ioyned with faith of miracles as also faith of miracles hath euer historicall or temporarie faith ioyned with it but not alwaies iustifying faith 13. Faith even in the most godly sorte of men is imperfect in this life and feeble yet whosoever feeleth in his hearte a serious purpose to beleeue and wrastling with doubt he may must surely perswade himselfe that hee hath trewe faith 14. Trewfaith once kindled in the hearte though in some sorte it often faint and be obscured yet it is neuer wholy extinguished 15. But after this life it is changed into a more full and certaine knowledge of God heauenly thinges namely a present feellinge and experience of happinesse with God which knowledge the scripture nameth a knowledge by seeinge face to face 16. Faith which is only historicall causeth desparation and heauinesse of Gods iudgment though accidentally 17 Temporarie faith causeth a certaine ioy but not pacifying our consciences because not proceeding of a true cause and worketh in vs confession and some shew of good workes but only for a time 18 Faith of miracles obtaineth those miracles whereof it is from God 19 Wee obtaine righteousnes before God and participation of Christ and all his benefits onely by that faith which applyeth to euerie particular man the promises of grace 20 True conversion and beginning of new obedience according to al the commandements as it cannot goe before this faith so it cannot but accompanie it OF THE OFFICE AND PERSON OF Christ the onely Mediator Disputed by D. Zach. Vrsine in the Vniversitie of Heidelberge for his degree of Doctorship an 1562. The Proeme WHereas God hath not only appointed in his church a ministerie of his word and coÌ„maÌ„ded approved this vocatioÌ„ to the office of teaching which is practised in the church but also hath coÌ„meÌ„ded this most high daÌ„gerous functioÌ„ of all others that are performed by men to those which haue both the knowledge of heauenlie doctrine and also indifferent abilitie to deliuer the same and by innocencie of life giue vnto the hearers examples of that which they teach and doth by the mouth of S. Paule pronounce them guiltie of others offence which place or consent to them that place in this order men vnfit that is such as by life or evill doctrine giue offence to the church 2 Tim. 5. Lay not thy handes rashly one anie be not partaker of others offences these things I say being so it is without doubt necessary that such as in churches or schooles shall vndertake parte of this labour of teaching bee first heard by such as can iudg of the truth of doctrine and willinglie submit themselues to the triall censure of men I therefore although in coÌ„fidence of mine owne worthinesse I may so little presume to present my selfe to this publique view of learned men and young students that I bring neither learning nor experience nor iudgment nor anie thing at all to plead in my behalfe for the patient presence and attention of the learned besides great trembling and earnest entreatie of Gods assistance and your fauour yet seeing they who haue ben some times coÌ„uersant in scholes should not draw back from triall and seeing it is a part of ingenuity faithful dealing not to conceale eueÌ„ a mans owne weaknes I haue thought it fit both for discharg of my duty my further learning not peremptorily to withstand their commaund whose pleasure it is that I should come into this place But because the custome and purpose of these disputations is to determine vpon some principal pointes of Christianity I haue determined at this time to repeate discusse that argument of scripture which is touching the office and person of one onlie mediatour betweene God and man eveÌ„ Christ Iesus our Lord both because it compriseth a short grounde and summe of Christianity as also because ever our forreine and hom-bread contentions do most concerne this point I purpose therefore after my manner to recite as breifely and plainly as I can the sence and meaning of some propositions togeather which reasons and testimonies taken out of holy scripture 1. Position After man by sin was separated from God the most absolute and perfect a iustice of God would not suffer him to be reconciled vnto God except some b very man borne of that mankind which had sinned yet himselfe free c from al spot of sin had endured sufficient punishment for mans sins and perfourmed the full obedience of Gods law a. Gen. 2. 17. In the daie that thou eatest therof thou shalt die the death Deut. 27. 26. Cursed be he that coÌ„tinueth not in all the wordes of this lawe to doe them Mat. 5. 26. Thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast paide the vtmost farthinge Rom. 8 3. God sending his own sonne coÌ„deÌ„ned sinne in the flesh that we c. b. Rom. 5. 12. 15. As by one man sin entered into the worlde c. Cor. 15. 21. For since by man came death by man also came the resurrectioÌ„ of the dead 1. Tim. 25. Heb. 2. 14. 15. 16. Aug. de verâ— relig That nature was to bee assumed which was to be delivered c. 2. Cor. 5. 21. He made him which knew no sin for vs c. Heb. 7. 26. For such an high Priest it became vs to haue which is holy innocent vndefiled c. II. But the merit of no persoÌ„ which was not God could be equall to the sin of all man-kind much lesse greater then it d. Act. 20. 28. God hath purchased his church with his owne bloud Rom. 18. 3. When it was impossible to the law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God c. III. Such a person also as had beene only a creature could not haue ben able to endure the weight of Gods anger against the sins of maÌ„kind and to deliver himselfe out of it e. Psal 30. Lord of thou marke what is doâ—e amisse who shall be able to endure it Deut. 4. 24. The Lorde thy God is a consuming fire IV. Moreouer it stood him vpon by his desert intercession to obteine by his power to restore vnto vs that righteousenesse life which we had lost to free vs from sin death to defend saue vs vntill we were perfectly restored f. f. 1. Cor. 15. 21. By man came the resurrection of the dead Ioh. 10. 28. I giue vnto my sheepe eternall life Ioh. 6. 39. 15. 26. Mat. 11. 27. Eph. 4 8. 9. 1â— Heb. 7. 26. 1. Cor 15. 22. 23. V Lastly it is necessarie that all which should bee saued being engraffed into the body of this mediator should be borne caried by him for ever g. g. Eph. 3. 17. That Christ by faith may dwell in our hearts Io. 15. 4. Abide in me Iâ—n you As the braÌ„ch caÌ„not beare fruit in it selfe except it abide in the vine so neither can you except ye abide in me Rom. 8. 9. He that
and say he died for all and everie of these not onely in respect of the sufficiency of his sacrifice and satisfaction but also in regard of the efficacy of the same What meaneth this newe devise I pray That forsooth Christ by his death and bloudsheading hath truely and effectually deliuered from death purged from siâ— sanctified reconciled vnto God and restored vnto his grace and fauour by his death bloudsheading all and euerie single man yea even those who are not saved but haue beene eversince Caine are at this day and shall bee hereafter damned This is their abominable sottish opinioÌ„ on which they build an other as false and foolish that forsooth All the wicked as many as heretofore perished or at this day perish or hereafter shall perish they neyther perishâ—d ne perish nor shall perish for their sinnes wheras they are washed away by the bloud of Christ Iosus but for vnbeleife alone They who are not vtterly ignorant of this controversie and question wil easily grant that we here coine nothing of our own nor speake any thing with intent to slander reproach them But oh how horrible a sound is this in Christian eares These quaint and gay Procters of wicked imps mainetaine that all vngodly and filthie dogs before after the death of Christ are received into the grace favour of God We say first that this is a false diveâ—lish opinioÌ„ because it impugneth scripture which every where maketh open proclamation that the wicked and vngodly as long as they remaine destitute of faith and repentance are not in the grace and favour of God but are and continuallie remaine the children of wrath and eternal malediction neither are they delivered from sin and death but are held captiues and ensnared by the devill alreadie condemned and plagued with the heavy wrath of God Secondly we affirme that this their forgerie is most absurd vaine because it shamefully overthroweth both it selfe and maine principles of the Christian faith For let vs but propose vnto our selues this Thefis or assertion All meÌ„ without exception faithfull and vnfaithfull before and after the death of Christ are truelie vndoubtedly received into grace and favor with God by the bloud of Christ what trow yee will be the isâ—ue ensuing herevpon verily a huge heape of absurdities First original sin with the guilt thereof shall by this their position be vtterly taken away and it will proue in their opinion â—n open falshoode to say that all men are borne the children of wrath because in their iudgment all are borne in the favour and grace of God But herein the Scripture iointlie pronounceth on our side that we al are by nature the children of wrath Secondly all the children of Turkes Saracens Canibals who at excluded from the couenant Church of God shall heerby be borne in the grace and favour of God and by force of Consequence there shall be saluation without the Covenant of God and without his Church O those sauage and cruel monsters of our age who shame not to seate the infantes of Turkes Infidels borne without the church in the bosome and fauour of God nor dread to plucke vnmercifully the poore infants of Christians dieng befor Baptisme out of the bosome of God and plung them head-long into hell fire For who knoweth not that they so fondly bind the saluation of infants to the Sacrament of Baptisme that they expressely depriue them of euerlasting happines and violently hale them out of Gods grace fauour who die before Baptisme vnlesse they haue ben assoiled by the praiers either of their parents or freindes But if it be trew that by baptisme they are againe receiued into the fauour of God howe then wâ—l this peremptory disputer maintaine that long since all mankinde was accepted into the same Thirdly therefore this their straunge conceite bruseth and quasheth in pieces an other opinion of theirs concerning the infantes of the faith â—â—ll borne out of grace assailed by the Devill before Baptisme and damned Fourthly all the wicked which before the death of Christ fell into hel fire and were againe reconciled vnto God by the death of â—hrist restored into his grace and favour how if this your 〈◊〉 goeth for truth how then I say fel they theÌ„ce who were received into it being dead whereas they could no more offend through incredulity wherefore those vngodly persons shal either coÌ„tinue in Gods favour and be saved without faith or shal coÌ„trary to your position be cast headlong again froÌ„ theÌ„ce without your crime of incredulity Fiftlie Incredulity either shal go for no sinne or if it be a sinne then all sinnes shall not be purged by the death of Christ or if all be cleansed at least the sinne of incredulity shal be of more force and vertue then the death of Christ But to say either of these were erroneous impious For incredulity not only is it selfe a sin but the mother nurce also of al other offences cleaveth fast togither with other sins even to the regenerate howbeit it is purged forgiveÌ„ to theÌ„ by the bloud of Christ Sixtly it is a shameful grosse he to affirme that the wicked are daÌ„ned not for their vngodly sins but for their incredulity As if it were not registred recorded in Scripture Theeues covetous persons drunkards and such like shall not inherite the kingdome of God As if Christ in his final iudgement shal not say vnto theÌ„ depart into hell fire c And as if forsooth incredulity were not the chiefe of sins Nay we argue the cleaâ—e contrary that they are coÌ„deÌ„ned for sin because they are condeÌ„ned for incredulity For tell mee what sinne is more grievous and heâ—ous then incredulitie Heere our Apostata sporteth and toreth ouer childishly Incredulity saith he is not now considered as it is in it selfe a sin but only as it refuseth the meanes of saluation For what is it Sir to refuse the meaÌ„es of saluation Is not this a contempt of God Is it not a most detestable sinne offence verely incredulitie is therefore a sinne because it refuseth saluation with the meanes therof Seventhly this their monstrous opinion beareth the wicked in hande that howsoeuer the truth of the Church doctrine touching originall sinne the guilt of the wicked stande immoueable yet it is at no time inherent in them nor can truly be attributed vnto them For let vs take a Turkish infant or some barbarous ancient person who neuer heard one syllable of the death of Christ and therefore cannot be saide to haue despised it through incredulity now let these disputers tell vs at what time they wil account these to stand in the grace and favor of God to be reconciled vnto him iustified and sanctified whether in their mothers wombe or soone after their birth vvhether in their childhood or in their youth whether in their perfect age or in their old yeares lastlie whether in their life
the true reall and spirituall communion of the bodie it selfe of Christ 10 The lawfull vse of the Lords supper is when the faithfull obserue this rite instituted by Christ in remēbrance of him that is to stir vp their faith and thankefulnesse 11 As in this vse the body of Christ is eaten sacramentally and really so without this vse as by infidels and hypocrites it is indeede eaten Sacramentallie but not reallie that is the sacramental signes as bread and wine are indeede receaued but not the things themselues signified by the signes namely the bodie and bloud of Christ 12. The doctrine of the Lords supper is grounded vpon manie those very forcible argumēts All places of scripture which mention the Lords supper do cōfirme it And Christ doth not cal any invisible thinge in the bread his bodie giuen or brokē for vs but that verie visible bread which he brake which because properlie it could not be so meant himselfe addeth an exposition that hee woulde haue that bread receaued in remēbrance of him which is as much as if hee had saide that this bread was a sacrament of his bodie Also he saith that the supper is the new testament which is spiritual one and eternall And Paule saith that it is a communion of the bodie and bloud of Christ because all the faithfull are one bodie in Christ which can haue no fellowshippe with the divell Also he maketh the same engraffinge into Christes bodie by one spirit in baptisme and the holy supper The whole doctrine and nature of sacraments doth confirme it which represent vnto our eies the same spiritual cōmunion of Christ to be receaued by faith which the worde or promise of the Gospell declareth to our eares and therfore they are called by the nāes of the things signified and haue not except in the lawful vse the receauing of the verie thinge annexed vnto them The articles of our faith cofirme it which teach that Christes body is true humane not present in manie places at once and that now it is receaued vp into heauen and shall there remaine vntill the Lord returne to iudgment that the cōmunion of the godlie with Christ is wrought by the holie Ghost not by enterance of Christs body into the bodies of men therefore al the purer antiquitie of the church with verie great and open consent professed the same doctrine 13 The Lords supper differeth from baptisme 1 In rite and manner of signifying because the washing signifieth remission and clensing of our sins by the bloud and spirit of Christ and societie of the afflictions and glorification of Christ But the distribution of breade and wine signifieth the death of Christ imputed vnto vs for remission of sinnes and that wee beeing nowe ingraffed into Christ are become his members 2 In special vse because baptisme is a testimony of our regeneration or covenant betweene God and vs and of our admission or being receiued into the church but the Lords supper witnesseth that we are perpetually to be nourished by Christ abiding in vs and that the covenant which we haue once made with God shall ever endure steadfast and that we shall for ever abide in the church and bodie of Christ 3 By the persons to vvhom they must bee ministred Baptisme is due to all which are to be accounted for members of the church vvhether aged or infantes the Lords supper to them onely which can vnderstande and celebrate the benefites of Christ and examine themselues 4 In often vse Baptisme must only once be received because the covenant of God once begun is ever firme and steadfast to them that repent But the Lords supper must be often receiued because the renuing of that league and often remēbrance thereof is necessary for the strengthning of our faith 5 In the order of vsing because baptisme must be ministred before the Lordes supper never but after baptisme 14 They come worthily to the Lords table which examine themselues that is which are endued with true faith and repentance Which who so do not finde in themselues they must neither presume to approach without them least they eate and drinke iudgement to themselues nor deferre repentaunce whereby they may approach least they pull vpon themselues hardnesse of hart and eternall punishments 15 The church ought to admit to the Lords supper all that professe that they embrace the foūdation of Christian doctrine purpose to obey it and to prohibit all such as being admonished by the church and convicted of their errors will not for all that desist from their errors blasphemies or manifest sinnes against conscience 16 The Pope hath done wickedly in taking the breaking of bread from amongst the rites of the the Lords supper as also in barring the people the vse of the cup. He hath also done wickedly in adding so many ceremonies never commanded by the Apostles Hee hath fowly transformed the Lords supper into a theatricall masse that is into a foolish imitation of Iudaical traditions stage-like gestures But most impious idolatrous are those devises to perswade that the masse is a propitiatorie sacrifice wherein by the Masse-Priests Christ himselfe is offered vp to his father for the quicke and dead and by vertue of consecration is substantially present and so abideth as long as the bread and wine remaine vncorrupt and bestoweth the grace of God and other benefits on them for whom he is offered and by whom he is eaten with the bodily mouth without any good motion of their owne and also that he is to be adored worshipped as he is included and borne about vnder those two kindes namely bread and wine For these damnable and abominable idols it is very necessary that the masse bee banished from the Christian church A FVNERALL ORATION OF D. FRANCES JVNIVS Professor of Divinity in the famous Schoole of Neustade vpon the death of D. ZACHARY VRSINE a most worthy man and vigilant Doctor and Professor of Divinity in the saide Schoole of Neustade WE haue lately lost noble and worthy auditors the most faithfull servaunt of God Zacharie Vrsine a reverende vvitnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ a right vertuous man my sweete fellow-professor and one most beneficiall to Gods church of this man are we deprived and this our orphan-schoole left destitute of her parent The greatnesse of which losse if I woulde amplifie I shoulde but giue occasion of more heavinesse to your mindes that are already in this case too tenderly affected and faile exceedingly of that excellency of discourse which in so excellent a subiect may iustly be expected For though faine I would and could hartily wish that I might speak much to this purpose yet I neither thinke it fit considering I should but minister fuell to the fire of your affection nor accompt my selfe able as well for divers defects which I feele in my selfe of wit learning exercise continuance of conversing with that man of happy memorie whereby I am
Trinity eternal Deity of the Son holy Ghostâ— or as though he wrested the Christians weapons out of their hands or by manifest consent were an opeÌ„ abetter of the Arrinish glosies No no would to God rather you Vbiquitaries did not so oâ— would at least cease to spread the infection of your Arrian leprosie throughout the church He indeede made choise of some argument before others not vnadvisedly or to such purpose as you slaunderously imagine but as himselfe often profesieth because he did wish we would bring nothing but what were sound and substantiall And good reason for he found by experience in his conflictes with Servetus Gentâ—â—is the like monsters which were arguments of strength and perspicuity and which were not which did powerfully presse the adversary and which did not And therefore he saw well that he was to coÌ„bate not with number but waight of arguments by his example taught others how to encounter heretâ—ques who are now growen far more subtile slippery then heretofore was either Samosateâ—â—â— himselfe or Arrius or any other of their principal patriarchs For now the adversary which by these his instruments impugneth the glory of Christ is growen old and wily There are now to vse the words of Cipâ—ian almost sixe thousand yeares accomplished since first the Divel beganne thus to war against God He hath by this tâ—â— even by practise of antiquity throughly instructed heretiques in all sleightes of attempting all trâ—â—kes devises of vndermining Lastly seeing the spirites of the Prophets are subiect to the prophets this worthy excellent servant of God did only by wrighting advise not prescribe vnto the church any interpretations or opinions of his own Cease therefore ingratefull exclaimers to forâ—e out against him the pestilent poison of slaundering tongues in your pulpits which without him many of you were scarsely able to mainetaine with credit But to let these passe I come now to the secoÌ„d sore of wrightings which is both heretical and intollerable for monstrous paradoxes therin maintained plaine principles of divinity dâ—faced opeÌ„ testimonies of scripture perversely corrupted heresies long since condemned lately restored and imposed vpon the simple vulgar for verities EvaÌ„gelicall In which kinde the most bitter Aâ—chilochian disputant Huberâ—us an impudeÌ„t back iuding Apostata doth now Lord it whom hatred against the truth truely knowen but want only denied wilfully impugned doth euerie day more then other so swiftelie sweepe away with a continuall current of barking and back-biting that meÌ„ may iustly suspect him for a fearfull example of one giuen over by God into a reprobate sence God of his mercie gâ—aunt him a better minde if he be not past cure or at least so bridle his furie that he cary not others with him headlong to destruction He as an impe of Pelagius mouthy sectary of Eâ—icurâ—us filleth all Germanie with horible exclamations that all men without exception as well faithfull as Infideli alreadie dawned as hereafter to be condemned reprobate as others suppose doggs hogs as Christ his sheepe Nero Heliogabalus as Dauid Iosaphat Iudas as Peter are by the death of Christ reconciled vnto God sanctified iustified their sius pardoned theÌ„selues receiued into the bosome sauor of God in a word saued applaud your patroÌ„ procter ò you dogs hogs which hath opened so wide a gate vnto Atheâ—sme no maÌ„ daÌ„ned for sin but only for vnbeleife that in God there is no eternal decree of electioÌ„ reprobatioÌ„ that God hath not defined a certaine â—uÌ„ber of them which shal be saued that al meÌ„ euer since the fal of Adam are elect in Christ that Election grace and forgiuenes of sins is generall and coÌ„mon vnto all and that with God there is no speciall Election but this speciall Election is only in respect of men as every man privately applyeth to himselfe that grace which is coÌ„mon vnto al that God knew from everlasting who woulde embrace his grace offered and who againe would make shipwracke thereof that to Elect is nothing else but to invite and win mankinde vnto himselfe that many of the Elect do perish that the certeinty of Gods giftes and graces whereof wee boast out of Rom. 11. 29. where they are said to be without repentance is a vaine brag that our ElectioÌ„ in Christ is founded on a supposition and condition If wee beleeue that it relyeth wholy on our faith that faith is not given vs indeed without the grace of God howbeit the meanes by which it is giuen vs are in our own power that the vnregenerate haue an arbitrary ability to run assone as God calleth them by his worde that they can of them selues perceiue and vnderstand the Lordes voice when he crieth vnto them that the cause why of many who vse the same meanes some beleeue and persevere 〈◊〉 her some beleeue not or beleeving persevere not is the right or not right vse of the meanes that this vse is in our owne power that the 9. Chapter to the Romanes treateth not of Predestination to life or death that this doctrine of pedestination maketh God a lying God a cruel God a God reioycing in euill and an vniust God that it ouerthroweth the ministery leaveth no place for wholsome exhortation that it breedeth securitie despaire in men and an hundred other postions of this kinde wherwith if you conferre the auncient pestilent heresies of Pedagius Coelestius they will concurre with this doctrine meete therwith as iust as germans lipes For the Pelagians taught the selfe same as appeareth both out of the writinges S. Austen out of the epistles of Prosper and of Hilarie vnto him touching the reliques remainder of the Pelagian heresie in Fraunce They taught that in deede all men had sinned in Adam and that no man was saued by his owne workes but by the grace of God in regeneration howbeit the proptiation of Christes bloud is say they proposed vnto all without exception that whosoeuer will laie hold on faith receiue the Sacrament of Baptisme may be saued that God knew before the framing of the world who would beleeue coÌ„tinue faith full that he predestinated them vnto his kingdome whom he forsawe to be such as being freelie called by grace would proue worthie their Election and departe this life with a laudable happy end that therefore all men are admonished to beleeue liue well that no man might despaire of attaining saluation They denied that there was a set number predestinate of God least the vse of exhortation thereby should bee voide and the force and edge of preaching rebated They avered that all serious industrie in weldoing was cleane remooued all manner of vertues cancelled if Gods decree preuent menâ— willes that vnder the title of Predestination the Stoicks fatall necessitie was againe set on foote and established that the. 9. Chap. to the Rom. was was neuer vnderstoode by the
but calleth inviteth all men vnto himselfe though not all after one sort But that hee would effect or bring to passe that all without exception should obey and be saved he not only said it no where but in many places expresly said the contrary So that the Scripture is not contrary to it selfe teaching that God reioiceth in the salvation of all and yet hath left some to reprobation Thirdly I thinke that distrusting the waight of your arguments you meant to carry it away with multitude and did therefore vse the same argument both in first and also in the third place vnlesse perhaps you will rather haue it an amplification taken from the name of Enthusiastes that you may not be thought to haue omitted this ornament But go to what agreement betweene vs and them you say that neglecting the word we expect ravishments of the minde from the body but in which of our wrighters haue you heard or red any such thing this is spoken of vs with as little modestie as that before when you said we departed froÌ„ the revealed will of God We say that God doth worke in vs faith and our conversion but by his word after his ordinarie maÌ„ner of working where vnto he hath bound vs reserving to himselfe liberty of working extraordinarily when soever he wil as also of moving by his word whoÌ„ when and how far it pleaseth him As inconsideratly you adde and I know not whether against your conscience hauing bin so long an auditor of our profession that according to our doctrine the will of a man doth nothing In both arguments againe you dispute from admitting the first cause to the excluding of the second The will of man is an agent but being before mooued acted inclined softened and renued by God through his worde I meane not forced as a stone or a blocke but alured and invited by some obiect offered to the minde The will of Paul was Gods worke in that he would do those thinges which the Lord woulde It was Gods iudgment and the Iewes offence that they would not be gathered to geather by Christ It is in vaine that grace goeth before vnlesse it do effect the accompanying of our will What say you then of like maÌ„ner of working why rather harkeÌ„ you not to that doctor of the church which saith It is God which worketh in vs both to will and performe I will now tell you a great matter but verie trew Wee can in no wise maintaine the puritie of the article of free and certaine iustification against that sorte of merit which the Papistes terme meritum coÌ„grui except that impious devise of Gods generall grace leaving the acceptaunce vse or refusall of it selfe in our owne power be coÌ„deÌ„ned the eternal immutable loue of God towards his elect be freed from obscurity sophismes Fourthlie you vvould seeme to doe a thing ordinary extraordinarily placing the streÌ„gth of your arguments in the maine battaile filling your forward and reâ—â—-vvard with pioners and base hang bies contrary to that custome which you knowe to be obserued and commanded by Rhetoricians in their schooles Your chiefe argument is this which you set forth to the vtmost If God haue decreed to giue over some to blindnes sinne death then God by this meanes is made the cause of sin But this is easily answered First here againe I finde your waÌ„t of coÌ„mon ingenuity wheras you say that these are the words of many of our wrighters that God doth effectually worke sin in the reprobate You talke of many but do I am perswaded caÌ„not produce one For we froÌ„ our harts detest this opinioÌ„ as infinite testimonies of our writers will easilie proue But you wil say it followeth vpon our doctrine For he which decreed to suffer men to fin is the author of sinne See what an argument you haue made which if it be turned the other way is enough to confute you in your own conceit For he which permitteth sinne not being bound to hinder any man from sinning having besides authority and righte to punish vvith forsaking and casting of to eternal tormentes he is neither author nor favourer but sufferer and iudge of sinne But in this sorte GOD permitteth sinne therefore God is not any vvaie the author of sinne If you proceede and vrge but that privation or withdravving of grace vvhich he inflicteth insteed of a punishmente is sinne you commit a fallacie of accident For the punishment of it selfe as it is inflicted by God is most iust by accident as being plucked by men on their owne heads by the first sinne of Adam and the rest ensuing so it is sinne Your argument had carried more colour if from Gods providence you had concluded this effecting of sin although in deed it had beene but the same fallacy For God did most effectualie and vehemently will the crucifying of his sonne by them who aftervvardes executed it yet did he not will but suffer their murder which hee aftervvardes horriblye punished to concurre with his most iust most holy and beyonde all others most admirable and glorious worke vvhich by them hee perfourmed Hee vvould the warres of Nabuchadnezar but hated his wickednesse His vvill it vvas that Absolon shoulde vvarre against his Father David and defile his vviues but these thinges in respect of GODS vvill vvere most iust punishmentes vpon David but as Absolon did them onlie to vsurpe the kingdome and oppresse his Father not having therein any commandement of God to follovv so they were treason incest This wickednes of Absoloâ— by accident concurreth with Gods iudgment which he executeth by him As much you shall prevaile if you saie that God is theÌ„ made the author of sinne when as men forlorne and forsaken by him cannot choose but sinne For you accuse the scripture and God himselfe often saying as much as this but without daÌ„ger of such blasphemie Because mankind of their own free wil did in Paradise pul on theÌ„selves this necessity of sinninge Fifth you tell vs this is a doctrine of the law What then is it therefore false is not the law as true as the Gospell furthermore you say it is drawne from reason it selfe You had neede be more eagle-sighted in Plato Aristotle his books then I and all men besides haue bin which could never finde it there But in a word know that it is learned out of the hidden mysteries of the gospell Doe you thinke that Paules intent was in the 9. 10. 11. and 12. to the Romanes and 1. to the Ethesians to preach the Law I doe not thinke you beleeue it And what doth neerer concerne the very mâ—rrow of the Gospel then the eternal free and immutable loue of God towards his elect which Christ sâ—ith was the cause why heâ— gaue his onely begotten son for vs much more saved vs everlastinglie being once engraffed into him through faith and finished in vs the worke which hee had begun I know
sees not this sees nothing But if I can I will one day answeare you in feawe wordes For whether I can or no whē I can I doe not yet knowe besides that it is tedious to me to handle these stale sophismes Learne in secret whē your thoughts are at leasure meditate on this that every man may trouble a true but God alone can quiet it If you would not crie rost-meat you might haue fared much better March 10. An. 1573. THAT PROVIDENCE DOTH NOT DEROGATE FROM PRAIER Part of an other letter to the same friend wherein is debated this question Whether the doctrine of Providence doe derogate from praier THe godly exercise of praier wel agreeth with the doctrine of Providence and is confirmed established thereby For whosoever beggeth at Gods handes with an vpright heart things necessary to salvation the same is verily perswaded that he forth with receiveth them The contrary opinion shaketh rooteth vp our faith cōfidence in God and suffereth vs not stedfastly to beleeue the last Article of the Creed But praier when it sueth for things on which salvatiō depēdeth not patiently humbly submitteth it selfe vnto Gods will not desiring to obtaine any other thing then that which GOD in his secret counsell hath decreed best and most profitable for vs. Nothinge more slacketh our obedience in this pointe nothing more disturbeth our comforte and quiet of minde herein then that errant cōtingency whereby the Academicks Epicures beare the world In hand that the events of thinges are not governed and determined by Gods divine counsel Recall to minde that distinction of thinges to bee praied for often taught and daily repeated vnto children by our country-man Philip Melancthon and this whole controversie of praier shal be cleered and put out of doubt Herevvith meeteth our opinion but the contrary opinion swarveth wholie from it so that truth wel suteth with truth but falshoode agreeth neither with truth nor falshoode The summe of all is you must ground your cōfidence on God and craue all good things of him and be thankful vnto him for the same no otherwise thē as if all thinges proceeded from him without any your endeavour and yet must you performe your dutie with as great diligence and industrie as if you were able to procure and gaine all thinges of your selfe and by your selfe without him Whosoeuer directeth not the whole doctrine and disputation of Providence and Election vnto this end he waxeth vaine in his curiositie intangleth himselfe in many snares which himselfe laieth for him selfe On whomsoever God hath decreed to heap his blessings to them he hath appointed the spirit of praier If then hee hath giuen thee a desire to praie assure thy selfe this gift is not in vaine but thou shalt alwaies bee heard according to Gods own promise This is the Consequent thou oughtest to deduce and gather on good ground infallible conclusion out of that precedent benefit Seest thou thē the cōtrary of this thy fear For nothing lesse impeacheth nothing more cōfirmeth the desire custome and consolation of prayer then the doctrine of Providence I much marueile that you yet still dreame of the ghostes spirits of particular men Howe often haue you hearde and reade the contrarie to be trew howsoeuer the miserable Sophists of our time groping in the thicke darkenes of their Academicall blockishnesse cavill hereat For without the doctrine of Election and certainety of salvation the vniversalitie of promised grace which appertaineth to al the faithfull and to them alone can neither stand or be mainetained nor applyed to the comforte and vse of the godly How often hath it beene reiterated vnto you that you must iudge of Election a posteriors from the subsequent signs effects it causeth For you must repute and iudge your selfe elected by that measur of faith which is required in the elect Yea this is true liuely faith for a man to beleeue that he is elect vnto eternall life for Christs sake Search then sift thine own conscience whether there be found in thee faith repentance and vnfeigned desire of the grace and fauour of God then pronounce thy selfe one of Gods elect al curious disputatiōs set apart I protest before God that I◠see not by what meās I could haue stood stedfast in many my priuate greeuances had I not held this one comfort impregnable No man shall take my sheepe out of my handes c. What are all other comfortes if this be not at hand with vs that all thinges good and evill befall vs not casually but by the eternall decree purpose of God worke for our saluation 9. Iun. 1575. A PREFACE OF AN ORATION pronounced on Easter evē by a certaine student of Divinity in the famous Vniversity of Heidelberge touching this question To whom the benefite of the Death and Resurrection of Christ appertaineth and how Christ died for all men COncerning the story benefite of our Lordes Resurrection I suppose I haue hitherto sufficiently treated It followeth that I proceede vnto the last point proposed I mean to whom this benefite appertaineth Wherfore directing our course as it were by the loadstar of scripture we pronounce by vertue and authoritie thereof that so precious inestimable a benefite belongeth vnto all the faithfull and to them alone and we exclude the wicked vnbeleevers as long as they remaine such from hauing any interest therein For all the faithfull they alone haue a taste of the sweetnes of those fruites suppose free iustification before God a quickening from the death of sinne and of the body lastly immortall life and glory these heauenly blessinges I say all the faithfull and they alone partake and enioy because they all they alone apply thē vnto themselues through faith For these are they who heare Christes wordes who beleeue haue eternal life and come not into condemnation These are they who are iustified by faith are reconciled vnto God and haue peace with him through our Lord Iesus Christ These are they who being regenerate by the holy Ghost are raised with Christ vnto newenes of life whose heartes are purified by faith Finally these are they which sleepe in Iesus whome one day God will bring with him hauing raised them from the dead that they may enioy for ever the glory of his heavenly kingdome Nowe the wicked being vtterly voide and destitute of faith which iustifieth howe should they I pray you partake in any of these blessinges with whom God is not pleased for without faith it is impossible to please God who belong not vnto Christ neyther are heires of the kingdome who neither haue title nor right In Christ Iesus nor To Christ Iesus as the lawiers vse to speake how should Christ appertaine vnto them How should the benefites be extēded vnto them Nay rather all these are by the mouth of the sonne of God himselfe farre remooued debarred
these tteasures and are adiudged vnto eternal maledictioÌ„ everlasting death For thus saith he in the Gospell He that beleeueth not is coÌ„demned alreadie the wrath of God abideth on him And Paul testifieth If any man hath not the spirit of Christ the saÌ„e is not his which place of the apostle I suppose to be very pertineÌ„t to this preseÌ„t purpose For if the vnfaithfull beloÌ„g not vnto Christ neyther are they of Christ it may souÌ„dly be argued well coÌ„cluded by the logiciaÌ„s rule of Relatiues that Christ with his benefites pertaineth not vnto them and as they are not Christs so neither is Christ theirs For how I pray should Christ pertaine vnto theÌ„ whom one day at the last iudgement he shall pronounce before all the world aliants and strangers from him his benefites and his kingdome of whoÌ„ he shall testifie that he never knew them lastly whom he shall cast as being the cursed workers of iniquitie into hell fire Yea but saie you Christ died for the sinnes of all Therefore he rose againe for the iustification of all The answere herevnto is two-folde either of which is true and sóund First as often as the Gospell extendeth the fruit of Christs merites and benefites vnto all it must be vnderstood as saith Saint Ambrose of the whole number of the faithfull and elect For this is the vsuall and common voice found everie where throughout the whole course of the gospel He which beleeveth shall be saved and commeth not into iudgement He which beleeveth not shall be damned and is iudged already and the wrath of God abideth on him Wherefore the Gospell dispossesseth all vnbeleevers of Christs benefites not onlie by a flat exclusion but also by positiue vertue of that condition of faith and repentaunce by which he promiseth expresly or covertlie his benefits vnto meÌ„ which it appeareth is neuer found in the reprobate that is such as do persist and wil stil persist in their impietie Christ therefore is thus said to be dead for all that is for all the faithfull and elect for whom alone he also praied and in whom alone he findeth the end and fruit of his death But to extende the benefites of Christs death vnto infidels reprobates for whom he neuer praied whom he neuer knewe or tooke for his owne and on whom the wrath of God abideth for ever what els is this but against his expresse commaundement to giue holy thinges vnto dogges and cast pearles before swine This answere may be strongly maintained by the authoritie of holy scripture and testimonies of sound fathers and is much available vnto Christian consolatioÌ„ Howbeit there is an other answere no lesse true wherwith we may satisfie the most contentious wranglers that Christ died for all men absolutely and without exception to wit if you respect the sufficiencie of the merite and the price which he paied It is out of all doubt and controversie that the death of the Son of God is of such weight worth that it may serue to purge and cleanse the sinnes not of one world only but thousands of worlds if at least all mâ—â— would apprehend by faith this salue of sin But the question concerneth the efficacie and participation it selfe of the fruits which we mainely deny to be common to the beleeving and vnbelâ—â—â—ing or to be generally promised or given in the 〈…〉 and we hold it no sound doctrine to 〈…〉 in this respect Christ died alike for all 〈…〉 and reprobate But here some men possessed with an 〈…〉 as if the Church had not other controveâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—nough spew out on vs their stinking 〈…〉 open mouth taking it grievously that 〈…〉 not those heavenly treasures and iewels equallie to the godly and vngodly to the faithful and vnfaithfull to the elect and reprobate to Christs members and the Divels vassals to the sheepe to the swine They make lowd out cries on vs for denying that Christ died for al. They say this our assertion is tainted with a more odious blasphemy then any of the Saracens Turkes and Pagans and that by it Christian Religion is cleane overthrowne It is not my purpose to encounter with these monsters of men only I must needs touch the slaÌ„der they fasten on vs. For what slaunder is there if this be none When we distinguish the worth of the merue from the efficacie and participating of the benefites and restraine according to Scripture and the iudgement of the soundest Fathers this participation to the whole number of the faithful alone gathered from amongst the Iews Gentiles do we then deny that Christ died for all But that the truth of this controversie may the more appeare and these busie heads if it be possible may by some satisfaction on our part be set at rest let vs in briefe set downe the force of our maine reasons whereon wee ground this our distinction And first the holy Scripture it selfe teacheth vs plainely this kinde of distinction and forceth vs therevnto For you shall finde it in scripture somtimes absolutely spoken that Christ tasted of death for all men that he gaue himselfe a ransome for al men that he is the recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ for the sins of the whole world Againe you shal read that Christ praied not nor sanctified himselfe that is offered vp himselfe for the world but for the elect which were giuen him That hee laid downe his life for his sheepe that hee gaue his life for the ransome of many that by his knowledge he iustifieth many that hee shed his bloud for many that the world cannot receiue the holy spirit because it seeth him not neither knoweth him and because it hath not the spirite therefore it is not CHRISTS These places carry some shew of contrariety were it not that the former are vnderstood by vs of the sufficiency of satisfaction and the latter of the efficacie and working vertue thereof Furthermore other places occure which seeme to impart vnto the wicked the benefit of redemption as when Peter saith that they denie even the Lord which hath bought them that they were purged from their old sins And Paule also saith that they were sanctified with the blood of the TestameÌ„t al which the Scripture els where enforceth vs to interpret either of the vaine glorying of Hypocrites of their redemption and sanctification or els to vnderstand theÌ„ no otherwise then of the extent and sufficiencie of Christs satisfaction whereas it simply excludeth the vnfaithfull and vnrepentant from the benefit of Redemption and constantly avereth that they are yet held captiues in the snares of Devill that they are overswayed by him and carried headlong to worke wickednes that the wrath of God abide hon them he saith is abideth not it returneth as if it had at any time relinquished them lastly that Christ never knew them much lesse redeemed them Now if I were purposed to
time or after death Nay let them tell vs if ever they are admitted into favour how they fall from it whereas neither any sinne nor actuall incredulity is able to deiect theÌ„ theÌ„ce For the latter of these is not incident vnto them and the former are satisfied for by Christ Whatsoever they here answere the effect of all will proue that either they wil auere that some please God without faith or that some are cast out of Gods sight and fauor without actuall incredulitie both which are false and impious and mutually destroy one the other Lastly what caÌ„ be spokeÌ„ more blasphemous then that God hath accepted into favor and lovingly fostereth and cherisheth all the vnfaithful wicked such as were Cain Saul Iudas Herod Caligula to conclude in a word al sort of malefactors filthy swine what comfort can there be more coÌ„teÌ„ptible then that thou art redeemed by Christs death reduced into amity friendship with him wheras many thousands of those which haue bin in like sort restored notwithstanding perish everlastingly My very heart quaketh and trembleth to prosecute these monsters any farther Who is there then that thinketh not this so false an opion impious absurd and blasphemous to be far remooved and banished quite out of the precincts bounds of the Church Here me thinkes I here them cry themselues even hoarse againe The promises of the Gospell are vniversall they pertaine vnto All they pertaine vnto Al. We therefore first demand of them this question what manner of Consequence this is to say The promises are vniversall therefore reprobates and filthie dogs and hogs are restored vnto the favour and grace of God Why is not the contrary rather inferred The promises of the Gospel haue all of them a conditioÌ„ of faith and repentance annexed with them therefore they pertaine not at all to dogs and hogs Then againe as ofteÌ„ as they vrge vs with their All All so often will we reply vnto them our Beleeving Beleeving For the promises indeed are vniversall but in regarde of the repentant and such as beleeue the Gospell And here we appeale before the whole world to the very letter of the promise Come vnto me all saith Christ but he addeth which labour and are laiden that is faint and sinke vnder the burthen of your sins which falleth out in those which are repentant And againe elsewhere in another place So God loved the worlde that hee gaue his onlie begotten son that everie one which beleeveth shoulde not perish but haue life everlasting And Paule saith The righteousnes of God by the faith of Christ Iesus vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And in another Epistle The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should bee given to theÌ„ that beleeue And Christ againe teacheth howe that he which beleeueth on the son hath everlasting life And Peter also All the Prophets witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes The like reason is to be yeelded of all other promises of the Gospell For they haue a coÌ„dition of faith and repentaunce either expressed or vnderstood and cannot without blasphemy be vnderstood of any other then of the whole number of the faithfull They except against this our doctrine that by this meanes the promises are made to be particular Let the Author of the bookes De Vocat Gent. of the calling of the Gentiles whether this Autthor be Ambrose whose title the books do beare or Prosper as it is supposed by some answer for us The people of God saith he haue their fulnesse and although a great number of meÌ„ neglect or cast from them the grace of their Saviour yet there is a certaine speciall vniversity of the elect and foreknowne of God severed and discerned from the generality of all to this intent that a whole world might seems to be saved out of a whole world and all men might seeme to bee redeemed from out of all men Wherefore the promises the Gospell remaine Vniversall to the faithful howsoever they appertaine not vnto dogs and swine The Maior also of this practicall Syllogisme remaineth Vniversall The promises pertaine to all that beleeue But I beleeue Therefore they appertaine vnto mee Againe Christ died and praied for al that beleeue But I beleeue Therefore he praied and died for me Nowe they are colde comforters who teach afflicted coÌ„sciences to reason on this manner Christ died for all men But I am a man Therefore Christ died for me For why may not a Turke dogge or hogge wallowing in the mire conclude on this maner O notable comforters and proclaimers of the grace of God The strength and very sinews of Christian comfort is not to be a man but to bee in graffed in Christ by faith Farther they obiect out of the Apostle that Al men are quickened and made aliue in Christ even as all die in Adam Where if they absolutely define that all are quickned in Christ the Scripture experience shall â—â—fute and put them to silence This iâ— it theÌ„ which the Apostle saith that Christ bestoweth grace on all that are his as Adam communicated and shared death with all that are his And the one indeed â—eaning Christ through grace which is a worke of more moment the other meaning Adam by naturall propagation which is a thing more easie And that this is the scope sence of S. Paule the wordes which followe next in order plainely proue For when hee had said that all are quickened in Christ he forthwith addâ—th But everie man in his owne order The first fruits is Christ theâ— they that are of Christ that is to say they which beleeue who also were giuen him by his Father and for whoÌ„ he earnestly praied vnto his Father And S. Augustine interpreteth this place not altogither vnlike vnto vs whereas he saith that it was therefore said that all are quickned in Christ 〈◊〉 because all who 〈◊〉 Adam are the members of Christ but because as no man in the naturall body death but in AdaÌ„ so no man is quickned in the spirituall bodie but by Christ Neither is there any more place lefte for this cavill that by this 〈◊〉 Adam is made stroâ—ger then Christ if he drawe headlonge with himselfe into destruction and the pitt and gulfe of death more then Christ saueth and freeth from the very mouth of hell For the power of each party is not to be measured esteemed according to the nomber of them which die and are quickened but rather according to the manner wherby destruction quickening is purchased or effected and also by the greatnes of the benefites either lost or regained To hurte is a matter of ease but to heale a worke of much paine and travell as saith the proverbe You may sooner and with much more ease destroy whole hundreths theÌ„ preserue saue one you may
in shorter time cast a number from of the bridge into the stream then deliuer one only from the perill and danger of drowning In like manner it was a worke of more ease to destroy all mankind then to restore one man out of that generall ruine and destruction That the Devill was able to doe and Adam also was able to doe it this none but Christ could perfourme Wilde beastes and calamities haue power to hurt and murther man but it is in the power of no creature to repaire mans losse of salvation and life eternall but this was reserved to the power of GOD alone creator of all thinges wherefore the death of Christ had beene of greater force then the sinne of Adam yea though it had restored but one only man vnto life And certaine it is and an vndoubted truth that the blessings recovered by Christ so far surpasse those whose losse we sustained by Adam as heavenly things and things eternall excell earthly and corruptible things For Adam as the Apostle witnesseth is of the earth earthlie but Christ is heaveâ—lie Adam is a living soule but Christ is spirituall Adam cast vs out of an earthly paradise but Christ hath pâ—â—ced vs in an heavenly Paradise and hath given vs everlasting happines Thus 〈◊〉 haue thought it meete and convenient to proceede 〈◊〉 setting downe the 〈◊〉 of Christs death and resurrection which all appears came to them all and them alone who sticke fast vnto Christ by faith in making answere to the cavils and slaunders of Heretiques c. A SHORT INTRODVCTION TO the CoÌ„trouersie of the SacrameÌ„t of the Lords Supper vnfolding the substaunce of the cheifest questions coÌ„troversed or not controuersed therin bâ—tweene the professors of the Gospell Compiled and written by D. Dauid Parry Foure generall Premises 1 LEt our yong Diuines carry in memorye that the questions touching the Ceremonies and rites of the Supper are to bee distinguished from the doctrine which is the promise of the Gospell annexed vnto the outward and visible rites 2 Let them also learne to put a difference betweene the questions coÌ„troversed and not controuersed aswel concerning the rites as concerninge the doctrine 3 Let them knowe that the questione controversed about the rites and ceremonies are not so principal nor of such circumstance as the other which concerne the doctrine and that for the most part they may and ought to be decided in equitie according to the circumstances of 〈◊〉 place and person yet with this caueat that all be done for edification 4 Let them know moreover that the maine question touching the doctrine of the Lordes Supper not controversed hitherto by any are three and againe on the other side the questions controversed are also three wherunto all the rest may easily be refered Touching both these I will verie briefely instruct the yonger sorte The three questions touching the Lords Supper not called into doubt or controversy are these I. What the Supper of the Lord is All the professors of the Gospell agree in this pointe that the Supper of the Lorde is a Sacrament of the new Testament instituted and ordeined by Christ wherin together with the taking of bread and wine the true body and bloud of Christ is receiued and the communion or participation of Christ with all his blessinges and benefites is sealed vp in the heartes of the faithfull beleeuers II. What are the endes or vses of the supper instituted by Christ Herein also all the professours of the Gospell agree in one that this receiuing of the Sacrament confirmeth our faith of the promises of grace both because this 〈◊〉 the generall and common vse of all Sacraments whatsoeuer also because Christ himselfe hath said of this Sacrament Doe this is remembraunce of mee And This cuppe is the newe Couenant in my bloud III. What is giuen receiued iâ— the Lords Supper In this also there is a mutuall consent of all that the bread and wine are giuen and receiued visibly corporally by the hand and month of the minister communicants but the body bloud of our Lord with all the benefits of his passion are invisible and spiritually giuen and receiued by them both In all these I say there is a ioynt agreement betweene al diuines which professe the Gospell as for vaine brablers whose brawles and iaries may not be the measure wherby to iudge of the consent or controverses of the churches professing the Gospell they neyther agree in these nor in any other The three questions called into doubt or controuersie are these The first question What is the vnion of the Signe signifying or the Thing signified in the Lordes supper whether it be Transubstantiation or Consubstantiation or only a mysticall reference or relation of the one to the other To this question we make an answere consonant to the Catholicke faith in three seuerall propositions the two of which are Negatiue and third Affirmatiue 1 Proposition The Sigâ—es and the Things are not vnited by Transubstantion that is by such a charge as in which the substance of â—he Signe are transformed into the substaÌ„ce of the Thinges the accidents onely remaining The reasons of the first proposition 1 The first reason is because as Ireneus saith there are two thinges which haue a Sacramentary proportioÌ„ in the Eucharist which the Accidents of bread and wine the substance of the body and bloud of Christ can by no meanes haue 2 The second reason is deduced out of the wordes of Christ who saied This is my body not let this bee or bee made my body 3 The third reason is because the bread is termed bread both before the action of Consecâ—â—tion in the action and after the action 4 The fourth reason is because the sounder Fathers reteine the name of bread in the Lords Supper and when they speake by way of Hypeâ—bâ—le of chaÌ„ging of the bread they will be vnderstood to speake Sacramentally As Theodoreâ— Diolog 1. witnesseth saying it was the will of Christ that they who vse the Sacraments should not bend and set their mindes on the nature of the thinges which are seene bâ—t should beleeue that which was made through grace by alteratioÌ„ of the names Here in the same diologue he teacheth that we must vnderstand a sacramentall change in these wordes Christ honoured the visible signes with the title and name of his body and bloud NOT BY CHANGING THE NAME but by adding grace to the nature The second proposition II. The Signes and things signified are not vnited by Consubstantiation that is by a reall Existence of two bodies in the same place or by the close conveiance of one within the other such as we see is of the corne in a sacke of 〈◊〉 in a mans purse of an Infant in his cradell or of 〈◊〉 in a roundler For this is a likelihood of things vnited in substance The Reasons of the second proposition 1 The first reason is because the words of Christ This is
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