the example of the Egyptian Mid-wives which lyed unto the King and were blessed of God But God blessed them not therefore because they lyed but because they feared God and slew not the Infants of the Israelites Object That which profiteth another and hurteth no man See August lib. de mend ad Consen is not sinne and therefore may be done A dutifull lye is of such qualitie Therefore it is no sin but may be made Answ The Minor is false because that which God forbiddeth alwaies harmeth and if it profit at all this is but by accident through the goodnesse of God Unto Truth in the excesse is repugnant The contrary vices 1. Untimely professing of the truth which is to cast pearles to swine and to give that which is holy unto dogs as Christ saith who by these words doth wholly forbid unnecessary and untimely professing of the truth For as the verse hath it in the Poet Hee that warneth out of time doth harme 2. Curiosity which is to search after things unnecessary or unpossible These things may suffice for this chiefe and principall vertue of the ninth Commandement The vertues which follow wait upon truth and they all are as it were of truths retinue II Vertue Fairnesse of mind Fairnesse of mind is a vertue which taketh well things well or doubtfully spoken or done and interpreteth them in the better part to wit as farre as there are any reasonable causes to induce thereto and doth not easily conceive suspicions neither sticketh upon suspicions though they be such as are just and have reasonable causes hee doth not ground thereon neither directeth his actions accordingly neither decreeth or determineth ought by them Or Fairnesse of minde is a neighbour-vertue unto truth allowing of others wils upon probable reason and hating all evil-mindednesse and drawing also some things that are doubtfull to the better part and hoping indeed that which is good but yet as touching mutable things thinking that the wils of men may change and that a man may erre concerning anothers will seeing the infoldings and secret places of mans minde are not beheld The extremes of this vertue in the defect are Slandering and Suspiciousnesse The contrary vices Slandering is not onely falsely to criminate and attach the innocent but also to interpret things indifferently spoken in the worser part What slandering is or also to enterlace and
and declared the law The compleatnesse therefore and perfection of our wisedome and salvation which wee have in Christ doth not exclude but include rather and comprehendeth the doctrine of the law OF PRAYER ON THE 45. SABBATH Quest 116. Wherefore is Prayer necessary for Christians Ans Because it is the chiefe part of that thankfulnesse which God requireth of us a Psa 50.14 15. Matth. 17.7 8. And also because God giveth them onely his grace and holy Spirit who with unfeigned groanings beg them continually of him and yield him thanks for them b Luk. 11.9 13. Matth. 13.12 The Explication MAny Questions may be moved concerning Prayer but the chief Questions hereof are foure 1. What Prayer is and how many sorts there are of Prayer 2. Why Prayer is necessary 3. What is required to true Prayer 4. What is the forme of Prayer prescribed 1. What Prayer is and how many sorts of Prayer there are PRayer is the invocation of the true God proceeding from an acknowledgement and sense of our necessity and need and from a desire of Gods bounty in true conversion of the heart and in a confidence of the promise of grace for Christs sake the Mediatour begging at Gods hands necessary blessings corporall and spirituall or giving thankes unto him for the receit of these Invocation the generall of praier The Generall of Prayer is Invocation or Adoration But Adoration is oftentimes taken for the whole worship of God because whom wee worship him wee account for the true God Prayer is a part of invocation For Invocation or To invocate or call upon God is To crave of the true God any thing that is necessary both for the soule and body and to give thankes for benefits received of him Hereof it is here used as the Generall of Prayer Wherefore Prayer compriseth these two specials or parts Prayer hath two parts 1. Petition 2. Thanksgiving What Petition is What Thanksgiving is What Thankfulnesse is namely Petition or Prayer in speciall so called and Thankesgiving Petition is a prayer craving of God blessings necessary both for the soul and for the body Thanksgiving is a prayer acknowledging and magnifying benefits received of God and binding the thankfull party to thankfulnesse acceptable to God Thankefulnesse in generall is an acknowledgement or profession of the quality and quantity of a benefit received and a voluntary binding to the performance of duties mutuall possible and lawfull Thankfulnesse therefore containeth two things Foure sorts of Prayer 1. Tim. 2.1 to wit Truth and Justice Saint Paul maketh mention of foure sorts of prayer 1. Deprecations against evill things 2. Petitions for good things 3. Intercessions and requests for others 4. Thanksgiving for benefits received and evils repelled or removed from us Prayer also is distinguished with respect unto the circumstances of person and place into private and publike prayer Private praye is the conference of a faithfull soul with God Private and publike prayer What private prayer is craving apart for himselfe or others certaine blessings or benefits or giving thankes for some received This is not tyed to words and places For oftentimes an anguished and pensive heart instead of words powreth out sighes and groans only 1 Tim. 2.8 What publike prayer is and the Apostle commandeth that men pray every-where lifting up pure hands Publike prayer is that which is uttered unto God undera certaine forme of words by the whole Church in their assemblies the Minister saying before them as in open congregations it is meet hee should To this is the use of our tongue required and therefore Christ said When yee pray say For to this end was the tongue especially made that God might be magnified by it and Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Luke 11.2 Lastly hereby others also are to be invited to the lauding and praising of God 2. Why Prayer is necessary for Christians THe causes for which Prayer is necessary are these 1. The Commandement of God because God hath commanded that we call upon him and will this way chiefly and principally be worshipped and magnified by us Psal 50.15 Matth. 7.7 Luke 11.2 Call upon mee in the day of trouble Aske and it shall be given you When yee pray say Our Father c. 2. Our necessity and want For we receive not of God those blessings which are necessary for our safety and salvation except wee aske them of him For God hath promised them to such only as aske him So that prayer is as necessary for us as craving of almes is necessary for a beggar Now what wee speak of the necessity of prayer the same is also to be said of the necessity of thanksgiving For without giving thanks we lose those things that are given and receive not such things as are to be given and are necessary The necessity of both will easily appeare whether we consider the effects of faith or the cause of faith and so also faith it selfe Faith is kindled or increased in no man who doth not aske it no man hath faith who giveth not thanks for it and they which are indued with true faith aske the grace of God and they who have tasted of Gods grace shew themselves thankfull unto God for it and doe more and more crave and desire it The love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 which is given unto us And the holy Ghost himselfe also is obtained by petition or prayers for the holy Ghost is given to none but to him that desireth him Obj. 1. But wee see the wicked also to receive many gifts of the holy Ghost who yet desire him not Therefore not onely they that desire him receive him Answ The wicked verily receive many gifts but not those principall gifts neither those that are proper to the Elect such as are faith repentance and conversion remission of sins regeneration and further what gifts the wicked receive those are not availeable unto them neither doe they receive them to salvation Repl. Infants crave not the holy Ghost and yet they receive him Ans The holy Ghost is not given but to them that aske him that is to those of yeeres and understanding who are able to aske him But even Infants also aske and crave the holy Ghost after this manner having to wit in possibility an inclination to faith and therefore potentially they aske the holy Ghost or have an inclination to aske him Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained thy praise Object 2. The effect is not before his cause Psal 8.2 But prayers are the effects of the holy Ghost inasmuch as no man can aske the holy Ghost who hath not the holy Ghost and hee alone worketh prayer in us Therefore the holy Ghost is not received by prayer but is in us before prayer and so by consequent hee is not given to them onely that aske him Answ The
we may execute his will as the holy Angels fulfill it in heaven Object Vnpossible things are not to be desired for he that desireth things unpossible desireth in vaine But to desire that Gods will be done in earth as it is in heaven or that we may do our duty like as doe the Angels in heaven is to desire a thing unpossible yea it is to desire that which is contrary to Gods decree Therefore that is not to be desired seeing God will have this to be our state in the life to come not in this life Ans 1. The Major is to be distinguished Unpossible things are not to be desired except God will at length grant them to those that desire them but God will give the performance of this will to those that desire it and that in this life as concerning the beginning thereof and in the life to come as concerning the consummation and full accomplishment Wherefore this consummation is to be desired and the impossibility is patiently to be suffered in this life And the consummation is therefore to be desired in this life that we may at length obtaine it because he that doth not now desire it shall doubtlesse at no time obtaine it It is one thing Not to be able to attaine unto this consummation and another thing Not to desire it 2. We deny the Minor wherein is a fallacy putting that for a cause which is no cause For neither do we desire that in this life the consummation or perfection of our obedience towards God may be accomplished but that here may be wrought the beginning and continuance and increase thereof and after this life our obedience being here augmented with continuall increases may be at length perfected and consummated that so we then may no lesse do the will of God then it is alwaies done of the Angels in heaven When therefore we pray That Gods will be done in earth as it is in heaven this particle as doth not betoken the degree but the kind of doing it which is the beginning of performing Gods will And to crave and obtaine this at Gods hands is not against Gods decree And as touching our consummation it is our part to pray every moment that we may be altogether freed from sin For God will that we wish it though he will not performe it unto us in this life For it belongeth nothing at all unto us to search what things God hath decreed seeing we have this prescribed us for a rule that we pray for things on condition of Gods will We must therefore submit our selves unto Gods will and desire what God willeth us to desire whether God hath decreed it or no. God will have our Parents to die and yet will he not have us to wish their death God will have his Church to be under the crosse and yet he will not have us to desire her crosse but to pray for her delivery and patiently to beare it if it afflict her In like manner God will not in this life give us perfect deliverance from sin and yet will he have us to wish it and every moment to desire that we may be wholly delivered from sin Wherefore some things are to be desired which God will not do and some things which he will do are not to be desired but patiently to be suffered And yet hereof it followeth not that we aske contrary to the will of God because in our prayers we alwaies submit our selves to Gods will ON THE 50. SABBATH Quest 125. What is the fourth Petition Ans Give us this day our daily bread that is give unto us all things which are needfull for this life a Psal 145.15 16. 104.27 28 Mat. 6.26 that by them we may acknowledge and confesse thee to be the only fountaine from whence all good things flow b James 1.17 Acts 17.28 14.17 and all our care and industry and even thine own gifs to be unfortunate and noysome unto us except thou blesse them c 1 Cor. 15.58 Deut. 8.3 Psal 37.16 127.1 2. Wherefore grant that turning our trust away from all creatures we place and repose it in thee alone d Ps 55.23 62.11 146.3 Jer. 17.5 7. The Explication THis petition concerning our daily bread should it seemeth have been placed after the petition following touching remission of sinnes For the greater and more excellent benefits are first to be prayed for and the lesse and lesse worth at last to be sought for But Christ respecting our infirmity allotted to this petition of our daily bread the fourth and as it were middle place The reason of the order and place of this petition that so we might both begin and shut up our prayer with petition of spirituall blessings as the most principall and that the obtaining of corporall benefits might more and more confirme in us a confidence of obtaining spirituall graces In this petition we desire corporall blessings concerning which we are to observe these questions 1. Why corporall blessings are to be desired 2. How they are to be desired 3. Why Christ compriseth corporall blessings under the name of bread 4. Why he calleth it Our bread 5. Why he calleth it Daily bread 6. Why he addeth This day 7. Whether it be lawfull to desire riches 8. Whether it be lawfull to treasure up any thing for the time to come 1. Why we are to desire corporall blessings WE must desire corporall blessings at Gods hands as well as spirituall Gods Commandement 1. Generall In respect of Gods commandement which may suffice us albeit there were no other cause And we have a Commandment hereof from God both generall and speciall For Christ saith in generall Aske and ye shall receive Mat. 7.7 2. Speciall And a speciall Commandment he setteth down before this forme of prayer which himself prescribeth unto us After this manner therefore pray ye Mat. 6.9 by which Commandment Christ also willeth us to desire bread or corporall blessings of God Now whereas Christ saith Mat. 6.32 33. Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all things shall be ministred unto you And againe Take no thought what ye shall eate he doth not therein forbid us to desire our daily bread even corporall blessings but he forbiddeth this distrustfulnesse Gods promise In respect of Gods promise because God hath promised that he will give us things necessary for our life and he promised these to no other end then that we should desire them of him and he promised them that we should thereby have a spirituall not a fleshly security of obtaining them Mat. 6.32 Your Father knoweth what ye have need of Gods glory In respect of Gods glory that namely there may be a knowledge and profession of Gods providence especially towards his Church God will have us to ascribe this praise unto him because he is the fountaine of all blessings and benefits and
made a curse for us upon the tree hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law e Ephes 1.7 Col. 1.14 We have redemption by his bloud f Col. 1.20 Having made peace by the bloud of his Crosse by him he hath reconciled all things to himselfe hath reconciled them in the body of his flesh by death g 1 Pet. 1.18 We are redeemed by the precious bloud of the immaculate Lamb. h Isa 53.5 By whose stripes we are healed i 1 John 1.7 The bloud of Christ purgeth us from all our sins k Rev. 19. 7.14 Thou hast redeemed us by thy bloud They have washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe The latter is this The Scripture defines our whole justification by remission of sins through the bloud of Christ therefore onely the effusion of bloud is that by imputation of which we are justified and the remission of sins is our whole righteousnesse They confirme the Antecedent by testimonies of Scripture l Luke 18.13 God be mercifull to me a sinner I tell you that he went downe unto his house justified rather then the other m Acts 13.38 Be it knowne to you that to you is preached remission of sins through him and from all things from which by the Law you could not be absolved by him all that beleeve are justified Here to be absolved to be justified to have remission of sins are the same things David pronounceth that man blessed to whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works n Rom. 4.7 Psal 32.1 Blessed are they whose sins are forgiven and whose iniquities are hid Blessed is the man to whom God imputeth no sin o Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth who shall condemne It is Christ who is dead c. p 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling to himselfe the world by not imputing to them their sins q Ephes 1.7 In whom we have redemption by his bloud that is remission of sins c. They have also other arguments which for brevities sake I omit they alledge also for themselves the Catechisme of the Palatinate qq 37.45.66.55.57.72.76.80.84 c. In which it is taught that we obtaine remission of sins justice and life eternall for the alone sacrifice of Christ on the Crosse and that onely the bloud of Christ purgeth us from all sin which very thing is every-where found in the Directory of the Palatinate Hitherto the different opinions concerning justice I now passe to the second head where I will briefly shew without prejudice to others what I can approve or disapprove in those who follow the first opinion I cannot see how they can prove out of Scripture the imputation of Gods essential justice or why that should be said to be imputed seeing man was never obliged either to the possession or performance of it for God never conferred upon man his essentiall justice and man never lost it They make God then unjust as if he did require of man divine justice which he never gave him nor ever will give him The reason is a Paralogisme non causae for although whole Christ is a King Priest and Saviour and whole Christ justifieth yet it is knowne that he performes the effects of his office among which is justification by the distinct operations of his natures therefore whole Christ justifieth but one way according to his divinity to wit as the efficient cause another way according to his humanity to wit as a meritorious cause and the dignity of the merit flowes from the dignity of the person that is from the deity of the Mediatour But from hence it doth not follow that the deity can challenge any part of the merit being the fountaine of merit It behooved then the Mediatour to be God not that the deity or justice of the deity might be imputed to us or according to Osianders madnesse essentially dwelling in us might become our justice but for the cause explained in the Catechisme q. 17. Therefore the justice of the divinity differs from merit as the cause from the effect Other inconveniences also of this opinion belong to the two ensuing therefore I joyne the second and third opinion together for they differ not save onely that the one makes two parts the other three parts of imputative justice All which opinions are subject to the same inconveniences 1. All confound the justice of the person and of the merit of Christ which the Scripture oftentimes conjoynes but doth also manifestly distinguish as the efficient cause or sine qua non and the materiall cause of our justice as My righteous servant by his knowledge shall justifie many For such an High-Priest became us who might be holy separated from sinners that he might offer not for his owne but for the sins of the people Him who knew not sin he hath made sin for us that we c. 1 Pet. 3. Christ suffered once the just for the unjust And so our Catechisme quest 15.16 2. These distinctions which they make betweene not unjust and just betweene not transgressing of the Law and fulfilling of the Law betweene not dead and alive they have more subtlety then verity being indeed equivalent termes as I will afterward shew for of necessity he that before God is not unjust must be just who transgresseth not the Law fulfils it who is not dead is alive Seeing all these are immediate contraries one of which being affirmed or denied the other must necessarily be affirmed or denied 3. If by the imputation of the passive obedience we are not as yet just but onely not unjust how is this true We are justified by the bloud of his Son We are reconciled by his death c 4. If remission of sins be not whole justification how can that be true Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven Rom. 4. c. how doth the Apostle in the same place take for the same thing To impute righteousnesse and Not to impute sin 5. If the omission of obedience to the Law and the imperfection of our holinesse are not expiated by Christs passive obedience but necessarily that must be covered with Christs actuall obedience this with his naturall holinesse how againe can this be true The bloud of Jesus Christ purgeth us from all sin unlesse perhaps omission and imperfection be not sins 6. If we are not justified by the passive but by the active obedience of Christ how is it that Christ died not in vaine For what need was there that Christ should die and by his death procure to us pardon for our sins if by his just and holy life he had already merited righteousnesse for us for righteousnesse necessarily presupposeth remission of sins 7. It is manifest that all these partitions of Christs merits into two or three members do exceedingly derogate either from the death of Christ or from the justice of God For these
in God beleeve also in me for be you confident For there he comforts the Apostles Lord who is he that I may beleeve in him for that I may confide in him Saving faith with us is joyned with confidence of the promise of the Gospel or of the promised mercie of God concerning remission of sins through the bloud of Christ Rom 3.28 As when we are said to be justified by faith there faith signifieth confidence and to be justified by faith is in the confidence of Christs merits to be absolved from sin which sense the Apostle delivers when he saith Whom God set forth as an atonement by faith in his bloud to declare his justice by the remission of sins past Where faith in his bloud can signifie nothing else but confidence in Christs bloud But with them faith is assent onely and to beleeve is to give an assent this appeares because in the Article the words John 3.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are rendred by them thus But who assenteth not to the Son for who beleeveth not the Son then their slippery disputes concerning faith teach the same In which for the most part they require not confidence in faith and they will have faith to justifie or to be imputed for justice not because it applies to it selfe Christs merits but because the very act of faith is reputed a fulfilling of the Law which was the opinion of Alberius Triuncurianus a pitifull man Therefore seeing this Article doth deprave the true doctrine of Predestination with so many equivocations and conceales the false it cannot be simply allowed Whether this Article be sufficient or may be tolerated setting Predestination aside But you 'l say What need we dispute so much about Predestination Is it not sufficient to salvation to hold the summe of the Gospel delivered in this Article Who beleeveth in the Son of God hath life eternall Who beleeveth not the wrath of God remaines on him And may not this Article hitherto be tolerated I know some judge so yea some men otherwise learned and pious have written that we ought not to dispute of Predestination now under the Gospel but onely preach upon the universall promises of grace But these good men observe not that by writing thus they contradict the holy Ghost who in the Gospel hath delivered the doctrine of Predestination as above cothurn 2. in the alledged places may be seen These unwise men seem under this pretext either to overthrow the foundations of our faith and comfort or else not to take notice that they are overthrowne by others therefore that religious speech whether of Ambrose or Prosper Lib. 1. de vocat Gent. c. 7. is to be held concerning Predestination These things are not to be searched into what God will have concealed and what are manifest are not to be denied lest in them we be found unlawfully curious and in these damnably ingratefull As it is then unlawfull curiositie to search into the mysteries of Predestination not revealed in the Gospel so it is damnable ingratitude to deny or suppresse what God hath revealed concerning Predestination in the Gospel But to the Quere thus we answer For Sufficiencie you may as well aske in the Church If the doctrine of the Catechisme be sufficient to salvation concerning mans miserie and deliverance by Christ and concerning gratitude Why then should we reade the Bible or higher points of divinitie In Logick is it not sufficient to hold that there are so many Figures of Syllogisms and so many Moods then what need is there of Aristotles Organum in the Schooles In the Politicks is not the popular knowledge of right and equitie sufficient to guide a State what need is there then of such a number of lawes and so great toile as the studie of the law requires In the Mathematicks is it not sufficient to know that a triangle hath three angles equall to two c. that the diameter to the circumference is in a subtriple proportion c what need is there then of Euclyd's hard and intricate demonstrations To these any man may answer with facilitie that to some the first rudiments of these sciences or the knowledge of the quid sit is sufficient but not to all To the Catechumeni or Novices in the Church the catecheticall Rudiments of salvation may suffice as milk is sufficient nutriment for infants but to those that are adult in faith who require more solid meat this is not sufficient Not to School-Doctors not to the Pastors of the Church whose office and conscience require of necessitie a fuller measure of Theologicall knowledge To young Logicians the knowledge of so many Moods Figures is enough for their syllogizing but Philosophers must have the science propter quid delivered in Aristotle's Organum to wit whence and why there are so many and why there can be no more To an inferiour or pedant Judge the elements of law and justice are sufficient but to a Doctor of the law to an Advocate or Chancellour the fountaines of the law must necessarily be knowne For a Mechanick the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a triangle and circle is sufficient to work by but a Mathematick Doctor who is studious of demonstrations requires the science of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After the same manner we may say that this Article putting now aside all equivocations is sufficient for salvation to the Catechumeni and private vulgar men which are not capable of sublimer mysteries and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is enough what they must be and what meanes they must use to attain salvation to wit that they must beleeve in Christ that they must persevere in faith and obedience of faith to the end by the ministerie of the Word and Sacraments and by grace co-operating with these But to those that are more adult in faith especially to the Doctors of Schooles Churches whoso will say that there is nothing besides this needfull his judgement will be accounted very weak and jejune yea rather it is necessarie that they should search the Scriptures and more exactly know the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the foresaid doctrine that is the fountaine and prime cause revealed in the Scriptures whence these qualities and meanes of salvation with grace and salvation it selfe may originally descend on us from whence also may proceed that difference which wee see of people and particular persons which are to be saved from the multitude of those that perish lest perhaps which by ignorance or by forsaking the fountain must need◠come to passe we digge to our selves broken cisternes Jerem. 2.13 which will hold no water that is lest we ascribe vocation faith perseverance and our salvation either to the wit strength or merit of men or else to grace which is indifferent and to our owne free-will in part or in whole not without dishonour to God and destruction to our selves Now this fountaine this prime and supreme cause is Gods eternall predestination that
worketh inwardly in the minds wills and hearts of the unregenerate these things which belong to mans conversion This grace or motion is Gods peculiar work and this is questioned but not all for Scripture and experience witnesse that there are three distinct degrees of this grace For some God pities so much that he bestowes the gift of illumination and historicall faith on them on others the gift of temporarie faith and some measure of joy Lastly on some the gift of saving faith and regeneration This first degree the Remonstrants themselves denie not to be irresistible Col. p. 273. For when say they God reveales his will wee acknowledge the irresistible vertue of the holy Spirit in our mind because our mind cannot avoid ipsum scire or the knowledge it selfe and in our soule when he knocketh because nill we will we we are forced to feel it Concerning the resistibilitie of the second degree we will not trouble our selves for they denie not the illumination of them to be irresistible also But for the motion to assent and some measure of joy they may for us think what they please If they say it is resistible because the motion doth not so effectually work upon the will this is nothing to the question But for a finall resistance both Scripture and example prove They receive the word with joy Luk. 8.17 John 6.66 1 Tim. 1.19 and 4.1 2 Pet. 2.1 21. but have no root who beleeve for a while and in time of tentation faile After that many of his disciples departed from him Some have made shipwrack of their faith Some depart from the faith denying the Lord that bought them they forsake the holy doctrine delivered to them The whole question is concerning the operation of the third degree which is called inward vocation that this is the irresistible motion of God the orthodox Doctors have firmly proved 1. Because as God doth irresistibly illuminate those whom he doth effectually intend to convert so likewise he doth irresistibly bestow on them not onely the power but the act also of beleeving Phil. 1.29 and 2.13 therefore by his effectuall moving he doth not onely take away resistance but resistibilitie also from them Whereas they object To you it is given to suffer for Christ Col. p. 218. this belongs not to the operating but to the co-operating grace Of which wrestling we said already Col. p. 229. therefore 't is nothing to the purpose 2. Because God by converting us gives us a new heart and a new spirit he removes the heart of stone and gives flesh Col. p. 218. p. 281. and makes us walk in his waies But it is absurd to imagine a new heart a new spirit and the act of walking in Gods lawes with resistance or resistibilitie Jer. 31.18 Deut. 29.4 Ezek 36.26 against which no solid thing is alledged though much is said 3. Because the quickning regeneration conversion new creation of the naturall man Col. p. 219. dead in sin with resistibilitie is no lesse an absurditie Col. d pag. 295. ad 309. then to feign or imagine such a resistance in mans first creation or daily generation or last resuscitation John 3.3 and 5.25 Ephes 2.5 c. which reason will never be refuted with verbositie Col. p. 220. 4. Because grace working conversion with resistibilitie Col. p. 309. differs not from Rhetoricall perswasion or a morall enticing to faith such an one as is impossible for man to be quickned who is dead in sin What are alledged to the contrarie are nothing to the purpose 5. Because grace working faith and conversion by its efficacie overcomes all the strength of men or other creatures and therefore cannot be mastered by mans corrupted will Ephes 1.18 19. Col. 2.12 13. 2 Thes 1.11 2 Pet. 1.3 The Major of which reason is not weak as they say for that power Col. p. 312. which is insuperable by mans depraved will is also irresistible to the same 6. Because if the grace of regeneration were resistible Col. p. 220. it were common to many unregenerate men but the Scripture makes it peculiar to Gods sons only Rom. 8.14 30. 1 Cor. 1.23 24. Joh. 14.17 and 6.36 45. 1 John 4.17 which reason doth not conclude only for irresistance Col. p. 317. as is pretended but also for irresistibilitie 7. Because the Fathers drawing without which none can come to Christ Col p. 221. Joh. 6.44 supposeth an irresistibilitie of grace otherwise no man would come being drawn Col. p. 322. and yet for all this we are not drawn against our will by the Father which is objected no more then against our will we are illuminated 8. Because the gift of faith and repentance is said to be given by Gods Spirit not onely Col. p. 222. because it is offered to the will irresistibly but because it is put into the heart or infused irresistibly Col. p. 327. Joh. 6.63 Eph. 2.8 Phil. 1.19 2 Tim. 2.25 Rom. 5.5 The contrarie cavills are altogether Atheologicall or inconsistent with Divinitie 9. Because the resistibilitie of grace if there ought to be a conversion supposeth in the unregenerate will Col. p. 331. a power of 〈◊〉 resisting but this the Scripture generally denieth The Remonstrants will at length consider whether this reason concludeth not against them 10. Because if we yeeld a resistibilitie of grace the work chiefly necessary for our salvation to wit faith and repentance should be placed in mans arbitrement as in the proximate cause And the reason of this difference why of two unregenerate the one in hearing the Gospel beleeveth the other beleeveth not should proceed from man because one would resist grace the other would not against that place Who separated thee 1 Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou hast not received Which is spoken not only in respect of Infidels as they think but likewise in respect of grace For if in two Infidels we put grace equally resistible surely he that resisteth not grace but receives it and beleeves he may answer not only to him that resisteth and beleeveth not but even to grace Col. p. 336. and God himself I separated my self which lye is approved by the Remonstrants blasphemously 11. To these adde another reason out of Joh. 15.5 Without me you can do nothing For if converting grace be resistible he that doth not resist grace may refute Christ and say Behold without thee I have not resisted grace Neither can he say It 's by thee that I have not resisted But whereas by supposition the same grace is placed in the resistent he ought also to say It is by thee that he hath resisted which is blasphemy 12. Let Austins reason be added De correp grat c. 14. He that hath a most omnipotent power over mens hearts to encline them which way he will and he doth with the very wills of men what he pleaseth and he hath a greater power
omitted but those which are sins by accident ought not to be omitted but to be reformed and performed after the manner and the end which God hath prescribed Externall discipline therefore is necessary even in the unregenerate 1. In respect of the commandement of God 2. For avoiding the grievousnesse of punishments which ensue upon the breach of discipline 3. For the preservation of the peace and society of mankind 4. For a way and entrance of conversion which is stopped by persevering and persisting in manifest offences If instance be given Hypocrisie is sin of it selfe and is to be avoided as Mat. 6. it is said Be not as Hypocrites but the discipline or outward behaviour of the wicked is hypocrisie Therefore it is sin of it selfe and they should omit it We answer to the Major The good actions of hypocrites are not to be omitted but their hypocrisie therein only to be eschewed by distinguishing the diversity of Hypocrisie There is a double Hypocrisie one is in workes not commanded of God done for ostentation sake or to deceive as those which Christ mentioneth Matth. 6. to make a Trumpet to be blowne before him when he giveth almes to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets to look sowerly and disfigure his face in fasting and all other superstitious and humane traditions which appertaine not to the edifying of the Church That these things are to be omitted and left undone there is no doubt as it is said In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men And therefore they are here expresly condemned and forbidden of Christ There is another hypocrisie in workes commanded of God but not done after that manner which God requireth These are not to be left undone but to be corrected and to be done without hypocrisie that is with true faith and godlinesse as in the same place Christ teacheth of almes prayer fasting not to be omitted of the godly but to be otherwise performed then they were of Hypocrites So also is there a great difference between the sins of regenerate men and unregenerate for as it hath been heretofore especially in the second distinction of sin said In all the regenerate there remain as yet many reliques of sin as 1. Originall sin 2. Many actuall sins as of ignorance omission and infirmity which neverthelesse they acknowledge and bewaile and strive and struggle with them and therefore lose not a good conscience nor endanger the remission of their sinnes 3. Some also sometimes fall into errours which fight with the foundation it selfe or into sins against their conscience for which they lose a good conscience and many gifts of the holy Ghost and should be condemned if they persevered in them unto the end but they perish not in them because they repent in this life In the mean time there resteth a three-fold difference The difference of the sins of the regenerate and the unregenerate Rom. 7.16 Luke 21.22 1 John 3.9 1 Pet. 1.23 Jos 4.2 3. Psal 37.24 whereby the regenerate differ in sinning from the wicked 1. Because the purpose of God is to keep the Elect for ever 2. In the regenerate when they offend there is assured and certaine repentance in the end 3. In these when they slip there remaineth some spark of true faith and repentance which is sometimes greater and mightier and so wrestleth against sin that they fall not into Reigning sin or errours repugnant to the foundation sometimes lesse and weaker and is for a time overcome of temptation but yet it prevaileth so far that they who are once truly turned unto God make not a finall Apostasie from him as appeareth in David Peter c. In the unregenerate when they sin none of these is found but the contrary altogether By this which hath been spoken it is manifest for what cause this difference of sinnes which are of themselves sins Two uses of the difference between sins which are of themselves sins and those which are made so by an accident and by an accident sins is necessary 1. Lest that a false perswasion of their own righteousness or merits should rest in mens minds 2. Lest with sinnes which are of themselves sinnes should be cast away also good things which come to be sins but by an accident and so should be increased and heaped up the sins and punishments of mankind 4. What are the causes of sin GOD is the cause of no sinne as is proved 1. By testimonies of Scipture God saw those things which he had made Gen. 1.31 Psal 5.4 and they were very good Thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickednesse c. 2. Because God is exactly and perfectly good and holy so that no effect of his is evill 3. Because he forbiddeth all sinne in his Law 4. He punisheth all sin most severely which he could not rightly do if he wrought or caused it 5. He himselfe destroyeth not his owne Image in man therefore he causeth not sinne which is the destruction of this Image The proper and onely efficient cause of sinne is the will of Divels and men The cause of sin is the will of Divels and men Wisd 2.24 John 8.44 whereby they freely fell from God and robbed and spoiled themselves of the Image of God Through envie of the Divell came death into the world But death is the punishment of sinne Ye are of your father the Divell and the lusts of your father ye will do hee hath beene a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When hee speaketh a lye 1 John 3.8 then speaketh he of his owne for he is a lyar and the father thereof He that committeth sinne is of the Divell for the Divell sinneth from the beginning For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God Rom. 5.12 that he might loose the worke of the Divell By one man sin entred into the world An order in the causes of sin The Divell The Divell then was the cause of the first sinne or of the fall of our first Parents in Paradise provoking man to sinne Mans will and with the Divell mans will freely declining from God and yeelding obedience to the Divell The first sin That first fall of Adam is the efficient cause of Originall sin both in Adam and in his posterity By one mans disobedience many were made sinners and the precedent and as it were preparative cause of all actuall sins in posterity is originall sinne The sin that dwelleth in mee doth evill When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sinne The accidentary or casuall motives to sinne are those objects which solicite men to sinne Sinne tooke an occasion by the commandement Originall sin Rom. 7.17 James 1.5 Rom. 7.8 and wrought in me all manner of concupiscence Actuall sins precedent are the causes of other actuall sins which follow whereas the Scripture lessoneth us
justice and law Now in a divers manner and respect to will and not to will the same and yet to determine on that part whereof the reasons seeme strongest is not in us much lesse in God absurd or repugnant The waste of Israel which the Assyrians wrought God willeth as a punishment which his justice of right did require he willeth it not but condemneth and afterwards most grievously revengeth it in the Assyrians in asmuch as it was not the execution of Gods wrath but a fulfilling of their own wrath and lusts against his law So God willeth that all should obey his word and be saved 1. In respect of his love towards all for he is delighted with the death of no man God willeth the obedience of all as concerning his commanding it unto all but not as concerning his secret working of it in whom he will 2. In respect of his commandement and inviting of all to repentance But he will not that all be converted and so be saved in respect of his working or efficacy that is he commandeth all men indeed to repent and beleeve and promiseth life to all that beleeve but he doth not any where promise that he will work by his spirit in all that they should beleeve and be saved For if he would this it must needs be that either all should obey Gods commandements and be saved or that God should not be omnipotent Repl. If God willeth one thing in signification or by his commandement and willeth effectually or by his efficacy and working another he shall be changeable and a dissembler Answ This doth not thereof follow God no dissembler For even when he willeth effectually those actions which are sins he doth indeed detest them as they are sins and when he commandeth obedience he doth in earnest exact it of all But this will of signification or commandement of God doth not testifie or declare what he will work in all but what agreeth with his mind what he alloweth what he requireth and what every one oweth unto him God therefore dissembleth not neither is contrary to himself because he doth not in all places nor at all times manifest his will unto his creatures and his will of punishing is not disagreeing from his law The fourth Sophisme of contingency and liberty or freenesse Gods government doth not take away but establish the liberty of the creatures will THat which is done by the unchangeable decree of God is not done contingently and freely But all things are done by the unchangeable decree or counsell or providence of God Therefore nothing is done contingently and freely Answ The Major is either particular and so concludeth nothing or being generally understood is most false For An effect which is the same in subject and matter is changeable and unchangeable necessary and contingent in respect not of the same cause but of divers of which together it is produced and doth depend and whereof some are changeable some unchangeable In respect therefore of the second and neerest causes some effects are necessary and certain which are produced out of causes alwaies working after one sort some are changeable which have a changeable cause that is such as is not alwaies working after one sort and producing the same effects In respect of the first cause namely the decree of God which is unchangeable all effects are unchangeable and most certain even those which in respect of second causes are most uncertain As That the bones of Christ should not be broken it was a thing contingent in respect of the bones which in their own nature might as well have been broken as not broken as also of the Souldiers who as concerning the nature of their will might have chosen to doe either but in respect of the decree of God it was necessary for by his decree were the wils of the Souldiers so ruled that they could not then neither would chuse the contrary Wherefore the unchangeablenesse of the decree of God which is a necessity by supposition or conditionall doth not take away either the contingency of events or the liberty and freenesse of a created will but rather maintaineth and confirmeth it For God accompâ—isheth his decrees by reasonable creatures according to the condition of their nature when as by objects represented and shewed to their understanding he inclineth and bendeth their will that it should with free and inward motion chuse or refuse that which seemed good from everlasting to God and was decreed of him For if when God worketh well by evill creatures there is not taken away in them through the decree or providence of God and his good working that which is accidentall to them that is corruption how much lesse shall that be taken away which is essentiall unto them even to work freely So the blessed Angels are changeably good as concerning their nature but they are unchangeably and necessarily only good according to Gods decree and directing of them and yet freely so that how much the more effectually they are moved by the Spirit of God so much the more freely and with greater alacrity and propension they will and doe onely that which is good Judas the Jewes Herod Pilate the Souldiers delivered and crucified Christ freely Acts 5.28 and with great willingnesse and pleasure and yet they did whatsoever the hand and counsell of God had determined before to be done Object 2. That which is done by the unchangeable decree of God is not done contingently but necessarily All things are done by the unchangeable decree of God nothing is therefore done contingently neither by Fortune nor Chance but all necessarily which is the Stoickes doctrine of fate or destiny Here before wee answer to this objection wee must know the signification of the words and the difference between the opinion of the Stoickes and Christians Necessarily is that which cannot be otherwise than it is The difference between necessary and contingent things Contingent is that which is indeed or is done but might notwithstanding not have been or have been done otherwise Necessity therefore and contingency is the order which is between the cause and the effect unchangeable or changeable And because the effects follow of their causes unchangeably either in respect of the nature it selfe of the causes or in respect of some externall cause which designeth and appointeth another cause to a certain effect and because also the effects themselves cannot be more unchangeable than are their causes therefore there is said to be a double necessity The difference between absolute necessity and necessity of consequence or supposition One absolute or simple which is of them whose opposites or contraries are simply unpossible in respect of the nature of the cause or subject whereof it is affirmed as are the essentiall and personall properties of God to wit God is God liveth God is just wise c. God is the eternall Father Sonne and holy Ghost The other is necessity of