Sacraments testimonies or scales of Gods promise Luther will haue that promise to be of present iustificatioâ— Caluin of eternall election And least he should 〈◊〉 to say an vntruth he cites a place out of Calâ—â—n Antidor conciliâ— Sess 6. ca. 5. as if he should there say that infants are baptized not to the end they might be receiued into adoption of the sonnes of God but that vnto them the promise of life might be sealed vnto whome before by grace of predestination it pertained And out of the 7. Session and 8. Canon as if there hee should wright that the right end and vse of sacraments is this to ascertaine vs of the eternall adoâ—tion grace whereunto before the foundation of the world we were predestinated Thus farre the Iesuite but all impudently without shame For Caluin in neither place speaketh one â—ote of eternall electioÌ„ or the grace of predestination Only in the former this he saith Insants are for this reason baptized because they are heires of the promise For vnlesse the promise of life did before pertaine vnto theÌ„ that man should prophane baptisme whosoeuer did but minister it vnto them In the latter these are his wordes Allthough baptisme be the hand-wrighting of that mutuall obligation which is betweene God vs yet the especiall vse thereof is to assure vs of free remission of our sinnes and perpetuall grace of adoption But is this to deny that sacraments are seales of the promise of preseÌ„t iustification Is this to restraine sacraments onely to thinges past as namely to the grace of electioÌ„ But this is Bellarmines trust and fidelity in citing the wordes and sentences of the Fathers and our Doctors Such are his two whole volumes of disputations namely a rude rable of false quotatioÌ„s which if the learned shall vouchsafe in courtesie to examine they shall soone see this doubtie disputant left as as dry as a kexe But to the purpose That the sacraments are seales of our eternall election although I deny not but that in the lawfull vsing and worthy receiuing of them it is most true yet remember I not that Caluin hath any where thus written nay the Vbiquitaries of our daies slander Caluin Beza as maintainers of a cleane contrary error to witt that they vtterly deny the sacraments to be seales of our election which also is altogether false But the simple naked truth of Calvines doctrine is this Sacraments profite beeing vsed a righte and doe exhibit seale and confirmâ— grace vnto the worthy receiuer not in regard eyther of the worke wrought or the deserte of the worker but in respecte of the promise of God instituting or ordaininge them as also through the faith of the worthy receiuer And here by grace he vnderstandeth euen our saluation it selfe together with all the precedent causes meanes and consequentes thereof such as are our free election remission of sinnes regeneration sanctification and life eternall So that by the name of grace he coÌ„priseth both grace past and already giuen togither with that which is preseÌ„t and to come but especially that which is there in the sacramente exhibited and present For euen our election before the world was is sealed and and assured vnto vs by the sacraments not as it is from aleternities decreed by God or as a thing done heretofore and past but as the present and constante decree of God reuealed in the Gospell concerning our saluation in Christ and by the same sacramentes everlasting life is confirmed not as a future good but as already we haue takeÌ„ possession thereof by faith For confirmation of this truth I could produce an infinite number of testimonies out of Caluin his Christian institution but it shall suffice to refute the Iesuite by the couÌ„ter-poyson of his CouÌ„sels Can 7. on the sacraments Caluin saith thus God in the sacrameÌ„ts doth promise grace not only of election but also of iustification Can. 4. Sacramentes are seales of the Gospell And can it bee denied but that the Gospell is a promise of actuall present iustification by faith Can 8. In baptisme God washeth vs by the bloode of his son by his spirite doth regenerate vs. In the sacrament of the supper he feedeth vs with the body and blood of Christ Can 7. of baptisme this is a principall part of baptisme that is assureth us of free remission of all our sins what is this els but present sustification and these may serue to coÌ„vince the Iesuit of a militious slaÌ„der coÌ„cerning the seals of our electioÌ„ that Calvâ—â— vnderstandeth them not onely of things past But who seeth not his absurd collection that if the Sacraments may goe for seales of our eternall election that then they shall not be seales of present iustification Are not election iustification subordinate and consequents one of the other so farre are they from abolishing one the other that the contrary should rather be infered they are seales of our eternall election therefore of iustification present grace For iustification is so proper naturall an affecte of election that there can be had no certainty of the latter without assurance of the former For they who are iustified in Christ are also chosen to him before the foundation of the world Whome God hath prâ—destinated these also hath he called iustified and glorified Now then let the Iesuite with open mouth exclaÌ„e on Caluins opinion as false absurde dangerous and impious And why forsooth false Because saith he Caluin contrary to that which the Scripture teacheth restrayneth Sacraments only vnto the thinge past namely to the grace of election But this cauill is already refuted And why absurde Because saith he he reacheth that by the Sacraments the promises are sealed vnto our consciences yet that infantes are lawfully baptised which noyther haue vse of reason nor conscience But we haue already sufficiently proued that neyther infantes borne in the Church of beleeuing parentes are altogether voyde of reason oâ— faith if we respecte the promised grace although actually they haue neyther the faith nor reason which is in those of riper yeares nor that baptising of Children confirmation of their faith by Sacraments is therfore to be differred because they doe not beleeue seeing of the Sacramentes there are other endes purposes whereunto they are ordained But why pernicious and dangerous Because he teacheth that the children of the faithfull are borne iust and holy and hath perswaded many that the sacraments are not necessary vnto the receiving of the grace of Christ Whence it is come to passe that many contemne the said sacraments and in the meane while the soules of many infantes never purified by the saving vvaters of baptisme abide in perpetuall corruption And is it in deed pernicious to teach that the children of the faithfull are borne holy that is not straungers but heires of the covenaÌ„t according to that promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seede That
not good Eze. 29. Nebuchadnezer my servant caused his armie to serue a great servitude against Cyrus Ezech. 36. And I will giue you a new hearte put a new spirite in the middest of you and I will take awaie this stonie heart from your flesh Compare the 17 of Sirach Ier. 13. Ezech. 58 I will lead thee about put a bridle in thy mouth bring thee forth At that day shall many thinges come to thy minde thou shalt thinke evill thoughtes shalt say I will goe vp to the land c. Compare this with Esai 10. Dan. 4 Hee worketh according to his will both in the armies of heauen also in the habitations of the earth and there is none can staine his hande or say vnto him whiâ—â— hast thou done this Amos 3. There is no evill in the citie which the Lord hath not done which is spoken of the evill of punishment though often times it fall out by accident that there be also an evill of offence which God suffereth to concur Micah 4. Manie nations are gathered togeather but they know not the thoughtes of the Lord. Mat. 7. A good tree cannot bringe forth evill fruit in the same chapter they which are built vpon a rocke shall not fal Read Melancthons commentarie vpon that place Luc. 10. One sparrow falleth not to the ground Math. 11. I thanke thee father for that thou haste hidden these thinges from the wise Mat. 13. To you it is given to know but vnto others it is not given Mat. 16. every where in the Evangelists That Christ ought to goe to Hierusalem and suffer many things Mat. 18. It is necessary that offences should come Mat 20. Is it not lawfull for me to doe with mine owne what I will Many are called but few bee chosen Mat. 24. All thinges must come to passe And in the same place It is not possible that the elect should â—rre finally Ioh. 6. Whatsoever my father hath given mee shall come vnto me and him that commeth to me I vvil not cast forth And No man can come vnto me except the father draw him And This is the will of my father that of al whatsoever he hath given me I should loose nothing Ioh. 10. Other sheepe also I haue which I must bring vnto my flocke And My sheepe no man taketh out of my hand Ioh. 11. Caiphas wheÌ„ he was high Priest did prophecy Ioh. 12. Therefore they coulde not beleeue because he had blinded their eies Ioh. 13. I knowe them whoÌ„ I haue chosen Ioh. 14. Which spirit the world cannot receiue Ioh. 15. You haue not chosen me but I you Act. 1. The prophecies concerning Iudas ought to haue beene fulfilled Act. 2. Him haue yee taken by the hands of the wicked being delivered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God and haue crucified slaine Act. 3. Through ignorance yee did it but God so fulfilled the things which he had foretolde Act. 4. They came togither to doe whatsoever thy hand and counsell had before decreed to be done Act. 13. They beleeved as manie as were ordained to eternal life Act. 17. He giveth life motion vnto all things And In him we liue mooue and haue our being Rom. 1. God delivered them over to a reprobrate minde Rom 8 All thinges worke for the good of those that loue God Rom. He hath mercie on whom he will and hardeneth whom he will Reade Paâ—â—s whole disputation Rom. 11. Election prevailed the rest are hardned And The graces of God are without repentance 1. Cor. 4. What hast thou that thou hast not received Eph. 1. He hath chosen vs in himselfe before the creatioÌ„ of the world that we mâ—y be 〈◊〉 And Predestinated according to his purpose who doth 〈◊〉 the counsell of his owne will Read the chapter it selfe Phil. 1. It is God which worketh in vs both to will and to perfourme of his meere good will 2. Thes 2. Hâ—e câ—t strong errors amongst them Pervse the plac 2. Tim 2 The foundation of the Lorde standeth sure 1 Ioh. 2. They went out from amongest vs but were not of vs. 1. Ioh. 4. Herein appeareth his loue in that he loved vs first Revel 17. God wil put into their heartes to do his will But I haue alâ—eadged too many places purposing to touch onely a fâ—w for you may of your selfe finde out infinit such lâ—ke places of scriptuâ—e Herevnto may be added certaine arguments which no man shall ever be able to refâ—â—â— Gods omnipotencie suffereth nothing to bâ—e done which he doth not either simply or â—â—son sort will For looke what simplie he will not â—hat by no meanes can be done His infinite wisedome doth not sufferâ—◠〈◊〉 thinge in the world to be done without his advice and counsâ—ll Whilest he willeth the end which is 〈◊〉 his purpose most excellent he also willeth 〈◊〉 meanes leading to these ends at the least in some respect but not as they are sinnes All thinges in the worlde which are good and positiue haue their being from him and are ruled by his prouidence And therfore al motiues or motions tending to any end as they are motins be ruled and directed by God The counsels of God depend not on the works of creatures but contrarywise the actions motions of creatures depende vpon the counsell of God His foreknowledge even of thinges most mutable is immutable Wherefore it dependeth vpon a cause immutable that is vpon his owne eternal decree All this confirmes a providence vniversall over all things particular As much may be said for Gods eternal and immutable Election There can be no good at al in any thing which God from all eternity hath not decreed to effect or bring to passe Those whom once he loveth he loveth from al eternity and for all eternity we cannot therefore be assured of the present grace of God towarde vs excepte wee bee also assured of his eternall grace and loue vnlesse we wil imagine God to be mutable We must beleeue eternal life Our hope must be certaine Wee must pray for eternall salvation without condition or doubt Christs intercession for the elect is ever sure These amongst a great many others contente me perhaps you Now therfore after al this let vs heare what it is that you obiect First say you this doctrine carrieth men away from Gods revealed will vnto his secret will from the word to impressions or perswasions wroughte by faith before credit or beliefe be given to the word heard What is this If you haue at any time seene this wrighten in our doctrine why doe you not produce or note the places If you thinke it a consequent therevpon why doe you not frame your argumente and drawe your consequence what kind of Logique is this or of whom did you learne it to raile deadly and damnably against innocentes without any shew of proofe but if you caÌ„ neither shew where we haue wrighten it
so great a benefiâ— which God through Christ in this life bestowed on vs namely the certaintie of our saluation purchased for vs by Christ which is the summe and foundation of our comforte and religion For what comforte were it to know that indeed Christ did ones purchase saluation for vs but everie moment it is a thousand waies subiect to be lost we must therefore know that our life is with Christ in God and there as safely kept as is the life of Christ him-selfe reigning in heauen This is a thousand times saide in scripture Read Melancthon vpon the 7. ca. of Mat. in the place aboue cited Read the 5. and 8. chapt to the Rom. I see you doe not put difference betweene securitie of the spirit of the flesh and that you stagger even in the verie grounds of Christianity if in heart you maintaine this tedious opinions If it be so I am verie sorrie for you and doe exhorte you to read the scriptures diligently That also is a meere cavill that we should saie the elect cannot forgoe the holie spirit Nay they often loose manie giâ—es of the same spirit but recouer them againe by repentance For they do not quite revolt from God and become professed enimies of the truth that is they sinne not against the holy Ghost nor so fal that finally they perseuere in their errours against the foundatioÌ„ and in their sinnes against conscience Neyther doth this comforte make men secure because it concerneth them onely which haue a purpose to beware of falling abhor nothing more then offending God there is therefore a manifest contradiction in that diuelish scoffe of the wicked which say If I be elected I wil do what pleaseth me because it shal not hurt me For God will haue vs be sure that we are elected but this we can not do without faith and repentance All thinges worke for the best trew vnto them that loue God There is no condemnation to them which walke according to the spiritâ— These two ioyned togeather exclude securitie stirre vs vp to cheerefulnesse and alacritie to runne our race according to the commaundement make your election certaine On the other side they sleep securely in their sins which dreame that it is in their owne handes to take and lay aside repentance whensoeuer and as often as they list and play with GOD at their pleasure But say you I woulde faine shifte of this triall wherevnto the certainetie of saluation doeth call That is it the Divell woulde haue Those sayings Matthew the two and twentith and tenth Hee vvhich continueth to the ende c Revelations the second and tenth To him that overcommeth I vvill giue a crowne c. Doe not derogate from the certaintie of saluation but are exhortations wherby God vpholdeth vs in that certainetie stirring vp in vs a desire of godlinesse and hatred of sinne The like slaunder it is when you say that vvee teach men to iudge of election a priore or by the cause Eyther malitiously they dissemble our opinion or else they vnderstande neither themselues nor vs. VVee iudge by the effect that is by faith and repentaunce of the cause that is of election But to iudge thus is to iudge a posteriors that is by the effect That wee ought not to determine of any before the ende of his life whether hee shall bee saued or no if you meane it of others you say well if of our selues or of euerie mans ovvne conscience and certainetie in himselfe it is a detestable wicked diuelish and blasphemous sayings overthrowinge the whole foundation and grouÌ„dworke of saluation Hee that taught you this taught you a doctrine of diuels though he were an angell from heauen But I will tell you an other lesson except you be certaine before the end of this life whether you shall be heire of eternall life you shall neuer so be after this life For faith in this veâ—â—e certainetie which is the beginning of eternall life this all must haue in this life vvhich looke for that other life If you haue thought on the nature and definition of hope that it is a sure and certaine expectation of eternall life you should haue found no such thing there My hart doth stand on end to think of your blasphemy I would not for an hundred thousand worlds be so seperated from Christ as to be vncertaine whether I were his or noe These are heathenish blasphemes the verie entrance of hell Wherefore you do well to confirme it with testimonies of the heathen for these thinges refarre wide of the worde of God Why doe you so coâ—rupt the wordes of scripture wresting them from a â—onne like to a seruile feare what mystere what blindnesse is it for a man to boast of vniuersall promises and not to sifte himselfe and trie whether he be of their nomber of whom the promises speak This is in deede to bring in amongst men carnall security and a shadow of faith which in the conflâ—ct driueth vs head-long into desperation I do not thâ—nke Luther Melancthon taught any maÌ„ so to babble and fome out these vniuersall promises But the carrier calles for my letters and I haue to my great paines spent the whole night in wrighting these lines Farewell Let me entreat you to provoke me no more with such disputations Fare-well hartily this 2 of september 1573. OF THE CAVSE OF SINNE Parte of a letter of Vrsinus to his friend concerning the cause of sinne ONe terrible bug-beare they haue of the cause of sinne all the rest is foolish and not worthy the aunswearing But even that also is a childish fallacie of accident For by accident that is through defect fault and error of the will of the Divel or man sin commeth to bee that worke which God by will most iust most agreeable to his nature the Law wil haue done permitting in the mean time the sins of the creature that is not so correcting directing it that it may do iustly togither with God doing iustly or els while he doth not enlighten it with the knowledge of his will or doth not so turne it by his spirit that it may doe that which it doth for obedience sake to the revealed will of God So that God ever doth well both by those that are good and also by those that are evill But the creature doth well togither with God in that goodnes wherein it is created preserved or therevnto againe restored by God The good therfore which it doth is the work of God which himselfe doth will and effect the evill which it doth is froÌ„ it selfe Now this euill is not done but permitted by God whiles he doth not cause the will of the creature to become good and to do good togeather with God doing good For the same worke in respect of diuerse causes is both good euil mutable immutable contingent free as the causes them-selues are diuerse which concuâ—â—e in producing therof Hee which
or sin as it is a motion or triall or exercise or chastisement of the godly or a punishmeÌ„t of the evil so it is from Gods prouideÌ„ce effectiuely that is so that God is the author of it but as it is sin not effectiuely but permissiuely 8. Now this permission is not a ceasinge of Gods prouidence and working in the actions of evill men wherby it may come to passe that those actions may seeme not to depend of any other cause then of the creatures which aâ—â—â—gents but a withdrawing of his heauenly grace wherby God executinge the decree of his will by reasonable creatures eyther doth not reveale vnto the creature his will which will haue that action done or ells boweth not the will of the creature to obey this diuine will in that action Which so standing the creature sinneth necessarilie in deed but with all voluntarilie and freely by Gods most iust iudgment whiles God by it bringeth to passe the iust good worke of his will prouidence 9. God therfore will haue those actions motions which the Divells men by sinning doe effect to come to passe as they are motions and executions of Gods iust iudgment but as they are sins he neither willeth nor appoueth nor effecteth them though he forbid hate horiblie punnish them yet notwithstanding in Divels men â—e suffereth them to concur with his iust actions whilest for verie good reasons most iust causes he doth not effect in them by his spirit the performance of these actioÌ„s iustely that is according to the prescript of Gods will 10 Neither is God therfore the author of confusion which is in the actions of the evill for what they will do inordinatlie that is against the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of God that God will haue done in excellent most wise order Lastly euen sinnes themselues as they are sins be done by Gods providence though not effecting yet permitting prescribing them boundes directing theÌ„ whither it pleaseth him 11 Neither is God by this doctrine made the author of sin because the sin of the sinfull creature doth by accident concur with the good and iust worke of God which he in his owne couÌ„sel determineth by the sinfull creature executeth And therefore in respect of Gods will those actioÌ„s are iust and right which in respect of the wicked by whom they be done are sinnes 12. And these things are manifest first by the vniversall nature causes effects being such of theÌ„selues naturally or by accideÌ„t For wheÌ„ the same effect hath many causes some good some badde that same effect in respect of good causes is good in regard of bad causes is bad good causes of theÌ„selues naturally are the causes of good effects but by accideÌ„t of euil effects or sins which is fouÌ„d in the effect by some other euill or sinful cause coÌ„trarywise euil causes are of theÌ„selues the causes of evil but by accideÌ„t they may be causes of that good whith is fouÌ„d in the effect 13. Secondly the truth of these matters appeareth by the immutable nature of God the fouÌ„taine and author of all good For Gods wokes are equaly good whether he effect theÌ„ by evil or good instruments neither are they battered by good or made worse by evill instruments seeing their iustice and goodnes dependeth not on the nature of the instruments but of God which maketh vse of the instruments but on the other side the creatures can neither be nor continue good nor do anie thing that is good except God make them good vphold theÌ„ in goodnes so governing theÌ„ that they may work that which is good with God who by theÌ„ worketh that good which he will 14 Yet hereby we do not attribute vnto God coÌ„trary wils For God wil wil not the same actioÌ„s in divers respectes Hee will as they are conformable to his most iust iudgement and order and he will not but rather hateth and detesteth yet permitteth them to be done as they are contrary to his order and law against which they are committed by the wicked 15 Neither doth the necessity of consequence which happeneth to the events by the immutable decree of Gods providence take away that contingeÌ„ce or casuality which they haue froÌ„ the mutable nature of second causes or from the power liberty of God whereby he so decreed from al eternity if we distinguish rightly betweene both as that there is a respect betweene causes working immutablie or mutablie For thereby euerie man may see that the same effect proceeding froÌ„â—auses partly mutable partly immutable may wel be called coÌ„tingeÌ„t in respect of mutable causes and necessary in respect of causes immutable 16 Neither doth this immutable providence of God derogate ought from the vse of teaching our desire of wel-doing as if these things were in vaine or to no purpose for admitting a first cause it is not necessarie to denie the second causes nor the first admitting the secoÌ„d And God hath promised to saue vs not without but by these means and hath for this reason coÌ„manded vs to vse theÌ„ expecting the good successe of them from him 17 But when God in scripture is denied to will the actions of Divels or sinful men that is to bee vnderstood as they are sins or to that end wherevnto they are done by divels meÌ„ not as they are actions or done vnto that end which God in the order of providence respecteth For actions are distinguished by their endes 18 The church thus perswaded her selfe and teaching others of Gods provideÌ„ce doth vtterly coÌ„demne detest the furies madnes of Epicures and Academiques with the devises of all others which wil haue gods provideÌ„ce either to be none at al or not to exteÌ„d vnto all things in the world or els to be only a certain kinde of fore-knowledg in God not any decree and execution 19 As much it condemneth the blasphemies and errours of the Manichees Stoickes Libertines and others which make GOD the authour of sinne or take from him his libertye whereby from all eternitie hee made his decrees or else abolish the operations and vse or differences of second causes working either necessarily or contingently or voluntarily freely 20 This doctrine is to be retained in the Church for Gods glory that so it may appeare that God is the governour of all things yet not the author of sinne but the most free and excellent effector giver of all good things It is also so necessarie for our instruction and comfort that we may become thankefull vnto God as being the well spring of all goodnes and patiently suffer evils as happening vnto vs by his will perswading our selues that all things shal serue for our salvation that acknowledging God to bee the author of punishments we might amende not despaire of Gods helpe though we be left destitute by second causes that we trust not in our selues but in feare of
God aske all good things of him that wee may know that God taketh especial care of his church that we iudge not rashly of the works counsels of God that we contemne not others because God of his free boūty hath bestowed better giftes vpon vs that in all things wee follow the will and order prescribed vnto vs by God 10 OF SINNE 1 ONly the doctrine of the church sheweth entirely the nature causes and effects of sinne 2 Sinne is whatsoeuer disagreeth with the lawe of God that is any defect or inclination or actiō against the law of God offending God and making the offender guiltie of temporall punishmēt and eternal except remission be granted for our meadiator the sonne of God 3 Every sinne is either actuall or originall 4 Originall sinne is the guilt of all mankinde for the fall of our first parentes and a privation of the knowledge and will of God in our minds and of our inclination to obey God in will and hart with an inclinatiō in both to resist the law of God following the fall of our first parents and derived from them to al posterity so corrupting our whole nature that for this corruption we are all guilty of Gods everlasting wrath and can doe nothing acceptable to God except remission be granted for the sonne of God our mediator renuing of nature by the holy spirit 5 Actuall sinne is every action in minde will or heart or in externall partes and members erring from God or a leaving of those things vndone which the law of God commandeth to be done 6 Every sinne is either raigning or not raigning in vs which some call mortall or veniall 7 Sinne raigning is that against which the sinner doth not resist by the grace of the holy spirit renuing him to eternall life therefore he is endaungered to eternall death except he repent and obteine remission by Christ 8 Sinne not raigning is that against which the sinner doth resist by grace of the holy spirit renuing him vnto eternall life and therefore he is not eudangered to eternal death because he repenteth and obteineth remission by Christ 9 Everie sinne in its own nature is mortal that is deserueth eternal death but it is made venial that is it doth not bring eternall death in the regenerate by reason of grace for Christes sake 10. Everie sinne is either against conscience or not against conscience 11. Sinne against conscience is when hee which knoweth the will of God of set purpose doth against it 12. Sinne not against conscience is that which is cōmitted by one ether not knowing the wil of god or else is acknowledged by the sinner to be a sin and is bewailled yet cānot perfectly be avoided in this life as originall sinne and manie sinnes of ignorance and infirmitie 13. Every sin is either vnpardonable against the holy Ghost or pardonable not against the holy Ghost 14 Sin vnpardonable or against the holy Ghost is an oppugning or casting away of Gods truth of set purpose after the mind by testimony of the holy Ghost is instructed confirmed in the truth which sin they that cōmit are punished by God with blindnes so that they neuer repēt consequently neuer obtaine pardon 15. Sins pardōable or not against the holy Ghost are al other sins wherof some repēt and some doe not 16. Al that are elected by God vnto eternall life are so vpheald by him that they neuer sin against the holy Ghost 17. There doe abide some reliques of sinne in all the regenerate as long as they are in this life first original sinne secondlie manie actual sinnes of ignorance omission and infirmitie which notwithstanding they acknowledge and bewaile resist them and therfore they retaine a good conscience remission of sinnes thirdly some runne oftē times into errors crossing the verie groūds or into sins against conscience for which they loose their good conscience and consolation and gifts of the holy Ghost and should be damned if they did perseuere therein to their liues end they perish not in them because they repent in this life 18. There is a threefold difference wherby sinners regenerate differ from the wicked first a perpetual purpose which God hath to saue them secondely certaine and sure repentance at the last thirdely some beginning of faith cōversiō ever in their sinnes which at some times is greater of more force and so wrastleth against sin that they slip not into errors against the groundes nor into sins against conscience at other times lesser more feeble is for a time ouercome by temptations yet preuaileth so far that they never quite revol◠frō God which were once truely conuerted And therfore sin in the regenerat is either to be termed only not raining or els if errors against the foūdatiō or sins against cōscience may be called raining sins as some tearme thē this raigne of sin must needes be diligently distinguished in those that be regenerated and those that be not as that God is in deed grievously angry even with the regenerate when they sinne yet ever with a purpose of amēding and saving them and that in them all waies remaineth some sparkle of faith and conversion some hatred of sinne which is an enemy there vnto so that they do not simply without any resistance giue over themselues vnto sin delight therein as do the wicked which sinne without any resistance and with all their hearts 19 Every sinne is either a sinne of it selfe and in its owne nature or els by accident 20 Sinnes of themselues or in their owne kinde and nature are all such as are forbidden by the law of God 21 Sinnes by accident are such actions of men not regenerate as are indeede commanded by God yet displease him for many defects and sins cōcurring in the wicked or actions indifferēt which are done with scandal 22 God is the cause of no sinne but the wil of divels and men of their own accord turning themselues from God is the efficient cause of al sinnes the efficient cause of originall sinne in men is the fall of our first parents but originall sin is the precedent cause of all actuall sinnes which followed vpon the first fall 23 The effectes of sinne are punishments temporal and eternal and because God punisheth sins with sinnes therefore sinnes following are effectes of sinnes precedent 24 But although all sinnes deserue eternal damnation yet all sinnes are not equall but as there are degrees of punishments so also there are degrees of sinnes in Gods iudgement 11 OF FREE WILL. 1 FReedome of wil in God reasonable creatures is a faculty of chusing or refusing that which reason perswadeth to be chosen or refused of their owne proper motion without any constraint 2 And that is called free which is indued with that facultie the word arbitrium signifieth the wil it selfe but such a will as followeth or refuseth the iudgement of
9 He which is borne of God sinneth not but his seede remaineth in him XI But for al this it is not lawful for any maÌ„ froÌ„ this will of God to take occasion of sinning the more freelie or deferring and casting of the time of his repentance For that promise of the present eternall grace of God pertaineth to such as liue in true repentance and feare of God not in carnall securitie For all such as liue securely are in danger to be forsaken hardened by the iust iudgment of God and dying without repentance to perish euerlastingly but because of the vncertaine continuance of this life especially because of Gods anger against such as with securitie against coÌ„science abuse his mercy Mat. 24. 28. If the evil servant shall saie my Lord delaieth his comming c. And v. 24. Watch because yee kow not the daie the houre c. Rom. 2. 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his bouÌ„tie and patience c. XII The principal efficient cause of our conversion is the holie Ghost neither is any man converted but by his speciall favour But he effecteth it in meÌ„ of ripe yeares especiallie by knowledge of Gods word and faith there vnto given which is in all that repent in them alone so that neither faith is without conversion nor conversion without faith Psal 51. 12. Create in me ô God a cleane heart And v. 13. I will teach the wicked thy waies Ier. 3. 18. 〈◊〉 me 〈◊〉 Lord and I shall be converted because after thou diddest coÌ„vert mee I repented 1. Cor. 4. 15. I haue begotten you through the gospell Act. 15. 9. By faith the heart is clensed Heb 4. â— The word they hard profited them not because it was mixed with faith in them that heard it Iames 2. 17. Faith without workes is dead Rom. 14. 23. That which is not of faith is sinne XIII As therefore vnto faith so also to the effecting exercising furtherance of repentance in men God vseth many means or external helping causes as the good examples of others the punishments of the wicked the rewardes of the godlie especially crosses and chastisements Mat. 5. 16. Let your light c. Rom. 11. 11. By their destruction came salvation to the Gentiles to provoke them to emulation Also ver 21. If God spared not the naturall branches beware least hee spare not thee also Psal 58. 12. And men shal say verily there is fruit for the righteous doubt lesse there is a God that iudgeth the earth Ps 119. 71. It is good for me that I haue beene in trouble that I may learne thy statutes 1. Cor. 11. 37. When we are chastised we are instructed by the Lord. XIV The proper and perpetuall effects of true repeÌ„tance are confession of our owne vnworthines of Gods mercy and all good workes But things indifferent as fasting laying aside our comely costly attire c. are helps signes of repentaÌ„ce not alwaies or necessarily but such as may bee vsed at the discretion convenient occasions of the godly But eternall life and other Gods good giftes benefites are not effectes or deserued revvards but consequents free requitals of repeÌ„tance as also of faith good works Ps 51. Against thee only haue I sinned Dan. 9. 7. To thee O Lorde belongeth righteousnes but vnto vs confusion Mat. 3. 9. Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance 1. Tim. 4. 8. Bodily exercise profiteth little Luc. 17. 10. When yee haue done all say we are vnprofitable servants XV. As therfore al the elect are in this life coÌ„verted so none of the reprobate do truly repent but the more they are vexed with an evill coÌ„science feeling or fear of punishmeÌ„t so much the more falling into despaire they storme against God his iudgements turne themselues away froÌ„ God sin the more grievously and blaspheme openly or some time for feare of punishment or desire of glory or other commodities of this life they forsake their errors embrace and professe the truth abstaine from external offences and make a shew of holinesse being indeede hypocrites without faith loue or feare of God and therefore in the end fall quite away Examples are frequent of Caine Esaâ— Iudas Saul Ahab Esaie the fifty and seventh and one and twentith There is no peace with the wicked Matth. 21. 44. and Hebre. 66. They which haue once bin lightned after fall are not any more renued by repeÌ„tance 2. Pet. 2. 20. For if they after they haue escaped froÌ„ the filthines of the worlde by the knowledge of our Lord c. are yet entaÌ„gled againe therein overcome their latter ende is worse with them then the beginnâ—ng XVI The Papistes opinion touching repentaunce iâ— impious that contrition may bee and is sufficient for our sinnes and that it is a merit of remission of sins that confession or reckning vp al â— mans sins to the Minister is necessarie that the workes or rites coÌ„manded not by God but by the Ministers are necessary and satisfactions for the eternal punishments or those of purgatory due to our sins Psal 90. 11. Who hath knowne the greatnesse of thine angerâ— Tit. 3. 5 He hath saved vs not by those iust workes which we haue done but of his mercy by the wâ—shing c. Psal 19. 13. Who can vnderstande his faults clense mee from my secret faultes Esa 29. 13. Math. 15. 8. In vaine they worship me with traditions of men XV. OF THE LAW OF GOD. 1 A Law in generall is a sentence commanding that which is honest and binding the reasonable nature to obedience with a promise of reward if that obedience be performed threatning of punishment if it be violated 2 Of lawes some are divine some humane 3 Humane lawes are either civill or ecclesiasticall 4 The principall differences betweene divine and humane lawes are these that diuine laws do partly concerne Angels and men partly all and partly some men humane lawes concerne onely some men Secondly divine lawes besides externall actions doe also require the internall qualities and motions humane lawes commaunde only certaine externall actions Thirdly divine lawes propose not only corporall and temporall but also spirituall and eternall punishments and rewardsâ— humane lawes promise and threaten rewards and punishments only corporall and temporall Fourthly obedience to divine lawes is the end of humane laws humane must serue to the observatioÌ„ of divine laws Fiftly of divine laws some are eternall and some mutable all humane lawes are mutable Lastly divine laws can be abrogated by none but God humane lawes for probable causes many bee chaunged and abrogated by men XVI OF THE PARTS OF GODS LAW 1 THere are in holy scripture found 3. partes of Gods law That is to say Moraâ— Ceremonial and Iudiciall 2 The morall law whose summe is conteined in the ten commaundements is a doctrine agreeing with the eternall and immutable wisedome and rule of iustice in God discerning